March 29, 2013

British character actor Richard Griffiths has passed away at the age of 65.

To many people — including many of the headline writers out there — he is best-known as the actor who played Harry Potter’s awful Uncle Vernon. To others, he is famous for playing Uncle Monty in the cult hit Withnail & I (1989).

But he will always linger in my memory for a tiny part he had in Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984).

(more…)

May 1, 2007


Speaking of nudity and ratings, check out this bit of hyperbole from a recent Newsweek story on The Simpsons Movie:

To make it on the big screen, you have to give people something spectacular. Something extraordinary. Something like Bart Simpson—full frontal. It happens early in “The Simpsons Movie,” when the animated 10-year-old takes a dare from his goofball father, Homer, to skateboard naked through the streets of Springfield. Hidden by plants and picket fences, he whizzes along, past kids, down hills, through traffic lights, until, in one shocking moment, little Bart flashes his little part to the entire world. Which may make this the first Hollywood film to show that kind of skin and to escape an R rating.

Um, well, not exactly. Allow me to present two slightly censored images from a film that was one of my favorites in my younger days, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984). Here is Tarzan at the age of 5, after an ape knocks him down …

… and at the age of 12, after he has learned how to use a knife:

The rating on this film? PG. Though admittedly, it came out before the PG-13 was invented. But either way, it wasn’t rated R.

December 14, 2006


Variety reports that a new version of Tarzan is in the works — to be written by John Collee (Happy Feet, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World) and directed by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth), if present negotiations stay their course:

Del Toro, who grew up reading Spanish-language translations of those books, feels that the classic themes are still compelling, and that there is new ground to cover in the Tarzan mythology by turning back to the original Burroughs prose.

“I’d love to create a new version that is still a family movie, but as edgy as I can make it,” Del Toro said. “There are strong themes of survival of a defenseless child left behind in the most hostile environment.”

For what it’s worth, I have never been a Tarzan fan, per se, but I was a huge fan of Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) back in junior high, for reasons I get into here.

I am aware of only two other big-screen Tarzan films since then. Tarzan and the Lost City (1998) starred Casper Van Dien and was, I am told, originally intended as a sequel to Greystoke, inasmuch as the two films had one producer in common — but if Greystoke went too far in avoiding the pulpier aspects of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ books, Lost City goes too far in the other direction.

And then there is Disney’s Tarzan (1999), which is an unfortunate mess in a number of ways, but surprisingly manages to get one or two things very right. I especially love the scene where the young Tarzan — the name means “white skin” — tries to fit in with his ape brethren by covering his face in dark mud. It’s a scene that comes straight out of the book, and was also depicted in Greystoke.


The two films also have the voice of Glenn Close in common. She dubbed all of Andie MacDowell’s dialogue in Greystoke because the filmmakers thought MacDowell, who played Jane Porter, had too thick of an accent, or something like that; and she provided the voice of Kala, Tarzan’s ape-mother, in Disney’s Tarzan.

January 1, 2004

As per my 2003 Journal, videos and DVDs are in italics. Films I saw for the first time have an asterisk (*) next to them. Not counting extras and promo items.

Jan 2 — 21 Grams *
Jan 3 — The Statement *
Jan 4 — Cold Mountain *
Jan 5 — Girl with a Pearl Earring *
Jan 5 — The Butterfly Effect *
Jan 5 — The Last Temptation of Christ [w/ audio commentary]
Jan 7 — Monster *
Jan 7 — Chasing Liberty *
Jan 8 — Hail Mary
Jan 8 — Jesus Christ Superstar

Jan 9 — Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer *
Jan 10 — My Baby’s Daddy *
Jan 10 — The Gospel of John *
Jan 11 — Louvre City *
Jan 12 — The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Jan 12 — In the Land of the Deaf *
Jan 13 — Stevie *
Jan 14 — Jesus [american version, 1999] *
Jan 14 — Etre et Avoir *
Jan 15 — The Man without a Face *

Jan 15 — M. Hulot’s Holiday *
Jan 16 — Braveheart [w/ audio commentary]
Jan 16 — Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! *
Jan 17 — The Passion of the Christ [rough cut] *
Jan 23 — Tokyo Story *
Jan 24 — The Cooler *
Jan 25 — I Graduated But… / The Only Son *
Jan 26 — The Fog of War
Jan 26 — I Was Born But… *
Jan 26 — Good Morning *

