IN PRAISE OF JAMES GARNER
Photo from IMDb
Movie and television star James Garner (real last name was Baumgarner...so he changed it for Hollywood, but not by much) died this weekend. He was 86. Garner's career was long, varied and included more than his fair share of great stuff. Two classic television series : "The Rockford Files" and "Maverick" as well as some notable film work: "Murphy's Romance" which earned him his singular Oscar nomination, (he won a couple of Emmys and a couple of Golden Globes along the way) "The Great Escape", the "Support Your Local..." films ( a couple of my personal favorites and a character that seemed like it was a lot pf Jim Garner and not very much "acting"), "Victor, Victoria", "Sunset" and many more.
I was always ridiculously proud that he was from Oklahoma (born in Norman in 1928). I also liked the fact that he often stood up for actors and wasn't willing to just roll over and do what he was told. He reportedly walked away from more than one project/situation in which he felt he was being taken advantage of.
He really was one of a kind and we're lucky to have so much of his career saved for us to continue to enjoy.
James Garner's IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001258/?ref_=nmawd_awd_nm
TORONTO MUSINGS
The Toronto International Film Festival is supposed to announce some of their lineup tomorrow. In the past this announcement has included most of the Galas and Special Presentations as well as a designation as to the films presumed status: World or North American premiere.
But with Toronto's new "guidelines" in place, that a film must be committed to Toronto for that designation for it to play the opening weekend, one wonders how much they will tell us. Will they name as m any films? Will they indicate a film's premiere status? Will they reveal what films have been designated for the first four days?
The answers to those questions open up a number of avenues of speculation for Telluride's fest and I expect I'll spend a good chunk of tomorrow after the announcement trying to sort it out.
I expect that I will post a truncated MTFB report in the morning and then after we learn whatever we learn, I am anticipating a Toronto-centric second post later in the day. Circumstances could change that but it's what I'm planning at the moment.
Come back...take a look...
INTERSTELLAR RUMORS...NOT SO FAST
I've mentioned over the last two weeks or so that there has been a somewhat persistent rumor that Christopher Nolan's much anticipated "Interstellar" starring Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Oscar winner Anne Hathaway and a slew of others might play Telluride. That fire was most recently fanned last week by Jeff Wells/Hollywood Elsewhere and Pete Hammond/Deadline.
Now Wells is throwing some water on the flames, reporting over the weekend that he's hearing countering stories that Nolan is recalcitrant to show the film to programmers to some unnamed festival, though Wells thinks it could only be Telluride or New York.
So, dial back your "Interstellar" anticipation. I don't think it's completely off the books yet but I'd still count it as a surprise if it shows at The SHOW...
Here's the link to this weekend's Wells/HE post:
http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2014/07/nolans-alleged-reluctance/
THE RETURN OF SERGE
There were some people that I was surprised did NOT make it to last year's 40th anniversary edition of TFF. I was surprised that my "girlfriend" Laura Linney was not there. Was surprised that Peter Sellars was no where to be seen. And I was also surprised that Serge Bromberg wasn't around.
Bromberg, who has appeared with some frequency in this decade at TFF with his specialty being rare film and animation, may well be returning this year.
I spent some time this weekend tracking down some Twitter chatter (unwitting thanks to Andy Brodie) that points to a possible presentation by Bromberg of rare and, in filmic terms, ancient footage. Bromberg's Lobster Films has a apparently been working with an Iowa based collector to form hundreds of hours of lost film into a documentary.
Check this story from the Des Moines Register about the Iowa collector whose work may bring him and Bromberg to the San Juans in six weeks:
http://archive.desmoinesregister.com/article/20131221/NEWS/312210047/Iowan-s-collection-old-films-reveals-cinematic-history
That sounds like something right down Telluride's programming alley...based on past Fests.
More tomorrow...especially about, you know, Toronto...
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