Hula Hooping

Molly a hula-hooping at Jenny's 50th birthday party. BTW, I could never hula-hoop when I was a kid. 

Documentaries I've Loved

More Listamania Fun on Amazon- Documentaries

A Listmania! list

1.  Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965 (African American History (Penguin)) by Juan Williams

2.  Tongues Untied DVD ~ Marlon Riggs

3.  Southern Comfort DVD ~ Robert Eads

4.  One Day in September DVD ~ Michael Douglas

5.  Buena Vista Social Club DVD Luis Barzaga

6.  The Thin Blue Line DVD Randall Dale Adams

7.  Regret to Inform DVD ~ Xuan Ngoc Nguyen

8.  Not for Ourselves Alone - The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony DVD ~ Sally Kellerman

9.  Paris Is Burning DVD ~ Carmen and Brooke

10.  Ken Burns: The Civil War (Commemorative Edition) DVD ~ David McCullough

11.  Frontline By PBS ; Jefferson's Blood VHS PBS

12.  Seven Up DVD Granada

13.  Sherman's March DVD ~ Ross McElwee

Cat Woman- Meow

Eartha Kitt 1968

Here is a review of Catwoman throughout T.V. and film history. My only complaint is: why was there such a long lull between Eartha Kitt and Michelle Pfeiffer? 

In my humble Baron opinion, the world could have seen more of catwoman, not less..... 

In the 1990's I had the comic book collection of "Catwoman" when they issued it. I had the first edition too. 

That's one possession I regret getting rid of......

Julie Newmar 1966

Lee Meriweather 1966

Michelle Pfeiffer 1992

Halle Berry 2004

Anne Hathaway 2012

Jonathan's Great Adventure

More of that crazy JD out there in LA!

Johnathan in the Hollywood Hills

Trash Talk

Here's my friend Jonathan acting in a short movie he also wrote. It's called "Trash Talk." He's the handsome devil with dark hair.

Ella Es el Matador

--------Mari Paz Vega
The other night I happened to catch a P.O.V. documentary on PBS, call "Ella Es el Matador." It was about female bullfighters, which I didn't even know existed! Apparently there's a long and spotty history of women and bullfighting. Going back to the 1930's and on there were female bullfighters, and some of them were well known.

It's surprising to me that such masochistic cultures as Latin America, Mexico, and Spain would ever allow women to fight, but a small number of women have fought consistently throughout the decades. In Spain, during Franco's reign, women were banned. Even today Spain is more sexist towards women. Some of the women in the documentary have to pursue their careers in Latin America, though Spain is perceived as the ultimate place to fight and become famous.

The documentary follows several women during the pursuit of their careers. All of the women must work extra hard and be extra lucky to become 'el matador,' compared to males. There is a long process of being an apprentice matador before graduating to the title of el matador. The film points out that there is no true title for a female matador, which should be 'la matadora.' Even though females can fight, there is an invisible wall of sexism and prejudice that prevents most women from ever becoming established bullfighters. Only one woman in the film, Mari Paz Vega, 'makes' it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Eva Florencia
The film acknowledges cruelty to animals, but does not make the issue a focus. Bullfighting exists, and is a sport Spaniards love which is difficult for many others to understand. I cannot explain her love, but there is no doubt the film captures one women Eva Florencia's ardent passion for bullfighting and the bull. She paints pictures of bulls, and sees the bull as a deeply symbolic figure. It's also clear in the film that there are deep religious overtones to bullfighting, and there are numerous ritualistic habits associated with the fight.

In my opinion Spaniards love bullfighting because 'el matador' is a Christ-like figure facing death over and over. Watching this film does make me want to read Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon."


Conchita Cintron (1922-2009)

Patricia McCormick (one of the few American
female bullfighters)

Come up and see me sometime.......

My grandmother, not surprisingly, loved Mae West. (She enjoyed that crass, bawdy humor). In honor of this great woman, I've compiled some of Mae West's amusing well known and not so well known quotes. My grandmother often quoted them to me.

"The curve is more powerful than the sword."

"A girl in a convertible is worth 5 in the phone book."

"Give a man a free hand, and he'll run it all over you."

"Any time you've got nothing to do, and lots of time to do it, come on up."

"When I'm good I'm very, very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better."

"Why don't you come up sometime, and see me?"

"A dame that knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up."

"To err is human, but it feels divine."

"A man in the house is worth two in the street."

"I believe it's better to be looked over than overlooked."

"I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."

"It's not the men in my life that count, but the life in my men."

"Ten men waiting at the door? Send one home. I'm tired."

"Is that a pistol in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

"When women go wrong, men go right after them."

