May 2005

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The Monday Movie Quiz #60

Filed under: Imported

This quiz will be harder than hell for almost everybody, and I'm hoping to actualy stump Wayne Palmer, Hank Parmer and E. Yarber all at the same time with it. So . . . put this picture

with this sound clip and guess the movie.

All right, that's even too tough for these guys (although they should get it!). So here's another sound clip, this time including the voice of the film's star. Even he won't be identifiable to most people, but if you really know your old movies, you'll know him almost immediately.

If you think you know the title of this week's movie, send me an email by late Sunday, and if you're correct, expect to see your name in our hard-working winners circle.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 30, 2005 11:26 PM

 

Last week's Movie Quiz winners

Filed under: Imported

Supposedly, Stanley Kubrick's attitude toward the digital video disc (a format that was just getting started when he died) was less than enthusiastic, and DVDs of some of his films are full-screen only. Fortunately, he participated in the widescreen version of Dr. Strangelove, and it shows. Had he lived longer, I can't believe he wouldn't have redone the discs of his other films, as well.

The DVD of Strangelove is a thing of beauty-- I was even able for the first time to see George C. Scott and Peter Sellers in the same shot clearly during the conference-table scene. And if "King" Kong's plane looks phonier than ever, Kubrick's scary closeups of Sterling Hayden are so sharp that they almost jump out of the screen. In fact, his entire ghoul's gallery of great faces-- George C. Scott, Slim Pickens, Keenan "Bat Guano" Wynn, and, of course, Peter Sellers-- have never looked better or funnier.

Of course, all of this is no news to the following quiz winners, since they probably all have their own copies. Congratulations and a date with Gen. "Buck" Turgidson's secretary to: Wayne Palmer, Joe Rosenberg, David G. Bragman, Charles Youngquest, Eric Yarber, Dan Andreasen, and Hank Parmer. A nice collection of old and new names this time (although none older than Grandpa Rosenberg). Thanks to all for playing along.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 30, 2005 11:26 PM

 

Thurl Ravenscroft, R.I.P.

Filed under: Imported

Thurl Ravenscroft, the man who was the voice of Tony the Tiger and who even stole the show from Boris Karloff in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, died this week at the age of 91. He had a bass voice that, as my old man used to say, went so low that when he exhaled you could smell his feet. Ravenscroft worked on kids' records in the '50s, Disney animated features, and, as I mentioned, even upstaged narrator Boris Karloff with his song, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." (There is actually a short documentary about that tune called Songs in the Key of Grinch, and Ravenscroft is even interviewed in it.)

Here's a nice website called All Things Thurl that includes many soundclips of his work. Needless to say, they're grrrrrreat.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 27, 2005 5:08 AM

 

The Monday Movie Quiz #59

Filed under: Imported

I believe I promised a nice, tough quiz-- well, I changed my mind. Next time, I swear. But for now, an easy one if ever there was one: listen to this audio clip, and when-- not if-- you recognize the movie, send me the title in an email by late Sunday night. If you're right, expect to see your name in next week's apocalyptic winners circle.

P.S. Not that you need a hint, but know this: our quiz movie can be found here, in Time's new list of the 100 best films of all time. (I've only seen 57 of them-- how about you?)

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 23, 2005 3:39 AM

 

The Monday Movie Quiz-- back next week

Filed under: Imported

An emergency trip out of town will keep me from getting to the quiz until next Monday. But then, I promise, a nice tough one. Until then.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 16, 2005 9:20 PM

 

Last week's Movie Quiz winners

Filed under: Imported

After correctly identifying last week's mystery film as Southern Comfort, directed by Walter Hill and starring Powers Boothe and Keith Carradine, longtime quiz winner Hank Parmer asked, "Gawd: Has it really been almost a quarter-century since Southern Comfort first hit the theaters? Suddenly, I'm feeling kinda old..." You 'n' me both, Hank. It was so long ago, Boothe was losing his hair. (Now, on Deadwood, he has a full head of wavy weave-stuff.)

