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ChristianFictionQueen
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Name: Ruth
Country: United States
State: Tennessee
Birthday: 9/21/1980
Gender: Female
Interests: Reading - Christian Fiction - Writing Reviews - Talk Radio - Being an "Evil Conservative" - Frank Sinatra - MGM Musicals - BBC - Chris Botti - Broadway - World War II History - Jane Austen - Middle Tennessee Christian Writers - Books & Literature Editor for The Bridge
Expertise: Books in general, especially Christian fiction...and I'm considered something of an expert on Frank Sinatra in certain circles.
Occupation: Inventory Associate
Industry: Retail
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
5/9/2005
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| This week in Frank (Sinatra)TCM is continuing their month-long tribute to Frank Sinatra Sunday and Wednesday. Here's tonight's schedule:
Frank Sinatra: The Man and His Music, Part II (1966) - Not much to say here except Sinatra sings = bliss. 
It Happened in Brooklyn (1947): I'm most excited about seeing this film as it's never aired on television (to my knowledge anyway) in recent memory or been available on DVD (that changes Tuesday). Here's the story summary from TCM:
American jazz musician Danny Miller (Frank Sinatra) is serving in England shortly before the end of World War II, where he is asked by a duke to provide training for his son, classical musician Jamie Shellgrove (Peter Lawford). Upon returning to Brooklyn, he falls in love with Anne Fielding (Kathryn Grayson), a singer. The two of them help various characters pursue their musical dreams, including Danny's old friend Nick Lombardi (Jimmy Durante) and Leo Kardos (Billy Roy), a talented but penniless young pianist. Complications ensue when Jamie moves to Brooklyn to pursue a career in songwriting and falls in love with Anne as well.
Frank sings "Time After Time" - classic song!! Plus I adore Kathryn Grayson, she was always so classy on-screen...so I'm looking forward to seeing this film for the first time. It Happened in Brooklyn is available on DVD Tuesday as a single-disc and as part of the Frank Sinatra: The Early Years boxed set.
Guys and Dolls (1955):
I will be the first person to admit that this is so NOT the best example of the movie musical out there. And there would be a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth if I let myself dwell on the film that could have been if Gene Kelly had been released from his contract and allowed to take the role of Sky Masterson (which went to Brando). However, this movie still manages to kick serious butt and ranks as one of my all-time favorites, in spite of being hampered by poor Brando's lack of serious vocal chops. First of all it's based on terrific source material - Damon Runyon's unforgettable characters and their hilarious escapades (HIGHLY recommended reading if you can find a copy of his short stories). Second, the marvelous Frank Loesser songs. They are INCREDIBLE. "The Oldest Established (Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York)," "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat," "Guys and Dolls," "Adelaide," "Sue Me"...I could go on and on and on about how much I love this music. But I won't.  G&D gave Sinatra one of his most iconic film roles ever. He was Nathan Detroit. Guys and Dolls is available on DVD.
The Kissing Bandit (1948):
I haven't seen this movie in YEARS. It's one of Sinatra's cheesiest to say the least (if you couldn't guess that by the poster, LOL!). But it's good cheesy fun, haha.  You can buy The Kissing Bandit Tuesday as a single-disc DVD or as part of the Frank Sinatra: The Early Years DVD boxed set.
Till the Clouds Roll By (1946): This is one of those highly fictionalized musical "biopics" Hollywood churned out during the golden age of the movie musical. Never really a biography, they were more of an excuse to gather together as many musical stars as possible in one film. This one's notable for Sinatra's rendition of "Ol' Man River" at the film's climax. I'm not really sure why this movie is "Sinatra" enough to show during a film festival celebrating his work, since as I recall he only appears in that one sequence. However, Sinatra's performance of "Ol' Man River," inspite of a slightly surreal aspect, is considered somewhat important by certain Sinatra film buffs. It's being re-released as a single-disc DVD Tuesday (which is crazy because it's already available) and as part of the Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory, Vol. 1 boxed set. | | |
| Robin Hood: Child Hood*spoilers*
While last week's episode was a fun and hilariously random, this week's ep was oh so much better.
This ep was all about Guy (yummy! ) and his plan to have indestructible armor made, which the Sheriff wants mass produced for the Black Knights. But really, who cares? The whole save England from evil bit just pales when compared to all of the FABULOUS, AMAZING screen time Richard Armitage gets in this ep. Wowzers. Thankfully, I found the best clip on YouTube...so here ya go:
And here's another lovely pic of Guy that I stumbled upon this evening...
Gotta love that. I need a copy hanging on my wall...LOL!
