Joe Posner's "Cup of Joe"
Pour yourself a cup of joe and pull up a chair.
by Joe Posner
Welcome back!
Did I ever tell you my top ten favorite films of all time and why? Well, me and my buddy Ed and I got talking about movies recently and it inspired me with this week's topic for Cup of Joe. Enjoy a slurp of YOUR cup of joe, friend. Movie lovers, start your engines.
In no particular order:
1. "Star Wars" (1977), Cast: Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Alec Guinness. In the distant past, in a far galaxy, a farm boy, a space pilot and an old hermit with mystical powers attempt to rescue a kidnapped princess. Everyone recalls the first time they saw the original "Star Wars." George Lucas adroitly mixed elements from comic books, old sci-fi serials and classic movies, coming up with a magical original. Its FX set the gold standard for the industry. "May the force be with you."
2. "Bullitt" (1968), Cast: Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Vaughn. An uncompromising San Francisco detective is assigned to protect a witness against the mob. A lean, mean action machine with screen great McQueen in his most memorable role. Contains what many consider the best car chase ever!
3. "Cool Hand Luke" (1967), Cast: Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Strother Martin. In the South, a nonviolent criminal is assigned to a chain gang. You'll like serving time with Newman and his chain gang buddies. Newman was robbed of his Best Actor Oscar, as Luke, the smiling but rebellious convict. Kennedy won a well deserved Best Supporting Actor award. "What we have here is failure to communicate."
4. "Hard Times" (1975), Cast: Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Strother Martin. Set in the Depression era Bronson is perfect as a quiet man with watchful eyes and tough fists. Coburn bring his trademark smile and zest to the role of Bronson's shady fight promoter. The terrific bare knuckle fight scenes, featuring an incredibly fit fifty-something Bronson, will knock you out!
5. "Casablanca" (1942), Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre. Bogart is terrific as Rick, the tough guy nightclub owner with a soft spot for a dame in trouble. Set in a World War Two disrupted Africa, "Casablanca" offers intrigue, romance and sacrifice. Who could resist? Here's looking at you kid."
6. "The Maltese Falcon" (1941), Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Aston, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre. Tough private eye Sam Spade investigates the death of his partner. Every private eye movie and TV show owes a debt to this stunning version of Dashiell Hammett's novel. Without "Falcon," there'd be no Philip Marlowe, Mike Hammer, Lew Harper, Joe Mannix or Jim Rockford. "The stuff that dreams are made of."
7. "The Time Machine" (1960), Cast: Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux, Alan Young, Sebastian Cabot. A forward-thinking scientist, at the turn of the 20th century, takes a trip in the time machine he's invented. The film offers a great presentation of H.G. Wells' time travel fable. Rod Taylor is perfect as the Victorian gentleman/scientist. The FX won a well deserved Oscar.
8. "The Way We Were" (1973), Cast: Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand, Bradford Dillman. Redford and Streisand were well cast as mismatched lovers through the decades. If the Streisand warbled theme song doesn't make you mist up, you may have been replaced by an emotionless robot.
9. "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), Cast: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, HAL 9000. When an alien object unearthed on the Moon directs a signal toward Jupiter, a space crew is sent to investigate. One of the most prophetic and influential science fiction films of all time. "2001" is also the most intellectually challenging, if ultimately confusing, sci-fi epic. "Open the pod bay door, Hal."
10. "Forbidden Planet" (1956), Cast: Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, Walter Pidgeon, Robby the Robot. In the future, a space crew is sent to investigate the disappearance of an expedition to planet Altair 4. Utilizing elements from both Shakespeare and Freudian psychology, the film skillfully combines action, romance and cool FX. The most expensive sci-fi epic of its day, some Hollywood insiders believe this film may have been one of Gene Roddenberry's inspirations for his classic TV series.
What are YOUR top ten favorite films of all time?
Have a great week!
joeposner@earthlink.net
by Joe Posner
Welcome back!
Did I ever tell you about my Encounter with the Unknown? Take a sip of your Ghostbusters java and read on... if you dare.
The year was 1984. I was working for a water company in LA and writing part-time for a biweekly entertainment tabloid in Hollywood.
One day we got a phone call. It was Steve and Emily Underwood, the fifty-something owner/publisher's of the Hollywood paper. Julie, their grown-daughter, who had been badly injured in an accident some years before, had finally died.
After the funeral, the Underwood's invited us back to their house. We shared stories of the better times with their daughter, Julie. There was laughter and tears. When it came to go to sleep, the only available room was Julie's room.
I woke up at 2:02 a.m. I noticed a beam of light coming through the window and striking a point four or five feet up on the wall to my left.
I quietly climbed out of bed. There was no moon, no street lamp,no source for the light that was coming in the window
and striking the wall.
I went back to bed. In the morning, I turned my head and looked up at the wall toward the spot that light had been striking the night before. In the exact spot I saw Julie's cross hanging from a small nail. It was the cross which she always wore.
After discussing it with Linda,my girlfriend at the time, I decided to tell Steve about my experience. Steve took it well. He felt his beloved daughter had communicated from the Other Side, letting us know she was okay.
