TERI GARR (1944 - 2024)

Teri Garr, the offbeat character actor who made her name with hilarious comic turns in films and television shows throughout the 1970's and 1980's, has passed away at the age of seventy-nine. In 2002, she publicly announced that she was suffering from multiple sclerosis and having to retire from performing nine years later when it became too difficult for her to continue. Garr died from complications from this autoimmune disease on October 29th.

Born in Los Angeles, Garr came from a family of entertainers with her father, Eddie was a performer in vaudeville and her mother, Phyllis was a model and dancer. So it's not really surprising that their offspring would follow them into show business. After finishing high school and attending Cal State Northridge for two years, Garr dropped out and went to New York to study acting at the Actors Studio.

Back in Los Angeles, she began her professional career as an uncredited extra and performing as a background dancer in many television shows and films which included six Elvis Presley movies. One of her first major roles as an actor came in 1968 in "Head", a musical-comedy featuring the fictional-turned-real-life musical group, The Monkees that was directed by Bob Rafelson and written by Jack Nicholson. Another important appearance came in a episode of the sci-fi series, "Star Trek". In 1972, Garr became a regular cast member on "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour"

Around this time, she would begin making her mark in feature films, working with many of the big-name directors of this era. She first appeared in a supporting role in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation" in 1974 and would later get her first starring role ten years later in his musical-drama, "One From The Heart" (which was recently restored in 4K and re-released earlier this year); the outrageous comedy, "Young Frankenstein" with Mel Brooks; Steven Spielberg's classic sci-fi drama, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"; Martin Scorsese's black comedy "After Hours" and "Tootsie" from Sydney Pollack where this romantic-comedy would earn the actress her only Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1982. Garr would also make memorable appearances in "Oh, God", "The Black Stallion", "Mr. Mom", "Dumb and Dumber", "Prêt-à-Porter" (with director, Robert Altman) and "Ghost World".

Garr became a staple on television, making guest spots on numerous sitcoms and dramas. She would become a popular guest on several talk shows due to her charming, quick witted banter, first making regular appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and later on "Late Night With David Letterman". One of her last prominent roles before her medical diagnosis was playing Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) estranged mother on the popular sitcom, "Friends" in 1997.

WOMAN OF THE HOUR (2024)

Written by Ian McDonald



Directed by Anna Kendrick



Available to stream now on Netflix



"Woman of the Hour", the feature directorial debut by actress, Anna Kendrick, examines Rodney Alcala who went on a horrifying, murder spree throughout the 1970's, killing numerous, innocent women before finally being caught and convicted in 1980. But it's his brazen appearance on the popular television program, "The Dating Game" where he was a contestant in search of potential date that is the focus of this film. Kendrick plays the game show bachelorette who falls for his slippery charm yet grows more uneasy with Alcala as she speaks to him at length. The compelling yet uneven "Woman of the Hour" may fall under the true-crime stories that are wildly popular right now yet this film's real aim is to sharply address how casual sexism and systemic misogyny, which was never questioned nor considered during this time, allowed Alcala's murderous rampage to continue far longer than it really should have.

Kendrick plays Cheryl Bradshaw, a nice, midwestern girl who has come to Los Angeles to try and make it as an actor. After many failed auditions and money running out, Cheryl tells her agent she might have to give up her dream and move back home. But the agent convinces a reluctant Cheryl to appear on "The Dating Game", proclaiming that Sally Field got her big break after appearing on the program. When Cheryl arrives for the live taping of the show, the pompous host, Ed Burke (Tony Hale) is unimpressed, having the crew put her in something that will make appear more appealing.

As she queries each of the scripted questions to the three bachelors hidden behind a partition, their answers aren't igniting many magical sparks between them and the bachelorette, potentially creating a dull episode of television. During a commercial break, a make-up artist suggests to Cheryl she should come up with some better questions and she proceeds to do just that. This begins lively and challenging conversation between Cheryl and these contestants, much to Burke's displeasure, which leaves only one clear choice for the bachelorette. And that selection was unfortunately Alcala, played by Daniel Zovatto, who manages to find the right balance between being charmingly smooth, emotionally sensitive and frightfully deranged.

