Nov 30, 2010
Me & my buddy, Nick C
Came up w/ this brilliant idea. I might have mentioned it before. The idea is: Do a 'piece', a treatment, screenplay, short story, whate'er, based on a suite of songs by Steely Dan. The song collection has to be at least an hour long and it cannot exceed the time available on a burned cd. Here is the beginning of my Steely Dan project:
Bands in Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Note: I am not going to get in to who actually wrote, performed, whate'er, i.e. Beck, Broken Social Scene, (Wait, Broken Social Scene? Is not that one of the worst names for a band e'er?) anyhoo, ...
There are four groups in Scott Pilgrim. My least favorite is the Katayanagi Bros. They are v lame.
My third fave group in the film is Sex Bob-Omb. They are the quintessential 'idea' of what 'garage' looks & sounds like to record execs. But could we please finally put the word serpentine to rest for rock lyrics?
Next, I like Crash and the Boys. Mainly b/c it is an idea stolen from me & my buddy Nick C. We used to 'play' whole shows while we worked together wherein our 'group' (Nick C. & I) would (& Crash and the Boys) play super super super short songs, most written on the spot, that were meant to intimidate and humiliate our audience. Kind of an improv jukebox of derision, if you will.
But my fave band in Scott Pilgrim has to be: The Clash at Demonhead. I do not know if it is b/c of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs/Gang of Four influenced song or if it is b/c of Brie Larson in that outfit of hers, ...
......... I'm thinking it is Ms Larson, ....
There are four groups in Scott Pilgrim. My least favorite is the Katayanagi Bros. They are v lame.
My third fave group in the film is Sex Bob-Omb. They are the quintessential 'idea' of what 'garage' looks & sounds like to record execs. But could we please finally put the word serpentine to rest for rock lyrics?
Next, I like Crash and the Boys. Mainly b/c it is an idea stolen from me & my buddy Nick C. We used to 'play' whole shows while we worked together wherein our 'group' (Nick C. & I) would (& Crash and the Boys) play super super super short songs, most written on the spot, that were meant to intimidate and humiliate our audience. Kind of an improv jukebox of derision, if you will.
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| The Clash at Demonhead |
......... I'm thinking it is Ms Larson, ....
Nov 29, 2010
The Hospital
For a long time now I have been intrigued by a film called The Hospital. I learned about it through David Thomson's Have You Seen? ... book. But I never seemed to get around to watching it.
One of my fave things to do these days is spend an hour or so flipping through all the movie choices on OnDemand. It is fun, even if I do not purchase anything and most of the time I do not.
A couple of nights ago I was scrolling through the Selected Directors page, Arthur Hiller, and there, indeed was The Hospital for 3 bucks. I bought it.
It is delicious. Black as tar, grainy, dark, dated, cynical, mean, ludicrous, hardly realistic, terribly theatrical (the best scenes involve long 'party piece' monologues), hilarious, head-scratching, awesome awesome stuff. Paddy Chayefsky wrote it (his script before Network) and picked up an Oscar for it. George C. Scott and Diana Rigg star.
George C. Scott is a hotshot doctor at a big Manhattan hospital. He is separated from his wife, living in a hotel, impotent, and has not seen either of his two his children in years, having kicked out his 24 year-old "Maoist" son. He is suicidal.
Meanwhile patients are dying in the hospital (natch) due to charts being mixed up, patients' rooms being switched, doctors trying to 'score' in empty rooms, etc, ... Plus the Hospital is enduring a massive protest just outside its' doors. And doctors are mysteriously dying, as well.
Watching it I could not help but see the massive influence this dark dark satire has had on the great hospital TV shows such as St Elsewhere, ER, and House.
And check out this cast (The Hospital came out in 1971): George C. Scott, Diana Rigg, Barnard Hughes, Richard Dysart, Nancy Marchand, Katherine Helmond, and Frances Sternhagen. Oh, and Chayefsky does the opening voice-over narration. And Stockard Channing has a bit part. Oh, and Christopher Guest has a bit part, too.
Cynical, mean, and dark. Great for the Holidays, hunh? Highly recommended.
One of my fave things to do these days is spend an hour or so flipping through all the movie choices on OnDemand. It is fun, even if I do not purchase anything and most of the time I do not.
A couple of nights ago I was scrolling through the Selected Directors page, Arthur Hiller, and there, indeed was The Hospital for 3 bucks. I bought it.
George C. Scott is a hotshot doctor at a big Manhattan hospital. He is separated from his wife, living in a hotel, impotent, and has not seen either of his two his children in years, having kicked out his 24 year-old "Maoist" son. He is suicidal.
Meanwhile patients are dying in the hospital (natch) due to charts being mixed up, patients' rooms being switched, doctors trying to 'score' in empty rooms, etc, ... Plus the Hospital is enduring a massive protest just outside its' doors. And doctors are mysteriously dying, as well.
Watching it I could not help but see the massive influence this dark dark satire has had on the great hospital TV shows such as St Elsewhere, ER, and House.
And check out this cast (The Hospital came out in 1971): George C. Scott, Diana Rigg, Barnard Hughes, Richard Dysart, Nancy Marchand, Katherine Helmond, and Frances Sternhagen. Oh, and Chayefsky does the opening voice-over narration. And Stockard Channing has a bit part. Oh, and Christopher Guest has a bit part, too.
Cynical, mean, and dark. Great for the Holidays, hunh? Highly recommended.
Nov 28, 2010
Bedlam delivers.
