Category Archives: Film History

Background on history of film

Rock out for the weekend remix – “Were-Rabbit” style

Posted by donnamarie on

Growing up in the 70’s I was all about Rock and “Hocus Pocus” by the band Focus was always on my playlist. When I saw this remix of Wallace and Gromit “Curse of the Were-Rabbit” I thought I would die! What a brilliant idea. It totally fits with the off the wall antics of BFFs Wallace and Gromit.

Check it Out!!

Hocus Pocus by Focus – Wallace and Gromit

Focus

is a Dutch progressive rock band formed in 1969 by classically trained organist/flautist Thijs van Leer. The band is most famous for the instrumental pieces – “Hocus Pocus” and “Sylvia.” The group broke up in 1978 but got back together in 2002 and have been recording and touring ever since. “Hocus Pocus” received new fame as it was used for the theme of the 2010 World Cup Nike ad.

Focus -Top of the Pop 1974

Top of Pops 1974

Wallace and Gromit are the British stop-motion franchise characters and brain child of creator Nick Park of Aardman Animations. Wallace is an absent-minded, cheese loving, inventor.  Best friend Gromit is a silently intelligent dog.

 “Curse of the Were-Rabbit” (2005) finds the duo working to apprehend the rabbit population who are eating up all the vegetable gardens of the residents of Wigan right before the annual Giant Vegetable Competition.  Events go horribly wrong when Wallace invents a Mind Manipulation-O-Matic contraption to brainwash the rabbits not to eat the vegetables.  The result is Wallace being transformed into a giant, veggie loving Were-Rabbit.

Helena Bohnam Carter (Ms Tottington) and Ralph Fiennes (Lord Victor Quartermaine) lend their voices to the non-stop hilarity.

This is the original trailer:

Wallace & Gromit “Curse of the Were-Rabbit” won Academy Awards for:

Best Animated Feature Film Nick Park
Steve Box
Best Animated Effects Jason Wen
Best Animated Feature
Best Character Animation Claire Billet
Best Character Design in an Animated Feature Production Nick Park
Best Directing in an Animated Feature Production Nick Park
Steve Box
Best Music in an Animated Feature Production Julian Nott
Best Production Design in an Animated Feature Production Phil Lewis

Nick Park should add “Hocus Pocus” by Focus “Were-Rabbit” remix to his long list of award accolades!

 

 

The coolest guys to ever hit the Vegas strip

Posted by donnamarie on

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr.

The Rat Pack

 

Ocean’s 11 (1960)

Ocean'sEleven(1960)Poster

I can just hear Sinatra’s proposal.  How about this, we’ll shoot a film during the day in Las Vegas then party and work the Sands Hotel at night.  Unanimous vote.  (EE-O-Eleven.)

 Look out Vegas, here we come!

The Rat Pack: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr.

Humphrey Bogart (regarded as the greatest male star by the American Film Institute in 1999) originated the concept of the “Rat Pack” with his “Clan.”  He was “the man”, holding court nightly in the 50’s at Holmby Hills. (home of Bogey and his wife Lauren Bacall)  He passed the torch to Frank Sinatra, (an original member of Bogart’s “Pack” who served as “pack master.”)  After Bogey’s death in 1957,   Frank’s boys became his “Rat Pack.”

Humphrey Bogart

Bogart

Performers commonly associated with The Rat Pack:  Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.

Angie Dickinson, and Shirley MacLaine were often referred to as the “Rat Pack Mascots.”

Rat Pack all

Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis, Jr, Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Dean Martin

Danny Ocean isn’t really a fictional character, he is Frank Sinatra.  Believe it, his boys would do anything for him. Except Dean, he was the only one who ever said no to old blue eyes.  Frank really dug Dean’s truthfulness.

The plot revolves around a group of former World War II army buddies (under the command of Danny Ocean) conspiring to rob, on New Year’s Eve, five casinos on the Vegas strip.  When Peter Lawford presented the story idea Frank Sinatra joked: “Forget the movie, let’s pull the job!”

 

Whenever one of the “Pack” was performing at a club in Vegas, the others would show up to support and usually put on an impromptu performance.  While they were in town, Las Vegas was jam packed with admirers hoping to catch a show.

This performance was on June 20, 1965 featuring, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr.   Johnny Carson (known for The Tonight Show) served as the emcee, filling in for Joey Bishop who had hurt his back.

It would be their only televised concert together.

 

Robin and the 7 Hoods 1964

Robin_and_the_7_Hoods_Poster

  Set in Prohibition-era Chicago, the film is a take on the classic Robin Hood tale.  This engaging musical features the Academy Award nominated song “My Kind of Town” sung by Frank Sinatra.

