Genre Favorites Blogfest, September 17, 2012
One blogfest, four favorites!
List your favorite genre of:
Movie
Music
Books
And a guilty pleasure genre from any of the three categories!
Visit all the participants at Alex J Cavanaugh and keep in mind that if you've arrived here before the official start date, I've posted early--most posts won't be available until Monday September 17th.
Visit all the participants at Alex J Cavanaugh and keep in mind that if you've arrived here before the official start date, I've posted early--most posts won't be available until Monday September 17th.
I enjoy talking about favorites so this is the kind of blogfest that I can't resist participating in. Now what's my favorite today may not be my favorite next week or even later today. My mood also can influence what I consider a favorite. For me taste can be fickle, but I'll stick with some generalities that have consistently stayed favorites with me throughout the years.
Movies -- One genre that I consistently enjoy watching and am a sucker for any new one that comes along is TIME TRAVEL. From those early Twilight Zone episodes involving time travel to the cheesy show Time Tunnel to the great Quantum Leap I've always loved the concept of moving through time. A favorite movie of the genre is the 2007 Spanish film Los Cronocrimenes (Time Crimes). It's a mindbender that only involves traveling an hour into the past, but it raises some interesting conundrums. I'm still waiting for the English version.
Music -- I'm fanatic about music and love nearly all kinds. From childhood I've always loved classical and now that's what I listen to much of the time. In my teens, during the British Invasion of the 60's, I acquired a tasted for modern rock and roll. A favorite genre in popular modern music is alternative/progressive rock. This covers a very wide span for me. A group that I've discovered recently thanks to blogger Deniz Bevan is a Welsh band with the odd name of Gorkys Zygotic Mynci. They sound like a group from straight out of the early 70's--my favorite modern era of music--though they started releasing their recordings in the 1990's.
How about a sample of their sound:
Books -- When I was a teen I mostly read science fiction and mysteries. After I got into college I became interested in Southern Literary Fiction and that is still a big favorite. I enjoy William Faulkner, Cormac McCarthy, James Dickey, and others. But my biggest favorite of all is the great Flannery O'Connor--her influence holds sway over much of my writing.
Guilty Pleasure Genre -- From Movies it would be Musicals! I love musicals: Carousel, Oklahoma, An American in Paris, Cabaret, Evita--there are not many I haven't liked. I especially like the old films with Fred Astaire and the dancing spectaculars staged by Busby Berkeley. If there's a juggler in it that's an added bonus. Since I grew up in show business I can appreciate the nostalgic draw these old films have for me about the lifestyle, and these old films capture the spirit of show people and the lives they lead and I can identify with these films.
So there you have it. My favorites are probably way different than most of the entrants, but I guess it's partly a factor of age and upbringing. If you haven't experienced some of the things I've mentioned by all means check them out. They've rewarded me. Perhaps you will find some of your own rewards in them.
I loved Betty Davis and Jimmy Stewart movies, Abbott and Costello. Boris Carloff...I loved the old stuff.
ReplyDeleteMy music can range from opera to acid rock.
And my taste in books can be from humor to something absolutely grim and horrific.
Sadly, I won't be participating ib the event but I'll be lurking.
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
Arlee Bird is an early bird. Having it posted early is a great way to get some more interest going, Lee. Thanks for keeping an eye on the guest post (A to Z post) on the 12th.
ReplyDeleteMy post is scheduled and ready for Sept 17th. Hope you have a great weekend.
I love musicals too. Some wonderful songs have become standards.
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting blogfest, somewhere along the line I have missed this piece of information.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
I love time-travel. Everything I write has time travel in it. It's hard, but so satisfying when it works.
ReplyDeleteMy husband would love and share some movies with you, they would be his choices too!
ReplyDeleteQuantum Leap - now there's something I haven't seen in a while - great choice
ReplyDeletemusicals rock, if they are cool musicals...
ReplyDeleteJeremy [Retro-Zombie]
Howlin' Wolf Records: On-Line Magazine
This is a very interesting list. I won't even attempt to pronounce the name of that band. White Christmas is a favorite of mine - loved the whole putting together of the big show.
ReplyDeleteQuite different to my list but fascinating. I love anything to do with time travel as well.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know the bands you listed.
ReplyDeleteShelly -- Thanks for offering your favorites here. It sounds like we have similar eclectic tastes.
ReplyDeleteDG -- Thanks for visiting early and for your guest posts.
Bish -- Great songs have come from musicals.
Yvonne -- This is a blogfest that you'd enjoy.
Donna -- The concept of time travel can be used in so many ways.
CM -- Does he like musicals too?
Baygirl -- Quantum Leap wasn't a movie, but it represents one of the best in the genre of Time Travel. I have the entire series on DVD.
Karen -- I figured you'd like musicals. I like anything about show business or that is showy like a musical.
Jeremy -- I think most musicals are pretty cool. Definitely Busby Berkeley musicals.
Nicki -- I've always liked those "let's-put-on-a-show" stories. Dips into my deepest fantasies.
Ellie -- Time Travel is a genre that can include any other genre. It's very flexible.
L.Diane -- I only listed the one band and I'd never heard of them until Deniz introduced me a couple weeks ago.
Lee
I love time travel too. You have some interesting posts.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your blog, so have nominated you for the Super Sweet Award. If you want to participate, please go here http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/ and pick up the award button and the rules.
Sunni
I'm going to have to look for that Spanish film!
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating in my blogfest.
While I do like a good musical also, not necessarily my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI too am grateful to Deniz for tuning me into Gorky's.
Yay! Another fan of musicals. My love of musicals (stage and movie) started way back in the late 40s and early 50s when my grandmother and I would go to a musical movie every chance we got. And I learned to love the stage presentations by seeing musicals such as Call Me Madam and South Pacific at the outdoor Municipal Opera in St. Louis when we visited family there. I'm still hooked (and yes, I also love the music from Evita).
