Friday, eh

[cleolinda]

You know that saying (or possibly quotation, I don't know), "When you're bored, you're boring"? I feel very bored and boring and uninspired. But at the same time, I have this weird, tense feeling, like I'm supposed to be doing something (other than the things I already don't feel inspired to do). I just don't know what. It's like I'm waiting for something, almost.

Linkspam, including what will have to be a hugely controversial remake/casting decision:

Local news: Deputies subdue naked man who was claiming to be Jesus and George Bush.

Copycat Times Building Climber Just a Random Crazy.

Orphaned Baby Polar Bear "Talks" To His Zookeeper.

Commencement speaker J.K. Rowling not good enough for group of Harvard seniors. " 'I think we could have done better,' shrugged computer science major Kevin Bombino. He says Rowling lacks the gravitas a Harvard commencement speaker should have. 'You know, we're Harvard. We're like the most prominent national institution. And I think we should be entitled to … we should be able to get anyone. And in my opinion, we're settling here.' " The last paragraph is made of win, however.

I can't decide if the Burger King sniper ad is better or worse than the red light district ad.

Speaking of which: The Ultimate Star Wars Fan Directory? It's A Trap! I'm just saying, once you've seen the accompanying illustration, you will never, ever be able to unsee it. Possibly not work safe, either.

Entertainment Weekly: 'Buffy' academic conferences. Discuss.

Clint Eastwood Tells Off Spike Lee On Race; MTV EXCLUSIVE: Spike Lee Says ‘I’ll Take The Obama High Road’ In Clint Eastwood Argument; MSNBC Reporter Calls Spike Lee "Uppity." Oh... oh. Well. That turned ugly quick.

Images: 'Angels & Demons' Set Photos Online; 'House Bunny' Poster Explains How to Party; Exclusive [2nd] Poster: ‘Disaster Movie’ Because... The Simpsons was a disaster movie?

Clips and trailers: 'Watchmen' Video Journal #3 -- Man on Fire; Two New Videos From 'The Dark Knight' (behind the scenes); The 'Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa' Teaser.

trailer_spot: WALL•E, X-Files 2, Foot Fist Way, Hotel for Dogs, Dark Knight, Choke.

Watch 'The Dark Knight's' Harvey Dent Flip His Coin [Morning Spoilers].

Keira Knightley is 'My Fair Lady': "The new film will use the original songs of the much-loved Broadway show, and will not alter its 1912 setting, but Kenworthy and Mackintosh intend where possible to shoot the film on location in the original London settings of Covent Garden, Drury Lane, Tottenham Court Road, Wimpole Street, and Ascot racecourse. The filmmaking team will also look to adapt Alan Jay Lerner's book more fully for the screen by drawing additional material from Pygmalion--George Bernard Shaw's play that served as the source material for the musical -- in order to dramatize as believably as possible for present-day audiences the emotional highs and lows of Eliza Doolittle as she undergoes the ultimate makeover, transforming under the tutelage of Professor Henry Higgins from a Cockney flower girl to a lady."

Okay, BEFORE THE HOWLS OF OUTRAGE START, I have to say: if it is absolutely necessary that we remake this movie, I think Keira Knightley could actually handle it. Besides, everything goes through the Portman-Knightley- Johansson Triangle these days before anyone else is even considered, and of those three actresses, for this role? I think you want Knightley. Also, we know she can rock an iconic gown well enough.

Sexy Pink Transformer Obviously A Girl's Toy [Transformers 2]. "Perhaps now that there is a lady Transformer, the Autobots can make out on top of Shia LaBeouf?"

Sam Raimi Willing to Return for 'Spider-Man 4' and Beyond.

Diane Kruger Makes 'Run for Her Life.'

Master Of Male Danger Will Write 'Dune' Movie.

MPAA Nixes Kevin Smith's 'Porno' Teaser.

Very Positive 'Incredible Hulk' Reviews Start Pouring In. ...Huh.

Review: 'You Don't Mess With the Zohan,' which is "astonishingly, impressively, depressingly bad."

