Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 08/05/2003 08:32 AM PST

Wow! First post.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 08:33 AM PST

False alarm.. she was just being smiley ;-)

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 08/05/2003 08:43 AM PST

Favorite made-for-TV movies:

Tribes
Doing Time on Maple Drive
Special Bulletin
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/05/2003 08:57 AM PST

After wracking my brain (not pretty), I have to tell you guys I know nothing about a "3rd Street promenade massacre."

Would someone kindly fill me in?

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/05/2003 09:01 AM PST

Hello Everyone! My favorite TV movie is My Name is Steven.

Posted by JB aka JK @ 08/05/2003 09:13 AM PST

Thnak you, Ron, I thought it was just me.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 09:17 AM PST

I think it was when the old man ran down a bunch of people on the street. He thought he was stepping on the brake, but it was the gas.

Posted by JB aka JK @ 08/05/2003 09:25 AM PST

Oh, of course. Thank you JB aka Jk. Now I remember reading about his daughter at the time.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 09:33 AM PST

I enjoyed "I Know My Name is Steven." I also enjoyed the TV-movie starring Jo from "The Facts of Life" where she was trying to become the first female firefighter, and the one where her husband beat her up. Maybe they were the same one. I dunno. I also enjoy anything with Joanna Kern in it.

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 09:46 AM PST

Add me to the list of people who don't know what the 3rd Street Promenade Masacre is. Was it something that only made the papers in whatever city 3rd Street is located in? Was the music from Al Carmines' PROMENADE involved? Was it a masacre where two musicians who saw it had to dress in drag and run off to Florida with an all-girl orchestra?

There are so many definitions to "made for tv movie". It used to be specific movies shown in a regular "Movie of the Week" timeslot, but now just about every "special" is called a made for tv movie. If the first definition holds I would have to say Shirley Jones in Robert Anderson's "Silent Night, Lonely Night", an adaptation of his under-appreciated play. If the later definition counts it would be Victor Garber as Sid Luft in "The Judy Garland Story" or whatever it was called.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/05/2003 09:50 AM PST

Oh my...there are so many made for tv movies that I enjoyed. They used to be a regular feature on the network schedule.

And I will not argue against any of the choices thus far...all good.

Instead I will just add a few:

A CASE OF RAPE - with a stunning peformance by Elizabeth Montgomery, who as the victim in the case is so badgered on the stand that she ends up crying out "I'm not guilty!" The culprit is freed and attacks her again! Might have been based on a true story.

NIGHT OF TERROR - with Valerie Harper, she is being pursued on the highway by some men she saw commit a murder...similar to DUEL, not as good, but still pretty scary.

TRILOGY OF TERROR - Karen Black in three stories including the Zuni warrior!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 10:05 AM PST

Well, it was really the Farmer's
Market adjacent to the 3rd
Street Promenade in Santa
Monica. As the darling
daughter mentioned, an old
man was driving, got confused
when he saw the barricades
which preclude cars from
entering the street where the
market takes place - he
apparently stepped on the gas
rather than the break -
continued to be confused, so
much so that he drove three
blocks through the Farmer's
Market, plowing into people left
and right. There is no other
way to describe it better than
as a massacre.

Posted by bk @ 08/05/2003 10:06 AM PST

DR WEL isn't quite right in his definitions. Made for Television movies were around before the "Movie of the Week" timeslots became a standard. It was the relative low expense of the MFTV films that made the "MotW" slots profitable for the three networks. Yes, Lulu, at one time we only had three networks!

One MFTV flick I remember was one of the very first, an opus called "How I Spent My Summer Vacation," a crime story starring a fairly young Robert Wagner. I also recall a story called "Madame Sin," with Bette Davis as the villainous title character.

Posted by SWoodyWhite @ 08/05/2003 10:08 AM PST

Greetings, everyone, new to the list here...

HA! Jason, you've been found out.

You see, I'm also indentured to the Bucks County and Pocono Playhouses for their productions of PIMPERNEL and TITANIC this summer. I am currently in the Poconos as the only member of those casts to have had to stick around during the hiatus.

I won't be posting that often, but I wanted to mention that amongst the saving graces of this experience have been:

1) The shows being so much better than they should be.

2) The few very nice and talented people like Jason who can be depended on, trusted, and are just generally all around decent folk.

3) Snapping digital picutres of those people in ridiculous Strawberry Shortcake costumes.

I found this board whilst searching for more reviews for Titanic and Pimpernel at Bucks, and a link came up for Jason's post about onstage tomfoolery.

My two cents: I absolutely, totally, wholeheartedly agree with Jason. It infuriates me and she's lucky it was him and not me. However, I've done this aktin n' singin thing for a living for 11 years now and have yet to get through a single full run without some pranks. The difference is, more experienced people know what they can and can't do. They (usually) care about not doing anything to take away from the show. I don't think... actually, I know you'll never entirely escape the shenanigans, at any "level."

However, there are rules, guidelines, and fines in place to keep in check those who lack their own discretion and common sense. And there are stage managers to enforce said rules. Except here, now.

Glad to have found this board!

Posted by Don @ 08/05/2003 10:11 AM PST

Actually the full title is "I Know My First Name is Steven" and it was a great (I agree with you Jennifer)

Two sad pieces of trivia about that film are:

The real Steven was paid $30,000 for the movie, but was killed shortly after this movie was released.

The real Cary Stayner (Steven's brother) confessed to the murder of three women in Yosemite National Park in July 1999.

Posted by Craig @ 08/05/2003 10:17 AM PST

Well, well, well (that's three wells) - it looks like Groundhog Day is finally over! It's the right date and I can get into HHW from work. Rejoice with me please.

I got the DVD of Chicago yesterday - amazingly we seem to have got something over here before the States - usually we're about three months behind. Watched the movie and the deleted 'Class'. I can see why it was deleted - it's very static compared to the rest of the film (i.e. it has takes which last longer than three seconds) - according to the commentary it was deleted because it obviously wasn't from Roxie's imagination.

Also watched the 'Making of ...' documentary, which is just full of people saying what a privilege it was to work with all the other people on the film. Wouldn't you love it if just once these things were full of people saying things like "I hated her, she's a talentless bitch" or some such?

Posted by Allan @ 08/05/2003 10:17 AM PST

One of my favorite was also a one or the first "made for TV" movies, broadcast in 1967, entitled, "The Borgia Stick" starring Fritz Weaver, Inger Stevens, and Don Murray.

Posted by steveg @ 08/05/2003 10:23 AM PST

Welcome to Dear Reader Don! Thanks for the nice things you said about me. I'll pay you when I get up to the Pocs. ;-)

Don is a good guy...very talented...and quite trustworthy onstage. Now, offstage is a whole other matter. There was this one time, at theatre camp, that he...well...let's just say that Don likes to hurl objects at people once he's lured them into a certain spot just for laughs. I seem to recall a device made up of empty water bottles taped together...and then there's the Death Puffer Fish. Don't ask.

Anyway, welcome, Don. Hope you'll check in here from time to time.

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 10:36 AM PST

Welcome, Don! Any friend of Jason should be investigated. No, I mean, any friend of Jason is welcome here.

There have certainly been a lot of great TV films mentioned that I had totally forgotten about. I hope all of them, or, at least most of them are available on video / DVD.

Does anyone remember the TV film with Richard Crenna as a police officer that was raped?

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 10:37 AM PST

I have a question for Emily and Jose about poutine!

I remember reading a few days ago that Emily sent some of the ingredients. Was it just the packet of sauce. Or a can? Of the cheese?

The reason i ask is because i want to try to make poutine. I have the fries. And i decided to buy the canned sauce (instead of the package you add water to).

But what about the cheese? Do they sell it frozen? I have seen cheese curds, fresh, but they are very expensive. Is that my only option? Or is there some where to get them that is affordable?

Btw, tonight is reality show heaven!

