tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323035954886600142024-03-18T20:34:33.139-04:00Digging Star WarsAmong the many things that STAR WARS (1977) is, it also happens to be a great lesson in classic cinema. This blog started with digging up the films that inspired George Lucas and his team to make the saga. Now, we are continuing our journey into classic movies with must-see titles, fun facts, and more. Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.comBlogger191125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-76368818041484482142024-03-14T19:30:00.001-04:002024-03-14T21:14:32.509-04:00TOP 100 HENRY MANCINI FILMS: #40-31<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFvDm1PqlFdbBELEBilmgyXMTbMwhGbmz8QaGN1tQlzAVN1SH3N73T5rnp0XhzThTcbesiguVQ-WcIx7y3xypYk1ZZVrBmZej7DyF2UccWm22BvAfiEuwPftHLNDpoEx8Qq3_3Qj1ePaaQdbE3eDsU4RRs4XspBb3gJ4bB__FgWWwfaI0Lqi4TyusMLI/s2249/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_40_31.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="2249" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFvDm1PqlFdbBELEBilmgyXMTbMwhGbmz8QaGN1tQlzAVN1SH3N73T5rnp0XhzThTcbesiguVQ-WcIx7y3xypYk1ZZVrBmZej7DyF2UccWm22BvAfiEuwPftHLNDpoEx8Qq3_3Qj1ePaaQdbE3eDsU4RRs4XspBb3gJ4bB__FgWWwfaI0Lqi4TyusMLI/w640-h640/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_40_31.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><h1><span style="color: #fcff01;">#40-31</span><span style="color: #01ffff;"> of the</span> <span style="color: red;">Top 100</span> <span style="color: #04ff00;">Henry Mancini</span> <span style="color: #fcff01;">Films</span></h1><div><span>As we enter the Top 40 of the Top 100 Henry Mancini Films, the titles seem to have polarized. These films are either extremely popular or notorious. Some are staples in their genre. One title here features a former President of the United States. Another is referenced in the beloved <i>Back to the Future</i> series. All in all, the breadth of Mancini’s touch across all types of motion pictures is astounding.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#40: </span><i style="color: #ff00fe;">W.C. Fields and Me</i><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> (1976)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v82W-HUlHOI?si=CGm0WTigZWv7xDlo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><i>W.C. Fields and Me</i> (1976) is a well-written biography that moves at its own pace. </div><div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#39:<span> </span><i>Mommie Dearest</i> (1981)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O0FNSuJ437w?si=SS01tU2K-5G_G3Vc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Mommie Dearest</i> (1981) is a nail-biting family drama that makes you rethink your love of classic movies...or, at least, classic movie stars. The movie itself has an unusual life among film award programs. Both the National Society of Film Critics (USA) and the New York Film Critics Circle nominated Faye Dunaway for “Best Actress” for her scathing portrayal of Joan Crawford. The Young Artists Awards nominated the film for “Best Motion Picture – Family Enjoyment.” Yet, the film won multiple Razzie Awards – awards designed to point out the worst in the film industry. Among the collected Razzie Awards are such dubious honors as “Worst Actress (Faye Dunaway)” and “Worst Picture of the Decade.” The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards also gave <i>Mommie Dearest </i>(1981) the following awards: “Worst Picture (of 1981)”, Worst Actress (Fay Dunaway), and 3 more not-so-flattering trophies. Why the divide between esteemed critics and lighthearted denigrators? To quote my youngest son, “I can’t know.” But I will say, that <i>Mommie Dearest </i>(1981) is worth the watch. It may be a trainwreck of a story but, to quote another son of mine, “It’s one of the movies of all time.” You really have to see it to believe it…or maybe understand all the attention.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#38:<span> <i>Man's Favorite Sport?</i></span> (1964)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EvehgKWOjaI?si=7Fe3_v1bd970_JrF" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Man’s Favorite Sport?</i> (1964) is a silly movie. The best part was hearing Mancini’s “Blue Pianola” - a borrowed music track from the <i>Touch of Evil</i> (1958) soundtrack. Other favorite parts include very odd cutaways of trains colliding and an equally bizarre silent film ending.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#37:<span> <i>Without a Clue</i></span> (1988)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lWXw-QZDdNo?si=43EUHGEzaMR9y8_T" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Without a Clue</i> (1988) is a mild comedy with understated performances. Overall, the film is charming, stylish, and pleasant.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#36:<span> <i>It Came From Outer Space</i></span> (1953)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/85xpN_Ohwqs?si=_0psKFAl2xPY86Gr" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It’s just pretty darn cool that this classic science fiction film is also one that Mancini worked on during his “graduate days” at Universal (for more on that era, check out the <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/12/henry-mancini-biography-by-chris-mich.html">Henry Mancini biography</a> I posted last year). For what it's worth, influential sci-fi/horror film master John Carpenter included <i>It Came from Outer Space </i>(1953) in his Top 10 "idiosyncratic list of most influential" Sci-Fi Films. It’s a must-see for both B-movie and serious sci-fi fans.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#35:<span> <i>S.O.B.</i></span> (1981)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sFgLb4eQSuI?si=ZKmq0XX-mXGAUJiU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>S.O.B. </i>(1981) very well may be my least favorite Henry Mancini film. I just don’t get this movie. It amazes me that <i>S.O.B. </i>(1981) was able to secure a budget let alone get made. That said, if you are confused as to why this film scored so high, please check out <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/01/top-100-henry-mancini-films-system.html">The System</a> we used to rank the Henry Mancini films. I did my best to combine critics and fans' opinions on the films for their mathematical placement on the list.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#34:<span> <i>"10"</i></span> (1979)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HsI1gzpvWR4?si=5XmRWoPyy-9O53WF" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A lot has been written about <i>“10”</i> (1979) and, therefore, I’ll keep this as short as possible.<i> “10”</i> (1979) was popular in its day and became a quick reference to show that director Blake Edwards is still an “it” director. Dudley Moore, Bo Derek, and Julie Andrews are all top-notch in it. The beach running scene is iconic and often imitated and lampooned. While Mancini’s overall <i>“10”</i> score is particularly good, Ravel’s "Bolero" is the true winner here as it gains new dimension, and subsequent popularity, due to Mancini's incorporation of it into the film and soundtrack.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#33:<span> <i>Tarantula</i></span> (1955)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GXif__oPXX4?si=HggK9_YitaH9VQIf" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Gee whiz schmaltz makes this B-movie worth the trip. While the double exposure of the monstrously large spider in the desert isn’t perfect, it’s pretty darn good for 1955. The special effects makeup on human experiments is just schlocky enough to be harmless and entertaining. <i>Tarantula</i> (1955) is worth seeing for many reasons but perhaps the coolest is a cameo of an uncredited actor as a fighter pilot. That actor is none other than Clint Eastwood and <i>Tarantula</i> (1955) is one of the posters Marty McFly (Micheal J. Fox) references at the Pohatchee Drive-in Theater in <i>Back to the Future III </i>(1990) when he mentions Clint Eastwood to Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and then says, “That’s right. You haven’t heard of him yet.” For another Mancini film mentioned in BTTF3, check out <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-100-91.html">Mancini films #100-91</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#32:<span> <i>Arabesque</i></span> (1966)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mwa9BjJ10_Y?si=-YgtFeLmwUu2Zza9" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I love how this TV spot wraps up with simply, “Music by Mancini.” Says it all, doesn’t it?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#31:<span> <i>The Killers</i></span> (1964)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bo6ZAhTPtSE?si=yDqYtYhrxoz0q8nT" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Lee Marvin. Ernest Hemingway. Henry Mancini. Ronald Reagan!? Just a handful of names that make this flick worth watching. It even has TV <i>Three's Company</i> Mr. Roper (Norman Fell) in it! A good caper flick with a lovely and deliciously untrustworthy "lady" (Angie Dickinson), <i>The Killers </i>(1964) delivers a crime drama wrapped in <i>The Love Bug</i> (1968) mise en scène. Watch it - but be prepared to see the worst rear screen projection in the history of Hollywood.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b> </b></span></div><div><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>That’s a wrap on #40-31</b></span>. Next week, we’ll dive into some more surefire hits and a few box office flubs in the Henry Mancini filmography. However, we’ll begin to see some really artful work creep into the list – along with some old favorites, legendary titles, and that one significant gig that every hardcore film composer desires. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><ul><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-100-91.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #100-91</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-90-81.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #90-81</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-80-71.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #80-71</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-70-61.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #70-61</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/03/top-100-henry-mancini-films-60-51.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films #60-51</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/03/top-100-henry-mancini-films-50-41.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films #50-41</a></li><li><a href="https://www.henrymancini.com/" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - The Official Henry Mancini Website</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1etsjOZvmrloOM1yPaqfCp?si=592a2f5469ca43b2" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - Spotify Playlist</a></li></ul></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #444444;">* Thanks to David P. Ramos for that impressive sketch of Hank hard at work, Scott Derby for the iconic Digging Star Wars logo, and Josh Taback for the much-needed art direction of the overall Top 100 “square art” layout. </span></div></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-35662303799772525022024-03-10T15:51:00.000-04:002024-03-10T15:51:09.221-04:00SPITE MARRIAGE (1929) ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE KEATON CHRONICLE<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hFCxJ58x8nG-ILmBS66qv0MWLXJniWaiGQBu1n70Prl7YGRQVI6yO48T1FtVRNkpsayAFkl1-ocZPMGtG4VeARKcHpyzcQF8rHchEmFyRkb47g9rWaGDjk5RpttCGuk8PIYtiBS6OT6bsZRzPnsYKND0JSJVPZDvPxjWBz0ciXwoqPocpz80zbJfd6c/s541/Chronicle%20Grab%20p25_sq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="541" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hFCxJ58x8nG-ILmBS66qv0MWLXJniWaiGQBu1n70Prl7YGRQVI6yO48T1FtVRNkpsayAFkl1-ocZPMGtG4VeARKcHpyzcQF8rHchEmFyRkb47g9rWaGDjk5RpttCGuk8PIYtiBS6OT6bsZRzPnsYKND0JSJVPZDvPxjWBz0ciXwoqPocpz80zbJfd6c/w640-h640/Chronicle%20Grab%20p25_sq.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Write! Write! Write!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">That’s the key to getting published. I am honored and
thrilled that my academic article on Buster Keaton’s last silent film, <i>Spite
Marriage</i> (1929) has been officially published in the best place possible: The Keaton
Chronicle. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">For a quarter century, the International Buster Keaton
Society has published The Keaton Chronicle. No mere newsletter, the Chronicle
publishes new research, in-depth commentary, interviews, tributes, upcoming
events, and so much more. And it’s only available to members of <a href="https://busterkeaton.org/" target="_blank">The InternationalBuster Keaton Society</a>. These peeps are next level, let me tell you!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">This is a thrill and, if you’re interested in reading the
article, membership to the Keaton club is surprisingly affordable and gives you
access to my article/issue and ALL the Chronicle issues. Well worth it IMHO.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, I’m happy. And I wanted to share this exciting news
with you, too. <o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">#damfinos<o:p></o:p></p>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-14606603571820883792024-03-09T05:51:00.000-05:002024-03-09T05:51:33.156-05:00TOP 100 HENRY MANCINI FILMS: #50-41<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ApOLC1uU7CxbIU1DJBDLeVhZVd47bU0xzBeSpv9D8ks2g2VGExb2lE2HkMPmO9ZQXOP7dZqwcmpkxnEx15Y2WbyoBdPSCF1mgDU5rXeQvuuSbQ_amHkB5h1_lY807Z6dSJH67xCgu3zhsxCqsn5kX3_cnUGpaGhqRkT2aa93YApi968wIHq0_5qRqMM/s2249/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_50_41.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="2249" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ApOLC1uU7CxbIU1DJBDLeVhZVd47bU0xzBeSpv9D8ks2g2VGExb2lE2HkMPmO9ZQXOP7dZqwcmpkxnEx15Y2WbyoBdPSCF1mgDU5rXeQvuuSbQ_amHkB5h1_lY807Z6dSJH67xCgu3zhsxCqsn5kX3_cnUGpaGhqRkT2aa93YApi968wIHq0_5qRqMM/w640-h640/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_50_41.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><h1><span style="color: #fcff01;">#50-41</span><span style="color: #01ffff;"> of the</span> <span style="color: red;">Top 100</span> <span style="color: #04ff00;">Henry Mancini</span> <span style="color: #fcff01;">Films</span></h1><div><span>Top 50! Can there be good here with titles in the mix that end in an exclamation point or a question mark? Only one way to find out: read on.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#50:<span> </span><i>Sunflower</i> (1970)</span></h2><h2><span><div style="color: black; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"></div><div style="color: black; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y3TW9Nj-mJ0?si=Vu-koL-XsRZXYT-t" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: white;">Love and war, Italian style. <i>Sunflower </i>(1970) is pretty much everything you’d want from a foreign film: beautiful people, alien landscape, strange scenarios, and clever compositions. You leave the film with a newfound lust for life. </span></div></span></h2><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><br /></span></h2><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#49: <i>Lifeforce</i> (1985)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sgTMnaEvTAc?si=O-uEaLBfTzLoIQxg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After the unbelievable success of the original <i>Star Wars </i>(1977) soundtrack in sales, industry accolades, and the works – 1980s Henry Mancini thought it was time for him to capture a sci-fi champion of his own. One that would stand the test of time and be remembered as a great work. After all, if the pianist of <i>Peter Gunn</i>, John Williams, could achieve such greatness – surely Henry Mancini, the man who practically invented consumer hunger for soundtrack purchasing, could craft a highly sellable sci-fi epic OST? Instead, he got <i>Lifeforce</i> (1985). Before the film was even complete, Mancini was over it. Re-edit after re-edit minimized Mancini’s material and weird music from random sources filled in the gaps. <i>Lifeforce </i>(1985) isn't <i>Star Wars. </i>It's sci-fi/horror that's more akin to a “Skinemax” after-midnight special with soft-porn-level sex scenes and (for the time) gruesome gore. Yet, the film ranks high – most likely due to a cult classic status and an impressive cast including Patrick Stewart, narrator John Larroquette, and the very-easy-on-the-eyes Mathilda May (who appears naked through most of the film). Frustrated with the picture's process and end result, Mancini called<i> Lifeforce </i>(1985): “the biggest fiasco that I’ve ever encountered.”</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#48: <i>That's Life!</i> (1986)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ffVP8MM9v_4?si=RUCXqTqfTPwoneCE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">By now, you may have sensed that I have a love/hate moviegoer relationship with Blake Edwards. I will say, take it or leave it, he’s an artist. On the surface, <i>That’s Life!</i> (1986) is another film about rich white people complaining about being rich white people. Vulgarity runs rampant throughout the picture and the movie is kept afloat by the genius acting of Jack Lemmon. Yet, when you least expect it, tenderness and humanity creep into the picture to point out that we’re all here to help each other. Twisted as it may be, it's a work of art.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#47: <i>Visions of Eight</i> (1973)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6lHbSu2o75E?si=ozc7koV-B4GrD4ui" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Visions of Eight </i>(1973) is a wonderful, funny, and sad look at Munich’s 1972 Olympics – artfully told on all levels. This very well may be Mancini’s greatest soundtrack work for its artistry. Three of his eleven tracks on this soundtrack are simply amazing: “Pretty Girls”, “Theme for the Losers”, and “The Race.”</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#46: <i>Darling Lili</i> (1970)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pe6evvmntwY?si=aQHAsCK3BKHp4aJp" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of Julie Andrews's “rebranding” movies with Director Edwards, <i>Darling Lili </i>(1970) is perhaps the most enjoyable one due to stellar cinematography by Russell Harlan and superb WWI aerial dogfights. Mancini’s marches outshine Andrews’ musical numbers in the soundtrack. No cap.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#45: <i>Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i> (1953)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yLmBsGQVC1U?si=XKcJqO-7L8VxGGBe" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While <i>Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde </i>(1953) is a basic mess of a movie with poor acting and somewhat cheap production values, the film has Halloween-viewing value and is lighthearted and silly enough to enjoy. This was another film scored during Mancini’s self-proclaimed graduate school years at Universal. Read more about it in <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/12/henry-mancini-biography-by-chris-mich.html" target="_blank">his bio</a> written by yours truly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#44: <i>What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?</i> (1966)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8TO7jMYUaeg?si=lQyIcolO1rcJn3ZU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?</i> (1966) is one of the aforementioned film titles that ends with a punctuation mark. I wanted to like <i>What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? </i>(1966). Really. It’s a great idea that’s only partially realized. That said, if you are confused as to why this film scored so high, please check out <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/01/top-100-henry-mancini-films-system.html" target="_blank">The System</a> we used to rank the Henry Mancini films. I did my best to combine critics and fans' opinions on the films for their mathematical placement on the list.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#43: <i>Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy</i> (1955)</span></h2></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EPmeEMWPMvI?si=HsnYqL4vH9SS5uP6" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the last of the <i>Abbott and Costello Meet ___________</i> monster movies and their second to last film together. Not gonna lie: this is a hard watch. <i>Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy </i>(1955) is low budget and it shows. The music is even so-so. But the nostalgia factor of this film being Abbott and Costello’s last iteration in this formula and its harmless Halloween charm make it a Top 50 contender here. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#42: <i>Dear Heart</i> (1964)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jaBbKmxRnCo?si=Rbmt9dp2p0L3zEY2" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In my own personal Top 20 Henry Mancini films, <i>Dear Heart</i> (1964) is #3. I simply love this movie. The picture is filled with all kinds of silly complications, awkward moments, super-duper one-liners, and the overwhelming need for real love which is messy and all over the place – not contrived, well-orchestrated, and proper as any society dictates. Glenn Ford and Geraldine Page are simply perfect and Mancini’s theme makes me teary-eyed any time I let it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#41: <i>The Great Waldo Pepper</i> (1975)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aYUEOSbh4IE?si=vA0xHV1nMg1g7vSi" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Great Waldo Pepper </i>(1975) is such a great movie! It has the perfect combo of aerial stunts, ironic one-liners, romance mixed with modernity, and the right amount of Redford charm. The script is tight and the performances are where they need to be. The music will make you want to get up and march around the room.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><br /></h2></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">And with next week’s post, we move into the Top 40.</span></b> More surprising movie placement happens including a legendary film that I’m personally shocked didn’t score in the Top 10…but that’s life (a figure of speech, not the Mancini film listed here)! I hope you join us again next week. Agree with the list so far? Disagree? Let us know with a comment below. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-100-91.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #100-91</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-90-81.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #90-81</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-80-71.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #80-71</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-70-61.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #70-61</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/03/top-100-henry-mancini-films-60-51.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films #60-51</a></li><li><a href="https://www.henrymancini.com/" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - The Official Henry Mancini Website</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1etsjOZvmrloOM1yPaqfCp?si=592a2f5469ca43b2" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - Spotify Playlist</a></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">* Thanks to David P. Ramos for that impressive sketch of Hank hard at work, Scott Derby for the iconic Digging Star Wars logo, and Josh Taback for the much-needed art direction of the overall Top 100 “square art” layout. </span></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-81700533561723893072024-03-07T19:36:00.000-05:002024-03-07T19:36:24.197-05:00DIGGING STAR WARS ON ROBOTECH NOVELS UNIVERSE AND ROBOTECH STORIES<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pK1gUprbZwVOwMGI4lEStFznGGNT-wI3ru87KTOt_xGyGxOgaalgkMnTM9ppu0a54EXdoi2WjHL9lIZjQQVgkmb-edkMeqvHRJpHCpkJx0lQPJc6SBdy-qgOz1FAYgMsdatz6XwWlp0OY5M3nJ1cKT_zjNDr6_0ANDajJP3dcmscikToZRZGEsoMFoc/s596/Robotech%20stories%20FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="596" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pK1gUprbZwVOwMGI4lEStFznGGNT-wI3ru87KTOt_xGyGxOgaalgkMnTM9ppu0a54EXdoi2WjHL9lIZjQQVgkmb-edkMeqvHRJpHCpkJx0lQPJc6SBdy-qgOz1FAYgMsdatz6XwWlp0OY5M3nJ1cKT_zjNDr6_0ANDajJP3dcmscikToZRZGEsoMFoc/w640-h640/Robotech%20stories%20FB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">More shoutouts for Digging Star Wars! The ever-prolific Facebook group<a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotechbooks" target="_blank"> Robotech Novels Universe</a>, along with their sister FB page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ROBOTECHSTORIES" target="_blank">Robotech Stories</a>, posted the write-ups you see here regarding our <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/robotech-day-2024-high-noon-1952.html">Robotech Day 2024: High Noon (1952)</a> entry. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Both <b><i><span style="color: red;">Robotech Novels Universe</span></i></b> and <b><i><span style="color: red;">Robotech Stories</span></i></b> are fantastic Robotech fan groups that treat both the TV shows and books as canon – and Digging Star Wars couldn’t agree more. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Thanks to both groups for calling out our blog!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qSo3ANQxnI2ldnJ3yB83Yos1odyiEALL9ENZY63bknAMrV9Uyehc0wySVmyswrpalObJg74LVzbfJbkLxEihg_nXJaEM343GEBdvYVVQiBS2AseselgiZsSSbUZibIGQHWzPC9Qr4g-QRVKnV8EWrg8VqtbEAYiAtwwI9X3btS1J08BJVyT9RvFyXbc/s602/fb%20robotech%20novels%20universe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="602" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qSo3ANQxnI2ldnJ3yB83Yos1odyiEALL9ENZY63bknAMrV9Uyehc0wySVmyswrpalObJg74LVzbfJbkLxEihg_nXJaEM343GEBdvYVVQiBS2AseselgiZsSSbUZibIGQHWzPC9Qr4g-QRVKnV8EWrg8VqtbEAYiAtwwI9X3btS1J08BJVyT9RvFyXbc/w640-h638/fb%20robotech%20novels%20universe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-62689074964347763002024-03-03T04:19:00.001-05:002024-03-03T17:20:36.473-05:00Digging Star Wars Blog: A WORK OF ART<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzFyWCwY7f3AxziVNgRr-lzC9f5RMcp-O04mx3jRZCEmy-T7MyntIyuKNl70Ltsv5DVInNisldFYQud3OanXX2j6a-RjUUsfUc0uAeTXVmZ1laLzi1TYgTzPdRNjB3mILDW4AmQaPY4RpulhWVsCmlTfsTkRInOF6uzCArt4iDx5tlHtKt3d1Cx4pgQI/s3024/IMG_9488.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzFyWCwY7f3AxziVNgRr-lzC9f5RMcp-O04mx3jRZCEmy-T7MyntIyuKNl70Ltsv5DVInNisldFYQud3OanXX2j6a-RjUUsfUc0uAeTXVmZ1laLzi1TYgTzPdRNjB3mILDW4AmQaPY4RpulhWVsCmlTfsTkRInOF6uzCArt4iDx5tlHtKt3d1Cx4pgQI/w640-h640/IMG_9488.HEIC" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">As some of you know, I work at QVC, part of the Qurate Retail Group, and right now, <i>Digging Star</i> <i>Wars </i>(this very classic film blog!) is on display in the art gallery at QVC’s headquarters, Studio Park in West Chester, PA. The exhibit is curated by an in-house employee group known as TALENT which celebrates artists in the company. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKEcGZxdmJSI4F9qxtB9zuTyOvngZPjOI61IiatNpP9arrS1MoTwCG5D_fKxZcsTNojmVr2WTCFlgEjbBucSZxKUmrk2vT1ca7lE6-hfvXfSrX-sMtXhpzu55udkRxUqiwKIIqRsrdFphUiS1fGn4kUFokaW6AlxhVAM93e_LOXmD6RBPiYVj_eprtR0/s3024/IMG_9479.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKEcGZxdmJSI4F9qxtB9zuTyOvngZPjOI61IiatNpP9arrS1MoTwCG5D_fKxZcsTNojmVr2WTCFlgEjbBucSZxKUmrk2vT1ca7lE6-hfvXfSrX-sMtXhpzu55udkRxUqiwKIIqRsrdFphUiS1fGn4kUFokaW6AlxhVAM93e_LOXmD6RBPiYVj_eprtR0/w640-h640/IMG_9479.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">The prompt for this particular exhibit was “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” and the exhibition opened on Valentine’s Day 2024. Invited artists were asked to comment on what they love about their craft/art. Naturally, I wanted to share my passion for classic film and this blog. Here’s my write-up on<i> Digging</i> <i>Star Wars</i> that’s featured in the exhibit:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">Blogs may seem like a fad of the past, but the blogging community is alive and well. Go on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, and you’ll see multiple, daily #writerslift posts asking bloggers to self-promote their latest entry. Academia loves to write about blogs mainly because the blog belongs to the press agentry/publicity model - a one-way asymmetrical model of communication, traveling from an “organization” to the public through some type of mass media, usually to persuade a desired audience. Yet, as several academics put it, a blog is a hybrid of targeted information and personal revelation. It’s no wonder that I concocted Digging Star Wars in 2010 during my master’s classes at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. My persuasion? To get folks to consider watching classic movies – whether they inspired something in Star Wars or not. My personal revelation? Well, read on.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fcff01;"><i>For the past 14 years, I kept the Digging Star Wars blog going. I often use the “royal we” in my posts as many, many special guests – including several QVC team members – join my blog’s vlog YouTube videos or guest write a series on Digging Star Wars. The entries have evolved through many different formats through the years, and we recently settled on text entries with YouTube movie trailer clips to illustrate the films we’re pushing. All this work is just one reason I love the blog. It’s nice to have something that is “totally yours” to create, experiment, and share. My blog has always been more about quality than quantity – which is quite evident by the mere number of followers and the occasional comment or two on a post. Yet, Digging Star Wars has brought wonderful experiences to me including being asked to head up the Museum of Science Fiction film festival, appear on Turner Classic Movies, converse with creators of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, guest on fellow film fans' blogs, podcasts, and online magazines. Digging Star Wars even won an award for our 2023 summer posts! By expressing my love of Star Wars and classic films through the blog, I’ve had fun with existing friends and made new ones. In short, I’ve found my people – as they say. I (and “We”) hope you enjoy this chance to peruse Digging Star Wars. To date, we’ve covered approximately 400 films. So, there is plenty to see…</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;">Another nice aspect of the exhibit was I was given the creative freedom to display <i>Digging Star Wars</i>. I had a fun time picking books out of my collection to prop up the company laptop that has my surfable blog on it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCo9XCPyP5LQfPWLbGnK7SecYRyCeNCRPiU7uKAN3teGcWJek_nHsNfYqjTHg8cR9Nsnrg3rcBnHp3yI-5-8jfglFu9dpsT3bDiXfu1XqvtdTgBwziJ0-g3izkODfLC5q53_xILAcwCl27F3UkICBz4btgdet5Ba25tA0Vk-7fRvqS8z507COJE0fZoBA/s3024/IMG_9483.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCo9XCPyP5LQfPWLbGnK7SecYRyCeNCRPiU7uKAN3teGcWJek_nHsNfYqjTHg8cR9Nsnrg3rcBnHp3yI-5-8jfglFu9dpsT3bDiXfu1XqvtdTgBwziJ0-g3izkODfLC5q53_xILAcwCl27F3UkICBz4btgdet5Ba25tA0Vk-7fRvqS8z507COJE0fZoBA/w640-h640/IMG_9483.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Visitors to the exhibit are encouraged to interact with the blog, click around, and leave a comment if they wish.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiumaJMcRG6YEYohLAl3RksIQfn2S69nAM-yrcAGCTbw-H-s6_3_T8Bu_wiqQvW_KSWyY69JStMy8fbYWVhu5YVZaaWY_aJO7qroTmXHl2QodnKGA1eyXOzH1IjesCOx9J0i1T3_wGzwS7BH715gsqt1FbmLnkHXY0O30ThqNFsMyDIvEnGQml_79akMHA/s3024/IMG_9484.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiumaJMcRG6YEYohLAl3RksIQfn2S69nAM-yrcAGCTbw-H-s6_3_T8Bu_wiqQvW_KSWyY69JStMy8fbYWVhu5YVZaaWY_aJO7qroTmXHl2QodnKGA1eyXOzH1IjesCOx9J0i1T3_wGzwS7BH715gsqt1FbmLnkHXY0O30ThqNFsMyDIvEnGQml_79akMHA/w640-h640/IMG_9484.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">It's truly an honor to have this blog considered as a "work of art" among my co-workers’ artwork, all of which is beautiful and inspiring. The TALENT ART Gallery is near an in-house theatre where QVC occasionally has live studio audiences for select shows and livestreams.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Hb2lygDP3OvAyHipVGYw-lbvql0QDI5R9sTwFkb4oNW9FHkdQU7KdxD11q4Gc-k4bOokRFe8pOdOJnQEqfYptI3sZ0kSDoFN4PtcRg0mUG9JLiv7ypQjLpDtx0k2GODu8SUwhs-nWDydZqb9hnFtjQRB4ZoKTv2ARwvmvenx_7JpFvLbmxMchFitARw/s3024/IMG_9486.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Hb2lygDP3OvAyHipVGYw-lbvql0QDI5R9sTwFkb4oNW9FHkdQU7KdxD11q4Gc-k4bOokRFe8pOdOJnQEqfYptI3sZ0kSDoFN4PtcRg0mUG9JLiv7ypQjLpDtx0k2GODu8SUwhs-nWDydZqb9hnFtjQRB4ZoKTv2ARwvmvenx_7JpFvLbmxMchFitARw/w640-h640/IMG_9486.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I made sure to include some free <i>Digging Star Wars </i>swag for gallery visitors – these sparkly stickers in honor of our ongoing <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/03/top-100-henry-mancini-films-60-51.html" target="_blank">Top 100 Henry Mancini Films</a> series.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nwvf6gp8F3X1wn-oTrnSq55zhom-rlZhxxAScJ8fBbxLp-hXLnm30h4GLMJkVkKXDWng2pvlKh3XZ2zOOUPZOZSK5nVPcLjI6OujXSLRWBKRGAPArgq7BwQ54zSfvbV-YxMHfat6ZK8Gi85Lplk5X6Gof4CRteC7xQqjHXk-XeCZqpbQm4h0UxnOCN8/s3024/IMG_9481.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nwvf6gp8F3X1wn-oTrnSq55zhom-rlZhxxAScJ8fBbxLp-hXLnm30h4GLMJkVkKXDWng2pvlKh3XZ2zOOUPZOZSK5nVPcLjI6OujXSLRWBKRGAPArgq7BwQ54zSfvbV-YxMHfat6ZK8Gi85Lplk5X6Gof4CRteC7xQqjHXk-XeCZqpbQm4h0UxnOCN8/w640-h640/IMG_9481.