Author Topic: "A Single Man" (beware spoilers)  (Read 129293 times)

Offline oilgun

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #20 on: December 31, 2009, 05:42:13 pm »
Here's what you were talking about, sel.  Colin Firth with Tom Ford in Venice:  Colin speaking about working with Ford and about the character which indeed stayed with him.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g2ClCPGkMI[/youtube]

Wow, I got all emotional again just watching that interview, lol!
What a gem of a film!

Offline oilgun

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #21 on: December 31, 2009, 07:51:59 pm »
Gee, Gil, top film of 2009?  That says a lot, coming from you.  I have to agree.

Yeah, I tend to choose on an emotional level.   THE ROAD is another one, probably number two or three, after I KILLED MY MOTHER.  Oooh, there was also SOUNDLESS WIND CHIME, ANTICHRIST.... I better work on that list! :laugh:  (UP IN THE AIR won't be on it, that, I can pretty much guarantee, ;))  I've yet to see 35 SHOTS OF RUM, SUMMER HOURS, HUNGER (or was that last year?), THE PROPHET, 500 DAYS OF SUMMER, THE COVE.

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[...]

IMDb notes that Ford had originally hired a "more famous" young actor to play Kenny.  Leslie uncovered a rumor that it was to be Jamie Bell, of Billy Elliott fame, also all growed up.  Jamie was reportedly canned after not showing up for a fitting, and was fortunately replaced by the 6' 4" Nic Hoult.  

OMG!  Jamie Bell?! Talk about sublime!  I just find him so damn sexy, it hurts to just look at him!  I'd need some Jamie-block to survive, or a change of underwear, lol!

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I haven't made up my mind about Matt Goode.  I disliked him in Brideshead, and I'm not sure about his American accent here, but he does deliver a great line in this:  "I think I'm taken".
Well, let me try and help you with that.  I wasn't particularly impressed with him in Brideshead either but he completely won me over in this film.  He showed a certain innocence that made him completely endearing.  And he looked damn good too.

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The better-than-James-Dean Jon Kortajarena is indeed breath-taking, and very affecting in a brief scene.  I hope to see more of him.

I predict, that Jon-better-than-James-Dean-Kortajarena will be the next Antonio Banderas in no time.  Considering that this is his first (real) acting part, he did amazingly well. (He didn't get the part just by sleeping with Tom Ford  ;)) He's probably the discovery of the coming decade.

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Our conclusion:  more kissing, please!

Yes, and more fcuking too, lol!

Offline sel

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #22 on: January 01, 2010, 01:33:26 pm »
Here's what you were talking about, sel.  Colin Firth with Tom Ford in Venice:  Colin speaking about working with Ford and about the character which indeed stayed with him.

Earlier I watched the video where Colin accepts the Golden Lion. He made a great speech, he spoke in Italian  (his wife is Italian), funny, he threw in his British humour, and emotional at the same time.
I will get the book from Amazon.
BbM, I swear

Offline Sason

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #23 on: January 01, 2010, 05:09:25 pm »
Wow, the more I read in this thread, the more I can't wait to see the movie!!!

Düva pööp is a förce of natüre

Offline MaineWriter

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #24 on: January 01, 2010, 07:09:41 pm »
Greetings, all.

You know I'm seriously affected by a movie when I go back to IMDb to read the message board (and even post a few messages!). Haven't done that in a long time...

This is a very beautiful movie and very beautiful to watch. It has to be, I think, because it is a character driven movie and the viewer (me) needs something else to stay drawn in. I know people will be dissecting and discussing the use of eyes, and colors, and so on for ages to come, but I actually found it all very straight forward (and that's not a bad thing). I don't think a movie has to be complicated to be good and for me, this was a very, very good movie.

Not consciously, but I didn't a lot of prep work to see this (or what in retrospect seems to be prep work). I watched the documentary Chris & Don: A Love Story, twice. That's probably the reason I was able to pick out Don Bachardy's cameo so quickly, Paul. I was up on what he looked like. I wrote a review of that movie which you can read here: http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/?p=13778. Don talks about Chris's writing of this book in the documentary.



