Harley often rests his chin on my leg wanting a treat or to climb on top of me and pushing the cat off the couch. What a dog! OK...over at Monday Music Moves Me, the theme is to pick a song with a name or an event that's in song and I've chosen my 3...
1. GOODBYE ENGLAND’S ROSE SUNG BY ELTON JOHN-1997
When Diana died it sent Shockwaves around the world and, just like JFK's death, we all remember where we were when we heard the news( I was in my mom's tummy back in '63). Elton John was a close friend of Lady Diana so he rearranged the lyrics of his famous song, " Goodbye Norma Jean", which is about Marilyn Monroe, and played this at Diana’s funeral...the only time he played it.
2. HEY JOE SUNG BY JIMI HENDRIX-1966
This is a famous tune made very famous by Jimi Hendrix. I heard this many times due to my brother, who loved, and still loves, Hendrix. He played it in his car on the way to school along with other songs from this amazing guitarist. This was the last song, played by Hendrix, at Woodstock!
3. VOGUE SUNG BY MADONNA-1990
This is when Madonna was at her peak before she looked like some circus freak. I loved dancing to this tune and mouthing the words when she gets to the classic film stars. Apparently, voguing was a dance craze with the gay scene...who cares where and great for them to start something iconic. I always tried, sadly, to vogue.
This is for s nice couple who invited us over For the afternoon. She actually was the reason we met. She was our matchmaker. I'll tell the story one day because it's sweet. Now, I used a series of die cuts to cut out the backings in white, red glitter, and black cardstock. I stamped the flower in black and used my gamsol pencils to colour it in. I stamped the flower again and cut out the flowers. I used the pop up dots to adhere them to the main flower for a 3D effect. I took a die cut butterfly to cut out the image from a paper remnant I had glittered up in red and glued everything in place onto the gold cardstock. Finally, I added garnet crystals for this January card.
I took a stencil, that I have not used before, and coloured it with distress inks and then placed it on my light box and pressed it with a small tool to raise it up so it looks embossed although it doesn't come out in this picture, sadly. I stamped my sweet reindeer in the middle and coloured it with markers. I embossed the red cardstock through my cuddlebug with the evergreen branches and coloured it with gold. I put the turquoise glitter on top and heat embossed it. Plus I heat embossed the saying on top. I added the glitter gold stickers and the crystals.
The great director, Norman Jewison, died on Saturday at the grand age of 97. He was a gifted director with a soul and a need to speak about injustice and talked about racism, prejudice and social issues but he also had a fun side and enjoyed making comedies as well. He was nominated for an Oscar, I think, 4 times but never won but he won 3 Emmys. He was a proud Canadian and born in Toronto making this city his second home. He created the Canadian Film Centre and was involved in the Toronto university. When he travelled through the U.S. south, after serving in the Canadian army during WW2, he was appalled at the segregation and racist attitude of the people and he visited this attitude in many of his films. I am going to choose more than my regular 3.
1. THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING-1966
This is a hilarious comedy about a small U.S. coastal town who feel they are being invaded by the Russians when a Russian sub accidentally runs aground. The U.S. citizens are ready for action while the Russian commander and his men just want to go home. It stars Alan Arkin and Sid Caesar and this is a comedy classic.
2. IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT-1967
This is a classic starring Sidney Poitier as a detective sent to the Deep South to investigate a murder and must deal with the prejudices of the town including the sheriff played by Rod Steiger. This is well acted and deals with the horrible nature of people who hate just because of skin colour. This film won many Oscars and was made into a successful TV series that starred Carroll O’Connor.
3. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF-1971
This is a famous musical that was on Broadway winning many Tony’s before being made into this film starring Topol as head of Jewish family trying to marry off his daughters while dealing with the racist attitude of the Russians who would love to erase the people off their land. There are some great songs that come from this film like , “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Sunrise, Sunset”.
4. AND JUSTICE FOR ALL-1979
I was blown away by Al Pacino’s performance in this film with his famous “You’re out of order” scene being the culmination in this film about a lawyer, who beats to a different drummer. He often is the bane of existence for some judges and ends up having to defend a judge he hates. It’s well acted and worth seeing.
5. MOONSTRUCK-1987
Cher was in top form in this comedy about a woman, living with her parents and being sought after by 2 brothers. The one, she expects to marry and he is secure and solid but his wayward brother, played by Nicholas Cage, gets under her skin. This is a very fun comedy that won Cher her Oscar and allowed us to see her Oscar outfit.
