Thursday Movie Picks: TV Edition- Book Adaptations

 

TV time again and Wandering Through The Shelves loves books so we have books adapted to TV. I'm just going to swing right on in with my 3 and I love a good miniseries...

1. ROOTS-1977

This was the miniseries that catapulted everything into what we know today for the now called "limited run" series. This is based on a book by Aldous Huxley who wrote about his family history. Funny, when I watched this all those years ago, I wondered how he knew so many intricate details since record keeping was shoddy at best. It came out, years later, that his ancestry bio was fabricated. This does not mean that this series was any less riveting. We follow a young Kunte Kinte( played by Levar Burton) as he is captured and sent to the United( Ha) States of America to be a slave. We watch him grow, marry and have a daughter who is taken away to another plantation. We see her grow, have a child and watch that child grow up. To finally see how horribly treated the African American people were treated was a long time coming. This gave us a good indication why the Civil War erupted and that the South were just horribly wrong in their thinking. Some great stars were in this series and it's worth seeing. Even though Alex made up the people  what happened to his ancestors  plus thousands of others  was on the mark. 

2. SINS-1986

There were some mighty trashy miniseries in the 1980s and this is one of the best starring none other than Joan Collins. I was surprised at some of the other actors that were in this gaudy fun flick. We see the life of Joan Collins from when she is a little girl with her mom, brother and sister trying to hide from the mean Nazis but they are found. We follow the young gal as she struggles  through life by becoming a model in Paris to becoming the head of a major couture house while going through men like I can go through chocolate. She makes enemies who want to do her in but Joan shashays through with shouldr pads and all. You just love trash when you watch this. It comes from this book, written by Judith Gould, in 1982 that was a huge best seller.

3  POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL: THE BARBARA HUTTON STORY-1987

After Charlie's Angels, Farrah Fawcett wanted to show she was more than just hair and a pretty face and showcased her talents in some good movies like The Burning Bed.  She was also quite good as the Woolworth heiress, Barbara Hutton who inherited a huge fortune when she was just 5 yrs old. She married many times including Cary Grant whom she said was the only honest man she met. She truly had no direction in life and, when she died, she had less the $20,000 in the bank. Her life was very interesting and very sad despite her millions. I thought  Farrah was really quite good as this sad gal who was looking for love. This is based on the book, "Poor Little Rich Girl: the Life & Legend of Barbara Hutten." A really good movie worth seeing.

Which book to TV adaptations can you think of?

We’re having a steamy heat wave where it’s too damn Hot!

 

It just feels like the whole world is having a heat wave with people sweltering, forest fires and once large rivers and lakes drying up....it’s just nuts and I hate it. I hate the dead of summer because I can’t breathe and have a hard time sweating. Call it a gift from my mom and her dad but I  just have no idea what it feels like to have beads of sweat fall from my forehead. It’s weird but it’s true and I am so thankful for the air conditioning. That made me think about songs that are all about heat...not in heat although the songs might imply otherwise.

1. WE’RE HAVING A HEATWAVE SUNG BY ETHEL MERMAN-1938

This song is by Irving Berlin for the show “As Thousands Cheer” from 1933. I believe it was introduced by Ethel Waters but I like the way the other Ethel sings it. Marilyn Monroe made it famous again singing it in “ There’s No Business Like Show Business” which also stars Ethel Merman.

2. TOO DARN HOT SUNG BY ELLA FITZGERALD-1956

This is from another musical theatre hit called, “Kiss Me Kate” from 1948, made more famous by Ann Miller who sang the song in the film version and tap danced to it as well. I actually like the way Ella sings this song.

3. STEAM HEAT SUNG BY GEORGIA ENGEL -1976

Who knew sweet little Georgia could steam it up on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. When I saw this episode..um...when it came out back then, I was in Shock because you just don’t expect this from this gal, but she delivers. This song is also from a musical hit called “The Pajama Game”  made famous by Carol Haney, in 1948, who also starred in the film version starring Doris Day and John Raitt ( Bonnie Raitt’s dad).

