Change in Progress

Spike Lee Talks About Michael Jackson with Katie Couric

A week ago today the world was stunned by the loss of Michael Jackson.  Thanks to Black Box Office this afternoon I found the conversation below between CBS Katie Couric and the legendary Spike Lee.  As usual I think Spike really captures the feelings - of admiration and conflict - of the African American community regarding Michael Jackson.

In particular, I agree with his point that how ever annoyed we may have felt by our perceived rejection of our culture or identity; or no matter what we felt about his legal problems and eccentric actions - those things are in the past now.  Not simply because we are caught up in the emotion of the moment, but because when we look back at his career, you simply cannot help but to give the man his due. 

For me, the Michael I loved was they cute guy on Soul Train on Saturdays.  I was mesmerized by his dancing ability and as a little girl would try so hard to come close to that fluidity and hippness.  Given I can't walk gracefully, you can imagine how that went. LOL - but that was OK I could just enjoy watcing Michael.

I am likely one of the very very few who liked Michael's music when he went solo, but never was overwhelmed by his stardom then. I bought the cassette tape because you could not escape his music but it was not a favorite.  In fact, when he came to Dallas in either 1987 or 1988 I was scheduled to work the will call booth for the then Rainbow Ticketmaster and offered the opportunity to a co-worker because I just had no burning desire to see him in person. 

A part of my distancing from Michael even then probably closely relates to what Spike talks about at the end of the interview with Katie --- when you become such a superstar that people faint at the touch of your hand --- I wonder how does that change the person. 

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My Summer Movie Fun - Older than Old School

Growing up in Dallas, before the days of Letterman and Nightline, the local stations showed movies at 10:30 PM.  Channel 8 [WFAA] and Channel 11 [now CBS] often would have a theme week - horror, mystery, etc. 

My Mom was not a movie watcher when I was young but one of favorite movie moments with her was watching The Bad Seed about a little girl that looked adorable but would kill to get her ways.  We could not wrap our minds around a child who was that evil.  Every year I would wait for Channel 8 to show the all time best verion of Christmas Carol (1951) starring Alabastair Sim as Scrooge.  But I loved William Powell & Mynra Loy in the witty Thin Man detective series, starring of course their cute dog Aster!

So I share that as backstory because although I pay for many other channels, my TV often finds itself stuck on Turner Classic Movies.  I have friends who are incredible movie buffs of not only today's hits but can have an extensive conversation on what was the best decade for movies [some prefer the 1930s others the 1970s].  A few of them have seen all of the Best Picture films, I am sure at least one - Chris has likely seen all the films nominated.

Since channels 8 and 11 were my only resource I am a quite a distance behind them but catching up.  Finally saw The Seven Samurai, the Japanesse classic which was remade in America as the Magnificent Seven, which I have not seen.  TCM offers a good mix of true classics with a bit of fluff thrown in.

I have not attended a movie in months but during this blistering heat, I have enjoyed watching TCM.  I have seen so many can’t think of them all, but a few include:

August 1^st Michael Caine [warning spoiler questions]

§       Billion Dollar Brain – fell asleep please tell the ending, I woke up right when the ice was breaking but how did they get all of those people to go out there on that ice.

§       Sleuth – really was enjoying it and again fell asleep [keep in mind that I got off one job at 3:30 AM and was at the next by 8:30 AM on Thursday so Friday morning was rough] and so I don't know how that one turned out either!!

Because I watch TV while surfing on the internet [anyone on here use FriendFeed, if so my ID is ruthdfw?] I did not attempt to watch on Saturday which was Charlie Chaplin day.

August 3^rd Gregory Peck

§       Designing Women – saw the second half of this flick with Lauren Bacall.  Luscious looking flick in all it’s Technicolor glory.

§       Duel in the Sun – interesting to see Gregory as a rogue.

§       The Yearling – weep and weep

§       Roman Holiday – did not like the ending otherwise beautiful movie.  What a way to start a film career - Hepburn won an Oscar. 

