TAG, you're it!

[mgk]

Geez....my first answer was hard enough.

Okay, guess I better do it right.  Thanks, KC.

[KC]

Actually, I just made it a bit easier for you ... the first part, anyway!

[mgk]

I noticed that but the last part is awful to have to choose from....guess I can't include the "Amazing Stories" TV series, can I?

[mgk]

mgk: What's the best back-to-back-to-back trio of films Eastwood has directed in his career, and what's the weakest threesome?

Okay, let me do this right and choose from his directed only back-to-back-to-back best trio and weakest trio.

Best:  The Bridges, of Madison County, A Perfect World, and Unforgiven.  

Ahhhhh....not fair; this is too hard!!!

Weakest:  The Rookie, White Hunter, Black Heart and Bird.

I really didn't want to have to include White Hunter, Black Heart.  

Retagging MC with the same question:

Which Eastwood film do you think has the best ending?  Do you like one that sort of sums everything up or do you prefer an ending that makes you keep thinking long after you've finished the film?

[Xichado]

Xichado- What you favorite scene in Blood Work?Why?

Hi Aline, glad to see you around.

I have two favorite scenes, one is scene when Terry McCaleb is pursuing the code killer thru the back alleys and that chase will cause McCaleb’s stroke and will redefine the man that he used to be.

(Picture taken from the Blood Work site, here)

The other scene I like (I don’t have a picture for it though, but it’s the scene that starts at 1:20:44 accordingly to my dvd counter), it’s the scene when Terry McCaleb is standing in front of the mirror and looking at his scar. The reason why I like Blood Work it’s because of the emotional struggle of having a strong spirit confined to a not-so-strong body (heart). And I love those few seconds when we see McCaleb approaching the mirror, almost as if he is afraid of his own reflection, of his scar, of his confinement.

In this scene, not a word is spoken, yet so much –from my point of view- is revealed and said about McCaleb’s emotional struggle. I have been talking with mgk about moments like this in CE movies and I started to mention them as “Visual Poetry”.

[the stranger]

from Matt

STRANGER:  (See if this looks just a little familiar )  You are in a hotel, you have to visit the Toilet (Bathroom ) You are amazed when you walk in there, Clint is using the urinal right at the end..
There are 25 urinals, leaving 24 urinals free to use.. Do you take that long long echoing walk down to where Clint is standing to use the Urinal next to Clint ?  

(Told you I'd get you back for that one some day!   Too bad Agent isn't around for me to hand him back his "you have diarrhea and need to go to the bathroom, but if you do, you'll miss meeting Clint" question. )

YES Without a doubt I would!
You know me Bruv, I'd do anything for a laugh!
Hell, I might even sneak a peek, and probably ask him if there is a Gay subtext in Thunderbolt! (probably not the ideal place to ask), but hell, you know me too well!
Ha ha ha, back with a Tag later.
-Stranger-

[KC]

I think I owe about six tags. Going to try to get them in at the last minute ... anyone being tagged who wants to hold his/her answer till the tagging period is over, is welcome!

Aline: Wonderful to see you here. What female character in an Eastwood film would you have liked to play? You can take into account the amount of screen time you'd have shared with Clint!

Xichado: Glad to see you stick up for Blood Work. I liked it too, precisely for the kind of "visual poetry" moments you mentioned ... Eastwood's characters bear scars (physical, often psychological as well) in a lot of his movies. In films other than Blood Work, can you think of a scene involving a scar that you especially admire?

Conan: You've decided to train to run a marathon. Which character from an Eastwood movie (played by Clint, or someone else) would you like as a training partner?

misty71: You answered my question about getting a copy of a wardrobe item from an Eastwood film the way I probably would have ... by selecting a couple of items worn by Clint. (I've always liked that red-brown "Enforcer" jacket, as well ... ). I'll ask it again, with a twist ...

You can have an exact copy of any wardrobe item worn by a female character from any Eastwood movie ... in your size. What would it be?

