Glenn Kenny on Moscow on the Hudson:
It’s a lovely, loose, unselfconscious, limb-swinging performance so uninhibited, who can forget the sight of him, hairy as a bear from pretty much the neck down, lounging in that big tub with Maria Conchita Alonso? What amazes about his best screen-acting is the combination of discipline—he was Juilliard-trained, after all—and an exhilarating sense of him being present in every moment, ready for anything, always prepared to improvise the most alive response to his environment.
http://www.vanityfair.com/vf-hollywood/2014/08/robin-williams-obituary
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 18:44 (nine years ago) link
I have a store credit at used dvd store near work...gonna swing by at lunchtime & see if I can pick up the Fisher King, or Garp, or Moscow on the Hudson.
― SEEMS TO ME (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 18:59 (nine years ago) link
glad this EW roundup of his lesser known films stans for The Best of Times and Club Paradise; the latter was a staple of late eighties cable
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 18:59 (nine years ago) link
and a thousand xxposts by now but BLAM thank you so much for sharing those thoughts, and idk...i hope it gets better? xo
― SEEMS TO ME (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:00 (nine years ago) link
It has. And thanks.
― Survivalist Compound Row (B.L.A.M.), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:02 (nine years ago) link
some of his star vehicles seem oop on dvd?
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:08 (nine years ago) link
The Fisher King is on Sony Movies later. I haven't seen it in years either.
― everyday sheeple (Michael B), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:09 (nine years ago) link
Fisher King is on netflix too i think?
― Sporkies Finalist (stevie), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:14 (nine years ago) link
http://www.vulture.com/2014/08/what-it-was-like-to-do-improv-with-robin-williams.html
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, August 12, 2014 12:40 PM (36 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
This is amazing, damn
― panda fiend (sleepingbag), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:17 (nine years ago) link
The sad parts are confusing, and we talk about the Beastie Boys during them.
― mattresslessness, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:19 (nine years ago) link
It's interesting to compare RW's reaction to improv-audience idiot suggesting "Flubber" to, say, Lou Reed stalking out when the local bakery is playing "Sunday Morning."
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:21 (nine years ago) link
David Edelstein suggests that for a best-of we intersperse bits of talk show appearances with clips from "Popeye, The Survivors, The Best of Times, Seize the Day, Moscow on the Hudson, Cadillac Man, The Fisher King, Insomnia, The Birdcage, his appearance in Homicide: Life on the Street, and even Good Will Hunting (and a bit of his voice in Aladdin, of course)."
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:26 (nine years ago) link
the only recent-ish things of his I'd seen were the episode of Law & Order: SVU that he did (inspired by the same case that inspired the movie Compliance)
wha
― noballs (wins), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:34 (nine years ago) link
did he play the caller?
― noballs (wins), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:35 (nine years ago) link
even Good Will Hunting
It's uncool to say you like that movie now?
― everyday sheeple (Michael B), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:35 (nine years ago) link
well it isn't very good so
need Smoochy and Garp xxxxp
Can't for the life of me remember the small part in Dead Again, which I generally found terrible.
GWH always seemed like a mundane fairytale, made by a good director.
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:37 (nine years ago) link
― everyday sheeple (Michael B),
it's not your fault
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:37 (nine years ago) link
man I still haven't seen Garp! Should I? It seems like boring eighties Oscar bait.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:38 (nine years ago) link
At least GWH isn't responsible for "You're the man now, dog!"
― The Ape In The Outhouse (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:39 (nine years ago) link
dude waht you should totally see this movie
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:42 (nine years ago) link
apparently he did a "Firing Line" spoof too:
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/385253/our-robin-williams-tim-cavanaugh
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:43 (nine years ago) link
"stonewall_61" ain't having it:
Stonewall_61 • 2 hours agoOkay, I wasn't going to say anything, but with all of this wall-to-wall praise of Williams, I can keep quiet no longer.
Mork and Mindy was a stupid show that had been spun off from another stupid show that had in turn been spun off from a show that started well but ended very badly.
After that, some of Williams' stand-up comedy could be quite good. But then he spent the entire 80's decade taking cheap shots at Ronald Reagan. Long, drawn out diatribes that could last 20 minutes or more, characterizing Reagan as an old, senile, incompetent buffoon who slept all of the time.
Then he made a whole string of incredibly stupid movies that were nearly indistinguishable from each other, in most of which he wore clown shoes.
Then toward the end, he did a respectable job in a few serious roles.
Robin, I am sorry you had such a rough time of it, and that you felt you had to off yourself. That is very sad. I hope you found happiness in a better place, even though my religion tells me that is very unlikely considering you committed suicide. But I cannot say that I will miss you all that much. If there is any Karma in the universe, you will spend eternity having to listen to Ronald Reagan repeating all of his speeches while he wears clown shoes. RIP
haven't seen Garp in maybe 20 years, but God knows it's better than the book. Also deservedly kicked Close and Lithgow into a higher realm.
(Glenn Close was also at that Met gig... Williams shouted "hi Mom" to her before an encore.)
