Friday, June 30, 2017
Film Noir: Light and Shadow
Film Noir: Light and Shadow
edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini
Paperback ISBN: 9781495058974
February 2017
352 pages
Applause Theatre and Cinema Books
Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Powells
Purchase Film Noir: Light and Shadow at the Backwing online store for 25% off and free shipping.
Film noir is a rich source for academic study. It lends itself to close examination, dissection, comparison, research and deep thought. For classic film buffs and academics alike, studying film noir is a pleasure. Not only do watching these movies bring us joy but the exploration into the nuances of the genre is just as rewarding.
Film noir experts and authors Alain Silver and James Ursini teamed up to create Film Noir: Light and Shadow, a new anthology that collects essays written by film professors and other writers. Silver and Ursini have collaborated on various other film noir books. In this tome, the essays focus on the visual aspects of the film noir genre. All elements of the visual style of noir are explored including visual motifs, lighting, camera movement, positioning, framing, use of close-ups, title sequences and landscape. Other topics include symbolism, song and dance, dream sequences, the portrayal of romance, gangsters, cinematography, expressionism, TV noir and more. There are a few articles on film noir elements in movies outside the genre including It's a Wonderful Life and Hitchcock's canon. Many of your favorite films noir are discussed including The Killers, Out of the Past, Double Indemnity, In a Lonely Past and more.
The book doesn't rely solely on text to explain the visual elements of film noir. There are over 700 images in the book including title sequences, publicity photos and a variety of screen caps. The book contains fourteen original essays as well as some updated previously published pieces. Included among the authors are Richard Edwards, who taught the TCM and Ball State University online course on film noir back in 2015, as well as Cheri Chinen Biesen, Imogen Sara Smith and others.
I've partnered with Applause Theatre and Cinema Books to offer my readers an opportunity to check out this book. I'm hosting a giveaway for 2 copies of Film Noir: Light and Shadow. This contest is open internationally and runs until midnight EST on Wednesday July 5th. Two winners will be chosen on Thursday July 6th and contacted via e-mail. Good luck!
Giveaway is now over! Congrats to the winners Maddy A. (favorite film noir: Crossfire) and David N. (favorite film noir: The Big Heat). Thanks to everyone who entered!
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017)
"__________ is still alive?!"
Just fill in the blank with the name of a very elderly actor, actress or entertainer and this is a question I hear on a regular basis. As someone who has an interest in classic movies and 20th century culture and entertainment, I cherish the fact that some of my favorites are living legends. It makes me happy to see so many of them in their 90s and 100s thriving and in many cases still working. It pains me when people relegate the status of old people as useless or simply close to death. People fear growing old and dying so when they see an elderly person their defenses go up and they lash out. It's my belief that we should respect and treasure the elderly. They bear the wisdom of the decades and we have much to learn from them about living life.
This is why it is so important that everyone watch HBO's new documentary If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017). This doc explores several figures both in and out of the entertainment industry who are living life to the fullest in their 90s or 100s. The documentary follows legendary comedian Carl Reiner, 95, with the help of his nephew George Shapiro, as he seeks out the stories of those who are thriving in their advanced years. The title of the documentary is inspired by this often repeated quote:
Many familiar faces can be found in the documentary. Tony Bennett who recently turned 90 serenades us with a song. Reiner chats with long-time friends producer/comedian Mel Brooks, 90 and TV producer Norman Lear, 93. Their casual chats produce some of the best moments in the film. Reiner has a hilarious conversation with Betty White about age, having purpose in life and sexuality. At 94 she says, "I don't want to be a burden to anybody. Except possibly Robert Redford." Dick Van Dyke, 90 never lost his goofiness or energy over the years. There are numerous scenes with him in the documentary including sit down chat with Reiner but we also see him heading to Capitol Records to record songs with his wife Arlene, at a Barnes & Noble for the launch of his book Keep Moving (I've reviewed it here) and dancing around and being jovial out and about and in his home.
Comic book creator Stan Lee shares his life's story as well as some insights on what his life his like at the age of 90. All of these figures are healthy and thriving. This gets Reiner thinking about people who are at an advanced age yet are suffering from poor health. He visits Kirk Douglas, 99 at the time of filming, who is still dealing with the aftermath of his stroke. They have a honest chat about death. Reiner shares the story of his wife Estelle's passing and Douglas relates the story of his mother's passing. Douglas' mother told him, "don't be scared. It happens to everyone."
Then there are the discoveries. Those wonderful figures who grace this documentary and charm us with their wit, wisdom and joie de vivre. Moments spent watching them were my favorites. There are a few you might of heard of including fashion icon Iris Apfel, 94 who is the figure of a fantastic documentary Iris (2014) directed by Albert Maysles. Then there is singer/actress Patricia Morison who at the age of 101 still enjoys singing, delights us with her joy and tantalizes us with a scandalous story about Yul Brynner. I fell head over heels for a few of these discoveries. There is Stan Harper, the world's greatest harmonica player. He was Reiner's old army buddy and can be seen at the age of 14 in One-Third a Nation (1939). Fyvush Finkel, 92 a Yiddish comedian and singer who lives to perform. He quipped "as soon as I get on that stage I have all the energy in the world." Lounge pianist and music composer Irving Fields, who wrote Latin infused songs including A Latin from Manhattan, won my heart. I feel head over heels for his passion for music and his drive to keep doing what he loves to do. Unfortunately all three of these have since passed away.
Others who will inspire you include centenarian athlete Ida Keeling, pianist Harriet Thompson, 93, yogi and tango dancer Tao Porchon-Lynch, 97, portrait artist Ray Olivere, 91 and singer Alan Bergman, 90. I particularly loved the segment with Jim "Pee Wee" Martin, 95, who was in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment during WWII. We see footage of him sky diving at the age of 94. His interview was one of my favorites because of his frankness. He lived a life where he cherished simplicity and hard work. Martin reflects, "the age part is nothing. I don't feel any different today than when I was 25 years old."
There are lots of great bits of wisdom throughout the documentary. Here are some highlights:
So what is the secret of longevity? There are many answers that Reiner as well as longevity expert Dan Buettner share in the documentary. These include: Have a social life. Be optimistic about your future. Have a purpose for every day. Be physically fit and enjoy life. Then there are those elements that are genetic or pure luck like being cognitively aware at an advanced age, avoiding fatal accidents and overall good health.