Posted by Jennifer @ 08/05/2003 10:38 AM PST

BK seems to be picking topics which
I can't answer. Movies of the week
are also not something which
appeal to me.
I slept late today, which was lovely.
Our refrigerator died yesterday, so
mom is out getting a new one-not to
mention a small one for my dorm
room!
I have a large mailing to sticker and
stuff for my father's business, so I
should probably get going.
There was just a rumbling of
thunder. I think that there will soon
be a large storm. Delightful.

Posted by Hapgood @ 08/05/2003 10:48 AM PST

~~~~Positive vibes to the truly dear Dear Readers Kerry and Lyn as they sojourn back to the desert and DRs Laura and Sandra. Have a good flight and come back to visit real soon, ya hear?!?!~~~~

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 10:53 AM PST

TV movie favorites: Well let's see, I loved SUMMER GIRL with Diane Franklin and Kim Darby

AN EARLY FROST is also one of my top favorites what with Aiden Quinn, Gena Rowlands, and one of my favorite actors D. W. Moffet.

DUEL is another good one although I haven't seen it since I was a kid, but I can remember watching that one with my dad way back in the 70s.

Two recent TV movies starring Maureen O'Hara have become my favorites, as well..don't recall the titles just now but one had her as an retired widowed school teacher (I cried buckets at that one) and the other movie was where she hires a cab driver (Melrose Place's Jason Beghe)to drive her to Canada...actually any TV movie with Maureen O'Hara is gonna likely be a favorite of mine!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/05/2003 11:04 AM PST

Yes, TCB, I do remember the television movie you mention w/Richard Crenna. I remember it being quite good also. I also remember An Early Frost w/Aidan Quinn. It was so good but very difficult to watch because at the time (1985) it was so early in the epidemic and so many friends were sick and/or dying. I don't think I've seen it since.

I listened to Donald's repeat radio program today and heard BK's choices for 12 favorite show tunes and it made me go home at lunch and bring some of those CDs to work so I could hear them again.

Posted by Ben @ 08/05/2003 11:11 AM PST

Welcome, Don!

SWW: We lived in the sticks and didn't get cable until the summer I turned 11 (though when I was 7 we lived in a luxury townhouse that did include HBO...that's how I first saw Young Frankenstein!) so I well remember the days when there were only three networks. In fact, I even remember when stations signed off with the Star Spangled Banner. There are actually quite a few Dear Readers here who are younger than I!
Fave TV Movies: I feel like we just did this topic, but it's well worth repeating. Kudos to Jrand's choice of Trilogy of Terror - and yes, the Zuni doll segment is by far the best one. I also love When Michael Calls, The Initiation of Sarah (wherein we get two...TWO Morgans for the price of one: Morgan Fairchild and Morgan Brittany) and oh, so many more.

I actually taped Duel off of TV a couple years ago, didn't get around to writing it on the label, and it's lost somewhere in our hundreds and hundreds of tapes - I've no idea which tape it's on! I look forward to seeing it, in addition to such other legendary TV movies as The Screaming Woman (Olivia deHavilland), Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Bad Ronald, and Devil Dog: The Hound from Hell.

But it's not only the horror TV movies I like. I'd also love to one day see Call Her Mom starring Connie Stevens and Charles Nelson-Reilly.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/05/2003 11:17 AM PST

Oh, and let's not forget Madame Satan with Bette Davis and Robert Wagner!

Posted by Lulu @ 08/05/2003 11:18 AM PST

Welcome, Dear Reader Don. We are a swell bunch of people, no matter what Jason has told you.

We have all seen the incriminating pictures -- which one is Don?

Posted by Laura @ 08/05/2003 11:20 AM PST

Click on my name for a great article (and, in part 2, video and audio clips) regarding ABC's TV Movies of the Week!

Posted by Lulu @ 08/05/2003 11:21 AM PST

Robert Reed gave a complex, shadowy performance as The Secret Night Caller, which is among the best TV movies I've seen. Also on my list is An Early Frost. Interestingly, Sylvia Sidney appeared in both movies.

Posted by Dan-in-Toronto @ 08/05/2003 11:24 AM PST

Following is the tentative track list for Barbra Streisand's "Movie Album" to be released October 14.

"Wild Is the Wind" from the 1957 film, music by Dimitri Tiomkin and lyrics by Ned Washington
"The Second Time Around" from 1960's "High Time," music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Sammy Cahn
"Emily" from 1965's "The Americanization of Emily," music by Johnny Mandel and lyrics by Johnny Mercer
"Smile," based on a theme from 1936's "Modern Times," music by Charles Chaplin and lyrics by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons
"I'm in the Mood for Love" from 1935's "Every Night at Eight," music by Jimmy McHugh and lyrics by Dorothy Fields
"Calling You" from 1988's "Bagdad Cafe," music and lyrics by Robert Pelson
"Goodbye for Now" from "Reds" (1981), music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Theme from "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," with music by André Previn and new lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman
"How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" from 1982's "Best Friends," music by Michel Legrand with lyrics by The Bergmans
"You're Gonna Hear from Me" from the 1965 film "Daisy Clover," music by André Previn and lyrics by Dory Previn
"But Beautiful" from 1947's "The Road to Rio," music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke
"Moon River" from the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's," music by Henry Mancini and lyrics by Johnny Mercer

Let's hope she doesn't screw these up with the kinds of orchestrations and arrangements she has favored in recent years instead of the simpler and more effective arrangements she used in her earlier years.

By the way, I see that Verase Sereband is reissuing the first "Lost In Boston" CD but with a new booklet. Why the new booklet?

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/05/2003 11:24 AM PST

One of my favorite made-for-TV movies was really an after-school special. It was "Who Am I This Time?" with Susan Sarandon and Christopher Walken. I saw that before I ever got involved with local community theater groups. I also really like "An Early Frost."

It's been quite a while since I actually sat down and watched an original movie on TV without taping it and fast forwarding through the commercials, or worse, I'll tape something and never watch it.

Posted by George @ 08/05/2003 11:29 AM PST

George: Yep, that's pretty much what I do now (witness the Duel calamity). There are about three times more commercials polluting the airwaves than there were 20+ years ago. Much better to tape 'n' zap.

By the way, how did you and your niece enjoy Gigli? ;)

Posted by Lulu @ 08/05/2003 11:32 AM PST

I forgot to say welcome to new DR Don! Welcome!!!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/05/2003 11:36 AM PST

For all those DRs who are interested, I just purchased a photo scanner (its teeny tiny...the biggest thing it will scan is a 4X6 photo, so I will be putting together an online photo album of some of my past show pictures. I don't know that any of you will want to see me as a Siamese prime minister or a "bullet-colored" hired hand on an Oklahoma farm, but you'll be able to if you want! I'll pick the scanner up tonight on my way home, and I'll try to have the pictures done by tomorrow.

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 11:42 AM PST

Welcome, Don! The LIB
reissue isn't on VS, it's on
you-know-what. Whenever VS
runs out of stock, then the
albums are put out on the
other label, and it actually
makes it look like they have
new releases. The only
question re the new booklet is
how many times they'll leave
off my name. Not advisable, of
course, oh, no, not advisable
at all.

Now, let's all go over to
broadwayworld.com (the link
is on the bottom of our home
page). When you get there,
click on the discussion board
and find the thread about
Juliana's Journal. Read what
the anonymous FindingNamo
has written and then, if you feel
like it, respond as you see fit. I
know I have.

Posted by bk @ 08/05/2003 11:48 AM PST

I'll chime in with "An Early Frost." It was daring at the time, if you can imagine that, and the performances were so moving. Miss Sylvia Sidney's performance, in particular, left quite an impression on me.

Posted by Jay @ 08/05/2003 11:51 AM PST

Duel is indeed a great film. I remember watching it on TV as a kid and being scared silly.

