Happy Anniversary To Woodstock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Today is the 57th anniversary of Woodstock.  No, darlings, I was not there, though I got as far as the Jersey Turnpike.  But I know people who were there.

                                          Nothing has equaled or topped Woodstock.  While the talent is out there, it cannot match what Woodstock had.  Now those performers are either gone or out of the business.

                                            Today is a day to remember music.  I will try to include Grace Slick's rendition of "White Rabbit," when she was there.  Grace really nailed it.

                                                Wake up, girls, smell the coffee, and remember Woodstock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Here is Grace at Woodstock!  Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, In Order To Be Pure, Your Taste Buds Have To Tingle When You Eat Kretschmer Wheat Germ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   Forget losing your virginity, darlings!  Who counts that anymore?

                                                    Even without it, you can still stay pure.  If your taste buds tingle when you eat Kretchmer Wheat Germ, you are still pure.  I have been pure for a long time!

                                                     Admittedly, the honey flavored Kretschmer Wheat Germ has more flavor, and I used to love it, but as a diabetic, I cannot eat it anymore.  So, I take the plain kind and mix it with fruit and yogurt, and cereal, and it really has some flavor.

                                                        Darlings, I am so everlasting pure it can be nauseating.  On some days I feel like Shirley Temple in "Little Miss Marker!"

                                                          It really is a health help, girls!   And it gives the non crunchy food you put it on a bit of crunch and that is so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                              So don't worry so much about virtue, dears.  Just make sure your taste buds tingle when you eat Kretschmer Wheat Germ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                  Mmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

O.K., Girls, Here's The Story! If You Have Never Seen It, The Movie Is A Hoot! If You Have Seen It, A Second Viewing Gets Stale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          Do not be fooled by this poster, darlings.  If only the movie were this good!

                                           "Svengoolie", or I should say, "The House Of Svengoolie," meaning his staff--Gwengoolie, Nostalgiateratu, and Imp--are showing "The Land Unknown" tonight.  It is a film from 1957 that should have been left on the shelf.  I have seen better dinosaur effects in children's theater productions!

                                                 It's the same old crap.  A group of guys and a woman--because there always has to be a woman--land by accident in this mysterious land, only God knows where it is, only it is not Secaucus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   Perhaps if the film had had the talents of Willis O'Brien or Ray Harryhausen it might have been something, but the bunch of know nothings who made this only succeeded in turning out a clunker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                       Those who have seen it before are advised not to watch.  David, Baby Gojira, Kerwyn, Little Pippin and I are going to watch something else.  Baby and I have talked about it, and we have selected not only a surprise but a real gem.  If you can guess what it is, I advise you to watch the same film we are at the same time.

                                                           Sometimes, it is good to have options, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, Darlings, This Is The Feast Of The Assumption!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         What this means is this is the day Mary left this life, but unlike the rest of us was taken into Heaven, body and soul.  For the rest of us, the soul goes first.

                                            If Jesus lived the most exemplary life on Earth, Mary came in second.  But she is the one so many of us reach out to in moments of need.  She is our mother.  Even Paul McCartney was on to something when he wrote, "When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me."  The Beatles knew what was going on.

                                              So, today remember Mary and think of all she has done for us, and that she is there for us.  We wish her a Happy Assumption and a happy celebration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                We love you, Mary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Visit To The Cemetery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                    

                                    I did it, darlings. From August 11 to 13 David and I were in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where we stayed at The Heldrich Hotel, our room overlooking the State Theater on Livingston Avenue, the site of many moviegoing memories of my youth.

                                    The old town sure has changed.  At times I felt like I was in the world of David Lynch, because when darkness falls, the town still gets a bit sinister.  I would not go walking around here at night, even though things have vastly improved from the 1950's and 1960's.  And yes, both Rutgers University, and Johnson And Johnson Headquarters, still hold the town together.

                                     The purpose of this trip was not so much nostalgia, though it did figure in, but to read over my parents' grave the following passage from Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights--"

                                     "I lingered round them, under that benign sky, watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth."

                                        That is how the novel ends, and it being so beautiful--hey, this is Emily Bronte, and in my opinion the greatest novel in the English language! --I felt, once my parents were both interred it would be the most appropriate passage to read over their graves.  But I had to wait a long time, because my father outlived my mother by 39 years, and, for reasons too complicated to go into, I was not permitted to do this at the original interment.  It took eight years, but there I am reading Bronte over my parents' graves.

