Girls, Have You Heard About "Monster On The Campus???????????????"

                                           This is a camp delight, darlings!  Troy Donahue must have been up and coming to appear in this crap!  Though this was made in 1958, two years after his breakout performance in the 1956 remake of "Imitation Of Life."  Oh, well, a girl has to work.......

                                           Arthur Franz plays a college faculty scientist, Dr. Donald Blake, who is trying to revert man to a primitive state by injecting himself with some kind of concoction.  Does it matter what?  Of course, not.  Because the result is predictable; he turns into a monster and look at this face!

                                 Get a load of this, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Who knew monsters could dress so preppy?  Well, maybe in the Fifties!!!!!!!!!!!!!  But, if the face looks familiar, it is because the mask looks like it was lifted from 1953's "The Neanderthal Man," 1958's "How To Make A Monster," and 1962's "Eegah!"

                                  But remember this was made in 1958, so there are plenty of heaving bosoms in this one.  I mean, the setting is a college campus, with toothsome co-eds!  But not nearly as fun as 1957's "Blood Of Dracula."

                                   However, the piece de resistance--and wait till you see it, girls! --is the giant, two-foot flying dragonfly!  This has to be seen to be believed.  It has no relation to reality in how it was designed to look; its artificiality is so obvious, and so is its sound.  This poor thing must have been a casting call reject from Universal's 1957 insect epic, "The Deadly Mantis."  I guess his agent got him a cameo bit in this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    College was never this campy, back in my day!  "Monster On The Campus" is a barrel of laughs!  See it for that alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       And keep your eyes on those Fifties outfits, girls!  Now, THAT is how to dress!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Hats, Gloves, And Effete Homosexuals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Gasp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                I know what all my girls really want to know, and that is about the recent airing of "Feud--Capote Vs. The Swans." Titled "Hats, Gloves, And Effete Homosexuals," episode six in this series offered up what I thought was a cornucopia of camp, and I should know.

                              First, for the unimitated, not all homosexuals are effete.   And, judging by this episode, if not effete, then they are closet cases, which I suppose is what Capote was drawn to.  But that, girls, is playing a very dangerous game.  As for effete homosexuals, I can tell you a few things.  I mean, no one is ever going to call me butch, but at least I know my priorities.  I know this episode was to try to make Capote's self-destruction sympathetic, and the decline of old New York pathetic--which it was.  But an author who cannot grasp, even though drink, that his best days are over, that "In Cold Blood" was destined to be his masterpiece, and the book he keeps talking of in between drinks never really materialized is a bit over emphasized.  OK, we know, but does it have to be ground in?????????????  As for old New York, it is pathetic that it does not exist, because what is left is so wretchedly declassee; good thing the internet lets us see into these new places to decide whether or not to go. Oh, bring back the days of La Cote Basque!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Still, all the acting was superb, but oh my God, when is Calista Flockhart going to stop making Lee Radziwill into a scowling sourpuss?  I mean this was LEE, a princess, for God's sake!  The prettier and classier of the Bouvier sisters.  And her constant funeral wardrobe is annoying.

                                But the real laugh of the evening was Vito Schnabel as Rick.  First, what a name!  Does he expect to get anywhere with that?  Rick is some guy who shows up to fix Capote's plumbing, and who Capote blithely askes, "Oh, by the way, would you be interested in having your cock sucked?" And the fool turns around and says yes.  Am I to believe this?  Like, every hot guy doesn't care who sucks him?  Has Robbie Baitz been outside lately in the world?  I had to laugh because this guy reminded me of one from work and the gym.  He was what I called "The Body."  From the neck down, his body was gasp-for-breath scenery.  From the neck up--not so much.  He was an aspiring actor, which I discovered when he approached me with questions about play scripts.  I could see how the skin on his face was just horrible.  Maybe if one was blindfolded......   But then, on Tuesday and Thursdays, which were all men's nights at the gym I then attended, he would walk about the place, making sure everyone stated at him.  I had to wonder, how and when did he work to keep that fabulous body?  Because it was!   Now, even if not gay, the notion that this or every hot guy wants their cock sucked is ludicrous.  This episodic segment said more about Ryan Murphy and Robbie Baitz, and their fantasies, than historical accuracy.  Yes, Capote was drawn to straight acting, often closeted men, but the notion of him getting every single one is ridiculous. And I can tell you, from the farewell scene between he and Rick what Rick's future is.  Back to Illinois, his fiancé, disillusionment, and before one knows it, he is ending his days at the most derelict gay bar in town, drinking himself into oblivion, because he cannot see the truth of his own sexuality.  Good riddance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   The show is getting tiresome.  Not enough of the Swans in this one.  I did love when Capote called Rick's fiancé "department store trash," for working such a mundane job in as mundane a place as Illinois.  His idea was right, but his accuracy was off.  The real trash are those who work in America's strip malls.  And you know where most of them are?   New Jersey and Florida!!!!!!!!!!!  Believe me, I know.

