“Jim Thompson, Silk King,” Remastered with Extra Features, is Available on Vimeo

Jim Thompson in the Living Room of his Bangkok House, circa 1967/Courtesy Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company

Previously I wrote about the new DVD edition of my first documentary, “Jim Thompson, Silk King.” https://underthehollywoodsign.wordpress.com/2015/07/29/jim-thompson-silk-king-newly-remastered-with-dvd-extras-is-for-sale/

It’s now for sale by download on Vimeo. Please go to https://vimeo.com/ondemand/silkking/128562922

Setsuko Hara, One of the World’s Great Actresses, Is Dead at 95

Setsuko Hara

Although Setsuko Hara passed away on September 5th, her death was not announced until today. Retired from acting and public life since 1962, Hara maintained “a Garbo-like silence” (as Variety put it) for over five decades. She lived in Kamakura, Japan, where many of her most famous films–those directed by Yasujiro Ozu–were set.

In 2008, I wrote this about Hara and her work.

https://underthehollywoodsign.wordpress.com/setsuko-hara-ozus-muse-forever-young/

On Gender Discrimination, Women Directors and “Carol”

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in “Carol”

There’s a big article in the New York Times Magazine today about women filmmakers and the barriers they face in an industry that favors any young, unproven male director over a far more seasoned female director–because, you know, that’s what makes guys comfortable. This is true in all areas filmmaking–writers, editors, producers and cinematographers are overwhelmingly male. But for women directors, the gender bias is so overt that any other traditionally male workplace–the Army, police and fire departments, Congress–is a comparative bastion of equality.

Now that it’s been shown that only 1.9 percent of the directors of the 100 top-grossing films in 2013 and 2014 were women, the ACLU is investigating. Still, nothing has really changed, or is about to. Maureen Dowd, who wrote the article, says that male executives she interviewed called the issue of gender bias “bogus” and “a tempest in a teapot”–in other words, not even a problem. I’d say “read and weep,” except that the article says there’s no weeping allowed if you’re a woman director:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/22/magazine/the-women-of-hollywood-speak-out.html?hpw&rref=movies&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well

Last night I saw the beautiful “Carol,” one of the year’s best films. Set in the 1950s and based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, “Carol” is an honest-to-God woman’s picture, the kind we haven’t seen much of since the days when Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford’s names were on the marquee. “Carol” stars Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara and was written by Phyllis Nagy. All the male roles are supporting ones. With that in mind, you’d think that “Carol” represents an advance for women in Hollywood, but no: it took thirteen years to reach the screen. Whose attachment gave it the green light? Not Blanchett’s, despite her star power and two Oscars. Not Nagy’s, though she is a well-regarded screenwriter and director (“Mrs. Harris”). In the end it was Todd Haynes who got “Carol” greenlit–a male director as usual, albeit one who specializes in films about women.

Justice For the Bronson Canyon Murder Victim, Nearly Four Years Later

Gabriel Campos-Martinez during his trial

Longtime readers of this blog will remember the shocking discovery of a man’s severed head, hands and feet in Bronson Canyon on January 17, 2012.
https://underthehollywoodsign.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/helicopters-over-bronson-canyon-and-a-gruesome-discovery/
The victim was Hervey Coronado Medellin, 66, a retired airline worker who lived in Hollywood. Although the prime suspect was Medellin’s boyfriend, Gabriel Campos-Martinez, he wasn’t arrested until March of 2014, the same month human remains were found buried at the mouth of the Bronson Canyon Caves. Federal DNA tests, which were not returned until September of this year, showed the remains were Medellin’s.

The Bronson Caves

On October 1st, Campos-Martinez was found guilty of first-degree murder. He faces a 25-year-life prison sentence and will be sentenced on November 16th.

Postscript: Gabriel Campos-Martinez received a sentence of 25 years to life.

Related articles:

https://underthehollywoodsign.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/searching-for-body-parts-in-bronson-canyon-day-two/ https://underthehollywoodsign.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/as-the-plot-thickens-hikers-return-to-bronson-canyon/ https://underthehollywoodsign.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/authorities-identify-bronson-canyon-murder-victim/ https://underthehollywoodsign.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/bronson-canyon-murder-victim-identified-by-police/