I'm Baaack! At first, I was at a mental mind-block with this week's theme, not very hard for me to be in these days, but once I started thinking, which means googled, I realized how many films I actually have seen. Hell, I could have picked 3 films just starring Susan Hayward but I didn't choose any of hers this week. Head on over to Wandering Through the Shelves, to see what the other film goers have chosen. Here are my 3...
1. BIGGER THAN LIFE-1956
I saw this film only 5 years ago and thought it was brilliant! It was written, co-produced and stars James Mason (one of my favourite actors) as a teacher with a debilitating, painful disease affecting the arteries. His loving wife and son only want their husband /dad to be well. The doctor puts him on the new wonder drug, cortisone. At first, he feels a million times better and is happy but then he becomes more in need of this drug and slowly descends into addiction resulting in a psychotic meltdown. It is a brilliant small film that was panned upon its initial release but since then, has received much acclaim. A more true story about the typical American family of the 1950's than many.
2. DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES-1962
This is one of the first films to show the dramatic acting chops of Jack Lemmon who was normally in more comedic roles. he plays a young P.R. exec who marries a beautiful woman and starts life in the big city. He was always a social drinker and introduces his wife to the scene. As we watch his life become better and they have a child, you also see his descent into alcoholism with his wife right behind him. It is a searing look into the descent of this disease and how one finds the way out of it while another doesn't.
3. FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS-1998
Oh this is one f-ed up drug trip to end all drug trips. It has to be seen to be believed and it is directed by that mad cap Monty Pythoner, Terry Gilliam whom I love. It stars Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro as 2 drug addled nuts who drink, snort, shoot up, swallow anything illegal they can get their hands on. When I saw it on the big screen with my ex and a dear friend of mine, the carousel scene made both of them nauseous and they had to close their eyes because they felt drugged-hahahaaa. Johnny Depp's Duke character sees all sorts of nutty things from bats, moray eels to lizards. I consider it an acting tour de force from Depp. This film may not be for everyone but I enjoyed it. By the way, he is playing a character based on the real life Hunter S Thompson who actually lived to be 68! Despite all the drugs and mayhem, it wasn't the drugs that killed him-he took his own life and had his ashes shot out of a cannon.
What films come to you? Have you ever been "naughty"...I hope so:) I have a year I can't quite remember-one of the best years of my life:)...No worries as that was my fun 20's and one hopes to grow out of that stage....
I have to say, I am a dog person even though we have 5 cats and I love them so very much. Actually, I am an animal person but, even when I was a little kid, I loved the wolves and I would go up to any dog without fear. Back in 2009, my hubby and I went to PetSmart to buy some cat food and there was an adoptathon going on for dogs rescued from Louisiana. They were not Katrina dogs but just poor dogs that were ready to be euthanized since there are many kill shelters in the States. We were not expecting to get a dog, famous last words, but then my eyes met Wallace. All the other dogs were barking, wagging their tail and being, well, dogs. Wallace was in his crate way in the back as far as he could get, terrified beyond reason. We were there for 2 hours because I knew this dog was a special case...a nut case to be exact but he came part of our family. I named him Wallace, not after Wallace and Gromit (I love them) but after William Wallace who was a brave Scotsman.
Wallace is not brave, in fact, he is a bona fide chicken shit! He was so scared of people, the outside, everything that he would not eat for the first few days. I actually believe he had never been on a leash and ran wild around Louisiana. He spent months in his crate,security blankie, as we slowly trained him to not do his business in the house, get used to his surroundings and get used to us. My beautiful Katie, My black lab who is in heaven with my dad, really helped Wallace. We tried everything from Rescue Remedy to even an anti anxiety med but to no avail-our Wallace has anxiety issues up the wazoo. We brought him to 3 different behaviourists and tried all they told us....yup, he is still a chicken shit but he is our chicken shit.
I am happy to say that we no longer need him in the crate-that went after a year, he is all happy and goofy in our home and he comes up to most people, although he still is wary of my brother. He still shakes and quakes the moment he realizes he is going for a walk and will try to hide in a corner but that is just him-he is agoraphobic. I can't walk him because of my joint problems since he has literally taken my shoulder out of its joint 3 times, thankfully I can just slip it back in but then I can't do much for a long, long time. When my hubby walks him, he can let him off his leash and, like a bullet, he runs straight home never veering off the sidewalk. I believe he was shot at in his young days because he can't go out when someone is using the roofing gun and I have to mute the TV when there is shooting going on in the program. I just love it when he barks and comes to me when I come home giving me lots of kisses on my chin.
