Sunday, November 30, 2008

Thanksgiving Holiday Consumption

In my latest questionnaire, I asked visitors "What is your Thanksgiving movie watching ritual?". While some of you were passing out after all that turkey or all that cooking, others saw a new film at the theater. However, the majority of you said you'd be watching old movies at home.

So what did you see? Even if you are not in the US and/or didn't celebrate Thanksgiving, what did you watch over the weekend? I'd love to hear your answers. Please share!

I definitely did my fair share of movie consuming over the break. Here is what I saw.


1) Breathless (1961) - I watched this for a second time along with some of the documentaries (DVD extras). Absolutely brilliant. Post about this movie TK.

2) Stalag 17 (1953) - I had to see this movie again before sending it back to Netflix. Whoever thought that a movie about American POWs in WWII could be so entertaining? I'm recommending this movie to everyone and their cousin!

3) Dancing Lady (1933) - A great pre-code musical. Check out Jonas' review of this movie on his blog All Talking! All Singing! All Dancing!

4) Mister Lonely (2007) - I missed out on watching this Harmony Korine film at the Boston Indie Film Festival because of school. Kevin got the DVD for my birthday because he knew how much I wanted to see it (You rock Kevin!). I cried watching this. A touching story about a Michael Jackson impersenator trying to fill the void inside of him that his loneliness created. He connects with a Marilyn Monroe impersenator who takes him to an impersenator commune. Oh and there are some flying nuns too.

5) She Done Him Wrong (1933) - This is the first Mae West film I have ever seen and by golly I'm already a BIG fan of hers. She was the shizzle, fo sho! I love the line: When a woman goes wrong, the men go right after her.

6) Blotto (1930) - Laurel & Hardy short. Laurel has a nag of a wife and he works with Hardy on a way to get Laurel out of the house. Laurel plans to steal his wife's liquor, but she's on to him. She replaces it with cold tea, unbeknownst to the pair who think they are getting plastered. Very funny!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

It's My Birthday!

Today is my birthday. I turn 28 years old at exactly 12:25pm on the dot (I was a very punctual newborn). I'm sure my soul is probably a couple of centuries old. I did some research and found some birth dates, marriage dates and death dates that happened on my birthday. See below.

Also, I'm taking a short hiatus to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family. I'll be back next week. Hope you have a safe and happy holiday! And if you start your Christmas shopping after Thanksgiving, please buy books as presents. Support the book industry and literacy!

This Day in Film History

Births:
11-25-1914 ~ Joe DiMaggio, one-time spouse of actress Marilyn Monroe, was born on this date.
11-25-1920 ~ Actor Ricardo Montalban was born on this date.

Marriages:
11-25-1934 ~ Sucky Actress Margaret Sullavan marries the director William Wyler (who totally should have known better). I'm wondering if she noticed that he wasn't Jimmy Stewart! What an idiot. Can you tell I don't like her?
11-25-1946 ~ Actor Louis Calhern marries actress Marianne Stewart.
11-25-1965 ~ Jazz Musician Chet Baker marries Carol Baker. I know he's not a classic film actor, but I like him okay!

Deaths:
11-25-???? ~ No names that I recognized. Let's keep it that way.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Quel Interprétation ~ Bonita Granville - Nancy Drew

I decided to start a new series called Quel Interprétation which features yours truly attempting modern visual interpretations of classic film actresses. I study one film and try to model an outfit as closely as possible with my current wardrobe and limited budget. I'll also do hair and make-up to match the concept. Sometimes it'll be conceptual because of the great differences between past and present fashions.

This is my attempt at recreating Bonita Granville as Nancy Drew. Complete with a wrench. I'm sure both Ginger and Jonas will appreciate that prop as they've been bugging me about it on Facebook (the picture of Bonita is my current Facebook profile pic).

To create this I wore my detective hat, a purple ruffled blouse, high-waisted & flowy brown trousers, blue girlish shoes with heels, a trench coat and green gloves. Everything is prety much what Bonita/Nancy would have worn with the exception of the trenchcoat. Her adventures often took place in the summer so she wouldn't have needed it. I included it to add a detective vibe to the outfit. I couldn't quite achieve her perm without doing some serious damage to my hair so I opted to do girlish ringlets as Bonita is a teenager. It was a lot of fun to dress up and pretend I was about to clonk some burglar on the head with a wrench!

Who will I be next?






Viewing Guide:

Nancy Drew, Detective (1938)

Nancy Drew, Reporter (1939)

Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter (1939)

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (1939)

Friday, November 21, 2008

A-Z Movie Meme

I've been tagged by fellow blogger Ibetolis at the excellent blog Film for the Soul to do the A-Z Movie Meme started by Blog Cabins. Premise is simple, just list a good film that starts with each letter of the alphabet. There are some crazy rules to follow, but I like to throw rules out the window on this blog, so I'm doing my own thing, see? I'm trying to either chose films that I'm interested in or really like right now to match with each letter.

Thanks Ibetolis!

A is for All That Heaven Allows (1956)
B is for Bonjour Tristesse (1958)
C is for Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
D is for D.O.A. (1950)
E is for East of Eden (1955)
F is for Father of the Bride (1950)
G is for Good News (1947) ... goody, good, good, good!
H is for Holiday Affair (1949)
I is for Idiot's Delight (1939)
J is for Jezebel (1938)
K is for Keep Your Powder Dry (1945)
L is for The Letter (1940)
M is for Metropolis (1927)
N is for Nancy Drew, Detective (1938)
O is for Out of the Past (1947)
P is for A Patch of Blue (1965)
Q is for Queen Christina (1934)
R is for River of No Return (1954)
S is for Strangers When We Meet (1960)
T is for Thunder Road (1958)
U is for Unfaithfully Yours (1948)
V is for The Virgin Suicides (1999)
W is for The Women (1939)
X is for Madame X (1966)
Y is for Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)
Z is for Ziegfeld Girl (1941)


As my friend Lisa would say, tag yourselves bitches!

I would also like to thank Jacqueline over at Another Old Movie Blog for tagging me too.

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