This William Wyler directed movie won many Oscars in 1946 including best picture. Telling the story of three men returning home from the war to Boone City, a fictional Midwestern Town. Fred who had been a war hero flying planes will be returning home to his wife who he had married quickly before being sent overseas. Al a respected middle aged banker had been an infantry leader and Homer a young man returning with two hooks where his hands used to be.
All three have trouble adjusting to life at home. Fred finds his wife not the settling down type, she had been attracted to him as a Captain in the Air Core but not as a regular fellow trying to pay the bills. Al is promoted to a new position in loans centering on returning GI's but is frustrated by his decisions being second guessed and Harold faces the biggest challenge of all. His family does not know how to treat him and he pulls away from his fiance Wilma not wanting her to have to face a life with a handicapped man.
Frederick March as Al won the Oscar for Best Actor and Harold Russell a man who had lost his hands during the war won the Supporting Oscar for playing Homer.
This is a superb movie. Wonderful acting and genuinly likable characters. Watching many old movies it is interesting to see certain directors made movie after movie of quality. William Wyler stands as one of those.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The Company Men
his movie explores what happens when those of us who have it made no longer do. Ben Affleck plays a regional sales manager for a ship building company who has it all. The great house, the Porsche, the country club and then one day----he is let go after a wave of corporate down sizing.
Chris Cooper plays an older employee let go who finds himself practically unemployable at his age and is being crowded by expenses that never stop.
Tommy Lee Jones and Craig T Nelson play the CEO ( Nelson ) and his first employee when the company was starting out. ( Jones )
Tiring of Jones contunual fighting him on the job cuts Jones himself gets his walking papers. Jones remembering his own blue collar roots is upset by what is happening to the good employees who worked for the company.
This is a good movie. It moved a little slow and the subject matter of men losing their jobs hits a little home for me. While Affleck's character loses his job and then his house eventually working for his brother in law buidling houses. This character of the brother in law played by Kevin Costner has an honest decency that is perhaps the most accessible and least flawed character in the movie.
A good movie. Perhaps a lesson on what is important and what is not. A wonderful cast. Tommy Lee Jones is a great actor and Craig T Nelson is always underappreciated.
Chris Cooper plays an older employee let go who finds himself practically unemployable at his age and is being crowded by expenses that never stop.
Tommy Lee Jones and Craig T Nelson play the CEO ( Nelson ) and his first employee when the company was starting out. ( Jones )
Tiring of Jones contunual fighting him on the job cuts Jones himself gets his walking papers. Jones remembering his own blue collar roots is upset by what is happening to the good employees who worked for the company.
This is a good movie. It moved a little slow and the subject matter of men losing their jobs hits a little home for me. While Affleck's character loses his job and then his house eventually working for his brother in law buidling houses. This character of the brother in law played by Kevin Costner has an honest decency that is perhaps the most accessible and least flawed character in the movie.
A good movie. Perhaps a lesson on what is important and what is not. A wonderful cast. Tommy Lee Jones is a great actor and Craig T Nelson is always underappreciated.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Super 8
Last Saturday my wife and my daughter went to this movie with me. We have heard the reviews and with me a Spielberg fan and my wife a Lost fan it seemed like a story we could agree on.
Plus one thing we can all agree on is that it is not summer unless you go see a pure escapist movie.
In the movie one can certainly see the traces of the fifties monster movie that Spielberg must remember from his youth. In this movie Joel Courtney plays Joe Lamb a 13 year old boy whose mother has been killed in a mill accident four months earlier leaving him with just his Dad Sheriff's Deputy Jackson Lamb. This character is played by the extremely likeable Kyle Chandler of Friday Night Lights fame. It may be that Chandler is now incapable of playing anyone but an earnest, likable, do the right thing in a quiet unassuming way with as little emotion expressed as possible role but if this is the case there is no doubt that he has the role down pat.
Joe Lamb accompanied by his friends to help his best friend Charles ( played by Riley Griffiths) film a zombie movie for a local film festival. Elle Fanning plays Alice Dainard a girl both the boys admire who ends up playing the female lead in thier movie. During thier filming a train goes by, a crash occurs and the kids are swept up into a plot line right out of the fifties monster movies.