For some reason, we spent a second night in Julie's room. No mystery light entered the room that night.
To this day, I'm still not sure what I experienced that night. For me it shall always remain...an Encounter with the Unknown.
Have a great week!
joeposner@earthlink.net
by Joe Posner
Welcome back!
Did I ever tell you about my standup comedy experience?
Have a swig of your Chuckle Java and read on, friend.
The year was 1975. Gerald Ford was president. The Bee
Gees were all over the radio. Adidas running shoes were cool.
I was working at the old Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles, giving people their stuff back (dentures etc.) as they checked out of the hospital.
I was there when some Hollywood-types checked out of the hospital with their cute baby girl. I'm not sure, but I don't think Gweneth Paltrow remembers me.
In my spare time, me and my old high school buddy were
writing a spec-script for the "Bob Newhart Show," which we
hoped to sell to them. I was 23, relatively fresh out of USC film school and full of hope. Opportunity seemed everywhere.
At this time, comedy clubs were popping up everywhere, with great success. LA, Chicago and New York seemed to be where the action as, comedy-wise.
I consider myself pretty funny. I was writing a comedy script. I thought I'd give standup comedy a shot. What's the worst that could happen?
On Saturday nights, Gilhooley's Tavern in the Eagle Rock Mall had open mike night. This was to be the location of my standup comedy debut.
To help ensure a friendly reception, I packed the (small) house with friends. Eventually, it was my turn to strut my comedy stuff.
For a few, VERY long minutes, I attempted to wing it with lame jokes and hastily prepared one liners. Yikes!
At one point during my mercifully short set, a lady friend lit a cigarette and brought it up to me on stage. Like a condemned man I puffed away rantically. Other than giving me a cloud of smoke to hide behind, it didn't help much.
How well did I do? Let's just say I've seen more amused audiences at funerals.
Soon, but not soon enough to avoid a double helping of shame and humiliation. I left the tiny stage and joined my friends ringside. They comforted me, like you would someone who totals their car but walks away to tell the tale.
In the years since my comedy debacle, I have written several comedy scripts, some of which were produced as straight-to-home videos flicks, but I've never, EVER attempted standup comedy again.
****
Lately, I've been contemplating my musical debut at a local bar's Karaoke night, despite my lack of a singing voice. Considering my track record in these matters, I may want to leave THIS fantasy untried.
Have a great week!
joeposner@earthlink.net
by Joe Posner
Welcome back!
Did I ever tell you about the time I met Ray Manzarek, cofounder and keyboardist for The Doors, one of the greatest rock 'n roll groups of all time? Take a sip of your Flashback Java and read on, friend.
The year was 2000. We had survived the Millennium. George Bush was president. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was on TV.
I knew a guy, named Big Apple Bill, who had a roster of faded celebrities you could rent for a fee. Incongruously, Ray Manzarek of The Doors was on the list.
I am a HUGE Doors fans. Jim Morrison's powerful, poetic lyrics, backed by Ray Manzarek's haunted carnival keyboarding, wove a hypnotic spell which has captured rock fans for decades.
After determining that Bill's client was in fact THE Ray Manzarek, I began to make arrangements to see and interview Ray.
It took months to line up the interview with Manzarek. We were to meet in Venice, California, have lunch and talk. For several hundred dollars, I would have an hour with Ray.
On the day of the big meet, I was waiting for Manzarek on a sunny street in Venice, near a giant portrait of Jim Morrison on the side of a beauty supply store. Manzarek was about ten minutes late.
Soon, a car pulled up and parked a short distance down the street. Manzarek and Big Apple Bill exited the car and walked in my direction. Ray, tall and fit and with a full head of hair and glasses, was dressed in some kind of wet suit-looking garment. Bill had his ever present New York Yankee ball cap.
Bill stopped when he reached me but Manzarek kept right on walking, as if in a trance. He spent several minutes starring up at the portrait of friend and former band mate Morrison.
Then Ray joined us. Manzarek was friendly yet guarded. When asked him if he had a favorite Venice eatery, Ray declined to dine. Eventually, we got a couple beverages at a corner dive near the boardwalk and sat at an outside table.
I glanced at my watch. My time with Manzarek was ticking away.
Since I was primarily there to interview him for my sci-fi web site, I got Ray talking about his love of science fiction.
Manzarek spoke fondly of a long ago trip his family made to a local theater to see "The Incredible Shrinking Man" and the impression the film had on the young Ray. It apparently helped fan the flames of his sci-fi interest.
With time running out, I asked Manzarek, point blank, if Jim Morrison might be alive. Manzarek smiled and said yes.
When I asked him why, Ray crisply replied," If anybody could fake their own death and get away with it, it would be Jim."
Then Manzarek finished his drink and sprang to his feet. Although Ray had arrived late, he would be leaving on time.
*****
Five years later, do I feel I got a bit taken for my brief access to Manzarek?
Yes.
Do I regret my decision to buy access to a Door?
Absolutely not.
Have a great week!
joeposner@earthlink.net