Dead or Alive? October 31, 2005

They’re still alive!!!!

Here are some picture of those who turn 85 or more this year . Among them there’ re

Oscar winner Luise Rainer (95), ) Karl Malden (93), Jane Wyman (91), Olivia De’havilland (89), Joan Fontaine(88),Red Buttons (88), Jack Palance(88),Jennifer Jones(86),Celeste Holm (86) Mickey Rooney(85)

Oscar Nominees: Gloria Stuart (95), Kirk Dauglas (88)

Also there’s oscar winer’s husband Carlo Ponti (92, AKA Mr. Sopia Lauren) Oscar Nominee ‘s husband, Fasion designer Oleg Cassini (92 AKA.Mr. Gene Tierney) Mel Ferrer (88 AKA Mr. Audrey Hepburn) and some who never nominate like Director Vincent Sherman (99), Huge star of silent films Anita Page (95), Singer Frankie Lane (92), Tony Martin (92), Wine Maker Robert Mondavi (92), Fitness Guru Jack Lalanne, Mr.President Gerald Ford (92), and his wife Betty (88) Glen Ford (89) Van Johnson (89), Zsa Zsa Gabor, June Allyson (88), Maurleen O’ hara(86)
See the complete list at “Dead or Alive? – People Alive Over 85“

More More Moorehead October 29, 2005

October almost over and I only review one movie from our star of the month . Here ’s some more movie I really like that feature our star of the month Ms. Agnes Moorehead

Agnes Moorehead came to Hollywood from New York with Orson Welles to appear as Charles Foster Kane’s mother in CITIZEN KANE (1941), her first of 60+ film roles.The film was nominated for nine Oscars in 1941 including Best Picture. Although it never won but it ‘d said to be the best american movie ever made (AFI 100 best movie of all time No.1)

The film adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, JANE EYRE (1944) which starred Joan Fontaine as the title character and Welles as Rochester. Moorehead played young Jane’s guardian Mrs. Reed, and the film also featured several of the 1940’s rising child stars including Peggy Ann Garner, Elizabeth Taylor and Margaret O’Brien.

DARK PASSAGE (1947) which also featured Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Moorehead played villainess Madge Rapf in this film-noir thriller, and had a famous exit through a plate glass window.

Moorehead played Aggie McDonald, aunt of Jane Wyman’s Belinda in Warner Bros.’ drama about a deaf-dumb girl who shoots her rapist and goes on trial for murder in JOHNNY BELINDA (1948). Moorehead’s performance earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination, one of twelve nominations the film received. Incidentally, this was the first of five films on which Moorehead and Wyman collaborated.


ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS is a classic Douglas Sirk melodrama with Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson, that was the inspiration for Todd Haynes’s FAR FROM HEAVEN (2002).

Note from Jay : When it was released, All That Heaven Allows was not well received by most critics, who saw only a romantic melodrama in it. Unfortunadely, some depreciate the film even today, because it is melodramatic, “soap opera like”, they say. I was stunned by the beautiful restoration of the film. It’s a virtual feast for the eyes with that glorious Technicolor

From Robert Aldrich’s murder-thriller, HUSH… HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE (1964) in which Moorehead earned her fourth and final Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role as Velma, suspected murderess Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis)’s faithful servant. Also featuring Olivia de Havilland and Joseph Cotten, this movie received seven Oscar nominations in 1964, but did not take any statuettes home.

More More Moorehead October 29, 2005

October almost over and I only review one movie from our star of the month . Here 's some more movie I really like that feature our star of the month Ms. Agnes Moorehead

Agnes Moorehead came to Hollywood from New York with Orson Welles to appear as Charles Foster Kane's mother in CITIZEN KANE (1941), her first of 60+ film roles.The film was nominated for nine Oscars in 1941 including Best Picture. Although it never won but it 'd said to be the best american movie ever made (AFI 100 best movie of all time No.1)

The film adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's classic novel, JANE EYRE (1944) which starred Joan Fontaine as the title character and Welles as Rochester. Moorehead played young Jane's guardian Mrs. Reed, and the film also featured several of the 1940's rising child stars including Peggy Ann Garner, Elizabeth Taylor and Margaret O'Brien.

