Report Card---"Django Unchained"

Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" is everything I like about a Quentin Tarantino
movie that I like.
Like "Pulp Fiction" and "Jackie Brown".
And unlike those that I can't bear to watch, or felt betrayed by, like "Kill Bill"
and "Inglourious Basterds"
It's got your usual great, over-the-top-gratuitous violence, your great homage to classic movie genres, your classic using actors who he used in other of his movies, your wonderful digging up actors who you haven't seen for quite a while....it's got it all.
That, and a wonderfully entertaining movie on every level.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Always.
A+.

Compelling even?

Totally.
A+.

Is it controversial?

Not an issue. It's merely entertaining.
No Grade.

Is it a story worth telling?

Sure.
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

Excellent.
A+.

Is it well written?

Very.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?

It works really well on all these levels.
A+.

Is it too long? Too short?

Just right.
A+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Tarantino always seems to merely flirt with believeability, and does so here.
But he still gets you to care about the main characters.
A.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

It is predictable. And only surprises you in how it is resolved.
Not THAT it is resolved.
B+.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

It's designed to only entertain, so no.
No Grade.

Is it funny?

Often.
A.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

It depends on your budget.
A.

Is it impressive ?

Extremely.
A+.

Overall grade: A.

It certainly deserves its nomination, and certainly does not deserve to win.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

Report Card----"Lincoln"

"Lincoln" is everything that has been said about it.
Extraordinary film-making.
Tremendous performances.
Compelling storytelling.
A major history lesson, because it has been thoroughly researched by Doris Kearns
Goodwin, one of our great historians.
It's not like Oliver Stone or Clint Eastwood making it up out of whole cloth, like they
tend to do.
You constantly feel like you are learning something.
Something fascinating.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Always.
A+.

Compelling even?

Often.
A.

Is it controversial?

Of course. The time frame is the last year of Lincoln's life, and the issue is how to get the anti-slavery bill passed through Congress.
Can't get more controversial than that.
A+.

Is it a story worth telling?

Of course.
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

Excellent.
A+.

Is it well written?

Very.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?

They made all the right moves.
A+.

Is it too long? Too short?

Maybe a tad long. But just a tad. (Get it? Lincoln had a son named Tad.)
But it was a little long. I think it should have ended after the Congressional
fight ended. Instead, they took it all the way to Lincoln's death, and took us to
ANOTHER theatre, where a puppet show was going on and Lincoln's kid was in attendance, rather than Ford's Theatre where "Our American Cousin" was playing.
This seemed like a rather bizarre choice.
B+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

It's true, and yes.
A+.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

It is predictable, in that you know how it's going to end. Much like the Musical and
movie "1776"
There are similar dynamics at work.
And here, they were just as successful at handling it.
A+.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Occasionally. There is a lot to chew on.
A.

Is it funny?

No. Comedy has never been Spielberg's strength. Remember "1941"?
Me too.
C.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

All thirteen Yankee Dollars.
A+.

Is it impressive ?

Extremely.
A+.

Overall grade: A.

So far, it ranks as my fifth favorite movie of the year.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

Report Card---"Silver Linngs Playbook"

"Silver Linings Playbook" is a very good movie.
It is a light-hearted look at bi-polar mental illness.
This would seem to be a contradiction in terms, but they manage to pull it off.
It is, in fact, a romantic comedy.
It's not in my top four, which now includes "Life of Pi", but it is quite good on many levels.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Very.
A.

Compelling even?

I wouldn't go that far.
B.

Is it controversial?

The subject matter is, so the movie is.
A.

Is it a story worth telling?

Definitely
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

Very good.
A.

Is it well written?

Yes.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?

Bradley Cooper is very good.
DeNiro steals the picture and deserves the Oscar.
He's hilarious every time he opens his mouth.
Nothing spectacular about the direction or shots.
A.

Is it too long? Too short?

No problem at all with the length.
A.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Yes, and yes.
A.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

Nothing predictable, and nothing really surprising.
B+.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Not really.
B.

Is it funny?

Like I said, DeNiro's a hoot.
A.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

Maybe six.
B.

Is it impressive ?

Rather.
B+.

Overall grade: A-.

