Disney Animated Feature Challenge

The first movie you remember seeing was 101 Dalmatians in the early 1960s, at the cinema. It’s possible I saw Snow White or Sleeping Beauty on TV before that, but not sure.

SamauraiFrog did this Disney Animated Feature Challenge a couple of months ago…

1: Your favorite character
My favorite Disney character is Roger, the adult human in 101 Dalmatians, who sings Cruella de Ville. But of the more anthropomorphic, Donald Duck, who I used to do a poor imitation of.

2: Your favorite official princess
I suppose the more modern ones, like Tiana from the Princess and the Frog, or Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

3: Your favorite official prince
Excluding The Beast, they are pretty much interchangeable.

4: Your favorite heroine (that isn’t an official princess)
Dumbo’s mom, Jumbo, protecting her child.

5: Your favorite hero (not an official prince)
Tramp, from Lady and the…

6: Your favorite cast of characters
Beauty and the Beast. Always liked Mrs. Potts and her colleagues.

7: Your favorite friendship
The cubs in the Lion King.

8: Your favorite sidekick
The Genie in Aladdin.

9: Your favorite couple
Beauty and the Beast

10: Your favorite animal couple
Lady and the Tramp

11: The pet(s) you wish you had
Nemo

12: Your favorite villain
Scar in The Lion King

13: Your favorite villain song
Gaston from Beauty and the Beast; I find it hysterical.

14: The most chilling villain demise
The villain in Snow White, which I saw in the last few years.

15: A moment that makes you laugh until it hurts
The Genie in Aladdin, any number of antics.

16: A moment that makes you cry your eyes out
When the Beast “dies” in Beauty and the Beast, though I was also sad about a character dying in The Princess and the Frog because I wasn’t expecting it.

17: A moment that scares you
When I was a kid, there were countless moments. Bambi and fire, good chunks of Pinocchio.

18: A moment that makes you mad
Aunt Sarah in Lady and the Tramp.

19: A moment that makes you happy
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice in Fantasia

20: Your favorite musical number
When You Wish Upon a Star

21: Your favorite romantic moment
Beast giving Belle the library, because I’m a librarian.

22: Your favorite ending
The restaurant in The Princess and the Frog

23: A line that inspires you
Hmm. not coming to me.

24: The first movie you remember seeing
101 Dalmatians in the early 1960s, at the cinema. It’s possible I saw Snow White or Sleeping Beauty on TV before that, but not sure.

25: A movie you think is under-appreciated
The Princess and the Frog, which had a lovely empowering story

26: Your favorite movie of the Golden Age (1937-1959)
Fantasia

27: Your favorite movie of the Dark Age (1960-1988)
101 Dalmatians

28: Your favorite movie of the Renaissance Age (1989-1999)
Beauty and the Beast

29: Your favorite movie of the Millennium Age (2000-present)
Finding Nemo

30: Your favorite movie
Fantasia. Didn’t see it until I was an adult, and I still appreciated it.

When I hear “Chick Flicks,” I think of KFC cinema

I saw six out of ten, and found something worthwhile in five of them.

I’m not fond of the term “chick flicks,” but a couple of months ago, SamuraiFrog stole someone’s list called The Ten Chick Flick Guys Love But Refuse to Admit Watching. I haven’t done a list for a while, and it’s been a busy time. Like Frog, I don’t deny liking what I like, even if it’s not “cool” to enjoy certain things in popular culture.

Here’s the list with my comments:

Mean Girls
This is a “chick flick”? I saw it in the cinema and found this Tina Fey-penned film to be painfully true, and probably could watch again. I think I feel bad about Lindsay Lohan’s personal downfall in a way I don’t feel about, say, some reality star’s excesses, because Lohan showed real talent here, in Freaky Friday and even in The Parent Trap. She was also good in a limited role in A Prairie Home Companion after her troubles had begun.

The Proposal
Didn’t see it. Wanted to, actually, and maybe I’ll rent it. I like the notion of the power imbalance between the characters played by Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, and I hear Betty White’s a hoot.

The Notebook
Never saw it. My initial inclination was that I didn’t have any real desire to do so. However, Jaquandor, who also did this list, seemed fond of it. Hmm.

Bridget Jones’ Diary
I liked this movie quite a bit in the cinema, though not enough to see it again. Loathed its sequel; the IMBD says there’s Bridget Jones’ Baby in production, which I probably WON’T see. I saw a lot of Renee Zellweger films for a while, then nothing until 2009’s My One and Only.

