Arturo

The early hippie.credo of anything goes came on the heels of all the Mid Carnaby Street fashion obsession among young Londoners. So the velvet jackets and satin pants, 19th Century and Edwardian styled coats,, worn by many rock stars @ 1967, were the natural progression of the mod fashions. But by the beginning of the 1970s, the jeans and T-shirt look was the norm, where musicians were more interested in showing off their long virtuoso solos than in providing old fashioned showmanship. This is what Bolan and Bowie etc. brought back to rock, wild fashions, showmanship, and the 3 minute single. They were roundly criticized by many for their approach, but struck a chord with new younger audiences. And while Bolanwas the originator of what became known as Glam Rock, Bowie always went to actual designers for his outfits, as opposed to boutiques; this he did even when struggling, as with the "men's dresses" to promote The Man Who Sold The World. Later, during the around the world Aladdin Sane tour, he went to a renowned Japanese designer. This fueled some of their rivalry, as Bolan didn't think on that level; he hated when Bowie, in the first splash of publicity over Ziggy Stardust, was labeled as "The thinking man's Marc Bolan". Even before Bowie had achieved any real success, in 1971 and early 1972, he gave away what were arguably his best songs at that moment, which then became hits for others: "Oh You Pretty Things" for Peter Noone in mid 1971, and "All The Young Dudes" for Mott the Hoople a year later. He reclaimed the former for that subsequent Hunky Dory album, but while he recorded the latter more than once, he must've felt it wasn't up to the classic Mott interpretation, and never released it officially at that time. And Bowie upped the Glam Rock ante by "coming out" in an interview to a British music paper in early 1972, stating he was gay, even with a wife and child. Ostensibly to promote the just released Hunky Dory, the interview made him a media sensation as he took the implications of rock stars in rather feminine attire and makeup to it's natural course. It helped engender interest in his upcoming album, Ziggy Stardust, of which he was already playing many of its songs at his shows. And there, he also took the guitar star pose to the extreme, performing **** on Mick Ronson's instrument. Along with Bowie taking the costumes to another level, so too did he with his theatrical stage presentations. Of course, in his restlessness and boredom, he would get rid of things wholesale. Two years of the Ziggy look was more than enough for him, and he chucked the glam outfits and haircut for 1974's colossal Diamond Dogs tour, but had huge sets.of a cityscape instead. But he couldn't finish the North American tour with these sets, and they were gone by the last phase of the tour, which due to the influence of the soul music he had been listening to, and revamping his own songs in that style, became known as the "Philly Dogs" tour. This presaged his next musical direction. Let me now stop this rambling.....

Bowie did not originate or.popularized 1970s British Glam.Rock, but he was the artist that dabbled in it (totally the correct word for Bowie) with the longest longevity. Marc Bolan of T.Rex got the ball rolling, racking up a string of Huge hits in the early 1970s; he was considered the biggest phenomenon in England since the Beatles and Stones. Ironically, Bolan's and Bowie's pre-stardom careers followed similar paths, and they were friends, and after success, friendly rivals. The T.Rex formula of back to basics rock and glittering outfits set the blueprint for what soon followed. Slade, recently changing their image from s k i n h e.a d s to glam rock, also had continuous success prior to Bowie, and meshed stomping rockers with misspelt titles and visual excess in stagewear. Bowie and Roxy Music, as.well.as.others like Queen, came in their wake. And they were lumped into the Glam.Rock label, along with Bolan, Slade and newer upstarts like Gary Glitter and The Sweet, although their music was more sophisticated than the others; this was mostly due to their androgynous looks and costumes. And Queen, Roxy and Bowie outlasted.the decline.of.glam.rock, whose artists.were.subsumed either in the heavy metal, art rock, or the nascent punk/new wave movements. Or in the case.of Marc Bolan, died an early death in a car.crash in 1977, days shy of his.30th birthday. Ironically, Bowie and Bolan had performed together, and patched things up, on Marc's tv show a few weeks before the crash. Back to this side of the pond, America took one look at the look of most of these bands, and, in general, rejected them outright. T.Rex.had only one top ten hit, and two hit albums, Slade had to wait until the 80s to get a couple.of hits here, althought they did inspire Kiss, among others. The Sweet had several hits in the 70s here, but nothing compared to the many in England and around the world. Roxy had one hit in the mid 70s, and more in.the 80s, along with Bryan Ferry. Eventually, Queen became huge here, but declined in the 80s, unlike the rest of the world. Bowie too struggled here, despite strong reviews from critics, and a loyal cult following. His only hit during the Ziggy period was Space Oddity' and to a lesser extent, Changes (both were hits as rereleases). Diamond.Dogs in 1974.was.his first Top Ten.album, and with the song Young Americans in 1975 he actually started to get.a string of hits here. In 1977, with Low.and its followups, his sales plummeted. It wasn't until 1983 and Let's Dance that he again made the upper.levels of the singles and album charts in this country. By the 90s, his sales had again declined, but he continued to elicit media coverage with each release.

