11/21/16 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Judy Garland- Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Hollywood Mondays

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In 1939 MGM released the Frank Baum children’s classic The Wizard of Oz. The public wanted child star and box office powerhouse Shirley Temple to play the role of Dorothy. The studio decided to go with 17-year-old newcomer Judy Garland instead. This was one of the first scene filmed it sets the tone for the rest of the film. Continue reading

10/31/16 O&A NYC HALLOWEEN HOLLYWOOD MONDAY ENCORE: Grace Jones- The Vamp

Hollywood-Mondays

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Vamp, starring Grace Jones and Chris Makepeace is a 1986 comedy horror film directed by Richard Wenk, and co-written by Wenk and Donald P. Borchers. Continue reading

10/31/16 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: The Addams Family- The Mamushka!

Hollywood-MondaysIn The Mamushka!- Dance of Brotherly Love Gomez (Raul Julia) dances with fake Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd).  Continue reading

(repost) 5/1/23 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Carmen Jones- Gypsy Song – Beat Out Dat Rhythm on a Drum

Hollywood Mondays

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In the groundbreaking black version of Carmen Jones there is a wonderful club scene Gypsy Song -Beat Out Dat Rhythm on a Drum featuring three sepia divas, Dorothy Dandridge, Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll. But there are at least three more present and future stars in the scene. As Carmen enters the club, the stunning woman with the pony-tail is famous beauty/dancer Carmen De Lavallade. Next two are fabled drummer Max Roach, and albeit just for a couple of seconds, Alvin Ailey! Continue reading

10/17/16 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Harlem Nights- Eddie Murphy and Della Reese Fight Scene

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Harlem Nights is a 1989 comedy-drama crime film starring Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. The film also featured Michael Lerner, Danny Aiello, Redd Foxx  (In his last film before his death in 1991), Della Reese  and Murphy’s brother Charlie Murphy. Murphy and Pryor star as a team running a nightclub in late-1930s  Harlem, New York while contending with gangsters and corrupt police officials. Continue reading

10/10/16 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Tina Turner- The Acid Queen (Tommy)

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The Acid Queen, a song written by Pete Townshend and the ninth song on The Who’s rock opera album Tommy, tells the attempts of Tommy’s parents to try to cure him. They leave him with a gypsy, a self-proclaimed “Acid Queen”. She feeds Tommy various hallucinogenic drugs. Continue reading

10/3/16 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: The Wiz – If You Believe

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If You Believe  performed by Lena Horne as Glinda the Good Witch of the South in Sidney Lumet’s The Wiz, the film version of the popular Broadway musical. The film retells the events of L. Frank Baum’s classic novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz through the eyes of a young African-American kindergarten teacher who’s never been below 125th Street. Continue reading

9/26/16/ O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Do The Right Thing- Radio Raheem Tribute

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Actor Bill Nunn died of cancer on Saturday, September 24  “Radio Raheem is now resting in power, Radio Raheem will always be fighting da powers dat be. May God watch over Bill Nunn.” wrote Do The Right Thing director Spike Lee.  Continue reading

9/12/16 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Yentl- Papa Can you Hear Me?

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Papa, Can You Hear Me, composed, by Michel Legrand with lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, for Barbra Streisand in the title role of  the 1983 film Yentl. The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 56th Academy Awards; Streisand’s longtime friend Donna Summer performed it during the ceremonies. Continue reading

1/8/18 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: The King and I

Hollywood Mondays

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The King and I is a 1956 musical film made by 20th Century Fox. The movie was directed by Walter Lang and produced by Charles Brackett and Darryl F. Zanuck. The screenplay by Ernest Lehman is based on the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical The King and I. The musical starred Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. It was Brynner who pressed for Kerr to play the role. Marni Nixon provided Kerr’s singing for the film.  Continue reading