This movie tells us a story, the film centers on buidling suspense in an understated way. There are chills mostly bumps in the night to provide goosebumps but in the end both the visitor terrorizing the city and young Joe learn what he says is true " that bad things happen but you have to go on living. "
A lesson we should all learn. Take your kids, take your family, take your date this is a very good summer movie.
Plus one thing we can all agree on is that it is not summer unless you go see a pure escapist movie.
In the movie one can certainly see the traces of the fifties monster movie that Spielberg must remember from his youth. In this movie Joel Courtney plays Joe Lamb a 13 year old boy whose mother has been killed in a mill accident four months earlier leaving him with just his Dad Sheriff's Deputy Jackson Lamb. This character is played by the extremely likeable Kyle Chandler of Friday Night Lights fame. It may be that Chandler is now incapable of playing anyone but an earnest, likable, do the right thing in a quiet unassuming way with as little emotion expressed as possible role but if this is the case there is no doubt that he has the role down pat.
Joe Lamb accompanied by his friends to help his best friend Charles ( played by Riley Griffiths) film a zombie movie for a local film festival. Elle Fanning plays Alice Dainard a girl both the boys admire who ends up playing the female lead in thier movie. During thier filming a train goes by, a crash occurs and the kids are swept up into a plot line right out of the fifties monster movies.
This movie tells us a story, the film centers on buidling suspense in an understated way. There are chills mostly bumps in the night to provide goosebumps but in the end both the visitor terrorizing the city and young Joe learn what he says is true " that bad things happen but you have to go on living. "
A lesson we should all learn. Take your kids, take your family, take your date this is a very good summer movie.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Under God by Gary Wills
I am a huge admirer of Gary Wills and his writing. He is cerebral and never writes down to his assumed audience. This critically acclaimed book about Religion and American Politics is a wonder.
Written after the election of 1988 we have views into many of the candidates including Dukakis and Bush but also Pat Robertson and Jesse Jackson. Wills also writes about the politics of abortion and the different viewpoints of different evangelicals.
This is not light reading. I have read Wills Catholic books and books on the Gospels, Paul and Jesus himself, this book is much less accessible. That said if one wades in it is profound. I read a chapter a day as the chapters being quite short provided plenty to think about and mull over for a day or two after reading.
For me the most influential section were the chapters on Jefferson and his views on church and state. Jefferson is one of the odd figures in history in that folks on both sides of an argument will claim his rhetoric to substantiate their claims. Wills argues that Jefferson, and this is borne out by some of his writings released well after his death, subscribed to Jesus as a great teacher but fudged on the miracles and spirituality. Jefferson subscribed to a separation of church and state but more to protect his view of proper religion. Jefferson felt that religion endorsed by the state had a power to corrupt both the state and those leaders of the state approved church.
If one looks at history since Jefferson's time one can clearly see that the seperation religion and politics is as important today as it has ever been and no one can question it's ability to mitigate religion.
It seems clear that Wills is a spiritual man and a follower of Jesus and the saints. However much as in his earlier works he seems to have little use for organized religion.
Books by Wills and Keller make clear that in thier view Jesus was not for religion he was for a relationship with God. Jefferson wrote that all of the layers and formulas for approaching God by clergy of all types reduced the ability of religion to serve as a good force. Jefferson acknowledged that of any religion the Quakers with their horizontal church structure and lack of leaders and interpretative bias was closer to what Jesus meant.
A very intersting book. Wills never disapoints.
Written after the election of 1988 we have views into many of the candidates including Dukakis and Bush but also Pat Robertson and Jesse Jackson. Wills also writes about the politics of abortion and the different viewpoints of different evangelicals.
This is not light reading. I have read Wills Catholic books and books on the Gospels, Paul and Jesus himself, this book is much less accessible. That said if one wades in it is profound. I read a chapter a day as the chapters being quite short provided plenty to think about and mull over for a day or two after reading.