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I’m handing out these stickers at all our Henry Mancini-themed events this year – such as the <i>Two for the Road </i>(1967) screening <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/thank-you-to-colonial-theatre.html" target="_blank">Digging Star Wars hosted at The Colonial Theatre back in February</a>. <i>Digging Star Wars</i> will be hosting another screening this May at The Jimmy Stewart Museum. Stay tuned for more details on that – and another chance to pick up these limited-edition stickers!</p><p>THANK YOU to QVC and the TALENT team for including my blog in this wonderful exhibit. </p><p>The “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” exhibit- featuring <i>Digging Star Wars</i> - closes at the end of March 2024.</p><p><br /></p><p>#IworkatQVC</p><p>#IworkatQRG</p><p>#lovemyQVCjob</p><p>#lovemyQRGjob</p><p>#memberoftheQVCteam</p><p>#memberoftheQRGteam</p>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0West Chester, PA, USA39.9606643 -75.605488211.650430463821152 -110.7617382 68.270898136178843 -40.449238199999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-31932710250690339662024-03-02T10:16:00.001-05:002024-03-02T14:30:16.686-05:00TOP 100 HENRY MANCINI FILMS: #60-51<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-7wS4vEHm9I9b18KrPpLylfFwiaTEa8BDoDqKoXwUD0nUAiHfmuhlFpCCHtgEIhXFREE6KfRuFkxMZAFxBbi9m3NKwnCoyc3rFxrm-TA3wPtRTpg-QMlpUmWIhASLJfbmrCYl2UproE_GDZxWf_AUxV-UhpQImwQhbmgnldUW7YmPz-jmQjaKoArwUc/s2249/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_60_51.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="2249" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-7wS4vEHm9I9b18KrPpLylfFwiaTEa8BDoDqKoXwUD0nUAiHfmuhlFpCCHtgEIhXFREE6KfRuFkxMZAFxBbi9m3NKwnCoyc3rFxrm-TA3wPtRTpg-QMlpUmWIhASLJfbmrCYl2UproE_GDZxWf_AUxV-UhpQImwQhbmgnldUW7YmPz-jmQjaKoArwUc/w640-h640/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_60_51.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><h1><span style="color: #fcff01;">#60-51</span><span style="color: #01ffff;"> of the</span> <span style="color: red;">Top 100</span> <span style="color: #04ff00;">Henry Mancini</span> <span style="color: #fcff01;">Films</span></h1><p>This batch has kids' movies with some mature tones and some mature films with immature humor. It also has meaningful art films about the complexity of adulthood and surprising moments of clarity on the beauty of life. It may not be the most sophisticated batch of films in Henry Mancini’s filmography, but it certainly has noteworthy pictures for both good and not-so-good reasons. Enough babble. Here is #61-51 – the last ten of the bottom half of the Top 100 Henry Mancini Films. </p><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#60:<span> </span><i>That's Dancing! </i>(1985)</span></h2><h2><span><div style="color: black; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"></div><div style="color: black; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gCb0UxL8buA?si=mFPxpjdp84q9Gzft" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="color: black; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: white;">There once was a time when TCM ran these classic movie compilation films around New Year's and my family ate it up. <i>That’s Dancing!</i> (1985) is a cheesy but well-meaning history lesson on Dance in Film (up to the mid-80s). It’s a sit-back, don’t-think, just-enjoy type of movie. Pop plenty of popcorn in advance for this one. You don’t want to miss a number.</span></div></span></h2><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#59: </span><i style="color: #ff00fe;">Saskatchewan</i><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> (1954)</span></h2><div><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D0YxZ5YmAxI?si=BczRX_EOJXKI5PQw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A different take on Westerns with a unique representation of politics between Native Americans and ‘the white father’ – as termed in the movie.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#58: <i>Switch</i> (1991)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/phU1DFIf_NU?si=PQHDcCh0uEv9qF0A" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Switch </i>(1991) is another Edward Blake parade into gender-bending storytelling that’s laced with profanity, tired sexist gags, and – surprisingly enough – a few wonderful insights into the sacredness and beauty of sex. It’s an odd film but one worth seeing at least once.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#57: <i>Soldier in the Rain</i> (1963)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/869z9Ja2XHw?si=65U9As4T2c4CKtpx" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mancini called <i>Soldier in the Rain</i> (1963) "a small, lovely film." He considered the theme he wrote for this picture one of two of his all-time favorite love themes that he penned himself. His other favorite love theme that he wrote? That’ll be #13 on this list.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#56: <i>House Calls</i> (1978)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t8UxMNgu0Lg?si=qBRqtgmKKTAC77BI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>House Calls </i>(1978) is funny, cynical, and witty. It never takes itself too seriously or dismisses itself for being able to contribute a meaningful love story. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#55: <i>Me, Natalie</i> (1969)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EgILAXHoC-k?si=MD_yuI4E_yURH0ll" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On <i>Me, Natalie</i> (1969), Mancini was trying new methods of composition and instrumentation and was on the edge of writing synth-heavy scores like <i>Visions of Eight </i>(1973). In <i>Me, Natalie</i> (1969), his music bridges old-school romance to psychedelic offerings – and it’s okay if it’s square. So is Natalie. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#54: <i>Santa Claus: The Movie</i> (1985)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2ykIcp_pbJg?si=mYFb4NpcjOixKdOP" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I rewatched <i>Santa Claus: The Movie</i> (1985) on the same day I finalized the order of the Mancini films into the Top 100. I can honestly say that my favorite part of this movie, besides Hank’s score, is the cameo of the van from <i>The A-Team</i> (1983-1987) behind Dudley Moore in one New York City street scene. It’s a harmless movie, of course, with cartoon-level villainy and really simple premises. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#53: <i>Condorman</i> (1981)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4iRMj6HQxnU?si=BNPh0HXHLPoSi4g_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Condorman </i>(1981) is a clunky movie that’s silly, on-the-nose, and thoroughly 80s. It’s also so bad, it’s good. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#52: <i>The White Dawn</i> (1974)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/swCWNDY-61U?si=nBGYCAT1BB8XGNJe" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The White Dawn </i>(1974) is a bizarre, exotic film that is slow but mesmerizing in its simplicity. Performances by both Hollywood and indigenous actors are real, stark, and striking. By far, one of the most interesting uses of Henry Mancini's talents in a film - limited, echoing native flute and scores "sung" by onscreen tribe elders. This movie is a rare gem.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#51: <i>Skin Deep</i> (1989)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TBTMP1s32E0?si=HOpHCQx-yAa8UxGu" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The VHS cover brags that <i>Skin Deep</i> (1989) is “highlighted by a glow-in-the-dark sequence that will go down in comedy history.” This very scene is the same scene that John Cap uses to illustrate how Mancini worked on some of the “lowest of the low” film productions. Mancini knew it and tried to get his name removed from the titles of <i>Skin Deep</i> (1989). In the end, the studio execs won and were able to keep “Original Music by Henry Mancini” in the opening titles. Yet, <i>Skin Deep </i>(1989) does have its fans. <i>Skin Deep </i>(1989) is one of the most voted-on “favorites” in my Mancini film group studies and has decent Rotten Tomato ratings. Ritter is brilliant as always and he does his best to channel Buster Keaton's physical comedy into his performance. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><br /></h2></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>We’ve made it to the halfway point of Mancini’s Top 100 films!</b></span> Buckle up because the list picks up speed fast with some killer titles that will carry us to the #1 Henry Mancini movie. Next week, we’ll have a batch of ten films that have some of my most personal favorite movies…and my least favorite Mancini-scored film. See you there!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-100-91.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #100-91</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-90-81.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #90-81</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-80-71.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #80-71</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-70-61.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #70-61</a></li><li><a href="https://www.henrymancini.com/" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - The Official Henry Mancini Website</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1etsjOZvmrloOM1yPaqfCp?si=592a2f5469ca43b2" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - Spotify Playlist</a></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">* Thanks to David P. Ramos for that impressive sketch of Hank hard at work, Scott Derby for the iconic Digging Star Wars logo, and Josh Taback for the much-needed art direction of the overall Top 100 “square art” layout. </span></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-1910038354274213482024-02-29T08:08:00.005-05:002024-03-07T07:44:57.821-05:00ROBOTECH DAY 2024: HIGH NOON (1952)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQM-djJt0Rts5akONBfRZEhx1-2LhOabJxvlqpISC1Sk0nPMIbvs2KWOdll33WnXkW4-Wqvv3UFIJDL75yyKVxnibmnzn1dwd1a5YuH2zdHA3kqMRN8Fa6jnKQeswDdySOB_WIN7xCJ39ALzatJrn1Zlx83ugXGyG3SSnOqia8NfkvOhIXOPN1w1dZr8/s1721/high%20nooon%20rec.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1721" data-original-width="1721" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQM-djJt0Rts5akONBfRZEhx1-2LhOabJxvlqpISC1Sk0nPMIbvs2KWOdll33WnXkW4-Wqvv3UFIJDL75yyKVxnibmnzn1dwd1a5YuH2zdHA3kqMRN8Fa6jnKQeswDdySOB_WIN7xCJ39ALzatJrn1Zlx83ugXGyG3SSnOqia8NfkvOhIXOPN1w1dZr8/w640-h640/high%20nooon%20rec.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My return date from checking out <i>High Noon </i>(1952) is March 4th -- ROBOTECH DAY!</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">On March 4, 1985, the ground-breaking television series<i> Robotech</i> began its 85-episode run in the United States. Since forth, the day has been celebrated as <b>Robotech Day</b>. Being a huge fan of this series, I’ve done different things on Robotech Day. This year, I’m celebrating with this write-up on <i>High Noon </i>(1952) – a classic film western with an interesting tie to the anime series.</p><div><div>If you’re not familiar with <i>Robotech </i>(1985), there’s a fair share of videos on YouTube about it – including one from me. I also wrote a published paper on <i>Robotech</i> that was reviewed by <a href="https://superdimensionalanalysis.com/loving-the-alien-hating-the-hybrid-a-cultural-study-of-robotech-by-chris-mich/ " target="_blank">Super Dimensional Analysis</a>. That review may be the fastest read to get yourself up to speed.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #ff00fe;">(please note: a few spoilers ahead!)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div>But don’t fret if you don’t know <i>Robotech</i>. This post will mostly concentrate on the greatness of the 1952 Western <i>High Noon</i> and why it infiltrated <i>Robotech</i> lore. To begin, I need to confess that while many classic Westerns are mentioned by title in the <i>Robotech</i> TV Series, <i>High Noon</i> isn’t. But it’s referenced story-wise often. The simple premise of <i>High Noon</i>: A sheriff, on his last day before retirement and shortly after his wedding to his beautiful bride, learns that an old rival and accompanying thugs are riding into town to kill him. When he asks the townspeople for help, no one offers and he must decide to stand his ground or flee.</div><div><br /></div><div>Shot in a black-and-white starkness that was not seen in recent Westerns of its time, <i>High Noo</i>n stood out for its look and message. When it opened in July 1952, film critic Bosley Crowther wrote:</div></div><div><i><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span><br /></span></span></i></div><div><i><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span>“Every five years or so, somebody – somebody of talent and taste, with a full </span></span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">appreciation of legend and a strong trace of poetry in their soul – scoops u</span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">p a handful of clichés from the vast lore of Western films and turns them<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">into a thrilling and inspiring work of the genre. Such a rare and exciting </span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">achievement is Stanley Kramer’s production, High Noon…o</span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">verall, it has a stunning comprehension of that thing we call courage</span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>in a man and the thorniness of being courageous in a world of bullies<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">and poltroons.”</span></i></div><div><span style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div><div>Here’s a trailer for the film:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BralwMf3Awg?si=uT5K8LNb-Kjhj4M_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>High Noon</i> went on to be named one of the Top 10 films of 1952 by The New York Times and was nominated for seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. It won four Oscars including Best Score, Song, Film Editing, and Best Actor (Gary Cooper). Turner Classic Movies’ writer Jeremy Arnold lists it as an “Essential...must-see movie [that] matters”. The behind-the-scenes of the film are also quite dramatic. Screenwriter Carl Foreman was blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee, considered to be a Communist, and forced into exile in London. From there, he went on to write two films we’ve already covered on Digging Star Wars: <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2020/05/my-personal-film-festival-during-this_2.html" target="_blank"><i>The Bridge on the River Kwai </i>(1957)</a> and <a href=" https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2022/04/guns-of-navarone-1961.html" target="_blank"><i>The Guns of Navarone</i> (1961)</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A great reason to watch <i>High Noon</i>, in addition to all the awards and behind-the-scenes drama, is its amazing cast including the film debut of Western badass Lee Van Cleef, a young, serious performance by Lloyd Bridges, the breathtaking beauty of Grace Kelly, and yet another Harry Morgan appearance (who was highlighted in our recent <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/phil-meets-movies-quick-list-classic-tv.html " target="_blank">Phil Meets The Movies M*A*S*H post</a>). But let’s revisit that Oscar win for Best Song. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Van Cleef first appears onscreen, in the film’s very first scene, with the film’s ballad and Oscar-winning song, “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’ – sung by Tex Ritter, and written by Dimitri Tiomkin with lyrics by Ned Washington. The song went on to become extremely popular and covered (and reinterpreted) by various artists. Here’s the original: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/0XgXA5lp22gJWhhxTUXuTM?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And this is where <i>Robotech</i> comes in. Harmony Gold, the company behind <i>Robotech</i> in the 80s, hired two American writers, James Luceno and Brian Daley to write a series of paperbacks summing up the TV series. Luceno and Daley, operating under the singular pen name of Jack McKinney, did more than that. They expanded upon the characters, storyline, and more adding new dimensions to the science of its science fiction, the complexity of the aliens, and the backgrounds and preferences of its characters. They did this so much so that one Facebook group entitled “<a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotechbooks" target="_blank">Robotech Novels Universe</a>” is still exploring this series of 19 books at almost an atomic level and it's a great deal of fun to follow them. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Luceno and Daley met as writers on <i>Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers</i> (1986) TV series. The <i>Robotech</i> books they wrote were published quickly in 1987. At the time, Daley already had some pretty impressive titles with <i>The Han Solo Adventures </i>(1979) series and <i>Tron</i> novelization (1982). Luceno would go on to write a slew of <i>Star Wars</i> novels including my favorites<i> Labyrinth of Evil </i>(2005) and <i>Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader</i> (2005). However, their bond made while working the sci-fi western left a mark on both of their writing styles.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the book <i>Robotech: Homecoming</i> (1987), human Robotech Ace Max Sterling is in yet another aerial dogfight with human-looking aliens called Zendtraedi. The crew of the SDF-1, Max's mothership and home base, realizes that one Zendraedi bandit is trying too hard to kill him. That bandit is none other than the best Zendtraedi combat pilot, Miriya – who also just happens to be the most beautiful female Zendtraedi. Of course, at this point, Max doesn’t know anything about Miriya. Against his wishes, Max is ordered to retreat to the SDF-1 and Miriya follows him into the mothership for a one-on-one duel that takes place in the residential section of the interior ship. This scene... </div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xuJaUYGydsI?si=JuHaEBh5OMw60t4A" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">...was written based on the same scene in the <i>Robotech </i>TV episode 18, “Farewell, Big Brother” (1985). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the book, while Max does battle with Miriya, he can’t help but hear <i>High Noon</i>’s trademark song “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’” in his head. This, of course, is a foreshadowing of Max and Miriya eventually meeting, falling in love, and getting married. Here’s how "McKinney" wrote about Max and the <i>High Noon</i> tune in the SDF-1 interior combat scene…</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #fcff01;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">Max couldn’t help feeling like one of the good guys in the Westerns he’d loved </span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">so much as a kid. … </span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">The Battloid’s footsteps resounded, the autocannon cradled </span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">at its side like<span> </span>the Ringo Kid’s Winchester. Max was a little too busy to whistle, </span></i><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">“Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’,” but he heard it in his head. …</span></i><span style="color: #fcff01;">On this, our weddin’ day-aay</span><i style="color: #fcff01;">, went the tune in Max’s head.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><div>And so, <i>High Noon</i> (1952) makes its way into <i>Robotech</i> lore – even though its movie title is never mentioned in the TV series. 'McKinney' does mention <i>High Noon</i> by name in the <i>Force of Arms</i> novel that follows <i>Homecoming</i> some time later. The film is brought up as Max defends himself against knife-wielding Miriya...</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #fcff01;"><i>He should have been afraid for his life. But all he could think of was the fact that squaring off with Miriya's mecha, he kept hearing Tex Ritter's old song from </i>High Noon<i>, "Do Not Forsake Me, O My Darlin'," echoing through his head. And now he just couldn't help hearing that haunting line...</i>on this, our weddin' day-ayy...</span></div><div><br /></div><div>While this may seem forced, it makes perfect sense that the film's noteworthy song is an important part of this human vs. alien confrontation. Music plays an integral part throughout <i>Robotech</i> over the course of three Earthling generations battling three different alien species. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>Having just reread <i>Homecoming</i>, I rewatched <i>Robotech</i>'s “Farewell, Big Brother” and <i>High Noon</i> to see what other similarities there could be. And here they are <span style="color: #ff00fe;">(please note again: a few more minor spoilers ahead!)</span>:</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Ancient Transportation Brings Death</span></b></div><div>The weight of the noon train delivering vengeful killer Frank Miller weighs heavy throughout the whole movie and is even more so emphasized when the train whistle finally blows that Miller’s ride has indeed arrived. </div><div><br /></div><div>In <i>Robotech</i>’s "Farewell, Big Brother" episode, Rick Hunter receives a model biplane from his close friend/”Big Brother” Roy Fokker. The model’s slip from Rick’s hand and subsequent destruction symbolize Rick’s awareness of Roy’s demise in aerial combat.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">“I’m not a hero.”</span></b></div><div>In <i>High Noon</i>, Kane (Gary Cooper) admits to not being a hero, but that doesn’t change his need to stand his ground and face Miller – for his own sake and the sake of his town in which he is still technically Marshall. Likewise, mild-manner combat pilot Max Sterling does what he’s told but doesn’t back down from a fight with Miriya to protect the SDF-1 interior "town" of Macross City.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">New Beauty Not Welcome</span></b></div><div>In <i>High Noon</i>, it’s established early that Amy Fowler Kane (Grace Kelly) is taking her new husband Will Kane (Cooper) from the violence of his Marshall job. The Kanes hope to set up a shop and live peacefully in the countryside. But, when news of Miller’s arrival comes into town, Marshall Kane stays for the fight and Mrs. Kane plans to leave town. She waits for the train at the local hotel where the front desk clerk makes it awkward for Mrs. Kane – since the clerk despises the Marshall. </div><div><br /></div><div>In a much more obvious fashion, Miriya – an enemy alien pilot within the residential section of an Earthling spaceship – is not welcome and is eventually forced off the ship. In a subsequent episode, when Miriya reveals she is the Zendtaedi pilot that confronted Max in the interior SDF-1 shootout, Max says many things to her including the fact that she is "so beautiful."</div><div><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">Comin’ to Kill…in Unanticipated Close Quarters</span></b></div><div>In <i>High Noon</i>, Miller prearranged to meet three henchmen at the train station to walk into town and kill Marshall Will Kane. Unable to gather up a posse, Kane must fight the four himself using stealth – ducking around corners, luring them into a barn, and leading them back into town. Most of the shooting takes place in very close quarters.</div><div><br /></div><div>Likewise, in <i>Robotech</i>’s "Farewell, Big Brother", Miriya flies out to do aerial combat in Earth’s atmosphere but then the battle suddenly changes upon Max’s retreat, and the combat area is in SDF-1's Macross City streets. Miriya’s Quadrono Battalion Power Armor and Max Sterling’s Veritech fighter in Battloid Mode are ridiculously big to fight a shootout in the cramped city streets…but it also looks amazingly cool to see them fight in such close quarters. </div><div><br /></div><div>And for this <i>Robotech</i> episode, that’s about it. Now, the lyrics of “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’” also point to an interesting future for Max and Miriya – but that happens in another episode (also worth watching!).</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope you’ve enjoyed this trip into the Old West and <i>Robotech</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Trails, Pardner – and Happy Robotech Day!</div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-18461700172421626622024-02-25T11:36:00.001-05:002024-02-25T13:07:09.353-05:00PHIL MEETS THE MOVIES – QUICK LIST: CLASSIC TV CAST FLICKS – MOVIES FROM THE CAST OF M*A*S*H<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWZNiIw08Lw_AnzUiM6fljtdrqlZFDTF-0P0PrzUE6oVcfeGM79_rpXtUy80VTjaFN9YVDAWE_G2bKrFqHF2zBU_gu7fS_DWkNVe2NMqXnSRNDXWd8nWgr87vBaHJTWLSN8LwaMWcv2SF-N-JJyY-LG8LgDHxKVo7jHmuFPDekzL2Atj6oKwhhenKlgE/s1920/1%20PMTM%20DSW%202024%20LOGO%20w%20border%20Page%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1920" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWZNiIw08Lw_AnzUiM6fljtdrqlZFDTF-0P0PrzUE6oVcfeGM79_rpXtUy80VTjaFN9YVDAWE_G2bKrFqHF2zBU_gu7fS_DWkNVe2NMqXnSRNDXWd8nWgr87vBaHJTWLSN8LwaMWcv2SF-N-JJyY-LG8LgDHxKVo7jHmuFPDekzL2Atj6oKwhhenKlgE/w640-h228/1%20PMTM%20DSW%202024%20LOGO%20w%20border%20Page%201.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Phil Meets The Movies on Digging Star Wars, has a new theme, which is about famous, classic, TV cast members and one theatrical motion picture, by each member on the list. I call this theme, Classic TV Cast Flicks. These lists will also be part of the PMTM Quick Lists. Quick Lists are strategically made film lists, that movie-buffs can complete, in short time periods. Quick Lists can be completed in a day, a couple of days, a weekend, one or two weeks, but no more than a month. They are recommended lists for movie-buffs, looking for something they haven't seen or experienced already, that they can knock out quickly. In the case of this month's Quick List, you can complete it in two weeks. February has a lot of meaning to our next classic TV series. This is probably one of the best shows ever to air on network television.<i> M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983) ended its incredible, eleven-season run, with an epic 2 1/2-hour long series-finale, that aired on February 28th, 1983. Last year was the 40th anniversary of this finale, which is still the most-watched television program ever seen (not counting Super Bowls, which came after 2010). The <i>M*A*S*H </i>series finale held the record for 27 years.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoTsDA6GOtiYSs4g4pGkDqrYl7Rn8HMqMO55TpSAyXT0raXdVq_cXpMgU-2L0BztWrvF3D3eqzn_gB5TqgnXPi03XcQjwKl7AAyoZgqmzL5ryLSRKZVNPF7kyKYQd20CjQ3keW0l80DHhejDpMP9yeeikmUgUR8IcL_PyQQrLsewhfWMj9KsS5ivj8R4/s1920/2%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%202024%20Open%20Page%20CTVCF%20MASH%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoTsDA6GOtiYSs4g4pGkDqrYl7Rn8HMqMO55TpSAyXT0raXdVq_cXpMgU-2L0BztWrvF3D3eqzn_gB5TqgnXPi03XcQjwKl7AAyoZgqmzL5ryLSRKZVNPF7kyKYQd20CjQ3keW0l80DHhejDpMP9yeeikmUgUR8IcL_PyQQrLsewhfWMj9KsS5ivj8R4/w640-h360/2%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%202024%20Open%20Page%20CTVCF%20MASH%202.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">The story of <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), actually began in 1968, with the release of author, Richard Hooker's novel, <i>MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors</i> (1968). It was then that legendary writer/director Robert Altman, had the book adapted for the silver screen and two years later, released the motion picture <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970). Later that year, the film would be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar and would eventually win the Oscar, for that amazing screenplay, which was written by script-writer, Ring Lardner Jr. The film was again adapted for television, by legendary TV writer/director, Larry Gelbart, and the series debuted in September of 1972. This month, we will celebrate the theatrical motion picture careers of the main cast members from <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983). It is a great Quick List to tackle because most of the films picked on our list show all the different aspects of every actor's life. These films show that everyone had to start somewhere or everyone had to keep busy, during summer breaks from the show. They also chronicle that everyone had to keep working when the show ended. This list was another fun project for me to take on, considering I'm a huge fan of <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), as well as the 1970 motion picture. As I worked my way through this Quick List of films, I realized there were many connections between the films, the actors, the directors, and even connections to <i>Star Wars</i>. Three films on this list are also on our Film366 movie list. Most of the films on our <i>M*A*S*H</i> Classic TV Cast Flicks list would be considered successful, critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated classics, but one or two are not as great. Like I said, everyone had to start somewhere. There are ten films on this list and we will be working our way through each film, in order of release date.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/list/quick-list-classic-tv-cast-flicks-movies-1/" target="_blank">Quick List: Classic TV Cast Flicks: Movies From the Cast of <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972 - 1983), on Letterboxd</a></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Quick List:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Classic TV Cast Flicks:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Cast of the <i>M*A*S*H</i> TV Series</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6ZbgNFkNYz_dze8muoFgwABtwplipH8oVGhlmbxOYeQcdIOSjHdF8Wno78OGlNyGzXk7bJ2c37wEwiLd71c0weUIwEFlwDMhCOPvfvoYhF7Hne4yucUgfWJfZLGkJG0X4hVEU7xmNzd2vjZjn1osJoGcCy7rXEcSpFcKFmhIvn1-9N8mOWCtaJuu7P8/s1920/3%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Feb%2024%20Cast%20List%20CTVCF%20MASH%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1920" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6ZbgNFkNYz_dze8muoFgwABtwplipH8oVGhlmbxOYeQcdIOSjHdF8Wno78OGlNyGzXk7bJ2c37wEwiLd71c0weUIwEFlwDMhCOPvfvoYhF7Hne4yucUgfWJfZLGkJG0X4hVEU7xmNzd2vjZjn1osJoGcCy7rXEcSpFcKFmhIvn1-9N8mOWCtaJuu7P8/w640-h228/3%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Feb%2024%20Cast%20List%20CTVCF%20MASH%203.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>There were eleven main cast members, who walked past the television screen, during the eleven years that <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), originally aired. Of all the main cast members, Gary Burghoff, who played Cpl. Walter "Radar" O'Reilly, was the only cast member who appeared in both the theatrical movie and the TV series, as the same character. With this in mind, it was only fitting that we start this list with the original, theatrical version of <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970), with our first cast member, Gary Burghoff. We now go to Korea, in 1951 and visit the dark-comedy shenanigans, of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, known as the 4077th.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKm5vnqFDfUIFsbMk64R_TvhI0s1RjzEcGAJ2NrQsWcM2iyGRiGHPxytYZdGlyYQuQupFFouLkKhNr3mSdMHMilPJRwxs5ioa32hQgtTZSpo_HUqQYQsp6uzztBEOSsB4O6-2x3K4GMkXrETKRHaNVPz6Ei1yatWsheVwIBNrvNWNebmRnTiRN7H_g-xA/s1920/4%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20MASH%204.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKm5vnqFDfUIFsbMk64R_TvhI0s1RjzEcGAJ2NrQsWcM2iyGRiGHPxytYZdGlyYQuQupFFouLkKhNr3mSdMHMilPJRwxs5ioa32hQgtTZSpo_HUqQYQsp6uzztBEOSsB4O6-2x3K4GMkXrETKRHaNVPz6Ei1yatWsheVwIBNrvNWNebmRnTiRN7H_g-xA/w640-h360/4%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20MASH%204.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6yqx0VrbOhI?si=4WpOgCWdzUOkv6A4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Radar is a secondary or maybe even a tertiary character, in the Robert Altman-directed, motion picture version of <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970), but his character would grow on the TV series and become one of the most popular and pivotal characters on the show. Certain situations on the sitcom tended to flow towards Radar's office and thus, created wonderful acting opportunities for Gary Burghoff and the rest of the cast. He was the one who kept the rest of the characters organized. He was the one who kept Major Burns off of everyone else's back. He is the one who gave us and the other characters the horrible news of Henry Blake's fate. He is the one who brought B.J. Hunnicutt into Hawkeye's life and he is the one who helped guide Klinger to his, post-section-8, second phase. Life in the middle of a war, in the early 1950s, in Korea, working in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, would not have gone smoothly, if it wasn't for Radar. Burghoff left the show in 1979. He had pushed himself to the point of burnout when he left the sitcom. He ended up only being in five theatrical movies during his career (not counting <i>M*A*S*H</i> - 1970), so if you wanted to, you could do your own, mini-Quick List, of the six theatrical films of Gary Burghoff. <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970), is one of the films on this list, which is also on our Film366 film list for June. It is also important to note, that Robert Duvall, who plays Major Frank Burns in <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970), came out, almost an exact year later, in Star Wars creator and director, George Lucas', methodically electrifying film, <i>THX 1138</i> (1971). There was one other guy, who appeared in <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970), and who also was a brief cast member on the TV sitcom. That was actor George Wood, who carried his General Charlie Hammond character, from the motion picture, over to TV, into three episodes of the sitcom, including the pilot episode and two others, during the first season. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/mash/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: A (9.4) = 4 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 9 IMDB</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYnSSgsICwyuN5wcp9_3-AfjU0fFtkUDlxafJ-o_sLLDktGnrtKbdeP4UY8hVeJkRk2QIIK-Kd6Sd4-c1gKyiy2tGwjPp-48mGaKeAjbGDgXfSMuFP_HXeTp0R9pb909SxWlUY-dsFgMtwCkwNdwQUFrc0IpFYei44rYS7btmEZeVKzIyXsShcj_lg3Y/s1920/5%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20How%20the%20West%20Was%20Won%205.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYnSSgsICwyuN5wcp9_3-AfjU0fFtkUDlxafJ-o_sLLDktGnrtKbdeP4UY8hVeJkRk2QIIK-Kd6Sd4-c1gKyiy2tGwjPp-48mGaKeAjbGDgXfSMuFP_HXeTp0R9pb909SxWlUY-dsFgMtwCkwNdwQUFrc0IpFYei44rYS7btmEZeVKzIyXsShcj_lg3Y/w640-h360/5%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20How%20the%20West%20Was%20Won%205.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MM_UUB6J-Fw?si=yhILrXMshhzUw97q" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Harry Morgan, known as beloved Colonel Potter, during seasons four through eleven, started his career as Henry Morgan, but when the roles got bigger and his popularity began to grow, he changed his name to Harry. When our next film pick came out in 1962, he was still being credited as Henry "Harry" Morgan. During the third season of <i>M*A*S*H </i>(1972-1983), Morgan was cast as a crazy General, who takes an immediate dislike of Hawkeye (Alan Alda). When McLean Stevenson, like Henry Blake, left the show at the end of season three, it was a no-brainer of a decision to cast Morgan as the new leader of the 4077th, regular-Army, gifted surgeon, Colonel Sherman T. Potter. The character of Potter was molded from the large amount of leadership-type roles Morgan did over his, by then, almost 35-year career, and being the crazy General, in one episode, earlier in the third season of the sitcom, made him the perfect choice. His acting evolution in a leadership role, most notably, as an Army officer, was even felt in 1962. In <i>How the West Was Won</i> (1962), Morgan plays General Ulysses S. Grant. Keep your eye out for him, because you might miss him among the huge cast, that is in <i>How the West Was Won</i> (1962). This film is also on our Film366 film list too, for April, in celebration of Ulysses S. Grant's birthday in 1822. <i>How the West Was Won </i>(1962), has a cast list a mile long, and whatever experience you get out of this film, the biggest selling point and most fun is trying to name all the actors/actresses that pop up on the screen, throughout this epic, nearly, three-hour long epic. A Hollywood classic. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/how-the-west-was-won/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of How the West Was Won (1962), on Letterboxd</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: B- (7.9) = 4 Stars Letterboxd / 8 IMDB</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WlBdiHRr4Do_hyToBI6djj7JOdNcU5b68NlyNRz0WVE86bpHtBY1c_m0KY6LWGX6o8PJDKMArh6i7cFooY_jb0HXeVRLGbfToyJcSkABQhMKq6IdnrbwSbbVcvOJtjjfLyGXg-MKENGOS10kCWL9N3DCgYOUeYx8iphP_yB70pjQa5hmbGjs2R9x-_s/s1920/6%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Luke%206.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WlBdiHRr4Do_hyToBI6djj7JOdNcU5b68NlyNRz0WVE86bpHtBY1c_m0KY6LWGX6o8PJDKMArh6i7cFooY_jb0HXeVRLGbfToyJcSkABQhMKq6IdnrbwSbbVcvOJtjjfLyGXg-MKENGOS10kCWL9N3DCgYOUeYx8iphP_yB70pjQa5hmbGjs2R9x-_s/w640-h360/6%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Luke%206.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ofxtDrRVQY4?si=8BI1BTXLRmxRB32X" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next, we will move on to the character, who portrayed Hawkeye's (Alan Alda's), first, best friend on the sitcom, Captain Trapper John McIntyre, played by Wayne Rogers. Rogers's acting career, like Harry Morgan's, also predated the 1970 release of the <i>M*A*S*H</i> motion picture, in which Elliot Gould ended up portraying Trapper in the film version. Rogers got his start doing small supporting roles in films during the 1960s. As I mentioned before, everyone has to start somewhere, but in this case, Rogers found himself in a small supporting role, in a critically acclaimed, well-received motion picture, that is still well-respected today. It is probably this role in Cool Hand Luke (1967), that helped get Rogers onto the map and into the 4077th when the show debuted in 1972. Just like <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970) and <i>How the West Was Won</i> (1962), <i>Cool Hand Luke </i>(1967), is another pick from our Film366 film lists. The date for it happened in January, in celebration of Paul Newman's birthday. Newman was born on January 26th, 1925. <i>Cool Hand Luke</i> (1967) is most likely one of the films, that launched Paul Newman from movie star status to movie icon. Also, this film stars a young Dennis Hopper, who becomes, somewhat, of a theme on this Quick List. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/cool-hand-luke/">Phil's Full Review of <i>Cool Hand Luke</i> (1967), on Letterboxd</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: A- (9.0) = 4 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 9 IMDB</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCgYfyzZeD3dLaolO7PmFujx6ugJszvs8HocNyTaUEGs_Y3uz_dGwSG_6xk8Tq-2A-6WP46zHYyNqMaFb6CUlED_h5pX5oqg7pV9Kics13Ni72WwXxZYw6coyq9AEWhGKQ2loub3HddcodmYuN1oqWjyy4bIbwlrJSV-BGG7A9KEf15-vwhVGTPUvxLM/s1920/7%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Panic%20City%207.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCgYfyzZeD3dLaolO7PmFujx6ugJszvs8HocNyTaUEGs_Y3uz_dGwSG_6xk8Tq-2A-6WP46zHYyNqMaFb6CUlED_h5pX5oqg7pV9Kics13Ni72WwXxZYw6coyq9AEWhGKQ2loub3HddcodmYuN1oqWjyy4bIbwlrJSV-BGG7A9KEf15-vwhVGTPUvxLM/w640-h360/7%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Panic%20City%207.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j9ZjnLuRaV4?si=k5jWDFEJk8o9xzcf" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">From Trapper John (Wayne Rogers), we move on to the man, who replaced Trapper as Hawkeye's (Alan Alda's), next, best friend. At the start of the fourth season, B.J. Hunnicutt, played by Mike Farrell, meets Radar and Hawkeye, while Hawkeye unsuccessfully tries to say goodbye to Trapper. They arrive too late and miss Trapper's plane, but Hawkeye meets B.J., and a new friendship begins. This was an amazingly difficult situation, that the producers of this successful TV sitcom were facing, after just three seasons and it was a problem, that <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), managed to overcome. Not only did Wayne Rogers leave the series and need to be replaced by Mike Farrell, but remember, McLean Stevenson also left the show at the same time and had to be replaced by Harry Morgan. This was a huge change to the show and it was uncertain how the audience would react, seeing two of the main characters being replaced at the same time. Fortunately, it turned out to be a huge success and <i>M*A*S*H </i>(1972-1983), continued, for eight more seasons. Again, in the case of Mike Farrell and this film,<i> Panic in the City</i> (1968), everyone has to start somewhere. This low-budget, atomic-age, science-fiction film did make it to the movie theaters, but it gives off a very ominous, TV-movie-look when watching the film. To make things even worse, unfortunately, you still can't find a copy of <i>Panic in the</i> <i>City</i> (1968), in its original theatrical version. According to IMDB, the film was shot in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio, but the only versions available come from a television SD, the 4:3 version, found on YouTube, thus emphasizing the cheapness. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Panic in the City (1968), Full Movie, on YouTube:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bijHFDUPOJo?si=xgGUpYVk3wCf9MEa" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The lack of a clean, widescreen-version, just adds extra evidence to the 4:3 TV-movie, low-budget, cheesiness, of late-1960s television. However, it was still a necessary move for Mike Farrell, during his rise to fame and isn't that bad of a movie, if you can get past the budget. The end of the film also has an interesting parallel to the end of <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i> (2012). I'll let you figure out what that parallel is on your own. <i>Panic in the City </i>(1968), also co-stars, well I'll be, Dennis Hopper. This is another atomic-age, Cold War movie, about bad guys making an atomic bomb in Los Angeles. Can the good guys save the day?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/panic-in-the-city/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of <i>Panic in the City</i> (1968), on Letterboxd</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: D (5.9 ) = 3 Stars Letterboxd / 6 IMDB </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclwPVOVDVT7veVEL123BJMw8WnzDAekzO01FRBTzawukFn9jdKmeNv8Rg_3o-rpV7Cz0bDfK_R3Zxa3e3X50UOs3JvkI9ZcL8HRs2qM6BvldfzbmzVH2PMuvmAcYucOLMUgtqTz3IIQFIB_AN7V3FBAw0lIWydgL5zvD8J7xR0mQtaE4WaaMINFFO1nw/s1920/8%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Eggroll%208.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclwPVOVDVT7veVEL123BJMw8WnzDAekzO01FRBTzawukFn9jdKmeNv8Rg_3o-rpV7Cz0bDfK_R3Zxa3e3X50UOs3JvkI9ZcL8HRs2qM6BvldfzbmzVH2PMuvmAcYucOLMUgtqTz3IIQFIB_AN7V3FBAw0lIWydgL5zvD8J7xR0mQtaE4WaaMINFFO1nw/w640-h360/8%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Eggroll%208.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RvkQrriV7IE?si=FCl5LgTDNUSVhFWy" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For our next film on the list, we are going to include the next two cast members from <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), because they both appear in the Doris Day, rom-com, With Six You Get Eggroll (1968). Well, there is a third guy in this film, who also appeared in season one of the sitcom. Playing the husband of Day's best friend in <i>With Six You Get Eggroll</i> (1968), is character-actor, Herb Voland, who played the reoccurring, General Crandell Clayton, in seven episodes of <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), most notably, in the famous episode, "Yankee-Doodle Doctor". But, getting back to our next film pick, With Six You Get Eggroll (1968), Doris Day's Abby McClure, recently widowed, meets Brian Keith's Jake Iverson, also recently widowed. Can two people heal each other and move on with their lives? Find out in, <i>With Six</i> Y<i>ou Get Eggroll</i> (1968), which is a fun, entertaining look at late-1960s, PG-type (pre-MPAA), romantic comedies. The part of With Six You Get Eggroll (1968), that makes this film fun, is the laundry list of great TV comedy actors, who show up in this film. Two of those actors are William Christopher and Jamie Farr, as 1960s, biker-beatniks, Zip Cloud and Jo Jo. Both William Christopher and Jamie Farr were the only cast members to make it through the entire run of <i>M*A*S*H </i>(1972-1983), not named Alda or Swit. Well, they came in slowly in the beginning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In the motion picture <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970), Father Mulcahy was played by the late, great character-actor, Rene Auberjonois. In the sitcom's pilot episode, the Father is played by a virtual unknown, George Morgan (not related to Harry Morgan), who oddly enough, was also in an episode of The Doris Day Show (1968-1973). In episode three of <i>M*A*S*H </i>(1972-1983), William Christopher was introduced as the new and forever, Father Francis Mulcahy. In the following episode, a skirt-wearing, young man from Toledo, seeking a section-8 transfer and forever known as a break-out TV character, Cpl. Max Klinger (Farr), was introduced to the series, and the world, would never be the same again. Klinger wasn't in the 1970 motion picture. His character was added to the show, but ended up being a break-out character, like Fonzie (Henry Winkler), on <i>Happy Days</i> (1974-1975), Frasier (Kelsey Gramer), on <i>Cheers </i>(1982-1993) or Kramer (Michael Richards), on <i>Seinfeld</i> (1989-1998). Before <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), both William Christopher and Jamie Farr's careers had been growing all through the 1960s, with Farr doing work as far back as 1955. Both of them were perfectly qualified to garner laughs in <i>With Six</i> <i>You Get Eggroll </i>(1968), which made them perfect fits, for their roles on <i>M*A*S*H </i>(1972-1983). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/with-six-you-get-eggroll/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of With Six You Get Eggroll (1968), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: C- (6.8) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillS6H3PZ2MGXG0zcFC3PhMA0MpxAvP8X2QrYltT3GLYJr8u0Sp8dvaRpZ_g98POxZjZ7e-Fw4S459MgOf3M-bdVvGoUCnRhThpE7KwFEdIhujdlTLfnIEDN_pL7qYzlP4MtLI64ggNIcV7aTqJvtRiy2ykeDM44d8jWHjrLSDqhk9h8m8xlAP4KDtL6M/s1920/9%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Kotch%209.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillS6H3PZ2MGXG0zcFC3PhMA0MpxAvP8X2QrYltT3GLYJr8u0Sp8dvaRpZ_g98POxZjZ7e-Fw4S459MgOf3M-bdVvGoUCnRhThpE7KwFEdIhujdlTLfnIEDN_pL7qYzlP4MtLI64ggNIcV7aTqJvtRiy2ykeDM44d8jWHjrLSDqhk9h8m8xlAP4KDtL6M/w640-h360/9%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Kotch%209.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p-EJbyHAxsw?si=LxgT1niLVwNduE06" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Larry Linville had only been in the acting business, since 1968 and as mentioned before, you have to start somewhere. A year before he was cast as Major Frank Burns on <i>M*A*S*H </i>(1972-1983), he played a small part in this film, as the smarmy, selfish, weaselly, older brother, to our pregnant protagonist, Deborah Winters', Erica Herzenstiel, who comes under the care of Walter Matthau's, aging senior-citizen, Joseph P. Kotcher, in the comedy-drama, <i>Kotch </i>(1971). This film was another collaboration between Matthau and his pal, Jack Lemmon, however, Lemmon isn't in the film. He is the director this time. This is a quiet comedy, with some serious undertones, that come to the surface, at pivotal moments of the film. Jack Lemmon was a veteran already in these types of comedy dramas, so he was a good choice for this film. In the case of Larry Linville and <i>Kotch</i> (1971), his character as Erica's brother, Peter, gives us an excellent look as to why he was chosen as the antagonistic, disliked, Major Frank Burns on <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/kotch/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of Kotch (1971), on Letterboxd</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: C- (6.5) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSskIn07-71-afCnM0DoZ8btS6xwCnNFg7AP0Up0eWk4IDA7Hphf_8Ietcxu3IRRIkxY4ysSWsxTWnJGMhTEI7DAa5fCNJxWe8AiGsP3fBPyRCnxtIHSX5OmhXSIRcMFKpqimL-_gLkmIfRk4DbZUHJmwAE2FXF13xXvWC7-0qUlQk0yUes5Pfze7wg2w/s1920/10%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Race%20Devil%2010.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSskIn07-71-afCnM0DoZ8btS6xwCnNFg7AP0Up0eWk4IDA7Hphf_8Ietcxu3IRRIkxY4ysSWsxTWnJGMhTEI7DAa5fCNJxWe8AiGsP3fBPyRCnxtIHSX5OmhXSIRcMFKpqimL-_gLkmIfRk4DbZUHJmwAE2FXF13xXvWC7-0qUlQk0yUes5Pfze7wg2w/w640-h360/10%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Race%20Devil%2010.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M_Ie5XBr_X8?si=PuI8eNotABpJJ5QE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As mentioned before in this article, many television actors picked up extra acting jobs during the Summer break. Back in the 1970s, television shows took four months off for the Summer, which allowed the actors to pick up roles in feature films or guest-star on other TV shows, in between trying to relax during the Summer breaks. Loretta Swit appeared in a handful of films, while she did her turn as Major Margaret Houlihan on <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983). She kept busy and ended up being the only cast member, other than Alan Alda, to be credited for all 251 episodes of the show. In the Summer of 1975, right in between the third and fourth seasons of the TV sitcom, Swit's latest film, <i>Race With the Devil</i> (1975), was released in theaters. This film was another one of those gritty, chase, biker vs evil, horror films, that were very popular in the 1970s. These films showed motorcyclists or racecar drivers or police cars, being chased or having to chase or somehow, became dangerously involved with one horrible entity after another. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">There were films like <i>Werewolves on Wheels </i>(1971), <i>Psychomania</i> (aka <i>The Death Wheelers</i>, 1973), <i>Death Race 2000 </i>(1975), <i>The Car</i> (1977), and don't forget, Steven Spielberg's, cult-classic, tractor-trailer nightmare, the TV movie, <i>Duel</i> (1971). So, that was just to name a few. What also adds to the mixture of this genre-mixed, motion picture, is the casting of the most famous biker of this era, <i>Easy Rider</i> (1969), himself, Peter Fonda, as our main character, motor-bike enthusiast, Roger. Roger has brought along his wife Kelly (Lara Parker), his best buddy, interestingly named Frank (Warren Oates), and Frank's wife, Alice (Loretta Swit), on a little Winnebago camping trip. It was interesting hearing Oates being called Frank by Loretta Swit. It was like another Frank for Hot Lips Houlihan, considering <i>M*A*S*H </i>(1972-1983), was airing at the same time this film was released. This was a different side of Loretta Swit than the one seen on the show. Without giving anything away, the group accidentally witness something, of the paranormal variety, that they shouldn't have. From there, it is a desperate attempt by Roger and his friends to escape from the evil, in <i>Race With the Devil </i>(1975). There is plenty of automotive action too, 1970s-style. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/race-with-the-devil/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of Race with the Devil (1975), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: C- (6.8) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioonkxCQFjkkCDayrQ77nXk54FwCyee5P0Hf_Hbi6aEq6e1bkKr2W7w-NcofmotqfzDlkVb0ur5OEdDWbZ1s9D2MZwkJA0KTYqxukaFBEv6zSlsuqhMCQzy4GNtCP2ahQRs8FNWGpcRgK9Sf7ZdHVKa0aT_em1z8lTYm_GDjt6kKWXqqT6NK_vgTE1CHQ/s1920/11%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Cat%20Outer%20Space%2011.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioonkxCQFjkkCDayrQ77nXk54FwCyee5P0Hf_Hbi6aEq6e1bkKr2W7w-NcofmotqfzDlkVb0ur5OEdDWbZ1s9D2MZwkJA0KTYqxukaFBEv6zSlsuqhMCQzy4GNtCP2ahQRs8FNWGpcRgK9Sf7ZdHVKa0aT_em1z8lTYm_GDjt6kKWXqqT6NK_vgTE1CHQ/w640-h360/11%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Cat%20Outer%20Space%2011.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9SEaSW1jtnQ?si=AzuGrVTOa7hdK54c" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>As mentioned before, you have to start somewhere, but that's at the start of an acting career, not in the middle. In the case of McLean Stevenson, this was a restart or reboot of an acting career, that needed a boost, after making one of the biggest faux pas of television, by leaving a successful TV series too soon. Stevenson joins a small group of television stars, who made the wrong choice of leaving TV, for aspirations towards great film careers or their own, headlined show. It's an alumnus of acting talent like, Shelley Long (<i>Cheers</i>, 1982-1993), Suzanne Somers (<i>Three's Company</i>, 1977-1984), as well as, fellow 4077th cast member, Wayne Rogers. After both McLean Stevenson and Wayne Rogers left <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), in 1975, their careers slowed almost to a halt. For Rogers, due to legal-rights lawsuits, about the TV show <i>Trapper John, M.D.</i>(1979-1986), Rogers never even got a chance to be that character either. However, all these actors still had steady careers, but the spotlight was not as bright after they left their, respective, break-out shows. McLean Stevenson ended up doing just a few, guest-starring roles, on a handful of TV series. He had three failed television series of his own, two pilot shows, that were never picked up and he appeared in only three theatrical films, with <i>The Cat From Outer Space</i> (1978), being one of them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, the man who replaced Stevenson on <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), also co-starring in this film, is returning champ, Harry Morgan (Colonel Potter), as a clueless General, who is trying to capture the cat from outer space. The Cat From Outer Space (1978), is probably the highlight of McLean Stevenson's post-<i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), career. It is a Disney film, but mostly in name only. Movie studios in the 1970s, while competing with television, created their television divisions, which subbed for lower-budget film productions too. That's why there is a plethora of TV actors in this film. One particular actor, Ronnie Schell, who is the voice of our feline from space, also has a smaller role as Sgt. Duffy, who is General Stilton's (Harry Morgan's), right-hand man. Another TV legend, Ken Berry, who was very busy on television during the 1970s and had a couple of Disney films already on his resume, is our main character, Frank, who befriends Jake, the cat. McLean Stevenson is his football-loving, gambling buddy, Link. <i>The Cat From Outer Space</i> (1978), is nowhere near a Disney classic, but it is a good example of a fun, family-oriented, television-type comedy, with those late 1970s, science-fiction, visual effects, inspired by the release of <i>Star Wars</i> (1977), the year before. </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/the-cat-from-outer-space/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of The Cat From Outer Space (1978), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: D (5.9 ) = 3 Stars Letterboxd / 6 IMDB</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTKeLq-gNAmpcmT9znGFax_al1Gyla-rJEifJqhHavZMlB3XpSWttbxZYx7WdQ0YfMNedVGq6rhV6EkzIpp7MhO461-4TbO0pdppOaJ5XmghzvaEOn0KuYxasfOYS00gGeygYjr9GFJO8-MBTpnZobbRDA3nSU2e3IqPE9D-2h5z9eaMHa9rqxLrkYMY/s1920/12%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Better%20Off%20Dead%2012.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTKeLq-gNAmpcmT9znGFax_al1Gyla-rJEifJqhHavZMlB3XpSWttbxZYx7WdQ0YfMNedVGq6rhV6EkzIpp7MhO461-4TbO0pdppOaJ5XmghzvaEOn0KuYxasfOYS00gGeygYjr9GFJO8-MBTpnZobbRDA3nSU2e3IqPE9D-2h5z9eaMHa9rqxLrkYMY/w640-h360/12%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Better%20Off%20Dead%2012.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NdSavg_i_lw?si=5b7RjLksGWCHUaA3" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>David Ogden Stiers was brought onto <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), at the start of the sixth season of the show, to replace out-going, cast-member, Larry Linville, who portrayed Major Frank Burns. Stiers' Major Charles Emerson Winchester III was designed to be a new antagonist to Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell), just like Frank was, but as time went on, the excellent writers of the show, managed to craft a rivalry, that still existed, but there was a level of respect and admiration between the characters, once <i>M*A*S*H </i>(1972-1983), ended. What was mostly hatred towards Frank was remodeled into a battle of different egos and backgrounds, but there was still a feeling of family. Stiers managed to keep his acting career moving and just two years after <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), ended, he made his first hit, when he appeared as the bewildered father of John Cusack's, Lane Myers, in the forgotten-gem, comedy-classic,<i> Better Off Dead</i> (1985). The character of Al Myers, that Stiers gives to us, is a completely different character than the one seen on <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983). Watching him try to fathom the silliness going on around him, while at the same time, pretending not to notice, is priceless. </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/better-off-dead/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of <i>Better Off Dead</i> (1985), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: B+ (8.5) = 4 Stars Letterboxd / 8 IMDB</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_FceqWfJSBavP7VRUqKLfAShXczjTj_lcOv26Zw2Zzb-eCg3KgBLKz7pkimGmEkqdwHm2tBnZ3Su4ykenR-Jsn9xqOaHWwleKVdUOIYjtWcxI35DOzWEzQpgIqLnLJPJzi8QRboAl4hwejNVuMT8V4RzClcd_rt8ynDRg6j-ic2PcFI2Vs3Q8js5YnU/s1920/13%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Crimes%20Misdemeanors%2013.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_FceqWfJSBavP7VRUqKLfAShXczjTj_lcOv26Zw2Zzb-eCg3KgBLKz7pkimGmEkqdwHm2tBnZ3Su4ykenR-Jsn9xqOaHWwleKVdUOIYjtWcxI35DOzWEzQpgIqLnLJPJzi8QRboAl4hwejNVuMT8V4RzClcd_rt8ynDRg6j-ic2PcFI2Vs3Q8js5YnU/w640-h360/13%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Crimes%20Misdemeanors%2013.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dP28vJUANrU?si=3dMY2GMswN1j5AGP" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We come to our final cast member and the final film on our PMTM Quick List. We saved the main event for last. <i>M*A*S*H </i>(1972-1983), owes its success to a huge group of contributors, but it isn't out of the realm to say, that the driving force and face of the series, was its top-billed, main cast member, through all eleven seasons of the sitcom, Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce, portrayed, like he was born for the role, by Alan Alda. Hawkeye was portrayed in the 1970 motion picture by Donald Sutherland, who gave the character a more somber, darker, less-witty prominence, but just as effective a cunningness, that showed he cared for his friends and patients. Alda's character was a little bit brighter, less abrasive, and a much wittier jokester. He also had a near-Cary Grant-styled aura when it came to romantic scenes. The change may have been because the show was on television and wasn't an R-rated, feature film. Plus, since <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1970), was a dark comedy, it made sense to make the show a situation comedy, however, there is a big difference, when you go from theatrical dark comedy to a TV sitcom. Alan Alda nailed it through eleven great seasons. Hawkeye Pierce truly became a television icon, on the most-watched TV show ever. He won multiple Emmy Awards for acting, writing, and directing for the show. Then, one day, the show ended. It was time to take that star to the silver screen. Alan Alda has had a pretty good career in films. By the time <i>M*A*S*H</i> (1972-1983), started, he had credits in seven films already. He was the son of actor Robert Alda, who appeared in two or three episodes of the sitcom over the years. Alan took a six-year break during the run of the show and resurfaced in theaters, with a big impact, in the classic rom-com, <i>Same Time, Next Year</i> (1978), with Ellen Burstyn. From here and for the next ten years, Alda appeared in five more films, including three films he directed himself. Then in 1989, he was cast in the first of three movies he would do, with film legend, Woody Allen. <i>Crimes and Misdemeanors</i> (1989) is a comedy/crime-drama, that boasts a brilliant cast. It shows how good Woody is with storytelling. He could take two different stories and blend them so that the comedy didn't detract from the serious part of the film, which was a murder. It works both ways too. The serious aspect of the film didn't detract from the comedy or the romantic aspect of the film. They are all blended beautifully and the supreme cast sells it all. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/crimes-and-misdemeanors/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of <i>Crimes and Misdemeanors</i> (1989), on Letterboxd</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: B (8.1) = 4 Stars Letterboxd / 8 IMDB</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpLYLi3pIWvaQcVZ2qKTQP751iqYmIIpm-gpquhLBamPq426loxtjt2oyLI4s5NcN0vmAUO6eT7CHkd1wlqq0Uxu1nzA98208XTCkbK8KpQSjqVKASQS3bRZ3665VXVoZmzIdo4WsJDghAspnkYvFrVS-SBNues4tiOdUEXD1opkqcgAG7_TXKsWpM1E/s1915/14%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Logo%20Final%20Clean%20-%20THE%20END%2014.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="1915" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpLYLi3pIWvaQcVZ2qKTQP751iqYmIIpm-gpquhLBamPq426loxtjt2oyLI4s5NcN0vmAUO6eT7CHkd1wlqq0Uxu1nzA98208XTCkbK8KpQSjqVKASQS3bRZ3665VXVoZmzIdo4WsJDghAspnkYvFrVS-SBNues4tiOdUEXD1opkqcgAG7_TXKsWpM1E/w640-h146/14%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Logo%20Final%20Clean%20-%20THE%20END%2014.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #01ffff;"><b>About the Author</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Phil Congleton is a lifelong film buff, who worked in television for 30 years and produced a few, small independent films in the 1990s. He is the co-creator of Film366 with Chris Mich and curator of Phil Meets the Movies. Now retired, Phil commits his time to promoting the movies and the art of film. You can read more about Phil's film reviews on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-63902048958910712062024-02-24T07:44:00.001-05:002024-02-24T07:49:03.323-05:00TOP 100 HENRY MANCINI FILMS: #70-61<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1YnLoOGInVczWtf-dZJNxBQXJ3GF3aBOHiEXECY4szll1p5gpi2mtEMfhcQ3tmykL4ImltFlf2Qyva2oOLCfHux4ZPp8JY9JezvPT8fWsl6WYKr80f5i-j0Znw5jpw0ZIiDDUljDb-GknW3dnHUUWbgfNr9-FgEZWWEiwzYrcyYL5x3-aFuO8jcMMJs/s2249/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_70_61.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="2249" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1YnLoOGInVczWtf-dZJNxBQXJ3GF3aBOHiEXECY4szll1p5gpi2mtEMfhcQ3tmykL4ImltFlf2Qyva2oOLCfHux4ZPp8JY9JezvPT8fWsl6WYKr80f5i-j0Znw5jpw0ZIiDDUljDb-GknW3dnHUUWbgfNr9-FgEZWWEiwzYrcyYL5x3-aFuO8jcMMJs/w640-h640/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_70_61.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h1><span style="color: #fcff01;">#70-61</span><span style="color: #01ffff;"> of the</span> <span style="color: red;">Top 100</span> <span style="color: #04ff00;">Henry Mancini</span> <span style="color: #fcff01;">Films</span></h1><p style="text-align: left;">Okay. This is a can of assorted nuts. <i>The Man Who Loved Women </i>(1983) is a relic of what was once acceptable as humor. Most of it is highly inappropriate and a bit of a “squirmer” to sit through. Yet, <i>The Benny Goodman Story </i>(1956)<i> </i>is a sleeper hit that's absolutely fantastic. But that’s Mancini. He stood by his partnership with Blake Edwards through the good and not-so-good titles. And he worked with other filmmakers making great, great art. Versatile, for sure. And so, let’s delve into 70 through 61.</p><p> </p><div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#70: <i>Harry & Son </i>(1984)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OwSuyI5BtRU?si=GX7LRNyx1XvNRZzr" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The Earnest Hemingway reference in <i>Harry & Son </i>(1984) is not random. The film’s style, characters, arc, and overall feel echo Papa Hemingway…in more ways than not. But all of this is a wrapper on an 80s candy bar of a movie stuffed with fashion, sex, and money. The film isn’t perfect but it does have both Wilfred Brimley and Morgan Freeman acting in it. The Mancini score is adequate (but underused). A good watch, though.</div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#69: <i>The Man Who Loved Women</i> (1983)</span></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mUpzZEoj-aU?si=Yt0UKWEVINpzOwHi" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: left;">Personally, I found the most interesting thing about <i>The Man Who Loved Women</i> (1983), besides Henry Mancini's tender theme song, to be the quality of film grain in the exterior night scenes. I'm not going to lie, this was a tough one to watch through to the end. Yet, it received high enough scores on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes to land this position on the list. </p><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#68: <i>A Change of Seasons</i> (1980)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qc8um6MU5ys?si=scIQa2HrhipdD64z" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Don’t let the racy posters, trailers, or opening titles fool you. <i>A Change of Seasons </i>(1980) is a complex, Shakespearean-esque tragedy of marriage. There’s some heart and a couple of truths, but it’s mired in a 70s hangover of swinging, disco, drab decor, and questionable fashion choices.