A Moment In the Woods

"Oh, if life were made of moments, even now and then a bad one...

But if life were only moments, then you'd never know you had one."

               The Baker's Wife (Stephen Sondheim lyrics)

I've been waiting to see "Into the Woods" for months. I first saw the previews this summer and was a bit appalled at how Disney was selling it. You'd never know it was a musical. With a minute's worth of special effects and quick clips of people in fairy-tale dress, you'd think it was a Harry Potter sequel. I had terrible thoughts that when people discovered it was one of Stephen Sondheim's more complex moral allegories -- and a musical on top of that -- they'd stay away in droves.

But Meryl Streep is a trump card. And, because not everyone can sing Sondheim well, the cast was built with capable voices and personalities who could deliver the lyrics clearly so every word was understood. The film has been doing good business, which makes me glad. I may even go see it again.

The Plot 

"Into the Woods" takes the familiar fairy tale characters of the Brothers Grimm, like Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and others. He adds in the story of a witch with a curse placed on her head and a childless baker and his wife, wraps the story with intriguing and sometimes thought-provoking songs and weaves it all into a story that deals with searching for your dreams.

The first half (or act) of the film involves that quest, following various characters into the woods where their lives intersect. Life in the woods is dangerous. There are wolves who will devour you (consider the danger in this case to be your internet stalker or your neighborhood sex offender in modern terms.) In the film he is played with squirmingly delicious malevolence by Johnny Depp. You find things you need to realize those dreams. And, you may lose them -- either through poor decisions or perhaps just because fate steps in. You must be aware on your walk through the woods, keep your eyes open.

In the woods the Baker and his wife learn of witches with spells (it was a witch and spell that sent them there in the first place), princesses who long to be released from their tower prison and another who wants only to be free of her stepmother and go to the festival to meet the prince.

And yes, there can be happy endings. 

But what happens when you get what you want? Every single one of us knows that life isn't so clear cut, so clean and neat. We have the struggle. We may get our prince or that long-awaited child. Life is good. But is it perfect? Does it stay that way?

Happily Ever After?

If one wants to dig deeply, there are plenty of elements of "Into the Woods" that translate to real life. Think of the kids in Joplin, celebrating prom and moments after, a tornado disrupts their world, leaving families without homes, a job and perhaps their loved ones. Consider those affected by any disaster -- or even a terror attack as the one we saw last week in Paris. Even if the circumstances aren't collectively huge, what about the family who must face the unexpected loss of a family member, a job, a home -- or more than one thing at a time. Life is fine -- and then it crashes around us.

"There are Giants in the Sky," Sondheim reminds us. "Big, tall, terrible giants in the sky." And as quickly as our lives can come together, they can fall apart. And then what? How do we move forward when what we love or what we worked so hard to have is lost? Is it the surviving that makes us strong? Or is it the pulling ourselves back together and preparing to face another day. Can we do it alone or will we better survive if we can all help one another move forward?

Or, as the lyrics for "No One is Alone" remind us, "Someone is on your side, someone else is not. While we're seeing our side, maybe we forgot, they are not alone. No one is alone." Those words offer multiple meanings, serving to reinforce the idea that we can work together in times of adversity. They also offer a reminder of tolerance for other beliefs -- and the equally powerful reminder that those with beliefs different from ours have others on their side.

If all that sounds a little grim, remember -- this is a movie musical based on a fairy tale and produced by Disney. The movie's more profound moments are blended easily with comedy and plenty of music. Consider the princely brothers longing for their unattainable women (Cinderella and Rapunzel) and the "Agony" they feel as they try to one-up each other in the misery department. Trust me -- there is nothing grim about this moment! (No pun intended!)

The casting is solid. In addition to Streep's perfectly over-the-top performance and Depp's evil wolf, Emily Blunt (nominated as Best Actress in the Golden Globes) and James Cordon (soon to be the new Late Night host) hold the multiple stories together as the Baker and his Wife. Chris Pine is the handsome prince, raised to be charming -- not sincere. Rounding out the principals are Lilla Crawford (a gluttonous Red Riding Hood), Anna Kendrick and Christine Baranski (Cinderella and her stepmother) and Tracy Ullman as Jack's mother. Daniel Huddleston is a suitably feisty "Jack."

