What Should Have Won Best Picture-1979

 

Happy Birthday My Brother, Baron! I can't believe that you are now a pensioner. I still think we are at home, with mom and dad, playing hide and seek with the Lennoks, after 9pm…gosh, that was so much fun! In honor of my brother's birthday, I asked him which film or actor should have won the Oscar and he, immediately, mentioned Apocalypse Now and I agree with him 150%. So who actually won and which film didn't even get nominated is mentioned below..

1. APOCALYPSE NOW

I can't understand how this film did not win because this is not just a movie, it is a film worthy of being called Art. Like “Citizen Kane,” “It's A Wonderful Life,” “Rear Window,” and “Schindler's List,” this film is one we all know whether we have seen it or not. In fact, it is so famous, not only for the actual film, but for all the behind the scenes mayhem. France's Ford Coppola sank all his money into the making of this film which almost bankrupted him. The star of the film, Martin Sheen suffered a heart attack and then there is the tornado called Marlon Brando…”The Horror…The Horror”. There is a documentary about the making of this film which is just as riveting as the film. We follow Martin Sheen who must, during the Vietnam War, locate and exterminate Kurtz, played by Marlon Brando, a colonel gone rogue. We follow Sheen, with a handful of young soldiers, travel into the heart of darkness (an actual book, that I need to reread since I didn't understand it when I initially read it back in high school) finding out more about the brutality of life and its meaning, if there is any. Robert Duvall should have won Best Supporting actor for his portrayal of a crazy, surf loving, Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore who, “loves the smell of napalm in the morning.” This is a must-see film for its acting, plot, music, scenery and the artistic look of the film. What are your thoughts on this film, Baron?

2. KRAMER VS KRAMER

This is the film that won Best Picture as well as Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, Director plus Beat Adapted Screenplay and.. while it is a good film, I just don’t understand all the hoopla. It is one of the first films to depict a man dealing with raising his child on his own after his wife leaves to “find herself.” He is trying to balance his work while dealing with his son who misses his mom by acting like a real brat ( the ice cream scene is great). I just watched this film again, not having seen it since I saw it in the theatre back in 1979. I still maintain that this is a good film with Hoffman giving a great performance as the out of touch husband who must be the dad to his son(Justin Henry who  was nominated in the Beat Supporting Actor category) when his crying wife, played by Meryl Streep, needs to find herself and leaves them. When she returns, she wants her son and takes her husband to court while crying most of the time. Yeah, she won the Best Supporting Actress and I just never understood why she won. For me, she is over-rated and I know I am in the minority in this. Regardless, this is a film worth seeing and it does rug at the heart strings.

3. THE CHINA SYNDROME

This film is a very scary film because it is quite realistic. Why? It deals with the possibility of nuclear meltdown which was met with harsh criticism by the execs at the nuclear power stations. Unfortunately, 12 days after the release of the film, there was a nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island causing radiation to seep out and the surrounding area to leave their homes and not return. This film is about such an accident possibly occurring but it is a film of fiction, so-called. It stars Jack Lemmon as a high level executive who sees how shoddy work is creating a nuclear meltdown, but no one is listening to him. At the same time, a reporter and cameraman, played by Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas, are doing a story on the nuclear power plant when Lemmon, suspecting a nuclear meltdown, takes over the plant in order to bring awareness to the public about the safety concerns of this plant. The higher-ups and money men want Lemmon shut down and will do anything to get this done. It is an intense, well-acted film that is eerily relevant even today and this was not even nominated for Best Picture.

The other films that were nominated were “Breaking Away”, “All That Jazz”, and “Norma Rae”. 

Films not even nominated were “Alien”, “Manhattan” and “And Justice For All”. 

Do you agree with this or do you feel another picture should have won or do you agree with the Academy? 

UFO Time, it’s UFO Time

 

This is Wednesday which means it’s Monday Music Moves Me today on my blog and this week’s theme is all about the UFO. I do hope you enjoy these cinematic delights…

1. MAIN THEME FROM INVADERS FROM MARS BY MORT GLICKMAN-1953

When I saw this film, I have to say, it freaked me out and the music was a contributing factor in making me  me freak out. Funny, originally, this music was thought to be created by Raoul Kraushaar but, now the consensus is tht Mort Glickman created this piece. How do you like it?