For me the most influential section were the chapters on Jefferson and his views on church and state. Jefferson is one of the odd figures in history in that folks on both sides of an argument will claim his rhetoric to substantiate their claims. Wills argues that Jefferson, and this is borne out by some of his writings released well after his death, subscribed to Jesus as a great teacher but fudged on the miracles and spirituality. Jefferson subscribed to a separation of church and state but more to protect his view of proper religion. Jefferson felt that religion endorsed by the state had a power to corrupt both the state and those leaders of the state approved church.
If one looks at history since Jefferson's time one can clearly see that the seperation religion and politics is as important today as it has ever been and no one can question it's ability to mitigate religion.
It seems clear that Wills is a spiritual man and a follower of Jesus and the saints. However much as in his earlier works he seems to have little use for organized religion.
Books by Wills and Keller make clear that in thier view Jesus was not for religion he was for a relationship with God. Jefferson wrote that all of the layers and formulas for approaching God by clergy of all types reduced the ability of religion to serve as a good force. Jefferson acknowledged that of any religion the Quakers with their horizontal church structure and lack of leaders and interpretative bias was closer to what Jesus meant.
A very intersting book. Wills never disapoints.
Wallace by Stephan Lesher
George Wallace was a pivotal figure in the politics of the second half of the twentieth century. Much is made of Barry Goldwater's ill fated fun in 1964 presaging the conservative revolution that came about with Ronald Reagan but what is overlooked is that the voters that streamed to Wallace in 68 and 72 were the voters that when the Wallace train stopped eventually landed in the Republican camp.
Wallace made his name as an anti segregationist. He ended his political life in 1987 after his fifth term ( if one counts the one term his wife Lurleen stood as his proxy) as the Governor of Alabama. In between he shook the Democratic party to it's as he put it " their eye teeth."
Wallace even in the early days dressed up his segregationist policies in the flag of states rights. Was Wallace prejuidiced against Negroes. It would seem that if he was, it was to a much lesser extent than many of his supporters. Still being a product of his times and geography it is very likely that there were some prejuidices in his soul. However much more pertinent was his use of others bigotry to advance his political cause. Realizing that in the state of Alabama success could not come with anything approaching equal treatment of blacks Wallace hopped willingly aboard.
However as the book makes clear as reprehensible as some of his actions were and as terrible as some of the results of his actions it is unlikely that any other politician that was successful in Alabama would have behaved differently. And by in the case of desegregation of schools and colleges in Alabama Wallace was adamant that people stay home and allow him to be the block. He knew he never would be but he truly was trying to avert violence and bloodshed.
More importantly in terms of his national ambitions Wallace was a populist. His views were to help the little man, tax the rich, keep government under local control albeit with largesse from the federal treasury. Wallace ran strong in 1968 and was on his way to controlling a significant number of Democratic delegates when gunned down by an asassins bullet in Maryland in 1972. His career as a national candidate faded as his disability put him in a wheelchair.
Wallace was always colorful, three wives, stormy relations with the courts and the press but through it all he provided a roadmap for the successful campaigns of both Carter and Reagan. Reagan Democrats were certainly Wallace Democrats.
This complicated hard to understand and categorize man was a crucial figure. While not the best biography I have ever read it is not due to the potential subject matter. One wonders how far, how influential Wallace might have been had not he been shot. A better book could illuminate even more brightly this polarizing man.
Wallace made his name as an anti segregationist. He ended his political life in 1987 after his fifth term ( if one counts the one term his wife Lurleen stood as his proxy) as the Governor of Alabama. In between he shook the Democratic party to it's as he put it " their eye teeth."
Wallace even in the early days dressed up his segregationist policies in the flag of states rights. Was Wallace prejuidiced against Negroes. It would seem that if he was, it was to a much lesser extent than many of his supporters. Still being a product of his times and geography it is very likely that there were some prejuidices in his soul. However much more pertinent was his use of others bigotry to advance his political cause. Realizing that in the state of Alabama success could not come with anything approaching equal treatment of blacks Wallace hopped willingly aboard.
