Ben Gazzara

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The five movies on cable that I can't turn off. These are not in any rank order of preference.

"Road House" (1989) - Patrick Swayze is Dalton, the zen loving bouncer who cleans up a corrupt town run by Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara). So what if the acting is wooden, the premise hokey, the fight scenes unbelievable. It's a very cool movie and a ton of fun. The film scored 42% on Rotten Tomatoes but what do they know? Other notables in the star-studded cast include Kelly Lynch and Sam Elliot. There's even an actor named John Doe. I once watch this movie back to back at 8 & 10 pm on TBS. Maybe I need counseling.

"The Verdict" (1982) - Paul Newman is incredible as Frank Galvin, a down on his luck alcoholic lawyer who wins the case of his life and wins redemption in the process. Jack Warden, Charlotte Rampling and James Mason round out a stellar cast. The acting is superb, the storyline is topnotch. Arguably some of the best courtroom scenes in film history. The scene where Galvin gets tossed out of the funeral parlor for trying to give his business card to the grieving widow is pricelessly pathetic.

"Remember The Titans" (2000) - Based on true events surrounding the integration of two high schools in 1971, this is one heck of a movie. Denzel Washington is excellent as Coach Herman Boone. A young Hayden Panettiere plays Sheryl Yost, the daughter of Boone's assistant coach Bill Yost (played by Will Patton). The football scenes are good, the acting is fine. Titans is a solid movie.

"Die Hard" (1988) - For my money one of the best action movies ever made. Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Allan Rickman and the guy who played the dad on the sitcom "Family Matters" are all great in this special effects bonanza. Willis as New York cop John McClain has some great lines as he battles a cadre of well-armed thieves looking to rip off millions from the Nakotomi Corporation. Grab a beer, some cold pizza, sit back and enjoy.

"Godfather" (1972) "Godfather II" (1974) "Goodfellas" (1990) - I know that technically this is more than five movies but I just couldn't pick one of these mob must sees. I'll stop and watch either of these three at any time of the day or night.

If you have some favorites post them in the comments section and send them along.

Matt Kurtz writes about a variety of topics.

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The Work of John Cassavetes

John Nicholas Cassavetes is arguably one of the most important filmmakers in America, influencing a diverse group of directors and actors, most notably Martin Scorsese. Cassavetes went through acting school in New Jersey and began teaching method acting in workshops around New York City, insisting on incorporating improvisation into his class. Much of his class made up the first version of his debut film, “Shadows.” With the success of “Shadows,” Cassavetes made “Faces” which was nominated for three Academy Awards and was the beginning of a lifelong personal and professional relationship with key actors John Marley, Seymour Cassel and Ben Gazzara.

Cassavetes wife, Gena Rowlands played powerful, draining and magnificent roles in many of his films, namely the role of a possibly bi-polar housewife driven to the edge in “A Woman Under the Influence.” Cassavetes believed in shooting almost non-stop, spending most of his filming budget on hours and hours of tape only to spend the next year or more editing it all down into a film.  Many actors would have dreamed to work with Cassavetes, who allowed actors and actresses the freedom to create the character they were playing, to be free and open enough to put themselves “in a position where they may make asses of themselves without feeling they’re revealing things that will eventually be used against them,” as he said.

Some have pointed to Cassavetes humanistic and harsh portrayals of difficult and strange people, who wouldn't know a BMW turbo if they saw one, as some of the most realistic acting performance ever captured on film. But it was the independent mindstate and the hatred Cassavetes had for the film industry that really made him one of the most important directors of his time. Cassavetes showed that with willing and talented actors and the guts and sometimes, downright masochism involved in raising money to finance a film, one could make the film they wanted without studio interferences. Cassavetes often took acting roles in big budget movies that he would have never otherwise taken if he didn’t need the money to finance his own films. His most famous role is in “Rosemary’s Baby” with Mia Farrow where he shows what a great actor, as well as director he was.

About the Author

Alan McGee is a freelance writer from MN.

Have you seen the new movie "Paris je t'aime"?

a new French movie that is a series of short films that take place in Paris... with directors like Cohen bros , A.Payne(?), G. Depardieu &?, and others.... w/ Maggie Gyllenhall (sp), Juliette Binoche, Steve Buscemi (sp), Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Elijah Wood, Natalie Portman, Rufus Sewell, Miranda Richardson....etc., etc. It just opened... was cool, interesting, different and not predictable.

I watched the movie and it surely is worth your time. Paris and its people have been very nicely depicted in the movie. Some stories are a bit abstract by generally it is worth your money and time...

The Arts
The annual Music at St. Edward's concert series will continue next Sunday at 3 p.m. in St. Edward the Confessor Church , Gillotti and Barnum roads, New Fairfield, with Celtic music and dance to celebrate the month of St. Patrick.

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