THE BIRDS

[Jeanne]

DR Jeanne....VIBES!!!

Thank you, Jane.

[bk]

I have Some Came Running on a French DVD.  I've seen screen caps of the new US DVDs of both Some Came Running and The Tender Trap, and both look appallingly faded and colorless, hence I will not be purchasing them.  Someone at Warners simply has no clew what color looked like back then.

[bk]

At long last page ten.

[bk]

I gotta tell you.

[Jeanne]

THE BIRDS is SO masterfully done. I'm not the world's biggest horror fan either, but it's directed with such ingenuity and the effects are done so brilliantly and in so many different ways, that I just wouldn't think anyone would stay away from it just because it's a horror movie.

Not every film Alfred Hitchcock made was a masterpiece, but every single one of them should be seen at least once by discerning viewers.

Concur, concur! THE BIRDS would be an outstanding film without the birds, if that makes sense. I mean, it's a really solid drama, apart from the "horror", which I didn't find so horrible.

I like some Hitchcock films better than others, certainly, but I've yet to see one that I truly disliked. Each time I watch one--I was watching the Alfred Hitchcock Presents series from 1955 just last week--I have new respect for his body of work.

[Tomovoz]

Work should be all finished today DR Jane (except for some revarnishing of timber floored area). It's been a long process.

[Tomovoz]

For DR Jeanne and others who appreciate UK TV:

Gavin & Stacey.  Two seasons of 6 episodes each.  Only two writers used and it is so very funny.  One of the stars (and writer) would be known to those who have seen The History Boys. The other writer was sometimes in Little Britain. (She is Welsh).

Subtitles may be needed!

[bk]

I suppose I shall now be on my way to a meeting, after which, I shall return.

[Jane]

Thank you DR Jane.  Now the holes in the wall and the floor need to be repaired.  

I read that to mean those repairs would be done another time-glad I asked so I don't have to think of you looking at holes in your walls or floors.

[Jeanne]

For DR Jeanne and others who appreciate UK TV:

Gavin & Stacey.  Two seasons of 6 episodes each.  Only two writers used and it is so very funny.  One of the stars (and writer) would be known to those who have seen The History Boys. The other writer was sometimes in Little Britain. (She is Welsh).

Subtitles may be needed!

thank you, TOMOVOZ! I shall check it out! Have you seen SHAMELESS?

[Jeanne]

WHAT??!! TD's mice made it all the way to Oz?? MG!!

[FJL]

TCB -

[Jane]

Thank you for the viewing suggestion DR Tomovoz.  Unfortunately Netflix doesn't have the show & I can't find it on our local PBS station.

[Jane]

'night

[Matt H.]

I had a nice evening with THE THIEF OF BAGDAD, the 1940 version, of course. I never got the MGM transfer of a few years ago, so I don't know what kind of clean-up Criterion did on their version, but it does indeed look very nice. I noted a couple of registration problems and some scratches, but overall, it's quite beautiful with lush color. Sound is adequate but not much more.

[Matt H.]

I then rewatched the movie and listened to Bruce Eder's commentary. He gives lots of background information on Korda, Veidt, Duprez, and John Justin, even on Rex Ingram. Not a whole lot on Sabu, surprisingly enough.

[Matt H.]

Tomorrow I'll listen to the Coppola/Scorsese commentary which I'm guessing is going to concentrate more on the actual shots, special effects, etc. and less on the personalities of the cast and crew. Why else do two commentaries?

[Matt H.]

I also recorded tonight's CSI: NY and BOSTON LEGAL and may or may not get to them tomorrow. We'll see.

[Matt H.]

Yes, I'm interested in SOME of the Tony Award races. I mean, Best Actress in a Musical is surely going to be interesting.

At any rate, I'll still be watching/recording even though I haven't AS YET transferred LAST YEAR's Tonys to a DVD. The three hour broadcast is STILL on my DVR.

[Matt H.]

All alone; I'm so all alone. . . .

[Matt H.]

I'm going to write for a bit and then head downstairs.

Good night.

[bk]

It's really a shame, I think, that no DVD reviewer owned the previous MGM/UA Thief of Bagdad.  After all, at the time of its release, it was the only game in town, it could be had for ten bucks, and there was NO talk of Criterion doing it.  Not one person has been able to compare the image, and I think that's a big downside when one is reading a DVD review.  My memory of the MGM/UA is that it was really excellent with really good color.  Therefore, it would kind of be nice to know how the Criterion compares - I guess I'll do my own comparison and post about it here.

[bk]

I also find it odd that we are still on page ten three hours after I left for a meeting.  That is just unseemly in extremis.

[bk]

Meeting was fine and not all that long.

[MBarnum]

Just saw that John Phillip Law died yesterday in Los Angeles at age 70...


I remember him mainly from starring in THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD which my brother Allen took my little brother Dan and I to see in 1974, but others may recall him better in BARBARELLA or DANGER: DIABOLIK.

[bk]

We're STILL on page ten?

[JoseSPiano]

Good Early Morning!  -Well, "Early" for me.

Greetings from New York City!

New York City?!?!?

[JoseSPiano]

So, except for the lack of a See's kiosk at LGB, and the one hour delay, my flight back home was quite nice and uneventful.  And because JetBlue gets their satellite TV feed out of New York, I was able to watch all my usual Wednesday night shows: "America's Next Top Model", "American Idol", and "Top Chef".  I was also able to squeeze in some of the local news and "The Daily Show" as well before we landed.

Thankfully, I did not have to wait long for the subway train back into Manhattan... And an hour and twenty minutes later...  -At least I had my iPod and a copy of The Times with me.  

[JoseSPiano]

And as for the Tony Nominations...

I did mention some of my thoughts and quasi-predictions when they came out yesterday.  I care.  And I may be attending the ceremony this year too.  

[JoseSPiano]

DR Tomovoz - Do Fredo Frogs make good wall plugs?