The Good, the Bad, and the Marty

My friend Melissa Tomey participated in making a movie this past weekend, as part of the 48 hour Boston Film Race. She's the corporate lady in this clip. I've participated in the past on the 12 hour and 24 hour film races. It's a lot of fun. The requirements this year were:
Character: Marty or Mary Quinzani, Second-in-Command
Prop: a magnet
Line of Dialogue: "Yes! I mean, I hope so."

Uma Thurman

I love Uma Thurman and Daryl Hannah, kicking butt in Kill Bill, Vol. 2. I personally wish they would just kiss and make up..... But.....

If they insist on fighting this way, somebody's gonna get their eye popped out!

Foxy Brown

"That's my sister, baby, and she's a whole lotta woman!" --Link Brown.

I watched 'Foxy Brown' on Netflix last night, a cult classic from 1974. It stars Pam Grier as the sexy 'Foxy Brown.' It's very campy. Quentin Tarantino masterfully re-created this genre in 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Jackie Brown' years later. (His movies are far better, of course) 'Foxy Brown' is a low budget B movie, but it stands out because of its portrayal of race relations at the time. The movie was made during the "Black Power," "Black is Beautiful" era. Everyone has a big Afro, platform shoes, orange pants, and calls themselves 'cat' and 'brother.'

As for Foxy Brown, I was a little disappointed that she didn't kick more ass. But she does get out of every scrape, wield a gun, and state her case clearly. In other words, it's gratifying to see a strong black woman in film. (At one point, she even gets into a brawl at a dyke bar! The scene is absolutely hilarious!) The film also stands out because there are plenty of dumb white people getting humiliated, which seems a rarity in film, especially in 1974. Foxy says to a white judge: "You pink-ass corrupt honky judge, take your little wet noodle outta here and if you see a man anywhere send him in because I do need a MAN!" Shocking!

"FoxyBrown" is definitely a revenge film. In fact, some of the scenes are disturbingly brutal, and seem out of character for Foxy and others. Some of the language in the film is also by today's standards grossly offensive. Foxy is called a "jigaboo" at one point. But, all in all, this cult classic is worth watching for a 'slice of time,' and (I sheepishly admit) a few laughs.

** Upon further research I discovered that "Foxy Brown," and the earlier "Coffy" (1973)-- also starring Pam Grier, are classic films of the "Blaxploitation" genre. These films, made during the early to mid 1970's, are usually set in urban areas like Los Angeles. The main characters are African Americans, with white people having minor roles. Generally there is an 'anti-drug' message in the film. Pimps and hit man and drug dealers are subdued not by police, but by vigilante black gangs. There's plenty of sex, profanity, and violence. The scores of the films are the soul and funk music of the time.

Many considered "Blaxploitation' films empowering, as they portrayed black actors and African American concerns and culture. The characters in the films (including the women) are strong and take action. But some African American organizations, like the N.A.A.C.P., protested "Blaxploitation' films because of the blatant (and often negative) stereotypes of blacks. A famous film of this genre, for example, is 'Shaft,' 1971.

One Year in Forty Seconds

I found this video--"One year in forty seconds," on the internet the other day. There have been several other similar projects. One of the best is below, Noah Kalina's "Everyday." All of these art projects remind me of the movie "Smoke." (1999) If you've never seen "Smoke," see it. I won't spoil the story by telling much, but Harvey Keitel's character completes a similar, bittersweet photographic observation of daily life. Someday, I'd really like to do something like this.

One year in 40 seconds from Eirik Solheim on Vimeo.

Living My Life Faster - 8 years of JK's Daily Photo Project from c71123 on Vimeo.

Noah Kalina "Everyday."

Harvey Milk

I finally saw the film 'Milk' tonight. It's the first movie I've gone out to see for a long time. The film was very emotional, inspiring, and of course I love Sean Penn. Not to mention I loved the setting--- San Francisco in the late 1970's.

I was about 13 or 14 at the time, but I didn't have any awareness of the gay rights battles that were going on. In fact I'm pretty amazed that the Briggs proposition was defeated in California. That's 30 years ago!

Unfortunately I do remember Anita Bryant.
I think she was on the cover of Time magazine, which my Dad had a subscription to. God was she scary! And so wasn't Briggs!

Some years ago I saw the documentary "The Times of Harvey Milk" (1984). Last night I came home directly from the movie "Milk" and watched the documentary again. Here it is for your viewing pleasure. If you have any trouble with this viewing go directly to Hulu.com.

Favorite Movies A-Z

Here's a Monday Morning Meme. Your task is to list your favorite movie titles, from A to Z. I promptly went to my Netflix rating list & found plenty of highly rated movies. Unfortunately, many started with the same letters, so I had to painstakingly choose among my dearest favorites. For other letters, I had to stretch it a bit, as you can imagine. There aren't too many X and Z movie titles out there.

