Python Hyena Get Shorty (1995): Dir: Barry Sonnenfeld / Cast: John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny De Vito, Delroy Lindo: Interesting film with an awkward title that leaves much to be desired. It stars John Travolta as Chilli Palmer who arrives in Hollywood to collect a debt from filmmaker Gene Hackman. He takes interest in a script and convinces Danny De Vito to star. Others also seek the script and will resort to any means to obtain it. Interesting and detailed plot although the conclusion is questionable. Directed with insight by Barry Sonnenfeld with great insight into Hollywood backlash. Winning performance by Travolta who switches gears when applying his skills within the realms of Hollywood. Hilarious turn by Hackman as a producer owing much and may have a way out through Palmer. Unfortunately the methods applied are questionable. De Vito is funny as the hottest actor in Hollywood who is taught to act by Palmer in a very funny sequence. Rene Russo is effective casting as Hackman's mistress. The issue is that the role is somewhat a con yet she is actually the bait to Palmer's charm. Delroy Lindo technically plays the film's villain as he forces his demands in the business outskirts. Well made film that has its flaws yet counters them with witty dialogue and an engaging theme. It regards Hollywood and the dark side of its competing nature. Score: 7 / 10

A_Different_Drummer One of the great mysteries of all time, right up there with Area 51 and the Da Vinci Code, is why the film industry, now into its second century and -- as you read this -- consuming on a relative basis more bandwidth than any other form of media, cannot produce consistently decent product? Now don't misunderstand. This is not to say that most movies are inherently bad, for that is not true either. However one of the dirty little secrets of the industry is that the "breakout" ratio is around 20:1. That is, for every 19 forgettable products that are churned out -- products that keep the cable and streaming media pipelines full, and keep food on the table for all the electricians, caterers, and Best Boys -- about one actually is memorable enough to attract a permanent audience or become near-iconic. Not a very efficient ratio! The late Marshall McLuhan tried in his lifetime to develop the notion of "media ecology," essentially the premise that the cultural output of a society was no less important than any other industry output, and therefore an effort should be made NOT TO WASTE THE RESOURCES or (simply put) produce junk. Like the infamous joke about about the "Nietzsche graffiti" (first line: "God is dead - Nietzsche." Second line: "Nietzsche is dead. God") that attempt did not turn out so well. McLuhan is gone, and the ratio has arguably gotten worse, because there are now many more pipelines to fill. Which brings us, belatedly, to GET SHORTY, not only a great film (one of Travolta's best performances, so effortless you wonder if he phoned it in, and Pixar just added a body) but one of Hollywood's most "inside" scripts ever. (Comedians have "inside jokes." Hollywood has "inside scripts.") The premise here is that the making of a movie has little to do with the movie, and everything to do with egos and business capabilities of the people making it. The idea that a professional mobster could stumble into Hollywood and suddenly realize that making a film is no different than planning a hit, or a robbery, is sheer brilliance. And very close to home. In the history of the medium, it is one of the only movies to deal with the delicate (and unpopular) issue of ... why so many bad films have to be made, simply to produce one good one...?

gwnightscream John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, James Gandolfini, David Paymer and Dennis Farina star in this 1995 comedy based on the novel. This focuses on Miami Loan-shark, Chili Palmer (Travolta) who decides to go into the movie business after he's sent to L.A. to collect a debt from producer, Harry Zimm (Hackman). Chili works with Harry on a script based on actual events of goofy dry-cleaner, Leo (Paymer) who scammed $300.000 off an airline he miraculously survived from. There's also a bag full of drug money hidden in an airport locker that becomes eyed by Chili and others. Russo (Major League) plays actress, Karen Flores who falls for Chili, DeVito (Throw Momma from the Train) plays her ex-husband & actor, Martin Weir, Lindo (Ransom) plays Harry's crooked investor, Bo Catlin who wants to work on Harry's new script, the late, Farina (Manhunter) plays Miami collector, Ray "Bones" Barboni who doesn't get along with Chili and the late, Gandolfini (The Sopranos) plays Bo's associate, Bear who is an actor/stuntman. This is a good, entertaining film with a great cast I recommend.

edwagreen To me, this was still another take off on Damon Runyan. The latter always was able to bring in two diverse groups in his stories. This yarn seems to follow that pattern with mobster Chili Palmer, a heavy smoking John Travolta, going to Hollywood and seeing for himself mob-like activities in tinsel town as well.Travolta is very good in the part. What became of the David Palmer character in the film. He had stolen $300,000 from the airline who had paid his family, not realizing that he had taken himself off the plane before it crashed.Dennis Farina, an ex-policeman in real life, is terrific as one of the mobsters and Gene Hackman is a riot in a different type of performance for him as a producer who is in the thick of things as well.I wish that someone could explain to me the role of Danny De Vito here. As a two-time Oscar winner, De Vito's role should have been expanded here. This is also true for Rene Russo.