ID4 2010

I woke up in the morning, listening to Brady ask my mom, "What time did Daddy and Tita Sherry come home last night?"  Aww, he missed us.  When Dad brought Olivia downstairs, I was happy that she didn't shy away from me, and Brady spent some quality time with me, too.  It was nice to have him there to cuddle for a little while.  The family then went into its usual "What are we doing today, and let's confuse each other for an hour as we figure it out" routine.  I laughed with each change in plans, each question about who had to be where by when.  We finally decided to "allow" Allen to barbecue some burgers and hot dogs for us for lunch, so he and Auntie Milda went to the store to buy up the fixin's.


Allen did a great job, the food was tasty, and we enjoyed our picnic outside.  I learned that a Southern Hot Dog has cole slaw on top, so I tried that, and it was yummy.   I'm going to be doing that from now on, unless it's a chili dog.


OMG, I love seeing Miss O in this hat!  She's one of those babies that tries to eat everything, so here she is, chewing on a Taggies blanket.

After lunch, Bro and I trekked to Pasadena to enjoy the Rose Bowl festivities.  We were happy to be parked in a location with easy landmarks to remember (the driving range).  We saw that the line was really long to enter the Bowl, so we decided to watch some corps warm-ups.   We saw that the mirrors were being unloaded for the Blue Devils, so we walked over to see them up close.  I guess I didn't have to worry about glass being broken on the field, because the mirrors were actually just very shiny material on a board.  Yes, they DO have a separate truck just for those mirrors.  Wow.  We saw the drumline marching down the pathway, and listened to them when they stopped to play for the crowd for a few minutes.  Then they went wherever, and we headed over to the drumcorps trailer area.  We saw that the SCV drumline was walking somewhere, so we followed them, and listened to their warm-up until we decided to get to our seats.  

SCV Bass Line

Our seats were on the 50-yard line, 50 rows up from the field.  We were seated near the mother of Chris, the backfield drum major for SCV.  She was really proud of her son, and she said that his girlfriend is the backfield DM for Phregiment.  Cool!  We enjoyed hearing her talk about him.

The Star-Spangled Banner was played by The Academy.    I would have been happier if they had saved the fly-by for *after* the National Anthem, so that we could actually hear it.  They also lit a few fireworks during the anthem, which annoyed me again.  Each corps then performed their regular 2010 show.  No judging, just fun.

PACIFIC CREST

Somebody dropped their stick, as well as something shiny on the field.  I liked seeing the formations from our view.  

MANDARINS

One of the CG gals had a flag in her face as she ran down the field.  I can't see the synthesizer guy's fingers move for the proper singing notes. 

Here are those cool CG uniforms.

THE ACADEMY

OK, I was annoyed again.  People were doing the wave during the quietest portion of their show, giving the corps no respect AGAIN.  The woman next to me, sitting in a *reserved* seat for drum corps fans, remarked when she was one of the only ones doing the wave in our section: "It dies by the time it gets over here."  That's because we're WATCHING THE SHOW, woman!  AUGH!  There was also tooting from horns not on the field, and I thought I was going to lose it.  I love it when the corps plays fortississimo!  I also like the double purple flags.  Two sticks ended up on the field.  Perhaps the drummer got caught up in the festivities and did his/her own wave and forgot to play.  Like that action shot?

INTERMISSION

They had a tribute to the Pasadena Firefighters, as well as a tribute to local military who had died in the line of duty, entitled "Honoring our Fallen from San Gabriel Valley".  No, they didn't toot horns during that.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

OK, I get the ending now.  I've deemed the raising of the one CG move the "Red Martha", because it reminded me of last year.  Christopher's mom is funny.  She talked about how Chris' arms would get tired from all of the clapping as he would lead the corps onto the field.  I had asked Bro during warm-ups if the drums were brown.  He said, "Yeah, like bark.  Bark-tok."  That's my Bro.  I had no choice in the matter, you know.  :)

BLUE DEVILS

A flag got stuck between 2 of the mirrors when they were next to each other.  Oops.  They are Coolness Drumified:  awesome percussion feature.

 There are just so many of them!

All of the corps then returned for their patriotic portion, and played to that crazy crowd.  

PC:  "Strike Up the Band" and "You're A Grand Old Flag"

Mandarins:  "An American Salute", which included "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"

Academy: Hymns of the Armed Forces

SCV:  "Let Freedom Ring"

BD didn't play anything alone, but their drum majors led all of the corps in "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".  

I like this shot of BD and SCV with each other.  Nice red and blue!

Then came the fireworks, which the hosts stated were "the biggest in California, the West Coast, the nation, and the world!"  I have news for you people:  the world outside of USA is probably not lighting fireworks in celebration of *our* independence tonight.  I'm pretty sure about that, especially in England. ;)  It was, indeed, quite a long fireworks show, and I'm pretty sure I got some ash in my eye.

Afterward, I looked at the souvies again, but didn't buy anything.  I had already bought a handmade patriotic necklace from The Academy's trailer earlier in the day.  The pathway back to the car was lined with carts of bacon-wrapped hot dogs, which smelled absolutely delish!  We had to wait for a very long time before we could even move the car, and even as we were leaving our section, the hot dog vendors were selling to people in their cars!  Bro and I decided on some Del Taco for our ride home, though, and drove back to Wildomar, wondering if the rest of the family got to see some fireworks, too. 

Happy 224th, USA!

Safe and Secure

Lo and I celebrated her birthday at Tokyo Wako, at the sushi bar.  I was the designated driver, so she had a Samurai cocktail, which came in a Geisha glass for her to take home.  She was hilarious at one point when she realized that she was very warm due to the soup she ordered + the alcohol she had been imbibing.

Afterward, we saw the Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz flick, "Knight and Day".

• I love it when Tom Cruise kicks ass.
• Diaz was really cute in this movie.  I love how she totally hit on him on the plane.
• "June...  June... June."  "Stop saying my name!!!"
• Poor Marc Blucas plays the (heroic) sap that doesn't get the girl again.
• Just so y'all know, I was on Roy's side the whole time, through every twist and turn.
• Cruise should just OWN a sunglass company.  He looks good in them in every movie.
• That's an awesome car.
• How does one buy a deserted island, exactly?
• "How did I get in these clothes?"
• Great action sequences, in the plane, in Spain, and,yes, on a train!  OK, and in/on the cars, too.

