1) Satsifaction (1988) - not good movie but she was a star already
2) Mystic Pizza (1988)
3) Pretty Woman (1989)
4) Erin Brockovich (2000)
5) My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
6) Notting Hill (1999)
7) Pret a Porter (1994)
8) Closer (2004)
9) Gaslit (2022)
10) Homecoming (2018)
Legendary in its own way, forever screening on video and hotel TVs, mocked in Clerks, killed Lewis Teague's feature career, and Michael Biehn's attempt at stardom. Also helped kill Orion. A chaotic production, surprisingly so for what one would assume was a simple shoot em up. But it's a mess, full of plots and different films - a training film, a more authentic style movie, a boorish service comedy, (bein' hungover, playin' golf) clash between two heroes (uptight Biehn and more casual, way out Charlie Sheen), a hugely unrealistic plot where Biehn tries to get information out of journalist Joanne Whalley, endless missions, endless Arab bashing, a hackneyed funeral
Whalley has bad perm, Biehn's hair is bad too, there's always movement but no sense of momentum. Weird gear shifts - over the top melodrama when Dennis Haysbert is killed for instance, then it goes investigation with Biehen doing research on terrorists via Whalley (because "intelligence aren't doing their jobs" - it felt wrong, wrong, wrong, then there's hyuck hyuck military comedy, then strained drama about Charlie Sheen fitting in.
Teague really struggled as a director without a set script. I was disappointed to read of his behavious in Brenda Feigen's book - she accuses him of changing the script with his writer, yelling at her, losing control of the film, refusing to let her go on location (I think he did lose control of the film, Charlie Sheen and Michael Biehn said they rewrote the film).
Watching his career he was better with a low budget and a good writer and a script that wasn't changed a lot.
Curious to watch this again. Thoughts:
*opening car crash well shot, chilling as it's how the director died but... terrible back projection.
*Roger Moore is dressed in silly ways - silly moustache, bowler hats. Needed a better costumer.
*Moore makes a joke about James Bond which is fun (he hadn't been cast yet).
*The editing is akward at times - weird cuts.
*Not well directed/
*Moore is excellent - the story is very good.
* Needs more atmosphere - Hammer horror would do this better (at its peak, anyway).
*Don't like the music.
*Woman who plays mistress is good, woman who plays wife is stiff.
Based on the short story later filmed as The Man Who Haunted Himself. Its good source material but this is surprisingly bland and talky, like a radio play - that might've had more atmosphere. It was directed by Hitchcock himself too. This was early days so maybe that was it.
Tom Ewell plays the lead. Maybe someone more nervy.
The best bit is the out-tro where Hitchcock watches Hitchcock be carted off. A Hitchc doppleganger would've been more fun.
Buddy cop film with Jay Leno and Pat Morita - I would've greenlit that and it has a decent idea, with Morita investigating industrial espionage in Detroit. There's some interesting stuff about Detroit resentment of the Japanese car industry.
The funniest/best scenes are cultural and quirky: Leno getting drunk with Morita, and Morita going into a bar with toughs who talk about tariffs. I think the film needed to lean into culture clash bit more - Morita fits into Detroit too well if that makes sense.
Also Leno's character is a bit too sleazy - they should've just given him a girlfriend, made Morita the ladies' man. Look there's a lot of things that could've been done better - it does move, the leads are fun, Chris Sarandon and Tom Noonan are decent villains.
The original director was John Guillermin, who was replaced by Bob Clark who was replaced by Lewis Teague. Teague keeps the pace fast and light.
Kind of the American Alvin Purple about a man irresistible to women - only he's played by Morgan Paull who is a good looking guy (he's the investigator shot at the beginning of Blade Runner), and he's a cop, a former Vietnam vet in a small town who everyone wants to have sex with: the girls he coaches, random women on the street, waitresses. Many are played by familiar faces from 70s exploitation: Pat Anderson (the main girl, she looks uncomfortable getting nude at the end), Anitra Ford, Tara Strohmeiher.
The last act turns into an action film, quite well, when some toughs come into town. But the mix of tones is uneasy. A comedy guy from Police Academy 2 is his mate.