6. THE HURRICANE-1999
I love this movie that stars Denzel Washington as Ruben, “The Hurricane”, Carter who is unjustly accused of a triple murder and sent to prison. Many took up his cause including famous people like Bob Dylan who wrote the song about “ The Hurricane” but nothing is done. Many years later, a young African American from NYC is sent to Toronto to study and given a second chance. There he learns about The Hurricane and, with his 3 teachers / mentors take up the cause to prove his innocence. Due to their diligence, they find the proof giving the lawyers the ability to set The Hurricane free. This caused quite a stir because, I believe, it showed how Canadians helped this man when the Americans could not and The real Hurricane Carter decided to make Toronto his home. How dare we Canadians find the way! Hahaha. It is well acted by Denzel who won the Oscar for this role.
This month I decided to choose 2010 because it's more recent. The new Oscar Noms came out yesterday and, big surprise, John Williams is up for another Oscar. He will win because he is retiring at over 90 so this will be his last. It's freebie over at Monday Music Moves Me over at Curious as A Cathy. Let's see if you can guess which song won the Oscar, which was nominated and which came up nadda.
1. COMING HOME SUNG BY GWYNETH PALTROW
This song, sung by Gwennie Paltry ...sorry, can't help myself, was from the film, " Country Strong". It was written by Bob Di Piero, Tom Douglas, Lindsey and Troy Verges.
2. BOUND TO YOU SUNG BY CHRISTINA AGUILERA
You have to admit, She has a great set of pipes and sings this torch song really well even if it's from the movie "Burlesque". This was written by Aguilera, Sia, and Samuel Dixon.
3. WE BELONG TOGETHER SUNG BY RANDY NEWMAN
I can't stand Randy Newman. He creates some good songs but, to me, he seems like one arrogant ass whom I just want to bitch slap. Anyways, he is the go to songwriter for the Toy Story franchise and this song is from Toy Story 3.
So which song won, which was nominated and which came up zilch?
Since it was Martin Luther King’s birthday and a holiday, I thought about what he was fighting for and against. The sad thing is that racism still exists and quite strongly…sadly so. I decided to choose 3 films that incorporates the issues of racism in one form or another and here are my 3 picks…
1. THE DEFIANT ONES-1958
This is an action film about prison escapees starring Tony Curtis and Sydney Poitier as 2 escaped convicts who are handcuffed together to give the sheriff a laugh. At first, they hate each other’s guts mainly due to colour of their skins. It’s the Deep South so, naturally, black people are looked at as no better than slaves ( I don’t think a lot has changed…sadly) but, over time, they begin to respect one another and actually form a friendship while dealing with an angry, lynching mob or other nasty people including swamps, heat and insects. It’s really a well written film and finely acted by not only Poitier but Tony Curtis.
2. LITTLE BIG MAN-1970
Can I say I love Chief Dan George who was an excellent actor and was in some good films in the 70s including this film that stars Dustin Hoffman as a 121 year old man who says he is the sole survivor of the Massacre at Little Big Horn. A reporter wants to know about this old man’s life and you follow him from being a foster son to a husband and wife with the wife a bit lusty after the 16 yr old to him being taken in by the Cheyenne with Chief Dan George as the elder who takes Dustin under his wing. This is a funny movie but also a very, very sad film especially when his Cheyenne wife, child and her sisters are massacred by Custer and his troops at the Washita River. This scene really got to me and, when I found out it was a true story, it hit home for some reason. I really like this film and the way it depicted the Native American people.
3. VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED-1976
I need to see this film again since I haven’t seen it in so long. This is based on a true story about a group of Jewish people on a German cruise ship, in 1939, bound for Cuba to escape the Nazi persecution. Little do they realize they are pawns in the propaganda that nobody will want them. Unfortunately, they are proven right when the United States refuses them entry as does Canada. The German captain must turn back but not before wanting to ground the ship near Britain so the people will have to be taken off as refugees. Thankfully, Britain, France, Holland and Belgium decide to take on the refugees. It’s just very sad to know that North America did not want to get involved and threw these people back to almost certain death which many ended up in the camps. It is well worth seeing.
Flowers are always nice to see so I chose this Dahlia from our garden last year. It was Martin Luther King Day on the 15th and it also happened to be the anniversary of my mom's death 6 years ago. Shecwas a huge...I mean, huge, supporter of freedom since she endured the opposite growing up with Hitler, the war and then The Russians. I thought of songs with dreams in the title and hope etc but I went the route of singers who were friends with Martin Luther King and who were beside him during his March to Washington. This time I chose 4 songs. Head over to Cathy's blog, Curious as a Cathy, for the Monday Music Moves Me and listen to some great songs.
