It’s Cat Month!

 

I found out that September is National Cat Month, so this movie theme is all about the Pussy cat. There are a ton of cat movies and I already spoke about “Bell, Book and Candle” with James Stewart and Kim Novak( I think a couple of times)m so I am going with these pussy cat tails…

1. THE CAT FROM OUTER SPACE-1978

This is a silly Disney movie and I enjoyed watching way back when and would love to see it again. Basically, a spaceship crash lands on earth and out comes a cat. He has been separated from his mother ship and now must try to fix his ship so he can meet back up with his fellow felines. He hooks up with a scientist, Ken Barry, letting him know that his thoughts, while ridiculed by his fellow scientists, is right on track. Somehow, they get involved with gamblers and horse racing to make enough money to buy gold needed to fix the cat’s ship. You have Sandy Duncan, Harry Morgan, Roddy McDowell and McLean Stevenson in this silly movie, but the star is this cat who does steal every scene. Thank Goodness no AI is in this movie

2. THE ADVENTURES OF MILO AND OTIS-1986

I came across this movie one day while channel surfing and thought I’d give it a a chance since it’s all about the exploits of these 2 main characters-Milo is an orange tabby and Otis is a pug. Milo is always getting into trouble and Otis follows him to help Milo out. Milo ends up in a box on the edge of a river and what is a cat to do with a box? Yup, he jumps in it only for the box to dislodge and travel down the river. Otis, scared for his friend, follows him. Milo ends up out of the box and meets up with all sorts of animals on his journey home. He ends up in a pit where Otis finds him and helps Milo out of the pit. Together they find their way home. It is a sweet film with real animals, not animated, not A. I., just trained animals which is so cool. I really love this sweet fairy tale movie and would love to see it again.

3. HOCUS POKUS-1993

I finally saw this movie a couple of months ago and it is fun, especially love Bette Midler as her evil witch self along with her nasty sisters, Kathy Najimy and Sara Jessica Parker. They have been, unwittingly, unleashed onto present day earth. They mean trouble and the only ones to stop them are these teens and this black cat. The cat can talk because it is actually, a young man who was turned into a cat by these witches after they drained the life force of the love of his life way back in the 1500s. Now, these bad witches need the teens life force so they can remain young and not die by the time the sun rises. It's, also, a bit silly but I did enjoy the dance scene where these ugly witches put a spell on all the adults to have them dance and dance. I love the cat especially since he is a black cat. Black cats get a bad rap as I always found them very affectionate.

Which cat do you love in movies? 

Happy Cat Month

 

Yes, these are our 2 pussy cats, Kaspar( not Hitler) and Lexi, my sweet little girl who can be devilish on occasion. Kaspar is my hubby’s cat who just moos like a sick cow when he sees my hubby outside. As soon as hubby comes in, Kaspar meow cries running to him as if my hubby was gone for a month. He is a real suck and sweetly sleeps on hubby’s legs in pure contentment. Lexi, my sweetie, follows me everywhere and tells me when she wants to go upstairs. Why? She loves to drink the water from the tap. She is my suck who likes to redecorate my home by scratching off the wallpaper. She also loves to play fetch using the plastic round piece that comes off when you open an orange juice container. She meows and I look at her and see the orange round thingy by her feet. I throw it and she chases it, grabs it and brings it back to me! Yup, she fetches like a doggie and makes me laugh. It is national cat month and over at Monday Music Moves Me it’s all about the pussy…..cat. 

1. MADEMOISELLE KITT SUNG BY EARTHA KITT-1956

I can not help but think of Eartha Kitt who loved to act like a sly, sexy kitty kat. She purred and moved like a black cat should. Just watch the old Batman TV show because Earthy Eartha took over the role from the purrfect Julie Newmar as Catwoman and was great in this sexy role. I enjoyed this song that was written by Mesi Julian which Ms. Kitt makes it her own. I hope I have the right song...oh well...

2. PUSSY CAT SONG ( NYOW! NYOW! NYOW!) SUNG BY LOUIS PRIME AND KEELY SMITH-1956

This is another fun song from one of the Andrews sisters and Bob Crosby. I found this very fun and engaging. What more can I say?

