Still more lazy thoughts from this one…

Thanks(giving) for a Movie Quiz

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Among his regular readers, blogger Dennis Cozzalio (he of the wonderfully titled Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule site… and that’s not him pictured above, btw) is well-regarded for his in-depth film knowledge and the thoughtful essays he gladly shares. The L.A.-stationed Mr. Cozzalio remains one of my long-time reads for the moving picture. But beyond that, his semi-regular movie quizzes remain the stuff of legend. For this November and the Thanksgiving weekend, he teed up another:

PROFESSOR BIRDMAN’S WING-FLAPPING, PLUMAGE-FLAUNTING, BEAK-BUSTING THANKSGIVING WEEKEND MOVIE QUIZ

Personally, I regard these as interview questions. But, that’s me. Anyone interested in film is invited to take part. You can paste the questions and craft your answers into Google’s sometime temperamental Blogger comment system in Dennis’ post. Been there, done that (thank you very much). Or, do as I’ve learned to do: post your answers on your own blog (if you have one) and leave a comment on his post with a link back to your answers. As Dennis encourages:

“A few words on procedure, as usual. When leaving your answers in the comments section below, please remember to cut and paste the questions and include them as part of your response. That way, those who will be examining your paper won’t have to constantly refer to this post to ground themselves in the context of your answers. (Of course, if you have a blog of your own and would like to answer your questions there, please post a link in the comments so we can see what you’ve come up with.)

So, without any further hesitation, it’s time to dust off your wings, pick up your sharpened number 2 and get flappin’. Professor Birdman, the podium is yours.”

So, on to the subject at hand:

1) Most obnoxious movie you’ve ever seen

Oh, M. Night Shyamalan may be back in my good graces due to the success of ‘Split’, but what brought my contempt to a head was this obnoxious and dreadful horror tale from 2008:

2) Favorite oddball pairing of actors

It’d have to be this gloriously odd pairing of Charles Grodin and Robert De Niro from the still criminally underappreciated Midnight Run (1988):

3) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Ken Russell?

What a great question! Hmm…let’s see what the great British film director could do with this ’70s sci-fi classic:

4) Emma Stone or Margot Robbie?

Would have to be the Aussie who is more than a pretty face and just keeps upping her game.

5) Which member of Monty Python are you?

“I’ll take Paul Lynde for the block.”

6) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Vincent Minnelli?

How about La La Land?

7) Franco Nero or Gian Maria Volonte?

Gotta be Franco.

8) Your favorite Japanese monster movie

Ishirô Honda‘s classic out the year of my birth, 1954, Gojira (aka Godzilla).

9) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Stanley Kubrick?

In a heartbeat.

10) Hanna Schygulla or Barbara Sukowa?

Linda Darnell for the block.

11) Name a critically admired movie that you hate

I’ll give you two for the price of one:

12) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Elia Kazan?

13) Better or worse: Disney comedies (1955-1975) or Elvis musicals?

I’ll go with Disney comedies (1955-1975) for better. Not to say there wasn’t some good things about the latter, but Elvis was ultimately ill-served by what the Colonel obligated him to do.

14) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Alfred Hitchcock?

Yeah, Hitchcock already did this one. So what? If he could redo The Man Who Knew Too Much…Hell, Howard Hawks remade Rio Bravo, twice in fact, Alfred could certainly do this one yet again and probably be at least as interesting.

15) Ryan Gosling or Channing Tatum?

I go back and forth between these two. At least this week, it’s Tatum.

16) Bad performance in a movie you otherwise like/love

This hard-to-watch, white-washed portrayal by Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Whenever I watch this classic with my favorite Hepburn, all I want to do is fast-forward any part with “Mr. Yunioshi.”

17) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Howard Hawks?

Would love to see my lovely Audrey in a “Hawksian Woman” portrayal care of this William Wyler classic re-do.

18) Tippi Hedren or Kim Novak?

As wonderful and underrated as Kim Novak is, at least she had a career. Would have to go with Tippi for what could have been, if not for Alfred Hitchcock.

19) Best crime movie remake

With a blog titled after a quote from this movie, has to be Michael Mann’s own remake of his too little seen and appreciated, L.A. Takedown. Just no way I’m not picking, Heat. I mean, really.

20) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Preston Sturges?

21) West Side Story (the movie), yes or no?

Yes, but primarily for Rita Moreno. Sadly, not for Natalie Wood.

22) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Luchino Visconti?

I’ll have to pass on this.

23) What was the last movie you saw, theatrically and/or on DVD/Blu-ray/streaming?

