David Mamet Directs Movie About Phil Spector Co-Starring Jeffrey Tambor

[nec13]

I'm sorry, but that Obama is a socialist, that the New Deal was a disaster, that NPR can appropriately be called "National Palestinian Radio," and that global warming is a hoax are very, very right-wing positions.  It doesn't matter whether the hard-right fringe is larger or louder than it used to be; these are still the property of the fringe. You seem to be making two separate arguments: That Mamet is just a contrarian asshole, and that "really right-wing" ideas only seem that way to liberals.  One is speculative but open to argument; the other is just sheer relativism.

That's an absurd assertion. Do these people even know the definition of Socialism? If anything, Obama is a corporatist, not a Socialist.

[Boogdish]

I heard that they weren't able to secure the rights to any of the songs for this and so it's all going to be sound alikes with titles like "I Like How You Like Me" "Be My Lady" "He's Rebellious" "You've Lost A Lovin' Feelin' " and "River Long, Mountain Large"

[fonpr]

I'm sorry, but that Obama is a socialist, that the New Deal was a disaster, that NPR can appropriately be called "National Palestinian Radio," and that global warming is a hoax are very, very right-wing positions.  It doesn't matter whether the hard-right fringe is larger or louder than it used to be; these are still the property of the fringe. You seem to be making two separate arguments: That Mamet is just a contrarian asshole, and that "really right-wing" ideas only seem that way to liberals.  One is speculative but open to argument; the other is just sheer relativism.

That's an absurd assertion. Do these people even know the definition of Socialism? If anything, Obama is a corporatist, not a Socialist.

Corporatists rubbing elbows with fascists.

Things are really that twisted.

If you don't laugh what do you do?

[buffcoat]

Sit back and smile, fredrixx.  All's vanity.



I started watching The Verdict tonight, written by none other than D. Mamet.  I'm sure it will be as accurate a primer on "the law" as GGR was on "business."

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Mamet has never really been all that liberal.

[buffcoat]

Mamet has never really been all that liberal.

A blind item in the Jersey City Ledger suggested that another, bearded playwright used to be a big fan of Al D'Amato.

[fonpr]

Sit back and smile, fredrixx.  All's vanity.

Ah.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Mamet has never really been all that liberal.

A blind item in the Jersey City Ledger suggested that another, bearded playwright used to be a big fan of Al D'Amato.

Just the single he cut with the Cro-Mags in 1991.

[crumbum]

Sit back and smile, fredrixx.  All's vanity.



I started watching The Verdict tonight, written by none other than D. Mamet.  I'm sure it will be as accurate a primer on "the law" as GGR was on "business."

I watched The Verdict a couple of weeks ago after hearing a lot of critics call it one of Lumet's best when he died. I was kind of stunned at how ham-fisted it was, and I couldn't help but wonder if the Mamet of today is ashamed of the ending he wrote. He should be.

[masterofsparks]

Sit back and smile, fredrixx.  All's vanity.



I started watching The Verdict tonight, written by none other than D. Mamet.  I'm sure it will be as accurate a primer on "the law" as GGR was on "business."

I watched The Verdict a couple of weeks ago after hearing a lot of critics call it one of Lumet's best
when he died. I was kind of stunned at how ham-fisted it was, and I couldn't help but wonder if the Mamet of today is ashamed of the ending he wrote. He should be.

I love The Verdict, but it's mostly my love for Paul Newman that guides my affection. I'm not sure why anyone should be ashamed of the ending, but maybe I'm not remembering something.

[crumbum]

I love The Verdict, but it's mostly my love for Paul Newman that guides my affection. I'm not sure why anyone should be ashamed of the ending, but maybe I'm not remembering something.

I felt the characters were drawn so broadly that the whole thing was laughable. The insanely corrupt judge blatantly siding against Newman, the transparently evil, all but mustache-twirling lead defense lawyer, the poor wholesome nurse who now teaches inner-city children. Like much of the rest of the movie, it all felt completely manipulative to me.

The reason I assume Mamet would retract the ending, though, has more to do with the fact that he has the jury find the doctor guilty despite being instructed by the court to disregard the only incriminating testimony there is. It's a 'brain-dead' fantasy of justice against the fat cats, and ironic given his comments on the Spector case.

[JonFromMaplewood]

Mamet has never really been all that liberal.

A blind item in the Jersey City Ledger suggested that another, bearded playwright used to be a big fan of Al D'Amato.

Just the single he cut with the Cro-Mags in 1991.

I just did a spit-take of Starbucks iced chai, possibly the most costly spit-take of my life.  Nice work, Grote & Buffcoat.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

It's an ear-splintering track about how tough it is to be a skinhead in a city of potholes.

[masterofsparks]

I love The Verdict, but it's mostly my love for Paul Newman that guides my affection. I'm not sure why anyone should be ashamed of the ending, but maybe I'm not remembering something.

I felt the characters were drawn so broadly that the whole thing was laughable. The insanely corrupt judge blatantly siding against Newman, the transparently evil, all but mustache-twirling lead defense lawyer, the poor wholesome nurse who now teaches inner-city children. Like much of the rest of the movie, it all felt completely manipulative to me.

I guess it never really occurred to me to be upset by those types of characters since they're pretty much archetypes of the genre in question. Complaining that the defense attorney in a courtroom thriller is too transparently evil is, to me, like complaining that the bad guy in an action movie is too transparently evil. It's sort of what you expect when you buy your ticket, so to speak. Of course there are examples of movies that subvert these sorts of genre conventions, but there are plenty of good movies that work within them.

[buffcoat]

It's an ear-splintering track about how tough it is to be a skinhead in a city of potholes.

A fascinating tune, somewhat marred by the nasty pidgin-Japanese accent that Al uses in the last verse -- which makes the band's turn towards Krishna even more remarkable.