3. ROSSINI’S CAT DUET SUNG BY KIRI TE KANAWA AND NORMA BELLOWS-1982

When I first heard this song on the classical station, I started to laugh. It is so funny and you can tell the singers had a lot of fun.

What cat songs can you think of? Do you have a cat? What unique things do they do?

Who Should Have Won Best Actress-1943

 

This was quite a great year for movies as well as for great actresses and whom did they choose?  A long-winded movie with a boring actress. Anyway, here are the Best Actresses for 1943, the one who won, the one whom, I think, should have won and the one who was not nominated.

1. JENNIFER JONES IN THE SONG OF BERNADETTE

Jennifer Jones, a young, beautiful girl, in what the studios claimed was her first film ( she was in 2 other films under her real name, Phylis Isley) starred as Bernadette, the saint. So, before she became a saint,  Bernadette saw the image of Mary in a grotto. Soon the grotto has healing powers and helps cure people when they partake of the waters. She enters the nunnery, pious and virtuous despite others not believing in her and in what she saw. This was a loooonnnng movie and I found it, boring. Jennifer was nice but was just blah. Frankly, I think she excelled in later films but not her first as Jennifer Jones. I believe her “attachment” to David O Selznick helped her achieve this stardom and her Oscar….just saying.

2. JEAN ARTHUR IN THE MORE, THE MERRIER

I recently rewatched this funny and sweet romantic comedy that stars Jean Arthur as a regular gal who has a large apartment and decides to rent out the one bedroom since there is a housing shortage. Enter Charles Coburn, a millionaire whose hotel room is not available, so he sees the advertisement for the room in the paper and, after much tribulation, Arthur agrees to let the older man sublet. Before you can whistle Dixie, the older man meets a young, new soldier, played by the ruggedly, handsome Joel McCrea, who needs a room for a week before being shipped out to Africa so, he sublets his half of his room. This creates some chaos for the rule-oriented Arthur but they all do their best to get along. This is a funny and engaging comedy. Arthur is brilliant as the uber-time management, tense gal who has no problem showing herself with cream on her face, mouth full of toothpaste and awkward in her style. She makes her character believable and funny while falling in love with  McCrea. She has perfect timing as well as showing herself tenderness. I do think she should have won.

3. INGRID BERGMAN IN CASABLANCA

Ingrid Bergman was nominated this year, but not for her stellar performance in Casablanca as Ilse but for  the film, “For Whom The Bell Tolls” as guerrilla fighter, Maria. Amazing that she was not nominated for her sublime performance as the beauteous Ilse who shows up Rick’s Cafe with her Husband, Victor Lazlo, played by righteous Paul Henreid. There, she sees Rick, played by cynical Humphrey Bogart, whom she feel in love with when living in Paris. Now, Rick has the letters of transit which will allow 2 people to leave Casablanca and travel out of Nazi controlled countries. I love this film with all the characters, the intrigues, the humour..it is perfect in every way. In fact, if Bergman would have been nominated for this role and won, I would not have an issue with it but I still give it to Arthur. Bergman played a role that could have been one dimensional but she puts all these nuances into her role to make her character believable. 

So, have you seen any of these films? Do you agree or would you choose another? 

Oh, for anyone who loves old films, actors and scandals, you should go to YouTube and watch this podcast called, “From Beneath The Hollywood Sign.” It is a great podcast with 2 people who just love film and discuss the films the people made plus some of the scandal like Thomas Ince’s death. They have a star of the month and this month, they chose Linda Darnell. Joel, I think you would love this and should check it out. 

September…

 

I’m watching a CNN special on 9/11 about people saving people on that horrific day 25 years ago and it is very, very moving, so very sad and yet one of hope and love. You hear the stories of people being;g saved by others and meeting each other 25 years later. This is incredibly moving so, I am changing what I was going to choose today, for the Monday Music Moves Me Challenge, and used these songs…

1. YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE SUNG BY SHIRLEY JONES

When I watched the film, “Carousel”  when I was a teen and when this song came on, I cried because it was so moving. This was a Rogers and Hammerstein musical and another great musical that starred Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRea as the lovers who meet and fall in love around the carousel. I always find this song very inspirational.

