PBS

Films, TV shows, and books of the 'modern' era
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knitwit45
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Re: PBS

Post by knitwit45 »

what is 'average'? not trying to pick a fight, just curious as to what definition is applicable.
jdb1

Re: PBS

Post by jdb1 »

srowley75 wrote:I've been watching a few DVDs of Julia Child's best shows from her PBS series. Dear God, how she puts everyone on Food Network to shame. So natural, buoyant and charming yet unpretentious. Not a hint of condescension, even as she recommends foods and wines the average housewife has likely never heard of.

According to Amazon.com, there's a second set, but I haven't been able to find it at the library as yet.
Wasn't she wonderful? There wouldn't be a Food Network, or any of its imitators, if there hadn't been a Julia Child. She put all food in the category of "food," not special food, or too-rich-for-my-blood-food, just good food that's fun to prepare and good to eat.

I remember being told about her show, which I hadn't yet seen, by a junior high classmate: There's this really neat show about how to cook fancy food, with this lady who talks like a rich woman, but isn't snobby at all. And she drops things and things burn and they don't cut those parts out -- she tells you not to worry about it, just try again.

When I was running a nursery school, there was a news article going around among teachers which said that polls showed that Child was a big favorite among the youngest segment of the TV audience. She spoke in such a musical, kind and friendly way, kids responded to her with enthusiasm, even if they didn't quite understand what she was talking about. Those kids grew up to be many of today's foodistas, I'm sure.

By the way, I finally saw Julie & Julia on TV, and I hated, hated, hated Streep's trilling travesty of Child (and the stupid script which made her seem so foolish). I'd describe it as clownish. I wanted to cry with indignation. Dan Ayckroyd's parody of Child on SNL had more dignity. What a grave disservice to an incredibly smart, funny, earthy and influential woman. Bah.
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ChiO
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Re: PBS

Post by ChiO »

I miss Julia. If the Food Network ran just her shows, I might consider abandoning TCM. Julia Child & Company was my favorite and her Julia Child & More Company cookbook, along with James Beard's American Cookery, is my most read, most used, and most fun cookbook...and every use reminds me of her shows.
By the way, I finally saw Julie & Julia on TV, and I hated, hated, hated Streep's trilling travesty of Child (and the stupid script which made her seem so foolish). I'd describe it as clownish. I wanted to cry with indignation. Dan Ayckroyd's parody of Child on SNL had more dignity. What a grave disservice to an incredibly smart, funny, earthy and influential woman. Bah.
And I thought it was just me.

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srowley75
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Re: PBS

Post by srowley75 »

knitwit45 wrote:what is 'average'? not trying to pick a fight, just curious as to what definition is applicable.
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srowley75
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Re: PBS

Post by srowley75 »

jdb1 wrote: Wasn't she wonderful? There wouldn't be a Food Network, or any of its imitators, if there hadn't been a Julia Child. She put all food in the category of "food," not special food, or too-rich-for-my-blood-food, just good food that's fun to prepare and good to eat.

I remember being told about her show, which I hadn't yet seen, by a junior high classmate: There's this really neat show about how to cook fancy food, with this lady who talks like a rich woman, but isn't snobby at all. And she drops things and things burn and they don't cut those parts out -- she tells you not to worry about it, just try again.
If you rent the DVDs, I suggest the omelet show and the chicken show. The explanation of the different kinds of chickens was interesting to me, as one who isn't much of a connoisseur of food in general. The omelets make me hungry even now, just thinking about them. Mom enjoyed the sausage show - I think it brought back memories of her childhood and grandpa making sausage (in a manner similar to the one Julia demonstrates).
By the way, I finally saw Julie & Julia on TV, and I hated, hated, hated Streep's trilling travesty of Child (and the stupid script which made her seem so foolish). I'd describe it as clownish. I wanted to cry with indignation. Dan Ayckroyd's parody of Child on SNL had more dignity. What a grave disservice to an incredibly smart, funny, earthy and influential woman. Bah.
I thought it was OK only because I found myself more focused on the story rather than the performance. I do think Julia's story is an inspirational and interesting one even as the film depicted it, but I thought Streep was miscast. Streep said on several talk shows that she tried to avoid making the performance seem more like an imitation. Well...sorry.
One thing I did find distasteful was that Child's perspective on her whole problem with the "Julie/Julia" project isn't really elaborated upon (I did a little research and was intrigued at how the film skewed things in order to make "Julie" appear so sympathetic, down to the casting of fresh-faced Amy Adams). From my viewpoint, the filmmakers would've done better to have simply made a film of Child's life and left "Julie" out of it entirely.
klondike

Re: PBS

Post by klondike »

knitwit45 wrote:what is 'average'? not trying to pick a fight, just curious as to what definition is applicable.
Understood, Nancy; I was just mildly surprised by the phrase "average housewife" [and more so by the noun than the adjective] as I haven't seen it in current print since about the early 80's, nor heard it in general conversation since about 1990.
Certainly though, it would be relevent to the old Julia eps {go WGBH!}, depending how far back they go.
:idea:
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JackFavell
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Re: PBS

Post by JackFavell »

I quite agree about leaving the Julie part out, and simply making the story of Julia's life. The Julie part was a distraction.

