Three Videos that Boost My Mood

Quirky Girls, Romance and an Eighties Hit

I was near downtown yesterday waiting for the missus to pick me up when a young woman walked by who I thought looked interesting, quirky and fun. I’ve seen a lot of females over the years who — for me — fit that description. They are never conventionally pretty nor fashionably dressed. I always imagine them to be independent thinkers with wicked senses of humor. They do well in their studies, never top of the class though they likely could be if they’d a mind to. They have fractured relationships with a parent or sibling but are close to someone else in their immediate family. They are never either particularly athletic nor clumsy. They reads obsessively and have a passion for music or films that are out of the mainstream. They brood a lot but are not prone to depression. 

I’ve always been drawn to these women but as a young man never had a relationship of any significant length with one. Mostly they weren't interested in me which I always found odd and frustrating as it seemed I should be just their type and I arrogantly felt that they should be drawn to someone like me who was handsome and charming. What is it about me that turned such women off, or failed to attract them?

Perhaps they recognized that I saw them more as a type than someone to be understood and appreciated for her own merits. I suppose many women sensed a certain superficiality on my part because I was glib, funny and prone to flattery. I never felt they gave me a chance. Then again maybe I wasn’t suited to interesting, quirky and fun. The love of my life to whom I’m still married is most certainly interesting, definitely fun though she is less quirky and more independent with a stronger sense of self and less insecurities than any woman I’ve known. Quirkiness can betray a certain vulnerability that doesn’t exist in my wife. 

In the last few days I’ve been obsessed with the above video. I don’t recall either the song or the video from the time of their release thirty-seven years ago. I don’t know what I find so intoxicating about the song, I know I’m drawn to the video in large part because of the beguiling Bunty Bailey (what a name) the actress in the video. It’s not my kind of music at all so I’m baffled why it appeals to me.  Somehow this obsession — one that I imagine will have a short shelf life — had me asking the question: am I a romantic? It’s something I’ve never before pondered. In the narrative form I find that they-lived-happily-ever-after stories are trite, cliched and uninteresting yet l unabashedly root for people finding true love whether in fiction or reality. Maybe in part because I found it.

There aren’t a lot of love stories on film that I like. I do enjoy many that are couched in screwball comedies (largely because they are not cloying and don’t take themselves seriously) such as Bringing Up Baby, The Lady Eve, His Girl Friday, and Ninotchka. 

There are more films with romance at the center that I’ve enjoyed including Hannah and Sisters, What’s Up Doc?, Arthur and When Harry Met Sally, the latter being perhaps the quintessential modern romantic comedy. But most are formulaic and overly reliant on sappy soundtracks and gimmicky lighting. Characters are generally stick figures.

There are many love songs that I enjoy, particularly by The Beatles but I prefer The Doors, Joplin, Hendrix, Neil Young and Led Zeppelin, not a lot of syrupy stuff there.

Other people's romances can be terribly dull stories (there seems little less interesting than two people finding one another on line though if it works out for them, mazel tov!) I've always chauvinistically believed that my wife and my story is a particularly good one though she has forbidden me from recounting it here, a command I respect.

Contrary to the uber popular and really bad film Love Story, love does in fact constantly require one to say that they are sorry. Claiming otherwise is preposterous. 

I'm now left to wonder how many of those intelligent, quirky fun women I've encountered ultimately found true love and with what kind of gent? 

Love is ever a mystery, thank god I've found it.

This Post is Dedicated to the One I Love (My Lovely Missus)

I love this song from the Mamas and Papas. When I was a teenager I had a massive crush on Michelle Phillips who sings lead on Dedicated. I've often wished I had a time machine with which I could go back to the Sixties and hook up with her. But I'm so happy with the love of my life (I had the sense to marry the woman of my dreams) that I'd never actually go. 

When I visited the video on You Tube today I noted -- unsurprisingly -- that I'm not alone in my affection for the song and to many others it has an especially deep meaning. Here's a sampling of  comments that people have left:

I came back from Vietnam and my wife would sing this song to me at night when i woke up screaming. Memories are not always good. Been tough since she died. I miss her more than i can say. Goodnight baby.

