tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post735285589053105939..comments2024-03-29T03:05:28.466-07:00Comments on DREAMS ARE WHAT LE CINEMA IS FOR...: "WHERE'S YOUR FILM SECTION?" A Movie Lover's BookshelfKen Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-51384521006207773752024-01-02T15:16:33.823-08:002024-01-02T15:16:33.823-08:00Happy New Year, Bill!
It's a treat to start t...Happy New Year, Bill! <br />It's a treat to start the year with such a personally engaging and complimentary comment contribution.<br />The book you reference is one I recall having come across (and likely checked out) at the local library when I was a teenager. Back then, I was so into contemporary films (as in the late '60s and '70s), and since so many of the Classic films referenced were unknown to me, I only gave the book the most cursory read. I haven't thought of it since.<br /><br />Reading about how Crowther steered you to THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES creates a vivid, and in many ways moving, time-capsule portrait of not only the power of film, but of what the struggle was like for us cinephiles in the days before streaming. (I often think movies came to mean so much to me as a kid because waiting and anticipation was a big part of it. If you loved a movie, you had to subsist on memory until it appeared on TV. Later, you had to wait for it to come out on VHS, then haul yourself to the rental place and hope it wasn't so popular that others hadn't already checked it out.<br /><br />What I enjoyed most about the experience you shared is the progression: From reading about it and being intrigued by how it might relate to the veterans you knew in your town; then the hunting it down and waiting for it to one day pop up on TV; your VHS in two parts ordeal; and finally, your love of the film (and the incandescent Teresa Wright) and the way it clarified the hometown veteran/civilian questions you had about.<br /><br />But the best part is finding out that, in 1990, a 1946 film about the war experience could still resonate with authenticity to your own wartime reality. <br />I can't get over what a poignant and inspiring tribute you wrote about the power and influence of movies. And what a glowing portrait you give of yourself as a film enthusiast. <br />You stated that your approach to viewing films is similar to my own. I have to agree!<br />I can't imagine anyone unfamiliar with TBYOOL reading your comment and not feeling compelled to give it a look immediately.<br /><br />I'm so glad you checked out this article and shared another recommended book title. <br />And as much as I appreciate the very kind words you wrote about what finding this blog has meant to you, on the strength of your beautifully descriptive contribution here, I think it's Le Cinema's devoted family of cinephiles who will be the ones to most benefit.<br />Cheers, Bill!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-72000600242990201652024-01-01T14:45:50.687-08:002024-01-01T14:45:50.687-08:00PS: I highly recommend Alison Macor's recent b...PS: I highly recommend Alison Macor's recent book, Making The Best Years of Our Lives, and the TV series China Beach, which was consciously modeled on TBYOOL and which has a great episode where Harold Russell plays Dana Delany's uncle.<br />BillAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-91433355504851363012024-01-01T14:45:01.294-08:002024-01-01T14:45:01.294-08:00Ken,
At the start of 2024 I want to say that disco...Ken,<br />At the start of 2024 I want to say that discovering your blog was one of the joys of 2023. Your approach to viewing films is one I share & your writing expresses it with both a passion and a clarity that is wonderful to read. And your commenters always have so many other interesting insights sparked by your great essays.<br />My book is Bosley Crowther's "The Great Films: Fifty Golden Years of Motion Pictures." The one film he included that seized my attention was "The Best Years of Our Lives," which I had never seen despite many hours of watching movies on TV. What fascinated me was that TBYOOL was about something common in my New England industrial city, the return of veterans, but something that the men I knew to be veterans never discussed with non-veterans. So I added the film to my watch list, but it never appeared on our TV stations. I went to a university with several student film societies, but in 4 years none showed it. <br />The summer after graduation I was at loose ends, waiting to report for my officer basic course (Army ROTC had paid my tuition). One Sunday afternoon, everyone else was somewhere else. My family had only recently gotten a VCR and that day it suddenly occurred to me that TBYOOL might be out on VHS. So I drove to a tape rental place AND THERE IT WAS! With great excitement, I checked it out. The wonderful opening theme swelled up and the movie quickly turned out to be everything Bosley had promised. Then it ended, right in the middle of a scene. After making sure that the VCR and the tape were not broken, a close look at the tape's label revealed that the film came in two cassettes! Back to the store in a flash to demand the clerk find me Part II. He did, and by the time it ended I knew two things: I had an enormous film crush on Teresa Wright (still do!) and I knew why those men in my city didn't usually say much about their service to non-veterans beyond what Al Stephenson described as "amusing anecdotes."