If there's one thing I hope to get across to people, its that they absolutely need to watch If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017). I could review it as a straight documentary and find its flaws. But the importance of its message and wonderful stories of beautiful lives that it shares overshadows everything else. I fell in love with this documentary and the people in it. I hope you do too.
If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017) is currently available on HBO GO and HBO Now. I hope it gets a DVD/Blu-Ray release in the near future. I'll definitely be picking up a copy. And to my TCMFF friends, you'll delight in seeing our bud Jeff from Larry Edmunds Bookshop who makes a cameo in the documentary.
*All ages listed reflect the correct age at the time of filming.
Just fill in the blank with the name of a very elderly actor, actress or entertainer and this is a question I hear on a regular basis. As someone who has an interest in classic movies and 20th century culture and entertainment, I cherish the fact that some of my favorites are living legends. It makes me happy to see so many of them in their 90s and 100s thriving and in many cases still working. It pains me when people relegate the status of old people as useless or simply close to death. People fear growing old and dying so when they see an elderly person their defenses go up and they lash out. It's my belief that we should respect and treasure the elderly. They bear the wisdom of the decades and we have much to learn from them about living life.
This is why it is so important that everyone watch HBO's new documentary If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017). This doc explores several figures both in and out of the entertainment industry who are living life to the fullest in their 90s or 100s. The documentary follows legendary comedian Carl Reiner, 95, with the help of his nephew George Shapiro, as he seeks out the stories of those who are thriving in their advanced years. The title of the documentary is inspired by this often repeated quote:
"Every morning before having breakfast, I pick up my newspaper, get the
obituary section and see if I'm listed. If I'm not, I have my
breakfast." - Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner, George Shapiro, Mel Brooks, Norman Lear |
Many familiar faces can be found in the documentary. Tony Bennett who recently turned 90 serenades us with a song. Reiner chats with long-time friends producer/comedian Mel Brooks, 90 and TV producer Norman Lear, 93. Their casual chats produce some of the best moments in the film. Reiner has a hilarious conversation with Betty White about age, having purpose in life and sexuality. At 94 she says, "I don't want to be a burden to anybody. Except possibly Robert Redford." Dick Van Dyke, 90 never lost his goofiness or energy over the years. There are numerous scenes with him in the documentary including sit down chat with Reiner but we also see him heading to Capitol Records to record songs with his wife Arlene, at a Barnes & Noble for the launch of his book Keep Moving (I've reviewed it here) and dancing around and being jovial out and about and in his home.
Carl Reiner and Betty White |
Comic book creator Stan Lee shares his life's story as well as some insights on what his life his like at the age of 90. All of these figures are healthy and thriving. This gets Reiner thinking about people who are at an advanced age yet are suffering from poor health. He visits Kirk Douglas, 99 at the time of filming, who is still dealing with the aftermath of his stroke. They have a honest chat about death. Reiner shares the story of his wife Estelle's passing and Douglas relates the story of his mother's passing. Douglas' mother told him, "don't be scared. It happens to everyone."
Then there are the discoveries. Those wonderful figures who grace this documentary and charm us with their wit, wisdom and joie de vivre. Moments spent watching them were my favorites. There are a few you might of heard of including fashion icon Iris Apfel, 94 who is the figure of a fantastic documentary Iris (2014) directed by Albert Maysles. Then there is singer/actress Patricia Morison who at the age of 101 still enjoys singing, delights us with her joy and tantalizes us with a scandalous story about Yul Brynner. I fell head over heels for a few of these discoveries. There is Stan Harper, the world's greatest harmonica player. He was Reiner's old army buddy and can be seen at the age of 14 in One-Third a Nation (1939). Fyvush Finkel, 92 a Yiddish comedian and singer who lives to perform. He quipped "as soon as I get on that stage I have all the energy in the world." Lounge pianist and music composer Irving Fields, who wrote Latin infused songs including A Latin from Manhattan, won my heart. I feel head over heels for his passion for music and his drive to keep doing what he loves to do. Unfortunately all three of these have since passed away.
Irving Fields |
Others who will inspire you include centenarian athlete Ida Keeling, pianist Harriet Thompson, 93, yogi and tango dancer Tao Porchon-Lynch, 97, portrait artist Ray Olivere, 91 and singer Alan Bergman, 90. I particularly loved the segment with Jim "Pee Wee" Martin, 95, who was in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment during WWII. We see footage of him sky diving at the age of 94. His interview was one of my favorites because of his frankness. He lived a life where he cherished simplicity and hard work. Martin reflects, "the age part is nothing. I don't feel any different today than when I was 25 years old."
There are lots of great bits of wisdom throughout the documentary. Here are some highlights:
"Life is the main gift that we have. And as long as you're here eat it up."
Patricia Morrison
"There are two words we don't
understand the importance of: over and next. When something is over its
over. And then comes next."
Norman Lear
"I do it my way. I'm not interested in being current."
Iris Apfel
"People are scared to
death of age. Don't fear it. Meet it head on."
"New experiences are the
only thing that you can collect in life that end up being worth it."
Dick Van Dyke
"Don't lose your curiosity."
Ray Olivere
"I go on and on because I love what I do."
Irving Fields
"Being old is like a whole new adventure. You can't describe it to young people."
Stan Lee
"You gotta be the boss of your body."
Ida Keeling
If there's one thing I hope to get across to people, its that they absolutely need to watch If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017). I could review it as a straight documentary and find its flaws. But the importance of its message and wonderful stories of beautiful lives that it shares overshadows everything else. I fell in love with this documentary and the people in it. I hope you do too.
If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast (2017) is currently available on HBO GO and HBO Now. I hope it gets a DVD/Blu-Ray release in the near future. I'll definitely be picking up a copy. And to my TCMFF friends, you'll delight in seeing our bud Jeff from Larry Edmunds Bookshop who makes a cameo in the documentary.
*All ages listed reflect the correct age at the time of filming.
