haines his way

08/11/2002:
"THE DAY OF THE LOCUSTS"

Well, dear readers, the other day we had killer bees, last night we had locusts. But more about that in a minute. That last sentence was known as a tease, dear readers. In other words, I have brought something up but I’m not telling you about it immediately. I’m teasing you. I’m making you wait. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too?
Last night I attended a birthday party in honor of my next door neighbor’s wife. I went because sometimes it is nice to be neighborly. It was a small birthday party as these things go – maybe twenty people, mostly relatives it appeared to me. Of course, I was the only person there who knew no one. I was introduced as the man who lived over there. I rather liked that, it sounded like I was an Alfred Hitchcock movie. I don’t think I actually told anyone my name – I kept saying, “Hello, I’m The Man Who Lives Over There.” Now, I know I’m in trouble at a party when there is no Diet Coke. I know I have absolutely nothing in common with anyone who doesn’t have Diet Coke. I had to settle for some kind of diet lemon-lime thing. Can you imagine? Now, I know I’m in double-trouble at a party when there are no cheese slices or ham chunks and triple-trouble when no one is wearing a pointy party hat and people are not wearing colored tights and pantaloons. These people were wearing dresses and shirts and slacks and shorts. And then there was the food. People were eating the food and had pleasant expressions on their faces, so I’m assuming it was tasty. I had no food whatsoever because it all looked weird to me. It was weird food, dear readers. For example, they had something that was trying to look like pizza – focaccia, and this focaccia had lemon slices on top of it. And people were eating it. I would not eat anything that had lemon slices on top of it – and I’m not talking about one lemon slice, there were scads of lemon slices. Then there was hummus. I will not eat a food called hummus. I tasted it once and it tasted like a mealy paste and I simply will not tolerate a mealy paste, especially a mealy paste called hummus. Who came up with such a name? Mr. Hummus? Mrs. Hummus? Then there were the roasted red peppers with anchovies. Need I go on? I chatted with a few people and then left. I went and got three slices of pizza (without lemon slices) and then watched a motion picture on DVD.
I must say, we know how to throw a party here at haineshisway.com, dear readers. I mean, they didn’t even dance the Hora, or even the Mashed Potato.
In any case, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button so I can stop teasing you? While clicking, try to paint a mental picture of those red peppers with anchovies.

We have had several partially correct answers to the Unseemly Trivia question, but no one has guessed all of the components correctly. The final question seems to be a real baffler, and that is good. I’ll give you one clue – as I stated, it’s a member of the creative team, and it’s not Ron Field. In other words, what on earth did Ron Field do to revitalize the world of cabaret entertainment, other than direct Chita Rivera’s old nightclub act?
So, last night I watched a motion picture entitled The Exorcist II: The Heretic. First The Swarm, and now this. But this is bad in a whole different way than The Swarm, because this was at least directed by a very good director, Mr. John Boorman. This film was a cause celebre on its release, and one of the most infamous disasters in film history. Mr. Irwin Allen made disaster films, too, but nothing quite like this thing. I was shooting something on the Warners lot when they were bicycling the prints to this film in, to add a new opening and change the ending. This they did while the film was still running in theaters its first week. However, nothing could help.
I will be the first to admit that while I find The Exorcist a tremendously accomplished film that delivers exactly what it sets out to deliver, I can’t watch it. I’ve seen it once all the way through, but it’s so disturbing on so many levels I just find it difficult to sit through. But Mr. William Friedkin delivered the goods and audiences ate it up and it became one of the most successful films of its decade (actually, until Star Wars came along, it was the most successful). And one can admire in a certain way the decision to not merely imitate the first film. But what they came up with was so not what audiences wanted that this film was literally jeered in the theaters, and greeted with catcalls and howls of laughter. Because what Warners and Mr. Boorman delivered was not the goods, but an art film, and a pretty surrealistic art film at that. It’s got some wonderful direction and some excellent photography by William Fraker, but it’s so misguided and dopey at every step, and so filled with some of the worst dialogue ever written, and so filled with scenes that make no sense on any level, that all you can do is sit there and marvel at the thing. In fact, everything that worked about the first film is ignored here. Regan has turned into a zaftig fifteen year old, who has the uncanny ability to get a deaf child (a dead ringer for Dana Plato) to speak, just like that. Louise Fletcher, who really did turn in a series of the worst performances ever given by an Academy Award-winning actress, is a psychologist, working in a clinic the likes of which you’ve never seen – a clinic which could only exist in a surrealistic art film. And the high-rise where Regan and Kitty Winn live, is so arty you just want to throttle Mr. Boorman and his production designer for trying to make every prop have deep meaning. And then there is Richard Burton, who gives ham chunks a whole new meaning. Of course, given the script, he really has no chance. One minute he’s in New York, next minute he’s in Ethiopia (literally the next minute), climbing mountains and being derided by natives. All during the film there are locusts. Locusts, locusts, everywhere, including one huge locust. I kept thinking if they’d put in some footage from The Swarm (also Warner Bros.) they could have a new movie, The Killer Bees Versus The Locusts. I don’t know what was more horrifying – Richard Burton stepping on some nails or Linda Blair tap dancing to Lullaby of Broadway. And then there is the endless use of the name Pazuzu. I’m sorry, but Pazuzu is funny. Someone says Pazuzu, and you laugh. The more they say it the funnier it becomes. However, my favorite moment, my falling off the couch moment, was when Mr. Burton and Miss Blair got on a bus to go back to Boston to the house where the original film took place. They get on the bus, and the bus driver is eating a hoagie. They sit down and we see the bus is full up, crowded with people. And yet, the bus driver continues eating his hoagie. And eating it quite nauseatingly. Finally, just as I was ready to scream at my television screen, Mr. Burton, as if possessed, says loudly, “Get going, the girl has to get home.” The bus driver begrudgingly finishes his hoagie and off they go. In any case, I could go on and on, but I don’t want to spoil it for you – you must buy this and see it immediately.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Well, dear readers, I really must take the day and I must try to get this rather large locust out of my house. Pazuzu anyone? Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, so go to it. I want some interesting discussions going on here today and I want lots of posts. I will be back later to take part in any and all discussions. Several of our regular dear readers have been errant and truant lately, and they are in dire danger of becoming irregulars, and we simply can’t have an irregular dear reader. Post away, my pretties.

