Magnifique! ... Jacques Tati, Coast to Coast

Here's stocking stuffer, and, Oh Boy!, what a gift this is going to be.

We have, a few times (Here and Here), referenced the legendary comedy actor-writer-director Jacques Tati here on The Garlic.



If you love comedy, subtle (and at times, over-the-head), intelligent, ingenious, brilliant comedy, and you are not hip to Jacques Tati, then use one of the gift cards you'll be getting for Christmas, go out and pick up some of his films - you will be spending wisely and well-rewarded.

Or, maybe you'll be lucky enough to catch this;

Jacques Tati, Coast to Coast

"The Museum of Modern Art's retrospective of the French screenwriter, director, and actor Jacques Tati (born Jacques Tatischeff, 1907–1982) features newly struck, gloriously restored 35mm prints of his six feature films," brags the Museum, and well they should: "Monsieur Hulot's Holiday, Playtime, Mon Oncle, his long-dreamed-of colorized version of Jour de fête, the revelatory Traffic, and the little-seen Parade - along with three short sketch films." The series runs through January 2 and Jordan Hruska (T Magazine) notes that, architecturally, "MoMA is a perfect venue" for it, while Nicolas Rapold (Voice) notes that it follows "the huge Cinémathèque Française exhibition" and: "Besides a 1936 René Clément short with gangly Tati as a farm boy recruited for sparring (sports-based routines were initially his specialty), MoMA also shows the delightful Cours du soir (1966), shot during Playtime downtime, in which Tati presides at a night school for pratfalls and mime. It's quite an education, but then, Tati was always good at training us all as observational comedians."

[snip]

Updates, 12/22: Mr Hulot's Holiday "is likely the purest distillation of Tati's aesthetic," argues Brian Darr. "It's a film in tune with the elements: wind, water, sand, etc. The director gets great comic mileage out of the most seemingly insignificant things, like the sound a door makes when opening and closing, or a tennis swing, or the tide rolling onto the shore.

Here's a few short snips you can check out.

Jaques Tati - Mon Oncle (Kitchen Scene)




Playtime - Jacques Tati - Window Cleaning




Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (1953) - Jacques Tati




Bonus Links

The Jacques Tati Website, Tativille

Jacques Tati 1908-1982

Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard In The Returns Department of Retail Stores Today

News Item: Store rules may mean fewer happy returns

10. I'm sorry, the reason of Jamie Lynn Spears being pregnant isn't one of the acceptable reasons we can accept this return

9. At first, I bought this, to be patriotic, and was just following President Bush's directive to "go shopping" ... Now, I want to return it, because the President says we should give it back

8. Hillary Clinton and Joe Lieberman are launching some kind of culture war and I want to return this so I'm not caught in the middle of it

7. We're sorry, but the "Death Star Galaxy hitting us" is not on our list of acceptable reasons to return an item

6. We're taking the Fran Towsend approach on returns this year - How do we know this item was in the store before you bought it?

5. We might agree with you that Jonah Goldberg is a major asshole, but we can't put him on a list to turn down if he tries to return something

4. It doesn fit, my husband has a wide stance

3. We're sorry, Mr. Libby ... The best we can do is allow you to exchange your gift, give you a store credit or cash ... We can't issue you a Pardon...

2. We are now following the policy of the Vice President. The Returns Department isn't an entity of the store, therefore we don’t have to accept your returned item

1. I'm sorry Mr. Clemens, you can't return the Mitchell Report here ... It has nothing to do with us

The Garlic's Recommend Late, "Save Your Butt" Christmas Gift Ideas

Okay, it's five-days out, and you're starting to panic.

Even though - this year - you started your Christmas shopping back in June, there's still a few names on your list (certainly, at this date, the "borderline" friends or family).

Now, you could cop-out, and give one of those ubiquitous gift cards (you know, the one's that lose value after a certain period of time, or penalize you if you misuse it in some fashion), but that's not your cup of tea.

You want something cool, something hip, something obscure, that only YOU could fine, something that will make you a star in the eyes of the receiver.

Well, you've come to the right place.

For the first time, The Garlic is entering the fray, with some clutch recommendations, items that will surely look swell under someone's Christmas tree.



















You can never go wrong giving a book, and the first tome from America's greatest political satirist is waiting for you.

Crimmins has toiled on stages, near and far, for over 30-years, skewering the political nitwits and media elites, and "Never Shake Hands With A War Criminal" takes you on much of that journey.