However as the book makes clear as reprehensible as some of his actions were and as terrible as some of the results of his actions it is unlikely that any other politician that was successful in Alabama would have behaved differently. And by in the case of desegregation of schools and colleges in Alabama Wallace was adamant that people stay home and allow him to be the block. He knew he never would be but he truly was trying to avert violence and bloodshed.
More importantly in terms of his national ambitions Wallace was a populist. His views were to help the little man, tax the rich, keep government under local control albeit with largesse from the federal treasury. Wallace ran strong in 1968 and was on his way to controlling a significant number of Democratic delegates when gunned down by an asassins bullet in Maryland in 1972. His career as a national candidate faded as his disability put him in a wheelchair.
Wallace was always colorful, three wives, stormy relations with the courts and the press but through it all he provided a roadmap for the successful campaigns of both Carter and Reagan. Reagan Democrats were certainly Wallace Democrats.
This complicated hard to understand and categorize man was a crucial figure. While not the best biography I have ever read it is not due to the potential subject matter. One wonders how far, how influential Wallace might have been had not he been shot. A better book could illuminate even more brightly this polarizing man.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Love and Other Drugs
Late last night with the house full of our children and each of their overnight guests ( it is clearly summer ) my wife and I realizing that the house would be busy and hectic into the wee hours retired to our room to watch this movie she had got from Netflix.
Having heard of the movie when it was out mostly for its nudity I was concerned but we pulled the door to and with the boys all playing Xbox in one room and the girls playing Wii in the garage and the oldest son upstairs sleeping we felt were ok.
The movie features Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhall. Hathaway plays Maggie Murdoch as 26 year old early onset Parkinson's patient and Gyllenhall a pharmacuetical salesman named Jamie Randall who is pushing Zoloft and Zithromax. Early in the movie we see him earlier losing his job as a stereo salesman, in fact his best talent appears to be seducing women. He meets Maggie in the Doctor's office and eventually she agrees to have coffee.
This quickly becomes sex as she desires no relationship. The first half of the movie features much sex; booty calls, get togethers and the like. Eventually realizing he is falling for her our hero freaks her out with his admission of love.
The characters then tussle over their relationship leading to the inevitable heartfelt moments. Along the way Jamie finds success as a sales rep leading to his gain of the Viagra drug when it appears. A special comic relief is offered by Josh Gad who plays Josh Randall brother of Jamie. Josh is the younger brother but has made millions on a software program he developed. Of course he is lazy, slovenly, and overweight and eventually moves in with Jamie who in a telling moment looks at him sleeping on his couch and says " Why are you here, aren't you a millionare?" to which Josh replies " Your my big brother."
He is for all his faults perhaps the most likable character in the movie. Anne Hathaway is bueatiful and no one ever would turn down a chance to see her naked but it is her face that captivates. The wide smile and the eyes make her attactive in any setting and she at times appears especially vulnerable in this role. Gyllenhaal is non descript. He is handsome but I do not think he did anything in this movie that many other of the young actors could not have done.
Overall a good movie, not a great one, not one you would remember but if the kids are taking over all the rooms of the house one you will not mind watching.
A comic relief is the
Having heard of the movie when it was out mostly for its nudity I was concerned but we pulled the door to and with the boys all playing Xbox in one room and the girls playing Wii in the garage and the oldest son upstairs sleeping we felt were ok.
The movie features Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhall. Hathaway plays Maggie Murdoch as 26 year old early onset Parkinson's patient and Gyllenhall a pharmacuetical salesman named Jamie Randall who is pushing Zoloft and Zithromax. Early in the movie we see him earlier losing his job as a stereo salesman, in fact his best talent appears to be seducing women. He meets Maggie in the Doctor's office and eventually she agrees to have coffee.
This quickly becomes sex as she desires no relationship. The first half of the movie features much sex; booty calls, get togethers and the like. Eventually realizing he is falling for her our hero freaks her out with his admission of love.
