CLOSE UP: MAGNOLIA's Final Shot

The following is part of the Close Up Blogathon from The House Next Door.


Paul Thomas Anderson's MAGNOLIA is the longest film that I have ever seen multiple times in the theatres.

It is also one of the fastest moving films. The film is filled with so many great images, it had you waiting for the next big set piece, from the opening Ricky Jay narrated section, the introduction of all the characters as "One" plays on the soundtrack, the "Wise Up" sequence, and the rain of frogs. I never got tired of the film.

But the scene that had me returning to the theatre three times during its release, and making me wish it stayed around at the theatres longer so I could see it more was the final second of film.

As it ends (and I guess I should give a spoiler warning, but it really doesn't give anything away), Melora Walters is sitting in bed, after running out on her date with John C. Reilly.



Aimee Mann's "Save Me" is playing over the scene (video above, the scene isn't on Youtube).


Reilly enters the room and begins to talk with her. His dialogue can't really be heard above the music, but it really doesn't matter.


Continuing in the same take, the camera gets closer and closer to Melora as she listens to him talking.

She finally looks up, directly at the camera.


And smiles.


And then the film cuts quickly to black and the credits roll.

The music is perfectly choreographed so that, just as Melora smiles, the guitars in the song screech to the third verse. One of the great music to image edits.

After three hours of following these characters, it is a perfect moment. Melora's character has suffered throughout the film and has finally found a happiness of sorts.

The unexpected glance at the camera, and how it is in sync with the music is just a terrific ending to this amazing film.

FORGOTTEN FILMS: THE GREAT BRAIN (1978)

In his comments about the remake of THE GOONIES, Joe Valdez mentioned that the original would never be as good as a book like John Fitzgerald's THE GREAT BRAIN.

And, he is right.

THE GREAT BRAIN was very popular back in the late 70's and early 80's. Like the Beverly Cleary books and the Encyclopedia Brown books, I loved them all.

I also remember some time in the early 80's during vacation, going to a school in another town where they had a showing of a film version of THE GREAT BRAIN. All I remember about it was it starred one of the Osmonds (Jimmy) and I believe there was a scene where someone stepped on a nail and died or almost died from infection. It has been quite a while so the details are hazy.

Yet, other than that showing in 16mm in a school auditorium, I never saw the film again. I don't think it ever was released on VHS or DVD. And, I never saw it on TV.

There is hardly anything on the IMDB page for the film. There are rumors in the message boards that there were legal reasons why it never aired again.

I found a movie poster of it on Ebay (it is copy protected so I can't post it here). It looks like it was an Osmond family production, with a few members of the family starring and producing. I don't see any movie company listed, so they might have self distributed it.

It is funny that a film like this, based on a very popular book, would disappear.

Maybe this would deserve a remake more than THE GOONIES. If only to get people reading the books again.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO: ROBERT HAYS

In the early 80’s, Robert Hays seemed to have it all going for him.

He starred in the classic film AIRPLANE, was appearing on TV regularly, and was starring in feature films.

Yet, somehow, that success didn’t carry over into the following decades.

Like many actors, he began in TV, appearing in the 70’s in episodes of THE ROCKFORD FILES, MARCUS WELBY M.D., CANNON, LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY and WONDER WOMAN.



In 1979 he appeared opposite Donna Pescow in the sitcom ANGIE. Probably best known today for its theme song by Maureen McGovern, ANGIE ran for two seasons, and would air in reruns into the early 80’s.


Then came AIRPLANE. There really isn’t much I have to say about the film. It still stands as one of the funniest films ever made. Hays, as Ted Striker, was the perfect “everyman” sort of lead.

A few more films followed, the lead in TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT, SCANDALOUS, the TV movie THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, and then AIRPLANE II: THE SEQUEL. While not as successful as the original, it still was an entertaining film.


In 1983, he made the pre-Touchstone PG rated Disney film TRENCHCOAT with Margot Kidder, the TV version of MR. ROBERTS, the Stephen King film CAT’S EYE, and then in 1986 played the lead in the TV series of the John Carpenter film STARMAN. That lasted one season.

The beginning of the 90’s saw the start of the direct to video boom. It was probably good for actors, as there were many films to star in. But, it was bad for careers, as few of these lesser films were any good, and got much exposure outside of briefly appearing on the new release wall of Blockbuster.

Hays starred in plenty of these films, HOT CHOCOLATE with Bo Derek, FIFTY/FIFTY with Peter Weller and RAW JUSTICE with Pamela Anderson. There were a few studio films, like the HOMEWARD BOUND films. And, he was the voice of “Iron Man” in the IRON MAN and SPIDER MAN cartoon series.

But, he never had the mainstream success that he probably should have.

So, what ever happened to him?

Hays is still acting. His last major theatrical feature was a supporting role in the 2000 Robert Altman film DR. T AND THE WOMEN. He has recently starred in several independent films, but none that seem to have been released.

One message board listed a serious surfing accident in 2006, that he was able to recover from (I was unable to confirm this). But, there is very little about him.

There are however plenty of stories, especially on the IMDB, about people who worked with him, or met him, and what a nice guy he was. It is rare to read stories like this.

Maybe that is why his career didn't really take off. He was just too nice of a guy for Hollywood.