Why Do I Love THE NAKED CITY?

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As the days pass and I get closer to crossing two incredible tasks off my bucket list (hosting a film on Turner Classic Movies with Robert Osborne, AND introducing a film to a live audience at the TCM film festival), I figured I might as well ramble a bit more about THE NAKED CITY (Jules Dassin, 1948).  It's the least I can do, since I now consider it to be a good luck film for me.  It was the film I introduced in my contest video submission, the film I will introduce on the air, and the film I will introduce at the festival.  It has been good to me.

My Criterion.  Watched dozens of times these last 7 months.

So, why do I like this film? There are countless classic films I could have chosen to introduce in my entry.  This choice wasn't easy; a large part of me wanted to take this opportunity to introduce a film where I can discuss Hollywood's mistreatment of people of color and/or women.  Then, I decided that may get too serious and critical for the judges - this I can reserve for my blog posts.  Eventually, I chose SUNSET BLVD (Billy Wilder, 1950); I wanted to discuss the powerful character of Norma Desmond, and the decrepit side of Hollywood that the film reveals.  However, I wasn't able to travel to the location I needed to introduce Sunset, so I had to use what I had.  And I had the greatest city in the world in my backyard.

Let's be honest; the strongest aspect of The Naked City isn't the plot/story.  It's New York City.  I'm proud to say that I am a New Yorker from birth.  I was born in Bronx Lebanon Hospital, raised in Queens, and then moved to the Bronx.  I went to NYC public schools from Kindergarten to the 12th grade; my undergraduate and graduate degrees are from St. John's University and New York University, respectively.  Along with film, the city essentially raised me.  So, the first time I saw The Naked City, I was astounded.  My love of classic film collided with my love of the city; and it wasn't portrayed on sound stages or sets.  It was real.  

The Naked City begins with narration from the film's producer, Mark Hellinger.  A helicopter shot over Manhattan provides the visuals, and a first-time viewer may think s/he is about to see a travelogue or documentary.  Hellinger goes on to narrate the seemingly mundane details of random New Yorker's lives, until he states that a young woman has been murdered.  Then we are introduced to Lt. Dan Muldoon (Barry Fitzgerald) and protégé Detective Jimmy Halloran (Don Taylor).  The murder investigation leads the viewer to various neighborhoods in New York City; not excluding the outer boroughs (which, as a Queens/Bronx girl, I absolutely love).  Take a look at the opening shot:

When I first saw The Naked City about 6 years ago, recognizing locations was my favorite part of watching.  Jimmy Halloran lives in Queens, and he rides the IRT Flushing line (now known as the 7 train) home.  His wife complains to him that their child tried to cross Queens Boulevard by himself.  Anyone who knows anything about Queens knows how dangerous it would be for a child to do this, even today.  The fact that such a seemingly insignificant detail resonated so deeply with me is one reason why I love The Naked City.  The minute I shared a personal experience with someone else in the film, the film became personal to me.  At that moment, I felt partial ownership of the film.  These are moments that film fans like myself live for - the connection.

Mark Hellinger's narration pops in and out of the film, which is a good thing.  It may seem outdated and/or corny to some, but it serves a greater purpose.  Each time Hellinger draws our attention to every day New Yorkers - women shopping, children playing games outside, vendors selling food on Delancey street - we are reminded of the dynamics of the city.  Even in the film's climax, when the suspect daringly ascends the heights of the Williamsburg bridge, people are seen below living their lives unchanged.  Only someone who truly understands New York would think of doing this.  This is an excellent way of reminding us that, like the film's most memorable line (and later, the tagline of the television show): "There are 8 million stories in this city."  Thus, we are reminded that this is just one story.  There are countless others, and no two are the same.

In case you want more film geekery in video form, you can check out my contest entry below:

Please mind my choice of words in certain parts.  I meant to refer to Valley of the Dolls as a Cult Classic, but nerves got the best of me.  

Also, TCM posted a small bio about me on their film festival page!

