It's been another very slow month on my blog. In spite of my resolve to get some creative juices flowing and put a little effort into writing about films on some kind of regular schedule, I seem to have failed miserably. Not that there haven't been many false starts. All sorts of brilliant ideas pop into my head, only to dissipate after the first paragraph. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me that I need to write reviews consisting of just one fact-filled, emotionally charged, extremely erudite paragraph and leave it at that.
So, since my writer's block has reached toxic levels, let me try something a little bit different. Here is a video I made for my Youtube channel several years ago when some of my friends and I were doing a series called Movies From A-Z. Actually, we did this project more than once and it was great fun, giving all of us a chance to talk about favorite films and compare ideas. This video gave me the pleasure of talking about Miss Bette Davis, with a brief mention of Miss Joan Crawford. Enjoy the video!
MOVIES FROM A-Z 2019 DEAD RINGER (1964)
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Sounds like another wild entry in the 1960s "psycho-biddy" trend initiated by Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Watching Davis play dual roles must have been the attention-getting gimmick exploited here.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen this flick, but, as you mention, it is hard to top Crawford's STRAIT-JACKET (1964) that same year for Grande Dame Guignol fun.
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DeleteHey Flash! Sorry I didn't respond to this earlier. Thanks for checking out my video. Dead Ringer is a fun movie for a variety of reasons. But it doesn't reach the histrionic heights of Strait-Jacket. But then, what movie could???
DeleteHey Mike, sometimes creative block or real life gets in the way of the creative flow. The latter has caused the gaps in my blog posts this year. But I'm just enetering year 10 and determined to keep plugging away. As for Dead Ringer, I did a double feature of double Davis roles, pairing it with a "A Stolen Life." Despite the twin angle, the movies were apples and oranges. Good luck in getting your movie mojo back, Rick
ReplyDeleteHi Rick, and thanks for commenting! I need to rewatch A Stolen Life, as it's been quite a while. But I can rewatch Dead Ringer every week and have loads of fun. Bette is rather stiff, but everyone else in the film is acting up a storm. Jean Hagan, Estelle Winwood, Karl Malden and Peter Lawford are all terrific. As for my lack of blog activity, I'm afraid it's a combination of real life AND writer's block. But I'm not ready to give it all up yet. Thank you for your encouragement. I wish I could write as well as you!
DeleteThanks and hang in there with with working out the life stuff and getting your writing groove back, Rick
DeleteI'm betting Bette Davies's favourite ever co-star was Bette Davies. I need to add Dead Ringer to my watchlist, along with The Prowler (1951), a film that you also reviewed.
ReplyDeleteHope your writer's block gets cured.
Yes, I agree that Bette was Bette's favorite actress, bar none!! By this point in her life, I have to wonder if she could see how stiff her acting had become. Probably not. But this is still a fun watch for many reasons. Thanks for commenting, and I hope one of these days to find the definitive cure for writer's block!
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