Collapsing Universes...and Paul Newman RIP
(Did you really think I'd stop blogging? Almost daily? Me?)
I'm really convinced the Super Collider DID do something to send us all into an alternate universe of weird Presidential races, VP candidates(and you know who I mean) and collapsing financial institutions that are sending the world to the brink of an abyss. Is this really the same universe?? I've felt very much like the protagonist in the 1985 film THE QUIET EARTH wherein a scientist on the verge of death as a molecular experiment takes place, wakes to find himself on an earth devoid of humans and in the end, finds he's actually been sent to an alternate universe of some kind.
Heard today as did everyone that the great Paul Newman had passed away at 83. What can be said that hasn't been? He was one of my personally favorite actors. He did good in anything. His last movie role was in the 2006 animated Pixar film CARS doing a voice over. MY favorite roles of his? Where to start? BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID(1969), THE STING(1973) or THE COLOR OF MONEY(1986) for which he won an Academy Award for the re-creation of an older version of a role he'd played over two decades before, that of Fast Eddie Felson. Newman was also in the spectacular Irwin Allen disaster film THE TOWERING INFERNO(1974).
As to his SFnal work-he was in the quiet 1970's climate change thriller QUINTET, depicting a future earth where a new ice age has frozen over much of the human race. It was certainly a low profile film, but for sure, science fiction. Also, and you may be surprised at this: he was the original Studio choice(MGM) to play astronaut Frank Poole in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY but apparently wanted too much money, and instead, the rather lesser known, but talented actor Gary Lockwood-after making the 2nd pilot to STAR TREK in the US-was offered the role.
All I can say is the guy earned his wings. With his charity donations via his food company NEWMAN'S OWN, he's changed lives. Not to mention his work with kids who had cancer and were recovering. It was lung cancer that finally did him in. He'll be sorely missed and, the one sorrow is he never got to make that final "reunion" film with Robert Redford whom he worked with and had so much chemistry.
More thoughts and pix next week....provided the universe doesn't change again...
I'm really convinced the Super Collider DID do something to send us all into an alternate universe of weird Presidential races, VP candidates(and you know who I mean) and collapsing financial institutions that are sending the world to the brink of an abyss. Is this really the same universe?? I've felt very much like the protagonist in the 1985 film THE QUIET EARTH wherein a scientist on the verge of death as a molecular experiment takes place, wakes to find himself on an earth devoid of humans and in the end, finds he's actually been sent to an alternate universe of some kind.
Heard today as did everyone that the great Paul Newman had passed away at 83. What can be said that hasn't been? He was one of my personally favorite actors. He did good in anything. His last movie role was in the 2006 animated Pixar film CARS doing a voice over. MY favorite roles of his? Where to start? BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID(1969), THE STING(1973) or THE COLOR OF MONEY(1986) for which he won an Academy Award for the re-creation of an older version of a role he'd played over two decades before, that of Fast Eddie Felson. Newman was also in the spectacular Irwin Allen disaster film THE TOWERING INFERNO(1974).
As to his SFnal work-he was in the quiet 1970's climate change thriller QUINTET, depicting a future earth where a new ice age has frozen over much of the human race. It was certainly a low profile film, but for sure, science fiction. Also, and you may be surprised at this: he was the original Studio choice(MGM) to play astronaut Frank Poole in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY but apparently wanted too much money, and instead, the rather lesser known, but talented actor Gary Lockwood-after making the 2nd pilot to STAR TREK in the US-was offered the role.
All I can say is the guy earned his wings. With his charity donations via his food company NEWMAN'S OWN, he's changed lives. Not to mention his work with kids who had cancer and were recovering. It was lung cancer that finally did him in. He'll be sorely missed and, the one sorrow is he never got to make that final "reunion" film with Robert Redford whom he worked with and had so much chemistry.
More thoughts and pix next week....provided the universe doesn't change again...
posted by Bob Eggleton (Zillabob) | 9:57 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home