CaveGirl

Hilarious, Lawrence and you just may be right! I could be wrong but I've always thought the Jolson reverence was more from performers like Georgie Jessel and his clique. Now maybe this has a bit to do with the Jewish contingent who were famed in vaudeville at the time and since Jolson as the Jazz Singer was epitomizing a cultural situation in immigrants who chose show biz over the family's belief in using their talents in a more religious style, this combined to make him their idol. Do I care for his singing of "Sonny Boy" or other of his classics. No, but I also don't care for hearing John McCormack sing early songs of the 20th century yet have met people who were second generation Irish immigrants born in the early part of the century who would rather hear him than Bing, the Beatles or Bob Dylan. I will chalk it up to times change and so does taste. Or maybe...people are just dumb!!!

I always read the subtitles, but once was in a small village in Italy on a trip and had separated from my friends to do what I wanted for the afternoon. Came upon a tiny theater which had a giant poster of "8 1/2" in front and it was playing a matinee and I went in to watch thinking it would be fun to see it sans subtitles and with a local audience. There was a whole different flavor of reactions to the film, so different from what I remembered the dialogue being about. Reminds me of Freud and his book "Jokes and the Unconscious" saying that puns in dreams are not relatable if one is speaking a different language. I'm sure you are getting most of the meanings but t'is true that even a viewer who's seen it ten times who is American might be missing some in-jokes or references. I do know that Fellini tried to have things seem prophetic and get accomplished later in the film, and that his fellow script writers did have fun supposedly making up the names of characters and that yes, some of them were direct personifications of real people that neither of us might know, so we would miss that point. Also speaking about a director having total control of the proceedings, I remember that Fellini said he had a different ending in mind, that got vetoed and then he found that some footage he had already shot seemed more perfect to him, than what he had wanted. so he used it, and was most pleased ultimately, which I think is interesting. Not getting what you want, sometimes leads to better things. Thanks for your post and well formulated thoughts, sew!

Have you ever noticed though how many other stalwarts from that time period in show biz absolutely revered Jolson? Makes one wonder why, and if there is something we are missing watching him in films, that was maybe present in his stage shows. Not saying I don't agree with you, since I'm not a big Jolson fan, but he really had a following and I'm curious why. I'm sure someone here will be able to give some answers on perhaps the history of his career and why he was so acclaimed back then.

Great upcoming stuff including "Hiroshima, Mon Amour" and "La Jettee" on September 02, 2018, TheCid!

These all sound like episodes from Monty Python, Limey. I can add two more, Therapeutic Community Nudity, and Taking Care of **** could work also. P.S. Oops, I got bleeped. Suffice it to say my last word was about Necro-type words with some P-h-i-l-i-a thrown in for good measure.

"The American Friend"! I had read about this film many times and years ago ordered it and was not disappointed. It is a fabulous film and deserves more accolades. Great story by Highsmith, great exposition by Wenders with his amazing cast and particularly great is Bruno Ganz. Thanks for bringing it to the attention of all, Bogie!

Agree, agree, agree...on all your thoughts, Lorna and as you say "Sudden Fear" is fab, but "Torch Song" with the Joan designed clothes, and her incredibly modernistic apartment with accoutrements which are super fantastic is a must see!

Uh, Total Complete Nudity? Trashy Corrupt Network? Tacky Cheap Nastiness? I give...

Good call, hamradio except that I don't remember any cornrows in Fellini's film, but hey, I could be wrong and I'm sure it would have added to the film!

I just was listening to some illiterate person who works for the government talk about how libraries are useless. Of course, to him they are since he can't read mostly and perpetuates false conspiracy stories constantly which I love to check out and prove him wrong. I do see people on the computers at my local libraries but also see many people taking out books. What a great thing a library is, that all can get free books to read that are available if one wants to get educated on any topic. My mother would always take us to the library as kids every couple weeks and let us all pick any books we wanted, though we also had books that were bought for us. Reading is always beneficial and those commercials saying "Listening to audio books is the new reading" were probably written by someone who is also illiterate.

I bet you are also a fan of Dylan's album "Highway 61 Revisited", aren't you, Dargo? I only charge $9.99 per minute on a personal prognostication phone call to predict other things about your life with my innate psychic abilities. Which charge card will you be using?

Some crocks have good things in them, Nip!

I watched it but didn't record it.

I don't remember that... Maybe I saw the "trunkated" version?

There is some contortion involved, since you've asked.

I never talk out loud at the library. I never leave my phone ringer on at the library. I don't eat at the library or bring in drinks. I pay all fines immediately and don't eat bon bons while reading a book I took out from the library leaving stains on pages. So I've never had to deal with anyone like Mrs. Merriam. You forgot I had twelve straight years of training from nuns. We weren't even allowed to talk in the restrooms during breaks between classes in high school. But thanks for the fine visual!!!

Looney, so well stated and we are simpatico on why we are both here apparently, to share film lore for enjoyment not one-upsmanship! Thanks for your comments. Speaking of that, it's not the only thing we share as my favorite scene in TBS is also when Bogie turns up his brim and enters Geiger's book store, asking about the...oh, now my trivia brain is being tasked, something like the Chevalier Audobon something or other. As you can see I've watched this movie too many times. Bogart is so funny in the scene which is why it is my favorite too, Looney. Thanks for mentioning it!

I've seen that movie yet don't remember Lancaster in the altogether. Did I see the expurgated version, Detective?

You believed my post, TheCid? Sorry about that I was kind of just spoofing around, since of course I would never approve of TCM showing nudist films but I do think just like all other genres of film that it would be fun to know who were making these nudist camp films, if they are still in archives and if a history of their evolution is out there somewhere, just like the Vatican's collection of pornographic books. Supposedly due to them confiscating so many, they have one of the largest collections of such material. Please forgive me for any dyspeptic upset I called by implying that we will soon be seeing nudists cavorting on our TCM channel playing badminton interminably, as that would even be too much for me.

"harder" eh? Let me reflect on that for awhile, darkblue. Okay I'm done and that was clever...

Now all I can think of is that I wonder if he related to John Phillips Sousa? Love that you called Dinesh a "hack". There are so many hacks around nowadays but no one calls them on it. Thanks for giving me a reason to live again, Lawrence.

I think he and Oprah are involved in a conspiracy trying to use mind control on the American public. This is as bad as when the Beatles were consulting the Mahareshi Yogi or however his name is spelled.

You forgot I was at the library. Did you want to get me kicked out for good and have them confiscate my library card, Hamradio? But thanks for your assistance!

I've only seen Pontecorvo's "Battle of Algiers" but don't remember any nudist camps in it sadly. Thanks for your concern, Vautrin on steering me to the right places for my upcoming research project.

Fascinating stuff, especially the Mary Bell short. Thanks so much!