miliosr

I agree with the posters who wrote that all modern dance companies aren't suffering from a lack of viewers. I've seen the Graham, Limon (several times) and Morris companies in recent years and all of them performed in front of full or near-full houses. I think the Ailey, Cunningham and Taylor troupes can all find an audience as well. The common denominator seems to me to be that the major moderns/postmoderns -- Ailey, Cunningham, Graham, Limon, Morris, Taylor and Tharp -- all have something that has stood the test of time and will continue to do so.

I'm not familiar with any horror-themed ballets but I do know of one horror film set at a ballet academy -- Dario Argento's Suspira!

Happy Halloween! The New York Times ran a small review yesterday of the new Mario Bava DVD box set. Bava was an Italian filmmaker best know today for horror films like Twitch of the Death Nerve (which is considered the launchpad for the late-70s/early-80s slasher craze) and Lisa and the Devil. Both films are contained on the box set. I've never seen Twitch Of the Death Nerve but I have seen Lisa and the Devil and I would wholeheartedly agree with the reviewer's comments that the film is "exceedingly strange" and "follows a dream logic". Starring Elke Sommer and Telly Savalas (in his early-70s Euro-horror pre-Kojak days), Lisa and the Devil is like watching a filmed version of a dream where you're trying to escape from someone or somewhere and you can't. Beyond weird but fascinating. And Savalas is a riot as you know who . . .

My latest Collectors' Choice Music catalog arrived yesterday and it contained a listing for This Is Tom Jones Christmas, which combines Tom's 1969 and 1970 holiday programs into one DVD. The item description says that one of the featured acts is Rudolf Nureyev and Merle Park performing the Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker. So, if you're a Nureyev completist . . .

Ratings - Week Five Performances - 1st (21.4 million viewers) Results - 5th (18.1 million viewers)

If you're ever looking for a good haunted house movie to watch on Halloween, I would recommend The Legend of Hell House (1973) with Roddy McDowall and Pamela Franklin. Based on Richard Matheson's book Hell House (which he adapted for the screen), The Legend of Hell House revolves around a group of individuals -- a scientist, his wife and two mediums -- who enter "the Mount Everest of haunted houses" to discover its secrets. Is all the trouble caused by "mindless, directionless energy"? Or are "controlled, multiple hauntings" to blame?? The movie is very creepy (just like the book) and plays as much as a detective movie as a haunted house movie. McDowall and Franklin are both excellent as, respectively, the jittery sole survivor of a prior attempt to investigate the house and a mental medium who is much too incautious with her investigations of the house. The final revelation is a bit of a let-down but, as the ending is completely faithful to the book, the fault for that must lie with Matheson. Beware of black cats and serving trays . . . As for the Halloween movies, I would only recommend the original, II, H2O and the beginning of Resurrection. Surprise, surprise -- they all star Jamie Lee Curtis.

Speaking of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, I'm a big fan of Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) and The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) -- the last two installments in the long-running Hammer Dracula series. Like the first two Halloween movies, I think of these movies almost as one movie since they both take place in early-70s London and are both so similar visually. (The only major difference between the two is that Stephanie Beacham plays Peter Cushing's niece in the first movie and Joanna Lumley plays the niece in the second.) If you can get past the spectacle of 30-year-old-looking actors playing teenage hippies in A.D. 1972 and supposedly-menacing henchmen wearing ridiculous fur vests in Rites, these movies are very entertaining supernatural thrillers. Lee and Cushing are their usual outstanding selves in both.

Since Halloween is only three days away, I thought I would start a new topic -- what are your favorite horror films? I'll start: Halloween (1978) Halloween II (1981) Even though these movies were made three years apart, I think of them as one movie since the events of both films take place on the same night (Halloween 1978) and the films are so similar in terms of their look, feel and mood. Halloween and Halloween II tell the story of Laurie Strode, an intelligent high school student who is stalked and attacked by a masked mental hospital escapee by the name of the Michael Myers. I love these movies for a variety of reasons. They are genuinely scary and contain two of the greatest "chase" sequences found in any horror movie anywhere. They spend considerable time and effort fleshing out the different characters and making them more than just tallies in a body count -- rare for horror movies of this kind. I also like how they try to convey the odd, eerie flavor of Halloween night itself. And, they gave us Jamie Lee Curtis -- still today the greatest of the late-70s/early-80s scream queens. Halloween would go on to spawn six direct sequels (II, 4, 5, 6, H2O and Resurrection), a non-continuity sequel (III) and a terrible 2007 remake. Interestingly, when Jamie Lee Curtis returned to the part of Laurie in 1998's Halloween: H2O, the powers-that-be more-or-less ignored the continuity created by sequels 4, 5 and 6 and instead acted like they hadn't happened. So, if you're a hardcore Halloween fan, there are literally two different continuities in the series -- continuity 1 (the original, II, 4, 5 and 6) and continuity 2 (the original, II, H2O and Resurrection). I have more choices but I'll let others chime in!