Monday, June 26, 2017
Summer Reading Challenge - First Round-Up
This year's Summer Reading challenge is off to a roaring start. 2017 has the most participants ever! The number is currently at 32. Thank you to everyone for your enthusiasm. Some of you have wanted to participate in the past and made this your first time. Others have been participating for years. I'm grateful to have you all on board.
I collected the first batch of reviews and so far so good. Vanessa is putting us all to shame and she's almost done with her challenge! Andy's got 4 down and several of you have already posted your first reviews. Good work! For those of you still working on yours, keep at it! I only got one book read and reviewed this month but am furiously working on my second.
There is still time to sign up if you're interested. The full details are on my Summer Reading page. Now for the reviews:
Andy W. - Journeys in Darkness and Light
Black & White Cinema: A Short History by Wheeler Winston Dixon
The Mark Hellinger Story by Jim Bishop
Robert Mitchum: Baby, I Don't Care by Lee Server
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Kate Gabrielle - Silents and Talkies
Desperately Seeking Marie Prevost by Richard Kirby
Kevin - Top 10 Film Lists
Clark Gable: Tormented Star by David Bret
Raquel S. - Out of the Past
Showman of the Screen: Joseph E. Levine and His Revolutions in Film Promotion by A.T. McKenna
Rich - Wide Screen World
Tracy and Hepburn by Garson Kanin
Robby C. - Instagram
Cowboy Princess: Life With My Parents Roy Rogers and Dale Evans by Cheryl Rogers- Barnett and Frank Thompson
Sarah A. - Goodreads
The Purple Diaries: Mary Astor and the Most Sensational Hollywood Scandal of the 1930s by Joseph Egan
This 'N That by Bette Davis and Michael Herskowitz
Vanessa B. - Goodreads
The Art of Noir by Eddie Muller
The Purple Diaries: Mary Astor & the Most Sensational Hollywood Scandal of the 1930s by Joseph Egan
Marlene by Marlene Dietrich
Scandals of Classic Hollywood: Sex, Deviance, and Drama from the Golden Age of American Cinema by Anne Helen Petersen
Veronica, the Autobiography of Veronica Lake by Veronica Lake and Donald Bain
Friday, June 23, 2017
Showman of the Screen: Joseph E. Levine and His Revolutions in Film Promotion
Showman of the Screen
Joseph E. Levine and His Revolutions in Film Promotion
by A.T. McKenna
Hardcover ISBN: 9780813168715
September 2016
296 pages
University Press of Kentucky
Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Powells
"I love this business which is not really a business. The film industry is composed of an indescribable collection of dreamers and schemers, geniuses and phonies, sharpshooters and lunatics. It's action, on the screen and off." - Joseph E. Levine
Joseph E. Levine Presents... was not just a phrase, it was a declaration. Levine was a movie producer and promoter but he also wore many other hats including exhibitor, distributor, presenter and packager. He lived and breathed the movie business and by the mid-20th Century he was practically a household name. Levine dealt in exploitation of many different types of movies including art house imports from Europe, low-budget B-movies, war epics, spaghetti westerns and mainstream films. He sought out opportunities where others would've turned up their noses. Author A.T. McKenna explains, "he dealt in films from all over the world and from all over the cultural spectrum, becoming one of the most versatile movie promoters of his generation."
In my quest to seek out the stories of those who worked behind-the-scenes in film, I was drawn to Showman of the Screen, McKenna's biography on Joseph E. Levine. What distinguishes Levine from others is that he marketed himself as much as he marketed his films. This added to his successes and even contributed to his failures. McKenna refers to Levine as a showman, much in the style of P.T. Barnum. In the book he says, "the object may not be extraordinary but the showman's job is to render the object extraordinary."
"We will go as far as we can and stay out of jail." - Joseph E. Levine
Levine's career was full of ups and downs. McKenna points out that Levine made decisions quickly and sometimes the decisions were good ones and sometimes they were bad ones. He also had various phases in his career. At one point he championed films like the Gaslight Follies (1945) and Hercules (1959) with unconventional marketing techniques. When American audiences developed a taste for what foreign films had to offer, Levine delivered. In the late '50s and early '60s he brought films like Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956), The Law (1959), Two Women (1960) and others to the US. For the Two Women, he worked closely with Carlo Ponti and star Sophia Loren to campaign for her eventual Oscar win. Eventually he became too public a figure and was spoofed in Godard's Contempt (1963) which he later renounced. The Maysles brothers' documentary Showman (1963) shined too bright a spotlight on Levine and he was very displeased with the final product. Levine suppressed the documentary and its the reason why its not available on DVD and only rarely screened.
"He made commercial art, and he made art commercial." - A.T. McKenna
By 1966 Levine's career hit a snag. He put his all into scandal ridden The Carpetbaggers (1964) and was embroiled in a bitter battle for the top Harlow film of 1965. There were two Harlow (1965) films one starring Carroll Baker, Levine worked on that one, and one starring Carol Lynley. His career bounced back with The Graduate (1967) and after that he almost exclusively left behind the b-movies and art house films of his former days and worked solely on what he thought were quality films. These include The Producers (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968), A Bridge Too Far (1977) among others. He also worked on controversial films like The Night Porter (1974). His career ended with his final film Tattoo (1981) which he worked on with his son Richard Levine.
McKenna's book isn't chronological, rather it's arranged into themed chapters focusing on one aspect of his career. It does jump around a bit but not too much that I couldn't follow the thread once I figured out what year of Levine's life was being discussed. Showman of the Screen is incredibly detailed. I've never read a biography on a film industry figure that was so focused on a career more so than the personal life of the subject. Levine's life was his career so in many ways this makes sense. Sometimes I found the story thrilling and sometimes I was bogged down by it. The book has its ups and downs much like Levine did. Overall though I enjoyed the book and I'm so glad I picked it up.
Showman of the Screen by A.T. McKenna adeptly explores the tumultuous and exciting career of bigger-than-life producer and promoter Joseph E. Levine.
Thank you to the University Press of Virginia for sending me this book for review!
This is my first review for my Summer Reading Challenge.
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Zaza (1923)
In 1923, Gloria Swanson was a bonafide star. She had over 40 films under her belt and a few more years of silent film fame ahead of her before the industry transitioned to talking pictures. Then there is her fabulous comeback with Sunset Blvd. (1950) which is a completely different story.
