TIKI CULTURE

Mod (Classic) Movie Monday & D-Day: The Longest Day, 1962

The Longest Day, 1962

In honor of the anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Europe (June 6), this week’s MMM will focus on one of the greatest movies to depict the event:

The Longest Day from 1962,

Starring (among others) Eddie Albert, Paul Anka, Richard Beymer, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Richard Todd, Sean Connery, Fabian, Henry Fonda, Jeffrey Hunter, Peter Lawford, Roddy McDowall, Sal Mineo, Robert Mitchum, George Segal, Rod Steiger, Robert Wagner, Rod Steiger, Richard Dawson and John Wayne. (As the saying goes, they don’t make ‘em like they used to.)

There are a load of great movies about WWII. This flick is a little different from most, in that it tells the story as more a historical event than a drama, and it tells the story from different angles…including the perspective of the Americans, English, French and Germans all speaking their native tongues (with subtitles, of course). Filmed only 17 years after the D-Day invasion, it’s probably the most realistic Hollywood telling of the events to be released during the Cold War Era…and with a krazy 10 million dollar price tag, it damned well should be.

The film was shot in black and white, which makes it seem more “realistic” to the time period. It wouldn’t be until decades later that a more realistic - full color - depiction of D-Day and the events following would be portrayed in movies like Saving Private Ryan (1998) and the TV series Band of Brothers (2001), both excellent selections.

There was a lot of on-locations shooting for this movie. At one point while digging on the beach in Normandy, the film crew unearthed an army tank that had been used in the actual invasion in 1944. They dug it out, cleaned it up and used it in the film. The film also features many actors who were involved in the real invasion. Here’s the trailer:

If you can get your hands on a mess kit from an army surplus store, and some cheap English Gin, you’ll have all you need for dinner & drinks to watch this flick. Either that, or pull some vegetables from you Victory Garden.

D-Day, June 6, 1944

Here is last year’s post on the D-Day invasion. I really couldn’t say it any better this year:

Operation Overlord: The D-Day Invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944

65 years ago today marked the beginning of the end of Adolf Hitler’s reign of insanity as American and allied forces landed on the Nazi occupied beaches of Normandy, France.

Nearly 200,000 personnel were involved with the attack. Thousands of soldiers died risking the invasion so that hundreds of thousands more could push back the Nazis and end World War II. The invasion had been planned for months to insure its success. The success was solidified by the support America gave our troops.

(Click here for full post)

Mod Movie Monday: Batman, The Movie from 1966

With krazy stuff like shark repellent, a jet-powered Bat Speed Boat, big round bombs and the Batmobile, there’s no way

Batman, The Movie

was going to slip through Mod Movie Monday! For those of you who think Micheal Keaton made the first Batman movie, take a little history lesson from the Tiki Lounge. Back in 1966 Adam West, the 60’s TV series’ Batman donned the first modern Batsuit and dropped the hammer on the first mod Batmobile for the silver screen. Just like the TV show, Batman, The Movie was filmed in that kookie comic-book style with vivid colors, wild angles and all sorts of mod 60s toys. They pretty much crammed as much stuff into this movie as they could, giving us not one, not two but FOUR villains, The Penguin’s Submarine, The Batmobile, The Batcycle, The Batcopter, The Batboat, and lots of shots of the Batcave.

And talk about stars…get a load of this line-up:
Adam West … Batman / Bruce Wayne
Burt Ward … Robin / Dick Grayson
Lee Meriwether … The Catwoman / Kitka
Cesar Romero … The Joker
Burgess Meredith … The Penguin
Frank Gorshin … The Riddler
Alan Napier … Alfred

There are so many groovy scenes in this movie I couldn’t possibly mention them all. Just get it and watch it, I guarantee you’ll dig it. It’s silly, it’s funny, it’s action-packed and has great special effects (like the rubber shark). Hell, it’s worth it to ogle Lee Meriwether!

Plus there are lots of shots of the infamous Chuck Barris Batmobile (see Barris’ video on building the original car below).

