Gross National Happiness

Thanks to my talented art blogging friend, NamasteNancy, I know where I'll be spending part of my Sunday.

The Asian Art Museum just opened an exhibit about the Kingdom of Bhutan, and today there is a free film festival that highlights the artists and general philosophy of this small and unique nation.

I've watched Frank Capra's 1937 film Lost Horizon several times over the years, and up until recently did not realize that the Shangri-la of James Hilton's famous story may have been based on this tiny country.

Later on, after discovering Michael Palin's stupendously fantastic BBC series, Himalaya (get this or rent it, it's completely fascinating and probably my favorite armchair travel set ever), I became enamoured of the idea of a real country where the people (and their government) have a stated goal that the happiness of its people are of primary importance: Gross National Happiness. Bhutan has made great conscious efforts to preserve its culture and identity and natural resources.

I wonder if our country will ever be able to take a quantum leap in heart like this tiny kingdom.

***

There is another wonderful movie called Travellers and Magicians, made by a Bhutanese director, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche who is also a Tibetan lama. This director also made an earlier (and the first Bhutanese film), The Cup, but Travellers and Magicians really shows the beauty and philosophy of the country and was the first feature film shot entirely in Bhutan. I enjoyed it very much.

Noir Sunday with Red Shoes

Luckily for me, most of today had nothing to do with Football.

There's something so great about living in San Francisco, where you can dress up like whatever you want no matter what day it is and no one will give you a second look. If anything, they'll compliment you ("hey, nice skirt") or just take your photo.

***

Today, me 'n Mr. and Mrs. Red Shoes went to the last (and maybe best) movie of the film noir festival, Sweet Smell of Success.

They're such good sports and embrace a good reason to dress up, just like me.

They were also movie virgins (for this film), meaning that I got to enjoy them enjoying this awesome film for the first time. It was a great audience. Lots of people clapped when certain famous dialogue lines came up.

***

I got to wear some special treasures that belonged to my grandma.

An awesome Lilly Daché hat covered in tiny white flowers.

Her crazy cool sunglasses.

Her little white cotton gloves and her black leather purse.

And the best part was recreating the makeup of the era. I did Joan Fontaine's eyeliner from the movie I saw yesterday, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, and Virginia Mayo lips. I even threw in a couple of beauty marks.

*sigh*

Tomorrow's gonna be kind of boring by comparison. I want to be a gun moll.

"I love this dirty town."

The film noir festival, Noir City 7, continues through this weekend. One of my favorite films-- period-- is showing on the last day, Sunday: Sweet Smell of Success.

(Roger Ebert's Great Movies essay is here, and this in-depth write up on filmsite.org is a detailed walkthrough for us groupies.)

This film has absolutely everything going for it: amazing, crackling, memorable dialogue; well-crafted characters at every level; the incomparable cinematography of James Wong Howe, I could go on and on but if you're really interested, the links above speak better than I could...

This scene below is probably one of the best in the film and shows why the Sweet Smell of Success is worth seeing over and over again.

***

Yesterday morning, the MUNI train I was riding went out of service at Civic Center Station. Rather than wait with the huge, annoyed crowds of people all going my way, I decided to walk the remaining blocks since I was going to be late either way.

Civic Center Station drops you off in the heart of the Tenderloin which, for its bad rep, still is photogenic in its way. The trick is that you just gotta keep walking. You don't hang out and you don't dawdle.

I didn't think too much of these shots at first-- they were something to do while I walked to work, slightly pissed off-- but when you give these images the Noir Treatment, even an early morning photo attains some atmosphere.

Amazing what you can see in 10 minutes sometimes.
And how sometimes black and white makes it easier to see.

See you at the movies.

Happy Free Friday, guys.

Yes, Another Harold and Maude Post

But this one is cleverly disguised as Public Service Announcement. Actually there are two very important things I want you to do today.

One, if you live in San Francisco*, is get tickets to see Bud Cort at the Castro Theatre on January 22nd. He'll be there for an on-stage interview (remember when I told you about the one with Gene Wilder?!) and then a 38th Anniversary Screening of Harold and Maude.

I will be there, sitting towards the front, wearing waterproof mascara and carrying a box of Kleenex, so you'll know which one I am. (I already got my ticket.)

