CMBA Blog Profile: Strictly Vintage Hollywood

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month. Today we're featuring Donna from Strictly Vintage Hollywood.

Strictly Vintage Hollywood is a prime example of what makes the CMBA an exceptional organization.

Donna's lively and well-researched site reviews films and books, details festival experiences and shines a spotlight on classic Hollywood filmmakers.

One classic Hollywood celebrity has a special place in Donna's heart: Rudolph Valentino. (And who doesn't have a special affection for Mr. V.?) She's published one book on Valentino, and is working on a second, tentatively entitled The Films of Rudolph Valentino - A Chronological History.

"I have studied Valentino for decades," says Donna, "and I am still researching, learning, and enjoying the process."

Donna has also researched Valentino's mentor, June Mathis. “It began with a tango – June Mathis and her unique friendship with Rudolph Valentino," she says. "One of my earliest researched pieces is a subject I love, Valentino and June Mathis as well as roping in my favorite silent film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The collection was represented in my book Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol: His Life in Photographs."

You can read Donna's post on June Mathis HERE.

CMBA Blog Profile: Blame Mame

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and 15th of the month. Today we're featuring Craig from Blame Mame.

Blame Mame celebrates the glamour and beauty of classic Hollywood.

As you may have guessed, "Blame Mame" is taken from the song "Put the Blame on Mame"  famously performed by Rita Hayworth in the 1946 film, Gilda.

Craig, the brains behind Blame Mame, is a personal and friendly host who shares fascinating research on classic Hollywood. He’s written on the influence of costume designers, the early careers of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, and some history of Hollywood (the town) itself.

You'll find some surprises on here, too, such as Bette Davis’ singing career.

“Bette is one of my favorite actresses,” says Craig, “and her music is more camp that you can shake a stick at. It is one of my first posts I put together when I started this blog and I still enjoy reading it.”

You can read about Bette Davis, recording artist, HERE.

CMBA Blog Profile: Shadows and Satin

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and 15th of the month. Today we're featuring Karen from Shadows and Satin.

Shadows and Satin is one of those can’t-wait-to-see-what’s-happening-next blogs.

Karen’s site is dedicated to films noir and noir filmmakers, as well as pre-Code flicks, and she packs each post with juicy history and insightful commentary. As editor of The Dark Pages, she has an expert knowledge of film noir, even the more obscure films and actors in this genre.

As a pre-Code fan, she shares her infectious enthusiasm and considerable research with her readers.  One example is her essay on actress Lilyan Tashman.

“I discovered Lilyan Tashman by sheer happenstance,” says Karen. “I was watching an extra on a DVD (she wasn't even in the movie!) when I saw Tashman and her husband, Edmund Lowe. And there was just something about her that captivated me. It took me several months to research and write the post; the more I learned about her, the more fascinated I became. I was really proud of the outcome – and one of the comments I received was from the granddaughter of Tashman’s cousin! That was the icing on the cake.”

You can read about Ms. Tashman HERE.

CMBA Blog Profile: DearMrGable.com

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and 15th of the month. Today we're featuring Meredith from DearMrGable.com.

Every great movie star deserves a website – especially a legend like the great Clark Gable.

Meredith of DearMrGable.com has created the ultimate online tribute to Gable, one that includes his filmography and brief reviews of every film he ever made, along with a listing of his radio show appearances, a photo gallery and biographical information.

Meredith also tackles the gossip that surrounded Gable’s career and personal life, even the rumors about his marriage to Carole Lombard.

“Other than his role in GWTW,” says Meredith, “the most popular subject when it comes to Clark Gable is his relationship with Carole Lombard. Tired of hearing people repeat unsupported rumors, I wrote a piece about their relationship a few years ago that has since become the number one hit on my site.”

You can read Meredith’s findings on Gable and Lombard HERE.

CMBA Blog Profile: Once Upon a Screen

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and 15th of the month. Today we're featuring Aurora from Once Upon a Screen.

The site Once Upon a Screen is like an online film festival, organized and presented by writer and Movies and More co-host Aurora.

Aurora presents a stunning variety of films – plus celebrity bios and classic radio/television shows – with a wealth of knowledge and a delightful sense of humour. Like most people who organize film festivals, she clearly has a passion for movies and the stories behind them.

One example is her recent spotlight on the Billy Wilder and Jack Lemmon collaboration.