Dinner & Drinks: Well, believe it or not there actually is a BATMAN COCKTAIL. But since the TV show Batman was something of teetotaler (only the bad guys drank or smoked) it’s just orange juice and grenadine. So what the hell, here’s a little ’spin’ on the Batman Cocktail (get it? spin, like the Bat logo in the show…nevermind)

Batman Cocktail, Tiki-ized

2 oz Dark (Knight) Rum
Orange Juice
1 tsp. Grenadine
Bitters
Orange Slice
2 Pineapple wedges

In a tall glass filled with ice add rum, grenadine, three drops bitters, and fill with OJ. With long picks arrange the pineapple wedges onto the orange slice so they look like bat ears, and use for garnish. To make a Batmobile Cocktail, float 151 on top and set the whole thing on fire.

For dinner, since you can’t really eat a bat, or a robin, I’d suggest some other winged creature. Perhaps penguin. No, I guess you can’t really do that. Besides, they don’t have wings anyway. How about Pheasant Under Glass, like Bruce Wayne? Forgetaboutit. Just make chicken. Serve it on some really colorful plates and napkins (you can get wild colors at the party store) and don’t skimp on the gravy.

Here’s the video of Barris on how he came to build the Batmobile, from http://www.bat-mania.co.uk:

Matt Helm in The Silencers, 1966 - Mod Movie Monday at Tiki Lounge Talk

Matt Helm, The Silencers 1966

First, I’d like to thank the team at GOOGLE for helping with a potential attack. They identified a possible hacking threat, notified me immediately, removed my site from their search listings to protect others (you) very quickly. As soon as I was able to make sure the site was clean the re-instated my search engine rankings within a few days. Thanks Google!

The Silencers starring Dean Martin as Matt Helm, Daliah Lavi and  Stella Stevens.

Watch out, Derek Flint. Move over Austin Powers. And take a back seat, James Bond - Matt Helm is on the case!

When the cold war was at its peak and spy thrillers were taking the place of westerns and war movies, America answered the 007 call with a few good men - one of the best being Matt Helm, a suave, lady-loving swinger who could catch the bad guys, snap some great photos and make love to the girl in the same scene.

This series of movies gives us a fantabulous peak at the styles, cars, furnishing and hot chicks of the swingin’ ’60s. The movies are combination thriller-comedies, with the main lean towards funny. With Dean Martin at the helm (as Helm), you get that groovin’ mix of humor, sex appeal and crooning.

Stella Stevens and Dean Martin

This particular flick, one of my favorites, features a 1960s beauty named Daliah Lavi who’s got the right curves in the right places and a sexy accent that will make you melt. Stella Stevens drops in with her crazy figure too. And there’s an all-too-short cameo by the beautiful Cid Charise, dancing her way through a sultry nightclub scene (she sings too, but apparently it’s not her voice - she’s dubbed by a then very young Vicky Carr.)

While 007 sported an Aston-Martin, Matt Helm had himself a good, solid American car - a 1965 Mercury Parklane Station Wagon - of course his was modified somewhat by Chuck Barris…The car now resides at the Volo Hollywood Car Museum in Volo, Illinois. Leave it to Dean Martin to make a station wagon kool, huh?

Since Dino’s favorite drink was the Martini, set yourself up with a pitcher before the show starts. Martin also loved Italian cuisine, so go with that for your dinner and a movie. Maybe a nice Penne ala Vodka with grilled chicken and zucchini. And make sure you watch it with someone who looks like Stella Stevens, you know, for full effect.

-Tiki Chris reporting from behind the Tiki Bar.
Tiki Lounge Talk - The Tiki Culture blog for Retro Kats & Swingin’ Kittens

Happy Anniversary to Tiki Lounge Talk!

April marks the One Year Anniversary of Conversations at the Tiki Bar! Notice the shiny new header and the kool glowing background graphics? They’re just part of a month-long celebration of Tiki, Retro & Vintage fun.

In the coming weeks I’ll post lots of fun-stuff, from some of the first few posts to new and exciting concoctions. I’m also planning on adding a drink recipe page and an events page to give a little more usable info in addition to the general silliness that usually swings around here.

So sit back, take a sip of your Rusty Nail and enjoy Tiki Lounge Talk, the Tiki Blog for Tiki Culture & Tiki Lifestyle (whew that’s a load of Tikis, but I guess it will help with SEO!) in our second fantabulous year!

-Tiki Chris, reporting from Sunny South Florida