Hooray for Hollywood Part 2 ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Tuesday 4 in memory of Toni Taddeo it's first host and founder. How about the subject of Hollywood, it's 'stars', its products and it's affect on the world? 

1.  Which of the big movie stars of the past were your favorites? 

I have many favourite big movie stars of the past: Gregory Peck, Vivian Leigh, Maureen O'Hara, Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Ginger Rogers, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Joan Crawford & Betty Davis and more.

2.  What movie is the funniest you've seen? How about the most romantic?

I have two movies I'd like to mention as the funniest movies I've ever seen.  The first movie my mom and I watched together at the movie theatre back in the 1984.  We laughed so hard and never forget the movie reliving it's funny moments that made us laugh so much over the years.   It's called Johnny Dangerously and stars Michael Keaton and Maureen Stapleton. The character Johnny is played by Keaton who acts like a good boy at home but is living a double life as a gangster in order to pay for his neurotic mother's medical bills.  The reason that the film appealed to us is that Johnny's mom was a hypochondriac and a lot of that things she complained about were things my latest mom would also complain about.  In mom's case the health issues were real but doctors sometimes had to be "convinced".  It's a shame when you have to convince doctors to listen to you and take things seriously rather than dismiss you outright but we found the movie very funny.

Click here for a little teaser.  The full movie can be watched on You Tube but don't watch if you have sensitive ears. There is no actual swearing in the movie but there are words you can decipher which are used in place of swear words. 

The other movie I saw on an airplane on trip back to Ontario with my boss at the time.  The movie is My Cousin Vinny starring Marissa Tomei and Joe Pesci. We laughed so hard and probably disturbed the other passengers.

Click here for a preview.  The character Vinny, played by Joe Pesci is a newly minted lawyer who gets a desperate call to defend his cousin. It's clear that Vinny doesn't know what he's doing but his girlfriend played by Marissa Tomei helps him out with her expert car knowledge and along the way, Vinny learns the ropes.

There are several contenders for the most romantic movie.  I'll pick Out of Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.  Mostly because I love both actors and I love Kenya where the movie was filmed.  Here is a clip from the film showing the beauty of Kenya.

3.  Do you watch the Oscars or the Emmy Awards shows?  

I watch the Oscars most years but it seems like I've missed the last few years. These days I'm not enjoying the ultra rich celebs congratulate themselves so many times a year on various award shows.

4.  Some movies, plays had a big impact on people.  Orson Welles radio performance of War of the Worlds was broadcast on Halloween 1938 and people, causing panic and widespread hysteria especially in the Grover's Mill area of New Jersey where the "invasion" took place.

Is there a movie that you were greatly influenced or affected by hopefully in a good way?

It's a Wonderful Life. A movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.  A feel good movie that illustrates that one life can make a huge difference in the lives of many.

Thanks for dropping by and thank you so much for participating and making this a lot of fun for everyone.

Tuesday 4 ~ Hooray for Hollywood

Hello and welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Hollywood magic is well named. In Druidism the holly and it's wood were used in magic. Magic wands were often made of holly wood.   Lightning will not strike holly so it is often planted next to homes to protect it. The word holly comes from the word holy and the holly tree was sacred in times past.  Today Hollywood still churns out 'magic' and 'spellbinding' displays as well as 'stars in the firmament' who entertain, mesmerize and influence us. 

Let's talk about it....

1.  Do you have a few favorite holiday movies you enjoy watching year after year? Do you make some popcorn to eat while you watch movies at home?

Yes, I love watching Miracle on 34th Street with a very young, Natalie Wood. I also love watching It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.  More modern Christmas movies I enjoy are the Home Alone movies, the Grinch movies and The Holiday.

I didn't always make popcorn to eat while watching movies at home but now I do.  My late sister used to do this with her children every weekend and I got into the same habit whenever her children were visiting.  I continue the tradition even when watching movies alone.

2.  Have you had a celebrity crush? Can we ask who it was? 

I've never really had a celebrity crush though when I was younger I thought Rock Hudson was handsome. Later I thought Robert Redford to be very good looking, especially in the movie, The Way We Were. But I can't say I had a crush on either of these actors.

3.  Do you have  favorite actors/actresses whose movies you don't want to miss and what movie would you say is your all time favorite from those stars?

I watch for movies by a few actors and actresses such as Daniel Craig in James Bond movies, Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible movies &  many different actresses such as Julia Roberts (Nottinghill), Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada and The Girl on the Train), Kirsten Dunst (The Two Faces of January, Marie Antoinette & Spider Man), & Catherine Zeta Jones (Zorro).  There are probably more but there is no standout favourite of mine in acting.

4. Have you met any famous Hollywood people in person or would you like to?  Why or why not?

I've never met any famous Hollywood people in person although once I was walking on Denman Street in downtown Vancouver when the actress Audrey Landers passed by me.  She was acting in the very popular television show, Dallas, at the time.  I think she'd been a guest on what was then the Alan Hamel talk show which was filmed in a nearby studio.  The talk show and the studio are both long gone.  What struck me was how much makeup she had on. I guess when you're on television you need to wear a lot of makeup to look 'normal' but in natural light you look clownish.  I don't have any desire to meet any famous people since I don't follow any of them.