Quote of the Day- Jonathan Demme

Due to time constraints, we are publishing quotes from great movie directors on our respective blogs today. Here is one from Jonathan Demme whose film "Rachel Getting Married" got rave reviews last year:

"I don't think it's sacrilegious to remake any movie, including a good or great movie."

Hmmm......does that mean I can't question Gus Van Sant for remaking "Psycho?"_ shot for shot no less!

I am choosing Demme because I saw a great interview he gave with Werner Herzog about Herzog's latest documentary film "Encounters at the End of the World." The interview is part of a dvd extra for the film which takes a revealing look at life in Antartica.

Quote of the Week- Sean Penn

This week, we focus on two screen performers who are nominated for Oscars.

On our sister blog "Politics, Culture and Other Wastes of Time," we have a quote from Meryl Streep.

Here we have a quote from Sean Penn, arguably the Academy's front runner for his performance as gay rights activist Harvey Milk in the film "Milk:"

"I love acting, truly my favorite people are actors."

Cereals of Our Youth (Entry 5 of 11)

Apple Jacks!

Note: They actually sell this stuff on amazon.com

Note Two: This series has previously run on our sister blog "Politics, Culture and Other Wastes of Time"

Note Three: I'd write a lof effing more, but I am pressed for time.

Cinema of the Week- Film Forum in New York

Muslims have Mecca.

Buddhists have Tibet.

Southern Baptists have Lynchburg, Va.

And, film connoisseurs have The Film Forum in New York.

But, I have yet to see a film at 209 W. Houston Street.

The quintessential cinema of The Big Apple is now showing French director Chantelle Ackerman's breakthrough 1975 film "Jeanne Dielman" and the new film from director Terence Davies ("The House of Mirth") entitled "Of Time and the City."

The Film Forum is also continuing its run of the highly acclaimed film "Wendy and Lucy," which stars Michelle Williams and deals with the personal journey of an impoverished young woman and her dog.

The cinema is also showing the Mexican film "Silent Light," which got a glowing review in the political-arts magazine "The New Republic."

The Film Forum consistently changes its schedule so those living in the New York area might want to check the theatre's infoline at (212) 727-8110 before making plans to see a film there.

Political Confusion (Entry 10 of 21)

We continue one of our longest running and most popular series "Political Confusion" by asking you the blog-reader if you are a liberal/Democrat or a conservative/Republican.

In these politically confusing times when Colin Powell endorses Barack Obama and Joe Lieberman endorses John McCain, perhaps you aren't exactly sure where you stand.

When I had a political rift with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) in 2007, I asked myself some deep questions and realized there was no effing way I could join the likes of George W. Bush and Fred Thompson and those other vampires in the Republican Party.

So, to clear your own mind, we are asking yet another simple question:

"In your mind, would you like to see a Supreme Court which reflects American society in terms of race, age and gender or would you prefer to see eight white guys who are as old as Milton Berle* plus Clarence Thomas on the court instead?"

*- Just for the record, I know Uncle Miltie is actually dead! But, I did not know that Berle (1908-2002) actually outlived Imogene Coca (1908-2001) until tonight!

NOTICE: We initially promised to have a seven-entry blogathon today, but there are papers to grade and magazines to read. I can't believe that in these economic times, I somehow decided I needed to have five subscriptions! Needless to say, "National Review" is not one of them.......!

Village Voice Names Wall-E Film of the Year

Normally, our Top Ten lists run on "Politics, Culture and Other Wastes of Time" and "The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" runs here, but I effed things up (this marks the third consecutive blog entry where I've used a derivative of the verb eff).

Today's star was Imogene Coca, who is dead.

Here are the Top 10 Films of the Year, according to the always hip/suave "LA Weekly/Village Voice" poll which includes the participation of esteemed critics like J. Hoberman and Nathan Lee:


1. "Wall-E"*

2. "The Flight of the Red Balloon" (France)*

3. "Happy Go Lucky"

4. "Still Life" (China)

5. "A Christmas Tale" (France)

6. "Waltz with Bashir" (Israel)

7. "Milk"*

8. "Wendy and Lucy"

9. "Let the Right One In" (Sweden)*

10. "Synecdoche, New York"

Facebook Friend of the Week- Patrick Dawkins

This is my second entry which features a family member. It may be hard to believe that someone with the last name of Gokbudak and someone with the last name of Dawkins are first cousin but this is the world we now live in!

Patrick Dawkins is a freshman at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.

He was born two days after my 19th birthday on March 6, 1989.

My alma mater Radford University plays his school in Rock Hill on Feb. 2.

Last night, we defeated our arch rivals Liberty University of Lynchburg, Va., by a 94-82 count in double overtime (Yay!). The assistant coach of Radford U is my friend Ali Ton.

As for Patrick, he is a fan of McAlister's Deli in Rock Hill and he is a member of WU Amnesty International.

Patrick is one of 45 cousins on my mom's side........ok, that's an exaggeration, but not by much!

This picture is of the WU mascot (the eagle) meeting with the Oregon University (the duck) mascot during an NCAA men's basketball game. The effing ducks won this particular game!

Songs of Our Youth (4 of 11)

"Eat It" by Weird Al Yankovic.

We know the pictured food is some sort of fried fish. We don't recommend eating it if you just had triple-bypass heart surgery.

With this entry, our blogathon is now underway, though at the moment I really need to get some effing sleep.

Coming Sunday Blogathon......

I am getting a bit far behind on this here blog, so I've decided to have a Sunday blogathon at some point during the day to catch up.....I need to find a sponsor perhaps I can go with the Greensboro, NC newspaper "Yes Weekly."

Bring your own popcorn and pretzels!

