Robert Ryan is TCM’s Star of the Month. On Friday, May 6th beginning at 11am (ET) TCM will be showing 13 films of Ryan’s darkest works including The Racket, Act of Violence, On Dangerous Ground, The Set-Up and Beware, My Lovely.
Author: John Greco
Author/Photographer. My latest book is "The Late Show and Other Tales of Celluloid Malice." Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
http://www.amazon.com/John-Greco/e/B00K0RCADI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_6?qid=1452516005&sr=1-6
Member of The Florida Writers Association
Invasion of the Lovebugs
It’s that time of the year in Florida when those pesty yet romantic lovebugs make themselves one of the horrors of living in the Sunshine State. Twice a year, like many married humans, lovebugs begin to mate. Unlike humans they preform this blatant sexual activity out in the open for everyone to see. In the process, corrupting Florida’s youth and even worse making life a nightmare for drivers. While in the throes of wild passion along roads and highways they smash into your windshield like kamikaze pilots making a massive ghastly mess. Continue reading “Invasion of the Lovebugs”
Duck Soup on TCM
Be sure to get all your ducks set up in a row! On Tuesday April 26th at 9:15am TCM will be broadcasting the classic Marx Brothers comedy Duck Soup. Considered by many to be the team’s best film, it’s a no holds barred, anarchistic, satire on war, politics and bureaucrats ranking up there with Dr. Strangelove and The Great Dictator.
War is viewed as an insane idiots game.
Rufus T. Firefly: You’re a brave man. Go and break through the lines. And remember, while you’re out there risking you’re life and limb through shot and shell, we’ll be in here thinking what a sap you are.
and…
Ambassador Trentino : I am willing to do anything to prevent this war.
Rufus T. Firefly: It’s too late. I’ve already paid a month’s rent on the battlefield.
You can read more about Duck Soup in my book, Lessons in the Dark, available at as an ebook on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Dark-John-Greco-ebook/dp/B01CC0TWLS/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Most of all, check out the film on TCM Tuesday at 9:15Et.
Bruce Springsteen’s Tribute to Prince
Bruce Springsteen, performing at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, the other evening (April 23rd) paid tribute to Prince. He opened up his show washed in purple lights as he sang Purple Rain while Nils Lofgren played a mournful guitar behind him. Just a few months earlier, The Boss paid tribute to two other fallen rock heroes, David Bowie (Rebel, Rebel) and Glen Frey (Take it Easy).
Sand Sculpture at the Beach
The annual Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival (runs through April 24th) at Clearwater Beach is currently on exhibit on the beach under a 21,000 square foot tent. Inside you will find tons of Clearwater sand, sculpted into art by ten sand sculptor artists from all over the world. Every year there is a specific theme. Last year it was animation. This year, “a musical journey through the decades while celebrating America’s greatest music legends and hits,” as it states on the flyer. One problem I noticed with that statement, and its minor because all the music artists in the exhibit are worth celebrating, however, a few of the sand sculpted musicians are not American like The Who and Bob Marley. Continue reading “Sand Sculpture at the Beach”
Behind the Lens With Henry Diltz and Patti Boyd
Friday night, my wife and I had the opportunity to attend the Murray Hall presentation of Behind the Lens: An Evening with Henry Diltz and Pattie Boyd.
Henry Diltz did not plan on being a rock and roll photographer or even a photographer of any sort. It just kind of fell into his lap. Back in the 1960’s Henry was a budding folk musician living in California. He naturally had plenty of musician friends. One day he purchased a used camera and began taking photographs of friends and the local landscape. He always had the camera with him and would set up slide shows for his friends to watch at night. Then some of his friends began to get famous. Friends like David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash who asked Diltz to help them out and take a few photos of them. Continue reading “Behind the Lens With Henry Diltz and Patti Boyd”
Words, Words, Words!
I am happy to announce I am one of eleven contributors to CMBA’s new e-book, Words, Words, Words: Essays on Writers and Writing in Classic Film. The book is only .99 cents with all proceeds going to the National Film Preservation Fund. The book has been published in conjunction with the CMBA’s Words, Words, Words! Blogathon which is currently running through April 15th. You can purchase the book at the link below.
Andre Under Cover
Ritual – any act always done in a particular situation and in the same way each time.
We all have little rituals that we do in our lives. On Sunday’s we have breakfast, read the Sunday papers, watch the Today Show followed by CBS Sunday Morning. We also wash our bedsheets, and naturally when dried, “make the bed.” Nothing original or unique except the last ritual. The making of the bed you see has become a threesome.
Once the clean sheets are dry, we toss then on the bed where they stay while we finish reading the paper and drinking that last cup of coffee. Meanwhile, our four legged buddy, Andre, saunters into the bedroom and lays down on the still warm sheets where he waits, waits, and waits for us to make the bed. Continue reading “Andre Under Cover”
Remembering James Garner
James Garner would have been 88 years old today. The actor whose career began in the early 1950’s hit it big with his 1957 TV western, Maverick. From there he went on to movies like The Great Escape, The Children’s Hour The Thrill of it All, Boy’s Night Out, Move Over, Darling and The Americanization of Emily in which he co-starred for the first time with Julie Andrews.
James Garner and Julie Andrews made a great team. Garner confesses in his blunt memoir (The Garner Files), the lovely Ms. Andrews was a great kisser and he really enjoyed doing their love scenes. They would reunite on-screen some eighteen years later in her husband’s (Blake Edwards) Victor, Victoria.
Garner’s career would shift back between movies and television over the years. What always remained the same though was his likability and his talent in both drama and comedy.
You can read more about Garner and The Americanization of Emily in my new e-book, Lesson in the Dark. Available on Amazon for only $2.99.
http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Dark-John-Greco-ebook/dp/B01CC0TWLS/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Silver Screenings Review of my E-book LESSONS IN THE DARK
Ruth Kerr of Silver Screenings posted a wonderful review of my book LESSONS IN THE DARK. Click on the link below and check it out.
The Cool Kids’ Guide to Classic Film
The book is available at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Dark-John-Greco-ebook/dp/B01CC0TWLS/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
John Greco Author/Photographer 