Tag: 1980s

Celebrate the Drive-In Blogathon–Memories, Drive-In List Game, and The Facts of Life (1960)

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date June 4, 2026
1 Comment on Celebrate the Drive-In Blogathon–Memories, Drive-In List Game, and The Facts of Life (1960)

This blog entry is going to have three parts: 1) My memory of the Drive-In; 2) My answers to the Drive-In Movie List Game; and 3) My highlight of a very funny scene in The Facts of Life (1960) that takes place at a Drive-In.

1. My Memory of the Drive-In

Site of the former North Salem Drive-In, now the Highway Fuel Co. Note that the site has the cone Drive-In shape.

Having been born in 1984, I missed the heyday of the Drive-In. By the time I was old enough to be out watching movies in a theater, or even at the Drive-In, most of the Drive-Ins in my hometown (Salem, OR) were long gone. I performed some research at cinematreasures.org and discovered that Salem had the following Drive-Ins:

North Salem Drive-In, Opened 1954. Closed 1982.
South Salem Drive-In #1, Opened 1953. Closed 1961.
South Salem Drive-In #2, Opened 1970. Closed 1993.

The South Salem Drive-In #2, is the one that I visited when I was in the third grade in 1992. From reading about the history of South Salem Drive-In #1, it sounds like the Drive-In closed in 1961, then was finished off for good by a fire in 1964. The South Salem Drive-In #2 opened in 1970 a few miles away. Interestingly, the original site of the South Salem Drive-In has never been developed and it still has the classic cone shaped plot that Drive-Ins often had. From this bird’s-eye view, it is easy to make out the layout of the Drive-In.

Current bird’s-eye view of the former site of the South Salem Drive-In. It closed in 1961.

As for the South Salem Drive-In #2, I remember the last film I saw was Wayne’s World (1992). I cannot recall any specifics about the experience, and I have to think that we saw another film too since Drive-Ins often show double features. I have vague memories of my dad setting the radio station to pick up the movie, and our snacks that we brought from home. I remember also being able to look around and see glimpses of the other movies being screened.

The site of the old South Salem Drive-In. The building with the pin is the current Regal multiplex. The rectangle on the left still shows the berms from one of the old screens. Another access road is seen on the left.

The old derelict South Salem Drive-In sign that stood for 13 years past the Drive-In’s 1994 closure, finally being torn down in 2007.

The electrical components of the South Salem Drive-In marquee. This is what they looked like after 13 years of sitting unused, out in the elements.

The South Salem Drive-In ended up closing in 1993. In 1994, there was a “mysterious fire” in the projection booth and concession stand. It was officially ruled to be arson, but the community was very skeptical. Later, the same year, another fire all but put an end to any remaining structures at the Drive-In. One would think that the Drive-In closing, and the actual building of the multiplex Santiam 11 Regal Cinemas (the first in Salem with stadium seating!) in 1999, that the South Salem Drive-In marquee sign would be torn down. Nope! Not only did the South Salem Drive-In sign continue to stand for 13 years after its closure, until it was finally torn down in 2007, Regal Cinemas STILL hasn’t built an entrance sign for the theater. The Drive-In sign became something of a Salem landmark. It was only torn down when it was deemed a Safety hazard.

2. My Answers to the Drive-In Movie List Game

1. What is your favorite science fiction movie featuring aliens?

Science fiction and movies with aliens aren’t typically my cup of tea. Occasionally aliens will be fun, like Alf, the Neutrinos in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Jeff Goldblum and Jim Carrey in Earth Girls Are Easy. I also like the alien cast of Third Rock From the Sun. However, to answer this question, I do enjoy the original The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), with Michael Rennie as the alien Klaatu and The Blob (1958) starring the alien, The Blob.

2. What is your favorite science fiction movie that has no aliens?

Again, science fiction isn’t really my thing, but in researching what films were considered science fiction that don’t have aliens, I found that I did enjoy a lot of films on the list. Most of the films I like involved time travel. I love Back to the Future (1985) with Michael J Fox traveling back to 1955 from 1985 and inadvertently preventing his parents from meeting. Time is of the essence as he pretends to be high school student “Calvin Klein” and tries to get his future parents to go to the dance together. The dance is where they met.

3. What is Your Favorite Movie Featuring Action Heroes or Superheroes?

I love Frank Drebin, played to perfection by Leslie Nielsen in the Naked Gun trilogy. He is the perfect spoof of the 1980s/1990s action hero with car crashes, intense student driving lessons, fun Bond-like gadgets, and high stakes missions, like preventing the assassination of Queen Elizabeth II at an Anaheim Angels baseball game. Frank memorably goes undercover as Enrico Pallazo and umpires the baseball game as he looks for which player has been set-up to kill the queen. Aside from the Naked Gun films, I also love the 1980s/1990s Batman films, with Batman Returns (1992) being my favorite. Michelle Pfeiffer is the quintessential Catwoman. I saw this movie in the theater in the third grade and had all the commemorative cups from McDonalds.

Enrico Pallazo showing off his moves in “The Naked Gun.”

4. What is Your Favorite Movie Featuring Outcasts or Antiheroes?

I love The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) and A Very Brady Sequel (1996) featuring the iconic Brady family living in 1990s Los Angeles. The world around them has become grungier and less squeaky clean, but the Bradys remain firmly entrenched in the 1970s. The entire Brady family, dressed to the hilt in 1970s leisure suits and polyester, are ridiculed to their faces and behind their backs, with the family members oblivious to the insults. Marcia is hilariously still popular (despite her dated clothing) but is ridiculed by Doug Simpson “the big man on campus,” and neighbor Eric who says “she’s harder to get into than a Pearl Jam concert.” They think Marcia is such a goody goody because she won’t let a boy put his hand on her shoulder on a first date (that’s third base), let alone sleep with them. Marcia doesn’t even give them a second thought though as her biggest drama is having two dates for the same evening. The Brady family stick out like a sore thumb in the 90s, but you can’t help but root for Marcia to brush her hair 100 times, get Davy Jones to appear at the high school prom and win $20,000 in the talent show to pay their tax bill and prevent losing their home.

5. What is Your Favorite Horror Movie Featuring Monsters?

I love Little Shop of Horrors (1986) with Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, and of course, Audrey II. I love that Audrey II is sassy and vulgar and sings the banger, “Mean Green Mother From Outer Space.” The music in this film is fantastic. I love Steve Martin’s “Dentist” song and Audrey’s “Somewhere That’s Green” where she dreams about watching I Love Lucy on the 12″ screen. The Henson Company’s puppetry is fantastic. The puppet itself is also very impressive. The cast is also great. Who knew Rick Moranis was such a good singer?

Audrey II in “The Little Shop of Horrors.” I love the little plants.

6. What is Your Favorite Horror Movie with No Monster?

I am not a big horror fan either, but I do like thrillers or really cheesy slashers like the original Friday the 13th. However, I am willing to give any genre a chance if the film intrigues me. One of my favorite monster-less horror movies is the original version of The Stepford Wives (1975) starring Katharine Ross. Ross plays Joanna and moves from New York City to the idyllic community of Stepford, Connecticut. She befriends the local wives, including Paula Prentiss and Tina Louise. Soon she starts noticing that some of the other wives seem to be robotic, incredibly submissive, and devoid of any distinct personality. Then she witnesses one of the women repeating herself over and over–almost like she’s a broken record. I love this movie. It’s so delightfully beautiful and creepy.

7. What’s Your Favorite Movie Featuring Motorcycles or Cars?

I love Smokey and the Bandit (1977). I’ve seen this movie at least a dozen times, but a few years ago, my sister and I saw it in the theater and it was amazing. This movie is perfection with the cool and somewhat reckless Burt Reynolds as the titular Bandit, and Sally Field as the gorgeous, yet sassy and bitter “Frog.” Paul Williams plays Little Enos. Then Jerry Reed plays not only Bandit’s BFF “The Snowman” who travels with his basset hound, Fred, he also sings the catchy and fantastic theme song of the movie, “Eastbound and Down.” As great as Reynolds’ black Trans Am is and as fun as the car scenes are, this film’s greatest asset is Jackie Gleason as Buford T Justice, aka “Smokey Bear.” Every single thing that Buford T Justice says is hilarious. Some day, I’d love to go into Carl’s Jr that has a Diablo burger and say “Get me a Diablo sandwich and a Dr Pepper and make it quick because I’m in a goddamned hurry!” However, I don’t want a Diablo burger and I also think the staff would have no idea what I’m saying, so I’d just look like a jerk.

Jr. tries to keep Papa Buford’s hat on his head in “Smokey and the Bandit”

8. What is Your Favorite Movie Featuring Gangs or Criminals?

I love film noir, so there are a million films that I love that fit this criteria. One of my favorites is White Heat (1949) starring James Cagney as gangster Cody Jarrett who has a mommy complex and reoccurring debilitating migraines. He is being tailed by FBI agent Fallon (Edmond O’Brien) who manages to get inside Cody’s gang. Cody has an explosive temper and ending. Virginia Mayo who plays Cody’s girlfriend has one of my all-time favorite lines, “Money’s just paper if you don’t spend it.” Other gang or criminal movies I love are The Killing (1956), Gun Crazy (1950), and Double Indemnity (1944).

9. What is Your Favorite Movie Featuring War or a War Setting?

I am not a big war person. However, I love movies about the World War II home front, or if it prominently features war, I’d rather the war have something else like a romance or some other story intertwined and not focus solely on the battle and maneuvers. The actual scenes of war with battles and maneuvers and such don’t usually excite me. One of my favorite war movies is From Here to Eternity (1953) that takes place in the days leading up to December 7, 1941. This movie only really has war at the end, but the audience knows that it’s coming while the soldiers are practicing mundane drills and such. There are also two romances and drama that I enjoy. Another war movie I love is Cry Havoc (1943) about a group of volunteer women (mostly civilians, some nurses) who live together and administer aid and care to the wounded soldiers.

Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in that iconic beach scene from “From Here to Eternity”

10. What is Your Favorite Movie Featuring a Mystery?

I love film noir, Hitchcock, the mystery-comedy movies like The Thin Man series, but my favorite is probably Mildred Pierce (1945) where the mystery of who murdered playboy Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott) is revealed. Mildred Pierce (Joan Crawford), wife to Monte, is brought in for questioning. The entire action of the film is unveiled via flashback. We learn about Mildred’s divorce from husband Bert (Bruce Bennett) and her children, especially her horribly spoiled daughter, Veda (Ann Blyth). Jack Carson and Eve Arden are the buddy comedy that we never knew we wanted as they provide support to Mildred throughout the film. This movie is fantastic and I love Veda. Veda is my queen.

11. What is Your Favorite Movie Western?

I haven’t seen a ton of Westerns, but I am trying to watch more. I love Shane (1953) starring Alan Ladd as the titular Shane. This is one of those typical stranger arrives in town type films. Shane comes to the aid of the local Starrett family, led by Van Heflin and Jean Arthur, whose land is at risk of being taken over by a wealthy cattle baron. Ladd is fantastic in this film as are Heflin and Arthur. Shane is known as a great gunslinger and his presence in town threatens the cattle baron. He in turn hires Jack Palance, another great gunslinger to take on Shane. This film is gorgeous to look at and exciting to watch.

