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About a week ago, the unforgettable character actor M. Emmet Walsh, who was best known for his roles in "Blade Runner", "Knives Out" and "My Best Friend's Wedding" and the Coen brothers' movies "Blood Simple" and "Raising Arizona" has just passed away on 19th March 2024. He was 88. I didn't think he was famous enough until I changed my mind and wrote a late obituary.
Born in 1935 in New York and raised in Vermont, Walsh first performed in a series of stage productions, which led to his Broadway debut in 1969, starring opposite Al Pacino in "Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?" Walsh received his first uncredited film role - as an extra in "Midnight Cowboy" - and his first credited film role in "Alice's Restaurant", both of which came in 1969. After "Alice", Walsh headed for Los Angeles in 1970 to pursue film and television work. He starred opposite Barbara Streisand and Ryan O'Neal in the 1972 hit movie "What's Up Doc". His breakthrough role was when he played Dustin Hoffman's gruff probation officer in 1978's "Straight Time".
Perhaps one of his two best-known performances was that of the hard-nosed police captain Harry Bryant, who brings Harrison Ford's character out of retirement in 1982's "Blade Runner". The other was the corrupt Texas private detective in the first film from the Coen brothers, the 1984 neo-noir "Blood Simple". The other movies from his career include "Little Big Man", "The Jerk", "Serpico", "The Gambler", "Slap Shot", "Ordinary People", "Fletch", "Critters", "Raising Arizona", "Romeo + Juliet", "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "The Iron Giant", as well as numerous guest appearances on television, including "Starsky and Hutch", "Frasier", "The Twilight Zone", "The X Files", "Home Improvement" and "Adventure Time".
His most recent performance came in Rian Johnson's 2019 murder mystery comedy "Knives Out". Walsh portrayed Mr Proofroc, the ageing security guard at the Thrombey mansion, where much of the film takes place after a murder, as part of an ensemble cast led by Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc.
In the far-off future, an intelligent and gifted young man named Paul Atreides has a great destiny ahead of him by travelling to the scorching desert planet Dune to secure
the fate of his family and
his people. As evil forces
collide over the planet's
exclusive supply of the
most precious resource known to existence, only those who can overcome their fear will survive.
Cast
Timothée Chalamet - Paul Atreides
Rebecca Ferguson - Lady Jessica Atreides
Oscar Issac - Duke Leto Atreides
Jason Momoa - Duncan
Idaho
Stellan Skarsgård - Baron
Vladimir Harkonnen
Stephen McKinley Henderson -
Thufir Hawat
Josh Brolin - Gurney Halleck
Javier Bardem - Stilgar
Sharon Duncan-Brewster - Dr. Liet Kynes
Chang Chen - Dr. Wellington Yueh
Dave Bautista - Beast Rabban Harkonnen
David Dastmalchian - Piter de Vries
Zendaya - Chani
Charlotte Rampling - Reverend
Mother Mohiam
Babs Olusanmokun - Jamis
Benjamin Clémentine - Herald
of the Charge
Souad Faress - Bene Gesserit Sister
Golda Rosheuvel - Shadout Mapes
Roger Yuan - Lieutenant Lanville
Seun Shote - Arrakeen Residency Gardener
Neil Bell - Sardaukar Bashar
Oliver Ryan - Hawat Specialist
Stephen Collins - Harkonnen Trooper
Charlie Rawes - Harkonnen Trooper
Richard Carter - Harkonnen
Trooper
Ben Dilloway - Sardaukar
Assassin
Elmi Rashid Elmi - Shamir
Tachia Newall - Tanat
Gloria Obianyo - Female Fremen
Fehinti Balogun - Male Fremen
Dora Kápolnai-Schvab - Baron Servant
Joelle - Baron Servant (Cameo)
Jimmy Walker - Atreides Lieutenant
Paul Bullion - Sardaukar Soldier
Milena Sidorova - Human Spider Proxy
János Timkó - Harkonnen Guard
Jean Gilpin - Bene Gesserit
Ancestors (Voice)
Marianne Faithfull - Bene
Gesserit Ancestors (Voice)
Ellen Dubin - Bene Gesserit
Ancestors (Voice)
Crew
Screenplay/Director - Denis Villeneuve
Based on the Novel - Frank Herbert
Screenplay/Executive
Producer - Jon Spaihts
Screenplay - Eric Roth
Script Supervisor - Jessica Clothier
Special Consultant - Kevin J.