Replies: 79 Unseemly Comments

Speaking of being errant and truant and truant and errant, Mr. Kimmel. Didn't you promise us details on your new bedding? (errr the new sheets on your bed)..to ask one of details on WHAT they are bedding would be unseemly!
Posted by Craig @ 08/11/2002 10:08 AM PST

To ask questions of WHOM they're bedding would be even more unseemly.
Posted by Jason @ 08/11/2002 10:21 AM PST

Or whom they are abetting in the bedding?
Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/11/2002 11:01 AM PST

Anyone mind if I come out of lurkdom?
Yes, I've been lurking here right from the start, but never posted. You see, I'm in England and generally only get a chance to catch up with HHW at the weekend - usually Saturday or Sunday morning, which is the middle of the night over with you guys.
Anyway, I didn't get a chance to catch up last weekend, so I've just gone through two weeks worth of columns and postings. And do you know how long that takes?? Well, I'll tell you - two and a half hours, that's how long. It's interesting reading so many of the posts in one sitting - some of you you really should get out more! :)
As I'm late catching up and it's 7.15pm here, I'm now able to post. Just wish I had something interesting to say...
Oh, I did go to 'Divas at the Donmar' this week. It's a sort of cabaret-theatre series done every August at a small theatre called the Donmar Warehouse in London. I've seen some great acts there over the past 4 years - including Liz Callaway and Anne Hampton Callaway's Sibling Revelry and Patti Lupone's Matters of the Heart. I know there's been a lot of debate about PL recently, but she was brilliant - very funny.
Audra McDonald was surprisingly disappointing - no rapport with the audience at all.
Anyway, this week was a British artist, called Janie Dee, who has just finished a run in 'My One and Only'. She should have taken a week off, as her voice was very tired. But she did drag Ruthie Henshall out of the audience to sing 'Memory', which was the best thing in the show.
Nice to join y'all at last!
Posted by Allan @ 08/11/2002 11:25 AM PST

With all this talk of bedding, I'm getting tired. (yawn!) I think I'll take a nap.
Posted by Goldilocks @ 08/11/2002 11:32 AM PST

Hey Goldi - let's split a pizza, we'll hit the sheetsa little latah! We can do the horizontal mamba to the "beddin' the beguine" and afterwards jump to the woodside!
Posted by Papa Bear @ 08/11/2002 11:36 AM PST