1. IVE BEEN BUKED AND I’VE BEEN SCORNED SUNG BY MAHALIA JACKSON-1963
My mom loved her voice and you can see why. I'm not into religious songs but she can sing such songs with purity of voice. This is an African American spiritual that she sang before King gave his " I Have A Dream" speech. I almost went with the actual moment she sang at Washington but I felt it was grainy but you can always go to YouTube and check it out.
2. TURN THE WORLD AROUND SUNG BY HARRY BELAFONTE-1979
This is from the Muppet Show and Jim Henson considered it his favourite and Harry was proud of this episode and should be. Harry was a good friend of Martin Luther King and marched with him in 1963. Harry made a trip to Guinea and heard this song there when visiting a small village. He was a huge civil rights activist and just passed away, at 96, last year.
3. SOMETHING HE CAN FEEL SUNG BY ARETHA FRANKLIN-1976
Aretha was a very good friend of King ascwell and was devastated, like so many, when he was killed. This song, I thought, seemed to work and was written by Curtis Mayfield for the film sparkle
4. WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW SUNG BY TONY BENNETT-1969
This is a famous Burt Bacharach song with lyrics by Hal David which Dionne Warwick made it her own but Tony dang this on his album when thecworld was in turmoil. He also was a friend of Martin luther king and walked part of the way with him back in 1963. He had seen the horrors of war in WW2 during the Battle of the Bulge and seeing the Nazi Death camps, so he hated injustice of any kind. He passed away last year, as well, at 96.
I started making more cards since Christmas and this was fun…how could it not be! I already had cut out this peacock in the emerald green,paired it with this purply paper and added the pink for the background. I glued them all down and added some pink glitter to the body of the peacock. I got these wooden flowers for Christmas h plus many more wooden pieces) and coloured them in the hot pink. I added the sentiment that I cut out using my sizzex and, finally, added a little bling. I included this in Inspire Me Monday which can include anything creative from cards to cooking, you name it.
The 4 Seasons- chose Bird in the snow from the picture
I am enjoying this new technique, well, new to me, where I took an embossing folder, enclosed white cardstock and pushed this through my cuddlebug. Using my stencil brushes, I took my distress inks in green, brown and red and coloured the image that is inset. Afterwards, I took black ink and placed the ink pad down on the card stock and lightly spread it onto the card until it was completely inked up in black. I glued it to this red glitter cardstock, added the sticker corners I coloured in green and Voila!
This is not going to be one where you must guess who won but more like did they pick the right one. I’m only going to choose 3 to truly showcase with one not even nominated but that I love. Sometimes, it will be hard to truly choose which one deserved the Oscar but I will give it my best shot. I decided to choose the year, 1957, because it’s the year my hubby was born. I’m choosing Beat Actor because, as I often say, why not. The nominees, from the year, 1957, were Marlon Brando in “ Sayonara”, Alec Guinness from, “The Bridge On The River Kwai”, Anthony Franciosa from, “A Hatful Of Rain”, Charles Laughton from “Witness For The Prosecution”, and Anthony Quinn in “ Wild Is The Wind”. Alec Guinness won but should he have.
There are a few actors not even nominated like Henry Fonda in “ 12 Angry Men”, Andy Griffith in “A Face In The Crowd”, Robert Mitchum from, “ Heaven Knows, Mr. Alison,” Kirk Douglas from “Paths of Glory” and Cary Grant in “An Affair To Remember”. I’m just showcasing 3 movies but I would love to know your thoughts and if you would choose someone completely different.
1. ALEC GUINNESS FROM A BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
Alec won the Oscar for his role as a British commander held in a Japanese POW tasked with building. Bridge, that does actually exist. You see how he is a stiff, upper-crust soldier at odds with the Japanese commander who must build this bridge in aid of the enemy. You see how he takes pride in the bridge and wonder why he doesn’t want to sabotage it. It is well acted and it is an excellent film that won many awards including Best Picture and soundtrack that is justly famous.
2. CHARLES LAUGHTON IN WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
I love Charles Laughton and this is a fun film directed by Billy Wilder that also stars Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power and Laughton’s wife, Elsa Lanchester as his nurse. Laughton plays a famous defense attorney who has just been let out of the hospital after suffering a heart attack. He has been told to take it easy but that’s not going to happen when Tyrone Power strolls in as a man up on murder charges. He decides, against his nurse’s wishes, to take the case meeting the man’s wife, played by Marlene Dietrich. This is a perfect mystery thriller with some humorous moments thrown in and very entertaining. Highly recommended.
