Frank Langella and Me

Written for my Frank Langella Celebration! ❤ 

First of all, many thanks to those of your who participated in this Frank Langella Celebration. I appreciate you very much, and it's been fun going back in time and re-examining his films in order to share them with others.

I wish I could have written for Sphinx, but what with unexpected overtime and my sister's grad party this Saturday, life's a little insane.

Next . . . my story. Because of course you're wondering how a girl who really hates the 1970s ended up loving a 70s actor, right?!

My best friend, Charity, introduced me to Frank Langella back in 2002. I'd only known her a very short period of time so we were still sort of feeling one another out. And I had come from a very spiritually protective background, probably more protective than hers in some ways and less in other ways. My confidence levels in long-lasting friendships was pretty much zilch since I'd never had a friendship last. I didn't think they could. So I wasn't quite sure how to attempt a friendship in a way that might have long-lasting results.

Near the beginning of our friendship, Charity and I met halfway between her house and mine, so I could carpool back with her and her dad to spend a weekend at their house. They live miles down a dirt road in the country. It's awesome.

We met in a Borders bookstore (before they went bankrupt) and I caught on immediately to a strange aloofness from her. Talk about confusing. She actually seemed to be hiding something from me. I didn't know then what it was and only years later did she confess that she actually was hiding a DVD of Frank Langella's Dracula! Well, not exactly from me, but rather from my mother, who had carpooled up with me since I wasn't ready to drive the stretch on my own yet. Like I said . . . sheltered. Charity knew my mom wouldn't approve of Dracula, still doesn't approve in fact, and she didn't want to give a bad impression.

Ahhh, the moments we remember.

Dracula was not, in fact, the first Langella film she showed me. She started me off gently with The Mark of Zorro that she'd loved since she was a little kid, under the age of 10 if I remember her story right. And so she knew it was safe and harmless and a good introduction to Langella's filmography. I fell in love with him immediately. And it was all downhill from there.

After Sphinx and The Twelve Chairs we eventually arrived at Dracula, although as I recall that was some years later. And now we've watched Dracula so many times together that I'm sure we both can practically quote it. And our commentary rarely varies and yet we still giggle and harangue over the same things every single time with great enthusiasm.

Like the slobbering nastiness of Jonathan Harker's kisses. And the absolutely mind-numbing sensuality of Lucy and Dracula's waltz. And now, thanks to blu-ray, you can SEE the harness cables Frank's wearing as he climbs down the building! Uber exciting, I know.

Part of the charm of Frank Langella is that Charity and I share our love of him together. He was there at the start of our friendship and he's been there ever since. Frost/Nixon was amazing and I would never have bothered watching it if I didn't already know and love Langella because of Charity.

Are his movies brilliant? Most of them, probably not. But they're fun and they acted as building blocks for a friendship that has now lasted 15 years. And that is pretty awesome.

Thanks, Frank, for helping build all those crazy, fun memories with my best friend. That Frank Langella all-nighter we pulled was something else, collapsing into bed FINALLY at around 6am. Ahhhh, the insanity of youth.

I encourage you to go read Charity's post Hopeless Romantic: Langella and Dracula for this blogathon. She manages to give voice to half-formed thoughts I've had about what makes Langella work in certain roles. It's well worth the read.

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Langella as the BEST ZORRO EVER

Written for my Frank Langella Celebration! ❤

Okay, so maybe I am a tad biased. Who wouldn't be? It's funny how every time I watch the 1974 made-for-television version of The Mark of Zorro that I always wish it was longer. As it is, the film is only about 75 minutes long, which isn't nearly long enough in this reviewer's humble opinion.

Think back to every version of Zorro you've ever seen.

What do you love most about it?

For me Zorro must also be Don Diego Vega. He cannot be someone made into the image of Don Diego Vega, which is why I struggle with the rewrite with Antonio Banderas. He's remade into Zorro from a bum. So there's one point, Zorro and Diego are one and the same man and Diego is of noble blood. Like Robin Hood. Like the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Next, he must sell me the lie that nobody would ever consider him capable of being Zorro. With Frank Langella at the helm Don Diego becomes the most foppish, most foolish, most inane male to ever come out of Spain. He's not at all masculine with all his talk of frippery and lace and his delicate pitched voice. That is, until he transforms and becomes Zorro. Langella made me believe that no one in their right mind could consider Diego a viable candidate for Zorro. And I love him for it!

