Wrapped in a cold deep blanket...
Jan. 23rd, 2005 12:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatWell, we have 14 inches in Brooklyn. That's over a foot of snow, I think.
Also bitterly cold. Snow drifts piled high on the fire-escape and in the window sills, even though I live on the fourth floor of a brown-stone. Yesterday, I got to show my resourcefulness - I packed a plastic rain-poncho, and two towels - tapping them to the window - to insulate the area around my window airconditioner - which had snow leaking in through it. (YEs, I know it should probably have been taken out for winter, but I can't - it's screwed in and I will need it in the summer.) The other bit of resourcefulness - was when I managed to unclog my shower stall/tub drain. Sat it took 30 minutes to drain, so somewhat desperate last night - I took out a handy screw-driver. Unscrewed the hair catcher/drain cover - reached down into the drain and pulled out all the hair and other twisted gunk. Not as hard or rigorous at it sounds - I have an odd drain - it is shallow (2 inches) and slants to wall and down the pipes. Hard to describe in words. The important thing? I fixed it.
And tub is no longer clogged. So now - I have to tell the landlord, he does not need to call a plumber to snake my drain after all.
Did enjoy myself last night in the blizzard - watched two classic musicals on
TCM (Turner Classic Movie Channel - which has two benefits, 1) no commercials or interruptions, 2) great commentary before the film by an expert and usually in letterbox when appropriate. This is one of the reasons I'll never cancel my cable subscription - if I can help it. I also made brownies - which I'll eat shortly.
1. Singing in the Rain (such a happy musical, funny, entertaining - perfect for a snowy day.)
2. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (which I first saw on the stage at the age of 13 with Jane Powell and Howard Keel no less. So it's a nice nostalgic trip for me. Also one of Russ Tamblyn's first musicals.)
Then Adult Swim on Cartoon Network - which I taped. Full Metal Alchemist.
Ghost in the Shell. Iyushya (sp?). and Cowboy Bebop. Yes - I love anime, just haven't had the time to see a lot of it in recent years.
Short meme - for those reading this: Name your top five favorite anime
films or tv shows that are available on DVD.
Prior to watching Singing in the Rain, Syndney Pollack (director of Tootsie and other films) came on screen to introduce the film and explain why it was an essential movie. Stating it was probably the best film musical ever made.
That got me to thinking what are my favorite film musicals.
(not necessarily in this order)
1. Singing in the Rain - no flaws. Hilarous. Fun. Simple tale with lots of different dancing and stunts. Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen and the great Donald O'Connor. Also some lovely songs such as Good Morning,
Singing in the Rain, and Make them Laugh.
2. West Side Story - Russ Tamblyn, George Parkharris (sp?)Natalie Wood,
(I've space the other female lead for some reason). Leonard Bernstein and Sondheim on score. Beautifully choregraphed.
3. Star is Born (Judy Garland and James Mason version) - fantastic study of a doomed relationship and the toil stardom takes. Plus some amazing musical numbers that effortlessly blend with the action, don't take away from it.
4. The Wizard of OZ (Judy Garland)
5. Jesus Christ Superstar (1970s film version)- simplistic modern staging, and I love the disciples boarding the bus at the end. Also some amazing songs.
My favorite of the Tim Rice/Lloyd Webber era.
Okay off to call landlord and maybe have lunch. Ah the sun has come out and the sky is a dappled blue with floating clouds. Still cold though.
Also bitterly cold. Snow drifts piled high on the fire-escape and in the window sills, even though I live on the fourth floor of a brown-stone. Yesterday, I got to show my resourcefulness - I packed a plastic rain-poncho, and two towels - tapping them to the window - to insulate the area around my window airconditioner - which had snow leaking in through it. (YEs, I know it should probably have been taken out for winter, but I can't - it's screwed in and I will need it in the summer.) The other bit of resourcefulness - was when I managed to unclog my shower stall/tub drain. Sat it took 30 minutes to drain, so somewhat desperate last night - I took out a handy screw-driver. Unscrewed the hair catcher/drain cover - reached down into the drain and pulled out all the hair and other twisted gunk. Not as hard or rigorous at it sounds - I have an odd drain - it is shallow (2 inches) and slants to wall and down the pipes. Hard to describe in words. The important thing? I fixed it.
