RETURN TO ZION: Last week's expansive Entertainment Weekly Oscar preview issue was an excellent read, from its capsules of this year's nominees to a great profile of the man who played Fredo Corleone, John Cazale (an actor who was in only five movies before his death, though all five- "Godfather," "Godfather II," "The Conversation," "Dog Day Afternoon," and "The Deer Hunter"- are cinematic classics.)
But perhaps the best part of the issue was a look back (not online) at the 1978 Oscar ceremony, on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. It was the year Woody Allen's "Annie Hall" won for Best Picture, as Woody skipped the ceremony in favor of his regular Monday night jazz-band gig. And proving that misguided political sanctimony by Hollywood actors is nothing new, '78 was also the year that PLO sympathizer Vanessa Redgrave denounced the "Zionist hoodlums" from the podium after winning for Best Supporting Actress. Now that would be a great name for a blogger, "The Zionist Hoodlum."