Snoopy's Reunion

Charles M. Schulz, the creator of the popular comic strip, Peanuts was simply put, a literary genius. I can think of few artists who had the impact of Schulz. The television specials of Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy and the rest of the gang are legendary. From the Great Pumpkin to the Christmas Story, most of us have lived and grown up watching the enduring stories of Charlie Brown. Thankfully a long time favorite Snoopy’s Reunion, along with special features including Flashbeagle and a documentary of the original voices of Charlie Brown make a wonderful package in a newly mastered DVD. I was anxious to watch the DVD, and found myself enjoying not only these older stories, but especially the documentary of the original cast members’ reunion at Com Con.

The remastered version of this DVD is exceptional and while the older animation styles may not blow everyone away, the originality of story will keep each fan of Peanuts happy. One of the benefits of the extra features is the discovery of the techniques used by Schulz and legendary director Bill Melendez. The ability to find and direct children in the original roles was genius. Despite originally being told that the use of non actor children wouldn’t work, Melendez and Schulz understood the importance of portraying the innocence of children. It was in their portrayal of the innocence of children that we all discovered something about the truths evident in life, not just for children, but adults through the stories of Charlie Brown and his friends.

In the stories presented on the DVD we have an exploration of Snoopy. We find out about this self-centered, yet, loving little beagle, from his past to the importance of being himself. In many ways we see our own stories, our own struggles and that is a part of the beauty of the characters created by Schulz. We all try to be something we aren’t at times, and it is when we find ourselves that we find our ability to be effective.

Snoopy goes through the struggles of losing family, and yet through those struggles also finding out what is really important to him. He like many of us has to find himself and the struggle of finding oneself is one that can be a lifelong challenge. The simple conclusions that Snoopy, and the other characters come to are a part of the beauty of these stories. It is in trying to be like others that we often lose sight of who we really are. It isn’t in becoming like others that we find our meaning, it is in finding ourselves. It is amazing at what a little beagle, names Snoopy can teach us in those regards.

Charles Schulz was a deeply spiritual man, especially so in his earlier years. He approached faith from a realistic and often times humanistic perspective. He openly admitted using the themes of his faith in his characters and in his stories. Many of those simple themes of love of family, respect for authority, and others are addressed here as well as through the characters of Snoopy and his family.

I enjoyed this DVD. Surprisingly, my favorite part of the DVD wasn’t so much the stories but the documentary that explored the lives and attitudes of the original characters who portrayed the voices of Charlie Brown on the television shows. Getting to see the faces behind the characters was a rarity that I had personally not experienced. Don’t get me wrong, the background stories of Snoopy were entertaining and enjoyable, but my favorite part of Peanuts was always Charlie Brown. Snoopy was a character that I didn’t find as enjoyable due to his lack of humility. The background of how he came to be Charlie Brown’s dog was enjoyable and actually quite entertaining.

At regular purchase prices, this DVD may be a little disappointing for some unless they are a pure fan of the comic strip. It is short in duration and don’t really fit the criteria for me for ownership due to the lack of time and special features. Yet it would be a very worthwhile rental. If you have fans of the comic in your family, or if you want to teach the importance of family to your children, this could be a video worth owning. That value of family is an attribute well worth teaching to. This video could compliment this concept, and the simplicity of story used by Charles Schulz is well done. We don’t always need complicated story to teach important lessons. Schulz understood that, and I for one am grateful for his contribution.

The following is a video clip from the DVD, just click on the video, if the video don't appear, just click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq7oDiWkuUg


The following features the other feature on the DVD, Flashbeagle. A long-time fan favorite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO6ccX90HNI




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An Interview with Christian Music Legend Pat Terry

I recently reviewed the album, Laugh for a Million Years recorded by Pat Terry. Pat is one of the pioneers of Christian music, but he may be better known in the non Christian world for the songs he has written. I had the opportunity to ask Pat a few questions and what follows is that interview in its entirety, without edit. Pat says some incredible things here, things I have personally heard some of those early pioneers of the so called “Christian Music” genera communicate before. Read, enjoy, and think about the things Pat shares here, there is a lot to learn from our past and those that paved the path, we could hear from few who knows as much about this as Pat Terry.

MF: Laugh For A Million Years sounds a lot like it was written for Mark Heard. Can you tell us about this song?

PT: "Laugh For A Million Years" was written not long after Mark died, and I performed it at his memorial service in Nashville. It's my tribute to him, and to everyone who dreams big.

MF: Can you say anything about the dedication to Mark and Randy?

PT: As for my album's dedication, I don't really have much to add. I hope the dedication will speak for itself. Both Mark and Randy encouraged me greatly, and indeed Randy was quite insistent over the years that I do this album. They were such wonderful friends and are greatly missed.

MF: You were always known for your writing from both a musical and lyrical perspective. How do you marry the two concepts?

PT: By definition songs are marriages of music and lyrics, so it’s something I think about a lot. The process of writing songs is such an interesting thing to me. Sometimes it feels like it’s something that’s going on outside yourself, and you’re just kind of an antenna, picking it up and writing it down. And other times it’s a struggle, where you’re wrestling an idea to the ground. I used to write very quickly and didn’t do a lot of re-writing or editing of lyrics. But as time has gone on, I’ve discovered that if you give a song a little time, get away from it for a while, and then come back, you’ll often find areas that are close but not quite right. Maybe it’s just a word that’s throwing things off, or maybe one or two lines that seem slightly disconnected. If you hang in there with it, and don’t rush it, you’ll often get something better and more real. With that in mind, fine-tuning a lyric is something I spend a lot of time on these days. Interestingly enough, I’ve learned that it’s usually more important what I take out of a lyric than what I put in.