A note on special effects -- Rick and I had a discussion on this one. We've both seen the play. He found the effects of the movie distracting and too much, drawing focus away from Sondheim's lyrics and James Lupine's screenplay (quite faithful to the play with a few cuts and minor changes). He has a point -- there is a lot to see. But I compare special effects to space movies or films like "Inception" and from where I stood, not a problem.

Taking kids? Not the little ones, I think. They won't get it and they might be scared. If you can get your tween and older kids there, do. There is much to learn. And, as Streep reminds us, "Careful the things you say, children will listen; careful the things you do. Children will see and learn." (I've heard good reports from families going with their 10-15 year-old kids and the kids enjoying it.)

For more about the conversion of the play to film, wikipedia offers an well-cited article, including the point that all cuts and changes were approved by Sondheim and music and lyrics were written to accommodate the changes.

Posters from the film copyright Disney.

Let's Go to the Movies

There was a time when I went to the movies all the time. My friend Suzanne and I would keep meticulous records of all the films we had seen on index cards. (She still does, though I'm not sure if the cards remain or have gone high tech.) I had a respectable library of film criticism books, biographies, pictorials and more. And I read them. Classic, contemporary, you name it.

That was then, this is now. I don't know what changed. I'd like to say the budget, but truth be told, back then we were all seriously poor when it came to discretionary funds for entertainment. Yet we made going to the movies a priority.

And face it, the theatres were worth going to back then, too. Beautiful old buildings with elegant lobbies, elaborate carvings framing the screen and sculpture resting in nooks carved into the hallways.

And every theatre had a concession stand with any candy you might want, fragrant popcorn, and it was all fairly inexpensive.

When I was a kid, the big draw was the concession stand. It was such fun to have so many treats from which to choose. They were all so colorful!

Every now and then I get that, even now. I've written about Jackson's Michigan Theatre before. Last week we had another in our WKAR Night at the Michigan series. We were welcomed in style.

I love meeting the people who come to the theatre. Many of them tell me they don't have television sets (choice or necessity) and they love our free presentations on the big screen. They're all ages -- parents bring their children; some come with their oxygen tanks and walkers. Even bad weather hasn't kept people away.

(FYI, if you miss a program you're following on PBS, chances are likely you can catch it on the computer at PBS.org -- visit the "watch video" tab and you'll see many programs, including my favorite, "Masterpiece," are available on demand.)

Our host at the Michigan is George (on the left), one of the most jovial and enthusiastic fellows you'll ever know. He works hard at combining free events like ours with paying movies (for a mere four or five dollars), interesting classic film series (famous pairs is this year's monthly Sunday theme), and second-run movie house staples like "Rocky Horror" and kids films.

(That's Dennis with him on the right. Dennis is the tech guy and one of the two projectionists I've been fortunate enough to work with there.)

Our showing last week was Joshua Bell and friends "Live From Lincoln Center" in a delightfully informal and versatile concert.

The thing I really loved about this is that the theater patrons watching on the big screen were so enthralled, they clapped after the various selections. Well-deserved clapping, I might add!

It enchants me that this is how people always used to go to the movies. The entire experience made it special. The detail was incredible -- there was always a ladies lounge with a soft sofa and enough mirrors so everyone had room to primp. (This Michigan has its original signs.)

Even when the economy was terrible and the country was in the throes of the Great Depression, people could come to the movies (and get their piece of depression glass or Hall China! -- that doesn't happen now!) and sit in a place of quiet, elegant splendor, wrapped in a glimmering shawl of gilt, deep red, cherubs, and elegant lamps.

And the balconies were always special.

For the child, it was the "spot on high" where we could see everything and feel very grand and very small at the same time. For the adolescent, the spot to fire spitwads on unsusupecting patrons below (until asked to leave!). And for the young romantic -- well, there was no more romantic spot to hold hands, steal a kiss, or make time!

