Tikisoo

Frankie Darro was able to play kid roles into his 50s-- I am exaggerating but not much! That's because Frankie Darro didn't change very much. He definitely still had the face, stature & voice to play a teen well into his 30's. In his 50's he mostly played a jockey. (very well too-Darro is another Tiki House Favorite) Darro was very talented but his Peter Pan appearance held him back from more "adult" roles. Although Donald O'Conner made the transition fairly successfully. Elisha Cook Jr had that "Peter Pan" aspect to his looks & voice too, but played adult roles convincingly-bringing even a spookiness to it.

People have asked me why I no longer post very often at TCM forums and this is why. Well, I thank you for your efforts here. Don't worry about the naysayers and just be true to yourself. I'm only sorry your Virginia Weidler Society page is a FB page. I don't visit FB, YT or any other media or social sites to protect my computer. But, still glad you've uncovered more info on VW than was ever available before.

Thanks for doing all this about Virginia Weidler. I am a quiet fan of Ginny's ever since first seeing her and disappointed in the dead ends when trying to find out more about her. That Camp Clipper photo is WONDERFUL, the first picture I've ever seen of her as an adult. Boy was she beautiful! Just happened upon Ginny's performance in PETER IBBETSON the other day. She was very young and did a great job of quivering her chin and tearing up-as if trying to hold back crying. Dickie Moore played Gary Cooper as a child and was equally amazing. They certainly don't make actors like THAT anymore!

I'm with you Andy....."bitterly"? I had to open this thread to see the responses to that. While I may be disappointed after watching a movie, my stronger emotion would be anger I wasted money to see it. My philosophy is it's worth seeing any movie once, even if it's only to intelligently discuss it's faults. Sometimes hearing other's defenses of a film help me understand it's appeal to others. But after seeing that purple crazy font diatribe below, I regret opening this thread.

This movie is a family favorite. We all watched it together last year and I was surprised how well it holds up. The only newbie in the group loved it too. I think most women feel that self conscious and awkward at one time in their lives. We were on the floor in stitches when May tried dressing in the grecian gown for her honeymoon. She is just so adorable, a perfect foil for gruff Matthau. I bet we all watch it again this year when we get together Labor Day.

I must be the only weirdo who didn't think Jane's "Klute" shag was that bad. I kind of liked it. Good thing, as that's MY hairdo! I actually said to the hairdresser, "I want a Klute shag" but being 25 she had zero idea what I was talking about.

02 Son of Dracula AUG 09 Curse of the Undead AUG 16 Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man AUG 23 Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (featuring Boris Karloff!) AUG 30 Mad Ghoul (an encore of the very first show featuring the NEW Sven coffin!) Since you all seem so interested in what he's showing..... BTW, the Star Treks showing beforehand are in chronological order...they're on season 3 now. I really enjoy seeing a Star Trek then a Universal movie as a double feature.

TopBilled wrote: "Then I'll close the discussion by issuing the edict that "Hill Street Blues" is not dated." TopBilled likes this Really? Now we're "liking" our own posts?

I'm glad you posted this. I wanted to site this in a thread some time back but could not for the life of me recall the movie title. It was either a thread about "movies that really scare you" or "movies you don't need to watch twice" because that's the impression it left me with.

Lastly, I agree that for every man who is made responsible for keeping a "good woman" down, there is another woman somewhere, a mother, a jealous friend, an envious co-worker, an insecure aquaintance who is keeping a woman down. I don't think women have to blame men for keeping women down. I respectfully disagree. Today in the U.S. the only person keeping a woman "down" is herself. Sadly, that is not the case worldwide.

And it makes great trivia to know who spoke the only single word in the film (NO!) I think it was very bold of Brooks to make a silent film in the 70's. Like him or not, he is a pioneer filmmaker.

