"Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!" is a Fascinating HBO MAX Documentary

 Mel Brooks was born in 1926, so he turns 100 years old this year. This HBO MAX documentary does a thorough, excellent job of detailing his iconic life in comedy. Director Judd Apatow interviews Brooks, but also has many clips from Mel on talk shows hosted by Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Tom Snyder and more. Mel was an entertainer in the Catskills resorts of upstate New York in the 1940s after serving in the US military during World War II. From 1950-54, he was a writer for "Your Show of Shows," which was one of the earliest comedy shows in infancy of the television medium. Here he formed important relationships with Carl Reiner and Sid Caesar. Brooks and Reiner are known for their comedy bit, "The 2000 Year Old Man." Reiner played the straight man. In 1962, Mel was one of the guests on the first episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."  The documentary goes through his impressive resume as a writer-director on such films as: "The Producers" (1967), "The Twelve Chairs" (1970), "Blazing Saddles" (1974), "Young Frankenstein" (1974), "Silent Movie" (1976), "High Anxiety" (1977), "History of the World Part I" (1981), "Spaceballs" (1987), "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" (1993), and others. From 1965-70, he wrote the TV show "Get Smart" which he created with Buck Henry. In 1967, "The Graduate" was released, written by Buck Henry and starring the woman who would become Mel's wife, Anne Bancroft (Mrs. Robinson). Mel Brooks is one of few celebrities who can say he is an EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony). He won the Tony for his 2001 stage production of "The Producers." The documentary talks about how hard it was for Mel to lose his wife Anne Bancroft and friend Carl Reiner. Anne passed in 2005 and Carl passed in 2020. Mel and Carl had a tradition of watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy together in Carl's home, eating dinner off  TV trays. After Reiner's death, the chairs and TV trays were put on display at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. At age 99, Mel still had projects in the works. "Spaceballs 2" and "Very Young Frankenstein" are in post production. 

*Some information from imdb and wikipedia. 

Ordinary People (1980)

 

This year marks the 45^th anniversary of an outstanding film, Ordinary People.

Directed by Robert Redford (A River Runs Through It, Quiz Show, The Horse Whisperer and The Legend of Bagger Vance). Ordinary People was his feature filmmaking directing debut.

It’s based on a 1976 novel by Judith Guest.

This film starred: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton (his film debut at age 20).

At the 1981 Oscars, this film won four awards. They won for best picture, best supporting actor (Timothy Hutton), best director (Robert Redford) and best writing, screenplay based on material from another medium (Alvin Sargent). Ordinary People had an uphill battle that year, going head-to-head against Martin Scorsese’s brilliant boxing film, starring Robert DeNiro, Raging Bull.

Overall, this film had 21 wins and 14 nominations.

It won five Golden Globes, including one for best picture (drama) and one for Mary Tyler Moore for best actress (drama).

The budget was $6 million, and the worldwide gross was $90 million.

The Jarrett family lives in an affluent Chicago suburban neighborhood. From the outside, they probably appear to be a family who has it all, but there is turmoil behind closed doors.

Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore played Calvin and Beth Jarrett, who are parents to Conrad Jarrett, played brilliantly by Timothy Hutton. The other son, Buck Jarrett, was killed in a tragic boating accident. Conrad feels responsible for his death and is haunted by images of the event. His grief and guilt are overwhelming. His feelings led to a suicide attempt. Conrad felt that his mother preferred Buck over himself. Conrad is closer to his father than his mother. The interactions between mother and son are awkward.

Mary Tyler Moore did not play her normal bubbly, positive character like she did when she played Mary Richards and Laura Petrie. Beth was cold and distant. This role showed the impressive range of Moore. She was shocked when Robert Redford said that he wanted her for the role. He had her in mind from the first time he read the novel. Her character was not always likeable. During the filming, Moore was aloof toward Timothy Hutton to get into character. Mary Tyler Moore called this film "The Holy Grail of my Career".

 The parents decide that Conrad needs to see a therapist to deal with his guilt and depression tied to what happened with his brother. Judd Hirsch played Dr. Tyrone Berger, the therapist who tries to help Conrad. Redford chose Hirsch for the role after seeing his character in the TV show Taxi. Some of the scenes between Conrad and Dr. Berger are intense and gripping. This film delves deep into the dynamics of human relations and the challenging feelings that accompany them. The film is largely about forgiveness…forgiving others and ourselves. The main theme for the soundtrack was Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major, which set the perfect mood for this emotional film.

Gene Hackman was considered for the role of Calvin. Michael J. Fox auditioned for the role of Conrad, but Redford wanted to go with Hutton. Natalie Wood was considered for the role of Beth, which went to Mary Tyler Moore.

The film received high praise from critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Siskel called it the 2^nd best film of 1980 and Ebert said it was the 5^th best film of the year.

The intense writing, acting and insights into stressful family dynamics make this an outstanding film.

 

*Some information from imdb.com and Wikipedia.  

 

 

