Johnny Kitties Revisited: Celebrating My Favorite Johnny Depp Films – Arizona Dream (1993)

Hi everyone,

The Johnny Kitties tribute to Johnny's latest film release, City of Lies, is in progress but not ready in time for his birthday today. Instead, I thought I'd share some past posts celebrating my top picks. 

Scanning the list, Film #7: Arizona Dream was the first to catch my eye. It's got an amazing cast, tells an unusual story, and is so entertaining (even if I don't always understand it). Recently, Paulina Porizkova, who plays Millie in the film, reminisced about the shoot on Instagram, remembering what a fantastic time everyone had making this movie. (Maybe that's why this one is on my mind.) 

If you watch Arizona Dream, I think you'll see that everyone had fun. I had a good time writing about it too. Enjoy, and happy birthday, Johnny! 

Love, 

What is Johnny Kitties? See the Johnny Kitties page for all the details.

Johnny's in your dreams.

After Edward Scissorhands, Johnny Depp showed up in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare as a thank you to the people who cast him in his first movie. In this funny cameo appearance, he makes an anti-drug public service announcement on late-night TV. It's only a few seconds before Freddy interrupts the commercial with a classic slapstick move. 

I didn't draw anything for this  because I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I thought I should mention it. If you're not an avid follower of the Nightmare on Elm Street series, you can find Johnny's cameo on YouTube. I was going to post it here, but Freddy Krueger makes The Kitties and me nervous.

Johnny has his own weird dream.

With that, we move on to Johnny's next movie. Yesterday, I found a 12-page research article, printed in the European Journal of American Studies in 2010, that analyzes how Arizona Dream reflects the director's European view of America and details all the intentions and symbolism that go into that. Maybe I'll read it someday, but my short analysis is that Arizona Dream, the first American project by Serbian film director Emir Kusturica, is a work of art. 

It sparks all sorts of emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, unease, confusion. The director manipulates the film throughout – smearing and blurring images, highlighting reflections, or maneuvering objects for a dreamlike state. The characters and situations are absurd, and there are flying fish and Eskimo dreams. I may never understand this movie fully – maybe I should read that study – but every time I play it, I find something new. Whatever it really means, Emir Kusturica's ingredients make this movie highly entertaining.

In this coming-of-age story, New Yorker Axel Blackmar (Johnny Depp) is dragged back home to Arizona to attend his uncle's wedding. Uncle Leo (Jerry Lewis), a used car salesman, guilts Axel into staying in town to help him run the business. On his first day, he meets Elaine (Faye Dunaway) and her step-daughter Grace (Lili Taylor). The three become involved in a relationship that is at times sweet, weird, hilarious, and toxic.

At their first meeting, Emir Kusturica and Johnny hated each other, but they shook off their first impressions and got along fine during their second meeting three weeks later. (Today, they remain great friends.) For unexplained reasons – Johnny doesn't even know – Johnny saw his character as a chicken, growing up and becoming a rooster. You'll notice this in his hairstyle, mannerisms, and impeccable impression. "He lets you do anything – anything!" Johnny said of working with Emir Kusturica. "If you go to any other director and say, 'I'd like to seduce her by becoming a rooster,' that's it. You're fired. Get out!"

What excited me most about this film was the people involved. I hadn't heard of Emir Kustrica at the time, but Johnny was working with Faye Dunaway, Jerry Lewis, Paulina Porizkova, and Lili Taylor! I was sold. Faye Dunaway is brilliant as Elaine, and while I never caught on to Jerry Lewis's trademark humor, he's really good as the grown-up in this movie. 

In a dream sequence during which Axel and Uncle Leo are Eskimos fishing in Alaska, they have a conversation in the native language. On the set, Jerry stopped Johnny from learning his lines in proper Eskimo, saying that they could just make it up during filming. (I think the Eskimos would notice, wouldn't they?) Johnny was terrified, but did his best trying to keep up with what Jerry Lewis could probably do in his sleep. I think it works, just as Jerry said it would. There's some talent in that, but you've got to love Johnny's preference for authenticity. The Eskimos probably would have appreciated that more too.

What's Tom Petty doing here? 

Amid filming, Arizona Dream was stalled a bit due to illness. During the break, Johnny made a quick trip to star in Tom Petty's latest music video, "Into the Great Wide Open." 

