Displaying items by tag: Dave Bautista

THE LAST SHOWGIRL

US, 1984, 88 minutes, Colour.

Pamela Anderson, Billy Lourd, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song, Dave Bautista, Jamie Lee Curtis.

Directed by Gia Coppola.

While The Last Showgirl is a story of a Las Vegas show closing down (fewer coming to the spectacles, more a new popularity of circuses), it provides a fine comeback for Pamela Anderson, a varied career with Playboy, Baywatch, her relationships in the public eye, but her later championing of environmentally friendly products.

The film has been directed by Gia Coppola, the project has quite a number of the Coppola clan involved. She is a granddaughter of Francis Ford, niece of Sophia, cousin of Nicolas Cage and Jason Schwartzman (who has a role here) and the screenwriter is married to a cousin.

In many ways this is a familiar story, and many audiences who have had experiences of being fired, terminated, will resonate. Pamela Anderson plays Shelley, 57, who has danced in the show for 30 years, devoting her life to it – and in rather moving speech to her estranged daughter, she explains how important this has been for her, the show, the costumes, the dancing, even if she is only one out of 80 in the ensemble, smiling and happy to be entertaining the audience. Which is not enough for her daughter giving rise to some emotional confrontations.

Shelley also explains why this is the job she has loved for so long, even as she regrets the consequent neglect of her daughter growing up, that she is one of the regular people doing the best they can with the tools they have.

A lot of the action takes place in the dressing room, leaving some of the spectacle of the show until the later part of the film. In the dressing room interactions, Shelley has become something of a mother figure, to Jody (Kioernan Shipkin) who has left home and alienated her mother. And there is a good friend, Annette, former dancer, now aged, heavily made up, something of a fright wig, working in the gambling pit, played by Jamie Lee Curtis – and a long dance sequence that she choreographed. The daughter is played by Billy Lourd (daughter of Carrie Fisher which means that she brings a lot of experience to the role of the daughter of a showbiz personality).

A pleasant surprise is the casting of Dave Bautista, not in an action show, but as the organiser of the girls, getting them on stage at the right time, reticent in his own way, a friend for Shelley.

A sympathetic portrait of one of the regular people – facing age, jobless, with the possibility for a different future and renewing relationships.

1. A showgirl in Las Vegas story? The background of the shows, the popularity, decline, audiences, change in sensibilities? The effect on the long-time showgirls?
2. A star vehicle for Pamela Anderson, audience knowledge of her career, personal story? Her nominations for awards?
3. Audience response to Las Vegas, favourable, life and style, criticisms? The casinos, the familiar exteriors, the streets, the interiors, the gambling areas, the shows? Costumes and decor? The dressing rooms, behind-the-scenes, the management, control of the action, lighting…?
4. Shelley and her story, the opening, the close-ups, her age, the audition, lying about her age, the music? And the return to this sequence as the show was closing?
5. Shelley, 57, 30 years as a dancer, her long speech explaining to her daughter her love for the show, what it meant, the glamour, the costumes, the impact for the audience? Hannah and her criticism, the showgirls being one of 80, not individuals, and her mother’s choice of this way of life while neglecting her in her growing up?
6. Shelley’s explanation of ordinary regular people, doing what they can with the tools that they have? Audience sympathy and understanding for her?
7. The background of the of the girls, their age, Jody and her age, her family, separations, seeing Shelley as something of a mother figure? Friendships, clashes, reliance? Especially with the show closing? Mary Anne, age and background, age, auditions, bond with Shelley?
8. Eddie, a different role for Dave Bautista, his long-time with the show, relationship with the girls, timing, his announcements, the show going on? The conversations with Shelley? The realisation that he was Hannah’s father, but nobody knowing, his admiration for Shelley but her not responding to him except as a friend and professionally? The invitation to the dinner, the conversation, the past, the tensions, Shelley leaving?
9. Hannah, her life, her mother, with the other family, moving to choose and, visiting her mother, her hard attitude, yet wanting to understand, the discussion about the commitment to the show compared with commitment to family, her eventually seen the show, her dismissing the show, her mother just wonder amongst 80? Her later returning, seeking out her mother, some kind of understanding, and needs for her mother, reconciliation?
10. The friendship with an net, her being a shadow dancer, age, gambling habit, in the pit, finance, her make-up and dress, the bonding and chats with Shelley, and the significance of the long dance sequence and her costume?
11. The repeat of the audition sequence, Shelley and her dance, explaining she was a dancer, her answering back to the man auditioning, her defiance?
12. Sequences her partner bird in Las Vegas, her posture, the dance movements?
13. The film keeping the show and the dance and the staging until later, the emphasis on the costumes, elaborate, their weight, the dances and the poison movement?
14. The film showing the end of the show business era, and its effect on those concerned? And the challenge for the committed Shelley to imagine a different way of life and future?

