Oz TV continued - The 90's

Although the spend crazy 80's were over and networks had to start tightening their budgets, Oz TV took a good turn in this downsize, low key, back to basics decade...

Comedy there was plenty of - god we needed it to take our minds of the recession (the one we had to have)...that bunch of genius's which got together for 'D-Generation' in the 80's - all started to splinter off to new projects throughout the decade...

Rob Sitch stars as Mike Moore in 'Frontline'- a brilliant satire on the current affair shows that were plaguing Australia, it was really what happened behind scenes and how these shows got their stories on air - and also started to blur the actual current affairs shows with this very well written comedy...my favorite reporter was Brooke Vanderberg (Jane Kennedy)and her 'nodding' episode...

'Funky Squad' - A 1990's satire on the 1970's cop show... yeah it was like an extended D-generation skit that lasted about 8 episodes but was brilliant for those who wanted a 70's retro show...fav line was 'That's Sassy Cassie..'

'The Late Show' - Almost the next 'D-generation' generation skit show... Mr Mick Molloy and Miss Judith 'Im so sarcastic it even pisses me off' Lucey made their TV debut (ALL Hail Queen Judith..)

The original D-Gen girls went off to Channel 7's for 'Fast Forward' - Jane Turner, Marg Downey, Magda Szubanski and introducing my all time fav Miss Gina 'Boy can she hold a note' Riley - this was almost the commercial TV channel version of D-gen, generally satire on movies & tv but also great skits...especially Magda's 'Pixie Anne Wheatley', Marg's 'Jana Wendt', Jane's Olympic Hopeful Berylina Stumpie and Gina changing costumes and wearing too much make up to look like Shirley Bassey, Cher, Heart to Bette Midler...god I love Gina...'Fast Forward' later came back as 'Full frontal' with a mix of old and new cast, and continued it satirical way for a few more years...

Steve Vizard made his debut also on FF - and became so popular he also Hosted his own 'Tonight Show' on 7 - Although a ratings success, it turned out a complete rip off of the David Lettermen talk Show... and to think OZ TV had come so far...

Ok back to the girls, as they had the hour...'Big girls blouse' with Magda, Jane and Gina only lasted 1 season but jesus this was hilarious...whether taking off old movie stars, 'Lyn' from information, themselves, swingers from the 60's and the first TV debut of Kath, Kim in a skit called 'Kimmy's Wedding'


I have recently purchased the DVD and these girls are still way too funny... they went onto 'Something Stupid'- Marg joined them again - continuing the fun - this time 'Kimmy's Baby' was skit du jour...

Ok guys turn -'The Panel' - was a simple yet successful creation - a bunch of them sitting around the table talking about topics of the day in a humorous way, mix in a few celebrities and music...a new take on the talk show...

...Channel 9 just took a new take on an old talk show and revived 'IMT' for a bit..but better success with the 'The Footy Show' - a talk show with footballers and ex footballers talkin' footy drama on and off the field...(Yawn as no nude footy players - and you can't count Sam Newman - the man's now a reject from the wax works)...

Drama was also prevalent in big OZ mini series like 'Brides of Christ' showing the Catholic Church reforms in Oz in the 1960's..to 'Blue Healers' Channel 7's Cop drama and rival Channel 9 with 'Water Rats' about Sydney's water Police...and to 'Seachange' Channel 2 new take on the country drama, a high profile lady judge from the city moves to a beach town - and the quirky tale is set of her new lifestyle...

...Ten also started the 'lifestyle' genre with 'Healthy, Wealthy & Wise' - a prime time magazine program and Channel 9 had 'Burke's Backyard' - Australia's love for the house and garden on TV finally started to blossom...we wanted more 'noice' things around ourselves, a 'lifestyle'...'not just a house butta hoooemmmmm'...was Oz's tastes were changing...

...and we were pushing boundaries in 'alternative lifestyles' as well - 1997 saw the first screening of the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras...Gay was stopped being taboo and started to be 'du jour' in the 90's...and a new station was born through the 90's - Community Television or sometimes known as Channel 31 - opening up OZ TV to Bent TV and other diverse community groups to the average aussie... as long as you have a cam and a timeslot you get your 15 minutes on air...