MF: You are one of the originals in the CCM market, it has changed quite a bit since the 1970’s, what are your thoughts on the music then and now?

PT: Well, I haven’t worked much at all in Christian Music since 1984 when I released my last album for Myrrh records, so I’m not intimately acquainted with a lot of what’s gone on since that time. But back in the early seventies, I can tell you that most of us who were beginning to make records for Christian labels weren’t thinking about music in terms of a market. We were just writing from the overflow of a newfound Christian experience, and I think you hear that in the music. It was heartfelt and fresh, and it had kind of a hippie, counter-cultural attitude too, that certainly wasn’t anti-church, but it was shaking up conventional ideas about church so it felt a bit radical. We had just come out of the sixties, so for music to have a bit of that radical edge to it was nothing too unusual. It was the fact that it was Christian young people making these records and listening to them that was so different. Eventually though, the labels started marketing campaigns that targeted primarily Christians, and pretty soon this music that seemed so alternative just became the new gospel music. From what I can see that’s pretty much what CCM music is today. I can appreciate some of that, and I actually like some traditional gospel music a lot, but I’m one who believes that musicians with a personal faith shouldn’t feel like church oriented music is the only avenue worth taking.

I’m really impressed by the number of younger artists these days who don’t connect themselves with the CCM industry side of things, but whose faith is informing their work. They’re avoiding a lot of the stereotypes that have been an uphill battle for a lot of Christian artists, and are being taken more seriously artistically, which is great to see. I hope church leadership can see the value in this kind of expression and be supportive without insisting on owning it collectively, because the artists need the support of their church families, but they don’t need the added pressure of conforming to evangelical cultural standards that aren’t always helpful when it comes to developing artistically.

As a music fan, I wanna hear these people with real gifts do their thing, and for that to happen the artist has to be operating with a sense of freedom. Whatever is on his or her mind needs to come out. They can’t be worrying about whether it’s gonna sound like Christian radio, or whether it can be used as a lead-in for a sermon, or whatever. It just has to be what they care about, and A&R departments, or church ministers, or even audiences, can’t tell the artist what that is and what it’s supposed to sound like. Real artists have their own way of expressing themselves and it’s that uniqueness that usually cuts through all the mediocrity out there and connects. It’s rare to hear that in popular music these days, CCM or otherwise, but when you do it’s exciting.

MF: You have had some success writing material for other artists, especially those in the country market, are there any favorites or experiences you would be willing to share?

PT: It’s always exciting for me when someone records one of my songs, so it’s hard to choose a favorite. B.J. Thomas recorded “Home Where I Belong” way back in 1976, and it’s still one of my favorite covers. More recently, when John Anderson recorded “Jump On It”, it was especially fun because my wife and I wrote that song, so we were able to share the experience of seeing it go from our demo to John’s album. His version of that song is just so perfect, we couldn’t have been happier. And sometimes a song connects in a way that is beyond what you could’ve hoped for. Travis Tritt once told me that after his record of “Help Me Hold On” came out, he heard from a number of people who told him that song really helped them work through some difficult times in their marriage. I love that. Once a song is recorded and the artist takes it out there to his or her audience, it starts to have a life of its own, which is so great.

Really though, for me, most of the good experiences connected with my writing songs and specifically those that I wrote in Nashville over the last twenty years, are not so much related to how the songs got recorded, or even who recorded them, but in the actual writing process.

I’ve done a lot of co-writing in the songs I’ve written for country artists, and it’s that interaction with other writers that has been special for me. The first cut I got once I started spending time in Nashville was back in 1989. It was a song called “Lie To Yourself” that I wrote with Bill Lloyd, who back in those days was part of the country/rock duo “Foster & Lloyd”. They put that song on their second album, which was a great thrill for me, because I really loved what they were doing. But the best part of it was that Bill and I became fast friends during those days. He’s someone I really respect, not just because he’s an amazing talent, but he’s one of the most decent human beings you’ll ever meet. And even though he’s had a long and successful career, he still makes music for the love of it. That’s inspiring to me. Songwriting gave me that opportunity to make a great friend, and I’m glad to say that’s happened a lot. I wrote quite often with Randy Vanwarmer before he passed away back in 2004, and we really forged a great friendship through those writing sessions. I put two of our songs on my new CD. To be able to do that means more to me than any chart record.

MF: If Pat Terry had to pick out a movie, a book, and a CD or Record to have on a desert island for a year, what would they be?

PT: Movie: Duck Soup / The Marx Brothers - Because I’ve got a feeling laughing might be crucial to surviving on a desert island.

Book: The Lord Of The Rings / J.R.R. Tolkein - Because three volumes could probably be stretched out to last a year, and the fantasy aspect of it might help me forget I’m actually TRAPPED ON A DESERT ISLAND!

CD: 1 / The Beatles - This disc includes all the Beatles number one records, which only scratches the surface, but when you can only choose one CD, this'll work. People who know me understand my inability to choose anything else.

