Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 07/25/2003 09:35 AM PST

Guess what? There is a
handy-dandy computer in the
edit bay, therefore I will be
checking in quite often so we'd
better get some postin' goin'
on here right quick. No
excuses. Let's hear what
you're listening to and
watching, and let's have other
topics, too. I'm going to start
keeping a list of the errant and
truant - yes, I'll be keeping a
list and I'll be checking it twice,
and Santa will NOT be coming
to town for those who have
had too too many errant and
truant demerits. How do you
like them egg rolls, Mr.
Goldstone.

Posted by bk @ 07/25/2003 09:37 AM PST

What a delightful interview with Miss Penny Peyser. I knew I had seen her in many things...and she was terrific especially in RICH MAN POOR MAN BOOK II.

That original mini series was wonderful...introducing Nick Nolte... and the tv series was actually better than I thought it would be...Gregg Henry brought in to play Nolte's part.

Wonderful interview.

In my DVD player - Colonel Redl with Klaus Maria Brandauer, good film about a real subject. Redl was also the subject of John Osborne's play A PATRIOT FOR ME which was recently in LA with my friend Chip Mitchell (Cameron, Jr) in a leading role!

CD player...THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE OBC.

VCR - Miss Allison Hayes in "THE MILLIONAIRE" episode she did in 1957, thanks DR Michael Barnum.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/25/2003 09:38 AM PST

Sad news: Just came across a news posting of the passing of director, John Schlesinger, this morning at age 77.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 07/25/2003 09:42 AM PST

Anyone agree with me that Schlesinger's GREATEST film was his most underappreciated one -- "Far From the Madding Crowd"?

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/25/2003 09:47 AM PST

Well, here I am in Montreal (oh look - there's Michael)

:)

My current audio visual tidbits:

discman - I'm still loving THE INAUDIBLE JRB

mp3 playlist - Julianna's Journal made me (finally!) go ahead and download the THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE OBC. I love some songs (like Forget about the Boy) and dislike some other unmentionables...

car - THE BEST OF LENA HORNE which technically is a purchase of my father's which I stole... er... adopted. I love the old mono recordings - especially of "I Take to You" and "Careless Love"

vhs - THE LAST FIVE YEARS OFF BROADWAY. I will admit that bootleg tapes of shows are wrong and especially in this case. The camera work is so shaky that I can't watch more than one scene at a time without getting severely nauseous from motion sickness.

dvd - PILATES FOR DUMMIES. One day I will be flexible if I donggone have to stretch myself to an early grave :)

wallet - a ticket to go see SEABISCUIT tonight. I absolutely loved the book (strangely enough another adopted purchase of my dear old dad's) and can't wait to see it - especially since it has William H. Macy, one of my fav. actors.

Hope that meets your workplace stimulation needs BK :)

Posted by Emily @ 07/25/2003 10:07 AM PST

To all you dirty minded Hainsies and Kimlets:

"No, not THAT kind of stimulation!"

(c'mon... I'm sure SOME of you thought that for a minute)

;)

Posted by Emily @ 07/25/2003 10:09 AM PST

For a Filmography of the late John Schlesinger, click my name. Of all his films I have always been partial to DARLING, although I haven't seen it in years and don't know if it would hold up today. I would imagine it holds up as a picture of mid-60s London if nothing else.

With Todd Graff in the news (I'm seeing CAMP tomorrow) I wonder if anyone knows if he is related to Randy Graff or Ilene Graff? IBDB doesn't list any relationship, but I thought I had read that two of the three were related.

In my DVD - I'll be getting NICHOLAS NICKLEBY tomorrow. It was in and out of theatres so fast I missed it. I'm sure I'll enjoy it although I know it will not compare to spending nine hours in the theatre watching the stage version, probably the most memorable non-musical I've ever seen.

CD - Paris Disneyland parade music

VHS - More episodes of MY MOTHER THE CAR and PINK LADY AND JEFF

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/25/2003 10:15 AM PST

Oh yes - Ron, don't you love those photos of Chita on the ZENDA CD? The score didn't impress me much either way but I love the pictures of Chita.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/25/2003 10:17 AM PST

In the CD player in my car: a two-disc compilation of MGM movie musical songs and a four-disc survey from the Smithsonian Institution covering American Musical Theatre from Creation, it seems, to 1964. It's filled with some real gems.