Book review: “Johnny Came Lately” by Fred deCordova, 1989

From 1970 until Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show went off the air in 1992, his executive producer was Fred deCordova (1910-2001). Before working for Johnny, Fred already had built an impressive resume in Broadway, TV and film. He worked with stars such as Jack Benny, Fred MacMurray, George Burns, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley and many more. He earned a law degree from Harvard. He directed 108 episodes of My Three Sons. Johnny never let him forget that he directed a film called Bedtime for Bonzo (1951) which starred Ronald Reagan and a chimpanzee. Fred talked about what he called “The Five Musketeers.” This included himself, Johnny, Ed, Doc and director Bobby Quinn. He had a chapter on the Joan Rivers controversy when Joan got a Fox late night show to go against Johnny. This caused a rift and Johnny never talked to Joan for the rest of his life. Fred’s book talked about the many guest hosts who filled in for Johnny over the years. Some were great, some, not so much. Fred mentioned the stars that they would love to have on the show, but their response is always…thanks, but no thanks. Those include: Woody Allen, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Paul Newman, Meryl Streep and others. I enjoyed the first half of Fred’s book more than the second half. The first half was largely focused on the day-to-day activities involved in planning The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He detailed in-depth information about his schedule planning the show which involved many meetings. Fred said that every day he had lunch at the NBC commissary, known as The Hungry Peacock, with assistant producer, Peter Lassally. He discussed the roles of the segment producers and writers, who are key to the success of the show. The segment producers/talent coordinators find the appropriate guests and interview them to determine what they need to discuss on the show. Certain writers would provide jokes for the monologue, and others provided material for the comedy bits that Johnny did after the first commercial break. If you listen to Tonight Show producer Peter Lassally’s Carson Podcast, he said that he did most of the work and Fred largely was a figurehead who chatted with the guests. True or not, Fred was involved in many meetings and behind-the-scenes details of putting the show together. He also stood just off camera to give Johnny time cues. During the breaks he would talk to Johnny about any issues with the show. He was an advisor on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show after Johnny retired. Fred even played a producer of a late-night show (what a stretch) in Martin Scorsese’s film The King of Comedy (1982). Ironically, Scorsese wanted Johnny for the main role, a late-night talk show host, but he said no and the role went to Jerry Lewis. Fred played himself on HBO’s The Larry Sanders Show in 1995 and 1998. The fictional late-night show profiled on The Larry Sanders Show seemed to be patterned after Johnny’s show. The second half of the book was the autobiography section, where Fred discussed his work in show business. Different people will find different things interesting. Some may not want to read about every detail of what went into planning Johnny’s show. I found that to be endlessly fascinating. But in the second half of the book, I did not find it interesting to hear some of Fred’s “Old Hollywood” stories about the likes of Ronald Coleman, David Selznick, Sam Goldwyn, Jack Warner, Sam Spiegel, Harry Richman, Tallulah Bankhead and the like. But those people all played important roles in the life of Fred, and an autobiography will discuss prominent people. It’s just that for someone my age, those people were way before my time. No book is 100% perfect, and for those who are hardcore fans of Johnny and his show, this book is recommended, especially the first half. Another great book about the details of putting together Johnny’s show is “Johnny Tonight” by Craig Tennis. The author had the inside scoop since he worked on Johnny’s show for several years as a segment producer.

Book Review: Inside Comedy: The Soul, Wit, and Bite of Comedy and Comedians of the Last Five Decades, by David Steinberg

I found this book to be just fascinating. David Steinberg knows comedy. He was one of Johnny Carson's favorite guests, appearing 140 times with the king of late night. He had a chapter on The Tonight Show and gave Carson the highest praise as a brilliant comic who gave Steinberg his big break. He offers his thoughts on the giants of comedy, dating back to Lenny Bruce in the 1960s, and going up to today. David talked about working with some of the biggest names in TV comedy while directing shows like The Golden Girls, Seinfeld, Designing Women, Friends, Mad About You and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He discussed the phenomenon of comedians morphing into serious actors while discussing people such as Steve Martin, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Whoopi Goldberg, Will Ferrell, Chris Rock and many more. I listened to this book via Audible, and his final chapter on comedians as actors was five hours in length, but excellent and thought provoking none the less. I think the most obvious example of a talented comic becoming a versatile actor is Robin Williams. We all knew Robin was an inventive comic with a non-stop mind for improvisation. But, look at his work in serious roles like Good Will Hunting, What Dreams May Come, One Hour Photo, Insomnia and Dead Poets Society. He had some brilliant dramatic performances. Williams was friends with Christopher Reeve at the Julliard School of Drama in New York City. Anyone who is a fan of comedy needs to check out this excellent book where Steinberg demonstrates his wealth of knowledge in the subject. The picture above shows three funny guys, from left: Martin Short, Larry David and David Steinberg.

The Godfather Returns to Theaters

The blockbuster film of 1972 was Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. 50 years later, it is returning to theaters so fans can view it on the big screen. I have watched this film probably 20 times at home, but it was nice to see it in a movie theater. The cast includes many big stars such as Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton and more. The term masterpiece is thrown around too much, but in this case I think it is applicable. Some may wince at the running time of almost three hours, but this is such an oustanding movie, that the length did not bother me. I think that the writing, acting, and cinematography are so well done that this qualifies as a film with no flaws. This has many iconic scenes and memorable quotes. The character of Clemenza says "Take the gun, leave the canoli." Later he says "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes." Luca Brasi practices his speech to Vito Corleone over and over..."Don Corleone, I am honored and grateful that you have invited me to your home on the wedding day of your daughter. And may their first child be a masculine child." Marlon Brando's character said "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." He also stressed the importance of family when he said "A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." Two more of my favorite films are also 3 hours long...Casino and Scarface. I'd love to see those on the big screen as well.

Book Review: The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family, by Ron Howard and Clint Howard