MF: Pat, in the early days, it seemed as if the church and many Christians didn’t accept the direction of the “New Contemporary Christian Songs.” There were struggles you and many others went through. Many bands and Christians today seem to be ignorant of their history and the struggles. What would you tell the Christians out there doing music today is the most important lesson you learned over the years that would be of benefit today?

PT: That’s a hard question to answer, because frankly I have a lot of mixed feelings about what came out of the things we did back in those early days. Is what we got what we really wanted? Despite the number of people who’ve responded positively to what became known as Contemporary Christian Music, there’s also the reality that as the music became more and more popular, the commercial aspects of the music business forever colored not only the music itself, but the churches that have embraced it. I get the impression that some of these congregations actually believe that the hipper and more technically advanced the presentation, the greater the potential for the working of the Holy Spirit, and I just can’t see it. It makes me sad actually. Of course, I understand, there’s something to be said for each generation reaching out to it’s own in a language that is culturally relevant, so in and of itself, it’s not wrong to want to speak in a contemporary way. But with so much emphasis on that in today’s evangelical church, I fear that what’s been created is a Christian culture that’s mastering the technical aspects of the presentation, without having much of a feel for what they’re actually communicating. Sometimes all this technicality just becomes the message, and in itself can distract people from really having an encounter with God. The concept of a “seeker service”, which seems to be what a lot of this kind of presentation is about, is interesting, but when does it cross the line from being valid communication to being manipulation? That’s what I think about. Musicians serving in that kind of atmosphere have a unique challenge, I think. And for those in the pew, who come to church needing a more intimate worship experience, I wonder if they can find it there. If I want to be wowed by hi-def video screens or hear thousands of watts of crystal clear concert sound, then I can get that at home or at an arena somewhere at a rock and roll show. In church, I want to feel that human connection and I want to get away from all the frantic bombardment of the media that we live with on a daily basis, and get quiet before God. You can be drowning in the midst of all the lights and cameras, and barely realize it’s happening until suddenly you’re gasping for air and going under. That’s why personally, I’ve come to appreciate a more liturgical form of worship. Maybe it’s not for everyone, but for someone like me, who on and off has been in and out of the mix of all this contemporary kind of christian music through the years, liturgical worship has been a spiritual lifesaver, so to speak. I suppose that’s what I’d pass along to my younger musician friends… Bigger is not always better. God still speaks in a still, small voice.

MF: While I can't find any videos of Pat, I can find a couple of the songs he stated was among his favorites covered by other artists. I am including the BJ Thomas cover of Home Where I Belong. Just double click on the video, if the video doesn't appear, just click on the link.

BJ Thomas: Home Where I belong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wQgx98jmZQ



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Pat Terry, Laugh for a Million Years

Pat Terry
Laugh for a Million Years
Horse and Sandwich Productions
http://www.patterryonline.com/

www.myspace.com/therealpatterry

Let’s just get it out on the table to start with. “Christian Music, as a general rule of thumb, SUCKS!” Whew, I just got that off of my chest, but as a long time Charter Member of the “Classic Christian Music Club,” I have paid my dues, I have earned the right to say that. I started working in Christian Music shortly after my salvation in the mid 1970’s. I promoted my first Christian Music Festival in 1978; I started working in Christian music full-time in 1983, and up until that point, had been doing reviews, promoting concerts, managing bands and much more. I worked hard in this industry; some say I was the first to put Christian bands into non Christian venues successfully. I take honor in knowing that in 1988, one of the bands I managed and worked for, The Rob Cassels Band, (AKA Rob Castles) was according to Poll-Star and Performance Magazines as the top grossing band in North America in theaters 2,500 and under, (Blue Oyster Cult was #2 and The Judd’s was #3 in that particular year.) NCM Services, the agency I managed was named as the top new agency in North America by one publication and one of the top 10 new agencies in North America in another. This not from Christian publications, but popular non Christian publications that had a dramatic impact on the industry.

Now don’t get me wrong, to say that Christian Music sucked is a general rule of thumb, not a blanket statement that included all bands, in fact, many of the early pioneers were, and continued to maintain their integrity, not just as musicians, but as people living in the real world, and living a real life. Pat Terry was among those original Christian Artists that was laced with quality through and through.

Pat Terry started out with The Pat Terry Group, one of my favorite early Christian Folk Rock Bands. Pat as it seems hadn’t been around much over the last 20+ years or so, that is unless you consider some of his work with people like Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Confederate Railroad, John Anderson, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, and the list could go on and on. The fact is, Pat Terry had inspired many contemporary legends with his songs, and with his talent. It was some years ago when watching him and his band at a concert in Upper East Tennessee that I learned to appreciate the man whose music I listened to so much on the vinyl records of the day.

A few years later I got to know one of the people Pat dedicates his new CD to, Mark Heard. Mark was another filled with quality, and to know that Pat would dedicate his first project in almost 25 years would have made him proud. Mark was one of the top song writers of all time and it is obvious when you listen to Laugh for a Million Years that these two could have been considered brothers.

