70's Television

I guess I have to admit that a lot of the TV of my youth was maybe bad.  I was searching out Robby Benson on Netflix. I mean, geepers, just that idea.....what am I thinking? Basically I was looking for Ode To Billy Joe because I haven't seen it since the 70's, always dug the song and I think it was edited for TV enough to not make much sense. I remember that Billie Joe was either sodomized by some neighbor, or he liked it so much he couldn't deal and he jumped off the bridge. Ya know, the nice distopian story lines that invaded movies and TV at that time. There weren't no more happy endings at least with the griping serious movie stuff, that was left to the sitcoms of the day.

 I came up short on the Billy Joe search because Netflix didn't have it and further investigation makes me think it's not even out on DVD. C'mon whose ever in charge, let's get on that. 

 It also stars Glynnis O'Connor as the girlfriend. I dug her. She was also in Boy in the Plastic Bubble as the girlfriend, a good role for her. I saw on List of the Day blog a list the top 50 Sexiest Women of Television History. I had to add my 2 cents in the comments and added Linda Pearl, Glynnis O'Connor, Season Hubley, Kay Lenz, and Pamela Sue Martin. As far as I was concerned these were the 5 horse ladies of the Apocalypse. Ok, you know what I mean if you knew these women. They were the livin' end. They all were sexy for their own reasons. All a bit older than me. Stuff wet dreams are made of.

Anyway, back to bad TV. In my search on Netflix I did see a made for TV movie entitled All The Kind Strangers starring Stacy Keach and Robbie Benson and John Savage! I did not remember this from my youth but thought it might be ok in a nostalgic sorta ABC Movie of the Week kinda way. I watched it and man...... the acting is great....... but who wrote this stuff? And why is this on DVD?  It is the goofiest shlock. Stacy Keach and John Savage do what they can with this can of worms.  I am not even going to go into the story line, if your interest is piqued it will only take up a bit over an hour of your time. The funniest thing was there were supposed to be all these man eating dogs surrounding the house to keep "all the kind strangers" from escaping but you just gotta see the dog acting. Dubbed in growling over happy wagging tongues, doing everything the trainer says off camera, everything except "look fierce". A hound of some sort, a Rottweiler, a German Shepherd and about 10 other mutts, all so big, loppy and cuddly looking and for gawd sakes, they gots a soft spot fer ma's biscuits (a cruical turn in the story) sorry for the spoiler of breathtaking suspense.  Who wouldn't love these dogs? It was all about the unconvincing fierceness of the dogs. Oh sure, there was a rattle snake in the bed once and some trip wires and punji sticks in the corn fields but nothing kept Keach trapped like that bunch of canine pushovers. I had to take a snapshot of Keach and a couple of the hounds. Check out the intense stare of both dogs off camera. Cripes, they're suppose to be ready to dive into Keach's thigh,  instead are worried about being on their mark and obedience to the trainer. I think they were growling too. Those are real growl mouths. I liked the composition of this photo. It might make a better painting then it made a movie. 

It had that kind of resolution to the story that was not all shiny and lovie but reality, man, reality. Instead of "I love you kids. I will drop my life and move in here and be your dad." it was "We are going into town and find the social worker to help you kids out." God, sooooo boring. but that's reality. Sorry, I am dropping spoilers all over the place Geez. Sorry!

Certainly not good TV. Sometime I will make a list of 70's movies that end in this same vein to help explain myself more betterer.

One thing I wonder after seeing a young Robby Benson again, does anyone out there think Michael Jackson stole Robby's speaking style and made it his own? It is sorta that soft, back of the tongue thick sound and his voice seems to emanate out of his cheeks. Some where between high bird and twit. Do you know what I mean? I can totally see Michael having a thing for Robby. Gosh, who wouldn't? He's doe eyed and white. Funny thing is, I think Robby is the voice of the Beast in Beauty and the Beast . Big and booming. He dropped the soft and gentle. He sings the closing song for All The Kind Strangers in that soft, easy, tickly voice. It's like hot breath on your neck. gag or grrrrr -you decide. 

This selection joins the rank of my self owned copy of the best of Captain and Tennille Variety show. Gosh, sometimes it's a wonder I am still alive.