Secondly, listen to this song, "Don't Be Shy," originally part of the film's excellent soundtrack. Yusuf Islam, the former Cat Stevens, gives a moving and wonderful performance. Not even so much for the song, which is perfect, but how he introduces it.

***

ps.: for you newbies, a Harold and Maude reference is a fairly common occurrence here at Tangobaby.

pss.: If you're wondering what ever happened to Bud Cort after his H&M and M*A*S*H days, you can read more about him at the end of the wikipedia page, including some great interviews. And if you haven't seen him in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, rent that too because I'm on a misson to make sure people see that film. It's too good to have gone so unappreciated.

*If you have not seen Harold and Maude or haven't seen it in many years, get it today. Do not delay. And while you're at it, get The Life Aquatic, too.

Don't be shy just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head, and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feeling roll on by
On by

You know love is better than a song
Love is where all of us belong
So don't be shy just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
You're there

Don't be shy just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head, and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feeling roll on by
On by, on by, on by, on by, etc.

I just want to be wonderful.

You know how fun these little online quizzes are. But then you take one or two, and holy hell, you're like damn, how'd they know?

My new blogging friend Char (who is a wonderful photographer, you should check out her photos) had this quiz on her blog today: Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz

So here I am, but hopefully a little less neurotic. Take the quiz and let me know what you turned out to be.

I wonder if this explains why I used to be a platinum blonde? And the fascination with fake eyelashes?

ps.: For another fun quiz, if you're a Jane Austen fan, take a peek here.

***

You are a Marilyn -- "I am affectionate and skeptical."

Marilyns are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.

How to Get Along with Me

• Be direct and clear
• Listen to me carefully
• Don't judge me for my anxiety
• Work things through with me
• Reassure me that everything is OK between us
• Laugh and make jokes with me
• Gently push me toward new experiences
• Try not to overreact to my overreacting

What I Like About Being a Marilyn

• being committed and faithful to family and friends
• being responsible and hardworking
• being compassionate toward others
• having intellect and wit
• being a nonconformist
• confronting danger bravely
• being direct and assertive

What's Hard About Being a Marilyn

• the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind
• procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself
• fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of
• exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger
• wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right
• being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations

***

One of my favorite Marilyn roles is one that's very small and at the beginning of her career, as the pampered girlfriend in The Asphalt Jungle. She steals the scenes she's in and you know that girl's on her way to stardom.

The saddest time I ever saw Marilyn was in an interview she did with Edward R. Murrow on a celebrity interview show he had called Person to Person (you can rent the entire series on DVD and it's really interesting). Here's the clip (you can download the entire clip here: www.imarilyn.com). It makes you wonder what would have happened to her if life had treated her a little more gently. I found some wonderful Marilyn quotes, including the title of this post, here.

Let Me Entertain You

I really am working on another post, one that actually involves writing and/or thinking, but I keep getting distracted so in the meantime I started this little endeavour based on a recent meme on Willow's blog.

The idea of the meme is to list your favorite films, one for each letter of the alphabet. I started to do that and realized that 1. there were too many for me to select just one of each letter, and 2. I wanted to make it a bit more challenging and interesting.

So I decided to list at least one silent film and one film noir per letter, plus another classic film (maybe a screwball comedy) or another film that's not been as widely seen as it deserves. For the most part, I was pretty successful. Taking mental stock like this made me realize that I've seen quite a few good films in my life. And I love to share them.

Most of these movies are what I would call "desert island films," meaning that I'd have to have a very large island with a small movie theatre because I wouldn't be able to pick just one or two to watch until my rescue a la Robinson Crusoe.

I hope you enjoy this list, and perhaps are nodding your head in agreement with some of the choices, or are at least checking out the links because this took me so long to do that it's not even funny. A person likes to feel that all of their extra-curricular hard work did not go to waste.

Within this list are the treasures of our cinematic heritage. Joan Crawford when she was beautiful. Carole Lombard at her funny sexiest. Jean Harlow in the gown that made her famous. Barbara Stanwyck in her best drama and her best comedy. Why Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton should never be forgotten. The reason why people are still infatuated with Louise Brooks, and the only film where Katharine Hepburn is not annoying. There were still so many other films I could have included but then I'm already getting out of control.