<br />At my first duty station, I bought a TV & VCR at the PX. Then (this being the late 1980s) I clipped out an order form from a magazine and sent it off with a check to buy my first VHS tape: TBYOOL. Two years later I got to live the story myself as my unit was one of the first deployed in 1990 for Persian Gulf War. My war was nothing like what Homer, Fred, & Al experienced (my job was behind the front lines), but this was the last US war without internet connections back home---mail call was indeed the big event you see in war films. After seven months away, I now viscerally understood some of what they, and all those men in my hometown, had experienced.<br />BillAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-20626343257857906842020-09-26T02:26:37.047-07:002020-09-26T02:26:37.047-07:00I wasn't, but as a big fan of that film (every...I wasn't, but as a big fan of that film (everyone loves how she screams her own name at the end, but for me it's when she scream/yells "TED!" that I lose it) I'll most certainly add it towards the top of my must read list... You don't have to ruin the surprise, but does the book explain what "after midnight, all cats are grey" means? Lol.petlodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271851273533301436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-23671678353196245822020-09-25T03:24:40.186-07:002020-09-25T03:24:40.186-07:00Hey Pete
Those are all terrific books! It's ni...Hey Pete<br />Those are all terrific books! It's nice that, among all the academic, cineaste, and film theory authors, there are so many out there willing to write about bad film, cult films, and obscurities.<br />I might be wrong, but I think you're the one who alerted me to Rebello's VALLEY OF THE DOLL book--which I devoured way too quickly.<br />Thank you adding to our list of favorite movie books!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-77296384324167222052020-09-24T16:53:55.252-07:002020-09-24T16:53:55.252-07:00Hi Ken-
This was a great idea for a blog post. So ...Hi Ken-<br />This was a great idea for a blog post. So many potential interesting reads from you and your readers! Since I'm a big fan of so-bad-it's-good, I immediately gravitated towards the Medved's Fifty Worst Films tome...but I'm intrigued by many others.<br />On a related note the film books I tend to repeatedly enjoy are:<br />Bad Movies We Love by Edward Margulies & Stephen Rebello <br />The Official Razzie Movie Guide by John Wilson<br />The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film by Michael Weldon<br /><br />I also offer another vote for the series of Cult Movies books by Danny Peary. Like with many film critics one may not agree with his opinion but the films discussed are a cool cross section. The only book of his I still own is Alternate Oscars, since I really like the premise.petlodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271851273533301436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-68089034582628993862020-04-24T14:55:18.089-07:002020-04-24T14:55:18.089-07:00That's a title I'm unfamiliar with and had...That's a title I'm unfamiliar with and had to Google. Although it's about television, I see that most of the stars covered had long film careers (Stanwyk) or glancing ones (Victoria Principal). Thanks for contributing another title!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-77533780293542025092020-04-24T14:50:56.818-07:002020-04-24T14:50:56.818-07:00Hello Miss Rori
Thanks for adding "Fiasco&quo...Hello Miss Rori<br />Thanks for adding "Fiasco" to this list! I enjoyed that book a great deal, specifically for "The Wild Party" segment. The Medved books spawned a lot of imitators, but as you say, few are as well-researched ...which is where the real fun comes in, anyway; learning how these films went so seriously off the rails.<br />And "The Blue Bird"...seems like an entire tome could be devoted to that little disaster gem. Thank you very much for commenting and adding another favorite to the list!