I actually enjoyed Streep. I was surprised to find that after a few minutes, I forgot it was her. I also usually love Stanley Tucci, but I felt the film didn't focus on Julia and her husband enough. Plus, there are far more interesting parts of Julia's life to film. I found the film lacking on the whole, maybe because of the Julie tie in... I couldn't help but think that this Julie person was making money off of Julia's name, because I stupidly plunked down my money for a ticket. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
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MichiganJ
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Re: PBS

Post by MichiganJ »

Despite not being able to cook (I burn water--although I'm more than willing to share my recipe for Stouffer's pizza if anyone's interested), I would recommend the Child biography, Appetite For Life by Noel Riley Fitch.
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jdb1

Re: PBS

Post by jdb1 »

MichiganJ wrote:Despite not being able to cook (I burn water--although I'm more than willing to share my recipe for Stouffer's pizza if anyone's interested), I would recommend the Child biography, Appetite For Life by Noel Riley Fitch.
Yes, really fascinating book about a fascinating life, and it would make a fabulous movie. Based on the Paul Child of that book, I can't see Tucci as Paul, as much as I like Tucci. It seems to me that Child, despite his overlay of savoire faire, could be quite the rough-edged adventurer, and certainly his roguishness must have been one of the things that attracted Julia's naughty side. The two seemed admirably suited to one another.

The first thing I made from a recipe I saw on The French Chef was some sort of lemon ices/sherbet. In those days, very few people had anything like the kind of professionally equipped kitchen she had, but she always urged us to improvise and be practical, so I used what I had (nothing like a food processor then, and plain old ice cube trays instead of an ice cream maker), and the dessert came out great in spite of my culinary shortcomings.
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movieman1957
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Re: PBS

Post by movieman1957 »

TV Critic David Bianculli writes that PBS will insert promotional messages and corporate and foundation sponsor spots in some programs rather than just between shows. (H e does make a point that this bothers him less than the thought that TCM would ever do this.)

http://www.tvworthwatching.com/blog/201 ... l#comments

It my part of town it seems like pledge breaks (at least on weekends) are coming every three or four weeks. When they do come up they seem little more than infomercials. Somebody is putting out a plan to make you smarter, happier, thinner, richer or healthier. Hardly anything is entertainment related. I'm not sure I'd count helicopter shots of Italy or Ireland in that category either.
Chris

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JackFavell
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Re: PBS

Post by JackFavell »

Well, they have to make their money somehow - it's a shame that PBS got caught in a political fight and has basically been destroyed by it.
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movieman1957
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Re: PBS

Post by movieman1957 »

Been watching Ken Burns' "The War." Didn't catch every minute of it but I found it very compelling. I'm amazed at the men interviewed, as with any men in so many war documentaries, about how they lived the war, how they survived the war and more so about those friends that didn't come home. This also had the added perspective of those who were home during the years.

As a huge fan of Thames Television's "The World At War" for all it's encyclopedic information seldom got close to personal stories. This would appear to be a good companion piece to that. At nearly 40 years apart the former benefits from many of the big players in government, both Allied and German, while the latter focuses on those at the other end of the spectrum.

I didn't get the sense there was any judgement or positions taken in the narration but others may think differently. I think it the topic interests you at all it is worth the time.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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JackFavell
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Re: PBS

Post by JackFavell »

I hae to be in the mood, Chris, for those types of documentaries. Lately I have been more interested again.

The World at War - Wasn't it the one narrated by Laurence Olivier, with that beautiful haunting theme music? It was a fantastic series I could watch any time it was on and get a lot out of, One of the few war docs that really captured whole different aspects of the war depending on which episode you watched, in chunks I could handle.
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movieman1957
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Re: PBS

Post by movieman1957 »

Olivier narrated and Carl Davis wrote the music. (The was my first exposure to Davis.) Someone I knew had to whole 25 hours on VHS and was going to throw them away. I caught it in time. Then I found the DVD set on sale for about $20 and that's on the shelf too.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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JackFavell
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Re: PBS

Post by JackFavell »

I didn't know that was Carl Davis! Of course, in retrospect, I should have known, it's a beautiful theme.

Wow, it's a steal either way. I haven't seen it in years. I'll have to go see if I can scarf up a few episodes online.
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