Goldi-you bedder not!!
Posted by Mama Bear @ 08/11/2002 11:43 AM PST

I know what roasted peppers and anchovies are, but I'm still wondering about yestersday's menu. What is tri-tip? Was it a typo? Is it a new Southern California cuisine? Do you have the recipe? Please let us know before we go grocery shopping.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/11/2002 11:46 AM PST

Corky, we love you!...
Corky, we love you...we want you to live!!
Posted by Sheila Albertson @ 08/11/2002 11:48 AM PST

Where did Peter Ostrum run off with my damn golden ticket?!!!
Posted by Jack Albertson @ 08/11/2002 12:00 PM PST

I'm so glad BK stopped describing the party food when he did. I was getting SO hungry!!!
What! No brie?
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/11/2002 12:00 PM PST

And you don't know from tri-tip?
It's beef. A cut of beef.
A tasty cut of beef.
(I would not confuse it with tri-corn...which isn't tasty at all..and isn't even a cut of corn. Although, the Italians do have a pastry called a tricorn, and it's very tasty. But a tricorn, in general, I believe, is a hat).
Allan: Welcome out of lurkdom. (Did you depart from Heathrow or Gatwick?) Never mind my silliness. What part of England are "y'all" from? I take it you're from somewhere "down south"????
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/11/2002 12:05 PM PST

William, tri-tip is a cut of roast, akin to the steak. It's very tender. When my mother used to make it, she would pierce the meat in various places and stick slivers of garlic in it. Then she would salt and pepper the surface and roast or bar-be-que it until medium rare. It was delicious!

Of course, I'm a vegetarian now, so I wouldn't know from tri-tip.
Posted by Susan Gordon @ 08/11/2002 12:09 PM PST

Allan, welcome !
We need MORE Europeans on
this site, I think...
Sure YOU have lots to say ;
London's musical theater
world is so much richer than
Paris'.....
And, as you know, it doesn't
hurt being crazy either, as Mark
would say.......
So..... type your "troubles'"
away, and - again - welcome,
bienvenue, Guy & Bruce are
your hosts !
Trip-tip anyone ?
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 12:25 PM PST

Now, the question is; does
Bruce sleep with his chin
ABOVE the sheet, or BELOW
the sheet....
Trouble, my friends, trouble
right here in this very bedroom,
Goldi....
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 12:28 PM PST

Yes, a tricorn was a hat with.....
three -- tri -- horns -- corn(s) or
corn-ers !
That's the lesson for today ! : )
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 12:31 PM PST

Patti LuPone: some of us were
quibbling about her voice NOT
her talents, oh no !........
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 12:33 PM PST

By the way, (BTW etc.....) has
anybody seen my ship ?
My ship has sails that are
made of gold.......
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 12:39 PM PST

Diet Coke?...ugh....I only serve Diet Pepsi at my soiree's.
I think I figured out the answer to the last question on the Trivia Quiz. I guessed wrong so I shall go eat some leftover hummus and wash it down with Diet Pepsi, and then face the day.
Posted by Dennis Clancy @ 08/11/2002 01:00 PM PST

Thanks for the welcome, Ron (and merci, Francois) - yes, I'm from down south - Bournemouth on the south coast (where the weather has been lousy lately ... it might as well rain until September - and probably will).
Posted by Allan @ 08/11/2002 01:05 PM PST

bk-Come Out Come out wherever you are.
I hope he's not three sheets to the wind.
Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/11/2002 01:10 PM PST

Welcome, Allan...or should I say, "Cheerio!" Speaking of which, a nice bowl of cereal sounds lovely right about now. Hehe...
Allan, please forgive any and all of our silliness here. We're CRAZY! And as our French friend Francois has proved, some of us like to make multiple posts one right after the other. Nous t'aimons, Francois.
Just finished watching "Waiting for Guffman" and folding my horribly wrinkled laundry. Obviously I'd rather be here babbling than ironing my clothes, so I can't complain much. And "Guffman," per usual, had me rolling while I folded. No wonder the clothes are wrinkly!
Posted by Jason @ 08/11/2002 01:16 PM PST

Does anyone else find it humourous that Francois was giving us the etimology of the word "tricorn?" Comment dit-on en francais?
I'm currently listening to "Copacabana" (thanks, Bruce, for getting me back on my Barry kick) and I just noticed something that I had completely forgotten about...
Has anyone ever noticed that one of the lines in the song is really (and truly and truly and really):
"Copa...Copacabana...Have a banana!...Music and passion...always in fashion..."
Have a banana?!?! What the hell is that about? Who wrote those lyrics?!?!?!
Posted by Jason @ 08/11/2002 01:26 PM PST

