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The Immigrant
For the last several weeks I’ve been circling around the legacy of Charlie Chaplin, with posts about him, his influences, and his contemporaries. This week I return to where I started, the man himself,...
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The Lost Weekend: Setting the Stage for Years to Come
The Lost Weekend, playing tonight on TCM, is a classic of the “social commentary” genre of movie making in which a troublesome topic that affects society is treated to a sobering (no pun intended)...
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Clark Gable Slept Here
Clark Gable was born on this day 115 years ago in the tiny town of Cadiz, Ohio. Like all movie lovers, I appreciate the King of Hollywood as a signifier of the glamour and charm of the Golden Age....
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Pre-Code Comedies: Fifty Million Frenchmen, Gold Dust Gertie, and Her...
In 1931 the vaudeville circuit was dying out, and Hollywood was poaching its performers and routines. Needing content for the new sound technology, studios would string together comedies around a...
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TCM Underground is on vacation!
TCM Underground is on a little bit of a winter break right now as its slot is taken over by 31 Days of Oscar Foolishness (I think that’s the official name, but don’t quote me) so for the next few...
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Melvin Van Peebles: The Story of A Three-Day Pass (1967)
February is Black History Month and to celebrate the occasion I thought I’d share some thoughts about one of my favorite films directed by the multi-talented black filmmaker, Melvin Van Peebles. In the...
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When the Classics Surprise You: It Happened One Night
Years ago – many, many years ago – as I began my odyssey into the world of film, the main thing I did was read. Back in those days, pre-cable, pre-vcrs, way pre-dvd and streaming, most movies simply...
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Japanese Beat Cinema Part 1 – Crazed Fruit!
If you’ve grown tired of my singular focus on slapstick comedy these last 4 weeks, have no fear—I now plan to be singularly obsessed with 1950s and 60s Japanese New Wave Cinema for the next 3 or 4...
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Monsieur Cinéma Collectible Movie Cards
I’m taking over for Pablo today while he recovers from his trip to the Sundance Film Festival. Hopefully he’ll return soon & share his adventures with us all. If you are a classic film fan who...
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Hail, Caesar: A Feast for Movie Fans
I remember when Peter Bogdanovich’s Nickelodeon was released in the 1970s. While I loved the film, I turned to my companion and remarked, “The reason I like this movie is the very reason why it will...
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Accused: The Wrong Man (1957)
The Wrong Man was promoted as Alfred Hitchcock’s first film based on a true story, and the director went to great lengths to secure its authenticity. To shoot the story of Manny Balestrero, who was...
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The un-Official TCM Underground ‘Zine… or how I spent my winter vacation
Tune in next week for an exciting page 2!
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Jean-Claude Killy in Snow Job (1972)
After winning three gold medals in the 1968 Olympics and two FIS Alpine Ski World Cups Jean-Claude Killy, the French championship skier, received international fame and acclaim due to his agility,...
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I Appreciate the Leads but I Came for the Ensemble
You ever watch a movie and walk away thinking about how little you cared for the lead actors and how much you loved everyone else? Me, too. Now, I don’t mean this as an indictment of the movies I’m...
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Japanese Beat Cinema Episode 2: Giants and Toys
For all you fans of Mad Men left bereft after the end of the series, here’s a treat: a 1958 Japanese satire on the Advertising Age with a lot of the same flavor. Like Mad Men, it wallows in that...
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You Can’t Take the Cast with You
Today on TCM, the 1938 Best Picture winner, You Can’t Take it With You, starring James Stewart, Jean Arthur, and Lionel Barrymore. It is, alas, a play adaptation I am none too fond of and, many times,...
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Revisiting ‘The Maltese Falcon’
TCM in conjunction with Fathom Entertainment celebrates the 75th anniversary of The Maltese Falcon on February 21 and February 24, exhibiting the film at participating theaters. John Huston’s...
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Columbo: Double Exposure (1973)
Robert Culp makes a quality killer. He wears finely tailored clothing and and can convey a level of self-satisfaction that would make Narcissus blush. It is no surprise then, that he was the guest...
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Jack Palance: Horror Star
Jack Palance & his infamous bowler hat on the set of Torture Garden (1968) Everyone seems to have their own Jack Palance. The Oscar-winning actor, who would be celebrating his birthday today if he...
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