Peter Bogdanovich

Started by Bud_Clay, June 19, 2003, 12:39:15 AM

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Bud_Clay

Although I've only seen one of his films (The Last Picture Show), I am already highly impressed and curious to see more of his work...Anyone have any recommendations?...I;ve heard about "Targets" but I'm not so sure he really made the movie from his own free will.

I think I saw him on an episode of The Sopranoes one time.  Curious as to why I havent been seeing or hearing more about him lately.

Ghostboy

The only ones I've seen are The Last Picture Show and last year's The Cat's Meow, which was pretty good. LPS, of course, is amazing, and just for that he deserves his own thread. Let's get the discussion going...

Bud_Clay

Yeah, it's very unfortunate but I think The Last Picture Show really is the best film Bogdanovich has ever and will ever make.  It's very sad and it reminds me of Jacques Demy's career...His first real film, "Lola", is an absolute gem and the only real gem he'd ever made.  It's very confusing and I wish I knew more about both of the downfalls of their careers.  Atleast the lost ambition and creativity Demy had.

Ghostboy

I just went and read Roger Ebert's review of Texasville, the sequel to Last Picture Show. He said that it was meant to be Bogdanovich's comeback, almost twenty years after the original. But even though the review is quite positive, he still says that it "lacks a genuine reason for  existence."

Via IMDB, I learned that following this film he directed a lot of TV movies. Before it, the only one that really stuck out to me was Paper Moon, which I haven't seen but have heard good things about.

It does appear that he's a sort of one hit wonder, but what a hit. He's also pretty well regarded in film history circles -- due at least in part, I'm sure, to his close friendship to Orson Welles.

godardian

The best thing about Hollywood Ending was the Peter Bogdonavich joke about directing the TV movie.

My perception of him is that he was a wildly talented young director whose arrogance alienated most people in the biz; they waited for the one misstep that would lead to a creative exile with no recovery. He's had lower lows, I believe, than any of the other seventies directors.

I'd love to see The Cat's Meow and especially Paper Moon (I missed my widescreen chance on TCM and am now eagerly awaiting a DVD release). I adore The Last Picture Show.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

MacGuffin

Quote from: godardianPaper Moon (I missed my widescreen chance on TCM and am now eagerly awaiting a DVD release).

Scheduled for Aug. 12.

"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

godardian

Quote from: MacGuffin
Quote from: godardianPaper Moon (I missed my widescreen chance on TCM and am now eagerly awaiting a DVD release).

Scheduled for Aug. 12.


Hooray! A pretty cover. And I just love movies about the Depression. In my mind, it's a companion piece to Days of Heaven. That's a lot to live up to.

Trivia: John Waters really hates him. Based on Mask, which, in Waters's estimation, is some sort of cinematic nadir.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

SoNowThen

For those of you that haven't, please see Cat's Meow. It's a great little film, with wonderful performances all around. For my money, THAT'S his comeback film. Let's hope to get a few more gems from Bogs in the near future.
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

soixante

Bogdanovich had a hot streak with his first four movies -- Targets, Last Picture Show, What's Up Doc and Paper Moon.  All four are worth seeing.  He was on top of the world, critically and commercially, and then he did two movies with Cybill Shephard, Daisy Miller and At Long Last Love.  Both were critical and commercial failures.  Nickelodeon and St. Jack closed out the 70's, neither was a hit.  They All Laughed barely got released in 81 or 82.  Mask was a comeback in the mid 80's.  He also directed River Phoenix's last film The Thing Called Love.

He was a respected critic and author before he became a director.  Targets is a great debut, and perhaps is his best film.
Music is your best entertainment value.

modage

i've only seen LAST PICTURE SHOW (Loved), and CATS MEOW (Liked), but,
Quentin Tarantino mentions Bogdanovich's "THEY ALL LAUGHED" on his sight and sound poll top 10.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Weak2ndAct

Ah!  Good topic.  I had never seen a Bog movie until a couple years ago, then I was treated to the infamous first four, all masterpieces in their own right.  Targets was a true shocker, and you gotta give the guy props for actually being able to make a good movie with Babs in it (I was prepared to truly loathe 'what's up doc?').  

Seen Saint Jack and The Cat's Meow as well, both very good as well.  I guess the question is, what of the other ones?  I'm almost terrified to rent them after hearing all the negative stuff.  I've held Daisy Miller in my hand many a-time, but couldn't bring myself to make the plunge.  Anyone have any thoughts on the ones that aren't considered 'the good ones'?  

It's nice to see the comeback of sorts, between the new film and acting gigs.  Gonna have to check out 'Out of Order' on Showtime one of these days.

Side note: It's no shock now why Wes Anderson gives the guy so much props, he practically apes the style (just an observation, not a criticism-- love Wes' flicks).  The inserts in Targets-- overhead shots/close-ups are straight out of all three movies.

soixante

Daisy Miller was OK, I enjoyed it because I had read the Henry James novel it was based on.  At Long Last Love is as bad as its reputatin, although it's worth watching just to see how a talented director can make a bad film.  Nickelodeon I saw back in the 70's, I remember sort of liking it, but it has been so long, I don't know how I would like it now.  St. Jack was OK, saw it when it came out.  I recall liking They All Laughed, but I only saw it once when it came out.  Mask I saw a few times upon its initial release, I liked that one.  Texasville was dull, although it has its defenders.  The Thing Called Love was OK, good acting.  Cat's Meow was pretty good.  I hope someday he makes another movie like Paper Moon or Last Picture Show.
Music is your best entertainment value.

EL__SCORCHO

Bogdanovich claims "They all laughed" (or something like that) is his best film. I've always been pretty curious to see it, but never gotten the chance to. He calls it his most personal film. This was the film he bought back form the studio and then bombed at the box office, leaving him broke.

Holden Pike

I love They All Laughed, and spin the cruddy old LD often (boy does this beg to be remastered for DVD). It should have made John Ritter a movie star. Oh, well. But sorry, Pete, it ain't your best movie. That self rating probably has as much to do with the good memories of being with Dorothy Stratten as anything else. Plus, it gets people talking about a movie that was unfairly ignored.

I actually enjoy The Thing Called Love (1993) quite a bit, though admittedly it is nothing but cliche after cliche. Worth a look sometime anyway, though it's always going to be known primarily as River Phoenix's last flick. Noises Off... (1992) is definitely fun, though tough to transcend the stage roots and make anything compellingly cinematic. Rent that one when you can't find They All Laughed. Illegally Yours is a mess, skip at all costs. The degenration of Bogdanovich's modernizing Screwball comedies can be traced from the excellent and inspired What's Up, Doc?, to very good and offbeat in They All Laughed, to unwatchable and embarassing in Illegally Yours (which has been running a lot on U.S. cable in recent months for some reason - punishment, I'm sure).
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream, it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film."
- Frank Capra

modage

saw Paper Moon and Whats Up, Doc? tonite for the first time.  Paper Moon was really good.  it was a funny and interesting relationship between Ryan and Tatum.  pretty simple grifter story, but entertaining.  Whats Up Doc was okay.  wanted to be Bringing Up Baby at first, and then decided it wanted to be 3 Stooges or Marx Bros. by the end.  and just knowing i was watching a Streissand movie bothered me although Oneal was pretty funny doing his best 'dork' imitation.  but really has nothing on Cary Grant in that dept.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.