Jan 27 — Mary Magdalene *
Jan 28 — The Big Bounce *
Jan 29 — Along Came Polly *
Jan 29 — Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country [w/ text and audio commentary]
Jan 31 — The Animation Show *
Jan 31 — Genesis [1999] *
Feb 2 — The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Feb 3 — The Corporation *
Feb 3 — Falling Angels *
Feb 4 — You Got Served *

Feb 6 — The House on Haunted Hill [1959] *
Feb 7 — The Perfect Score *
Feb 9 — The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra *
Feb 9 — Against the Ropes *
Feb 10 — Miracle *
Feb 12 — Barbershop 2: Back in Business *
Feb 13 — Cirque de Soleil: Dralion *
Feb 16 — The King of Kings [1928 version, w/ 1928 score]
Feb 18 — Jurassic Park III
Feb 20 — Daniel Amos: Live in Anaheim 1985 *

Feb 21 — Osama *
Feb 21 — Touching the Void *
Feb 21 — Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines [w/ cast commentary]
Feb 22 — In This World *
Feb 22 — The Republic of Love *
Feb 23 — The Passion of the Christ [final cut] *
Feb 25 — Twisted *
Feb 28 — The Boat / The General [buster keaton]
Mar 2 — The Dreamers *
Mar 3 — Starsky & Hutch *

Mar 4 — The Ten Commandments [1923]
Mar 5 — The Ten Commandments [1956, w/ audio commentary]
Mar 8 — Secret Window *
Mar 9 — The Family Way
Mar 9 — The Snow Walker *
Mar 10 — Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind *
Mar 11 — Aliens [1991 version, w/ audio commentary]
Mar 13 — Spartan *
Mar 13 — Taking Lives *
Mar 15 — Hidalgo *

Mar 16 — Kitchen Stories *
Mar 16 — Helen of Troy [1956]
Mar 17 — The Reckoning *
Mar 17 — Accident *
Mar 19 — Jersey Girl *
Mar 19 — Helen of Troy [2003] *
Mar 20 — Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed *
Mar 24 — Alien [1979 version, w/ audio commentary]
Mar 26 — The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz *
Mar 27 — The Last Temptation of Christ

Mar 29 — Hellboy *
Mar 30 — Samson and Delilah [1949]
Mar 30 — Shattered Glass [w/ audio commentary]
Apr 1 — I’m Not Scared *
Apr 1 — Brother Bear [w/ audio commentary]
Apr 2 — Ella Enchanted *
Apr 2 — Blind Spot: Hitler’s Secretary *
Apr 4 — The Prince and Me *
Apr 6 — The Ladykillers [2004] *
Apr 6 — Home on the Range *

Apr 7 — The Whole Ten Yards *
Apr 8 — Kill Bill Vol. 2 *
Apr 9 — The Manchurian Candidate [1962] *
Apr 10 — The Alamo [2004] *
Apr 14 — 13 Going on 30 *
Apr 15 — Alien Resurrection [2003 version] *
Apr 16 — Whale Rider
Apr 18 — The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ
Apr 18 — From the Manger to the Cross
Apr 19 — The Girl Next Door [2004] *

Apr 21 — Man on Fire *
Apr 23 — The Punisher [2004] *
Apr 24 — The Apocalypse [2002] *
Apr 24 — Blue Skies / The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam *
Apr 26 — Dracula [1931, english version] *
Apr 26 — The Wolf Man [1941] *
Apr 27 — On the Waterfront *
Apr 28 — Envy *
Apr 28 — Mean Girls *
Apr 29 — Bon Voyage [2004] *

Apr 30 — Super Size Me *
Apr 30 — Laws of Attraction *
May 1 — King of Kings [1961]
May 1 — Blue Skies / The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam
May 2 — The Greatest Story Ever Told
May 2 — About a Boy
May 3 — The Miracle Maker
May 3 — Chu Chin Chow [1934] *
May 3 — The Toll of the Sea [1922] *
May 4 — The Gospel According to St. Matthew [1964, subtitled]

May 4 — Kill Bill Vol. 1
May 4 — Kill Bill Vol. 2
May 5 — Van Helsing *
May 6 — Piccadilly [1929] *
May 6 — The Thief of Bagdad [1924] *
May 7 — Shanghai Express [1932] *
May 10 — Saved! *
May 10 — The Passion of the Christ
May 12 — Troy *
May 14 — Shrek 2 *

