October Movies: Making a Plan for Fall Evenings

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Finding something to watch on TV has been a challenge in recent years. During the month of October, I like to turn to my favorite movies from Vincent Price. While I used to enjoy a larger selection of 'horror' movies in the past, I find that, as I get older, I like my scary movies to be less gory and less scary. So, very often, Vincent Price movies make for a great choice. 

Movies Based Upon Edgar Allan Poe Tales 

Many of the movies in which Vincent Price starred were loosely based upon the works of Edgar Allan Poe. As a fan of the 19th-century author (and being a former volunteer at the Edgar Allan Poe Site), I have always enjoyed watching these movies and comparing and contrasting them to the actual poem or short story. Many of these movies are brought to viewers by Roger Corman (who is known for low-budget movies, which oftentimes had a huge impact).

Part of the reason why Roger Corman made the series of eight movies based upon Edgar Allan Poe stories and poems is because, as Corman stated in How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood, "Poe has a built-in audience. He's read in every high school" (78). If you watch all eight Poe movies by Corman, you may notice similarities as he reused sets and scenes in each film. 

The Tomb of Ligeia 

In the original short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in 1838, the narrator of the story is in love with and marries Ligeia, who eventually falls ill and dies. After a brief period, he moves to England and remarries. His second wife falls ill after a time, and it is with her illness and death that we read of an unusual occurrence.  

According to the Fun Facts of the double feature DVD, "Roger Corman referred to the movie as the biggest and most exciting of his eight Edgar Allan Poe adaptions." To be honest, this one does not rank high on my list, as I do not watch it as often as some of the other movies. 

An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe 

On Side B of the double feature with The Tomb of Ligeia is An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe, where Vincent Price narrates four tales of Edgar Allan Poe: 

• The Tell-Tale Heart 
• The Sphinx
• The Cask of Amontillado 
• The Pit and the Pendulum 

This is another movie that I do not often watch, but two of the four tales are among my favorite Poe short stories. From the "beating of his hideous heart" to the thousand injuries born by the narrator of The Cask of Amontillado, these are perfect stories of revenge and madness. And both The Tell-Tale Heart and The Cask of Amontillado really do lend themselves for reading aloud. 

The Oblong Box 

The story of The Oblong Box centers around the narration of a voyage from Charleston, South Carolina to New York City. The box of the title is a piece of baggage of Cornelius Wyatt, his wife, and his two sisters. It has a very peculiar shape and emits a strange odor, but no one on board the vessel knows what is in it. Readers will discover the answer to the mystery when reading this short story. 

Two horror legends team up in The Oblong Box directed by Gordon Hessler. Vincent Price stars as a plantation owner, and Christopher Lee plays a doctor. While the movie takes common themes from Poe stories such as premature burial, there is also a voodoo theme woven into this movie. 

The Raven 

The original poem is probably very familiar to many. A man mourns the loss of his love, Lenore, and a raven visits him and taunts him in his sadness. The movie would only loosely use this theme, as it brought together three of the most well-known and popular horror legends of the day – Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, and Peter Lorre.  This particular Roger Corman movie is more of a comedy than a horror movie, as Price and Karloff are two dueling wizards.  For a movie shot in just three weeks, though, it does exhibit a great production for the money and time spent on it. 

It is interesting to note that the three main actors all had very different acting styles. Peter Lorre was more extemporaneous, as Corman noted, and Lorre would improvise. Price was trained classically, so he tended to do scenes exactly as they were scripted, but he was open to changes. Karloff, on the other hand, as Corman shared, "knew his lines and expected to do his scenes as written and no other way" (85). It is also entertaining to see how these three actors, along with Jack Nicholson, came together to make the movie. 

The Haunted Palace 

The original poem was originally released separately but was then incorporated into The Fall of the House of Usher by Poe. The Haunted Palace describes an ideal and exotic setting where art flourishes among the royals. However, there is eventually sorrow, and death finds its way.

