Monday, April 05, 2004
Saturday night I got to do something I NEVER get to do. We watched 3 movies in a row-ALL MY CHOICES.
I don't know how it happened. It wasn't even my birthday.
First up was "The African Queen"(1951) I got Erin and Tim to watch it with us. Neither one of them had ever seen Humphrey Bogart. Erin declared it "kind of sappy" but she stayed awake though the whole thing so I suspect she enjoyed it. Rob ran to the store and missed his favorite scene when Bogie woke to find Katharine Hepburn pouring his gin over the side. .."Have pity miss! I'll perish without a hair of the dog!".. beautiful. Hustons direction and African locations make it truly one of a kind.
vs. 
Next was the original "Gaslight" a British production that came out in 1940, 4 years before the Ingrid Bergman version. Allegedly, MGM tried to have the british negatives destroyed. According to Leonard Maltin this was supposed to be the better of the two. I have to disagree. Bergman was much better than the actress in the original. And the detective was played by a pudgy older man without the chemistry that Joseph Cotten had with Bergman. The MGM version was also Angela Lansburys film debut as the flirtatious maid. Just wasn't the same without them. This got me missing Ingrid Bergman which led to...
Third in our triple feature was "Indiscreet" (1958) Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. A great romantic comedy with Bergman as a 40-something actress in a long time affair with Grant, a (supposedly) married statesman.
It culminates with Bergman trying to get revenge on Grant after finding out he had been lying all along about being married. Her plan to have him catch her with another man backfires. It's a great scene.
That's it. Three classic films, screen legends, no CGI, no blood, and almost nothing gets blown up. Romance, a little drama, laughs, and great costumes. Mindless escapism.
May sound boring to some people, but it was pretty close to the perfect evening for me.
I don't know how it happened. It wasn't even my birthday.
First up was "The African Queen"(1951) I got Erin and Tim to watch it with us. Neither one of them had ever seen Humphrey Bogart. Erin declared it "kind of sappy" but she stayed awake though the whole thing so I suspect she enjoyed it. Rob ran to the store and missed his favorite scene when Bogie woke to find Katharine Hepburn pouring his gin over the side. .."Have pity miss! I'll perish without a hair of the dog!".. beautiful. Hustons direction and African locations make it truly one of a kind.
vs. Next was the original "Gaslight" a British production that came out in 1940, 4 years before the Ingrid Bergman version. Allegedly, MGM tried to have the british negatives destroyed. According to Leonard Maltin this was supposed to be the better of the two. I have to disagree. Bergman was much better than the actress in the original. And the detective was played by a pudgy older man without the chemistry that Joseph Cotten had with Bergman. The MGM version was also Angela Lansburys film debut as the flirtatious maid. Just wasn't the same without them. This got me missing Ingrid Bergman which led to...
Third in our triple feature was "Indiscreet" (1958) Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. A great romantic comedy with Bergman as a 40-something actress in a long time affair with Grant, a (supposedly) married statesman.
It culminates with Bergman trying to get revenge on Grant after finding out he had been lying all along about being married. Her plan to have him catch her with another man backfires. It's a great scene.
That's it. Three classic films, screen legends, no CGI, no blood, and almost nothing gets blown up. Romance, a little drama, laughs, and great costumes. Mindless escapism.
May sound boring to some people, but it was pretty close to the perfect evening for me.
Lately..
Last Wednesday was the debut of Air America Radio. I've been listening everyday on XM channel 167. Daily, noon to 3pm "The O'Franken Factor" has had amazing guests. Wednesday they had Sen. Bob Kerry from the 9/11 commission and Michael Moore. Franken and Moore had a phone interview with Al Gore. Thurs they interviewed Hillary Clinton. Friday they had Joe Biden, Paul Krugman and Richard Clarke. Not bad, eh?
I also caught a little of my hero, Janeanne Garofalos show "The Majority Report" which was great but the show is on at 8pm so I dont get to hear much of it.
Generally, I found it to have an aggravating amount of commercial interruptions but that just may be me. Regardless, I find it refreshing, funny and informative. Like a 24/7 live audioblog. Go to the website to see if it's on in your area, if not, you can hear it there.
Last Wednesday was the debut of Air America Radio. I've been listening everyday on XM channel 167. Daily, noon to 3pm "The O'Franken Factor" has had amazing guests. Wednesday they had Sen. Bob Kerry from the 9/11 commission and Michael Moore. Franken and Moore had a phone interview with Al Gore. Thurs they interviewed Hillary Clinton. Friday they had Joe Biden, Paul Krugman and Richard Clarke. Not bad, eh?
I also caught a little of my hero, Janeanne Garofalos show "The Majority Report" which was great but the show is on at 8pm so I dont get to hear much of it.
Generally, I found it to have an aggravating amount of commercial interruptions but that just may be me. Regardless, I find it refreshing, funny and informative. Like a 24/7 live audioblog. Go to the website to see if it's on in your area, if not, you can hear it there.
