Erik Gratton

Hell yeah Man.

Today the wonderful and goofy Silver Age rec from Tubi is The Power (1968). It’s a sci-fi whodunit starring George Hamilton and Suzanne Pleshette. The support is great for unabashed schlock: Earl Holliman, Michael Rennie and Yvonne DeCarlo. Byron Haskin directed, former effects lead at Warner Bros.

Bill Harris and Friends (1958) Fantasy – 3-263 Trombone : Bill Harris Bass : Red Mitchell Drums : Stan Levey Piano : Jimmy Rowles Tenor Sax : Ben Webster

Harry Edison - Gee, Baby Ain't I Good To You (1958) Verve – MGV-8211 Trumpet : Harry Edison Bass : Ray Brown Drums : Alvin Stoller Guitar : Barney Kessel Piano : Oscar Peterson Tenor Sax : Ben Webster

Tour De Force (1958) Verve – MGV-8212 Trumpet : Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Harry Edison Bass : Ray Brown Drums : Buddy Rich, Stan Levey Guitar : Herb Ellis Piano : Oscar Peterson, John Lewis

Stan Getz in Stockholm (1958) Verve – MGV-8213 Tenor Sax : Stan Getz Bass : Gunnar Johnson Drums : Anders Burman Piano : Bengt Hallberg

Was feeling productive, so I've added four new albums in the last 24 hours. Check out the What's New page. Big fan of the track Steeplechase on the Tour De Force album and the entire Bill Harris LP (which includes some incredible Ben Webster work). #jazzsky #musicsky thejazztome.info/whats-new/

I was in the room for Jeff Bridges saying something like this, unprompted by question. I’m satisfied.

I love movies. Soft-touch rater.

.5 stars: very bad movie
1 star: very bad movie with actor I LOVE
1.5: very bad, kinda like it
2: bad (?) will probably adjust to 1.5 or 2.5 soon
2.5: mid movie I really like
3: good movie
3.5: love it
4: LOVE IT
4.5: ONE OF BEST
5: sometimes call it my favorite one

Finally leaning into letterboxd a bit to take some scrolling time away from the dumb stuff. Find me if you hang out there. boxd.it/4Ngr

I indeed would have more sympathy for the AI industry writ large around public perception if there hadn’t been years now of genuinely constant attempts at the highest level to make everyone who isn’t an upper-level manager terrified that AI will destroy their livelihoods

Please please please let this unleash a tidal wave of Tarantino mockery. Don’t leave Zach on the battlefield alone, cowards.

The wonderful Lynn Thigpen had the best bit in Bob Roberts, that withering monologue about the “deviant genius” of creating the persona of “The Rebel Conservative.”

Only a few legit Actor/Directors, HOF at each job, and here is one.

I’ve worked as both chef and baker and quite enjoy the variously-expressed animosities between the two camps on tv (and in real life).

Pa was a research, working and teaching chemist, and a bigger fan of others’ storytelling (and the nuts and bolts of it) I’ve never met. In what free time he was able to carve out, he chose to write novels. I have stacks of his rejection letters for thrillers and romances. Made him a better chemist.

The resurgence of the mullet is too much for me. I’m flabbergasted.

A New Leaf A pitch-black screwball costarring a hilariously deplorable Walter Matthau as a newly broke socialite, this kooky comedy marked a trio of firsts for the pioneering Elaine May.

I’m hosting a screening for the Writers Branch of the Academy of Elaine May’s hysterical classic “A NEW LEAF” on Wednesday December 17th with special guests screenwriter Karen McCullah, writer/producer Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith, and writer/producer Katie Silberman. www.academymuseum.org/en/programs/...

a man in a suit and tie is standing next to a woman in a pink dress ALT: a man in a suit and tie is standing next to a woman in a pink dress

The magnificent John Cassavetes was born 96 years ago today.

(S+) Old Texas Town Spandau: Alter Westernstadt droht Schließung Vorderlader, Ranger, Cowboyhüte: In Berlin-Spandau träumen Cowboys und -girls seit Jahrzehnten vom Wilden Westen. Doch bald könnte alles vorbei sein.

Die New York Times hatte zuerst berichtet.

Enjoyed Peter’s Friends (1992) when it came out. Now that I’m old I think it’s kind of extraordinary.

There is no better actor on the planet Earth.

My respected long-time producer friends who worked on Broadway and The West End w Spacey thought he was the absolute worst person in the business.

His is among my favorite film performances ever, but John Hurt, Wendy Hiller, Susannah York, Colin Blakely, Leo McKern, Nigel Davenport, Corin Redgrave, even a cue-card-reading Welles and barely-onscreen Vanessa Redgrave are indescribably wonderful in this. Scofield the GOAT.

When you hear this sort of thing, it is a chilling look inside a twisted soul. Because there’s objectively nothing good happening right now. Nothing. Just misery, pain, and suffering.

Robert Shaw in Man for All Seasons gives the kind of great performance that can increase your understanding of a type of person. Fitting that someone who so understood Kings moved shortly afterward to Ireland.

Good on Penn Jillette. Having to come to terms with your entire political identity and philosophy being wrong is not easy and most people could never do it.

Glad to see people talking about Penn Jillette. The 2024 interview was done by me. I found him to be a refreshingly reflective, self-critical individual who has remained curious and willing to evolve.

I met Buddy Rogers, star of Wings and Mary Pickford’s husband, sometime in the late 90s, just before he passed. He was from Olathe, KS, where I grew up, and came through to do his cabaret act and watch the local community theatre get named The Buddy Rogers Playhouse. What a gracious dude.

Stage actors should put their Venmos in their bios.

Incredible day.

Robert Wise was a goddamn genius.

I am never going to stop saying this: I like Wrath of Khan too, but Trek could achieve a lot by letting that film rest for a bit and trying to emulate what the Motion Picture achieves.

Full on sense of wonder science fiction about venturing beyond our own understanding of the universe.

Not for nothing but I saw Lawrence of Arabia at the Zeigfeld in 2003 with like ten other people there. Religion.