Finally, when Diego transforms into Zorro, he must do so wholeheartedly. Become an utterly different individual with almost nothing left of the man that everyone sees. He is passionate, he is angry, he is determined, and he rebels. All of these traits combine into one very attractive package when Langella dons the cape and mask of Zorro. His height didn't hurt things either.

Now, just for kicks, if you haven't already decided to at least try his version of The Mark of Zorro, here's a few more screen shots to give you a bit more incentive.

News from home isn't good and Diego decides to leave Spain for California.

His concerns are already justified when fear of the Alcalde (his father) is evident in the people.

 

Except that Diego arrives home to find the house is no longer his father's, but belongs to a new Alcalde, a much crueler man, and his military leader.

 

Dude, I hate you already.

 

But I can't let you know, so look and see what a silly oaf I am, afraid to catch a blade and stain his Madrid lace handkerchief with blood!

Ooh, hark, is that the lovely niece of the new Alcalde?

And the Alcalde's wife who is salivating most disgustingly over Diego.

Zorro befriends the local priest.

And in his escape masquerades as a monk in order to woo the Alcalde's niece. What? Silly girl, you need to know something is wrong when a MONK is wooing you.

Making friends with the new Alcalde. Apparently it's normal for men to hold each other's arms in that culture. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Hey, Don Alejandro Vega, I'm stealing your sword and making sure the Alcalde's military leader sees me doing it.

WHATTT?

How dare you take my family's sword!?

The Alcalde's niece primping for a party where she hopes to find herself swept away by Diego.

Only to find his conversation is limited only to idle prattle.

And there is nothing particularly memorable about scented bathtubs!

Playing the game.

Oh so very slyly.

 

You and your faux pas.

 

And here we have Zorro, ready to battle valiantly and defeat the corrupt Alcalde.

Jeering and sneering going on, as usual.

Wait, Zorro is also my son?! Yay!

To the victor go the spoils and all is well once more in California with Zorro there to protect the people.

 

And yes, Diego and the Alcalde's niece fall deeply in love. It helps when she learns there's more between his ears than a "This space for rent" sign.

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Frank Langella as the Great Sherlock Holmes on the Stage in 1981

Written for my Frank Langella Celebration! ❤

There are three types of Sherlockians in the world. If you don’t know what the word even means, then you’re clearly not one of them. Love you anyway!

You either a) are a Sherlock Holmes purist and only read the novels because no film adaptation has ever done the stories justice, b) don’t mind some changes to the concept so long as the general design of Sherlock Holmes remains intact, or c) are good with any and all adaptations and don’t care whether they match the books are not.

I, personally, fall into the 2nd category with occasional leanings either way depending on what it is I’m watching or reading.

My less forgiving Sherlock Holmes stance omits the idea of an older Holmes marrying a girl in her twenties like in Laurie R. King’s novels (despite liking the authoress as a person because she’s hilarious).

My more forgiving side is what we’re here to discuss right now.

Because Frank Langella (who I adore) played the great detective himself in a filmed theater production in 1981. It was based off a silent film from 1916 and even appears to use the same screenplay, although I’ve never seen the original so I can’t truly compare the two.

Having just recently watched The Twelve Chairs from 1970 with Frank (review coming later!), there is one scene in that movie which set him up as being a potentially brilliant Holmes. He’s masquerading as a communist worker in the bureau of chairs and tables and is so convincingly strict, so coldly calculating, so delightfully rude that it just screamed “cast me as Sherlock Holmes” to the world.

The world obviously listened.

Frank Langella embodies a perfectly entertaining version of Sherlock Holmes that has always and will always make me smile. I can even forgive his Holmes falling in love . . . because he does, and to the beautiful, young Alice Faulkner who wishes only to protect him. Yes, I find that funny since I’m certain Holmes can protect himself with very little effort. But there you have it, true love can be so very blind. So the romantic in me is indulgent of Holmes and Alice’s love, simply because it is Frank Langella and I can never get enough of him as a romantic lead. You’ll either love or hate this aspect of the play.

