Here’s Looking at You, Kid

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Sunday Stealing: The Movie Nut’s Meme

What was you first movie-going experience without your parents? I saw a horror sci-fi film with my cousin Carol. It was called “First Man into Space” and I remember we held hands because we were so scared.

Do you still buy DVDs or Blu Rays (or do you just stream them)? Only of series I collect like James Bond. I had binge watched the series a couple of times before I met Kathy and we did it a year or so ago.

What is your guilty pleasure movie? What about it works for you? “Debbie Does The Muppets”. You can’t beat the classics.

You have compiled a list of your top 100 movies. Which movies do you like, but would not make the list? Seriously?

Which movie(s) do you compulsively watch over and over again? What makes it so great? “When Harry Met Sally”. I just want to make sure they still wind up together.

Classic(s) you’re embarrassed to admit you haven’t seen yet? “Citizen Kane”. When I was on my 1930s binge watching in the mid-‘70s, I never got around to it. Now I don’t see the charm as I did then.

Do you have any movie posters hanging on your wall? If yes, which ones and why? “Operation Kid Brother”. I got it and a couple of other so I could Operation_Kid_Brother-213x329 hang posters on WTIT’s first studio in 1967. All the shows we do “stars” the people in the credits. It’s a Bond spoof with Neil Connery and a bunch of Bond actors. It’s horrible and only good if you see it as a “Mystery 3000” film. But we’ve been reading those names for so long that the poster is now framed (and since replaced with a new one) ad still in our studio. It has always been there for nearly 50 years.

Tell us about a movie that you are passionate about. I hate this meme. I often said when I was pained through a meme Allison stole that picking them is hard. I see that we have a low turnout today. I think themed memes are deadly. I don’t know why I forgot that.

What is a movie you vow to never watch? Why? Anything slapstick like Adam Sandler. I cannot understand its appeal.

Tell us about a movie that literally left you speechless. The first “The Matrix” film. I left feeling the film was real and we were on an imaginary planet.

What’s a movie that you always recommend? “Casablanca”because it’s timeless. I always thought it interesting that they shot two different endings. Obviously they chose the right one.

Who is an actor you always watch, no matter how crappy the movie? I used to have favorites like that, but not in a long time. (So long that besides Bogie I can’t think of one) There are still actors that are great no matter the material like Kevin Spacey. But I don’t see all his films just because he’s in one.

Who is an actor you don’t get the appeal for? Why don’t you like them? Adam Sandler, Jerry Lewis and the like. The only slapstick I ever cared for was “The Three Stooges and even that in small doses.

Bogart as “Rick” in “Casablanca”

Who is an actor, living or dead, you’d love to meet? Why do they intrigue you? Bogie. He was the first “man’s man” in my book. He died when I was a kid. I did meet his son Steve quite accidentally when I owned a chain of video stores in the 80s. We talked movies for an hour while I was waiting for someone. I didn’t even find out who it was until the person I was waiting for introduced us. He was Bogie’s child with Lauren Bacall.

Sexiest actor/actress you’ve seen. (Picture required!)

OK, you are casting a movie, pick four or five actors you’d hire to be in it and why we’d love them together. Kevin Spacey, George Clooney, Matthew McConaughey, Julia Roberts and Sean Connery. Just cuz.

Who are your favorite actor pairing of all time? It would be hard to beat the two Newman & Redford films. “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Sting”.

Have you ever watched movies from a decade that was before you were born? If so, which decade is your favorite? Oops. And I stole this fucker. Obvious those thirties films. They still work on you understanding and era that ended before your parents were grownups. And it was so different then. The smoking, the drinking, the old cars and phones are all things I still find fascinating. A footnote, so-to-speak: WTIT did spoofs of thirty’s films because I was so into them. For a while Johnnie Walker came over to watch thirty’s films on Sunday nights with my first wife and I. Then we spoofed them. We loved Pat O’Brien films. He was always the patriotic American. We were still in Viet Nam and we could not relate to the patriotism. Even now when I hear shit like “I want my country back” under the guise of patriotism I wanna hurl. You can almost hear “from that black man”. We were never Mayberry. Just white people thought we were.

If you were to be in a movie would you rather play the hero, villain or anti-hero? Why? I’d do the hero.

My proud mother of 92 years had to finally be placed in a nursing home. When I saw her Friday there for the first time (she’d only been there a week) she said she out-stayed here welcome after 8 years at my sisters. The truth is she finally could no longer walk other than to the bathroom and was sleeping a lot. And falling down a lot. There was no choice and I’m afraid her journey will end soon. It’s time and she warned, “Don’t live this long. Your 90s suck” or the like. She also hoped not to suffer dying. I’m sure she won’t. Her mother died of Alzheimer’s and she always was afraid that she would. She is still very sharp. Sorry for the movie meme. I’ll do better next week, I promise. I was in Manhattan yesterday. A group of the top YouTube make-up show hosts had a meeting because one of the biggest, a woman from England, was in New York for the first time. Kathy was invited and there had to be 50 fans between the various show’s personalities. Kathy had a ball and I took a million pics. It gave me an excuse for a couple of drinks, too. It’s so weird now. I enjoy a drink or to every now and then, but since I stopped daily drinking I don’t miss it at all. I never thought I could be a person who occasionally drank. But I did and I love my new mostly sober look at the world. Thanks for stopping by today. I wish we could have a meet-up like the one I attended yesterday. Perhaps in Chicago would make sense. Who’s in? See you soon! Same time. Same blog.

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8 comments on “Here’s Looking at You, Kid”

1) I loved the movie meme. If others don’t, well, fuck ’em. I don’t think the naysayers realize how hard this meme thing can be. If you want to cheat, just pick up an issue of PEOPLE. There’s an interview in the back every week called, “One Last Thing.” “What’s the last song you sang out loud?” “What was your last indulgence?” etc. Every week it’s there with different questions.

2) Is that really Law & Order prosecutor Claire Kincaid? Who knew that was going on under her sensible suits?

3) Really, watch Citizen Kane sometime. It’s a great and enduring story, still relevant in this media driven age. (His childhood is confusing and slow, so you might want to make yourself a sandwich during that part.)

4) So sorry about your mom. It’s hard to watch and it’s hard to endure. The fact that it’s the natural order of things doesn’t help, does it?

5) I’ll call my niece. (Thanks.)

Bud Weiser on July 10, 2016 at 1:44 PM said:

My mom had a long health life. It sees a bit easier having gone through it with my dad. But I know how I will feel then, may be different than now… (And on 5 – you knew it. Someone had to say it.)

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