                                          I was glad I did it, as there was a feeling of peace and completion.  And dinner with my former classmate, Neil, helped immensely.  To think we first knew each other when we were fifteen and fourteen, respectively, and look where we are now.  Back then I was unable to imagine being this age, and its actuality at times seems startling.

                                           The hotel bar had strange hours, so I was not able to have a Sea Breeze.  But, hey the summer is not yet over, so there is still time.

                                             Meanwhile, out in Piscataway, under a tree and near a gate beyond which trucks and cars pass by constantly as reminders of life, my parents now sleep soundly, being quiet sleepers now sleeping at last in the quiet of the earth.  Thank you, Emily!  I did it!

                                                 So now I feel my parents can rest in peace, and I feel clear, having done what I intended in the first place.

                                                 Yes, darlings, sometimes the wait is worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      

Theater Is Not So Ephemeral Anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  It used to be, darlings.  When I was a child, I enviously grilled my parents' friends, who were lucky enough to see the original productions of "Annie Get Your Gun," "My Fair Lady," even Stephen Sonndheim's "Follies."

                                     Now most on here know that is Donna McKechnie in one of her classic poses from the 1975 musical "A Chorus Line," in which she originated the role of Cassie.

                                       Youngsters may well envy me for seeing that and other original productions.  But, girls, did you know some of this can be seen on YouTube?  Not only Donna dancing solo, but the entire show, both on Broadway and at The Hollywood Bowl.  Thirty-nine years apart, but still "A Chorus Line."  And that goes for other musicals as well.

                                           Like I said, theater is not just ephemera anymore.  So, if there is a performance you may have missed, look it up.  It just might be there, and while it is not like seeing it live, one can get an idea of what the original experience must have been like.

                                              Take it from me, darlings, it is pretty thrilling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             I will be offline for a while this week, because this is the time when we are going out to my respective hometowns of New Brunswick and Highland Park, New Jersey.  We are staying at The Heldridge Hotel in New Brunswick, where most of my classmates stayed for our reunion three years ago, and is across from the State Theater, which filled my early movie life, and is now a live cultural center.  Who could have known?

                                We will see familiar surroundings, hopefully meet up with a former HP friend of mine, but, most importantly, we are going to Resurrection Cemetery in Piscataway, NJ, where my parents are both buried, so I can read over their graves the last passage in Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights."

                                  I knew I wanted to do this, eight years before, when we buried my father, but I did not think to bring a copy of the book, and I would not have been permitted to do so, then.

                                   So, this trip will be fraught with emotionality.

                                    We will be back on Thursday.  I will give you a full report then, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three Is The Charm, With "Three Women!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                  Darlings, you simply have to see this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  When "Three Women" came out, in 1977, it was called Robert Altman's "Persona."  The latter is a 1966 Ingmar Bergman film in which two women through the course of the film switch personalities.  But on my third viewing of "Three Women"--and I hope to have many more-- I find that while there are similarities to Bergman it is not simply a redo.

                                        Sissy Spacek delivers the best performance as Pinky Rose, who goes from being a childlike woman to a gun toting' mama, sexy as all get out, who emerges as the kind of woman Shelley Duvall's Millie Lammoreaux desperately wants to be, but fails on all counts.  The kind of woman who thinks serving pigs in a blanket is sophisticated, and that the best dinner recipes come from the back of Campbell's soup cans.  Are you kidding me?

                                              Janice Rule as a pregnant Willie Hart, paints murals on drained swimming pools in the area, and it this artwork that gives the film its most fascinating imagery and uses the paintings and water to transition into other areas of the plot.  Pinky's transition is triggered by a horrible event, which Millie is the cause of, but has no clue to that at all.

                                                     Girls, you have got to see Sissy at the pistol range, with her pink halter top outfit; this is the best moment in the film.  Willie has a baby and the women ban together to deliver the child and some frontier justice.  Sissy Spacek seems to transition back to a child but watch out for those eyes.  She is fierce.   Shelley Duvall seems to morph into a shell of her former self, while Willie ends up owning the place.

                                                        The plot is fascinating, but so are the endless displays of imagery and color passing before the viewer's eye.  And wait till you see the Dodge City theme park (the film takes place in Palm Springs, CA) with its miniature golf course.

