HOLLYWOOD—Henry Jaglom certainly has made a name for himself as a creative genius in Hollywood moviemaking and in being known as a woman’s director. Just on the heels of last year’s acclaimed “Irene in Time,” and mega hits over his distinguished career, now Jaglom is preparing to release his best film yet. “Queen of the Lot” is the sequel to the 2006 popular film “Hollywood Dreams,” which chronicles the life of a young woman who moves from Iowa to Hollywood in order to become a star.
In the sequel to “Hollywood Dreams,” Margie has changed her name to Maggie and has taken the studio system in Tinseltown by storm. However, much like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears, Maggie has a number of DUI’s racked up on her rap sheet as long as the list of her budding film credits. Maggie is determined to become a superstar like her idol Norma Shearer, who was the Queen of the lot at MGM Studios over 70 years ago. Now Frederick, who is as creative and reliable as Bette Davis on the big screen turns the entire role into a more exciting part than ever before.
Noah Wyle is a Hollywood leading man who has made a name for himself on television on the NBC long-running Emmy-winning hit drama “ER,” and has appeared on the big screen as well. However, the chemistry that Wyle and Frederick share on screen sent tabloids speculating that the two were a lot closer than they actually were. Wyle has become so charismatic on the screen, his fans will be astonished by the maturing of one of Hollywood’s most gifted thespians.
Tanna Frederick has worked opposite many leading men, however, in this role she forces the viewers to fall in love with her in a whole new way. The depth in which these two get into their performances in “Queen of the Lot” is something rarely seen today on any film set. Perhaps Glenn Close and Michael Douglas in “Fatal Attraction” is the most unique pair of stars who smoldered the set of their film in such a manner. Whatever you do, don’t miss this Jaglom film, as Academy voters should also not take a chance at missing either.
Other show-stopping performances include my friend Mary Crosby (who is best known to the world as Kristin Shepherd, the woman who shot J.R. Ewing on “Dallas” in the mid 1980s), and her mother Kathryn Grant Crosby, who was a contract player at Columbia Studios alongside actresses Constance Towers and Rita Hayworth before she married iconic actor Bing Crosby. In addition, standouts also include Christopher Rydell, Peter Bogdanovich and Sabrina Jaglom, the daughter of the famed filmmaker, who never gives less than an outstanding performance in her roles.
Moviegoers better prepare for the type of chemistry on-screen by Noah Wyle and Tanna Frederick, that they miss from the great films of the 1940s and ”˜50s. Tanna Frederick is truly queen of Independent films and Noah Wyle is in this film has become the hottest leading man of the 21stcentury in Hollywood. It was an honor for me to be on the set of most of the filming of this picture, to witness utter professionalism on the parts of all of the stars of “Queen,” most especially Mr. Wyle and Ms. Frederick. Frederick not only made her dreams in Hollywood come true, she is a gift to Hollywood as well.
“Queen of the Lot” premieres in Hollywood on November 18 and will open in Washington D.C. and New York City in December.
Photographs are Courtesy: Rainbow Film Studios in West Hollywood