Great summer movie.  I really enjoyed this.

Happy Birthday, Lo!

Don't Ever Look Back

Oscar Noir: Week Seven

 The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

Monday, June 28, 2010

Liz was unable to join me for this one, so I was on my own.  I arrived fairly early, so I was near the front of the line.  Right before they opened the doors for us, the series' representative and speaker Randy told all of us at the front that because people had done stuff that was "illegal", this would be the last year for them to offer the series pass.  What was this "illegal" stuff?  He said something about codes against the fire marshal, and the treatment toward the ushers/staff.  He also said that the phone calls/complaints he received stated that the perpetrators were the ones that were often at the front of the line.  So we were told that we should advise whomever it is (if it isn't us to whom he was currently yelling -- or maybe speaking loudly, so we could hear him) that they ruined it for everyone else.  He then said that we should all be aware that just because we had series passes, this doesn't mean that we're members of the Academy, which I guess some people had thought they were, by just paying $30.00.  Seriously?  So they couldn't just talk to whomever was giving them trouble AT THE TIME IT WAS HAPPENING, and revoke their passes?  WTF?  I had not seen any of this behavior in all of the weeks that I attended.  I didn't see any fire codes being violated (not that I know all of the codes).  I did not see people standing in the aisles and blocking exits, nor were they yelling "fire" or pulling the fire alarms needlessly.  Last post about this, I said it was ugly.  This was just downright preposterous.  I'm writing this two weeks later and I'm still pissed off about it.  I see the problem as this:  they issued series passes, and said that if you're not there with your pass by a certain time, they would let standby ticket holders inside.  There were also regular ticket holders, whom were guaranteed a seat because they had paid the $5.00.   So it was my assumption, and probably many others', that all you had to do was show up on time and you'd have a seat.  If you got there late, then you'd need to be in the standby line.  In my logic, therefore, you would only have a certain number of series passes issued.  Everyone else would be either regular ticket holders, or standby.  Once the cutoff time passes, then you let in the standby people.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Well, APPARENTLY, from what I overheard, they were letting standby people in before the cutoff time for the pass holders.  (This is before the week that they started handing out numbers).  So whose fault is it that they have too many people in there?  This is something that could be easily controlled, yet they don't see their part in this.  Just stop letting people in!  AUGH.

OK, is that enough ranting for you?  I was bummed that Liz wasn't there to help me bitch that night, and so that maybe she could ask the guy what codes were violated, since she knows about some of that stuff.  Oh, wait.  I forgot to add that to top it all off, the only seats available in the center section in front of the VIP section was the 1st 3 rows.  THREE.  So this has nothing to do with them not having enough room for the series pass holders?  Harumph!

When the show was about to start, the same guy did not mention that he had scolded us at the front of the line.  In fact, we were told later that it was his birthday that day.  OK, whatever.  I joined in the singing, but only because he had put together such a terrific program.  His people skills need help.  

Cartoon:  "Rooty Toot Toot" (1951)

I absolutely loved this piece, which was a stylized animated version of "Frankie and Johnny".  The jazz was awesome, and the animation was fun.  I want to see this again!  It was voiced by Thurl Ravenscroft.  Oh!  Well, it's no wonder then why I liked this so much. Ooh, I found it. :)

Short:  "Adventures of Captain Marvel, Chapter Six: Lens of Death"  (1941)

Captain Marvel gets out of this pickle by looking above him, and seeing a hole in the ceiling of the cave.  He jumps up and finds a way out.  The Scorpion (hissss!) sets up a trick to find out where the other men keep their lenses.  There is a gunfight at one of the houses, and the cliffhanger is that we don't know whether or not Captain Marvel will be electrocuted by the security system where the lens is kept.


Feature:  "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" (1940)  Screenplay by Robert Rossen and Robert Riskin, Story by Jack Patrick, Directed by Lewis Miletone, Music by Miklos Rosza, and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott, and Kirk Douglas

• The film was introduced by Robin Swicord, screenwriter for "Little Women", "Memoirs of a Geisha", and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".  I like that she said that her mother noted that the bad girl always wears the dark lipstick.  That makes me just want to wear dark lipstick more often. ;)  
• Ooh, another Barbara Stanwyck film, this time as a brunette!  Wow, she's awesome.
• This was Kirk Douglas' first film, and he does a great job as the wimpy Walter.
• Why have I never heard of Van Heflin before?  I like him.  I like how the director added the twirling of the coin on his fingers as the habit of a gambler.
• Lizabeth Scott really did look, in Swicord's words, "like the love child spawn of Veronica Lake crossed with Lauren Bacall."  Beautiful, and she even sounded like Bacall with that throaty voice of hers.  She's got some awesome clothes for someone who just got out of jail.
• I like seeing what's made the 3 main characters (Martha, Sam and Walter) who they are, so we know what's been sticking in their collective craw all these years.
• "The road curved.  I didn't.
• Lizabeth Scott spoke after the movie, and she seemed to remember the shooting of the film like she had just finished it yesterday.  She said that she wanted to act in the theater, not in the movie business, but ended up there anyway.
• We were also treated to a video of Kirk Douglas speaking about this film recorded in Palm Springs.  He wasn't going to move to Hollywood either!  He also wanted to work in the theater.  
• Best part of Mr. Douglas' speech was that it was Stanwyck's idea as to how Ivers would eventually meet her demise.  Coolness.

I still can't figure out what the title means, Ms. Swicord.  It's still a mystery to me.

Next:  "The Dark Mirror"

Beyond Infinity, My Friend

I wasn't able to get the seats that my friends and I wanted on opening weekend at the El Capitan, so we saw "Toy Story 3" in 3-D the next weekend, instead.  Mox had already seen the film and said that we'd cry, so Linda supplied tissues for us.  For some reason, there was a line to get in, even for the VIP seats.  That was strange to us, but Linda and I had fun as we laughed at the 2 guys in line who turned down a panhandler because she clearly had enough money to buy nail polish.  (Her toes were painted).  I just loved the fact that they *noticed* the nail polish on her toes.


