What are tags? You can give your posts a "tag", which is like a keyword. Tags help you find content which has something in common. You can assign as many tags as you wish to each post.
The 1958 crime thriller Touch of Evil is undoubtedly my favorite film noir. It oozes with pent up sexuality, amorality, immorality, and yes, evil--seemingly a harbinger of the social upheaval peculiar to the 1960s. It was Orson Welles' last great masterpiece. Indeed he himself was one of the key players, in the role of the bloated and soulless police Captain Hank Quinlan. Some other stars also shine brightly. Charlton Heston is fittingly over-the-top in his portrayal of Mike Vargas. Then too there's Vargas' poor hapless wife played to great affect by Janet Leigh. Who can forget the super cheesy performance of Dennis Weaver as the fatuous motel desk clerk? And finally there's Marlene Dietrich, simply unforgettable as Tanya the fortune teller.
It goes without saying that this movie is sometimes quite a spectacle to behold. And you get more than a little whiff of cheese (or should I say queso) in this movie. But that's exactly what I adore so much about it. The superficiality and Donna Reed goodness of the hyper-repressed 1950s is rubbed raw in this production. What Welles reveals to us is at times brutally shocking, titillating, frightening, repulsive, and even hilarious.
In 1998 I had the great pleasure of seeing the newly restored version (as Welles had intended it) at a beautiful 1930s movie theater, replete with all the art deco detailing. From then on I was a fan of Orson Welles. There's nothing quite like seeing a classic on the silver screen.
If you're into Hollywood movie classics, and haven't seen Touch of Evil, then by all means rent it. Here's the trailer:
What follows is a nicely composed video montage accompanied by the great Nina Simone on piano playing "Good Bait"...ENJOY!!!
This documentary gives an excellent introduction to an extremely vital and influential 20th century literary movement. Most of the key players are featured either through interviews or archival footage. News reels, propaganda, and pop culture film footage from the 40s and 50s (rife with the superficiality peculiar to that era) provide stark contrast to the free spirited ideals set forth by the key Beat exponents.
Some of the most compelling moments of the film were the segments featuring the writers reading from their works. It doesn't get any better than Jack Kerouac expressively reading from On The Road while Steve Allen effortlessly accompanies him on piano. Just as moving was the excerpt of Allen Ginsberg's furious reading of Howl and his sad and poignant recollection of his beloved mother.
Of course there is no better way to learn about the Beat writers than to actually read their works. But, if it's a film introduction you want, this is the one to watch.
I think it's fair to say that Edith Piaf was THE voice of song for France during much of the 20th century. Indeed many say she was la chanteuse eternelle; and in quite a few respects, rightfully so. When one thinks of Piaf (or "the Little Sparrow") a tragic and romantic heroine of song comes to mind. And, as it turns out, that was not at all terribly far from the truth.
Marion Cotillard truly becomes Piaf in this Academy Award winning production; and painfully so. From her agonizing and labored gait, to the slouch of her back and the unsureness and seemingly ever wary wide eyed gaze. Edith was of the streets. She suffered greatly from the time she was a young child through to young adulthood. As such she could be quite coarse and even vulgar at times. The pure and unadulterated humanity of Piaf is brought fully into light in this film. It's hard to imagine anyone else as Piaf, a role that in 2008 earned Cotillard an Oscar for Best Actress.
If you cry easily during movies with tragic themes and characters, then be prepared. In fact I don't think I can remember ever crying so much during a movie. There are three major and pivotal moments in the film that are unforgettable and quite literally heart breaking...I won't elaborate (no spoilers for those who have not seen the movie) other than to advise that you need to be prepared with tissues. I think by the end of the movie I was even just a little dehydrated...Yes, it was that heartrending. I would also advise watching it with someone you can grab onto and hold. Someone who will console you, and who you too can console; preferably your lover.
Anyone interested in Edith Piaf and her music should definitely see this movie. For those not familiar with her music and personality, this is an excellent introduction. It is one of the best biopics I've seen in quite some time. Despite all of the tragedy that figures so prominently, ultimately it is Edith's passion, romance and spirit that triumphs. The finale is breathtaking as Edith sings perhaps her most eternal song: "Non, je ne regrette rien!" ...I regrett nothing!
I've always liked this song and many others by the UK act Badly Drawn Boy -- a.k.a. Damon Gough. However this was the first time I'd seen the video. BDB's music was featured prominently in the 2002 Hugh Grant film "About a Boy", images from which this curious and innovative video draw upon. Glad the poor dead duck can finally rest in peace...ENJOY!!!
Come see what we all talk about People moving to the moon Stop baby don't go stop here Never stop living here Till it eats the heart from your soul Keeps down the sound of your Silent sigh Silent sigh, silent sigh silent sigh Keeps down all move me down Could we love each-other
Come see what we all talk about People moving to the moon Stop baby don't go stop here Never stop living here Till it eats the heart from your soul Keeps down the sound of your Silent sigh Silent sigh, silent sigh silent sigh Keeps down all move me down But don't love each-other No don't love each-other Never gonna be the same
I had a crush on MM at an early age. Indeed, Marilyn (a.k.a. Norma Jeane Mortenson: June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962) was the first woman I ever recall seeing nude, thanks to a bizarre Christmas gift (a rather risque Marilyn Monroe calendar [see first pic below] given to my sister by my maternal grandmother in the early 70s--god only knows what that was about!). But then again, I don't think crushes on Marilyn Monroe are too uncommon for gay men. She exuded a nonchalant sexual confidence, while at the same time she was incredibly non-threatening and lovely--the perfect fag hag. Of course she worked the dumb blond stereotype to excess. But we now know there was sooo much more to Marilyn than that. In actuality she was quite the book worm, and in many respects she was way ahead of her times (see second pic of a weight lifting Marilyn).
She honed her acting skills at Lee Strasberg's famed Actors Studio in NYC (during the heyday of "method" acting). She generally preferred the company of highly intelligent, influential men (think Albert Einstein, Truman Capote, her last husband Arthur Miller, and perhaps most notably JFK) as opposed to the stereotypical Hollywood hunks. In retrospect we have come to know Marilyn as a VERY complex personality; something which has only added to her enduring mystique.
So, I won't belabor the point (already done by so many before), nor shall I leave additional flowers at her grave. Marilyn was simply Marilyn...ONE OF A KIND...
NOW, here are some personal video favorites (à la YouTube) of mine...ENJOY!
THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL GIRL sings "Diamonds are Girl's Best Friend" From Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
"I Wanna be Loved by You" with a little help from Jack Lemmon & Tony Curtis from Some Like It Hot (1959)
"I'm Not Myself" performed by Madonna (video montage from The Misfits (1961)--one of my all-time favorite Marilyn movies)
"Lady In Red" performed by Chri De Burgh (2006 photo/video montage The Beautiful Marilyn Monroe arranged by YouTube user Annapunk7)
"Beautiful" performed by Bethany Dillon (2007 video montage Beautiful ~ A Tribute to Marilyn Monroe arranged by YouTube user stace1986)
"Candle In The Wind" performed by Elton John (inspired by the famed final photo shoot by Bert Stern: produced/directed by David LaChapelle with impersonator extraordinaire Susan Griffiths)
"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" performed by Kylie Minogue
Early this morning I decided to watch Brokeback Mountain. I've seen the movie numerous times, both at the cinema and at home from my own personal copy of the DVD. But this was the first time I'd watched the movie since Heath's death about a month ago. As I was expecting it was a more teary-eyed viewing than previous times.
The quiet simple grace of this movie was so easily overlooked by many critics (and most notably the myopic and overbearingly p.c. members of the Academy) when the movie first hit the screens a few years back. Ang Lee's unassuming, natural take on things that many a narrow minded folk had previously deemed unspeakable and wholly unwholesome is amazing to me still. The tag-line "Love is a force of nature" speaks volumes.
I think in time this little movie will come to be recognized for what it is: a simple, pure, and natural movie about two people in love. Because of the veracity and fortitude of the filmmaker, the chief players (which included the natural rugged landscapes), this is a film of magical and sublime timeliness--and perhaps most importantly, timelessness.
This film has touched my soul (and many, many countless others) in a way that very few movies have. It has become a touchstone of humanity in my eyes...not so much about being gay, as about being human. This is doubtless the mark of a truly GREAT film.
From the director who brought us such queer celluloid gems as the glam musical Hedwig & the Angry Inch and his autobio docu-pic Tarnation comes Shortbus. To say this film met with controversy would be a drastic understatement. With explicit acts of sexuality depicted throughout the film, I suppose it's no wonder.
One of the stars of the flick, Sook-Yin Lee met with harsh criticism and protestations from her Canadian Broadcasting employer (think Much Music) when it was learned that she participated in the explicit and frank depictions of sexuality. Thanks to support from the likes of director Gus Van Sant and other notables Lee did not directly suffer any repercussions.
It seems that all the grunge of reality (as MTV encapsulates it) has previously had no room for direct and honest depictions of sexuality. John C. Mitchell unapologetically remedies this situation in spades with Shortbus.
Sofia is a seemingly hypocritical sex therapist who has never personally experienced an orgasm with her husband Rob who gets his just desserts from...
Severin is a no-nonsense dominatrix call girl who can't connect with anyone. She earns her stripes while whipping into shape...
Rob ("are you in yet") doesn't quite cut the mustard with his wife Sofia. While at an underground sex soiree they both cross trails with...
James is a former call-boy who can't seem to let anyone in...including his lover...
