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[bk]

Dear Friend BK, a question:  do you subscribe to castrecl@mit.edu?  You are subject today to comments from the ever-pompous John Esche who has things to say about the SHE LOVES ME recording.  The fact that he's claiming a social life with one of our favorite producers is scary enough!

No, I don't think I've ever subscribed to castrecl.  I have written its members several times to set them straight.  Esche is the worst of the lot, and he is very much Mr. Sher's "boy".  What does he have to say about She Loves Me?

[bk]

BK, Can you tell us what your new play is about?

It is a thriller (with some laughs).  It is called Deceit.  It's has three roles, and one set, and takes place in an upper West Side apartment, during a thunderstorm (natch, Gloria, natch).

[Dan (the Man)]

Good Afternoon!

Well.. I sort of watched "Ellen" and then I sort of watched "Martha".  I seem to have a case of the "drowsies" today.  In any case...

"Martha"... Hmm... Today's main guest was Susan Lucci...  Hmm...  That's all I'll say for now, except... Hmm...

"My guest in the kitchen today is Susan Lucci and we are going to make her famous All My Chilli.  Susan, could you pass me the shiv--er, I mean, spoon.  Ha! Ha!"

Actually, I like Martha.  A Lot.

[MBarnum]

Oh, yes Vixmom, there are many wonderful silent films!

My faves are from the silent era are:

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
KING OF KINGS
SPARROWS
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1910 version)

[bk]

I have a question for Ask BK Day:

Can you name one or a couple of movies about which your opinions have changed drastically over the years?

I mentioned here before about my about face on NASHVILLE which I just didn't get when I first watched it and now consider masterful.

My largest about face was with The Shining.  When I first saw it the night it opened, I'm literally just finished the book, which I thought was a near-masterpiece.  The film was so not the book that I hated every minute of it.  I saw it again, three years later, after the book was but a dim memory, and I was surprised how much I liked it, and its style.  Over the years, it has come to be one of my favorite Kubrick films and one of those films I can watch over and over.

[bk]

I believe The Brown Bunny was either booed or laughed off the screen at Cannes...probably both.

I've never seen Rollover so I can't say whether Kris Kristofferson was miscast as a Wall Street Whiz, but I think in real life, he was a Rhodes scholar.

A Rhodes scholar he may be, but he doesn't "read" as a Rhodes scholar - he reads as a down-home country boy who looks inane in evening clothes.

[George]

Congratulations to George on your new posting record!

Thanks...and you, just hitting over 3000!

[vixmom]

Favorite 1930's movies I can think of

Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

Pygmalion (or was this on the 1920's? No it must of been in the 30's cos it's a talkie)

Bringing Up Baby

It Happened One Night

Wizard Of Oz

Top Hat

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington ( or is this from the 40's ?)

I am sure there are more but I just can't thinkof them now....

[vixmom]

It is a thriller (with some laughs).  It is called Deceit.  It's has three roles, and one set, and takes place in an upper West Side apartment, during a thunderstorm (natch, Gloria, natch).

Is it set in the present time?

[vixmom]

Oh, yes Vixmom, there are many wonderful silent films!

My faves are from the silent era are:

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
KING OF KINGS
SPARROWS
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1910 version)

 I shall have to start lookibnng at these.  I think I will have toi join NetFlix, they have all that sort of stuff don't they?  My local Blockbuster is getting to be useless

[bk]

Ok, here is question for ask BK day. What are you favorite silent films and what are your favorite films of the 1930s.

I like all the Chaplin silents, especially The Circus.  Same with Keaton, especially Sherlock, Jr. and The General.  I like the two von Sternberg silents, Docks of New York and can't remember the title of the other one.  

The thirties isn't my favorite decade for film, but I sure like the Dietrich/von Sternberg films, most especially Morocco and Blonde Venus.  I like Trouble in Paradise of Lubitsch and the other Lubitsch films of that era.  I enjoy 42nd Street and The Wizard of Oz, and Stagecoach and The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes, and most of the other 30s Hitch.

[MBarnum]

And some of my favorite 1930s films:

King Kong

Symphony of 6 Million

Jalna

March of The Wooden Soldiers

These Three

Flash Gordon (it is actually a serial)

International House

The Mummy

Conspiracy

The Penguin Pool Murder

[bk]

Yes, as plays of this sort are wont to say, the time is "now".  And there is a big screen projection TV that's part of the set, since one of the characters makes an appearance on video.

Of course, Swing Time should be in my 30s list.

[MBarnum]

Oh, I forgot 42nd Street!

[MBarnum]

And Stand Up and Cheer starring Shirley Temple and Aunt Jemima!

[Jennifer]

Big Brother Live Feed spoilers, including discussion of HOH comp:
















DR RonP, I was disappointed that Janelle was not feeling well and got dizzy and fell.  But I must say I was thrilled when Maggie fell off.  I do think that she fell, since for some reason she did not want ivette to win.

I hated that Maggie was trying to make ivette jump off. I'm happy and sort of surprised that ivette stood up to her.  For some reason maggie was trying to convince ivette that ivette could win a Q&A vs Janelle.

It's a tough call since Ivette/Maggie have both agreed that they will take each other to F2.  I'm sure that HOH comp was difficult.  But it's still better to be in control of your own destiny. So i'm glad Iv stayed.