                                                              Altman based this film on a dream he had, but the images of double personae, such as the twins, or Spacek and Duvall pressed against a window looking out, suggest a splitting and transition of personalities that morph throughout the film.  Will these stay permanent at the end?  That is up to the viewer to decide.

                                                                I can tell you that this is Altman's best--and most minimalist film--since "Nashville.:

                                                                 It makes me want to wear Spacek's pink halter outfit and paint the walls of drained swimming pools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          

Darlings, What Could Be Lovelier Than A Summer Full Of Perenials??????????????????????????????

                            I just love the name "perennial," because it holds out the possibility to extending Summer beyond its end point, which, for all intents and purposes, is after Labor Day.  And we are edging closer to that dreaded day, when the magic stops.

                                But his colorful floral array will alleviate any end of Summer anxiety.  You know, girls, how big I am on color, so this display was just perfect.  Imagine awakening to this every day.

                                 Florals may not be "groundbreaking," as MERYL STREP says in "The Devil Wears Prada," but they do add something to the Summer season.

                                  So, anyone suffering end of Summer blues, gather yourself as many perennials as you can!

                                  It will make you feel so much better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, Join Us Tonight At 8PM, As "Svengoolie" Airs "Man-Made Monster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                       The title of this movie has fascinated me since I was a child and always made me want to see it.  It is one of the few things "Svengoolie" is offering this month I would like to see.  However, as we are going to a birthday party today, we may not be home in time to watch it.

                                         But, girls, don't let that stop you.  You are all invited to see this film, and encouraged to, because this was Lon Chaney Jr.'s debut foray into horror films.  This was his first for Universal, before doing the picture that would become his signature role, "The Wolf Man."

                                           Of course, the story has overtones of "Frankenstein;" being that he is rejuvenated with electricity.   Does it make him stronger, or evil?  Only by watching can one find out.

                                              Darlings, if you are able, I urge you to tune in.  I may not be able to, so enjoy this rare treat from "Svengoolie;" this film is hardly shown anywhere to the point where I thought it was lost.  And I hope The Squad is with Svengoolie tonight.

                                                So, tune it tonight, girls!  I will be thinking of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

The First Truly Great Film By Robert Altman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              This was the film where Altman started formulating his style--and foreshadowed "Nashville."  With the help of top cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, the danger and beauty of snowcapped Western mountains overlooking a desolate frontier mining town is beautifully captured in "McCabe And Mrs. Miller."  The beauty and elemental danger of snow is vividly shown, especially at the climax.  But the most memorable aspect is Altman filtering Leonard Cohen songs--especially "The Stranger" and "Sisters Of Mercy" onto the soundtrack, demonstrating his special skill at integrating film and music and that would culminate four years later in "Nashville.

                                                   Warren Beatty and Julie Christie play the titular characters--he a gambler con businessman, and she the madame of a group of prostitutes.  One of those gals happens to be Shelley Duvall, who Altman and Zsigmond photography several times, and whose singular peculiarity one cannot keep one's eyes off of.  Along for the ride are also Keith Carradine, Michael Murphy and Bert Remsen.  Plus, in a minor role Joan Tewksbury, all of whom would go on to "Nashville."  Tewkesbury wrote the screenplay for that 1975 gem.

                                                       Zsigmond's interior lighting gives the film a 19th Century aura, and a final shot of Julie Christie captures all the beauty of this actress.  She doesn't even have to do anything to look beautiful.  I wish I could say the same!  But then, I don't look like Julie Christie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Who among us does?

                                                            Rene Aubernjonois gives a touching and vulnerable performance as the observer of all the action.

                                                             For those studying Robert Altman, seeing this film is key to understanding the director's work.  Looking back, as one of my age can, I can see how here he was setting in motion the stylistic techniques that would make him the master, like no other.

                                                                 Sadly, there are no directors of this caliber today.  But seeing such work preserved, and available to the public and cinephiles is extremely comforting.

                                                                   After seeing this film, the West will never be the same!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                    

Darlings, Liven Up Your Bedroom With Whimsical Wallpaper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

                             Just behold the colors, the images that sweep you away to a magical childhood paradise!  Wouldn't we all like to be swept away to such a place?  I think this wallpaper design is the perfect choice, preserving the colors of innocence, yet having a maturity about it that would not make the room into a Victorian nursery.  Save that idea for another room in the house.

