ARTICLE: MOVIE REVIEW: HACHI (based on a true story)

This article originally appeared both on Yahoo.voices and Bubblews which no longer exists)

If it hadn't been for Facebook and my involvement with animal issues, I may never have come across the whole story of Hachiko, an Akita dog of which the 2009 movie is based on.

First let me share a bit about the story of Hachiko itself. Back in 1924, a Professor named Hidesaburo Ueno who taught at the University of Tokyo. It was in that year, he took in an akita dog and named him Hachiko. The dog was completely loyal to Professor Ueno, so much so, that a routine seemingly began where the dog would patiently wait every single day at the Shibuya Train Station, waiting for his master to come home from the University. But then one day in May of 1925, the Professor didn't. he had suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage and passed on.

The story doesn't end there however. From 1925 up until 1935, Hachiko continued his patient wait at the train station for his master to come home. The story of Hachiko's loyalty toward his master didn't go unnoticed, and the story started to circulate and made public. Even before his passing, a statue of Hachiko was erected in his honor at the Shibuya Train Station, in 1934. A year later on March 8, 1935 passed away and a ceremonial funeral was heldat the station.

Now for the movie version.

The 2009 movie the story is "Americanized" with Richard Gere playing the role of Professor Parker Wilson, who one night, when coming home from the University that he teaches, finds an abandoned Akita puppy roaming the train station. The dog almost immediately seems attracted to the Professor and of course, Professor Parker feels sympathy for this lost, abandoned puppy. At first he tries everything possible to find a home for the puppy, especially since he knows his wife Cate (played by Joan Allen) wouldn't be too keen on the idea of having a pet in the home. For a good part of the beginning of the movie, you might say it's a sheer battle between the Professor and his wife and in keeping the puppy. Well, as you can guess, the puppy does stay and is named Hachi.

A close bond occurs between the Professor and Hachi, and true to the original story, Hachi develops a routine where he goes to the train station and patiently waits for the professor to come home, and like the original story, as you can guess, one night the Professor suffers a cerebral hemorrhage and passes on. Also true to the original story, Hachi waits, and waits, and waits for ten years for his master to come home.

I'm not going to kid you, while watching this movie, one definitely needs a box of tissues nearby. I think what gets a person the most is the demonstration of loyalty and devotion that this dog exhibits to his master. I'm not going to spoil things by giving the entire plot away but the ending of the movie is truly bittersweet, and yes, tissue time again.

For the record however, this demonstration of the loyalty of a dog to his master, even after death is by no means the first recorded incident. There is also the true story of Greyfriar's Bobby, which was made "famous" by the 1961 Disney movie of the same name, and was one of my childhood favorite movies that I had watched. In this case, the story takes place in 1865 in Edinburgh, Scotland and of a Skye Terrier owned by a shepherd who passed on, and after his master's death, kept vigil watch and slept on the grave of his master in the Greyfriar's churchyard. Like Hachiko, there is also a statue in Bobby's honor. More recently is the story of Huachi, a dog of mixed breed in Bolivia and had been owned by a student who tragically died in an accident. In similar fashion to Bobby and Hachiko, Huachi waits for his master to return.

The movie Hachi is definitely one of those must see movies, particularly if one is an animal lover. The movie and the original story that it is based on clearly demonstrates that animals do indeed show feelings, emotions, joy, pain, depression and grief, and as the former movie critics, Siskel and Ebert would have said, I give this movie two thumbs up. Just remember those tissues!

For a little more background of the true story of Hachiko one can read all about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachikō

Hachikō

There are also a good number of books that have been written about Hachiko and if you're interested they can be purchased over at Amazon.com

1). Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog by Pamela S. Turner

2). Hachiko Waits by Lesléa Newman and Machiyo Kodaira

3). Hachiko: The True Story of The Royal Dogs of Japan and One Faithful Akita by Julie Chrystyn

4). Hach-Ko: The Samurai Dog by Shizuko O. Koster

5). Hachi: The Truth of The Life and Legen of the Most Famous Dog in Japan by Mayumi Itoh

The official Greyfriar's Bobby website:

http://www.greyfriarsbobby.co.uk

Greyfriar's Bobby

Story of Huachi of Bolivia:

http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2014/01/after-five-years-dog-continues-to-wait-for-diseased-owner/

Huachi of Bolivia

Image source:

http://www.moviecape.com/product_info.php?products_id=5665

Movie Review: The Juggler of Notre Dame: A Must See Movie for Christmas or Anytime

(Originally Published at Yahoo.Voices formerly Associated Content~12/25/2009)

ABSTRACT: This is probably one of the most heart-warming movies to watch anytime but especially during the holiday season

CONTENT: © Dec 24, 2008--originally published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket

This 1982 movie The Juggler of Notre Dame is one of those movies that should be made a Christmas tradition to watch, just in the same way It's A Wonderful Life or any of the versions of Dickens' A Christmas Carol

Plot
The movie centers around a down and out juggler, Barnaby Stone. He's a bitter man and feels like a complete failure in life. He had once belonged to one of the most famous circus acts, and had fallen in love with one of the women tightrope performers. They were married under the circus' big top and were to enjoy a blissful life together until tragedy struck. During one performance, while Barnaby was doing his famous juggling act, his wife Beatrice was performing on the tightrope, but slipped and fell. Barnaby sees her fall and races over to her hoping to catch her, but he fails, and she falls to her death.

He leaves the circus, to become a homeless man, trying to make a meager living performing his juggling act on the streets. One day, his performance catches the eye of another homeless man, named Sparrow who is totally fascinated by Barnaby and think his juggling skills are a gift from God. Barnaby scorns this attitude as he no longer believes in God due to the death of his wife. A strange bond occurs between Barnaby and Sparrow however, and Barnaby starts teaching Sparrow basic juggling tricks. The two then embark in performing together on the streets making a meager living.
Then, unfortunately another tragedy occurs in Barnaby's life, when one night Sparrow is killed by a band of homeless men who steal the little money Barnaby and Sparrow had earned during one of their juggling acts.

Now two tragedies have occurred in his life, and Barnaby feels more hopeless and bitter toward life than ever before, and walks aimlessly for many miles, with no particular destination in mind. One day, he comes upon a man named Jonas, a sculptor who is absolutely fascinated by Barnaby's face and wants to use him as the subject of one of his sculptures. Barnaby is hesitant as he can't figure out why he should be so fascinating to Jonas as he feels his life is so worthless, nonetheless he agrees. Now while Jonas is enthusiastic over his "luck" in finding Barnaby as a subject for his work, his sister, Dulcy is antagonistic toward Barnaby, thinking what a mockery that Jonas wants to create a sculpture using the face of a homeless man, after having sculptured a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary, which is now housed in the nearby local church, called Notre Dame after the famous one in France.
At the time Barnaby arrives, the whole town is busy restoring the Notre Dame church as most of it had been destroyed during an earthquake. The whole town is getting ready to celebrate in the half restored church, and on Christmas Eve, a service will be performed and all the townspeople are required to leave gifts at the feet of the Virgin Mary statue. Some will make a special quilt, some make homemade jams, wood crafts, and Dulcy herself, famous for her baked pies will leave a gift of one of her apple pies.

Dulcy, antagonistic as ever toward Barnaby, asks him what he plans to give as a gift for the Virgin Mary. The words sting him like a blow to the face, and he decides to leave as in his heart he has nothing to give.
Does Barnaby leave? Does he have a gift for the Virgin Mary? Who makes an appearance to him telling him that he does indeed have a special gift, and when he does give his gift, what miracle happens?
I'm not going to tell the rest of the plot and I did leave a lot out of it as this is a must see movie. I do warn you have tissues at the end.

