Film

Film critic Stephen Schiff says Streep is best in comedies -- including this dysfunctional tale about a mother and daughter in Hollywood, written by Carrie Fisher, and adapted by her book of the same name.

Filmmaker and writer Adrian Cowell spent much of the 1980s filming all the stakeholders affected by the deforestation of the Amazon -- including homesteaders, indigenous people, and government-supported ranchers. He's made a series of television documentaries and a new book about the experience, both called the Decade of Destruction.

Fisher wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of her novel, Postcards From the Edge, directed by Mike Nichols, and starring Meryl Streep and Shirley McLaine. Best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars trilogy, Fisher also has a new novel called, Surrender the Pink. She is the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher.

Film critic Stephen Schiff has no taste for the high school movies that proliferated in the 1980s. But he likes films that celebrate youthful energy and rebellion against authority, like Pump Up the Volume. The movie, about a teenage radio DJ, features an excellent performance by star Christian Slater.

Coyote was a member of the Digger, a San Francisco-based guerrilla theater collective. After a brief stint as a stockbroker, he's now a movie actor, appearing in Jagged Edge, E.T., and Outrageous Fortune. He wrote the introduction to a new edition of Emmett Grogan's autobiography, Ringolevio, about the 1960s counterculture.

Rather than spend minutes setting up elaborate jokes, Wright comedian delivers one-liners in a deadpan, stoic manner. He has a new HBO comedy special coming up, and also appears in movies. Wright won an Academy Award for the short the Appointments of Dennis Jennings.

Near gained national attention when she joined Jane Fonda in antiwar protests. She joins Fresh Air to talk about developing her skills as a performer, her early acting career, and how she defines her sexuality. Her new memoir is called Fire in the Rain--Singer in the Storm.

Film critic Stephen Schiff says the adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel features exceptional performances and a plot that's just the right level of scary. It's also the best movie by director Nicolas Roeg since the Man Who Fell to Earth.

Badalamenti composed the music for David Lynch's Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart. Before writing film scores, he had a workaday musician's life, arranging and playing piano in bands.

While the Chinatown sequel The Two Jakes hasn't found much success, many agree that it's beautifully shot thanks to the work of Vilmos Zsigmond. He won an Academy Award for Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which was celebrated for balancing special effects with conventional, domestic scenes. Zsigmond fled Hungary in 1956 during the revolution.

Elmes has been working with the director since Lynch's first film, Eraserhead. He joins Fresh Air to talk about their visual, technical and narrative approach to moviemaking.

Stephen Schiff reviews the new operatic, gothic action movie directed by Sam Raimi. He says it may not live up to its lofty, Phantom of the Opera-like pretensions, but he praises the film for its comic book-like exuberance.

Brown joins Fresh Air to discuss the mechanics of filmmaking, and the impact the success of Jaws had on his career. His wife is Helen Gurley Brown; they work together on the women's magazine Cosmopolitan. David Brown's memoir is called Let Me Entertain You.

Pakula's new courtroom drama is based on the novel of the same name by Scott Turrow. His previous credits include All The President's Men, Sophie's Choice, and Klute.

Critic Owen Gleiberman reviews the director's new movie, a violent tale about young love. Despite an excellent performance by female lead Laura Dern, the film fails to capture balance of innocence and weirdness found in Lynch's other work.

Blackwood was hired by a movie studio with no experience. That stroke of luck eventually led him to a career as a movie director. His newest documentary, inspired by his travels, is called Motel. Blackwood says his work is less concerned with narrative, and more on the emotions of the people he follows.

Critic Owen Gleiberman reviews the home video release of the curiously high-quality exploitation movie, featuring excessive nudity and a surprisingly emotional center. He says its a better vehicle than Drugstore Cowboy for star Kelly Lynch's talent.

Stephen Schiff reviews The Two Jakes, directed by star Jack Nicholson. Schiff says nothing about the film is particularly bad -- nor does anything stand out.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the music featured in Days of Thunder, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, and Dick Tracy. Whatever you may think of the movies, each soundtrack album has at least a few gems.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz says the one downside of the current crop of Broadway CDs is that few releases feature excellent singers. A reissue of the once-rare Mary Martin Sings, Richard Rodgers Plays is a noteworthy exception.