On Friday night there was a fatal shooting on 126th Street in Harlem, and Matt and I missed it by about an hour. At around 7:30 at night we came out of the 125th Street subway station to go to a friend’s place, only to be confronted by yellow police tape, several cop cars, guys in suits, TV news vans and cameras, and a crowd of onlookers. We wondered what was going on, and I finally saw a woman with a press pass and asked her. “There was a shooting,” she said. “Oh, okay,” I responded, in my most blasé New Yorker voice.
From there we went to our destination, where we hung out with a group of friends and watched two memorable movies, neither of which I’d seen before: “Barbarella” and “Xanadu.”
Wow.
One stars Jane Fonda as a nymphomaniac space hero who wears seven or eight costumes and befriends an angel. The other involves Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly, rollerskating, and 1940’s big-band music.
I’m not sure which one made more sense, but the dance sequences in “Xanadu” were pretty fanatastic. If you ever want to see a really good “bad” movie, that’s the one to see.
Just make sure to avoid any shootings.
I remember the days when shootings in New York City were all too common. When I was growing up, there was a serious crime problem. As a young guy, wandering NYC at night was an act of questionable intelligence. Nowadays, I think I’d be shocked to wander upon the scene of a shooting (and, of course, I hope I don’t). Happily, violent crime around here has become relatively unusual.
What a fun evening! Wish I had been there. I’ve seen XANADU, but not for ages, but never BARBARELLA.
I’m passing up commenting on the Texas anti-gay post because this is a holiday weekend and I’m in no mood to make myself that upset at the sheer idiocy that exists in certain parts of the world. But how can I pass up Xanadu? One of my favorite bad movies ever. I must have been about six or seven when I saw the movie in the theatre, and for weeks had fantasies about running into/through walls to find Olivia Newton-John. Might I also suggest to you the Lucille Ball “Mame”, which is also pretty bad but still has a number of priceless moments of comedy. (God bless Bea Arthur!) For a better time, check out some good ‘ol Julie Andrews in “Thoroughly Modern Millie”.
“Barbarella” has long been a movie I’d like to see, but never have. Maybe this would be a good time to track it down, now that we are about to have a Jane Fonda resurgance. (Who will join me in calling for a sequel to “9 to 5”?!)
Barbarella boasts two of the greatest lines in the history of the cinema:
“De-crucify the Angel or I’ll melt your face!”
and
“Your innocence makes tha Mathmoss vomit.”
First line is delivered Jane Fonda, the second by Anita Pallenberg.
I have not seen the movie “Xandau”, but I have the soundtrack on LP record, along with some other ONJ rocords. The local college radio is off the air for the night, I shall fire up the turntable while I finish Sunday’s newspaper.
“Xanadu” director disses Ahnuld!
God bless “Xanadu.” My O.N.-J. obsession reached its peak with that film, but even at age 11 I knew there never was a Muse named Kira.
But think of how safe you were with such an increased police presence!