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#67: <i>Ma and Pa Kettle at Home </i>(1954)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CJbV4-nZEZo?si=XhDYZOfDV_h_vbkM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Back when there were physical copies of daily newspapers, you'd find a collection of comic strips on the back page of some random section of the paper. Each daily strip was only 3 or 4 panels, ended with a punchline, and carried a story for a few days or so. Such is the writing style of <i>Ma And Pa</i> <i>Kettle At Home</i> (1954). Oh, there's a premise and the movie will take you to the third act neatly - but it's really about the 3 beats to a punchline and snippets of "this is a funny idea." It plays out like <i>Our Gang</i> (1922-1927) in a <i>Beverly Hillbillies</i> (1962 -1971) mise en scene with <i>The A-Team</i> (1983-1987) style montage thrown in for good measure. It's silly and fun. What threw me was the CHRISTMAS finale ("Wait? I'm watching a Christmas movie all of a sudden?!”) which was quite touching and very well done. It's worth seeing once. Also, Mancini did score this and was uncredited. There are hints of his <i>The Pink Panther </i>(1963) approach to comedic themes here. Another good reason to visit <i>Ma And Pa Kettle At Home </i>(1954).</div><div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#66: <i>Back Roads </i>(1981)</span></h2></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eIozwaMSgC8?si=tTxkQX9ObYQANO3p" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While <i>Back Roads </i>(1981) is trapped between 70s angst and 80s optimism, this road trip movie shows both Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones in their versatile prime, before being delegated to character roles. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#65: <i>Married to It </i>(1991)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JE8jv9Bs3aU?si=5vBf9kv813iv8Auu" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A fellow member of the Henry Mancini Appreciation Society on Facebook told me this was a “good movie.” Okay, it’s rolled out in a fun fashion but, when you boil it down: it’s a grown-up movie about grown-up problems made to help grown-ups laugh at the problems. Problem is: it’s not always funny. Oh, there are moments of true marital insight. But sometimes <i>Married to It </i>(1991) just feels like a bummer of a story.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#64: <i>The Creature Walks Among Us </i>(1956)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aNO93gfsUbE?si=yvIIvo4QjMDNSiVR" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Creature Walks Among Us</i> (1956) is a finer B-movie that plods along with an occasional interesting conversation, violent battle, or (somewhat) racy scene - thanks to Leigh Snowden. Not as good as the first film, but better than the second. It’s worth at least one watch. Yes, <i>The Creature Walks Among Us</i> (1956) is another uncredited score by Henry Mancini.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#63: <i>The Benny Goodman Story </i>(1956)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WyRv6bv4cfM?si=I7tB_Zzr1qoi-iNa" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mancini was the lead arranger on <i>The Benny Goodman Story</i> (1956). And, let me tell you, this movie took me by surprise: packed with hot music, syrupy sweet melodrama, cool snubs at segregation, cornball dialogue, and repressed performances that are a gazillion times sexier than most on-the-nose performances today. What can I say? I feel like this movie was made just for me. And while I do feel bad it's buried in the list here, surrounded by some of these titles, <i>The Benny Goodman Story</i> (1956) does class up the joint. Please add it to your watchlist. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#62: <i>Abbott and Costello Go to Mars </i>(1953)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5an-EDaw81Q?si=7S5f23lkgQd0svxz" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">According to my good friend on Letterboxd, <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/" target="_blank">Phil Meets the Movies</a>, Abbott & Costello had a third rebirth of their career in the early 1950s thanks to television. So much so, Hollywood kept cranking out theatrical releases that included <i>Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i> (1953) (which we’ll see at a much higher placement on this list) and this film, <i>Abbott and Costello Go to Mars</i> (1953). In <i>Mars</i>, Abbott and Costello have fun in the sci-fi genre and exploit it in every way to make way for old-school slapstick and plenty of gorgeous women in showgirl/beauty pageant attire. With witty dialogue popping up now and then, this quick flick is good for a few laughs if you’re 7 or 47-ish.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#61: <i>Blind Date </i>(1987)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q54vCqr1jtQ?si=BRD58N-3hyah5gd0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When it comes to story authority in Hollywood films, few can surpass Mr. Robert McKee – story consultant, lecturer, and author of several books including <b>Story – Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting</b> (1997). In <i>Story</i>, McKee writes of <i>Blind Date</i> (1978): “For the first eighty minutes of BLIND DATE Kim Basinger and Bruce Willis careened through this farce, exploding laugh after laugh. But with the Act Two climax, all laughter ceases, Act Three fell flat, and what should have been a hit went south.” Business-wise, McKee may have a point (although the film cost $16 million and broke more than $39 million at the box office), the film has retained some type of buzz most of my life and still entertains. William Daniels steals the show.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><br /></h2></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">And we're done with #70-61!</span></b> The next 10 films have an interesting variety, too. There'll be respectable and not-so-respectable titles and a kids' film that is so outrageous, that it’s a pleasure it even exists. Check back next week as we get ever closer to the halfway point of the Top 100 Henry Mancini Films.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><b>More Mancini:</b></div><div><ul><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-100-91.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #100-91</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-90-81.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #90-81</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-80-71.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #80-71</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/thank-you-to-colonial-theatre.html" target="_blank"><i>Two for the Road</i> (1967) screening at The Colonial - Hosted by Digging Star Wars!</a></li><li><a href="https://www.henrymancini.com/" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - The Official Henry Mancini Website</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1etsjOZvmrloOM1yPaqfCp?si=592a2f5469ca43b2" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - Spotify Playlist</a></li></ul></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">* Thanks to David P. Ramos for that impressive sketch of Hank hard at work, Scott Derby for the iconic Digging Star Wars logo, and Josh Taback for the much-needed art direction of the overall Top 100 “square art” layout. </span></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-27970716790632178732024-02-17T08:11:00.003-05:002024-02-17T09:41:23.884-05:00TOP 100 HENRY MANCINI FILMS: #80-71<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yAjrSrA_S4xbDGihw1LRgFn6FPFaBqDwnzl6N1uSJNE7-pAvdJ5ksOawkENX8fi1M8UIOUMfQ4fxNlQYRf-wegwC4hqujXtwdHa6HKkPhOi0sth-eLKMtID5z1L6qec07ONKaqYXcIZA184G5Hi-Vt-7OUIUhKB0zljoFOdOUaXDQDkuaQbVojZT0Xk/s2249/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_80_71.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="2249" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yAjrSrA_S4xbDGihw1LRgFn6FPFaBqDwnzl6N1uSJNE7-pAvdJ5ksOawkENX8fi1M8UIOUMfQ4fxNlQYRf-wegwC4hqujXtwdHa6HKkPhOi0sth-eLKMtID5z1L6qec07ONKaqYXcIZA184G5Hi-Vt-7OUIUhKB0zljoFOdOUaXDQDkuaQbVojZT0Xk/w640-h640/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_80_71.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h1><span style="color: #fcff01;">#80-71</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #01ffff;">of the</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: red;">Top 100</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #04ff00;">Henry Mancini</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #fcff01;">Films</span></h1><div><span style="color: white;">Moving right along now! We’re getting into some really, really amazing titles and ones that – welp – I just don’t understand how they scored so high. Either way, the music’s fine. Let’s roll.</span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#80: <i>Sunset </i>(1988)</span></h2><div><span><div style="color: #ff00fe; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aY2Ys_Tqk1E?si=IM3icA55mlYaAxjr" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="color: #ff00fe; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In <i>Sunset</i> (1988), Tom Mix (Bruce Willis) and Wyatt Earp (James Garner) team up to solve a murder at the Academy Awards in 1929 Hollywood. I mean, that sentence says it all. Willis and Garner are acting in a manner that lets you know they are acting…and having fun while doing it. <i>Sunset</i> is a fun ride, but more in the guilty pleasure range as opposed to an Oscar-worthy film screening. It’s also one of my favorite discoveries in this grand Henry Mancini experiment.</div></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#79: </span><i style="color: #ff00fe;">The Thief Who Came to Dinner </i><span style="color: #ff00fe;">(1973)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xvid4mhoI6c?si=_5Z2zGw_1HbAiTyP" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Critics and Henry Mancini fans have written off <i>The Thief Who Came to Dinner </i>(1973) as a good score but a lousy movie. I disagree. The film is delicious in all its deceit and the wonderful limitations of 1973 - fashion, technology, graphic design of onscreen titles, and more. And the score is classic 70s Mancini. So much fun.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#78: <i>Peter Gunn </i>(1989)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P7Ejx1cB6s0?si=8tHbwg_Anmds71TZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><i>Peter Gunn </i>(1989) is a modern take on the classic late 1950s/early 1960s TV show with touches of the 1980s TV show <i>Miami Vice</i>. This was surprisingly well-written and well-directed. Nice tongue-in-cheek noirish acting with, of course, that killer Mancini score. Fun watch. This is in my personal favorite Top 10 Mancini films and will be featured in an upcoming article I'm writing for <i>Film Score Monthly.</i></div><div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#77: </span><i style="color: #ff00fe;">Nightwing </i><span style="color: #ff00fe;">(1979)</span></h2></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bpnJJbRKHhk?si=gj1K0MH6C2D4UhMe" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Nightwing </i>(1979) follows the nature horror formula perfected by <i>Jaws</i> (1975) - a community (in this case, an Indian reservation) has a demonized natural force/killer (bats carrying plague). Our hero is a man of two worlds but first and foremost a man of law (Duran - played stoically by Nick Mancuso). But! He needs help. In <i>Nightwing </i>(1979), the filmmakers combined the rich<i> Jaws</i> scientist Hooper with the lifelong beast-obsessed Quint into one character: vampire bat hunter Philip Payne - played eloquently by David Warner. There's even a "humans in a cage/beasts outside" scene before the final, fateful encounter. The story is relatively tight and dabbles briefly with culture clashes. If the effects weren't dated, it'd be pretty rock solid. Charles Rosher's cinematography is superb and Henry Mancini's score is more haunting than jump scare which works masterfully. Brief clips of music by Crystal Gale and Kenny Rogers shine like diamonds in the desolate vastness portrayed in Mancini's gentle soundtrack. In short, all the right elements - just some laughable stop-motion bats that give our MST3K pals a thing to point and laugh about.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#76: <i>Welcome Home </i>(1989)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ORy8VtH5lWw?si=o4kiRw17OoMIjeHW" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><i>Welcome Home </i>(1989) is an adequately-constructed drama about an awkward concept. Mancini's score soars in the Southeastern Asia scenes.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#75: <i>The Trail of the Pink Panther </i>(1982)</span></h2></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CyMp2dFvouA?si=zIHp7hD36BRyPOxh" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Trail of the Pink Panther</i> (1982) is a highlight reel with no new music but the fact that these were deleted scenes mashed together gives it a Chaplin/Keaton feel. I liked it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#74: <i>Carol for Another Christmas </i>(1964)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TNYUiEdxbxY?si=qF3-D20yFP_wdFsc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Every recording star wants an original Christmas song and Henry Mancini has his with the <i>Carol for Another Christmas</i> (1964) theme. This film is a wonderful sci-fi spin on <i>A Christmas Carol</i> and contains my favorite performance of Peter Sellers. Robert Shaw is amazing, too. And Mancini’s theme is my second favorite Christmas song of all time. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#73: <i>The Kettles in the Ozarks </i>(1956)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Qx1sBOb5HM?si=EIDZCVEC0JFTDkUS" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Kettles in the Ozarks </i>(1956) is not as funny or heartwarming as <i>Ma and Pa Kettle at Home </i>(1954). <i>Ozarks</i> has a few laughs and the usual wink-wink jokes. This was another film scored during Mancini’s self-proclaimed graduate school years at Universal. Read more about it in <u>his bio</u> written by yours truly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#72: <i>The Night Visitor </i>(1971)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6moUD2aEgzo?si=5TojJsOe1PWpI1s1" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Night Visitor</i> (1971) deserves better than being placed between <i>The Kettles in the Ozarks </i>(1956) and <i>A Fine Mess</i> (1986). But here it is at #73. The film has Shawshank Redemption-like storytelling and scene construction. Most importantly, von Sydow is amazing. This is an arthouse, tastefully-done horror/thriller and Mancini's score is wonderfully weird and divergent. Star Wars fans may recognize Max von Sydow – who played the legendary traveler and galactic explorer Lor San Tekka in <i>Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens </i>(2015).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#71: <i>A Fine Mess </i>(1986)</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPe_V__TEbE?si=pd4dFN_cJnMDMMb1" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>A Fine Mess </i>(1986) has an impressive list of 80s actors. It also has a terrible script filled with insulting humor. Worst yet, is its under-utilization of Henry Mancini. I spent $2.99 and 90 minutes watching this and will never get any of that back. Ever. So sad.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Confused as to why this film scored the way so high? Check out <u>The System</u> we used to rank the Henry Mancini films. I did my best to combine critics and fans' opinions on the films for their mathematical placement on the list.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><br /></h2></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>That wraps up #80 through #71.</b> </span>The next batch has an even more polarized quality of movies. It’s a real yo-yo of 10 films. Don’t miss it.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>More Mancini:</b></div><div><ul><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-100-91.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #100-91</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-90-81.html" target="_blank">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #90-81</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/01/digging-star-wars-at-colonial-theatre.html" target="_blank"><i>Two for the Road</i> (1967) screening at The Colonial - Hosted by Digging Star Wars!</a></li><li><a href="https://www.henrymancini.com/" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - The Official Henry Mancini Website</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1etsjOZvmrloOM1yPaqfCp?si=592a2f5469ca43b2" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - Spotify Playlist</a></li></ul></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #444444;">* Thanks to David P. Ramos for that impressive sketch of Hank hard at work, Scott Derby for the iconic Digging Star Wars logo, and Josh Taback for the much-needed art direction of the overall Top 100 “square art” layout. </span></div><div><br /></div></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-40752183380993130972024-02-11T19:53:00.002-05:002024-02-15T11:58:40.545-05:00THANK YOU to the COLONIAL THEATRE<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQmUiVZMCb6XVLtuL5EQbD3zgw7nbFPErn0oK7ZqgNemSo-Y5Ma9rqUB6XGpO18CfOmWucO0U-SdU7-CqD5gxdo4z4_p37HMYtvQ-eLM2g_Zy5Zw7zD1OgltmZz8DuS2ihg73tLm0Mw0Fg4eGYbJe7DtSzB-eM89coLxjwBYH40tuYSEQM4mpAB4131w/s3024/IMG_9446.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQmUiVZMCb6XVLtuL5EQbD3zgw7nbFPErn0oK7ZqgNemSo-Y5Ma9rqUB6XGpO18CfOmWucO0U-SdU7-CqD5gxdo4z4_p37HMYtvQ-eLM2g_Zy5Zw7zD1OgltmZz8DuS2ihg73tLm0Mw0Fg4eGYbJe7DtSzB-eM89coLxjwBYH40tuYSEQM4mpAB4131w/w640-h640/IMG_9446.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The historic Colonial Theatre lets Digging Star Wars host this screening!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>For years, I wanted to present a film at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, PA. Having lunch months ago with Digging Star Wars longtime guest writer, Peter Fey, the topic came up in light of our blog's <b>Top 100 Henry Mancini Films</b> for 2024. That lunch inspired an email to The Colonial and before you know it, I get to host this film featuring one of Henry Mancini's favorite love themes he composed in his lengthy career. <i>Two for the Road </i>(1967) is on our Top 100 list but very high on our list so it has yet to be featured. Keep checking back to see where it lands in the Top 100.</p><p>Today's screening was a lot of fun. I had fellow members from the Spoilers Movie Club from my work and the Classic Movie Fans of Philadelphia Facebook club. It was great catching up with them at the movies! I also talked with other Mancini fans - some that grew up close to his hometown.</p><p>I also promised attendees something shiny and sparkly after the screening. Scroll down to see the glitz.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wCyD9Z4QfrVOGNjOjuP4BbOT7X7JIMWZjAO-9cjIs_1dMPCJwpGJFzpXEr4WO-Lm35TP_wGlANHlSNOyP4BzJbwx-bMj43Tj9v0lsXMdF9RZXQPBrkblHOoQR8EIE6ITKZJob7T9wbGF6TaOk6Z_2lsqfGow0uy_EHFYCg5cyc3jsS-2Lk_7tQzY0g0/s4032/IMG_9444.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wCyD9Z4QfrVOGNjOjuP4BbOT7X7JIMWZjAO-9cjIs_1dMPCJwpGJFzpXEr4WO-Lm35TP_wGlANHlSNOyP4BzJbwx-bMj43Tj9v0lsXMdF9RZXQPBrkblHOoQR8EIE6ITKZJob7T9wbGF6TaOk6Z_2lsqfGow0uy_EHFYCg5cyc3jsS-2Lk_7tQzY0g0/w640-h480/IMG_9444.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In line for an ice cold Coke and Goobers, my go-to movie snack. The video screen says it all!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33S6y26i9a2mXKefBjoQys5bGIA9D9u6leyDLWKwSHF02K3FP1JcKiOvYCTTzUFK8ptSc6cW5VheuHJ7tXW4eSAbcjKgIU_JNPiGIjqU7zn5h59UX7AZL_0zcSmw8d97d50fDbsTtaOCqHxQ7j8J30F8il2_A1D9ZDkoCxxuIC6_Wd34gfEedNHFJxlE/s4990/IMG_4831.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3932" data-original-width="4990" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33S6y26i9a2mXKefBjoQys5bGIA9D9u6leyDLWKwSHF02K3FP1JcKiOvYCTTzUFK8ptSc6cW5VheuHJ7tXW4eSAbcjKgIU_JNPiGIjqU7zn5h59UX7AZL_0zcSmw8d97d50fDbsTtaOCqHxQ7j8J30F8il2_A1D9ZDkoCxxuIC6_Wd34gfEedNHFJxlE/w640-h504/IMG_4831.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little nervous but the crowd was into the facts about Mancini. <br />Photo by head of the SPOILERS MOVIE CLUB, Katie Breiter.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfTfnt86WsbWblJViPkCkfJToM7iGxwaKYJuQQ7nmziSP1-N7StnfxXmJVHD9vkhKWzweSd3R7zdwQYAblZnxRESY2B4v8khjxQKnEdCYaSXfKkWwUniRfG4tHThAlPnZqSDrH0KM1DsPejPdXjxp7VYjwsHDnOD-Hw5rMxF4NVSAEwiN77TmOAfJydY/s4032/IMG_9445.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfTfnt86WsbWblJViPkCkfJToM7iGxwaKYJuQQ7nmziSP1-N7StnfxXmJVHD9vkhKWzweSd3R7zdwQYAblZnxRESY2B4v8khjxQKnEdCYaSXfKkWwUniRfG4tHThAlPnZqSDrH0KM1DsPejPdXjxp7VYjwsHDnOD-Hw5rMxF4NVSAEwiN77TmOAfJydY/w640-h480/IMG_9445.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a good-looking crowd. Yes, that's glare. It was bright on that stage! <br />See my seat? It's the one with Coke and Goobers.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24tmFPx2AeYaX734RrIDGQwoBuTx7AKs-38MKAF3b3Y7wmtD8Jfayszw4VBYYt8YlvtxvzbCm_WJ91swaUnMISbTe4MGBg9GmeIMC9Yd2kaEW7PvAvwvyTbO6EW1WkHnxU11RFjaPkjZhrahmxYl8cGGLlPgpk7daKy8XrgsLJNf8ZX-onR0Uh5sdwEQ/s1600/CNSR0006.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24tmFPx2AeYaX734RrIDGQwoBuTx7AKs-38MKAF3b3Y7wmtD8Jfayszw4VBYYt8YlvtxvzbCm_WJ91swaUnMISbTe4MGBg9GmeIMC9Yd2kaEW7PvAvwvyTbO6EW1WkHnxU11RFjaPkjZhrahmxYl8cGGLlPgpk7daKy8XrgsLJNf8ZX-onR0Uh5sdwEQ/w640-h480/CNSR0006.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love <i>The Blob </i>(1958)-inspired carpet. Photo by SPOILER MOVIE CLUB member Lou Venuto.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLJAvZoS3Bkfuf_WdVoYGIPCIZeSl9JJZvMhJFI7F_BJ9luMmA0-b2MqTW3yKpk3Ou9bvIV8jlvY64-5IzUjMrQmp-ORUIF4oZYOXNE_SIyGHAn3u5PgzvvudYVwQeJ-H4CkJkLOOcLdaCNuzOzEFA2hDwy-mN58ZtpnvhNDE8Dkp2MfPcUPD_alq83A/s2385/sparkly.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2385" data-original-width="2385" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLJAvZoS3Bkfuf_WdVoYGIPCIZeSl9JJZvMhJFI7F_BJ9luMmA0-b2MqTW3yKpk3Ou9bvIV8jlvY64-5IzUjMrQmp-ORUIF4oZYOXNE_SIyGHAn3u5PgzvvudYVwQeJ-H4CkJkLOOcLdaCNuzOzEFA2hDwy-mN58ZtpnvhNDE8Dkp2MfPcUPD_alq83A/w640-h640/sparkly.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Two for the Road </i>(1967) moviegoers received sparkle stickers bearing our <br />Top 100 Henry Mancini Films logo. <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-90-81.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> for the latest Top 100 installment.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>THANK YOU</b> again to the Colonial Theatre for this opportunity. It was awesome. They were kind enough to post this shout out to me on Instagram...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3X12ujMEkB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3X12ujMEkB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px;"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3X12ujMEkB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Bob Trate (@themovielord)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And thanks to all those who came out and caught this classic film in a classic theater. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Keep checking back as we continue our countdown to the #1 Henry Mancini film ... all the way up to his birthday in mid-April.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-47450577652458388302024-02-10T08:28:00.000-05:002024-02-10T08:28:59.897-05:00TOP 100 HENRY MANCINI FILMS: #90-81<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGhUVUF0p-4NEwH1AGlFLfSQFCF_nZX28QlKGZ-h0zh80DlNm8rzqA-Z6y8YmWGpAzXN3r_cW_RQcnIz_TR1dj2QtVWnm-YDz2KXZOTfRe6KBFtm2YDXdFZM16CqNk5MOYJ2nAV9TBVUkrtabszWCZo-py909tRtbBtu-gWhOAp3cBIZNx4eMiRrHA18/s2249/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_90_81.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="2249" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGhUVUF0p-4NEwH1AGlFLfSQFCF_nZX28QlKGZ-h0zh80DlNm8rzqA-Z6y8YmWGpAzXN3r_cW_RQcnIz_TR1dj2QtVWnm-YDz2KXZOTfRe6KBFtm2YDXdFZM16CqNk5MOYJ2nAV9TBVUkrtabszWCZo-py909tRtbBtu-gWhOAp3cBIZNx4eMiRrHA18/w640-h640/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_90_81.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">#90-81</span><span style="color: #01ffff;"> of the</span> <span style="color: red;">Top 100</span> <span style="color: #04ff00;">Henry Mancini</span> <span style="color: #fcff01;">Films</span></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span>This portion of the list also has the very last screening of mine in the Top 100 Henry Mancini movies. Buckle up: this group has some doozies. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#90: <i>The Great Imposter</i> (1960)</span></h2><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GKjXMfkQd_o?si=Lu9gjYHFhS2P13Mr" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><i>The Great Imposter</i> (1960) is a surprisingly great film. Tony Curtis is fantastic.</span></div><div><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#89: <i>Curse of the Pink Panther</i> (1983)</span></h2></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gaw3aiGsjSw?si=sQ1y7NPbjr-Jb9Ou" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While<i> Curse of the Pink Panther</i> (1983) falls flat most of the time, it does have moments of silliness that are mildly funny. Confused as to why this film scored the way it did? Check out <u>The System</u> we used to rank the Henry Mancini films. I did my best to combine critics and fans' opinions on the films for their mathematical placement on the list.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#88: <i>Destry</i> (1954)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yiItoJLnM68?si=U_OknhuyLjkWaKta" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Destry </i>(1954) is a stereotypical 1950s Western that spends too much time on a limited number of studio sets and not enough time outside in the wild. However, the concept and script are decent and the cast features Audie Murphy – one of America’s most decorated World War II heroes who found a career as an actor in several films that Mancini scored. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#87: <i>Gaily, Gaily</i> (1969)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tUtmglMc0Us?si=ztbBlOAAEbQ5Q5it" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I’m stunned this film scored so highly in the Top 100; I did not expect <i>Gaily, Gaily</i> (1969) to break into the 100 at all. On the surface, this is a sex comedy set in 1910 America. The filmmakers were also trying to make a statement on many things ranging from the United States government to marriage to the purpose of art in the face of religion. All that, however, gets lost in repeating cleavage jokes. The video above is a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s production.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#86: </span><i style="color: #ff00fe;">Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops</i><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> (1955)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xF7Rz_ajwhU?si=3ihykVMHSW5OiQOr" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Squirrel! Honestly, the squirrel steals the show and is the best part of this movie. Oh, there are a few good gags – but the premise is weak and just can’t pull the average viewer through to the end with glee. This was another film scored during Mancini’s self-proclaimed graduate school years at Universal. Read more about it in <u>his bio</u> written by yours truly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#85: <i>Little Miss Marker</i> (1980)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iU0iADCVUmI?si=3WPQXw0JJbTF804y" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A great cast that gels well together. Matthua does not disappoint. The music was great – Hank clearly just let loose and had fun with <i>Little Miss Marker</i> (1980).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#84: <i>Fear </i>(1990)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n4o9u86YEXQ?si=0CWhNCYvO2H5f8Yl" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Fear</i> (1990) is a well-constructed, Hitchcockian thriller with a fading 80s flavor. Mancini’s score is very good. The most impressive aspect of this movie is the art direction and camera movement and how they reveal clues or support character development. Thrillers aren’t my cup of tea, but I do like this one.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#83:<i> Tom and Jerry: The Movie</i> (1992)</span><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WBYdp2sOut0?si=VFOA654sO9Z1s9C8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It has been said that in the initial theatrical run of <i>Star Wars</i> (1977), fans would, on repeat viewing, close their eyes, and simply listen to the movie. Now, I’m not saying you can only enjoy <i>Tom and Jerry: The Movie</i> (1992) with your eyes closed, but Mancini’s score is certainly worth giving its due attention. The first 12 minutes are absolute Mancini bliss. And while songs with lyricist Leslie Bricusse are okay, it’s Hank’s score and cues that are truly enjoyable. The kitchen fight scene calls upon Henry’s expansive genre experience as he transitions the music thematically matching the various international foods in the battle. This film even has multiple comedic references to Mancini’s birthplace of Cleveland. Bravo!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#82: <i>Meet Danny Wilson</i> (1952)</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b1qMh2qxWzg?si=IQrCH8nQQBbEVLxt" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Ironically, <i>Meet Danny Wilson</i> (1952) was Mancini’s first feature film as a scorer and the last Mancini film I screened out of all 100 films on this list. Mancini’s boss at the time Joseph Gershenson, who handled music direction on <i>Meet Danny Wilson </i>(1952), hired Hank to compose both background and transitional music between the Sinatra hits such as “All of Me” and “That Old Black Magic.” The film is extremely entertaining. Sinatra is young, charismatic, and one heckuva an actor. The supporting cast around him – Alex Nicol, Shelley Winters, and a dangerously svelte Raymond Burr – add the right amount of pizzazz and playful banter for Sinatra to play off of and shine like a star. And, of course, the music is top-notch all the way around.</div><div><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;">#81: <i>The Hawaiians</i> (1952)</span></h2></div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uIQMY6TPlag?si=rBCD0VyKEnVJi1Dj" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Hawaiians</i> (1970) is a film that is ambitious, gratuitous, shocking, and stirring…and just a wee bit too long. The theme, however, is as lush as the landscape in the picture.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">That’s it for #91-80. </span></b></div><div>The next batch is ALL OVER THE PLACE. In my opinion, it has one of the worst films Mancini ever scored (no fault of his own) and a title with the best use of Mancini music realized on film. And, yes, they both reside between #80-71.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>More Mancini:</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/02/top-100-henry-mancini-films-100-91.html">The Top 100 Henry Mancini Films: #100-91</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/01/digging-star-wars-at-colonial-theatre.html" target="_blank"><i>Two for the Road</i> (1967) screening at The Colonial - Hosted by Digging Star Wars!</a></li><li><a href="https://www.henrymancini.com/" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - The Official Henry Mancini Website</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1etsjOZvmrloOM1yPaqfCp?si=592a2f5469ca43b2" target="_blank">Henry Mancini 100 - A Celebration! - Spotify Playlist</a></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #444444;">* Thanks to David P. Ramos for that impressive sketch of Hank hard at work, Scott Derby for the iconic Digging Star Wars logo, and Josh Taback for the much-needed art direction of the overall Top 100 “square art” layout. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></h2>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-62144313870966763162024-02-06T19:23:00.001-05:002024-02-06T19:39:01.392-05:00A Look “Inside Out” Via Media Psychology by Lily Mich<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFR57M8aRAgbnKhRlO7MJDXfzm3CWkKm3MAPMZo9eeSAcxAByhvaAp3Hx91PZqPLUejTuWpRp6aWRTJO7sMTuzp8TzPYWxsh0WmJvlInwvSiPVB-DxJUTsEAxWmV77SvzfkxeRIxZ7ePvmECiUiAEK9omJIz3GjCkN4lieu62UmbDTQCaRgzFZWvReRg/s445/IMG_20230520_215828_898.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="445" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFR57M8aRAgbnKhRlO7MJDXfzm3CWkKm3MAPMZo9eeSAcxAByhvaAp3Hx91PZqPLUejTuWpRp6aWRTJO7sMTuzp8TzPYWxsh0WmJvlInwvSiPVB-DxJUTsEAxWmV77SvzfkxeRIxZ7ePvmECiUiAEK9omJIz3GjCkN4lieu62UmbDTQCaRgzFZWvReRg/w640-h640/IMG_20230520_215828_898.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Digging Star Wars</i> guest writer Lily Mich</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><br /><p></p><p>Children love stories. Media storytelling in its various forms is a great way to entertain a child, but how meaningful is it to them? A study conducted in 2023 seeks to discover just that. A group of children aged 4-15 were asked to watch Disney-Pixar’s<i> Inside Out</i> (2015) and then interviewed to test if meaningful media storytelling can be for children’s lives. Using qualitative research and media psychology, researchers were able to discover whether a story can “challenge current thinking and provide children with novel insights about life,” (de Leeuw et al., 2023). Rebecca Leeuw, Addy Weijers, Anna-Maria Ahle, and Serena Daalmans’ findings are described and analyzed in their research paper <i>How Stories in the Media Can be Meaningful in Children’s Lives</i>. </p><p>As Dr. Gan writes in <i>Infinite Bandwidth: Encountering Christ in the Media</i>, the Church provides us with seven media keys to “educate us and equip us to use media in the right ways and for the right ends,” (Gan, pg. 18). In teaching us how to evaluate media, these media keys help us better create and critique media in the world around us. By reviewing the findings in <i>How Stories in the Media Can Be Meaningful in Children’s Lives</i>, the seven media keys can be applied to the 2015 film Inside Out. This research report will outline the seven media keys, their application in that film, and its impact on children.