§       Conversation with Gregory Peck – documentary made with his daughter

August 4^th Marie Dressler

§       Emma – bitter sweet story

§       Anna Christie – which I believe was Greta Garbo’s debut in a “talkie” but I did not see too much of this before going to sleep.

August 5^th Claude Rains - love him wish I could have seen more

§       Red Robin Hood – saw the ending again, love this movie

§       Lady with Red Hair – unfamiliar with Miriam Hopkins but movie was OK.

Today is Greta Garbo – I hope I get home in time and can stay awake to watch Grand Hotel.

Tomorrow is James Garner – nothing looks exciting but I will likely have it on in the background.

Saturday is Fred McMurray – umm a whole day for his films seem like a stretch, I think it is just an excuse to show the Apartment AGAIN – they showed within the last three weeks.

Sunday is Doris Day so I will try to catch The Man Who Knew Too Much, a Hitchcock film I have never seen.  Speaking of Hitchcock recently watched the Birds, Vertigo [waiting for the good stuff], Rear Window, Trouble with Harr [delightful, it was my first time seeing it and would love to watch again] and the non-Hitchcock, Hitchcock film Witness for the Prosecution.  This movie seems so much his style many believe he made the movie, but he did not.

Kim Novak day [ugh] oh and look they are showing, yes you guessed it Vertigo [stab me in the eye now].  I really can’t imagine her in a film adaptation for Of Human Bondage.

If only I could find my TIVO remote so I could set set the system up to record the flicks I will miss due to work and sleep...LOL.

Do you enjoy classics?  What are some of your favorites?

100 Movies in Less Than 2 Minutes

Hat Tip to Pete's Place

First 16 are the ones that stood out to me when i watched it the first time - then I looked at it slowly and tried to ID the others.  Less than half...goodness how embarassing.

1. nashville
2. diehard
3. zodiac - guess
4. edward scissor hands
5. titantic
6. unbreakable
7. forest gump
8. LA Confidential
9. godfather [the original i think]
10. dog day afternoon
11. justice for all
12. lethal weapon [4 i think]
13. clockwork orange
14. dick tracy
15. American Graffiti
16. NOW I AM TRYING TO DO THEM IN ORDER:  Bulworth  ----- I had to look the name up on IMDB becuase I never saw the movie and could not remember the name.  was really surprised to see that Warren Beatty has made only ONE movie this decade.  It is normally not hard for older male stars to find projects.  So I wonder if he is just tired of acting.  Also how much has his father's illnesses and his young children played a part in that decision.
17. wonder boy
18. Raising Arizona
19. Planet of the Apes --- pure guess on the chimp scene
20. the apartment
21. blair witch
22. Apocalypse Now ---- my guess on the line of fire across the coast line
23. jaws
24. glory
25. nightmare on elm street - no idea which one
26. Secretary
27. Philadelpia
28. Ed Wood
29. pscyho
30. star wars
31. game show
32. Exorcist
33. back to the future
34. chinatown
35. wizard of oz
36. dr. strangelove
37. it happened one night
38. silence of the lambs
39. one who flew over the cc's nest
40. no country for old men
41. schlinder's list
42. the insider

So what did I not recognize?

Movie Weekend

Quite a weekend - for the first time in over three months I went to the movies - what a waste of time.  I saw Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns.  I became a reluctant fan of TP after his first movie, I have not seen all of them but those I did I liked for the most part.  In light of great sucess, this movie was unexcuseable.  It was sloppy - so many errors, one minute Brown has a piece of paper sitting on the Bible, then we look over his shoulder no paper, then we see him from the front, paper again. 

Many have complained of TP's depiction of blacks, saying he often shows us "cooning" this movie will support that theory.  How sad to see Angela Bassett associated with such a flick.  She does fine, as does Dallasite Irma P. Hall.  Ms. Hall is a grouchy babysitter who wants to get paid but will settle for the opportunity to offer advice - reminded me of my mom.

By the way David Mann, well known for his role in TP's plays as Brown - also makes occassional appearances on TP's TV show House of Paine - is a Dallasite.  Well, he lives in Frisco.  I ran into him at NorthPark last December. 