I lost my mam last month. She battled stage IV cancer for 7 years. This is the song she asked to be played at her funeral. I miss her more than words can say 💔

My mom died in 1966 when I was 8  years old. When this song would come on the radio I knew that it was from her. I'd listen to it every night  before going to bed. That was her goodnight kiss.

When a song you’ve heard 100 times still gives you the chills. . . .

If you ever need to teach a music student how vocal arrangement and dynamics works – this is the song. Michelle Phillips start the song so softly, and then John, Denny, and Cass come in with those powerful vocals and beautiful arrangement. Still makes my hair stand on end after all these years. What a classic composition and performance.

It's like a voice from heaven when Michelle opens this song.

Always brings a tear. So good, and moving. Michelle's gentle voice gives me goosebumps.

Que bonita, Michelle no cabe duda que bien dicho esta, "disfruta de la juventud" que cuando se llega a viejo no hay vuelta atrás!!! 

Saludos desde México

The vocals on this song! The harmonies, mein Gott. Just stellar. Up there with anything the Beatles or the Beach Boys ever did... in terms of vocal arrangement.

Odd. Michelle is singing the lead in this song and doing it beautifully and most of the  comments I see are about her looks and how great mama Cass' voice was.  I would have thought some people would actually acknowledge that Michelle could sing and that she was a big part of their sound.  She wasn't just a pretty face.

Now I´m 68 years and I remember I made my first steps kissing a girl during this song. I think I have a bit tears in my eyes.

This was my mom and Dad's Song... They loved to dance this... RIP DAD I MISS YOU!!!

Le souvenir est trop fort et mes larmes sont infinies . Nous n'avons pas d'image, seulement le son, c'est tellement dommage. MERCI POUR CE SOUVENIR TRÈS PUISSANT. c'est le meilleur de ma vie.

Whenever I listen to this song I think of soldiers fighting in Viet Nam and thinking of their loved ones back home.   Sad and haunting song, beautifully composed.  Plus, Michelle Phillips  looked like an angel on Earth in this video.

This is Fantastic

Happy Freddie Mercury's Birthday Everyone!

He would have been 65 today.

"The Traces of Humanity in Men..." Scorsese on Antonioni's L'Eclisse

I recently saw Antonioni's L'Eclisse (1962) and was profoundly moved by it. In the above clip Martin Scorsese discusses the film, particularly the ending. L'Elcisse stars Monica Vitti and Alain Delon.

This is unconventional story-telling, leaving, as it does, so much space. L'Eclisse is wonderfully uncluttered with dialogue or traditional plot points. It is an invitation into a time and place among a few characters. This is a film that is as beautiful as its two co-stars.

Scorsese's discussion highlights much of what is so special about L'Eclisse.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off as an Indy Film

For Your Halloween Enjoyment, The Wilhelm Scream

I'll let Wikipedia explain: The Wilhelm scream is a frequently-used film and television stock sound effect first used in 1951 for the film Distant Drums. The effect gained new popularity (its use often becoming an in-joke) after it was used in Star Wars and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games. The scream is often used when someone is either pierced with an arrow or falls to his death from a great height, or because of an explosion.
The Wilhelm scream has become a well-known cinematic sound cliché, and is claimed to have been used in over 216 films and even certain video games.
The sound is named for Private Wilhelm, a character in The Charge at Feather River, a 1953 western in which the character is shot with an arrow. This was believed to be the second movie to use the sound effect and its first use from the Warner Brothers stock sound library.

You Know You're a Film Lover If....

You never tire of watching this.

If Cartoon Characters Do "It" "It" Must be OK

I tell people about this and they think I'm making it up. Here's the proof. Straight from the unbelievable but true files.

Let's Imagine You Had a Really Weird Dream About Hitchcock's North by Northwest....

Fascinating video. Your appreciation will be enhanced if  you've seen Alfred Hitchcock's  North by Northwest (1959) a few times. I can't imagine what it would be like to watch this if you were high on a psychedelic. I do know that it's better for you if you've got a mind that you're welling to let step outside for a walk every now and again.

Dig it.

Let's Try It Again, Betty, This Time Try To Put A Little Life Into It

Other than The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944) and the above clip I haven't seen a lot of Betty Hutton, but what I have seen I've loved. You go, girl.

It's Not Just a Great Movie Song, It's Educational!

Fred and Barney do Scorsese