PMAGAZINE UPDATE
PMAGAZINE: Movieline
ISSUE: December 1990
TITLE: MICHELLE PFEIFFER The Accidental Feminist
Here we bring you another magazine transcript of Michelle from the early 90s, also promoting the Awards nominated movie “The Russia House” (Best Actress nomination from Golden Globe). This December issue of 1990’s Movieline magazine wasn’t really based on an actual interview with Michelle, but a serious study and analyzation of Michelle’s career position at that time, right after the fabulous “Baker Boys” period and before turning into a Catwoman. Check it out!
Please follow and like us:
15 comments
Alan says:
Jun 10, 2014
Bond:
This Update makes me think again of a PBS television series: “Tales From The Hollywood Hills” from 1987 in which Pfeiffer plays a 1930s movie star based upon John O’Hara’s character Natica Jackson. Michelle’s beauty is devasting and her acting is superb, She doesn’t play the character but “embodies” Natica Jackson and the persona of a 1930s film great. (quotes used because the word has been used before to describe Michelle’s characters). Regrettably, Michelle’s movie has been intertwined with another TV movie that confuses the story of “Natica Jackson.”. That movie, in the same series, stars Hector as a has-been director. In spite of the confusion of the amalgamation, “Natica Jacson” is a must see.
Sadly, Michelle has been ill at ease with her classic beauty and it has been demonstrated when she donned a frumpy wig in “New Year’s Eve.” It seems to me that Michelle never fully took full advantage of her beauty to startle viewers to focus on her superb acting
I have an out of left field vision of Michelle as an absolutely great Elena Robinson in “Fifty Shades of Grey.” An aging screen siren is the perfect fit for Elena.
But….the movie will need to be as great, and it seems unlikely that Michelle will win (or even be interested in) the role.
Sorry about the stream of conscious ramblings.
Alan says:
Jun 13, 2014
Sorry – I always shoot out these blurbs without proof reading.
At least one correction: “stream of consciousness” and a completion: “Hector Elizondo.”
Also, the thought that Michelle “never fully took advantage of her beauty” is not entirely true. Think of the movie “Wolf.” Not a lot for her to do but be absolutely stunning.
Paul S says:
Jun 14, 2014
Alan, I think it’s one of life’s little mysteries that we only notice our typing errors after we click the submit button.
Thank you for your “stream of consciousness” comments. I enjoy them all, and although I can only speak for myself I think this place would be poorer without them. You certainly articulate your thoughts far better than I ever could.
Best wishes for a wonderful summer.
Paul
Alan says:
Jun 18, 2014
Today’s “Village Voice” featured a scathing review of “The Third Person,” a 2013 film. Amy Nicholson wrote it and mistakenly attributed Kim Basinger’s role to Michelle Pfeiffer.
Paul S says:
Jul 4, 2014
Happy 4th of July to all Michelle’s American pfans.
Alan says:
Jul 27, 2014
The DailyBeast.com on July 25 features an interview with director Jonathan Demme who declares Michelle Pfeiffer as “underutilized” and that he “would love to team up with her again (as they did in ‘Married to the Mob”).” Michelle has also expressed a desire to once again work with Demme in her statements about “The Silence of the Lambs” and turning down the part. Incidentally Meg Ryan also was among those who rejected the “Clarice” part.
I regard Demme as a director with whom Michelle would have a chance at fulfilling her assertion that her best performance is still in her.
In the interview Demme also discussed the difficulties of financing . I worry about this factor in relationship to Michelle because her more recent films have not been either commercial or critical successes and this added to her lack of visibility and inattention to her brand must make those in the industry concerned about using her.
Paul S says:
Aug 9, 2014
Thanks for the link Alan, I found it interesting that Jonathan Demme went to Meg Ryan after Michelle for the role of Clarice, because he thought she’d be terrific, shame she too found the milieu of The Silence of the Lambs way too dark and terrifying, because it could have taken her career in a totally different direction.
It was a year ago yesterday that principal photography began on Michelle’s last film The Family. It seems an age to me, but then you read that Demme himself has gone six years without directing a feature film because of difficulties over financing.