2. DUEL OF THE FATES BY JOHN WILLIAMS

John Williams is one prolific composer often pairing with Steven Spielberg to create an indelible partnership scoring so many films with him but Star Wars is THE biggest film. Of course, I did not pick the most famous theme but chose the vital fight scene between Darth Maul and Obi Wan Kenobi. I find this piece of great music the most thrilling  and it does take place in outer space.

3. PRELUDE AND OUTER SPACE BY BERNARD HERMANN-1951

This great, eerie music comes from….klaatu, barrada nicto…..”The Day The Earth Stood Still”. I think this is still one of the best films about men that come from outer space and this music just heighten the tension. I think it’s a perfect take on the paranoia that gripped the States back then( not to say now!)

So what UFO music can you think of?

ANUS OF URANUS BY KLAATU-1976

Love this Canadian Band that originated "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft".

Star Of The Month-Donald Crisp

 

DONALD CRISP

BIRTH: July 27, 1882

DEATH: MAY 25, 1974

AGED: 91, a couple months short of his 92nd birthday 

DIED FROM: Heart Attack after a series of major strokes

MARRIED: 3 times, the first ended in her tragic death a year after they married. The other 2 ended in divorce

CHILDREN: None

OSCAR WINS: “How Green Is My Valley”

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Once, see above

TALENT: beautiful, operatic voice( who knew?), keen business sense becoming one of the wealthiest actors. Acting talent but also directing as well as a Production and Studio Exec.

KNOWN FOR: His soft, but commanding voice. His love of acting, keeping his private life private. Slightly( HA!) exaggerated early life. Was an Intelligence Officer in WW1 and in the army reserves in WW2 becoming a Colonel. 

Joel spoke about Donald Crisp when I mentioned “Broken Blossoms” last month and I thought Donald would be perfect for Star of the Month ( Thanks Joel:)). He was known stature and large hands, but with a soft, mellifluous voice. He spoke about his Scottish heritage, his dad as a physician to the King, graduating from Oxford and fighting in the Boer War. The problem is that Mr. Crisp slightly exaggerated….well, lied about his more common lineage. He was not Scottish at all, but English and born, the youngest of 10 kids to a labourer dad and mom. He went to school, but not Oxford and there is a question about him being in the Boer War since he was living at his parent’s home driving a horse and buggy for a job in 1901. He could have been part of the Boer War as a trooper before being injured but not sure on this one. Don’t think too badly on this man since we have no idea what it was like to deal with class discrimination. No matter, he was very studious and highly intelligent plus he could have easily taught elocution lessons. It was decades later that the truth came out about his lineage and, in fact, my books uphold his elaborations. I found out this information on the internet with many spots, like IMD, still quoting that he is Scottish with a dad as a physician to the King ( or a cattle farmer) and an Oxford (or Eton) graduate. 

When he came over to the U. S., he was found to have a beautiful singing voice, while on the ship, and was hired for the Grand Opera House in New York City. There he met George M. Cohan and became a stage manager where he met D. W. Griffith who took him out to Hollywood. He became his assistant director and acted in a few of his films like “The Birth of a Nation” portraying Ulysses S. Grant. During the teens and 20s, he not only acted but directed many silents including “The Son of Zorro” with Douglas Fairbanks and Buster Keaton in “The Navigator” ( Keaton did fire him though). He was also a Production and Studio Exec. but tired of all the crap he had to deal with so, when sound came, he stayed with acting. Well, not exactly, he was keenly adept at business and became a power broker and was a huge help to the Bank of America!  He was on their board and was a chairman, held in great respect since this was during the Great Depression and WW2. Many films can be thankful to Donald Crisp because he was a main reason the producers got the financing to make so many of these classic films. 

This man knew how to make money and command respect while enjoying making movies. He really enjoyed acting and we know him from his looks and his speech even if most no longer know his name

FILMS ( My Favourites)

1. How Green Is My Valley-1941

2. Lassie, Come Home-1943

3. The Uninvited-1944

4. National Velvet-1944

5. Broken Blossoms-1919

6. Son Of Lassie-1945

7. The White Angel-1936

8. Wuthering Heights-1939

9. The White Angel-1936

10. Svengali-1931

11. Jezebel-1938

12. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-1941

13.  Charge of the Light Brigade-1936

14. City For Conquest-1940

15. The Birth of a Nation-1915  ( there are other films he has been in that I would choose over this, if I saw them…this film is a big film historically, but very racist and reinvigorated the KKK)

Ann Blyth

 

One of the last of old Hollywood died last week at the age of 98… Ann Blyth. She would have been 99 in August and I was really hoping she would live to 100. I’m not sure why her death struck me but, I think, it is because so few are still alive. Hell, this gal worked with Joan Crawford and had nothing but nice things to say bout her! I first saw her in a musical and fell in love with her voice before I saw her as the viper brat to Saintly Joan. So, here’s to Ann..

