Ma Rainey's Black Bottom reviews

[Big Magilla]

The Mondsheins and Hallstroms are neighbors in Bedford, N.Y. Andy has edited 11 of Hallstrom's films. His wife, Leslie Halloran, is a producer who was Oscar nominated for Chocolat.

I could be wrong but I thought the reason Theresa Merritt was nominated for a Featured Actress Tony was because of her billing - the old rule was over the title = lead, below the title = featured. It was a hard and fast rule in the 1950s and 60s but by 1985 it was up to committees to make the lead vs. featured designation. Theresa Merritt was a character actress as was Charles S. Dutton when they first played their roles. Dutton and Whoopi Goldberg were billed over the title in that order for the 2003 revival so it appears that Chadwick Boseman is not, after all, the first actor playing Levee to receive star billing,

Ma Rainey.jpg (175.96 KiB) Viewed 858 times

[Mister Tee]

Yes, Editman, and The Shipping News could have been the trigger.

The film version of Ma Rainey is only 94 minutes long including credits. From what I understand, Davis' role has been scaled back which is why Boseman's role looms as large as it does.

Ma Rainey was always a supporting role. Theresa Merritt was nominated that way at the '85 Tonys. It's going to take a lot for me to think of Levee as a leading role; my suspicion is Boseman's celebrity accounts for the placement. But I'll see.

I got curious about our erstwhile Editman, and looked up his IMDB page. First thing to note is, his picture makes him look like a baby -- despite his being, according to the stats, 58 years old. And he was indeed a baby when he broke into the field: editing Garbo Talks at the age of 22. Apparently he pleased Sidney Lumet, who hired him for several subsequent films. He also made multiple films with (whatever happened to...?) Susan Seidelman and, yes, Lasse Hallstrom. He seems to have been working on low-profile films the past decade or so, and I'm glad for him he's associated with a prominent effort this time.

[Big Magilla]

Yes, Editman, and The Shipping News could have been the trigger.

The film version of Ma Rainey is only 94 minutes long including credits. From what I understand, Davis' role has been scaled back which is why Boseman's role looms as large as it does.

[Sabin]

Mister Tee wrote
My recollection is that he withstood our dismissiveness of Chocolat, but when the same thing started up with The Shipping News -- which didn't even really make it through the prelims in 2001 -- he decided to bail. I think a few people were particularly, unnecessarily tough on him.

I also believe his screen name was Editman.

Yes, it was. Also, I think this is the first time in the last ten years that anyone has mentioned The Shipping News. How much digital ink was wasted on speculation that The Shipping News was going to be a thing?

Which leads me to my next question: what is the most archetypal example of a movie that Oscarbloggers are convinced is going to be a thing but then is most certainly not a thing? I'm talking about a film like Enemy at the Gates (I'm guilty), Cradle Will Rock, etc? What is THE best example of this movie?

Mister Tee wrote
To get back to Ma Rainey: I'm interested in how the film turns out. I'm on record as not being a Wilson fan, though that's largely on the basis of Fences, which I think has a truly hackneyed plot-line. Ma Rainey -- which I saw two years or so prior to Fences (it was one of the first plays I saw with my not-yet wife) -- was less hackneyed largely because it barely had a plot. It featured some genuinely splendid speeches, knit around a rather thin storyline. Such things usually don't play very well on-screen, but the reviews have piqued my interest.

I'm not. however, surprised by the raves for Boseman. The character of Levee is a powerhouse, and Charles S. Dutton was pretty wowser in the role, even when the play let him down. Boseman's untimely death obviously figures in, but the part is Oscar-friendly on its own.

I think:
The movie is going to be fine. Maybe a little better than Fences. But I think it'll play better because of Netflix, because of changing times, and because of the musical numbers. It'll be an all-around livelier experience which means it'll play out in a little more competition for down-ballot categories and maybe even Best Director.

