Whilst in the midst of having a hectic day off running errands, tending to the piles of laundry, tightening-up the P-trap under the kitchen sink and general household zhoozhing, I halt my marching through the living room to watch a scene from a movie on one of the various classic movie channels that are constantly playing, mostly to entertain the dogs, and it’s, Andy Hardy!

“Well, Hello Andy Hardy,” I say aloud to the TV screen, “I kind of liked you Andy. Always such a sap with that, awe-shucks, hands-shoved-into-your-pockets, kicking-the-dirt-off-the-tires-of-your-old-jalopy, thing that you do..."

Mickey Rooney…I mutter to myself. Now that was a character, I continue on with my assessment of Mr. Rooney. Only just died recently too. Damn, he and his latest weird wife were just hawking something or another to the elderly crowd during commercial breaks for the Price Is Right. He lived a long time. A quick Wikki reveals 93 at his death last April. He spent his whole life on screen and there isn’t a time in my life that doesn’t include Mickey Rooney. Always present up until the day he died, always in our collective consciousness.

I found myself recalling Mickey Rooney moments, like the time I caught a late night TV screening when I was about 9 or 10 where he plays a wild Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, well worth watching, he and a young Elizabeth Taylor, another, ‘always in our collective consciousness,’ actress starring in National Velvet, and the one that stands out in my mind as I actually saw it at the movie theater, Black Stallion. This also starred Terri Garr, a rather quasi but again another, ‘collective consciousness,’ type personality, working as far back as Star Trek to more recently schilling Hanes underwear.

Several days later I’m reading an article where Drew Barrymore is expressing her idea of beauty and make-up, pushing her own line of beauty products and routine, giving her standard quirky faerie like observations of life and girlishness, when I’m struck by the comparisons of Drew and Mickey’s lives. Both driven and working from the age of 6, both having been in my memory as far back as it goes. She'll probably work until she dies like her grandparents.

Just how many people like this have we in our collective consciousness? People who were professional children and adults that are still working today, my list is populating rather quickly, Jodi Foster, Brooke Shields, Donny Osmond, Stevie Wonder, Harry Connick Jr, Michael Jackson.… What about you? Who are the people or personalities that stand out in your mind that embody this, ‘having always been in our collective consciousness,’ concept?

I was reading an interview with Teri Garr about how random her film roles have been through the years and how she suffers from multiple sclerosis. I do the math and realize that she’s 68 now. It doesn’t seem that long ago that she was walking around selling panties in a commercial. The 21st century aughts have just wizzed right on by.



























While discussing Close Encounters she said, “Steven [Spielberg] had just come off doing Jaws, so anything he said was fine with Universal. We were staying in this little motel in Mobile, Alabama, and he had this big blimp hangar. He wanted the biggest soundstage in the world, so that's why we were in Mobile. That's where he did all the outer-space scenes.”

What? They filmed Close Encounters in Mobile?

So, I google Close Encounters filming locations.














This is an excerpt from www.movie-locations.com,

“Most of the filming, however, was in Alabama, where dirigible hangars, larger than any Hollywood soundstage, were found to house the enormous sets. Consequently, the whole production moved to the South. The landing site was the biggest indoor set ever built, constructed at the former air force base, now an industrial complex in Mobile.

The hangars are numbers 5 and 6, Building 17 of the Brookley Field Industrial Complex, Old Bay Street, Mobile. Other sets built in the hangars include the road bend where the cop cars attempt to follow the alien craft into space, and the interior of the Neary home. The mountainside scenes used artificial boulders – with only twelve basic shapes carefully placed at differing angles to prevent patterns becoming obvious.

The house of Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) is 1613 Carlisle Drive East, off Howells Ferry Road in Colonial Heights, to the west of Mobile, while Jillian’s mother’s house is in Baldwin County to the east of the city.

The big evacuation scene filmed at Bay Minette over the Mobile and Tensaw Rivers, 30 miles northeast of Mobile on Route 31.”





I found this amazing video that revisits the locations used in the movie and shows film footage spliced with footage from what the locations look like today. The house where the little boy is abducted is just down the road from me. Of course it makes sense to film in this area as the Gulf Coast and more precisely Gulf Breeze is known as the UFO capital of the world. Apparently Spielberg did not want to do any location shooting because of his negative experience on Jaws and wanted to shoot Close Encounters entirely on sound stages.