At the time, MTV was still playing videos, and Tom Petty was riding high as one of the art form's pioneers. His videos are like short films, and they became increasingly star-studded. Johnny plays Eddie in this story, but you'll also find him making a quick cameo as the tattoo artist working on Matt LeBlanc's arm. When Johnny asked Faye Dunaway if she would like to "meet my friend Tom" and shoot the video with him, he said she turned into a squealing teenage girl. 

Of course, Comet just dug this video out of the archives, and The Kitties are already singing along. Blogger's embed feature isn't working to embed this great video, but you can see it here. 

Everybody get back to work! 

After that side job, Arizona Dream was completed. Johnny looks back on the film fondly: "Everybody in Hollywood, in the movie business, is always concerned about how much a movie's going to make in the box office and how many theaters it's in, how popular it becomes," he said. "Who cares about the numbers when you're able to experience something like this, live through something like this, and be involved in something as magical as this."

Though Arizona Dream did have a limited theatrical release somewhere in the world, I couldn't find it. "I imagine that when Warner Brothers saw this film, they must have been shocked,"Johnny said. Its sudden appearance on video and DVD three or so years later must have been a result of Johnny's increasing popularity. I think I bought the video through eBay, but I also saw the movie on cable, which gave me the full picture. Sadly, the video and DVD versions are not adjusted for letterbox format, a frustrating lapse. For example, you miss the full humor of the scene where Uncle Leo and Elaine are discussing Axel's future over a civilized cup of tea because Axel and his cousin Paul (Vincent Gallo) – who are rolling around in the dirt beating each other up in the background – are cropped out of the frame. The DVD is also missing the subtitles for the conversation between Uncle Leo and Axel in the final Eskimo dream sequence that I mentioned earlier, a conversation that touches on one of the film's main themes. Dedicated to the memory of his father, Emir Kusturica's film reminds us that, in order to grow, you need to remember your roots, respect your elders, and learn from your ancestors.

Despite these flawed products, the film still comes across well. I was absolutely thrilled when Roger Ebert featured the DVD on At the Movies, calling it a whimsical love story and pointing out the fine performance by rising star, Johnny Depp. (Why do I remember these things?) People listen to Roger Ebert, I thought; the movie will be seen now.

The Kitties and I are unanimous.

For Johnny Kitties, the scene to draw was clear: Axel and Paul enjoying their first dinner with Elaine and Grace. One of the great things about this movie is that so much is going on in each scene, and this 15-minute, hilarious, crazy scene tops them all.

Elaine (The Mother Kitty) spends the evening talking about one of her obsessions, Papua New Ginea, a topic that is killing her step-daughter Grace, who threatens to yank the tablecloth off to destroy the table setting if she mentions it one more time. Meanwhile, Axel (Gordon) is explaining his recurring Eskimo dream (while keeping his eye on Grace's pet turtle, who has his mind set on escape.) Paul (Norman) is focused on Elaine's legs – and the big plate of spaghetti in front of him – and Grace is playing footsie with Axel under the table. Through it all, the wobbly ceiling fan is threatening to crash on the party, and Django Rhinehardt's fantastic song "Minor Swing" is whirling in the background.

The Mother Kitty insisted on playing Faye Dunaway's role. No one could deny that she's perfect for it, though I hesitated considering Axel and Elaine's romantic entanglements later on in the story. But, if we're just doing this scene, I suppose it's okay. Simon was supposed to play the part of Axel's wily cousin Paul, but was bullied out of his seat once Norman saw all the food on the table and found out that all he had to do in the scene was eat the spaghetti. Ashes, who loves Lili Taylor as much as the rest of us, was excited to play Grace because she couldn't wait to smash the dishes. (She's disappointed that we didn't get to that point.)

I added some windows in the background to highlight some other interesting movie moments: The first introduces Uncle Leo (B.J.) and his new wife Millie (Paulina Porizkova/Lily) next to his newly planted cactus on the front lawn of his flamingo pink home. The middle window shows the Eskimo family in Axel's dream after Dewey, the dad, returns home with fish for dinner. (Simon was happy to switch roles with Norman and play in the snow with Mini here.) The last window displays one of Elaine's beloved flying machines, which Axel keeps building and Grace keeps destroying in this story.

None of this makes much sense does it? Well, I don't always say this, but listen to Roger Ebert and rent Arizona Dream. It still might not make complete sense, but it'll be worth it.

What's coming up? 

After this, Simon got busy teaching Gordon his favorite circus tricks and pratfalls because, next, Johnny would channel Buster Keaton to create another memorable character and performance in Benny and Joon. Check out the Johnny Kitties page to see my review Benny and Joon and Johnny's other films. 

                                                                  ---------

Copyright credits: Nightmare on Elm Street (Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare) photo © New Line Cinema; Arizona Dream stills and DVD cover image © StudioCanal Image/Hachette Premiere; "Into the Great Wide Open" official music video still courtesy of TomPetty.com; Illustration © Melissa Connolly

Anybody want a doughnut?

 Hi everyone,

Happy National Doughnut Day! 

I just finished my blogging course on May 31, and one of my goals is to create an editorial calendar for my blog. So far, all I've done is create the actual blank calendar. In my research of interesting days in June, though, I came across National Doughnut Day. I assumed it was a sales idea from Dunkin' or Krispy Kreme, but it was actually the Salvation Army's idea!

Celebrated on the first Friday of June every year since 1938, National Doughnut Day was first enacted by Chicago's Salvation Army as part of a fundraiser to help those in need during the Great Depression. However, this special day originated during World War I, honoring the Salvation Army Lassies who volunteered to serve home-cooked foods, including doughnuts, to soldiers on the front lines to help boost morale. 

I suppose a fresh home-baked doughnut would brighten anyone's day. Just see how Norman reacts below!

This morning, I also found out it's National Hug Your Cat Day! (Wait, is that not every day? It is at my house.) And, it's National Cheese Day! So, after you finish your doughnut, you know what to do.

Have a delicious weekend! 

Melissa's Kitties blogs into a new era

Hi everyone,

For me, 2021 is a year of new beginnings. More than a year into the pandemic, I am working at home and still figuring out a daily routine that incorporates more healthy habits. (Will I ever stick to it?) I'm also intent on focusing the things that bring me joy every day. 

One of those things is sharing my kitty drawings on Melissa's Kitties blog, which I have done since 2006. I participated in the Illustration Friday drawing challenge, which provided a single word or topic each week for art inspiration. That humble beginning started on a whim with my first Illustration Friday drawing – "E is for... Environment" – and grew into today's 18 cuddly characters, a popular monthly film tribute series, and hundreds of random quirky kitty adventures. 

In recent years, I posted on my blog more sporadically, inconsistent in time and topic, because of personal distractions and lack of motivation. In fact, I burned out last year and stopped drawing altogether. Toward the end of 2020, however, I woke up from my unplanned hibernation and shook off the crustiness. I realized it's disrespectful to neglect Melissa's Kitties and its readers after the 15 years of joy they've given me.

Toward the end of the year, despite discovering that the Illustration Friday drawing challenge no longer existed, I slowly began drawing again....but....at a....snail's....pace. My heart was back in it, but something was still missing.

Then, I got an email from Holly Becker, founder of Decor8 and Decor8 Courses, pioneer blogger, and overall inspirational, nice person. In 2010, I took her great online course, Blogging Your Way, to learned the basics of blogging. (I still have all my notes!) After a break from teaching to focus on books, print media, and other work, Holly magically showed up in my inbox this year with a new blogging course – Attract, Engage, Grow! – and it couldn't have come at a better time! 

As the title suggests, this six-week course promises to help bloggers grow their platform with integrity and heart. I am ready to do it! 

For me, the lessons have been eye-opening and inspiring from the start, answering my nagging questions and providing special guest expertise on specific topics. Class began in mid-April, and I had an epiphany after the first week, which focused on finding my voice. I realized that Melissa's Kitties needs to get back to its original kitty-centric focus on a new, easy-to-use, modern platform. My blog needs love, attention, and maybe just a whole new start. 

With this in mind, I am renaming this blog: Melissa's Kitties is now The Mother Kitty, inspired by the cat who started it all. You might remember the recent post I wrote about her, Beauty. Those memories convinced me that the new blog name is the right one: It celebrates The OG Kitty, my original inspiration, everything that came after her, and everything she continues to inspire. 

For class homework, I created this mood board, representing my initial vision and inspiration for The Mother Kitty blog. 

There's not much to it: It's all about the kitties, their stories, personalities, and special talents. The Mother Kitty blog will continue to explore their fascinating lives through daily activities and special series, highlighting our mutual love for arts and entertainment. I am still working out content details as class continues, but the kitties and I are excited to reintroduce ourselves to you soon as The Mother Kitty family. 

Stay tuned for exciting changes this summer as we transfer to a new and improved blogging platform, where Melissa's Kitties blog will refresh, revive and move into The Mother Kitty's world! Thanks for sticking with us on this exciting journey, and don't forget to join us on Instagram @themotherkitty too. 

