"ENTOURAGE" (2015) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "ENTOURAGE", the cinematic sequel of the HBO series that ran between 2004-2011. Written and directed by Doug Ellin, the movie starred Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara and Jeremy Piven:


"ENTOURAGE" (2015) Photo Gallery

"JERICHO" RETROSPECT: (1.06) "9:02"

"JERICHO" RETROSPECT: (1.06) "9:02"

This sixth episode of "JERICHO" picks up at the same moment where the previous episode, (1.05) "Federal Response"left off. In other words, (1.06) "9:02" started with the citizens of Jericho, Kansas witness the presence of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) soaring eastward over the town's skies, before the time period jumped another two weeks. 

Despite this exciting opening, I found myself wondering why the series' producers and screenwriter Nancy Won used"9:02" as the episode's title. I realized that it referred to the time in which the ICBMs sent an electromagnetic pulse that disrupted the electronic devices – cellphones, the Internet, television, radios, etc. - throughout the town. But what did it have to do with the episode's plot overall?

Come to think of it . . . aside from all electronic devices in Jericho not working (save one), what was "9:02" about? There seemed to be at least three subplots at work in this episode. One of them involved the town's citizens failed attempts to assume some form of normalcy, following the ICBMs' disruption of Jericho's electronic devices. Kids have been stealing from Gracie's Market. And so has a new character named Mitchell Cafferty, who happened to be an old friend from Jake Green's delinquent past. Cafferty’s thefts have put him in the path of Dale Turner, the young shop assistant who managed to stumble across a supply of food for the store. Cafferty has also been stealing horses from various farms and ranches outside of town. When Jake and his mother Gail visit the Green family ranch to feed their horses, the latter is nearly trampled, when Mitch and a fellow thief are in the middle of a heist. This sends Jake on the warpath to take down his former friend. Robert Hawkins becomes aware of the enmity between Jake and Mitch and decides to investigate the pair’s past relationship. 

Meanwhile, Stanley Richmond is approached by I.R.S. auditor Mimi Clark for room and board in exchange for her labor on his ranch. During their conversation, Stanley discovers worms that have infested his corn crop. He tries to acquire pesticide from merchant Gracie Leigh. But she is only willing to give Stanley insecticide in exchange for profit from half of his corn crop. Even worse for Stanley, Mayor Green is willing to help him get the insecticide if he is willing to share his corn with the town’s citizens. In the final subplot, Allison Hawkins discovers that her father Robert possesses the only electronic device that is still working. She also discovers that he has a map of the U.S. locations that were bombed . . . and a gun. When Allison confronts her father, he decides to tell her that he is a government agent who knew about the September attacks. He also decides to teach her how to shoot. Father and daughter eventually begin to grow close.

Many of these subplots proved to be interesting. And all of them proved to have an impact on the characters’ relationships, developments and the series’ main narrative. At first I had a hard time believing that the situation with Stanley Richmond’s corn crop had any future impact. But it did. One, Stanley’s desperation for the insecticide led Mimi to hire a few kids to steal it from Gracie’s Market. This act led to a visit to the Richmond farm by Deputy Bill Koehler, who reveals his aggressive nature for the first time in the series. This storyline also marked the first time both Stanley and Mimi display something other than hostility toward each other. And it exposed Gracie Leigh’s penchant for avarice, which proved to have an impact upon her character’s future development. Gracie and Dale’s encounters with Mitch Cafferty not only played a major role in their characters’ arc, it also revealed Jake’s past with the criminal. And this, in turned revealed how dangerous Jake could be – something that Robert Hawkins found very interesting. 

All of these subplots – Jake/Mitch Cafferty conflict, Dale/Mitch Cafferty conflict, Robert and Allison Hawkins’ relationship, and Stanley’s corn crop – end up having some kind of impact upon future story and character developments. The question remains . . . what did the episode’s title, which was an indication of when the ICBMs disrupted the town’s electronic devices, had to do with the plot? The lack of electronic devices seemed to have robbed Jericho’s citizens of a sense of normalcy, leading many of them to behave more irrationally or aggressive. But overall, the impact of no electricity seemed more like a metaphor of the disruption in the lives of the town’s citizens, instead of any real impact on the series’ overall narrative. And this is probably why I found the use of "9:02" as the episode’s title a bit weak.

However, "9:02" did provide some interesting moments in the series. The episode featured two interesting conversations – one between Robert and Allison and another between Stanley and Mimi. Both conversations changed the relationships of all involved. "9:02" also featured an exciting action scene in which Jake and his brother Eric had a violent encounter with Mitch that I found rather suspenseful. Not only did I find myself wondering if Jake and Eric would be able to arrest Mitch. I wondered how Jake would react once they made the arrest. Needless to say, I was not disappointed by how that encounter turned out. But my favorite sequence proved to be the montage in which Jericho’s citizens arrived at the Richmond farm to help Stanley save his corn crop. After Jake greeted Robert in the middle of the cornfield, the following exchange occurred between the Hawkins father/daughter duo:

Allison: [in reference to Jake] Is he a good man or a bad man?

