The College Crowd Digs Me

"Well, I tried to live the way I should. I've shed some tears and sweated blood. Don't you know, babe? And I think it's time I took a break. 'Cause I have took all I can take . Don't you know, babe?" Ten Years After NO SPOILERS: If you pick up this entertaining western....expecting something violent and dark...then I'm afraid you're getting your grain from the wrong feed and seed, my friend. “Destry Rides Again” (1939) is miles removed from the rugged westerns Jimmy Stewart would go on to make. Directed by George Marshall ... “Destry Rides Again” is one of those rare films...that strikes every note just right. "Destry..." is filled with many colorful and campy characters...from the obligatory town drunk and crooked gamblers...to the hard-hearted vixen and...of course...the new sheriff in town. The tough saucy saloon gal, Frenchy ( Marlene Dietrich ) ...is so full of herself...it hurts. And will quickly bring scenes ...

"Und now, are you ready for this one? You will like it, kiddies. We present for your fervent felicitations, the fabulous, futuristic, far-fetched feats of the fearless Fidgety Queen!" Nektar NO SPOILERS: Often lost in the film shuffle, Director Joseph Mankiewicz (winner of 2 best director Oscars) creates an odd dramedy/comedy in his 1951... "People Will Talk" . Cary Grant ...this time cast as the unbelievable caregiver... Dr. Pretorious . Again, Grant plays the pompous character he has come to define so well...and solves medical problems in a rather unconventional, if not far-fetched manner. Far-fetched, perhaps...but Cary Grant pulls it off where lesser actors might have failed. Although beloved by most of the medical staff, jealousy still rears its green, quirky head in the form of Professor Elwell, played by the great character actor Hume Cronyn . While Cronyn tries to uncover dirt on the good doctor... Pretorious is busy mending a particularly sensitive ...

" She was coming flirty. She looked about thirty. I would have run away, but I was on my own. She told me later she's a machine operator. She said she liked the way I held the microphone. I said, my! my! Like a spider to a fly ." Rolling Stones NO SPOILERS: Orson Welle's newly restored... "Touch Of Evil" (1958) ...is one of the last of a dying breed of film noir...and quite good. A black-n-white snapshot of the seedy streets on a border town. Before I sell this movie as some good late-night fodder for the buffs...let me briefly mention a few clinks in the armor I found annoying...if not unintentionally amusing. 1. Lead actor Charlton Heston is completely miscast as a Mexican detective. I couldn't help but expect Charlie to scream... "Let my people go! 2. Mexican mob-boss Grandi ( Akim Tamiroff) is just about the lamest "Goodfella" you'll ever see. A definite Sopranos reject. 3. Suzie ( Janet Leigh ) generates absolutely no ...

"Everybody wants to be recognized. Doesn't matter what you've done. Some people find it on a big silver screen; Some find it behind a shotgun. A small young girl downtown south... She saw a starlet in a movie house. She left her momma to stake her big claim. Poor little girl never gonna be the same." Detective NO SPOILERS: "Casablanca." "The Maltese Falcon." "The Big Sleep." "Key Largo." I guess you could say I've been binging at the Bogie Buffet ...tasting one classic after another. All four are just a few considered must-sees...and I'm glad I finally got around to introducing my DVD player to them. But the Humphrey Bogart movie that pleasantly caught me off-guard is the often forgotten “Dark Passage” (1947). There aren't too many directors who would risk keeping the main character's face hidden for nearly half the film...but Delmer Daves pulls it off...shooting from a first person (Bogie) perspecti...

"They’re leaving you nothing and nowhere to go. Just put you in the corner...like an old banjo. The strings are breakin’ but you can’t say no. You’re runnin’ with the devil...it’s touch and go." Emerson, Lake & Powell NO SPOILERS: Sometimes the best way to enjoy a movie is just to suspend your belief for a couple of hours. Take the movie premise on face value and disengage your oft-times boring analytical mind. Dig the story being told and to hell with the plot holes. Westworld (1973) is a small sci-fi movie that quite simply entertains from beginning to end. Written and directed by best-selling sci-tech author, Michael Crichton , Westworld is about one of three very expensive fantasy camps... (Medievalworld and Romanworld are the others) ...where every wonderful imagined scenario can be explored and relived. Each location is filled with high tech robots that are life-like in every way...ready to help visitors live out their fantasies. Whether that be having a gun...

