Here's a sexy, juicy tidbit about the new film "A History of Violence" --

[Radio_Lady]

While I just love Viggo Mortensen, I found the film a little bit wanting in the exposition about the lead character he played, Tom Stall.

So far, this movie has been a big hit with both the audience and the critics. There are two extraordinary love scenes with Tom (Viggo) and his screen wife, played by Maria Bello. One is tender beyond belief, the other extraordinarily violent. As an added attraction, you do get to see Viggo's rear anatomy, to say it nicely.

But the biggest surprise of all tonight is how the director David Cronenberg allegedly prepared his actors for these scenes. Maybe you can put it in the category of "walking the walk and talking the talk!"

Read about it here:

http://contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/cronenbergs%20public%20sex

[mwdem]

1. Yeeeeshh!

that would be a tad uncomfortable. What was that Monty Python sketch?

[Radio_Lady]

2. Viggo was on with Jon Stewart a couple of nights ago and didn't

mention the "instructional" he and Maria Bello were apparently obliged to watch. I wish this new film held together better than I think it does, but clearly, I am in the minority. This movie is getting a very high rating this early in the game.

David Cronenberg must be an exhibitionist, don't you think? Who else would do this? Me, I can't even pee with my husband watching. It's a woman thing. I did some crazy things in my life in performing, but this takes the cake!

William Hurt is terrific as a Chicago hoodlum. Maybe even a little buzz about the possibility of a supporting Oscar nomination, although the length of his scene is a little slim.

"A History of Violence" officially opens tomorrow, (Friday, September 30th). I must advise you that all the scenes which appear to be shot in Illinois and Indiana -- are really Canada. So what else is new?

In peace,

Radio Lady (and D/B/A the Movie Lady every Friday!)

[mwdem]

3. I'll see it..

Anything with Viggo in it interests me, & it does sound interesting.

[Radio_Lady]

4. Good. Let me know what you think. I enjoy Viggo very much --

I can't think of him in sexual terms, because he was born in 1958, which makes him my stepson's age. I was born in 1939. I could have at least babysat for him. In another culture, with early maturation and marriage, he might have been my son.

But in this life or another life, what the hell? I can (wet) dream, can't I?

I think he's adorable and he turns me on. I didn't see "The Lord of the Rings" but did like him in "Hidalgo" although the story sucked...

[mwdem]

5. The only reason I watched "Lord of the Rings"

was to watch him. The story is great, but he made a perfect king. I loved him in "A Walk on the Moon", also.

[Radio_Lady]

6. Viggo has such a sweet look, and that chin dimple!

I remember seeing him in the first episode of "The Lord of the Rings" but he was so heavily made up that I didn't really NOTICE him.

Recently, I saw the 1985 movie "Witness" which must have been one of his first appearances. He was adorable as an Amish guy!

I remember seeing "A Walk on the Moon" with my husband -- Viggo plays the blouse salesman, right?

Here's a link to the rest of Viggo's work:

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001557/

[mwdem]

7. Cool!

I have to check these out. He's actually been around longer than I thought.

[Radio_Lady]

25. Original story picked up by UK media a few days ago.

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/95762004.htm

David Cronenberg's On Set Public Sex Scenes
September 27, 2005, 7:24:15

CRONENBERG'S PUBLIC SEX

Eccentric film-maker DAVID CRONENBERG shocked his cast and crew on the set of new movie A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, by publicly performing sex scenes with his wife.

The director hoped his explicit displays of affection with his wife would help stars VIGGO MORTENSEN and MARIA BELLO, who play man and wife in the film, feel more comfortable during their sex scenes together.

But, instead, the Cronenbergs just left everyone on the set stunned.

(Link has the rest of the story...)

[freethought]

12. It was weird seeing William Hurt in that kind of role!

You usually see William Hurt playing these dour, buttoned up, uptight types. Alot of the roles were pretty much the same on after the other. I will give him a thumbs up for the movie "Altered States", that's an old one. But to see him play some ruthless mobster was really a stretch. He probably loved it, something different.

[Radio_Lady]

19. The "buzz" is that he might get a "supporting actor" nomination

for an "Oscar" -- we'll see! I thought he was terrific -- and Ed Harris was also pretty menacing and WAY overdue for an "Oscar." See the list for yourself:

http://www.us.imdb.com/name/nm0000438/awards

Awards for Ed Harris (I)

Academy Awards, USA
Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s)
2003 NOMINATED Oscar Best Actor in a Supporting Role
for: The Hours (2002)

2001 NOMINATED Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role
for: Pollock (2000)

1999 NOMINATED Oscar Best Actor in a Supporting Role
for: The Truman Show (1998)

1996 NOMINATED Oscar Best Actor in a Supporting Role
for: Apollo 13 (1995)

[Radio_Lady]

21. William Hurt did win an Oscar in 1986, but Harris never has won.

Awards for
William Hurt (I)

Academy Awards, USA
Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s)
1988 NOMINATED Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role
for: Broadcast News (1987)

1987 NOMINATED Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role
for: Children of a Lesser God (1986)

1986 WON Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role
for: Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

8. Liked the movie but it didn't live up to my super high expectations.

Basically I'll summarize my problem with it by saying that to me, it's a film that's much more interesting when it's building up to something, to revelations about someone's past. Once the revelations are made I think it's a lot less interesting and good.

For me, "The Fly" and "Dead Ringers" are still Cronenberg's best.

[Radio_Lady]

9. Mine, either.

I didn't see "Dead Ringers" but had large expectations because of Internet buzz and just hopin' that Viggo got a good part this time.
"Hidalgo" didn't make it; maybe this will.

