Topic: YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW (Read 83528 times)

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #30 on:** January 15, 2005, 01:29:26 AM »

Tonight, I had a pleasant movie experience. After din, I flicked on the telly and first went to TCM which had nothing I wanted to see, then switch to Fox Movie Channel. An arresting vista with an arresting title song...sung by Jimmie Rodgers, no less...immediately...well, arrested me. It was the beginning of LONG, HOT SUMMER...a motion picture entertainment that has escaped me all these years. So The Lovely Wife (who had seen it before) and I settled into watch it. This happens to me a lot with older films. Something will just hook me in seconds and I'm there to the bitter end. The very fine song was written by Sammy Cahn and Alex North, who also wrote the very fine score (North...not Cahn). Anyway, the movie had a whole mess of fine players. Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Orson Welles (in fine scenery-chewing form), Lee Remick, Anthony Franciosa, and Angela Lansbury. The script was of a high literary quality by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank...very smart and witty and great mouth-watering speeches for actors. All the actors were fine and Martin Ritt directed with a sure hand.

It also oozed with sensuality. The overt sexuality of the film was quite remarkable for 1958. Lansbury obviously screwing Welles. Welles telling Woodward, he's going to make her marry that "bull", that "stud' Newman, making it very clear without ever saying it that Richard Anderson's character is homosexual and is never going marry Woodward (Welles' character calls him a "sissy").

Fine moovin' picture! We should have stopped there.

Unfortunately, we decided to watch one of the screeners I got, which through some psychic premonition I had been avoiding, called BEFORE SUNSET (a film that has inexplicably gotten a WGA nod for best screenplay). Fifteen minutes into this irritating piece of pompous flatulence, The Lovely Wife turned to me and said, "You know what I think about this film...?" In another psychic burst, I said: "It's trying too hard to be naturalistic." Which is indeed what she was thinking. We finally decided toward the end that this was actually one of those pretentious French films in English. It's the kind of a film that only seems weighty in a Foreign language, but if we actually knew what they were saying, it would be utter, self-absorbed, pseudo-serious drivel.

bk · « **Reply #31 on:** January 15, 2005, 01:30:03 AM »

Well, I guess I'll Bunny Hop to the bedroom and lay my weary bones down on the bed environment. I suppose I'll try to sleep in in the morning.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #32 on:** January 15, 2005, 01:30:57 AM »

The Lovely Wife and I are bunny-hopping all over the place! Hop! Hop! Hop!

Panni · « **Reply #33 on:** January 15, 2005, 01:37:28 AM »

And I may vomit on the ground from the bad Indian food I had tonight. This is the first Indian meal I've had since moving back to LA - used to eat Indian food at least once a week in Boulder. This was not good. Not good at all. My Chicken Masala did not taste like chicken. Everything tastes like chicken. Hence the phrase, "It tastes just like chicken." So how can chicken not taste like chicken?? Just asking.

Panni · « **Reply #34 on:** January 15, 2005, 01:40:22 AM »

LONG HOT SUMMER has one of the best openings ever. That barn going up in flames and that great music. Love it!

elmore3003 · « **Reply #35 on:** January 15, 2005, 04:15:24 AM »

Quote from: Panni on January 15, 2005, 01:09:01 AM

And here it is...

DRPanni, great photo!

elmore3003 · « **Reply #36 on:** January 15, 2005, 04:45:02 AM »

Good morning, all! Another B&N day, and I'm still dragging through my morning ablutions. I've got two jobs to do this week, one for concert and one for recording, so I most likely will be watching or listening to very little.

Right now, JEEPERS CREEPERS is playing, and I just got the NEW MOON recording from Rodgers & Hamerstein, which I want to follow with the score. Perhaps I'll do that this evening after I lay out one of the two charts I have to do.

I'm happy to see DRGinny has committed to March 19. Any other out-of-towners making plans?

ozderek · « **Reply #37 on:** January 15, 2005, 05:22:57 AM »

hello ... hello ... (i hear an echo) ...

.. i'v logged on and not a single person to talk to ..

.. as mrs meers would say "sad to be all alone in the world"!

(i'll type quietly so i don't wake you all .. ssssh!)

Michael · « **Reply #38 on:** January 15, 2005, 05:32:29 AM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on January 15, 2005, 04:45:02 AM

Good morning, all! Another B&N day, and I'm still dragging through my morning ablutions. I've got two jobs to do this week, one for concert and one for recording, so I most likely will be watching or listening to very little.