I am out I am out wherever I am. Yes, I forgot to mention my brand spanking new sheets - we washed them, put them on the bed, and they are most wonderful and 100% cotton sateen. I slept very well on and about my new cotton sateen sheets, which have stripes on them. I am glad others have mentioned what a tri-tip is. It is quite a tasty meat product.
Posted by bk @ 08/11/2002 01:48 PM PST

Ahhh, how wonderful to read
Guffman quotes on this here
site, already the best on the
internet! One of the funniest
movies out there, IMO. Tom
Guest (who posted late
yesterday), YES you will enjoy
this movie regardless of age!!!
Hmmm...perhaps I shall put
that DVD in right now...love the
deleted scenes and all!
Then off to audition tonight for
a regional production of
"Chicago." I've been asked by
the director to audition for Mary
Sunshine and also Amos. Any
wonderful Hainsie/Kimlet
vibes to help me hit Mary
Sunshine's high Ab would be
greatly appreciated!
Posted by Jed @ 08/11/2002 01:54 PM PST

Jason, I think the banana would have worked better in Bruce's parody!
François, BK is just lucky he doesn't have a beard...then Alphonse Allais would have him so confused he couldn't sleep.
Jason, when I first read your post, I didn't see the N in "our French friend François". Don't you think "our French fried François" is much better? Or perhaps "our sun-dried François"?
Sunday is definitely silly day here at haineshisway.com. Sunday, Sunday. Can't trust that day!
Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/11/2002 01:59 PM PST

BK: I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked!
Why am I shocked?
Because, between the highly popular "The Exorcist" and the overwhelmingly popular "Star Wars" -- in that decade -- there was "Jaws," which I'm pretty sure outgrossed "The Exorcist" by a pretty penny or two.
Tri-tip roasts are excellent for "smoking" -- i.e., cook them in a smoker! The taste is yum!
I was watching CNN -- and reading some of the news headlines -- and I was appalled to learn that there is a 2-mile-thick smoke cloud hanging over parts of Asia which threatens all life under it. Where are the news stories to fill us in on this horror?
AND, a dike burst on the Black Sea and cars with passengers were swept into the sea! Where are the news stories on this disaster?
So much is happening in the world and the only news stories I'm "seeing footage of" have to do with Martha Stewart and that stupid stock scandal, plus a few other nonsensical bits on sports, tennis, golf, football...doesn't ANYONE care about NEWS any more????
(Do NOT suggest I watch Fox's "so-called" News Channel).
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/11/2002 02:16 PM PST

I actually considered saying, "Our French-fried friend Francois," but that kind of alliteration would have been unseemly in my humble opinion (IMHO in Internet Lingo).
Posted by Jason @ 08/11/2002 02:17 PM PST

Aha! For those who didn't read BK's last post carefully, here are the clues:
"Yes, I forgot to mention my brand spanking new sheets - we washed them, put them on the bed, and they are most wonderful and 100% cotton sateen."
Aha, that first person plural gets the imagination going. Is it ...?
"I slept very well on and about my new cotton sateen sheets, which have stripes on them."
Alas! Alone, alone, alone. And after whetting our appetites for some juicy gossip! Now what am I to do with a wet appetite?
Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/11/2002 03:03 PM PST

Go ahead, go ahead !
Indulge in that CHEAP
alliteration trip...
Make my day!
Ask me if I care ?
I HATE your guts anyhow, you
hear me ?
Heinous I am !
And you're sure the one to talk
about posting post after post,
Jason ! Geez, as YOU would
say !.....
Any catsup anyone ?
For your tri-tip !
Leave alone ! I vant' to be left
aloooone ! I don't vant to be
aimé !!
Jason, have a banana, and
stop monkeying around !
Abadabada !
Posted by Frisky French Fried François From France @ 08/11/2002 03:18 PM PST

Royal WE, William, royal WE !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 03:21 PM PST

Yes, I'm afraid it was "we" in the sense of the cleaning lady (I opened the package and handed them to her - hence the "we").
I forgot about Jaws, and I do think it outgrossed The Exorcist, although depending on how you look at it, has anything ever outgrossed The Exorcist?
Posted by bk @ 08/11/2002 03:21 PM PST

