A Must For Anyone Inerested In Exploring The Work Of Daivd Lynch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

                                       Like Dorothy Gale, David Lynch was a Midwesterner and wanted something more out of life than there.  He shares that in common with many people, me included, but this film, "David Lynch--The Art Life" shows not only how Lynch artistically evolved, but the sacrifice and loneliness creators must face in their passion for the work they do.

                                          Much footage shows Lynch at work, slapping paint onto paint, or creating the kinds of bizarre images his movies would show, and sticking them on to various projects.  Lynch's skill for building began with his father, who would build unusual contraptions.  They had a fascination to them, suggesting to me that David inherited his talent from his father.

                                          Lynch's talent was honed at the Pennsylvania Academy Of Fine Arts, which he attended for a limited time, and where his developing imagery led to a life in Philadelphia, the gritty side, resulting in short films, and culminating in his first major work, "Eraserhead," with Jack Nance in 1977, the year I graduated from college.

                                           I saw "Eraserhead" in the early eighties, and while the camerawork and imagery impressed me, because of the on-camera murder of the mutant baby, I could never bring myself to see it again.  It was with "Blue Velvet," not covered here, that Lynch and I clicked.

                                           Lynch's life happened to be a genius who took off.  Not all do, and the chronicling of Lynch's early years shows the solitude and uncertainty of the life of any artist.

                                              This 2022 documentary is a must for all David Lynch fans.

                                                It may even begin to have one viewing life in images instead of absolutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, Tonight "Svengoolie" Serves Up A Healthy Dose Of Sadism And Torture, With 1935's "The Raven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                   We have seen it before, and this is a good one!  Though Universal was really pushing the boundaries of the censors with Lugosi torturing Karloff in a torture chamber of his own making.

                                      Lugosi plays a Poe obsessed mad doctor--and yes, a raven figures in the story--who invents a torture chamber and makes a deformed Boris Karloff his lackey in exchange promising to restore his deformed face.

                                        This is one to watch, darlings.  Is there a storm?  Do strangers show up and unleash the secrets of this chamber?  I am not sure, but I am sure enough to tune in, recalling this as one of "Svengoolie's better offerings.  I mean, torture, madness and sadism!!!!!!!!!!!  What more could one want?

                                           Those never having seen it should not miss it.  Baby Gojira and everyone here are excited for a second viewing, especially after last week's disappointing showing of "Man Made Monster."

                                              I look forward to all of us tonight watching "The Raven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                             And try to spot all the Poe references!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              See you at 8PM tonight, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              

 

As The Line In "Blue Velvet" Goes, "It Is A Strange World!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                            This 2022 documentary, which I unfortunately missed in the theater, is dear to my heart, and makes me think David Lynch and I would have gotten on fine.  Because we both share one thing in common--our all-time favorite movie is "The Wizard Of Oz."

                             It did not make me a filmmaker, but it made me the person I am today.  The takeaway from the film is that anyone can say anything about anything.  There are strange interpretations throughout this film, from the symbolism of curtains, which I get, to the connection between "The Wizard Of Oz," Stanley Kubrick's 1957 "Paths Of Glory," "The Shining," and Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now."  I have seen both "The Shining" and "Apocalypse Now," and never in my viewing, for a second, did I give any thought to their association with "The Wizard Of Oz."  It just was not there.

                               The film is divided into six parts--"Wind," narrated by Amy Nicholson, "Membranes," narrated by Rodney Ascher, "Kindred," narrated by John Waters, "Multitudes," narrated by Karyn Kusama, "Judy," narrated by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, and "Dig" is narrated by David Lowery.

                                  This is a must for 'Oz' fans, and I know there are lots out there.  I learned that the choral vocals heard in the opening credits, and when Dorothy steps out of the house In Munchkinland, the tones are different--the first whirling and intense, like the cyclone that will transport Dorothy and Toto, while the Munchkinland vocals are more comforting and soothing These sounds are meant to represent wind.  Th urban myth of someone being murdered on the Yellow Brick Road is explored, but it is just a bird flapping its wings.

                                      And don't forget--the first name of Isabella Rossellini's character in "Blue Velvet" is Dorothy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   Of course, the most fascinating insights come from David Lynch himself., a born and bred mid-Westerner.  He talks about dreams, alternate realities, and how do we know which world we are in.  I had a dream once of being in the Village in the Sixties and going to a nightclub to see Shelley Plimpton perform--a dream I did not want to end-- and then later on, I found myself in some nameless place, or even in front of the Waverly, when it really was the Waverly--and near Waverly Place--singing "Frank Mills."  When I awakened, I wanted so much to return to that dream world, but there is much to occupy me in this. I will say that when I first saw "The Wizard Of Oz," in 1959, I thought Dorothy should have stayed in Oz!  I would have, then!

