tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post3721274162471768925..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: How to make a 90 minute movie seem like three hoursBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-16479421359030091522016-09-16T05:48:53.126-07:002016-09-16T05:48:53.126-07:00I know you're busy with your play so maybe you...I know you're busy with your play so maybe you don't know...on Decades TV today, Dick Cavett interviews Larry Gelbart, David Lloyd and Pat McCormick, 5 am, 11 am, 5 pm and 11 pm, Pacific time. Boydnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18454872039113764202016-09-16T01:28:24.099-07:002016-09-16T01:28:24.099-07:00Regarding Pitch, it appears to be the real life Wh...Regarding Pitch, it appears to be the real life What if Aaron Sorkin wrote about baseball?<br /><br />Potential premise flaw that they claim is covered in the pilot- Guinness World Record for fastest pitch by a woman is 79 MPH. No pitcher would make a roster with that, except a very good knuckleballer.MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88318561249605919002016-09-15T23:41:55.175-07:002016-09-15T23:41:55.175-07:00My understanding is that Bill Murray has been tryi...My understanding is that Bill Murray has been trying to get a Bill Veeck biopic up and running for years now.<br />In recent years, as Murray's hair has receded and whitened and his face has gotten craggier, his resemblance to the real Veeck has become pronounced - makeup could be held to a minimum.<br />Of course, there's the business of Veeck's peg leg, but they're doing wonders with CGI these days ...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05527404061764217504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87806132414315396262016-09-15T23:23:38.797-07:002016-09-15T23:23:38.797-07:00Had the pleasure of joining the promoters after-sp...Had the pleasure of joining the promoters after-speech party for the Spaceman while a MLB playoff game (circa 1992) was shown on one of the first huuuge big screen tv's in town. Not only did Lee entertain us with Scully-level tales of baseball, the Universe and everything.....he called about 95% of what particular pitch was coming over about 3 innings, accompanied by the 4 different reasons WHY that was the pitch to throw in that situation.....TRULY amazin'!<br /><br />HOW could you make a dull movie about 'dis guy?DrBOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07179469265158025584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6216086059477686532016-09-15T19:55:14.532-07:002016-09-15T19:55:14.532-07:00I remember Flood trying a comeback with the Senato...I remember Flood trying a comeback with the Senators in 1971 (one of his teammates was Denny McLain, part of a trade with Detroit engineered by the late, and still unloved in D.C., Bob Short that helped the Tigers win the AL East in '72 with ex-Nats Aurelio Rodriguez and Ed Brinkman and helped kill baseball in Washington for more than one-third of a century). During the few weeks they were teammates -- Flood left in May -- they must've thought to themselves, "Look how far we've fallen in three years."VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21404707526154251572016-09-15T16:07:05.031-07:002016-09-15T16:07:05.031-07:00FRIDAY QUESTION or POST IDEA:
Do you know anythin...FRIDAY QUESTION or POST IDEA:<br /><br />Do you know anything about "Cheers Live on Stage?" Just saw a Facbook post about this, saw the promo video of the Cheers gang impersonators singing "Where Everybody Knows Your Name." It's starting this week in Chicago and moving all across the country, expect, of course, Los Angeles. What do you think about this Ken? Heres the link: Michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18172309345670362282016-09-15T15:44:19.045-07:002016-09-15T15:44:19.045-07:00@ Astroboy and VP81955:
When Cranston was mentio...@ Astroboy and VP81955: <br /><br />When Cranston was mentioned I flashed on his role as LBJ in All the Way - which is much closer to Veeck than Walter White in Breaking Bad or the Dad role in Malcolm in the Middle. <br /><br />Dixon Steele: interesting about the Ken/Kurt slip. <br /><br />And one more baseball bio-pic (or documentary) that should be made - Curt Flood, focusing of course on his lawsuit vs. MLB. Though he finally 'lost', that the SCOTUS chose to hear is case at all was a win. The reseve clause soon collapsed after that and MLB players ultimately got paid a "market rate" just as other entertainers do. <br /><br />For this reason I put Flood in a photo finish with Robinson. Robinson and Rickey broke the barrier for 15% of the talent pool. Flood broke it for