haines his way

03/25/2003:
"GOING BOLLYWOOD"

Well, dear readers, we had a lively and sparkling chat last night. It was quite festive and there were many interesting things spoken about. After it was over, I had to leave and go to a DVD store to pick up a DVD to do a spot of research with. You see, a friend of mine is working on the transfer of What’s Up, Tiger Lily, which is the Japanese film that Woody Allen took and dubbed with his own soundtrack. This film has been shown quite a bit on cable TV in recent years and there has been some controversy about it. The controversy arises from the fact that what they’re showing does not reflect Mr. Allen’s original dub. There are quite a few instances of changed dialogue, and never for the better, never as funny. Luckily, as my friend was telling me about the transfer I remembered this, and I found the Usenet postings about it, one of which went into detail about each and every line change. She checked the transfer and by gum and by golly it’s this new dub they’ve been given. She has taken all this information and given it to the higher-ups so they can do what needs to be done, if possible. My feeling is this: That at some point, What’s Up, Tiger Lily fell into the public domain and in order to have a version that could be copyrighted, they made these changes. I don’t know that for a fact, of course, but it’s a scenario that at least makes sense. Hopefully, they will be able to include both dubs, the original and the new. I believe the old laserdisc had the original dub, and any videotape pre 1990 would also.
While I was at the store, I decided to take a chance (having some credit to use up) and purchase my very first Bollywood DVD. My only brush with Bollywood was when I saw the DVD of Ghost World, which opens with the lead character dancing in her room whilst watching a quite strange Bollywood musical number. That DVD included that number in its entirety as a supplement. So, I went to this store’s Bollywood section, but there were hundreds of DVDs to choose from and I had no clue which might be fun and which might not. So, clever lad that I am, I went and found the Ghost World DVD and there on the back was the name of the film that the musical number was from – something called Gumnaam. I went back to the Bollywood section and lo and behold and also behold and lo there was Gumnaam. So, I used my credit up and bought it.
Now, I must tell you dear readers, that I have never in all my years taken LSD. But, after watching Gumnaam I feel that I now know what it is to take a “trip”. I guess Gumnaam is standard issue fare for Bollywood – in other words, they take a genre, pad it out to unbelievably long length and insert musical numbers every twenty minutes. Gumnaam was made in 1965 and it is derivative of tons of American movies. First there’s the plot – which is basically stolen from Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (aka Ten Little Indians). The wacky musical number used in Ghost World is the first number in the film (it follows a murder). Then, a bunch of people get stranded on an island and one by one they die. There are musical numbers galore before and after each grisly death. The colors look like a surreal nightmare – vivid, garish, rather as if Douglas Sirk and Vincente Minnelli had taken an acid trip together. I assume they’ve learned how to do better sound since 1965, because the soundtrack mix is quite strange, although that only adds to the surreal quality. There’s a nice beach party number, one of the characters where’s something very similar to Ann-Margret’s Got a Lot of Livin’ to Do number, the “comic relief” thinks he’s playing in a 4,000 seat theater, and the main song which recurs throughout the film – a song described in one online review as “really beautiful” – really is beautiful, just as it was when Mr. Henry Mancini wrote it and called it Charade. It is literally, note for note (well, in the second line there’s a three-note difference, and there’s no bridge, but everything else is note for note the same) Charade, and it made me laugh out loud every time they played it (and they play it a lot). There’s another song that has the first refrain of Autumn Leaves. The film runs a whopping 146 minutes, with at least twenty of those minutes being shots of people walking around. But, the whole thing is totally mesmerizing and one simply can’t take one’s eyes off it. Gumnaam is available on DVD at several online stores (do a Google “Web” search on the title and you’ll find it) and it has made me want to see some others – I’m hoping there’s some kind of guide to help me choose.
My goodness, what a long paragraph. But that’s what happens when you’re going Bollywood. Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below before I start singing Charade with Indian lyrics.

In any case, the reason I’d gone to that store in the first place was to get the PAL DVD of What’s Up, Tiger Lily to see if it was the original dub. Alas, it was not, so I shall be returning it.
My new galley arrived yesterday, and aside from the stuff that I’d discovered in the previous galley that I hadn’t gotten to them in time (only about six things) this one looks just about perfect. It’s got one strange thing that occurs when there’s a long hyphen followed by a quote mark, the quote mark (the open quote) is always backwards (a close quote). It only happens ten times throughout the book so it should be quite easy to fix. I think that with these current fixes, that will be it, as opposed to the nine galleys I had to go through on the first book.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must go Bollywood, I must do errands and write and phone and eat and proof. Today’s topic of discussion: When you have the opportunity and the desire to eat a large breakfast, whether home-made or in a restaurant, what are your favorite favorite things to order. We shall need complete details so that our collective mouths can water. I’ll start – I love to go to Du-Par’s and order bacon and eggs (eggs over medium, bacon not too crisp), hashed browns, and a short stack of their incredible pancakes. My other favorite breakfast which I have when available is eggs over medium and biscuits and gravy. Your turn.

