Why Does Mother Nature Look Like Tilda Swinton????????????????????????

                         If any of you darlings have seen these "EZE commercials"--"Cold-EZE" and "Defend-EZE--" you may notice the actress portraying Mother Nature is a dead ringer for Tilda Swinton.  Maybe, of course, a younger Tilda, but still, it makes me wonder--did they want to hire the actress, but could not afford her?  In any case, this new actress is splendid.

                           Back in the Sixties, in a series of commercials for Chiffon Margerine, actress Dena Dietrich played Mother Nature like a Long Island Housewife. Hey, it was the era, and it worked.

                             But I just love this colorful New Age-y Mother Naure.  And so colorful, too.  Just what our dark and gray world needs today.

                               I say, keep airing these ads, and give this actress more work.  She is a find.

                                And I know how to find talent, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Plus, the visual look of the setting is pure Lewis Carroll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           

All Our Get Well Wishes For Sister Camille!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    New Year's Day was on a Sunday, and in our house, that morning means listening to the weekly message of Sister Camille D'Arirenzo on 1010 WINS.  We heard her Christmas message, and her voice seemed a little off. New Year's Day, she was not on, and, of course, the station never supplies an explanation.  In her message last Sunday, she talked about having had a stomach virus.   Well, David and I are concerned.  Sister Camille is pretty strong, but she is older than us.

                                      I was glad to hear she recovered, and I want to send out a special get well wish to her, from all my readers, plus myself.  No one likes being ill, or hearing that someone they like is ill, so let's all join in with a special get well wish for Sister Camille!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        She is beloved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, Wouldn't You Love To Walk In To Your Local Gay Bar, Wearing This Outer Space Gown, And Doing The Olive Trick, Like Katherine Hepburn In "Bringing Up Baby??????????"

                         I mean, who wouldn't, girls??????????  And if you don't like olives, like me, you can substitute peanuts, pretzels, or whatever else is put out.  Seriously, darlings, if you want to make a splash, make new connections, this is the way to do it.  Oh, and you will have to get your hair elegantly coiffed like Miss H.

                          This is one of many captivating scenes in this 1938 Howard Hawks comedy.  The other great scene is when Hepburn gets out of jail as "Swinging Door Susie!"

                           I am telling you, girls, this film could make you want to move to (gulp!) Connecticut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                 Why not try this act out first, at The Cock Bar, in the East Village?  See how things go, loves!  Because, sadly, I fear Boy Bar is gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, Join Us Tomorrow Night, As "Svengoolie" Presents Roger Corman's 1963 "The Raven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                       You may recall, awhile back, darlings, that "Svengoolie" showed Lew Landers' and Universal's 1935 film of the same title, but of better quality, with Karloff and Lugosi.  It was literate and referenced a couple of Poe's works.

                                        Tomorrow should be a campy night, girls.  I have always heard that this film was "more comedy than horror," and I bet Jack Nicholson again will be running on the beach, as in "The Terror," because the same film loop just keeps being used over and over again.

                                          For starters, one has to believe that Peter Lorre has been turned into a raven, but restored to human form by Vincent Price, who is out to wreak vengeance on Boris Karloff!  This should be a hoot, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And what a great poster!  Probably better than the movie!  The kind of poster that made me want to go into being a poster artist--if only I had been wired for art!

                                            I have never seen this film, so it should be exciting.  I remember when it played at the RKO Rivoli in New Brunswick, NJ.  But I was not allowed to see such movies, then.

I will be sure go give you a full report!

                                              Now, as for "Sventoonie," I have news--

                                            He is deconstructing 1973's "Grave Of The Vampire," which I have never heard of, nor seen, but the poster promises camp--a vampire baby that sucks blood from its mother's breast--and who knows where else?  This may be the most horrific infant since the "It's Alive!" baby; too bad they were not teamed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   But I can't wait to see this campy thing. The baby may not get all the lines, but I bet it gets all the best shots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             And don't forget--"Svengoolie" now runs an extra half hour, so "Svengoolie" does not start till 10:30.

                                              Be with us, girls, as the year on here kicks off with a hoot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          

Today Is The Arrival Of The Magi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Next to Jesus' birth, this is the most important day of the holiday season, even though, sadly, it officially ends it. It is officially known as the Epiphany, but it is also called the Feast Of Three Kings, and, according to Victor Hugo in his novel "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame," aka "Notre Dame De Paris," it is called, in France, the Festival Of Fools.

