Tag Archives: movies

Many Monsters on Cinema Sunday

Posted on October 29, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

It has become something of a routine with me to have Sunday Cinema.  I just love to knit or crochet and watch movies on a Sunday.  Why not make a blog post with movie pictures as well?  Of course we are watching Halloween movies right now (but you know I love to watch Halloween movies all year ’round).  Additionally, we saw on Facebook that it is Elsa Lanchester’s birthday today.  Accordingly, we started with Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

Isn’t she pretty?

My favorite part of the move is the introduction, with Lord Byron, Percy Shelley,and his wife, Mary, who, of course, wrote Frankenstein.  In the movie, the events that follow are not in her original tale, but in parts of The Bride of Frankenstein are in the book Frankenstein.  I must re-read that book.  So may books, so little time.  After that fun movie, Steven suggested one I have been in the mood to watch for a while now, Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) with the divine Bette Davis.  It also features a wonderful Agnes Moorehead, the bitchy Olivia DeHavilland and another favorite, Cecil Kellaway.  Oh, now I fell badly for not mentioning Mary Astor and Joseph Cotten.  Now I’m thinking I did not even talk about the magnificent Boris Karloff in Bride of Frankenstein.  Well, I can’t mention everybody all the time.

Bette Davis. Who else do you need in a movie?

After Charlotte, I suggested one of our cheesy movies, because those are often shorter.  We love Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte, but it is a long movie, which is kind of a detriment on a day when I like to watch multiple flicks.  I read off titles on our DVD collection, 50 Horror Classics till Steven said, “Let’s watch that one.”  It was The Mad Monster, with the marvelously theatrical George Zucco (I quote the booklet that came with the collection).

I just didn’t want the wolf to come to a bad end.

Full disclosure:  I missed part of the movie while I went into the kitchen to make my salad for the upcoming week’s lunches.  Sometime the worst thing about Sunday is that tomorrow’s Monday.  However, I shall not repine.  I have finished my blog post and there is still time to watch another movie.  I hope your weekend was grand.

 

 

 

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Alien Invasion on Wrist to Forehead Sunday?

Posted on October 22, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am in the midst of  perfectly enjoyable Sunday afternoon of my anniversary weekend, and I pause to make a Sunday Cinema post, just so I don’t have to make two posts tomorrow.

I don’t remember this scene in the movie.

We began the movie watching portion of the day with Day of the Triffids (1962), which I just purchased on VHS at a rummage sale yesterday (Saturday).  I saw the tail end of this movie many years ago and thought it was STUPID, laughed my head off at it, thought it was a cheesy movie and that was before I was particularly into cheesy movies.  As it happens, the stuff leading up to the end is less than cheesy and pretty entertaining, although as with many movies of this era, it takes a while to get to the good stuff.

Check out Carolyn Jones, in the back with the blonde hair!

After Triffids, we went to Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), a different kind of alien invasion story.  It is a bit serious, with the interesting philosophical question of whether it is better to feel and to love than otherwise.  I don’t pay too much attention to such things during Sunday afternoon movie viewing.

“Wait a minute! This scene was never in the movie!”

After Body Snatchers, Steven suggested The Birds (1963).  The above was perhaps a publicity shot, although it may have been part of the party scene (don’t get your hopes up; it wasn’t that racy) (you know who you are).  What Halloween movie will we pick next? A little suspense adds interest to my afternoon.

In the meantime, I hope you are all having a lovely Sunday.

 

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I Want My Mummy! And Some Dateline

Posted on October 9, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s a cheesy headline for a Monstrous Monday.  I’ve just been trolling Facebook for monster pictures I have not used, and I came across a movie poster from a Mummy movie I have not seen.

Cecil Kellaway and George Zucco, what’s not to like?

They may have shown this recently on TCM.  I know there were a few mummy movie on Sunday night I had meant to DVR.  Oh well, I have other things on my DVR I have yet to watch.  So many movies (and Dateline episodes), so little time.

Who would disturb his rest?

Now there’s a mummy, if you like.  I did not notice what movie it was from, but I believe it is Lon Chaney, Jr.   I like the black-and-white, spooky atmospheric quality.

