John Williams in Baltimore!

     Oh, how I love a John Williams score!  I own many of his soundtracks on both vinyl and CD and have listened to them over and over since I was young.  So, I was thrilled to see that John Williams would be performing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall on Tuesday, June 4, 2013.  I quickly purchased tickets for what would become a complete sell out performance.

 

Photo Credit: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57582444-1/john-williams-to-compose-star-wars-score-j.j-abrams-hints-at-it/

 

     A glowing review of the evening is available on The Baltimore Sun's website, so I'll just state a few of my impressions from the evening.  First, it was both fantastic and a thrill to see John Williams in person.  When he took the stage, it was almost overwhelming for me since I've enjoyed his music through five decades (starting in the 1970s).  The rest of the audience obviously felt the same way because he immediately got a standing ovation from the audience before he reached the center of the stage.  I've never seen such a reaction in any live performance in my life.

     Mr. Williams conducted an interesting selection of his works which displayed his wide range of compositional skills.  One piece performed was a suite from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."  I thought that was a very unique choice since so much of the soundtrack is A-tonal.  The melodies that do exist on the soundtrack are not as easily recognized as something like the theme from "Superman."  I own the "Close Encounters otTK" soundtrack on both vinyl and CD, so hearing selections from it live was a real thrill for me.  I feel like it's one of his more underrated soundtracks.  It's expressive and full of complex emotions; confusion, fear, terror, wonder, and a hint of joy (sometimes all at once) -- pretty much everything you'd feel if you had to deal with a close encounter with peaceful aliens.  And man, does it ever sound great performed live!

     There were also familiar favorites, as expected.  Among the pieces were several well known selections from the "Harry Potter" films (great for the young members of the audience), a selection from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" accompanied by the film clip, a  selection from "E.T." accompanied by Mr. Williams discussing the piece, a piece from his Olympics compositions, and ending with three famous pieces from the "Star Wars" films.  The BSO obviously enjoyed playing all of the songs in the performance and did an excellent job with the material, but the energy level was particularly high during "The Imperial March" from the "Star Wars" selections.

     It was very interesting to see the crowd at the Meyerhoff.  There were some of the older, typical symphony-goers, but a good portion of the audience was made up of Gen-X'ers, which is my age range.  Normally, Gen-X is rather apathetic towards supporting the BSO, so it was great to see so many people in my age range there supporting the symphony.  Truly, John Williams' music is the music of my generation and the support in the audience showed it.  His songs are so ingrained into our Gen-X culture and our upbringing that I've yet to meet anyone around my age who can't hum at least some of his theme songs to various movies.

***

     John Williams, thank you so much for coming to Baltimore and donating your time for the BSO's fundraiser.  I'm sure you are busy with other things, so it was so wonderful to have you visit.  Your presence brought in a great crowd and really helped our wonderful Symphony full of talented musicians.  Please come back and visit if you are able.  Baltimore would love to have you as our guest again.

     BSO, thank you for performing the pieces so well.  You made the pieces sound better live than they do on my very well loved vinyl and CD collection.  There's a reason you (both John Williams and the BSO) got several standing ovations -- and special thanks for playing additional songs through those, ending the night with the very popular theme from Indiana Jones.  Thank you for a thrilling performance.

     Soundtracks from John Williams' library can be purchased on Amazon.  Some are out of print, but you can purchase them from various sellers.  Condition information for used CDs is listed.  I've had very good luck purchasing out of print CDs through Amazon in the past, so I do recommend using their sellers as a source.  My only advice is to look for sellers that list a specific condition for the CD that you want to purchase.

 

 

 

 

 

Cross off Movies #10 and #5

     I've started to work through my list of 20 classic movies that I need to see in 2013.  While I'm not going to provide a synopsis of the films I have seen so far, nor am I going to provide you with a full movie review.  I will, however, give you my brief impressions of the films.
     I selected the original 1969 version of "The Italian Job" as my starting point.  I've seen the remake of the film a number of times, including the original cinema release.  In comparison, the two movies don't share a lot in common other than some character names, Mini Coopers for the big car chase, a gold heist, and the use of technology that was available at the time to create the chaos required for the gold heist. 

     All in all, the film was good fun and had one of the best car chases I've ever seen in a movie.  Personally, I like the 2003 version better.  The 1969 version was a little too deliberately kooky for me, plus, I didn't like the senseless deaths of lovely classic cars.

Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures c. 1969

     I also watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's."  I'm probably going to be unpopular for saying this, but it really wasn't one of the better classic movies I've seen.  It was ok; basically good, but I didn't think it was particularly great.  I felt like the movie worked too hard to be cheery instead of allowing the darker side of the story to happen and allowing the characters to develop authentically.  Basically, the two main characters are "kept" by wealthy older men/women but end up falling in love with each other.  At the end of the movie, there's a good build up of emotion only to have the conclusion appear tacked on.  I'm glad I saw the movie, but I'm not sure why it gets the attention it does.
     I did think that the performances from the actors were good.  I do enjoy watching movies from this era to see the men and women dress up.  There's so little of that in our current flip-flops for everything society.  Of course, Audrey Hepburn's Givenchy wardrobe was lovely and she was lovely, as well.  When I watch her movies, I realize that I am not, nor will I ever be, as enticing or beautiful a person as she is.  That being said, I'm in good company because no one else is, either, particularly not today's crop of Hollywood starlets who, lumped together, do not have her natural elegance.

Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures c. 1961

2013's List of 20 Films I'm Embarrassed to Admit I Haven't Seen

     Since I am stuck at home this weekend with an on-call pager for work, I've been using the time to catch up on some movies that I haven't seen before.  I've watched "Cinema Paradiso" and "Avalon."  As a film buff, historic theatre lover, and person with an interest in projection, not seeing "Cinema Paradiso" was always considered a bit of a sin within my peer group.  As a Baltimore native, not seeing "Avalon" is pretty much a crime.  Long story short, everyone was right.  Both are great and I should have seen them sooner.

Photo Credit: "Cinema Paradiso" LionsGate/Miramax 1988

     This got me to thinking.  With all the films I've seen, there are many, many classic and new classic films that I haven't seen.  I should define that further by saying that there are many films I haven't seen that I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't seen.  Since the list is rather long, I'm going to break the films into groupings of twenty.  This is my first grouping and I would like to see them all by the end of 2013.  After seeing each film, I will report back to this blog.

2013's Twenty Movies I'm Embarrassed to Admit I Haven't Seen:

1.  Miracle on 34th Street (I've seen parts, but not the whole thing)

2.  Citizen Cane

3.  Casablanca

4.  2001: A Space Odyssey

5.  Breakfast at Tiffany's

6.  Blade Runner

7.  Full Metal Jacket

8.  The Maltese Falcon

9.  The Matrix

10. The Italian Job (original, not 2003 version)

11. Liberty Heights (Barry Levinson, Baltimore Film)

12. Diner (Barry Levinson, Baltimore Film)

13. Lawrence of Arabia

14. Ben Hur

15. Singin' in the Rain (I think I saw it as a very young child, but that doesn't count)

16. The French Connection

17. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

18. The Grapes of Wrath

19. A Star is Born (1937 version)

20. The Third Man

(I'd also like to see John Water's "Cecil B. Demented" since it's another Baltimore film, but that one's not in my critical list for this year.)

Milton Theatre Faces Uncertain Future

I came across this news today while I was looking for some information about Delaware.  The Milton Theatre, an art deco built in 1939, was sold by the DCIC.  The DCIC is the financial institution who owns the building.  The theatre has been operated as an arts center, with concerts, movies, and other events. 

As a former volunteer at The Senator Theatre in Baltimore, an art deco theatre also built in 1939 and one who's future is also always in flux, I felt a big of a pang for The Milton, even though I've never been there.  I understand how those who love The Milton must feel not knowing what is going to happen.

The Senator was auctioned off in 2009 and the winning bidder was Baltimore City.  They were also the only bidder.  Some say that the auction was rigged in favor of the city who had always intended to hand it over to the current owners, but others claim that the chips fell where they fell.  At any rate, the current owners have been remodeling The Senator for over a year now and the theatre has been closed since March of 2012.  Some think it will never reopen.  A news report yesterday said that the theatre will reopen in May of this year, but given that Baltimore must have some of the worst reporting of any city, only time will tell if The Senator will reopen or not.  