Replies: 86 Unseemly Comments

French toast (a short stack), fresh orange juice, and a side of bacon (extra, extra, extra crisp). All of these preferably from the Original Pancake House in Scottsdale or Ann Sather's in Chicago.
Posted by Kerry @ 03/25/2003 08:44 AM PST

Lox and cream cheese on an onion bagel!
Posted by Jay @ 03/25/2003 08:51 AM PST

Posted this earlier, but under yesterday's notes.
To continue our discussion...
I don't want to speak for WEL, but I think the argument he is making has to do with public perception of the singer/songwriter. In the forties and fifties, singer/songwriters were the exception to the rule. No one questioned the fact that Frank Sinatra did not write his own songs. Those who had talent to write songs did just that. Those who had a voice to sing could then fashion the song to fit their styles.
In the sixties, as people like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell because au courant, there came a notion that singers who did not sing their own songs were somehow less "authentic". So singers were now expected to write their own songs, and songwriters had to sing their own material. Even today, when young pop singers have material written for them, they are dismissed as "manufactured".
And while the "factory" system may have produced some inferior material, let's not forget that it gave us all the classic Motown material, as well as all the songs that came out of the Brill Building, from the likes of Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Neil Sedaka, Leiber & Stoller, Boyce and Hart, and of course Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
As for the comment that "the one-time popularity of Fabian is more to be questioned than the continuing popularity of Bob Dylan", I couldn't disagree more. I cannot fathom why anyone would willingly sit down and listen to Bob Dylan sing, in spite of his skills as a songwriter (which I won't debate here), whereas I can imagine someone listening to a pleasant singer like Fabian performing some less-than-stellar material.
Posted by Dave @ 03/25/2003 08:53 AM PST

I usually make breakfast since I can make most breakfast things as good as restaurants (which is not always the case with lunch or dinner dishes). I always start with fresh squeezed juice, orange, grapefruit or a combination. I've been making a lot of French Toast (or for those of you who prefer Freedom Toast) since Pepperidge Farms has come out with special French Toast Bread in various varieties such as banana or cinamon-raisin. This is accompanied by some breakfast meat, either bacon, ham or sausage. And always a big cold glass of milk.
Last night in chat someone mentioned a film that is basically unknown today ("Lucky Me") but which is a favorite of his and mine. I have a film that falls into the same category and I wonder if anyone else remembers "Pepe" - an all-star flop staring Mexican comic Cantinflas and half of Hollywood (including the voice of Judy Garland who was in one of her fat periods and did not want to be filmed). Does anyone else remember this film?
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/25/2003 08:58 AM PST

Weekend treat:
Waffle House -- pecan waffles smothered in butter and pecan syrup; a side of bacon; a jug of coffee!
On workdays:
Sausage/egg biscuit and hash browns from McDonald's!
And, as interesting as it might be, spare us from a six-CD set of Stephen Sondheim singing all his songs!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 03/25/2003 09:05 AM PST

Dave---
I agree with just about everything you say. In earlier years, the few singer/songwriters wrote material anyone could sing (Johnny Mercer for example) but starting in the 60s, people wrote for themselves. This is one reason that movie and film songs rarely become popular any more unless they are sung by the composer. There are of course exceptions such as Lennon/McCartney, but more often than not good singers are doing bad material that they wrote and good songs are not being done as well as they could because they are being sung by the composers. At least the glut of "The Original Amateur Hour" updates that are filling the airwaves these days feature mostly music written by someone other than the singer.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/25/2003 09:09 AM PST

My favorite breakfast, in which I rarely indulge, is what we call "heart attack on a plate": steak (rare) and eggs (scrambled soft) with hash brown potatoes, heavy on the onions. Lots and lots of coffee with REAL CREAM.
Will someone please pass the Lipitor (which, alas and alack--and also alack and alas--precludes me from another breakfast favorite: grapefruit juice)?
Posted by Pam @ 03/25/2003 09:09 AM PST

I do love a good breakfast and a great breakfast is the full English or Irish breakfast. I remember them fondly from my travels through Europe in 1988. I also remember a puppet character from a morning London news/talk program, Roland Rat (I have a Roland Rat mug), demanding his "proper English breakfast). Roland, btw (by the way) is not related to DangerMouse, except by species.
When I go to the Hollywood Diner on the corner for a Saturday breakfast (I can cook, but my kitchen is not the most friendly room in the apartment being that it's so small) I love a plate of French Toast with bacon, a cup of good coffee and a glass of grapefruit juice. In my college days in Minnesota, breakfast at Perkins was always fun. I usually had a stack of pancakes with two eggs sandwiched in between and a slice of ham and the pot of coffee which they would put at your table. Nothing like it at 3am after a show with a group of crazy actors. I used to be able to eat that at 3am and then go home and go to bed. Now, I think I'd have a lump in my stomach and be awake half the night.
Posted by Ben @ 03/25/2003 09:10 AM PST

