Favorite Photo of the Week #2

I've posted this image at least twice in my Facebook feed, one look will explain why.  You're all familiar with Buster Crabbe shirtless and in swim trunks.  But here's a hunk of a man who just oozed sex appeal in this portrait, looking sharp fully clothed.

The Hitchcock Nine Silents - Restored and Coming Soon to a Theater Near You

 

Lucky ducks (like me) in San Francisco will get a chance to see all of the recently restored (and extant) silent films of Alfred Hitchcock at The Castro Theater presented as a special event by the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.  You can read about the programs and order your tickets here!

 

It was pointed out to me by a good friend the most wonderful comment from "Freddie" in this blog piece from the New York Times, do check it out!  It's rare in an article that the comments are worth reading, this one most certainly is.  Especially if you sing along!

 

See you in June!

 

It's Quiz Time X2 - a Guest Post

My good pal Frederica Merrivale (IRL Joan Myers) has also thrown down the gauntlet for the movie quiz, here are her 2 cents.  And regarding her answer to #21, no darling, that's singing, not cheating.

1. The classic movie moment everyone loves except me is:

Most of John Ford’s moments.

 

2. Favorite line of dialogue from a film noir

                “Baby, I don’t care.”

 

3. Second favorite Hal Ashby film

                I don’t have a second favorite Hal Ashby film. You get Harold and Maude or you get nothing.

 

4. Describe the moment when you first realized movies were directed as opposed to simply pieced together anonymously.

                …don’t remember…

 

5. Favorite film book.

                So many. Today I’ll go with The Keystone Kid, by Coy Watson, Jr.

 

6. Diana Sands or Vonetta McGee?

                Diana Sands.

 

7. Most egregious gap in your viewing of films made in the past 10 years

                The Hurt Locker and Slumdog Millionaire.

 

8. Favorite line of dialogue from a comedy

                “And weave.”

 

9. Second favorite Lloyd Bacon film

                A Notorious Affair (first is Mary Stevens, MD)

 

10. Richard Burton or Roger Livesey?

                Roger Livesey.

 

11. Is there a movie you staunchly refuse to consider seeing? If so, why?

                SHOAH. Just can’t do it.

 

12. Favorite filmmaker collaboration.

                Kurosawa and Mifune, if you insist I hold it down to one.

 

13. Most recently viewed movie on DVD/Blu-ray/theatrical?

                Skyfall.

 

14. Favorite line of dialogue from a horror movie

                “Yeth, mathter.” 

 

15. Second favorite Oliver Stone film

                Salvador.

 

16. Eva Mendes or Raquel Welch?

                Probably Welch but it’s not a burning issue.

 

17. Favorite religious satire

                Life of Brian or Dogma.

 

18. Best Internet movie argument? (question contributed by Tom Block)

                (Boggle). There is a best in this category?

 

19. Most pointless Internet movie argument? (question contributed by Tom Block)

Numbered comedians, ranking thereof.

 

20. Charles McGraw or Robert Ryan?

                Robert Ryan.

 

21. Favorite line of dialogue from a western.

                “I’m tired. Tired, tired of being admired. Tired of love uninspired Let's face it, I'm tired.” (Is that cheating?)

 

22. Second favorite Roy Del Ruth film

                Second? That’s so unfair. Oh hell, Employee’s Entrance.

 

23. Relatively unknown film or filmmaker you’d most eagerly proselytize for.

William Beaudine’s The Canadian. I have been proselytizing for it for years.

 

24. Ewan McGregor or Gerard Butler?

                Ewan McGregor. But could I have him with Gerard Butler’s abs?

 

25. Is there such a thing as a perfect movie?

                Absolutely. Now, Voyager.

 

26. Favorite movie location you’ve most recently had the occasion to actually visit.

                I live in L.A., for heaven’s sake! 

 

27.  Second favorite Delmer Daves film

                I barely have a first.

 

28.  Name the one DVD commentary you wish you could hear that, for whatever reason, doesn't actually exist *

                Dana Andrews commenting on Laura.

 

29. Gloria Grahame or Marie Windsor?

                Gloria Grahame.

 

30. Name a filmmaker who never really lived up to the potential suggested by their early acclaim or success.

                Henry King.

 

31)   Is there a movie-based disagreement serious enough that it might cause you to reevaluate the basis of a romantic relationship or a friendship?

                No.

It's Quiz Time!

Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule has posted another quiz, so I feel compelled to give it a go.  ymmv!

MISS JEAN BRODIE’S MODESTLY MAGNIFICENT, MATRIARCHALLY MANIPULATIVE SPRINGTIME-FOR-MUSSOLINI MOVIE QUIZ

1)      The classic movie moment everyone loves except me is:

Beyond the opening tracking shot, Touch of Evil.

