12 Angry Men
In 12 Angry Men, a 1957 movie – make that a black-and-white movie from 1957 – Henry Fonda is a jury holdout who attempts to prevent a miscarriage of justice by forcing his colleagues to reconsider the evidence.
The cast is comprised of memorable and classic actors – Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Edward Binns, Jack Warden, Henry Fonda, and Ed Begley ─ to name nine of the twelve. And the movie is excellent.
Deborah Imbessi please note – This guy has 196 acting credits, I saw him 100s of times, & never knew his name until today. John Fielder, and he’s billed second – ahead of Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Henry Fonda, and the all the rest of the cast.
Yes, he was the voice of Piglet and the character I couldn’t remember was Mr. Peterson on the Bob Newhart Show. He was in 17 episodes.
Now let me get up on my soapbox with a “back when.”
Back when I went to film school we shot everything in black and white. It’s the way “real” movies were made and we had to learn how to make “real” movies. No huge floodlights lighting up the whole set and just shooting.
No, you used 3-point lighting to create mood and feeling, and texture and emotion on the film itself ─ and it wasn’t easy. Which is why I have little respect for most contemporary movies that use CGI and blue screens and green screens. That’s cheating and it’s done that way these days because it’s cheaper and easier ─ but it’s also a crappier finished product.
Fortunately for today’s movie makers their audience eats up anything and everything rammed down their throats.
Just take a look at The Irishman and the Korean joke that just won awards.
I’m America’s Best Crime Writer – Barry Bowe – & I approve this message.
My first book – Born to Be Wild – published in 1992 and still selling on Amazon & Kindle. A true story about certain members of the Warlocks motorcycle gang.
The story took 21 years to play out – many twists & turns – an amalgam of Sons of Anarchy and Breaking Bad – but these outlaw bikers make the Sons look like Cub Scouts.
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