Friday, December 11, 2009

Eyeing Elizabeth Taylor Video


I finished my latest tribute to a Hollywood icon, to the tune of Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You." Please click here to check out the video. Putting the video together made me wish Taylor had been given a lot more opportunities to work her comedy chops. Her allure and professionalism assured her leading lady status throughout her career, but she's more than a little at home when selling a funny line or given an amusing bit of business to do. On the few occasions she's allowed to drop the glamour/goddess thing, she's lively and amusing, often in a down-to-earth, "out there" manner one suspects is a lot closer to the real Taylor than all those ethereal maidens she portrayed during her reign as a top star. Going blonde, she's very funny in Little Women as the vain, selfish Amy, she fully embraces Martha's vulgar comedic charms in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and Taylor makes a nice late-career impression playing Fred Flintstone's bombastic, disapproving mother-in-law, Pearl Slaghoople, with great verve (the part's not much more than a cameo, but Taylor is obviously having a good time, and she walks off with her scenes).

I also re-posted a simple "Christmas Alphabet" video I did a couple years ago. YouTube cut the music at one point so I took it off, but now they're allowing the McGuire Sisters to trill in perfect harmony again, so I put it back up. Please click here to watch the video.