Are My Blinkers Showing?: Adventures in Filmmaking in the New Russia

by Michael York

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He was the raging, youthful Tybalt in Franco Zeffirelli's classic filmRomeo and Juliet. He was a divinely decadent foil to Liza Minnelli's divinely decadent Sally Bowles in Bob Fosse's Oscar-winning Cabaret. And he won over an entirely new generation in the Austin Powers movies. Now Michael York is off to make the biggest independent film in Russian history-in the capitalist Wild Wild West that is today's Russia. York is co-starring alongside the 300-pound, 6-foot-6-inch Russian bodybuilder show more Alexander Nevsky (think Arnold Schwarzenegger) in an action film calledMoscow Heat. With a self-deprecating wit reminiscent of Charles Grodin inIt Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here, an eye trained on the imponderables of day-to-day life (especially in faraway places-what on earth did the hotel's laundry list mean by the mysterious men's garment it called "blinkers"?), and with an increasingly alarmed sense of how the new Russia, for all its capitalist trappings, is becoming ever more like the old Russia under an ever more autocratic government, Michael York has crafted a deliciously readable insider's account that transcends genre. There's much here to be found aboutthe actor's craft, much to be found about Russia then and now-but most of all there is the singular pleasure of being in the company of a witty and delightfully articulate observer of people, places, and the remarkable adventure called moviemaking. show less

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5+ Works 58 Members
Michael York, May 27, 1942 - Michael York was born in Fulmer, England, on May 27, 1942. He performed on stage with the National Youth Theatre in London and on international tours. He also belonged to the Oxford University Dramatic Society, having graduated Oxford in 1964. He was also a member of the Dundee Repertory, and Laurence Olivier's show more National Theater Company - where he worked with Franco Zeffirelli, who gave him his film debut as Lucentio in "Taming of the Shrew" in 1967 and his breakthrough role as Tybalt in "Romeo and Juliet" in 1968. He first appeared onscreen in "The Mind Benders" in 1962, and got his first good film role in "Accident" in 1967. He also appeared on TV earning acclaim for his portrayal of Jolyon in "The Forsyte Saga" in 1967. Perhaps York's best role was the part of Brian Roberts in "Cabaret" in 1972, followed by Count Andrenyi in "Murder on the Orient Express" in 1974 and D'Artagnan in several Musketeers films. Michael York has starred in over 50 TV movies, continued stage work, starred on Broadway, made many spoken word recordings and written and lectured internationally. His autobiography, published in 1993 was titled "Accidentally on Purpose." He was also a recipient of the O.B.E., or Officer of the British Empire. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

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Genres
Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir
DDC/MDS
791.4302Arts & recreationRecreation, sports, and performing artsPublic performancesMotion pictures, radio, television, podcastingMotion picturesStandard subdivisions
LCC
PN1997.2 .M63 .Y67Language and LiteratureLiterature (General)Literature (General)DramaMotion picturesPlays, scenarios, etc.
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Paper
ISBNs
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