Saturday, July 31, 2010

Notes and Observations of "STAR WARS: Episode IV - A New Hope"



The following is a list of minor notes and observations that came to me, during my recent viewing of “Episode IV: A New Hope”. I hope that you enjoy them:


Notes and Observations of "STAR WARS: EPISODE IV - A NEW HOPE"

*According to the movie’s opening scrawl, Leia possessed the Death Star plans that could “provide freedom to the galaxy”. Is that what happened at the end of the movie?

*Wow! R2-D2 really looks worn and old aboard the Organas’ ship, the Tantive IV. It is easy to imagine that he has been around for over three decades.

*Are the troops firing upon the stormtroopers, Alderaanian troops? If so, does that mean Leia had contradicted herself when she told Tarkin and Vader that Alderaan was a peaceful planet?

*When Vader made his entrance, the first thing that popped into my mind was Anakin leading the clone troopers to the Jedi Temple in ROTS.

*Father and daughter meet. At last.

*I hate to say this, but I have always found C3-P0 and R2’s adventures on Tatooine before meeting Luke to be slightly boring. Okay. I did find it boring.

*The technology inside the Jawa’s ship looked very outdated.

*It is interesting how Owen had to ask Threepio if he spoke Bocce for the moisture vaporators. Which tells me that he did not immediately know Threepio’s identity. But then, Threepio had not introduced himself.

*"But I was going into Toshi Station to pick up some power converters!” - Ah yes! The infamous Skywalker whining at work. I really don’t understand why many fans complained of Anakin’s whining in AOTC. Luke had to have inherited his whining from someone.

*C3-P0 finally introduces himself and R2-D2 when they are alone with Luke, inside the Lars’ garage.

*So, Threepio and Artoo were not personally in Leia’s service aboard the Tantive IV, as I had first imagined. I had forgotten that they had become the property of Captain Antilles.

*I did not realize that Luke knew where Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi lived.

*The moment Luke had mentioned R2 and 3P0 might belong to Obi-Wan, Owen ordered their memories to be wiped. Interesting.

*For some bizarre reason, I found myself seeing Padme comfort Luke and telling him not to grow up too fast.

*Artoo seemed to have set a lot in motion. Leia hid the Death Star plans in his system. Artoo was the one who set out to find Obi-Wan, bringing about the old Jedi Master and the future Jedi Master’s first meeting. And because Luke was forced to search for R2, he managed to avoid Owen and Beru’s fate.

*I also noticed that Vader did not bother to join the search for R2 and 3P0 on Tatooine.

*It is a good thing that those Tusken Raiders did not know that Luke was the son of the Jedi who had wiped out a tribe of their kind.

*Did Obi-Wan immediately recognize the two droids?

*”He was the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior.” – It is nice to know that’s how Obi-Wan remembered Anakin. But then these next words, as he handed over Anakin s lightsaber to Luke rather spoiled the moment – “I have something here for you. Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it.” - especially in light of how Obi-Wan really managed to acquire the lightsaber. Obi-Wan’s description of how Vader had “murdered” Anakin spoiled the moment even further.

*If the Emperor had dissolved the Imperial Senate as stated by Tarkin in the movie, then it is obvious that Lucas had abandoned the earlier idea of Palpatine being a pawn or puppet of other politicians, as indicated in the 1976 edition of The Journal of the Whills.

*”Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.” – Was this an example of Vader’s past Jedi training coming to the fore? Or was this an example of his Sith background? Or his 30 odd years as a Force user?

*Some people have stated that Luke’s upbringing had prepared him to face Owen and Beru’s deaths a lot better than Anakin had dealt with Shmi’s death. But considering Luke’s reaction to Obi-Wan’s death, along with Han and Leia’s endangerment in both ESB and ROTJ, I would say that Luke did not feel as emotionally close to the Lars as he did to the other three.

*”Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.” – Famous words to live by. I wonder if Obi-Wan had ever visited Mos Espa.

*I love how the special effects recently added to the film, has enhanced the details of Mos Eisley during Luke and Obi-Wan’s arrival.

*I was surprised to notice the small number of human customers and inhabitants inside the cantina in Mos Eisley.

*For one crazy moment, Sir Alec Guiness sounded like Ewan McGregor in the scene where Obi-Wan and Luke meet Han Solo for the first time.

*”That’s okay. I’m never coming back to this planet, again.” – Careful Luke. Never make promises that one cannot keep.

*Does anyone know the name of the creature that followed Luke and Obi-Wan to the Millennium Falcon’s hangar?

*I had no idea that Boba Fett had been working for Jabba the Hutt before the incidents of ESB.

*I don’t think that even the massacre at the Jedi Temple in ROTS could ever exceed the horror of Alderaan’s destruction. Tarkin made Vader look like an amateur.

*Did I detect a slight British accent coming out of Carrie Fisher’s mouth?

*While watching Obi-Wan begin Luke’s training in the Jedi skills, I realized that this is the first time I’ve seen a 19 year-old Jedi youngling.

*”That’s good. You’ve taken your first step into a larger world.” – A rather apt description of one’s introduction into the Force.

*”I sense something. A presence I have not felt since . . .” – I find it odd that Vader was able to immediately sense Obi-Wan, yet Obi-Wan did not sense Vader until the latter nearly found him?

*"Bring em’ on! I prefer a straight fight to all of this sneaking around!” – I found Han’s comment rather odd, considering that he was a smuggler.

*”Better her than me!” – I found Han’s refusal to save Leia rather cold, considering that she would end up being his future love.

*Leia was imprisoned in cell block 1138. Hmmm . . . do you suppose that Robert Duvall is with her?

*Han gave the worst impression of an Imperial trooper I have ever seen. Classic moment.

*”Hi! I’m Luke Skywalker. I’m here to rescue you.” – Brother and sister meet for the first time since their births.

*”Will someone please get this big, walking carpet out of my way?” – Ah! Leia is still Daddy’s girl.

*Watching Luke and Leia swing to safety reminded me of Anakin and Padme’s failure to do the same in AOTC.

*Anakin (Vader) vs. Obi-Wan: Part II – in retrospect, is not as exciting or thrilling as their first duel on Mustafar.

*Vader’s dialogue seemed rather wooden during his duel with Obi-Wan.

*”Not this ship, sister.”/”It is for me, sister.” – Without a doubt, these are the two worst lines ever uttered in a STAR WARS movie. And both lines had been spoken by Harrison Ford.

*For a guy that had been traumatized by Obi-Wan’s death, Luke seemed to have recovered from his grief rather fast. Even to the point that he ended up contemplating a romance with Leia before the Falcon could reach Yavin IV.

*Despite the Battle of Yavin sequence, the movie never recaptured or continued its drive, following the Falcon’s escape from the Death Star.

*Why did Han and Chewbacca attend the pilot’s briefing on their mission to destroy the Death Star? Especially since the two never had plans to hang around any longer or join the Rebel Alliance.

*Typical of Vader/Anakin in that he had decided to join the Imperial fighters in the battle, instead of remaining with the generals.

*What do you know? Uncle Dennis . . . oop! I mean, Wedge to the rescue!

*It seemed as if Lucas had incorporated nearly every World War II aviator cliché into the Battle of Yavin sequence.

*Someone in my family had pointed out that the Rebels never really had any kind of strategy to destroy the Death Star. Instead, the Alliance military leaders merely had an objective and a method to destroy the station.

*When Obi-Wan had urged Luke to use the Force, had he foreseen that Vader would sense it?

*When I first saw ANH, I had wondered why Vader did not die in the end. From a 29 year perspective, I know understand why.

*The medal ceremony featured a good number of pilots in the audience. So, where had they been during the Battle of Yavin?

*Someone had described the medal ceremony near the end of the film as a pyhrric victory for the Rebel Alliance. When one contemplates on what laid ahead for Luke, Leia, Han and the others . . . that person may have been right.

*I would describe ANH as the most fun of all the STAR WARS movies. A straight out adventure flick with heroes, villains, damsels and wizards. Which would explain why many fans consider it to be the best of the saga. However . . . as much fun ANH was, it harbored very few meaningful metaphors and complexities in compare to the five other films that followed. It’s a lot of fun, but somewhat a little shallow to me.