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The First Media Key: Balance</b></p><p>The first media key, balance, guides us to look at media from all angles, helping us to form a mindset and attitude toward media. It is applied by careful thought and research, as well as praying for the cardinal virtue of temperance. Temperance is the “‘moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods,’” (CCC 1809). Temperance helps us use a “healthy discretion” in our media usage (CCC 1809), by not limiting or over-using the media we consume. </p><p>The article states that stories “can prompt people to take the perspectives of people unlike themselves and to expand their circle of sympathy to embrace them” (Pinker, 2011). In other words, media storytelling is a tool to broaden our knowledge of the world around us, as exhibited through the key of balance.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Second Media Key: Attitude Awareness</b></p><p>The second media key, attitude awareness, focuses on our roles as critics and duty to be aware of messaging in media. It is applied by searching for a media’s “underlying agenda” (Gan, pg. 47), as well as praying for the cardinal virtue of prudence. Prudence helps us to “apply moral principles to particular cases without error” and “guides the judgment of conscience,” (CCC 1806). In application to media, prudence helps us to discern the intent of a media and if the message is in line with our morals. </p><p>From the research conducted, the children showed signs of attitude awareness in a variety of ways. When watching <i>Inside Out</i>, children “applied social intelligence skills while watching the film”, “found that the film helped them to ‘understand what’s going on in your head’”, and “considered the story also as ‘well thought out’” (de Leeuw et al., 2023). </p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Third Media Key: The Dignity of the Human Person</b></p><p>The third media key, dignity of the human person, seeks to make man “more worthy of man” by reflecting, upholding, and enhancing human dignity (Gan, pg. 52). It is applied by praying for the cardinal virtue of justice, which consists in the “constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor,” (CCC 1807). In viewing media, we must look to see that justice is present, “respecting the rights of each and establishing… the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good,” (CCC 1807).</p><p>The article states “when a story is experienced as meaningful, often valuable insights about life are gained, for instance, concerning the value of human virtue and the importance of human connectedness,” (de Leeuw et al., 2023). Meaningful stories, as recognized by adults and children alike, include values that promote the dignity of the human person.</p><p> </p><p><b>The Fourth Media Key: Truth-Filled</b></p><p>The fourth media key tells us that media should be filled with truth or about God and the human person (Gan, pg, 68). In other words, media should not lie. This key is applied by praying the cardinal virtue of fortitude, which “ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of good,” (CCC 1808). With fortitude, we must seek the “good”- the truth - in media and also be aware of the lies that may be present. </p><p>The article states that “<i>Inside Out </i>proved to be meaningful [because of the] opportunities for experiencing moral beauty. Interviewees spontaneously indicated appreciating acts of compassion, kindness, love, and bravery,” (de Leeuw et al., 2023). One such example is when a child was asked a question about a sad scene in the film. When asked, “What is bigger? That you found it beautiful or that you found it sad?”, the child answered, “I think it’s bigger that I found it beautiful,” (de Leeuw et al., 2023). This realization shows the child’s response to moral beauty, which reflects truth as good media should. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Fifth Media Key: Inspiring</b></p><p>The fifth media key tells us that media should inspire us to be good, and, thus, lead us to Heaven. This key is applied by researching the “aim” of a particular piece of media, as well as applying the theological virtue of hope. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, hope is the virtue in which “we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness,” (CCC 1817). Hope can inspire us, and media should do the same. </p><p>From the research conducted, the article states that, “when watching the film <i>Inside Out</i>, children felt encouraged to follow the protagonist’s development and acquire the same insights as her,” (de Leeuw et al., 2023). Specifically, they “admired Joy’s perseverance,” (de Leeuw et al., 2023). One child remarked, “Joy always tries and tries… so that makes me think ‘Oh you should try again’,” (de Leeuw et al., 2023). As seen through this child’s innocent and simple words, media has the profound power to inspire us in small or big ways. Children felt inspired from <i>Inside Out</i>, as viewers should be when interacting with different kinds of media.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Sixth Media Key: Skillfully Developed</b></p><p>The sixth media key is essentially how well-made a piece of media is. Using this key, we look to the technical standards of media, as scrutinized by critics and popular culture. This key is applied by looking at online reviews and praying for the theological virtue of faith. In faith, “‘man freely commits his entire self to God’... and seeks to know and do God’s will,” (CCC 1814). Faith is important in analyzing and creating media, looking to God for guidance and seeking His will. </p><p>The article states that the film<i> Inside Out</i> is “praised for its smart, adventurous, and challenging storyline,” (Bozdech, 2015; Nashawaty, 2015). It is also “admired by critics as well and received 97 awards, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film (IMDb, 2016)”. From these sources, it would seem that <i>Inside Out </i>is a skillfully-developed film. </p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>The Seventh Media Key: Motivated by and Relevant to Experience</b></p><p>The seventh and final media key is “motivated by and relevant to experience”. This key tells us that media should be “rooted in the realities of our world” and should “reflect the human condition” (Gan 116). It is applied by looking at target audiences and praying for the theological virtue of charity. By “demanding beneficence and fraternal correction”, charity is the virtue by which we “love God above all things… and our neighbor as ourselves” (CCC 1822, 1827, 1829). </p><p>The article states that a meaningful experience with a story is when “it leads to insights about life, feelings of moral beauty, contemplation…” (de Leeuw et al., 2023). In other words, good media (or, as the authors describe it, “meaningful media”) reflects both our human nature and the world around us. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">References:</p><p>de Leeuw, R. N., Weijers, A., Ahle, A.-M., & Daalmans, S. (2023a). How stories in the media can be <span> </span>meaningful in children’s lives. <i>Media Psychology,</i> 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2023.2247322 </p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: -1pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Gan, E., & Pacwa, M. (2010). </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: -1pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Infinite bandwidth: Encountering christ in the media</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: -1pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; text-indent: -1pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Emmaus Road Publishing. </span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -1pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">IMDb.com. (2015, June 19). <i>Inside out</i>. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/ </span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -1pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -1pt;">Made with FlippingBook. (n.d.).</span><i style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -1pt;"> Catechism of the Catholic Church</i><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -1pt;">. United States Conference of Catholic </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: -1pt;">Bishops. https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/ </span>
</span></p>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-65608002661587626582024-02-03T08:46:00.000-05:002024-02-03T08:46:33.515-05:00TOP 100 HENRY MANCINI FILMS: #100-91<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijxueVn2eDh0owxEIqmekTI8DLsCRfn9omY5le0km8No8zSscFp9qFPB8zIMqENrmToH1uZQMbai63n83H-V7EXPQZVGb3ShwxLx7wou0OjA1fas3CO2nOlH6GiMVXrPQ4IOsgt0kT3ekYu6ZUTMMGnhU6NRKpbxzrEX-HIXfGfngYTYVw9jIaXGAplM/s2249/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_100_91.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="2249" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijxueVn2eDh0owxEIqmekTI8DLsCRfn9omY5le0km8No8zSscFp9qFPB8zIMqENrmToH1uZQMbai63n83H-V7EXPQZVGb3ShwxLx7wou0OjA1fas3CO2nOlH6GiMVXrPQ4IOsgt0kT3ekYu6ZUTMMGnhU6NRKpbxzrEX-HIXfGfngYTYVw9jIaXGAplM/w640-h640/Mancini_JTnote_DECADE_100_91.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #fcff01;">#100 – 91</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #01ffff;">of the</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: red;">Top 100</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #04ff00;">Henry Mancini</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #fcff01;">Films</span></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span>This is it! Digging Star Wars’ 10x10 presentation of the Top 100 Henry Mancini Films. Week One covers #100 through 91 based on our scoring system. We will provide the complete list in increments of 10 over the next 10 weeks leading up to Henry Mancini’s 100th Birthday! In honor of Mancini and his David Letterman connection, we’re going in reverse order on the countdown ending in 10 weeks’ time with the #1 Henry Mancini movie of all-time. An interesting allotment of titles kicks this off, so let’s get started!</span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>1</span><span>0</span><span>0</span><span>:</span><span> <i>Bachelor in Paradise</i> (1961)</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LgP9ZBpt8n4?si=V_zi5fGjQAcN4LJN" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is a movie of one-liners and little premise. But that’s okay. This is standard fare for Bob Hope and, quite frankly, all we ever could hope for from Bob. Secretly, I was rooting for this film to break to the Top 100 since Mancini’s “Bachelor in Paradise” theme is so cheesy, classic, and so of its era – I just love it. The rest of his soundtrack for <i>Bachelor in Paradise</i> (1961) – which pours out of onscreen doorbells, radio alarm clocks, and supermarket muzak speakers – is delightful and totally on target for a movie that lampoons American suburbia and the self-inflicted problems of its inhabitants. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>9</span><span>9</span><span>:</span> <span><i><span>The Prisoner of Zenda</span> </i><span>(1979)</span></span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DjY3TzPQ370?si=c2R2qIZB4r33yp2X" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Not one of my favorite Mancini movies but his music does improve the film. Mancini scored a lot of Peter Sellers movies and always with terrific music. The collaboration seemed to please both. Tongue in cheek, Sellers once wrote about Mancini’s talents, “A lot of his music has been issued in the form of long-playing records. The great advantage of this is that you can sit and listen to Hank’s score without having to sit through the film.” <i>The Prisoner of Zenda </i>(1979) may be a perfect example of what Sellers was getting at.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>9</span><span>8</span><span>:</span> <span><i>Seminole</i> (1953)</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ubawEW7IeM?si=AfO7wBQK5SyuAhlh" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">An example of Henry Mancini’s uncredited work at Universal in the 1950s. See the<a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2024/01/top-100-henry-mancini-films-system.html" target="_blank"> HONORABLE MENTIONS</a> write-up for more on that era. A surprisingly good movie with lots of tension, action, and “what will happen next” moments. </div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>9</span><span>7</span><span>:</span> <i><span>Lost in Alaska </span></i><span>(1952)</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NvfbxCPdC4I?si=1izMBQKKKWTJfdfg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Abbott and Costello litter this list with titles here and there, which I’m happy about since my good friend and Diggins Star Wars guest writer Phil Congleton is a HUGE Abbott and Costello fan. All that said, this film suffers from little relief as Bud Abbott constantly badgers Lou Costello. When my youngest son was just 8 years old, he LOVED <i>Tom and Jerry</i> but one day realized that the cat always got the worst in the situation. Feeling bad for poor, old Tom, my son said, “That’s it. I’m not watching this anymore. I like cats. Tom is a cat. It’s too hard to watch.” I like Costello, but like Tom Cat, it’s hard to watch him take a beating time and time again. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>9</span><span>6</span><span>:</span> <span><i>Revenge of the Creature</i> (1955)</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5qsn8294YFU?si=S6zxagibqOM3D2rr" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Revenge of the Creature</i> (1955) was the first screen appearance of Clint Eastwood...and that's about it. Sad to say, I couldn't have been more bored with a monster movie. Truth be told: I wasn't a big fan of the original either - but Mancini contributed to the score for both films, so - being a completist - I just had to see it. And now I no longer need to see it again. Pass unless Gill Man is your favorite classic Universal monster. And in that case, you still may want to pass. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>95</span><span>:</span><i><span>The Private War of Major Benson</span></i> <span>(1955)</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S7136qNvZXI?si=F90uH1eQCdOwN0Dj" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Well written and well acted, <i>The Private War of Major Benson </i>(1955) illustrates that Charles Heston can do comedy and Julie Adams can act. That may sound harsh, but it’s meant with admiration. Julie Adams was immortalized as the sex object of desire of more than one creature in <i>The Creature from the Black Lagoon</i> (1954)…and as I watched more and more of her films, I’ve grown to like her style and performances. <i>The Private War of Major Benson </i>(1955) falls into the usual macho trappings of the 1950s relationship films (too early to call them rom-coms, eh?), but remains a fun watch all the same.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>94</span><span>:</span> <span><i>Surround Fantastique</i> (1990)</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7JE4lUsSbg4?si=FCyB5syCdTMBaGvv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the spirit of the extended THX Sound System animations that used to run in theaters years back, <i>Surround Fantastique</i> (1990) is a proud proclamation that the theatre you were sitting in used Spectral Recording Dolby Stereo which is “making films sound better.” Way before drone footage became the coolest thing in video production, <i>Surround Fantastique</i> (1990) provides a soaring POV as the camera zooms across a majestic landscape and swooshes by an occasional human biking or climbing. Mancini’s score starts a few beats into the film, which seems odd, but then grabs you and carries you across the earth and up into the heavens. Like the visual, his score (the only audio in the short film) is EPIC. I was really pulling for this film to break the Top 10, but its obscurity hurt its number ratings. Oh well. But please watch this. It’s one of my personal favorites. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>9</span><span>3</span><span>:</span> <i><span>The Monolith Monsters</span></i> <span>(1957)</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uxohSwDFjxg?si=o3mYZK_Kuw_2nAEp" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Monolith Monsters</i> (1957) has such a crazy, outlandish idea – rock towers that spread and grow at an alarming rate in a somehow ‘attack’ on earthlings – it’s worth watching just to see how this concept can be played out in just 77 minutes. This was another film scored during Mancini’s self-proclaimed graduate school years at Universal. Read more about it in <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/12/henry-mancini-biography-by-chris-mich.html">his bio</a> written by yours truly. <i>The Monolith</i> <i>Monsters</i> (1957) also features actor Paul Frees as the narrator. 80s kids may remember Paul Frees's voice as the vocal component of the evil K.A.R.R. on TV’s <i>Knight Rider</i>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>9</span><span>2</span><span>:</span> <span><i>Oklahoma Crude </i>(1973)</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lm065g1P2AI?si=CQM0pXQJ1Od1xyB_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As thug-with-a-heart-of-gold "Mase", George C. Scott is brilliant and mesmerizing in this neo-western. Faye Dunaway and Jack Palance are top-notch, too. The well-paced script offers the right amount of tension, western flavor, and surprises. The Henry Mancini score and cheesy SEND A LITTLE LOVE MY WAY song makes so much more sense in the context of the film. <i>Oklahoma Crude </i>(1973) is worth seeing and hearing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><span>#</span><span>9</span><span>1</span><span>:</span><i> </i><span><i>Ma and Pa Kettle in
Waikiki</i><i> </i>(1955)</span></span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4WyREKjZ8bw?si=Z0rTNWREPnafc6H6" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You should watch <i>Ma and Pa Kettle in Waikiki </i>(1955) because it is one of three Universal sequels listed on the Pohatchee Drive-in Theater marquee in <i>Back to the Future III</i> (1990). It is also one of four Mancini films referenced visually in that BTTF3 scene where 1950s Doc Brown helps 1985 Marty McFly travel back in time to save 1985 Doc Brown who is “trapped” in 1885. One of the other Mancini titles in BTTF3 is listed here as well: <i>Revenge of the Creature </i>(1955). Time travel aside, <i>Ma and Pa Kettle in Waikiiki </i>(1955) is one of the funnier Ma and Pa Kettle films and adds a nice exotic flair to what is the standard/somewhat-played "hillbilly-in-the-normal world" comedy series of movies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">And that’s it for the #100-91!</span> Stop by next week as we venture into the 90-81.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;">* Thanks to David P. Ramos for that impressive sketch of Hank hard at work, Scott Derby for the iconic Digging Star Wars logo, and Josh Taback for the much-needed art direction of the overall Top 100 “square art” layout. </span></div></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-36723080026858656022024-01-17T20:32:00.002-05:002024-01-21T18:02:57.748-05:00DIGGING STAR WARS at THE COLONIAL THEATRE this February!<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8HQkV6uGypuv0yrRi4r-dGdO9R1RgFGxYWfXDHgQe28p1glZ86idCEE3XF0Sm1jxnOlK_86DQL2O1x6LQ1wm_SzlxWflOTIEL0O-xrpHNkeQTmEGprUsDOH0hlfTiDRuwCw1bRnTz-1FVwqLAG-KRnuub910s_nU6-ks4ZZiMmUhr2BTbZV87a6JciE/s750/IMG_9366.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8HQkV6uGypuv0yrRi4r-dGdO9R1RgFGxYWfXDHgQe28p1glZ86idCEE3XF0Sm1jxnOlK_86DQL2O1x6LQ1wm_SzlxWflOTIEL0O-xrpHNkeQTmEGprUsDOH0hlfTiDRuwCw1bRnTz-1FVwqLAG-KRnuub910s_nU6-ks4ZZiMmUhr2BTbZV87a6JciE/w640-h640/IMG_9366.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Hey-hey-hey!
Digging Star Wars is not only mentioned on The Colonial Theatre website, our URL
link is on there. Whaaaaaat? </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCydHzIu29LpthRrzv8Tqm6pZR_XVepPkmBd6xJT09izzn5zMBSjUkNydBgFYN2ORlSH7RllAQO8cQXlWIcPnMaA2OTGMXXUPaEUkVjiDw1HwELQ3ccb57i7KBrVvRC86LlIrzRSC7agDnH4cSvdio4njt3QmMmtv6cU7I5IftbJffM4QOzT2PwUgJiik/s750/IMG_9368.jpeg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCydHzIu29LpthRrzv8Tqm6pZR_XVepPkmBd6xJT09izzn5zMBSjUkNydBgFYN2ORlSH7RllAQO8cQXlWIcPnMaA2OTGMXXUPaEUkVjiDw1HwELQ3ccb57i7KBrVvRC86LlIrzRSC7agDnH4cSvdio4njt3QmMmtv6cU7I5IftbJffM4QOzT2PwUgJiik/w640-h640/IMG_9368.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: xx-large;">That’s because yours truly will be providing some
pre-screening commentary at the Colonial for Stanley Donen’s </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: xx-large;">Two for the
Road </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: xx-large;">(1967). And you better believe I'm talking up Henry Mancini...and our upcoming Top 100 Henry Mancini Films on Digging Star Wars.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://thecolonialtheatre.com/films/classic-films/two-for-the-road-1967/" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> For
tickets and more info.</span></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span><p></p>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-2221233594345216332024-01-09T20:43:00.001-05:002024-01-09T20:43:30.388-05:00Digging Star Wars Mancini project on Lukas Kendall Blog<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKTRewZfJl7BFA6t3mF0p5yus1bphWnJ-kO8Wimona4P_k_R4AxPRRN43mLxynuI7WVCKFmJnUyn98yusk6zfsW1r8j9i1kIS8oKvsq2bkj0yv5uL4o2-Ss4FneRSSiAix6UFGX2W0wiaRe_kUGVSw_zKDA3bsp_GLmm-oi-9WSUUBt9QZk1iYPAhHas/s843/lukaskendallblog.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="843" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKTRewZfJl7BFA6t3mF0p5yus1bphWnJ-kO8Wimona4P_k_R4AxPRRN43mLxynuI7WVCKFmJnUyn98yusk6zfsW1r8j9i1kIS8oKvsq2bkj0yv5uL4o2-Ss4FneRSSiAix6UFGX2W0wiaRe_kUGVSw_zKDA3bsp_GLmm-oi-9WSUUBt9QZk1iYPAhHas/w640-h640/lukaskendallblog.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Today was a good day for Digging Star Wars and the Henry Mancini project I'm working on. A lot is happening behind the scenes and I'll share it over time. But today, I'm happy to announce our little blog got a nice little promotion on the blog of writer/filmmaker/producer Lukas Kendall. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lukas was kind enough to write <a href="https://www.lukaskendall.com/post/henry-mancini-blog-project" target="_blank">a blog entry</a> about our centenary project for Hank <i>and</i> help us with another wonderful project component, which I'll report on in a few weeks. Thanks so much, Lukas!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lukas also wrote and directed a killer sci-fi short called <i>Sky Fighter</i> (2019). Check it out below...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VTx-MA6BBbU?si=Q3WAbzzIsJQlRT6C" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can read <a href="https://boxd.it/5wHpuJ" target="_blank">my review of <i>Sky Fighter </i>(2019) on Letterboxd</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This connection to Lukas happened through my good friend and collaborator on many films, David P. Ramos. David has appeared in a number of Digging Star Wars blog entries including this<a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2020/10/dsw10-top-10-film-recommendations-from_28.html" target="_blank"> one from our blog's 10th Anniversary celebration</a>. Thanks, David!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-57389806638311424952024-01-01T09:26:00.003-05:002024-01-25T16:22:21.219-05:00 TOP 100 HENRY MANCINI FILMS: THE SYSTEM & HONORABLE MENTIONS<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt6_ysDYLfZgX-22EJOJZg0Ysum6buIj8BOhaozqUQi7vyubStFZpl5zRTPKQftE4VKpmHrNZKUkQhlLk2umWaYEfVrxcI5YwV2WwfxN1mwtLINegAUzZ2Vv9kBiPS_Kfq0avXHk5I55MKIhatV58S1eVHoXR6X87U2Rof1Y0me7Jp6tnBbhmc2SWdTk/s606/me%20on%20HM%20bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="606" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt6_ysDYLfZgX-22EJOJZg0Ysum6buIj8BOhaozqUQi7vyubStFZpl5zRTPKQftE4VKpmHrNZKUkQhlLk2umWaYEfVrxcI5YwV2WwfxN1mwtLINegAUzZ2Vv9kBiPS_Kfq0avXHk5I55MKIhatV58S1eVHoXR6X87U2Rof1Y0me7Jp6tnBbhmc2SWdTk/w640-h640/me%20on%20HM%20bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's me walking on the official Henry Mancini Bridge in West Aliquippa, PA. <br />Photo by Peter Mich.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>To celebrate the late, great film composer Henry Mancini’s centenary, Digging Star Wars will share the Top 100 Henry Mancini films in 10 x 10 fashion: in increments of ten films over the ten weeks leading up to Mancini’s birthday on April 16, 2024. On February 4, 2024, we begin with Films 100 to 91. Yes, we go last to first in David Letterman's Top 10 style. Did you know that Mancini wrote a song for the Letterman show? It’s true. Look.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4zm-6_gnmvc?si=hcPPKrJZfFuylD6r" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Learn more about Mr. Mancini by reading this short <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/12/henry-mancini-biography-by-chris-mich.html" target="_blank">Henry Mancini biography</a> written by yours truly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To complete this Top 100 list, I have (so far) screened and rated all but 11 films out of the 155 films Henry Mancini composed music for and devised a
system to rank all of Henry Mancini’s films. However, I wanted the Top 100 to
reflect what fans, scholars, film critics, industry experts, and I thought of each
film and how they stack up against each other. This is where “the system” comes
in.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">THE SYSTEM</span></b></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The system is designed to balance out what critics, fans (including me), academia, and the film/music industry think of various titles of Henry Mancini’s film titles – both theatrical releases and made-for-TV movies.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">A Few Things to Consider</span></b></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>I rank every film I see by giving the film a 1–5 star rating on the following: Director, Cast, Screenplay, Cinematography, Special Effects/Animation, Music, and Costumes. From those rankings, I average an overall rating between 1 to 5 stars. I came by method from a Movies Log Book designed in Middletown, DE, and published in May 2021.</div><div><br /></div><div><span>I</span>n April 2022, I completed a lengthy statistics paper on the films of Henry Mancini entitled <i>Crazy World: A Gender and Racial Study of the Films, Music, and Online Fandom of Henry Mancini. </i>The paper was never published but I mined a significant amount of industry and fandom data on all of Mancini’s filmography. 35 participants from four different online film groups completed a 50-question survey. Questions included “favorite Mancini movie”, “favorite soundtrack”, and “favorite song”.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since I started this project, I have purchased every Mancini soundtrack or compilation on Compact Disc or Vinyl Record in all my record stores, thrift stores, library sales, and yard sale travels. I purposely stayed away from just blanketly purchasing every soundtrack online for the thrill of the hunt. My physical copies shopping has yielded not only studio-issued soundtracks but also some funky covers. </div><div><br /></div><div>Screenings of the Mancini films took place online, via physical media and/or theatre venues.</div><div><br /></div><div>My movie club at work talks about a variety of movies. Mancini’s work has come up organically in conversation with other members of the club.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a streaming content world, the term “movie” has been redefined when it comes to distribution – and that is why I entertained made-for-TV or straight-to-video features of Henry Mancini. However, I did compensate for the lack of a theatrical release.</div><div><br /></div></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">So, how does it work?</span></b></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Each Mancini title receives a score which is the total sum of the following:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My 1–5-star individual overall rating as listed on Letterboxd</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>An extra point is I “liked” the title on Letterboxd</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Number of “favorite” votes received in my ‘Crazy World’ academic research</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Number of mentions in ‘Crazy World” paper based on academic and industry research</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Number of nominations/awards as listed on IMDB.com</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>IMDB film rating (1-10 stars)</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rotten Tomatoes Critics Rating (0-100)</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating (0-100)</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Letterboxd average rating (1-5 stars)</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 point for “Top Song” of the year on my SPOTIFY Wrapped </div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Number of times I’ve seen the film</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>10 points if the Mancini soundtrack is in my collection</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 point for each time a track of the Mancini film appears on a compilation album</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 point for each mention on the Digging Star Wars Blog and/or my work movie club</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 point for theatrical release or screening (TV-only screenings score a zero here)</div><div><br /></div></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">AN EXAMPLE </span></b></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Let’s take a film that didn’t make the TOP 100 to see how the scoring works in real life. Here are the results of <i>Ghost Dad</i> (1990) starring Bill Cosby and featuring a score by Henry Mancini. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My Letterboxd rating = 1</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Any “liked” point? No = 0</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fan research votes = 0</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Paper mentions = 2 </div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>IMDB.com nominations/awards = 3</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>IMDB film rating = 4.4</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rotten Tomatoes Critics Rating = 6</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating = 32</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Letterboxd average rating = 3</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>SPOTIFY Top Song? No = 0</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Number of my screenings = 1</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Own Soundtrack? No = 0</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Points for any compilation appearances? No = 0</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Blog and/or work movie club mentions = 1</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Theatrical release? Yes = 1</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>TOTAL SCORE = 53.4</div><div><br /></div><div>As you can see, the most impactful numbers come from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. This is the case for most films in the Top 100. My factors – my rating, academic research, Spotify/Blog/Movie Club points, Soundtrack possession, et cetera – help shift titles a few places. If <i>Ghost Dad</i> scored just 3.2 more points – it would have been our #100 film. But it didn’t and so it will not be listed in the Top 100.</div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">HONORABLE</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">MENTIONS</span></b></span></h1><div><br /></div><div>Here are some more films that didn’t make the Top 100 but I
really, really liked them for various reasons. By listing these 10, I also hope
to shed more light on the scoring and project…and give you a sneak peek at the