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| Sooners make Pistol Pete cry again. |
Of course, I did not get to DVR this game because I live on the left coast. I got the pissing down rain snoozefest, also known as Notre Dame/USC. Ugh. Oh well, I'm sure ESPN will replay the game soon.
Meanwhile, in the twelve years Bob Stoops has been at OU, this will be the eighth (and last) time that the Sooners have represented the Big Twelve South in the Big 12 Championship Game. Big Game Bob has never lost the Big 12 Championship game, either. But we all know what happened last time the Sooners played at the Cowboys new Enormodome.
Way to go Sooners. Sorry OSU fans, Longhorn fans, A&M fans.
Nov 27, 2010
Nov 25, 2010
So did you hear the one about
The Minnesota state Rep (R) who was hanging out in front of Planned Parenthood, armed?
Let no one be confused. This Republican yahoo, who represents part of Bachmann's district for the state, was most definitely not checking on his girlfriend. This idiot is going through a divorce and anybody who has watched Lifetime Movie Network, American Justice, or City Confidential knows what happens when the D word is mentioned. Luckily, this time, nothing happened. And the police and the clinic can keep an eye out for this sad, repressed loser, ahem, I mean public servant.
Speaking of public servants, at least real public servants: George Miller (D) shopped at my store yesterday. He was checking out the Pinot Noir racks. I asked him if he needed any help and he v politely said, No. He bought a bottle of Decoy Pinot Noir (and his cart was quite full, he got a turkey, too.) I wanted to tell him how I saw him in Casino Jack and how much I appreciate his service but I lost my nerve and just let him go.
When I got home I told Renee, We had a celebrity today! She sed, So did we! But Renee won. Her celebrity at San Rafael was this this guy.
But, how appropriate is it that on the day I see George Miller, one of the heroes of Casino Jack, that one of the villains of that film gets convicted by a Texas jury! I know, I know: here come a million appeals, DeLay will never see jail time, etc, ... but, still.
Let no one be confused. This Republican yahoo, who represents part of Bachmann's district for the state, was most definitely not checking on his girlfriend. This idiot is going through a divorce and anybody who has watched Lifetime Movie Network, American Justice, or City Confidential knows what happens when the D word is mentioned. Luckily, this time, nothing happened. And the police and the clinic can keep an eye out for this sad, repressed loser, ahem, I mean public servant.
Speaking of public servants, at least real public servants: George Miller (D) shopped at my store yesterday. He was checking out the Pinot Noir racks. I asked him if he needed any help and he v politely said, No. He bought a bottle of Decoy Pinot Noir (and his cart was quite full, he got a turkey, too.) I wanted to tell him how I saw him in Casino Jack and how much I appreciate his service but I lost my nerve and just let him go.
When I got home I told Renee, We had a celebrity today! She sed, So did we! But Renee won. Her celebrity at San Rafael was this this guy.
But, how appropriate is it that on the day I see George Miller, one of the heroes of Casino Jack, that one of the villains of that film gets convicted by a Texas jury! I know, I know: here come a million appeals, DeLay will never see jail time, etc, ... but, still.
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| Dom Beausejour Chinon |
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| "James is from the Valley, he'd probably like Chablis." |
- Well, I have not seen Nowhere Boy yet but I did watch Lennon Naked. It stunk. Renee particularly hated it. My God, Chris Eccleston, was way way way too old for the role to begin with. And the whole thing was an absolute mess in terms of storytelling, reaching way too far for a eighty-five minute film. Was it a film about Lennon's strained relationship w/ his da? Was it about Lennon and Brian Epstein? Was it to prove once and for all that Lennon was an absolute shit to Cyn & Julian? (And did not anyone who has ever loved John or the Beatles already know that, anyhoo?) Did not every frickin' person on this planet know that John & Yoko were about as annoying and self-indulgent as possible, as well? What is the point of this picture? Look, Lennon is one of my heroes. And the Beatles affect my life in so many ways it is impossible to measure. But I can take a hatchet job. Hack away. Lennon was just a man, ultimately; a very flawed human being who rode a crest of fame and adoration and scrutiny unlike anyone I will ever see again in my lifetime. Considering what happened to the early rock stars, Elvis, and Michael Jackson, I think "being a dick to your first wife and kid" and "telling folks that you think you are Jesus" is not all that bad. If you want to do a hatchet job, at least make it entertaining and/or thought-provoking.
- Looking For Eric is in the post. I watched The Kids Are All Right on demand last night and Renee bought Scott Pilgrim for me last week. (Thanks, Peanut.) I have not seen Paul or 127 Hours yet. This looks like a pretty lackluster year for me and new movies. I would also like to mention Client 9, though. That makes four great new films for me in 2010.
- Renee & I are going to have the mostest splendidest Thanksgiving evah! Check this out: It is just us two and the kitties. Renee is making crab cakes for her. I am having an omelette. We will drink Champagne and Chablis. We will watch old movies, junkie teevee and I will read aloud to her the last chapter from Lynn Barber's fantastic memoirs. I think I would like to do a Gershwin doubleheader of sorts and watch An American in Paris and Manhattan.
- I bought Me & Orson Welles and I just love it. I gobble it up like candy. Renee likes it, as well but also thinks it is kind of sappy, the ending in particular for her is pretty eye-rolling. I do not care. I love it. I have not read the novel that the book is based on but I get the feeling the novel is prob sappy, too. I think Linklater was true to the book and made a gorgeous, (Dick Pope shot it) optimistic, hopeful coming of age story. The humanity! Horrors! Quadruple space! Plus Christian McKay is so good as Welles it is frightening.
