Whining and the magical movie moment solution

Bob Westal — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 21:02:39 +0000

I’m having a rough morning here. Not that it’s been all bad here at TCM Fest in the heart of Hollywood, in fact a lot of has been very good. I did catch three movies yesterday, each in their own way fascinating: the unusually emotional Delmer Daves western, “Jubal”; the bizarre and fascinating inept and inapt once ultra-scandalous wartime British gangster film set in America, “No Orchids for Miss Blandish”; and the first public screening of the 1963 sci-fi/horror hit “Day of the Triffids” in a genuinely impressive restoration which would have been even better if I hadn’t been so sleepy — or if the introduction hadn’t been so long. (It’s hard to blame a film restorer for excess enthusiasm, but, well, the garages close here at 2:00 a.m.). A post screening discussion between Leonard Maltin and Ernest Bognine after “Jubal” earlier in the day, on the other hand, was another highlight. I’ll be posting about that one a bit later, I think.

But then there was the hour I just spent trying struggling with IT people to try and use the wi-fi at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. (Absolutely no knock on the hotel, where everybody has more than helpful and I seem to be the only one having the problem. Apparently they’re system and my lousy Vista using laptop computer are just having a bad relationship.) And, so, I find myself back at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf trying to tie up loose ends, including feeding this here blog beast. And I’m in need of a bit of cinematic comfort.

Fortunately, tonight the festival is coming to the rescue with some old personal favorites of mine and about a gazillion other people. So, now a movie moment from “Singin’ in the Rain” showing tonight at the Egyptian Theater with its great co-director, Stanley Donen, appearing afterward. I wasn’t sure about it as I’ve seen it a million times, but I can definitely use the cinematic comfort. And here’s it is….

…No, actually, here it isn’t because suddenly all the clips I can find on YouTube on “embedding disabled upon request.” It’s been that kind of a morning. So, instead, here’s a pretty great clip from 1935’s “Top Hat” which showed last night.

Day of the Triffids – Premium Hollywood

Whining and the magical movie moment solution