Lots of love, 

Spring!

 Hi everyone,

Tyrone, Emily, and Walter are ready to play with you...

Do you have spring fever too?

Queen

 Hi everyone,

Recently, I watched Disney's Queen of Katwe, the 2016 biographical film directed by Mira Nair about the discovery and rise of Ugandan chess champion Phiona Mutesi. Aside from the inspiring story and wonderful performances by Lupita N'yongo, David Oyelowo and others, the colorful costumes really made an impression on me by somehow capturing Africa's vibrancy, even in the Ugandan slums. 

Here is Ashes playing the part of the chess prodigy. She won't tell me if she knows how to play chess, but I assume she does because she's smart like that. The background is inspired by the many colors of African flags, from Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe and more. With too many to represent, I couldn't include all of the colors that make up Africa's diversity, but I hope this at least captures the spirit of the whole beautiful continent. 

If you haven't already seen it, watch the movie and let me know what you think. 

Sweets!

 Hi everyone,

Last month, the managers of my apartment building surprised us with goody bags. You'll see below what Chef Simon did with the contents. As usual, Norman helped in his own way. 

I aimed to get this posted in time for Valentines Day, but I just couldn't stop eating the marshmallows and forgot all of my other priorities. Norman and I have some things in common. 

Yum!

Beauty

Hi everyone,

Here's a true story: In 1987, not long after we moved from Massachusetts to Ohio and were steeped in culture shock, Dad heard about a homeless cat who was hanging around the University of Akron, not far from where we lived.

He brought her home as a surprise, leaving her in our garage for us to find. The Kitty was scruffy and gray in spots from spending too much time outdoors, under cars and in other unladylike places. 

But this is how she looked to me when I first saw her. We were instant best friends. 

Mom insisted that The Kitty have a bath in our kitchen sink, which revealed a snow-white, fluffy coat. Afterward, The Kitty said, "Thank you," proceeded to give herself another bath on her own (as cats do), and began to explore her new home. 

The Kitty settled into our hearts for the next 20 years and beyond. She became The Mother Kitty after having six kittens, including her world-traveling son Gordon. 

Later in life, she shared her space with her kind-hearted and entertaining Siamese friend, Simon, who ran literal circles around her daily – just for fun. This pastime has nothing to do with demonstrating his level of intelligence. Instead, it relates to his days as a traveling circus performer. He wants to keep in shape and his skills sharp for whenever the circus comes back to town. 

Granted, we all know who is the smarter one in this odd couple, but The Mother Kitty would never brag about that. When you are Kitty #1, you don't need to brag about anything. 

The Mother Kitty is a one-in-a-million original beauty, inside and out. And she knows it.

Love, 

Intrepid

 Hi everyone,

Happy Inauguration Day! As we begin a new era in the United States, let us be intrepid in our choices, words, actions, love, and kindness towards others. We can make the world a better place for all of us.

I didn't have this in mind when I drew the illustration below. My inspiration actually came from Drew Barrymore (and my cat). I found out about Drew's new daily talk show – launched amid the pandemic in late September – and set my DVR for it because who doesn't like Drew Barrymore? 

At first, I must admit, the overt joy, love, silliness, weirdness, and hippie-dippie positivity that is The Drew Barrymore Show was a shock to my tired, heavy system. But I kept at it and now look forward to this mood board of a show, as she refers to it, as my time to decompress with a cup of tea. It's a daily shot of sunshine, whether you want it or not. 

One day, Drew showed up carrying her personal, giant dictionary and unveiled the show's first Word of the Week: Intrepid. This revelation made me gasp because I had been trying to think of a way to revive my blog with new drawings. 

Until 2019, a website called Illustration Friday posted a new word every Friday that served as my inspiration for a weekly drawing challenge. I had been doing this routinely since 2006 and, eventually, I saw the site repeat some terms, which was disappointing. (Sometimes I drew something newly inspired by the repeated word, but usually these repeats inspired nothing new for me.) 

As a result, some weeks, I skipped the drawing challenges and, as time went on, I found it harder and harder to feel motivated to draw and post because of other things going on in my life. Then, I unintentionally took 2019 off from drawing anything, and my typical schedule faded away. It was during this time that Illustration Friday's website disappeared. You may have noticed that new posts since then has been sporadic at best. 

