Dog Day Afternoon

Dog Day Afternoon (1975). Dir. Sidney Lumet

Sonny (Al Pacino): Is there any special country you wanna go to?

Sal (John Cazale): Wyoming.

Sonny: Sal, Wyoming’s not a country.

Dog Day Afternoon está basado en una historia real: el robo fallido de John Wojtowicz y Salvatore Naturale llevado a cabo el 22 de agosto de 1972 en Brooklyn, NY. Wojtowicz cumplió 5 años en prisión de los 20 que le fueron sentenciados. Aron (Leon en la película) devino Liz Eden y murió de SIDA en 1987.

Soy una gran fan de John Cazale, un gran actor al que he descubierto verdaderamente hace poco. Cazale fue nominado al Golden Globe (Best Supporting Actor), pero no fue nominado al Oscar. Sidney Lumet no quería ni que Cazale leyera para el papel de Sal porque el verdadero Sal era mucho más joven que Cazale (tenía 18 años y Cazale, 39). Al Pacino convenció a Lumet que escuchara a Cazale y Lumet quedó maravillado con su actuación.

Dog Day Afternoon ganó un Oscar (Best Writing, Original Screenplay: Frank Pierson) y obtuvo otras 5 nominaciones al Oscar, entre ellas Best Picture y Best Director.

La graciosa escena donde Sal (Cazale) le dice a Sonny (Al) que quiere ir a Wyoming fue improvisada. Lumet se rió un montón y tuvo que cubrirse la boca; después usaron ese “take” en la película, y la broma es la cita más repetida de la película (y eso que la película es un drama, no una comedia).

Hay una escena en la que Sal (Cazale) le dice a Sylvia (Penelope Allen) que no fuma porque no quiere tener cáncer:

Sylvia: What, you don’t smoke?

Sal: No.

Sylvia: How come?

Sal: I don’t want the cancer.

Cazale moriría de cáncer de pulmón 3 años más tarde, en 1978, a los 42 años, 9 meses antes del estreno de The Deer Hunter.

Lo mejor: John Cazale, Chris Sarandon y Al Pacino, en ese orden.

Lo peor: algunas de las ‘secuestradas’.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, 30 de agosto de 2016

Sonny (Al Pacino): Is there any special country you wanna go to?

Sal (John Cazale): Wyoming.

Sonny: Sal, Wyoming’s not a country.

Dog Day Afternoon is based on a true story: the failed robbery attempted by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturale on August 22, 1972 in Brooklyn.Wojtowicz served 5 of his 20 year prison sentence. Aron (Leon in the movie) became Liz Eden and died of AIDS in 1987.

I am a big fan of John Cazale, a great actor whom I’ve fully discovered just a little time ago. Cazale was nominated for a Golden Globe (Best Supporting Actor), but he did not get an Oscar nomination. Sidney Lumet didn’t even want Cazale to audition for the role of Sal, because the real Sal was much younger than Cazale (he was 18 years old and Cazale was 39). Al Pacino convinced Lumet to listen to Cazale’s reading and he was amazed by Cazale’s performance.

Dog Day Afternoon won an Oscar (Best Writing, Original Screenplay: Frank Pierson) and got 5 Oscar nominations, among them Best Picture and Best Director.

The funny scene where Sal (Cazale) says to Sonny (Al Pacino) that he wants to go to Wyoming was improvised. Lumet laughed a lot but immediately covered his mouth; later they used that take in the film, and the joke is the most used quote of the movie (even though the movie is a drama, not a comedy).

There is a scene where Sal (Cazale) says to Sylvia (Penelope Allen) that he does not smoke because he does not want to get cancer:

Sylvia: What, you don’t smoke?

Sal: No.

Sylvia: How come?

Sal: I don’t want the cancer.

Cazale would die of lung cancer three years later, in 1978, at age 42, nine months after the release of The Deer Hunter.

The best: John Cazale, Chris Sarandon, and Al Pacino, in that order.