We hear a lot about child stars gone bad (think Lindsay Lohan or Gary Coleman). It seems like many people who make it big in Hollywood early in life end up having issues with substance abuse and ending up on the wrong side of the law. But, it does not always turn out that way. Ron Howard is someone who had admirable success as a child actor, then he transitioned into a successful director, while avoiding the pitfalls that destroy the careers of so many that work in show biz. From what it says in the book, Ron's parents instilled good values in their kids that served them well. The elder Howards were from Oklahoma and both dabbled in acting. In the book The Boys, Ron Howard and his younger brother Clint offer many fascinating anecdotes about a life in entertainment. Clint is not as well known as his brother, but both have been successful in a business that can be brutal and short lived for many. Clint has appeared in many Star Trek TV episodes, and films including Frost-Nixon, Austin Powers, The Waterboy, Tango and Cash and many others, over a 60 year acting career. Ron Howard has a net worth of $200 million while Clint has a net worth of $4 million. Ron has cast his brother Clint and his father Rance in supporting roles in his films. Also, Ron has directed his wife in eleven films. The book talks about Ron's success as Opie Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show. Ron worked with Andy, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors and other stars on this beloved show. As a kid, Ron had an interest in the behind-the-scenes aspects of shooting the show, and developed aspirations of being a director. He directed such films as: Splash, Cocoon, Backdraft, Apollo 13, A Beatiful Mind and The DaVinci Code. He won 2 Oscars, 4 Emmys, a Golden Globe and a Grammy. He has directed nine different actors in Oscar nominated performances, including Don Ameche, Dianne Weist, Russell Crowe and Glenn Close. Ron studied filmmaking at USC, a top-notch cinema school who can count George Lucas and Steven Spielberg as alumni. In 1976, Ron Howard was thrilled to earn a role in the film The Shootist. The stars were legends John Wayne, Lauren Bacall and Jimmy Stewart. The following year, Ron directed his first full length film, called Grand Theft Auto, with the assistance of executive producer Roger Corman. This was an action/comedy film that included a demolition derby scene where a Rolls Royce was destroyed. Many people from Happy Days wanted to help out Ron by appearing in his film. Various members of the Howard family appeared in the film too. The budget was $600,000 and it earned $6 million, so it was a big hit financially. Ron was still appearing in Happy Days, but he was becoming disillusioned with the project. Clint Howard mentioned his use of marijuana, cocaine and alcohol, and how they affected his life. His brother Ron felt guilty that he did not stop Clint from indulging in these chemicals in the 1970s. Ron would steer clear of such substances. By the 1980s, Clint's drug use was affecting his life in a serious way and Ron had to step in to tell him that he needed to turn his life around. In 1984, Clint seeked out help and entered rehab. He needed a few tries to get straight. By 1991, Clint was on the right track. Clint lasted less than a semester at Pepperdine University. As a character actor, Clint carved out his place in Hollywood. He has over 200 TV movies to his name. In reading the book, I learned about the connections between 2 of Ron's most popular roles in American Graffiti and Happy Days. Both were made in the 1970s and took a nostalgic look at life in the 1950s. It was fascinating to hear some of Ron's anecdotes about working on American Graffiti with George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfus and others. After the success of American Graffiti, the TV networks wanted to capitalize on the popularity of nostalgia. The show Happy Days arose from a story in the anthology TV show Love American Style. Originally the show Happy Days was to star Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham but the popularity of Henry Winkler as The Fonz became evident. At one point, ABC considered changing the title of the show to Fonzie's Happy Days. Ron was offended by this suggestion, and it did not happen. Howard recounted what it was like to work with actors such as Winkler, Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, Anson Williams, Donny Most and more on stage 19 at Paramount. Henry Winkler is the godfather of Howard's children. Happy Days went head-to-head against Good Times, which featured Jimmie Walker and his catch phrase "Dyn-o-mite." Happy Days was the victor. Ron Howard recalls the appearance of the immensely talented Robin Williams as Mork from Ork. Mork and Mindy became a Happy Days spin off, along with Laverne and Shirley and Joanie Loves Chachi. Those who want to learn more about the behind-the-scenes aspects of iconic shows like The Andy Griffith Show, Happy Days and the world of a family navigating life in Hollywood will enjoy this book.

Entertainment's Renaissance Man: Quincy Jones

We have all heard the phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none." Many times that is true. People should focus on being great at one thing. But, there are some people who are exceptions to the rule. Quincy Jones is just such a person. The versatility of his talents is staggering. Few have achieved more in the world of entertainment, with excellence achieved in many disciplines.

Quincy is best known for his musical talents. In 1953 at age 20, he toured with jazz great Lionel Hampton as a trumpet player, pianist and arranger. He arranged music for some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Ray Charles, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and even Frank Sinatra. His ear for music led him to produce some groundbreaking songs such as the 1985 charity song We are the World. He produced albums for Michael Jackson including Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987).

He was the founder of Vibe magazine and he had his own TV production company which produced Mad TV, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and others. He was the co-producer of the film The Color Purple. He won a Tony Award for the Broadway revival of that production.

Jones has been awarded ten honorary doctorate degrees. He is only one of 17 people to have won an Emmy, a Grammy an Oscar and a Tony Award. As a matter of fact, he has won 27 Grammys! At age 84 he is still tacking new challenges as a producer for various projects. In 2001 he released his autobiography. Always one to keep up with the latest technology, he launched his own podcast in 2007.

Here is a clip of the 2001 Kennedy Center Honors. Jones was recognized for his work, where he was treated by a performance that brought together Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles.

Jones' net worth is an estimated $400 million.

* Information from quincyjones.com and celebritynetworth.com

Woody Allen's Musical

In 1996, Woody Allen released his film called Everyone Says I Love You. It is his only musical that he has made to date. The actors were not told that it was a musical until after signing their contracts. The title comes from a song in the 1932 film by the Marx Brothers called Horse Feathers. Woody is a fan of Groucho and his brothers, and there are references to them multiple times in the film. At one point there is a party where the guests wear Groucho eyebrows and mustaches and carry fake cigars.

The cast is truly star-studded. For this film, Woody Allen signed Alan Alda, Goldie Hawn, Drew Barrymore, Edward Norton, Julia Roberts and more. Many actors want to work with Allen due to his long career as a master writer/director and actor. He is admired by many for his work and creative vision. The total budget for the film was just $20 million, peanuts by Hollywood standards. The cast must have worked for a lower salary than they are accostomed to with this modest budget. One young star in the film was a 15 year old Natalie Portman. At this point, this was just her fifth film. She had already worked with Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino in Heat. The same year that Everyone Says I Love You was released, her film Beautiful Girls hit theatres. That was another impressive cast, starring the likes of Matt Dillon, Timothy Hutton, Rosie O'Donnell, Uma Thurman and Michael Rappaport.

There is a reason that this movie felt like an old school Fred Astaire style musical from the golden days of Hollywood. Many of the songs date from the Depression era, if not earlier. A few of them include these.

Just You, Just Me-1929
Everyone Says I Love You-1932
My Baby Just Cares for Me-1930
I'm Through with Love-1931
Cuddle Up a Little Closer-1908

Music has always played a key role in Allen's work. Many of his films have a classic jazz soundtrack. For his film Manhattan, the music of George Gershwin was featured extensively. He used Rhapsody in Blue for his opening credit sequence which featured black and white scenes of Manhattan, wrapping up with an unforgettable fireworks scene. Everyone Says I Love You is filled with gorgeous songs. Some are toe-tappers and some are slow and thoughtful, but it is masterful the way they are intertwined within the storyline. The movie features singing and dancing scenes, and all actors performed their own singing with the exception of one, Drew Barrymore.

