60th Anniversary

Day 1 (4-28-1956)

Today was the 60th anniversary of my parents' wedding. In some ways it is difficult to comprehend that my Dad has been dead for 20 years. My mom copied this with her iPad from their Wedding Album and one of my sisters emailed it to all of us.

They don't make 'em like this anymore.

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Written Saturday May 21, 2016.

Laurel & Hardy

DVD Cover

After watching several James Bond movies as well as Secret Agent/Danger Man episodes, I felt all "actioned" out. In an effort to lighten the mood, I watched some Three Stooges and Veggie Tales. But I was looking for something different.

One day at the library I found a set of Laurel & Hardy DVD: 5 volumes containing 2 disc each (10 total). They comprised a box set is entitled, "Laurel & Hardy-The Essential Collection-The Sound Shorts and Features from the Hal Roach Library."

Since I was not familiar with Laurel & Hardy, I didn't know what to expect. To my delight, I found them quite entertaining and funny. So funny that I wonder what my neighbors think of all the laughter that they probably can hear.

Note the list below shows several titles in Spanish as well as French. The foreign language versions have Laurel & Hardy actual speaking the dialogue (rather than dubbing); often some of the characters are different as well as the stories. Worth watching!

After I finished the first set (Discs 1 & 2), I watched the next set (Discs 3 & 4). I am now going through Discs 5 & 6. My favorite so far is a takeoff on Beau Geste titled Beau Hunks (a pun on a derogatory term of the time: bohunk - a contemptuous term used to refer to an unskilled foreign born laborer or a rough, stupid person). I watched this version of Laurel & Hardy join the Foreign Legion twice just because it was so entertaining!

The basic plot of many of the films is that Stan Laurel does something that inadvertently causes trouble for Oliver Hardy. Eventually, the exasperated Hardy asks Laurel, "Why don't you do something to help me?" This usually is the start of even further disaster (and hilarity). I often ask God the same question with similar results. I wonder if God watches us and laughs at us the same way we watch these old movies and laugh at the misfortune of the characters. "Ha Ha, I can't believe he just did that."

DISC 1:

• Unaccustomed As We Are (1929, 21 min.)
• Berth Marks (1929, 20 min.)
• Men o' War (1929, 20 min.)
• Perfect Day (1929, 20 min.)
• Perfect Day (1936, reissue with musical score)
• They Go Boom! (1929, 21 min.)
• The Hoose-Gow (1929, 20 min.)
• Night Owls (1930, 21 min.)
• Ladrones {Night Owls, Spanish}(1930, 37 min.)
• Blotto (1930, 27 min.) 

DISC 2:

• La Vida Nocturna {Blotto, Spanish}(1930, 40 min,)
• Brats (1937, reissue with musical score)
• Brats (1930, 21 min.)
• Below Zero (1930 (21 min.)
• Tiembla y Titubea {Below Zero, Spanish}(1930, 29 min.)
• Hog Wild (1930, 20 min.){with 2 different commentary tracks}
• The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case (1930, 31 min.)
• Nuche de Duendes {The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case & Berth Marks, Spanish}(1930, 50 min.)
• Another Fine Mess (1930, 29 min.)

+ + + + + + +

DISC 3:

• Be Big! (1931, 28 min.)
• Chickens Come Home (1931, 31 min.)
• Politiquerías {Chickens Come Home, Spanish}(1931, 57 min.)
• Laughing Gravy (1931, 32 min.)
• Les Carottiers {Be Big! & Laughing Gravy, French}(1931, 65 min.)

DISC 4: 

• Los Calaveras {Be Big! & Laughing Gravy, Spanish}(1931, 63 min.)
• Our Wife (1931, 21 min.)
• Pardon Us {Feature, extended version}(1931, 71 min.)
• Come Clean (1931, 21 min.)
• One Good Turn (1931, 21 min.)
• Beau Hunks (1931, 38 min.)

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurel_and_Hardy
http://www.laurel-and-hardy.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Hunks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Geste_(1926_film)
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/bohunk
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Written Sunday 24 April and May 1, 2016.

Leaving for Africa Soon

Good News from Father Hattie: His plans for returning to Africa are shaping up and a departure date has been set and is approaching.

Today I received an envelope in the mail with a single tiny scrap of paper without explanation (see image below).

The somewhat cryptic notice received in the mail.

Shortly after I opened the envelope, I received an email that explained things (see below).

Letter received April 18, 2016 from Fr. Hattie via email.

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As usual, I tweaked the image of the letter so that it somewhat resembles the Aerograms that he used to send (before the internet and email) when he was in Africa and India.

As you can see from the image above, Father's letters do not look like your standard email. They look different because Father types using a manual typewriter and then has someone scan the letter in order to email it.

