CMBA Member Profile: Lisa Howeler of Boondock Ramblings
Meet new CMBA member Lisa Howeler, who writes at Boondock Ramblings,where she shares her love for the look, impact, and storytelling of classic film, and the warm memories they evoke. She is also a photographer and writes mystery books. Read on to learn more about Lisa.
1. Tell us a bit more about your site, Boondock Ramblings, and what led you to start writing about classic era films?
My blog started as a place to share about photography, motherhood, writing, faith, and my life in a rural area (hence the title of the blog with that slang term of “boondocks” which in my area simply means “in the middle of nowhere”.)The blog slowly morphed into writing about books I had read and movies I had watched. Almost all of those movies were classic movies (mainly black and white) because those are the movies I enjoy the most. I started writing about those classic films because I wanted to share them with others who either had seen the films or might like to see them. I usually write about films I really enjoy because I want others to enjoy them as well.
2. You mention on your site that The Thin Man films are your favourite film series. Why do these films and characters mean so much to you?
Well, I’m a sucker for a movie or a book that has mystery, humor, and romance, and The Thin Man movies have all of those.
I can also relate to Nick and Nora’s relationship because it reminds me of the relationship I have with my husband, who I met when we were both working at a small-town newspaper. Really, our relationship would actually probably be closer to the main characters in My Girl Friday with Cary Grant, and Rosalind Russell — that back-and-forth banter and sarcasm, as well as a deep knowledge of how newspapers and gathering news stories work, has always been part of our relationship.
But the relationship that Nick and Nora have is also similar to our relationship, without all the exciting adventures that Nick and Nora have, of course. Plus, I’m no longer in newspapers and he is still a newspaper editor so that dynamic has changed a bit. And I’m still not an heiress. Darn it.
I have digressed. I love how The Thin Man movies connect mystery to romance, as I mentioned, but also how social issues are subtly, and not-so-subtly brought up.
The movies feature both humorous and serious moments and topics, making them easy to like for any film buff, no matter their favorite genre.
Plus, it’s very hard to dislike a film series with two of the best actors from the Golden Age of movies, Myrna Loy and William Powell. What a power combination of actors to feature in a series of movies.
3. How did you become a classic film fan?
When I was a kid, we grew up without a lot of money so we had one black-and-white TV with a homemade antenna hook to our old back porch. That antenna brought in four main channels. Those channels were NBC, CBS and ABC and our local PBS station.
My parents weren’t very excited for me to watch what was on primetime on the main channels, but they were comfortable with me watching old movies and childrens’ programming on PBS. It wasn’t just that I was only allowed to watch old movies and children’s programming that made them interesting to me. I really did get caught up in the humor and stories of the movies and shows.
The Dick Van Dyke Show was one of my favorite old TV shows to watch on PBS. It would come on right after dinner and I always made sure to eat fast so I could go watch it. To this day that show is a comfort watch for me. If I’ve had a bad day or I’m very depressed about something my husband will grab the remote and turn The Dick Van Dyke Show on for me.
I also remember watching some Burns and Allen episodes on PBS back then.
The movie I remember watching the most on PBS, though, was Singing in the Rain. Because we had a black-and-white TV until I was probably nine or 10, I always thought the movie was actually shot in black and white. It wasn’t until I was much older when my brother bought me a VHS of the movie that I found out it was actually filmed in Technicolor.
I was probably one of a very few nine or 10-year-olds in my area who could recite large portions of that movie, especially famous lines by Jean Hagen like “and I caaaant staaand ‘im!”
4. As well as writing about classic film, you are also a published author. How did you come up with the idea for your ongoing series, The Gladwynn Grant Mysteries, which follows a female reporter living in a small town? Do you have any tips for those preparing to write or publish a book?
I have a background in writing for small town newspapers, as I mentioned above, and wanted to write a cozy mystery book for fun, so when I started to brainstorm ideas, I knew that the main character would probably be a newspaper reporter. I also wanted the story to take place in a small town because they are full of quirky and fun characters, which I know because I have grown up and lived in small towns.
The older I get, the more I think I might be one of those quirky characters, but I try not to think about it too much.