May 21 — Tomorrow Land [disc 1] *
May 22 — Walt Disney on the Front Lines [disc 2: Victory Through Air Power, etc.] *
May 23 — Jesus of Nazareth
May 24 — Walt Disney on the Front Lines [disc 1] *
May 24 — Mickey Mouse in Living Color Vol. 2 [disc 2: Mickey’s Christmas Carol, etc.] *
May 25 — The Stepford Wives [1975] *
May 26 — The Day After Tomorrow *
May 27 — The Chronological Donald Vol. 1 [disc 1] *
May 29 — Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban *
May 31 — Siliva the Zulu *

Jun 4 — The Chronological Donald Vol. 2 [disc 2] *
Jun 4 — Alexander Nevsky *
Jun 6 — The Phantom Baron *
Jun 7 — Les dames du Bois de Boulogne *
Jun 7 — The Blood of a Poet *
Jun 8 — Garfield: The Movie *
Jun 8 — Mickey Mouse in Living Color Vol. 2 [disc 1] *
Jun 9 — Raising Helen *
Jun 9 — The Stepford Wives [2004] *
Jun 10 — Les Parents Terribles *

Jun 11 — Beauty and the Beast [1946] *
Jun 12 — The Chronicles of Riddick *
Jun 13 — Finding Nemo
Jun 14 — DodgeBall *
Jun 14 — Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Jun 14 — Paul the Apostle *
Jun 15 — The Clearing *
Jun 15 — Winter Sleepers
Jun 16 — Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Jun 17 — After Life

Jun 17 — 50 First Dates
Jun 18 — The Notebook *
Jun 19 — Sleepover *
Jun 19 — The Terminal *
Jun 19 — Before Sunrise *
Jun 21 — Before Sunset *
Jun 21 — Fahrenheit 9/11 *
Jun 27 — Total Recall
Jun 27 — Memento
Jul 1 — While You Were Sleeping *

Jul 1 — Runaway Bride
Jul 3 — Jesus of Montreal
Jul 4 — The Wind Will Carry Us *
Jul 8 — Owning Mahowny
Jul 9 — Spider-Man 2 *
Jul 10 — Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy *
Jul 10 — King Arthur *
Jul 12 — Nothing *
Jul 12 — Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes [w/ audio commentary]
Jul 12 — Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle *

Jul 13 — Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion *
Jul 14 — I, Robot *
Jul 14 — A Cinderella Story *
Jul 16 — Maria Full of Grace *
Jul 16 — The Emissary *
Jul 16 — Napoleon Dynamite *
Jul 20 — Two Brothers *
Jul 21 — The Bourne Supremacy *
Jul 24 — Thunderbirds [2004] *
Jul 24 — Catwoman *

Jul 24 — Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
Jul 26 — A Home at the End of the World *
Jul 26 — Fast Times at Ridgmont High *
Jul 26 — Sixteen Candles *
Jul 28 — The Manchurian Candidate [2004] *
Jul 29 — The Door in the Floor *
Jul 29 — De-Lovely *
Jul 30 — Touch of Pink *
Jul 31 — Around the World in 80 Days [2004] *
Jul 31 — The Village *

Aug 1 — Fawlty Towers [disc 2]
Aug 1 — Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time *
Aug 2 — Billy Liar *
Aug 2 — Control Room *
Aug 2 — Jesus [1979]
Aug 3 — Metallica: Some Kind of Monster *
Aug 4 — The Story of Jesus for Children *
Aug 5 — Fawlty Towers [disc 1]
Aug 5 — The Exorcist [2000 version]
Aug 5 — Exorcist II: The Heretic

Aug 5 — The Exorcist III *
Aug 7 — Little Black Book *
Aug 7 — Osmosis Jones
Aug 8 — Collateral *
Aug 9 — The Three Lives of Thomasina *
Aug 10 — Festival Express *
Aug 10 — The Rage in Placid Lake *
Aug 10 — Twist [2004] *
Aug 11 — Samsara *
Aug 11 — Riding Giants *

Aug 12 — Fawlty Towers [disc 3]
Aug 12 — Predator
Aug 13 — Open Water *
Aug 13 — Alien Vs. Predator *
Aug 15 — The Killing
Aug 16 — Code 46 *
Aug 17 — Westworld *
Aug 18 — I, Robot
Aug 19 — Bruce Almighty
Aug 19 — Exorcist: The Beginning *

Aug 20 — The Stepford Wives [2004]
Aug 21 — The Manchurian Candidate [2004]
Aug 21 — Spider-Man 2
Aug 28 — L’Appartement *
Aug 29 — Hero [2004 Miramax version] *
Aug 29 — Resident Evil
Aug 30 — Criminal *
Aug 30 — Shaun of the Dead *
Aug 30 — Wicker Park *
Aug 31 — Suspect Zero *