And here's a completely gratuitious pic of Will (Harry Lloyd) that I'll end with since I'm incredibly ticked off at Allan A. Dale.
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| Kings Go ForthSo I just finished watching Kings Go Forth...recorded it when TCM aired it as part of their month-long tribute to Ol' Blue Eyes. I can't stand it when I get invested in a movie and then I don't get ENOUGH CLOSURE!!!
 
Here's part of the summary of the film from TCM:
The first of two films Sinatra made in 1958, Kings Go Forth might be seen as an attempt to capture some of the glory of From Here to Eternity (1953). Both are set during World War II and feature some morally dubious characters, but beyond that, there's not much to link the two.
Sinatra isn't playing a supporting character in Kings Go Forth. Instead he's front and center as Sam Loggins, a lieutenant fighting the Germans in southern France late in the war. With his radio operator buddy Britt Harris (played by Tony Curtis), Loggins makes time for a little high life along the Riviera where he meets and falls in love with French resident Monique (Natalie Wood). Loggins is surprised to learn that Monique is actually a mulatto, even more surprised when she falls in love with Britt. Of course Loggins isn't going to give up so easily, even for a buddy.
Sinatra turns in a nicely nuanced performance as Loggins. He plays tortured, angst-ridden souls really well. Not a war film per se...more of a romance with a war story thread to it if that makes sense. The pace is kind of slow but I found the film absorbing. It's an interesting look at views of interracial relationships and how those dynamics were changing in the mid-20th century. Since this was a changing dynamic, that probably explains the film's frustratingly ambiguous ending...the production code or producers or something couldn't let the movie commit 100% to showing the Sinatra-Woods relationship play out on film. Not one of Sinatra's best films overall, but definitely on of his most solid, understated performances. | | |
| CFBA: The Warriors by Mark Andrew Olsen
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Warriors
(Bethany House April 1, 2008)
by
Mark Andrew Olsen
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
 MARK ANDREW OLSEN whose novel The Assignment was a Christy Award finalist, also collaborated on bestsellers Hadassah (now the major motion picture: One Night With the King), The Hadassah Covenant, and Rescued. His last novel was the supernatural thriller The Watchers.
The son of missionaries to France, Mark is a Professional Writing graduate of Baylor University. He and his wife, Connie, live in Colorado Springs with their three children.
ABOUT THE BOOK
 A failed recon mission deep in the tunnels of Afghanistan has provoked a demonic onslaught that had been brewing for centuries. The mission's sole survivor is reformed black ops assassin Dylan Hatfield, and he once again teams up with Abby Sherman, now at the helm of the Watchers, an ancient spiritual force. Uncovering and preventing a secret wave of death whispered across cyberspace and threatening to be unleash against civilization will require another level of spiritual power and expertise--the Warriors.
Journeying across the Alps of Europe through the multilayered history of warfare in the unseen world, Dylan and Abby uncover an age-old stone engraving that rouses the church's Warriors to action, placing them dead center in one of the fiercest spiritual battles of their time!
And once again they are reminded: This is all part of a vast and perpetual war, a war beyond all human conflicts, one that has engulfed heaven and earth since before the dawn of history....
Abby Sherman is headed back to Israel, where a Watcher, the Sentinel of Jerusalem, lies dying. In her last breaths the old woman tells Abby of an ancient document prophesying humanity's full-scale entry into the ongoing conflict between armies of heaven and fallen angels.
Dylan Hatfield has decided to answer a summons from his old boss and join a secret operation, its mission to reconnoiter the Afghani tunnel complex from which Osama bin Laden escaped in 2001. What he discovers sears his very soul and likely will end his life.
Abby learns of the peril facing Dylan, and she sends out a call for intercession on his behalf. Her frantic email message sets in motion a series of harrowing events, propelling the two on a new mission and quest--one where the stakes are the lives of millions!
The Warriors is packed with high-octane action, featuring exotic international locales, with characters in a clash against spiritual "principalities and powers" with eternal consequences, The Warriors is a story that will enthrall, enlighten, and engage its readers.
If that piques your interest, you can read the first chapter HERE
"Olsen, one of the better writers in this subgenre, delivers powerful, action-packed plots that delve into mystical paranormal worlds."
~Library Journal, Feb. 2008
"Olsen delivers an entertaining thriller likely to be enjoyed especially by fans of the spiritual warfare genre."
~PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Click here to read my review of The Watchers, the prequel to The Warriors. | | |
| This has just made my day...
Heck, it's made my month. I've got second row, stage center tickets to see Chris Botti next month!!  | | |
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