I’d always remembered the way she told the story the first night that she got free.  It was the most amazing, real, solo story-telling performance I’ve ever seen in my life.  Then I somehow remembered her name!  Ashley Smith.  So I was able to look it up online, and even though this is a slightly edited down version, all I can say is — be in a quite place, get yourself comfortable, don’t be distracted, and just go right into this. 

There’s something about her accent, her demeanor, her calmness, her honesty . . . this person just picked out of the hundreds of millions, who never expected to be in front of a camera in her life, let alone held by an escaped convict who’d just killed people.  And all on the same day. 

And this was riffed the evening it ended and before she went to sleep — like, it was still live in that day for her.  This is so raw. 

And it was done on the fly in (I think) the restaurant of the hotel that the city put her up in that night.  The reporters just plopped her on a couch, and she just riffed it all out in one uninterupted non-stop solo!  How she holds it together and keeps going is just riveting, chilling, jaw-dropping . . .

 video:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/7180835#7180835 

news story:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7157845/ 

I recommend to everyone I know to watch this. 

It’s a real-life performance you will never forget. 

p.s.  There’s this whole huge passage edited out of the link above.  If anyone ever finds the whole entire story, let me know and we’ll link.  In the meantine, here’s this whole amazing part that’s edited out — frombetween 5:30 and 9 in the morning . . .

About 5:30, 6–well, 6, 6:30–he said, “I need to make a move.” And I said, “A move?” He said, “I need to get rid of this car before daylight, this truck [the agent’s].” I said, “OK.”

I knew that if I didn’t agree to go with him, follow him to get the truck–he’d just take the truck, then one thing–or two–one of two things. He would kill me right then, and say, “All right, well, if you’re not going to help me, then I won’t need you anymore.” Or the police would never find him, or it would take longer. And someone else would get hurt, and I was trying to avoid that.

So I went . . . I said, “Can I take my cell phone?” He said, “Do you want to?” I said, “Yeah.” I’m thinking, well, I might call the police then, and I might not. So I took it anyway. He didn’t take any guns with him. The guns were laying around the house. Pretty much after he untied [me], they were just laying around the house.

And at one point, he said, “You know, I’d rather you shoot–the guns are laying in there–I’d rather you shoot me than them.” I said, “I don’t want anyone else to die, not even you.”

So we went to take the truck, and I was behind him, following him. And I thought about calling the police, you know, I thought, he’s about to be in the car with me right now. So I can call the police, and when he gets in the car, then they can surround me and him together, and I could possibly get hurt, or we can go back to my house.

And I really felt deep down inside that he was going to let me see my little girl. And I said–or then when I leave, he can be there by himself, or he–he finally agreed to let me go see my daughter. I had to leave at 9, 9:30. And I really believed that he was going to.

From the time he walked into my house until we were taking that truck, he was a totally different person to me. I felt very threatened, scared. I felt he was going to kill me when–when I first–when he first put the gun to my side. But when I followed him to pick–to take the truck, I felt he was going to–he was really going to turn himself in. So he took the truck.

He got in the car and I said, “Are you ready now?” And he said, “Give me a few days, please.” I said, “Come on, you’ve got to turn yourself in now.” I didn’t feel like he might–I felt like he might change his mind, that he might not want to turn himself in the next day, or a few days after that, and that if he did feel that way, then he would need money, and the only way he could get money was if he hurt somebody and took it from them.

So we went back to my house and got in the house. And he was hungry, so I cooked him breakfast. He was overwhelmed with–”Wow,” he said, “real butter, pancakes?”

And I just talked with him a little more, just about–about–we pretty much talked about God . . . what his reason was, why he made it out of there.

I said, “Do you believe in miracles? Because if you don’t believe in miracles–you are here for a reason. You’re here in my apartment for some reason. You got out of that courthouse with police everywhere, and you don’t think that’s a miracle? You don’t think you’re supposed to be sitting here right in front of me listening to me tell you, you know, your reason here?”

I said, “You know, your miracle could be that you need to–you need to be caught for this. You need to go to prison and you need to share the word of God with them, with all the prisoners there.”

Then 9 came. He said, “What time do you have to leave?”

[ then the conclusion of the story continues on the clip ]

Even if this list makes someone see just one great movie that they never have, it’s worth it. 

my Top Movies:

Rear Window

Treasure of The Sierra Madre

In The Heat of The Night

Woodstock

Goodfellas

Fargo

title(s):  “Movies to See — Four or More and Lots of Stars”

This is not a list of what you necessarily think are “the greatest movies of all time” but rather a list of the movies you’ve actually watched all the way thru a minimum of 4 times (maybe this should be 3) and could watch ten more. 

Seeing a movie twice is very different than seeing it three or four times.  we all see a lot of movies once, then maybe a second time passively with a friend.  but it’s when you intentionally watch it for a third and especially a fourth time that the film crosses a line into a special category.  

some say there’s no point in watching a movie twice, or they’re too busy.  but I say:  can you only look at a great painting once?  Or listen to a great song or read a great book once? 

The only reason movies are listed is based on the number times watched - not whether you want to say you liked it or not, or that you recommend it, or think it’s one of the great films of all time.  those are different lists - for critics and academics and film institutes and such.  this is Your List, a People’s List, and Actually Watched List.  And it’s a game as you fill in your own puzzle, make your own movie of your life’s movies.  what you’ve watched, not what you should have watched, or fib or pretend that you’ve watched, or wished you’d watched more than once.  I wouldn’t put “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” on a Greatest Films list, or even want to admit I watched it three times - but I know I have.  And that’s part of the discovery of going down this path. 

You must have physically –   and joyously. sat thru the entire movie many times, not just done it in your head, and not just watched it once then seen snippets a few times.  and you should really really want to watch it again, like, right now.  

If you can’t remember the movie in great detail, you probably didn’t see it 3 or 4 times.  You should be able to recount the plot, the arc, lots of key scenes, the actors, and parts of the dialog in detail. 

The movie should give you chills or goosebumps, or make you laugh yourself silly, or cry at some point.  in the best cases, several of the above. 

do Not list movies you’ve only seen twice!  it’s very tempting to embellish your memory.  you have to really think about it to confirm you’ve actually seen the whole thing 3 times. 

you could have seen a movie once or twice and it really stuck with you, but those don’t count. 

also - it Really doesn’t count if you started to watch it one more time but then didn’t see it all the way thru!  –   we’ve all got Lots of those! 

also - it doesn’t count if you Want to see the movie a 3^rd time.  if you want, you can start a “seen twice and wanna see more” list for these movies

also - don’t worry that some movies make it on the list because your all-movie cable network happened to be playing them in heavy rotation for weeks or months.  I would never have seen the great Cage & Travolta performances in “Face/Off” if it wasn’t on some digi movie net when I was homebound for a spell.  You catch a few minutes flippin the channels one day, and go, “Hmm, this is actually pretty good.”  then you make a point to catch it from the beginning, and then it’s so good, you watch it again.  and then once you get the rhythms of it, the different subtexts, and subliminal themes, and subtleties of performance, you can really enjoy watching it a third time as an insider playing in the orchestra and riding the score, the arcs, hit the cymbal-crashing peaks, and rise to the top with the solos while simultaneously keeping the beat with the supporting melody-players.  Do you want to hear Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” only once in your life?  Those rare moments in art where it all comes together.  Nobody’s ever even heard of his “1811 Overture” because it probably sucked. 

and films are even harder to create than a symphony.  there are so many variables that all have to come together.  the weather –   see “Lost In La Mancha”, or a problem actor –   see “Heart of Darkness, A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse”., or meddling producers –   see “Hollywood Ending”. or a cheesy script –   see ?

you remember the first time you saw a movie - the discovery, the unfolding, the first impressions. 

and you know if you saw a second time - when you knew what was happening and what was coming. 

and you should remember the third time - when you could really relish in it, dance with it –   or realized you’ve seen it enough and you won’t be coming back.. 

and you know you’ve seen a movie four times because you’ve almost memorized it, played right along with it, became one with it. 

The there’s the Watched-A-Ridiculous-Amount-of-Times List.  these are the movies that have really become a part of you. 

also - Screen Size Does Matter:  I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: “You can’t really say you’ve seen a movie unless you’ve seen it on the big screen.  That’s what they’re made for.”  And I still stand by that.  but for me –   and most people for most multiple viewings. usually the repeat viewings occur on a TV at home.  and that’s okay.

also — there are lots of great movies not on this cuz I didn’t like them enough to watch them more than twice, and  there’s lots I just haven’t seen four times but I want to;  say, Dr. Strangelove, Touch of Evil, the Maltese Falcon.

also — older movies have an advantage since they’ve been able to play over and over again on TV for so much of your lifetime.

a few movies will also make anyone’s list because they were an old girlfriend or boyfriend’s favorite.  that’s okay, too.   If you’ve seen it 4 times, you’ve seen it 4 times. 