[Mister Tee]

I don't think there's a question that driving that guy away was the stupidest moment in the history of this board. A recent Oscar-nominee, and the person who edited another subsequent Best Picture nominee, and we couldn't have gotten a private chat together and agreed "Hey, let's take it easy on the Hallstrom guy."

That and, y'know, when that one dude pretended to be three people are we all gave him our confidence, scripts, social security numbers...

Not exactly.

The current board with its ability to have private chats didn't come into existence until 2003.

Andy was had even come up with a signal to thank us had he won for The Sixth Sense. He left after the badmouthing he received over his next film, Chocolat. I don't think I was even a moderator then.

As for that other guy, we may have all been taken in by him but who gave him their social security number, and why?

My recollection is that he withstood our dismissiveness of Chocolat, but when the same thing started up with The Shipping News -- which didn't even really make it through the prelims in 2001 -- he decided to bail. I think a few people were particularly, unnecessarily tough on him.

I also believe his screen name was Editman.

To get back to Ma Rainey: I'm interested in how the film turns out. I'm on record as not being a Wilson fan, though that's largely on the basis of Fences, which I think has a truly hackneyed plot-line. Ma Rainey -- which I saw two years or so prior to Fences (it was one of the first plays I saw with my not-yet wife) -- was less hackneyed largely because it barely had a plot. It featured some genuinely splendid speeches, knit around a rather thin storyline. Such things usually don't play very well on-screen, but the reviews have piqued my interest.

I'm not. however, surprised by the raves for Boseman. The character of Levee is a powerhouse, and Charles S. Dutton was pretty wowser in the role, even when the play let him down. Boseman's untimely death obviously figures in, but the part is Oscar-friendly on its own.

[Sabin]

Big Magilla wrote
Not exactly.

The current board with its ability to have private chats didn't come into existence until 2003.

Andy was had even come up with a signal to thank us had he won for The Sixth Sense. He left after the badmouthing he received over his next film, Chocolat. I don't think I was even a moderator then.

As for that other guy, we may have all been taken in by him but who gave him their social security number, and why?

First point: okay, well, then maybe we all should've come to the conclusion that it was foolish to shit-talk the movie he cut on our own individually.

Second point: I was kidding when I brought that up. Nobody did that.

[Big Magilla]

I don't think there's a question that driving that guy away was the stupidest moment in the history of this board. A recent Oscar-nominee, and the person who edited another subsequent Best Picture nominee, and we couldn't have gotten a private chat together and agreed "Hey, let's take it easy on the Hallstrom guy."

That and, y'know, when that one dude pretended to be three people are we all gave him our confidence, scripts, social security numbers...

Not exactly.

The current board with its ability to have private chats didn't come into existence until 2003.

Andy was had even come up with a signal to thank us had he won for The Sixth Sense. He left after the badmouthing he received over his next film, Chocolat. I don't think I was even a moderator then.

As for that other guy, we may have all been taken in by him but who gave him their social security number, and why?

[Sabin]

I don't think there's a question that driving that guy away was the stupidest moment in the history of this board. A recent Oscar-nominee, and the person who edited another subsequent Best Picture nominee, and we couldn't have gotten a private chat together and agreed "Hey, let's take it easy on the Hallstrom guy."

That and, y'know, when that one dude pretended to be three people are we all gave him our confidence, scripts, social security numbers...

[Sonic Youth]

He better thank us if he wins the Oscar. He couldn't have done it without us, you know.

[mlrg]

Just discovered this morning that this was edited by Andrew Mondshein, who of course posted on one of the earliest iterations of this board way back during the Oscar season that The Sixth Sense was in contention.

His nickname was Editor I think

[dws1982]

Just discovered this morning that this was edited by Andrew Mondshein, who of course posted on one of the earliest iterations of this board way back during the Oscar season that The Sixth Sense was in contention.

[Mister Tee]

Netflix seems to have a critics' favorite.

https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/m ... 234835504/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... ilm-review