herbiehancock

-I am torn about this movie: on the one hand, the plot is so convoluted not even the author of the book on which it was based (Raymond Chandler) could solve a particular death. Apparently, Lauren Bacall, in her autobiography, said that Bogart brought this up (basically, whether the chauffeur's death was a murder or a suicide), and 'everything stopped'. They asked Chandler, and he realized that he didn't know either. That's how damn confusing it was. -But on the other hand, is that what we really care about? The plot? No, we're not watching The Big Sleep for it's intricate storytelling. We're watching for the dry, witty dialogue spat out from the side of the mouth, cohabitant with a cigarette. We're watching for saucy women being saucy, half-eviscerating their men with nothing more than a knowing glare. Men who neatly fall into the categories of 'anti-hero', 'enemy of anti-hero' or 'enemy of my enemy'. But most of all, we...

No 350 – Planet of the Apes Director – Franklin J Schaffner The 70’s had a really set view as to what spaceships looked like (with the exception of Alien ) – white and clean. If you set a film in a clean white ship , it looks 70s. Check the last few scenes of Revenge of the Sith where George Lucas finally remembers that the film has to lead chronologically into A New Hope and starts creating a 70’s sci- fi vibe. So we’re looking at Charlton Heston , smoking a cigar in space (as one does) as he finalises his preparations for an auto-pilot journey home. There is also some mumbo jumbo about how time on Earth has travelled much further than time on the ship. So the crew are in 'hyper sleep' and time passes... But it goes wrong and the ship crashes – the only female astronaut dies (bye bye pesky woman, don’t think you’re getting a line, or even particularly mourned by the characters), and the three remaining men find themselves on a mysterious planet about 2,000 years in the fu...

No 80 – The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp Directors – Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger I really love Powell and Pressburger . Another great things to come out of this little film challenge is that I have discovered so much of their back catalogue (and Billy Wilder’s – also excellent). I went in to The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp with high expectations, and I wasn ’t let down – from the beginning the film has a wonderful sense of class. The film begins with a tapestry, into which are weaved the names of the principal cast, followed by the rest of the credits - which are presented in a way which was very much of its time and which makes me think of that wonderful period of cinema – of Errol Flyn and Arthurian legends. Of a time when everything was less gritty and a bit more fantastical. This vibe is also (though to a lesser degree) prevalent throughout the film, solely due to the stylistic touches of the age. I love films which are almost entirely shot on sound stages . ...

In case you haven't noticed, my loves, I have an affinity for mustaches. Teddy is my Rock Star, as you can see on the cluttered ol' sidebar, my tagline welcomes the kind with open arms, and I have made no secret (to, uh, other people) that my fondness for Chuck Norris is purely superficial. What I'm saying is, if you enjoy pictures like this: You know you do Then off you go to a magical land me and Sister have created. A land where, truly, the Facial Hair Afficianado can be himself (but not in a creepy way. Looking at you, Bill Sage). Hazzah! The place, for those not feeling very clicky today (ahem), is Mustache Hall of Fame, http://wearemustache.blogspot.com/. The format isn't really done yet, and there's a noticeable lack of retinal appeal, and maybe every other appeal, but shut up. But tis ours. So go! Go and marvel at the Stache! (or not, I won't judge you)

it's another friday already, can you believe it?! i gotta say, this week started out awful! i had a really supremely bad monday, but i took tuesday and wednesday off from life and felt like a brand new woman! not to mention having a lot of fun on my birthday. so all in all, this week was not too shabby. here are all the little things i'm thankful for this week: * inspiration * yoga * body + soul magazine {or 'whole living' as it's now called} * the way warm sand contours to your body when lying on the beach {and how it feels between your toes} * the immediate 'your my new friend' attitude of strangers * making it home from the beach in a breaking down car * receiving fun packages in the mail {with handwritten addresses!} * all the many ways in which dannon can make me laugh * passion tea lemonade * the way my bathing suits fit me SO much better now than when i bought them in the spring * arcade fire's new album 'suburbs' {ridiculously good!} ...

In my poetry picture poll a few posts back, some of you requested I write a poem using all of the pictures from the poll in a poem.  I decided to give it a try and this is what I came up with. A Poodle in the Park So much to do for a poodle in the park. Chasing runaway bunnies, it's hard not to bark. So much to sniff:  flowers around a rock, hickory nuts that look like toys, by the fence-- a shoe, a sock. And oh so much to see...  pink porcupines up high, down low some prickly green, and buzzards floating by. On the way back home now, can you hear the cicada buzz? The poodle is getting tired. He's not as bouncy as he was. The lily by the fence and sunflowers in a row, the poodle perks up a bit. He's back home now, don't you know. And though the park is fun being back home is really good too, especially for a poodle dog whose nap is overdue.

-At the start of the movie, the young and handsome Kanō Sōzaburō is admitted to the Shinsengumi (新撰組), an elite samurai police group led by Kondō Isami that seeks to defend the shogunate against reformist forces. He is a very skilled swordsman, but it is his appearance that makes many of the others in the (strictly male) group, both students and superiors, attracted to him, creating tension within the group of people vying for Kanō's affections. -I'd say I hated this movie, but y'know, such a strong word. So I'm going to go with disliked very strongly. -The performances are fine, guys. Ryuhei Matsuda, who plays Kano, is called androgynous even though he looks more girl than boy (if he cut his damn hair, on the other hand, but I suppose that is the point of his rather nefarious, though implied, intentions revealed later on), is good, especially since this is his first movie and he was, y'know, fifteen. -How do teenage boys take roles like this? Do they get teased ...