12. What is Your Favorite Adventure Film?

I love The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) with my favorite, Errol Flynn. Despite Flynn not being particularly excited by the role, he was born to play Robin Hood. He is sheer perfection in this film as are Olivia de Havilland as Maid Marian and Claude Rains as Prince John. The Adventures of Robin Hood is as close to a perfect film as one can get. The Technicolor is gorgeous. The costumes are gorgeous. The scenery is beautiful. The action scenes are exciting. The score is fantastic. Everything about this film is perfection.

13. What is Your Favorite Movie Featuring a Female Lead?

My #1 favorite movie of all time is The Long, Long Trailer (1954) starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Made in the middle of I Love Lucy, this film plays more or less like a 90 minute long episode, sans the Mertzes. The Long, Long Trailer is hilarious. I have seen this movie at least 100 times (no exaggeration). I wore out two VHS, two DVD, and now I have a blu ray. I’ve seen it on the big screen twice. My favorite part of this film is when Lucy falls out of the trailer, on her back, into a giant mud puddle. The scream she lets out is hysterical.

Lucy tries to cook dinner in the back of a moving trailer in “The Long, Long Trailer.” It does not go well.

14. What is Your Favorite Movie Featuring Beaches and Rock and Roll?

If there’s another type of film I love besides film noir, women in prison, and The Long Long Trailer, it’s teen beach movies–especially 1950s and 1960s teen beach movies. My favorite of the teen beach movies is the OG, Gidget (1959), starring Sandra Dee as everyone’s favorite girl surfer, and teen idol James Darren as Moondoggie. Cliff Robertson plays The Big Kahuna. Gidget features another teen beach movie trope, the luau. James Darren croons two songs, including the title track “Gidget” and “The Next Best Thing to Love.” I also love the sequel, Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) with Deborah Walley as a redheaded Gidget and Darren again as Moondoggie. Carl Reiner and Jeff Donnell play Gidget’s parents.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Beach Party movies. I love Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. Linda Evans shows up as “Sugar Kane” a singer with whom Frankie is instantly smitten, much to Annette’s chagrin. Like in all Beach Party movies, Frankie says/does something dumb and Annette is mad at him. Then there’s the world’s oldest teen gang member, Eric Von Zipper, who gets involved. Joel McCrea’s son, Jody, meets a mermaid. And Buster Keaton spends the entire movie chasing a bikini girl. Then there’s my girl, Deborah Walley, playing a skydiving instructor. This movie makes absolutely no sense, but I love it.

For a more serious teen beach movie with rock and roll, I love Where the Boys Are (1960) starring Dolores Hope, Paula Prentiss, Yvette Mimieux, and Connie Francis. The four women play college students who decide to leave their snowy college town for a week long, warm spring break in Florida. Each girl hopes to meet a boy, but each have different goals and personalities. Their beaus end up being George Hamilton, Jim Hutton, a disgusting creep named Dill, and Frank Gorshin. Yvette Mimieux probably gets the saddest, but juiciest part. In between the drama however, are a lot of hilarious scenes and a fantastic title song sung by Connie Francis.

Honorable Mentions for favorite beach rock and roll movies: Dr Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965) with Vincent Price; Beach Party (1963) with Frankie and Annette; Muscle Beach Party (1964) with Frankie and Annette; It’s a Bikini World (1967) with Deborah Walley; For Those Who Think Young (1964) with James Darren, Pamela Tiffin, Nancy Sinatra, Bob Denver, Tina Louise, Paul Lynde (!) and Ellen Burstyn!; Girl Happy (1965); and Clambake (1967) both starring Elvis and Shelley Fabares.

For those who love horror and teen beach movies and would love to see the two combined, I recommend Psycho Beach Party (2000) which follows the Gidget storyline almost exactly, but in this film, Gidget acts more like Michael Myers.

Moondoggie teaches Gidget how to surf in “Gidget”

3. Movie Featuring the Drive-In–“The Facts of Life” (1960)

An interesting movie poster for this film

After I Love Lucy and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour ended in 1960, and her divorce from Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball signed on to co-star with longtime friend, Bob Hope. The Facts of Life (not to be confused with the 1979-1988 television show of the same name) featured Ball and Hope as Kitty and Larry, a pair of friends who embark on an extra-marital affair. Both have issues in their respective marriages that drive them into each other’s arms. Kitty’s husband is always working or gambling. Larry’s wife is so preoccupied with the children, not paying any attention to him unless it has to do with the kids. Every year, Kitty and her husband, Larry and his wife, and another couple all take the same vacation to Acapulco. However, this year, after a series of illnesses and events, Kitty and Larry find themselves on the vacation alone. Eventually, we know it will come to a point where they’ll need to decide whether their relationship is worth breaking up two marriages.

Scene of the Drive-In in “The Facts of Life” (1960)

Despite The Facts of Life being a rather mature film for 1960 and for Lucille Ball and Bob Hope, two actors primarily known for comedy, there is a very comedic scene in this film that takes place at, you guessed it, a Drive-In! Before Kitty and Larry deliberate about whether to divorce their respective spouses for each other, they try to carry on their affair discreetly, under everyone’s noses. One evening, Kitty and Larry arrange to rendezvous at the local Drive-In. However, Larry is detained when his wife, Mary, asks him to go to their son’s scout meeting.

Lucy and Bob Hope rendezvous at the Olympic Drive-In in LA. According to the internet, it is long gone and is now a car dealership.

Larry finally arrives at the Drive-In and climbs into Kitty’s car. They embrace and kiss. However, while they’re kissing, Kitty sees Thompson, the dry cleaner, who makes regular house calls to all her friends’ homes (including Larry’s) in the neighboring car. Thompson of course, recognizes her. Kitty warns Larry about Thompson. Knowing that Thompson can see Kitty, Larry must keep his back to him to hide their affair. After accidentally hitting the horn, causing it to be stuck, and annoying all the neighboring moviegoers, Kitty and Larry decide that they need to leave. To keep Larry’s identity secret, he and Kitty continue to kiss while they attempt to drive a car together with Larry’s foot on one pedal and Kitty’s on the other. Thompson is none the wiser, all he knows is that Kitty was making out at the Drive-In.

Lucille Ball and Bob Hope kiss at the Drive-In before they have to co-drive a car together

Tags 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, Alan Ladd, Bob Hope, comedy, Errol Flynn, Film Noir, Horror, Joan Crawford, Lucille Ball, sandra dee, science fiction, Teen Beach, western

Favorite Classic Movies (Pre-1980) Favorite Modern Movies (post-1980)

Rain in the Movies

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date March 12, 2026
3 Comments on Rain in the Movies

Satsuke and sister Mei take shelter from the rain at a bus stop with Totoro keeping watch in My Neighbor Totoro (1988).

As a native of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon specifically, I have seen my share of rain. In fact, NW Oregon (where I’ve lived my entire life) is in the middle of yet another “atmospheric river” event. Basically, we’re getting rain and a lot of it–at least 3″ between yesterday through tomorrow. Personally, I like the rain. It’s relaxing and makes the outside smell nice. Plus, it makes for excellent movie watching weather. As long as the rain stays out of my basement, I am good.

During the last major rain event, just a couple weeks ago, I watched a bunch of excellent rainy film noir and Clue because I love it and it has rain. That rain marathon and this week’s downpour inspired me to write a post about rain in the movies as well as allows me to highlight some of my favorite movies. Right now, I haven’t returned to watching any rainy films, because I’ve been obsessed with playing Pokopia on Switch 2.

Movies have been using rain since almost the beginning to put forth a certain emotion, add suspense, express a metaphor, or even just to add some atmosphere. A rainstorm is often used as a reason for characters to be forced to stay confined in one space, such as in Key Largo (1948). Rain can be used as a setting for romance, such as the famous kiss in the rain between Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). To add atmosphere, rain will often be included such as in Clue (1985), where the characters are summoned to Mr. Boddy’s mansion during a dark, rainy night, and end up caught up in a murder mystery. In this blog entry, I want to focus on some of my favorite rain scenes in films.

Rain is often used to lend suspense to a scene, and where else would you want a lot of suspense and drama? A scene in which someone is driving. Driving in the rain can already be fairly treacherous. Add in a driver who is nervous, angry, distraught, or any other distracting emotion and it’s almost always a recipe for danger, or at least great melodrama.

BEST DRIVING IN RAIN SCENES

Lana Turner has a meltdown in “The Bad and the Beautiful.”

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952). Lana Turner’s Georgia is distraught after discovering that her boyfriend and producer, Jonathan Shields (Kirk Douglas) has been cheating on her with a starlet. She expresses her indignation over his betrayal and he more or less tells her that he can do whatever he wants. He doesn’t owe her any loyalty, because he gave her stardom. Distraught, Georgia gets into her car and takes off on a high-speed race home, through a pouring rainstorm. Anyone who thinks Lana couldn’t act should watch her performance in this scene. She enters the car sobbing, but soon collapses into pure hysteria as the reality of Jonathan’s betrayal and callousness sets in. Juxtaposed against the frenzy of rain and flashes of lights, Georgia’s emotional collapse reaches its apex when she screams and slams on the brakes.
Dead Reckoning (1947). Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rip Murdock, is investigating the death of his friend, Johnny. During his investigation, he falls in love with Coral Chandler (Lizabeth Scott). Unfortunately, he learns that Coral isn’t all she seems and was involved in his friend’s death. Coral and Rip end up in a car together after she accidentally shoots her accomplice instead of him. While Rip drives through heavy rain, he and Coral argue over her intending to kill him. She then pulls out a gun and he hits the gas pedal to floor it. Anyone who has watched a lot of old movies knows that whenever it’s raining and someone is driving recklessly, something bad is going to happen. In this film, Rip ends up crashing head-on into a tree, mortally injuring Coral.
Psycho (1960). This is a classic and for good reason. In this film, Janet Leigh’s Marion Crane leaves Phoenix and heads to California with $40,000 in stolen money in hand. She wants to marry her boyfriend, Sam (John Gavin), but he refuses to do so due to lack of funds. When Marion’s employer asks her to deliver a $40,000 deposit to the bank, the temptation is too strong to resist. This money would solve all of her and Sam’s financial woes. While she originally plans to drive through the night, a rainstorm forces her to seek refuge at the Bates Motel, operated by the young and nervous Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). Unfortunately for Marion, this is the end of the line.

Rain can also be used to add romance to the scene, because what is more romantic than a classic kiss in the rain type scene. Rain also seems to bring people together–often because they’re forced to seek shelter and each other for warmth.

FAVORITE ROMANTIC RAIN SCENES

Lucy and Desi kiss and make-up in “The Long Long Trailer.”

The Long, Long Trailer (1954). My favorite film of all time features a romantic, albeit cliched (now) romantic kiss in the rain. Tacy (Lucille Ball) and Nicky (Desi Arnaz) spend the entirety of the film more or less on the honeymoon road trip from hell, with one catastrophe after another. The tension and frustration reaches its end when Nicky discovers that Tacy has not only lied to him, but has also put their lives at risk. The couple needs to drive over a high elevation (8000 feet) peak in Colorado. Because of the steep incline and possibility that extra weight could pull the trailer down (and possibly off) the mountain, Nicky tells Tacy that she needs to get rid of all the extra weight she’s added to the trailer in the form of rocks and preserves. Tacy’s idea was that they could collect large rocks from different places they visit and use them to decorate their patio when they reach their new home in Colorado. As a cost-saving measure (to justify the purchase of the trailer), Tacy stars canning fruits and vegetables.