DUNE, PART 2

US, 2024, 166 minutes, Colour.

Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Lea Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgaard, Charlotte Rampling, Roger Yuan.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve.

Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 version of Dune made quite an impact. The Dune novels by Frank Herbert had been popular for decades. David Lynch had made a version in 1984 which was not favourably received (except by this reviewer!). So, in a sense, Villeneuve’s version was a vindication of the power of the novel, its characters, its imagination, its mythical vision of the future.

Now, here is Dune Part 2 – and, in its immediate release, it seems to have pleased almost everyone, quite a number of bloggers relying on the word “masterpiece”. Whether that be the case are not, the film is certainly visually impressive as was the original. And, this review is based on an IMAX screening, which is thoroughly recommended. The landscapes, the endless mounds of dunes, the craggy mountains, the canyons provide a vastly impressive setting. And, the musical score, the brass instruments and their resounding make the cinema seats reverberate.

And, with this kind of tale-telling, kingdoms, battles, futuristic weapons and armaments, vast buildings and interiors, including an enormous gladiator arena filmed in black and white, hundreds of thousands of spectators, there are what we might call state-of-the-art… Effects.

For those familiar with the novels and the films, there is no need to wonder about the House of Atreides, the fate of the ruler, his young son, Paul, his mother, Jessica, the conflict with the Emperor, the hostility towards the Harkonnens. Those not so familiar may have a lot of moments, especially in the battle sequences, as to who is who and why it is all happening at this moment.

As before, Timothee Chalamet is Paul, Rebecca Ferguson his mother, Zendaya is Chani.

In the first part of this this film, we focus on Paul and his mother, the bond with Chani from the previous episode, the hiding from enemies in the desert (who have enormous sky vehicles and have the power of levitation up the sides of mountains), then some combat with hostile locals. However, the local leader, Stilgar, Javier Bardem, welcomes the foreigners, and, with echoes of biblical/Islamic traditions, a reliance on prophecies and fulfilment, a hope for a Messiah.  Stilgar puts Paul to the test.

Then we go back to the spice industry, the villain, Beast Rabban, Dave Bautista, his ruthlessness, but also his defeat, his return to his master, Baron Harkonnen, Stellan Skarsgaard, who is grooming his nephew, Austin Butler, whom he describes as psychotic, who combats three remnants of the House of Atreides.

There is further drama concerning Paul’s mother, her later discovery of who her father was and what that means in terms of Atreides versus Harkonnens, and her becoming the new Reverend Mother.

New characters in this film include Christopher Walken as the Emperor and Florence Pugh as his Princess daughter, who has been trained by the sinister Reverend Mother, Charlotte Rampling.

Which means that it all has to come to a head, the power of the Emperor, his plans, Paul as the new saviour, Battle confrontation mano a mano between Paul and the psychotic nephew.