And with that, I go back to finish my cuppa and ponder what I really will say next.
Happy Tuesday.

***

The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Awful Truth and The Asphalt Jungle
Barry Lyndon, Baby Face and La Belle et La Bete
Casablanca, The Conversation and Cabin in the Sky
Dr. Strangelove, Dinner at Eight, Diary of a Lost Girl and Double Indemnity
An Eastern Westerner
The Freshman, Freaks, and Fallen Angel
Grand Hotel, Girl Shy, The General and Gun Crazy
Harold and Maude, His Girl Friday, and Holiday
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, It, and I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Jane Eyre, La jetée
Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Kid Brother, Key Largo and The Killing
The Lady Eve, The Ladykillers, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and Laura
Midnight, My Favorite Wife, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Modern Times and The Mummy
Nosferatu, Night and the City, and The Narrow Margin
Our Man in Havana, Only Angels Have Wings
Paths of Glory, Pandora's Box and Picadilly, Pickup on South Street
Queen Christina, Queen Kelly
The Royal Tenenbaums, Red Dust and Rififi
Stalag 17, Safety Last! and Sweet Smell of Success
Trouble in Paradise, Twentieth Century, and Thieves Highway
Unfaithfully Yours and The Unknown
The Vikings
Way Out West, White Heat, and Witness for the Prosecution
X (???)
You Were Never Lovelier and Yankee Doodle Dandy
Zorba the Greek

Seriously, you guys are going to get me fired.

First of all, I want to say helllloooooooo to all of you new visitors to tangobaby via Blogs of Note.

I love you all. I'm totally blown away that you're here.

Secondly, I am guessing that this shout-out from Blogger is randomly generated (although I am super grateful all the same) because I don't know what I've done of late to be noteworthy. A year and a half ago, I didn't even know what a blog was. But don't get me wrong, this is cool! Thank you!

Thirdly, I hope you'll come back to visit me again and not just this one time and I'll try to visit you all and not be some sort of blog diva who is stuck up and snobbish.

But fourthly, I am probably going to get fired because of this. I seriously have not done any work today and have been totally distracted and just sent a co-worker out to buy me a BLT just so I could write this post.

***

I have some questions about my being discovered (which is funny since I just wrote something about Lana Turner a few days ago--is this the blog equivalent of being a Sweater Girl? Probably not. I don't think I get to quit my day job). Up until this morning, I was just minding my own little bloggy business and cajoling my friends into looking at my photography on flickr and JPG.

Is there some sort of blog guru who selects us? To whom do I say thank you?

Can I quit my day job now? Does this mean I am an expert at something?

Am I going to have to start moderating comments because now I'm going to get all of these spam comments about erectile dysfunction? I would really hate to do that.

***

Just so you know a few things:

I love my little blog. But it's very very random, even to me. If you can make sense out of the myriad brain stuff here, then I applaud you. I just read over my whole list of tags and I'm covering a lot of bases in a very shallow manner. Although if you love old films (especially noir and silents), dance (especially Argentine tango), San Francisco, photography, eating yummy food until you have to unbutton your pants, quoting Monty Python, Dorothy Parker and Carl Sagan, keeping your passport in your wallet just in case and then once in a while having a philosophical moment, then I think we'll get along just fine.

And swearing. Sometimes I swear.

***

I am having a hard time keeping up with the comments (and was even before this explosion of attention) so please be patient with me (I'm older than you think) and just know that I am thrilled you're here even if you think you hear the crickets chirping on my end. I'll try to write back. I just have to not get fired from my day job until I get a call from my new agent.

Thanks for making my day. Now I don't hate my outfit as much.

xoxo

ps.: If you are a new reader here, then I should tell you that I never have a movie reference on the blog just willy-nilly. There are too many good movies that people don't know about and I'm just doing my share to be bossy and make sure that you see them.

Above is a photo for the noir Fallen Angel, which is a great flick and Linda Darnell is H-O-T. Hot hot hot and so is Dana Andrews. So rent it.

