The Village of the Damned (1960)

A creepy little horror flick from England based on John Wyndham's 1957 novel The Midwich Cuckoos. In the village of Midwich all the inhabitants inexplicably blackout for a period of five hours. They wake up unharmed except that every fertile woman in the village is impregnated. When the children are born they turn out to be creepy little blonde Nazis with the ability to read minds and the ability to control adults. George Sanders plays a man initially curious and supportive of the other-worldly children, but also the man who must eventually save the day. All in all, a suspenseful film, and a great example of the stiff-upper-lip British horror film. While these children are ravaging the village, the villagers always dress impeccably, drink tea at the proper hour, and thoroughly and calmly analyze the situation.

Shameless Plug

This blog has always only been about what I read and watch, and not about what I write and do. But I am also a writer, and while I wouldn't normally post anything here regarding my writing, I am posting this because I am up for an award. Short version: I am trolling for votes.

My novella "The Girl With a Clock for a Heart" is up for a spinetingler award. You can both read the story and vote for the story by going here.

You can also read the story on my website: peter-swanson.com

Film Frames Friday

Hint: It's about time.

George Tooker, 1920 - 2011

One of my favorite contemporary artists, who died this week in Vermont. The middle painting is a self-portrait.

Actors with Cats

Slow news day today. But I'm not afraid to admit that I've always had a soft spot for pictures of celebrities with their pets. So in honor of absolutely nothing, here are actors and their cats.

Mary Pickford

Susan Hayward

Clark Gable and Carole Lombard

Grace Kelly

Audrey Hepburn

Laurence Olivier

Liz Taylor

John Cassavettes

Errol Flynn

Peter Lorre

Claudia Cardinale

Farley Granger, 1925 - 2011

Poetry Monday

Careena Melia as Hecate in Sleep No More

Went to see Sleep No More this weekend in New York City. I'd seen this play (well, more of an immersive play-like experience of Macbeth) before in Boston, but it was just as amazing the second time through, and because the audience is free to walk through the forty-plus rooms of the play at will I saw all sorts of parts I hadn't seen before. The best scene I saw was the character of Hecate (brilliantly played by Careena Melia) lip-syching along to Leiber and Stoller's "Is That All There Is." It was like standing in the middle of David Lynch film. So for today's poem I present the chilling lyrics by Jerry Leiber:

I remember when I was a very little girl, our house caught on fire.
I'll never forget the look on my father's face as he gathered me up
in his arms and raced through the burning building out to the pavement.
I stood there shivering in my pajamas and watched the whole world go up in flames.
And when it was all over I said to myself, "Is that all there is to a fire?"

Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is.

And when I was 12 years old, my father took me to the circus, the greatest show on earth.
There were clowns and elephants and dancing bears
And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads.
And as I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle
I had the feeling that something was missing.
I don't know what, but when it was over,
I said to myself, "Is that all there is to a circus?"

Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is.

Then I fell in love, with the most wonderful boy in the world.
We would take long walks by the river or just sit for hours gazing into each other's eyes.
We were so very much in love.
Then one day, he went away. And I thought I'd die -- but I didn't. 
And when I didn't I said to myself, "Is that all there is to love?"

Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing.

I know what you must be saying to yourselves.
If that's the way she feels about it why doesn't she just end it all?
Oh, no. Not me. I'm in no hurry for that final disappointment.
For I know just as well as I'm standing here talking to you,
when that final moment comes and I'm breathing my lst breath, I'll be saying to myself,

Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is.