I can't believe how much of a loss this continues to feel. As I hear some of the Bowie songs.being played, or that I am playing, so many memories of.so many years ago keep popping up. Old girllfriends, long lost.friends, cousins.even, come to.mind.with hearing certain of his songs. His music was truly one of the soundtracks of my life. Music haa that innate quality to transport you to another time and place. I guess his passing is a reminder of the passage of time, of personal loss, and of one's own mortality. It is great to know that he died in peace, with his loved ones surrounding him. He had no regrets, I believe, conducting his artistry and life to his own specifications. We should all be as fortunate.

Sorry, I hit "Quote" instead of "Edit".

Bowie struggled from 1964 until the end of the decade, basically, as both a band member or solo singer. He tried various trends and bandwagons, in his attempts for success. He was in blues-based, r'n'b, "beat groups" in mid 60s Swinging London. He got some coverage for the length of his hair; soon, as a Mod, he had a short cut. He emulated the sound of The Who at one point.By the end of 1966, he had adopted an Anthony Newley-esque vocal style and presentation. This was followed by a scruffy Dylan-inspired mold. In the mood of the late 60s, he established a neighborhood Arts Lab. All this before he scored his first hit in late 1969,."Space Oddity". Between the disillusionment of rowdy and rude s k i n h e a d audiences, being received and promoted as a teen idol, and falling in love and marrying his first wife, Angela Barnett, he lost interest in following up the hit, and in recording in general. He continued to shift gears, going from singer-songwriter, to crunching, proto-heavy metal rocker, to piano-driven Beatlesque pop, to no great success, and was soon labeled as a "One Hit Wonder". When he finally achieved his breakthough as the glam-rocker Ziggy Stardust, and flirted with mass popularity, his fans and others assumed he finally found the persona that would define him. But within a couple of years, he "broke up the band", and would soon emerge as a Philly Soul cat. In America, he was never more popular than during this Plastic Soul phase of Young Americans. But in a couple of years, he threw away his mass popularity, with his noncommercial ambiant music of his Low period, but felt rejuvenated to break free of commercial considerations. The rest of his career was one see-sawing between the purely commercial and his inner muse. So while Bowie may have stated disingenuously that he just wanted a Hit (his early motivator), he could never settle to repeat himself for long, definitely not for the sake of selling records. He became known as.Rock's supreme chameleon because of his restlessness, thus his constant stylistic changes, both musically as well as sartorially. He threw away mass success more than once.

He had cancer. I just mentioned the other day on the Elvis thread that an alternate celebration on January 8 (they shared the same birthday), that some early Bowie movies could be shown on that.day. There goes a part of my youth and early adulthood. I went yesterday to Amoeba and bought his latest.cd,.which sounds like classic era Bowie. Rest in Peace.

On FMC (all.times.eastern): Monday, 1/11: 3:30.am: WILD ON THE BEACH (1965)...........................4:50 am: JUST OFF BROADWAY (1942).............................6 am: MY WIFE'S BEST FRIEND (1952)..............................7:30 am: DECISION BEFORE DAWN (1951)...........................9:35 am: WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS (1950)..........................11:15 am: NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947)............................1:10 pm: VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (1961)................. Tuesday, 1/12: 3 am: ANNE OF THE INDIES (1951).............................4:25 am: TEENAGE REBEL (1956)...........................6 am: HOLIDAY FOR LOVERS (1959)...........................7:45 am: ISLAND IN THE SUN (1957)..............................9:45.am: ANNE OF THE INDIES (1951)................................11:15 am: VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (1961)..............................1:10 pm: BOY ON A DOLPHIN (1957)................ Wednesday,.1/13: 3 am: HOLIDAY FOR LOVERS (1959)................................4:45 am: THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1939).................................6 am: ISLAND IN THE SUN (1957)................................8 am: I WONDER WHO'S KISSING HER NOW (1947).................................11:25 am: YOU WERE MEANT FOR ME (1948)................................11:25 am: BOY ON A DOLPHIN (1957)............................1:15 pm: APRIL LOVE (1957)....................