 My favorite number is “Mr. Booze” sung by Bing Crosby.  I love this scene because Robbo’s (Sinatra) club miraculously converts into a mission (due to some clever architectural tricks) to fool the police during a raid.  Robbo’s gang breaks into the gospel version of “Mr. Booze” with Alan A Dale (Crosby) preaching and Little John (Dean) testifying on the lessons of temperance.

Peter Lawford was originally cast as Alan A. Dale, but due to a falling out with Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby took over the role.  At the time, Lawford’s brother-in-law was President John F. Kennedy and Lawford had arranged for The President to stay at Sinatra’s home.  However, because of concerns over Frank’s ties to the “Mob”, the plans were scraped.

“Mr. Booze, Mr. Booze, Mr. B double O, Z, E, don’t ever choose.”

Other numbers include:

“Don’t be a Do-Badder” sung by Bing Crosby

“Bang, Bang!” sung by Sammy Davis, Jr.

“Style” sung by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby

My favorite Rat Pack movie reference line is from Clueless (1995).

Cher’s dad talking to her date who is dressed circa 60’s “Pack” style:

“What’s with you kid? You think the death of Sammy Davis, Jr. left an opening in The Rat Pack?”   Too hilarious!!

 

Over 50 years later, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. are still the coolest guys to ever hit the Vegas Strip!

 

Las Vegas
Sammy “Ocean’s 11” EE-O-Eleven
Ocean’s 11 1960
The Sands Hotel w/Pack
Peter Lawford
Striking the Deal
Walk Away “Ocean’s 11”
Frank Sinatra
Shirley MacLaine – “Rat Pack Mascot”
Dean Martin
“Ocean’s 11 Portrait
Sinatra, Dean, Sammy, Barbara Rush, Crosby
“My Kind of Town” Frank -Robin and The 7 Hoods
“Robin and the 7 Hoods”
Edward G. Robinson “Robin Hoods”
Peter Falk “Robin and the 7 Hoods”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fab Five “Days Night” 50 Years

Posted by donnamarie on

A Hard Day’s Night

July 6, 1964

Beatles hey mister

Ringo Starr, George Harrison, John Lennon & Paul McCartney of the Beatles in ‘A Hard Day’s Night’

In celebration of film’s 50th anniversary Criterion Collection issues 4K digital restoration

What an inspired idea Beatles manager Brian Epstein had to introduce the world to John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in the 1964 film “A Hard Day’s Night”.  Naturals for the camera, the lads stole our hearts and delivered a funny, nonstop scream fest!  Paul’s “grandfather” (“villain, a real mixer” 🙂 (Wilfrid Brambell) practically stole the show ascending from under the stage during the middle of a number!

 Wilfred BrambellWilfred B

The film never gets old and always lifts my spirits and brings a smile with thoughts and memories of a glorious time gone by.

Directed by Richard Lester
Produced by Walter Shenson
Written by Alun Owen
Starring John Lennon Paul McCartney George Harrison Ringo Starr Wilfrid Brambell Norman Rossington John Junkin Victor Spinetti Maggie d’Abo
Music by The Beatles George Martin
Cinematography Gilbert Taylor
Editing by John Jympson
Studio Proscenium Films Walter Shenson Films Maljack Productions
Distributed by United Artists
Release dates 6 July 1964 (UK)

 

Purple Rain 30th Surprise!

Posted by donnamarie on

Prince’s landmark soundtrack and film – Purple Rain turned 30 this week.  Prince marked the occasion with a surprise concert at his Paisley Park compound in Minneapolis.  For me, it brought back memories of the energy and excitement in the theater on opening day.  The movie had all the buzz of a true concert experience.  It so rocked I brought my husband back for the midnight showing!

 

Purple Rain poster

Purple Rain 1984

“Let’s Go Crazy, Let’s Get Nuts, look for the purple banana ’til they put us in the truck.”  Let’s Go!!

Okay, you got me, I’m in!

 My weekly movie matinee ritual was turned on his head as Prince and the Revolution along with Morris Day and the Time deconstructed and reconstructed the movie musical genre.  From the very first cord we were plugged into a musical score that would impact the direction of Pop music.

Prince went on to win the Oscar for Best Music, Original Song Score.  And also walked away with a Grammy for Best Album of Instrumental Score written for a Motion Picture.

 

Directed by Albert Magnoli
Starring Prince
Apollonia Kotero
Morris Day
Clarence Williams III
Olga Karlatos

The Kid (Prince) struggles to mediate his parents dysfunctional relationship while dealing with his own tenuous one with the new honey in town, the aspiring singer Apollonia (Apollonia Kotero).

A cherry on top for The Kid is the kick butt love token Apollonia bestows on him, that super sweet white guitar!

Prince Apollonia white guitar

The music moves the story line along and reveals the shifting dynamics between The Kid and Apollonia.  The budding romance, “Take me with You” and the darker side of The Kid “Darling Nikki.”