I forgot to mention something I rarely indulge in anymore. A great deli breakfast (IMHO-in my humble opinion), bacon, egg and cheese on a roll w/deli coffee. If it's 6am and I have to be in the office early, I may stop at the deli next door and get that heart attack waiting to happen, similar to Pam's heart attack on a plate ;-)
Posted by Ben @ 03/25/2003 09:12 AM PST

When in LA.. I always head over to THE PANTRY (of which I know Bruce and many are familiar with). They have amazingly HUGE portions of the very best in breakfast foods and quite reasonable.
My "heart attack" special included Eggs scrambled, crisp bacon and/or link sausage, hash browns, sourdough toast, fresh squeezed orange juice. And once in awhile, a short stack of pancakes..
before I gave up all caffeine, Coffee would have been paramount as well...
Posted by Craig @ 03/25/2003 09:19 AM PST

Hey, speaking of food, what ever happened to putting all those Haineshisway recipes together?
Posted by Jennifer @ 03/25/2003 09:19 AM PST

Has anyone here ever had fried biscuits? I assure you they are delicious...golden-brown and crispy on the outside and hot and tender on the inside. Have them with apple butter for an extra special treat!
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 09:25 AM PST

We had another very productive Career Exploration session today. First, our 350-pound psycho-therapist addressed the growing problem of people smuggling psychotic parrots into the country. He then asked us all a very difficult question: What would you name your pet iguana? Then he tried to sit down in one of the chairs and his rear end got stuck. Remember that whole "crap" fiasco from a few weeks ago? I'm not even going to repeat the words he said this time because I know how that would turn out.
The people in this class sure are gems (smeg backwards) but that's nothing compared to my Plants in Society class yesterday in which the teacher told us the story of The Randy Vicar and the Equally Randy Pollen Grain. And I could tell you something about figs that would make you want to vomit on the ground.
On that note, my ideal breakfast would have to be a cold slice of left-over pizza and a Cherry Coke. And NO FIGS.
Posted by Sandra @ 03/25/2003 09:26 AM PST

That's it, Dear Reader Sandra...go ahead and laugh. LAUGH at the growing problem of people smuggling psychotic parrots into the country. You'll be whistling a different tune (The Theme from Peyton Place) when Polly Wants A Piece of You.
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 09:30 AM PST

My favorite breakfast, which I only eat when staying at my favorite still extant Catskill resort, consists of:
Double fresh-squeezed orange juice
1/2 Grapefruit
Lox (smoked salmon) and cream cheese (eaten plain)
Onion rolls and butter
Farmer cheese
Pickled herring and pickled lox
Omlet made with Swiss cheese, onions and mushrooms
prune mini-danish
chocolate milk mixed half and half with skim milk
Luckily for my waist size and my health, I only eat this at about 4 breakfasts per year.
Posted by steveg @ 03/25/2003 09:35 AM PST

Anything between two grilled pieces of sourdough! Bacon, ham, cheese, eggs, cheese, sausage, cheese... did I mention cheese? Good thick hash browns and if I'm feeling extremely dangerous, biscuits and gravy. Breakfast is one of my favorite meals.
Posted by matthew @ 03/25/2003 09:46 AM PST

Dear Reader Sandra---
Figs?
No raisins.
Ah liasons.
Posted by Hermione Gingold @ 03/25/2003 09:50 AM PST

WEL: Of course I remember Pepe. I saw it several times in its initial engagement and loved it each time. Filled with "cameo" stars like Jack Lemmon, Bing Crosby,etc. plus numbers by Michael Callan, Bobby Darin, Andre Previn, Maurice Chevalier, Sammy Davis, Jr., la Garland, Shirley Jones, Dan Dailey and the like - also Greer Garson, Eddie G. Robinson, a horse, Debbie Reynolds. After it's initial engagements it was severely shorn of about forty minutes of footage. The good news is that a friend of mine has a 35mm mag stereo print of the entire full-length version, which he showed a couple of years ago.
Posted by bk @ 03/25/2003 09:55 AM PST

I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembers PEPE. I saw the original full-length version when it came out and the cut version of cable about ten years ago. I wonder if it will ever be released in its uncut glory on DVD. From what I remember it was not well-reviewed or very popular, and I think most of the blame was put on Cantinflas, a big star in Mexico but known in the US only for "Around the World...". Although I liked the movie for all the stars, Cantinflas was the glue that held it all together.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/25/2003 10:01 AM PST

Lulu, when I read your post, I started laughing so hard, I had to get up and leave the library. So now there's some guy sitting outside who thinks I was laughing at him. He's in my Plants in Society class and he was just sitting there, pondering the enigma that is the fig.
Posted by Sandra @ 03/25/2003 10:08 AM PST

Dear Reader Sandra:
:-)
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 10:15 AM PST

Re breakfasts, there's a place by the ocean in San Francisco which did wonderful seafood omelettes with potatoes for breakfast. Sadly my memory isn't what it used to be, so I can't remember the name of it, but I know you could see the windmill in Golden Gate Park from it. It may have had 'Ocean' in the title. Anyone know where I mean? We discovered itb last time we were in SF and went there every day and pigged out.
Posted by Allan @ 03/25/2003 10:17 AM PST