Friday, July 30, 2010

"SAD CYPRESS" (2003) Photo Gallery




Below are images from "SAD CYPRESS", the 2003 adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1940 novel. The movie starred David Suchet as Hercule Poirto: 



"SAD CYPRESS" (2003) Photo Gallery














































Thursday, July 29, 2010

"THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE" Photo Gallery



Below are photos from the new Disney live-action fantasy film, "THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE". Loosely based on the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment in the 1940 animated film, "FANTASIA", the movie stars Nicholas Cage, Jay Baruchel, and Alfred Molina. Jon Turteltaub directed:


"THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE" Photo Gallery














































Wednesday, July 28, 2010

"A Wedding in Four Acts" [PG-13] - Act 3 (Part 1)




"A WEDDING IN FOUR ACTS"

Act III - Part 1

"Great party, last night," Paige declared, as she entered the Halliwell kitchen. "A big hit, as far as Livy and the others are concerned. They really loved the male stripper."

Piper commented, "And I bet you did, too." Paige wrinkled her nose. "Anyway," Piper continued, "I'm also satisfied. With the business P3 made last night. Plus, Mrs. McNeill . . . the Younger . . . had asked me to prepare some hors'derves for the wedding reception." She indicated the spread of food on the kitchen table. "I'm making Broccoli Quiche, Shrimp Canapes and Deviled Ham pinwheel sandwiches. And I need your help."

"Swell," Paige grumbled. "I come down for breakfast and end up being the kitchen help. I supposed you don't care that I'm one of the bridesmaids, today."

Removing a plastic bag filled with cooked shrimp from the refrigerator, Piper replied, "Nope, I don't. Besides, I only have to make the canapés. Phoebe went to the store to get some more mayonnaise and Swiss cheese."

The kitchen door swung open. "And Phoebe is here," the middle Charmed One announced breathlessly. She entered the kitchen and closed the door. Dumping her purchase on the table, she added, "Here's the Swiss cheese, Piper."

Paige sat in one of the chairs. "So, what are we having for breakfast?"

Piper shook her head. "Sorry, I haven't had time to make breakfast, yet."

"I could go to McDonald's," Phoebe volunteered. "Who's in the mood for an Egg McMuffin?"

Paige grimaced. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather have a Sunrise sandwich from Carl's Jr. With bacon?"

"Carl's Jr. sounds fine with me," Piper said. She handed the bag of shrimp to Paige. "Sweetie, do me a favor, while Phoebe gets breakfast. Start peeling the shrimp for me?"

Phoebe added, "And I'll be heading for Carl's Jr. Besides a Sunrise sandwich with bacon, what do you guys want?"

Before Paige or Piper could answer, Leo burst into the kitchen. "Leo honey," Piper began, "Phoebe's getting breakfast from Carl's Jr. What do you want?"

"I'll have orange juice and toast," Leo replied absent-mindedly.

Paige frowned at him. "Toast? From Carl's Jr.? Don't you mean French Toast?"

Leo's blue eyes focused upon the youngest Charmed One and chilled slightly. "Never mind breakfast," he said. "I just want to know Paige - why did you tell Cole that I had recommended that ADA job to Paul?"

"Huh?" Paige stared at her brother-in-law with wide eyes. "Leo, what are you talking about?"

Grim-faced, Leo leaned against the kitchen counter. "Last night, I ended up in a fight with Cole . . ."

"Did he hurt you?" a concerned Phoebe asked.

Leo shook his head. "No, it was all words. But he told me that Paige," he coldly returned his gaze upon the youngest sister, "had told him how Paul found out about the ADA job opening. Through me. And now, Cole is convinced that I had done it to play matchmaker with Olivia and Paul."

"Well excuse me, Leo!" Paige retorted. "But it was Paul who told me at Nathalie Gleason's party, last week! And judging from that little dinner party you and Piper gave nearly a month ago, and your expression every time we saw him with Olivia . . . can you really blame Cole for suspecting that you're playing matchmaker?"

The other two sisters stared at the whitelighter. Piper asked, "Paige, are you suggesting that Leo helped Paul get a job out here, simply to . . . break up Cole and Olivia?"

"There is no Cole and Olivia to begin with!" Leo hotly insisted. "They weren't even dating!"

Paige spoke up, "But you did tell Paul about the job opening. Right? So that you could hook him up with Olivia?"

"I see nothing wrong with that," Piper commented. "Paul has a new job with a higher salary. He and Olivia seemed to get along." She shot her husband, an acidic look. "Of course, someone could have told us what he was up to."

Phoebe added, "And Olivia could do a lot worse than Paul. Say . . . my ex-husband?"

"Well that's great, Pheebs," Paige shot back, "except I don't see how Paul can be good for Livy, when she doesn't even love him. And besides . . . I think there's something a little off about our friendly neighborhood ADA. Like he's in dire need of a good psychotherapist!"

Leo protested, "What are you saying? That Paul's crazy? And as Olivia's whitelighter, I think I did the right thing by . . ."

"Interfering with Olivia's love life?" Paige suggested sarcastically. "Yeah, I'm sure you feel that way. Only . . . you haven't been her whitelighter in years!"

"Paige . . ."

The youngest Charmed One rounded on her whitelighter. "If you're worried about Cole knowing about your little scheme, Leo, don't bother. Because you might have a bigger problem on your hands. Like a pissed-off witch, if Olivia ever finds out."

Leo's face paled.

--------

Slowly, light poured into the darkness of Barbara's mind. When the darkness finally disappeared, the blond witch blinked her eyes several times, before opening them.

The room looked very unfamiliar with its wood-paneled walls and expensive Louis XV furnishings. Filled with panic at the unfamiliar surroundings, Barbara jerked into a sitting position. Where in the hell was she? The last thing she remembered was encountering the male stripper, who had transformed into a . . .

The door opened and in walked a tall, good-looking man who possessed dark hair and a slender, yet wiry physique. The same man who had once been a blond-haired stripper, last night. "Oh God! It's you!" Barbara sprung off the bed and back away, bumping into the night stand. "Stay away from me!"

The man smiled. "Do not worry, Signorina. I will not hurt you." His dark eyes grew threatening. "Unless you give me a reason."

"Who in the hell are you?" Barbara demanded. "And where am I?"

Bowing, the man continued, "My name is Alessandro. And you're at the home of Signorina Claudia Della Scalla."

Barbara grew cold at the mention of her hostess's name. "Della . . .?" she whispered. Then, "Oh my God! Della Scalla! Olivia was right!"

"There is someone who wishes to speak with you." Alessandro opened the door and stood aside, while a second figure entered the bedroom. Nick Marcano.

The Stregheria witch smiled broadly. "Barbara! It's good to see you!"

Barbara marched toward Nick and punched him in the jaw. Hard. He sprawled onto the floor. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Nick?"

Rubbing his jaw, the Streghone protested, "Me? This is not my doing!" He stood up. "I'm . . . Signorina Della Scalla had me sprung from jail. She thought I had killed her sister."

Searing the other witch with a furious glare, Barbara hissed, "And I bet you made sure that you told her what really happened. Didn't you?"

"I had no choice!"

Barbara shot back, "If that's true, why am I here?"

Nick hesitated. "Well . . ."

"Signor Marcano had provided much needed information to the Padronessa," the incubus explained smoothly. "And he is being rewarded for his troubles."

"Rewarded?" Barbara frowned. "How?" She turned to Nick. "What exactly did you tell her?" Recalling how Alessandro had captured her in the first place, a horrifying epiphany struck the blond witch. "Goddess! You told her everything about us, didn't you? About the wedding!"

Nick added, "Signorina Della Scalla needed the information to get close to Bruce. But don't worry. She won't kill him before the wedding. She's going to marry Bruce in your place . . . and then kill him. Eventually. As for us . . . well, how do you feel about becoming Mrs. Nicholas Marcano?" He stared at Barbara with hopeful eyes.

Barbara decided to give Nick an answer that best expressed her feelings. Her fist snaked out and smashed against Nick's jaw. For the second time. And for the second time, he went sprawling upon the floor. "Does that answer your question?" Barbara coldly replied.

