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.