In my attempt to start fresh in 2021, it occurred to me that I could come up with my own inspiring words of the week, creating my own drawing challenge and schedule. A few hours later, Drew Barrymore showed up with her dictionary and gave me this word – intrepid – to kick things off. 

What are the odds? (This is one of the many reasons I love Drew Barrymore!) This happened before Thanksgiving, and I don't think she has introduced another Word of the Week since then, but still: Thank you, Drew Barrymore, for blowing the dust off and sparking my imagination! 

According to Merriam-Webster, intrepid means being characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance. Here, Lily faces her own daily challenge – a brave leap from our comfy lounge chair to her trusty window seat. 

   

She makes it every time. Go, Lily! 

Until next time, be intrepid, friends...and, also, still keep your distance, wear your masks, and wash your hands! 

Love,

Happy New Year!

Hi everyone,

I don't think I've ever looked forward more to the start of a new year, and I know I'm not alone. While nothing is very different from a few days ago, I feel determined and motivated to make positive changes and look to the future with hope and optimism. 

One of my priorities is to refocus on drawing for my blog and building it into something larger. (I know I have said this before, but I might mean it this time.) 

I am going to find new sources of inspiration and practice drawing and posting more consistently. A new drawing series is swirling in my head, and I aim to get around to building a portfolio website with a store. These are all thoughts and works in progress right now, but I'll do my best to tackle things one at a time. So, please stay tuned!

Step one, here's a new blog banner featuring the growing Kitty family. What do you think of this crowd? They barely fit: It's a good thing they all get along. Shouldn't we all? 

 

Take care, everyone: Until safer times, keep wearing your mask, wash your hands, and stay socially distant – unlike the Kitties, here, but it's okay: They are in their Kitty Bubble.

New drawings and more are on the way. Here's to new beginnings in 2021!

Love, 

Seasons Greetings from The Kitties and me

Hi everyone,

2020 continues to be a crazy year for all of us. But I found that these turbulent, uncertain times are a  reminder to be grateful for every little thing. 

Enjoy your friends and families, near and far, as we await brighter days ahead. (We did just pass the Winter Solstice, so they really will arrive.) 

Remember – now more than ever – we must continue to wear our masks, stay socially distant, and wash our hands. Stay safe and healthy! 

Here's to a fresh start in 2021, full of fun, joy, peace, togetherness, and Kitties! See you soon. 

Lots of love, 

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #58. Waiting for the Barbarians (2019)

[What is Johnny Kitties? See Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp for all the details. Visit the Johnny Kitties page for a full list of Johnny Depp's filmography and links to all previous Johnny Kitties blog posts.]

"So, to me, Joll is a series of very strong protective walls he's built to ward off feeling, to escape feeling. I mean, what does he do when he's alone? He may weep in a closet. I don't know. To me he seemed like he was ready to pounce on anything that penetrated his armor. I think Joll is, in a sense, a victim on his own." Johnny Depp on Colonel Joll

"He was very charming and across the camera was very present and focused. A lovely person to act with. He brings up a kind of great vulnerability." Mark Rylance on Johnny Depp

Why are we waiting for barbarians?

The daily routines of a magistrate (Mark Rylance) managing an isolated outpost of an unnamed empire is disrupted by a visit from Colonel Joll (Johnny Depp), who demands a report on the current state of affairs amid growing concerns of an impending uprising by the local nomads or — as the colonel refers to them — the barbarians. His cruel interrogation tactics toward them makes the magistrate question his loyalty to the empire over his conscience. Director Ciro Guerra's Waiting for the Barbarians is a thought-provoking film based on the 1980 novel, written and adapted by Nobel laureate J.M. Coetzee. 

I haven't read this novel, but both Johnny and Mark Rylance immediately connected to the story's relevance. "The shocking thing for me, which was the beacon that stayed there, was the fact that it felt all true and relevant to today in many ways in a lot of different places in the world," Johnny explains. "Power begets power, and there are those who decide who follows or who is disposable or unnecessary, and all those decisions are made by the people at the top." Mark Rylance adds, "The way the novel can be extrapolated to almost any circumstance in the world, to any point in history, is staggering." 

Who are the real barbarians here? 
Because of the pandemic, Waiting for the Barbarians was released to streaming services, and I ended up watching it at my desk on my iMac. I prefer a trip to a movie theater for the big screen, but it was nice to be able to prepare my own snacks (hot chocolate and strawberries) and click play on YouTube whenever I was ready. 

