I wanted to grow up and be the Dean Martin version of Matt Helm

Hey pallies, through the efforts of google blog search, we 'gain get to share 'nother totally totally rad reflection on our Dino as Matt Helm. This time 'round we visit with our swingin' pallie Mr. Jack Yan, CEO of Jack Yan & Associates, a global media and communications company. Mr. Yan hails from Wellington, New Zealand and is truly a Dino-holic's Dino-holic.

Been a long time since we have been able to feature Yan's Dino-devotion, last time bein' Tuesday, December 09, 2008 when Jack pattered on "Dean Martin, one of the Backstreet Boys." Today, we get to feast on Mr. Yan's revisitin' of Helmer numero 4, "The Wrecking Crew." First viewed by Jack at the tender age of 5, he got the opportunity recently to view it again after a laspe of over 30 years.

It is likes so so cool to read the huge impact that "The Wrecking Crew" had on Yan as a wee one, in that after all of these years he still remembered quite a number of "visuals" that he "recalled, nearly perfectly." How likes outstandin' that our Dino left such stunnin' memories on little Jack at such an impressionable age of development.

Likes loves the tag of Mr. Yan's Dino-reflections..."I wanted to grow up and be the Dean Martin version of Matt Helm." Afer simply viewin' one of the Helmer capers once, it set young Yan in the straight Dino-direction for the rest of his life! That's the amazin' power that our most beloved Dino has on so so many of us pallies!

Yan's Dino-remembrances brings back some cool Dino-reflections of my own. While I was a bit older before I saw my first Matt Helm flick on the tube, likes I believe it was closer to my early teen years and my first Helmer exposure I believe was numero duo, "Murders' Row," I too, was transfixed by our amazin' man as the amazin' Matt Helm, and indeed I too became a totally totally sold out Deanager wantin' likes Yan to grow up to be "the Dean Martin version of Matt Helm."

Cool to know that Jack and I are on the same Dino-page as to our fav Helmer..."Murders' Row." Cool to read all of Mr. Yan's Dino-devotion and how it continues to this very Dino-day! ilovedinomartin is delighted to again express our Dino-appreciato to Mr. Jack Yan for sharin' such a personal Dino-testimonial with all his readers, sure to help many many pallies come deeper devoted to our one and only Dino! To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-patter. Dino-thrilled, DMP


15.07.2011

I wanted to grow up and be the Dean Martin version of Matt Helm

As a child growing up in Wellington, there were a few TV series that shaped my beliefs about being grown-up in the occident. The first I’ve written about before: The Persuaders, which is in part where this blog gets its name. I’ve probably mentioned Return of the Saint elsewhere, not to mention the plethora of TV detectives and cops. It’s the old-fashioned idea that good beats evil, and that one man can make a difference.

But there was also one movie that appealed to me. Tonight I watched, for the first time since the 1970s, The Wrecking Crew. This was the final Matt Helm spy pic starring Dean Martin, and it’s amazing what sticks in your memory from age five, when this was aired on television. Considering my memory goes back to c. nine months, I realize remembering stuff at five is not that remarkable, but I surprised myself at what visuals I recalled, nearly perfectly.

It may have also shaped my idea that when you rescue the girl, you have to sing like Dean Martin. If anyone wants to lay blame somewhere for my impromptu crooning at parties (or, more embarrassingly, at restaurants), this is where it all started. This is also why I sing ‘Everybody Rock Your Body’ to the tune of ‘Everybody Loves Somebody’.

As a child, I had no idea there was a series of Matt Helm films. So, as a teenager, I began renting them or recording them off telly. When I saw Murderers’ Row air on TV1 in 1982, I set the video recorder to tape it, but could see nothing from it that I remembered from the first time I watched a “Dean Martin spy flick”—I could not remember the title of what I had seen in 1977. At five, I actually didn’t care.

Then there was The Silencers, actually the first movie, rented at the Kilbirnie Video Centre around 1990. Hmm, still not the one I saw. I then rented The Ambushers, the only other one they had there—still not it. So, by process of elimination, I knew it had to be the last one, The Wrecking Crew—or I could not trust my memory. Finally, thanks to DVD, over three decades on, I was able to relive what I saw as a five-year-old—and it was this one after all.

This gives you an idea of what piqued my interest as a child.


1. That the bad guys had a Mercedes W111.

2. Elke Sommer. Probably not due to the fact that I was a perve at age five, but that she was the model flogging Lux soap on telly at the same time. (If I was a perve, then I would have noticed Elke’s very low-cut dress in her first scene. Then again, I remember the dancers from The Monte Carlo Show, but I was eight by then.)

3. Dino punching some guy in a Merc and running off.

4. This set, meant to be the interior of a train.

5. Villain Nigel Green’s trap door on his getaway train.

6. Dino making sure Sharon Tate didn’t fall through.

7. Dino making sure Nigel’s stuntman did fall through.

I presume I knew who Dean Martin was probably because of my mother, who explained it—this was back in the day when parents made sure that what you watched was OK before they went off and prepared dinner. I can’t remember what was on the other channel, but I must have enjoyed this sufficiently to have stayed with it—and there were no remote controls for Philips K9 sets.

Might have to watch it again tonight. It was genuinely ridiculous, but certainly better than The Silencers (whose theme you still occasionally hear on Groove 107·7 FM here in Wellington) or The Ambushers. Watch out for the second-unit actors on location and the fact that Dino and Sharon Tate stayed firmly in Hollywood; the fake grass on top of padding which moves when Dino pushes down on it; the director’s expectation that we could believe Dino’s character could build a helicopter from bits in a few minutes; and the really bad ride Mac (the boss) has in his Lincoln Continental.

I’d still pick Murderers’ Row as the best one of the lot, thanks to Ann-Margret being very groovy, Dino’s Ford Thunderbird with rear lights that doubled as a dot-matrix display, the Lalo Schifrin score, and Karl Malden being evil.

the always ogling Dean having a good time

Hey pallies, likes every day in every way everythin' is always always gettin' more
Dino-rific all the time. Takes today for example, likes I decided to do some Dino-surfin' and typed in Dean Martin Matt Helm in the google blog search engine and likes came 'cross 'nother amazin' blog tagged "His Name Is Studd" where insightful blogger Mr. Rick Diehl has done a commendable job of puttin' the accent on the quartet of Helmer flicks.

Diehl shares brief thoughts on each of the four Dino-capers includin' pixs of original poster adverts for each. Likes I have never ever seen the one for "The Silencers" before....totally totally diggs the rad thoughts..."THE NEXT BIG BOXOFFICE NOISE YOU HEAR WILL BE THE SOUND OF THE SILENCERS." Likes these Dino-thoughts proved to be oh so Dino-true as indeed "The Silencers" made it big on the big screen.

