After more than 30 years of reviewing almost every movie that hit big screens and small, Larry picks and chooses the movies he reviews these days. Many are aimed at baby boomers and those who want a little more for their movie money than merely gratuitous violence, sex and F-bombs.
Thanks to everyone over at C. C. Young Senior Living near the shore of White Rock Lake in Dallas for the fantastic reception and turnout on Friday (Jan. 17).
And a special thank you to three ladies: Carol Butler, editor and publisher of The Senior Voice, who was generous enough to sponsor the event, and Denise Aver-Phillips (Director of The Point, C. C. Young's Center for Arts and Education) and Angela Castillo (Event coordinator & administrative assistant), who graciously welcomed our Movie Memories "Savor Those Tunes -- Great Movie Music" presentation and provided excellent support.
And while I'm gushing, something I rarely do in print, I'd like to thank Carol Butler for a terrific introduction. Carol said such impressive things about me I almost wanted to take a seat and listen to me myself.
Also, thanks to the fine folks who filled the Point's auditorium to celebrate the joy of excellent movie tunes throughout cinematic history, and especially for responding to my comments about why I think it was a good thing that the characters portrayed by Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford in The Way We Were didn't make a lifelong relationship work out.
It was a fantastic afternoon, so thanks, everyone involved, for making it happen.
And one more thing, you could have heard a pin drop when Bette Midler poured her singing heart out as The Rose.
Who says I'm not on the cutting edge of everything cinematic and trendy?
Well, plenty of people, but that's not the point.
George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) once caught a fish this big! Not really, but as long as we're spoofing. (RKO Radio Pictures)
Parodies are all the rage this year.
From music videos like the Bound 3 spoof of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's Bound 2 by Seth Rogen and James Franco to feature films, videos are hotter than this year's "must-have" toy on Black Friday.
Frank Capra's 1946 Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life appears to be the holiday target of choice this year when it comes to movies.
According to an article posted on the Hollywood Reporter website, "One is by comedian Owen Weber and the other is from Jean-Marc Vallee, director of the Oscar contender Dallas Buyers Club.
Leonardo DiCaprio as the title character in "The Wolf of Wall Street." (thewrap.com)
"Weber recut a Wonderful Life trailer to the tune of Kanye West's Black Skinhead, which is also heard in the first trailer for Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street (opening Dec. 25).
"Weber's parody The Wolf of Bedford Falls ... depicts Jimmy Stewart's hero as a corrupt sellout to evil banker Mr. Potter," the article states.
Sacrilege or homage?
I'll say a little (actually, a lot) of both.
I know this, though. The version of "It's a Wonderful Life" you'll see in the video below is not your mama's version of George Bailey.
Don't fret over planning your holiday party
The holidays are here and Movie Memories has you covered when it comes to entertainment for your event.
It is time to get serious about planning your holiday event, though. Whether it's a corporate Christmas party, a country club holiday gathering or a retirement community seasonal celebration, the "Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays" Movie Memories presentation arrives bearing gifts of laughter, nostalgia and holiday joy.
In a presentation lasting a little over an hour, I combine classic Christmas movie clips with behind-the-scene Hollywood insight and tales of Christmases past sure to entertain your group and inspire and touch hearts along the way.
We'll begin by boarding The Polar Express, with stops along the way at everything from White Christmas to The Santa Clause. Of course our final holiday stop simply must be ... Well, you just have to join us to find out.
Call 972-599-2150 to book your "Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays" Movie Memories presentation today to secure your group's preferred date.
Truth? Well, there's more truth
Most movie buffs will remember the tension-packed, screaming courtroom standoff between Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise in the 1992 military drama "A Few Good Men."
Jack Nicholson on the witness stand in "A Few Good Men." (Columbia Pictures)
Well, now there's another standoff between Cruise and Nicholson, and it's playing out in the Hollywood Hills.
Cruise, it seems, is wooing his former co-star to portray a boozing womanizer who happens to be the former president of the United States.
In the upcoming El Presidente, Toothy Tom is set to play a "straight-arrow Secret Service agent.