Right now, JEEPERS CREEPERS is playing, and I just got the NEW MOON recording from Rodgers & Hamerstein, which I want to follow with the score. Perhaps I'll do that this evening after I lay out one of the two charts I have to do.

I'm happy to see DRGinny has committed to March 19. Any other out-of-towners making plans?

You can put me down on the list.

Michael · « **Reply #39 on:** January 15, 2005, 05:34:49 AM »

Right now I have Ice Station Zebra in the DVD player. Which I already watched and was disappointed in.

Oh someone at Warner Bros does have a sense of humor. The put the trailer for The Avaitor at the beginning of the DVD.

ozderek · « **Reply #40 on:** January 15, 2005, 05:34:58 AM »

dvd:
"Open Water" - why did the critics say 'tense', 'riveting', 'edge of your seat' ... it was as frigtening as watching a gold fish

cd:
1. "Harem" - Sarah Brightman
2. Jim Steinman compilation
3. "A Man of No Importance" - Ahrens/Flaherty
4. "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" - Ann Margret revival
5. 60's compilation

Michael · « **Reply #41 on:** January 15, 2005, 05:39:31 AM »

CD player in car

Postcards in the Hall (Songs of Craig Carnellia)
Listen to My Heart (Nancy LaMott) Looking forward to her new cd coming out: Live At The Tavern on the Green.
Matt Bogart: Simple Song Which DR Elmoore did some of the orchestrations. The others I am, guessing were culled from previous recorded material. The Rain Song sounds as if it came from 110 In the Shade that Ron Raines recorded

ozderek · « **Reply #42 on:** January 15, 2005, 05:39:41 AM »

Quote from: Panni on January 15, 2005, 12:53:51 AM

Just watched THE VILLAGE.

What did you think of it?

One of my favourites from last year. Sooooo many people were disappointed with it ~ those who wanted full on horror. I saw it from a completely different angle .. was quite moved

by the beauty of the performances and the story in general.

Michael · « **Reply #43 on:** January 15, 2005, 06:17:05 AM »

i found this on line to add a little more info about Ice Station Zebra and Cinerama

A bit of history. Back in the early 60s MGM made a deal with Cinerama, Inc. to film 5 productions in the original 3 camera/projector process. Two films were made that way: "How The West Was Won" and "The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm." MGM, because of high production costs as well as the immense dificulty in filming in the process then decided to switch to single camera 70mm processes for the final 3 films. Cinerama, Inc. by that time had been purchased by Pacific Theatres who immediately abandonded the original process and ceased all developement of a true single camera system that would have approximated the 146 degree view of the original 3 camera Cinerama. Since Cinerama Inc was in financial difficulties they agreed to let MGM use the name for 3 other films: "Grand Prix", "Ice Station Zebra" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" only when the films were actually presented in theatres that had true Cinerama screens. Eventually a whole slew of films from several movie companies used the "Presented In Cinerama" nomenclature for theatrical showings. None of them were the "reel" thing.

Ginny · « **Reply #44 on:** January 15, 2005, 06:37:56 AM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on January 15, 2005, 04:45:02 AM

I'm happy to see DRGinny has committed to March 19. Any other out-of-towners making plans?

Since I'll be coming via Cleveland, I'll probably have at least 8 coats...

Jrand74 · « **Reply #45 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:01:14 AM »

Well we saw ICE STATION ZEBRA in the local Cinerama theatre - and not knowing the difference, thought it was good. It had a lot of "stars" and a souvenir book and expensive seats. I saw it with a group of friends, and liked it. Liked the music and the story. Saw it recently on TCM and will probably buy the DVD. Not a great movie, and probably I like it because of when and who and where I saw it - but it's okay.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #46 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:02:33 AM »

And no it didn't fill the screen like HOW THE WEST WAS WON had done!

Media Check:

VCR - The Cardinal
DVD - BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL
CD - Phantom of the Opera - Soundtrack

Matt H. · « **Reply #47 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:05:34 AM »

About last night's figure skating.

I just didn't see what you saw with Kwan. I found her jumps perfunctory, lacking flair. Yes, she was expressive in the quiet moments of the program, and "Spartacus" is always great music to skate to, but the jumps were just there and the combination even a little stiff and slow.

I found Kirk's and Biatrissa Liang's jumps to show much more flair and expression. And I agree that Liang deserved to be top 3. Cohen should have been fourth or fifth instead of second.