I have longed for a brand new day in the world of Christians involved in music, a day where the quality and talent would shine through. Pat Terry with Laugh for a Million Years starts off in an appropriate way with a wonderful acoustic tune titled, Brand New Day. This wonderful Americana style song starts off with a riveting mandolin rift and is somewhat autobiographical. The song in a wonderful way can be listened to by the old Pat Terry fans in a way that causes them to reflect on not only the life of one like Pat, but those who enjoyed this era, and meaning seemingly lost by a new generation of musicians focused more on business than they are on meaningful songs that can touch the soul.

Laugh For A Million Years is a song that features a talented song writer. This song as many other songs on this CD will remind you of the importance of quality song writers. While this country styled song reminded me of how many in life progress and how if we aren’t careful we lose those relationships and friends. While the song addresses life, it is also filled with hope of eternity. Laugh For A Million Years is a fitting tribute to long-time friend Mark Heard.

Outrun the Wind is a simple ballad with some really nice mandolin work laced with some wonderful viola. This song reminds me a lot of the style of Mark Heard. It not only shows some quality musicianship and ability, but giftedness in the delivery of a lyric. This song, co written by Pat Terry and the late Randy Vanwarmer shows the talent of these two men. In many ways, this song is like a prayer, but not the kind we hear in church, the kind said from a sincere heart filled only with the wisdom that comes with years of life. The song beautifully illustrates the marriage that can take place between the lyric and music.

Open Windows is a song that features some really sweet production that brings out the guitar chording and keyboard/piano work. I really appreciated the crisp drum sounds on this song. Open Windows is another ballad that has a country feel to it. The song illustrates struggles and faith. It can be a reminder to all of us of the need to keep on hoping, and believing.

Jump On It is one of the first kicking tunes on the album. The tempo picks up and we can hear the versatility of Pat Terry that has existed for a number of years. The song reminded me of the new country that is out there, somewhat similar to the styles of such artists as Craig Morgan. This life affirming song drives home the importance of family. This song features some nice steel and slide guitar along with some fun piano work.

Someplace Green starts out with some nice acoustic guitar work. This allegorical song caused me to think about the complications of life. It is a reflective song using color as a metaphor. This song is really an exploration of hope. It is beautifully written and although a simple song musically, it illustrates the importance of the lyric.

If Jesus Was Like Me is one of my favorite songs on this album. This reflective song is a thoughtful exploration of who we are in comparison to Jesus Christ. In reality we can all find faults in our actions. The song builds and has a strong country feel. It seems as if Christians often have a ton of focus on themselves, yet If Jesus Was Like Me illustrates more so the accomplishments of Jesus and where we would be if we were in fact more like Jesus.

Yearning to Live starts out with some really nice guitar work. While some often reflect on the complications of the guitar, they often forget about how to play the instrument with feeling. This song illustrates the importance of using the instrument to express feeling. The song is an exploration of suicidal thoughts and the reality of a desire to live. Yearning to live builds very nicely with some nicely mixed mandolin work. The production quality is appreciated from the driving influences to the use of well crafted and mixed in supporting vocals. This song is a triumph of the spirit not just in the message content, but for those seeking hope.

The Gift of Mercy is a ballad that reminds me of an old movie by William A. Wellman titled Heroes For Sale. It is a story of tough times and bad decisions. The song understands that even though one may not be as bad as they perceive themselves to be, they still have the need for mercy and it is ultimately mercy that will be the salvation of us all. Even bad people have access to mercy. This soft ballad reminded me of some of the top Americana Artists out there, artists who have a story to tell. I love the lyrical allegory here, lines such as “Love is like a candle, blazing in the wind.” Like most of the other songs, Pat Terry is trying to get us to think, not just about the stories we hear, but the stories we have experienced.

Rivers of Hope is another song driven by lyrical content. For those who are fans of the old Pat Terry Group, you will love the harmonizing vocals here. It is extremely well crafted and understands how to get an emphasis across. Pat Terry understands the difference between religion and faith or a deep rooted spirituality. This song illustrates that difference. It illustrates how we forget to practice the things we know, things like making sure we spend time with our creator. This song helps illustrate why it is Pat Terry is so well respected among popular performers which seem to have latched on to so many of his songs. This is a song that could achieve commercial success if given the chance, but that could be said about many other songs here.

The first time I heard the song Forgiveness I was deeply moved. I had just returned from a trip to Tennessee where I had to offer forgiveness and love to a person who had sinned against me some 35 years ago. This was a sin that will impact my entire life but one I knew I had to forgive the person for because I didn’t want to be held captive to their sin. I don’t know what has happened in the life of Pat Terry to write such inspiring words, but there is an understanding on forgiveness that I have seldom heard. There are beautiful songs, memorable songs, but then there are songs that can change a life if applied. In many ways, this isn’t just a song; it is a sermon that can change lives. Forgiveness is a fitting end to a wonderful, enjoyable CD that grows and grows with each listen.

It has been far too long since Pat Terry did an album. I can only hope it isn’t as long before we hear from him again. This is an album that not only fans of Pat Terry will want, but any fan of Americana music will want. Pat Terry has had a lasting impact on the world of music, not only as one of the first Christians to popularize the style known today as Contemporary Christian Music, but as a writer who has had his songs recorded by many of the top artists in the world of Country Music. He is a musician’s musician, and a song writer’s writer. You simply can’t go wrong with this wonderful album. It is possible that Pat Terry may be the best song writer alive. In an age when Christians seem to forget about the quality God expects, it is nice to know that a few still produce quality, quality that can be appreciated not just by people who are like minded, but by anyone who enjoys a good song and a well crafted lyric.