We picked up our refreshments and Mox was a bit disoriented since our seats that night were on the opposite side of the seats from where we usually sit.  We listened to the organist and wondered how he knew when he should stop playing.  Then Linda and Mox figured out that he probably keeps playing until he feels the organ descending.  Duh, Sherry.  I then wondered if there would be a pre-show, but there wasn't.  Linda and I got ready with her Bullseye and my Jessie.  Yeeehaaaaaw!

I also saw the movie a couple of weeks later, with Bro, V, and Brady, for Brady's first movie theater experience.  I wish I had a picture of him in his kid-size 3-D glasses.


The Pixar short, "Day & Night" was humorous and thought-provoking.  What would you discover if you got over your fears of the unknown?  I loved the artistry and the concept.  Brilliant. Dr. Wayne Dyer's quote is inspiring.


Then it was time for the 3rd installment of "Toy Story 3".

• OK, that spaceship reminded me of "Pigs in Space".
• Death By Monkeys.  Hmmm....a little bit of foreshadowing?  V said that her uncle gave her one of the monkeys with the cymbals when she was a kid, and was creeped out by it back then.  Dude, there's a reason those things were in Haunted Mansion Holiday.
• Loved the video clips of Andy growing up, and yes, his mom made me cry when she looked at his empty room.
• I don't know why the toys never listen to Woody when he tells them important stuff.  Didn't they learn from the first movie?!
• People are still allowed to leave trash bags on the sidewalk?
• I like the fact that the toys still hide under stuff as they walk around in public.
• I've never heard of some of the toys at Sunnyside, but people say they've had Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear.  I feel deprived somehow, because I never had a strawberry-scented bear, but also feel better that I didn't have the stuff that creeped me out.
• They mentioned Hungry Hungry Hippos, and I cheered.
• I want a Buttercup.
• Mr. Pricklepants made me giggle every time he talked.
• The Caterpillar Room is proof that when the label says "For Ages 3+", people should really follow the guidelines.
• Totally loved the Ken Fashion Show.  (For you "The Office" fans, this is what I now hear in my head as I type this:  "Fashion Show! Fashion Show! Fashion Show at Lunch!")
• Smart Barbie is awesome, and that's not just because she's voiced by Jodi Benson.
• Te amo, Spanish Buzz.  
• Brady started wanting to leave toward the end -- but then he saw the trash truck and was completely mesmerized.  The boy loves trash trucks.  Seriously.
• The scene at the dump scared me and I almost cried, thinking, "They wouldn't end it like this, would they?"
• I heart Bonnie, and the way she makes sounds on her microwave.
• I love that Andy still cherished his favorite toys.  It made me dislike my mother for making me throw/give away stuff, though.  There must be something I've suppressed from my childhood in there somewhere.  Well, yeah, and in adulthood.  Whatever.
• That whole ending was sweet as can be.  Tears streamed down my face for probably at least 10 minutes.  Both Times.  Even right now.  Sigh.

At the El Cap, we made our way to the Toy Story Fun Zone.  We played the video games (and Linda and I showed our true non-gaming skills), we all went through the maze, and we watched "Dancing with the Toys".  I loved seeing Buzz dance with Jessie, and I love that Gipsy Kings arrangement.

A fun time was had by all.  Pixar does it again!

In Andy's words, "Thanks, guys."

Music vs. Mirrors

Corps at the Crest

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Mount San Antonio College -- Walnut, CA

Bro went ahead of me to Mt. SAC because I needed to sing in church beforehand.  Therefore, he was there for SoCal Dream, City Sound, and Gold.  Incognito was not present, and they were not at the Vista show the night before.  I wonder if they're going as some other corps in disguise. ;)  Bro called me to tell me about Incognito as I was pulling into the parking lot.  Later, he told me that he did that not so much for my benefit, but to inform the annoying people near him that had no idea what was going on.  His comment to me spread like wildfire, so I guess it was effective.


I walked through the gates just in time to see Revolution from the sidelines.  They have a nice sound, but need to work on some of the colorguard stuff.  Somebody in the CG was dressed in a big, black cape.  I don't know what that was about, but their show is called "Fade to Black", with repertoire Liberty by S. Vai, Uprising by Muse, The Motive Revolution by E. Whitacre, Turbine by J. Mackey, and Tarantella (from Ethel) by P. Kline.


My seat was at the left 40-yard line, 18 rows up.  Bro was seated more toward the center, 6 rows in front of me.  We were in different places because Sherry was an idiot and only ordered one ticket for the show, even though she was supposed to buy 2 of them.  (Sherry tends to discuss herself in 3rd person when she's being a nimrod in order to separate herself from the oh-so-objective writer).


IMPULSE
Repertoire:  "United" -- America the Beautiful by S. A. Ward, Beyond the Breaking Tides by C. W. Earl, Songs of Earth, Water, Fire and Sky by R. W. Smith, Amber Waves by A. Gould, and Copland Finale (The Red Pony) by A. Copland


I like that Copland Finale, although I wasn't really appreciative of the Indian war chant thing, which I thought people didn't do anymore, out of respect for the Native Americans.  I liked the percussion feature.  Somebody lost a stick, and the judge threw it off of the field.  A lot of patriotic songs.  Am I watching the Troopers?  What's with that circle opening up a la the Sunburst?


