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Post by Hedvig on Sept 9, 2009 16:42:08 GMT -6
That's an interesting observation on Julian Craster. What bothers me about The Red Shoes is that only women are forced to choose between a career and marriage. Men are allowed to have both. It isn't fair. Besides, Craster could easily have scheduled the debut of his work for another night. Furthermore I thought that if Vicky were a true professional, she ought to be able to go on with her performance whether or not Craster was in the audience. SPOILER FOR THE RED SHOESI think Vicky's decision had less to do with that night's performance than with the way her life in general was turning out: she realized that she would always be pulled between her love for Craster and her love for dancing. They were forcing her to choose, and she couldn't face it. On the one hand you could say that the film is arguing for the philosophy that you can't have both a fulfilling life as an artist and a successful lovelife, if you're a woman - only women in the story are forced to make this choice, as you pointed out. On the other hand, the only reason why Vicky Page and the other ballerina were forced to make the choice was because of the warped ideas of their dance director (I forget his name), who isn't necessarily right, and her boyfriend who can't see beyond his own need to get recognition for his talent. These two guys are the ones who are making her choose, and this actually destroys her. I always thought that the film was showing us a terrible waste of life. Might it not be so that the film is in fact arguing that she shouldn't have had to make that choice at all, that her dance director was wrong? I never thought that the film invited us to agree with his idea. Then again I tend to interpret films in the way that suits me the best, and it was a while since I watched this one! Of course it was made in 1948, and different ideas were prevalent about women's place in society.
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Post by Midge on Sept 9, 2009 17:00:35 GMT -6
Hedvig, I liked your spin on the plot of The Red Shoes. Both men are responsible for Vicky's dilemma, although Boris Lermontov, the warped dance director, was the worse of the two. Craster at least loved Vicki. However I completely agree that Craster should not have pressured Vicky the way he did. I thought she was a bigger star than both of them put together.
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Post by Hedvig on Sept 9, 2009 17:14:15 GMT -6
I agree with you there. She was a star, and an artist on her own. I think Craster's problem was that he just never got dance as an art form, he saw it as inferior to music. And perhaps he had a mental block that prevented him from viewing Vicky as a serious artist because she wasn't a man, who knows. Craster did love Vicky, and he was grounded in reality and he wasn't the one who made her choose in the first place, so you're right that he wasn't the worst of the two. He just needed to get a clue, and eventually perhaps he would have because he did love her. But even if he had, it wasn't in his power to help her because she wanted to dance The Red Shoes with Lermontov, and Lermontov would not let her dance if she was with him. Honestly, I think the story doesn't make sense and it confuses me somewhat, but it still works because it exists in its own reality, like a HC Andersen fairy tale.
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Post by Midge on Sept 9, 2009 17:20:45 GMT -6
Exactly! It's a fairy tale, so it doesn't need to be logical. If all the characters behaved in a politically correct, gender-neutral fashion, then it wouldn't have been much of a story! I must have misremembered as I thought that Craster and Lermontov were both pressuring Vicky.
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Post by Hedvig on Sept 9, 2009 17:25:16 GMT -6
They were in the end but I think it was Lermontov who first lay down the ground rule: you can't dance in my company if you get married! I think he was a bit jealous too, just a bit...
No, it wouldn't have been much of a story, would it. Life's not politically correct, even less so then, and even a fairytale needs to have something that people can relate to.
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Post by filmnoirfanatic on Sept 10, 2009 22:17:00 GMT -6
Hi! Diner Members, Over the weekend...I plan to watch a couple of films that I have never watched before and they are...a film noir entitled Open Secret,The Arsenal Stadium Mystery,("F" is for finally...) and two "War-tinged" films... Waltz with Bashir and The Hurt Locker.Diner Members, I hope that you enjoy your weekend. DeeDee
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Post by Hedvig on Sept 12, 2009 16:56:21 GMT -6
You too!
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liz
Regular Diner Patron
Posts: 53
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Post by liz on Sept 13, 2009 16:15:42 GMT -6
Hope you enjoyed your movies,DeeDee. Maybe tonight, I might watch one of my favorite old movies. On DVD. Most of the day,was just being outside. With fall & winter coming,I'm sure to be watching more movies or reading a book. Just depends on the day.