Now coming soon will be my interview with Pat. Until then, check out the following link where you can go and listen to some of Pat's new music. www.myspace.com/therealpatterry

The following is a dedication photo to old friend Mark Heard, one of the people this CD is dedicated to.

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Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information

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Nights in Rodanthe

I am a rare kind of guy, I actually like most “chick flicks” and upon receiving Nights in Rodanthe starring Richard Gere, Diane Lane and Scott Glenn for review, not only I, was excited. My wife and I had seen previews of the story based in the Outer Banks of North Carolina when the movie was in theaters. The packaging of the DVD did little damage to our excitement. The movie in both wide screen or full screen formats allowed us to check out both forms before deciding on what format to watch.

Both Gere and Lane have on screen magic, this is the third movie together and sure enough, the two on screen is a fun to see. In Nights of Rodanthe, both Gere and Lane play characters that have had difficulty in former relationships. Gere, playing the part of Paul, is a surgeon who is so caught up in his job that he forgets about the people around him. Lane, playing the part of Adrienne is a devoted mother who has gone through a 7 month separation and divorce from her husband. One weekend while working at the bed and breakfast for her friend Adrienne meets Paul as he is a guest. Bad weather sets in, a hurricane pursues, and the two develop a relationship that goes beyond a guest host relationship, they actually get to know each other and develop a loving relationship between each other.

Technically, there is little if anything to complain about regarding this movie. Gere and Lane are as good as ever. There is a tremendous chemistry between the two actors and they are fun to watch together. The cinematography, sound, editing and everything else is wonderful. The two aspects that were incredibly pleasing was the supporting role played by Scott Glenn and the music. Glenn is a local resident who has good reason to be upset with the doctor. It has to do with the loss of his wife, and the doctor not really taking the time to get to know his patients or their families. Glen has resentment due to this and he plays the part to perfection. I would have liked to have seen more development in his role but he does a suburb job with the part.

Another aspect of the movie I greatly enjoyed was the music. Mixing in Cajun with a Blues mix there is not a bad song in the entire movie. The movie highlighted almost everything wonderful about the Outer Banks, from her people, to the music, and from the scenery to the history.

There is a part of Nights in Rodanthe that I had trouble with, it is unfortunately one of the most important parts of any movie, the story. While the story flows quite nicely, it is even fun to watch and follow, it ends horribly. I have to say, I don’t like spoiler reviews, but I disliked the ending of this movie so much that I almost posted the ending to prevent people from seeing it. One can have a great story, but how it finishes has a tremendous effect on the story as a whole.

There are lessons in the movie we can all learn from regarding parenting, marriage, family and love. In Nights in Rodanthe we see two different types of parents, a father who neglected relationship with his son, and a mother who had a bad experience with her former husband. Despite this she still tries to be the best, most loving mother she can be. She has an understanding of relationship and has learned from her experiences while Paul is still in the process of learning. As the two come together Adrienne has a lot to give, and Paul has a lot to learn. We see these two teaching each other. The willingness of a couple working together, to share in life is experienced in a short time but the movie is realistic in its portrayal. There are lessons on communication we can learn, and caring for someone is more than just a casual comment, it is listening, hearing, and reacting out to ones joys, hurts, pains and experiences. The component of relationship is presented in a positive way here. The importance of each of us being real in our relationships is also something we can all learn from, whether via love or friendship.

At this point in the movie, things were great, it is here however that we see the two separate. Paul with the blessing of Adrienne decides to go to Peru to spend time with his son who is working as a missionary doctor. He knows of the need to heal his relationship with his son, and it is a journey he must take. Over the last bit of the film we see the two continue to keep in touch via telephone calls and largely by writing letters to each other. The two grow more in love and we see another example of the potential to love. It is obvious these two have a love that goes beyond the physical or sexual desires often related to love.

It is here that I could tell how the movie goes and how its ending for me, and my wife ruined the movie, but I won’t be so cruel.

Nights in Rodanthe is a strange kind of movie, it had so much potential yet ended so miserably. Maybe it was just me so it is the one reason that will keep me from totally blasting it, I suppose there are those that will like the movie, and will like the ending. I liked the movie okay; I would have liked it more if I had turned it off about 15 minutes earlier. I could recommend giving it a shot via rental, but I would be cautious of purchasing the movie unless it has gone to the discount racks. I don’t think one would be too disappointed with a rental though so check it out if you are a fan of any of the positive things mentioned.

On a scale of 1 – 10 for the three movies Lane and Gere have done together, plus the wonderful addition of Glenn, I will take those 4 off of perfection and give Nights in Rodanthe a somewhat disappointing 6.

