Screen Legend, Greta Garbo to be Portrayed By Carice van Houten!

Greta Garbo, left and Carice van Houten, right

Amsterdam, NL—Let me begin by confessing my fascination for beautiful elegant European women.  They know how just to dress, walk, talk, flirt and dazzle my imagination.   I was first exposed to them when I was drafted into the Army and sent to Germany long ago.  They still ring my bell today more than ever.

Legendary Swedish film siren Greta Garbo was the epitome of glamour, grace and sexy hot.  She was a natural for films that are still shown today.  A few years ago I discovered a woman with all of Garbo’s attributes when I saw Paul Verhoeven’s terrific film Black Book.  The female lead was Dutch actress, Carice van Houten.  In Black Book she sang, danced, swam, and acted in four languages in the World War Two thriller. 

I instantly fell in love with van Houten’s talent.  I also know that van Houten is destined to begin gathering Academy Awards as she has scooped up five of Holland’s coveted Golden Calf statutes.  She needs to be cast in more American films.

Van Houten has Garbo’s magnetism, charm and an amazing resemblance too.  That mixed with incredible acting chops and a gift for emulating several dialects makes van Houten perfect for being cast as the film icon. 

Screen International broke the story that van Houten is set to play Garbo in a biopic that she will also co-produce.   I don’t know enough about the film and the others being cast yet but know the bar will be set high.  I only wish I could land even a small a role in the film myself.  I know this will be a box office smash and bring van Houten to Hollywood’s most special red carpet.

I will borrow a published quote from van Houten; “I was raised with silent films. I have always maintained an endless fascination for that era,’ Van Houten told the magazine. ‘I am strongly drawn to her story, her art, her loneliness and her beautiful complex structure.’

Van Houten is best known in the USA for her roles in Valkyrie, Repo Men and Black Book and can currently be seen as Melisandre in HBO television series Game of Thrones.   

Carice van Houten at Sunday Night’s Heineken Music Hall Concert in Amsterdam

Amsterdam, NL—Okay, I’m obsessed!  I love the arts, theater and of course, music.   There are those artists that entertain us all.   God given talent and the ability to face the world and perform seems to be handed to a chosen few.  Carice van Houten is at the very top of my list of terrific performers.

Yes, people are born with talent but without hard work and serious dedication it may all be wasted.  Carice has incredible acting chops, best described by film director Paul Verhoeven.   Vehoeven said, “Carice is beautiful like Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct), but she can act!”  This was not really a slight to Stone’s ability but his recognition that Carice has a rare and special magic.   I certainly don’t discount Verhoeven’s ability to get all that an actor can possibly give in a performance.

To give a great performance an actor must forget the cameras, audience and simply put aside their ego.  They must actually live their part and avoid “performing”.  The great actors never imitate their characters but rather become them without losing their own voice and skin. 

Carice got my undivided attention in the Paul Verhoeven film, Black Book.  Carice was unquestionably the lead actor followed by a wonderful ensemble cast.  Unfortunately it’s all too rare when a film script offers a woman such a strong and commanding lead. 

Black Book was a fine example that a woman can be an action hero without killing anyone or losing her dignity or felinity.   Few actresses could have even come close to Carice’s great performance.

In this World War Two drama,  Carice spoke three languages, swam, danced and sang.  The role was as demanding as any you will ever see.  Unfortunately the film was never adequately distributed in the U.S.  The film can easily be obtained in Blu-Ray from Netflix or Amazon.com.  Black Book is a fabulous showcase for Carice’s amazing talents.

Carice just released her new CD called; See You On The Ice. It’s entirely in English There are some really well written songs I know most people will enjoy and Carice has a hit on her hands. Of Course you can sample and buy this music from iTunes and wherever music is sold today.

Carice gave a concert at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam.  It was disappointing for me that I was unable to attend, however thankfully here are three videos attached below from the concert. 

I don’t know just where Carice’s career is going but we need to see much more of her in the United States.  Her impeccable English should not bar her from any role.   She’s got a top American agent who must get busy or risk losing Carice to another.   Carice belongs in big budget feature films rather than television. 

Carice has reportedly told tabloid publications she wants to do more music.  If you’ve not see Black Book, do so.  I have attached the trailer at the bottom after the others.

Sit back and enjoy the videos.  

