Movies Til Dawn

Here is one of the most undeniably erotic scenes ever filmed. Henry Fonda and Claudia Cardinale in  Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time In The West". The set-up is beyond kinky: Fonda has killed Cardinale's husband and is now seducing her with her permission--though is it because she wants to prevent being killed herself? Or is there some true erotic value in doing the person who violates the natural order of your life? (Think Nicole Kidman suddenly seducing the maniac who has taken over her and her husband's boat in "Dead Calm"--which maybe I'll post tomorrow). But what really puts it over is the incredibly intimate, utterly realistic passion Fonda and Cardinale seem to have for each other. I've directed sex scenes before--actually you don't really "direct" them, you sort of set them in motion--and I still have no clue as to how actors get through this stuff without either A) wanting to vomit or B) wanting to do each other. Jesus. A...

Here's the still quite astonishing sex-in-the-airplane-bathroom scene from 1981's "Rich And Famous", with Jacqueline Bisset doing Michael Brandon (who, in this version of the clip, narrates the experience of filming the scene). If I write the word "sex" enough times, will it provoke more hits on this blog and thus more awareness that ROB THE MOB IS OPENING IN THEATERS ON MARCH 21rst? Let's see. Sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex sex...   Subscribe in a reader

In a shameless bid to up the page visits stat on this blog (and thus up awareness of "ROB THE MOB" WHICH OPENS IN THEATERS ON MARCH 21RST) I've decided to blog relentlessly about classic sex stuff in movies. Let's consider this an experiment in seeing just how basic the human need for and interest in sex is by following the stats over the next few days. Will the hits go up? Will my Twitter base increase? I'm betting yes. But I've been known to bet wrong before. It doesn't really matter since all I have to lose is the time it takes to watch and select clips of sex scenes in movies. We'll start gently--but firmly--with Sophia Loren's fabulous striptease for Marcello Mastroianni in Vittoria De Sica's "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow". Hit it, Miss Mazeppa...   Subscribe in a reader

Dig Johnny Carson's opening monologue from an early 1970's Friars Club Roast of Jerry Lewis. It's hard to remember that Carson was a truly funny stand-up monologist--largely because he made such a mockery of his monologues later in his career (not getting laughs became the standard joke of the set). But Carson takes on Jerry in an admirably quick and cruel way, throwing him under the bus almost instantly by mentioning his recently failed chain of movie theaters as well as Jerry's sinking movie career of the era and his complete failure as a network television host. I can't imagine how the hell anyone else but Carson could have gotten away with it. By the way, Alan King? Not funny.   Subscribe in a reader

Here's a very nice video of Michael Pitt (star of "Rob The Mob"--and if you didn't know that what the F are you doing reading this blog?) having a "New York moment". It feels quite similar to a "Queens moment" that he has in RTM--is this sort of lurking, moody, not entirely happy but somehow sublimely alone thing a theme in Michael's work? All I was aware of when we were shooting was that you could follow Michael around with a camera, not doing much of anything, and you'd wind up with gold. He has a face that the camera reads into--you see into his mind as you see his face.   Subscribe in a reader

Was Dean Martin in fact the "funny half" of Martin and Lewis? Continuing our funny-shtick-on-talk-shows theme (this is the third post I've done in the so-called series, the first two being last week with Ray Romano/Conan O'Brien and Don Rickles/Johnny Carson/Sinatra ), here is a drunk Dean Martin crashing the Carson show in 1969. Apparently the show is being done out of LA even though the move from NY hasn't yet happened (Johnny mentions that they "come out here a couple of times a year"). Bob Hope is hanging around too, bemused and none-to-pleased at Dino's upstaging him.  He finally concedes that he was on the show "to do the warm-up." It's the biggest laugh he gets. Was Dino as drunk as he acted? His timing was pretty perfect, not something that drunks are known for (see Jacquline Bisset's  Golden Globes acceptance speech for further research). But then again he's so hopelessly stiff when stuck in a sober mode with Jer...

Last night Conan O'Brien welcomed Ray Romano as a guest. Click here to access the full episode . Ray shows up around fifteen minutes in. A lot of very good Romanoesque marriage material begins the appearence. At twenty-one minutes, Ray does a "threesome" bit that is one of his funniest moments and that I'll leave for you to experience. After a commercial break, however, he tops this with the story of taking his kids to see the movie "Ted". Things get steadily more funny/sad/grotesque with a riff on his getting hit in the groin by his son while playing basketball. Ray's timing is an interesting mix of relaxed/casual and very acutely "scheduled" punchlines. His art is convincing you that the thoughts are coming as he's speaking. And yet at the same time you feel the pleasure he has in threading the needle of the joke...taking his time laying the groundwork and casually circling the ultimate punchline (and the ensuing alternates that he tend...