3. HENRY FONDA IN 12 ANGRY MEN
To say I love this film is an understatement and Henry Fonda really carries his role throughout this film with a number of character actors who all bring in their own personalities making this film a step above the average. It starts off with seeing the accused who, just by his scared look, you know is innocent but the jury must decide whether he is or not. All but one, Fonda, believe the kid to be guilty and all are pissed that Fonda wants to review the evidence. It’s a nail biter even though it takes place in one room and it’s a great character study.
I do love all 3 and even Andy Griffith in a Face in The Crowd as a hometown folksy singer who is a real son of bitch behind the scenes but I’m going with Charles Laughton who just gave a stellar performance as the irritated but amused lawyer. I was ready to hand it to Henry Fonda because he’s brilliant in this but 12 Angry Men is an ensemble cast in many ways. I do love Alec Guinness in this role but I think Laughton does one better. What are your thoughts?
It’s freebie week for Monday Music Moves Me and this week, we are getting rain, snow, freezing rain, ice pellets, rain etc… This Friday night into Saturday, we are to have another storm with more snow than rain in my neck of the woods. Today has been a big slop of a day starting with wet snow to freezing rain and now…rain. In the north, they got snow. So I decided to showcase 3 songs that made me think of today’s weather.
1. HAZY SHADE OF WINTER BY SIMON & GARFUNKEL-1966
I love this team even if they don’t really like each other but they harmonized so well and this song is another great one from them tht seemed to fit.
2. YOU’RE AS COLD AS ICE BY FOREIGNER-1977
This song popped into my head this morning while driving to work. It was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones about a bad gal but I was thinking of the f$(@ ice pellets.
3. KEEPS ON A RAININ’ SUNG BY BILLIE HOLIDAY-1949
I love Billie Holiday who had such a way with a song and this song fits for the next 3 days. It was written in 1924 by Max Kortlander and Clarence Williams and was initially sung by Bessie Smith but I love Billie.
Given your weather right now, what song(s) would you choose?
I missed last month due to Christmas mayhem so I’m going to do November and December together and here we go. I will do my best to make my comments short…
NOVEMBER
1. THE MORTAL STORM-1940
Finally saw this film starring Jimmy Stewart who is a German and is not one for the Nazi Regime unlike his friends. It’s quite a good film and glad I finally saw it.
2. COUNTERPOINT-1968
Granite statue Charlton Heston plays a famous orchestra leader who, with his troupe, end up being held captive by Hubba Hubba Maximillian Schell as a Nazi General. Bad Nazis killing old people and women with some great music. Not bad even with the typical thin-lipped evil Nazi who can’t wait to kill them all. Will they die?
3. RKO 281-1999
Orson Welles makes a movie called “Citizen Kane” and we meet all the people who may be part of the film. We see William Randolph Hearst not happy with the making of this film. It’s good…not great but I do like the story since it is famous in film lore.
DECEMBER
1. LOVE, ACTUALLY-2003
2. MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET-1947
Edmund Gwynn is the perfect Santa and this is a great movie.
3. IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE-1946
What more can I say? My all time favourite
4. HOLIDAY AFFAIR-1949
Janet Leigh is a war widow trying to earn money by sizing up the toys in different department stores. She meets Robert Mitchum who works in the toy dept. Hahahaaa..sorry, Robert Mitchum selling toys. Not a bad Christmas movie which is not as well known as the others but still quite nice.
5. A CHRISTMAS CAROL-1951
Love Alastair Sim as Scrooge…my favourite.
6. HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS-2000
Jim Carrey plays the Grinch. It’s ok but I prefer the cartoon. I do love the dog.
7. GOING MY WAY-1944
I’m a sucker for this film about a young priest who is told to take over from the old priest when the church is ready to be foreclosed upon. Love the music, Bing Crosby, Frank McHugh and the great Barry Fitzgerald. Rise Stevens is the perfect Carmen.
I can’t think of any TV shows that I watched that 8n have not already spoke about,
So Wandering Through The Shelves has decided to no longer continue her fun blog about films but I’m going to keep going and choose my own themes each week just because…I can. Thanks for the inspiration Ms. Wandering and I hope you visit on occasion. I have chosen movies with a New Year’s theme/moment in the film and, yes, I stayed away from the movie “New Year’s” because I haven’t seen it yet. I know I got the title wrong but ..meh…anyhoo, here are my picks..