Hollywood director Allan Dwan, inventor of the camera dolly, had his eye on Zaza, a French play by playwright duo Pierre Berton and Charles Simon. The play was a major hit, capturing the end of the Gay Nineties of Paris for future generations. It was adapted into film a couple of times before Dwan got his hands on it. Dwan convinced Adolph Zukor of Paramount to buy the rights for a film adaptation and he had one star in mind for the lead role: Gloria Swanson.
Dwan and Swanson had met briefly at a Hollywood party before but had never worked together. The director's reputation preceded him and Swanson knew well that he had worked with countless other big name film stars. It was inevitable that they would work together. However Swanson was worried that Zaza would prove to be just another period costume picture. She'd been in several leading up to 1923. According to her autobiography Swanson on Swanson, Dwan told her "I want your costumes to be authentic and exciting, sassy and vulgar, and Norman Norell will give me exactly what I want." In this film adaptation, Dwan and his team switched things up to portray the story in a more modern setting with costuming to match.
Swanson was so excited for the role that she delayed having minor surgery in New York City to be in the film. Dwan convinced Paramount producers Jesse L. Lasky and Adolph Zukor to speed up the filming schedule for Swanson's sake. They found a mansion on Long Island that doubled as a French chateau. Swanson stayed in actor Richard Bennett's NYC apartment and commuted to Astoria and the mansion for filming each day. This was back when Paramount had a studio in Astoria, Queens and did a lot of filming on Long Island.
To star alongside Gloria Swanson, Paramount enlisted H.B. Warner, an actor whom contemporary audiences will recognize as Mr. Gower from It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Back in the early '20s he was a well-known stage actor and went on to play Jesus Christ in Cecil B. Demille's King of Kings (1927). Also in the cast is Mary Thurman who plays Florianne, Zaza's on stage rival. Tashman had much promise as a film star but tragically died in 1925 at the age of 30 when she caught pneumonia while making Down Upon the Suwanee River (1925). (Side note: that film also stars Charles Emmett Mack who also tragically passed away while making another film two years later.) Fans of Helen Mack will delight in seeing her at the age of 10 playing the role of Lucille Dufresne.
Zaza (1923) is a story about famed soubrette Zaza (Gloria Swanson) who dreams of performing in Paris and falling in love. She has her eye on patron of the arts Bernard Dufresne (H.B. Warner) but her drunk Aunt Rosa (Lucille La Verne) is trying to persuade her niece to snag Duke de Brissac (Ferdinand Gottschalk) instead (after all he has a nice wine cellar!). Zaza is a temperamental star, quick to bouts of anger and loves to drive her rival soubrette Florianne (Mary Thurman) mad with jealousy. Both Zaza and Florianne want Bernard but what neither of them knows is that he's married and unavailable. However, Bernard can't help himself and gives into Zaza's charm. She wins him over at her French chateau where she is recovering after a fall. They spend time together before Bernard is called away for a position in Washington D.C. He's been estranged from his wife who comes back into the picture only when she sees his prospects increased. Eventually Zaza discovers that not only is her love Bernard married but he also has a charming little daughter Lucille (Helen Mack). She can't bring herself to break up the family and she runs away from Bernard. The story becomes less about life about the stage and more about the romantic drama caused by Zaza and Bernard's passionate love for each other. The story doesn't end there and you'll have to watch the film to find out what becomes of the two.
Gloria Swanson as Zaza |
Even though Dwan promised Swanson that this wouldn't be another costume picture, Zaza (1923) is kind of another costume picture. My fellow vintage fashion enthusiasts will delight in the extravagant and sometimes ridiculous fashions donned by Gloria Swanson in the film. Imagine the merchandising that could have resulted from this film? Swanson wears Z-shaped earrings and a bracelet with Z mark on it that could have easily been sold to young women who wanted to be as fabulous as Swanson. Swanson wears a fantastic flower dress, dons an outlandish feathered hat, 1920s shoes that are to die for and in one scene she has what looks like about 50 earring type jewels dangling precariously from threads of teased hair. It must be seen to be believed.
Gloria Swanson as Zaza. Photo source: Pinterest |
The film starts out as a comedy but quickly turns into a romantic drama. It was quite enjoyable and worth watching especially if you have an interest in Gloria Swanson. It does have his bad moments including one racist remark uttered by Zaza and an unfortunate scene with a hunchback. This is one of those films in which the history of the movie is even more interesting than the plot.
Swanson worked well with Dwan and they went on to make 7 more films together. The play Zaza was adapted several times including a 1938 version that starred Claudette Colbert and Herbert Marshall. Zaza revitalized Gloria Swanson's career, which had been in a funk after all those costume pictures, and it catapulted her fame. Any anonymity she enjoyed prior to Zaza was long gone.
Zaza (1923) is available on Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber. The music for the film is by my favorite silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis whom I've written about on this blog numerous times. He adapted the music from the original 1923 cue sheet.
Thank you to Kino for sending me a copy of this film for review.
Monday, June 19, 2017
My History with DVD Netflix
One service that has been integral to my life as a classic film enthusiast is DVD Netflix. Over the years I’ve come to rely on the DVD rental service to enrich my life with classic movies but also contemporary, indie and foreign ones too. (And TV shows, lots of TV shows!) Before I share my own personal history of my time with DVD Netflix, let’s take a brief look at the history of the company.
Netflix, founded in 1997, was started as a DVD subscription service. Subscribers would visit the Netflix website and request discs rather than visit brick-and-mortar video stores like Blockbuster. Netflix sent out their very first DVD, a copy of Beetlejuice (1988), in March of 1998. The service grew in popularity and eventually overtook Blockbuster and rendered video stores obsolete. The subscription service worked on the model of renting a certain number of discs at a time or number of discs per month. Subscribers explored the library, marked the films and TV shows they wanted to watched and built a queue of future disc deliveries. A bright red envelope, which would become the signature of Netflix, arrived in the mail with the disc at the top of your queue. Once you were done, you’d put the disc back in the original mailer which would repackage into a convenient prepaid envelope ready for mailing. Convenience was key to the success of DVD rental service. Then in 2007 Netflix added streaming to the mix. They became the pioneers in streaming entertainment and a part of the cultural lexicon. In 2011, Netflix’s streaming service was so popular and such a big part of their business they attempted to split off the DVD portion. They came up with the name Qwickster which was met with online backlash. Netflix wisely scrapped this idea. In 2015, they successfully split the DVD service to DVD.com, also known as DVD Netflix. The service also includes Blu-Rays if you upgrade your subscription. Netflix's streaming service and their original content is now separate from the DVD Netflix rental service. However, the company kept both services linked for user convenience.
I joined Netflix in August of 2002. My friend Amit, who used the service to get his Anime fix, signed up a couple of years earlier and kept signing its praises. Persuaded by his enthusiasm I signed up. The first movie I ever rented was Wonder Boys (2000) and a few months later I rented my first classic movie DVD Some Like it Hot (1959). At the time I signed up I still wasn’t quite a classic movie fan. I developed a love for movies as a teenager in the late 1990s and loved new movies about bygone eras. In my early twenties I was exploring a variety of contemporary and indie movies and it wasn’t until I took a film course in college that I got hooked on classic films. Renting classic movies from Netflix helped fuel that early passion. While I watched a lot of TCM, I relied on DVDs from Netflix to single out particular films. If I liked a particular actor, actress or director, I’d use Netflix in order to rent every film of theirs that was available. Besides a couple of times when I was in college and had to cancel Netflix briefly, I’ve had the DVD part of the service almost continuously since 2000. These days I use it to help with my blog research, to explore the canon of a particular director, to plug in holes in my classic film knowledge and also to watch newer movies I missed at theaters.
Earlier this year I was invited by DVD Netflix to be one of their Directors. This means I’m an online ambassador for the service and I help them come up with fun posts and social media ideas to promote the brand. For example, here is my post on the DVD.com blog about Classic Sports Movies.
Photo source: DVD Netflix |
To celebrate my 10th anniversary and also my almost 15 years with DVD Netflix, I’m hosting a very special giveaway. If it’s been a while since you’ve rented DVDs from DVD Netflix or you’ve never tried the service before, now’s your chance. I’m giving away 3 $100 DVD Netflix gift cards. If you get a one-at-a-time DVD Netflix subscription, this give you a year of the service! The contest runs from now until Friday morning. You must complete all of the prompts. All entries will be double checked. Good luck!
Giveaway is now over! Congrats to Sarah, Bernie and Heather.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Out of the Past: A 10th Anniversary
At Dick Cavett's TCMFF book signing |
It was on this day 10 years ago that I started my classic film blog Out of the Past. It all began with a welcome post followed by a short piece on The Dick Cavett Show with special guest Alfred Hitchcock. Little did I know the journey this blog would take me on. I started with a post about Dick Cavett and I bookended the decade with my red carpet interview with the man himself. If you told me that back in 2007 all of the wild and wonderful experiences that were coming my way and all the amazing people I would meet I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s been a wild ride and I hope there are many more adventures to come.
Outside the Harvard Film Archive circa 2009 |
Why did I start the blog? In 2007 I was in graduate school, working full-time and living on my own in an apartment just outside of Boston. When I wasn’t doing homework, working, or hanging out with friends, I was watching classic movies. A lot of classic movies. I couldn’t get enough. I’d mostly watch them by myself or with my mom. This was satisfactory for a while but eventually I found that I couldn’t just watch classic movies. I needed to talk about them. I found myself working classic film into my every day life. It was getting out of control. One day at a company meeting I brought up Cary Grant in conversation because one of my coworkers shared the same first name. My other coworker Frank brought up that same conversation later on and I discovered that we had a mutual interest in classic film. I didn’t realize how desperately I needed someone, anybody to talk to about classic movies until I started bugging Frank incessantly with film chatter. I had a lot to say and I needed an outlet. Then on June 15th, 2007 I started Out of the Past: A Classic Film Blog. I found the perfect place for my voice and the rest was history.
Me and Carlos in front of the Hollywood sign |
When I was coming up with the name for my blog I was looking for two things: something that described the theme of my blog that also worked as a recognizable classic film reference. Out of the Past was perfect. The 1947 noir was my gateway into classic movies. I watched it for the first time as an undergrad when I took a film course. I was mesmerized by this beautiful yet confusing noir. I wanted to know more about the actors and wanted to see more films like it. That led to many more classic movies and lots of time spent watching TCM. The phrase Out of the Past also described the theme of my blog. Anyone who would visit would know immediately that anything discussed would be out of the past. I hoped that name would lure classic film lovers as well as vintage gals and gents and history enthusiasts. The name has confused some folks who visited the blog thinking it would solely be about Film Noir. I still stand by the name and it’s grown to be such a part of this blog that I can’t imagine ever changing it.
First time on the TCMFF Red Carpet, circa 2016 |
At first my blog started as a way to liven up discussion of classic movies. I wanted about each post being as fun as possible. A few years into the process I became more serious about my writing and started tackling lengthier and more in-depth posts, did a ton more research and started reading and reviewing many classic film books. The blog took on a much different tone. Frankly, I grew up and grew out of that originally goofy style. In fact I look back and cringe at some of those really silly posts. A few have haunted me for years. I hope if anything they're still amusing to some readers even if I can’t bring myself to look at them. When people tell me my blog was one of the first they’ve ever read, I really hope they weren’t reading those early posts.
Making new friends at TCMFF. Max and I at the Charlton Heston Stamp Ceremony |
It wasn’t until I started attending the TCM Classic Film Festival in 2013 that my blog started to have a big impact on my life. When I first visited Hollywood I couldn’t believe I would not only be in the epicenter of film history but I’d also be seeing classic film stars in person, I’d finally get to see Robert Osborne and most importantly I’d get to meet face-to-face with all those wonderful film blogger friends I’ve talked to over the years. TCMFF tested my introverted nature but I kept traveling to California each year. In 2014 and 2015 I got very ill while attending, mostly my body’s reaction to the onslaught of social interaction that it wasn’t able to handle. By 2016 I got the hang of it and one of the things that helped me the most was conducting interviews on the red carpet. Not only is it the coolest thing I’ve ever done but it also helped me grow as a person. If I can interview Dick Cavett on the red carpet, I can talk to literally anybody and be okay. Every single TCMFF was a long-weekend packed with once-in-a-lifetime experiences. One after the other after the other. I live off of 4 days worth of memories for an entire year. I got to go to 5 TCM Classic Film Festivals thanks to my blogging.
