John Tartaglia
When his dreams of being a flamenco dancer or a cocktail waitress didn't pan out (hoop earrings are a bitch!), John Tartaglia settled on being a freelance idiot. This chosen path took him many places but, sadly, none that can be revealed here. He later wrote about theater and television for the Burlington County Times. John loves Joni Mitchell (with the fervor of an Elvis fan, but minus the velvet paintings), Stephen Sondheim, and sunshine on a cloudy day. Some of his favorite films are Splendor In The Grass, Ordinary People, Go, What's Up, Doc?, and The Purple Rose Of Cairo. John has worked at Movies Unlimited since 1984.
John's Posts
John Tartaglia | Staff Notes
Composer Stephen Sondheim--who has written some of the best scores for Broadway shows, including Follies (1985), A Little Night Music (1978), Company (2007), Passion (1995), A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1966) -- turned 80 last March and is having quite a year. There was the limited run Broadway show Sondheim on Sondheim with Tom Wopat, Vanessa Williams, and the legendary Barbara Cook. It even featured Sondheim himself (on film) commenting on his music, his lyrics, and his life. He also just released Finishing The Hat: Collected Lyrics with Attendant Comments, Principles, Heresies, Grudges, Whines and Anecdotes that is a must read for Sondheim junkies. And then there are two new releases on DVD that also will be must-haves for fans of his or musical theatre aficiandos.
John Tartaglia | Staff Notes
Some films released to theatres find their audience immediately and become great success stories. Some, however find their audience on DVD. One such film is Hachi: A Dog's Tale, starring Richard Gere. It was never released commercially in the U.S. (although it did play at the Seattle International Film Festival). I became curious about it when one of our customers ordered multiple copies of it to give to friends. Now I understand why. First of all, you have to be an animal lover to “get” the film, or forget it (One of my jaded and non-animal owner co-workers snickered when I told him some details of the film). And if you’re a dog lover, even better.
John Tartaglia | Staff Notes
Say what you will about Woody Allen, but he knows how to direct women. Or maybe his casting director just hires the right actresses for the part. Regardless, a woman in one of his films is at least guaranteed an interesting role and, a lot of times, an Academy Award nomination.
Diane Keaton was in eight of his films and really owes her career to him. She started with him on stage in Play It Again, Sam and then did the movie version of Allen's homage to Humphrey Bogart and Casablanca. Next, she was the loopy Luna in the futuristic Sleeper (at one point doing a wickedly funny Brando impersonation), Sonja in Love & Death, and then the title character in Best Picture Oscar winner Annie Hall ,where most of America fell in love with her stammering wackiness and eclectic wardrobe (Allen has perfectly described her acting as a ''nervous breakdown in motion"). That role earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress. She also reintroduced the phrase "La-De-Da" back into the lexicon. In the filmed in black and white Manhattan it's off-putting, that Allen and Keaton don't like each other when they first meet. (Because they were just so perfect together, at least for a while in Annie Hall). They do eventually become involved in this still contemporary look at relationships in the Big Apple. It’s interesting to note that the most maturely written character in the film is the 17- year-old Tracy (Mariel Hemingway) who was nominated for an Oscar for her role. And Meryl Streep has a great turn as Allen’s venemous lesbian ex-wife.
John Tartaglia | Staff Notes
If you thought hawking hair products on TV was something invented in the later years of the 20th century, you should take a look at a little gem called Lustre Creme Shampoo Commercials: The Movie Star Collection. Long before we had Rula Lenska for Alberta VO5, Victoria Principal for Jhirmack, Jaclyn Smith for Wella Balsam or more recently Sarah Jessica Parker for Garnier, there was Piper Laurie (!) for Lustre-Creme shampoo. Yes, that deep-throated nutjob mother in Carrie using her best light ingénue voice shilled for shampoo. And man, she ain’t the only one.
A who’s who of 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s Hollywood glamour girls were enlisted to be hucksters for Lustre-Creme ("It never dries, it beautifies!") hair products. Lustre-Creme got an attractive spokesperson and the movie studios got publicity for their latest films. Joan Bennett, Vera Miles, Ruth Roman (in a ranch setting), Yvonne DeCarlo, Jane Russell, and Anita Ekberg (for the international audience, I guess) all lined up to extol the virtues of the Lustre-Creme line. Barbara Stanwyck and Elizabeth Taylor were inserted in commercials to plug their respective movies Executive Suite and Rhapsody. Sandra Dee (who always seemed the good sport) made a bunch that also promoted her current movies. Susan Kohner (who shared the screen with Dee in the Lana Turner version of Imitation of Life) also appears in a couple. Lustre-Creme’s tag line was “4 out of 5 top Hollywood stars” use it, and it looks like they did. Janet Blair (promoting herself in the stage version of South Pacific), Jeanne Crain with her young daughter, Jane Powell , Rhonda Fleming, Arlene Dahl, Esther Williams (another movie tie-in), Ann Sheridan, Martha Hyer, Ann Blyth (before Hostess Cupcakes) , Shirley Jones, Dorothy Malone, Ginger Rogers and Bess Myerson all recited the company line.
John Tartaglia and George D. Allen | Movie Buzz, Movie Buzz Podcast
Customers shopping with Movies Unlimited by way of phoning our toll-free number (1-800-4-MOVIES--how simple is that?) or visiting us online and placing orders at our sales website might be wondering...just how do your favorite videos end up on your doorstep? Paying homage to Woody Allen and ribbing those snoozy (oops, delightful) educational films we all saw as kids, we've put together a brief video tutorial on what it takes for an order to be processed at Movies Unlimited. Enjoy!
John Tartaglia | Staff Notes
Bette Davis was a movie star when the word “star” meant something. She was quoted as saying, “Today everyone is a star – they’re all billed as ‘starring’ or ‘also starring’. In my day, we earned that recognition.” She was correct. Today actors get “name above the title” status after one hit movie or TV show and then they usually crash and burn…fast. On her tombstone she had inscribed “She did it the hard way.” And she did. Her success wasn’t instantaneous. There were many a turkey in her long career (Parachute Jumper, Beyond the Forest, anyone?), but because of the studio system she was allowed to fail and grow and move on. (Ironically, later in her career she would fight the studio system over the quality of the scripts she was being sent and lose.) Davis didn’t fit the standard of beauty of her day, but she had ‘it”…”it” being that unknown quantity that makes someone riveting to watch on the big screen.
John Tartaglia | Staff Notes
If you are looking to improve your chances in the office Oscar pool, you now have the chance to see some very clever and creative shorts. (And they don't belong to Senator Scott Brown!) The Academy Award nominees for Best Short Film, Animated and Best Short Film, Live Action are currently playing in select theatres around the country. I recently saw the five nominees in each and was blown away. Now a category I was never really interested in will become a "must see" each year.
John Tartaglia | Staff Notes
gleek (noun): a person obsessed with the TV show Glee
Golden Globe, People's Choice and Screen Actor's Guild winner Glee was first introduced last May on Fox after the American Idol finale and quickly created major buzz. Part soap opera (dual pregnancies and dual love triangles figured big in the first part of the season), part Broadway karaoke, and all parts exuberant fun, Glee along with ABC’s wry Modern Family became the “must watch” of the 2009/2010 TV season. Set at Lima, Ohio’s William McKinley High School, the show tells the story of teen misfits trying to find their place in their school and the world while participating in a show choir named New Directions.
George D. Allen, Irv Slifkin and John Tartaglia | Movie Buzz, Movie Buzz Podcast
MovieFanFare's mysterious columnist Dr. Strangefilm makes a spectral appearance in Ghouly Irv's spooky domicile to discuss some oddly uncanny classics, and finally, Movie Irv welcomes a guest critic from the Movies Unlimited staff to compare notes on picks for the s-c-a-r-i-e-s-t movies of all time. (Don't let those credits at the end of Segment III fool you...stay tuned for Segment IV!) Happy Halloween!
George D. Allen, Irv Slifkin and John Tartaglia | Movie Buzz, Movie Buzz Podcast
While Groovy Irv chills out, Ghouly Irv steps in to recommend some swingin' and psychedelic fright flicks. Hold on to your hats (not to mention your head) while Ghouly Irv runs it all down in the second installment of the Movie Buzz Halloween podcast:
George D. Allen, Irv Slifkin and John Tartaglia | Movie Buzz, Movie Buzz Podcast
Look what great movies Ghouly Irv has dug up from under the tombstone! Enjoy the first part of our special Halloween podcast...just make sure you keep the lights on!
George D. Allen, Irv Slifkin and John Tartaglia | Movie Buzz, Movie Buzz Podcast
Don’t miss a minute of this month’s Movie Buzz podcast, as Movie Irv gives you three recommendations for entertaining movies that flew under the radar; answers your questions about The Road and other upcoming theatrical and home video releases; offers some strong opinions about Hollywood’s love affair with remakes; and meets up with “Groovy Irv” to talk about the Woodstock anniversary sets and other far-out DVDs.
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