1. MILDRED PIERCE-1945

This is the film that established Ann as a star and revitalized Joan Crawford’s career( she won the Best Actress Oscar accepting the award in her bed since she was, cough… sick with the flu) where Joan plays Mildred, a woman who has the worst daughter one can think of. Mildred and her spouse divorce after losing their sweet daughter to pneumonia. Mildred spoils he oldest daughter who is quite happy taking. Mildred finds a job as a waitress and before you can say, “Crocodiles eat their young,” Mildred opens her own restaurant and becomes quite successful. Mildred meets this suave A-hole who sweeps her off her feet while seducing her bitch of a daughter, very willingly, I might add. This is a must-see film, in my opinion, for all the noir imagery, the acting and Crawford’s shoulder pads. Ann Blyth excels as the nasty bitch of a daughter who takes and takes making her mom feel bad for making her into a nasty bitch….hmmm..maybe some parents should watch this on how not to raise their children. 

2. MR. PEABODY AND THE MERMAID-1948

I love anything dealing with mermaids and saw this fun movie years ago when the great Elwy Yost hosted Saturday Night At The Movies on TVO( the Canadian PBS) who showcased 2 movies with interviews from the famous stars, directors, producers et al from the classic days of Hollywood (I wish TVO would bring this back because I would watch this all over again). This film stars William Powell who, to help regain his strength after being ill, takes a Caribbean holiday with his wife. When he goes out fishing he is shocked when he reels in a mermaid, played so well by Ann Blyth. For whatever the reason, he brings her back to the resort and dumps her into the deep pool right near his room. This mischievous mermaid sings and smiles but is unable to talk, but that doesn’t bother Powell who falls in love with her, forgetting all about his wife. This is not a classic but it is fun movie that makes you smile.

3. THE STUDENT PRINCE-1954

This is the first film I saw Ann Blyth in and just fell in love with the movie and with her as the barmaid who falls in love with the Prince. Her exquisite, operatic voice is in full form as we follow the Prince( originally was supposed to be Mario Lanza but he was fired due to his diva-like ways and Edmund Purdom stepped in) who is a student of the old Heidelberg University. He and the other boys end up at an Inn which is popular with students who love to drink. There the Prince meets Kathie, the innkeeper’s daughter, and they fall in love but can their love survive the duty that the Prince is expected to adhere to? It is a beautiful musical that struck me deeply as a 10 year old kid. I loved the romance, the colour photography, the acting of Blyth as well as the character actors Edmund Gwenn and S. Z. Sakall and the singing. Thankfully, the producers still had Mario Lanza’s singing voice and used it to dub Edmund Purdom. I’d love to see this film again.

Do any of you know this actress? I hope so.

Happy Canada Day!

 

I am Canadian! I am a proud Canuck but I am only showcasing 1 patriotic song which should do just fine. It’s freebie week over at Monday Music Moves Me and so, let’s get on with the show…

1. NORTHWEST PASSAGE SUNG BY STAN ROGERS-1981

This song is a standard for Canada and Stan sings this a cappella. It’s all about his journey across Canada.

2. SLEIGH RIDE IN JULY SUNG BY JULIE LONDON-1956

I am showcasing this chanteuse every month singing a song about the month of July. It was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke and it’s a nice song that Julie sings in her own inimitable way.

3. COME BOYS SUNG BY ANN BLYTH-1954

Yes, the name of this song could mean so many things and could be sung by the Village People, but I am straying. Why do I choose this song? The pretty and petite Ann Blyth, known for her role as the viper brat in the film, “Mildred Pierce”, died last week at the age of 98. She is one of the last of the classic stars of Hollywood and I first saw her in the film, “The Student Prince.” I love her voice and wanted to show how wonderful she sounded during the waning years of the Hollywood musical. The song was written by Sigmund Romberg and I think she does a great job.