The Day After

Today is the traditional first day of my personal "I Hate Turkey" season. I should be wearing an outfit of baggy sweatpants where I've snipped the elastic in the waist, one of my seasonal post-Thanksgiving t-shirts ("JUST SAY NO TO CRACK [POTATOES]!", "FUTURE BREATHARIAN," or "MY BABY IS A FOOD BABY"), with a square of duct tape affixed firmly over my mouth.

But no, I am at work today (which the sad few of us here have deemed the practice to be a hybrid of unsupervised day care and being sent to after-school detention. We have also deemed our presence here at the office to be very un-American of our employers because we should be out supporting Black Friday and our crumbling economy).

Because I am here, I had to forego the modified sweatpants and baggy top in favor of regular clothes (found some that fit, perhaps there is a god) and brought the requisite turkey sandwich for lunch (which has been made more enticing by adding some thick slices of Delice de Bourgogne atop slices of rustic Italian bread, and topped with my homemade cranberry relish, which will be my fruit ration for the next week.). And true to my word, once I finish this post, then I will be off on a virtual spree of visiting you all in blogland for the next 6 hours or so.

***

I hope you all did have a lovely Thanksgiving, and that if you're reading this, you're idling in front of the computer in your jammies today. Even those of you who don't live in the US, I hope you're benefitting from some of that Thanksgiving spirit too, even if you're not feeling the fatness.

We had a very quiet and restful day, mostly. No computers, no phones. Days like this always involve extreme couch-potatoey-ness because our home is very well equipped for the sport of marathon movie watching. Although we've been TV-free for well over a decade (both as individuals and in our coupledom), that doesn't mean we suffer from a deficit of visual entertainment. We have a self-made home theatre, with projector, surround sound speakers and a pull down 10' movie screen that's mounted in the ceiling for hard-core movie watching. Those of you who attended the famous Movie Maven's Movie Marathon for America can attest to this.

The Boy selected The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance as our first film of the day. With extreme deference to John Ford, Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne, this is a boring classic film. The Boy fell asleep, which is added proof because he loves westerns and I don't. So while he snoozed, I swapped that movie for Little Big Man. The Boy's never seen this film (!) and I've seen it many, many times. There's something really fun when a friend watches a really great movie for the first time in your presence.

Even though you cannot watch this film with the idea that it's a documentary, there's enough truth in the relationship between the Native American and Caucasian cultures to provide some historical perspective and give some food for thought at Thanksgiving time. Our national myth of the first Thanksgiving, complete with the deliverance of the English settlers by the Indians with the bounty of this country's native foods adds a poignant sadness to the fact that the cultures of these noble natives were almost completely destroyed 150 years later. Not that I don't want to be thankful for the bountiful life that I have, because I am, but lately it just seems right to be even more focused on our nation's checkered past. Its perceived greatness and promise as well as its tragic cruelties. I still feel sensitized and overly aware of our American myth, as a result of this past election. Everything I read or see makes me view our current situation from the continuum of history that has gotten us to this day.

To me, the best scenes of this film are the ones that feature Chief Dan George. And of those scenes, this one is my favorite:

***

One aside (which has nothing to do with anything really) after watching Little Big Man again is that there was a certain type of actress in the 70s: Faye Dunaway, Julie Christie, Marisa Berenson, to name a few, that had this willowy, high-cheekboned and exotic beauty that is not seen on the screen anymore. Even overly made up, these women had a lanky grace that I identify as a symbol of 70s films.

***

The second viewing selection between feedings were two episodes of Earth: The Biography, made by the BBC in conjunction with the National Geographic Channel. Is it just me, or do the Brits just corner the market on amazing scientific programming? Plus, geologist Iain Stewart is a super hottie, if you like really smart guys who are crazy adventurous and have great accents (I do).

The first episode, "Volcanoes," is simply spectacular. Spectacularly exciting, wildy entertaining, and full of stuff you never knew about our planet and which also makes you very very glad to not be living near a volcano if you can help it. Although it doesn't make you real excited to be living on a moving tectonic plate, either. This episode really puts the concept of our planet and how it came to be formed, and how it continues to evolve, into fascinating perspective.

The second episode, "Atmosphere," was similarly educational, but as The Boy put it, "very intense." And "scary." The last part about greenhouse gasses and melting permafrost and methane was sobering, to say the least.

When faced with a bit of overwhelming reality, the best thing to do is take a break.

