John Walsh Movies
Celebrated and vilified in equal measure, the pinup goddess Bettie Page inspired a legion of followers -- and an indecency scandal -- by appearing in a series of nude, sado-masochistic, and/or revealing magazine spreads in the 1950s. An era later, writer/director Mary Harron casts a knowing eye upon the woman who indirectly gave birth to modern pornography in the biopic The Notorious Bettie Page. As a teen, Page (Gretchen Mol) is a smart, plucky girl with ambitions beyond her Tennessee roots. Suffering varying degrees of abuse from her father, her first husband, and suitors of dubious virtue, Page makes her way to New York City, where an amateur photographer discovers her lounging on the beach. It isn't long before images of the shapely brunette reach Irving and Paula Klaw (Chris Bauer and Lili Taylor), brother-and-sister entrepreneurs who publish illicit magazines dedicated primarily to men's fetishes. The casual nudist Page eventually finds herself acquiescing to their requests to don thigh-high boots, whips, and chains, which raise the ire of the smut-fearing senator Estes Kefauver (David Strathairn). The Notorious Bettie Page had its North American premiere at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gretchen Mol, Christopher Bauer, (more)
A plumber looking for love hopes to find romance by impersonating a movie director in this offbeat independent comedy. David Kulovic (Martin Donovan) is a single guy who doesn't have much luck impressing the ladies, a dilemma he attributes to the poor opinion most people have of his trade, plumbing. One day, David is mistaken for a well-known film director, and discovers people, especially women, seem a great deal more friendly toward him when they think he works in the movies. David's case of mistaken identity gives him a brainstorm, and with the help of his pal R.J. (Kevin Carroll), he decides to pass himself off as a struggling independent filmmaker, hoping to meet aspiring actresses at his bogus casting calls. Of course, a filmmaker needs a script, and David swipes one from one of his neighbors, Toni Edelman (Mary-Louise Parker, who is trying to get her own foot in the door of the film business). As it happens, Toni's screenplay happens to be quite good, and soon David's nonexistent project is developing a very real buzz in indie film circles. Seeing this as her big chance at a career in Hollywood, Toni begins coaching David in how to act like a filmmaker in the hopes they can actually get David's phantom picture off the ground. Writer and director John C. Walsh based Pipe Dream in part on his own experiences as he was making his first feature film, Ed's Next Move. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Donovan, Mary-Louise Parker, (more)
- 1996
- R
Can a nerdy and hopelessly Midwestern man find happiness with a cynical bohemian gal in New York City? Eddie Brodsky (Matthew Ross) is a genetic scientist living in Wisconsin who is crossbreeding new strains of rice; he's the sort of person who is so rigidly ordered that he's already picked out and paid for his cemetery plot -- and he's not even 30 years old yet. After his girlfriend gives him his walking papers, Eddie decides he needs to change his life and takes a job in New York City, where his new roommate Ray (Kevin Caroll) encourages him to loosen up a bit and gives him advice on charming the ladies. After a few disastrous dates, Eddie meets Lee (Callie Thorn), short for Natalie, who plays violin in a post-modern folk-rock ensemble. While Eddie and Lee have almost nothing in common on the surface, he finds her lovely and charming, and by hook or by crook he's determined to make things work with her. Ed's Next Move was the debut feature from writer/director John Walsh; it was primarily financed with credit cards and made possible in part by the availability of a stash of leftover film stock from Wayne Wang's film Smoke. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt Ross, Calliope Thorne, (more)
Using music and humor, this educational program from The Safe Side teaches young viewers about the threats of strangers. The Safe Side: Stranger Safety features America's Most Wanted host John Walsh and Julie Clark of the Baby Einstein series. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