Sorry this post started on such a bad note. Everyone have a splendid, safe Thanksgiving. I love you all.
Nov 22, 2010
Waiting for my Sweetie,
Just saw the most fantastic doc aboot the brilliant, troubled, lovely, assholeish, most fantab rock singer of all time, Harry Nilsson. It is called Who Is Harry Nilsson & Why is Everybody Talking 'Bout Him?
I keep thinking about All That Jazz. It is a Perfect Night.
I keep thinking about All That Jazz. It is a Perfect Night.
Nov 21, 2010
I saw Up in the Air
A couple of nights ago on HBO. Someone tell me again, What is supposed to be the big deal?
I did not like the film much at all. There are gaping holes/flaws throughout the film. Mostly w/ the script, I believe, but also w/ the direction & acting performances.
Let's talk about some of them: I did not for one second believe that JK Simmons was now going to 'follow his bliss' and become a chef just b/c George Clooney told him he should. Nor am I buying Clooney's 'Groom w/ Cold Feet' Pep Talk, & why when the Groom walks back to his Bride is it suddenly shot by a hand-held? I am guessing it is to represent the Groom's unease but as a viewer it is just annoying. Clooney's recommendation letter? Give me a break! Here is a chance for the 'author/scriptwriter' to tell us what he's learned about Natalie, how she's grown, & it is written through our 'Poet of the Airlines'/Motivational Speaker and that is what we get? And that letter is right after the film completely tossing aside the gift of miles to Clooney's sister for her honeymoon?
There is a remarkable string of scenes in the middle of the film that work, are moving, entertaining, funny, and contain the finest moments of the best acting performances in the film. That run starts w/ Natalie's text break-up, contains the beautiful 'settling' conversation between Alex & Natalie, and ends w/ them crashing the tech party, running through the Hotel lobby w/ no shoes on. Good stuff, indeed.
And then Natalie's hostility towards Clooney the next morning is painfully unbelievable, hamfisted and sets us right back down the wrong road again.
Vera Farmiga &Anna Kendrick are by far the best thing in this film. Their performances shine, Kendrick's in particular b/c she had to do a lot of 'shining' through what appears to be a half-hearted, unfinished script w/ the scriptwriter, himself, Jason Reitman, apparently asleep in the director's chair.
It is a mess, folks. One Clooney could not even salvage.
I did not like the film much at all. There are gaping holes/flaws throughout the film. Mostly w/ the script, I believe, but also w/ the direction & acting performances.
Let's talk about some of them: I did not for one second believe that JK Simmons was now going to 'follow his bliss' and become a chef just b/c George Clooney told him he should. Nor am I buying Clooney's 'Groom w/ Cold Feet' Pep Talk, & why when the Groom walks back to his Bride is it suddenly shot by a hand-held? I am guessing it is to represent the Groom's unease but as a viewer it is just annoying. Clooney's recommendation letter? Give me a break! Here is a chance for the 'author/scriptwriter' to tell us what he's learned about Natalie, how she's grown, & it is written through our 'Poet of the Airlines'/Motivational Speaker and that is what we get? And that letter is right after the film completely tossing aside the gift of miles to Clooney's sister for her honeymoon?
There is a remarkable string of scenes in the middle of the film that work, are moving, entertaining, funny, and contain the finest moments of the best acting performances in the film. That run starts w/ Natalie's text break-up, contains the beautiful 'settling' conversation between Alex & Natalie, and ends w/ them crashing the tech party, running through the Hotel lobby w/ no shoes on. Good stuff, indeed.
And then Natalie's hostility towards Clooney the next morning is painfully unbelievable, hamfisted and sets us right back down the wrong road again.
Vera Farmiga &Anna Kendrick are by far the best thing in this film. Their performances shine, Kendrick's in particular b/c she had to do a lot of 'shining' through what appears to be a half-hearted, unfinished script w/ the scriptwriter, himself, Jason Reitman, apparently asleep in the director's chair.
Nov 18, 2010
Nov 17, 2010
I am at home.
This post is dedicated to Allison Wait, who turned me on to The Waitresses back in the '80s.
Time to forget all aboot work, inventory, spineless Dems, et al.
Yesterday was a treat (after work, that is, natch.) My Sweetie, Renee, was v sweet indeed, she heated up the Champagne risotto, got me an iced tea (w/ lots of cubes), and let me watch some French films on Sundance, b/c, Tuesday, apparently is French film night, I guess, on the Sundance channel. Neither of the films were world-beaters by any stretch of the imagination. (No Jean-Pierre Melville here!) But it was just the ticket after a long terrible day at work. (btw, we drank Hitching Post Cork Dancer 7.1 Pinot Noir. Renee loooved it [gosh, she loves Pinot], I thought the same thing I almost always think about CA Pinot: No thanks, no fruit, too hot [14.3! eek!], too much oak, etc, ... )
Before I get to the French films, though, today I want to talk about The Waitresses.