Does anyone else remember when CBS used to run late night movies? They'd rerun other TV movies and old shows and whatever, but it was their late night programming when I was a kid. I miss stuff like that.

Those pictures that have been mentioned, Jason - those are the Pimpy pics I sent you, right? Someone asked which one I was, I don't know if I'm in them or not. For one thing, I don't know which ones you circulated!

Other great TV movies include...
Harvest Home w/Bette Davis
Little Moon of Alban w/Julie Harris
Kingdom of the Spiders w/ William Shatner...

etc...

Jason - fffffffffftWHAP! You've been virtually puffered!

Posted by Don @ 08/05/2003 11:53 AM PST

Well done bk. Being able to tell someone they're a moron without being a moron yourself is quite a talent!

I really don't watch that much tv, mostly because its all dating reality series now, or lame talk shows about people who have problems. So I haven't got a favorite made-for-TV-movie.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/05/2003 12:00 PM PST

Son-of-a! Damn it...damn it all to hell, I've been virtually puffered!

DR Laura: No, Don isn't featured in any of the pictures that you guys have seen. DR Don plays Chauvelin in PIMPERNEL and is dressed all in black. He also plays Mr. Andrews in TITANIC.

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 12:01 PM PST

Hey there new DR a doo ron ron Don... :)

Question of the Day: TV movies for me are not things you want to think about (or remember). That's not their purpose. Their purpose is to tell sensational stories with over done everything. Now that sentence would seem to insinuate that I don't like them - which is incorrect. I LOVE TV MOVIES. Just don't ask me to put titles to the ones I do remember. I know there was one about the heroine addicted teen a few years which I enjoyed. Anyone remember it?

Jennifer: I did indeed send Jose the St-Hubert dried poutine sauce stuff. I think you'll have to go for the real cheese curds - they don't sell it any other way, I don't think. They shouldn't be that expensive though. They sell them for munching on at the ULTRAMAR gas station on the corner of my street for $1.99 for about a cup's worth. Do some more hunting. ;)

Update on My Ear Situation: the tube is still blocked. Or inflamed. Or gone fishing. Or named Eustace the Eustachin Tube. As you can probably tell, my sleep last night wasn't that great. Lots of tossing and turning and cursing. I got a maximum of 4 hours in total. Blech.

Posted by A Still Partly Deaf Emily @ 08/05/2003 12:04 PM PST

Welcome DR Don, friend of Jason.

Oh TV movies that make you cry...well....

DEATH BE NOT PROUD with Robby Benson and Patricia Neal.

SAY GOODBYE, MAGGIE COLE - Susan Hayward's last film.

SOMETHING FOR JOEY with Marc Singer as Heisman Trophy Winner John Cappalletti grieving for his younger brother.

BRIAN'S SONG - with James Caan as Brian Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers.

A CHRISTMAS MEMORY -with Geraldine Page.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 12:09 PM PST

Welcome, Don.

Feel better, Emily.

Now, I must get back to work.

Posted by Susan @ 08/05/2003 12:09 PM PST

Damn, Jason! You get me all goose-pimpley when you talk of Siamese prime ministers and "bullet-colored" hired hands. Whew!

Don - Andrews is such a great role. You must enjoy playing him.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 12:12 PM PST

Very glad to see Silent Night Lonely Night mentioned, as my father was involved with producing it.

Folks in L.A. kept telling me "The car massacre was NOT on the 3rd Street Promenade" hence my confusion, as well.

A TV-pic I like is the Missiles of October because it depicts a time when the president and his cabinet had keen intelligence, "the best and the brightest"

Posted by Noel @ 08/05/2003 12:12 PM PST

Thank you Jrand for mentioning "Something for Joey." I was campaigning for that film last time we had this topic, and I completely forgot it today.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 12:16 PM PST

The listing on Talkin' Broadway lists Verase as the distributor of the LIB reissue, and this site does name the other label when applicable. They have also eliminated the incorrect Jeepers Creepers link but moved it to the "Release Date Not Announced" section from the August 26 listings.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/05/2003 12:19 PM PST

I think that BRIAN'S SONG will likely be a favorite TV movie also, just as soon as I get around to picking up the DVD.

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/05/2003 12:19 PM PST

Yes, Dear Reader Emily is correct in that many TV movies were sensational and overdone. Many others, though, like "An Early Frost," exposed issues that weren't normally a part of "polite discussion." It was daring of the networks to put on shows that depicted rape from the victim's perspective. Yes, sometimes these movies were called "Disease of the Week," but they heightened awareness about the ills--physical, mental or social--that some people--or many people--suffered.

Where do you see that daring and public service on TV today? You don't. What you find on TV today is lowest common denominator programming and for the most part, it's lower than I ever imagined it could get. These so-called reality programs, in particular, I fear, illustrate the pervasive decadence in our society today.

Posted by Jay @ 08/05/2003 12:20 PM PST

MBarnum - Maureen O'Hara is in Brian's Song?

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 12:22 PM PST

I must apologize for having been errant and truant yesterday. But I'm making up for it by sitting here and reading all the posts and listening to BK's favorite showtunes on the Broadway Radio Show. I'm on Every Day a Little Death--that is one of the most hauntingly beautiful Sondheim songs ever, IMO.

BK--good response to that Finding Namo person. Some people (a Styne and Sondheim reference) live on picking at other people's most minute flaws in order to build up their own pathetic self-image.

Welcome to Don! Can I propose the idea of a roll-call sometime soon, or perhaps Jason will fill you in on all our charming little idiosyncrasies!

Movies of the week--don't watch a lot of them (especially not on Lifetime) but I love the Meron and Zadan musical remakes, Me and My Shadows, and I'm sure there are others that I can't think of.

BTW--this Madame Satan movie? Did it happen to be about a woman whose husband is cheating on her, so she gets him back by posing as some glamorous femme fatale type? In my old movie phase in my teens, I remember having seen this bizarre Cecil B. DeMille-directed musical with that plot.

And get well, Emily! Ear infections are the pits.

Posted by Maya @ 08/05/2003 12:29 PM PST

Okay I read the thread on the journal. The initial post by FindingNamo was unnecessary, but it got carried on way too far. BK, you are too nice a person to be so bitchy to FindingNamo whoever he, she or it is. I'm glad it was on another site. If the initial post would have been made on this here site, I think your reply would have been a little more civilized. By answering the initial post you just helped it go on too far. I hope people who read it don't think you are like that here. You know how many times I have defended you in the past, but in this case I think you let a dumb post get the better of you and helped build one stupid post into a thread.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/05/2003 12:33 PM PST

A BIG Welcome to Don! I am officially not the newest DR anymore...how sad...but I am still the youngest, so it's all fine and well.

Emily, I had an ear infection once for 2 months...I feel your pain! Feel much better!

I'm going swimming in my loverly pool in my backyard now, as I'm dying of heat exposure, so I shall return later!

-Oh and Breakfast at Tiffanys was on today. Dont you LOVE that movie? I adore Audrey Hepburn-

Posted by Sarah @ 08/05/2003 12:34 PM PST

Emily, I am sorry that I forgot to send you my best wishes and I hope that you will be better soon.

Bravo, Jay!

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 12:34 PM PST

Maya...wow...how creepy. I'm listening to "Every Day A Little Death" right this very minute!

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 12:37 PM PST

Maya: You're absolutely right; Madame Satan is a 1930 Cecil B. DeMille flick. It takes place on board a zeppelin, doesn't it? And has incredibly wacky costumes. I'm DYING to see that!

Madame Sin is the name of the Bette Davis/Robert Wagner debacle. Good catch!

Posted by Lulu @ 08/05/2003 12:38 PM PST