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Post by dvdjunkie on Sept 14, 2009 8:46:58 GMT -6
Rummaging through my VHS collection and found a couple of movies that have not been transferred to DVD yet, legally or ....... . Watched Edward G. Robinson in "Seven Thieves". Very good heist film, but with a twist, they put it all back!! Really good movie. Also watched "Meet Boston Blackie", and forgot how much fun the series of movies was. I believe there were at least 12 in the series. Just a great way to spend an hour or so. Then for a finale, we watched some Blondie and Dagwood movies. These have been released in an edited form on DVD, but the VHS I have are totally complete with no edits whatever. Arthur Lake and Penny Singleton were cast best as the Bumsteads. All in all, it was a good night for the movies in the Junkie Home Theater.
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Post by Hedvig on Sept 14, 2009 15:27:46 GMT -6
Since we talked about it, I watched The Red Shoes again. I don't know why it fascinates me so much since I was never very fond of ballet, although one starts to like it after seeing this film. I think it must be the fairytale that has a hold on me.
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Post by Midge on Sept 14, 2009 17:50:25 GMT -6
Since we talked about it, I watched The Red Shoes again. I don't know why it fascinates me so much since I was never very fond of ballet, although one starts to like it after seeing this film. I think it must be the fairytale that has a hold on me. Hedvig, I'm not a ballet person either, but the film is a visual treat and exerts a strangely hypnotic spell on the viewer.
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Post by Roger Thornhill on Sept 14, 2009 18:42:46 GMT -6
Tonight I watched Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont which starred Joan Plowright (Lawrence Olivier's widow.) as Mrs.Palfrey. It was very good, very well acted. Back in the 70s I saw it as a play with Celia Johnson it was just as good then. It semed rather strange that there were quite a few references to Brief Encounter.
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Post by Hedvig on Sept 16, 2009 15:02:48 GMT -6
Camille, Garbo's film version from the 30's. It's not a brilliant film, perhaps, not one of the most memorable of the classic Hollywood era by any means. But it's still quite good. It moves along at a good pace, and contains moments of humour and liveliness. It's also startlingly effective as a tearjerker, although that may well be because of my general mood right now. The Greeks had the right idea about catharsis. Sometimes it just feels so good to cry for no particular reason.
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Post by Midge on Sept 16, 2009 18:29:28 GMT -6
The Greeks had the right idea about catharsis. Sometimes it just feels so good to cry for no particular reason. I agree. There were two films that made me react that way, West Side Story and the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, which were two versions of the same story.
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Post by dvdjunkie on Sept 20, 2009 7:29:39 GMT -6
Suffering from a mild case of Sun Stroke I was relegated to the Junkie Home Movie Theater and watched a few nice films from all genres.
First up, The Gin Game (1981) starring the irrepressible Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. What a wonderful movie, and the last scene in the film will tear your heart out. This is one of those films that will make you laugh and make you cry at the same time. Love this one, and recommend it highly.
Then I watched Force of Evil (1948) starring John Garfield, Thomas Gomez and Marie Windsor. What a brilliant stand on capitalism directed by Abraham Polonsky. Rather short at just 78 minutes, but a tour de force for Garfield. Just plain enjoyable.
Then it was time for some levity, so I watched The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap (1947) starring Abbott and Costello along with the ever wonderful Marjorie Main. Best line in the film: "There are three rings that constitute a marriage, the engagement ring, the wedding ring, and the suffering!!!" One of the better Abbott & Costello films.
And the fourth movie that I watched was more up-to-date, but one in the series that I have never watched completely so this was the best time to do so. I watched Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). This was third film in the series, which now number six, and one that I could never sit through at one sitting. The usual cast of characters is there along with a standout performance by Gary Oldman as Cyrus Black. I am putting that film at the Top Three of my List of favorites and will probably watch it again very soon.
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Post by dvdjunkie on Sept 23, 2009 10:58:56 GMT -6
It was classic Sci-Fi night in the Junkie Home Theater:
First we watched Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954) starring Richard Carlson, Richard Denning and the lovely Julie Adams. This film still holds up well today and I watch it most often during the winter months when the snow is on the ground.
Next we watched the sequel from 1955, Revenge of the Creature which starred John Agar, John Bromfield and Lori Nelson. Also featured in this movie is Clint Eastwood in his first speaking role in a motion picture. He has come a long way since trying to find the mouse in the laboratory.
And lastly, with the horrible remake flopping very badly, we had to watch the original and still the best The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) starring Hugh Marlowe, Patricia Neal and Michael Rennie as Klaatu.
All in all it was a good night watching movies and we tossed in some cartoons in between just for fun.