The Waitresses, with only two albums of a canon, so to speak, packed so much greatness in to those two albums it boggles the mind. They had their 'hit', of course, a v v modest 'hit', I Know What Boys Like, which is one of the sexiest female empowering songs I've ever heard. If you do not believe me, check out some of the comments on You Tube 'neath the video. (I know, I know, but still.) Attention!: I am now quoting Molly Ivins, quoting Margaret Atwood, who did her own small, unscientific survey, asking women what they most feared about men (rape) and men what they most feared about women: Women laughing at them. Ouch. That song and video still provokes men, I believe. The idea of a woman, in charge of the sexual politics of a situation for once, childishly taunting the man must infuriate the insensitive, insecure brutes amongst us. The song, lyrics included (although I have to believe Ms Donahue had at least a modicum of input), like all of the Waitresses songs were written by a man, Chris Butler.
Yet, so many, if not all of the Waitresses' songs were feminist-leaning. I suspect Butler had an axe to grind and/or he was in love w/ his lead singer, Ms Donahue.
Time and again he writes through her perspective and persona and somehow nails it every time. Take No Guilt, par example. No Guilt is the greatest break-up song written in history. It resides in the Break-Up Hall of Fame for me, its' plaque right next to Elvis Costello's album, This Year's Model. In fact, This Year's Model, the song and the whole album are the male side of the same coin.
No Guilt is a brilliantly designed song, enacting Ms Donahue's response over the phone to a (prob) moping ex-beau. What the song is is a litany of every single way Donahue has moved on w/ her life, and all the fab ways she has grown up since the split. "I'm sorry," she says, "I'm not suicidal." In the meantime, she has learned how to cope w/ mundane things he always used to handle, is driving now, fixing shit around her apartment, and has got the go-ahead & wherewithal (both from her folks- prob v relieved to see that asshole gone & their baby grown-up) to go to grad school!
But, there is more. Check out some of these lines from other songs: "Get tough/Don't be so patient/Get smart/Head up, shoulders straight/Since when is it a disaster?/If the "S" on your cape/Is a little frayed."; "What's a girl to do?/Born to shop?/No!/Pretty victories/What's a girl to do?/Scream and screw?/No!/Pretty victories"; "Don't work your buns off/For a fool for a fool/Who can barely tie his shoes"; "Don't answer-a phone call/That old boyfriend old boyfriend/Who'd love to see you lose/You don't need that!" (Wise Up); "I guess I set impossible goals/And I don't know when to quit" (Jimmy Tomorrow). The last quote is much like the famous Situationist slogan.
Believe me, I understand that part of the feminist nature of this group comes from the tough, sexy feminist front woman, Patty Donahue, no matter who wrote the songs. & I understand that most folks' knowledge of the group is through their only 'MTV video', I Know What Boys Like, & Ms Donahue plays so much (albeit, I think spot-on) to the sexpot stereotype that some dudes miss the joke entirely. A joke in which they are the punch line. Their contemporaries, Blondie, however, as much fun & as talented as they were, nearly always seemed to exploit Ms Harry's sexuality instead of empowering it.
I think Patty Donahue was Chris Butler's unrequited love. & oddly, he was in a real position to show her off as the amazing, empowered sexy female that he knew he couldn't have, on a big stage, for all to see. That he did it w/ such intelligence, sensitivity, sexiness, & style is more to his credit.
Here is a fun thing re The Waitresses & another of their most popular songs, Christmas Wrapping, which, if you work in retail, you are v v familiar w/, I'm sure. One of the best Xmas songs, ever.
I'll talk aboot the French films tomorrow before inventory.
P.S. Renee loves to listen to the Waitresses in the car when she's depressed or pissed. They pump a lil' feminist up, y'see?
Time to forget all aboot work, inventory, spineless Dems, et al.
Yesterday was a treat (after work, that is, natch.) My Sweetie, Renee, was v sweet indeed, she heated up the Champagne risotto, got me an iced tea (w/ lots of cubes), and let me watch some French films on Sundance, b/c, Tuesday, apparently is French film night, I guess, on the Sundance channel. Neither of the films were world-beaters by any stretch of the imagination. (No Jean-Pierre Melville here!) But it was just the ticket after a long terrible day at work. (btw, we drank Hitching Post Cork Dancer 7.1 Pinot Noir. Renee loooved it [gosh, she loves Pinot], I thought the same thing I almost always think about CA Pinot: No thanks, no fruit, too hot [14.3! eek!], too much oak, etc, ... )
Before I get to the French films, though, today I want to talk about The Waitresses.
The Waitresses, with only two albums of a canon, so to speak, packed so much greatness in to those two albums it boggles the mind. They had their 'hit', of course, a v v modest 'hit', I Know What Boys Like, which is one of the sexiest female empowering songs I've ever heard. If you do not believe me, check out some of the comments on You Tube 'neath the video. (I know, I know, but still.) Attention!: I am now quoting Molly Ivins, quoting Margaret Atwood, who did her own small, unscientific survey, asking women what they most feared about men (rape) and men what they most feared about women: Women laughing at them. Ouch. That song and video still provokes men, I believe. The idea of a woman, in charge of the sexual politics of a situation for once, childishly taunting the man must infuriate the insensitive, insecure brutes amongst us. The song, lyrics included (although I have to believe Ms Donahue had at least a modicum of input), like all of the Waitresses songs were written by a man, Chris Butler.
Yet, so many, if not all of the Waitresses' songs were feminist-leaning. I suspect Butler had an axe to grind and/or he was in love w/ his lead singer, Ms Donahue.
Time and again he writes through her perspective and persona and somehow nails it every time. Take No Guilt, par example. No Guilt is the greatest break-up song written in history. It resides in the Break-Up Hall of Fame for me, its' plaque right next to Elvis Costello's album, This Year's Model. In fact, This Year's Model, the song and the whole album are the male side of the same coin.
