gypsybangles
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Posts posted by gypsybangles
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I know this thread isn't called "Drop-dead-gorgeous-men", but if it were, there are only two:
Tyrone Power and Paul Newman.
The rest are just handsome.
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P.S. Fuster,
The one piece of movie stuff I have of which I'm proud: a CD 'Judy Garland in Hollywood'...'Her Greatest Movie Hits'.
I can sometimes sling a few words around, but not for this...speachless! Just rips your guts out!
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Hey Fuster,
Thank you for being such a good sport. I knew you were, as I'd seen evidence of it in many of your other posts.
When it comes to movie knowledge and memorabilia, I'm not remotely in your league, in fact I don't have a league to stand on...yuck, yuck! I just like old movies. A running joke in our family; my two sons often wondered aloud why I ever bought a color TV, when all I ever wanted to see were old B&W movies. I thank Ted Turner everyday for TCM, may it go on forever, amen.
You would no doubt be appalled and dismayed at my paltry (quantity-wise) movie collection on VHS; some old Hitchcock, 'The Lady Vanishes', 'Rebecca', 'Shadow of a Doubt', etc. A couple of 'Andy Hardy's', some Hayley Mills, and a few others. We have a DVD thing, but I haven't even figured out how to program the VHS thing yet.
I've often thought of compiling a list of what I would term "perfect" movies. By perfect I mean completely satisfying. 'Shadow of a Doubt' would be somewhere on that list, as would 'Fried Green Tomatoes', and a few before, during, or since. I also think there are a few perfect moments from flawed films; Judy Garland comes to mind singing 'The Man That Got Away' from 'A Star Is Born'.
I suppose you could classify me in the "I don't know much, but I know what I like" category. I am in awe of you, Mongo and others who really know your stuff, but I do enjoy joining in the dialogues, having a mind that for some reason stores little bits of trivia from here and there, and find it fun to be able to share with good folks like you.
Thanks for being so kind to a "rank amateur"
Gypsy
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Hi Mcgeear,
Thanks for wading in on this topic, and for actually citing films whose musical ilk is that to which I'm referring. I haven't seen either one of those films for quite sometime, but will add them to the musical pariah list.
Gypsy
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Hey Booklover,
Don't worry about offending anyone. I agree with Voltaire when he said, if I remember correctly "I may not agree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Your opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. Ain't this country great? Sometimes I just like rooting for the underdog, or simply playing devil's advocate. And personally, being a Frankie Laine fan from way back, I like his version better; you probably would too.
Gypsy
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Is it 'I Want to Live'?
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The set of 'Rebecca'
A little romp around Manderley would do for me rahthah nicely...
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Hey Booklover,
You're talking about Tex Ritter (father of John) for crying out loud. 'Do Not Forsake Me' not only resurrected Mr. Ritter's career, but received the Oscar for best song that year. As it, during the opening credits, gave in narrative form an overview of the movie to come, it was instrumental in influencing this use of theme songs in subsequent films of the 50's and 60's. Aside from that it was a huge radio hit for Frankie Laine as well.
You're certainly entitled to your humble opinion, but just wanted you to know you're stompin' on sacred ground.
Gypsy
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Hey Fuster,
I just reread your reply to Slappy, and just started cracking up...in addition to your vast knowledge of movie esoterica, it occurs to me you must have absolute piles of discretionary income, or in the case of the May West album...indiscretionary income...is there nothing you won't buy? Just to satisfy my curiosity, where do you draw the line?
I am busting on you a little, but really do appreciate the "wealth" (excuse the pun) of information you provide.
Gypsy
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Hey Fuster,
I hope your friend took your advise about TCM vs. the video store. I first saw 'Rebecca' when I was nine or ten on TV. Knowing I loved a good mystery my Mom turned me on to it, encouraging me to watch by mentioning how "creepy" the housekeeper was. Even though I've seen it several times since then I never fail to get a shiver when the icily-controlled-completely-demented Mrs. Danvers is displaying Rebecca's "things". Oooooh! This has always been my favorite performance by Dame Judith Anderson.