“The blog posts that are most memorable to me personally are the ones I had the most fun writing, such as ‘The Wilder-Lemmon Affair’,” says Aurora. “They are one of my favorite directors and one of my favorite actors. I enjoyed reading (again) how two people whose work I admire also admired and appreciated each other. Together these two men encompass what I love about film – when the heart and the intellect coalesce to form the perfect whole.”

You can read her post HERE.

Hollywood on Hollywood, the CMBA Fall Blogathon!

The Classic Movie Blog Association is proud to present its fall blogathon, Hollywood on Hollywood, running from October 17th to 21st. Please tune into the blogs below on the dates listed to read some writers discussing how the movie capital of the world has turned its lens in on itself!

The 2016 CMBA Awards - Results

The 2016 CMBA Awards came and went in a flash this year, but, nevertheless, our members submitted a number of great entries, all of which are available to view and read through the links posted below.

Speaking on behalf of the CMBA board, I would like to thank all of the members who took the time to read these entries and vote for their favorites. And a hearty congratulations to all of our winners!!

Best Film Review (Drama)

Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936) - CAFTAN WOMAN


Best Film Review ( Musical )

The Gang's All Here (1943) - SECOND SIGHT CINEMA

Best Classic Movie Article

Hal Roach and the "Lot" of Fun - CAFTAN WOMAN

Best Classic Movie Series

History Through Hollywood - THE BLONDE AT THE FILM

Best Profile of a Classic Movie Performer or Filmmaker
Harry Carey and Harry Carey, Jr. - CAFTAN WOMAN

Best Blog Event

The 2016 TCM Summer Under the Stars Blogathon - JOURNEYS IN CLASSIC FILM

Best Classic Movie Blog Design

Cinema Crossroads

CMBA Blog Profile: The Man on the Flying Trapeze

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and the 15th of the month. Today we're featuring David from The Man on the FlyingTrapeze.

If you remember the Spike Jones version of the song “The Man on the Flying Trapeze”, you’ll recall the mixture of admiration and humour in the lyrics. The song is kind of a reluctant love letter to a venerated trapeze artist who has stolen the songwriter’s girlfriend.

The blog, The Man on the Flying Trapeze, is an unabashed love letter to classic Hollywood film. David writes with admiration and wit about the films from the Golden Age, especially pre-code films. These he's chronicled in his "Pre-Code vs Post-Code" series.

“I love pre-code movies,” says David, “and I love to dig into how they were ‘cleaned up’ (and usually made worse) to meet a set of silly standards.”

One example compares Grand Hotel to Week-End at the Waldorf. You can read this post HERE.

CMBA Blog Profile: Spellbound by Movies

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and the 15th of the month. Today we're featuring Beth Ann from Spellbound by Movies.

Beth Ann Gallagher knows how to "sell" classic film.

Her blog, Spellbound by Movies, is an eclectic collection of all things classic film – filmmakers, film events, and the films themselves. She's one of those bloggers who make classic Hollywood seem fresh and hip.

Her blog is like a vintage boutique that specializes in unique pieces. One example is a look at Alfred Hitchcock and his terriers.

“It remains my most popular one four years after posting,” says Beth Ann. “I love animals, and I'm a Hitchcock fan, so I had a lot of fun writing the piece, and I'm sure that shines through.”

You can read her post on Hitchcock and his terriers HERE.

CMBA Blog Profile: A Trip Down Memory Lane

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and the 15th of the month. Today we're featuring David from A Trip Down Memory Lane.

David’s experience with blogging likely sounds familiar to a lot of people. You might start a blog with a specific goal, only to have it morph into something else.

“I started my blog in March of 2010,” says David. “I started it so I could put all the information and tidbits of classic Hollywood in one place, but then it evolved into a blog showcasing memories of great entertainment and stars that I enjoyed. My blog was originally called The Great Entertainers Archive, but a year later I changed it to A Trip Down Memory Lane.”

A Trip Down Memory Lane is a valuable resource for those looking for information on celebrities of classic Hollywood. David chronicles lesser-known personalities, too, such as Nedra Sanders Broccoli.