Epic group selfie with a bunch of my classic film friends at the 2016 TCMFF |
Over the years of writing this blog I’ve developed wonderful partnerships with brands, studios, repertory theatres, filmmakers, classic film writers, authors, musicians, social media influencers and many more. These have turned into wonderful collaborations as well as friendships. I had no clue when I started this blog 10 years ago how many amazing people would come into my life as a result of this blog. And for that I’m forever grateful.
Meeting my friend Jonas for the first time. Cinefest circa 2015 |
I took some time to look at my old posts to curate a collection of some highlights from my 10 years.
- Creating a classic movie DVD boxed set for my graduate course in desktop publishing
- Posting a picture of Kirk Douglas naked and forever coming up in Google searches for that phrase
- Seeing my first classic movie star in person: Mickey Rooney
- You Otto See It, my Otto Preminger series
- Giving Robert Mitchum an online dating profile
- Working with TCM for the first time. I featured their Latinos Images in Film programming on my blog.
- When I got married I did two series one called Weddings in Film and another called ‘Til Death Do Us Part
- I even had classic movies on my mind during my honeymoon trip to Hawaii
- A tribute to films featuring my favorite holiday: New Year’s
- I had a blast putting together this series called Stars and Their Hobbies
- Visiting Hollywood for the first time
- Going to my first TCM Film Festival in 2013
- Meeting Robert Osborne (I wrote about this as a tribute when he passed away)
- The 2013 launch of my annual Summer Reading Challenge
- Attending my first Hand and Footprint Ceremony. I’ve covered 4 for my blog.
- I met one of my best friends Jonas when I wrote this tribute to Anita Page then we met in person years later at Cinefest.
- Submitting an essay on Fury (1936) to the Library of Congress
- On my utter devotion for Bachelor Mother (1939)
- Facing my fears to realize my dream of interviewing stars on the red carpet
- And my second round of red carpet interviews
If you have any memories you'd like to share, either of meeting me at a festival or interacting with me online, feel free to share in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
On Blogging for a Decade: Three Bloggers Share Their Journeys
This month I'm celebrating 10 years of blogging. Before I share the story of my own journey I thought it would fun to highlight some other classic film bloggers who've been blogging for close or more than a decade. A big thank you to Jessica, Laura and Terry for participating.
How long have you been blogging?
I started in April 2009, so nearly 10 years! Fun fact: My blog was originally named Living on Velvet, but another film blogger at the time had the same name so I changed it.
Why did you start a blog?
In journalism school, my professor Larry Timbs, PhD., kept urging us in our news and featuring writing classes to start a blog. He said no newspaper would hire us if we didn't have a blog. (I'm not sure that's true now, but blogs and citizen journalism were on the rise then).
On top of that: I felt like I needed a place to voice my classic film love and share classic film information with my friends. I didn’t have that previously. Friends thought my interest was interesting or cute, but I couldn’t carry on a conversation about it. This was pre-film Twitter and I felt pretty alone in my film love and thought, "Maybe if people knew more about classic films, they would be interested." After I started writing, I began meeting others who loved films —something new to me! I don’t know if I shared any new information to film fans or converted anyone into a pre-1968 film lover, but I stopped feeling so alone in my love.
How do you approach creating content for your blog?
Other than the weekly Musical Monday features, I don’t often write standalone film reviews. I figure everyone knows what “Random Harvest” is and has their own ideas about it, so they don’t need my lengthy plot rehash and gushing thoughts.
I try to pick out unique trivia tidbits that I would like to know more about and hope others do too! For example, why did Mae West start making pop records? What did Madeleine Carroll do for the war effort? Bruce Bennett was an Olympic medalist? Sometimes I can find a great deal of information and other times there isn’t, but I hope that I’m introducing someone to new information, since I learned a lot in the process.
How has blogging changed your life?
I didn’t think any other young people liked classic films as much as I did until I started blogging. Blogging allowed me to connect with others, discuss my classic love with others who understand and learn new facts about classic movies. It also allowed me neat opportunities, like interviewing actors James Best and Dolores Hart.
How long have you been blogging?
I have been blogging for 13 years now. My blog just turned 13 last week, on June 4. I think June must be a very good month to start a blog!
Why did you start a blog?
I've always enjoyed writing. In fact, I decided I wanted to be a writer when I was only in junior high school. As an adult I had articles published in various small press publications. Back in 2004 I had a girlfriend who had a blog and it looked like it could be a good outlet for my writing. I then started my blog to write about what interests me, which was primarily pop culture and nostalgia.
How do you approach creating content for your blog?
I really don't have a single approach to creating content for my blog. In most cases I think of an idea for a post and then I will research the subject. Sometimes that is as simple as re-watching a movie or an old TV show episode. Other times it might mean searching through books and old newspaper and magazine articles. I have had posts that, when the research is factored in, have taken literally days to complete. A lot of times there will be an important anniversary (the birth of an classic actor or the release of a classic movie) and I'll want to write about it. Sadly, I also write a lot of tributes upon the occasions of the deaths of actors, directors, and music artists I admire. I like covering their careers in depth, so they also involve a lot of research. Other posts, such as opinion pieces, simply come about because I simply want to speak my mind about something. This seems to usually be the case when I write about social media. It seems as if social media sites are always making changes I don't like!
How has blogging changed my your life?
I think blogging has enriched my life immeasurably. It has given me the opportunity to write about what I love, which is something I might not have had the chance to do otherwise, at least not to the extent that the blog has allowed me. Blogging would even lead to the publication of my book Television: Rare & Well Done, which is comprised mostly of material from my blog. Most importantly, I have made a lot of dear friends through blogging. I haven't met any of them in person, but I would have to say I feel closer to them than many people I have met in person. Honestly, there is nothing I regret about having taken up blogging, except perhaps the title of my blog. If I had it to do all over again, I would have chosen a more fitting title than A Shroud of Thoughts!