That means get some pumpkin pie (not homemade but certainly delicious), a cup of hot cocoa (I'm now a big fan of Mexican Chocolate Abuelita by Nestle ) and plug in some escapist adventure.

For me, that's Matt Damon as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity. You guys can keep your James Bond in all his incarnations.

Plus, you get a trip to Paris in this film.

***

So there you have it. Our little holiday of gluttony, sloth, historical perspective, adventure and general condition of the planet, all in one day. Maybe it is good to be back at work.

And with that, I am off to pay my visits to you!

;-)

Mushroom cloud/exploding stomach image from here. The Day After reference definitely an homage to the Russian menace exploitation of the Reagan era.

Full-Blown Eighties Mode Tonight

Boy, you listen to a couple of Hall and Oates songs and then all of a sudden you're in full-blown Eighties mode.

I guess I might end up watching After Hours tonight. I think this is one of the films that warped my sense of humor as a youngster.

Full-on awesome Teri Garr:



I think Catherine O'Hara was my favorite though:



And then I'll relive some first boyfriend kisses. Looking back, Berlin isn't really good makeout music but it worked at the time.



Now all I need are some shoulder pads and some stirrup leggings and I'm all set. But first I have to empty the dryer.

Let Them Eat Cake

I think we all know by now that Marie Antoinette never said those words. (In fact, these words were spoken four years before Marie even married the Dauphin of France, when she was only 10 years old, still living in Austria. But the press dug it up later in 1789 and attributed it to her, and obviously got a lot of people whipped up about it.)

I did not go to see The Hounds last night. (Sorry Hounds! Sorry Ms. Red Shoes!) I feel like I'm on the verge of getting a cold so I thought to play it safe. I got some Nasi Goreng to eat (which is Indonesian fried rice and I don't know what the secret ingredient in it that makes it so addictive, but it's got me hooked) while I sat on the sofa in my jammies, watching something pretty and mindless: Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola.

When the movie got to my favorite scene, I could not help thinking, "Hey, it's the Neiman Marcus of pre-revolutionary France!" (This is undoubtedly the best scene in the movie.)



It occurs to me that Sarah Palin may become the Marie Antoinette of the 2008 election if the Republican ticket loses, and not by her own doing. It occurs to me that as her poll numbers are falling, even among the people who are supposed to like her, that Palin will become the sacrificial lamb of the upper echelons of the Republican party.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't like her (and I don't think that's a secret). I'm not going into the reasons why because if you read this blog, then you already know. However, I feel sorry for her in that she has been put in a position that has spiraled out of control, the flap about the wardrobe from Neiman's just being the latest snafu.

I wonder why it is that someone in the McCain campaign did not evaluate the potential devastation that such expenditures could incite if word got out. I mean, it's not like the press didn't go insane over John Edward's DNC-funded $400 haircut for more than a few days ("It is the haircut that will not die. He can spin it, he can gel it, he can mousse it. But it is not going away").

In fact, they went bonkers and the haircut is credited with helping to bring down his candidacy. Anne Coulter called Edwards a "faggot" and Rush Limbaugh asked if Edwards "would be our first female president."

So given the quite recent history of what happens regarding the press when they find out about expenditures deemed inherently and dangerously mockable, did someone in the McCain campaign stop for a moment to wonder if this Palin wardrobe shopping spree might not be a huge problem? It's not like she came up to them and demanded almost $200K for hair and makeup services. Someone came to her and decided what to do.

Especially when their whole raison d'etre is to ingratiate themselves with the average, everyday hard-working folks of America. It's the hypocrisy of it that keeps fueling the fire. Average everyday Americans know you don't have to spend $150,000 to look put together. Don't they realize that people are truly freaking out over losing their homes and their entire retirement savings and their 401Ks and they're worried that they can't even afford clothes for themselves right now? Just like most people realize that Cindy McCain is not your typical "small business owner." LMAO!