Instead of removing the material from the trailer, she instead distributes it evenly around the trailer, thinking it would solve the weight issue. It does not. Everything comes out. Nicky discovers it. The couple fight and separate. In the pouring down rain, Nicky finally tracks down Tacy (and the trailer) at a trailer park where she’s in the middle of planning to sell the trailer. He opens the trailer door, finds Tacy, but can’t bring himself to apologize. Nicky drives away and suddenly Tacy realizes that she doesn’t want him to leave. She runs out into the rain, in front of Nicky’s car. He stops and gets out. Nicky and Tacy embrace, having made up and reconciled. They run up the steps into their home (the trailer) and kiss.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). While a lot can be said about this film, ::cough:: Mickey Rooney ::cough:: there are some fun parts as well. The ending of ‘Tiffany’s’ is much like the end of The Long, Long Trailer, with Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly and George Peppard’s Paul (or “Fred Baby” as I like to call him) reconciling and kissing in the rain drenched streets of New York City. However, this scene has extra poignancy beyond the classic kiss in the rain. In a previous scene, Holly very cruelly abandons “Cat” her pet, out in the rain, saying that nobody belongs to anyone–even animals. Her whole mantra throughout the film is that she’s a free spirit, she doesn’t belong to (or with anyone). Paul is the only person her circle to actually care about her and want to help her. Everyone else in her orbit is someone she makes money off of (via trips to the powder room), or someone who takes advantage of her naivete (e.g., Sally Tomato providing her with the “weather report” to pass on to one of his associates).

However, Holly is no better in that she only associates herself with people she believes can do something for her. She’s a phony, her agent says. Paul bitterly tells Holly off by stating that in her efforts to prevent herself from being put into a “cage” she’s put herself into one, because she’s unwilling to share herself or part of her life with anyone. He then gets out of the car, throws the ring (that they’d had engraved at Tiffany’s during their fun day in New York City together) at her. The ring is a symbol of a time where Holly was probably being closer to her true self and not putting on airs. Holly grabs the ring, places it over the ever important (and symbolic) left ring finger and realizes that she (and Cat) belong with Paul. Their kiss in the rain (plus keeping Cat warm) symbolizes their new life together. Holly found where she belongs.
Top Hat (1935) Another one of the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers films that features Astaire as a character who initially annoys Rogers’ character until a dance brings them together. In this film, Astaire’s Jerry Travers, a tap dance star, arrives in London to appear in a show for producer Horace Hardwick (Edward Everett Horton). Late at night, he decides to practice his number (on hard floors!) and wakes up and annoys Dale Tremont (Rogers). She comes up to his room to complain and he is smitten. She is less so. Then there’s a case of mistaken identity, with Dale thinking that Jerry is Horace, the husband of her friend Madge (Helen Broderick).

Jerry pursues Dale throughout the film and she continues to be repulsed by him because she thinks her friend’s husband is coming onto her. A rainstorm at the park forces Jerry and Dale to seek refuge under a gazebo, where they dance to “It’s a Lovely Day (to be Caught in the Rain).” As with many of their films, Rogers’ annoyed attitude towards Astaire lessens, as they start to fall in love through song and dance.

Finally, rain can also be utilized to add a certain atmosphere to a film, or to evoke a specific feeling.

FAVORITE ATMOSPHERIC RAIN SCENES

Gene Kelly in what is probably the most famous rain scene of all time in *Singin’ in the Rain*.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952). This film contains the most iconic rain scene of all and I would be remiss to not mention it. Gene Kelly’s classic dance in the rain to the title song, is perhaps the greatest dance number ever captured and the most joyous. I dare anyone to watch this scene and not feel better at the end. What is happier than a dance in the rain, splashing in puddles, without a single care in the world? The “Singin’ in the Rain” number happens after Kelly’s character, silent screen star Don Lockwood, returns from a disastrous screening of his first “talkie,” The Dueling Cavalier. It co-stars his on-screen partner, the incredibly untalented Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), who is oblivious to the movie’s awfulness and delivers one of my favorite lines, “I liked it!” Don figures that his career is over until friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor) and new love, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) convince him to re-tool the film to be the musical, The Dancing Cavalier, with Kathy providing behind the scenes support to cover up Lina’s inadequacies. Overcome with joy and his new lease on life, Don happily sings, dances and splashes his way down the Hollywood streets, until he’s stopped by a befuddled cop. What a buzzkill.
Clue (1985). This film opens with the six main characters arriving at the mansion of Mr. Boddy, in their color-coded vehicles. The house is tall and ominous, as is the torrential downpour. Inside the mansion, both Mr. Boddy and the chef are killed, leaving the six guests, plus butler Wadsworth (Tim Curry) and maid Yvette (Colleen Camp), to wonder who was responsible. The rain forces other unsuspecting visitors to enter the mansion, like a motorist breaking down in the rain and wanting to use the phone, and a cop investigating the motorist’s abandoned car. It rains the entire time throughout the film, lending a sort of spookiness to the classic mystery of “Who Killed Mr. Boddy?”
Thunder on the Hill (1951). This film takes place almost entirely at a convent. Sister Mary Bonaventure (Claudette Colbert) is in charge of the hospital ward of the convent. A horrific rainstorm closes nearby roads, keeping everyone inside and others out. A woman, Valerie Carns (Ann Blyth), is brought to the convent to wait out the storm due to the closed roads. She is supposed to be delivered to the prison to await her execution for the murder of her brother. However, the washed out road delays the inevitable and she is forced to stay at the convent. As one can imagine, Valerie is not particularly amiable or even polite. Sister Mary does her best to be gracious and empathetic to Valerie, eventually softening her up a little. Through talking to Valerie, Sister Mary realizes that she may be innocent and decides to investigate Valerie’s brother’s death before the rain lets up and the roads re-open.

In this film, the rain adds a harshness and uneasiness to the events in the film. As soon as the rain lets up and the road is passable, Ann Blyth’s character is headed to Death Row for a crime that she may not have committed. Other refugees are unhappy with her presence. The head doctor’s wife, Isabel, is a patient at the hospital and is unhappy with Sister Mary. Lending to the tension is that this same doctor also testified against Valerie in the case against her brother–more or less sealing her conviction. The Mother Superior (Gladys Cooper) is upset that Sister Mary refuses to follow her orders that she not intervene between Valerie and the police. Sister Mary is also holding onto her own baggage–the recent suicide of her sister. The relentless rain, the only thing keeping these people cooped up at the convent, increases the tension and drama.

HONORABLE RAIN SCENE MENTIONS:

Dorothy Malone watches, longingly, as Bogart departs her bookstore in “The Big Sleep.”

The Big Sleep (1946). It rains constantly in this film and only lends to the overall darkness and spookiness of the proceedings. The plot is also a mess, the weather might as well be too.
My Neighbor Totoro (1988). In this film, sisters Satsuke and Mei discover Totoro, a forest spirit, living near their new home. The sisters are living near a local hospital where their mother is convalescing. Totoro and his fellow spirits watch over the girls and intervene when Mei goes missing.
Casablanca (1942). Humphrey Bogart’s Rick stands in the rain, eagerly awaiting Ingrid Bergman’s Ilsa’s arrival, only to be handed a “Dear John” letter. As Rick’s heart breaks, the rain washes Ilsa’s words off the page. His life is over as he knows it.
Red Dust (1932). Getting caught in a monsoon forces Mary Astor’s stuffy Barbara into the home of the rugged Dennis Carson (Clark Gable). Also staying with Dennis? Vantine (Jean Harlow), a prostitute who is none too happy or impressed with Barbara’s presence. Vantine has her eye on Dennis too and does not want to share. However, upon spotting a rain soaked Barbara, Dennis is overwhelmed and seduces her. The rain in this film lends an intensity, further making an already stifling film feel even more stuffy than it did before. This isn’t a cold rain. This is a hot, humid, rain.
The Old Dark House (1932). A common trope in horror or mystery films, this is another movie that uses rain to force people inside. Horror often has people seeking shelter from strangers, and they’re always unusual strangers. In this movie, Phillip and Margaret Waverton (Raymond Massey and Gloria Stuart) are driving in a heavy storm with their friend, Penderel (Melvyn Douglas). They end up seeking refuge from the Femm siblings, Horace and Rebecca. The Femms are very weird. They warn their visitors about their butler Morgan (Boris Karloff), who is mute, alcoholic, and extremely dangerous. Eventually, two more people arrive at the Femms seeking shelter, Sir William Porterhouse (Charles Laughton) and Gladys DuCane (Lillian Bond). As the group stays at the home longer, they start to discover more and more unusual people and continue to be terrorized by Morgan. This is not only suspenseful, it is also very funny. “Please pass the po-tay-toes,” is my favorite line in the film.

Blogathon Favorite Classic Television

11th Annual Favorite TV Show Episode Blogathon–Mama’s Family, “The Big Nap”

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date March 23, 2025
2 Comments on 11th Annual Favorite TV Show Episode Blogathon–Mama’s Family, “The Big Nap”

The character of Thelma “Mama” Harper originated as a reoccurring skit, “The Family,” on The Carol Burnett Show. Mama and “The Family” made their debut in 1974 in the skit entitled, “Phillip’s Visit.” The original iteration of Mama featured her as a ill-tempered, somewhat senile, and very quick to insult anyone, even members of her family. Vicki Lawrence, then in her 20s (!) played Mama, with Carol Burnett as Eunice and Harvey Korman as Eunice’s husband, Ed.

In 1983, “The Family” sketch was spun-off into a television sitcom, Mama’s Family, starring Vicki Lawrence, now in her 30s, playing the 60-something Mama. Korman appeared at the beginning of each episode as “Alistair Quince,” to introduce the next installment of Mama’s Family. Korman and Burnett would appear sporadically as Eunice and Ed. New family members were added, including Mama’s son, Vinton aka “Vint” (Ken Berry), neighbor and soon-to-be Vint’s new wife, Naomi (Dorothy Lyman), and Vint’s teenaged children, Buzz (Eric Brown) and Sonja (Karin Argoud). Future stars of The Golden Girls, Betty White and Rue McClanahan, played Mama’s daughter Ellen and Mama’s sister Fran, respectively.

This iteration of Mama’s Family ran for two seasons until it was canceled. The first two seasons were put into reruns and unexpectedly performed well. A couple years later, in 1986, show producer Joe Hamilton (also Carol Burnett’s ex-husband) revived the series for first-run syndication. Hamilton retooled the series. The character of Mama was softened to be less mean and more caring towards her family. However, she was still quick with a smart and witty retort. Vint’s children were removed from the series and never mentioned again. In the original series, Vint was more intelligent and more apt to stand up to his mother. In the new version, Vint is a bit of a dope; but is more loveable. The Naomi character was changed from being sassy and also willing to stand up to Thelma to being a bit of a bimbo and more shrill.

By now, Betty White and Rue McClanahan were busy on The Golden Girls, so their characters did not make an appearance in the new version of the series. Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawrence were somewhat estranged during this time, so Burnett’s character, Eunice, was only mentioned by name. White’s character, Ellen, was also only mentioned by name. McClanahan’s character, Fran, was killed off in the first episode of the new series, with the group arriving home from her funeral. Fran died after choking on a toothpick at the local watering hole, The Bigger Jigger. New characters were added to the series, neighbor Iola (Beverly Archer) and Mama’s grandson (Eunice’s son), Bubba (Allan Kayser). In my opinion, the second version of the series is the best version of the series.

