Topic: AYE, THERE'S THE RULB (Read 43042 times)

bk · « **on:** May 13, 2004, 12:00:25 AM »

Well, you've read the notes, you've blinked, you've rubbed, you've done all that needs to be done except post - so let's all post right this very minute: And there off and running.

bk · « **Reply #1 on:** May 13, 2004, 12:11:31 AM »

Welcome nine GUESTS. Who are these mysterious midnight dwellers? Come and join the partay, people.

BEEKAY · « **Reply #2 on:** May 13, 2004, 12:16:53 AM »

wow Am I first? Not bad for a newbie!

Jed · « **Reply #3 on:** May 13, 2004, 12:18:41 AM »

There are a number of documentaries I've greatly enjoyed, but, of course, I can't seem to think of any of them at the moment. Oh... just thought of one... The Men Who Killed Kennedy. Originally a 5-part series, I believe, now 9 parts. A couple parts of it that aren't up to the level of the rest (particularly a bit on some mistress of Lee Harvey Oswald), but I found most of the series rather interesting.

Panni · « **Reply #4 on:** May 13, 2004, 12:20:07 AM »

Favorite documentaries... I love documentaries. One of my all time faves in BEST BOY (Oscar winner).
Was spoiled in Canada by having the National Film Board. Worked with Donald Brittain - one of the great documentary film directors - on his first non-docu and a few times after that. (He was nominated for the Oscar a couple of times.)
A number of his are among my favorites: MEMORANDUM; VOLCANO; An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry (narrated by Richard Burton); LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MR. LEONARD COHEN; and PAPERLAND.
I've never seen the Company docu and would really like to one day.

BEEKAY · « **Reply #5 on:** May 13, 2004, 12:21:07 AM »

Saw the Documentary of the lives of the Kenedy's recently here in OZ and was interested to see how different things were from what i remember from the press of the time.

George · « **Reply #6 on:** May 13, 2004, 12:46:45 AM »

Documentaries? These are the only ones that I can think of off the top of my head:

"Dear Jesse"
"Silverlake Life: The View from Here"
and, "Original Cast Album: COMPANY" by D. A. Pennebaker

Tomovoz · « **Reply #7 on:** May 13, 2004, 01:00:02 AM »

TOTD: Two DVDs come to mind first:
"Russian Ark" and "Buena Vista Social Club". I am ashamed to admit that I have not as yet seen "Bowling For Columbine". I must remedy that.
My childhood memories of the Disney nature films "Vanishing Prairie" and "Living Desert" are still there and I have a couple of videos still that I thought were terrific - one was "Anne Frank Remembered".

Danise · « **Reply #8 on:** May 13, 2004, 02:19:31 AM »

Well folks, here it is. I'm sitting here waiting for the car to pick me up to take me to airport at 5:44 AM.

Butterflys are flying but I'm going!

Take care of yourself. I'll talk to you when I get back or if I can find a cyber cafe, I'll try to send a quick e-mail/post from there.

Cheers!

Dave in the valley · « **Reply #9 on:** May 13, 2004, 02:25:02 AM »

My favorite documentaries off hand include "The Thin Blue Line" by Errol Morris, "Shoah" by Claude Lanzmann, "The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl", and "Theremin" which is about the life of Leonard Theremin.

Dave

Jrand74 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 13, 2004, 02:36:01 AM »

Oh Oh Oh what a lovely war....wait....no that's a song sung by Julie Andrews....

Documentaries....what a wicked coincidence, because I saw one just this week on PBS on the most amazing of subjects, amazing because who would have thought it would have even been interesting.

It was the story of TupperWare and the man who invented it, and the woman who established the Home Party System and how he eventually drove her out of the business and wiped her name from the company history. It had a LOT of films of "Jubilees" and "get togethers" and interviews with TupperWare families.

I also enjoy COMPANY:The Recording of the Cast Album....because it is, just like being there on that long, long night when they were putting that thing down.

And then there is BEEFCAKE, a documentary about the Athletic Models Guild tied to a fictional story, and a lot of interviews with the guys who were photographed by Bob Mizer.