The following is the trailer for the movie. Just double click on the video, if the video don't appear, just click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wABFdUIIxlw


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Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume Three, William Wellman

TCM Archives
Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume Three
Six Classic provocative films directed by master filmmaker William Wellman
Other Men’s Women
The Purchase Price
Frisco Jenny
Midnight Mary
Heroes for Sale
Wild Boys of The Road
Reviewer, critic, which am I? I have often thought about this and this is what I know, I don’t especially think much of critics. I am just a regular guy who tries to give a regular take on movies, heck I don’t even know if I am a reviewer, just someone who loves talking about movies. There are benefits of that, I can find a small gem and really have a sense of excitement. When I find a large jewel it is more than excitement, it can be life changing. I have to admit, like most regular folk, I had never really heard of “Wild Bill” William Wellman. Getting the honor and privilege of reviewing Forbidden Hollywood Collection Three, I have discovered a wonderful gem that will likely change my life. While all who enjoy film, including the novice is likely familiar with his movies, William Wellman was a man that is unfortunately not known by many, and one could easily say most, of today’s movie goers are not familiar with William Wellman. That is a shame as Bill Wellman was truly one of the great film makers of all time.

The Forbidden Hollywood Collection is a series of film that was made prior to the MPAA ratings codes. When looking at the films included in Collection Three, I found myself thinking of the criticism many place on film today, the thought where individuals refer to the wholesomeness of “The Good Old Days.” Often people refer to how everything was always pro family, never had adult implications. A look of film in the early days of film can easily change that position. Filmmakers like Bill Wellman was making real life film, facing real life issues since the early days of the movies. From early on in the silent films such as Wings which won the first ever Oscar for Best Picture, to the late 1950’s, Wellman had a lasting impact on movies that will endure forever.

Born in 1896, on Leap Year Day, February 29, this film maker came onto the movie scene directly off of the battle fields of World War One where he was a decorated war pilot. He was a rare breed that believed in the war cause so much that he joined the fight early as an American by fighting for the French, and from there, would take the free spirit, fighting attitude of real life into the legendary films he would direct over the next decades, over 75 films at that.

The Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume Three, (FHCVT) is a collection of some of the lesser known films by Wellman. Their impact and riveting drama however are not lost in the production. We see some of the imagery that Wellman is noted for, from using driving rain to emphasize part of the struggle and drama, to real life scenarios between characters that could have come directly out of today’s storylines. While these films are not included in the set, some of the impact films that Wellman wrote and directed such as the tragedy of movies like A Star is Born, or the horror of war as illustrated in such films as Ernie Pyle's Story of G.I. Joe . We see those story lines and styles included in FHCVT. We also see the early development of actors like Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, James Cagney. Wellman while using Cagney in some of these films was later credited with the tough guy development of Cagney in his role in Public Enemy, but there were other contemporaries like Clint Eastwood that was highly motivated and molded by Wellman. I have to give it up for Warner Brothers and TCM as well, they have done a wonderful job at restoring the prints and we have a visually beautiful copy of films to watch, especially when considering the age of these movies.

Wellman was a true maverick, true to his values, and strongly molded from his early days as an airman. The lessons of the impact of youth are not lost in these movies. We see real life struggles yet we see that happy endings are not always to be expected. As with real life, there is often tragedy involved as a consequence of poor life decisions. While there may be an attitude of repentance, or one may seek forgiveness, there is still a price to pay for the actions of ones past. We can’t blame anyone else, and certainly not God, we only have to look in the mirror to see who the one to blame for past actions. All one can hope for is to do what they can with the remainder of their life to correct those things, knowing that there are some things that can never be corrected. William Wellman understood this, it is why his career lasted as long as it did, and why it had the impact it did.

Each of the six films in this collection is old, yet has the unique and wonderful attribute of being relevant. That isn’t all though; there is a special disk with this collection that has two features I must comment on.

Wild Bill Hollywood Maverick is a documentary that spans the career of “Wild Bill” William Wellman. Featuring numerous greats telling the story of Bill Wellman it is one of the best documentaries I have seen all year. In fact, with the exception of the second documentary on this film, The Men Who Made The Movies: William Wellman, it was the best documentary I have seen.

The Men Who Made The Movies: William Wellman, is mostly an interview with Wellman with history and film footage weaved into the interview. This is not only the best documentary I have seen this year; it is the best interview I have ever seen put on film. Wellman’s fire, spit, and directness comes across the screen right into your face. This one interview alone is well worth the total purchase price of this entire 6 DVD Collection. Don’t get me wrong, the rest of the DVD’s are exceptional, especially the special bonus features on each DVD, but this interview is exceptional.

I could go on and on, but rather than having to write more about it, I think I am going to sit down and watch some of these features again, and again, and again. It is a collection you will be glad you got if you bother to purchase it. It is indeed that rare gem, that can change a life if you will but let it.

I don’t normally do a score for the DVD reviews unless I really didn’t like the DVD or I really do like it. I would consider this collection a must have for any fan of the movies. For this wonderful collection, on a scale of 1 – 10 I give a very well deserving 10.

Wellman addressed many social issues of the day, many of those issues are still applicable today. The following is a documentary about the wild man himself, Wild Bill Wellman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=250&v=FOmJq7C67U0



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Johnny Quest The Real Adventures DVD Season 1

I’ve got to tell you as a kid, I had all kinds of problems but I had an escape, one that was vitally important to me, especially as a young child. It was an escape that gave me hope and dreams, and it came in the form of a television show, a cartoon. It was a show that left a lasting impression, and provided a positive contribution to my life. The program was Johnny Quest. As an adult, now approaching 50 those memories and love of Johnny Quest was rekindled with the release of the Hanna-Barbera Classic Collection DVD of “Johnny Quest, The Real Adventures.” This 13 episode DVD set includes all of the programs from Season One, Volume One of that show. I am sure Warner Brothers knows of the impact the original Johnny Quest had on millions of youngsters like myself which is one of the reasons for the updated versions of the series. The exploits of Johnny, his dad Dr. Benton, special agent “Race” Bannon, his adopted brother Hadji, and their faithful dog Bandit is all there. There is also a new addition to the crew, we have in the new series a sister named Jessie.