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:44 (nine years ago) link
the Reagan stuff did wear after a while, but "Disney's last wish: Make a president" had a beauty to it
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:46 (nine years ago) link
that WFB, Jr. impression is good
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:47 (nine years ago) link
you should totally totally see garp
― Everyone is awful except you. Wait, no, you are also awful. (jjjusten), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:49 (nine years ago) link
characterizing Reagan as an old, senile, incompetent buffoon who slept all of the time.
this is unfair how?
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:50 (nine years ago) link
glad edelstein brought up the survivors, highly recommended for folks who want to see him running on all cylinders outside of a live special
― da croupier, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:50 (nine years ago) link
omg at that WFB impression lol never seen that before
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:52 (nine years ago) link
btw Martin Short's wicked impression of him was indeed killer
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:53 (nine years ago) link
of Williams, that is. Speed was often his worst enemy.
kevin kline could have done dead poets.
he kinda did in In and Out!― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, August 12, 2014 2:21 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, August 12, 2014 2:21 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
no, he did it in the emperor's club!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_Club#mediaviewer/File:The_Emperor%27s_Club_Poster.jpg
― marcos, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:58 (nine years ago) link
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/58/The_Emperor%27s_Club_Poster.jpg
― marcos, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:59 (nine years ago) link
Has this Gottfried piece been posted?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/12/opinion/gottfried-robin-williams/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:00 (nine years ago) link
To see Robin perform was an experience. He was more than a comedian. He was a comedy force of nature. I remember hearing that Robin was once doing a press junket in Germany. One of the reporters asked him, "Why is it that Germany is not known for comedy?" Robin answered, "Well, you killed all your funny people." I laughed out loud when I heard that. I thought, how sick and how wonderfully truthful.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:05 (nine years ago) link
From SFGate, something from Mort Sahl:
Legendary news-based comedian Mort Sahl, who moved to Mill Valley five years ago, says he and Williams "were very close friends, via Lucy Mercer at 142 Throckmorton," where Sahl performs every Thursday. He first met Williams "17 years ago in Los Angeles. He was most extraordinary. We were very very close, on a humor basis. ... But what he did was a long way from what I did."Sahl observes that "whatever the audience got, Williams was an actor, a classically trained actor. He had a great respect for individuality, and he was a very gentle soul. He cut up to un-inhibit the audience, but that was not him."The two comics would meet in downtown Mill Valley. Most recently, they most often "met at my place," said Sahl. "He gave me an espresso machine, so we could have a conversation and we didn't have to go out ... and watch all those people in Tiburon reading the Wall Street Journal while they had coffee."He is still grateful for Lucy Mercer having introducedthem. "A person like Lucy could only exist up here," says Sahl, "and Robin trusted her implicitly. She's on the side of the living, which is definitely a minority."
Sahl observes that "whatever the audience got, Williams was an actor, a classically trained actor. He had a great respect for individuality, and he was a very gentle soul. He cut up to un-inhibit the audience, but that was not him."
The two comics would meet in downtown Mill Valley. Most recently, they most often "met at my place," said Sahl. "He gave me an espresso machine, so we could have a conversation and we didn't have to go out ... and watch all those people in Tiburon reading the Wall Street Journal while they had coffee."
He is still grateful for Lucy Mercer having introducedthem. "A person like Lucy could only exist up here," says Sahl, "and Robin trusted her implicitly. She's on the side of the living, which is definitely a minority."
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:06 (nine years ago) link
burst out laughing at my desk at the fox clip
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-news-backs-robin-williams-death-report-with-fake-mrs-doubtfire-footage/
― da croupier, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:09 (nine years ago) link
http://www.clickhole.com/article/7-robin-williams-gifs-imperfectly-sum-his-life-and-742
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:11 (nine years ago) link
tbf, Robin Williams presumably wanted to stay onstage and Lou Reed could easily find a good bagel elsewhere
― crüt, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:18 (nine years ago) link
well I don't know about that in the contemporary West Village
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:22 (nine years ago) link
when I think of The Fisher King I remember Bridges, Ruehl, and Plummer, not Williams.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:27 (nine years ago) link
Lou Reed could easily find a good bagel egg cream elsewhere
fixed
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:28 (nine years ago) link
when I think of the Fisher King I remember that a huge chunk of the middle of the film is devoted to a subplot that goes nowhere
welp used dvd store gave me no love. out of desperation I bought Hook but more for nostalgia than need.
so I went on Amazon & bought The Fisher King. I really fucking love that movie.
― SEEMS TO ME (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:29 (nine years ago) link
Really? For me that movie is all about Williams and Michael Jeter.
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:29 (nine years ago) link
For me, the movie is all about SNAP!
― pplains, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:35 (nine years ago) link
wtf there were ONE HOUR PHOTO action figures??? xpost
― i also enjoy in line skateing (spazzmatazz), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:36 (nine years ago) link
the Fisher King is all about New York in June
― SEEMS TO ME (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:37 (nine years ago) link
i think these were only action figures from one hour photo:http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llostrfPC01qc39oy.png
― Philip Nunez, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 20:41 (nine years ago) link