While "Woman of the Hour" is based on actual events, much of this story here has been fictionalized including most of the characters and what happened during and after Alcala's appearance on "The Dating Game". Some of the reasoning for these changes were to protect the known victims and (which tends to be common in these fact based movies) to heighten the narrative for dramatic effect.

One clear moment of this action is the appearance of an invented character named Laura (played by Nicolette Robinson) who is in the audience during the taping of the show and recognizes Alcala as the man she is certain killed her friend after they met him on a beach. As she frantically tries to get ahold of anyone connected to the show, Laura is essentially dismissed with no one willing to take her seriously. This seemed to be on-going problem in real-life as many people tried to get the police to look at Alcala over the years yet their pleas would fall on deaf ears. He was even arrested for assaulting two girls but would later be released on parole, allowing him to continue his reign of terror.

As a first time director, Kendrick displays great promise behind the camera. She and her cinematographer, Zach Kuperstein perfectly captures the mood and vibe of sunny Los Angeles during this era, filling the screen with warm lighting and kitschy style. Kendrick also delivers a fine performance as Bradshaw, revealing her struggles, like many women of this time, with feeling obligated in appeasing unworthy, boorish men and standing ground in her own agency without giving in to the strong urge to submit to their desires. Intercut throughout the film, we see flashbacks of Alcala setting up some of the crimes he would go on to commit. He met these young women under several circumstances, usually complementing them and pretending to simply want to photograph them. Then after driving the woman to a far, secluded area and when they are comfortable and at their most vulnerable, Alcala assaults, tortures and ultimately kills his victim. 

Kendrick does not explicitly detail or reveal the actual murders, preferring to keep the violence largely off screen. The focus seemed intended to be on the lives of these victims yet we still don't really get a clear enough view of who these women were, with these scenes being far too brief and at times the crimes seem too much like a set up for a slasher film which I'm certain is not the filmmaker's intention.

Artfully conceived and effectively suspenseful, "Woman of the Hour" is an admirable first film by Kendrick. While this drama isn't entirely cohesive in it's narrative execution due to its fractured structure, the film remains a potent thriller, crackling with deep-seated tension and driven by top-notch performances. I'm looking forward in seeing what Kendrick will do next as a director.

MAGGIE SMITH (1934 - 2024)

Maggie Smith, the highly honored British actor who found great success on screen and stage for over sixty years, has passed away on September 27th at the age of eighty-nine. She gained further international attention and acclaim during this century for her appearance in the Harry Potter film series and later for her sly performance playing the Dowager Countess of Granthamher in the beloved British television series, "Downton Abbey". The two-time Academy Award winning performer was still working having recently appeared in the drama, "The Miracle Club" with Laura Linney and Kathy Bates released in theaters last year. An accomplished and versatile performer, Smith could enliven anything she would appear in by creating rich, indelible characters. With an acerbic wit, razor-sharp tongue and undeniable charm, the actress could effortlessly decimate someone with a clever one-liner.

Smith left high school at sixteen in order to study acting at the Oxford Playhouse. During her time there, she appeared in numerous productions, delivering impressive performances. American producers took notice of her budding talent, casting her in "New Faces of '56" where she played several roles and made her Broadway debut. Smith would make her feature film debut two years later co-starring in the British crime drama, "Nowhere To Go". She also caught the attention of the theater legend, Laurence Olivier who invited her in 1962 to join the National Theatre Company which he had just founded and included in the company, Peter O'Toole, Michael Redgrave, Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen. And while she was with the National throughout the rest of the 1960's, a tense yet professional rivalry would develop between the formidable Olivier and the tenacious Smith.

She would began to do more film work at this time as well, appearing in "The V.I.P.s" with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton; "The Honey Pot", "The Pumpkin Eater" and the film version of "Othello" which was adapted from the well-received Olivier staging for The National. Smith would receive her first Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress for playing Desdemona.