I thought it would be fun to honor my late grandmother so I chose her middle name, Gladwynn (though my grandmother spelled it Gladwin), as my main character’s name and her maiden name of Grant as my main character’s last name.
Originally I was going to place the series in the 1920s because I thought Gladwynn’s name sounded like a 1920s private investigator, but I decided I didn’t want to do a ton of research to write a book that took place in the past so I moved it to modern times.
My biggest tip for anyone who wants to write a book is to take it in small chunks. Write one paragraph at a time, then the next, then the next. Before you know it, you’ll have a finished book.
As for publishing that book, don’t be afraid to go the self-publishing route. It’s not looked down on like it used to be and it’s a way to get your story out there. It really depends on your goals, though. Do you want a best seller or are you okay with just sharing your story/thoughts with whomever is interested in it?
For me, I’ve adopted the mottos of “just have fun” and “don’t overthink it” for my publishing journey and so far they’ve worked. I have fun writing my books. They are not best sellers but they are a creative outlet for me and are something I can concentrate on instead of the stress in my life. The bonus is that a few people have even liked them.
5. If you could host a dinner party or picnic and could invite anyone from old Hollywood, who would be on your guest list, and why?
I really hope that Paul Newman is considered “Old Hollywood” because he’d be on the top of the list. I don’t think I need to explain why but if you must know, he’s my celebrity crush. Yes, I know he’s dead. I also know there were some aspects of his personality I would not have liked. But his eyes and lips! Come on!
On a more serious note, I do think he’d be fascinating to talk to.
I’d also add Jimmy Stewart, James Cagney, Katharine Hepburn, Maureen O’Hara (I have a bone to pick with her about her autobiography), John Wayne, Ginger Rogers, and Fred Astaire.
These are all people I think would be interesting to talk to and hear stories from.
6. Which film do you think would be the perfect choice to show to someone who has never seen a classic era film before?
This question threw me for a loop. I feel like someone just asked me which one of my children is my favorite.
My answer is, of course, I love them both equally so I feel like I would have to say “watch all of the classic movies you can!” Ha. But, there are many classic films I would not suggest people watch too so I can’t say that.
I really think it depends on what a person likes.Do they like darker films or musicals or comedies or mysteries?
If we’re going for musicals then we are going for Singing in the Rain (sorry to sound like a broken record) because even though the film is full of fun music and fun moments, it’s also a bit of a history lesson into what happened when silent movies were replaced with talking movies. We see that transition and the challenges, albeit it with some humor mixed in, and I am sure that in real life it wasn’t all fun and games.
Then, along with the history and the story of the characters, we are entertained with the music and the spectacle of gorgeous costumes and dance numbers. Not too mention outstanding acting all around.
Then, though, I would have to recommend The Third Man, not only because of the story but the amazing cinematography, which is like a character unto itself.
I’m going to share a bit of what I wrote on my blog about the movie and the cinematography:
“The play of light with shadows, figures stepping in and out of light and dark both visually and metaphorically, makes this a movie you can’t look away from. If you do, you might miss a subtle exchange of looks, a quick smirk, someone moving in the shadows. You have to be on high alert while also relaxing into the story. You’re on the edge of your seat but also have plenty of moments to sit back and admire the superb acting of Orson Welles and Joseph Cotten.
The movie is set in post-World War II Vienna, Austria at a time when four political powers America, Russia, England, and France were overseeing a corrupt post-war environment.
Cotton plays Holly Martins, a writer of pulp Westerns, who arrives without any money as the guest of his childhood friend Harry Lime (Welles). The problem is, when Martins arrives, he finds out Lime has been killed, hit by a car.
Martins wants to know how his friend died and why, and learns there was a “third man” who was present during the accident. This leads him down a path that gets him mixed up with Lime’s girlfriend and British intelligence and knocks him right into the middle of complicated moral and ethical issues.”
For me there is just so much to this movie – mystery, social issues, moral issues, a tiny bit of romance. Orson Welles is just at his best, in my opinion. Joseph Cotten is great. It just all comes together and, for me anyhow, really defines what classic film is all about.
I feel like I have committed a sin not mentioning Citizen Kane, Casablanca, or Gone With the Wind here but I pray for forgiveness from all classic-era film buffs for my transgressions. It was a hard one to answer!
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