“guilty pleasure”  — define, redefine, and/or come up with other term for. 

the most important thing is to be honest in putting all movies on the list and not editing the truth.  it makes a more interesting, fun and complete picture. 

it’s useful to make this list for yourself as you’ll discover directors you didn’t know you liked so much - and then check out or reconsider their other films.

this really amounts to: Brian’s Required Viewing - If I was to teach a film course, this would be the curriculum. 

or recommend movies for friends to rent.  if people shared their lists, you’d have a list a great movies to rent –   for when you can’t think of one..

it should also have the “Oh, Yeah!” factor - when somebody reads down the list they suddenly remember a movie they always wanted to see, or saw once and always wanted to see again. 

the idea is:  every one of these movies has to be great or I wouldn’t have watched it four times.  if you had passed on the movie for some reason, my hope is you’ll reconsider.

other orders:  style/genre;  chronological;  by director;  best to worst –   in your opinion.;  alphabetical

            a greatest movie shouldn’t have a bad scene or subplot in the movie. 

what are the commonalities with these films? 

you could write your own little synopsis review for each film and why it’s great

and that becomes your own movie review book. 

?  Movies you’ve watched “a ton of times”:  –   ie; lots.  lost count.  say, at least 7 or more times.

The Watched-These-A-Ridiculous-Amount-of-Times List:

Woodstock

Festival Express

The Last Waltz

Goodfellas

Mad Mad World –   as a kid.

Jesus Christ Superstar

The Sting

Don’t Look Back

Masked & Anonymous

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

The Shining

Rebel Without a Cause

A Hard Days Night

Fargo

Lucky Numbers

Star Wars  –   as a kid.

Fawlty Towers  –   (made-for-TV exception)

The Civil War series      (made-for-TV exception)

Round Midnight   

My Cousin Vinnie

format:

Title  –  year;  director;  writer;  stars;  notes. 

my 4+ times watched movies: 

–   in the order I thought of them.

Rear Window  –   1954; Alfred Hitchcock;  Jimmy Stewart & Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr.

Fargo  –   Coen brothers.

Lucky Numbers  –   Nora Ephron.

State & Main  –   Mamet.

Goodfellas –   Scorcese.

The Sting  –   George Roy Hill.

Woodstock  –   Wadleigh.

The Last Waltz  –   Scorsese. 

Festival Express   –   Bob Smeaton.

In The Heat of The Night  –  1967;  Norman Jewison (Torontonian); Sidney Pottier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant

The Talented Mr. Ripley   –   Anthony Minghella.

The Curse of The Jade Scorpion  –   Woody Allen.

Airport   –   1970;  George Seaton;  from Arthur Hailey novel;  Dean Martin, George Kennedy, Burt Lancaster, Jacqueline Bisset, Helen Hayes, Van Heflen (bomber), Maureen Stapleton.

It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World  –   1963!;  Stanley Kramer;  Buddy Hackett & Mickey Rooney, Ethel Merman & Phil Silvers, Jonathan Winters, Milton Berle, Spencer Tracey, and a ton of cameos!

The Player  –   1992;  Robert Altman; Michael Tolkin;  Tim Robbins, Vincent D’Onofrio, Fred Ward, Cynthia Stevenson, Whoopi Goldberg, Dean Stockwell, Lyle Lovett, and million cameos. 

Matewan  –   John Sayles.

Best In Show  –   Christopher Guest.

Don’t Look Back  –   D.A. Pennebaker.

Psycho  –   Alfred Hitchcock.

North By Northwest  –   Alfred Hitchcock.

Forrest Gump  –   Robert Zemeckis.

Masked & Anonymous  –   2003;  Larry Charles;  Dylan. 

Star Wars   –   George Lucas.

Spinal Tap  –   Rob Reiner.

The Big Chill   –   Lawrence Kasdan.

Happy Birthday Wanda June  –   Mark Robson; written Kurt Vonnegut; Rod Steger, William Hickey amazing performance

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest  –   Milos Foreman.

The Shining  –   Stanley Kubrick.

The Big Picture  –   Christopher Guest!. 

Memento  –   Chris Nolan.

The Wizard of Oz  –   Victor Fleming.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail  –   Terry Gilliam.

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid –   George Roy Hill.

Groundhog Day  –   Harold Ramis.

What About Bob?  –   Frank Oz.

Rebel Without A Cause  –   Nick Ray.

Citizen Kane  –   Wells.

Annie Hall   –   Allen. 

Young Frankenstein  –   Mel Brooks. 

Hudsucker Proxy  –   Coen brothers.

Round Midnight   –   Bertrand Tavernier.

Beat The Devil   –   1953;  John Huston;  Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Jennifer Jones, Robert Morley. I can’t believe these guys (Houston, Bogart, Jones) weren’t comedic actors & director.  this is SO funny - if you look at it right.  Morley is Brilliant. and the dialog is brilliant.  I would love to have this script.  this is one of my favorite movies of all time.  there’s also so many plot changes.  great characterizations.  Jennifer Jones out Marilyn’s Monroe in 1953 playing the most wonderfully dreamy and deluded blond.  The Talented Mr. Ripley is a kind of later version (although that’s not a comedy). 

The Planet of The Apes   –   Franklin Shaffner.

A Streetcar Named Desire  –   Kazan.

Pull My Daisy   –   Robert Frank & Alfred Leslie.

Lust For Life   –   Vincente Minelli, father of Liza.

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof  –   Richard Brooks.  - it’s all about the acting.  and sex. 

Dead Poets Society   –   Peter Weir. 

The Poseidon Adventure   –   1973;  Ronald Neame. 

Paper Moon  –   Peter Bogdanovich.

Jesus Christ Superstar!   –   Norman Jewison!;  Ted Neally.

Hair   –   Milos Foreman; Treat Williams, Beverly De Angelo.  

Secret Window  –   2004;  David Koepp; (from a Stephen King novel;   starring Johnny Depp, John Turturro; music Philip Glass.

Throw Mama From The Train  –   Danny DeVito.

The War of The Roses  –   Danny DeVito.

Funny Farm  –   1988;  George Roy Hill;  Chevy Chase writer-in-the-country comedy.

Big Business  –   Jim Abrahams; starring Better Midler & Lily Tomlin.

The Ladykillers  –   2004;  Coen Brothers.

That Thing You Do!  –   dir & written by Tom Hanks!. 

The Haunting   –   Jan de Bont;  starring Catherine Zeta-Jones.

A Hard Day’s Night  –   Richard Lester;  starring The Beatles.

Apocalypse Now   –   Coppola.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High  –   1982;  Any Heckerling;  written Cameron Crowe; starring Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates.

Bonnie & Clyde   –   1967;  Arthur Penn;  starring Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway. 

The Devil’s Advocate –   1997;  Taylor Hackford; Al Pacino, Charlize Theron, Keanu Reeves, Jeffrey Jones.

Jaws  –  1975;  Stephen Spielberg; Peter Benchley novel & screenplay;  Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Schnieder, Robert Shaw.    

Sling Blade!  –   1996.

The Untouchables

The Blues Brothers! 

Sleuth  –   1972;  Joseph Mankiewicz;  written by Anthony Schaffer; Lawrence Oliver, Michael Caine.

Deathtrap  –   1982;  Sidney Lumet;  Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon.

The World According to Garp

Broadcast News

Harold and Maude!!

Being There!

The French Connection!

MASH!!!

Cabaret!

Duck Soup!  –   Freedonia!.  –   1933, Leo McCarey; Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont.

Swiss Family Robinson!

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken!!!!  –   Don Knotts!  — have on VHS, with captions

Quiz Show!!

Yellow Submarine!

Meet The Parents

Ghost

Ghostbusters

The Birdcage!

Animal House!

My Cousin Vinnie!!

Cast Away

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Breakdown!  –   1997;  Jonathon Mostow;  Kurt Russell, J.T. Walsh, Kathleen Quinlan.

Trading Places   –   1983;  John Landis;  Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche.

Beetlejuice!  –   1988;  Tim Burton;  Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones, Robert Goulet, Dick Cavett;  Keaton’s only on scene 17 min., but with Burton’s permission, totally created the vibe of the movie, and is his favorite movie that he’s in..

A Fish Called Wanda!!  –   1988;  Charles Crichton;  John Cleese, Michael Palin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline. 

The Candidate  –   Robert Redford, Peter Boyle.

Thelma & Louise!  –   Susan Sarandon & Geena Davis.

Witches of Eastwick  –   Nicholson, Pfiffer, Sarandon, Cher.

The Gods Must Be Crazy!  –   1980;  dir & written by Jamie Uys;  starring N!xau, Marius Weyers, Sandra Prinsloo.

The Odd Couple!   – 1968; Gene Saks; Neil Simon; Walter Matthau & Jack Lemmon 

The Aristocrats  –  2005;  Paul Provenza (and Penn Jillette);  starring every comedian you’ve ever heard of, but the key & funniest ones I remember are:  Gilbert Gottfried, Bob Saget, Drew Carey, Sarah Silverman, Paul Reiser, George Carlin, Andy Dick, Martin Mull, Mario Cantone (as Liza Minelli), Kevin Pollak (as Christopher Walkin), Eric Meed the card trick guy, and South Park. 