...So as the 90's drew to a close, the economy was picking up and question asked was had OZ grown up? Were we getting to maturity? Were we ready for the millennium and further changes like reality TV and digital...

This is what I pose for the next and final installment of OZ TV...So put on streetwear and the designer sunnies, order an infused cocktail of exotic booze and hit the house tracks on the dance floor...2000 and beyond came on strong...

to be concluded...

Spunk Alert 6 - Poolside

More hotties in the pool for your enjoyment... no other reason...

Oz TV continued - The 80's....Part 2

Comedy was BIG BIG BIG in the 1980's... like most other decades for every gem there was a golden turd as well...'



'Hey Dad' comes to mind, an Australian sitcom (that's an expression you don't hear that often) about the everyday life of a single dad, his kids, the annoying mate 'Nudge' and the Dad's mental sech-a-terie...the catch phrase was the original 'Hey Dad!' Or my worst 'Mr kellllie!' - why the scriptwriters never won the Logie is beyond me?...oh another piece of trite was...

'Kingswood Country' another Oz sitcom (Bless Channel 7) set in suburban Australia centred around a racist sexist bigot who loved Holdens - a bit like an Oz Alf Garnet but worse (can you imagine?)

Channel 10 did create 'The Comedy Company'...a skit/satire show on Oz life - and it managed to win the national Sunday night slot for a while, but came back in 1990 after a 6 month break not half as good and died in the ass...

However the real comedian of the hour was dear ol' Auntie(ABC)which actually paved the way for New wave of OZ comedy shows like

'Australia you're standing in it'- a satirical show on oz society
'The Giles report' - Max Giles satire on Oz & world issues of the day, usually involved him in lots of make up and outfit changes...
'The big gig' - hosted by Wendy(Hairlip)Harmer - this was the first live comedian gig show - a mixture of stand up/skit/live music
'D Generation' - my fav - taking the satire step to another level...a new take on the skit show...and these comedy legends would continue onto bigger and better project (refer to 90's)...

The other BIG BIG BIG (did I say HUGE) news was the bicentennial....Oz turned 200 and in a year (1988) that seemed like a decade, given all the bloody going's on and celebrating that was going on...Oz networks got together and created 'AUSTRALIA LIVE' a four hour look of Oz, it's people, even Oz expats scattered all over the world...celebrating a nation's coming of age...the most amazing aspect was the show was simultaneously broadcasted on all networks - they finally got together on camera... it was enough to feel national pride...this was oz's year in the greed decade...and we made it all about us...everything the 80's stood for, the greed, the passion, the money, the excess - oz mimicked this in every way...even, unfortunately the bust as well...

In one of the most amazing deals of the century Mr Kerry Packer sells Bondy the complete Network 9 for over $1 billion dollars (now this is the 80's and that's a long lunch)...and then buys it back for only $200 million (after Bondy sells everything as he was broke)only a few years later...who was the lucky man there?...
(probably Bondy as he is still alive)...

Christopher Skase (Skasie) has no luck with Channel 7 either - After Quintex bought 7 Sydney...then later 7 Melbourne from Fairfax (as well as the other states) big plans were to be made as a new media empire...But Skasie's Quintex went broke so into receivership it went...same with Channel 10...

The 1990's started to look grim..no more parties and fluffy ducks or Bondy, Skasie, Pixie or the rest of the gang - they were off to court or Spain or jaol...no more fun at the fair it seemed...

So pack away the power suit and the cocktail cabinets...downsize to microfibre beige jacket & pant and buy good Oz cask wine...the understated 90's arrived...

to be continued...

AFL almost done...

Footy is almost over for 2006 (FINALLY)...I came 5th in the tipping at work (pretty good for someone who knows fuck all about AFL)...
My friend Mark in Sydney and I have an idea to spice up football...NUDE football...I mean they all have ace bodies and it will make the game far more interesting...No? Oh we can just hope it may catch on one day...maybe 'strip and tearing off clothes football' (like in the snap)instead?

Oz TV continued - The 80's....Part 1

Well the 80's hit OZ like a tsunami...and there was so much to do, and Oz had so much on... Bob Hawke is PM, Brisbane host the Commonwealth Games, Bondy wins the America's Cup, the Bicentenial, the billionaires bankroll, the Boom, the Bust(anything with B really)... Again TV reflected the times and the tastes...but where do we begin?

