Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
Movies, DVDs, and Theater
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What MOVIES or DVDs have you seen? (PART NINE: On-Going General Thread)
Joy, those Shirley T. sound worth reading. I had copied down another book that I thought was autobiographical and wonder where I put that title.
Nina wrote: "Joy, those Shirley T. sound worth reading. I had copied down another book that I thought was autobiographical and wonder where I put that title."Nina, I found several more books about or by Shirley Temple at my library's catalog. So I've put them on a list of "Books to Borrow" at my library website.
The Shirley Temple Story
Shirley Temple Black: Actress to Ambassador
Shirley Temple by John Bankston
Shirley Temple Black: Actor And Diplomat
Shirley Temple: American Princess by Anne Edwards
AUTOBIOGRAPHY: Child Star: An Autobiography by Shirley Temple Black
also listed as:
AUTOBIOGRAPHY: Child Star: An Autobiography by Shirley Temple
Lots of choices! :)
I'll probably want to read the one where she is an ambassador to Ghana as I have a granddaughter and six great grandchildren who presently are living in Ghana.
Nina wrote: "I'll probably want to read the one where she is an ambassador to Ghana as I have a granddaughter and six great grandchildren who presently are living in Ghana."Gee, Nina, I don't even know exactly where in Africa Ghana IS! LOL
I looked it up. It's a country in West Africa. Here's a map:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v3l5PTkc7-0...
It's the green country south of Mali and Burkina Faso.
On the following map it's brown:
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...
I have started renting DVD's from the library instead of purchasing them. (well, I will probably purchase a few now and them).Any last week I borrowed the Masterpiece Theater series "Downton Abbey" Season One. I really enjoy much more than I thought I would. The writing and performances were both good. Another new series to watch!. All the seasons are now available on DVD as this last season was the finale.
My favorite TV show in the past few years. All Creatures Great and Small before that.
Mary JL wrote: "I have started renting DVD's from the library instead of purchasing them. (well, I will probably purchase a few now and them)...."We used to do that. It's a great idea. I used to get VCR tapes as well as audiobooks on CDs & cassettes. I download the latter directly from them now. I rarely walk into a library. I miss that in some ways, but not others. It's out of my way to go to most of them.
Mary JL wrote: "I have started renting DVD's from the library instead of purchasing them. (well, I will probably purchase a few now and them). Any last week I borrowed the Masterpiece Theater series "Downton Abbe..."Usually, we can't renew certain DVDs borrowed from our library. That discourages me from borrowing DVDs because the deadlines are too short.
Jim wrote: "... I used to get VCR tapes as well as audiobooks on CDs & cassettes. I download the latter directly from them now. ..."Jim, you're lucky that you find it easy to do that. I tried it several times and it gets too complicated technically for me. Besides, they hardly give you time to make use of them before the time allowed is up. In any case, it was too much of a bother for me.
Joy: re: Message 59----DVD's here are a 14 day rental; and you can get one renewal. If you only borrow a few at a time, it does work okay.
Mary JL wrote: "Joy: re: Message 59----DVD's here are a 14 day rental; and you can get one renewal. If you only borrow a few at a time, it does work okay."At the BC library where I work, DVDs can be checked out for a week to faculty/staff (three days for students), and renewals are possible here too. (The computer is programmed to limit the number of renewals, but we normally override that feature.) But despite the generous terms, I usually don't have time in my schedule any more to watch a DVD, unless it's something I'm really motivated to make time for. :-(
Mary JL wrote: "Joy: re: Message 59----DVD's here are a 14 day rental; and you can get one renewal. If you only borrow a few at a time, it does work okay."Mary JL, I think it depends on how new the DVD is. I'll have to check again at my library. Thanks!
Werner wrote: "... But despite the generous terms, I usually don't have time in my schedule any more to watch a DVD, unless it's something I'm really motivated to make time for. :-( ..."Werner, it's that way with me too. Unless the DVD is very special to me, I'd rather spend my time catching up on my reading and doing other things.
