In the news...

[Sue Sue Applegate]

...it runs kinda like a Gene Roddenberry saga with a left-handed, lysurgic twist.

That's probably the best description of that movie that I've ever read.

Yes, that was a great description! But I've yet to see it.
The local-yokel Blockbuster doesn't have it.

Yikes, guys. I've heard all kinds of stories about Zardoz, on screen and off. What am I getting myself into?

Unfortunately, the Seandorable factor is a major contributing motivator in my "interest." So if and when I find it, I'll certainly watch it. Guess I need to go to the "Let's Swap Thwead." (I'm pretty pooped after work today, so I'm lithping AND limping.)

[Moraldo Rubini]

A couple of months ago

Tony Martin was scheduled to sing at Michael Feinstein's nightclub on New York's Park Avenue, October 21 & 22. But today I found this item:

Tony Martin has canceled his plan to do dates in the fall at Feinstein's at the Regency. It has nothing to do with his age (94) but with some health issues wife Cyd Charisse is having.

Anyone know more?

Well today, I learned that Tony Martin actually did perform at Feinstein's a few weeks ago. And even better: Cyd Charisse was in attendance.

Martin, 94, sang many favorites from his MGM days including "You Stepped Out of a Dream" from Ziegfeld Girl. After singing "Begin the Beguine" (from Broadway Melody of 1940) he introduced the SRO crowd to his wife of nearly 60 years, Cyd Charisse, describing the unforgettable day "Alvin Morris and Tula Ellice Finklea got married."

As reported, the admittedly frail Charisse, "looked lovely in a powder blue pants suit, and graciously received the blandishments and autograph requests of avid fans."
The New York Post reported this was Martin's first New York "gig since he played the Copacabana decades ago. These days, Martin performs only once every three or four months, 'when I get itchy to do it.' He stays in shape by walking and having the occasional cocktail. About the state of his health, Martin says, 'For my age, I think it's pretty good.'

[Jezebel38]

Hey Moraldo - someone posted a clip of this performance on Youtube. I would try and post it here, but I am a complete techno-boob.

[melwalton]

Hi, Moraldo. I was glad to hear that Martin and Charisse are still around, Good for them. I recall, he sang 'When Did You Leave Heaven' in 'Sing, Baby, Sing (1936 ) It may have been his first speaking part, I'm not sure. Previously, he sang 'When I'm With You' in 'Poor Little Rich Girl' but I don't think he had a speaking part in that one. Both songs were # 1 on Lucky Strike's Hit Parade. I'd like to see 'Sing, Baby, Sing, again but can't get any information about it......mel

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Moraldo, It is so great to hear about Tony Martin and Cyd Charisse.
And their health and longevity must have something to do with the active lives they led.

[feaito]

I watched the clip of Tony Martin and it's very touching. He's 94 and still a trouper!

"You stepped out of a dream" is certainly one of my favorites songs of his. Everytime I watch him singing it in "Ziegfeld Girl", with all those beauties led by the breathtaking Hedy, alluring Lana and sweet Judy I am so moved. I have the same reaction when I watch the impossibly awe-inspiring sequence of "A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody" in "The Great Ziegfeld".

I also like the sequence in which he sings the wonderful "It's a Blue World" accompanied by André Kostelanetz and his orchestra in "Music in my Heart".

[Moraldo Rubini]

The 5th Annual Hollywood Poster Auction and Convention will be held this weekend at the Hotel Pennsylvania's Gold Ballroom in New York City. The show is presented by movie poster experts Morris Everett Jr.and John Ours Jr. It will feature auctions of 600 lots consisting of extremely rare vintage movie posters and other memorabilia. Included will be Disney, John Wayne, James Bond, Elvis Presley, Audrey Hepburn among many others. The only known copy of a 1933 Invisible Man insert will be auctioned. Actress Noel Neill will be making a personal appearance. Can't make it? You can always bid here.

[Moraldo Rubini]

It was great to open today's newspaper and find Kirk Douglas on the front page. Douglas is coming to San Francisco to speak about his experience as a stroke survivor. He's even written a book about it: My Stroke of Luck. See the interview here.

