Did any of you see the new documentary on Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman? It is on HBO Max. It was done by Ethan Hawke in the most strange way but I guess it is now normal for our time. Zoom.
It is called The Last Movie Stars.
Apparently, Paul was writing a memoir but later burned all the tapes For whatever reason though he left behind the transcript.
Paul and Joanne's daughter went to Ethan and asked if he would be interested in doing a documentary on her parents. She gave him all the tools. But in the midst of covid, he could only talk with people via zoom so that is what you see. He also had current celebrities reading the transcripts. George Clooney read the part of Paul and Laura Linney read the parts of Joanna. While reading there were photographs or videos of what they were reading or regarding the story being told.
While I really disliked how the doc was done, I found the story interesting even though it was dreadfully slow at the beginning and I almost gave up. The doc made me love Joanne even more as a human and woman. Their marriage was typical but not typical for Hollywood. They had the highs, the lows, and everything in between. The struggles the years of a down period it wasn't like it was rosy all the time as the public likes to only see. It was real and it was work and they both loved one another and fought through the hell to get to the other side. But most of all the things Joanne said out loud and honestly about how she felt could be a bit shocking in those times. Even more shocking for it's time was how he was her biggest cheerleader and how he supported her strength and her brain. I just understood the two of them and their union for some reason. I was watching and even knowing how it all played out was rooting for them to get over this or that hurdle.
He passed away as you know and she is living with Alzheimer's in a facility.
Her having Alzheimers was something she feared to boot.
It is most heartbreaking to see on film.
Anyway if you are so inclined it is worth trudging through the slow parts.
In other news...
We noticed in all these drug commercials another tidbit besides the horrific and funny side effects. All the music is old people's music.
We saw a commercial for an inhaler.
Or maybe I should say I heard a commercial first for an inhaler.
I believe the drug was called Breztri.
I heard it while in the kitchen and as I was walking into the living room I said, "Oh I loved that song" It was the song All Right Now by Free (Paul Rodgers one of my faves, also the voice of Bad Company)
Rick pointed out that all the ads for us old folks include music we grew up with.
"Well, that's depressing."
He said, "No, that is marketing"
"Okay, but it's still depressing. I'm also not going to buy this drug because I think Paul Rodgers has one of the best rock voices."
Rick said. "No, but it made you pay attention to the drug commercial. You are their market so it worked."
Shit.
10 comments:
It's like hearing a favorite song over the grocery store speakers.
You just won the boy scouts heart with "Paul Rodgers and best rock voice". He's not one to say no to a drug off hand. He's willing to give it a try.
Hope you guys are well♥
I don't have HBO but if the Newman story comes up somewhere else, I'd love to see it. Paul had me with those blue eyes.
Rick makes a point about the music for commercials. I know a favorite song will make me pay attention while other wise I would fast forward or zone out.
Oh Mike the first time I found myself humming to Bon Jovi in the grocery store I knew I was old!
Linda, so the Boy Scout like Paul Rodgers too huh? Miss you. Hope all is well.
Patti, I always liked him but after watching this deep dive into him I love him more. All his darkness too. He was always fighting his good looks.
I heard about that documentary but I don't have more than the most basic cable and Netflix. I notice how out of the modern culture loop I really am when doing crossword puzzles. I get references my parents would have known but nothing about today's celebrities, movie actors, television or music. Damn, I'm old!😒
My step dad had lymphoma so every time I hear that as a side effect of something like antidepressants I'm like why in the world would you take that.
Julie, I get that!
Okay this is weird - there was a comment listed in my comments section. I hit it to go to the post to comment back and it's not there. So I closed it and reopened to see if it was updated. Nope, not there.
So Olga, I saw it but it's not here. I agree with the crossword puzzle thing with pop culture. Signs everywhere about me aging. :-)
Ha, I hadn't noticed the "classic" soundtrack to drug ads.
I don't have HBO max, but I did recently read that Joanne Woodward has advanced Alzheimers and only vaguely remembers being married to a "handsome" man. Imagine being married to Paul Newman and not remembering 🙁.
Best juxtaposition of music and purpose I've seen was when I was grocery shopping in a store with an older clientele, and the sound system was playing "Don't Fear the Reaper."
I was like, "When the hell did Blue Oyster Cult become background music?
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