Tag Archives: Lynne Thigpen

1982 Films, Bill Murray, Charles Durning, Christine Ebersole, Comedy, Dabney Coleman, Doris Belack, Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, George Gaynes, Jessica Lange, Lynne Thigpen, Romantic Comedy, Satire, Sydney Pollack, Teri Garr

Tootsie-1982

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Tootsie-1982

Director Sydney Pollack

Starring Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr

Scott’s Review #1,449

Reviewed November 2, 2024

Grade: A

Dustin Hoffman is perfectly cast in the romantic comedy Tootsie (1982), a blockbuster hit from 1982 with much going on within its cinematic walls and a progressive-leaning slant.

Sydney Pollack directs and also has a supporting role in the film.

In addition to Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, and Charles Durning give all-star performances.

Tootsie is genuinely funny and a treat for anyone who has ever auditioned or been interested in the acting or theater professions. The popular soap opera or daytime drama genre features directors, producers, and actors intertwining.

Romance, drag, wacky setups, insecurities, and social commentary on gender inequality are analyzed making Tootsie more relevant than most romantic comedies and an unforgettable experience.

Hoffman plays New York actor Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman), a talented yet opinionated perfectionist unable to find work. His flustered agent (Pollack) sends him on a soap opera audition that goes poorly.

Michael decides to reinvent himself as actress Dorothy Michaels and wins the part. What was supposed to be a short-lived role turns into a long-term contract, but when Michael falls for his castmate Julie (Jessica Lange), complications develop.

Hoffman flawlessly merges with Dorothy, a feminist,  to make her a character the audience loves and champions. This is a risky assignment and could easily make the character a goof or not be taken seriously.

Not only does Hoffman look convincing in a dress, wig, heels, and a feminine southern accent, but he makes us forget he’s a man.

The hilarity of other characters not knowing Dorothy is Michael is there when a romantic quadrangle develops. Neurotic Sandy Lester (Garr) is in love with Michael while he is in love with Julie who thinks Michael is Dorothy. Finally, Julie’s father, Les (Durning) falls for Dorothy.

The New York setting works wonderfully as struggling actors, greedy agents, and temperamental directors co-exist on tense sets, over dinners, and at many schmoozy parties. This presents the grit of New York show business in the 1980s when the city was crime-infested and dangerous.

The hustle and bustle perfectly showcases the time.

Pollack and screenwriters, Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal, add satire to the soap opera, or as mentioned in the film, the politically correct, daytime drama, world.

The horny and inept longtime cast member, John Van Horn (George Gaynes) needs a teleprompter while the sexy ingenue April (Geena Davis) prances around in underwear. Hurried script rewrites and pages of dialogue to memorize makes the cast frazzled and rushed.

Tootsie takes an important though lighthearted approach to sexism but at least it’s recognized. Dorothy scolds her boss and director Ron (Coleman) for calling her demeaning nicknames like ‘Tootsie’ and treating Julie, who he’s casually dating, poorly.

Michael begins to realize that he doesn’t treat Sandy well either so he learns from his experience as a woman and being judged on beauty rather than anything else.

It forces the audience to realize this too. Tootsie was released in the early 1980s when women’s liberation was strong and more women were in the workplace so the message was timely.

The producer of the fictional soap opera is female which enhances the gender message brought across.

Still, the comedy takes center stage and the film isn’t a message movie. The funny moments feel fresh as the characters work their magic. Julie first assumes Dorothy is a lesbian when they nearly kiss and Sandy thinks Michael is having an affair with Dorothy which means he is having an affair with himself.

The antics go on and on and resemble the classic Some Like It Hot (1959) especially tender moments between Les and Dorothy.

Tootsie (1982) holds up well decades after release. Smart dialogue, witty sequences, and strong characters make it a timeless treasure to revisit often.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Sydney Pollack, Best Actor-Dustin Hoffman, Best Supporting Actress-Jessica Lange (won), Teri Garr, Best Screenplay-Written Directly for the Screen, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song-“It Might Be You”, Best Sound

1979 Films, Action, Lynne Thigpen, Thriller

The Warriors-1979

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The Warriors-1979

Director Walter Hill

Starring Michael Beck, Deborah Van Valkenburgh

Scott’s Review #1,383

Reviewed July 31, 2023

Grade: B+

The Warriors (1979) is an entertaining gang-themed action-thriller that is a perfect watch for a late Saturday night. Reportedly, it caused friction and outbreaks of fights in movie theaters when it was released but decades later doesn’t feel as dangerous as it might have upon release.

