Alpha Dog and Nicholas Markowitz
January 21, 2007 11:27 PM Subscribe
(Spoilers for Alpha Dog.) Alpha
Dog (trailer), the story of
a botched kidnapping set in a Southern California milieu of affluence, bad parenting, rich kids, partying, and marijuana dealing, is based on the case of
Nicholas Markowitz. Crime Library.
Interview with Nick Cassavetes,
the writer and director. Susan Markowitz.
I'm actually rather fond of Alpha Dog, which reminded of any number of wackadoo cult 70s thrillers, and the true story is both bizarre and...well...Alpha Dog. Some of the strangest moments from the movie are, amazingly, all simply a matter of record.
Good post!
posted by Sticherbeast at 2:28 AM on January 22, 2007 [1 favorite]
Good post!
posted by Sticherbeast at 2:28 AM on January 22, 2007 [1 favorite]
I saw this movie in a half-full theatre. About 80% of the crowd was comprised of teenage girls who only showed up to see Justin Timberlake. (One of whom whispered, "I love you Justin," everytime he appeared on screen. She later freaked out when he delivered the line, "Fuck me." Really, you should have seen it.)
Unfortunately, I think this movie will miss the demographic most in need of seeing it.
That said, I agree with Sticherbeast in that the strangest moments are also the most real, and those slight touches of absurd reality give the film unexpected value.
posted by dogwalker at 5:02 AM on January 22, 2007
Unfortunately, I think this movie will miss the demographic most in need of seeing it.
That said, I agree with Sticherbeast in that the strangest moments are also the most real, and those slight touches of absurd reality give the film unexpected value.
posted by dogwalker at 5:02 AM on January 22, 2007
Omg, don't spoil Alpha Dog!
Tyrannosaurus rex dies at the end.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:29 AM on January 22, 2007
Tyrannosaurus rex dies at the end.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:29 AM on January 22, 2007
I already saw this movie on Dateline NBC or America's Most Wanted or whatever.
Well, that one didn't have Justin Timberlake, but the plot was the same.
posted by teece at 8:41 AM on January 22, 2007
Well, that one didn't have Justin Timberlake, but the plot was the same.
posted by teece at 8:41 AM on January 22, 2007
Yeah, I saw it on 20/20 or whatever last year.
The really strange thing is Justin Timberlake doesn't seem like somebody who totally needs to get his ass kicked anymore. What happened? Is this accurate or am I turning gay somehow?
posted by b_thinky at 9:30 AM on January 22, 2007
The really strange thing is Justin Timberlake doesn't seem like somebody who totally needs to get his ass kicked anymore. What happened? Is this accurate or am I turning gay somehow?
posted by b_thinky at 9:30 AM on January 22, 2007
No, Justin Timberlake's PR skills are amazing. He's gone from boy band, to shedding anything to do with Britney Spears (great move), to avoiding fall out over the Super Bowl incident, to positioning himself as the definition of cool (if that definition includes loud Miami influenced beats).
Besides this, I still can't believe the guy was named Jesse James Hollywood. It is akin to naming your kid George Washington Normandy and sending him into politics.
The only thing that would make these seemingly bizarre events more rational is if it was revealed Jesse Hollywood was really hyped on cocaine/amphetamines or something. It would make everything seem a lot more lucid.
posted by geoff. at 10:14 AM on January 22, 2007
Besides this, I still can't believe the guy was named Jesse James Hollywood. It is akin to naming your kid George Washington Normandy and sending him into politics.
The only thing that would make these seemingly bizarre events more rational is if it was revealed Jesse Hollywood was really hyped on cocaine/amphetamines or something. It would make everything seem a lot more lucid.
posted by geoff. at 10:14 AM on January 22, 2007
Oh great, the triggerman has my last name. Some Hoyts are non-murderous nice people, really.
Though one of the defendants was 17, most were in their 20s; blaming the situation on "bad parenting" is misguided, I think. Surely all of them could have been given stronger moral compasses by their parents, but at some point you've got to let adults take responsibility for their own actions, particularly assholes like these guys.
posted by Sterling Hoyt at 10:54 AM on January 22, 2007
Though one of the defendants was 17, most were in their 20s; blaming the situation on "bad parenting" is misguided, I think. Surely all of them could have been given stronger moral compasses by their parents, but at some point you've got to let adults take responsibility for their own actions, particularly assholes like these guys.
posted by Sterling Hoyt at 10:54 AM on January 22, 2007
"...blaming the situation on "bad parenting" is misguided, I think. Surely all of them could have been given stronger moral compasses by their parents, but at some point you've got to let adults take responsibility for their own actions, particularly assholes like these guys."
I think it says a lot more about both the apathy of our society and its willingness to ignore the truth.
The whole story makes my skin crawl because I'm sure it's not an isolated case; perhaps the murder part, yes, is the extreme conclusion, but I know that this kind of scene is being played out every year by high school kids all over our country.
And - sorry I have to say this - if pot were legal a lot of that crap never would have happened.
posted by rougy at 9:49 PM on January 22, 2007
I think it says a lot more about both the apathy of our society and its willingness to ignore the truth.
The whole story makes my skin crawl because I'm sure it's not an isolated case; perhaps the murder part, yes, is the extreme conclusion, but I know that this kind of scene is being played out every year by high school kids all over our country.
And - sorry I have to say this - if pot were legal a lot of that crap never would have happened.
posted by rougy at 9:49 PM on January 22, 2007
Disturbing and compelling story russilwvong. Thanks for the post about it.
Jesse James Hollywood sounds like a classic young psychopath, who attracted other destructive personality disordered kids, as psychopaths often do.
posted by nickyskye at 11:47 PM on January 22, 2007
Jesse James Hollywood sounds like a classic young psychopath, who attracted other destructive personality disordered kids, as psychopaths often do.
posted by nickyskye at 11:47 PM on January 22, 2007
I can't find any evidence that this is true, but I could swear this story was already made into a movie a couple of years ago, because I saw something just like it on cable.
No brand-name actors that I recall, probably straight-to-cable, since I don't recall it having been in theaters.
Does anyone else know what I'm talking about?
posted by poppo at 7:42 AM on January 23, 2007
No brand-name actors that I recall, probably straight-to-cable, since I don't recall it having been in theaters.
Does anyone else know what I'm talking about?
posted by poppo at 7:42 AM on January 23, 2007
poppo, maybe you're thinking of Bully? I doubt that's it, but comparisons are easily drawn between the two.
posted by dogwalker at 4:40 PM on January 23, 2007
posted by dogwalker at 4:40 PM on January 23, 2007
I saw the preview and thought to myself The Chumscrubber
posted by bleucube at 7:56 PM on January 23, 2007
posted by bleucube at 7:56 PM on January 23, 2007
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posted by chasing at 1:17 AM on January 22, 2007