The characters then tussle over their relationship leading to the inevitable heartfelt moments. Along the way Jamie finds success as a sales rep leading to his gain of the Viagra drug when it appears. A special comic relief is offered by Josh Gad who plays Josh Randall brother of Jamie. Josh is the younger brother but has made millions on a software program he developed. Of course he is lazy, slovenly, and overweight and eventually moves in with Jamie who in a telling moment looks at him sleeping on his couch and says " Why are you here, aren't you a millionare?" to which Josh replies " Your my big brother."
He is for all his faults perhaps the most likable character in the movie. Anne Hathaway is bueatiful and no one ever would turn down a chance to see her naked but it is her face that captivates. The wide smile and the eyes make her attactive in any setting and she at times appears especially vulnerable in this role. Gyllenhaal is non descript. He is handsome but I do not think he did anything in this movie that many other of the young actors could not have done.
Overall a good movie, not a great one, not one you would remember but if the kids are taking over all the rooms of the house one you will not mind watching.
A comic relief is the
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Winesburg Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
Having heard quiet a few references to this book with most of them containing adjectives such as superb, classic, and influential in describing these stories of small town life in the late eighteen hundreds I picked this up from the library.
Further pleased to find out it was originally published in the year of my father's birth, that is 1919, there were no superlatives for me to use to describe this. I confess freely that I did not read the whole book. I read the first six stories and do admit there is in theory a chance that the stories get better deeper into the book. On the assumption that they do not I can only describe stories that are odd, often out of sequence and context and with characters that apparently have no value whatsoever.
Hearing these stories described as a precursor to some of the great American writers to follow left me in the dark. I found Faulkner to be dense and Cheever is self absorbed in his own world. Perhaps most authors are but these stories were just bad. I can say nothing positive about this work.
Further pleased to find out it was originally published in the year of my father's birth, that is 1919, there were no superlatives for me to use to describe this. I confess freely that I did not read the whole book. I read the first six stories and do admit there is in theory a chance that the stories get better deeper into the book. On the assumption that they do not I can only describe stories that are odd, often out of sequence and context and with characters that apparently have no value whatsoever.
Hearing these stories described as a precursor to some of the great American writers to follow left me in the dark. I found Faulkner to be dense and Cheever is self absorbed in his own world. Perhaps most authors are but these stories were just bad. I can say nothing positive about this work.
Monday, June 13, 2011
James McMurty Live at The Grand Theatre
A few years ago with the help of Stephen King's local radio station James McMurtry became popular in this area. His Bush era song " We Can't Make it Here Anymore" with it's conversation about outsourcing of jobs, Walmart, the Iraq War and other issues struck a chord.
He has played in the area several times and this year when hearing of his return my wife and I got tickets.
I have several of his albums, Live in Aught Three, featuring his most popular songs from his career from the late eighties until then is an album full of treasures. Since then the album Childish Things and Just Us Kids have brought many more strong songs into his concert catalogue.
Arriving at the show we were pleased to see that we had third row seats off to the right. The opening act, a fellow named Johnny Burk, was interesting and entertaining. He had some interesting songs including one called " My Baby is a Sociopath." He also had the interesting habit of stomping on a phone book next to a microphone to create a beat. It was interesting.
McMurtry took the stage a little before 9. I was taken aback as two minutes later the space between the front rows and the stage was full of people dancing. I was taken aback. Being off to the right this blocked our view somewhat, people in the front rows center were even more blocked. I understand that people want to get up but I have to say that when a show sells tickets as seated that people who go through the process to get tickets should not have their view blocked by those that perhaps have much worse seats and choose to crowd up front.
Now on to the show. It was in a word....tremendous. McMurtry rocks. His band is non descript. His guitar player does not even join the show until about half way through, McMurtry handles the guitar until then, but the band is tight. Mcmurtry is even better live. Levelland, Just Us Kids, Halloween Party gain their true form live. Introducing the afore mentioned " We Can't Make It Here" McMurtry mentioned that they had dropped the song from the set list for quite sometime but that " unfortunately it is still relevant. " Too Long in the Wasteland ended the show with blistering guitar solos and the encore of the favorite Lights of Cheyenne with just McMurtry singing ended the show.