Nina, I finally watched the Netflix DVD of "The Audrey Hepburn Story" (2000).http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163887/?...
http://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/The-Audr...
"Jennifer Love Hewitt stars as Audrey Hepburn in this made-for-TV biography of the legendary actress and humanitarian. The story follows Hepburn from her troubled childhood in Europe during World War II to her rise to Hollywood stardom."
Nina, I enjoyed it very much. Thanks for telling me about it. I never knew she had such a sad background. And I never even knew she had been married to Mel Ferrer. I gave the movie 5 stars. Well performed by all, especially Jennifer Love Hewitt as Audrey.
The actor who played her father was Keir Dullea. He certainly aged over the years. See pics of him young and old:
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...
PS-As we grow older, some of us lose our original looks entirely. We almost look like different people. The ravages of time. :)
Joy, I made a terrible mistake by ordering "Child Star," as it was grouped with the Shirley Temple books I thought it was about her or her autobiography. As it turned out it is not at all about Shirley Temple and the forward was mostly pornographic. Sorry for even mentioning it.
So glad you enjoyed the Audrey Hepburn movie. I just watched her in "War and Peace," and that too was an excellent movie. Better than I had expected/not all war scenes but much story and characters woven into the background. Both my husband and I thoroughly were entertained.
PS - SEE THE LOVELY POEM HERE (about the ravages of time):http://www.world-poems.net/modules/pu...
At the bottom of the poem it says:
"This poem was published in my first book "unicorns and dragonflies" it is one of my favourites."
I found the poem while searching for quotes about the ravages of time.
I searched more and learned that the author MIGHT BE the one referenced at the following page:
http://unicornsanddragonflies.yolasit...
It says:
===========================================
"My name is Frank Letras
"I am a writer currently living in Poland where I teach English as a second language. I live with my wife and two year old son. I have been writing poetry for many years but only recently decided to have it published."
"Unicorns and Dragonflies" is a collection of 150 poems on a whole range of topics. The title poem takes place on an imagined planet where dragonflies and unicorns are the dominant species. They live in peaceful harmony and co-existence until the jealous humans decide to sabotage their arrangement."
===============================================
SEE HIS FACEBOOK PAGE AT:
https://www.facebook.com/Frank-Letras...#
I can't find the book on Goodreads.
PS - The first 3 stanzas of the poem are as follows:When the ravages of time
Begin to tell on your face
What was once the beauty of youth
Is now only dignity and grace
When the energy you’ve been robbed of
And find that you can’t replace
It’s ravages of time
Now apparent on your face
The beauty you once possessed
Hasn’t faded, but altered somehow
Where there was once a sensuous twinkle
There is wisdom and knowledge now
FROM: http://www.world-poems.net/modules/pu...
The rhythm is a bit clumsy but nevertheless the poem has something meaningful to say. The words are comforting.
Nina wrote: "Joy, I made a terrible mistake by ordering "Child Star," as it was grouped with the Shirley Temple books I thought it was about her or her autobiography. As it turned out it is not at all about Shirley Temple and the forward was mostly pornographic. Sorry for even mentioning it. "OH, MY GOODNESS!
Nina wrote: "So glad you enjoyed the Audrey Hepburn movie. I just watched her in "War and Peace," and that too was an excellent movie. Better than I had expected/not all war scenes but much story and characters..."Nina, see my review of "War and Peace", at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In the review I listed all the characters because they were so hard to keep track of.
Joy: That poem in message 70 is very good!
Nina wrote: "Joy, I made a terrible mistake by ordering "Child Star," as it was grouped with the Shirley Temple books I thought it was about her or her autobiography. As it turned out it is not at all about Shi..."Child Star is by Shirley Temple Black, but Child Star & Child Star aren't. You probably got one of the other 2. Both look as if they have more sexual content.