Now onto the episode of Mama’s Family I wanted to discuss, “The Big Nap.” This episode originally aired on January 20, 1990. Throughout the second iteration of the series, Mama is established to be a big fan of classic film. She and Iola watch Bette Davis in “Now Voyager” in an episode on Valentine’s Day and in another episode, Mama falls asleep in the middle of a Deanna Durbin marathon. In “The Big Nap,” Mama is ready to settle in for another evening of the “Private Eye Film Festival,” featuring a triple feature of private eye films. Mama says that she’s planning to watch “Danger My Lovely,” “Murder My Pretty,” and “Kiss Me, Vicious.” The previous night she watched “Kiss of Danger,” “Murder My Vicious,” and “Kill Me, My Lovely.” These films are obviously all fictitious titles, but are similar to well-known film noir titles (“Murder My Sweet,” “Kiss Me Deadly,” “Kiss of Death,” etc.).

Before Mama starts watching her films, neighbor Iola shows up with some startling news: her notoriously large and reclusive mother is missing. While Vint, Naomi, Bubba and Iola are out looking for her, Mama settles in her her movie marathon. Soon, we hear some stereotypical film noir music and typical private eye type narration. It’s obviously fake audio made for the episode, but it sets the tone for the type of film Mama is watching. Mama then starts to feel guilty for not spending her time looking for Iola’s mother. She is then reminded of another private eye film she watched. This then segues into Mama daydreaming about being a private eye.

The scene transitions into sepia tone. Mama provides the narration for the story. She is “T. Harper,” Private Eye. She dons a fedora and trench coat and begins investigating her new case. She works from her home, aka her “showplace,” because she prefers it. Mama’s narration is very funny and uses a lot of the common film noir tropes: slang, metaphors, a jaded tone, her personal thoughts as to what’s going on, a feeling of weariness, etc.

“Things got so bad, I took up hitting the sauce. Just my luck, it needed oregano and I was out.”

Mama then says this funny line:

“This was a job for my girl Friday. Her name was Tuesday. She started on a Monday, and by Wednesday, she’d asked for Thursday off.”

Very cleverly, all the other family members and Iola are seen as characters in Mama’s dream, sporting their familiar character traits. Naomi is Tuesday, Mama’s Girl Friday. She speaks with a thick Brooklyn accent and is a complete bimbo. She’s seen perched at a typewriter, which is what she was doing in the episode prior to Mama’s daydream. Tuesday’s boyfriend, is Vint aka “Johnny Deadbolt,” a take-off of Vint’s job as a locksmith. Johnny is a typical dimwitted gangster. Mama’s neighbor, Iola, shows up in the femme fatale role, as “Miss Neighborly,” a take-off of Mary Astor’s “Miss Wonderley” from The Maltese Falcon. Miss Neighborly has hired Mama to find her mother. Iola’s tendency to whip up meals on the fly is spoofed with her randomly making an eggplant parmigiana in Mama’s kitchen. Throughout Mama’s dream, Miss Neighborly keeps making random meals. She also pays Mama for her work on the case in coupons. Finally, Bubba is Miss Neighborly’s brute of a “chauffeur,” a local hood named Lucky. He also uses a New York-esque accent. All the characters are suspects in Mama’s eyes.

“Coupons. More coupons than I’d ever seen in my whole life. Thirty-cents off cornflakes. Fifty cents off ground chuck. Why, there was even a two-for-one on oregano?”

Mama’s dream ends with her identifying Miss Neighborly as the culprit. She also figures out that Miss Neighborly’s mother wasn’t missing–in fact, she had no mother. Tapping into Iola’s homemaker traits, Miss Neighborly is revealed to have invented a mother who developed fantastic recipes that were shared with the world. Her mother was a sensation, and Miss Neighborly became tired of not getting any credit, so she concocted this story to get rid of her mother.

“I wanted to be more than an orphan. I wanted to be the finest cook in America and make a fortune on my recipes…I was tired. Tired of her getting all the glory. They were my recipes. It was my book. She didn’t create caramel crab cake surprise. I did. Me, the daughter. But mother said, ‘The daughter had to stay in the background.’ But I am the mother. And the daughter. Mother, daughter. Mother, daughter…”

The episode ends with Naomi, Vint, Bubba, and Iola returning, stating that they’d located Iola’s mother. It seems that she heard the ice cream truck and had followed it, until realizing she was three blocks away. Tired, she stopped in the Donut Hut, seated on the first three stools. Mama decides that she’d be better off watching a Shirley Temple Film Festival, instead of a Private Eye Film Festival.

Tags 1980s, classic tv, comedy

Blogathon Favorite Modern Movies (post-1980)

The Seventh “So Bad It’s Good” Blogathon–Xanadu (1980) & Road House (1989)

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date February 22, 2025
9 Comments on The Seventh “So Bad It’s Good” Blogathon–Xanadu (1980) & Road House (1989)

The 1980s ushered in the era of the blockbuster, a type of film with an entirely different filmmaking philosophy than the eras that preceded it. The Golden Age of Hollywood (1927-1968), was the period of the studio system and production code. While this period did produce many of Hollywood’s most beloved films and stars, it was definitely not an era that encouraged individualism and art. While money is the main goal of most film productions, in the Golden Age, it was the only goal. No matter how creative or avant-garde a film might have been, if it didn’t turn a profit, Hollywood executives didn’t care. Too many failed projects, and the star would be labeled “box office poison,” and kicked to the curb.

By the late 1960s, with the fall of the studio system and implementation of the modern ratings system, the New Hollywood movement took off. This movement brought a lot of more contemporary themes to the big screen like Vietnam, and the women’s rights movement. Young Hollywood filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, free from the rigid production code adhered to by their Golden Age predecessors, were able to take more risks with their themes and content. Growing advances in computers and technology led to more advanced filmmaking, seen in films like Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, both released in 1977. The new Hollywood films of the 1970s often were more gritty, more realistic and presented a less glamorous side of life.

Olivia Newton-John in just one of her many costume changes in the finale in “Xanadu”

The 1980s ushered in the age of the blockbuster–films that were specifically made to appeal to the mass audience’s senses and yield the highest box office. Gone were the convoluted plots of the film noir of the 1940s. Gone were the experimental films of New Hollywood. While there were definitely outliers, many of the 1980s films didn’t have the heavy, dreary plots of their 1970s predessors. Plots were simple, but entertaining. Comedians like Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Christopher Guest, John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Rodney Dangerfield, and Eddie Murphy (to name a few), were given the chance to star in hilarious comedies that exhibited their unique type of comedy. Action stars like Murphy (Beverly Hills Cop), Bruce Willis (Die Hard), and Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon) were popular for their action-packed, but also funny, series of films.

The content of films featuring teenagers changed (simultaneously for better and for worse) as they featured more realistic plots such as in Valley Girl (1983) and Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), but were also made to appeal to adult men, which was definitely a step in the wrong direction. Actors who were part of the “Brat Pack” (Demi Moore, Ralph Macchio, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Jon Cryer, Anthony Michael Hall, Andrew McCarthy, to name a few) were featured heavily in teen films of the era. Also featured heavily in 1980s films was music.

Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly, and Michael Beck in “Xanadu”

Soundtracks in the 1980s really upped their ante with film after film being chockful of catchy tunes and themes written for the film (“Ghostbusters” and “Axel F,” anyone?). Pop singers and bands were recruited by filmmakers to contribute one or more tunes to the soundtrack. Other films featured soundtracks comprised of a dozen or more popular songs, specifically chosen to fit the mood and tone of the scene. To finally get to the point in this article, two such films featured with excellent soundtracks are the “so bad, they’re good” Xanadu (1980) and Road House (1989) which bookended the decade and showed the complete shift from the late 1970s-1980s era of disco and New Wave to the new Aqua Net enhanced hairy, yet grungy late 1980s.

In Xanadu, Olivia Newton-John, still riding the success of Grease (1978) from two years prior, starred as Kira, one of the nine muses of Olympus. One day in Los Angeles, Sonny Malone (Michael Beck), a struggling artist, tosses one of his failed sketches into the wind. It lands in front of a mural depicting the nine muses of Olympus, which suddenly comes alive. The other eight muses fly away, but Kira skates towards Sonny and kisses him.

Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly in Xanadu

Sonny’s job involves him painting album cover reproductions. He is tasked with painting an album cover for a group called “The 9 Sisters.” The cover features a mysterious woman standing in front of an Art Deco building. Sonny realizes that the mysterious woman is the woman who kissed him earlier. His boss states that she isn’t supposed to be on the cover and that she’s popped up in previous covers he’s done as well. Obviously the “mysterious woman” is Kira. Sonny manages to track her down and learns her name.

Sonny then meets Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly), a former clarinet player and orchestra leader. He is now a successful construction mogul. Danny and Sonny get to talking and Danny tells Sonny that in the 1940s, he fell in love with a big band singer who resembled Kira. Eventually Kira encourages the two men to open a nightclub together, Xanadu, inside the old abandoned Art Deco building seen in Sonny’s album cover.

Xanadu is ridiculous. The plot sounds good on paper, but wasn’t executed properly. The script apparently changed day-to-day, with parts even being written during filming (which worked for Casablanca; but it did not for Xanadu!). Parts of the story feel disjointed–especially the Don Bluth-animated sequence. The sequence was a shortcut the producers took to showcase an additional song and shoehorned it in–and it shows, horribly. However, the poor execution of everything is also what gives the film its charm.

Gene Kelly’s amazing “glitz makeover” in Xanadu

It is amazing that the film got Gene Kelly, even a legend in 1980, to appear in this film. Kelly is the highlight of this film. He more or less reprises his character from 1945’s Cover Girl, except obviously there is no mention of Rita Hayworth or Phil Silvers’ characters. Kelly appears in my favorite part of the movie, the “Glitz Makeover” scene, where he’s given a snappy new wardrobe, more in line with the film’s aesthetic. He is also given a chance to dance and performs a genuinely charming dance number with Olivia Newton-John. At the end of the film, he appears on roller skates at the opening of Xanadu. In a move that should surprise no one, Gene Kelly choreographed all his numbers and controlled the filming of his dance number with Newton-John. She called dancing with Kelly one of the highlights of her career. Despite the star power of Kelly and Newton-John, Xanadu ultimately failed at the box office. One big reason was that when the film went into production at the end of 1979 (alongside one of my other favorite “so bad, it’s good” films, Roller Boogie), roller disco was popular. By the beginning of 1980, the fickle audience hated roller disco.

Despite how one may feel about roller disco, what cannot be argued however, is the awesomeness of the soundtrack. Olivia Newton-John and her longtime producer/writer, John Farrar, and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) both contributed about a half dozen songs to the bangin’ soundtrack. Newton-John’s “Magic,” “Suddenly” and the title track, “Xanadu” all come from this film. ELO was the perfect choice for this film as their style of music and image meshed perfectly with the New Wave, roller disco, fantasy aesthetic of Xanadu.

Patrick Swayze cleans up the town in “Road House”

Flash forward nine years. The 1980s are almost at a close with hair metal and glam rock on its way out and grunge is on its way in. Flannel and Doc Martens, fashion almost synonymous with the 1990s, has replaced the power suits of the 1980s. Also popular during this time is the Rockabilly look and the ever classic mullet. And let me tell you, nobody, NOBODY, has ever rocked the mullet better than Patrick Swayze in Road House. Kurt Russell in Big Trouble in Little China is a close second.

It can be argued that Road House is a modern version of the classic American Western, a film genre that was also making a comeback during the 1980s. In Road House, Swayze plays James Dalton, the professional bouncer who is hired by Frank Tilghmann, owner of the Double Deuce road house in Jasper, Missouri. To draw correlations between Road House and the Western, Dalton (as he’s known throughout the film) is more or less the sheriff brought in to clean up the town (aka the Double Deuce).

Patrick Swayze almost rips out someone’s throat in “Road House”

The beginning scenes of Road House feature an insanely rowdy bar, full of drunks, breaking the furniture and throwing things at the house band protected by a cage. These fight scenes are juxtaposed against the music coming from the amazing house band, led by blind guitarist, Jeff Healey. Healey and his band deliver a rendition of my favorite song by The Doors, “Roadhouse Blues.” Not to be outdone, Patrick Swayze also sings on the soundtrack (though he doesn’t perform at the road house). Much of the Road House soundtrack is comprised of rowdy classic rock songs and other popular music, including Otis Redding’s “These Arms of Mine,” Dion’s “Runaround Sue,” and Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally.”

Dalton starts to clean up the rowdy bar by firing anyone who does not agree with his philosophy. He repeatedly coaches his employees to refrain from fighting, but isn’t above getting into brawls himself, as long as they’re outside. Road House is full of tons of amazing fight scenes, well choreographed and executed perfectly by Patrick Swayze, a professional dancer.

Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliott in “Road House”

Dalton makes a mistake however, when he fires the nephew of Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara), a local businessman who essentially runs the town. He and his gang have a hold over all the other local businesses, and use their control to make demands. If the business owners fail to acquiesce, Brad and his gang will use violence to make sure that the business owner pays. Dalton solidifies his position as Brad’s #1 enemy by pursuing a romantic relationship with Dr. Elizabeth Clay (Kelly Lynch), to whom Brad is also attracted. Obviously, she is going to date Dalton. Who would turn down Patrick Swayze in his prime? Brad’s hatred of Dalton starts to hurt operations at the Double Deuce after Dalton gets it turned around.

Time for some eye candy! Patrick Swayze practices tai chi.

For his Doc Holliday, Dalton recruits his friend, Wade Garrett (Sam Elliott), a legendary bouncer known across the industry. Together, Dalton and Wade join forces to take down Brad and his gang. Sam Elliott sports great hair in this movie! Interspersed with the action scenes and fighting, are shots of Dalton practicing tai chi, which he does as a form of relaxation. I’m not a tai chi expert, I don’t know if Swayze is even doing it correctly. But it doesn’t even matter. These are shots fully intended to show off his bod. These scenes are for the ladies not digging the rowdy fighting scenes. Personally, I like both.

While Road House was ridiculed upon its release mainly for the emphasis on showing off Patrick Swayze’s body, and the gratuitous fighting scenes, crude language and dialogue. However, the gratuitous fight scenes, language, dialogue and Swayze’s body are the whole reasons to watch the film.

Are Xanadu and Road House good films? No. Probably not. Are they fun films? Yes. Both films are very fun, and in my book, if they’re fun, then they’re good. Sometimes an entertaining film is enough. Not every film needs to change the world.

RIP Gene Kelly, Olivia Newton-John, and Patrick Swayze.

Tags 1980s, Action, Ben Gazzara, fantasy, film, Gene Kelly, Kelly Lynch, Michael Beck, movies, music, Musical, Olivia Newton-John, Patrick Swayze, road-house, Romance, Sam Elliott

Blogathon Favorite Classic Television

The Two Jacks Blogathon–“Jack, Jackie and Mayor Quimby on ‘The Simpsons’ “

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date November 23, 2023
3 Comments on The Two Jacks Blogathon–“Jack, Jackie and Mayor Quimby on ‘The Simpsons’ “

The Simpsons is well known for its classic homages, satires and parodies. Many of the citizens of Springfield, USA are classic archetypes of typical characters. The Simpson family, the core of the show, are a send-up of the ideal American family. Patriarch Homer is the breadwinner. Matriarch Marge is a homemaker. Then they have the classic “2.5” children–troublemaker Bart, brainy Lisa, and baby Maggie. Throughout Springfield there are dozens of other characters, many stereotypes of other tropes. One of these tropes is in the form of Springfield’s mayor, Mayor Joe Quimby.

In The Simpsons, Mayor Joe Quimby is an amalgamation of the fabled Kennedy family–perhaps the closest thing the United States has to “royalty” so to speak. John F. Kennedy’s (JFK) presidency and administration was referred to as “Camelot,” a reference to the King Arthur legend. In The Simpsons, Mayor Quimby speaks with a classic mid-Atlantic accent, reminiscent of JFK’s classic way of speaking. His wife, Martha, resembles the First Lady, Jackie. She wears her brunette hair in a bob and is often seen in a pink suit with matching pillbox hat–much like the outfit Jackie Kennedy famously wore when her husband was assassinated while appearing in a presidential motorcade in Dallas, TX on November 22, 1963.

Despite JFK’s carefully cultivated image of being a devoted husband and father, he was a known womanizer. His most famous “other woman” being Marilyn Monroe who famously sang “Happy Birthday” to him at his 45th birthday party in 1962. However, aside from Marilyn, JFK was linked with dozens of other women, including Anita Ekberg, Marlene Dietrich, and numerous White House assistants. JFK’s womanizing is lampooned often on The Simpsons, with Mayor Quimby’s constant affairs being one of his major character traits. In the episode, “Bart After Dark,” Bart begins working at the burlesque house, Maison Derriere. When Springfield’s more conservative denizens (Marge, Ned and Maude Flanders, and Rev. Frank Lovejoy and wife Helen) find out about the burlesque house, they organize a town hall meeting. Mayor Quimby is caught on camera entering the burlesque house. Later, during the song “We Put the Spring in Springfield” which is performed in support of the business, Martha is seen chastising her husband for frequenting it. This is reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy’s knowledge of her husband’s affairs and not particularly being supportive of them, but more or less looking the other way.

Another aspect of the Kennedy clan’s lifestyle that is parodied on The Simpsons, is Mayor Quimby’s lavish wealth. Much like the Kennedy’s famed “Kennedy Compound” in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, Mayor Quimby also lives in a coastal estate called the “Quimby Compound.” Another example of the Quimby wealth and the influence it can bring is through the introduction of Mayor Quimby’s nephew, Freddie. Because of his family’s wealthy background and name, Freddie has grown into an irresponsible and rude man. In “The Boy Who Knew Too Much,” Freddie pays a woman to attend an event with him and mocks the service staff. His behavior leads to him being accused of beating up one of the waitstaff. Despite Bart knowing that Freddie is innocent, he’s reluctant to speak up, as it would prove to Principal Skinner and his parents that he skipped school. Marge represents the opinion of the public who feel that despite Freddie’s potential innocence, a guilty verdict would do him and his family some good. The public is clearly tired of the privilege and nepotism that the Quimby name brings. This is clearly an homage to the special advantages that members of the Kennedy family receive for having the “right” name.

Throughout The Simpsons, there are also various allusions to Kennedy family scandals. Freddie Quimby’s assault trial refers to William Kennedy Smith’s rape trial. Freddie is also seen standing in a sex offender registration line at City Hall–another allusion to Kennedy Smith’s rape allegation. Finally, Ted Kennedy is spoofed in “The Simpsons: Road Rage” video game. When the player is driving erratically, Quimby says “you drive worse than cousin Teddy!” This is referring to the infamous scandal when Ted killed his passenger after driving off a bridge. Ted Kennedy, along with JFK, provide much of the inspiration for Mayor Quimby’s character–good or bad.

Other “tributes” to the Kennedys on The Simpsons are:

-Martha Quimby is related by marriage to movie star Rainier Wolfcastle. This is a clear homage to Kennedy family member, Maria Shriver’s marriage to movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

-Marge Simpson’s full name being Marjorie Jacqueline Bouvier. Her mother’s name is Jacqueline Bouvier.

-Mayor Quimby’s middle name is Fitzgerald, like John F. Kennedy’s.

-In “Marge in Chains,” Marge is accused of being an accomplice in JFK’s assassination, after Professor Frink states that her likeness was observed on the infamous grassy knoll.

-JFK appears in Lisa’s dream and laughs nervously when she mentions that she’ll see him in heaven.

-In “Gone Boy,” Bart watches the real Kennedy inauguration after falling into a nuclear bunker.

MARGE: Homer, look! A TV Guide owned by Jackie O!
STORE OWNER: You should see the crossword puzzle! She thought Mindy lived with “Mark.”
HOMER: Give her a break, her husband was killed!

LISA: Hey, Bouvier was was Jackie Kennedy’s maiden name.
MARGE: Really? I never knew that.
LISA: Well, what did you think her name was before it was Kennedy?
MARGE: Jackie O! Like Spaghetti-Os. I thought that was where her money came from.

Tags 1980s, 1990s, television

Blogathon Favorite Classic Television

TV Show Episode Blogathon- The Golden Girls, “Grab That Dough”

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date March 24, 2023
8 Comments on TV Show Episode Blogathon- The Golden Girls, “Grab That Dough”

I love The Golden Girls. It’s one of my favorite shows. I’ve seen the entire run of the show many times. While I have the entire series on DVD, I watch it constantly on Hulu. I’ve watched it so many times in fact, my parrot loves the show and will fly to his perch closest to the TV to watch. For the record, his favorite character is Sophia. He makes a kissing noise when Estelle Getty’s credit comes on the screen.

“The Golden Girls” left to right: Rue McClanahan (Blanche), Bea Arthur (Dorothy), Estelle Getty (Sophia), and Betty White (Rose)

For those who inexplicably do not know the basic plot of The Golden Girls, it’s simple. Four women live together in Miami. The women are all in their “Golden Years” so to speak, and deal with issues related to romance, age, sex, employment, family, etc. Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) owns a huge mid-century modern style home in Miami, and because this is the 80s, it is packed to the gills with wicker furniture. Blanche is a widow, having lost her husband George a few years prior. Blanche places an ad for roommates on the bulletin board at the local supermarket. While at the market, she meets Rose Nylund (Betty White), a widow who is looking for somewhere to live. Soon enough, Rose is renting a room at Blanche’s home. Later, divorcee Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) answers the ad, and nabs the remaining two bedrooms at Blanche’s home, one for herself and one for her mother, Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty).

Part of the humor of The Golden Girls are the differences and dynamics between the women. Blanche is a sex-crazed, vain, sometimes selfish Southern Belle. She works at the local art museum, which allows Blanche to pretend she’s a woman of culture, despite her membership in an unauthorized Elvis Presley Fan Club. Another member of the unauthorized Elvis Presley Fan Club is the dim, but good natured Rose. She is very naive, but very kind and a good friend. She hails from the small town of St. Olaf, Minnesota. Dorothy and her mother Sophia are from Brooklyn. Dorothy is a former member of the unauthorized Elvis Presley Fan Club, but was thrown out for making a joke about a half-eaten porkchop obviously being a fake. Sophia loves to regale everyone with stories of her hometown in Sicily, often starting her stories with “Picture It…”

Many of the best episodes of The Golden Girls are ones that take the girls out of the confines of their home. In the Season 3 episode, “Grab That Dough,” the girls take a red-eye flight to Hollywood after Sophia announces she’s gotten them a spot as contestants on a game show. The game show is called “Grab That Dough,” which despite how absurd it is, is apparently Dorothy’s favorite game show. The airline loses their luggage, causing the girls arrive at their hotel late and discover that their room has been given away. Blanche tries the “do you know who I am?” method, but it fails.

