Welcome to the 124th Edition of my series. I have been quite busy so I
haven’t been able to write this until now. My shift at work is finally
getting a little better and hopefully my struggling community theater is
saved but enough of that, let’s get it on...
Horton Hears a Who!
(2008): Jimmy Hayward and Steve Marino directed this Seuss adaption. I
decided to make my rare movie theater appearance with my $5 off coupon
and hearing some good things on this Dr. Seuss adaptation. Let me tell
you, Dr. Seuss never wanted these kinds of things to happen. He never
wanted toys made, movies made especially the other two adaptations, and
probably not even a musical which is entitled SEUSSICAL which is partly
based on this movie. My facebook friend Marty actually played the title
role in an adaptation of SEUSSICAL. All Dr. Suess authorized were those
special tv cartoons but I did find something enjoyable to watch. We all
join our friend Horton the Elephant, voiced by Jim Carrey in his second
Seuss film, who comes across a little spec and sees people are living on
it from Whoville. Everyone else thinks that Horton is crazy thinking
something that little could have people on it but he is determined
because a person is a person no matter how small. Now we go to Whoville,
where the Mayor, played by Steve Carell, sees some strange happenings
but like Horton, no one will believe him. It’s a film to be enjoyed by
the family.
Strike of the Tortured Angels (1982): Here is my
grindhouse pick for the week. I watch these alone so you don’t have to,
especially this one. If you want to watch this, bring some friends over.
This movie takes place in a Hong Kong women’s prison besides the Asian
woman trying to pass herself off as black with an afro wig and blackface
makeup. Like a said, of worth among friends, not much else but you
might laugh.
What the Daisy Said (1910): D.W. Griffith directed
this short film which stars early-screen goddess Mary Pickford who plays
a gypsy who along with her sister wants to find true love. One picks
petals off a flower and the other other has her fortune told by a
fortune teller both having complications. Nothing great, but interesting
early film by the Father of Cinema D.W. Griffith.
The English
Patient (1996): This is one of my many tributes this installment for
director Anthony Minghalla recently died. I might take some heat from
some but I quite enjoyed this. I admit I had a hard time when i first
started to try watching this which was years ago but once I got through
the first 15 minutes or so I really started getting into this story. We
start by seeing a soldier, played very well by Ralph Fiennes, who was
burned very badly. He is cared by a young nurse, played by Juliette
Binoche, who takes a lot of interest in him. His story is told in
flashbacks of how he came to be and showing his love affair with Kristen
Scott Thomas which really kept things going. Others include Willem
Defoe and look for LOST co-star Naveen Andrews.
The Harvey Girls
(1946): George Sidney directed this musical adaption of the novel by
Samual Hopkins Adams which starred Judy Garland as a mail-order bride
coming into a western town and meets some women and joins the title
group who finds herself in the middle of a rivalry with another bar and
even takes to bar owner Ned Trent, played by John Hodiak. Garland also
reunites with the Scarecrow Ray Bolger. Angela Lansbury has a role as
one of the most popular females of the rival bar and has some encounters
with Judy.
Othello (1952): This is the Orson Welles version
which he wrote and starred in. I have never seen any other adaptation of
this Shakespeare tragedy. Othello is led to believe by his scheming
friend Iago that is wife has committed adultry which drives him to the
edge. Orson has a lot of great things that come to the film like his
camerawork and his dark portrayal. This movie took years to make but
Orson was determined to get it done.
Dirty Dancing (1987): Emile
Ardolino directed this dancing movie. This is more of a tribute to
Patrick Swayze who was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. I might get
heat for choosing this one but it’s better than the other dancing movies
of the 80s. Jennifer Grey stars as Baby, an innnocent, naive 17 year
old who comes with her family and meets dancer Johnny Castles, played by
Swayze, and forms an uneasy partnership and late a love affair much to
the dismay of Baby’s father, played by the late Jerry Orbach. This had a
very popular soundtrack and a song sung by Patrick Swayze himself SHE’S
LIKE THE WIND. This is some good 80s fun with the family line of
"nobody puts baby in the corner".
Autism: The Musical (2007): You
know, I had no idea what to expect when I saw this title. I thought is
there really a spoof on autism and even I think I might have to draw a
line there but I hit the info button and saw that this was a documentary
of autistic children putting on a musical show, then I had to try this
one. I have worked with people with autism which is very unfortunate and
here a single mom decides to put on this show with help of the other
parents who were very interested. This really shed a lot of light on
this subject and I know I could never put on a show like that and get
these kids to do what they wanted. It was also very interesting to hear
the views from the parents and their tough job not only as a parent but a
parent to an autisic child.
A Raisin in the Sun (1961): Daniel
Petrie directed this groundbreaking film which is an adaptation of a
play by Lorraine Hansberry. Sydney Poitier, in a star-making role, plays
Walter Lee whose mother gets an inheritance from her late husband and
the family have a lot of disagreements on what to do with the money.
This took place in a time where it happened more and discussed such
topics as moving into a white neighborhood, abortion, among other
things. Claudia McNeil is great as the mom trying to keep the family
together. Ruby Dee is also good as Walter Lee’s wife. Check this one
out.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): Stanley Kubrick directed this
adaptation of a novel written by Arthur C. Clarke who recently died. I
admit when I watch this I am left scratching my head saying "What the
F&$" but is still very interesting going from the dawn of man which
were a bunch of apes into a mission in space. No one real famous starred
in this film nor did they go on to become huge stars but the movie
lives on forever. One of the biggest things is the creation of the HAL
9000 who you begs this question. Is he a villain or a tragic hero? I
mean Hal never asked to be created but he had to carry on his mission
and people wanted to unhook him so are his actions possibly justified?
Well that is what I will leave you all pondering.
That is it for
this week. Stay tuned for next week as I realease 125, kind of a cool
number. I have had a lot of other things on my mind, mostly my community
theater in financial jeopardy but they are getting together to see what
they can do to find ways to raise funds and I can tell there are many
people dedicated to saving the theater so I am holding my breath and
seeing what I can do.
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