Ok so Variety was still a staple in Oz TV - 'Hey Hey It's Saturday' began as a kids morning TV show in the 70's - but grew into a talk/variety/game/comedy hour show - very much a jazzed up 80's version of IMT(see the 50/60's) - Hosts Darryl & Ozzie with darling co-hosts (through the years) Jacki/Ding dong/Lavina, as well as Plucker(the duck - yes again I'm not making it up)Molly, Red, Wilbur & the band, Mr Blackman and the rest of the gang, all became the one stop shop for a Saturday night - it was the show to watch for pure entertainment - for the kids or mum's & dads, or before the pub, or just a quiet night in...Touring bands, overseas acts and guests stars a plenty on what was a truly unique Oz Show...Not many can say that a show can last for almost 30 years...

Well except possibly news and current affairs shows - and boy if we saw one, we saw a ga-zillion in the 80's - '60 minutes','A current affair','Eyewitness News' and not forgetting for the early birds 'Today' and 'GMA'('Good morning Australia')...You could now watch the news around the clock, not just at 6'oclock anymore...

...But the hilarious thing was the 10.30 timeslot where the rating competition was the most mental - Channel 9 had Gra Gra back with 'Coast to Coast' vs Channel 7's Clive Robertson on 'Newsworld' vs Channel Ten's Ol' Mate of Gra Gra Don Lane with 'Late Night Australia' - Gra Gra was again King...Don Lane finally went back to the states for gridiron commentating ( on the ABC!)and Clive Robinson was just dry, sanguine and bored...as per usual...

...From the high drama of the news desk back to the high drama Oz soaps - this time involving medical staff...after 'The Young Doctors' ended, Channel 9 created another...'The Flying Doctors' - the lives of the royal flying doctors services set in a fictional 'outback' town...Channel 7 puts up a tough soap battle with their darlings...

-'CopShop' - the new generation of police drama
-'A country practice' exactly that - lives of hospital staff in the country... and yes before Channel 9...
-'Sons & daughters' - the premise being twin brother & sister separated by birth are reunited...so are their families years later...(sounds a bit dull now)...
-'Home and Away' - a family moves from the city to Summer bay for a change of life...still as popular today...

But not all the luck was 7's court...'Neighbours' created by Channel 7, then axed due to poor performance was then picked up by 10 and made it into the rating success of today...Poor 7 - Koshie & Mel were almost 20 years away!

Channel 10 finally dropped the 0 (imagine the meeting - 'Guys do we want to be known as a zero or a 10?')...SBS started to broadcast nationally bringing soccer, sex and subtitles into Oz homes as long as you had UHF reception... now there was 5 networks, some starting to broadcast 24/7...

But the best was yet to come...in comedy, 'the bicentennial' and network deals that would even make selling nukes to Al-qaeda amateurish...

Continued in Part 2...

You Tube: Farewell Mr 'Crikey' R.I.P.

It's funny I used to shudder but laugh all at once when he was on the box - mad bugger but great environmentist & biologist.

R.I.P. Steve.

Oz TV continued - The 70's....

' I'm livin' in the seventies...'
( Skyhooks from the album 'Ego is not a dirty word' 1975)

It was the 1970's...a decade of much change, Vietnam finally ended through much protest, Whitlam got elected then dismissed (Shame Kerr Shame), women's liberation movement was finally making progress, gays were protesting in the first Sydney Mardi Gras(yes community it's when we USED to be political), the fuel crisis was a hot topic for all, Flares were as common as Kath & Kim, music went from folk to rock to disco... and that's just Oz society... high DRAMA also hit the small screen too...

The two other major things happened in OZ TV during this decade..colour (1975)...and it started to get racey...(no-not that bad UK band)...

Lets start with Racey eh?

Pretty much, 'Number 96' summed up what Oz TV was about in the '70's...a soap opera about the residents in an unassuming Sydney flat block - which overnight became one of the most talked about show ever...well until Idol/BB/etc...

Served up a five nights a week on the '0/10 network', this soap opened the green door of taboo topics in the 1970's - sex, racism homosexuality, drugs- and that was just the first bloody show...plus lots of nudity...