Opinions/Comments

This really is a must see movie, that really doesn't have to be watched only at Christmas time, but anytime, however perhaps one of the best times to watch it, is on Christmas Eve itself. The theme is similar to It's A Wonderful Life, or even The Drummer Boy in that the main characters feel they have nothing to offer in life, and that they are useless. But then some "miracle" occurs and they then realize their worth in life. This is one of those movies where the waterworks flow like buckets at the end. It really doesn't matter what religion you are even though it has strong Christian themes...anyone can enjoy this movie.

From a few things I read about this movie, it's based on an old medieval French legend, of which I was able to find several versions of it and in English though haven't read it yet. The folktale is called Our Lady's Tumbler an anonymous piece and translated by P.H. Wicksteed, yet there is a much longer version available and just downloaded both copies.

For a rating I would give it a ten out of ten....it's that good.

Cast
Barnaby Stone.........Carl Carlsson
Sparrow.....................Patrick Collins
Jonas Wintergreen...Merlin Olsen
Dulcy Wintergreen.....Melinda Dillon
Father Delaney..........Eugene Roche

Directed by Michael Rhodes
Music: Christopher L. Stone
Running Time: 49 minutes

One can see the entire movie on Youtube

The Juggler Of Notre Dame on Youtube

Movie Review: Thunderheart: A Contemporary Native American Movie

(Originally Published at Yahoo.Voices formerly Associated Content~10/13/2009)

ABSTRACT: While this is a "fictional" movie it's based on the events that occurred during the 1970s between the FBI and A.I.M.

CONTENT: (Previously published ©Nov 2, 2008 at Ciao under my pen-name pyewacket)

The opening of the 1992 movie Thunderheart shows in silhouette during an approaching sunset, a Native American running, running, running. Suddenly gunshots are heard and the Native American falls to his death and lands face down in a river.

The movie next takes us to Washington D.C. to the office of Jack Milton of the FBI who is assigning Ray Levoi an FBI agent to do investigations of the numerous murders that are occurring near The Badlands and on a Native American reservation in South Dakota. Milton specifically wants Levoi to investigate who is behind these murders since among being of other ethnic backgrounds, Levoi is part Sioux Indian himself. During the interview between Milton and himself, Levoi is trying to deny his Native American background, just as he has done all his life as he has always been ashamed of his full blood Native American father who was an alcoholic. Nonetheless, Levoi goes to the reservation and hooks up with other members of the FBI team there that includes their leader, Frank Coutelle

While he and Frank start making a search in the desolate area of The Badlands, he comes across a Native American man who is bending over the dead body of another Native American man. Thinking that this man has just killed the other the two apprehend the man, with Levoi throwing the man onto the ground,while Frank does a search for ID. It turns out the man is Walter Crow Horse, a member of the Tribal police and is also trying to find the answers to this recent homicide.

Levoi and Crow Horse are to meet many times afterward and while Levoi does try to work according to the FBI rules and regulations and with Frank Coutelle, he seems to be more interested in getting the Native American viewpoint of what is going on and why the strange homicides. Crow Horse even introduces Levoi to an elderly shaman, named Grandpa Sam Reaches, who has the gift of vision, especially into the heart of Levoi who has denied his Native heritage for so long. It's not long when Levoi is often confused for after awhile maybe due to his being in connection with his own heritage, he starts seeing visions himself.

It turns out there is a specific reason for the strange sudden killings for there is a secret that is being covered up, and anyone who finds out about it is killed off. You'll just have to watch the movie to find out what the secret is, and who is to blame for the killings.

Opinions/Comments

While most movies centering about Native Americans in general are usually about distant past events in America's history, Thunderheart was the first movie to show Native American life in more contemporary time and setting, as it does take place during the turbulent 1970s with the rise of the rather radical American Indian Movement (A.I.M.)

During these times, real actual treacheries did occur, and yes while some actions of the American Indian Movement were extreme, many of its members had to more or less go underground, for the FBI and the government in general viewed A.I.M. members as ironically being "non-American" in their activities. The truth was that what the organization was attempting to do was to bring full Native American rights recognized.

The director, Michael Apted no doubt was very sympathetic to the injustices that occurred to Native Americans during that time period, for not long before Thunderheart came out, he had also done a documentary entitled Incident At Oglala, which emphasizes the unjust and unfair treatment of Leonard Peltier who supposedly was responsible for the deaths of two FBI agents. Many feel that Peltier was a scapegoat and a FBI cover up of their own abuse of power. To this day some thirty years later , Peltier remains a political prisoner in jail and has never been given a pardon by any President even though the evidence is overwhelming that he had nothing to do with the deaths.

This movie wonderfully sets the mood of those times, and yes, is downright frustrating and grim. A light-hearted movie this isn't, but gives a fantastic insight of why many Native Americans did become radicals as all they were trying to do was seek true justice and uncover truths. Some members of A.I.M. are actually cast as extras in this movie, such as one of the co-founders of the organization, Dennis Banks.

What really surprises me however, was how such a movie like Thunderheart was allowed to be made in the first place and wasn't censored by the government, for it sure shows the workings and operations of the FBI in a very negative stance.

Cast
Ray Levoi......................Val Kilmer
Jack Milton....................Fred Ward
Frank Coutelle..............Sam Shepard
Walter Crow Horse.......Graham Greene
Maggie Eagle Bear......Shelia Tousey
Grandpa Sam Reaches....Ted Thin Elk
Jimmy Looks Twice......John Trudell
Dennis Banks................himself

Directed by Michael Apted
Written by John Fusco
Music by John Horner
Running Time: 119 minutes

Movie Review: Cleopatra (1934 Version): The Best Version of the Tale of Cleopatra

(Originally Published at Yahoo.Voices formerly Associated Content~9/9/2009)

ABSTRACT: This 1934 movie version of Cleopatra, directed by the legendary Cecil B. DeMille is to my mind the best version ever made.

CONTENT: (©Oct 16, 2008~First published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)

I'm a great fan of the old time movies of the 1930s and 1940s. In my opinion, and not to take away from the talents of newer movie stars, it was during these years that Hollywood was blessed by some of the truly great actors around. Who can ever forget the talents of Fred Astaire, Charlie Chaplin, Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Shirley Temple, Judy Garland, Ingrid Bergmam, Katherine Hepburn and on and on the list goes for the great classic actors.

Another all time favorite actress of these early years of film-making was the talented and beautiful Claudette Colbert and one of the movies that she radiates and shines in, is the 1934 version of Cleopatra, directed by one of the greatest directors of all time, none other than Cecil B. DeMille who became known for some of the most epic type movies going.

As a girl, and even now, I have been a lover of the Ancient Egyptian culture and very vividly remember seeing Cleopatra as a small child, and even back then I was wowed by this movie, and still am. The later 1963 version of Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor (as Cleopatra) and Richard Burton (as Antony) just cannot hold a candle, despite it's lavishness to the 1934 version.

I think there is hardly a person who is not familiar with the whole Cleopatra story in general. I describe here both the known historical facts, and interlace it with the content of the movie as well which follows the historical facts rather faithfully. Being the Ancient Egyptian lover that I am, I'm pretty familiar with Egypt's history.

Cleopatra was the daughter of Ptolemy XII and sister to Ptolemy XII and XIV during the Hellenistic rule over Egypt after the conquest of Alexander the Great. True Egyptian Dynasties no longer existed then. The historical Cleopatra was actually married to her own brother Ptolemy XIII, which was not an unusual practice in Ancient Egyptian times. In the movie version, Cleopatra's brother has no desire to share power as co-monarch and tries to get rid of her, but her faithful servant smuggles her away, before her brother can assassinate her (another common practice between rulers in Ancient Egyptian times was to kill each other off). Her servant takes her to Rome where he poses under the guise of a carpet seller and presents a carpet to Rome's leader, Julius Caesar...ah, but wrapped in the carpet is Cleopatra herself and in effect asks for asylum in Rome and also beguiles her way in suggesting that if Caesar overthrows Ptolemy and makes her the recognized Pharaoh of Egypt, then peace can exist between the two mighty kingdoms of Rome and Egypt. As a historical note, Cleopatra was not the first woman to declare herself as pharaoh, the first was Hatshepsut of the 18th dynasty, circa 1479 B.C.