Women's History Month

It is well known that, compared to men in the film industry, women are vastly underemployed, underutilized, or not present at all.  However, there are a great deal of women in film who are powerful, influential, and brilliant.  This is by no means a comprehensive list, but instead are names and works of filmmakers who I have always appreciated and admired.  There may be some obvious omissions, but that's done on purpose.  Some are very well known for their contributions to film, and others are not.  All are worth recognizing, however.  So here they are:

photo: aliceguyblache.com

Alice Guy Blaché

If you are a film student or ever researched early motion pictures, then you know who Alice Guy Blaché is.  To say she is a pioneer of film would be a gross understatement.  She is not only the first woman to direct films, but she is also one of the first directors in history to venture into fiction from "actualities."  She is the first director to use the hand tinting method of coloring films, as well as many other technological innovations utilizing sound.  Blaché directed over 350 films throughout her career, but by the 1920s, the general public was recognizing the lucrative nature of film, making it nearly impossible for anyone who was not white and male to work as a director.  Here is a clip of her on set directing (she is front and center, with her back towards the camera):

photo: biography.com

Penny Marshall

Bronx-born funny lady Penny Marshall started her career as an actress with roles on hit television shows The Odd Couple, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and most notably, Laverne & Shirley.  Later, she went on to direct 1980s comedy classics like Big (1988), and A League of Their Own (1992):

photo: Directors Guild of America

Kasi Lemmons

Also first known as an actress, appearing in School Daze (dir. Spike Lee, 1988), The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991), and Candyman (Bernard Rose, 1992), Lemmons' directorial debut was a haunting tale of a strong girl who holds a terrible family secret in Eve's Bayou (1997).  Lemmons also wrote the screenplay:

photo: Claudette Barius

Allison Anders

In discussions of women in film in the 1980s-1990s, Allison Anders name will (and should) be one of the first mentioned.  She has directed great films exploring femininity and coming-of-age stories.   She also wrote and directed "The Missing Ingredient" segment from the film Four Rooms (1995) as well as episodes of Sex and the City, and she is an avid classic film fan with great insight on theory, history, and filmmaking. Here is a trailer for her first film, Border Radio, about the LA punk scene:  

photo: screendaily.com

Sally Menke

The witty, involved dialogue and general aura of "cool" in Quentin Tarantino's films would amount to very little if the editing wasn't brilliant.  Sally Menke has edited every film Tarantino has ever directed (with the exception of Django Unchained; she passed away shortly before).  Think of all the incredible fight scenes in his films, and you realize how much talent this woman had.  Out of all the Tarantino films I could pick for a clip, I may get beat up for picking Deathproof (2007), but this car chase scene shows off Sally's editing skills and stuntwoman Zoe Bell's level of badassness:

photo: Sebastian Kim

Julie Taymor
First woman to win a Tony for directing (The Lion King on Broadway, which will go down in history as Disney's best Broadway production of all time), and director of such visually striking movies as Frida (2002), Titus (1999), and The Tempest (2010), it takes a great amount of talent and creativity to present the songs of the Beatles in original ways.  She did that in Across the Universe (2007): 

photo: thefilmstage.com

Julie Dash

With Daughters of the Dust (1991), filmmaker Julie Dash used the power of cinema to preserve a certain culture and history that mainstream sources were not paying attention to.  Her work is revered, and incredibly important.  Here's a trailer for her most beloved film:

photo: listal.com

Penelope Spheeris

I don't even like to entertain the misguided opinions of those who think women are not funny or incapable of making great comedies.  The characters of Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar surely originate from Mike Myers and Dana Carvey's popular SNL sketches, but the film could have gone down in flames (like many SNL movies did) without Spheeris' contributions.  Here is one of my favorite moments of Wayne's World (1992):

photo: thereelist.com

Mira Nair

Indian-born filmmaker Mira Nair directed Mississippi Masala (1991), Monsoon Wedding (2001) and The Namesake (2006).  Here is a clip of a segment she directed in New York, I Love You (2008) starring Natalie Portman and Irrfan Khan, where she lets opposite ethnicities, religions, and genders collide; always resulting in finding common ground (start video at 1:30):

photo: threehorizonsproductions.com

Ida Lupino

Remembered by many as a star in classic films alongside stars like Humphrey Bogart in High Sierra (1941), Lupino turned to writing and directing when she found Hollywood roles scarce.  This is quite an accomplishment, being that the 1940s and 1950s saw very few women in the director's chair.  Starting with dramas like Never Fear (1949) and Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951), she also turned to television directing in the years to follow.  Lupino is the only woman to direct an episode of The Twilight Zone.  Her episode, "The Masks," is in full here: 

These ten women have made great marks in the realms of television, film, and theater, tacking issues of genre and gender.  There are MANY more women who have produced, written, acted, designed and edited their ways into film history, and I urge further reading on them (for starters - Lois Weber, Frances Marion, Dorothy Arzner, Nora Ephron, Maya Deren, Mary Harron, Agnieszka Holland, Agnes Varda, Jane Campion, Sarah Polley, Marta Rodriguez).

