Topic: A CONVENTIONAL DITHER (Read 24986 times)

bk · « **on:** November 12, 2004, 12:03:11 AM »

Well, you've read the notes, you're hopefully not in a dither about the notes, conventional or otherwise, and now it is time for you to post until the conventional cows come dithering home.

Tomovoz · « **Reply #1 on:** November 12, 2004, 12:27:40 AM »

Just to start the day with some beauty.

TCB · « **Reply #2 on:** November 12, 2004, 12:33:10 AM »

Well, I am in a dither, because I can't seem to get to today's notes. Damn them. Damn them all to Hell!!!

I must confess that I spent this evening watching a film that I had never seen before. Quite frankly, I originally avoided the film based on what other people said about it, which I don’t usually do. The film is FOR THE BOYS with Bette Midler and James Caan. Okay, the story is melodramatic at times, and the old age makeup is really awful, but I truly enjoyed this film. In fact, I like it enough to go buy it, if for no other reason than to watch Christopher Rydell (director, Mark Rydell's son) as Bette’s adult son. Woof!

TCB · « **Reply #3 on:** November 12, 2004, 12:35:01 AM »

Well, if I can't read the the notes, then I might as well go to bed!

George · « **Reply #4 on:** November 12, 2004, 12:40:26 AM »

Quote from: TCB on November 12, 2004, 12:33:10 AM

I must confess that I spent this evening watching a film that I had never seen before. Quite frankly, I originally avoided the film based on what other people said about it, which I don’t usually do. The film is FOR THE BOYS with Bette Midler and James Caan. Okay, the story is melodramatic at times, and the old age makeup is really awful, but I truly enjoyed this film. In fact, I like it enough to go buy it, if for no other reason than to watch Christopher Rydell (director, Mark Rydell's son) as Bette’s adult son. Woof!

I bought the laserdisc of this movie on eBay. I've always liked it...didn't love it, but liked it a lot.

George · « **Reply #5 on:** November 12, 2004, 12:41:24 AM »

After reading BK's notes for today, I don't know if I should admit that I'm planning on watching "Broadway: The American Musical." Too bad: In my DVD player is "Broadway: The American Musical." Besides, I want to watch it. Next will be "Broadway's Lost Treasures, Volume 1." Volume 2 has been shipped, but not yet received. After that will be Warren Miller's "Bloopers, Blunders and Bailouts." I ushered for the Warren Miller film "Impact" a couple of weeks ago and bought this at the show. It should be quite fun!

In my CD player: some stuff that I have at work, but right now I don't remember what it is.

In my CD burner will be "Porgy and Bess" with Cleo Laine and Ray Charles after I clean up the .wav files a bit. I borrowed the 2-record set from a friend and I have finished recording to my computer. I have the CD of "Porgy and Bess" with Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. I want to compare...probably oranges and apples. But I love them all (almost a Weird Romance reference).

George · « **Reply #6 on:** November 12, 2004, 12:43:39 AM »

In my VCR is a tape to tape tonight's episode of "Star Trek: Enterprise." I missed taping the last couple of weeks and had to either watch it on Saturday or get a copy of the tape from a co-worker. I want to make sure that I'm prepared ... just in case I don't make it home early enough.

George · « **Reply #7 on:** November 12, 2004, 12:44:25 AM »

Wussburger...schmussburger. I'm outa here.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #8 on:** November 12, 2004, 12:46:11 AM »

BK, Glad you liked Broadway: The Golden Age. It is maybe my favourite movie this year. I too was moved, often to tears, by segments. It shows you not only how exciting and rich Broadway was, but how our exciting and rich our culture used to before it degenerated into its slavish lust for lowest-common denominator pap and mediocrity. We were fortunate to have Rick McKay show up after the screening we saw and talk about the film. The Lovely Wife and I talked to him for about fifteen minutes afterwards in the lobby as well. I really want to get the DVD as I want to see all the promised extras.

Tomovoz · « **Reply #9 on:** November 12, 2004, 12:58:55 AM »

Started off the week enjoying Mr Berlin's "Call Me Madam" (Tyne Daly) which I really enjoyed. I have since been living in the world of Mr Kern. Absolute treasures are there in his lesser known works.

Without HHW regulars, my musical appreciation would be lessened so much.

DVD. Most recent - thanks yet again to a very generous Hainsette - some very funny episodes of "Frasier".
VCR: Last night's episode of "Kath & Kim" and "Little Britain" Funny stuff.

S. Woody White · « **Reply #10 on:** November 12, 2004, 03:07:19 AM »

Quote from: TCB on November 12, 2004, 12:33:10 AM

I must confess that I spent this evening watching a film that I had never seen before. Quite frankly, I originally avoided the film based on what other people said about it, which I don’t usually do. The film is FOR THE BOYS with Bette Midler and James Caan. Okay, the story is melodramatic at times, and the old age makeup is really awful, but I truly enjoyed this film. In fact, I like it enough to go buy it, if for no other reason than to watch Christopher Rydell (director, Mark Rydell's son) as Bette’s adult son. Woof!

