CATCHING UP MANNING MOVIE CLASSICS (MMC)!

Yesterday, I was genuinely shocked to see that I had neglected to update my "Friday Movie Suggestion Night" Blog Page since early May! To belabor the obvious, I've been swamped "behind the scenes" with so many things competing for my attention that the term "up to my neck in alligators" applies. That has been corrected. Not to sound confusing, as a component of my Blog Page you can "Click On" to "Friday Movie Suggestion Night" to see and read all of the movies we have featured. This page was added in 2005. For our first year, movie features appear on a "List" only. Soon, I hope to detail all of the movies we have featured over the past few years--many of which are on the "Top 100 List" of the American Film Institute. During the last three months of the year, I spend quality time in libraries walking past literally thousands of archived films. I usually emerge a few hours later with three full pages--front and back--containing lists of films. We have featured Drama, Comedy, Foreign Films, Independent Films, full scale Concerts, Opera, and even Documentaries and ALL IN GOOD FUN! I try very hard to balance out the seasons of the year with offerings that are bold, captivating, inspiring and occasionally controversial--but never in poor taste. My list is a typical "work in progress". For example, I recently cut 5 films from the roster because I felt that the list needed more strength for Summer. Here's an unusual tidbit.

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If a movie comes out in theater release and does not perform well, believe it or not, the results are duplicated on FMSN. For instance, Blake Edwards' "That's Life!" was withdrawn and later re-released to the movie-going public because the producers were bewildered why such a hysterical comedy failed to draw big numbers at the box office. Go figure! The same was true on my humble "Friday Movie Suggestion Night". So, I featured the film again one year later on FMSN and wouldn't ya know it? it received little attention. Another real-life example that was repeated here was Robert Redford's "Quiz Show". I even inserted a comment of apology to Redford in the highly unlikely event that Bob "Googled" it and noticed that a handful or less responded. Truthfully, the only lack of response that surprised me was when I featured Otto Preminger's "Exodus" with Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint. That "drawing back" effect has never happened since. Finally, I'll close by saying that I have deleted offerings the night before, or even an hour before post time because my gut instincts told me to pull it. To recap, I spend ample time laughing at myself because as I've mentioned earlier, I do NOT take myself seriously with this feature (or even in my daily life!). But I DO take the Joy of featuring this gem of a feature seriously enough to endeavor to do my best and come up with surprises every week. Manning Movie Classics (MMC) is my "tongue in cheek" comedic sensibility with (here comes that term) "Kooky Humor".

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Hey, watch the intersections out there! Phoenix leads the nation in traffic fatalities at intersections. Tom Cruise notwithstanding, the operative term is "Eyes Wide Open". Be well! :-)

My Complete Website is: www.michaelmanning.tv