Listomania: Richard Linklater Edition

To celebrate that a spiffy brand new DVD of Linklater’s 1991 cult classic debut film SLACKER is now available as part of the Criterion collection, DAZED AND CONFUSED has just been re-released on DVD with some new special features as the “Flashback Edition,” and Linklater’s most recent film BEFORE SUNSET is also new out on DVD, I’ve decided to give the man his Film Babble Blog due.

So here it is, starting with:


Richard Linklater Filmography (and mini-guide to this post):

S: SLACKER (1991)

DAC: DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993)

BS: BEFORE SUNRISE (1995) 

SUB: SUBURBIA (1996)

NB: THE NEWTON BOYS (1998)

WL: WAKING LIFE (2001)
T: TAPE (2001) 

SOR: SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003)
BS II: BEFORE SUNSET (2004)


The Richard Linklater Repertory Company Role Call:

Julie Delpy: BS, WL, BSII 
Ethan Hawke: BS, NB, WL, T, BSII Adam Goldberg: DAC, BS, WL 
Charles Gunning: S, NB, & WL 
Nicky Katt: DAC, SUB 
Kim Krizan: S, DAC 
Richard Linklater: S, WL 
Michael McConaughey: DAC, NB 
Parker Posey: DAC, SUB 
Willie Wiggins: DAC, WL 


5 Great Lines From The Mouths Of Richard Linklater Characters:

1. “Withdrawing in disgust is not the same as apathy.” - This was written on a card handed to somebody in S (This line was quoted in R.E.M.’s “What's The Frequency Kenneth?” from their 1995 album “Monster.”

2. “George Washington was in a cult, and the cult was into aliens, man.” - Slater (Rory Cochrane, DAC)

3. “Your kids have all really touched me, and I'm pretty sure that I've touched them.” - Dewey Finn (Jack Black, SOR) (written by Mike White)

4. “Idealism is guilty middle-class bullshit.” - Jeff (Giovanni Ribisi, SUB)

5. “Did you ever have a job that you hated and worked real hard at? A long hard day of work. Finally you get to go home, get in bed, close your eyes. And immediately you wake up and realize that the whole day at work had been a dream. It's bad enough that you sell your life for minimum wage but now they get your dreams for free.” (Guy Forsyth, WL)

For the record: Film Babble Blog's Top 5 Richard Linklater Films:

1. BEFORE SUNRISE
2. DAZED AND CONFUSED

3. SLACKER
4. WAKING LIFE
5. BEFORE SUNSET


More later...

Another Summer Of Sequels & Remakes

“I don't take the movies seriously, and anyone who does is in for a headache.” - Bette Davis 

SEQUEL SEASON IS IN SESSION!

This summer no less than 80% of all releases are sequels to successes of summer’s past. Here’s some of the most notable: 

SPIDER-MAN 2 (Dir. Sam Raimi) Here's hoping that this sequel lives up to the promise of its kick-ass trailer.

SHREK 2 (Dirs. Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, & Conrad Vernon) Don't have hopes as high for this one.

THE PRINCESS DIARIES 2: ROYAL ENGAGEMENT (Dir. Gary Marshall) Yep, the world was dying for this one. 



BEFORE SUNSET (Dir. Richard Linklater) 

My Spidey-sense is tingling that this follow-up to BEFORE SUNRISE that re-unites Linklater with stars Ethan Hawke and Julia Delphy from the much loved 1995 indie might be the most worthwhile sequel of the summer. 

THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (Dir. Paul Greengrass) Apparently the BOURNE IDENTITY wasn't just one of the biggest box office hits of 2002, it was the most rented movie of 2003. So here's a sequel.



HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (Dir. Alfonso Cuarón)

AVP: ALIEN VS. THE PREDATOR (Dir. Paul W.S. Anderson)



EXORCIST : THE BEGINNING (Dir. Renny Harlin)



Most of the 20% of the remaining releases this summer are remakes of cult classics. The cream of the crop:



THE STEPFORD WIVES (Dir. Frank Oz)



THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (Dir. Jonathan Demme) Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep do their best to answer the question - remake the perfect classic - why? Doubt they'll have a convincing answer.



SOUL PLANE (Dir. Jessy Terrero ): AIRPLANE! with black people, that's the pitch. Seriously. Snoop Dog stars.

More later...