I guess Spielberg enjoyed the area so much he came right back and filmed most of Jaws2 a year later in Navarre Beach, which is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and next door to my personal beach. They lodged and filmed scenes in the Holiday Inn "Holidome" that was later destroyed by a hurricane and also filmed scenes where the teenagers hang out and play pinball at the Hog’s Breath Saloon. Which of course was destroyed by a hurricane.

If only Paris Hilton could be a sophisticated glamour puss like her Great Grand Ma Ma Zsa Zsa. This is about as close as we will ever see her get to that end.


























Is it possible that Zsa Zsa is one of the undead? Like maybe Zsa Zsa is some voodoo queen and she jumps from body to body like some sort of voodoo queen body jumper. Maybe right now at this very moment Zsa Zsa chants spells from within a pentagram chalked out on her bedroom floor. Raving like a madwoman with thunder and lightening going off in the background and her hair wildly blowing around from a burst of wind that just blew the shutters open with more thunder and lightening and a close-up of her mouth cackling out incantations.


























Finally we find out that Paris Hilton was actually conceived for this purpose in some sort of sick Satanic orgy with Zsa Zsa’s coven of weird undead voodoo queen body jumper witches.
























We'll have split screen moments where we go back and forth between Zsa Zsa and her wild hair blowing and cackling to a scene of Paris suddenly having sharp pains while headlining the launch of her new fragrance at some Las Vegas casino packed with party people. Zsa Zsa cackling and Paris falling to the ground in convulsions in front of everyone. Then a swapping of the soul occurs and Paris finds herself trapped in the 90 year old withered body of Zsa Zsa and Zsa Zsa miraculously picks herself up off the floor and says, “Soddy Dahlinks” and resumes hosting the casino opening in her new Paris suit.

Somebody really should be writing all this down.

I’m phoning it in today cause I’m lazy.

“And now Miss Florida”

“How would you solve the problem of world hunger?”

“Well as a representative of the Miss American Smile Beauty Pageant Scholarship Program...I’m always brushing my teeth. And right after I brush my teeth people are always offering me food... So maybe if the hungry people out there in the world would brush their teeth more often...maybe someone would offer them food too...Thank You...Oh and I think India and Africa could use some more McDonalds...you know hamburgers...everybody likes hamburgers right? ”

I have my question and answer session down!

Melanie Griffith (Tippi's daughter), Annette O’toole (Mrs. Michael McKean, Lenny from Laverne and Shirley, who is a highly underrated actress and under seen) Denise Nickerson (Willie Wonka's Violet, "Can it you twit"), COLEEN CAMP (MOST UNDERRATED) Barbara Feldon (99) for Gods Sakes. What’s not to like about SMILE, The Young American Miss (The best beauty pageant movie ever made) I’m watching it now eating popcorn and my heart out and wishing I’d placed in the top TEN. Damn It!

Regret is all I have left now.

I’ve never been a fan of Robert Downey Jr. Not that I dislike him but just not a fan. His portrayal of a drug addicted Hollywood kid in “Less Than Zero” was eerily prophetic of things to come. I don’t think he was acting. I still don’t think he can act. He’s one of those that plays himself but we all try hard to suspend disbelief so we don’t feel cheated just to get our money’s worth.

























I have no interest in plunking down cash for movies these days as I think the system has ‘Broke Down’ they don’t know how to make movies anymore. The animated movies work much better. They have time to craft a story and they don’t have to pay the actors to sit around while they hastily make-up a story. Independent film is where it’s at but try finding a theater around these parts that shows one.



















Back to Robert Downey. His latest movie where he sort of impersonates Sherlock Holmes the way someone would impersonate Sherlock Holmes for Halloween. It looks dreadful. Except for Jude Law who looks like he’s in it for a pay check and the chance to be seen in a real Hollywood flick before his hair is completely gone. What’s worse is that it sounds dreadful. Robert should NEVER attempt to affect an English accent, in fact no one should ever try to affect an English accent except someone from the South. The two accents are very similar and vice versa think Vivian Leigh in Gone With The Wind.
















What’s worse is that he is using it as an excuse to make Sherlock Soft Core Porn. Every promotion shows him with his shirt off or ripping his shirt off or doing sexy things to Jude’s, Watson. I can’t blame him for that and maybe the only reason to queue this one on Net Flix.



