Matt: You're at a Yankees-Devil Rays game in your Jason Giambi road jersey ... Clint enters the stadium and sits down near you. He's wearing a Rocco Baldelli jersey. He turns to you and makes some remark about the Yankees buying championships ... what do you say?

eustressor: There were two scenes in Peoples's Unforgiven script that were filmed, but not used ... a brief flashback showing a younger Munny beating a horse (this would have come just after the "fever delirium" scene after Munny is beaten by Little Bill, following the line "Don't tell nobody ... don't tell my kids ... none of the things I done"), and a "homecoming" scene, showing Munny embracing his children and assuring his son that he "didn't kill nobody." Do you think Eastwood's decision to omit these scenes was correct? Would you like to see them included on a special-edition DVD?

[Matt]

Tagging:

Matt:  What is your favorite "Tuco" scene in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly?  I know he's priceless all the way through that film but is there one time when you think he shines even more than all the other scenes?

That's more like it!  I can answer this one.

It's the scene at the mission where we really get to understand Tuco, and Wallach is fantastic in it.  When he first sees his brother:

(Tuco looks inside the mission, sees his brother and hesitates, not knowing if he'd be welcome.  He gathers his courage and enters.)  

TUCO:  Hey, Pablo!

(Brother Ramirez turns slowly, seeing Tuco, and doesn't respond)

TUCO:  (Laughing)  Don't you recognize me?  It's me!  Tuco! (He approaches his brother, and goes to put his arms around him)  Let me embrace you!  (Tuco stops, seeing his unmoved brother, and looks down at his holy robes.)  I don't know the right thing!  (He kneels down and kisses the tasseled rope of the priest garments)  I was passing by here, I said to myself "I wonder if my brother remembers his brother!"  (He laughs, uncertain, asking quietly) Did I do wrong?  (Under the steely glare of his brother, Tuco tries to ease the tension and continues jovially)  It doesn't matter--I'm very happy!

BROTHER RAMIREZ:  You've seen me Tuco.

TUCO:  Yeah, well, I'm very glad I came!  (Sees his brother looking him over disapprovingly, he continues in a happy tone) Oh, my uniform!  It's a long story!  Let's talk about you, it's more important.  You look very well!  Mmmm a bit thin, perhaps, but (laughs) you were always thin, eh Pablito?  (Still seeing no reaction from his brother, he continues quieter) What about our parents?

BROTHER RAMIREZ: Only now do you think of them, to begin after nine years.

TUCO:  Nine years?  So it's been nine years!  Nine years! (Laughs to cover his guilt)  

BROTHER RAMIREZ:  Our mother has been dead a long time now.  Our father died only a few days ago.  That's why I was away.  He asked for you to be there, but there was only me.

(Tuco, obviously devastated, turns and walks away, hiding his face as he cries)

BROTHER RAMIREZ:  And you?  Outside of evil, what else have you managed to do?  It seems to me you once had a wife someplace.

TUCO: (Turns back around, hiding the fact that he had been crying, he answers angrily and defensively)  Not one, lots of them!  One here, one there, wherever I found them! Go on, preach me a sermon, Pablo.

BROTHER RAMIREZ:  (Shakes head)  What good would that be?  Just keep on the way you're going.  Go away... and the Lord have mercy on your soul.

TUCO:  I'll go!  I'll go!  While I'm waiting for the Lord to remember me, I, Tuco Ramirez, brother of Brother Ramirez, will tell you something.  You think you're better than I am?  Where we came from, if one did not want to die of poverty, one became a priest or a bandit.  You chose your way, I chose mine.  Mine was harder!  You talk of our mother and father!  You remember when you left to become a priest I stayed behind!  I must have been ten, twelve, I don't remember which, but I stayed!  I tried, but it was no good!  Now I am going to tell you something... you became a priest because you were too much of a coward to do what I do.

Brother Ramirez slaps Tuco across the face. Tuco throws a punch and knocks his brother down.  Tuco helps him back to his feet, and begins to leave.

BROTHER RAMIREZ:  Tuco!  (Tuco stops, very upset, and then continues out.)  Please forgive me, brother.

Tuco mounts the wagon where Blondie, who had heard everything, is waiting.  As the horses pull the wagon from the mission, Tuco thinks over what had happened.