Even though this Corman film is entitled after the Poe poem – and even uses some of the stanzas within the movie – The Haunted Palace is actually based upon the H.P. Lovecraft novella, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. The back of my VHS tape describes the plot of the movie as showing a grandson whose ancestor was kidnapping young girls and was eventually burned alive. This grandson, Charles Dexter Ward, returns to the village and is suspected by the villagers of doing evil himself. "Will Charles Dexter Ward, and the villagers, survive the evil that lurks in the darkness of that Haunted Palace?" 

Other Horror Films 

Scream and Scream Again 

This 1969 movie brings together Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing in a movie where madmen are attempting to take over the world. This is another Price movie that I do not watch every year as it does cross a bit more into the horror side than I prefer now. 

Theater of Blood 

This black comedy inspired me to read many William Shakespeare plays that I had not read yet in school or after college. In 1973, Vincent Price and Diana Rigg star as a father and daughter team who seek revenge upon the "nine London critics who denied him the Best Actor of the Year Award."  Price, as Edward Lionheart, uses the murders in Shakespearean plays as models for the murders of the critics.

Movies That Have Had Remakes 

House on Haunted Hill 

Another film director who brought many B-movies to the screen is William Castle, who directed House on Haunted Hill. In this story, Price stars as an eccentric millionaire who wishes to do away with his greedy, gold-digging wife. He invites several supposedly random individuals to a birthday party for his wife in which they are all locked in the haunted house. The guest who survives the night will win $10,000. Plot twists make for an interesting movie. 

William Castle also directed another Vincent Price movie that employed a different gimmick from House on Haunted Hill (which had a skeleton fly through the theater on a wire). The Tingler was a movie in which a creature attached itself to the spine of a human. It came alive when the person was scared and destroyed with screaming. In locations where The Tingler played, technicians attached objects to the bottom of some theater seats that would vibrate to scare the viewers. 

The Last Man on Earth 

This is such an interesting look at vampires. Price stars at scientist Robert Morgan who is immune to the plague that has swept across the world. The victims of the plague are transformed into vampires who seek out the blood of Morgan. As The Last Man on Earth, Morgan wanders around empty streets and fortifies his home against the nightly attacks while also trying to destroy those who might wake as vampires. 

The movie was based upon the 1954 novel by Richard Matheson, I am Legend, which was adapted two other times and inspired many of the popular television series and movies in the zombie/vampire genre. 

House of Wax 

This is one of my favorites starring Vincent Price. Even with all the hokey 3D parts – the man playing with a paddle ball or throwing popcorn at the audience – the movie is still a wonderful production, mixing horror and sadness. The movie was based upon the 1933 movie, Mystery of the Wax Museum, and has been remade since (which I refuse to watch due to its focus on gore). 

More and More Movies 

There are many more movies starring Vincent Price that are part of my collection. From my old VHS tapes that I am slowly trying to replace to the classic releases of the more popular movies, there are many good ones such as The House of the Seven Gables, The Bat, and The Masque of the Red Death. And if you are interested in just some of Price's smaller roles, don't forget to check out Edward Scissorhands and Michael Jackson's Thriller. Do you have any favorite Vincent Price movies?

Movie Review of Life With Dog – Hope Comes in Many Forms

It is nice to be able to sit down and watch a movie with my husband that is uplifting and entertaining. We recently watched Life With Dog from Mill Creek Entertainment. It is an interesting movie to review because even though it is a story about a man who loses his wife and is left without faith, there are some laugh-out loud moments that help lighten the tension. Personally, I felt the entire movie (106 minutes) held my attention and when I needed to leave the room, we paused it because I did not want to miss a moment.

Description from the back of the DVD we reviewed:

"After losing his wife Alice (Marliu Henner) in a mysterious bike accident, Joe Bigler (Corbin Bernsen) is left alone without Faith to help him grieve. that and the circumstances of Alice's accident leave more questions than answers, and Joe begins a fast descent into the dark abyss of uncertainty. But his salvation arrives when a Dog wanders into his garden and won't leave despite Joe's many attempts to rid him. Without so much as a single bark, "Dog," as Joe has named him, shares His voice; a deep love and comfort that Joe has never experienced before. With Dog's love comes the discovery of God's love, and a Faith that not only helps Joe toward the road to recovery but also the unsolved mystery surrounding his wife's accident, and the ability to finally grieve her passing."

