Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

DVD Rentals: Reflections in a Golden Eye

Why rent when for the same money you can buy a copy at Big!Lots?

John Huston and cinematographer Aldo Tonti originally envisioned Carson McCuller's story of military base masochism as a golden-hued fairy tale of sexual repression, ""Rated Mature: FOR ADULTS ONLY!" Huston's design concept originally called for only one natural color per scene, bathing the rest of the shots in a urine-drenched, anamorphic glow.

Opening weekend audiences, baffled by Huston's stylistic decisions and befuddled by the story, left the theatre subliminally craving nothing more than an ice cold bottle of Mountain Dew. Several days later, the Warner Bros. board of directors, recently acquired by Seven Arts in a "trick deal," were put on yellow alert by the new suits. In a flash, traditionally timed color prints were ordered, struck, and shipped. It was too late. Word had already leaked.

Opening day:

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47240/

One week later:

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47241/

The pristine camera negative remained on ice for four decades until an ambitious Warner Bros. page smelled gold in Huston's old yeller' elements and ordered up a DeLuxe Special Edition Original Director's Intent DVD.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47237/

Opening day DVD sales exceeded the first year's theatrical cum. Legend has it the only surviving 35mm dye transfer, IB Technicolor print of the original theatrical release is in the immediate possession of The M. Scorsese National Archive. Why hold this truth to be self-evident? Study Brando in the mirror rehearsing his spontaneous reactions to everyday living and you'll see Travis Bickle staring back. Once again, all roads lead to Him, and that's that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU6FP5Fnzsg

Brando was not Huston's first, second or even third choice. Montgomery Clift signed for the part, but insurance underwriters demanded proof that the frail, long-suffering star could pull off such a demanding role. Elizabeth Taylor put her enormous salary up as collateral in hopes of securing the part for her long-time friend. Clift was dead before filming began. Richard Burton, Lee Marvin and Patrick O'Neal were next in line, but Taylor nixed them all; she wanted Marlon Brando.

Brando's fey impersonation of Montgomery Clift's genuinely fey persona produced competent, complex, and somewhat confused results. His cotton-in-mouth delivery leaves one thankful that we live in an age of wonders. Jut hit the CC button on the remote and his inarticulate inflections become crystal clear.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47242/

Poor Marlon. His missus, Liz, the hottest wife on the base, gives him a private strip show and still he can't get it up. Brando returns Liz's demeaning invectives by brutalizing her horse, which in turn causes her to horsewhip him in front of company.

Next door neighbor Brian Keith (looking very "Uncle Bill") has different problems in his bedroom. After their baby died, Mrs. Keith (the eternally asexual Julie Harris) took a scissors to her nipples. Keith and impetuous Liz openly cavort while Marlon drools over a mysterious enlisted man (Robert Forster) who rides naked through the woods on horseback. Forster also has a peculiar habit of stealthily watching Liz sleep on a nightly basis.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47244/

With its European influence (it was shot abroad with an Italian crew), exterior gloss masking layers of tortured family secrets, and bushels of dead leaves, this would make a great supplementary title in a Douglas Sirk festival. Huston is nowhere near as stylistically inclined (or inventive) as Sirk; Doug might have diminished his hues for a scene, but an entire feature?

Liz Taylor, in her buxom-bovine period, brings unexpected credibility to the role. Normally I'd agree with Marlon when he turns to Liz and drools, "You disgust me," but this time her sado-Gothic dom is quite appealing.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47238/

The title refers to a watercolor drawing by hairdresser-turned-one-shot supporting player, Zorro David. As Anacleto, Harris' houseboy/personal support group, Zorro is part Benson Fong, part George Takei, and 100% Franklin Pangborn. Oozing all the charm of a Geisha house eunuch, Anacleto's hand-holding and pop psychology bedside manner soothe Harris' Actor's Studio induced neuroses.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47235/

Is it worth your time? You bet! There's enough brooding Brando, phony Huston machismo, and Liz Taylor's pulchritude -- particularly in that white dress -- to make this entertaining, if not particularly rewarding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RxcU7PKKfc

Related: Marlon Brando: Reflections in a golden sty

Bud, the Bickle We Knew!

