LEGENDARY PHOTOGRAPHER JIM MARSHALL PASSES AWAY AT 74

FROM ROLLING STONE

JIM MARSHALL, the photographer who captured some of rock & roll’s most unforgettable images – including photos of JIMI HENDRIX burning his guitar at Monterey Pop and JOHNNY CASH flipping the bird at San Quentin – died in his sleep last night in New York.

He was 74.

After starting as a professional photographer in 1959, JIM MARSHALL was given unparalleled access to rock’s biggest artists, including MILES DAVIS, BOB DYLAN, RAY CHARLES, THE WHO and THE ROLLING STONES.

He was the only photographer granted backstage access for THE BEATLES’ final full concert at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park in 1966. He also shot THE ROLLING STONES on their historic 1972 tour.

He developed special bonds with the artists he covered and those relationships helped him capture some of his most vivid and iconic imagery. In one of his last interviews, a chat with ROLLING STONE last October, he summed up his rapport with rock stars best when talking about JANIS JOPLIN.

“You could just call her at home and be like, ‘We have to take some pictures,’ and she’d say, ‘OK! Come over!’ She trusted me and knew I had her best interests at heart. I only wanted to make her look good.”

JIM MARSHALL was born in Chicago in 1936 and was raised in San Francisco. He purchased his first camera in high school and started documenting the artists and musicians in San Francisco’s burgeoning beat scene. After serving in the Air Force, he returned home, where he had a chance encounter with John Coltrane. When the jazz legend asked him for a lift, the photographer obliged. He returned the favour by allowing Mr. Marshall to shoot nine rolls of film.

Soon after, JIM MARSHALL moved to New York and was hired by ATLANTIC and COLUMBIA to shoot their artists at work in the studio, including BOB DYLAN and RAY CHARLES.

But when he returned to the San Francisco in the late Sixties he produced his most indelible work, taking hundreds of photographs of THE GRATEFUL DEAD, SANTANA, JANIS JOPLIN and JEFFERSON AIRPLANE.

He recalled one rare instance when he photographed an intensely intimate portrait of GRACE SLICK and JANIS — supposedly rivals at the time — at Ms. Slick’s home in 1967.

“All that shit about them being the fighting queen bees of rock & roll was bullshit,” he recalled.

“They got along really well but they had never been photographed together.”

Mr. Marshall continued to be prolific even late into his life. Most recently, he snapped portraits of everyone from LENNY KRAVITZ to VELVET REVOLVER.

He published five books, including 2009’s collection TRUST.

He had no children and was passionate about his work until the end.

“I have no kids. My photographs are my children.”

ROBIN WRIGHT MAKES BROADWAY DEBUT

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ROBIN WRIGHT and RICHARD SCHIFF will make their respective Broadway debuts next season in a revival of LANFORD WILSON’S PULITZER PRIZE winning TALLEY’S FOLLY.

Producers Phil Monat, T. Richard Fitzgerald and Randall L. Wreghitt announced Tuesday that the production will open in spring 2011 at a theatre to be announced.

ROBIN is best known for film roles in THE PRINCESS BRIDE and HURLYBURLY.

THE 80S STRIKE BACK

This article is authored by ERIC VILLENCY at THE HUFFINGTON POST

The 1980s were defined by teen angst, generational rifts, big hair and neon fashion.

Although many thought it was a time that would fade into obscurity, The Me Decade has roared back to influence music, film, television and style.

Yes…Seriously.

With the recent passing of icons like John Hughes and Corey Haim, the 80s are back in the spotlight.

It may have seemed trite at the time but movies like SIXTEEN CANDLES actually meant something to us. It was a decade that those who lived through couldn’t wait to forget.

It was also a decade that many thought we should forget.

But despite those misgivings the 80s have hung around and engendered affection from many people that weren’t even alive to experience it. Maybe the 80s have stuck in our minds because it was the last time the world made sense.

The Berlin Wall made a great backdrop for movies and espionage as opposed to being a photo op for the busloads of tourists who flock to it today. And of course, let’s not forget that whole Iron Curtain mystique. It really let you know where you stood in the world. Today all we have are things like TARP and terrorism.

We had our scandals. But they involved transshipments of weapons to Iran and Nicaragua, not inquisitions into sexual behavior. Travel was cool. You could board a plane without taking your shoes off, carrying a bottle of water in your hand and enough cologne to douse a high school prom.

We dressed for the occasion and if you wore your pajamas to the airport people looked at you like you were crazy. Other than Panama and Grenada, it was pretty peaceful. It was nice to take a break from large scale foreign wars. I guess the threat of war is way more pleasant then actually being in one.