I don't blame Palin for it, I feel sorry for her. But this just highlights the judgment of the people at the top...is anyone up there thinking at all about how they might be perceived? That we're all not really so very stupid? And this is the part I think I've been trying to get to... I want Sarah Palin to be examined, taken to task and made accountable for the things that really matter: her association with the Alaskan Independence Party, her vindictiveness against her enemies in the Alaskan political scene, her fraudlent expenditures and expenses, her extremist religious views. This wardrobe story is a non-story, albeit a fun one and great for making a mockery of, but it's still a smokescreen. We must ask ourselves, why is it that the media will devote so much attention to this, a minor bit of sensationalism, when it should have been addressing the deeper and more serious issues since August? If she's to be sent home in defeat, I want it to be for the real issues, not for a closet full of expensive clothing that might not have had much to do with her.

They're going to throw Sarah and her nice clothes under the bus when the Straight Talk Express finally crashes. And by they, I mean her own party. John and Cindy will go back to their eight homes and live life like normal ("But, look, I've a wonderful life. I have to go back and live in Arizona"), but the little princess that they plucked from the hinterlands will go home in tatters. They'll blame her that she was too new and inexperienced (that's already happening) and that she was too divisive. But they picked her for all of those reasons. They wanted a pit bull.

But they'll write history to show they didn't. And everyone will just remember the clothes. And that's the problem.

***

Sometimes it takes history several generations to fess up about what the other side of the story might be. It would be interesting to know how Palin's selection for the VP slot actually came to be, but that probably won't happen till long after you and I are gone.

***

"It is quite certain that in seeing the people who treat us so well despite their own misfortune, we are more obliged than ever to work hard for their happiness." ~ Marie Antoinette

But looking at the larger picture, if it wasn't for Marie Antoinette and the fall of the Ancien Regime, the Revolution and the Terror, then we wouldn't have the principles and the base of thought that is the foundation of our own democracy (not to mention the resources. We would have never achieved freedom from British rule if not directly aided by French money and troops).

Perhaps in hindsight, Palin might be one of those figures that brings about a new era of history in our country, even as she is thrown to the wolves. Only time will tell.

ps. If you really want to learn more about Marie Antoinette, don't watch that Sofia Coppola movie. It's a chick flick/music video. But you can watch a fantastic documentary and also read Antonia Fraser's book. Both are imminently fascinating and approachable.

pps. What you really don't know is that the BEST thing at Neiman Marcus are the Peanut Butter and Jelly cookies. I kid you not. These are the BEST cookies you will ever eat IN YOUR LIFE. Hear me now. And they only cost $2.50! Which means that if you have $150,000 and can't find any clothes you like at Neiman's, you can buy 60,000 cookies instead.

***

This is the other good scene (the sex scene) from the film but it has nothing to do with the Republicans. I just put it in here in case you're tired of history.



Fabulous shoe photo from this blog. Did you know the shoes in the movie were designed by Manolo Blahnik? I didn't!!! No wonder they're so gorgeous!!!

UPDATE 8:11am: I am an effin' prophet: "These people are going to try and shred her after the campaign to divert blame from themselves," said a McCain insider, referring to McCain's chief strategist, Steve Schmidt, and to Nicolle Wallace, a former Bush aide who has taken a lead role in Palin's campaign." You can read the rest here.

But I said it first! You saw me do it.

Quick Movie Trivia

Yes, this was a deleted scene from A Christmas Story.
John McCain plays Growly, an older child who has to repeat fourth grade three times and gets beaten up by Randy for whining.

That photo from the debate? It was a flashback to his audition for the movie.
All of you guys who laughed--you're totally mean.

Not the Love Thursday You're Thinking Of

When I first discovered Shutter Sisters, I was so excited about Love Thursday. I still think it's an awesome idea... it's just that I never seem to have my sh*t together when it's Thursday lately.

I get so distracted. I dunno.

Anyway, this isn't really a Love Thursday post. It's a McLovin post.


***

I just thought you should know that I am not always watching F.W. Murnau films or going to the ballet. Sometimes I am watching my Superbad Collector's edition DVD. (Spoiler: f-words in clip.)



Sometimes I am all about McLovin.
Do I have any McLovin lovin' friends out there? I know I have some Big Lebowski sisters! (debi)

I'm little but I'm old: the Movie Marathon update

The Movie Maven's Movie Marathon for America was a lot of fun. Good company, good movies, lots of chips and candy and a little conversation about politics and movies.

It was great to be surrounded by wonderful people in the comfort of my own living room.