No Guilt is a brilliantly designed song, enacting Ms Donahue's response over the phone to a (prob) moping ex-beau. What the song is is a litany of every single way Donahue has moved on w/ her life, and all the fab ways she has grown up since the split. "I'm sorry," she says, "I'm not suicidal." In the meantime, she has learned how to cope w/ mundane things he always used to handle, is driving now, fixing shit around her apartment, and has got the go-ahead & wherewithal (both from her folks- prob v relieved to see that asshole gone & their baby grown-up) to go to grad school!
Believe me, I understand that part of the feminist nature of this group comes from the tough, sexy feminist front woman, Patty Donahue, no matter who wrote the songs. & I understand that most folks' knowledge of the group is through their only 'MTV video', I Know What Boys Like, & Ms Donahue plays so much (albeit, I think spot-on) to the sexpot stereotype that some dudes miss the joke entirely. A joke in which they are the punch line. Their contemporaries, Blondie, however, as much fun & as talented as they were, nearly always seemed to exploit Ms Harry's sexuality instead of empowering it.
I think Patty Donahue was Chris Butler's unrequited love. & oddly, he was in a real position to show her off as the amazing, empowered sexy female that he knew he couldn't have, on a big stage, for all to see. That he did it w/ such intelligence, sensitivity, sexiness, & style is more to his credit.
Here is a fun thing re The Waitresses & another of their most popular songs, Christmas Wrapping, which, if you work in retail, you are v v familiar w/, I'm sure. One of the best Xmas songs, ever.
I'll talk aboot the French films tomorrow before inventory.
P.S. Renee loves to listen to the Waitresses in the car when she's depressed or pissed. They pump a lil' feminist up, y'see?
Nov 15, 2010
(Maybe in honor of Dino de Laurentiis?)
We had a lovely Meursault to drink with it.
Before I watched
The Red Zone yesterday I watched Minnie and Moskowitz. Why is it I keep drawing these really depressing films when I first turn on the television these days?
The film is definitely an emotional workout and it really reminded me of Todd Solondz' films. I am not v familiar with Cassavetes' work but it looks like he is one of Solondz' biggest influences. There were a lot of scenes in Minnie that provoked such uncomfortable and painful laughter from me.
Still, it was great to see Max Fischer's dad (Seymour Cassel) and Gena Rowlands certainly was v pretty. (But her character is named Minnie Moore and they really did kind of make her look like Minnie Mouse.)
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| Gena Rowlands |
Still, it was great to see Max Fischer's dad (Seymour Cassel) and Gena Rowlands certainly was v pretty. (But her character is named Minnie Moore and they really did kind of make her look like Minnie Mouse.)
Nov 13, 2010
I had a little time to myself
Before work yesterday. And I thought to myself, Do I really wanta crank up the computer and hit all my liberal blogs and get all morose before work? The answer to that question was, No.
So I curled up on the couch and turned on TCM.
Oops.
This is what TCM was playing at 7:30 in the morning yesterday, Hitler's Madman. Here I'll describe one of the scenes I saw:
We see a Czech Mother, Daughter, and Son in their modest, shabby home in a small village in Czechoslovakia. The Mother is putting bread on the table, preparing dinner for the family.
The Son says, Mother, can I have a piece of bread?
The Daughter says, We should wait for Father.
The Mother concurs with the Daughter.
There is a knock at the door. The Daughter stands up and says, There is Father now!
The camera pans to the doorway.
Two men enter carrying a coffin. They place the coffin by the dining table.
Cut to a close-up of the Son, reaching for the bread.
************************
Well, what do you say to that? The first thing I thought of after seeing that was, Does not that seem just like a Monty Python skit?
The second thing I thought was about Woody Allen's quote from Manhattan about the impossibility of satirizing Nazis.
I did some research on the film, natch. Here's the imdb link. Turns out it was one of Douglas Sirk's first Hollywood films. Wow.
Martha Plimpton's Grandfather, John Carradine, stars as Herr Protector.
So I curled up on the couch and turned on TCM.
Oops.
This is what TCM was playing at 7:30 in the morning yesterday, Hitler's Madman. Here I'll describe one of the scenes I saw:
We see a Czech Mother, Daughter, and Son in their modest, shabby home in a small village in Czechoslovakia. The Mother is putting bread on the table, preparing dinner for the family.
The Son says, Mother, can I have a piece of bread?
The Daughter says, We should wait for Father.
The Mother concurs with the Daughter.
There is a knock at the door. The Daughter stands up and says, There is Father now!
The camera pans to the doorway.
Two men enter carrying a coffin. They place the coffin by the dining table.
Cut to a close-up of the Son, reaching for the bread.
************************
Well, what do you say to that? The first thing I thought of after seeing that was, Does not that seem just like a Monty Python skit?
The second thing I thought was about Woody Allen's quote from Manhattan about the impossibility of satirizing Nazis.
I did some research on the film, natch. Here's the imdb link. Turns out it was one of Douglas Sirk's first Hollywood films. Wow.
Nov 11, 2010
If it is true
And Obama and the Dems cave yet again on the tax-cuts that expire at the end of this year, and if they cannot get their shit together (in a lame duck session!) about unemployment benefits that must be renewed at the end of this month, well, then ... I just do not frickin' know.
This blog will become strictly about sports, movies, books and all of you will definitely have to start reading my awful fiction. UGH! I feel so defeated right now. Two years ago I felt so proud.