upcoming 10x10 format.</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">:</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> <i>Horizons West </i>(1952)</span></b></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bwiXHHUROEY?si=P8Sd_Ire3bOt3va5" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">The real trick to making a legit list is finding titles Mancini wrote anything for – from a simple cue to the theme song to the entire soundtrack. While I used IMDB and Letterboxd a great deal to discover wayward films from long ago, two books were invaluable in hunting down Mancini’s filmography. The first is his autobiography entitled “Did They Mention the Music?” – a great book co-written by Gene Lees. The second is "Henry Mancini….Reinventing Film Music" by John Caps. It’s due to Caps book that I knew Mancini wrote some cues, uncredited mind you, for <i>Horizons West</i> (1952).</p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">: </span></b><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><i>The Tattered Dress</i> (1957)</span></b></h2></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vw435A0lrdA?si=LmwXLdQh3HNtcRsN" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While most of the film has pretty bland writing and acting, the soundtrack to <i>The Tattered Dress</i> (1957) cooks. It should also be noted that the music credit in the opening titles lists Frank Skinner for music and Joseph Gershenson for Music Supervision. Skinner and Mancini both worked for Gershenson at Universal and often the music composers would go uncredited. Mancini loved his time at Universal and often referred to it as his “Graduate Studies” as he scored a wide variety of films both credited and uncredited (like this one) and learned a lot from each picture.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">:</span></b><b> <i>Sam Cade</i> (1972)</b></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YmovqmbBUNw?si=ZfGrTWHpmMv-eYBC&start=159" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When I started this project, I wanted to keep it to strictly theatrically-released Mancini films. But more and more, streaming movies of today seem to gain equal, if not more, clout than those in the theaters. I gave in to include Mancini TV movies. To avoid including individual TV series or mini-series for fear of NEVER being able to watch everything, I permitted made-for-TV movies that were two hours or under to be included. And I’m glad I did. Movies like <i>Sam Cade </i>(1972) are really fun to watch and have some enjoyable Mancini themes and soundtracks.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><br /></span></b></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">:</span></b><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> <i>The Land Unknown</i> (1957)</span></b></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ltNMWNjB8GE?si=heCPDQxj7ZdEvUW9&start=159" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You may be wondering, “What does any of this Mancini stuff have to do with<i> Star Wars</i>? After all, the blog is called Digging Star Wars.” To answer that, very little. But! There will be moments where a blatant<i> Star Wars </i>connection will be made. For now, all I can write about <i>The Land Unknown</i> (1957) from a <i>Star Wars </i>perspective is that this “land” is very Degobahian. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><br /></b></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">: </span></b><b><i>Man Afraid</i> (1957)</b></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SzpALAdR6Bk?si=zazVrO7oXfitFgFA&start=159" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Man Afraid</i> (1957) is an unnerving film noir that mixes religion, children, and stalkers. It also has a pretty bizarre finale. Just too weird not to mention.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">: </span></b><b><i>Justin Case</i> (1988)</b></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jYokgF_2whI?si=65ol5WWKkenKWREf&start=159" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Like <i>Sam Cade</i> (1972), this little ditty of a TV movie is just delightful. It’s like candy-flavored noir with George Carlin playing a murdered gumshoe turned angel.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">:</span></b><b> <i>Six Bridges to Cross</i> (1955)</b></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HxhdnswHGII?si=XtXV3lTocefx5CGR&start=159" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>It’s a major award! <i>Six Bridges to Cross</i> (1955) was an award our blog won in the 2023 Summer #classicfilmreading Challenge – hosted by the Out of the Past classic film blog. Its Mancini-written theme song – recorded by the incomparable Sammy Davis, Jr. - would be Mancini’s first “moderate” hit.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">:</span></b><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> <i>Son of the Pink Panther </i>(1993)</span></b></h2><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cWHwEJ8iALc?si=6Zdenspym_nA-KaQ&start=159" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Why do I include all the Pink Panther movies? I didn’t. Only the ones that were released in Henry Mancini’s lifetime. Each film is different and Mancini brought new cues, tunes, and takes on the classic theme each time. And <i>Son of the Pink Panther</i> (1993) may be my highest rated scored Pink Panther film because I found it very, very funny and playful. Most others on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes did not.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><br /></b></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">:</span></b><b> <i>Moment to Moment </i>(1966)</b></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OovkUwL1x8w?si=eS1qhwizV1U1hCpm&start=159" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">What a strange and wonderful movie! Also, a song that scored
my Spotify #1 listened-to song in my 2023 wrapped. I listened to this song 86
times in 2023. Just couldn’t get enough of it. Now, another Mancini film on the
list scored a previous year as my most listened-to song according to Spotify
Wrapped AND it did make the Top 100. It also eked out a notch up because of my
Spotify scoring – so, the system works.<o:p></o:p></p></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b><span style="color: #fcff01;">Honorable</span><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mention</span><span style="color: #04ff00;">:</span></b><b> In the Pink of the Night (1969)</b></span></h2><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y3FEZJz55T0?si=YaMyUdLlVIbusY4r&start=159" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>This is the only Pink Panther cartoon listed on Letterboxd which made it THE sample of the cartoon that I would include for Top 100 consideration. Sadly, Rotten Tomatoes had no data on this title (like many of the films that didn’t make our Top 100). But rules are rules. But this short is cute. You should check it out. It was also the very last film I watched in 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div>And that’s all our Honorable Mentions. Be sure to come back and visit our blog in early February as the countdown from the #100 Henry Mancini film to the surprising #1 begins with the first 10 x 10 installment: #100-91.</div></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-86446510037193739892023-12-27T08:52:00.001-05:002024-01-08T21:52:57.509-05:00HENRY MANCINI BIOGRAPHY by CHRIS MICH<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-M1j0hwPR4oLlOU-t1-mDKh8hyflW0vhYTMsAILoyRsgU8IjQ9_CLrsprisEaGnKxaSnUxrLPRHHjYk68qDfyD0R91717lNBoZ1Up0A-9eVQ-wo5uljYYmRSRX03ziyZ2mPtmnIl7igwybNPOXoFgXLHyrjTXmAuIuD9b7e5ziizqz77Px-CmMaUZfp8/s960/me%20by%20PA%20HM%20state%20sign.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-M1j0hwPR4oLlOU-t1-mDKh8hyflW0vhYTMsAILoyRsgU8IjQ9_CLrsprisEaGnKxaSnUxrLPRHHjYk68qDfyD0R91717lNBoZ1Up0A-9eVQ-wo5uljYYmRSRX03ziyZ2mPtmnIl7igwybNPOXoFgXLHyrjTXmAuIuD9b7e5ziizqz77Px-CmMaUZfp8/w640-h640/me%20by%20PA%20HM%20state%20sign.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">August 5, 2018 - That's me by the historical landmark sign for Henry Mancini's hometown.<br />Photo by Peter Mich.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Henry Mancini: Innovator</span></b></h2><p>With 18 Oscar nominations and 4 Oscar Awards, 72 Grammy nominations and 20 Grammy Awards, and 90 albums, film composer Henry Mancini achieved “national prominence” unlike any other film composer (Scheurer, 1996). John Williams is the only film composer who even comes close with his success in the <i>Star Wars</i> film series (Scheurer, 1996). Mancini is credited as “the vanguard of jazz film scorers” (Brown, 1994) who infused cool jazz into film music at a time when only classically trained musicians were invited to participate in film scoring and recording (Scheurer 1996; LaserLight Digital, 1991). Mancini also created hit songs with his soundtrack work and, in the process, “single-handedly changed the philosophy of film and TV music” and, more than any other person in film history, “Americanized film scoring” (LaserLight Digital, 1991; Deutsch, 2004).</p><p>Henry Mancini was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 16, 1924, and was raised in the blue-collar town of Aliquippa, PA. Having been taught the flute by his Italian-immigrant father, Mancini would be inspired to pursue life as a film composer when at the age of 9, he saw Cecil B. Demille’s <i>The Crusades</i> (1935) on the big screen at a Pittsburgh movie house (Deutsch, 2004). He was a rebellious youth, occasionally involved in town and school vandalism but always with a playful, humorous intent (Wietzer, 2017). He went to Juilliard School of Music but never finished, as he was drafted into World War II. </p><p>Post-war, he worked with the Glenn Miller/Tex Beneke orchestra as a pianist and arranger. It was there he met his future wife, Ginny O’Conner. In the early 1950s, he worked for Universal-International Studios, scoring over a hundred films and getting no screen credit for most of them due to the studio system/policies of the time (Deutsch, 2004). Universal demanded a lot of Mancini and he loved it – referring to his time at the studio as “graduate school” (Habib & McKuen, 1994). In 1958 he was jobless when he met Blake Edwards. Edwards asked if he would be interested in scoring a television crime drama called “<i>Peter Gunn</i>.” The partnership and experience launched both their careers into overdrive for decades. Mancini’s use of jazz added a “contemporary flavor” and resonated with audiences. The <i>Peter Gunn</i> soundtrack was nominated for an Emmy, became the first TV soundtrack to reach Number One on the Billboard Pop LP charts, sold over a million copies, and was voted Album of the Year by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (McGee 2018; Deutsch 2004).</p><p>Time and time again, Mancini’s work would be challenged by studio executives. In the 1950s executives preferred classically trained musicians in the studio to record soundtracks. Mancini actively recruited local California jazz musicians to create more pleasant, engaging film scores. He wanted the soundtracks to be “listenable” not just a “memento of the film” (Scheurer, 1996). Indeed, the title card that read “Music – Henry Mancini” was said to “heighten the anticipation of a moviegoer” and do “wonders for the box office” (Marill, 1973). His belief carried over into the recording of the soundtrack album when he reorchestrated cues to keep “the listening experience enjoyable” without the benefit of the film’s visual component (Habib & McKuen, 1994; Deutsch 2004).</p><p>Mancini was also known for promoting a score that consisted of ‘source music’ – that is, music that is logically generated by something in the film: a radio, a nightclub next door, a character singing, and so on. He first experimented with this in <i>Touch of Evil </i>(1958), continued with it in <i>Peter Gunn</i> (1958-1961), and worked with it a great deal in <i>Breakfast at Tiffany’s </i>(1961) and <i>Victor/Victoria</i> (1982) (Scheurer, 1996).</p><p>“In the end,” Scheurer (1996) writes, “Henry Mancini’s real legacy is probably his [movie] theme songs … including <i>Breakfast at Tiffany’s.</i>” For Blake Edwards’s <i>Breakfast at Tiffany’s</i>, Mancini wrote one of his most popular and beloved songs, “Moon River.” Ironically, a studio executive didn’t like the song and wanted it cut from the film. The film’s star, Audrey Hepburn, fought to keep it in. The song went on to garner Mancini his first of two Academy Awards. Mancini won a second Oscar for the film’s score (Darlington and Darlington, 2016; Habib and McKuen, 1994). The film’s soundtrack would also reach Number One on the 1962 Billboard Pop Album charts. The film, based on a book by Truman Capote, tells the urban adventures of Holly Golightly, a “wisp of a girl with childlike charm and an outsized sense of style” (Darlington and Darlington, 2016).</p><p>The only Oscars Mancini would receive would be on Blade Edwards productions. He won in 1963 for Best Song for the main theme of <i>Days of Wine and Roses</i> (1962). Mancini won his final Oscar for Best Score in 1983 for <i>Victor/Victoria</i> (1982). Victor/Victoria, a romp about a “down-on-her-luck English actress” surviving Depression-era Paris by performing in a “nightclub featuring transvestite entertainment” (Canby, 1982/2019), remained Mancini’s personal favorite achievement. “The picture that I did that put everything that I do together was, strangely enough, <i>Victor/Victoria</i>…it’s the one I’m the most proud of,” Mancini said in an interview with Royal S. Brown (1994).</p><p>In his later years, Mancini and his family would set up the Henry Mancini Institute to provide scholarships to professional young musicians and music education programs in Los Angeles area schools (Strad, 2007). Henry Mancini passed away on June 14, 1994. While Mancini’s 4 Oscars and 20 Grammys remain “the all-time record for a pop artist” (Deutsch, 2004), film enthusiasts and critics should not forget he “loved making music” (Habib & McKuen, 1994) and was always concerned “about the art of scoring and not just hit tunes” (Scheurer, 1993).</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">References</p><p>Brown, R.S. (1994). <i>Overtones and Undertones : Reading Film Music. </i>University of</p><p><span> </span>California Press.</p><p>Canby, V. (1982, March 19; 2019). Victor/Victoria. In Schoeder, W. (Ed.), <i>The New York Times:</i></p><p><i><span> </span>Book of movies – The essential 1,000 films to see.</i> (pp. 114-117). New York: Universe.</p><p>Darlington, T. & Darlington, A. (2016). <i>Movie night menus – Dinner and drink recipes inspired</i></p><p><i><span> </span>by films we love</i>. Philadelphia: Running Press.</p><p>Deutsch, D. (2004). [Liner notes]. In <i>Midnight, Moonlight & Magic – The best of henry mancini</i></p><p><span> </span>[Album; CD]. New York: BMG Music.</p><p>Habib, E. & McKuen, R. (1994, August). [Liner notes]. In <i>The rare mancini </i>[Album; CD]. </p><p><span> </span>Hollywood, CA: Stanyan Records.</p><p>LaserLight Digital. (1991). [Liner notes]. In <i>Great american legends: Henry mancini – Peter</i></p><p><i><span> </span>gunn</i> [Album; CD]. Los Angeles: Delta Music Inc.</p><p>Marill, A. H. (1973). [Liner notes]. In “<i>Music – Henry mancini</i>”. [Album; Vinyl].</p><p>McGee, K. (2018). Straight to baby: Scoring female jazz agency and new</p><p><span> </span>masculinity in henry mancini's peter gunn. In H.B. Pettey (Ed.), Cold war film genres (pp. 228-258).</p><p><span> </span>Edinburgh University Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/j.ctv7n0b1t.17</p><p>News: Henry mancini institute has closed. (2007). <i>Strad</i>,<i> 118,</i> 10-10.</p><p>Scheurer, T. E. (1996). Henry mancini: An appreciation and appraisal. Journal of Popular Film & <span> <span> </span></span></p><p><span></span><span> </span>Television, 24(1), 34. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.regent.edu/login? <span> </span></p><p><span> </span>url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/henry-mancini-appreciation-<span> <span> </span></span></p><p><span> </span>appraisal/docview/199384782/se-2?accountid=13479</p><p>Weitzel, J. & Himmel, L. (2019). <i>My friend, Henry mancini – Stories of growing up together.</i></p><p><span> </span>WestBow Press.</p><p><br /></p><p>We're not the only ones celebrating what would have been Hank's 100th birthday. CBS Sunday Morning briefly recaps Mancini's career, an upcoming special album and, believe it or not, the <i>Star Wars</i> connection. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TTmRZyfMqEA?si=kzC2-RqXvkEkHr1N" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-77155630040955683982023-12-11T22:33:00.004-05:002023-12-12T07:53:47.653-05:00PHIL MEETS THE MOVIES: TV CAST FLICKS - THE CAST OF THE 1970s RANKIN/BASS SANTA CLAUS TV SPECIALS<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlBEBeBY_CxTjS87kH9io9z73MERJmXOtc_uOJ0_jjcEmVRoPj1clhgO-dDMMNQe1aXHQU1UJSEYkTsalWYgcDDIMDV5nhungklObUT3_zfkX3UTCuPrEUTx29LaODLo8RtNvUEIvwsyCNff6ga_aORMaI-UUGmdlkwBbes9Zo8yG8JmKlB4PMBBvbB4/s1920/1%20a%20PMTM%20DSW%202024%20LOGO%20w%20border%20Page%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="1920" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlBEBeBY_CxTjS87kH9io9z73MERJmXOtc_uOJ0_jjcEmVRoPj1clhgO-dDMMNQe1aXHQU1UJSEYkTsalWYgcDDIMDV5nhungklObUT3_zfkX3UTCuPrEUTx29LaODLo8RtNvUEIvwsyCNff6ga_aORMaI-UUGmdlkwBbes9Zo8yG8JmKlB4PMBBvbB4/w640-h228/1%20a%20PMTM%20DSW%202024%20LOGO%20w%20border%20Page%201.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> Phil Meets The Movies on Digging Star Wars, gets the new year started early, by announcing our new theme for the upcoming year. Beginning now, with December, our new theme will be about famous, classic, TV cast members and one theatrical, motion picture, by each member on the list. I call this theme, Classic TV Cast Flicks. These lists will also be part of the PMTM Quick Lists. Quick Lists are strategically made film lists, that movie-buffs can complete, in short time periods. Quick Lists can be completed in a day, a couple of days, a weekend, one or two weeks, but no more than a month. They are recommended lists for movie-buffs, looking for something they haven't seen or experienced already. In the case of this month's Quick List, you can complete it in one week. Since it is December, what better way to get things started, but with a Christmas theme. When it comes to TV shows that best represent the holidays, the first thing, that comes to my mind, are the animated, stop-motion, Christmas TV specials, produced by Rankin/Bass. Those great animated specials about Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty, the Snow Man (regular animation style), the Snow Miser, the Heat Miser, the Little Drummer Boy and of course, Santa Claus himself.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8qZQjcNadf8EWkFlgX0wRectN7swxWf7MGu1nJvjhyphenhyphend1bVFdWA929pCDdN8_atqwRITsks4AYxuGRVKqsF4-AQ9q_dhlFkFkpub1c5tEplBj_ge9umYvRaRRjJM5IX0clpXFHXx3eTkwfffSPqMhlhjb5PT0MGFdpHhLHXm8QnMJxF7Ju_7-iS_pVe0/s1920/1%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%202024%20Open%20Page%20CTVCF%20Santa%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8qZQjcNadf8EWkFlgX0wRectN7swxWf7MGu1nJvjhyphenhyphend1bVFdWA929pCDdN8_atqwRITsks4AYxuGRVKqsF4-AQ9q_dhlFkFkpub1c5tEplBj_ge9umYvRaRRjJM5IX0clpXFHXx3eTkwfffSPqMhlhjb5PT0MGFdpHhLHXm8QnMJxF7Ju_7-iS_pVe0/w640-h360/1%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%202024%20Open%20Page%20CTVCF%20Santa%201.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span>All of these shows were produced by the stop motion, animation studio known as, Rankin/Bass Productions. Rankin/Bass produced the <i>Rudolph, Frosty, </i>and <i>Drummer Boy </i>TV specials in the 1960s, but interestingly enough, Santa had to wait until the 1970s, for his specials to be made. Rankin/Bass released the first Santa, TV special entitled, <i>Santa Claus is Comin' to Town </i>(1970), which had a sequel called, <i>The Year Without a Santa Claus </i>(1974). This month, we will celebrate the theatrical, motion picture careers, of the voice-cast members, from these two Christmas specials. This ended up being a fun project to take on. As I worked my way through this list of films, I realized there were many connections between the films, the actors, and even connections to Star Wars. There is even a Film366 movie on this list too. Since the Rankin/Bass specials are all animation shows, this edition of Classic TV Cast Flicks, obviously will be using a cast of voice actors and not live-action actors. However, we wanted to cover the live-action acting careers of these voice actors, who are in these two animated Christmas shows. There are seven films on the list and we will be working our way through them, in order of the release date.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/list/quick-list-classic-tv-cast-flicks-the-best/detail/" target="_blank">Quick List: Classic TV Cast Flicks: Movies From the Voice-Cast of Santa Claus is Comin' To Town (1970) and A Year Without a Santa Claus (1974), on Letterboxd</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quick List: Classic TV Cast Flicks - The Cast of the 1970s, Rankin/Bass, Santa Claus TV Specials</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAf2uxi2lFy3sX_t5qIcNDVbHMmWMYJmtNEhrask3x-1Dz8UhHBfAdGjBU7OpxEzl6LOKb-2EkPhhDqtY-8IeImBGUbTF8ZV2iVzX8Ac5wTt4JtGdSgCblDJPlS4NXY-W4XaENToJ9xhxThDkHyT7dZ5vwJbzeXXtuZvH-ozrWAJnUdhi4HVhLqBWkCEU/s1920/2%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Dec%2023%20Cast%20List%20CTVCF%20Santa%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="1920" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAf2uxi2lFy3sX_t5qIcNDVbHMmWMYJmtNEhrask3x-1Dz8UhHBfAdGjBU7OpxEzl6LOKb-2EkPhhDqtY-8IeImBGUbTF8ZV2iVzX8Ac5wTt4JtGdSgCblDJPlS4NXY-W4XaENToJ9xhxThDkHyT7dZ5vwJbzeXXtuZvH-ozrWAJnUdhi4HVhLqBWkCEU/w640-h226/2%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Dec%2023%20Cast%20List%20CTVCF%20Santa%202.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span> </span>Mickey Rooney, as the voice of Santa, is the only voice-cast member who is in both specials. There is no Mrs. Claus in <i>Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town </i>(1970), however, he does marry her near the end of the story. We will give out an honorable mention to voice-actress Robie Lester, who voices Miss Jessica, the character, who eventually weds Mickey Rooney's Santa, in S<i>anta Claus Is Comin' to Town</i> (1970). In fact, most of the voice actors in these shows were not actors. They only worked in voice-acting. Mrs. Claus has a huge role in <i>The Year Without a Santa Claus</i> (1974) and is voiced, by Oscar-winning actress, Shirley Booth. The second Santa special actually focuses the plot more around Mrs. Claus and makes her the main star of the story. Probably, the most popular actor on the list is Fred Astaire. He is the narrator, Special Delivery Kluger, in <i>Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town</i> (1970). I mean, who do you think gets to sing the "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" song? Our two antagonists from <i>Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town</i> (1970), are the annoying Burgermeister, voiced by actor Paul Frees, and the evil Wynter Warlock, voiced by actor Keenan Wynn. To round out the seven films on our list, are the two antagonists from <i>The Year Without a Santa Claus </i>(1974). These two characters are almost the most famous characters, from the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. Of course, I am talking about the Heat Miser and his brother, the Snow Miser. The always-entertaining Dick Shawn voices the Snow Miser, while actor George S. Irving voices the Heat Miser.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirseR49jddKTxgdxh5-1tzcQKE5RlbVHTAvliMru3ob_YzPiD00DFO5S6gP23_m4-XYYSR24aQEX3LcE7v-zyDXVdHk0EJS8hIzkLXwHAWQvXz8I1L9pV9FfIFrUBltqzgyL2vtmIPX3pFCqc2R-xKOlw9d7ekM8rdwEhsKvsjOjx6StnM9dUCa6lfiJ0/s1920/3%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20National%20Velvet%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirseR49jddKTxgdxh5-1tzcQKE5RlbVHTAvliMru3ob_YzPiD00DFO5S6gP23_m4-XYYSR24aQEX3LcE7v-zyDXVdHk0EJS8hIzkLXwHAWQvXz8I1L9pV9FfIFrUBltqzgyL2vtmIPX3pFCqc2R-xKOlw9d7ekM8rdwEhsKvsjOjx6StnM9dUCa6lfiJ0/w640-h360/3%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20National%20Velvet%203.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C-rS6TZquas?si=4ezuNDe5LQAqmgVB" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span> </span>We have to start with Santa Claus, since he is the star of the show and this means beginning our list with one of Mickey Rooney's earlier films. But, going with one of his earlier films, works together with the Santa specials, considering S<i>anta Claus Is Comin' to Town</i> (1970), is the story of how Santa became Santa. The show begins with Kris Kringle as a baby and explains his life story, up to when he marries Mrs, Claus. You see Kris Kringle as a young man, learning about the life he is going to lead and then, accomplishing those goals, one at a time. <i>Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town</i> (1970), has an interesting parallel to our first film on the list, considering the story of the young man, portrayed by Mickey Rooney in the film, who also grows from a kid into a more mature man, who accomplishes his goals. He too, is somewhat being adopted into the main character's family. Rooney plays Mi Taylor, a disgruntled, ex-horse jockey, in the classic, equestrian drama, <i>National Velvet</i> (1944). Still a young, angry man, Mi manages to befriend the family of a young girl, named Velvet (Elizabeth Taylor). It helps the situation for Mi, that the Brown family needs help around the farm and that, he is very experienced with horses. Velvet is a horse-lover, who dreams of racing her new, wild horse, the Pie, in the Grand National. This is how Mi comes into the story and Velvet's life. The filmmakers at Rankin/Bass patterned the faces of their Christmas characters on the voice actors, who voiced each character. So, it is interesting to watch Rooney in <i>National Velvet</i> (1944), especially since he has brown, reddish hair in the film, just like young Kris Kringle. It is even more interesting, since all of us today remember the older Mickey Rooney, that he does look like an older Santa in both specials.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/national-velvet/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of the <i>National Velvet</i> (1944), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><b style="color: red;">PMTM Grade: B (8.2) = 4 Stars Letterboxd / 8 IMDB</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOAdfIo_dA95uGwhNMYPwJRkycgpgqxjA_SEpjj3OioXqkBrZSQSEf3pC6JnQ6dcJxJ5K2tI2HrTjLGPrhPKgxCgVPsOm0q2KhV3VUE5ny-RL4mvi0X21dNz2LYaV7SOZSP15VW6lmU33u8zskZWfuf6VjskBJ-yvfMCB8J47veVTfsuf6A4uU-aCmfs/s1920/4%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Place%20in%20the%20Sun%204.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOAdfIo_dA95uGwhNMYPwJRkycgpgqxjA_SEpjj3OioXqkBrZSQSEf3pC6JnQ6dcJxJ5K2tI2HrTjLGPrhPKgxCgVPsOm0q2KhV3VUE5ny-RL4mvi0X21dNz2LYaV7SOZSP15VW6lmU33u8zskZWfuf6VjskBJ-yvfMCB8J47veVTfsuf6A4uU-aCmfs/w640-h360/4%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Title%20Place%20in%20the%20Sun%204.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oM2se8-FFWg?si=-o_G43MUUV5KCJGu" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span> </span>We move seven years into the future and before we get to Paul Frees, we need to mention the two, carry-over actresses from<i> National Velvet </i>(1944), who also appear in our second film on the list. In George Stevens's classic thriller-drama, <i>A Place in the Sun</i> (1951), Elizabeth Taylor returns as Angela Vickers. She is a young woman, who falls in love with the wrong man. He is another young man, just beginning his life as an adult, trying to figure out his career and starting new relationships at the bathing suit factory, that his rich uncle owns. It almost sounds like the same path that Kris Kringle and Mi Taylor take in their lives. There is one problem though. George Eastman (Montgomery Clift) becomes a troubled young man, as he continuously makes stupid decisions, that eventually lead to tragic, shocking results. The other actress to note here is the woman who plays George's mother, Hannah Eastman (Anne Revere). Anne Revere also was the actress, who played the mother of Elizabeth Taylor's Velvet, in National Velvet (1944). It was such a good performance, that it earned Revere the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as Mrs. Brown. He was speaking of the Oscars. <i>A Place in the Sun</i> (1951), would go on to win six Oscars, including Best Director for George Stevens. Paul Frees was most famous for his voice-acting work, which included the voice of Boris Badenov from Rocky and Bullwinkle. However, he did do some small, live-action, character-acting work, in films like <i>Hunt the Man Down </i>(1950), <i>The Thing From Another World </i>(1951), and this film. Paul Frees is in the most important moments in <i>A Place in the Sun </i>(1951). His Reverend Morrisone is the complete opposite of the nasty Burgermeister Meisterburger in <i>Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town </i>(1970), even though they both deal with jails. Morrisone also is the character, that prepares George Eastman for his fate, in <i>A Place in the Sun</i> (1951). It is a small, but pivotal, role in the film.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/a-place-in-the-sun/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of <i>A Place in the Sun</i> (1951), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: B+ (8.6) = 4 Stars Letterboxd / 8 IMDB</b></span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: red; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ePIex48_N9Ub6MSPRH-w_mC4la4VpLchJ7FPpQaX0JyQFZi08Nafm7KSe7D5oxYybF84DfW65p1gThgtWGr8PZBWrCLHjOm1N0L3OeDLunU-pUK0EMhIYHhYA3SkvD8xdl_7jNF263PQVIDvi4R85_Gfs-QMHby5QN1qYSNv5Glg7tJ6gavufui8h4A/s1920/5%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Little%20Sheba%205.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ePIex48_N9Ub6MSPRH-w_mC4la4VpLchJ7FPpQaX0JyQFZi08Nafm7KSe7D5oxYybF84DfW65p1gThgtWGr8PZBWrCLHjOm1N0L3OeDLunU-pUK0EMhIYHhYA3SkvD8xdl_7jNF263PQVIDvi4R85_Gfs-QMHby5QN1qYSNv5Glg7tJ6gavufui8h4A/w640-h360/5%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Little%20Sheba%205.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qT6Yi2DHFII?si=nw_9h9mbV-N9qfko" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span>Next, before moving on to the rest of the cast list, we must talk about Mrs. Claus. As mentioned before, Mrs. Claus makes her biggest appearance in the second TV special, a Year Without a Santa Claus (1974). Oscar-winning actress, Shirley Booth, was cast as the voice of Mrs. Claus. The animators at Rankin/Bass also modeled the face of Mrs. Claus, from the face of Shirley Booth. It makes the experience of watching <i>The Year Without a Santa Claus</i> (1974), along with <i>Come Back, Little Sheba</i> (1952), even more entertaining, because both characters, have to take care of their sick husbands. The reason Mrs. Claus is the main focus of <i>The Year Without a Santa Claus</i> (1974), is because Santa has a cold this year. In <i>Come Back, Little Sheba </i>(1952), Bloom's Lola Delaney, has to care for her husband, Doc (Burt Lancaster), while he struggles with his affliction. It is an interesting contrast between Santa's cold and Doc's affliction, however, Doc's situation is a sickness of a much more mature, serious nature. Doc is a recovering alcoholic, who has been clean for a year now. Also, music composer, Franz Waxman, who composed our previous film, <i>A Place in the Sun</i> (1951), was the film composer for this film too. The music works with the thrills, with Waxman using tense tunes, jacking up the dramatic thrills that both films possess. The famous, classic costume designer, Edith Head, also worked on both of these films. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/come-back-little-sheba/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of<i> Come Back, Little Sheba</i> (1952), on Letterboxd</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: C+ (7.6) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: red; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkcl7RZ8KnurTBs0qJiOYksonw-BZe_2DmZ8nfkPsh8fcufCNQZ_fW-cbxXEn0LTJCG934wkQaTOd1J04Ozn52-LSgZQMJq-JcNCxFu1TAB9PHfbwQTuQynV4ofrOvM26YJASt8LZKwXjqC14Gg5bnUVG57DMiWCXBPAYR9XQzRBBMxBXGF9YgiUFJyI/s1920/6%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20On%20the%20Beach%206.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkcl7RZ8KnurTBs0qJiOYksonw-BZe_2DmZ8nfkPsh8fcufCNQZ_fW-cbxXEn0LTJCG934wkQaTOd1J04Ozn52-LSgZQMJq-JcNCxFu1TAB9PHfbwQTuQynV4ofrOvM26YJASt8LZKwXjqC14Gg5bnUVG57DMiWCXBPAYR9XQzRBBMxBXGF9YgiUFJyI/w640-h360/6%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20On%20the%20Beach%206.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1DMbRm7HAQw?si=e4Smu1uJWKlzuEEL" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span> </span>Fred Astaire is the next voice actor from our Classic TV Cast Flicks list. His turn as Julian Osborn, in Stanley Kramer’s science-fiction, anti-opus, <i>On the Beach</i> (1959), has an interesting parallel with <i>Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace</i> (1999). In that film, Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), is trying to win his freedom and a new life for his mother, by entering himself into a Pod race. In the film <i>On the Beach </i>(1959), Astaire's Osborn, who, along with the rest of the remaining inhabitants of post-atomic Australia, has to accept the fates ahead of him, but like everyone else, he refuses to stop living. He is a scientist, who becomes a race-car enthusiast and enters himself, into the biggest car race, still being held, in this post-apocalyptic, safe zone, called Australia. It is an alternate-Earth concept, that takes place in the future. That future, only five years into the future, but in this case, is 1964. This film has a big-budget feel all over it, but it is one of those science-fiction films that utilizes the idea of science-fiction but doesn't use a single special effect. The idea of science-fiction is expressed by using a good story, strategically placed shots, futuristic-looking set-pieces, and appealing art direction. As we mentioned before, Fred Astaire is the most famous name on our Quick List. I'm sure everyone knows a little bit about his dancing career and all the musicals he did, during that span, so I kept my distance from that aspect of his career, when I chose <i>On the Beach </i>(1959), for this entry. Think about his younger, dancing days, when you view <i>Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town </i>(1970) because Rankin/Bass captures him perfectly as Special Delivery (S.D.) Kluger. </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/on-the-beach/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of <i>On the Beach</i> (1959), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: C (6.9) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB</b></span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYX5vdIjNTqXCemYQXb27RHJj9VzfUxJXsv2UU13pLOZiKeTZx75S0vqAw152TF7n46f-yymnyG1ZnGlMNo6chgw6vcm2YNYVbQowaDEZPN7GdQnxX_yAUssHiUdzd-_Fq5iYM7vJXp6X4hvgsLzCa1OCf-73Ix64oZZCryhhd_rmAfZtOsFuOAJAYu64/s1920/7%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Strangelove%207.