Sushi became popular and we were utterly oblivious about how much mercury we were consuming. The stock market crashed but our banks and car companies didn’t. Eddie Murphy was funny. Miley Cyrus wasn’t even born.

Pirates were something you read about in books or saw on the side of a Raiders helmet as opposed to nowadays tuning into CNN and having mixed feelings that the French Navy is trying to bring Somali teenagers to justice. The Lire, Drachma and the Franc were still in circulation.

Dating took a bit of a hit, as there was some debate if you could catch AIDS from a toilet seat or kissing. And as most guys will attest – the turtlenecks, thick tights and leg warmers that women sported were not easily removed.

As for pop culture, the music was pretty damn good. Yeah come on, admit it. You crank the volume way up and rock out to the best 80s stuff when no one is looking.

MICHAEL JACKSON moonwalked, DURAN DURAN was HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF, U2 took us to a place WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME and CYNDI LAUPER showed us our TRUE COLORS.

The DeLorean may or may not have been a time machine, but it looked unbelievably awesome. We learned that DARTH VADER was LUKE SKYWALKER’S father.

(Some of us didn’t see that one coming.)

People actually watched live television, including the commercials. While there were only about 20 channels, it was the golden age of network sitcoms: we couldn’t get enough of the comedic family life of The Cosby Show and Family Ties. Miami Vice and Magnum PI were totally awesome.

But you know what? When I think about it, I believe the allure of the 1980s is the appeal of a simpler time and more easily relatable way of life. While we were relatively teched out (yes I know, the cell phones the size of field radios were not sexy), we were not always connected.

Sending a fax was a special event that seemed futuristic and we weren’t tethered to email. A first class postage stamp was in the range of 15 cents and people actually used them.

But how about the fact that record stores still existed? We used pay phones. You could hop a Concorde to London.

We weren’t entirely sure about that whole global warming thing. Magazines and newspapers made money and people really read them. Today my brain hurts from Twitter, TiVo and text messages.

Maybe it was because we seemed like we were moving forward. We followed through on things. We built upon the advances in space exploration from the 70s and the space shuttle, while not the most reliable vehicle, sure was a nice looking ride. The mere name alone made it seem as if space travel was just as easy as catching the crosstown bus.

We faced down consequences and weren’t afraid to take on the evil empire. We proposed space based weapons platforms. Of course, they may not have worked, but they sure as hell bankrupted our enemies.

Not doing it for you? Did I mention it was also the decade that gave us INDIANA JONES and E.T.?

THE RUNAWAYS **

There are films that mesmerize you and draw you in from the first few seconds.

Then there are movies like THE RUNAWAYS…

The 70s were gritty and harsh: lots of drugs, exploitative, potentially degrading sex and some of the ugliest fashion of the last one hundred years.

There’s decadence (which can be very hot) and then there’s behaviour that’s simply repulsive.

In the opening scene, CHERIE CURRIE (DAKOTA FANNING) and her sister MARIE (RILEY KEOUGH) rush to a public bathroom.

Marie has her period. It’s her first time. When they get back to the car, Marie’s much older scumbag boyfriend is waiting eagerly for them.

Cherie slips into the back seat. “Marie’s not wearing any underwear.”

The scuzzball reaches across to Marie and simultaneously starts caressing her sibling. “I hope that runs in the family.”

There are endless shots of dog poo in a trailer park. At one point, buckets of miscellaneous objects are thrown at the members of the band to toughen them up before they go on tour. Included are copious amounts of canine excrement.

The band’s manager bangs women while he’s talking to the girls on the phone.

BOOGIE NIGHTS took place during the same era. It was an exceptionally exhilarating alluring motion picture…and it was about porn.

Obviously, tone is everything.

THE RUNAWAYS charts the rise and inevitable fall of the eponymous hard core all girl rock band – the first of its kind. Formed in the mid 70s, they rose to a precarious level of fame only to come crashing down by the end of the decade.

Directed and written (appallingly) by FLORIA SIGISMONDI, an artist/photographer who has also helmed a number of music videos, this film possesses no Hollywood gloss. Instead it’s a falsely styled indie version of life in the fast lane.

CHERIE CURRIE is 15 in 1975. She’s a sophisticated arty teenager that longs for self expression.

JOAN JETT (KRISTEN STEWART) is a year older. She’s drawn to the guitar in an era where girls had yet to level the playing field.

She meets the reptilian KIM FOWLEY (MICHAEL SHANNON) at a club. He’s well known for putting bands together. He thinks Joan may have some unique potential.

