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Posted: |
Jul 14, 2021 - 1:06 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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After five years in theater, Olympia Dukakis returned to films with a small role in STILETTO. In the film, Alex Cord plays “Count Cesare Cardinali,” who has the perfect cover for his secret life as a profession mob hitman-for-hire: he’s a famed jet-setting playboy. Of course, as with all of those hitmen before and after him, he decides it’s time to retire and enjoy the spoils — but when you know too much, you’ll have to be “eliminated” as well. Dukakis played “Mrs. Amato” in the film.
Bernard L. Kowalski directed the 1969 production, which was based upon a 1960 Harold Robbins novel. Sid Ramin’s score was released on a Columbia Records LP, which was re-issued on CD by Vocalion in 2013. The $4.5 million film was a bust at the box office, with a U.S. gross of just $1.1 million.
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Posted: |
Jul 14, 2021 - 11:03 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In JOHN AND MARY, the titular couple (Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow) meet in a singles bar, sleep together, and spend the next day getting to know each other. Olympia Dukakis, who plays John’s mother in the film, was only six years older than Dustin Hoffman who plays her son.
Peter Yates directed the 1969 romantic drama. Quincy Jones’ score had only a few tracks on the A&M Records album, and was augmented by pop songs (some written by Jones) and a whole side of classical music selections. Decca Records released a 45rpm single titled “John and Mary,” which was “Inspired By The Motion Picture John And Mary”, and had “Music By Bucky,” performed by “John and Mary.” The recording featured an instrumental song with “heavy breathing.” As a gimmick, Decca released the record with a tag warning, “This record is rated ‘X’ – suggested for mature audiences.” The risqué song was said to be aimed at “the FM and ‘underground’ stations rather than the AM outlets.”
Despite bad reviews (the New York Times’ Vincent Canby called it one of the ten worst films of the year), the $3.5 million production came in at #25 at the domestic box office, with a $12 million gross.
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Posted: |
Jul 15, 2021 - 10:08 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Husband-and-wife writing team Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna co-wrote the semi-autobiographical screenplay for MADE FOR EACH OTHER, and after receiving encouragement from their friend, writer-director Elaine May, determined to play the lead roles themselves. The film told the story of an eccentric woman (“Pandora”) who meets an equally odd man (“Giggy”) at a group therapy session and begins a relationship.
Twentieth Century-Fox insisted on screen tests of Taylor and Bologna before casting them. Bologna, who earlier had directed short films and acted on stage, made his feature film debut in MADE FOR EACH OTHER. The couple had acted together before only once, when Bologna joined the stage cast of “Lovers and Other Strangers” three weeks before the end of its Broadway run. The film was shot on a budget of $865,000 on location throughout New York City, with interiors shot at the F&B/Ceco Studios in Manhattan. Paul Sorvino and Olympia Dukakis played Giggy’s parents in the film.
Robert B. Bean directed the 1971 picture. The film's score, by Trade Martin, was released on a Buddah Records LP, but it has never been reissued on CD. The film turned a nice profit, with a $4.5 million gross.
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Posted: |
Jul 16, 2021 - 11:38 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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THE WANDERERS was set against the urban jungle of 1963 New York's gangland subculture, and concerned the Italian youth gang the Wanderers. Although they have their confrontations with other gangs, drugs and weapons are considered uncool.
Director-screenwriter Philip Kaufman focused on casting unknown or emerging talent, and several members of the ensemble made their feature film debut, including Ken Wahl in the lead role as proud, charismatic gang leader “Richie;” Erland Van Lidth De Jeude as the imposing Baldie gang leader, “Terror;” and Tony Ganios as intimidating, but good-hearted and protective “Perry.” John Friedrich co-starred as “Joey.” another member of the gang. Olympia Dukakis appeared as “Joey’s mom.”
The film was chosen as the closing night selection at the 1979 Venice Film Festival, and was released commercially on 13 July 1979. The film had no original score. Reportedly, Richard Price, author of the film’s source novel, picked all of the period pop songs on the soundtrack. Warner Bros. Records released an LP of selected songs, which was later reissued on CD. The film grossed a moderate $5.3 million at the U.S. box office.
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Posted: |
Jul 17, 2021 - 4:30 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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National Lampoon’s MOVIE MADNESS was a parody of film genres, composed of three shorts, spoofing personal growth films, glossy soap operas, and police stories. The second of the stories, “Success Wanters,” has Ann Dusenberry as a beautiful college grad who becomes a stripper. On her first night, she’s raped by horny businessmen using, of all things, a stick of butter, and then marries a margarine mogul who dies, thus becoming a monopolizing widow bent on revenge against those butter-wielding perverts. Yet her revenge doesn't entail violence. Her goal is to take over the entire dairy industry. Going from husband to husband, dressed to kill in every scene and manipulating herself into more and more power, she eventually becomes the mistress of the U.S. President “Robert Fogarty” (Fred Willard) and the real first lady’s lover. Olympia Dukakis plays “Helena Naxos” in the segment.