The story is peppered with scenes of melancholy and mirth. It is a family story, about upper class New Yorkers who struggle with relationships. Woody Allen's character falls for Julia Roberts' character. Drew Barrymore has ups and downs in her romantic life. Some scenes in the film were shot overseas, in Paris and Venice. This was a departure for Allen since it was his first film in over 20 years to be shot outside New York. But, in his future work, Allen would shoot many films in Europe.

Woody Allen's personal life has been tabloid fodder for years. I certainly do not endorse the choices he has made. He is an odd fellow but a brilliant artist nonetheless. This film is one of his best, up there with Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters and more. It is a light, feel good movie with songs that you will find yourself humming. Check it out, especially if you enjoy musicals.

* Some information from imdb.com.

A Very Funny Man, I Must Say

My recent spree of reading biographies has included reading about: Steve Martin, Dick Van Dyke, Rob Lowe, Michael J. Fox, Tina Fey, Sammy Davis Jr. and John Lithgow. My next book to tackle was the autobiography of an entertainer who comes from our neighbors to the north...Canada.

One of my favorite Canadian entertainers has to be Martin Short. Others in that group would include the progressive rock band Rush, Michael J. Fox and Paul Shaffer. Short's autobiography is called "I Must Say: The Life of a Humble Comedy Legend". The title comes from his catchphrase as the nerdy, Pat Sajak-obsessed geek Ed Grimley. He is good friends with fellow canuck Paul Shaffer, former bandleader and sidekick of David Letterman. Shaffer and Short worked together in the 1970's during a Toronto production of the musical Godspell. Marty Short was obsessed with show biz from a young age. When others were listening to the Beatles in the 1960s, he listened to Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. and watched the films of Jerry Lewis. He had an Irish Catholic dad who drank a lot. His father was an executive at a steel company. His mom worked as a musician in an orchestra.

From 1981 to 1984, Martin Short was part of the cast of SCTV, a Canadian sketch comedy show. The program was a starting point for many comedians such as Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, and more. On SCTV, Short created some of the characters that went on to feature when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live.

Here are some of Short's projects over the years.

1976-1977 The David Steinberg Show (10 episodes)
1979-1980 The Associates (13 episodes)
1980-1981 I'm a Big Girl Now (14 episodes)
1981-1984 SCTV (33 episodes)
1986 Three Amigos
1987 Innerspace
1988 The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley (13 episodes)
1991 Father of the Bride
1994 The Martin Short Show (3 episodes)
1995 Father of the Bride 2
1996 Mars Attacks
1999-2000 The Martin Short Show (63 episodes)
2002 Curb Your Enthusiasm (1 episode)
2001-2003 Primetime Glick (30 episodes)
2010 Damages (13 episodes)
2011 Weeds (3 episodes)
1984-2013 Saturday Night Live (21 episodes, 1984-85 for most appearances, some also in 2005, 2006, 2013)
2010-2013 The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That (Voice, 61 episodes)
2011-2012 How I met Your Mother (3 episodes)
2014-2015 Mullaney (13 episodes)

He is known for his odd, wacky, over-the-top characters from SNL such as Ed Grimley, Jackie Rogers Jr., Nathan Thurm and Irving Cohen. He found the SNL job to be highly stressful due to the tight schedule and the live performances. He was used to SCTV, which was not live. He only had a one year contract for SNL, and he almost left part of the way through the season. He was successful, but it was not a good fit.

After the failure of his 2nd version of The Martin Short Show he wanted a character that he could hide behind. His solution was to play the grossly obese celebrity interviewer Jiminy Glick. Primetime Glick lasted from 2001-2003 on Comedy Central. His wife Dixie on the show was played by fellow SNL alum Jan Hooks. His bandleader was played by Michael McKean from Spinal Tap and Laverne and Shirley. His character was named Adrian Van Voorhees and he played the harp. The show featured Jiminy interviewing celebrities such as Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Steven Spielberg, Jerry Seinfeld, Conan O'Brien and Eugene Levy. Short would sometimes perform as other characters in skits within the show, like he did on SCTV and SNL. He would sometimes play an elderly woman who would sit in the audience of the show. Her name was Miss Gathercole and she was obviously based on Bette Davis during her final years. In the book, Short recalled a time on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson where he was on the same show as Davis. Eugene Levy has said that the Glick character is Short's greatest creation. Jiminy is a glutton, a lusty, clueless, self absorbed oaf. He refers to obscure celebrities from the glory years of show biz such as Sal Mineo from Rebel without a Cause.

The final segment of the book discusses Short's wife Nancy and her cancer battle, which sadly took her life in 2010. The two had met during the 1970s when both of them were doing the musical Godspell in Toronto. The two were married in 1980 and had 3 children. Before meeting Nancy, Martin had dated SNL star Gilda Radner. The book summarized the close bond between Martin and his wife.

These days, Martin Short takes on various roles in films, TV and on Broadway. He also tours and performs live shows with good friend Steve Martin.

* Some information from imdb.com.

Michael J. Fox: A "Lucky Man"

Actor, author, producer and activist Michael J. Fox called his autobiography "Lucky Man". He has built an impressive resume as an actor, but has become known for his health struggles. Battling Parkinson's Disease, he has become a spokesman and an activist who raises awareness about this illness. He has fought to attain more funding for research through his own foundation. The disease has been a major challenge and understandably it caused upheaval in his personal life and career. But, he sees himself as a fortunate person who has been blessed in many areas of his life. He is thankful for his wife, his kids, his career, and yes, even his ailments. The years fighting Parkinson's have helped him to gain perspective on life's priorities.

The diminutive Canadian is a high school dropout who is known as a 1980s film and TV icon. In 1979 he left Canada for Los Angeles and was determined to make it as an actor. In 1982 he landed the role of young Republican Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties. The Gary David Goldberg-created show would last for 7 seasons. It was a key part of NBC's Must See TV lineup. He met his wife, actress Tracy Pollan, on the set of this show. In 1985, his big film break came with the role of time traveler Marty McFly in Back to the Future. The combination of the hit NBC TV show Family Ties plus his three Back to the Future films (1985, 1989, 1990) made Fox a media darling. Few stars dominated 1980s showbiz like Michael J. Fox. The Back to the Future film originally went to actor Eric Stoltz. Some scenes were shot with him and it was determined that a change needed to be made. Other key roles included Teen Wolf (1985), The Secret of My Success (1987) and Doc Hollywood (1991).