I agree with WEL that the best way to deal with trolls is to starve 'em to death. They post the trash they do because they *want* to be verbally smacked - it's a triumph for them when people respond negatively.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/05/2003 12:39 PM PST

DR Emily, please send me your e-dress so that I can send you some important information about ear infections. I hope you feel better sooner than soon.

Posted by Susan @ 08/05/2003 12:40 PM PST

The difference, WEL, is that
the stupid post would not have
been made here. I did get
bitchy because I think
sometimes people need to
have what they give thrown
back at them. I tried to do it in
a humorous way, as always.
And, whether it's right or not, I
will defend Juliana whenever
and wherever someone
makes stupidly hurtful
comments about her. That's
just my way. And believe me, if
I hadn't done it, this creep
would not stop - this went on
on the broadway.com board -
this guy and some other idiot
being endlessly and
needlessly bitchy about
Juliana and the way she's
chosen to write her journal. I
took on the other fellow and he
indeed has not made one
other post about her. So, if I've
stopped this guy, then I'm
happy.

Posted by bk @ 08/05/2003 12:41 PM PST

I have to agree with WEL. I make it a point to ignore anybody who posts to this site under an assumed name. If they are too cowardly to own up to their own remarks, then I won't waste my time on them. And comments made by anyone calling themselves "FindingNamo" should be taken for what they are worth...

Posted by Dave @ 08/05/2003 12:43 PM PST

Lulu--I wish I still had Madame Satan on tape, I would give it to you! But I know I erased it a long time ago. I wish I hadn't...it's such campy fun. You're right..it did have one scene on a zepelin and there was a costume party with absolutely outrageous costumes. I remember also that Lillian Roth was in it.

Jason--that is a little creepy! Are you listening to the Broadway Radio Show, to the Little Night Music OCR or maybe Alice and Emily singing it on Duets? They do an amazing version of it. A Little Night Music totally needs to be revived on Broadway!

Sarah--can you believe that I've never even seen Breakfast at Tiffany's? What a loser I am! ;)

Posted by Maya @ 08/05/2003 12:45 PM PST

Oh--and TD did a lovely version of Every Day a Little Death in his Dreamers cabaret!

Posted by Maya @ 08/05/2003 12:51 PM PST

DR Maya, MBarnum is a fan of MADAME SATAN, CB DeMille version.

Did you know it starred Kay Johnson who is the mother of James Cromwell...the owner of BABE?

She and her husband John Cromwell met when she appeared in SON OF FURY which he directed and which had a wonderful Frances Farmer appearance.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 12:59 PM PST

Maya: I'm listening to a Sondheim compilation that I made last year. I was/am making a collection of the "Best of Musical Theatre" for my friend, who is a struggling actress, but doesn't know from musicals at all. I'm trying to finish it for her for this Christmas. So far I have seven discs done...Overtures & Openings, Andrew Lloyd Webber (2 discs), Stephen Sondheim (2 discs), Richard Rodgers (2 discs). I'll make a booklet to go with them, so she'll know what the heck she's listening to.

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 01:03 PM PST

I'm listening to the Broadway Radio Rerun, BK, where you ask how TAKE ME ALONG could have flopped. It did great as long as Jackie Gleason remained in the original cast, but people were conditioned to believe that the show was a vehicle for Mr. Gleason and as soon as he left the cast business fell way off. To be fair, his part was built up from the play. It's the same thing that happened with COCO when Miss Hepburn left. As great as GYPSY is, the Merman and Lansbury versions just closed when the stars left, and when Tyne Daly left her production, Linda Lavin could not keep it open long. And while it has not closed, business fell off for THE PRODUCERS when Nathan and Matthew left. Had Gleason not been considered the main reason for seeing TAKE ME ALONG it might have continued to run after he left. And a no-star revival in the last 80s ran a very short time.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/05/2003 01:12 PM PST

What a great thing to do, Jason.

I am continually surprised - well not so much anymore - at the people who come to theatre and even to auditions who don't know Rodgers & Hammerstein, Sondheim, or even ALW. They don't care about much of anything except MAYBE 'Rent.' It's scary. And usually these are people who played leads all through high school or maybe beyond!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 01:14 PM PST

Don: A belated welcome to HHW. Something that used to be common here, then went on hiatus, is the act/art of BITCHSLAPPING.

Everybody here has been thoroughly bitch-slapped at one time or another. Except for you......... : ) Perhaps Jason can break you in!

Jason: I agree with you about Joanna Kerns. One of my favorite TV movies is called "At the Mercy of a Stranger." It co-stars Tim Matheson (one of my favorite actors) and is based on a true story of a killer-for-hire who, while studying his target, sees that his intended victim isn't at all the kind of person her husband, who has hired him, made her out to be. Matheson informs the wife of the plan and they plot to convince the husband she is dead and then alert the police. Good Stuff!!!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/05/2003 01:14 PM PST

Jason - What a thoughtful gift.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 01:15 PM PST

TCB - An Elvis fan, I presume?

Yes, it's been great sinking the teeth into a couple of amazingly great roles in a couple of flawed scripts. I'm having a great time with it.

BTW - who knows the truth behind the rumors of a Breakfast at Tiffany's remake TV movie?

Jason- doesn't "Breakfast at Tiffany's" mean something different to you now than pre-Bucks?

Posted by Don @ 08/05/2003 01:15 PM PST

Here are some of my picks of favorite TV movies--not necessarily of perfect quality but great to watch on a weekend.

A HUSBAND, A WIFE AND A LOVER aka A Strange Affair (1996)- About a woman and her boyfriend who take in her ex-husband after he has a stroke. It stars Jay Thomas as the husband, Judith Light as the wife and William Russ as the lover. The script is economical and the acting is first rate.

AN INCONVENIENT WOMAN (1991) - Based on the Dominque Dunne novel about a man's mistress who is murdered. It stars Rebecca DeMornay, Jason Robards, Jill Eikenberry and Peter Gallaghar. Excellent performances all around--especially by Jill Eikenberry.

Then there are these guilty pleasures--a series of films about old Hollywood. Each is beautifully filmed with great sets and costumes. The writing may bog down a little in some of them but the performances bring them through.

RKO 281 (1999) - This is the story of how Orson Welles made Citizen Kane. Liev Schreiger is Welles and James Cromwell is Hearst. Melanie Griffith plays Marion Davies and James Malkovitch Herman Mankiewicz. Some of the scenes were filmed in the actual Hearst Castle.

THE SCARLETT O'HARA WAR (1980) - All about the search for the actress who'll play Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind. Tony Curtis is David O. Selznick, Edward Winter is Clark Gable and Morgan Brittany plays Vivien Leigh. Sharon Gless and Carrie Nye put in great turns as Carole Lombard and Tallulah Bankhead, respectively.

MALICE IN WONDERLAND (1985) - The story of gossip columnists Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper. Elizabeth Taylor plays Louella (and is clearly loving it) and Hedda is wonderfully played by Jane Alexander.

GABLE AND LOMBARD (1976) - The great love story of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard starring James Brolin (he's good, honestly!) and Jill Clayburgh. Joanne Linville puts in a particularly icy performance as Ria Gable, the woman who wouldn't let go.

P.S. The CABARET WEST CALENDAR for August is now up on our website. Click on my name to go to it. Some of you on the West coast might enjoy seeing HOLLYWOOD FASHION REVISITED. It's a fashion show of authentic costumes from films of the Golden Age of Hollywood along with its music--sung by the actor/models and played by Greg Schreiner (who is the costume collector). The show at the Warner Grand (a lavish, 1930's Art Deco theater in San Pedro) will include the Marx Brothers movie, "Duck Soup," a classic Disney cartoon and special guests Bill Marx (son of Harpo) and other Marx family members as well as Paramount Studios producer, A.C. Lyles.

Posted by Donna - Cabaret West @ 08/05/2003 01:26 PM PST

Everybody but Don can skip this message