In terms of music alone this might well have been one of the best shows I have ever seen. He played well over two hours and was truly great. Certainly the theatrics and big house performance of Springsteen and the like tower above this but musically this show as good as it gets.
Certainly a far better performer and more charasmatic singer than Ray Lamontagne but then again it is like comparing apples and oranges.
A fantastic show.
He has played in the area several times and this year when hearing of his return my wife and I got tickets.
I have several of his albums, Live in Aught Three, featuring his most popular songs from his career from the late eighties until then is an album full of treasures. Since then the album Childish Things and Just Us Kids have brought many more strong songs into his concert catalogue.
Arriving at the show we were pleased to see that we had third row seats off to the right. The opening act, a fellow named Johnny Burk, was interesting and entertaining. He had some interesting songs including one called " My Baby is a Sociopath." He also had the interesting habit of stomping on a phone book next to a microphone to create a beat. It was interesting.
McMurtry took the stage a little before 9. I was taken aback as two minutes later the space between the front rows and the stage was full of people dancing. I was taken aback. Being off to the right this blocked our view somewhat, people in the front rows center were even more blocked. I understand that people want to get up but I have to say that when a show sells tickets as seated that people who go through the process to get tickets should not have their view blocked by those that perhaps have much worse seats and choose to crowd up front.
Now on to the show. It was in a word....tremendous. McMurtry rocks. His band is non descript. His guitar player does not even join the show until about half way through, McMurtry handles the guitar until then, but the band is tight. Mcmurtry is even better live. Levelland, Just Us Kids, Halloween Party gain their true form live. Introducing the afore mentioned " We Can't Make It Here" McMurtry mentioned that they had dropped the song from the set list for quite sometime but that " unfortunately it is still relevant. " Too Long in the Wasteland ended the show with blistering guitar solos and the encore of the favorite Lights of Cheyenne with just McMurtry singing ended the show.
In terms of music alone this might well have been one of the best shows I have ever seen. He played well over two hours and was truly great. Certainly the theatrics and big house performance of Springsteen and the like tower above this but musically this show as good as it gets.
Certainly a far better performer and more charasmatic singer than Ray Lamontagne but then again it is like comparing apples and oranges.
A fantastic show.
Friday Night Lights-- Finale
We cheated this spring. Rather than watch the final episodes on NBC we cheated and got the netflix discs. That is one advantage of having had the show in Direct TV the previous fall.
This show might well have been one of the best written shows ever on television. It is hard to describe how a show about a high school football coach could have so meaning but it did. Perhaps it is because this show put on display character traits which I admire the strongest being loyalty and ethics. If there has ever been a television character that showed more loyalty than Coach Eric Taylor it is a rare one. The character of his wife Tammi Taylor was another very strong one. A modern wife, struggling with career and home and children she was a woman we all could be proud of.
The prejuidices of small town life, Texas life, teenage issues such as drinking, sex and abortion were brought into play and all characters were well drawn.
In the final few episodes some of the old characters came back into town, some long term issues were resolved and some were not but we got to visit with many of them again.
This show was a must watch for us for 5 years. Few shows hold us that long and few shows have the never miss label for us. We will miss this show tremendously.
This show might well have been one of the best written shows ever on television. It is hard to describe how a show about a high school football coach could have so meaning but it did. Perhaps it is because this show put on display character traits which I admire the strongest being loyalty and ethics. If there has ever been a television character that showed more loyalty than Coach Eric Taylor it is a rare one. The character of his wife Tammi Taylor was another very strong one. A modern wife, struggling with career and home and children she was a woman we all could be proud of.
The prejuidices of small town life, Texas life, teenage issues such as drinking, sex and abortion were brought into play and all characters were well drawn.
In the final few episodes some of the old characters came back into town, some long term issues were resolved and some were not but we got to visit with many of them again.
This show was a must watch for us for 5 years. Few shows hold us that long and few shows have the never miss label for us. We will miss this show tremendously.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
King John by William Shakespeare
As I continue to read Shakespeare's histories and now being aware of the chronology of the stories in the sense of the history of the characters I have started at the beginning with King John.