It’s his idea to have a sexy Brigitte Bardot type as a lead singer. That’s where Cheri comes in. He introduces the girls and they get set for their tempestuous ride into oblivion.

At this point in a newly minted century, it seems particularly absurd that the band members being under age (with all the provocation that that entails) was actually viewed as a plus. People would be outraged now.

But those were different times…

Of course it all went straight to hell. It was simply inevitable. The girls were immersed in their first full blown flushes of sexual power. They were growing up in a wild spectacularly unfettered place and time. Fame was the ultimate drug. That turned out to be their undoing.

Mix in creepy older men, an incredible amount of pressure, (hormonalized) tensions within the band…and you have a savage implosion just waiting to unfold.

JOAN JETT, of course, got out unscathed and became a rock and roll legend. She had the strength, the drive and the talent to stay on course.

Despite its glaring problems, the film does have some interesting positives.

Stylistically, it rings true. The layered shag haircuts and Cherie’s heightened version of adolescent glamour – gold lame platform boots, black velvet outfits and sparkly blue eye make up – are exceptionally authentic.

There is some excellent acting.

MICHAEL SHANNON is not only menacing. He’s completely terrifying. Fowley is a manipulative monster. He’s one of the biggest tools in cinematic history. (Not in a complimentary sense, of course.)

But it takes a magnificent actor with great courage to play a pathetic creature in that particular manner.

KRISTEN STEWART eventually wins you over as the hard edged bad ass JOAN. Watching her is a blast.

The camera loves DAKOTA FANNING. She has charisma to burn and an astounding presence. When she breaks down at the end, it’s impossible not to feel for her.

But these three accomplished performers (as well as a highly intriguing RILEY KEOUGH) will easily rise above this mess.

In a few months, no one will even remember this flick. These actors will undoubtedly go on to better projects.

THE RUNAWAYS is almost a complete washout. There are a couple of good scenes towards the end that nearly make it palatable.

When the girls perform Cherry Bomb in front of a live audience, that has some actual heat to it.

There’s also an extended sequence where a wasted Cheri gets thrown out of a supermarket for attempting to purchase a bottle of vodka. She walks across a long stretch of California desert to eventually find a secluded phone booth. She calls her sister to pick her up, then has the meltdown of the decade when Marie refuses her request because she’s at work.

But it’s all too little too late.

The very best thing about THE RUNAWAYS is the poignant poetic classic VINCENT (STARRY STARRY NIGHT) by DON McLEAN, which is played intermittently throughout.

Nothing in this movie could ever compare to that splendid melancholy loveliness.

There’s pretentious BS…and then there’s just BS.

I think I need a shower.

ZAC POSEN: DESIGNING FOR TARGET

ZAC POSEN is the next limited edition designer for Target’s Go International series.

He’s a red carpet favourite of actors like KATE WINSLET, DEMI MOORE and DIANE KRUGER. He’ll be bringing his high fashion styles to most Target stores nationwide and on line at Target.com from APRIL 25 through MAY 30.

That’s a fabulous steal when you compare the prices for his regular collection that ranges from $900 to $12,000, with custom pieces starting at $20,000.

Runaways star DAKOTA FANNING is all ready wearing ZAC’S affordable fashions. Several days ago, DAKOTA turned up in New York wearing a tuxedo blazer from the ZAC POSEN FOR TARGET line that retails for $50.

ZAC POSEN isn’t a stranger to lower priced collections or designing for Target. The designer created a collection of red carpet gowns, short dresses and tailored pants for Australian Target stores for Fall 2008.

This spring, ZAC will be launching another lower price point collection (Z SPOKE) exclusively at SAKS FIFTH AVENUE – with the range going from $78 for a cotton T shirt to $675 for a knit dress.

GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT OF THINGS…

I am in a particularly awesome mood this Friday.

The sun is streaming through the window and I feel like I could conquer the world.

It’s been a very good week.

Last night I saw UP IN THE AIR for the eighth (and final) time. I don’t give a rat’s ass what anyone says. It’s definitely one of the best films of last year.

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, I went to a special screening of THE COMMITMENTS. Not only have I not seen it in a theatre before, but I had actually never had the acute pleasure of viewing it in its entirety.

I loved it so much that I dumped SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY off of my TOP 50 FILMS OF THE 90s list.

Granted, watching JULIA ROBERTS take down that wack job that she married is pretty damn delicious.

(And that was a long time coming too…)

THE COMMITMENTS was incredible fun. The music is bloody well amazing. So rest assured a wicked good time was had by all.

I swear that one day I’m going to sing in front of a massive audience and bring the house down.