Sep 1 — Resident Evil: Apocalypse *
Sep 2 — A Dirty Shame *
Sep 2 — Annie Hall
Sep 2 — Donnie Darko [2001 version]
Sep 3 — Imelda *
Sep 3 — Icarus XB-1 (Voyage to the End of the Universe) *
Sep 7 — The Motorcycle Diaries *
Sep 7 — The Simpsons [season 4, disc 1] *
Sep 7 — Dogville *
Sep 9 — The Simpsons [season 4, disc 2] *

Sep 9 — Let’s Get Frank *
Sep 9 — McDull, Prince de la Bun *
Sep 9 — Discordia / Unfinished Symphony: Democracy and Dissent *
Sep 9 — Howard Zinn: You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train *
Sep 10 — Garden State *
Sep 10 — The Simpsons [season 4, disc 3] *
Sep 11 — We Don’t Live Here Anymore *
Sep 12 — Cellular *
Sep 14 — The Simpsons [season 4, disc 4] *
Sep 15 — Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow *

Sep 16 — Relativity *
Sep 17 — In Your Hands *
Sep 17 — Firefly [disc 1] *
Sep 18 — Mr. 3000 *
Sep 18 — Wimbledon *
Sep 18 — Mean Creek *
Sep 20 — My Stepbrother Frankenstein *
Sep 20 — Victory Through Air Power
Sep 21 — Cold Light *
Sep 21 — Jesus Christ Superstar [w/ audio commentary]

Sep 22 — First Daughter *
Sep 22 — Home on the Range [w/ audio commentary]
Sep 22 — The Forgotten *
Sep 23 — The Story of the Weeping Camel *
Sep 23 — Baghdad Blogger / Salam Pax — Video Reports from Iraq *
Sep 24 — Fahrenheit 451 *
Sep 24 — The Machinist *
Sep 24 — Time of the Wolf *
Sep 24 — Dear Frankie *
Sep 24 — Incident at Loch Ness *

Sep 25 — A Hole in My Heart *
Sep 25 — Head in the Clouds *
Sep 25 — Primer *
Sep 26 — Campfire *
Sep 27 — Tintin and Me *
Sep 27 — Or (My Treasure) *
Sep 28 — 10 on Ten *
Sep 28 — Male Fantasy *
Sep 30 — Star Trek: Generations [w/ audio and text commentary]
Sep 30 — Star Wars [2004 version, w/ audio commentary]

Sep 30 — 20 Fingers *
Sep 30 — Clean *
Oct 1 — The Empire Strikes Back [2004 version, w/ audio commentary]
Oct 1 — The Five Obstructions *
Oct 2 — Return of the Jedi [2004 version, w/ audio commentary]
Oct 2 — The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess *
Oct 2 — Silver City *
Oct 3 — Shark Tale *
Oct 3 — Up and Down *
Oct 4 — Taxi [2004] *

Oct 4 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 1, disc 1]
Oct 4 — Ladder 49 *
Oct 4 — Terkel in Trouble *
Oct 6 — Aladdin [1992 Disney version, w/ text and directors’ audio commentary]
Oct 7 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 1, disc 2]
Oct 7 — George W. Bush: Faith in the White House *
Oct 9 — Team America: World Police *
Oct 11 — Intimate Strangers *
Oct 13 — The Final Cut *
Oct 13 — Vera Drake *

Oct 13 — Shall We Dance? [2004] *
Oct 14 — Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry *
Oct 15 — Saw *
Oct 18 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 1, disc 3]
Oct 18 — The Grudge *
Oct 20 — Alfie [2004] *
Oct 21 — Luther [2003] *
Oct 22 — Birth *
Oct 23 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 1, disc 4]
Oct 27 — Sideways *

Oct 27 — Ray *
Oct 28 — I [Heart] Huckabees *
Oct 29 — P.S. *
Nov 3 — Alfie [1966]
Nov 3 — Alfie [2004]
Nov 4 — Seven Brides for Seven Brothers [CinemaScope version, w/ audio commentary]
Nov 4 — Mulan [w/ audio commentary]
Nov 4 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 1, disc 5]
Nov 5 — A Very Long Engagement *
Nov 5 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 1, disc 6]