The Movie that "The Island" Ripped Off and Dumbed Down. Maybe this is just my MST3K love talking, but... the original was pretty dumb itself, wasn't it? Maybe they're just referring to the way that Parts' ending did not, in fact, pull any punches? Even so: the first hour of the MST3K version is one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life.

Enjoy These Complimentary Anal Beads, Courtesy Of Fox Searchlight's 'Choke.'

Comments

[bakednudel.livejournal.com]

re: My Fair Lady

If they are going to do it exactly like the Audrey Hepburn version, then they will presumably have an actual musical theatre singer to dub Keira's vocals.

Or can she sing? REALLY sing? Like, Julie Andrews sing.

I don't mind a remake, and I agree Keira's the best of that bunch, but...it's a friggin' MUSICAL and they need singers. Actors who can sing. Now if they want to put Ewan McGregor in...yeah! He'd be a pretty young Professor Higgins!

/rant

Sorry about that.

[bibsy.livejournal.com]

I always picture Higgins as youngish when I read Shaw's version. If they're aiming to mirror ygr originial more, a good choice would be Victor Garber.

[neveth.livejournal.com]

... But Parts:The Clonus HOrror was so BAD. I mean, laughably bad. I did watch the MST3K version, but still.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I KNOW!! I'm still confused as to how you could "dumb it down."

[naeelah.livejournal.com]

You know, we're Harvard. We're like the most prominent national institution. And I think we should be entitled to … we should be able to get anyone. And in my opinion, we're settling here.

OH DEAR GOD. Remind me of why I'm thinking of going Ivy League for grad school?

[kvschwartz.livejournal.com]

Because most people there aren't like that, but they wouldn't have had a story in the first place if they hadn't sought out a spoiled brat for a comment?

[erinya.livejournal.com]

Keira Knightley is 'My Fair Lady'

I know people will howl, like you say, but that got a "squee" from me. I loved the original, of course, but I also love Keira and while no one can be Audrey but Audrey, I think she'd be perfect for the part. I do agree with bakednudel, though--she should get a voice double. I'm tired of the beautiful actors with crappy voices doing musicals trend in Hollywood, much as I enjoyed "Sweeney." Let everyone do what they're good at.

[fengi.livejournal.com]

Harvey Danger has a different take on that line in their song Flagpole Sitta, which is an attack on hipster need to be cool and interesting: "hear the voices in my head/i swear to god it sounds like they're snoring/but if you're bored then you're boring/the agony and the irony, they're killing me"

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's right! I've always liked that song.

[lunylucy.livejournal.com]

Jo's speech was amazing. Perhaps people at Harvard aren't satisfied because she didn't grovel at their feet, and told them they should be grateful and responsible for the priviledged life that they have.

[heyorion.livejournal.com]

I totally agree. The speech actually brought a tear to my eye.

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

You know that saying (or possibly quotation, I don't know), "When you're bored, you're boring"?
Is it a saying? I only know it from that Harvey Danger song ("Flagpole Sitta").

Oh... oh. Well. That turned ugly quick.
Yeah, Clint isn't pulling any punches, is he? It's like "I'm old as shit, so fuck it, you guys."

Very Positive 'Incredible Hulk' Reviews Start Pouring In.
Oooh, nice.

I thought The Island was pretty neat, myself, even if it was really two movies smashed together.

[bluebren.livejournal.com]

I'd heard it as a saying before I heard the song, so yep. (Your parents never used it on you?)

[msilverstar]

ENTITLEMENT, THY NAME IS HARVARD. In so many words.

Why can't Hollywood stop eating its history? My Fair Lady is a fabulous movie. Leave it alone!

[skulkings.livejournal.com]

I remember when Cambridge or Oxford got Kermit the Frog and we had the J.K.R. debate with Muppets. That was back when Jim Henson was alive.

There were a lot of quotes from the actual graduating class on both sides for that one there, though.

[darth-snarky.livejournal.com]

Wait, they had the actual Muppets as commencement speakers? That is the best I've ever heard.

