November 30, 2019

Credit: Disney / LucasFilm

The Mandalorian Episode IV, channels more Akira Kurosawa than Sergio Leone. Of course, Baby Yoda rules.



The Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie from The Union Square Cafe was delicious.



A Hard Day's Night was a fun romp. Wilfrid Brambell steals the show. He was Albert Steptoe of the show Steptoe and Son, which was the inspiration for Sanford and Son.



Continuing my "I am..." exploration.

VIOLA

No, my profound heart: and yet, by the very fangs
of malice I swear, I am not that I play. Are you
the lady of the house?

Twelfth Night , ACT I, SCENE V

VIOLA

Then think you right: I am not what I am.

Twelfth Night , ACT III, SCENE I



Jack Hawkins and Claude Rains are so good .



Sort of risqué scene where Capt. Patrick Hendry is tied up by Nikki Nicholson. I liked John Carpenter's version better.

February 6, 2016

On TCM later this month, will DVR it. I remember seeing it in Watertown in 1978. Thought it was great. Will see how time and experience may shift my view. TCM is all Oscar winners this month.



TCM on demand. I can't help myself, watching it again.



Donald Wolfit
General Murray: [on the Arab Revolt] It's a storm in a tea cup, Mr. Dryden - a sideshow. If you want my own opinion, this whole theater of operations is a sideshow! The real war's not being fought against the Turks, but the Germans. And not here, but on the Western front in the trenches! Your Bedouin Army - or whatever it calls itself - would be a sideshow OF a sideshow!

Mr. Dryden: Big things have small beginnings, sir.



Star Wars toast.

March 7, 2010

Field Marshal, General, 1st Viscount, Allenby. I read up on him after viewing Lawrence of Arabia. Interesting life, here's Jack Hawkins as Allenby in a great scene:



Also, love this line:

Bartender: [after Lawrence enters with a dirty Bedouin] This is a bar for British officers!
T.E. Lawrence: That's all right. We're not particular.




Went to Corona and my first stop was Leo's Latticini or Mama's for tonight's Oscar dinner: Stuffed Shells and Manicotti. Will be washed down with some value wine.



Right up the block from Mama's is Nixtamal, a great Mexican place. Lots of Food blogs have mentioned it, here's: New York Magazine's review and a NY Times write-up. The Masa dough is the attraction. I got the Italiano tamale which includes Sausage, Peppers and Mozzarella. Followed up with a Rainbow Ice at the Lemon Ice King.



Time Warner Cable TCM on demand repeats Once Upon a Time in the West. Henry Fonda as the villain Frank and the music make this a must watch.



Henry Fonda recalls his casting. The actor who told him to do it was Eli Wallach.



Richard Proulx died recently. The above spiritual's arrangment sounds like the one he did. RIP.

February 21, 2010

40 years ago coming up. George Kalinsky has photos for sale on his web site.



Now on TWC Free Movies on Demand. I saw it when I was 10 years old. At the time, the longest movie I had sat through. I remember the intermission and being thirsty.

Themistocles, quoted by T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia: "I cannot fiddle, but I can make a great state of a small city."

From Francis Bacon's essay, Of the True GREATNESS OF KINGDOMS AND ESTATES
THE speech of Themistocles the Athenian, which was haughty and arrogant, in taking so much to himself, had been a grave and wise observation and censure, applied at large to others. Desired at a feast to touch a lute, he said, He could not fiddle, but yet he could make a small town, a great city.

Plutarch's Life of Themistocles:
And thus afterwards, when in company where people engaged themselves in what are commonly thought the liberal and elegant amusements, he was obliged to defend himself against the observations of those who considered themselves highly accomplished, by the somewhat arrogant retort, that he certainly could not make use of any stringed instrument, could only, were a small and obscure city put into his hands, make it great and glorious.



Tried reading this several times, once more into the breach.

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did."






Pictures taken by my youngest son, from Key West Florida.



Haven't watched any part of this Winter Olympics. I will
watch US v. Canada - Hockey tonight at 7:40 p.m.



USA wins 5-3. Great game, exciting and well-played on both sides.



Crane Lake is another value wine. Made by Bronco Wine Company the makers of "Two-Buck Chuck."