London Entertainment
A street performer and a little girl
in London’s Covent Garden entertain a crowd of people.
Amusement Park Thrill
An old-fashioned, but simple ride, that is still one of my favorites.
And it’s about the only one I can still go on without losing my lunch.
A Street Performer in London
A street performer and a little girl
in London’s Covent Garden entertain a crowd of people.
Sunset Boulevard
I had the opportunity to see Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard” on the big screen in a movie theater. The movie stars William Holden, Gloria Swanson, written by Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, D.M. Marshman Jr. and directed by Billy Wilder. For those not familiar with him, 4 of his movies are on the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest films ever made. They are “Some Like It Hot” (if you haven’t seen it, see it now), “The Apartment”, “Double Indemnity” (great movie) and “Sunset Boulevard”.
I own a copy of the movie on disc, but Turner Classic Movies, in conjunction with Fathom Events, has a Classic Film Series playing in selected theaters. “Sunset” was on the list.
Plot summary from IMDB–
“In Hollywood of the 50’s, the obscure screenplay writer Joe Gillis is not able to sell his work to the studios, is full of debts and is thinking in returning to his hometown to work in an office. While trying to escape from his creditors, he has a flat tire and parks his car in a decadent mansion in Sunset Boulevard. He meets the owner and former silent-movie star Norma Desmond, who lives alone with her butler and driver Max Von Mayerling. Norma is demented and believes she will return to the cinema industry, and is protected and isolated from the world by Max, who was her director and husband in the past and still loves her. Norma proposes Joe to move to the mansion and help her in writing a screenplay for her comeback to the cinema, and the small-time writer becomes her lover and gigolo. When Joe falls in love for the young aspirant writer Betty Schaefer, Norma becomes jealous and completely insane and her madness leads to a tragic end. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil”
Acting in the film as themselves, Buster Keaton, Hedda Hopper, Ceil B. DeMille, H.B.Warner, Anna Q. Nilsson. The great director Erich Von Stroheim plays the butler and driver. Plus a young Jack Webb – “Just the facts, ma’am” – in a small supporting role.
Sunset was nominated for 11 Oscars and won 3. Info here.
Two movies on the TCM list I want to see – one in June – “The Producers”. And in August – “The Big Lewbowski”. I want to see “The Dude”!
London Entertainment
A street performer and a little girl
in London’s Covent Garden entertain a crowd of people.
Amusement Park Thrill
An old-fashioned, but simple ride, that is still one of my favorites.
And it’s about the only one I can still go on without losing my lunch.
Television Universe
Okay, here are my Top 8 television shows of all time (it’s not that I can’t have a top 10, I just have 2 empty spaces waiting to be filled):
1- Farscape – those who share my love for this series understand my addiction to it.
2- Star Trek (original series) – I watched every sequel – TV or movie, liked some, hated some, but I still love Kirk the most.
3- Seinfeld – I highly recommend the Kramer Reality Tour in New York City. Google it for info.
4- Andy Griffith Show w/Don Knotts – an American comedy that rises above everything else.
5- The X Files – The first 7 seasons. Always knew that there were aliens but loved the ambiguity.
6- 24 – I want to be Jack Bauer
7- Eureka – Can’t explain it, but I love this series.
8- Dexter – I knew about Dexter, and was familiar with Michael Hall from “6 Feet Under” but didn’t think that I would like a show about a serial killer. All I can say, this show catapulted to the top almost immediately. I am on the edge of my seat watching it.
Now I have plenty of second tier shows that I love – Battlestar (Ron Moore edition), Green Acres (it’s hilarious), The Invaders – if I started a list of top ten show openings, this one would be at the top of the list.
So, this is my list. What’s yours?
Halloween and my (not so little anymore) girl
My daughter isn’t this young anymore. I really miss the days of taking house-to-house on Halloween and seeing the excitement on her face of getting a ton of candy.
I refer to this time of year as the “Trifecta” – on Halloween you get to dress up. On Thanksgiving you get a get meal. And on Christmas (or Hanukkah) you get gifts. It’s the perfect time of year.
Rich Green Photography 