Navarro's life story would actually make for a great movie. del Rio was indeed beautiful. I love the portrait Tina Modotti made of her in the mid-1920s.

Two more megastars from the past who are all-but-forgotten now (at least in the United States): Ramon Navarro and Dolores del Rio (who were cousins!)

Miliosr Report - Week Five mom2 -- not being an expert hasn't stopped me over five seasons! Marie Osmond The big "event" this week was Marie Osmond passing out on live television. She and her partner Jonathan had just completed their samba (they were the first couple of the evening) and were about to get the judges' comments when Marie fell -- hard -- to the floor. Kudos to host Tom Bergeron for immediately calling for a commercial break -- he was definitely the "cool head" in a difficult situation. One long break later, Marie was up, moving around and seemingly OK. I've had something similar happen to me and, believe me, it's not a pleasant feeling. When your blood sugar gets too low, your body just shuts down and all you can do is hope someone catches you. Mel and Maks After landing in the Bottom Two last week, Mel and Maks rebounded strongly this week and took first place with the judges with 29 points -- good enough to escape the Bottom Two this week. I would agree with mom2 that the performances as a whole were lacking -- too many of the celebrity amateurs are stagnating or regressing. The Bottom Two In the event, the Bottom Two consisted of Mark/Kym and Jane/Tony with Mark and Kym going. Mark's ouster was absolutely the right one. He was clearly the weakest celebrity amateur left in the field and it would have been a shame if he had outlasted any of the others. Still, he proved to be a gallant competitor (if not an especially coordinated one.) I think a number of things worked against Jane this week. She and Tony had to follow Marie and the fainting episode so I think the audience may have forgotten about her amidst all the chaos. More importantly, I think Jane and Tony were hurt by a certain "sameness" that has overtaken their performances. Week-in and week-out, they deliver competent performances. Unfortunately, the performances are starting to blend into one. Whether its the choreography or Jane herself, this team dances every dance as if it was the same dance. She will soon find herself evicted from the competition if she cannot vary her performances for the audience. Last Thoughts I have to say I loved both of musical guest Jennifer Lopez's songs, especially the pro dance set to her song "Let's Get Loud". Usually the musical guest and the pro dancers act like they are on different planets but J.Lo's performance with the pros on Tuesday night worked like crazy -- for once, the musical guest, the pros, the band and the audience all appeared to be on the same wavelength.

Ratings - Week Four Performances - # 2 (19.4 million viewers) Results - # 7 (17.3 million viewers)

Miliosr Report - Week Four Let's cut right to the chase this week and get to the scores and the Bottom Two: 01 30pts Sabrina/Mark (paso) 02 27pts Cameron/Edyta (paso) 02 27pts Helio/Julianne (waltz) 02 27pts Jenny/Derek (paso) 05 26pts Jane/Tony (waltz) 05 26pts Marie/Jonathan (waltz) 05 26pts Mel/Maks (waltz) 08 23pts Floyd/Karina (paso) 09 22pts Mark/Kym (waltz) At first glance, it looks like Mark and Kym would be done for by finishing in 9th place. But when you divide each team's score by the total number of points (234), there's only a 3.4 point difference between the first place team and the ninth place team. As a result, viewer voting take on an exaggerated significance -- a bottom-finishing team like Mark and Kym can survive provided they are registering with viewers. The Bottom Two In the event, Floyd/Karina and Mel/Maks were in the Bottom Two with Floyd and Karina leaving. Floyd and Karina's departure was no great surprise as they were in the Bottom Two last week and -- unlike Mark and Kym -- did not appear to be making much headway with the audience. A fair boot. Mel and Maks appearing in the Bottom Two was a much more intriguing development to my mind. They did not belong in the Bottom Two -- that position should have gone to Mark and Kym. However, we are at that point (probably the earliest ever in five seasons) in the competition where there are almost no weak teams left. Mel and Maks have been cruising along this season as a kind of "meat and potatoes" team. In past seasons, that strategy probably would have carried them into the Final Four. Not this season. Across the board, this is one of the strongest fields the show has ever produced so Mel and, especially, Maks (with his choreography) will have to step it up a notch if they hope to avoid the red light of doom next week.

