laffite
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Days Won
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Posts posted by laffite
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I tuned in late but got engrossed watching Carroll. Still not quite sure if Eli was right for this. He's a fine actor but he doesn't have the charisma nor the looks to make her eventual attraction to him credible enough to me. Just a thought, he certainly doesn't ruin the picture. Malden was perfection. That round clownish nose fits the role.
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Re The Brahms Double Concerto
The opening is as poignant and evocative of any music I've ever heard. Melancholy? Wistfulness? An gentle expression of love? Whatever it is, it's beautiful. This is my favorite concerto of all (currently, that is). The balance of the two solo instruments is masterful. Thanks, Chris, gorgeous selection.
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Cairo etc -Movie Buff Fantasy
next: Play It Again, Sam
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THE TALK OF THE TOWN
...was soon this strange duo, the singer and this unknown trombone player with their scintillating renditions of the standards, he with his happy demeanor and her with that clipped style of singing. They did gigs with Woody Herman and Stan Kenton and (even Art Tatum when they could get him to stop playing solo) until one day the trombone turned up missing and he was given another, uh oh, he thought...
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PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM
...that is, play by itself and just like the great jazz greats too! All he had to do was hold the trombone in the natural position and think happy thoughts. If a sad thought entered his mind the trombone sputtered. Since he was prone to depression, he made sure...
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I'll try Foreign Correspondent (has always eluded me for some reason) as the other two, The Locket and Mr Lucky are not available on Netflix. There are not many Laraine Day movies available.
So we don't know the name of the other woman in the picture?
Thanks Mave and Jackie for the recommendations.
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DON?T GO NEAR THE WATER
?, a piece of advice heeded too late as it was subsequently discovered that morsels of the serum-laden boysenberry had entered the water supply system via the garbage disposal and in time began to affect all concerned who were thus horrifically aware of their worsening fatigue of late?the fact is they were slowly freezing up, all except the boy who had drank nothing but Mountain Dew and Avian all the while and who now being averse to hanging around a bunch of statues caught a ride on Superman?s back and transported to the Daily Planet where he got a job as a copy boy and exercising the necessity of spurning the advances of Lois Lane who had the veritable hots for him and who had plans to?
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Why is she looking at herself like that? Is she having second thoughts? Or is she mesmerized by her own beauty! I confess, I wasn't sure who this was (I know, I know
) but I tried her name and googled images (you didn't say who she was but of course you shouldn't have to ). In my own defense, it's true, n'est-ce pas, that she is not well represented on TCM. I don't see her turn up too often. Did she work for one of those "other" studios? Two or three of those photos just knocked me out. I looked at her film list and do not recognize most of those titles. I want to rent one on Netflix, would someone please recommend a good one). I like her sitting in the chair laughing. -
Escape from Alcatraz
Seeing a murder
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GIANT
?blasts came from the other side and it was realized with horror that the sound was from real giants (gasp!) who were traipsing in and around the dude ranch very nearly crunching the palimino into mush. The giants were used to this as the genie often granted wishes on their territory. They usually stepped on the interlopers out of wariness. But this time one of the giants smelled a delicious pie and stopped his foot coming down on the house just in time. They would spare Ma, Pa, Mildred, and Ida (and the palomino) if they could have Mildred?s boysenberry pie everyday for dessert. Mildred gasped and realized that it would take 159 pies every meal and where would all the boysenberries come from? Mildred said, ?This looks like a job for Superman,? and called the Daily Planet and asked for Clark Kent. Clark made himself small and climbed into his cell phone and changed into Superman and like a speeding bullet arrived on the scene just as a giant was causing seismic disturbances by jumping up and down for want of pie. Superman began to remedy this situation with a...
?
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Dodes Ka-Den
playoffs
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CAST A DARK SHADOW
?as it withdrew from the scene, once again having accomplished it?s mission of maintaining the balance between the Good and the Bad. Granting eternal peace was certainly out of the question and the continuation of murder and guilt maintained the tenuous equilibrium that kept the world at perpetual odds with itself and once again the genie reflected on the tough business of granting wishes in a world with no God. What fools these mortal be, indeed, always praying to what does not exist instead of giving The Genie it?s full recognition as the dues ex machina that determines the plot of this stage upon which fools tread. These reflections were interrupted by that damnable internal alarm that genies find so irksome, another fool with another infernal wish, what fresh nonsense might this be? This time it was from a little boy on the Western prairie who kept yelling the name of his hero, that benevolent stranger who showed him how to use a gun but who was now riding away. The little boy wished?
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The Four Feathers (1939)
pragmatic
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ANNA KARENINA
ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM or ANNA
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THE OUTRAGE
?of the innocent, perhaps in the waning moments of the temporal, bent on an 11th hour revenge? It appeared to be the end and the man whose leg had been healed now accepted his fate, waiting to be killed. The dog did not attack the gunman?instead barked furiously at his master, as if to once again make an appeal. Suddenly the man intoned the mantra ?Asa Nisi Masa? and immediately felt a violent tug to mind and body. The man with the gun backed out of the room, the genie?s
messenger reappeared. Time seemed to be going backwards. Yes, his life was in rewind. Would he go far enough back to make a different wish? If this was the genie?s message he would welcome it, how rare to get a second chance. But when they got back to the time of the wish?
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90
"Put it away, Elvis. I'm not really interested in any dirty pictures."
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CAPTURED
?suddenly the spirit of this new enlightenment within him and though contrary to the spirit he had no choice but to deflect the dog?s wildness onto the genie?but was it in time? The genie was gone but was it?s horrible legacy still intact? He contemplated the outrageous irony of now welcoming his disability in favor of the unendurable guilt he would no doubt be unable to purge. The dog looked at him but with no sign of reproach. No change in the leg?so far. He suddenly felt immense fatigue and turned to sleep for respite. What would the morning bring? Hours later he awoke to the dog, barking, barking, barking?he opened his eyes and ?
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*The technicolor...*
Gorgeous !
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THE CLOCK
?struck twelve and suddenly a wonderful genie appeared before the man and the dog with a single wish to grant. It was a no-brainer, make my leg heal so that I can walk tall like a real man again. The wish was to be granted but on one condition, to wit, upon the granted wish someone, not the man with the bad leg, but someone else, a perfectly innocent person to be arbitrarily chosen, would die and be damned in hell for all eternity. The man didn?t care, all he could think of was his leg being perfectly healthy, so he expressed his wish and waited expectantly. Just then the dog began to bark wildly because...
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*by the way, Mr. Crow is still raising heck in the world*
Yeah, I'll say. When he's not gladiatoring or being a huntsman on the prowl, he is Captain Jack Aubrey of the HMS Surprise, a formidable challenge to any blackguard and plundering pirate. Did you see him in Master and Commander ? How sneaky can you get! Playing possum like that. Boy, if he thinks any pirate would fall for that gag, he'd better to back to the arena and resume gladiatoring.
Hey Greer!
What's new?
L.
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*Jackie*, as to your favorite scene?touch-ay
(I have to spell it that way because it looks terrible without the accent mark). I wonder if the screenwriter slipped that in?or was it in the novel. That Deborah (Atkins) was a character all right. And *Rohanaka*, I liked too when she followed the funeral wagon though at the time I thought it not credible (since everyone, not just Mattie, seemed to look to her for propriety making that action particularly courageous) but going to show that Deborah was not a stereotyped old bitty. There was a real person in there and with the softer edges too (as you point out). I agree with both of you about her leaving the story so soon. I was surprised at that very instant and thought it was a sort of waste. I liked the Oh-how-I-learned-to-eat-an-orange-Cranford-style and especially the reactions of Mary :x :x :x Smith when ever so politely informed of her ?barbaric? methods (as well as the use of certain, uh, vocabulary), first looking at Matty with dismay, then to Deborah with frantic apology, then looking down with embarrassment. I liked her immediately. She is the only major player who didn?t end up married and it?s almost as if they had to prepare us for that so we wouldn?t wonder why by having her say at the very beginning in a conversation with Matty that she did not want to be pushed into marriage, ?not just yet,? by her stepmother. I?m sure that she will change her mind (or have it changed for her) by the time these last two episodes are concluded. The way this story ended so happily and coming together so quickly for so many right at the end reminded me of the conventions of Classical comedies especially where happy endings were de rigueur no matter how contrived. But it works very well because the comedy is so central to the story and the warmth and likeability of the characters almost seem to demand it.