While Diehl acknowleges that the Matt Helm capers are not great epics, I likes so agree with his concludin' thoughts..."but Dean is just having such a good time in the part and the rest of the casts surrounding him seem to be having an equally good time, to the point that the fact that these films are as bad as they are just doesn’t matter. As I have often said pallies, what makes the Helm films so wonderful is that it is simply our most beloved Dino playin' his ol' so cool, hip, and randy self....and havin' "such a good time" doin' so!

ilovedinomartin salutes Mr. Rick Diehl and his groovy blog ""His Name Is Studd" for sharin' his marvelous Dino-reflections on our great man as the great Matt Helm. Readers of "Studd" will certainly crave to learn more 'bout our amazin' Dino and grow in their desire to know, love, and honor our Dino! To view this in it's original format, likes clicks on the tag of this Dino-message! Dino-delightedly, DMP

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Dean Martin is Matt Helm

Donald Hamilton’s government assassin, Matt Helm was one of the great fictional spies of the 1950’s and 60’s.

Unlike the ever youthful James Bond, Helm was a little older, a little out of shape, and more than a little worn out by the desperate world he lived in and the despicable actions he was sometimes called on to perform for his spy masters.

His novels were considered at the time to be some of the most realistic espionage tales being written and the character to be more related to Chandler than to Ian Fleming.

So when James Bond took the world by storm in the 1960’s with the success of the Sean Connery films it was only natural for other producers to seek out other fictional spies and give them the full movietreatment. One of these producers was Bond producer Cubby Broccoli’s ex-partner, Irving Allen who had broken off his relationship with Cubby because Broccoli kept insisting that they should make a film starring the James Bond character, a character that Allen was convinced would never catch on with audiences and was doomed to failure.

Having learned from his tremendous mistake, Allen jumped on the spy wagon and bought the film rights to Helm.

After getting the rights to the Helm books, Allen then proceeded to take everything that had made Helm such an exceptional character and threw it all right out the window.

Singer/Actor Dean Martin was cast as Helm and Matt suddenly was a hard drinking, womanizing playboy with a quip on his lips and the latest spy gadget in his pocket.

Despite the almost total abandonment of the character Hamilton created, the Helm films still managed to be mostly fun, lightweight spy spoofs with pretty girls and the always ogling Dean having a good time.



The Silencers

The first film in the series was The Silencers, teaming Martin with Stella Stevens in a fairly ludicrous attempt to stop super secrect badguy spy agency BIG O from stealing an Atomic Bomb.

The film is pretty lightweight but has some funny moments mostly from the always reliable Stevens, and a great set of opening credits with the always sexy Cyd Charise lip synching to Vicki Carr.



Murderer's Row

The second Helm film, Murderer’s Row teams Martin and Ann Margaret when Helm fakes his death to go underground and stop BIG O from creating a solar device to take over the world.

This film is not nearly as funny as the first film in the series but it does make up for quite a bit by featuring Ann Margaret at her buxom best.

The trailer up above is by the way one of the smarmiest things I have ever seen on film and should not be missed.

By the way, it’s really hard not to be impressed with the extremely blatant phallic imagery in the poster for the first films. It’s almost like producer Allen is tying to tell everyone that his spy was a bigger man than Bond in every way.



The Ambushers

Third in the series was The Ambushers which is easily the worst of the Helm films as Martin and Senta Berger try to rescue a government made flying saucer from the hands of both the evil BIG O as well as a tinpot Latin American dictator with plans of his own.



The Wrecking Crew

Finally we come to The Wrecking Crew which teams Martin with the duo of Elke Summer and Sharon Tate in a familiar plot about a rich megalomaniac out to steal all of the gold in the world. Tina Louise makes a brief but sexy appearance and one of the bad guys who gets punched out by Martin is a young Chuck Norris in his very first film role.

On the whole the Helm films just don’t hold up that well 40 years later. The humor is strained and the plots are ludicrous, with terrible writing and not even the slightest attempt at characterization. But honestly, I still like them. Sure they are stupid as hell and the kind of thing that most modern women are going to throw a brick at the tv over, but Dean is just having such a good time in the part and the rest of the casts surrounding him seem to be having an equally good time, to the point that the fact that these films are as bad as they are just doesn’t matter.


Posted by Rick Diehl at 3:26 AM

Dining With Dino

Hey pallies, likes today we return to a pad that we first visited on July 15 of this Dino-year to spend some more time with Miss Meme, an an octogenarian who has had a crush on Dean Martin her whole life. From Meme's outstandin' blog, "Thoughts From Meme's Corner...In my 80's blogging to 100," we get the treat of experiencin' Miss Meme's trip with her husband and 'nother couple to our Dino's playground 'Vegas Baby 'Vegas to take in a performance by our great man at the Rivera Hotel.

How refreshin' to read this 82 year old lady's remembrances of her Dino-pilgrimage...includin' the sharin' of pixs of several souvenirs of the journey...the Rivera Dino-programme, the dinner menu, shoe shine cloth , and even a ash tray!

How likes totally totally stellar that Miss Meme got the thrill of her life by experiencin' our most beloved Dino live on the Rivera stage...likes musta been the thrill of her lifetime! Oh, so wish that I myself had made pilgrimage to 'Vegas to have been in the livin' presence of our great man!

ilovedinomartin sez our thanks to Miss Meme for sharin' these amazin' Dino-reflections with her readers, sure to encourage more and more pallies to grow deeper in their Dino-devotion! To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-message. Dino-desirin', DMP


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Dining With Dino



A good place to visit and cool off is Coloradolady's Vintage Thingies Thursday. Just her name makes you think of a cooler place and many cool friends. Join her at http://coloradolady.blogspot.com.



As I have mentioned before, I have always been a big fan of Dean Martin. He was performing at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas in the early 70s. My husband and I and another couple ventured out into an unknown world for us. Our main purpose was to attend his show.



The menu we had for the dinner performance.



Back then was very different than now. We booked our reservations at this hotel in order to hopefully see him. That was the policy back then, stay at the hotel of the performance if you wanted to get in. We elected to see the dinner show. Even though you had a ticket, you still had to stand in line for the seating. We found out the reason standing line. When you got to the door, the more you tipped the maitre d, the better table you got. We pooled our resources and got a good table, not front row, but better than in the kitchen. They also had a dress code back then. We dressed up in our best and enjoyed every minute of it. No cameras were allowed.



I even brought home the shoe shine cloth in the room



as well as the ash tray.



Dean on movie location. Wish my vintage brain could recall the movie.



These are just a few of his many albums I have.

Dean Martin was way cool.

Hey pallies, likes I simply loves to surf the web lookin' for cool Dino-prose to share with all you pallies...and the more and more I search, the more and more stunnin' Dino-posts that somehow have been over-looked am I Dino-discoverin'. Case in point, today's Dino-gram was posted near a year ago, but just a few ago was discovered by me...and truly truly it is a Dino-mite piece of Dino-adulation!