[vixmom]

Thanks...and you, just hitting over 3000!

chatty cathy that's me!

[Ron Pulliam]

BB6:  I don't see Maggie having much support if she stands next to Ivette in the final 2.   She may get April and Jennifer's votes, but I think everyone else would vote for Ivette.

Maggie's best bet is to be standing beside Janelle (and hoping that April is still "with her")

Janelle can win standing next to either of them, IMO.  I think she will have both April's and James' vote no matter who she is with, but I'd rather see a Janelle-Ivette final two since I'd rather see either of them win over Maggie.

[Jrand73]

TIVO!!!

We ARE the Jetsons!  The only thing that is missing is the flying car!

[JMK]

I am listening to the LATW production of the supremely silly J. Edgar!  I must say it's made me laugh out loud several times, and I believe it was even intentional, unlike so many musicals these days.

[Jrand73]

My question for ASK BK day.

What remnants of "Old Hollywood" are still around to be seen?  I think I have seen photos of what is left of the RKO globe on that building on Gower - and some of the studio gates (Paramount) are still around....but what else?

Is the entrance to CBS Radford in the same place as the entrance to Republic?  And what happened to Vera's ice rink?

I think Monogram/Allied Artists is now a television station.

[JMK]

J. Edgar:  Now let's see if we can get something on this Cole Porter character.  He spends entirely too much time in a kimono for my taste.

[Jrand73]

Also HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER was supposed to be filmed on the American-International lot, although it didn't exist!  A sign was put up at a production facility on Santa Monica Blvd.  Was this ZIV or the old Roland Reed television production studio?

[Dan (the Man)]

I am listening to the LATW production of the supremely silly J. Edgar!  I must say it's made me laugh out loud several times, and I believe it was even intentional, unlike so many musicals these days.

Is this the one with Kelsey Grammer?  I heard it on Harry Shearer's La Show once.  It had me ROTCSLMAO.  I had to pull over on the side of the road.

[Jennifer]

BB6:  I don't see Maggie having much support if she stands next to Ivette in the final 2.   She may get April and Jennifer's votes, but I think everyone else would vote for Ivette.

It's so weird to me that we read a lot of the same stuff yet you think this and i think the opposite.

I believe that april would 100% vote for maggie.  And so would janelle and rachel (remember how much she said she hated iv at sequester).

Beau would vote for ivette and so would james. Howie i am not sure about. And i think jen would vote for maggie but not positive.

I think mags would definitely win vs. Ivette.

Maggie's best bet is to be standing beside Janelle (and hoping that April is still "with her")

Janelle can win standing next to either of them, IMO.  I think she will have both April's and James' vote no matter who she is with, but I'd rather see a Janelle-Ivette final two since I'd rather see either of them win over Maggie.

I don't think Janelle can win against Maggie. Because April/Beau/Ivette/Jen would guarantee her win. The only one who might be iffy is april. But she loves maggie and would vote for her.

[Dan (the Man)]

TIVO!!!

We ARE the Jetsons!  The only thing that is missing is the flying car!

Yeah--where is my flying car?  Where is my robot maid?  Where is my job where all I do is push a button all day?

[JMK]

Is this the one with Kelsey Grammer?  I heard it on Harry Shearer's La Show once.  It had me ROTCSLMAO.  I had to pull over on the side of the road.

Exactly!  I just got through the "intermission interview" with Shearer and (I'm guessing) Tom Leopold, both of whom don alternative identities (a la Spinal Tap) as the faux creators of the show.  It was hilarious ("We started out musicalizing Herbert Hoover, but his life had no arc, no second act.  Well it had an arc, but no second act").  Shearer did a riff on the "Puccini-ization of musical theater since Webber" that had me in hysterics.  Music by Peter Matz!  (Who also plays piano on the recording).

[JMK]

Yeah--where is my flying car?  Where is my robot maid?  Where is my job where all I do is push a button all day?

This is not my house
This is not my wife

(Obscure Talking Heads reference).  

[Matthew]

I just recieved a bag of vocal selections from my pal, Mark, who is streamlining his library.  There are a few things that there doesn't seem to be a recording for:

Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen
Your Own Thing

And hasn't Woman of the Year been issued on CD yet??

Anyone have any insight?

[bk]

My question for ASK BK day.

What remnants of "Old Hollywood" are still around to be seen?  I think I have seen photos of what is left of the RKO globe on that building on Gower - and some of the studio gates (Paramount) are still around....but what else?

Is the entrance to CBS Radford in the same place as the entrance to Republic?  And what happened to Vera's ice rink?

I think Monogram/Allied Artists is now a television station.

Radford's entrance is still the same as it was when I worked there in 1971.  Whether it was different at Republic, I do not know.  The entrance to Warners is exactly where it's always been.  Musso and Frank has been in the same location since 1917.  The Chaplin Studios are still where they were (they became A&M).  Most studio gates are where they've always been, actually.  Sadly, many of my most cherished Hollywood landmarks are gone - Wallich's Music City and NBC, the Carthay Circle Theater (not in Hollywood, but the home of many Hollywood premieres),  Pickwick Books (viewable in many movies, including Harry and Tonto), and so many others.  Lucy's El Adobe cafe is still there, across from Paramount, but Oblath's and Nickodell's are gone (but they live on in the short story I just finished).