“She was the widow of singer Buddy Clark as well as the wife of James Bond producer Albert Broccoli,” explains David. “Nedra had a lifetime of heartache and disaster. There were no other stories on her anywhere, so I researched what I could find on her for months. I was proud of the reaction I got, and it was used on other websites and publications. I also got emails from her two children who were toddlers when she died thanking me for writing the article on her. Even though her story was a sad one, I felt happy that I had the opportunity to tell it.”

You can read David’s post on Nedra HERE.

CMBA Blog Profile: Journeys in Classic Film

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and the 15th of the month. Today we're toasting Kristen from Journeys in Classic Film.

If you're looking for all-out zeal for classic movies, you'll find it at Journeys in Classic Film.

Kristen, a prolific blogger, podcaster and CMBA Board Member, infuses her website with a fresh, energetic vibe. She offers film and book reviews, news updates, and interviews with classic film biographers and actors – such as actress Jane Withers.

"I still get readers who ask me about getting in touch with [Jane] and mentioning how she shaped their lives or other personal anecdotes," says Kristen. "This was the second interview I ever did and the first with someone directly connected to what I was writing about. Jane was so sweet and funny (and actually wanted a picture of me!). I could have talked to her for hours."

You can read Kristen's interview HERE.

CMBA Blog Profile: Silver Screen Modes

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and the 15th. Today we're celebrating Christian from Silver Screen Modes.

Author and researcher Christian Esquevin has an infectious passion for classic film costume design.

His blog, Silver Screen Modes, presents a thoughtful, fascinating look at Hollywood costume designers and the design process. He's also the author of Adrian: Silver Screen to Custom Label.

But his interests include more than costume design. He has a true appreciation for film itself, including films that are lesser known or are not widely appreciated, such as Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup (1966).

"The film is not everyone’s cup of tea, but part of the problem is that many people say they don’t understand it," says Christian. "[I want] to explicate the movie to others, or at least to point out that it does not follow a plot that has a neat resolution at the end. It also has a lead character that is not particularly nice to women, but he’s not nice to men, either, and that’s the story/character showing his alienation. On the other hand, it has tremendous vitality and shows swinging London in the 1960s. It’s a mystery where the answer dissolves the closer you look at it – much like life, really. I saw it in the theater in France when it first came out, and it left an indelible impression on my youth."

You can read Christian's review of Blowup HERE.

CMBA Blogger Profile: Strictly Vintage Hollywood

 

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and 15th. Today we're toasting Donna from Strictly Vintage Hollywood.

Donna at Strictly Vintage Hollywood has a thing for Rudolph Valentino.

But let's face it: who doesn't?

Not only does she curate a well-researched blog, she's written a book on Valentino, entitled Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol: His Life in Photographs. She's now hard at work on a second book, tentatively titled The Films of Rudolph Valentino - A Chronological History.

"I have collected and studied Valentino for decades," says Donna. "I am still researching and learning; enjoying the process of research that I hope will result in an entertaining second book, my magnum opus on Valentino."

You can read more about Valentino, and his unique friendship with screenwriter June Mathis, HERE.

CMBA Blogger Profile: Movies Silently

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and 15th. Today we're celebrating Fritzi from Movies Silently. 

Reading the blog Movies Silently is like visiting an amusement park. If you plan to drop by, it's guaranteed you'll end up spending the day. Better bring a lunch.

Fritzi's site is an adventurous look at silent film, as explored through reviews, Top 10 (or Bottom 5) Lists, amusing silent film gifs, and even vintage recipes. It is a celebration of silent film in all its forms – the serious, the witty, the tragic.

It's also a groundbreaking site that isn't afraid to attack cherished misconceptions.

"My review of The Cossacks is an example of what I most want to accomplish on my blog," says Fritzi. "It represents six months of research culminating in an epic takedown of a reasonably beloved film and an expose of its shameless plagiarism. Looking below the surface was rewarding in this case because it allowed me to both dig deep into film history and expose an injustice that has been ignored for almost eighty years."

You can read Fritzi's review HERE.

CMBA Blogger Profile: Classic Movie Hub

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and 15th. Today we're toasting Annmarie from Classic Movie Hub.

The tagline for Classic Movie Hub is "The Classic Movie Cheerleader!"

Indeed it is. The site includes contests, classic celebrity birthdays and Top 100 movie lists – truly a hub of classic movie information. (Psst! It's also a great place to advertise your classic film blogathon.)