Lordy - Highlights of the show included the knicker snatcher', the 'pantyhose strangler' the hooded rapist(seeing a pattern?), Duddles 'disco' and the bombing - blowing up the block (a cunning plan to rid the least popular characters but almost killed the show) and of course, garden variety crazies...

In the typical '0/10 network style' (Of course) they created 'The Box' in similar naughtiness but based in a television studio..not as good...(10 would do the same 30 years later after the success of 'Idol' with 'X Factor' - which flopped)...

But Drama didn't end in the flat block...Oz TV was Drama galore - Especially situational drama...top rating shows include:-

"Matlock Police" - Drama in the police station

"Chopper Squad" - Drama on the search & rescue team

"The Young Doctors" Drama in the hospital and

"Prisoner" Drama in the women's prison (will need to dedicate a whole blog entry to the dear Women of Wentworth) - It appears OZ TV needed a location - then a drama...

And if not a location - a location with a period...

" The Sullivans" - The much loved inter-war drama about your typical pre-war Oz family during the great depression...so popular it managed to go until the 1950's - you know what I mean - I think the show success (other than the great Oz cast & the opening credits with Kitty being chased down the lane by her larikin brother while 'Mam' and 'me Dad' got their picture taken - in sepia no less) it was a welcomed walk down nostalgia lane at a time where the world had completely changed...

And changes were all over - Gra Gra leaves Channel 9 ('after that crow call which sounded like he was saying Farrrrrrrrrrk') and off to 0/10 for 'Blankety Blanks' where Oz A List ,B List and Ugly Dave Gray Category List celebrities made lewd innuendo while drinking whisky and smoking cigars/cigarettes (I'm not kidding)...Quiz show entertainment mixed in with variety...Lordy who could forgot Peter the 'Phantom Puller' of the board...

Speaking of mixers - combine variety,Kids and 'stars in their eyes' and you get 'YOUNG TALENT TIME' - this show started so many little OZ performer careers - including Debbie Burnes, Jamie Redfern,Tina Arena and Dannii Minogue - performing covers of the day and hosted by Johnny 'make your skin crawl' Young...Yes I dreamed of singing 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon' Round an old (prop) tree on the 0/10 soundstage...

...But as I got older, I would have much prefered to sing a cover from the Hit Parade - sorry top 10 - from 'COUNTDOWN'...

Ian 'Molly' Meldrum can be attributed to late nights, love of ancient Egypt, taking more drugs than Sid Vicious (Molly I was at Freakazoid as well love) - and of course - this TV Gem - not a carbon copy of 'Bandstand' or another UK/US music show - this was Music Oz - live bands, interviews and the latest and greatest...surviving until the eighties and then reformed as 'Countdown Revolution' - not a patch on its former 'Muse-o' self...Countdown was watched by many...and now there is a revival tour going on in OZ!

...and yes to come full circle - the first 'COUNTDOWN' show was the first of many first's in 1975 - the first on the ABC not only shown in colour, firstly introduced by John('ny was lost as I want to be taken seriously') Farham and first showing Skyhooks playing 'Horror Movie' - high drama if ever I saw, heard or lived it...shockin' me right out of my brains...

But come 1979, the world was changing again - no more stacked heels and Donna Summer at the Disco, the new wave was coming, so was money and power and greed...(but more on Channel 9 later)...

So kids toss out those flares and forgot about the punch and fondue, shop for power suits and get the barman to bring us a couple of fluffy ducks at the club 'Inflation/Check Point Charlie/Rumours'(insert the 80's club name here)...The Eighties (and excess) have arrived...

...to be continued...

The worst home decorating blog

http://discountdesign.blogspot.com/

OMG - you have to see it - to believe it

I think the Plate thing is my worse
(Believe it or not it's supposed to detract from the switches on the wall)...and the writing is not much better - Especially hate it when she says 'Urgh'

Shame Allyson Shame

(Cheers to Jez for letting me know the foul blog)

Oz TV continued - The 60's....

Variety was word 'Du-jour' in 1960's OZ TV

Forget a night at the theatre or a double maitenne at the Tivoli with a chop top and coke for 2 and 6 - just get cozy on the vinyl settee with Mum, Dad, Little Johnny & Jemina (and Rex the dog of course)... Oz was still importing foreign TV shows...but started to develop it's own...