                                    I also know this episode was more some kind of quasi porn fantasy of Baitz and Murphy.  Let us return to the Swans, and focus more on Capote, and his tragic decline, which was a real tragedy to those of us who love literature.

                                     But accurate homosexual behavior???????????  Give me a break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One Thing To Do This Month Is To Go To The Beatrix Potter Exhbit At The Morgan Library!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           I mean, girls, what Beatrix Potter did with pastels and colors was sheer genius.  And I for one cannot wait to see this exhibit at The Morgan.

                                               It runs from February 23 to June 9, so March would be the perfect time to see it, what with the coming of Spring.  Imagine the joy a roomful of Beatrix Potter could bring.

                                          Here is Peter Rabbit in Mr. MacGregor's Garden, with the sweetest looking robin as his lookout.  The artistry is so detailed and intricate, one would want to jump into the picture, like Mary Poppins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Look at that gorgeous pinkish white background!  Has Winter ever looked so lovely.  There is this and more at The Morgan!

                                        I can't wait to see you there, darlings!  Dressed in your best!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         And then perhaps an afternoon tea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Today Is Any Indication, March Came In Like A Lamb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Which means come the end of this month--my God, Easter! --it should go out like a lion--windy and roaring!  So, enjoy this lamb weather while one can, and let's see how the month goes.  

                                    Don't forget March 25 is The Annunciation, when Mary was told she was to give birth to Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       And the 13th of this month is the 60th anniversary of the murder of Kitty Genovese, in Kew Gardens, Queens.

                                        So, March could be quite something, darlings.

                                         Make sure you have the right outfit for it.

A Victorian Welcome To March!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           March is here, darlings, meaning Spring is on its way, so time to think about our closets and Spring ware.   This is the month that really begins the year for me; the first two are cold and dark and are a kind of settling in period.  But March is more settled, and the year and weather improve as time progresses.

                             The Oscars are on March 10.  And we are seeing "Wicked" that afternoon.  I cannot wait to hear "Defying Gravity" live.  And we have a social event on the 16th.  And St. Patrick's Day follows that.  And then the 31st is Easter, and those on here know what that means.  No, not candles, but the annual screening of "The Song Of Bernadette!"

                              And that is only what I know.  So, March could be a happening month; look at all the posts February generated.

                               More is to come, girls, so stay tuned.

Happy Leap Year, And To All Those On This Day Having REAL Birthdays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     People born on this day get one birthday every four years, yet age like the rest of us.  One of these is my sister.  Technically, she is 84 today, but she should be 21!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        And when the birthday is not real, what is done?  Some celebrate it on March 1, but most do so on February 28.

                                          So, Happy Leap Year Birthday to all on year, most especially my sister.

                                             We'll all be back here in another four years.

Farewell To February!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          It may be the shortest month, but for me it ends the longest period of the year, starting with January 2 until now.  March is when the year really begins for me.  The buds burst into bloom, the trees start bearing leaves, and the world seems to come alive after being dead for almost three months.

                             Nevertheless, as seen by the posts, it was an eventful February for us, and I am not through yet, because I have something else to report in the next post.

                                A friend of mine once coined the joke, "Can March march?  No, but April may!"

                                Can't wait to see you in March!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!