TWIST! the story of the dance craze.

And of couse some series ones as well....which I will think of when someone else posts them. I will also mention THEY SHOOT MOVIES DON'T THEY? which is bizarre in all respects.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 13, 2004, 02:41:51 AM »

And in a separate category and post:

INTO THE ARMS OF STRANGERS: The Story of the Kindertransport

Michael · « **Reply #12 on:** May 13, 2004, 03:41:57 AM »

In addition to those some people have already mentioned. Director Michael Apted has done a series of Documentaries with a the same group of children every 7 years. Started with 7 Up and it now at 42 Up

Michael · « **Reply #13 on:** May 13, 2004, 04:04:03 AM »

And do they THAT"S ENTERTAINMENT film count as documentaries?

elmore3003 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 13, 2004, 05:01:43 AM »

Good morning, all! Yes, DR Panni, the last page of yesterday's posts went into Cinerama. I was afraid it was my computer till you mentioned it.

DRMichael Shayne, I have no favorite arrangement that I can think of at the moment. Some of the orchestrations I'm most fond of are these:
RAGTIME ROMEO (Liz Larsen)
NEW WORDS (Liz Callaway)
MOON RIVER (Liz Callaway)
DANCING ON THE CEILING (Twiggy)
DREAM DANCING (Rebecca Luker)
ANYTHING GOES (Rebecca Luker)
THAT OLD PIANO ROLL (Harry Groener/Lynnette Perry)
MY HEART IS SO FULL OF YOU (Liz Callaway)
TICK TOCK GOES THE CLOCK

I never did much "arranging" on the albums for BK, mostly orchestrations since the Musical Director was generally the arranger with the singer and BK. Most of the arranging and orchestrating I've done has been for other recordings, and I'll mention a few:
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (New York City Gay Men's Chorus)
Overture to JUBILEE (Appendix on John Yap's complete KISS ME KATE)
LOVING YOU (Sean McDermott)
ONE SONG GLORY (Sean McDermott)
I COULD WRITE A BOOK (Matt Bogart)

JUBILEE has some of my best work as an arranger and orchestrator. and I hope I live long enough to see a complete recording.

One of yesterday's questions was what songs make you cry, and I've been weeping along since "Good Night, Irene" and The Weavers. One that absolutely destroys me whenever I play it is Liz Callaway's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?," which is still so timely, and which I've been avoiding because of my shock, anger, and grief over the Middle East and this past week's execution of Nick Berg.

And on to today's Rulb (Blur spelled backwards), I can recall few documentaries, but the making of the COMPANY cast recording is still my fave. I'm also fond of STRATASPHERE about the great Teresa Stratas.

Ben · « **Reply #15 on:** May 13, 2004, 05:16:29 AM »

From yesterday, both songs that make me cry were mentioned (along with some others)

Jonathan Wesley Oliver, Jr. This one destroys me, especially having been involved with the NAMES Project Quilt for over 10 years.

What Would I Do from Falsetto Land. No matter how many times I hear it, I cry

As many of you have mentioned, the Company cast album documentary stands out in my mind. I remember being riveted the first time I saw it, especially by the Elaine Stritch sequences when she's doing Ladies Who Lunch.

Common Threads is also a powerful documentary

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #16 on:** May 13, 2004, 05:36:46 AM »

A favorite of mine is The World of Tomorrow, a documentary about the 1939 World's Fair that's narrated by Jason Robards. I had always been fascinated by the '39 Fair, and I fell in love with this film the first time I saw it (in a vastly truncated form on PBS.) What's wonderful about it is that it not only tells the story of the fair (set against the political climate at the time), but it also recounts the Robards' family trip to the fair (much of the footage comes from the color 8mm movies that Robards' father took.) An unintentionally funny shot is of a woman from Robards' family who looks exactly like Jason Robards in drag.

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #17 on:** May 13, 2004, 06:24:21 AM »

In case you wonder where everyone is today, it took me several tries to get on the site. The message was that there were too many people logged in, but when it finally let me in there were only two others. I hope this gets fixed, because not everyone will try a dozen or so times like I did.

