Tikisoo

Julie Andrews has an almost perfectly symmetrical face: Most faces don't look best when photographed face on...plus she ROCKS the pixie hair cut!

I've been waiting for Volume 2 since reading the first one. Revelatory, she was a child prodigy. I too have been an avid Julie Andrews fan even when she was considered "saccharine sweet" unpopular. She sure showed the world in those Blake Edwards films she can do it all deftly- drama, comedy musicals, everything. I also love her name inclusion in the old BEDAZZLED movie. She's extraordinary.

I just finished Lorna Luft's ME & MY SHADOWS, her memoirs of her life as Judy Garland's daughter. I didn't like it very much, it wasn't very well written, just OK. Her Mom died when she was around 12 y/o, obviously devastating to anyone. She brings up how awful it is when strangers say, "I loved your Mother too, her death was a great loss for the world" which is how we feel, but so inappropriate to SAY to her daughter. Lorna has very loving memories of her Mom, Dad, sister & brother often punctuated my her Mom's irrational behavior. Lorna is talented in her own right (I often see her name as vocalist in liner notes) and it was crushing to hear her first shows she was billed as "Judy Garland's daughter & Liza Minelli's sister:" Oy, Lorna's a tough cookie. Very sad to hear of Judy's irrational behavior in her later years due to drugs. We all know it happened, but it's especially tragic when it happened to someone as talented as Judy and all those in her life. I'm re-reading the Gerald Clarke book about Judy, GET HAPPY to see if her later years corroborate with Lorna's first hand experience. I started reading second hand book David Skal's THE MONSTER SHOW and within a few chapters realized I had read it before from the library. Wish I had known that when I had met Skal at a horror festival!

Are you positive the broadcast is incorrect aspect ratio? Most televisions have an "aspect ratio" button where you can easily change the image shown on your screen. For example, if you notice people's heads cut off the top of your screen, you need to change your TV's a/r to "normal" instead of "zoom". I pop back & forth between screen a/r all the time - so many early films are "normal" square, while many 60's and later movies are "widescreen". I also prefer my TV's "theater mode" screen setting for black & white films instead of "standard". It makes the blacks & whites much less harsh and more sepia toned, easier on old folks eyes.

That's Mary Astor? Look at the size of her coffee cup! Guess this deserves another viewing. Like Bunny Lake, I've completely forgotten anything about it. Liked it OK, but not burned in my brain.

Handsome Leslie Nielson: ....and dreamy Chris Isaak?

Wow I did not realize that. I like some of the Sven breaks, well only when he gives Wiki back ground on the stars. The other stuff is schlock, but I like knowing there are still TV hosts willing to play for kids. It's what got me into old movies as a kid. But knowing there's stuff edited right out-THAT'S the horror! Mr Tiki & I watched VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED for the first time and it was OK, but I bet there were missing scenes in that too-it could have easily been better. Lawrence just reviewed this 1974 TV movie of The Ten Commandments starring Burt. Lawrence wasn't impressed. Biblical pictures are less sordid than schlock, though. And what about this guy who didn't find his stride until a snow top:

Looks like Leslie Howard and Lyle Lovett

These big corporations are so money driven, they just run to wherever the market points. No, it's very quickly consolidating. The big bucks run to the next "thing" and try to be the dominant winner- like a dog pile on the rabbit. I think this will evolve for the independent, niche providers to emerge for awhile. Until the dominators buy up all competition, like Disney has. I was excited MrTiki subscribed to Netflix. I used to be able to see hard to find classic and a few very obscure films when they dealt in disks. Streaming is hugely disappointing. I watched a few episodes of some recommended shows, but wasn't impressed at all. What happened to their classic titles? We, the classic film fans are not "mainstream" by any means, so none of the giant corps are "worried" at all. There's enough non thinking consumers out there evident by the plethora of chain restaurants serving prepackaged food like Cracker Barrel, Olive Garden & Golden Corral Buffet.

I always thought she was having a fling with her husband's partner Marlowe. No?

Upon the urging of fellow members here, I watched KISS ME KATE, a 1953 MGM musical, most likely the only one I hadn't seen. I lurve Howard Keel, but can't stand Kathryn Grayson. I was told I'd feel differently about her in this one and they were right. I don't care for Grayson when she's an overly sweet, coquette with that trilling voice. But here, she was feisty, mature and really pretty, not sappy at all. That said, I had a hard time concentrating on ANYTHING else besides Keel's magnificent mound: (follow the bouncing ball) I loved the costumes and the colors on all the gorgeous healthy young dancer's bodies. Excellent vocals, Cole Porter songs, yeah it was good. One of the lithe young men in tights executed a perfect double spin leap I had to put back and watch in slo mo. I realized I had seen Bob Fosse credited-of course! This number really highlighted his new modern style. Ann Miller was adorable as usual and did a couple of dance numbers with other people-something I thought she never did-share screen time. The story centers around a professional couple in a stage musical together that mirrors Shakespere's Taming Of The Shrew. As far as musicals go, it was the usual eye popping super lush production that I enjoyed very much. I doubt I'll revisit it, though.