2. TO DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM SUNG BY RICHRD KILEY-1965

This song comes from, “ The Man From La Mancha”  composed by Mitch Leigh with lyrics by Joe Darion and this song got me through my teen years. I still feel very close to this song and it has helped me through some tough times.

3. CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN SUNG BY PEGGY WOOD-1965

This is another famous song from  the famous musical, “ The Sound Of Music”, the last musical from Rodger’s and Hammerstein and, arguably, the most famous. It stars Julie Andrews as a novice nun sent to govern Christopher Plummer’s 7 kids. She was not prepared to fall in love with him( and vice-versa) and runs back to the nunnery only to hear this song. This is what we must do in our life and be inspired to keep moving forward no matter what hurdles are presented to us. 

I can’t believe it has been 25 years since 9/11. What songs inspire you?

Happy School Musicals-

 

Ok, yesterday I was so against school, today it’s all about how happy kids are where they find their true love and break out into song. We’ve all been there, right? I know, when I was bullied, I started to break out into song, sing about my right to be me and start to dance where every bullied student starts dancing in unison, ending in a fireworks light show. Too much? Ok, without further adieu, here are my 3…

1. STRIKE UP THE BAND-1940

Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland star in this fun musical with the exuberant, ADHD high school student, Mickey trying to get his band to Chicago to win a best band trophy sponsored by Paul Whitman( who plays himself). First, he and Judy put on a show and make enough money to buy the instruments for their high school but now he must get his band and female vocalist to Chicago, and after many faux pas’s, they make it and put on a big show. This is fun, energetic with great singing and dancing led by the young leads of Looney er , I mean, Rooney and Garland. I love the one scene with animated fruit in an orchestra..yup, you heard me…animated fruit.

2. GOOD NEWS-1947

This high school musical stars Peter Lawford and June Allyson as high school students who deal with all the angst associated with high schoolers….love and football. Basically, Lawford thinks he is in love with a popular gal and asks the gal who works in the library what to do. Of course, she is played by Allyson who falls for Lawford even though he’s an idiot. You have a subplot with, well, the same thing, one gal loves an idiot who loves another. In the end, everyone falls for the right person and they break out in an exuberant sing and dance number. It’s another fun flick and the one dance number, “ Pass the Peace Pipe” is so much fun, led by the tragic Joan McCracken( she was a gifted, although odd, dancer and singer who died young from diabetes). Today, this song would never pass muster just the title alone, can tell you why, but you would lose a great scene and one I wish, did exist in real life.

3. GREASE-1978

We should all know about Grease that stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton John as 2 high school students who meet and fall in love, before high school starts. Travolta is in some beach town for a family vacation where he meets Olivia and they have dreamy days and nights before he leaves. Now high school starts and she is a new student who is sweet and innocent and does not quite fit in with the tough gals in high school. She reunites with Travolta and is confused because he is not the sweet boy from summer vacation, but a leather-clad Rock’N Roller who is not the type of boy you bring home to meet dad. In between you have a lot of singing and dancing especially the high school dance. I love some of the staff, like Eve Arden, Sid Caesar and Joan Blondell that adds to this movie’s success. The happy ending shows Olivia giving up who she is as a person for the love of John wearing a slutty outfit so tight that Newton John had to be sewn into those pants. Mind you, she does look good and many young guys had the hots for Olivia but I just hate this ending. She conforms to what her boyfriend wants her to be leaving her own identity in the dust. What a crock!

So, any high school musicals you can think of? Did you ever break out into song? I bet you did😁

End of Summer= Back to School= Yuck!

 

I am 62 years old and, when I see and hear back to school commercials, I still get the heebie-jeebies. When my mom would say how much she could not wait to go back to school, I just looked to her as if she was some freak. So, I wondered if there are any songs about the he’ll of going back to school. I wish there was one that came close to my feeling of dreck, but I came up with these 3 and joined the wonderful Monday Music Moves Me, on Wednesday.

1. ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL BY PINK FLOYD-1979

This is a great song about the harsh way teachers and administrators dealt with kids. The worst I got was having to stand in the corner, I think I was in grade 2…My hubby was one who would get the strap or the ruler but he knew what to do. Pull out a hair from your head and place it on your palm of your hand. When the ruler, or strap, came down, it would cut and blood would show and the disciplinarians would have to stop. Ahhh, school. 