Robert: Baby, there is no such thing.

In that one line, Robert Hawkins said more about humanity’s moral ambiguity than any other person – fictional or real – ever has.

Do not get me wrong. I enjoyed "9:02" a good deal. It was interesting to see how the ICBMs’ impact upon the town’s electronic devices affected the citizens. And the episode featured some very good performances, especially from Skeet Ulrich, Pamela Reed, Lennie James, Erik Knudsen, Jazz Raycole, Brad Beyer and Alicia Coppola. But if I must be honest, I wish that someone on the production staff for "JERICHO" had given this episode a better title. This sounds like a shallow criticism. But if one looked at the episode, the ICBMs’ impact upon the town seemed to have a minor impact upon the episode’s narrative, aside from the Robert and Allison Hawkins’ familial relationship.

"DANIEL DERONDA" (2002) Review

"DANIEL DERONDA" (2002) Review

With the exception of the 1994 miniseries, "MIDDLEMARCH", I am not that familiar with any movie or television adaptations of George Eliot's works. I finally decided to overlook my earlier lack of interest in Eliot's final novel, "Daniel Deronda" and watch the television version that aired back in 2002. 

This adaptation of Eliot's 1876 novel was set during the same decade of its publication, although the literary version was set a decade earlier - during the 1860s. Adapted by Andrew Davies and directed by Tom Hooper, "DANIEL DERONDA"contained two major plot arcs, united by the story's title character. In fact, Davies followed Eliot's narrative structure by starting its tale mid-way. The miniseries began in the fictional town of Leubronn, Germany with the meeting of Daniel Deronda, the ward of a wealthy landowner; and the oldest daughter of an impoverished, yet respectable family, Gwendolen Harleth. The two meet inside a casino, where Gwendolen manages to lose a good deal of money at roulette. When she learns that her family has become financially ruined, Gwendolen pawns her necklace and considers another round of gambling to make her fortune. However, Daniel, who became attracted to her, redeemed the necklace for her. The story then flashes back several months to the pair's back stories.

Following the death of her stepfather, Gwendolen and her family moves to a new neighborhood, where she meets Henleigh Mallinger Grandcourt, a taciturn and calculating man who proposes marriage safter their first meeting. Although originally tempted to be courted by Grandcourt, Gwendolen eventually flees to Germany after learning about Grandcourt's mistress, Lydia Glasher and their children. Meanwhile, Daniel is in the process of wondering what to do with his life, when he prevents a beautiful Jewish singer named Milah Lapidoth from committing suicide. Kidnapped by her father as a child and forced into an acting troupe, Milah finally fled from him when she discovered his plans to sell her into prostitution. Daniel undertakes to help Milah find her mother and brother in London's Jewish community before he departs for Germany with his guardian, Sir Hugo Mallinger. Although Daniel and Gwendolen are attracted to each other, she eventually marries the emotionally abusive Grandcourt out of desperation, and he continues his search for Milah's family and becomes further acquainted with London's Jewish community. Because Grandcourt is Sir Hugo's heir presumptive, Daniel and Gwendolen's paths cross on several occasions.

There are times when I find myself wondering if there is any true description of Eliot's tale. On one hand, it seemed to be an exploration of Jewish culture through the eyes of the Daniel Deronda character. On the other hand, it seemed like an exploration of an abusive marriage between a previously spoiled young woman who finds herself out of her depth and a cold and manipulative man. Most critics and viewers seemed more interested in the plotline regarding Gwendolen's marriage to Henleigh Grandcourt. At the same time, these same critics and viewers have criticized Eliot's exploration of Jewish culture through Daniel's eyes, judging it as dull and a millstone around the production's neck. When I first saw"DANIEL DERONDA", I had felt the same. But after this second viewing, I am not so sure if I would completely agree with them.

Do not get me wrong. I thought Andrew Davies, Tom Hopper and the cast did an excellent job of translating Gwendolen's story arc to the screen. I was especially transfixed in watching how the arrogant and spoiled found herself drawn into a marriage with a controlling and sadistic man like Henleigh Grandcourt. However by the first half of Episode Three, I found myself growing rather weary of watching Hugh Bonneville stare icily into the camera, while Romola Garai trembled before him. Only Gwendolen's pathetic attempts to rattle her husband and Grandcourt's jealousy of Daniel provided any relief from the constant mental sadism between the pair. In contrast, Daniel's interest in Milah, her Jewish ancestry and especially his confusion over his own identity struck me as surprisingly interesting. I also found the conflict between Daniel's growing interest in Judaism and his godfather's determination to mold him into an "English gentleman" also fascinating. When I first saw "DANIEL DERONDA", I thought it could have benefited from a fourth episode. Or . . . the producers could have stretched the second and third episodes to at least 75 or 90 minutes each. But you know what? Upon my second viewing, I realized I had no problems with the production's running time. Besides, I do not think I could have endured another episode of the Grandcourts' marriage. 

