COMING SOON: There is much to explore on our sidebar, so jump in. And come back in the coming week for even more fun! Throughout March, expect to see more Funny Books, Follow the Leader, The Quarter Bin, Sound and Fury, This & That, and so much more. Redartz and I will keep you guessing each day, but we've got everything from "Not Brand Echh" to "Dennis the Menace" to Sal Buscema to "Alpha Flight" to classic commercials on the docket.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Here are a few suggestions for you; please feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments every Sunday!
Food: Shakshuka. North African in origin and popular in the Middle East, this is a wonderful egg dish that is relatively simple to create but wonderfully flavorful for breakfast or any time. In short form, add sliced or chopped onions, and red bell peppers, chillies, garlic, paprika, black pepper, and cumin into a pot of boiling canned tomatoes and tomato juice. Essentially poach six eggs in that brew. Top with black olives, cilantro, and feta cheese. Create the seasoned pot with the spices and flavors you choose; mix it up as you see fit. 4.5 Bronze Medallions. Try it!Film: Over the past couple of days, Charlie Horse 47 and I have been trading comments about various Sci-Fi influences and other topics. In that conversation, there was mention of Orson Welles. I am a great fan of his writing skill and directing technique and acting. His work is generally fantastic. Here are a few movies to seek out:
Touch of Evil: This 1958 film is noir from the master and again it stars Welles in a villainous role that he just slayed. It also stars Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, and Dennis Weaver. Not well received at the time it was released, I have enjoyed this movie ever since studying it in college. 4 Bronze Medallions.
F for Fake: Welles' 1974 film is a strange one. It is ostensibly a documentary about art forgery and illusion, but it is so much more. Not for everybody perhaps, and I can understand the hesitancy, but if you want to see an intriguing and sometimes frustrating film unlike any other - then I suggest this one. 3.75 Bronze Medallions
Have a great week everybody! Cheers!
16 comments:
I'll second your appraisal of F for Fake!
Worth watching, the next time it shows up on Turnip Classic movies.
That Picasso segment had me laughing.
M.P.
Good Morning,
I'm currently in the mindset of "giving thanks" on Sunday, so if I may diverge...
1) Marti - Thanks for the recommendations on the Stranglers last week. I only knew Golden Brown. Now I'm cruising to work listening to Always the Sun and others!
2) Red - Thanks for the reminders about C2E2 in Chicago April 21! "ROAD TRIP!" anyone? Where does that expression come from? Early 80s?
3) Colin B - for the tip on the Miles Davis! Been listening "Tribute to Jack Johnson" and enjoying it! Also, I plan to join the UK reading club in the Summer of 2018 to score the Beano buttons! I just know I can read 6 books in 1 summer!
4) Steve from Sheffield! Thanks for the list of Sheffield musicians. (Arctic Monkeys!) Truly impressive.
And to everyone else for putting up with my meandering musings.
Charlie- That's a road trip I'm hoping to make! As for the term "road trip"; I think first of "On the Road" by Jack Kerouak. Great novel, and my bucket list still includes a cross- country road trip with a buddy...but one less eventful than that described in the book.
Darn you guys... your blogs dredging up obscure 80s and then I start searching and then... I had to listen to Stranglers which took me to "Pale Shelter" by Tears for Fears. NOw I'm on to Captain Sensible "Stop the World!" and "Wot" (Colin B and Steve - pray tell this crazy dude is from Sheffield???)
Well, time to meander to the driveway, get the paper, and read the Sunday Funnies. See what's happening to Dick Tracy, SHerman's Lagoon, the Lockhorns, and Dilbert!
Charlie, Captain Sensible is from London. I always thought he was from the Croydon area but Wikipedia insists he's from Balham.
Charlie, Captain Sensible is from London. I always thought he was from the Croydon area but Wikipedia insists he's from Balham.
Ha! SHERMAN'S LAGOON collections were a major "extra" gift for HBWife this past Christmas. . . it's great to hear her burst out in spontaneous laughter as does that last bit of bedtime reading. . . !
CITIZEN KANE was the Orson Wells movie we saw in our film history class. Geeze, that room-destroying scene he does late in the film was a (necessary) one-take wonder! One wishes he could have been less in love with his sense of his own genius, 'cause he wasted SO much effort and time and career on ill-fated vanity projects. I believe someone finally made a documentary about the years he spent filming that DON QUIXOTE project that consumed his imagination. Talk about an appropriate title & subject. . .
HB
I have to ask if citi citizen Kane is an acquired or taught taste. I have seen the movie and, I hate to say this, but it does not really resonate for me as the greatest film of all time. so I am wondering, if one must learn to appreciate citizen Kane via film appreciation class or something equivalent?