In this play we learn of the eruption of violence between King John and the followers of his nephew Arthur of France. An interesting play telling of the conquest of a French town by both forces that comes close to being the rare town to displease both potential masters. A wedding takes place. Arthur is said to have been killed , but it is a ruse and then he is but by his own hand.
In the end the King of England wins the score but dies anyway. This sets up Prince Henry to the throne. This trail of succession happened often in the 1200's . I look forward to the next story.
The language is hard and I admit freely that I sometimes run though a long soliloquy if it runs thick. Most of the time I fight through and am rewarded. It is not hard to see why Shakespeare's plays are still so contemporary. The stories themselves are timeless. Love, intrigue, jealousy, war, these are all subjects people go to see today and few compare with the basic text of Shakespeare's ideas.
In this play we learn of the eruption of violence between King John and the followers of his nephew Arthur of France. An interesting play telling of the conquest of a French town by both forces that comes close to being the rare town to displease both potential masters. A wedding takes place. Arthur is said to have been killed , but it is a ruse and then he is but by his own hand.
In the end the King of England wins the score but dies anyway. This sets up Prince Henry to the throne. This trail of succession happened often in the 1200's . I look forward to the next story.
The language is hard and I admit freely that I sometimes run though a long soliloquy if it runs thick. Most of the time I fight through and am rewarded. It is not hard to see why Shakespeare's plays are still so contemporary. The stories themselves are timeless. Love, intrigue, jealousy, war, these are all subjects people go to see today and few compare with the basic text of Shakespeare's ideas.
Circuital by My Morning Jacket
Over the last week My Morning Jacket has been everywhere. A VH1 Storytellers and last night on Jimmy Fallon is where I have seen them myself. Here in Bangor we know that MMJ will be the headliners on the second night of the KheBang Festival. A band of this stature, a perfect band for a festival signifies that this festival is reaching a level of acceptance nationally.
Having first seen MMJ as the opening act for Tom Petty last summer I enjoyed the music but was at least intrigued by the fans at that show that clearly were there for MMJ. They knew every word and sang and strummed with a dedication seen in few if any of the more staid Petty fans.
I now consider myself a full convert to MMJ fandom. The music is intelligent, sharp and breaks across a wide variety of genres making it hard to classify.
The new album does the same. The title track is a trippy seven minute epic that showcases the singing of Jim James as well as the strong musical skills of the band. The lead track Victory Dance shows that this band will never be mainstream, commercial, I hear the influence of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd albeit with a southern influence. James lyrics are intelligent with a cross current of references.
The Day is Coming, Wonderful the way I feel and You Want to Freak Out add to the trippiness of this album. Trippy and intelligent are the two words I think of most.
This is not a band to appreciate with one listen. They grow on you as you develop an understanding of the style and lyrical bend to the music.
Spend a day or two with MMJ and you will be one the converts.
A great album. An even greater band.
Having first seen MMJ as the opening act for Tom Petty last summer I enjoyed the music but was at least intrigued by the fans at that show that clearly were there for MMJ. They knew every word and sang and strummed with a dedication seen in few if any of the more staid Petty fans.
I now consider myself a full convert to MMJ fandom. The music is intelligent, sharp and breaks across a wide variety of genres making it hard to classify.
The new album does the same. The title track is a trippy seven minute epic that showcases the singing of Jim James as well as the strong musical skills of the band. The lead track Victory Dance shows that this band will never be mainstream, commercial, I hear the influence of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd albeit with a southern influence. James lyrics are intelligent with a cross current of references.
The Day is Coming, Wonderful the way I feel and You Want to Freak Out add to the trippiness of this album. Trippy and intelligent are the two words I think of most.
This is not a band to appreciate with one listen. They grow on you as you develop an understanding of the style and lyrical bend to the music.
Spend a day or two with MMJ and you will be one the converts.
A great album. An even greater band.