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Post by filmnoirfanatic on Sept 25, 2009 19:29:47 GMT -6
Hi! Diner members, The films that I plan to re watch over the week-end are... Paris, Texas the Disney animated feature Ratatouilleand The Arsenal Stadium Mystery.As I wait for three films that a film noir aficionado...suggested that I seek out to watch (for me this will be the first time that I have viewed these films and they are: I Love a Mystery, The Unknown, and The Devil's Mask.) I hope that all the diner members, have a pleasant week-end! DeeDee
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Post by filmnoirfanatic on Sept 25, 2009 19:41:24 GMT -6
It was classic Sci-Fi night in the Junkie Home Theater: Then I watched Force of Evil (1948) starring John Garfield, Thomas Gomez and Marie Windsor. What a brilliant stand on capitalism directed by Abraham Polonsky. Rather short at just 78 minutes, but a tour de force for Garfield. Just plain enjoyable. And lastly, with the horrible remake flopping very badly, we had to watch the original and still the best The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) starring Hugh Marlowe, Patricia Neal and Michael Rennie as Klaatu. Hi! dvdjunkie, I most admit that you watched two very interesting film last weekend...The first with film noir credential and the second one is just a bona fide classic.Thanks, for sharing! DeeDee
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Post by Hedvig on Sept 27, 2009 15:19:40 GMT -6
I've seen Mata Hari (1931). It's very good, very smartly made actually. The first scene features a group of traitors being shot by a firing squad. Of course there was a war on and the spies had to be dealt with, but still the death by firing squad is shown with enough horror to make me, at least, fell revulsion against this form of punishment. Which is important for the movie, as its main character happens to be a spy.
Greta Garbo is in good form in this. She always seemed very intelligent, and comfortable in slightly aggressive, confident roles, which is why I like her. Unfortunately she wears the most ridiculous, unflattering clothes in this one. I don't understand why the costumers would hide her hair and instead showcase her back? Anyway. This is a great precode film, relatively fast-paced and entertaining, once you get over the awfullness of Garbo's clothes...
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Post by dvdjunkie on Sept 27, 2009 22:54:47 GMT -6
With me being sort of immobile since Friday, I have had a chance to watch a lot of different movies from different decades. Won't try to list all of them here, but will tell you that some of them I hadn't watched in a few years.
Friday night we watched The Killers (1946) starring Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner and Edmond O'Brien. Forgot that this is one of the better film noir memories of mine. Really good film with great performances by a lot of the supporting members in the cast.
Next, it was D.O.A. (1950) starring Edmond O'Brien, Beverly Garland and Luther Adler, also featuring the first screen appearance of Neville Brand. This movie was remade starring Dennis Quaid in the 70's but pass on that one and find this one. You won't be sorry.
Our next film was one of the rarest to find on any form of video, but I did manage to record off of TCM many moons ago. It is a movie Directed by and starring Jack Webb called -30- (1959). I know that there are scoffers who dislike anything that Webb had his hands in, except for "Dragnet" in the 50's on television, but this man directed several very underrated movies and this one leads the pack. Featuring a supporting cast headed by William Conrad and David Nelson, "-30-" is a newspaper story about a little girl trapped in a storm drain and unrelated story about a plan crash, and how it changes the lives of those who work in the newspaper industry, some for the better, and some for the worse. One of Jack Webb's better performances.
Last but not least we watched Pete Kelly's Blues (1955) also starring Jack Webb, but with a great supporting cast headed by Janet Leigh, Edmond O"Brien and Peggy Lee. Some stellar musical performances highlight this film and it is one that I would head on my Top 20 Movies of All Time.
We watched some other good films this weekend, but I will give some one else room to comment before I do my Saturday and Sunday listings.
;D
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Post by dvdjunkie on Oct 2, 2009 12:19:10 GMT -6
For those of you who have stepped into the future and have a Blu-Ray Hi-Def Disc Player, "The Wizard of Oz" was released this week for the first time, in celebration of its 70th Anniversary, on Blu-Ray, with a lot of extras for no extra money. That is truly a shock.
Wal-Mart has the Single-Disc Blu-Ray of "Oz" for just $19.96 and it contains the beautifully restored movie along with almost 8 hours of extras. There are too many to mention here but a couple of them are up close and personal with the surviving Munchkins including Jerry Maren, who will be in Wamego, Kansas this weekend for the OZtoberfest.
Our two littlest grandkids, Tymber and Zach, sat totally enthralled through the whole movie, so much so, that Zach asked if he could borrow it to watch, and I told him that I will get him a copy Saturday for his own collection.
A very great movie looking better than ever in Hi-Def and one that belongs in every movie collector's collection.
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Post by Midge on Oct 2, 2009 12:28:04 GMT -6
I imagine that the cast and crew of Oz would be astounded if they could know that their work would be delighting children of all ages 70 years later.
