Monday, December 26, 2011

These Amazing Shadows on PBS and a Blu-Ray Giveaway


"All these people who worked on these things, who are all gone now, but they've left behind these amazing shadows for us to enjoy." - George Willeman

Back in May, I had the amazing opportunity to watch the documentary These Amazing Shadows (2011) at the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, MA (you can read my original review here). This documentary chronicles the history of the National Film Registry, which is part of the Library of Congress. The films that are made part of the registry vary greatly. They can be full-length cinematic films, documentaries, shorts, music videos, etc. but they all have something in common. They are considered to be culturally, historically and aesthetically significant. The National Film Registry choses 25 films to add to their list each year. Films are a living history of our culture. And anyone who doesn't believe that, needs to watch These Amazing Shadows! In the documentary, many industry professionals, actors, directors, even film writers like The Self-Styled Siren, are interviewed. It's a wonderful documentary that I think film fans and skeptics alike need to see this film. 

And now you can! These Amazing Shadows is available on DVD and Blu-Ray as of last month. Also, PBS is showing the documentary as part of their Independent Lens series. It airs on Wednesday December 28th (check your local listings for time and channel).

PBS has a fun but very challenging Film IQ test you can take. If you want to vote for a film to be included in the 2012 list of 25, you can learn more about how to vote here. Also, if you are curious about which films are not included in the Registry yet, the Library of Congress has a master list you can browse here.

These Amazing Shadows is all over the internet. They have a main website, a trailer, a Facebook page, a Twitter account (this one is fun to follow!),  and a wonderfully informative blog that is updated regularly.

Stay tuned because tomorrow I will be posting an interview with one of the directors Kurt Norton! 

And now for the giveaway! Thanks to the PR folks for These Amazing Shadows, I have the opportunity to give away 4 Blu-Rays of the documentary. 



Contest Rules: Fill out the form below to enter. US & Canada Only. One entry per person, contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Janury 5th. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on the blog. Good luck!

The contest is now over.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Spencer Tracy by James Curtis


Spencer Tracy
by James Curtis
Knopf (Random House)
October 2011
9780307262899
1,024 pages
$39.95 Hardcover

Spencer Tracy by James Curtis is the most definitive biography on the legendary actor. There will never be another book as informative as this one and there will never be another biographer who has had as much access to information about Spencer Tracy as James Curtis had. It took Curtis 10 years to research and write this book and the wealth of information found within the covers of this biography demonstrates his hard work and attention to detail.

Physically this book is a brick. It's just over 1,000 pages and if you discount the front and back matter, the meat of it clocks in at 878 pages. It's a heavy book and because of that it's a tad bit difficult to read. I experimented with various positions including propping the book up on a firm pillow, which seemed to work the best. One time I had it propped on my chest, I accidentally let the book go, it slid and hit me right in the mouth. Ouch! If you are an eBook person, this book is available on various eReaders. I'd rather suffer and have the physical book myself.

Spencer Tracy is known for many things. He was one half of the famous Hepburn-Tracy coupling (both on screen and off), he was a familiar face in films from the 1930s to the 1960s, and by some accounts he was also known as an adulterous drunken Catholic. However, people are always infinitely more complex than the labels we chose to place on them. What I love about reading biographies is that you get an opportunity to discover some of that complexity and move beyond the stereotype, the rumors, and the labels.

The front matter consists of a table of contents and an Acknowledgements section and the back matter has a section on the various biographies of Katherine Hepburn (some of which make claims that the Curtis refutes), a stage and film chronology, notes with sources and an index. If you are going to read any of the extra matter, make sure you read the Acknowledgements because this is the most enlightening. Spencer Tracy's daughter Susie Tracy adamantly felt that a "thorough and balanced biography of her father needed to be written, and the time to talk to the people who knew him was running out." Curtis took on the task of writing this biography and Susie gave him access to photos (some I'm sure have never before been published), Tracy's datebook, letters, telegrams, etc. She also gave Curtis access to people who knew Tracy but wouldn't have been allowed to have been interviewed without Susie's connection. There are two important things to note about this. Although Susie gave Curtis access to a lot, she didn't have final say in how the book would be written or what was to be included or left out. However, I do think that Susie's assistance and blessing helped mold the book into what it is now.

