Month: September 2017

A ‘HEAD’y tweet…and no, I’m not talking about Miss Hedy Lamarr, or Groucho Marx, or Delilah’s bosom…if that’s all you’re interested in…then read the previous post! 😉

HEAD (1968), ‘The Big Vic’, The Monkees, Jack Nicholson, Carole King, Timbuktu (1958), Bernard Herrmann, Wuthering Heights, The Egyptian (1954), Michael Curtiz, and The Egyptian…again!

While searching Victor Mature on Twitter, I came across this ‘Head’y tweet from Jessica (J.P.) @HollywoodComet regarding…HEAD (1968):

“Victor Mature was my favorite part of HEAD.” – tweeted Jessica      “Victor Mature admitted the script made no sense to him: “All I know is it makes me laugh.” LOL”

Jessica’s tweet inspired some ‘HEAD’y thoughts…;-) Personally, I love the scene where The Monkees are sucked up out of my Dad’s hair like large pieces of dandruff…

HEAD – Quotes from the theatrical trailer:

HEAD –  “What’s it all about? Only Victor Mature’s hairdresser knows for sure…”

HEAD – “The most extraordinary adventure, western, comedy, love story, mystery, drama, musical, documentary, satire ever made!”

(Yes! That is Annette Funicello!)

HEAD – the psychedelic film directed by Bob Rafelson…starring The Monkees, Annette Funicello, Frank Zappa, Teri Garr, Tony Basil, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, Bob Rafelson, Sonny Liston..and Victor Mature as “The Big Vic”.

HEAD was one of Jack Nicholson’s earliest attempts at screen writing…

HEAD – the soundtrack included The Porpoise Song – co-written by Carole King

Carole King’s demo version:

Here’s the Monkees’ version from HEAD:

Ten years before HEAD (1968) was released, Victor Mature starred in the film Timbuktu (1958) with Yvonne de Carlo…and George Dolenz…(Micky Dolenz’ [of The Monkees] father)…

Continuing on this HEAD trip…Jessica (J.P.) @HollywoodComet, the author of the afore-quoted tweet, is doing the PR for Lives of Bernard Herrmann: A documentary exploring the life and music of Academy Award winning composer Bernard Herrmann. (@HerrmannMovie) …and, apparently, Alec Baldwin will be lending his talents to the documentary. (IMDB)

As a film composer, Herrmann started his career with Citizen Kane (1941) and exited with Taxi Driver (1976). In between, there were 70+ films: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), to name a few…and, of course…The Egyptian (1954) starring Jean Simmons, Gene Tierney, Bella Darvi, Michael Wilding, Peter Ustinov, and “The Big Vic.”

Bernard Herrmann also composed a gorgeous, rarely performed opera titled Wuthering Heights (1951)…based on the 1847 novel, by Emily Brontë. Hermann’s first wife, Lucille Fletcher, wrote the libretto…

The Egyptian (1954)

Just so you’re a-HEAD of the game…a new biography of The Egyptian’s illustrious director will be released by The University of Kentucky Press at the end of November 2017…  Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film by Alan K. Rode. …I hear there’s nearly an entire chapter dedicated to the intrigue surrounding the making of The Egyptian…;-) https://www.kentuckypress.com/live/title_detail.php?titleid=2584#.WahxssaZO9Y

Before you HEAD for other parts…

P.S. The Michael Curtiz Evening to celebrate the book’s release and subject will be held 12/7/17 in Los Angeles at…The Egyptian Theatre…;-) https://www.alankrode.com/index.php/events-and-appearances/event/25-michael-curtiz-evening-kertesz-before-curtiz

P.P.S. HEAD (1968) can be found as part of The Criterion Collection…seriously! 😉 https://www.criterion.com/films/27527-head

Cheers!

Victoria Mature

 

“I’m no actor and I’ve got 64 pictures to prove it!” – Victor Mature