Friday, April 14, 2023

A Subliminal Existentialist


Sydney Pollack: A Subliminal Existentialist


by Wes D. Gehring


“Gehring remains supreme in film comedy scholarship” - Choice

“Just about anything with film historian and media writer Wes D. Gehring’s name on it will be of quality.”
- Cinema Retro

"Gehring has a breezy and playful writing style. I found myself chucking aloud several times. His prose is also, at times, wickedly cynical...referring to the kidnapped Betty in the 1934 version of The Man Who Knew Too Much as a 'losable daughter.' " - The Hitchcock Annual


Filmmaker Sydney Pollack found his greatest success as the director of such celebrated pictures as They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, The Way We WereTootsie, and Out of Africa which won Pollack Oscars for both director and producer. Pollack found early success as an actor, an acting teacher, and later as a producer. In ensuing years, he would be praised as a character actor, from Dustin Hoffman's scene stealing agent in Tootsie to a sympathetic cynic in Eyes Wide Shut.

Forever curious, Pollack often used these films to see how other significant directors plied their trade. Trying to balance time for family and his many other soon-to-be-explored talents, Pollack's ability to recognize quality material also made him a producer of such memorable works as The Fabulous Baker BoysSense and Sensibility, The Talented Mr. RipleyIris, and Michael Clayton. This work weaves the story of Pollack's life and career through ten of his films and covers his relationship with two actors; teacher and mentor, Burt Lancaster, and Robert Redford, with whom he frequently collaborated

Peter Evans, Emeritus Professor of Film Studies, Queen Mary University of London, recently wrote the author, "You certainly make an excellent case for his [ Pollack's ]re-evaluation, [ while ] providing your characteristic mixture of scholarship and sharp analysis."

Order Here -

Thursday, April 13, 2023

Michael's Musings

 

Michael Shinafelt

":I'm no angel, but I've spread my wings a bit" - Mae West

"Yes" Minions it's true, I've been spreading my wings a lot of late. Hey, it's helping get me through this difficult time in my life.

Thus I am going to keep on spreading my wings as much as I can...what a feeling!!!

My soul is mysterious as midnight, the more you know...

Slow motion, it's better than no motion

Pennywise will be here before you know it...you'll float too...

Excited to see Katie Maloney finally rip Tom Schwartz a new one on VPR

Cat on a cushion = Maximum chill level

Kelli Giddish will be back for some more Law & Order: SVU - Rollins in the house!

Be safe. You are worth it.

Can we bring back consequences? I miss consequences 

Woman Crush of the Week - Taylor Momsen lead singer of The Pretty Reckless, why?  Because she kicks ass, that's why!!!

For Halloween this year I'm going to dress up as someone with a  9 - 5 job and scare the shit out of everyone in LA.

Even the Vegans want to eat the rich

FYI You are going to Hell no matter how "good" you are

The band geeks shall rule the earth

Legendary Ann-Margaret has her first rock album out at 81 years young

What plans do you have for when you turn 81 tell me here

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt  

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Hump Day & Chill

Slay Queen
Halle Berry

This photo that Halle Berry posted to her Instagram with the caption "I do what I wanna do" is Hump Day & Chill perfection.

Seriously it doesn't get any better than drinking wine on your balcony nude. Really who can top that?! It's the perfect chill.

Thus we hail Queen Halle as we bend it like her and try to aspire to her level of Hump Day & Chill today, and everyday moving forward...

Halle on IG -

https://www.instagram.com/halleberry/?hl=en 

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Give Yourself The Present

One of the things I am striving for with all that is happening to me and around me is to be present.

Hey, it's not as easy as it sounds. I have to keep pinching myself that right here right now is what I wished for (I don't use the word pray, it's an exclusive term.) 

Life is amazing in it's simplicity if you allow yourself to breathe...

Breathe and give yourself the gift of being present, It takes work, but it's worth it!

Get present with me here -

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en  

Monday, April 10, 2023

Phenomena

The young Jennifer Corvino (Jennifer Connelly) is sent to a private Swiss academy for girls where a vicious killer is on the loose. Jennifer has the unique ability to telepathically communicate with insects and an entomologist, Dr. John McGregor (Donald Pleasence), enlists her help in locating the murderer. Can Jennifer uncover the killer's identity before becoming a victim herself'

 Watch trailer »

Order Here -

https://mvd.cloud/share/sales/20230207062004.html

Sunday, April 9, 2023

Happy Easter!

Glenn Close, Bunny & Michael Douglas


Happy Easter to all you bunnies out there...!!!

Easter on Wikipedia -

Saturday, April 8, 2023

"Dormir Pour Rever"




Lo-Flo Records Presents

New Single, “Dormir Pour Rêver,”

Written in 1972 by Composer Jane McNealy

Featuring Emmanuelle Raoul-Duval 

Dormir Pour Rêver,” was inspired by the Tahitien mural, “D'où venons-nous ? Que sommes-nous ? Où allons-nous ?” or translated, “Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?” painted by the artist, Paul Gauguin.

When composer Jane McNealy and collaborator Alice Kuhns first started researching Gauguin’s life with the idea of turning it into a musical, McNealy recalled, "The more I learned about Gauguin’s life, the more there were so many unanswered questions: What happens when we look back and reevaluate our life? Are we filled with regret and questions that cannot be answered? How do we resolve our doubts and justify our existence? Does it matter?"

Although "I Lay Me Down To Sleep,” written in 1971, was never used in the musical, it was later translated into French, by her mother, Ann McNealy, in 1972. Fluent in French, and a poet in her own right, Ann’s translation, "Dormir Pour Rêver," is uniquely original. As Jane likes to say, “‘Dormir Pour Rêver’ was born with my mother’s own deeply creative interpretation and her own life questions.”

The composition is beautifully sung by Emmanuelle Raoul-Duval and accompanied by Ari Fisher’s elegant string and horn arrangement.

For the non French speakers who want to dive deeper into the lyrics, you can check out the video for “Dormir Pour Rêver,” produced by Julie Flogeac, which includes English subtitles.

Out and available to stream and watch on your preferred service!