The worst: some of the hostages.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, August 30, 2016

Interiors

Interiors (1978). Dir. Woody Allen

“You only live once, and once is enough if you play your cards right” (Pearl / Maureen Stapleton)

Interiors fue el primer drama de Woody Allen. La película es una obra maestra y el ambiente es muy bergmaniano. Obtuvo 5 nominaciones a los Oscar y 4 nominaciones a los Golden Globe.

Woody Allen escribió el rol de Eve pensando en Ingrid Bergman. Le ofreció el papel pero Ingrid, muy a pesar suyo, tuvo que rechazarlo, pues ya se había comprometido a rodar Höstsonaten (Sonata de otoño) con Ingmar Bergman.

No hay música en la película (con la excepción de las dos piezas que suenan en la escena donde todos menos Joey y Renata están bailando y la ordinaria Pearl rompe el florero).

Lo mejor: Diane Keaton, Geraldine Page, Maureen Stapleton, la cinematografía (Prince of Darkness), el guión y la dirección (Woody).

Lo peor: la poca convincente maternidad de Renata.

10/10

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, 30 de mayo de 2016

“You only live once, and once is enough if you play your cards right” (Pearl / Maureen Stapleton)

Interiors was Woody Allen’s first drama. The film is a masterpiece and obviously was influenced and inspired by Bergman’s films. It got 5 Oscar nominations and 4 Golden Globe nominations.

Woody Allen wrote Eve’s role with Ingrid Bergman in mind. Woody Allen offered the role to Ingrid but she had to decline it because she was already committed to shoot Höstsonaten (Autumn Sonata) with Ingmar Bergman.

There is no music in the film (with the exception of the two pieces played in the scene where everybody but Joey and Renata are dancing and the tacky Pearl breaks the vase).

The best: Keaton, Geraldine Page, Maureen Stapleton, the cinematography (Prince of Darkness), the script & direction (Woody).

The worst: Renata’s not very convincing motherhood.

10/10

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, May 30, 2016

Manhattan

Manhattan (1979). Dir. Woody Allen

Isaac (Woody Allen): “I got a kid, he’s being raised by two women at the moment”.

Mary (Diane Keaton): “Oh, y’know, I mean I think that works. Uh, they made some studies, I read in one of the psychoanalytic quarterlies. You don’t need a male, I mean. Two mothers are absolutely fine”.

Isaac: “Really? Because I always feel very few people survive one mother”.

Manhattan obtuvo 2 nominaciones al Oscar (Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Mariel Hemingway, y Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman). Ganó 2 BAFTA Awards (Best Film y Best Screenplay) y el César a la mejor película extranjera (Meilleur film étranger).

Toda la película se rodó en blanco y negro. La cinematografía es de Gordon Willis (“The Prince of Darkness”), el cinematógrafo de The Godfather, The Godfather. Part II y The Godfather. Part III, quien ya había trabajado con Woody Allen en Annie Hall (1978) y en una de las obras maestras de Woody Allen: Interiors (1979). Gordon Willis dijo que, de todas las películas que había rodado, Manhattan era su preferida.

Woody Allen quedó tan descontento con Manhattan que ofreció a los productores hacer otra película gratis si estos no estrenaban Manhattan. Por suerte los productores no le hicieron caso y hoy podemos seguir disfrutando de esta joya. Irónicamente, Manhattan ha sido la película más taquillera de Woody Allen.

Lo mejor: el principio (con música de Gershwin y Woody Allen cambiando el principio una y otra vez), Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, la lista de Isaac y el genial guión de Woody Allen.

Lo peor: el desagradable personaje que interpreta Diane Keaton.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, 26 de mayo de 2016

Isaac (Woody Allen): “I got a kid, he’s being raised by two women at the moment”.

Mary (Diane Keaton): “Oh, y’know, I mean I think that works. Uh, they made some studies, I read in one of the psychoanalytic quarterlies. You don’t need a male, I mean. Two mothers are absolutely fine”.

Isaac: “Really? Because I always feel very few people survive one mother”.

