MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Discussion of the actors, directors and film-makers who 'made it all happen'
Thompson
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Thompson »

EP Millstone wrote: March 12th, 2023, 9:05 pm
HoldenIsHere wrote: March 12th, 2023, 4:27 pm The sweetie and I watched THE OSCAR on Watch TCM last night/early morning . . . It was enjoyable camp.
Agreed!

I watched The Oscar -- for probably the third time -- a couple of nights ago and enjoyed it.

To me, it's not "so bad it's good," "unwatchable," "the greatest terrible movie of all time," and "trash." Anything that continues to inspire and generate as much journalistic, quasi-journalistic, and psuedo-journalistic attention and schadenfreude as The Oscar has can't be that bad, I think.

Setting the tone of the plot and maintaining the fever pitch of the screenplay, a ferocious Stephen Boyd voraciously tore into the role of Frankie Fane and chewed up the scenery, spit it out, then chewed it up again. Fane is a human piranha and the high-voltage dynamo boosting the power and energy in the amped-up script co-written by Harlan Ellison (whose personality and temperament was similarly and astringently intense).

As Fane's sad sack-factotum, Tony Bennett, IMO, did a credible job, unworthy of the mocking ridicule he routinely gets from snide critics. I can see the commitment and earnestness in his performance as Hymie Kelly.

Among the star-studded cast, Edie Adams struck the right notes as the canny Trina Yale, who is not as ditzy as she pretends to be. As her untrustworthy husband, Ernest Borgnine reliably delivered the goods, deftly making Barney Yale both comedic and intimidating. Peter Lawford, as has-been Steve Marks, effectively tapped into the poignancy of his character. As did Eleanor Parker, who portrayed the tragic, lovelorn Sophie Cantaro who is initially seduced and aroused by Fane's magnetic machismo, ultimately to be wounded by his misogynistic cruelty. Milton Berle, as agent Alfred "Kappy" Kappstetter, commendably distinguished himself in a dramatic role. Elke Sommer -- who apparently did not receive the memo that she appeared in a hilarious turkey -- rightly does not seem to be embarrassed by her performance or the movie, listing it on her website.

For me, The Oscar succeeds as enjoyable entertainment -- that's all I ask from a movie. Don't make me regret investing my time watching it
(The Oscar doesn't!). Don't bore me (it doesn't!). Don't be a chore to watch (it isn't!). Momentarily distract me from my cares, woes, and miseries with interesting characters, a captivating story, quotable dialogue, memorable moments, dynamic performances, and artistic integrity* (it does!).

For those not inconsiderable achievements, the Oscar (for A Good Time at the Movies) goes to The Oscar, as far as I'm concerned.

* i.e., the filmmakers and cast are committed to the production, don't have their tongues in their cheeks, and aren't playing the audience cheap.

Thompson
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Thompson »

That is a classic post EP, right on.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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Love your post on THE OSCAR, Millstone My Man. (what do you think of THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE?) Milton Berle played a lot of agents in these kinds of movies -- Ernie Borgnine too.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON ALERT THIS EVENING!!! DO NOT MISS!!! (12 MIDNIGHT A.M. EASTERN)
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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Hibi wrote: March 9th, 2023, 2:41 pm
Bronxgirl48 wrote: March 9th, 2023, 11:52 am Andree, I think the only Fassbinder movie I've seen is ALI but do not remember it very well.

Oy, WHAT A WAY TO GO -- a real '60's mess. Gene Kelly is fairly amusing as an egoistic movie idol but that's not saying much. Shirley wears all these "fab" outfits but overall I found it a painful slog.

Ed Wood, bless his heart. GLEN OR GLENDA is another winner.

THE OSCAR co-stars Tony Bennett as Hymie Kelly, whose words of wisdom ring through the ages: "Lie down with pigs and you wake up smellin' like gaaabaaage!"

Speaking of painful slogs, try getting through Woody Allen's ANOTHER WOMAN. Just try.

DAMN! I missed my chance to record/watch THE OSCAR! I remember seeing it on the schedule and checking now it was on MONDAY MORNING! Who knows when they'll run it again (Paramount). Bad Movie Nirvana. P-SSED! :( Maybe it'll pop up somewhere else (with commercials) this month.