He's assigned to protect America's worst former president, an alcoholic and womanizing sleazebag who was elevated from VP when the president died," according to the post.
Esteemed Toronto mayor Rob Ford. (zap2it.com)
If published reports turn out to be true, Cruise may have even told Nicholson, an Academy Award winner three times over, he won't make the movie without his old co-star.
Let's not be too hasty, Mr. Cruise.
Surely there's at least one other person who could pull off the role of "an alcoholic sleazebag" who also formerly wielded politial power.
I've often thought I missed my real chance to get wealthy as a film critic.
If I were in it for the money alone, I wouldn't have wasted my time writing about which movies to go see or rent, I'd just hang out in front of a popular video store and offer my expertise for cash on the spot.
A film critic as street performer, if you will. Crowdfunding, I believe, is the term being texted around these days.
The process would go something like this: You, confused by what movie to rent, would get out of your car in the parking lot of Blockbuster or other video store (when those were still around) and slouch toward the door.
Nine times out of 10 you knew you'd be overwhelmed by hundreds, perhaps thousands of choices inside. And, most of the time, you had already forgotten what title your spouse, significant other or child told you to get.
And then, there I'd be, right by the door with suggestions for latest arrivals, a really good foreign film, a classic or even, dare I mention it, a documentary. You would give me a dollar and move inside to rent your movie with confidence.
Oh, and I would get rich (counting on hordes of happy return customers, of course).
I said all that to say this. If I were standing in front of your favorite video store today, I would urge you to rent the superb documentary titled "Young @ Heart" that graced movie screens in 2007.
"Young @ Heart" chronicles the final weeks of rehearsal as the Young at Heart Chorus of Northampton, Mass. prepares for its annual concert series. This is not your usual chorus. For one thing, the average age is 81, and many of the chorus members have major health problems to overcome. Oh, and did I mention these vibrant seniors sing everything from James Brown to Sonic Youth.
The scene where they melt the hearts of young prisoners with their version of "Forever Young" will fill your heart with joy. "Young @ Heart" never gets better, though, than when the late Fred Knittle, a former World War II machine-gunner, sings a haunting version of Coldplay's "Fix You."
Knittle died at the age of 83 in 2009. He is survived by his wife, four children, 12 grandchildren, thousands of movie fans and one film critic you may know who desperately wanted to attend his funeral, but couldn't due to circumstances beyond his control.
Vacation Movie School
Remember Vacation Bible School when you were a kid?
Boy, I do. Mom would drop my brother and I off at the First Baptist Church in Grand Prairie on a weekday -- and a morning at that -- for Bible study shortly after regular school broke for the summer.
And, if we could recite all the Books of the New Testament, we'd get a snow cone.
That's sort of what's going on with what I'm calling Vacation Movie School, except for the mandatory memorization and, sadly, the sugary blast of a dripping grape or red snow cone as a reward.
You need to sign up in the next week or so, but some seats are available for my "Hollywood's Hot Movie Scandals" non-credit Emeritus plus 50 class at Richland College next month.
The admission fee is a mere $22. Over the course of four Tuesdays in July (the 9th through July 30 from 10:30 a.m. to noon) we'll dig into some of the biggest scandals that rocked Hollywood over the years.
On July 23, for instance, we'll take an in-depth look at the meteoric rise to stardom and the sad end to actress, sex symbol Marilyn Monroe. The death of the "special friend" of a couple of famous Kennedys and Frank Sinatra was ruled a "probable suicide." But was it? Hmmm.
The four-week series, which will also put scandals involving Lana Turner (July 16) and Ingrid Bergman (July 30) under the microscope, kicks off July 9 with the sordid tale of the crash to blacklisting and ruin of silent film star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in the early 1920s. But what's the real story?
The Richland Emeritus plus 50 classroom only holds 20, so if you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area ensure yourself a seat by signing up today. Click here for registration info for "Hollywood's Hot Movie Scandals" (Course No. SRCZ 1000 84915), or call 972-238-6146 or 972-238-6147.
I can't promise snow cones, but there will be snacks!
If you need some inspiration to put a little pep in your step, consider this.
