OSCARS: Boyhood and Jason Lane 2006 Topps #473

Our final Oscars film posting features the Richard Linklater film "Boyhood"

This the other nominee that team Phungo checked out this year. Linklater like Anderson is another filmmaker whose career I have followed. I have seen the the Before trilogy (including Waking Life which includes an obscure scene related to Before...) and I loved Slacker.

I saw Boyhood in the theater and look forward to seeing it again. A few years from now I see this film getting heavy rotation on the USA/TBS/TNT circuit - think Shawshank. I would have to see it again, but I think the scenes will keep the viewer there until the commercial, and get you to return afterward.

Boyhood has gotten press regarding how the movie was filmed over a 12 year period. I think this is a bit of diservice to the film. Yes the process is ambitious and complicated, but focusing on the method misses out on some of the films other qualities. There are several interesting stories with the "non-story" All the characters grow up, not just Mason. It is obvious that the father (Ethan Hawke) is a man-child, but we also get to see Patricia Arquette's character grow up as well.

When you think about it the filming over 12 years idea is really just a fiction version of the Seven up! documentary series. 

Boyhood on Card

 2006 Topps #473 Jason Lane (snagged from baseball Card database)

There is a scene in the movie where Ethan Hawke takes the kids to a baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the hometown Houston Astros. It is apparent that they shot a live game. I did some research in an attempt to find out what game it was, but was unsuccessful.

Fortunately, I was not the only baseball/film nerd that needed to find out this information.  Spencer Bingol did the research and figured out that Linklater took a bit of creative license with the actual events.

Jason Lane really did hit a Home Run off of the Brewers but it was not a game winner. In fact it was in a game that the Astros lost.

The game was played on August 18th 2005, during Houston's NL Championship campaign. Roger Clemens had the Astros up 2-1 after 6, but the Rocket fell apart in the 7th. A mix of line drives and walks led to four Brewers runs and that was it for the Astros.

Richard Linklater 2015 
Prior to becoming a film director Richard Linklater went to Sam Houston State on a baseball scholarship. Later this year Linklater returns to the diamond for his upcoming film That's What I'm Talking About, about, yep college baseball - preview copy describes it as a spiritual sequel to "Dazed to Confused"

Jason Lane
The photo on Jason Lane's 2006T Card was likely taken during the 2005 season, which puts it in the time period of the Boyhood clip. Lane is in a road uni on the card so it is definitely not the same game as the film, but captures Lane in the the era.

After being out of Major League Baseball for seven years, Lane returned in 2014. However, he didn't make his return as a power hitting outfielder, he came back as a pitcher. In 10+ innings for the Padres Lane gave up only one run while picking up six Ks. He is among San Diego's non-roster invitees for the 2015 season.

Sources and Links
2015 Oscars Index
Washington Post - Michael Cavna
Slashfilm
imdb
Baseball Card Database
Baseball-ref

OSCARS: "The Grand Budhapest Hotel" - Al Hrabosky

I saw two of the 2015 Best Picture Oscar Nominees. One of those was "the Grand Budhapest Hotel" 

As a Wes Anderson fan I try and see most of his films. Budapest delivers a lot of what Anderson fans want, strange characters, unique camera angles, and favorite actors - like Bill Murry.

It is a good movie and a fun ride but not up to Rushmore or Tenenbaums status. The film doesn't have a pop soundtrack in the way that my favorite Wes Anderson films do, the music is good, just not my style.

If the film receives the Oscar I believe it is more for Wes Anderson's body of work than this specific film.

Cardboard Budapest Hotel

2001 Topps Archive Autograph #TAA128 Al Hrabosky

How does one come up with a card to represent a non-baseball, non-sports movie?

You get creative

Budapest is the capital of Hungary which directed me to one of the more colorful ballplayers of my youth, the Mad Hungarian - Al Hrabosky.

Hrabosky pitched 13 MLB seasons, most of which were with the St Louis Cardinals. He tallied 97 career saves including a leading the league with a whopping 22 in 1975. His lone playoff year was 1978 when he was the closer for the Royals who lost to the Yankees in four games.

Today Al Hrabosky works the broadcast booth for the St Louis Cardinals. He has been a color commentator on TV for the team since 1985. Hrabosky is an active member of the St Louis community and is involved with several local charities. 

2001 Topps Archives

2001 Topps Archive Autograph #TAA128 Al Hrabosky (b-side)

Topps Archive featured reprints of popular MLB alums on their rookie and final cards. With Hrabosky we have a bit of a curiosity. His first card was a rookie stars triple photo. For Archives Topps elected to place only Hrabosky's photo on the front, while maintaining the integrity of the back.

One of the drawbacks of going with the full photo on the front of the card is that apparently the negative for the picture was not detailed enough to fill the frame. While the photo on the original 1971T Card looks ok, it is a bit blurry on the 2001 Archives reprint.

Sources and Links
2015 Phungo Oscars coverage
IMDB
St Louis Cardinals
topps card database
Baseball-ref
Google Maps
Budapest Travel and Tourism Guide
Baseball Cardpedia

2015 Oscars Index

A couple of postings related to the 2015 Oscar Nominees.

American Sniper - Bradley Cooper in Elephant Man
Boyhood - Astros Game
the Grand Budhapest Hotel - Al Hrabosky Auto
Imitation Game - Breaking the Code Review

The Elephant Man at the Booth Theater 2014 12 25

As a Christmas Present to each other Mrs Phungo and I spent the Holiday in New York City. One of the highlights of the weekend was seeing the Elephant Man on Broadway.

Playbill: The Elephant Man at the Booth Theater  
  
The latest reading of the Elephant Man is a star studded affair with the ubiquitous Bradley Cooper in the title role.

My opinion on the show is mixed, Cooper does, well as the lead, The rest of the cast is terrific as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the first act which flew by, but I got lost after the intermission. It may just of been me getting worn out from a full day of over indulgence in the city but I definitely felt a drag in the shows final scenes.

For me "the Elephant Man" speaks to our societies collective obsession with celebrity. Its a subject that fascinates me, and I enjoyed seeing the iconic show with a noteworthy cast on the big stage of  Broadway.

Side Notes
We have been going to NYC a lot for shows recently. For whatever reason we end up at the Booth theater (where Elephant Man played) a lot. My guess is that it is because I need to be star struck and the Booth is a theater that can produce the kind of shows that benefit from star power.

Bradley Cooper gives the show plenty of star punch. He is of course up for an Academy Award in the film "American Sniper". I am sure the timing of the large production of a big name show just prior to awards season is no accident. We will features light coverage of the Oscars over the next couple weeks - not a full blow series, but a handful of posts. I think I have seen only two Best Picture nominees and really don't have much to add to the conversation.

The Elephant Man cast also included Patricia Clarkson (who appeared in Phungo Faves "Easy A" and "Freinds with Benefits". Anthony Heald starred in "Silence of the Lambs" with Anthony Hopkins who was in the 1980 Film "the Elephant Man".  The Film and play are unrelated works, but are both based on the life of John Merrick.

For sports fans one of the actors in the play is Henry Stram, son of Hall of Fame football coach Hank Stram.

Philadelphia Theater fans may recognize Kathryn Meisle who we saw at the Wilma in the 2010 Vaclav Havel play "Leaving". She appeared opposite David Strathairn whom baseball fans will remember as Eddie Cicotte in the Film "Eight Men Out"

The show runs through February 22nd. It is a tough and pricey ticket but worth it for the right audience.

Sources Links
Phungo 2015 Oscars Index
On The Road NYC 2014 12 25
IMDB
The Elephant Man on Broadway
Football Ref