Smith's major breakthrough came with the film adaptation of the successful play, "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" in 1969. This story of an effusive teacher at an Edinburgh all-girls school with a tendency to create her own curriculum to mold select students into her worldview would win Smith an Academy Award for Best Actress. Other film roles followed that included George Cukor's "Travels With My Aunt" (which earned Smith another Best Actress Oscar nomination); "Murder By Death"; two Agatha Christie murder mystery adaptations, "Death on The Nile" and "Evil Under The Sun"; "Clash of The Titans" and "Neil Simon's California Suite" with Smith winning another Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Smith would continue to be an in-demand performer, appearing in filmed dramas and comedies, "A Room with a View", "Sister Act", "Richard III", "The First Wives Club", "Tea with Mussolini", "Gosford Park", "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" and "The Lady in the Van".

But Smith did not ever abandon the stage throughout her time doing acclaimed film work. She appeared in numerous productions of works by Shakespeare and plays by Anton Chekov, Noël Coward, Edward Albee, and Tom Stoppard. Smith received six Evening Standard Theatre Awards for her theatrical performances and won the Tony Award in 1990 for the comedy, "Lettice and Lovage".

2024 AFI FILM FESTIVAL

This year's AFI Fest, an exciting celebration of new cinema from around the world in the heart of Hollywood, will be held October 23rd to 27th. The 38th edition of the fest will open with "Music By John Williams", a new documentary by Laurent Bouzereau on the extraordinary life of the five time Oscar-winning (and fifty-four time nominated) film composer which will cover his early days as a jazz pianist to his countless and influential musical contributions to motion pictures.



The other films making Red Carpet Premieres will be the latest from Robert Zemeckis, "Here" that has been selected as the Centerpiece Gala. This drama reteams the stars of his Best Picture Oscar winner, "Forrest Gump", Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in a story involving multiple families, looking at them through generations and capturing the human experience in its purest form. Zemeckis will also be honored with a Directors Spotlight, a special evening that will feature clips from his work and an in-depth conversation, hosted by Hanks, with the filmmaker. There will also be "Maria" by Pablo Larraín which explores the final years of the opera diva, Maria Callas and played by Angelina Jolie; the latest feature film directed by the ninety-four year old, Clint Eastwood with "Juror No. 2"; "Heretic", a horror-thriller starring Hugh Grant and directed by the writers of "A Quiet Place", Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and "Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl", the sixth installment in the British stop-motion animated franchise which will make its world premiere.











There will be sections of the Fest that will include Special Screenings; Luminaries, which will feature the latest films from world-renowned filmmakers whose work continues to challenge and inspire; Discovery, a showcase for exciting new voices that push the boundaries of contemporary cinema; World Cinema; Documentaries and a Short Film Competition.

For the complete list of films and to purchase tickets and passes, please click below:

2024 AFI Fest

THE SUBSTANCE (2024)

Written & Directed by Coralie Fargeat




Where & When: Landmark Theatres Sunset, West Hollywood, CA. September 20, 2024 8:15 PM



"The Substance", the sophomore feature from French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat, is a hyper-stylized, pitch-black feminist satire on aging and the low value placed on maturing women in society. But Fargeat pumps up her engaging film by utilizing body horror to convey the extremes that women will go through to maintain their youth and beauty. Between the blood and mayhem, the director has something quite intriguing to say. And while the message is clearly understood, it tends to get a little too muddled through all of the excessive gross-out carnage.

Demi Moore, in her first prominent starring role in some time, plays Elizabeth Sparkle, an award-winning actress in Los Angeles that has been reduced to having to appear as a host of a television fitness show called, "Sparkle Your Life". But following a taping on her fiftieth birthday, Elizabeth is informed by Harvey (Dennis Quaid), a boorish studio executive, that it's time for her to move on, making it clear he's looking for someone younger to host. Devastated by this news, a distracted Elizabeth ends up getting into a car crash. She is uninjured but while getting checked out, a young male nurse, sensing what she's going through, slips a flash drive and phone number into her pocket.

