tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post2656528810067165017..comments2024-03-28T16:52:10.619-04:00Comments on Radiator Heaven: Bright Lights, Big CityJ.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11823190634186509982noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-33897686967283006152010-02-22T16:45:07.454-05:002010-02-22T16:45:07.454-05:00Judy:
Thank you for the kind words. I hadn't ...Judy:<br /><br />Thank you for the kind words. I hadn't seen the film in ages and the scene that always stuck in my mind is the one where Fox's character crashes his wife's fashion show. But that scene where he clumsily tries to seduce Swoosie Kurtz's character is also very memorable for its awkwardness and, as you point out, his spiraling into self-destruction.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-79578340424998163142010-02-22T16:19:58.178-05:002010-02-22T16:19:58.178-05:00Great review and fascinating to have all the detai...Great review and fascinating to have all the detail of how the film was made and the script reworked. It's a while since I saw this and I must admit I had completely forgotten the coma baby and the ferret. What sticks in my mind, apart from the magazine office background, is Fox's performance as a man (or should I say a boy? his character in this still seems stuck in adolescence) spiralling into self-destruction. I remember a scene where an older woman from his office is trying to seduce him and he panics and runs off. I definitely think it's true that, as the quote in your essay says, there is something about him as an actor which makes audiences care about him no matter what his character does.Judyhttp://movieclassics.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-80865065153370288062010-02-19T16:12:07.770-05:002010-02-19T16:12:07.770-05:00Sean Gill:
Yeah, Fox's rant is a keeper and h...Sean Gill:<br /><br />Yeah, Fox's rant is a keeper and he does a really good job in this film and I think that's what keeps me coming back to the film again and again.<br /><br />As for the bizarro office slapstick-y scene... oddly enough, it is in the book but because you are imagining it yourself it doesn't seem as out of place as it does in the film. I guess the powers that be felt that they needed some kind of levity in the film.<br /><br />I dig Schrader too and it's been years since I've seen LIGHT OF DAY... prolly since it came out on video! I would be curious to see it again if only because I've heard that Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails fame has a cameo in a scene. Plus, Joan Jett co-stars with Fox and that ALONE is worth a look.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-58398550073558563302010-02-19T14:10:54.623-05:002010-02-19T14:10:54.623-05:00Despite the misguided heavyhandedness of the coma ...Despite the misguided heavyhandedness of the coma baby, et al., I enjoyed this film quite a bit. I seem to remember Fox's valium and booze-induced rant to Swoosie Kurtz as sort of a miniature tour-de-force and one of my favorite MJF moments. <br /><br /><br />And that bizarre office slapstick is one of those WHUTTT?! moments of 80's cinema, where you're entirely confused as to why this was included (I felt the same way about the claymation cuisine in BETTER OFF DEAD, but at least that had the excuse of appearing within a 'comedy.').<br /><br />And, as a Schrader fan, I've long been thinking about biting the bullet and buying LIGHT OF DAY on VHS or Euro DVD just to see it– is it worth any effort?Sean Gillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00537515557596273876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-31037624684123781112010-02-17T09:48:32.804-05:002010-02-17T09:48:32.804-05:00le0pard13:
Thanks for the compliments! I have a s...le0pard13:<br /><br />Thanks for the compliments! I have a strange fascination with this film and LESS THAN ZERO. Both quite flawed but interesting snap shots of their times nonetheless.<br /><br />It really is a shame about Fox but once you make an impact in the kinds of films and TV shows he did, the public didn't want to see him do anything else.<br /><br />And yeah, BRIGHT LIGHTS had quite the troubled production and it is a miracle that anything coherent was produced!<br /><br />As for Kiefer Sutherland in this film, I could easily have seen James Spader in the role but he might've made the character too unlikable. Still, maybe that would've been a good thing!<br /><br />I actually just finished reading McInerney's book and it's quite good. I was surprised at how faithful the film is to it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-24673592131176406222010-02-17T01:39:15.169-05:002010-02-17T01:39:15.169-05:00Great review, J.D. This film was never a favorite ...Great review, J.D. This film was never a favorite of mine, for many of the scenes you cite. Still, Keaton did show his acting chops (and bravery) with this role. But, I agree he was pigeon-holed early and didn't get enough roles like <i>Casualties of War</i> to broaden his filmography. Also, I really was enthralled with the backstory you researched and wrote up, here. I never heard half of the things you have in this, and I enjoyed reading about it more than the movie itself. Thanks for this!<br /><br />p.s., as I was reading this, especially Keifer's role here, I was thinking about James Spader, too.le0pard13https://www.blogger.com/profile/09421175808461787862noreply@blogger.com