75 years of an American legend

I've been very fortunate in my life - over the years I've met many amazing people, made some fantastic friends, got to see many great things, have travelled to numerous amazing places, and had many unforgettable 'trip of a lifetime' type experiences. I've been truly blessed.

Since I've become a writer, I've also got to interview many interesting and highly successful people from all walks of life, from sports stars to politicians to businesspeople to filmmakers to talented authors. It's been a pleasue, an honour and a privilege to get to spend time with such people, who are truly passionate about what they do, and learn a little bit more about them, and through them, about the wider world.

Amongst my most memorable interviews was the hour I spent on the phone last year with the incomparable James Lee Burke, a true legend of the mystery writing scene. To give you a sense of Burke, here's a paragraph from my Weekend Herald feature, describing his demeanour during our interview:

"Throughout, the 73-year-old laughs easily and often, almost explosively at times. He is unfailing polite, yet not at all stuffy or formal. He answers the phone with a jovial "Is this New Zealand calling?" then tells me to call him "Jim". Down-to-earth and humble, his soft-spoken manner and measured cadence belie some strident opinions when it comes to several things he cares deeply about, including the environment, "people of humble origin", and the purpose and importance of art."

In some ways, Burke is a modern-day renaissance man - his life story includes working as a landman for the Sinclair Oil Company, as a pipeliner, land surveyor, newspaper reporter, college English professor, clerk for the Louisiana Employment Service, social worker in Los Angeles skid row, and instructor in the US Job Corps. As I noted in my Herald article, you could say there are three main threads running through Burke’s various careers: working on the land (as an oil man and surveyor); working with words (as a journalist, English professor, and novelist); and working with those less fortunate (his social work and employment-related roles). Fans of his crime novels will notice clear similarities with issues and themes consistently highlighted through his writing, especially when it comes to man’s relationship with land and resources, and the stark reality of life for those at the lower end of the economic and social spectrum.

For an hour we discussed writing, art, society, politics, life, and more.

You can read the article based on our interview here.

Now in his 75th year, Burke's latest novel, FEAST DAY OF FOOLS is about to be released. In the YouTube video above he talks a little about this novel, particularly the villain, and his work and life in general.

For me, Burke is one of the true masters of the crime, mystery and thriller genre. He is a writer that many of the other writers I interview look up to, and one who strikes his own path and style - which admittedly, is not for every reader. His books are full of elegance, word-smithery, poetry and imagery, allegory and philosophy - along with plenty of crime and violence simmering through a multi-layered gumbo of a story.

As he says in another recent YouTube video, in a way all his stories have been about the use and abuse of power. About how power is used to scare and control people - in order that people can keep power.

I hope you enjoy the short video.

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1964 for Best Actress

1964's nominees went from dull as dishwater to rousing. two actresses in '64 were left out of the running and neither of them was dull as dishwater.

#'s 4 and 5 were basically dull as dishwater

#5 ann bancroft in 'the pumpkin eater'

'the pumpkin eater' is a dud. ms bancroft's performances rises above the material but suffers from lousy dialogue and dreary direction. this should have been audrey hepburn's slot for 'my fair lady' but hollywood wanted revenge for her being cast in that film.

# 4 kim stanley in 'seance on a wet afternoon'

film officianados know how good ms stanley was. see her in 1958's 'the goddess' and see how brilliant she could be. her myra savage in this film was good. it's the material here that killed her chances for a win. boring! her stage career outranked her film career. her nom here was a win for her.

#'s 3, 2 and 1 were all rousing in their own way

#3 debbie reynolds in 'the unsinkable molly brown'

ms reynolds gives a roaring musical performance to say the least. actually despite the material she gives one of the best musical performances of all time here. another year another time she may have won. the film and it's plot are slight. her leading man a dullard. the musical's lyrics and music are not top notch. however, debbie rises above the material and saves the whole damn thing.

#2 julie andrews in 'mary poppins'

we all know why ms andrews won the oscar. jack warner is why. his 'fair lady' was not even

nominated although she, audrey hepburn, was divine in the role of eliza doolittle. after snubbing julie andrews for 'my fair lady' hollywood took revenge on jack warner in this category. although 'my fair lady' would win best picture ms hepburn was snubbed. so was the revenge really on audrey who was told ms andrews would not get the part no matter what as some other actress was waiting in the wings? therefore audrey has revealed she could not say 'no'.

i do not begrudge julie her oscar. as she said said in her acceptance speech 'americans are so generous but this is ridicolous''. well in this case she was right. it was generous and it was ridiculous. she just ranks as another winner who should not have won.