I have to give George Eliot for creating an interesting novel about self-discovery . . . especially for the two main characters, Daniel Deronda and Gwendolen Harleth. And I want to also credit screenwriter Andrew Davies for his first-rate translation of Eliot's novel to the television screen. I would not say that Davies' work was perfect, but then neither was Eliot's novel. I have to praise both the novelist and the screenwriter for effectively conveying Daniel's confusion over his own identity and his fascination toward a new culture and how both will eventually converge as one by the end of the story. Although Gwendolen plays a part in Daniel's inner culture clash, she has her own struggles. I do not simply refer to her struggles to endure Grandcourt's emotional control over her. I also refer to Gwendolen's moral conflict - one in which she had earlier lost when she had agreed to marry Grandcourt. But a trip to Italy will eventually give her a second chance to resolve her conflict. On the other hand, I do have some quibbles about Davies' screenplay. Daniel was not the only character who had developed feelings for Milah. So did his close friend, Hans Meyrick. Unfortunately, Davies' screenplay did little to explore Hans' feelings for Milah and toward her relationship with Daniel. Speaking of Milah, I could not help but feel fascinated by her backstory regarding her relationship with her father. In many ways, it struck me as a lot more traumatic than Gwendolen's marriage to Grandcourt. A part of me wishes that Eliot had explored this part of Milah's life in her novel. Speaking of Milah, Episode Two ended on an interesting note in which she finally became aware of the emotional connection between Daniel and Gwendolen. And yet, the story never followed through on this emotional and character development. Which I feel is a damn shame.

Some fans and critics have expressed regret that Daniel ends up marrying Milah, instead of Gwendolen. After all, Eliot allowed two other characters to form a mixed marriage - the Jewish musician Herr Klesmer and one of Gwendolen's friends, Catherine Arrowpoint. Surely, she could have allowed Daniel and Gwendolen to marry. I do believe that they had a point. I feel that Daniel and Gwendolen would have made emotionally satisfying partners for each other. But if I must be honest, I can say the same about Daniel and Milah. I believe the two women represented choices in lifestyles for Daniel. Gwendolen represented the lifestyle that both Sir Hugo and Daniel's mother wanted him to pursue - namely that of an upper-class English gentleman. Milah represented a lifestyle closer to his true self. In the end, Eliot wanted Daniel to choose his "true self".

I cannot deny that the production values for "DANIEL DERONDA" struck me as outstanding. Don Taylor's production designs for the miniseries did a beautiful job in re-creating Victorian England and Europe during the 1870s. The crew who helped him bring this era to life also did exceptional jobs, especially art director Grant Montgomery and set decorator Nicola Barnes. However, there were technical aspects that truly stood out. Simon Starling's colorful and sharp photography of Great Britain and Malta (which served as Italy) truly took my breath away. I could also say the same for Caroline Noble, who did an excellent job of re-creating the hairstyles of the early and mid-1870s. As for Mike O'Neill's costume designs for the production . . . in some cases, pictures can speak louder than words:

 

Truly outstanding and beautiful. I was especially impressed by Romola Garai's wardrobe.

"DANIEL DERONDA" also featured a good deal of outstanding performances. If I must be honest, I cannot find a single performance that struck me as below par or even mediocre. The miniseries featured solid performances from the likes of Celia Imrie, Anna Popplewell, Anna Steel, Jamie Bamber and Daniel Marks. "DANIEL DERONDA" also included some interested supporting performances, especially Allan Corduner's skillful portrayal of the blunt-speaking musician Herr Klesmer; David Bamber as Grandcourt's slimy sycophant, Lush; Edward Fox as Sir Hugo Mallinger, Daniel's loving benefactor; Amanda Root's interesting portrayal of Gwendolen's rather timid mother; Daniel Evan's intense performance as Miriam's long lost brother; and Greta Scacchi's very complex portrayal of Grandcourt's former mistress, Lydia Glasher.

Superficially, the character of Miriam Lapidoth seemed like the type that would usually bore me - the "nice girl" with whom the hero usually ended. But actress Jodhi May projected a great deal of depth in her portrayal of Miriam, reflecting the character's haunted past in a very subtle and skillful manner. Barbara Hershey more or less made a cameo appearance in"DANIEL DERONDA" that lasted a good five to ten minutes. However, being an excellent actress, Hershey gave a superb performance as Daniel's long lost mother, a former opera singer named Contessa Maria Alcharisi, who gave him up to Sir Hugo in order to pursue a singing career. Perhaps I should have been horrified by her decision to give up motherhood for a career. But Hershey beautifully conveyed the contessa's frustration over her father's determination that she adhere to society's rules by limiting her life to being a wife and mother. And I found myself sympathizing her situation.

