Oscar prognosticating has begun, the internet is rampant with speculation what the Best Picture nominees will be, Best Actors and Actresses etc. It’s always amusing because many of the films being talked about have not been seen and little is known about them.
Among the ones we know: “Dunkirk,” “Detroit,” “The Shape of Water,” “Wind River,” “Molly’s Game,” “Roman J. Israel, Esq.,” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” and “Call Me By Your Name.” I’m a big fan of “Baby Driver,” and would love to see it get some kind of awards action. Ditto “The Big Sick” and “The Beguiled.”
But the ones we don’t know about include Steven Spielberg’s “The Post,” about the Pentagon Papers; Clint Eastwood’s “The 15:17 to Paris,” and a movie with no title by Paul Thomas Anderson starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
The latter film has no title despite a release clock that’s ticking down. Little is known except DDL plays an Yves Saint Laurent type fashion superstar from the 1950s. According to people I’ve asked, he is not gay. So that’s one factoid. And the script is supposed to be excellent. Check two.
But what about a title? PTA is maybe having trouble with that, so I polled around to give him some suggestions. The original title was “Phantom Thread.” But that was awful and has been tossed. Immediately crossed off the list– “Fashion.” Or anything with “Fashion” in it. No one liked “The Golden Thimble” or “The Silver Thimble.” “Seams Like Old Times” also was rejected by friends. Even “Seams Like a Pattern.”
One idea: “Project Runway.” Taken. “Dress for Success” also taken. “Skirting the Issue.” Hmmm…”Inherent Taste”? No. “There Will Be Sewing”? Unt-uh. “Haute Nights?” Maybe. “Punch Drunk Sewing”? (I actually liked that one.) “Fashion Gangs of Paris”?
Will frogs rain down on fashion shows in Paris? Or Frogs? We don’t know. But somehow this untitled film could up end all the Oscar gamblers (but not Oscar Gamble, sports fans). Ideas? Send them to showbiz411@gmail.com.