To mention just one ducumentary - "Grey Gardens" - the story of a couple of strange old ladies who happened to be related to Jacquie Kennedy.

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #18 on:** May 13, 2004, 07:16:28 AM »

Can we also mention fake-umentaries? I like all of Christopher Guests' films: This Is Spinal Tap, First In Show and A Mighty Wind. Also like Eric Idle's The Rutles and Woody Allen's Zelig.

MBarnum · « **Reply #19 on:** May 13, 2004, 07:20:24 AM »

Wow, some wonderful posts last night after I went off to slumberland!

I missed out on JRand53s mystery picture...which I got wrong...I was thinking HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER (guess I just didn't recognize Sandra Knight)...

Documentaries...I can't think of any favorites off the top of my head. I have seen some good ones, I am sure. I know that each year during the Academy Awards I see clips of ones that I would love to see, but I never can find out where to see them at (they don't show documentaries in Salem, evidently).

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #20 on:** May 13, 2004, 07:58:29 AM »

I am suddenly awashed by memories of great documentaries I've enjoyed.

The works of the Burns Brothers, Ken and Ric: The Civil War, Baseball and Jazz by the former, and New York, Coney Island, The Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge by the latter.

Diane Keaton's loony Heaven.

Bill Moyers' two-parter on PBS last year on the Hudson River.

Gizmo, about the nutty inventors of the '30s. This one featured a clip of a woman who believed that she had rediscovered the "ancient Greek principles of human flight" and planned to open schools across the country where she would teach people how to fly. This woman was so sincere and so ernest in her beliefs and yet so wrong-headed that she won my heart. I wanted to write a play about her.

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #21 on:** May 13, 2004, 07:59:53 AM »

DR Elmore,
My Heart Is So Full Of You (Liz Callaway) is, in a word (two words), exquisitely arranged.

And DR Panni,
I'm glad you mentioned the documentary Best Boy. I haven't seen it since it was released, but it made a lasting impression. I think it's my favorite as well.

Last night, for the first time ever, I turned on American Idol. The singer I heard was amazing, and I thought I had been missing something truly important. Turned out she was Donna Summer.

MBarnum · « **Reply #22 on:** May 13, 2004, 08:16:33 AM »

JRand53 and Elmore3003, keep a lookout tomorrow...some of Henry Willson's boys will be in your mailbox very soon!

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #23 on:** May 13, 2004, 08:26:36 AM »

Good Morning!

Documentaries: The previously mentioned Company Cast Recording one and Common Threads (Bobby McFerrin's theme always chokes me up). Oh, and PBS (I think) had one about the "Entarte" (sp?) music written during WWII - the music the Nazis found "offensive" as well as the music written in the concentration camps. Deutsche Gramaphon released a nice set with a video and an accompanying CD.

-Sorry, I'm a bit scrambled right now.. slept in a little too much - lots of police sirens and fire engine sirens going off outside this morning -

It went on and off for about an hour. I eventually got up (around 7:30AM) to look outside to see what all the fuss was about. Nothing. Then I turned on the news... Nothing.

AH, well...

OK - Time to get ready for the show!!!

Laters...

Matt H. · « **Reply #24 on:** May 13, 2004, 09:07:39 AM »

Favorite documentaries? I have so many. Among them

JUNGLE CAT (True-Life Adventure from Disney)

THE CELLULOID CLOSET

THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK

COMON THREADS: STORIES OF THE QUILT
These three gay oriented ones are all beautifully done

ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED

ON CUKOR

and, of course, COMPANY: ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM

Matt H. · « **Reply #25 on:** May 13, 2004, 09:14:39 AM »

I was disappointed with the ouster of LaToya London last night on AMERICAN IDOL, but I can't say I was surprised. She has the least personality on camera of the four finalists, and her complacent attitude on Tuesday night saying she wasn't worried about getting voted off I'll bet didn't sit too well with people. And Jasmine's genuinely tearful reaction to the judges' brutal reviews I'm sure won her many, many sympathy votes.

