SOME LIKE IT RETRO

Friday, March 9, 2012

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly by Leroy Holmes

So as I mentioned, I just got back from the desert. The mood is still lingering. There's just something cool about the desert. I dig it. And me being me, I kept expecting to see Clint Eastwood around every cactus. This song seems appropriate.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

The Pancake Diner

Hey kids- just got back from vacation. It was a lovely jaunt through New Mexico and Arizona, and we had the best breakfast I think I've ever had at the Pancake Diner, adjacent to our room in lovely Las Cruses, New Mexico. It was a total 50s time capsule, and so fun I felt compelled to share with. Hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Something Stupid Like I Love You by Frank and Nancy Sinatra

Spending four weeks at the #1 spot on the Billboard top 100 chart, "Something Stupid Like I Love You" by Frank and Nancy Sinatra became Frank's second gold single. It was also a first of sorts, as it was the only time a father/daughter act scored a #1 single in America. This song would go on to be recorded many times by other artists, but this is the definitive version.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

A 7 Up Christmas

Christmas Time Is Here

Nothing evokes Christmas memories like Vince Guaraldi's magical and wonderful score to the holiday chestnut "A Charlie Brown Christmas". This was Christmas to me, and it hasn't lost one bit of its charm . It simply wouldn't be Christmas without Charlie Brown, and that's all I have to say about it.

Fallen Angel

Tonight on the Late Show is the excellent film-noir "Fallen Angel", directed by Otto Preminger. Although it wasn't a hit upon its initial release in 1945, it is now rightly considered a true noir classic that looks simply smashing on DVD today. It stars hunky Dana Andrews (in maybe his finest performance...), Alice Faye, and Linda Darnell, and tells the tale of a drifter named Eric Stanton who gets off a bus in a small California town and falls in love with a sultry waitress named Stella. Before long, Eric is madly in love with the saucy Stella, and desperate to get money to marry her,winds up marrying another woman, (Alice Face) with plans to swindle her and take the money. But of course, something goes wrong in typical noir fashion and before you know it, you've got yourself totally immersed in a wonderful little mystery that snaps and crackles right along perfectly.

This is film-noir at its finest and under-appreciated. There's something very alluring about this movie. It's got atmosphere you could cut with a knife, excellent acting, a rather intriguing plot, and excellent cinematography and lighting. This was Otto Preminger's follow-up to his hugely successful "Laura", and this film is primarily remembered as the last film Alice Faye would make for another 20 years or so, as she was so angered at her screen time cut in favor of the more sexual Linda Darnell. But it's an underrated noir that deserves a better reputation, if you ask me. It moves along briskly and I found myself totally lost in it. It's stylish and sexy and although not quite as good as "Laura", it's still well worth a look. It's a nice little mystery that really strings you along while watching. It's a great way to spend a rainy afternoon with nothing else to do.

Monday, December 5, 2011

The Bell That Couldn't Jingle by Burt Bacharach

Yes, December is upon us, and this is the most marvelous time of the year- the holidays mixed with hot toddies and cheer never fail to put a glow in my cheeks and a twinkle in my eye. And neither does this wonderful chestnut from the fabulous Burt Bacharach. It is most delicious... Cheers!