[Moraldo Rubini]

Last week the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. opened an exhibit devoted to the Yankee Katharine Hepburn in honor of the centennial of her birth. On display are all four of her Oscar awards, her trademark red sweater, posters, photographs, and favorite scenes from her movies. For those planning on a trip to our capitol, the show will be up until June, 2008!

[Moraldo Rubini]

Six years ago Hugh Grant bought the Andy Warhol portrait of Elizabeth Taylor for $3.5 million. This was part of a series of female icons that Warhol created; others included Jacqueline Kennedy [Onassis] and Marilyn Monroe. Warhol emphasized the commodity status of these subjects by creating multiple versions of the portraits in various colors. Mr. Grant owns the turqoise Taylor [that's a link to the portrait, by the way].
It must have been grand to have ol' "Violet Eyes" gazing at you from over the mantel. Coming from the legendary Warhol workshop, it would make a great conversation piece. But apparently Mr. Grant is over it. He's selling it via Christie's in New York on November 13, 2007. Christie's, by the way, is expecting the oil, acrylic and silkscreen piece to bring in up to $35 million.
Perhaps if the Silver Screen Oasis gang chipped in, we could buy it for the Classic Movie Fine Arts thread?

Update: The sale was yesterday and Mr. Grant made a handsome profit, selling the Warhol Taylor for 23.5 million dollars. This was under what pundits thought it might bring in, but 23.5 for a piece that was bought only 6 years ago for 3.5 is not bad!

[Moraldo Rubini]

The U.S. Postal Service is dedicating a whole bunch of stamps to classic movies in 2008. Bette Davis' centennial will be celebrated with the continuing of the Hollywood Legends series:

Frank Sinatra will also be honored. You know, in Hoboken (his birthplace) they've renamed the post office after him. Maybe that's where they'll unveil his stamp:

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who wrote The Yearling will get a stamp:

There will be a set devoted to Disney animated features Steamboat Willie, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmations and Jungle Book:

But I think the coolest of them all is the set devoted to Vintage Black Cinema. Posters from the 1921 silent film The Sport of the Gods, Duke Ellington's 1929 film Black and Tan, Princess Tam-Tam with Josephine Baker, 1929’s Hallelujah and the 1945 short Caldonia will be commemorated:

[Moraldo Rubini]

Warner Bros. Entertainment said Friday that it will release movie discs only in the Blu-ray format, becoming the latest studio to reject rival HD DVD technology and further complicating the high-definition landscape for consumers. Warner Bros. owned by Time Warner, was the only remaining studio releasing high-definition DVDs in both formats. It is the fifth studio to back Blu-ray, developed by Sony. Only two support the HD DVD format, developed by Toshiba.

So, my question is: what does this mean to me?
Does it mean that regular DVDs will no longer be sold?
That WBHV will have to convert and reformat their film library once again?
That I'll have to buy all new disks to replace mine?
Why would I reinvest all this money into a format if it's only going to last five years?

[mrsl]

Moraldo:

Who can answer your questions? I never did understand what Blue Ray meant, I'm just getting used to DVD's.

Anne

[Moraldo Rubini]

Who can answer your questions? I never did understand what Blue Ray meant, I'm just getting used to DVD's.

I always thought it was a nice set of studio-ware dishes. But I'm sure someone will know the answer to these questions.

[Lzcutter]

Moraldo,

The good news is that with WBros deciding to go strictly Blu-Ray, it should bring the format war (Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD) to a quicker end.

Blu-Ray has more storage space and by the majority of people who have seen both formats, the better picture quality.

More good news, your standard def DVDs that you have been buying will play just fine in your Blu-Ray player. Sony originally wasn't going to go that route and just have the players Blu-Ray compatible but it sounds like cooler heads have prevailed.

Also, WBros has been mastering with an eye towards High Def the last few years so they won't have to start from scratch.

Ultimately, more of their product will get upgraded to Blu-Ray but I wouldn't be in any hurry to discard your DVD library.

As for Blue-Ray, I have always preferred Fiesta Ware: