GOod morning, all. I first have to once again differ sharply with bk about something, this time THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS. You can't debate comedy with anyone. Everyone has different senses of humor and what strikes one as funny will find another stone-faced. That said, I absolutely adore THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS. As a black comedy, it and Scorsese's AFTER HOURS are my two favorite screen black comedies of all time. And I have no fond memories of PRETTY BABY from when I saw it in the theater when it first came out. However, I'd certainly be willing to give it another chance. Time and life experiences can often change one's perspective about movies. It certainly has with something like BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS which I loathed when I first saw it and now admire quite a bit.
Garland would have to be my favorite diva, too. Of course, "Over the Rainbow" was my childhood favorite, and my mom got so sick of me playing the soundtrack of the film that she took me to a record store in town and said, "Here. I want you to get this and listen to it. This is Judy after she grew up." It was the pink box LP release of A STAR IS BORN, and after I heard "The Man That Got Away," she had me forever.
Barbra is the only other singer who quite captured my imagination like Judy did. As I said on a previous thread some weeks ago, all of her 1960s recordings were gems, but I have a particular favorite, "Starting Here, Starting Now" from COLOR ME BARBRA. When that TV special was finally released on video, I was the first in line to buy it. I wish they'd get around to issuing them on DVD. I'm afraid MY NAME IS BARBRA, COLOR ME BARBRA, and A HAPPENING IN CENTRAL PARK are going to wear out or break before I can get them in more permanent form.
