(no subject)

[shadowkat]

1. Watching Private Screenings with Liza Minelli on TCM - where she discusses her father, Vincent Minelli's directorial technique. Makes you appreciate the fine art of direction - which is 85% of film.It's a visual medium more than anything else. And you can tell a well-directed film vs. a poorly directed one. In one bit she discusses the classic film Home from the Hill starring Robert Mitchum, George Peppard and George Hamilton. The actors had completely different styles. With Mitchum, he knew all he had to do was give him the staging and let him go, with Peppard who was method - he had to work with him more - give him his motivation, and with George...he was a new-comer and had to give him line readings.

I love this line: When Gene Kelly danced - you knew it was a great number, when Fred Astair danced, you felt like he was making it up on the spot. - Liza Minelli.

It's an interesting way of distinguishing the two. For me? Kelley is raw emotion, while Astair is effortless grace. I'd say I prefer one over the other? But it depends. Kelley is amazing in An American in Paris and Singing in the Rain, smart-alek, yet raw, with a muscular grace, like Bugs Bunny, and Astair in Daddy Long Legs, Band Wagon (my favorite of the Astair flicks), and Funny Face - who had such effortless grace...he would fall into a waltz or a tap as if he were just deciding to walk across a room.

Liza repeats her mother's advice on acting and her fathers. Her mother says you have to figure out why that person is saying and if it is really that, and if she isn't really saying that, what else would she say - and she had me rehearse a line with her. Don't say what you're really thinking, say what you should say, and everything you are really thinking should come from the eyes. Her father says acting is hearing and saying it as if you are saying it for the very first time.

It's a craft and a difficult one, which the true pro's make look easy. Like pure magic. It's the magician who stands up in front of you and pulls that bunny out of the hat, effortlessly.

2. I'm enjoying Hunger Games more than expected. Katniss is actually quite interesting and I like her. I don't understand why people said she's not the most touchy feely or likable character at first? I like her much better than I did Buffy at first. She's tough. She loves her sister too pieces. Is a tom boy, and not that into the girly crap. Where's the problem? (bewildered).

Comments

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I liked Katniss a great deal. She has a hard time figuring out her feelings, but, sheesh. The girl is put through eleven kinds of hell. Of course she's scarred by that. But I liked her throughout.

[ponygirl2000.livejournal.com]

I tore through Hunger Games like a maniac and promptly loaned it to a friend who read it in a weekend. It's nice to have something so awesomely plotty and actiony for a change. Certain things started to grate as the series progressed but I did go through the entire trilogy in a month so it may be that I overdosed on teen dystopic angst.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

For me? Kelley is raw emotion, while Astair is effortless grace. I'd say I prefer one over the other? But it depends. Kelley is amazing in An American in Paris and Singing in the Rain, smart-alek, yet raw, with a muscular grace, like Bugs Bunny, and Astair in Daddy Long Legs, Band Wagon (my favorite of the Astair flicks), and Funny Face - who had such effortless grace...he would fall into a waltz or a tap as if he were just deciding to walk across a room.


Yes, Kelly is a more "masculine" dancer - all testosterone; while Astaire is like a soap bubble - he floats effortlessly through the air. So I guess it all depends on which version moves you more, for me it's always Kelly.

[rozk.livejournal.com]

Kelly?Adtaire? We don't have to choose - they are both wonderful and different; they both do amazing things that the other would never have done in the same way; they both have endearing faults and flaws. Don't rank them - just enjoy.

[local-max.livejournal.com]

I love that comment of Liza's about Gene Kelly vs. Fred Astaire.

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

"I'm enjoying Hunger Games more than expected. Katniss is actually quite interesting and I like her. I don't understand why people said she's not the most touchy feely or likable character at first?"
I think that a lot of readers don't appreciate a young girl as an existential hero: Katniss has lost a lot and trust no one... and I think some readers found that hard to accept, personally I appreciated it!
Of course we do learn that her heart melts completely for the weak and vulnerable, and slowly she begins to realize that even the strong and egotistical have their vulnerabilities. She is easily one of the most interesting female characters I've read in ages. But then I found almost all of Suzanne Collin's characters interesting (even the nasty ones, even the ones with tiny roles to play).

And yeah, comparing Kelly and Astaire is a waste of time: better to just really enjoy both of them! lol