The incubus helped Nick to his feet. "Signorina, I suggest that you refrain from such behavior, again. You should consider yourself lucky that the Padronessa has decided to spare your life. For Signor Marcano's sake. Meanwhile, you can shower and dress. There are some clothes in the closet. And a servant will bring you breakfast. Good day, Signorina Bowen." Alessandro left the room, dragging along a semi-conscious Nick.

Once the door closed behind the pair, Barbara rushed forward. She re-opened the door and tried to leave the bedroom. But she was unable to, thanks to a force-field blocking the doorway. In other words, she was trapped. And unless she could escape in time to warn her family and the McNeills, Bruce will end up dead by the time his honeymoon ended.

---------

The pounding on the door awaken Claudia from her deep slumber. She rolled over to her right side, heaved a sigh and tried to resume her sleep. The pounding resumed. Then the doorbell rang. "Barbara! Hello? Wake up!"

Barbara? Claudia blinked several times before her eyes flickered open. She sat up, glanced around the bedroom, and remembered. Oh yes. The bedroom belonged to the Streghone's little Wiccan witch. Claudia's eyes swept over the room. Very tastefully furnished. The succubus could not help but feel impressed by the witch's taste.

Ding-dong! The doorbell rang for the second time. Claudia waited for a servant to respond . . . until she remembered that the Bowen witch did not have servants. How barbaric. Heaving a sigh, she forced herself out of bed and started toward the apartment's living room. A quick glance at a mirror hanging near the door informed Claudia that she was not in disguise. She morphed herself into the image of the blond-haired witch and opened the door.

"Here comes the bride! Here comes the bride!" sang two women, as they entered the apartment. One of them, the Vodoun priestess, swept her eyes over Claudia. The latter's hand immediately flew to the small amulet hanging from her neck. "Damn Barbara! Are you just getting up? It's a quarter past ten!"

Claudia stared at the other two. "After ten? Get ready? Why should . . .?" Her mind immediately grasped the situation. "Oh! Yeah. The wedding. How long do I have?"

"Man, you have lost it this morning!" the redheaded witch declared. "I thought you would have been eating breakfast by now. Where's your wedding dress?" She swept past Claudia and into the bedroom.

Wedding dress? Several seconds passed before the succubus realized that she did not know where to find it. "I . . . uh . . ."

"I've got it!" the McNeill witch cried. She re-entered the living-room, carrying two plastic-covered garments. "I've got your going-away dress, as well. Why don't you take a shower and get dressed, so we can leave? We can get breakfast at my parents' house."

Claudia blinked. "Oh. Okay." She started to turn away.

"What's that?" The Vodoun priestess pointed at the amulet hanging from Claudia's neck. The same amulet that contained a spell to block any power from another telepath.

Being the quick-witted creature that she was, Claudia immediately came up with an answer. "Oh. That." She fingered the amulet. "It's a good luck piece. For the wedding."

The priestess, whose name Claudia recalled was Cecile, continued to stare at the amulet. "That's an interesting symbol for good luck. What language is it? Where did it come from?"

Panic quickly became relief when the other woman interrupted. "Hello? Ladies? We have a wedding to attend. We don't have much time."

Claudia used the warning to excuse herself and return to the bedroom. Once inside, she summoned her right-hand man, Leonardo. The incubus materialized after her third cry. "Yes Padronessa?" he responded with a bow.

Throwing off her robe in a theatrical manner, Claudia said, "One of the women in the other room - the black woman . . ."

"The Vodoun mami, Dubois," Leonard added.

Claudia continued, "I want you to find someone to keep an eye on her. Get Giancarlo. She has developed an interest in my amulet. And I'm not sure that it is blocking her power, completely."

Leonardo said, "I will summoned him, right away."

Nodding Claudia added, "Bueno. Now all I want him to do is observe her. But if she becomes a problem . . . have Giancarlo kill her. If necessary."

---------

The solid redwood door swung open and Cole, along with his companion, found themselves facing a surprised-looking major-domo. "Mr. Turner," Davies greeted, staring at the woman clutching the half-daemon's arm, "welcome back. Come in."

The pair entered the McNeills' house. Veronica Altman glanced around the foyer with admiring eyes. Cole noticed that her lips had puckered for a whistle. Fortunately, not a sound came out. Especially since Gweneth McNeill chose that moment to enter the foyer.

"Cole!" The middle-aged redhead embraced her new visitor. Then she pecked his cheek. "Darling, I'm so glad that you're here. Jack needs help supervising the set-up for the ceremony in the garden. Harry is upstairs, babysitting the groom." Her green eyes fell upon Veronica. "Oh. Who is this?"

Cole responded with a slight cough. "Uh Gwen, this is Veronica Altman. She's a fellow attorney at my firm. Veronica, this is Gweneth . . ."

"Gweneth McNeill." Veronica eagerly shook the chef's hands. "I'm a big fan of yours. In fact, I even have two of your cookbooks."

Flattery lit up Gweneth's eyes. "Really? How lovely! Which two books do you have?"

An excited Veronica continued, "Well, I have the one on British cooking and the Fifty Simple Recipes cookbook. They're great!"

It took all of Cole's efforts not to wince at Veronica's adulation. Or kick her in the shin and tell her to ease up on the celebrity worship. But since the other attorney was doing him a favor, Cole remained silent. A few minutes later, the subject of cookbooks finally ended. "I would really love to chat a little longer, Ms. Altman," Gweneth said, "but I have a wedding to organize. Would you excuse . . .?"

The front door swung open and three women entered the house - Cecile, Barbara, and Olivia. "We're here!" the latter declared loudly. "Mom, Cecile and I finally got Barbara . . ." She stopped short at the sight of Cole and Veronica standing next to each other. "Oh. Cole." A tinge of jealousy crept into her voice - much to Cole's satisfaction. "Who's your friend? She looks familiar."

Suppressing a smile, Cole replied, "You remember Veronica Altman from my firm, don't you? I believe you two had once met at some office party."

"Actually, we've met twice," Veronica said, offering her hand to Olivia, who coolly regarded it. "At the Christmas office party and at the firm's charity benefit, last February. Nice to see you, again, Olivia. It is Olivia, right?"

A cool smile touched Olivia's lips. She finally shook Veronica's hand. "Oh yes. I remember you. From the charity benefit."

Cole turned Veronica's attention to the other women. "By the way, this is Cecile Dubois. She's a friend of Olivia's. And so is Barbara," he said, indicating the blond-haired woman. "Who happens to be the bride."

Veronica shook Cecile's hands and smiled at Barbara. "Congratulations on the wedding. I hope you'll be happy."

The bride-to-be responded with a wan smile. "Thanks." To Cole's surprise, he felt a familiar tingle at the nape of his neck. The last time he had felt such a sensation . . .

"I hope that you'll enjoy the wedding, Ms. Altman," Gweneth said, interrupting Cole's thoughts. "I believe it will be quite different from what you're used to."

Veronica's smoky gray eyes widened. "Oh?"

"Our family and Barbara's family are into what is known as New Age religion. It's a new kind of religion based on some old Celtic Pagan one."

Nodding, Veronica said, "That should be no problem. I mean, this is San Francisco. New Age religion has been around for the past 30 or 40 years in this town. At the last wedding I had attended, the bride and groom were married in a some kind of old Romanian ceremony." She turned to Cole. "Remember Cole? It was at Stefan Schroeder's wedding, nearly two weeks ago."

Cole became aware of eyes staring at him. "That's strange," Olivia said thoughtfully. "You never mentioned anything about attending a wedding to me."

Despite the intensity radiating from Olivia's green eyes, Cole maintained his composure. "You weren't available that day. I believe you and Paul had taken a trip to Napa Valley."

Olivia's eyes flickered. "Oh."

Tension surrounded the six people like a heavy fog. Mercifully, Gweneth broke the silence. "Well, I'm sure we would all love to stand around and talk, but I have a wedding to supervise. Jack is waiting for Cole, and I'm sure that you girls need to get ready."

Her words did the trick. Gweneth exchanged a few more words with Veronica and left. Olivia, along with Cecile and Barbara started upstairs. As they climbed the staircase, Olivia shot a quick glare at Cole and Veronica.

"Looks like your plan is working," Veronica commented, after the three other women disappeared upstairs. "Did you see the look your friend gave us?"

Cole sighed. "Oh yeah. I saw." Only now, he began to wonder if he had gone too far with this jealousy scheme.


END OF ACT III - Part 1

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Favorite Movies of the 1930s



Below is a list of my favorite movies that had been released during the 1930s:


FAVORITE MOVIES OF THE 1930s



1. "It Happened One Night" (1934) - This screwball comedy about a runaway heiress and a newspaper reporter on the road from Florida to New York won all five major Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Frank Capara, Best Actor for Clark Gable and Best Actress for Claudette Colbert.





2. "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936) - Errol Flynn, Olivia DeHavilland and Patric Knowles starred in this revised look at the famous Charge of the Light Brigade and the incidents that led one regiment to participate in it. Directed by Michael Curtiz.





3. "After the Thin Man" (1936) - William Powell and Myrna Loy reprised their roles of Nick and Nora Charles for the first time in this comedy thriller about Nora's socialite cousin (Elissa Landi) being framed for the murder of her philandering husband.





4. "Bombshell" (1933) - Victor Fleming directed Jean Harlow in this hilarious look into the chaotic life of a glamourous Hollywood star. Lee Tracy co-starred as her fast-talking publicity agent.





5. "Kid Galahad" (1937) - Michael Curtiz directed my favorite version of a story about a naive bellhop who becomes a rising boxing star, due to a fast-talking boxing manager and his girlfriend. Edward G. Robinson, Bette Davis, Wayne Morris and Humphrey Bogart starred.





6. "The Thin Man" (1934) - The first (and one of the best) of six movies about a former detective and his wife, Nick and Nora Charles. This story, based upon Dashiell Hammett's novel, has Nick Charles investigating the disappearance of a wealthy friend accused of murdering his girlfriend. William Powell and Myrna Loy starred.





7. "King Kong" (1933) - Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack directed what I believe is the definitive version of the story about a monster gorilla discovered on a remote island and brought to New York against his will. Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong and Bruce Cabot co-starred.





8. "Midnight" (1939) - Claudette Colbert starred in this witty comedy about a stranded American showgirl hired to impersonate a wealthy baroness in order to help a wealthy French business win back his wife from a playboy. Don Ameche, John Barrymore, Mary Astor and Francis Lederer co-starred.





9. "The Divorcee" (1930) - Norma Shearer won an Academy Award as an embittered woman, who leaves her husband when he cheats on her with another woman . . . and fails to forgive her for her own infidelity. Chester Morris, Robert Montgomery and Conrad Nagel co-starred.





10. "Baby Face" (1933) - Barbara Stanwyck had a field day as a speakeasy waitress who climbs her way up the corporate ladder by seducing various employees and executives at a New York bank. George Brent and Theresa Harris co-starred.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

"KNIGHT AND DAY" (2010) Review




”KNIGHT AND DAY” (2010) Review

Once again, Tom Cruise has put himself out on a limb by appearing in a movie, recently released this summer. The movie in question turned out to be a romantic comedy thriller called ”KNIGHT AND DAY”. Co-starring Cameron Diaz, the movie was directed by James Mangold.

Surprisingly, seventy to eighty percent of ”KNIGHT AND DAY” was told from Diaz’s point-of-view. She portrayed an auto mechanic named June Havens who found herself swept into the adventures of an eccentric man claiming to be a former CIA agent named Roy Miller. Miller also claimed that he was trying to prevent a corrupt CIA colleague named Fitzgerald from finding a brilliant young inventor named Simon Feck and his new invention, a perpetual energy battery called the Zephyr, and selling both to a Spanish weapons dealer named Antonio. Unfortunately, his former director believes he is a rogue agent that has gone mentally off the grid.

I might as well be frank. ”KNIGHT AND DAY” did not strike me as an exceptional action film. The movie featured a series of minor scenes in which a drugged and semi-conscious June found herself being moved from one location to another by Miller. And since these scenes were shown from her point-of-view, I suspect this gave Mangold and screenwriter Patrick O’Neill the opportunity to move their characters around without any real detail. Personally, it seemed like a lazy way to progress the plot along. I was also confused over how Peter Sarsgaard’s character, Agent Fitzgerald, managed to arrange for other CIA agents to appear on the Wichita-Boston flight at the beginning of the movie as the entire crew and group of passengers. Nor did I understand why he bothered to keep June on that flight after Miller tried to ensure that she would miss it. Also, Mangold’s direction failed to infuse the movie with any special energy that could have made it memorable. Despite the somewhat eccentric plot, ”KNIGHT AND DAY” moved and felt like a typical action film.

But the movie also had its virtues. It featured some beautiful photography of Boston, Jamaica (which served as the Azores, off the coast of Portugal), Austria and Spain; thanks to cinematographer Phedon Papamichael. The movie also featured one hell of a plane crash, supervised by Chris Brenczewski. O’Neill wrote a solid plot that I could easily understand – something that has been lacking in a good number of action films (comedy or otherwise) recently. ”KNIGHT AND DAY” also provided some first-rate action sequences. My favorites included Miller’s fight against his former CIA colleagues aboard the Wichita-Boston flight; the gunfight on one of Boston’s highways; and Miller’s fight against a young German assassin named Danny, aboard a train bound for Salzburg, Austria. Humor proved to be another one of the movie’s virtues. Not only did cast members such as Cruise, Diaz, Paul Dano and Marc Blucas provide some excellent comic performances, O’Neill’s script provided them with plenty of material to work with. At least two scenes struck me as particularly funny – Miller’s ”with me, you survive” speech; June’s encounter with Feck and Danny, the assassin, aboard the train; and her encounter with the arms dealer, Antonio. But my favorite scene turned out to be the encounter between Miller, June and her ex-boyfriend, Rodney inside a Boston diner. I really found that scene hilarious.

There were no bad performances in ”KNIGHT AND DAY”. But I must admit that not all of them struck me as impressive. Both Viola Davis and Jordi MollĂ  gave solid, yet humorless performances as the CIA Director and Antonio, the arms dealer. Peter Sarsgaard, who portrayed Agent Fitzgerald, seemed amusing at times. Otherwise, he came off as distant and slightly stiff. But the movie had its share of good performances. Dale Dye and Celia Weston provided plenty of laughs as Miller’s parents, who believed that their son was dead. Paul Dano proved that he also have a talent for comedy in his goofy and funny portrayal of Feck, the brilliant young scientist that created the Zephyr battery. But of the entire supporting cast, my favorite performance came from Marc Blucas, who portrayed June’s ex-boyfriend and a Boston fireman. Thanks to his two-season stint on television’s ”BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER”, I have always been aware of the actor’s talent for off-beat humor. But Mangold’s direction and O’Neill’s script provided him with a role that truly exploited his comedic talents. Blucas portrayed Rodney not only as a compassionate and duty-bound man, but also a self-absorbed and shallow jerk. And he managed to achieve this balance with great subtlety and skill.

But what really made ”KNIGHT AND DAY” work for me were the two leads, Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. They had worked together before in the 2001 movie, ”VANILLA SKY” and it was easy to see that they both had a very good screen chemistry. Once again, Cruise proved his talent for both comedy and action as the slightly eccentric Roy Miller, whose idea of keeping his new companion safe was too keep her in a drugged state, as he carted her around the eastern United States and Europe. The actor also effectively conveyed his character’s self-assured nature without allowing it to be tainted by any signs of cockiness. This would not have been the case with a younger Cruise. What I liked about Cameron Diaz’s portrayal of June Havens was that she did an excellent job of conveying her character’s progression throughout the movie. Her June started as a reserved woman just recovering from the end of a trying relationship, progressed to the confused and frightened innocent caught up in intrigue and betrayal; and finally developed into a more confident woman who was self-assured about her love for Miller and what she needed to do to keep him safe.