Yes, we have no bananas, we
have no bananas today !!
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 03:24 PM PST

Francois...of course you hate me...I'm American and you're French. That's just the way of the world, right? Haha...you know I'm just teasing...
Posted by Jason @ 08/11/2002 03:25 PM PST

The way of the world, the way
of the word....according to who
?
I'm a citizen of the world....and
then I happened to be French
born......
I sound terrible when i try to be
"serious", don't I ?
Crazy world, full of
contradictions like a child....
Sing it, Jules, sing it !
Tricorn is TRICORNE in
French, fried or not ; though
raw is much better !!!!
Have a banana is an old
vaudeville line.... I think!
Bruce, do you know anything
about bananas, in that matter I
mean...
Please, don't hide behind your
sheets ?
That new Michel Legrand work
on Broadway, is it Le
Passemuraille that was
created here -- Paris --a few
years back ??
"Walk through the wall with me
At evening time...." -- oops,
sorry Leslie !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 03:38 PM PST

Yeah, Jason, I hate you !
I even lived in your country for
six consecutive years !!!
That gives me even more
reasons for hating you !!!!! : )
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 03:44 PM PST

Well, an American who has
lived in England can't
be................that bad !!
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 03:55 PM PST

Will you guys hug and sing "Kumgaya", for crying out loud? Or maybe you should turn it into an act. It worked for Sonny and Cher.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/11/2002 04:00 PM PST

What about an American who has lived in ............. Italy?
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/11/2002 04:01 PM PST

En francais, would that not read:
"...ces francaise-frites ami, Francois..."
Posted by Alliteration Annihilator @ 08/11/2002 04:03 PM PST

Isn't strange ?
Yeras gone by -- yes I'm "old" !
-- we use to care about the
number of TICKETS a film
would sell, not the
gross....how gross !!
Je ne sais pas si vous êtes
comme moi, mais je trouve
cela complètement injuste !!
Completamente loco este
hombre es, si ?!!!
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 04:04 PM PST

IT got lost somewhere....over
the rainbow......
Isn't IT strange ?
Bis repetitam....
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 04:05 PM PST

William !
I'm very CHER, sonny !
Non, non, non !
Cet ami François frit à la
Française !!!
Do I have to tell you
EVERYTHING ?
You see French fried refers to
ME, NOT fries, which, actually
-- lesson 3 -- are Gelgian fried
!!
Mamma mia, Ron, c'est
merveilleux !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 04:10 PM PST

From what I know.... Jason
could be my son, and I would
not mind adopting him....if he
ever needed to be
adopted....and if he ever
stopped picking on me, see
previous chapters ! : )
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 04:14 PM PST

I forgot to take my Valium,
hence I type to fast !
I meant to say that fries are
Belgian fried.......
French dressing as nothing to
do with the salad dressing we
favor either....
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 04:21 PM PST

...and the kissing?
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/11/2002 05:10 PM PST

..... that might be the French
true blue stuff !
Kiss and make up, right ?
My silly rambling and posting
has turn off everyone I guess !
-- what an ego !!
Ron, what can the matter be ?`
François's so lone at the fair
!....
Well, I go and fly my kite at
2:22 am................................
Come on, kiss me kite !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 05:29 PM PST

Kumbaya.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/11/2002 05:31 PM PST

Kumbaya to you too, William !
I know the music but I don't
know the words
--"but where are the words ? --
Lalala, lalala,la,lalala,
lalala,la,lalala etc......
Altogether now .... and follow
the bouncing ball !!!!
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 05:38 PM PST

Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba
yah! (repeat two more times)
Oh Lord! Kum ba yah!
Hear me crying, Lord, Kum ba
yah! (repeat two more times)
Oh Lord! Kum ba yah!
Hear me singing, Lord, Kum
ba yah! (repeat two more
times)
Oh Lord! Kum ba yah!
Hear me praying, Lord, Kum
ba yah! (repeat as before!)
Oh Lord! Kum ba yah!
Oh I need you, Lord, kum ba
yah! ( idem)
Oh Lord! kum ba yah!
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 06:00 PM PST

Tom Guest: Just read your comment about watching "While You Were Sleeping" on DVD. Don't ask me why, either, but I LOVE that film -- great chemistry between Bullock and the rest of the cast, but most especially with Bill Pullman. She hasn't had that good a matchup, chemistry-wise, in any of her other films.
td: Thanks for the comment re: Jeff Bridges. I still haven't seen "The Fisher King."
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/11/2002 06:18 PM PST

