edited by Jonathan Doyle

Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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The Betrayal

November 30

Deborah Kerr has died

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Turner Classic Movies and Robert Osborne aren't ones to let grass grow under their feet. News of the death of Deborah Kerr broke only about a couple of hours ago (Variety's AP obit was posted today at 10:33 am Pacific, even though Kerr passed away on Tuesday), and yet a press release announcing a special Deborah Kerr memorial double feature -- From Here to Eternity and Separate Tables -- showing on TCM this Sunday, 10.21 was received from TCM publicist Sarah Hamilton at 11:42 am.

You have to take your hat off. TCM must have a special contingency screening plan for all actors who are 70 years of age or older. They must have had a meeting about this. Some division head must have said to staffers, "When somebody famous dies, I want tribute screenings up and running the following weekend...no exceptions! And I want it announced less than four hours after the news hits the news wires!"

Osborne, TCM's host for all showings of all films, says in the press release that Kerr "was one of the great jewels of the movie industry. Not only was she an immensely gifted and versatile actress, but also someone who made every film she touched better.â€

Because Kerr's image was so prim and proper, I've always been a big fan of her sexier performances. From Here to Eternity ('53) is commonly regarded as her hottest. (I once visited Oahu's Blowhole beach where Kerr and Burt Lancaster made out on the beach with the waves washing over them), followed by John Frankenheimer's The Gypsy Moths ('69), in which a 47 year-old Kerr did a nude scene (or a simulation of same), and then Fred Zinneman's The Sundowners ('60).

Kerr, born in 1921, was 86 years old.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 18, 2007 at 11:43 AM

comment #1

T. S. Idiot says ...

I strongly recommend seeing Kerr and Trevor Howard in I See a Dark Stranger, a truly one-of-a-kind oddball spy comedy/drama. Has a style and tone similar to Powell's I Know Where I'm Going.

The AP obit quotes DK saying she declined doing a nude scene in Gypsy Moths, but as JW points out, her breasts are there to behold.

Posted by T. S. Idiot at October 18, 2007 12:20 PM

comment #2

thebuddha says ...

Jeff, your posting really reminded me of this headline posted at the Onion a few days ago:

Death Of Miss Moneypenny All TNT Needed To Run Monthlong Bond Marathon

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/death_of_miss_moneypenny

Posted by thebuddha at October 18, 2007 12:21 PM

comment #3

christian says ...

And in honor of Halloween, if you ain't seen Kerr in THE INNOCENTS, watch out. One of the great ghost storis ever. Still scary.

Posted by christian at October 18, 2007 12:23 PM

comment #4

scooterzz says ...

i wonder which titles tcm will be running for joey bishop....hmmm...'texas across the river'?...'who's minding the mint'?...'valley of the dolls'?.....

Posted by scooterzz at October 18, 2007 12:28 PM

comment #5

Mike Schaefer says ...

"Gypsy Moths" is an interesting oddity, in that it premiered at NYC's Radio City Music Hall in a PG version (sans nude scene) and then went into general release as an R (nudity re-added).

Posted by Mike Schaefer at October 18, 2007 12:34 PM

comment #6

BurmaShave says ...

Classy. Gorgeous. Rest in peace.

Posted by BurmaShave at October 18, 2007 12:40 PM

comment #7

christian says ...

And Kerr was actually pretty funny in CASINO ROYALE.

Posted by christian at October 18, 2007 12:47 PM

comment #8

cjKennedy says ...

Her prim and proper image made her more lusty characters even sexier.

Personally, I love Heaven Knows Mr. Allison.

Posted by cjKennedy at October 18, 2007 12:58 PM

comment #9

Ponderer says ...

There are few things as wonderful as Deborah Kerr's trifecta role in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. Simply enchanting.

Posted by Ponderer at October 18, 2007 1:04 PM

comment #10

Rich S. says ...

christian is right. Kerr's performance in The Innocents is truly disturbing.

Posted by Rich S. at October 18, 2007 1:05 PM

comment #11

corey3rd says ...