Which hot songs can you come up with?

Thursday Movie Picks- Female Bosses

 

I was just, what’s the technical term?? Oh yes, blecchhh last week after the failed colonoscopy. For the next 3 days I felt like my walls were being stretched and I was in quite a bit of pain Which makes me wonder if diverticulitis is the culprit. I will have to go through it again but this time, no f#@,! 4L jug to drink. All I need is some vile Jim Jones juice to down and that should do it. 

This week, over at Wandering Through The Shelves, it’s about female bosses and I was quite surprised at how many movies had female bosses that were just mean bitches. I wanted to try and find 3 women bosses who were good and not vicious, sexually charged(or under-charged) harpies. I think I found 3 so let’s get the show on the road.

1. MILDRED PIERCE-1945

You can rely on Joan Crawford to be her own woman and this is the perfect part albeit kind of wild considering she was not the best mom in the world. She plays a wonderful wife and mom to 2 girls, one sweet and the other a total mean little bitch. The marriage is not the best and when the good little girl dies, the marriage falls apart mainly because Crawford’s mommy ways are beyond stupid when it comes to her mean, vile daughter played brilliantly by Ann Blyth. Crawford decides to get a job at a restaurant and soon learns the ropes and exceeds it becoming her own boss to a very successful restaurant of her own all the while giving in to the demands of this beast of a daughter. Her best friend, played by Eve Arden, knows who this gal is when she states,  "Crocodiles have the right idea...they eat their young.” Or something to that effect. Crawford won the Oscar for her role which she graciously accepted while “sick in bed with the flu” all dussied up in her best boudoir outfit.

2. THE FAR COUNTRY-1954

This is a western that stars James Stewart as a man who was swindled out of his cattle by a corrupt judge but takes them anyway, crossing into Canada with the herd. Along with his best friend, played by Walter Brennan, they decide to try their hand at gold prospecting and making a point of staying out of the less than savoury goings on at the lawless place called Dawson. The saloon owner and very wealthy owner of other business ventures, Ruth Roman, has the hots for James Stewart but also likes to own the town along with the judge. She makes sure she buys the food plus make herself richer with gals and gambling, so as to have the main competition go under. It finally comes to a head and Stewart must take sides but what will the owner of the saloon do now that she sees hubba hubba Stewart is silent no more? This is a pretty good western and the scenery is stunning. I had just visited Athabaskan glacier and was shocked when I saw this film because it has 2 great scenes at this famous glacier. You can see how much the glacier has shrunk since this film was made which is quite sad.

3. IT HAPPENED TO JANE-1959

You know that I had to choose a Doris Day movie because, in many of her comedies if the late 50s/ early 60s, she played a self made woman who was her own boss. This film tanked at the box office possibly due to the title of the movie but I found it fun. It's not an earth shattering comedy classic but a fun Doris Day romp as a widowed business lady of a lobster business. She sells her lobsters to businesses but when the railway screws up causing  her lobsters to bite the dust, she loses her biggest contract. Well, this won't do for this headstrong, spunky gal so she insists that the local lawyer  played by Jack Lemmon, take on the railway. The head of the railway is played to evil perfection by Ernie Kovacs with Granite-faced Steve Forrest wanting to make Day his own much to Lemmon's dismay. I have not seen this in years, but would like to watch this again because I found it thoroughly engaging.

Which female boss movies can you think of?

I have to put this hilarious send-up of Mildred Pierce by Carol Burnett because it's just perfect but don't watch it if you have not seen the movie and want to. 

Oscar Songs 1961- take a guess

So, update...my colonoscopy backfired  pun intended. There was no way, in little green acres, that I could drink that much fluid. I never could. When I tried drinking the 2nd half of that bubblegum tasting liquid, I violently threw up. Thankfully  it was just that one time but I lived on the toilette until 3 am. The Friday, I informed the nurses and the Dr about that issue. When I woke up, I was told that he could not proceed through with the camera. I will have to repeat this. The God's must love me.....not! The next time, just give me those 2 glass full of liquid hell to take. I cam get through that. Now, tell me, what aspiring Dr to be wishes to put cameras up peoples' butts? 

