What’s in a name? “Picture Perfect” on any other station would smell as sweet.
Even so, something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
WWFM may have uprooted my weekly shows, which likely ends my association with the station after 28 years, but thankfully “Picture Perfect” and “The Lost Chord” have the capability to flourish in syndication. I’ve new equipment at the house, and I’ll begin experimenting with the new set-up probably today. Which means, after three years of being barred from the WWFM studios, I’ll be able to start producing new episodes!
Your best bet for hearing my shows at a human hour, and in the context of a respectful, very respectable classical music station, is by streaming them from KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon – which by the way, is managed by fellow WWFM exile Peter Van de Graaff. Check out KWAX and see if it’s not classical radio the way you remember it from better days: the music is presented complete, the hosts are pleasant and unobtrusive, and nothing about it is condescending or dumbed down. You’ll find a link at the end of this post.
When I explained to the kind folks at KWAX what’s going on with WWFM, they couldn’t have been nicer. I have been assured that “Picture Perfect” will continue to be welcomed there on Fridays.
This week, it’s a show built around movies with women’s names for titles. This permits us to flit across a broad array of genres – contemporary drama, Regency Era comedy of manners, 1940s film noir, and 16th century costume picture.
In “Rachel, Rachel” (1968) Joanne Woodward plays a repressed, small-town schoolteacher, who learns to take control of her own life. The film marked the directorial debut of Woodward’s husband, Paul Newman. “Rachel, Rachel” was nominated for four Academy Awards, including those for Best Actress and Best Picture. Newman picked up a Golden Globe and a New York Critics Circle Award for his direction. The lovely Americana score is by Jerome Moross.
In “Emma” (1996), adapted from novel of Jane Austen, Gwyneth Paltrow plays a high-spirited though somewhat-clueless matchmaker, who fails to recognize her own feelings or those of the men around her. Among the supporting cast are Alan Cumming, Toni Collette, Ewan McGregor, and Jeremy Northam. Screenwriter and director Douglas McGrath fell in love with the book while an undergraduate at Princeton University. Rachel Portman wrote the Academy Award-winning score.
The Otto Preminger film noir “Laura” (1944) also sports quite the cast, including Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Judith Anderson, and Vincent Price. The equally impressive theme, heard in multiple permutations throughout the film, was written by Philadelphia-born composer David Raksin. Outfitted with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, it went on to become the second most-recorded song during the composer’s lifetime, behind only Hoagie Carmichael’s “Stardust.”
Finally, “Diane” (1956) takes us back to 16th century France, with a plot concerning Diane de Poitiers, played by Lana Turner. A member of the court of Francis I, Diane becomes the mistress of the king’s son, Henri d’Orléans, portrayed by a very young Roger Moore. Their illicit love unfolds against the backdrop of Medici intrigue and lust for power. Miklós Rózsa, MGM’s go-to-composer for historical spectacles, wrote the music.
Roses actually do very well when transplanted. All it takes is a little care. I hope you’ll join me for “What’s in a Name?” on “Picture Perfect,” smelling just as sweet in syndication on KWAX!
Keep in mind, the station is on the West Coast, so there’s a three-hour time difference – actually rather convenient for those of us located in the vicinity of WWFM. Here are the conversions of the respective air-times of my shows:
PICTURE PERFECT – Fridays on KWAX at 5:00 PACIFIC TIME (8:00 PM EDT)
THE LOST CHORD – Saturdays on KWAX at 4:00 PACIFIC TIME (7:00 PM EDT)
Stream them here!
PHOTO: Austen’s Emma, now enjoying her roses on KWAX