The film does terrific work with some art direction that melds live-action with colorful drawings of characters. This infuses an artistic experience and raises results way above dumb action flicks like Rambo (1982), Death Wish (1974), and countless others.

In perhaps a peculiar comparison, The Warriors reminds me a bit of Escape from New York by John Carpenter which came two years later. The isolated Manhattan streets and other areas with a post-apocalyptic feel merge the two films, in my mind anyway.

The film suffers a bit from a dated and obscure categorization and is not remembered as well as perhaps it should be. The acting isn’t terrific either but strangely this makes the experience a bit more raw and enjoyable.

After being wrongly accused of killing a charismatic gang leader named Cyrus, a Coney Island street gang known as the Warriors must hoof their way home which is miles from where the death occurred. They are pursued by both police and enemy gangs one of which framed them for Cyrus’s execution.

The ambiance and atmospheric qualities are the best aspects of the overall film. So many Big Apple treats can be found especially the infamous Central Park which takes center stage. The lavish and picturesque park wasn’t as safe and pristine in the late 1970s as in 2023 and the film uses this to its advantage.

Characters never know who or what might be lurking behind a bench or a tree. A particularly fun scene features a young Mercedes Ruehl being groped by a gang member only to be revealed to be a sexy policewoman who quickly puts the perp in handcuffs.

The other locales featured are plentiful and include Van Cortlandt Park, Union Square, 96th Street and Broadway, and Riverside Park. The beauty of this is that the action doesn’t include only Manhattan but other boroughs like the Bronx and Brooklyn showing the vastness of NYC.

The main romance is between Swan (Michael Beck) and Mercy played by Deborah Van Valkenburgh. The pair have a sliver of chemistry but I wasn’t watching the film for doey-eyed young people.

One scene was exceptionally done when the couple laid eyes on some well-dressed and upstanding teenagers on the subway who could easily be their doppelgangers.

Maybe them in another life? The forlorn look on the faces of Swan and Mercy reveals much as the couples all eye each other perhaps thinking the same thing.

Walter Hill directs the film and is well-versed in the action genre creating the popular film 48 Hours (1982). He paces and choreographs the action sequences so well that it’s as if the viewer is watching a dance routine occur.

The opening sequence gets the tone of the film out in the open as the storied Wonder Wheel on dusty Coney Island is on full display. Even the bright and windy shore feels gloomy and ominous as leather-clad gang members make it their turf.

The finale salutes the Warriors with a song, ‘In the City by Joe Walsh which I particularly enjoyed because it’s a great song.

Though unrealistic for the time, it’s nice to see gang members of different ethnicities team up together in diverse representation.

The film is a perfect watch for cinema fans thirsty for old New York City locales and greasy, dirty subway stations. Because the real Manhattan wasn’t too different from what The Warriors (1979) showcases.

1973 Films, Lynne Thigpen, Musical

Godspell-1973

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Godspell-1973

Director David Greene

Starring Victor Garber, Katie Hanley

Scott’s Review #23

549055

Reviewed June 17, 2014

Grade: C+

Although Godspell (1973) is a popular and legendary Broadway musical production, the film left me with very mixed reactions.

The positives for me are the songs- they are memorable, and they stay in your head for days to come.

My absolute favorite is “Day by Day”.

I also enjoy the cast travels throughout NYC as I love when films are set here.

For the first thirty minutes of the film, I did not like it at all.

There is no plot, but simply a group of college-aged people leaving their crummy jobs and celebrating Jesus as they aimlessly flitter about the city, with nobody else in sight, singing songs of savior and celebration.

Then I started to realize this is not a “message” movie or an attempt to convert people towards religion. Many devout Christians despise the film.

The film left me with questions.

Is it tongue-in-cheek or meant to be taken seriously?

By the end of the film, I simply took it for a fun musical with great songs. It offers nothing more, nothing less.