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYX5vdIjNTqXCemYQXb27RHJj9VzfUxJXsv2UU13pLOZiKeTZx75S0vqAw152TF7n46f-yymnyG1ZnGlMNo6chgw6vcm2YNYVbQowaDEZPN7GdQnxX_yAUssHiUdzd-_Fq5iYM7vJXp6X4hvgsLzCa1OCf-73Ix64oZZCryhhd_rmAfZtOsFuOAJAYu64/w640-h360/7%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Strangelove%207.png" width="640" /></a></div><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jPU1AYTxwg4?si=ZJ0YjmPIpADhYURs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span> </span>Our next film on the list could be coupled with our last film, <i>On the Beach </i>(1959), as a more humorous prequel film, of sorts. It is especially an interesting prospect, considering <i>Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb </i>(1964), was released in 1964, which was the year On the Beach (1959), mostly takes place in. This Stanley Kubrick classic also is one of our films from our Film366 film list. It is a pick we use in October, for the actor George C. Scott's birthday. Scott, along with a great cast, helps catapult <i>Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb </i>(1964), into film history. The connections to Star Wars begin to surge here too. This film co-stars a very young James Earl Jones. If you aren't sure who James Earl Jones is, why are you reading this? The future voice of the Lord of the Sith plays a technician on an American bomber. A plane, which is responsible for the fate, that happens at the end of this satirized, dark-comedy, commentary, on the military and Cold War hysterics. Since the bomber is flying near the Arctic, the snow-covered mountains, seen outside the bomber windows, remind us of the dark snowy lair of the Wynter Warlock, from Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970). Voiced by actor Keenan Wynn, who was cast as Colonel 'Bat' Guano in <i>Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb</i> (1964), Wynter Warlock proves to be a test, for the young Kris Kringle. It is a test that mirrors the test, that Wynn's Guano has to face, because of his undying loyalty to his country. Can he trust Peter Seller's British officer, Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, or not? I also noticed a taste of<i> The Empire Strikes Back</i> (1980), as I peered through the bomber's windows at the snow peaks, reminiscent of the ice-planet of Hoth.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/dr-strangelove-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-bomb/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of <i>Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb</i> (1964)on Letterboxd</a></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: B (8.3) = 4 Stars Letterboxd / 8 IMDB</b></span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4sGWKcsXx2H3dfkHc-ngx9vSZDOe2FNKlw1cAXq4VMX3IqfvkedZDgk_xnyjxF-1gIFZgjrzyCdFJNuS0L6bBtlv8yrfilXQdvIhEOXlsIz-mwbcSii3DijbNnCuRS4_YoiekojQvnhUSPnVn_OlQi0Y02730K4626luYa6a_AlDRto_QSgsvfteHyU/s1920/8%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Producers%208.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4sGWKcsXx2H3dfkHc-ngx9vSZDOe2FNKlw1cAXq4VMX3IqfvkedZDgk_xnyjxF-1gIFZgjrzyCdFJNuS0L6bBtlv8yrfilXQdvIhEOXlsIz-mwbcSii3DijbNnCuRS4_YoiekojQvnhUSPnVn_OlQi0Y02730K4626luYa6a_AlDRto_QSgsvfteHyU/w640-h360/8%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Producers%208.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lt19Wna_sG4?si=fWwJQ12-6e3RYeBR" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span>Most of you know Dick Shawn as Ethel Merman's, beatnik son, Sylvester, in another Stanley Kramer classic, <i>It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World</i> (1963).<i> It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World</i> (1963), can be a bonus film, that you should watch along with the seven films on our Classic TV Cast Ficks list. Especially, since the film, also has Mickey Rooney, music composed by Ernest Gold (<i>On the Beach</i> - 1959), Kramer, and Dick Shawn. However, for this list, we wanted to concentrate on a role for Dick Shawn, that was slightly bigger than his role in<i> It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World</i> (1963). In Mel Brook's comedy classic, <i>The Producers</i> (1967), Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, hatch a scheme, involving the production of the worst theater play in history. A scheme that backfires, because Dick Shawn's, (L.S.D.) Lorenzo St. DuBois' performance, ends up being a hit with the new, rebellious, late-1960s audience. It is a mirrored contrast to his icy, stop-animated, kid-friendly form, of the dancing, spinning, sniveling Snow Miser, in <i>The Year Without a Santa Claus</i> (1974). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/the-producers/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of <i>The Producers</i> (1967), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: B- (7.8) = 4 Stars Letterboxd / 8 IMDB</b></span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRHmcH_JVspQ5DJzIymK92ISO28aftnKgeMzBF3ZteE3ctIrhxDwioczu0ejz9YYUnFwqVZ4pVP7r1ZMKP8Z6OMI2EKNbGGG9HRceXX1A_TkuMqM8L97kDFRUcP7Jb2yuA_-CJH6gk77c2Z9U_v4CA_98TVBMhLZ7CHDq4bnihftrBbhSJPgEjmtIvmg/s1920/9%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Deadly%20Hero%209.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRHmcH_JVspQ5DJzIymK92ISO28aftnKgeMzBF3ZteE3ctIrhxDwioczu0ejz9YYUnFwqVZ4pVP7r1ZMKP8Z6OMI2EKNbGGG9HRceXX1A_TkuMqM8L97kDFRUcP7Jb2yuA_-CJH6gk77c2Z9U_v4CA_98TVBMhLZ7CHDq4bnihftrBbhSJPgEjmtIvmg/w640-h360/9%20PMTM%20NEW%20LOGO%20border%20DSW24%20Deadly%20Hero%209.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VUkKBgzrFjk?si=FiF0yp-SoZ0A8bqi" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> </span>As mentioned before, Dick Shawn's Snow Miser, from <i>The Year Without a Santa Claus</i> (1974), has a twin brother named the Heat Miser, voiced by veteran character actor and voice talent, George S. Irving. Irving, like Paul Frees, was more notable for his voice-over work. He is the voice of the narrator, from the popular <i>Underdog </i>(1964-1973), an animated TV series. However, Irving did do many live-action performances, during his lengthy career. The threads between all the films in our Classic TV Cast Flicks list are abundant in our final film on the list. From <i>The Producers </i>(1967), Zero Mostel's son, Josh Mostel, has a cameo in our seventh film on the list, the crime-drama, <i>Deadly Hero</i> (1975). It was very entertaining watching <i>Deadly Hero</i> (1975), which has George S. Irving, as a man, running for the mayorship of New York City, coupled with, watching <i>The Year Without a Santa Claus</i> (1974), because Rankin/Bass paid so much attention to, capturing the faces of the voice-actors, onto their stop-motion counterparts. In<i> Deadly Hero</i> (1975), hearing Irving's voice was precious in a humorous way, because it felt like the Heat Miser was running for Mayor of NYC. On top of all of this, just two years before the release of <i>Star Wars</i> (1977), the voice of the evil Sith Lord himself, James Earl Jones, returns in <i>Deadly Hero</i> (1975), as Rabbit Shazam, a crook, who takes his unscrupulous profession too far, with disastrous results. The film is rated R for language and violence, but nothing extreme. It enhances Jones' performance, knowing he eventually becomes Darth Vader. The main plot of<i> Deadly Hero</i> (1975) revolves around a police officer (Don Murray), who becomes unhinged, as he begins to terrorize the only witness, who can prove he's lost it. This thread also creates an interesting parallel between <i>Deadly Hero</i> (1975) and Sterling Hayden's, unhinged, Brigadier General, Jack D. Ripper in, <i>Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb</i> (1964).<i> Deadly Hero</i> (1975) gets off to a great start but begins to crash and burn, near the end of the film. So, to help compensate for that, try and hum the Heat Miser theme song, in your head, while George S. Irving is on the screen. You'll be glad you did it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/deadly-hero/" target="_blank">Phil's Full Review of Deadly Hero (1975), on Letterboxd</a></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>PMTM Grade: D (5.9) = 3 Stars Letterboxd / 6 IMDB</b></span></div><div><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: red; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMOC21mRZdsRAcScbviU40u8IZtc0U1InhKLFywLawXJsv02LfeU4Fr2ruX_LTuBfaYtwxaw9rq9ZO3VPm30dXTzz_5Do_OGHAdXdLEltFEb0HnU8s1NZoDDzU585XY_fNGLXSmsFIQQwjLjTyOoO81wgDJ_Crxdus7aW6ENt3kluDtjNcrDdLRSu-a4/s1915/10%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Logo%20Final%20Clean%20-%20THE%20END%2010.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="1915" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMOC21mRZdsRAcScbviU40u8IZtc0U1InhKLFywLawXJsv02LfeU4Fr2ruX_LTuBfaYtwxaw9rq9ZO3VPm30dXTzz_5Do_OGHAdXdLEltFEb0HnU8s1NZoDDzU585XY_fNGLXSmsFIQQwjLjTyOoO81wgDJ_Crxdus7aW6ENt3kluDtjNcrDdLRSu-a4/w640-h146/10%20Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Logo%20Final%20Clean%20-%20THE%20END%2010.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span>As I mentioned earlier in this article, if you can, add the bonus film, <i>It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World</i> (1963), to your viewing list, with the seven main films on our Classic TV Cast Flicks list. I would also recommend viewing <i>The Thing From Another World </i>(1951), for an extra dose of Paul Frees. This was a fun Quick List to do, during the holiday season. Phil Meets The Movies on Digging Star Wars will be back in 2024, with another Quick List, featuring another cast, from Classic TV Cast Flicks and some more great cinema chat. As always, enjoy the movies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #01ffff;">About the Author</span></div><div><span style="color: #01ffff;">Phil Congleton is a lifelong film buff, who worked in television for 30 years and produced a few, small independent films in the 1990s. He is the co-creator of Film366 with Chris Mich and the curator of Phil Meets the Movies. Now retired, Phil commits his time to promoting the movies and the art of film. You can read more about Phil's film reviews on<a href="https://letterboxd.com/PCC0921/stats/" target="_blank"> Letterboxd</a>.</span></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-67053253903965169612023-10-31T21:18:00.003-04:002023-10-31T21:43:28.634-04:00Digging Star Wars SPOTIFY Playlist<p style="text-align: center;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeoo27jGCdm05x0wZW1CnaptFL_tvgm0UsksjweHoRf9RO2MlYSxA8faz1yNDT5xYsYkZN-CsUaO8iXqsAAs9HPhC06UfjJ9QGwdmCtbLuA3Yx__ZrDI4tFhueyKr_kxe-9HOTN7EMayY6lanMRqeAZ19Eqx9tf88d3sv-K1u9qvuhS2b2Hw5_83uFpQ/s528/Screenshot%202023-10-31%20212106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="528" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijeoo27jGCdm05x0wZW1CnaptFL_tvgm0UsksjweHoRf9RO2MlYSxA8faz1yNDT5xYsYkZN-CsUaO8iXqsAAs9HPhC06UfjJ9QGwdmCtbLuA3Yx__ZrDI4tFhueyKr_kxe-9HOTN7EMayY6lanMRqeAZ19Eqx9tf88d3sv-K1u9qvuhS2b2Hw5_83uFpQ/w640-h640/Screenshot%202023-10-31%20212106.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">For Halloween, my son convinced me to dress up as </div><div style="text-align: center;">"Old Deckard" from <i>Blade Runner 2049</i> (2017).</div><div style="text-align: center;">I look more like the neighborhood old man saying, </div><div style="text-align: center;">"Get off my lawn!". Ha!</div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Happy 13th Birthday to Digging Star Wars blog! To celebrate, we've compiled songs from most of the soundtracks of the films covered on our blog so far. It's our treat for you this Halloween - no tricks!</p><p><br /></p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2nEIIyxObV2q2vOYBBOGSz?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-76875087854605542102023-09-26T21:37:00.002-04:002023-09-26T22:11:00.574-04:00Six Bridges to Cross (1955) and the award-winning Digging Star Wars blog<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZjlv--wZ1ZKVWZ1Rivt-_kq5BS_VLygxGV7NVj6A56QLjN_dugNojDrDgGxfhtveWPqf82M8P0nuzko56sfUlKou0GSw7iE6QQmhZUph9A3Dd7vxwiEnoj8TbtqiB-wsNDwhPfFUVrMyrVWnBwpeV4-oZiH1oMfVvFlvPB8YqJvMEuHIfbmQN_uLc1A/s2518/IMG_E8884.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2518" data-original-width="2518" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZjlv--wZ1ZKVWZ1Rivt-_kq5BS_VLygxGV7NVj6A56QLjN_dugNojDrDgGxfhtveWPqf82M8P0nuzko56sfUlKou0GSw7iE6QQmhZUph9A3Dd7vxwiEnoj8TbtqiB-wsNDwhPfFUVrMyrVWnBwpeV4-oZiH1oMfVvFlvPB8YqJvMEuHIfbmQN_uLc1A/w640-h640/IMG_E8884.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by award-winning blogger Chris Mich</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">September was a brutal month for me. But, in all the challenges, I received a ray of sunshine from <a href="https://www.outofthepastblog.com/" target="_blank">Out of the Past</a> blogger Raquel Stecher. I won her blog’s 2023 Summer Classic Film Reading Challenge. Those six book reviews you saw posted on Digging Star Wars this past summer earned one of six winning spots on her summertime cinematic podium. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcYmAArlg_e7o-5GYmgviTPH_N_t7p_fE3BEKTyet5sV9_jvDdu3WQWj1NYXVRBlMYDnqTbW8WmjU7cwam8821IJ18Yp_v2PabvwKbTzLyiBBXXjm3HSKxMPtEXHFvBQeD6dkwHvB8nwp9qmF5XpirsGoP9t24gRIQYCbVnGtVevpiZVJYrp1HkhnVgg/s750/IMG_E8839.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcYmAArlg_e7o-5GYmgviTPH_N_t7p_fE3BEKTyet5sV9_jvDdu3WQWj1NYXVRBlMYDnqTbW8WmjU7cwam8821IJ18Yp_v2PabvwKbTzLyiBBXXjm3HSKxMPtEXHFvBQeD6dkwHvB8nwp9qmF5XpirsGoP9t24gRIQYCbVnGtVevpiZVJYrp1HkhnVgg/w640-h640/IMG_E8839.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50Xk4xbswDIb1kXsaLVf5zkLE35LiW_4jhmCnM3QckHANpzrpK1Rs5L_mZ9ELL_mI4pY_MZbr19cPrVf6R-9Q9cJmgyjxDSKQ9-37e6m6QBbJUY4ZA12xa--W4V9pc2zbpr3Hg7JNxT1IfkBtRZfueWBB494b7LtESdpTdIEKcsII3LRf1anEm39DLAo/s750/IMG_E8838_cropped.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="750" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50Xk4xbswDIb1kXsaLVf5zkLE35LiW_4jhmCnM3QckHANpzrpK1Rs5L_mZ9ELL_mI4pY_MZbr19cPrVf6R-9Q9cJmgyjxDSKQ9-37e6m6QBbJUY4ZA12xa--W4V9pc2zbpr3Hg7JNxT1IfkBtRZfueWBB494b7LtESdpTdIEKcsII3LRf1anEm39DLAo/w640-h526/IMG_E8838_cropped.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raquel's write-up of participants and winners on her blog, <a href="https://www.outofthepastblog.com/" target="_blank">Out of the Past</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What did I win? My choice of a Blu-Ray or DVD from Kino Lorber. </div><p>What did I choose? <b>Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema IV</b>. More specifically, I chose the box set since it had<i> <b>Six Bridges to Cross</b></i><b> (1955)</b> – directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Tony Curtis (<i>Some Like It Hot</i>), Julie Adams (<i>Creature from the Black Lagoon</i>) and George Nader (<i>Man Afraid</i>). </p><p>Why is <i>Six Bridges to Cross</i> so important? It was a “need to see” on my Henry Mancini list. Mancini wrote the opening theme song of <i>Six Bridges</i> that’s sung by none other than Sammy Davis Jr.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5GjLmbVEcPE1cek4LQ4JeJ?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe></p><p>Having screened<i> Six Bridges to Cross </i>with my good friend and fellow Digging Star Wars writer Phil Congleton, I’ve seen 133 out of 162 films Henry Mancini has scored. Only 29 to go! </p><p>You can read <a href="https://boxd.it/4TOO9J">my 3-star review of <i>Six Bridges to Cross </i>on Letterboxd</a>. </p><p>Winning this contest really means a lot to me. This is the second year Digging Star Wars has participated in the Out of the Past Summer Reading Challenge. It’s a great deal of fun finding unique classic film books, reading them, and posting reviews here on the blog. Raquel does an excellent job encouraging participants. She visits their blogs and leaves comments. She highlights review excerpts from participating bloggers on her own social media platforms and blog. It’s a lot of fun. Thanks, Raquel.</p><p>Moreover, I really needed something to smile about during a really difficult month.</p><p>If you like to read any of the Digging Star Wars entries that won the 2023 Summer Reading Challenge, click on one of the links below:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/06/book-review-american-silent-film-by.html" target="_blank">BOOK REVIEW BY CHRIS MICH: AMERICAN SILENT FILM BY WILLIAM K. EVERSON</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/06/book-review-citizen-kane-filmmakers.html" target="_blank">BOOK REVIEW BY CHRIS MICH: CITIZEN KANE – A FILMMAKER’S JOURNEY BY HARLAN LEBO</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/07/book-review-by-chris-mich-kathryn.html" target="_blank">BOOK REVIEW BY CHRIS MICH: KATHRYN KALINAK'S FILM MUSIC – A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/08/book-review-by-chris-mich-jeanine.html" target="_blank">BOOK REVIEW BY CHRIS MICH: JEANINE BASINGER AND SAM WASSON’S HOLLYWOOD – THE ORAL HISTORY</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/08/book-review-by-chris-mich-bobby-darin.html" target="_blank">BOOK REVIEW BY CHRIS MICH: BOBBY DARIN – THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF AN AMAZING LIFE BY AL DIORIO</a></li><li><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/08/book-review-by-chris-mich-animating.html">BOOK REVIEW BY CHRIS MICH: ANIMATING CULTURE – HOLLYWOOD CARTOONS FROM THE SOUND ERA BY ERIC SMOODIN</a></li></ol><p></p><p>Finally, I’d like to dedicate this entry to the memory of <a href="https://www.manchestermemorial.net/obituaries/Rita-M-Mich?obId=29098939&fbclid=IwAR1rhwWWwMoOpJeoFWRCuaW44SGSBNT6jdqL2_aU-_RBOypNIWW4_Tkm30c">Rita Mich, 1940-2023</a>. She was a wonderful, loving mother and sadly passed away the same day I won this challenge. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvkYc4WnLliYmcY82pSiE71QI7w6KnbDEqsOTRC8STaDyHHdqsD7sUFwSjh9GodI2NEffNix6AdD_G5YxSuMj87xJKk5Fqg5cTiHPoUSK-l8CgI7B8RhPpvRqPG1-t-msmrqjFChIphxwTysh41sqzHYvz32zOlA8DYSxzIOvBOP9Gep6NMZOJ_-RW04/s1392/sharonchris2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1392" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvkYc4WnLliYmcY82pSiE71QI7w6KnbDEqsOTRC8STaDyHHdqsD7sUFwSjh9GodI2NEffNix6AdD_G5YxSuMj87xJKk5Fqg5cTiHPoUSK-l8CgI7B8RhPpvRqPG1-t-msmrqjFChIphxwTysh41sqzHYvz32zOlA8DYSxzIOvBOP9Gep6NMZOJ_-RW04/w640-h448/sharonchris2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Mom at an Atlantic City film exhibition in 1983. </td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">Mom always supported my love of movies and provided impressive insights into the arts. For her love and wisdom, I am forever thankful. I miss her.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-3532924798482378402023-08-21T20:03:00.000-04:002023-08-21T20:03:01.018-04:00BIG FISH by PHIL CONGLETON<p>As Phil Meets The Movies moves through each month of this year, here on Digging Star Wars, we will explore as many areas of film history as we can. The movies featured in each article, have certain connections or similarities to each other, resulting in a common theme or thread. These movies also have a commonality with the month we are in. At times, Phil Meets The Movies, just like Digging Star Wars, will explore the films and the creators of those films, who eventually inspired the <i>Star Wars</i> saga and vice-versa. You can see that, in our new, Inspired Star Wars section, found later on in the article. Half of the theme for each month is based on our pick, from new releases in the movie theaters. The other half of the theme is based on the movies, we picked, from our Film366 film list. This month, we will explore a sub-genre of science-fiction, known as, the "animal-out-of-control" sub-genre, which is easily described as, altered beasts, giant monsters, or simply, big fish. In fact, August will be all about big fish.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCU8Mn3veqdUz918zX3DxRdv0mhitmqa5TnbNhiclVFzSGlNHi0MLviQAoVAdRVwM__KXYtnYXWRkfo6xBfn0g04rXYmXQXbj5hIkVb0_rVeFaYKUaAnQSIRTWB14fRCR2sLrMSDxa9fcNKrm0TSbyj6H9jQjwYLrph9Mms59oeGslqnMUH-K84Kw6H4w/s1920/Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Logo%20Final%20Clean%20-%20Big%20Fish.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCU8Mn3veqdUz918zX3DxRdv0mhitmqa5TnbNhiclVFzSGlNHi0MLviQAoVAdRVwM__KXYtnYXWRkfo6xBfn0g04rXYmXQXbj5hIkVb0_rVeFaYKUaAnQSIRTWB14fRCR2sLrMSDxa9fcNKrm0TSbyj6H9jQjwYLrph9Mms59oeGslqnMUH-K84Kw6H4w/w640-h360/Phil%20Meets%20the%20Movies%20Logo%20Final%20Clean%20-%20Big%20Fish.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Here at Phil Meets The Movies, we talk about theatrical movies, but in a more, rapid-style manner, from what we did earlier in the year. This is so we can cover more film territory and more movie titles, with a little bit less of me, rambling on too much. This year, the sequel to the critically mixed, but monetarily profitable, science-fiction, shark-film, known as <i>The Meg</i> (2018), came out in theaters on August 4th and was called <i>Meg 2: The Trench </i>(2023). In fact, the first Meg film, also was released in August, on the 10th, back in 2018. We also have a Film366, film pick for August, that also takes us down to the deep waters of science-fiction. There is a whole lot more too. So yes, let's get the show going. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPkGsJ4AnAwJ6B5LZ-TY2377rrZZi-IGkqIYQLEdl3_99XI7bcH02XhwMuIcSk771ImjsBLbNY6Z1UHlLeXCWN5UsP9YM0KLVqpiejVmZqNsTGB6Gv6VdfOcJ0fOkvNILS4XFi3IvQutmKRv2YWzJE2UVCK3lWXcOm3_zaTnH4TBc94Z_XvTsh-zhBoM/s1915/NEW%20MOVIES.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="1915" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPkGsJ4AnAwJ6B5LZ-TY2377rrZZi-IGkqIYQLEdl3_99XI7bcH02XhwMuIcSk771ImjsBLbNY6Z1UHlLeXCWN5UsP9YM0KLVqpiejVmZqNsTGB6Gv6VdfOcJ0fOkvNILS4XFi3IvQutmKRv2YWzJE2UVCK3lWXcOm3_zaTnH4TBc94Z_XvTsh-zhBoM/w640-h146/NEW%20MOVIES.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Phil at the Movies 2023 List on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/list/phil-at-the-movies-2023/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/udm5jUA-2bs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><b><br /><i>The Meg</i> (2018)</b></p><p>Before we get into one of the new releases for this month, let's take a quick look at its predecessor. What I liked the most about <i>The Meg</i> (2018), was its goal to stay out of <i>Sharknado</i> (a made-for-TV film from 2013), territory and try to teeter closer to<i> Jaws</i> (1975), territory. For this review, I rewatched it again on a streaming service, but I did see it, during its initial run in the theaters in 2018. This film was very profitable but was split on the critical side. That means people still went to see it, just for the mere spectacle of it all. It could achieve cult status someday and of course; it has already spawned a sequel.</p><p>Phil's Full Review of the Meg (2018), on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/the-meg/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p>Phil's Grade: C+ (7.3) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dG91B3hHyY4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><b><i>Meg 2: The Trench </i>(2023)</b></p><p>I read in the box office reports about this film, that the writers and producers wanted to go heavier with the comedy angle for this one, compared to the last film. This worried me a lot, because, like I said earlier, what I liked the most about <i>The Meg</i> (2018), was its goal to stay out of Sharknado territory. My fear about <i>Meg 2: The Trench</i> (2023), didn't happen, too much. The comedy usage was about the same, with, maybe, a little more campiness in this one, but that helped dampen the slow start-up, in the beginning of the film. The first film just flowed, a little bit better. No pun intended. </p><p>Phil's Full Review of the Meg 2 (2023), on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/meg-2-the-trench/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p>Phil's Grade: D+ (6.1) = 3 Stars Letterboxd / 6 IMDB</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/itnqEauWQZM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><b><i>Transformers: Rise of the Beasts</i> (2023)</b></p><p><i>The Transformers</i> movies have slowly been dropping in quality and substance for a while now. The first <i>Transformers</i> (2007), film was very good. The third film, Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), was good, but actually the best Hasbro film, since then, has been <i>Battleship </i>(2012). <i>Bumblebee</i> (2018), wasn't too bad either, but it has been rough-going, since the early days of the Michael Bay directed, Transformers movies. Things don't improve here with the seventh installment in the franchise either, but there are good points too, in <i>Transformers: Rise of the Beasts </i>(2023). I was impressed with the special effects and CGI. Also, the writers and animators produced a group of interestingly creative characters, related to the robot designs and their personalities. This is one of the movies I will be adding to my E for Effort List. I still recommend "E for Effort" films, because there is still enough in the film, for either an entertaining night or, at least, an interesting one. They are films that could have been really good, but for some reason or another, one huge blemish, causes the film to go off course. This could be related to technical issues or story substance, found in the film. In this case, <i>Transformers: Rise of the Beasts</i> (2023), is a blatant copy of the MCU.</p><p>Phil's Full Review of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/transformers-rise-of-the-beasts/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p>Phil's Grade: E+ (5.1) = 2 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 5 IMDB</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsTulEjlY31FDTMurO_p7y_-FqngvK_3aaOHJRZhu-cVb_SIySAFfrLEDIr4rN24W0Iy4rLvfiQoXDKbO4yP9KHuHG0-iEe15mlJtRg7q5xF12QAC7ij7e2j3Vin6X_F0M8jXrLOJHgj9ZAToRQKEAXAPsaDbcxT3sOdQn3lVi4mz1nSQY6oSeYuKD5Y/s1915/E%20FOR%20EFFORT%20MOVIES.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="1915" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsTulEjlY31FDTMurO_p7y_-FqngvK_3aaOHJRZhu-cVb_SIySAFfrLEDIr4rN24W0Iy4rLvfiQoXDKbO4yP9KHuHG0-iEe15mlJtRg7q5xF12QAC7ij7e2j3Vin6X_F0M8jXrLOJHgj9ZAToRQKEAXAPsaDbcxT3sOdQn3lVi4mz1nSQY6oSeYuKD5Y/w640-h146/E%20FOR%20EFFORT%20MOVIES.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"> Phil's "Films That Get an E for Effort" List, on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/list/films-that-get-an-e-for-effort/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p>Before jumping ahead, let's take a look at another "E for Effort" film. These movies are worse than a D, but better than an F. I still recommend seeing these films, because a film might have the right idea, but the execution ends up being bad. They are films that the filmmakers clearly showed to the audience, they tried their best, but for some reason or another, the film falls flat in the end. Another thing that makes these movies recommendable, is the idea, that they usually have something interesting, historical or technical, that still keeps them as a need to be seen, type-of film classification. It also could be that they are just good enough to be middle of the road.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nh09YXxJJNg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><p></p><p><b><i>The Neptune Factor</i> (1973)</b></p><p><i>The Neptune Factor </i>(1973), is rightfully so, an E for Effort film. It comes right out of the B-movie world of cinema. It is a low-budget, science-fiction, adventure film, featuring a handful of classic film actors. It's a story of earthquakes, beneath the ocean, that put an undersea lab in danger and the crew of the submarine, sent to save whoever's left. Even though the special effects are archaic, even in 1973, underwater photography, which utilizes miniatures, is very professional. The low-budget aspect of the film does affect the slow plot, however. A lot of responses, to certain moments in the film, are, "I saw that coming a mile away", type-of responses. It's not a great film, but it's not a terrible film either. It's a classic example of an evolutionary process, in technical-heavy films, related to budgets and how far the source material can work, with the resources available, plus it has Ernest Borgnine and Walter Pidgeon in it. What else could you ask for? I mean really, Walter Pidgeon has experience in submarine films already. Remember him in <i>Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea </i>(1961)?</p><p>Phil's Full Review of the Neptune Factor (1973), on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/the-neptune-factor/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a>:</p><p>Phil's Grade: E- (4.4) = 2 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 5 IMDB</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugTgHj3TXhQQFlGADhqjH_yG8xQ0Wtw7ays7lMG8ch9xJrbAWPIzRNdWLvdkyJtpzvKIHIrc3mGFPQzo1_-i1VK5A5mSgD2dm9OXCkjyoHp8ucgfKBe5VpHbnxSsk4Vt4-VWQ1OnqxL9OL9HKZawwQhCNQLrMJK87QXPKCtD3U3KM6gSlnArHPNSLPRo/s1920/366Logo_PMTM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1735" data-original-width="1920" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugTgHj3TXhQQFlGADhqjH_yG8xQ0Wtw7ays7lMG8ch9xJrbAWPIzRNdWLvdkyJtpzvKIHIrc3mGFPQzo1_-i1VK5A5mSgD2dm9OXCkjyoHp8ucgfKBe5VpHbnxSsk4Vt4-VWQ1OnqxL9OL9HKZawwQhCNQLrMJK87QXPKCtD3U3KM6gSlnArHPNSLPRo/w640-h578/366Logo_PMTM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>Phil's Film366 Film List for August on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/list/phils-film366-film-list-august/detail/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uhdvaybv1Jw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><b><i>The Abyss</i> (1989)</b></p><p>Our Film366 film pick for August, keeps us under the ocean, with the adventures and mysteries of the deep, with this excellent, science-fiction film, <i>The Abyss</i> (1989). Also, a cool thing about the month of August is, on August 16th, 1954, film director, James Cameron, was born. Before the days of <i>Titanic</i> (1997) and <i>Avatar</i> (2009), he directed the first two Terminator movies, plus <i>Aliens</i> (1986) and this film. <i>The Abyss</i> (1989) was the first film, that sent Cameron on his journey, beneath the oceans, to the Titanic and the lands of Avatar. It is an excellent film, with a great cast.</p><p>Phil's Full Review of the Abyss (1989), on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/the-abyss/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p>Phil's Grade: A- (8.9) = 4 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 9 IMDB</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2znMd5rq0QOH9KW6vOuw61n2NTopSPmTk9FueFFmQgjAyROXIeCJy1NsmqCjF8aprbFWMHDI2lG0M4r_53ofac33EImcNEkWdU6GZgAUslGXJpTkN76RUXqPN5QRjLa_ScWStIL0139E19JZocuW15t6Zj-pztrFi71praqcD2lcRNjaKGEUHVKEt0w/s1915/INSPIRED%20STAR%20WARS%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="1915" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2znMd5rq0QOH9KW6vOuw61n2NTopSPmTk9FueFFmQgjAyROXIeCJy1NsmqCjF8aprbFWMHDI2lG0M4r_53ofac33EImcNEkWdU6GZgAUslGXJpTkN76RUXqPN5QRjLa_ScWStIL0139E19JZocuW15t6Zj-pztrFi71praqcD2lcRNjaKGEUHVKEt0w/w640-h146/INSPIRED%20STAR%20WARS%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WKuZJjPSLXQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><b><i>Jaws </i>(1975)</b></p><p>Now comes the original shark movie and one of the best movies ever made. It would be a disgrace if we didn't talk about <i>Jaws</i> (1975), in this article.<i> Jaws</i> (1975) was actually a Film366 film pick, back in June, in honor if its original, theatrical release date in America. There is, however, something we can mention about the month of August, in relation to this film. The man who plays Quint (Robert Shaw), was born on August 9th, 1927. It's also a no-brainer, how both <i>Jaws</i> (1975) and <i>Star Wars</i> (1977), have similarities to each other. They both helped to launch the modern-day, summer film season. They also, mutually, have the music of John Williams, in their soundtracks.