Matt H. · « **Reply #48 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:11:39 AM »

All of the movies that played at our CInerama theater, the Carolina, after HOW THE WEST WAS WON - and that included THE SOUND OF MUSIC (for well over a year), DR> ZHIVAGO, 2001, ICE STATION ZEBRA, STAR, HELLO DOLLY, PAINT YOUR WAGON) - did not use the entire width of the Cinerama screen. There were curtains that could be opened to just the amount of screen that was being used, and I remember a fair amount of curtain on either side that never went all of way over.

Matt H. · « **Reply #49 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:14:02 AM »

Friday Media Check (on Saturday):

CD - '1776' soundtrack (courtesy of DR George, and THANK YOU!)

DVD - BUTLEY
THE GREAT WHITE HOPE

Matt H. · « **Reply #50 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:19:15 AM »

BTW, I noticed on THE GREAT WHITE HOPE that Fox has included both the widescreen and fullscreen editions of the film. Why on earth they'd bother to port over a full screen version of a film originally shot in Panavision, I don't know. I hope the bit rate of the widescreen transfer doesn't suffer and end up looking terrible. I'll see later.

Michael · « **Reply #51 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:21:18 AM »

I see that Darling Lili is going to be released on the same day as Li'l Abner. Does anyone is it the original theaterical version or the director's cut (which is really a cut because its shorter)

Matt H. · « **Reply #52 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:27:29 AM »

bk, WHAT A WAY TO GO! was not a box-office bomb. It was ranked 7th on the list of the top grossing films of 1964. Now, I don't know what it cost to make, and maybe the gross was disappointing in comparison to its cost, but it was not a bomb.

Perhaps you're thinking of MacLaine's next star vehicle, JOHN GOLDFARB, PLEASE COME HOME which was a bomb.

Matt H. · « **Reply #53 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:28:37 AM »

DR Michael, I haven't read which version they're going to release, but my guess would be the (shorter) director's cut since that is the version that got a VHS release most recently.

td · « **Reply #54 on:** January 15, 2005, 07:43:00 AM »

DARLING LILI is set to be the shorter director's cut (which, for once, I actually prefer) with the deleted scenes (mostly aerial footage) as part of the special features. Still not a word as to whether Blake and Julie will do a commentary track; I for one would love to hear them talk about the infamous "I'm the only queen on this set" comment.

As for WHAT A WAY TO GO! I enjoyed it as much this week as I did when I saw it at the drive-in when it was first out. (Of course then, I was a wee lad of 8, and mostly I remember - in addition to the wealth of actors - Mum sitting and counting each of the costumes Ms. MacLaine wore). But, that's what makes horse racing; I still enjoy the film and the Comden and Green script, the Nelson Riddle score and the Kelly + MacLaine production number.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #55 on:** January 15, 2005, 08:51:24 AM »

Good Morning!

Not much more to add since my posts earlier this morning... Except...

The house is strangely quiet this morning. Even Iki is being very quiet downstairs. Hmm...

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #56 on:** January 15, 2005, 08:53:47 AM »

BK's Bunny Hop posts reminded me of another song of a more recent vintage:

"They're coming to take me away, a ha!
They're coming to take me away..."

Matt H. · « **Reply #57 on:** January 15, 2005, 08:55:59 AM »

Didn't the director's cut of DARLING LILI ax the children's song featured on the film score recording? Seems like it did, but I haven't seen it in so long that I may have it confused with something else.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #58 on:** January 15, 2005, 08:57:18 AM »

OOOHH!!!

Finally caught up on some of my "mass mail" e-mails...

-It's Clearance Sale Weekend at Tower. Inventory must be just around the corner.

and

-Qantas is offering Round Trips from L.A. to various cities in Australia starting from $757! And for only a couple of dollars more, you can add a multi-day stopover in New Zealand or another Australian destination. Hmmm.... -Let's see... I close Feb 13, here... I have to be in New York on March 5... Hmmm...

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #59 on:** January 15, 2005, 08:59:44 AM »

OK - I'm just randomly babbling at this point...

-Is that redudant? "randomly babbling"? Would it have made more sense if I had typed "babbling randomly"?

I haven't a clew!?!?!?

However, what I do have a clew about is that I have a matinee in two hours, and I must get ready to head in...

OH!!

DR MBarnum - Did you stay up to watch "Nightline"?

News:

Author Topic: YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW (Read 83528 times)