[youngcurmudgeon.livejournal.com]

You know, I really don't like My Fair Lady. Or Audrey Hepburn as an actress, really. But let me be the first to howl in outrage, because ... if you're going to remake musicals, can't you do so without resorting to this?

[tabbyclaw.livejournal.com]

You see? If all you remember in years to come is the 'gay wizard' joke, I've still come out ahead of Baroness Mary Warnock. Achievable goals: the first step towards personal improvement.

I love that woman.

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

Srsly.

So I think it fair to say that by any conventional measure, a mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale.

Hee, "epic fail."

[anolinde.livejournal.com]

I really don't get all the Keira hate. I really don't. She's talented, gorgeous, seems friendly, is pretty much all-around perfect. I'm thinking people are just jealous... that's the only thing I can come up with.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I adore her... but I know a lot of people don't. And I'm not saying she doesn't have weaknesses or failings or whatever--but she's so great about acknowledging them, IMO. I still love the POTC commentary with Jack Davenport where she bags on her many varied pouts.

[robyn-ma.livejournal.com]

Dr. Clive Owen will see you now (http://dr_clive_owen.livejournal.com).

/self-pimpage

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Heeeee.

[the_rainbow_jen]

Dude. "It's definitely the 'A' list, and I wouldn't ever associate J.K. Rowling with the people on that list," says senior Andy Vaz. "From the moment we walk through the gates of Harvard Yard, they constantly emphasize that we are the leaders of tomorrow. They should have picked a leader to speak at commencement. Not a children's writer. What does that say to the class of 2008? Are we the joke class?"

Because CLEARLY being a writer of books read around the globe, translated into every language known to man and being a more common household name than JESUS doesn't qualify her as a leader of tomorrow. WTFH.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Um. Isn't she, like, the richest woman in the world? Or at the very least, Britain? Who completely made her fortune/media empire from scratch and pulled herself up by her own bootstraps? Who did Entitled McWhinerson want?

[enid-keaner.livejournal.com]

As long as Emma Watson doesn't get much work, I'm fine with Keira being the go-to young British chick.

[kiandra-fire.livejournal.com]

I think the rumor of Keira Knightley getting the role is getting a bit out of hand. Most of the articles I read today didn't cite any sources for it being Keira Knightley, and the producer said they were talking to an international movie star, but no one named any names.

I'm rather wondering, as a result, whether this is just for reaction, because so many people know that a remake of My Fair Lady will get a reaction/some comments, especially if they say Brit It Girl Keira Knightley (whom not everyone likes (*sighs*) is going to be in it. The more reputable sources (such as the one you linked to) say only that she is "in talks" to star in it, not that she's gotten it.

Of course, you seem to keep your finger on the pulse far better than I do.

And I hate to say it, but I'll be seeing the remake no matter what. It's a favorite of mine, but I hope it doesn't make me cry. After The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, I don't know how much childhood I have left to murder.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

This is honestly the first I've heard of it, so I have no idea. A retraction wouldn't surprise me, honestly. At the same time, it seems extremely logical (minus, uh, the singing issue).

[nc-bookworm.livejournal.com]

Local news: Deputies subdue naked man who was claiming to be Jesus and George Bush.

*sings* One of these things is not like the other...

My Fair Lady

[rclementmoore.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm probably not the only one who loves that movie not because of Eliza, but for Rex Harrison's Henry Higgens. I think the 1964 version proved that you can make the movie with a boring Eliza, but Higgens has to be interesting. It would be better if she wasn't boring, of course. At least Knightly has a repertoire of pouts, whereas a lot of actresses only have one. :-)

The Shaw play (Pygmalion) is MUCH more political and cynical than My Fair Lady. Doolittle (Eliza's father) has pages and pages of dialogue about the middle class and morality. Also, Shaw was very insistent in his afterward that Eliza never went back to Higgens, and in fact married Freddy and lived out a boring middle class existence pretty much exactly as Higgens predicted in "I've Grown Accustomed to her Face." So I'm more leery of this claim they're going back to the source material than I am of anything else.

Re: My Fair Lady

[rclementmoore.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Higgins. I just had to give back my theatre nerd credentials.