Happy Canada Day!

FIFA!

 

Am I watching any of the football ( aka soccer) games? No…lol. I am not into sports but this is. Big deal all over the world…except for North America, more the States than us, Canadians. We are embracing  this sport much more than the States, I believe, so to honour this sport, I chose 3 films, that I have actually seen nd here they are..

1. ESCAPE TO VICTORY-1981

I have not seen this film since 1981, but I remember it being quite good even if it felt like a mashup of the films, “ The Great Escape” and “The Longest Yard”. It stars Michael Caine as a British POW officer and Sylvester Stallone as a U.S. POW who was part of the Canadian Army. Max Von Sydow plays the German Commandant who, with Caine, agree to a Soccer match between the German guards and the POW’s. Stallone uses a match to escape and makes it to the Paris, French underground. They compel him to go back to the camp so he can give vital information for the POW’s to escape en masse. Stallone agrees but, when recaptured, he is sent to solitary confinement. The match between the 2 will happen, but will the POW’s get the vital information from Stallone? I recall it being pretty good, not great, but an enjoyable David and Goliath film that was directed by the great John Huston. It is also noted to have some of the best Football greats of this time like Pelé.

2. LADYBUGS-1992

This is a dumb, silly flick that stars Rodney Dangerfield as a man who gets no respect. He hopes to get a promotion and more money at work nd his boss agrees provided he can get this all girls’ high school, soccer team into a  winning team. As you probably guess, they suck until Martha comes on board. Little do they know that Martha is a plant put there by their coach, Dangerfield. They also don’t realize that Martha is actually a boy, Rodney’s girlfriend’s son so you know there will be silly jokes that probably, would not fly today. It’s dumb, but I like Rodney Dangerfield who always had my respect even though when he was born, the doctor slapped his mother:)

3. BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM-2002

I need to see this film again, it’s been too long. It stars Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightly as 2 gals who meet and become friends while playing football. Parminder shows a natural talent for this game but her parents forbid her from playing. They expect her to go to school and marry which is the last thing this gal wants. She sees her sister all into getting married and wants to play football even more so she secretly goes to all the matches telling her family that she has a job. All hell breaks loose when Nagra’s picture ends up in a newspaper and her family see this. She is grounded and is forbidden to play, her friendship is tested when she feels Keira has “stolen” the man she also likes and her mom( played so well by Sheheen Khan) thinks her daughter is in a lesbian relationship with Keira. This is a funny, heartwarming and thoughtful film that shows the love of football as well as the cultural issues that this Indian family tries to uphold in a different country. This was a breakout film for Keira Knightly and paved the way for Parminder Nagra who starred in ER and Archie Panjabi who went on to star in The Good Wife winning many awards. 

What Soccer/ Football movies come to your mind? 

Go Germany!

Tennis Anyone?

 

I was visiting my Aunt and Uncle in Ann Arbor, Mi. They had 3 kids, the 2 eldest, Kurt and Reimar took me to play tennis. The next day, my Uncle Harry, told his bored son, Kurt who was 10 or so( I was 14), to go and play tennis with me. He judged a bit and told his dad, "aber, Papa, Sie kann night Gut Spielen."  At which i said, " I know i cant play well, but I try my best. We can do something else." My Uncle teamed with delight because his son thought I could not understand German. This is one of my favourite moments. 

Over at Monday Music Moves Me, its all about Tennis since Wimbledon is THE Tennis tournament. So let's hear some songs about Tennis...

1. CAN I BE YOUR TENNIS BALL SUNG BY JAMIE FOX-2003

This is a funny, suggestive song sung by Jamie Fox, who also wrote the song, to Serena Williams during the ESPY Awards. 

2. THE TENNIS SONG SUNG BY JAMES NAUGHTON AND DEE HOTY- 1989

This is a song from the musical, "City of Angels" that won a Tony Award. Another double entrende song sing with romantic tones.

3. THE MAIN THEME BY DIMITRI TIOMKIN-1951

Why this piece? It's from the great film, " Strangers on a Train," by Alfred Hitchcock where the main protagonist is a Tennis star. Only Hitchcock could make a tennis match full of suspense.

Any Tennis songs you can think of?