Don - I have already told this story to my friends here on this site about a dozen times or so, but I flew to New York just to see the first preview of "Titanic." It was incredible! Unfortunately, it had about half a dozen additional songs and an epilogue with an actor playing Robert Ballard, so between those and the tech snafus that first night, we didn't get out of the theater till almost midnight. Still it was a memorable night, especially since I had been to the site of the sinking just a year or so before.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 01:33 PM PST

Jrand: It amazes me, too, but she's not a RENT-head. She's into scores like Vincent Youmans and Maury Yeston's PHANTOM. She thinks she's "just" a coloratura because that's all she's studied to be, but she has an AMAZING belt voice, and the perfect look for a strong belter. She's just scared to try it. She does an incredible Patsy Cline, but feels that if she starts belting she won't be able to go back to legit singing. Personally, I think her untrained belt is more pleasant than her trained coloratura. That's just me. She was called back for the Nat'l Tour of GREASE! as Rizzo, but didn't want to go because she felt like she was better suited for Sandy. I tried to explain to her that she has the look of a belter, but she wouldn't listen to me. She did go back, though, and they really liked her.

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 01:39 PM PST

TCB - I only wish I'd seen the show at that point! No, really! I really enjoy the piece and I think it's underrated but I acknowledge some distinct flaws in the existing version. From audience feedback, I find that this mainly involves the lack of a tangible throughline for the audience, beyond the ship itself. Many friends who have also done the show, and love it as I do, confess similar audience feedback. Still, while there are a very, very few weak moments... the moments of strength in the piece are SO strong I can't descibe it. One thing I've discovered in the show that I didn't enjoy at all in the original production (which I saw farther down the line than you)... Mr. Andrews' Vision. What a great piece, what an amazing emotional breakdown, what a ride.

Posted by Don @ 08/05/2003 01:46 PM PST

Oh! I forgot to mention that today the composer and lyricist of such great numbers as "Taylor (The Latte Boy)" and "The Alto's Lament" are here in my office space working through some new material. They played/sang through one song about a grandmother cooking for her grand-daughter, which sounds hokey and silly, but it was absolutely gorgeous. A great number. Watch out for these ladies.

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 01:48 PM PST

She knew better than the director...oh my! Well, Jason, you tried.

Donna - surprisingly enough, I think GABLE AND LOMBARD was a theatrical release rather than a made for tv movie.

And beware of the Tv Tv Remake of Brian's Song, MBarnum.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 01:50 PM PST

Yes, but what everyone really wants to know about is the tea-cart and Mr. Etches?

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 01:52 PM PST

Jason--Taylor the Latte Boy is such a cute song! I love Kristin Chenoweth's rendition. Great idea to make a musical theatre/Sondheim compilation album for your friend. Hopefully she'll fall in love with the songs of the Master and buy all the cast recordings. I have the opposite problem as her, I'm a natural belter, but some people say that they prefer my soprano which I don't think is very good at all! Oh well...maybe some day both vocal registers will be good.

Jrand--I didn't know that Kay Johnson was James Cromwell's mother..pretty cool. And I agree with you about actors and actresses today not knowing their musical theatre stuff...I don't expect them to own the cast recordings of Portofino but there is more to musicals than Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jonathan Larson.

Posted by Maya @ 08/05/2003 01:56 PM PST

Bruce, Zina says "hi!"

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 01:57 PM PST

Don - I agree with you completely about Mr. Andrew's Vision and about the focus of the show. I believe, that due in part to the audience repsonse to Brian D'Arcy James, the focus of the show was changed from the first time that I saw it. For example, the second class couple had a lot more stage time in the original production and actually two songs. They had a love duet in the first Act and in the Second Act "We'll Meet Tomorrow" was a solo for Charles, and that first night it literally stopped the show.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 02:04 PM PST

Sorry to post again (!), but Zina wanted me to let you guys know that she and Marcy are working on a songbook to be published soon that will include "Taylor" and probably "The Alto's Lament." That website is www.goldrichandheisler.com. They have a download-able order form on there if you want to get CDs or sheetmusic. Or, if you'd like, I can email your name and email address to Zina and she'll send you an email when the songbook is ready for purchase. Either way...

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 02:06 PM PST

Jason, would it be possible for you ask the lyricist of "Taylor (The Latte Boy)" and "The Alto's Lament" if those songs will ever be/have ever been published? If not, would it be possible to get copies (through legitimate means, of course)? I knew someone who wrote to Stephen Sondheim asking for a copy of a song and Sondheim sent a photocopy of a song of his that had not been published. I just thought I'd ask. I love both of those songs!

Posted by George @ 08/05/2003 02:10 PM PST

Welcome, Don!

Favorite made-for-TV movies:

BRIAN'S SONG

THAT CERTAIN SUMMER (very timid now but bold for the time)

CROWHAVEN FARM

LOVE AMONG THE RUINS

Posted by Matt H. @ 08/05/2003 02:10 PM PST

WEL Wrote:
I hope people who read it don't think you are like that here. You know how many times I have defended you in the past, but in this case I think you let a dumb post get the better of you and helped build one stupid post into a thread.

WEL.. I'm actually very surprised by this comment of yours. No one got the "better" or "best" of BK. NAMO has taken much glee in posting such minutia that something had to be said. Namo isn't an internet troll, I have seen him post for well over a year. Actually, many times he seems quite intelligent. Not in this case, however. I think people (not just Namo) forget what the journal is about. It's not Nobel prize-winning journalism or writing.. it's a diary of a young lady who has living her dream.

What I found most objectionable about your post WEL was the "You know how many times I have defended you in the past..." part. I don't see the relevance.... but, as Bruce might say, "that's what makes horse racing"

Posted by Craig @ 08/05/2003 02:11 PM PST

I guess I didn't reload my browser quickly enough! Thanks for the info Jason!

Posted by George @ 08/05/2003 02:11 PM PST

Jason, naturally I have always believed that Etches was the true star of the show! All the rest of it, including the tea cart, are secondary.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 02:11 PM PST

George: You can order both of those songs at their website now for $10 each, with a $4 s&h charge, but after the folio is published, they won't sell their songs individually. They also have a couple of CDs available on the site.

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 02:13 PM PST

Actually, all the rest is secondary.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 02:14 PM PST

And they're off and running -
oh, a horse racing reference.

Jason, please say hi to Marcy
and Zina for me. Ask them if
they'd like to do an Unseemly
Interview.

Re Take Me Along - of course,
I've never actually seen the
show - my comment was
based on the album and the
book might have been the
culprit. It's always thus - I
used to think, "How could
Anyone Can Whistle have
failed - how could Subways
are for Sleeping have failed" -
you wouldn't think by listening
to those albums that such
glorious music could fail - but
unfortunately those glorious
scores were, apparently,
ensconced, oh, yes,
ensconced, in not-so-glorious
books and/or productions
and/or both.

Posted by bk @ 08/05/2003 02:16 PM PST

BK--They left just a few minutes ago. They'll be back on Thursday, though...I'll try to catch one of them then.

Posted by Jason @ 08/05/2003 02:19 PM PST

Thank God for Lifetime TV and
Lifetime movie network!! "nuf said.

Taylor The Latte Boy - where can I
find a recording of that song. And,
has anyone besides Emily Skinner
recorded The Alto's Lament? I know
all you DR have all the answers.

Perhaps you can answer this