TUCO:  Ehhh, my belly's full!  Nice guy, my brother!  I didn't tell you my brother was in charge here?  Everything!  Like the Pope almost!  He's in charge in Rome.  My brother says to me, "Stay brother, don't go home.  We never see each other.  Here!  There's plenty to eat and drink.  Bring your friend too!" (Tuco laughs)  Whenever we see each other, he never lets me go.  It's always the same story.  (Laughs again)  That's so.  Even a tramp like me, no matter what happens, I know there's a brother somewhere who will never refuse me a bowl of soup.

BLONDIE:  (Thoughtfully)  Sure.  Well after a meal, there's nothing like a good cigar.  

(Blondie takes the cigar from his mouth and passes it to Tuco.  Tuco looks at it a moment, still thinking over everything that had happened.  He takes it, puffs on it, and then as the steady beat of the hooves pull them further from the mission, he puts it out of his mind, smiling now... as he returns to the life of a bandit.)

[Matt]

Matt - Suppose Eastwood did give in and made a movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, what kind of movie would you want it to be and what would happen to the characters? Would they be teamed up? Or pitted against each other?

They'd be pitted against each other, with Schwarzenegger as the bad guy.  In the end... Clint would gun him down.  

[Matt]

Matt: You're at a Yankees-Devil Rays game in your Jason Giambi road jersey ... Clint enters the stadium and sits down near you. He's wearing a Rocco Baldelli jersey. He turns to you and makes some remark about the Yankees buying championships ... what do you say?

This would be fun.  A debate with Clint!

First, I'd have to express disbelief that he was a Devil Rays fan.  Liking the underdog is one thing, but isn't that going a bit far?

I'd probably get into it with him then, reminding him of all the home-grown talent the Yanks have that have won them the championships: Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada.  I'd say that one of our best players this year was Nick Johnson and that he came up through our farm, and I'd point out that Juan Rivera was another that we're still developing.  

Then, Clint might do the "White Sox neighbor thing" and say "And Giambi? Matsui? Roger Clemens..."

And I'd say, "So what? It's not like we're the only team that buys free agents.  Atlanta's got a sky-high payroll, they can't win a championship.  The Mets and Rangers buy playesr, they're at the bottom of their leagues.  If Steinbrenner wants to invest in his team because he wants to win, then what's wrong with that?  If more owners did the same, then they'd have better teams that could beat ours. Instead of blaming Steinbrenner for investing in his team, blame the other team owners that pocket the profits!

And can I buy you a beer, Clint?  

[Xichado]

They'd be pitted against each other, with Schwarzenegger as the bad guy.  In the end... Clint would gun him down.  

What about T4? But Clint would play a bad machine (instead of a good one and he could use his present looks to identify him as a wiser and smarter machine) that would gun down Schwarzenegger (the good machine) and go after Connor and since Connor couldn't stand a change, Clint would take over the (machine) world.  

Oh, and maybe Clint's machine can be named the Cyborg With No Name.

I'm just kidding, I love the Terminator movies.

[bcm]

bcm: What are your four favorite roles that Eastwood has played throughout his career?

Hey, if you had only asked for one, it would have been easier    And, please don't forget that I have only seen part of his movies
1) Robert Kincaid (that was easy  )
Bronco Billy  The preacher  and William Munny  share second place

ok, now for tags for those who still have energy left.
KC: I did like your smilie, but I'll ask the same question again. But this time it will be an easy, broad path, like in the picture.

AND: Clint promises to hold you by your hand if you are scared   will you agree now?
eustressor: Admit you are travelling in Paris, and you see that they show Unforgiven in a theater.Will you take the opportunity and watch it on big sreen? Remember, the film will be shown in french, with french voices (not Eastwood or Hackman or...speaking)

[Matt]

TAGGING....

MC: Clint sees the music video that you directed and meets with you to discuss working as a crewmember on his next film.  In the interview, he asks you to name some of the directors who have influenced you, and what it is about their styles that you admire.  Who would you name, and if you include Clint, what would you say to him that you admire about his directing?  

bcm:  Of all the Eastwood films you've seen so far, which one did you like the least? What was it about the film that you didn't like?