                                Really, girls, when it comes to design, color is the way to go.  Who could fail to resist this tranquil image of innocence, and fall asleep beneath it?  And then to awaken to the loveliest of images!  It is just so irresistible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Not to mention it is like having perpetual Summer.  And what could be better than that????????????

                                 So, liven your bedroom, boudoir or whatever you call your sleeping quarters with a bit of whimsicality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   You will be the envy of your neighbors, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It Was High Time I Saw A Luchino Visconti Film!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Of course, I have always wanted to see his deliciously decadent 1969 film, "The Dammed," and I expect to in the near future.  But yesterday David and I saw his 1957 film "White Nights," which was tender and lyrical.

                                We saw it at the Film Forum.  Now, here is the thing about this place.  There are huge stretches of time when we never go there.  Then there are others when it seems as though we go there all the time.  We are in the latter phase right now.

                                  The film begins with a beautiful shot of the Venice set on which it was filmed.  A young woman, Natalia, is standing, crying, over a bridge, and one immediately fears she is going to jump. She is spotted by Mario (Marcello Matrionni) who thinks the same thing, and in the course of things strikes up not only a potential conversation, but a possible relationship.

                                    Natalia is played by Maria Schell, who has the kind of young freshness that reminded me of Eva Marie Saint as Edie Doyle in "On The Waterfront."  It is hard at first to determine if she is genuinely naive or a manipulator. As she reveals her story--a former wealthy Slavic family reduced to poverty and making rugs due to the Nazis, not to mention being literally and psychologically tethered to her grandmother and abandoned by her parents-- it is clear Natalia has no life experience but desperately wants it.  Alas, a year ago she met a man, L'inquilno, played by Jean Marais, whom she has promised to wait for a year.  What is he?  A criminal?  And why did he disappear to a year out of necessity?  Despite the mutual attraction between Mario and Natalia, she chooses the other.  Is she making the right choice?  The film allows the audience to make up their mind, as, snow falling, Mario walks off alone, accompanied by a stray dog, who will become his companion.  Sometimes dogs are better!

                                        I was sometimes reminded of "Brief Encounter."  But "White Nights" has a lyrical earthiness, with lights and shadows placed on buildings to suggest the emotional calibration of the characters.  Visconti is skilled at camera placement and eliciting marvelous performances from his lead trio, as well as the supporting cast, including grandma.  The boat ride Mario and Natalia take is shot beautifully, suggesting a kind of postwar hopefulness, while the climactic snowfall is as lyrical as needs to be for the climax.  For those inclined to shed tears, like me, this film will do it for you.

                                      Not familiar with Visconti's work, it surprised me he could make such a romantic and lyrical film.  I thought harshness and decadence were characteristic of his work, and in some cases, they might be, but "White Nights" shows him to be capable of romantic, poetic lyricism.

                                        I urge you to go, girls.  What could be more fulfilling on a hot summer afternoon than a gorgeous romantic story?

                                          See "White Nights," now, while it is still at the Film Forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        

Oh, My God! Girls, Guess Who Is Going To Open The 2026 New York Film Festival?????????????????

                                      That is right, girls.  The most prestigious spot in the festival has been given to our lovable reptile friend Gojira.  He has been so modest about it.  Of course, we all want to see his latest film, and hope he gets plenty of screen time.

                                          The opening takes place September 25, and I bet all tickets have been sold.  You can bet ANNA will be there.  Not to mention Gojira himself.  Maybe he will be asked to speak and/or field questions after the film!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            That would be so exciting, wouldn't it, darlings???????????  All of us here cannot wait to see Gojira's latest film.

                                              Whether you see it at the festival, or afterward in a local theater, please go and cheer Gojira on!  He deserves every bit of acclaim.

                                                 Go, Gojira!  We love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             

Where The Hell Was My Mind When This Film First Came Out??????????????????????????????????

 

                                      Well, I will tell you.  In 1980 I was 25, and filled with delight over having seen Betsy Palmer give it her all for the first time in "Friday The 13th."   I could not stop talking about it  for several months.  Then "Ordinary People" came out.  The film version of Judith Guest's novel about a family torn apart by one son's death and the other's suicide attempt and survivor guilt.  Where my life was at the time I latched onto this film, seeing it over and over.  There was a period where, each Friday night after work--I was working in NYC then--I would go to a theater showing this film, watch it, then take the bus to Jersey back home.  The film tapped into my insatiable need to leave suburbia.