Iron gates were elegant barriers. No stanchions here!

And long hallways offered entry to the many aisles. You could wait till the movie ended and patrons left -- or you could slip in anytime and stay as long as you liked to see it over and over again.

These days there are options at the concession stand I didn't have as a child.

(At the Michigan, even beer and wine are offered!)

But the feeling is the same. And believe me, it's a far cry from lining up with the hoards at the multiplex!

Withdrawal

As I wrapped up my last Paris post shortly before taking of for Myrtle Beach, I realized I would have Paris blogging withdrawal!

In fact, I'm still having Paris withdrawal, one month later, which may be one reason why on the last day of the Tour de France as they rode through Paris I kept saying to Rick inane things like "I passed that one the bus a lot of times!" and "everything is much farther apart than it looks."

I was distressed when they didn't spend enough time showing the landmarks I'd so recently experienced, and I realized that I may have to cave in and buy a Rick Steves DVD or revisit movies like "Funny Face" (in which Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn are so delightful, you really don't need to have been to Paris to appreciate it.)

You don't even need to appreciate fashion to enjoy it. (Though the Astaire character is based on Richard Avedon, who staged the fashion scenes.)

You might want to like musicals, although with Kay Thompson, Fred Astaire and Audrey, maybe it doesn't really matter!

But if you appreciate all or any of the above (not to mention a lovely Gershwin score), then it's highly recommended!

Well, with Paris a beautiful memory, what will I blog about now?

Readers of Chopsticks and String will note that I am throwing caution to the wind and saying I didn't particularly enjoy a Hemingway book I read earlier this summer. So, if you're a book fan, you can check it out! The photo below is a clue.

And, I thought I'd share with you my recent cooking exploits. About a year ago, my aunt Iris died and late last month, my cousin John brought back her ashes to be with her husband and the rest of the gang.

John and Pat came the night before, as did the Cleveland contingent, so we cooked out and while Rick handled the meat, I handled the two salads and pie.

Two of those salads I've included in the Gypsy before. You can find the Confetti Orzo salad here. It's a family favorite.

Look for Rick's blueberry birthday pie here. It takes 5 minutes to prepare, 40 to bake. (Sometimes it doesn't quite come out like pie -- more like blueberry crisp in a graham cracker crust -- at least before it's chilled. Doesn't matter. Works for me.

But thanks to my beloved subscription to "Eating Well," I found a series of fabulous recipes for classics that have cut-down fat. The broccoli/bacon salad was a hit both with the family and with the birthday party gang.

I made a few additions and substitutions. Instead of bacon, I used proscuitto, which I separated and nuked on paper towel for 4 minutes so it's crisp. It's far less fat than the bacon and has a better taste -- equally salty, but with a slightly deeper flavor.)

Variation 2: Add a good handful of julienned or finely chopped fresh basil.

Variation 3: Use walnuts or almonds.

(Of course, all of these things change the nutritional content, which is 89 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving. I also recommend doubling it for more than six.)

An Artful Weekend

I confess, I needed a wonderful weekend. A mellow one, with few obligations and much creativity and fun.

I decided to take cue from Beth L. at Gathering Dust and "make time!"

First, time in the art room -- here are a few projects I completed...

The "Cloth Paper Scissors" snowmen -- if you get the magazine, you may recall seeing snowfolk on the cover an issue or two ago.

I did two as prototypes. (I did three, till I broke the head...)


I'm rather fond of them, and I'm quite sure I'll do many more over the upcoming months.

I also spent time finishing up tags for Karla's "Puppy Love" tag book swap.

I'm looking forward to seeing the terrific tags others will do!

And to top it off, I had a great deal at Kroger with fabulous prices on fresh blueberries! It had been so many months...! I enjoyed making a blueberry pie! (Along with quite a wild and zesty pasta!)

In the evening we enjoyed the musical version of "Goodbye Mr. Chips" with Peter O'Toole and Petula Clark. No, it wasn't as divine as the original, but captivating and delightful in its own way. I remembered it when first released, and so did rick. It was fun to see it with more adult eyes.