In searching for more mummy pictures, I found about 3,568 of Tom Cruise.  I had the opposite of desire to see that remake.  Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz for me!

He is fine, yes, and so is she!

I like The Mummy Returns (2001) even better.  It is rare that I like a sequel at all, but this one was thoroughly delightful.  I shall close with a scene from it.

I could not wear such an outfit, nor would I try.

Rachel Weisz gets to kick butt in the sequel.  I gotta love a gorgeous woman kicking butt.  Maybe I should go kick a few myself.  But first, I’m going to watch a little Dateline.  Monday is the day OWN shows multiple episodes. I love Dateline.

 

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Martians, Vampires, Prank Phone Calls, It’s Sunday Cinema!

Posted on October 1, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about a Cinema Sunday post?  I have not watched that many movies today, but I have not done a whole lot else either.  I went running, I went shopping (grocery and other), I made a salad and other stuff for this week’s lunches, I cooked a nice dinner for Steven and me.  Perhaps this will be a rambling post, more of a Scattered Sunday.

While I was chopping and mixing, Steven put in Signs (2002).  Back when I used to like M Night Shyamalan movies.  But let’s not get into that right now.  I have not seen any of his recent stuff.

I just flashed on the Roger Miller “Hat” song, “Hey, Kid, where’d you get the Lid?”

After Signs, Steven let me pick, and I chose Dracula (1931).  It is more atmospheric than plot-driven, but I gotta love me some Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye.

Ooh, those eyes!

I have to say, though, the movie does not chug right along, the way I like a movie too.  What can I say?  It’s just my taste in theatre.  After a highly respected classic, I wanted to watch a William Castle movie, which one might argue is a classic of a different sort (although I am no hand at argument).  We decided on I Saw What You Did.  It’s silly fun.  Of course, these days it is not so easy to make prank phone calls.  I never could make them successfully; people always recognize my voice.  But at least Joan Crawford never yelled at me!

I’d sure as hell go!

Now we are looking at Snapped while I make this blog post, but I’m not loving the episode on now.  I wonder if I could talk Steven into House on Haunted Hill.

When I was done screaming, I’d ask him for a few diet tips.

 

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Sunday Cinema

Posted on September 17, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I think I am going to change my Sunday feature to Sunday Cinema, because our favorite thing to do on Sunday is to watch movies.  We have been enjoying a few flicks today, and I will list them, with illustrations.

Hugging with eyes open is, of course, movie and TV shorthand for being up to no good.

We DVR’d The Bad Seed some time ago (oh, Sept. 9, according to this poster I found on Facebook) and finally got around to watching it today.  What a disappointment!  We are longtime fans of the 1956 movie with Patty McCormick, although we have problems with that one too.  I may write an entire blog post about it, but, um, not today.

Check out the psycho eyes!

Next Steven suggested we watch Murder on the Orient Express (1974), because yesterday was Agatha Christie’s birthday and today is Lauren Bacall’s.  We have yet to catch the 2017 remake of that. Rats!  This could have been Remake Sunday!  It lacks alliteration, but I like it.

There’s the birthday girl, with another favorite of ours, Albert Finney (I don’t know who the fellow in the background is, although the one cut off is Martin Balsam).

Next I got to pick and I chose Psycho (1960), because it is a Halloween movie.

“We all go a little mad sometimes.”

After Psycho I put on Snapped, but Steven preferred to watch another movie.  He decided to continue the Agatha Christie theme with Witness for the Prosecution (1957).  I am delighted to see this old favorite again.

Two more of my favorites: Elsa Lanchester and Charles Laughton.

So now I must stop blogging and go back to movie viewing. After all, it is Agatha Christie.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

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Add Monsters and Stir. I Mean, Hit Publish

Posted on September 13, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about some Mid-Week Monsters?  It’s a new feature, for when I forgo Monstrous Monday.  It is, in fact, another Pre-Rehearsal Post (I guess that could be a category, too), because we are soon to leave for rehearsal for Donate to Murder, the murder mystery dinner theatre LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company, is presenting at Herkimer Elks this Saturday, Sept. 15.  Steven and I are wearing our costumes, although I do not have pantyhose on (I’m certain my character would wear pantyhose).  Also, I could not find my grandmother’s pearls, which I thought would work for my character (full disclosure: they are not real pearls, but they look nice).  Luckily I have TONS of beads, vintage and otherwise.