Thanks for the tip re TCM Programmer. Think I'll wait to see if the thread generates more interest before approaching him.
Gypsy
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Thanks Bollywood ...for the heads-up re 'Jamaica Inn'. I've only ever seen it once myself years ago, can't think where as I've only had TCM for about a year.
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Hey Fuster,
Definitly know what you mean when it comes to Richard Carlson and Hugh Marlowe. I can never keep those two straight in my mind. I'm getting better, but for some reason I used to confuse Flora Robson and Anne Revere, and they don't even look very much alike.
Get back to you when I think of some others. Funny idea.
Gypsy
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I could be wrong, but I can't think of another single author who's had as many of her books translated successfully to the screen than Daphne du Maurier. I would really like to see TCM run them together as a tribute. Unfortunately her birthday just passed (May 17th), so another reason would need to be proposed, (not wanting to wait another year for this to happen), "Gothic Day" perhaps. The films are as follows:
1939 Jamaica Inn (Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara)
1940 Rebecca (Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier)
1944 Frenchman's Creek (Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Cordova, Basil Rathbone)
1946 The Years Between (Michael Redgrave, Valarie Hobson, Flora Robson)
1947 Hungry Hill (Margaret Lockwood)
1952 My Cousin Rachel (Olivia de Havilland, Richard Burton)
1957 Suspicion (Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine)
1958 The Scapegoat (Alec Guinness, Bette Davis, Irene Worth)
1963 The Birds (Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor)
1973 Don't Look Now (Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland) (may need to be omitted for a graphic sex scene).
Would anyone else be interested in seeing this body of work on a single day? Does anyone know how I might propose this to the TCM Progammer.
I look forward to your replies.
Gypsy
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Definitely William Powell and Myrna Loy; their "mugging" at each other was priceless in 'The Thin Man'.
But my all time favorite combo; Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. The two of them together transcended them apart, like adding 2+2 and getting 200.
Skyrockets!
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Hi Chuck,
I look forward to reading your book as Agnes Morehead was someone whose performances I always thoroughly enjoyed, and would like to know more about her. She seemed to me to be absolutely fearless in her choice of roles, running the gamut from glamour to hag effortlessly, and not caring either way as long as the part was good. That to me is a good actor.
Character actors, Miss Morehead being one of the best, added a certain texture and dimension to their films which I think is lacking in some films today. Who today can replace Miss Morehead, Thelma Ritter, Dame Judith Anderson, Florence Bates, Marjorie Main, Edna May Oliver, Flora Robson, Anne Revere...to name just a few. Kathy Bates is the only current female actor I can think of with the ability to walk in their shoes.
Sorry, I guess I went a little off track, as the thread was specifically about your book regarding Agnes Morehead.
Best of luck with it, and hope you did her proud; she was definitely one of a kind.
Gypsy
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Hi Slappy,
That's a funny reminiscence, and funnier still that in the late '50's-early-60's we actually had some pre-Hawaii-50 'Ventures' albums at home ('Walk, Don't Run' was either an album title or a song I recall.) They weren't on the cutting edge of rock-n-roll certainly, but very tight as a group, and if it were their music playing in the films I'm referring to, I wouldn't have complained. They were way better than the junk to which I'm referring.
Thank you for sharing,
Gypsy
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Dead of Night (1945)
Young Tom Edison (1940)
The Red House (1947)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)
Jamaica Inn (1939)
Any film with Edna May Oliver, but especially the Hildegard Withers Mysteries.
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Hi Mongo,
I remember coming across a posting that delineated the sources of TCM's library, but can't find it again. Could you help please? Was one of the sources 'The Selznick Studio'? I'm interested in seeing 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' (1938), and wondered if it's likely to show up on TCM?
Thank you for any help.
Dianne
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Hi Slappy,
Thanks for the AH corrections...those lines just crack me up!
Gypsy
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Hey Fuster,
How did I know this was a topic you couldn't resist? I'm glad you liked my explanation, but felt I was grasping at straws somewhat, not knowing specific movies. You always amaze me with your (to me) esoteric film facts.
You mentioned Michaelangelo Antonioni, and it occurs to me he actually cut 'Pink Floyd's' track from 'Zabriskie Point'.
