The Drovers Old Time Medicine Show - Prater's Creek Gazette

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Arts and Music (CONT.)

The Prater's Creek Gazette

16th Issue Winter 2007 Page #8

Mask

cello

books

(Cont.) The Gazette’s Christmas Present to Our Readers:
WINONA RYDER

Most of her films can be lumped into the “chick flick” category, and one such film was How To Make An American Quilt. Women across America loved Winona’s hairstyle so much they were going to the salon asking for that cut. I have to admit I drove all the way to Greenville to watch this movie. Winona was worth it.

I also drove there to see Celebrity that was written and directed by Woody Allen. When the camera first catches glimpse of Winona, we see exactly what Woody wanted us to see. That she is the most beautiful woman ever. Her face fills the screen in that scene with a natural radiance not seen since early Elizabeth Taylor, Natalie Wood, and Audrey Hepburn. She is often compared to the three brunettes because they too were beautiful young actresses who matured into goddesses. But Winona is a much better actress than Liz and Natalie, and has had much better roles than Audrey.

Which brings me to an interesting point. I usually only like women with long hair and Winona usually has short hair. It’s a puzzler.

In 1999 she made Girl, Interrupted with Angelina Jolie, who won an Oscar for her performance. Winona actually went on Leno’s show to promote the film! It was a first for her to actually go on a talk show and plug a new movie. During her chat with Leno, while answering a question about the film’s soundtrack, she turned to the audience and suddenly said, “ You HAVE to go buy Wilco’s new CD Summerteeth!”

She then appeared in a couple of duds such as Alien Resurrection and Autumn in New York. I thought Autumn would do very well at box office, starring Richard Gere and all, and thus restore Winona to the A-list. But, the movie got slammed for having an old geezer like Gere romancing Winona, who was then in her late 20’s.

Then came the unexpected, and shocking, shoplifting arrest. This was not supposed to happen to Noni. We may have grown accustomed to the daily bizarre antics and arrests of present day starlets such as the Lindsays, Britneys and Parises, but Winona was never like those girls who crave our attention 24 hours a day. But, there she was, caught on the Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Ave. surveillance camera, removing tags from clothing and attempting to walk out without paying. She was arrested as she tried to leave the store. When the cops searched her purse they found lots of painkillers. Then came the “Free Winona” T-shirts (notice on the cover of The Drovers Old Time Medicine Show’s Dreamland CD where, among drawings of Walter Payton, Richard Petty, Brooks Robinson, and Johnny Unitas, Winona wears a “Free Clovis” T-shirt!).

Before the arrest and trial, she had filmed the remake of the Jimmy Stewart classic, Mr. Deeds, with the idiotic and no talented Adam Sandler. “Well” I, and many other Winona fans, thought, “at least she’ll be back in the spotlight again.”

She hosted Saturday Night Live around that time, with Neil Young as her guest, and also made an embarrassing appearance on the MTV Movie awards with Sandler. On the SNL appearance she poked fun at her arrest and on the MTV show she let Sandler make her ample breasts the object of his little pre-award giving banter.

It was also at this time that the “Free Winona” shirts showed up on Rodeo Drive.

She now blames the shoplifting on an addiction to the painkillers. I don’t know. I still can’t stand it. But she made a beautiful plaintiff showing up everyday looking like the delicately, cute, little waif we love. As the prosecution was wrapping up their case against her, the DA brought up the Polly Klaus case and accused Winona of being involved for publicity. Winona got very upset and spoke back being admonished by the judge. It was probably my favorite Winona Moment. I loved her more than ever.

Winona received three years probation and 480 hours of community service.

As part of her comeback, she appeared on a couple of television shows such as “Strangers With Candy” and of course the legendary episode of “Friends” where she kissed Jennifer Anniston.

Winona is back with four great movies late this year and early 2008. And she has been in a lot of fashion magazines, most notably on the cover of a recent “Vogue”. To paraphrase one of her movie titles: WELCOME HOME, WINONA RYDER!

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