But the fun guy, as he was in real life, is Dean Martin's character – he wears a cowboy hat and, like Dean, doesn't give a shit about anything.

Hey pallies, likes all true Dino-holics knows the transformational power of our Dino. Well, today's Dino-gram is from the Guardian pad where Miss Hermione Hoby's interview is of up and comin' flick director Richard Linklater, who speaks of how the Dino-classic "Some Came Running" changed his life.

You will read below Mr. Linklater's testimonal of how viewin' SCR has impacted his life. Seems that Richard relates well to both the Dino and frankie characters, but I am 'specially moved by his Dino-appreciato....

" but then he's this boozing, gambler guy too, and Dean Martin, playing Bama Dillert, represents that world."

"But the fun guy, as he was in real life, is Dean Martin's character – he wears a cowboy hat and, like Dean, doesn't give a shit about anything.

"Dean Martin: not caring so much, just a cool guy. Sometimes I think I'd rather be Bama Dillert"

Gotta say thats like I am always so moved when I read the amazin' impact that our beloved Dino has on others lifes...'specially others like Mr. Linklater who has chosen the arts as their profession.

So, enjoys readin' 'bout the power of our Dino. Thanks to the Guardian pad (clicks on tagg to read this in it's original format) and Miss Hoby for sharin' this. Thanks also for Richard Linklater sharin' so openly how our Dino's performance has impacted his life. And, of course thanks most of all to our Dino who influence just glows and grows each and every Dino-day! Dino-focused, DMP


The film that changed my life:

Richard Linklater Some Came Running by Vincente Minnelli (1958)


Interview by Hermione Hoby
The Observer, Sunday 11 April 2010



I was 23 and I was really starting to dig into film's history. I'd just moved to Austin, Texas, and I was voracious - I was watching maybe 600 films a year. And then I came across a campus screening of Vincente Minnelli's Some Came Running. I didn't take it on as a "Oh here's a great film you have to see" - it's just something I wandered into.

Some Came Running Production year: 1958 Country: USA Cert (UK): PG Runtime: 137 mins Directors: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Arthur Kennedy, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Martha Hyer, Shirley MacLaine More on this film It really resonated with me. It's about the prodigal son come back to his home town and it's about art and sex and who you want to be – all those important things. It's a Sinatra vehicle but I love it because it's about an artist who's flopped, and that's hard to depict. There's the person Sinatra's character, Dave Hirsh, kind of aspires to be – he had the chance to be the very greatest, but then he's this boozing, gambler guy too, and Dean Martin, playing Bama Dillert, represents that world.

I have different feelings about those guys every time I watch it. It's like Citizen Kane – every time you see it it's a different movie.

Sinatra always made it all about him, and this is maybe his best-ever performance. But the fun guy, as he was in real life, is Dean Martin's character – he wears a cowboy hat and, like Dean, doesn't give a shit about anything. It reflects how those guys really were – Sinatra: conflicted, easily wounded, striving. Dean Martin: not caring so much, just a cool guy. Sometimes I think I'd rather be Bama Dillert than Dave Hirsh, but it's fun to side with each of them.

It's based on a novel by James Jones, who wrote From Here to Eternity; Some Came Running was his follow-up novel and even though it didn't do as well, they managed to get a really wonderful screenplay out of it.

Have I taken things from it for my films? I wish! They don't make 'em like that any more. I would love to, but I don't think people would buy that kind of 50s melodrama. There are sequences that are intimate, one-room scenes, but then there are beautiful crescendos, like the one at the end – he can deliver that too. Minnelli's sensibilities were perfect for it – the sensitivity and the bravado. It hits all the notes.

That said, it opens with Sinatra travelling on a bus and someone pointed out to me that I have numerous movies which begin with a character travelling. I wasn't even that conscious of it but I think it's a good device.


Richard Linklater is the director of Slacker, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and A Scanner Darkly. His latest film, Me and Orson Welles, is out now on DVD