How long have you been blogging?
I'll celebrate my 12th anniversary as a blogger in July 2017!
Why did you start a blog?
I've always loved to write and as my children were growing older and I had more free time, blogging appealed to me as a creative outlet. I learned about blogging via political bloggers and initially my blogging topics were both more random (hence the title "Miscellaneous Musings") and current events based, but within the first three years or so I realized that I wanted to mainly focus on the topics which make me happiest, classic films and my overlapping interest in all things Disney.
How do you approach creating content for your blog?
Quite a bit of the content for my blog is driven by the calendar, whether it’s previewing the upcoming month on Turner Classic Movies, covering a film festival, celebrating an actor’s birthday, or sharing classic film photos with a holiday theme. Another significant percentage of my blog content consists of film reviews, whether it’s DVD or Blu-ray screeners or titles from my personal collection. And trips to Disneyland often result in my sharing a few photos!
I love finding new content to read at my favorite blogs, which helps inspire me to update my own blog regularly. I enjoy creating what I hope is a lively and informative blog, and I thus try to blog most days of the week, though sometimes it’s not possible due to a heavy workload. Conversely, being self-employed sometimes enables me to blog during work breaks! This is particularly helpful for posts which aren’t planned in advance; for instance, as classic film writers it’s a sad reality that we must regularly write obituaries. I’ll also sometimes be inspired to blog by something I see on Twitter, such as a mention of an actor’s birthday.
Generally speaking the only time I take notes in preparation for blogging is during introductions at film festivals, when I see so many films I’m likely to forget key points. Most of the time, though, I like to be “in the moment” and don’t use a notebook, but instead try to blog as soon as possible after seeing a film or attending an event. I find blogging is a great way to help reflect on and “process” films I’ve just watched or to remember an event. Often my blogging is done in the late evening; initially this was because it was a quiet time when I had children at home, but now that my children are older, it remains a good time due to my work schedule, plus it’s often when I’ve just finished watching a movie!
Although I don’t take notes during movies, I’m fairly methodical and organized, which helps me do as much blogging as I do. Reminders for things such as end-of-the-month TCM posts or birthday tributes are calendared in advance. I try to fill in links for my annual "Year in Review" post as the year unfolds, and as soon as I know a DVD screener is on the way to my mailbox, I’ll go ahead and set up the draft post with what I call the “boilerplate” – the cover picture, a link to the DVD company, and basic info on things like the director and running time. This helps me keep track of what’s coming up and plan my viewing and blogging schedule. When it gets really busy, such as during the spring film festival season here in Southern California, I also post a list of blogging ideas on the wall next to my computer and check off reviews and other posts as I complete them. I also keep a list of long-term ideas for future posts; I have many more ideas than I have time to write!
This may sound like a lot of work to some, but I truly enjoy it, and since it’s supposed to be fun, if I’m overwhelmed by demands on my time I may set aside something for a period of time in order to fit other things in. For instance, one of my favorite things to do as a blogger is my weekly “Around the Blogosphere” link roundups, sharing interesting news I’ve come across along with links to writing by my fellow classic film bloggers. During this year’s spring film season, when I attended four festivals in a ten-week period, something had to give, so I haven’t done one of those posts in the last three months. I’ll get back to it soon!
How has blogging changed your life?
The most important way blogging has changed my life is the many wonderful friendships I've made -- with you being a very special friend, one of the first classic film bloggers I got to know! Some have become "in person" friendships, with the chance to spend time together at movie screenings, film festivals, and local events. I also have wonderful far-flung friends I correspond with, from as far away as Israel and the UK. So many people are supportive and have done many kindnesses for me over the years, for which I'm very grateful. I like to think of my blog as a friendly gathering place for people from varied walks of life who share similar interests.
Blogging has also led to amazing experiences I never could have anticipated when I began, whether it was interviewing a favorite actress, Coleen Gray; being invited by the family of another favorite actress, Loretta Young, to attend and write about her centennial celebration; touring the home of Joel McCrea and Frances Dee with their grandson; and the opportunity to cover a number of film festivals as a member of the media. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg! It makes me very happy when readers let me know they enjoy my blog and that I’ve helped them find “good things” to enjoy -- but I'm really so fortunate in what blogging and my readers have meant in my own life.
Jessica at Robert Osborne's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame |
Jessica P.
How long have you been blogging?
I started in April 2009, so nearly 10 years! Fun fact: My blog was originally named Living on Velvet, but another film blogger at the time had the same name so I changed it.
Why did you start a blog?
In journalism school, my professor Larry Timbs, PhD., kept urging us in our news and featuring writing classes to start a blog. He said no newspaper would hire us if we didn't have a blog. (I'm not sure that's true now, but blogs and citizen journalism were on the rise then).
On top of that: I felt like I needed a place to voice my classic film love and share classic film information with my friends. I didn’t have that previously. Friends thought my interest was interesting or cute, but I couldn’t carry on a conversation about it. This was pre-film Twitter and I felt pretty alone in my film love and thought, "Maybe if people knew more about classic films, they would be interested." After I started writing, I began meeting others who loved films —something new to me! I don’t know if I shared any new information to film fans or converted anyone into a pre-1968 film lover, but I stopped feeling so alone in my love.
How do you approach creating content for your blog?
Other than the weekly Musical Monday features, I don’t often write standalone film reviews. I figure everyone knows what “Random Harvest” is and has their own ideas about it, so they don’t need my lengthy plot rehash and gushing thoughts.
I try to pick out unique trivia tidbits that I would like to know more about and hope others do too! For example, why did Mae West start making pop records? What did Madeleine Carroll do for the war effort? Bruce Bennett was an Olympic medalist? Sometimes I can find a great deal of information and other times there isn’t, but I hope that I’m introducing someone to new information, since I learned a lot in the process.
How has blogging changed your life?
I didn’t think any other young people liked classic films as much as I did until I started blogging. Blogging allowed me to connect with others, discuss my classic love with others who understand and learn new facts about classic movies. It also allowed me neat opportunities, like interviewing actors James Best and Dolores Hart.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Terry C.
