155. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains

155. (16 Aug) Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (1981, Lou Adler) 66



Lou Adler confidently straddles the line between droll and dreary. Despite the on-screen zaniness, there's an authenticity in every run-down, seedy setting. The harshness of their surroundings translates to the cast as actors are either sharp-featured or, in the case of future stars Diane Lane and Laura Dern, heavily and unflatteringly made up. Lane is astonishingly self-confident, believably becoming a local celebrity with vague and vitriloic rants. Commentaries on the disconnect between talent and fame or how easily it is to be perceived as a sell-out seem eerily ahead of their time in the age of Youtube and countless singing competitions.

126. Great Expectations

126. (14 Jun) Great Expectations (2012, Brian Kirk) 61

Rather dazzling in its first half, Great Expectations gets bogged down in plot later on. That first half is frankly so good it's reminiscent in tone and look of the masterful Bleak House from 2005. Gillian Anderson is a carryover from that production, breathing life into a young, haunting Mrs. Haversham that's instantly iconic. She balances chilliness with tragedy just enough to make this larger than life character utterly human. While she's better in Bleak House, this is proof no Dickens adaptation should be without Anderson. As it goes on, this Great Expectations falls further and further under the shadow cast by David Lean's classic version.