(Director Norman) Jewison takes swipe at celebrity culture

Canadian Press ^ | April 24, 2005 | Canadian Press

[calcowgirl]

MONTREAL — Canadian director Norman Jewison, whose long career has included Oscars for his films and actors who have starred in them, doesn't know half the "movie stars'' that are under the age of 30.

Jewison told his audience at a literary festival Sunday that he has divided those who are in pictures into two categories: movie stars and actors.

For example, Jewison said that Arnold Schwarzenegger, now California governor, is a movie star while Denzel Washington is an actor.

But what really bothers Jewison is celebrity culture and what he calls the unhealthy obsession with it that permeates people's daily lives.

"It's ridiculous,'' Jewison said after speaking about his autobiography, This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me, at the festival, Montreal, World Book Capital.

"We're all being suffocated. I can't believe that people are obsessed like they are now with celebrity. I don't know what's going on.''

Jewison, 78, has directed films such as In the Heat of the Night (1967), which won five Academy Awards, A Soldier's Story (1984) starring Washington and Moonstruck (1987), which won Cher an Oscar.

"Half the movie stars today under the age of 30, I don't even know,'' he said.

"It's all a hype. Come on. How do you know whether anybody can act? You're told that they're a big star, you know, or somebody's got a cute ass or they've got great boobs.

"I can't buy it. I think we're living in age of such manipulation.''

Then he paused.

"I'm sounding so grouchy. Am I wrong?''

[calcowgirl]

Jewison, 78, has directed films such as In the Heat of the Night (1967), which won five Academy Awards, A Soldier's Story (1984) starring Washington and Moonstruck (1987), which won Cher an Oscar.

How could they miss "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming"?

.

[Jeff Chandler]

How about "Fiddler on the Roof"?

[Borges]

Jewison made the films of 'Fiddler on the Roof' and Jesus Christ Superstar. He was hired for the former because the studio execs assumed he was Jewish...when he told them he was a Baptist they were thunderstruck. If his name had been Norman Christiansen he never would have been hired. He still made a terrific film though.

[theFIRMbss]

>"It's all a hype. Come on. How do you know whether anybody can act? You're told that they're a big star, you know, or somebody's got a cute ass or they've got great boobs. I can't buy it. I think we're living in age of such manipulation.''

[ClearCase_guy]

I recently saw an article focusing on Lauren Bacall -- she says actors today are no-talent hacks.
I recently saw an article focuing on Joni Mitchell -- she says singers today are no-talent hacks.
I'm reading a book ("Seriously Funny") about comedians of the 50's and 60's. These folks look at the scene today and say most of the comedians are too crude to be funny, and anyway the audiences too unsophisticated to appeciate humor of any real quality.

Some of these comments are just coming from aging has-beens who are jealous of those who are still in the spotlight. But overall, I think the quality of entertainment has been in decline for about 50 years.

[wimpycat]

I had no idea he was Baptist, but on the "special features" section of my Fiddler on the Roof DVD, he was recalling how he was approached by the producers of the film to direct it, and he felt it necessary to mention he was a [insert Hebrew/Yiddish word for 'non-Jew', I think 'goy'], and they were momentarily taken aback. And so was I. I mean, who would have thunk it? Norman Jewison, director of "Fiddler on the Roof". You don't automatically assume he's Presbyterian, you know.

[wimpycat]

He directed "A Soldier's Story", too?

That's an excellent film, one of Denzel Washington's first, supposedly loosely based on "Billy Budd".

"In the Heat of the Night" is also an excellent film.

I don't know about "Jesus Christ, Superstar". I think I'm too Baptist to see it.

[unbalanced but fair]

quality of entertainment has been in a decline for about 50 years.

I think that a lot of it is due to that fact there are so many shows and movies produced today. Back in the 30's, 40's, 50's, and even 60's, all you had were the movies, radio, and then network television. Today massive amounts of entertainment are produced. There were always some poor quality productions but there are just many more of them today. I also think that novels, scripts, and screen plays have become dying art forms.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Hegemony of the Handsome
American politics should be uglier

BY MICHAEL MEDVED
Wednesday, March 20, 2002 12:01 a.m. EST

In fact, each of the last six presidents won attention at some point in life for unusually attractive appearance. Gerald Ford, a former all-American football player, actually worked as a professional model--featured in a 1939 spread of photos in Look magazine, about a weekend in the life of "The Beautiful People." In 1976, Jimmy Carter drew favorable comment with his flashing smile and "Kennedyesque" mop of hair. Ronald Reagan enjoyed a career in Hollywood before he ever entered politics. The first President Bush offered the patrician, square-jawed appeal of his Ivy League breeding. And Bill Clinton--as painful as it is for Republican partisans to admit--relied on raw magnetism and blazing blue eyes, not just presidential power, for his status as babe magnet.

We've become so used to good-looking candidates that campaigns of 50 years ago seem quaint. In 1952 and 1956, Dwight Eisenhower faced Adlai Stevenson--pitting two bald, aging, ordinary-looking guys against one another. It's hard to imagine those two rumpled faces and high-foreheads--no matter how well-qualified--winning nominations in the 21st century.

