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BELL_BOOK_AND_VILLAGE

                                             September 01, 2022



Anna Alice Chapin back in 1917 was
rhapsodizing about the impulse
toward "play-acting" on display in
Greenwich Village.

               ACT_ONE
                                            POSITIVELY_HIP
   An early hit was a pirate-themed
   night club, "The Pirates' Den".


The Village nightclub depicted in
"Bell Book and Candle" is an echo
of this era:

A place named The Zodiac, down in a basement
with entry-way hidden down an alley.  The
doorman sports a Turban and affects to be           This *was* The Village,
checking the customers astrological signs           it was one of the many
to see if they are favorable before allowing        things Greenwich Village
entry.  The musical acts include a jazz band        meant to people over the
doing jacked-up versions of "standards",            years.
with a percussionist on bongoes hamming
it up.                                                 In retrospect I find the
                                                       bongoes remarkable-- this
   In general, this is a                               is a movie from 1958,
   pretty nice New York                                there had been barely any
   movie, showing Manhatten                            time for the "beatnik"
   under fresh Christmas                               sterotype to form.
   snow, including some nice                           What's the history of the
   views of the Flatiron                               bongoes as a beatnik/BoHo
   building...                                         affectation?

   It's not a bad Christmas
   movie, in a low-key sort-of                The soundtrack isn't bad, either:
   way, with the sophisticated                Gershwin with bongoes.
   (childless) adults exchanging              A touch of mystery in the melody.
   gifts casually at midnight.




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