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Animal House: The Inside Story (2008)
Adding to the ANIMAL HOUSE Inside Story
They interviewed some of the local Oregon cast of ANIMAL HOUSE, but missed a Landis regular cast member, Eliza Garrett (now Eliza Roberts), who played "Brunella At The Desk". The casting of Eliza came about because she'd starred in Landis' SCHLOCK as a teenager. John called her to play the role that Lisa Bauer played, but when Eliza informed him she was pregnant, he asked her instead to play the poncho'd Brunella. Even with 24 hour a day morning sickness, shooting AH was a blast, and now Eliza son, CBS Records recording artist Keaton Simons can claim to be the youngest member of the cast of ANIMAL HOUSE, having been an embryo in the movie. Eliza went on the continue acting, become a casting director and marry actor Eric Roberts.
Passions (1999)
The music of PASSIONS
That was Keaton Simons' song "Without Your Skin" that played during the montage when he sees they're getting married in the hospital room on the show that aired March 14, 2007. Keaton's other songs, "To Me" and I think "Currently" were used on the show before. I love his music. It's a great fit for the show also. If you do an Internet search on him, you find out he's Eric Roberts' stepson. And you can get his music through the internet. I wonder if they cut the scene to fit the song or vice-versa. When you stop to think, there is a lot of work that goes into all the musical transitions and music to set an emotional climate on a show.
The Barefoot Executive (1971)
The TV Set
It'll be fun to see how David Duchovny & Jake Kasdan's excellent new film "The TV Set" compares to this film of 35 years ago. Lila Garrett, Robert Butler & the others involved in "The Rating Game" aka "The Barefoot Executive" had done nothing but live through pilot hell for most of their careers. The people involved in "The TV Set" have jumped from pilot hell to feature hell and back enough times. And both sets of film makers manage to make us laugh and laugh a lot. Even the two casts are interchangeable. The cast of one would be equally brilliant in the other film. The intervening years teach us there's still great pain that goes along with the politics of television, and there is great talent.
Rize (2005)
Simply beautiful
It was already clear that dancing is a great substitute for self-hating activities like smoking, overeating or filling up an ex's voice mail. It should follow that dancing can replace hate itself. The makers of RIZE have given us an infinite gift demonstrating this. What a rare and beautiful way to spend two hours. It makes you want to turn to the person next to you, and just take care of them. The dancing and sheer creativity and heart in this movie are something to behold. There are stars born, and people to fall in love with. Keaton Simons & Morgan Simons let me know about Dave LaChapelle's photography years ago. The only way to describe the visuals in LaChapelle's videos and films is sheerly courageous. Don't just see RIZE. Live by it.
House of D (2004)
If you're not scared to, you'll love this movie
This story is about acceptance, and the coexistence of strengths and weaknesses that we all struggle to understand. The central character makes the best of an unfair hand he's dealt, and the basic character of this film is inspiring. The cleverness of the humor, the courageous use of the unabashedly implausible, gives us the lyricism of SESAME STREET or Hans Christian Anderson, with grit and passion. Zelda Williams (daughter of Robin), Frank Langella, Tea Leoni, Anton Yelchin, Erykah Badu, (the always great) Orlando Jones, David Duchovny and Robin Williams all bring us bar-raising performances. If you liked TERMS OF ENDEARMENT or A DOOR IN THE FLOOR, you'll love HOUSE OF D. The brilliant truth-bell ringing details are charming and plentiful. And it is a lovely, intimate gesture that the filmmaker shares a story that can only be believed in its meaning because it's in part a true story. It is very logical that someone might need to tell a story if they had spent a childhood and adolescence imagining the events behind the closed walls and tiny windows of a prison filled with women who've lost their way. And he passes this house of detention on the way to the realities behind the closed doors of his home. HOUSE OF D is like sitting down with an acquaintance, being touched and sometimes very amused by his secrets, and coming away loving him, embracing him and really rooting for him.