For the Boys was the film Martha Raye sued about, or tried to, claiming it was her life story being shown on the screen. Well, if it was her life that Bette was playing, that sorta kinda makes James Caan's character sorta kinda Bob Hope, who to my knowledge never made a peep.

I sorta kinda met Ms. Raye during my softball scorekeeping days in West Hollywood. It was the Los Angeles gay softball league, and a favorite restaurant/bar of hers was sponsoring one of the teams. Loyal to the core, she was there for every game no matter how poorly her team played, and if they played well she got a genuine thrill from it.

There are some gay activists who were disappointed (read: angry) that she never came out of the closet. Me, I never would have expected her to do so. She was of a different generation, when such things were never discussed, and it's all supposition on the part of the activists who have no proof of anything about her life that I know of. My hunch is, Ms. Raye's life was more complicated than we know, and would never fit in the simple compartments the activists prefer. Good for her.

S. Woody White · « **Reply #11 on:** November 12, 2004, 03:27:42 AM »

I'm just now getting caught up with yesterday's posts.

Vienna is sinking under the clomping of all those damn waltzers! One two three, one two three, clomp clomp clomp! If they'd lay off the schmaltz, schnitzel und schlag the place might last an extra hundred years, but don't count on it.

S. Woody White · « **Reply #12 on:** November 12, 2004, 03:58:53 AM »

Re: London.

Der Brucer and I were there (my second trip) about the same time as JRand, seeing Lettice and Lovage during previews. Smith and Tyzak were magnificent, of course.

We did not see Metropolis. Most of our choices of theater depended on what was on the TKTS equivalent board at Leicester Square (I think I've spelled Square correctly). We did see Blood Brothers (ugh, but der B enjoyed it), A Walk in the Woods with Sir Alec Guinness, and a few other shows, finishing off with Henceforward with Sir Ian McKellen. Very funny play, and very scary at the same time.

S. Woody White · « **Reply #13 on:** November 12, 2004, 04:09:54 AM »

We've just had one of those "Dang, we need verbal punctuation" moments.

Der Brucer was worried that he'd left his reading glasses at the restaurant we were at last night (Nage, very upscale but they had a fantastic three-course prix fix that we couldn't ignore).

Fortunately, he found them here in the house, and commented "I had that 'I knew I'd left them somewhere funny feeling.'"

Now, there's two ways of punctuating that. He either could have meant "I had that 'I knew I'd left them 'somewhere funny' feeling,'" or "I had that 'I knew I'd left them somewhere funny-feeling.'" Same sentence, two totally different meanings.

$:-\$

(And trust me, getting the punctuation on that sentence correct, with either meaning, was a bitch!)

elmore3003 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 12, 2004, 05:49:57 AM »

Good morning, all! I'm sitting here all teary-eyed from "My Cup Runneth Over," sung by my good friends Mr Ron Raines and Miss Karen Ziemba on Ron's new album, "So In Love with Broadway." There are some wonderful tracks on it, including "Stars," which may be my favorite song from LES MIS.

So, that's in my CD player this weekend. What else do I have lined up?

CD: Valmouth (Chichester recording), Cinderella (Julie Andrews), Dvorak's Spectre's Bride, maybe Sullivan's The Golden Legend.

DVD: Hildegarde Withers mysteries, starrng the great Edna May Oliver, courtesy of DRMBarnum, possibly a couple of Netflix films (Saved, Wet Hot american Summer), and possibly one of the Criterion Laurence Oliviers. The complication is that I want to see the new Bridget Jones this weekend, so that will affect the DVD waqtching.

VCR: Nothing, but I have to dig in my storage boxes for a couple I've not been able to find since the bookcases fell. I also have to start planning the repair of the other wall before its shelves collapse.

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #15 on:** November 12, 2004, 06:10:28 AM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on November 12, 2004, 05:49:57 AM

DVD: Hildegarde Withers mysteries, starrng the great Edna May Oliver

Interesting. I thought that the Eve Arden TV movie was the only instance of a filmed Hildegarde Withers. Were the Edna May Oliver films done by MGM?

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #16 on:** November 12, 2004, 06:32:32 AM »

M'media check, m'dears:

CD Player (at home:) Audra MacDonald -- Seven Deadly Sins concert

CD Player (at work:) last night I said I was going to give Darling of the Day a listen, but I ran out of the house this morning without it, so I'll be listening instead to Look, Ma, I'm Dancin'.

DVD Player: The Man Who Came To Dinner with Nathan Lane. I don't care what the critics said--I love this production. The cast is perfect, particularly Jean Smart.

VCR: Last Sunday night I taped TCM's Treasures of the Silent Screen special, which I've yet to watch.

Jrand74 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 12, 2004, 06:32:38 AM »

I want to get BROADWAY:THE GOLDEN AGE! There I said it. Add that Cd to the book list from yesterday!

Lovely photo TomOvOZ.

Drinks with Barbara Deutsch AND Kevin Spirtas! MR BK certainly is a gadabout!

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #18 on:** November 12, 2004, 06:34:36 AM »

Well, I was planning on letting Santa git me Broadway, The Golden Age for Christmas, but based on BK's raves in the notes, I've decided to pick this one up at Tower today and watch it tonight. I can't wait!