In 1991 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease but kept it a secret for 7 years. He tried to conceal his shaking as well as he could. He was afraid that the illness would hurt his career. But, by 1998 he knew that he had to go public with his diagnosis. The tabloids had found out about his ailment. He was shooting the ABC sitcom Spin City (1996-2000), and his muscle spasms could no longer be concealed. He was able to time his medication to hide any shaking where it would be noticeable to his co-workers or the studio audience. Nevertheless, he decided that he needed to be honest with everyone. He was tired of having this secret. In 2000, he left Spin City, to be replaced by Charlie Sheen. In the ensuing years, he appeared on many TV shows including Boston Legal (6 episodes), Rescue Me (5 episodes), The Good Wife (19 episodes) and The Michael J. Fox Show (22 episodes).

Salaries for various roles

Back to the Future $250,000
Back to the Future 2 $5,000,000
Back to the Future 3 $5,000,000
Teen Wolf $750,000
Secret of My Success $2,000,000
Greedy $5,000,000

*Information from the book "Lucky Man" by Michael J. Fox and imdb.com.

Rob Lowe: Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Actor Rob Lowe looks back on his life in show biz in his autobiography "Stories I Only Tell My Friends".

He grew up in Dayton, Ohio and his parents moved to Malibu, California when he was a teenager. At his Malibu high school, many of the kids were surfers who looked down on actors. But, he managed to find a group of actors in his school and neighborhood. Some of his early friends/collaborators were Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Sean Penn, Holly Robinson, Janet Jackson, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

In the early 1980s Lowe tried out for roles in Ordinary People and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He did not get those roles and he considered going to college to study film. Then he got his big break with the Francis Ford Coppola film The Outsiders (1983). Much of the book is about Lowe's experiences on the set working with the master Coppola. He asked his neighbor Martin Sheen about working with the eccentric director on Apocalypse Now. The Outsiders was a big break for many young actors including C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon and Emilio Estevez. Lowe played "Sodapop" Curtis and was disappointed that many of his best scenes were cut out of the final film. The teen stars were underage, but drank on the set of The Outsiders. Lowe developed a drinking problem and ended up in rehab later in life.

The next sections of the book looked at his other films such as Class (1983), Hotel New Hampshire (1984), About Last Night (1986), and the "brat pack" film St. Elmo's Fire (1985).

In the 1990s, Lowe showed that he could be funny in many comedy films such as Wayne's World, Tommy Boy and Austin Powers.

In 1999, he agreed to a pay cut compared to the money had been making by making his move into TV. The NBC smash hit The West Wing was a perfect role for him since he always had an interest in politics. He worked with a stellar cast including Allison Janny, Martin Sheen and John Spencer. Written by Aaron Sorkin, Lowe played Sam Seaborn. He left after 4 seasons due to a contract dispute.

Since leaving The West Wing, Lowe has appeared in TV shows Brothers and Sisters, Parks and Recreation, and Californication.

*Some information from imdb.com.

Life Imitates Art in Less Than Zero

Generation X folks may recall the film Less Than Zero, from 1987. Released in the midst of the light hearted fare of this period like the John Hughes films, this story was dark and moody. It is based on a book written by Bret Easton Ellis. He also wrote the novel that became the film American Psycho, the twisted tale of 1980's Wall Street yuppie Patrick Bateman. That film was a big break for Christian Bale. Less Than Zero starred Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz, Robert Downey Jr. and James Spader. Downey Jr. played a guy who was battling drug addiction, which mirrored his own life. The movie was a profile of spoiled rich kids from L.A. who learned the hard way about the pitfalls of substance abuse. The soundtrack featured some of the hottest groups of the day such as The Bangles, Poison, Aerosmith, David Lee Roth and more. It's interesting that the music supervisor was Rick Rubin. He was the co-founder of Def Jam records along with Russell Simmons. It's no coincidence that many of the Def Jam artists are featured on the Less Than Zero soundtrack. These included Slayer, Public Enemy, LL Cool J and Run-DMC.

*Some information from imdb.com.

Life Itself: The Story of Roger Ebert

I recently watched the film "Life Itself" based on the memoirs of Roger Ebert. It tells the story of an amazing man with a stellar intellect when it came to viewing films and writing about them. How many film critics can you name? Chances are, not many. Ebert was admired for the way he could write about film in a language that everyone could understand. He was a Pulitzer Prize winner, a rare honor for a film critic. He wrote 15 books and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A good review from Ebert could make or break a film.

He was the film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. His rival critic was Gene Siskel for the Chicago Tribune. The two teamed up to co-host a film criticism show, Siskel and Ebert. They had a rocky relationship, combative and competitive, but nonetheless admired the intellect of one another. Cancer took the life of Siskel (brain cancer) and later Ebert (thyroid and salivary gland cancer that led to the removal of his jaw).

"Life Itself" is hard to watch at times, since it shows Ebert struggling to live his life with a sense of normality after having his jaw removed and losing the ability to speak and eat. He also had trouble walking, after the cancer led to injuries that limited his mobility. But, Roger could still "speak" through Twitter and his website where he could post blogs and film reviews.

Ebert did not marry until the age of 50, and his wife Chaz provided much needed support for Roger, especially late in his life. He died in 2013 at the age of 70. This film is a must see for those who are fans of film, or the writings of Ebert. It shows a life well lived, with passion and resilience.

*Some information from www.imdb.com

Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy

I recently finished the book by Steve Martin called "Born Standing Up". He is an excellent writer and a deep thinker.