Circumstances prohibit me from going on about one of my favorite films right now, but congrats to the following winners: Hank Parmer, Dan Geiser, Wayne Palmer, Steve Perry, Mark Gisleson, Vincent Tuss, Joe Rosenberg, Kevin Musolino, and Corey Anderson.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 15, 2005 4:24 PM

 

The Monday Movie Quiz #58

Filed under: Imported

Another tough, one-picture quiz. Recognize this movie?

If you do, send me an email by late Sunday night. If you're right, next Monday you'll see your name in our smooth-blended winners circle. Good luck.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 9, 2005 8:18 PM

 

Last week's Movie Quiz winners

Filed under: Imported

"So," asked quiz champeen Wayne Palmer, "is this your Mother's Day tribute?" Yes, indeed, The Anniversary (1968) starring Bette Davis is a great "Mommy Dearest"-type movie, and one of the best from the latter part of her career. Perhaps that might not seem like much of a compliment, considering that it was only a couple years later she was starring in stuff like Bunny O'Hare, but the 60-year-old Davis really shines in one of her most enjoyably evil roles.

(If you're into plot synopses, here's a decent one from, of all places, TV Guide.)

At the time, it also brought her to a new generation of horror fans: it was produced by Hammer Studios, the people who rejuvenated Dracula and his friends with a series of films starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, among others. The Anniversary was scripted and directed by Hammer stalwarts Jimmy Sangster and Roy Ward Baker. Based on a play (and it shows), it's much more a black comedy than anything else, and Davis is a scream in more ways than one. (Her cackle is a thing of sinister beauty.) She also conveys more subtle emotion and expression using just one eye than Joan Crawford ever got with two.

This brings me to comments made by a couple of quiz winners: as one put it, "Bette Davis + eye patch," equals Googled correct answer. Fair enough, but that presumes you recognized Bette to begin with, and considering the small turnout of correct replies this time, I'm still assuming that it was a tough quiz. So congratulations to the handful of guys who got it-- Wayne A. Palmer, Steve Perry, Mark Gisleson, E. Yarber, and Hank Parmer.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 9, 2005 8:05 PM

 

Steve Monaco to Minneapolis: Adios, Shitville!

Filed under: Imported

Long, sad story omitted, but I'm moving back to my hometown of Des Moines for good within the next few weeks. While it's an unhappy departure-- I'll be leaving some people I care for dearly-- the silver lining is that I also get to ditch the twin cities. (St. Paul is better than Minneapolis, but not nearly good enough to stay.)

I've hated this place since I got here. Where should I start with what's wrong about it? How about food-- the only reason Mini-apolitans think this is a great place for chow is because they've been eating this shit for so long, they don't know what really good food tastes like. Traffic? It's not a big enough city to have such congestion, but I guess it happens when every single person behind the wheel is a roaring fuckhead. And speaking of congestion, how about that last pollution alert? A city of less than a million and the air is so fucking dirty it's unsafe to walk!

(While we're on the subject of cars, I continue to have mine worked on by my longtime mechanic in Des Moines. He calls Minneapolis "the big city" and asked how the repair places take care of so many people. I told him, They don't-- the two main qualities you find in most repair businesses are dishonesty and incompetency.)

And "Minnesota Nice?" You know who has perpetuated this ridiculous notion? People from Minnesota! Nice is the exact opposite of what you find in Minneapolis. If I had a dollar for every surly asshole who cut me off in traffic, ignored me while he was on the job, didn't hold a door open, or fucked up my food order . . . well, I'd have a lot more money to apply to my move back to Iowa.

Now, if you're a City Pages reader who loves this dump, you're saying, Hold on, Steve, what about the wonderful things here, like all the culture? It's true, there are certainly more films, concerts, etc. going on here than in a sleepy little burg like Des Moines. But what Thomas Disch said about New York applies to Minneapolis in spades: you don't live in the city because of the culture, it's the culture that makes living in the city bearable.

I could go on and on, and maybe in another day or two I will. For now, though, it just feels great to say good riddance to this place of morons and shitheels.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 6, 2005 5:11 AM

 

Greil Monaco's No-Life Top Ten

Filed under: Imported

1) Deadwood and Al Swearengen's true identity. I'm four episodes into the second season and I think the show's already peaked. After Wild Bill got plugged by the droopy-eyed Jack McCall, the episodes lost their verve and momentum, and became more soap-operatic. But Ian McShane continues to dominate the cast the way his character does the camp, and by the first season's final episodes, he makes it clear with every arch of his brow that Al is really Satan himself, presiding over the muddy side of Hell. It's one of the best portrayals of Old Nick ever filmed.