This blog will become strictly about sports, movies, books and all of you will definitely have to start reading my awful fiction. UGH! I feel so defeated right now. Two years ago I felt so proud.
Nov 10, 2010
The contract is signed.
We'll get married at City Hall in the City & our reception will be at the Foreign Cinema gallery on May 20, 2011.
Woo-hoo!
Woo-hoo!
Nov 9, 2010
Well, we saw this
Coming, didn't we? I mean, dint we all see this in our future?
Mr Issa (R-CA) has doubled down on the subpoena/hearing frenzy. He wants investigations all day every day until either Obama is impeached or voted out of office.
The GOP does not have even a majority in the Senate, much less the Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious sixty vote miracle threshold to actually get anything done. Besides, the GOP never want Government to work (except to line their pockets and shock doctrine the country, enabling them to line their pockets [& Wall Streets] just that much more.)
The Dems did the same fucking thing in '06. Except they "took impeachment off the table." If anyone deserved impeachment it was W. So, the Dems brought up embarrassing votes for the GOP minority (which did in the v long run pay some dividends for '08) and harassed that buffoon of an Attorney-General in to early retirement. (& that is all we got out of it, Rove keeps cackling on Fox News, concern trolling for the Dems all he's worth; the DoJ is still littered w/ old Bush, born-again assholes who are really really, I mean, really bothered by the New Black Panthers [jeez]; tore down ACORN w/ a pathetic phony sting; I mean it is endless.)
So, here we go, get ready to hear aboot: birth certificates, crappy climate change scientists, any state trip or vacation the Obama's fucking take, the Weather Underground, Van Jones, any fucking liberal who has ever took a stand once in their fucking life to make this a better country for all its' citizens, not just the CEOs & Chamber of Commerce dicks.
I mean, the Charles de fucking Gaulle, of these assholes: Our buddy (Ayn) Rand Paul has already come to Jesus, brother: & suck on this. The teabaggers don't give a shit, theyaccomplished almost accomplished their goal. They will always vote against their best interests. Whether it is a culture war issue, the fact that Obama is black, Pelosi is a woman from San Francisco, Reid is a Mormon, Barney Frank is gay, or they just do not like the letter D.
Read Thomas Frank.
Policy wise these next two years are going to suck v hard. & I am going to be a loud-mouthed vulgarian. So, get used to it.
The GOP are not public servants. Have not been for a while. & there will be no new teabagger revolt when idiots like (Ayn) Rand Paul fall in to line w/ the establishment GOP Washington villagers. The teabaggers will swallow whole whate'er their Establishment Masters put before them. I mean, hell, it was rich GOP assholes who funded their two year long, "We're populists" party.
Two years of pain.
But, hey, the people have spoken, right? Right, ...
Mr Issa (R-CA) has doubled down on the subpoena/hearing frenzy. He wants investigations all day every day until either Obama is impeached or voted out of office.
The GOP does not have even a majority in the Senate, much less the Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious sixty vote miracle threshold to actually get anything done. Besides, the GOP never want Government to work (except to line their pockets and shock doctrine the country, enabling them to line their pockets [& Wall Streets] just that much more.)
The Dems did the same fucking thing in '06. Except they "took impeachment off the table." If anyone deserved impeachment it was W. So, the Dems brought up embarrassing votes for the GOP minority (which did in the v long run pay some dividends for '08) and harassed that buffoon of an Attorney-General in to early retirement. (& that is all we got out of it, Rove keeps cackling on Fox News, concern trolling for the Dems all he's worth; the DoJ is still littered w/ old Bush, born-again assholes who are really really, I mean, really bothered by the New Black Panthers [jeez]; tore down ACORN w/ a pathetic phony sting; I mean it is endless.)
So, here we go, get ready to hear aboot: birth certificates, crappy climate change scientists, any state trip or vacation the Obama's fucking take, the Weather Underground, Van Jones, any fucking liberal who has ever took a stand once in their fucking life to make this a better country for all its' citizens, not just the CEOs & Chamber of Commerce dicks.
I mean, the Charles de fucking Gaulle, of these assholes: Our buddy (Ayn) Rand Paul has already come to Jesus, brother: & suck on this. The teabaggers don't give a shit, they
Read Thomas Frank.
Policy wise these next two years are going to suck v hard. & I am going to be a loud-mouthed vulgarian. So, get used to it.
The GOP are not public servants. Have not been for a while. & there will be no new teabagger revolt when idiots like (Ayn) Rand Paul fall in to line w/ the establishment GOP Washington villagers. The teabaggers will swallow whole whate'er their Establishment Masters put before them. I mean, hell, it was rich GOP assholes who funded their two year long, "We're populists" party.
Two years of pain.
Nov 8, 2010
So Keef
Gets to come back Tuesday.
What a joke. This is Phil Donahue all over again and I think Keef's days are numbered. Get out while you can, buddy. The times they are-a-changin'.
What a joke. This is Phil Donahue all over again and I think Keef's days are numbered. Get out while you can, buddy. The times they are-a-changin'.
Nov 7, 2010
So, this week has
Totally sucked, right? My team lost the World Serious, I have a got a huge national holiday promotion that I'm installing by myself, and a lot of stuff was late with that, the Dems got their asses handed to them, Keef was suspended by Cabletown, the Sooners lost last night, etc, and Ardent whines, whinges, & wheedles on and on and on!