I'll probably see SEABISCUIT at some point this weekend. I didn't read the book, but the trailer I saw looked interesting and this morning's L.A. Times contained a very positive review.

(The L.A. Times also liked CAMP, BTW.)

Posted by Jay @ 07/25/2003 10:28 AM PST

Gee, it would be tough to limit myself to just one Schlesinger film. Far From the Madding Crowd is a wonderful film, but I also love Sunday, Bloody Sunday. Midnight Cowboy was an extremely powerful film, but I have never been able to sit through it a second time.

Posted by TCB @ 07/25/2003 10:33 AM PST

Well, I will post post-haste because I don't want to be on the list, since tomorrow I will be errant and truant due to a family engagement in New Jersey involving a hole in the ground and a pig to be roasted.

I'm listening to Barbara Cook: Oscar Winners-The Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein AND I also brought the short but fun Bruce Kimmel/Benjamin Kritzer CD from the first novel "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along..."

At home, we're going through our CDs and giving last listens to some scores that will go to Academy (hopefully) for cold hard cash. Late Nite Comic and Most Men Are will be going the way of all flesh along others I can't think of right now since I'm at the office.

In the VCR we still have to watch Sex in the City before Sunday's new episode.

Posted by Ben @ 07/25/2003 10:36 AM PST

I meant to say in the first post, whenever I hear Red Red Robin, the Campbell Soup theme song from years ago then enters my head and refuses to leave until I hear something else.

"You always eat better when you remember the soup, the soup..."

Posted by Ben @ 07/25/2003 10:38 AM PST

Must make this quick and be
off...

VCR: last night's Amazing
Race
DVD: empty at the moment
CD: The Intimate PDQ Bach

Will be E&T for the remainder
of the weekend, as I will be at
a family reunion. Promises to
be great fun. I expect TONS of
posts to catch up on when I
return on Monday!

Posted by Jed @ 07/25/2003 10:43 AM PST

CD player - Laurie Beechman
"Listen to My Heart", Nancy LaMott
"Listen to My Heart" Neil Sedaka
"Greatest Hits"

CD Car - OLC Mamma Mia!

VCR - The Lost Boys

CD near bed - Andrew Lloyd
Webber in Jazz (that's what I call it, it
has another names, it's rather fun)

DVD - Sex and the City, Season
One, disk 2

I may be seeing "The Phantom of the
Opera" this Sunday eve. My pal
Mark has connections so we're
getting house seats and perhaps a
backstage tour and I may get to meet
Lisa Vroman, whom I absolutely
LOVE. I'm excited to see this POTO
(which will number 11 for me)
because of its physical aspect. It's
the first time I will have seen a bus/
truck tour of the show. The other 10
times have been in a sit-down format
with the theatre "re-built" for the
show. I'll update you Monday. Till
then, the hills are alive with the
sound of music!

Posted by Matthew @ 07/25/2003 10:45 AM PST

Hard to choose a Scheslinger film...but Bill...I think I would go with DARLING first. Dirk Bogarde, Laurence Harvey, and Julie Christie were all just terrific. And as a period piece (now) it is remarkable.

MADDING CROWD is a close second, what a beautiful score...is that by Jarre?

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/25/2003 10:47 AM PST

In the DVD:
Blondie Goes Latin
Mothra

VHS: nothing

CD: Miyoshi Umeki
James Shigeta...both old record albums that I had transferred to CD.

Posted by MBarnum @ 07/25/2003 11:04 AM PST

In my DVD player, I have my brand-spankin-new, one-of-a-kind DVD of The Five Pennies, which I just received as my birthday surprise from DRs Jrand and MBarnum. Isn't that just too too?

Thank you so much, MBarnum and Jrand!

Posted by Susan @ 07/25/2003 11:13 AM PST

Great interview with Penny Peyser! I really can't imagine you-know-who in her role in The In-Laws; Penny was perfect.

