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"The House of the Spirits" (1993)
The House of the Spirits (1993) is a sweeping historical character based drama based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Isabel Allende about her family in Chile. The films covers 1926 through the mid-70s, which is probably the biggest weakness. 50 years of a complex family is a lot of time, and a lot of characters, to cram into a film. Allende was oppose to a film version of her book until she met director Bille August. She had been concerned that the story would be turned into a melodramatic soap. August convinced her that he understood her work, and could bring it to the
screen. After securing the backing of producer Bernd Eichinger, he assembled an incredible cast which included:
Meryl Streep
Glenn Close
Jeremy Irons
Winona Ryder
Antonio Banderas
Vanessa Redgrave
Maria Conchita Alonso
Sarita Choudhury
The story begins with Streep's character as a young girl. Her sister is to be married, her father has been elected a senator, and we discover that she is psychic. Irons, the sisters suitor, must go off to make his fortune before he can marry the sister. He discovers gold, but the sister dies
before he can return. Irons moves to a ranch he purchased and develops it into the biggest of its kind, while his sister devotes her life to caring for their invalid mother. Irons is proving to be less than a stellar human being, as we see him berate the workers on his ranch, and rape a peasant
girl (Sarita Choudhury). During the rape scene, he tears open her dress, exposing her breasts, and she just lies there motionless, which tells just how much power the upper class had over the ordinary people.
After the death of his mother, Irons decides to marry Streep. Streep arranges for his sister, Glenn Close, to live with them. Streep gives birth to a baby girl, who grows up to be Winona Ryder, and, much to her father's displeasure, develops a relationship with Antonio Banderas, son of one of
his workers, and a revolutionary. Before the marriage, we see Maria Conchita Alonzo as a hooker with Irons. She shows pretty much everything. There is a scene where Close is spying on Irons and Streep, and we see a spread legged shot of someone from the back. No way to tell if this is a double or not, but given that Meryl is not bashful, and that it is behind a film curtain, it might be her. There were rumors of exposure from Winona, but this is an obvious double.
Maltin and Ebert were unimpressed at 2 stars, and Maltin says Streep was horribly miscast. Allende, the author, thought that Streep was perfect both for and in the role, as Streep had the same ethereal quality as her mother. Berardinelli liked it at 3 stars, but spent most of his review talking about what could have been better. US gross was $6.265m, not surprising for this genre. IMDB readers say 6.0/10. I will have to give it a C+. As a straight genre film, it is as slow moving as most historical character driven dramas, yet has excellent acting, good character development, and some wonderful locations and photography. It also plays as a history, giving insight into the political turmoil that is synonymous with Latin America. The film also leaves us with a message that I agree with. Revenge doesn't work. Forgiveness and celebration of life are what we need.
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Maria Conchita Alonzo
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Meryl Streep
Sarita Choudhury
"Final Days/Something's Gotta Give" (1962/2001)
Marilyn Monroe would have been 75 June 1st. In honor of this event, Fox has released a boxed set of her most important films, which I hope to get to tomorrow. I thought I would do the punch line tonight. The boxed set includes a documentary chronicling the last days of Marilyn, from the time
she agreed to do Something's Gotta Give til her untimely death. The film footage (very little of which was of Marilyn) sat in a vault till 1999, when they decided to remaster and restore the footage, and assemble what they could of the unfinished film. This is, of course, a real treat for
those of us who worship Marilyn. I had no idea that this footage would contain a swimming pool scene where she showed her nipple, and her buns.
Marilyn, who suffered from bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic depressive, was becoming increasingly dependent on sleeping pills. She was rumored to be in the middle of a frustrating romance with Bobby Kennedy, which didn't help her mood swings. Many people advised Fox that she was not up to a film, but they were hemorrhaging from the wallet over Cleopatra, and needed a quick hit. Marilyn was also subject to sinus problems. She was away from the set more than she was there, and when co-star Dean Martin walked off the set in disgust, they fired her and stopped production. She
was able to convince them to restart. When she did the pool-side exposure, she told the director, "This will knock Liz off the covers of the magazines," and it did.
Happy birthday Ms Marilyn, happy birthday to you.
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Marilyn Monroe
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| Johnny Web (Uncle Scoopy)
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Youngblood is a hockey movie with Rob Lowe, Keanu, and Patrick Swayze, three of our Fun House Faves. The movie was just so-so, very low octane for a sports film, but my favorite part (excluding the Gibb nudity) was team goalie Keanu Reeves, making his film debut with a French-Canadian accent. Dude, where's my puck, eh? Whoa, good save, ya betcha, one time dere, eh?
- Cynthia Gibb
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- Fionnula Flanagan (not quite any goodies, but on the verge). A bit of slumming for Fionnula. I think they got her in this by telling her it was James Joyce's forgotten hockey story, Portrait of the Goalie as a Young Man. Next year Fionnula is going to be in "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood", along with Bullock, Burstyn, Ashley Judd, etc)
Encyclopedia, volume H, part 2 is updated (women starting with Ham and Han).
| | Graphic Response
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Athena Massey in one of her best nude performances. Vidcaps from the unrated version of "Undercover Heat" (1995). Plenty of goods for the robo-hooter fans, plus a nice frame with her bare bum, and even a hint of pubes!