Hibi, I feel your pain to the nth degree. THE OSCAR must definitely be seen one way or the other. Good luck to you, my friend!
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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dianedebuda wrote: March 9th, 2023, 3:09 pm
Bronxgirl48 wrote: March 9th, 2023, 11:52 amOy, WHAT A WAY TO GO -- a real '60's mess. Gene Kelly is fairly amusing as an egoistic movie idol but that's not saying much. Shirley wears all these "fab" outfits but overall I found it a painful slog.
Strange that I find quite a few people don't care for it, but I think it's really funny. 🤷‍♀️


Bronxgirl48 wrote: March 9th, 2023, 11:52 amSpeaking of painful slogs, try getting through Woody Allen's ANOTHER WOMAN. Just try.
Feel the same with just about every movie he made. Think there was one that I tried & liked ... kinda. 😞

One of Woody's funniest movies is LOVE AND DEATH in which he skewers Russian novels and makes fun of the Bergman cinematic techniques, then becomes a pretentious imitative devotee.

Re: WHAT A WAY TO GO! I get that same reaction to GOODBYE CHARLIE. I love it but a lot of people don't.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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dianedebuda wrote: March 9th, 2023, 3:33 pm
Bronxgirl48 wrote: March 9th, 2023, 11:41 amI think ketchup may have Asian Indian roots.
I bought a banana sauce once then found out it was a popular Philippine sweet catsup made from bananas. They even make spaghetti with it. 😲😆



I've always wanted to try that cuisine but don't know about the spaghetti, lol.
Last edited by Bronxgirl48 on March 13th, 2023, 7:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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I am pondering two funny Burt Reynolds' comedies: STARTING OVER (Candace Bergen is unforgettable) and BEST FRIENDS. Love them both. Who else shares my opinion?
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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Andree wrote: March 9th, 2023, 5:13 pm
Bronxgirl48 wrote: March 9th, 2023, 11:52 am Andree, I think the only Fassbinder movie I've seen is ALI but do not remember it very well.

Oy, WHAT A WAY TO GO -- a real '60's mess. Gene Kelly is fairly amusing as an egoistic movie idol but that's not saying much. Shirley wears all these "fab" outfits but overall I found it a painful slog.

Ed Wood, bless his heart. GLEN OR GLENDA is another winner.

THE OSCAR co-stars Tony Bennett as Hymie Kelly, whose words of wisdom ring through the ages: "Lie down with pigs and you wake up smellin' like gaaabaaage!"

Speaking of painful slogs, try getting through Woody Allen's ANOTHER WOMAN. Just try.
I think Ali is one of his best flicks, it's about the relationship of an older German woman with a much younger
Turkish resident and all the angst that it leads to. There are some Fassbinder films on YT, but it's hard to get English
subtitles. I'm trying to work my way through Mother Kusters' Trip to Heaven. The English subtitles aren't always
100% accurate, but they're good enough to make sense of the movie.

I will reserve judgement on WAWTG until it comes on FX again. I was looking at their morning/early afternoon schedule
for Friday and The House on Telegraph Hill will be on from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. Being a 20th Century Fox film, I can't
remember the last time it was on TCM.

I thought pigs were actually very clean animals. Anyway, I like the old standby Lie down with dogs and get up with
fleas. Whatever.

I saw Another Woman a long time ago. It wasn't too bad, kind of typical Woody and it's only 77 minutes long.
I think by cranking out a movie every year, Woody may be making a mistake. Leave that kind of thing to Fassbinder.

Aren't anchovies teeny tiny fish? Yuck. Being a finnicky eater, I only like a plain cheese pizza without all the toppings.
A bit healthier too.


The Fox Channel has its theme rotations: Suspense/thrillers/ (MY COUSIN RACHEL, THE HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL -- which is not bad -- KISS OF DEATH, THE LODGER, THE OTHER, ALLIGATOR PEOPLE, COMPULSION). Musicals/romance/comedy/(MOTHER WORE TIGHTS, DAY TIME WIFE, MR. SCOUTMASTER, MY GAL SAL)

Woody says he keeps so busy because he (famously) fears death. Keeps his mind off it.

Anchovies are cute! There is something to be said for a plain cheese pizza as well, though.