"Rob The Mob" takes place in a very different New York City than the one we now know. In the late 80's/early 90's racial unrest--combined with a soaring crime rate and a devastating cocaine/crack explosion on the streets--led to a series of increasingly divisive incidents that seemed, at the time, to mark the end of any civil rights progress that might have been achieved in the previous decades. One of the most significant incidents that drew out the racial unrest in New York during this time was the murder of Yusef Hawkins, a 16-year-old black teenager who was shot to death by a group of white teenagers who he didn’t know in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn on August 23, 1989.   New York  magazine wrote a cover story on the case: "What really happened in Bensonhurst?" New York Mag, Nov 6, 1989 On September 17, 1989, KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane, along with Doug E. Fresh, Public Enemy, the female rapper MC Trouble and others, organized a “Stop the ...

Apple I-Tunes Trailers (or Trailers@AppleItunes or whatever) has preemed a clip from "Rob The Mob". Go here to watch a very nice scene between Ray Romano, Michael Pitt and Nina Arianda. Of course it's filled with bleeps in order to prevent the everyday internet-fiend from hearing the word "fuck" and curling up into a fetal position, yelling for protection from the dark and filthy world they've apparently just entered. But that's the world we're still in and it's better than having the Production Code, I suppose. Also, dig the official "Rob The Mob" website which I gather just went up--quite nicely done. As it's President's day, lets honor the real black guy who's President. From Art Ford's Jazz Party, dig Lester Young:   Subscribe in a reader

Here's a hilarious clip from a 1976 Johnny Carson show with Frank Sinatra as a guest. Just as Johnny nudges Frank to perform another number, Don Rickles comes onstage unexpectedly. The conversation that ensues--actually its really a monologue by Rickles directed at Sinatra--is so funny and so derogatory that its really quite terrifying to watch. Sinatra goes along with it, though. Rickles genius is his absolute inability to back down--in that sense he really was the forerunner of Howard Stern and other "shock" comics. I myself wouldn't say the things he says to Sinatra to any Italian-American, much less the Chairman. Speaking of Stern and Rickles, I've also posted an on-air phone call from Don to Howard. Thank God Rickles didn't lose his balls as he got older and pull that "I always worked clean" crap that Steve Allen and others trafficked in. Rickles likes Stern. Sinatra likes Rickles. Carson and Stern hated each other. I don't know what Sina...

Below is posted another walking tour of the "Rob The Mob" set, this time in the picturesque neighborhood of Richmond Hill, Queens. Among our various unglamorous locations, this was certainly  the nastiest and also the best--it truly gave the movie the sense of New York in the early 90's without us having to do a hell of a lot of set dressing. Pictured above is Jamaica Avenue, the Champs Elysees of the area. It looks a lot quainter and prettier (El train notwithstanding) in the photo than it does when you're standing there. Maybe because you can't smell it. Many thanks again to the mysterious videographer Bobby Flash (aka Roberto Flaccio?) for lurking about our set, uninvited and unnoticed, and capturing this very nice backstage look at the movie-in-progress.   Subscribe in a reader

Per my Monday post in which I introduced you to Mister Meatball , the blog for those of you currently on the North Beach Diet (lots of pasta, polenta etc.), here's his recipe for Sunday Gravy , a staple in Italian-American households for generations. Mr. M likes his anchovies to provide the salt as well as preferring carrots (well sauteed) to add sweetness rather than sugar. Add the previously posted Meatball recipe plus an array of ribs and sausage and you're officially in the IA club. Capisce? Here's another classic Alka-Seltzer commercial from the early 70's, pulled from the pile for obvious reasons. Apologies for the focus on food this week. I've been carb-free for three weeks and am beginning to climb the kitchen walls...   Subscribe in a reader

I've found several videos posted on Youtube that are the work of a gentleman who goes by the (presumably) made-up name of Bobby Flash (aka Robert Flashinkovitz?). Shot while we were shooting the film last summer, they're basically tours of our set at different locations around Queens with a little music thrown over the background. As they appear to be the only EPK (electronic press kit) material shot for "Rob The Mob", Mr. Flash should really be charging for this quite valuable material instead of posting it for free. However as we all now know, information wants to be free. And thus here I am, blogging for free and including the work of a videographer who shot stuff for free. And you're reading it for free. So there! What I find rather charming about this particular segment is that it's essentially a study of actors having their picture taken by fans. First Michael Pitt poses for a still while Mr. Flash records the event (making the video a live recordin...