Theatrically: Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri
Blu-ray: Atomic Blonde
Streaming: Blade of the Immortal

24) Brewster McCloud or O.C. and Stiggs?

Brewster McCloud, natch (or didn’t you notice the lead image?).

25) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Luis Bunuel?

26) Best nature-in-revolt movie

Do we have a theme going?

27) Best Rene Auberjoinois performance (film or TV)

His “Odo” from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is hard to beat.

28) Which movie would you have paid to see remade by Ingmar Bergman?

29) Best movie with a bird or referencing a bird in its title?

See my answer to question 26.

30) Burt Lancaster or Michael Keaton?

Keaton is an accomplished actor who lifts all boats in whatever he’s in. Still, he’d have to continue to raise his game, broadening it to include producing and directing, to be on the same plateau with the athlete-turned-actor Burt Lancaster.

31) In what way have the recent avalanche of allegations unearthed in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal changed the way you look at movies and the artists who make them?

Not so much about cinema or the artists performances in them, but confirming what most suspected about Hollywood already, and what men in power are capable of.

32) In 2017 which is “better,” TV or the movies?

Think it pretty clear that TV/Cable are pushing more quality content than what the conservative studio executives are hoping will bring in box office receipts.

To see all of my answers to every SLIFR movie quiz I’ve participated in, click here.

19 Responses to “Thanks(giving) for a Movie Quiz”

  5. jackdeth72

    Great selection of questions. Michael and Sergio:

    #!: Otto Preminger’s ‘Hurry Sundown’. A film with a solid cast wasted in a steamy southern potboiler that is unintentionally and incredibly racist that wouldn’t be shown on Turner Classic Movies.

    #2:Don Ameche and Joe Mantegna in David Mamet’s ‘Things Change’.

    #3: I’d like to see Ken’s take on David Cronenberg’s ‘The Brood’.

    #4: Emma Stone. She hasn’t found her depth yet. want to see he hit bottom. Then work her way back up.

    #5: Eric idle.

    #6: ‘The Player’

    #7: Franco Nero

    #8: It’s got to be Godzy. With Raymond Burr. Though the original, ‘Gojira’ is far moodier and suspenseful.

    #9: Brian De Palma’s ‘Sisters’.

    #10: Barbara Stanwyck for The Win.

    #11: ‘The China Syndrome’: Stopped nuclear power in the US for no good reason!

    #12: ‘Conspiracy’ was a weak remake of the far better subtitled German film,’The Wannssee Conference’ from 1992…. Would like to see Elia Kazan try his hand at a remake of ‘The Contender’.

    #13: Disney comedies. Animated or live action. With Dick Van Dyke.

    #14: Peter Bogdanovich’s ‘Targets’.

    #15: Walton Goggins for the block.

    #16: Rob Schnieder in the 1995 version of ‘Judge Dredd’.

    #17: ‘Invasion Of The Body Snatchers’.

    #18: Tippi Herdren

    #19: ‘Heat’ was a remake of Michael Mann’s earlier Made For TV: ‘L.A. Takedown’.
    Which, in many instances is as good as his later big budget classic. Notable for the detectives use of a semi-auto 12 gauge shotgun built inside and oversized M-16 frame wielded by Richard Chavez.

    #20: ‘Jason & The Argonauts’.

    #21: ‘West Side Story’. Yes for ‘Officer Krupke and its syncopation.

    #22: ‘Roman Holiday’. For the scenery, romance and mood.

    #23: DVD; ‘Runaway’ from 1984. With Tom Selleck and Gene Simmons.

    #24: ‘Brewster McCloud’. Followed ‘O.C. & Stiggs’ through ‘The National Lampoon’ magazine.

    #25: ‘Milo & Otis’.

    #26: ‘Phase IV’ from 1974. With Nigel Davenport.

    #27: His ‘Dago Red’ from Altman’s ‘M*A*S*H’.

    #28: ‘How To Steal A Million’. With Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole.

    #29: ‘The Bird With The Crystal Plumage’.

    #30: Burt Lancaster…. Comparatively, Keaton is weak beer.

    #31: The Weinstein fiasco is going to hurt films. Especially in Middle America “Flyover States”. Who are sick of Hollywood getting films wrong. And will gladly stay home until the cesspool is cleaned out to their satisfaction.

    #32: Television. Because so many top line actors are shifting over there,

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. Three Rows Back

    Hey mate! Hope life is good. Been a long time out of the blogging game but am back now. Needed the time off if I’m honest. Great post as always with plenty to chew on and agree with!

    Liked by 1 person

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