As for Fantasia's next-to-bottom vote, many people are saying these two divas split votes between them. That few folks who vote for one are likely to vote for the other. That may be true. I simply saw it as both of them doing less than great with their material this week. Fantasia even chose a song from 1984 that was not disco, similar to her choosing a Queen song last week that wasn't Big Band. Her lack of popularity this week may have had something to do with that, too.

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #26 on:** May 13, 2004, 09:24:05 AM »

Quote from: Matt H. on May 13, 2004, 09:14:39 AM

I was disappointed with the ouster of LaToya London last night on AMERICAN IDOL, but I can't say I was surprised. She has the least personality on camera of the four finalists, and her complacent attitude on Tuesday night saying she wasn't worried about getting voted off

I did not take Miss London's comment in that way. Ryan asked her if she was feeling a lot of pressure. Her response was that she wasn't. She then correctly stated that all the final four were winners and would have career opportunities. In light of all the comments made to them by Elton John and Barry Manilow, plus the unforgivably lame ouster of Jennifer Hudson a few weeks back -- and Jennifer is doing GREAT in spite of that -- she made a very valid point. Worrying won't make anything better.

Simon misconstrued that remark to mean that she was complacent, but I did not and I'm quite certain she did not intend it to be removed from the context of the question about feeling pressure.

She did not say she didn't care whether she won or not, nor did she say it did not matter. She said the pressure did not overwhelm her, personally, because she believed she was a winner no matter what happened.

That's truth.

And did anyone notice Simon's pained face last night as ultra-successful and no-longer-constrained-by-"American-Idol"-success-story Clay Aiken contradicted Simon's same take on LaToya's comment. He's living proof of the truth.

TCB · « **Reply #27 on:** May 13, 2004, 09:25:45 AM »

RLP – I am sorry, but I must have already gone to bed before you posted your reply to me last night. You are absolutely right about soap operas over the past 30 years, as well as films and plays and books. I think that is why I was so shocked at myself that I was feeling like a prude. I guess the difference to me is that those are works of fiction, while The Bachelor is supposedly “reality” television. For me, at least, watching Bo and Hope, or Luke and Laura, or whomever; jumping from bed to bed, using sex as a weapon, is a standard part of the dramatic landscape. In the end, we presume that virtue will triumph and good will prevail. Regardless of the depths of evil involved, the final resolution, the deus ex machina, will bring about the necessary rewards to all parties. But, where is the life lesson in The Bachelor? Certainly the girl that doesn’t get the rose (or does she get the rose and not the guy?) learns that giving the man what he wants in the bedroom does not guarantee success, but, at the same time, the girl that wins validates the use of sex to achieve her goals.

This is all a little deeper than I wanted to delve into certain aspects of a program like The Bachelor. I guess I just assumed that the show would present a more chaste surface persona, even if the underlying reality was anything but pure. And frankly, I was really just surprised at myself for being so offended by something so stupid.

Documentary: The Times of Harvey Milk
Ric Burn's New York

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #28 on:** May 13, 2004, 09:33:32 AM »

DR TCB: Well the ultimate proof of the effect of soap opera on the US of A can be found on any episode of Jerry Springer!

And I can't tell you the number of over-ripe melodramatic bitches and queens I've had to endure over the years. Guys are pretty much guys, but there's something about estrogen and estrogen-wannabes (can it be the low output of the pituitary gland?

) that turns some folks into raving prima donnas with wild affectations and stupid dialogue.

And that's in real life, supposedly....unless, of course, my whole life is a dream...and, wait a minute...that would make all YOU PEOPLE constructs of my imagination...and then that means I'd need to start seeing a shrink.

Oh My God! I'm turning into my worst nightmare!

Jennifer · « **Reply #29 on:** May 13, 2004, 09:46:26 AM »

DR TCB- While I find it quite gross to see The Bachelor making out with so many women, I'm fairly certain that there was no sex happening in those Fantasy Suites.

News:

Author Topic: AYE, THERE'S THE RULB (Read 43042 times)

Ben

MBarnum

MBarnum