GUEST REVIEW: THE STATUE

Here is another guest review from the late Bruce Krogan. This time around he reviews a movie thar he absoluted hated. I have to admit, I have never seen it...

David Niven's career hit rock bottom when he signed on to do The Statue. For a man whose name on the screen stood for charm and sophistication what was Niven thinking when he signed for this?

Niven plays a Nobel Prize winner whose wife Virna Lisi is a sculptress and has done a larger than life statue of him. However she's given him some enhanced privates obviously inspired elsewhere and Niven spends the whole film looking for the inspiration.

The premise is also similar to Rouben Mamoulian's 'The Song of Songs' (1933). But the scandalous sculpture in that little gem was modelled by Marlene Dietrich and that film was a work of pre-code sauciness whereas this is just another garrulous Italian sex comedy which aimlessly wanders about Europe while cameraman Piero Portalupi zooms back & forth between the cast and composer Riz Ortolani potters about on the soundtrack.

David Niven has uplifted more films than any other actor by dint of his personality. But this one is just too heavy a lift. It's got all the element of a stag film without the prurient interest that would make one watch.

God only knows what Niven was thinking. The seventies was not a good decade for comedies.Censorship had been relaxed and film makers were determined to make up for lost time.As a result a lot of distinguished actors participated in films they wouldn't ever want to watch.The only waI to describe this is puerile rubbish...

BRUCE'S RATING: 2 OUT OF 10

THE OSCARS AND THE WILL SMITH/CHRIS ROCK MOMENT

I barely managed to watch much of the Oscars last night. For one, it is too late for me on a Sunday night to stay up for. And second, I did not see any of the movies nominated last night - not one single movie! I wish I would have stayed up though to see the moment live that will be talked about for years now. That moment is the Will Smith and Chris Rock moment. 

Now, the Oscars have been known for controversy in the past. Anyone remember the American Indian accepting the Oscar for Marlon Brando or the streaker running on stage naked while David Niven was giving a speech? This most recent moment was the most surreal moment in all of Oscar history.

Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, which did not appear to go over well with her husband Will Smith.

While presenting the award for best documentary, Rock joked, “Jada I love you, ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it.”

The camera cut to Pinkett Smith, who rolled her eyes as she sat next to Smith.

“That was a nice one,” Rock said, appearing to respond to the joke not going over well.

Pinkett Smith has been open about her struggle with alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that leads to hair loss

Rock then said, “Oh uh,” and laughed as Smith walked toward him on stage and appeared to strike Rock in the face.

According to  reporter Stephanie Elam, who is in the audience, she could hear Rock getting hit. Smith said twice during the incident, according to Elam, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth!”

Rock responded: “Oh, wow.”

For viewers at home, censors muted the verbal part of the exchange between Rock and Smith.

The theater went silent and Rock said, “That was the greatest night in the history of television.”

Sean “Diddy” Combs took to the stage moments later and told Smith and Rock that they would settle things “like family” later.

Roughly 40 minutes after the incident, Smith returned to the stage to accept the Oscar for best actor and apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees for the incident, but did not mention Rock by name.

He tearfully accepted the award for his role as Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams, in the film “King Richard.” Smith said Williams “was a fierce defender of his family.”

Smith said, “I know to do what we do, you gotta be able to take abuse and have people talk people about you. In this business, you gotta have people disrespecting you. And you gotta smile and pretend that’s ok.”

Smith also talked about being a “protector” and thanked the tennis legends and their family.

Smith shared that prior to his win, fellow nominee Denzel Washington shared some wisdom with him: “At your highest moment be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you.”

ONLY IN HOLLYWOOD...

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: THE CLASSIC STARS READ

Sometimes it is hard to believe that movie stars do anything more than looking in the mirror and admiring themselves. However, most of the classic Hollywood stars were much deeper than the public ever knew. Here are some great pictures of classic Hollywood stars reading, whether it be a script or a good book, it is still interesting...


DEAN MARTIN

LILLIAN GISH

MARILYN MONROE

PETER LORRE

DAVID NIVEN

MARLON BRANDO