Early in his career he honed his performing skills at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm. He has never been a traditional stand up comic. He mixes absurd humor with magic, juggling, making balloon animals and playing the banjo when he performs. In the 1960s and 1970s he made appearances on daytime talk shows hosted by Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore and more. He became a writer on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Show. A fellow writer on that groundbreaking show was Rob Reiner. Later Steve would work with Rob's father, Carl Reiner, who directed The Jerk. Steve enjoyed being a comedy writer but had a desire to be a performer. He moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico at age 28 and he wanted to escape the crazy environment of Los Angeles. He began to tour the nation extensively and he battled loneliness and dealt with panic attacks. By the mid 1970s he had appeared on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show many times but was still not satisfied with his career.

In 1976 his big break came when Lorne Michaels asked him to host Saturday Night Live. Steve jumped at the chance since he saw the show as being on the cutting edge of comedy, just like his material. He enjoyed working with the cast, including Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Bill Murray and more. He released 2 albums and both were enormous hits, the first selling over 1 million copies, and the second one sold more than 2 million. From 1979-1981 he was booked solid to perform in the biggest venues in America. He was at the peak of his career, but was unhappy since he was isolated and alone. The success he had desired had a negative side effect, the loss of privacy. Like most people, Martin craved the approval of his parents. His mother was very proud of his accomplishments. His dad, on the other hand, had one comment after seeing his film The Jerk. He said "He's no Charlie Chaplin". By the early 1980s he was done with standup. He transitioned into films since he grew tired of the traveling.

The book ended too abruptly but it is a good summary of Steve's early career. Maybe he will do a sequel, covering his film career.

Like Father Like Son: The Reiners

Last night on PBS, Tavis Smiley's guests were Carl Reiner and Rob Reiner. Both of these men have been immensely successful in show business and it was nice to see their mutual admiration for one another. They pointed out how the Reiner family didn't even own a TV in the early days of Carl Reiner's groundbreaking program, "Your Show of Shows" (1950-1954). The show featured Sid Caesar and it had a star-studded lineup of writers including Neil Simon, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Larry Gelbart ("MASH") and more. The show acted as the blueprint for all comedy TV shows that would follow.

Later, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks teamed up to do their comedy skit "The 2000 Year Old Man" and are close friends still to this day. Carl Reiner would eventually create the iconic show "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-1966). By the way, Johnny Carson was considered for the title role before it was given to Van Dyke. Carl also worked as a film director on such classics as "Oh God" with George Burns and several Steve Martin projects including "The Jerk", "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" and "The Man with Two Brains".

Rob Reiner was destined to follow in his dad's footsteps and he had success as an actor and a director. He will always be known for his role as "Meathead" in the classic CBS sitcom "All in the Family" led by the legendary producer Norman Lear. Before that role he had appeared in TV shows such as "That Girl", "Gomer Pyle USMC" and "The Beverly Hillbillies". On the Tavis Smiley interview program, the elder Reiner spoke of his admiration for his son's work, from his TV roles to his film directing jobs on such works as "The Princess Bride" and "This is Spinal Tap". Rob also directed "When Harry Met Sally", "The Bucket List" and "A Few Good Men". The younger Reiner was asked about if it was hard to make it in show biz being the son of a legend. He said it made it easier to get a foot-in-the-door, but once you are in, you better do a good job, or else you will be fired.

*Some information from www.imdb.com.

"Chef" is a Film Feast for Foodies

The star/writer/director of the new film Chef is Jon Favreau. This could be called food porn for its beautiful culinary photography, so it's a perfect film for foodies. It has an all-star cast including Dustin Hoffman, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Oliver Platt, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and more. I get the impression that this work was a labor of love for Favreau, like his breakout film that he wrote, Swingers, from 1996. Favreau plays Carl Casper, a chef who works in a restaurant that is owned by Dustin Hoffman. His ex-wife is played by Sofia Vergara and they have a son together, Percy (Emjay Anthony). Chef Casper wants to be creative with his food and take chances but his boss wants him to appeal to the masses. The chef gets poor reviews from a food blogger played by Oliver Platt who feels like the chef should be creative and not cater to the lowest common denominator. Chefs graduate from culinary arts school, and it really is an art to create excellent food. Anyone who has watched Food Network knows that the visual element of food is important. It's like film or TV or music, one can take chances or look to appeal to the masses. Those who appeal to a wide audience may have more monetary success, but the critics will not like them. The chef ends up leaving his job and starting his own business in Miami, the El Jefe Cuban food truck. He drives the truck cross country with his son and his friend Martin, played by John Leguizamo. The trip is a way for Carl to bond with his son Percy, who teaches him about the power of Twitter to promote the business. This film will not be a blockbuster that makes hundreds of millions of dollars, but it is a fine work based on a good story with likable characters. As of June 1, the gross box office total is $6.9 million. A good film does not need special effects, sex or violence. According to rottentomatoes.com, the approval rating is 88% from critics and 90% from audiences.

Information from imdb.com and rottentomatoes.com.

Movie Review: "Say Anything..." (1989)

Writer/director Cameron Crowe's "Say Anything..." was released 25 years ago. A generation later, it's romantic themes still resonate today. This was Crowe's directorial debut, having written "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "The Wild Life" previously. He would go on to write and direct "Singles", "Jerry Maguire" and the autobiographical "Almost Famous". This film is often grouped in with all the other teen comedies of the 1980's, but it is much more than just a high school film about puppy love. Actually, the movie does not contain any scenes in a high school. This is a film about love, relationships, betrayal and heartbreak.

Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) has recently graduated from a Seattle high school. His plans for the future are unknown. His passion is kickboxing, which he calls "the sport of the future". He knows that one thing he wants to do is have a date with Diane Court (Ione Skye). Diane is the valedictorian, who has been awarded a prestigious college fellowship to study in England. He has a scene with two of his female friends, Corey (Lili Taylor) and D.C. (Amy Brooks). They tell Lloyd that he is wasting his time since Diane is "a brain, trapped in the body of a game show hostess." The thing that is likeable about Lloyd Dobler is his unwavering optimism. A friend at a party asked how he got a date with Diane. His response? "I asked her out". Lloyd lives in the moment. He is not troubled by anxieties about future plans. This is endearing to many, but those qualities make him seem like a slacker in the eyes of Jim Court (John Mahoney), Diane's father, who only wants the best for his daughter.

