Happy 62nd Birthday, Jet Li!!
I had never heard of Jet Li until I saw a trailer for LETHAL WEAPON 4 that mentioned him. Now, as a rabid fan of Hong Kong cinema, I consider him a legend. And the scene that started it all for me is this badass scene where he dismantles Riggs, Murtaugh, their guns and their family members. Enjoy, my friends!
Al Pacino finally won his long overdue Oscar with his excellent performance as Lt. Colonel Frank Slade in SCENT OF A WOMAN. This scene where he’s “just getting warmed up” is a personal favorite and no doubt helped him bring home the gold.
Happy 85th Birthday, Mr. Pacino!
Today’s scene comes from 2019’s The Irishman. In this scene, Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) asks a former rival for an endorsement to once again be president of the Teamsters union. Needless to say, things don’t get well. I’m on Hoffa’s side here. Showing up 12 and a half minutes late? Wearing shorts to meeting? Someone is definitely owed an apology.
Once you get over the admittedly jarring de-aging effect, this scene reminds us of what a great actor Al Pacino truly is.
From Richard Donner’s Lethal Weapon, today’s scene that I love is the classic final fight between Gary Busey, Danny Glover, and Mel Gibson.
Today’s scene is from 1958’s The Blob. Even aliens with no apparent brain enjoy going to the movies!
Jack Nicholson may have starred in CHINATOWN, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, and THE SHINING, but for a person born in 1973, the first movie I ever loved Jack Nicholson in was BATMAN (1989). I’ve been a fan ever since! Happy Birthday, Jack!
Today’s scene that I love comes from 1975’s Tommy. Based on The Who’s rock opera and directed by Ken Russell, Tommy featured several actors who weren’t necessarily known as singers. Oliver Reed is the most obvious example.
And then there’s Jack Nicholson! Jack’s role is pretty small. He’s the therapist who examines Tommy and who eye flirts with Ann-Margaret. And, of course, he gets his check.
In order to celebrate San Jacinto Day, here’s one of my favorite scenes from Richard Linklater’s 1993 Texas film, Dazed and Confused. Not only does this montage introduce the viewer to the suburban Texas nightlife of 1976 but it’s also perfectly set to War’s Low Rider.
And, of course, it also features that classic line, “It’d be a lot cooler if you did.”
THE BIG BULLET is known for a handful of awesome action sequences, but one of the reasons I enjoy the film is the way the Hong Kong “Emergency Unit” works together to solve some fairly simple cases as well. Enjoy this scene where Sergeant Bill Chu (Lau Ching-Wan) sees right through the lies of a bitter employee.
Today’s scene that I love comes to use from an underground 1965 film called Vinyl! This film, believe it or not, was actually an adaptation of the novel A Clockwork Orange, one that was filmed six years before the better-known Stanley Kubrick version.
In this scene below, Gerard Malanga and Edie Sedgwick dance to Nowhere to Run by Martha and The Vandellas. Malanga is playing the role that would later be made famous by Malcom McDowell. Edie is playing …. well, Edie is basically playing herself. No one smoked a cigarette with as much style as Edie Sedgwick.
Watching her in this scene, it’s sad to think that, in just six years (and at the same time that Stanley Kubrick was releasing his version of A Clockwork Orange), Edie Sedgwick would die at the age of 28. Like all of us, she deserved much better than what the world was willing to give her.
Through the Shattered Lens 