The election of 1960 stands out as the point when star power first assumed its commanding role in the television age. When John F. Kennedy faced the gloomy, jowly Richard Nixon, the voters who listened on the radio told pollsters by a decisive margin that Nixon won the encounter. That substantive victory seemed irrelevant, however, because of the overwhelmingly positive impression made by Kennedy's noble TV appearance. That image continues to overwhelm the public years after JFK's death: Respondents to current surveys always list Kennedy as one of our three greatest presidents. Even his admirers acknowledge the inflated nature of his reputation, given the brevity of his tragically-terminated presidency.

[drt1]

"I'm sounding so grouchy. Am I wrong?"

No Norm. Unfortunately you are right on the mark re: Manipulation IMO.

[Borges]

Prose fiction is becoming harder and harder to market to men. I guess lots of men see reading fiction as unmanly or pointless. 'Why would read something that's not true!' It's going back to the reputation the initial English novels had in the 18th century. Only Oprah can help! /sarcasm

[dsutah]

I also didn't see "Fiddler On the Roof" mentioned either. And I loved that movie!

[DUMBGRUNT]

...I think the quality of entertainment has been in decline for about 50 years.

About the same time as television started to become popular.
IMO something is different in what actors do on film and live on stage.
TV goes for action, no need for plot or character development.
Short attention span? No problem, in about 20 minutes and a few commercials it will all be wrapped up!
There is some kind of magic that must be very hard to put in a film can, cause it does not happen often.
More action, more skin and more pseudo violence (few would want to see actual violence);who needs actors?

[Hildy]

Moonstruck...One of my favorite romantic comedies of all time!!!! (Even Nicholas Cage couldn't ruin it for me!!!).

[Hildy]

You have to think about Lauren Bacall's generation. They were paid well, but nothing like now. It's like old time sports stars. There has to be a little jealousy. But in theory she is right. She made her comments about Nicole Kidman being called a legend...which is ridiculous. I personally cannot stand Kidman. Just don't think she's a good actress and I don't think she's particularly attractive.

[veronica]

I have to disagree about Kidman. I think she's great.

[Hildy]

Naturally.

[veronica]

She's played so many different characeter types - and all excellently. From "To Die For" to "The Others" - she can do anything and do it well.

Lauren Bacall is known for her catty attitude. Nothing new there.

[calcowgirl]

I also didn't see "Fiddler On the Roof" mentioned either. And I loved that movie!

He directed lots of good movies. Here's a full list (as Director) from IMDB.

Director - filmography 
Bread and Tulips (2006) (announced) 
The Statement (2003) 
Dinner with Friends (2001) (TV) 
The Hurricane (1999) 
The 20th Century: Funny Is Money (1999) (TV) 
Bogus (1996) 
"Picture Windows" (1995) (mini) TV Series (episode "Soir Bleu") 
... aka Picture Windows: Language of the Heart (USA) 
Only You (1994) 
... aka Him 
... aka Just in Time 
Other People's Money (1991) 
... aka Riqueza ajena (USA: Spanish title: video title) 
In Country (1989) 
Moonstruck (1987) 
Agnes of God (1985) 
A Soldier's Story (1984) 
Best Friends (1982) 
...And Justice for All (1979) 
F.I.S.T. (1978) 
Rollerball (1975) 
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) 
Fiddler on the Roof (1971) 
Gaily, Gaily (1969) 
... aka Chicago, Chicago (UK) 
The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) 
... aka The Crown Caper 
... aka Thomas Crown and Company 
In the Heat of the Night (1967) 
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966) 
The Cincinnati Kid (1965) 
The Art of Love (1965) 
Send Me No Flowers (1964) 
The Thrill of It All (1963) 
40 Pounds of Trouble (1962) 
The Judy Garland Show (1962) (TV) 
... aka Judy, Frank & Dean: The Legendary Concert (USA: video title) 
The Million Dollar Incident (1961) (TV) 
The Secret World of Eddie Hodges (1960) (TV) 
"The Adventures of Chich" (1958) TV Series 
... aka Uncle Chichimus (Canada: English title) 
"The Barris Beat" (1956) TV Series 
"Wayne and Shuster" (1954) TV Series 
"The Big Revue" (1952) TV Series 
"Your Hit Parade" (1950) TV Series 

At the time, I didn't know I was receiving his "social messages." Sigh...

From CBC.ca

"A lot of my films deal with social conditions, problems that we face," Jewison admits in this radio clip. Race (In The Heat of the Night), anti-Semitism (Fiddler on the Roof), Cold War hysteria (The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming), the rise of the labour movement (F.I.S.T.)… these are just some of the themes that dominate Jewison's landmark 'message-films'. CBC Radio's The Arts Today examines how Jewison's leftist politics shine though in his movies and how he uses film as a vehicle not only to entertain, but to address the burning social issues and injustices of the day.

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[BigSkyFreeper]

Kidman is GORGEOUS!