* Dogtown and Z-Boys  — memorizing “birth of skateboarding” documentary  –  2001; dir: Stacy Peralta (the famous guy), Jay Adams, Tony Alva;  Craig Stecyk (original writer & photographer);  narrator: Sean Penn;

The Sunshine Boys - 1975;  dir. Herb Ross, written by Neil Simon;  Walter Matthau & George Burns;  best scenes are the 2 in Willy’s (Matthau’s) apt. where they rehearse and reminisce (have on Aristocrats VHS); brilliant portrayal of aging entertainers; love the city vs. the country combative theme

Salesman - the 200^th film added to my list!  filmed in 1966, released in 1969;  Maysles Brothers riveting masterpiece documentary about four door-to-door Bible salesmen.  starts outside Boston (Webster, Mass), then they go down to Miami.  first saw in Phyllis’s kitchen.  seen twice.  will be my 200^th film in the list!  what’s amazing is the complete breakdown on one of the salesmen .  REWATCH/LISTEN TO COMMENTARY - he explains HOW he makes them — empathy:  from commentary:  Albert Maysles became lifelong friends with Paul Brennan (the guy who lost it).  David Maysles loved Arthur Miller plays, would see them multiple times.  just the two of them, no assistant.  David on sound (directional microphone, into a customized Nagra to record for 15 times at a time), Albert on camera (weighted 20 pounds; had early zoom lens).  he says — took 30 years to get it on TV.  shot 100 hours, boiled down to 90 min.  cost $200-300,000!!!  the processing of the film.  the editor’s salary (the woman)

The Treasure of The Sierra Madre  –   John Huston.  his father, Walter Huston, won Best Supporting Actor; plus Huston for both directing and screenplay 

for me it was one of those movies i had to see more than once to appreciate.  i started watching it once or twice and found it REEEALLY boring — these old farts trudging around the desert and pawing in the dirt.  Whoopy!  was it actually filmed in slow motion? 

then . . . ah, Then . . . on the 2nd or 3rd try all the pieces came together and now i recognize its mastery and why it’s one of the greatest films ever made.  The original story, perhaps dating back to Chaucer, who could’ve picked it up from somebody else.  Maybe it’s a lost Homer epic.  The story is eternal.  Like “absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

how greed can overpower an otherwise good man.  how some, in the face of wealth, become a-holes, and others always retain a clear vision of what’s important in life (Howard/Walter).  which kind of person are you?  we all think, as Dobbs/Bogart did, that we would never become morally corrupted — yet we’ve seen in the real world (and as depicted in this movie) how that happens. 

the arc of the Dobbs character is a classic in 2-hour cinema, and how Bogart portrays the transition from sanity and good-will into madness, greed & murder is up there with the greatest performances of any actor ever.  the leprechaun magic of Walter Huston.  the authenticity of the location shooting, including all the extras and bit roles.  the depth, detail and polish of the script.  the torn, sweat-soaked costumes.  the fabulous music that mutates as the characters do. 

if it was a standard western or movie in general, it all would have taken place in the first town and been about how they exacted revenge from the unscrupulous businessman who rips them off — the workers against the corporation. 

but then the characters are taken beyond that to where they form their own limited partnership — and how some people turn out to be good and some don’t.  it’s life. 

if only we got to watch our own life movie several times until we got it.  but since we can’t, you have another shot at this movie.  it took my reincarnation as a viewer to finally get it right. 

“It wouldn’t be that way with me.  I swear it wouldn’t.  I’d take only what I set out to get.” 

boy,would this be a great movie to see the alternate takes from! 

and think how Walter Huston’s performance pushed Bogart. 

Top 10 movie - gotta list those

Canada-Russia ‘72  (CBC) 

 (106) 

the Seen Three Times list:    be careful not to list movies you’ve seen twice!

–   in order I thought of them.

Titanic   –   James Cameron.

Luck

Phil The Alien

All The President’s Men

Waiting For Guffman   –   Christopher Guest. 

Clockwork Orange  –   Kubrick.

Shawshank Redemption

It’s A Wonderful Life   –   Capra?.

Some Like It Hot

Lost In La Mancha  – doc on Terry Gilliam making movie

Giant - James Dean

Places In The Heart

Return of the Secaucus Seven   –   Sayles.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe? 

Sleepless in Seattle  – Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan. 

When Harry Met Sally  – Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan. 

Blow   –   2001;  Ted Demme;  Johnny Depp, Jordi Molla, Paul Reubens. 

Deliverance  – Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty

2001: A Space Odyssey –   Kubrick; Keir Dullea.

Caddyshack - Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight.

The Grateful Dead Movie 

Almost Famous  –   Cameron Crowe.

Raising Arizona  –   Coen brothers.

Face/Off  — John Travolta, Nickolas Cage. 

Midnight Cowboy  –  Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight. 

The Graduate   –   Dustin Hoffman.

Requiem for a Dream  –   2000;  Darren Aronofsky; Hubert Selby wrote;  Jared Leno, Jennifer Connelly, Ellen Burstyn.

JFK  –   1991;  Oliver Stone;  .

Being John Malkovich  –   1999; Spike Jonze; written by Charlie Kaufman;  Cusack, Cameron Diaz.

Stand By Me  –   1986; Rob Reiner; written by Stephen King;  Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Keifer Sutherland.

Misery  –   1990, Rob Reiner; written by Stephen King;  Kathy Bates, James Caan.

Mississippi  Gene Hackman & Willem Defoe.

Midnight Run  –   1988; Martin Brest;  Robert De Niro & Charles Grodin.

Rain Man –   1988.   –   Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise.

Dances With Wolves   –   Kevin Costner.

Hannah and Her Sisters  –   Woody Allen, Michael Caine.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels   –   Michael Caine, Steve Martin.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles   –   John Candy, Steve Martin.

Network   –   1976; Sidney Lumet;  Paddy Chayefsky;  Peter Finch, Fay Dunaway, William Holden, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty.

Papillion   –   1973;  dir. Franklin Schaffner;  Dustin Hoffman & Steve McQueen.  only AA nomination was for music!? 

Little Big Man   –   Dustin Hoffman.

Cool Hand Luke  –   Paul Newman

The Wild One   –   Marlon Brando. 

Arsenic and Old Lace   –   Cary Grant.

Miracle on 34^th Street

The Thin Man –   1934, W.S. Van Dyke; written by Dashiell Hammett; William Powell & Myrna Loy;  early classic climax scene with all suspects assembled in same room to reveal the murderer.

Live and Let Die!   –   Roger Moore.

Bowling For Columbine   –   Michael Moore.

E.T.

Men In Black   –   1997;  Barry Sonnenfeld;  Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones.

Mrs. Doubtfire –   1993;  Robin Williams.

Pretty Woman  –   Julia Roberts, Richard Gere.

Tootsie   –   Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Bill Murray.

City Slickers  –   Billy Crystal.

On Golden Pond   –   Henry Fonda, Katherine Hepburn, Jane Fonda, Dabney Coleman.

American Graffiti   – 1973;  George Lucas;  Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Wolfman Jack, Harrison Ford)

Analyze This   –   1999;  Crystal & De Niro.

Good Will Hunting   –   Matt Damon, Robin Williams.

Pulp Fiction  – Quinten Tarantino

Kramer vs. Kramer  –   Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep.

Back To The Future   –   Robert Zemeckis.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off –   1986; John Hughes;  Matthew Broderick. 

Flirting With Disaster  –   1996;  David O. Russell;  Tea Leoni, Ben Stiller, Lily Tomlin, Alan Alda, Mary Tyler Moore, George Segal.

Hollywood Ending  –   2002;  Woody Allen;  Tea Leoni.

Happy Accidents!  –   2000;  Brad Anderson;  Vincent D’Onofrio, Marisa Tomei. 

Carny  –   1980;  Robert Kaylor;  Jodie Foster, Gary Busey, Robbie Robertson.

Swear To Tell The Truth  — Lenny Bruce documentary –   1998; Robert Weide. 

Wag The Dog  –   1997;  Barry Levinson;  Robert DiNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Denis Leary, Anne Heche, Willie Nelson.

Zoolander –   Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson.

Desperately Seeking Susan  –   Madonna.

Club Paradise  –   1986;  Harold Ramis;  Robin Williams, Peter O’Toole, Rick Moranis & Eugene Levy {the two Barry’s}, Twiggy, Jimmy Cliff. 

Phantom of the Paradise  –   Paul Williams.

Pleasantville 

    [prior 3 Not found by looking up “p’s” ! J ]

Diner - 1982;  Barry Levinson;  Kevin Bacon, Mickey Rourke, Paul Reiser, Daniel Stern, Ellen Barkin, Steve Guttenberg

Showtime - 2002;  Tom Dey;  Robert De Niro & Eddie Murphy

Primary Colors - 1998;  John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Kathy Bates;  about the Clintons, by Joe Klein

Glengarry Glen Ross - 1992; Mamet screenplay

I Love You To Death - 1990;  Kevin Kline, Tracey Ullman, Joan Plowright, River Phoenix, William Hurt & Keanu Reeves

Bob Roberts - 1992 - written & directed by & starring Tim Robbins; plus Gore Vidal, and Ray Wise (the guy from Twin Peaks & Good Night, And Good Luck); tons of cameos, including a very young Jack Black;  Robbins wrote and performed his own songs;  done in mock-documentary style;  this could almost be on the Most Disturbing List, and is particularly scary post Iraq War II;

Haiku Tunnel

Trees Lounge - Steve Buscemi wrote, directed and stars 

The War Room - Clinton’s 1992 Presidential campaign doc.

(82)

movies that were so effectively disturbing, I don’t want to see again:

Rosemary’s Baby - 1968;  Roman Polanski;  Mia Farrow, Ruth Gordon, John Cassavetes (Guy), Charles Grodin

Midnight Express - 1978;  Alan Parker;  written by Billy Hayes;  Brad Davis, John Hurt (Max), Randy Quaid. 