Quote of the Week Special Edition- Richard Nixon

"A man is not finished when he is defeated. He finished when he quits," Richard M. Nixon.

I heard a great hour-long documentary about the 1968 presidential election on NPR last night!

Of course, everyone knows there is the new movie "Frost/Nixon," which my friend Mark Burger, a film critic in Winston-Salem, NC, who writes columns for "Yes Weekly!" has called the best film of the year!

Quote of the Week- Barack Obama

Today, we honor our new president, whom I proudly voted for, with one of his quotes:

"Americans....still believe in an America where anything's possible- they just don't think their leaders do."

Political Confusion Test (9 of 21)

Today, we ask a very simple question to help you better determine if you are a conservative or a liberal.

Are you the type of person who is more inclined to think "What Would Jesus Do?" or (like me) or you more inclined to think "What Would Woody Do?"......his personal life aside!

We gather Allen's new film "Vicky Christie Barcelona" is coming out on dvd soon. As for JC, Mel Gibson's bloody epic, which right wingers took their kids to see?!, "The Passion of the Christ" has been out on dvd for some time!

Also, look for Woody Allen in the PBS show "Make 'Em Laugh" which I will alas not be able to watch!

Things Have Been a Bit Zany Lately

I just wanted to pass along a simple explanation as to why I've been posting less regularly. I would write more, but I have a class to teach here in Berryville, Va. (not where I actually teach, but close enough!) in about an hour.

I know there is a production of "One Flew Over a Cuckoo's Test" at Triad Stage in Greensboro, NC, some time this summer.......

We will have more info about that as the time of the production approaches.

Cinema of the Week- Colonial Theatre in Belfast, Maine

After a substantial absence, we return with our "Cinema of the Week" series. Today, we focus on The Colonial Theatre in Belfast, Maine, which I was privaledged to visit back in the summer of 2007.

Currently, the cinema is showing "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Bedtime Stories" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

The Colonial is located in downtown Belfast at 163 High Street. The showtime line for the cinema is (207) 338-1930.

The cinema opened in 1912 on the same day the Titanic set sail. A fire destroyed the original building in 1923, but it was rebuilt in 1924.

The Colonial is an art-deco style cinema, which was renovated in 1995. And, for good measure, an elephant from Perry's Nut House was placed on top of the building in
1997.

Songs of Our Youth (Entry 3 of 12)

"Our House (In the Middle of Our Street)" by Madness

This is NOT my house.

Apparently, Madness (1980-86) is reuniting and scheduling a brief tour in the UK some time this year.

Songs of Our Youth- "Vacation" by The Go-Gos

Facebook Friend of the Week-Ugur Celikkol

This week's Facebook Friend of the Week is my good friend Ugur Celikkol from Bursa, Turkey.

Ugur, who is 35, has a birthday on June 30. He has 173 Facebook friends, and his hobbies include traveling, following the local soccer team BursaSpor and Karagoz/Hacivat puppet theatre (shown here).

Ugur is a travel agent who also runs an antique shop with his father and uncle in the historic/cultural district of Bursa near the Ulu Mosque.

He was kind enough to wish me a Happy New Year, and I thank him for that.

This entry presumably marks our 100th blog entry with The Daily Vampire.


Previous Facebook Friends of the Week:

Shannon Sturgis (my cousin)_ St. Louis, Mo.

Leigh-Anne Keatts_ Blacksburg, Va.

CeCe Bell_ Christiansburg, Va.

Rick Huddle_ Portland, Ore.

Marina Alexopoulos_ Rhodes, Greece


Useful Links:

http://www.karagoztravel.com
http://www.karagozshop.com
http://www.allabouturkey.com/karagoz.htm

Quote of the Week-Mick Jagger

"Anarchy is the only Slight glimmer of hope."


Check out a quote from this "Dancing in the Streets" co-star David Bowie on our sister blog "Politics, Culture and Other Wastes of Time."

Six Degrees of Separation_ Rodney Dangerfield (Entry 5 of 11)

Since we featured Chevy Chase for our last entry, we will turn to his "Caddyshack" golf partner the late Rodney Dangerfield (1921-2004) for today's entry which shows the degrees of separation a given star has from Kevin Bacon.

We are, of course (don't tell anyone), borrowing this from the oracleofbacon.org

The man who got 'no respect' was in "Back to School" (1986) with Burt Young who was in "New York, I Love You" (2008) with Bacon.

Upcoming entries in this series will include Turhan Bey and Rin Tin Tin........!

"Caddyshack" airs at 8 p.m. on January 8 (Thursday) on AMC.

Know Your Congress Reps and Senators (Entry 8 of 21)

Today we continue my nonpartisan blog series* on congressional reps and Senators.

I was struck by comments Cong. Peter King (R-NY) made about the need for the Republican Party to become more moderate. Today, King whose district includes Nassau County (Long Island) is one of three remaining members of Congress (of 29) from The Empire State.

King, 64, is the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee and he also serves on the Financial Services Committee. He is the co-author of the Border Protection, Anti-terrorim and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 (whew, that is a mouthful!).

King, who is in his eighth term, has also written several published novels, including "Deliver Us from Evil" and "Vale of Tears."

Our last entry was the last one in this series that was presented in quiz form (ok, so it was a bad idea!). The answer was Cong. Bobby Scott (D-Va).

*-Though this series is non-partisan, I make no secret of the fact that I am a Democrat. Newly elected congressional rep Tom Perriello (D-Va) was named Person of the Year on my other blog Politics, Culture and Other Wastes of Time. He pulled off a major upset over Cong. Virgil Goode (R-Va). The difference in the election was a mere 727 votes!