2005-06-29

Bless the Beasts & the Children

A couple of weekends ago I watched "Bless the Beasts & the Children" for the first time in what's gotta be 20 years. I think every kid in junior high at one point or another had to read the book and then watch the movie, no?

I was obsessed with this movie, chickens. I'd already seen it several times prior to my required viewing of it in ninth grade, as it was a Saturday afternoon staple on Channel 56, and it whupped my preteen ass every single time. Finally -- a movie for a chunky, bespectacled dork like me! I'd sit in front of the television with an entire box of those tiny Entenmann's chocolate chip cookies and cry like a little bitch.

By the time 9th grade rolled around, though, I'd dropped a good deal of weight (primarily by walking home from school every day because the kids on the bus made fun of me) and had learned enough socialization skills to earn me a small posse of pals. I had emerged semi-triumphant from my fat kid chrysalis, but - oh - how wet and fragile my little wings still were. It would be another year or so before I'd finally accept that I would never be "normal" in the suburban sense of the word, and there was still the belief that popularity might still well be within my grasp. I was desperate to not appear uncool, and so when we viewed this film as our "reward" for getting through the book, I maintained my shit and managed not to weep, copiously and loudly, in front of my sniggering classmates.

I have to say, for my money, this movie still holds up. It's actually got a pretty killer ensemble cast, although - with the exception of the great Bill Mumy - most people would be hard-pressed to name any of the actors.

Since I am a collector of all things "useless" and obscure, I took it upon myself to do a little research on the whereabouts of the rest of this fine cast.

Barry Robins, who played the Marines-obsessed Cotton, died "prematurely" in 1986.

Miles Chapin, who played Shecker - the pudgy offspring of a beloved Borscht Belt comic - actually lectures on the history and construction of Steinway pianos. And wouldja get a look at him now? HELLO!

There's not much to go on in terms of the whereabouts of Darel Glaser, who portrayed the blindingly towheaded bedwetter Goodenow.

One find among my Google searches whelps the tantalizing possibility that Mr. Glaser is staging revamped fairy tales in suburban Chicago. If this is the case, I love him. For real.

And what of the Lally Brothers? Pillow-fixated Lally 2, played by Marc Vahanian, and headbanger Lally 1, played by Robert Kramer? Vahanian seems to be working quite steadily, both as an actor and a personal trainer. I have not found anything on Mr. Kramer save for a list of his tv work (which included stints on "The Brady Bunch" and "The Partridge Family") in the 70's.

Well. I'm simply done in from all that RESEARCH. Amazing that I can happily spend two hours trolling around for stuff like this, and yet I have to be reminded to, you know, pay bills and look people in the eye when I talk to them.

lisamcc at 9:06 p.m.

13 comments so far
aislin-dream
2005-06-30 08:19:12
Somehow this book and movie managed to escape me...and I was a big Channel 56'er. Now I am curious.
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Lisa
2005-06-30 09:14:50
Yeah, unfortch -- now that Channel 56 is a WB affiliate, you don't get the random weekend movies like that anymore. Another factoid about this film: it was the first to feature the piece that would become known, alternately, as either "Nadia's Theme" or "The Young & The Restless."
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bathtubmary
2005-06-30 10:53:13
fellow 56-er here. loved that movie. i remember the viewing when i finally figured out why the counselor yelled at them that they'd go blind - a bit of my childhood stripped away. the blond kid freaked me out. and you can't go wrong with a theme song by the carpenters. xox, d
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Honey
2005-07-01 23:41:10
Oh holy christ. I loved that too, though I'm guessing I'd hate it now.
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f-i-n
2005-07-04 13:08:35
This is so great. I love it!
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Honey
2005-07-08 19:21:06
I saw this and thought of you for some reason.. http://www.gayontherange.com/a-z/crap_shoot.php?photo=xgaylords.jpg&start=62
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Marquis
2005-07-13 19:24:06
Hellew! Isn't it time you wrote something to your drooling, slavish, sycophantic fans? HELEWWWWW!
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Angel Novie
2005-07-28 17:25:51
Darel Glaser is a good friend of mine. I have been in his community shows for 13 years..known him for over that. He lives in Westchester IL and yes, he directs kids shows...he has extreme talent and I am proud to say I was directed by him. I still talk to him and see him once or twice a year.
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Lisa
2005-07-28 18:00:30
WOW! The above has got to be the most awesome response I've ever gotten from one of my entries, EVER. Yay!
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Bryan
2010-12-16 05:08:52
If you really want to see this movie in a new way, download it from iTunes. It was never released on DVD. The transfer is great, full screen and it looks like a new movie (set in the early seventies of course). I watched this movie a thousand times as a kid and the downloaded file made me feel like I was watching it for the first time.
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Jess
2010-12-16 18:15:24
Wow. I've never even HEARD of it. The movie OR the book. I feel that I totally missed out.
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Tina
2010-12-17 01:05:30
I am only now seeing this (I don't know how I missed it 5 years ago), but I remember watching this with you often. The first couple of times I remember asking copious questions. You were very nice to me and answered them (unlike how you answered me when I asked questions during Star Wars in the theater when I was 5).
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Edward
2012-02-25 00:54:02
Just finished watching this for the ?6th time. Still love it and enjoyed reading this.
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