VELVET KNIGHTS
Repertoire:  "Magical Mystery Tour -- 2010 Edition" -- I.  England -- Magical Mystery Tour by P. McCartney and J. Lennon, II.  The Caribbean/Latin America -- The Dance and They Kiss, End Titles (from Romancing the Stone) -- by A. Silvestri, III.  India -- Jai Ho (from Slumdog Millionaire)  by A.R. Rahman, G. Nama and T. Shah, IV. France -- La Vie en Rose by L. Guglielmi and E. Piaf; Overture (from Orpheus in the Underworld)  by J. Offenbach


I like the bit with the soprano upstaging the mello.  There seemed to be a bit that was channeling the Trash Can Trio, but with 4 tall drums.  So would you call that a Trash Can Tetra?  At that point, people had really red wigs, including the drum major, who had switched with the main one so that he could give a flower to the CG during La Vie En Rose.  That sop guy thought that one of the flowers was for him and was amusingly swooning about it.  They need to clean up the music during this ballad.  The CG doesn't have their uniforms yet.  It appears that the show isn't finished yet either, because it stopped abruptly, and I don't remember hearing the Offenbach.


INTERMISSION
I bought a program and checked out the souvie stands.  Found a grey hoodie at the SCV stand that I like a lot.  Thinking about it.  As I was walking back to my seat, I overheard a woman, who was looking at the Mandarins at the gate: "Is that Vanguard?"  Lady, those aren't even their colors!


MANDARINS
Repertoire:  "To Dream of Far Away Lands": I. The Caravan -- Meetings Along the Edge by R. Shankar & P. Glass; II.  To Dream of Far Away Lands -- The Mountain of Fruit and Flowers by D. Buckley; III.  The Threat of Mongols/The Himalayas -- Samudra Manthan by S. Sharma; IV.  Discovering India -- Quiet by S. Chandra, Ever So Lonely by Monsoon; V. Arrival in China -- Ambush from Ten Sides by Y. Ma


Recorded music played as they walked onto the field and set up.  I thought that it was going to go away with the first real note, but no.  Then I thought it would go away after the transition, but no.  Then there was recorded singing.  AUGH!  If you're not going to come here and perform live, then I DO NOT want to hear you!  I like the CG pants,  and actually the whole outfit, including the cool turbans.  But I'm way unhappy about the recorded crap.  I was excited when I saw the program, thinking how nice it is that the 'Rins had returned to their Asian roots, and now this blech.   Don't get me wrong.  The music is gorgeous, but this is not the type of show that I want to see at a DCI competitive event.  


THE ACADEMY
Repertoire:  "Strangers in Paradise" -- Prince Igor Overture by A. Borodin, Aquarium (from Carnival of the Animals) by C. Saint-Saens, Selections from the Prince Igor Opera by A. Borodin, Polovtsian Dances and Chorus by A. Borodin


Bro called me to tell me that this is the first show for the CG to wear their uniforms, which are purple.  I love that opening stance!  Their music is VERY well done, as Bro told me.  I'm annoyed by the synthesizer, but at least she's HERE playing her instrument.  The kneeling soprano lost his/her balance when the CG was dancing around him/her.  I like the part when the cymbal player appears to be chopping off the heads of the saber throwers one by one.  They need to catch their sabers more, not just during the dangerous work.  They also need to clean up their lines, but it's still early.  So I guess that my issue right now is more visual than musical, except for that synthesizer.  Oh, the Aquarium piece made me want to ride Space Mountain.  I miss that soundtrack.


PACIFIC CREST
Repertoire:  "Maze":  I.  We're Off!  This is going to be Easy! -- Macchu Picchu by S. Yagisawa; II.  Traps and Walls -- Asphalt Cocktail by J. Mackey; III.  No Way Out -- Sam's Gone (from I Am Legend) -- by J. N. Howard; IV.  We Made It! -- Turbine by J. Mackey


A CG gal got her flag caught in the yellow cord of her uniform.  This made me wonder why they needed to wear them at all, but they eventually untwisted them and used them like in rhythmic gymnastics.  Nice, full sound.  The bass drum ensemble got nice applause after their solo.  I like the visual of the people getting stuck in the wrong places.  What caused that big gasp by some of the people at the end?  Neither Bro nor I saw anything that would warrant that, so I don't know if anyone fell down or what it was.


BLUE DEVILS
Repertoire:  "Through a Glass, Darkly" -- Conflict by P. Rugolo, Mirage by P. Rugolo, Trajectories by F. Marke, Incident in Jazz By B. Graettinger, Laura by D. Raksin, City of Glass Suite I by B. Graettinger, La Suerte De Los Tontos by J. Richards


At first, when I saw the color guard uniforms, I thought, "Oh, dear."  Each CG outfit had multiple neon colors.  EACH of them.  Yikes.  But in the end, they weren't really that much of a distraction.  Maybe it's because there were so many mirrors being wheeled around.  36 of them.  Not small ones, but like, 7-8 feet tall ones.  The guys next to me thought that maybe they were supposed to be in a ballet class because they were looking at themselves during warm-up, but I didn't feel like correcting them by showing them the program.  I was not feeling sociable with the strangers.    So back to the mirrors.  Do they have to have a separate truck just to transport all of those everywhere?  What if someone hits the mirror with whatever they threw in the air?  Do they have to clean it all up before they go on so as not to get glass on people's feet?  I need to check as to whether or not the CG is actually wearing good shoes for this show.  I love the opening crash sound while they reveal the black and white flags.  Those flags are later shown in color toward the end of the show.  I also liked the effect of the drummers standing in front of the mirror, stepping to the side, and another identical drummer is on the other side without the mirrors.  This show was just AWESOME.  I  loved the soprano jazz duet.  Those sopranos are killers.  I was happy that they played a lot of the theme from "Laura", since it fit the theme of my summer.  The percussion feature was amazing, as well as was the big horn run.  I heart when BD does jazz.


SANTA CLARA VANGUARD
Repertoire:  "Bartok" -- Concerto for Orchestra and Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste by B. Bartok


The announcer messed up while saying the name of the corps, which made everyone want a do-over, but that didn't happen, so the corps got to hear "boo"s that were not directed toward them.  The CG uniforms match my sparkly ruby red nail polish.  :)  I love seeing the corps' plumes fluttering in the wind.  The drum majors' plumes are BIG and RED.  I'm going to be confused on Finals Night.  I thought that maybe their show wasn't finished because it ended abruptly and people didn't know if they should clap, but Bro says that the actual piece ends like that, so I wonder even more now.  The complete show was not performed the night before, so it sounds like they're still working out the ending.  I like those horns, especially the contrast between the high and low brass.  The music is a little muddy but nice.  I like the lone traditional marching snare.  I don't know why they needed pianists in the pit.  Can't the marimbas play that part?  Visually, I liked seeing them jump up "like popcorn", according to one of my neighbors.  I also liked when they were all gathered in a circle and lifted up the one CG gal.  I liked all of the tension in the music.  Ya gotta love Bartok.