A great advertisement for NOT BUYING LEATHER. I can't think of anything trashier than a leather couch. Wait. A leather couch with a recliner.

Because homogenized cheap eating/cheap shopping are a more important entertainment for most Americans than art. Especially since art has now been downgraded as "entertainment". Re: Gone With The Wind Sorry I find your comments pretty shallow, James. A former bf thought the exact same thing....until he actually watched the movie. He was sobbing during the intermission and I asked him what had moved him so deeply. He said he was impressed at the evolution of charactors, and how the movie illustrates how circumstances changed them. The entire point of the story is that Scarlett is brought up to be a spoiled pretty thing and she becomes the strength of the family and those who do not evolve (the Wilkes) are the actual spoiled brats.

Barkin is in a lot of films; her performances are consistently good, she always adds strength to any movie she's in. Why didn't she become a bigger star? Also in a lot of films. Consistently overacts- silly, campy performances. Why did he become such a big star? Oh yeah, I think BAMBI is Disney's masterpiece. Just gorgeous storytelling with pictures-the animators really got the movement & weight drawn correctly. I love the April Shower song and the mouse washing his face with one raindrop. When I first saw THE LION KING at the theater, and the heavy handedness of the song & animation of "Circle of Life" I just groaned. No comparison. I like, "It's alright....the water's STIFF"

What a unique movie poster! Must be a foreign film.

Be prepared, the LGBQTXYZ crowd is calling for "they" be the preferred pronoun when speaking of one person, not multiples.

I couldn't agree less. Both are engrossing on the big screen, if you "get" the story. And I'm the first person to admit to not always "getting" a story. I've been in the MIDNIGHT COWBOY discussion since I seem to be the only person who didn't like it. I'm giving it another try, now that I've accepted the sordid subject matter and a little older. (sometimes makes a difference) I once actually narrated 2001 for my teenager, to assist her following the story. She just about jumped off the couch in joy at the ending! It can be a spectacular film if you can allow the pictures (instead of words) to tell you the story. The lulls allow you to digest what you've seen and formulate the story rather than bombard you with action to make you forget your impressions. It's hard to explain, but it's one of those films you need to work at a little, participate. It's not a spoon fed story so it's understandable not everyone is going to "get" it. Kubrick's THE SHINING is another example of his movies that work more like a dream/nightmare than a linear story.

I'd like more elaboration, Lawrence. I know it's asking a lot, you often write so much detail about the movies you've seen. Just a little more of your impressions would be very helpful to decide whether to seek these films out.

Yawn. The movie has had these rumors since college kids smoked pot while watching it on TV. Anyone remember the Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon LP thing? Coincidence. Baum's OZ books also have theories of political messages hidden within the charactors.

This was a first viewing of THE FISHER KING for Mr Tiki, and he commented on that as well as the whole plot line about the mass shooter encouraged by an idiot's comments on the radio. I did love your comments on Bridges incredible performance through the story arc.

Since the central theme is "we're all connected", you'd be lost without the first introduction of each character. Once they are in the story together -about halfway point- you understand their connection. It very much reminds me of Clarence the angel saying in It's A Wonderful Life, "Then help me by letting me help you."

1991's THE FISHER KING - a perfectly directed movie whose central theme is that we are all connected starring Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer & Micheal Jeter. The performances of all principles are truly outstanding and charming with the most perfect dialogue in a movie EVER. This viewing was prompted by my missing Michael Jeter-this is one of his best performances- and was reminded just how much I loved Mercedes Ruehl in this too. Solid support all around. This was one of Terry Gilliam's earlier films where he didn't write the screenplay, and the movie is better for it. Gilliam concentrates on telling the story in his own unique way, most notably his personification of psychosis as The Red Knight, an image only Robin Williams (as character Perry) can see. The incredible costume, lighting, fireballs and slow motion for the Red Knight is reminiscent of the imagery in NIGHT/CURSE OF THE DEMON. Gilliam's work shines in the luminous, thoughtful often dazzling cinematography bringing you into this world of contrasts between life's love/beauty coldness/ugliness and seriousness/absurdity: I watch this periodically just to remind me what great filmmaking & acting looks like. If you haven't seen this, I highly recommend it!

Haha that reminds me of another howler line in a movie song (what movie?) where the song is about being yourself and the singer says, "Some like to pitch, while other like to catch" or something to that effect.

I dislike Danny Kaye but have requested this title based on your recommendation. While also disliking Jerry Lewis and Red Skelton, revisiting them has helped me gain better appreciation for their style of humor. Danny Kaye was mentioned in Madeline Kahn's biography- her first Broadway role was in TWO BY TWO where Kaye was the star. Apparently he was unhappy with the script and ad-libbed lines, often getting a big laugh at the expense of his colleagues while leaving them in the lurch for lines. Everyone put up with him because he was the big draw. Kaye's unusual memorial is a bronze bench with bas relief figural images of the unique things he loved in life.

That was the only unintelligible sentence. I got a good laugh over that one though, once I figured it out.