Still the sheer unrelenting male fantasy-ness of it all, the gall, get some points. Co directed by Lewis Teague - I'm not sure how much he did.
*Big Timber - from novel by William Hatfield - announced 1935 - instead Cinesound filmed Tall Timber
*Call me when the Cross Turns Over - from novel by D'arcy Niland to be filmed in 60s with Diane Cilento and Sean Connery but not filmed
*Careful He Might Here You - optioned in 1963 by Josh Logan who wanted to make it with Elizabeth Taylor (who would've been great)
*Collits Inn - Frank Thring was going to film this musical but died
*Come Away Pearler - Colin Simpson novel optioned in 1954 by Joe Kaufman see here
*Come In Spinner - novel optioned in 1954 by Joe Kaufman
*Conn of the South Seas - Cinesound said in 1932 might remake The Adorable Outcast see here
*Desert Legion - Raymond Longford WW1 story
*The Delinquents - from novel adapted by Alan Seymour for producer Joseph Janni and director Jack Lee - announced 1963
*Dig - story of Burke and Wills from Ralph Peterson script for Anthony Quayle - announced 1957
*Don Bradman biopic - proposed by Ron Randell in 1952 see here
*Eureka Stockade - Ken Hall version
*The Fatal Wedding - Cinesound said might remake this in 1933 see here - this may have just been a random announcement though Cinesound did make Silence of Dean Maitland
*Fisher's Ghost - sound remake by Raymond Longford of his 1925 hit - Tony Buckley says towards the end of
*For the Term of His Natural Life - Cinesound said in 1932 might remake it see here
*The Fortunes of Richard Mahoney - adaptaion of novel to be done by MGM in the late 40s with Greer Garson and Gregory Peck
*Ginger Murdoch - optioned by Frank Thring
*Gold Dust and Ashes - from novel by Ion Idriess announced 1935 by Cinesound see here
*The Green Opal - Chips Rafferty film about immigration
*The Haunted House - announced by Cinesound in 1938 see here
*James Don't Be a Fool - EV Timms novel
*The Kelly Gang - Cinesound said in 1933 might remake it see here
*Les Darcy film - announced by Chauvel in 1947 to star Tommy Burns see here
*Life of Nellie Melba - proposed 1940 Cinesound film with Marjorie Lawrence
*The Long Shadow - 1947 Jon Cleary novel optioned in late 60s but not made
*Mr Burke and Mr Wills - Burke and Wills story written by Terence Rattigan
*My Love Must Wait - novel about Matthew Flinders optioned by Charles Chauvel
*Naked Under Capricorn - published 1958 owned by Chips Rafferty
*Ned Kelly - directed by Karel Reisz starring Albert Finney announced 1963
*The One Day of the Year - Alan Seymour's play, filmed a few times for TV, optioned in 1970
*Overland Telegraph - 1939 announcement Frank Clune sold to Cinesound, he'd write it up in 1955
* Pearl of Great Price - late 30s Cinesound announced 1936 see here
*Pepper Trees - Ealing film late 40s with Chips Rafferty and Tommy Trinder - scheduled for 1948 see here
*The Pioneers - Cinesound said in 1932 might remake it see here
*Redheap - novel by Norman Lindsay to be filmed by Thring
*Return Journey - film about Burke and Wills which collapsed in the 1960s but resulted in a short
* Robbery Under Arms - Ken G Hall version, mentioned from the 1930s until the 1940s but killed off by Rank's interest and dud 1957 film
*Rudd's New Selection - announced in 1933 see here - became Grandad Rudd
*Sara Dane - from the novel, starring Sylvia Syms, proposed late 1950s
*Saturday to Monday - original of The Siege of Pinchgut - announced in 1950
*Sheepmates - started filming but abandoned
*Storm Hill - Eric Porter film announced in 1946
*Wake in Fright - directed by Joe Losey starring Dirk Bogarde - announced 1963 - there was also a proposed Morris West version
*Wards of the Outer March - novel adapted by Charles Chauvel - announced in 1944
*When Cobb and Co Was King - novel optioned by Charles Chauvel
*Yellow Sands - Cinesound in late 30s - announced 1936 see here