Near-legendary actor, director, composer and producer Clint Eastwood, who, yes, occasionally likes to chat with an empty piece of furniture before a TV audience of millions at a national political convention, turns 83 today.
What's Eastwood up to on this momentous day, you ask: Sitting at home softly plunking keys on the piano? Perhaps hitting the links for a little golf? Or maybe just relaxing, contemplating his early acting roles as Jonesey in the talking-mule movie "Francis in the Navy" (1955) or his 216 episodes as feisty Rowdy Yates on the TV Western "Rawhide" from 1959 to the mid-'60s.
If you believe any of that, you rank right up there with that empty chair at last year's Republican National Convention.
Eastwood, you see, is -- as usual -- juggling future movie projects. According to published reports, the filmmaker with the squinty eyes and low, raspy voice has put his remake of "A Star Is Born" on the back burner.
It looks like Eastwood, last in the director's chair guiding Leonardo DiCaprio through "J. Edgar" in 2011, has his late-season career sights set on Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in a big-screen adaptation of the Broadway hit musical "Jersey Boys."
"Multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Eastwood is in talks with production entity GK Films and Warner Bros. to take on the high-profile project, though neither the studio nor the production company or Eastwood's reps would confirm the negotiations," a Hollywood Reporter article states.
Maybe Eastwood will celebrate his 83rd birthday with a little sip of sherry to pay homage to the Four Seasons' first No. 1 hit in 1962 and perhaps Clint's next as a filmmaker. Happy Birthday, Mr. Eastwood, and bottoms up!
Brookhaven, you're all class
Thanks to DeBorah Whaley-Stephenson and all the fine folks over at Dallas' Brookhaven College for including my "Five Decades, Five Great Movie Classics" film appreciation continuing education class in their Students 50+ Education Program spring semester.
The students were all attentive and appreciative as we watched and discussed five classic films on five consecutive Thursdays in May.
We called it a wrap yesterday (May 30) with cookies and immersing ourselves with a screen full of a very young looking Jack Nicholson sparring verbally with Faye Dunaway and a grandfatherly, yet evil John Huston in "Chinatown," circa 1974.
Thanks, students, for being a terrific class. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone (and more) for my upcoming fall semester class, a look at classic films either about Texas, shot in Texas or starring Texas-based actors. Let's fill up the classroom for that one.
(Clint Eastwood photo courtesy: google.com/Eastwood and chair photo courtesy: wheelercentre.com)
Baz Luhrmann puts Carey Mulligan and Leonardo DiCaprio through their paces in "The Great Gatsby." (Photo courtesy: Warner Bros.)
From the Hey, Don't You Think It's A Little Late For That Department:
Now that Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" is in theaters with a boffo $51 million and change opening weekend in the books, the Australian filmmaker with a flair for, shall we say, mass-appeal-of-the-day revisionist film-making, is feigning worry that "Gatsby" novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald might not approve of a flashy mix of hip hop and period music.
“I don’t know if he would say, ‘I was really upset you didn’t put the old-fashioned music in.’ He might have,” Luhrmann tells The Hollywood Reporter. “He might have said, ‘Why did you put that immediate, now music? Why did you use this new thing called 3-D?’… I don’t really know what he would think,” an article posted on the Hollywood Reporter website said.
From this aisle seat, Luhrmann and (if you watch the video below) hip-hop artist Jay-Z, who draws an executive producer credit as Shawn "Jay Z" Carter, stars Leonardo DiCaprio (Gatsby), Carey Mulligan (Daisy) and former "Spider-Man" Tobey Maguire (Nick) all agree that fusing modern-day hip-hop into Roaring Twenties jazz is -- to split the difference decade-wise -- a groovy idea.
I'm not going to give a full explanation of how I think it worked today, since -- NEWSFLASH! -- Breaking News -- there's a good chance I may be reopening my Movie Review Jalapeño Jar soon. That might just begin with my "Great Gatsby" review.
More to come on that news soon. For now, check out the video below and see what those involved have to say about hip-hopping through F. Scott Fitzgerald territory.
You know, George Jones is coming back to the Opry for the last time.
Aw, we all wondered if he would.