And *Jackie,* I agree, a kinder and gentler Judi Dench. In Notes of A Scandal there was something so repugnantly self-indulgent in her character (although that might have been intentional) but she overacted terribly as Lady Catharine in Pride and Prejudice. She tends to come on so strong. It sure says something about her range, not only that she can portray the quieter type but that she can radiate such warmth.
*DougieB*, I agree, Peggy Ashcroft was wonderful in Jewel in the Crown. If you have read the book, you?ll appreciate her even more. She captures Barbie perfectly.
You mentioned maybe buying the set. I ran across this on a Netflix user review.
?And I have to add that if you are considering buying this series, pass on this A & E version and go for the one released in Britain on Region 2 discs. The series was remastered for the 21st anniversary, and there are several great commentaries as well as a few other special features. The audio/video quality of the Region 1 version is not especially good, and there are minimal additional features.?
This might be good advice since there is a lot of carping about the quality of the set commonly available. I?ve seen it (from the library) and it is watchable but it?s a bit grainy and there is no subtitle option. There were times I wished for that because the sound is not always good and the dialogue is sometimes hard to make out.
*Eafm*, thank you again. I believe Return to Cranford is new in my area as well. I wonder when it was done. If brand new, it's curious that the DVD would be out so soon. I hope to get to Lark soon.
laffite
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THE END OF THE AFFAIR
Merton whose adventures thereupon came to a close gave way to ?THE END? appearing on the screen and the exact nature of this friendship will be left to the viewer?s imagination, one?s pleasure to seek. The lights came on and the audience filed out of The Bijou to find the city dusking and the whores, pimps, night clubbers, night riders of various feathers as well other various nocturnal denizens coming out like worms (or fire flies) scuttling (or hovering) apace their business/pleasure to perform. A lame man, dragging a foot, armed and angry, was on a mission that most certainly boded ill for the doer of a dubious deed during an era of war time woe who was?
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Hi Ealm,
I didn't know what you were talking about when you said "Return to Cranford." Now I understand, it starts next week. Is this new...or another encore presentation? Not that it matters.
spoiler
I just this minute finished watching the final two-hour episode of Cranford and wow, talk about tying up loose ends. I am not always crazy about ultra-happy endings but I find this okay although it is nearly over the top the way everyone gets married off the way they do. Even Miss Pole, for crying out loud, who expected that! But these people are so charming and so likable that we want them all to be happy. Now if only we can find somebody nice for Mary Smith, my favorite. She has the cutest facial expressions imaginable.
Thanks for posting. I actually have Lark Rise to Candelford in my Netflix queue (per your recommendation) and will try an episode or two and see how it goes. I'll probably get hooked. These BBC period dramas are just amazing. I hope you post again. laffite
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THE STRAIGHT STORY
?which began to unfold immediately as Merton, forever the idealist, asked Llsa whether she might be a femme fidele whereupon she laughed in his face and told him she was not a bad girl though she advised against meeting her at train stations. He asked about the letters but she had gone to the piano bar with a request unknowingly leaving unattended a packet of letters that Merton grabbed at once but was detained by Captain Renault who confiscated same and Merton feared mightily the interrogator-babe but was told by Major Strasser not to worry as she had been suspended by the Production Code since their guidelines did not allow six unbuttonings (unless in the Producer?s office) which made Merton nearly cry out with joy. Sam began the song and Rick came barging out of his office and noticing Merton kissing Major Strasser's boot with gratitude, said, "...
) but I tried her name and googled images (you didn't say who she was but of course you shouldn't have to 
What's new?
