So how did you like the English version as compared to the American "Hollywood" version of the Titanic story? Warning, I will probably ramble on a bit here, but I think the Titanic is a great movie theme to discuss. I personally prefer "A Night to Remember" due it being the closest to historically accurate of all attempts at telling that story. The '53 Hollywood version was far too "dramatized" compared to the English version, and I believe that is because in the English version they were content to make a film FOR the English movie goer in the style of a British historical drama and they made no bones about it. In the English version they were not influenced by Hollywood studio moguls to spice up the telling of the disaster, the Titanic story itself was already dramatic enough. What I never understood with the American Titanic films---and especially the more recent one with by James Cameron, is why on Earth did they feel the need to add so many fictional dramatic components to this tale? The true historical Titanic story if you were writing it as a fictional novel already has so many things in it which are already dramatic enough. Maiden voyage, largest and fastest steam liner ever made, a serious of failures any one of which that had not have occurred may have resulted in a less tragic result including the nearest ship close enough to been able to save everyone single person on the Titanic and RIGHT IN VIEW of the Titanic--- turned off their wireless radio early and didn't receive the SOS calls. And then beyond that thought the signal rockets were celebration rockets. Then the social component of how steerage class passengers were for too many minutes not allowed to move up the 1st class decks where the lifeboats were, and then so many lifeboats allowed to leave with many open seats available. You can't write a more dramatic story than what was already factual, so why add more stuff to it? Compare a film like Cameron's Titanic to the film "From Here to Eternity" which was a film set in the days just prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and 100% fictional. If you are going to set a fictional tale within the framework of an actual historical event, then only FRAME it inside of that event and don't encroach into the history by adding anything to the context that doesn't belong there. That is exactly how "From Here to Eternity" handled that historic event and you are left with a very interesting drama INSIDE the real life event. Which is what was done in "The Sand Pebbles" too BTW. In both of those dramas the historical event could have been fabricated too, and it wouldn't matter to the telling of the story. I guess my gripe on this being a movie fan AND a fan of history, is that when Hollywood goes too far with historical dramas and makes too much shit up, then lots of stupid people end up believing that the Hollywood version is actually the history too. Films like JFK, Pearl Harbor, 300, Braveheart, Marie Antoinette, The Battle of the Bulge, The Patriot, and Titanic (1997) may be be entertaining, but they go far beyond creative license when it comes to dealing with the facts. Some facts you just need to respect enough to leave them alone. Especially if you owe any respect to the many who died in these real events.

Hey Red, Being that you are a bit of a 'gear head' you might enjoy this. If you are ever in Los Angeles look up the naval museum Lane Victory moored down in San Pedro. The ship is a restored and operating WW2 merchant cargo ship (Victory class). It is a floating museum, it even does a few day excursions each year. The ship is staffed with docents who were U.S. sailors who served--- a few going back to WW2, but sadly those now are nearly all gone. Of particular interest is the actual steam engine used in the making of The Sand Pebbles on display in one of the ship's cargo holds. Fox pictures acquired the engine from a marine scrap company; the engine I believe used to be in a whaling ship. The engine was then rigged up in the Fox pictures soundstage for the scenes in the film. After the film someone aquired the engine who lived in San Diego and then for 30 years it just sat in his backyard until he donated it to the Lane Victory museum where it has been restored and on display. And it actually operates. Not on steam, but electricity, and for demonstration. One of my favorite scenes in the Sand Pebbles was Jake Holeman (McQueen) trying to teach his "coolie" apprentice (played by Mako) how a "triple expansion" steam ("stim" in pidgen English/Chinese) engine works. This video of the Lane Victory engine room (no association to the Sand Pebbles engine) While on the topic, here is another video of an actual triple expansion operating steam engine from an English maritime floating museum. Glad there are still dedicated men who lovingly restore, operate, and display these wonderful pieces of history.

Great film, and tragic story. I watch it over again at least a couple of times per year. Hollywood no longer has the guts to make great films like these. Today everything is about robots, explosions, titties and other over the top CGI scenes made to titillate the sensibilities of people who's attention span for details or deeper thought are limited to the attention span of someone who gets most of their political or cultural content from a twitter feed. Most audiences today would be bored by a film like The Sand Pebbles, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, From Here to Eternity, or In the Heat of the Night. Many young people sadly today have zero exposure to great cinema---same way all of their music is CRAP. Here is a really good synopsis of the film (two parts)

Yeah, but his nose was hanging down to his waist.

YES! Shot near Lone Pine California in the "Alabama Hills". If you are ever that way you have to check out the film museum in Lone Pine. Strider has been there several times too, great little museum. Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, Owens River (Hot Creek) are all iconic filming locations which made a western seem so much more dramatic with the interesting views and backgrounds. A favorite of mine filmed in the Owens Valley was "Nevada Smith" with the king of cool Steve McQueen.

I have one of my Dad's old cameras. A German made Kodak Retina IIIC that he bought in Europe in the late '50s like this one.