I was afraid to watch this movie because I already unintentionally saw headlines of mixed reviews that praised Johnny's terrifying performance. But that didn't stop me. Not only did I watch it, but I liked it! Of course, I prefer no cruelty or torture, but as a whole, I liked the look and feel of everything else in this film. Beautifully shot by cinematographer Chris Menges, it's got a meditative, slow pace and a great soundtrack by Giampiero Ambrosi to match.

The movie opens to this pulsating beat in an expansive desert, following a lone carriage surrounded by soldiers on  horseback.  Colonel Joll, a member of the police from the Bureau of State Security, has arrived at this random outpost to question the magistrate and locals about the current state of affairs. 

Johnny is sinister and stoic with a steadfast frown here: He has always been great at expressing everything with a look rather than a word, and this performance is a good example. He does have some great lines, but mostly, he instills fear by just looking official and menacing. With a nod or other minor gesture, he can get his underlings to spring into action. 

"I find the most interesting thing about bad guys throughout history, or characters like Joll, is that people don't wake up in the morning and decide while they are shaving: 'I'm going to be the meanest or worst human being. I'm going to cause as much havoc as possible,'" Johnny explains. "No, for me, playing Joll, he seemed very different to me than a bad guy. That felt like it would have been too easy. If you try to think about how a man like that is built, how he is turned, how a man like this arrives at that place: Is it really to be without emotion; is it sociopathy or psychopathy? Or is there somewhere in that guy that harbors a broken child in there or that has been hammered into a shape by his father or mother in his upbringing?"

Colonel Joll is a stark contrast to the magistrate, wonderfully portrayed by Mark Rylance. This quiet, thoughtful observer is kind, gentle and respectful toward the natives. Having witnessed the unnecessary pain and suffering that Colonel Joll inflicts on the locals without any real cause, you see the magistrate's frustration grow. The Colonel's explanation — "Pain is truth; all else is subject to doubt." — just doesn't cut it. As Colonel Joll's crew disturbs the peace and leaves the outpost in ruins, the magistrate's loyalty sides with the locals. It's a good thing, too, because these nomads will eventually get it together. 

I like that there's so little action in this movie that it's hard for me to describe. For example, one scene shows the magistrate falling asleep after hours of washing a local woman's injured feet with warm water. Watching this movie, I could focus on and see what the characters were thinking. How often does that happen?

The Kitties will put a stop to any barbaric behavior.

The best part of Colonel Joll is his cool shades. Johnny describes them: "When Ciro came up with the shape, they were threatening, menacing, somehow; and the fact that he wouldn't take them off, he would make the magistrate as uncomfortable as possible. He learnt some tricks over the years. Calmness, stillness and quiet, and holding your response to a question can be quite disturbing to the person on the other side of you. They are levels of maintaining the armor." 

Check out this sketch by production designer/set decorator Crispain Sallis. "Through that characterization, [Johnny] cut Colonel Joll back to the absolute bone, making any additional theatrical flourishes, such as the glasses or the swagger stick, things to absolutely relish," he explains. 

In my own illustration, I'm not sure the shades come across quite as menacing, but Colonel Joll (Gordon) also accessorizes his uniform with a golden hammer that he considers using to beat up the next barbarian. (Did I mention he's not a nice guy?) This is the only moment where Colonel Joll manages a slight smirk, pleased with the fear-induced power he has over these nomads. When the magistrate (Comet) speaks up, pointing out his evil ways, Colonel Joll's face and stance stiffen and his frown returns. Don't worry, Comet didn't get hurt in the making of this illustration. (Also, I realized after I finished this drawing that the uniforms are a deep navy color — not black — but it all depends on the sunlight, right?)

Check out this Crock of Gold!

In other exciting Johnny news, be sure to catch Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan, a documentary that Johnny produced about his friend and frontman of the Pogues. It is available now in the United States and Canada for viewing on home digital platforms and DVD. Additional worldwide releases are coming later this month. I am getting ready to watch it with the volume up. 

What's next? 
Look at me, all caught up with Johnny Kitties! Mark your calendars for February 5 to see Johnny as war photographer W. Eugene Smith in Minamata. I am pacing the floors for this one. 

All photos © Samuel Goldwin Films, except the glasses sketch, courtesy of Crispain Sallis, and the Crock of Gold poster, courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. 

Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp Film #57. The Professor (2018)

[What is Johnny Kitties? See Johnny Kitties: Celebrating Johnny Depp for all the details. Visit the Johnny Kitties page for a full list of Johnny Depp's filmography and links to all previous Johnny Kitties blog posts.]