On with the show and I can't believe it is the 3rd week of July. It's hotter than Hades out there so I'm glad I am inside in air conditioning. I am choosing 1961 since my brother was born that year in July for the Oscar song fest. Which song won the Oscar that year  which one was nominated and which song hot nadda...let me know what you think.

1. CRUELLA DE VIL SUNG BY BILL LEE

This is a great song, written by Roger Radcliffe, about one evil character who wishes to make a coat out of the 101 Dalmation puppies. I enjoyed how the song was presented and it was another win for Disney.

2. POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES SUNG BY FRANK SINATRA 

This song is to complement the film about a homeless woman who gets the help of some special people when she finds out her daughter wants to visit. Don't we all wish for some miracles. This song was composed by James Van Heusen with lyrics by Sammy Cahn

3. MOONRIVER SUNG BY AUDREY HEPBURN

I will be surprised if someone has not heard of this song. Audrey was going to be dubbed, but she fought for her right to sing this song and I think she does a good job. It became a huge hit for Andy Williams which almost became his signature tune. It was composed by the great Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. 

So , which song won the Oscar, which was nominated, and which one received nadda?

Thursday Movie Picks-Non-English Language Movies

 

Good ole foreign films... I have not seen enough of but I believe I found 3 that work. Wandering through the Shelves chose a good theme once again. Here are my 3...

1. LA RONDE-1950

What a great movie, which I so want to see again, has an all star cast from Anton Walbrook as the ringmaster who shows all the different aspects of love, Simone Signoret as the prostitute( ooh...big surprise) to Danielle Darrieux as the grande married lady (again, big surprise). Everyone is connected by a character who moves the plot along. It starts off with the hooker(Simone Signoret), who makes a soldier happy only for the soldier leaving her arms to pick up a chambermaid. The chambermaid goes off to meet...and so it goes around and around like the carousel of love...This film is directed by the legendary Max Ophuls and it is a classic worth watching more than once.

2. THE 400 BLOWS-1959

I actually watched this when I took a film class in University and really enjoyed it that I watched it a couple more times since then. It’s directed by the famous Francois Truffaut one of the leaders of the French New Wave, who decided to create a semi-autobiographical film abouthis youth.  A young boy, frustrated by his life with parents who don’t get who he is and school that berates him tries to figure out who ge is. This is the first of 4 more films about the life of Antoine Doinel played by Jean-Pierre Leaud who played this character all the way through. I really enjoyed this film and could relate to the kid but I think, we all can relate to him on some level.

3. RENOIR-2012

I love art and have had the privilege of seeing some of the great works in many museums. Renoir is one of the most famous of the Impressionists as well as one of the most loved. This man was famous even during his life time unlike Van Gogh. This film takes place in the last few years of his life when Rheumatoid Arthritis took its hold, but he still painted despite great pain. It is 1915, at the height of the Great War, when his final muse, Andree Heuschling, aka Catherine Hessling,  came into his life. She is willing to ingratiate herself with the aging painter and when his son, the future famous director Jean Renoir, comes home from the war, she decides to get to know the son better. You see the difficult life both artists have and the girl in the middle of it all. It is beautifully photographed inspired by Renoir’s paintings and you feel the sense of loss from Renoir’s arthritic movement to the war itself. In reality, Andree aka Catherine became the muse of  Jean Renoir in his early career as a director becoming his star of most of his silent films.  I would love to see this one again too.

Which films come to your mind?

On a fun note....anything but fun, I have to go for a colonoscopy tomorrow since I had blood in my stool. It's fresh blood which is better to have than old and it happened only once. well a couple of times, but during the same week. That means today I gave to drink this whole gallon of liquid hell. At least it's fruit flavoured....oy vey. 

Surprise !

 

My hubby painted this and I think it’s just perfect for my musical post.  I may surprise you but I do love classic rock and decided to showcase 3 great rock bands that I love.

