dirac

Thank you for taking the time to tell us about the performance, JMcN. The idea of casting men in drag is an interesting one.

Thank you as always for these reports, cubanmiamiboy.

And the cable channels are not picking up the slack. Ovation vanished from my cable menu for awhile and when it returned the programming had moved away from the arts to movies and television series. And even before that the programs were cut and commercials frequent. Bravo and A&E followed a similar path and I rarely watch them now. Yup.

I'm sure you weren't alone, Barbara. I expect when Justin Timberlake came on with Mila Kunis and announced, "I'm Banksy," there were a fair number of viewers saying, "Huh?"

Thanks, sidwich. I sometimes think Hathaway would be doing better in an earlier film era.

Hi, Quiggin. Thanks for that anecdote. I don’t think there’s necessarily a contradiction between the Oscars as an industry event and a mass entertainment event, and indeed the awards have become more comprehensive and more technically oriented over the years since the Academy’s original incarnation as a union-busting exercise, not less so. (Of course, a few years ago the tech people did get exiled to their own awards ceremony to speed up the show; one of Franco’s few bright moments was saying “Congratulations, nerds,” after that spot was shown.) I also can’t really say that every show is a disaster. Maybe you just have to have a taste for Oscar night, but some shows and hosts are better than others, some are worse. This show actually wasn’t that bad, but its blandness also made for some tedium. Too bad Godard didn’t show up for his honorary award although that’s only to be expected. I don’t know what he would have done or said but it would have been interesting. I’m sure after last weekend the Academy will have absolutely no problem with that.

I have a jones for “Rose Marie,” too, but I’m probably beyond help. Although I do think the movie is pretty good on its merits, at least the first half. I will say for “Sweethearts” that it has some snappy dialogue for MacDonald and Adrian going high on the hog.

miliosr, in addition to any responses you receive in this thread, we've had related threads on Lincoln Center before. Here's a thread on places to eat near Lincoln Center and here's another on hotels. Not sure if these will help.

At last! 'Naughty Marietta' and 'Sweethearts' will be available on DVD through Movies Unlimited. I'm sure Amazon will get there eventually. 'Sweethearts' I'm not too crazy about but 'Naughty Marietta' is neat. Let's hope there is more to come, especially my favorite (and MacDonald's), "Maytime." Must get my operetta fix!

Yes, I think that's the site Neryssa linked to earlier. It's a great excerpt.

Thanks for that link, Neryssa. I enjoyed reading that excerpt. Nothing wrong with that, necessarily, if the anecdotes are good. (I haven't read the book, obviously.) Not all lives have an "overarching theme" and not all (auto)biographers find that approach congenial. His distinguished biographer, Martin Duberman, for one, depending on what constitutes TMI for you. TMI tolerance tends to vary from writer to writer and reader to reader, I find.

Sorry, 4mrdncr. I did misunderstand your post and I'm sure it was me and not you. I quite agree.

Thanks. That number is so gay. I really enjoy Russell's line readings in Blondes. "The chaperone's job is to see that nobody else has any fun. But nobody chaperones the chaperone. That's why I'm so right for this job." Bonnette, Mitchum and Russell certainly made a handsome couple.

Interesting stuff going on in the contract negotiations. ("Hey! If we file Chapter 11, we get rid of all those pesky pension obligations! So cool!")

Jane Russell has died at age 89. This link has several clips. She is indeed shown to best advantage in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" in which she was able to show off her sense of humor and play warmhearted den mother to Marilyn's Lorelei. I know of very few movies that present such a warm and solid feminine friendship. RIP.

I agree, sandik. It was nice to see Leo's work recognized even if she didn't behave in the most, uh, ladylike manner. (She even paid for her own "For Your Consideration" ads, apparently, which goes to show, I guess, that the Lord helps those who help themselves. ) Thanks, vagansmom.

If they had shown the coda it would have been more real ballet than "Black Swan" favored us with. I think Portman's award was the most recognition apart from the other nominations the movie could reasonably expect this year. Her win was a way of acknowledging its success (in the way Sandra Bullock's victory last year was recognition for "The Blind Side"). I don't think you can really say it was snubbed. Also, it was much more a horror movie than a ballet movie, -- although if real dancers had been cast in the leading roles it might have been both. Hathaway sang a parody number - if she had another song I missed it. She does indeed have a very nice voice.

I kinda miss those terrible dance numbers in the same way I miss the Nolan Miller/Bob Mackie looks the women sported back when, not to mention the frocks of Cher and Geena Davis. Those were the days, by gum. The Academy has eliminated most of the kitsch, but there's not always much to replace it with. Last night wasn't the Worst Ever but it was a snore. Melissa Leo made me even more uncomfortable than Douglas, but under other circumstances I wouldn't begrudge a jobbing actor making a little too much of her place in the sun. I like it when the Best Supporting award goes to such performers. All too often in recent years it's been used to reward stars who couldn't be shoehorned into the Best Actor or Actress categories.

I loved the color on her and the dress showed off her height and figure beautifully. (Message: “I’m Tall Enough to Carry Off This Dress and You’re Not.”) Yes, the crop circle or whatever it was on her front took some getting used to but it worked for me. A risky piece of haute couture and she pulled it off. IMO, natch. I thought the same. In fact, I began to wonder if she wasn’t consciously or unconsciously overcompensating for Franco’s slow fadeout from the proceedings. Maybe they started out with the intention of creating a comic contrast – Hathaway effusive, Franco laid back – but it didn’t turn out so well. I’m sure no one here means to suggest that Douglas should hide in a corner with a bag over his head or that he should be ashamed of his condition. It’s more a question of what’s appropriate, given his condition. Another thing: With Elizabeth Taylor ailing and hospitalized, a shout–out to her from someone was very much in order. Didn’t happen.

Even if there's no co-author listed, he may well have had help. Which is perfectly understandable and indeed desirable for most non-writers. I'm really looking forward to this book, although I hope d'Amboise doesn't actually say things like "the iridescent Allegra Kent." Not that she wasn't, but that's hardly the kind of material I'm hoping for.

Hello, atm711. Thanks for posting. I don’t think anyone meant to be hard on Douglas personally, although one of the people with whom I watched the show, an elderly gentleman himself, was merciless: (“He’s making a show of himself. Get off the stage"). All I can say is I was uncomfortable watching him. The late Blake Edwards had to be wheeled onstage for his final appearance, but although I felt sad I wasn't wincing while I watched. I wouldn’t say “Douglas broke the blacklist,” without a couple of qualifications, but it’s certainly fair enough.

Thank you for posting, Sandy. I didn't know about the encore performances in the evenings.

Hello, vagansmom. Thanks for posting. I'd say they were both acting - which is fair enough since to host the Oscars is a form of performance - but in different movies, especially as the night went on.

Yes, I thought early on that she was channeling her inner Sally Field, but I agree with sandik that she didn't go over the line to silly. I will note that she at least kept her end up - Franco seemed to stop trying well before the show was over, but perhaps his great mind had already moved on to deeper matters, maybe the Ph.D. he made a point of mentioning at the Independent Spirit Awards. They made a bad mistake playing some of Bob Hope's jokes from the first televised Oscars, which were better than any others heard onstage last night. It was nice to see Billy Crystal, but he seems to have done something awful to his face - there was an unnerving pasty smoothness to it. Kevin Brownlow got an honorary award - nice gesture.

The "Iphigene in Tauride" was showing in my area last weekend but getting up to go to the movies at 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday is not in my DNA, unfortunately. Did anyone see it?