#1 sophia loren in 'marriage italian style'

sophia gives her second best performance ever as filumena in 'marriage italian style' right after cesira in 'two women'. it's amazing to me that her roles in hollywood films leave me cold. she is so so much better in her native tongue and on her home turf. her comedic range and dramatic turns in this film are a true example of a multi talented actress. a talent, gift, to behold. she would have won her second oscar putting the andrews/hepburn thing aside.

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so who got left out? both ava gardner and deborah kerr in 'the night of the iguana'. i can only guess they split the votes on the nomination ballot. ms gardner gave the best performance of her career here. ms kerr generally gave wonderful performances and this was no exception. they both deserved the nomination over ann bancroft and kim stanley.

and the aforementioned ms hepburn was regally snubbed

Clothes Made out of Food

Some time ago we’ve shown extremely interesting fashion accessories made out of real food – A Matter of Taste. Today we want to continue this theme and show other art photos from photographer Ted Sabarese. All clothes on the photos are edible because also made out of food. Interesting, clever and definetely worth your attention!

Tom Hooper Please Say It Ain't So!

anne hathaway as fontine in 'lez miz'? you gotta be kidding us. first of all she is too old. and second, though more important there is no way she can play 'the innocent fontine'. anne hathaway play innocent? maybe they should have cast mariln monroe in 'the nun's story'. please do not ruin a great musical with this miscast. you got high praise for your work with colin firth and the entire ensemble in 'the king's speech'. keep your record and casting clean. hathaway is awful. have you seen her last few films. she is becoming box office poison and rightfully so. i hope this is a nightmare i'm having. please please say it ain't so!

Idiot of the Week: Michelle Bachmann

i question the existence of a god that many hold faith to. it's crazies like michelle bachmann who invokes his holy name in less than holy ways. crazy michelle now believes that this, her, god creates hurricanes and earthquakes to let congress know that it must get it's fiscal house in order!?! really michelle, really? this is what your god believes in? oooo i know you tried to walk that back but that horse was already out of the gate. there are moments michelle that you make rick santorum almost appear sane. almost. now michelle be happy here because you beat out cheyney as this week's winner. i mean he was only rewriting history. again! you dear looney michelle are rewriting, or writing new, theology. you win. you are the idiot of the week.

perhaps his looney tune republican candidate has forgotten this from god: 'do not use the name of your lord god in vain'. perhaps she has.

p.s. michelle how gay is your husband? you can tell me. it'll be our secret.

(tomorrow best actress nominees 1964)

Oscarbation: A Look Back at 1960 for Best Actress

1960 best actress nominees range from the sublime to the ridiculous

#5

elizabeth taylor in 'butterfield 8'

'butterfield 8' simply put was trash. hollywood thought elizabeth was dying after a tracheotomy. paleeze!

even ms taylor said the film was crap and that she was awful in it. it may be the worst performance by a respected actress of all time.

it's a damn shame because two wonderful performances got left in the dark.

ms taylor for 'butterfield 8' is...

the ridiculous!

(in fact: the most ridiculous nomination and win in this field to date)

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#4 greer garson in 'sunrise at campobello'

definitely an also ran performance. it was ralph bellamy's film. ms garson has ms taylor to thank for not placing last.

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#3

melina mercouri in 'never on sunday'

ms mercouri shined as the ilya the proverbial 'prostitute with a heart of gold'. i still love watching her performance every now and then even as the film itself becomes more 'creaky'.

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#2

shirley maclaine in 'the apartment'

ms maclaine was a wonder as fran kubelik in 'the apartment'. it cemented her fate as leading lady and star. being nominated for this best picture winner certainly pumped up her resume.

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#1

deborah kerr in 'the sundowners'

what to do about deborah? ms kerr lost the oscar yet again but this time to a damn tracheotomy. i ask you, beg you, to watch the train sequence where ms kerr as ida, wife of 'sundowner' robert mitchum, eyes her compartment companion. without a single line of dialouge ms kerr lays bare to us ida's very being and her longings of all that might have been but never would be. a superb performance. ms taylor indeed!

the sublime

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