JACK'S BACK and this time, it's personal
DATE AND STATUS: Saturday, September 8th, and I'm so excited I that I could wet my pants!
It's raining quite heavily out, the wind is blowing hard, and this is the second time today that I'm attempting to create this post, as due to a temporary blackout, I lost all the work that I had previously done on this post. Too bad for me.
I still have some stitches in my left knee, and I really want them out as they are impeding my exercise on Cruella, really, it's time for them to go!
Last night I only had two hours of sleep, at most. It's amazing how fast time goes while your doing research in etymology. Missing sleep is neither healthy, nor does it help my appearance. I shall have to try to find some time today to take a nap, although, no one can ever make up for lost sleep completely.
I'm so glad I started blogging again. I love writing, and it's nice to have an audience to write for, although sometimes that's not enough.
We all come into this world with our particular egos, I'm no exception, and occasionally, (okay, quite often, ) I need to receive validation that my audiences appreciate the hard work I do producing my blog.
You may have noticed that on my blog, I've modified the section 'About Me' It now includes favourite movies and books of mine.
Yesterday, Mac and I made the decision to visit New York City in the Ides of November. We're both quite excited about it. It has been fifteen years, at least, since Mac and I were last there, which is far too long for someone who is a theatre buff. But, we all have our priorities, and timing is everything.
The important thing is that we ARE now going back to that metropolis, and I'm sure at this juncture, we'll get the very best in in theatre, song and dance. Can't wait.
I have already purchased tickets for the revival of "Annie," and for the huge hit "The Book of Mormon."
I tried to purchase tickets for "The Anarchist," a play by David Mamet which stars Patti Lupone and Debra Winger, but because the tickets do not go on sale until October 7th, I was out of luck. However, you can bet your bottom dollar that first thing on October 7th, I will be in touch with Broadway.Com to get tickets.
While Mac and I are in the big apple, besides going to the theatre, Mac and I plan to visit the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) they're exhibits are always fresh and exciting, take a walk in Central Park, during the day, and go on a shopping expedition to Bloomingdale's, (Well, Christmas will be just around the corner.)
Also, no trip to the big apple would be complete if one didn't visit the Empire State Building, so we shall, and I'll get to live out my fantasy of "An Affair to Remember" and "Sleepless in Seattle."
There's so much to do, see, and buy in New York City, if one doesn't run out of energy, time, and money.
Due to the high cost of purchasing premium tickets for this lolapalooza of a theatre getaway, Mac and I may need to take out a mortgage on our home in Guelph, Ontario.
Last night, a dear friend of mine, Darlene Mignacco, telephoned me, and we chatted about the old days, plus the more current ones.
It really was nice to know that after, not talking, to Darlene, for over forty years, we are still kindred spirits; there was no awkwardness between us, and we were as comfortable as when we were first students at Central High School of Commerce.
Darlene and I didn't share too many classes, but we were both involved in the theatre and I can remember, vividly, being in two plays with Darlene, "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Playroom."
Darlene is a very talented actress, and once, when we both worked on Paul Zindels play of "And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little," and I was the assistant director, and Darlene had the female lead, Darlene managed to walk off with the Best Actress award, given by a panel of judges of the Simpson's Drama Festival, pretty impressive, eh.
Subsequently, Darlene studied acting at York University and Ryerson (where one of her classmates was Eric McCormick, of "Will and Grace" fame) and appeared in many Canadian films, including "Brown Bread Sandwiches." Sadly, Darlene retired from acting for a career in clinical social work, where she succeeds admirably.
Okay, I'm the harbinger of big news, are you ready? Darlene is going to join Mac and I in Manhattan, and the three of us are going to paint that town, and have so much fun. Due to the high cost of housing/hotels, Darlene may even room with Mac and I which will be great as long as the National Enquirer doesn't find out!
Just think: "Annie," "The Book of Mormon," "The Anarchist," Bloomingdale's!, Darlene!, what a truly lucky man I am!!
And my luck didn't run out there, it continued during my non-sleep when I watched the movie "An American in Paris."