But Friday night just about made up for all of this crumminess. I bought two mini bottles of Prosecco on my way out the door Friday & drank them on the walk home. I blasted my iPod in to my head, listening to tracks like this and this. Some amazing PJ Harvey, Freddie King (that's the greatest drummer evah!, Al Jackson Jr, on that one), I'll Buy by the Replacements, & some Bon Scott AC/DC.
The whole time walking home, all my cares seemed to be put behind me. I felt so fucking happy to be alive!
I got home, Renee was so tired from work she was asleep on the couch. She had cracked open a bottle of Saddleback Viognier and had made dinner. She made some chicken & couscous which was so good. I heated that up, poured myself a glass of wine & settled in to watch An Education. Fantastic evening.
I want to talk about wine here for a second. First, the Saddleback Viognier. Now, to me, Viognier is supposed to be elegant, light, bordering on effervescent, off-dry, great with all types of food, fun, etc, ... Then why oh why is just about every frickin' California Viognier I taste heavy, viscous, practically sticky, hot, sweet, no good with food, pretty much a dessert wine, or at best a wine you might have one glass of before the meal?
The Saddleback Viognier was not Rhone-like per se but it was just about the best CA Viognier I've had. It wasn't hot but it was a little on the heavy side, the finish was long, cracking with acidity, it most certainly was off dry, went perfect w/ the lovely modest Mediterranean meal Renee had prepared and capped off a perfect evening at home. Heck, Saddleback still puts Nils Wenge's name on the front of their labels and he and his son have long been some of my favorite Napa winemakers so I should not have been surprised I guess. The fruit for this wine is from Napa so it ain't cheap ($22-$25) & I won't carry the wine at my store but I'd buy it again and it would make a nice gift, too.
Finally, still on wine, me and one of my reps were commiserating about the off dry hang up so many wine consumers have. It is annoying & oftentimes hypocritical. I went to the Family Winemakers Trade Tasting with one of my bosses just so she could see what those awful meat markets are like and she could taste a million different types of wine, learn about varieties, CA winemakers, you know the drill, anyhoo: she does not have that off dry hang up. She loves Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Moscato d'Asti, Alsace varieties. It was so refreshing to be with someone new to the wine world who had no preconceived notions about what was good wine and what was junk.
First of all, off dry wines are perfect with like nine million different types of food. Plus they're often lower in alcohol and make great apertifs or can function as a dessert wine in a pinch. They're great for picnics or outdoorsy types of things. Somehow the notion came about in CA that if it comes in a long bottle then it must be sweet, and therefore must be junk. Meanwhile, so many of these same sniffy wine aesthetes are throwing back blockbuster fruit-forward Chards (many of those containing up to three per cent residual sugar in them) & super-extracted 15 & 16 point Cabs & Zins. UGH!
Rant over!
I would like to thank everyone who made Friday night an oasis in Hell. I want to thank Renee for the fab dinner & opening that Saddleback. I want to thank PJ Harvey, The Replacements, Freddie King, Al Jackson Jr, and all the other musicians who make such fabulous music. I want to thank the folks who make those Prosecco splits (yummy!). I want to thank Carey Mulligan, Nick Hornby, Lone Scherfig, Lynn Barber for making one of my all-time favorite films. I want to thank Saddleback for their Napa Viognier. And I want to thank Deanna Grant for seeing (& tasting) wine w/ no snobbery, eager to learn.
But Friday night just about made up for all of this crumminess. I bought two mini bottles of Prosecco on my way out the door Friday & drank them on the walk home. I blasted my iPod in to my head, listening to tracks like this and this. Some amazing PJ Harvey, Freddie King (that's the greatest drummer evah!, Al Jackson Jr, on that one), I'll Buy by the Replacements, & some Bon Scott AC/DC.
The whole time walking home, all my cares seemed to be put behind me. I felt so fucking happy to be alive!
I got home, Renee was so tired from work she was asleep on the couch. She had cracked open a bottle of Saddleback Viognier and had made dinner. She made some chicken & couscous which was so good. I heated that up, poured myself a glass of wine & settled in to watch An Education. Fantastic evening.
I want to talk about wine here for a second. First, the Saddleback Viognier. Now, to me, Viognier is supposed to be elegant, light, bordering on effervescent, off-dry, great with all types of food, fun, etc, ... Then why oh why is just about every frickin' California Viognier I taste heavy, viscous, practically sticky, hot, sweet, no good with food, pretty much a dessert wine, or at best a wine you might have one glass of before the meal?
The Saddleback Viognier was not Rhone-like per se but it was just about the best CA Viognier I've had. It wasn't hot but it was a little on the heavy side, the finish was long, cracking with acidity, it most certainly was off dry, went perfect w/ the lovely modest Mediterranean meal Renee had prepared and capped off a perfect evening at home. Heck, Saddleback still puts Nils Wenge's name on the front of their labels and he and his son have long been some of my favorite Napa winemakers so I should not have been surprised I guess. The fruit for this wine is from Napa so it ain't cheap ($22-$25) & I won't carry the wine at my store but I'd buy it again and it would make a nice gift, too.
Finally, still on wine, me and one of my reps were commiserating about the off dry hang up so many wine consumers have. It is annoying & oftentimes hypocritical. I went to the Family Winemakers Trade Tasting with one of my bosses just so she could see what those awful meat markets are like and she could taste a million different types of wine, learn about varieties, CA winemakers, you know the drill, anyhoo: she does not have that off dry hang up. She loves Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Moscato d'Asti, Alsace varieties. It was so refreshing to be with someone new to the wine world who had no preconceived notions about what was good wine and what was junk.