This site is home to a bunch of figs.
Posted by Allan @ 03/25/2003 10:18 AM PST

Well, clearly BK has discovered how to keep us merrily posting all day.
Make the topic food-centered.
Posted by Pam @ 03/25/2003 10:26 AM PST

Pam --- Posting and hungry!
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/25/2003 10:53 AM PST

I was only able to stay in the chat for a short time because I went to my parents' house for dinner. I won't be able to make next Sunday's chat. I'm working backstage for a touring production of "Fosse." It's a matinee but the load-out can take a few hours.
And speaking of breakfasts (the topic of the day), here at work, we have (and I'm on it) a team for the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life. We raise money during the year for the ACS. Anyway, for a fundraiser this morning, our team had a Breakfast Burrito Fiesta for $3.00: an egg and cheese burrito with optional toppings of sour cream, olives, green onions and salsa. Drinks were 50¢ extra. We sold quite a few. My personal favorite restaurant-type breakfast used to be Taco Bell's Country Breakfast Burrito with egg, country-type gravy and tater tots and a huge Diet Pepsi. That was the best but then Taco Bell got rid of their breakfast menu altogether. Darn.
PS. The "¢" is made by holding down the "alt" key and typing "0162" on the number keypad. ç £ ¥ ® ™ !!
Posted by George @ 03/25/2003 10:59 AM PST

For basic good breakfasts, though, nothing beats a hot mess of grits with butter, salt 'n' pepper, and some bacon or sausage or ham!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 03/25/2003 11:00 AM PST

"a mess of grits"...RP, are you from the South?
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 11:21 AM PST

I've mentioned it before on another food day but nothing beats breakfast at Brennon's in New Orleans.
I am not really a "breakfast person" but do enjoy having the wonderful English or Irish breakfasts.
The "Pepe" soundtrack is available and the Garland song was nominated for an oscar.
"O Lucky Man" - great film with a score by Alan Price. The soundtrack was a successful "hit" on the album charts here in OZ.
Oh for the days when a new Andy Williams album would be released and it included his versions of the nominated oscar songs. Same for Percy Faith.
It is after all the fact that we have opinions - value judgments - that makes this site such fun. Tastes are not really quantifiable. I can recommend "Hollywood Sings" by Susan Sackett as a great reference for all the nominated oscar songs.
Parrots! I hope they are not Australian parrots. I feed 4 types of parrot here everyday. They are FREE and should be so. I do not like to see caged birds.
Does anyone remember the Giant Carrot on the Muppet Show? It was singing a number from "The Carrots of Penzance"
I just remembered: The title song from "Pepe" was a hit for Duane Eddy. There is also a good (IMHO) version of it by Caterina Valente. (Did anyone else watch her with Dom Deloise & Burnette on "The Entertainers"?)
It is now breakfast time here. - nearly 7.00 am
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 03/25/2003 11:36 AM PST

Thunderstorms and migraines - a deadly combination.
Hmmmm...I don't usually eat breakfast. And so I don't have a favorite breakfast, although omelets are usually what I order when I eat out in the morning...a Western omelet.
Now of course, I want one.
LUCKY ME LUCKY ME...yes Bill it is now something I enjoy! I have never seen the entire PEPE...I think the preview turned me off... "Pepe...that's ME!" And I simply HATED AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS mostly because of Cantinflas...well no not mostly...but I did HATE it and didn't think I could subject myself to more than 2 hours of him.
I did recently see a Bob Hope film for the first time Paris Holiday with Anita Ekberg and Martha Hyer that I liked VERY MUCH. The location filming was terrific and the gals were beautiful and Hope was very funny. I think I will get that DVD!
Owwwwwwwww...my head.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/25/2003 11:39 AM PST

Just read the late posts from yesterday. I am a fan of Randy Newman's songs - not of his singing. Likewise I would not listen to a Dylan LP (CD) but he has written some great songs. I am also a fan of some other pop writers such as Costello but really can not listen to them singing their own material.
Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 03/25/2003 11:44 AM PST

Whoops! I confused Lucky Me and Lucky Man. It is early and I still think Lucky Man is great! It is called a senior's moment here.
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 03/25/2003 11:46 AM PST

Dave,
I listen to Sinatra incessantly and enjoy his recordings immensely, yet I would have found it laughable to hear him attempt to sing "Idiot Wind", "Like A Rolling Stone", or "4th Time Around". Raw and edgy material is served best by a raw and edgy sound. Interestingly, Dylan did have a good singing voice, but he intentionally did not use that voice when he recorded. If you doubt this, listen to "Lay Lady Lay" sometime.
What it really comes down to on this issue is that you just don't get it. I don't get why anyone would enjoy listening to saccharine-sounding singers, and you don't get why anyone would listen to Dylan. That's life.
Posted by It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) @ 03/25/2003 11:50 AM PST