Thanks for the opinions here. There will be a private screening of the newest restored version for employees, friends & family of the movie theater where I volunteer. What an excellent choice for a Private Party on the Big Screen! (too bad they're not hiring an organist to play on the vintage organ in the theater-wah)

I know that her films are all just comedies, but to me it's one of those Six Impossible Things to Believe Before Breakfast moments every time I see someone like Cary Grant sidling up to her. All I can do when I see that is to think that the man is drunk. Well I'm a converted Mae West fan. It took my 40's to understand what she's about. West just capitalizes on the idea that many men can be led astray by the promise, just the idea they can score some easy s e x. She gives the illusion that she "puts out" willingly and that titillates her audience. In my 20's I was insulted by that idea....now I think it's lighthearted & funny. Human nature. A perfect example is in her performance in recently broadcast BELLE OF THE 90'S. She's heralded (in the movie) as the "most exciting & talented performance artist of all time!" so all the men flock to her stage show. (the posters outside the venue show her in a slinky curve revealing dress, while most women of the day wore layers of covering) We then see the stage show ourselves: tableaus of crazy backgrounds (butterfly wings, spider legs, a rose) with Mae standing still in the middle, as if posing for a photo. She does NOTHING. She doesn't sing, dance or anything. She just stands there for the audience to feast their eyes on her "beauty". "The "most exciting & talented performance artist of all time"? It's a JOKE. Unfortunately, a joke on the men, but they still hoop & holler & enjoy the show! As for a young handsome guy like Cary Grant sidling up to her- I see lots of goofy 20 year old guys desperate for their first experience with a woman falling all over girls they'd never really want otherwise. They just see these girls as "easy" so they give it a go. Same thing. I do wonder if her image has dated because modern audiences are so used to blatant sexuality. Interesting point. Maybe that's why I just didn't "get" her at first.

10:15 pm ET C- 85 min documentary Kirk Douglas: Before I Forget (2009) I was really excited to see this but had to turn it off after about 15 minutes. The crazy camera work made me sick to my stomach. WHY oh why do some people think it's "edgy" or adds excitement to filming to have the cameras focus on the subject then SWITCH and change viewpoint angles, then flash & switch again? They don't even wait for him to finish his sentence. Kirk is interesting on his own. Crazy camera work only distracts from what he is saying.

Every time you see a Miriam Hopkins film, no matter how big or tiny her part is, you know it's going to be vastly entertaining. I agree with the Hopkins assessment. You really notice all she does if you watch her with the sound turned off. It's AMAZING all she conveys just with facial expression-often fleeting-but enough to tell you what she's thinking. The Barrymores all were masters at this. I've always wondered if it came from years of acting in silent pictures? To get back on topic, I find Joe E. Brown the most annoying comedian in the movies. I tolerate his goofy performance in SOME LIKE IT HOT, but rush for the remote if ever catching a movie with him in it. I may not find Red Skelton funny, but I don't have the same **** reaction to him as I do Brown. There's many actors I don't care for, but wouldn't go as far to say "annoying" meaning that I avoid anything they're in.

hepclassic said: I am saying that looks shouldn't be the measure of a person's worth- their character should be. JamesJazzGuitar said: To me a tat is an adornment. A way to either bring attention to oneself or to show solidary to a group (and often both) So, this "adornment" is a visual statement of their charactor. (like algebra A+B=C) The tattoo wearing person's "charactor" is they choose to announce to others their interests by permanent drawings on their skin. Marked for life. I don't even wear t-shirts with logos. And you can change those at will! I'm certainly glad Lana, Marilyn or Mae didn't have any grey designs on their gorgeous ivory skin. Can you imagine Mae West's gown low neckline with gray barbed wire drawings peeking out? Or Marilyn's neck with written script "Sex-ay"? I'd much rather see a glittery diamond necklace, thank you.

My wife already wants to go to Eastern State big time, she's a big paranormal fan and that place has been featured a bunch. Because it's creepy to people. If I was to walk the earth for eternity, I'd choose to wander around a place where I was inprisoned. Duh. You think ghosts look for MORE punishment? Actually the "most" haunted place in the US is supposed to be the building that houses Spaghetti Warehouse in Philly.