While there is some resolution, the way is now open for a climax in Dune Part 3

1. The long popularity of Frank Herbert books? 1984 version? The impact of Part 1?
2. The continuation of the story, life on the planet, Arrakis, the house of Atreides and its destruction, the Harkonnens, the Emperor and his family, the setting in the 10,000s?
3. The landscapes, the dunes in the desert, the mountains, canyons, the cities, the interiors, the vast buildings, the gladiatorial arena? The colour photography? Black-and-white photography for the Harkonnen world?
4. Action sequences, the range of special effects, in the desert, the worms and movement, the winds, the aerial machines, the Army sequences and battles, the hand to hand final combat?
5. The musical score, the instruments, the booming and reverberating sounds?
6. The situation, the destruction of the House of Atreides, Paul surviving with his mother, the previous bond with Chani, hiding and the attacks in the desert, aerial surveillance, the ability of the soldiers to ascend and climb the mountain sides?
7. Paul and his mother and Chani, brought to her people, the issue of the combat, the defeat of their warrior, the response of the crowds, the men, the sceptical women? The funeral?
8. Stilgar, his status in the community, the Biblical/Islamic traditions of written words and prophecy, the hope of a saviour? The men and their beliefs, their prayer? The women critical including Chani? Stilgar and his personality, leadership, influence on the others, belief in Paul? Fulfilment of prophecy? The range of tests, the crossing of the dunes, Chani and her advice and help, the big test, going out into the dunes, the soundings, the worms emerging, giant, Paul and his abilities, the hooks, and riding the worms? Acclaim?
9. The solemn place of the Reverend Mothers, Jessica, her bond with her son, chosen to be a Reverend Mother, the rituals, the old Mother and succession, the transfer of knowledge, the abstract colour visuals for these sequences? Her tattooed face? Her role with the women, knowledge and advice? Her wanting to go south, to return home, with Paul? His refusal? Seeing her off with the entourage?
10. The episode with Beast Rabban, the initial caption about the power and the power with the spice? The spice industry, cause of conflict? The farming of the spice, collecting it, financial issues? The Beast and his autocratic behaviour, slitting the throats of his advisers? Falling foul of the Emperor, the aerial sequences, his defeat, having to kiss the feet of Fayd-Rautha?
11. The tradition of the Harkonnens, the Baron, in the bath, his size, bloated? His relationship with the Emperor? Helping the Emperor to defeat the House of Atreides? His plans for his nephew? The description of the nephew as psychotic? Everybody with shaved heads? Preparations for the gladiatorial combat, the black-and-white photography, the visuals of the arena, the special effects for hundreds of thousands of spectators, the three final warriors from the House of Atriedes, the confrontation with Fayd-Rautha, the fights, his arrogance, the blood, the knives, the final foe giving him a fight? Arrogant Victor?
12. The return of Gurney, the story in the past, smuggling? The friendship with Paul, their bonding? Chani and her suspicions? Gurney and his participation in the insurrection, present at the end?
13. The scenes with the Emperor, his rule, under threat, his assertion? The scenes with his daughter, his hopes for her? The Reverend Mother, her manner, influence in the past, training the daughter, ambitious, controlling, her strategies, her ruthlessness?
14. The buildup to the confrontation with the forces of the Emperor, Paul, the Fundamentalists from the south, the attack, the air vehicles and their destruction, on the ground, the firepower, the skills of the fighters and their disguise, rising from the sands? The visuals of the vast confrontations?
15. The victory, the confrontation with the Emperor, Paul and his assertions, the killing of the Baron, revenge? The Emperor, defiant? Fayd-Rautha as his champion? Paul and his conditions, speaking of marrying the Emperor’s daughter, peace, Chani and her reaction?
16. The Mano a Mano fight, strategies, techniques? Paul being wounded? Turning the tables on his opponent, his death? The Emperor, having to kneel before Paul?
17. Stilgar, everybody rejoicing, Paul as the saviour? His mother and her response? The defeat of the Reverend Mother and the Emperor’s entourage?
18. The ending, the openness to the reassertion of Paul Atreides and his leadership?