question. For those of you that have
seen "Amour", what was the big
deal? I find the CD to be boring, I
didn't even get through it. Did it
make more sense on stage?

Posted by Matthew @ 08/05/2003 02:22 PM PST

Wow...that's a lot of post, fellow DR's, how lovely.

Question: Ron, have I been bitch-slapped yet? I don't belive I have. Unless you all planned it and did it while I was sleeping, in which case I must say congratulations on that accomplishment.

Maya: You are NOT a loser of any kind, I only first saw Breakfast at Tiffanys a montha ago. But now I'm in love. I got a necklace from Tiffanys once, but it got stolen while at the beach. I do believe the cleaning ladies took it. Oh well, it'll look lovely with their aprons.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/05/2003 02:23 PM PST

I need a rest after all that reading. Welcome Don. Can't really remember much about movies made for TV but "Her Majesty Mrs Brown" (It has a few other titles) with Billy Connolly and Deame Judi Dench was made for TV - It did get a cinema release in some countries.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/05/2003 02:30 PM PST

Matthew--I found Taylor the Latte Boy when I typed in Kristin Chenoweth on Kazaa. Of course, I don't really do Kazaa anymore ever since I was alerted to the fact that I am a pirate and pirates and their parents can now get subpoenas. Isn't that just the ugliest word in the English language..subpoena?

Sarah--thanks...I don't feel like such a loser now. I have seen Citizen Kane, Casablanca and GWTW so I can console myself that I am not a total film-illiterate, hehe. How sad to hear that the cleaning ladies stole your Tiffany necklace! That was funny about it looking good with their aprons...you've got some tongue on you, girlfriend!

Posted by Maya @ 08/05/2003 02:31 PM PST

I'm thinking we might just
make 100 posts today.

Sarah, if you are ever errant
and truant again, you will be
bitch-slapped from here to
eternity and hell and back.

Don, those who are errant and
truant are thoroughly
bitch-slapped from here to
eternity and hell and back.

Maya, you must see Breakfast
at Tiffany's or you will be
bitch-slapped from here to
eternity and hell and back.

Posted by bk @ 08/05/2003 02:33 PM PST

Bruce - You are going to get yourself plum tuckered out with all that bitch slapping! Try a coat hanger instead.

Posted by Joan Crawford @ 08/05/2003 02:36 PM PST

Also, what about "Tales of the City" and "More Tales of the City"? I haven't seen "More…", but I really enjoyed the original mini-series.

Posted by George @ 08/05/2003 02:36 PM PST

BK--threat of imminent bitch-slapping duly noted! Will have to hie buttocks to Blockbuster to pick up Tiffany's! And maybe I will pick up too From Hell to Eternity where Deborah Kerr and Gregory Peck (?) roll around on the burning sands.

Posted by Maya @ 08/05/2003 02:38 PM PST

Gregory Peck??????

Burt Lancaster

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 02:41 PM PST

I've never been bitch-slapped, even when I posted my super-long post after being gone for a week.

Posted by George @ 08/05/2003 02:41 PM PST

Maya,
Not everyone is a fan of "Breakfast at Tiffany's". After hearing about it for so many years, I finally got around to watching it one Saturday night with my wife. Now, I love Audrey Hepburn as much as the next guy, but I was bored stiff within twenty minutes, and found the Mickey Rooney character humourless and offensive. Thinking that maybe it was just me, I turned to my wife and asked if it was a chick flick. She answered, "Not for this chick." We turned it off ten minutes later, and never watched the rest.

Posted by Dave @ 08/05/2003 02:41 PM PST

Maya, Maya, Maya:

It's Burt Lancaster and the sands are wave washed. At night.

Posted by Jay @ 08/05/2003 02:42 PM PST

Our very own Brent Barrett was interviewed on BroadwayWorld.com! Here's a link...

http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=42

Posted by Craig @ 08/05/2003 02:47 PM PST

Lol....that's why I put the question mark beside Gregory Peck's name--I knew it was one of those studly and stolid 50's leading men...I just forgot which one!

Dave--I've heard that Mickey Rooney played a Japanese man in it. I can overlook racial stereotypes in old movies because they are relics of a certain timeframe and reflect the attitudes of their era...but as for it being a good movie, I'll have to see for myself, I guess. Audrey Hepburn was such a goddess.

Posted by Maya @ 08/05/2003 02:49 PM PST

Nice interview with Brent, but I much prefer the photo that accompanied the interview that WEL directed us to last week.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 02:55 PM PST

The internet is truly a fabulous place.

I just found Judy Holliday's testimony in front of the Senate Subcommittee investigating her for Communist affiliations!

Click on my name....8 pages or so, but if you are interested in the subject - it is fascinating.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 02:59 PM PST

Breakfast at Tiffany's isn't
without problems, but I forgive
it everything because of the
Buddy Ebsen scenes (brilliant
and very moving) and the
ending, one of my favorites in
all of cinema - a perfect
blending of music, image and
emotion and, best of all, rain.

Posted by bk @ 08/05/2003 03:00 PM PST

There you are....

Buddy Ebsen is BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S makes up for so many of its short comings.

The Mancini score is one of his best...if not THE BEST.

Mickey Rooney annoys me - but Ebsen's relationship with Hepburn's character is revealed in such a touching, surprising way....and their scenes together are priceless.

Problems, yes....but much there to recommend. And of course George Peppard without a shirt.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 03:11 PM PST

Over one hundred posts, and unless my eyes deceive me, not a soul has mentioned my own favorite tv movie:
THE LEGEND OF LIZZIE BORDEN; Fritz Weaver, Fionula Flanagan, Katherine "personal friend of BK" Helmond AND Elizabeth Montgomery!

I'm with BK on BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S: I'm one of those ones who can't stand most Mickey Rooney performances, so, his over-the-top, dripping wet performance here didn't bother me too much. But, Ebsen's "Doc" Holliday (nice little lingual trick) is so unlike anything I've ever seen Buddy do, and he nails it perfectly. So does Patricia Neal, who is positively reptilian in her pursuit of "Fred." . . .and except for Nancy Lamott's, has there ever been a more simple, plaintive delivery of "Moon River" than Miss Hepburn's very own vocal?

Dear Reader Maya, thanks for the compliment. . . >>blush<<

Posted by td @ 08/05/2003 03:25 PM PST

Sarah and Maya - I'll bet you'll ADORE Audrey in FUNNY FACE, ROMAN HOLIDAY and CHARADE--which IMO contain the essential Audrey Hepburn and are better than Breakfast.

BK - Agree with you wholeheartedly about Buddy Ebsen's performance. Very touching.

Posted by Donna - Cabaret West @ 08/05/2003 03:25 PM PST

Jrand52- I wondered about that Brian's Song remake. I will avoid it.

And I didn't know that Kay Johnson was James Crowell's mother, either! I really liked Kay in MADAM SATAN, and of course in JALNA and in 13 WOMEN! A wonderful actress.

Maya and Lulu, I happen to have the official video release of MADAM SATAN and if either one of you would like a copy just holler, I would be happy to oblige!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/05/2003 03:28 PM PST

Sarah: Consider THIS (THWACK!) your bitch slap, primarily for leaving me HANGING yesterday with a question for the answer YOU posed. I even left a NEW answer and you haven't even commented on it. Yes, consider yourself thoroughly bitch-slapped over that!

George: THWAP! I simply did not want to leave you out of the merriment!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/05/2003 03:28 PM PST

Susan -

you can click on my name for my e-mail addy.

I am anxiously awaiting the ear infection info. What's the old saying? "Know thine enemy?"

:)

Sarah: If this lasts for two months, I have no idea what I'll do. It's killing me to have had to for four days. There's no way I'll make it for 54 more!!!!!!!

:(

Posted by Emily @ 08/05/2003 03:30 PM PST

Hey! I go through "Breakfast at Tiffany's" totally without clothes. Hepburn strokes me, leaves me in a rainstorm and then clutches me to her bosom.

I think I'm the one you should be mentioning.

Posted by "Cat" @ 08/05/2003 03:32 PM PST

Jrand52 - I read about 3 pages of the Judy Holliday testimony and, I must say, if that had been me I would've been at my wits end--all those questions about dates and names ("Aargh!" she said, screaming and heading for the hills).