Thanks for clearing up the mix up, Joy on the Shirley Temple book. I think in the past I had the correct book in mind and then got those others mixed up when they were put next to hers. I checked it out and it seemed quite expensive unless you get a used book. I will try the library some day. I enjoyed the review by someone. Joy, one of my very good friends when she was only five years old was moving to LA from Oklahoma in the thirties went to visit Shirley. My friends' mother told her to just go ring the doorbell and ask if Shirley could play. This she did and the brother answered and yelled to his mother that someone was at the door for Shirley. Shirley did come to the door and out into the yard and my friend says they mostly just looked at one another and then said a few words to each other. My friend's mother then came out of the car and spoke briefly to Mrs. Temple. This occurrence is going to be in Reminisce magazine. She is the little girl who was standing in line behind Shirley when the went to see Santa Claus.
Mary JL wrote: "Joy: That poem in message 70 is very good!"Glad you liked it, Mary JL. I found it comforting. I found it while googling for uses of the expression "the ravages of time". That led me to a website called "World Poems" where people can post their poems. I've already posted one of mine. Interesting website. Lots of poems! And space to comment on them too. I think I'll be going there a lot. :)
The link is: http://www.world-poems.net/
Here's the link to my poem there:
http://www.world-poems.net/modules/pu...
The photo I posted with the poem is the view we once had from our Lake House (before the trees and bushes grew up and blocked a good part of the view).
Nina wrote: "Thanks for clearing up the mix up, Joy on the Shirley Temple book. I think in the past I had the correct book in mind and then got those others mixed up when they were put next to hers. I checked i..."That's quite a story about your friend and Shirley Temple!
Thanks to Jim for clearing up the mix-up about the book titles.
Jim wrote: "Child Star is by Shirley Temple Black, but Child Star & Child Star aren't. You probably got one of the other 2. Both look as if they have more sexual content. "Good detective work (in Message 74), Jim!
Joy I loved your ode to Shakespeare as it was so clever. I had in the far distant past many children's poems published and also couldn't get to that now. It is good you "preserved" yours on Goodreads. I am including some of my copies of published ones in my memoirs. Aren't we lucky we did that when the timing was right? And what a lovely photo with your Springtime poem. That made my day.
Nina wrote: "Joy I loved your ode to Shakespeare as it was so clever. I had in the far distant past many children's poems published and also couldn't get to that now. It is good you "preserved" yours on Goodrea..."Nina, which ode to Shakespeare are you referring to?
I don't recall it.
I read it today but think I deleted it. Sorry. It was like a jingle. Really clever. It should be in the one where you listed your poems. Seems like it was just before the one about Springtime with the picture but not certain.
Nina, I searched but couldn't find an Ode to Shakespeare. But I found a list of other odes. See the link below:http://www.world-poems.net/modules/pu...
This seems to be the only place I can comment on the two Kansas Cities. It is never confusing to the natives that there are two Kansas Cities as they are in different states. Mostly it is only confusing to those who don't live here. I was raised in Kansas City MO and so spent that part of my life explaining to people that I didn't live in Kansas. Then I moved to KS and spent the rest of my life explaining I didn't live in MO because of Kansas City, MO. Actually, KCK as it is known locally is mostly underprivileged and all the important things are in KCMO like the Kansas City Chiefs football team, the World Series Winner the Kansas City Royals, the Nelson Atkins world famous Art Museum; the Kansas City Star newspaper and yes, the Kansas City Public library system and mostly the downtown etc. Let's say the action mostly is in KCMO. I told someone once that even though I am not a world traveler I know my way around London better than Kansas City KS. Mostly I rarely go there. Now, as far as where I now live, Prairie Village, KS. We are probably a couple of miles from Kansas City MO and fifteen or so from KCK or more. Also, the airport is in KCMO. Mostly, the citizens of KCMO are at least half black and there is a ghetto there and also the most expensive houses aside from there/statuary, fountains etc. Strange mixture and usually not next to one another. The ghetto started with anti segregation as the white people fled across the state line. Now they come here to where I live in Johnson County because if they can't afford private schools they don't want their children in KCMO schools as they are mostly with a few exceptions not good. So, yes I do live in the suburbs of a huge metro area of over a million people but the city amenities are not so far away. Hope this makes sense to you and I can understand if it doesn't. Probably in the beginning the state line shouldn't have been put where it is but too late now to change it. It is really interesting and there is a road named State line and people of one side of the street live in MO and the other side of the street is in KS. But, we mostly don't give it a thought.