You have some great pics Red! Those two choppers look like real kidney bruisers LOL! Wish I had followed in my father's footsteps and taken more 35mm film photos in my youth. Most of my photo albums are full of crappy Kodak Instamatic 126 or 110 junk. When I look through all of the old Kodachrome slide photos my father, uncles, and grandfather took back in the '50s and '60s, now I wish I had done the same. And nothing beats B&W with a 35mm camera with a 50mm lens. My dad used to say, "zoom with your feet". Today everyone feels they need 10 lenses. They miss more street shots just dicking around with their rigs.

Nice car Red.... but does your come with a blonde hood ornament like that one?

Always split aces and eights. Never draw to an inside straight Faro is for suckers, the odds are all on the house.

First film I saw Gail Russell in was "Seven Men from Now" (1956) with Randolph Scott and Lee Marvin (produced by John Wayne). At the time I thought--- wow what an attractive 40ish woman they got to play the role meant for a younger woman. Not saying Gail Russell looked old, but there was certainly some "age" in her face. Turned out she was only in her early 30s. Clearly alcohol was taking its toll on her then. She was dead at age 36 just five years later. Such a shame.

Just stuff I find on the inner webs. Glad people post old photos from their personal albums. Lots of great stuff out there.

we are riding into the..

Colors, now that is flashback gang film. Daddy-o, if I were in a gang I would be a Jet. To hell with those damn Sharks.... 😉

Saw a bumper sticker the other day that said "silence is violence". All I could think was that person has never been in a violent situation. In my book silence is GOLDEN. I love silence and peacefulness. So my pet peeve, the thing that rubs me the wrong way, are stooopid bumper stickers.

Yay Ipman is back!!! Doh..... old post.

Speaking of "haunting eyes", besides Clara Bow my favorite "eyes" were Gail Russell's eyes. But she of course had a sad and tragic early death---- basically drank herself to death. She had the BEST kind of hair too. Thick, dark, and full hair....and then those piercing blue eyes. What a knock out!

I think you'll like the film just for the locations and the mid century modern styles. Last year Once Upon a Time in Hollywood got me thinking back to how SoCal used to be back in the day. I'm glad Tarrantino was able to capture at least one last homage to what used to be here. But there are so many films shot in Hollywood and Los Angeles saved on celluloid to go back and look at again---with so much of the architecture and style we once took for granted until everything got turned into one giant fucking strip mall selling some type of consumerist made in China crap or fast food. I remember when a McDonalds or a Taco Bell wasn't every mile down the blvd. You might actually have to drive a few cities over to find a McDonalds. And Starbuck WHAT THE FUCK! Do we need a fucking Starbucks every 100 fucking yards? One of my favorite period films shot in Los Angeles and set in the '50s is "L.A. Confidential". Great film noir story, great location shots. Got to watch it again tonight.

You forgot to add "vato". And BTW it's "ese". "Check out this ese vato in the chopped chort ranfla homes!" White boy translation: "Check out this dude driving the chopped and lowered lowrider, bro!" Or they might say, "Orale ese vato!" Translated: "right on man!" Or "Orale carnal" meaning "right on brother!"

Yes! Trelane, one of the greatest Star Trek villains ever. One thing is for sure, young people were much more physically fit and thinner than today. Not that there weren't some heavy kids then too, but they were by far the exception. Way more physical activity back then, people outside more, and here in Southern California meant out in the sun getting a tan. We are all "golden gods and goddesses" here.

talking about the time she...

They were.

Two Los Angeles early punk rock venues. Hong Kong Cafe and Madame Wong's.

Haven't heard anyone say "odelay" in years. Made me laugh.

Great film with an interesting history. After the huge success of "Animal House" with John Belushi, Dan Akroyd wanted to make a film about two brothers who were blues players. Akroyd was always a fan of Chicago electric blues so he sets out to do a film but really doesn't have any idea how to write a screenplay. Meanwhile Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures get into a bidding war to get rights to the film Akroyd is pitching; Universal wins, and they expect the film can be make for maybe 10-12 million dollars.... LOL. John Landis (the director) was able to come in and take Akroyd's notes and character descriptions (not really a traditional screenplay) and render it down to a very well structured screenplay, with lots of comedy around the string of great musical performances. Film ends up costing nearly 30 million to make, not just due to all the cars being destroyed, but they really went after and got the best musical talent they could find to do this film. The film ended up grossing about 100 million in sales, a larger amount internationally than most Hollywood films in fact. Interesting fact: The owner of the large Mann's theater chain passed on having the film play in many White neighborhoods--- especially in Los Angeles. He claimed that no White audiences would ever be interested in seeing older Black musicians and singers in a film. How wrong can some of these asshole business people be???? LOL. Blues Brothers captured on film some of the GREATEST Black Blues and Soul artists still living at the time. The film was single handy responsible for turning on an entire new generation to Chicago Electric Blues.