1. HOLIDAY-1938
I need to see this film again because it’s an under-rated gem starring 2 greats, Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. Cary is a man who has decided to take a holiday from work but just as he makes this decision, he meets a beautiful, rich socialite and they quickly become engaged. They go back to her rich family’s house which is huge and filled with her oppressive dad, alcoholic brother and her older, carefree sister, played by Katherine Hepburn. During New Year’s Eve, Cary realizes that his gal still wants him to work but his sis is just as carefree as him. It’s fun, with some darker undertones and it works becoming the gem we know today..or should know.
2. MADE FOR EACH OTHER-1939
This stars 2 more greats, James Stewart and Carole Lombard as 2 young people who meet, fall in love and marry all in one day but, unlike Earnest Borgnine and Ethel Merman who quickly parted ways after a drunken sodden night, these 2 make a go of it. He is a young lawyer who is having a tough time keeping everything together given their financial issues and his snotty mother. His wife, pregnant, is ready to leave but New Year’s brings true heart ache when their new born child becomes very sick and needs a serum to survive but it’s far away. They realize their child might die unless that serum is delivered. This is a roller coaster ride of a film with comedy, drama, sadness and tension all rolled up in a good film. Stewart loved working with Lombard and enjoyed her potty mouth for which she was famous. He said she made those words sound normal.
3. LAST HOLIDAY-2006
I’m not quite sure why Queen Latifah got the Kennedy Center Honours when, I believe there re still others who deserve it more, but she is an accomplished actress and made this sweet movie fun. She stars as a woman working for a big box store who finds out she has only a few weeks to live. She looks at her scrapbook of possibilities and decides to cash 8n everything and take off to a very fancy hotel in the Czech Republic. She dresses in the finest and stays at the presidential suite getting the attention of some very rich people including the man who owns those big box stores, his mistress, a senator and the chef of the hotel. Soon, this man wants to one up her but can’t and wants to know who she truly is. You find out that she was misdiagnosed and is not dying so the man she loves, decides to go and tell her plus tell her he feels the same. It all culminates during New Year’s Eve. This is not a great film but it is a fun movie that is always nice to watch.
Yes, I kiss my dog and he loves it. Not the best kiss but I love kissing him hello, goodbye and I love you. So another year over and on to the next. I'm joining in on Monday Music Moves Me and here are my 3...
1. AULD LANG SYNE SUNG BY THE CAST-1946
Ok, yes, I got "It's A Wonderful Life" on here again but it fits with the theme. This is an old song from Scotland with lyrics by Robert Burns, from what little I know. It's to welcome the new year and saying goodbye to the old.
2. EVERYTIME WE SAY GOODBYE SUNG BY ELLA FITZGERALD-1944
I love this song and Ella sings it so well that I had to use her. This is a Cole Porter favourite.
3. HELLO, GOODBYE SUNG BY THE BEATLES-1967
I mean, this is the perfect song and the first one that popped into my head. I bet it will be popular today. Paul McCartney wrote it and it's one of their many hits.
What songs can you think of that sing of hellos and goodbyes?
AFFAIRS: Lew Ayres and, maybe, Frank Sinatra but that’s just a rumour
MARRIED: 3 times
CHILDREN: 4 kids with 2 eldest being adopted
OSCAR WINS: Best Supporting actress for From Here To Eternity
OSCAR NOMINATIONS: See Above
TALENT: Was pretty good in sports. She was quite good in Baseball so, when she threw the rock at the house breaking the glass, it was really Donna who threw that rock in the scene from “It’s A Wonderful Life.”
KNOWN FOR: Being wholesome although she won the Oscar for playing a whore. Co-founding the anti Vietnam war organization, “Another Mother for Peace”. Suing and winning her case for being fired from the TV show, “Dallas.”
How can anyone not love Donna Reed most famous for her starring role, opposite James Stewart, in the great film, “It’s A Wonderful Life” but also known a the most wonderful mom in “The Donna Reed Show” who epitomized the perfect mom. I still have to see that show but the kids who played her kids on TV never said a bad word about her and, in fact, Shelley Fabares considered her a second mom. She was a Republican but that didn’t mean she always agreed with the Party. During the Vietnam war, when her son could have been drafted, she co-founded “Another Mother for Peace” and worked tirelessly against the war. She also wrote to many GI’s during World War 2 when they wrote her letters because she felt she needed to. She was one of many actresses who were pin-ups during this time but she was more rare for actually responding to their letters. Later on, she played on Dallas, replacing Barbara Bel Geddes but was unceremoniously fired by the producers when Barbara decided to come back. For some reason, the audience never took to Donna Reed but , no matter, she sued the producers for breach of contract and won her case. Sadly, she died too young, in my opinion, but will always be remembered for Mary, the woman who loves George Bailey.