So if I can slip a little political note, one thing that has annoyed me for sometime is how much I am tired of seeing the black church pimped in entertainment.  Do we really church choirs to sell cars and other stuff?  Then they always have to act out in Church.  No complaints from the Sean Hannity's and Pat Buchannan's at this. 

Thank goodness today has been a better movie day:  I started with Sidney Poitner's Lillies of the Field which was as good as I heard.  His battle of wits with the Mother Superior Nun was delightful and at times touching.  Now imagine a black immigrant, Mexicans and German imigrants working together for a common cause.   Easter Parade which is appropriately glorious in rich techincolor. It was enjoyable but there was not the spark between Fred and Judy Garland as he enjoyed with Ginger Rogers.  In fact, I would have prefered her to end up with Peter Lawford instead.  Then for the first time I saw Mildred Pierce in full, goodness that film should be shown to young parents as required viewing, along with Bad Seed.   

So watching Torch Song with Joan Crawford in "brown" face, at least she did not attempt to go in full black face was bad enough.  But the funniest line has to be Joan's mother offering a comfort upon hearing the man Joan is heartbroken over is blind by saying, "well you know your father was a little bald when we met."  Um, certainly not the most politically correct film of the year I am sure. 

Right now one of Crawford's silent films is on TCM - but I am afraid I have to check out.

A Face in the Crowd (1957)

This is a film I actually had never heard of, but found it fascinating.  Patricia Neal is Marcia Jefferies a host on a small Arkansas radio station.  Her weekly show "A Face in the Crowd" leads her to interview a singer locked up for drunk and disorderly conduct.  His folksy wisdom and infectious laugh leads to him becoming a media star.  Keep in mind that TV is relatively new in America and the movie warns of it's potential problems - in 2008 we still see the linger effects of instant - unexamined - celebrity and ability to control public thought.

Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes is portrayed by Andy Griffith in his film debut, before his iconic role as Sheriff Andy Taylor for 249 episodes.  And this is not the Andy we know from Matlock either.  I know people who describe Tom Cruise's laugh as manic - Lonesome's laughter and constant yelling is comparable.  Lonesome is manulipative from the beginning, whether it is neogitating an early jail release in exchange for his cooperation to coaching a senator running for president on how to appeal the public. 

In some ways the film reminds you of the public's contribution to the problem, even when our intentions are good.  Lonesome is amused when he suggest everyone break their dog to the sheriff's house, and they bring hundreds.  But when he suggest the public help out a single black mother, whose home has burned down by contributing .50 and they provide thousands of dollars - in quarters - he begins to realize how easily he could rule the world.

This film is listed on the Guardians 1,000 Films to see before you die list.  I think it is a worthy listing.

It is interesting how incredibly relevant Elia Kazan's film remains today, and how it accurately it forecasted the immediate future of our society when released in 1957.  The 1960 presidential campagin is clearly one of the first elections so truly controlled/influenced by the power of TV and the only thing to upstage the power of TV in politics is the internet.  We have seen too many examples to begin to list of how mass opinion is controlled by key figures - i.e., do you have a book you want to sell - then pray that Oprah likes it and if she does, start picking out the wallpaper of your mansion.

We know that media serves an important role in society - but this film is a good cautionary tale of the problems that are an outgrowth of unchecked control. 

Cameo:  a young Mike , now 90, in an uncredited appearance.

The Fountainhead (1949)

I have seen parts of this movie over the years but this is the first time to see ALMOST all of it.  It was on when I woke up, so missed the very beginning.  However, I have to say this is only the second film featuring Gary Cooper that I have enjoyed, the first being High Noon.  To me it seems to so often play the same oh so noble, oh so shy/uncomfortable in his own skin kind of guy.  But that is certainly not the case in Ayn Rand's Fountainhead, at least not to me.  I did read someone online felt like Cooper was wooden.