Henry Clay by David and Jean Heidler
Sometimes there are too many books. Sometimes I get too exuberant even for me. With about 8 books going, three of which are from our local library, and with the summer arriving with all the busy family activities to come Henry Clay has fallen by the wayside. With that and a biography of George Wallace competing for spare reading moments I made the decision to stick with Wallace and stop Clay inside of 100 pages.
Still Clay is a very significant historical figure, by many standards one of if not the greatest United States Senator of all time. I learned for example that Clay was the first person to lie in state in the Capital upon his death. Truly a very significant historical figure.
I am sure this is a book I will finish at a later time.
Still Clay is a very significant historical figure, by many standards one of if not the greatest United States Senator of all time. I learned for example that Clay was the first person to lie in state in the Capital upon his death. Truly a very significant historical figure.
I am sure this is a book I will finish at a later time.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Anatomy of a Murder
This film from 1959 is a great courtroom drama. Directed by Otto Preminger, starring Jimmy Stewart as Paul Biegler, the former prosecuting attourny in Iron City, Michigan who defeated for reelection has become an expert fly fisherman.
Biegler is asked by Laura Mannion to defend her husband, Army Lt Mannion on a murder charge. The murder of which there is no doubt comes about as a result of the rape of the Leuitentant's wife by Ben Quill the owner of a local bar.
Lee Remick plays Mrs. Mannion and she exudes sensuality to say the least. She is flirtatious and everything she says could be interpreted as a come on. That said she insists she was attacked and that she had never been a loose woman.
The court case plays out over the last 90 minutes of the movie. It is well told with the predictable characterizations of the raped woman, how she was dressed, questioning her morals and the avenging husband as a jealousy crazed lover.
Stewart plays well Stewart. The scenes of him stammeringly trying to control Mrs. Mannion as she affects her charms on him are funny while not meaning to be. In many of Stewart's films he plays that caricature of himself we have seen so often. Still in this movie it works so well.
In 1959 this movie dealt with rape and sexuality in a very brave way. This issue is mirrored by the discussion of panties that are missing after the rape. They later turn up in a key way. Still the movie is kept tasteful and with a level of decorum we certainly would not find today.
The movie has a twist. We never are really sure if Lt. Mannion beat his wife causing the bruisies and thus bringing about the rape charge. One interpretation of an earlier scene in the movie could imply that both Mannion's had been " stepping out". Biegler, after leading the defendant toward an insanity plea proceeds to win his case but perhpas always be left wondering what the true nature of the crime was.
A neat twist at the ending and a great cast with Lee Remick, Ben Gazerra, and George C Scott leading the way.
This is a great, riveting movie.
Biegler is asked by Laura Mannion to defend her husband, Army Lt Mannion on a murder charge. The murder of which there is no doubt comes about as a result of the rape of the Leuitentant's wife by Ben Quill the owner of a local bar.
Lee Remick plays Mrs. Mannion and she exudes sensuality to say the least. She is flirtatious and everything she says could be interpreted as a come on. That said she insists she was attacked and that she had never been a loose woman.
The court case plays out over the last 90 minutes of the movie. It is well told with the predictable characterizations of the raped woman, how she was dressed, questioning her morals and the avenging husband as a jealousy crazed lover.
Stewart plays well Stewart. The scenes of him stammeringly trying to control Mrs. Mannion as she affects her charms on him are funny while not meaning to be. In many of Stewart's films he plays that caricature of himself we have seen so often. Still in this movie it works so well.
In 1959 this movie dealt with rape and sexuality in a very brave way. This issue is mirrored by the discussion of panties that are missing after the rape. They later turn up in a key way. Still the movie is kept tasteful and with a level of decorum we certainly would not find today.
The movie has a twist. We never are really sure if Lt. Mannion beat his wife causing the bruisies and thus bringing about the rape charge. One interpretation of an earlier scene in the movie could imply that both Mannion's had been " stepping out". Biegler, after leading the defendant toward an insanity plea proceeds to win his case but perhpas always be left wondering what the true nature of the crime was.
A neat twist at the ending and a great cast with Lee Remick, Ben Gazerra, and George C Scott leading the way.
This is a great, riveting movie.
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