ABCs at the Movies: The Doubles Round!

[MaineWriter]

from IMDb:

As the opening scroll tells us, Narcotic was "presented in the hope that the public may become aware of the terrific struggle to rid the world of drug addiction." The movie itself is a salacious plunge into a world of sordid pleasures. It tells us the story of Dr. William G. Davies, an infamous snake-oil salesman who started his career as a promising medical student. In the opening sequence he saves an unborn baby by performing a cesarean operation after the mother was killed in an automobile accident. Stock medical footage shows a woman's stomach being sliced open like a ripe watermelon and the baby popping out like a jack-in-a-box. But the allure of opium proves too strong for the doctor to resist. After a single night of relaxation in a Chinatown opium den, Davies becomes a slave to drugs. As his medical practice deteriorates, he shifts his attention to "selling medicine by demonstration." He says to his nurse/fiancee, "I can't see anything wrong if my preparation has merit." However, his "preparation" is one of the great quack cure-alls: "Tiger-Fat." Davies soon becomes one of the leading sideshow attractions for a carnival. His success as a carnival huckster initially allows him to run with a fast crowd. In the movie's most shocking episode, Davies and his ritzy friends retire to a hotel room together for a drug party. "We're gonna get lit," says a woman. A buffet of drugs is spread out on a table and each guest takes their drug of choice. "It takes a needle for me to get a bang," says a woman. As each participant indulges, the party quickly turns into an orgy of excesses, one woman hikes up her skirts, another laughs hysterically, a man pontificates, another man becomes paranoid. The movie provides a litany of different reactions to drugs. Ultimately, Davies' drug addiction leaves him gaunt and stooped, living in a hovel with no hope of returning to his previous life.


Apparently, Dr. Davies was the uncle of the woman who wrote the screenplay, Hildegarde Stadie.

[Fran]

Wow, I wish my great unwritten novel could inspire a popular film.  It would be so much easier to just entirely skip over that pesky writing part.

Unfortunately, you'd have to die first.

Here's what Wikipedia says:

"The Owl in Daylight" is a novel that Philip K. Dick was working on at the time of his death in 1982. He had already been paid and was working against a deadline. After his death the Philip K. Dick estate approached other writers to see about the possibility of someone writing the novel based on his notes but this proved to be impossible as he never formally outlined the story. Dick viewed this novel as his "Finnegan's Wake." The idea was inspired partly by an entry in the Encyclopædia Britannica on Beethoven that referred to him as the most creative genius of all time, partly by traditional views of what constitutes the human heaven (visions of lights) and finally by the Faust story.

[southendmd]

Plot:  Inventor Thomas Edison's boyhood is chronicled and shows him as a lad [Mickey Rooney] whose early inventions and scientific experiments usually end up causing disastrous results. As a result, the towns folk all think Tom is crazy, and creating a strained relationship between Tom and his father. Toms only solace is his understanding mother who believes he's headed to do great things.

[memento]

IMDB: The story centers around activist Grant Cogswell's 2001 run for Seattle City Council and the historic and current oddities in Seattle electoral politics. Based on the memoir by Phil Campbell.

This film is directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal.

From Seattlest:
Zioncheck Goes Hollywood

Ex-Seattleite, ex-Stranger-nic and ex-grassroots campaign manager Phil Campbell wrote a book that we loved about Grant Cogswell's run for City Council in the wake of WTO. The book is Zioncheck for President, which we've discussed with Phil in the past. Now Stephen Gyllenhaal has bought the rights to the film adaptation and plans to produce the thing DIY style here in Seattle.

    In keeping with the grassroots spirit of Zioncheck for President, Gyllenhaal said he wants to make the film with very little money. Digital video technology now makes it possible to shoot a film cheaply and without sacrificing on quality, he said.

    "Zioncheck for President is about doing things by the skin of your teeth," Gyllenhaal said. "And I want to do things the same way."

    He added: "I want to film in Seattle because that's in keeping with Zioncheck, too. Seattle is a beautiful city, and there's a lot going on there. The music and the progressive politics are important to this story.

    "And I do not want to come to Seattle and try to overwhelm the city with a film production — I'll let the city overwhelm the film production. It's a more creative way to work. It's a partnership."

[southendmd]

The Comic Relief Round!

[southendmd]

Plot:  One hundred superstar comedians tell the same very, VERY dirty, filthy joke--one shared privately by comics since Vaudeville.

[MaineWriter]

I love this movie!

When grasping director Bobby Bowfinger finally finds the 'perfect' script, a cheesy sci-fi story called "Chubby Rain", he decides to put everything on the line and give it a shot... gathering together an ambitious young Ohio actress, a melodramatic stage actress and a laid back male hopeful. Armed with a handful of illegal immigrants for a crew, a tiny budget, and equipment stolen from a nearby studio, Bowfinger lacks just one thing... Hollywood's hottest action star, Kit Ramsey. Refusing to give up when Kit doesn't take the part, Bowfinger and his crew do whatever it takes to complete the flick - secretly filming Kit without his permission and using his nerdy look-alike brother to fill in for remaining scenes.

[Fran]

From IMDb: 

"The Court Jester" is a terrifically funny movie, with a wonderfully complicated comic/adventure story, memorable characters, and outstanding dialogue. It also offers a great showcase for star Danny Kaye's many talents.

The story is a nicely done comic version of the Robin Hood-type adventure tales. Kaye is one of a band of rebels hiding out in a forest, led by "The Black Fox", who are opposing an evil king who has usurped the throne. Their secret plan to restore the rightful king involves having Kaye impersonate the evil king's new court jester, so that he can gain the monarch's confidence. But even as the rebels plot, the king's own nobles are maneuvering for advantage amongst themselves, some with murderous intent. The question of whom the king's daughter should marry also comes into play. The early part of the film moves somewhat slowly as all of this is established, but then things get delightfully complicated, and the laughs and adventure both start coming quickly. There are several outstanding sequences, and a fittingly wild sword fight finale.

[southendmd]

Plot:  Parody of Miss Cleo and various other television psychic commercials, but with Darth Vader giving readings to various Star Wars characters.

[oilgun]

Plot: A high school teacher's personal life becomes complicated as he works with students during the school elections.