Titanic
I described it here as a kitchen sink movie, with SOMETHING to appeal to everyone. If you didn’t care for the love story, and I didn’t very much, you could appreciate the scale of the disaster or the portrayal of class differences. Both Frog and Jaquandor complained that bashing Titanic has been poseur style rubbish.

Sweet Home Alabama
I did see it in the movie in the cinema. It has left zero lasting impression on me, which is not a good sign.

Never Been Kissed
Didn’t see it. Was vaguely interested in catching it because of the baseball angle, and if I happen to be watching TV and it happens to be on, maybe I’ll see it someday.

Legally Blonde
I liked this movie, which I saw in the theater, more than I expected to. Have caught a few scenes on TV subsequently, and it seems to hold up.

Love Actually
I liked most of this movie, but I loved the end, with God Only Knows playing. Haven’t seen this since I first viewed it in the cinema, and probably should rewatch it.

13 Going On 30
I actually planned to see this in the cinema and just didn’t. Frog’s endorsement makes me want to rent it. I’m a big Mark Ruffalo fan.

So I saw six out of ten and found something worthwhile in five of them.

In a vain attempt to wake myself up

Hugs are good

Here’s the deal: it is, as of this writing, September 26 at 4:30 p.m. I had a root canal this morning – wasn’t bad! But I was desperately tired afterward. Thought I’d watch JEOPARDY!, fell asleep before the TV at 11 a.m.. So I ate lunch, took a nap and feel even groggier. Need to blog something, because I haven’t in four days, and tomorrow night is choir night, so it won’t happen then either. But the things I WANT to blog about require a focus I simply don’t have.

Ah, I’ll do that Curious as a Cat blog. But I had to go from July 2007 to June 2009 to find questions I was willing to answer, AND I hadn’t answered recently.

1) When was the best time, or what was the best experience, you’ve had with a sibling?

With Leslie, it would have to be singing, either with our father or by ourselves. With Marcia, it may have been playing Man from U.N.C.L.E. I was Napoleon, she was Ilya.

2) When do you feel the loneliest?

Often it’s at parties when somehow I’m left out of the conversations.

3) If a one-year period of your diary were to be published with your name attached, what year would you prefer?

Well, it’d have to be recent. I don’t think 2011 had any scandalous behavior. And NOT, let’s say, 1978.

4) What was the most powerful moment of silence you’ve ever experienced?

Every year, when the lights go down on Christmas Eve before the lights come up and we sing Joy to the World.

5) What one school subject has turned out to be the most and least useful or worthwhile? Is that a surprise?

Least: shop. No surprise. I was lousy mechanically then, and it hasn’t much changed.
Most: It’s math, and it’s no surprise either. Ratios are particularly great when cooking and the recipe calls for 10 32-ounce cans, but they only make 28-ounce cans now, then 28:32=10:x, which turns out to be 11.43 cans. Useful.

6) When (at what age, or during what event) did you have the least self-confidence?

1976-1977, after the divorce.

7) Do you remember the first time you were on the internet? What did you do first?

My library boss at the time – she who shall not be named – got Internet connectivity, but only herself and her chosen one. She treated it as though it were a paid database. She had done this presentation at a conference about the Kobe, Japan earthquake of 1995 and how she was able to find, with her fine librarian skills, info about that then-recent event online. When the rest of the librarians FINALLY were allowed on the Internet some months later, I had to look up that same event. Even pre-Google, I was able to do so reasonably quickly.

8) With whom do you like to talk on the phone the most?

Sister Leslie, mostly to catch her when she’s not at work, and I’m not falling asleep. Three-hour time difference.

9) What is the hardest secret you’ve ever had to keep?

The spouse of a friend of mine had committed suicide and the young children were told a story about an accident. It wasn’t that hard keeping the truth from the kids but from mutual friends. When she finally told her kids, I was released from the fabrication.

10) Why do we give people hugs?

Because hugs are good. At my previous church, I was dubbed by one woman, now deceased, as the Trinity hugger. “Which,” she noted, “is better than being known as the Trinity mugger.” I do not get enough hugs per day.

11) What is the most beautiful sound you’ve ever heard?

Waterfalls. Love them.

12) Who do you feel is the most underappreciated actor (male or female) in the history of Hollywood?

Una Merkel (pictured). My late friend Vito was obsessed with her, namechecked her all the time. I just love the name.

13) If one thing you own were to become a religious relic, what would you pick?

Obviously, my red Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers.

14) If you could change one thing about the building in which you work, what would you change?

The cubicles were put in without regard to the existing overhead lighting. So periodically, the light about six feet in front of my desk will go out, because no one has walked by that area in the last 15 minutes.

15) If you had to choose between them, would you rather vacation in the mountains or near a lake?

Always pick the water. Maybe it’s the Pisces thing. And I find the mountains isolating, whereas I look over the expanse of the lake and I find it liberating.

16) What is one thing that repeatedly makes you angriest?

Politicians who lie about what they believe.

Six Songs of Me

I have been of the opinion that almost any song could be done in chicken.

Dustbury did NOT insist I do this, so naturally, I did:

What was the first song you ever bought?

As I’ve noted, I belonged to the Capitol Record Club in 1965, where I was buying albums, so I’m hard pressed to figure out the first single. It may have been Eleanor Rigby/Yellow Submarine; I was then depressed by the release of the Revolver album a short time later, yet puzzled by the variation between the single version and the album version of Yellow Sub, as I noted recently. But the more I think about it, my first single was probably Soul And Inspiration by the Righteous Brothers (listen), which came out a few months earlier in 1966, as I remember that blue Verve label.

What song always gets you dancing?

Cliche that it might be, but it’s Celebration by Kool and the Gang (listen). A short-lived romance got me dragged to a local disco a few times in the day. Recently bought a greatest hits album by that group.

What song takes you back to your childhood?

As Dustbury wrote, “There are those who would argue that I never left.” That said, I’ll pick another song from my father’s singles collection, Bird Dog by the Everly Brothers (listen), on Cadence Records. I discovered that women should be referred to as poultry (quail, chick) – something I fortunately unlearned quickly; and that men were canines – is that still true?

What is your perfect love song?

Forever I have been a sucker for I Only Have Eyes for You by the Flamingoes (listen). Always makes me a bit misty.

What song would you want at your funeral?

I have been, for a long time, of the opinion that almost any song could be done in chicken. Bold songs, such as the 1812 Overture or the Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony are particularly great. But the first song I heard which stimulated this proposition was In the Mood by Henhouse Five Plus Two (listen), the “group” actually being singer Ray Stevens. I first heard it on one of those Warner Brothers Loss leaders of the 1970s.

Time for an encore. One last song that makes you, you.

At bare minimum, the chorus of Don’t let me be misunderstood by The Animals (listen). “I’m just a soul whose intentions are good.” I think many of us feel that others don’t “get” us, and I certainly am not immune.
***
Both Mark Evanier and Dustbury are supporting the Kickstarter effort for Big Daddy’s Smashing Songs of Stage and Screen. I third that emotion.

The “Elvis Is Dead” 35th anniversary meme

I wouldn’t mind: If My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again

When I first started this blog, I would periodically fill out this questionnaire, or one like it for various musicians. I remember specifically doing one for Frank Sinatra. Since it’s the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, and I’ve probably said all I have to say about him, I’ll do this piece which is actually somewhat similar to the one I did back in 2006, so I needed to find a few NEW titles! Thanks to SamuraiFrog who recently did this in honor of the Beach Boys.

Anyway: Answer the questions using only song titles from ONE artist.

Are you a man or a female?: Guitar Man

Describe yourself: Moody Blue

How are you feeling right now?: Puppet on a String

Describe the city you’re living in: Suspicious Minds

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?: Blue Moon

Your favorite form of transportation: Blue River

Your best friend: The Wonder of You

Your favorite color: Indescribably Blue

What’s the weather like?: Kentucky Rain (listen)

Your favorite time of the day: I Need Your Love Tonight

If your life were a TV program, what would it be called?: What’d I Say

Your current relationship: It Feels So Right

What gives?: I Really Don’t Want To Know; It’s Now or Never

I expect from the future: If Every Day Was Like Christmas

The way I would like to go: Let Yourself Go

I wouldn’t mind: If My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again

I fear: T-R-O-U-B-L-E; Steamroller Blues

My best advice right now: A Little Less Conversation (listen)

If I would change my name right now, it would be: Teddy Bear

My motto: Follow That Dream

Read Cheri’s E is for Elvis post, with music links.

Listen to Elvis Is Dead – Living Colour

 

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