The real trouble is that I have seen Robert do this character before. Think back...Charlie Chaplin anybody? Which he blatantly knocked off from Jack Lemmon’s character in The Great Race, Professor Fate/Prince Hapnick.























That’s my unsolicited and unseen yet to be released movie professional critics opinion. Two Thumbs Downey.

The best reason to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull: Shia sporting motorcycle leather fetish. It's HOT! Like surly juvenile delinquent hot.


















The next best reason: Cate sporting S&M dominatrix Chinese bob with sword fighting action.


















The reason after that: Shia and Cate dueling atop moving vehicles in the jungle.

















Reason of all reasons: Shia's crotch! It has a career all its own.


















Another good reason: Harrison! Now you know the reasons behind the movies I watch.

The TCM festival of Kay Francis films has finally come to an end as all good things must. So many good Kay moments to cherish. I especially enjoyed Mandalay where Kay jumps aboard a steamer at the last moment with nothing but the clothes on her back then proceeds to parade an endless fashion show of glamorous gowns and headdresses. Then she is accused of poisoning her man only to truly poison him in the end. That’s our Kay.

Most of Kay’s films were really about suffering. After all it was the depression and what a better way to spend your dreary night out at the movies than to watch someone suffer more than you. She suffered better than any of them even Bette Davis. Suffer Kay Suffer!

So I cobbled together a little condensed version of a little film entitled Confession. Boy does Kay suffer in this one. She even manages a little murder but for all the right reasons. I hope you enjoy watching Kay suffer as much as I do. All in under five minutes.

Much has been said of Pierce Brosnan’s singing ability in the ABBA inspired movie, Mama Mia! I haven’t seen it…yet but I will get around to it one day. Honestly though any man who can wear a shiny disco suit with a plunging neckline is not going to be kicked out of my bed no matter what he sings like. No, No I don’t wanna know your name. Let’s not speak or sing and ruin this moment shall we.

Here are the two songs that feature Pierce. Have a listen, discuss and decide for yourselves.

SOS


When All Is Said And Done

Who says we aint got culture down here. Why just one quick gander at the weekender section of the newspaper is chock full of artsy things to do, but only on the weekend. This past year alone saw a crowd attending the prestigious Pensacola International Film Festival. There are no plans or updates as of yet that I know of for 2008.













One of the best things about this area of the world is well...the area. Gorgeous beaches, beautiful clear emerald green water, and stunning natural scrub environments. Film production companies looking for new and interesting places to lens their stories are increasingly drawn to Northwest Florida. It’s interesting terrain, extremely inexpensive, and film goers for the most part have never really seen this area before.

"Premiering at the Pensacola Film Festival: "Permanent Vacation." This film was 100% shot in the Pensacola area, starring David Carridine and the biggest stars of the British cinema. Based on the popular novel "What We Did On Our Holidays", the film is a jet black comedy about a British family on holiday in Florida. They encounter a wild menagerie of local characters and, in a typical British fashion, "go native". Directed by W. Scott Peake and crewed by area production professionals, "Permanent Vacation" is a film not to miss."

Info courtesy Pensacola International Film Festival


“Permanent Vacation”



Another added attraction to this area is that so many locations are willing to let you film in their homes or properties, I'm sure for a huge but modest fee. If you are just dying to see what it looks like here in Pensacola and the surrounding areas check out Film North Florida.




























A Pseudo-Tudor on the bluff overlooking the bay is but one of the scenes from a walk around my East Hill neighborhood.























A patio perched precariously on the bluff overlooking the Bayou Texar.





















The boathouse where I'm sure sinister things have happened.




















Art Deco home on the residential section of Pensacola Beach.




























Gulf of Mexico view.




























People milling about on the Art Deco house's beach.





























So come on down, bring your film crews, production companies, over paid actors and film in Northwest Florida...We need your dollars.

Photos courtesy Denise Daughtry and Film North Florida

________________________________________________________

The Roller Boogie Movie:

















“So you know how I’m a huge Linda Blair fan right? No? Oh yeah Linda Blair and I go way back. I used to ride my bike up to the Meadow Brook Cinema 6 when I was a kid and see matinees for two-fifty. I saw the trailer for Linda Blair in the Roller Boogie movie, the next Saturday I was there watchin' it. I wanted to be her.”

So does this fascination with Linda Blair continue to this day?