Actors and Actresses 

Corbin Bernsen – Joe Bigler

I was previously only familiar with Corbin Bernsen from his role in baseball movies of the late 1980s and 1990s and his work on a law television show. I was very surprised by Bernsen's acting in the movie. I really felt like he was Joe and was living the sad months after his wife's death.

I really didn't know that Bernsen has acted in and produced about a dozen faith-based films over the past ten years. So it was a very pleasant surprise to see him as the lead in the movie that he also wrote and directed. Not for one minute was the movie overshadowed by my preconceived notions of who Bernsen was based on previous characters he had played. This for me is a big win in recommending a movie because sometimes there are actors who can't get away from previous roles. They are truly typecast but I do not think Bernsen has that to worry about – at least from this viewer.

Marilu Henner – Alice Bigler

Even though I knew who Marliu Henner was prior to watching the movie, I was not overly familiar with her as an actress. I enjoyed the brightness and honesty her character, Alice, brought to the movie as she conversed with Joe. It is almost a shame that the tale takes place after her death so we could not see more of Henner in the movie.

Even though I like movies, I am more a fan of older movies so I was unfamiliar with the other actors  and actresses. For example, Chelsey Crisp plays Zoey, Joe & Alice's daughter, and I don't recall seeing her in any movies but she did a wonderful job of trying to be there for her dad while still giving him the space he may need after her mom died.

Overall, I felt the acting was very good. For example, when Norman is being questioned by Joe, we can feel his anxiety and nervousness in the situation.

Finally, let me mention Dog played by Monty. He arrived at the perfect time in Joe's life. A companion that Joe needed even if he didn't want to admit to it himself. Dog came in through a few bent/broken fence pieces and ingratiated himself right into Joe's broken heart. Dog (Monty) is quite a lovable animal – the perfect animal companion who brings closure to the story.

I love that movies have subtitles! With young children we usually watch movies with
the subtitles on to make sure we don't miss any of the plot. 

Location, Music, and Plot line 

The entire movie is set in and around the home of the Biglers which a development company wants to purchase. This potential buying of the house is integral to the choices that Joe makes during the movie and are part of what gets him in trouble multiple times. He even thinks the development company may be linked to his wife's death.

The background music was perfect for the movie. It did not distract from the plot nor drown out the voices of the actors. There were no numbers with lyrics which is a nice change of pace from most movies.

Throughout the movie Joe speaks with his deceased wife, Alice. The moments are usually to help propel the story along as something big is happening in Joe's life. She isn't actually there and we really don't know if Joe thinks he is physically seeing her, just remembering previous conversations and making up new ones, or we are just seeing a visualization of his imagination.

When rewatching the movie, I see how the very opening scenes provide the viewers with so much information about Joe and his family. From the boxing gloves sitting on the bureau to a photograph of children, I can see in a second viewing a lot of foreshadowing and storytelling told in a mere few minutes.

Potential Spoilers 

Some of the information that was revealed regarding Joe Bigler and his family prior to the death of his wife was very saddening. We learn that his daughter Zoey had a twin brother who died. During the telling of this tale to the Pastor, Joe explains how he turned to God for help for his son but was not heard. His prayers were unanswered a second time when he prayed over his wife's hospital bed.

It was during this meeting with the Pastor, who Joe was seeing because he promised his daughter he would, we learn a lot of information as to why Joe feels the way he does in regards to God and religion. Sadly, I see many who feel this way regarding unanswered prayers and God. I think this makes Joe an even more realistic and believable character.

