Family Movie Night

 One of the neat things about being a nosy parker (that would be me) is that you are always learning or seeing new and different things.  Sometimes that means people don’t want to talk to me and other times it means we get some interesting requests.

A few weeks ago, friends of ours asked if our daughter would be interested in acting in their film. It is a 10-minute short that has her playing a girl who dies in an accident. The rest of the story is to be a surprise and I will leave it at that.

What I will say is that it has been fascinating to watch the filming. We always see the finished product but to get that film takes time. You can go through a scene several times for a number of reasons.

The actors did fine but the shot itself needs to be refined. Or the actors flubbed a line or changed how they did something or had an attack of the giggles after much repetition.

Sometimes a scene will go off perfectly, requiring only a second shot to get a timing glitch out of the way.

Paul Giamatti and Frankie Muniz in "Big Fat Liar," Image from IMDb.com

Plus, you have to remain super quiet during the actual take because the microphone is so strong it will pick up sounds in other areas. We couldn’t talk or move around. I made my youngest son stop playing for a moment when he was on set one day so the sound wouldn’t ruin the shot.

All of this made me wonder about movies that are about the movies. For the kids, there is Big Fat Liar starring Frankie Muniz as a kid who’s last ditch paper is stolen by big time movie producer Paul Giammatti. So the kid and his best friend, Amanda Bynes, go to Hollywood hoping to get credit where credit is deserved.

Sharon Stone and Albert Brooks in "Thr Muse," Image from IMDb.com.

For something a little more adult and crazy, there is The Muse starring Albert Brooks and Sharon Stone. He is a screen writer hitting a serious block and she is a consultant of sorts who helps Hollywood-types break blocked periods. But she comes at a cost and prefers gifts in little blue boxes.

 When I did some quick looking around, I found that not everyone loved this movie as much as I have. I love the movie for being breezy and fun. That everyone caters to Stone in the manner she demands is hilarious.

Erick Von Stronheim, Gloria Swanson and William Holden in "Sunset Boulevard," Image from IMDb.com

Now if you want to go to classic movies about Hollywood , the ultimate behinds the scenes movie to me is Sunset Boulevard. What does one do when the zenith of your fame has gone away? What does one do when your multitude of fans disappear? If you are Gloria Swanson, you go crazy. Your mindset remains in the past. And you hire men to be your ‘companion.’

What movies about Hollywood do you love?

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

Let the world know about your latest pick for Family Movie Night and drop a note below.

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