“Oh yeah...like just this other day, well a couple months ago really I was on Ebay searchin' for stuff and I came up on that purple silk shirt she wore in the Roller Boogie movie. You know the one I’m talkin' about? No? It’s purple and iridescent and she belts it over a pair of purple spandex leggin’s and leotard. It's all roller disco color coordinated purple for Linda Blair in the Roller Boogie movie.”


















Looks hot. Did you bid on it?

“No”

Why not?

“Cause it was fif’teen hunard dollars that’s why. I figured I could get one like it at a thrift store and just tell ever’body that it was the one Linda Blair wore in the Roller Boogie movie. The auction did offer a really good deal though. An autographed 8x10 Screen shot and the DVD cover both featurin' Linda Blair wearin' the shirt.”






















*LINDA BLAIR SCREEN WORN "ROLLER BOOGIE" SHIRT *

This is YOUR chance to own a piece of HOLLYWOOD HISTORY! This is a very wise buy! It can only go up in value!

Linda located this wardrobe piece in her archives and is auctioning it off for charity! All to help abandoned and abused animals!

This is the only wardrobe piece from the film in existence. This is it!

Fans of the Movie should act now!

You will receive:

The Roller Boogie Shirt! An 8x10 Screen Shot of Linda wearing the shirt! An 8x10 of the DVD cover featuring the shirt!

ALL ITEMS SIGNED TO YOU OR WHOMEVER YOU WOULD LIKE by LINDA BLAIR, herself!

This is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME PACKAGE!

















Starting bid: US $1,499.99

Ended: Apr-16-08 11:44:00 PDT

Shipping costs:Calculate

Ships to: United States

Item location: Toluca Lake, CA, United States

History: 0 bids



Purple Silk Shirt on Ebay

________________________________________________________

The Blade Runner Movie:
















“Well a few years later my older brother made me skip school and get high and go see a movie with him. My parents were out of town and he was supposed to be watchn’ us and we went to see the Blade Runner movie with Harrison Ford. That movie changed my world. Harrison Ford had a fine ass short haircut, a nice ass apartment, and cool ass futuristic clothes. I wanted to be him.”














So what steps did you take to be more like Harrison Ford in the movie Blade Runner?

“I liked his stuff. I liked his piano with tons of pictures and the whole Frank Lloyd Wright stamped concrete motif all over the place. I’ve been saving little pieces of stuff for a long time and one day I’m goin’ to redecorate my life and house and wardrobe and be like Harrison Ford in the Blade Runner movie.”






















Wow that sounds ambitious?

“Yeah and time consuming. I recently found the company that makes Harrison Ford’s barware in the Blade Runner movie, do you know the glass I mean? No? Well he uses several different sizes all in the same distinctive pattern: shot glass, high ball, old fashion. Well them I-talian’s sure think a lot about their stuff cause they aint cheap. I thought I’d register it as my pattern when I get married one day to Harrison Ford in the Blade Runner movie.”






















So you want to marry the Harrison Ford character that was in the movie Blade Runner?

“Definitely. I want to be Rachael the robot. You know the one I mean? No? I want to be her. Well Sean Young plays Rachael the robot in the Blade Runner movie. She has these outfits that look like they’re from the 40's and she has a Joan Crawford hair-do. You know the kind all wound up on her head, with lots of pins to hold it together. Sean Young in the Blade Runner movie playin’ a robot sits down at the piano covered in pictures and, she looks like a Hallmark card, then casually undoes her hair and lets it down into soft curls...no pins in sight.”














You wanted to be the robot? Instead of being the Harrison Ford character in the movie Blade Runner?

“Yeah she had better wardrobe and hair-do’s. Oh and she didn’ have a built in life span. She could live forever with Harrison Ford in the Blade Runner movie until he’s old and dead while she remains young, beautiful, mysterious and dangerous.”

Since I’m so sick of television, I have decided to pull from my ancient collection of VHS and watch a classic tonight. I’ll be screening the 1966 horror film “Picture Mommy Dead” with Don Ameche and Zsa Zsa Gabor. I’ve never even heard of it yet here it is in my collection.






















If anyone should stop by please be advised that admission is free but by all means bring popcorn and Snowcaps. Sssshhhh! No talking during the film. Blurting out campy dialogue is acceptable only if you bring a joint and only before the film starts and during intermission.
















Smoking will only be tolerated before the film, after viewing the film, intermission and during the discussion of the cinematic technique. Once again joints will only be tolerated before, during and after the film. No exceptions.