"Today I do what must be done. I give my time to total strangers." Billy Joel NO SPOILERS: In May 1959 , director Billy Wilder 's infamous comedy, "Some Like It Hot" , was heating up theatres and audiences all across the country. However, the movie was putting the cool-freeze on our "hip" State of Kansas , where the film's (ah-hem) sexual innuendos and (gasp!) cross-dressing notoriety rendered it banned and canned. The plot revolves around two struggling musicians...Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemon) ...who unfortunately witness a Chicago mob hit and must go on the lam to avoid being murdered themselves. In order to elude the gangsters...the duo must hitch a slow ride on a southbound train to Florida posing as members of a traveling all-girl jazz band. Joe becomes Josephine , and Jerry... Daphne . They're "walking on the wild side" ...and Lou would have been proud. It is while traveling that they first encounter the soft...

"Well I wonder who knows...i f anyone knows... Where lovers go in their sleep. And what if they meet. Dream the same street... And she passes obliviously?" Freedy Johnston NO SPOILERS: "King Creole" (1958) is the DVD pick this week. And NO , this is not the anniversary of Elvis' death. Or the anniversary of his birth. Or even of his first haircut.....ad nauseam. .....This is simply some tasty borderline film-noir. And it's good stuff! In this movie, directed by Michael Curtiz (of legendary "Casablanca" fame), Presley is not especially likeable... nor is his character particularly sympathetic. But that is exactly why this film works. Curtiz obviously sees Elvis as an actor first, and a pop idol/singer, second. And this is perhaps the closest Elvis ever came to being taken seriously as a Hollywood actor. Elvis still performs his proverbial musical numbers, of course...and they are arguably his strongest set. But more importantly...th...

"When we were kids... we hated things our parents did. We listened low... to Casey Kasem's radio show." Red House Painters NO SPOILERS: Most will mention " Enter The Dragon " as his tour-de-force..but for fight scene lovers... "Chinese Connection" offers a wonderful variety of Bruce Lee magic. Bruce Lee was a tremendously skilled martial artist...and there has never been anyone...his equal...who brought so much electrifying ...charisma...to the big screen. A ham, maybe. But...how he could back it up! Bruce Lee choreographed his own fight scenes...and his skillful techniques and counter moves...put on display...are an action fans delight. Released in 1972 , "Chinese Connection" was also known as "Fist of Fury" (not Fists of Fury), and the explanation is boring...suffice it to say...this is a very good movie. The story loosely revolves around the racial violence between Japanese and Chinese during the early 20th century ...an...

"And if you want to be me, be me. And if you want to be you, be you . 'Cause there's a million things to do. You know that there are ." Cat Stevens NO SPOILERS: This may be ...the original show..."about nothing"...that George & Jerry were always trying to pitch on Seinfeld. Simply... Groucho Marx ...conversing with a couple of guests. Throw a couple of questions at the end. Say goodnight....tune in next week. That's it. But Groucho ...with his naughty one-liners and his innate ability to sling snappy comebacks...off the cuff...is nothing short of amazing. And the show still holds up quite well, today! "You Bet Your Life" ran from 1950 to 1961 and is recognized as one of the most popular shows ever on television. I encourage you to watch this short 2 minute clip of Groucho in action. Good stuff! There was ...refreshingly... NO ...political correctness...when it came to Groucho . Never apart from his trademark cigar...and his hilari...

"Maybe I can love you Maybe be your friend. Maybe I can help you Your troubles to mend. Maybe sing a song for you That's what I know best to do. Anything you want me to...I'll be." Dave Mason NO SPOILERS: On watching this film...I was surprised by two things. The first was James Cagney's appearance. He was much older than I expected...with a paunchy face and build. The second thing I noticed...was how 5'8" Cagney completely dominates every scene he is in. Kinetic energy seems to just ooze from his body...making him appear even more capable of blowing his fuse at any moment. Cagney is that good. "White Heat" ...skillfully directed by Raoul Walsh is a fast paced cops & robbers film that allows Cagney to have a ball. Not only does he get to return to his bad guy gangster ways... But the role also calls for Cagney to be a little insane in the membrane...allowing him to push the envelope even furthe...

"A moon shining through a screen. Living on the edge it seems. You gave a kiss to me, Proving how good we'd be. Baby, you treat me like an enemy." Moon Martin NO SPOILERS: "Duel" is a thrilling TV movie directed by a young and talented Steven Spielberg ...and has since become somewhat of a cult favorite. Newly released as a Collector's Edition DVD ...I was surprised to learn that Richard Matheson ( "I Am Legend" fame) wrote both the story and the screenplay. One of the added bonus features has Richard Matheson explaining how he based "Duel" on a true experience while traveling with a friend. He, also discusses the development of the story...as well as his writing methodology. Very interesting! "Duel" revolves around an average soft-spoken kind of guy...David Mann ( Dennis Weaver ) ...traveling alone in his car...on one of his routine all-day sales trips. On th...