Posted by Donna - Cabaret West @ 08/05/2003 03:41 PM PST

Donna, we think alike. I totally concur with your opinion(s) of the essential Audrey Hepburn films - especially "Roman Holiday".

Posted by Dave @ 08/05/2003 03:48 PM PST

I'm thinkin' we might reach 100
posts today, how about you?

You want incandescent
Audrey, you can add Wait Until
Dark and Two for the Road to
the list - and if you really want
touching catch her in Robin
and Marian.

Posted by bk @ 08/05/2003 04:02 PM PST

Jason: I love Marcy and Zina. I have been addicted to almost every song of theirs i've heard. Love, love, love them.

Matthew: Christiane Noll sings "Taylor the latte boy" on one of her cds. It's the one that James Marino did.

Emily: Thanks for the info about the cheese curds. Ultramar gas station thinks they are good to munch on? Weird. So maybe i should check depanneurs?

I figured fresh curds would be the way to go. But i've been to maxi and loblaws and they only had them for $4-5.

If you see them anywhere else let me know.

So have you ever tried the powdered poutine sauce? Or the canned one? I've only ever ordered poutine at restaurants/fast food.

Btw, hope your ear feels better. I had an ear infection for the past 2 weeks (along with sinus infection et al). It's almost gone. Well the meds are done. But I still feel tired and irritable.

Hope you feel better.

Posted by Jennifer @ 08/05/2003 04:12 PM PST

Breakfast at Tiffany's is best watched with the sound off, imo. Audrey is elegant and lovely as ever, but I find the script depressingly staid and creaky. The short story by Capote is *so* much better, mainly because it doesn't want so desperately to be LIKED. And speaking as one who loves the Charlie Chan films, I found Mickey Rooney's Asian caricature repellant. Go figure.

I would add Sabrina to the list of Essential Audrey Films. Never get tired of watching it.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/05/2003 04:34 PM PST

Has anyone else noticed that the original stuff turned out by the BBC, i.e. miniseries and movies, have been simply amazing for the past five to ten years?
All the while, here in America, the mini-series and the TV movie are all but dead - and certainly not what they once were.
I recently bought a movie on DVD called "Ultraviolet" that was made for the BBC. Great stuff. There was this groudbreaking, controversial, war-of-the-worlds style audience provoking movie out of the BBC in the late 80s called, I think, "Ghost Watch." Look it up on the internet. I'd love to see it again. If anyone notices it available on DVD, let me know.

Here, we get "Sarah Plain and Tall" parts one through nine.

There, they get epics like "Horatio Hornblower" and lord knows how many extremely well-written if cheaply-produced and over-hyphenated by-me movies on "Doctor Who" and the like.

Am I saying the BBC is better than any of the free networks we have? I think I am.

And back to TITANIC, Jason, I think the tea cart would be the star if it didn't show up drunk or stoned to so many performances. That's good, though, as it allows Etches and Andrews to steal the spotlight while the tea cart unsteadily wobbles offstage to get a toke with Mrs. Beane. Oh, on that note, sweet Jesus JB, do I have stories to share!!!

Posted by Don @ 08/05/2003 04:51 PM PST

BK - I think you nailed the attraction I have for "Breakfast at Tiffany's." As mentioned by other dear readers, as well, the Buddy Ebsen scenes are painfully moving. (His character’s name is Doc Golightly, I believe) However, the ending of that film in the rain, with the music, with the emotion, and with Cat crushed between Hepburn and Peppard leaves me totally drained.

As for Mickey Rooney, I think it is just as wrong to judge his performance In “Tiffany’s” by today’s PC standards, as it would be to judge his blackface number in “Babes in Arms”. I know we would all like to think how progressive we were back in 1961, but let’s face it; we were far from it.

Posted by TCB @ 08/05/2003 05:09 PM PST

BK...ROBIN & MARIAN, good stuff. Great John Barry score too.

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 08/05/2003 05:33 PM PST

My TV viewing would be so much the poorer if it were not for the wonderful productions from the BBC. This year's "Cambridge Spies" and "The Lost Prince" would be hard to better. In OZ we usually get he best of BBC shows wihting 6 months of their original airing. (we are usually a season behind with American sit coms etc. Six Feet Under's most recent series does not start here until October!

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/05/2003 05:45 PM PST

I have been bitchslapped, a new chapter of my life. I thank you.

DR Ron, I hadn't intended for that game to work, and when it did, I was sitting back trying to see if anyone else had joined. Re-say your sentence and we shall start again.

CONGRATS ON SO MANY POSTS!!!

Posted by Sarah @ 08/05/2003 05:48 PM PST

No, thanks.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/05/2003 06:14 PM PST

DR Donna - so true about the testimony. How could anyone remember what they were asking?

Judy certainly comes off pretty well considering all the stuff they were throwing at her!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 06:20 PM PST

Ooooooooooook...

Posted by Sarah @ 08/05/2003 06:24 PM PST

DR Emily, you have mail!

Posted by Susan @ 08/05/2003 07:41 PM PST

Bitch-slapping...Ah! the joys of life.
I am exhausted from rehearsal: there
were a whole host of frustrations.
But my costume finally cooperated
with me. That, at least is a comfort.
I have never been bitch-slapped
from here to eternity AND hell and
back. It must be quite an experience!

Posted by Hapgood @ 08/05/2003 08:05 PM PST

I absolutely adore every frame of BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, even the Rooney scenes. When I was about 12, I got my mom to get me out of school early so she could drive me 40 miles to see BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. It was very sophisticated for me then, didn't get everything that was going on, but I cried with the Buddy Ebsen scenes and was a wreck at the end of the movie. And CHARADE ranks right along beside it in sophistication and entertainment, both with smashing Henry Mancini scores.

And then Audrey gets to 1967 and scores two more classics in the same year: TWO FOR THE ROAD and WAIT UNTIL DARK (again both have Mancini scores). The woman is a goddess.

Posted by Matt H. @ 08/05/2003 08:19 PM PST

Hapgood, have you ever been bitch-slapped at all? If not, THWACK!, you have just been bitch-slapped from here to eternity (although not to hell and back…I don't know if you could handle it). Ron bitch-slapped both Sarah and I (the first time for both of us) and I now pass the torch to you, to try and bitch-slap someone who has not been bitch-slapped! HOWEVER, don't go thwacking everybody you meet, just because it feels good. This is an awesome power and must only be used for good.

Posted by George @ 08/05/2003 08:20 PM PST

Hapgood, if you have been bitch-slapped before, well, then...that was a freebie. Enjoy!

Lulu, I am very happy to report that my niece is not going to make me see "Gigli." She's read so many bad reviews that she has decided not see it until it is available for rent…and even then she said she'd wait till she has a freebie coupon. This past weekend we went to see "Bend It Like Beckham" and "Pirates of the Caribbean." Both have Keira Knightley and both are very good movies, in my humble opinion (IMHO, in Internet lingo).

Posted by George @ 08/05/2003 08:26 PM PST

If anyone is interested I have a small wav file I can send that will introduce you to the concept of bitchslapping. Someone posted it here, it seems, eons ago (Freedunit, I'm sure there are some posters who remember him). The first time I heard it, I laughed hard. It's the official Bitchslap wav of HHW, I think. Since it's a wav file, it should play on any system with a sound card and speakers. Download from your e-mail, click on it and your audio program should open and play this delightful little paeon to discipline. It is virus-free, I promise you :-)

Posted by Ben @ 08/05/2003 08:44 PM PST

Oh, George, I have been
bitchslapped before, just not from
here to eternity and to hell and back.
Thank you for the freebie anyway.

Indeed, I will not go round
bitchslapping people, even if they do
deserve it, because then there
would be some very sore people
whom I might regret bitchslapping
later.

Whom I would like to bitchslap is
whatever power it is that makes my
e-mail unable to hold large files, and
causes it to choke. That is most
unseemly.

Posted by Hapgood @ 08/05/2003 08:46 PM PST