There are also a couple different mentions of A Single Man in The Golden Age of Gay Fiction (which, if you haven't read I can only ask, why not and what are you waiting for?). In "A Conversation in a Coffee Shop" by Dennis Bolin, he notes that George's surname is never given. In the movie, he is George Falconer. I wonder if Don B. as consultant had something to do with that? I am also trying to remember if in the scene on the rocks (Paul posted a picture below; it is in black and white) if there is a falcon flying overhead. Note to self: pay attention to this point the next time you see the movie.

Here's a link to Golden Age:



Believe it or not, I haven't read A Single Man, because they don't have a Kindle version available and I am stubborn that way. LOL. Seriously, I could buy it but it would probably just sit around since I have a bad habit of not reading paper books lately. I have read the screenplay (I told you, I am hanging out on IMDb. Dangerous!). Here's a link:

http://twcawards.com/assets/downloads/pdf/ASM_Screenplay.pdf

While I very much liked the "I think I'm taken" line, there was another one I enjoyed. Again, it was the scene with Jim and George on the rocks and George says (I think), "I enjoy women, but I fall in love with men." This is the reason I tracked down (and read) the screenplay and the line, as written, in the screenplay, is not the same as what I remember in the movie, which is another reason why I need to go see it again.

Sason: I laughed at your comment. I went and saw A Serious Man, thinking it was this movie (serious, single, you can see why I would get confused). Hahahaha, talk about two totally different movies!

Ellemeno: A Single Man is playing in Seattle. My friend Rick saw it yesterday so if you are interested in seeing it, I suggest heading out post-haste.

And now, for a little bit of blatant self-promotion: I actually spent a great deal of time thinking about the notion of grief hidden and the effect it can have on a person, and used that concept as the basis for My One and Only (writing as E.N. Holland). If anyone is interested in reading my novella, it is included in the anthology, Hidden Conflict. You can buy the paperback from Amazon and the ebook from All Romance at this link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hiddenconflicttalesfromlostvoicesinbattle-364355-145.html

Clicking on the cover will take you to the Amazon link.



Gil: more fucking? We can only wish! I was suffering from just a few chaste kisses. More, please, more!

L

Taming Groomzilla<-- support equality for same-sex marriage in Maine by clicking this link!

Offline SFEnnisSF

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #25 on: January 03, 2010, 08:43:06 pm »
I'll be seeing this hopefully this week.  :)

Offline southendmd

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #26 on: January 03, 2010, 09:02:36 pm »
I'll be seeing this hopefully this week.  :)

You're gonna love it, Eric.

I spend a morning looking at various interviews on youtube with the actors and filmmakers.  The best are from a NYC press conference in December.  They are under by a member named "mattrett".  I had never heard Tom Ford speak before, and he surprised me--he's quite charming and sure of himself in a good way.  Colin Firth is ridiculously articulate and deserves all good things for his portrayal. 


Offline southendmd

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #27 on: January 03, 2010, 09:05:49 pm »
BTW, the aria heard in the film is "Ebben, ne andro lontana" from La Wally by Catalani.  Film buffs might recognize it as the featured aria sung by Wilhelmina Wiggins Fernandez in the 1981 French film Diva, a personal favorite.  In this case, it is sung by the soprano Miriam Gauci.  I found a youtube of her:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bioceu36XOY[/youtube]

I believe the soundtrack will be released on Tuesday.

Offline southendmd

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #28 on: January 03, 2010, 09:10:27 pm »
While I'm at it, here's one of the songs in the scene between Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, the wondrous Etta James singing "Stormy Weather", from the At Last album. 

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgdJjvWIlJg[/youtube]

Offline southendmd

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Re: "A Single Man"
« Reply #29 on: January 03, 2010, 09:12:52 pm »
When Julianne changes the record, it's Booker T & the MGs with "Green Onions".  Dancing ensues!

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-7QSMyz5rg[/youtube]