You know, it keeps runnin' through my mind ...
This time, he's over his troubles for good.
George Jones, the conflicted superstar country music troubadour with a pure voice of the gods and a devil's grip on whiskey bottles, will play the Grand Ole Opry one more time.
According to an article published in The Hollywood Reporter, a public funeral for Jones, who died Friday at 81, will be held Thursday (May 2) at 10 a.m. at Nashville's country music shrine.
"George would have wanted his fans and friends everywhere to be able to come and pay their respects along with his family," said publicist Kirt Webster in a press release quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
As much as I'd like to be in Nashville to pay my respects, I can't. So two unforgettable meetings, regrettably from afar, with the greatest country music crooner of all time (in my humble opinion) will have to do.
I worked my way up to San Antonio from a small-but-proud newspaper (The Valley Morning Star) in Harlingen in 1983. It didn't take long to become aware that The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo was a big deal for my new city and for my new newspaper, The San Antonio Light.
The rodeo became a big deal for me as well when I learned that George Jones would be appearing the night our group from the newspaper planned to go. The rodeo itself was fun enough, though distinct with odor-de-livestock.
I moved to the edge of my seat, though, when Jones and his band was introduced. The country superstar came out and sang his opening number just fine. Jones was well into doing a great job on Tune No. 2 as well when some stupid jerk in the audience flung a cowboy hat like a frisbee that somehow -- and I still don't understand quite how -- sailed far enough to hit Mr. Jones right in the kisser.
"Well, good night y'all," Jones said calmly. He turned around and left the stage after performing for a total of about four minutes and never looked back.
About a decade later, I had another chance at Jones, who was dubbed "No Show Jones" by many back then. The Possum and his band booked a gig at a festival at Austin's Town Lake (now Lady Bird Lake).
I was dating future wife Suellen then, and I couldn't wait to impress her with decent seats to see George Jones. Suellen's daughter Lisa, about 10 or 11 at the time, was with us. It was a great day. The festival, face-painting for Lisa and then, if he showed up, George Jones.
The good news is that Mr. Jones did show up, and he seemed to be (relatively) sober. Jones' entourage even sold T-shirts flaunting the obvious: "I saw No Show Jones."
George Jones took the stage with a friendly grin shortly after the sun went down over the lake that night. His voice, clear and full of nuance (and perhaps Jim Beam Kentucky bourbon), echoed through the speakers like vocal nectar.
Jones was in fine voice that night. And so was the drunk seated directly behind me who -- leaning forever forward spewing breath that reeked of the devil's outhouse -- matched Jones word for word, nuance for nuance ... only louder and directly into my ears!
We didn't even care. We were there and so was George Jones. What a memorable night.
Thanks for showing up, George. We'll miss you.
As George himself would say, and will if you click on the video below:
"Yaba daba do, the king is gone."
(George Jones photos courtesy: tmz.com (top) and accessshowbiz.com.)
April 20 was hardly a typical Saturday. That was the day the Richland College Emeritus plus 50/Movie Memories posse was formed for the semi-sole purpose of determining that Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow remain a non-threat to law-abiding citizens.
We all watched "Bonnie and Clyde," the Oscar-nominated 1967 classic starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, the night before, so we felt obligated to take action. (Click here to hear Merle Haggard sing "The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde.")
While it's true that a 79-year-old notorious crime spree might be considered the ultimate cold case by some, the Richland Emeritus plus 50 group is a determined bunch, especially if we can stop at Braum's for a refreshment break from time to time.
After returning from a rather cushy day on the trail -- not on horseback but in a comfortable Lone Star Coaches bus -- your scribe can report that both former West Dallas desperadoes of the 1930s remain buried and quite secure in separate Dallas graves.
The other purpose of the day trip was to have lunch at Bonnie & Clyde's Hideout. Not the gun-brandishing bank robber's actual hideout, you understand, but a comfortable, swanky bar and grill at the Hilton DFW Lakes Hotel in Grapevine.
Although we weren't officially deputized by Richland Emeritus plus 50 director Mitzi Werther, when the bus pulled off from under the big tree in Richland's Parking Lot D, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who felt like we were off on an important mission with snacks.