What I really need is someone who plays the piano. I’d like to get some of that FABULOUS BAKER BOYS action going.

Mmmmm. I’m confident that it will all shake out exactly as I need it to. After all, the universe must conform to my standards.

Not the other way around.

To commemorate the weekend in grand Irish style, here’s a clip from THE COMMITMENTS. The song is TREAT HER RIGHT.

I’d like my male readers to listen closely to the words. All of them. That’s precisely the way it should be.

And you thought this site had no educational value…

Don’t smash too many chandeliers, kids. All that glass is a bitch to clean up.

I’ll swing by tomorrow. Be good now…

CINEMATIC PASSIONS’ TOP 20 MALE PERFORMANCES OF THE 80S

Here, at long last, are my Top 20 Male Performances of the 80s.

That’s the end of the lists until next year.

Next up: back to 2010…

20. JACK NICHOLSON – REDS

19. JOHN HURT – SCANDAL

18. JACK NICHOLSON – BATMAN

17. KEVIN KLINE – SOPHIE’S CHOICE

16. JEFF BRIDGES – THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS

15. ALBERT FINNEY – SHOOT THE MOON

14. MICHAEL CAINE – EDUCATING RITA

13. TOM CONTI – REUBEN, REUBEN

12. TREAT WILLIAMS – PRINCE OF THE CITY

11. ROBERT DE NIRO – THE KING OF COMEDY
10. JOHN MALKOVICH – DANGEROUS LIAISONS

9. KEVIN KLINE – A FISH CALLED WANDA

8. TIMOTHY HUTTON – ORDINARY PEOPLE

7. JAMES SPADER – SEX, LIES & VIDEOTAPE

6. ROBERT PRESTON – VICTOR/VICTORIA

5. PAUL NEWMAN – THE VERDICT


4. DUSTIN HOFFMAN – TOOTSIE

3. BOB HOSKINS – MONA LISA

2. PAUL NEWMAN – THE COLOR OF MONEY

1. DANIEL DAY LEWIS – MY LEFT FOOT

CINEMATIC PASSIONS’ TOP 30 FEMALE PERFORMANCES OF THE 80S

Here are my 30 Top Female Performances of the 80s.

Tomorrow the men go up and we permanently return to our regularly scheduled programming.

30. BARBARA HERSHEY – THE STUNT MAN

29. VIRGINIA MADSEN – SLAM DANCE

28. LOLITA DAVIDOVICH – BLAZE

27. JULIA ROBERTS – MYSTIC PIZZA

26. KIM BASINGER – THE NATURAL

25. SHIRLEY MacLAINE – TERMS OF ENDEARMENT

24. OLYMPIA DUKAKIS – MOONSTRUCK

23. DIANE KEATON – SHOOT THE MOON

22. JESSICA LANGE – CRIMES OF THE HEART

21. WHOOPI GOLDBERG – THE COLOR PURPLE

20. ANJELICA HUSTON – PRIZZI’S HONOR

19. LESLEY ANN WARREN – VICTOR/VICTORIA

18. JESSICA LANGE – TOOTSIE

17. LESLEY ANN WARREN – CHOOSE ME

16. MIRANDA RICHARDSON – DANCE WITH A STRANGER

15. GLENN CLOSE – DANGEROUS LIAISONS

14. DIANE KEATON – REDS

13. ISABELLE ADJANI – CAMILLE CLAUDEL

12. CATHY MORIARTY – RAGING BULL

11. MARY ELIZABETH MASTRANTONIO – THE COLOR OF MONEY

10. CHER – MOONSTRUCK

9. MERYL STREEP – OUT OF AFRICA

8. MICHELLE PFEIFFER – THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS

7. LENA OLIN – THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING

6. SUSAN SARANDON – BULL DURHAM

5. JESSICA LANGE – FRANCES

4. MERYL STREEP – THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT’S WOMAN

3. MERYL STREEP – SOPHIE’S CHOICE

2. MERYL STREEP – PLENTY

1. KATHLEEN TURNER – BODY HEAT

CINEMATIC PASSIONS’ TOP 50 FILMS OF THE 80S

And people wonder why I adore the 80s…

Just look at this list of my Top 50 films for the decade. It’s an absolute embarrassment of riches.