The only thing I have really gushed about here is DeNiro.
The rest of my answers were fairly brief.
But it is a quality movie.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

Report Card---"Life Of PI"

I've mentioned before how not only do I believe that there is a God, but that he is on my side.
I received a DVD for "Life of Pi", and was thoroughly enjoying it about an hour and twenty minutes into it, when the DVD froze on me.
I then tried two other DVD players.
Same result.
I tried cleaning the disc.
All sorts of different ways.
Nothing helped.
Was I going to have to go to the actual movies and shell out actual money to see the last forty or so minutes?
Of course not.
So I cursed the DVD, threw it into the garbage, and figured I'd wait until the movie showed up on HBO.
I was not happy.
And I hadn't received any DVDs for about three weeks prior to this.
So I figured I'd totally blown my chances with this one.
Two days later, my doorbell rings.
It's UPS.
I had to sign for an envelope.
Inside it was another copy of "Life of Pi"
This one did not freeze up, and I watched the rest of the film.
So God smiled on me again.
What are the odds?
And the movie was magnificent.
And I wouldn't have totally known that until a year later, when it showed up on HBO.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Fascinating. This is the one about a young Indian boy sharing a life raft with a tiger.
A+.

Compelling even?

Totally. And you keep asking yourself, about the director, Ang Lee, "How did he do that?"
A+.

Is it controversial?

Extremely. To tell you why would require a spoiler alert, so I'm not going to say why.
A+.

Is it a story worth telling?

Absolutely.
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

Great storytelling.
A+.

Is it well written?

Very.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?

All three. The photography by Ang Lee is exquisite.
And they found a great tiger.
A+.

Is it too long? Too short?

Perfect length.
A+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Yes, and totally.
A+.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

Nothing predictable, except that you know that the Indian boy wasn't eaten by the tiger, because he tells the story to someone as an adult.
Many surprises.
A+.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

You can't help but think about it.
A+.

Is it funny?

When it needs to be, which is sometimes.
A.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

Particularly if I had seen it in 3D.
A+.

Is it impressive ?

Overwhelmingly impressive.
A+.

Overall grade: A+.

Don't miss it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

The Last Time He Parked His Karkus.

Anybody out there know who Parkyakarkus was?
The older you are, the more likely you are to know.
Parkyakarkus was a great comedian.
He was known primarily for his appearances on the Eddie Cantor radio show, where he
was really funny.
He also appeared in supporting roles in movies which did not show him off particularly
well, although there were glimmers of his greatness.
His actual name was Harry Einstein.
He might be best known for being Albert Brooks' father.
He was also the father of Bob Einstein, best-known as "Super Dave" Osborne.
I'm sure Bob appreciates the second billing he has been relegated to all of his life.

They came by their gifts honestly.
I never really appreciated how truly funny Parkyakarkus was until yesterday.
On the "Classic Television Showbiz" website, run by a young fellow named Kliph Nesteroff,
there was a recording of Harry's appearance at a Friars Club Roast for Lucille Ball
and Desi Arnaz on November 24th 1958.
It was perhaps the funniest nine and-a-half minutes of stand-up comedy ever done.
Easily funnier than anything his sons ever did.
And that's saying something.
It was also the most compelling piece of show business I have ever been privy to.
Harry killed that night.
He devastated the huge crowd.
Gales of laughter.
I was sitting at my computer, laughing hard, out loud, continually.
This caused my wife to call out "What's going on in there?"
I just continued to giggle.
When Harry finished his priceless nine and-a-half minutes, he retreated from the
podium, took his seat, keeled over, and almost immediately dropped dead.
There were appropriate cries of "Is there a doctor in the house?!!"
And, it being the Friars Club, there were more than a handful.
They tried valiantly to save Harry, but they couldn't.
And you knew before you listened to it that this was going to be the outcome.
Because it was accompanied by newspaper articles that explained what happened.
So it was chilling.
So far, it's still posted as today's lead article, but Kliph tehds to put up new ones almost every day.
So if it isn't still up there, you can find it by doing a search on his website.
This is a must for anyone who loves great comedy.
And great drama.
Simultaneously.

