Thursday, July 3, 2008

Innocence (Not) Lost on Anyone

Getting to know more about Austin you find out not only is he a devoted cinephile but a fan of several directors. One of them is Hal Ashby, is best remember by many for his movie, the cult classic, Harold and Maude. Ashby went on to do other remarkable movies during his short career with a later start as a director at age 40, after many successful years as exceptional film editor. He not only did Harold and Maude, but directed, The Landlord, The Last Detail, Shampoo, Bound For Glory, Coming Home, and Being There. He had a streak of films in the 1970's that rivaled his contemporaries, Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Altman.

Ashby's films showed a remarkable visual sense of black humor and irony, a consistency of theme and characterization, and an innovative use of music and editing. There is so much to focus on Ashby with topics on his editing and ironic use of music for future discussions. But there is one theme of many that surfaces in Ashby's films, and probably is the predominate one, the one that I think speaks to Austin.

Ashby's quintessential protagonist is an innocent man-child, who is influenced by free-spirited individuals to overcome the tyranny of a domineering parent figure and break away to gain from life's experience. It is evident in The Landlord, Harold and Maude, and Being There. In his film, Shampoo, we see a twist to the innocent in Warren Beatty's character George Roundy and in Coming Home, Ashby's critical best film, we see the innocence of a wife who has no idea of what is happening in Vietnam. But it is through meeting people and that all his characters find a way to new experience, a new life. When Austin got a role like John, you can see how Austin immediately gravitate to toward the role and went to one of his favorite directors for inspiration.

That break away to gain life experiences is not just on screen either it seems to touch different parts of Austin's life as well. Who's to say, maybe his somewhat love for the 70's came some what out of watching Ashby. Think he appreciates how Ashby created scenes with music as much with acting, often working in poetic irony to each other.

But the one thing that still predominates is Ashby's films are a call for joy and a cry for the triumph of life's experience over innocence. If that isn't the Austin we've seen what is? And that's not to say his journey is over by a long shot.

56 comments:

Blue Velvet said...

I don't remember this article about Austin from Sports Illustrated even though we probably saw and discussed it last year.

Austin Nichols Acts Up

Special K said...

Awesome find BV! Thanks

Austin seems like a natural athlete. Always wonder what his golf swing must be like with those long limbs.

destiny said...

I don't remember that article, thanks BV!

I've seen all of the Ashby films you list except for Coming Home. I really love Harold & Maude, and I saw The Landlord earlier this year when it played in a theater here. It's very much of its time, but also very entertaining. The others are very good too. Maybe we can watch an Ashby film for the movie club.

The 70s were a great time for films, and unfortunately I don't think we'll ever see that kind of work coming out of the studios again.

Wicked said...

I uploaded this song last night and told Spesh I wanted to see what kind of post she could do to it. I'm totally impressed. I did not know all that about Ashby. Now I have even more movies for the Netflix queue.

Anonymous said...

Wow, some of my favorite movies. I've seen all but The Landlord. Will have to check into that one.

Re the wedding - A proper southern woman talking loudly in a hotel? I don't think so. Most of the stories that leak seem to be aimed at such a juvenile age group, like early teens. That's the part I can't figure out. Do they really need that demographic.

I think PR reads the blogs and adjusts strategy in response to them. Jake's sexuality is the big concern, so it's not like they have to visit 50 sites to find out what is being said. Just WFT2 and OMG. Also, everytime Ted calls phony, they amp up a bit to counter it.

destiny said...

Funny thing is that amping it up just makes it that more obvious that its a fauxmance. Really, would "Jake moves in" be the headline if he was straight and nobody had any concerns about his sexuality?

I'll have to check out the song tonight, can't listen at work, so I'm not sure how it ties in to the post. Forgot to say that I really enjoyed yesterday's song, I don't think I've ever given Chesney a serious listen before.

Anonymous said...

Learning to ride a horse for PoP

I thought he already knew how to ride a horse because of Brokeback. Check out the hair. These do NOT help the gay rumors.