It is clear in reading this book that Curtis was being very respectful of Spencer Tracy as well as Louise Tracy (his wife) and their children (Susie and John). While I do love salacious reads, I do also enjoy reading books that are matter-of-fact and don't rely on juicy gossip to interest readers. Curtis sticks to the facts and while we read about the good and the bad, he doesn't try to share more than is necessary. At times I felt that Curtis may have been a little too adoring of Louise and too critical of her major rival for Tracy's heart, Katherine Hepburn. And I wonder if this is because of Susie's influence. However, he does state that Susie and Katherine became friends and does defend Katherine on several points. Basically, Curtis sticks to facts but there is a bit of a bias in favor of Tracy's family.



This book is very thorough. Every year, every play, every movie, every major event in Spencer Tracy's life is covered with incredible detail. There is a lot of information too about the John Tracy Clinic for deaf children. Relevant photographs, with sources named, are sprinkled through the text. I like this better than the photo insert you find in the middle of most biographies. I always find myself flipping back to that section to look at photos and I didn't have to do that with this book. This is a challenging read. The writing is can be a bit dry but because of the sheer volume of information that Curtis shares, there wasn't much room for fancy language. He does employ use of cliff hangers at the end of certain chapters which makes you want to keep reading. However, I highly suggest reading this book chapter by chapter. It will take you a while to finish but at least it'll give you some time to soak in the information.

What I enjoyed the most about this book were the stories of Spencer Tracy in relation to other actors or with directors/producers/other industry people. Tracy was good friends with a lot of his fellow actors and as the years passed it saddened him to see so many of them die. He was a great actor, adored by many and a lot of actors and actresses felt it a privilege to work with him. He had some close friendships with actors including his BFF Pat O'Brien and Clark Gable. There is one really funny anecdote from the book. Gable and Tracy would pull pranks on each other on set. When Clark Gable was crowned the King of Hollywood, Tracy took the opportunity to embarrass Gable. The book says

 "Gable sought his revenge... when he had the hot fudge sundae that always appeared at the finish of Tracy's lunch made with a perfectly formed scoop of mashed potatoes. Tracy dug into the thing and devoured it down to the last spoonful without ever changing expression."

I know a lot of you will be put off by the page count but you shouldn't be. Not everything can be condensed into one page of trivia facts on IMDB or a few paragraphs on Wikipedia. It's an accomplishment to tackle a book this long and to learn as much as I did while reading it. So while it's not the most fun read out there, I do hope Spencer Tracy fans and classic movie enthusiasts alike will give this book a shot.

Full Disclosure: My boss got this book, took one look at it's length and handed it over to me. I immediately hugged it in my arms and thanked her. Thanks Susan!

Here is the author talking about how he came to write the biography and clears up some misconceptions about Tracy. I love that he took the opportunity to spotlight Spencer Tracy in such a definitive biography like this one! Also below is a free preview of the book. Enjoy!




Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Holiday Gift Guide for Classic Film Fans

Do you have a classic film fan in your life? Or perhaps you are one and want to spread the joy to others? Why not buy a classic film themed gift for them for the holidays? Now I could list a whole bunch of DVDs, Blu-Rays and Boxed Sets for you but that's no fun. You could easily just browse some great online shops like the TCM Store, Kino Lorber, Barnes and Noble or Warner Archive for ideas. However, if you are looking for some non-DVD/Blu-Ray gift ideas, why not consider one of the following:

Books

Buy books for the holidays! As most of you know, I work in the book industry. So buying books supports me. How, so? You buy a book, it supports the industry, I work in the industry, it keeps food on the table, clothes on my back and a roof over my head. Do you know how much Carlos eats? It's a lot! Keep us fed, buy some books. Besides, books are cool!






Saul Bass: A Life in Film & Design - by Jennifer Bass and Pat Kirkham - Wow! What a gorgeous book. Saul Bass is the legendary designer of title sequences from great films directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger and many others. This is makes for a great coffee table book, discussion piece or just a fun book to flip through.