“Barry Crimmins uses his sharp sense of irony as a political weapon. In his hands, the subversive joke is the first small act of resistance.”—Billy Bragg

“Like a mixture of Tom Paine and Mark Twain, Crimmins mixes politics and humor with savage results.”—Michael Blowen, Boston Globe

“He breaks down reality in a hilarious way. He seems ticked off at everything, and when you hear him, you agree. One of the few political comedians who are really good.”—Steven Wright

Purchase the Seven Stories Press book Never Shake Hands With A War Criminal here

If you prefer to shop at Amazon, click here

And be sure to visit - and bookmark - Barry's website









This product is not endorsed by Tiger Woods (Just wanted to take care of the housecleaning first off).

If your Holidazed shopping leans towards the bizarrely funny, unique, or unusual, old Ding Ho buddy and Boston comedian, Mike McDonald, and his comedygolf.com present, “The World’s Funniest Golf Balls”.

McDonald, a 25 year Funnyman and contemporary to Denis Leary, Steven Wright and Lenny Clark has been seen on Showtime, HBO and the Comedy Channel and entertained our troops in 40 countries while touring with the USO. This year, Mike has applied his comedy Super Powers to a gift you can give America’s 27 million golfers, and these hilarious hip packages spare no duffer on your list from a laugh.

Fans of the Soprano’s can Whack the Hitman Golf Balls. The Axis of Evil lets you to “Take your favorite Dick-tator for a Drive”,...or get a special Christmas “Package” filled with Gay golf balls that “Cannot be hit straight”. Give your freshly divorced friends some “Swing Therapy” with Ex-Wife and Ex-Husband golf balls while Catholics can “Resurrect their Games” and receive “Deliverance from Sand Traps” with Miracle Balls. Chanukah fans are not left out in the cold. They can grab a sleeve of the “Chosen Balls”….

Everything is made in the USA and USGA approved so we’re sure they’re not filled with Chinese lead and Plutonium

To purchase, visit Mike McDonald's Comedy Golf


Perhaps you would prefer to give the Gift of Music? ... Well, we've got two tremendous recommendation for you


Laszlo Gardony










Larry Gordon has often said that "when God was ready to make the first, perfect, jazz pianist, along came Laszlo Gardony".

Banging the keyboard in his native Hungary at five-years-old, it didn't take long for Gardony to grow into a much-sought player, working with a who's-who of Jazz, and other genres, including the Boston Pops, the Danish Radio Big Band and The Wayfaring Strangers.

You can't go wrong with Laszlo Gardony, be it standards, or his impressive body of original compositions.

Visit Laszlo Gardony's website to make your purchase.



Shawnn Monteiro











If you never had the opportunity to catch Ella, Sarah, Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, et all, than you should make all effort to indulge in their torch-carrier, vocalist Shawnn Monteiro.

Shawnn Monteiro is the real deal.

Let me restate that - Shawnn Monteiro is THE REAL DEAL!

Born of Jazz royalty (her father, bassist Jimmy Woode, played with Duke Ellington, among others; And her godfather is the legendary Clark Terry), Shawnn can hit it with the best of them. Be it scat, standards or knocking out a ballad, you will be enthralled listening to Shawnn Monteiro, instantly knowing you are listening to a future legend.

Visit Shawnn's website and her MySpace Page

You can purchase Shawnn Monteiro CD's on Amazon or CD Universe

















It will soon be time to get hip to The Savvy Girls of Summer, two ladies from Seattle, who will be taking the country by storm in 2008, with the publication of their book, "Are Diamonds for Everyone?".

Deidre and Jackie merge baseball and life, in their own, unique way, and you can share in it as well.

Get prepared for a steroid-less 2008 baseball season, and keep score with The Savvy Girls of Summer Scorebook Journal.

Visit The Savvy Girls of Summer here

Order The Savvy Girls of Summer Scorebook Journal here



Give Yourself A Gift






Whether you just want to spiff-up your own work, of, perhaps you have a business and need a professional graphics artist, to build or upgrade a website, layout a book or magazine, or create a unique logo, perhaps cartoon character.

If so, give yourself the gift of Sean Collins, and his Tenten71 graphic services.

Tenten71 provides affordable graphic design services in print design, web design, Flash, and illustration. If you're looking for a professional artist who can take your ideas and turn them into a creative, beautiful and productive result, you've found him.

Visit Sean Collins' Tenten71


And, lastly, here's a little holiday treat for you

CHRISTMAS NIGHT IN HARLEM - Louis Armstrong (1955)