- 'Til next time!

Films You Can Watch on Valentine's Day That Won't Make You Vomit

I don't hate Valentine's Day.  That's too strong of a term.  I just don't care for it.  Restaurants are overpriced, and people feel obligated to do cute things for a significant other.  It feels forced to me.  But what I dislike most is the incredulous amount of RomComs that come out every year with the same plots, no wit, and no semblance of realistic love (at least, not in my opinion - but what do I know).  So, here are five movies I have picked for a great way to kick back on V-Day and not have to endure Katherine Heigl:

1.  TRUE ROMANCE (Dir. Tony Scott, 1993) - Remember when I just said most romance films aren't realistic? Well this one isn't either, but with a script written by Quentin Tarantino, direction by Tony Scott, and a cast that includes Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, James Gandolfini and Brad Pitt, IT DOESN'T MATTER.  So unknowingly getting set up with a prostitute, falling in love, stealing cocaine from a pimp and selling it to Hollywood bigwigs may not be your everyday scenario, but this getting-to-know-each-other scene in the diner is what I love about relationships:

Also, I absolutely love the score by Hans Zimmer.  It's an ode to Terrence Malick's BADLANDS (1973), which is another film you can see on Valentine's Day, if you like couples that go on killing sprees.


2.  SIXTEEN CANDLES (Dir. John Hughes, 1984) - I don't have a problem with the starry-eyed girl who's in love with the popular senior as long as it's done right.  And John Hughes is a master of teen RomCom (and adolescence in film in general, obviously).  But some of the best scenes are The Geek's (Anthony Michael Hall) failed attempts at getting Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald):

And Joan Cusack.  God bless Joan Cusack.


3.  CELESTE & JESSE FOREVER (Dir. Lee Toland Krieger, 2012) - This movie is excellent for many reasons.  Rashida Jones and Will McCormack wrote a heartbreakingly beautiful screenplay about the complexities of relationships.  The soundtrack is also amazing, but I don't expect the daughter of Quincy Jones to let subpar music near her work, so it's not surprising.  This clip is hilarious:

Although not everyone is living with their ex-spouse in a roommate situation, the film exposes real problems in relationships.  Not everything is clear and 'solvable.' There's no fluff and glitter here, so if that's the kind of V-Day film you're looking for, try elsewhere.  But you'd be missing out.

4.  IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Dir. Wong Kar-wai, 2000) - This isn't just a great romance movie.  This is a masterpiece by renowned Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai.  This film explores love that could have been and perhaps still could be, with excellent use of color, masterfully composed shots, and just listen to the score in this scene: 

5.  AARON LOVES ANGELA (Dir. Gordon Parks Jr, 1975) - Many people haven't seen this film.  It surely wasn't Gordon Parks Jr.'s most popular work (Once you make SUPERFLY, how can you really top it?), but I loved the Romeo and Juliet adaptation set against the backdrop of East and West Harlem, where Angela and Aaron fall in love.  They face opposition from all sides since Angela is Puerto Rican and Aaron is Black.  The gritty 1970s feel always gets me, which is one reason why I love this film.  The other reason? José Feliciano blesses the soundtrack.

Since we have limited attention spans (myself very much included), I ended this list at 5 films, but here are other suggestions that deserve to be mentioned:

AWAY WE GO (Dir. Sam Mendes, 2009) - Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski's relationship? I want that.

ENOUGH SAID (Dir. Nicole Holofcener, 2013) - Many people will now remember this as James Gandolfini's last film, but I just see real-life romantic problems portrayed well on the screen.

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER (Dir. Leo McCarey, 1957) - I had to throw a classic tear-jerker in there.  I'm not a robot.

JUNO (Dir. Jason Reitman, 2007) - "I need to know that it's possible that two people can stay happy together forever." Me too, Juno.  Me too.

AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF HER BEAUTY (Dir. Terence Nance, 2012) - A whole film describing the indescribable beauty of someone (or multiple people) you're in love with.  Stunning work.