In order to assist those who have a difficult time reading the imprints of a typewriter, my transcription of the letter is below.

My Fr. Hattie page contains a list of Father's letters I have received and transcribed over the past years. It also contains contact information for Fr. Hattie as well as how to donate to help support "his" orphans in Nsumba, Uganda.

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My dear Rick:     Peace of the Living Christ!

     Will be leaving for Africa in about 6 weeks which seem[s] to me to be about 6 years. For the past few days I've been trying to sort out what I want to take with me and what I want to leave behind. Actually, I don't own that many things, so that is not a big problem. I am allowed 50 lbs. on the plane...or pay extra. Although I could do that with the permission of the Superior, I don't like to waste money. I'm not actually worried about the actual packing, for one of the nurses will do that. It's making decisions that bother me. But, 1 thing that I WILL take along is my trusty, ancient typewriter that has almost become part of my life.

     One of our nurses will accompany me from Detroit to Boston (about 2-1/2 hours) & a young African Jesuit priest will shepherd me the rest of the way. That will be a pleasant section of the journey because I've known him since H. School & he is one of the greatest persons alive. That part of the journey will take about 18 hours with a short 2 hours' stay in Amsterdam. Then HEAVEN!!!!

    Many thanks for your magnificent Gift of $$$ for our orphans (March/April), appreciated more than you know.

    Wanna come along to see an entirely & different part of God's world? The African people have so much to teach our American people in general...sociability, generosity, perpetually smiling faces & friendliness. This in spite of having 1 sparse meal a day & little else to call their own.

    By the way, just continue to send your Gifts to Sr. Christine. She will mail (Email) the info to me and I shall thank you from Africa & you will be able to prove that you have a good friend in Africa.

    Be sure that you and all of your Clan will have a special remembrance in my daily Mass & prayers. In the meantime, keep smiling & spreading His & Her love, peace and joy all over W. Hartford.

Tons of love & gratitude,                                          

Fr. Gene S.J.                                     

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogram
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/p/letters-from-fr-hattie.html
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Written Saturday 30 April and May 7, 2016

You Only Live Twice

Movie Poster

I continued my James Bond movie viewing in the order of their release with the fifth movie in the series: You Only Live Twice. Once again, I borrowed this from my local public library. (Actually, they originally did not have this as part of their collection but purchased it after I donated $ and suggested this title as an acquisition). This DVD is not the latest release but dates back a few years.

DVD Cover

The special features of this DVD are essentially limited to a commentary hosted by a representative of the Ian Fleming Foundation. It consists of a series of edited interview clips and anecdotes by several members of the crew and cast (but not Sean Connery). I really enjoy these background information about the movie, almost as much as the movie itself.

Like the previous movie, James Bond is killed in the only sequence but comes back from beyond to save the day (of course!). The plot is largely centered in Japan and there are several Asian beauties that swoon for Bond. Also a neat aerial dogfight sequence with Bond in a specially equipped autogyro attacked by bad guys in helicopters. Of course, there is a bang-up battle at the end to climax the movie.

In watching the movie, I realized that the tune for the title song (sung by Nancy Sinatra) has been floating around my brain for many years as an unknown melody.

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Only_Live_Twice_(film)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR9N947b3F0
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Written Saturday 23 April 2016

The Quiet Earth

I originally saw this movie (The Quiet Earth) in the theater (probably the Cedar-Lee) when it was released in 1986. It's about a man who wakes up and finds he is all alone in the world-everyone else has disappeared. Eventually, a young woman appears and life looks more optimistic. A love triangle emerges when an aborigine also appears. But the event that caused the whole of humanity to disappear (with a few exceptions) is not over and threatens their existence.

I'm not sure what made me think of this movie and track the DVD down (I borrowed it through the inter-library loan program). I have a VHS copy in my collection buried in a box in storage. I think I was feeling lonely (surprise!).

DVD Cover.

The DVD was pretty basic: Movie, trailer/preview, producer's commentary (there was also a little booklet that included an essay). No closed captions or subtitles so I had to pay close attention to hear the dialogue. The commentary was very interesting since producer Sam Pillsbury also drafted the script based on a book (by Craig Harrison). He had a lot of details about the script, the set, and production.

After 30 years it was like seeing a new movie. I didn't remember a lot of the details or the ending (shown on the DVD cover and poster above). The Quiet Earth is a thoughtful movie that I am glad I watched. While it's not an action film nor does it have cutting edge special effects (they still look good) or weird alien creatures, it raises all sorts of issues regarding sexual relations, scientific responsibility and its relationship with military power. Worth a watch if you want to stimulate your brain.

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quiet_Earth_(film)
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Written Saturday 23 April 2016