. Ok,.I again missed.posting.that.TCM would.be showing..ANNA.AND.THE KING.OF SIAM tonight (in fact,.it's on right now). For some.reason, when I look at.the Directv.ProgramGuide's Cast and Crew function, which lists an artist's.upcoming features, this film.doesn't pop up for Linda Darnell, although her name is on the program's cast list. Anyway, although I wanted to post since yesterday about this, I was unable to due to failing internet connections. Upcoming.on TCM later this month, are BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE.and NO WAY OUT (thanks Speedracer). More on those later, internet permitting.

A couple of years ago, in my attempts to collect Linda Darnell odds and ends (or "collectibles"), I came across a programme for her unsuccessful Broadway venture "Harbor Lights". I found the programme of the 1956 drama on EBay, and got it mostly for the pictures. I remember being pleasantly surprised to see Pat Harrington's name in the credits, recalling him fondly from "One Day at a Time". R.I.P. Sir.

Thanks for the heads up. Cornel Wilde was tired from all the costumers he was doing at Fox, that he jumped.at the chance of doing this melodrama at Columbia, where he also had a contract, and got to star with his then-wife.

You're thinkkng of Sirk's mid to late 50s output, often working in tandem with producer Ross Hunter. In the second half of the 40s,.Sirk.made quirky dramas, both period and contemporary, with lesser or greater noirish tendencies. In the early 50s, he did mostly domestic comedy programmers at Universal. I like films from all these phases of his.

Don't.forget the deleted.scenes, restored for the Director's Cut, where he makes her binge-watch Coronation Street, then quizzes her about it.

How about doing a David Bowie celebration on that day, sharing that birthday. Maybe the early ones, like THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, JUST A JIGOLO, and THE HUNGER, plus a couple of concert films. Would make a nice variation from Elvis.

1. FOR HIM THE SMELLS CALL 2. POOR LITTER'S RICH **** 3. THE BIG CHEWED 4. RUN FROM HIS LICE 5. REVELRY WITH BELLY FREE 6. SMELLED,.SHOOK, MISHANDLED 7. SAMOYARA 8. THE RISE OF THE TOY DOGS 9. ALL PRIMED FOR MISSY'S BONING 10. A L*I*C*KER FOR THREE WIVES

THE BIG CUBE has been on TCM.Underground a few times.in the last couple of years or so. Late 60s counterculture comedy, set in Mexico.City. Lana looks very young here, to the point of being almost unrecognizable.

¿¿¿¡¡¡WHAT!!!??? We can't DVR anymore?!? What have I missed? I have programmed several movies in the last few days, but have yet to watch any of these. So I don't know what to say, but say it ain't so!

I believe this film.was the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical, SPAMALOT, which will hopefully be made shortly into a movie. And yes, Tor Johnson's soaring singing voice, and smooth dancing abilities had him doing his film role in the musical, and winning the Tony to boot.

If only....at least two or three of these Fox stars. And don't forget, among others, Gene Tierney. And speaking of Fox noirs, Richard Widmark.

Two more films I like watching during the holidays are THE STORY OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL and LIFE BEGINS AT 8:30. The former because some early scenes take place.at Christmas time, the latter because Monty Wooley plays a Santa Claus. Both are entertaining and recommendable for any time of year.

OK, so I started this thread some 3 years ago. I "get" that as a long-term 20th Century Fox star, Linda Darnell may have most of her films not readily available to TCM. However, a number of her Fox films have been shown on the channel, including at least two that have been Essentials, A LETTER TO THREE WIVES and ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM. And, at least two other stars with long-term contracts at Fox have been recent SOTM, Shirley Temple and Susan Hayward. Plus, many of her non-Fox films have been shown. So this is totally do-able. Come TCM, let's Linda Darnell Movie one of the months on 2016.

THE DANISH BLOG GIRL In this highly acclaimed year-end film, a self-styled film historian posts his selected writings on film-related.message boards, trying to make them over into his own blogs. He looks on enviously, and posts critically on the boards, as the winner of the Biggest Fan Ever takes over a monthly spotlight on a classic movie, knowing in his own mind that he was born to do that. He looks for a various ways to raise his profile with this online community, and raise his post counts, as he decides he is the most knowledgeable and influential poster, running the gamut from plagerizing movie star recipes, to videotaping every last utterance and sartorial faux pas for posterity. His selected writings online become ever more feverish, as he realizes what Trump has realized, that wild statements sell and increase views and post.counts. The reactions are fast and furious, and he soon has an epiphany as to his true calling. With the help and support of several other online trolls, who, bedazzled by his prolific postings, do his every bidding as they fawn over each successive outrageous thread title switch, they encourage and help him transition from estwhile serious film student and writer, to what he knows he really is, the Queen of Online Posts. He gives up all pretenses of being a man of serious film studies, and comes out of the cocoon fully-formed as a woman breathlessly viewing, compiling and celebrating her ever-increasing counts. An immediate front runner in the Oscar race, as Academy members found resonance in the shameless self-promoting aspects of her compelling tale.

