WCBE 90.5 FM (NPR): "It's Movie Time" - "Before Sunset," "De-Lovely," "King Arthur"

“It’s Movie Time” with John DeSando & Clay Lowe
“Before Sunset,” “De-Lovely,” “King Arthur"
Taped: 3:30 pm, July 14, 2004
Air Time: 3:01 pm and 8:01 pm, July 16, 2004
Streaming live on the web at www.wcbe.org.

Clay
“Before Sunset” is a lover’s summer delight. . .

John
“De-Lovely” is the loveliest biopic in years . . .

Clay
“King Arthur” is a Dark Ages Arthurian adventure . . .

HIT MUSIC THEN UNDER FOR:

Richelle:
It's Movie Time in Mid-Ohio with John DeSando and Clay Lowe . . .

MUSIC UP AND OUT

DeSando
I'm John DeSando

Clay
And I’m Clay Lowe.

John (“Before Sunset”)
Clay, remember these lines from "Coy Mistress"?

"But at my back I always hear/ Time's winged chariot hurrying near."

Clay
I remember several of your coy mistresses.

John
In "Before Sunset" Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meets Celine (Julie Delpy) in Paris 9 years after a one-night stand. His book tour is over; he has only one hour before he goes to the airport, an hour before the sunset of their relationship. As director Richard Linklater ( the first was called "Before Sunrise") tracks them through Paris streets renewing their passion, we are constantly aware Jesse must return to the airport. Marvel's "winged chariot" is ever present in "Before Sunset."

The drama is in the talk, whether it be about reincarnation, cable TV, or sex. The effortlessly natural conversation comes from the truth of the situation: These two loved each other for a brief moment and are capable of loving again. Because the film is in real time, the urgency is real and surprisingly dramatic.

This is Euro style American filmaking. I hope we can see how it all plays out in another 9 years when they reach their '40's.

Clay (“Before Sunset”)
John, seeing as you define a Euro-style film as a slow moving movie in which nothing happens, I’m not sure whether you loved “Before Sunset” or hated it.

John
I didn't say nothing happened, but I sure did love it.

Clay
Whatever. I loved it too, and if I’m able to avoid time’s “winged-arrows,” I hope to be able to enjoy hearing what those youngsters will be talking about when they’re in their ‘40’s. Ah, sweet Paris. The eternally romantic city of love where lovers seem to prefer talking about it as much as they do doing it.

In “Before Sunset” American filmmaker, Linklater, pays tribute to the French masters of the New Wave: Truffaut, Godard, Chabrol, but most of all, Erich Rohmer.

Jesse and Celine float through the avenues and boulevards of Paris, alive with the excitement of just being in each other’s presence. Like the lovers in Erich Rohmer’s “Rendezvous in Paris,” they talk continuously about their hopes and dreams, as well acknowledge together, the ineluctable fates that foreshadow the commingling of their passions.

Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are lovely together, although I grieve for his loss of Uma.

John (“De-Lovely”)
Clay, I am pleased to report the biopic remains whole, ascending to a new level with Irwin Winkler's "De-Lovely," the life in song about Cole Porter and his wife, Linda.

I say "In song" because barely a moment is not accompanied by Porter's music so recognizable I can cite "Night and Day," "In the Still of the Night," "Anything Goes," "Let's Misbehave," and "True Love" without research help or the least provocation. Talented Kevin Kline plays Porter with 1920's tuxedoed charm embracing the true love of his life, Linda (Ashley Judd), and the many men who helped him fulfill his need to love everything.

Judd's portrayal accentuates her porcelain beauty, wry smile, and serene wisdom in the service of an unconditional love that cost her in embarrassment, extorted money, and time away from him.

Here is a story as much about real love as music.

Clay (“King Arthur”)
John, you want music, I’ll give you music. Thunderous drums, bellowing horns, the sounds of rumbling armies advancing and retreating. Antoine Fuqua’s “King Arthur” will stir up the blood of all those freedom loving young Americans who are willing to risk their lives for the love of country.

Like the rookie cop (Ethan Hawke, ironically) in Fuqua’s “Training Day,” the young Lancelot learns the lessons of the trade from the once and future king himself, King Arthur (Clive Owen), with a considerable amount of help from the lovely, half-naked, Guenevere who’s played by the spunky Keira Knightly

There are no white knights, no flowing plumes, no tournaments of jousting in Fuqua’s “King Arthur.” Nope, just hordes and hordes of furry Germanic mercenaries who fearlessly keep attacking the Britons who intend to take away their country as well as their freedom.

[The Angles, Saxons, Celts, Romans, whose land was it anyway?]

Supposedly set on the sheer rock cliffs of Cornwall and lower Wales, this cinematic version of King Arthur features freedom as a slogan, and the glories of war as a means of achievement.

But put away your sword, my noble partner, it’s grading time.

John
Hooray!

HIT DRUMS

John
"Before Sunset" earns an "A" because its ALL about AMOUR . . .

Clay
“Before Sunset” gets an “A” becomes it makes falling in love ALMOST ALLURING . . .

John (“De-Lovely)
“De-Lovely” earns an "A" because it paints "ALTERNATIVE" Amour" with "glAMOUR"

Clay
“King Arthur” gets a “B” because when it comes to BATTLES on ice, Eisenstein did it BETTER . . .

John
Clay, I'm in the mood. After "Jesse and Celine," “Cole and Linda,” and "Lancelot and Guenivere," how do you think "John and Zina" sounds?

Clay
Like the sounds of two arrows seeking their mark.

I’m outta here before they hit their target; see you at the movies, folks.

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Richelle:
The Award Winning "It's Movie Time" with John DeSando and Clay Lowe is produced by Richelle Antczak in conjunction with 90.5 FM, WCBE in Columbus 106.7 FM in Newark, WYSO, etc. Reviews on the web, etc., etc.

MUSIC UP AND OUT

Copyright 2004 by John DeSando and Clay Lowe