Bob Giraldi directed “Success Wanters” and the first segment, “Growing Yourself,” while Henry Jaglom directed the final segment, “Municipalians.” Andy Stein provided the unreleased score for the 1982 film.
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Posted: |
Jul 17, 2021 - 11:22 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Aging New York cabbie James FLANAGAN (Philip Bosco) still has hopes of making it as a stage actor. He can recite any Shakespeare sonnet and is facile with accents, but he can’t land an agent or a job. During the course of one summing-it-all-up day, he drives his cab around the city dealing with fare evaders, an insolent stage manager determined to keep him from auditioning for his choice director (Gwyllum Evans), his estranged wife (Olympia Dukakis) who has a new lover, his girlfriend (Linda Thorson) who seems awfully close to her “drawing instructor” (Jered Holmes), and two teenage sons (Brian Bloom and Steven Weber) whose bright visions of the future don’t seem to include jobs. If he can only cope with all the annoyances of this day, maybe he can deal with the limitations in his abilities and his future.
Scott Goldstein co-wrote, co-produced, and directed this independent production, on a budget below $1 million. Goldstein also scored the 1985 film, which brought in less than $50,000 at the box office. Olympia Dukakis received her first poster credit on the film. United Film Distribution, Co. reissued the picture under the title WALLS OF GLASS.
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Posted: |
Jul 18, 2021 - 11:45 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In the romantic comedy MOONSTRUCK, “Loretta Castorini” (Cher) was married once before, but a bus hit her husband. And she blames the deadly incident on bad luck and a failure to follow tradition. When her current boyfriend “Johnny Cammareri” (Danny Aiello) proposes to her, she feels that it is her final chance at happiness, even though she doesn’t really love him. When Johnny makes a trip from New York to Sicily to visit his dying mother, he asks Loretta to invite his estranged brother to their upcoming wedding, scheduled for one month away. So, she goes to visit brash young “Ronny Cammareri” (Nicolas Cage), who hasn’t seen his brother in five years, as he blames Johnny for an accident that cost him his hand and his fiancée. Despite Ronnie’s tormented, crazy, and overzealous attitude, Loretta falls madly in love with him – and must decide what exactly to do about it. Vincent Gardenia and Olympia Dukakis play Loretta’s parents, “Cosmo and Rose Castorini.”
Olympia Dukakis and Cher in MOONSTRUCK
According to casting director Howard Feuer, both Anne Bancroft and Maureen Stapleton had been considered for the role of Cher's mother, but their fees were too expensive for the production budget. Feuer remembered Olympia Dukakis, a character actress known for years to most in casting; she read for director Norman Jewison, and he hired her instantly.
Dick Hyman composed the background score for this 1987 romantic comedy and adapted the opera and classical selections that peppered the soundtrack. Capitol Records released the soundtrack LP and CD. The $11.5 million production was the #5 film at the U.S. box office for the year, with an $80.6 million gross. Olympia Dukakis received both the Oscar and a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actress.
Olympia Dukakis receives her Oscar for MOONSTRUCK
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Posted: |
Jul 18, 2021 - 7:47 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In WORKING GIRL, “Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith), an office secretary at Wall Street firm Petty Marsh, discovers that her boss, “Katharine Parker” (Sigourney Weaver), is trying to steal her business idea. So, she connives her way into brokering the deal herself alongside fellow executive (and love interest) “Jack Trainer” (Harrison Ford). Olympia Dukakis plays the firm’s personnel director “Ruth” in the film.
Olympia Dukakis in WORKING GIRL
Olympia Dukakis is the subject of a newspaper article seen in the film, about herself and her cousin Michael Dukakis, the then-Governor of Massachusetts. It can be seen when Tess rips out a page of the newspaper while on a ferry.
Mike Nichols directed the 1988 comedy-drama. Carly Simon’s song “Let the River Run” received an Academy Award for Music (Original Song) and featured prominently in the score. Incidental music was provided by Rob Mounsey, but it was Simon’s song and others that dominated the Arista Records soundtrack LP/CD. The film was #11 at the domestic box office and scored a worldwide gross of $103 million.
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Posted: |
Jul 19, 2021 - 11:42 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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In the comedy LOOK WHO’S TALKING, single, career-minded accountant “Mollie” (Kirstie Alley) is left on her own to give birth to the child of her client “Albert” (George Segal), a married man. When Mollie tells her mother, “Rosie” (Olympia Dukakis), about the baby, Mollie claims to have used artificial insemination. Mollie finds a new romantic chance in cab driver “James” (John Travolta). Meanwhile, the point-of-view of the newborn boy is narrated through voice-over (Bruce Willis).
Olympia Dukakis and Kirstie Alley in LOOK WHO’S TALKING
Amy Heckerling wrote and directed the 1989 film. David Kitay’s score has not had a release. Critical reception to the $8 million film was mixed. Daily Variety gave it a negative review, predicting the film’s “short life in theaters.” But the film was the #5 picture at the box office for the year, with a $297 million worldwide gross.
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RIP 
