Links for the Day (March 7th, 2008)

1. "Centennial Tributes: Anna Magnani": Josh R offers it up for the bellissima at Edward Copeland on Film.

["Of the nearly 50 films that Anna Magnani made during her storied career, only a handful are available for viewing by the general public. I can therefore lay claim to having seen only but a fraction of her life's work (would that I could rectify the situation by being granted unfettered access to the vaults of Cinecitta Roma or the archives at UCLA). As it is, Magnani fans can only be grateful that many of her most celebrated performances remain readily accessible, given what a remarkable and singular talent she was, and what an impressive career she had. While there is a fair argument to be made for the fiery yet tender leading lady as the cinema’s first truly naturalistic actress, it is also worth noting than no other performer from her country – not even the great Mastroianni – occupies a more important place in the history of global cinema."]

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2. "IFC, Blockbuster Pact Great For Corporations": A report by S.T. VanAirsdale at The Reeler.

["IFC Entertainment announced a deal with Blockbuster Video on Wednesday that will give the latter company "an exclusive 60-day window on U.S. rentals and downloads of IFC titles before they're sold," writes Hollywood Reporter correspondent Gregg Goldstein. Moreover, Goldstein adds, the pact gives Blockbuster exclusive rental rights for three years following IFC releases' retail street date and establishes special "indie film" sections in 1,000 of the chain's stores -- approximately a quarter of its locations. I know some of you think I snipe for sniping's sake, but I'm pretty mad about this, and you should be, too."]

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3. At The Film Experience, Nathaniel Rogers offers up a two-part feature entitled "Ubiquitous in 2008", predicting what performers we're likely to see most of this movie year. Part One here; Part Two here.

["If you're the type of moviegoer who regularly asks "who's in it?" than you're going to love the new year of movies or hate it depending on how you feel about these thesps, who might be all over your screens. This year is tougher to guess about since the ripples of the now ended writer's strike might be felt and actors themselves could go on strike soon. You'll be surprised to note that Cate Blanchett is not on this list. But be warned: she will be just as ubiquitous as ever on magazine covers, red carpets and screens this year since her two '08 projects will both be inescapable: it doesn't get much more high profile than Indiana Jones and the Place of the Thing or the reunion of Se7en's director and star David Fincher & Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Both films are already in post-production so there's plenty of time for her to squeeze in something else. She doesn't sleep."]

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4. At Film Freak Central, Walter Chaw zero stars 10,000 B.C., does a dual for Honeydripper & Married Life, and writes in defense of The Brave One (with The Butcher Boy).

["What I do understand is that 10,000 BC is Roland Emmerich's Apocalypto, meaning that in place of the pure, unadulterated, unmediated madness you get from a Mel Gibson joint, you have a commensurate volume of stupidity. It's a film that countryman Uwe Boll would have made had he the budget and the cinematographer, but given that what appears to have been shown to us at the packed (jeering) screening was a rough cut (a scratch in the print for half the running time; impenetrably thick grain in the night sequences), the only thing to possibly recommend the flick was fucked-up beyond recognition."]

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5. "What did Bach look like?": Like a character from Beowulf, apparently. And, wait, has Sam Jackson been giving him hairstyle tips?

["A modern reconstruction of Johann Sebastian Bach's head -- using computer modeling techniques -- shows the composer as a strong-jawed man with a slight underbite, his large head topped with short, silver hair."]

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Quote of the Day: James Branch Cabell

"There is not any memory with less satisfaction than the memory of some temptation we resisted."

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Image of the Day (click to enlarge): Hedgehog orders McFlurry, from the MSNBC news story "McDonalds changes lids to save German hedgehogs"



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Clip(s) of the Day: "It feels great on my abs!": The Hawaii Chair (original infomercial first) goes crazy on BBC talk show host Scott Mills and causes some hilarity on Ellen.





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"Links for the Day": Each morning, the House editors post a series of weblinks that we think will spark discussion. Comments encouraged.