Like Miriam Lapidoth, the Daniel Deronda character seemed like the type of character I would find boring. Superficially, he seemed too upright and not particularly complex. However, I was surprised and very pleased by how Hugh Dancy injected a great deal of complexity in his portrayal of Daniel. He did an effective job in portraying Daniel's conflict between the lifestyle both Sir Hugo and his mother had mapped out for him and the one represented by Miriam, her brother Mordecai, and their friends, the Cohens. Romola Garai was equally superb as the complex Gwendolen Harleth. She did such an excellent job in conveying Gwendolen's growth from a spoiled and ambitious young woman, to the matured and more compassionate woman who had survived an emotionally traumatic marriage that I cannot help but wonder how she failed to earn an action nomination, let alone award, for her performance. Hugh Bonneville also gave an excellent job as Gwendolen's emotionally abusive husband, Henleigh Grandcourt. I read somewhere that the role helped Bonneville break out of his usual staple of good-natured buffoons that he had portrayed in movies like 1999's "MANSFIELD PARK" and"NOTTING HILL". I can see how. I found his Grandcourt rather chilly and intimidating.

"DANIEL DERONDA" may have a few flaws. But overall, it is a prime example of the British period dramas at its zenith during the fifteen-year period between 1995 and 2010. It is a superb production and adaptation of George Eliot's novel, thanks to Tom Hooper's direction, Andrew Davies' writing, the excellent work by its crew and the first-rate cast led by Hugh Dancy and Romola Garai. It is something not to be missed.

"BROKEN LANCE" (1954) Photo Gallery

Below are images from the 1954 Western, "BROKEN LANCE". Directed by Edward Dmytryk, the movie starred Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Jean Peters and Richard Widmark: 


"BROKEN LANCE" (1954) Photo Gallery

Top Ten Favorite Movies Set in the 1890s

Below is my current list of favorite movies set in the 1890s: 


TOP TEN FAVORITE MOVIES SET IN THE 1890s



1. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" (2011) - Guy Ritchie directed this excellent sequel to his 2009 hit, in which Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson confront their most dangerous adversary, Professor James Moriarty. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law starred.





2. "Hello Dolly!" (1969) - Barbra Streisand and Walter Matthau starred in this entertaining adaptation of David Merrick's 1964 play about a New York City matchmaker hired to find a wife for a wealthy Yonkers businessman. Gene Kelly directed.





3. "King Solomon’s Mines" (1950) - Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr and Richard Carlson starred in this satisfying Oscar nominated adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel about the search for a missing fortune hunter in late 19th century East Africa. Compton Bennett and Andrew Marton directed.





4. "Sherlock Holmes" (2009) - Guy Ritchie directed this 2009 hit about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson's investigation of a series of murders connected to occult rituals. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law starred.





5. "Hidalgo" (2004) - Viggo Mortensen and Omar Sharif starred in Disney's fictionalized, but entertaining account of long-distance rider Frank Hopkins' participation in the Middle Eastern race "Ocean of Fire". Joe Johnston directed.





6. "The Harvey Girls" (1946) - Judy Garland starred in this dazzling musical about the famous Harvey House waitresses of the late 19th century. Directed by George Sidney, the movie co-starred John Hodiak, Ray Bolger and Angela Landsbury.



 

7. "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book" (1994) - Stephen Sommers directed this colorful adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's 1894 collection of short stories about a human boy raised by animals in India's jungles. Jason Scott Lee, Cary Elwes and Lena Headey starred.





8. "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (2003) - Sean Connery starred in this adaptation of Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's first volume of his 1999-2000 comic book series about 19th century fictional characters who team up to investigate a series of terrorist attacks that threaten to lead Europe into a world war. Stephen Norrington directed.





9. "The Prestige" (2006) - Christopher Nolan directed this fascinating adaptation of Christopher Priest's 1995 novel about rival magicians in late Victorian England. Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman and Michael Caine starred.





10. "An Ideal Husband" (1999) - Oliver Parker directed this charming adaptation of Oscar Wilde's 1895 stage play about a British government minister being blackmailed over a past misdeed. Rupert Everett, Jeremy Northam, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore and Minnie Driver starred.





Honorable Mention: "The Four Feathers" (1939) - Alexander Korda produced and Zoltan Korda directed this colorful adaptation of A.E.W. Mason's 1902 novel about a recently resigned British officer accused of cowardice. John Clements, June Duprez and Ralph Richardson starred.