Gene Kelly stars as Jerry Mulligan, a struggling American painter living in Paris. Happy, but poor, he spends his time trying, unsuccessfully, to sell his paintings to passers-by, and hoping one day to have his own art show.
Adam (Oscar Levant), is a struggling pianist and is also a longtime associate of a French singer, Henri Baurel (Georges Guétary) and they all are friends with Jerry.
One day an attractive older woman called Milo Roberts (Nina Foch) stops to buy his paintings. A wealthy socialite, Milo becomes his patron, although it is clear from the start that she is interested in a romance with Jerry, she isn't too subtle about it either.
Jerry goes along with the arrangement with Milo for a while, however he is soon smitten by another beautiful woman, perfume shop girl assistant, Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron), without realising that she is already involved with someone else, the aforementioned, Henri Baurel (Georges Guétary) raised Lise Bouvier after she was orphaned in the war.
Jerry and Lise spend time together, mais oui, and their feelings grow, but Lise stops seeing Jerry as she is already in a relationship with Henri, to whom she feels indebted for keeping her safe.
Eventually Jerry learns that Lise is in love with him, but is marrying Henri the next day anyway. (I don't think I will ever understand women.)
Jerry invites Milo to a masked ball that night and there, with everyone in black-and-white costumes, Milo learns from Adam that Jerry is not interested in her, and Henri overhears Jerry and Lise saying goodbye to each other.
Afterwards, while Henri and Lise drive away, Jerry daydreams about being with her all over Paris. This is done to the George Gershwin composition "An American in Paris." Suddenly, (after a fifteen minute dance) Jerry's reverie is broken from car noise,and it becomes clear that Henri is bringing Lise back to him. Jerry and Lise embrace as the Gershwin composition (and the film) ends.
As many of you know, "Singing in the Rain" is regarded as the best movie musical ever made, however, the last seventeen and a half minutes of "An American in Paris" is an unequaled masterpiece and I think surpasses "Singing in the Rain!" Yup, that's what I think, its also what I know!
During the climactic ballet sequence "An American in Paris pushes the envelope of the level of sophistication, and rips it wide open leaving the audience agog.
Can you believe it that Kelly and Caron, during the ballet sequence, symbolized the entire story of their courtship in dance, not an easy feat, on any level!
The production numbers, set in everyday Paris, are dead ringers for the city of light! I really thought we were in Paris, but the film was actually made at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studios in Hollywood.
“An American in Paris" set a new standard for the sub genre known as the "songbook" musical and even though the overall film, especially the non-musical elements haven't worn quite so well over the years, in its time, it was a vital piece of cinema!
Sure, the plot was/is superficial, most of the musicals of that period were, but the film is also cheerful, colourful, and will brighten your day.
Gene Kelly, is athletic, handsome, and speaks fluent French; his final ballet within a painting is an astonishing piece of film theatre. Clearly, the man knows his craft! Kelly is at his best, and took a big risk in casting the unknown Leslie Caron, who became an instant star.
DATE AND STATUS: Saturday, September 8th, and I'm so excited I that I could wet my pants!
It's raining quite heavily out, the wind is blowing hard, and this is the second time today that I'm attempting to create this post, as due to a temporary blackout, I lost all the work that I had previously done on this post. Too bad for me.
I still have some stitches in my left knee, and I really want them out as they are impeding my exercise on Cruella, really, it's time for them to go!
Last night I only had two hours of sleep, at most. It's amazing how fast time goes while your doing research in etymology. Missing sleep is neither healthy, nor does it help my appearance. I shall have to try to find some time today to take a nap, although, no one can ever make up for lost sleep completely.
I'm so glad I started blogging again. I love writing, and it's nice to have an audience to write for, although sometimes that's not enough.
We all come into this world with our particular egos, I'm no exception, and occasionally, (okay, quite often, ) I need to receive validation that my audiences appreciate the hard work I do producing my blog.
You may have noticed that on my blog, I've modified the section 'About Me' It now includes favourite movies and books of mine.
Yesterday, Mac and I made the decision to visit New York City in the Ides of November. We're both quite excited about it. It has been fifteen years, at least, since Mac and I were last there, which is far too long for someone who is a theatre buff. But, we all have our priorities, and timing is everything.
The important thing is that we ARE now going back to that metropolis, and I'm sure at this juncture, we'll get the very best in in theatre, song and dance. Can't wait.
I have already purchased tickets for the revival of "Annie," and for the huge hit "The Book of Mormon."
I tried to purchase tickets for "The Anarchist," a play by David Mamet which stars Patti Lupone and Debra Winger, but because the tickets do not go on sale until October 7th, I was out of luck. However, you can bet your bottom dollar that first thing on October 7th, I will be in touch with Broadway.Com to get tickets.
While Mac and I are in the big apple, besides going to the theatre, Mac and I plan to visit the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) they're exhibits are always fresh and exciting, take a walk in Central Park, during the day, and go on a shopping expedition to Bloomingdale's, (Well, Christmas will be just around the corner.)
Also, no trip to the big apple would be complete if one didn't visit the Empire State Building, so we shall, and I'll get to live out my fantasy of "An Affair to Remember" and "Sleepless in Seattle."
There's so much to do, see, and buy in New York City, if one doesn't run out of energy, time, and money.
Due to the high cost of purchasing premium tickets for this lolapalooza of a theatre getaway, Mac and I may need to take out a mortgage on our home in Guelph, Ontario.
Last night, a dear friend of mine, Darlene Mignacco, telephoned me, and we chatted about the old days, plus the more current ones.
It really was nice to know that after, not talking, to Darlene, for over forty years, we are still kindred spirits; there was no awkwardness between us, and we were as comfortable as when we were first students at Central High School of Commerce.
Darlene and I didn't share too many classes, but we were both involved in the theatre and I can remember, vividly, being in two plays with Darlene, "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Playroom."
Darlene is a very talented actress, and once, when we both worked on Paul Zindels play of "And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little," and I was the assistant director, and Darlene had the female lead, Darlene managed to walk off with the Best Actress award, given by a panel of judges of the Simpson's Drama Festival, pretty impressive, eh.
Subsequently, Darlene studied acting at York University and Ryerson (where one of her classmates was Eric McCormick, of "Will and Grace" fame) and appeared in many Canadian films, including "Brown Bread Sandwiches." Sadly, Darlene retired from acting for a career in clinical social work, where she succeeds admirably.
Okay, I'm the harbinger of big news, are you ready? Darlene is going to join Mac and I in Manhattan, and the three of us are going to paint that town, and have so much fun. Due to the high cost of housing/hotels, Darlene may even room with Mac and I which will be great as long as the National Enquirer doesn't find out!
Just think: "Annie," "The Book of Mormon," "The Anarchist," Bloomingdale's!, Darlene!, what a truly lucky man I am!!
And my luck didn't run out there, it continued during my non-sleep when I watched the movie "An American in Paris."
Gene Kelly stars as Jerry Mulligan, a struggling American painter living in Paris. Happy, but poor, he spends his time trying, unsuccessfully, to sell his paintings to passers-by, and hoping one day to have his own art show.
Adam (Oscar Levant), is a struggling pianist and is also a longtime associate of a French singer, Henri Baurel (Georges Guétary) and they all are friends with Jerry.
One day an attractive older woman called Milo Roberts (Nina Foch) stops to buy his paintings. A wealthy socialite, Milo becomes his patron, although it is clear from the start that she is interested in a romance with Jerry, she isn't too subtle about it either.
Jerry goes along with the arrangement with Milo for a while, however he is soon smitten by another beautiful woman, perfume shop girl assistant, Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron), without realising that she is already involved with someone else, the aforementioned, Henri Baurel (Georges Guétary) raised Lise Bouvier after she was orphaned in the war.
Jerry and Lise spend time together, mais oui, and their feelings grow, but Lise stops seeing Jerry as she is already in a relationship with Henri, to whom she feels indebted for keeping her safe.
Eventually Jerry learns that Lise is in love with him, but is marrying Henri the next day anyway. (I don't think I will ever understand women.)
