Christmas Silly Symphonies

Remember these wonderful very vintage cartoons from Walt Disney? Well, even if you don't, they're 'oh so much fun' to watch (even for the first time) and can't help but bring a smile to your face. I love these clunky old animation techniques, seen in retrospect, they seem especially naive and full of joy.

I taught my daughter very early on the difference between good animation and not so good. (The difference, say, between the great old Tom and Jerry's from the 40's and the later versions for television which were unwatchable far as I'm concerned.) She caught on quickly. Of course by then we were watching cartoons on television. You may not be as particular as I was about my cartoon viewing, but we all have our little quirks.

Here's a youtube link to two Christmas cartoons from the early days.

These cartoons (well, maybe later ones from the late 40's and early 50's) were once the staple - ten at a time - between feature length movies at the local theater, while I was growing up in NY. Two movies, ten cartoons and as many Coming Attractions as you could stand - all for 25 cents. My friends, it never did get any better than that.

P.S. I hope to be watching these two cartoons with my granddaughter over Christmas.

Christmas Painting Friday

Today's artwork is by the brilliant Swedish contemporary artist, Lennert Helje....Hmmm, do I sense a Swedish theme going on here? It's just that the Swedes seem to do Christmas very, very well and very cheerfully too. We need a little cheer these days.

While Helje's painting is not specifically Christmasy, it still says 'Christmas' in its own way. There is always magic in the sweet (never cloying) gentleness of his images.

Christmas Painting Thursday

Today's daily (until Christmas day) painting is an especially touching one and a favorite of mine. A smiling child dressed in Christmas red, the daughter - I believe - of Swedish painter Carl Larsson (1853 - 1919), she personifies the joy of the season. Her name is Brita and she's happily holding some candles and a basket of those little apples whose name I forget.

For more on Carl Larsson and his work, please check this link.

Christmas Painting Wednesday

'Yuleltide Revels' by American realist painter William Glackens (1870 - 1938) is today's Christmas entry. I love the holiday hubbub, the exuberance in this work, one of several done in this particular busy illustrative style.

Glackens was a 'member' of the Ashcan School art movement and an illustrator. To read more about Glackens and his world, please use this link.

Christmas Painting Tuesday

My yearly ritual: posting a Christmas themed illustration or painting daily until Christmas day.

Today's painting is a wonderful evocation of Christmas in the city by illustrator John Gannam, 1948. This is the way I always remember Christmas, growing up in New York. Those big clunky taxi cabs really make me misty. New York crowds always seemed so cheerful - at least in memory. 

Christmas Painting Monday

As I've done every Christmas since I began my blog, I will post a Christmas themed painting or illustration each morning as we approach The Big Day. This year it's an especially sad season, but we seem to be indefatigable when it comes to Christmas - and maybe that's not a bad thing.

Today's choice is Roger Duvoisin's New Yorker cover for December 16th, 1939.

Kathe Kollwitz, German Expressionist - 1910

Review: THE MEMORY OF BLOOD by Christopher Fowler

This is the ninth Peculiar Crimes Unit thriller by Christopher Fowler. The books' stars are, of course, Bryant and May, two old cop-codgers (way past retirement age) who run (metaphorically speaking) rings around the regular London constabulary - they are the chief investigators of the peculiarly named Peculiar Crimes Unit. Arthur Bryant is the older of the two and the scruffier - his clothing (most of it tweedy and of WWII era) is rarely without a noxious food stain or two and while moths don't actually fly out of his woolly worn out scarf, its probably because they're dozing after a good meal. Sartorially Bryant is a wreck.

Though the drastically under-funded Peculiar Crimes Unit is held in contempt by Scotland Yard - et al - Bryant is tolerated (barely) by 'officialdom' because he knows where certain skeletons are buried AND he is brilliant - the PCU's case record shows that much. Bryant's knowledge of London's colorful history, criminal and otherwise, is encyclopedic. With fiendish glee, he is able to use that knowledge, often running afar and afoul on tangents which make no sense to anyone but himself, to solve the bizarre murders which land on the PCU's dilapidated doorstep. (Renovations are in progress to fix up an old building - finally - for the PCU's official use.)