Best Man, eh? I had a big ol' crush on Michael Lembeck when I was a tot and he was Kaptain Kool. Then when I was around 10, I got into the Beach Party movies bigtime and really dug Eric VonZipper (not *that* way, but I did love the character). It wasn't until years later that I realized they were father and son! Funny ol' world, innit?

Posted by Lulu @ 07/25/2003 11:18 AM PST

The Madding Crowd score is
by Richard Rodney Bennett
and is stunning.

Michael Lembeck went on to a
very successful directing
career - lots of TV including
several seasons of Friends,
and then film with Santa
Clause II and he's doing the
new Nia Vardalos movie,
whatever it is. Interestingly, I
never thought he was a very
good screen actor and
watching The In-Laws
confirmed that to me. But he
was an excellent Bud Frump to
my Finch in our college How to
Succeed. Rosemary was
Annette Cardona (aka Annette
Charles aka Chachi in
Grease) and our Smitty was
the lovely Linda Hart.

Posted by bk @ 07/25/2003 11:24 AM PST

CD--Amour. God, what a score! The melodies are lovely and haunting, the lyrics very clever...why did this show play for such a short time? Did anyone here see it?

DVD--nothing.

VHS--About Schmidt. Wonderful movie which I highly enjoyed. Jack Nicholson is so un-Jack in this...very touching performance.

DR Jose--So Arena is doing Camelot? That's great! I guess they're doing more musicals now since South Pacific was a hit. Any casting done yet?

Sigh...off to work. A gal's gotta pay her bills though, right?

Posted by Maya @ 07/25/2003 11:40 AM PST

TO WEL:
Todd Graff is definitely related to Randy as is Ilene. I think he is either Ilene's brother, or another cousin. I don't think he is Randy's brother, although she does have a brother. When we lived in Staten Island between 1973-1978, Randy and her parents and brother lived right across the street from us. Randy was "into the theatre" even then and I remember her mother noting once that Randy was appearing in a summer stock production of Gypsy somewhere. We were written-up in the Staten Island Advance back in '75 about our Barbra powder-room and I know that Randy and her mother came over to see it. We've made it a point to visit Randy in every show we've seen her in and she has been very gracious in thanking us for stopping by. I'm looking forward to seeing Camp. We've seen the Stage Door Manor "campers" perform one of their shows several times at Kutsher's in the Catskills. They do a bang-up job and, at least in the shows we've seen, are extremely talented.

Posted by steveg @ 07/25/2003 12:08 PM PST

Clever lyrics! Question of taste:

"Better a blow-job than no job
at all!"

... BUT, they are NOT as bad
as some say...

I do believe that the charm(s)
of AMOUR really lies in the
vocal qualities of the singers...

There are so many reprises of
the same musical theme!

That said, i have been playing
the cd twice in a row, and that
version, IMHO, comes off
much better than its original
French version....

Other cd I'm listening to: the
TER/Jay complete recording of
Pajama Game, which is faboo,
with judy Kaye and Ron
Raines....

Posted by François @ 07/25/2003 12:16 PM PST

RRB score for MADDING CROWD, of course. Lovely LP that I have somewhere.

CAMELOT....such a beautiful show. I love it every time I see it...and I like the movie, too...thanks, td, for the complete recording!

Watching the Dirk Bogarde version of A TALE OF TWO CITIES. Nice filming. I wish it was in color!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/25/2003 12:23 PM PST

Steveg - Thanks for the Graff info. It's not that common of a name so I figured they had to be related someway.

Maya - I saw AMOUR. Rather than telling you to search the archives for my "review" I'll simply state that (1) it was an intimate show that should have played a small off-Broadway theatre; (2) the English lyrics did not come off well on stage and I felt it should have been sung in French with "supertitles" like in LA BOHEME or the Japanese scenes in MILLIE; and (3) the special effects were very cheesy... it was supposed to be about a man who walked through walls but was actually about a man who walked through the slats on rubber vertical blinds. That said, I still loved it but it is not the kind of show your average tourist would be interested in. It's cast was wonderful but it was all names known only to regular theatregoers, not money names that would sell tickets. If this show had opened at a theatre the size of the Promenade or the Variety Arts it might still be running today.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/25/2003 12:33 PM PST

Please, Bre'er Kimmel, don't throw me into the Errant and Truant Briar Patch! (or into the Truant and Errant Briar Patch!)

