niara

I remember this one from when I was in high school. I remember Kim Basinger with that Texas drawl. I also remember Melanie Mayron, who I believe played a photographer. Pretty typical story about a young woman who poses for a playboy-like magazine and ends up leaving the town she was raised in because of all the trouble her photograph created for her and her family. She ends up in Hollywood, chasing a dream of becoming an actress, and of course, things don't work out as she had hoped. I remember another character -- they all end up in a Hollywood apartment as roommates, of which Melanie Mayron was one. There was a particular character in this TV-movie who was young, had a child, and was willing to go to certain lengths to become famous whereas Basinger's character would not cross that line. I'm sure this TV-movie is pretty dated now (it is nearly 30 years old) and will probably never be released on DVD but I remember it clearly. It has stayed with me all this time, particularly the end.

I have to admit I was very, very hopeful when I added "The State Within" to the top of my netflix queue. Stellar cast, BBC production. But sometimes you never know. However I must admit I was extremely surprised at how much I enjoyed the series.

It's six hours long and you have to pay attention because it has some great twists and turns and moments that will make you gasp out loud. As you watched the spectacle unfold you couldn't help but see the parallels to today's political climate and it just makes you...sad. Jason Isaacs was brilliant -- he's a far more talented actor then I had ever imagined. Of course, all I have to compare him to is Harry Potter, but I had no idea he had such presence, such ability, such range. The ending catches you completely off-guard. Whew.