It's Time for the Fall 2022 CMBA Blogathon: Movies are Murder!

 

The Classic Movie Blog Association is pleased to invite you to stroll down shadowy streets and encounter cutthroat characters at our fall 2022 blogathon, Movies Are Murder! From November 7th through November 11th, our bloggers will explore the seedy side of cinema with films and stars involved in all sorts of homicidal happenings. The entries submitted by our CMBA members can be accessed below – please stop by their blogs to read and comment on these offerings. And be careful out there . . .

Monday, November 7, 2022

Confidentially Yours (1983) – 4 Star Films

Clue (1985) – Whimsically Classic

Detour (1945) – Cary Grant Won’t Eat You

The Canary Murder Case (1929) – Louise Brooks Society

Movies are Murder: Ava Gardner – The Ava Gardner Museum

Endless Night (1972) – Real Weegie Midget Reviews

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

The Public Enemy (1931) – A Person in the Dark

A Shriek in the Night (1933) – Filmland Follies 

The Fallen Idol (1948) – Cinematic Scribblings

A Thematic Look at Murder in Film Noir – Silver Screen Classics

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

The Lodger (1927) – Silent Cinema School

Hidden Fear (1957): Murder in Copenhagen – Make Mine Film Noir

They Won’t Believe Me (1947) – Top 10 Film Lists

Bonnie and Clyde (1967) – Twenty-Four Frames

The Bat (1959) – Watching Forever

The Scarlet Hour (1956) – Shadows and Satin

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Nancy Drew: Reporter (1939) – Silver Screenings

We’re No Angels (1955) – Another Old Movie Blog

Night and the City (1950) – Critica Retro

The Bride Wore Black (1968) – The Last Drive-In  

Dolores Claiborne (1995) – Rick's Real/Reel Life

Monsieur Verdoux (1947) – The Everyday Cinephile

Friday, November 11, 2022

Murder By Death (1976) – Thoughts from the Music(al) Man

Angela Lansbury Noir: A Life at Stake (1955) and Please Murder Me! (1956) – Lady Eve’s Reel Life

The Cat and the Canary (1927) – Strictly Vintage Hollywood

Murder at the Gallop (1963) – Silver Scenes

CMBA Profile -- Classic Film: Montgomery Clift and Other Great Actors

Each month, the CMBA profiles a classic movie blog written by one of our members. This month, we’re featuring Wendy Whittick, who writes at Classic Film:Montgomery Clift and Other Great Actors.

CMBA: What makes a film a “classic” in your opinion?  

Classic Film: Montgomery Clift and Other Great Actors: I probably have a more narrow view of a classic than most people. To me, classic film refers to films made during the Golden Age of Hollywood (beginning of film to 1965, by my definition).  

CMBA: Why should people care about “old” black and white films?

Classic Film: Montgomery Clift and Other Great Actors: Black and white films mark the beginning of film; they are the building blocks by which current films are made. There are many pioneering techniques in black and white films, and the artistry in some of them is unparalleled, even with modern technology. Black and white was often an artistic choice that gave different dimensions to the film and a certain ambiance. 

CMBA: Is there a classic film that you find yourself watching again and again?

Classic Film: Montgomery Clift and Other Great Actors: I will watch almost any David Lean film over and over. I am always picking up something new in his films; there is an endless amount of symbolism if you just take the time to look for it.  For a feel-good film, I will often turn to Frank Capra films or The More the Merrier, which I still love every time I see it.  

CMBA: What classic films do you recommend to people who may not have seen many older films?

Classic Film: Montgomery Clift and Other Great Actors: I try to start people out with films that have stood the test of time, such as Casablanca or Alfred Hitchcock or a film with Cary Grant or Marilyn Monroe.  If you can get people to love the more mainstream films and actors, then you can maybe pull them in further to the more artistic films of the era.  

CMBA: Your blog title mentions Montgomery Clift specifically; which of his films would you recommend to people who are unfamiliar with his work?

Classic Film: Montgomery Clift and Other Great Actors: From Here to Eternity is a great film to start with because it’s somewhat more well known. I personally love him in The Misfits. He’s a little lighter and less serious than most of his films. Montgomery Clift never gives a bad performance, but he is probably most noted for his work in A Place in the Sun.  

CMBA: What is most rewarding about blogging for you?

Classic Film: Montgomery Clift and Other Great Actors: Bringing forgotten actors, films, and directors back into public awareness and hopefully educating the public on this wonderful era of film.  Any time I get a comment or message from someone thanking me for providing them with information about a certain actor, it makes all the work and effort so worthwhile.

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We thank Wendy for participating in our Q & A profile and encourage you to visit Classic Film: Montgomery Clift and Other Great Actors!