50. RICH & FAMOUS

49. FLASHDANCE

48. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS

47. SIXTEEN CANDLES

46. CROSSING DELANCEY

45. SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME

44. SLAM DANCE

43. MYSTIC PIZZA

42. ROMANCING THE STONE

41. STREETS OF FIRE

40. TEQUILA SUNRISE

39. DIE HARD

38. REUBEN, REUBEN

37. THE KING OF COMEDY

36. THE KILLING FIELDS

35. THE BIG EASY

34. AFTER HOURS

33. CAMILLE CLAUDEL

32. THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY

31. SHOOT THE MOON

30. 9 1/2 WEEKS

29. STORMY MONDAY

28. MY LEFT FOOT

27. THE RIGHT STUFF

26. PRIZZI’S HONOR

25. CHOOSE ME

24. MOONSTRUCK

23. A ROOM WITH A VIEW

22. REDS

21. THE NATURAL

20. PLENTY

19. THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT’S WOMAN

18. FRANCES

17. TESS

16. HANNAH & HER SISTERS

15. VICTOR/VICTORIA

14. THE COLOR OF MONEY

13. THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS

12. TOOTSIE

11. BATMAN

Here’s my Top 10, boys and girls…

10. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK



9. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK


8. SCANDAL


7. THE STUNT MAN

6. SEX, LIES & VIDEOTAPE

5. OUT OF AFRICA

4. DANGEROUS LIAISONS

3. THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING

2. MONA LISA


1. BODY HEAT

THEATRE OWNERS & STUDIOS IN CONFLICT OVER DVD WINDOW

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

All I can say is: they’d bloody well better get this resolved in an intelligent manner.

If a motion picture is snubbed by audiences and does not do well at the box office, nothing will save it. This has happened to many films that I’ve adored over time.

That’s just the way it is. Capitalism at its finest. Sink or swim. I can’t say I realistically have a problem with that.

But I don’t want them shortening the DVD window until it dwindles down to nothing. For people like me who love their home town cinemas and enjoy seeing their favourite movies multiple times, that would be a complete disaster.

Everything will eventually be released on DVD anyway. It’s important to have movies in theatres for a decent run.

It’s not so much to ask. Could we have a little consideration here?

DISNEY’S plan to quickly release the blockbuster ALICE IN WONDERLAND on DVD is sparking new heat in a debate between Hollywood studios and movie theatres over how quickly films move from the big screen to people’s living rooms.

Moviegoers will have the option of watching ALICE at home in about three months, worrying some theatre owners who fear that narrowing the gap between theatrical runs and DVD debuts will undermine ticket sales as some fans skip the cinema and wait for the DVD.

“A robust, exclusive theatrical window remains vital for the health of cinemas and the movie industry as a whole,” JOHN FITHIAN, president of THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THEATRE OWNERS, told members in a speech yesterday at their annual ShoWest convention.

Studios like short windows between theatrical and DVD releases because it speeds up their cash flow and allows them to pull in DVD business while films are fresh in audiences’ minds. Longer lags for DVDs also leave more time for movie pirates to sell counterfeit copies.

The issue is a key topic this week at ShoWest, where studios trot out stars, films and footage to promote upcoming releases.

The time window between theatrical and home video releases gradually shrank as studios cashed in on booming DVD sales starting in the late 90s. The average gap between big screen and DVD releases has held steady at about four months in recent years.

Now, cinema operators worry other studios might follow DISNEY’S lead, though the head of SONY PICTURES assured theatre owners that Hollywood is not aiming to squeeze them out in favour of DVD revenues.

“Showing films in theatres is what makes a movie a movie. It’s what makes stars stars. It’s what makes films famous. It’s what makes the public perk up and pay attention,” said MICHAEL LYNTON, SONY chair/CEO, in the ShoWest keynote address on Monday.

Theatre owners and studio executives say they are open to flexibility on DVD release patterns for some movies if it benefits both sides. Cinemas always beg Hollywood to release big movies in typically slow months at theatres rather than bunching up top hits during the busy seasons.

“You always have the issue of lots of movies coming in the summer – lots of movies coming in the holiday period – and so our members have been talking to distributors about getting movies into late winter, like Alice, trying to get movies into September. Places where we typically don’t have great movies,” JOHN FITHIAN told reporters on Tuesday.

But putting a potential blockbuster in theatres in September might mean shortening the time until the DVD release to three months or less so the film can be in stores for Christmas, which Mr. Fithian said theatre owners are open to discussing.

The huge business TIM BURTON and JOHNNY DEPP’S ALICE IN WONDERLAND did over normally slow March weekends might ease theatre owners’ worries. ALICE shot past $200 million domestically and $400 million worldwide after just two weekends.

With audiences now watching movies and other entertainment on portable devices such as laptop computers and cellphones, studios need to experiment with release patterns for new technology without undermining big screen business, SONY chief MICHAEL LYNTON commented.

“We do not want to open a new window in a way that closes yours,” he told told theatre owners.