Barbra Streisand: Biography of a Filmmaker

Streisand has accumulated Oscars, Emmys Grammys, and Tony nominations and awards on her way to becoming one of the most important female filmmakers of our time.

I have been a fan of Streisand’s for many years. I loved her soaring and powerful voice playing on my mother’s turntable long before I ever saw her in a film. Her role in Funny Girl cemented her in my heart and sparked a desire to pursue a career in the performing arts myself. I didn’t make it but Streisand did. And oh how she did.
Born in Brooklyn, NY on April 24, 1942, Streisand lost her father when she was just 15 months old. She has always had a strong work ethic and began by graduating from Erasmus High School in Brooklyn with honors 2 years ahead of her classmates. She then began singing in clubs around New York and by 1962 had won a role in I Can Get It for You Wholesale on Broadway. This was followed by the lead in the Read More


Suggested Films:

Top Ten Halloween Movies

My Personal Favorites Will Scare the Pants Off of You on Halloween

Halloween and movies go hand in hand. Halloween is not only a time for costumes and treats but a time when we all enjoy indulging in a little terror.

Horror movies abound and I’ve loved many of them. Based on my own preferences and personal viewing history, these are my favorite movies to watch at Halloween. I wonder how many of these scary Halloween movies are on your list too. In descending order, they are:

Top Ten Halloween Movies - #10

The Ring (2002)- The remake of a Japanese film starring Naomi Watts has plenty of jump-out-of-your-seat moments. While the idea that watching a videotape could cause your death seems preposterous, give the movie a few minutes and it will suck you right in. Once you watch the tape, your remaining lifetime is seven days. Strange things begin happening and your clock is ticking. Rachel (Watts) starts investigating the source of the tape and a way to stop its curse but will she find the answers in time? Watch this movie on Halloween and find out for yourself.

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To buy any of these films:

A Fresh Start

Welcome to the new home of The Movie Muse. I have found that I prefer the Blogger platform for my blogs so I have decided to move this bolg here as well. If you followed me before, I thank you for making the move. If you are new to The Movie Muse, then let me welcome you and share a little something about myself.

Movies have been an important part of my life since I was a small child. Before the invention of VCR’s and DVD players, the thrill of going to the theater to see a new movie was incomparable to anything else I knew. There was no chance to see it again when it released on DVD in a few months. Every nuance, color, and musical score – every line spoken, every song sung was to be savored, gulped down whole and committed to memory. One of my earliest recollections was awakening at the age of four to the strains of the overture from Mary Poppins – the record being a surprise gift from my parents which I still own. I had seen it in the theater and like the rest of the world, been absorbed into the sooty world on the rooftops of London and the sidewalk drawings of Burt the chimney sweep. At four years old, having only seen that movie one time, the strains of that overture playing on my little 33 1/3 rpm record player were like attending the Boston Pops conducted by Arthur Fiedler would be for a concert enthusiast.

Movies continue to play prominently in my life. They entertain, to be sure. Sometimes they disappoint. More often they capture a moment or a feeling that touches me or makes me think. I have found inspiration in the characters on the big screen. I do not worship celebrity or fantasize about stars or the characters they play. But when a character leaps off the screen at me and I find myself thinking, ‘I’d like to be more like that’ or ‘is that how I would have handled that situation’, then for me, the movie has touched me.

I hope to share some of my insights, feelings and reviews of movies with you and hope you will feel free to comment.

If you would like to read some of my older posts, they can be found here.