BLANCHE: “It so happens that I am Miss Angie Dickinson.”
NANCY: “You don’t look like Angie Dickinson to me.”
BLANCHE: “I know. I have altered my appearance for a very important movie role.”
Rue McClanahan as “Blanche Devereaux,” and Lucy Lee Flippin as “Nancy” the Front Desk Clerk.

Avid TV fans may recognize Nancy the Front Desk Clerk as Almanzo “Manly” Wilder’s sister, Eliza Jane in Little House on the Prairie. Anyway, after the girls pay Nancy $75 ($190 in 2023) for the pleasure of sleeping on the furniture in the lobby, they end having their purses stolen overnight. Fortunately, Sophia had the “Grab That Dough” tickets in her brassiere.

SOPHIA: “Dorothy, I’m in the ladies room, I look in my brassiere. What do you think I find?”
DOROTHY: “Hopefully what we all find when we look in our brassiere.”
Estelle Getty as “Sophia Petrillo” and Bea Arthur as “Dorothy Zbornak.”

The girls end up hoofing it dozens of blocks to the TV studio. They are star struck over host Guy Corbin and his assistant, Tiffany. Guy Corbin and Tiffany are very much in the same vein as Bob Barker and his “Barker’s Beauties” on The Price is Right. Anyway, right before they go on the air, Blanche comes up with a scheme. She decides that the girls would have better luck if they split up and joined forces with the other two contestants–The Kaplan Brothers. She suggests that she and Dorothy ditch “deadweight” Sophia and Rose. Blanche, Dorothy and one of the Kaplans will form one team, and Rose, Sophia and the other Kaplan will form the other.

Blanche beams as Guy Corbin reads her bio

“Grab That Dough” is soon rolling and it is instantly hilarious, starting with the introductions:

GUY CORBIN: “Our second contestant is an artist with an incredible body! She runs her own museum, speaks Chinese, and hopes to sail around the world before she turns 40. ::looks at front and back of note card:: Wow! That must be a typo! Welcome, Blanche Devereaux!
James MacKrell as “Guy Corbin.”

The questions are so mundane. I can’t believe that Dorothy, usually presented as an intellectual, would be so into this show. But who knows, maybe it’s a guilty pleasure of hers. Anyway, Blanche’s scheme backfires, and it turns out that the Kaplan brother on their team is a complete moron. At one point, Dorothy bans him from touching his buzzer. However, Blanche rescues the question segment of the show.

GUY CORBIN: “Complete this famous saying: ‘Better late than…’ Blanche?”
BLANCHE: “…pregnant!”
GUY CORBIN: “That is incorrect, but certainly not untrue!”
James MacKrell as “Guy Corbin” and Rue McClanahan as “Blanche Devereaux.”

Blanche and Dorothy are losing to Rose and Sophia miserably, until things turn around and Dorothy is given the opportunity to “grab that dough.” She is then given an apron and placed inside of a big tube which will blow money around. Dorothy is supposed to use her “meat hooks” (per Guy Corbin) to grab as much “dough” as she can. Personally, I would have just scooped up the money that fell on the bottom of the tube, but maybe that is against the rules–though “Grab That Dough” seems like a pretty fast and loose game. Dorothy easily grabs enough dough to propel her and Blanche into the lead.

GUY CORBIN: “Blue team. We don’t want you to go away empty handed. You have $400, that’s $100 a piece. And you have the home version of ‘Grab That Dough,’ which attaches to any vacuum cleaner.”
James MacKrell as “Guy Corbin.”

Blanche and Dorothy do not fare as well. Blanche gambles away their $900 cash for what’s in Window 3. After losing the new living room furniture in Window 1, and the new car in Window 2, they win an electric skillet from the Fry Quick Corporation. After some choice comments from Dorothy causes Guy Corbin to offer apologies to the Fry Quick Corporation, the girls end up winning a lifetime supply of soup to go with their electric skillet. The girls return home, happy that their trip is over.

This episode is very funny–the highlight of course being the game show. The best episodes of The Golden Girls also pit the girls against one another, which always seems to bring out the worst sides of their personalities. Blanche and Dorothy ditching Rose and Sophia would play out in another episode where the girls take part in a bowling competition. Between all the different sports they play/coach (bowling, baseball, football), the tutoring, charity work, etc. etc. is there anything the girls can’t do?

Tags 1980s, classic television

Blogathon Favorite Modern Movies (post-1980)

The “So Bad, It’s Good” Blogathon–UHF (1989)

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date February 26, 2023
4 Comments on The “So Bad, It’s Good” Blogathon–UHF (1989)

Once again, I’m coming in hot with a last minute blog entry. In my defense, I am traveling for work and just settled into my room and remembered that today was the last day for this event. Not wanting to miss a deadline, I am going to do my best to write something. It’s only 9:00pm Pacific Time, so I have three hours.

Daniel Radcliffe as Weird Al in “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.”

Recently Al “Weird Al” Yankovic released a biopic about his life. Of course, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, is a parody film that spoofs all the tropes of other biopics that have come out previously. Playing Weird Al is Daniel “Harry Potter” Radcliffe, because of course, he is the obvious choice. Evan Rachel Wood (Across the Universe, Westworld) plays Weird Al’s girlfriend, an up and coming star named Madonna. Weird Al’s film is hilarious and deserving of all the praise that it has received.

Weird Al’s movie making efforts have not always gone over well–case in point, 1989’s UHF. UHF is an absolutely ridiculous movie, but ridiculous in all the best ways. It bombed at the box office due to the distributor, Orion Pictures, going bankrupt right after production completed, and because it was released during the summer. The summer is traditionally reserved for the big blockbuster films and UHF got lost in the shuffle. Orion’s financial problems led to a non-existent publicity campaign for the film. UHF also received mixed reviews. Critics complained about the style of comedy, lack of plot, lackluster gags, etc.

However, per usual, the critics are wrong. This film is hilarious.

George and Bob eat the disgusting twinkie wiener sandwich–Twinkie split lengthwise to serve as a bun, add hot dog, and spray Easy Cheese on top. Blech.

UHF tells the story of George Newman (Weird Al) who is given Channel 62, a UHF television station, after his uncle Harvey wins it in a poker match. Currently working at Burger World with his friend, Bob (David Bowe). George and Bob are fired by their boss, “Big Edna,” after George is caught daydreaming again. George’s need of a job is what motivates Harvey to unload Channel 62. George and Bob drive up to the Channel 62 station out in the middle of nowhere. They meet Pamela Finklestein (Fran Drescher), the station secretary who dreams of being an on-the-air reporter.

It’s obvious from the start that Channel 62 is failing and nearly bankrupt. The only programming consists of reruns of old television shows like The Beverly Hillbillies and Mister Ed. At this time, the post office misdelivers a package meant for their big network competitor, the VHF Channel 8. George decides to deliver the package himself in an attempt to ingratiate himself to the bigger channel. However, he is rudely tossed out of the building by the network’s CEO, RJ Fletcher (Kevin McCarthy). Outside of the station, George meets Stanley Spadowski (Michael Richards), the former janitor at Channel 8. It seems that RJ just fired him. Taking pity on him, George hires the good-natured Stanley to work for UHF 62.

George and Bob decide that to save the station, they need to come up with a variety of new, original programs, to attract viewers. Right now, I’d like to say that if there was a real station that showed all these bizarre shows, I would watch it in a heartbeat. First, George tries to host a children’s show, “Uncle Nutzy’s Funhouse.” It’s going okay until George breaks up with girlfriend Teri (Victoria Jackson), after he forgets her birthday. While hosting “Uncle Nutzy’s Funhouse,” George has a meltdown and leaves in the middle of the show. He gives Stanley permission to fill-in. Stanley’s crazy slapstick antics are hugely popular with children and he is a massive success. ‘Uncle Nutzy,’ goes away and “Stanley Spadowski’s Clubhouse” takes its place. Hoping to capitalize on Stanley’s success, George and Bob start creating the craziest shows and commercial spots.

The montage of shows being shown on Channel 62 is the funniest part of the movie. There are classic shows like “Wheel of Fish,” where contestants spin a wheel covered in real fish. The contestant will win the fish selected on the wheel and then have the option to trade the fish for what’s in the box. Usually the box is empty, which leads to the host telling the contestant that they’re “stupid, so so stupid.” Another funny show that I like is a Town Hall-style talk show, called “Town Talk.” The teaser for this week’s episodes promise, “lesbian nazi hookers abducted by UFOs and forced into weight loss programs.”

Weird Al appears in a Rambo parody in “UHF.”

Other hilarious programs that they come up with: Underwater Bingo for Teens, Strip Solitaire, Bowling for Burgers, Name That Stain, The Young and the Dyslexic, Secrets of the Universe, The Lice is Right, Traffic Court, Raul’s Wild Kingdom, Fun with Dirt, Eye on Toxic Waste, just to name a few. Of course, The Beverly Hillbillies and Mister Ed are still on the schedule.

Another one of my favorite shows they have is Conan: The Librarian. In the teaser, Conan cuts a kid in half for turning his book in late and chastises another kid for not knowing the Dewey Decimal System. There’s a hilarious commercial for a spatula store called “Spatula City.”

“Hello, this is Sy Greenblum, president of Spatula City. I liked the spatulas so much, I bought the company.”

“And what better way to say ‘I Love You’ than, with the gift of a spatula?”

“Spatula City. Seven Locations. We’re in the Yellow Pages under ‘spatulas.’ “

“My, where did you get that lovely spatula?”
All hilarious quotes from the Spatula City commercial.

Then, there’s Joe Earley who comes onto one of the UHF shows to demonstrate how to use various tools. He tries to demonstrate a table saw and chops off one of his fingers.

Then, if that wasn’t funny enough, then Joe makes this face and it’s even funnier.

As can be expected, Channel 62 is a runaway success as word of mouth gets around about all these crazy shows. The channel is making money hand over fist and is outperforming the bigshot Channel 8. RJ Fletcher cannot believe that a meager UHF station, let alone a meager UHF station operated by George and his former janitor, is more popular than his VHF network station. RJ presents the conflict of UHF as he is determined to find a way to shut the channel down.

This entire film is bonkers. It doesn’t make any sense. It has a ridiculous ending. But it’s a feel-good, hysterical, good-natured film. I highly recommend it.

“Buy nine spatulas and get the tenth one for just one penny!”

Tags 1980s, comedy, Weird Al

Blogathon Favorite Modern Movies (post-1980)

“Movies Are Murder” Fall CMBA Blogathon–Clue (1985)

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date November 7, 2022
5 Comments on “Movies Are Murder” Fall CMBA Blogathon–Clue (1985)

“Communism was just a red herring.”
Tim Curry as “Wadsworth” in Clue (1985)

A movie based on a board game should not be good. I can only think of one other movie based on a board game, Battleship (2012), and since I haven’t heard about that film since it came out ten years ago, I doubt that it will stand the test of time. I don’t even think it lasted until 2013. However, a film based on a board game that has stood the test of time is Clue, made 37 years ago in 1985. While the black comedy murder mystery failed to impress contemporary audiences upon its release, it has since developed a massive cult following. The film’s incredibly quotable dialogue has seamlessly integrated itself into everyday lexicon–or maybe just mine.

The 1992 version of Clue. This is the one that I had!