What a way to go.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.
******

Report Card---"Arbitrage"

"Arbitrage" is a nifty little movie.
Certainly not worthy of any awards, as the various awards givers have indicated.
It stars Richard Gere, and is the equivalent of a pretty good two-part "Law and Order: Criminal Intent", which I was a major fan of.
Except that it's primarily from the villain's point of view, and the cop is more corrupt and not nearly as savvy as the Detectives on L&O, CI.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Sure. Gere is a well turned out Bernie Madoff.
And the story has some nice twists.
A.

Compelling even?

Almost.
B+.

Is it controversial?

Not really.
C.

Is it a story worth telling?

I don't see why not.
B+.

Is it good storytelling?

I suppose.
B+.

Is it well written?

Pretty well written. As well-written as L&O CI. No better, no worse.
B+.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?

Gere is not at all likeable. Probably neither was Bernie Madoff.
But being likeable was Gere's job. As it was Madoff's.
C-.

Is it too long? Too short?

It moves along briskly.
A.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

It is believeable, but I really didn't care about the characters.
C.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

No, and the ending is a bit ambiguous, but it's there to be figured out.
C.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

No.
D.

Is it funny?

No.
D.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

Not to me.
F.

Is it impressive ?

Hard to call it that, although the pacing was very effective.
B.

Overall grade: B.

See it when it's on Pay Cable.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

Report Card---"Forbidden Broadway...Alive and Kicking"

If you'll recall, I've had four recent entries about theater I saw in New York.
I had serious reservations about those first four.
At roughly eighty dollars a pop.
The fifth entry restored my faith quite a bit.
And it only cost thirty-five bucks.
It was the great satirical musical revue, "Forbidden Broadway....Alive and Kicking"
There have been many editions of this show over the years.
I saw one many years ago in Detroit.
I loved it.
And until this last trip, I was never in New York when any subsequent version was
available to be seen.
But it was this time.
In the interim, CD's came out of all the previous editions, and I got my hands on all of them.
They were all terrific.

What they do, is skewer, musically, all the current or recent musicals on Broadway.
And they do it brilliantly.
It is hilarious from beginning to end.
If you're in New York, and are at least fairly well-versed on current musicals, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

The concept is great. You are never bored.
A+.

Compelling even?

In it's own way.
A.

Is it controversial?

I'm sure that the stars in the shows being made fun of would not be pleased.
So people would say things like "Can you imagine if Matthew Broderick saw how he was
being portrayed?"
A.

Is it a story worth telling?

It's a revue. No story there or needed.
No Grade.

Is it good storytelling?

See the previous response.
No Grade.

Is it well written?

Extremely
A+.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well staged?

All three. The performers are all extremely appealing.
A+.

Was it too long? Too short?

It could have been a Doubleheader and be fine with me.
A+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Never an issue.
No Grade.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

Never, and always.
A+.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Just about what a great time I had.
A+.

Is it funny?

Brutally funny.
A+.

Was it worth the thirty-five bucks it cost?

It would have been worth eighty.

Is the play impressive ?

It's not a play, but it sure is impressive.
A+.

Overall grade: A+.

It makes me sad that I never saw all those versions that I only heard on CD..

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com. And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

Report Card---"The Master"

Boy, you really wouldn't think a movie about a totally charlatan quasi-hypnotist
in 1950 could be as unredeemingly boring as this one is.
But it is.
The only thing that holds your attention at all are the great-looking old cars of
that era.
It even has Philip Seymour Hoffman giving his usual extremely textured performance.
And he was justifiedly nominated for an Oscar for it.
But in the wrong category.
It is clearly a star part.
And he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
Everything about "The Master" is out-of-whack.
Laura Dern is in it.
But for the first two thirds of the movie, you have to keep guessing whether or not it is, in fact, Laura Dern.
She is continually shot from an extreme distance, or from the back of her head.
You don't know for sure until she has one little scene with Philip Seymour Hoffman
where you are absolutely certain that it is, in fact, Laura Dern.
And the scene didn't amount to much.
And she got third billing.
It makes you wonder why a fairly major star like her would accept such a part.
Maybe there's a lot of her on the cutting room floor.
If so, it couldn't be any less interesting than what was left in the film.
This whole thing about major actors doing teenie-weenie little parts in movies is worth
a post of its own, and I will get around to it one day.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

You think it's going to be, and it is at the beginning, then it sags, then it goes into freefall.
D.

Compelling even?