Let's start with the kiddies - 'Uncle Norman's Tarax's show' (who looked a bit like a drunk and a child molestor to me)& 'Romper Room' (a rip off of the UK kiddy show) for starters - but bless Auntie (the ABC)- creating 'Play School' (I always liked the arch window myself) and 'Mr Squiggle' (hated that pencil poof but loved grumpy Gus - the TV snail) - both shows surviving today... which either means there are universal or we think our kids like the same shit...

For the teens? How cool was 'Bandstand' - a complete rip off of the American show - with Mr Brian Henderson - the hippest cat in a knitten cardigan and scientist glasses, playing the latest discs of the day - the Beatles, the Rolling stones, Little Patti(was this Patti Newton?), Cole Joy(a bit like your daggy Uncle)...and Rock & Roll demi god and Oz's answer to the wild American rockers - Mr Johnny O'Keefe...

Not up for music...need some comedy? Well then it's 'The Mavis Bramston show' - which featured everyone except for Mavis Bramston( who was obviously called away to a tupperware party or the making of pickle relish) - this was the first satire show of Oz life, politics and society - this would pave the way for shows like 'The Naked Vicar Show' of the 1970's, 'D-generation' of the 80's & 'Fast Forward'/'Full Frontal' of the 90's...

What about Drama? The love of Cop shows begun in the 60's with 'Homocide' blokes in hats & black suits with thin ties driving Holdens about Melbourne...solving big city murders - the opening theme is very Oz Film Noir... Oz's romance with the soaps also started... However the soapies of the day were very staid (and dull) 'Bellbird' - about life on the farm in rural oz...complete with a dog on a tucker box - well almost...

Talk Shows were probably the most successful and popular - whether it was 'that yank' Don Lane in Sydney...or Graham Kennedy's IMT - 'In Melbourne Tonight' - a mix of variety, humour, singing, guest stars and the start of 'info commercials' - about lemonade with 'sparkle-arckle', Pal dog food with Rover(the dog wee'ed on air), Ladies Shoes 'in the latest styles and fashions', toothpaste 'with extra zing' or anything else that would sponsor these shows...all live mind you...sometimes the ads were as interesting as the guests...

And interesting too that during this time IMT also became a National show - in fact networks all over little Oz stopped being local and started to form national networks. The Channel 0/10 network also began, so by the end of the 60's most urban areas of Oz got 4 channels to choose from - and now the channels were broadcasting from early morning to late at night - bigger variety for a bigger audience...

Oz TV in the 60's were definitely a reflection of the changes in society - we were shaking off the old plain & conservative Menzies era and really started to develop the 'aussie image' - we even got our own currency ('66) and started to finally move away from the mother country...

If the 60's were about standing on our own two feet and becoming our own with aussie variety, the 70's were about lying on our backs and having fun with aussie taboo's... so put away the lounge suits, the martini's and cheese on sticks - get out the punch bowls, the fondue sets and chiffon gowns in your sunken open planned homes, complete with lime green formica, shot silk orange curtins and shag pile brown carpets (OMG I just described my parents house from '75)
It's time to let it all hang out and go wild - in fully blown techicolour no less...

To be continued...

You Tube: Fast change of clothes

Please watch this - Its the most amazing thing ever - I wish I could change clothes this fast...In the words of a friend 'Ammo ' Cher could learn a lot from this Doll (for those lucky enough to attend a Cher Concert - it's Cher-tastic but christ does the woman take time in changing of the wig/sparkle costume/earings)

Oz TV continued - The 50's....

'Good evening and welcome to television'...
(Spoken in crispy UK accent)

Who would have though it ehhh? Little battler oz getting the black & white telly box back in '56...as long as the presenters were either English (and v.posh English at that dear sir) or (shudder) American...it seemed in the early days of the box we didn't want our own brash accents barking to us...Preferring foreign accents (as long as they were white) shouting at us instead...Very much Menzies Oz..er - oust-tray -lia...

Television was going to encaptulate the post war world...especially good family values and clean fun...(well initially...but more of the Kennedy's Crow Call and Abigail's bosom's from 'No.96' later) Telly was the new media...but the world was still used to the old media..newspapers,radio and the newsreel at the 'flicks'...what was Telly to do... ?

