Kevin Marshall's America
After the Happy Hour, Blog Czar Mike Huber shook down Greg Aidala and Amanda Talar for their tip money. Huber: "Put it in my pocket, Greg. Now." Greg: *pout*
Last night was “Cinema Under the Stars” at Dale Miller, which gave readers and bloggers an opportunity to meet and mingle, then watch the film adaptation of Truman Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard (Hannibal from “The A-Team”).
Firstly: if you didn’t make it to the sold out event last night, do me a favor and drop $5 using your credit or debit card to the Times Union Hope Fund (TimesUnion.com/HopeFund). It may seem like a small sum, but a still slightly small crowd (along with others who extended their generosity) were able to raise in excess of $900 for the charity. Why not add to it?
On to the event itself. Our guest bartenders for the Happy Hour:
Greg Aidala: Greg had no shortage of middle-aged women batting their eyelashes at him, so I requested a simple water. It was crisp and just the right temperature, but the slice of lemon he gave me was more of a chunk that really detracted from the presentation and weighed down the glass. GRADE: C-
Amanda Talar: Amanda was prompt, friendly, and greeted with a smile. I gave her the more challenging concoction of an unsweetened iced tea, and she rose to the occasion. There was a bit confusion at first as to where behind the bar this beverage was located, but once she found it, she did well. There was a ton of consistency, not too much ice, and a slice of lemon rather than a big honkin’ chunk (, GREG). GRADE: B+
The evening itself was a fantastic time, and I just wish I’d had more of an opportunity to talk with certain people. In particular, Teri Conroy (author of the Farmlife blog), with whom I share a certain kinship ’round these parts. It was great to see her, brief as it was, but it seemed every time I went to find her I ended up bumping into someone else. Too many people, too little time!
Me with "This is College?!" contributor Erin Morelli
I also had the pleasure of meeting (and also the misfortune of not being able to spend enough time) with:
Rev. Alan Rudnick - A really great, personable, and funny guy whose blog I’ve just picked up on. He’s incredibly charismatic and engaging, a quality that I suppose you need in his line of work.
Josh Sperber (The Funnies) – Hilarious individual. Saw him (along with fellow Funnies contributors Adrianna Flax and Dan Rossi) perform his stand-up last week and his routine is freaking gold.
Tony Barbaro of the East Greenbush Blog – Tony’s a freaking riot and I was sad I didn’t get to goof around with him a bit more.
Megan Willis (The Davenport Chronicles) - A genuinely classy, friendly, and funny lady.
Joe Keegan (Home Restoration) – Another funny and approachable guy (a trend in reader bloggers) with whom I share quite a bit of film snobbery. More on that in a bit.
Kate, author of the (non-TU) blog My American-Iraq Life. Former soldier, current student. She hadn’t updated her blog in awhile and I told her I missed it. Then she told me I was funny. Then I walked away. True story!
And others too numerous to mention without accidentally leaving out someone worthy of my attention and recognition. And, of course, the usual crew was there as well.
As for the movie? Well…
It contained an early 60s acting style brought from the Broadway stage that I absolutely despise. Everything is delivered over the top and with very formal inflection, which is fantastic for the stage but not so much for a film where things like cameras and microphones don’t make such things a necessity. In fairness, this is the case with a lot of movies of the period, but with the material at hand it didn’t work, as Peppard and Hepburn are wholly unconvincing as two carefully guarded prostitutes. Hepburn especially was distracting; while she has a magnificent presence and charisma, I found myself unable to believe anything about her character or get invested in the slightest. As a result I walked in and out of the film several times.
So when I got home, I watched a vastly superior film that came out the very same year: John Huston’s “The Misfits,” written by Arthur Miller and starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift, and Eli Wallach. It was like night and day and was a breath of cinematic fresh air after what I’d witnessed. The film suffered a bit from scenes where Marilyn seemed to be legitimately out of it; she was deep into her pill addiction at this point and would die only a year later. It’s made up for by the performances of Montgomery Clift and especially Clark Gable, for whom this is probably his finest work. Even Gable himself told Huston after seeing a rough cut of the film that it was the first time he was truly allowed to act.
He died just over a week later.
"I just didn't want anyone else deciding for me." Clark Gable in "The Misfits"
Needless to say, Huston is an amazing director and worlds better than the man at the helm of “Tiffany’s,” Blake Edwards. Not that he’s a bad director, per se, or that it’s a grave insult to be told that you’re not the master of your time. “Days of Wine and Roses,” which Edwards made a year later, is one of my favorite films. But watching the two is like night and day. Unlike Edwards, Huston’s films have an air of electricity and bring everything to life in a way that Edwards can’t quite accomplish.
I honestly think it comes down to personality. Huston was more of a rebel and a free spirit. Not to say that Edwards was a company many by any means, but his work seems weighed down by conventions of the time concerning filmmaking and storytelling. As a result, Huston’s film about an aging cowboy struggling to find his place in early 60s Nevada feels organically gritty and at times worrisome, while the tale of two seemingly doomed prostitutes from Edwards seems too polished, glossy and dated; giving the characters and events portrayed a shine that does them a great disservice.
But, in any case, “Cinema Under the Stars” was a great time for all, and I hope we get to do it again soon. Say…right before Halloween? Showing “Silence of the Lambs?” Bling your generosity, friendship, and your blankets, kids!
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30 Responses to Cinema Under the Stars: Great Cause, Great Time, Great People, Not So Great Movie
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I disagree about the movie! Mickey Roarke was awesome as the Japanese guy….plus it was 1961,he must’ve been like 9.
He was so gritty and controversial, even back then. Mickey Rourke don’t give a f*** about ANYONE, man!
I am still irate that I could not make it.
“Say…right before Halloween? Showing “Silence of the Lambs?”
Are you going to be the guest bartender?
How about a Mommie Dearest night?
Amanda Talar is going to shank you.
Yes, yes…I shank you very much for my B+!
Oh Kevin, I also hope they do this again. Unfortunately I had to miss last night but have loved to meet & greet all the bloggers. Don’t know if we’ll ever get Teri out again (she’s always so busy) and she’s so fun to talk to. Yes, a great scary movie would be so much fun on a Fall evening at Dale Miller.
I “would have loved” to meet and greet.
Cinema under the Stars II – The original Halloween, the Tuesday night before Halloween.
That would be very cool.
I agree with Goose. That would be a pretty solid event.
I’m holding out for “Zardoz Night.”
Or the Times Union Karaoke Showdown, where I can “Ziggy Stardust” everyone into submission.
Sorry to have missed everyone, though. Glad everyone had fun, Mr. Yunioshi notwithstanding . . .
I hate lemons in my drink. Period. Makes me think I’m drinking dish detergent. Nice post though. Sorry I missed it.
Blogboss was dapper too. Kevin, we’ll catch up – good to see your face at least! You are a wonderful people person and you make me laugh! I’m better with 4-leggeds, but working on it. As Debbie said, pretty big deal for me to leave the farm. Sort of like a fish out of water.
I don’t know what Zardoz is….I do know Ziggy Stardust and would love to see JES in tights and makeup.
Good times!
Wait a minute! What’s this prostitute business? And it woulda been great to wrinkle time and see Dunaway and Nicholson in this, directed by Huston.
Forget it, Jake. It’s Tiffany’s.
I recently saw a Today Show segment on how manhandled lemons germ up your drink. Always pass on the lemon.
The term “manhadled lemons” made me laugh…..
Do y’all have any IDEA how many people could watch a movie under the stars in a certain llama pasture?
Emceed by JES in tights?
Hey Kevin –
Great post, but you have some erroneous information about me.
Firstly, anyone who knows me knows that I have a touch of OCD (I had to start this comment over 7 times already) and I’m a bit of a germ-a-phobe.
Secondly, I didn’t even have any lemons at my station! (I read an article that echoes the above comment by Tracy Ormsbee, that fruit in your drink can pass along the germs) C’mon Kevin C-, really? I dig Amanda but she had it easy :) She was in the air conditioned swanky bar, while I slaved outside in the sweltering heat. At least give me a C.
Keep up the good work – great to see so many cool people
at the event last night!
Greg
Greg, all Amanda kept saying was easy YOU had it, no mixed drinks etc…(not that I’m trying to start anything….)
Thanks for the review and the shout out Kevin. I hope I’m not the charismatic type that makes people drink the Kool Aid. LOL. It was great to connect with other TU bloggers.
Don: Now Ziggy plaaaaaaaaaayed guiiiiiiiiiii-taaaaaaaaarrrrr-aaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr . . . . .
I will retaliate with Iron Maiden’s “Run to the Hills” followed by “Without You” in the style of Nilsson.
Don’t make me pull out “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Kevin. Srsly.
Tony/Kevin: It was NOT Mickey Rourke, you knuckleheads – it was Mickey ROONEY. Big difference.
Wendy - we know. That was the joke at the event. We were also referring to him as Andy Rooney.
Hey Kevin, Delightful meeting you the other night, and thx for the shout out. You’re the goods and your 90210 tributes are hiLARious.
All these Rourke references give me another idea…Rourke and Basinger in “9 1/2 Weeks at Tiffany’s.”
Oh. Guess I didn’t realize it was a location joke. Guess I should get out more. And I still hate Andy Rooney.