Classic Movie Hub features an intriguing blog that delves into a number of eclectic topics. Annmarie, the site founder, is a dedicated researcher who delights in the "odd things you can discover when you're blogging."

For example, Annmarie found buried treasure while working on a post about Kathleen Howard for the 2013 Funny Lady Blogathon.

"I chose Howard as my subject simply because I adored her in It's a Gift," says Annmarie. "Imagine my surprise when I started my research and learned that she was successful in three distinctly tough and impressive careers: opera singer, fashion editor, and actress. It was like hitting pay dirt -- finding mp3s of her voice, newspaper articles about her career moves, and a book she had written about singing. Such wonderful discoveries about an actress that I only knew as W.C. Fields shrewish wife!" 

You can read Annmarie's post HERE. 

CMBA Blogger Profile: The Movie Night Group's Guide to Classic Film

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month, on the 1st and 15th. Today we're featuring Patricia from The Movie Night Group's Guide to Classic Film.

Patricia of The Movie Night Group's Guide to Classic Film is a dual-purpose film historian.

Not only do her posts include behind-the-scenes history of classic movies, she also records the discussions of her movie group – a group that's been meeting for over 20 years. (Patricia gives more detail on this in the discussion below.)

Her blog reads like a classic film catalogue, which covers several film genres. However, if there is one subject that resonates with Patricia, it's female doctors in classic film.

"Years ago, I became interested in the image of the woman doctor in classic film," says Patricia, "and I've actually presented a paper about it several times. For instance, Strange Lady in Town is a wonderful example of the trend I'd been seeing in earlier films. Plus, it stars Greer Garson, who is always wonderful."

You can read Patricia's post HERE. 

CMBA Blogger Profile: Virtual Virago

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month – on the 1st and the 15th. Today we're honoring Jennifer from Virtual Virago.

Virtual Virago is one of those blogs that helps you see films a little differently.

It's no wonder, considering Jennifer Garlen taught English at the University of Alabama in Huntsville for several years. She is also the author of Beyond Casablanca: 100 Classic Movies Worth Watching.

Her blog offers thoughtful analysis of films you thought you knew, and she explores delightfully surprising territory such as Classic Movies for Cat Lovers and Southern Voices on the Silver Screen.

"One of the most successful posts on Virtual Virago is about Laird Cregar, one of my favorite actors," says Jennifer. "I think Cregar had tremendous talent, and he deserves to be remembered and more widely known. His story is so tragic and utterly Hollywood that it really ought to be the basis for a book or a film."

You can read Jennifer's post on Laird Cregar HERE.

CMBA Blogger Profile: Another Old Movie Blog

The CMBA profiles two classic movie blogs per month – on the 1st and the 15th. Today we're celebrating Jacqueline from Another Old Movie Blog.

Reading through Another Old Movie Blog is like sneaking into a film historian's library.

Here you'll find reviews and film history on subjects and actors not often discussed. Once you click on this site, you might as well get comfortable – you'll likely be perusing it for the rest of the afternoon.

In addition to her blog, Jacqueline is also the author of the recently released biography Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. This is the first published comprehensive biography of Ms Blyth. Jacqueline says the idea of a book began with the "Year of Ann Blyth" series on her blog.

"It prefaced a year-long fascinating journey for me," says Jacqueline, "and led to the publication of my book on Ann Blyth. That post started it all–where readers left comments suggesting that I write a book."

You can read the series introduction HERE.

5 Movies on an Island Blogathon

Monday, May 16th marks the second annual National Classic Movie Day. As part of this year's festivities, the Classic Film & TV Cafe will host the 5 Movies on an Island Blogathon. 

As it name implies, the intent is for participants to write about the five classic movies they'd want to have with them if stranded on a deserted island. (Yes, you can assume you have electricity, a projector, big screen, and popcorn!) These might be your all-time five favorite movies. Or, you might mix in some "comfort films" to give your tropical habitat that desired "homey feel." Just be sure to describe your criteria when you list your five films. 

If you wish to participate, please send your blog's name and web address in an e-mail to: rick@classicfilmtvcafe.com. Do not send your list of five films; Rick will publish a link to the list on your blog. Please ensure that your list of five films is published no later than May 15th. Thatwill give Rick a day to add all the links.

Hope you can participate! You can view the continually updated schedule at 

http://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2016/03/5-movies-on-island-blogathon.html.