Never,
F.

Is it controversial?

No. And you'd think it should be.
F.

Is it a story worth telling?

It really isn't.
F.

Is it good storytelling?

Dreadful storytelling.
F.

Is it well written?

It's arch and tedious.
F.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?

Only Philip Seymour Hoffman. Joaquin Phoenix, the nominal star, was a cipher.
C+.

Is it too long? Too short?

It is endless.
F.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Not at all, and not at all.
F.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

No, and no.
C.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

No.
D.

Is it funny?

No.
D-.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

Not any bucks.
F.

Is it impressive ?

Never.
F.

Overall grade: D-.

They should make guitar picks out of the celluloid.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

Report Card---"Moonrise Kingdom"

"Moonrise Kingdom" is a classic teenager Coming-of Age story.
Now, class, what director excelled at this type of film, far better than anyone else?
That's right. John Hughes.
We lost John Hughes way too soon, and until "Moonrise Kingdom", I never saw anyone
even attempt to emulate John Hughes' extraordinary directorial style.
But Wes Anderson, the director of "Moonrise Kingdom", not only attempts it, he succeeds beyond anybody's reasonable expectations.
And it is evident almost immediately.
As a result, I fell in love with this movie within the first five minutes.
And I never fell out of love with it.
Anderson, as John Hughes before him, told his story with the camera.
Not so much with the script.
He made brilliant choices all along the way.
That he was not even nominated for Best Director is the biggest travesty of all.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Overwhelmingly.
A+.

Compelling even?

Absolutely
A+.

Is it controversial?

It's nor really about controversy.
No Grade.

Is it a story worth telling?

Absolutely. And I understand that it was very personal. Drawn from Anderson's life.
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

It is unsurpassed storytelling.
A+.

Is it well written?

Very.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?

For the most part. Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, and Frances McDormand are the adults.
I kept having the feeling that Willis and Murray should have switched parts.
Murray's part is almost irredeemingly oppressive and downbeat. It made you wonder why he took the part. He usually plays the adorable one. But that part went to
Bruce Willis. Something was a little out of whack. But boy, was it all well-played and well-shot.
B+.

Is it too long? Too short?

Perfect, and perfect.
A+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Totally, and totally.
A+.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

No on predictable, and yes on surprising you.
A.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

It certainly lingers with you.
A.

Is it funny?

It's not really what it's about, but it has it's moments.
B+.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

Easily.
A.

Is it impressive ?

It continually bowls you over.

Overall grade: A+.

My third favorite movie this year so far, and easily the best directed movie since
we lost John Hughes.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

This Year's Travesty

I'll try to be brief tonight.
An exaggerated tweet.

Here are the nominations for Best Picture for the Oscars.

“Amour”
“Argo”
“Beasts of the Southern Wild”
“Django Unchained”
“Les Misérables”
“Life of Pi”
“Lincoln”
"Silver Linings Playbook”
"Zero Dark Thirty”

First, why nine instead of ten?
Is it like the Hall of Fame voting?
Everything else is on steroids?

So far, the top three that I have already seen this year are "Argo", "Cloud Atlas",
and "Moonrise Kingdom"
That last one I haven't yet done the Report Card for . But it will be one that any parent would be proud of.
And the latter two weren't even nominated.
I have more to look at, but right now, these three are, in my mind, better than
"Lincoln" and "Silver Linings Playbook", both of which are very good.
But not as good as the top three.
And I can't imagine that some of those others could conceivably surpass the top three.

So we're starting out stepping all over ourselves.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*******

******

Report Card---"The Other Place"

The one single reason I went to see "The Other Place"----Laurie Metcalf.
Just about the best actress we have.
And one of the funniest.
But "The Other Place" is pure drama.
And pretty effective.
Put simply, it is about a woman who is losing her mind.
It's not without its problems.
Like "The Anarchist, it's very short.
Eighty minutes.
You do feel a little gypped with these short plays.
In olden days, when you had a short play, there were these things called "Curtain
Raisers".
One-act plays, sometimes by another author, performed before the main event, a prelim, primarily to make the audience feel like it got its moneys worth.
No Broadway producer seems to care about that anymore.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Yes, but not without its confusing elements.
It starts out slowly, as you're trying to figure things out.
And there are flashbacks and flash-forwards.
And it's tough to keep up,
B.

