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Crazy in Alabama

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Crazy in Alabama
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAntonio Banderas
Written byMark Childress
Based onCrazy in Alabama
by Mark Childress
Produced byDebra Hill
Starring
CinematographyJulio Macat
Edited byRobert C. Jones
Music byMark Snow
Production
companies
Columbia Pictures
Green Moon Productions
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing
Release dates
  • September 9, 1999(1999-09-09)(Venice)
  • October 22, 1999(1999-10-22)(U.S.)
Running time
111 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million
Box office$2 million

Crazy in Alabamais a 1999 Americancomedy dramafilm directed byAntonio Banderasand based onMark Childress' 1993 novel of the same name. The film starsMelanie Griffithas an abused housewife who becomes an actress, while her nephew deals with a racially motivated murder involving a corrupt sheriff. It markedDakota Johnson's film debut.

Plot

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In 1965Alabama,Peter Joseph "Peejoe" Bullis lives in a small town at the height of theCivil Rights Movement.His eccentric aunt, Lucille Vinson, kills her husband Chester with poison, after suffering years ofdomestic violence.She decapitates him and brings his severed head with her en route toHollywood,where she is convinced that television stardom awaits her. InNew Orleans,Lucille buys a black hat box to store Chester's head. When a bartender onBourbon Streetinsults her, she threatens him with arevolver,before stealing the money and the car. Back in Alabama, Peejoe's uncle and Lucille's brother, Dove, a local funeral director, is notified of the incident. While traveling, Lucille becomes increasingly paranoid, convinced Chester's ghost is haunting her.

Meanwhile, Peejoe becomes involved with a group of black students protesting the town'sracially segregated municipal swimming pool,leading to a violent protest. A young black boy, Taylor Jackson, is killed by the town sheriff, John Doggett. Peejoe, the only witness, is pressured by the sheriff to keep it quiet. While mowing the lawn, Peejoe is struck in the eye with a rock. The townspeople circulate a false story that he was shot in retaliation for Taylor's death. The black townspeople stage a protest honoring Taylor in which they enter the swimming pool. Peejoe and his brother, Wiley, join them in support, but the protest is interrupted by police and white pro-Confederates.

Lucille wins $32,000 inLas Vegaswhile playingrouletteat a casino, and subsequently pays for a personal driver, Norman, to bring her to Los Angeles. She arrives in Hollywood, taking the stage name Carolyn Clay, and manages to land a minor role onBewitched.Back in Alabama, Peejoe and Wiley attend a speech byMartin Luther King Jr.,and Peejoe's racist aunt Earline is infuriated over the publicity involving the family. That night, they discover Lucille appearing on television.

At the industry party inHollywood Hills,hostess Joan Blake discovers Chester's severed head in Lucille's hat box. Lucille and Norman flee toSan Francisco,and try to discard the head off theGolden Gate Bridge.However, the two policemen discover this and stop Lucille from attempting suicide. She is arrested and escorted back to Alabama for the trial, where she is met by amedia circus.In the local jail, Lucille is incarcerated in a cell near Nehemiah Jackson, Taylor's father who has been jailed over the protest.

After being convicted offirst-degree murder,Lucille is sentenced to twenty years in prison. However, the sentence is suspended when she earns the judge's sympathies after testifying to the abuse she received, and she is put on a five-year probation with the condition that she seek psychiatric help. Lucille, her children, and all her friends leave the courtroom, while the sheriff (through Peejoe's testimony) is put under arrest for Taylor's murder.

Cast

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Production

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The film was shot inHouma, Louisiana,Schriever,Chackbay,New Orleans,Las Vegas,San FranciscoandLos Angeles.

Reception

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The film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, scoring a 30% approval rating onRotten Tomatoesbased on 56 reviews, with the site's consensus stating: "Melanie Griffith gets kudos for her performance, but the movie just doesn't seem to come together."[1]The film holds a score of 46 out of 100 onMetacriticbased on 27 reviews.[2]

Roger Ebertof theChicago Sun-Timescalled the film "an ungainly fit of three stories that have no business being shoehorned into the same movie," awarding it two out of four stars.[3]Janet MaslinofThe New York Timeswrote that the film "takes an antic tone. It presents Melanie Griffith as the kind of fanciful creature who looks flirty even on her Wanted poster, and whose escapades en route to Hollywood have a dizzy spin."[4]Paula Nechak of theSeattle Post-Intelligencercalled the film "funny, eccentric, and touchingly just, combining a unique interpretation of the time with an offbeat sense of humor."[5]

Griffith was nominated for theGolden Raspberry Award for Worst Actressfor her performance in the film, but lost it toHeather DonahueforThe Blair Witch Project.[6]However, her performance for the film andAnother Day in Paradiseearned her theSant Jordi Awardfor Best Foreign Actress.Lucas Blackwas nominated for theYoung Artist Awardfor Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actor and YoungStar Award for Best Young Actor/Performance in a Motion Picture Drama. Banderas won the 2000ALMA awardfor Outstanding Director of a Feature Film,[7]theEuropean Film Awardfor Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema, and was nominated for aGolden Lion.

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Crazy in Alabama (1999)".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedDecember 1,2012.
  2. ^"Crazy in Alabama".Metacritic.RetrievedDecember 1,2012.
  3. ^Ebert, Roger(October 22, 1999)."Crazy in Alabama Review".Chicago Sun-Times.RetrievedMarch 9,2018.
  4. ^Maslin, Janet(October 22, 1999)."'Crazy in Alabama': Freedom Fighting in Dixie ".The New York Times.RetrievedMarch 9,2018.
  5. ^Nechak, Paula."Banderas' fresh take on Old South".Seattle Post-Intelligencer.Seattle, Washington: Eugene Register-Guard. p. 36 – via Google News.
  6. ^"1999 Razzie Nominees and" Winners "".Razzies.com. Archived fromthe originalon December 6, 2012.RetrievedDecember 1,2012.
  7. ^Kim, Ellen A (April 16, 2000)."2000 ALMA Awards".Hollywood.com.RetrievedDecember 1,2012.
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