Grizzly Man  –   2005;  Warner Herzog;  Timothy Treadwell.

Schindler’s List - 1993;  Steven Spielberg. 

The Exorcist  – 1973;  William Friedkin;  William Peter Blatty;  Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow.

Harsh Times - Christian Bale

(6)

The Movies about Making Movies:

            The Big Picture

            The Player

            State & Main

            Hollywood Ending

Living in Oblivion  –  1995;  writ & dir. Tom DiCillo;  Steve Buscemi. 

The Independent –   2000; Jerry Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Ben Stiller, a zillion cameos. funny

docs:

            Lost in La Mancha

Heart of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse  –  1991;  writ & dir by Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper; 

The Kid Stays In The Picture - 2002;  Nanette Burstein, Brett Morgan; from Robert Evans book; Robert Evans and most of Hollywood.

I Love Your Work  — Giovanni Ribisi, tons of cameos, Elvis C, Vince Vaughan, Jason Lee,

 (5 - not on other lists)

the Made-for-TV Exceptions: 

Fawlty Towers - BBC;  1975 and 1979 (6 episodes in each year, 12 total);  ? dir ?; written by John Cleese & Connie Booth;  Cleese, Prunella Scales (Sybil), Andrew Sachs (Manuel), Connie (Polly), Ballard Berkely (the Major). 

True West  –   PBS;  1984;  Allan Goldstein;  Sam Shepard;  John Malkovich & Gary Sinise. 

Death of A Salesman  –   CBS;  1985;  Victor Schlondorff;  Arthur Miller;  Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, Kate Reid, Charles Durning.  

The Civil War  –   PBS;  1990;  Ken Burns;  made by Florentine Films for WETA PBS in Washington, D.C. 

Magical Mystery Tour  –   1967; dir by George Harrison!? and Bernard Knowles;  The Beatles.

Liza with a ‘Z’  –   NBC;  Sept. 10, 1972;  dir & choreographed by Bob Fosse; Liza Minnelli;  Marvin Hamlisch musical Director; Phil Ramone engineer; won 4 Emmy’s, best Single program, best Director, best Choreography, best music; shot live, one take. 

“The Campaign” - The Newsroom episode - Ken Finkleman

(7)

(106 + 82 + 5 + 4 + 7  =  204 total)

zip.ca

Movies I want to see –   for the first time, or again:   (many to be added to master recommendation list!) 

            Zodiac - 2007 - Jake Gyllenhaal  (see twice)

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein  –  1948;  Charles Barton;  Bug Abbott & Lou Costello, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney;  Jerry Garcia’s favorite movie.

            Beat The Devil  — John Huston;  Truman Capote;  Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Robert Morley, Jennifer Jones!, Gina Lolabridgita,

Dr. Strangelove  –   1964;  Stanley Kubrick; Peter Sellers –   3 roles., George C Scott

            A Prairie Home Companion  –  2006;  Robert Altman;  Garrison Keiller;

The Cocoanuts - 1929;  Marx Brothers - Florida real estate

            Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit  –   2005

The 40 Year Old Virgin

            It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World - 1964-ish

            The Comedy of Terrors - 1964;  Jacques Tourneur;  - Vincent Price (great), Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Basil Rathbone, bizarre funny black comedy parody of the horror genre;  very much like Young Frankenstein, or Beat The Devil.  soundtrack funny too.  (have most of it on VHS) 

East of Eden - James Dean

The Maltese Falcon  –  1941;  John Huston;  written by Dashell Hammett & John Huston;  Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Mary Astor)

            Citizen Kane

Donnie Brasco - 1997;  Mike Newell;  Al Pacino, Johnny Depp

            Good Night, and Good Luck  –   seen twice.   –   David Strathairn, Ray Wise.

Miller’s Crossing

            Touch of Evil  –  Orson Wells 

On The Waterfront - Kazan’s justification for giving names to the McCarthy hearings –   (Kazan in Brando role) won best picture, director, actor, screenplay 

The Crucible - Arthur Miller’s reaction to Kazan testifying before McCarthy hearings;  John Proctor as Arthur Miller –   final speech.

The Front  –   staring Woody Allen, but not written by him;  about the McCarthy hearings.

A View From The Bridge (Vu du pont) 1961;  Sidney Lumet;  Maureen Stapleton;  one act play. Miller’s response to Kazan’s On The Waterfront.  B&W 110 min. 

            Lenny - docudrama on Lenny Bruce — Dustin Hoffman  –   seen once.

            Lenny Bruce Performance Film - 1965  (late-career “routine” but mostly a broken down rant)

            Pushing Tin   –   1999;  Mike Newell;  Billy Bob Thornton, Angelina Jolie, John Cusack.

           Laurel Canyon –   twice.  –   2002;  dir & written Lisa Cholodenko;  Kate Beckinsale!  Frances McDormand.  “inspired by” Joni Mitchell 

            Ruby in Paradise  –   1993;  Ashley Juddseen once. 

            The Fisher King  — 1991;  Terry Gilliam;  Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges

            Pay It Forward - Kevin Spacey  

Silver City - 2004;  dir & written by John Sayles; Chris Cooper, Tim Roth.

This Film Is Not Yet Rated - 2006; dir. Kirby Dick; doc about film ratings.

Coney Island - Ric Burns doc  (60 min) (Joey pick)  

The Donar Party - Rick Burns   (Joey pick)

National Treasure - 2004;  partially about the Templars (Dunc)  (have on VHS) 

Withnail & I  –  1987 British comedy, set in 1969  (Cutts recommendation)

Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers –  2006;  Robert Greenwald (doc)

          Eulogy - (saw once)  2004 - Zooey Deschanel, Hank Azaria, Ray Romano, Debra Winger, Piper Laurie, Glenne Headly;  really funny, absolutely great black-comedy about family funeral 

            Drop Dead Gorgeous - 1999;  Michael Patrick Jann;  Kristen Dunst, Alison Janney, Denise Richards, Ellen Barkin, Kirstie Alley, Nora Dunn;  twisted dark comedy; pretty dumb, but some suprising spitter lines!   Prairie Home Companion & Fargo meets Spinal Tap fake doc.  

Soylent Green - 1973;  Edward G. Robonson, Joseph Cotton, Charlton Heston, Dick Van Patten, numerous people have recommended it, and referenced it. 

            Marilyn Monroe:  The Final Days  (2001, AMC) amazing doc, with the 37 missing min. of last film “Something’s Got To Give

Factotum - Matt Dillon portraying Bukowski - Albert recommendation

I Know I’m Not Alone - 2005 - Michael Franti - goes to Baghdad and Gaza, funny guerilla doc. - Albert recommendation

* Paris When it Sizzles - 1964 –  pretty surreal and comedic!  Audrey Hepburn, William Holden - about a screenwriter and his girl,- “the screenplay within the screenplay”

Coffee & Cigarettes - Jim Jarmush (Megan & Adam in PA)

            Office Space — 1999 - dir. Mike Judge; Ron Livingston, Jennifer Anniston (Judge did Beavis & Butthead - so it’s kind of that take on corporate life

            “The Rocket” (aka “Maurice Richard”) - 2006 - this, along with Miracle may be the 2 best sports movies (not counting docs)

            Miracle - 1980 Hockey series

Cookie’s Fortune - 1999;  Altman

These Girls — 2005; comedy for Megan - 3 girls, the dude in town (seen twice)  have on VHS

            Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (seen twice) mom would like

City Lights - Chaplin - one of the top rated of all time

Modern Times - Chaplin - one of the top rated of all time

The Brothers Grimm - 2005 — Terry Gilliam - saw once 2/07 - AMAZING - another Gilliam masterpiece - gorgeous Lena Headley, like a young Jaquiline Bisset  - also about writing!  the sets are to die for (as usual in Gilliam movies)  and it’s about forests (where I like to spend my days!)  “You’re my brother.  I want you to believe in me.”  Jacob Grimm  Ghostbusters from the 1800s

Smoke - Megan and others keep quoting it. 

            The Shining - Steven Weber, Rebecca de Mornay - really scary, actually better than Kubrick’s

Blades of Glory - comedy about figure skating, Will Farrell

Monty Python - party scene episode

Mystery Alaska - funny hockey movie, Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, Michael McKean, Burt Reynolds, Phil Esposito, Mike Myers, Terry David Mulligan, Little Richard, Mary McCormick

Kinky Friedman: Live from Austin, Texas  — 1975 PBS Austin City Limits - never aired, released 2007

            Tucker - Jeff Bridges, about re-life Preston Tucker the car inventor - great!  (seen twice)

The Battle of San Pedro - documentary — 1944-ish - dir. John Huston

            Bullworth (seen twice) - Warren Beatty

            Nixon - Anthony Hopkins

            Bird - dir. Clint Eastwood - extraordinary Charlie Parker bio-pic  (seen twice)

            Man of The Year - Robin Williams (seen once)

Straight, No Chaser - the Thelonious Monk documentary

State of The Union - Spencer Tracey, Katherine Hepburn, Angela Lansbury

Dave - Kevin Kline  — great political comedy

The Gates - Albert Maysles - amazing doc about Christo’s show in Central Park

(67)

movies –   from above list. that you’ve seen 4 or more times but don’t really plan to / need to see again: 

–   which also means, to some extent, that you don’t really recommend the film to others.

except - if somebody’s never seen one of these movies, they should. 

every one of these movies should be seen once, if you’ve never seen it. 