Compelling even?

Occasionally.
B+.

Is it controversial?

Not really.
B-.

Is it a story worth telling?

I think so.
B+.

Is it good storytelling?

It would be, if there wasn't all this confusion.

Is it well written?

The dialogue is very good
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well staged?

It does that thing I hate.
There are actresses in it who look a lot like each other.
It makes you keep asking "Is that her, or the other one?
It turns out, if you had looked at the program beforehand, you'd know it was always the same actress. An argument can be made that this added to the representation of Metcalfe's breakdown. But it can also lead to an audience breakdown.
B-.

Was it too long? Too short?

Eighty friggin' minutes.
D.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Yes, and yes.
A-.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

I never knew what the hell was going to happen.
A.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Only in trying to determine if that was her or the other one.
C-.

Is it funny?

No. It might have helped.
C-.

Was it worth the eighty bucks it cost?

Not really.
D.

Is the play impressive ?

In it's way.
B+.

Overall grade: C+.

I should re-emphasize that Laurie Metcalfe is still great.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

Report Card---"Dead Accounts"

I saw the play "Dead Accounts" in New York a couple of weeks ago.
It was written by Theresa Rebeck, whose work I am familiar with because she was the creative muscle behind "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Smash".
Two TV series that I have liked very much.
I also saw her play "Seminar" earlier this year, which I didn't like hardly at all.
Actually, I had mixed feelings about "Seminar"
It contained very good dialogue, and very lousy storytelling.
It's nice to have both, but given my druthers, I'd opt for good storytelling over good dialogue any day.
So, walking into "Dead Accounts", there was a major curiosity factor.
Would the pattern hold up?
Did it ever.
Extremely good dialogue, accompanied by a bravura performance by Tony winner
Norbert Leo Butz, and extremely poor storytelling.
It's about a family that discovers that one of them is a major Bernie Madoff style
swindler.
The reveal of this is made just before intermission, yet all the advertising quotes in front of the theatre tips us off about this.
It comes way too late, and doesn't really resolve itself satisfactorily.
But in the interim, the words whiz by.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Butz's presence makes it interesting.
B+.

Compelling even?

Never.
F.

Is it controversial?

it dabbles in what's moral and what isn't, so I guess it's controversial.
B+.

Is it a story worth telling?

Probably.
B.

Is it good storytelling?

Aye, there's the rub.
F.

Is it well written?

The dialogue is swell.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well staged?

Yes, on all counts. Katie Holmes is really no better than average.
B+.

Was it too long? Too short?

It ran about two hours.
Lately, that's a pretty good bang for your buck.
B+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Yes, I suppose, on both counts.
B+.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

I didn't predict that it wouldn't have an ending. That was surprising.
D.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Not at all.
D.

Is it funny?

Very. It's a saving grace.
A.

Was it worth the eighty bucks it cost?

Butz was impressive, but not eighty dollars worth.
C-.

Is the play impressive ?

It's a letdown
C-.

Overall grade: C.

So I think the jury is in on Theresa Rebeck.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

Report Card---"The Anarchist"

Seeing "The Anarchist" on Broadway two weeks ago was certainly an unusual experience
for me.
It was a Sunday Matinee, and it was its last performance.
I had never before witnessed a last performance of any play, excluding my own.
So there was an added layer of drama.
I made sure that I got to see it, because I have attempted to never miss a David Mamet play.
He can toss up three or four bad ones in a row, but that won't prevent me from lining up to catch the fifth one.
Because he is simply the best we have.
Same thing with Woody Allen, who has been sharing a similar batting average lately, but I'm still standing at the plate to receive the next pitch.
"The Anarchist" was roundly skewered by the New York critics, which didn't affect me at all, but certainly affected it's box office receipts and caused it to abbreviate it's very short run.
Why bother to review a play that has already closed?
Well, plays have a tendency to have an afterlife in subsequent productions, and you never know when it might reach your town.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

It builds slowly, but snowballs with interest as it proceeds.
B+.

Compelling even?

Here and there.
B+.

Is it controversial?

It is all about controversy. When has a prisoner served enough time for her crime?
A.

Is it a story worth telling?

Very much.
A.