Pigs do get a bad rap. They are clean but are not perceived that way.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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CinemaInternational wrote: March 11th, 2023, 12:10 pm
Bronxgirl48 wrote: March 9th, 2023, 11:52 am

Speaking of painful slogs, try getting through Woody Allen's ANOTHER WOMAN. Just try.
I saw that one through ...twice. I thought it was very powerful and extremely well acted, but then again I liked a lot of Woody Allen's films, although the last section of his directorial period has been hit and miss.

I haven't seen that many of his "serious" works although I did sort of enjoy MATCH POINT. I should probably just hold my nose so to speak and check out the rest, lol.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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Once again, I must give a shout-out to DOG DAY AFTERNOON which is playing at midnight tonight, EST (or 12:15 but tune in at 12 on the dot just to make sure you do not miss anything)

Those who haven't seen it, PLEASE DO NOT MISS. (along with 12 ANGRY MEN, I think it's Lumet's best)
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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Andree -- you love your creepy women! (new avatar) Vera Clouzot in DIABOLIQUE, n'est pas? Love it!
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EP Millstone
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by EP Millstone »

Bronxgirl48 wrote: March 13th, 2023, 7:32 pm Love your post on THE OSCAR, Millstone My Man. (what do you think of THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE?) . . .
Thank you, Bronxgirl48!

Alas, I haven't seen The Legend of Lylah Clare. It's on YouTube. The cast is mouthwatering (Coral Browne, Valentina Cortese, Rossella Falk, Lee Meriwether -- in drag!). According to the Internet Movie Database, Kim Novak was dubbed by Hildegard Knef and Ernest Borgnine plays another coarse lowbrow named Barney. I'll definitely be checking out The Legend of Lylah Clare!

This 1968 Robert Aldrich production was preceded by a similarly titled 1963 episode of The Dupont Show of the Week. Ever seen it? If not . . .

"Start every day off with a smile and get it over with." -- W.C. Fields
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

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EP, I cannot get the sound on that mind-blowing DuPont LYLAH. Drat!!!!! Lord have mercy, who knew this existed???? (Better Living Through Chemistry indeed lol) Thank you SO MUCH for uploading it! I will try to find some way to listen!

The Aldrich movie has been reviewed in the BAD MOVIES YOU LOVE forum if you care to check them out. They go back several years. (I also wrote a few comments)
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Andree
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Andree »

Bronxgirl48 wrote: March 13th, 2023, 8:16 pm

The Fox Channel has its theme rotations: Suspense/thrillers/ (MY COUSIN RACHEL, THE HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL -- which is not bad -- KISS OF DEATH, THE LODGER, THE OTHER, ALLIGATOR PEOPLE, COMPULSION). Musicals/romance/comedy/(MOTHER WORE TIGHTS, DAY TIME WIFE, MR. SCOUTMASTER, MY GAL SAL)

Woody says he keeps so busy because he (famously) fears death. Keeps his mind off it.

Anchovies are cute! There is something to be said for a plain cheese pizza as well, though.

Pigs do get a bad rap. They are clean but are not perceived that way.


Yes, I see The Other has been on a lot recently and I recall when The Alligator People was in heavy rotation a
number of years ago. I liked THOTH. The heroine is fairly sympathetic, but she falls into it so many times, one gets a little
envious of all her good luck, though her deception is minor compared to Basehart's. He's good at the "helpful" menacing
thing, fake understanding while planning to knock her off. But those big glasses of orange juice at bedtime. No thanks. It's
too bad she sold the old house. Get rid of all Aunt Sophia's Victorian knickknacks and heavy furniture and that will be a nice house.

I suppose keeping busy helps some people to keep their minds off the grim reaper, but in the end death always wins. Interiors
has always been one of my favorite Woody comedies. Hilarity a la Bergman.

I've always been a finnicky eater, though I'll go so far as four cheese pizza.

I did catch WAWTG over the weekend. Yeah, not much there. It probably sounded like a good idea at the time, but it didn't work
out that way. A few funny moments, but not many and those movie spoofs at the beginning of each new segment didn't help at
all.

Vera was such a sweetie and she never was a murderess in real life. I think that photo is just a picture with no particular relation
to any specific movie. And as for Les Diaboliques her hubby was one of those people who almost deserved what he got.
Every man has a right to an umbrella.~Dostoyevsky
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