Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 591875 times)

MaryPage · « **Reply #1920 on:** August 16, 2011, 09:22:36 AM »

So many movies – how do you choose what to watch?
Reviews? Recommendations? Actors? Availability?
Do you choose a movie the same way you choose a book?

And where do you like to watch most of your movies?
Do you stream movies from Netflix and other places?
Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever watched a film?

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Join us in an ongoing discussion of your favorite movies right now.
Pull up a chair, take off your shoes, pour yourself a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, and join in!

Your Discussion Leader: pedln

I never wore aprons; could not abide them. Except my daughters each in turn took 8th grade home-ec, remember that? It does not exist any longer in our school system here, but the thing is, each had to make their mother an apron. It was, thank the stars, one of those only-around-the-waist types, no bib, and they had 2 large pockets. They were pretty and each different and I treasured them, mostly unworn, for simply years and years. Have tossed them now, as you just cannot keep EVERYthing!

I never have worn jeans! Another item I could not abide. When my oldest daughter first entered High School, and I went in my car to fetch her one day, I noted every girlchild in the entire school coming out the doors wearing jeans and white shirts or blouses with their straight ironed hair long and parted in the middle. They looked like nothing so much as a hoard of Chinese Communists! My girls fought me tooth and nail, but I never allowed my daughters to wear jeans to school; albeit I did allow them otherwise. So, even on my very stringent budget, my daughters were well dressed, and two of them in turn were voted by the faculty to represent their schools on the Woodward & Lothrop Teen Board.

These days, I live in slacks; but never a pair of jeans and never any slacks with a zipper up the front. That has always meant "copying the males unneccessarily, as I lack their equipment" to me. Never have been able to figure out that zipper for women!

Babi · « **Reply #1921 on:** August 16, 2011, 09:53:20 AM »

Quote

you just cannot keep EVERYthing!

I'm still trying, MARYPAGE, but something has got to give!

You're a woman of very strong convictions, MARYPAGE. Now that they are grown, have you asked your daughters what it was like for them in high school, being the only girls dressed differently? I would be interested to know what they say.
I stopped wearing jeans as soon as my backside began to look awful in them.
I bought one pair a couple of years ago,as a matter of triumph!, because a long
term of being unable to eat much had gotten my backside down to reasonable proportions again.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1922 on:** August 16, 2011, 10:36:43 AM »

We often talk about it, Babi, and my girls are now very pleased I made them dress well and they had the experience of being on teen boards. It also was good for their college applications. They have since always been aware of and careful about their appearance. I think a lot of people who overdo the casual bit or latest crowd fads are unaware they sometimes disappoint or embarrass or even insult their hosts or friends or, and goodness knows this has happened to me more often than I am comfortable with, relatives!

American friends who have lived in foreign countries have admitted to cringing when they see the majority of American tourists abroad having no thought whatsoever as to how their unsightly getups insult the peoples of the countries they are visiting. The Ugly Americans!

I was raised to never go out of the house without looking neat and tidy. I was told I should not be in a situation where I would be embarrassed if I met the queen up the street!

Fat chance!

Only one day, in York in England, I did! Right on the edge of the road, I was, as her special vehicle (much lower windows) drove slowly by. I saw her right in front of me, and she saw me. Just a quick moment in time, but I was a right proper American tourist, I was! Did us proud, and my grandmother could smile in her grave.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1923 on:** August 16, 2011, 04:18:34 PM »

Just got the following email from Caroline of Caroline's Cakes about the movie THE HELP.

I wanted to share this over-the-top day with all of you.....

'The Help' opened August 10th in theatres across the country.

We were written up in The Post and Courier, The Charleston City Paper, and The Annapolis Capital.

NBC News here in Charleston is coming out to interview me for the 7p news.

Before every show I go down in front of the audience and say a little something about Caroline's Caramel Cake and how it happened to be in the movie.....that I was born in this Holiest of Cities, grew up in SC.........so I am legit......authentic.......that is very, very important in this land of The LowCountry.