What a long first paragraph.  I do babble on, don’t I?  I thought this was going to be a monster post.  Let’s see what I can find.

Not the best depiction of Julia Adams, but a pretty cool poster nonetheless.

Look, I can also include a foreign language lesson.  Sometimes I can so multi-task (although most days I barely manage just to task).  Steven and I just watched Creature from the Black Lagoon on Sunday.  Perhaps you read my blog post in which I mentioned it.  And while we’re visiting foreign countries…

I think this one has better artwork, but I like the lettering in the Spanish version.

And look at me, over 200 words on a Wuss-out Wednesday (I guess this post fits multiple categories).  I do like to include three pictures, so I will pull something from my Media Library.

“Love! Exciting and new!”

I never knew the Creature guest starred on The Love Boat. I suppose he is quite an actor. Perhaps I could use him in a murder mystery sometime.

 

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Pop in a Movie; You’ll Feel Better

Posted on September 10, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

The movie is not nearly as lurid as the poster.

Yes, it is another Cheesy Movie Sunday.  I guess I never declared that as a category, but I do often watch movies on Sunday and my favorites are the cheesy ones, so…  My only regret is the lack of alliteration, but I can’t worry about that now.  My husband, Steven, and I began our day with a couple of Mohawk Valley adventures, which may form the subject of articles for Mohawk Valley Living magazine or future blog posts. Now we are comfortably home, in sweats, and watching movies.  We began with The Screaming Skull (1958), which I believe I wrote a blog post about at some point.

The movie is on our DVD collection of 50 Horror Classics.  Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959) was on the same disc, so we continued with that.

They don’t even show the Victor Buono-looking guy.

I thought one character in the movie looked like Victor Buono, who played Bette Davis’ father in Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964).  I might have liked to go on to that one, but I was more into shorter movies today.  That is one virtue of your really cheesy features: they are in general short.  We did want something that moved a little faster, and Steven suggested Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959).  Say what you will about this movie, it is NOT the worst ever made. It holds your interest and moves right along.  I say, go, Ed Wood Jr.!

What’s not to like?

As you may have guessed, I am into Halloween movies.  Well, the Halloween season does begin after Labor Day, does it not?  It does in my house.

What’s a big ugly ape gotta do to get a date in this town?

We are continuing our viewing adventures with King Kong (1933).  What will come next?  Who cares!  Tomorrow’s Monday; I’m having fun today!

Full disclosure: I do not feel THIS bad about it.

 

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Movie Memories on Non-Sequitur Thursday

Posted on September 7, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was sitting here trying to think of what to make my blog post about and thought to myself, “I’ll have my Throwback Thursday early!”  And then I remembered:  it IS Thursday!  I love it when that happens instead of, you know, the opposite.  I wonder what I have in my Media Library that I have not used recently.

I think he likes her.

I was looking for something from my life, but here is a movie almost as old as I am: Mary Poppins (1964).  It is a meaningful movie in my life, actually.  It is the first movie I saw in a theatre.  I had previously seen Goldfinger (ooh, also 1964; I just looked that up) at a drive-in, although I was a little kid and did not pay much attention.  My Mom took all us kids to the Capitol Theatre in Rome, NY, to see Mary Poppins.  I was as impressed with the theatre as I was with the movie.  This was also the first movie my husband, Steven, saw in a theatre.  He credits it with beginning his lifelong love of movies.

Do you wonder why I was impressed?

This is the inside of the Capitol Theatre in Rome, NY.  Magnificent, no?

I don’t know what he’s looking at, but she’s giving him the side-eye.

I add this picture to make this more of a Non-Sequitur Thursday.  However, I don’t know how much of a non sequitur it is, because it is another meaningful movie.  The Brain That Wouldn’t Die  (1962) is one of my favorite movies of the cheesy variety.  But the way it gets here is kind of random:  I downloaded the picture of the Capitol.  When I went to put it here, I transposed two numbers and almost put in this one instead.  I fixed the error, then said, “Hey!”