2)      Favorite line of dialogue from a film noir

“I wouldn't give you the skin off a grape.” – Tommy Udo in Kiss of Death

3)      Second favorite Hal Ashby film

I guess Shampoo (Harold and Maude is my favorite, natch)

4)      Describe the moment when you first realized movies were directed as opposed to simply pieced together anonymously.

For all the flaws, Intolerance.  In particular The Babylonian sequence and the chase/rescues from The Mother and the Law and all the intercutting between the four stories.

5)      Favorite film book

Kevin Brownlow’s The Parade’s Gone By. (Cue gasps of surprise)

6)      Diana Sands or Vonetta McGee?

Who?

7)      Most egregious gap in your viewing of films made in the past 10 years

Mr. Bean’s Holiday? ;-)

8)      Favorite line of dialogue from a comedy

"Why do you have to paint everything so black? Suppose you got hit by a truck. Suppose the stock market crashes. Suppose Mary Pickford divorces Douglas Fairbanks. Suppose the Dodgers leave Brooklyn!" – Some Like it Hot

9)      Second favorite Lloyd Bacon film

Marked Woman.  (Fav is Footlight Parade)

10)   Richard Burton or Roger Livesey?

Hands down, Roger Livesey.

11)   Is there a movie you staunchly refuse to consider seeing? If so, why?

I’ll get roasted over the coals for this, but 90% of silent film slapstick comedies by 3^rd rate comedians.  I lack the slapstick gene, I’m sure it’s a boy thing.  I adore Keaton, love Lloyd and some of Chaplin.  Lloyd Hamilton, not so much.  Okay, so that means more than one movie.  My bad.

12)   Favorite filmmaker collaboration

Powell and Pressburger.  Wilder and Brackett and Diamond. Hitchcock and Grant.

13)   Most recently viewed movie on DVD/Blu-ray/theatrical?

Douglas Fairbanks 1924 epic, The Thief of Bagdad (theatrical and home on blu-ray)

14)   Favorite line of dialogue from a horror movie

“Its Alive!  It’s Alive!”

15)   Second favorite Oliver Stone film

The Doors

16)   Eva Mendes or Raquel Welch?

Raquel Welch

17)   Favorite religious satire

Monty Python’s The Life of Brian

18)   Best Internet movie argument? (question contributed by Tom Block)

Pass

19)   Most pointless Internet movie argument? (question contributed by Tom Block) 

Best 100 anything to do with film

20)   Charles McGraw or Robert Ryan?

 Robert Ryan

21)   Favorite line of dialogue from a western

I was going to say “Candygram for Mongo,” but really it’s “Shane!  Come Back!”

22)   Second favorite Roy Del Ruth film

The Maltese Falcon(1931)

23)   Relatively unknown film or filmmaker you’d most eagerly proselytize for

Two silents I love that should be better known: The Shakedown from 1929 (William Wyler) or Stella Dallas 1925 (Henry King)

24)   Ewan McGregor or Gerard Butler?

Ewan McGregor

25)   Is there such a thing as a perfect movie?

To me, 1941’s The Maltese Falcon.  Tightly scripted, beautifully cast and acted, gorgeously photographed, good underscoring and not one second too long.  I do not care how many times I’ve seen it, it never fails to please.

26)   Favorite movie location you’ve most recently had the occasion to actually visit

I pass by my favorite location every day on the way to work, all seen in Vertigo, The Fairmont Hotel, The Pacific Union Club and 1000 Mason Street. 

27)   Second favorite Delmer Daves film

Destination Tokyo

28)   Name the one DVD commentary you wish you could hear that, for whatever reason, doesn't actually exist

Charles Laughton on Night of the Hunter.

29)   Gloria Grahame or Marie Windsor?

Tough one!   I’ll go with Gloria Grahame who could go from Sudden Fear to Oklahoma and still delight me.  

30)   Name a filmmaker who never really lived up to the potential suggested by their early acclaim or success

I’ll get killed for this, too.  Francis Ford Coppola.  Well, he lived up to it and then completely obliterated it.  ymmv.

31)   Is there a movie-based disagreement serious enough that it might cause you to reevaluate the  basis of a romantic relationship or a friendship?

Nope, because it’s only a movie.

Favorite Photo of the Week #1

With thanks to the photo blog If Charlie Parker was a Gunslinger, There'd be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats, I'm inspired to start a new series on my own blog, Favorite Photo of the Week.  I'm stealing my first "favorite shot" from them, thank you very much.

 

 

Joan Crawford and Bette Davis share a laugh during filming of Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte.  This photo has everything I love about candid, behind the scenes photos, two great stars caught in a completely unguarded moment.  This belies the assumption these two never got along at all.  no doubt they had their moments, but, for this brief span of time, marvelous shot!