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Burl Stiff should replace David Elliott as San Diego Union-Tribune’s film critic

January 25th, 2008 by Scott Marks

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Who will take over as Union-Tribune film critic now that David Elliott’s services are no longer needed? The logical choice would be Lee Grant whose weekly “Out Takes” column frequently ran opposite Dave’s reviews. In the past, book editor Arthur Salm, who wrote a very funny review of Untraceable in yesterday’s Night & Day section, has been called in to pick up the spillover.

Then it dawned on me. Why not let society guru Burl Stiff try his hand at reviewing? With all his insight into the world of high power glitz, he’d be a natural to take over the movie beat.

While at the Adams Ave. library, I decided to check out some of Burl’s greatest hits on microfiche and discovered that at one time he did review films for the U-T. In the early-70s Burl was assigned the opening of Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris.

Hot buttered Brando
by Burl Stiff
Arts Writer

October 14, 1972

There was Bacon on the menu, but only during the opening credits.

Never mind the tango. Before it was over, the stomachs of patrons that asked for extra butter on their popcorn were probably doing the Mazurka.

Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris, which opens today at the Guild Theatre, is not for the faint of heart. Several regulars of the Los Patronas Jewel Ball were seen making an early exit.

Marlon Brando is in it, so is Maria Schneider. Jean-Pierre Leaud does a devastating vamp on Francois Truffaut, while Veronia Lazar has the makings of a stunning corpse.

Also in the cast, Maria Michi, Giovana Galletti, Catherine Allegret, Luce Marquand, Marie-Helene & Catherine Breillat, Dan Diament, Catherine Sola and Mauro Marchetti.

Others were Peter Schommer, Rachel Kesterber, Ramon Mendizabal, Mimi Pinson, Darling Legitimus, Gerard Lepennec and Stephane Koziak.

Vittorio Storaro shot it (in Technicolor), while Mr. Bertolucci, Franco Arcalli and Agnes Varda all contributed to the script. The producer is Alberto Grimaldi and the saxophone score comes courtesy of Gato Barbeiri.

It took two to edit it (Franco Arcalli and Roberto Perpignani) and three to design the production (Maria Paolo Maino, Fernando Scarfiatti and Philippe Tulure).

The identical Gitt Magrini bathrobes worn by Mr. Brando and Massimo Girotti are smart and stylish. Ms. Magrini also appears in the role of Ms. Schneider’s mother.

The film is rated ‘X’ and has a running time of 136 minutes.

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