For Valentine's day here are a couple of nice classic romantic songs from two of my favorite movie musicals.
"Younger Than Springtime" from South Pacific by gorgeous Lt. Joe Cable (John Kerr):
"On The Street Where You Live" from My Fair Lady by the handsome head in the clouds Freddy Eynsford-Hill (Jeremy Brett):
Oh, I wasn't going to put any more but for my own enjoyment, because I often think of this song and this is my favorite movie musical, I'll also post the end of My Fair Lady with Professor Henry Higgings, "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" - Rex Harrison is just so brilliant:
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
G'day Mate
Holy dooley! Take a squizz at this. It's London to a brick that this roo is a beaut. Soon she'll be apples. Okay. That was my Australian slang for you. You wanna know what else is Australian slang? Liquid laugh - it means vomit. That one made me laugh. Just laugh. Not liquid laugh. Anyway, I thought this was adorable:
I mean she's just the cutest little thing.
I mean she's just the cutest little thing.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Vacanze Romane
I just watched Roman Holiday this last weekend again - didn't plan on watching it, but I started and, of course, got sucked in. It's a great movie. Gregory Peck is utterly dashing and handsome in it and, obviously, Audrey Hepburn is absolutely beautiful and charming.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Still cool.
Here are a couple of interesting articles regarding this Christian Bale saga. I am completely in defense of him. Did he go overboard? Yes. But haven't we all lost our tempers before? It is so easy to throw stones, but none of us were there. From my comparitively small amount of acting, I know that when you are immersed in a project, it can really influence your mood, attitude, emotions, thoughts, everything. Good actors will let themselves become immersed. Christian Bale is a great actor, he tries to do the best job he can and we, the audience, reap the benefits of that. He's good because he gives his all and he was in the middle of a very intense shoot when this incident occurred. Again, from my little bit of acting experience, I can tell you it takes a tremendous, unbelievable amount of concentration to be emotionally and physically present and available. Good actors will be vulnerable and raw and the result of ripping open ones heart and soul to the camera can be incredibly taxing and very hard to shake off. So, obviously, he went overboard, but give the guy a break, because unless you were standing in his place, with who knows what other stressors in your life affecting you, with the pressure of a huge movie on your back, and what sounds like, a jerk of a DP screwing up your concentration for possibly the umpteenth time, you shouldn't judge so harshly...people who are judging harshly.
"There's two sides to every story of a superstar's verbal smackdown of a futz-happy DP. If we're to believe Radar, Shane Hurlbut—the berated cinematogapher in question—was a set terror the crew was glad to see humiliated.
According to their report, the confrontation elevated Bale to kingly heights among the peasant crewfolk Hurlbut had sadistically shamed countless times before:
[Hurlbut] was widely despised," sources tell RadarOnline.com exclusively. "Hurlbut was a condescending (bleep) to everyone," a source told us. His favorite line was "Why don't you go stab yourself in the head, you idiot."
But can we trust Radar's report? A Defamer tipster seems to corroborate their findings:
I was on the crew of another film Shane was recently DP on and he was despised. Crew hated him - actors had hard time. He would tell his crew, if he was displeased with them, to "Stab themselves in the heart and die." or "Blow yourself up." On this film he would constantly re-light when actors got to set and tweak during takes - it was bad.
Well then. That really puts a new spin on things, doesn't it?"
"As if on cue, Christian Bale has surfaced with tail tucked neatly between legs to apologize for the rant that has kept bloggers, Access Hollywood reporters, and talk show hosts knee-deep in material for days.
He brought his first, and therefore most critical, mea maxima culpa to an unlikely platform, calling in to KROQ's Kevin & Bean radio show. After assuring them "this is no punk," he thanked them for making him laugh during what has been a "miserable week" for the anger-mismanaging Terminator Salvation star.
The apology itself was a masterful act of contrition, with Bale gingerly avoiding any even remotely salty language as he went about the business of hitting his various, self-effacing, did-it-for-the-greater-good-of-the-production-but-what-a-impotent-little-hot-head-I-am talking points.