And tub is no longer clogged. So now - I have to tell the landlord, he does not need to call a plumber to snake my drain after all.
Did enjoy myself last night in the blizzard - watched two classic musicals on
TCM (Turner Classic Movie Channel - which has two benefits, 1) no commercials or interruptions, 2) great commentary before the film by an expert and usually in letterbox when appropriate. This is one of the reasons I'll never cancel my cable subscription - if I can help it. I also made brownies - which I'll eat shortly.
1. Singing in the Rain (such a happy musical, funny, entertaining - perfect for a snowy day.)
2. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (which I first saw on the stage at the age of 13 with Jane Powell and Howard Keel no less. So it's a nice nostalgic trip for me. Also one of Russ Tamblyn's first musicals.)
Then Adult Swim on Cartoon Network - which I taped. Full Metal Alchemist.
Ghost in the Shell. Iyushya (sp?). and Cowboy Bebop. Yes - I love anime, just haven't had the time to see a lot of it in recent years.
Short meme - for those reading this: Name your top five favorite anime
films or tv shows that are available on DVD.
Prior to watching Singing in the Rain, Syndney Pollack (director of Tootsie and other films) came on screen to introduce the film and explain why it was an essential movie. Stating it was probably the best film musical ever made.
That got me to thinking what are my favorite film musicals.
(not necessarily in this order)
1. Singing in the Rain - no flaws. Hilarous. Fun. Simple tale with lots of different dancing and stunts. Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen and the great Donald O'Connor. Also some lovely songs such as Good Morning,
Singing in the Rain, and Make them Laugh.
2. West Side Story - Russ Tamblyn, George Parkharris (sp?)Natalie Wood,
(I've space the other female lead for some reason). Leonard Bernstein and Sondheim on score. Beautifully choregraphed.
3. Star is Born (Judy Garland and James Mason version) - fantastic study of a doomed relationship and the toil stardom takes. Plus some amazing musical numbers that effortlessly blend with the action, don't take away from it.
4. The Wizard of OZ (Judy Garland)
5. Jesus Christ Superstar (1970s film version)- simplistic modern staging, and I love the disciples boarding the bus at the end. Also some amazing songs.
My favorite of the Tim Rice/Lloyd Webber era.
Okay off to call landlord and maybe have lunch. Ah the sun has come out and the sky is a dappled blue with floating clouds. Still cold though.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
My favorites movie musicals...
Date: 2005-01-23 11:46 am (UTC)1) The Wizard of Oz-needs no explanation
2) Moulin Rouge-I adore this movie. The visuals, the acting, the use of modern pop music as rock opera in an anachronistic setting.
3) Evita-Vastly underrated film that has perfect casting of Madonna (perhaps her only truly great performance in any medium, and really interesting, kinetic direction from Alan Parker (of Fame fame) that brilliantly mixes realism with standard musical conventions.
4) Pennies From Heaven-Another completely underrated, rarely seen early-1980s film starring Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters about two tragic figures in Depression-era America. What is so brilliant about the film is that the extremely depressing states of their lives are contrasted with musical fantasy sequences, where the actors lip synch famous songs from the 1940s. Their dreams are a reflection of the escapist films Hollywood was making at the time, to take people's minds off the horrible condition of their lives, so it works well for these particular characters and as a meta examination of films at the time. And it has a great sequence of Christopher Walken, fof all people, tap-dancing.
5) Little Shop of Horrors-This movie takes a not particularly good B sci-fi film from the fifties and turns it into a really catchy, visually eye-popping musical that takes all of the standard musical cliches and turns them on their ear. It loses a few points for switching the grim finale of the play for a sunny, cheerful one that seems tacked on (the result of poor reactions from test audiences), but still, a fantastic movie.