Winona Ryder no nudity of course, but she is wearing a wet t-shirt, and that is worth a few points. Vidcaps from "Girl, Interrupted" (1999).
Holly Hunter a single breast, bra only, and a hint bush in the shadows in scenes from "Crash" (1996).
Be sure to pay Graphic Response a visit at his website. www.graphic-barry.com.
| Scorpion
| | Diane Lane |
A cool rare find. The movie is "Descending Angel" (1990). From what I read at the IMDb, this was a made for HBO movie starring Diane, George C. Scott, and Eric Roberts. There's a brief bit of breast exposure while Diane is in bed. Right smack in the middle of this collage there is a far off single breast view. There are also a couple of nip slips as she covers herself with the sheets. Amazon lists it as being available in August on VHS, but not DVD.
| | Linnea Quigley |
Linnea does a shower scene at the age of 40 in these scenes from the no-budget movie, "Death Mask". Who's doing all the killing while wearing the Death Mask?....Why it's none other than James Best, AKA Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane from "The Dukes of Hazzard"! According to an IMDb reader, Best also wrote this movie.
| | Kathleen Quinlan |
Side breast exposure and some bum views in scenes from 1984's "The Last Winter".
| | Ginger Lynn Allen |
Adult film star and B-movie bimbo showing full frontal nudity in one of her early non-porno movies, "Cleo/Leo" (1989).
| | Cheryl Ann Smith |
Topless in a shower scene from one of the billion horror movies with some kind of evil creature from the 80's. This one is "Cellar Dweller" (1988)
| | Damon Merrill |
Breasts and some far off bush and bum from another movie with an evil creature from the 80's. This one actually falls in the sub-category of evil genie. Vidcaps from "The Outing" aka "The Lamp". (1986).
| | Deborah Tranelli |
Some of you may recognize Deborah from her 10 year stint playing 'Phyllis' on the famous tv series "Dallas". Here she is in a slightly less notable role as the lead in the movie "Naked Vengeance" (1985). She shows her breasts and a bit of bum cleavage.
| | Meridith Baer |
Going back to 1974, here is Meredith topless in scenes from "The Sister-in-Law".
| | Variety
| Catherine Sutherland
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Breasts and bush are in plain view, however, Catherine's character is a little on the dead side in these scenes from "The Cell". Great 'caps by ABYS.
| Jennifer Aniston
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Mrs. Pitt doing a bit of mild lesbo lovin' on "Friends". Here she is locking lips with Winona Ryder (link #1), and Lisa Kudrow (link #2). Thanks to nmd.
| | Traci Lords |
Nekkid, but keeping the goods just out of site. Vidcaps from the very boring and non-erotic "erotic thriller", "Extramarital" (1997), by Fripp. I caught about half of this on cable one night, and that was more than enough.
| | Kim Basinger |
Kim topless in the love scene from "Final Analysis". Collage by Pro.
| | The Funnies by Number 6
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What would happen if men raised the kids...
A computer for girls
One Liners for Women
1. I'm not your type. I'm not inflatable.
2. A hard-on does not count as personal growth.
3. If I throw a stick, will you leave?
4. If I want to hear the patter of little feet, I'll put shoes on my cat.
5. Did the aliens forget to remove your anal probe? (works for men and women)
6. See no evil, hear no evil, date no evil.
7. Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.
8. Not all men are annoying. Some are dead.
9. And which dwarf are you?
10. It's not the size that counts, it's the ....... no, it is the size.
The Lord says to Adam.....
"I have some good news and some bad news."
Adam says, "Give me the good news first."
The Lord replies, "I have two new organs for you. One is called a brain. It will allow you create new things, solve problems, and have intelligent conversations with Eve. The other organ is called a penis. It will give you great physical pleasure and allow you to reproduce your life form and populate the planet."
Adam is thrilled and thanks the Lord. "These are great gifts. Now what's the bad news?"
"You can never use these gifts at the same time."
| Nekkid Celeb News
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Semi-celebrity nudity news
From the NY Post. This chick has a pretty high opinion of herself, considering most Americans have never even heard of her, much less longed to see her sans garments.
Pat Reeder, The Comedy Wire
CLOONEY GAL'S BARE MINIMUM PIX PRICE
By BILL HOFFMANN
May 30, 2001 -- George Clooney's girlfriend says she's ready to take it all off - but only if the price is right.
Lisa Snowdon confirmed that Playboy has twice approached her about doing a nude pictorial - and both times, she said no.
"I turned them down because it was the wrong money," Snowdon, who boasts a 35-24-35 figure, told The Sun newspaper in England.
It's not known for how much dough the 28-year-old British stunner and MTV hostess is holding out.
But supermodel Naomi Campbell raked in a cool $1.5 million for her eye-popping Playboy spread two years ago.
"Baywatch" babe Pamela Anderson got $450,000 in 1997, and Farrah Fawcett - one of the original Charlie's Angels - walked away with $750,000 in 1995.
Playboy officials refused to confirm whether Lisa has been approached.
Clooney, who is normally publicity-shy, apparently has no problem with his gal pal baring her body.
"She'd be the one posing, right? So, he still gets to retain his privacy, right?" Clooney spokesman Stan Rosenfield said.
While news reports had Clooney and Snowdon busting up last week after a hot-and-heavy six months, other sources say they're still together.
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