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-9802198253736360382020-04-24T01:47:45.271-07:002020-04-24T01:47:45.271-07:00my favorite book that i purchase for one dollar in...my favorite book that i purchase for one dollar in the books-a-million bargain bin that also foolishly left in a florida hotel on a business trip, tv sirens by michael mcwilliams.petercox97https://www.blogger.com/profile/05818754297522029991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-25164041779691690882016-06-06T07:52:14.130-07:002016-06-06T07:52:14.130-07:00Ah yes, "The Fifty Worst Films of All Time&qu...Ah yes, "The Fifty Worst Films of All Time". Dated now, but it remains the best-researched book on that particular topic. The Medveds' later "The Hollywood Hall of Shame", which retells the backstories of infamous box-office bombs up through 1982, is also great fun -- although a lot of its humor is punching down, especially by modern standards (fat-shaming, homophobia, etc.). But I can't wholly dismiss any tome that has perhaps the only comprehensive rundown of the making of 1976's "The Blue Bird" around. James Robert Parish's "Fiasco" is another good tome on this particular topic, less snarky about it, and digs up some real obscurities' backstories (1975's "The Wild Party" for instance).Miss Rorinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-36018037443948110832016-04-18T02:47:31.376-07:002016-04-18T02:47:31.376-07:00Wow! Although I've read several of the same bo...Wow! Although I've read several of the same books (and feel largely the same baout them) you've provided me with many many additions to the already long list of wanna-read books I've compiled from this comments section. You make the Ava Gardner and Gloria Grahame books sound particularly good. <br />Happily, my partner has taught at Cal State for the last 25 years, so through him I have access to all the Calif University libraries, so I have a good chance of checking out all the ones I've noted. I'm stoked!<br />Thanks for your brilliant selection of titles.<br />And once again, glad to have you back with us!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-50105795955392238502016-04-18T02:30:24.805-07:002016-04-18T02:30:24.805-07:00Joel
I'm so sorry to hear you weren't feel...Joel<br />I'm so sorry to hear you weren't feeling well. I hope you are feeling better now. <br />From your comments I gleaned that you perhaps were pretty well-read when it came to film, and I see that to be the case.<br />Enjoyed having you share your thoughts on the books in question, along with our shared attitude towards books.<br />Wonderful thoughts on the Raquel Welch and Tony Curtis books, and thanks for reminding me of that terrible Goldie Hawn book. That was a HUGE disappointment!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-8525643034179658572016-04-17T12:27:22.303-07:002016-04-17T12:27:22.303-07:00Now to a list of my favorites, there are so many b...Now to a list of my favorites, there are so many but I’ll try to keep it brief. I know…good luck but here goes:<br />I guess the easiest way is to list them by type (Following your rule I’ve only listed those I own):<br /><br />Favorite auto-biographies:<br />Ava-Ava Gardner & Veronica-Veronica Lake-They both came across as down to earth, plain speaking-if troubled-broads. <br /><br />Me & My Shadows-Lorna Luft-For the chaotic upbringing she had she’s very clear eyed about both the extraordinarily wonderful times she had as well as the grindingly awful and seems remarkably together and likable. <br /><br />Tab Hunter: Confidential-Tab Hunter-He’s so straightforward and honest about what it was like to be gay and famous in the 50’s, just fascinating.<br /><br />Swanson on Swanson-That Gloria, she was a pistol!<br /><br />Honorable mentions: Actress-Elizabeth Ashley, Call Me Anna-Patty Duke, Self-Portrait-Gene Tierney, Life is a Banquet-Rosalind Russell, Being and Becoming-Myrna Loy, Intermission-Anne Baxter, My Story-Ingrid Bergman, What Falls Away-Mia Farrow, Uncommon Knowledge-Judy Lewis, Bring on the Empty Horses-David Niven, Child Star-Shirley Temple<br /><br />Disappointments:<br />Ginger: My Story-Ginger Rogers & Tis Herself-Maureen O’Hara-Neither came across as particularly likeable women and my estimation of both was less when I had finished.<br /><br />Scarlett O’Hara’s Younger Sister-Evelyn Keyes-I give her that she was unflinchingly honest but by the end it all seemed terribly seedy.<br /><br />Favorite Biographies:<br />Vivien Leigh-Anne Edwards-I’ve read a few of her but this comes closest to giving a sense of who Leigh was, both good and bad.<br /><br />If This Was Happiness…-Barbara Leaming-Talk about perception vs. reality! Heartbreaking, sad and honest portrait of Rita Hayworth’s deeply troubled life.<br /><br />Clara Bow: Runnin’ Wild-David Stenn-Well researched and compassionate without making Clara an ideal. He really explores the environments that made Clara the incredibly complex woman she was. An absorbing read.<br /><br />Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool-Peter Turner-Fascinating slice of one part of Gloria Grahame’s life (nearing the end), with brief looks back at the rest, by someone who was involved in it. An odd, individual contradictory woman.