How long have you been blogging?
I have been blogging for 13 years now. My blog just turned 13 last week, on June 4. I think June must be a very good month to start a blog!
Why did you start a blog?
I've always enjoyed writing. In fact, I decided I wanted to be a writer when I was only in junior high school. As an adult I had articles published in various small press publications. Back in 2004 I had a girlfriend who had a blog and it looked like it could be a good outlet for my writing. I then started my blog to write about what interests me, which was primarily pop culture and nostalgia.
How do you approach creating content for your blog?
I really don't have a single approach to creating content for my blog. In most cases I think of an idea for a post and then I will research the subject. Sometimes that is as simple as re-watching a movie or an old TV show episode. Other times it might mean searching through books and old newspaper and magazine articles. I have had posts that, when the research is factored in, have taken literally days to complete. A lot of times there will be an important anniversary (the birth of an classic actor or the release of a classic movie) and I'll want to write about it. Sadly, I also write a lot of tributes upon the occasions of the deaths of actors, directors, and music artists I admire. I like covering their careers in depth, so they also involve a lot of research. Other posts, such as opinion pieces, simply come about because I simply want to speak my mind about something. This seems to usually be the case when I write about social media. It seems as if social media sites are always making changes I don't like!
How has blogging changed my your life?
I think blogging has enriched my life immeasurably. It has given me the opportunity to write about what I love, which is something I might not have had the chance to do otherwise, at least not to the extent that the blog has allowed me. Blogging would even lead to the publication of my book Television: Rare & Well Done, which is comprised mostly of material from my blog. Most importantly, I have made a lot of dear friends through blogging. I haven't met any of them in person, but I would have to say I feel closer to them than many people I have met in person. Honestly, there is nothing I regret about having taken up blogging, except perhaps the title of my blog. If I had it to do all over again, I would have chosen a more fitting title than A Shroud of Thoughts!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Laura and I at the TCM Classic Film Festival |
Laura G.
How long have you been blogging?
I'll celebrate my 12th anniversary as a blogger in July 2017!
Why did you start a blog?
I've always loved to write and as my children were growing older and I had more free time, blogging appealed to me as a creative outlet. I learned about blogging via political bloggers and initially my blogging topics were both more random (hence the title "Miscellaneous Musings") and current events based, but within the first three years or so I realized that I wanted to mainly focus on the topics which make me happiest, classic films and my overlapping interest in all things Disney.
How do you approach creating content for your blog?
Quite a bit of the content for my blog is driven by the calendar, whether it’s previewing the upcoming month on Turner Classic Movies, covering a film festival, celebrating an actor’s birthday, or sharing classic film photos with a holiday theme. Another significant percentage of my blog content consists of film reviews, whether it’s DVD or Blu-ray screeners or titles from my personal collection. And trips to Disneyland often result in my sharing a few photos!
I love finding new content to read at my favorite blogs, which helps inspire me to update my own blog regularly. I enjoy creating what I hope is a lively and informative blog, and I thus try to blog most days of the week, though sometimes it’s not possible due to a heavy workload. Conversely, being self-employed sometimes enables me to blog during work breaks! This is particularly helpful for posts which aren’t planned in advance; for instance, as classic film writers it’s a sad reality that we must regularly write obituaries. I’ll also sometimes be inspired to blog by something I see on Twitter, such as a mention of an actor’s birthday.
Generally speaking the only time I take notes in preparation for blogging is during introductions at film festivals, when I see so many films I’m likely to forget key points. Most of the time, though, I like to be “in the moment” and don’t use a notebook, but instead try to blog as soon as possible after seeing a film or attending an event. I find blogging is a great way to help reflect on and “process” films I’ve just watched or to remember an event. Often my blogging is done in the late evening; initially this was because it was a quiet time when I had children at home, but now that my children are older, it remains a good time due to my work schedule, plus it’s often when I’ve just finished watching a movie!
Although I don’t take notes during movies, I’m fairly methodical and organized, which helps me do as much blogging as I do. Reminders for things such as end-of-the-month TCM posts or birthday tributes are calendared in advance. I try to fill in links for my annual "Year in Review" post as the year unfolds, and as soon as I know a DVD screener is on the way to my mailbox, I’ll go ahead and set up the draft post with what I call the “boilerplate” – the cover picture, a link to the DVD company, and basic info on things like the director and running time. This helps me keep track of what’s coming up and plan my viewing and blogging schedule. When it gets really busy, such as during the spring film festival season here in Southern California, I also post a list of blogging ideas on the wall next to my computer and check off reviews and other posts as I complete them. I also keep a list of long-term ideas for future posts; I have many more ideas than I have time to write!
This may sound like a lot of work to some, but I truly enjoy it, and since it’s supposed to be fun, if I’m overwhelmed by demands on my time I may set aside something for a period of time in order to fit other things in. For instance, one of my favorite things to do as a blogger is my weekly “Around the Blogosphere” link roundups, sharing interesting news I’ve come across along with links to writing by my fellow classic film bloggers. During this year’s spring film season, when I attended four festivals in a ten-week period, something had to give, so I haven’t done one of those posts in the last three months. I’ll get back to it soon!
How has blogging changed your life?
The most important way blogging has changed my life is the many wonderful friendships I've made -- with you being a very special friend, one of the first classic film bloggers I got to know! Some have become "in person" friendships, with the chance to spend time together at movie screenings, film festivals, and local events. I also have wonderful far-flung friends I correspond with, from as far away as Israel and the UK. So many people are supportive and have done many kindnesses for me over the years, for which I'm very grateful. I like to think of my blog as a friendly gathering place for people from varied walks of life who share similar interests.
Blogging has also led to amazing experiences I never could have anticipated when I began, whether it was interviewing a favorite actress, Coleen Gray; being invited by the family of another favorite actress, Loretta Young, to attend and write about her centennial celebration; touring the home of Joel McCrea and Frances Dee with their grandson; and the opportunity to cover a number of film festivals as a member of the media. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg! It makes me very happy when readers let me know they enjoy my blog and that I’ve helped them find “good things” to enjoy -- but I'm really so fortunate in what blogging and my readers have meant in my own life.
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