Bryan's partner John May, in appearance, is Bryan's exact opposite. Only a few years younger than Bryant, sartorially Bryant is splendid. May has given up bemoaning his partner's rag-tag appearance since obviously, after so many years, it all falls on deaf ears. Literally. Bryant conveniently and often will turn down his hearing aid. Bryant also has dentures, but the less said about that, the better.

May, a widower (or maybe he's long divorced), is a bit of an old skirt-chaser and currently has a girlfriend who is working temporarily in France - don't know whether they'll get back together - don't care. May is the perfect foil for Bryant's eccentricities even if he has given up trying to corral Bryant when the elder man runs off on that tangent I mentioned.

Bryant has NO social skills whatsoever and is often seen stomping all over a witness's (aka potential suspect) delicate sensibilities. It's then up to May to point out this fact to the unaware Bryant. Together they make a mighty fine pair of sleuths, though it's Bryant who does most of the sleuthing and May who does the necessary politicking. They are old friends, their relationship based on ancient mutual understandings and respect for each other's quirks.

The series' attraction, for me at least, is this whole idea that though the stories take place in modern day London, it might just as well be sixty years ago. Computers and gadgetry are used, but rarely by Bryant who has a habit of tucking his phone in a ratty pocket filled with melting caramels or other assorted foodstuffs. The descriptions, the shadowy settings, the whole darkly gothic aura of the series (including its two uniquely fashioned main characters) is old-school peculiar - that's what I love most about it. Author Christopher Fowler is also a horror writer, so perhaps the 'peculiarites' of these stories should come as no surprise. Though they did to me since I'd never read any other Fowler books.

These are most definitely NOT cozies, by the way. The crimes are bizarre and very often grisly. But Christopher Fowler is such a damn fine writer with such an inventive mind, I just follow where he leads even if most of the time, I have no clue.

The current case is especially daunting as it involves the 'locked room' murder of a child by, supposedly, a puppet. Set in the world of an odious powerfully rich man who collects Punch and Judy puppets and marionettes, the first murder occurs during a cocktail party in which all the suspects (of course) gather to celebrate the opening of a play currently being produced by said powerfully rich man.

We get to learn an awful lot of Punch and Judy historical minutiae by way of Bryant running amok hither and yon, trying to learn how the killer's mind works - I found this fascinating. Perhaps because I have a minutiae sort of mind. Who knew that Punch and Judy represent anarchy?

There is also, concurrently, another case involving the murder of a young woman who is transcribing Arthur Bryant's memoirs (in which he promises to divulge all), setting up the next book by leaving that particular denouement vague and open-ended. All we are left with there is the thought that in their next case Bryant and May will risk all. But don't they always? The PCU is usually on the verge of being shut down - if only they weren't so successful at catching killers.

Though this is not the best Bryant and May book, the killer's identity and the murderous 'how-to' seem a little too contrived even for a PCU case, it is still a worthy entry in a terrific series that I've read from the very beginning.

I suggest reading FULL DARK HOUSE (if you haven't), the first Bryant and May, which will set you up nicely for the rest.

Source

Tuesday Overlooked (or Forgotten) Film: (1977) Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

I know, I know, this is not a film and it's not really forgotten, but hey, Christmas is less than three weeks away and I am overcome with the spirit of good cheer and cute stuff.

Don't forget to check in at Todd Mason's blog, Sweet Freedom, to see what really forgotten films and other audio/visual whatnots other bloggers are talking about today. It's always a fun, eclectic mix.

Jim Henson's exceedingly charming production of EMMET OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS is based on the 1969 book by Russell Hoban which features illustrations by Lillian Hoban. The special debuted on HBO in 1978 and later on ABC television. It is now widely available on DVD of course and you'd be foolish not to own a copy.

