Why the picture of Lady Gaga in a lobster hat? Aside from the obvious reason (that it's Lady Gaga in a lobster hat), because the Monkey has won another of the coveted Liebster Blog Awards. Liebster being German for "one who loves lobsters."Natalie of In The Mood explains: "Well, too bad you already got [The Liebster Blog Award]. But I wanted to award you too."
And I'm glad she did. You think when Jack Nicholson won his third Oscar he said, "Oh, I already have two." Heck, no, he said, "Amen and Hallelujah!" Or something to that effect. I like awards.
I won't tell you eleven more things about myself—although if there's something you particularly want to know, feel free to ask (I'll feel free to answer or not as the mood strikes me)—but I will answer the eleven questions Natalie asks on her blog. You should feel free to answer as well:
1. In film do you prefer black&white or color? It depends, actually. I'd never want to see Citizen Kane in color, but I can't imagine Singin' in the Rain in black and white.
2. In photographs do you prefer black&white or color? with some notable exceptions, B&W
3. Your favorite era in music? Each decade is special in its own way and I love them all, I love the Beatles, I love Sinatra, I love the Who and Liz Phair, but I went to college in the '80s so that era is more likely to evoke particular moods and memories.
4. Do you have a tumblr? I confess, I don't even know how to have a tumblr, but I do have a pair of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad dining car tumblers.
5. Your second favorite actress? Can't say I've ranked them in my head. I have a copy of practically everything Jane Greer ever made, but I can't honestly say she's my favorite—she only made two good movies after all. Actresses I'm most likely to stop and watch if they're on: Myrna Loy, Irene Dunne, Audrey Hepburn, Deborah Kerr, Mary Pickford, Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, in roughly that order.
6. Your favorite movie starring your second favorite actress? If it's Irene Dunne, it must be Theodora Goes Wild, with The Awful Truth and My Favorite Wife running second and third.
7. Your second favorite actor? If Cary Grant is my favorite, then either Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne or James Stewart is my second favorite. Lately, I'm much more likely to be watching John Wayne, so I'll say the Duke.
8. Your favorite movie starring your second favorite actor? Rio Bravo first, The Quiet Man second, The Searchers third.
9. Favorite foreign film? There are so many good ones, but Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru is probably my favorite. If you ask me tomorrow, I'll tell you something different.
10. Ice cream or French fries? Don't get much of either lately, but I'd have to say ice cream. As much as I like French fries, I can often eat them as mere filler, whereas ice cream is always a treat.
11. If you could see your favorite actress in any movie role [real or imagined] what would it be? Hollywood doesn't really make Irene Dunne movies anymore, i.e., musicals, sophisticated comedies and/or straight romances starring smart girls-next-door in their mid-to-late 30s.
Well, screw it, I'll just go with Irene Dunne and a gaggle of Golden Age actresses in Bridesmaids. I actually saw that one in a theater!
Oh, wait, I just re-read the question and saw that it says favorite actress not second favorite actress—why did I have that in my head? Oh, so that's a different question entirely. What would I like to see Myrna Loy in? How about a crime comedy where she solves the mystery for once?
Congratulations on your twopeat!
ReplyDeleteif there's something you particularly want to know, feel free to ask:
Heigh-oh! I was hoping you'd say that!
(1)
What kinda movie watching gear ya got? What's your video screen, TV, audio home theater if you've got one? We want specs! We want specs! We want -- eh, well, that is, you know, i mean if you feel like it.
(2)
I just got back from watching the Dark Knight Rises at my local urban cinemaplexi thingamajig & it got me to thinking: How often does the Monkey & Katie Bar the Door go to the movie theater to see first-run movies?
What kinda movie watching gear ya got?
ReplyDeleteNot nearly as interesting as you'd think. A four year old Sony 46" flat screen. LCD. Either 1080 or 1080p. I have no idea what any of that means. Katie-Bar-The-Door is the computer analyst and picked it out and now even she doesn't quite remember.
I used to say "why buy hi-def -- I don't have hi-def eyes." But I do see the difference. Just don't let Best Buy talk you into buying $80 cables when $20 ones serve the same function.
I don't know what that means either. Just something KTBtD says.
Oh, and we have a Sony Blu-ray/DVD player. I'm not committed to always buying Blu-rays -- with the "up-converting" function on the player, I don't notice a huge difference unless the film has been remastered to take advantage of the Blu-Ray (ala Citizen Kane last year).
How often does the Monkey & Katie Bar the Door go to the movie theater to see first-run movies?
Back in the day, all of them. If I thought there was the remotest chance a movie would show up on my alternate Qscar list, I wanted to see it in a theater.
These days, well ...
With theaters going digital instead of film, truth is the picture is better at home than in the theater. And it's cheaper.
But the real reason I don't go that often anymore (except to revival films at the AFI Silver) is I so enjoy a nap in the afternoon. Never thought I'd say that. But now we put on The Thing From Another World, Katie curls up next to me on the couch, the dog at the other end with her head on my feet, and we're asleep before they reach the North Pole.
I'm 57, and honestly the mainliest reason i've begun daydreaming about my mythical retirement (mythical because in my family the men always have strokes or heart attacks a couple weeks after retiring) is the thought that, if I play my cards right, I might be able to fit in a 2-hour nap every day. Ms. Who doesn't nap, but my new puppy does. He sees me lay down on the floor on a Saturday afternoon and says, that's what I've been TALKIN' about & curls up next to me for some sunspot zs. If they would let me nap at work I'd be glad to work till i dropped, but they won't, so hmmmm ... how soon can i retire?
ReplyDeleteRe gear, although i must admit it did occur to me that you might possibly have a subterranean Dr. Evil in-home movie lair with vintage movie theater seats with cup holders and a popcorn machine in the corner, your gear actually sounds about like the down to earth, good but unpretentious stuff i figured you'd have. I'm going the same way; converting a small extra bedroom into a paperback library and movie room. Unfold the futon & voila, it's a guest bedroom!
Re movie theaters -- when i was loaded up with kids and long commutes & 99 problems, I felt like i didn't have the time or money for the movies though I really wanted to. Decades later, now that I actually can go to the movies, I'm always vaguely disappointed at the bang i'm getting for the increasingly big bucks. I could put the year's movie money into a coffee can and buy a nice speaker system with it ...
And the other reason we go to the AFI is that we're members and they send us free tickets... My company used to send me a couple of free tickets to a local theater for my birthday or if I was an especially good girl, but we were bought out last fall so I guess that has gone by the wayside.
ReplyDelete