1. BORN TO BE WILD BY STEPPENWOLF-1968

This was written by Mars Bonfire and was featured in the film “Easy Rider”, a film I still have to see. I just always loved this song and think I may have it at my wake when I kick the bucket. It’s a lot of fun to dance to which I did in some psychedelic bat in Toronto quite a few years back.

2. RAMBLE ON BY LED ZEPPELIN-1969

I just don’t understand anyone who doesn’t like this great band. This was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and features their love of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I think of these lyrics and the lyrics put out today by people like Bieber and others today and wonder where the intelligence has gone.

3. MOTHER SUNG BY PINK FLOYD-1979

Another brilliant band that is classic and intelligent. I always liked this song written by Roger Waters and David Gilmour. This was featured in their musical called “The Wall” from 1982 which is another I want to see one day. 

I plan to showcase these, and others, in the future . Did I surprise you? I love almost all forms of music...just not rap crap.very little rap is what I like.

Thursday Movie Picks- The Fair

 

I love fairs and going on rides, just not rollercoasters due to my fear of heights. Put in on the Tilt O' Whirl, the Scrambler or anything spinning and I love it. I'm already dizzy so I'm aok on these rides. The one I did love, which had some height, was the log run because I love water. I used to go to Crystal Beach which was an old Amusement Park that had a big ballroom where many big names of the 30s and 40s would play. My dad loved going there. The park closed after 101 years with the carousel and the famous Comet being sold to the States. It's such a shame.  I tried to stay away from carnivals because that implies seeing  the weird and wild and I wanted this to be more just fairs with rides, best hogs and best preserves. Now, venture to Wandering through the Shelves to see what everyone else has chosen...here are my 3...

1. STATE FAIR-1945

This charming musical, by Rogers and Hammerstein just for the movie, the only time they did this, stars Jeanne Crain and Dana Andrews as 2 people who meet and fall in love at the fair  Jeanne's family are very involved with the fair because her dad is hoping his big pig will win the big prize. Her mom hopes her preserves will win. Her brother falls for a sultry singer and Jeanne falls for the reporter who wants to make it big. This is a nice movie with the big pig almost Stealing the picture as a lovelorn pig. It's funny to see hard hitting Dana start to sing...well, mime it as he and Jeanne could not sing but it's done quite well. A nice android fun picture with a well rounded cast.

2. STRANGERS ON A TRAIN-1951

I tried not to use this great film but, I cant help myself, because it is just so great. 2 strangers meet on a train with the one man definitely batting a 1,000 in the butterfly net territory. Robert Walker, the boy next door, played his psycho character so well and was robbed of an Oscar nomination. He tells the Farley Granger character to switch...criss- cross murders- he'll off Farley's nasty wife if Farley will kill dear old daddy. Farley laughs it off until he gets a call and finds out his wife is done in. Now we have the cat and mouse game culminating in one of the best endings taking place at the local fair. Look for Marion Lorne as the supremely daffy mom to Robert Walker's character.

3. THE LOST BOYS-1987

This is a fun movie about vampires. It has horror elements in it but it is not just a straightforward horror movie. It has comedy, especially with the younger brother played by Corey Haim. Their mom decided to uproot the boys and live with her elderly dad who likes to stuff things and offer them as gifts to the boys. The fair is the hub of this small town where everything takes place. The older brother, play by Jason Patric and looking like a young Jimmy Morrison, falls for a girl who seems to be a member of this punk- like gang led by Keifer Sutherland. Soon he is neck deep with them and realizes that he can't take the sun or smell garlic. His younger brother, with the help of these 2 geeks, decide to save him and maybe the girl too. It's very witty, moody and a few scary moments but quite well written. Worth a look.

Which movies do you like that take place on a fairground?

I rode most of these rides and my hubby worked there one summer. We probably crossed paths and had no idea we would one day be together. I would have laughed at what he wore because he had original Gene Simmons Kiss boots that he strutted in. Too bad he doesn't have them now.