PS. Don't miss the link in my initial post. It's a classic! It came from our top reviewer at the Portland Oregonian, Shawn Levy. He's blogging now! It's a new age!

[Radio_Lady]

10. UPDATE: Has anyone see this picture this weekend?

I'd be interested in your reactions.

[ghostsofgiants]

11. Cronenberg is an odd cat...

Doesn't surprise me at all, haha.

[Radio_Lady]

15. I guess that's one way to put it.... to say the least, it's odd behavior!

But I can't imagine other directors actually performing sex acts with their wives in front of actors... in order to get them to understand how to do these scenes. This takes "method acting" to an extreme!

I think it would be pretty embarassing to most people, don't you think? What about the wife? Who is she? What's her excuse?

[ghostsofgiants]

18. Cronenberg is most definitely not other directors, haha

I'm not saying one way or another if it was the best way to direct the scene. I don't know. It's probably not how I would have directed it. But why does his wife need to have an "excuse"? I'm sure she didn't mind, otherwise she probably woulnd't have done it.

[Radio_Lady]

22. Here's an interesting link about Cronenberg from Indiana --

where "A History of Violence" was supposed to happen (but didn't).

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051002/ENTERTAINMENT03/510020350/1080

With "A History of Violence" -- his latest film, which is set in Indiana -- the Canadian director breaks out of his world of plants that strangle people ("From the Drain"), flesh-eating parasites ("Shivers"), exploding heads ("Scanners"), a man-into-bug metamorphosis ("The Fly"), and nightmarish, sexually suggestive fantasy creatures ("Naked Lunch").

In "A History of Violence," Viggo Mortensen plays a small-town diner operator who is accused of being a New Jersey mobster after he kills two men who try to rob his business.

A Toronto native born in 1943, Cronenberg had an early interest in writing and science. One of his most mainstream films, "The Dead Zone," teamed him with a soul mate, horror writer Stephen King.

The soft-spoken Cronenberg, who is married with three children and a grandchild, and who says he rides a bike and takes out the trash, spoke with reporter Bonnie Britton last week about "A History of Violence," set in fictional Millbrook, Ind., but shot in Canada.
(Link to the rest of the article.)

[Evergreen Emerald]

13. I saw the movie last night

I love Viggo--he is so hot. :) The movie was not so hot. They could have developed his character more, showing the dichotomy between his new life and old. The son's character left me confused a bit--that story line needed more. Too many broken noses and blood-spattered shirts. And the end was...predictable and left me wanting more.

I did like seeing Viggo's a**, however and that made it worth the $8.75!

[Radio_Lady]

14. Viggo's beautiful bottom -- Going... going... GONE!

Sold to the lady in the front row for $8.75!!!

(I got to see it for FREE -- one of the perks of being a movie reviewer!)

Yes, the picture could have used much more characterization. However, it was taken from a "graphic novel" (read: comic book). They gave them away at the screening.

[hickman1937]

16. Oh fer the love of mike.

Why does anyone think that you need character development or plot when the point of the film is jack off material? Most of these guys have a pen in one hand and a boner in the other.

[Radio_Lady]

17. Well, it's hard to do that BEFORE they release the film to DVD or VHS...

unless you're WAY up in the balcony...

Are you talking about the director?

[hickman1937]

20. Writer and director.

The only thing new anymore is when they have a script doctor put some funny lines in once in awhile.

[Evergreen Emerald]

28. hahaha--"jack off material"

It was touted, however as a chick-flick. Had it been touted as jack-off material, I would not have expected so much!

[Shine]

23. I just saw this movie last night with the hubby

It was pretty intense and definitely waaay violent. I'll see anything with Viggo in it, but his character wasn't my fave. William Hurt was great, although too short of a role.

Must be interesting being married to a guy like Cronenberg. Maybe the public sex thing really spices up their relationship, who knows? :shrug:

To each their own, I guess. But how awkward for the actors and the others "forced" to watch!

[Radio_Lady]

24. Yep, that's how I felt, too. This sort of stuff was predominating a lot

of talk radio -- way back in the 1970s.

I'm thinking of Nena & George O'Neill's book "Open Marriage" -- but maybe this is exhibitionism more than wife (and husband) swapping. Lots of people were writing their own marriage vows, or doing unique marital contracts, etc.

Hey, I've been married three times (including to my "current" husband for 33 years) and I still don't think I've missed anything by NOT "doing it" in front of a crowd.

[Schema Thing]

26. Yeah; NOT a good movie to inadvertantly

take your 13 y/o daughter to. Yikes.

Then again, if she's gonna see the occasional R rated sex, why shouldn't it be realistic? Just not when I'm sitting next to her, please!

[Radio_Lady]

32. Difficult movie choice. Especially the almost-rape scene as well as

the closeups of people who have been mangled.

Did you know what you were getting into?

[fujiyama]

27. What a strange movie

I now know why Stewart kept saying that Cronenberg is nuts (I had never seen any of his films before) - he is! I had heard about his previous film "Crash" where people get into car accidents and then have sex...so I shouldn't have been surprised.

It wasn't a bad movie necessarily. But I think it could have been better.

[Radio_Lady]

29. fujiyama, I totally agree. It could have been better.

[Radio_Lady]

30. However, 3,009 people have rated it a 7.9 out of 10 at the movie site --

http://www.us.imdb.com/title/tt0399146/combined

[leftofthedial]

31. Cronenberg is a wack job

and I mean that in a good way

I love how his films are over the line

[Radio_Lady]

33. It can't be a big winner opening wide in 4th place with only $8 million.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/