</p><p>Phil's Full Review of Jaws (1975), on<a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/jaws/" target="_blank"> Letterboxd</a>:</p><p>Phil's Grade: A+ (9.8) = 5 Stars Letterboxd / 10 IMDB</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9lzmO8pwDaI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><b><i>Metropolis</i> (1927)</b></p><p>Earlier in August, I went back to the Colonial Theater in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, with Chris, to see the full, restored version of <i>Metropolis</i> (1927), with a live organ accompanying it. This version is as close to the original version ever found. It is believed to be over 90% complete now, after being partially lost, since the 1930s. It's also an excellent example of Inspired Star Wars, considering C-3PO looks exactly like the robot lady Maria in <i>Metropolis</i> (1927), and rightfully so. It is a wonderful homage from Lucas to Fritz Lang. You should read up on the history of this film, from its original release, through its lost film period, ending with its rediscovery, over the decades and the recent restoration of the film. This backstory will help blunt some of the slightly rough edges and shaky moments, found in the film. Overall, it's a methodically, visionary film and a must-see.</p><p>Phil's Full Review of Metropolis (1927), on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/metropolis/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p>Phil's Grade: B- (8.0) = 4 Stars Letterboxd / 8 IMDB</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VO6FOsmhKAbiEsCS5pK0xuABxkmVfIOylDB6Y2rG8VrEuakwSf3GwIuvs6ymDTT-mMNtbmSf4cu2eaJUksvXWJQNgkn_GhOrkVzhaoeNWtXbv3ecyosNzRP0XH7wBWI6p95_bB3Lo7elmCYl3tcAV5nde-MChnxXbJX4POU_4OTWcb1_RDKIDlsOoqc/s1915/BAD%20MOVIE.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="1915" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VO6FOsmhKAbiEsCS5pK0xuABxkmVfIOylDB6Y2rG8VrEuakwSf3GwIuvs6ymDTT-mMNtbmSf4cu2eaJUksvXWJQNgkn_GhOrkVzhaoeNWtXbv3ecyosNzRP0XH7wBWI6p95_bB3Lo7elmCYl3tcAV5nde-MChnxXbJX4POU_4OTWcb1_RDKIDlsOoqc/w640-h146/BAD%20MOVIE.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Phil's List of Movie Fails, That Still Deserve a Watch, on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/list/movie-fails-that-still-deserve-a-watch/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Wgc_Ei-UNw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><b><i>Tentacles </i>(1977)</b></p><p>Your "bad movie pick" for this month, oddly came out in theaters the same year as <i>Star Wars</i> (1977). <i>Tentacles</i> (1977) is a failure, however, I do recommend seeing this film, because you have to see it to believe it. How can a film, with the star power of Shelly Winters, John Huston and Henry Fonda, fall so flat? Again, it all stems from its budget. This low-budget, European-produced, B-movie tries its best to believably convey, that a killer, mutated octopus, is causing havoc on the beaches of a California community. Hot off of the success of <i>Jaws</i> (1975), many copy-cat movies came out, featuring monsters from the deep. Most of them were of the low-budget variety. This was one of the funnier sides to that coin.</p><p>Phil's Full Review of Tentacles (1977), on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/tentacles/ " target="_blank">Letterboxd</a>:</p><p>Phil's Grade - F (3.5) = 2 Stars Letterboxd / 4 IMDB</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpTGY3Pnmtep_U7Hygnr73srqq_UUpqwSyT9Fmfp9FB4QNUmw4jRG633iXVcVwpqEpBf8AlPgultA1bvNZwvTy3JQjxI27sf_amjZBKzCfmnuoZyRlxuzaaY6W1JogmRQNdzxO25FS2_5Ci6AqVx_dbaqyaGlFYYj8IA8YSu0MT7aPEr3y1gOyne4EtI/s1915/BONUS%20MOVIES.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="1915" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpTGY3Pnmtep_U7Hygnr73srqq_UUpqwSyT9Fmfp9FB4QNUmw4jRG633iXVcVwpqEpBf8AlPgultA1bvNZwvTy3JQjxI27sf_amjZBKzCfmnuoZyRlxuzaaY6W1JogmRQNdzxO25FS2_5Ci6AqVx_dbaqyaGlFYYj8IA8YSu0MT7aPEr3y1gOyne4EtI/w640-h146/BONUS%20MOVIES.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oSz9MDN-iac" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><b><i>Deep Blue Sea</i> (1999)</b></p><p>Your first bonus recommendation for August comes from the year 1999, which oddly enough, is the same year that <i>Star Wars: Episode One: The Phantom Menace </i>(1999), was released in theaters. It's hard to believe that these movies are almost 25 years old. This is another science-fiction film, which takes place on a laboratory, partially submerged, in the Pacific Ocean. It also involves the plight of scientists, trying to avoid a terrible fate, at the fins of their genetically-altered, test-subjects, intelligent sharks. This film has a really good cast in it too, which includes Samuel L. Jackson, Stellan Skarsgård, and Ronny Cox. The film has a really slow pace, which hurts the quality of the film, but at the same time, creates a tense excursion into fear, when director Renny Harlin decides to give us a shark's-eye, camera view. Another glaring blemish in this film is the fact that <i>Deep Blue Sea</i> (1999), did not have a budget, like <i>Titanic </i>(1997) and it shows. It's the reason why the Meg movies look so much better than <i>Deep Blue Sea</i> (1999). It's all in the CGI. CGI is much better 25 years later. In order for this story to be successfully executed, the level of CGI wasn't quite there yet in 1999 and it hurts the believability factor of the film. But, the animatronics are pretty good and the CGI works enough to get the point across to you. <i>Deep Blue Sea</i> (1999) still produces a fair to good cinematic experience. </p><p>Phils Full Review of Deep Blue Sea (1999), on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/deep-blue-sea/">Letterboxd</a>:</p><p>Phil's Grade: D+ (6.1) = 3 Stars Letterboxd / 6 IMDB</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vPOpE-_42as" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><b><i>The Shallows </i>(2016)</b></p><p>Your second bonus recommendation for August ended up being a nice surprise, after I first saw it in the theaters, back in 2016. <i>The Shallows</i> (2016) is actually a good, strong film and worth seeing. This film stars Ryan Reynold's wife, Blake Lively as Nancy, a surfer, who ends up stuck on a rock, that's unfortunately situated, right in the middle of a Great White Shark's hunting ground. <i>The Shallows</i> (2016), has plenty of tense moments throughout and it's shot pretty well. The CGI effects are good too. There are moments when the pace of the film slows down a little, it starts beginning to feel like a basic story, which brings the rating down, however those moments, also keep the idea in your mind, that Nancy's situation is dire. <i>The Shallows </i>(2016) still ended up being time well spent at the movies.</p><p>Phils Full Review of the Shallows (2016), on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/pcc0921/film/the-shallows/ " target="_blank">Letterboxd</a></p><p>Phil's Grade: C (7.1) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZ-MbOAZ0ESnsc5FNJV4HVHrTYfABn5lbP1-bh3sYI4hKSIAwtZ3yuw2E6_FmauRIYgnxwQMpAZh26SL5zgWPGH-MnXEk-7swDgsEvek6UoVsYCBpdutCw13xvRgPKcxwxhSgnwdmVcNpVWJq7f4DtQmxOPBP575epqJ-r7uj12bU8Bgf8s-NTLCuRAU/s1920/Phil%20and%20Chris%20Colonial%20Metropolis..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="1920" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZ-MbOAZ0ESnsc5FNJV4HVHrTYfABn5lbP1-bh3sYI4hKSIAwtZ3yuw2E6_FmauRIYgnxwQMpAZh26SL5zgWPGH-MnXEk-7swDgsEvek6UoVsYCBpdutCw13xvRgPKcxwxhSgnwdmVcNpVWJq7f4DtQmxOPBP575epqJ-r7uj12bU8Bgf8s-NTLCuRAU/w640-h474/Phil%20and%20Chris%20Colonial%20Metropolis..jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Peter Fey</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">As I mentioned earlier in this article, in my review of <i>Metropolis</i> (1927), here is Chris and I again, in early August, at the Colonial Theater, in Phoenixville, PA., seeing the Colonial's presentation of the Restored <i>Metropolis</i> (1927). It was a great time. Phil Meets The Movies will be back in September for more great cinema chats.</p><p><span style="color: #01ffff;">About the Author</span></p><p><span style="color: #01ffff;">Phil Congleton is a lifelong film buff, who worked in television for 30 years and produced a few, small independent films in the 1990s. He is the co-creator of Film366 with Chris Mich and the curator of Phil Meets the Movies. Now retired, Phil commits his time to promoting the movies and the art of film. You can read more about Phil's film reviews on</span> <a href="https://letterboxd.com/PCC0921/stats/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a>.</p><div><br /></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-21752711905845646512023-08-15T18:19:00.003-04:002023-08-15T21:50:07.137-04:00BOOK REVIEW by CHRIS MICH: ANIMATING CULTURE – HOLLYWOOD CARTOONS FROM THE SOUND ERA by ERIC SMOODIN<p>A MINOR SPOILER BOOK REVIEW:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyiddmZmcWk9-6kyYl2VdP9S1qraCv1rYmdA3yEajMA7lEBcpNfOBuwTqj5CgLLkPrmU581keDpJ_kcfMCd3Vvvrfz_wDDzf8Hqqr0wTd4z-vR_LKcU99YbILO0VXUdjwwf_8Knzpf7sf2xF_YwdykjEieNUf529Ciy2yLrOTfkB7ac_4SsZNdMHmYCQ/s2802/IMG_E8616.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2802" data-original-width="2802" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyiddmZmcWk9-6kyYl2VdP9S1qraCv1rYmdA3yEajMA7lEBcpNfOBuwTqj5CgLLkPrmU581keDpJ_kcfMCd3Vvvrfz_wDDzf8Hqqr0wTd4z-vR_LKcU99YbILO0VXUdjwwf_8Knzpf7sf2xF_YwdykjEieNUf529Ciy2yLrOTfkB7ac_4SsZNdMHmYCQ/w640-h640/IMG_E8616.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (and paper artwork) by Chris Mich</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;">When it comes to selecting books for the Summer Classic Film Reading Challenge, I’m not picky. After all, half the books I read and reviewed were gifted to me by Peter Fey, Digging Star Wars guest writer of <a href=" https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2020/03/american-graffiti-1973.html">our <i>American Graffiti </i>(1973) entry</a>. He gave them to me. I read them. I wrote about them. The other half of this year’s books came from stops along the Jersey Shore including the books<a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/06/book-review-american-silent-film-by.html" target="_blank"> <i>American Silent Film</i> (1978)</a>, <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/08/book-review-by-chris-mich-bobby-darin.html" target="_blank"><i>Bobby Darin</i> (2004)</a>, and now <i>Animating Culture</i> (1993).</p><p>The exception is that while I purchased <i>American Silent Film</i> and <i>Bobby Darin</i>, I picked up Eric Snoodin’s <i>Animating Culture</i> textbook in the “<a href="https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=77ZfU3QVQH7&play=1&sr=-2.36,-1.5&ss=18" target="_blank">Little Free Library</a>” inside Munchies & Memories in Ocean City, NJ. </p><p>Wait! Textbook? Yes. Sort of. More like: “required reading” for a film theory class.</p><p>Of course, I didn’t realize that when I picked up the book with Donald Duck on the cover. But as I thumbed through it on the boardwalk, I realized my final read this summer would be more academic than film fandom. But do not let that stop you from picking up Smoodin’s book for he did one heckuva job bringing remarkable insight into American animation. In today’s age when many conservative critics are claiming Disney is failing financially due to liberal themes in its content (just Google “Disney Woke” to see the whole “Go Woke, Go Broke” argument), it seems Smoodin found something in Disney lore that may add some educated thought to the conversation. </p><p>Smoodin’s book came out in 1993 and takes on the first 50 years of American animation and all its challenges with censorship, labor laws, the unlikely pairing of live action and animation [see Phil Congleton's <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2023/04/these-are-not-mushrooms-or-beans-you.html" target="_blank">Digging Star Wars write-up on <i>Alice's Wonderland </i>(1923)</a>], and government interference – both warranted and uninvited. Smoodin doesn’t target Disney alone. With the ease of switching panels on a Viewmaster, Smoodin shifts his focus on concerns with Warner Brothers’ <i>Looney Tunes</i> (How can a male pig not wearing pants kiss a female pig that’s fully clothed?) to <i>Betty Boop</i>’s dress (it grows longer over the years) to fully-funded American military “training videos” of <i>Private Snafu</i> getting dysentery – penned by Dr. Seuss himself, Theodor Geisel (You read that right: the guy who wrote about a <i>Cat in a Hat</i> also wrote multiple cartoons about a character whose name means: Situation Normal All F***ed Up).</p><p>But here we are in 2023 with the Disney 100 celebration underway. Just look at it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9-wzIQtnCQs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p>After you wipe away the tears and all the other “feels” – I suggest you read Smoodin’s book. </p><p>The next time you tire of hearing about modern-day Disney’s “agenda” – I suggest you read Smoodin’s book.</p><p>In short, I suggest you read Smoodin’s book.</p><p>To see multiple points of view on the works of early Walt Disney, Smoodin explores reviews, copyright filings, government paperwork, periodicals of the era, fan mail, hate mail, and every other scrap of paper, film, and microfilm he could get his hands on from the first half of the 20th Century. What did he learn? Based on his research, Smoodin posits that Walt Disney was always interested in agenda.</p><p>Not only did he elevate animation to art, but Walt Disney also elevated the artist to someone who could make money. Many people prior to Disney’s success had the notion that artists must starve. Disney actively broke that image by forcing his way into publication after publication about how great a boss he is, how great his company is, and how great he is. Disney also educated the populous on the fact that one man can’t do it all. Film is a collaborative medium that includes animated films. Walt had no qualms about making American war effort propaganda films and shorts. He got heavily involved in foreign diplomacy and even approached the F.B.I. about public-facing educational entertainment about the Bureau. He soon found out the bear trap he stepped in when the F.B.I. turned on him, his creative staff, and projects both in the pipeline and in theaters. </p><p>Snoodin’s text culminates with the creation and reaction to Disney’s propaganda short, <i>The New Spirit</i> (1942) – which has Donald Duck being a good American supporting the war effort by paying his taxes with the new tax forms.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NB1QqrSrGZQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p>Snoodin combed through all the saved written responses from the public to this particular cartoon. While there were a few positive letters of reinforcement, most letters criticized the film calling it “hate-producing propaganda”, “venom”, and “degenerated”. “Has official Washington gone mad?” wrote one citizen, complaining that the government paid Disney $80,000 to make a film saying the average taxpayer needs to pay for weapons. </p><p>Ironically (or maybe well-timed), <i>The New Spirit </i>came out the same year the federal government adopted the American Flag Code that prohibits the use of the stars and stripes in advertising. It seems, as implied by Snoodin’s text, Disney found another loophole and manipulated the system to promote his choice cause. </p><p>Snoodin concludes that while executives, politicians, and government employees can make movies and art, they cannot make audiences love the creation or the creator. As Snoodin writes:</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;"><i><b>“At least during the 1940s, Walt Disney as an unproblematic national icon of artistic benevolence, as the popular journals created him, or as a symbol of patriotic consensus, as the Treasury hoped to construct him, simply did not exist for the general public.”</b></i></span></p><p>Strong words about a man who would go on to build a hundred-year-old entertainment empire with millions of fans worldwide. And that is the beauty of Snoodin’s book: whether you are a Disney fan or not, the read is fascinating and supported by tons of research. It’s legit and captivating. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMmxwopzXwqHGjdh6HSwbDIwmSTvRYVBGURA8yiw0IfEpVgYZoGmlZOM9lPHd2JFbl4ZAEFoOlA9XBN8o1ZY5yVNHsGeYn9iB4d9lWM0539MFv3BTaYBhbTtXYhKYzsI33uAPymv6NbKq_H2vUpmYGmqvxkjfcLCJTWV-ILNiXAGjopMwz_olJn-4TbA/s3024/IMG_8618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMmxwopzXwqHGjdh6HSwbDIwmSTvRYVBGURA8yiw0IfEpVgYZoGmlZOM9lPHd2JFbl4ZAEFoOlA9XBN8o1ZY5yVNHsGeYn9iB4d9lWM0539MFv3BTaYBhbTtXYhKYzsI33uAPymv6NbKq_H2vUpmYGmqvxkjfcLCJTWV-ILNiXAGjopMwz_olJn-4TbA/w640-h640/IMG_8618.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Chris Mich</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">This post is my final official entry in the 2023 Summer Classic Film Reading Challenge. Special thanks to <i>Out of the Past </i>blogger Raquel Stecher for hosting the challenge and giving our blog a shout-out now and then. To join us in this summer fun endeavor, visit <a href="https://www.outofthepastblog.com/p/summer-reading-classic-film-book.html " target="_blank">Raquel’s blog for more details</a>. </p><p>#classicfilmreading</p><p>#MandMOCNJ</p><div><br /></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-65332795094468250012023-08-07T22:47:00.001-04:002023-08-07T22:48:50.989-04:00BOOK REVIEW by CHRIS MICH: BOBBY DARIN – THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF AN AMAZING LIFE by Al DiOrio<p> A MINOR SPOILER BOOK REVIEW:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLz7PFGLCNpthdURaFopGgmJKx2Ftpj11pzquL9qHlAGkquu3kSJu7JybYg9r53sCFj0GWsWBsP4CxbKvDNf9fH94IzPxN8qkxx2MTaZVOeD0D-wpaf-wSPC2yXuSlHAMm2a0hftwh3a75ywy9TKFtUBRuzQ-9PC3MzB59F0cldzSnAJcUmQuNoF80tU/s3024/IMG_8306_railing%20only.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLz7PFGLCNpthdURaFopGgmJKx2Ftpj11pzquL9qHlAGkquu3kSJu7JybYg9r53sCFj0GWsWBsP4CxbKvDNf9fH94IzPxN8qkxx2MTaZVOeD0D-wpaf-wSPC2yXuSlHAMm2a0hftwh3a75ywy9TKFtUBRuzQ-9PC3MzB59F0cldzSnAJcUmQuNoF80tU/w640-h640/IMG_8306_railing%20only.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Chris Mich</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Prior to reading DiOrio’s biography on Bobby Darin, I knew only some of the essential tunes Darin contributed to pop music for all eternity. Namely, Darin’s American version of Charles Trenet’s<i> La Mer.</i> Darin fans know the tune as <i>Beyond the Sea</i> (1960).</p><p style="text-align: left;"><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/3KzgdYUlqV6TOG7JCmx2Wg?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: left;">And, of course, any Gen Xer would know the late 1980s McDonald's TV ad version of Darin’s 1959 single, <i>Mack the Knife</i>...</p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d5F64NuqO9o" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>When I found this book at my favorite bookstore by the sea, I flipped through it to see if Darin starred in any films. He did. In fact, he was nominated for an Oscar for one. And so, I bought the book for this year’s summer #classicfilmreading challenge.</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s difficult NOT to spoil a biography – since you can simply Google “Bobby Darin” and get the whole life story of the man born Walden Robert Cassotto. Bobby’s story, nonetheless, is a remarkable one due to many factors. The book’s author Al DiOrio, however, primarily uses Darin’s predicted short life – a diagnosis from doctors in his childhood – to frame Darin’s life and work. This seems like a logical choice but also a profoundly poignant one, too. For Al DiOrio himself passed away on the eve of his book’s publication after “a long and heroic battle with diabetes” (p. 11). The reader carries this knowledge of the author’s sickness and death as they read about Darin’s struggle from a secretive birth, four heart-damaging rheumatic fever attacks, and every subsequent health challenge that Darin faced. In light of DiOrio’s plight, Darin’s health challenges seem even more disheartening, even more tragic, and even more painful to the reader. This spills over into Darin’s artistic successes and failures that DiOrio sometimes renders with an almost melodramatic flair. Yet, I would imagine everything needs intense coloring when death is at your door. </div><div><br /></div><div>DiOrio, however, never loses track of Darin’s tenaciousness and ability to create art that will last more than a lifetime. He also chronicles friends, family, lovers, and wives. It’s all in there. It is a well-researched, meticulously-constructed telling of the life and death of Walden Robert Cassotto/Bobby Darin.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since I didn’t even know Darin acted in films prior to picking up this book, I guess it will come as no surprise I haven’t seen any of his films yet. I did, however, add these three of his titles to <a href="https://letterboxd.com/diggingstarwars/watchlist/">my Letterboxd watchlist</a>: </div><div><br /></div><div>John Cassavetes’s 1962 film, <i>Too Late Blues</i>, features Darin as a jazz musician who gets in trouble with the wrong girl. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OesUqDM18DA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A film that Darin would refer to as "excrement" upon completion, <i>Gunfight at Abilene</i> (1967), also stars Leslie Nielsen (<i>Forbidden Planet, The Poseidon Adventure, Airplane, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!)</i> in a dramatic role. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zwpyHicEPyM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And, if I watch one of the worst Bobby Darin films, I guess I’ll have to watch the best. Darin was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for <i>Captain Newman, MD</i> (1963).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-KnXdeKyzIE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Once I watch these films, I’ll post links to my Letterboxd reviews in the comments below. </div><div><br /></div><div>DiOrio did his best to keep his fanboy tendencies in check and tell the whole story. Fans of Darin who read this book must be ready to endure the ugliness of a tortured artist’s life. Darin had it all – starlet wives, a hand-made car with diamond dust coatings, and long-running shows in Vegas that stand alongside Sinatra and Elvis. He had personal demons, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>DiOrio balances wisdom and perspective that is truly his own and his alone. He spent his final days perfecting this truth-filled tribute and work of art.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fr0XQ6TZKSW_k6mDRKubtgSZWxudddnpsMobRhbhYguh5L2SC-hqqA-QbpBtx-m0jKPoerb4U9WejPIvmzp6aS5lJ2wSHTESI4dmnpQlTnkuU-ulsCuHx54Y10g25dkjvIAep37mJZTo5k3pF35_x1QJNBkiCx1A62q3wuqFRRLWNt-m0dYttj1xIpM/s3756/IMG_8301_cropped%20hand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3756" data-original-width="2817" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fr0XQ6TZKSW_k6mDRKubtgSZWxudddnpsMobRhbhYguh5L2SC-hqqA-QbpBtx-m0jKPoerb4U9WejPIvmzp6aS5lJ2wSHTESI4dmnpQlTnkuU-ulsCuHx54Y10g25dkjvIAep37mJZTo5k3pF35_x1QJNBkiCx1A62q3wuqFRRLWNt-m0dYttj1xIpM/w480-h640/IMG_8301_cropped%20hand.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Chris Mich</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>This post is an official entry in the 2023 Classic Film Reading Challenge. Special thanks to Out of the Past blogger Raquel Stecher for hosting the challenge and giving our blog a shout-out now and then. To join us in this summer fun endeavor, visit <a href="https://www.outofthepastblog.com/p/summer-reading-classic-film-book.html " target="_blank">Raquel’s blog for more details</a>. </div><div><br /></div></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132303595488660014.post-60405751348230427442023-08-01T08:54:00.007-04:002023-08-01T13:27:43.620-04:00 BOOK REVIEW by CHRIS MICH: JEANINE BASINGER AND SAM WASSON’S HOLLYWOOD – THE ORAL HISTORY<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyfOFJiu6cEAZg0gItIeTcMHpbs11s_iFnhArMNm5oTRVK_kB0gFfKTL0I2Xusdn6LHvz_KPYTZPeSUYcLPikEFoQ8rbVWZsI3QDKdsJbp0BlIYsPMFTTokwcx1zP2HKomOzCwDP5bjzNzZ1eTFy8XNppjpy_HDbCtxea0YGRApr-n7iEkuI7C4XYqQY/s3024/IMG_8557.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyfOFJiu6cEAZg0gItIeTcMHpbs11s_iFnhArMNm5oTRVK_kB0gFfKTL0I2Xusdn6LHvz_KPYTZPeSUYcLPikEFoQ8rbVWZsI3QDKdsJbp0BlIYsPMFTTokwcx1zP2HKomOzCwDP5bjzNzZ1eTFy8XNppjpy_HDbCtxea0YGRApr-n7iEkuI7C4XYqQY/w640-h640/IMG_8557.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Chris Mich</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The idea of this book is overwhelming: a 740-page oral history of Hollywood from the early days of silent cinema to the effects of streaming platforms on modern film industry. Structurally, it’s just carefully organized, out-of-context quotes lifted out of AFI archival interviews to tell the grand, overarching story of Hollywood film production – or so it would seem. For in the blocks of quotes, I began to see the authors (or should I say “editors” or “collage artists”?) Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson in the text with their own quotes. The book’s AFTERWORD helps shed some light on the process. Therefore, let’s begin at the end:</p><p><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">“Reading and editing more than three thousand transcripts is a daunting task. We studied every Harold Lloyd Seminar, every oral history, every AFI-sponsored conference on film education, and were overwhelmed with the richness of choices. We also had the opportunity to use Sam Wasson’s 2022 interview with Michael Ortiz, as well as Jeanine Basinger’s interviews and conversation with individuals such as Frank Capra, Raoul Walsh, Richard Schickel, and others. Our selection process – and the invevitable cuts and eliminations was very difficult…”</span></i></p><p>No doubt. This style of reporting – using back-to-back quotes, surgically-removed from original conversations but sandwiched together with like-minded (or not so like-minded) opinions to tell a moving, building story – isn’t easy. It became all the rage circa 2015 in various entertainment magazines. So much so, that I wrote a corporate newsletter article in this fashion about a <a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2015/09/forcefriday.html">Star Wars #ForceFriday commercial</a> I wrote, directed and produced in conjunction with the release of <i>Star Wars: The Force Awakens</i>. As I constructed my own 4-page article, I realized how difficult it was to create a logical and entertaining read using only quotes – no intro, no outro, no bridges to transition from one quoted thought to another. I also knew I had to add a quote or two from myself – since I was involved in the production – to provide the missing information. Basinger and Wasson do just that, too, but only briefly – which is why it seemed so out of place and odd. That said, the book is mammoth and enthralling. As they also wrote in their AFTERWARD…</p><p><i><span style="color: #fcff01;">“This book is a labor of love, and as we worked, our respect for the working world of Hollywood – those much-maligned individuals who have given us our American movie heritage – grew even larger and deeper.”</span></i></p><p>The book does its job. It gives you an inside look at the glory days of the Studio system – and its downfall. It unspools the chaos of the 1950s and 1960s and marches you into the 1970s with soundbite after soundbite of the next wave of filmmakers that would forever change the industry and the world. It laments the 1980s “birth of the deal” and smirks at the 1990s “rise of the independents” and then careens into the 21st century ending with everyone’s opinion on how lucky or sucky the industry is right now. It even takes a stab at the conceptions (or misconceptions) of gender in Hollywood. No stone unturned, just select findings of what was under those stones. </p><p>The book has the usual films you would expect in an extensive film history lesson…including many titles we’ve covered on this blog ranging from <i><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2010/12/gone-with-wind.html" target="_blank">Gone with the Wind</a></i> (1939) to <i><a href="https://diggingstarwars.blogspot.com/2021/07/waterworld-1995.html" target="_blank">Waterworld</a></i> (1995).</p><p>Two things really jumped out at me from the pages of this book. It was like: “BAM! I’m here just for you!”</p><p>The first surprise was the unexpected appearance of Henry Mancini-scored films. Not the popular, Academy Award-winning titles associated with Mancini, these mentioned titles are ones with ugly box office performances or other misfortunes. Here are Mancini-scored films in Basinger and Wasson’s book – along with links to my reviews of these films on Letterboxd: </p><p><i><a href="https://boxd.it/1UteTp " target="_blank">Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation</a></i> (1962) </p><p><i><a href="https://boxd.it/1w3xkl " target="_blank">The Molly Maguires</a></i> (1970)</p><p><i><a href="https://boxd.it/4ohVsj" target="_blank">Darling Lili</a></i> (1970) </p><p><i><a href="https://boxd.it/1y1bOH " target="_blank">The Great Waldo Pepper</a></i> (1975) </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPoDlbxarXxiCbplz4RokodJ9-td3SjnwLS25kWy8zm8PiYlhO2n6gL8ouoGGiTB7DwadhPIJ7c1Dt4g4GJqPDXTGJB2QBQsNY-tGNDw1773mQLIT4vNYcmYuTFpw17FQrtrargxAKdpix0MNZi1OIZLkYKbHMbYtKB9JyLymq7I1cbGkh4WRBWsYQLs/s3024/IMG_3979.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPoDlbxarXxiCbplz4RokodJ9-td3SjnwLS25kWy8zm8PiYlhO2n6gL8ouoGGiTB7DwadhPIJ7c1Dt4g4GJqPDXTGJB2QBQsNY-tGNDw1773mQLIT4vNYcmYuTFpw17FQrtrargxAKdpix0MNZi1OIZLkYKbHMbYtKB9JyLymq7I1cbGkh4WRBWsYQLs/w640-h640/IMG_3979.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Chris Mich at <a href="https://jimmy.org/" target="_blank">The Jimmy Stewart Museum</a>. This is one of the four Henry Mancini-scored films in Basinger and Wasson's book <i>Hollywood - The Oral History </i>(2022).</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">Another fantastic surprise was the inclusion of my all-time favorite TV show, <i>The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles </i>(1992-1993) as Basinger and Wasson approach the edge of <i>Jurassic Park </i>(1993) and the CG effects era. From page 712:</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;"><i>“</i><b style="font-style: italic;">GEORGE LUCAS</b><i>: The goal was to create a digital character that looked like an actual character. There were testing grounds for the special effects we were working on, like </i>The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles<i>, and eventually we arrived at a stage where we said, 'Why don’t we try to do a digital dinosaur?'...” </i></span></p><p><i>The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles</i> went through several re-edits and retitling - after all, it's a George Lucas property. Currently, it's marketed as a movie series (edited from the TV episodes) known as <i>The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones. </i>These movies are available on Disney+. Here's an TV spot for when the show first aired...</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IrbfU34_E1I" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: left;">Classic film fans, please note: The Young Indy movie <i>Hollywood Follies </i>(1994) gets Indy entangled in 1920s behind-the-scenes Hollywood misadventures with John Ford, Erich von Stroheim, Irving Thalberg, and Wyatt Earp. It's a very entertaining episode for film nerds! How big of a Young Indy fan am I? Well, I just have to let you know that its star Sean Patrick Flanery <i>(Powder, The Boondock Saints, Suicide Kings, Nefarious</i>) sent me <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1517989881/videos/915669665977990/" target="_blank">a cameo video for my 50th Birthday</a>. </p><p>Back to the book: Yes, the book has it all – or, at least, a lot. How directors worked. How crazy Judy Garland seemed to the crew. Who smoked pot in the edit bay. It even included a hot-take on film history books from director/producer George Cukor (<i>My Fair Lady, The Philadelphia Story, Gaslight, Les</i> <i>Girls</i>)…</p><p><span style="color: #fcff01;"><i>“<b>GEORGE CUKOR</b>: You know, there’s an awful lot of crap written, this literature about Hollywood in the past, that people want to know, and for the most part, I think it’s a waste of time. They’re all stories, and I know. I read certain books – books written about Katharine Hepburn – they ought to shoot the man who wrote it, because he didn’t know anything about it, and I think it’s just a moneymaking scheme and a lot of them are stupid and detestable.”</i></span> (p. 514)</p><p>Um, okay. Noted. </p><p>In short, this book is no short book. It’s a hefty tome that you’ll lug around for a while to read a little bit here or a whole lot there. <i>Hollywood – The Oral History </i>(2022)<i> </i>clearly illustrates that while everyone likes to think they have Hollywood all figured out, they don’t. As William Goldman put it when it comes to Hollywood: “Nobody knows anything.” It's just fun trying to determine what’s truth and what’s tinsel in Tinseltown.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEATYP3PiCRL0jkqm4oxaCA24jneHvOHs6wfQtqX9REOvjE6szVdHb4Wgq82dGiCtzAllt681iC5hIiUZh0dB_35x1P50Jv5H3oklSFSR9r2GUoAGb4EZCdkRgIcDTWP0o-wtps4MX1UYlYs_6Af2fgtTW3m_E1tGN7YORxJTI2TVbd_qFFMBzLJfBPbs/s2772/IMG_8562_edited.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2772" data-original-width="2619" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEATYP3PiCRL0jkqm4oxaCA24jneHvOHs6wfQtqX9REOvjE6szVdHb4Wgq82dGiCtzAllt681iC5hIiUZh0dB_35x1P50Jv5H3oklSFSR9r2GUoAGb4EZCdkRgIcDTWP0o-wtps4MX1UYlYs_6Af2fgtTW3m_E1tGN7YORxJTI2TVbd_qFFMBzLJfBPbs/w604-h640/IMG_8562_edited.JPG" width="604" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Chris Mich</td></tr></tbody></table><p>This post is an official entry in the 2023 Classic Film Reading Challenge. Special thanks to Out of the Past blogger Raquel Stecher for hosting the challenge and giving our blog a shout-out now and then. To join us in this summer fun endeavor, visit <a href="https://www.outofthepastblog.com/p/summer-reading-classic-film-book.html ">Raquel’s blog</a> for more details. </p><p>#classicfilmreading</p><div><br /></div>Digging Star Warshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08766599570106122639noreply@blogger.com4