Memosaic

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Michael Caine and His Films

On April 29, Movie Addict Headquarters celebrates the film career of legendary actor Michael Caine. Noted film critic John P. McCarthy and award-winning blogger Fausta Rodriguez Wertz discuss Caine’s best movies plus their favorite performances from among his many film appearances. Caine, who turned 80 last month, is still going strong – and his rich upcoming movie schedule will also be covered.  

Choosing Caine’s best films and performances is not an easy task. This talented actor has won acclaim for his brilliant work in such diverse movies as Alfie, The Ipcress File, Secondhand Lions, Sleuth, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Blood and Wine, Zulu, The Italian Job, Dressed To Kill, Get Carter, Little Voice, The Man Who Would Be King, The Quiet American, Cider House Rules and Hannah and Her Sisters. He won well-deserved Oscars for his supporting roles in the last two films mentioned.

Caine performed his latest leading role in the touching drama Last Love.  His upcoming movies include: Ella Graves, a thriller with Kate Beckinsale and Samuel L. Jackson; Imagine, a comedy/drama starring Al Pacino and Annette Bening; The Secret Service, an action thriller with Colin Firth, Lady Gaga and Samuel L. Jackson; Interstellar, a sci-fi mystery with Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey;    

In addition to his impressive acting credits, Michael Caine has written a fascinating autobiography titled What’s It All About? as well as other books about acting including the popular Acting in Film: An Actor’s Take on Movie Making. 

Guests John P. McCarthy and Fausta Rodriguez Wertz are Michael Caine fans. John has written for TV Guide, Variety and USA Today. He also contributes film criticism and analysis to outlets such as Boxoffice.com, America magazine, and Catholic News Service. Besides being an award-winning blogger, Fausta is an outspoken movie buff. Both John and Fausta always come across as entertaining and informative when talking about films.

This Michael Caine Celebration airs on BlogTalkRadio at 4 p.m. Eastern Time (1 p.m. Pacific Time) on Tuesday, April 29, 2014. During the live show, listeners are invited to call in and to participate in a chat. An archived segment will also be available.

CALL-IN NUMBER: 646-470-5668




 

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Wednesday, April 09, 2014

Mickey Rooney R.I.P.

I feel sad about the recent passing of Mickey Rooney. He should have made it to 100! An entertainer with boundless energy, Mickey may have been short of stature, but he was a giant where talent is concerned. He leaves behind a legacy of versatile performances on film, stage and TV. His terrific work played an important role in my addiction to movies. During my teens, while watching MGM musicals, I always knew something special was in store whenever Mickey Rooney said to Judy Garland, “Let’s put on a show!”

Never mind about strikingly similar plots and characters in such films as Babes in Arms, Babes on Broadway, Girl Crazy and so on. That didn’t faze me. I could hardly wait to see Mickey and Judy perform their great musical numbers.

As an adult, meeting Mickey Rooney at the Palm Springs International Film Festival turned out to be the highlight of that 1995 event for me. Mickey expressed enthusiasm over portraying Father Flanagan in The Road Home (shown on television as The Brothers’ Destiny), a movie premiering there. At a question and answer session for the San Diego Cinema Society, Mickey recalled playing a delinquent orphan as co-star with Spencer Tracy, who originated the role of Father Flanagan in the much earlier movie, Boys Town. “I’ve come full circle,” he said. 

Mickey also reminisced about working with Judy Garland. “I loved her; she was the greatest performer who ever lived,” he announced.   

Dancer, singer, actor, comic – Mickey did it all with his own special flair. May he rest in peace. 


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