ENCORE
This was done during the final tabulation of the scores, instead of after the awards ceremony.  I like that it is done this way, since for most of these shows during the regular season, the performer for the encore is pre-determined.  


Pacific Crest
"The Way You Look Tonight" for warm-up
Selections from "Maze" -- I'm liking the music for this show
Corps anthem "Ave Maris Stella" -- PC never disappoints me when they play their song.  Happy sigh.


SCORES


All-Age Corps


Recognition to So Cal Dream (we think they were on DCA scoring sheets): 65.75


Open Class


5) 59.30  City Sound
4) 61.75  Velvet Knights (they had a plush shark during the ceremony)
3) 67.50  Revolution
2) 70.00  Impulse
1) 72.35  Gold (I remember when they were from Hawthorne and tiny.  I'm looking forward to seeing their show on Monday)


World Class


5) 66.95  Mandarins
4) 70.05  Pacific Crest
3) 72.60  The Academy


At this point, the guys next to me said, "This should be interesting.  Music vs. Mirrors."


2) 80.25  Santa Clara Vanguard
1) 83.30  Blue Devils


Bro and I drove to our parents' house afterward for some family weekend fun.


Next up:  Rose Bowl

The Swede & The Double-Crossing Dame

Oscar Noir: Week Six

The Killers

Monday,  June 21, 2010

Liz and I are now experts at parking on the residential streets and getting to the theater early to stand in line.  We gabbed for awhile as our neighbors in line griped about the process of having numbers.  Once we got inside, Liz found seats for us on the aisle this time, as I requested.  She's so nice and accommodating. :)  It seems that, with each week, more and more rows of seats are reserved for the special guests.  I don't know what that's about, but I hope that they still let the series pass people in as long as they arrive by the designated time.  Our line neighbors had told us stories of being told not to save 3 seats, and I heard others complaining because they were asked about saving one seat for a person that had gone to the restroom.  One of them called the Academy people "Fascists".  It's getting ugly, folks.

Cartoon:  "Who Killed Who?" (1943)

The story is of a detective who goes to a house to investigate a murder, and finds out that the house is haunted.  By Santa.  Oh, and by a whole bunch of different ghosts, too. ;)  This is a Tex Avery cartoon, full of all of the old cartoon cliches.  But that's probably because all of the cartoons borrow from Tex Avery!  Even Bugs Bunny's "What's Up, Doc?"  is based on one of the characters in this cartoon:  the detective opens a door, and Santa is there, calling him "Doc".    Santa's voice was actually Tex Avery himself.

Short:  "Adventures of Captain Marvel, Chapter Five: The Scorpion Strikes" (1941)

I hissed at the Scorpion this time.  Captain Marvel saves Betty by jumping onto the car as it goes into the street, and taking control over the steering wheel.  Billy goes into the meeting with one of the thugs, telling everyone there that the Scorpion is one of them, and they all get shifty-eyed looks on their faces, as if it could be every one of them.  The thug is unable to identify the Scorpion by his voice, then is told to lead Billy to a mine, since Captain Marvel will probably show up to save him.  The men use the  scorpion lenses to melt the cave to the mine, and Captain Marvel is stuck inside.  I don't know why he can't just fly above the stream of molten lava approaching him, but we'll see what happens from this cliffhanger.

Feature: "The Killers" (1946) Screenplay by Anthony Veiller and John Huston, based on a short story by Ernest Hemingway.  Directed by Robert Siodmak, Music by Miklos Rozsa, and starring Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien, Albert Dekker and Sam Levene.

• This was a new movie to both of us.  Heck, I didn't even know that Lancaster had done a film with Ava Gardner.
• The film was introduced by Billy Ray, one of the writers for "24".  When I saw his name in the program, I thought that the name sounded familiar, and not just for the first two names of the country singer.  I had also mentioned Jack Bauer in one of my conversations with Liz while we were in line, so the fact that this guy was introducing the film was quite a coincidence.
• The guy playing Hemingway's autobiographical character, Nick Adams, later played Owen Lars, Luke's uncle in "Star Wars".
• One of the killers is played by a very young William Conrad.  
• OK, I can see why Burt Lancaster was so popular from this, his film debut, and onward.  Not only was he a great actor, but Hubba Hubba! :)
• Ava Gardner, looking gorgeous in every shot, did her own singing, and she has a nice alto voice.  Her character's name, Kitty Collins, is just a perfect Noir name to me.
• My favorite line of the movie: "If there's one thing in this world I hate, it's a double-crossing dame."
• I think the killers said "Bright Boy" way too much in that opening scene.
• The shadows in the cinematography are considered to be "Textbook Noir", and I can see why.  Great use of lighting.
• Miklos Rosza's daughter spoke to the audience after the film, but Liz and I didn't stay to listen to her.  I would have liked to hear her talk about how some of the music in the film would end up as the main theme for "Dragnet", but we were tired.  

Although this movie is not one of my favorites in the series, I enjoyed it.  I now want to hear other scores by Miklos Rosza, since he had also done "Double Indemnity".

Next week:  "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers".

DLR LotD 06/20/10

 Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day
Sunday, June 20, 2010


"No, Caitlin!" -- A Father behind us in line at Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, multiple times

Acknowledge Them!

Last week, on June 17, 2010, the Lakers won their 16th NBA World Championship.  WHOO Damn  HOOOO!!!!  Last year, when they won their 15th, I was a happy, happy gal.  This year, I'm ecstatic.