Nov 6 — The Polar Express *
Nov 6 — Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume 2 [disc 4]
Nov 7 — The Bourne Supremacy
Nov 7 — Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume 2 [disc 4, w/ audio commentary]
Nov 8 — After the Sunset *
Nov 9 — The Brown Bunny *
Nov 9 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 1, disc 7]
Nov 9 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 1, disc 8]
Nov 10 — Kinsey *
Nov 10 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 2, disc 1]

Nov 10 — Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason *
Nov 10 — The King of Kings [1928 version, w/ 1928 score]
Nov 11 — Finding Neverland *
Nov 11 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 2, disc 2]
Nov 12 — Immortal [2004] *
Nov 12 — The King of Kings [1928 version, w/ 2004 score]
Nov 12 — La Dolce Vita
Nov 13 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 2, disc 3]
Nov 13 — The King of Kings [1927 version] *
Nov 14 — Neighbours / Nobody Waved Good-Bye *

Nov 14 — The Street / Le chat dans le sac *
Nov 15 — Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume 2 [disc 1]
Nov 15 — National Treasure *
Nov 16 — Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume 2 [disc 1, w/ audio commentary]
Nov 17 — The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie *
Nov 18 — See Grace Fly
Nov 18 — Alexander the Great [1956] *
Nov 18 — The Take *
Nov 19 — The Trouble with Angels
Nov 20 — Martin Luther [1953]

Nov 20 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 2, disc 4]
Nov 20 — Vanity Fair *
Nov 20 — Luther [2003]
Nov 21 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 2, disc 5]
Nov 21 — Luther [1973]
Nov 22 — Alexander [2004] *
Nov 23 — Being Julia *
Nov 24 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 2, disc 6]
Nov 24 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 2, disc 7]
Nov 24 — Bright Leaves *

Nov 25 — Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume 2 [disc 3]
Nov 25 — Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume 2 [disc 3, w/ audio commentary]
Nov 25 — Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Nov 26 — Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume 2 [disc 2]
Nov 26 — Looney Tunes: Golden Collection Volume 2 [disc 2, w/ audio commentary]
Nov 27 — Christmas with the Kranks *
Nov 27 — The Snowman *
Nov 27 — I Am David *
Nov 28 — The Prince of Egypt
Nov 28 — Play It Again, Sam

Nov 28 — Shrek 2
Nov 29 — Closer *
Dec 2 — Enduring Love *
Dec 2 — Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War *
Dec 3 — Stander *
Dec 3 — De-Lovely [w/ director and actor audio commentary]
Dec 4 — Spider-Man 2 [w/ text and audio commentary]
Dec 6 — The Aviator *
Dec 6 — Bright Young Things *
Dec 7 — House of Flying Daggers *

Dec 8 — The Assassination of Richard Nixon *
Dec 8 — Ocean’s Twelve *
Dec 9 — What the Bleep Do We Know? *
Dec 9 — Mickey Mouse in Black & White Vol. 2 [disc 1] *
Dec 10 — White Noise *
Dec 11 — Mickey Mouse in Black & White Vol. 2 [disc 2] *
Dec 11 — The Complete Pluto Vol. 1 [disc 1] *
Dec 12 — Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events *
Dec 13 — The Complete Pluto Vol. 1 [disc 2] *
Dec 13 — The Leopard *

Dec 15 — Flight of the Phoenix [2004] *
Dec 15 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 3, disc 1]
Dec 15 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 3, disc 2]
Dec 15 — Machuca *
Dec 16 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 3, disc 3]
Dec 16 — Meet the Fockers *
Dec 17 — Racing Stripes *
Dec 19 — The Lord of the Rings: Extended Edition *
Dec 20 — Hotel Rwanda *
Dec 21 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 3, disc 4]

Dec 22 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 3, disc 5]
Dec 22 — Howard Shore: Creating the Lord of the Rings Sympony *
Dec 22 — Heaven’s Gate [restored director’s cut] *
Dec 23 — Scarface [1932] *
Dec 24 — Walking with Cavemen *
Dec 24 — The Phantom of the Opera [2004] *
Dec 26 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 3, disc 6]
Dec 26 — Mary Poppins [w/ text and audio commentary]
Dec 27 — Star Trek: The Original Series [season 3, disc 7]
Dec 28 — The Simpsons [season 5, disc 1] *

Dec 28 — The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou *
Dec 29 — The Simpsons [season 5, disc 2] *
Dec 29 — Spanglish *
Dec 30 — The Simpsons [season 5, disc 3] *
Dec 30 — Fat Albert *
Dec 30 — The Simpsons [season 5, disc 4] *

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