There are people who are scoring those old silent films, and it would be really interesting I think to re-score some of the films of which we're speaking with contemporary music of the time.
More currently, Clint Eastwood's use of Ahmed Jamal tracks from 'At the Pershing' (minus the live audience applause) in 'The Bridges of Madison County', warmed the cockles of my heart. I've been an Ahmed Jamal fan since I was still in single digits when this album came out in the '50's.
I've decided to make a list; when these movies with awful sound tracks show up I will add them to the list, and we'll be able to continue this discussion armed with specifics. Will you do the same?
Brakenhe made a very good point regarding 'The Graduate', so check this out as well.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Gypsy
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Hey Brakenhe,.
I think you hit on something when you mentioned 'The Graduate'. It seems to me this was a BIG breakthrough at the time...actually hiring a contemporary Top 40 group/artists to do the music for a mainstream movie, and long before MTV. I went to see the movie because of the music; after all I'd never heard of Dustin Hoffman, and the only thing I knew about Anne Bancroft (may she rest in peace) at that time was 'The Miracle Worker'. Of course the movie was great, and developed a buzz on it's own merits, but it was Simon and Garfunkel who got me to stand in the ticket line. It was a stroke of genius on the part of Mike Nichols, (who's always been a few furlongs ahead of the pack). One would think other film-makers of the time would have jumped all over the idea, but if memory holds they were still slow on the uptake even in the face of this movie's phenomenal success. Hence there were many more films with abysmal sound tracks before the idea really caught on.
Thanks for your input.
Gypsy
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Re: Olivia de Havilland
Having read one of Olivia de Havilland's books back in I think the '60's, fairly certain it was called "Every Frenchman Has One", allow me to critique: unbelievably silly and not worth whatever I paid for it.
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For those of you who may not be aware, Audrey Hepburn's son Sean Ferrer heads the organization "Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund" that strives to feed, clothe and educate needy children worldwide in her name. As a extension of her work with UNICEF, Mr. Ferrer has chosen this fitting and worthwhile tribute to his mother's legacy. You may contact this organization at ahcfund@aol.com to make a contribution.
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Here's a really big pet peeve of mine and I'd like to know if there are others of like mind.
Back before "actual" rock-n-roll songs by the original artists were used in films, music in the films from the '60's and '70's had a very peculiar sound to those of us who grew up during that time, and knew what really great music was out there. I'm referring to the music that tried to sound "hip" or "with-it" but was just AWFUL. In addition to bass and guitar, there was always this overuse of the organ. In fact, in the music I'm referring to, this instrument was predominant, but unfortunately played by people with NO CLUE. We had 'Procol Harum's' 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' for instance, at the same time as these really pathetic, tuneless, themeless organ rip-off-riffs (and even calling it a rip-off is paying it way more of a compliment than it deserves). It usually accompanied the obligatory party/dance scene with a whole bunch of people who couldn't dance; the females, mostly blond, hair swept up and back to high tease cascading down their backs, mini-skirted, go-go booted, arms-a-pumping-or-a-swimming-or-a-hitchhiking, vacant-mindless of expression, and the only soul they had was on the bottom of their boots. The guys were worse...just stupid, jerky movements with no rhythm at all. And it wasn't just confined to these movies, but seemed to permeate other films of the time as well.
Anyway, back to the music. It all sounded the same, and odiferous fumes emanated from it, surrounding some films (which may have not been so bad), with a musical miasma that destroyed their credibility. I just always got the impression some "real cool" studio head just said "Yeah, put in a lot of organ, the kids'll really go for that." Bleaghhh! As if Les Paul was given a days notice to imitate Eric Clapton. (Definitely a bad analogy, Les paul was really good, but you hopefully get my drift).
I think it's a prime example of movie moguls tasteless patronization, underestimating their audience, and shortcutting for the sake of BIG $$$'s. I really hope heads rolled, but unfortunately it wasn't quick enough.
I wish I could cite particular movies, (probably blotted them out), but I know you hardcore movie buffs can. Love to hear from you.
Gypsy
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