                                    Lynch makes us question our identities--do we live in the real world of Dorothy, or the brilliantly technicolored world of Oz?  Maybe both, because identities split and merge, as Lynch proves in his 2001 "Mulholland Drive," which I hope to explore on here.  Hons, I was fused between reality and fantasy from the moment I first saw "The Wizard Of Oz. " Which may account for my being something of an eternal child!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    This documentary makes you think and there is much to learn.  Sadly, it reminds us that Lynch is gone, having passed last year.  Someone needs to carry on his legacy.

                                      Could that person be me?????????????

Girls, The Fall Is Coming, And So Is The Return Of The 1950's Coffee Klatch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Even if your home is not retro decorated like the 1950s, with the weather cooling off, and more activities taking place inside, it is time to bring back the 1950s Coffee Klatch.

                             The hostess provides the coffee, along with some cakes and dainties.  Those who desire may bring something of their own making or purchase.

                               For the next several hours, one wears their Fifties finery, gossips frantically with their girls, and, like the song says, "meow about the ups and downs of all their friends."

                                Girls, I cannot wait for the first Coffee Klatch or the season.

                                 And look at the hats in that photograph.  I need a decent millenary right away.

                                Off to Madame Paulette's, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Happy Birthday Today To Amy Adams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   Today Amy turns 52!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Can you believe that darlings?  I never looked that good at 52, and that was 19 years ago.

                                       Amy has not been heard from lately; I wish she would come back and do a movie that would net her another Oscar nomination, so that finally she would get the Oscar she deserves.

                                         I bet Amy is busy raising her daughter, who must be nearing the puberty mark, so oh, boy!!!!!!!!!!  As the saying goes, the only thing worse than being a kid going through puberty is being the parent of a kid going through puberty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Nevertheless, myself and everyone on here wish Amy the happiest of birthday celebrations.  This is your day, dear, so do whatever you want!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         But, please, in the foreseeable future, Amy win yourself an Oscar!!!!!!!!!!  Yoo deserve it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, It Is Not Too Early To Start Thinking About Fall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, How About Some Hats By Madame Paulette???????????????????????????????

                              The real Madame Paulette, who died in 1984, at the age of 84, having been born in 1900, had her headquarters located at Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt, in Paris, France.  However, her legacy lives on; there is a New York location at 230 West 39th Street.

                               Darlings, just look at these fabulous millinery creations.  I would be proud to wear any one of them, and so should you.

                                 Maybe I should think about a trip into the city to visit 230 West 39th Street.

                                Imagine some of these hats going with a gorgeous Schiaparelli!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 So, start thinking about Fall, girls!  It is never too soon.
 

Introducing Gay Film #2--1939's "The Wizard Of Oz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                  Perfect.  What more can be said?

                                 Quite a lot, actually.  During my recent viewing--and I reckon I have seen this film pretty close to my actual age--I found myself asking a question I never asked before.

                                    When Dorothy and the Scarecrow are attacked by the nasty apple trees, are the trees really that way, or was this a spell put on them by the Witch?  Because, just as Dorothy and the Scarecrow approach the area, a slinking Margaret Hamilton (her iconic role) has been hiding behind a tree and tries to distance herself from Judy Garland and Ray Bolger.  I really do think the Witch is seen there, because she did cast a spell on those trees.

                                           That thought had never occurred to me before.

                                           Now, how is this a gay film?  It has always been labeled a children's film, but I disagree. I think it is more adult than realized.  Margaret Hamilton herself said no child should see this before the age of 10, and I agree.

                                               However, I was a very different child.

                                               Back in 1959, my parents were concerned because all I was watching were cartoons.  Nothing with real people.  So, my mother sat me down one afternoon, saying there was a program she wanted me to watch.  It was "The Wizard Of Oz."  Even in black and white, I was transfixed, and I even then noticed how even on our set the Kansas scenes were lit differently than the Oz scenes.

                                                   Who knew that my first movie would become the leitmotif of my life?  But it did.

                                                       At the time, the one I most related to was the Witch.  I loved her costume, flying on a broom, and her spooky castle.  In fact, the morning after my first viewing, to my mother's consternation, I would take my toy broom, fly off the top of one of our love seats, crying, "To the Emerald City, as fast as lightning!"  The whole Judy Garland/"Over The Rainbow" thing did not hit me until sometime after reaching the double digits.