DARK PASSAGE (1947) which also featured Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Moorehead played villainess Madge Rapf in this film-noir thriller, and had a famous exit through a plate glass window.

Moorehead played Aggie McDonald, aunt of Jane Wyman's Belinda in Warner Bros.' drama about a deaf-dumb girl who shoots her rapist and goes on trial for murder in JOHNNY BELINDA (1948). Moorehead's performance earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination, one of twelve nominations the film received. Incidentally, this was the first of five films on which Moorehead and Wyman collaborated.

ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS is a classic Douglas Sirk melodrama with Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson, that was the inspiration for Todd Haynes's FAR FROM HEAVEN (2002).

Note from Jay : When it was released, All That Heaven Allows was not well received by most critics, who saw only a romantic melodrama in it. Unfortunadely, some depreciate the film even today, because it is melodramatic, "soap opera like", they say. I was stunned by the beautiful restoration of the film. It's a virtual feast for the eyes with that glorious Technicolor

From Robert Aldrich's murder-thriller, HUSH… HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE (1964) in which Moorehead earned her fourth and final Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role as Velma, suspected murderess Charlotte Hollis (Bette Davis)'s faithful servant. Also featuring Olivia de Havilland and Joseph Cotten, this movie received seven Oscar nominations in 1964, but did not take any statuettes home.

three faces of Dutch October 29, 2005

three faces of Dutch October 28, 2005

Hitchcock go Queer tonight at TCM October 28, 2005

‘Strangers On a Train‘ is the one great Hitchcock movie that seems to get lost among the others of his filmmaking career. Based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, (The Talented Mr. Ripley). Highsmith apparently invented the genre of the serial killer homosexual, with Bruno’s fascination for Guy seemingly not limited to conscripting him to murder his father The homoerotic character, not only explicit in Walker’s Bruno, but also throughout the action as a strong concurrent subtext…. Oh sure, it’s no more than subtext (it’s 1951 after all) but the psychosis of the queer character moves fluidly between the surface action and the implication of his relationship with Haines.

Along with Rebecca, Strangers on a Train is perhaps my favorite film of director Alfred Hitchcock. An extraordinarily tense film, twisted and delightfully playful in its delivery, you forget yourself for the entire running time.The film moves fast and the climax aboard a runaway merry go round provides the perfect ending to one great film.

Hitchcock go Queer tonight at TCM October 28, 2005

‘Strangers On a Train’ is the one great Hitchcock movie that seems to get lost among the others of his filmmaking career. Based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, (The Talented Mr. Ripley). Highsmith apparently invented the genre of the serial killer homosexual, with Bruno’s fascination for Guy seemingly not limited to conscripting him to murder his father The homoerotic character, not only explicit in Walker’s Bruno, but also throughout the action as a strong concurrent subtext…. Oh sure, it’s no more than subtext (it’s 1951 after all) but the psychosis of the queer character moves fluidly between the surface action and the implication of his relationship with Haines.

Along with Rebecca, Strangers on a Train is perhaps my favorite film of director Alfred Hitchcock. An extraordinarily tense film, twisted and delightfully playful in its delivery, you forget yourself for the entire running time.The film moves fast and the climax aboard a runaway merry go round provides the perfect ending to one great film.

AFI’s 100 YEARS OF FILM SCORES October 27, 2005

American Film Institute (AFI) revealed the top 25 film scores of all time in The Big Picture–AFI’s 100 Years of Film Scores, A jury of over 500 film artists, composers, musicians, critics and historians selected John Williams’ iconic score from the classic film STAR WARS as the most memorable film score of all time. John Williams is additionally noteworthy as the most represented composer on the list with three scores making the top 25.