End Potential Spoilers  

Thoughts 

I admit that at the end of the movie – when the credits started to run – I was upset. I wanted a bit more closure. What happened to Joe? How could they leave the movie like that? Was I supposed to come to my own conclusion whether or not he found faith again? Nope...we did get an ending that appeared on the screen shortly after I voiced my concern to my husband. See why we need to watch till the end of the credits?

One of my favorite parts is the beginning of the movie when we see what Joe and Alice's home looks like after her death and prior to her death. The dirty dishes in the sink, mail piling up, dead flowers in the vase are all signs that I have seen before in the lives of people close to me. I think the difference between the darkness in the house and the light, cheery nature when Alice is shown in the home is a very accurate way to demonstrate how people's lives can change with death.

I also do not know if I feel that the Dog adequately represented "His voice" as implied on the DVD jacket. I know that the Dog taught lessons to Joe throughout the movie – just with a simple look that caused Joe to rethink what he was or was not doing – but I do not think it was overtly sending a message from God. Perhaps that is due to the nature in which Corbin Bernsen chooses to send his messages. In reading a few of Bernsen's interviews, he states he does not want to make 'preachy movies' but instead ones where people are figuring out their connection to God. That is a big part of what Life with Dog is all about – Joe figuring out his connection and relationship with God after the death of his wife.

Would I recommend Life With Dog? Yes, I would recommend it. I do not think young children should watch the movie as there are some scenes where Joe is very upset and angry, punches the wall, and threatens a representative from the development company and a banker. However, I did not have any problem handing the movie to our teen and asking him to watch it. I think it all depends on personal choice and a teen's level of maturity.

I would also recommend watching it a second time about a week or so after the first viewing. I discovered many new things by watching it a second time but still reacted in the same way when Joe is angry and hurting.

And what did my husband think?

As a widower himself, he felt Bernsen's portrayal of a grieving husband was both accurate and heart wrenching. My husband quoted from C.S. Lewis' own reflections in his book, "A Grief Observed," who wrote, "No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear." Bernsen's acting conjured that sense to my husband and he wondered whether Bernsen even knew of the book or not. Either way, he said the actions of Joe were believable.

If you are interested in picking up your own copy, you can do so starting June 4, 2019 at Walmart. It is also available via other sites including Amazon.

If you would like to learn more about Mill Creek Entertainment, please visit the following:

Website – Facebook – Twitter – YouTube

Available at Walmart June 4, 2019.

If you are curious as to what other members of the Homeschool Review Crew had to say about Life With Dog, please visit our review link up.

Master of Macabre: Edgar Allan Poe and the Silver Screen

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For so many, Edgar Allan Poe's name conjures up images of haunted houses, forlorn young men yearning for lost loves, or animals that seek revenge. These images were partially reinforced by movies and films as writers, directors, and actors sought to cash in on the horror-film genre. Some of the most famous Edgar Allan Poe-related movies are the eight adaptations directed by Roger Corman with quite a few staring Vincent Price. Part of the reason why Roger Corman was drawn to Poe was the fact that he had enjoyed Poe "immensely as a youth." And let's not forget that there was a time when "Poe has a built in audience. He's read in every high school." Unfortunately for Poe, the stories as depicted on the Silver Screen are not quite true to his tales or poems.

There are many different movies and shorts based upon Poe from the reading of The Raven on The Simpsons (this was a favorite with the Park Rangers at the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site when I volunteered there during high school) to the 1986 television movie with George C. Scott – The Murders in the Rue Morgue.  Let's examine two different works, both from Roger Corman, to see how Poe's work has been displayed on screen.

The Raven 

The 1963 movie The Raven was shot in 15 days and billed as a straight horror picture starring several well-known horror actors including Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff. While Edgar Allan Poe only made $9.00 from the sale of his poem, this movie grossed $1.4 million. In general, one needs to watch The Raven for what it was – an adaptation meant as a comedy  – and not as one wants it to be. Yet one would never know from the trailer of the movie that it was a comedy.

