‘Lonely Hearts’ might be the one that breaks Spokane curse
The filmed-in-Spokane jinx might be over.
The John Travolta-Jared Leto-James Gandolfini-Salma Hayek film “Lonely Hearts” has several important scenes that were filmed in Spokane. Yet, miracle of miracles, the movie is not bad at all.
I caught a screening of “Lonely Hearts” on Wednesday in advance of its showing at the Coeur d’Alene Film Festival. This turns out to be a well-cast and well-made movie with several memorable scenes and two chilling characters.
Director-writer Todd Robinson plays the whole thing as formula film noir, with plenty of cigarette smoke and moody jazz. Yet this is film noir that fits the subject matter perfectly.
Leto and Hayek play the notorious Lonely Hearts Killers of 1949: Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck. He romances lonely widows for their money; she gets jealous and murders them.
Gandolfini and Travolta are well-cast as the cops tracking them across the country. Director Robinson comes by this story honestly; he’s the grandson of the detective played by Travolta.
The Davenport Hotel provides the setting for several key scenes, including a ballroom dancing scene and another in which Raymond romances a series of gullible women.
The bulk of the movie was filmed in Florida, New York and various other settings. Maybe that’s why it escaped the jinx.
It probably won’t be a smash hit – it’s too dark and brooding for that – but it’s far better than Spokane-filmed duds like “End Game,” “The Cutter” and “Shadow of Fear.”
Reviews nationally have been mixed, but Variety called it “riveting” and said it “could conceivably make a killing at the box office.”
“Lonely Hearts” begins a limited theatrical release on April 13.
SOAPnet arrives
Spokane’s Comcast digital cable customers are now getting SOAPnet, an all-soap opera channel, on digital channel 158.
This was one of the most requested channels in Spokane, according to Comcast.
So lather up, everybody.
‘O Palouse!’ DVD
Local filmmakers Rod Schwartz and Dan Walker have produced an excellent and thoroughly professional, 75-minute history-travelogue about the Palouse country titled “O Palouse!”
It combines local history, spectacular aerial photography and beautiful imagery of this unique corner of the country. It covers not just cities like Pullman and Moscow, but many of the small towns such as Dusty and Oakesdale.
I would recommend it for anybody who wants to learn more about this region – or for those who are homesick for it.
For information about ordering a copy, go to www.OPalouseDVD.com or call (888) 472-2388.
An ‘Idaho Getaway’ on public TV
Speaking of local travelogues, viewers might want to check out “Idaho Getaways: An Outdoor Idaho Special,” Thursday at 8:30 p.m. on Idaho Public Television (KCDT-26 in Coeur d’Alene, KUID-12 in Moscow).
This includes a segment by producer Joan Cartan-Hansen about a North Idaho family getaway including hot-air ballooning, golfing at the Coeur d’Alene Resort and thrill-riding at Silverwood Theme Park.
This North Idaho segment is one of five getaways in the hour-long special.
Celtic options
Just a reminder about a few ways to get your Celtic blood flowing during the weeks surrounding St. Patrick’s Day:
“Nancy Davis will play Celtic harp at Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave., on Saturday at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
“”An Evening with the Barra MacNeils,” a Canadian family band well-known in Celtic circles, will be presented March 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave. Tickets are available through TicketsWest outlets (509-325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).
“ “Fire and Grace: Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas in Concert,” featuring the master Scottish fiddler and a young cellist, is March 29 at 7 p.m. at the Bing. Tickets are available through TicketsWest.
No ‘Assassins’ benefit
Tonight’s benefit performance of the Spokane Civic Theatre’s “Assassins” has been canceled due to performance rights issues.
Nevertheless, the scaled-down, one-hour competition version of the show still will be heading to Walla Walla next week for the 2007 Kaleidoscope State Community Theatre Festival.