A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film by Richard Barrios - This book comes highly recommended from early film expert Jonas, also known as the Talkie King, who blogs over at All Talking! All Singing! All Dancing!. This title is perfect for that budding film historian in your life.






Turner Classic Movies Crossword Puzzles -If your loved one is a TCM fanatic and thinks crossword puzzles are a lot of fun, this is the perfect gift for him or her. Inspired by the crossword puzzles in TCM's Now Playing Viewer's Guide, this book has 80 puzzles sure to keep anyone entertained for hours!

Just Being Audrey by Margaret Cardillo and illustrated by Julia Denos - A fabulous picture all about Audrey Hepburn. It's a great way to pass down your love of Hepburn to a child or for collectors of all things Audrey.

For children's books I also recommend: Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat, a picture book about Ella Fitzgerald which was inspired by the Abbott and Costello film Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942) and Footwork: The Story of Fred and Adele Astaire, a picture book about the two young siblings growing up in show business.


For other book ideas, check out my book review series called Get Your Read On. I've reviewed numerous books of interest to classic film lovers.


Holiday Cards

Classic Movie Cards from Silents and Talkies - These are amazing! Designed and colored by hand by the uber-talented Kate Gabrielle. There are 7 in all, including some Happy New Year's cards. You can get all 7 designs or mix and match or buy all of 1 kind. 









Home Theater

Panasonic 3D Wi-Fi Blu-Ray player - Let's face it. Most classic film fans have been reluctant to get Blu-Ray players. Heck, a lot of us are still trying to update our VHS collections to DVD! However, so many wonderful classic films are being introduced to the Blu-Ray format that your old movie lover is missing out by not having a player! CNet gave this particular Blu-Ray player by Panasonic a rating of "excellent". It's on sale at Best Buy for $159.99 with free shipping.


DVD Storage Box - One of the biggest dilemmas for any classic film fan is where to store all of ones DVDs and Blu-Rays. If your loved one has more films than they know what to do with, get them a couple of DVD storage boxes. These are a great alternative to furniture and fit well on bookshelves. You can stack them, move them around and hide them in nooks and crannies. Carlos and I have several of these!


Ephemera

Immortal Ephemera eBay Store and Website - My good friend Cliff sells lots of great Classic Film ephemera at his eBay store and on his website. Most items are under $10  You can find over 500 vintage stills, trading cards, tobacco cards, press photos, etc. Cards are $0.99 US shipping (unlimited) and other items are shipped free (US only). International Shipping is available as well. If your loved one is a big fan of a particular star from the Golden Age of Hollywood, check out Cliff's Shop by the Stars page and you can see what he has available for each actor or actress. These items make great gifts for the collector in your life!




Collectibles

Metropolis Mug from Brattle Theater - For just $12, you can get this fantastic Metropolis mug and support my favorite repertory theater at the same time. Win-win!










1:18 Steve McQueen Bullitt 1968 Mustang Fastback in Highland Green - Calling all Steve McQueen Fans! Calling all Car Enthusiasts! This is a wonderful toy replica of the Mustang that Steve McQueen drove (sorta) in the classic car chase scene from Bullitt (1968). I'm sure Carlos is salivating over this one.





Etsy - Etsy.com is full of wonderful vintage and hand-made collectibles which are sold by independent sellers and artists. Check out this Paul Newman Charm Metal Bracelet. Each charm is a photograph of Newman enclosed in a glass and metal casing.





Miscellaneous


Ticket Stub Diary - What's more fun than collecting ticket stubs? It's wonderful going back to see all the films you've enjoyed at the theater. But where do you put them all? Chronicle Books offers a Ticket Stub Diary for $14.95. You can also keep museum passes, concert tickets and lots of other stuff in here!







The Original Whirley Stovetop Popcorn Set - This set comes with a stovetop pot and stirrer, 3 popcorn packs and 4 popcorn tubs. Perfect present for your classic movie fan who loves to munch on popcorn while enjoying films!







What will you be buying for your beloved classic film fan? What do you hope you'll be getting for the holidays?


Full Disclosure: I found all these items online myself! I have not been influenced by any companies and I am not being compensated to feature any titles. I did include some Amazon.com affiliate links but that's it!

Popular Posts

 Twitter   Instagram   Facebook