Our journey began in the direction of Irving. Destination: The CRM Studios, formerly known as The Studios at Las Colinas. Tim Eaton, senior account executive/producer, gave up his Saturday morning to show us around the star-themed dressing rooms and high-tech studios.
Tim Eaton takes us behind the scenes at the CRM Studios in Irving.
Eaton, of course, is a great friend of the Richland Emeritus plus 50 program. During last year's April movie-themed bus tour, Eaton showed us around Waxahachie, 45 minutes South of Dallas. That's where Oscar-winning movies "Places in the Heart," "Tender Mercies" and "The Trip to Bountiful" were filmed in the mid-1980s.
Tim wowed our crowd once again this year with his friendly, funny banter and knowledgeable tour of the soundstages where movies like "Silkwood," "JFK" and others were lensed and where various TV shows, the Glenn Beck radio show and corporate productions are the focus today.
From there it was off to the Barrow Gang trail. Mike, our driver, stopped the bus at the historical marker that signifies the somber site (on East Dove just off Hwy. 114 in Southlake) where Bonnie and Clyde's gang gunned down two Texas Highway Patrolmen on Easter Sunday, 1934.
Then it was off to the Bonnie and Clyde Hideout, which is -- shall we say -- in plain sight right smack dab in the center of the Hilton DFW Lakes Hotel.
A side note: I doubt very seriously that the outlaws-on-the-run ever dined at their hideout-themed bar and grill. If you do, though, I highly recommend the tomato basil soup. It's yummy.
Our tour guides: Author, memorabilia collector and Richland Emeritus plus 50 advisory board member Charles Heard, left, and author, Bonnie and Clyde historian Jonathan Davis at the historical marker in Southlake.
From there our Bonnie and Clyde tour guides, Charles Heard and Jonathan Davis, directed Mike the driver and our group to West Dallas, where stops included a site where Clyde Barrow killed a police officer in a shootout on the porch of a West Dallas home, the Barrow family plot at the Western Heights Cemetery on Fort Worth Avenue and the now-shuttered Star Service Station on Singleton Blvd., which once served as the Barrow family home.
We then journeyed north for a quick ice cream and convenience respite at Braum's before visiting Bonnie Parker's grave (see photo above), where she's buried next to her mama at Crown Hill Memorial Park on Webb Chapel Road.
As the day's shadows grew longer, Mike steered the bus back toward the big tree in Parking Lot D. We had accomplished our goal. As we suspected but felt compelled to confirm, Bonnie and Clyde remain no threat to bankers, car owners or grocery store owners.
Besides, the candy we packed for the trip had run out by then.
The Richland College Emeritus Bonnie and Clyde posse: That's Emeritus plus 50 director Mitzi Werther on the far right. (All photos courtesy Michael Pasierb, except for the shot of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.)
I want to take a moment to thank everyone in the enthusiastic crowd that came from near and semi-far (Little Elm, I know of) to attend Richland College's Emeritus plus 50 gala "Music, Magic & Movies" extravaganza at the Fannin Performance Hall Thursday.
My highest praise goes out to The Levee Singers and magician David Hira, who drew respective standing ovations for -- What is the notch just above outstanding? OK, got it ... -- stellar, crowd-pleasing performances.
And thanks to Mitzi Werther, who heads up Richland's Emeritus plus 50 program, for inviting me to emcee and perform in the program, Nick McMinn up in the Fannin Performance Hall booth and to my new partners-in-entertainment (for one day, at least), Ed Bernet, Dick Bernet and the two Ralphs, Sanford and Lindsey, and, of course the mysteriously engaging David Hira.
Also, if you couldn't join us for "Music, Magic & Movies," keep reading down the page for the next exciting Emeritus plus 50 event, the Bonnie and Clyde Bus Tour.
One more thing. You missed the update on those giant mosquitoes that are 20 times the normal size in Florida. As you will discover by clicking the link below, however, the mucho-plus-sized mosquitoes appear to be no real threat at all.
'Bonnie and Clyde' still wanted dead, thank you
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in a photo found by police at their Joplin, Mo. hideout in 1933. (Courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org)
Both members of the notorious crime duo Bonnie and Clyde are quite dead. Still, they can't get away.
Movie Memories and the Richland College Emeritus plus 50 program has a dandy day bus trip planned for April 20. We're forming a posse to retrace the famous outlaw's steps.
Once again, it is my goal to make Richland Emeritus plus 50 leader Mitzi Werther order a bigger bus. But I need your help to do that.
It's time to sign up for the "Bonnie and Clyde Bus Tour." It all kicks off with a screening of the 1967 Oscar-nominated crime-spree classic "Bonnie and Clyde" Friday evening, April 19. The next morning, we'll get on a comfortable bus and begin our tour at the CRM Studios in Las Colinas. Tim Eaton, who so eloquently guided us around Waxahachie last year, is back to show us around celebrity-themed dressing rooms at the CRM studios.
After lunch, we'll tour Dallas-area locales where notorious outlaws Bonnie and Clyde gunned down two law enforcement officers, other related sites of interest and finally visit the couple's grave sites, which are not together in case you are wondering.
Charles Heard, author, cinephile and collector of movie memorabilia, will guide us along the Bonnie and Clyde part of the tour. Sign up early, please. Once the bus is full, it's full. You can call 972-238-6147 to register for the bus tour. Here's a link with all the info: http://www.richlandcollege.edu/emeritus/trips.php
There is no denying it. We've had some potentially tragic near-misses lately. We survived the meteor that ravaged Russia. You know, the one no scientist saw coming.
We even made it through the recent too-close-for-comfort asteroid fly-by on Feb. 15.
And, so far at least, it appears we've even passed the crisis stage in Dennis Rodman's recent visit to North Korea, where the multipierced, multitattooed former NBA elbow-slinging rebounder hammed it up with munchkin leader Kim Jong Un.
Who says spring break is only for the kids? I say it's time to party Baby Boomer style!
I'd like to personally invite you and as many friends and loved ones you can round up to join us at Richland College's Fannin Performance Hall tomorrow (Thursday, March 14) for "Music, Magic & Movies."
The gala celebration begins at 10:20 a.m. and includes The Levee Singers, Dallas's own legendary folkies, celebrated magician David Hira and yours truly as master of ceremonies. In addition to serving up some heart-pumping movie memories to set the entertainment mood, I'll also have a few tricks up my sleeve.
And who says there's no such thing as a free lunch?
Remember, that's four hours of music, magic and movie fun for the small fee of only $15. And a box lunch is provided. Also, we plan to have you out of there by 2, so don't worry about fighting rush-hour traffic. Call 972-238-6147 to register for the event (Course No. 814388) or click on this link for more info.
And, by the way, if you have difficulty registering today because of the late date, send me an email at [email protected] and I'll see if I can help. See you tomorrow!
'Bonnie and Clyde' still wanted dead, thank you
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in a photo found by police at their Joplin, Mo. hideout in 1933. (Courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org)
Both members of the notorious crime duo Bonnie and Clyde are quite dead. Still, they can't get away.
Movie Memories and the Richland College Emeritus plus 50 program has a dandy day bus trip planned for April 20. We're forming a posse to retrace the famous outlaw's steps.
Once again, it is my goal to make Richland Emeritus plus 50 leader Mitzi Werther order a bigger bus. But I need your help to do that.
It's time to sign up for the "Bonnie and Clyde Bus Tour." It all kicks off with a screening of the 1967 Oscar-nominated crime-spree classic "Bonnie and Clyde" Friday evening, April 19. The next morning, we'll get on a comfortable bus and begin our tour at the CRM Studios in Las Colinas. Tim Eaton, who so eloquently guided us around Waxahachie last year, is back to show us around celebrity-themed dressing rooms at the CRM studios.
After lunch, we'll tour Dallas-area locales where notorious outlaws Bonnie and Clyde gunned down two law enforcement officers, other related sites of interest and finally visit the couple's grave sites, which are not together in case you are wondering.