From the funly tagged blog, "The Oz Hitztory Blog!," devoted to "the story of the Australian pop charts, comes an extremely well-crafted bit of deep, pure, and true Dino-devotion tagged, "Dean Martin Was Way Cool."

Was unable to find the blogger to give the Dino-credit to, but whoever it is, they have done a totally totally rad job of sharin' some of our most beloved Dino's greatest hits in Aussieland and sharin' some great vid clips to goes 'long with the patter.

Whoever scribed these Dino-thoughts, it is so so clear that they really "get Martin" and is deeply deeply devoted to our King of Cool. There is so much to commend here, but am gonna just but the accent on a particular Dino-tune that I have never ever heard before....“Chee-Chee O Chee (Sang The Little Bird).” Simply have fallen head over heels in love with this Dino-tune, and totally digs what the Dino-phile who wrote this Dino-script sez 'bout it...."Dean was so cool that he could sing a song for the toddler market, and sound like he meant it. That is so cool."

Well, likes pallies, I coulda goes on and on speakin' Dino-praise for this excellent Dino-trib...but likes I'm gonna encourage you as strongly as I can to spead the time to soak in each and every cool Dino-thought contained there in.

ilovedinomartin sez our deep deep Dino-thanks to which ever Aussie Dino-devotee that put pen to paper to author this, presumedly the founder of "The Oz Hitztory Blog!" This is one of the coolest pieces of Dino-appreciato that I have seen in quite some Dino-time and I'm hopin' by liftin' it up here at ilovedinomartin to send much traffic to this extreme Dino-holic...so clicks on the tag of this Dino-message to view this in it's original format. Dino-psyched, DMP






Sunday, November 7, 2010

Dean Martin Was Way Cool


Dean Martin was way cool.


Everybody liked Dean Martin. Everybody wanted to hang out with him. If only because, wherever he went, sexy women would follow. Which always gives you a bit of a boost in the popularity stakes.

And he was seemingly happy all the time. It is a rare thing to find a Dean Martin photo that doesn’t involve him with a big cheeky grin. Or a smirk. There are an above average number of photos featuring a cocked eyebrow. Pretty much every photos creates an aura of “I’m feeling pretty damn good about myself I can tell you.” A bit like this really:



That’s so cool.

And Dean had good reason to feel pretty damn good about himself. He was, as every article about Dean Martin will eagerly tell you, what the Italians called a menefreghista, which roughly translates into "one who simply does not give a fuck." (According to Urban Dictionary this is actually the official definition, right down to the “simply”).

Whatever he wanted to do, Dean Martin did. If he was singing a song and didn’t want to sing the whole thing, he’d just stop half way… the second half of a song is usually much the same as the first half of a song and besides, as he’d explain "no point in sing the whole thing, you might not buy the record.”

That’s pretty cool.

You know what else is cool. Songs about pizza pie. Songs that rhyme “drool” with “pasta fazool.” Songs filled with wine. And food. And dancing. And women. Songs like “That’s Amore” that hit Number One on the Australian charts For Three Weeks in April 1954.



It is an awful pity, given the way that the world of Dean revolved around drinking expensive cocktails in Las Vegas casinos, that he didn’t keep with one of his previous before-he-was-famous stage-names: Dino Martini. Because how perfect would that have been?

If, “That’s Amore” wasn’t enough to position Dean as the kind of guy who seemed to just find himself in situations where he was surrounded by wine, and food, and dancing, and women, then “Sway” – filled with “marimba rhythms” and “lazy oceans” – and a Number One On The Australian Charts For One Week In November 1954, sealed the deal.

In those two hits, Dino’s first two big hits, the hits that he is probably most famous for, we have the essential essence of Dean in its purest form, and the apex of the art form (and a far more challenging art form than is generally assumed) of being a tipsy slacker in a tuxedo. This is the moment when a sense of humour was added to the crooner, and lounge music was born.

Dean Martin claimed that Bing Crosby was his primary inspiration and you can tell. That’s no bad thing, since pretty much everything he stole from Bing was everything that was good about Bing, and everything that he stole from Bing he did better than Bing. His low notes were both fuller of comedic potential, as well as marketing the missing link between Bing’s funny low notes, and Elvis Presley’s over-doing “thank you very much” shtick. He managed to make it look as though he was trying even less than Bing, a man who himself had turn laziness into an art form. Combined they were the perfect encapsulation of an American dream, that if you don’t do your homework and don’t work hard, then maybe you too can live a glamorous lifestyle of drinking martinis, living in a tuxedo, whilst surrounded by beautiful women. And if there are few things that impress people more than people who become successful without really trying at all.

Of course, the problem with simply not giving a fuck, is that your quality-control radar is a bit… well you don’t even have one really, and you end up singing some ridiculous songs. And simply not caring, which is far enough, because they ended up going to Number One anyway.

Such as “The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane” – Number One On The Australian Charts For Two Weeks in May 1955 – a song based around the premise of making you think it was about some high class prostitute (or simply a lady of low morals), and then revealing that is was all totally innocent and it was only about a new-born baby girl. And don’t you feel silly now for jumping to conclusions and being either (a) a judgemental wowser or (b) having a dirty mind you naughty devil.



That of course was one thing. “Chee-Chee O Chee (Sang The Little Bird)” – No.8 on the Australian charts in Oct 1955 – is quite another. Dean was so cool that he could sing a song for the toddler market, and sound like he meant it. That is so cool.



When someone is truly cool, they are assumed to have boundless wisdom, and have reached some sort of zen-like state. So “Memories Are Made Of This” – Number One For Five Weeks in April and May 1956, making it his biggest hit - saw Dean in a rare philosophical mood, being backed by a folk group. A folk group admittedly who wrote hit songs for Frankie Laine. A folk song that promotes the American dream of marriage - “then add the wedding bells” – home ownership – “one house where lovers dwell” – and having the statistically average number of kids – “three little kids for flavor” – making it probably the least politically radical folk song ever written. The likely reason for Dean singing this: in amongst all its’ depictions of a perfect life, the song still manages to fit in a tribute to wine.



It was the American Dream in song. Madison Avenue couldn’t come up with a better advertisement to conformity. And that’s a beautiful thing. Although Dean made his success look like something that he tripped over in the street, all of the winnings from his success: wine, women, and in this song, an idyllic suburban life, were all simple pleasures that anyone might be able to gain. Sure, his wine was more expensive, his women may have been hotter, and his home a mansion with a stone wall instead of a white picket fence, but these were still simple pleasures. One of his best albums apparently, was a concept album about the art of sleeping. You don’t get much more simple than that.


No wonder there are so many Dean Martin fans

Little Ole Dean Martin Fan Me

Hey pallies, likes Dino-passion continues to spread likes wild fire all over the web fannin' the flames of the Dino-revolution now in full swing! Today's Dino-devotion comes from the blog space "Make Every Song...." where blogger "makeverysong" tags himself "Little Ole Dean Martin Fan Me."