While You Were Sleeping :
wasn't it moving to see Mrs
Banks after so many years
and in such a wacky part ?
Talk about sending in the
clowns !!
Found the film utterly charming
and fun.
Jeff Bridges: impressive in
TUCKER, a somewhat
underrated film.....
Oops ! My kite got caught up in
a tree ! Charlie Brown, where
are you ?
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 06:34 PM PST

BK:
Regarding the Exorcist II
It is Georgetown not Boston and the reason why the deaf girl is a dead ringer for Dana Plato because it was. Side bar. Dana Plato was offered the role Reagan first but her parents turned it down.
Out of curiosity. Is the DVD version the original version, the revised version. Any extra features?
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 08/11/2002 06:40 PM PST

We were talking about movies and how much they made. here are the top 25 films adjust for inflation. It is domestic gross in millions. Title/Year of release/gross/adjusted gross
1Gone With the Wind 1939 $198.60 $1,001.69
2 Star Wars* 1977 $461.00 $865.91
3 The Sound of Music 1965 $158.70 $694.99
4 E.T.* 1982 $432.7 $687.3
5 Titanic 1997 $600.80 $639.83
6 The Ten Commandments* 1956 $80.0 $639.32
7 Jaws 1975 $260.00 $625.05
8 Doctor Zhivago 1965 $111.70 $590.96
9 The Jungle Book* 1967 $135.50 $528.65
10 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs* 1937 $184.90 $518.85
11 Ben-Hur 1959 $70.00 $512.64
12 101 Dalmatians* 1961 $152.60 $500.87
13 The Exorcist 1973 $204.4 $491.1
14 The Empire Strikes Back* 1980 $290.20 $468.62
15 Return of the Jedi* 1983 $309.10 $449.66
16 Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 1999 $431.10 $442.15
17 The Sting 1973 $159.60 $434.20
18 Mary Poppins* 1964 $102.30 $416.56
19 Raiders of the Lost Ark* 1981 $242.40 $415.03
20 Jurassic Park 1993 $356.80 $410.35
21 The Graduate 1967 $104.40 $407.30
22 Spider-Man 2002 $403.5 $403.5
23 Fantasia* 1940 $76.40 $395.32
24 The Godfather* 1972 $134.80 $378.21
25 Forrest Gump 1994 $329.70 $375.49
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 08/11/2002 06:55 PM PST

It's not the recut which was only shown outside the US. The DVD has the alternate opening with Burton's narration as a special feature. It's the only special feature aside from the trailer. Well, if that was Dana she should have fired her agent because she receives no billing, whereas people with much less prominent parts do. Well, Dana was very good indeed, and it's hard to believe that a mere ten years later I was directing her in her second to last film.
Man, oh Barry Man-ilow, when I said free-for-all I had no idea what would happen. As Mr. Mark Bakalor is fond of saying: You are all crazy. And I for one say hoo and ray.
Posted by bk @ 08/11/2002 06:57 PM PST

What ARE you guys drinking today? Today's posts are like something out of "Alice In Wonderland."
Posted by Kerry @ 08/11/2002 06:57 PM PST

Yes, François, and when I was in Belgium, the university cafeteria served "Amerikanishe bifstek", which was what we call seak tartar... mostly unknown by Americans.
I understand French grocers carry peanut butter in the "exotic foreign foods section."
Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/11/2002 07:36 PM PST

Dana plato played the part of barbara cason's daughter. Who gives an over the top performance when Reagan heals her. A lot of laughter that came out of that scene had to do with the inane dialogue. Now it has been about 25 years or so since I've seen the film. Not sure if she was deaf, autistic, strange or what have you
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 08/11/2002 07:56 PM PST

Mussstard ? Musstard!
Let's not be ssssilly !
That doesn't look like
Wonderland anymore, Dinah !
Have another cup of tea !
Off with my head !
You're ALL crazy, you hear,
crazy...after all these years !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 07:56 PM PST

Forrest Gump #25 !!????!!!
That sure is CRAZY !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 07:58 PM PST

Grocers don't have exotic
foreign food sections in
France !
France is too politically correct
for that !
Now, I do not want to be
spokeperson here for anything
French....
No way, José !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 08:02 PM PST