Well they just transferred the stars of the old medium to the new medium...vaudleville acts like Bobby Limb and Dawn lake; Bert Newton, Graham Kennedy & Brian Henderson were from the radio...These became the stars of entertainment, variety and comedy shows...

Probably the highlight of '56 was the televising of the Olympic games in Melbourne - a world first ( also the first Games with a closing ceremony!) And weren't we proud- Dawnie & Murray in the pool ( Bless the Glammorheads would do it again in Montreal for the gay games in '06), Shirley on the track and Browne & Marchant on the bikes...

And the sports presenters at the time would say
Go oust-tray -lia... GO!
(said in best English accent with nose held)

Telly would only start around 5pm or 6pm at night...and close around 10'ish - so in Melbourne you could get to Young and Jackson's at knock off - have a few before closing at 6(yes all pubs had restriction of licenses in those days) grab a red rattler or trammy from Flinders Street to home and settle down to watch 'Pick a Box','Name that tune' or 'In Melbourne Tonight' - and in '56 - only one or two stations operated per capital city...so if you didn't like Gra Gra or Bert - you were stuffed...

It wasn't really until the 1960's when Australia started to loosen up a bit, putting aside the lardy cakes and tea things from the church fete & picnics of the 50's, and started to serve champers (domestic) and cheese & cabanosi on jatz's at cocktail do's or sausages, salads & wine coolers at pool parties in the 1960's... OZ wanted variety and change...

...And variety was going to hit OZ TV in a big way...

to be continued...

Panic Attack - South of the Border way-o

Benicio Del Toro isn't your average actor - he's severe, harsh and sometimes looks like he needs a bec's and a good lie down (please those eye bags I could pack for the weekend) but when he is on the screen...I so get him and he becomes this Mexican Sexy beast - and the rough ruggedness manly exterior mixed with the whisky pack a day voice is rather hot...




Its just me...right?
Ah well I must be wearing my Margarita glasses muchacho!

50 Years of TV OZ - Happy Birthday !

Well its 50 years since Australia got the box...
it turns out Australia was thinking about telly back in the 1940's - but was postponed due to the war...It wasn't until 1956 when Channel 9 launched TV with Bruce Gyngell saying those immortal words..."Welcome to television." And who would have ever thought this media would have such a massive impact on society...( other than Sir Frank and son Kerry Packer - R.I.P.)

As much as I hate The Herald Sun Newspaper here in Melbourne ( my favorite newspaper 'The Age' uses not only correct grammar and english in it's publications but big words other than 'terrorist' 'dole-bludger''migrant' & 'battler') - I did buy 6 copies so I could purchase my trashy history of OZ Telly Dvd's...yes I was even geeky enough to get the box to store them in...

But...SHOCK...it's fantastic...from Graham Kennedy to Bert Newton to Bandstand to Don Lane to Graham Kennedy to the Footy Show to Dame Edna to Bobby Limb to Dawn Lake to old Logies and to Gra Gra again - Yes Im a bit of a fan of the Kennedy Humour much to Andrew's dismay (however this is the man who still thinks 'Dance yourself Dizzy' Should still be on the hit parade.)

Not only clips of old long forgotten shows but TV clips of News of the day, local and world wide...The only drawback of the dvds is it's only Channel 9 shows - that damn rivalry between the networks - it would have been better to see all the shows like No.96 to Countdown to Cop Shop to Chopper Squad and more...

So needless to say Im going to take a walk down tv's memory highway - which must be like Route 66 - though it is a bit silly as I was only born in 1974 so there will be so ad lib and more research to be done...

Spunk Alert 5 - Ryan McGoldrick

Just another hot Rugby player...

Book Review: The shock of the new again...'Case Study Houses' Revisited.

I re-discovered a subject(bless Amazon)I have not thought about for over 10 years...in fact I completely forgotten about the Case study houses and how much they have influenced how we live today...

Back in 1945, John Entenza's Arts & Architecture magazine, commissioned major architects of the day, to design and build inexpensive and efficient model homes for the residential housing boom caused by the end of World War II and the return of millions of soldiers.