What could be sweeter than a Repeat?  A victory over the Lakers' arch rivals, the Boston Celtics (hisssss!).  This rivalry, Lakers vs. Celtics, is, for basketball fans, the ultimate in competition.  The Celtics, with 17 banners hanging over the Garden, shattered the Lakers in Boston in the 2008 Finals.  Last year, the Lakers won, so this rivalry was a step up from usual due to the fact that it was the most recent champions against each other, and the Lakers had something to prove after what happened in 2008.  They'd matured, they'd become tougher.  The Celtics beat all of the odds in the post-season, and made it to the Finals with everyone betting against them.  I mean, it was supposed to be LeBron vs. Kobe, but the Celtics made sure that they wouldn't be counted out.


The basketball world was crazy with anticipation, and being a basketball fan, I was crazy, too.  With every Celtics playoff win, I hoped even more that they would make it to the Finals to face my team.  I couldn't wait to see it happen.  This was probably the first time EVER that I've rooted for the Celtics to win.  It was partly because I didn't want LeBron to win, but it was mostly because I wanted to see the rivals play each other.  I wasn't the only one.  A lot of the fans that I talked to said the same things as me, although some of them just didn't want Shaq to win.  I'm not bitter about Shaq.  I just wish that he'd stop calling every one of his new coaches "the best coach I've ever played for".  It's old.  Anyway, the Lakers needed to get past some tough competition in the Western Conference, most notably the Phoenix Suns.  While I really like Steve Nash, I'm a Lakers fan, so, sorry, Steve.  


So my wish came true.  It would be Lakers vs. Celtics.  Surprisingly, through every one of the first 5 games, I was quite calm.  I guess that I was just so happy that it was all being played out in front of me that I was content.


Game 1: Lakers 102, Celtics 89
Lakers showed the Celtics that they were ready for them, and drew first blood.  Celtics were rusty due to their long rest after the Eastern Conference Finals.  My thought:  "This is how it's supposed to be.  We'll win Game 1, Phil never loses a series when he wins Game 1.  We're golden."


Game 2: Celtics 103, Lakers 94
Ouch!  Celtics beat the Lakers on their home floor, thanks to an amazing run of 3-point shots by Ray Allen, making a record of 8 in one Finals game.  My thought: "Um, guys?  You need to win one in Boston."  At least one, in order to maintain home court advantage.  Still, I was calm.  No, I wasn't on drugs.


Game 3:  Lakers 91, Celtics 84
Phew!  Lakers achieve their goal of winning one on Boston's floor.  Many thanks to D-Fish in the 4th quarter.  I loved that full-court run, leading to an awesome basket.  Thanks, also, to the amazing Lakers bench for achieving a record of highest shooting percentage for a bench attempting at least 10 shots each.  The deafening crowd at the Garden had become a mute crowd.  BFF Michelle texted me about loving how the crowd shut up.  (Actual text not for children's eyes). ;)  


Game 4: Celtics 96, Lakers 89
The Celtics bounce back, taking advantage of the fact that Bynum was out for much of the game due to his knee injury.  Pau and Kobe tried to carry the team, but it was tough to go against a desperate Boston team.  Yup, I was still calm.  This is how it's supposed to be, people!  We push, you push back.  Clash of the Titans and all that.


Game 5:  Celtics 92, Lakers 86
Despite Kobe's MVP efforts in the 3rd quarter, trying to carry his can't-shoot-a-fish-in-a-barrel team, Boston edged out the Lakers, and the teams went back to L.A. with Boston leading 3-2.  Yeah, I kind of expected that to happen.  Those people that said that L.A. would sweep in Boston don't know the power of the fans there and the defensive fight that the Leprechaun blesses upon their team.


Game 6:  Lakers 89, Celtics 67
Just to show the Celtics that the Lakers fans are not as placid as their leaders say, the crowd at the Staples Center gave a ROAR throughout the game that kids imagine when they dream of becoming sports stars.  The Lakers were not going to let the Celtics win Game 6 on their home floor, and they delivered a pretty sound beating to the boys in green.  It was the best that I've ever seen this team play all season, and what a time to give the town a show!  Kobe led the team in the 1st quarter, giving them an early lead that they simply refused to relinquish.  Was I happy?  Hells, YEAH!  Was I calm?  Not anymore.


Game 7:  Lakers 83, Celtics 79
GAME FRICKIN' SEVEN.  LAKERS VERSUS CELTICS.  It all really did lead to this.  Seriously, what could be better for a basketball fan like me? The excitement I felt during this game was probably the culmination of all that I had suppressed during the first 6 games.  I went nuts.  When the Lakers were behind, I kept hoping for them, knowing that they would pull a victory out somehow, but wondering how in the world it would happen.  Of course, with every nervous moment, I said to myself, "WHY did I wish for this to happen?!"  Ron Artest, both a worry and a blessing to this team, had some plays that got me thinking, "Oh my gosh, he's going to win this game for us."  I thought this several times throughout the game.  Both teams were defensive tigers, and it seemed like neither one of them could shoot. Was the rim of the basket too small?  But there it was, all of a sudden.  As he always does, D-Fish gave an inspirational speech to his team before the start of the 4th quarter, and they responded.  Kobe finally hit his shots.  Pau was monstrous.  D-Fish made a 3-pointer.  Kobe passed the ball to Ron-Ron (which, APPARENTLY, he never does), and Ron-Ron made the shot, catapulting the audience into even more decibels of LOUD.  My house was loud, too, and the only sound happening was the TV and my screaming.  I even closed the back door so that the neighbors wouldn't worry should any bloodcurdling screams emanate from my mouth during the game.  I'm glad I did, because I went CRAZY, pacing, yelling, jumping, screaming...it was exhausting.  


So there you are: Lakers are the Champions of the Basketball World.  Congratulations to The Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant, for the much-deserved Finals MVP title.  This year, he showed that he could rely on his team when he wasn't at his shooting best, being defended at all times by 2 and 3 guys every chance Boston could take.   And yes, he now has "one more than Shaq". Congratulations to The Spaniard, Pau Gasol, for showing us all that he was not soft, and he could fight Boston along with the rest of them, finesse game or not.  Congratulations to Phil for his 11th championship.  I don't care what anyone says, Phil.  It's not the star power that gave you those wins, it's your handling of the stars.  Congratulations to Derek Fisher, the heart and inspiration of the team.  They would not have won without your spirit.  Congratulations to Ron Artest for his first ring, and thank you to his psychiatrist for keeping him calm. :)   Congratulations to Andrew Bynum, who actually got to contribute to this year's championship, and in a huge way.  Congratulations to the guys on the bench for being such a great supporting unit for the starters.  Congratulations to the fans, for whom this victory is sweeter than honey straight from the comb.