The Kid and Morris Day and The Time duke it out onstage with licks like -“The Beautiful Ones” and “Jungle Love.”   It turned 1st Avenue, in Minneapolis into a landmark and music mecca.

Exciting, rocking, sexy Prince, there is no other!   The concert numbers totally made the film.  These were my top faves:

Let’s Go Crazy – Prince and The Revolution
Jungle Love – Morris Day and The Time
Purple Rain – Prince and The Revolution
I Would Die 4 U – Prince and The Revolution

Check this funky, fresh version of “Let’s Go Crazy.”

Prince with 3rdEye Girl 2013 Billboard Music Awards

 

I’ve gotta talk about Morris Day and the Time.  I love Morris Day!  Both cool and hilarious.  And  I can’t leave out my man Jerome (Jerome Benton) ever ready with the car door or a jumbo size mirror.  Here’s Morris Day and Jerome’s take on the classic routine “Whose on First?”made famous by the 40’s comedy duo Abbott and Costello.

I wish I could have been at Prince’s Paisley Park for the June 29th celebration!  Being a die-hard Prince fan and having attended all his concert tours, I’m sure it was an amazing evening.  Also, his very special guest turned out to be his Purple Rain co-star, Apollonia Kotero.  (would’ve loved to be a fly on the wall for that reunion:)

Prince graciously posted this audio from his late-night surprise concert with 3rdEye Girl:

Enjoy!

What’s Your Favorite Friday Night Video Jam?

Posted by donnamarie on

Music like movies affect mood.  Been feeling stressed and searching for a groove.  Weekend’s here so let it go, so let it go and here I go…

 

What’s your Friday night jam?

 

Is it Montell Jordan?  “This is how we do it”

 

Pink?  “I’m Coming Up…so you better get the party started.”

 

Let me know in the comments below what starts your weekend.

 

p.s.  these are my jams!

 

Memories of Michael Jackson – King of Pop 1958 – 2009

Posted by donnamarie on

Today is the 5th Anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death.  I remember being in disbelief  upon hearing the news and remember exactly where I was.  About to leave work when a co-worker told me “Michael Jackson is dead.”  I told her to stop playing but she stood by her statement.  I immediately jumped on the computer to scan every news outlet I could find to see if it was true.  None of the major news sources would either confirm or deny his death.  Finally I went to TMZ (they usually have the lowdown on everything pop culture) and they were reporting that in fact Michael had passed.

As soon as I arrived home from work I turned on every TV set in the house to confirm TMZ’s account.  While I was waiting I got on the phone to call my sister in Detroit – my hometown.  I couldn’t reach her so next I called my best friend, she was on the phone with her nephew trying to console him because she had taken him to his first Michael Jackson concert.  The whole city of Detroit was buzzing.  The news hit everyone like a ton of bricks.  I later found out from my sister that she, along with everyone else in town was at the mall buying up everything Michael.  CDs, DVDs, memorabilia.  Anything to feel closer to the brother we lost.

Growing up in Motown we considered Michael ours.  The Jackson 5 was signed to Motown Records in 1969 and had their 1st single, “I Want You Back” hit number one in 1970.  I still remember my first Jackson 5 concert in junior high school.  Olympia Stadium.  I was hoarse for the next 2 days.

It’s hard to believe that 5 years have passed, but they have and I still miss Michael.

 Share some memories with me.

 

 

It was the Jazz age. It was an age of Elegance and Violence.

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  “The Cotton Club” (1984)

Cotton Club poster

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Produced by Robert Evans
Screenplay by William Kennedy
Francis Ford Coppola

I remember looking forward to screening this film.  I understood the significance of The Cotton Club during the Harlem Renaissance of the 20’s and 30’s and wanted the 1980’s audience to be curious about the history of the real club and incredible level of talent that appeared there between 1923 – 1940.

Some of the original performers at The Cotton Club included:

Among many others.

The movie is intense. Producer Robert Evans originally wanted to direct the project but later asked Coppola.  There are definite similarities to “The Godfather” in the film due to it’s violent nature and also the fact that Mario Puzo (author of The Godfather) wrote the original story and screenplay.

Gangsters, racism and love, this film exposes them all.  I do, however, wish more of the movie focus was on The Cotton Club itself and the lives of those characters.

The story centers around the dangerous love affair of Dixie Dwyer (Richard Gere) and Vera Cicero (Diane Lane).  She “belongs” to mobster Dutch Schultz (James Remar).  Dutch is a straight up psychopath   We also follow the budding romance between Sandman Williams (Gregory Hines) and Lila Rose Oliver (Lonette McKee).  He wants to get married.  She wants to be a “Star.”  (She’s also hiding a secret about her other life.)

Watch and listen as Lonette McKee, also from the movie (“Sparkle”), delivers a taste of the film’s 1930’s Harlem.