The houses are amazing to say the least - architects (Like Richard Neutra, Charles & Ray Eames for example)experimenting with materials from wood to steel to even plastic...creating open planned abodes with floor to ceiling doors & windows opening up these dwellings to natural light and views of the surrounds... or to the new to patio or terraces..from bedrooms with built in robes and furniture...to kitchens with all mod conds and bench seating...to ensuite bathrooms with double vanities...to open fireplaces, sunken rooms and split level floors - all of which we take for granted today...the indoor and outdoor blended, and the home started to take form and life ( or should I say 'lifestyle') of it's own - not just a art deco or colonial or Spanish mission revival box - it became a living functional machine...

The program ran from 1945 until the mid 60's. Most of the houses were built in California. The case study houses in their time started basic and pure, but ended up costly and a luxury item for rich americans...Was the idea of a low cost architectural abode lost?

Well yes and no...it exploded the idea of the traditional house - and the way we interact with it...in fact if you look at homes from the Mc Mansions of the new estate suburbs to the more expensive commisions some architects are lucky enough to create - all (yes even the ones which look like a copy of Tara) have used, abused and quite frankly stolen ideas from the case studies...that is the legacy which has survived.

'Case Study Houses 1945-1962' by Esther Mc Coy First published 1962, Reprinted 1977
(NB - Originally written for an Review for Amazon)

Spunk Alert 4 - Bond naked

When I heard that the new 007 is in the buff for 'Casino Royale' I had to google for his doodle...

Yeah he's a spunk...and yes there will be more later...on the films and yes him too...

Quiz time 2...Can you tell me how to get to Sesame St?

Great...after all these years thinking I was Ernie and Bert's love puppet...it turns out I have similar characteristics to the old Cookie Monster...

"Misunderstood as a primal monster, you're a true hedonist with a huge sweet tooth.
You are usually feeling: Hungry. Cookies are preferred, but you'll eat anything if cookies aren't around.
You are famous for: Your slightly crazy eyes and usual way of speaking
How you life your life: In the moment. "Me want COOKIE!"

(Actually when I used to go out dancing all weekend at dance parties the above description is pretty much accurate).

Go on...have a go at the quiz...Tell me if you are Dawn Prairie or Bert or Oscar or one of the velvertine thing that sung the Ban-na-na-na song...

http://www.blogthings.com/thesesamestreetpersonalityquiz/

Spunk Alert 3 - The new Bond

This is the new 007...Daniel Craig...
well after this shot I think there will be more...

Spunk Alert 2 - Poolside

What is it about five hot naked guys in the pool?
I think the second from the right sums it up brilliantly...

DVD review: 'Grey Gardens'

Well what happens when the socialite lights fade to a dim shade of grey?
They make a movie...

'Grey Gardens' was, and still is, one of a kind. This documentary film about estranged relatives of Jackie O's living in a dilapidated mansion in South Hampton, was beyond it's years in 1975. From the moment it starts to it's glorious end, you are drawn into the life of Big & Little Edie...

Little Edie and her amazing technicolour 'costumes' and headscarfs of Pucci Print to Terry Cloth, with that amazing eastcoast-Kennedy-come-Brooklynese clan accent is quite grotesque and charming all at the same time...Big Edie (the mother) tends to sit in states of undressed to overdressed (like the scene with her in the bed with lace, jackets, glasses and an old summer hat) while singing 'Tea for Two' in what can only be described as a warbling voice best left in 1934...

But its the snippet of their crazy life they lead which is starring role in this film...which is both sad and funny...from watching them eat pate and butter pecan icecream in their bedroom while cats shit behind a beautiful portrait of Big Edie (The wonderful line here is "At least someone is doing what they want to")

And it is the dialogue - from funny to sad to downright crazy back to funny again...

Little Edie on dresscode...
" this is the best costume for the day..."
Little Edie on the day...
"It's getting bedddddda!"
Little Edie on dresscode again...
"Mother wanted me to wear a Kimono - we had such a fight"
Little Edie on the raid ...
"this is the most atrocious this that has ever happened to anyone in the history of America"
Little Edie on her...
"They didn't realise they were dealing with such a S-T-A-U-N-C-H charac-da"

(So many lines...so many lines I want to share with the world...)

So if you are wanting to see what happens to the other half when the other half grow wild in the Hamptons...or rather what happens to people when they grow wild...get scarf, tie it around your head and watch "Grey Gardens"

It's getting so much bedda...

(4 Choctops out of 5!)

Ps - Little Edie does a dance with the American flag is so funny it leaves John Cleeses walk for dust...