My own favorite snipe is directed at loudmouths who can't ever shut up: "You run on like a six pack of gonorrhea". But it's one I usually let remain in the pool rooms I frequent rather than direct it against people in more civilized forums like this. HA! Civilized.... Why not borrow from Groucho, "You must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle!" Another favorite "stranger snipe" I completely lifted from Betty Hutton, "You have more nerve than a bad tooth!"

So, give me some places to bring my camera and act the tourist. I LOVE movie locations. Predictably, most suggestions would be NYC, CA or Monument Valley. You could just pick up a copy of Roadside Hollywood, a film lover's follow up to Roadside America. It covers state-by-state all sorts of movie locations. IMDB's database is also good-just search "locations" for the state or city you'll be traveling through. Visiting film locations (and cemetaries) is my hobby when traveling. One of my favorites was visiting Matewan WV....the bullet holes are still in the buildings from the real incident. Another favorite is Eastern States Penitentiary where 12 MONKEYS was filmed. It was in a limbo state of ruin and the location fee Gilliam paid brought seed money for it's opening as a museum. On another Gilliam quest I was photographed in front of the "mansion" he used for THE FISHER KING (Hunter College facade in NYC) There is an entire website devoted to movie locations in NYC there are so many.

Films & Filmmakers forum? Love this film too, it's a great showcase for MM's talents. *spoiler* I was struck by the position they put Marilyn in when they discovered her body. The overhead camera shot makes it looks a lot like her reclining pose on red velvet in the Playboy centerfold.

that and tatts (especially on females) Haha I read that as "t*ts for tats" Are you saying tattoos are "oppressive standards"? Can you imagine Marilyn's or Lana's beautiful ivory skin with some gray design? Whenever I see a young girl with tattoos I think to myself, "You'll regret that later". So shortsighted.

FILMS & Filmmakers forum?

Finally, as a side note to those who look up to Monroe because she shows that "heavier women are beautiful". I wish that they'd actually watch one of Monroe's films and see that she was not all that heavy. I recently saw the pleated gold lamé dress Marilyn wore to the premiere of THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH in a costume exhibit. She looked to be about 5'5"-5'6" and a modern size 8. Narrow waist, full bust-nice. I have no idea why that girl called MM heavy. Obviously a teen's narrow perception from a photo.

The public's memory has always been short. Originally, movies were immediate, contemporary. Very few "big" stars of yesteryear had the staying power to be recognised after a few decades passed. Classic film has gone from "pop culture" to "art history" in the last 30-40 years. The 70's brought a resurgence in interest and "classic" film was re-released for new generations to discover. TCM has taken over that role and exposes these old films 24/7 on cable for those who have an active interest. The more a person gets interested in old movies, the more great stars they discover. Hey, I've been watching old movies for decades and only recently discovered Anna Magnani. And on another thread we were talking about Jesse Matthews, HUGE in her day and very few of her films are shown anywhere. Many stars were kept vital only because of their iconic photographs, like James Dean, Jean Harlow and Audrey Hepburn. You still see this today, high school kids wearing t-shirts with Marilyn Monroe on them who have NO IDEA who she is. When I've asked the wearer they've said, "she represents heavier women are still beautiful". Unbelievable.

There is http://svengoolie.com/ but generally only posts the movie the day before. If you get on his mailing list he'll send the month's schedule to your inbox. Very helpful because different regions show different movies. I can't believe there was such a hub-bub (here) over the CREATURE movies this past month. They were lou-say. Especially last night's THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US. The creature in clothing wearing a scaled down head mask was dumb. If you watch the show, during a commercial break they'll announce next week's movie. Next week is SON OF DRACULA. (yeah, last night's Star Trek episode was fun. Any **** in a great costume makes it)