I'm here, I'm here.

But quiet.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/25/2003 12:38 PM PST

Please, Bre'er Kimmel, don't throw me into the Errant and Truant Briar Patch! (or into the Truant and Errant Briar Patch!)

I'm here, I'm here.

But quiet.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/25/2003 12:38 PM PST

What I tell you three times is true.

Oh, a Lewis Carrol reference!

Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/25/2003 12:39 PM PST

Just wanted to let folks know that we opened FOREVER PLAID last night, to a *very* appreciative sold-out audience.

It was a very long day. First, we had to be at the local radio station at 6:45am to do a live promo spot at 7:20am. We did "Gotta Be This or That/Undecided". (Not bad for that early in the morning, if I may so say myself....) Then, we had a technical cue-to-cue at the venue at 1:00pm. Showtime was 8:00pm, so we had a call for 6:30pm.

After the show, there was a reception to which everyone was invited - cast, crew and audience - so we got a *lot* of very positive feedback from everyone.

Then, this morning, we had to be back at the venue for a live television promo at 7:00am. Our pianist was not there, so we had to perform a cappella. We did "Scotland the Brave" and "Three Coins in the Fountain". Scary at first, but ultimately thrilling to be able to pull that off.

As for the show itself, it was fun to be able to finally hear the audience response to the show. There were laughs that I wasn't expecting, and the applause toward toward the end of "Sixteen Tons" (right after the gliss down to the G) caught me off guard a little.

One funny ad-lib story: our volunteer for "Heart and Soul" was named Nicole. When we had her sing the "Plaid Book of Life", I spelled her name as she wrote it: N-I-C..., then turned to the audience and said, "See ya real soon..." (big laugh) Then, when she was finished writing (which seemed to take a while), I looked at the book and said, "Oh, is that your phone number, Nicole?" (another big laugh)

After the show, I found Nicole and thanked her for being such a sport. It turned out that she is the wife of one of our Board members. (I had no idea...)

Posted by Dave @ 07/25/2003 01:17 PM PST

When I did FOREVER PLAID, "Scotland the Brave" was my favorite song, bar none. Of course, as Smudge, it was fun getting to do that amazing slide down at the end of "Sixteen Tons," too.

My favorite Schlesinger film is THE DAY OF THE LOCUST with SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY a close second.

Current media:

CD - Deanna Durbin: Selections from Motion Picture Soundtracks

VCR: SLEEPING MURDER

laserdisc: SUMMER HOLIDAY

DVD: JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH

Posted by Matt H. @ 07/25/2003 02:26 PM PST

WOW! A Dirk Bogarde reference at HHW.(Thanks Jrand). Have any of the Hainsies read all his books? Are there any other fans of "Death in Venice" out there?
Today's topic:
DVD: (from two nights ago) "Little Shop Of Horrors: The Musical"
CDs: "Amour"
"Bombay Dreams"
" Best Of Teresa Brewer"
Record: A 45 rpm recording of Stan Robinson's 1961 non hit "The Exodus Of Pepe From The Misfit's Summer Place".
I have been looking for this song for over 40 years and eventually tracked down a copy in Canada. It arrived in the mail two days ago.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/25/2003 02:27 PM PST

Todd Graff is Ilene Graff's brother and Randy's cousin. On a recent interview with Donald Feltham Ilene cleared that up.

And there goes Emily! Wow

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/25/2003 02:33 PM PST

I'm a fan of "Death in Venice," but not necessarily the film with Dirk Bogarde, though I do love the Mahler score. Thomas Mann's novela is one of my favorites, and my memories of Benjamin Britten's operatic treatment of the story are quite positive.

Posted by Jay @ 07/25/2003 02:35 PM PST

Tom,

That was quite a long exodus
for Pepe!

Posted by François @ 07/25/2003 02:35 PM PST

DR Tom from Oz - Please provide a little more info on "The Exodus of Pepe From the Misfit's Summer Place." You really peaked my interest with that title.

Oh, as for today's topic:
Nothing in any machine, except RAGTIME is still in the CD player in the car.

Posted by TCB @ 07/25/2003 02:36 PM PST

Yes, Mahler wrote a beautiful
score for that film!!!