Star Wars

Happy Birthday, Wanda June

Wizard of Oz 

Planet of the Apes

Back to the Future

The Poseidon Adventure

Phantom of the Paradise 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =    

Comedies:    [57] 

Fargo  –   Coen brothers.

Lucky Numbers  –   Ephron.

State & Main  –   Mamet.

The Curse of The Jade Scorpion  –   Allen.

It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World 

Best In Show  –   Guest.

Spinal Tap  –   Reiner.

Happy Birthday Wanda June

The Big Picture  –   Guest!. 

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Groundhog Day

What About Bob?   –   Frank Oz.

Annie Hall  –   Allen.

Young Frankenstein  –   Mel Brooks.

all 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers

Hudsucker Proxy  –   Coen brothers.

Beat The Devil   –   Huston.

Throw Mama From The Train  –   Danny DeVito.

The War of The Roses  –   Danny DeVito.

Funny Farm  –   George Roy Hill!.

Big Business  –   Jim Abrahams; starring Better Midler & Lily Tomlin.

The Ladykillers –   2004.  –   Coen Brothers.

A Hard Day’s Night  –   Richard Lester;  starring The Beatles.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High  –   1982;  Any Heckerling;  written Cameron Crowe; starring Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates.

The Blues Brothers! 

Harold and Maude!!

Being There!

MASH!!!

Duck Soup!  –   Freedonia!.  –   1933, Leo McCarey; Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont.

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken!!!!  –   Don Knotts!   – have on VHS, with captions

Meet The Parents

Ghostbusters

The Birdcage

Animal House

My Cousin Vinnie

Trading Places 

Beetlejuice  –   1988;  Tim Burton;  Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones, Robert Goulet, Dick Cavett;  Keaton’s only on scene 17 min., but with Burton’s permission, totally created the vibe of the movie, and is his favorite movie that he’s in..

A Fish Called Wanda  –   1988;  Charles Crichton;  John Cleese, Michael Palin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline. 

——–  –   below: seen 3 times.  ——-

Phil The Alien

Some Like It Hot

Waiting For Guffman  –   Chris Guest.

Caddyshack

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels   –   Michael Caine, Steve Martin.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles   –   John Candy, Steve Martin.

Arsenic and Old Lace   –   Cary Grant.

Men In Black

Mrs. Doubtfire –   1993.

City Slickers

Analyze This   –   1999;  Crystal & De Niro.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off –   1986; John Hughes;  Matthew Broderick. 

Flirting With Disaster  –   1996;  David O. Russell;  Tea Leoni, Ben Stiller, Lily Tomlin, Alan Alda, Mary Tyler Moore, George Segal.

Hollywood Ending  –   2002;  Woody Allen;  Tea Leoni.

Happy Accidents!  –   2000;  Brad Anderson;  Vincent D’Onofrio & Marisa Tomei. 

The Aristocrats

Drop Dead Gorgeous

The Comedy of Terrors

Office Space — 1999 - dir. Mike Judge; Ron Livingston, Jennifer Anniston (Judge did Beavis & Butthead - so it’s kind of that take on corporate life)

I Love You To Death - 1990;  Kevin Kline, Tracey Ullman, Joan Plowright, River Phoenix, William Hurt & Keanu Reeves

Serious, Compelling Dramas –   non-comedies, even tho they might have funny bits.:  [91]

Rear Window  –   Hitch.

Fargo

Goodfellas –   Scorcese.

In The Heat of The Night  –   Norman Jewison - Torontonian.

The Talented Mr. Ripley   –   Anthony Minghella.

Airport –   ‘70.  –   George Seaton.

The Player  –   Altman. 

Matewan  –   Sayles.

Psycho  –   Hitchcock.

North By Northwest  –   Hitchcock.

Forrest Gump  –   Robert Zemeckis.

Masked & Anonymous  –   2003;  Larry Charles;  Dylan. 

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest  –   Milos Foreman.

The Shining  –   Stanley Kubrick.

Memento  –   Chris Nolan.

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid –   George Roy Hill.

Rebel Without A Cause  –   Nick Ray.

Citizen Kane  –   Wells.

Hudsucker Proxy  –   Coen brothers.

Round Midnight   –   Bertrand Tavernier.

True West  –   for PBS.  –   1984;  Allan Goldstein;  Sam Shepard;  John Malkovich & Gary Sinise.

Death of A Salesman  –   for PBS.  –   1985;  Victor Schlondorff;  Arthur Miller;  Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, Kate Reid, Charles Durning.

A Streetcar Named Desire  –   Kazan.

Lust For Life   –   Vincente Minelli, father of Liza.

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof  –   Richard Brooks. 

Dead Poets Society   –   Peter Weir. 

The Poseidon Adventure   –   1973;  Ronald Neame. 

Paper Moon  –   Peter Bogdanovich.

Secret Window  –   David Koepp;  starring Johnny Depp.

The Haunting   –   Jan de Bont;  starring Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Apocalypse Now   –   Coppola.

Bonnie & Clyde   –   1967;  Arthur Penn;  starring Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway. 

The Devil’s Advocate –   1997;  Taylor Hackford; Al Pacino, Charlize Theron, Keanu Reeves, Jeffrey Jones.

Jaws! 

Sling Blade!  –   1996.

The Untouchables

Sleuth  –   1972;  Joseph Mankiewicz;  written by Anthony Schaffer; Lawrence Oliver, Michael Caine.

Deathtrap  –   1982;  Sidney Lumet;  Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon.

Harold and Maude!!

Being There!

The French Connection!

MASH!!!

The Civil War  —   Ken Burns.  –   one of the 4 made-for-TV exceptions.

Quiz Show!!

Ghost

Cast Away

Breakdown!  –   1997;  Jonathon Mostow;  Kurt Russell, J.T. Walsh, Kathleen Quinlan.

the Three Times on-the-fence list:   (dramas cont.)

Titanic   –   James Cameron.

Luck

All The President’s Men

Clockwork Orange  –   Kubrick.

Shawshank Redemption

It’s A Wonderful Life   –   Capra?.

Treasure of the Sierra Madre  –   Huston.

Lost In La Mancha

Giant

Places In The Heart

Return of the Secaucus Seven   –   Sayles.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe? 

Blow   –   Ted Demme;  Johnny Depp. 

Deliverance

2001: A Space Odyssey –   Kubrick.

Almost Famous  –   Cameron Crowe.

Face/Off 

Midnight Cowboy

The Graduate

Requiem for a Dream –   2000.

JFK  –   1991;  Oliver Stone.

Being John Malkovich  –   1999; Spike Jonze; written by Charlie Kaufman;  Cusack, Cameron Diaz.

Stand By Me  –   1986; Rob Reiner; written by Stephen King;  Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Keifer Sutherland.

Misery  –   1990, Rob Reiner; written by Stephen King;  Kathy Bates, James Caan.

Mississippi   –   Gene Hackman & Willem Defoe.

Midnight Run  –   1988; Martin Brest;  Robert De Niro & Charles Grodin.

Rain Man –   1988.   –   Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise.

Dances With Wolves   –   Kevin Costner.

Hannah and Her Sisters  –   Woody Allen, Michael Caine.

Network  

Papillion   –   Dustin Hoffman, Steve McQueen.

Little Big Man   –   Dustin Hoffman.

Cool Hand Luke  –   Paul Newman

The Wild One   –   Marlon Brando. 

The Thin Man –   1934, W.S. Van Dyke; written by Dashiell Hammett; William Powell & Myrna Loy;  early classic climax scene with all suspects assembled in same room to reveal the murderer.

Live and Let Die

On Golden Pond

Good Will Hunting

Pulp Fiction

Kramer vs. Kramer

Happy Accidents!  –   2000;  Brad Anderson;  Vincent D’Onofrio, Marisa Tomei. 

Carny  –   1980;  Robert Kaylor;  Jodie Foster, Gary Busey, Robbie Robertson.

Swear To Tell The Truth  — Lenny Bruce documentary –   1998; Robert Weide. 

Wag The Dog  –   1997;  Barry Levinson;  Robert DiNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Denis Leary, Anne Heche, Willie Nelson.

Music Movies:    [14]

Woodstock  –   Wadleigh.

The Last Waltz  –   Scorsese. 

Festival Express   –   Bob Smeaton.

Don’t Look Back  –   Pennebaker.

Masked & Anonymous  –   Larry Charles, Dylan. 

Spinal Tap  –   Reiner.

Round Midnight   –   Bertrand Tavernier.

Jesus Christ Superstar!   –   Norman Jewison.

Hair   –   Milos Foreman.

That Thing You Do!  –   Tom Hanks!. 

A Hard Day’s Night  –   Richard Lester;  starring The Beatles.

Cabaret

Yellow Submarine

The Blues Brothers

Magical Mystery Tour  –   1967; dir by George Harrison!? and Bernard Knowles;  The Beatles.

Liza with a ‘Z’  –   1972; dir & choreographed by Bob Fosse; Liza Minnelli;  Marvin Hamlisch musical Director; Phil Ramone engineer; won 4 Emmy’s, best Single program, best Director, best Choreography, best music.