Osbourne is the reason I consider TCM a classy channel as opposed to AMC, Fox Movie Channel, Sundance and IFC. He's also one of the best interviewers since his subjects get a sense that he's listening and not eager to read his next question.

My old boss used to deal with Osbourne and he was one of the few people that the boss truly respected. Nice to see he's willing to come in and pay tribute to Kerr properly.

and the Onion might be off. Doesn't Spike have the Bond rights now?

Posted by corey3rd at October 18, 2007 1:18 PM

comment #12

MarkVH says ...

Kerr's stuff with Powell & Pressburger is absolute gold - Black Narcissus is one of the most mind-blowing movies I've seen (and the aforementioned Colonel Blimp is awesome too). And yeah, Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison is pure class all the way. As well-regarded as she is, she may even still be underrated.

A great, great actress. RIP.

Posted by MarkVH at October 18, 2007 1:20 PM

comment #13

MarkVH says ...

True enough, Corey - Osborne is phenomenal, and TCM is truly one of the last great refuges for movie lovers out there. Sadly enough, there's a rumor floating around that he may be stepping down in the near future. Can't imagine TCM without him.

Posted by MarkVH at October 18, 2007 1:26 PM

comment #14

Walter Sobchak says ...

Excellent choice on the photo. I would've loved to spend time with Deborah on Blowhole Beach.

And "Mad Men" is the ONLY reason why AMC should even exist anymore. (okay, maybe Sunday Morning Shootout, too).... AMC sucks balls.

Posted by Walter Sobchak at October 18, 2007 2:03 PM

comment #15

Cadavra says ...

Mike: Radio City Music Hall depended on the family trade, and thus had an inviolate policy not to run anything stronger than PG, and seldom ran even those. GYPSY MOTHS was not unique; Disney was forced to cut BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS from its original 2 1/2-hour length to accommodate them, and it was decades before the footage was finally restored.

Posted by Cadavra at October 18, 2007 2:17 PM

comment #16

cjKennedy says ...

I assume AMC still run commercials? They lost me when they started doing that.

Funny how Ted Turner used to be the bane of people who love old movies with his campaign for colorization, but TCM truly kicks ass. Does he have anything to do with it anymore and was it as good when he did?

Posted by cjKennedy at October 18, 2007 2:54 PM

comment #17

corey3rd says ...

Ted Turner no longer controls any of the namesake cable channels. He's no longer on the Time-Warner board. He's merely a large shareholder. Only thing I know Ted owns is his chain of Buffalo meat diners.

Posted by corey3rd at October 18, 2007 3:01 PM

comment #18

Mgmax says ...

I'm happily amazed someone mentioned I See a Dark Stranger. One of those smart little thrillers Britain specialized in (not least because it came from Launder and Gilliatt, specialists in same). I'm convinced Maureen O'Hara stole her whole performance in The Quiet Man from Kerr here.

And yes, Blimp and Black Narcissus-- a truly great pair from Powell & Pressburger. Black Narcissus is the female Lawrence of Arabia, a visual masterpiece about being driven mad by the mysterious other.

I also love Bonjour Tristesse as a prime example of the Hollywood pseudo-foreign film-- Kerr steals it as the tragic adult figure the movie's really about, when it thinks it's about teenage angst.

Posted by Mgmax at October 18, 2007 3:01 PM

comment #19

lipranzer says ...

In William Goldman's book about Broadway, "The Season," he quotes Elia Kazan about working with Kerr on "Tea and Sympathy" - "Deborah Kerr - I haven't seen her really in 15 years, but she's an immaculate person, genuinely friendly - held the play together because of the cast's feeling for her."

And I'm glad, Jeff, that you mentioned THE SUNDOWNERS. Slow by today's standards, and not a lot of plot, but a real charmer, and she's terrific in it (with a credible Australian accent to boot). And I too preferred Kerr when she played against type.

Posted by lipranzer at October 18, 2007 3:06 PM

comment #20

King's Thursday says ...

I'd also like to mention VACATION FROM MARRIAGE, a Korda-directed British film she made with Rober Donat right after Blimp. I just watched it last week and it is delightful.

Posted by King's Thursday at October 18, 2007 3:07 PM

comment #21