Still I dream of It.

Particle of Light

Time

Emily

Particle of Light Official Video

The Black Book Film Trailer

I Have Another Great Film for My Visitors.

Los Angeles, CA—We are at a crossroads today in America. Do we take the path of Barack Obama to Marxism or stay on the course to freedom? I can’t understand why so much of our population is in denial about Obama’s Marxist infatuation. Obama is a Marxist, his friends are Marxist and everything he stands for is also Marxist. The direction he’s pushing us is most definitely Marxist.

In the late 1950's Cuba’s corrupt government was overthrown by Fidel Castro who was even worse than the deposed leader, Fulgencio Batista. Castro went into the socialist purge mode killing thousands that did not agree with Communism. The repression of every kind of thought including music was there to stay.

A young trumpet player and disciple of American jazz great, Dizzy Gillespie wanted more than that Socialist utopia would give him. The young musician wanted freedom to play the music he longed to play.

Defectors from Cuba face more than imprisonment if they flee. Their friends and families are punished by the government.

The film is from HBO and it’s called, For Love or Country, The Arturo Sandoval Story. It was made in 2000 and stars Andy Garcia, Mía Maestro and Gloria Estefan.

This great film reveals the evil of Communism but it’s also a top notch love story.

This amazing and true story is beyond inspiring. It will make Americans love the freedom and liberty we are losing so much more.

The acting and music is superb. It’s a great film and if you seen it before you will want to see it again. If you’ve not seen it, you’re in for a treat.

You will have to get it from Amazon.com or Netflix.

Here’s a trailer for you:

Black Book, My All Time Favorite Film

Los Angeles, CA—I first wrote about this great 2006 film only last August in a review. I caught the film by accident on the Encore Network one night. What a treat it was!

If there is a God of all film directors I’d have to call him, Paul Verhoven(Basic Instinct, Robo Cop,Total Recall and Independence Day). His other films are pretty good to say the least but he hit a Grand-slam Homerun with Black Book.

I have a serious problem. I can’t stop watching this film, over and over.

If you’ve not heard of this film that perhaps because it’s filmed in Dutch, German and only a bit of English. Don’t worry it’s subtitled in your language. The acting is so superb you will become part of it.

This film is based on a true story of a sexy and beautiful Jewish cabaret singer, played by Carice Van Houten, hiding out in Holland for the duration of the war and Nazi occupation. Van Houten’s character, Rachel Stein aka, Ellis de Vries is drafted into the Dutch Underground and spends the last year of the war, 1944 as a spy. The dangers Stein faces are unimaginable as she proves to be the ultimate survivor. This film is a non-stop thriller.

Verhoven’s entire cast is terrific. Sebastian Koch plays a kinder, gentler, head of the local Gestapo who understandably falls in love with the beautiful espionage agent. The love scenes are real, since these two actors were smitten both on and off screen. Sadly the distance between Amsterdam and Berlin ended their relationship, according to my very own beautiful spy, Andrea, living in Berlin.

You will need a score card to separate the villains from the good guys as every thrilling scene unfolds. The script written by Gerard Soeteman and Paul Verhoeven is as good as it gets.

You will see and recognize Van Houten, Christian Berkel, Waldemar Kobus and that stunning redhead, Halina Reijn from Black Book in the Film, Operation Valkerie that also stared Tom Cruise as Col. Claus Von Stauffenberg. Reijn shows up, this time as a brunette playing Stauffenberg's secratary.

I think the greatest thrill I’d have in my life would be to work with the incredible cast and crew of Black Book in another great European film. Mr. Verhoven, I’m available! Just have your casting director call my agent! Of course there is my screenplay, Come Friday waiting for someone like you to direct!

Carice Van Houten is very busy making more films right now. She has what it takes to be the greatest leading lady ever.

Don’t rent this film, buy it and see if you can stop watching it.

The cast and crew of Black Book.

Nowhere To Hide, Guerrilla Filmmaking At Its Best.

Los Angeles, CA—Ever since my TV news photographer pal, Gilbert Zermeno AKA “Z” turned me on to the Flip HD Camera the possibilities are seemingly unlimited.

As a private investigator and investigative news producer surreptitious photography has been a necessity. Equipment, its quality or lack thereof along with cost has always been obstacles to being able to document the evidence or show what’s going on.