SAVE THE LAST DANCE (Dir. Thomas Carter, 2001) - Because WHY NOT!? This movie came out when I was 15 years old, so basically it formed a lot of my misshapen opinions on love.

I love movies 'til the death of me, so I hate when people think there aren't good romance films.  Or when men think they have to suffer through THE NOTEBOOK on holidays like V-Day.  So hopefully this list will help you enjoy the day a little more.  That and chocolate.  Lots. Of. Chocolate.

10 Classic Films for People Who "Don't Like" Classic Film

I've come across many people who do not give films made earlier than the 1970s a chance.  Most consider the pacing to be slow and the subject matter out of date, which I can agree with to an extent.  But there are exceptions, and the following are my go-to suggestions for people who THINK they can't sit through an older film:

1.  The Night of the Hunter (dir. Charles Laughton, 1955) – Robert Mitchum plays one of the most complex villains of classic cinema in this movie; a beautifully shot ode to the resilience of children.  The Night of the Hunter creates nail-biting suspense that will surprise you if you usually think “classic film” is boring.  And Lillian Gish is a badass here.

2.  The Manchurian Candidate (dir. John Frankenheimer, 1962) – This film could be a surprise to many people my generation and younger who have little experience seeing Frank Sinatra’s acting or a fantastically malicious Angela Lansbury.  This story about the aftereffects of POWs upon returning home is riveting.  Watch this version, and you’ll see there was little need for a remake.

3.  The Graduate (dir. Mike Nichols, 1967) – This is probably the most popular movie on this list in terms of mainstream appeal, especially among young adults.  The primary element in this Mike Nichols film is quite resonant today; a college grad with absolutely no plan for the future.  The Graduate helped usher in the New American Cinema, and has been (and always will be) considered a quintessential “cool” film, and has been wildly influential in addition to having one of the most memorable soundtracks, provided by Simon & Garfunkel.

4.  Some Like it Hot (dir. Billy Wilder, 1959) – Although I am not the biggest Marilyn Monroe fan, I don’t think anyone can deny the power of her on-screen presence.  In addition to that, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis make this one of the silliest, but most enjoyable comedies that most people with contemporary tastes would appreciate.

5.  The Women (dir. George Cukor, 1939) – I assume much of the appeal of reality television shows are the cattiness among women, scandal, drama, and the thrill of experiencing it all without having to personally be involved.  You can find all of that in The Women, but it also contains razor sharp dialogue brilliantly performed by a fabulous cast of actresses, and with much greater flair than anything you’ll see on television today.

6.  It Happened One Night (dir. Frank Capra, 1934) - Many people enjoy a good Romantic Comedy.  It Happened One Night sets the standard for this genre.  While most RomComs are instantly discarded as low-brow entertainment made with little intelligence, this film is a joy to watch.  Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, along with the genius of Frank Capra, show us that RomComs with screwball elements can still be great films.

7.  The Best Years of Our Lives (dir. William Wyler, 1946) – This film always makes me feel totally indebted to anyone who is in the armed forces; not just for risking their lives in battle, but for having to deal with the changes war creates in them.  Wyler’s classic touches upon the trauma that veterans (and their families) face when they come home to a place where no one truly understands the terrors of war.

8.  Modern Times (dir. Charlie Chaplin, 1936) – Although this film incorporates sound effects, this is Charlie Chaplin’s last film without spoken dialogue.  This film is laden with symbolism as Chaplin uses its images to consider man’s experience dealing with technological advances, which remarkably only becomes more pertinent with time.  But also, this movie is just incredibly funny.

9.  The Naked City (dir. Jules Dassin, 1948) – This is the movie for anyone who enjoys New York in film.  The gritty backdrop is incorporated as a character in this murder mystery.  It’s like watching a documentary on late 1940s New York City.  My favorite part is the inclusion of each borough.  Most NYC movies tend to forget the outer boroughs, but The Naked City takes the viewer through the complete concrete jungle.

10.  Paris Blues (dir. Martin Ritt, 1961) – Sidney Poitier and Paul Newman play two jazz musicians who live in Paris to escape America’s lack of praise for varied music and races.  There are some great scenes of a budding beat generation, and this movie has entertaining performances in Parisian speakeasies and jazz clubs.

All of these are available either on Netflix instant/DVD, and Paris Blues is even streaming in its entirety on YouTube.  Try them out and tell me your thoughts!  Happy watching ;)