noel devine

Wicked Minds [VHS]
$9.99
This movie was shown on Lifetime television when I saw it for the first time and I had to have it. It arrived in like new condition and that is how it plays

Around the World in 80 days
$2.99
David Niven and Cantinflas embark on a fun trip around the world. They are joined with Robert Newton, Shirley MacLaine and a huge host of big Hollywood names in spot scenes. As a fun excercise, see if you can name the stars before the credits. Do watch the credits at the close as that is a very enjoyable part of the film. The movie garnered 5 well deserved Oscars including best picture. Two music themes dominate the movie, one a song that hit the top ten (Around the World I Searched For You) during its release that held special memories for me as I spent a good part of the year it was made half way around the world from a woman who was to become my wife. The other(Rule Britainia)is still played on classical music radio and was played during Winston Churchill's funeral. The scenery shots are tame by today's standards, but were great at the time of its release. This CD is worth watching more than one time still.

The Complete Recordings, Vol. 9
$6.98
I'm not sure if Caruso admirers will rush to secure a copy of this ninth volume in the complete Naxos reissue series, but I can report that there are many great recordings here and not a few rarities. One of the latter is the so-called "Coat Song" from Puccini's "La Boheme". According to one of the great stories in the annals of opera performance, Caruso agreed to sing this two minute piece in Act Four for his bass colleague whose voice had by then petered out during a performance at Philadelphia. With the bass miming and Caruso with his back to the audience the trick was successful. Caruso agreed to sing it again for a recording soon after, not for general issue but for distribution amongst friends. Another rarity is a "Carmen" duet he recorded in 1914 with Francis Alda. Two takes are here: one issued for the first time, the other not issued until the 1960s. John McCormack was meanwhile achieving great sales with recordings in which he teamed with the violinist Fritz Kreisler. Two tracks here, featuring rare items not attempted by McCormack and Kreisler, have Caruso teamed with violinist Mischa Elman. As for the great recordings, I would opt for the Verdi Requiem excerpt, and the wonderful aria from Gounod's "La Reine de Saba". The latter, as with many other items here, is sung in French. A disappointment is the "La Traviata" Brindisi. Perhaps Caruso and Alma Gluck had been drinking too much instead of singing about it.

The Rendering
$14.99
I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO SEE THE DVD BUT IT WAS DEFECTED AND MY SELLER WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT...............