Re Favorite BBC Productions, Plays, TV, etc...
in Your Favorites
Posted
*Ian Hart as Ludwig Von Beethoven*
(minor spoilers)
Beethoven Eroica is a BBC TV drama, a biopic of sorts on Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)---though the biggest star of this piece is not Beethoven, strictly speaking?or any of the actors ?rather it's the music itself. The first performance of this great symphony took place not in a concert hall for the general public, but in what appears to be a large upstairs room on a Royal Estate. A Prince and Princess make this ?sneak preview? possible, and invite a few dignitaries along for the ride.
This little movie, only 83 minutes, is daring (leave it to the British to do something like this) in that over half---46 minutes---is devoted the symphony itself, which is played in its entirety. The viewer does not sit idly as if at a concert. Things happen while the music is playing that lends insight to Beethoven?s life, politics, class strictures, as well as something about music itself and what the Eroica (Heroic) Symphony actually means.
Beethoven?s first two symphonies were decidedly Classicist in style and bore a marked resemblance to those of Haydn and Mozart. But with the Third---the Eroica---he broke new ground. This may be a poor comparison but think Brando in Streetcar, a new boldness and realism in acting. The Eroica is Classic in style but Romantic in content and not everyone was ready for it. But one lady present at the playing seemed to draw a near erotic pleasure in the listening and later declared that she thought the music was ?French, yes, definitely French?new and bold? with the obvious reference to the French Revolution, which was in its aftermath. Beethoven was not of nobility---though he thinks of himself as noble through his music---and his liberal cast of mind holds Napoleon on a pedestal as perhaps an embodiment of a great hero who will gain great power and use this power to help the poor. Yes, there is relationship between that and the name he gave to the symphony.
This movie should not be reproached for the obvious liberties it takes with events. Beethoven has an unlikely conversation with the woman he loves. Josef Haydn himself (1732-1809), the great man, very old now, the ?father of the symphony? and a composer of such lofty status that everything stops in his presence, makes an appearance, not a likelihood at all. A couple of other things happen that should remain unsaid to avoid spoilers. But this thing has been done before, especially with biopics. Cate Blanchett?s Elizabeth crammed events that occurred decades apart into four years to facilitate the drama. Hopefully these stratagems don?t spoil anything, certainly not in Beethoven Eroica, IMO.
But if so, you will be appeased by the music---I hope. I have liked classical music all my life and have listened to the Eroica so many times I can run it through my head without missing a beat. I might not therefore be in a position to know how this movie might come across to a non-classical musical listener. If you are the least bit susceptible you might really like this. If you have a marked dislike for this kind of music you might do well to pass. Despite my long familiarity with this piece, I came away from this with renewed enthusiasm, I love this music even more.
*Tim Piggot-Smith as Count Dietrichstein*
My favorite moment occurs when the Count listens to a particularly beautiful passage and despite his best efforts cannot help but betray how deep the music penetrates his soul. It?s difficult to show in a screencap, he looks up there as if he might be angry or something?but he is practically in tears. He is traditional and thinks Beethoven and his music as coarse. He will admit to ?beautiful passages? approaching even the ?sublime? here and there but it is too long, too loud, and certainly ?not a symphony.? The camera captures Tim Piggot-Smith and stays on him for a long time and he does a splendid job portraying a man grappling with the beauty of the music as it threatens the power of his prejudices. The music wins, at this moment anyway.
So what makes the Count cry? I?m fascinated by the idea that the movie maker wanted a scene like this and what parts of the symphony he might have considered using. He chose a passage of surpassing beauty, a portion of the slow movement. The youtube link below (not from the movie, but from a modern performance) is very long but put the cursor about four-fifths the way to start and then find the 21:40 mark and listen for _2 minutes and 10 seconds_ (start at 21:35 for lean in) and see what makes this hard-boiled old Count shed tears listening to music he is determined not to like.
And, come on, listen to the whole 2:10, that?s not very long. See what you think of this music. Dare to take the Beethoven Challenge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFltqVS8d9I
Start at 21 minutes, 40 seconds
Stop at 23 minutes, 50 seconds
..