My friend Michael turned me on to this show, which has just been added to Hulu. It's Joan River's 1968 syndicated talk show. Each half hour episode featured a different subject ranging from men's shirts to boating safety and included a monologue on the subject, an expert and a celebrity guest. Guests included June Havoc, Shecky Green, Joel Gray, Donald Pleasence and in the episode below, Lily Tomlin.
This episode covers the subject of stand-up comedy and how new talent is nurtured in the business. Lily Tomlin was then playing in night clubs in the village and had yet to break out on Laugh In. There are lots of episodes to choose from over at Hulu, I recommend the show for it's curious, sixties TV quality and the opportunity to see Joan Rivers and her celebrity guests back then.
Obscurity factor: 9 (largely forgotten, not on DVD, available on Hulu)
Showing posts with label Joan Rivers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joan Rivers. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer (1968)
Obscurity factor: 1
On a beautiful, mid-summer day Ned Merrill (Lancaster) emerges from the woods, wearing nothing but swimming trunks, at the home of the Westerhazys. He's given a warm reception and offered a drink. As he sits there talking, he realizes that, thanks to a string of swimming pools that stretch across the county, he can swim the 8 miles back to his home. He's very pleased with this idea, and leaves the Westerhazys to attempt to do just that. As he goes from house to house, he encounters friends and parties and an increasing sense of something gone awry in his life. His memory fails him as he hears hints of his misfortunes and what began as innocent fun becomes an obligation that Ned can't abandon.
This film, based on a short story by John Cheever, is a surreal journey from youth and innocence to disillusioned middle age. It explores how we get our identities from social status, wealth and relationships. Once you see this film, it's difficult to forget because of the strong emotions it brings up. There are lots of cameo performances to look for - Kim Hunter, Joan Rivers, Marge Champion and John Cheever himself as a party guest.
The Swimmer was released on DVD in 2003, but is pricey on Amazon. They do have it available to watch instantly, however. The trailer for it is above, uploaded to YouTube by CyanArea. The poster is available at MoviePosterShop.com.
Obscurity factor: 1 (well known among film buffs, available on DVD, not high in general awareness)
On a beautiful, mid-summer day Ned Merrill (Lancaster) emerges from the woods, wearing nothing but swimming trunks, at the home of the Westerhazys. He's given a warm reception and offered a drink. As he sits there talking, he realizes that, thanks to a string of swimming pools that stretch across the county, he can swim the 8 miles back to his home. He's very pleased with this idea, and leaves the Westerhazys to attempt to do just that. As he goes from house to house, he encounters friends and parties and an increasing sense of something gone awry in his life. His memory fails him as he hears hints of his misfortunes and what began as innocent fun becomes an obligation that Ned can't abandon.
This film, based on a short story by John Cheever, is a surreal journey from youth and innocence to disillusioned middle age. It explores how we get our identities from social status, wealth and relationships. Once you see this film, it's difficult to forget because of the strong emotions it brings up. There are lots of cameo performances to look for - Kim Hunter, Joan Rivers, Marge Champion and John Cheever himself as a party guest.
The Swimmer was released on DVD in 2003, but is pricey on Amazon. They do have it available to watch instantly, however. The trailer for it is above, uploaded to YouTube by CyanArea. The poster is available at MoviePosterShop.com.
Obscurity factor: 1 (well known among film buffs, available on DVD, not high in general awareness)
Monday, February 14, 2011
Stockard Channing in The Girl Most Likely To (1973)
Obscurity factor: 8
Before there was Carrie and Heathers, there was this TV movie. Written in part by Joan Rivers, it tells the story of Miriam Knight, a poor, schlumpy girl who can't seem to find a boyfriend or even make platonic friends at the many colleges she attends. Her latest school is no different. She tries and tries, but can't seem to find her niche. The men she meets all play cruel tricks on her and the girls are no better. One night, after a particularly unpleasant experience, she runs away and gets into a terrible automobile accident. The plastic surgery she had to have as a result of the accident turns the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Now that she's a knockout she returns to school to reap revenge on the dolts who tortured her so. The story line isn't earth shattering but what really makes this film a gem is Ms. Channing. She throws herself into the role and goes through an amazing transformation. She starts out as a genuine ugly duckling, but the makeup is extremely subtle, and I think it's a real testament to her acting as well that she so naturally transforms herself into a credible schlub. When she's revealed after the surgery, it's as if a different actress is playing the part. It's all very impressive, especially for 70's TV. The writing is very nicely done as well. Some of the early scenes could have been extremely painful to watch, but you really get a sense of Ms. River's humor coming through. She and her co writer, Agnes Gallin are able to mix tragedy and comedy in a way that honors both and is very enjoyable. This film is choc full of recognizable faces. Look for Ed Asner, Fred Grandy, Jim Backus, Ruth McDevitt, Larry Wilcox and Annette O'Toole.
Before there was Carrie and Heathers, there was this TV movie. Written in part by Joan Rivers, it tells the story of Miriam Knight, a poor, schlumpy girl who can't seem to find a boyfriend or even make platonic friends at the many colleges she attends. Her latest school is no different. She tries and tries, but can't seem to find her niche. The men she meets all play cruel tricks on her and the girls are no better. One night, after a particularly unpleasant experience, she runs away and gets into a terrible automobile accident. The plastic surgery she had to have as a result of the accident turns the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Now that she's a knockout she returns to school to reap revenge on the dolts who tortured her so. The story line isn't earth shattering but what really makes this film a gem is Ms. Channing. She throws herself into the role and goes through an amazing transformation. She starts out as a genuine ugly duckling, but the makeup is extremely subtle, and I think it's a real testament to her acting as well that she so naturally transforms herself into a credible schlub. When she's revealed after the surgery, it's as if a different actress is playing the part. It's all very impressive, especially for 70's TV. The writing is very nicely done as well. Some of the early scenes could have been extremely painful to watch, but you really get a sense of Ms. River's humor coming through. She and her co writer, Agnes Gallin are able to mix tragedy and comedy in a way that honors both and is very enjoyable. This film is choc full of recognizable faces. Look for Ed Asner, Fred Grandy, Jim Backus, Ruth McDevitt, Larry Wilcox and Annette O'Toole.
This was a made-for-television movie and there is very little video of it available online. The clip above is the only one I could find, and doesn't even feature Ms. Channing. It's uploaded by p0dlingface. The film was released on DVD in 2005, but is currently out of print and highly collectible. The only copies on Amazon go for upwards of $75. You can, however find it on iOffer.com for a lot less.
Update: You can see the film in its entirety right here, thanks to an upload by Charles787980:
Update: You can see the film in its entirety right here, thanks to an upload by Charles787980:
Obscurity factor: 8 (on DVD, but very hard to find, not available online)
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