Nina wrote: "This seems to be the only place I can comment on the two Kansas Cities. It is never confusing to the natives that there are two Kansas Cities as they are in different states. Mostly it is only conf..."Thanks for the info, Nina. A couple of miles isn't too far to go. How far away is your supermarket? That's what counts! LOL
Joy, we live on a private road and across the street is an open field with the exception of a radio tower. There is a split rail fence surrounding the field and Bradford pear trees lining it besides a couple of dogwoods and pine trees. It is a pretty view and looks as if we live in the country except for the busy street a couple of blocks away. We are within five minutes of a grocery store, hardware store, drug store, pizza restaurant, tavern with great hamburgers, bakery, coffee shop, tailor, bank and others. It is a mini shopping ctr. Our homes sell fast because of the location.
Joy my back is improving and that is the blessing as I am not in the midst of planning the birthday dinner for forty on Mother's day for my husband. I loved seeing the granddaughters. What a pretty little girl and baby. Tell me again what are their names?
Nina wrote: "Joy, we live on a private road and across the street is an open field with the exception of a radio tower. There is a split rail fence surrounding the field and Bradford pear trees lining it beside..."Nina, that sounds like a great location! Are you in a private home or a condo?
Nina, I'll send you a little movie of the grands.
Joy, I loved that video. She has the most expressive eyes. You must love her to pieces. Aren't we blessed to have them? Thanks for thinking of me. Now I have good vibes to go to bed with. And I like her name and also Frances. I love the old names. How wonderful your young parents chose them.
Nina, their parents are in their 40s! They started late. :)
Have any of you heard of St. Trinian's School? It was mentioned at FunTrivia and I've never heard of it before.See Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Trin...
Also see the films described at IMDb:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046766/?...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0964587/?...
Netflix has some St. Trinian's DVDs. I put them on my queue out of curiosity. Sounds like a good cast. See below.
Amazon description: "St. Trinian's" (2009)
"St Trinian's, the infamous school for 'young ladies,' is in trouble. Despite being an old flame of its Headmistress (in a top-of-his-class comic performance by RUPERT EVERETT), the new Education Minister (COLIN FIRTH from MAMMA MIA!) is shaking things up and the school is facing financial ruin. But the rambunctious students of St Trinian's aren't going to give up without a fight."
FROM: http://www.amazon.com/St-Trinians-Rup...
I recently came across a wonderful YouTube video of brilliant young woman from South Korea playing a piano concerto by Mozart. It was so beautiful that I couldn't stop watching. She moved her lips as she played. Here is the YouTube link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNU-X...
I learned that the musician, Glenn Gould, also moved his lips when he played the piano. So that aroused my curiosity about him. I borrowed the following DVDs from our public library. Gould was very eccentric and the DVDs presented various aspects of his life. I found them too weird to enjoy. But at least I tried.
At the IMDb links below you can scroll down and read some of the summaries and/or user-reviews which give you an idea of Gould's life, his accomplishments, and eccentricities.
Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108328/?...
Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould (2009):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1503774/?...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1796774/?...
PS-The WIKI page about Glenn Gould presents some interesting information. Below are a few excerpts which interested me:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"He learned to read music before he could read words.
"...he injured his back as a result of a fall from a boat ramp... This incident is almost certainly related to the adjustable-height chair his father made shortly thereafter. Gould's mother would urge the young Gould to sit up straight at the keyboard. He used this chair for the rest of his life and took it with him almost everywhere. The famous chair was designed so that Gould could sit very low at the keyboard. The chair allowed him to pull down on the keys rather than striking them from above, a central technical idea of his teacher at the Conservatory, Alberto Guerrero.
"Gould asserted that he almost never practiced on the piano, preferring to study music by reading it rather than playing it, another technique he had learned from Guerrero.