Michael,
Do you know why there is not
ONE ( exotic ) FOREIGN film
in that list ?
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 08:08 PM PST

" We're in the money,
Come on my honey,
let's have some
Peanut butter
and jelly sandwich !"
" Are you a Good Peanut Butter
Sandwich or a Bad Peanut
Butter Sandwich ? "
Were are totally nuts !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 08:14 PM PST

Francois:
Checked the other 75 films in the list there is no other foreign language film on the list is which I gather is what you meant.
One guess would be the release pattern. I know of know foreign language film that ever had a wide release of several thousand screens in the opening week. It might be lucky to get 10 screens and then it would be staggered release meaning that it would open in different cities in the follqoing weeks.
Also it probably doesn't play in
Bismark North Dakota.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 08/11/2002 08:18 PM PST

..... and while we're on the
subject..... since we're all
crazy.... we're fooling around
with spelling !!!
Hello, Annette ?
Any peanut butter today ?
Oh well, let's skip it !!
Caramba, i see the peanut
vendor over there !
Allan, where are you ?
It's not contagious you
know.....unfortunately !!!!
Bring the jelly ! I bring the
butter !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 08:22 PM PST

Forest Gump is 25th according to adjusted gross. If you didn't do that it would be a lot higher. Don't forget that Gone With Wind is over 1 billion dollar gross because the tickets were not as expensive when the film first opened.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 08/11/2002 08:22 PM PST

Michael,
Shayne on me!
I stand corrected !
You did mention "domestic"
gross.....
I should have checked the
Foreign Film section, which, in
the USofA, doesn't "exist"
either.....
Mea culpa!
Another culpa tea, anyone ?
Half a cup ?
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 08:28 PM PST

Kerry,
I'm only drinking fresh
squizzed orange juice !!
Maybe I should be ... drinking
something else ..... just for an
"excuse"....
"The hills are alive
And it's pretty frightening "
Peanuts and lions and bears
Peanuts and lions and bears !
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 08:39 PM PST

For all of you interested:
the whole soundtrack to
Carousel of Progress --
Disneyland Park --is on
E-Ticket
internet radio (Live365.com),
at the moment,
narrated and sung by REX
ALLEN, with the great
Sherman Bro. song:
There's A Great Big Beautiful
Tomorrow............
Posted by François @ 08/11/2002 08:44 PM PST

About those "grosses" -- there is something fishy about them.
For one, GWTW never grossed over $100 million in actual dollars, did it? Only when they first "adjusted for inflation" after "Sound of Music" toppled it from its number one top grosser position did this "adjustment" start occurring.
At that time, in the mid-60s, GWTW's actual dollar gross was in the $65 million range.
How on earth did it double that without domestic re-releases of gargantuan proportions?
It was my understanding that the grosses were actual dollars taken in and that adjusted gross was for "inflation" -- but both GWTW and "Snow White" seem to have adjusted grosses in both categories. Or maybe I've just missed something along the way?
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/11/2002 09:18 PM PST

I very well remember Exorcist II - that's pronounced "Eye-yi!", for your information. I was working at the World Famous Alex Theater in Glendale, Ca., and we were one of the theaters that got to show The Exorcist (Eye-Yi!). What was amazing was that the film was actually better with the first ending; the revision made absolutely no sense at all, just cutting the last few minutes off the end of the film. Nevertheless, business after the first screening was so horrid that those of us on staff spent our time throwing ice cubes at each other, without having to worry that any customers would slip and hurt themselves on the ice. There simply weren't any customers! (Fortunately, all traces of our follies were erased when the theater was restored to it's current glory. Halelujah!)
Posted by S. Woody White @ 08/11/2002 09:22 PM PST

The second dollar amount is the adjusted dolalr amount in today's dollars. Below is the website
http://www.the-movie-times.com/thrsdir/Top10everad.html
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 08/11/2002 09:25 PM PST

Welcome Allan.
Seems strange to me to be called a late poster. My posts are always a day in advance of you other kimlets.It is nearly 4pm Monday here.
Glad you liked While you Were Sleeping Ron. It did not measure up to the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movies for me. (and I don;t really think Hanks is that good an actor. Forest Gump would not rate any where need "good" in my book. A real performance along the same lines was Peter Sellers in "Being There". I did find the "Fisher King" worth while. I fond the Fisher family on "Six Feet Under" even more worth while! Thanks for the comments on Guffman Jed & Jason. (That sounds like a juggling act). Has anyone mentioned the horrors of Queer As Folk? I am watching the American series on Monday nights (punishment). The UK series was great. This is NOT.
Back to Ron. USA news programmes do seem to be insular (in my limited experience). We do see the rest of the world down here in OZ. (We even get the horrors of speechs from Moses or whoever he is these days).
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 08/11/2002 10:56 PM PST