What does Diane see in Lloyd? The answer is quite simple. He makes her laugh, he's a gentleman and she likes spending time with him. On their first date, she was impressed when he steered her around walking through some broken glass in a convenience store parking lot. They go to a party together. He does not smother her, demanding her attention at all times, but yet he checks up on her now and then. She feels safe with him.

Like any Cameron Crowe film, music plays a key part in the movie. Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" is played when Diane and Lloyd first make love in the back of a car. Later it is played on his boombox as he holds it over his head outside her window.

Diane is close with her father. Her parents are divorced and she does not see her mother very much. He father pushes her to succeed. He was over the moon when she was awarded a fellowship to study in England. They have a relationship where they can say anything to one another. He buys her nice gifts, like a car as a graduation gift. It is revealed that Jim Court is under investigation by the I.R.S. for mishandling of funds at the nursing home that he manages. Diane is shattered at the thought of her father as a criminal who stole from the elderly. He justifies it as helping him to provide a good life for her. The #1 man in Diane's life shifts from her father to Lloyd. Under pressure from her dad, she breaks up with Lloyd and later regrets it. She visits him at his kickboxing gym and tells him "If I hurt you again, I'll die. I love you."

This film was praised by critics, especially the influential Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert who gave it two thumbs up. Ebert gave it 4 stars, his highest rating, calling it one of the best films of the year. He described it as "a miracle." This movie has a simple story but the superb acting and chemistry of the cast make it special. Along with "Almost Famous" this is Cameron Crowe's best work. Those in Generation X have a special place in their hearts for this film along with the teen comedies by John Hughes.

Cast

Lloyd Dobler.....John Cusack
Diane Court.....Ione Skye
James Court.....John Mahoney
Constance Dobler.....Joan Cusack (uncredited)
Corey.....Lili Taylor
D.C......Amy Brooks
Mark.....Jeremy Piven
Mrs. Evans.....Bebe Neuwirth
Vahlere.....Eric Stoltz


Trivia

Ione Skye, who played Diane, is known for other films such as "Wayne's World" and "River's Edge." She appeared in TV shows such as "Arrested Development" and "Private Practice." She has dated Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who provided a song for the soundtrack. She was married to Adam Horovitz, known as "Ad Rock" from Beastie Boys. She is currently married to musician Ben Lee. She was born in London in 1970. She is a graduate of Hollywood High School.

Lloyd's friend D.C. (Amy Brooks) is the daughter of the film's executive producer, James L. Brooks.

Jeremy Piven played one of the guys that hangs out at the Gas'N Sip convenience store. Lloyd went to talk to them about girls after Diane broke up with him.

Two actors with connections to Kelsey Grammer's character of Frasier Crane were in the film. They included John Mahoney who played Frasier's dad, and Bebe Neuwirth, who played Frasier's wife Lilith.

John Cusack's real life sister, Joan Cusack, played his sister in the film. But, her role was uncredited.

The guy fighting Lloyd Dobler in the ring was Don "The Dragon" Wilson, an acclaimed kickboxer himself.

Jim Court was so overjoyed when Diane won the fellowship to England, he sang a Steely Dan song in the car ("Rikki Don't Lose That Number").

Actor Eric Stoltz had a small role in the film, and was also a production assistant on set.

The cost for using Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" was about $250,000 in 1989.

Instead of John Cusack, the role of Lloyd Dobler could have ended up being portrayed by Christian Slater, Robert Downey Jr. or Kirk Cameron.

Instead of Ione Skye, the role of Diane Court could have gone to Jennifer Connelly or Elisabeth Shue.

The gym used in this film was the same one used in "The Karate Kid."

Some information from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098258/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_lk1 and the book "You Couldn't Ignore Me if You Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes and Their Impact on a Generation" by Susannah Gora, 2010 by Crown Publishers, New York.

Showbiz Trivia: Fast Times at Ridgemont High

As a 15-year-old kid in 1973, Cameron Crowe had an article he wrote about the band Poco published in Rolling Stone magazine. He later interviewed and toured with rock icons such as Led Zeppelin, Peter Frampton, Neil Young and The Eagles.

The 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High was based on a book by Cameron Crowe. At age 22, Crowe spent two semesters undercover as a student at a San Diego high school to research the topic of life as a teenager. His book was adapted into a screenplay. While working on music for the film, Crowe met his wife, Nancy Wilson from the group Heart. Crowe's three passions are music, writing, and film. He knew that the movie needed to have music as a key player to set the mood for the different scenes. The soundtrack included songs by Jackson Browne, The Cars, The Go-Go's, Billy Squier, Sammy Hagar and more. The film had a young cast that included Sean Penn, Nicolas Cage (credited as Nicolas Coppola), Eric Stoltz, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, Judge Reinhold and more. Sean Penn, as surfer dude Jeff Spicoli, followed the method acting technique of remaining in character for every minute of the shoot. He insisted on being called Spicoli at all times. The film was mostly shot at an upscale mall in Sherman Oaks, California.

Robert Romanus, who played Mike Damone in the film, talked about how Fast Times holds up over time, unlike some other 1980s movies. He said it was a slice-of-life, showing what it was like in the late 1970s/early 1980s for teens in California. He compared it to American Graffiti, since both films give the viewer a look at life as a teenager.

Information from the book "You Couldn't Ignore Me if you Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and their Impact on a Generation" by Susannah Gora, published by Crown Publishers, New York, 2010.

Orson Welles' Citizen Kane is No Longer #1

Earlier this week a list was released which has the top 50 films of all time, according to the critics, and other film experts. For 50 years, Citizen Kane was number one, but now it has been replaced by the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece, Vertigo. Every 10 years the list is generated by Sight and Sound magazine, starting back in 1952. The magazine also polled over 350 directors, asking them to rank their top 10 films of all time.