Contentions like the above are so much more convincing when they are
1) Not personal attacks
2) Not anonymous
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 11:56 AM PST

Hmmm.... Breakfast... which I just had about 30 minutes ago... and, yes, I know it's only about 3:00pm by now...
I love breakfast foods. If I can find a place that makes REAL Corned Beef Hash, then that's my favorite place. There is nothing like slightly crispy pieces of shredded corned beef and potatoes - then with a touch of heavy cream mixed in at the end! WOW! Served along side some eggs, sunny-side up and some biscuits - with butter and honey!
Locally, I like going to the Sidewalk Diner. Good brunch, and nice size portions for the price. They have something called "Cajun Hash" which is blackened potatoes, sausage, peppers, onions and SHRIMP all fried together! Quite the surprisingly delicious combination.
And as for Heart Attack on a Plate: The 3rd Street Diner here does Grilled D's - which are day old Krispy Kreme glazed donuts that are fried up on the grill in butter! And if you're feeling really ambitious, you can get a Grilled D Sundae - just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce - oh, and the maraschino cherry on top! *I think I've mentioned this before, but it's always worth mentioning it again.
Unfortunately, due to my recent acquaintance with Chet and Eileen, I don't indulge in these treats as much as I used to - which is a good thing in the long run - but when I have a splurge day coming up, look out!
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/25/2003 11:57 AM PST

Hmmm.... Breakfast... which I just had about 30 minutes ago... and, yes, I know it's only about 3:00pm by now...
I love breakfast foods. If I can find a place that makes REAL Corned Beef Hash, then that's my favorite place. There is nothing like slightly crispy pieces of shredded corned beef and potatoes - then with a touch of heavy cream mixed in at the end! WOW! Served along side some eggs, sunny-side up and some biscuits - with butter and honey!
Locally, I like going to the Sidewalk Diner. Good brunch, and nice size portions for the price. They have something called "Cajun Hash" which is blackened potatoes, sausage, peppers, onions and SHRIMP all fried together! Quite the surprisingly delicious combination.
And as for Heart Attack on a Plate: The 3rd Street Diner here does Grilled D's - which are day old Krispy Kreme glazed donuts that are fried up on the grill in butter! And if you're feeling really ambitious, you can get a Grilled D Sundae - just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce - oh, and the maraschino cherry on top! *I think I've mentioned this before, but it's always worth mentioning it again.
Unfortunately, due to my recent acquaintance with Chet and Eileen, I don't indulge in these treats as much as I used to - which is a good thing in the long run - but when I have a splurge day coming up, look out!
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/25/2003 11:57 AM PST

I guess my talk of the Grilled D's caused the double post!
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/25/2003 11:58 AM PST

Ta, Lulu!
Yes, I'm South Carolina born and bred!
Well-travelled, slightly jaded, as well.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 03/25/2003 12:14 PM PST

Lulu,
I am inclined to agree with you. It's hard to take someone seriously who doesn't have the strength of his/her convictions to sign their name to a post. As such, I choose to disregard it.
I enjoy a good breakfast, but I'm not a bacon and eggs sort of guy. I like granola and yogourt, fruit, cinnamon french toast, and maybe some hash browns to splurge. I also enjoy Belgian waffles with strawberries and fresh cream. And there's just nothing like fresh sourdough rolls with butter or gravy.
We just got our first Krispy Kreme doughnut shop here, and I fail to see what the big deal is. They're just doughnuts, folks. Fat and sugar, and nuthin' but...
Just to bring our discussion to a musical theatre topic again, I was watching the film version of CABARET last night. (I hadn't seen it since the first time I watched it - about 10 years ago - and hated it. Guess what? I still hate it.) I had just finished reading all three versions of the Broadway script (1966, 1986, 1998) and spent the whole movie listening to hear a single line of dialogue from the script. The film has changed so much, it is hard to see why they kept the same name. It bears almost no resemblance to the stage show.
But that's not why I brought it up. What struck me as odd was that at one point, Cliff..er, Brian (they even changed his *name*?! what's that about??) says, "As you say in America, I got plenty of nuttin' " One can only assume this is meant to be a reference to Gershwin's masterpiece, PORGY AND BESS. However, the scene in the movie takes place in 1931 Berlin, and PORGY AND BESS did not premiere until 1935. What gives?
Posted by Dave @ 03/25/2003 12:21 PM PST

Wow! I'm home sick today, and Airborne Express just delivered a surprise package from Image Entertainment (my ex is the prez): Image's DVD of the BB Kiss Me Kate...how nice! I had tried to tape it, but ran out of tape and couldn't find another blank around the house, in time to get all of it.
MMM, breakfast...a perfect order of (salty) lox-and hard-scrambled or matzo-brei. Followed by a custard donut for dessert.
I watched my DVD of American Gigolo last night...terrible-looking transfer. I had forgotten what a terribly self-conscious film it was, with the exception of a very young, beautiful Richard Gere, who had charisma, despite the film.
Posted by KT @ 03/25/2003 12:24 PM PST