Jamie wants commitment, but doesn't seem to know what it looks like so he and his beau James explore the alternatives to actually being intimate with one another with...
Ceth (like Seth "but with a 'C'") is a sensitive artist type who's looking to spice up his love life. Can Jamie and Ceth do it for James like...
Caleb (a.k.a. the stalker) has been filming his neighbor's sexual exploits for god knows how long...He also saves his life (both physically and spiritually)...
Tears for Fears wrote it/did it first, but Jules sealed it for posterity in this surreal post-modern movie classic: DONNIE DARKO! (Jake and Drew shine in this gem...no doubt)
This one is for Heath...We won't forget you man!...PEACE
ENGLISH VERSION:
He was a friend of mine He was a friend of mine Every time I think about him now Lord I just can not keep from crying Because he was a friend of mine
He died on the road He died on the road He never had enough money To pay his room or board And he was a friend of mine
I stole away and cried I stole away and cried Because I never had too much money And I never been quite satisfied And he was a friend of mine
He never done no wrong He never done no wrong A thousand miles from home And he never harmed no one And he was a friend of mine
He was a friend of mine He was a friend of mine Every time I hear his name Lord I just can not keep from crying Because he was a friend of mine
EN FRANCAISE:
Il était un de mes amis Il était un de mes amis Chaque fois que je pense à lui maintenant Seigneur, je ne peux pas ne pas pleurer Parce qu'il était un de mes amis
Il meurt sur la route Il meurt sur la route Il n'a jamais eu assez d'argent Pour payer sa chambre ou de conseil Et il était un de mes amis
J'ai volé là et cria J'ai volé là et cria Parce que je n'ai jamais eu trop d'argent Et je n'ai jamais été tout à fait satisfaits Et il était un de mes amis
Il n'a jamais rien fait de mal Il n'a jamais rien fait de mal Un millier de kilomètres de la maison Et il n'a jamais nui Et il était un de mes amis
Il était un de mes amis Il était un de mes amis Chaque fois que j'entends son nom Seigneur, je ne peux pas ne pas pleurer Parce qu'il était un de mes amis
Ahhh...the pop genius of Burt Bacarach...Luv me some Natalie and Dyan too! The movie may be passé, but the song will remain timeless and ever timely...ENJOY!!!
One of my all-time favorite movies...Amélie is a personal hero (some might say anti-hero) of mine...Here I think Audrey Tatou is at her most vulnerable and lovely...ENJOY...because "One person can change your life forever."
I enjoyed this movie (watched on DVD from Netflix) for multiple reasons. Of course the cute and sometimes gorgeous naked guys were a big draw. The musical numbers while often light-weight, were bouncy, fun and sometimes even quite poignant. Above all though, THE most attractive thing about the movie version of this off-off Broadway production was that it negated the necessity of me having to trek to the big ol' city to have a peek.
Since I first heard about Naked Boys Singing around 2000, it's been on my "must-see" play/musical list. As the producer noted in the "making of" section, this is one of the first musical productions to deal exclusively with the topic of being both gay and nude. It is true that the production values are nothing too spectacular. But, when you consider that this is a filmed play, I think you get what you paid for, so to speak. The acting, singing and dancing are for the most part well done.
I was fairly dismayed by the low rating (4.5/10) and the negative reviews on IMDb. One reviewer (who I can only picture as a shallow, vacuous, bitchy queen) "mista005" referred to the movie as "absolute garbage". His review was just begging to be excerpted: "I absolutely could not believe the levels of ineptitude on display in this production. I honestly thought gay men had better taste than this. I know I do." And then there's the following (ever so rich!) reference to the actors: "...the only one with real talent was Joe Souza (plus he had the best bod in the cast). He had a nice, clear theatre-style voice. Okay, and Jaymes Hodges' voice was so-so, but he had a vacant expression in every number. The rest couldn't hold a note in a bucket, even though the music was obviously dubbed in after the fact. Must have been really dreadful hearing them live. They were also all girly-boys except for maybe three. If I wanted to see naked WOMEN onstage I could go to the titty bars. Not sure why anyone would choose to film the L.A. production instead of New York. I would imagine NY has more readily available singing talent, though one would think in L.A. they would be able to find better-LOOKING guys. Apparently not." Sounds to me like someone would've been more pleased and entertained watching Falcon Studios latest video, or perhaps watching some Andrew Lloyd Webber production for the n'th million time! OK, sorry--Mista005 is entitled to his own opinion (however meager it might be--LOL!).
If you're looking for smut, this movie will most certainly fail to satisfy. If you're looking for something high-brow, again you will be greatly disappointed. But if you're looking for something light, fun and sexy to the hilt...this one's a winner. It's good, clean, naked fun! Oh yeah, and VERY GAY!;^)
FAVORITE NUMBERS: Nothin' But the Radio On, Fight the Urge, and (last but not least) Perky Little Porn Star