-- PlEASE, Jay, don't hate me!
--

... "and one more for Mahler!"

Posted by François @ 07/25/2003 02:38 PM PST

Any song that mentions Pepe
is aces in my book. I quite
adored Pepe, as bad as it
was, back when it came out. It
was shorn of about forty
minutes after that, and I only
know of one complete uncut
print in existence - owned by a
friend of mine, in 4 track
stereo. So, I've seen it recently
and it's still a guilty pleasure,
as bad as it is.

Who's got a face as funny as
Pepe?
Who's got a smile as sunny as
Pepe?
Who's the comical little clown
There with his trousers falling
down?
Goin' hippity-hop like a busy
B-E-E

Posted by bk @ 07/25/2003 02:41 PM PST

... " and one more for Pepe!"

Pepe-le-Pew?????

Posted by François @ 07/25/2003 02:49 PM PST

Francois--

Yeah. They tried to get John Williams but he was busy on another project. So they brought in Gustav.

Posted by Jay @ 07/25/2003 02:49 PM PST

Jay,

Honestly; Williams would not
have done a better job!

BK,

That pepe song reminds me
of Leroy Anderson's Sleigh
Ride, I think!

If anyone wants to hear a few
seconds of said song by
sweet Shirley Jones, go to
cdconnection.com, type PEPE
and click on title; it's fun!

Posted by François @ 07/25/2003 03:01 PM PST

William F. Orr: "I tell you three times" is also a Robert Heinlein reference ("Number of the Beast").

William E. Lurie: Yes, it's a young, vivacious Chita in those photos from "Zenda" -- haven't heard any of it yet, though.

DVDs standing by: "Grease," "Bell, Book and Candle," "The White Sheik," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," the new "All About Eve", the new "An Affair to Remember," "The Long, Hot Summer", "The Hours", "What's Up, Doc?", "Die Hard" 1, 2 and 3 in DTS Stereo, "Lethal Weapon" 1, 2, 3 & 4 in DTS Stereo.

CDs: "Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments" (an interesting concept album with a beautemous recording of "I Never Has Seen Snow"); "Damn Yankees" -- Warner Brothers soundtrack.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/25/2003 03:53 PM PST

Hello TCB (Tom not from Down Under).
I first heard the song about April 1961 as a "top 40 prediction) but did not get to hear the artist's name - never back announced - and I was not sure of the title. I suspect the local DJ has an imported copy and the record was never given a release in Australia. I started to collect every Top 40 record plus others about 30 years ago - ie hit parade songs from 1955 to 1970. This one was really "bugging" me as no-one knew what I was talking about - even the radio DJs that were still around. The NET did not help either until a few weeks back when a Google search found the title as "B" side on an auction list. The "A" side was "North South East West". I now had a title, an artist and a label and thus a record!
The song was a "novelty" based on the premise that far too many film themes were on the hit parade. It also mentions the Magnificent Seven, Ben Hur, the Unforgiven and The Alamo plus Don Costa and Ferrante & Teicher.
If you want a copy, let me know. I am a Top 40 nut.

"Pepe" :- I have a vocal version by Caterina Valente somewhere as well as the Soundtrack and Duane Eddy versions

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/25/2003 03:57 PM PST

In my CD player at work (courtesy of DR Sigerson Holmes): "The Little Prince" (with "Coco" demos and bonus tracks), the soundtrack to "Guys and Dolls" (also with bonus tracks) and "Finian's Rainbow" (yup, with bonus tracks). I just got these in the mail yesterday and will listen to all of them one right after the other. So far, "The Little Prince" is great. I am very muchly looking forward to listening to the rest of these CDs!

In my DVD player at home: the live concert DVD of "Hey, Mr. Producer: The Musical World of Cameron Macintosh." I love Ellen Greene and Judi Dench and Millicent Martin and Julia McKenzie and everyone in this concert! And Hugh Jackman is singing "Oh What a Beautiful Morning." And Sondheim and Lloyd Webber together! It doesn't get much better than this...in my humble opinion (IMHO in Internet lingo).

Posted by George @ 07/25/2003 04:32 PM PST

Aaahh, Caterina Valente!
What a multi talented artist!