Anonymous said...

I had a little pony,
His name was Dapple-gray,
I lent him to a lady,
To ride a mile away.
She whipped him, she slashed him,
She rode him through the mire;
I would not lend my pony now
For all the lady's hire.

Anonymous said...

If this blog is full of crap to people like Jake, his PR handlers and the rag-peddlers, then why I wonder do they care about it by monitoring it?? (I believe it). Why should they care what several deluded Jake fans think?

Answer: they don't. Even if they knew about us, they don't need to monitor a teeny tiny little website with just a miniscule core of regulars that post here. How many regulars contribute and post to the comments? 15? 30? hell even if it's 50, ya think that has any influence on the celebs' actions and the PR teams' actions? Population of the US: 300+ million, Great Britain, I have no idea, but I bet it's a LOT! And all the rest of the English speaking world: millions of millions? a LOT more than come to this blog, that's for sure.

If we had Site Meter and a link to the stats to this blog then we could see what's what on this subject. I know that SiteMeter gives a wealth of info about where the readers are, how many readers, etc etc. How about it Wicked, Spesh?? Can you give us a link to the stats?


If you really watched blogs you would know that the opinions/comments here are not isolated. If this were a blog about Jake's shoes and they figured less than 100 people posted here on a regular basis and Jake's shoes were not discussed anywhere else they wouldn't give this site a second thought. But we all know that is not the case.

Tell me another blog on the web that still promotes the Jake-Austin relationship, hmmmm? I don't see that fauxmance discussed at JJ, Perez, Gawker, DListed, Defamer, AfterElton, etc etc and myriad other celeb websites that I skip through daily. This is the only blog that actively promotes the Jake-is-gay agenda. This is the blog that has the core group of fan-atics to this supposed relationship. And yes, I think we are well under a hundred.

Anonymous said...

Two cents, I think you are skimming a bit too fast. They all still mention the Jake is gay. Even the POP pic today went straight for the gay. Jake is just one of 100's on those other sites, so not the same impact. Like it or not, he spikes the gaydar meter, because he is gay.

Special K said...

One thing the new pictures of Jake will do.
Tick Reese off.

Gotta say all the conditioning does look good.

I want to see him pull a Pebbles hairdo when it gets a little bit longer and then we can do a side by side who wore it better with Austin.

Special K said...

One reason that Jake is taking lessons, not just for the sword fighting while on horse back but probably having to learn to ride an English saddle as opposed to a Western saddle like he rode in BBM

destiny said...

Not loving the beard, but the rest of him is looking mighty fine. And mighty campy. And somewhere in London a tiny blond woman is pitching a fit. :D

Anonymous said...

Wow, Jake's looking mighty fine indeed - great post today too, I agree, let's do an Ashby film for our Movie Club. :)

Anonymous said...

Naw, the pics on IHJ and JJ are totally different then the one's on Mr. Papparazzi. Those are 100% PR approved and will circulate more, even the Mr. Papparazzi pics look like he's goofing around.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Papparazzi pics looks like he didn't know that cameras were there IHJ and JJ pics looks like after he found out.

Wicked said...

How about it Wicked, Spesh?? Can you give us a link to the stats?

No, I don't think we'll be giving trolls or PR a link to our Sitemeter.

Anonymous said...

You all have me curious about the pictures now. I really don't want to register on IHJ, tho. How come Reese would be upset?

m, I don't believe that Star mag article on the wedding either. I was just throwing it out there like a beachball so it could be batted around a little. ; ) That particular story had too many obscure quotes and speculation. They did throw in 2 specific dates, but who would really know about that?

Hey, curious as to what the next movie is going to be. Guess what, I bought Wedding Banquet on sale @ Target for 7.50. I know, a day late & a dollar short.

Hope everyone is having a great day & looking forward to a day off tomorrow!

destiny said...

Prarie girl, check out the pictures at Mr. Paparazzi. You don't need to register, and they're a lot more interesting than the ones on Just Jared.