KT: WOW! You have dessert after BREAKFAST?
Decadent!
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 12:26 PM PST

Dave,
You don't take me seriously, you simply type about me on an Internet messageboard. Do you always dedicate time to things you don't take seriously?
Posted by a logical quagmire @ 03/25/2003 12:46 PM PST

I enjoy Krispy Kreme but don't think they are the greatest doughnuts I've ever had. The one near my apartment closed after only a year so I am constantly surprised to hear how successful they are.
There was an anachronism in LUCYMAME similar to the one Dave describes in CABARET. After Mame meets Beau Gooch says something to the effect that they have met Santa Claus. In the play, Mame says "Yes and who knew he would have a Southern accent." If the film, LucyMame says "Yes and who knew he would sound so much like Rhett Butler".
However this is established to be around 1930 and the novel of GTTW was still about five years off.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/25/2003 01:03 PM PST

WEL: Lucy was so sensitive about her age, maybe she couldn't stand even to have her *character* appear to have been around in 1930! ;) The Rhett Butler reference would establish the time period as post-1939, thus (albeit in a really weird way) making the character of Mame "younger."
Hey, it could happen!
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 01:08 PM PST

Hey, I just thought of something else weird about that line...you can't "hear" dialogue in a book (so a reference to a literary character's accent would be pretty odd), *and* Gable refused to do a southern accent to portray Rhett. Geez, that line just gets stranger and stranger the more you think about it!
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 01:10 PM PST

Ooooh, logic games. Now *that* I can have fun with...
Since "logical quagmire" posted anonymously, I cannot know who s/he is. Therefore, I cannot have posted about him/her previously.
Instead, I submitted a note of concurrence with Lulu's post. i.e. that a message has more import when the author has the courage to sign it. Thus, I wrote about an idea, not a person.
And yes, I think ideas are important. Important enough to spend a bit of time on. Sometimes even important enough to sign my own name to. ;-)
Posted by Dave @ 03/25/2003 01:20 PM PST

William, with regard to the anachronism in "Mame", it was also in the Broadway musical. I noted it back in 1966 and wrote a nice letter to the authors in care of the theater, but never received a response back. They obviously liked the line and kept it in the horrible movie.
Posted by steveg @ 03/25/2003 01:25 PM PST

Lulu---
The period is definitely established as shortly after the Stock Market Crash of 1929. It is probably 1929 but no later than 1930. However since the Rhett of the book did have a southern accent the line could have made sense in the timing were correct.
Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/25/2003 01:26 PM PST

SteveG... by the time I saw the road company (and later stock productions) the Rhett Butler reference was out. It's possible that they took your letter seriously. I'll check the published script when I get home and see which line is in there.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/25/2003 01:28 PM PST

Oh, for God's sake! Have we already forgotten about the non-bickering?
If you have something to say, put your name on it. There. End of that.
If you disagree with something that someone says, that's fine, but don't post about it for days and days. Disagree and be done with it.
It seems that some of the posters on this site enjoy dragging "discussions" out ad nauseum, and frankly, it's becoming the reason that I don't post here as often as I used to.
Posted by Jason @ 03/25/2003 01:30 PM PST

Jason, does the irony of this situation -- the fact that your post is the most combative, least pleasant one on the board today -- completely escape you?
Just curious.
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 01:39 PM PST

I saw "Mame" several times during its original NY run and the revival with Lansbury in, I guess, the '80s, and I'm pretty sure the line was always in it as well as the recent PaperMill production. I'm curious what the published script has.
Posted by steveg @ 03/25/2003 01:56 PM PST

Dave: "I Got Plenty of Nuttin'" is an American phrase which Gershwin made use of -- and paraphrased -- in "I Got Plenty of Nothin'".
Ira Gershwin did not author that saying.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 03/25/2003 02:07 PM PST

Jason,
Sorry to hear you aren't enjoying our discussion today. To be fair, it only began this morning, and was continued on (by yours truly) after today's notes were posted. I can't speak for anyone else, but I didn't detect any "bickering" in the posts I read; if such a tone was inferred from my own posts, let me be the first to apologize. I thought we were having fun.
Frankly, I find such conversations much more interesting than the discussions about obscure films or actresses that sometimes dominate this message board. I don't begrudge those who take part in those discussions, though. Just not my cup o' tea.
Now, THEATRE, on the other hand, is something we can all enjoy discussing. So, to bring us back to that topic, how go the auditions? Any news to report?
Posted by Dave @ 03/25/2003 02:15 PM PST

Belay my last!
It seems "I Got Plenty of Nothin'" and "I Got Plenty of Nuttin'" are equally considered lyrics of Ira Gershwin.
I still think it's a phrase Gershwin picked up off the streets -- vernacular of the time, possibly in Harlem.
But the character in "Berlin Stories" would not have known that, although he might have picked it up from a sailor or two (given his, you know...).
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 03/25/2003 02:20 PM PST