Now there’s a spray tan!

Since I mentioned Goldfinger, I looked for a picture of that, too.  I did not even realize it was Goldfinger I had seen at the drive-in till years later.  I just remember during one of the few moments where I was watching the movie, my father told me that a guy had killed a girl and spray-painted her gold.  I thought it was an odd thing to do but figured I had not been paying enough attention for it to make sense.  I’m thinking Goldfinger was the only movie where that happened, although I daresay I could be mistaken.

So here is my silly Thursday post.  Full disclosure:  I’ll probably get even sillier tomorrow.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Not Wrist, Random

Posted on September 3, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I cannot possibly have a Wrist to Forehead Sunday today, because I have Monday off.  Don’t hate on me, those of you who must work.  I have worked plenty of Monday holidays in my life.  This does not mean I will make a decent blog post.  It has gotten hot and humid again, and we have been sitting in front of fans watching movies.  Get it?  We’re movie fans.  It must be bad joke Sunday.  Anyways, I downloaded a couple of movie pictures, so here we go.

This is pretty much as creepy as it looks, but not quite in the way you may think. If you indulge in commonplace thoughts.

Steven recently acquired Mr. Brooks (2007) from a cousin who was downsizing his movie collection.  I remember going to the theatre to see this movie.  I had forgotten it was as recently as 2007 (ooh, there’s a sign of age: eleven years ago is recent!  Oh, my grey hair and arthritis!).  It turns out I had forgotten a LOT about it, as had Steven.  We were fascinated!  I may have to write a whole blog post about the movie, although it was far from cheesy, which is my usual kind of movie to write about.

Since Mr. Brooks was rather intense and dark, we wanted something lighter for our second feature.  I suggested another we had not seen recently: Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).  My sister Cheryl gave us that DVD but for some reason it is not one we pop in a lot.  I love Cary Elwes (“Because, unlike other Robin Hoods, I have an English accent”).  Ooh, I just saw the connection between the two movies:  Kevin Costner starred in Mr. Brooks AND was the Robin Hood referred to in the parenthetical quote.

A straight arrow if ever there was one!

We disagreed briefly about our third feature but at last settled on The Big Chill (1983).  To me that is a Sunday night movie, and it has a great soundtrack.  Moreover, it features William Hurt and Kevin Costner, who were both in Mr. Brooks, in case you did not recognize them from the first picture.  Unfortunately, Kevin Costner plays the dead guy, and they cut all the flashback scenes he got to act in.  We only see him briefly as a lifeless body in the opening credits.

Wouldn’t you love to be hanging out with these guys?

So we didn’t really have a theme for our Sunday movies.  It’s too bad, because I could have gotten into a Severed Head Sunday.  Maybe next week.

 

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Me, Cary Grant and Boris Karloff

Posted on August 20, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

We are spending Sunday afternoon watching movies as we often do.  I tried to do a few useful things earlier:  I went to church, I did a load of laundry, I worked on the script for my murder mystery…  But I have never had much success in being useful on a Sunday.  I’m not much use the rest of the week either, so if you were taking a breath to point that out to me you can just exhale.

Where was I?  Ah yes, about to share a couple of pictures from today’s cinematographic viewing.  We started with Arsenic and Old Lace, just to watch something we don’t pop in as often as other movies we have.  I only wish Boris Karloff had played the character everybody keeps saying looks like Boris Karloff.  I love Boris Karloff.

I think a lot of folks could say this about their families.

I should have looked for a picture of Karloff.  Or I could watch a Boris Karloff movie next.  Right now, though, we are looking at His Girl Friday, just to continue the Cary Grant theme.  Rosalind Russell too, what a goddess!

Ralph Bellamy, too.

We pop in His Girl Friday more frequently, although it is not one of our real go-to movies.  We enjoy the rapid-fire dialogue.  I confess to a little envy when they have coffee with rum at lunch.  I haven’t had spiked coffee in a long time.

There’s our Boris!

Here’s our Karloff in Arsenic and Old Lace on Broadway in 1941.

OK, that’s three photos and over 250 words.  I’m going to call that OK on Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

 

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