”KNIGHT AND DAY” is not the best movie I have seen this summer. It certainly did not knock my socks off. But thanks to James Mangold’s direction, a solid script by Patrick O’Neill and an excellent screen team in the form of Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. It is not a perfect film, but it is certainly better than I had originally assumed.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

"A Wedding in Four Acts" [PG-13] - Act 2 (Part 3)




"A WEDDING IN FOUR ACTS"

ACT II - Part 3

Cole and Andre were among the last guest to arrive at the Vorando Club that night. Everyone else seemed to be there - including the McNeill men, Darryl, Leo, Paul Margolin, personal friends of Bruce, a handful of Golden Horn employees and . . . Jason Dean. The latter's presence took Cole by surprise. He had no idea that Dean was friends with either Bruce or Harry.

The red-haired witch rushed forth to greet the two newcomers. "I see you finally made it," he commented. "I was beginning to worry."

"Sorry we're late," Cole apologized. "I had an errand to run, on my way home." He nodded at the newspaper publisher. "I uh, didn't realize you were going to invite him."

Harry sighed. "I really had not planned on it. But Bruce asked me to extend an invitation."

Cole's brows lifted questioningly. "The question is . . . why?"

"After that article on the Golden Horn in SAN FRANCISCO TODAY, Jason had changed his mind about printing his own article in the BAY-MIRROR. Bruce found out about it and asked me to invite him to the party."

"Great," Cole grumbled. "Now I have to deal with both Margolin and Dean, tonight."

Andre asked, "And who is this Dean character?"

"Jason Dean, publisher of the SAN FRANCISCO BAY-MIRROR newspaper," Cole answered. "He's Phoebe's boss and present boyfriend." He paused momentarily. "And Olivia's ex."

Harry added, "Ex-boyfriend."

A light chuckle escaped from Andre's mouth. "Wait a minute! You mean to say that you and this fellow Dean . . . switched partners?"

"Considering that I've never dated Olivia, I don't see how that's possible," Cole retorted.

Harry quickly spoke up. "Hey, why don't you two mingle a little? I have to speak with Riggerio about the booze. Would you believe it? We're already running low." He walked away.

The two friends glanced around the club and spotted Darryl Morris sampling food from the refreshment table. "Darryl!" Cole greeted cheerfully.

The police inspector whirled around. "Hey Cole," he replied. His eyes scrutinized the half-daemon's companion. "I guess you must be . . ."

"Andre. Andre Morrell." The houngan offered his hand. Darryl shook it. "I'm uh, an old friend of Cole's. And Cecile's boyfriend."

Nodding, Darryl replied, "Yeah, Cecile. Are you . . . Voo . . . I mean, Vodoun, like her?"

Cole spoke up. "Andre is a priest. A houngan."

"And are you as powerful as Cecile?" Darryl asked.

Andre shrugged his shoulders. "Not really."

"Bullshit!" Cole retorted fondly. "Don't let him fool you, Darryl. He's very powerful. Anyway, Andre, this is Darryl Morris, Olivia's partner. He is also an old friend of the Halliwells."

The Vodoun priest's eyes narrowed. "Darryl Morris? You're the one who was possessed by Dako's spirit, last December. Right?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Darryl heaved a large sigh. "That's one experience I never want to experience again. Cecile told me that his spirit hasn't really been vanquished."

Andre responded with a disarming smile. "Afraid not. His spirit was probably returned to the netherworld. We Vodouns believe that death is not the end . . . if you know what I mean. Dako can be summoned again . . . unless his loa has been reborn in another body."

"Loa?" Darryl frowned. "That's spirit, right?"

"Yeah." Andre added, "Cecile had told me that some warlocks had Dako's spirit trapped in some urn or jug. And that someone had sent it to them."

Cole said, "Some bokor named William Dagbani. He's never been found by the police. Just disappeared . . ." He halted at the sight of Leo, Margolin and Jason Dean approaching them. "Look who's here," he murmured. "Three of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse."

"Gentlemen," Jason announced politely. "Enjoying yourself?"

Darryl smiled. "Very much. How about you?"

Jason replied, "I'm fine." He turned to Andre. "Are you a friend of Bruce's?"

"You can say that," Andre said. "But I'm also a friend of Cecile Dubois'. And Cole's. Andre Morrell."

The publisher's smile lost some of its warmth. "Oh. Yeah. Nice to meet you, too."

Margolin offered his hand to Andre. "Paul Margolin. I met Cecile, two days ago."

Andre shook Paul's hand. "Oh yeah. She told me. She also told me that you work at the . . ."

"At the District Attorney's Office. I'm an ADA." Paul finally acknowledged Cole's presence with a nod. "Turner." Then he returned his attention to Andre. "What exactly do you do?"

Andre replied, "I'm a private investigator in New Orleans."

"Oh really," Jason said. "I'm a newspaper publisher. For the SAN FRANCISCO BAY-MIRROR. Perhaps we can use your skills here in San Francisco. Especially since our police department," he gave Darryl a pointed look, "seemed to be having trouble doing their job."

Rolling his eyes, Darryl sarcastically retorted, "May I assume that you're referring to Nick Marcano's escape?"

Blue eyes frosted slightly. "Yes Inspector, you may assume. This isn't just another rant against the police force from the press. Marcano had killed one of my employees. Remember DeWolfe Mann?"

Darryl stiffened. "I'm well aware of that fact, Mr. Dean," he replied coolly. "I'm also aware that whoever helped him escape, killed two County Sheriff guards."

Jason added, "Don't you mean, incinerated? One of my employees got the details on the killings. Do the police have any idea how that happened?"

"I have no idea," Darryl said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Sensing an opportunity for mischief, Cole spoke up. "Perhaps the killings happened because of some supernatural phenomenon." His companions stared at him.

"Cole . . ." Leo began, wearing a disapproving frown.

Jason quickly interrupted, "Is this your idea of a sick joke, Turner? DeWolfe Mann was one of your clients." His face expressed outrage at Cole's comment.

Cole coolly added, "I'm not joking. Tell me this - how do you explain the burnt bodies? Or for that matter, Portia Della Scalla? She mysteriously appears at your newspaper and you hire her without any references." Jason visibly winced, much to Cole's pleasure. "And when Marcano is arrested, she quickly disappears. I mean, exactly who . . . or what is Portia Della Scalla? And how did the bodies of those guards end up scorched like that? Did someone at the County jail see Marcano's rescuer with a blow torch, or something?"

Caution radiated from Darryl's tone. "Cole, maybe this isn't the right . . ."

"Wait a minute!" a shocked Jason cried out. "Are you trying to say that Portia Della Scalla is some kind of supernatural being? And that magical forces were behind DeWolfe Mann's mur . . ."

Andre quickly interrupted. "Uh . . . say Cole, look over there!" he said in a falsely jovial voice. "I do believe I see an old friend." He grabbed Cole's arm. "Why don't we say hello?" Cole allowed the other man to drag him away from the others. The moment they were out of earshot, Andre rounded on the half-daemon. "Damn man! What the hell's wrong with you? Are you crazy? Speaking out on magic like that?"

"Oh c'mon!" Cole protested. "I was just having a little fun with the guy. He was getting on my nerves."

Andre gave Cole a shrewd look. "This doesn't have anything to do with the fact that he's Phoebe's boyfriend?" He paused. "Or that he used to date Olivia?"

Cole responded by rolling his eyes. "Look, the guy is annoying bastard. Olivia's family seemed to think so. And didn't you see the way Darryl was looking at him?"

"Uh-huh," Andre grunted. The two friends approached the nightclub's owner, who was engrossed in a conversation with one of his employees. After the latter walked away, Andre rushed toward the owner, grinning widely. "Well, look who's here!" he proclaimed loudly.

Riggerio stared at the pair and his lips broke into a grin. "Andre! Mio amico! What are you doing here? I have not seen you in a long time!"

"Not that long," Andre shot back. "Maybe four years." He enveloped the daemon into a bear hug.

Riggerio returned Andre's hug. "Longer than that. Perhaps five. We last saw each other in Marsailles, in 1998. What have you been doing, since?"

Andre shrugged. "Oh, not much. Gave up on being a bokor."

A frown appeared on Riggerio's face. "You no longer practice magic?"

"Oh! Oh no!" Andre said with a laugh. "No, I haven't given up on that. I just . . . uh, I'm a hougan now, not a bokor.