I don't think that anything I said was combative. It was to the point, but I don't think it was combative, nor do I think it was unpleasant. My post was in reference not only to posts from today (particularly "It's Alright Ma's" post, followed by "Logical...") but in reference to the increasing number of "anonymous" posts that tend to be FAR more abrasive than anything I have written today. And I don't think that many here will argue that some of the "discussions" here tend to go on for far too long and they really don't do anything but make people frustrated.
Posted by Jason @ 03/25/2003 02:22 PM PST

What have I missed?
What's the subject that Jason feels has been beaten to death, days on end, ad infinitum?
I have an anachronism for you guys! It's in "Cleopatra" (probably one of several).
There is a scene between Cleo and Julius (Sid's MUCH older brother)that plays out on one of the richly appointed palace sets and on one of the walls is a painting of Cleopatra with Caesarion, who, it so happens, hasn't been born yet!
Oops!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 03/25/2003 02:24 PM PST

After reading the post that I just posted (that was a bit redundant, but whatever...), and following Dave's suit, I would like to apologize for my tone. This site has always been my retreat...my "happy place"...which is something that I think we all need more than ever right now, and when I start to feel tension in my happy place, I become emotionally-driven. It's like watching your parents fight--very unpleasant, indeed, even if it's only a little tiff. I will try to pull myself together next time.
Dave: Unfortunately, no news to report yet. Needless to say, that is another source of my recent anxiety. And thanks for the apology.
Posted by Jason @ 03/25/2003 02:30 PM PST

I'd say it's time for a group hug!
Posted by Jay @ 03/25/2003 02:33 PM PST

One of my favorite anachronisms is from "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum." What I'd heard was that this line was written for, but cut from the original stage version and added to the movie. Then when they did the Nathan Lane revival, Nathan liked the line so much that he asked if they could put it back in and it was added. The show is supposed to be 200 years before the birth of Christ and Pseudolus, holding a glass (or maybe a bottle) of wine, asks "Was 1 a good year?"
Posted by George @ 03/25/2003 02:33 PM PST

That is a GREAT line!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 03/25/2003 02:59 PM PST

Yep, I remember seeing PEPE in the theater, and it bored me to tears. I did buy the LP soundtrack album to get Judy's song, and I also liked Bobby Darin's "That's How It Went, All Right."
If I'm not mistaken, LUCKY ME was the first musical ever released in Cinemascope. I have it on laserdisc. It's lesser Doris Day, but I still like it.
Breakfast? Well, I don't often indulge, but when I do, it's eggs, Canadian bacon, grits with butter (yep, a Southern boy here), toast with strawberry jam.
Posted by Matt H. @ 03/25/2003 03:07 PM PST

*trying to squeeze her way into the group hug*
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 03:11 PM PST

Steveg---
You are right. The Rhett Butler reference is in the libretto, but I don't recall it being in the National Company (with Celeste Holm as Mame and a pre-M*A*S*H Loretta Swit as Gooch) or the various other productions I saw because I would have noticed it. I know it was not in the non-musical version.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/25/2003 03:15 PM PST

Dear Lulu: I don't usually have a dessert after breakfast, but I have a profound weakness for those chocolate-covered custard donuts...my nabe 7-11 has exquisite ones, delivered at 10pm
every night. I have been known on occasion, to dash out and get one. At 116 lbs and 5'6", I crave the calories...burn them off faster than saying "Jack Robinson". (Does anyone know where that saying came from? My mother used to say that).
Posted by KT @ 03/25/2003 03:33 PM PST

I'm hell on wheels once you get to know me.
Posted by Jack Robinson @ 03/25/2003 03:35 PM PST

Dear Reader KT--
Now all the women and probably most of the men who visit haineshisway.com hate you.
;-)
Posted by Jay @ 03/25/2003 03:42 PM PST

We simply must ignore the occasional anonymous and inflammatory post - they wish to get our collective goats, and they feed on our attention. Just ignore and they will go away. If they don't, I will simply ban all anonymous postings which have an unsavory and obvious flavor. And yes, Virginia, I will determine what is unsavory.
Posted by bk @ 03/25/2003 04:19 PM PST

BK: I know my custard donut post was "boasting", but not meant to be inflammatory or unsavory (nothing unsavory about custard donuts!)
Don't hate me, folks! Just urge your thyroid to work harder!
Posted by KT @ 03/25/2003 04:40 PM PST

My favorite breakfast is eggs scrambled with cheese and vegetables -- mushrooms, green peppers, onions, etc. I haven't had bacon in 9 years, since my first cholesterol test came back high. I miss bacon.
Posted by Laura @ 03/25/2003 05:07 PM PST

Laura: Have you ever tried turkey bacon? I wasn't crazy about it when I first tried it (10 years ago), but now I really like it and in fact, it has spoiled real pork bacon for me, which I now find way too rich and greasy. And turkey bacon is quite low in fat and cholesterol.
Anyway, it's inexpensive -- I think around $2 a pound -- so you might want to get some just to try, and if you don't like it, no big deal. :)
Posted by Lulu @ 03/25/2003 05:30 PM PST