The critic's top 10 include:

1. Vertigo, Alfred Hitchcock, 1958

2. Citizen Kane, Orson Welles, 1941

3. Tokyo Story, Ozu Yazujiro, 1953

4. La Regle du jeu, Jean Renoir, 1939

5. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, FW Murnau, 1927

6. 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick, 1968

7. The Searchers, John Ford, 1956

8. Man with a Movie Camera, Dziga Vertov, 1929

9. The Passion of Joan of Arc, Carl Dreyer, 1927

10. 8 1/2, Federico Fellini, 1963

Some other notable films in the top 50:

14. Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola, 1979

20. Singin' in the Rain, Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1951

21. The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola, 1972

28. Mulholland Dr, David Lynch, 2001

31. The Godfather Part II, Francis Ford Coppola, 1974

31. (tied) Taxi Driver, Martin Scorsese, 1976

35. Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock, 1960

The list of the top 10 films chosen by directors contains many of the films also in the top 10 of the critic's poll, but I thought it was interesting to see #5 as Taxi Driver, #6 as Apocalypse Now and #7 as The Godfather. Many feel that the 1970s in America was a golden age of film with auteurs such as Scorsese, Kubrick, Woody Allen and Coppola leading the way. I have seen very few movies that were made previous to the late 1960s so my knowledge of the early days of the medium is limited. I have also seen very few foreign films. When I watch a film I like to watch the film for the directing style, the acting nuances and the set design. With foreign films, reading the subtitles makes it hard to do that. My list of top films would include some on the above lists, but also many others would be added. If Hitchcock's Vetigo and Psycho are on the list, why not Rear Window? Scorsese's Taxi Driver is amazing, and one of my top 10 no doubt, but I would also include him for Raging Bull, GoodFellas and Casino. Kubrick's 2001 is an achievement, but I preferred A Clockwork Orange and The Shining. If the Godfather 1 and 2 are on the list, I would include another violent film by another Italian-American filmmaker, Scarface, by Brian DePalma. The absence of Woody Allen films is a mistake in my book, and I would include Annie Hall and Manhattan. Allen's hero, Ingmar Bergman was on the critic's list at #17 for Persona. I was surprised to see David Lynch on the list at #28 for Mulholland Drive since I preferred Blue Velvet. I would have included James Dean's tour de force, Rebel without a Cause, which I feel is too often overlooked as a masterpiece of cinema.

But, alas, with any list there is controversy about what was included and what was omitted. I often wonder if critics feel pressure to like the art house or foreign films, so they can hold onto their credibility. If they do, then that is too bad since many of the more down-to-earth, less cerebral films are also enjoyable. Would a critic feel odd to include The Wizard of Oz or It's a Wonderful Life? They shouldn't, since those are outstanding works of art.

With the lists I notice how few of the entries are films made in the last 20 years. It seems like the film industry has often catered to the lowest common denominator, sticking with sequels, remakes and films based on comic book heroes simply because they attract a wide audience. That is a shame. For that reason, people owe it to themselves to check out independent films and documentaries. These are made due to the love of the media of film and the passion to tell a story, not out of the desire to break box office records. Attend local film festivals and make it a point to seek out these gems. We all "vote" with our wallets for what we want to see.

Source: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news/50-greatest-films-all-time

Documentary Discussion

Documentary films are great because they make you think. Common themes for them tend to be either political/social issues or the arts. I have liked this genre of film ever since the 1980s when I watched Michael Moore's Roger and Me, about the demise of a former booming GM factory town, Flint, Michigan. Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me had such an effect on me that I have quit eating McDonald's cold turkey ever since I saw it eight years ago. Not every documentary filmmaker inserts themselves into the film like Spurlock and Moore. Many prefer to exist behind-the-scenes only. Charles Ferguson is another of my favorite documentary filmmakers. He made No End in Sight and Inside Job. Some of my favorite documentary films have dealt with agriculture and food in America. These include Food Inc., Fresh, King Corn and more.


I have discovered the Documentary cable channel recently and have rented a few docs via Netflix. Here are some that I recently saw and enjoyed.

A Life in the Theatre

This is about a woman who is in her 90s, and she has been the owner of an off-off Broadway live theatre in New York for many years. It was excellent since it demonstrated how the love of art can bring people together. Those who work in the theatre have an amazing camaraderie. Developers want to destroy the theatre but she fight to save it.

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead

This is about an Australian man who has battled obesity and the related health problems and comes to America to embark on a journey. He travels across the country, eating only a liquid diet consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables that he puts in a juicer. It is a look at obesity, health problems and the ability of humans to change their lives. The filmmaker ends up losing lots of weight, not needing any more medicine, and inspiring many others to do the same.

Music Man Murray

This is about an old man in Los Angeles who runs a record store. It is packed with thousands of recordings he has collected over a lifetime. He estimates that the store is worth a couple million dollars. The challenge is to sell the store and its content for a good price so his collection and his legacy will not be destroyed.

Map the Music

I enjoyed this film since it looks at the power of music to bring meaning to our lives. A woman is shattered after losing her father, so she embarks on a road trip to talk to everyday people and a few famous musicians about what music means to them.

The One Percent

This is an examination of the one percent of Americans who are ultra wealthy, and the 99 percent who are not. The filmmaker is one of the heirs to the Johnson and Johnson family fortune. He talks to rich and poor, about the distribution of wealth in America, despite the fact that his family does not want him to make the film. Relatives of Warren Buffett and Oscar Meyer also appeared in the film.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work

This movie was a fascinating look at a comedy legend and her struggles to remain a relevant member of the show business world. Even though Joan Rivers is 75 years old and has had decades of success, she still has a fragile ego and she longs to be accepted. The film shows her performing stand up in New York as well as at an Indian casino in Wisconsin. It shows her doing a roast on Comedy Central, and it documented her opening a play in Scotland and England. She revealed that she originally wanted to be known as an actress not a comedienne. She is OK with people criticizing her comedy but has a thin skin if people are critical of her acting skills. She acknowledges that show business is challenging since rejection is a big part of the industry. The movie mentioned how Johnny Carson gave her her big break in the 1960s but later quit speaking to her when she took a job on Fox as a late night host. She mentioned how her husband Edgar was devastated by the failure of the Fox show and later committed suicide. Joan's daughter Melissa mentioned that stand ups are generally insecure people, craving attention and approval, and that her mother is no exception. Rivers seemed like a very lonely person whose main goal is to fill up her calendar with work so she does not have time to think about her life outside of her career.