Brendan:  You're at a Nascar event, and you see Jeff Gordon and Clint Eastwood both leaving the event in opposite directions at the same time.  If you hurry, you have the opportunity to meet and talk with one of them.  Which do you choose?

[Christopher]

Stranger asked me if I could change the ending to any Eastwood movie, what would it be and why. I'll think about that one a little more, and try to get a response up soon.

CHRISTOPHER:  (Since Agent isn't around... in honor of him! )  You're dining at the Hog's Breath Inn while passing through Carmel, but unfortunately you've been having the "runs" lately, and the meal you're eating causes your sensitive stomach to react, requiring your immediate attention. However, as you rise to your feet, Clint suddenly walks in for just a moment to say hello to some of the staff. Here's your opportunity to meet him and perhaps even get his autograph, but doing so will mean certain disaster (and embarrassment). But you won't get another chance like this again. What do you choose to do?

My, what would one do in such a situation? I might say "Hey" to him as I walked towards the restroom.

[Matt]

Christopher, where did all those numbers come from in the quote?  See if you can edit them out, or if it's a board problem.

[bcm]

bcm:  Of all the Eastwood films you've seen so far, which one did you like the least? What was it about the film that you didn't like?

ouch, I'm gonna have to step on some toes...
There's a close run between Firefox and Heartbreak Ridge. Which one is worse? I have only seen Firefox once, but I guess I like it less. I've read in this taggame that there are apparently two different lengths of the movie around. Since the version I have runs 120min, I guess it must be the shorter one. So maybe they've taken out the good moments   But basically I found this a very flat story, no character development (or hardly any), the plot is VERY unlikely, the good easily wins in the end.... just not my kind of movie, sorry. But, maybe, in the film discussion you can show me that I'm wrong  
AKA: Instead of my other, unclear question: what is your least favorite Eastwood character, and why?

[Christopher]

Christopher:  We do love to pick on you about your like for Paint Your Wagon, don't we?   What is your favorite scene in that whole (long) movie?

I don't really have a "favorite scene" from Paint Your Wagon (I don't have favorite scenes in a lot of movies). In fact, right now, nothing is really sticking out in my mind (long time since I've seen it) Let's see here: I really like Lee Marvin and Eastwood's scenes together. I like Eastwood's "Gold Fever" song. Pretty much any scene with Jean Seburg in it.

I've always been kind of surprised by people reactions to Paint. It's long, yes (about as long as GBU I might add), but it has colorful characters, enjoyable songs, and as I said, I really like the actors in the film.

Here's one of the tags I owe: Matt: I remember you saying that you watched The Gauntlet over and over again until you finally got it and understood why so many people liked it (Honestly, I wasn't aware so many people liked it). Would you ever consider giving Paint Your Wagon the same possibility? (I like The Gauntlet, but it's no where near one of my favorites, and since I seem to be in the minority for liking PYW, I figured this could be a decent question. And yes, I realize not a lot of people talk about how great PYW is)

[Matt]

I edited it.  Every apostrophe brought up a set of numbers and symbols.  Strange.  

[Christopher]

I edited it.  

Me too.

[Matt]

Matt: I remember you saying that you watched The Gauntlet over and over again until you finally got it and understood why so many people liked it (Honestly, I wasn't aware so many people liked it). Would you ever consider giving Paint Your Wagon the same possibility? (I like The Gauntlet, but it's no where near one of my favorites, and since I seem to be in the minority for liking PYW, I figured this could be a decent question. And yes, I realize not a lot of people talk about how great PYW is)

No.  Even when watching The Gauntlet the first few times, it was only a few scenes that I didn't like, and the rest of it was okay.  I've seen Paint Your Wagon two or three times now, and instead of getting better with each viewing, it's gotten harder and harder for me to get through it.  I don't like the characters, the story, the songs, anything.  For me, there's no saving grace in this film, not even Clint's performance.  There's no hope for me to like this movie, no matter what.