First of all, off dry wines are perfect with like nine million different types of food. Plus they're often lower in alcohol and make great apertifs or can function as a dessert wine in a pinch. They're great for picnics or outdoorsy types of things. Somehow the notion came about in CA that if it comes in a long bottle then it must be sweet, and therefore must be junk. Meanwhile, so many of these same sniffy wine aesthetes are throwing back blockbuster fruit-forward Chards (many of those containing up to three per cent residual sugar in them) & super-extracted 15 & 16 point Cabs & Zins. UGH!
Rant over!
I would like to thank everyone who made Friday night an oasis in Hell. I want to thank Renee for the fab dinner & opening that Saddleback. I want to thank PJ Harvey, The Replacements, Freddie King, Al Jackson Jr, and all the other musicians who make such fabulous music. I want to thank the folks who make those Prosecco splits (yummy!). I want to thank Carey Mulligan, Nick Hornby, Lone Scherfig, Lynn Barber for making one of my all-time favorite films. I want to thank Saddleback for their Napa Viognier. And I want to thank Deanna Grant for seeing (& tasting) wine w/ no snobbery, eager to learn.
Nov 6, 2010
Cabletown (30 Rock) = Comcast?
Tina Fey is god. And we are just now starting to see what the Comcast/NBC merger means for MSNBC.
Keith, Rachel, all of you libs at MSNBC get out now! Start you're own web network. I'm disgusted.
Keith, Rachel, all of you libs at MSNBC get out now! Start you're own web network. I'm disgusted.
Nov 4, 2010
I know I know
I finally saw The Last King of Scotland. It is fantastic. It was co-written by Peter Morgan & it has real-life films of the protagonists running as the credits roll, i.e. The Damned United, The Deal, The Special Relationship. (The Queen uses so much real footage interwoven in to the film itself, I think they decided to skip it that time.)
The Last King of Scotland is so brill because it does such a great job being inevitable yet surprising & also, it is loaded w/ superb performances: Forrest Whitaker certainly deserved that Oscar. James (Renee looooves him, we call him Jimmy nowadays) McAvoy is good as usual, and Gillian frickin' Anderson (in a v small role) is really good. And Kerry Washington was splendid as Kay.
Fantastic motion picture. If you have not seen it, do.
Here is the preview.
The Last King of Scotland is so brill because it does such a great job being inevitable yet surprising & also, it is loaded w/ superb performances: Forrest Whitaker certainly deserved that Oscar. James (Renee looooves him, we call him Jimmy nowadays) McAvoy is good as usual, and Gillian frickin' Anderson (in a v small role) is really good. And Kerry Washington was splendid as Kay.
 |
| Kerry Washington |
Here is the preview.
Nov 3, 2010
All congratulations
To the San Francisco Giants. The torture is finally over.
The Rangers have a lot to be proud of: They won their first ever playoff series. They won the American League Pennant, beating the Yankees to earn it. And they were the first Texas team to win a game in the World Series. Houston was swept in its' only appearance. Plus the Rangers are going to be receiving a bushelful of awards, to wit: MVP (Hamilton), Gold Glove (Hamilton), Silver Slugger (Hamilton, Cruz possibly), Rookie of the Year (Neftali Feliz), Comeback Player of the Year (Vlad Guerrero), Manager of the Year (Ron Washington). Plus they got that that butt-ugly AL Champion trophy (which, as the Rangers have been so awful for so long and had ne'er been anywhere near winning a pennant, I honestly did not even know that you got a fucking trophy if you won a pennant!) and Josh won the ALCS MVP.
The Rangers are under new ownership and have just made beaucoup of bucks w/ their playoff run & I think they have a shot at retaining Cliff Lee. Plus, just in general, Greenberg & Ryan are ready to increase payroll anyhoo.
I really thought I'd never live to see the Rangers in the World Series. Who knows? The future for Ranger fans certainly looks bright. They might make it again in the near future. Here's hoping we win the whole fucking thing next time.
Love you all,
mds
P.S. 103 days until pitchers and catchers report in Arizona.
The Rangers have a lot to be proud of: They won their first ever playoff series. They won the American League Pennant, beating the Yankees to earn it. And they were the first Texas team to win a game in the World Series. Houston was swept in its' only appearance. Plus the Rangers are going to be receiving a bushelful of awards, to wit: MVP (Hamilton), Gold Glove (Hamilton), Silver Slugger (Hamilton, Cruz possibly), Rookie of the Year (Neftali Feliz), Comeback Player of the Year (Vlad Guerrero), Manager of the Year (Ron Washington). Plus they got that that butt-ugly AL Champion trophy (which, as the Rangers have been so awful for so long and had ne'er been anywhere near winning a pennant, I honestly did not even know that you got a fucking trophy if you won a pennant!) and Josh won the ALCS MVP.
The Rangers are under new ownership and have just made beaucoup of bucks w/ their playoff run & I think they have a shot at retaining Cliff Lee. Plus, just in general, Greenberg & Ryan are ready to increase payroll anyhoo.
I really thought I'd never live to see the Rangers in the World Series. Who knows? The future for Ranger fans certainly looks bright. They might make it again in the near future. Here's hoping we win the whole fucking thing next time.
Love you all,
mds
P.S. 103 days until pitchers and catchers report in Arizona.
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