Amadeus (1984)
Babette’s Feast (1987)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Elizabeth I (2005)
Fargo (1996)
Gandhi (1982)
Henry and June (1990)
I Shot Andy Warhol (1996)
Julia (1977)
Ken Burn’s Civil War (1990)
Laundrette, My Beautiful (1986)
My Brilliant Career (1979)
Notorious (1946)
Ordinary People (1980)
Piano, The (1993)
Queen, The (2006)
Rear Window (1954)
Summer of Sam (1999)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)
Vertigo (1958)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
X-Files
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Zorro, The Gay Blade

The Nicholas Brothers

The amazing Nicholas Brothers, Fayard (1914-2006) and Harold Nicholas (1921-2000), have been called the greatest tap dancers of their time, perhaps ever. The brothers were born in Alabama and North Carolina, respectively, but grew up in Philadelphia during the 1920's. Their parents were both talented musicians with their own band, and Fayard and Harold Nicholas as youngsters were exposed to various vaudeville acts at the Strand Theatre, including dancing. Later as teens Fayard and Harold Nicholas performed at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem in 1932.




Amazingly, the brothers never had any formal training in dance, yet were both teachers and masters in every respect. Their style of dancing was called "Flash Dancing," a combination of tap, ballet, and acrobatics. Their most famous dance sequence---'Jumpin Jive'--- in the movie "Stormy Weather," was cited by Fred Astaire as the greatest filmed dance sequence he had ever seen. This sequence is where the brothers dance their famous "leapfrogging' move. See for yourself.

Stormy Weather 1943

Diesel Film-Racing Contest

I participated in the Boston Diesel Film Race competition last month, as a lighting technician and costume/prop queen. We had 24 hours to make a film. The theme was "dating," and the surprise action was "fluffing a pillow." My friend Molly made the film "Trust the Process," starring several of my good friends. Unfortunately our film was not in the front runners for prizes, but we had great fun anyway. We also got to see our film screened at the Brattle Theater! It's a great experience to make a film. Hopefully I'll get a copy of our film soon.

These are my favorites of the contenders. To see others, go to: Diesel Film Racing
"A Moment" by The Faucet Drinkers

"Car Lover" by 13th Hour

"Third Date" by Red Light District Attorneys

Delightfully Dorky!

I saw "Mamma Mia" tonight with some friends. I really (surprisingly) enjoyed it! It was very funny. It was serious enough about some topics (love/loss/major life decisions), but always reverted back to outrageous camp at the right moment.

Of course anyone my age loves all those ABBA songs, despite ourselves. Like any sappy, sugary pop songs, you can't resist them. ABBA remains the most unexplained pop phenomenon of the centuries.

"Mamma Mia" is definitely a 'chick flick.' There were 3 men in the audience, all gay. The women were all singing along, clapping, and cheering. The inevitable "Dancing Queen" scene had a whole village of women dancing through town---- ripping off their bras, throwing down their brooms, yanking off their kerchiefs, and popping their estrogen pills with vigor to get their ya-yas out.

Only ladies would understand.

Finally, another reason to see "Mamma Mia" is Meryl Streep. She is perhaps our greatest, living American actress. Gorgeous and mesmerizing as usual, and she had a lot of fun too!

See it now! At a theater near you!

Gingy

After watching Shrek 3 for the second time (nephew visit) I've come to appreciate how funny and brilliant this movie is. My new superstar hero and favorite character is Gingy, the Gingerbread Man. Since I didn't see Shrek 2, I didn't know Gingy's tortured past, but when I saw Shrek 3 again and did some reading, I understood the flashback of his life (very hilarious).

Gingy fights back and has spunk!!! Yeah Gingy on the treadmill!
I also love when Gingy's says to Prince Charming: "The only thing you'll be king of is Stupid."

And of course, when Gingy pooped out that gumdrop, I cackled so loud my poor nephew was startled off the couch...

Frozen People

Here's a fun idea about what to do on your day off.


Thanks for the link-- s.b.!

Faye Dunaway

Here's a short tribute to Faye Dunaway. I watched her performance last night in "The Thomas Crown Affair." (1968) Her character is a bit far-fetched but irresistible. She is hot! I opine that Faye Dunaway's heyday was definitely during the late 1960's through the 1970's. She was an icon of a woman of the times. Some of her best films include "Chinatown" (1974) and "Bonnie and Clyde". (1967) I've never seen "Network," (1976) but I plan to watch it soon.

Today, this gorgeous, distinguished, and talented actress is nearly 70 years old!