Passages

[HerrSchreck]

Maila Nurmi a.k.a. Vampira.

Smallest waist on a fullsize woman.

Don't forget to rise from the dead from behind that cheeseball plywood Quality Studio edwoodian Crypt, Vampira-- and of course bring those long steel claws!

Rest In Peace baby!

[Fletch F. Fletch]

That was a shock to hear about. I think the last thing I saw him in was The Jacket and I had been quite impressed by the way he seemed willing to take on dark and unsympathetic roles in films such as Apt Pupil, Bully and the decent, dark first half of Sleepers.

ABC News

In some ways it is shocking but in others, he seems to have had a recent history of drug abuse.

Yeah, he was incredible in Bully and could do lighter fare like Ghost World as well. What a shame.

[domino harvey]

I had this tragic news broken to me yesterday by The Gold Derby, which was about the last thing I expected to be told there.

[tryavna]

Not exactly film related -- unless Searching for Bobby Fischer counts -- but Fischer, one of the great icons of chess and the Cold War, has died.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Suzanne Pleshettehas died.

[HerrSchreck]

I dug Plesh too.. the only actress who approached that Dangerous Vocalization (I mean she damn near came close to George Sanders doing Shere Khan in Jungle Book) was Brenda Vaccaro. She brought a little something even to Late Savalas Mugging like Kojak: The Belarus File (the last Kojak, a made for tv movie after the series hit the mat).

Not to mention all those great turns on Bob Newhart. She had a great run on tv in general when I was growing up inna 70's (and earlier, and later.)

[colinr0380]

In a sense she's the girl you didn't want to die, but Hitch plays this so carefully, what a wonderful woman, and her gentle and easy "relationship" with Tippi built up in those few shots when Tippi beds down. "
"Wanna Brandy?" "Yes." says Tipp as Hitch's standin.

She was fantastic in a few scenes in The Birds: the unrequited love for Mitch, the sizing up of of her rival (or potential partner?), the way she smartly didn't take her anger out on Melanie but instead saw how she could never compete for Mitch's attentions against a carefree, big city blonde piece of fluff. Maybe she's seen this before and just has to wait for M(H)itch to tire of the next blonde in the vain hope that one day he'll notice the woman on his doorstep?

It's ironic that Annie's heartbreaking death on the steps just before the safety of her closed front door mirrors Melanie's attic troubles - in one Mitch covers over the corpse of a possible relationship with a smart, feisty woman - in another he manages to move the dead weight of his unconscious girl to drag her to safety. Mitch finally gets his fully passive girl.

And Brenda Vaccaro - does it ruin my film fan credentials to say that she is the primary reason I have Supergirl on DVD?

[jesus the mexican boi]

And Brenda Vaccaro - does it ruin my film fan credentials to say that she is the primary reason I have Supergirl on DVD?

She is also very funny in the underrated guilty pleasure that is Zorro the Gay Blade.

[Antares]

Allan Melvin

[Michael]

Ahh...
Suzanne in The Birds.... that fucking VOICE...

In a sense she's the girl you didn't want to die, but Hitch plays this so carefully, what a wonderful woman, and her gentle and easy "relationship" with Tippi built up in those few shots when Tippi beds down. "
"Wanna Brandy?" "Yes." says Tipp as Hitch's standin.

I LOVED Suze!

Whatta sexy actress! And a victim of smoking. And her lategreat perf with the ultra deep voice as Leona Helmsley in the crapoid but fabbo 80s TV movie "The Queen of Mean"!

A wonderful woman indeed. Sublime. A little touch of Rebecca with Suzanne and Tippi but at least they made beds together.

Such a huge presence during my growing up with those 70s shows and of course countless viewings of The Birds. I just really wish that more people would revaluate The Birds and decide that it's the diamond of all Hitch's gems. Guess not but it's amazing how Suzanne in such a short time in the film sticks to you over the years. A subtle but still incredibly powerful and sexy presence. A shade of mystery never flew away from her gorgeous eyes. I just love the image of her as a lone person leading the school. Just imagine that - such an amazing image, isn't it?

A couple of years ago after visiting my mom in Napa, my lover and I decided to trek to Bodega Bay. The school still stood and looked the same. With a strange sense of lonely melancholy surrounding the school - perfectly reflecting Suzanne I think. It felt wonderfully ghostly, I could almost hear Suzanne and children singing.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Now confirmedthat Lois Nettleton died last Friday.

[Barmy]

Heath Ledger.

[justeleblanc]

Here's the link.

[Person]

Heath Ledger is dead? What the FUCK. Just heard it on the BBC Radio 2 news. Unbelievable.

[tavernier]

28 years old. Who's the next young actor to die?

[domino harvey]

Fucking unreal

[portnoy]

I know this is hyperbolic and so, but - I'm in shock. I almost feel like crying, which I don't think I've ever done in response to a celebrity's death, but I've been a huge fan of Ledger's for a long time - I honestly have been of the belief that Ledger was the actor of his generation. His performance is what makes Brokeback Mountain such a powerful film, and he's consistently been the best thing about a number of other films he's been in.

What a tremendous actor - what a tremendous loss.

[domino harvey]

I can't even comprehend this news, he always seemed liked one of those actors who was going to always be around and finding work, like Michael Caine or something. Just terrible.

[Antoine Doinel]

I am in utter shock. Heath Ledger was really entering a phenomenal phase in his career, with some intriguing projects on the slate. This is unbelievable and devastating news. A tremendous talent who will be greatly missed.

[gubbelsj]

I was looking forward to many more years and many more roles from this young man, and find the news to be utterly depressing.

[tavernier]

Priorities from a poster on the NY Times site:

I hope he was able to finish the The Dark Knight movie.

— Posted by L.Wolf

[jaredsap]

I can't think of a better under-30 actor. He was one of the great hopes for his generation of Hollywood talent. Such a tragedy.

[justeleblanc]

Deleted mis information. My apologies. The Olsen twins had nothing to do with this, TMZ was wrong.

[colinr0380]

BBC

Priorities from a poster on the NY Times site:

I hope he was able to finish the The Dark Knight movie.

— Posted by L.Wolf

While it is wrong to focus completely on such things has this scuppered another Terry Gilliam film?

[Poncho Punch]

Priorities from a poster on the NY Times site:

I hope he was able to finish the The Dark Knight movie.

— Posted by L.Wolf

While it is wrong to focus completely on such things has this scuppered another Terry Gilliam film?

I don't think it's wrong at all to consider them, though. I, too, hope that his work in The Dark Knight was complete; even following his roles in films like Brokeback Mountain and Candy, this will likely be seen as the stepping stone to superstardom that he never had the chance to get past. The Joker isn't just a fascinating comic-book villain, he's an icon.