Jrand74 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 12, 2004, 06:34:39 AM »

Media Check:

VCR: QUO VADIS with Robert Taylor & Deborah Kerr & Peter Ustinov - whew what a LOT of film. And it of course features Patricia Laffan with a couple of leopards on a leash - two years before she became the DEVIL GIRL FROM MARS!

CD - Valley of the Dolls soundtrack

DVD - HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD the original cut

Jrand74 · « **Reply #20 on:** November 12, 2004, 06:50:33 AM »

Just went to DeepDiscountDVD and ordered BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE for $15.22 and CALL ME MADAM for $10.33 with free (slow) shipping!

Michael · « **Reply #21 on:** November 12, 2004, 07:12:03 AM »

A quick hello from the great white north of Canada. Visiting family in Montreal. No snow yet here. Refreshingly cold up here. Rather like it. Nice chnage from Florida. Will be back on Tuesday when I will cathc up with all the most excellent BK notes and most excellent postings.

MBarnum · « **Reply #22 on:** November 12, 2004, 07:25:47 AM »

Am glad to hear that Broadway: the Golden Age is such a hit! Rick McKay interviewed Fay Wray and David Manners for Scarlet Street magazine a few years ago and I have been a fan of his ever since. His articles were fantastic and I was pretty sure that his film would be, as well!

MBarnum · « **Reply #23 on:** November 12, 2004, 07:33:58 AM »

Media check:

VCR: No Questions Asked taped off of TCM with William Reynolds as a female impersonator!

DVD: Buck Privates Come Home. No one of Abbott and Costello's best, let me tell you.

CD: Everybody Dance: 25 British Dance Bands of the 1930s, Courtesy of DR Elmore3003

and my Bollywood films of the week:

YAHUDI (1958) starring the fabulously beautiful Meena Kumari ( a favorite of DR JRand54s) and the oddly handsome Dilip Kumar. The film takes place in ancient Rome during the time of Jewish persecution...a Roman prince falls in love with a Jewish girl...tragedy ensues and people sing and dance. Very good movie. I particularly enjoyed this one.

Matt H. · « **Reply #24 on:** November 12, 2004, 07:40:11 AM »

Looking forward to receiving my copy of BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE from Amazon (maybe tomorrow), but I'll restate again that I found BROADWAY: THE AMERICAN MUSICAL an incomplete but entertaining capsule of SOME of the musical movements of the 20th century. I saw things in it I hadn't seen before and didn't know existed, and I am ALL FOR any special that promotes the musical theater.

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #25 on:** November 12, 2004, 07:42:38 AM »

Quote from: MBarnum on November 12, 2004, 07:33:58 AM

and my Bollywood films of the week:

YAHUDI (1958)

If one didn't know better, one might think that Yahudi starred A young Rick Moranis (of SCTV) and a younger Elizabeth Taylor.

Matt H. · « **Reply #26 on:** November 12, 2004, 07:42:54 AM »

As for the 1956 ANYTHING GOES with Bing Crosby, Donald O'Connor, and Mitzi Gaynor, I thought it was wretched beyond description, and I am a HUGE Bing Crosby fan. A golden opportunity to make a VistaVision, Technicolor version of one of the great Broadway musicals, and the results were a shambles: bits and pieces of the great score with the usual Porter add-ins, a totally new story that was not the least interesting, and performers who had NO chemistry at all with each other.

MBarnum · « **Reply #27 on:** November 12, 2004, 07:43:12 AM »

...and the second Bollywood movie is of a more recent vintage (2004) and continues my ~~obsession~~ interest in Hindu actor John Abraham. The film is PAAP and concerns a police detective protecting a 6 year old who is the only witness to the murder of another police officer.

Am in the middle of the film and it is also quite entertaining.

William F. Orr · « **Reply #28 on:** November 12, 2004, 07:45:19 AM »

CD Player at Work: Just finished listening to Debbie Does Dallas. Practically the whole show is on the CD, plus two karaoke versions, several 4-second tracks, and a very funny hidden "out-take", à la BK.

But now I am listening to The Noël Coward Album. I haven't heard him sing these songs since I packed away my reel-to-reel tapes. Such a delightful man! But I've never been to a party where they honored Noël Cahd. Yesterday I was listening to "Sherry" on BK's Unsung Musicals, an it struck me that it was so veddy veddy Coward.

Still working my way through those recently-arriven boxes of CDs.

CD Player at home: Frank Zappa's Sheik Yaboudi. The one CD in those boxes I got for Joe, just so he could play "Jewish Princess".

VCR: A blank tape for "Enterprise", o' cuss, o' cuss.

Matt H. · « **Reply #29 on:** November 12, 2004, 07:47:02 AM »

Friday Media Check:

CD home - THE SOUND OF THE MOVIES - Shirley Temple soundtracks

CD car - NUNCRACKERS (OCR)

DVD - FRIENDS - The Complete 8th Season - Disc 1
INDISCREET with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman

DVR - last night's JOEY and WILL & GRACE

News:

Author Topic: A CONVENTIONAL DITHER (Read 24986 times)

MBarnum

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