In the new updated version of Johnny Quest while the colors in the animated prints are better than I remember in the old story, there is obviously a lot of computer concepts used in the animation. It is obvious there is an attempt to update the stories for a more contemporary audience as would be expected. The series uses stories in narrative form. It is one of the attributes as a youngster that I appreciated with the original series. We don’t have short two or three minute animation stories, we have upwards of a full 30-minute story more adult oriented than for small children. Comedy, while used at times, is not the premise of the stories. Instead, there is adventure, mayhem and more. It is a concept that would translate well into live action but to my knowledge has never been done. There is talk of making a life action film but as of this writing no additional information could be found. It is a shame if this doesn’t take place as Johnny Quest may be among the most adaptable animated series of all time to live action.

This DVD set includes 2 DVD’s with a total of 13 episodes. There is a special feature with the DVD set titled “Johnny Quest Returns, Modernizing a Classic for a New Generation of Fans” that is well worth watching. The packaging is colorful and gives hope to the story lines contained in the DVD set. We see stories making an attempt to reach out to a new generation. Those story lines take us from jungle explorations, to the edges of space. In many ways, it takes the same route as many of the older Johnny Quest stories. Unfortunately, the story lines are not nearly as developed on a consistent basis as the old television show from the 1960’s. One of the things the new series does that seems to get lost is its attempt to address current world issues, whether, global warming, or the destruction of the seas. Unfortunately, the attempt at making this series more “educational” causes some of the great components of the old television series to get lost. For fans of Johnny Quest, it wasn’t so much about making political statements or educating us as it was about helping us grow up and crossing over into adulthood.

One of the attributes of older Johnny Quest I liked is it didn’t pretend that younger kids couldn’t understand the concept of death, of tragedy, or difficulty. As a pastor I have had recent discussions with a few folks about the concept of growing in faith. The reality is Johnny Quest was a perfect illustration of a child’s need to grow into maturity. While various cartoons dealt with fun, Johnny Quest helped transition one from childhood to young adulthood. Johnny Quest used animation like this to help bridge and build gaps. While the new adventures fall short in my opinion, it is still a process that if parents or adults sit with their children can be used to help point out some of the needs a child needs to transition.

While I am a huge Johnny Quest fan, I like the older versions far more than the newer ones. Maybe it is just a nostalgia thing but I don’t think so. I was looking forward to this DVD set. I had high hopes and unfortunately, it just didn’t deliver. The stories seemed rushed, the character development was poor, and while the line between reality and animation was as close as ever, the first season just don’t succeed in delivering the things fans of Johnny Quest are accustomed to. It seems as if there is so much of an emphasis on drawing a new generation of Johnny Quest fans, that they have forgotten the old fans like me. It is clear production problems had an impact here as later episodes moved more away from the “futuristic” Johnny and more back in line with the “traditional” Johnny. That doesn’t save this first boxed set though, in fact, I don’t think much could save the first season. It is sad, because of the poor quality of story and adaptation; it is likely few new followers stuck around. For those of us remembering the old Johnny Quest, that is a shame. That Johnny had a lot to offer.

On a scale of 1 – 10, When you take the 5 old characters, add in a new sister, and take that away from ten, you have a rather disappointing 4

Here is a clip from the new series on DVD. Just double click on the video, if the video don't appear, just click on the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLSE9Fm-wz8




Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

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The Oscar's Review 2009

I haven’t done an Oscar Review in the past because I frankly didn’t care much for watching the Oscars AKA as the Academy Awards over the last few years. I would tune in of course, but I just wasn’t that interested. This year, Slumdog Millionaire gave me a movie to root for and Hugh Jackman gave me a host to want to watch so, I tuned in with intent and thought I would jot down my thoughts this year.

First, I have made it clear, I love the movies, and I have since a small child. I also love finding spiritual components to think about when watching the movies. It isn’t really that different than Jesus telling stories in the Bible known as parables. In fact, the Bible states about Jesus, “He never taught them anything without first telling them stories.” Movies today are the most popular form of story telling, and just like Jesus, if we look, we can find spiritual truths in those stories we see portrayed on the big screen. Seeing those movies is something I do quite a bit of, to watch the program known around the world as the award show honoring those stories is a celebration extraordinaire.

This year I was actually pleased with the production that was a throw back to the “Golden Age of Cinema” which featured song and dance and then some. The show started off in a terrific way with actor Hugh Jackman.

Jackman is likely the surprise for many who watched the show. He did a wonderful job and it didn’t take long for him to get off on the right foot as he did a terrific montage tribute in song and dance. Jackman may have been one of the three huge winners of the night. He was entertaining, fun to watch, full of wit, and moments of humor and intriguing commentary appropriate for the format he was in. Jackman has this likeable personality, but seeing his ability to perform in the opening segment as well as his duet and tribute with Beyonce was impressive to say the least. We saw a reminder of the “Golden Age” that was well fitting, and entertaining from a popular actor that many of us didn’t realize had the ability to pull it off.