Likes many pallies, this dude's Dino-devotion came at his father's knee sayin'.."my dad was more of a Dean Martin guy." While this blogger finds greatness in each of the triumvirate...Dino, Sammy, and Frank....he shares his Dino-adulation by quippin'..."I still like Dean Martin better. He somehow seems less show-tuney to me, singing songs of more substance. His entire demeanor is one of composure always—it’s no wonder since The Pack itself grew out of the Humphrey Bogart circle. He seems more real than Sinatra, more vulnerable, but still insurmountable."

These are words of pure Dino-wisdom pallies....indeed our most beloved Dino does sings songs "of more substance," and no one ever has or ever will have "composure always" likes our amazin' man. And our Dino is the realest of the real...much much "more vulnerable," while bein' likes totally totally "insurmountable" in his stunnin'ly stellar presence!

Simply groovin' on this blogger insight into the wisdom found in our Dino's croonin' of "Little Ole Wine Drinker Me" comparin' it to Frank's "My Way" and Sammy's "I Got To Be Me." "makeverysong" shares the Dino-wisdom..."Some people have to persevere, some people must overcome; others can sit in a honky in Chicago and make light of life, if not themselves. It’s sad and funny and it’s got a killer hook as a refrain. Maybe it just comes down to seeing eye-to-eye. Some wine and the jukebox is an okay
philosophy by me."

Truly, truly Mr. "makeeverysong" gets "Martin" and is impartin' huge Dino-wisdom to his readers...sure to help many come to deeper, purer, and truer Dino-adulation for Dino-sure. ilovedinomartin shares our deepest of deep thanks to this blogger dude for speakin' so so boldly in his Dino-reflections. Also cool that he shares a vid clip of our great man singin' the great wine tune, as well as a clip with Robert Mitchum from a 1975 Dino-special on NBC....a particular clip that I have never seen before, but that includes so so much worldly insight from our worldly wise man.

To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-message. How how magnificant to keep findin' pallies who are keepin' the fire of Dino-passion roarin' all over the web! Dino-devotedly, DMP

Little Ole Dean Martin Fan Me

September 20, 2011 by makeeverysong


Dean-o in studio

The Rat Pack and its members are forever cool, enshrined in society’s untouchable tower of class, looks, money and talent. But what of their music? Like all things, we learn much from our parents. Sometimes these acquired perspectives are right, accurate and, most importantly to people, normal ways of thinking. Sometimes they’re not. I grew up watching golf with my dad and I always thought that Arnold Palmer was the best golfer in the history of the game. Any time some old footage would come on the tube, it was all praise for Arnie and I ate it all up. I loved the guy and I’d never seen him hit more than a few shots in black and white. As it turns out, Jack Nicklaus is the undisputed best golfer ever, winning 18 majors and dominating in a way Arnold Palmer did not. That’s the long way of saying, metaphorically, that my dad was more of a Dean Martin guy.

Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. were the leaders of The Rat Pack, but social and historical emphasis narrows it from there. Sammy Davis Jr. was more eccentric and versatile, his music was not as prominent a part of his fame as for the other two. Also, he was blazing a trail finding an audience with both blacks and whites, a process that was not without its hardships. Of the other two, Frank Sinatra is overwhelmingly more popular as a pure singer. Their popularity in their prime seems to have been fairly even, but different. Martin, like Davis Jr., was iconic in many ways outside of music. I’m not licensed to give a history lesson on the Rat Pack, but it’s clear whatever their roles were back in the day of bright lights, Ol’ Blue Eyes is the strongest enduring legend.

I still like Dean Martin better. He somehow seems less show-tuney to me, singing songs of more substance. His entire demeanor is one of composure always—it’s no wonder since The Pack itself grew out of the Humphrey Bogart circle. He seems more real than Sinatra, more vulnerable, but still insurmountable. The gimmick of songs like “That’s Amore” I can overlook, though maybe I should do more than simply overlook given its immense popularity. There are two songs that really elevate Martin over Sinatra for me, and this is done in the daunting presence of “My Way.”

The songs are “Everybody Loves Somebody” and “Little Ole Wine Drinker Me.” The first is probably his best. It’s a love song of the highest order, the feeling transcends the individual, or couple, and pervades the vast cloud of everybody, as it must. The second is perhaps less well known. After hearing it, it may make my claim that he is more “real” a bit obvious, but it’s nonetheless valid. This is not a classic love song, or a love song at all. It’s almost as if this song is an honest parody of “My Way” or Davis Jr.’s “I’ve Gotta Be Me.” Some people have to persevere, some people must overcome; others can sit in a honky in Chicago and make light of life, if not themselves. It’s sad and funny and it’s got a killer hook as a refrain. Maybe it just comes down to seeing eye-to-eye. Some wine and the jukebox is an okay philosophy by me.

Danny G.'s Sunday Serenade with Dino: "Small Exception Of Me"

Happy Sunday pals! This week we go back to Dean's 1972 album "Dino". The clip is from his show, also shot in 72'. When I listen to "The Small Exception of Me", I ponder my younger, more naive years. I think we've all been there. Dean let's us know that it's ok to have loved and lost. He's there for us to share our heartbreak! Ha ha!!!

Gettin' too sentimental for ya' pallies? OK, I better get back to the situation at hand...playin' this great great vid. Love how Dean shows true emotion with every word on this one. He really seems to be singin' from the heart. It's hard to imagine any lady bein' foolish enough to break the bond with our Dino...but who knows? Enjoy pallies!

Danny G.



The Small Exception Of Me Lyrics

(Tony Hatch - Jackie Trent)

Everybody knows you're leaving me for good
Everybody tells me now they knew you would
It's a well known secret I just couldn't see
And the whole world knew with a small exception of me

Everybody knows we cried our final tears
Everybody knows we wasted all these years
Long ago they said I'd have to set you free
And the whole world knew with a small exception of me

With a small exception of me the world is wise
With a small exception of me it's no surprise
So it's funny the way that I could be so blind
Funny when it's out of sight it's out of mind

Now the truth has done and it's plain, plain enough to see
That the whole world knew with a small exception of me

After this hit single Dean recorded incredibly prolifically.

Hey pallies, likes for all the amazin' Dino-posts that I am able to retrieve off the 'net, there are countless others that continue to go undiscovered 'til by the guidance of our Dino..they gets discovered. Such is today's post by blogger "Record digger" at the pad "47west63rd."

While searchin' for a pix of the al-b-um of our Dino's "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" for a recent Dino-post, likes I came 'cross this January 2009 post puttin' the accent on said al-b-um and the one that followed, "Dean Martin Hits Again." "

"Record digger" had come upon said discs "for the taking in front of a record store."
Said Dino-discovery lauched this pallie into a very devotionally written Dino-reflection of our most beloved Dino's recorded music career. "RD" has quite a cool knowlege of our the ins and outs of our Dino's recordin's..'specially the Reprise Years" and gotta say that it is just wonderful to read such stirrin' Dino-thoughts that are so so Dino-on-the-mark. "RD" is truly a Dino-holic and obviously proud of it.

Findin' this older bit of Dino-love will certainly urge me on to ever more Dino-diggin' on the world wide Dino-web! Much Dino-appreciato to "Record digger" for sharin' their Dino-admiration with the readers of "47west63rd" and now, the pallies here at ilovedinomartin. To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-report. Dino-searchin', DMP


Sunday, January 25, 2009

Dean Martin- Everybody Loves Somebody & Dean Martin Hits Again



There's something about Dean Martin singing that I find very relaxing...I guess he didn't sweat the small stuff much... Anyways Dean Martin had recorded for Capitol Records and when Sinatra started his Reprise label he jumped ship like many other Sinatra friends (Sammy Davis, Nelson Riddle, Keely Smith, Rosemary Clooney,etc.).. From what I've read he also invested in the company.. Anyways, by 1964 the Rat Pack had probably lost a bit of its Kennedy Era glamour but Dean Martin still had a few tricks up his sleeve like the monster hit single "Everybody Loves Somebody" which in August 1964 took over the top spot on the pop charts from none other than the Beatles "Hard Day's Night"! Prior to this Dean had recorded a couple of great albums that had not sold particularly well although they sure sound great (proof they didn't sell much is the fact that you never find them in the bins while the stuff pictured here is a dime a dozen)... I'm thinking of albums that featured Dean singing country songs or french songs or of course italian songs.. ANyways by this point in 1964 I think Dean hadn't experienced much in the way of hits but that changed with Everybody Loves Somebody which was actually a re-recording of a song he'd originally cut for Capitol Records.. I suppose also that Jimmy Bowen the producer had something to do with developing a sound for Dean that worked on the charts.. After this hit single Dean recorded incredibly prolifically. He cut almost 20 records in the next five years! And you can tell listening to these albums just how relaxed, loose and comfortable these recording sessions were! Legend has it Dean would come in record a few songs and head to the golf course and the entire album would basically be completed in a weekend! Easy-going is what comes to mind when I think of Dean.. I've read many descriptions of him as the King of Cool but I tend to think of him more as easygoing...



Shortly after he hit with Everybody Loves Somebody this album was released probably culled together from a few singles etc to capitalize on the situation (on Reprise R-6130) and it charted all the way at number 2 on the album chart... Then a few months later (following another release sandwiched in between and released November 1964) Dean Martin came back with "Dean Martin Hits Again" on Reprise 6146 which featured another hit in a very similar vein to "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You", released February 1965 and which charted at number 13..I mean this was how quickly Dean was cutting albums! By this point producer Jimmy Bowen had found a formula for producing and framing Dean's voice working with Ernie Freeman as arranger/conductor..the formula is described by William Ruhlmann of the All Music Guide as "employing a 4/4 beat, piano triplets, female backup vocals, and swooping string effects to the songs."...Dean would release another three albums in 65 and another FIVE in 1966..Most critics nowadays tend to be fairly dismissive of the albums but to my ears they hold up.. They're not too ambitious and yes they are fairly similar but its a good formula for Dean Martin and helped him lengthen his career until the early 1970s no small feat for someone that had begun performing in the 1940s! I found these two LPs for the taking in front of a record store. Free/Free
Posted by Record digger at 9:13 PM

And it WAS successful. To the point where it had not one but three sequels!

Hey pallies, likes some Dino-grams are huge in Dino-content, and some are quite small in Dino-thoughts, but likes each and everyone helps drive the Dino-revolution takin' place into higher and higher Dino-gear! Today's Dino-report is one of 'em that is fewer in Dino-words, but none the less worthy of Dino-note!

From the pen of a dude tagged "Booksteve" at his retro blog, "1966 My Favorite Year" comes homage to our Dino in the form of a brief report on Matt Helm caper numero uno, "The Silencers' that likes, of course, released in the swingin' year of 1966. Booksteve shares that hippest of hip Dino-al-b-um covers for his release of "Dean Martin The Silencers." As "Booksteve" notes this is not the soundtrack for "The Silencers," but a disc of Dino-croonin' inspired by the first of four Helmer spy flicks.

Of course, likes I totally totally digs that ultra-swank pix of our Dino makin' it with all those chicks on his Helmer round bed...and very cool of "Booksteve" to opine 'bout the success of the first Matt Helm film sayin, "And it WAS successful. To the point where it had not one but three sequels!"

ilovedinomartin shares our Dino-appreciato with Mr. "Booksteve" for puttin' the accent on our Dino and givin' his due rememberin' his coolest showin' of 1966..."The Silencers." It's pallies like "Booksteve" that are keepin' the accent on our Dino and makin' the Dino-light glow ever Dino-bright! To view this in it's original format, likes clicks on the tag of this Dino-message. Dino-always, DMP
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Dean Martin The Silencers



Not really the soundtrack of Dean Martin's first film as superspy Matt Helm, this is mainly an excuse to package a new collection of songs by Dean with a tie-in cover to take advantage of the film's success. And it WAS successful. To the point where it had not one but three sequels!

Underrated: Kiss Me, Stupid – Billy Wilder (1964)

Hey pallies, likes our Dino was always always a man before his time, and thus to to often our Dino did not get the acclaim that he so richly deserved. Case in point woulda be his classic flick, "Kiss Me Stupid." When it was released in 1964 it was at least panned and often banned because of it's very adult themes.

Today's bit of Dino-prose by Mr.Rob Boylan of the "Orlando Weekly," is a well written review of KMS that speaks of how "underrated" "Kiss Me Stupid" was. It is truly wonderfully refreshin' to read Rob's review of "Kiss Me Stupid" that speaks of, in his words, "a lot to like here.

Speakin' boldly of his appreciato for KMS, Boylan sez, "Much of the raunchiness still works, or perhaps works even better now, and Dean Martin and Felicia Farr are both excellent in their roles." How great to see more and more reviewers finally givin' our Dino and KMS their deserved due.

Thanks to our pallies at "Orlando Weekly" and particularly writer Mr. Rob Boylan for givin' the nod to our Dino in this outstandin' way...certain to draw many to viewin' "Kiss Me Stupid"...leadin' 'em closer and closer to deeper, purer, and truer Dino-devotion! To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-message. Dino-delightedly, DMP


Underrated: Kiss Me, Stupid – Billy Wilder (1964)

September 16, 2011

By Rob Boylan

Out of Billy Wilder’s entire filmography, Kiss Me, Stupid is the one that really stuck in his craw. Lambasted by critics and censors alike for being too crude for its time, it was seemingly doomed from the get-go, when Jack Lemmon, fresh off of back-to-back-to-back hits with Wilder (Some Like it Hot, The Apartment and Irma La Douce) had to pass.

