Claire is...: diamonds

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Thursday, 22 November 2018

BOOK 193: NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH: JAMES HADLEY CHASE

The novel was influenced by the American crime writer James M. Cain and the stories in the pulp magazine Black Mask. Chase reportedly wrote the book as a bet to out-do The Postman Always Rings Twice.

No Orchids for Miss Blandish provoked considerable controversy because of its explicit depiction of sexuality and violence. The novel was a great critical success and was included in the Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century.

In 1942, the novel was adapted into a stage play which ran for over 200 performances at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.[4] Robert Newton starred. In 1948, it was adapted into a British film No Orchids for Miss Blandish and given a contemporary New York City setting. The 1971 American film The Grissom Gangwas also based on the novel, moving the setting of events back several years to 1931 Kansas City.

In 1944, it was also the subject of an essay by George Orwell, Raffles and Miss Blandish, and parodied by Raymond Queneau in We Always Treat Women Too Well. In 1962 the novel was extensively rewritten and rearranged by the author because he thought the world of 1939 too distant for a new generation of readers. (Confusion can result if readers of the Orwell essay refer his quotations and references to the 1962 edition.)

( Information from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Orchids_for_Miss_Blandish_(novel) )

Sunday, 28 October 2018

FILM 1857: OCEAN'S EIGHT

TRIVIA: Debbie Ocean speaks German as part of her cover. Sandra Bullock spent most of her childhood in Nuremberg, Germany and is fluent in the language. She holds dual citizenship in both Germany and the United States.

Anne Hathaway replaced Jennifer Lawrence in this film, while Lawrence replaced Hathaway in Silver Linings Playbook (2012).

This film opens in the same way as Ocean's Eleven (2001), with an Ocean being asked what they will do when they leave prison during their parole hearing.

The eight main cast has won four Oscars, two Emmys, nine Grammys, six Golden Globes, five BAFTAs, and 10 SAGs combined.

The music that was playing as the team enter the Met Gala, "Lara's Theme" (Somewhere, my Love), was also the music that Sandra Bullock's character, Gracie Lou Freebush, plays on the water glasses in Miss Congeniality (2000).

Sunday, 19 August 2018

FILM 1818: CONGO

TRIVIA: Ernie Hudson stated that playing the character "Captain Munro Kelly" is his personal favorite from his career.

Director Frank Marshall originally intended to use the computer work pioneered on Jurassic Park (1993) for the gorillas, but opted for models as the computers weren't capable of reproducing hair.

Bruce Campbell auditioned for the role of Dr. Peter Elliot. He was given the small part of Charles Travis instead.

The part of the 727 pilot was played by musician and pop icon Jimmy Buffett.

Hugh Grant and Robin Wright both declined leading roles

Sunday, 7 May 2017

FILM 1641: THE LEGEND OF TARZAN

TRIVIA: Alexander Skarsgård said that one of the main reasons he took this role was to impress his father Stellan Skarsgård. He said, "My dad is a massive Tarzan fan. Growing up, we had these VHS cassettes of the Johnny Weissmuller films, and that was my introduction to the character. But those films are seventy years old, and so much time has passed, that I think mine is a fresh take. I'll never compete with Johnny Weissmuller, but I just wanted to impress my father. He was thrilled; he was more excited than I was."

In the scene where Jane and Captain Rom are eating dinner, she crosses her fork and knife. The Captain rings the bell, and tells the servant Lady Clayton is finished. After she leaves, he places her knife and fork beside each other. In formal dining, when people cross their silverware, it means they did not enjoy the meal. When they are placed next to each other, it means they are finished.

Alexander Skarsgård's first cheat meal occurred more than five months into his training. Skarsgård had been on a very strict diet for five straight months, avoiding any fat completely, as he was in the process of developing an eight-pack. He said, "It was a Sunday, and we were training hard in the gym, and my trainer saw that my will to live was fading. He told me to put down the weights and he took me to lunch. That day he let me order whatever I wanted. I got to eat pizza, pasta, tiramisu. I get emotional just talking about that day." On the last day of filming, the crew congratulated him on the end of his diet by gifting him with a huge "Banoffee Pie," a British dessert. Skarsgård said that to celebrate, he ate the entire pie by himself, in a single sitting.

Alexander Skarsgård joked that he would like Tarzan to be drastically different in the sequel because of the heavy workout and diet demands on him. He said, "We have an outline already in which Tarzan gains weight. Tarzan remains hairy and does not have eight pack abs. It has no action and Tarzan eats cake, lots of cake. I wrote it."

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was in talks to play Tarzan. Ironically, Johnny Weissmuller was an Olympic swimmer before landing in the role of the title character in the 1932 film and its multiple sequels.

Sunday, 15 May 2016

FILM 1526: HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS

TRIVIA: Kate Hudson improvised plastering Matthew McConaughey with kisses during the scene where she introduces the new dog. This is why McConaughey looks genuinely surprised.

A lot of the scenes were improvised, e.g. the scene with the "family album".

The film marks the acting reunion of Adam Goldberg and Matthew McConaughey who had last appeared together 10 years earlier in the iconic Dazed and Confused (1993).

When Ben is shown the article that Andie wrote, the style and format changes. When the article is first seen, it is completely formatted in blue. When we see it from Ben's point of view, the style changes, with a broken love heart taking up the majority of the page. The font also changes.

Gwyneth Paltrow was originally going to star.