On caring too much:
I'm not comfortable yet with this notion of being a "movie star." I'm an actor. The thing that disturbs me so much is that I've heard a lot of people saying that I think that I'm better than everybody else. And nothing could be further from the truth. I'm a lucky S.O.B., and that is why I put so much into what I do.
How the Method made him do it:
In [T2] you will meet Sarah Connor. And she is in an insane asylum—why is she there? Because she is crazy. Now I play John Connor her son, and on the day that all of this happened, the scene that we were doing, I was trying to show a little of that in-the-blood craziness, and it went a little wrong... I took it way too far, and I completely mixed up fact and fiction. I'm half John Connor, I'm half Christian there.
On how DP Shane Hurlbut and he are not quite done professionally:
I've not only talked with him, we've resolved this completely. That very day we kept working for a number of hours. Listen when I'm saying I'm not coming back on that set if he's still hired, it's hot air. I don't believe that. I have no intention of getting anybody fired.
On the folly of him being perceived as a bully:
And another thing: a lot of people that I was a bully to this guy. That's an insult to Shane. He is a big guy. I couldn't have bullied that guy if I tried. He's much bigger than me—he's an ex-friggin football player.
One final plea for your Terminator Salvation dollars, if not for Bale, then for the hardworking TS crew:
Please, I'm asking people— do not let my one time lapse in judgment, my incredibly embarrassing meltdown overshadow this movie, and let all those people's hard work go to work go to waste. The mythology is too big."
To listen to the full apology, go to either of these links (sorry couldn't find a way to actually post it here):
http://defamer.com/5148140/a-repentant-christian-bale-asks-have-you-ever-had-a-bad-day?skyline=true&s=x
http://tmz.vo.llnwd.net/o28/audio/020609_bale-mp4.mp4
"There's two sides to every story of a superstar's verbal smackdown of a futz-happy DP. If we're to believe Radar, Shane Hurlbut—the berated cinematogapher in question—was a set terror the crew was glad to see humiliated.
According to their report, the confrontation elevated Bale to kingly heights among the peasant crewfolk Hurlbut had sadistically shamed countless times before:
[Hurlbut] was widely despised," sources tell RadarOnline.com exclusively. "Hurlbut was a condescending (bleep) to everyone," a source told us. His favorite line was "Why don't you go stab yourself in the head, you idiot."
But can we trust Radar's report? A Defamer tipster seems to corroborate their findings:
I was on the crew of another film Shane was recently DP on and he was despised. Crew hated him - actors had hard time. He would tell his crew, if he was displeased with them, to "Stab themselves in the heart and die." or "Blow yourself up." On this film he would constantly re-light when actors got to set and tweak during takes - it was bad.
Well then. That really puts a new spin on things, doesn't it?"
"As if on cue, Christian Bale has surfaced with tail tucked neatly between legs to apologize for the rant that has kept bloggers, Access Hollywood reporters, and talk show hosts knee-deep in material for days.
He brought his first, and therefore most critical, mea maxima culpa to an unlikely platform, calling in to KROQ's Kevin & Bean radio show. After assuring them "this is no punk," he thanked them for making him laugh during what has been a "miserable week" for the anger-mismanaging Terminator Salvation star.
The apology itself was a masterful act of contrition, with Bale gingerly avoiding any even remotely salty language as he went about the business of hitting his various, self-effacing, did-it-for-the-greater-good-of-the-production-but-what-a-impotent-little-hot-head-I-am talking points.
On caring too much:
I'm not comfortable yet with this notion of being a "movie star." I'm an actor. The thing that disturbs me so much is that I've heard a lot of people saying that I think that I'm better than everybody else. And nothing could be further from the truth. I'm a lucky S.O.B., and that is why I put so much into what I do.
How the Method made him do it:
In [T2] you will meet Sarah Connor. And she is in an insane asylum—why is she there? Because she is crazy. Now I play John Connor her son, and on the day that all of this happened, the scene that we were doing, I was trying to show a little of that in-the-blood craziness, and it went a little wrong... I took it way too far, and I completely mixed up fact and fiction. I'm half John Connor, I'm half Christian there.
On how DP Shane Hurlbut and he are not quite done professionally:
I've not only talked with him, we've resolved this completely. That very day we kept working for a number of hours. Listen when I'm saying I'm not coming back on that set if he's still hired, it's hot air. I don't believe that. I have no intention of getting anybody fired.
On the folly of him being perceived as a bully:
And another thing: a lot of people that I was a bully to this guy. That's an insult to Shane. He is a big guy. I couldn't have bullied that guy if I tried. He's much bigger than me—he's an ex-friggin football player.
One final plea for your Terminator Salvation dollars, if not for Bale, then for the hardworking TS crew:
Please, I'm asking people— do not let my one time lapse in judgment, my incredibly embarrassing meltdown overshadow this movie, and let all those people's hard work go to work go to waste. The mythology is too big."
To listen to the full apology, go to either of these links (sorry couldn't find a way to actually post it here):
http://defamer.com/5148140/a-repentant-christian-bale-asks-have-you-ever-had-a-bad-day?skyline=true&s=x
http://tmz.vo.llnwd.net/o28/audio/020609_bale-mp4.mp4
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Rain
Man, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love rain. And no I don't mean South Korean star, Rain:
Although I'm sure he has his own merits, but I mean the lovely downpour that is happening right now. It started up today and should continue the next couple of days and I couldn't be happier.
April Rain Song
Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.
-Langston Hughes
The best kind of rain, of course, is a cozy rain. This is the kind the anonymous medieval poet makes me remember, the rain that falls on a day when you'd just as soon stay in bed a little longer, write letters or read a good book by the fire, take early tea with hot scones and jam and look out the streaked window with complacency.
-Susan Allen Toth, England For All Seasons
Although I'm sure he has his own merits, but I mean the lovely downpour that is happening right now. It started up today and should continue the next couple of days and I couldn't be happier.
April Rain Song
Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.
-Langston Hughes
The best kind of rain, of course, is a cozy rain. This is the kind the anonymous medieval poet makes me remember, the rain that falls on a day when you'd just as soon stay in bed a little longer, write letters or read a good book by the fire, take early tea with hot scones and jam and look out the streaked window with complacency.
-Susan Allen Toth, England For All Seasons
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Big W
I just watched the end of It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World and remembered how great that movie is. I mean what an ensemble of great comedic actors. There are certain movies that we watched numerous times as a family when I was a kid and this is one of them - it always made us laugh. I love the sound of my parents laughing hysterically - I hope I'll never forget that sound.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Ordinary People
I just finished watching Ordinary People for the first time. It was beyond wonderful. So honest. So raw. Those are real relationships. That is real acting. Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Judd Hirsch were fantastic and Timothy Hutton was amazing. What a beautiful performance. I love him. I love Conrad. This movie has been on my "I need to see that movie!" list for a long time and I'm so glad I finally did. Man, it was good.
A More Perfect Union
The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial was a nice kick-off to this momentous week. U2 was so awesome - they are still the best. I actually got weepy as they went from "Pride" into "City of Blinding Lights" - loved it. Beyonce also sounded great singing "America the Beautiful".
Obama's speech was fantastic and it was very moving to witness him giving his speech with the Lincoln Memorial in the background. This is an amazing time. The whole atmosphere was uplifting and exciting and hopeful. I love it. I'm giddy.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
TV Lunch
I mean, not to be a weirdo, but I do enjoy working at a place where at lunch I get to meet a couple of awesome actors from one of my favorite shows while strolling the WB streets.
I love The New Adventures of Old Christine. Sitcoms are hard these days, but this one I think is fantastic - it's still a traditional, live audience, sitcom, but they pull it off because the cast is stellar. They are so funny. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is amazing. They tape on the WB lot - so as I was out and about walking around at lunch I passed by their stage and they were coming out. I got to meet Hamish Linklater, who is an awesome actor, so interesting and funny. He is super tall and could not have been nicer.
Then Clark Gregg came out and I met him, he was fluish, but despite this so cool. He makes me laugh so so hard on the show. It was fun. They do great work and I hope the show can pick up and do well. Television is hard.
After this I was walking away and saw Eric Close. He is on Without A Trace now, which I don't actually watch, sorry, but he was on one of my favorite shows of all time a few years ago, Now and Again. I won't go into it now, but it was an amazing creative awesome show - which is why it only lasted a season - people couldn't handle anything that creative (see Pushing Daisies). He looked busy, though, so I will see if the opportunity comes up at another time to talk to him.
There are a ton of "celebrities" in this town and who cares, really. But I do like meeting actors who I respect and who are doing great work in the midst of a lot of actors who aren't.
I love The New Adventures of Old Christine. Sitcoms are hard these days, but this one I think is fantastic - it's still a traditional, live audience, sitcom, but they pull it off because the cast is stellar. They are so funny. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is amazing. They tape on the WB lot - so as I was out and about walking around at lunch I passed by their stage and they were coming out. I got to meet Hamish Linklater, who is an awesome actor, so interesting and funny. He is super tall and could not have been nicer.
Then Clark Gregg came out and I met him, he was fluish, but despite this so cool. He makes me laugh so so hard on the show. It was fun. They do great work and I hope the show can pick up and do well. Television is hard.
After this I was walking away and saw Eric Close. He is on Without A Trace now, which I don't actually watch, sorry, but he was on one of my favorite shows of all time a few years ago, Now and Again. I won't go into it now, but it was an amazing creative awesome show - which is why it only lasted a season - people couldn't handle anything that creative (see Pushing Daisies). He looked busy, though, so I will see if the opportunity comes up at another time to talk to him.
There are a ton of "celebrities" in this town and who cares, really. But I do like meeting actors who I respect and who are doing great work in the midst of a lot of actors who aren't.
What?
NEW YORK - A US Airways jetliner crashed into the frigid Hudson River on Thursday afternoon after both engines were disabled, sending more than 150 passengers and crew members scrambling onto rescue boats.
“The plane flew through a flock of birds and both engines were damaged. That’s all we know right now,” said Dave Steyer, a technician with the wildlife research office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which helps the FAA study what it calls bird strikes.
Joe Mazzone, a retired Delta Air Lines pilot, said it is not unusual for birds to strike planes. In fact, he said, when planes get ready to take off, if there are birds in the area, the tower will alert the crew.
"They literally just choke out the engine and it quits," Mazzone said.
Bird Strikes? Really?!? Hitchcock knew what he was talking about (directing about?). Sort of scary.
“The plane flew through a flock of birds and both engines were damaged. That’s all we know right now,” said Dave Steyer, a technician with the wildlife research office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which helps the FAA study what it calls bird strikes.
Joe Mazzone, a retired Delta Air Lines pilot, said it is not unusual for birds to strike planes. In fact, he said, when planes get ready to take off, if there are birds in the area, the tower will alert the crew.
"They literally just choke out the engine and it quits," Mazzone said.
Bird Strikes? Really?!? Hitchcock knew what he was talking about (directing about?). Sort of scary.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Steve Nash, Still Awesome
Whit and I just went to the Clippers/Suns game (thank you Scottie) - it was a lot of fun - I haven't seen my team live for awhile - they look great. I love my team. Afterwards we had a chance to see some of the Suns players and I got to meet Steve Nash again and take this picture with him. I really appreciate how warm and friendly he is. He takes the time to shake your hand, smile, etc. He is just so nice. And it was fun to watch him with his two adorable twin daughters. He's a great representative for the NBA and of course, gorgeous. Thanks, Steve.
Monday, January 5, 2009
New Year, New Hertfords
What a nice start to the new year. I loved the 4 1/2 day weekend. It was so nice to clean my house, do some good grocery shopping, cook, watch movies, sleep and spend time with Whitby. I really could get used to that.