Manhattan got 2 Oscar nominations (Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Mariel Hemingway, and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: Woody Allen & Marshall Brickman). It won 2 BAFTA Awards (Best Film and Best Screenplay) and the César Award for Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger).

The whole movie was shot in black and white. The cinematography is by Gordon Willis (“The Prince of Darkness”), cinematographer of The Godfather, The Godfather. Part II and The Godfather. Part III, who already had work with Woody Allen in Annie Hall (1978) and in one of Woody Allen’s masterpieces: Interiors (1979). Gordon Willis once said that Manhattan was his favorite of all the movies he had shot.

Woody Allen was so unhappy with Manhattan that he offered the producers to make another movie for free if they didn’t release Manhattan. Fortunately the producers didn’t listen to Woody Allen and today we can still enjoy this gem. Ironically, Manhattan has been Woody Allen’s most successful film.

The best: the opening (with music by Gershwin, and Woody Allen changing the opening over and over), Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, Isaac’s list and the script.

The worst: the annoying character played by Dianne Keaton.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, May 26, 2016

The Godfather. Part II

The Godfather. Part II (1974). Dir. Francis Ford Coppola

“I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart” (Michael Corleone / Al Pacino)

The Godfather. Part II obtuvo 11 nominaciones al Oscar. Ganó 6 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Robert De Niro; Best Director: Coppola, Best Writing, Screenplay Adapted from Other Material: Coppola & Mario Puzo, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration: Tavoularis, Graham & Nelson, y Best Music, Original Dramatic Score: Nino Rota & Carmine Coppola).

John Cazale (Fredo), al igual que en The Godfather (1972), tampoco fue nominado por su brillante e inolvidable actuación.

De Niro no estuvo presente en los Oscar.

Lo mejor: Robert De Niro, John Cazale, Lee Strasberg (Hyman Roth), la cinematografía (Gordon Willis, llamado “The Prince of Darkness”) y la música (Nino Rota & Carmine Coppola).

Lo peor: los muertos que se mueven (el hermano de Vito Andolini que mueve el brazo y la prostituta que respira), aunque tampoco importa demasiado.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, 20 de mayo de 2016

“I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart” (Michael Corleone / Al Pacino)

The Godfather. Part II got 11 Oscar nominations, and won 6 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Robert De Niro; Best Director: Coppola, Best Writing, Screenplay Adapted from Other Material: Coppola & Mario Puzo, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration: Tavoularis, Graham & Nelson, and Best Music, Original Dramatic Score: Nino Rota & Carmine Coppola).

John Cazale (Fredo), as in The Godfather (1972), didn’t get a nomination for his brilliant and unforgettable performance.

De Niro didn’t attend the Oscars.

The best: Robert De Niro, John Cazale, Lee Strasberg (Hyman Roth), the cinematography (Gordon Willis, called “The Prince of Darkness”), and the music (Nino Rota & Carmine Coppola).

The worst: the dead that seem alive (Vito’s brother moves his arm and the dead prostitute is breathing), although it does not bother too much.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, May 20, 2016

The Godfather

The Godfather (1972). Dir. Francis Ford Coppola

“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse” (Vito Corleone / Marlon Brando)

The Godfather obtuvo 11 nominaciones al Oscar. Ganó 3 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role: Marlon Brando; Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: Mario Puzo & Coppola).

John Cazale (Fredo) no fue nominado por su brillante actuación.

Brando no aceptó su Oscar.

Lo mejor: La música (Nino Rota), Marlon Brando, John Cazale & Al Pacino.

Lo peor: el italiano de Brando.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, 18 de mayo de 2016

“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse” (Vito Corleone / Marlon Brando)

The Godfather got 11 Oscar nominations, and won 3 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role: Marlon Brando; Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: Mario Puzo & Coppola).

John Cazale (Fredo) wasn’t nominated for his brilliant performance.

Brando didn’t accept his Oscar.

The best: The music (Nino Rota), Marlon Brando, John Cazale & Al Pacino.

The worst: Brando’s Italian.

Antonia Tejeda Barros, Madrid, May 18, 2016