2) It turns out I actually (kind of) know someone else in the Deadwood cast. Years ago, when this blog was a lowly e-zine called A Movie a Day, I sent it out by email to anybody who crossed my cyber-path and had similar taste in films. Jim Beaver, who plays Ellsworth the prospector in the show, has long been a poster at the newsgroups for old movies, and on certain occasions-- Toshiro Mifune's death was one-- I contacted Jim for info to use on my old public-radio movie show, and he was always helpful and knowledgable. He told me that he used to review movies in the '70s, and if I remember correctly, he estimated that in one year (1978?), he saw 1,800 films!

3)  Frasier faw down 'n' go boom. If you haven't seen the video of Kelsey Grammer taking a tumble off a Disneyland stage, you really should click on the link and watch it. It'll brighten your day. And keep in mind as you watch this shaken pussy pull himself together, the last line of the story is: "Grammer wasn't seriously hurt in the fall."

4) R. Crumb on Fresh Air, May 2nd, 2005. A rare and bittersweet interview with the Crumb-bum, well done by Terri Gross, who comes across as a long-time admirer. Nice as it is to hear him talk about his life and work (and sounding much less obnoxious than in Terry Zwigoff's documentary), he's still a prime example of a great artist who has nothing interesting to say when he's not in his medium. But when Terri reads a caption from his comix, it's perfect even without the pictures. "Sartre said that Hell is other people. But it can also be yourself."

5) No more hotdogs for Hasil Adkins. Jesco White, Boone County's Dancing Outlaw, has just lost a neighbor and fellow celebrity: West Virginia rockabilly nutcase Hasil Adkins kicked the bucket last week, three days shy of a-reachin' his 68th birthday. Here's a fine send-off from The Guardian.

6) Fat Actress. Who knew Kirstie Alley was a brilliant film comic? Nobody seems to get the show (except James Wolcott), but time will be kind to the funniest showbiz self-parody since Sunset Boulevard.

Hey, six is almost 10, right? Right. Until next time . . .

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 5, 2005 6:33 AM

 

The Monday Movie Quiz #57

Filed under: Imported

Lots of griping the last 2-3 weeks about how easy the quiz has been. Okay, then: see if you recognize this movie.

And that's the only clue you get. If you think you know the title, send me an email by late Sunday night. If you're correct, expect to see your name in next week's celebratory winners circle. Good luck.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 2, 2005 11:34 PM

 

Last week's Movie Quiz winners

Filed under: Imported

Great as the acting is-- it carries the film, and Brando is unforgettable-- I can't watch On the Waterfront anymore without recalling the despicable actions of its two creators, writer Budd Schulberg and director Elia Kazan. Both were willing name-droppers at the McCarthy hearings, ruining the careers of their friends, and both refused to ever acknowledge that they did anything wrong. At the time, Kazan even took out a full page ad defending his squealer's role, undoubtedly paying for it with some of the $500,000 he got literally days after his appearance at the hearing, from a contract that he wouldn't have gotten if he hadn't testified.

I've been reading Inside Out, Walter Bernstein's memoir of the blacklist, and his brief take on this film backs up what I've long believed: "The picture was a great success and swept the Academy Awards. But all I saw was a rationale for Schulberg's and Kazan's own informing. There were, it seems, good stool-pigeons and bad ones, and they wanted to make clear what kind they were. Schulberg always denied that this was the reason for making it, but Kazan, never a man without a chip on his shoulder, asserted it with pugnacious defiance in his autobiography."

So . . . great movie made by a couple of shitty guys. In real life and in their place, a truly courageous character like Terry Malloy wouldn't have talked. But then, he had honor and they didn't.

Anyway, congratulations and a pair of homing pigeons to the following quiz winners: Wayne A. Palmer, Joe Rosenberg, Dean Carlson, Mark Gisleson, E. Yarber, Hank Parmer, Evan Cook and Kevin Musolino.

Posted by Steve Monaco at May 2, 2005 11:33 PM

 

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