Documentaries:   [13]

Woodstock 

The Last Waltz 

Festival Express  

Don’t Look Back

The Civil War

Lost in La Mancha

Dogtown and Z-Boys

Bowling For Columbine

Grizzly Man

Swear To Tell The Truth  — Lenny Bruce

The Aristocrats

            Marilyn Monroe:  The Final Days  (2001, AMC) amazing doc, with the 37 missing min. of last film “Something’s Got To Give

The War Room

            The Gates - Albert Maysles - amazing doc about Christo’s show in Central Park

Great Movies about Politics   (15)

Primary Colors 

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

All The President’s Men 

The Candidate

Wag The Dog

Bullworth

Bob Roberts - Tim Robbins

Nixon - Anthony Hopkins

Man of The Year - Robin Williams

The Newsroom’s The Campaign episode - Ken Finkleman

The War Room - documentary of ‘92 campagin

State of The Union - Spencer Tracy & Katherine Hepburn, Angela Lansbury

Dave - Kevin Kline 

Run, Granny, Run - 94 year old Doris ‘Granny D’ Haddock’s run for the 2004 New Hampshire Senate seat

Recount - about the 200 election - HBO - amazing!  Kevin Spacey

The American President - Michael Douglas

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =      

By Auteur:   am I counting 3 timers on this?  I should be. 

Rear Window  –   Hitchcock

Psycho  –   Hitchcock

North By Northwest  –   Hitchcock

Fargo  –   Coen brothers

Hudsucker Proxy  –   Coen brothers

The Ladykillers –   2004  –   Coen Brothers

The Sting  –   George Roy Hill

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid –   George Roy Hill

Funny Farm  –   George Roy Hill!

Animal House  –   John Landis

Blues Brothers  –   Landis

Trading Places   –   Landis

The Player  –   Altman

M*A*S*H - Altman

Best In Show  –   Guest.

The Big Picture  –   Guest

Goodfellas –   Scorsese

The Last Waltz  –   Scorsese

The Curse of The Jade Scorpion  –   Woody Allen

Annie Hall   –   Allen

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest   –   Milos Foreman

Hair  –   Foreman

Forrest Gump  –   Robert Zemeckis

Back To The Future   –   Zemeckis

In The Heat of The Night  –   Norman Jewison  (Torontonian!)

Jesus Christ Superstar!   –   Norman Jewison

Throw Mama From The Train  –   Danny DeVito

The War of The Roses  –   Danny DeVito

Star Wars   –   George Lucas

American Graffiti - George Lucas

Lucky Numbers  –   Ephron

Sleepless In Seattle - Ephron

Matewan  –   John Sayles

Return of the Secaucus 7 –   Sayles

State & Main  –   Mamet

Wag The Dog - Mamet screenplay

Glengarry Glen Ross - Mamet screenplay

The Untouchables - Mamet screenplay

Streetcar Named Desire  –   Kazan.   written by Tennessee Williams

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof  –   Richard Brooks.  written by Tennessee Williams

http://www.imdb.com/user/ur2433069/comments

including:

My initial post: 

I’m in shock. I just got home and will have MSNBC on all night. I was at the hospital and my cell went off 5 times and i couldn’t answer it but i knew something happened.

To explain it to non politicos, I’ve said it’s like Johnny Carson dying well before he ever retired. Or it’s on the level of John Lennon. The best of the best. Or to us hockey people, it would be like Scotty Bowman when he was still coaching, or Messier after ‘94.

He was so far and away the best — it was him, then everyone else. Barbara Walters just said, “This is a huge loss to America.” And she’s right.

He set the standards, and just about every journalist in the business was his student.

The Mayor of Buffalo has put all flags on government property at half-mast.

I remember him holding up the Washington Capitals jersey on MTP during their recent playoff run.

Passion . . . child-like enthusiasm with a genius’s intellect . . . the white board . . . “Florida Florida Florida” . . . And I think he’s the guy who came up with the “blue and red states” that we all now live with. The colors used to be different on the different networks, but it was he and NBC that really established the red for Repubs and blue for Dems.

I’ve got so many MTPs on tape, man — going back 10 or 20 years.

I got to meet him on election night 2004 and we shared a prankster’s wink and smile. “Can you pass the Russert test?”

November 4th this year should be dedicated to him.

As Bob Dylan ended his tribute to Jerry Garcia: “There’s no way to convey the loss. It just digs down really deep.”

RIP good brother.

= = = = = = =

Some facts, trivia, stories & comments about Tim from MSNBC’s outstanding non-stop coverage this aft / evening . . .

MSNBC did not run a single ad starting from when the news first broke (around 3:00) until 8:33PM!   

Meet The Press (MTP) has been on the air for 61 years, since Nov 6 1947 - the longest running show on television. 

The Smithsonian put his white board in their permanent collection! 

His using that in the 2000 election was rated one of the top 100 moments in all of Television history. 

When talking about politics, his face would light up was like a kid on Christmas.  And he listened to people’s answers. 

He was the guy who called this Democratic primary. 

It was the night of the North Carolina / Indiana on May 6^th when he said, “We now know who the Democratic nominee is.”  It was when Russert said it — and that definitely — that it was like a judge rendering a verdict.  Other people may have said it, but it was when Tim said it that it meant everything to both campaigns, and every journalist in the world. 

David Gregory - When the word got to the Hillary campaign headquarters that Russert had called the race over, the air went out of the room.  He had that gravitas.  And no one else had it. 

That he didn’t want MTP to be an argumentative program.  He knew exactly what he wanted to do with that show, transformed the show, and transcended journalism.  If he said something, you could take it to the bank. 

He was a key witness in the prosecution of Scooter Libby. 

He had one son, Luke.  And his father Big Russ was still alive. 

And Sunday is Father’s Day.  L  how sad. 

Fuck.  I can’t believe he’s not here anymore. 

Mike Barnacle - named his son Timothy - and Russert was at his Christening. 

He was a player-coach to other journalist - one of the team players, but also the coach of the team. 

He was always the smartest guy in the room. 

They didn’t reach Chris Matthews in Paris until 7PM.  He talked about how everyone in the room would say “Russert is here.”  His presence meant more than anyone else’s.  But he was not a cocktail party guy. 

How red-eyed and choked-up some journalists & others are - Al Hunt, Mike Barnacle, Keith Oberman, Chris Matthews, Campbell Brown, CEO Jack Welch barely making it through their tributes. 

He was a devoted friend to all who knew him. 

GE/NBC  CEO Jack Welch - “this has affected me like only a few days in my life.” 

Mario Cuomo was a mentor to Tim.  “We’ve lost him when we need him most.” 

He was so grateful for the life he was living.  He was very spiritual.  He felt blessed to have his elderly father. 

Tim’s closeness to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.  What smarter person could he have been around?! 

He was a lawyer.  

He intimidated his colleagues cuz he was so smart. 

Moynihan said to Russert about the Ivy League hotshots in the Senator’s office.  “What they know, you can learn.  What you know, they can never learn.” 

He was the guy who popped the David Duke bubble - when he appeared on MTP, it’s Russert’s questions that ended his political rise. 

That he could impersonate Sen. Moynihan’s voice so well, he would actually take calls on his behalf in Washington. 

He brought Chuck Todd into NBC and expanded his role. 

He was the guy (because of his credibility and clout) who changed MTP from a half-hour to an hour. 

That the statements that he got on MTP are part of the historical record of Cheney and others in their statements about the lead up to the Iraq War, and so many other historical events.  He was creating a record for history. 

He changed not only MTP, but every other serious news show on television.  He set the standard.  As Matthews said, “He was the gold standard.” 

Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post:  He understood politics so much better than everyone else.  His encyclopedic knowledge, and his work ethic made him so outstanding.  He’s such an institution and presence in Washington.

Crew members are working tonight with tears in their eyes.  They still have to work tonight and were so touched by him. 

Leadership qualities.  Family base. 

Ben Bradlee (Wash Post) - when the release of your guests on Saturday becomes a must-know in Washington, you know you’ve arrived. 

Tim’s hour-long show in MSNBC on the weekend is also gone.   He just had Jim Webb on last weekend - and I’ve got the tape of it!  J 

his doctor: Dr. Michael Newman — asymptomatic coronary artery disease - he did his best with exercise and life style.  April 29^th stress test.  was on the treadmill this morning, as on most days. 

They occur without warning.  no way to detect them.  there was rupture of cholesterol build up.  he had an enlarged heart.  they did the autopsy and found the break in the artery. 

he was taping the opening for Meet The Press. 

within a few moment they knew Tim was in trouble.

an intern who knew CPR began doing it. 

they needed a defibulator. 

He was known to have coronary artery disease. 

Even in a witnessed cardiac arrest, survival is only about 5%. 

His weight was an issue. 

Oberman at 8:  “If he wasn’t the story, he’d be here guiding us tonight.” 

He’d taped his weekend “Tim Russert” show in the morning!  There’s one last show!!!!!  John Harwood was on.   (and it appears as though Kelly O’Donnell, among others) 

Lindsay Graham was scheduled to be on MTP this Sunday. 

Time Magazine just listed him as one of the 100 Most Influential People In The World. 