Charles Heard, author, cinephile and collector of movie memorabilia, will guide us along the Bonnie and Clyde part of the tour. Sign up early, please. Once the bus is full, it's full. You can call 972-238-6147 to register for the bus tour. Here's a link with all the info: http://www.richlandcollege.edu/emeritus/trips.php
Let's face it, we've had some potentially tragic near-misses lately. We survived the meteor that ravaged Russia. You know, the one no scientist saw coming.
We even made it through the recent too-close-for-comfort asteroid fly-by on Feb. 15.
And, so far at least, it appears we've even passed the crisis stage in Dennis Rodman's recent visit to North Korea, where the multipierced, multitattooed former NBA elbow-slinging rebounder hammed it up with munchkin leader Kim Jong Un.
Who says spring break is only for the kids? I say it's time to party Baby Boomer style!
I'd like to personally invite you and as many friends and loved ones you can round up to join us at Richland College's Fannin Performance Hall on Thursday, March 14 for "Music, Magic & Movies."
The gala celebration begins at 10 a.m. and includes The Levee Singers, Dallas's own legendary folkies, celebrated magician David Hira and yours truly as master of ceremonies. In addition to serving up some heart-pumping movie memories to set the entertainment mood, I'll also have a few tricks up my sleeve.
And who says there's no such thing as a free lunch?
Remember, that's four hours of music, magic and movie fun for the small fee of only $15. And a box lunch is provided. Also, we plan to have you out of there by 2, so don't worry about fighting rush-hour traffic. Call 972-238-6147 to register for the event (Course No. 814388) or click on this link for more info.
'Bonnie and Clyde' wanted dead, thank you
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in a photo found by police at their Joplin, Mo. hideout in 1933. (Courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org)
Both members of the notorious crime duo Bonnie and Clyde are quite dead. Still, they can't get away.
Movie Memories and the Richland College Emeritus plus 50 program has a dandy day bus trip planned for April 20. We're forming a posse to retrace the famous outlaw's steps.
Once again, it is my goal to make Richland Emeritus plus 50 leader Mitzi Werther order a bigger bus. But I need your help to do that.
It's time to sign up for the "Bonnie and Clyde Bus Tour." It all kicks off with a screening of the 1967 Oscar-nominated crime-spree classic "Bonnie and Clyde" Friday evening, April 19. The next morning, we'll get on a comfortable bus and begin our tour at the CRM Studios in Las Colinas. Tim Eaton, who so eloquently guided us around Waxahachie last year, is back to show us around celebrity-themed dressing rooms at the CRM studios.
After lunch, we'll tour Dallas-area locales where notorious outlaws Bonnie and Clyde gunned down two law enforcement officers, other related sites of interest and finally visit the couple's grave sites, which are not together in case you are wondering.
Charles Heard, author, cinephile and collector of movie memorabilia, will guide us along the Bonnie and Clyde part of the tour. Sign up early, please. Once the bus is full, it's full. You can call 972-238-6147 to register for the bus tour. Here's a link with all the info: http://www.richlandcollege.edu/emeritus/trips.php
Thanks for sharing Movie Memories
Thanks to Robin for booking me, Owen for hosting me and the residents of Town Village North Dallas for listening to me for my "Rockets' Red Glare: Space Race Classics" presentation Sunday evening. Of course, "The Right Stuff" was part of the program.
FYI, the "Rockets' Red Glare: Space Race Classics" presentation is so new it's not even listed among the Movie Memories presentations yet. Be among the first to book the high-flying cinematic celebration of the U.S. -- Ruskie space race or other Movie Memories presentations (See top left side of this webpage) and call 972-599-2150 to lock in your group or organization's date and time.
Check out The Senior Voice
And I don't just mention that because my movie column, Getting Reel, appears in The Senior Voice, Carol Butler's fine bi-monthly newspaper celebrating everything senior.
In the hot-off-the-press March-April issue, for instance, you'll find Barry Rogers' interview with "Dallas" star Patrick Duffy, the result of Bo Carter's sit-down interview with Texas Rangers' second baseman Ian Kinsler and -- you knew I'd eventually get to this -- my movie memory about attending a gala movie world premiere and the reason I couldn't see much of the film itself.