Name-Wallace Age-7 years Nickname-Mein Schatz, Hoover, Ya nut! Loves-Cat food-wouldn't eat his dog food unless we mixed it with some cat food(now he is aok with just dog food), loves apples, nuts, broccoli, yup he is our freak. Jade Toys-His kong-demands it around 9pm every night so gets a treat with some peanut butter. Cat toy, kleenix (disgusting). Can't give him any stuffed toys-eats them
I know...Shocker! The reason there is no Thursday Movie Picks is the topic-Middle Eastern language films. I have seen none..Nadda, nuttin honey, so there is nothing but crickets here. Now enough about my brain since I will still talk about movies, movies I have seen this past week which will explain why my ass is getting larger by the minute so ..on with the show. Oh, and if you want to read what films people have chosen head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to see their picks this week.
1. CHINA SEAS-1935
My hubby and I both enjoyed this frolic with Clark Gable as a captain who loves the drink, the seas and women especially Jean Harlow in all her platinum best. I love the beginning since it shows how it looked 80 years ago in China. You have some first class passengers enjoying their trip with one classy dame falling for the Captain and his lover getting jealous. The ship and crew have to deal with a fierce storm, pirates and one shady SOB.
2. THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE-1962
Oh yes..., it's bad, very bad but so bad it's good. My hubby wouldn't watch it as he doesn't understand how I can find schlock fun but I do. Evil scientist races with his fiancee to his cottage and wrecks the car and decapitates his girlfriend by mistake. What's a mad scientist to do but take her severed head back to his lab and keep it alive until he can find a suitable body. What more can I say...
3. CHOCOLAT-2000
I love chocolate and when I see her pouring the hot cocoa I just want to go through the screen and take it away from Judi Dench. Love this movie about a mysterious woman, with her daughter, arriving in a small French town at lent and opening up a Chocolate shop. She helps the town out of their doldrums but not before incurring the wrath of the mayor and some townsfolk as well as bringing passion back...Ooh La La.
4. HIDE AND SEEK-2005
You think I could find a trailer for this flick? So this is all of 3 seconds worth but still something. I caught this on TV and it will be worth a closer look on DVD. Yes, I still rent DVD's and am proud of it:) This stars Robert De Niro as a widower with his wacko freak daughter played by Dakota Fanning who move to the country so he can help her get through the trauma of her mom's suicide. You never are quite sure if you are watching a ghost story or not. I am not bawled over by it but I did like it and found the leads watchable. I won't say more because it is not your average ghost story..if I can say that.
5. GODZILLA-2014
OK, OK I watched this one and the next movie while making some cards but I am still underwhelmed by this flick because most of the time it was so dark I couldn't make out what the hell was going on. I am surprised how many big stars on in this film although 2 biggies die near the beginning and frankly, who cares. Godzilla is running amok but so are 2 freaky looking insects that look mechanical-a male and female and one of them has wings. Those 2 are really mean and Godzilla hates their guts. The army, scientists and everyone else are scrambling to save the planet while these 3 destroy most of the U.S. but don't worry, everyone seems happy that Godzilla lives. Ughhh
6. PRACTICAL MAGIC-1998
This is fun and does not need the brain to work much which is great. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock play sisters who are witches but Sandra tries to not believe in this bunk. When her sister is in trouble, she comes to her aid and that's when all hell and toads break loose. It is actually a fun comedy with some bewitching going on and great music.