Kobe's postgame comments showed that he, as a student of basketball, knew that a victory over the Celtics would mean more than anything to him as a Laker.  He had lied to the press earlier about how much it meant to him, because he needed to just focus on the task at hand, and didn't need to make the drama bigger for himself.  His little girls were way cute in their Lakers dresses, and he had that smile that I've longed to see throughout the series.  The smile of a champion living his dream.


The celebrations, though fewer than last year due to the city of L.A.'s budget woes, were still abundant.  


Pau Gasol appeared on Jay Leno's Tonight Show.  I love that David Spade was the next guest and Pau was 2 feet taller than him.  Spade was, like, a Smurf next to him.

The rest of the team appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.   Kobe, of course, had the coolest threads.  Ron Ron had the coolest earpiece, though. :)


Here's my favorite clip from that night.








And, of course, the Victory Parade.


Purple and Gold Reign Supreme!  Have I said, "Whoo Damn HOOOOO!" yet? ;)  


Happy Trophy, Sweet Sixteen.

There's Always A Gun In A Drawer

Oscar Noir Week 5

Mildred Pierce

Monday, June 14, 2010

Liz arrived early to the theater and saw that the line was already forming outside, so she parked her car wherever and got in line.  Later on, she asked an usher if her car was parked in an OK spot, but the usher wasn't sure, so she moved her car so that she was right in front of me on the residential street.  I figured that I should get in line, too, since I was able to eat half of my dinner on the way there, and Liz had freaked me out about the line.   I was annoyed by a guy that seemed to have some kind of attention deficit disorder because he wouldn't stop walking around by the line.  When they let us in, Liz was able to score us some good seats toward the middle of the theater.  I overheard some people talking about a guy in the back of the theater, but couldn't figure out who he was supposed to be.

Cartoon:  "The Super Snooper" (1952)

Yay!  Daffy Duck!  It was like film noir in color and in cartoon!  He was a detective who needed another case (and he was shown with empty liquor bottles), and went to Beverage Hills to investigate.  At a mansion, he met a duck dressed just like Jessica Rabbit, but, like, with a duck face.  She kept trying to mack on him while he described all of the different ways that he thought she might have killed her husband.  He later found out that he was in the wrong house the whole time.  

Short: "Adventures of Captain Marvel, Chapter Four: Death Takes The Wheel" (1941)

The lady sitting next to me joined in during some of the audience's hissing at The Scorpion.  I just giggled at it the whole time, and may even hiss along next week.  Billy, at literally the last minute, realizes that the radio wires were disconnected, and hears his friend's voice just in time to turn into Captain Marvel and get the heck out of the plane.  Betty overhears some stuff and goes to investigate, and the cliffhanger of the week is that she's conked out at the steering wheel of a car in a parking garage, as it careens in circles toward the bottom of the garage.  Funny how her head is in the perfect position for the car to follow the curve of the garage jussst rrright.

Feature: "Mildred Pierce" (1945) Screenplay by Ranald MacDougall, based on the novel by James M. Cain, Directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, and Bruce Bennett.

• A special guest in the audience played a waitress in the movie.  The other very special guest was Ann Blyth, whom spoke after the movie.  When I told Liz that she was there, she exclaimed "Get Out!" at me.  She loves this movie, but didn't actually see it during the past week, as she had done with "Laura".
• The movie was introduced by Callie Khouri, known for her screenplays for "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" and, more notably, "Thelma and Louise".  She figured that she must have been asked to introduce this one because of the strength of the female leads in the movie.  She lamented that there were not as many great parts these days for women as there were back in the 1940s.  She also talked about the fact that in Film Noir, there always "happens to be" a gun in a drawer somewhere.
• Well, no WONDER Joan Crawford won the Academy Award for this, and no wonder Eve Arden and Ann Blyth were nominated, too.  They were all outstanding.
• What a BRAT that Veda was!  I wanted to slap the hell out of her many, many times.
• Hmmm...APPARENTLY, Kate Winslet is doing a miniseries version of the novel on HBO with Evan Rachel Wood, to be aired in 2011.  Hmmmm.
• Love is blind, Mildred.  How could you not see that Monte was just a free-loading cad when you met him?
• Liz told me later that there really was a Mildred's restaurant chain.  Interesting.
• Lots of applause when Butterfly McQueen made her first appearance on screen.
• Ida had the best lines: "Leave something on me.  I might catch cold."  "When men get around me, the get allergic to wedding rings."  "I like Mexico.  It's so...Mexican."
• So, seriously.  She was doing the remodeling the house into a restaurant herself, and gets on the ladder in that dress and high heels?  How did she not break her neck every day?

Afterward, there was a discussion with Ann Blyth.

• She had brought along a couple of girlfriends, most notably Jane Withers, who spoke for a bit herself from the back of the theater. She's hilarious.
• Ms. Blyth couldn't believe how horrible Veda was.  She probably wanted to slap herself as may times as I wanted to slap her.
• Joan Crawford stayed home instead of attending the Academy Awards the night that she won.  Ms. Blyth was present in Ms. Crawford's home when they gave it to her.
• Ms. Blyth had a serious accident while tobogganing up at Lake Arrowhead, and was wearing a back brace under her dress during the awards.  Nobody knew about it but her dress designer and her mom.
• She still sings on stage, and sings every day at home.
• Q&A from the audience revealed that the house in Glendale where the movie was filmed is still there.

