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Nostalgic Hollywood
by Andi MulhollandStamping Deck Crewmember
My earliest memories of going to the movies includes seeing “Bambi” and ”The Greatest Story Ever Told” at a little theatre on Villard Avenue here in my hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Villa had an old fashioned feel to it even then; the seats were velveteen, the floors sticky, and the balcony was my place to sit and escape from reality. Tickets cost a mere 50 cents for children, and we willingly did extra chores just to have the money to see something on a Saturday afternoon! There was something about sitting up high in that balcony that made going to the show more fun. I don’t know if it was being able to throw popcorn at the kids we didn’t like, or if it was the additional darkness upstairs that made “Dark Shadows” all that more spooky...all I know is that it was our place to forget about homework and the angst of puberty for awhile. We left the show feeling whatever emotions the movie evoked, and walked into the brightness of the outdoors just a bit more hopeful. Teenaged years brought special date nights out to the movies, and as a mom, movie dates with my little sons were times we all looked forward to. A good movie will make you cry, laugh, or want to pulverize a bad guy. Movies evoke emotions, and emotions shared create memories. Come and share with me?
Some Saturdays we just didn’t have the cash to see a show, so we stayed in and watched the old movies on TV. Back then, there were not 200 channels to choose from, and no DVD or DVR players around; what we had were 4 channels and no choice! We didn’t have a color TV, and our imaginations filled in the colors for us. The movies I enjoyed were in black and white anyways, so it really didn’t matter. To this day I will gladly watch an old Stooges movie, or anything with Laurel and Hardy in it, and the antics of anyone who did physical comedy can still make me howl with laughter! Some might think being hit on the head with a frying pan’s not funny, but the Stooges did it with such panache! Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck! My salute to the guys who made me laugh was done with black and white in mind and hopefully resembles an old TV set from a kinder, gentler time.
In the 1950’s and 60’s, Hollywood brought many new faces to our living rooms through the magic of television. What were your favorite shows? I adored so many of them! We weren’t allowed to watch that much television, and my mother encouraged us to read. However, if a show was “clean”, we were allowed to watch an hour after school providing our homework was done. “I Love Lucy” was a show she approved of, and one we loved! I stopped watching it after a time, and rediscovered the joys of the show as a nurse on an Alzheimer unit. My residents love Lucy, and we have a library of videos with all of the old episodes.
Our unit is run on timed routines, and Lucy is as much a part of the day as lunch is! One episode that makes all of us laugh is the one where Lucy and Ethel get jobs in a chocolate factory. At first, they work side by side on a packing line, and the conveyor belt runs along slowly. Then, the belt picks up speed, but Lucy and Ethel don’t! The two of them end up shoving more candy in their mouths than in the boxes in front of them! As a tribute to Lucy and time, I’ve created this clock from an old CD, and a lot of giggles!
They called him “The King”, and some called him by other not so flattering names. Girls screamed and fainted when he sang, but it wasn’t the singing alone that made their hearts flutter. Elvis had a way of dancing that was not ballroom, and not romantic. Let’s just say that the censors had a field day
with his sensual hip rocking style and it took awhile before people accepted seeing it in front of them in public or on a big screen. Elvis is now a beloved memory in the minds of many. He is listed in both the Country and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame. I never missed a chance to watch him in a movie, and this card is a tribute to "Blue Hawaii", a movie that never fails to make me sigh. Speaking of Elvis flicks? "Viva Las Vegas" is another favorite, and it's the namesake for one of my favorite rubber stamp manufacturers. Every image used in this article came from their store; their selection of celebrity stamp images is huge!
Gentlemen prefer blondes, or so they say. Whether it's true or not, I have no idea, but it certainly didn't hurt Marilyn Monroe. With her platinum blonde hair, buxom figure and breathy voice, she became a symbol of glamour for every woman to copy and every man to fantacize about! Would we call her a diva today? You betcha! Diamonds are still a girl's best friend in Hollywood.
The lights go down, and a single spotlight shines on a pair of elegantly dressed people..poised to fly across the dancefloor, to dip, whirl, and effortlessly entertain us. Hollywood musicals remain one of my all time favorite genre of movie. Sigh....to be able to move like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers remains a fantasy desire of mine. I confess to having three or maybe even four left feet!
While watching one of these fabulous movies, I can put myself in Ginger's shoes and believe that it's me being gracefully moved in Fred's arms. The costumes were divinely feminine and floatingly lovely, the music timeless and haunting.
I can't imagine how many people have a "song" from one of these movies. Ballroom dancing is the epitome of romance, and any movie with Fred and Ginger, Danny Kay, Sid Cherise, or Bing Crosby will always get my vote!
Books are still my escape of choice, but on a cold winter night and with the right companions, an old movie always suits me just right. I don't know where our world would be without something to lighten our spirits, to entertain us, or inspire us to acts of greatness and bravery. Hollywood movies, sparkling lights, and the fantasy escapes they provide are all I need to make the world go away. Why not let your favorite escapes fuel your art? (See you at the movies!)
Pass the popcorn,
Andi
Andi Mulholland
andimulholland@ssreflections.com
Stamping Deck Crewmember
Reflections Publishing Group, LLC
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