Is it good storytelling?

Inconsistent.
B-.

Is it well written?

Mamet always writes better than anybody.
A+.

Is it well cast? Well played?, Well staged?

An interesting dichotomy.
It is a two-character play.
The actors are Patti Lupone, probably our most compelling actress, and Debra Winger,
probably our most boring actress.
Yes, Lupone has the meatier part, but if you reversed the roles,it would have been interminable.
D.

Is it too long? Too short?

It was only seventy minutes.
Let me say that again.
Seventy minutes.
That's either a rather long one-act play, or an extremely short full-length play.
And we are charged the same prices for plays that run for two hours and change.
Somebody should step up to the plate and complain about this.
Allow me to be the first.
D-.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

You believe, and you care.
A.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

Not predictable, and it surprises you.
A-.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Quite a bit.
A.

Is it funny?

Almost never. And Mamet is certainly capable of providing humor.
D.

Was it worth the eighty bucks it cost?

Can't say that it was.
D.

Is it impressive ?

Mamet is always impressive, even in his failures.
B.

Overall grade: B-.

It didn't nearly deserve the thrashing it got from the N.Y. critics.
Perhaps some re-tooling and lengthening might serve it well in the future.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******

The Last Angry Man. 4.

Jack Klugman had, by almost any measure, a rather odd marriage to Brett Somers.
Odd, in that they spent extremely little time with each other.
At least by the time I knew him.
She appeared on "The Odd Couple" at least a couple of times.
They had married in 1953, and remained married until her death in 2007.
And they had two sons together.
But they spent about as much time with each other away from the set as he did with
Tony.
I make no judgements.
Just reporting what I know.

There was only one time in history that Jack made the trek up to our office.
My writing partner, Lowell Ganz, and I, had just participated in the first table reading of an upcoming episode, and it led to a particularly vehement session of "What do I want?!!!" by Jack.
We valiantly attempted to point out to him what it was that he wanted.
It got particularly heated, and ugly.
It ended in a Mexican standoff.
Afterwards, Garry Marshall took Jack aside, and cajoled him.
Garry has always been a great cajoler.
He said "Jack, do you really want to leave things this way? I mean, these are your best writers. They can go work on any show in town"
Yes, I'm being particularly immodest, but again, I'm just reporting what he said.
Garry continued "Why don't you go up to their office and apologize to them."
This concept certainly went against Jack's grain, but he took up the gauntlet, and made the one-flight-up trek to our office to apologize to us.
We had no warning that he was coming, because our secretary was in our inner office along with us.
Playing cards with us.
On the floor.
It was the only time Jack ever came up to our office, and the only time any of us played cards on the floor.
And these two events coincided.
So Jack, with no secretary in our outer office to buffer us, walked right into our inner office, with an almost immediate triumphant look on his face.
"I KNEW you guys never worked!!
We, of course, were embarrassed.
But Jack apologized for the scene he made at the table anyway.
But not without reiterating that he was right all along.

Ever wonder how Jack got the part as Oscar?
Here's the story, as best as I know it.
My source is Garry Marshall.

The "Odd Couple" series was borne because ABC secured Tony Randall to play Felix.
He was the key to the package.
Every piece of approval stemmed from Tony: Garry Marshall and Jerry Belson, the choice for Oscar, et al.

Tony and Garry sat down together, and Garry asked the magic question: "Who do you
want for Oscar?"
Tony didn't even hesitate.
He had done the play with Mickey Rooney in Las Vegas.
He told Garry that Mickey Rooney was sensational.
Garry stopped him with "Write down your second choice on this piece of paper, and
sight unseen, I will say 'Fine.' But please! No Mickey Rooney!"
It's not that Garry didn't think Mickey Rooney wasn't talented.
Or that he wouldn't make a great Oscar.
But Garry had worked with Mickey Rooney on a TV-Movie, "Evil Roy Slade", and found him to be the most obnoxious asshole he had ever spent any time with.
And he didn't want to spend any more time with him.
So perhaps if Mickey Rooney had been any less of a shmuck, he would have been Oscar.
And since I owe so much of my career to Jack, perhaps I wouldn't have had any career to speak of.

So long, Jack.
You will be sincerely missed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperback, "Mark Rothman's Essays" is still available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******