Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011 In Review

Another year has come and gone and 2012 is just around the corner. This year was definitely a year of reading. I was fed up with having a superficial knowledge of classic cinema that I started diving into many biographies in search of more background information and context to add to my current mental classic film database. I didn't post as often as I'd like because I was too busy reading, watching movies and living life (I even got engaged and started planning a wedding). However, I'm proud that I didn't just abandon my blog and that I shared something with you all each month. Here is my look back at 2011:


February - Robert Mitchum's BFF, the sultry and headstrong actress Jane Russell passed away. I wrote about Bette Davis' uglification for The Private Lives of Essex and Elizabeth (1939). Thanks to Warner Archive, I finally got to watch the Mickey Rooney - Marilyn Monroe roller derby film Fireball (1950)



March - I tackled Elia Kazan's labor of love America, America (1963), a film I thoroughly enjoyed even though many others criticize it. Elizabeth Taylor passed away. I got to see one of my favorite films The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) at a local theater. That film takes place in my hometown Boston and stars my favorite actor Robert Mitchum.


April - Google honors Charlie Chaplin. I shared a video demonstrating Kinetic Typography using Abbott & Costello's famous Who's On First skit. And I got to see my favorite Hitchcock film, Rear Window (1954), at my favorite repertory theater, The Brattle.

May - The love of my life Carlos proposed to me and I said yes! He's always been so supportive of my enthusiasm for classic film and of this blog. I finished the Bogie Marathon I started in November of 2010 with We're No Angels (1955).  I was invited to watch the documentary These Amazing Shadows (2011) at the Coolidge Corner Theater.

June - This was probably the most active month for me on the blog.  The Somerville Theater had a classic film series and I saw Captain's Courageous (1937). I read and reviewed the book Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant by Jennifer Grant. I got to see Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956) at the newly restored Art Deco theater The Paramount. I even took extra pictures of the Paramount too. I tackled the 800 page book Frank: The Voice even though it was missing my favorite decade of Frank Sinatra's career, the 1960s. I did a week long IOU series in which I watched and reviewed films that were sent to me or recommended to me by friends. I might do that again in 2012.



July - I went back to The Brattle to see The African Queen (1951). I fell for Nell Shipman when I read her autobiography The Silent Screen and My Talking Heart. I read and reviewed Elizabeth Taylor: A Passion for Life by Joseph Papa and my favorite Young Adult author Gigi Amateau interviewed him. The interview appears as a guest post on the blog. We got the opportunity to see the amazingly talented Jeff Rapsis before live music for 3 Buster Keaton films. I read and reviewed the book Tough Without a Gun: The Life and Extraordinary Afterlife of Humphrey Bogart

August - I went back to The Somerville Theater to watch Ninotchka (1939) and to see Jeff Rapsis perform more live music alongside 3 more Buster Keaton films. I also had the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Rapsis about his fine work. 


September - I fell head over heels in love with Jack Klugman and devoted a whole week to the man. I reviewed his book Tony and Me and did posts on 12 Angry Men (1957), Days of Wine and Roses (1962), The Detective (1968), and his TV shows The Odd Couple and Quincy, M.E. .

October - I gave myself a lot of reading to do. First I tackled two biographies on directors including John Huston and Nicholas Ray.

November - I read and reviewed Piper Laurie's autobiography and Marc Eliot's biography of Steve McQueen.  I started watching a lot of Steve McQueen films but unfortunately couldn't find the time to review them. I did make some time for The Cincinnati Kid (1965) and posted a lot of fun screencaps.

December - I created  a holiday gift guide for classic film fans. I read and reviewed the behemoth biography of Spencer Tracy. I also finally posted my interview with These Amazing Shadows (2011) co-director/producer Kurt Norton

While I didn't have very many posts this year, I feel like the ones I did take the time to write were of quality. I'd much rather have fewer posts that I could be proud of than a year full of fluff pieces.

I hope you all have a Happy New Year! Thanks for reading and come back in 2012.

6 comments:

  1. your blog is great Qulle! i always enjoy reading your intelligent and well-written posts! i will also say i think its great that you found a man who supports and encourages your passion for the classic films. i hope you'll continue to post when you have the time :)

    btw i hope you and Carlos had an awesome holiday and that 2012 is your best year ever!

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  2. Thanks for being so supportive Paulie! I hope you have a wonderful 2012!

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  3. I just wanted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog this year! Your posts are so insightful and informative and I always learn a lot. Thanks for entertaining and informing me all year and I can't wait to read more next year :)

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  4. Hubby can't tell David Niven from Cary Grant. Hubby doesn't get the remote.

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  5. Great post! I always love reading your writing on all things noir and film. Thus, I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. Check it out here: http://yearningforwonderland.blogspot.com/2012/01/awards-of-versatility-15-magnificent.html

    WOooo! :)

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  6. Very impressive blog you have here! I too am a big fan of classic cinema, so it is nice to see a blog like this. Keep up the great work, and stop by my blog some time :)
    http://outofthepastcfb.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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