YOU TUBE TREASURES April 2014

Starship Troopers, Going My Way, Jesus was a Buddhist Monk, The Bostonians, The Invaders, Bye Bye Birdie, Karol the Man who Became Pope, If Only, Anything Goes, James and the Giant Peach, House on Haunted Hill, Bruddah IZ, Oscar, Golden Globes

By Charles Canovas

Ed’s note: Sorry, the videos are now unavailable.

Starship Troopers 2hr.4min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_G8K3JaHU8

Starship Troopers is a 1997 American military science fiction action film starring Caspar Van Dien and Michael Ironsides. The film was not true to the political and military points of view which Robert A. Heinlein, its author, tried to make in the original novel. It is an atypical film using irony and hyperbole to ridicule society while filled with great visual effects (it was nominated for an Oscar for them) and lots of action. It´s basically about an interstellar war between the human race and an insectoid species known as Arachnids.

Going My Way – 2hr.6min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw-XCkZS7rM

Going My Way is a 1944 American musical comedy-drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. The film is about a new young priest taking over a parish from an established old veteran. The sequel was the famous The Bells of St. Mary’s. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards and winning 7, including Best Picture, it was the highest-grossing picture of 1944. After World War II, Bing Crosby and the director presented a copy of the motion picture to Pope Pius XII at the Vatican.

BBC: “Jesus Was a Buddhist Monk” – 49 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwafEk3iSp0

An interesting and thought provoking documentary. BBC explores the possibility that Jesus visited India during his “lost years” between the ages of 12 and 30 from his childhood to the beginning of his ministry.

The Bostonians 2hr.2min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4L-qel7AQs

The Bostonians is a 1984 period film based on Henry James’s novel. The film stars Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Reeve. Vanessa Redgrave received 1984 Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actress. Filmed on location in Boston, Martha’s Vineyard, and Troy, New York.

The Invaders – 50 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDIEAbLHYZU

This is an episode of the famous 1967- 1968 SciFi TV series, The Invaders. It centers around an eminent astrophysicist, Professor Lindstrom, who has proof that aliens have landed on Earth and are planning on taking it over. If you like the episode click on the right of the screen – there are loads more videos to see.

Bye Bye Birdie – 1hr.51 min.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOjKfA2xDSg

Bye Bye Birdie is a 1963 musical comedy film directed by George Sidney, starring Dick Van Dyke, Maureen Stapleton, Janet Leigh, Bobby Rydell, and Ann-Margret with a cameo appearance by Ed Sullivan playing himself. The film is credited with making Ann-Margret a superstar during the mid-1960s, leading to her appearing with the real Elvis in Viva Las Vegas.

Karol, The Man Who Became Pope – 3hr.6min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4bWX9zaFBI

Karol: A Man Who Became Pope is a 2005 TV biographical miniseries about Karol Wojtyła, later known as Pope John Paul II, beginning in 1939 when Karol was only 19 years old and ending at the Papal conclave, October 1978 that made him Pope. It was supposed to première at the very beginning of April 2005 in the Vatican, but it was delayed due to the Pope’s death.

If Only – 1hr.31min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO4DQuooKMk

If only is a 2004 British-American romantic fantasy film directed by Gil Junger starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Tom Wilkinson and Paul Nicholls. The film was not picked up for distribution so it debuted on ABC TV Network in the States and the UK Hallmark Channel in 2009. It´s all about taking time to say and do what you must before time runs out and how love can reach time altering dimensions.

Anything Goes – 1hr.45min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVy_x7q2jDw

A classic 50´s musical with Bing, Donald and Mitzi. Anything Goes is a 1956 American musical film starring Bing Crosby, Donald O’Connor and Mitzi Gaynor. The music is by the eternal Cole Porter with songs like “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “You´re the Top,” “It´s De-Lovely” and “You´d Be So Easy to Love.” It´s about two men who have to choose between two leading ladies. The plot is really unimportant, it´s just a joy to see these Hollywood greats strutting their stuff.

James and the Giant Peach – 1hr.19min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKPYsW1bGRE

For the whole family! Disney´s James and the Giant Peach is a 1996 musical fantasy film. It received near-universal acclaim from film critics. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 93%, stating “The arresting and dynamic visuals, offbeat details and light-as-air storytelling make James and the Giant Peach solid family entertainment”. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score, by Randy Newman. It won Best Animated Feature Film at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

House on Haunted Hill – COLOR – 1hr.11min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CPEt8ULQLE

House on Haunted Hill is a 1959 American horror film. We already recommended it at Halloween. However, this is the newly colorized version. It really brings a new dimension to an old classic. Vincent Price is an eccentric millionaire who has invited five people to the house for a “haunted house” party. Whoever stays in the house for one night will earn $10,000. As the night progresses, all the guests are trapped inside the house with ghosts, murderers, and other terrors.

Israel “Bruddah Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole
Somewhere over the Rainbow, What A Wonderful World – 5 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9b3_1CcXtY

Many of you have never heard of Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo´ole but there are millions who have heard his famous rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World” which was featured at the end of the Meet Joe Black film. He was, and still is, the most popular Hawaiian singer of his time. He was a giant of a man (literally) with a little ukelele and an angelic voice who passed away in 1997 at the age of 38. The day of his funeral the Hawaii state flag flew at half-staff and his coffin lay in state at the State Capital Building in Honolulu. He was the third person in Hawaiian history to be awarded this honor, and the only one who was not a government official.

Hawai´i 78 – 5.12 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZOAiSP1MGs

IZ was also a defender of human rights and the right to self determination of the Hawaiian nation. His ”Hawai´i 78” has touched the hearts of all peoples of the world who strive for native rights. Aside from being a truly beautiful song, it is both poignant and peaceful while denouncing injustice.

A stunning video of the islands is a fitting backdrop to this inspiring song. E Ala E – 3 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BqZPLNoaos

This is a Battle Cry – Bruddah IZ Hawaiian style! Don´t miss it.
Aloha!

And just in case you missed them:

The 2014 Oscars 2hr.55min.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHI8vdE6rsU

2014 Golden Globe Awards 2hr.2min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Ay_qZV6g0