Thank you to namastenancy, the famous Greg of the N-Judah Chronicles, the kind and generous dutchbaby, my gourmet popcorn queen Amber and her world traveling hubby Mike, a new friend Tim and his friend Thalia, the mysterious A. and the lovely new mommy Ms. Wellspring and her adorable three-week old Peach. And all of you who attended in spirit, including Paris Parfait and Christina.

I felt very fortunate that The Peach made her first real outing by choosing to attend a fundraising event at my house. She brought us good luck.

All in all, we raised about $500 for "That One." Not bad for a day of eating carbohydrates and sitting in a dark room for hours.

We watched four movies: Dick, Lost in America (those were our two wry comedies), and then The Manchurian Candidate and The Conversation (to fulfill our paranoia/on location in San Francisco requirements).

The other film I would have loved to have watched with the group was To Kill a Mockingbird, but we just ran out of time. So I watched it by myself the next day.

***

I absolutely adore this film, and the book I've read quite a few times since I first discovered it in junior high school. I don't know how many times I've seen the movie, but just the haunting and innocent film score by Elmer Bernstein alone makes me want to watch it.

"They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions... but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."

"The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it - whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash."

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

The first clip below is the movie score, the other two are brief but powerful scenes from the film.

Try a Little Tenderness

Oh she may be weary
And young girls they do get wearied...

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This girl sure is wearied all of a sudden.
I miss my boy.

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I love The Commitments. I've seen it quite a few times and I still never get tired of the music, the freshness of the actors, and I think they did really great covers of some classic tunes.

Two great quotes from the film came to mind:

"Soul is the music people understand. Sure it's basic and it's simple. But it's something else 'cause, 'cause, 'cause it's honest, that's it. Its honest. There's no fuckin' bullshit. It sticks its neck out and says it straight from the heart. Sure there's a lot of different music you can get off on but soul is more than that. It takes you somewhere else. It grabs you by the balls and lifts you above the shite."

"Do you not get it, lads? The Irish are the blacks of Europe. And Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. And the Northside Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin. So say it once, say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud."

This the other one I like:



Maybe I need to get to Ireland.

Movie Maven's Movie Marathon for America

Coming soon to a sofa near you (maybe). Stay tuned!

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UPDATE: Okay, here is the scoop. I wish I had a bigger house and a teleporter so all of you could come! Boy, don't I wish!

I was inspired by my friend Amber, my passion for good movies (you knew that one already) and my passion to see that Barack Obama makes it to the White House this November (you knew that one already, too).

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I've always wanted to have my own Tangobaby Film Festival, so I decided to combine that dream with a fundraiser that I'll be hosting through Hungry for Obama. It's on October 11 and starts at 11am.

Here's the idea: We'll all get together at my place and watch some fantastic movies and eat a lot of junk food and help raise money for Barack Obama's campaign.

I'll provide all the entertainment and concession stand food, including but not limited to: gourmet popcorn (popped for real on the stovetop by Popcorn Queen Amber), Red Vines, potato chips, soda and candy. My guests can stay for all the films or just one.

Right now the list of films include:

The Manchurian Candidate (Frank Sinatra can act, and it's paranoia/conspiracy at its finest)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the best and original version starring Kevin McCarthy and the beautiful Dana Wynter. See what might really happen if creationism gets taught in schools!)

Network (We're mad as hell, aren't we?)

Lost in America (just trying to lighten things up)


To Kill a Mockingbird (to give us hope that things might change finally for the better)

Dick (The real story of Watergate--where Dick Cheney learned his stuff--and Kirsten Dunst's finest hour)


Alien (Let's you and I pretend we're Ripley and the Alien is...?!!)

Movies subject to change, but this is to give you an idea. Let me know what you might include in my film festival, and maybe I'll change my programming! Or maybe you'll decide to hold a fundraising event at your house, too! That could be fun!

For My Mommy, and All the Other Angels that Walk Among Us

A little angel in North Beach

And for anyone else who is kind-hearted and a softie and a caretaker and loving and who needs to take care of themselves instead of everyone else for a change. You know who you are.

Because it's like The Boy says:

You can't make unhappy people happy. You can only make happy people happier.

Repeat that on the chalkboard of your heart.

