A Day in a Western Dreamland…

I had a very weird dream the other day. I dreamed I was in a saloon in during the 1800’s. All was unusually quiet, save for one man who sounded a hell of a lot like Sam Elliot, who was telling a story…

“…Then the ol’ coot was sittin’ on the porch yellin’ at his woman to hurry up on gettin’ grub ready. She told him every time it was going to take a while because she was waitin’ for their boy to get back from the store with some salt pork.

I suppose he finally gave up n’ fell into a deep sleep. For two years he yelled and fussed over the drought goin’ on n he dreamed during this particular nap that clouds were a-gatherin’ about how it was sprinklin’ n he was jumpin all up n down “, hootin’ and a-hollerin’ (and the narrator demonstrated again) and slappin’ his hat when all of a sudden, he figured out the dust was still a-blowin’ n it was hotter than heck!

He took his hat and looked closely like this at it (demonstrates again), then he threw it down n stomped around like a crazy man!

“Why in the hell did he do that?” another man who sounded a lot like Anthony Zerbe asked.

“Well it was most likely because the bird in the nest above him on the porch pissed on his hat while he was sleepin’.”

They laughed as I woke up.

Nana: Why She Hates Pirating…

Look, I am speaking from my heart so please don’t take this in a bad way, but I will not go to Piratebay for anything. It’s not fair to the actors and such. Know what I mean? There are perfectly legal ways to watch things–like www. huluplus.com and such, but I will not go to a place that seems to take pride in hurting the artists who work so hard to make their fans happy. Know what I mean? I know there are LEGAL sites for sharing and such that do pay the artists, but I would never want to deprive them of what they are entitled to. That’s just how I feel about it. I know how I would feel if I were in their shoes. I hope people who see this will understand where I am coming from. I certainly do not mean to step on toes here. It’s just that there are those who seem to take pride in getting it over on “the big wigs” without realizing that some of the people whose stuff their downloading are not the ones making small fortunes. To me it’s not the big wigs they are hurting but the performers and crew who put their blood and sweat into a production. Thanks for hearing me out on this.

I was inspired to write this post because one of my favorite actors has a show being downloaded from that site and the link was posted on his wall. I did alert him to this.  Hopefully one day, fans will see how wrong this is. If anyone has an idea for a guest blog on this, feel free to contact me. I have no problem with you sharing your thoughts on this here.

Nana: The Baby Boomers are the “Forgotten Audience” It Seems…

Well–not to sound cliché but “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”  I am really tired of networks cancelling good shows like “Harry’s Law“, “Memphis Beat” and “Cold Case” because of Nielsen ratings.  These ratings are no longer truly representative of what viewers want because they do not adequately get put across to households representing all age groups.

Even Warner Bros. has stated that “…baby boomers tend to not go to theaters, so that is why certain movies get marketed…” HELLO!  Dear Warner Bros: We pay the friggin’ bills half the time! Stop ignoring us all! If WE are at home in rocking chairs, it should be us you’re surveying and not those teens and ‘tweens you keep pandering movies to that aren’t fit for my dog to piss on the fire hydrant in front of the theater over. You know exactly to what I am referring.  Yes, I am mad. Yes, I’m still hormonal. Deal with it.  To you we are the forgotten audience, but like that nagging ringing you get in your ears, we are NOT going away. We don’t have one foot on the grave and another on the banana peel yet.

Think they got that, folks? Even if they see it, it will not matter much…

One of the best movies that could appeal to my age group is “The Life of Pi” and the other is “Lincoln”…There’s 12 months in a year and that is all Hollywood has to offer us?  Well, there is “Armour”, which I think is probably one of the best films of last year, so it deserved its Oscar nod as well! And it’s a French film! Not all baby boomers get into “The Avengers”–but there are those who still do.  Just for the hell of it, I will watch “Cowboys and Aliens” on dvd though.  Granted there are a few family films put out, but the best ones get put out by Pixar (“Brave”) and NOT WB.   The Expendables II is also good. Like the idea of all those actors grouping up for another hurrah!

That brings me to another topic…Why don’t you boneheads keep the older actors and actresses we love and respect working?  I’ll watch a movie that has Muse Watson, Ben Cross, Kathy Bates, Helen Mirren or Judi Dench any day of the week before I’ll watch that freaking “Twilight” you keep trying to get me to buy tickets for–which I won’t.  I’ll watch Hammer Films. At least they KNOW how to make a good horror/suspense flick!  Did any of you young whipper snappers see “The Woman in Black” yet? I suggest you watch it and learn a thing or two after subjecting this lifelong Dark Shadows fan to that abysmal movie that was made in 2012.   Hammer Studios knows how to get the job done right. That has been proven.