Clue, the board game, asks players to solve the murder of Mr. Boddy, the owner of the mansion in which the action of the game takes place. The answer to the murder lies inside an envelope placed in the center of the board. Players can assume the role of one of the mansion’s guests: Miss Scarlett, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Mr. Green, Mrs. White, and Professor Plum. A die is rolled and a player moves throughout the mansion, moving in and out of the mansion’s many rooms (Lounge, Dining Room, Kitchen, Ballroom, Study, Library, Billiard Room, Conservatory, and Hall). Players can also utilize the secret passageways that are present in each of the corner rooms. The secret passageway allows the player to move diagonally, from one corner to another. Upon entering a room, a player is allowed to make a suggestion. The player must make a suggestion and name a guest as the murderer and identify the murder weapon (lead pipe, knife, wrench, revolver, rope, and candlestick). The location of the murder is related to the room where the player resides. If the player states, “I think it was Miss Scarlet in the Conservatory with the lead pipe,” the person to the player’s left then has an opportunity to disprove the player’s suggestion by secretly displaying one of the matching cards in their hand. The player can then discreetly eliminate the room, guest, or weapon that was displayed by marking it on their clue sheet. If the player to the left cannot disprove, it is up to the next player to disprove the suggestion. If they cannot disprove the suggestion, it’s up to the next player, and so on. If nobody can disprove the suggestion, the player can then make an accusation. If none of the players can disprove the accusation, the player can reveal the contents of the envelope. If they are correct, they win the game.

The Clue movie takes the basic premise of the board game and gives it a slightly different spin. The film is set during the mid-1950s in Washington DC during the Red Scare. It is a dark, stormy night as six guests try to make their way to a mansion in the middle of nowhere. The cars of each guest match the color of their character’s pawn in the board game. Upon the guests’ arrival, they are given pseudonyms by Wadsworth, the Butler, and Yvette, the Maid. Wadsworth and Yvette are the only original characters added to the cast of main characters. The six guests’ pseudonyms align with the names of the guests from the board game. Right off the bat, one of the reasons that Clue is so awesome is that it has an All-Star cast:

Actor	Role	Known For (as of 1985):
Tim Curry	Wadsworth	Rocky Horror Picture Show, Annie, Legend
Colleen Camp	Yvette	Smile, Apocalypse Now, Valley Girl
Eileen Brennan	Mrs. Peacock	The Last Picture Show, The Sting, Murder by Death, Private Benjamin
Madeline Kahn	Mrs. White	What’s Up Doc?, Paper Moon, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein
Christopher Lloyd	Professor Plum	One Flew Over a Cuckoo’s Nest, Taxi (TV), Back to the Future
Michael McKean	Mr. Green	Laverne and Shirley (TV), This is Spinal Tap
Martin Mull	Colonel Mustard	Mr. Mom, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman (TV), Fernwood 2 Night (TV)
Lesley Ann Warren	Miss. Scarlet	The Happiest Millionaire, Victor/Victoria, Songwriter, Mission Impossible (TV)

After the guests all arrive, a seventh guest, Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving) shows up. Wadsworth reveals that it was Mr. Boddy who was responsible for sending the invitations that led to the guests’ arrival at the mansion. It turns out that Mr. Boddy has obtained some incriminating information on each guest and plans to blackmail them. Each guest is accused of the following scandal:

Miss Scarlet	Is a Madam, runs an underground brothel in DC.
Miss Peacock	Has been taking bribes on behalf of her husband, a Senator.
Mrs. White	Murdered her husband, a nuclear physicist.
Professor Plum	Lost his medical license due to having an affair with a patient.
Colonel Mustard	Suspected of being one of Miss Scarlet’s clients and is also a war profiteer who sold plane parts on the black market, which led to many deaths.
Mr. Green	Is gay. This isn’t a title he’s ashamed of, but would lose his job at the State Department if it were discovered.

After this news is revealed, Wadsworth informs the guests that the police have been notified and will arrive in 45 minutes. Mr. Boddy gives each of the guests a weapon (one of the six weapons from the board game). He teases them with the weapons, saying that one of them should murder Wadsworth, who has a key to the front door, allowing for their escape and subsequent freedom. The light is then turned out, a moan and gunshot are heard. The light comes back on and Mr. Boddy is found supposedly dead. The guests then begin wandering around the mansion, trying to investigate the death of Mr. Boddy. We see the guests move from room to room, just like in the board game. The rooms in the film even resemble the board game. Somebody played a lot of Clue while designing these sets.

The whole time I watch this movie I am always fascinated with how Miss Scarlet’s dress stays up.

As the film wears on, more bodies turn up and is becomes obvious that one of the eight people in the house is the murderer. It is worth noting that when the policeman shows up to respond to Wadsworth’s call, it is exactly 45 minutes from when Wadsworth made the call. As the film wears on, other people such as a stranded motorist and a singing telegram girl show up and are soon added to the body count. There is a hilarious scene where the guests try to alleviate the policeman’s suspicion by pretending to be making out with the dead victims. As The Chords’ “Sh-Boom” plays, Miss Scarlet and Professor Plum pretend to make out next to the booze soaked, drunk, passed out (dead) motorist. Mrs Peacock pretends to be the arms of the (dead) cook caressing Colonel Mustard and Mrs. White makes out with (dead) Mr. Boddy on the couch. The policeman is satisfied, saying “these are just folks having a good time!” By the end of the film, there are six victims. Speaking of the end of the film, there is a hysterical sequence in which Wadsworth breathlessly takes the guests (and the audience) through all the events of the film as he works to reveal the culprit behind all the murders.

Upon the film’s original release, the filmmakers created three possible endings, hoping that the audience will see the film multiple times to see all the endings. This plan did not work, as audiences did not feel the need to see in the film multiple times. In my opinion, the only way to see Clue is with the “All three endings” option enabled on the DVD. For the record, the third solution with Mrs. White’s amazing “Flames on the side of my face” speech is the best ending of the three.

Madeline Kahn as Mrs. White is absolutely hysterical in this film. One of the funniest parts of the film (aside from “flames on the side of my face”) is when she talks about her husband and how she’s not a black widow:

COLONEL MUSTARD: How many husbands have you had?
MRS. WHITE: Mine or other women’s?”
COLONEL MUSTARD: Yours
MRS. WHITE: Five
COLONEL MUSTARD: Five?!
MRS. WHITE: Yes, just the five. Husbands should be like Kleenex: soft, strong and disposable.
COLONEL MUSTARD: You lure men to their deaths like a spider with flies.
MRS. WHITE: Flies are where men are most vulnerable.
Martin Mull as “Colonel Mustard” and Madeline Kahn as “Mrs. White” in Clue (1985)

MRS. WHITE (explaining why she’s paying the blackmailer): I don’t want a scandal, do I? We had a very humiliating public confrontation. He was deranged. He was a lunatic. He didn’t actually seem to like me much; he had threatened to kill me in public.
MISS SCARLET: Why would he want to kill you in public?
WADSWORTH: I think she meant he threatened, in public, to kill her.
MISS SCARLET: Oh. Was that his final word on the matter?
MRS. WHITE: Being killed is pretty final, wouldn’t you say?
Madeline Kahn as “Mrs. White,” Lesley Ann Warren as “Miss Scarlet,” and Tim Curry as “Wadsworth” in Clue (1985).

MISS SCARLET: Do you miss him?
MRS. WHITE: Well, it’s a matter of life after death. Now that he’s dead, I have a life.
WADSWORTH: But he was your second husband. Your first husband also disappeared.
MRS. WHITE: But that was his job, he was an illusionist.
WADSWORTH: But he never reappeared.
MRS. WHITE: He wasn’t a very good illusionist.
Lesley Ann Warren as “Miss Scarlet,” Madeline Kahn as “Mrs. White” and Tim Curry as “Wadsworth” in Clue (1985).

Tags 1980s, Christopher Lloyd, Colleen Camp, comedy, Eileen Brennan, Lesley Ann Warren, Madeline Kahn, Martin Mull, Michael McKean, murder mystery, Tim Curry

Blogathon Favorite Modern Movies (post-1980)

The Other Than a Bond Girl Blogathon- Dame Diana Rigg in “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981)

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date July 1, 2022
7 Comments on The Other Than a Bond Girl Blogathon- Dame Diana Rigg in “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981)

I saw The Great Muppet Caper for the first time last year when Fathom Events was showing this film in honor of its 40th anniversary. ‘Caper’ was also my first introduction to the late Dame Diana Rigg who passed away almost two years ago in September of 2020. I had heard of her and knew that she was famous for her role as Emma Peel in The Avengers, but I’ve never seen the show. I also did not know that she was a Bond girl until I signed up for this blogathon. For the record, Rigg appears opposite one-time Bond and as far as I can tell, the least popular Bond, in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). I know at the end of her life, Rigg was appearing in Game of Thrones. I am not a Game of Thrones fan, so I missed her appearance here as well.

Which leads me into discussing what is most likely Rigg’s greatest feature film, The Great Muppet Caper.

In The Great Muppet Caper, identical twins Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear work as investigative reporters for The Daily Chronicle newspaper in New York City. While Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear don’t look like identical twins on the surface, when Fozzie puts on his hat, they look like mirror images of each other. Gonzo the Great works as their photographer. One day, the trio is fired after failing to report on a major jewel robbery. To get their jobs back, Kermit appeals to his editor to let the gang travel to London to interview the victim, Lady Holiday (Rigg).

(KERMIT is sitting on a bench as a girl and her dad walk by)
GIRL: Look dad, there’s a bear.
DAD: No Christine, that’s a frog. Bears wear hats.

Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo manage to scrape up $12 for their flight to London from New York. They aren’t even able to procure a seat in coach and are placed in the cargo hold with the baggage. The plane even won’t land for them and they’re thrown out of the plane above London. The trio manage to find free lodging at the Happiness Hotel where they meet Dr Teeth and his band–The Electric Mayhem, Scooter, The Swedish Chef, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker, Rowlf the Dog, Sam the Eagle, and many other recognizable Muppet faces.

The next morning, we meet Lady Holiday. She is awaiting the arrival of her new receptionist, who turns out to be Miss Piggy. Kermit shows up and mistakes Miss Piggy for Miss Holiday. Of course, Miss Piggy becomes infatuated with Kermit. Later, Kermit takes “Miss Holiday” (aka Miss Piggy) out for dinner. To keep up the ruse, Miss Piggy gives Kermit the address (17 Highbrow Street) of a fancy pants townhouse in an affluent area of town. She breaks into the home before Kermit gets there so that she can answer the door. When Kermit arrives, Miss Piggy tries to give him the grand tour without the residents knowing. The residents are an older couple, Neville (played by John Cleese) and Dorcas. They live in the large estate alone, as their children are grown, the pets are dead, and the butler has been fired. After leaving the townhouse, Miss Piggy and Kermit go to the fancy nightclub, the Dubonnet Club.

(Lady Holiday explains the entire backstory to “The Great Muppet Caper”)
MISS PIGGY: Why are you telling me all this?
LADY HOLIDAY: It’s plot exposition. It has to go somewhere.
MISS PIGGY as “Miss Piggy” and Dame Diana Rigg as “Lady Holiday” in The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

While at the club, the real Lady Holiday is present. Then her necklace is stolen by her jealous brother, Nicky (Charles Grodin), and three of Lady Holidays models: Carla, Darla, and Marla. After the robbery, Miss Piggy’s jig is up and Kermit discovers her real identity. At the same time, Nicky falls madly in love with Miss Piggy. During this scene it is also revealed that Nicky, Carla, Darla, and Marla were also responsible for stealing Lady Holiday’s jewels during the first robbery as well. Despite his attraction to Miss Piggy, Nicky frames Miss Piggy for the necklace theft and she is arrested.

