Where has October gotten to? I’ve been very busy and we’ve watched many movies. Here are a few that may be worth your while…
Peter Lorre in Mad Love
First, Mad Love made in 1935, directed by Karl Freund and starring Peter Lorre, the lovely Frances Drake and the usually creepy Colin Clive. But, Creeptown’s mayor in this movie was Peter Lorre. You haven’t seen stalking until you see this movie.
Before I Hang, 1940, directed by Nick Grinde and starring Boris Karloff and Evelyn Keyes. Will scientists NEVER learn??? Experimenting leads to things like the polio vaccine, walking on the moon and bad stuff happening after the wrong blood transfusion. Anyway, Karloff is superb.
The Boogie Man Will Get You, 1942, directed by Lew Landers and starring Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and Max “Slapsie Maxie” Rosenbloom (not surprisingly a former boxer). This one is a comedy and while not the funniest thing I ever saw, did have its moments. Who knew Karloff & Lorre had the timing? It had an Arsenic and Old Lace quality (except it was funny) and this pair did quite well.
Premature Burial, 1962, directed by Roger Corman and starring Ray Milland and Hazel Court. It was based on an Edgar Allen Poe story and was not nearly as cheesy as you might think, considering the director. Ray Milland played an emotional whiner who would run to his room to pout during parties and was an all-round dud. Hazel Court LOVED him and that’s always a little hard to swallow. In an interview we watched with Corman he stated what a ‘great job Ray Milland did, but of course he was a leading man and sooooo handsome.’ Arghh! That statement was creepier than the movie!!
Ray Milland handsome?! A ladies’ man because he played the husband of Grace Kelly in Dial M for Murder? Hey, she dated Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window, but that doesn’t make HIM handsome. In fact the flaw in both those movies is why, in God’s name, would someone as beautiful and Grace Kelly have anything to do with either of those geeks?
So, I took a gander at a young Milland and I admit my mistake, he was quite dashing. Over time that changed quite drastically and in the movie we saw? Not so cute.
an older Ray Milland
Ray Milland as a baby
Had lunch again at Nature’s Pantry in Cottonwood with Mary Ellen and Katie. I had, get this, a Folded Falafel Quesadilla served with salsa. Quite a mix of cultures, but it was very good. It came with fresh fruit and bean salad. Mary Ellen ordered and shared a Chocolate Walnut Torte having only eaten a salad for lunch. The torte came with whipped cream. I ate one bite sans cream and Mary Ellen ate the rest (she only had a salad!!) OMG! It was delicious!
Roger went to a travel writer’s convention in Phoenix this past week, met lots of people and brought home lots of literature. He’s leaving for Cincinnati tomorrow to visit family while I stay home being very busy. Did someone say Sweeney Todd?