You can't make unhappy people happy. You can only make happy people happier.

Truer words were never said.

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For all of us who just need a little push in the right direction.

You can listen to this song and then maybe play it again and sing the words aloud.
(I sing it LOUD.)
To me, this song is a ray of sunshine, a kiss, a hug, a friendly reminder of what's what.



From one of my favorite films, Harold and Maude (you know I won't stop mentioning this until all of you have seen it):

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'Cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are

And if you want to live high, live high
And if you want to live low, live low
'Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

Chorus:
You can do what you want
The opportunity's on
And if you find a new way
You can do it today
You can make it all true
And you can make it undo
you see ah ah ah
its easy ah ah ah
You only need to know

Well if you want to say yes, say yes
And if you want to say no, say no
'Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

And if you want to be me, be me
And if you want to be you, be you
'Cause there's a million things to do
You know that there are

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ps. Thank you to all of you who replied in the previous post. Some of you made me cry, but in a good way. And I'll write back later, promise. Hugs to all of you.

I'm Stalling

This is a stall post. A real post will follow soon.
(Tell me that you wake up at 2am with ideas of things to write too.)

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to physically connect my brain to my keyboard that late, so I had a glass of Ovaltine and finally finally watched Breathless.

I am officially in love with French New Wave.

Jean Seberg looked so incredible. It's really hard for me to concentrate on a movie sometimes if the actress's makeup is compelling. I end up studying the look and not paying attention to the story. I am dying to do her eyeliner, but I don't think I can pull it off unless I do lashes too.

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See, I told you it was a stall post.

But I'll have more later, once I get past the eyeliner thing. I'm going out with a new blogging friend (!) to walk the Mission, take photos and eat ice cream so perhaps an adventure will develop soon.

Happy Sunday!

xoxo

Image from stylehighclub.

Lost in America

No, it's not what you're thinking... although the title is very apropos to the feelings of many people in this country right now (confusion? apathy? uncomfortableness, anguish and a feeling of impending doom? maybe this link might help with the issues and cut through the crap).

Nope, just trying to raise awareness about a movie I adore and a funny-as-hell guy and how I really wish I was not at work right now...



Anyone ready to escape the rat race and go touch Indians? Man, I am going to have to watch this movie soon.

These Are the Laws of My Administration

A political quiz! Guess who said this:

...If you think this country's bad off now,
Just wait 'til I get through with it

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Do you know?


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Need a hint?


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Okay, here's one:







From Duck Soup. (Again, another Tangobaby highly recommended flick!)
When you've run out of Daily Show episodes, you can watch this...and be comforted by the fact that people have been making fun of politicians (and doing it well) for a looooonnnnnng time.

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Here are the lyrics, in case you want to sing along. You might find some of the song eerily familiar to a certain party platform these days...

Spoken:
Lady:
If it's not asking too much,

Sung:
For our information
Just for illustration
Tell us how you intend to run the nation

Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx):
These are the laws of my administration

No one's allowed to smoke
Or tell a dirty joke
And whistling is forbidden

Chorus:
We're not allowed to tell a dirty joke

Hail, hail Freedonia

Rufus:
If chewing gum is chewed
The chewer is pursued
And in the hoosegow hidden

Chorus:
If we choose to chew we'll be pursued

Rufus:
If any form of pleasure is exibited
Report to me and it will be prohibited
I'll put my foot down, so shall it be
This is the land of the free

The last man nearly ruined this place
He didn't know what to do with it
If you think this country's bad off now,
Just wait 'til I get through with it

The country's taxes must be fixed
And I know what to do with it
If you think you're paying too much now
Just wait till I get throught with it

*whistle*

I will not stand for anything that's crooked or unfair
I'm strictly on the upper knot, so everyone beware
If any man's caught taking graft, and I don't get my share
We stand'im up against the wall and pop! Goes the weasel

Chorus:
So everyone beware, you're stricken or unfair
-------unless he gets his share

Rufus:
If any man should come between a husband and his bride
We'll find out which one she prefers by letting her decide
If she prefers the other man, the husband steps outside
We stand him up against the wall and pop! Goes the weasel

Chorus:
The husband steps outside, relinquishes his bride
They stand him up against the wall and take him for white