MISS PIGGY to NICKY: You! It was you! Kermit was right! You’re a phony. You’re a phony! Yes you are! And you know what, you can’t even sing! Your voice was dubbed!
MISS PIGGY as “Miss Piggy” and Charles Grodin as “Nicky” in The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

Miss Piggy, Charles Grodin, Fozzie Bear, Dame Diana Rigg, Gonzo the Great, and Kermit the Frog in “The Great Muppet Caper.”

Nicky comes up with his next heist to steal Lady Holiday’s Fabulous Baseball Diamond during her next fashion show. Unbeknownst to Nicky, Gonzo overheard the entire plot. He reveals it to Kermit and Fozzie who in turn recruit all their friends from the Happiness Hotel to thwart Nicky’s plot. Kermit explains the plot to Miss Piggy in prison while disguised as her lawyer. With all the wheels in motion, Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo and co. put their plan into action to hilarious results.

KERMIT THE FROG: But…Nicky why are you doing this?
NICKY: Why am I doing this? Because I’m a villain. It’s Pure and simple.
KERMIT THE FROG as “Kermit the Frog” and CHARLES GRODIN as “Nicky” in The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

While Diana Rigg isn’t the “star” of this film, she is the “good” human character in this film. She is absolutely gorgeous and always dressed to the nines in the most sophisticated haute couture fashion. She is hilarious, like when she blames her models for not making the dresses she designed, look good. The Great Muppet Caper is insane. Between the muppets’ hijinks and Charles Grodin being bonkers and infatuated Miss Piggy, Lady Diana Rigg is there as the straight-man. She remains stoic through the entire film and she keeps the film grounded. If her character was as crazy as everyone else in this film, I think it would have gone completely off the rails. However, despite her character being rather serious most of the time (in comparison with everyone else), she still manages to be funny with her one-liners and quips.

LADY HOLIDAY: And Marla. Too many frills and furbelows, I don’t think we should strive for the fan-tailed pigeon look, do you? And Darla, that outfit’s the pits. Loose where it should be tight and tight where it should be loose, like folds on a turkey’s neck. Why would I design such atrocious looking clothes?
DAME DIANA RIGG as “Lady Holiday” in The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

Miss Piggy imagines herself as a water ballet star with Kermit the Frog and Charles Grodin singing her praises.

Aside from the wonderful Dame Diana Rigg, my favorite part of The Great Muppet Caper is the Esther Williams-esque Miss Piggy musical number, “Piggy’s Fantasy.” In this musical number, Miss Piggy, while modeling a bathing suit, imagines herself as the star of a water ballet. We also see Nicky (in a bubble) singing about how much he loves Miss Piggy. Kermit shows up at the end of the number (also in a bubble) singing about Miss Piggy. What’s remarkable about this number is that they really shot it underwater. One thing I love about the Muppet films is how flawlessly they’re able to animate the muppets without any wires, strings, etc. being visible. Some of the scenes they’re able to pull off, such as Kermit riding a bicycle in the first film, The Muppet Movie (1979), is fascinating.

But my absolute favorite part of The Great Muppet Caper is this photo that is shown at the beginning of the film. It is a photo of identical twins Fozzie and Kermit’s father.

This picture is hilarious and it makes me laugh every time I see it. Kudos to whoever at Jim Henson Studios designed this photo. It is hysterical. It does make me wonder what Kermit and Fozzie’s mom looks like.

TRUCK DRIVER: What are you doing here?
OSCAR THE GROUCH: A very brief cameo.
TRUCK DRIVER: Me too
Peter Ustinov as “Truck Driver” and Oscar the Grouch as himself in “The Great Muppet Caper”

Tags 1980s, Charles Grodin, comedies, Diana Rigg, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo the Great, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy

Blogathon Favorite Modern Movies (post-1980)

The Wilhelm Scream Blogathon- “Spaceballs” (1987)

Post author By Kayla Ewing (Whimsically Classic)
Post date March 4, 2022
3 Comments on The Wilhelm Scream Blogathon- “Spaceballs” (1987)

I am getting this post written just under the wire. I signed up for so many events that all took place in the same week. I didn’t realize that this event was coming up so quickly. Oops. It’s only 10:00pm here on the West Coast, so I will just about make it.

The “Wilhelm Scream” is a famous sound effect, that is used so much at this point that it’s cliche. The Wilhelm Scream was first heard in the 1951 film, Distant Drums, directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Gary Cooper. The scream usually used when someone is shot and falls from a great height, or is thrown via an explosion. This sound effect has been in circulation ever since its debut in the 1950s and has been utilized in countless films and television shows. One such film that the Wilhelm Scream can be heard in is the 1980s classic, Spaceballs.

Spaceballs is Mel Brooks’ parody of primarily Star Wars, but he manages to also parody Star Trek, Alien, The Wizard of Oz, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Planet of the Apes. However, the main focus of the parody is on the original Star Wars trilogy. George Lucas in fact, loved Brooks’ screenplay so much that he helped with the film’s storyline and production. Lucas’ involvement with the project had a caveat however, no Spaceballs merchandise could be produced as it would look too similar to Lucas’ Star Wars merch. Brooks agreed. He was then inspired to add the running Spaceballs merchandise gag–which is hilarious. The Spaceballs merchandise features a wide array of products–products that usually aren’t even considered when developing movie merchandise.

The following merchandise is featured in Spaceballs:

Spaceballs: The T-Shirt
Spaceballs: The Coloring Book
Spaceballs: The Lunchbox
Spaceballs: The Breakfast Cereal (with 100% sugar!)
Spaceballs: The Flamethrower, “A Children’s Toy” (“Children love this toy,” Yogurt says).
Spaceballs: The Doll (which is a doll of Yogurt)
Spaceballs: The Towel
Spaceballs: The Plate
Spaceballs: The Shaving Cream
Spaceballs: The Toilet Paper
Spaceballs: The Sheet
Spaceballs: The Placemat
Spaceballs: The Wallet

Dark Helmet is also seen playing with Spaceballs action figures. It is unknown where these were procured, as Spaceballs: The Action Figures were never seen.

This part always makes me laugh. President Skroob says “Beam me up, Snotty” and when he emerges from the transporter, his head is backwards. Looking at his butt, now on his front, he says: “Why didn’t somebody tell me my ass was so big?” Lol.

Anyway, this film follows a similar plot to the original Star Wars trilogy. I am not the biggest Star Wars fan (though I inexplicably own 3 Star Wars T-Shirts), but I have seen each film in the original trilogy. While I was able to draw parallels between the main characters in Star Wars and Spaceballs, I am not even going to attempt to identify some of the more subtle homages that Mel Brooks might have included. The basic plot of Spaceballs is that planet Spaceball, led by Dark Helmet (a Darth Vader parody, played by Rick Moranis), is planning on stealing all the fresh air from the nearby planet, Druidia. It seems that President Skroob (Mel Brooks) has squandered all of planet Spaceball’s fresh air.

President Skroob tells Dark Helmet to kidnap the princess of Druidia, Princess Vespa (a Princess Leia parody, portrayed by Daphne Zuniga) on her wedding day. She is planning to marry the very sleepy and dull, Prince Valium, who is always yawning and sports an unfortunate Prince Valiant haircut. With the people of Druidia distracted by the kidnapping of their princess, Dark Helmet will be able to swoop in and steal their air. The captain of Dark Helmet’s enormous ship named Spaceball One (which later changes shape into that of an enormous maid with a vacuum) is Colonel Sandurz. Dark Helmet’s plans are thwarted however, when Princess Vespa bails on her own wedding, not able to accept the idea of marrying Prince Valium. She escapes in her Mercedes spaceship with her droid assistant, Dot Matrix (a C3PO homage, voiced by Joan Rivers).

Later, Vespa’s father, King Roland (Dick Van Patten) contacts a mercenary, Lone Starr (A Hans Solo-esque Bill Pullman). Lone Starr is traveling with his “mog” (half man/half dog) companion, Barf (A Chewbacca parody played by John Candy). They drive a spaceship that looks like a Winnebago with wings. Roland offers Lone Starr and Barf money to find his daughter and return her to Druidia safely. Being a million dollars in debt to gangster Pizza the Hut (obviously Jabba the Hut or Madame Trash Heap from “Fraggle Rock” ?) and his henchman, Vinnie, Lone Starr accepts the job. Roland agrees to pay Lone Starr the million dollars if he finds Vespa.

Bill Pullman and John Candy as Lone Starr and Barf.

BARF: “I’m a mog: half man, half dog. I’m my own best friend.”

Lone Starr and Mawg quickly find Vespa and Dot Matrix and bring them aboard their ship. Of course, Vespa is a snob at the beginning, and Dot Matrix is there with her “virginity alarm” to ensure that Vespa’s virtue remains intact. It soon becomes obvious however, that Vespa and Lone Starr will end up falling for one another. The Winnebago gang are eventually forced to land on the desert planet of Vega, after running out of fuel. They try to make their way across the desert, but eventually collapse due to dehydration. They are soon rescued by the Dinks, who whistle the “Colonel Bogey” march, which I remember playing in band in the eighth grade. The group is eventually led to a large corridor. In a scene reminiscent of the scene in The Wizard of Oz when the group meets The Wizard, the leader of planet Vega, a Yoda-like creature by the name of Yogurt (Mel Brooks) is revealed. He soon lets the group in on his merchandising plan for Spaceballs.

The famous Wilhelm Scream is heard in this scene.

While meeting with Yogurt, Vespa and Dot Matrix are tricked by Dark Helmet and brought to the Spaceball prison complex via the Spaceball One. To save Vespa and Dot Matrix, Lone Starr and Barf beat up a couple guards (similar to the Stormtroopers except with big round helmets) and steal their uniforms. They are able to break into the prison and rescue Vespa and Dot Matrix. On the way out, Barf finds himself in combat with the guards. This is where our Wilhelm Scream can be found. In this scene, Barf runs out of ammo and removes some piping from the wall of the ship. Using the piping, Barf reflects the gun shots back at the guards, hitting them. When the fourth guard is hit, he is thrown backward and lets out the famous Wilhelm Scream.

This film is hilarious. It doesn’t even matter if you aren’t a big sci-fi film fan (I’m not). Most people will get the film references. There are even random references to things that aren’t sci-fi. Mel Brooks has the alien from Alien singing and dancing a la Michigan J. Frog from one of my favorite Looney Tunes shorts, “One Froggy Evening.” I can see if Mel Brooks’ humor isn’t for everyone. There are parts of the film that are very crass and could be considered un-PC. I don’t care, because I love Mel Brooks. I read the reviews on Spaceballs, and there are many unfavorable opinions of this film. It just confirms what I’ve always thought: don’t let another person’s opinion influence your opinion on a film. If you like it, that’s all that matters.

This is so ridiculous, but it always makes me laugh. The alien from “Alien” pays tribute to the inimitable Michigan J. Frog.

*Hello, my baby, Hello my honey, Hello my ragtime gal.*
*Send me a kiss by wire, baby, my heart’s on fire.*
*If you refuse me, honey you’ll lose me, then you’ll be left alone.*
*Oh baby telephone, and tell me I’m your own…..*

Tags 1980s, Bill Pullman, comedy, cult, John Candy, Mel Brooks, parody, Rick Moranis