Jerry invites Milo to a masked ball that night and there, with everyone in black-and-white costumes, Milo learns from Adam that Jerry is not interested in her, and Henri overhears Jerry and Lise saying goodbye to each other.
Afterwards, while Henri and Lise drive away, Jerry daydreams about being with her all over Paris. This is done to the George Gershwin composition "An American in Paris." Suddenly, (after a fifteen minute dance) Jerry's reverie is broken from car noise,and it becomes clear that Henri is bringing Lise back to him. Jerry and Lise embrace as the Gershwin composition (and the film) ends.
As many of you know, "Singing in the Rain" is regarded as the best movie musical ever made, however, the last seventeen and a half minutes of "An American in Paris" is an unequaled masterpiece and I think surpasses "Singing in the Rain!" Yup, that's what I think, its also what I know!
During the climactic ballet sequence "An American in Paris pushes the envelope of the level of sophistication, and rips it wide open leaving the audience agog.
Can you believe it that Kelly and Caron, during the ballet sequence, symbolized the entire story of their courtship in dance, not an easy feat, on any level!
The production numbers, set in everyday Paris, are dead ringers for the city of light! I really thought we were in Paris, but the film was actually made at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studios in Hollywood.
“An American in Paris" set a new standard for the sub genre known as the "songbook" musical and even though the overall film, especially the non-musical elements haven't worn quite so well over the years, in its time, it was a vital piece of cinema!
Sure, the plot was/is superficial, most of the musicals of that period were, but the film is also cheerful, colourful, and will brighten your day.
Gene Kelly, is athletic, handsome, and speaks fluent French; his final ballet within a painting is an astonishing piece of film theatre. Clearly, the man knows his craft! Kelly is at his best, and took a big risk in casting the unknown Leslie Caron, who became an instant star.
Leslie Caron's performance is not quite as strong in this, her first film appearance, but she does show promise, and also shows signs of the charm and ability that will appear more strongly in her later work.
Oscar Levant essentially plays himself, (like in most of his films,) brilliantly, and the rest of the supporting cast also shines.
Vincente Minnelli has created another masterpiece, and this viewer assigns "An American In Paris," a five star rating! It really is a glorious and magical movie.
UPCOMING MOVIES FOR REVIEW:
"Elmer Gantry." Both Burt Lancaster and Shirley Jones received academy award nominations for their work here. I want to see if they deserved them, you know how the Academy can be.
"Blow Dry." For no other reason that when I saw the title of this movie in the television guide, it intrigued me.
"Thief." This film stars James Caan and is reported to be one of Mr. Caan's personal favourites. Well, now it is time for us to decide if we want this movie to make our favourites list.
"The Maltese Falcon." I've avoided seeing Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre in this story of murder and intrigue for far too long, (I'm supposed to be a film buff!) Please note, that the time for me to see this movie has been changed to November to coincide with my salute to Mr. Humphrey Bogart.
"Zorba The Greek." This film stars Anthony Quinn as an amoral Greek peasant who teaches a British student the meaning of life. I want to see if the movie can teach me anything.
"The Dark Knight." I thought I should view a relatively-recent film. As a child of ten, I loved "Batman," and this film offers, Heath Ledger, who won an academy award, posthumously, as the joker. I'm really looking forward to this one!
"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." I don't know any of us that wasn't touched by the horrific tragedy of Nine-Eleven, and this film offers a story of a boy who searches New York City for a lock that matches a mysterious key left to him by his father, who was killed in the towers.
Something tells me to keep the kleenex handy for this one.
FILMS COMING SOON: Exodus, The Sand Pebbles, Giant, Big Night, The slut at four o'clock, can't wait to see all of them!!!!
How wonderful; NYC! I envy you; better watch that your luggage is not over weighted with friends that want to join you two!
ReplyDeleteAs for your review, "An American in Paris" is one of my Favs; good choice and nice review!
Keep Dry and think SUN! A
I love Gene Kelly!!
ReplyDeleteLucky duck going to New York!
Wish you were coming to my show .Think you would have liked it!
Excellent writing by the way. Good job
Love Gloria