The film stars Dean Martin in a playful parody of himself as the charmingly drunk, eternally handsome nightclub singer and actor named, cleverly, Dino. He has just closed his run at the Sands in Las Vegas (treating us to a really wonderful rendition of ‘S Wonderful by the Gershwins, who also provide new songs to the production). Travelling to LA for an engagement, he is stopped in the podunk town of Climax, Nevada, where he is Shanghaied by two song writers, hoping that Dino will take on their compositions, Orville (Ray Walston) and Barney (Cliff Osmond). But it’s not songs that Dino is interested in, it’s girls. So like any normal fellas would, Orville and Barney hatch a plan to chase away Orville’s wife, Zelda (Felicia Farr), and hire a hooker with a heart of gold, Polly (Kim Novak), to seduce Dino so he’ll be more inclined to buy the songs.

It’s a plot that could easily play these days in a black sex comedy, but for 1964 was too risque for mass audiences, even as the Hays Production Code was slowly fading into obscurity. Such blatant, open adultery was still a tough sell, even though it worked like gangbusters in The Apartment. But it was a softer form of adultery in The Apartment, where the adulterer, CC Baxter’s boss Shelldrake, was the film’s heavy, not the film’s hero, a small-town piano teacher like Orville.

Orville, too, was a problem. It is a lead role that was so clearly written for and tailored to Lemmon’s personality and sense of style that it was almost unfair to expect anything but a long reach from Ray Walston. Walson, to his credit, is amiable in the role as the slightly dense but skilled composed and tries hard to hit the story’s finer notes, but he just doesn’t fit the bill. The film is intended to be raunchy in a really lovable way — almost a New York apartment film, like an Odd Couple or a Two for the See Saw, but with a little more “gee, whiz” to it than savvy Greenwich Village intellectualism.



But outside of that, there is a lot to like here. Much of the raunchiness still works, or perhaps works even better now, and Dean Martin and Felicia Farr are both excellent in their roles. Martin’s parody of himself is second only to the long-running gag act of Tony Clifton, and Felicia Farr even steals the film a little bit in her short scenes after she’s run away from Orville.

Billy Wilder, along with his co-writers Charles Brackett and Izzy Diamond, had one of the best runs of any filmmaker in the history of film, and even though the wheels were coming off of the train by the time he got around to Kiss Me, Stupid, you can still see the Wilder of old at work. If Kiss Me, Stupid can be said to not work on the whole, you would at least have to admit that it works in pieces, and that some of those pieces are pretty great. There is a slightly absurd touch to the whole thing, especially the ending, but it’s no less absurd than the end of Sabrina or Some Like it Hot.



Isn’t that the worst trailer you’ve ever seen? No wonder no one went to see it.

Dancing With Dino

Hey pallies, likes today ilovedinomartin is thrilled to share a special guest Dino-post by none other then our Dino-addicted politico blogger Miss Always On Watch. It is always so great to turn the reigns of the ol' Dino-blog over to 'nother with such passion for our most beloved Dino...and indeed Miss AOW is passionate 'bout our Dino.

Knows you will enjoys Miss AOW's Dino-reflections.....and the remix vid of our Dino dancin' that Miss AOW discovered over at youtube. Be sure to checks out her blog as well by clickin' on her link. Thanks so much Miss Always On Watch for spreadin' more Dino-devotion this day at the ol' Dino-blog. Dino-delightedly, DMP

(Guest post from Always On Watch, political blogger for the past six years and a die hard Dino fan for over forty years)

Dancing With Dino

The other day, I got to reminiscing about what a great dancer our Dino was.

Sure, lots of times he played the routines for laughs. But not always.

Enjoy the following remix of our Dino dancing:



Oh, to be the woman our Dino was dancing with!

On This Day In Dino-history: September 20, 1953

Hey pallies, likes today is 'nother very very important day in the life and times of our most beloved Dino. It was on September 20, 1953 that our Dino's youngest boypallie, Ricci James, made his entrance into the world. Ricci has shown his deep, pure, and true devotion to his daddy-o by scribin' a wonderful bio of what it was like livin' in fam Martin. Likes if you haven't read "That's Amore," I would strongly encourage you to gets yourself a copy and soak in Ricci's cool remembrances of bein' a child of the King of Cool.

And, since 2003 Ricci James has toured the globe helpin' keep his father's amazin' life, times, and legacy alive doin' his very own outstandin' Dino-trib. For me, Ricci's greatest efforts in showin' amore to his father was when he created our Dino's one and only MTV music vid, "Since I Met You Baby" in 1982...and he tells such wonderful tales 'bout the filmin' of the vid in his Dino-bio.

Below are some fav pixs of Dino's youngest male prodigy, as well as a couple of clips of Ricci's Dino-trib. And, likes I just couldn't resist again sharin' our Dino at his finest in the "Since I Met You Baby" MTV vid.

ilovedinomartin sends the happiest of happy B-day wishes to Ricci on his day, with much much Dino-appreciato for all he has done, is doin', and will do to lift up the name of his most beloved daddy-o and helpin' tons more pallies to come to know, love, and honor our most amazin' Dino! Dino-devotedly, DMP

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis - Funny Guys

Hey pallies, likes her name is Melissa Pisan, her blog pad is tagged "The Little Things - It's the little things in life that make the big things worth it...," and she hails from Griffith : N.S.W : Australia. So, likes you guested it pallies, we continue with the international Dino-accent again this day at ilovedinomartin.

The Dino-focus of Miss Pisan's writin's is the Team of Martin and Lewis..."funny guys" as she taggs 'em. Melissa is a second gen fan of Dino and the Jer, proudly proclaimin', "I blame my Dad for my obsession with their TV show and their movies! Likes how cool to hear 'nother testimony of how one generation has passed their devotion to our Dino on to the next!

Miss Pisan has assembled an outstandin' trib to our Dino and his sidekick sharin' fav video clips and art to enhance her reflections on her "love" of "these guys." Likes the vids include a historic clip from the first MDA telethon in 1953 featurin' our Dino and Jerry with Dino singin' his top of the charts song, "That's Amore."

To view this in it's orginal format, likes just clicks on the title of today's Dino-post. ilovedinomartin shares our appreciato with Miss Melissa Pisan for such a stunnin'ly stellar piece of prose sharin' her amore of Dino and the Jer with all her readers...helpin' 'em to turn on to our amazin' Dino. Keeps lovin' our Dino pallies!
Dino-reportin', DMP


Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis - Funny Guys



I love these guys. This has to be my favourite skit of theres that they ever did!



The other guy is (if you didn't know) Mr Burt Lancaster!

I blame my Dad for my obsession with their TV show and their movies! Just classic laughs!

My favourite movie of theirs has got be Living It Up followed closely by Artists & Models.





My favourite song which they both performed together is "Every Street's A Boulevard" (from Living It Up):



I bought Jerry's book "Dean & Me: A Love Story" a few years ago, and it is a truly beautiful book of friendship and showbiz!



Unfortunately, Dean passed away almost 20 years ago now, but we still have Jerry around with us to make us laugh - 85 years old!


I am saddened to hear that Jerry was not given a proper farewell when leaving the MDA Telethon last year. This year would have been excellent had he gotten a proper farewell - after all, the man started the charity and made it what it is today more than 50 years ago!

Part of the very first MDA Telethon in 1953!



Jerry's Last MDA hosting-gig last year:



Jerry recieved an Honorary Oscar for his charity work in 2009, which was lovely.



The man needs an ACTUAL Oscar though! What both and he and Dean did for comedy in the 50s and also what he did solo in the 60s was revolutionary!



Such a great team. They don't make acts like them anymore!

Posted by Melissa Pisan

Danny G.'s Sunday Serenade with Dino: "Bummin' Around"

Welcome back to nother' Sunday Serenade pals! Man oh man , do I got a great little gem of a Dino-vid for your viewin' pleasure this week! I am so so excited and so so pleased to share this "official" video of "Bummin' Around"! Just think how ground breakin' our great man was way back in 1965 shootin' music videos! Who needs MTV when you got a superstar like Dean Martin?!!!

Dean looks so very cool struttin' his stuff and doin' his magic on these folks and of course...sportin' his signature tuxedo! Now you will also notice that the lyrics are included in the vid so it saved this Dino-holic a little bit of time and allowed me to shake up one more martini before hittin' the road myself!

We all know that Dean was as free as the breeze and ALWAYS did what he pleased! Only wish sometimes that I could say the same! Oh well...here you go. Enjoy!

"That's for teenagers; my music's for Deanagers."

Hey pallies, likes today's Dino-gram is so so special for likes a couple of reasons. First, this Dino-report from the "This Week In Music" page of Birningham, Alabama's on-line version of the "Black And White" newspaper has clarified the difference between the 1964 August and September dates of our most beloved Dino's hittin' the top of the charts with "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime."

From the pen of Mr. David Pelfrey, quoted from Mr. Richard Wagner, it turns out that it was in August of that amazin' Dino-year that our Dino's numero uno tune busted the Beatles off Billboard's Single's Chart. Then on this week in September of 1964, that same tune went number one on the Top Pops Standard Chart of Billboard.

Second, we learn from this "Black and White" city news report that amazin' Dino-quotation that tags today's Dino-message...in speakin' of the dif between Rock 'n Roll and his lush sounds, our Dino quipped...."That's for teenagers; my music's for Deanagers." Likes never heard that Dino-ism before, but likes gotta say pallies, loves it, loves it, loves it! Never ever knew that it was our Dino who first coined the term "Deanager!" Likes I always have been, always will be simply a Deanager...and likes mighty proud, mighty proud to share that tag with billions of Dino-holics 'round the Dino-universe!

Hats off to our pallies at the "Black and White" city news and Mr. David Pelfrey for sharin' this important event in all of Dino-history will all us pallies. To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram. Deanaged, DMP



This Week in Music

September 15, 2011

By David Pelfrey

History is written one note at a time. Richard Wagner



1964
Dean Martin tops the Pop Standards chart with "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime," but it's a minor achievement compared to what the crooner had done a few weeks earlier with that entry: knocking the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" off the Billboard Singles Chart number one spot. Martin had promised his teenage son (whose fondness for rock 'n' roll was a bone of contention in the Martin household) that he would do precisely that. The song will soon replace 'That's Amore" as a signature track for the popular singer, whose television variety show the next year will begin establishing him as a pop culture icon. "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" will be the show's theme song. As for the ever-growing popularity of rock 'n' roll, Dino boasts, "That's for teenagers; my music's for Deanagers."

On This Day In Dino-history: September 16, 1965

Hey pallies, likes today, September the 16th is likes one of the hugest of the huge Dino-dates in all of Dino-history 'cause likes on this date back in the year 1965 our great man's great TV Show made it's debut on the peacock channel...and likes, as they say, the rest is history. The world changed that fateful Thursday night when our most beloved Dino took over the airwaves and make 'em his own...and the world has never ever been the same again.

For an amazin' hour each Thursday night at 10 p.m. our King of Cool reigned supreme for nine-count 'em-nine glorious years...an hour full of singin', laughin' and most importantly lovin' by our beloved Dino! The Dean Martin TV Show was..still is...and always will be... such a breath of fresh air 'cause it was likes so so refreshin' to find our great man...totally totally unrehearsed simply havin' a ball entertainin' in his own words, "de common folk."

Am sharin' a few classic pixs from the Dino-show with all you pallies, and one of my most fav of fav Dino-moments....that stunnin'ly stellar medley of tunes crooned by our Dino and the Sam man! Likes I coulda watch this clip forever 'cause it is our Dino and Sammy lovin' on each other and lovin' on entertainin' the masses with their magic!

Gunty-Renker and recently Time-Life have each put out their own collections of bits of the Dino-show, but all of us that name the name of our Dino continue to cry out...."Just Give Us Dino....The Whole Dino...And Nothin' But Dino"....meanin' of course, we won't stop until we gets full episodes and full seasons of the greatest TV Show ever. So, on this 46th anniversary of the beginnin' of the Dean Martin TV Show, we continue to wait with baited breath for the day that all of us pallies dream of, the day when we''ll give the original un-cut, un-edited Dino-show!

Keeps lovin' our Dino pallies! Dino-forever and ever, DMP



September 16, 1965 "The Dean Martin Show" premiered on NBC, Thursday nights at 10 p.m. It was one of the highest-rated shows of the 1965-66 season and runs for nine seasons.

Dean Martin was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century in music, television and film.

Hey pallies, likes ilovedinomartin is once 'gain pleased to feature some international Dino-love this very Dino-day. From the Portuguese blog ,"Lágrima Psicodélica" which has the grooviest of groovy English translation "Psychedelic Teardrop" comes a to-the-point bit of Dino-prose taken from good ol' wikipedia.

Likes really 'nothin' new in this wee Dino-prose, but loves to see how pallies of more and more races are liftin' up the name of our Dino and usin' their native tongues to bring their message of Dino-devotion to their readers. Just goes to show that love for our Dino continues to grow and glow all over the entire Dino-globe.

ilovedinomartin sez our thanks to the pallies at ""Psychedelic Teardrop" for helpin' their readers to grow in knowin', lovin' and honorin' our most beloved Dino. To view this in it's original format, just clicks on the tag of this Dino-message. Dino-awed, DMP btw pallies, note that I have included both the original Portuguese as well as the English translation.


Tuesday, September 6 in 2011

Dean Martin



Dean Martin (Steubenville, June 7, 1917 - Beverly Hills, December 25, 1995) was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century in music, television and film. His given name is Dino Paul Crocetti.