Nodding, Riggerio said, "Ah! I understand. You are one of the 'buoni tipi', now. Good guys. Or how do you say it? 'Sul percorso diritto e stretto'. Sì?"

"Straight and narrow . . .? Me?" One of Andre's brows formed a dubious arch. "Listen man, I may have given up being a bokor, but I'm no saint."

Riggerio nodded. "My apologies," he replied smoothly. "I did not mean to insult you. I must say that you and Belthazor seemed to be creating a trend of our kind rejecting the uh . . . dark side. Becoming good guys. No?"

Cole smirked. "C'mon Riggerio. We all know there those among our kind who don't follow a darker path. And I seem to recall that your coven does not serve one side or the other. In fact, you never have. And you're offering your club for a witch's bachelor party."

A disarming smile graced Riggerio's lips. "I am a businessman, il mio amico. Why should I pass up an opportunity for profit?"

"Why indeed?" Cole added. "By the way, I was wondering if you could help me on an important matter."

"You are speaking of the Streghone who had recently escaped from jail. Yes?"

Cole nodded. "Right, as usual." He paused. "When you first told us about Portia Della Scalla, you had also mentioned an older sis . . ."

Riggerio interrupted. "Claudia. She is . . . was Portia's older sister."

"Do you know if she's . . .?"

Again, the daemon interrupted. "Yes, she is here in San Francisco. I have just recently discovered. The word is that she is looking for revenge ag . . ."

This time, Cole interrupted. "Against Bruce." He sighed. "So, she must have been the one responsible for the jail break. I should have known."

"Should have known what?" a new voice asked. The other three stared at the guest of honor, who stood behind Cole. "What are you talking about?"

Cole, Andre and Riggerio hesitated. Finally, the half-daemon spoke. "We were talking about Nick Marcano. We uh, might have an idea who's behind his escape."

Bruce stared at the trio. "Like who? Portia Della Scalla is dead. I killed her."

"She had a sister," Cole continued. "Claudia Della Scalla."

A sigh left Bruce's mouth. "Great! And I bet she's after me. Right?" When Cole and the others failed to answer, he nodded. "Yeah. Thanks for the answer. I think that any chance of me enjoying this party has been shot. Other than surviving long enough to marry Barbara, I can't see anything that will put me in a good mood."

Harry's voice boomed above the music. "Take a seat, everyone! It's time for our stripper!"

Andre turned to Bruce. "Well, there's something to look forward to."

---------

"So, when is the stripper going to perform?" Paige impatiently asked Cecile. The pair sat before P3's bar, sipping their drinks. Paige held a glass of Seven-Up, while Cecile nursed a margarita. An Aimee Mann song blasted from the club's sound system. "Don't get me wrong. The party's great, but I've been looking forward to my first male stripper."

Disbelief shone in Cecile's dark eyes. "Your first?"

"Okay, my fifth," Paige retorted. "But I've never seen one at a bridal shower."

Cecile frowned. "What about Piper and Phoebe's bridal showers?"

Paige took a sip of her Seven-Up. "I wasn't around when Piper and Leo got married. And Phoebe and Cole had a pre-wedding supper for the family. It was nice, but considering that Cole was possessed at the time . . ."

"Well, be thankful that neither Barbara or Bruce are demonically possessed," Cecile said to the younger woman.

"Yeah, but they still have a vengeful succubus and Nick Marcano to worry about." A sigh left Paige's mouth. "Why can't Wiccan weddings go smoothly?"

Cecile added, "From what Cole had told me, he and Phoebe were married by a priest."

Paige corrected her. "A demon disguised as a priest. I mean, a dark priest from the Underworld."

"And yet, weren't they originally supposed to be married in a Catholic chapel?" Cecile demanded. "So, why didn't they have a Wiccan ceremony?"

"I don't know. I never really bothered to ask." The music continued to fill the nightclub. Paige watched some of the guests sway to the music. She saw Piper leave the club's kitchen, carrying a tray of canapés. Phoebe sat on the Halliwells' official sofa, holding Wyatt. The younger Mrs. McNeill sat with her. The others - including Olivia, Mrs. Dubois, and Barbara, were on the dance floor. Caught up in the music and the atmosphere, Paige failed to hear Cecile's next words. "What did you say?"

Barely shouting above the music, Cecile repeated, "I was asking about the daemon who had taken Cole's powers!"

Paige frowned at the other woman. "You mean Barbas? Why are you interested in him? He's dead. Cole killed him."

"Oh." Cecile paused. Took a sip of her margarita. Then, "Before Cole got his powers back, did you and your sisters try to kill Barbas?"

Wondering what this conversation was leading to, Paige stared at the priestess. "Uh, yeah. We tried using the Power of Three spell - the same one we had used on the Source - but it didn't work. With Cole's powers, Barbas was too strong."

Cecile took another sip. "This Power of Three spell, it's the one in which you had also invoke the powers of your ancestors. Right?"

Paige forgot about her drink. "Okay Cecile, what's this about?"

"Listen, I'm not sure I should tell you this," Cecile began. "In fact, I'm not sure if I should tell anyone. It started when I first met . . ." She broke off, as two other figures approached the bar. Her mother and Olivia's grandmother. "Hey Mama, Mrs. McNeill! Enjoying the party?"

Elise McNeill smiled at the two younger women. "It's not bad. Although I could use a little Tony Bennett. Or Nat King Cole." She said to Cecile, "When is the stripper going to perform?"

"Huh?" Paige blinked. Did she just hear a seventy-something woman ask about a male stripper.

Blue eyes twinkled merrily. "I was asking about the stripper. I may be seventy-nine, but I'm also a woman."

"Ditto," Mrs. Dubois added.

"Why is everyone asking me?" Cecile demanded. "Olivia planned this party." The other three continued to stare at her. She sighed. "Okay, the stripper should be showing up around nine. Happy?" Both Mrs. McNeill and Mrs. Dubois expressed delight. Cecile rolled her eyes.

Recalling her previous conversation with the younger Vodoun priestess, Paige decided to bring it up. "Cecile, what were you about to tell me? Something about Cole's powers, I think."

Discomfort flashed across Cecile's face. "Oh. That. Uh, it's nothing. Well, maybe . . ." She sighed. "Okay, I might as well mention it, especially since I wanted to talk to you, Mama, about it. And Mrs. McNeill. I had a vision. When I met Olivia's new friend at Pier 39, Wednesday night."

"Paul Margolin?" Mrs. McNeill demanded. "What did you . . .?"

Mrs. Dubois added, "Why don't you just show us, cherie?"

Cecile glanced around. Then her eyes widened. Paige realized that the telepath was about to send her vision. "Uh, wait . . ." The Charmed One gasped, as the vision overwhelmed her mind. Once it had ended, she cried out, "Oh my God!"

"You're telling me!" Mrs. McNeill added in astonished tones. "Did I just see Olivia kill Cole?"

Nodding, Cecile said to Paige, "That's why I was asking about that Barbas guy."

"But that's impossible!" Paige exclaimed. "How could . . . how would Livy be able to kill Cole, when we weren't able to vanquish Barbas when he had Cole's powers?"

Cecile shrugged. "Don't ask me."

"Why would Olivia kill Cole in the first place?" Cecile's mother asked.

An uneasy feeling overcame Paige. "Maybe . . . Do you think that Cole will turn evil, again?"

Mrs. McNeill commented, "I'm wondering why this vision came to Cecile, 'after' she had shaken Paul's hand. And why did he have that strange expression on his face? He looked so . . ."

"Smug?" Mrs. Dubois suggested. The elderly woman nodded.

"Yeah, I also noticed that," Cecile added. "There's just something about him that . . . I don't know. He just makes me feel uneasy."

Paige asked, "Will you tell Olivia?"

Cecile sighed. "I don't know. What am I going to say? Tell her to break up with . . . what's his name?"

"Paul," Mrs. McNeill added.

Continuing, Cecile said, "What do I say to Livy? Tell her to break up with Paul, because I had a vision of her killing Cole . . . after shaking Paul's hand?"

"Don't tell her," Mrs. McNeill ordered. "At least not yet. Wait and see how this . . . friendship with Paul turn out. If it becomes serious and affects Cole, then tell her." She sighed. "Or maybe you should simply go ahead and tell her, anyway."

Cecile's mouth formed a grim line. "Shit! There are times I wish I never had this damn power! Seeing the future sure can be a curse!"

A sympathetic Paige nodded. "Yeah, I think that's how Phoebe feels, sometimes."

----------

A tall, muscular figure emerged from the apartment building and started toward the blue-gray Toyota, parked next to the curb. Just as Lee Carver leaned forward to open the car door, a second figure materialized beside him, causing the dancer to nearly jump out of his skin.

"Christ! You scared the hell out of me! What do you want?" he demanded in an irritated voice.

"Pardon signor," the man replied in a smooth accent. Italian. "I am . . . eh, new to San Francisco and I am trying to find someone. Uh, a Signor Lee Carver. Do you know him?"

Lee peered closely at the man. The latter seemed respectable. Non-threatening. He was a tall, dark-haired man with a slender, yet wiry frame. "I'm Lee Carver. What do you want?"

The stranger expressed surprise. "Oh! You are Signor Carver? Who works at the Strobe Light Club as a dancer?"

Wariness overcame Lee. How in the hell did this guy knew where he worked? "Okay Dude, who in the hell are you?"

The man responded with an easy smile. "My name is Alessandro Pelligio. I am the . . . new owner of a club in North Beach. I am looking for new dancers. After seeing your act at the Strobe Light, I thought you would be interested in a new job. That is . . . if you're the same Signor Carver."

"I'm him!" Lee's interest perked a bit. "I'm Lee Carver. Listen, I have a gig, tonight. At a private party. So, why don't we deal with this later?"

A smile stretched Pelligio's lips. "Don't worry, Signor. This will not take long." His eyes suddenly glowed red.

Lee's eyes widened in fear. "What the . . .?" Seconds later, his entire body seared with heat. Lee blacked out, but not before his voice filled the air with screams of pain.

---------

Cheers and whistles from onlookers filled the Vorando Club. On stage, a scantily-clad female gyrated to the music blasting from the club's sound system. Every man had his eyes glued to the dancer - save for a handful. Both Jack McNeill and Riggerio were engaged in some kind of conversation. Leo seemed downright embarrassed by the dancer's performance and focused elsewhere. Cole simply felt bored. Strippers had never done much for him.

Once the performance ended, the bachelor party's guests broke into a round of applause. The stripper waved and left the stage. Riggerio left Mr. McNeill's side and walked onstage to present the next act. Cole rolled his eyes in disgust. It was another stripper. Great. When the next act began, Cole slipped off the bar stool and strode out of the club.

Outside of the club, Cole took a few deep breaths and watched the cars speed along Powell. A few minutes passed and he became aware another figure leaving the nightclub. "Cole?" a voice declared in a surprised tone. "I didn't realize . . ."

The half-daemon glanced to his left and heaved an annoyed sigh. "Leo. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Huh?" The whitelighter's blue eyes widened. "No! I mean . . . no, I uh, I just stepped out for some fresh air."

A smirk curled Cole's lips. "Oh, I see. The entertainment wasn't much to your taste."

"No." Even in the dark, Cole could tell that Leo was blushing. "I mean . . . it's like I said - I needed the air. That's all."

"Okay. Sure." Cole turned away from the whitelighter and continued to watch the passing traffic. He added, "Personally, I didn't care for the entertainment, either. Watching strippers were never my style."

Frustration tinged Leo's sigh. "Look, I wasn't bothered by the strippers, okay?. They were around in my day too, you know."

"I didn't say that you were bothered by them," Cole shot back.

Leo retorted, "Maybe not, but you seemed bent on hinting that I . . . that I'm some kind of prude."

His sense of peace shattered, Cole snarled, "You know Leo? I don't give a rat's ass what you think about the strippers! Okay?"

"You never seemed to care what anyone thinks," Leo shot back. "At least, lately."

Cole glared at his former brother-in-law. "That's right. I don't care! You see, I've grown wiser over the past several months."

"Well, if you were so 'wise', you would have never made that crack about magic to Jason!"

Rolling his eyes, Cole retorted, "I was just pulling the guy's leg! Besides, he will have to learn the truth about Phoebe and the others, one of these days."

"It was dangerous, Cole! Just like that deal you made with the Seer to become the Source. Tell me, was it wise for you to come back from the Wasteland?" Leo faced Cole, his blue eyes chips of ice. "Had it ever occurred to you, Cole that you should have stayed dead?"

Anger washed over Cole. "First of all, I had made a deal to use the Hollow to take the Source's powers temporarily, not become the Source! Second . . ."

"Oh come on, Cole! Who are you kidding? Those powers turned you into the Source!"

Cole took a deep breath and counted to three. One . . . two . . . three . . . "Leo, those damn powers DID NOT turn me into the Source," he growled. "If they had, then Piper and Paige's powers should have made the Source two-thirds of the Charmed Ones! And they, along with Phoebe would have never been able to vanquish the Source using a Power of Three spell! But they did, because the Hollow didn't give him their essence. In fact, it wasn't until after they had killed the bastard that his essence began to take possession of my body. If you and the Self-Righteous Ones had bothered to stop and consider how I became the Source, you probably would have found out! How many fucking times does someone have to tell you?"

Leo began, "And what about . . .?"

"As for my decision to leave the Wasteland," Cole continued, "I didn't plan on it. Not at first. I was about to give myself up to the Beast when the power of a vanquished daemon fell upon me. So I took advantage of the situation and gathered more powers."

Shaking his head with dismay, Leo replied, "And you never stopped to think that you shouldn't have done it?"

"Maybe the Halliwells shouldn't have killed me when I was possessed!" Cole snarled. "Or . . . did you ever stop to think that your little scheme to marry Piper behind your bosses' backs was wrong?"

Leo's face hardened. "You were responsible for them finding out! And I wanted to marry Piper! How is that wrong?"

Cole retorted, "I don't know, Leo. Perhaps it was, because you were so willing to risk the sisters' lives to get what you wanted. Well, I wanted a second chance with Phoebe! Unlike you, I didn't get my wish. Hopefully, I might have a chance with someone else."

"If you're speaking of Olivia, forget it!" Leo's voice bridled with contempt. "She has interests, elsewhere."

Cole gave the whitelighter a shrewd look. "And all according to plan. Right Leo? Isn't Olivia the reason you had talked Margolin into applying for a job, here on the West Coast?"

Leo shot back, "It's for her own good! Considering your talent for bringing chaos in your wake, I thought it was prudent that Olivia became interested in someone who's a lot safer and more dependable!" He paused, as horror over his revelation filled his eyes.

A knowing smile touched Cole's lips. "So, Paige was right after all. She told me what Margolin had said to her at Nathalie Gleason's party. About your little matchmaking scheme."

The whitelighter's body stiffened. "I suppose you're going to tell her. Tell Olivia."

"Perhaps." Cole grinned. "Then again, maybe I won't have to. Your plan for Margolin and Olivia wasn't the only thing I had learned at Nathalie's party."

"What do you mean?" Leo demanded.

Cole paused dramatically. "That's between me and Olivia, Leo. Enjoy yourself." He turned his back on Leo and returned to the bachelor party.

--------

Strains of Rod Stewart singing "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" filled P3. All eyes were focused on the muscular man gyrating on the stage. When ripped away a pair of white trousers, revealing a black thong underneath, whistles and screams filled the club. Even Barbara could not help but admire the man's . . . assets. Although Bruce could definitely give him competition.

The dancer completed his performance and the women broke into applause. The only person missing seemed to be the club's owner. Piper had disappeared into her office with baby Wyatt, once the stripper had appeared on stage. Sure enough, the applause died down, the stripper left the stage and Piper - with Wyatt in her arms - reappeared. "Is the show over?" she asked. The oldest Charmed One glanced at the stage. "Oh, I guess he is."

Nathalie Gleason heaved a mournful sigh. "Unfortunately." She turned to Olivia, who sat next to the bar with Mrs. Dubois. "Where did you find that guy, anyway?"

Olivia shrugged. "At some place called the Strobe Light Club. Apparently, he's very popular with the customers."

"Apparently?" Barbara replied knowingly.

"All right! I saw him there!" Olivia shot back. She glared at the blond woman. "You have to admit that he's not bad."

Nathalie snorted. "Not bad? Honey, he's more than just 'not bad'!"

A smile tugged at Mrs. Dubois' lips. "I don't know. I've seen better, myself."

"Oh!" Olivia's face lit up. "That dancer at the Hurricane Club on Bourbon Street! I remember him."

Mrs. Dubois heaved a heartfelt sigh. "Yeah, so do I."

Looking somewhat dubious, Nathalie replied, "Oh-kaay. Although I can't see anyone being better than Surfer Boy, up there."

"Uh, now that the entertainment is over," Piper said, cutting into the conversation, "is everyone ready for dessert?"

Detecting a familiar pressure on her bladder, Barbara said, "In a minute. I have to make a little trip to the Ladies Room." She slid off the bar stool and strode toward the bathroom.

After completing her tasks, a few minutes later, Barbara washed her hands and left the bathroom. She had not taken more than eight steps, when she collided with a burly figure. It was the stripper that Olivia had hired. Fully dressed, this time.

"Oh," she said, feeling a wave of heat flame her cheeks. "It's you. Excuse me."

The dancer responded with a dazzling smile. With those blond looks and smile, Nathalie had been right to nickname him, Surfer Boy. "Of course. I . . . uh, I hope that you enjoyed the show."

"Actually, I did. You were pretty . . ." Barbara halted in mid-sentence. The dancer's looks transformed right before her eyes. Blond hair became dark. Blue eyes now shone dark-brown. The wide face narrowed. And so did the body, which changed from broad and muscular to slim and wiry. "What the hell?" she cried.

Before Barbara could say anything further, those dark eyes became penetrating. Hypnotic. And the blond witch's mind slipped into oblivion.

--------

Claudia Della Scalla teleported into the middle of P3's narrow hallway. She saw her minion, Alessandro, holding a blond woman in his arms. "Excellent work, Sandro," she said. "Now, take her back to the house."

Alessandro hesitated. "I understand that you do not want her dead, Padronessa, but do I have to stay with her? I have not . . . eh, received my pay. Yet." His eyes cast downward. "And I have another dance to perform."

"And I look forward to seeing it." The older succubus's eyes swept appreciatively over her younger counterpart's body, causing the latter to blush. "Do not worry, Sandro. Just take her to the villa and return. The Streghone, Rosa and Giancarlo will look after her." Claudia added, "About the amulet I gave you . . . did it work? Or were the old lady and the Vodoun priestess able to sense your true identity?

Shaking his head, Alessandro replied that both telepaths had not detected him. "Nor had the Halliwell seer." A groan left his mouth. "Scusatemi Signorina, but may I leave now? The witch . . . she is getting heavy."

Claudia nodded. Alessandro sighed and disappeared with the witch in his arms. The succubus grabbed hold of the amulet around her neck and stared at it. After learning from Marcano about the three telepaths, she had invoked a spell around three amulets to block any telepathic activity toward her or her assistants. Satisfied by Alessandro's assurances that it worked, Claudia allowed her body to transform into another. She slipped into the Ladies' Room and checked her image in the mirror. A smug smile curled her lips. Perfect. She looked exactly like Barbara Bowen.


END OF ACT II - Part 3

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

"ANGEL" RETROSPECTIVE: (1.08) "I Will Remember You"



Below is a look into (1.08) "I Will Remember You", a Season One episode from "ANGEL" (1999-2004)


"ANGEL" RETROSPECTIVE: (1.08)"I Will Remember You"

One of the most popular episodes to air on "ANGEL" is the eighth episode of Season One called (1.08) "I Will Remember You". This particular episode served as a follow-up to the Season Four "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" episode called(4.08) “Pangs” in which Angel, the vampire with a soul, had paid a surreptitious visit to Sunnydale in order to protect his former love, vampire slayer Buffy Summers, from a malignant spirit during the Thanksgiving holidays. 

After Buffy had learned of Angel’s visit to Sunnydale, she pays a visit of her own to Angel’s detective office in Los Angeles. There, she confronts him about his surreptitious assistance back in Sunnydale. They are attacked by a Mohra demon. When Angel kills the demon, he is restored to mortality by its powerful blood. After The Oracles - a link to The Powers That Be - confirms that Angel is human again, Angel and Buffy spend a blissful night together. Unfortunately, Doyle receives a vision that the Mohra demon has regenerated itself. Instead of recruiting Buffy, Angel leaves her to kill the demon for good. In the ensuing battle, Angel discovers the consequences of having only human strength. Buffy must come to his rescue and slay the demon herself. Angel returns to The Oracles, who that if he remains human, Buffy will face the minions of darkness alone and die much sooner. They agree to turn back time, so that Angel, accepting the entire cost of the bargain, can kill the Mohra before its blood makes him human. They also inform him that Buffy’s memories of their day together will erase once time is turned back.

I might as well be frank. I really dislike this episode. I almost hate it. Honestly. And although I am not a fan of the Buffy/Angel relationship, the one thing I truly dislike about this episode is the paternalistic manner in which Angel treats Buffy, once he agrees to the Oracles’ bargain. One, I suspect that Angel could not deal having human strength. It still amazes me that many fans have castigated Riley Finn for being unable to deal with Buffy being stronger than him; and yet in this particular episode, Angel seemed to be suffering from the same problem. Then he does something even worse by making that deal with the Powers to resume being a vampire . . . after being told that Buffy would have no memories of their day together. As far as I am concerned, he committed psychic rape via the Oracles and the Powers to Be. Even worse, he only told Buffy about his decision . . . seconds before she lost her memories.

Some fans have used Buffy’s alleged desire for a ”knight in shinning armor” as an excuse for Angel’s behavior. Many of these fans still view Buffy as that 16-18 year-old girl featured in the series’ first three seasons. And apparently, so does Angel. I really do not see how this desire of Buffy is supposed to condone or excuse Angel's decision to becoming a vampire again at the expense of Buffy’s memories. Others point out that the Oracles had informed Angel that order to prevent circumstances from repeating exactly, he alone will remember all they have shared. Let me see if I understand this. Angel could not tell Buffy that he had erased her memories of their day together, in case the circumstances of that day repeat themselves. Yet, Angel went ahead and informed Buffy that she would lose her memories seconds before she lost them? If Angel wanted to avoid a repetition of that day repeating, he could have told Buffy what had happened . . . and add that they could not stay together, in case the circumstances of that day would be repeated. But Angel did not bother. In fact, he remained silent. Personally, I found his actions appalling. 

To me, Angel was a selfish and controlling bastard who could not handle the lack of vampire strength needed to deal with the supernatural beings he had fought, in the first place. Without that strength, he could not be a hero. One, he was stupid enough to go after the Mohra demon when he lacked the strength to fight it. He could have easily allowed Buffy to do so in the first place. And when he found himself forced to depend upon Buffy’s strength to take down the demon, he turned to the Oracles to get his strength back. And all of this happened before he learned of the details surrounding his return as a vampire. I suspect that deep down, his act of sacrifice was nothing more than bullshit. I have always suspected that Angel was nothing more than a control freak, who got his kicks making decisions for others . . . without their consent. If he had really cared about Buffy, he would have never agreed to the spell in the first place. Or . . . he could have told her what happened after the spell went into effect, just as I had pointed out in a previous paragraph. Or he could have told her what he was considering, before he allowed the Powers to Be remove her memories and turn back time. But he did not, because he simply viewed Buffy as a child who had to be controlled . . . by him. And considering that Buffy ended up dead a year-and-a-half later (with Angel not around), it seemed that Angel had given up being a human for nothing.

"I Will Remember You" strikes me as a good example of why I have never been a fan of the Buffy/Angel romance. It has always seemed like an unequal relationship that was never able to develop into an equal one. This episode also reminded me that many seemed to prefer a fictional romance that featured between an infatuated adolescent female and lovesick older man obsessed with her youth and his need to be controlling. To me, the relationship was nothing but a patriarchal wet dream . . . at least for Angel. And his actions in both the "BUFFY" episode, "Pangs" and this one seemed to confirm this.