                                           I knew about "Raging Bull," but what did I care?  A fight movie?  Who the hell was Jake La Motta?  I never even saw "Rocky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                          That was then, this is now.  Having just seen the Scorsese master work for the first time, I can say it should have won Best Picture. Scorsese Best Director, and De Niro Best Actor,

                                             I never realized Cathy Moriarity was so pretty.  Not to mention one hell of an actress.  But the true star of the film, beside De Niro is Michael Chapman's black and white cinematography which captures beauty and violence in poetic ways that left this viewer stunned. He also resorts to period color shots of milestone events in the characters' lives that, with special lighting almost captures the richness of color from past eras.

                                                 Oh, and not to forget Joe Pesci as La Motta's brother, and his wife played by the lovely but tragic Theresa Saldana, whose work here indicates that, had she lived, she would have gone somewhere as an actress.  But she was stuck down by a stalker in 2016

                                                   De Niro runs the gamut in this, from athletic to obese.  He looks almost unrecognizable and grotesque.

                                                    And the film, like "Brief Encounter," is a flashback.

                                                    I have to say it is one of the most handsomely made films I have seen. Nothing in the theaters now equals this, and I doubt ever will again.  Which is why I am returning to older movies and ones I have never seen on here.

                                                       There was nothing wrong with "Raging Bull."  The problem was at the time it came out; I just was not ready for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                

Yesterday We Saw "Wild Inside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                         This beautiful and joyous documentary is the work of three very talented women--director Penny Lane, cinematographer Naiti Gamez, and editor Hannah Buck.  But do not be fooled by their sterling work.  The real star of this film is Flaco, the owl who captured the hearts of residents in the five boroughs and beyond.  Sad as I and others were when Flaco passed, I am proud to say that now he has been immortalized on film.  Who knows; the film could be nominated for Best Documentary at the Oscars, and maybe Flaco would get a posthumous Oscar nomination!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             He deserves it, for he is photographed in all his proud handsomeness.  He was a natural for the camera, and he loved us as much as we loved him.  Just look into those kind eyes, and his proud poses, and there beats an owl with a heart of gold and a flair for adventure and freedom., and he chose the latter on February 2, 2023, when someone left his cage door open. Out he flew, and from that moment on New York was his turf, and he made the most of it, covering the Upper West and East Sides, as well as the East Village.  Had he lived longer, I would not be surprised if Flaco had perched on our air conditioner in Bay Ridge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                    Actually, I think Sutton Place would have been the spot for Flaco.  But he really liked Central Park; I bet he caught the Summer offerings at the Delacorte.

                                                       Shown in the film are the many Flaco acolytes who nightly would go out into the park and photograph him.  This portion of the film reminded me of the 2002 documentary "Cinemania," about a group of people who do nothing but go to the movies all day.  The similarity was clear to me when David asked of the Flaco groupies, "What do they do for a living?"  I had to agree with him, but thankfully their persistence got some beautiful imagery of Flaco.

                                                          The film is 96 minutes and Flaco is his own show, given more screen time than most major film stars.  He did indeed have star quality.

                                                            I urge all lovers of Flaco to see this film.  And those on the sidelines will come out of this film just loving Flaco.  I would just love to pet and talk to him.

                                                             Flaco reminded me of something.  The mascot at the high school I attended was an owl!  The owl was destined to be an important remembrance throughout my life!

                                                                  Love always, Flaco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Did You Know Blondie's Maiden Name Was Boopadoop????????????????????????????

                                              That's right, girls.  I am not talking about Deborah Harry, but the comic book character created by Chic Young in 1930.   Which was an era for comic book names.  Nancy, who was created by Ernie Bushmiller in 1933, was raised by an aunt named Fritzi Ritzi, while Max Fleischer created Betty Boop in 1930.

                                                With such provocative names, I would not be surprised if these three gals hung out in the evenings--at hotel bars and night clubs.  Always wearing her polka dot dress and glamorous hair style, Fritzi never quite lost the Ritzi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Blondie might have seemed like a trad wife, but she ran the show!  And Betty Boop was happy to be a single career girl, with no companion but her adorable dog, Pudgy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   We all just LOVED Pudgy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                  Alas, such comic book characters exist no more.  Haven't I said, time and again, that people dressed better in the Thirties, Forties and Fifties, and most likely had better manners too?