One of my stocking stuffers this year was the book Skinny Bitch. I had been curious for a while, so on the drive home from Utah I read most of it and soon thereafter finished it. It's a book that once you read, you feel like you can't go back to your old habits. They lay out very clearly the foods that are bad for you and the foods that are good for you. Whit and I in this new year are trying to be healthier and adopting a lot of their suggestions. It is basically a vegan lifestyle, but also cuts out refined sugar (and artificial sweeteners) and other things. We really weren't eating much meat anyway and trying to make healthy choices already (obviously, we weren't having coffee, cigarettes, or alcohol or soda or milk, so we were halfway there), so it's not a huge leap, but it will take continued discipline. We're not going to be crazy extreme about it, we are just trying to head in the right direction. The no meat, dairy, eggs part throws some people, but all I can say is, if I were living in a day and age and country of small farms, humane treatment of farm animals it would be different, but food production is ridiculously scary - the amounts of hormones, chemicals and filth in the animal product we eat is inexcusable and it terrifies me to think of putting these things in my body - the diseases and cancers are overwhelming from the nastiness that is animal food production. That and the inhumane, purely evil and heartless treatment of farm animals makes the decision feel necessary. So, I'm not trying to preach at all, I'm just briefly explaining where our change of habits is coming from. Skinny Bitch really is an insightful book and I recommend it - whether or not you decide to make all the changes they suggest doesn't matter, it's still information which is good to know. Every individual has to decide what works for them. We are in a period of adjustment. So far so good. This last week we've made some great food and we feel good - but I'm sure we'll have some hard moments ahead. But even if we're not perfect, I'm glad we're headed in a good direction.
Phew, this entry is much longer than I anticipated. Here's to the Hertfords becoming skinny and healthy in 2009!
One of my stocking stuffers this year was the book Skinny Bitch. I had been curious for a while, so on the drive home from Utah I read most of it and soon thereafter finished it. It's a book that once you read, you feel like you can't go back to your old habits. They lay out very clearly the foods that are bad for you and the foods that are good for you. Whit and I in this new year are trying to be healthier and adopting a lot of their suggestions. It is basically a vegan lifestyle, but also cuts out refined sugar (and artificial sweeteners) and other things. We really weren't eating much meat anyway and trying to make healthy choices already (obviously, we weren't having coffee, cigarettes, or alcohol or soda or milk, so we were halfway there), so it's not a huge leap, but it will take continued discipline. We're not going to be crazy extreme about it, we are just trying to head in the right direction. The no meat, dairy, eggs part throws some people, but all I can say is, if I were living in a day and age and country of small farms, humane treatment of farm animals it would be different, but food production is ridiculously scary - the amounts of hormones, chemicals and filth in the animal product we eat is inexcusable and it terrifies me to think of putting these things in my body - the diseases and cancers are overwhelming from the nastiness that is animal food production. That and the inhumane, purely evil and heartless treatment of farm animals makes the decision feel necessary. So, I'm not trying to preach at all, I'm just briefly explaining where our change of habits is coming from. Skinny Bitch really is an insightful book and I recommend it - whether or not you decide to make all the changes they suggest doesn't matter, it's still information which is good to know. Every individual has to decide what works for them. We are in a period of adjustment. So far so good. This last week we've made some great food and we feel good - but I'm sure we'll have some hard moments ahead. But even if we're not perfect, I'm glad we're headed in a good direction.
Phew, this entry is much longer than I anticipated. Here's to the Hertfords becoming skinny and healthy in 2009!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year!
Welcome, 2009! New Years Eve is always weird to me - expectations of a fun night, but I've never really had a great one. I remember once when I was a kid ringing in the new year quietly with the stuffed toys in my room as the rest of the house slept. I usually sit at home on New Years Eve with t.v. and sparkling cider, which is fine by me, but this year we actually went out. First we went to the Clippers game, oh, the poor Clippers, then we headed to the Upright Citizens Brigade theatre for a party, which is where we took the photo in a little photo booth. I always feel fairly awkward at any social functions consisting of more than, oh, say three people or so, but this was pretty fun: interesting people and Whit and I in matching space wardrobe. Then home for some Craig Ferguson, sparkling cider and vegan brownies. And I am loving this 4 1/2 day weekend. So, Happy New Year to all.
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