What is discreetly being offered is an experimental drug called, "The Substance" which promises to create a younger and more "perfect" version of yourself. Elizabeth initially rejects the idea but as she spends her newly free time wallowing in booze and her increasing anxiety, she decides to get her hands on this serum. After injecting herself, a fully formed, young being (played by Margaret Qualley) emerges from Elizabeth's cracked open back, leaving the host unconscious while the other is left to sew Elizabeth's body shut. This new form calls herself "Sue", enjoying her youthful body and successfully getting hired back as the host of the exercise program.

But there are strict rules that must be followed: each body can only be out for seven days before exchanging places so that their bodily fluids can recalibrate, they must feed each other intravenously; a "stabilizer" is to be withdrawn from Elizabeth's spine and injected into Sue in order to keep her balanced and most importantly, they must remember that while they are two separate bodies, they are still only one person.

Fargeat was first recognized for her 2017 debut feature film, "Revenge", about a young woman who is sexually attacked by three men and left for dead but she survives and seeks bloody retribution. While it was difficult to sit through at times, I still greatly admired the director's brutal yet razor-sharp cinematic statement. And with her follow-up, Fargeat continues to have no interest in subtlety, preferring to batter viewers severely over the head with her gruesome, surrealistic vision and unsettling themes. She is clearly inspired by fellow filmmakers who embrace the provocative and experimental (Kubrick, Cronenberg, Lynch, Haneke) and with "The Substance", Fargeat liberally borrows visual cues from some of these esteemed directors while still managing to forge ahead with her own distinctively ferocious style. The flashy camerawork by Benjamin Kracun is designed to keep you feeling unsteady, offering full-screen close-ups of eyes and mouths, darting down long narrow hallways, entering vast spare rooms and one particularly unpleasant moment of watching Quaid eating crawfish.

Moore's career took off when she became part of the ensemble of the daytime soap-opera, "General Hospital" in 1982. The following year, she moved on to movie roles, becoming a member of the Brat Pack after her appearances in "St. Elmo's Fire" and "About Last Night...". But it was Moore's tear soaked, moving turn in the 1990 supernatural romance, "Ghost" that helped make her a movie star. She became part of a Hollywood power couple when she married Bruce Willis, starred in several box-office hits and went on to become the highest paid female actor (receiving over twelve million dollars) in 1996 to appear in the movie, "Striptease". But this black comedy was a critical and box-office failure and her marriage to Willis came to an end not long after with Moore largely retreating from the spotlight. She would make the occasional film appearance over the following years, mostly in indie and arthouse fare.

With "The Substance", Moore delivers a bold and fearless performance, revealing herself completely emotionally and physically. She doesn't have much dialogue yet the actress rises to the challenge of expressing all of the anguish, fear and intense desires of Elizabeth, even through moments later in the film when she's no longer recognizable as her former self. And as her other half, Qualley is a compelling presence, a sweetly smiling, malevolent version of Elizabeth with a dark-edged soul. Elizabeth and "Sue" might share the same body however they display vastly different personality traits. While this variance might possibly be due to their age-gap yet over time this conflict leads to complications. Being young and impulsive, Sue begins to abuse the seven day rule, extending her time awake, at first just a few days and then later by weeks, which causes Elizabeth's actual body to age more rapidly.

I will admit that by the time we reach the final act, with the introduction of a third being called "Monstro Elisasue" which leads to an explosive shower of blood, gore and body parts flying in all directions from a stage onto an audience, it felt a little too much, becoming even more silly and excessive. But that's okay. This doesn't take away from "The Substance" being one of the most thrilling, adventurous and uncompromising films I've seen so far this year. I can also say with complete certainty that no US filmmaker, male or female, would have made "The Substance", at least not in a way that wasn't far more cautious and focused on appealing to the widest audience possible. Fargeat (who actually shot the film in Paris) has made a clever, biting and humorous commentary on the horrors of America's obsession with eternal youth and the emotional torture this causes, especially for women. "The Substance" is absolutely insane and twisted. Yet the film also reveals Fargeat to be a true visionary, a modern filmmaker who respects the historical artform of cinema with no interest in making films that are easily digestible and a strong desire to challenge viewers to open their minds to unexpected and outrageous possibilities.