We stayed for a bit afterward so that Liz could meet her and get her autograph.  If I had been allowed, I totally would have taken a picture of her red with gold-tip shoes.  They were gorgeous.  Liz didn't have the nerve to compliment her on her shoes, but I did when I saw her downstairs.  Liz made me do it.  Ms. Blyth was appreciative.  I figured she would like a compliment about her shoes, because she's a girl. :) 

Next Up:  "The Killers"

DLR LotD 06/11/10

Disneyland Resort

Line of the Day

Friday, June 11, 2010

"I guess it's up to you where to put his tongue." -- Linda, to Sherry, at WoD

Murder Can Sometimes Smell Like Honeysuckle

Oscar Noir: Week 4

Double Indemnity

Monday, June 7, 2010

Last Monday was a holiday, so we there was no screening.  This week I was on my own, as Liz was unable to join me.  I hadn't eaten my lunch at work, so I just parked in a residential area and ate that for dinner (yes, I checked the parking signs).  When I arrived at the line to the theater, I was a little bit farther down the line than last week, and one of the ushers was handing out standby tickets with numbers on them.  APPARENTLY, there were several people that line-jumped two weeks ago, which resulted in unhappiness.  I can understanding saving a place for one or two people in line, but I'm thinking that it was a big group of people, but I don't know.  People were still able to save seats in the theater, but the host asked everyone to please not save entire rows for people.  So people just need to get there earlier, I guess.  I just hope that I get in every time, since I'm always there well ahead of the cut-off time for the series passholders.

Cartoon:  "Trouble Indemnity" (1950)

This one stars Mr. Magoo!  He gets conned into buying a life insurance policy, then the insurance company freaks out when they see him mistakenly walking onto a construction site and getting into lots of death-defying moments.

Short: "Adventures of Captain Marvel, Chapter Three:  Time Bomb" (1941)

Nobody needed to save Captain Marvel from the guillotine.  His chest was so strong that the guillotine broke when it hit him.  The Scorpion is relentless, though, and gets our hero in trouble again by the cliffhanger, this time as Billy, flying with a time bomb in his airplane.  Yikes!  He needs to say "Shazam!" quickly!  I really love the cheesy special effects, and could see the strings very visibly as Capt. M flies.   I think that Louise Currie must have a series pass, because she was present this week, too.  She probably wants to know what happens as much as we do. 

Feature:  "Double Indemnity" (1944) Screenplay by Raymond Chandler and Billy Wilder, based on the novel by James M. Cain, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson.

• One of the several special guests in the audience was Miriam Franklin, whom played Keyes' secretary, and went on to choreograph "Tea for Two" in 1950.  She spoke with the host for awhile about having received really only one direction for the movie, from Fred MacMurray, as she walked toward him to deliver her line at the office.  She was dressed in off white, and I wondered if she talked to Louise Currie about how to look elegant, as she sure did.  
• The movie was introduced by Nicholas Meyer, known for his writing for "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", "Somersby" and "The Informant".  His introduction was beautifully presented.  I didn't care that he was reading the whole time, because he was still animated and his love for the movie and the genre was quite evident.  He also didn't give any spoilers away. 
• Fred MacMurray, playing very much not like his "My Three Sons" character, was excellent. I loved his banter with Barbara Stanwyck.  
• The banter I love is probably one of the reasons that I'm loving all of the films in this series. I mean, hello, it's the writing that we're celebrating!  
• I kept giggling when Neff would call Phyllis "Baby".  The way that he says it is so 1940s. :)
• Stanwyck reminds me of Ashley Tisdale pre-nose job.  I think it's the blonde hair and the shape of her profile.
• Edward G. Robinson was outstanding.  I loved every scene he was in.
• Raymond Chandler can be seen in the film, sitting upstairs by Keyes' office.
• "I think you're swell -- so long as I'm not your husband."
• Neff was really turned on by that anklet.  Perhaps I should wear an anklet to get somebody to banter like that with me.
• I love that this was set in Los Angeles.
• Fred MacMurray was wearing his wedding band for the whole movie, but his character is a bachelor.  I guess they didn't tape their rings for their films back then.
• I was too tired to stay and listen to Fred MacMurray's daughter speak about her experience at the premiere.  Edward G. Robinson's granddaughter was in the audience, but didn't speak afterward, as far as I know.

I'm thinking that I need to see more Billy Wilder movies.  This was great.

Next week:  "Mildred Pierce"

DLR LotD 06/05/10

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day


Saturday, June 5, 2010


"You said you only had the one tassel." -- Sally, to Dodie, after propositioning Jackson, at Catal

Like Jasmine and Aladdin, But With Cocktails

A bunch of ladies from work had planned a Girls' Night Out, and I somehow invited myself to join them.  I figured that my other female friends wouldn't want to see "Sex and the City 2", and didn't have any plans, and they were nice enough to allow me to crash their party. I wasn't a totally loyal fan of SATC, but watched once in awhile.  I had seen the first movie, and enjoyed it.  

• I still don't understand Carrie's style.  I guess I'm more of a Charlotte when it comes to fashion.
• Nice to see all of the guys, even though it wasn't for very long. 
• In the same vein, it was nice to see Jason Lewis' torso during almost all of his time on screen.
• So, really, people with big breasts don't always wear bras?
• Liza doing "Single Ladies" was quite funny.  She's still got the legs for it!
• I liked their bawdy puns.  It's kind of the female version of all of the obnoxious male comedies.  Although the movie got panned for this, I tend to agree with this article.  I heard a LOT of laughter in the theater at the line "Lawrence of my labia!", and I know it wasn't just me.
• I have different feelings than Carrie about having a TV in the bedroom.  Although I see the point in cuddling up to watch a romantic movie together, it can also get in the way of just having the intimacy of just enjoying time together there.  She just felt like she would be part of a boring couple.
• I'm thinking that maybe I can just use my love of yams as an excuse to prevent future menopausal symptoms.
• Sex scenes were very tame for this show.  The series had much more salaciousness.
• My favorite scene was Miranda and Charlotte confessing to each other over drinks about how difficult it is to be a mother.  "All I could think was, 'I can't lose the nanny!'"

Although this movie is not for everyone, fans of SATC should give it a chance instead of following what many of the reviews say.  It's fun for watching on a night out with the gals.