Det Jim McLeod

Surprise Paul Simon-May 2006 Simon's first in 6 years and a very good one. The lyrics included are in an unusual format, in paragraphs as if they were short stories. His playing and singing are still great and some of his best lyrics in a long time. The first track "How Can You Live In The Northeast" is a good reflective song with many questions about how to live life. "Outrageous" is a good collaboration with Brian Eno with his electronic sounds. The drumming by Steve Gadd on this and all tracks is outstanding. "Beautiful" is a nice song about adopting children from foreign countries. My favorite is the last "Father And Daughter" a touching tune about a father's love.

Synanon (1965) DVD 7/10 A study of drug addicts in an real life treatment center. This is a good film with an interesting cast. Third billed Alex Cord is actually the main character, the weirdly named Zankie Albo, a slick braggart with an addiction to heroin. Stella Stevens (one of her best performances) is Joaney, a divorcee with a young son who resorted to prostitution to pay for her habit. She gets involved with the charming but dangerous Albo. Top billed Chuck Connors (fresh from The Rifleman) is Ben the ex con who kicked his "H" addiction but has to contend with trouble maker Albo, who was his cell mate in prison and has a beef against him. Oscar winner Edmond O'Brien is Chuck Dederich the head of Synanon, he uses tough talk and punishments like having heads shaved and wearing humiliating signs for breaking the rules. Other "dope fiends" are played by Richard Conte, Eartha Kitt and Bernie Hamiliton. I have seen this a few times and checked it out again after seeing a story on the Oxygen show Deadly Cults. It seems that in the 1970s Synanon changed from a treatment center to a religion and became a cult. Head shavings was no longer a punishment but a requirement. In 1978, Dederich was suspected of ordering the murder of a lawyer who successfully sued Synanon. The lawyer found a rattlesnake in his mailbox, was bitten but survived. Dederich pleaded no contest to assault and conspiracy to commit murder, he got probation instead of prison since his lawyers claimed he was in ill health and close to death, however he lived another 18 years.

Thanks, I can't think of anything so I will leave the thread open.

Going My Way (1944) Next-The Naked City (1948) 2 more with Barry Fitzgerald

Maria Conchita Alonso?

Yes it did, thanks I never knew the title of the song.

One of my top ten films and I watched it again last night, I had it hooked up to a good sound system so I could get the full effect of Alfred Newman's score. I agree about this being a "screwball" adventure. Cary Grant was getting a reputation at this time for being a screwball comedian in films like Topper, The Awful Truth and Bringing Up Baby. He has some of his funniest moments in this film such as the one with Annie the elephant on that rickety bridge and his reaction to the gold temple. I recall seeing this film at revival theater years ago and when it started there was some people snickering at serious beginning, but when the comedy bits started they were frustrated that it was now intentionally funny so they could not ridicule it.

Best-Bonnie And Clyde (1967) Worst-Mickey One (1965) Next-Robin Williams

5) Best Picture Oscar winner of 1948

I caught the ending this morning. I love it, I've seen it many times but not all the way through in a few years. My favorite scene doesn't even involve Dracula. It is when the newly undead Lucy (Carol Marsh) who appears very sweet but actually wants to put the bite on her brother (Michael Gough) but becomes a hissing vampire when Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) shows her the crucifix.

That's an interesting comparison to later sitcoms. I never thought of the similarity but I see it now. Arthur Lake's Dagwood could have inspired Ozzie Nelson (he even resembles him).

Blondie (1938) Movies! channel 4/10 Blondie suspects husband Dagwood is fooling around with another woman. The first in the long running movie series based on the Chic Young comic strip. This is the first time in many years I have seen a Blondie movie, I used to see them on early morning TV back in the 1970s. This was not as funny as I remember them to be, perhaps since this was the first one and the filmmakers were trying to find their footing. I found much it to be slow and a bit dull, since the film is a farce I thought it would be a bit faster and funnier. Penny Singleton is cute and charming in the title role. Arthur Lake is a bit more restrained as Dagwood, he seems bewildered and absent minded, not the wackier goofball he would be in later films. Jonathan Hale is Dagwood's boss Mr Dithers, not the boss from hell like in the comic strip but just a standard sourpuss. Larry Simms as cute little Baby Dumpling gets much of the laughs. Perhaps I will check out other films in the series, the Movies! channel shows them every Saturday morning.

Mickey Rooney Next-Glenn Ford in 3:10 To Yuma

I'd rather hear about them then someone preaching at me about racism in an 80 year old fictional movie.

I thought I would resurrect this since it has more normal conversations about GWTW.

Angels With Dirty Faces (1938) DVD 10/10 Two boyhood pals go into different directions, one becomes a gangster (James Cagney), the other a priest (Pat O'Brien). It's been a few years since I watched this, it is still great, my favorite Cagney movie and one of my favorite gangster flicks. The first scene is striking, the set of the NY streets with bustling crowds, clotheslines and tenement windows is excellent. Cagney is dynamite as the tough as nails criminal and O'Brien beautifully subtle as the priest. It is also probably the best film of The Dead End Kids (though Dead End (1937) comes close). Billy Halop once again plays the lead kid and Leo Gorcey the biggest wiseguy in the bunch (Cagney had to smack him around for real when he ad libbed). The ending is one of the greatest in film history.

The Loved One (1965) Next-Sincerely Yours (1955) 2 with Liberace

Forty Guns (1957) Next-favorite song sung by Elvis Presley

To Sir With Love (1967) Next-Brannigan (1975) 2 more with Judy Geeson

Best-His Kind Of Woman (1951) Worst-Born Losers (1967) Next-Katherine Hepburn

Ronald Colman Next-Alan Ladd in Shane

The Wild One (1953) Next-favorite prison movie

Reagan and Wyman were married at the time, she is deep in conservation with Fonda though. This was interesting year for most of them. Reagan was not doing much in the movies at that time, his wife Jane had released The Yearling, one of her best. Fonda was back from WWII and My Darling Clementine had come out. Karloff was in the middle of his excellent Val Lewton period with Bedlam his release that year. Kelly was just coming off an Oscar nomination for Anchors Aweigh.

Nashville (1975) Next-Big Business (1988) 2 more with Lily Tomlin

I liked Chico's version best. Thelma Todd looks genuinely delighted with his piano playing in that scene.