i guess i like old things better than new things

[elapses]

SO CYD CHARISSE DIED YESTERDAY?

Her trademark was always the classy sexy vampy saxophony dances (like the Cafe scene from this same film, and her breakout role in Singing in the Rain) but but but. She was always a ballet dancer. And I've always loved this one (from The Band Wagon, with Fred Astaire) best. It's the very pinnacle of old school falling-in-love-while-dancing movie scenes, and she's all grace and legs and style, and it's just the prettiest thing. I'M SO SAD SHE'S GONE, these people -- these old school dancing, singing, onscreen miracles of people -- made up a good 95% of my film exposure from the ages of 2-8, and now with Cyd, there's only really Debbie Reynolds and Mickey Rooney left. What a generation they all were. AND THEY'RE ALL MOSTLY DEAD.

I don't know. When famous people die the lj tributes always pop up and it's sad but I still don't really bother, but these MGM musical kids -- they're my people.

IN OTHER NEWS, I've been rewatching Alias (apparently when I sit myself down and say, "okaaaaaaay, ALEX. I know it feels like you don't have a lot of TV because none of it's on in the summer, but YOU DO. HAVE A LOT. And you don't need to watch more things to keep up with come fall!", I end up compulsively rewatching old things I loved once but haven't seen in awhile? This is an addiction/withdrawal thing, ISN'T IT? Should I be more worried about myself and my television watching habits?). Anyway, daaaaaaang, but I always seem to forget how much I love the Spyrents. They're the perfect foil to Syd and Vaughn, who are all young and shy and pretty and sweet and charming and OTPish (what later seasons?); and then Jack and Irina -- I mean, she actually broke him. There aren't really any words for that.

I do think Jack/Irina win, HANDS DOWN, over EVERYONE EVER*, for SHEER CHEMISTRY, because the tension between them is so thick and exquisite it actually kind of gets hard to pay attention to their dialogue.

*Exceptexceptexcept I haven't watched one of those kinds of MulderandScully scenes in like, three or four months so maybe I am not the most fair judge. The grand power of MULDER AND SCULLY might beat the Spyrents, but it also might not. I also think the Spyrents might beat them simply because Mulder and Scully kind of have to tone down their sexual tension to a mere hum so they can sort of concentrate on their paranormal crud whereas with Jack and Irina it is always. right. there. Buuuuuuuut M&S might beat them for MOST INTENSE MOMENT. I don't even know my own criteria! Oh god, I'm way way way overthinking this.

Todayyyy is kind of still jenaben's birthday!!! (Here it still is! And in California! And Vancouver! And Alaska! And... some pacific islands! SO YOU KNOW.) I have a super cheesy saying from a list of birthday quotes my aunt forwarded to me awhile ago: "Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul." ...so do you feel properly birthdayishly inspired yet???? BUT SERIOUSLY: your boundless articulate enthusiasm is one of the things that makes you the very best sort of LJ friend to haaaaave, and I'm super grateful to have you around. You're still too young for silly colloquialisms and any kind of wrinkles, though, I don't know why I try.

Comments

[luminoso.livejournal.com]

I can't believe she died :( I miss those old Hollywood movies, they're so incredible. The films from the 50s were just so beautiful. Have you ever seen the video of Gene Kelly tap dancing on roller skates from It's Always Fair Weather it's one of my favorites.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Riiiiiiiight? I WISH MOVIES LIKE THAT STILL... EXISTED? Those vast, vast soundstage dance numbers with a million dancers and twelve cameras rotating around the room and big big bands... it was epic in a way films will never really be again? And yeah, I've TOTALLY seen that scene -- although actually not that movie -- and it is phenomenal. Gene, Gene, Gene. That boy always delivered.