NEWS: The Keitel Dilemma

CELEB: The Keitel Dilemma

Harvey Keitel's due for a revival. Keitel's started off strong, starring in Martin Scorcese's feature debut Mean Streets, where his quiet turn as a guilt ridden gangster was overshadowed by a young, hyper-kinetic Robert De Niro. Throughout the '70s, the flat-faced brooder popped up in more Scorcese movies (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Taxi Driver) in small roles, and appeared in OK non-Scorcese movies like Blue Collar and dismal horrors like Saturn 3.



Then, in what I believe was an omen for his subsequent fall from grace, he was fired from Apocalypse Now after less than two weeks of filming, and

replaced by Martin Sheen. Until Quentin Tarantino revived his career by casting him in Reservoir Dogs, Keitel was stuck mainly in flops, failures and bizarre trash



After Dogs, Keitel enjoyed a career renaissance, acting in The Piano, Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. Lately, Keitel's run into a brick wall. I have a theory that it's karmic shrapnel from co-starring in Little Nicky. Judging from his most recently announced role, things are likely to get worse before they get better. Variety reports that Keitel will play Jerry Springer in an opera loosely based on the day time talk show.



Keitel is the only cast member announced so far for the New York production. The show is only running for two nights, but that's two nights too long. He's horribly miscast as Springer. Keitel's acting roles include Judas, Satan and a pimp named Sport. Jerry Springer's a bland Midwestern with muted overtones of sleaze and shame. The obvious choice is Matthew Modine.



Isn't this brand of pop art wankery about three fathoms below bad lieutenant's dignity, anyway? The opera look like it's supposed to be a clash of high and lowbrow sensibilities, but it's not a new or even a good gag. The "Jerry Springer Show" was the height of trash culture outrage about five years ago, and fittingly, the opera was written in 2004. The new sign of civilization's pending collapse is reality television -- how about it, opera writers?



As for Keitel, well, he needs a perfect movie role. Something accessible, yet weird, where he doesn't play a cop, a gangster or get naked. Something like a Wes Anderson movie or an HBO series. Unfortunately, I'm guessing that National Treasure 2 isn't going to let him stretch his wings the way he needs to.

bad lieutenant...you forgot that disturbing cult classic.

Not exactly.

Maybe the movie industry is suffering from penis exposure envy?

Personally I liked Little Nicky it was funny

I thought Bad Lieutenant was left out too, it shoulda been mentioned way up top as it´s such an awesome, great movie.

But what do you think about Bad Lieutenant 08?

And The Piano was beautiful

Copland!
From Dusk til Dawn!
Blue in the Face & Smoke! (jaramush - brilliant)
Clockers!
Point of no return! (the cleaner!)

I wish I had a career like that...

.

Yep. Nicely done, johnnyfu

I'm glad someone else feels the way I do about Matthew Modine.

Ack!

Jabs at Matthew Modine=always hilarious!

Yeah, I second or third the comment re Bad Lieutenant. Keitel's work for Abel Ferrara (Dangerous Game, Bad Lieutenant) is for me his most definitive acting, along with his work for Scorcese and Tarantino.

Clockers was dope. This story has the wrong angle. The stupid Springer opera is the more interesting part.

harvey owns!

No mention of his leading role in James Toback's "Fingers" .. for shame.