Before our feature presentation, ACME would like to start the evening with another Merrie Melodies Bugs Bunny cartoon, the 1955 Hare Brush (featuring Elmer Fudd,) directed by Friz Freleng.
Look for it - Sign above the entrance gate to the sanitarium reads - "Fruitcake Sanitarium - It's full of nuts".
We've picked another entry from the excellent reference book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die by Steven Jay Schneider for today's feature. Today's choice is Elia Kazan's 1951 drama, based on the Tennessee Williams Pulitzer Prize play, A Streetcar Named Desire, starring Marlon Brando, Vivian Leigh and Kim Stanley. Streetcar was initially considered controversial, decadent, and "morally repugnant" challenged the regulatory Production Code's censors (and the Legion of Decency) with its bold adult drama and sexual subjects (insanity, rape, domestic violence, homosexuality, sexual obsession, and female sexuality). The film signaled the weakening of Hollywood censorship (and groups such as the Catholic Legion of Decency), although a number of scenes were excised, and new dialogue was written. And the Production Code insisted that Stanley be punished for the rape by the loss of his wife's love at the film's conclusion.
In 1993, approximately five minutes of the censored scenes (i.e., specific references to Blanche's homosexual - or bisexual young husband, her nymphomania, and Stanley's rape of Blanche) were restored in an 'original director's version' video re-release. So we would like you to relax (quick, find the most comfortable seat on the sofa,) get a snack (perhaps, some grilled sausages,) and a beverage (a beer,) and join The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour in watching this dark film, A Streetcar Named Desire
Nine members of the original Broadway cast (Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden, Rudy Bond, Nick Dennis, Peg Hillias, Richard Garrick, Ann Dere and Edna Thomas) repeated their roles in the film, a highly unusual decision at the time and even today, when original casts of plays are often completely replaced for the film versions. However, Vivien Leigh, was selected to play Blanche DuBois over Jessica Tandy to add "star power" to the picture (Marlon Brando had not yet achieved full stardom in films; he would be billed under Leigh in the film's credits).
We could not go without seeing the hysterical parody of Streetcar Named Desire in the film Sleeper. Diane Keaton had just costarred with Marlon Brando in The Godfather in the previous year.
Demand Euphoria!
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