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Post by Hedvig on Oct 3, 2009 11:47:00 GMT -6
There is something magical about that movie alright. It was one of my first classic films, and for a long time it was my favourite, along with Mary Poppins. Forget all the talk about modern kids being jaded and needing to watch high speed action all the time. It was my little brother's favourite film too, he used to ask to see the movie with "the girl" in it. I think it was probably the colours that fascinated me the most, now that I try to think back on what it was that was so appealing about it. Those ruby slippers, the emerald city, the green green witch, Judy's beautiful hair. It was so lovely to see, and very stimulating to the young imagination.
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Post by filmnoirfanatic on Oct 3, 2009 17:36:42 GMT -6
Hi! Larry66 Diner Members, Here goes my own version of the TCM schedule...because TCM keep removing their schedule everytime I link back to their website. TCM Schedule for OctoberWith the month of October already upon us here goes some very films that I plan to watch all month...starting with...Two of director Tim Burton's best... The Legend of Sleepy Hollow...starring J.Depp, C.Ricci and The Corpse Bride(I also picked up an animated copy of a film entitled (Disney's Ichabod Crane and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow) that a fellow blogger suggested that I purchase and I also watched I Love a Mystery. Diner Members, I hope that you have a pleasant weekend too! DeeDee
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Post by filmnoirfanatic on Oct 3, 2009 18:19:24 GMT -6
Friday night we watched The Killers (1946) starring Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner and Edmond O'Brien. Forgot that this is one of the better film noir memories of mine. Really good film with great performances by a lot of the supporting members in the cast. Next, it was D.O.A. (1950) starring Edmond O'Brien, Beverly Garland and Luther Adler, also featuring the first screen appearance of Neville Brand. This movie was remade starring Dennis Quaid in the 70's but pass on that one and find this one. You won't be sorry. In a scene from the movie All About Eve actress Bette Davis, stocking were uneven and she turned to (then real-life husband) Gary Merrill, and asked," is my hem straight?" and his response to her:... like a nylon lemon peel...and her response: Byron couldn't have said it better!Well, dvdjunkie, you couldn't said it better ...when it comes to your description(s) of the 1946 and 1950 film(s) The Killers and D.O.A. respectively, ...Thanks, for sharing! Our next film was one of the rarest to find on any form of video, but I did manage to record off of TCM many moons ago. It is a movie Directed by and starring Jack Webb called -30- (1959). I know that there are scoffers who dislike anything that Webb had his hands in, except for "Dragnet" in the 50's on television, but this man directed several very underrated movies and this one leads the pack. Last but not least we watched Pete Kelly's Blues (1955) also starring Jack Webb, but with a great supporting cast headed by Janet Leigh, Edmond O"Brien and Peggy Lee. Some stellar musical performances highlight this film and it is one that I would head on my Top 20 Movies of All Time. ;D Hi! dvdjunkie, I must admit that I have to seek Pete Kelly's Blues (1955) out to watch...and actor Jack Webb was also good in two additional film noir The Scar and He Walked By Night.
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Post by Midge on Oct 4, 2009 0:11:46 GMT -6
Diner Members, I hope that you have a pleasant weekend too! DeeDee Thanks, Dee Dee! Same to you!
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Post by dvdjunkie on Oct 11, 2009 9:31:47 GMT -6
This week has been pretty busy, but last night (Saturday) we sat down and watched to Walt Disney movies that we had just purchased on Blu-Ray.
First, it was the beautiful Sleeping Beauty (1959) and only the second film released by Disney in the Cinemascope process (Widescreen). Beautifully restored, digitally remastered and with the option of the original six-track magnetic stereo soundtrack, or the new 7.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack, this film is wonderful with its music and story-telling. The fact that it only runs 77 minutes surprised me very much, but it still is wonderful to watch in the new technology process of Blu-Ray.
After watching some Mickey Mouse cartoons from one of the Walt Disney Treasures Collections, we popped more popcorn and sat back and watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), the first and in my opinion, the best of the Walt Disney animated pictures. Brilliantly restored to its original colors and with the option of the new 7.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack or the digitally remastered Mono Soundtrack, this film is one for the children of all ages. Voiced by Ilene Woods, Snow White is beautiful with its telling of the story of wicked witch who wants to be the only beautiful person in the land, and how this little waif finds her way to the cabin of the seven dwarfs. The interactions are memorable, the music is unforgettable, and I am just a big fan of this movie, as you can probably tell.