The song: “Ill Wind (You’re Blowing Me No Good)”  Composed by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Ted Koehler.  It was written for their last show at The Cotton Club in 1934.

 

One of the most memorable scenes is between the real life and onscreen brothers – Maurice and Gregory Hines.  Clay (Maurice Hines) and Sandman (Gregory Hines) have had a major falling out and at this moment we get to share their reunion.  Growing up, this old school tap dancing duo was compared to The Nicholas Brothers.  Gregory Hines remarked in an interview that after seeing The Nicholas Brothers perform that “nobody was going to be the next Nicholas Brothers, least of all my brother and I.”

 

Starring Richard Gere
Gregory Hines
Diane Lane
Lonette McKee
Music by John Barry

 

Explore the 1984 film but more importantly explore the controversial history of The Cotton Club and the entertainers and music that fueled the Jazz generation.

 

Sparkle Forever! – Irene Cara

Posted by donnamarie on

Irene1

Irene Cara

April 7, 1976 marked the film premiere of “Sparkle” and my introduction to the young, up and coming star, Irene Cara.   “Sparkle”  is the story of 3 sisters (Lonette McKee “Sister”, Dwan Smith “Delores”, Irene Cara “Sparkle”) growing up in 1950’s Harlem. They become “Sister and the Sisters” girl group (formerly The Hearts) and we journey into their lives as their mother “Effie” (Mary Alice) struggles to raise the girls and reign in the “spirited” “Sister.”  Along with Styx (Phillip Michael Thomas) and Levi (Dorian Harewood) the girls face and deal with the trials and realities of  life.

I have 2 sisters and always wanted us to be a hot girl group.  (Unfortunately I was the only one who sang:(

Directed by: Sam O’Steen. Music: Curtis Mayfield.

sparkle-poster-artwork-dwan-smith-irene-cara-lonette-mc-kee

Lonette McKee, Irene Cara, Dwan Smith

 

Cara also went on to star in “Fame” 1980, the “movie that changed my life” and brought super stardom to hers.  Irene’s voice would later influence my own performances.   Young, beautiful and talented, she had it all!   Her voice cut through me like a knife.  I believed every word she sang and the lyrics seemed to sync up with the dreams I held in my heart.

Fame –” You ain’t seen the best of me yet. Give me time I’ll make you forget the rest.”

Flashdance – “What a Feeling” started the clarion call to believe that “I can have it all.”  And in 1984 the song “Flashdance” won Irene Cara an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song.

 

What’s she doing now?

 From Stardom to seeming obscurity.

I hope this piece has introduced or reintroduced this accomplished artist back into our cultural landscape.

Irene Cara has won an Academy Award, 2 Grammy awards, Golden Globe and numerous other awards.

For me – Irene Cara’s star will Sparkle forever!

 

What Are You Watching on Friday the 13th?

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  • Dementia 13 (1963)

Dementia 13

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

A wacky little flick about the Haloren family and the annual ritual of reuniting in remembrance of the death of the youngest daughter Kathleen. The mom works herself up into a frenzy as usual but this year is a little different. There’s an ax murderer roaming around hacking up the residents of the Haloren Estate.

  • Thirteen Ghosts (1960)

13 Ghosts

 Directed by: William Castle

What are your thoughts on the supernatural?  Well, when you’re broke, an inherited haunted house is still a free house.  But this family takes on a lot more than they expected with their new roomies.  Fortunately a special pair of “ghost goggles” allows them to see their tormentors.

 

 

Also, check out the 2001 version.  Takes the ghosts up to a whole other level.  Produced by Terry Ann Castle (William Castle’s daughter)

 

  • House on Haunted Hill (1959)

 

House_on_Haunted_Hill

 

Directed by: William Castle

Classic all the way.  Frederick Loren and his “haunted house theme” party.  He’s so amusing:)  Whoever of his guests makes it through the night walks away (or limps, whatever the case may be) with $10,000.  Let the games begin.

 

I’m not much for remakes, but the 1999 version with Taye Diggs, Geoffrey Rush and Famke Janssen is outstanding!  Also produced by Terry Ann Castle. (William Castle’s daughter)

 

 

Happy Viewing!

 

 

 

 

Love rules! 47th Anniversary – Loving vs Virginia, June 12, 1967

Posted by donnamarie on

Mark this on your calendar - Us Supreme Court, Loving vs Virginia, June 12, 1967y

The Lovings – Mildred and Richard Loving

“Let love rule.” Lenny Kravitz

This is the 47th Anniversary of the Supreme Court Case – Loving v Virginia.  That decision declared the ban on interracial marriage in the United States unconstitutional – Only certain people could love other people.

Today the fight continues for the freedom to marry who we love.

Let love rule!

This is their story: