If you are like me, one of the biggest critiques of the mega-million dollar making movie The Dark Knight is the vocal gymnastics of Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman. As the billionaire playboy, his voice is smooth and dare I say, normal. However once he slips on the cape and cowl, his voice becomes low, gruff, and at times hard to nearly impossible to understand. It is almost as if he is trying to channel his inner Clint Eastwood, aka “Dirty” Harry Callahan. Although most actors have found it necessary to slightly alter their intonation for the duel role, I think Mr. Bale has gone a bit overboard. It is one thing to sound menacing, but to make it such that it is incomprehensible? Makes you wonder what the nogoodnicks the Caped Crusader apprehends think when they are growled at.

Though “The Dark Knight” has been a bona fide cultural event, boasting rave reviews and boffo box office, it hasn’t been immune to criticism. Some have quibbled with its political undercurrents, and others have criticized a muddled theme.
But here’s the critique most widely held: Why does Batman talk like the offspring of Clint Eastwood and a grizzly bear?
Donning the costume for the second time, Christian Bale has delved deeper into the lower registers. As Bruce Wayne, his voice is as smooth as his finely pressed suits. But once he puts the cape on, the transformation of his vocal chords is just as dramatic as his costume change.

Particularly when his rage boils over, Bale’s Batman growls in an almost beastly fashion, reflecting how close he teeters between do-gooder and vengeance-crazed crusader.
“The Dark Knight” hauled in $43.8 million to rank as Hollywood’s top movie for the third straight weekend, fending off “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” which opened a close second with $42.5 million. It has earned $394.9 million in just 17 days, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Though much of the voice effect is Bale’s own doing, under the guidance of director Christopher Nolan and supervising sound editor Richard King, the frequency of his Batman voice was modulated to exaggerate the effect.
Critics and fans have noticed.
“His Batman rasps his lines in a voice that’s deeper and hammier than ever,” said NPR’s David Edelstein.
The New Yorker’s David Denby praised the urgency of Bale’s Batman, but lamented that he “delivers his lines in a hoarse voice with an unvarying inflection.”
Reviewing the film for MSNBC, Alonso Duralde wrote that Bale’s Batman in “Batman Begins” “sounded absurdly deep, like a 10-year-old putting on an `adult’ voice to make prank phone calls. This time, Bale affects an eerie rasp, somewhat akin to Brenda Vaccaro doing a Miles Davis impression.”
Before the similes run too far afield, it’s worth considering where the concept of a throaty Batman comes from.
In his portrayal on the `60s “Batman” TV series, Adam West didn’t alter his voice between Bruce Wayne and Batman. Decades later when Tim Burton brought “Batman” to the big screen in a much darker incarnation, Michael Keaton’s inflection was notably but not considerably different from one to the other.
But it was a lesser-known actor who, a few years after Burton’s film, made perhaps the most distinct imprint on Batman’s voice. Kevin Conroy, as the voice of the animated Batman in various projects from 1992’s Batman – The Animated Series right up until this year’s Batman Gotham Knight, brought a darker, raspier vocalization to Batman.
Conroy has inhabit the role longer than anyone else and though animated voice-over work doesn’t have the same cachet as feature film acting, there are quarters where Conroy is viewed as the best Batman of them all certainly superior to Val Kilmer or George Clooney.
The animated series are notable because they drew on the DC Comics of Batman as envisioned by Frank Miller, whose work heavily informs “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.” (Bale and Nolan were unavailable to comment for this story.)
As Batman has gotten darker, his voice has gotten deeper. As some critics suggest, Bale and “The Dark Knight” may have reached a threshold, at least audibly.

Indeed, I agree with the article. Kevin Conroy best characterizes the difference in the characters. Possibly because he was trained in voice-over work.

Sunday afternoon, I took my 4 year old niece to watch our theatre’s annual Children’s Workshop and its presentation of The Phantom Tollbooth (or if you prefer, Toolbooth). It was throughly delightful. The performers ranged in age from 7-17. Although the older cast members showed more seasoning (no… not cooking… meaning experience), the younger thespians were adorable. I particularly enjoyed the two young ladies who played the imprisoned princesses. At times, I thought they came straight out ofThe Shining as the Grady twins who torment little Danny at the end of the hallway. Only the princesses were far less threatening and much more enchanting. I also liked the use of the Giant Roadmap/Storybook and the turning of its pages as the three travelers made their way to the Castle in the Sky. OH, yes… I did recognize the theme from Driving Miss Daisy which accompanied Milo, Tock, and the Humbug on their journey.  As for my companion, she liked it a lot and could not stop talking about it even after we returned to grandma’s house.

This evening, I had the pleasure of added responsibility at work. Years ago, I closed the store quite frequently (under different management, however) . Tonight, I was given a five minute refresher. Nothing Earth-shattering. Basically, make sure that everything was locked up, put away, doors locked, etc. Of course, the process was aided by the help I had. I would have felt a little insecure with someone who had not known what was expected of them; I just had to make sure that the teenage fellow did what was expected of him (I’ve been there).

During our brief moments of downtime, my co-worker and I discussed one of my favorite subjects. He asked me what my favorite part has been. My normal readers already know what that is. For the sake of one, I will refrain from going into detail (although I was once again able to break into him to the delight of my companion). We then discussed what our favorite musical to watch has been. He saw Wicked in Chicago a few years ago and said it is really awesome. He also mentioned a high school marching band show in which they performed the music of Jesus Christ Superstar (another show I would like to be in). I have to say that my favorite to watch has been Les Miserables. But there are soooo many shows that I would love to see or be in. One such show is the Stephen Sondheim musical Assassins . I suppose I could say that I have been in a small part of it. Back in my days at BGSU during an evening of montages for a musical theatre course, I performed the role of the balladeer in the song “Ballad of Booth” which features John Wilkes Booth following the assassination of President Lincoln.

Wicked Tickets at *** All Venues ***

HELLO EVERY PEOPLE!!!! I a come back live from seeing Abdula Obalamadingdong.  I a must say that I a not understand something on the tv box.  I a no understand how Obalamadingaling is a responsible for a the price of the gas in America country.  He a must go to the place of gas and change all a the pricing.  But, I a come a to Edgertown to once again visit with the strange person.

Today, I a go to this Flag Festival to see him a sing in a choir.  WOOLY SHEEP!!! There were a lot of a peoples on the stage under a tent to a sing the songs.  All a these peoples sitting in the chairs watching the a people look like they very hot… waving fans, pogrmas.  I a thought it a just right.  Lithwathistan summer gets up a to 102 degrees on a cool day.  So, it was a little cool for Morat.  The a people sing many, many songs about America country.  I a think I hear something like “Your Land This Is,” “Beautiful the America Country,” “Doodle Yankee,”(what a dis Doodle, Morat not understand) “America County Anthem,” and many other music songs.  Strange person, he a read Oath of Citizenship.  Morat a must think about becoming a America country citizenship.  I A LOVE AMERICA COUNTRY!!!

While I a walk with strange person back a to his home, the cousin of strange person ask if we like a ride.  Strange person say he a tired and his foot fall asleep from standing on the a rising stairs for long time.  It a been years since he a had to stand in one place for a so long (45 minutes).  I a tell him about songs of Liswathistan like “My Poor Liswathistan,” “The a Song of Sad Yanish,” or a one of my favorites, “Carry a Me to a Little Muddy Water for a Swim with a My Dog Name a Mushinta,” and “Vladamir Goes a to Flaksington.”

So… next day I a go to Christopher Columbustown to OHHO Fair.  I will a come back soon and EVERYONE WINS!!!

Some of the most fascinating parts of a Bond film are the opening credits. All but the original movie opens with an action packed opening scene follow by what could be considered a pre-cursor to the music video. Most of them feature tantalizing, scantily-clad (or less) beauties often in silhouette. Accompanying these scenes are 21 songs by artists of today or others who have gone by the wayside. While some of the songs have been more popular than others, only one has topped the US singles charts and two have been Academy Award nominees. In the opening to For Your Eyes Only, singer Sheena Easton became the first performer to actually appear in the video. This marked the first time the performer appeared in the credits video. One singer has performed two memorable themes. In one of the latest films, a singer/actress had a brief (THANK YOU) cameo.

After troubled performer Amy Winehouse was deemed incapable to record and Paul McCartney could not create a rhyme for the word “solace,” Alicia Keys and Jack White (?… is he the twin brother of Jack BLACK who was accidentally switched at birth?) are recording the first duet to be used as a Bond theme.

By clicking on the link, you can test your knowledge (whatever it may be) of just 10 of the 21 themes. I had to brilliantly guess on a few of them; however, I did slightly better than Dr. “Oh” No ranking. Or you can reminisce by posting your favorite Bond theme, for those who like such things. Mine is the instrumental theme to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service which is very underrated as is the movie (unfortunately… as I find it one of the best and different from most).

For a period of no less than four years, a production team has been attempting to create a musical version of one of the best-loved book and television series of all time: Little House on the Prairie . Before the series ran in the mid-1970s to ’80s, it was a collection of successful novels that dramatized the life and times of its author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, who grew up with her family in the wide plains of the South Dakotan frontier during the 1800s.

The musical, which opened at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, appears to have several differences from the tv show. Gone is the fictional town of Walnut Grove and replaced with the original Wilder setting of North Dakota. The role of Harriet Olsen seems to have been altered. She is not the typical, nosy busy body, who always seemed to have a knack for causing trouble (not unlike her daughter, Nellie) portrayed to hilarious delight on screen. However, the stage show does have at least one connection to its television predecessor that you can discover by reading the article here.

Personally, I’m not entirely sure that audiences will be as receptive to the stage show with such a drastic change to one of the television series’ supporting characters. Although the books were written in the 1930s-40s, I often found the role of Mrs. Olsen to be lacking when compared to her on-screen portrayal.

Sunday morning while in the car with my brothers children (aged 12, 9, and 3), the song “Live and Let Die” came on the radio. I asked the three where the song by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his group Wings originated. The THREE-YEAR OLD quickly answered “Shrek the 3rd.” I was utterly amazed and had totally forgotten. I informed them that I am as old as the song itself to which my precocious 12 year old nephew chimed, “How do you know? Are you sure?” Roger Moore made his debut as 007, James Bond in the film Live and Let Die in 1973. I could not state the exact date of the movie’s release (I was either in diapers or still waiting to be introduced to the world myself).

The Bond film is interesting for various reasons. Like so many others in the series, LALD reflected the world around it at the time of its release. Images of the occult are used throughout much of this James Bond feature. Tarot reading, virginal sacrifices, and supernatural characters (like Baron Samedi) are on display as 007 tracks a mysterious heroin-dealer from the Caribbean to New Orleans. Jane Seymour made her major film debut as Solitaire who (as one may guess) is the fortune-telling mystic that reads tarot cards to see into the future until the suave, debonair secret agent uses a bit of his own magic.

So… like many items of popular culture, a song that was around thirty odd years ago has had a re-emergence of sorts. Funny how a three-year-old can make that clear. Once again, I am humbled… the movie Live and Let Die was released a mere 13 days prior to my birth. I wonder if my parents saw it in the theatre.

Rent James Bond, Shrek, and Thousands of other films at Blockbuster.com

Certainly, every actor has movies or plays they would rather leave off of their resumes. Unfortunately for some of our well established and well-regarded performers, these cinematic achievements are often unearthed and put on display for the viewing public to watch and ridicule or just glance at and wonder what on earth they were thinking. For the rest of them, it is just another day at the office… making bad movies and making money (somehow) by doing it. Here are a few:

• Marlon Brando (he played Superman‘s Kryptonian father and was paid $14 million dollars for 13 days on the set. This breaks down to nearly $1.4 million dollars a minute for his total on screen time. An excellent movie, but a miserly performance).
• Elizabeth Taylor (her role as Wilma’s mother (did she have a name?) in the live-action Flintstone‘s movie was about as memorable as her laundry list of ex-husbands. Her payday must have been nearly as extravagant as Mr. Brando’s)
• Ben Affleck (should be named multiple times, but it can be summed up in one word… Gigli)
• Richard Pryor (ok… so maybe not one of our most celebrated actors… but I’m thinking the adult comic famous for his drug-addled standup of the 70s was attempting to change his image in the mid-80s when he decided to sign up for such movies as The Toy, Brewster’s Millions, both of which were relatively harmless comedies. However, he was at least in part to blame for the beginning of the end of a superhero movie franchise).
• Sir Michael Caine (thank goodness he has his role of Alfred the butler to make up for the travesty that was Jaws: The Revenge).

Although these are quite dated to be sure, there must be other memorable (memorable to mention perhaps not so memorable to watch) examples in which well-known and established actors were only looking for their next pay check. Feel free to include your favorite “paycheck” role/movie.

Love movies and games? Then you’re going to love BLOCKBUSTER Total Access.

In the late 80s, one comedy kept senior citizens glued to their televisions on Saturday night. The Golden Girls featured 3 mature ladies living together under one roof. Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche were the three main characters. However, it was the wise-cracking Sophia (the mother of Dorothy) who stole every scene she was in. Ironically, Estelle Getty was actually 15.5 months younger than her on-screen daughter, Bea Arthur. Sophia’s acerbic wit and zingers (often directed to the promiscuous Blanche or the naive Rose) won Estelle 7 Emmy nominations and one statue for Best Supporting Actress (1988).

Estelle’s talents were not limited to the small screen. She also appeared in 80s and 90s big screen comedies. In Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, she appeared as Sylvester Stallone’s mother. She also was the head of a department store in Mannequin. Not the world’s most entertaining films but worth a mention (Mannequin was more entertaining than Sly’s mediocre attempt to be funny) .

Estelle’s career ended in early 2000. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with a severe case of dementia which later took her life.

Only BLOCKBUSTER Total Access let’s you Rent Movies Online with the Flexibility to Exchange In-store!

While reading headlines today, I came across the arrest of Christian Bale that happened on Sunday following the phenomenal opening of The Dark Knight. I have two different reactions to this. First, it seems quite interesting that mum and sis would report an assault by a 34 year-old man and then have their son/brother (a 34 year-old man) go in for questioning in conjunction with the crime. This happened the day before the London premiere of the biggest blockbuster of the summer. That sounded rather suspicious to me.  Were the two attempting to ride the coattails of the actor?

On the other hand, Mr. Bale may be feeling a bit upstaged by the performance of the late Heath Ledger in the role of the sadistic, immoral Clown Prince of Crime. The Joker seems to be getting all the attention this time around and leaving Batman in the shadows. But as I have always thought, the hero is only as good as the villain playing opposite him. Hopefully, Bruce Wayne did not crack and attack those he swore to protect after he witnessed the murder of his parents in the dark, back alleyways of Gotham City.

Read the full article by clicking