Spanning a century of film music and counting down from 25 to number one throughout the evening, Principal Conductor John Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra performed excerpts from each of the winning scores, many of them accompanied by favorite movie scenes shown on the Bowl’s big video screens. While television broadcasts have announced the previous eight installments of AFI’s 100 Years… series,

Rounding off the top 10 were film scores ranging in theme from sweeping epics to westerns, including: GONE WITH THE WIND (#2), composer Max Steiner; LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (#3), composer Maurice Jarre; PSYCHO (#4), composer Bernard Herrmann; THE GODFATHER (#5), composer Nino Rota; JAWS (#6), composer John Williams; LAURA (#7), composer David Raksin; THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (#8), composer Elmer Bernstein; CHINATOWN (#9) composer Jerry Goldsmith; and HIGH NOON (#10), composer Dimitri Tiomkin. (Jay’s Pick ; GWTW,Laura, M7)

Hung Up Bow at No.20 October 27, 2005

According to Billboard
“The Hot 100’s top debut is a big one for Madonna, as “Hung Up” bows at No. 20. It’s her 51st chart entry and the sixth Madonna song to debut in the top 20.”Congratulation !!!

AFI’s 100 YEARS OF FILM SCORES October 27, 2005

American Film Institute (AFI) revealed the top 25 film scores of all time in The Big Picture–AFI’s 100 Years of Film Scores, A jury of over 500 film artists, composers, musicians, critics and historians selected John Williams’ iconic score from the classic film STAR WARS as the most memorable film score of all time. John Williams is additionally noteworthy as the most represented composer on the list with three scores making the top 25.

Spanning a century of film music and counting down from 25 to number one throughout the evening, Principal Conductor John Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra performed excerpts from each of the winning scores, many of them accompanied by favorite movie scenes shown on the Bowl’s big video screens. While television broadcasts have announced the previous eight installments of AFI’s 100 Years… series,

Rounding off the top 10 were film scores ranging in theme from sweeping epics to westerns, including: GONE WITH THE WIND (#2), composer Max Steiner; LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (#3), composer Maurice Jarre; PSYCHO (#4), composer Bernard Herrmann; THE GODFATHER (#5), composer Nino Rota; JAWS (#6), composer John Williams; LAURA (#7), composer David Raksin; THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (#8), composer Elmer Bernstein; CHINATOWN (#9) composer Jerry Goldsmith; and HIGH NOON (#10), composer Dimitri Tiomkin. (Jay’s Pick ; GWTW,Laura, M7)

leave her to next month October 27, 2005

I watch” leave her to heaven” second time tonight with audio comentary. I decide to have Gene Tierney as a star of the month next month. With a review of “razor edge” and of course “ laura”

Hung Up Bow at No.20 October 27, 2005

According to Billboard
“The Hot 100’s top debut is a big one for Madonna, as “Hung Up” bows at No. 20. It’s her 51st chart entry and the sixth Madonna song to debut in the top 20.”Congratulation !!!

leave her to next month October 26, 2005

I watch" leave her to heaven" second time tonight with audio comentary. I decide to have Gene Tierney as a star of the month next month. With a review of “razor edge” and of course “ laura”

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again October 26, 2005

In fact last night I saw Rebecca again for the 4th times. I always feel that Rebecca has something different than other Hitch film. Even director once said “ Rebecca is not really a Hitchcock film.” Indeed, the a theory really goes to pieces with regard to any film where David O. Selznick was the producer, as the case with this picture. While there is some of the trademark Hitchcock suspense, the film owes much more to producer Selznick than to its director. In the end, it’s probably just as well that Selznick had control of the film; it becomes clear that, while not really a Hitchcock picture,Yet his artistry still manages to come through (the cinematography, especially at Manderley, is full of shadows). The end result is certainly superior to what the director had wanted. Afine and chilling romance with a twisted of suspense that holds up nicely. Great performance by Joan Fontaine . Olivier was also good . (and very cute.. very gay)

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again October 25, 2005

In fact last night I saw Rebecca again for the 4th times. I always feel that Rebecca has something different than other Hitch film. Even director once said “ Rebecca is not really a Hitchcock film.” Indeed, the a theory really goes to pieces with regard to any film where David O. Selznick was the producer, as the case with this picture. While there is some of the trademark Hitchcock suspense, the film owes much more to producer Selznick than to its director. In the end, it’s probably just as well that Selznick had control of the film; it becomes clear that, while not really a Hitchcock picture,Yet his artistry still manages to come through (the cinematography, especially at Manderley, is full of shadows). The end result is certainly superior to what the director had wanted. Afine and chilling romance with a twisted of suspense that holds up nicely. Great performance by Joan Fontaine . Olivier was also good . (and very cute.. very gay)