"The Professor is a quirky comedy of sorts – stark, enchanting, funny, tragic. It's rare to see comedies that tackle the subject of death." Danny Houston

"Accepting one's mortality and the fact that we're going to die shouldn't be a depressing thing." Wayne Roberts

"May we forever remember that in each and every moment, we are composing the stories of our lives. Let's aim to make it a meaningful read or at least an interesting one." Richard Brown (Johnny Depp)

Life is what you make of it. 

After learning that he has terminal lung cancer and maybe six months to live, Professor Richard Brown (Johnny Depp) realizes that he has no time to waste and spends the rest of it teaching his last students to say what they mean, live however they want, and make the most out of life. Taking his own advice, Richard speaks without a filter, indulges in his whims, and creates his own path toward the exit. Through The Professor, writer/director Wayne Roberts poses tough questions and makes bold statements to remind us that death is an important part of life.

The Professor got a failing grade. 

Typically, I don't look for or read movie reviews before I see them – especially for movies I'm looking forward to seeing. Reviews affect my own opinions: Once I read them, I can't forget what was said while I'm watching the movie. In the case of The Professor, the reviews found me and most of them were bad. The sentiment was so universal that the movie was never properly released in theaters in the United States. Instead, it went straight to DVD in 2019. 

I only read a couple of these bad reviews before I decided to deduce the opinions from just the headlines. Some reviewers made the unfair comparison of Richard's behavior to Johnny's own, so I stopped reading and waited to see this thing for myself. 

I see what they mean, but...

Maybe it was because of the reviews, but I didn't like The Professor at first. He and his wife are so mean to each other. He is bad at his job and doesn't care. He's a bad influence on his students. He's making bad choices. Is this really what people think Johnny is doing in his own life? How dismal. 

What I find so jarring is that Richard's choices of how to spend the rest of his days are so different from what I would think to do, but that's probably the point. Anyone who finds out that they are going to die soon probably assumes that they should do whatever they feel like doing in the moment. In Richard's case, that includes drugs, infidelity, and a bender in the middle of the week. 

...The Professor has some good points.

I warmed up to The Professor because there are also moments of reflection, clarity and purpose. In fact, it made me cry by the end, which has got to mean something. 

Like most Johnny movies, The Professor has a great beginning. In the opening scene, Richard is in the doctor's office getting the bad news – a terminal diagnosis and only a few months to live. For the next few minutes that span the rest of his day, the news sinks in and Richard is lost in thought about what it means. Johnny is so good at saying so much without saying anything, but Richard shares his distress and anger every once in a while with a single repeated curse word, expressed in a variety of ways. It's both funny and sad.

I also love the elements that glue this movie together – the structure and soundtrack, the cinematography and scenery, and the script and cast. 

• 
  The Professor is divided into chapters that reflect Richard's thought process: For example, Chapter 1 is I Have Something To Say and Chapter 3 is I'm Really Going to Die. I like how these titles set the tone for the next scenes. 
• Also setting the tone is a great soundtrack that includes refreshing classical and comforting Motown. 
• Filmed in Vancouver, The Professor is full of beautiful shots, highlighting impressive architecture, sets, and scenery that makes me want to plan a vacation there. Given the grim start and Richard's resulting irreverence, I appreciate having something pretty to look at. 
• Unorthodox behavior aside, Richard offers plenty of worthwhile lessons about not letting life pass by unnoticed. 
• 
  This great cast, including Rosemarie DeWitt, Danny Houston, Odessa Young, and Zoey Deutch, seem wholly invested in capturing the balance between life and death, and it's clear that they are having fun doing it. "Johnny's just so alive and present and real in every moment," says Devon Terrell (who plays student Danny). "It's so brilliant to be in a scene with someone who is so kind of almost animalistic in a way that something's going to happen in every moment. You just didn't know what."

I love seeing the relationship between Richard and his best friend Peter (Danny Houston). Danny Houston's performance is my favorite in this movie, maybe because I would likely react the same way to the news of a friend's (or Johnny's) impending death. Apparently, the feeling was mutual: "My experience with Johnny was love at first sight," Danny Houston says. "I don't know if we're playing into what's required for the characters of the piece or whether it's truly heartfelt, but at the moment, it feels absolutely real." I also related to Richard's bond with his daughter Olivia (Odessa Young). In the end, their goodbye is what brought me to tears. (The original title of this movie was Richard Says Goodbye, which makes more sense to me.) 