Mon Dieu! How many freaking posts did Francois post today? I think he outdid Freedunit by a long shot. Speaking of, where's he been? He posted one post the other day and has been M.I.A. ever since. Hmm...
Do you think we scared away Allan? My guess is yes, we did.
Well, dear readers at HainesHisWay.com (why am I starting to sound like Bruce? It's his website for crying out loud!) I lost my karaoke virginity tonight to the tune of the B-52's "Love Shack." Just thought I'd share that with you. I can guarantee you, it was well worth the celebacy and I will definitely do it again...probably to the tune of "Copacabana" next time. Or "Xanadu." Hell, maybe I'll go wild and do BOTH! Wow...so self-indulgent, don't you think? Pandora's Box has been opened and I'm just going wild! Who knows...maybe I'll try smoking a cigarette someday... No. Those smell bad and they're bad for my voice. Oh, well...I'll just stick with the karaoke. :-\
OK...It's late and I'm beat. I'll talk to you folks tomorrow!!
Francois: You're old enough to be my dad? How old are you exactly?
Posted by Jason @ 08/11/2002 11:00 PM PST

Monday morning, 7:35am here in NYC as I post for the first time this weekend. Saw Hairspray on Friday night and loved it. Much more than I thought I might. I was worried because the hype has reached epic proportions, difficult for any show. But we had a great time. Played Stage Door Johnnies after the show (with lots of other star seekers) and saw Rob Reiner and Francis Ford Coppola at the stage door. Said hello to our own Kerry Butler and she giggled at the mention of Mr. BK's name. One of my favorite performances in the show was Mr. Dick Latessa. What a great number in the second act with Edna/Harvey! Unfortunately, after that I ended up in the office on Saturday morning and was so tired afterwards (getting up at 5:30 on a Saturday should be illegal) that after dinner we watched the Turner bio on Joan Crawford and I went to bed. Slept until 10am on Sunday and then we went to the Aquarium and Coney Island (just a short walk on the Boardwalk - where they're havin' some fun) and now I'm here catching up on the Sunday craziness.
Jason: Parle-tu en francais? Je parle en peu, mais je lit mieux que je parle. I learned that phrase quickly when we spent some time in an old stone cottage in Honfleur (the Normandy region just outside of Deauville "I'm sick of Dullsville, I'd rather be in Deauville, where people and roulette wheels go passing by.") and our lovely landlady (Mrs. Jolibois - Happy Woods correct?)would speak to me and I'd be madly translating in my head trying to keep up with her. I was surprised at the number of people who would kindly speak to me in English as I tried to speak to them in French. Perhaps they didn't want to hear me mangle the language. Although the longer we stayed, the better I sounded.
Anyway, enough of this babble. I have work to do! Later folks.
Posted by Ben @ 08/12/2002 04:51 AM PST

Bien sur, je parle un peu de francais. Et comme toi, je le lit mieux que je le parle. I'm glad you enjoyed Hairspray! and that my little review was not in vain. I thought it to be a simply splendid show. What a great time.
Well, here I am, and it already 8:45 of a Monday mornin'. Sorry...badly misquoting Ms. Laurey Williams. Things are moving VERY slowly this morning, and I'm wishing you were somehow here again...I mean, I'm wishing I were back in bed. I do hope we'll have some fun discussion today to keep me perky and awake.
I think congratulations are in order for getting over 70 Posts 70 on a Sunday!!
Posted by Jason @ 08/12/2002 05:49 AM PST

Just checked Playbill.com... Apparently Brent's Alan Jay Lerner CD will be released on Sept. 3. A track list was included in the article. Here is the link:
http://www.playbill.com/cgi-bin/plb/news?cmd=show&code=111958
Posted by Jason @ 08/12/2002 06:08 AM PST

"Merde....moi aussi!"
R
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/12/2002 09:05 AM PST

Ron...? Are you having bowel trouble?
Posted by Jason @ 08/12/2002 09:14 AM PST

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