A romantic liaison begins between Cleopatra and Caesar. In historical facts about this union, the real Cleopatra was a mere 21 years old, while Caesar was 52. All is not well in Rome however, there are many dissenters against Caesar's rule in general, and a hatred toward Cleopatra and her influences over Caesar, so on the legendary Ides of March (March 15th) he is assassinated by members of the Roman senate, with Brutus as the leader of the assassination.

Cleopatra flees Rome, realizing her own life is threatened now and goes back to Egypt. But the feelings at Rome are still in an uproar, and war is threatened between the two kingdoms, The general feeling is that the Roman Army under the command of Marc Antony is that they want to drag Cleopatra back to Rome and perhaps kill her. A truce is set up between Cleopatra and she suggests a meeting with Marc Antony on her private barge to negotiate. Cleopatra however, is quite the seductress and when Antony does meet with Cleopatra, he too falls under her alluring spell. Her original plan is to kill off Antony, by the sprinkling of flowers that are laced with poison and places the flower in Antony's cup of wine. However, when he is about to drink the cup, she knocks it out of his hand, for she has becomes attracted to Antony.

Antony leaves the Roman world behind him, staying with Cleopatra, but not for long as distention grows even stronger with the Roman army who view Antony as a traitor and also want to once and for all, assassinate Cleopatra and end her rule in Egypt. A battle takes place in Actium where Antony with some of his men who are still willing to fight with him. From a distance, Cleopatra watches the battle, but flees when the battle turns against Antony and he is losing. After the battle a near dying Antony goes to Cleopatra for once last time to be with her and dies in her arms. Now realizing her life is in danger, rather than be seized by the Roman Army plans to take her life by her own hands. All alone, save for her two faithful female servants Iras and Charmion, Cleopatra arrays herself in a beautiful gown, and seats herself on her thrown. Her one servant hands her a basket, a basket containing a poisonous snake (asp) and Cleopatra purposely allows herself to be bitten by it. When the Roman army barges in, it's too late...Cleopatra has died, as well as one servant and her other servant is near death as well. They too had decided to allow the deadly snake to bite them, not wanting to be without their queen, and with the hope that with their death they can be with her in the afterlife.

While I relate many of the historical facts about Cleopatra here, the 1934 movie relates this story wonderfully well just as it has been described in historical records.

Since this is a Cecil B. DeMille movie, you just know this is a spectacular film wonderfully scripted and acted. I believe it will take your breathe away as it has always done for me. I never get tired of watching this movie. One will be rather surprised at the costuming. We are so used to barely clothed actors in movies nowadays, but the costumes worn in this movie were considered rather shocking for that time.

If you do get this DVD, most that are sold now are the colorized versions of this black and white film, I advised that if you can, adjust the picture and switch off the color...this movie is meant to be seen in its natural black and white glory rather than the fake added on color.

How much do I like this movie? I don't like it....I love it!

Cleopatra - Claudette Colbert
Julius Caesar - Warren William
Marc Antony - Henry Wilcoxon
Calpurnia - Gertrude Michael
Brutus - Arthur Hohl

Directed By Cecil B. DeMille (one of the greatest directors of all time)
Music by Rudolph B. Kopp

(UPDATE: As a recent "present" to myself, I finally got a copy of the DVD of this movie) Image Source~Generic photo of DVD cover of Cleopatra Movie

Movie Review: The Uninvited: A Good Old-Fashioned Ghost Story

(Originally Published at Yahoo.Voices formerly Associated Content~9/8/2009)

ABSTRACT: This movie may seem campy by today's standards as most "ghost" stories are more slasher, gory types but is a good old fashioned ghost story CONTENT: ©~Nov 17, 2008~Originally published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)

This 1944 movie, The Uninvited is one of those movies I literally grew up with it, and is one of those old time Hollywood classics I never get tired of watching.

==Plot==

While on a vacation in the Cornwall section of England, Rick who is a music critic and musician himself, and his sister Pamela come across a charming and quaint vacant home near the seaside, quite by accident. Being rather nosy, they decide to go inside the house to look it over and wonder if it's available for sale. They fall in love with it right away and Pamela tells her brother this would be the perfect place for Rick to get serious in composing his own music, due to the quietness and solitude of the place.

They do indeed find that the home known as Windward House is available, and are surprised at it's rather ridiculously low price for such a home, but of course, as time goes by, we will find out the reason. The home had originally belonged to a woman named Mary Meredith, daughter to a cantankerous old man, Commander Beech who agrees to sell the home to Rick and Pamela. They also at the time of sale of the home, meet with Commander Beech's grand-daughter, Stella, who all her life has had a fascination with her ancestral home, but has been forbidden to ever enter the home by Beech's orders.

Rick and Pamela, along with their faithful maid makes themselves at home, but the peace and tranquility of this charming home is disturbed, when strange noises occur, especially that of a woman sobbing, and always at the same time, just before dawn. Something even bothers and troubles Pamela's dog, who refuses to go up the stairs to the second floor, something is definitely wrong with this home. Yes, it's haunted by a female ghost.

Despite his orders, Stella goes against her grandfather's wishes when Rick and Pamela invite Stella for a leisurely dinner and she gladly accepts for all these years she's been dying to go back to the home she was born in. Yet, the dinner is all but peaceful. Something happens while Stella is there, for while they are all casually chatting, the room suddenly fills with the overpowering scent of mimosa, a scent Stella remembers as a baby that was her mother's favorite scent. She then goes into a strange trance and runs out of the house running, running, running. Rick runs after her and barely saves her from her hurling herself off the steep cliff to the ocean below. What happened, why did she do this? They call the local doctor, Dr. Scott to find out what is wrong with Stella. He just declares that she needs rest.

A friendship begins between Rick and Dr. Scott and they begin searching for clues, as Rick tells of the strange haunting events that have been occurring at the house and then of course Stella's strange reaction while she had been there. Looking over old medical records clues begin to reveal themselves as to who Stella really is, a secret that has never been revealed, especially not to Stella herself.
As time goes by however, something else becomes apparent. Windward House has not one, but two ghosts, the sobbing woman, and then a presence that is filled with hatred, causing the home to become ice cold.

Who is haunting the home and why? Who is the sobbing ghost? Who is the malevolent hateful ghost? Why does Stella react strangely every time she is in the home, why does it affect her so much? And what truth is revealed about Stella herself? For that you'll have to watch the movie to find out.

Opinions
I have loved this movie ever since I first saw it years and years ago. This is one of those true 1940s Hollywood classics not to be missed. What is so great about this movie too, is that for a mystery movie with a haunting theme to it, It's a fantastic film of the haunting genre that didn't resort to blood or gore as is in so many movies of today. Which I guess proves a great ghost story can be depicted without the usual special effects of today's movies.

There is one main problem with this movie, believe it or not it's NOT available on DVD yet, so one will still have to rely on the VHS format.

I would rate this movie a 10 out of 10--yes it's that good.