<br /><br />Played Out-David Richards-A chronicle of the promise of Jean Seberg and the forces that lead to her destruction.<br /><br />The Decline and Fall of the Love Goddesses-Patrick Agan-A collection of short bios of ten stars who had a hard time of it including Linda Darnell, Betty Hutton and Dorothy Dandridge.<br /><br />**There is one that I don’t own, I borrowed it from the library, but that I recommend “Backstage You Can Have” by Betty Hutton-Though it was completed by someone else about ¾ of the book was written by Hutton and she is unflinchingly honest about her almost Dickensian childhood and rough path through stardom. Some of the stories are jaw droppers.<br /><br />Honorable Mentions: Haywire-Brooke Hayward (the story of her life as the child of Margaret Sullavan & Leland Hayward), Hot Toddy-Andy Edmonds, The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson-Robert Hofler<br /><br /><br />Disappointments:<br />Balancing Act-Martin Gottfried (Angela Lansbury) & Pretty Poison-Floyd Conner (Tuesday Weld)…Puff pieces.<br /><br />General film:<br />Alternate Oscars-Danny Peary-Looks at three main categories (Best Picture, Actor and Actress) from the start of the awards to 1991 who won and who the author feels should have won with a critical opinion for each. This is one I return to often.<br /><br />All About All About Eve & When Blanche Met Brando-Sam Staggs<br /><br />The Celluloid Closet-Vito Russo<br /><br />The Movie Makers-Sol Chaneles and Albert Wolsky-In the pre-internet days when I bought this, for the then princely sum of 19.95, this was an invaluable reference for a neophyte movie buff such as myself because it contained brief bios of 2,500 performers, directors, moguls etc. It more than any other let me discover something about the faces on the screen. And it was illustrated!!!! Priceless.<br /><br />Okay sorry to ramble on so let us just say I enjoyed this article and hope my suggestions may lead to something you might like.<br />joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-60782368609494874222016-04-17T12:23:38.603-07:002016-04-17T12:23:38.603-07:00Hi Ken,
Boy you have been on fire the last month ...Hi Ken,<br /><br />Boy you have been on fire the last month while I have been MIA due to a bout of pleurisy. Now that I’m back on a relatively even keel I’ve got some catching up to do!<br /><br />Like you I was, and am, a vociferous reader all around but of books regarding film particularly and I spent endless hours as a kid in bookstores perusing their movie sections. Also like you I just can’t get into e-books, much to my sister’s chagrin-she gave me an e-reader which sits unopened still in my closet. I love the feeling of a book in my hands…the physical realness of it, being able to see the progress I’m making, the smell of the print, it’s a singular experience that I have no interest in losing. Although I do love audio books but that’s a different situation, offering an option separate from being a slave to the radio. <br /><br />Your list includes some fascinating titles, some of which I’ve read and some that I’ve added to my Goodreads list. I remember paging through that Busby Berkeley book years ago, probably when it was released, when those type of glossy picture books were all the rage. I don’t own that particular one but I have several of the type, ones on Clark Gable, Joan Crawford and John Garfield are the first to pop to mind. That’s a lovely memory of receiving yours, and such a nice gift. Books were rarely one I received but I think it was more trepidation on my family members part not knowing what I already had.<br /><br />I didn’t love that Burton book but parts of it were fascinating, similar to you I was most intrigued by the sections that pertained to his time with Elizabeth Taylor, their time together was such a saga!<br /><br />I loved both The Day of the Locust and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They but they are two of the saddest books I’ve ever read especially Horses. I had actually seen the film first and initially was put off by the grinding hopelessness but then read the book and went back with fresh eyes to the movie. It made me appreciate it more though it is so full of despair I’ll never be able to say I enjoyed it.<br /><br />Glad to see the recommendation for Easy Riders, Raging Bulls. It’s already on my to read list and your comments on the content make it sound even more intriguing so I’ll have to bump it up! Thanks!<br /><br />With regards to your cautions, I’ve attempted to read them all but the Michael Caine book which sounds eminently missable. I share your disappointment in them all save one. I was so let down by Crowning Glory, I sat down with great relish to read it and sped right through it for similar reasons to yours, who the hell was he kiddin’? <br /><br />The Debra Winger tome, and the equally dire Goldie Hawn Mud in the Lotus or whatever it was called, is an exercise in torturous navel gazing.