Another winner at the Oscars was the movie Slumdog Millionaire. The winner of 8 awards from 9 different categories, (It had 2 songs in the best song category.) The winners of multiple awards including Best Director, and Best Picture this thriving, emotional movie leaves the viewer with hope, and the underdog story from the slums continues to overcome. To think this movie was almost released directly to DVD because of its inability to find funding to end up garnishing the accolades it has is amazing. In a world where multitudes of people are losing hope, we can watch a movie like this and find hope because the movie has as a main point of its theme, hope.

One of my favorite moments in the Oscar’s this year was the acceptance speech from A.R. Rahman for one of his two awards for Score and Song for Slumdog Millionaire. His acceptance speech was short in length, but deep in meaning. He simply said: “My whole life I’ve had the option of hate or love, I chose love and here I am now.” What a reminder of the importance of love, a sweet comment with a reminder to all of us that there are rewards for letting love drive our actions and lives.

Other moments that moved me and had me personally enjoying the awards this year were varied. The simplicity of the awards were pretty good and enjoyable this year, more so than in recent past years. One of the features used by the Academy was to use past presenters to announce each of the nominees. They had short speeches and would add personal moments to the nominees mention. It was a pleasure to see the emotion in the eyes of not only the presenters but those receiving the nomination. While these are actors and actresses, we forget they are real people with real emotions. To see this has always been one of the pleasing moments of this and virtually every other Oscar program.

I was also pleased to see the Jerry Lewis tribute this year. Mr. Lewis has done a lot of quality work to help “Jerry’s Kids” over the years. This award shows that many of the great stars do give back to their communities and bless in some ways those who have blessed them with a good living. Lewis looked much better than he has in the past and to see the expressions between his wife and daughter was touching. While his speech was short, he made a point to recognize his kids in his speech. He was also kind in his comments to his fans and the members of the Academy.

There were also funny moments at the Oscars, although not as many as in some past shows but the impression of Jaquim Phoenix by Ben Stiller via reminding us of the recent David Letterman appearance was spot on and really funny. What was even funnier was the crowds and audience response. There were literally tears coming from the eyes of many of the Hollywood crowd and stars.

With all of the good moments, I have to make mention for at least me, some of the disappointing moments of the awards.

While some may not think the award deserving the Supporting Actor award for the late Heath Ledger was to me very deserving. It may have been the one single award most people were looking forward to. The acceptance of the award by the family of Heath Ledger was somewhat of a let down. I mean no disrespect, but for some reason I expected more.

I was also disappointed in the presentation by Bill Maher. His comments against religion during the documentary awards announcements were in my opinion, disrespectful. He was one of the few who used the platform to push his agenda. I have a love hate respect for Maher, and he lost more respect from me. Of course, I don’t think he cares what I think. I think the comment regarding choosing to love or hate by Rahman of Slumdog Millionaire is something Maher could learn from.

There was another moment where politics worked its way into the presentation that was with the award for Best Actor given to Sean Penn. Penn love him or hate him, has been outspoken about his political views for some time. I am not as offended at that as many may be because at least Penn chooses to act on his convictions rather than just talk about them but I have to admit, I wasn’t pulling for this former Ridgemont High student. I was pulling for Mickey Rourke who really was the comeback kid this year. So my disappointment here wasn’t so much against Penn’s political commentary, as it was I wanted Rourke to win the award.

The biggest disappointment of the Awards may have gone unnoticed by some, but it had me in my recliner, yelling at the producers and directors of the television program. One of my favorite moments of each Oscar presentation is the tribute paid to those who have died during the previous year. This year, I thought the formula, the camera angels, was not only disrespectful to those who had died, but disrespectful to the viewer. I have a large screen television, but the cut backs, the angles prevented us from seeing many of the individuals who had died. I had seen enough of the staging during the performance; I didn’t really care to see more of it during this segment while seeing a small screen on my screen paying supposed tribute to these great Hollywood elite. I would hope, in the future, when showing the tribute segment, let us see a front on view of those who have passed on, just show the full screen to us the viewers at home. I would like to see honor given those individuals and an awareness of their work presented in a way that those who may not have known them, can at least read and see their names to maybe encourage some of them to go out and check the work these individuals had given to us in the past.

I must also make mention of my happiest moment during the Oscar presentation, that is the announcement of Slumdog Millionaire as the best picture of the year. I simply loved this movie and hope the award inspires others to see it. For many, it is likely to enforce the view I have, that movies can inspire hope. Slumdog Millionaire may very well be the movie that inspires people to not give up in this time of discomfort for many on our planet.

There was another big winner this year. While the critics can find reason to be critical, I believe most who watched the Oscars enjoyed the show, it is therefore, the viewer who also won. In a time when we worry about jobs, the economy, war and much more, it is important to find moments of escapism. Sometimes that escapism can inspire us, move us, touch us, and help us know more about God, through story. Whether the commentary of one critical of religion, one who comments on the concepts of love and its power over hate, or a sincere aspect of speaking out for another, whether we appreciate it or not, movies can touch us, and the Oscars this year reminded us of how powerfully they can touch us.

The following is the video for the winner of the best song award, Jai Ho. Click on the video to watch, or if the video don't appear, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEsMNODj8YU


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