If only legendary film making pioneer D.W. Griffith could have had a Flip HD camera, and a laptop he would have been able to do so much more when he made his movie magic so long ago.

The Flip is being relentlessly copied by other respected corporations and the competition is at fever pitch.

Having expensive quality equipment can be like a boat anchor around your neck. Everywhere you go commercial property managers and government buildings use trespass laws to preclude access and filming. They assume that your video will somehow become a PR liability for them. Of course they could be wrong.

The very same folks precluding you from using your camera are using the latest, greatest high tech surveillance video cameras to document your every move on their property. I guess they want a one way street.

The cell phone camera was born and with its lousy images and quality was only a baby step. Small video cameras have gotten better, a lot better!

Right now use of a small camera like the Flip gets little or no attention. You can shoot whatever you want nearly anywhere and escape discovery before they figure out what you’re doing. In addition the Flip gives you a great image.

I went on a shopping trip with my delightful and dear friend Andrea, visiting from Berlin. I was able to film her so she, her family and all their friends could see her American shopping experience. I quietly stood by with my Flip HD and caught this pretty lady in the act of enjoyable shopping at the Nordstrom Rack. I would like to believe that Nordstrom will only benefit by this international exposure.

Another film maker and talented songwriter made a video of his own shopping experience at Trader Joe’s. He used his Palm Treo cell phone camera. Although the image is of the Palm not as clear as the Flip HD, he made up for it with cleverness. I can’t see how his subject, Trader Joe would be hurt by this fellow’s frank exposé of the store and its shortcomings.

Remember folks to always smile, you’re on candid camera. There is nowhere to hide!

Official Crimefile Review Of Public Enemies

Who is that handsome lad in front of the Biograph Theater? Click to enlarge the picture.

Los Angeles, CA—This is a film I had to see. It culminates in Chicago with the ambush and killing of John Dillinger on a warm summer evening.

Dillinger was one of the more ruthless of the motor bandits that engaged in takeover robberies of banks during the Great Depression. Make no mistake, innocent people were killed and cops were murdered in the line of duty. Despite it all, Dillinger became a folk hero and icon because he went after what was perceived as the evil and greedy bankers.

J. Edgar Hoover built the FBI based on smoke, mirrors and some of the slickest public relations moves ever. He wisely used the intelligence his bureau gathered to extort funding for the FBI and his own professional longevity. Our sleazy politicians were and are always ripe for extortion. Anyone wiretapping them can own them.

Melvin Purvis was the real hero of the War on the Motor Bandits. When Purvis’ profile became too large, Hoover dumped him. Purvis committed suicide in 1960.

This Dillinger story needed to be told and Chicago’s own Michael Mann and his Forward Pass Productions were the master filmmakers to do it.

The cast and crew was top notch. Johnny Depp became the young Dillinger. Christian Bale rocked as Melvin Purvis.

The real challenge was to recreate Chicago, Tucson and Crown Point Indiana into the 1930’s setting. The 1930’s costumes, cars, guns and overall look was solid. The recreations of the daring Dillinger escapes and the Little Bohemia Lodge shootout in Wisconsin were flawless.


The display and roar or the Thompson Chicago Typewriters and the BARs were beyond awesome. I was able to actually see and handle the guns used in the film with my long time friend Raj Singh of Eagle grips. Singh was involved to make sure the gun’s grips were perfect for the period.

Dillinger was a criminal with real celebrity, rock star status in a difficult time in American history. Michael Mann became a historian despite bringing us some scenes that never happened in real life. But we can’t forget there was the man, and his myth. The myth was no small part of the story.

Johnny Depp once again showed he can become anything or anyone and make it all so real.

I would have like to have seen the women in Dillinger’s life explored more but that would have added an hour on to the film. I only wish it were possible. The two hours of sheer entertainment of this film was too short for me.

On a side note: I have it on good authority that Depp fell in love with his Chicago typewriter and took the necessary steps to lawfully acquire that collector’s item.

The film was a classic and well worth the price of admission. Michael Mann pulled it off yet again.

Full cast and crew information from the IMDB is here.

Is Katie Holmes Best Actress To Play Hero Policewoman Ann Leybourne?

Katie is my pick to play the real life Chicago hero policewoman in my feature film, COME FRIDAY.