She's still around and even
released a cd of Kurt Weill's
songs, not long ago ... and far
away!.....

Posted by François @ 07/25/2003 04:41 PM PST

I'll confess: my pulse quickens each time I hear Miss Valente's rendtion of "The Breeze and I."

Posted by Jay @ 07/25/2003 04:47 PM PST

Pepe is right up there with Alley Cat and It's A Small World as one of the worst songs ever...

On my CD this weekend, newly acquired IF LOVE WERE ALL & UNSUNG MUSICALS produced by the inimitable Mr. Kimmel. I also picked up a discount CD of FIRST IMPRESSIONS out of curiosity. Anyone have any opinions on this musical version of Pride & Prejudice?

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 07/25/2003 04:49 PM PST

Her rendition, too.

Posted by Jay @ 07/25/2003 04:50 PM PST

C'mon, dear reader Charles Pogue: if it weren't for the Alley Cat, they'd only have the Hora to dance at Bar Mitzvahs.

Posted by Jay @ 07/25/2003 04:52 PM PST

Charles:I am with you on "It's a Small World" but I guess it is hearing it so many times that is the problem.I wouldn't mind the royalties in my Bank account! I do like Peggy Lee's version of Alley Cat and I have no problem with the Pepe tune - (the lyrics I can do without).

Re Caterina. I have fond memories of "The Entertainers" with Caterina, Dom & Carol.(Oh so many years ago - probably around the time of "Pepe"!)

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/25/2003 04:56 PM PST

I have read one of Dirk Bogarde's books on a LONG flight back from Ireland. Interesting. And I like most of his movies.

PEPE - never made it through it, but only saw it on television. Maybe it was better on the big screen.

What a great title for a song Tom. And congratulations on finally finding it. Isn't the www terrific?

I must agree with DR Charles Pogue on his choice of SMALL WORLD and ALLEY CAT as bad songs.

At one point in my life, I found myself on a parade float as a character whose name I will not mention. The music was prerecorded on tape of course, and for miles and miles and hours and hours I heard nothing but ALLEY CAT! It still plays inside my head.

THE BREEZE AND I - my favorite recording is by Miss Jeanette MacDonald.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/25/2003 04:57 PM PST

Well, I know, it's in fashion to
hate IT's A Small World
because we get to hear it ad
nauseam in the Disney
attractions, but, apart from the
Disney Parks parades, where
else do we get to hear it?

... and Children ditties are
usually despised by adults; is
there something Freudian in
that?

What are the criteria by which
we can state a song is good or
bad?

Posted by François @ 07/25/2003 05:36 PM PST

Oh, such a thrilling day I had today. The highlight was the hour-long hearing in bankruptcy court as a creditor.

In the car cd: Cinderella

Posted by Laura @ 07/25/2003 05:46 PM PST

Laura, does the shoe fit?

Posted by François @ 07/25/2003 06:04 PM PST

HiHo Everybody!
Just came back from seeing SEABISCUIT. Today's L.A. Times review by Kenneth Turan echoed my sentiments EXACTLY. Not a perfect movie but definitely involving. There's much to recommend it. The racing sequences are stirring and exciting and put you right in the action. At times, I cheered and applauded and even teared up. Definitely see it on the BIG screen for the full impact. IMO Chris Cooper and Tobey Maguire are standouts as well as Gary Stevens (a 3-time Kentucky Derby winner who plays jockey George Woolf).

Astoundingly, my father (who I took with me) used the same words Mr. Turan used in his review--"Hollywoodize" and "hokum." I had gotten the book for him to read, so he knew the real story. Even though the author was consultant on the film, much of the truth they left out would have been more interesting than the "fictionalized," "standard Hollywood fare" part of the script. Randy Newman did the score (though my ears thought it was John Williams).

But I quibble. Go see it! Like some woman sitting in front of me said as she was leaving the theater, "Finally, Hollywood wised up and made a movie worth seeing!"

Interesting sidebar: When we walked out of the theater, there were three lines ready to go in. I'll bet Oprah is right when she said, "America is going to LOVE this movie!"