Anonymous said...

campy camera, he is looking right at the paps in those particular pics, either that or his eyesight is really wonky. Jake is always aware.

Considering he prolly alerted them (I doubt they were hanging around this particular riding school, this is not a set) he was well aware, more mocking than campy???

Anonymous said...

he was well aware, more mocking than campy???

More playing to the camera.
Like yoga and the water bottle.

Special K said...

Here's the caption for the picture that ran in the Daily Mirror.

"Jake Gyllenhaal who has landed the lead role in The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, seen having a gay old time, as he practises his horseback manoeuvres along with co-star Gemma Arterton."

Blazing Saddles

Now what was that discussion this morning?

Anonymous said...

Tight t-shirt, bulging muscles and campy moves.

Special K said...

I finally stopped staring at his arms long enough to realize he has his necklace on. : )

Anonymous said...

I noticed. ;)

Anonymous said...

Pregnant Man Thomas Beatie Births Girl

The headline says it all, folks! Thirty-four year old trans man Thomas Beatie gave birth to a healthy baby girl this morning. Just in time for Independence Day!

destiny said...

I didn't make it past his arms either....well, maybe I did, but I wasn't looking at the neck. ;)

Anonymous said...

IHJ added the rest of the pics.

Anonymous said...

The necklace pops out in the new pics, it looks like a chocolate donut !It doesn't look like a ring, more like some pendant.


http://img241.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=02506_026_122_419lo.jpg

Florida Tom said...

The Princess of Persia is learning to ride a horse. At fisrt I thought the limp wrist was Jake fooling around but I don't think so. The hair is adoreable. There is no str8 guy on the planet earth that is going to see this movie.

Florida Tom said...

Who knows what the heck is around his neck. It probably covering up a matching wedding band like the one Austin has around his neck;-)

Anonymous said...

Lainey Gossip

Hot Hairy Jakey on a Horse
...
Photos from Flynetonline.com

london tb said...

I'm not really feeling this look much, and it's not going to be my type of film ... but nice horse, and very nice to see Jake in rain :)

Thanks for this post, Spesh - I have been meaning to follow up on all my missing Ashbys for a long time and this was the reminder I needed :)

Anonymous said...

Flynet took the horse pics.

Reeke pics are sure to follow soon.

Special K said...

I watched part of Harold and Maude again and it was just so good. Long time fan of Being There too. Shampoo was the least Ashby style of his, I think a little too studio tighten on him. But Hal definitely was a free spirit. I just love his use of music in his films.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Paparazzi has video of Jake learning to ride

Anonymous said...

Oh G*d, I absolutely loved Being There, and Harold and Maude too. I'd see any of them again, I don't think I saw Shampoo and definitely not Coming Home, but I'd like to. If people use music creatively in films, I'm there. :)

Anonymous said...

-Oh Jake Gyllenhaal. I love you but your really need to stop giving bloggers ammo. It gets very tiring defending your heteroness all the time. While riding horseback, let's make sure the saddles are the only thing that looks blazing, mmm-kay?
DOSE

destiny said...

That photo linked by jake and reese pics due by the weekend does not seem to exist anywhere else. None of the photos posted on IHJ show that necklace, and something that size would probably show through a tight t-shirt. I suspect that photo has been photoshopped.

Anonymous said...

how interesting said...

Flynet took the horse pics.



I don't think they did. If you look at Special's post at 2:41 where she supplied a link to pics in the Daily Mail, you'll see that BigPicturesPhoto.com and MatrixPhotos.com are also credited. Probably an independent pap who sold various pics to the different agencies.

Anonymous said...

Jake's arms and chest are looking way, way hot. I agree that blogger on OMG and WFT2 were both saying where's Reese and we get pap pics of her. Then the bloggers were saying maybe Jake's not in London and we get pics of him. For sure these pics are PR approved, but also Disney approved. Jake's staring and smile for the camera.

Wicked said...

I wonder if that necklace is something he will be wearing in the movie. Doesn't look like anything Jake normally wears.

