Movie Chat

Ray was well presented. My one bitch about it, it focused almost solely on his struggles with drugs and the women in his life. Surely there were quite a few uplifting times in his life?

Today, I watched The High and the Mighty (John Wayne).

I thought the treatment quite sterile, yet, at the end felt emotionally moved by some of the late scenes. A number of favorite stars were in it, such as Robert Newton, Phil Harris -

I watched Gonzales Gonzales, being a sailor relaying radio messages from the plane, and recalled how much I used to like him. A few hours later, my wife told me he just died. I don't know, but I take note of such things each time, like the times my horoscope gets it right for the first time in four or five years. Signifies nothing, really.

I misspelled Gonzalez Gonzalez.
A Google search barely brings up his name. He first appeared before the public as a contestant on You Bet Your Life (The Groucho Show). He was an instant hit, and John Wayne signed him to his production company. He never became a real star, but he was always a likeable guy.

I remember when the theme song, "The High and Mighty",was a big hit.

Words & Music by Ned Washington & Dimitri Tiomkin
Recorded by Les Baxter Orchestra, 1954 (#4)
From the movie of the same name (Academy Award nominee)


I was high and mighty,
How I laughed at love and the stars above.
Then you came like a gentle flame
And helped me find my way.

I was high and mighty,
And I told my heart where to stop and start.
Now I find that I was blind --
I'm learning it day by day.

Love can change things,
Re-arrange things --
Oh, what strange things love can do.


I'm not high and mighty,
But I have what's worth all the gold on earth.
I have you, and I give my heart
Forever and ever to you.

"It seems Dimitri Tiomkin campaigned actively for Oscar attention (he won four in his career) but couldn't get this one nominated because the lyrics were never actually heard in the movie. (John Wayne whistled it throughout the movie.)Tiomkin got the lyrics added to a single print of the film (which appeared only in Los Angeles) but still failed to win the award, losing out to "Three Coins In The Fountain."

I had a Pat Boone recording of that song at one time.

Yep, it was corny/predictable, but it was one of the first all-star cast airplane disaster films.

I noticed that the credits to High and Mighty named a lyricist for that song and wondered why. Now I know.

A movie page with real impact:
http://www.jacquedee63.com/psycho.html

Just finished the new King Kong. It was overall very enjoyable. I had multiple problems with the script, but, it's only meant for the thrill and spectacle, so, what the hell? I loved the animals of Skull Island, and Kong was real enough. I may not ever watch it a second time, but, who knows? Maybe I shall.

Stalag 17
I had not seen it since a very young age. Happily, it stood the test of time. Bought it last week for about 14 bucks.

We just bought the dvd of 'King Kong' and watched it last night. It's a fun movie. I'm looking forward to watching the extra dvd with all of the tricks and special effects backround stories. With movies like this, full of magic and marvelous feats, it's interesting to see how they created such wonderous images.

I am a fan of the old science fiction movies,and the old monster movies.

Yes,I know its pathetic,but I love the old black and white monster movies like Tarantula.
My favorite is called "Them",starring James Arness.
Fess Parker has a small part in it also.
Its about giant ants in the southwest after the a-bomb tests.

And to be really pathetic,I even like the old Godzilla movies from Japan.
I know they are hokey,silly,and a waste of film,but I cant help myself when they come on.

Of course,anything with Sidney Poitier,but mainly Lilies of the Field.

There,now I have revealed my biggest weakness,you have permission to laugh.

Nothing to laugh at. I see plenty of films others would sneer at. I just watched "It Came From Outer Space" a few weeks ago. I go through all the $1 DVDs just to get some of these old films I missed or haven't seen in ages.

I have concluded that I need to see King Kong in the wide screen version. I borrowed a "adapted to fit your screen" version yeaterday.

You absolutely must see the wide-screen version. Imagine what you may have missed???

mysteryman, my brother and I use to watch an old Asian sci-fi movie featuring a character called Starman. There may have been more than one. It was unbelievably cheesy and hokey and we peed in our pants laughing at it. Do you recall this character or movies featuring him?

Starman sounds somewhat familiar. Can't say I ever watched it.

Starman sounds familiar.
I know there was a TV series on American TV called Starman.
It was based on the Jeff Bridges movie of the same name.

I do vaguely remember an old Japanese TV show of the same name,from the late 60's or early 70's.
If I remember correct,he wore a silver suit with a helmet that had what looked like a fin on it.
He was supposed to be about 30 feet tall,judging by the pictures I remember,and my memory may be hazy.

Mine is pretty hazy too. I don't remember his costume or what superpowers he had at all. The whole idea was just so ridiculous. Beyond ridiculous.

I mentioned that I love to go through the $1 movie bins. I fond a double feature today of Red Ryder. As a boy, I saw trailers of two Ryder films, but never got to actually watch one. I know it's just formula old westerns, but I plan to check them out tomorrow.

Jarhead
I have made it a policy to never watch films related to Vietnam. It was with some trepidation I agreed at last to view Jarhead, because my politics opposed the way the situation was handled in Iraq, BOTH TIMES. I found it an honest film. The relationship between the men in uniform was real. I could never sit through it a second time, but I do recommend it to everyone, regardless of their view on this and other wars.

Recently bought The Savage Innocents(1959) Starring Anthony Quinn And Peter O'toole. My grandfather is in the film for about 5 mins and has about 2 or 3 lines lol. I think its a great film and can be enjoyed by everyone.

I love Quinn, but don't recall the film by name. I will check it out. Or, wait, is that a story of the Eskimoes?