Howard Roark [Cooper] is an architect so committed to his vision that he will forsake everything:  career and love.  Rather than follow in the path of American design, which copied Greek and Colonial themes, Roark created bold modern designs.  A popular columnist Ellsworth Toohey  at the Bulletin, waged a public campagin against Roark's crowning achievement the Enright Building.  He argued for conformity for the greater good of serving the public.  Roark's impassioned speech to the jury reminds us that America is founded on the spirit of individualism - you know those pesky things like unalienable rights: life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. 

Against this battle, Roark's love interest Dominque (Patricia Neal) rushes into a marriage with the powerful publisher of the Bulletin, Gail Wynand, because she can't bear to watch Toohey and company keep Roark down and out of work.  I found this element of the movie annoyingly symbolic of it's era.  Come one people surely did not talk like that.  Yeah OK so they did, but it is too sappy for me. 

But hey Neal looked good!!!  Those long figue loving skirts popular in that era were very complimentary.  I was half asleep but TMC had an interview with her this morning, and I believe I heard them [ok so I was drifting in and out of sleep] discussing her long time affair with Gary Cooper and friendship with his widow.

Perry Mason fans will recognize Ray Collins, who portrayed Lt. Arthur Tragg in 130 episodes, but he actually appeared in nearly 90 movies, including Citizen Kane. 

It is not often that design sets really catch my attention - I am not that good of a student of film - but in Fountainhead, it is as important a character as the other actors.  The final meeting between Roark and Wynand - when Roark walks out and you see this hugh, but now empty shadow laden office is a great shot. 

The movie is directed by Texas native King Vidor, where he worked at the first movie theater in Galveston before going to Hollywood and enjoying a great career that featured films such as The Citadel, which starred Robert Donat referenced in earlier post. 

 

Goodbye Mr. Chips

First - blasted laptop - restarted explorer when I was finished with the first version of this post.  Which I of course had not saved.  OK, take two:

Since last night I have escaped from election news and other headlines by watching - actually watching - not multi-tasking five films on TCM.  Three of the movies I have seen parts of over the years, two I never heard of before.

Goodbye Mr. Chips (1939) Surely this film started a genre we are now very familiar with - the tough teacher that eventually becomes beloved by his students.  The film features Robert Donat, who beat out the likes of Clark Gable - Gone with the Wind and Jimmy Stewart - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to win the Best Actor Academy Award.  Laurence Olivier - Wuthering Heights and Mickey Roone Babes in Arms rounded out the nominations.  Greer Garson makes her film debut, after rejecting earlier roles, as the woman who illuminates the film and Chips life - briefly.  Another actor you will likely recognize is Paul Henreid, who would later play the heroic Victor Laszlo.  His role in this film launched his American career, after appearing in German films.

I think my favorite scene in the movie is when Chips shares the good news that the war as ended to cheering students, but cautions the end was not soon enough for more former students and Masters [teachers] who have died in battle.  His inclusion of Max Staefel, the former teacher who died fighting for the opposition, drew questioning among students.  However Max was a dear friend for Chips, so naturally he mentioned him.

You have to wonder if today, the same courtesy would occur in our politically correct world, and what consequences would occur.  Looking at the comments in the blogsphere, we cannot seem to tolerate when presidential candidates compliment former presidents from the opposite party.

Sam Wood is the director of this film, as well as a uncredited director for it's biggest competitor, Gone with the Wind.  His other films include The Pride of the Yankees, For Whom the Bell Tolls and Kings Row which features future US President, Ronald Reagan.

I enjoyed the movie, but have to believe Donat's Academy Award victory was a result of vote split between Smith and Gable. 

Escape

When life kicks around a bit, we need somewhere to escape to.  Well life pretty much drop kicked me this week, but I survived.  I really had a delightful day - spent time with my little "sister" today [explain tomorrow] and then met others for a wine tasting.  Disappointed to find out Obama did not have a clear victory today - but as usual did well where it counts - in the delegate count.

However, I feel a need to escape a bit and one of the ways I enjoy is with movies.  Right now, Goodbye Mr. Chips is on TMC.  I have never seen the movie so I feel curly up with a blanket and opening a bottle of wine is going to be a good way to end the day.

How was your Saturday?