Anonymous said...

So great these pix came out today so Trolly could be proved right and nobody on the interweb (except us, of course) would make any comments about Jake being gay. Trolly must be so pleased.

frenchy said...

One reason that Jake is taking lessons, not just for the sword fighting while on horse back but probably having to learn to ride an English saddle as opposed to a Western saddle like he rode in BBM.

That reminded me of one of the extras on the Brokeback DVD, in which somebody says that Heath was a very good rider but had to learn to ride the American way for the movie.

My Ashby's all-time favorite is Being There too (hi Netb!). Over here, Harold & Maude remained a mainstay of any "répertoire" theaters' programs for many, many years. I saw Coming Home too and remember strong performances by Jon Voigt & Jane Fonda.

I'm always happy to be reminded of those interesting facets of Austin's character. Great post Special. :)

Anonymous said...

NY Post called Jake "Not So Butch Cassidy." Probably will have to Reeke to counteract this one.

Anonymous said...

I need two aspirins and a drink.

And no Grey Goose or Wild Turkey damn it.

Anonymous said...

I've posted a new photo of Austin, taken by Matthew Frost, at Austin Media.

It's ... interesting. *g*

frenchy said...

Happy 4th of July to all my American friends!

XOXOXO

Wicked said...

Re that Austin pic- is he wearing guyliner?!

Anonymous said...

The return of Toothy Tile

Anonymous said...

Wait a minute. Someone else evokes Jake as Toothy Tile? Say it ain't so!

I mean, we've been told enough, haven't we, by those kind souls who make it their mission to come here to correct our erronous notions, travel all over the internet, in fact, where ever either Jake and Reese are mentioned that it's pretty much a given fact that Jake is 100%straight is a univeraslly accepted fact now, and that only delusional fangirls believe the fantasy of Ted C's alcoholic blatherings.

How is it possible?

All the pictures and articles and sources and insiders and friends and bullshit perhaps?

Anonymous said...

I hate to burst your bubble disllusioned, but Jake has been ID as TT going back to the summer of '05 when sites like defamer, gawker and the girls on ontd figured it out.

Back in '05 gay blogs like towerload posted all of the TT updates as well as did gawker, defamer, ontd, etc. They stopped because they long ago figured it out so therefore they feel no need to repost, prolly out of boredom.

D-listed, FCC and Ent lawyer, ontd aside most have moved on. Once in awhile some obscure blog or even a pap blog like paparrazi will make snarky remarks but even the dlisted comments were odd in that most had nothing to do with the post

It's this blog and wtf 2 that is a day late and a dollar short, the title of that obscure blog you pulled up should spell it out for you.

PS: I forgot to add that IMDB and gossip rocks forum but the gossip rock forum crowd are pretty much the same that post on FFC, like one big circle jerk. IMDB was a breeding ground as well, but that is dead just like most of Jake's online fandom. The DL doesn't count either since the threads created theresmeel like they were created by the same group of "fans". So in conclusion you missed out on TT overload in '05 beggining of 06. And I expected a bit more wanking over the pics, The NY Post, ontd, d-listed, Griffith, Ent and Paparazzi and a few obsure blogs? I didn't check FCC or the DL but I assume it was discussed, see a pattern? And don't tell me you were a bit disapointed o see that the imature, homophobic comments weren't spread further.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Day Old News! Quick, look up! you see that? It's my snark flying completely over your head!

Clueless and humorless, what a rubbish combination.

Anonymous said...

Special, I don't see that caption ,anywhere on the Mirror article?

Anonymous said...

Forgot to add that IHJ had a TT thresd going back then as well and all was calm until some newbies disoverd the site and became Jake fans after BBM and ruined the thread.

Ally and Stephanie told everyone to play nice and most die except the newbies, so it was deleted.

BTW, talking about dead fandoms, what happened to ally over at IHJ? She has gone awol and has left poor steph to keep it updated.

Anonymous said...

~~
"most did", altough "die" is appropiate in regards to his online fandom.