Romance aside, however, the mystery itself is a clever mashup of several of Holmes’ cases. I spotted elements of A Scandal in Bohemia and The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax, although I suspect there are more of the short stories incorporated into the plot. Holmes himself is both colder than normal and more yearning. He confesses to hopes and dreams that I’m sure the “real” Holmes never experienced. But his interaction with the feared Moriarty is fiendishly clever, and a goodly portion of the dialogue is played for laughs, which really works in a theater setting. You’re supposed to laugh when things are funny and so the staging of the lines ensures that you will.

The costuming is stunning as is the set-dressing. I fully believed I was watching scenes from actual Victorian, England, they were that good.

If you’re only accustomed to Frank in the movies, then you’re missing out. There are many nuances to stage acting that must be eradicated or toned down for film acting and so it’s intriguing to watch the stage version of Langella and discover just how very much of his acting style he had to change depending on whether he was on film or on the stage. It takes real talent to make an accomplishment of both venues.

Really, if you’re a diehard Langella fan, like me most of the time, then you’ll be forgiving of the little quips and quibbles in this play. Is it a faithful representation of Sherlock Holmes? No, it is idealized and humanizes him more than probably any other filmed version I’ve seen except for the steampunk movies of RDJ. But a little bit of humanizing never hurt anyone and I love to see Holmes revealing a softer side to Watson and to Alice, a side that many fans wish existed. This play isn’t for purists and that’s okay. It is, however, for Frank Langella fans, which is why I guiltily indulge in a viewing every couple of years or so, wishing that it was better film quality and dreaming that I will someday own an officially released DVD (not ever going to happen, I’m sure).

Should you care to try his charming version of Sherlock Holmes, visit the Youtube link below!

 

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Frank Langella and Mel Brooks unite in The Twelve Chairs (1970)

Written for my Frank Langella Celebration! ❤

I love dark comedies. Not all of them, mind, but enough of them to consider myself a fan. And fortunately for this celebration, Frank Langella just happens to star in one of my absolute favorites, The Twelve Chairs, by Mel Brooks from 1970.

Frank Langella was essentially a nobody before 1970.

His first major role was in Diary of a Mad Housewife, also in 1970, and which I have no intention of ever watching simply because I don't care. But 1970 was a very kind year to him and sort of sky-rocketed him towards the potentiality of fame.

The Twelve Chairs is a satirical look at communist Russia in 1927 and follows the story of Ippolit Vorobyaninov (Ron Moody), one of the deposed Russian aristocracy. His step-mother, at the very end of her life, tells him that she hid her prized jewels in one of the chairs in her magnificent dining room suite, sending Ippolit on a chaotic journey to try and recover the gems. Along the way he joins forces, albeit reluctantly, with a con man named Ostep Bender (Frank Langella) who won't take no for an answer, and together they must battle against the wily greed of Ippolit's local priest, Father Fyodor (Dom Deluise), who heard the step-mother's final confession. Throw in Ippolit's old servant Tikon played by Mel Brooks and the audience has a complete set!

To be completely fair, even if Langella was not in this film, I would still love it. Ron Moody is a favorite of mine ever since he played Fagin in the musical Oliver! and Dom Deluise is an absolute gem of a comedian and quite the sneaky scene stealer. As my bff and I both agree, Deluise is the best thing in this movie. And we're both Langella fans!

Still, The Twelve Chairs gave Langella a decent start in acting.

He was only 32-years-old at the time, the same age as I am now, but he possesses the experienced demeanor you would expect from a much older actor. Nothing surprises him. He struggles with nothing. Every interaction, every intonation of voice, every movement . . . all come together flawlessly. To say nothing of his height. How many 6"3' men do you meet who never, ever slouch? I mean, come on!

For me, The Twelve Chairs is HILARIOUS. It always makes me laugh, absolutely always. However, my sister finds it depressing, probably because she studied Russian history and anything having to do with Russia now depresses her. So, if you like dark comedies, try The Twelve Chairs. If you don't, well, maybe try it anyway and if you don't like it within half an hour, call it quits.

In better news, the film itself is actually the cleanest of Mel Brooks' films that I've seen. There's one make-out session Frank has with a girl and then a little bit of sexual innuendo on the mild, mild side. On the whole, it's a pretty clean comedy. If you enjoy films like The Wrong Box, The Trouble with Charlie, The Ladykillers and Arsenic and Old Lace then The Twelve Chairs stands a sporting change of making you snort your iced tea up your nose because you're laughing so hard. Love ya!