[jaded-lady.livejournal.com]

OK -- see I loveee Keira and I could fully support this casting decision, however, I have a hard time picturing ANYONE being able to fill Rex Harrison's shoes, just because I loved him so darn much in the movie.

Someone in the comments mentioned Victor Gerber though, which I could kinda get behind.

[derangeddarling.livejournal.com]

I love your icon! I have been wanting one of that scene. Did you make it?

[drapette.livejournal.com]

Wow! I had completely forgotten about the horrific, anal bead-related climax (ahem) of "Choke" until I followed that link. That's going to be an interesting thing to see translated to film. And by "interesting," I mean "potentially traumatic."

[queenofattolia.livejournal.com]

All things considered, I think Knightley will be okay as Eliza. One must realize that Audrey Hepburn is only ONE Eliza out of several (Wendy Hiller did the first movie AND Julie Andrews originated the role on Broadway) AND that she didn't do her own singing in the '60s film, which apparently Knightley will do. Hepburn was NOT the definitive musical Eliza - Andrews was.

Anyway, I think the success of this remake will hinge on who they get to play Henry Higgins. My choices: Daniel Day-Lewis, Ralph Fiennes or, best of all, Hugh Laurie (who CAN sing, although he doesn't have to for this role). Remember, Higgins is a lot older than Eliza.

If they do use Shaw's original play as a template, I hope they keep the original, unsentimental ending (ie, Eliza leaves Higgins because he's a prick).

And please, for the love of God, no one say how much better the execrable Anne Hathaway would be in the role. To that hideous idea I must say what the waitress in the Green Midget Cafe so eloquently said: BLEARGH.

[roseredhoofbeat.livejournal.com]

OMG HUGH LAURIE WOULD BE WONDERFUL AS HIGGINS AND ROBERT SEAN LEONARD SHOULD PLAY PICKERING!!!

RSL is no where near old enough, but we can fake that! They can fake that! Can't they??

[wednesday]

YAY, ARCEE'S IN TRANSFORMERS 2!

Honestly, I have that toy (and multiple repaints of Universe Arcee) and it's only a girl toy in the sense that you need slender hands to deal with some of her frailer bits. She also looks pretty badass once you get the crossbow in place.

I'm more looking forward to Animated Arcee and/or Blackarachnia and/or flashbacky Elita-1.

[callmesyd.livejournal.com]

Arcee kicks ass. And if she and Blackarachnia get into the same movie, you know what that means.

Transformers femmeslash.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Omigod, the baby polar bear HAS A BUKKIT!1!! :D

[kismeteve.livejournal.com]

Besides, everything goes through the Portman-Knightley- Johansson Triangle these days before anyone else is even considered, and of those three actresses, for this role? I think you want Knightley.

I totally agree. I think she did pretty decently with "Blue Tahitian Moon (http://youtube.com/watch?v=PtAE5NadZSA")" in Edge of Love. She sounded kind of Andrews Sisters-y.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm probably going to get beat to a pulp by the musical theater lovers here, but I've heard very few original casts, and I usually come to a movie musical as a blank slate. As such, actors who act well and sing reasonably well are more important to me than really good singers. The Sweeney Todd movie was pretty much my idea of a perfect musical adaptation. You could argue that this is because I just don't know any better, but: there it is.

[this-quiet.livejournal.com]

I'm a fan of Audrey Hepburn, and Knightley, too, but I remember reading an article (I hate it when I remember an article but can't link to it because it's been so long ago) that when Knightley auditioned for the role of Christine from the Phantom of the Opera (I know, right?) her audition went like:

Keira: Guys, just to let you know, I can't sing.
Audition Guys: It's ok! Just let it rip! Anyone can sing!
Keira: *sings*
Audition Guys: ...you really can't sing, can't you?

So, I dunno. Probably it'll be dubbed, not that it's a crime. Or maybe the whole article I'm referring to is a pigment of my imagination, IDK.

[enid-keaner.livejournal.com]

She sung for The Edge of Love and she sounded pretty good. i think she did take lessons though.