from hollywood to tv guide by karen g.

I was watching reruns of "30 Rock" the other night and it suddenly dawned on me how many big Hollywood stars from the 70s, 80s and 90s have now become the TV stars of the new generation.


Alec Baldwin

I guess in all fairness, Alec started his career in TV ("The Doctors" and "Knots Landing"), went BIG in Hollywood (Malice, Beetlejuice), came back to TV ("30 Rock"), then bounced back and forth ever since! Watch out for Baldwin in Woody Allen’s upcoming Blue Jasmine.

Charlie Sheen

What a rollercoaster ride Charlie’s been on! I guess he was always a bit of a bad boy – even in his Hollywood days.

Kiefer Sutherland

Kiefer’s career was on fire in the 80s and early 90s and then he disappeared from the limelight for a while. He made an explosive comeback as Jack Bauer in the TV series "24" and his career was reawakened to a legion of new fans.

Glenn Close

Close was unforgettable in her role in Fatal Attraction and has been nominated for 5 Oscars.  She later made the successful move to TV and starred in the hit television series "Damages."

Holly Hunter

I found Hunter unforgettable in Raising Arizona and The Piano – two incredibly different but memorable roles that showcased her talent.  Hunter can now be seen in the popular TNT show "Saving Grace." Looking good Holly!

James Caan

Most famous for his role in The Godfather and honorable mention of one of my favorite movies, Misery, Caan has been cast in the Fall 2013 ABC TV series called "Back In The Game," a far reach from Corleone family secrets or Kathy Bates’ mallet.

Jessica Lange

I was moved to tears by her role as Mary in Rob Roy and was blown away at how natural and beautiful she looked in Cape Fear and then remembered her fresh face in Tootsie. Now Jessica has taken on a darker role in A&E's extremely twisted "American Horror Story."



-Karen G.

the safecracker

The 1981 crime thriller Thief  is rather unremarkable plot and script-wise but is notable for its influential style on neo-noirs (including last year's Drive... just look no further than comparing the font for the title of each film on their respective posters) and for being director Michael Mann's debut.  Mann would later be known as an auteur of classy crime pictures such as Heat, The Insider and Collateral.  In Thief, you can see what would later be trademarks of Mann's work: night scenes with bluish, shadowy lighting and flawed male antiheroes trying to work themselves out of corrupt systems.  James Caan plays Frank, a professional safecracker and ex-convict with dreams of settling into a normal life.  After one of his co-horts is killed, he is soon involved with the mafia, working for Chicago Outfit boss Leo (a sinister Robert Prosky). Meanwhile Frank tries to appeal to his girlfriend (Tuesday Weld) by wanting to start a family.

The good cast (including a convincing appearance by Willie Nelson as Frank's old friend from prison) and Mann's stylistic concerns (including the moody synth soundscape by Tangerine Dream) make Thief  an above-average mob movie, even if you feel you've seen it before. Thief is filmed with a gloomy elegance by Donald E. Thorin.  There's good tension in the pic too; Mann has a way of making things uneasy in the quietness (the final showdown is pretty great).  Besides the neon beer sign-lit streets, close-ups of guns and authentic safecracking materials, there are some great moments which utilize POV and a feel for character, notably a shot with Prosky menacingly looking down on us.   ***