essentially them and the other 85%. Jahn Ghaltnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32134673656882063682016-09-15T15:07:04.542-07:002016-09-15T15:07:04.542-07:00I almost always prefer to see a documentary tell a...I almost always prefer to see a documentary tell a real-life story rather than these bio-pic-ish movies. In a documentary most of these "steps" are absent. Telling a linear story in a documentary is preferable to me as the timeline helps to bring sense to the story. I sometimes wish some of the "posing" and other artificial aspects of documentaries didn't exist but understand they are there to "liven" things up. <br /><br />One exception was a documentary about Graham Chapman called "A Liar's Autobiography - The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman". That was visually arresting as well as heartily told. A great movie that makes fun of the bio-pic tropes is "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" that I found to be tremendous fun. Ralph C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12488657064245017543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4131527188475126282016-09-15T14:16:24.993-07:002016-09-15T14:16:24.993-07:00Cranston as Veeck? He could pull it off (look at h...Cranston as Veeck? He could pull it off (look at his superb work as LBJ), and he <i>loves</i> baseball. Last year, he was guest PA announcer for a game at Dodger Stadium and didn't merely announce the starting lineups as some celebs do, but worked several innings. He was quite good. (An actor as Dodgers PA guy? Somewhere, John Forsythe -- who held that role at Ebbets Field early in his career -- is smiling.)VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2023882850350268582016-09-15T12:51:22.095-07:002016-09-15T12:51:22.095-07:00VP81955 & Jahn Ghalt: Regarding a Bill Veeck ...VP81955 & Jahn Ghalt: Regarding a Bill Veeck film, I see Bryan Cranston as Veeck.Astroboynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35416908951620389972016-09-15T12:39:51.646-07:002016-09-15T12:39:51.646-07:00So they remade The Company Man?So they remade The Company Man?MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-605199514766387912016-09-15T12:38:34.168-07:002016-09-15T12:38:34.168-07:00Jahn,
You mean Kurt Russell the actor, not Ken, t...Jahn,<br /><br />You mean Kurt Russell the actor, not Ken, the (late) director.<br /><br />I once worked with the latter and strangely enough, you were not the first to make that error.Dixon Steelenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51404968224081077902016-09-15T10:20:46.725-07:002016-09-15T10:20:46.725-07:00Big thumbs up on Battered Bastards of Baseball.
...Big thumbs up on Battered Bastards of Baseball. <br /><br />This documentary is a big kick. I won't spoil it except to say that it features one, very famous, and two of lesser fame. <br /><br />Ken Russell - who played college ball - maybe a little in the minors. <br /><br />His dad, Bing Russell who had a long acting career - mostly TV and a few film Westerns. <br /><br />Jim Bouton, who wrote Ball Four - the best-selling sports book of all time. <br /><br />It's a fabulous idea to do a Bill Veeck bio-pic. Veeck is probably the most important "suit" in Baseball - more so than Branch Rickey who only beat Veeck to the punch by one year regards the MLB color line. <br /><br />(funny to call Veeck a "suit", since he refused to wear a tie)<br /><br />Veeck was such a colorful and innovative figure that the writers could play him "straight" (without any Hollywood BS) and make a very entertaining film.<br />Jahn Ghaltnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37951326569950151112016-09-15T10:06:14.941-07:002016-09-15T10:06:14.941-07:00Great heads up on Pitch next week - I'd like t...Great heads up on Pitch next week - I'd like to see a "before and after" review from Ken. <br /><br />Before - what would it take to make Pitch a good series - in other words, pitch 'Pitch'. <br /><br />After - a standard review. <br />Jahn Ghaltnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9188326464263311792016-09-15T09:18:59.776-07:002016-09-15T09:18:59.776-07:00FYI, Bill is on Montreal radio [in english, tsn690...FYI, Bill is on Montreal radio [in english, tsn690, listenable on the web] regularly throughout the baseball season, and i'm absolutely in love with his segments. fascinating guy.julianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12543622578318482038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77074625427225936562016-09-15T09:02:21.440-07:002016-09-15T09:02:21.440-07:00Hey Ken,