Emmet and his Ma.

There are some stories that strike a chord with whatever part of you still believes in innocence and light and something about EMMET OTTER'S JUGBAND CHRISTMAS immediately takes you back to when you were a child and all things were possible. I first saw this with my 7 year old daughter and I think we both loved it in exactly the same way with maybe me being a bit more bowled over by the artistry and my daughter taking it all for granted as kids will. The only thing I know for sure is that whenever I watch Emmet - even now - I immediately suspend my disbelief and enter eagerly into the life of the furry and feathery denizens of Frog Hollow.

Henson and his oh-so-inventive crew (including the inimitable Frank Oz) use hand puppets, marionettes and all other sorts of magic to tell the story of a dirt-poor but honest widow, Alice Otter and her young son Emmet - both barely scraping by in their tiny house by the river. She does laundry for and is often cheated by the locals, and Emmet takes the odd job where he can find it.

Both otters are fashioned by artful puppet-masters who have given mother and son adorably winsome faces which are at their most enchanting when they sing.

Emmet and his Ma on the river before the freeze.

The story is all about Emmet and his mother's struggle to fashion a memorable Christmas - each for the other. In other words, it's a story about love, honor and respect - quietly and sweetly told. Well, except for the notorious (and hilarious) Riverbottom Nightmare Band about which the less said the better. ("I'm not hungry, I'm HUNGRY!")

Riverbottom band strutting its stuff around town. Not seen in this pix is the fish that travels with its own tank as a member of the band. 

The basic plot has a 'Gift of the Magi' flavor to it as Emmet wants to get his mother a piano and plots to win the down payment by performing with his little band at a talent show in Waterville, the next town over. The only hitch is that he must make a hole in his mother's laundry bucket - the only way she has of earning a living - to fashion a washtub bass for his band. She, unbeknownst to Emmet plots to enter the same talent show so she can buy Emmet a guitar.

How adorable is this?

The hitch for her is she must sell Emmet's few tools (left to him by his Pa) in order to buy fabric for a dress so she'll look nice and professional performing on stage. (And the outfit Alice shows up in is so adorable you just have to go, 'awww....')

Emmet and his band rehearsing.

The entire production is enriched by several hum-along songs written by Paul Williams, who went on to write many more tunes for the Muppets. The songs are especially affecting when sung by the sweetly wonderful voice of Marilyn Sokol who brings Alice Otter to life.

All the characters in the cast (except for Gretchen Fox, the mayor's wife who delights in cheating Alice over a few cents and the aforementioned Riverbottom band about which...well, you know) are loaded with charm, even the scruffy members of Emmet's little jug band: a porcupine, a beaver and, I think, a woodchuck. (The porcupine's quills protrude through his clothing - delightful attention to detail.)

The scene of Emmet and his mom sliding down an icy hill to the frozen lake surface is worth the price of admission on its own. Needless to say, the talent show later is lots of fun too. Add in the touching ending and you have just about the perfect Christmas tale.

This gem of a production was shot on tape rather than film which only adds an unique quality to the show. So, if by some happenstance you've managed to miss EMMET OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS, do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy immediately.

To read more about the behind the scenes expertise and techniques used by the brilliant Henson team, please use this link.

Actually, now that I think on it, the Riverbottom band has its own devilish, heavy metal charm. But don't tell Emmet and his Ma that I said that.

Saturday Salon: 11 Still Life Paintings I Would Love to Own

American Realist Painter,William Glackens (1870 - 1938)

Dutch Painter, Kenne Gregoire (Born 1951 - )

 American Realist, Janet Fish (Born 1938 - )

French Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841 - 1919)

Belgian Contemporary Painter, Jan De Vliegher (Born 1964 -)

Contemporary American Realist Painter, Andrew Lattimore

French Painter and Lithographer, Henri Fantin-Latour (1836 - 1904)

American Contemporary Painter Jeffrey Larson (Born 1962-)

French Painter Henri Matisse (1869 - 1954)

Contemporary American Realist, Andrew Lattimore

Contemporary American Painter Christine Lafuente (Born 1968 - )

I could get to really like these 10 Of posts. (Yeah, I know today it's 11, but pretend you don't notice.) The fun is in the research. I'm mad about still life paintings and here's my chance to post some favorites. You know me, my tastes are definitely eclectic. And of course, there are so many more where these came from.

Next week: Landscapes.

Review: ARCHIE MEETS NERO WOLFE A Prequel to Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe Mysteries by Robert Goldsborough

Thanks to Les Blatt at Classic Mysteries for the heads up on this little gem. Upon reading Les's review, I had no choice but to order ARCHIE MEETS NERO WOLFE. It arrived a couple of days later and I immediately dropped everything and read it straight through.

While I'm not overly fond of Robert Goldsborough's Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe re-incarnation (he just doesn't have the writing verve of Rex Stout, or the brilliance - but then, who does?), I did enjoy reading this prequel. I'd always wondered how Archie and Wolfe came to their lifelong partnership and now I know.

The thing I like best is that Goldsborough used clues dropped by Stout in his stories over the years to augment his tale of a fresh faced nineteen year old college drop-out arriving in NYC direct from Ohio. Archie is lucky enough (it's the Depression era) to get a job as a night-watchman but does too good a job. So good, in fact, that he's fired.

Next he talks himself into a job with private detective Del Bascomb (mentioned by Wolfe over the years as a reputable firm) who is still - at this point - a small time operation.

When a young boy is kidnapped and Nero Wolfe hired to get him back, Wolfe brings in Bascomb as well as Saul Panzer, Orrie Cather, Fred Durkin and Bill Gore. (Where was Johnny Keems?)

Bascomb brings his capable protege, Archie, along with him and there in the brownstone, with Fritz and Theodore already in place, we have The First Meeting.

It's a good enough case with a couple of murderous villains (though no child is harmed in the making of this story) who keep our heroes plugging along in their wake, up and down the streets of the Bronx that once was.

ARCHIE MEETS NERO WOLFE, a nice trade paperback published by Mysterious Press, is a must addition to any Nero Wolfe library and a great gift for any Nero Wolfe maven.

Dave Brubeck R.I.P.

Jazz legend Dave Brubeck has passed away at the age of 91. Here's his and his quartet's most famous five or so minutes.Take Five composed by Paul Desmond. Enjoy.

My brother just reminded me that we actually saw the Quartet in concert at Hunter College many years ago. I always forget - what can I say? I got old lady memory.

The New York Times obit.

Tuesday Overlooked (or Forgotten) Films: CONTRABAND (1940) starring Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson

This is Tuesday and you know what that means: Overlooked (or Forgotten) Films and/or other Audio/Visuals, the weekly meme hosted by Todd Mason at Sweet Freedom. So don't forget to check in and see what other intriguing entries other bloggers are talking about today. I've got a great one - if I do say so myself.

Who doesn't love Conrad Veidt? Wherever the spirit of this dear man is today (he died young and very untimely), I hope somehow he knows how much he is still loved and appreciated by movie mavens all over the world.

CONTRABAND (1940) is a delightful wartime spies and Nazi bad guys film directed and written by the great team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressberger. I first read about it at Sergio's wonderful movie blog, Tipping My Fedora - so thanks go out to him for the intro. I would have been sorry to miss the duo of Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson in their second film together. (Check out Sergio's Top 20 Spy Movies.)

Movie greats Powell and Pressberger.

I fell instantly in love with CONTRABAND even if I was forced to watch it in ten minute intervals on YouTube and even if one of the ten minute intervals was missing and nowhere to be found.

CONTRABAND is the last movie Veidt made in England before moving on to Hollywood (he had escaped Germany with his Jewish wife in the nick of time). Veidt - who usually played a villain - plays the hero here and what a hero: a dashing Danish sea captain navigating his merchant ship in the dangerous waters of the Atlantic during wartime. In 1940 Denmark is a neutral country allowed clear sailing by the British after first, of course, being boarded and inspected by one of their contraband control ships.

Captain Hans Andersen (yes, that's his name) is headed for Rotterdam and isn't happy about being stopped, it means an overnight delay in his schedule. He is further annoyed when two of his passengers, a mysterious Mrs. Sorensen (Valerie Hobson) and a Mr. Pidgeon (Esmond Knight) abscond with two passes (and the small motor-boat) meant for him [Andersen] and his first mate.

But the Captain is nothing if not resourceful, he and his first mate take to the high seas in a stealthy rowboat. The chase is on.

On land, Andersen and the first mate split up and the Captain soon catches up with Mrs. Sorensen who is headed (incongruously enough) to her aunt's house in London. Mr. Pidgeon has some other errand to run and the pair has separated. The Captain vows to stay glued to Mrs. Sorensen's side since she is obviously up to some nefarious something or other. I love Valerie Hobson's insouciant attitude in this, she is obviously vexed but not unwilling to have the dashing Captain at her side.

This is a London, by the way, which is under strict black-out conditions - most of the action taking place at night in the murky shadows of a city under siege. The photography by F.A. Young and sets by Alfred Junge are wonderfully, expertly done - lots of moody chiaroscuro effects and intriguing camera angles, lots of imaginative nooks and crannies and a fully working elevator (created by Junge) heavily (and creatively) in use at the Nazi hideout.

Needless to say, the screenplay by Powell and Pressberger is also full of witty conversation and charming shop-talk between  Mrs. Sorensen and the Captain, a couple who are clearly Meant To Be.

In the course of this fast-paced thriller, our intrepid duo are taken captive by Nazi agents (yes, she is definitely a spy, but for the good guys), whereupon the Captain escapes, leaving her behind to stall for time (with her trust and permission). There begins an exciting London romp with the Captain picking up cohorts (the staff at a Danish restaurant where he and Mrs. Sorensen earlier had dinner) as he navigates the London black-out to try and save Mrs. Sorensen, stop the Nazis, and prevent an American ship from being mistaken for German by the Brits.

All in a night's work for the clever Captain Andersen.

(In one scene he introduces himself to the bad guys as Hans Andersen and they in turn, introduce themselves as the Brothers Grimm. Witty under pressure. In another scene the Captain hides out on one of the upper floors of Nazi headquarters, a room full of plaster busts of Neville ('Peace in our time.') Chamberlain - at least that's who they looked like to me. I hope that's who they are. Too ironically funny.)

Don't miss this movie, but try to find it in whole form if you can. I will now definitely be buying this to add to my small, but growing, film library at home.

Thanks again, Sergio - this one's a keeper. 

To read more about CONTRABAND, behind the scenes info and such, please check out the Turner Classic Movies website here.  Watch the trailer here.

Just found out you can watch CONTRABAND on Amazon rental for $2.99.

Saturday Salon: The Children's Hour

Ana-Maria 1893 by Carl Larsson (1853 - 1919)

Portrait of Boy in Sailor Suit by James Jebusa Shannon (1862 - 1923)

Gamine by Bernard Fleetwood-Walker (1893 - 1965)

Edouard Joseph Dantan (1848 - 1897)

Jean-Baptiste Perronneau (1715 - 1783)

Mimosa 1899 by William Bouguereau (1825 - 1905)

Portrait of Johnnie Patton by Robert Henri (1865 - 1929)

Carl Larsson (1853 - 1919)

Catherine of Aragon - age 11 - by Juan de Flandes (1460 - 1519 (?)

John Singer Sargent (1856 - 1925)

We posted 10 paintings we especially liked of men then of women and now this week, it's the children's turn. These are all paintings I'd love to own but posting them on my blog is almost the next best thing. Almost.

Of course I could add another twenty or so or maybe more, but let's keep things manageable.

Not a painting, but still, I had to show this exquisite head by sculptor Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne (1704 - 1778)