Just finished reading the Avengers Epic Collection "Once an Avenger", reprinting Avengers 21-40. Great art by Don Heck throughout, assisted by John Romita, Wally Wood, Frank Giacoia, Dick Ayers, and George Bell (Roussos). The Kooky Quartet soon expands with the return of Goliath and the Wasp, and guest-stars Black Widow and Hercules. Highly recommended!
Next up from the to-read pile is volume 3 of the Burne Hogarth Tarzan strips, Tarzan and the Nazis. Seems like it could be current events! I also need to finish SHIELD by Lee & Kirby: The Complete Collection.
Yesterday I purchased tickets for my wife and I and our school's band director and his wife to see Rain at the Oriental Theater in Chicago near the end of the month. I've seen this Beatles tribute on PBS and am really looking forward to seeing them live.
Doug
Citizen Kane is an acquired taste. I think it has to be appreciated for what it accomplished at that point in time (1941). The cinematography, the deep focus, some of the aspects of story structure, etc all have their impact. It affected many films afterward.
Looking back at it after 75+ year, it does not seem as cutting edge for sure. It was a thinly-veiled attack on William Randolph Hearst and yellow journalism, which was indeed challenging at the time. And it was pretty amazing that Welles was only 25 years old when he made such a biting political statement and coordinated the masterpiece. It may have even more relevance in modern time with 24 hour news cycles. Welles already had taken radio by storm with the Mercury Theatre and had performed the legendary H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" radio show a few years prior. He was definitely a wunderkind.
It is partially true that his future films were hindered by budget and usurped control because of the Hearst backlash - but also because he was a perfectionist. "The Magnificent Ambersons," his next film, was never released in the format and cut he wanted. It was edited without him and it was badly cut with a happy ending added. From that point Welles tried for the most part to fund his own films - so he could have control. He acted in other movies (Compulsion for example) and hosted the wine commercials simply so he could have funds to work on his personal projects - none of them living up to the potential.
"The Magnificent Ambersons" is considered by some in the field to be even better than "Kane" and contend it would have been the real masterpiece if he was allowed to finish. I think in viewing "Citizen Kane" all of that has to be in perspective.
And I think historically that William Randolph Hearst is worth reading about prior to viewing "Kane". And if you ever visit the Hearst Castle in California on the coast, it adds to the milieu of Xanadu. I think that helps in understanding how adventurous and brash the film was, but much of that nuance is lost to time and history. The other thing I would watch would be the technical aspects - particularly deep focus - in which foreground and background are in focus. That was s significant advancement (or at least the use of it was) in "Kane."
I like the theme that despite success our happiness is defined in our youth and it is perhaps unreachable and that "significant regret" is a lonely killer.
Hope that helps somewhat. I like and appreciate the film. But I honestly only watch it about once a decade.
Doug - I liked when Hercules and Natasha guest starred in the Avengers. The Black Widow's relationship with Hawkeye stuck with me even from reading those books at a young age. And it was my first understanding that the team was fluid and could change. Have fun at "Rain" - it is supposed to be good.
Great thoughts on Kane. Glad I am not alone! I.e., if put into historical perspective it is truly great. Reading the Amberson's by Tarkington... I was able to feel / understand the historical perspective b/c Tarkington writes about it and thus the reader ingests it and understands. Very tough for a movie to do that.
Doug - did you eve decide if you preferred Revolver or Rubber Soul? (Just curious, I live in Downers Grove, and I sense you are in Chicago land as well. Neighbors?)
Binged on Netflix all weekend, the missus and I enjoyed "Grace and Frankie", excellent cast line-up, binged on two seasons of it, the 3rd season's released later this month.
Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Martin Sheen, and Sam Waterston. Great cast.
Also finished the 2nd year of Hung on DVD..., another delightful storyline/concept of a squirrelly female pimp and her male, high-school-teacher.... hooker. Some skin here and there, but fairly engaging plots and twists.
Now back to snow-shoveling.
Go south, young man, go south!
Charlie, I believe you, Doug and I are just over a 100 miles of each other.., you know I'm up in Milwaukee.
My wife's sibling lives in Lagrange, her Dad in Elmhurst, so we're down there fairly often.
Hi David! That's funny, are used to live in Lagrange for 10 years on Elder Lane just north of the train tracks and then we moved west to Downers Grove because our house shrunk.that would be great if we could get together for a burger and a beer or soda pop when you come down to visit I like to go to the Back Alley in Lagrange for a burger. Anyhow Lagrange and Elmhurst and downers grove are full of good restaurants bars etc. but let me know when you're coming down here we could talk comics. By the way what do you think of the comic book shop in Lagrange on Lagrange Road? Cheers, Joe
CH47 --
I'm in Bourbonnais (summer home of the Chicago Bears), probably around 50-60 miles south of you in Kankakee County. It's an easy drive up I-57 to the city for us. We used to have family in Wheaton, so I've been up your way quite a bit.
Doug
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