Sometimes I think I sleepwalk through the world of popular culture. I spent almost ten years working outside the country and, when I returned to the States for good, I found it impossible to connect with a whole new batch of popular actors, television shows and celebrity types. Frankly, I didn't try very hard to reconnect, but every once in a while something pops up out of nowhere and catches me by surprise...like this movie based on the work of one of my favorite writers (James Lee Burke) and starring two of my favorite actors (Tommy Lee Jones and Mary Steenburgen).
Now I realize I got out of the habit of keeping up with new movies, but this is ridiculous, because it is from last year and I've been home since 2002.
Here's the trailer for In the Electric Mist (based on Burke's 1993 novel In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead):
Apparently, the movie is some kind of French/American joint venture that was never released in this country but did fairly well in Europe and Asia. A shorter version of the film has been released on DVD here, but that's been it. The French director even wrote a book describing the project in great detail, so the movie has had a fairly high profile in that country.
But I'm stumped. How can a movie starring actors the status of Tommy Lee Jones, Mary Steenburgen, John Goodman and Ned Beatty just fall through a black hole in this country? Can it possibly be that bad?
Has anyone actually seen this thing? I have to find it...
(I HATE the ads that Google insists on tacking on to the bottom of this thing. Sorry 'bout that.)
I took this out from my library and enjoyed it. Tommy Lee Jones makes an excellent Dave Robicheaux. I am hoping more will be made. It would be a good series similar to Tom Selleck as Robert Parker's Jesse Stone.
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Jennifer, I just found the DVD in my county library system and have placed a hold on it...number one in the queue, so it shouldn't be too long.
ReplyDeleteThat is an excellent cast.
ReplyDeleteI watched it this past week, and it wasn't bad at all. It's just not Oscar bait enough to get traction as a small, indie drama, and not explosiony enough to catch attention as a major drama. It's character based and John Goodman is especially good in it. It's available streaming on Netflix too.
ReplyDeleteIt is, indeed, Susan. Levon Helm even makes an appearance in the thing along with Buddy Guy and lots of Louisiana locals.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the mini-review, Kerry. I noticed in the trailer that Jones speaks with a bit of a Cajun accent, as his character does...but I was not impressed with it's authenticity from the little bit I heard.
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