Ratings - Week Three Performances - # 2 (19.6 million viewers) Results - # 7 (16.4 million viewers)

Getting back to Julia Roberts for a moment, USA Today has a small feature in today's Entertainment section in which 11 of her contemporaries (mostly fellow actors) relate their favorite Julia Roberts "moment". 8 of the 11 respondents pick a moment from one of her films -- 3 for Pretty Woman and 1 each for Ocean's Twelve, Notting Hill, My Best Friend's Wedding, Steel Magnolias and Runaway Bride. Some telling film choices as they pretty much embody the Julia Roberts "canon". (I would replace Ocean's Twelve with Erin Brokovitch, though.) Interestingly, Roberts herself is quoted in the article as saying she only plans to work, "from time to time."

Miliosr Report - Week Three The Women So, here we are at Week Three and it seems that, for the moment at least, all the energy and excitement is with the women. The Top 5 scoring couples for this week all had a female amateur as part of the team: Three-Way Tie for 1st w/ 27 pts -- Jane/Mel/Sabrina Each of these routines was entertaining in its way but not without flaws. I wouldn't necessarily disagree about Jane's progress in relation to her competitors but, since her mother died last week, I'll have to suspend my critical faculties until next week. I do think she brought great drama to the dance and this ability may serve her in good stead for some time to come. Maks and Mel dance with great energy and verve. But my complaint with Maks is always the same from season-to-season -- he seems unwilling or unable to blend his own dancing with his celebrity partner's in order to create a seamless whole. Last night with Mel was like dancing with Willa all over again -- two different dances going on. Sabrina and Mark are cruising along in the competition and should be safe for the foreseeable future. They are a very high-octane couple but I question Sabrina's ability to do anything but barrel through the routines. The standard dances will tell the tale for her. Two-Way Tie for 4th w/ 25 pts -- Jennie/Marie I guess I didn't "get" what all the fuss was about with Jenny and Derek's tango. Apart from the technical issues that sidwich pointed out, they have zero chemistry together and she always seems like she is on the verge of nervous collapse. I also agree with sidwich regarding Jonathan's work with Marie. She is hardly in possession of the most flexible "instrument" in the competition and yet he is making the most of the abilities she does have. She needs to tone down the cutsie-pie mannerisms, though. She doesn't possess the same level of acting ability that Jane does to pull them off. The Bottom Two Wayne/Cheryl and Floyd/Karina were in the Bottom Two this week with Wayne and Cheryl going home. Not much to say about this booting -- Wayne and Cheryl were clearly the weakest couple left in the field and escaping elimination in the manner of Jerry Springer and Billy Ray Cyrus would have been a travesty. A very deserving boot and Cheryl seemed relieved for the experience to be over. Going Forward I'm not really sure what to expect from this point onward. Most of the remaining competitors appear to be equally matched in terms of name recognition and fan bases so it may come down to which couple can capture the imaginations of America. I am intrigued by the fact that Mark Cuban has escaped the Bottom Two for the last two weeks. I wonder if he can keep avoiding the Bottom Two now that the lowest hanging fruit has been picked.

Ratings - Week Two Performances -- # 2 (20.2 million viewers) Results -- # 8 (15.9 million viewers)

Thanks for the advice about Queen Christina (and The Abdication -- I'd never heard of that until bart mentioned it.) Garbo and Shearer were both fairly clever in realizing that the times (the 1940s) wouldn't be particularly hospitable to them and so it was better to go out on their own terms rather than the industry's. In Garbo's case, leaving only added to her legend. Alas, the same can't be said for Shearer.

Even though Crawford trailed behind Garbo and Shearer while all three were at M-G-M, she actually ended up being the most adaptable of the three to changing tastes and trends: Late 1920s-early 1940s: Able to make the transition from silents to "talkies" and coasts along for quite some time on her "shopgirl" pictures. Mid-1940s-mid 1950s: Plunges head long into film noir/suspense pictures, which sustain her for another decade. Early 1960s-late 1960s: Makes Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? with Bette Davis and rides the 'Glamorous Ladies of the Silver Screen Reduced to Demented Hags Carrying Axes' genre for the rest of the decade. Speaking of Garbo, has anyone ever seen Queen Christina? I've never seen it but it looks quite expressive in photos and I am wondering if it is worth viewing.