7. THE SHINING-1980
The scene above is the usual moment when I changed the channel since those girls really freaked me out. On Monday night, I couldn't turn the channel since I saw this film and Freaks at the performance Art Centre on the big screen and it was a treat. This is a classic horror film about an alcoholic, who has not touched a drop for 5 months who takes his family up to this lodge to take care of it during the winter months. While they are there, he wants to write his great novel but all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy so what's a man to do but slowly go nuts and want to kill his family. he is egged on by the ghosts who rule the place. His young son can see what is going on since he has the shining while his mom has no clue. So much has been written about this film from the sexual innuendos to the comedic elements. A great ghost film
8. FREAKS-1932
I spoke about this film before and it is one of my favourites because, even though it is a horror film, it really shows the "freaks" in a warm light and that they are people. It stars Harry Earles, who was in quite a few films even though he was a little person, as a member of the circus falling for the beautiful trapeze artist, Cleopatra. His Fiancee (played by his real life sister, Daisy) is very sad since she can see the Cleo is just making fun of him. Once Cleo and her dumb ass lover find out the little guy is rich, they decide to do get rid of him but they underestimate the bond of the freaks. We get to meet the other members of this circus and share in some of their lives from the bearded lady giving birth to the Siamese twins's relationships with men. This was done before the hays Code was enforced so living in sin was aok and sexual innuendo was big ("You should have seen me before my operation"). The director, Todd browning, treated these "freaks" with respect and it shows. You meet Prince Randian who, without arms or legs, takes a match out of the box and lights his cigarette and Johnny Eck who has no body after his diaphragm but can walk easily on his hands and must have been incredibly strong.
OK this is very lengthy and I doubt most of you have the chance to view the film promos but I put them in anyway. Next week I will showcase films I have actually seen that correspond to the theme from Thursday Movie Picks:)
The last pussy cat is our newest and youngest...Kaspar...German from Kaspar Hauser. We were in our local Petsmart buying food and my hubby said he was going to look at the cats. Before I could say, "Noooooooo", he was off and the cloud of dust was all that was left. After paying for the food, I went to see what my hubby was up to which was no good. He wanted to get a pussy cat and my head hung low because I knew there was no dissuading him. I saw this quiet tuxedo cat sleeping and not doing much else and showed him to my hubby. He wanted this pussy cat so we paid for this bundle of joy. When we got back, I was not convinced to add yet another to our brood and next morning, my hubby said we would not get him. That morning, at work, all I could see in my mind was that pussy cat with one tear dropping from his cute face so I called my hubby and gave the ok.
We picked up Kaspar who was one sick kitty and we were not happy! We called Petsmart, who are connected to the Humane Society in the Niagara Region, and they told us the pussy cat came from the Fort Erie SPCA. My hubby contacted the Fort Erie SPCA, who found the little dickens on a golf course, telling them the pussy cat had a bad cold and his ears were infected with ear mites! The person he spoke with told us they have students who were to care for the animals but this was unacceptable (No kidding! They should check on the student's work). They gave us funds for the vet and we had to quarantine Kaspar until he was aok which took 3 weeks.
Now, this pussy cat turned out to not be the quiet type by any means, meowing for his pappa, his toys and, if he can get into mischief, he will. He already helped take the wallpaper down in the bedroom which made us revamp the bedroom. He likes to remodel our wood around the doors and if he tries this on the old wood, he will become a violin:) He has fallen in love with my hubby and vice versa so he gets away with murder! The water bottle does come in handy every night since he demands to be played with...often! He can run up and down the halls like Speedy Gonzalez on cocaine and then he konks out for a much needed nap...usually next to hubby. He loves receiving licks from Jade but not the paw bash right after. As my hubby says.."Kaspar, my little disaster. I'm going to send you to Jasper!" He is full of beans (both Jaspar and my hubby) and we love him...our little entertainer.
Name: Kaspar(after Kaspar Hauser) Age: 2 years...the nutty years Nickname: Kaspar the disaster, Cutie Patootie, Snookums, Snidely Whiplash, Hitler (My dear friend nicknamed him this). Loves-birds outside (not allowed to be near them, just watch), be played with, belly rubs, being held (most of the time), redecorating Toys-the string with the feathers at the end-he will jump high up to grab it. Laser, my feet under the blanket, balls of paper-he goes nuts!
Color Q-Black, Concord Grape, Tangerine Tango, Crushed Curry, White
I love Halloween and have such fond memories. Actually, I will be seeing The Shining and Freaks on the big screen so I am excited. I tried some new stamps I bought this past summer. I stamped the cat and owls, coloured them up and fussy cut them. I took my distress stamps, stamped a surface one can clean up, spritzed with water and placed the white cardstock in it to create the background and finished it off with some misti to achieve that splatter. I stamped the cobweb in black and embossed in black sparkle just like the pussy cat. I put it all together with some cardstock and Voila!