                                                            "The Wizard Of Oz" is the perfect film for a burgeoning gay child, and if any children respond similarly to how I did, they are well on their way.

                                                                First, it is the most dazzling use of Technicolor in film history.  I stand by that statement today, and, darlings, if it is one thing gays respond to it is color.

                                                                 Being different and set apart can lead to loneliness.  Here we have an unfortunate child whose only real companion is her dog Toto, who turns out to be a real hero.  A gay child, more than others, would get the Dorothy-Toto bond.

                                                                     The film is effusively emotional from the start.  I maintain the MGM lion roared louder for the picture than any other MGM film.  Perhaps the lion knew something and was ahead of his time!  It begins with a series of short notes followed by a very intense opening overture.  Then there is the austerity of the Kansas scenes, adults who seem not to care for the child amidst them, who is so yearning for love she concocts a world beyond the rainbow.  No wonder when I first saw the film, I wondered why Dorothy did not just stay in Oz, especially Munchkinland, which is the best designed Hollywood set of all time.  By the time Dorothy gets there, and Glinda appears in that pink dress--oh my God, if you are gay, darlings, you gravitate to that!!!!!!!!!!!! Who wouldn't want to wear that dress?

                                                                      Fear of being an outcast, common to many gays, infuses "The Wizard Of Oz."  Even in Oz, Dorothy still feels an outsider, and a child's fear of loss is clearly felt when Aunt Em appears in the crystal ball, followed by the Witch!

                                                                          Not only is the film a litmus test for gays, but for, shall I say more normal, or straight children, it can be an intense and frightening experience.  They are the ones who should wait longer before seeing it.  When they can appreciate its artistry.

                                                                             "The Wizard Of Oz" is for everyone, but, having lived my life, I maintain it is especially resonant for gay children.  As I can attest.

                                                                                 But in the pantheon of cinema, there never will be anything like it.

                                                                                   How many films can be called perfect?  This one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, Enhance Your Garden By Filling It With Giant Hollyhocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                   

                                                                 

                                                                                 

                                       When I first proposed this idea to David, he said, "Who are you trying to poison?"  I had no idea hollyhocks were poisonous, so I looked it up, and actually they are not.  But they can cause stomach problems to those who eat them.  But who in the world would eat a hollyhock?

                                       Within some work of fiction, I read as a child, but now forget, there was a passage about "the acres of giant hollyhocks," and the idea fascinated me.  Imagine a garden full of these beautiful flowers. Or imagine if they came to life and turned lethal, like the famous Triffids.  The idea of lethal plants has always fascinated me.

                                          But, girls, aren't these photos beautiful?  Such gorgeous colors; who wouldn't want to have such loveliness radiating in your gardens??????????  I am telling you, if you do this, it will be the talk of the neighborhood.  You may even get nominated for President of your Women's Club!

                                             I can't even get into one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            But really, girls, this is a must!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            More attention must be paid to hollyhocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Sad Farewell To My Beloved And Former Bay Ridge Animal Friend, Dexter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    I am sad to report that our former neighbor canine, Dexter, passed last week at the age of 16 1/2.  He died in Hickory, North Carolina, where his former owner, Michael had moved, from our apartment building in Bay Ridge.

                                    This picture was taken three years ago and was Dexter's last visit to our place.  How I missed him then and miss him even more now.

                                      Dexter was a mixture of a pointer and a beagle.  He was so loving, and one thing he loved was visiting our apartment, particularly our bedroom.  I daresay if he had been allowed, he would have stayed overnight with us there, and it would have been our pleasure to have him.  But his owner was a bit of a micromanager, and I think that was part of why Dexter loved visiting us, and our bedroom.

                                        He found ways to challenge his owner.  I recall one day I was visiting Dexter, and he was sitting by me, happily nibbling on a bone.  Michael kept calling him to come over to his side.  Dexter just looked at me, threw back his head, and I swear it looked as though he were laughing.  Dexter and I were in on the joke.

                                          When he left us, in 2023, a void was left not only in me but in residents of our building, all of whom adored Dexter.

                                             And now he has been laid to rest.  May he rest in peace.

                                            I recall something my former therapist, Renaldo, once said about Dexter.

                                           He said, "When you get to Heaven, Dexter will be waiting for you."

                                          I truly believe that.

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!