Cast
Roderick "Rick" Fitzgerald........Ray Millard
Pamela Fitzgerald............Ruth Hussey
Commander Beech..........Donald Crisp
Stella Meredith..................Gail Russell
Miss Holloway.................Cornelia Skinner
Directed by Lewis Allen
Written by Frank Partos and Dodie Smith
Music by Victor Young
Running Time: 99 minutes

Movie Review: Rabbit Ears-The Velveteen Rabbit: A Beautiful Telling of a Children's Story

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~8/20/2009)

ABSTRACT: Rabbit Ears is a delightfully retelling of this charming story and narrated by Academy award winner Meryl Streep

CONTENT: (©~Dec 5, 2008/ciao--originally published for Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)

Get out your hankies folks if you watch this lovely 1985 animated adaptation of the The Velveteen Rabbit story that had been written by Margery Williams and is narrated by actress Meryl Streep, with wonderful music by George Winston.

Plot

An excerpt from the beginning of the movie.

In the beginning he was really splendid. He was fat and bunchy, just as a real rabbit should be His coat was brown and white and very soft. He had real thread whiskers and his ears were lined with pink satin

That is how this delightful children's story starts to unfold. The Velveteen Rabbit is given as a gift to a young boy on Christmas and while the boy gets other gifts on that Christmas morning he favors the rabbit most of all. He even favors the rabbit more than all his other toys from Christmases past, which doesn't sit well with the more expensive toys in his room that talk to the rabbit and all make fun of him and tell him that he's not real, just a silly stuffed toy. The rabbit befriends an old worn old rocking horse that is the oldest toy in the boy's room, and he tells the rabbit not to pay attention to the other toys that make fun of him. The rabbit is even made fun of one day, when the boy takes him on a picnic, and real rabbits are attracted to this Velveteen Rabbit...but when they sniff him, they realize he's not real, they make fun of him that he can't run, jump or play like they can since they are real and he isn't.
Disheartened, when the boy takes him back to his room he asks the old rocking horse what does it mean to be real. And the horse replies, that a toy is real when it has been loved.

Time passes on, the rabbit is getting shabbier and shabbier looking and worn out, yet the boy still loves his Velveteen Rabbit until a calamity happens. What is the calamity? What happens to the Velveteen Rabbit? Does he ever become "real"?

For this you have to watch this movie to find out.

Opinions/Comments

I have a confession to make. I'm a bona-fide wimp when it comes to watching children's movies like this and need tissues nearby. While this is an animated movie, and not even really animated in the sense of most animated movies, but merely the story unfolds with a collection of drawings, this movie still affects me big time. This is one of those movies I make a point watching especially during the Christmas season. What is it exactly that will make a person perhaps cry at this movie? In my case, maybe it's a remembrance of one's own childhood, and that absolute favorite toy they had as a child. And believe it or not, I still have my very first stuffed toy as well...a female Kangaroo with a pouch and baby "roo". When she was new her fake fur was a pale soft pink and so was the baby roo. She had cute glass eyes sewn in and a fuzzy tail. Like the Velveteen Rabbit, that stuffed toy, that I called KangyRoo, is far worse from wear, now being almost as old as I am, which is 53. she is shabby looking, all the fur worn off, and missing her eyes, yet I refuse to throw her out...silly and sentimental I know, but just can't part with her...ever. So perhaps that's what strikes a chord with me when I watch The Velveteen Rabbit. It reminds me of my own treasured toy from childhood.

If you wish you can read the story here: Velveteen Rabbit

Cast:
Voice of Meryl Streep for all characters
Music by George Winston

Based on the book, The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real by Margery Williams

Movie Review: Greyfriars Bobby: A Dog's Devotion to His Master

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~8/11/2009)

ABSTRACT: This is another classic Disney charmer of a movie and not to be missed

CONTENT: (©Nov 14, 2008-Ciao~First published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)

This charmer of a movie is loosely based on the actual true story of John Gray, a man who lived during the mid-1800s and who had come to Edinburgh, Scotland and is probably one of Scotland's more famous true "legends" about the devotion of dog toward his master.

Plot
In this classic 1961 Disney movie, Greyfriar's Bobby, Bobby is a Skye Terrier belonging to a farming couple, it is their hired hand Jock, that the dog adores and follows wherever he goes. When things get tough on the farm, the couple let Jock go as they can no longer pay for his services. Jock decided to go to the main Scottish city of Edinburgh where he hopes to find employment. Like clockwork, at noontime when the city's cannons sound off, indicating the noon hour, Jock often dines at a local pub/restaurant where he is also staying in one of the pub's rooms. But Jock isn't exactly a young man, and sickly and dies of pneumonia. Jock having been near penniless and having no next of kin to take care of his funerary needs is buried in the "potter's field" section of the Greyfriar's graveyard with an unmarked grave.

The dog, Bobby, is confused, he doesn't understand what happened to his beloved master, though he did witness his beloved master being taken away, and watches as Jock is being buried. As soon as Jock is finished being buried and the gravediggers leave, Bobby goes on top of the gravesite and sleeps there. During the day remembering that the cannon sounds going off at a certain time, had indicated when Jock had dined in the pub, Bobby would return to it hoping to find Jock. Being a dog, he still doesn't understand that his master will never come back to him.

Now the vicar of the Greyfriar's church isn't none too keen on the idea of a mere dog making his residence in the graveyard and often chases Bobby away, but as soon as the vicar leaves back Bobby goes to rest on his master's grave.

The Lord Provost of Edinburgh also isn't too keen on the idea of a loose, masterless dog making its residence in the graveyard, and threatens to take the dog away and have the dog destroyed. The resident children who have fallen in love with Bobby try to save him. They've been told that the only way to save Bobby from death, is to get a license, yet how can they as they have no money to do so.

What becomes of Bobby? Do the children save him? Is he allowed to stay in the graveyard resting on his old master's grave?

Comments/Opinions

As mentioned, this movie is actually based on the true events about a real Skye Terrier, and yes named Bobby. The real person named John Grey was indeed buried in Greyfriar's graveyard and at first had no marker yet, years and years later a grave-marker was set up in honor of Edinburgh most famous master of his dog Bobby, and in the city of Edinburgh, there has been a statue erected in the form of a Skye Terrier in commemoration of the real dog that actually made his home on the grave-site of his beloved master for fourteen years. One can go to this website and read all about Greyfriar's Bobby and see his statue here

This is another one of those charmer classic, rather bittersweet Disney movies that was made during the 1960s and another one I grew up on. Being the animal lover that I am, I can never watch this movie without having a ton of tissues nearby as I'm crying my eyes out, thinking of the sweet devotion a dog had for his master, and even in death, didn't want to be parted from. It makes one aware that animals can probably be more loving unconditionally than people are.

The story was based on the book, Greyfriar's Bobby by Eleanor Atkinson, and by doing a Google search for the book, one can actually download the book in it's entirety of which I just did last night as a 291page PDF file (4.0M) And believe me I plan to start reading it soon.

As for rating I'd give this movie a 9 out of 10 and if you're an animal lover will be enchanted by this story about a dog's devotion to it's master. Just remember to have tissues handy.

As a very personal comment, I have seen upfront and close the devotion an animal can have. But instead of the devotion and love an animal might have toward a human, in my case it involved two cats of mine whom I got the same year. While I had other cats at that time, I never in my life saw two animals bond the way Tommy and Mickey did, they were more devoted and pals to one another than most human family members will be. When sadly, Tommy died very suddenly out of the blue in the middle of the night, only a month later, Mickey died as well, despite there being nothing physically wrong with him. I can't help wonder if Mickey died out of grief over his pal's death.

Cast

Old Jock.......Alex Mackenzie
Lord Provost of Edinburgh....Andrew Cruickshank
Directed by Don Chaffey
Music by Francis Chagrin
Running Time: 87 minutes.
Based on the book by Eleanor Atkinson

Movie Review: The Three Lives of Thomasina: A Classic Old-Time Disney Movie

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~8/11/2009)

ABSTRACT: This is one of those old time classic Disney movies that I grew up with and still love

CONTENT: (©©Nov 14, 2008~Ciao~First published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)

The 1964 movie, The Three Lives of Thomasina is quite literally a movie I grew up with, and believe it or not actually saw it in the movie theater when it first came out and has been a treasured movie I don't mind seeing time and time again.

