Little Tony DeFranco
12-29-2004, 06:40 PM
Review: The Aviator
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php
The life of Howard Hughes has never been really touch on in Hollywood (except an empty miniseries starred Tommy Lee Jones on the 70's) but fictionalized in "The Carpetbaggers" and "Howard and Melvin" (the Melvin Dumar legend directed by Jonathan Demme). Hughes was the "Trump" of his time...money, broads, fame, power....but Trump was a lightweight compared to Howard Hughes. He was the father of modern air travel, a studio head who directed his own films, and made Vegas the town it is today! "The Aviator" is Martin Scorsese's new film that touches on a jumped 20yr span of Howard's early days in Hollywood, the war years to the flight of the famous "Spruce Goose" titanic-aero-mammoth- flying ship. Those were some good times, banging Kate Hepburn and Ava Gardner and having a severe nervous breakdown along with injuries from 2 plane crashes. Fuck Trump!(hack)
This is Scorsese's "Citizen Kane"! But it also is just a rehash of Coppola's "Tucker" (Dean Stockwell did a cameo as HH) with some "Raging Bull" in the mix. Complex in content, this is also an overstated study of phobic dementia and O.C.D. madness. Hughes was a paranoid control freak (eccentric?) and actor Leonardo DiCaprio slams it home in a very tough starring role. I guess it's a tough movie to sit through but Marty does some fantastic things with the action and brilliant lensing push it into heights beyond most modern biographies.
The script by John Logan (Gladiator) is his second attempt at a similar modern genius, Orson Wells bio "RKO 281" from HBO and it is a detailed look at obsession and corporate greed, clashing with a grand vision. There are some classic scenes in "The Aviator", one in a bathroom where Howard has to deal with a crippled man, and dealing with the censorship panel over 'mammary glands' in "The Outlaw" movie. Very funny stuff. The signature Scorsese 'follow shot' in the editing room of Hughes' classic "Hells Angels" war movie. The supporting cast is tops, a moving performance by Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn and Alan Alda as a shitheal senator out to crush Hughes and his TWA airline to aid a PanAm takeover. Smaller roles to Ian Holm, Alec Baldwin, and John C. Reilly are fine but wasted spots for Willem Dafoe, Jude Law (?), and Gwen Stefani as Harlow. Kate Beckensale is stunning to look at as Ava Gardner but still can't act. The star is Leo! He looks like Hughes and does the loony role very well.
It can be a chore to watch at times but it is a master work by Scorsese. The love scenes with Howard and Kate are very well done and the plane crash scene is harrowing. One of the best of this year! Now I have to pee in a milk bottle..BTJ!
Heartbeat is a Love Beat
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php
The life of Howard Hughes has never been really touch on in Hollywood (except an empty miniseries starred Tommy Lee Jones on the 70's) but fictionalized in "The Carpetbaggers" and "Howard and Melvin" (the Melvin Dumar legend directed by Jonathan Demme). Hughes was the "Trump" of his time...money, broads, fame, power....but Trump was a lightweight compared to Howard Hughes. He was the father of modern air travel, a studio head who directed his own films, and made Vegas the town it is today! "The Aviator" is Martin Scorsese's new film that touches on a jumped 20yr span of Howard's early days in Hollywood, the war years to the flight of the famous "Spruce Goose" titanic-aero-mammoth- flying ship. Those were some good times, banging Kate Hepburn and Ava Gardner and having a severe nervous breakdown along with injuries from 2 plane crashes. Fuck Trump!(hack)
This is Scorsese's "Citizen Kane"! But it also is just a rehash of Coppola's "Tucker" (Dean Stockwell did a cameo as HH) with some "Raging Bull" in the mix. Complex in content, this is also an overstated study of phobic dementia and O.C.D. madness. Hughes was a paranoid control freak (eccentric?) and actor Leonardo DiCaprio slams it home in a very tough starring role. I guess it's a tough movie to sit through but Marty does some fantastic things with the action and brilliant lensing push it into heights beyond most modern biographies.
The script by John Logan (Gladiator) is his second attempt at a similar modern genius, Orson Wells bio "RKO 281" from HBO and it is a detailed look at obsession and corporate greed, clashing with a grand vision. There are some classic scenes in "The Aviator", one in a bathroom where Howard has to deal with a crippled man, and dealing with the censorship panel over 'mammary glands' in "The Outlaw" movie. Very funny stuff. The signature Scorsese 'follow shot' in the editing room of Hughes' classic "Hells Angels" war movie. The supporting cast is tops, a moving performance by Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn and Alan Alda as a shitheal senator out to crush Hughes and his TWA airline to aid a PanAm takeover. Smaller roles to Ian Holm, Alec Baldwin, and John C. Reilly are fine but wasted spots for Willem Dafoe, Jude Law (?), and Gwen Stefani as Harlow. Kate Beckensale is stunning to look at as Ava Gardner but still can't act. The star is Leo! He looks like Hughes and does the loony role very well.
It can be a chore to watch at times but it is a master work by Scorsese. The love scenes with Howard and Kate are very well done and the plane crash scene is harrowing. One of the best of this year! Now I have to pee in a milk bottle..BTJ!
Heartbeat is a Love Beat