Michelle’s long screen absences seem to have obliterated the strides she made in the late 80s/early 90s, when the media/industry/public suddenly realized she was a great actress rather than just a great beauty.
People seem to have forgotten that Michelle Pfeiffer’s name was once uttered with the same reverence as Meryl Streep’s. I don’t remember if it was here or on another site where I read that in a poll for the best living actress (from the late nineties?) Michelle came in second after Meryl. Meryl’s due to start shooting Demme’s new film Ricki and the Flash with Kevin Kline, while Michelle still waits for her next project. Somewhere the right script awaits.
Alan says:
Aug 9, 2014
Paul, It always good to read your erudite views. You have made a good point that “Silence of the Lambs” would have taken Meg Ryan’s career in a different direction.
I recall that Anthony Lane, movie critic of the New Yorker asked what happened to the Michelle that he remembered from “Married to the Mob” in his review that hammered White Oleander. Both Meg and Michelle flexed their acting muscles and starred in films that threw audiences off-guard. New directions often create risk and unease for actresses and discomfort from reviewers and audiences. If the films are not commercially and critically successful careers are often affected.
Jody Foster took the risk with “Silence of the Lambs” and nailed it.
Alan says:
Aug 13, 2014
Being the Michelleophile that I, I love any comparisons of Pfeiffer to Lauren Bacall. In an article that records Bacall’s passing as well as a few unforgettable screen moments, a comparison is drawn that mentions Michelle and a few other contemporary actresses.
http://www.mtv.com/news/1897427/lauren-bacall-dies-troian-bellisario-voice/
Paul S says:
Aug 13, 2014
Alan, I wasn’t aware of Lauren Bacall’s passing until I read your comment but the news brings Anthony Lane’s lament into even sharper focus. For all us Pfeifferpfiles the likes of Married to the Mob and The Fabulous Baker Boys weren’t just very good films, they were magical sign posts along our cinematic highway.
Alan says:
Aug 15, 2014
Paul:
I commend to you Lauren Bacall’s 1994 interview with Charlie Rose on greginholloywood.com.She was promoting her book, “Now.” The interview is extraordinary. In some of your blogs you have cited interviewers who have had great expectations of Michelle and have later realized that they have’t gotten much. I grudgingly agree with them and you. Bacall, however, delivers. Bacall is endlessly self-assured in an interview and Michelle is not.
Bacall couldn’t sing but she could more than deliver a song. Michelle can sing tolerably well and can deliver. I do love Bacall-Pfeiffer comparisons and one has only to view the made-for-TV movie, “Natica Jackson” to see that the comparisons are fair. Both Bacall and Pfeiffer compromised their careers for the men that they loved. Both suffered from the aging actress syndrome.
All that aside, the Bacall-Rose interview is incredible. I have always been a Bacallophile.
Alan says:
Aug 18, 2014
I watched “The Fabulous Baker Boys” and I am reminded about how I came to be a Pfeiffer Pfan. I find her to be as beautiful now as she was then. Another thing in common with Bacall: no plastics and stunning beauty.
Paul S says:
Aug 19, 2014
Alan, it’s been a pleasure to associate with you.
I wish you well!
Alan says:
Aug 19, 2014
The Michelle look-alikes are lining up. An Australian song writer and performer, Vance Joy, has release an album and is on a world tour. In his song “Riptide” he sings of a girl who resembles Michelle and who is destined for Hollywood.
http://thebaybridged.com/2014/08/19/qa-vance-joy-todays-singer-songwriter-tomorrows-librarian/#.U_PAyOl0yM8
September 22, US Fox TV airs the premiere of a Batman prequel series, “Gotham.” A teenage Michelle doppelganger (need an omlaut), Camren Bicondova, plays a teenage pre-Catwoman.
Michelle is irreplaceable but the imitators are lining up. I hope to see Michelle appear soon to fill the void.
Alan says:
Aug 26, 2014
http://thedissolve.com/features/
Gotta read the August 26, 2014 complaint regarding the 1989 Best Actress Oscar.