To cap off the evening, we did watch a real tear-jerker from Walt Disney called Old Yeller (1957). Now I won't go into total details of this movie, but if you don't cry at least twice in this film, you don't have a heart. When a father, portrayed by Fess Parker, has to leave his family behind to go trade some furs for money, he appoints Tommy Kirk as 'the man of the house' while he is gone. Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran plays the youngest son, Arliss, who is just a mischevious as a young one can be.
One day, this stray 'yeller' dog runs through a field where Travis is plowing and literally destroys the fence. Arliss adopts the dog, and Travis reluctantly lets the dog become part of the family. Told with such a heart, this movie never fails to make you laugh or cry and sometimes at the same time. Dorothy McGuire is perfect as the frontier mother of two young sons, and Jeff York is at his comical best as Bud Searcy, the resident buffoon who is left behind to look over the families. Chuck Connors has a brief roll as the true owner of "Yeller", who after making a deal with Arliss to keep the dog, tells Travis about the plague of 'hoof and mouth' disease. Those of you who haven't seen this movie, need to get it today, and watch it tonight. It is a wonderful story.
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Post by Hedvig on Oct 14, 2009 9:38:00 GMT -6
I'm with you re. Snow White, it's an atmospheric, truly lovely film. I like that they didn't pull any punches with the horror sequences in it either. I used to be scared, but fascinated, with the forest sequence in that film. I still only have an old VHS of Snow White...
I watched Chaplin (1992) with Robert Downey Jr as a very close likeness to the title character. He plays him brilliantly with the body language and silent acting, I almost think he was destined to play the part. There was also a nice depiction of Chaplin's friendship to Douglas Fairbanks, Doug wasn't given a short thrift as a character and you got a sense that they had a great friendship like they did have in real life. With nearly all the other characters, and particularly with the women in Chaplin's life, the film-makers made it very easy for themselves indeed. Mildred Harris was said to be stupid - well of course she was, she was 16! Mary Pickford's a b-tch because Charlie thought so, even though we have plenty of other, less biased sources about her life which tell a different story. Mabel Normand's presented as rather stupid, like, what's this silly woman doing, thinking she can direct a film? Sydney Chaplin gets to play the unenviable role of the person who always disagrees with Charlie and always ends up wrong. That's quite annoying. Chaplin himself never described these people in such an ungenerous way.
I already knew that the characters would be presented in this way in Chaplin, and that there wouldn't be a strong focus on his film-making at all, so I was surprised by how good the film was in spite of all that. That's because of Robert Downey Jr's acting, and some touching tributes to the art of Chaplin and silent film. So I'll say it's worth watching if you're a fan anyway. Though perhaps not if you're a big fan of Mary Pickford.
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Post by dvdjunkie on Oct 25, 2009 7:25:32 GMT -6
Got my flu shot, and guess what........ I got the flu. Never had one of those shots before, but at my age, I thought I would try it and now I will never do it again. They said it would be a mild case of the flu, but in my case, it went full blown in two days, temperature of 102, and I could hardly breathe, and ended up losing three days at work because of it. Anyway had some time to watch some movies. Was in a Brando mood, so I watched The Godfather Saga, only available on VHS in this form, it is the only way I can watch "The Godfather I and II" without getting lost in the flashbacks. This version tells the whole story chronologically beginning with Robert de Niro's portrayal of the young Don Corleone. It is almost seven hours long and I have transferred it to DVD to preserve it. Next, we watched The Wild One, one of Marlon Brando's best movies. Based on a true story, this is a brilliant film with a very poignant love story on the underside. Lee Marvin almost steals all of his scenes from Brando. Lastly, we watched one of my favorite comedies that showed the lighter side of Marlon Brando, The Teahouse of the August Moon. Co-starring Glenn Ford, who plays a guy who has been to every front in the war, and is sent to Japan to help sell them on the wares of Democracy. He meets up with Sakini (Brando) his interpreter and finds out that all the Japanese want is to build a Teahouse. Very funny movie and holds up very well after all these years.
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Post by Midge on Oct 25, 2009 19:09:41 GMT -6
Hedvig, that was an interesting review of Chaplin. I haven't seen it, but in those types of films they usually distort the truth a bit for the sake of drama. I also have an old VHS of Snow White! Bill, I'm so sorry to hear that you got the flu. Was it a regular shot or the H1N1 variety? That happened to me, too, the last time I got a flu shot. Never again! They say older people are less likely to come down with H1N1 because we have developed immunity to so many viruses in our lives. What am I watching? Nothing! My friend Margaret and I are baking decorated sugar cookies, black walnut ice box cookies and brownies for Halloween. She is going to mail them to her nephew at college, and I get to take some home for Al and me.
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