He was a member of the "Rat Pack", a group of friends formed by Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, who made ​​some artistic activities together in the 1960s. It is increasingly recognized for its highly successful partnership with Jerry Lewis. Died of lung cancer.

It has three stars in "Walk of Fame", a (6519 Hollywood Boulevard) for his work in film, the second (1817 Vine) for their recordings, and third (6651 Hollywood Boulevard) for his work in television.

It was also the father of singer and actor Dean Paul Martin, whose untimely death the father did end his career.

source: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Martin


terça-feira, 6 de setembro de 2011

Dean Martin

Dean Martin (Steubenville, 7 de junho de 1917 — Beverly Hills, 25 de Dezembro de 1995) foi um dos mais influentes artistas do século 20, tanto na música, televisão, bem como no cinema. Seu nome de batismo é Dino Paul Crocetti.
Era integrante da "Rat Pack", um grupo de amigos formado por Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford e Joey Bishop que realizaram algumas atividades artísticas em conjunto na década de 1960. É bastante reconhecido por sua parceria de enorme êxito com Jerry Lewis. Morreu em decorrência de câncer no pulmão.
Possui três estrelas na "calçada da fama", uma (6519 Hollywood Boulevard) por seu trabalho no cinema, a segunda (1817 Vine) por suas gravações, e a terceira (6651 Hollywood Boulevard) por seu trabalho na televisão.
Era pai do também cantor e ator Dean Paul Martin, cuja morte prematura fez o pai encerrar a carreira.
fonte: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Martin

And, it turns out that Wayne and Martin still has chemistry ever.

Hey pallies, likes today ilovedinomartin returns to puttin' the accent on international Dino-devotion 'cause in our Dino-surfin' we found an outstandin' review of 'nother Dino-classic western, "The Sons Of Katie Elder," scribed by Norwegian Mr. Jacob Olsen at his blog tagged "Filmantrop."

Simply am likes in total awe of the many and varied ways the life and times of our Dino likes keeps gettin' lifted up all 'round the globe. This film review by Mr. Olsen likes speaks such such Dino-truth when he pens these thoughts concernin' the partnership of our most beloved Dino and the Duke, who had first words together on "Rio Bravo"......"And, it turns out that Wayne and Martin still has chemistry ever. Indeed the team of Martin and Wayne is so so powerful on the big screen...and you can see how much these giants of shoot 'em outs have such deep respect for each other.

ilovedinomartin is delighted to say our appreicato for Mr. Jacob Olsen doin' his part to keep Norwegians attached to our Dino. Have included the English translation of Mr. Olsen's thoughts followed by the original script in Norwegian. To view this in it's original format, as usual, just clicks on the tag of this Dino-post. Dino-diggin', DMP



The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)

In 1965 was the golden age of western movies largely over. This did not mean that those who were still being produced was necessarily tedious repetitions of the movies they had seen before, rather the contrary. Sergio Leone had already last year for fully entered the field with Per un pugno di dollari (A Fistful of Dollars) and its sequel came the following year. Spaghetti genre was established. Also in the mother country the U.S. leading the trend to new forms of expression, represented by directors like Arthur Penn and Martin Ritt. At the same time many of the old western directors still going strong.

Henry Hathaway directed his first westerns back in 1932, and in 1965 he managed to be 67 and had as many as 15 copies of the hall. Although there is rarely any rattles up one after another of his films in the western guns, so he was eg. behind movies like the excellent Garden of Evil (1954) and How The West Was Won (1962), where he directed three of the sequences.

In The Sons of Katie Elder, he had basically a very grateful task. He got work to reunite John Wayne and Dean Martin, who had been a huge success with Rio Bravo six years earlier. And, it turns out that Wayne and Martin still has chemistry ever.

The film opens with John Elder (Wayne) returns home to his mother's funeral, only to find that the home farm is taken over by a cynical land baron (James Gregory). His father died a few years back, and none of the four sons is the best mother's children. It is thus that there is not only about the good against evil, is one of the film's strengths. It is clear that several of the brothers has a past that no one will speak out about, these are character traits that were perfected by directors like Anthony Mann and Budd Boetticher. It builds up relatively slowly towards the final settlement that we know must come - the end of the film is by no means revolutionary, but it is not obviously how it goes for everyone involved. The play has been approved, even more than that especially from James Gregory.

The film was a surprisingly pleasant acquaintance who recommended not only for lovers of the genre.

Memorable scene: John Wayne, drag George Kennedy with a notched shaft. It's baseball stroke of the battle, and Kennedy will remain. :-)

The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)

112011I 1965 var gullalderen for westernfilmene langt på vei over. Dette betydde ikke at de som fortsatt ble produsert nødvendigvis var kjedelige repetisjoner av filmer man hadde sett før, snarere tvert om. Sergio Leone hadde allerede året før for fullt kommet på banen med Per un pugno di dollari (A Fistful of Dollars) og oppfølgeren kom året etter. Spaghettigenren var etablert. Også i moderlandet USA førte den nye trenden til nye uttrykk, representert ved regissører som Arthur Penn og Martin Ritt. Samtidig holdt mange av de gamle westernregissørene fortsatt koken.

Henry Hathaway regisserte sin første western allerede i 1932, og i 1965 var han rukket å bli 67 år og hadde hele 15 eksemplarer under salen. Selv om det er sjelden noen ramser opp den ene etter den andre av filmene hans i westernkanoner, så stod han f. eks. bak filmer som den svært gode Garden of Evil (1954) og How The West Was Won (1962), der han regisserte tre av sekvensene.

I The Sons of Katie Elder hadde han i utgangspunktet en svært takknemlig oppgave. Han fikk arbeide med å gjenforene John Wayne og Dean Martin, som hadde hatt en enorm suksess med Rio Bravo seks år tidligere. Og, det viser seg at Wayne og Martin fortsatt har kjemien inne.

Filmen åpner med at John Elder (Wayne) returnerer hjem til sin mors begravelse, bare for å finne at hjemgården er overtatt av en kynisk landbaron (James Gregory). Faren døde for noen år tilbake, og ingen av de fire sønnene er mors beste barn. Det at det dermed ikke kun handler om de gode mot de onde, er en av filmens styrker. Det er tydelig at flere av brødrene har en fortid som man ikke vil snakke høyt om, dette er karaktertrekk som ble perfeksjonert av regissører som Anthony Mann og Budd Boetticher. Det bygger seg relativt sakte opp mot sluttoppgjøret som vi vet må komme – avslutningen på filmen er på ingen måter revolusjonerende, men det er ikke selvsagt hvordan det går for alle involverte. Skuespillet er godkjent, ja, mer enn det spesielt fra James Gregory.

Filmen var et overraskende hyggelig bekjentskap som anbefales, ikke bare for elskere av genren.

Minneverdig scene: John Wayne drar George Kennedy med et hakkeskaft. Det er baseballtakter over slaget, og Kennedy blir liggende. :-)