When M-G-M released Joan Crawford in the early 1940s and she moved over to Warner Brothers, most of Hollywood -- including Joan Crawford herself -- viewed the move as a real comedown. But it ended up being the best thing that ever happened to Joan Crawford because the films she made at Warner Brothers from the mid-to-late 1940s are the films (along with Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and The Women) for which she is best remembered today.

Miliosr Report - Week Two The Dancers I more or less agreed with the rankings this week although I was not terribly happy to see a five-way tie (Jane, Cameron, Floyd, Jennie and Albert) for fifth place. Nor was I terribly thrilled to see Jennie in a tie with the others when she and her partner Derek had a very embarassing spill during their routine. I didn't think Helio and Julianne were quite as spectacular as the judges seemed to think they were BUT they have gelled very quickly as a pair and, I must say, their contrasting good looks are very easy on the eye. Sabrina and Mark had another good week but her personality continues to grate. Wayne and Cheryl deserved their last place score of 15. The Bottom Two Albert/Anna and Wayne/Cheryl were in the Bottom Two this week with Albert and Anna going home. No way was it Albert's time to leave the competition but, at the end of the day, he just had too many hurdles to overcome. Like Willa Ford in Season 3, he had zero name recognition so he was completely dependent on the judges' scores to keep him afloat while he tried to gain some traction with the audience. I thought he did a good job of it in Week 1 but this week was his downfall. His dancing was mediocre and he wound up in a five-way tie for fifth. As Paulina Porizkova found out in Season 4, no-fan-base contestants get lost in the voting shuffle (and are soon ousted) whenever they finish in the middle of the pack. I continue to be mystified as to why ABC casts models/beauty pageant contestants/entertainment reporters on this show when five consecutive seasons have shown that they will get slaughtered in the voting. The only conclusion I can come to is that ABC wants a few no-name sacrificial lambs at the outset so the bigger names won't get humiliated in the first or second week. Going Forward Mark and Kym managed to evade the Bottom Two so I guess everyone in the Dallas-Fort Worth area got themselves into gear this week. The competition should be interesting next week as the ten remaining celebrities all have followings of some sort so the fan base factor -- hopefully -- should be of lesser importance going forward. One can hope anyway!

I like My Best Friend's Wedding more than most of the posters on this thread but I will admit that it has some problems. Problem # 1 is the muddled tone of the movie. The Roberts character was very unsympathetic at times (she is, after all, trying to steal another woman's fiance) but, since this was a Julia Roberts movie and audiences were paying to see her as a romantic lead, the movie never lets her become too unsympathetic. The result is a very muddled tone. Problem # 2 is Dermot Mulroney as the male lead. You know a romantic comedy has a problem when the female lead (Roberts) has more romantic chemistry with the gay supporting character (Rupert Everett) than she does with the ostensible straight male lead (Mulroney). I actually think a more interesting movie would have had Roberts forced to choose between a boring -- but sexual -- relationship with Mulroney and a lively -- but platonic -- relationship with Everett. (Everett actually made a movie -- The Next Best Thing -- somewhat along these lines with Madonna.) On another front, here's another name from the past who was big in her day but is virtually unknown today: Norma Shearer. Joan Crawford always complained that Shearer got the best parts when they were co-workers at M-G-M but Crawford ended up getting the better of Shearer in the long run. Crawford is talked about to this day but Shearer is all but forgotten.

Ratings - Week One Performance 1 (Monday) - # 2 (21.2 million viewers) Performance 2 (Tuesday) - # 5 (18.5 million viewers) Results (Wednesday) - # 8 (16.8 million viewers)

I didn't know where else to put this so I parked it here. The October issue of In Style features a short interview with actor Peter Sarsgaard. One of the topics he discusses is his ballet training as a youth. He says that he was athletic when he was younger and he took up ballet because he read that Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys had taken up ballet to improve his balance. Sarsgaard continues by saying that ballet didn't really help him with sports but it did help him meet women!

I am aware of that about Cheryl but on my TV screen it looked like she had gone to the spray tanner one too many times. I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, though.