Am I the only one who finds Keira Knightley annoying and not a very good actress? It probably sounds catty, but she only seemed to have 2 expressions in Pirates of the Carribean, a movie which I otherwise loved. She either pouted her Joliesque lips or in a rather poor attempt to look frightened, darted her eyes around and heaved her bosom. Sure she's beautiful, but I prefer a young actress like Julia Stiles or Natalie Portman who can actually act. Meow.

MBarnum--thanks so much for the offer of sending me Madame Satan. I'd actually love another copy. I'll e-mail you with my address!

TD--you are very welcome for the compliment :)

Donna--thanks for the recommendations! I've actually never seen Roman Holiday or Charade, but I loved Audrey in Funny Face and My Fair Lady. She was always so effortlessly elegant. Now there is a role model for young women--a beautiful, sophisticated and talented actress who also had the heart to become a U.N. Ambassador (either that or some similarly charitable position).

Posted by Maya @ 08/05/2003 08:49 PM PST

That is a good topic for discussion...who would you most like to bitch-slap?!

Posted by Maya @ 08/05/2003 08:51 PM PST

I would like to bitch-slap the reviewer over at one of those infamous dvd review sites who has publicly posted his preference for the remake of THE HAUNTING, rather than Robert Wise's intelligent, spine-tingling, thoughtful black-and-white classic version of Shirley Jackson's spine-tingling novel.

Posted by td @ 08/05/2003 08:58 PM PST

And, I quote:

"Neither the movie nor the DVD bowled me over, but both seem good, so I give The Haunting my recommendation. "

Posted by td @ 08/05/2003 09:01 PM PST

Maya- send me an e-mail regarding Madam Satan.

Jason- while I am at it, send me an e-mail regarding Brian Kelly (I asked about him sometime ago, but I don't think you saw the post)

JRand52- That Judy Holliday testimony was quite fascinating, although I haven't finished reading the whole thing. What a horrid thing to have put people through!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/05/2003 09:29 PM PST

I would most like to bitchslap my evil english teacher from the 8th grade. Ms. Hyatt. She was absolutely crazy. She would sit at her computer and type stuff up with this psycho-killer-smile on, and if something bothered her, she would do this manic giggle and grin even wider while staring you down. She would also leave halfway through class, and come back 45 minutes later reeking of cigarettes.

Yet, she would get so mad when we didn't understand something (which was common, since we never got taught), that she would automatically give you a C and say "You wouldn't be able to get an A if you're that incompetent." I had to kick my arse to get a good grade in that class, and because I did, she developed a hatred towards me that was equal of my own towards her. Needless to say, I glowed with happiness when the final report card had that well-deserved A.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/05/2003 09:33 PM PST

Dr George: Good to know that the "feel good" movie "Bend It Like Beckham" actually had a USA release. My DVD copy sits alongside the other feel goods - "Brassed Off", "The Full Monty" and "Billy Elliot".

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/05/2003 09:37 PM PST

Maya, I didn't think Keira Knightley was too bad in "Pirates". What I don't like about her is the way she smiles. I know that it's genetics, but the way her upper teeth show when she has a big smile is just kinda freaky. It was more apparent in "Beckham" than "Pirates" so maybe she worked on it. And I don't share your opinion of Natalie Portman. I have not been impressed with anything that she's done. At first I thought that it was because George Lucas didn't direct her well in "Phantom Menace" (one of the first movies starring her that I'd seen), but I've since seen several of her movies and have been quite underwhelmed.

And who would I like to bitch-slap? Whoever made the decision to cancel FUTURAMA. I love this show and now it's gone. In the words of School House Rock: Darn, that's the end. Except that the show is being released on DVD! Yea! I already have the first season.

Posted by George @ 08/05/2003 10:26 PM PST

So sorry that DR Dave and Mrs Dave didn't enjoy BAT's. But that's what makes horse racing.

DR TD...Elizabeth Montgomery as Lizzie Borden...yes.

Lulu and Maya and Matt keep mentioning all these glorious Audrey Hepburn movies....yes yes yes. SABRINA, CHARADE, FUNNY FACE....

And if you are in that mood, try INDISCREET with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman...oh my! So romantic, and they play a split screen bedroom scene a year before PILLOW TALK - that gives the impression they are lying side by side talking!

Did I dream it, or did the Broadway TITANIC have some LED Lighted signs that gave us the date and times? Maybe I dreamed it. I agree with DR Don and Jason that no through line is hard.... That is the main problem I had with the movie version of A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, lots of types but very few real people.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 10:42 PM PST

Juliana's Journal is so much fun! Even those of us who are NOT so young are enjoying it. She is capturing the spirit of her adventure perfectly.

FindingNamo is obviously just a HHW wannabe. He could come here and join in anytime, he seems informed - but a bit high handed and put out at Mr BK's success. Has Namo produced or directed a movie? Perhaps.... Has he written a song or produced a CD? Perhaps....but unless he comes forward we will never know. Oh, well, it really couldn't be LESS interesting.

Click on my name for an Audrey artifact!

Does anyone have the BAT's DVD, are there many extras, is it worth owning even if one has the video?

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/05/2003 10:52 PM PST

Hello All,
Missed you at the big wingding on Sunday at Joe Allen's. What a special group of friends you are. I would like to clarify one thing. Not only did Bernadette Peters NOT pay for my dessert, she stuck the tab for HER dessert on my bill. But it was worth it -- all the glamour, all the excitement, all the warmth and comraderie.
More tomorrow when I've had some time NOT being on a plane or in an airport waiting to booard a plane.

Posted by Kerry @ 08/05/2003 11:59 PM PST

Good (late) evening Dear Readers, and esteemed and newly-cooled BK --

DR Kerry and I just got home a short while ago, and I am about to fall over from a long day of travel. But I wanted to answer the Question of the Day, and also pose a little challenge.

My favorite "made-for-TV" movie has to be a Hallmark Production titled "The Lost Child" because DR Kerry and I are in it, and part of it was filmed at our house.

The challenge ? Well, lunch, my treat, at Musso & Frank to the first DR who can point out Kerry and I in the film.

These Hallmark movies are really quite well photographed and produced......they usually were on CBS on Sunday evenings.

And, MY MY, what wonderful, sweet, people we got to meet and visit with in NYC. More trip stuff later.....

Posted by MusicGuy @ 08/06/2003 12:13 AM PST

Glad you fellas are home safely. I'm going to bed! Congrats to one and all on getting nearly 150 posts tonight!

Posted by Jason @ 08/06/2003 12:16 AM PST

Darn! If I only had a tv or vcr -- I could probably point you out in your movie!

Posted by Laura @ 08/06/2003 12:45 AM PST

Sorry, Bruce. Juliana may be a very nice girl, but her journal is mind-numbing. I can't get through it.

The problem with MADAME SATAN is you have twiddle your thrmbs through endless musty domestic melodrama for over an hour before the Zepplin costume party. And I still prefer Lillian Roth to Kay Johnson.

Posted by MasterLcZ @ 08/06/2003 02:46 AM PST

oh what the hell!! 150!!

Posted by MDS @ 08/06/2003 04:03 AM PST

G'morning, everyone.

Glad you made it home safely, DR MusicGuy and Kerry. It was great getting to know you. (Oh, a King and I reference!) Hurry on back now, ya hear? (Oh, a Beverly Hillbillies reference!)

:-)

Posted by Susan @ 08/06/2003 05:48 AM PST

Good morning all. I will be errant and truant today (Wednesday) as I fulfill my duties as a citizen and perform jury service. Have a good day without me!

Posted by Jay @ 08/06/2003 06:09 AM PST

It has been reported that NATHAN and MATTHEW are coming back to THE PRODUCERS on Broadway for 3 Months starting November. GREAT NEWS!

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/06/2003 06:16 AM PST

I, too, shall be errant and truant until 6-ish EST tonight. I'm babysitting all day for a bunch of 10 year old boys. God help me.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/06/2003 06:34 AM PST