                            So, really, tomorrow is when things really come to a crashing halt.  We put the decorations away, Krampus returns to Florida, but--and this is good news--Baby Gojira gets a new outfit, and I know he and I cannot wait to see what it is.

                            It was a lovely holiday season, girls, filled with beautiful and moving moments.  And most of all my David.  Now, all we have to do is make it through the next 353 days.  May God give us the health and grace to do so. 

                                And may all have peace and happiness in 2023!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, Why Don't We Go To Cultural Events, Anymore?????????????????????

                           Back when I first met David, one of the first things we went to was the Marina Abramovic exhibit at MOMA, where she sat posed in a chair all day, and people, getting in line, and oh, my God, the lines were long, would sit opposite her, staring at her for as long as she wants.  I am telling you, girls, at the time, it was THE thing to see.

                          When I started this blog, going now on sixteen years, I was all over the city, reporting on shows, events, readings, but now all that seems to have dried up.  I don't think it is me; I have not lost my interest.  What I think I have lost is my sense of security.

                            I can remember a sunny Spring Day when I sat in Tompkins Square Park, in the East Village, reading "Invisible Man," by Ralph Ellison.  Would I do that now?  I am not so sure?

                            Fear for my safety has encroached into my cultural life.  There is the fear of riding the subway, or subways if the destination requires more than one train.  The fear is the product of two things--Trump and Covid!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            I used to instinctively know about what cultural events were coming up.  Now I haven't the foggiest.  No, I don't have brain fog.  I think the cultural scene has cut back, due to Covid and to a mounting disfavor of the arts.  They were always last on the program plate, but now, where sports and cars monopolize everything, indicating straight sexist White males rule, (and don't slam me; I am just as concerned as anyone for the health and well-being of Damar Hamlin) and the arts means nothing to them, not only because they don't get it, but they also fear going near it would emasculate them!!!!!!!!!!

                               As Lynn Carlin said in John Cassavetes' 1968 "Faces--" Oh, I am sorry!  Do we EMASCULATE you???????????

                                If Lynn is still alive, she must be appalled.

                                Please, can us culture vultures have our city back??????????????

                                Because, until safety is improved, we won't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What I Learned From This Viewing Of "Earth Vs. The Spider--" Carol Flynn Was A Spoiled Brat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         She certainly was darlings!  But let's talk about something else.  With all these oversized and overaged actors playing teens, what was all the fuss about Ben Platt in "Dear, Evan Hansen?"  Sure, his hair was a mess, the style and look were all wrong, but really, actors have been playing overaged teens for years.  How about "West Side Story?"  The 1961 version, I mean.  Or "Splendor In The Grass?"

                           But those were film masterpieces.  "Earth Vs, The Spider" is good of its kind, but let's face it--a masterpiece?  Come on!  Though it does have a number of iconic shots, which I have mentioned in other posts.

                            That Carol; I am telling you.  Manipulating boyfriend Mike to go to the monster cave, to look for her Dad's charm bracelet gift, which she should have taken better care of, in the first place.  Losing it, and then finding it; Carol, can't you take care of anything?  No wonder her mother is kind of cool about losing husband Jack, the spider's first victim in the opening shot.  She has all she can handle with the over indulged Carol.  Who has to be told to do her homework?  Can you imagine?

                              June Kenney plays Carol exactly as written, a spoiled brat.  So, what if she is a little long in the tooth? She gets the Fifties aura right.  To think that she is the heroine.  I dread to think what kind of wife she will be.

                               But the film hit all the right notes, and was a perfect ending to 2022!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Along comes "Sventoonie" reviving something already seen-- 

                     "Messiah Of Evil," from 1973, which was actually more interesting for what it was--a low budget film influenced by "Night Of The Living Dead," "Carnival Of Souls," and "The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari."  It concerns a girl searching for her artist father, and the adventures that befall her.  Or do they?  You have to see this gem; the scene where they are gorging on meat in the supermarket is priceless.  Not quite a holiday film, but colorful enough--blood--to satisfy the lust of any ghoulish horror viewer.

                         And good news, girls!  Next week "Svengoolie" is showing a camp classic - 1963's "The  Raven," starring Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff.  I hear it is more comedy than horror, so it should be a camp fest! Added to which, his show will expand to two-and-a-half hours, which means "Sventoonie" begins at 10:30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                       Stay tuned, girls!  Saturday night is not that far away!