Plot
The Three Lives of Thomasina takes place in a quaint Scottish town, and is narrated and told by the viewpoint of none other than Thomasina herself, an orange-tabby cat. Mary MacDhul is Thomasina's owner, a little girl, who an only child and motherless, dotes on the cat as if it were a human baby, often dressing the cat up in doll's clothing and pays all her attention on the cat. Her father, Dr. Andrew MacDhul is a rather cold, bitter and heartless man and is the town's veterinarian. He is often jealous of his daughter's love and affection to a mere cat, and though while a vet and supposed healer of animals, tends to think dogs and cats as useless creatures and prefers to spend his time healing farm type animals. The only pet dog he does try to save in earnest is a blind man's dog.

One day Thomasina on her usual meanderings outside of the home has an accident and is injured, and Mary rushes the cat to her father in the hopes he can save her life. But who knows? Maybe due to his jealousy of the attention his daughter gives to the cat doesn't even try to save the life of Thomasina and orders his assistant to euthanize the cat. Thinking the cat dead, Mary and her playmate friends hold a funeral service for Thomasina and take her in a beautifully lined basket to a nearby forested area for the "service" While sad eulogies are given by the children, the scene cuts to another one.

We see Thomasina in a free fall, falling down, down, down and lands in a fairly darkened area with a gigantic steep stairway. On other side of her she sees hundreds and hundreds of cats ready to greet her as she walks up the stairs and at the top of the stairs is a huge feline statue...Bast, the ancient Egyptian feline goddess and protector of cats.

The funeral service is cut short, when all of a sudden the children see Lori MacGregor, the town's recluse and thought to be a witch. The children being scared of her runaway and leave Thomasina behind them. Lori approaches the basket with the "lifeless" form of Thomasina, but upon examining the cat, she discovers that Thomasina is not dead, but indeed very weak and barely alive. Lori gently takes Thomasina to her cabin in the woods and uses her herbal medicines to heal the cat. Lori, besides having the reputation of being a witch, has a remarkable gift in healing all animals. Thomasina does indeed recover, but now has no memory of her former life with Mary. Thomasina is now in her "second" life.

In the meantime, Mary's father is ignored by the townsfolk, thinking it horrible that he wouldn't help his own daughter's cat, and begin taking their pets for healing to none other than the "witch", Lori. Not only does he get the scorn of the townsfolk, but his own daughter, Mary pretends he doesn't even exist anymore.

Does Thomasina ever remember her former life with Mary? Does Thomasina ever go back home? What is Thomasina's "third" life? Does Mary's father ever soften his heart to his own daughter, can their relationship ever be close? Do the people's townsfolk ever have any respect for Mary's father? What near tragedy occurs that will change lives? For the answers to these questions you just have to watch the movie.

Opinons/Comments
This 1964 movie is true classic Disney at it's best. It was during those years of the 1960s that a whole slew of memorable movies came out, such as Pollyanna and Old Yeller, It is by no means a cheery light hearted Disney film, at least not in the same category or realm as the Disney animated movie, but like many of the movies of that time had messages in them about human compassion and understanding. A lesson is always in them for the characters to learn from.

The one scene that has always, but always struck in my mind and has been embedded ever since I saw it first time round, was that scene where Thomasina "dies" and is walking up those stairs, a cat's version of heaven, known as the Land of Bast. I myself, who have had cats ever since I was five years old, have had my share of "deaths" in the family and have always coined the phrase that where my cats go when they pass on, besides Rainbow Bridge, has been the Land of Bast.

The acting in this movie is superb, especially by Karen Dotrice who plays Mary and Patrick McGoohan who plays Mary's father is very effectual in being a cold hearted none caring character, the kind you just love to hate. I absolutely loved the character of Lori MacGregor (Susan Hampshire) and the compassion and love for animals she has. And no, she isn't a real witch, just a person with enormous, natural healing skills.

I would rate this movie 9 out of 10, and if you're one of those old-fashioned type Disney movie lovers, you'll love this movie as well, as much as I always have.
Cast

Voice of Thomasina.......Elspeth March
Dr. Andrew MacDhul......Patrick McGoohan
Mary MacDhul..................Karen Dotrice
Lori MacGregor................Susan Hampshire
Hughie Stirling................Vincent Winter
Jamie McNab...................Denis Gilmore
Geordie McNab................Matthew Garber

Directed by DonChaffey
Music by Paul J. Smith
Running Time: 97 min
Based on the Paul Gallico book, Thomasina, The Cat Who Thought She Was God

Movie Review: Bridge to Terabithia: Keep Your Mind Wide Open in Imagination

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~8/11/2009)

ABSTRACT: A truly delightful movie based on the novel by Katherine Paterson but one will need tissues toward the end

CONTENT: (©©Nov 10, 2008~Ciao~~First published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)

The 2007 movie Bridge to Terabithia is based on the book by Katherine Paterson, of which I had read over a year ago. Both book and movie are a delight and I would call this an "everyman" type story that many will be able to relate to.

Jess Aarons is a rather lonely young boy of whom he feels no one understands him. His family consisting of his mother, father and four sisters certainly don't understand him, for instead of doing the typical "boy" like things he loves to draw and paint...he is the aspiring artist. His schoolmates don't understand him either due to his artistic preference and often bully him. He feels hurt and dejected that his father spends so much time with his younger sister and none with him, the only time the father pays any attention to him is to scold him for not doing his chores on time. The only one who seems to appreciate his artistic nature is his music teacher, Mrs. Edmunds.

Then along comes the "new" girl, Leslie Burke, also sort of an outcast only due to her free-spirited nature, and frankly she doesn't care about being an outcast, she loves and knows who she is, and is loved by her own family who are also a bit on the different drummer eccentric side.

A strange bond occurs almost immediately between Jess and Leslie, maybe perhaps since they are both outcasts and different from the other kids their age. Leslie just loves to extend her imagination to the hilt, and one day after being dropped off by their school bus, the two decide to explore some of the land that is nearby. They are in a heavily forested area and they come across a stream. Hanging on a tree on the other side of the stream is a thick rope, and she urges Jess to go over the stream and into the area of the forest no one has been in for ages. Taking a long stick, she pulls the rope toward her, grasps at it and swings over the stream to the other side. Not wanting to feel left out, Jess also grasps for the rope and swings over the stream also.

Leslie's imagination goes off on a rampart as they explore the forest. They come across an old abandoned dilapidated treehouse and decide to make it their own. Everyday after school, the two go back to the forest area and the treehouse. One day, Leslie climbs way up high on a tree, and urges Jess to follow suit and he does. she remarks to him...do you see it? He looks at her rather oddly for all he sees is a rather barren valley. She tells him..."Keep your eyes closed and your mind wide open." He closes his eyes for a few minutes, then opens them again, and he can now see what she sees...a indescribably beautiful land with rivers and streams and mountains in the distance. He asks her, what should we call this place and she replies....Terabithia.

With the "naming" of this place, Terabithia seems to come truly alive for the children...there are good creatures that will help them in their time of need, and evil creatures such as trolls and furry flying eagles. They continue to build up the treeshouse and it becomes their sanctuary. But all will not be well. Tragedy does strike and it would seem things will never be the same, yet a happy ending does occur.

Now when I mentioned that this is an "everyman" type story, what I mean is that so many of the characters in this movie, we the audience can relate to. How many children feel neglected by their parents, especially if the parents are constantly worried about finances, the way Jess' parents are. Or maybe feel envious that a parent pays more attention to one member of the family, in this case Jess's little sister May Belle? How many times have we come across a totally free-spirited person, and think them eccentric? And I think one thing many can relate to...the bully that loves to torment people and push them around as in the case of the character in this story, Janice...we later find out just why she is a bully.