                                                    I just love Blondie, Fritzi and Betty Boop, and the glamour and the era that they stand for.

                                                     If only we could bring it all back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Introducing Gay Film #1--1938's "Bringing Up Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                                                                    

                           As I have said previously, the ranking has nothing to do with better or best, but simply the chronological order in which each film was made.

                            Arguably the greatest film comedy of all time, I can tell you that "Bringing Up Baby" is gay from start to finish, but not everyone in our household liked it.  But that is their problem, because if a person cannot like "Bringing Up Baby," what can they like???????????

                             The film's narrative structure is of a snowball fashioned atop a steep hill.  It is given a gentle push, and before one knows it is growing bigger and bigger.

                               The snowball begins in a paleontologist's office.  Cary Grant, as Doctor David Huxley, who comes off as a big closet case, is being reprimanded by his fiancé, Alice Swallow, (Virginia Walker) a repressed lesbian who looks as though she should remain a spinster, which, come to think of it, she does.  She reminds him of a golf appointment he has with an important potential donor, Mr. Peabody, and when he gets onto the golf course and encounters Connecticut socialite Susan Vance, played marvelously by Katherine Hepburn, well, the ball just does not stop rolling until the film's final moment.

                                Darlings, you have to see Susan's sumptuous apartment in, of all places, Riverdale, NYC.  I never thought Riverdale existed in 1938. Though shot in Hollywood, the settings are all on the East Coast.  The fluffy white curtains alone are worth having and would make all gays drool.  Same for the ones at Aunt Elizabeth's (May Robson) house in West Lake, Connecticut.   I mean, the double door, the rooms upon rooms, the elegant bathrooms, who would not want this country enclave?  It is every gay man's dream.

                                    Now, the question must be asked.  Is Huxley gay or not?  There are two arguments for admission.  The first is when he admits to wanting children and intimacy with Alice Swallow.  Oh, my God!  Straight sex with a repressed lesbian; you know, the kind who carries Radclyffe Hall's "The Well Of Loneliness" in her purse, how can such a thing be possible??????????  Disgusting for both parties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The second is when David greets Aunt Elizabeth (May Robson) in a pink bathrobe with three sets of frills on each side, and says to her, "I've suddenly gone gay!"  Uh huh.  And how many of us gays would just love to wear that robe?  I must ask my David if he can order one on Amazon, or from some top designer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    The comic and cuteness meters speed up when George and Baby come into the picture.  Baby is the cutest and prettiest domesticated leopard, and I would just have loved to pet and scratch him.  George, who is played by Asta of "The Thin Man" series; like Dreyfus another big career dog, finds the bone Huxley has acquired to complete his brontosaurus skeleton, and runs off.  What follows is the funniest comic chase scene in history, what with Grant and Hepburn arguing, loving, singing "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby," which Baby responds to.  As if this were not enough, there is another leopard, who escaped from a nearby circus, but he is a killer and is going to be put down.  Then he becomes part of the chase till the whole cast ends up in jail, until things are straightened out.

                                     Darlings, from the curtains to the furnishings, this film is a gay man's paradise.  Now, the question must be asked, is Susan interested in David because she is a fag hag, or does she think she can change David?  Especially after repressed lesbo Alice drops out of the picture.  The ending is loving but leaves you wondering.  My guess is yes, she did change him, because this was the gayest role Grant ever played.

                                       And this was the film I could not stop laughing with, which says a lot because while I am an easy crier I am a hard laugher.  One person in our house had the temerity to fall asleep during the film.  Inexcusable.

                                     I could see it again and again.  But this project requires I move on to other films.

                                     This film is a must.  Even if one does not recognize the gay code signals, it is still enjoyable.

                                      And I just love cute leopard, Baby.  And how about Hepburn's outer space dress in the hotel, and the olive trick?  Not to mention GWTW alum Leona Roberts, playing Hannah the housekeeper?

                                       I could go on.  But gay or straight, "Bringing Up Baby" offers laughter and delight for everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I had a big smile on my face throughout!

                                        Darlings, you can't miss it.  But wear white gloves and sip tea while watching it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    

What Kind Of Dog Was Dreyfus On "The Golden Girls??????????????"

                               Dreyfus, in the nineteen-eighties, had quite a career.   He made guest appearances on "The Golden Girls," which David and I watch each weeknight before the news, and he was featured on the TV series "Empty Nest," with Richard Mulligan, Kristy McNichol and Dinah Manoff.