Allow me to introduce you to my favorite new blog, Mister Meatball .  (It's new to me--he's been writing it for a few years already). A foody from Brooklyn who now lives somewhere (Portland?) in Maine, Mr. Meatball is an Italian-American and is primarily concerned with Italian-American cooking. Here's his recipe for making a perfect meatball- -I tried this and found them to be fluffy and quite delightful--but please browse the entire blog as there are many wonderful entrees. His Sunday Gravy is especially inventive and delicious.   Subscribe in a reader

Hollywood.com has unleashed a handful of stills from "Rob The Mob" and gives the headline of the exclusive to Ray Romano, who appears in the film as a crime reporter who befriends Tommy and Rosie and writes their story. It was odd to me how many people professed curiosity and bewilderment that Ray was appearing in a straight-up dramatic part in a crime drama when we cast him. What's less amazing to me is the over-the-top enthusiasm his performance elicits from viewers once they see it. Again, though, it's mixed with bewilderment as well--as if they can't quite come to terms with his giving an honest, relaxed and moving performance-- without his being "Raymond". The truth is,  I too was a little bewildered at first--though I hasten to add it wasn't because I didn't think he was capable of delivering a straight performance. It's just that--with a distressing lack of imagination--I didn't even think of him for the role of the report...

In 1952, an ABC Sci-Fi anthology TV program called "Tales Of Tomorrow" broadcast a deeply upsetting event. That weeks episode, titled "The Lost Planet", was interrupted by a strange transmission showing three people--two men and a woman--sitting in a tenement window, drinking heavily and jiving incoherently. The image appeared to be coming from another show and soon the proper programming was returned, only to be interrupted again by the people seen in the window. The broadcast of "The Lost Planet" was soon abandoned as the network attempted to figure out why they were receiving this image of these people--it soon became apparent that it wasn't another show at all, but a "ghost transmission", an image being bounced off a satellite (or somesuch) and that the people in the window were real people, unaware they were being watched on national television. Tthe live in-studio chaos that was now being televised continued to be interrupted by t...

The poster for "Rob The Mob" has officially premiered on IMDB today and is just a click away from your viewing pleasure. Hip shit, right? Continuing the NYC on film vibe of the past couple of weeks, I caught the beginning of "A Thousand Clowns" on TCM a few days ago and was immediately immersed in 1960's New York vis a vis the credit sequence. The film, starring Jason Robards, was based on Herb Gardner's play and has a very of- the-moment new-wavey pop sensibility--though Ralph Rosenblum, the film's editor, hastens to point out that this wasn't the work of credited director Fred Coe (who was really more a of Broadway producer director than filmmaker). In his book "When The Shooting Stops the Cutting Begins", Rosenblum devotes two full chapters to the one full year spent in a westside cutting room with Herb Gardner, who was appalled at the stagy nature of the film that had been shot of his play. Borrowing equipment--and presumably ...

Further slurs against Italian-Americans vis-a-vis Seth Macfarlane's "Family Guy". Dig: and:   Subscribe in a reader

As we are entering black history month, I thought it appropriate to hawk, peddle and push my latest documentary "Booker's Place--A Mississippi Story." It's the film I'm proudest of having made and I won't summarize its contents here. But check out its Wikipedia entry for more details, click on its Rotten Tomatoes entry for testiments to its quality and watch the trailer posted below to get a sense of what we did two years ago in Mississsippi. To watch the movie, look to the right on this blog, locate the poster and click on it. That will take you to Amazon where you can purchase/stream the film. A very exciting adventure in filmmaking and history experienced first-hand. It wasn't pretty but it was deeply profound. And partly because the film is a continuation of a film made by my father, Frank De Felitta, in 1966 for NBC news called "Mississippi: A Self-Portrait. That film can be found at my youtube channel--to the right on this blog but lower...

Worshippers at the shrine of the great and revered Tony Bennett often forget (willfully I imagine) that his career began in the early fifties under the tutelage of the very successful and now quite reviled Mitch Miller. In the young, recently renamed-by-Bob Hope Italian-American crooner, Miller saw a meatball of all meatballs and quickly slammed a bunch of hit records together, creating the first iteration of Tony Bennett; a good Italian local boy whose super-big voice and unabashed romanticism appealed instantly to the swooning housewives, soon-to-be housewives and soon to be divorced housewives. I say housewives instead of the young and availables because Bennett at this stage wasn't really seductive. He was overpowering . And we all know how bored and neglected housewives like to be overpowered. Or at least did back in the early fifties. This isn't the Tony Bennett that many of us care about anymore and it may not even be friendly to dredge it up. But lets make it a con...