So what exactly does happen in this magical land Jess and Leslie bring to life? Do the two begin to have a stronger sense of identity, and through the friendship feel better about themselves? What is the tragedy that occurs? Will their lives ever be the same due to it? Does Jess' father ever take notice of his own son? For that you'll have to watch the movie.

I have to admit I was hesitant about seeing this movie since I had read the book and knew what tragedy was to occur. Yet, I'm now glad I did. I just love this movie and can really identify with a bit of the characters in it myself, especially Jess and Leslie...there's a bit of both of them in me, even now I think. The saying that Leslie says...Keep your eyes closed and your mind wide open is so true. While the other cliched saying is seeing is believing, it's not necessarily so. Sometimes one's inner mind, inner belief is what makes things real and possible.

I don't think this is a movie for very young children, but children over the age of ten or so, will enjoy this and may also identify with the characters as well. The special effects are wonderful, bringing the creatures of Terabithia alive and were done by none other than the famous Weta Workshop of Lord of the Rings fame. The music is appropriate and I just love the song that Anna Sophia Robb (Leslie) sings, called "Keep Your Mind Wide Open" in which a special music video is also included in the DVD.

I would rate this a 9 out of 10 for this movie and highly recommend it.

Cast
Jess Aarons......Josh Hutcherson
Leslie Burke.......Anna Sophia Robb
Jack Aarons.......Robert Patrick
May Belle Aarons..Bailee Madison
Janice Avery.......Lauren Clinton
Mrs. Edmunds......Zooey Deschanel

Directed by Gabor Csupó
Music by Michael Chapman
Running Time: 98 minutes

Movie Review: The Mists of Avalon: Fairly Good Interpretation of the Book

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~7/26/2009)

ABSTRACT: If you're a fan of the King Arthur legend and of author Marion Zimmer Bradley and the book The Mists Of Avalon, this is a must see movie

CONTENT: (©Oct 14, 2008~Ciao--originally published at Ciao under my pen-name, with a few new revisions to the original review)

If you're a fanatic of anything and everything related to the King Arthur tale then this movie should be right up your alley. The Mists of Avalon was actually a mini-series that aired on the Turner cable channel in 2001 and is based on the Marion Zimmer Bradley novel.

What makes The Mists of Avalon different is that we get the King Arthur story through the eyes of Morgaine (Julianne Margulies) who also acts as the narrator of the story. Most King Arthur legends and stories tend to make the Morgaine character as evil while here in this movie we get an entirely different viewpoint that perhaps she wasn't such a bad apple after all.

We are taken back to when Morgaine is but a child. It is one day when she, her aunt Morgause (Joan Allen) and her mother are together in a room. All of a sudden, Morgaine becomes frightened as her mother, Igraine (Caroline Goodall) is in a strange trace...being a former priestess of Avalon she has the gift of foresight and magic of the old pagan ways that were taught there. She foresees the arrival of Vivianne (Anjelica Huston) the now high priestess of Avalon and Merlin. Vivianne reveals to Igraine that she is destined to carry the child that will unite England since there is an encroaching of the Christian religion to do away with the old pagan beliefs. Igraine is puzzled by this as her husband Gorlois (Clive Russell) is a devote Christian and can't understand how this can be as Gorlois is against the pagan ways, and forbids his wife to use any magical powers. It is further revealed however, that the father of the child will not be Gorlois, but the man who has a strange symbol on his arm.

Some days later, Igraine and Gorlois meet with several high heads of state to talk about affairs at a banquet. Suddenly the doors open with a clamor and in enters a man who has a rather rough and gruff manner, Uther Pendragon. The moment Igraine and his eyes meet each other they sense an almost psychic recognition, and is further acknowledged when by chance Igraine sees a tattoo on his arm...the symbol she was told about by Merlin and to be the father of her child. Gorlois is a suspicious and jealous man and senses the strange immediate attraction between his wife and Uther, and plans to attack Uther's army camp while they are sleeping. But in yet again another vision sent by Vivianne, she is told to warn Uther of Gorlois's intention to attack. In a trace, Igraine is able to transform herself and enters Uther's tent to warn him.

When Gorlois and his men, thinking he is to kill Uther, he is surprised to find that Uther is waiting for him. The scene transforms a few days later, when Gorlois comes home. He is met by his daughter, Morgaine who reaches up to his hand...but she notices something....that strange symbol and realizes that while the man does indeed look like her father, it is someone else...she keeps quiet about it however. Some more time passes, and up comes a wagon bearing the dead body of Gorlois and the truth is revealed of who the impostor really is...Uther.
Igraine does indeed give birth to a son, and names him Arthur. Morgaine and her brother have a special bond between each other, but their bond isn't to last, when one day, Vivianne and Merlin come to take the children away...Arthur to be taught by Merlin, and Morgaine to go with Vivianne to Avalon, where she will learn the ancient pagan ways.

Years pass and we see a grown Morgaine. Her final testing that she has acquired knowledge of the old ways is to be able to lift the mists of Avalon that shield and protect the island and does so. One day a visitor arrives....it turns out to be her cousin Lancelot (Michael Vartan) of whom is Vivianne's son. She feels an immediate attraction to him but it is not to be for he becomes smitten by a woman whose name is Gwenwyfar.

On the pagan celebration of Beltane, she must participate in the rites of passage, which is known as the "virgin huntress" and must make love to the masked man who represents the stag. Both are masked, thus neither know the identity of each other. She of course is hoping it is Lancelot. We later find out that the man she made love to was none other than her own brother, Arthur of whom she hasn't seen in all these years, out of that union, Morgaine will give birth to Mordred who will be raised by the ever scheming, plotting Morgause and her husband.

Morgaine realizes the truth of her "lover" that night, her brother, but she is given a further blow when her brother decides to marry Gwenwyfar, a super religious Christian woman and is against anything pagan like. Gwenwyfar tries to provide an heir to Arthur but never does not realizing that Morgause cast a spell upon her to make her barren.

Presented this way, this movie gives us a more dramatic sense of betrayal of loyalties between many of the characters it also signals that the power of Avalon, with the stronger dominance of the Christian church is at an end. Toward the end of the movie when a half dying King Arthur who was wounded in battle at the hands of his own son Mordred, Morgaine takes Arthur back to Avalon, but her way is barred...when trying to lift the mists of Avalon, for one moment one can see it, only to be shrouded in mist again, and they cannot enter....it has been lost.

For any fan of Marion Zimmer Bradley's book The Mist of Avalon, perhaps one of the newer classics of the King Arthur legend, and/or a fan of the whole King Arthur legend itself, one will love this movie.

Opinion: Another thing I want to point out here is the general interpretation of some of the main characters themselves: In most stories of the King Arther legend, both King Arthur and Gwenwyfar are usually depicted in a more "noble" ethereal manner. In this movie however the two come across as, well to be honest, wusses and rather namby pamby and rather weak. Therefore for some who view this movie may be bothered by this rather different interpretation of these two characters.

Did Avalon ever in fact exists? Maybe not, but I would like to think it did.