There was a paperback novel tie-in, a comic book, and a promotional 33 rpm record of Peter Lorre reading selected stanzas of The Raven. It garnered mixed reviews. Variety wrote that "Poe might turn over in his grave" but that audiences will love it while Time wrote "children scream with terror while their parents scream with glee."

Behind the scenes, there were clashes between the actors and their methods of acting. Both Karloff and Price were trained as classical actors so the improvisation of Lorre annoyed Karloff at times. In general, though, the actors got along well and I think that shows in the movie.

In the movie, The Raven, Craven (Price) and Scarabus (Karloff) are two 16th-century rival sorcerers who eventually fight in a wizard's duel. Lenore, the love of Craven, was under the spell of Scarabus and everything seems to work out in the end.

The Fall of the House of Usher 

One of my favorite tales of Poe's is The Fall of the House of Usher due to the wonderful opening sentence. It invites the reader to learn more about stealthy servants, subterranean passages, and the changing of the narrator's childhood friends.

The House of Usher, released in 1960, was a critical and commercial success for Corman and was the first of his eight movie adaptations of Poe's works. Richard Matheson's screenplay has been described as the most faithful adaptation of the story. The movie further develops the family history of the Ushers and really brings forth the house as a monster. In some respects, one could say that this movie, of all of the many Poe adaptations, exploited Poe more tastefully.

Personally, I feel that the movie does evoke the feelings of the short story even to the closing sequence of the movie.

Years ago, I may have gotten very annoyed over poor adaptations of stories, poems, and books but now I just find that as an invitation to delve deeper into the author's work. While we may still discuss and debate adaptations of our favorite works, there is often room for both the printed word and the film adaptation in the world. What do you think? Are you okay with poor adaptations of favorite works?

What to Do When Rain Changes Your Plans: How to Spend Rainy Days Together as a Family

What do you do on rainy days as a family? Do your kids mope around the house or spend their time on technology like gaming consoles or hand-held devices? What about trying some of these ideas?

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Board Games and Card Games

One way for the whole family to have fun together is to play games. Our family has a few favorites that range from ones we can all play (littles included) to ones where just the teen joins us.

Hoot Owl Hoot - A fun, cooperative game that even our 2-year-old can play

Raccoon Rumpus - Perfect for ages 3+

  

Munchkin - A fun game for ages 10+ where you enter dungeons and defeat monsters to collect their loot. There are a variety of expansions, add-ons, and different versions for fans of science fiction, zombies, vampires, etc.

Red Dragon Inn - A card-based game where players take on the persona of various adventurers who have joined together in the Inn to share stories of daring deeds, drink, and gamble. This game is best for ages 14+ with your discretion as a parent.

Movies and Television Watching 

There are so many movies and television shows from the youth of both my husband and myself that we can share with our children. When it is cold or raining outside, we can all sit together in the living room and watch movies like Tron, Star Wars, or The Muppet Movie.  Or – even better – we can share some of our favorite cartoons like Jem and the Holograms, She-Ra, or Dungeons and Dragons.

Arts and Crafts 

When we can't play outside, creating new artwork or working on projects together is a fantastic way to spend the day. We love to take out supplies like Magic Stix Markers or Kwik Stix paints and design new sun catchers for the windows for when Mr. Sunshine rears his bright face again.

Reading 

Another good way to spend the day is reading – whether everyone gathers together for a read-aloud of The Chronicles of Narnia or The Wizard of Oz - or each person picks their own story to read independently. Sitting in the same room while reading together is a great way to pass the time.

Dance Party 

With two younger children in the house, a fun way to spend an afternoon is cranking up the music and holding a dance party. Whether we are singing and dancing to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse's closing theme, Veggie Tales Silly Songs, or some of our favorites from Huey Lewis and the News or Electric Light Orchestra, we can have so much fun. What are your favorite songs to dance to?

Baking 

A house of cookies or cupcakes baking in the oven on a rainy day smells so scrumptious! And what a better way to teach life skills than have one's children help with the recipe and preparation? (Because we know they will help with the eating!)

How does your family spend rainy days together? Do you share any of the same activities as our family?



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T is for Time (Blogging through the Alphabet)

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Some of my favorite stories, television shows, and movies over the years have involved the idea of time travel. While so many of the elements of time travel are perplexing and could even cause paradoxes that might destroy the planet, it doesn’t make the idea any less appealing.

I fondly remember sitting down each week with my mom to watch Quantum Leap with Scott Bakula. It brought together two great elements for me – history and time travel. Some of my favorite episodes included those where Sam (Bakula) leaped into individuals where he could display his singing talents like “Memphis Melody” where Sam leaped into Elvis, “Glitter Rock” where he was a member of a rock band that wore makeup similar to KISS, and “Catch a Falling Star” in which he portrayed an actor performing in “Man of La Mancha.” I enjoyed this part of the show so much I even bought the CD.

Some of the time traveling movies I like include the Back to the Future series and The Time Machine with Rod Taylor based on the H.G. Wells’ book of the same title. Both offer different ideas in relation to time travel while Doc Brown’s DeLorean primarily travels to the past with a short trip to the future, the narrator of The Time Machine goes millions of years into the future to see what has become of the earth. (Oddly enough the trip Doc Brown took to the future in the second movie would have already taken place in our real time line. Sadly, we have no flying cars but we do have approximations of hover boards and self-lacing sneakers.)

“Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Doc. Ah…Are you telling me that you built a time machine…out of a DeLorean?” – Marty McFly

And with the revival of Doctor Who with the Christopher Eccleston in 2005, I found another time traveling series to enjoy. (Although I have to admit, I stopped watching with the introduction of Matt Smith as the Doctor.) I collected the books, DVDs, and some of the figures for several years. I also read several of the comics from the series. I really liked the idea of a hero, even if he was not human, who helped protect others.

What about you? Do you enjoy time traveling series? Do you think you might want to travel through time? Wouldn’t it be great to travel back in time to right a wrong like Sam in Quantum Leap? Maybe we could prevent a war or an assassination. Or even just provide encouragement at the right time to a loved one to help them make a better decision. 

Or…

Just maybe everything has worked out according to a plan. Maybe traveling through time should be left to the world of fiction. After all, how many times in time traveling movies and television series do we see characters making as many mistakes as those they are attempting to correct?

Would you travel with Doc Brown or the Doctor? Sometimes the answer seems really clear for me but then there are days when, even with things going wrong, life is perfect.

Note: As part of my reading challenge for 2018, I read Doctor Who: Twelve Doctors of Christmas. I enjoyed the majority of the tales in the book but I think I would have been able to appreciate all 12 stories if I was more familiar with all the Doctors from the series. I think my favorites were “Sontar’s Little Helpers,” “The Red Bicycle,” and “Loose Wire.”

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Ten Favorite Films

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Most people have favorite movies; movies that make them laugh or cry. We talk about movies with our friends, families, co-workers, and strangers.

These are my ten favorite movies (in no particular order).

Warning - There will probably be spoilers!

Clue

I have enjoyed the movie Clue from the first time I saw it. I did not get a chance to see it in the theaters so the only times I have seen it have been when it was shown on television or via VHS -- with all three endings combined together. I still have almost all the lines memorized. The actors and actresses in the movie are such a great ensemble cast.

We also had the original Clue game and then the deluxe version. My mom even purchased the VHS game that we played many times and we had the Alfred Hitchcock edition of Clue as well.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 

"We named the dog, Indiana"

I have seen almost every Harrison Ford film and while this may not be my favorite Ford movie, it is my favorite Indiana Jones movie. In fact, it is the only one I saw in the movie theater. I love the humor and history incorporated into it. Ford and Sean Connery are great together as father and son. Following along with Indiana Jones as he looks for his father and the Holy Grail, he finally finds both but must make a difficult decision.

Ghostbusters

I saw the original (and the sequel) in the movie theater. When the first one was released, our local one-screen movie theater would run movies for two showings each night. If you attended the first one, you could stay for the second showing. I remember sitting through this movie multiple times during the week that it was playing at that theater. And you always had to stay for the end for Slimer's appearance.

