I'll keep this party rolling with one of my favorite classic films of all time, "Suddenly Last Summer." This is cinema gold! It was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz based on the play by Tennessee Williams with a screenplay by Gore Vidal & Williams. And if that wasn't enough, the film features three unforgettable performances from the inimitable Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift!
"Sebastian and Violet! Violet and Sebastian!" Such a great film. Katharine Hepburn vs. Elizabeth Taylor (fighting over who's the gay guy's best friend no less) is absolutely everything.
One of my favorite classic films is The Women (1939), directed by George Cukor and featuring an all-female, all-star ensemble cast including . . . *drum roll* . . . Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard, Joan Fontaine & Marjorie Main! There are over 130 female characters with speaking roles, and throughout the film not a single male character is ever seen or heard. It also might be one of the funniest, campiest films from the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood.
The Women is definitely one of my favorites too! And let's not forget the iconic performance from Mary Boland as The Countess de Lave - “Poor creatures. They've lost their equilibrium because they've lost their faith in love. Oh, l'amour, l'amour!”
(Gasp) Love Norma!!! Joan Fontaine too- she was in the film Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Irwin Allen. The only thing annoting in that film, is Barbara Eden running after her fiancé screaming, "LEE! . . . LEE! . . . LEE!" every five minutes.
Okay, I have two films. This one is called "The Swimmer." The Swimmer is a 1968 American surrealist-drama film starring Burt Lancaster. The film was written and directed by Academy Award-nominated husband-and-wife team of Eleanor Perry and Frank Perry. It's bizarre as hell, with a twist that slowly unwinds. Great idea to define the main character through his relationships with the various people he encounters as he swims from one neighbor's pool to another, to get home. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
The second is "Dark Passage" with Bacall and Bogart. I like the narratives and the POV perspective of Bogart's character. Dir. by Delmer Daves.
But I haven't seen The Swimmer! I see that it's based on the short story by queer writer John Cheever (which I have read, though I never imagined it would be turned into a film), so my interest is now officially piqued! Will definitely check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!
I've never read the book, so I cannot comment on the film's adaptation. I believe Cheever, was one of the original members of The Mattachine Society, founded in a Chicago Communist front for Human Rights under Harry Hay, who eventually ended up in Silver Lake, Los Angeles.
Oh wow! I didn't know Cheever was part of the Mattachines! That's fascinating. Wish I'd had a chance to meet Harry Hay (he died in 2002 and I moved to L.A. in 2005), though I've since met many Radical Faeries (and allies) who knew him personally.
I'm not sure on this point. It's the name Cheever, that rang a bell with the MSS. No doubt that we probably met or had mutual acquaintances bot in and out of the ACT-UP L.A. guerilla theater flash riots and protests. So then, you've probably heard of Bachelors Anonymous? Taken from the book title, it was a band I was in, I session electronic drums for six or eight songs across two albums. David Hughes and Robert Berg, were it's founding members. They knew many of these people, some I can't really name here. I'll mention another time. Fascinating. It's really a small world we live in.
One of my all-time fave classics is “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” directed by Robert Wiene. I watch it every October. Once saw it screened at an old theater in Savannah, live-scored by a local band and it really elevated the whole experience.
Can we agree that Cesare is officially the first Goth? Are there any other contenders on the silver screen? (Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box is a whole nine years later.)
Tonight I made a viewing list inspired by ye. 1. The Women. 2. a revisit: "Sebastian and Violet! Violet and Sebastian!" and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." and NOW I think I know where I first met you- the NUART- were you there when "Not Bad for A Girl" documentary was screening there? A film about girl bands by Dr. Lisa Apramian? If it wasn't there, then it was in Highland Park, where Rozz & Eva were living at the time. They had a party there. This was a tad before the performances of our theatrical Priesthood for Shadow Project.
Soooo, Topper (1937) is probably the movie I’ve loved for the longest (other than Secret of NIMH). I recorded it from the Disney Channel or something when I was around seven years old and watched it on repeat for a weirdly long time.. Roland Young is adorable (and seriously funny), and Cary Grant and Constance Bennett are perfect as the ghosts. And it holds up--joyful and hilarious.
Omg, Topper is a great classic movie! I love Cary Grant. And yes, the movie is still joyful and hilarious. Just don't make 'em like this anymore. Brilliant choice!
Oh, I’m just listening to this now, on Tuesday and I feel so bad I didn’t congratulate you on your birthday, Ryan and your anniversary R&R!! But it sounds like you celebrated in style, as always!
I love that no matter where you go there are great wine shops with names like barfly!
I'll keep this party rolling with one of my favorite classic films of all time, "Suddenly Last Summer." This is cinema gold! It was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz based on the play by Tennessee Williams with a screenplay by Gore Vidal & Williams. And if that wasn't enough, the film features three unforgettable performances from the inimitable Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suddenly,_Last_Summer_(film)
"Sebastian and Violet! Violet and Sebastian!" Such a great film. Katharine Hepburn vs. Elizabeth Taylor (fighting over who's the gay guy's best friend no less) is absolutely everything.
I have seen that and it's been ages. Time to revisit it again.
Vidal, is one on a short list of my heroes.
One of my favorite classic films is The Women (1939), directed by George Cukor and featuring an all-female, all-star ensemble cast including . . . *drum roll* . . . Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard, Joan Fontaine & Marjorie Main! There are over 130 female characters with speaking roles, and throughout the film not a single male character is ever seen or heard. It also might be one of the funniest, campiest films from the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Women_(1939_film)
The Women is definitely one of my favorites too! And let's not forget the iconic performance from Mary Boland as The Countess de Lave - “Poor creatures. They've lost their equilibrium because they've lost their faith in love. Oh, l'amour, l'amour!”