Cast:

Anjelica Huston----------Vivianne
Julianna Margulies------Morgaine
Joan Allen-----------------Morgause
Samantha Mathis--------Gwenwyfar
Caroline Goodall---------Igraine
Edward Atterton ----------Arthur
Michael Vartan -----------Lancelot
Michael Byrne-------------Merlin
Hans Matheson-----------Mordred
Mark Lewis Jones -------Uther
Clive Russell --------------Gorlois

Directed by Uli Edel
Writen by:
Marion Zimmer Bradley (novel)
Gavin Scott (teleplay)

ARTICLE: Movie Review: The Journey of Natty Gann: A Poignant Movie Set in the Depression Era

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~7/26/2009)

ABSTRACT: This is a very heart-warming Disney story set during the Depression Days and a must see

CONTENT: (©Oct 15, 2008~Ciao--originally published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)

A heartwarming movie is the 1985 The Journey of Natty Gann, set in the Depression years. Natty lives in a hotel room with her father in Chicago, her mother having died many years before. Things are touch and go all way round since it is the Depression period. Natty herself, is a street wise kid that knows how to take care of herself, which proves to be a valuable asset later on.

Since jobs are scarce, Sol, her father continues to seek work. One day he gets a golden opportunity for employment but there is one hitch...the job, at a timber mill, is in Washington state and he is provided with only one ticket, so he can't take Natty along. He talks and tries to persuade Connie, the hotel's owner to look after Natty while he's gone and also promises to send money for the rent when he can. Time is of the essence, he must leave on the bus going there and is hoping to talk to Natty before leaving her, but she is nowhere to be found, so he boards the bus.

Time passes by, and Natty doesn't hear from her father, in the meantime, Connie, who is rather self-centered and doesn't really want to be bothered taking care of Natty, decides to call authorities to tell them that Natty is an orphaned child...luckily Natty overhears this phone conversation and makes her escape. En route, she happens to pass by a place filled with noise and cheering. Curious, she goes inside the building to discover a fight between two canines, one a regular dog, the other a wolf. The wolf wins...the owner tries to get the wolf back, but the wolf refuses to go to him and instead makes a run for it, right toward the door where Natty is standing petrified that the wolf may attack her. The two gaze directly into each others eyes, as if sizing each other up...she opens the door which allows the wolf to run away. The owner, seeing this is angered and hits Natty unconscious.
When she wakes up, she decides in trying to find her father in Washington, but she has no money for a train ticket, so sneaks on board one of the empty storage compartments of a train that is about to depart, yet the compartment isn't empty...there are others inside, several down and out men on their luck who also use the compartments of trains as free rides on the railroad system...one of the men is Harry, who later befriends her and helps her out later on.

Natty's rail rides, of which there are many, aren't smooth sailing by any means. On one such trip, the train derails and explodes, yet Natty makes it to safety...as well as another passenger...the wolf who was hidden in another compartment of the train. Natty is now in the middle of nowhere in a heavily forested area, having no idea where she is, yet she begins to walk her way...following her is the wolf. At one point a heavy rainstorm begins and she seeks cover in a small cave....it's not empty. The wolf has also taken refuge there. She talks out loud to the wolf..daring him to do what he will such as kill her, but tells the wolf that no way is she going out in the pouring rain. They eye each other cautiously ...the wolf as he is not sure of her, as he had been abused all his life under the ownership of his human master for dog fights, and she due to not trusting him, simply because he is a wild untamed wolf. Ironically, the next morning she wakes up, right next to the wolf that has used his body to keep her warm during the night while she slept. Thus a strong bond now occurs between the wolf and Natty and is to become her protector.

There are other dangers that Natty faces. Such as arriving at one town where she hooks up with some deadbeats who hang out together and make a life out of stealing. To prove her "worth" to she must try to persuade a gigantic cow that is in a fenced in area to go inside the waiting truck that the other members of the gang have, and which they wish to steal the cow. Once the cow is locked in the truck, the gang speeds off as an approaching cops car arrives....but they leave Natty behind, she is seized and taken to an orphanage and the wolf is also caught and trapped in a crate and hauled off supposedly to be killed off. Natty, as ever being clever manages to escape the orphanage and tracks to where the wolf was taken, which is to the local blacksmith, who turns out to be a kindly man, who didn't kill the wolf, and Natty and the wolf are reunited. The blacksmith helps her out by giving her some food and money to continue on with her journey.

Meantime word gets to Natty's father, Sol, of the train crash where Natty's wallet was found...he is led to believe that she died in the fire after the train exploded. Believing he has nothing to live for now....his wife gone, and now Natty, he volunteers himself in some of the more dangerous aspects of the timber industry...jobs where most men die. Little does he know, that Natty is not far away...but he takes on a job that includes dynamiting an area of land. Just as Natty is almost at her destination, she hears a terrible explosion of the dynamite having been set off.
For the answers as to whether Natty's father is alive or dead and is reunited with him you'll just have to see the movie....a winner in my eyes. Oh, and yes, you just might need tissues on hand.

The music is memorable as it was written by one of the all time great movie soundtrack composers, James Horner (Glory, Braveheart, Titanic, etc)
Cast:

Natty Gann - Meredith Salenge
Harry - John Cusack
Sol Gann -Ray Wise
Connie- Lainie Kazan
Sherman - Scatman Crothers
Wolf -- Jed (also was the wolf in White Fang)

Directed by Jeremy Kagan
Music by James Horner

Movie Review: Bell, Book and Candle: An Old-Fashioned Love Story with a Twist

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~7/9/2009)

ABSTRACT: Bell, Book, and Candle is a great old-time movie with a great cast and a must see.

CONTENT: (©Nov 15, 2008~Ciao-originally published at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)

The 1958 movie Bell, Book, and Candle is one of those good old fashioned, delightful romantic comedies and stars a real stellar cast.

Plot

Bell, Book and Candle is one of those classic old fashioned type love stories wit a bit of a twist. I say a twist as most of the characters in the movie are witches.The movie takes place in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, an area that has always had a reputation for the free-spirited artistic type people living there. Being that this movie takes place in the late 1950s, many of the "artistic" type would be classified as "beatniks", sort of the precursor of the later hippies.

Shep Henderson is a rather ordinary man who is a publisher who one day by accident (or was it an accident?) makes a stop by an artist's gallery owned by Gillian where he needs to make a phone call. Not trying to be nosy, yet she is, Gillian overhears to whom Shep is talking to, none other than an old rival of hers, Merle, who it turns out is now Shep' s fiancée. That gets the ball rolling as she can' t stand the idea of her old rival finding love in her life, and she decides to cast a spell on Shep to make him fall in love with her and she gets help in casting her spell by using her Siamese cat named Pyewacket. There is one hiccup in her plan however. One of the rules is that once a witch falls in love, they will lose any magical powers that they have and become an ordinary person without any powers at all and worse she could lose her familiar, Pyewacket.

As you can guess, Shep does indeed fall in love with Gillian, in fact he's nearly obsessed with her, and she now starts revealing herself as a witch, not only that but she introduces him to a whole array of witches, including her brother Nicky and her Aunt who routinely hang out in a local jazz type nightclub and pub where Nicky plays in the band.

Throughout most of the movie it's only Shep who is madly in loves with Gillian, while Gillian guards her emotions and isn't in love with him, he is just a pawn in her plans to get even with her old rival Merle. But what happens?
Is Shep turned off by the whole concept of witchcraft and witches or is he fascinated by it? Does Gillian indeed fall in love? Does she loose not only her powers, but her faithful familiar Pyewacket? For that you have to watch the movie.

Comments/Opinions

This is probably one of the few movies that depicts witches in a good vein, rather than as old hags with long crooked noses and fingers, with warts on their faces or green skin, as is the usual case..think of the Wicked Witch of The West and that is how most female witches have always depicted. Instead you have a female witch as played by the alluring and rather seductive beautiful actress Kim Novak. I also can't help wonder if Novak's character may have been the inspiration for another female witch character with many of the same characteristics, and also had the name Gillian. I'm speaking of the character Gillian played by Nicole Kidman in the 1998 movie Practical Magic. Another similarity is that in Practical Magic, due to an old spell cast by their ancestor Marie, the Owens women (the main characters of the story) can never fall in love, for if they do, their man is sure to die. Yes, a little bit of a twist there, but some of the same ideas as from Bell, Book and Candle.