A little off subject but I NEED your rev...Hey Ken,<br /><br />A little off subject but I NEED your review on the new FOX show called "Pitch". It comes out next week. A female baseball player (a relief pitcher I think) It looks a little too far fetched -but because of your baseball & TV expertise I'd like to know what you think, --LLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30568434259189787512016-09-15T09:00:12.388-07:002016-09-15T09:00:12.388-07:00rockgolf: The three-plus-hour version of MAD WORLD...rockgolf: The three-plus-hour version of MAD WORLD was a video re-release. I know because I got it on (ancient) VHS. And as you pointed out it didn't do well although I for one think it's a very funny movie including the long version.VincentSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14739935939508396892016-09-15T08:51:02.525-07:002016-09-15T08:51:02.525-07:00Images. It's the images that get me. Another...Images. It's the images that get me. Another spit-take this morning. It happened when I read, "It's like doing a James Bond movie after he saves the world and he's in bed recovering from the flu for 90 minutes." I have an image of young Sean Connery in bed, alone, with a red nose honking into some Kleenex. :) God, you're good.Barefoot Billy Alohahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04586870309250699505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12518764368694588122016-09-15T08:48:54.736-07:002016-09-15T08:48:54.736-07:00Turns out it is hard to make a good movie. Even wi...Turns out it is hard to make a good movie. Even with great stars and a cubic yard of money, i.e. Independence Day 2. <br />blinkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04284135060900752329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80456788642676114302016-09-15T08:40:54.067-07:002016-09-15T08:40:54.067-07:00It's interesting to count how many of these ru...It's interesting to count how many of these rules <i>Sully</i> breaks.Danielnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59140024123933619732016-09-15T08:37:15.017-07:002016-09-15T08:37:15.017-07:00I interviewed Bill Lee in September 1979, when he ...I interviewed Bill Lee in September 1979, when he was with the Expos and suspended by Bowie Kuhn for some comments he made regarding marijuana. (Had he been 45 years later, he might've had a good career in MLB -- especially if he had been pitching for the Mariners or Rockies, if you catch my drift. Of course, to pitch half your games in Coors Field, it might help to partake of such substances.) He was fascinating, if seemingly a bit weird, and I'm sorry this film didn't capture that.<br /><br />Would love for someone to make a movie about Bill Veeck, perhaps setting it at old Comiskey Park in 1985, when he attended what would be his final ballgame (sitting in his beloved bleachers, of course!), chatting with fans about his life, with flashbacks to his days owning the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers, followed by the AL's Indians, Browns and White Sox (twice). I'm sure his son Mike Veeck could provide plenty of assistance. VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22711466372132278322016-09-15T08:32:12.718-07:002016-09-15T08:32:12.718-07:00When things were going bad for Bill Lee in Montrea...When things were going bad for Bill Lee in Montreal, I remember a conversation with friends about how Bill Veeck ought to sign him for the White Sox as both a pitcher and announcer. Harry Caray was doing play-by-play in those days. Imagine: "Here I go, Harry, into my windup..." Probably only get to do it once, if that, but Eddie Gaedel never even had an official at-bat and think of how unforgettable that was.Longtime caller, first-time listener in Chicagonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86414680655537768632016-09-15T08:31:42.240-07:002016-09-15T08:31:42.240-07:00Ken how many different unions are you in?Ken how many different unions are you in?Dave Kovariknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58437826648006308342016-09-15T07:25:05.504-07:002016-09-15T07:25:05.504-07:00Sounds like Snowden. I only wish it had been 90 m...Sounds like Snowden. I only wish it had been 90 minutes.Bryan from Seattle.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-11414966161466706082016-09-15T07:21:22.382-07:002016-09-15T07:21:22.382-07:00@VincentS: The full version of "It's A Ma...@VincentS: The full version of "It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" runs over 3 hours, but I don't know if it's been seen since the film was originally released in the week of the Kennedy assassination.<br /><br />Comedies are like sugar. Nice in small amounts. Headache inducing if you overdose.rockgolfnoreply@blogger.com