ReplyDeleteOooh, time travel is a great genre! I love me some Doctor Who - both old school Who (Tom Baker!) and the new series. I watched Time Crimes a while back (that freaky pink mask on the cover art sucked me in), and it almost broke my brain. I think I need to watch it again now that I know what's going to happen.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading about your favorite genres,
Jocelyn
Ooh, time travel--so difficult to do well. I think Doctor Who does it the best!
ReplyDeleteAllison (Geek Banter)
I have to admit, I've regressed. I've gone back to the 60's for my favorite music (made easier by Sirius/XM radio). But I love musicals and Fred Astaire will always hold a place in my heart.
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only one who loved Twilight Zone AND Quantum Leap! Great favorites :D
ReplyDeleteSunni -- Thank you for the recognition. I'll be over to visit.
ReplyDeleteAlex --Hopefully they'll do an English version of Los Cronocrimenes--it's a real mindbender of a story.
Faraway -- I guess I should also thank you for your guest post that insprired Deniz to comment with that group recommendation.
Patricia -- My parents likewise took me to a few musicals when I was young, but I guess my real appreciation came with the release of Cabaret when I realized that musicals could have relevance.
Jocelyn -- Glad someone else can vouch for the freakiness of Time Crimes.
Allison -- I'm even a sucker for bad time travel. If it gets me thinking then it's done its job.
LD -- Fred Astaire is one of my heroes and if one allows the inclusion of dancing, I'd argue that he was one of the greatest actors of the 20th century.
Jenn -- I'm sure there are many of us fans out here.
Lee
Quantum Leap was one of the best shows ever made. And the first book I wrote was about time travel. :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting list, Arlee. I enjoyed reading your post. :)
ReplyDeleteParticipant #125
Great list. I'm not a musical fan, unless it's Grease or Sound of Music. LOL! :)
ReplyDeleteBack to the Future and Musicals...that works well for me:) You've also listed some wonderful authors I truly enjoy. Good choices all around, I'd say:)
ReplyDeleteTamara -- Another yes for time travel. Yes!
ReplyDeleteMelissa -- Thanks for visiting.
Lynn -- Those are a couple of popular ones.
MJ -- Glad these meet your approval.
Lee
Ooh I love time travel too. One of my favourite books (as you would have seen) is the Time Traveler's Wife, and my next book will have a time travel element to it. Can't wait to write it! :-)
ReplyDeleteI like your guilty pleasures, Lee, I love musicals. We took our kids to see musicals put on by a local theatre society when they were very young. The Wizard of Oz was the first one they saw.
ReplyDeleteI loved 42nd Street, and Brigadoon. American in Paris is a classic, and Leslie Caron is one of my favorite French actors. Liked her in GIGI.
I'm still getting around the Genre blogfest list.
I love musicals! And alt rock. ^_^
ReplyDeleteI love that you love musicals :D
ReplyDeleteHow fun~ My daughter is enjoying them and I get to see all my favorites again ;D
Nice list of what Lee likes now. :-)
ReplyDeleteI like time travel and love Flannery O'Connor. Faulkner, on the other hand,makes me want to smack him. Oh, well.
Love the old films with Fred Astaire and, well duh, my brain went blank, he did Singing in the rain...This is what happens when you try to do these visits in between calls. One of my all time favorites in Musicals? Fiddler on The Roof and I knew most of the songs from Oklahoma and South Pacific because my parents watched them so many times. :-)
Enjoyed your article!
Cally -- Time travel offers so many fun possibilities.
ReplyDeleteDG -- I always watch American In Paris when it comes on TV at an hour when I'm awake.
Misha -- I like alt rock. For that matter I like all rock.
Ella -- For me musicals are timeless.
Sia -- Gene Kelly is the great artist from Singing In the Rain and so many other fine films.
Lee
Hey Lee! I loved Quantum Leap! My boys and I used to watch that all the time. I really do like the music you posted..it kind of reminds me of some of the stuff of Badly Drawn Boy, a British artist that I forgot to mention on my music list...and my guilty pleasure was also musicals, so you're not the only one there! Good picks!
ReplyDeleteHi, Arlee,
ReplyDeleteMusicals are great. I've enjoyed them since childhood when they were the only kind of movies shown on a Sunday morning.
I like documentaries that have to do with crime and by extension, all of the weeklies that have to do with crime solving.
I also love The Twilight Zone and enjoy watching it with my son. I also love musicals. I recently saw Singing In The Rain again, and appreciated it even more. Julie
ReplyDeleteLove your guilty pleasure category in films - musicals are wonderful - especially if there's some tap dancing in them.
ReplyDeleteI recently re-watched all of Quantum Leap on Netflix. It is still a good show, which isn't always true when you go back and watch a show you used to like. I love musicals, as well! Grew up on them.
ReplyDeleteMy Genre Favorites & Guilty Pleasures
Eve -- I was glad to see several mentions of musicals. I enjoyed Badly Drawn Boy as well. I remember his music featured in some movie I watched.
ReplyDeleteJL --Musicals on a Sunday morning is interesting programming that I've never seen done to my knowledge.
Julie -- Not sure how many times I've watched Singing in the Rain, but it's a wonderful film.
Tyrean-- Yes, tap dancing! I tried to learn tap dancing at one time, but it didn't go so well.
Shannon -- I've got the DVD set of Quantum Leap. Love that show.
Lee
Interesting list Arlee. I've heard of Fred Astaire but never Busby Berkeley.
ReplyDeleteWhen I watch any of those older musicals, I think how talented the performers were back then compared to so many of them today. Hugh Jackman is a modern multi-talented performer.
ReplyDelete