Anderson
Executive Producers -
Joshua Grode, John Harrison,
Herbert W. Gains, Brian & Kim
Herbert, Tanya Lapointe, Bryon
Merritt, Richard P. Rubinstein
and Thomas Tull
Producers - Cale Boyter and
Mary Parent
Producer/Unit Production
Manager - Joseph M. Carraciolo Jr.
Co-Producer/First Assistant Director - Chris Carreras
Concept Artists - Kamen Anev, Joseph Cross, Jeremy Hanna, George Hull, Eric Hamel, Carlos Haunte, Yanick Dusseault, Peter Popken and Colie Wertz
Concept Artist/Visual Effects
Art Director: Rodeo FX -
Deak Ferrand
Supervising Art Director - Tom
Brown
Set Decorators - Richard
Roberts and Zsuzsanna Sipos
Property Master - Doug Harlocker
Costume Designers - Bob
Morgan and Jacqueline West
Makeup Department Head/Makeup and Hair Designer - Donald Mowat
Prosthetic Designer: Baron Harkonnen - Love Larson
Director of Photography - Greig Fraser
Directors of Photography:
Additional Photography -
Pierre Gill and Adam Arkapaw
Unit Production Manager - James Grant
Location Manager: California - Leann Emmert
First Assistant Director:
Additional Photography -
Cliff Lanning
Second Unit Director/Stunt
Coordinator - Tom Struthers
Stunt Coordinator - Dave Judge
Fight Coordinator - Roger Yuan
Aerial Coordinator - Cliff Fleming
Special Effects Supervisor - Gerd Nefzer
Visual Effects Supervisor - Paul Lambert
Visual Effects Supervisors: DNEG - Brian Connor
and Tristan Myles
Visual Effects Producers - Maricel Pagulayan
and Brice Parker
Visual Effects Producers: DNEG -
Jennifer Fairweather and Jose Maria de la Puente
Visual Effects Producer: Rodeo FX - Wassila Lmouaci
Senior Animation Supervisor: DNEG -
Robyn Luckham
Animation Supervisors: DNEG - Nick Symons
and Eric Bates
Visualisation Supervisor: The Third Floor -
Nicholas Markel
Visualisation Supervisor: Digital Domain -
Scott Meadows
Film Editor - Joe Walker
Sound Designers/Supervising Sound Editors -
Mark A. Mangini and Theo Green
Sound Designer - Dave Whitehead
Re-Recording Mixers - Ron Bartlett
and Doug Hemphill
Music/Synth Programming - Hans Zimmer
Composers: Additional Music - David Fleming,
Steve Mazzaro, Steven Doar and Andrew Kawczynski
Music Supervisors - Peter Afterman
and Alison Litton
Score Mixer - Alan Meyerson
Awards
2022 Academy Awards
Best Sound - Mac Ruth, Mark A. Mangini,
Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett (Won)
Best Achievement in Visual Effects -
Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor
and Gerd Nefzer (Won)
Best Achievement in Production Design -
Patricia Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos (Won)
Best Achievement in Music Written for
Motion Picture (Original Score) - Hans Zimmer (Won)
Best Achievement in Film Editing - Joe Walker (Won)
Best Achievement in Cinematography -
Greig Fraser (Won)
------------------------
Best Motion Picture of the Year - Mary Parent,
Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter (Nominated)
Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling -
Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva Von Bahr
(Nominated)
Best Achievement in Costume Design -
Jacqueline West and Bob Morgan (Nominated)
Best Adapted Screenplay - Jon Spaihts,
Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth (Nominated)
Review
Before 2021, DUNE was considered one of the unfilmable science fiction novels by many people who read it and its fans. Numerous attempts have failed to bring DUNE to the big screen, including one that never got off the ground by Alejandro Jodorowsky. Even Ridley Scott came dangerously close to adapting the original sci-fi story but backed out when he opted for Blade Runner instead. However, David Lynch created the first film adaptation (click here) in 1984, which remained true to its weird nature but failed at the box office and wasn't well-received by critics. It grew to be a cult classic in later years. Even the 2000 miniseries version suffered from poor casting and cheap CGI while being faithful to the original novel.It finally succeeded when Denis Villeneuve, the man behind Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, followed his lifelong ambition of directing a massive sci-fi epic.