Bruce Willis also knows how to get the job done right.  “Red” proved that.  Watch this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFLX7Pk1Tn4

Just to note: IF Willis makes a part II for this I hope Mr. Cross gets offered a hell of a comedic role!

If you’re not going to keep us happy using the major networks, I hope some enterprising investors come up with a network JUST FOR older audience members that will keep these actors working and put food on the table!   It makes perfect sense to me!   A little innuendo and such doesn’t bother my age group either.  However constantly being bombarded with the “visioning” and “re-visioning” these screenwriters come up with really pissed off my age group in the past few years.  It has gotten to where I prefer live theater to television anymore because the networks keep putting too much trash on them.  The only good shows worth watching are the CSI’s, NCIS’s, Law and Order spin-offs, etc…I could care less about “Reality TV”. I can watch reality for free every day so I don’t want to see it on the television…

I’d rather see a good variety show than Glee any day of the week.  I think one of the best movies that is going to come out in 2013 is going to be “A Common Man” with Sir Ben Kingsley and Ben Cross starring in it.  I’d pay $30 a ticket for that one!  I’d also pay for a ticket to hear Ben Cross sing, but that’s off the subject a bit…However, that man has some pipes on him, folks!  I never knew he could sing until I saw this a few years back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khSVOJF4S3c

I think another good movie coming out is “Monumental” which stars Gary Cairns II, who also stars in “Black Butterflies” with Brad Dourif. “Black Butterflies” is also coming out this year too.  Yes, Gary is younger but he knows how to act and he takes good scripts so I’d pay as much to see him also–and he is a down to Earth, cool guy. I can personally attest to that fact.

“Posey” is another film that everyone who has had Alzheimer’s touch their family or has elderly family members they love dearly should watch this year.  Sally Kirkland is a wonderful actress and she recently snagged the Best Actress Award at the Idyllwild CinemaFest for her role.  Billy DaMota is a man with an excellent heart to put such a film together and I fully support it.  Also having Christopher Pennock in the cast peeks my interest as well!  I’d love to see him get more work this year too! Here is the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWMTBV7sIl0

Alright now…Her majesty “Nana” has spoken.  Have a great week!

Nana’s Chance Encounter with a Famous Person…*Smiles Here*

It was another day of busting chops at work…Pretty busy–12/30/12 to be exact…Not quite New Year’s Eve, but at least it wasn’t dreadfully cold, like it is supposed to be tomorrow…I worked a very long shift that day but just before sundown, a call came into the store that I answered…I looked at the name on the caller I.D. and I recognized it…I was thinking, “Yeah Right…Sure…Whatever.” and I answered it.  I answered the gentleman’s questions and then went on my merry way.

My co-worker Sylvia semi-recognized him too, and confused him with his deceased brother. I told her, “No that is his younger brother.”  THEN it clicked.  I’ll put the pic up here now and it sucks because it was from my cell phone.

Recognize him?  Some of you won’t, but I knew who he was right off the bat when he walked into the store.  40 minutes after that phone call, Keith Carradine came in.  We talked a bit, and he was very gracious! Gave us autographs and such, but the only thing we had for him to sign were the paper bags we put the beer quarts in for people! He smiled as he signed those!  I meet a lot of former NFL players, but I had never met an actor.  He was very kind and it was an honor to meet him.  He told us that he is going to be doing theater for a while in NY.  I hope he has a safe journey and all goes well for him!

I was embarrassed to admit when he asked that I had not seen “Cowboys and Aliens” yet, but I do watch “Dexter” from time to time and I saw him in a movie called, “In the Best of Families”, which is based on a true story.  Talking about “Dexter” completely slipped my mind, but Sylvia had me in stitches both before and after he left!  She was all “giddy”!    WELL, that ended my year on a high note, and I wish you all the best for 2013!  Have a great week everyone!

 

Something New, Something Different…

There is a new site out there for those in the entertainment industry.  It is called    http://www.mysymphony.biz/   This site is different in that it allows acts looking for work to list themselves in such a way that it is made easier for clubs looking for acts to find them. Why?  They can look them up by county and state. The bands, singers, etc can post an audition video for the managers and club owners to see as well.  Artists keep their rights to material they post and BEST OF ALL, it is a FREE  service.  They can buy/sell material on there and I’m not sure how that part works because I’m not a musician, but it looks good enough to check out.

It also allows actors and such to post acting reels. At the same time, there is a social section, a section to download free programs for those who write and compose music (or to learn how to do so)…Managers can put info up if they want prospective clients to contact them too…To me, it’s a sort of one stop place to try to take care of an entertainer’s needs without having to resort to the trade papers and such as in the old days.  Anyway, do check it out and let the site owner know of any suggestions you have that might improve it for you.  I know he reads all the email and such…Take care and have a good week!