Talking about anachornisms in movies. At the end of Funny Lady when Fanny and Billy meet up Fanny mentions the recent divorce of Billy and Eleanor Holm. That would put the year at 1954. it would impossible for her to know that! She had been dead for 3 years!!!!
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 03/25/2003 06:38 PM PST

Where'd everybody go? I need more breakfasts, haven't had enough breakfasts.
Posted by bk @ 03/25/2003 07:09 PM PST

Oh, I guess I should mention my favorite breakfast/brunch food to make... A baked Blueberry Pecan Cinnamon French Toast. It's so easy, and you put the whole thing together the night before, then just pop it in the oven the next morning. And served with lots of real maple syrup and butter! Oh, and I usually accompany it with oven fried bacon (thick sliced) that I've sprinkled with brown sugar and red and black pepper.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/25/2003 08:31 PM PST

I loved "Lucky Me"! I haven't seen it for about 30 years or so, but it was a cute movie. Unfortunately one of the songs still goes through my head every onoce in a while.
Posted by Kerry @ 03/25/2003 08:48 PM PST

I'd like to apologize--again--for my unseemly behaviour earlier this afternoon. After I had a MOST embarrassing panic attack on the train to work--hyperventilating, red "I'm about to cry and I'm not sure why" eyes et al.--I realized what was wrong with me and I felt very bad for my demeanour in my previous posts.
We are all living in very uncertain and stressful times right now, and I suppose the war has affected me more than I wanted to admit. Although it wasn't very evident in my earlier posts, I am generally a very rational person, and many of my friends and family members are aware of that and have used me as a sounding board for the last four days. Generally I don't mind it, but bad news upon worse news day after day is enough to overwhelm anyone, and unfortunately I received some pretty upsetting news this morning that sent me over the edge for a few hours. I apologize for taking it out on you guys. It was out of the blue, uncalled for, and shameful. I'm sorry, and I'll do my best not to let it happen again.
Posted by Jason @ 03/25/2003 09:57 PM PST

Jason, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I speak for virtually everyone here: you really don't need to worry about it. :) Hope things look up for you soon.
Posted by Lulu @ 03/26/2003 03:16 AM PST

Just have to share this...briefly had on a TCM movie just now, and BORIS KARLOFF is in it, playing a newspaperman (I think) who works for Edward G. Robinson. The really weird thing is he's playing a normal -- even JAUNTY -- guy. Picture this: He bumps into a pretty girl who's exiting a room just as he's entering. He eyeballs her, says, "Sa-a-a-a-ay!" and winks at her. !!!!! Boris Karloff! Now I've seen everything.
Posted by Lulu @ 03/26/2003 03:18 AM PST

Where did everybody go? Between the time I checkd this here site when I went to bed last night and the time I checked this morning there have only been 5 new posts. Was everybody busy making breakfast?
Jason---
Don't worry. We all love you. And I've seen many people have panic attacks on the subway, so believe me you're not alone.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/26/2003 05:53 AM PST

WEL: Yes, that's it. After reading yesterday's posts, I couldn't resist this morning...for breakfast, I had Belgian waffles, French toast, an omelet with cheese, green pepper and onions, bacon, sausage, ham, steak, fried biscuits with apple butter, bagels with cream cheese and extra-salty lox, a cantaloupe, a honeydew melon, coffee with real cream and sugar, and fresh-squeezed orange juice.
In lieu of flowers, the survivors of Lulu request that a donation be made in her name to the American Heart Association...
Posted by Lulu @ 03/26/2003 06:41 AM PST

Jason,
What Lulu said.
Posted by Dave @ 03/26/2003 06:44 AM PST

KT - the "Jack Robinson" reference that I know of is a line from Mr Fezziwig from Dickon's "A Christmas Carol". I played the gent once, and the line went something like this... "Boys, let's get this place cleaned up faster than you can say Jack Robinson" delivered right before the big party scene. Hope you get this post, it's early Wednesday morning.
Posted by Matthew @ 03/26/2003 07:18 AM PST

KT (and anyone else who wants to know about the possible origins of the phrase "faster than you can say 'Jack Robinson'"): Click my name to see some possibilities.
Posted by Lulu @ 03/26/2003 07:31 AM PST

I remember seeing Pepe when it first came out and one of the punchlines was "a cast of 42 stars" and I remembered counting them. I enjoyed the scene at the Sands hotel. If it ever is available on DVD I would love to own a copy.
Posted by JayDee @ 08/28/2003 10:06 PM PST

I remember seeing Pepe when it first came out and one of the punchlines was "a cast of 42 stars" and I remembered counting them. I enjoyed the scene at the Sands hotel. If it ever is available on DVD I would love to own a copy.
Posted by JayDee @ 08/28/2003 10:07 PM PST

I remember seeing Pepe when it first came out and one of the punchlines was "a cast of 42 stars" and I remembered counting them. I enjoyed the scene at the Sands hotel. If it ever is available on DVD I would love to own a copy.
Posted by JayDee @ 08/28/2003 10:09 PM PST

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