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Frank Langella Celebration Link-Up Post

Welcome to the Frank Langella celebration!

Despite the accidental delay that occurred with my first time selection, I'm well-prepared now. May you enjoy getting a glimpse of Frank's vast array of work, as much as I and the rest of the participants have enjoyed writing about him.

This page is where you'll find all of the link-up posts, many of which will be my own, but some of which shall belong to other blogs whose pages I hope you will visit!

Frank Langella Celebration Entries

Frost/Nixon by Anna at Defiant Success

The Twelve Chairs by me at Cab Drivers and Coffee Pots

Dave by Hamlette at Hamlette's Soliloquy

 Sherlock Holmes by me at Cab Drivers and Coffee Pots


Dracula by Charity at Charity's Place

The Mark of Zorro by me at Cab Drivers and Coffee Pots

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Yikes! a.k.a. that moment of panic!

You know that moment of panic when you've misplaced a beloved something or other and literally have NO IDEA where you put it!? That was me last night, hunting high and low for my copy of Frank Langella's The Mark of Zorro which is only bootlegged because it hasn't been released officially on DVD. The DVD people are waaaaaaay behind the times where Langella is concerned.

But, I found it after 30 minutes of digging through the boxes where I keep my empty DVD cases (found the case EMPTY). I was so hoping I'd left the disc in the case by accident. But it wasn't there, so then Caitlin helped me flip through every single disc in my collection and we FINALLY found it, under miscellaneous because apparently I didn't know where else to put it. ARGH!

So, found Zorro and got it watched last night with my mom and Caitlin and felt all my happy little fangirl feels. Which I will, of course, blog about, but not quiiiiiiiiite yet, and there's a reason why.

Because my Frank Langella Blogathon is coming up in a little over 2 months, running from May 16th - 22nd!

If you're interested in participating, I'd love to have you! There's a long list of his movies on the above link and you can sign up for a blog post there!

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POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE 1ST- 3RD . . . Announcing . . . the Frank Langella Blogathon!

Look at me, I'm actually planning a blogathon out more than just a month! Shocking, I know. It's hard to believe it's actually been more than a year since my Goldblum Fest. I was planning my blog parties in February for some reason, but decided to change it up a little bit and try a new month.

Why Langella, you ask? Why not, I say!

My bff introduced me to Langella via Zorro waaaaaaay back in 2002 and I've loved him ever since. The great thing about Langella, though, is that he's not limited to just a single era or even genre. Yes, he played Dracula, but he also delivered an astounding, Oscar nomination-worthy performance as Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon. He's done a little bit of everything and as such, deserves quite a bit of acclaim.

I know I'm announcing this almost 3 months early, but this gives everyone plenty of time to track down his films, plan their posts, and even share about the blogathon on your blogs if you'd like, which I would really appreciate!

I'll be hopping around on your blogs making invites within a couple of weeks! ❤

Claimed Topics

Hamlette's Soliloquy: Dave (1993)
Serendipitous Anachronisms: Frank and Robot (2012)
Defiant Success: Frost/Nixon (2008)
History!Chick: undecided

Topic Ideas (just to get you started)

The Twelve Chairs (1970)
The Mark of Zorro (1974)
Dracula (1979)
Those Lips, Those Eyes (1980)
Sphinx (1981)
Cutthroat Island (1995)
Eddie (1996)
The Ninth Gate (1999)
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Superman Returns (2006)
Starting Out in the Evening (2007)
Frost/Nixon (2008)
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)
Robot and Frank (2012)
Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
Draft Day (2014)

His theater work (of which he did quite a bit)
Did you know he played Sherlock Holmes (you can find the filmed play)?
And also played Sir Thomas More in another filmed stage production of A Man for all Seasons?

For more film ideas, go to Frank's IMDB page.

Guidelines, such as they are:

1) If you care to join, please reply to this post with your name, your blog address, and the topics you intend to write (I don't mind double postings about the same film).

2) When the blogathon starts, make sure to share your blog post links to me here on this post!

3) Keep it PG rated, please (not the films but your post content).

4) Please upload one of the following photos linking back to this post in your blog widgets!

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