Amy and Bruce and I have decided to have a movie night every Wednesday. The impetus for this was me unearthing the VHS tapes I left in storage when I went on the road. The other impetus is that Bruce needs to get his movie education (he's never seen the Magnificent Seven!!).
So we started off with Hell is for Heroes (1962), one of my favorite WW II movies. It's not a big splashy "war" movie with lots of tanks and battles and a cast of thousands. It's the story of a platoon left to man a gap on the front lines, a gap that should be assigned a regiment, not just a platoon. There's a German pillbox just across the valley, the valley with landmines. Taking out the pillbox and its guns becomes the objective.
We get to know the six guys left on the line: the hardcase who's been busted from master sergeant to private (Steve McQueen), the good soldier who knows his limitations (Harry Guardino), the gutsy scrounger (Bobby Darin), the placid romantic (Bill Mullikin), the mechanical genius (James Coburn), and the follower (Mike Kellin). Added to these are the Sergeant in charge of several platoons (Fess Parker) who had to leave these guys on their own, a Polish refugees who hates Nazis and who shows up on the line to help (Nick Adams), and the typist who loses his way and gets dragooned into service with the platoon (Bob Newhart).
A hermetic little movie that really makes you feel the immediacy of both camaraderie and death.
Turns out this is only McQueen's third movie; he'd done some TV (incl. Wanted Dead or Alive series) and a couple of cameos, but for full movie roles, this was the third (Magnificent Seven was the second). And Bobby Darin was a real surprise as he turned out to be a very good actor (see Captain Newman M.D. sometime). Bob Newhart was the comic relief and did well enough. The others were veteran character actors. I do love the way McQueen moves, yum yum.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Livorno Reunion is Over
Yah! Actually, it wasn't as bad as I had feared it would be. I got out to the Quality Inn on Long Shoals Rd at 2pm on Thursday. I understood that Karel and Butch and I would go to Sam's Club and get snacks and drinks. However, they didn't show up until about 5pm, having been out being tourists. Fortunately, Richard Callihan showed up, having ridden his Honda motorcycle here from Phoenix AZ in 3 days.
A few people tricked in on Thursday. Eventually Karen and Butch got back with some snacks etc which I got to set out on the tables. Carolyn Jones and her husband showed up. He's a Wilmington NC native and that's where they live now. Franklyn and his wife live in Calabash NC. Pete Cumbie and wife live in Troy SC. So there's quite a few in the area. Pat Spencer came from Jackson Mississippi. Derwood Biles and wife live in Arkansas. John Sager and wife came from Portland OR. Pat Spencer, Pat Bowles (Bowman), Derwood and Kathleen Biles, Richard Callihan, and I went over to Biltmore Park to the restaurant 131 Main for dinner. It was all excellent, though pricy.
We wound up with about 37-38 people, a few short of our tally. Peter Hobiger has a last-minute medical emergency. Barbara Beekler(?) was about to get on the plane when her oxygen apparatus failed. And there two others who canceled at the last minute.
Most of the group showed up on Friday and a lot of them went to the Biltmore House. I had strongly suggested they go on Friday instead of Saturday because of traffic and people. Those who went loved it. Pat, Carolyn, and I went on the Parkway to the Folk Art Center and then bopped down and had lunch at the East Village Grille in Oteen. Came back on I-240 so they could see downtown. Friday evening we ordered in pizzas and salad from Angelo's.
Saturday most everybody went out exploring until 4pm when we had our "business" meeting and the 50th Anniversary cake for the Class of 1961 (my class). I got the cake from West End Bakery and it was a big hit. At 6:30 we met in the lobby and were shuttled over to the Hilton Hotel in Biltmore Park (across Long Shoals) for our banquet. We had a lovely room with a buffet and cash bar. Very professional staff. Very good food. Everybody was impressed with the quality of the food. Shuttled or walked or drove back by 9pm (we're all getting older, you know). Hung out in the Hospitality Room and then wandered off to bed.
Lots of people left early Sunday morning (by 9am or so) as they were on their way somewhere else, some to Gatlinburg, some to D.C., some to Raleigh, etc. Richard left about 3am on his way back to Phoenix and hoped to make Okla. City by evening and Phoenix the next day. Better him than me. A few people (about 8) weren't leaving until Monday so they'd go to dinner and hang out. The hospitality room would be closed at 8pm and all leftovers got distributed among us. I had brought my rig (to sleep in) so I fired it up about 3pm, stowed the goodies I was taking, and trundled down Brevard Road to home.
I still have the leak somewhere under the kitchen sink so I don't have a water hookup, just my gallon jugs. As soon as my money gets here, I'll get that fixed. But I'm glad to be back in Amy's backyard with electricity and TV. I did take my computer into the hotel and use their wifi but it's nice to have it available and be comfortable at the same time. I ache from sitting in upright chairs for days.
I have invites from New England people and Nebraska people and Portland people and some others to stay at their places whenever I'm in the area. All in all, I had a much better time than I expected to. Now it's back to the job search.
A few people tricked in on Thursday. Eventually Karen and Butch got back with some snacks etc which I got to set out on the tables. Carolyn Jones and her husband showed up. He's a Wilmington NC native and that's where they live now. Franklyn and his wife live in Calabash NC. Pete Cumbie and wife live in Troy SC. So there's quite a few in the area. Pat Spencer came from Jackson Mississippi. Derwood Biles and wife live in Arkansas. John Sager and wife came from Portland OR. Pat Spencer, Pat Bowles (Bowman), Derwood and Kathleen Biles, Richard Callihan, and I went over to Biltmore Park to the restaurant 131 Main for dinner. It was all excellent, though pricy.
We wound up with about 37-38 people, a few short of our tally. Peter Hobiger has a last-minute medical emergency. Barbara Beekler(?) was about to get on the plane when her oxygen apparatus failed. And there two others who canceled at the last minute.
Most of the group showed up on Friday and a lot of them went to the Biltmore House. I had strongly suggested they go on Friday instead of Saturday because of traffic and people. Those who went loved it. Pat, Carolyn, and I went on the Parkway to the Folk Art Center and then bopped down and had lunch at the East Village Grille in Oteen. Came back on I-240 so they could see downtown. Friday evening we ordered in pizzas and salad from Angelo's.
Saturday most everybody went out exploring until 4pm when we had our "business" meeting and the 50th Anniversary cake for the Class of 1961 (my class). I got the cake from West End Bakery and it was a big hit. At 6:30 we met in the lobby and were shuttled over to the Hilton Hotel in Biltmore Park (across Long Shoals) for our banquet. We had a lovely room with a buffet and cash bar. Very professional staff. Very good food. Everybody was impressed with the quality of the food. Shuttled or walked or drove back by 9pm (we're all getting older, you know). Hung out in the Hospitality Room and then wandered off to bed.
Lots of people left early Sunday morning (by 9am or so) as they were on their way somewhere else, some to Gatlinburg, some to D.C., some to Raleigh, etc. Richard left about 3am on his way back to Phoenix and hoped to make Okla. City by evening and Phoenix the next day. Better him than me. A few people (about 8) weren't leaving until Monday so they'd go to dinner and hang out. The hospitality room would be closed at 8pm and all leftovers got distributed among us. I had brought my rig (to sleep in) so I fired it up about 3pm, stowed the goodies I was taking, and trundled down Brevard Road to home.
I still have the leak somewhere under the kitchen sink so I don't have a water hookup, just my gallon jugs. As soon as my money gets here, I'll get that fixed. But I'm glad to be back in Amy's backyard with electricity and TV. I did take my computer into the hotel and use their wifi but it's nice to have it available and be comfortable at the same time. I ache from sitting in upright chairs for days.
I have invites from New England people and Nebraska people and Portland people and some others to stay at their places whenever I'm in the area. All in all, I had a much better time than I expected to. Now it's back to the job search.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
RIP & Etc.
RIP Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg.
Livorno H.S. reunion coming up next week. I'll be glad when it's over.
Got latest Modesty Blaise. Yah!
Livorno H.S. reunion coming up next week. I'll be glad when it's over.
Got latest Modesty Blaise. Yah!
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