Brokaw:  he was called today “a little after 2:00″ this aft.  They said, “He’s collapsed.  It doesn’t look good.” 

Tim loved the game of politics.  He always said, “I have a face for radio.”  Hair spray never touched his Irish locks. 

He was clinical.  He diagnosed people. 

He was the brightest aide on Capital Hill.  He knew where everything was. 

He and Brokaw were both big Chuck Berry fans!  They had a bet who was going to lose the most weight - and the winner would get a platinum Chuck Berry record!    

He was also hugely into Springsteen - was more into than anyone around him at a recent concert. 

He was burning it at both ends. 

His dad just went into an assisted-living facility in Buffalo. 

His son was really into politics too, and had just graduated college with a major in history. 

Chris Matthews at 8:20 - He was “us” as a country.  He was role model for me.  He was the hardest worker he ever saw.  The preparation.  There is no one who beat him.  He constantly reminded us to look for the truth.  It was a competitive business, but he shared with everybody.  The David Duke take-down.  Tim didn’t say Duke was a racist — he forced Duke show it himself. 

We lost the quarterback tonight. 

How he got Moynihan through his first re-election. 

17½ years on MTP.  The longest serving host ever. 

He reinvigorated the Sunday morning news shows - he forced the other networks to step up. 

Frank Rich (NY Times):  He changed Sunday Morning.  It was the biggest meeting of newsmakers.  There isn’t another single entity in news that had this position.  Yet he wore himself lightly.  He took on the most powerful people in America - but he was never a gotcha wise-guy. 

History is about stories - and he understood it and could bring it out of others.  

David Gregory - there’s a crater left here in the news world. 

He jumped through the phone with enthusiasm.  He had such a joy for children. 

Bob Scheffer his competitor from Face The Nation:  “He made me better.”

Obama:  He was the standard bearer for good journalism.  But also a great person. 

John Edwards:  He was the yardstick by which every other journalist was measured. 

“Go get ‘em.”  was his written sign-off line to good colleagues. 

Now he’s gone. 

In the 3 years since the lock-out and with “the new NHL” we’ve had a one-hit-wonder win the Cup who never even made the playoffs any other year since about the Clinton administration, followed by the Disney Dirty Ducks action movie - neither team, IMHO, will be or should be remembered in hockey history. 

Contrast that with the Detroit Red Wings, who, after this year’s performance by Montreal and their “fans”, has clearly become the undisputed Classiest Team in the NHL.  They haven’t missed the playoffs in nearly 20 years, finishing with over 100 points for the last eight years in a row, winning 6 President’s Trophies, 3 Stanley Cups, plus a half-dozen Norris’s, a hat trick of Selke’s and gawd knows what else, and have the winningest coach in NHL history, Scotty Bowman, up in the box guiding the troops, with Stevie Y riding shotgun.  This is the Gold Standard in hockey.  They’ve drafted well (say, Datsyuk 171^st overall, or Zetterberg 210^th!), are coached brilliantly, play a skilled game, and are fronted by a couple of the most artful forwards in the sport. 

And the Penguins are what a hockey team is all about - youth and veterans, skill and brawn, with underdogs and superstars.  Plus they also happen to have two of the best forwards in the game.  And they’ve got the best points-per-game player in history in their skybox, and just a year ago their coach led them to the 4^th greatest single-season improvement in points in NHL history.  Add to that:  the whole team was almost sold-off to another city (but saved by that player in the skybox), and they’ve been living on a shoestring budget for what seems like forever, and play in the oldest (but loveable) dump of a building in the NHL (”The Igloo”! - what could be better!). 

Pittsburgh has an edge in offense, Detroit has an edge in defense, and both have solid goaltending.  One ‘tender is 10-2;  the other 12-2.  Of all the active playoff goalies, they are 1 and 2 in wins, 1 and 2 in GAA, 1 and 2 in save percentage.  Detroit’s Osgood has only dropped two games after taking over from Hasek;  and Pittsburgh’s “Flower” hasn’t let in more than 2 goals in any but four of his last 32 games, going 27-4-1!  And he’s all of 23 years old! 

Both teams have never lost a game these playoffs when leading after 2 periods.

Both teams have knowledgeable fans in their barns that the hockey world can be proud of, and both teams have lifelong hockey people as team owners and a lineage of very astute GMs.  In fact, both teams have exactly the same composition for their starting line-ups:  both have more than half their team (11 starters) made up of draft picks who’ve been developed entirely within the organization;  and each team made five smart free agent pick-ups;  and each only needed to trade away something to get their remaining four players.  That’s some very smart hockey management right there. 

In fact, with both teams so insanely and equally talented, it’s probably going to come down to coaching and preparation and mindset.  And in this regard, Detroit probably has the edge.  Not to mention the experience of all their players who have son the last game of the year before. 

Both teams are a textbook blend of European and North American talent;  and one team is captained by a European, the other by a Canadian.  And this year has already made history with Crosby being the youngest team captain in NHL history to lead his team to the Finals, and if he wins will be the youngest captain in professional team sports in North America to lead his team to a championship.  Or, it’ll be the first European captain ever to hoist the Cup in the NHL. 

Both teams have a history of current and former smart GMs, and neither team is assembled for a one-year push, nor bought their way to where they are by snatching other teams’ stars.  And both have fantastic, facile, effective Field-General coaches who’ve adapted to their opponents, and made their team greater than the sum of its parts. 

Detroit has its Darren McCarty destitute & rehab comeback story, and the Penguins have local Pittsburgh boy Ryan “Bugsy” Malone as a leader of their offense.  It’s an English-Canadian goalie vs a French-Canadian goalie.  And in their brain-trust, both franchises have former Team Canada captains (Lemieux and Yzerman) who shared a Gold Medal victory together at the Olympics, and are now battling each other over the “silver”. 

And they’re both “attack” teams -  just think about the wild end-to-end breakaway action we’re gonna see!!   The “Oh my god” dekes, and the “howdy do THAT?!” saves.  Lindstrom’s defense feeding Zetterberg and Datsyuk, and Gonchar & the boys feeding Crosby and Malkin!  And how these four forwards are going to be the masters who lead our sport for years to come.  And what’n the hell is with Gary Roberts and Chris Chelios??!!  I mean, they were battling in NHL playoffs before Crosby & Malkin were even born!  Literally.  And one of them’s wearing Gordie Howe’s uniform! 

And speaking of Gordie, these Red Wings are breaking his and Terry Sawchuk’s playoff records!  That’s all.  And Crosby just broke the record of every pro athlete in North American team sports when he won the scoring title at age 19. 

And WHAT is with these team playoff records?!  One team is 12-2 and the other is 12-4!  Huh?  Did I hear that right?  Is this the Habs best year vs. the Islanders best year?  It sure looks like Dynasty vs. Dynasty to me. 

The only other teams in NHL history to go 12-2 or better in the playoffs  . . .

Montreal in ‘68   –  12-1  (won Cup in 3 rounds)  

Montreal in ‘76  –  12-1  (won Cup in 3 rounds)

Detroit in ‘95 - 11-1  — (but lost the Cup Final to new jersey 4-straight)

Edmonton in ‘83    11-1  –  (and lost the Cup Final to the islanders 4-straight) 

The Wings have been the best NHL team over the last decade, and the Pens will be for the next. 

THIS is what hockey is all about. 

It’s Original Six vs. Second Six. 

Forget the Sistine Chapel, this series-opening face-off is going to be God and Adam down off the ceiling and touching fingers at center ice. 

This is going to be one for the ages, the one we live for, the Final that will be talked about the rest of our lives. 

It’s Edmonton — Islanders ‘83.  (if the Pens lose) 

or it’s

Montreal — Philly ‘76    (if the Pens win) 

It’s a turning-point Cup. 

It’s like a good jam that builds to a crystalline moment of eye-bulging clarity. 

It took three years, three verses, three time’s the charm to get here, but we’ve got it.  I have no idea how it’ll go in the final, but 7 games with encores would be sweet. 

This year’s Final will be historic and insanely exciting even if it’s a sweep for one team, but here’s a bellwether:  If the first two games (in Detroit) are a split we’re in for an all-time classic. 

The only prediction I’ll make is that both teams are capable of winning at least two games from the other - which means it goes to 6 games minimum. 

Weird Facts:

On average, the Penguins are younger (by 5 years), they’re taller (by 2 inches), and they’re heavier (by 13 lbs). 

Crosby lives with Lemieux.

Malkin lives at Gonchar’s.

Staal lives at Mark Recchi’s. 

Scotty Bowman coached both teams to their last Stanley Cup! 

Gary Roberts and Chris Chelios played against each other in the Calgary-Montreal Stanley Cup Final in 1989, almost 20 seasons ago. 

Chelios has played in more NHL playoff games than any other player in history. 

Since the NHL switched to the current format after the lockout, each Division will have sent exactly one, and only one, team to the Stanley Cup Final: 

North-East  -  Ottawa

South-East  -  Carolina  

Atlantic  -  Pittsburgh

North-West  -  Edmonton

Pacific  -  Anaheim

Central  -  Detroit

And get this!  -  In the 3 years since the lockout and the rotation of teams playing only 2 divisions in the other Conference each season, in all 3 SCFs since the change, the two Final teams have NEVER met during that regular season.  What are the odds of all that?!  Answer:  The Hockey Gods are smiling.  