2. SCHOOL DAYS BY CHUCK BERRY-1957

This is just a fun song that I love and thought it was quite right….i hoped I would pass. Chuck was cool.

3.  HIGHWAY TO HELL BY AC/DC-1979

This doesn’t have anything to do with school, but I always thought about it when I knew I had to go back. I do believe, strongly, in education but I hated the system, the constant bullying and some teachers were horrible but typical teachers for the day. In my day, we had teachers who would look down the girls’ tops and the “popular” girls knew so they unbuttoned their tops and, yes, they got As. We had teachers who believed in  Hitler and would walk up and down the aisle with the  big ruler smoking it down on any kids’  desk. Oh and the ones who would throw the chalk or eraser at you if they felt you were talking. 

Yeah, I guess I’m a bit jaded:) Wht songs can you think of about your school years?

Star Of The Month: Trevor Howard

TREVOR HOWARD

BORN: September 29, 1913

DIED: January 7, 1988

AGED: 74 years

DIED FROM: Cirrhosis of the Liver from years of acute alcoholism 

MARRIED: Once to Helen Cherry…bless her soul

CHILDREN: None

AFFAIRS: numerous affairs most notably with actress Anouk Aimee

OSCAR WINS: None

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 1..Sons and Lovers-1960

FAMOUS FRIENDS: Kenneth More, Jack Hawkins and Rex Harrison

TALENT: His incredible acting talent who was always on time, knew his lines and delivered what was needed plus so much more. He hated Marlon Brando because of Brando’s eccentricity, being late and feeling superior to others. 

KNOWN FOR: his love of Cricket. His legendary drinking, carousing, and keeping his private life, private.

When I saw “Brief Encounter”, I fell for Trevor Howard and thought he was so gentle, romantic, gentlemanly….the. I saw him in a later movie and thought..”What The Hell?” His soft features were gone and the cutting angular edges took hold. I had no idea that he was a raving alcoholic and, more than likely, a sex-addict. He was known to have numerous affairs and could drink and drink and drink. His wife stood by him, loyal, until he died…she deserved a medal! He and his sister lived with their parents in Ceylon before their mom took them on a long trip, first to California where Mary Pickford overheard the child, Trevor, speak about Father Christmas and was enchanted by him. Apparently, he was in a couple of her films, but this enchantment was short-lived as they travelled to Canada and stayed for a long time while his mom visited her family. When they returned to England he was sent to a boarding school. This must have traumatized him since he travelled and was with his family and now, 8 yrs old, he is all alone in a strict school which he hated. It was here that he started to play Cricket. He LOVED cricket making sure that he would see his beloved Cricket even when making a movie. He had it added in his contract that he would be off work during cricket matches! Brief Encounter put him on the map even though the character, a gentleman who longed for Celia Johnson, kissing her..he never understood the character because why have all this longing just get it done. In one of his movies, he shared the longest kiss, for that era, ending up in the Guinness Book of World Records! I still have to see that movie.

He was in the army and was credited for his valour as a paratrooper, seeing action and awarded the Military Cross. These were all lies! He was in the army but never saw any combat and was discharged for his mental instability and his psychopathic personality. The latter imprint was due to incessant lying about his childhood and school days. He was discharged, with the lies formulated by the studios and Trevor not denying it. His drinking escalated after his discharge and, when he was awarded the CBE by the Queen, he declined it. He was intensely private, loving his local pub, talking with the men in the pub rather than schmoozing with the film people, and watching cricket. He was a complex man who seemed a gentleman yet was moody and could throw things across the room, have a few DUIs where he lost his license for 8 years culminating in his death from cirrhosis of the liver. A sad end to a man who really was a great actor.

FILMS-( films I have seen with a couple I have not which is why they are near the bottom)

1. Brief Encounter-1945

2. The Third Man-1949

3. Von Ryan’s Express-1965

4. The Battle of Britain-1969

5. The Sea Wolves-1980

6. Mutiny on the Bounty-1962

7. Ryan’s Daughter-1970

8. Gandhi-1982

9. Charge of the Light Brigade-1968

10. Outcast of the Islands-1951