<br /><br />The boorish classlessness of the Tony Curtis book was a huge disappointment. It reeked of both egocentric bravado and score settling. I thought he was often a much better actor than he was credited with because of his youthful beauty, I actually just saw Flesh and Fury the other day where he plays a deaf boxer with great sensitivity (in an extremely snug singlet and short short boxing trunks!) but he came across as a total pig in private.<br /><br />The one that I thought was okay was Raquel’s book. True it wasn’t what I was hoping for but once I realized it was a combo bio and fitness deal I took it for what it was and did find points of interest. Since I know nothing of wigs I found her discussions of the importance of a good one and what that involves interesting. Some of her maintenance advice was good as well, my sister and nieces went on the hunt for “frownies” as soon as I mentioned them and have used them ever since. Also unlike someone like Suzanne Somers she’s not trying to sell you something so her advice was grounded in practicality, use what works best for YOU not what costs the most. I would have loved to hear about the contretemps of Myra Breckinridge, Fathom etc. but it was a harmless read, I’ve suffered though much worse.<br />joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-82710979941824374062016-04-15T05:46:29.467-07:002016-04-15T05:46:29.467-07:00Hi Max Frost, thanks so much for including my book...Hi Max Frost, thanks so much for including my book Dueling Harlows: Race to the Silver Screen in your list of favorites. Honored to be included in such good company and glad you enjoyed it. Best, Tom Lisantisixtiescinemahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11148962658376426099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-4927866795146854312016-03-28T01:43:17.984-07:002016-03-28T01:43:17.984-07:00You're so welcome! I'm glad to hear you en...You're so welcome! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the post. And I know what you mean about the comments section - in the past couple of weeks I've picked up about four books suggested by visitors to the blog.<br />Thanks very much!<br /> Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-17253683550876946792016-03-27T22:10:21.902-07:002016-03-27T22:10:21.902-07:00This post AND the whole comment thread are going t...This post AND the whole comment thread are going to be my go-to reference archive on 'What To Read Next'!<br />Excellent, as usual.<br />Thank you so much for doing this!Mr.Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604344374380586948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-15069201276898459762016-03-21T17:56:27.914-07:002016-03-21T17:56:27.914-07:00Hi Max
We share a similar history in that vein. I ...Hi Max<br />We share a similar history in that vein. I read "The Collector" "The magus", "The Sterile Cuckoo" and countless other novels in high school chiefly because I wanted to see the films. And indeed those tie-in printings were a favorite.<br />I don't know about you, but this "habit" introduced me to the art of screen adaptation; for every film I first discovered as a novel I was allowed to visualize...then it was such a revelation to see how someone else chose to adapt to the screen what I had imagined. I had in a sense, made my OWN film in my mind. A skill (or quirk) that helped a lot when i went to film school.<br />Thanks Max, for bringing up this topic, which would make another interesting list: Books you discovered chiefly because of the films adapted from them.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-59730797097902287552016-03-21T17:49:58.004-07:002016-03-21T17:49:58.004-07:00Hi Quiggy
Had no idea about Jo Bob's DTS firin...Hi Quiggy<br />Had no idea about Jo Bob's DTS firing. I just knew he was pretty funny with his B-movie TV show. I even came across one of his books in a used bookstore once.<br />I sort of luck out when it comes to hard to find books. my partner works in the California university system, so he has access to all the university libraries throughout the state. if the book can be found in the system at all, he can borrow it for me. <br />So I'll keep a look out. Thanks!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-772443986586199352016-03-21T05:15:52.087-07:002016-03-21T05:15:52.087-07:00Hi Ken,