I'm not sure The Professor deserves all the bad reviews it got. Sometimes, it lays it on thick that life should not be wasted, but is that such a bad message? The humor might be lost on some people because of the seriousness of this subject, but I appreciate the attempt to take the sting out of death. The Professor suggests that we should not be afraid of death but let it help us focus on a well-lived life, there is no time like the present to make changes and do what we need to do, and when the time comes, we should go out however we want. These are themes Johnny has always seemed to live by, so I'm not surprised that he connected to this character. This story may have struck close to home too: The Professor is dedicated to Johnny's mom, who died of lung cancer in 2016.  

The Kitties get it. 

When thinking of how The Kitties could represent The Professor, one scene kept coming back to me. Most of the movie shows Richard indulging in his vices, telling people what he really thinks, imparting words of wisdom to his students, or saying goodbye to those he loves. But in this scene, Richard is alone, dealing with his own thoughts and pain. Maybe I'm reading too much into this moment, but it seems like Richard is realizing that this is really happening, that it's out of his control, and it's something bigger than everything else. He looks up toward the sky, as church bells toll in the background, and it cuts to Chapter 4, titled, It's Really Starting to Kick In. Maybe I'm not too far off. 

I was also struck by the interesting stark angles and textures in this shot of someone huddled in a space with jagged rock, aged wood, and hard tile. It's an uncomfortable but pretty space. 

What's next? 

In Waiting for the Barbarians, Johnny plays a colonel who doesn't have to say much to instill fear in innocent people, waving his misguided authority around with a fancy golden hammer. 

All film images © Global Road Entertainment; illustration © Melissa Connolly

Johnny Kitties Special Edition: Cry-Baby Revisited

Hi everyone,

Surprise! This drawing took me weeks to finish, I think, because I feel like I captured everything I wanted to capture about John Waters' 1990 classic Cry-Baby in my first tribute drawing in 2011. Can you believe it's been almost 10 years?

I've always felt uneasy about including the Confederate flag stage curtain in that original drawing, even though it is accurate to and fits well in the film. The Black Lives Matter movement and recent events only amplified my concern. Yet, that Cry-Baby artwork was drawn with nothing but love, so I will keep it in my Johnny Kitties collection. 

But here's another piece to celebrate Cry-Baby that I think I might love just as much: It's Cry-Baby in the daytime. The nice thing about revisiting this movie to create a new illustration so many years later is that enough Kitties have joined our family to play all the characters. 

Welcome to Turkey Point! 

This scene is early in the movie, just after Cry-Baby talked to Allison for the first time and then serenaded her while driving on the wrong side of the road after school. Now at home, with Allison still on his mind, Cry-Baby and his gang greet Grandma Ramona and Uncle Belvedere. I knew this movie was going to be great when I saw that Director John Waters got Iggy Pop to take a bath outside in a bucket. 

In this illustration, Gordon plays Johnny's character, as always, and Lily, again as Allison (Amy Locane), invades Cry-Baby's thoughts. The Mother Kitty and B.J. also reprise their roles as Ramona and Belvedere (Susan Tyrrell and Iggy Pop). The rest of the Kitties mix it up: This time around, Comet and Ashes play Milton and Hatchet-Face (Darren E. Burrows and Kim McGuire). Mini portrays Cry-Baby's sister Pepper (Ricki Lake), with Stephen and Mew as her little kids (Jonathan Benya and Jessica Raskin). Emily shows her stuff as Wanda (Traci Lords), and Walter plays it cool as Dupree (Robert Tyree). 

But maybe the real star of this drawing is the skeleton head, just in time for Halloween. The Kitties stayed away from that role. 

The only thing missing from this drawing is a snippet of Cry-Baby's fantastic soundtrack. I couldn't fit the lyrics, but I did have "(My Heart Goes) Piddily Patter, Patter" by Nappy Brown in my head the entire time I was coloring: "My heart goes Piddily Patter, Patter/ Piddily Patter, Patter/ Every time I look at you/ Don't I know what's the matter, matter?/ What's the matter, but I think it's cause I love you." That Cry-Baby soundtrack still rocks, '50s style! 

What's Next? 

New Johnny Kitties illustrations, celebrating Johnny's two latest films – The Professor and Waiting for the Barbarians – are swirling in my head and on the horizon. Until next time, I hope you enjoy this flashback.