I made this card a while ago but it fits the theme of orange. The background-yup distress inks. Embossed a yellow border with the snowflake design and took some pieces of cardstock in autumn colours to create this card. I had stamped this scene and used another part of it for a card and, since I can't throw anything away, I coloured this up in tombow markers, ripped it up for some other distress look and put everything together. Last, but never least, I added gold stickers and some crystals. I think it has just a hint of Haunt in this Christmas scene.
This is my Warhol theme and I apologize for the lousy picture. I stamped this image over a year ago and had these 3 laying around when I had a dim lightbulb go off and thought of this design. It was simple because I took some shimmery orange paper, embossed it with the snowflake design, added the snowmen, sticker borders, crystals and the saying. I think it turned out aok.
I had to glitter this one up a bit. I took my cuddlebug and embossed the ornaments. I used my chalk pastels in orange and light blue for the ornaments and then glitter. I added orange cardstock and a light blue to mount them all together in some Roman orgy haze and added the thick sticker border and the Merry Christmas. Still more to show and I will have our last Kitty up tomorrow:)
So we are saying good-bye to October very soon which means spooky month is almost over with. I have been late with posting my next furbaby which I will do on Monday. I know you are in suspense to read the thrilling saga of the animals that keep me as their pet aren't you? :) OK so this week is all about suffering through a great epidemic whether it be something similar to the horrific reality of the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918 or people turning into, yes, you guessed it, Zombies. Head on over to Wandering Through the Shelves to check out what the other people have chosen. Here are my 3....
1. THE RAINS CAME-1939
This is a romantic story starring Myrna Loy who travels with her elderly husband to India (Ranchipur) and meets up with her old flame who has been living there for a few years and is lost in more ways than one. Dear Myrna ends up falling in love with an Indian doctor (Tyrone, be still my heart, Power) who is trying to save a nation never mind just his patients. After a devastating hurricane and flood, cholera spreads creating an epidemic. The heroine decides to work along side her Doctor to help the sick. It's a melodrama but one with a punch due to the great special effects for its time. It's worth a look.
2. PANIC IN THE STREETS-1950
This is a race against time when an ill man, who stowed away on a ship, dies in an altercation with 2 men in New Orleans. When the dead man is brought to the morgue, the chief health inspector is called in who soon realizes the man has pneumonic plague. He and a cop try to find the 2 men who killed him and retrace his steps before an outbreak can ensue. It is a taught film noir that leaves you on the edge of your seat and reminds me of the real case of Typhoid Mary. This was the screen debut of Jack Palance.
3. OUTBREAK-1995
Poor monkeys always get the wrap when it comes to plagues recently, so it goes in this film where a very deadly, Ebola like virus, has made its way from Africa to California. A small team from the Nation's Health Organization, set out to a small town to find out why so many are contracting this horrible disease. They realize there is a monkey running around and try to capture this monkey to create an anti serum before a mad general decides to blow up the town. I found this film quite nail biting and a good film to watch. It is not scary like "I Am Legend" and no dogs are killed or animals are killed because they are turning into zombies so I'm glad about that.
Which films would you choose? Let's hope we never have another 1918 flu pandemic no matter how much the media likes to try and scare us.
I have many other cards yet to show but I started with these 3. I love this Christmas kitten in her Santa hat which I coloured with my tombow markers and fussy cut her out. I bought a new embossing folder and a Merry Christmas die cut that I used here along with the die cut poinsettia. Christmas is 2 months away now...wowzers!
This is an embossing folder that I tried at a store but didn't buy it...stupid or what? I used tombow markers again to colour in the scene and I think the pumpkins are festive in a quiet way...they don't want to be disturbed...yet.
I am not a pink gal so this is a rarity for me. It is very girly and I think the flowers I embossed on the vellum have a circular hoop look to them. I tried a new stamp saying, added the die cut butterfly and the pearls.
It's raining all day today and I wish I was in my craft room now. This is Boom Boom Birgie signing off for now:)
