Argo (2012)

Brian Fulton, Librarian at The Times-Tribune and all-around groovy guy, went to see Argo, the critically-acclaimed movie directed by and starring Ben Affleck that is generating a lot of awards buzz.


Based on real events, the dramatic thriller Argo chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis, focusing on the little-known role that the CIA and Hollywood played—information that was not declassified until many years after the event.

At one point in the film, President Jimmy Carter's Chief of Staff Hamilton Jordan (played by Kyle Chandler) states that "some guy in Scranton is planting a flag a day."

Argo is now playing at Cinemark in Moosic, Marquee Cinemas at Steamtown, and Great Escape IMAX 14 in Dickson City.

Much thanks to the ever-awesome Brian Fulton for this reference.

http://argothemovie.warnerbros.com/

Saturday Night Live (Saturday, October 13, 2012)

Four years ago, Saturday Night Live presented a hilarious skewering of the Vice-Presidential debate between Joe Biden (Jason Sudeikis) and Sarah Palin (Tina Fey), in which Biden ripped into the "hellhole" of his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Four years later, he does it again.

Last night's SNL once again presented a hilarious parody of the Vice-Presidential Debate.  This time Republican nominee Paul Ryan (Taram Killam) is on the listening end of Joe Biden's (Jason Sudeikis) tearing into Scranton.  

The following exchange begins at around the 1:55 mark in the clip below, where moderator Martha Raddatz (Kate McKinnon) questions each candidate on getting the unemployment rate to under 6 percent and how long it will take.

Paul Ryan: 

Martha, Vice-President Biden and I come from very similar places.  I’m from Janesville, Wisconsin and he’s from Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Do you know what the unemployment rate in Scranton is right now? 

Joe Biden:  

Sure do. 

Paul Ryan:  

It’s 10 percent.  And I just wonder what the Vice-President would say to the hardworking people of towns like Janesville and Scranton. 

Joe Biden: 

Well, I’d know what I’d say to my friend AND the people of Janesville.  Things may be bad where you live, but I guarantee you it is a paradise next to the burning coal heap that is Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Do you know that show Walking Dead, The Walking Dead?  It would make a good tourism ad for Scranton.  I mean, if you went to the lowest circle of hell, you’d STILL be 45 minutes outside of Scranton.  And I grew up there.  I love it.  It’s the single worst place on Earth.

Atlas Shrugged Part II Opens Friday; Will It Mention Scranton?

Part II of the Atlas Shrugged film adaptation opens Friday, October 12th at Cinemark in Moosic.  The novel includes a brief Scranton reference on page 836.  I'm curious if the intended film trilogy will include the reference.

www.atlasshruggedmovie.com

Scranton Natives Amy Wilson and Julie Kramer Write, Produce and Star in "The Best of Everything" in NYC

Opening tonight in New York is the theatrical adaptation of the 1958 Rona Jaffe novel The Best of Everything (later adapted into a film starring Joan Crawford).  Julie Kramer and Amy Wilson are Scranton natives who previously collaborated on Amy's one-woman show The Mother Load which has played both off-Broadway and Scranton.  Julie is the writer and director of the new production(which runs through October 20th at the HERE Arts Centre--145 6th Street; click here to purchase tickets), and Amy is playing one of the lead roles.   


Amy Wilson is also the author of the 2010 book When Did I Get Like This? (which features numerous references to Scranton).

Julie and Amy were recently profiled in The Times-Tribune.  Click here to read the full article.

Click here for an article from Playbill.com about the adaptation and opening of the new play.


Much thanks to Peter Cupple for this reference.