Another plus is that shows those who are practitioners of witchcraft where there are no "evil" spells being cast against someone. No one in this movie is casting a spell to harm someone or cause someone's death as too many witchcraft genre movies do. In fact, for such an old time movie, it's one of the few that more or less go with the concepts of those who follow the Pagan/Wicca path of life.

As a personal note, whenever someone sees my user name "Pyewacket" which I practically use everywhere, I inevitably get asked, "Oh, your name is like the cat in the movie, Bell, Book and Candle." Actually, I picked that user name long before I even had my own computer and was using the computers in the library. When it came time to think of an easy user name to remember, yes I did pick Pyewacket, not so much due to the movie, but do happen to have a black cat, named, as you can guess Pyewacket.

As a bit of historical trivia, the name Pyewacket, actually predates the movie Bell, Book and Candle by a real long shot and dates back to the Medieval England days. The name was usually associated with witches who had a black cat, as traditionally, Pyewacket was always the name of black cats, rather than like the Siamese one in Bell, Book and Candle.

I absolutely love this movie and usually make it one of my Halloween movie traditions to watch each year. It's sweet, charming and a good old fashioned Hollywood type love story that was so popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. They rarely make movies like this anymore.

I would rate this movie 9 out of 10 for the brilliant storyline, it's comical nature, good old fashioned fun to watch, and a magnificent cast of characters and actors. A real must see movie.

Cast

Shep Henderson........James Stewart
Gillian Holroyd.............Kim Novak
Nicky Holroyd...............Jack Lemmon
Aunt Queenie Holroyd..Elsa Lancheste
Sidney Redlitch...........Ernie Kovacs
Merle Kittridge..............Janice Rule
Directed by Richard Quine
Music by George Duning
Running Time: 106 minutes
Written by Daniel Taradash
Based on the play by John Van Druten

Video clip from Bell, Book And Candle~the "spell" scene Scene from Bell, Book And Candle

Movie Review: Titanic: One of the Greatest Epic Movies of All Time

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~6/26/2009)

ABSTRACT: While this movie has fictional elements to it, it gives a very graphic depiction of the sinking of the Titanic

CONTENT:

(©Feb 25, 2009~Also appeared at Ciao under my pen-name of pyewacket)

I have to confess, I hadn't watched this movie in quite awhile, but then something prompted me to watch it again. Perhaps it was due to the fact, that one of the nominees for the recent Academy Awards was Kate Winslet who played Rose Dawson in this Titanic movie. I had truly forgotten just how spectacular this movie was and ever so enjoyed watching it all over again. This movie is epic in every sense and won a whole host of Oscars, including Best Picture, and it was a well deserved win.

Historical Background For The Movie

As everyone knows, Titanic was an actual ship, a ship that was supposedly designed and built to be unsinkable, and made its maiden voyage across the Atlantic in April of 1912, however, en route the ship hit an iceberg on April 14th and in only less than three hours completely sank. Since the ship had been deemed unsinkable, the ship's builders for the White Star line of whom the Titanic was owned felt that there was no need to have enough survival ships should the worse happen, and due to this, over 1,500 people, mainly the poorer class members of steerage were drowned, however, some of the richer class members were to perish as well, including some notables such as millionaires, John Astor, and Benjamin Guggenheim.

Plot

The movie Titanic begins with a treasure hunter, Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton), who is not only obsessed with finding Titanic, but whose main hope is to find the fabled Heart of the Ocean necklace that costs millions and believed to have been one of the many valuable treasures that sunk beneath the waters when Titanic sunk on that fateful night. After much underwater searching via mechanical underwater type robots, he and his crew are lucky to find the safe that supposedly holds the diamond, but when it is retrieved from the ocean, opened and searched it's not there. The only thing inside are water-logged stacks of money and a drawing. A drawing of a nude woman lying on a couch wearing the exact same diamond he is searching for. By strange chance of fate, as the TV news is relating the find, and showing the drawing, it captures the attention of a quite elderly woman...the woman turns out to be the older version of one of the main characters of this movie and was one of the survivors of the Titanic disaster....Her name now is known as Rose Dawson and she manages to get in contact with Brock Paxton on board his ship, and he asks her, if she knew who the woman in the drawing was, and she answers him "Why it's me." Interested Brock makes arrangements for Rose and her grand-daughter to come on board his ship, so she can relate the story and the events that took place on Titanic.

As a young woman she was known as, Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), a young woman of upper class and is the finance of Cal Hockley (Billy Zane), a smug arrogant rich man of whom Rose doesn't really love, but is pressured by her mother to marry to keep the "good" name of Bukater in the upper social ring. Rose's character is somewhat near kin to a liberated woman. She hates the whole phoniness and pretense of high society. So distraught, one night she races out from the dining hall and to the stern of the ship with the intention of hurling herself overboard. She is stopped by Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a poor member from the steerage deck who convinces her that killing herself is not the answer to her problems.

The next day, Rose "formally" wishes to thank Jack, but while talking finds his manners rather brass and crude, in anger she grabs a drawing pad that Jack is carrying and she starts examining the pencil drawings he has done and finds them to be exquisitely done, as she has a love for art herself. She is now rather intrigued by Jack and wants to learn more about his rather vagabond travels, and as you can surmise, she begins to become attracted to Jack and finds his candor, and honesty a fresh breath of life as opposed to the stuffy, self-centered world that her rich fiancé belongs to.

Do Jack and Rose fall in love? Does Jack or Rose survive the sinking of Titanic? What happens to Cal? Rose's mother? What really happened to that necklace, the Heart of the Ocean? For this you'll have to see the movie as I won't get away any further details of the movie and you'll just have to see it yourself.
Opinions And Thoughts
This is movie making at it's greatest, a real genuine epic. There actually have been underwater hunts to find the remains of the Titanic, and the movie-set version of the ship was painstakingly recreated to exacting detail from original drawings of the ship. Every time I see the "movie-set" version of the ship and how it must have looked like I can't help thinking to myself, they sure don't build luxury liners as beautiful as this anymore.

While the movie does mainly center around a fictional love story, it's director, John Cameron, also depicts the rather grim reality of the actual sinking of the ship, the horror of people trying to save themselves from being drowned to death, and of the reality of how many lives were lost on that fateful day.

Cameron is great in depicting the "mood" for the movie, and by that I mean how important the class system of society was of the time, from the rather snooty, snobby viewpoint of the upper class toward anyone of the lower classes that were treated as less than human. Cameron also gives a true sense of the elegance of the upper decks reserved only for the rich, such as the exquisite dining room, and thanks to painstaking research, gives brilliant detail of replicas of even something as simple as the tablecloths, dinnerware, flatware used for the actual ship. He shows the beauty and the grandeur of the master suites for the rich which even includes fireplaces in each room. Then he is brilliant in showing the opposite, that is, the bleakness of the steerage decks where the sleeping quarters are claustrophobically small and cramped and are rat infested.

If I were to rate this movie it would be a 10+++++
Do I love this movie? In one word. YES.
This is movie making at it's glorious best and a not to be missed movie. The soundtrack is composed by one of my favorites, that is James Horner, famous for the soundtracks of Glory, and Braveheart and many more

Rose DeWitt Bukater.....Kate Winslet
Jack Dawson..................Leonardo DiCaprio
Cal Hockley....................Billy Zane
Ruth DeWitt Bukater.....Frances Fisher
Old Rose..........................Gloria Stuart
Captain Smith.................Bernard Hill

(and many more!)

Directed by James Cameron
Written by James Cameron
Music by James Horner
Running Time: 195 minutes