Truly an out of body experience......will my feet ever touch ground.........
and now, The Washington Post wants to come out and do a story about us........AND......
Richard just called from Annapolis.........NBC News there is coming out to interview him for the evening news up in the DC, Baltimore Annapolis area........WooHoo!!!!
Thank you all for enjoying this cake-ride with me..............
Truly 'taking it to the 7th layer' here!!!

Frybabe · « **Reply #1924 on:** August 16, 2011, 06:05:26 PM »

Oh, that is super MaryPage. Did you know that the Caramel Cake was hers? The Food and Wine article didn't mention her. It focused on the Greenwood, Mississippi cooks. Was she on the set or just her cake? The article lead me to believe that all the food in the movie was made by Greenwood cooks. I hope some of the interviews make it to the internet.

roshanarose · « **Reply #1925 on:** August 16, 2011, 11:03:31 PM »

MaryPage - I hope this won't ruin our friendship - BUT I just love jeans. I would never wear them to work though. That is not the correct attire for teachers, although I did have a colleague who used to wear board shorts to teach.

I wore my first "zip up the front" pants after I had my daughter. It was an odd experience at first, but then I liked the way the zipper held my tummy in. I have a small behind but a big tummy.

Probably the most embarrassing experience I had with what I wore was when I had an entire class of Japanese students, male and female, and one Taiwanese man. They were fond of talking about the differences between Japanese customs and Australian ones. I always enjoyed these conversation and it was good for their speaking skills.

The Taiwanese man used to come to class in shabby attire and no shoes. I could tell by the looks they gave him that the Japanese students were horrified, as they have a bit of a "thing" about shoes and feet in general. One day we were talking about shoes and fixing the Taiwanese man with a steady gaze one of the Japanese girls proceeded to tell us that if you wore no shoes in Japan it was considered a disgrace and marked you as a beggar. The Taiwanese guy was unfazed.

One day I was in the city. It was a very very hot day and I was wearing a new pair of sandals. About one block away from the bus stop to go home, I took my sandals off. Normally I wouldn't do that, but this particular day I was in pain from my new sandals which had been digging into my feet. I had not walked two steps barefoot, when guess who came around the corner than half of the bloody Japanese class. They saw me and their faces said it all. We didn't talk about feet again in class.

Babi · « **Reply #1926 on:** August 17, 2011, 08:27:38 AM »

Well, since we had even less chance of ever meeting the queen here, my
grandmother had a different approach. "What if you were in an accident, and
everyone saw that dirty underwear?!" I didn't think that very likely, either.
I did learn to pay more attention to what I grabbed up in the morning, tho',
and that was well before my teen years. I was going to play and get dirty anyway,
right?

Oh, ROSHANA. Wouldn't you know? What are the odds that you would run into
any of those students at just that point, never mind a group of them.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1927 on:** August 17, 2011, 09:25:04 AM »

Roshanarose, we must always be friends; it is written in the stars. I could care less what you choose to wear. As for the bare foot event; that is those unseen but ever present gremlins at work; they do so love an irony.

Frybabe, I have neither seen the movie nor read THE HELP, but Caroline of Caroline's Cakes has her emporium (2 of them right next door to each other, in fact) right here in Annapolis, Maryland. She moved here with her husband eons ago, and missed the cakes from her Charleston, South Carolina home. So she always brought some back in her car after a visit down there. Well, her friends and neighbors began to rave after being served a piece, so they begged her to let them pay for her to bring a cake back to them next time she went. It got so she was making trips JUST to get cakes. Apparently the cook was one who worked for or had worked for her family; I forget the full story. Anyway, she would come back with a CARLOAD of cakes and sell them. Finally she got the recipes or the cook or something, again I forget the details, and she started her own business; first out of her home and then in 1 store and now in two. I am an avid customer, and signed up for her emails. I have never met her. I DID know about the connection with THE HELP, because of these emails. More than that, I cannot telll you. But every one of her cakes is to die for: my favorite is called Montana Gold.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1928 on:** August 17, 2011, 09:29:06 AM »

Babi, I got something like that. It was not "dirty" underwear, but raggedy or with holes in. It was: "Never wear your underwear with holes in it out of the house or yard in case you get hit by a car!"

Frybabe · « **Reply #1929 on:** August 17, 2011, 11:15:15 AM »

Oh gosh do I ever remember the admonition not to go out of the house with holey underwear.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #1930 on:** August 17, 2011, 01:10:50 PM »

I love my jeans also! Dog hair doesn't stick to them like they do to a "woven" pair of slacks, they wear forever and once broken in, they are soooo comfortable! Of course, i never wear them for anything other then casual wear. They are the great American artifact!

Jean

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1931 on:** August 17, 2011, 02:29:59 PM »

Me too - live in them, especially now we are out in the country - when I get up in the morning I just think "which pair of jeans?" (ie the ones with a few holes or lots...). As you say Jean, they are so great with animal hair, and also for crawling around on the floor looking for books, etc. I don't know where I'd be without them, they are so forgiving.

I have one newish pair from M & S that I keep for "best"

Babi · « **Reply #1932 on:** August 18, 2011, 08:18:50 AM »

Now that I think of it, MARYPAGE, holes in the underwear sounds familiar and
was much more likely. My Mom didnt leave dirty clothes lying about.
And if it isn't hair from dogs, JEAN, it's claws on kneading cats. It's not
hard to tell I have cats in my house. They can't get their claws in my lone
pair of jeans so easily.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1933 on:** August 18, 2011, 09:23:09 AM »

Oh yes Babi! Kneading cats - used to be the bane of my life when I was at work and had to wear tights! I am pleased to think that I probably won't ever have to wear those instruments of torture again. Cats can knead away on my jeans and I don't even mind.

Rosemary

pedln · « **Reply #1934 on:** August 18, 2011, 11:24:39 AM »

Has anyone seen Life During Wartime? I've always liked Allison Janney (West Wing), but just couldn't get into this film about three sisters and their relationships with the males in their lives. Maybe I didn't give it a chance, maybe it was supposed to be funny and I didn't get it, or maybe it was just too weird for my taste.

And checked out from the library, The Weight of Water, acually two stories in one. The historical murder I could watch, but not the sex-pot in the modern day part.

So now I've episode one on my Good Wife disc.

maryz · « **Reply #1935 on:** August 18, 2011, 03:59:31 PM »

I'm just back from seeing The Help. I thought it was a terrific movie - very well done, and very true to the book (as I remember it from having read it a while back). Great performances, wonderful music. I loved the "old lady" parts played by Sissy Spacek and Cicely Tyson.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1936 on:** August 18, 2011, 04:40:29 PM »

So in what part was the 7-layer caramel cake featured?

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1937 on:** August 18, 2011, 04:55:35 PM »

Sissy Spacek is an old lady?!!! How time flies! I still think of her as the young girl in Badlands.

Rosemary

maryz · « **Reply #1938 on:** August 18, 2011, 06:27:39 PM »

Spacek is 62 (according to IMDb, born in 1949), with a great make-up job, plus early 1960s hairdo, glasses, and clothes.

I don't remember hearing about the caramel cake. The dessert in question was a chocolate pie.

marcie · « **Reply #1939 on:** August 20, 2011, 01:19:28 AM »

This new TV show isn't based on a book but I found the script/dialog very intelligent and witty. It's on BBC America and it's called THE HOUR. It's set in 1950's England as a new "news" program is about to go on air. It's got murder, intrigue and romance, against the political and cultural backdrop of the 50s.

I found the first episode on my cable ON Demand (the series began broadcasting on August 17). I'm hooked and can't wait to see more. There is info about the series at http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/444/index.jsp

Babi · « **Reply #1940 on:** August 20, 2011, 08:20:35 AM »

I'd be very interested to see it, IF it passes off 'On DEmand' and IF it comes close-captioned. BBC is getting a bit better about that, I believe.

pedln · « **Reply #1941 on:** August 20, 2011, 10:05:33 AM »

Babi, Netflix has it -- or will, when the DVD is available. Don't know about the CC. It does look good, doesn't it. I'd like to see it too.

marcie · « **Reply #1942 on:** August 20, 2011, 06:24:05 PM »

Babi, I looked up BBC America and the FAQs say "As of January 2006, BBC AMERICA is proud to announce that all of our programming line-up features closed captioning, in accordance with digital cable and satellite channel guidelines. We are aware of how important closed captioning is to many of our viewers and are pleased to offer this service. "

Babi · « **Reply #1943 on:** August 21, 2011, 08:59:42 AM »

HURRAY!!! I'm so pleased to hear that, MARCIE. So, 'The Hour' will have
cc, since it is a new show. The date of Jan. 06 will give me a guideline in checking
out BBC productions. Thanks so much.

MaryPage · « **Reply #1944 on:** August 24, 2011, 02:03:39 PM »

I just watched the very first hour of THE HOUR on ON DEMAND. They also offered a number of short clips about the show, the show's writer, the 2 principal characters and the actors who play them. Really good, but a bit confusing. I'm sure it will all get sorted out. Some really outstanding and well known British actors show up for bit parts.

pedln · « **Reply #1945 on:** August 24, 2011, 06:46:56 PM »

Lucky you, Mary Page. I'm looking forward to seeing that.

According to Amazon, The Hour DVD will be released Sept. 27. And I see it has moved up a bit on my "saved" Netflix queue.

Earlier this week I watch Cedar Rapids -- two stars, probably should have been 2 1/2, as I did finish it. Basically about a bunch of immature-year-olds at an insurance convention, lots of Middle School bathroom humor.

Last night I watched Jumping the Broom, funny and enjoyable, about the Martha's Vineyard wedding of an upper class African-American bride and her groom from blue-collar Brooklyn. The innuendos were much more subtle than those in Cedar Rapids. Several years ago there was an enjoyable TV miniseries The Wedding, also set in the African-American conclave of Martha's Vineyard -- based on the book with the same title by Dorothy West. I was hoping it was also available on DVD, but could not find it.

Babi · « **Reply #1946 on:** August 25, 2011, 08:56:17 AM »

Quote

immature-year-olds

What a great phrase, PEDLN.

JoanK · « **Reply #1947 on:** August 25, 2011, 03:26:31 PM »

Last day to vote on which classic to read next.

VOTE HERE http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=2395.80

pedln · « **Reply #1948 on:** August 27, 2011, 01:16:15 PM »

I want a good movie, a really great movie. Something that makes me say WOW! I'm reading some good books, but for movies, I'm hitting the dog days of August.

Last night I started watching Cracks, a thriller based on a novel by Sheila Kohler, set in an isolated girls schools on an island in the UK in the mid-1930's. I'll finish it tonight, but it's very very very dark, more horror included than I had expected. The P.D. James novels don't seem to be captioned except on Masterpiece, otherwise I'd opt for one of them, or maybe a Dennis Lehene. Any suggestions?

And then there is The Adjustment Bureau, which I watched based on the column below by a local minister. I don't know. Aside from the message, there isn't much of a story line.

The Adjustment Bureau

BTW, who here bought the Donna Leon Brunetti films? I'm interested, but would like to email you about them.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1949 on:** August 27, 2011, 01:55:41 PM »

Pedln - I know it depends entirely on your mood, but here are some of my favourite films:

The Magdalene Sisters
Oranges & Sunshine
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Some Like It Hot
Mamma Mia
I'm not scared (this is in Italian with subtitles)
The Silence of the Lambs
The Blues Brothers
Little Miss Sunshine
Buena Vista Social Club
Vera Drake
Meet Me In St Louis
Up
Stand by Me
Best In Show
The Queen
Hilary & Jackie
Wallace & Grommit - A Matter of Loaf & Death
Jungle Book

Rosemary

JoanK · « **Reply #1950 on:** August 27, 2011, 03:06:11 PM »

What an interesting list. I've seen about half of them.

My favorites:

The River Runs Through It (has the best scene I've ever seen in a movie)
The Color Purple (not for the faint of heart)
Winged Migration (it was so beautiful, it made me cry)
Le Miz (the old PBS version)
Anne of green Gables (PBS)
Pride and Predjudice (the one with Colin Firth)
The Wizard of Oz
West Side Story
Ladies in Lavendar
Singing in the Rain

You can see, I like musicals. Some of the old musicals go in there too. I've probably used up "The Wizard of Oz", "West Side Story" -- I've seen them 20 times.

For a "yes, I've come home" movie, I'd say "Anne of Green gables".

jeriron · « **Reply #1951 on:** August 27, 2011, 03:07:09 PM »

Pedln

I bought the Donna Leon movies. 1-4 from amazon and 5-8 from mhznetworks.org/shop/
Amazon didn't have all of them. They are region1 with English subtitles. I really enjoyed them. Beautiful Venice.

Here's my Email if you still. Want to ask me anything else
Jerironhahn@comcast.net

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1952 on:** August 27, 2011, 03:16:57 PM »

Oh yes - I forgot some of those!

I would definitely add Pride & Prejudice, but for me it would be the Keira Knightly version. Also, I agree, The Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain and High Society should be in there, along with Carousel and It's a Wonderful Life. I too love those old films and musicals. And I've just thought of another good film - Roald Dahl's "Matilda".

Anna and I were talking just yesterday about books and how your parents influence your interest in them so much at an early age, and it reminded me of the narrator's voice in the scene in which Matilda (whose parents of course do not influence her at all) discovers the public library - it goes something like "These books taught her a powerful thing; they told her she was not alone."

Rosemary

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1953 on:** August 27, 2011, 04:58:01 PM »

Joan - I've just thought of another one! Muriel's Wedding, with the wonderful Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #1954 on:** August 27, 2011, 09:00:48 PM »

MaryPage, hope you are safe and not being blown away there in Maryland.

roshanarose · « **Reply #1955 on:** August 27, 2011, 11:57:55 PM »

Pedln - a couple of good Australian movies which may have made it to the US:

The Year My Voice Broke (my favourite)
Muriel's Wedding (as suggested by Rosemary - very Australian, just great)
Japanese Story (also with Toni Collette)
The Tracker
My Brilliant Career
Anything with Sam Neill, although he is a Kiwi
Death in Brunswick
Mad Max - parts 1 and 2
Picnic at Hanging Rock

Various others

The Year of Living Dangerously
Atonement
Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Far from the Madding Crowd
The French Lieutenant's Woman
Out of Africa
The Talented Mr Ripley (or anything else with Matt Damon - although there may be a few exceptions.)
The English Patient
Harry Potter's
The Constant Gardener

There is a great BBC series called "The Tudors" made for TV that will keep you busy
Both "Elizabeth" movies with the incomparable Cate Blanchett

"Notes on a Scandal "- seeing Blanchett and Judi Dench act together is like a dream, although the subject matter is quite alarming

Yesterday I read in NYT online about some famous Horror Directors' favourite horror pix. "The Exorcist" got the most votes and "Chainsaw Massacre" was second. Not necessarily recommending these, depends on your taste. Not to forget "Alien" and "Aliens". If you like real life horror "Wolf Creek" takes a lot of beating. I don't scare easy in scary movies, but I sure as hell was with this one.

I agree with Rosemary's list especially with "Silence of the Lambs". An extraordinary book and film.

Your choice of Alfred Hitchcock's movies. I mentioned some time ago that I had seen "Vertigo" recently and enjoyed it immensely.

Two French movies I have enjoyed are both comedies: "The Visitors" and "The Closet". I am not a great fan of Depardieu, but he is hilarious in the Closet, along with Daniel Auteuil.

Now, after you have seen all the suggestions we have made, you have to tell us which movies you liked and why.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #1956 on:** August 28, 2011, 04:32:31 AM »

Great suggestions Roshanrose - I would definitely add Picnic At Hanging Rock to my list.

Gumtree · « **Reply #1957 on:** August 28, 2011, 05:18:25 AM »

I'd take Death in Brunswick off - couldn't stand that one!

JimNT · « **Reply #1958 on:** August 28, 2011, 09:31:50 AM »

I must weigh in lest we forget one the all time great movies; A Man for All Seasons. What a joy to see a great story accompanied by such great acting. The movie is dated but the memory lingers.

Gumtree · « **Reply #1959 on:** August 28, 2011, 10:38:31 AM »

Yes, A Man for All Seasons was brilliant - Paul Schofield if I'm not mistaken and I think Aussie Leo McKern (who later played Rumpole).
The play by Robert Bolt is worth the read to ponder the implications of the dialogue.

News:

Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 591875 times)