Clik here to view.
Where Oscar Gets it Right
Since we are currently celebrating 31 Days of Oscar here at TCM, and have a special on tonight detailing the history of the Oscars, I thought I’d take the time, for once, to praise Oscar and not bury...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Forgotten Film to Remember: Night Must Fall
It is easy to assume that serial killers as a subject for crime movies is a relatively recent phenomenon, particularly those that delve into the unique psychology of the killer. After all, the term...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Of Time and the Family: The Long Day Closes (1992)
My memories are all knotted up with the movies. At times I fear I remember films more than reality. My first date with my future wife is nothing now but place names (Blue Ribbon Bakery, Film Forum)...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Living on the Edge
It’s not easy to pull off a movie about a philosophy of how to live and I’m not sure many movies have ever done it. Most end up with feel-good endings and vague conclusions centered around some...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wanna Rumble?
I usually go out of my way to avoid ruffling the feathers of my fellow film fanatics but there are plenty of things that get me riled up on a monthly basis. Sometimes a girl’s just got to let off a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
“Not that room! Not that room!” Notes on noirs and nights of the living dead
I was rewatching Robert Siodmak’s seminal film noir CRISS CROSS (1949) the other day at the distance of maybe twenty years and I was struck by the angle on this door near the end of the film. Oh, hold...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Divorce American Style
Let’s start with a rarely seen 1940 screwball comedy, Roy Del Ruth’s He Married His Wife. While I won’t pretend that this is anything but a minor but somewhat enjoyable trifle, there’s something...
View ArticleClik here to view.
PUT ON YOUR…
… red shoes and dance the blues. – David Bowie Last week we screened a nice 35mm print of Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, 1952). I’d put it on my film calendar two months ago and had no way of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What I Didn’t Know About Harry Cohn
I recently picked up a used audiotape of the biography of Harry Cohn by Bob Thomas, King Cohn: The Life and Times of Harry Cohn. First published in 1967, the book was revised in 1990 with additional...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Rebirth of the North Park Theatre
On May 23rd of last year, the Buffalo arthouse chain Dipson Theatres announced they would cease operations at the North Park Theatre. The single-screen North Park opened in November of 1920, part of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lifetime Achievement for Stars Only? Here Come the Ritters!
If you peruse the winners of the Motion Picture Academy’s Honorary Oscars for Career Achievement or the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Awards, you’ll notice something. Where the actors...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Caught on Film: Hollywood Romances That Ignited On Set
Tomorrow is February 14th, otherwise known as Valentine’s Day. I thought I’d celebrate the occasion by taking a look at some sizzling screen romances that ignited while the cameras were rolling....
View ArticleClik here to view.
These foolish things… remind me of… me.
The other day a friend posted on his Facebook page a very unflattering picture of sports broadcaster and Olympic Winter Games commentator Bob Costas, who was/is suffering from an inconvenient case of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Dog Star
Later this week, TCM is running a programming block to pay tribute to all of the 1937 Best Supporting Actor Nominees. Which is one of those gloriously random, weirdly specific programming decisions...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Montgomery Clift and the Second Chance that Never Was
Tomorrow at noon (EST), The Young Lions airs on TCM. I wrote it up for TCM’s website (click here) and with it airing tomorrow, it got me to thinking about something I only touch on in the article, the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Remembering Jeanne Eagels
Throughout the month of February, TCM’s 31 Days of Oscar has offered a variety of fan favorites and familiar classics. On Thursday morning, February 20, a lesser-known Oscar-related gem airs at 6:15am....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Battle Lines: Zulu (1964)
In the closely watched race of American directors most misidentified as European, Cyril (Cy) Endfield finishes close behind Joseph Losey and Jules Dassin. Dassin is well-known for his French heist...
View ArticleClik here to view.
It’s Been a Long Time: The Best Picture Edition
When asked if I have ever seen a movie, my answer falls into one of three categories: One, “I have seen it.” This one is simple. It means I have seen it, yes, and I remember it well. Two, “I have...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of TCM with a free screening of CASABLANCA
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Turner Classic Movies. To celebrate the event as well as give back to the many devoted viewers who regularly watch and enjoy the network’s programming, TCM has...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Enigma of Royal Dano
Character actor Royal Dano died twenty years ago this May. That’s about the only rationale I can offer for why he’s been on my mind lately. I haven’t, to the best of my knowledge, seen him in anything...
View Article