Back to The Milton, it appears as it will also face ups and downs as it transitions forward.  From pictures that I've seen, it looks like a great old theatre.  It's a shame to see it face an uncertain future.  I wish those who love the theatre the best of luck.  My heart, and the hearts of all Old Theatre Nuts, are certainly with them as they move forward into uncertain times. 

If anyone has any pictures or stories they'd like to share on The Milton, please comment below.

Auditorium:

Photo Credit: http://www.aboutmybeaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/100_0666-300x225.jpg

Facade:

Photo Credit: http://capegazette.villagesoup.com/media/Common/0/6C/27741/t600-DSCF0209z.jpg

The current news on The Milton Theatre is best expressed on their wepage.  I have copied their page posting and attached it below.  Here is the link, if you'd like to visit their page directly: http://www.miltontheatre.org/

Update on the Status of the Milton Theatre

February 28, 2013

We have some news we want to share with you as one of our valued supporters. The Milton Theatre Board has been advised by DCIC, the financial institution that owns the theatre building, that they have sold the Milton Theatre building. DCIC has a contract with a cash buyer.

Understandably, we are very disappointed as we expect you will be as well. We do not know what the buyer intends to do with the property, and we don't know if we have the opportunity for any further involvement with the theatre.

Right now, we are going to focus on determining what the situation is and what our prospects may be. If it becomes clear that we will not be buying the building, all donors will be contacted and donations specified for the purpose of purchasing the building will be returned at the earliest possible date.

In the meantime, we have some special events planned for you and our public over the next few months, and we are committed to them.

The first is a Milton Theatre Presents ... dinner theatre with the Possum Point Players' Ad Hoc Touring Company's performance of the radio comedy classic "Our Miss Brooks." The performance will include a set of classic, comedy skits. The dinner theatre will be at the Bayleaf Restaurant in Milton on Saturday, March 9th. More information will follow. You can expect this event to include an informal and sincere discussion of whatever the breaking news happens to be on the 9th. Please call (302) 684-3400 for further information and/or reservations.

We'll have an announcement out about all of the other events in the next few days. Highlights are in the left column.

QUESTIONS? CONCERNS? IDEAS?

We are very open to your ideas and hope that you will share them with us. We also want to respond to your questions and concerns.

Please contact us by phone at (302) 684-3400. Leave a message and we'll get back to you asap. Or email us at MDC110@Verizon.net.

CONTACTING US

• Email us at MDC110@Verizon.net
• Give us a call, leave a message, and we'll call you back as soon as we can. (302) 684-3400
• Send a note (or check) to our office:

Milton Theatre
110 Union Street
Milton, DE 19968

 

 

STAR WARS: Episode VII, May the Lens Flare Be With You

Before I even get started with my thoughts on this topic for today, I'm going to warn my readers that this will probably be the first of many posts about Star Wars.  There may be another post tomorrow since we've just found out that certain aging stars will be returning for Episode VII.  There, I've said it, so you've been warned.  Now, on with the post.

When it was first announced that J.J. Abrams would be taking on the role of director for the newest Star Wars film, I wasn't happy.  I'm still not happy.  First, there's the mixing of Star Trek and Star Wars.  Can you really, honestly direct both?  Shouldn't there be a separation between both space worlds?  Isn't that a rule, or something?

I will be the first to admit that I don't know a lot about Star Trek.  I've seen several of the movies and enjoyed them.  I've watched some of the television shows and enjoyed them, as well.  I basically know the main characters.  Other than that, I'm more of a Star Wars, space opera, fan.  I understand why people like Star Trek, I just happen to prefer Star Wars.
 
The Star Trek and Star Wars worlds are very different.  I saw the last Star Trek film in the theatre; the one that J.J. Abrams directed.  Honestly, I can't remember the title of it.  It was entertaining, but what I remember more than anything was the atrocious, drunken abuse of anamorphic lens flare and a random lightsaber battle.  Holy crow, the lens flare...there was so much lens flare that it should have been listed in the credits with the actors as a leading role.

Lens flare can be an interesting technique when used sparingly and done well.  I think the most famous lens flare I can think of is Alfred Hitchcock's use of lens flare in the movie "Psycho."  At the end, there is a scene where actress Vira Miles bumps a light bulb hanging from the ceiling and there is a single, careful lens flare captured in the scene.  It's memorable.

J.J. Abrams, on the other hand, just doesn't know when to stop.  Every scene has lens flare, whether there's a noticable light source or not.  That might work for Star Trek movies, although I found it horribly distracting.  I also found it distracting in "Super 8."  I'm hoping that he doesn't go crazy with lens flare in Star Wars, but I seriously have my doubts.

I have a feeling we're going to be seeing something like this:



Photo Credit: http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/credits-flare.jpg

and this:

Photo Credit: http://i.imgur.com/qwCWZmO.png

Of course, time will tell.  I really, really hope J.J. proves me wrong and shows me that he knows how to do something other than capture anamorphic lens flare.  Until then,  I'm going to remain very skeptical.

Church Lane Cinema

The beginning for me...

The town I grew up in was a small town sandwiched between larger towns and the country.  In the 1970s, when I was very young, there were still larger old styled movie houses around; those with auditoriums seating 800 patrons, or more.  Those theaters had large marquees, bright signs, large lobbies, and high ceilings.  There were also many plain box styled General Cinema movie houses around with mod interiors and large auditoriums.  However, my town had a hidden gem. 

A few miles from where I lived, tucked into a quiet strip mall, was a small, well run, single screen, art house theatre called Church Lane Cinema.  People generally refered to it as just Church Lane.  From the front, it was nothing special.  It had a small, flat, unmemorable marquee above the door.  I don't remember any sort of exterior box office window.  If memory serves me right, tickets were purchased inside.  What I remember clearly was the single poster case which advertised a single movie poster showcasing the current feature.

Unlike the larger theaters, this little theater had a small, simple lobby divided in half by red velvet ropes to control patron traffic; one side was for people coming in and the other side was for people leaving.  There was a simple concession stand that always had a wide array of candy for all tastes, as well as popcorn and drinks.  For me, though, this little cinema was better than any other local movie house because it was the only movie house near my home that showed all of the Disney movies.

Church Lane's connection with Disney movies lead to an event that changed me forever.  One night of movie going started what has become my long love affair with movies, the art of movie making, movie houses, the whole event of going to movies, and so on.  It was the night my parents took me to see the re-release of "The Aristocats" when I was in second grade.

That night, when we were in the lobby, I noticed that the projection booth door was open.  When I looked into the booth, I saw movie projectors and the projectionist for the first time.  I had never seen anything like it.  My father explained to me, in basic terms, what I was seeing; the pictures on the screen came from the projectors and the man up in the booth kept the picture on the screen.  I stared, in awe, at the projectors in motion.  Never one to discourage my nerdly tendancies, my father let me stand there and watch until it was our turn to go into the auditorium.

Photo Credit: http://bay-journal.com/bay/1pi/theater/colonial-projection-room.jpg

From that point on, movie going was never the same for me.  The technical side of the movie and the art of the movie, more than the movie itself, started to take over my interests.  Even the print of the movie, and the condition of the print, became interesting to me when on the summer re-re-release of "The Aristocats" I noticed that the print was a little scratchier than the original one I had seen.

I went on to see many more films at Church Lane.  There was an art to the projection at that cinema.  When Disney films were shown, there was always a short animated Disney film shown prior to the main attraction.  One short, Disney's "The Old Mill" from 1937, was particularly scary to me as a child, but I realize now how lucky I was to see it on the big screen. 

Since I grew up watching the animated shorts before main features, I assumed that other theaters ran their films the same way.  Only when I was older did I realize that others didn't get to see the short films.  Church Lane was special.  Church Lane cared about their programming and the movie going experience, as a whole.

There's very little written material on Church Lane Cinema, which closed in 1986.  Church Lane simply faded into the night and into my memories.  There is a small passage about it in the book Motion Picture Exhibition in Baltimore, by Robert K. Headley.  It's a shame there isn't more information available.  It's a cinema I still miss to this day, more than any other movie house.

For those wondering, there is now a discount party store in the location of the former Church Lane Cinema.  I rarely go into it, not because I blame it for taking over the location of my favorite childhood cinema, but because I have a hard time standing in the graveyard of so many childhood memories.  I can still feel the cinema calling to me while I stare at the party favors and disposable party tat.

For those interested in Church Lane Cinema or other Baltimore Cinemas, I highly recommend the following book:

Available for purchase through: http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Exhibition-Baltimore-Illustrated/dp/0786422904/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1362674344&sr=8-3&keywords=baltimore+movie+theaters