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Barrio Logan’s very good Dogg

Chicano comfort food proves plenty spicy

John Huston and cinematographer Aldo Tonti originally envisioned Carson McCuller's story of military base masochism as a golden-hued fairy tale of sexual repression, ""Rated Mature: FOR ADULTS ONLY!" Huston's design concept originally called for only one natural color per scene, bathing the rest of the shots in a urine-drenched, anamorphic glow.

Opening weekend audiences, baffled by Huston's stylistic decisions and befuddled by the story, left the theatre subliminally craving nothing more than an ice cold bottle of Mountain Dew. Several days later, the Warner Bros. board of directors, recently acquired by Seven Arts in a "trick deal," were put on yellow alert by the new suits. In a flash, traditionally timed color prints were ordered, struck, and shipped. It was too late. Word had already leaked.

Opening day:

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47240/

One week later:

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47241/

The pristine camera negative remained on ice for four decades until an ambitious Warner Bros. page smelled gold in Huston's old yeller' elements and ordered up a DeLuxe Special Edition Original Director's Intent DVD.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47237/

Opening day DVD sales exceeded the first year's theatrical cum. Legend has it the only surviving 35mm dye transfer, IB Technicolor print of the original theatrical release is in the immediate possession of The M. Scorsese National Archive. Why hold this truth to be self-evident? Study Brando in the mirror rehearsing his spontaneous reactions to everyday living and you'll see Travis Bickle staring back. Once again, all roads lead to Him, and that's that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU6FP5Fnzsg

Brando was not Huston's first, second or even third choice. Montgomery Clift signed for the part, but insurance underwriters demanded proof that the frail, long-suffering star could pull off such a demanding role. Elizabeth Taylor put her enormous salary up as collateral in hopes of securing the part for her long-time friend. Clift was dead before filming began. Richard Burton, Lee Marvin and Patrick O'Neal were next in line, but Taylor nixed them all; she wanted Marlon Brando.

Brando's fey impersonation of Montgomery Clift's genuinely fey persona produced competent, complex, and somewhat confused results. His cotton-in-mouth delivery leaves one thankful that we live in an age of wonders. Jut hit the CC button on the remote and his inarticulate inflections become crystal clear.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47242/

Poor Marlon. His missus, Liz, the hottest wife on the base, gives him a private strip show and still he can't get it up. Brando returns Liz's demeaning invectives by brutalizing her horse, which in turn causes her to horsewhip him in front of company.

Next door neighbor Brian Keith (looking very "Uncle Bill") has different problems in his bedroom. After their baby died, Mrs. Keith (the eternally asexual Julie Harris) took a scissors to her nipples. Keith and impetuous Liz openly cavort while Marlon drools over a mysterious enlisted man (Robert Forster) who rides naked through the woods on horseback. Forster also has a peculiar habit of stealthily watching Liz sleep on a nightly basis.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47244/

With its European influence (it was shot abroad with an Italian crew), exterior gloss masking layers of tortured family secrets, and bushels of dead leaves, this would make a great supplementary title in a Douglas Sirk festival. Huston is nowhere near as stylistically inclined (or inventive) as Sirk; Doug might have diminished his hues for a scene, but an entire feature?

Liz Taylor, in her buxom-bovine period, brings unexpected credibility to the role. Normally I'd agree with Marlon when he turns to Liz and drools, "You disgust me," but this time her sado-Gothic dom is quite appealing.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47238/

The title refers to a watercolor drawing by hairdresser-turned-one-shot supporting player, Zorro David. As Anacleto, Harris' houseboy/personal support group, Zorro is part Benson Fong, part George Takei, and 100% Franklin Pangborn. Oozing all the charm of a Geisha house eunuch, Anacleto's hand-holding and pop psychology bedside manner soothe Harris' Actor's Studio induced neuroses.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/11/47235/

Is it worth your time? You bet! There's enough brooding Brando, phony Huston machismo, and Liz Taylor's pulchritude -- particularly in that white dress -- to make this entertaining, if not particularly rewarding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RxcU7PKKfc

Related: Marlon Brando: Reflections in a golden sty

Bud, the Bickle We Knew!

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Ice creams morph into smoothies in Coronado!

Next Article

Jodie Foster's big Golden Globes speech, illustrated

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader