The Hills Are Alive... Again

Okay, my girlish fandom is coming through as tomorrow the entire cast of The Sound of Music will be on Oprah.  I loved this movie growing up and is just a classic for me, it's one of my favorite things.   Anyway,  I am just super excited since it's the first time in 45 years the cast has been reunited since climbing up the mountain, and lets just face it, it's awesomeness!  

On a side note, my love for Christopher Plummer accelerates my excitement as he was so cute in the film, and he has the greatest voice.  In high school my mom and I would watch the cartoon Madeline because he narrated it.  And no, I am not obsessed...

The Bad Seed (1956)

I will never look at little girls with pigtails the same way again.  

Rhoda Penmark is an eight year old who if doesn't get her way goes far beyond a childhood tantrum but resorts to cold-blooded murder, in this case, to obtain a penmenship medal she feels was wrongly awarded to another classmate.

Patty McCormack is chilling as the eight year old murderess leaving me with goosebumps across my skin.  Her facial expressions posed behind her mother's back are grotesque, raising eyebrows at Rhoda's determination and smarmy demeanor.  claiming she has the sweetest mother and offering a basket of hugs for a basket of kisses in return.  

Nancy Kelly plays the part of a worried mother very well and expertly passes the different stages of feeling to suspicion to derangement, in the end acting on what she feels is best for herself and child.

As much as I enjoyed this movie, The Bad Seed is extremely campy.  Even though the acting was good it is very dramatic and over the top which I think is part of the reason I enjoyed it.  My only complaint is that they changed the ending to make it "happier" and serve just desserts but just came across as rather corny.  Although over all, The Bad Seed was ultra creepy and had me riveted. 

I may have them take my ashes and spread them all over Las Vegas

Tony Curtis
June 3, 1925 – September 29, 2010