Here's a link to the L.A. Times review http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/

Posted by Donna - Cabaret West @ 07/25/2003 06:19 PM PST

Can you believe it, I am still
here in the editing room at
6:40. I shall probably be here
another hour or so. Blechhh.

There is a stunning song in
the film Pepe - sung on the
radio by Judy Garland - The
Faraway Part of Town by Mr.
Andre Previn and Dory
Langdon.

Posted by bk @ 07/25/2003 06:40 PM PST

Yes, and there's also Bing
Crosby, Maurice Chevalier,
Sammy Davis Jnr, Bobby
Darin, the before mentioned
Shirley Jones, and all this is
arranged and conducted by
the one and only Johnny
Green......

Where are today's equivalent
entertainers????

Posted by François @ 07/25/2003 07:02 PM PST

Mais où est donc passé tout le
monde, nom d'un chien?

Ceci est tout à fait
inacceptable!

Ils nous faut des messages et
encore des messages, sinon
nous ne seront jamais le plus
populaire des sites sur
l'internet!

Alors, bougez-vous les fesses
et postez des messages;
autrement, attention à la
machine-à-claques!

Posted by Bébert Kimmel @ 07/25/2003 07:34 PM PST

Hey! Isn't the Shirley Temple version of SEABISCUIT on TCM tonight?

Anyhoo, onto the A/V ROLE CALL:

VCR and LASERDISC PLAYERS are gathering dust.

CD PLAYER is proudly spinning the expanded original soundtrack recording of Cliff Richard's SUMMER HOLIDAY. It's faboo!

Four Fine Films are ensconced in the DVD PLAYER:
ANASTASIA: Can't wait to see how it looks and sounds! (My dog was named after this film - Minx Anastastia). And one of the Bonus Features is the A&E Biography of Anna Anderson! Plus, it's great to have another Martita Hunt movie in the collection.
THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE: Yes, the fine folks at Warner Home Video have begun to release their Errol Flynn movies to dvd! I have only watched the trailers, but, oh, what trailers they are! THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, THE SEA HAWK and CAPTIAN BLOOD. . . .
HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS: Say what you will, but, that Matthew sure is a cutie! Kate Hudson is charming, ample support is given by Celia Weston and Bebe; but the film is nearly stolen by the second female lead, and had the deleted scenes not been deleted, she would have walked away with it.
NAKED SPACE: we all know about this one, don't we? A new label (Palm *something*) and a colorful full-framed transfer.

Posted by td @ 07/25/2003 07:43 PM PST

Is a machine-a-claques a bitch-slapping machine?

François--I agree that "better a blow job than no job at all" in Amour is kind of a vulgar lyric, but I thought most of the lyrics were very intricate and smart in a sort of Lorenz Hart way. But that's only my opinion. Were they really an improvement on the original French lyrics? The cast definitely did a fabulous job vocally...was impressed with everyone on the CD.

WEL--thanks for telling me about the original production. I think you are right that it would have been more successful in a more intimate theatre--it does seems like somewhat of a chamber musical. Sure you don't want to give me a link to your review?? ;)

And my head reeling with Legrand melodies, I am of a mind to see Les Parapluies de Cherbourg again...

Posted by Maya @ 07/25/2003 08:18 PM PST

Haven't thought of PEPE in awhile. I have the LP soundrack, and liked not only Garland's solo but also Bobby Darin's, but all of the singers are in grand form including Chevalier and Shirley Jones. Too bad the movie was such a wet noodle.

I'm looking forward to that Flynn/ROBIN HOOD on DVD. I'm sure it will be breathtakingly beautiful in that wonderful Technicolor. Mt laserdisc is pretty impressive, and I'm sure its DVD remaster will be nothing short of superb. Warners is also putting out THE CRIMSON PIRATE and SCARAMOUCHE, all loads of fun.

Posted by Matt H. @ 07/25/2003 08:21 PM PST

Just got back from SEABISCUIT

I enjoyed thoroughly (although I felt it was missing an epilogue... and the score was annoyingly uninspiring for such a wonderful story).

Toby Maguire impressed me with his acting skills and by the fact that he executive produced it. Surprise for me in the credits there!

Not as good as the book, but not awful (which it COULD have been).

