Lisa Denton and Barry Courter
BARRY COURTER: Lisa, there are two film events at Heritage House in East Brainerd this week. First, movie producer Richie Walls will be the featured guest for the monthly Backlot: A Place for Filmmakers gathering there tonight.
We haven’t talked enough about Backlot. It’s a regular gathering of people who work in all aspects of filmmaking. Actors, directors, set builders, lighting specialists or whatever all get together to network, share experiences, read scripts, ask for advice or give it. It doesn’t matter your experience level.
Then on Thursday, Heritage House will host a classic film night with a screening of “Nothing Sacred.” It’s a 1939 movie starring Carole Lombard as a woman who finds out she was misdiagnosed with a case of terminal radium poisoning. She’s actually kinda bummed to learn she isn’t dying.
LISA DENTON: I thought I read that wrong. But you are correct, sir. Maybe people treated her better when they thought her days were numbered. I’ve noticed you’re nicer to me when I’m sick.
BARRY: Small spoiler, Lombard’s character thought she was going to get a free trip around the world out of the deal. And you’re a lot scarier when you are sick.
LISA: Maybe I’m scary when I still feel well enough to work. When I’m sick enough to stay home, I’m just a big old bawl bag.
BARRY: Careful.
LISA: Seriously, I’ve been moved to tears when I’ve called in sick and been told to stay home and get some rest. That’s sniff, sniff .. just so sweet sniff, sniff. It’s too wimpy to be an ugly cry like Oprah talks about, but it’s still ridiculous.
And by the way, you give as good as you get.
BARRY: I like a nice Camembert with my whine, thank you.
LISA: Walls’ visit should be interesting. He is a Chattanooga native, and he’s coming to talk about his next project, which he’d like to film here. The Backlot folks say it’s called “Commune” and would star Sam Worthington, the British actor who played Jake Sully in “Avatar.”
BARRY: Also, comic Brian Regan is at the Tivoli on Friday. He did a hilarious bit on “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” with Jerry Seinfeld about jiggling the toilet handle and the Queen of England. He told me that was just a joke he’d had in his notebook, but it fit the context of his conversation with Seinfeld. He also said he’s been in homes that had notecards on how to manage the quirks of the facilities.
LISA: Hey, until the handy-dandy plumbers redid my bathroom this summer, I had to tell people the safe places to step. Word to the wise: Do not ignore a leaky toilet. For a while there, crossing my bathroom floor was like navigating a minefield. One false move and hello basement.
BARRY: The big news this week is that Ice on the Landing – the outdoor ice-skating rink at Ross’s Landing – opens Friday, a week earlier than last year. It’s also almost twice as big, which means I’m twice as likely not to get out there. I’m like the Bumble in “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” I don’t bounce either.
LISA: I love me some “Rudolph.” If you’re wondering, CBS will broadcast that Rankin/Bass classic at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1. ABC Family will air my other two favorites, “The Year Without a Santa Claus” and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” throughout December. “The Year Without a Santa Claus” is the one with the Snow Miser and Heat Miser. Except for the color, sometimes your hair reminds me of the Heat Miser’s.
Gosh, did that sound mean? I must be getting sick.
BARRY: I’m outta here.
Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.