                                   I just loved Dreyfus, so much I wish he would jump through the TV screen and hop onto our bed, so I could pet and cuddle him.  I always wondered what kind of dog he was and I am happy to say I was half right.

                                    Dreyfus was a mixed breed.  He was a combination of a Saint Bernard and a Golden Retriever.  I could see the Saint Bernard part in his face, but I would never have guessed the second.  But there you have it.

                                     I hope, when Dreyfus retired, he was happy and comfortable.  And that he and his owner(s) get spectacular royalties.

                                        I cannot think of a more lovable canine since.

                                        But then, darlings, we really don't watch much television.

To Think It Took Me This Long To See "Mean Streets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                          I was a tender 20 when this came came out, so why it was not on my radar I cannot remember.

                                          But seeing it now will provide lots of surprises. Imagine, seeing Harvey Keitel and Robert DeNiro so young!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            This was the film that put Martin Scorsese on the map, and deservedly so. Shot as a night in the big city of New York, it is laced with carefully selected lighting, violence and two star making performances from Keitel and DeNiro.  "Mean Streets" has no real conventional narrative, outside of these thugs going after everyone in sight for either drugs or money.  This could have been nothing.  But Scorsese's camera placement, his carefully lit night shots and the almost documentary feel to the film raise it above the level of an ordinary gangster pic.   Looking back, I asked myself, "The man who directed 'The Age Of Innocence' directed this?"  It seems inconceivable.

                                                For Scorsese fans, especially those who like me who have never seen it, "Mean Streets" is a must.  It will take you back to the director's roots and will allow viewers to see how he has evolved.  And how the city of New York has, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   "Mean Streets" will grip the viewer from start to finish!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   And eat some pasta bolognese afterward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What The Hell Is "Svengoolie" Showing This Week???????????? My Advice, Girls, Is To Avoid It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Who the hell is Captain Kronos?  I know this is a Hammer film, and even though the poster suggests a showcase of bosoms, I am not sure I want to watch a film I never heard of.

                            So, Baby Gojira and I have a real gem planned instead, but, unfortunately, David does not like this particular film.  But then, about a week ago, he had the temerity to say he thought "Meet Me In St. Louis" was too long.  Can you imagine?  A film of perfection?

                            I mean, even Baby was appalled.  So, we have picked out a special film, which I will try and write about tomorrow.  For those who choose to watch this, let me know what it was like.

                              To me, it looks like some ersatz "Brides Of Dracula" knockoff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Victorian Welcome To August!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Yes, darlings, here we are at the start of the year's most ambivalent month.

                                        As a child, I hated this day, because it meant the next month was September and that meant going back to school.  I still have that feeling, though I have been out of school for decades.

                                         August signals not only the last full month of Summer, but that Labor Day and Autumn are getting closer.  And the sunshine we have enjoyed will decrease and darkness will surround us.

                                           As Little Edie sang in the musical "Grey Gardens," "Another Winter In A Summer Town."

                                           That is what August means to me.  But it also has the Feast Of The Assumption, the anniversary of Woodstock, and Baby Gojira's birthday.  He will be 22 this year, but he is still our baby.

                                              And I get another month of movies to see and write about.  And books!

                                              So maybe August is not so bad after all.

                                              It is the anticipation more than the actuality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

A Victorian Farewell To July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                       Seven months have just gone by.  And this month seemed to fly faster than the others.

                         A heat wave--two, actually--two summer colds, a colonoscopy--which came out OK--and an obsession with seeing movies that by this age I should have already seen.

                          Yes, July was both an exciting and challenging month.  I am always glad of the support I get from my readers, as well as all my friends here--David, Baby Gojira, Little Pippin, and Cucumbo.

                           To think tomorrow is August 1st already.  Before you know it, Proserpina will be packing to return to Hell.  That always makes me sad, but I will have more say on the day tomorrow.

                              Meanwhile thank you for the fun and warmth you brought us, July.  Seven down, and five to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   See you next month, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, My God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Girls, Look What They Are Making A Musical Of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              Award-winning playwright Lynn Nottage and renowned composer and lyricist John Legend are combining talents to present a musical adaptation of the Fannie Hurst classic, "Imitation Of Life."  The question is, how are they going to do it????????????