On FMC (all times eastern): Sunday, 1/3: 3:30 am: HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966)........................6 am: MY WIFE'S BEST FRIEND (1952)...........................7:30 am: CAFE METROPOLE (1937)..........................8:55 am: LOVE IS NEWS (1937)..............................10:15: 13 FIGHTING MEN (1960)............................11:30 am: THE LITTLE SHEPHERD OF KINGDOM COME (1961)...............................1:20: THE LAST AMERICAN HERO (1973)................ Monday, 1/4: 4 am: THE LAST AMERICAN HERO (1973)..............................6 am: THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1939)...............................7:30 am: TWELVE HOURS TO KILL (1960).............................9 am: FIVE FINGERS (1952)................................11 am: SEVEN THIEVES (1961)..............................i..12:45 pm: HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966)................... Tuesday, 1/5: 4 am: FIVE FINGERS (1952).............................6 am: THE GAY DECEPTION (1935).............................7:20 am: BLACK SHEEP (1935)..................................8:40 am: SEVEN THIEVES (1961)...............................10:25 am: HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966).............................12:30 pm: SURF PARTY (1964)................................1:40pm: WILD ON THE BEACH (1965)................. Wednesday, 1/6: 3 am: MY WIFE'S BEST FRIEND (1952)...........................4:30 am: BORN RECKLESS (1930)................................6 am: CAVALCADE (1933).............................7:55 am: I WONDER WHO'S KISSING HER NOW (1947)...........................9:45 am: APRIL LOVE (1957)............................11:30 am: HOLIDAY FOR LOVERS (1959).................

I mostly gave, as opposed to having received, movie related things. I got my sister a couple of Katherine Hepburn films, as well as a Kate biography. I gave her girlfriend a DVD set of Cary Grant movies. I gave my brother and his wife Blurays of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and DOCTOR ZHIVAGO. I gave close friends movie-related books, including one on classic pinups, biographies of Frank Sinatra, Tallulah Bankhead, Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Lucy and Desi, and Holly Woodlawn. I also gave a friend the James Robert Parrish book, The Forties Girls (Gals?), which I already have and came across super cheap....I couldn't pass it up. I ordered late a couple of Tyrone Power films for a friend; she has been in love with him since she was like 12. They have yet to arrive. I did get a DVD collection of the three James Dean movies, all of which I have, plus, a couple of gift cards for bookstores.....movie books and DVDs will be the most likely purchases. I also bought myself tons of movie books (well about 40) a few weeks ago, mostly biographies. These should keep me busy all next year. I've yet to go onto Amazon and see if there are any DVDs to get myself, or to see which new releases of the Fox Cinema Classics to buy. But I'm all tapped out right now.

On FMC (all times eastern): Monday,.12/28: 4 am: THE RAINS CAME (1939)...........................6 am: GHE THREE MUSKETEERS (1939)............................7:15 am: SUSANNAH OF THE MOUNTIES (1939)..........................8:35 am: IT HAPPENED IN FLATBUSH (1942)..........................10 am: MOTHER IS A FRESHMAN (1949)..........................11:25 am: TEENAGE REBEL (1956)..............................1 pm: ISLAND IN THE SUN (1957)............... Tuesday, 12/29: 4 am: ISLAND IN THE SUN (1957)..............................6 am: SUSANNAH OF THE MOUNTIES (1939)...........................7:30 am: IT HAPPENED IN FLATBUSH (1942)..............................9 am: BRIGHAM YOUNG (1940)............................11 am: THE LITTLE SHEPHERD OF KINGDOM COME (1961)...........................1 pm: NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947).................... Wednesday, 12/30: 4 am: NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947)..............................6 am: CLAUDIA (1943)................................7:40 am: CLAUDIA AND DAVID (1946).............................9 am: THE BEAUTIFUL BLONDE FROM BASHFUL BEND (1949)................................10:25 am: THE BLOODHOUNDS OF BROADWAY (1952)..................................12 pm: THE FARMER TAKES A WIFE (1953)................................1:25 pm: THREE LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE (1946).................. Thursday, 12/31: 3 am: THE BLUE ANGEL (1959)..............................4:50: JUST OFF BROADWAY (1942)..............................6 am: I WAS AN ADVENTURESS (1940)...............................7:30 am: WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS (1950)..............................9:10 am: THE BLUE ANGEL (1959)............................11 am: FIVE FINGERS (1952)...............................12:50 pm: THE KREMLIN LETTER (1970)................

You do know there are four Lake/Lads pairings, right?