"I've had two years to grow claws mother. Jungle red." - Norma Shearer as Mary Haines
(Gasp) Love Norma!!! Joan Fontaine too- she was in the film Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Irwin Allen. The only thing annoting in that film, is Barbara Eden running after her fiancé screaming, "LEE! . . . LEE! . . . LEE!" every five minutes.
Hahaha! Haven't see that one in ages!
Same! Haven't seen that since I was a kid! What a cast . . . Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, Peter Lorre (!) and . . . Frankie Avalon?!?
Yes! Frankie Avalon, who sang the main opening theme! Walter Pidgeon!
Okay, I have two films. This one is called "The Swimmer." The Swimmer is a 1968 American surrealist-drama film starring Burt Lancaster. The film was written and directed by Academy Award-nominated husband-and-wife team of Eleanor Perry and Frank Perry. It's bizarre as hell, with a twist that slowly unwinds. Great idea to define the main character through his relationships with the various people he encounters as he swims from one neighbor's pool to another, to get home. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
The second is "Dark Passage" with Bacall and Bogart. I like the narratives and the POV perspective of Bogart's character. Dir. by Delmer Daves.
Oooh, I've never seen The Swimmer. I'll have to check it out. I love Burt Lancaster! Thanks for the recommendation!
And Dark Passage is an absolute classic for sure. Love that film!
LOVE Dark Passage. A perfect film noir.
But I haven't seen The Swimmer! I see that it's based on the short story by queer writer John Cheever (which I have read, though I never imagined it would be turned into a film), so my interest is now officially piqued! Will definitely check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!
I've never read the book, so I cannot comment on the film's adaptation. I believe Cheever, was one of the original members of The Mattachine Society, founded in a Chicago Communist front for Human Rights under Harry Hay, who eventually ended up in Silver Lake, Los Angeles.
Oh wow! I didn't know Cheever was part of the Mattachines! That's fascinating. Wish I'd had a chance to meet Harry Hay (he died in 2002 and I moved to L.A. in 2005), though I've since met many Radical Faeries (and allies) who knew him personally.
I'm not sure on this point. It's the name Cheever, that rang a bell with the MSS. No doubt that we probably met or had mutual acquaintances bot in and out of the ACT-UP L.A. guerilla theater flash riots and protests. So then, you've probably heard of Bachelors Anonymous? Taken from the book title, it was a band I was in, I session electronic drums for six or eight songs across two albums. David Hughes and Robert Berg, were it's founding members. They knew many of these people, some I can't really name here. I'll mention another time. Fascinating. It's really a small world we live in.
I'll write David, ask him what he knows of Cheever.
I watched The Swimmer last night--it did not disappoint. Burt Lancaster is stunning! Thanks for recommending!
I also happened to watch Mad Love (1935) with Peter Lorre--one of my favorite classic horror movies. Each man kills the thing he loves! Eek!
One of my all-time fave classics is “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” directed by Robert Wiene. I watch it every October. Once saw it screened at an old theater in Savannah, live-scored by a local band and it really elevated the whole experience.
Yes! I absolutely LOVE "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." When I was in my teens, people teased me that I looked like Cesare.
Funny enough, I saw it the same way at The Nuart Theater in LA where I worked. One of the first great horror films! Great recommendation!
Can we agree that Cesare is officially the first Goth? Are there any other contenders on the silver screen? (Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box is a whole nine years later.)
Totally! No wonder everyone kept calling me Cesare!
Ooh, great choice! I would love to have seen this on the big screen.
Yeeesss!!! Love, love, love! Oddly, I’m going to see it for the...8th, 10th time later this week. Wonderful!
Tonight I made a viewing list inspired by ye. 1. The Women. 2. a revisit: "Sebastian and Violet! Violet and Sebastian!" and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." and NOW I think I know where I first met you- the NUART- were you there when "Not Bad for A Girl" documentary was screening there? A film about girl bands by Dr. Lisa Apramian? If it wasn't there, then it was in Highland Park, where Rozz & Eva were living at the time. They had a party there. This was a tad before the performances of our theatrical Priesthood for Shadow Project.
One of my favorite classic films is the 1966 Phillippe de Broca's "King of Hearts" starring Alan Bates among other remarkable cast members.
Great film!!! I'd completely forgotten about that one. And Alan Bates is such a brilliant actor. Fantastic recommendation!
Love that film! Another classic I haven't seen in years!
Soooo, Topper (1937) is probably the movie I’ve loved for the longest (other than Secret of NIMH). I recorded it from the Disney Channel or something when I was around seven years old and watched it on repeat for a weirdly long time.. Roland Young is adorable (and seriously funny), and Cary Grant and Constance Bennett are perfect as the ghosts. And it holds up--joyful and hilarious.
Omg, Topper is a great classic movie! I love Cary Grant. And yes, the movie is still joyful and hilarious. Just don't make 'em like this anymore. Brilliant choice!
Yes! Cary Grant. Love this one! And I had no idea it was the very first black-and-white film in history to be digitally colorized. (Thanks Wikipedia!)
You don't say...See I learn something new every time I get on here. Right on!
Oh, I’m just listening to this now, on Tuesday and I feel so bad I didn’t congratulate you on your birthday, Ryan and your anniversary R&R!! But it sounds like you celebrated in style, as always!
I love that no matter where you go there are great wine shops with names like barfly!