Posted by Emily @ 07/25/2003 08:33 PM PST

Emily: "THE LAST FIVE YEARS OFF BROADWAY. ... The camera work is so shaky that I can't watch more than one scene at a time without getting severely nauseous"

I haven't seen the video, but had a similar reaction.

Posted by Noel @ 07/25/2003 09:20 PM PST

Francois - you have obviously NEVER been on a float for miles and MILES listening to ALLEY CAT.

Yes TD...Shirley Temple and Rosemary deCamp were just on in SEABISCUIT.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/25/2003 09:22 PM PST

Maya--I saw AMOUR, as well, and I loved it. I was heartbroken to hear that it was closing so soon, but it wasn't a total shock. The show would have been SO much more accepted had it played off-Broadway. I didn't think the lyrics came off poorly onstage any more than they do in the recording, and I thought the special effects were exactly what I expected them to be. I know its Broadway, but there are only so many ways you can make a man walk through walls. I thought they did it well, so, there's my two cents.

Posted by Jason @ 07/25/2003 10:00 PM PST

Thanks for sharing, Jason! I wonder how they managed the last part when..well, you know...I don't want to give anything away to those who haven't bought the CD yet.

Off to bed with me...goodnight everyone.

Posted by Maya @ 07/25/2003 10:07 PM PST

Sorting through some old 45 rpm discs tonight and then an archive search at HHW. Why? I found my recording of "Spanish Flea" - Lyric by Cissy Wechter and sung by Soupy Sales. I needed to share that with you all!

François: Your email server (or whatever you call them) is not accepting emails from me. The ones I sent today have not reached you it seems. Is your mailbox too full?

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/26/2003 03:55 AM PST

Is it Friday yet?

Posted by Kerry @ 07/26/2003 06:21 AM PST

Isn't Mahlers a pastry shop?

Posted by Elaine Stritch @ 07/26/2003 08:39 AM PST

Maya ---
I don't have the link. It's in the archives on this here site... a Saturday in mid-October. You can do a search but the word AMOUR was used a lot that month.

Ron---
Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments was not a concept album. It was the sound track to her television special of the same name from the very late 60s or early 70s.

Jason---
At Broadway prices the wall effect sould have been better. You could see the rubber slats way before they were even used. If this were off-Broadway with a lower budget and cheaper prices this would have been more forgivable.

Posted by William E, Lurie @ 07/26/2003 08:46 AM PST

hi, i´m mike from germany, i´m a very big fan from caterina valente! i´ve more than 1600 songs on cds and records in more then 11 languages. she is one of the finest female entertainers in the world! i´ve search for other valentefans around the world, i´m very happy to hear from you! sorry, my english is horrible! best regards
mike

Posted by mike goebel @ 09/30/2003 02:49 PM PST

hi, i´m mike from germany, i´m a very big fan from caterina valente! i´ve more than 1600 songs on cds and records in more then 11 languages. she is one of the finest female entertainers in the world! i´ve search for other valentefans around the world, i´m very happy to hear from you! sorry, my english is horrible! best regards
mike

Posted by mike goebel @ 09/30/2003 02:50 PM PST

hi, i´m mike from germany, i´m a very big fan from caterina valente! i´ve more than 1600 songs on cds and records in more then 11 languages. she is one of the finest female entertainers in the world! i´ve search for other valentefans around the world, i´m very happy to hear from you! sorry, my english is horrible! best regards
mike

Posted by mike goebel @ 09/30/2003 02:51 PM PST

hi, i´m mike from germany, i´m a very big fan from caterina valente! i´ve more than 1600 songs on cds and records in more then 11 languages. she is one of the finest female entertainers in the world! i´ve search for other valentefans around the world, i´m very happy to hear from you! sorry, my english is horrible! best regards
mike

Posted by mike goebel @ 09/30/2003 02:51 PM PST

hi, i´m mike from germany, i´m a very big fan from caterina valente! i´ve more than 1600 songs on cds and records in more then 11 languages. she is one of the finest female entertainers in the world! i´ve search for other valentefans around the world, i´m very happy to hear from you! sorry, my english is horrible! best regards
mike

Posted by mike goebel @ 09/30/2003 02:52 PM PST