While a remarkable adaptation, this film differs from the original book but covers the first half, leaving the story incomplete and ending abruptly. The slow pacing is also a detriment to the movie. A few characters from the book are not in this film, as these will appear in the second part. Villeneuve has lived up to the vision and scope that Frank Herbert has conceived for DUNE, but wasn't trying to be like David Lean, Stanley Kubrick or Steven Spielberg. Instead, he was doing his own thing and proved he was the best man to bring DUNE to life, as no other director could handle the responsibility of helming it. There are epic and memorable moments that make DUNE an exciting film.
It maintains a sizable cast with a pedigree of actors who have all done well in their terrific performances, particularly Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson, whom the two actors did such a fine job in their roles. Stellan Skarsgård appears to have gained weight (due to the makeup and fat suit) to play the sinister Baron Harkonnen. His performance is better than Kenneth McMillan's in the original film by being less over-the-top. Zendaya could have had more scenes for the character Chani. She has less screen time than any of the other actors.
The costume design is impressive, and the visual effects are stunning. Even the cinematography by Greig Fraser is awe-inspiring in the breathtaking imagery it uses to capture the scale of this movie. Hans Zimmer retains his crown as one of the greatest movie composers by delivering a powerful, booming score. It helps that he was a fan of the book and has read it ever since to infuse the rich texture in his cinematic score.
This mind-blowing experience has left fans wanting more, but they will have to watch the second part after watching its predecessor. I can't say I loved DUNE, but it's different from the other versions I grew up watching. Overall, it is a great movie. This interpretation is for those who previously experienced the original versions in either Lynch's or the miniseries.
Now, here are the winners of the 96th Academy Awards. Not as few as I predicted, Oppenheimer won not just four Oscars but seven in its categories, including Best Picture. As for Barbie,it only won Best Original Song, "What Was I Made For?, not Best Costume and Production Design as I hoped, and Godzilla Minus One won for Best Visual Effects. Surprisingly, Hayao Miyazaki won Best Animated Feature for The Boy and the Heron, marking his second consecutive Oscar for a 2D animated film (anime).
There are two moments of this ceremony, including when wrestler John Cena was naked while presenting the award for Best Costume Design and Emma Stone had a wardrobe malfunction as she was on her way to collect her second Best Actress Oscar for Poor Things.
Best Visual Effects
Godzilla Minus One - Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masako Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima
Best Film Editing
Oppenheimer - Jennifer Lame
Best Costume Design
Poor Things - Holly Waddington
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Poor Things - Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston
Best Cinematography
Oppenheimer - Hoyte van Hoytema
Best Production Design
Poor Things - Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek
Best Sound
The Zone of Interest - Johnnie Burn and Tarn Willers
Best Original Song
"What Was I Made For?" from Barbie- Music and Lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell
Best Original Score
Oppenheimer - Ludwig Göransson
Best Animated Short Film
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko - Dave Mullins and Brad Booker
Best Live-Action Short Film
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - Wes Anderson and Steven Rales
Best Documentary Short Film
The Last Repair Shop - Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
Best Documentary Feature Film
20 Days in Mariupol - Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath
Best International Feature Film
The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom) - Directed by Jonathan Glazer
Best Animated Feature Film
The Boy and the Heron - Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki
Best Adapted Screenplay
American Fiction - Cord Jefferson; based on the novel Erasure by Percival Everett
Best Original Screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall - Justine Triet and Arthur Harari
Best Supporting Actress
Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdoversas Mary Lamb
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimeras Lewis Strauss
Best Actress
Emma Stone - Poor Thingsas Bella Baxter
Best Actor
Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer as J. Robert Oppenheimer
Best Director
Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer
Best Picture
Oppenheimer - Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan, producers