The last 9 Stanley Cups in a row have all gone to the team with the home ice advantage in the series. 

Also:  This is guaranteed to be one of the closest Stanley Cup Finals in history. 

Detroit & Pittsburgh’s 210 mile separation is the closest any two teams playing for the Stanley Cup have ever been from one another - except for the Islanders - Philly in 1980 (120 m), and Boston - Rangers in ‘72 (189 m).  (Det-Chi = 239; Det-Tor = 244). 

All games start at the same time wherever you are  -  8 PM in the East. 

The game-day pattern goes: 

Saturday, Monday, Wednesday,

Saturday, Monday, Wednesday,

Saturday (game 7)

easy.  :-) 

Enjoy the speed, skill, chess n drama!

Brian

karmacoupon@gmail.com 

http://www.brianhassett.com/ 

                                     The Prankster Meets The Penguin 

So, I went to the Ranger game last night at Madison Square Garden.  What a hoot!  Before the game, there was some rock band called Overtime or something playing out front on the plaza;  and there were these shooting gallery games like at the Hockey Hall of Fame where you shoot the puck at little holes around a lifesize photo of Lundqvist, and another one that measured how hard your shot was.  And there’s this giant bronze statue of some guy outside the Garden, maybe it’s Mr. Garden, i don’t know, but they had the old guy decked out in a giant Rangers jersey.  

I went in for the pre-game skate and a bunch of Ranger fans had made scorecard signs like diving judges hold up during the Olympics.  And there’s one guy walking around in complete diving gear with a snorkel and facemask and a “Crosby Diving Team” shirt.  And all behind the net that the Penguins were shooting into during warm-up was a line of people holding diving scorecards.  Of course, Crosby answered this by setting up a goal a minute into the game.  And the Rangers never really recovered.  It ended up 5-3, but it was even more lopsided than that.  

When it was over, I didn’t want to leave — as usual.  I said to my hockey brother Rob, “This is like after my last Dead show at (nearby) Giants Stadium — i didn’t want to leave the venue and we walked all around the upper hallway looking down at the emptying stands and the stage tear-down.  Just keep soaking it in.  I didn’t know at the time it would be the last show ever, but just in case it might be, I always soak in everything to the maximum.” 

So we do just that up in Blue Heaven, surveying all of MSG like a wide-angle photograph developing on the brain, burning the image onto the glossy paper of memory.    

My poor buddy’s a hardcore Ranger fan so he’s a little down seeing his team essentially eliminated, but he’s being very easy-going about it  – if only because he’s a little stunned in shock.   So, we finally leave and luckilly come out on the 8th Avenue side, and I guide our stroll around by the load-out door where there’s about 50 fans waiting to get autographs or just to cheer the players as they leave.  As soon as we get there, Mario Lemieux comes out in a car with his wife, and I’m thinking, “This is sort of interesting.”    

There’s just tons of bright-faced young hockey fans — like this one kid, it was his 15th birthday, and he’s there with his dad and wearing one of the old style teal Pittsburgh jerseys like they wore for The Winter Classic outdoor game this year.  These kids, these fans, all know what the players look like without their helmets on, and they’re shouting out their names as they see them walking out in their suits to get on the bus that’s parked in the runway.  Some different Penguins come walking down the ramp and go right past us.  A couple of them stop and sign autographs.  

And all of a sudden, there’s big Hal Gill!  So i go over to him — he was kinda lost — like he was walking past the bus along the sidewalk, and had to stop and turn around, and I’m, “Hey Hal!  Good to see ya!  And good luck, eh?!  Hey, I’m from Toronto!”  And this makes him break into a big smile, “Great!” And I’m, “I’m so glad you get to be with this team now.  It’s the only way a Leaf will ever win the Cup!” and he laughs, and says thanks, shakes hands and heads for the bus.  

Then a few people start yelling, “Hey Jarku!” as Ruuto walks up — another guy I wouldn’t know from Adam — Ind i suddenly remember I have all these hockey cards in my bag, and pull out my Ruutu card and run over just as he’s about to get away and the 15 year old kid gives me his Sharpie and Ruutu signs the card.   

Then a couple others come along in their fresh n snappy suits, and then — there’s one guy I actually recognize!  Jordan Staal!  It’s just cuz he’s always on TV, and is really tall and skinny and has that sorta blondish hair and he’s just walking right out past all the fans and out to the street.  I run up to him cuz he’s really one of my favorite players — hockey’s new royal family and all — and i start walking along beside him going, “No way!  Jordan!  Way to go man!” and I’m slapping him on the back of his brown leather jacket and he’s not wanting to break his stare from straight ahead, almost like a guard at Buckingham Palace who’s supposed to not turn his head.  Not to mention him thinking, “Who is this crazy Rangers fan?  And am I about to be attacked?”  But I’m just making such a big fuss over him he’s goin’ with it, and I look up at his face that’s about as far away as the top of the Empire State Building, and I can see he’s got this huge beam on and is laughing — and I’m just sorta running along beside him since he’s walking very fast and determined, and I’m about 5 jumbo beers into it and I just kept slappin’ him on the back and raving on about how great the team is and how I’m rooting for them and he’s just laughing away at my enthusiasm and stick-to-it-ness.  

So, he’s walking the same direction as Hal and Ruutu were, and I realize their bus is parked out on the street, and so I watch as he and the other guys climb up the stairs and disappear into their dark cave.  It wasn’t a regular big charter tour type bus, but a mini-bus, like you see shuffling people around at airports.  

All of a sudden, I dunno, but . . . suddenly there was no security type person standing at their bus door, and I thought, “Ah-ha.”  

So I walk out nonchalantly into the road as though I’m just going to cross the street, and I see the bus door is open!  And I go, “No way!”  

So, I turn, and just Boom – I run up the stairs and onto their bus!  

There was a driver in the driver’s seat, and he didn’t say anything.  It was really dark in there so it was hard to see exactly, but nearly every seat was taken — like they were just about ready to take off.  So I stand up at the front like a tour guide holding onto the silver pole, and I just start in on this riff, super excited, quite skiddlie, but i just started goin’, “Hey you guys!  I just wanted to tell ya you’re just great!  And thank you for what you’re doing for hockey all over the world.  This is just the best thing.  The way you’re doing it, inspiring the kids, and hockey fans all over, it’s just fantastic and i just wanted to make sure you guys knew it and how much it’s appreciated, and you guys are doing the right thing and doing it the right way!”      

It’s really dark, and I don’t know most of the player’s faces, but I can see Jordan Staal, he’s on the aisle about 2 rows from the back, and maybe he had an overhead light on or something, but I could see his tall head and he’s just got this huge teeth-beaming smile on — a fellow twinkling prankster for sure.  As a performer, you often pick out one person in the audience and deliver the show to them.  Zone in — and if you’re totally connected to that person, have them hanging on your every word, you don’t lose your train, and everybody else can ride along.  So I’m sorta delivering this whole spontaneous monolog to Staal.  

And it was so weird, cuz you sorta picture a hockey team’s bus as i dunno, rowdy, partying, everybody talking at once — sort of a Slap Shot scene.  But everybody was in very proper suits sitting quiet and back-straight in their seats like a troop of uniformed soldiers or something.  But the General was on the bus!   

And he was right in front of me!  The very first seat beside the stairs is Coach Therrien, and he’s laughing away, I couldn’t believe it!  But I knew I had the room if he was laughing.  :-)  But I didn’t wanna look too closely in case he signaled for me to leave.  And it’s so great that in this 9/11 world they weren’t too freaked-out by this strange guy jumping into their midst.  Neither the coach nor the players nor any staff ever made a move to stop me, and here I was given this spontaneous, unsolicited pep-talk to the entire frickin’ Penguins team!  

I’m looking right into the faces of the guys in the first couple of rows but I couldn’t positively identify any of them — those damn helmet disguises they wear!  I think the rookie type guys have to sit in the front — none of the first few rows were Laraque or Talbot or Malkin or Malone or any of those super recognizable faces.  

I had the presence of mind to realize that they weren’t kicking me off, and that I actually had the entire team’s rapt attention, and the coach is sorta rocking back and forth in his seat he’s laughing so much.  It was like open mike night, and the host had just nodded that you can do another song!  :-)  So I did.  

I went into something like, “I’m from Canada,” (I wanted them to know I’m an authentic old-school purist hockey person, not just some demented drunk New Yorker)  So I told them, “I just drove all the way down here to see you play tonight, and I just want you to know that everybody up there is rootin’ for you guys.  And what you’re doing is just great!  And just keep goin’!  The whole hockey world is rooting for you guys.  Believe me.”  And I gave ‘em a nod & a stare with a good long pause.  

I remember thinking that I didn’t wanna say anything to jinx it — like talk about The Cup or anything beyond this series.  So I just said again, “What you’re doing is just great!  Keep doin’ what you’re doin’!”   I couldn’t believe I was there — and I was sort of running out of material and didn’t want to overstay my bizarre welcome, so I just gave them a happy final wave in farewell and scampered down the stairs as fast as I climbed them.  The whole time I was just beaming with joy, and I’m sure that’s what allowed me to be there unchallenged.  

So, . . . that was the night I ran onto the Penguins’ bus in the middle of the playoffs and gave them a pep talk.  

you can also hear my crazy live morning-after riff (the April 30th episode) at