Thursday, June 3, 2010

Some Flicks

GR&DF thank you again for taking the time to comment - I do appreciate them all. To answer some questions.. Ruth you are so right, usually the Bay and the Golden Gate and even at sea there are usually lots of boats out. I would guess that the ocean was a bit on the rough side for those less than hardy to attempt a day on the water. There was a single sailboat out on the Pacific while we where there. The only other ship we saw was a large container ship leaving through the Golden Gate for parts elsewhere. It was loaded down - I always see these coming and going from the Port of Oakland and think about how top heavy they look. Maggee - I am also amazed about how a family could just dump older pictures - the single baby in the slim period frame - she was completely identified with her entire name and the date - 1927 - and that she was 6 months old at the time on the back of the snap. I will post the recipe for the Orange Blossoms tomorrow, sorry about not doing that yesterday. Luned asked about the colour choices fro AEoL RR - I used most of the recommended floss' but I will post a list tomorrow of the few changes I made.

Now on to the movies - There were many of them over the past few days - but I will keep it to a few I really enjoyed -

Over the weekend TCM had a 3 Day Marathon of War Films in recognition of the Memorial Day Weekend - this made me very happy!!! While many of the films I have seen numerous time there are always the standouts in a large group like this. Here are a couple of really fine films - "Stalag 17" - 1953 - starring William Holden, Otto Preminger and Peter Graves - one of my favorite WWII films!! The story is basically about a POW camp and one group of prisoners that have a "mole" in their midst. One great film that I would certainly recommend. Another great film that was shown "The Bridge on the River Kwai" - 1957 - starring William Holden, Alec Guinness and Sessue Hayakawa. The film revolves around the building of a bridge by POW's in the jungle. A great film directed by David Lean - so this film has one of my favorite actors and a favorite Director - how could it go wrong!!

A couple of non-war films worth mentioning - "Dance Girl Dance" - 1940 - starring Maureen O'Hara, Lucille Ball and Ralph Bellamy. This DVD is included in the boxed set "Lucille Ball Collection" but it is really a Maureen O'Hara film. Directed by Dorothy Arzner, one of the few women directors of the time, this film is a rare B film the breaks free of mediocrity. The story revolves around the two stars and the dance. O'Hara is the good girl trying to break into classical Ballet while Ball plays the streetwise, grab all you can type that falls into Burlesque and becomes a star. Here is a clip of Ball playing Bubbles who is now top billed as "Tiger Lilly White"..... in the jitterbug Bite....



Perfect for the film and a real bit of RKO history.

The next film has a very misleading title "The Ghost Train" - 1941 - starring Arthur Askey, Richard Murdoch and Kathleen Harrison. This is not a horror film, I do not care for that genre and will not watch them, but I do like mystery films and here is a really clever one. Set in a lonely railway station in the middle of the night a group of passengers must wait until the next train comes in the morning. They are told that the station is haunted, but is it?? Made as a war propaganda film I thoroughly enjoyed it, the only draw back was with one of the actors - the always on, always "funny" Arthur Askey. He was a popular at the time, a comedian on the stage and film, but he never shuts down and thinks every - single - thing he does is terribly funny, and isn't - it verges on the annoying quite often.

The final film I wanted to mention was a DVD from Netflix that we saw last night - "Alice in Wonderland" - 2010 - starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Crispin Glover. Directed by Tim Burton this wonderful retelling of the classic story was lots of fun. I know that it has gotten bad press and that it might not be every ones version/vision for the story but we thoroughly enjoyed it. I wasn't too sure I would like it much - but after seeing it I will now have to acquire my own copy.

There you go sports fans. Thank you again fro stopping by - do come again!!

Take care,
edgar

10 comments:

  1. I'm always amazed at how many movies you help me add to my movie list! Thanks for the suggestions.
    I watched "The Big Clock", this weekend, and also "Angel Face". Both great mysteries. I cannot remember if you suggested them or not, but I liked the suspense of both. I don't like horror movies either, but mysteries are always on the top of my list, if they aren't gory.
    I also watched "Brief Encounter" on Netflix instant play last night, and thought it was quite good.
    Have a great day!

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  2. I wondered about Alice in Wonderland. I've wanted to see it not only because I love the book, but because Johnny Depp is such an excellent actor. Good to hear your review.

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  3. We watched Alice In Wonderland on Tuesday and liked it as well. A different spin, but worth the view we thought. Did you noticed how many mushrooms were in the movie? LOL!

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  4. Aww, you disappointed me for the first time : ) --you don't like horror films? You just haven't seen any good ones! I don't particularly care for the "slasher" types but there are those that are suspenseful and well done.

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  5. We saw Alice in the theater, I'll see anything with Johnny Depp in it, and we loved it. I've learned over the years that if the critics hate it I'll probably like it.
    I don't like the new slasher horror movies, but I like the old movies. Any of the Vincent Price films, especially The Tingler. Great flick.

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  6. I haven't stopped by in a few days and oh what wonderful posts I've missed!! All those lovely stitchy photos. The Round Robins are amazing. I can't decide which color scheme I like better. The local scenery is beautiful too. I especially like the photo of the dog. I love to photograph animals, even those random encounters with the cuties I don't even know.
    I too find it a bit disturbing to see family photos out for sale; or worse yet, in the trash pile.

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  7. I love all things Lucy!!! And Stalag 17 is one of my faves that aired over the weekend. I figured you'd be watching that channel and even blogged about it, LOL!

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  8. The Lucy clip was fun! A far cry from her singing on I Love Lucy. I don't care for horror films or bloody slasher movies. I get scared enough with the 6 o'clock news!

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  9. My dad took boxes of slides and photos of us (3 kids) from the time we were small. My sis got them all and left them behind with an ex. Now everything is gone--years of memories, just gone, and I have nothing. Got 2 0r 3 of us with my dad from an uncle, that's about it.

    Take care of those family photos, people! Scan and digitize them now!

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  10. That spooky train mystery sounds good-except for that one aspect you mentioned. Overall, I'm not a fan of movies so I don't watch them. (I think I don't like how they take so much longer than a show, which is 22 minutes, to watch at once and how they are shorter than a show regarding space for character and story development. So, they're "too long" and "too short", lol! Also, they can be used to make "poetic" statements and tell a "short story" type of plot more often than TV shows--two things I do dislike in a literary sense. I sure am picky! :P

    But there are a handful I truly do like!

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