One of my favorite Huey Lewis
and the News albums 

Back to the Future

This movie introduced me to Huey Lewis and the News. From "I'm afraid you're just too darn loud," to "Great Scott!" to "Better get used to these bars, kid," the dialogue is packed with memorable and quotable lines. Of the three movies, this one is definitely my favorite (although isn't that usually the way it is with a movie series: the first is the best?). Having loved every minute of the movie, I joined the Back to Future Fan Club.  I still have my DeLorean key chain and an Outtatime license plate from Universal Studios. Did you get a chance to ride Back to the Future at Universal Studios? What a great experience for fans of the movie.

Disney's cartoon Beauty and the Beast

One of my all-time favorite Disney cartoons is Beauty and the Beast.  I think because Belle is so fond of books, like me, I connected with her best of all the Disney heroines in their movies. And the music from this cartoon is fantastic.  I was very excited when they included "Human Again" with the 2002 release because after seeing it on stage on Broadway. I couldn't imagine the story without that number.

Wild Wild West

I saw this movie at least four times in the theater. It combined two favorite actors (Kevin Kline and Kenneth Branagh) and history. I never watched the television series but I thoroughly enjoyed Kline, Branagh, and Will Smith in this big screen version. Kline playing two roles - that of the agent and president - is great. And the chemistry between the entire cast is also such that the jokes seem effortless.

 

Arsenic and Old Lace

If you asked me, "What is your favorite Cary Grant movie?" I think this would be the first to come to mind. While I do enjoy many of his other movies, I always watch this one at least once a year (around Halloween). Grant plays Mortimer Brewster, who discovers that his aunts are murderers shortly after marrying his girlfriend, Elaine Harper. The parts of the aunts and uncle are reprised by the actresses and actor who originally portrayed them on Broadway. The role of Jonathan Brewster, who is said to look like Boris Karloff, is played in the movie by Raymond Massey because Karloff could not leave his role of Jonathan in the stage production. To round out the cast of main characters, Peter Lorre (who happens to appear in a lot of my favorite Vincent Price movies) portrays Dr. Einstein, Jonathan's accomplice. Murder and mayhem are the theme throughout the entire movie but in a humorous way.

The Time Machine

The novel, The Time Machine, was published in 1895 by H.G. Wells. I think I probably saw the movie The Time Machine (1960) with Rod Taylor before reading the book but both are favorites. One of the things that stands out for me is the Oscar-winning time-lapse photographic effects that illustrate the passage of time. For example, images that remain with me are the changing of the food and flowers in his workshop and the mannequin changing clothes. The portrayal of the narrator's friends by Alan Young and Sebastian Cabot also adds to the enjoyment of this particular movie.

Calamity Jane

Two of my favorites of the 1950s-1960s musicals are Doris Day and Howard Keel who star in Calamity Jane. Day portrays Calamity Jane, an American frontierswoman, and Keel portrays Wild Bill Hickock, who is remembered for being a scout, gunfighter, and frontiersman. The movie is primarily set in Deadwood, South Dakota with a few scenes in the Windy City of Chicago.  Such notable songs as "I Can Do Without You," "The Black Hills of Dakota," and "Secret Love," which topped the Billboard charts at number one, help bring the story to life as we learn more about Calamity Jane and her love of Wild Bill.

Star Wars

I did not get to see the first release of Star Wars in the theater but the Star Wars Saga has always been a favorite. I still have almost all my original toys from Kenner and my stepson, son, and daughter now have their own growing collections of toys, books, and plushes from the originals, prequels, and sequels.  While I may not enjoy some of the new movies as much as the original, they still hold a special place for me as they bring me back to my childhood and many hours of fighting battles with Luke, Leia, and Han.




Do we share any favorites? Are you a fan of silent films?  Do you like musicals?  Or is horror your go-to movie choice? Do you have recommendations for me?

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