                                                 First of all, it is a limited run, from November 21 to January 3.

                                                 How in hell will they do this story today?  Will the daughter have a pink princess phone?  Will the Lana Turner character be an actress.

                                                   And what about Annie Johnson and her daughter Sarah Jane, who can pass for white?  How will this be treated?  Will it?  Or will there be something different, like maybe Sarah Jane going trans.

                                                      The show is not being presented on Broadway, but Off-Broadway at  The Shed, located at 545 West 30th Street.  Will it move from there?  Only time will tell.

                                                      My advice to you, girls, is to watch the 1959 version as soon as you can.  Because there will be no Mahalia Jackson and a too late repentant Sarah Jane throwing herself on her mother's coffin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   This is the real thing, so see it.

                                                       Ironically, this vehicle so far is the most potentially exciting offering of the new theater season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         I can't wait to tell you girls about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                        

                                                   

                                            '        

We All Want To See "Wild Inside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                          This documentary, directed by Penny Lane--yes, that is her name--is for lovers of Flaco, the owl whose quest for freedom captured the hearts of just about everyone in the tri state area, and more.

                                           Flaco escaped from his Central Park cage on February 2, 2023.  Someone had left the door open, and Flaco made a bid for freedom.  To this day, the person responsible for Flaco's escape has never been found or come forward.

                                             With his proud, sophisticated stance, and New York determination, Flaco and his adventures captivated me right away.  I kept hoping he would fly out to Bay Ridge and perch on the windows of our apartment.  But Flaco, a sophisticate, understandably preferred the Upper East Side, though he did make it down to the East Village.  He definitely was partial to the East, rather than the West Side.

                                                 I don't know if the filmmaker was able to get an interview with Flaco--I would have loved to have heard his comments on our city!!!!!!!!!!--but, as he is the star, he gets about as much screen time as BARBRA did in "Funny Girl."

                                                    May this film find a distributor.  It was screened the other night in either Central or Bryant Park and was a big hit.  Actually, I just found out that it is opening today at the IFC Center, and so we can all go and see Flaco on screen ourselves.

                                                      Flaco will always remain in our hearts, and now he will be immortalized on screen.

                                                       Go, Flaco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                

Gene Tierney As A Psycho Narcissist???????????? Darlings, You Have GOT To See "Leave Her To Heaven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                                                                    

                                  Having seen this film awhile ago, I had forgotten how good it was.

                                  Long before Glenn Close was born, long before anyone ever heard of Alex Forrest, there was Gene Tierney as Ellen Berent, and what a piece of work she is.  Of course, when you look as stunning as Gene Tierney--and who wouldn't want to look like this, girls????????--you can get away with almost anyth9ng.

                                      The funny thing is Ellen's mother, played by Mary Phillips and her adopted sister, played by Jeanne Crain, seem to have Ellen's number but think nothing of warning Cornell Wilde, who gets trapped in her web.  Mrs. Berent, Ellen's mother, says her problem is "Ellen loves too much."  That is the picture's understatement.  She gloms on to men and psychologically, if not physically, sucks them dry, like a black widow spider.

                                          This was a daring film to present to a 1945 audience, but it must have worked, because it earned Tierney her only Oscar nomination.  She lost to Joan Crawford in "Mildred Pierce, another film that has GOT to be dealt with on here!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            But there is another star besides Gene Tierney in the film, and that is the rich color cinematography of Leon Shamroy.  He was one of the top cinematographers at Twentieth, and he personally photographed Jennifer Jones' screen test for "The Song Of Bernadette," as well as having been married to one of that film's co-stars, Mary Anderson.  See?  It all comes back to 'Bernadette.'

                                                The outdoor scenes of the lake are breathtaking, and the carefully lit interiors highlight each mood of the story.  John M. Stahl's direction saves this from being sheer camp, but he does not manage to restrain Vincent Price, who, as Russel Quinton, Ellen's ex, and now an attorney, overacts all over the place in a courtroom scene unlike any on "Law And Order."

                                                    Otherwise, Stahl has done a marvelous examination of a troubled woman, and the consequences thereof, which include two children being murdered.  Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                        But that title, "Leave Her To Heaven" is questionable.  Heaven has no place for Ellen Berent.  Satan is roasting a spit in Hell just for her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                           Oh, girls, don't be Ellen Berent, but let's all try to get our hair and wardrobe like Gene Tierney here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!