"It seems that Gould was able to practice mentally without access to an instrument, and even took this so far as to prepare for a recording of Brahms piano works without ever playing them until a few weeks before the recording sessions. Gould could play from memory not just a vast repertoire of piano music, but also a wide range of orchestral and operatic transcriptions. He could 'memorize at sight'.
"In the case of Bach, Gould admitted, "[I] fixed the action in some of the instruments I play on—and the piano I use for all recordings is now so fixed—so that it is a shallower and more responsive action than the standard. It tends to have a mechanism which is rather like an automobile without power steering: you are in control and not it; it doesn't drive you, you drive it. This is the secret of doing Bach on the piano at all. You must have that immediacy of response, that control over fine definitions of things."
"Gould was known for having a vivid imagination. Listeners regarded his interpretations as ranging from brilliantly creative to outright eccentric. His piano playing had great clarity and erudition, particularly in contrapuntal passages, and extraordinary control. He was a child prodigy and in adulthood described as a musical phenomenon. As he played, he often swayed his torso in a clockwise motion.
"Gould was widely known for his unusual habits. He usually hummed while he played the piano...
"Some of Gould's recordings were severely criticised because of the background "vocalising". For example, a reviewer of his 1981 re-recording of the Goldberg Variations opined that many listeners would "find the groans and croons intolerable". Gould was renowned for his peculiar body movements while playing and for his insistence on absolute control over every aspect of his playing environment. The temperature of the recording studio had to be exactly regulated.
"The piano had to be set at a certain height and would be raised on wooden blocks if necessary. A small rug would sometimes be required for his feet underneath the piano. He had to sit fourteen inches above the floor and would play concerts only while sitting on the old chair his father had made. He continued to use this chair even when the seat was completely worn through. His chair is so closely identified with him that it is shown in a place of honour in a glass case at the National Library of Canada.
"Gould was averse to cold and wore heavy clothing (including gloves), even in warm places.
"Gould suffered many pains and ailments, though he was something of a hypochondriac."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The excerpts above are from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_G...
Thanks to your suggestion, Joy we watched "The Courtship of Eddie's Father," and really enjoyed it; especially the part played by Ron Howard when he was quite young. What a great little actor he was, even then. I had just seen on Facebook that he was celebrating his forty first wedding anniversary that day. Good for him.
Nina wrote: "Thanks to your suggestion, Joy we watched "The Courtship of Eddie's Father," and really enjoyed it; especially the part played by Ron Howard when he was quite young. What a great little actor he wa..."Nina, I had forgotten that I had watched it. LOL I went back and re-read my own post. LOL It's at: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... - MESSAGE #16
We watched The Martian last night. It was the extended version, almost 2.5 hours long. It was so good that I actually sat through the entire thing & stayed up until 10pm. Unfortunately, Hollywood messed around with some things they shouldn't have. The storms were awful. Looked like they were tossing dirt around & that flapping plastic over the airlock was just sad when it dimpled in all the way. The sure don't do subtle. Besides a few idiocies like that, they did stay true to the book. We all loved it.
Jim wrote: "We watched The Martian last night. It was the extended version, almost 2.5 hours long. It was so good that I actually sat through the entire thing & stayed up until 10pm. Unfortunat..."Jim, I saw the previews on TV somewhere and knew I wouldn't be interested in the movie. Glad you enjoyed it, anyway. :)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/?...
https://www.amazon.com/Martian-Michae...
Jim, my son thought the "Martian" book was one of the best he read last year.
Nina wrote: "Jim, my son thought the "Martian" book was one of the best he read last year."Have you read it, Nina?
I haven't read it but thought I might order it on Netflix. My grandson also liked the book and the movie. Sounds exciting.
Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group
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I guess they handled her well. I wonder if there's a biography about her. I just searched. I found the following two:
The Little Girl Who Fought the Great Depression: Shirley Temple and 1930s America by John F. Kasson
American Legends: The Life of Shirley Temple by Charles River Editors
I'll have to see if our library has them.