Sunday Kate and I did a road trip to Trader Joe's in Ann Arbor. The flowers simply dazzled me.
As always I found lots of tasty things but my favorite purchase was a bouquet of beautiful roses!

Then it was off to Hollanders, a fabulous art/paper and stationer's store. It was hard to choose from all the beautiful papers for Rick's Valentine gift.

And then there were plenty of other lovely things to enjoy. Walls of boxed notes, racks of cards, books and magazines galore.

I didn't get one of these erasers, but I LOVED them!

Even the storyteller was captivating! How many art stores have a storyteller?

While in the area, we stopped at a new spice store and a place that had so many cool things for collage (game pieces, old photos, etc.) I simply couldn't start to buy things because I knew I wouldn't stop!

All in all, a splendid time, capped by dinner at Rick's (yummy Japanese food)!

And now, back to the regular world!

Jeanie's VERY Unmeasured Pasta Sauce

There's nothing special about this sauce and probably quite like the ones you make -- highly flavorful, though. Enjoy!

Brown about one pound of sweet Italian sausage with a small onion, several cloves of garlic and 4-6 large mushrooms, sliced.

Add about 10-12 diced (and pitted, obviously) Kalamata olives
Add 2 T. capers
Add 1 large can crushed tomatoes
Add about 1/2-3/4 c. red wine (I just wing it)
Add about 3 T vinegar
Spices -- 1 T or so of basil, oregano, thyme, whatever you enjoy
Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes

Serve over mini-penne or other pasta.

(This really is probably almost everyone's pasta sauce!)

Gotta Dance! (Tap, that is!)

Well, yesterday we tapped our troubles away.


Not literally, I fear. But for several delightful hours three of us enjoyed the magic of Busby Berkeley, the colorful glamour of Carmen Miranda, the easy, flawless style of Gene Kelly, the shotgun taps of Ann Miller and the glitzy, downright hilarious spectacle of "The Producers" biggest production sequences! It was our Tap-a-thon -- and there wasn't enough time to enjoy it all, so "Tap Deux" will be coming soon, I think.

We squirmed in our seats, feet moving, as we watched some of the best tap numbers on screen and laughed as we watched Busby Berkeley's color film "The Gang's All Here" with Carmen Miranda doing one of the more phallic numbers of all time (imagine dozens of beautiful girls each holding giant bananas, which they waved about in patterns!). Alice Faye crooned beautiful ballads and led into Busby's Polka Dot Polka, which evolved into something with kalaidoscopic patterns that seemed more like something you'd find in the 60s inspired by way too many magic mushrooms! (You have to wonder what Freud would say about Busby Berkeley.) The plot's nothing to write home about -- but how can you argue with Benny Goodman's music and all those production numbers?

We also watched Berkeley clips from "42nd Street" "Footlight Parade," "Golddiggers of 1933" and more. My favorites? Ruby Keeler's "42nd Street," of course, and "Remember My Forgotten Man" with a poignant Joan Blondell and a massive production number. "Shadow Waltz" was pretty amazing, too.

(Actually, we watched these earlier Berkeley movies after "The Gang" and it was pretty easy to see that he picked his methods and style early and stuck with it for more than a decade.)

Time was running out, so we caught Ann Miller tapping "Prehistoric Man" from "On the Town" and then moved onto "Good Morning" and "Singin' in the Rain" -- no one does it like Gene Kelly! We wrapped up with several glitzy numbers from "The Producers."

(I might add that as we were watching these movies, we were also dining on Jan's artichoke dip, Kate's great corn and bean salsa, Trader Joe pastry puffs, and of course, Junior Mints -- all with wine and fizzy water!)

We never did get to Fred and Ginger, Fred and Cyd, Jimmy Cagney in "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and were chastised by several of the men who joined us at dinner later for not including Shirley Temple or Gregory Hines. ("Tap-Deux.")

We later were joined by others who couldn't attend and some men-folk for Italian food at Bravo (or, for those of us who ate our hearts out on appetizers all afternoon, soup!).

So, my question to you -- any tap favorites we should include next time?