Just one more thing, if I may...It's ...Hi Ken,<br /><br />Just one more thing, if I may...It's because of the movies that I ended up reading some very good novels when I was young--only because of the movie tie-in editions. (Not novelizations, although I bought those too). <br /><br />Your mention of They Shoot Horses, and Day of the Locust reminded me of this. The only way to "re-live" a movie back in the 60s and 70s was either buy the original novel or listen to the soundtrack. And all because Lynn Redgrave was on the cover, I bought and read Margaret Forster's Georgy Girl. Same with Kristin Hunter's The Landlord, Paula Fox's Desperate Characters, Ken Kolb's Getting Straight, and William Eastlake's Castle Keep--for starters. <br /><br />I'm sure I would have gotten around to reading Day of the Locust eventually, but having Karen Black on the cover and the reproduction of David Edward Byrd's original artwork made it must buy. And what an impression that novel made on an impressionable young(ish) mind!<br /><br />Thank you, Ken<br />Max Frostnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-43041021826906536282016-03-19T19:36:42.885-07:002016-03-19T19:36:42.885-07:00Hello Charlie
I'm glad you like the topic!And ...Hello Charlie<br />I'm glad you like the topic!And I really like your book recommendation because I know almost nothing about Oscar Levant beyond a few of his screen appearances. I saw him on an episode of The Merv Griffin Show lately, and if anybody seems like they'd have amusing anecdotes to tell, he's the guy.<br />I've never seen "The Cobweb" but a reader highly recommended it. I think I missed an opportunity to see it on TCM some time back, but I'll keep my eyes peeled (eeww...where did that phrase ever emanate from?)<br />Thanks very much, Charlie!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-20215705552194866512016-03-19T12:20:29.859-07:002016-03-19T12:20:29.859-07:00Hi Ken,
This a great topic! I would recommend &quo...Hi Ken,<br />This a great topic! I would recommend "The Memoirs of an Amnesiac" by Oscar Levant. Lots of anecdotes from Hollywood, Broadway, and the classical music world. He also wrote "The Unimportance of Being Oscar" and "A Smattering of Ignorance", but I think the Memoirs book is the best. <br /><br />On another Levant note, if you ever want to do a piece about the movie "Cobweb", with Levant in a small role, I would enjoy reading your take on it! :)<br /><br />CharlieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-15662258300138699862016-03-18T18:07:54.520-07:002016-03-18T18:07:54.520-07:00The Broadway musical is a wonderful slapstick come...The Broadway musical is a wonderful slapstick comedy, but it's Neil Simon's comedy. The book is Patrick Dennis, all the way. Both are great, but it oh so very different ways.George W. Tushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13050905945846094987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-22673281474380910202016-03-18T11:24:34.585-07:002016-03-18T11:24:34.585-07:00Thanks, David!
Your memory of watching "April...Thanks, David!<br />Your memory of watching "April in Paris" is really charming. I love stories that reflect how movies are an "experience"...not time-killers, like the whole streaming thing tends to promote (got a long wait for a flight?...stream a movie! Oy!) <br />Film books, like soundtrack albums, were once such a big part of the experience of loving films. One could learn a lot, but it wasn't about secrets being given away and demystifying the process. It was the examination of film as pop culture, influence, and art.<br /><br />I live within a block of a public library, but it's one of those big, glass affairs devoted to "media": lots of computer consoles and active space, but it seems to have all of 13 bookshelves. You can order books, but what was fun about huge film sections in older libraries was discovering books you had no idea existed.<br />I only know Ethan Mordden from having read one of his Broadway books, but I plan to look up "Medium Cool"<br />Thanks for the recommendation and for sharing your memories. Hope you've managed to see most of the films on that list!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-18446069317470477722016-03-18T09:57:32.129-07:002016-03-18T09:57:32.129-07:00Hi Lila
You bring up a point I forgot about those ...Hi Lila<br />You bring up a point I forgot about those "Hollywood Babylon" books; you're right, they were recitations of old gossip, and thus it was years before I could dislodge so many of the "legends" recounted in the book from the truth (Like the Jayne Mansfield beheading myth).<br />Wonderful anecdote about meeting Kevin Brownlow and getting a book signed. I remember reading a couple of his books on silents when I was in school.<br />The mention of Michael Palin's diaries is good because I'd forgotten about the book. Similarly, my lack of knowledge about British cinema has left a blank where recommendations of books about people like M. Powell and E. Pressburger might be. So, thanks for those contributions.<br />And I'm on course with you about Almodovar...movies once so daring, now I can barely wait for them to end.<br />Thanks your sharing these unique entries, Lila!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.com