CMBA Profile: HAMLETTE'S SOLILOQUY

 

Each month, the CMBA profiles a classic movie blog written by one of our members. This month, we are featuring Rachel Kovaciny, who writes at HAMLETTE'S SOLILOQUY. 

1. Why do you blog?

I blog because I love to discuss movies and books, and life in general, but I am better at writing out my thoughts than speaking them, generally.  I'm a pretty shy introvert in real life, and am much more comfortable typing my thoughts than saying them out loud, so when I discovered a new communication tool called blogging in 2002, I decided to try it.  For quite a while, my blog was only read by a handful of people, most of whom I knew or was related to in real life.  But I gradually got braver and started to read other people's blogs, and interact with them, and that's when the real fun began.  Two decades later, I've met so many friends thanks to blogging and the way it lets us get to know each other and exchange ideas and opinions in this informative-yet-casual way.

2. Besides classic movie blogging, what are some of your other passions?

Well, I said "movies and books" above -- I actually love movies more than books, but since it's not possible for me to create whole movies of the stories I make up in my head, I write books instead.  In fact, I have a book series out called Once Upon a Western in which I retell fairy tales as non-magical westerns.  Westerns have always been my favorite movie genre, and although I've written quite a lot in other genres too, the Old West is my favorite setting and era to write about.  

When I write books, I first imagine the story as a movie in my head, then I write it down and try to capture how it looks and sounds, and I later add sensory details like smells and tastes you don't get in a movie.  A lot of times, my books start out with me brainstorming things like, "What if Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington made a western together?  And what if Zendaya and Chadwick Boseman played Snow White and her Handsome Prince?  Put them all together, but they're all pioneers?"  And there you have the initial spark for some of the major characters for my book One Bad Apple.  

I tend to dedicate the books in my Once Upon a Western series to a Classic Hollywood actor or actress I think would be perfect for some prominent role if the story was a movie and not a book.  (I've dedicated books to Alan Ladd, Bobby Darin, Sidney Poitier, Barbara Stanwyck, and Vic Morrow so far, if you are curious.)  

3. If you could program a perfect day of classic movies for TCM, what would be the seven films on your schedule?

What a dream that would be!  I'd love to highlight some of my favorite westerns that star some of my favorite actors and actresses.  Here's my lineup:

The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)  Four brothers (including John Wayne and Dean Martin) reunite at their mother's funeral and work together to find out how their parents lost their ranch. My favorite John Wayne movie.

Branded (1950)  A shady loner (Alan Ladd) poses as a rich rancher's missing son to gain a hefty inheritance, only to discover himself beginning to love with the family he's intent on swindling.  My favorite Alan Ladd movie.

Gunfight in Abilene (1967) A Civil War veteran (Bobby Darin) agrees to resume his job as sheriff out of guilt for accidentally killing the brother of the man (Leslie Nielson) who runs Abilene and is all set to marry the veteran's old flame (Emily Banks). My favorite Bobby Darin movie.

The Rare Breed (1966) A British widow (Maureen O'Hara) and her daughter (Juliet Mills) accompany the prize bull they've sold on its way to its new owner (Brian Keith) with the help of a determined cowhand (James Stewart).  I've seen this so often, the characters all feel like dear old friends.

3:10 to Yuma (1957) A down-on-his-luck rancher (Van Heflin) takes a job transporting a wily outlaw (Glenn Ford) to the train that will take him to the state penitentiary in Yuma, Arizona.  The outlaw does everything in his considerable powers to convince the rancher to let him go, resulting in a simmering suspense story that eventually boils over in a surprisingly upbeat climax.

The Magnificent Seven (1960) Poor Mexican villagers hire seven gunfighters to defend them from the bandit who's been oppressing them for years. Steve McQueen, Yul Brenner, Charles Bronson, James Coburn... oh man, what a cast.  I consider this the finest western ever made.

Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)  A mild-mannered man (James Garner) who is basically just on his way to Australia takes on the job of sheriff in a goldrush boomtown.  His unorthodox methods and unflappable demeanor keep everyone bewildered and off balance, from baddies (including Walter Brennan and Bruce Dern), to the mayor (Henry Morgan), to his former-town-drunk deputy (Jack Elam). 

4. What is a classic movie that you love, but most people don't know about -- and what do you love about it?

Not enough people know about We're No Angels (1955), and that is a shame.  It is one of the three funniest movies I have ever seen!  It's a dark comedy about three convicts (Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, and Aldo Ray) who break out of a French prison on Devil's Island and decide to rob a store of respectable clothes and money for their getaway -- but they get all involved in the lives of the family that owns the store and end up helping solve all kinds of problems for them.  Also, it's a Christmas movie.  If you are having trouble envisioning Humphrey Bogart in a dark Christmas comedy, well, find it.  Watch it.  Be prepared to laugh.

I love it because of how genuinely nice and kind the three convicts and the family they help are.  The convicts pretend they're mean and tough and horrid, but they're actual so helpful and soft-hearted.  Also, everyone in the cast is clearly having an absolute blast making the movie, including Basil Rathbone as the real villain of the piece, and that sense of on-set fun always adds to my enjoyment of a film.

(The other two funniest movies I've ever seen are Support Your Local Sheriff [1969] and The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming! [1966].  Now you know.)

5. What is something that most people don't know about you?

I once set off the security alarms at Rudolph Valentino's home, Falcon Lair.

 

----------------

We thank Rachel for participating in our Q&A profile and encourage you to visit HAMLETTE'S SOLILOQUY. 

Tweet

CMBA Profile: I FOUND IT AT THE MOVIES

Each month, the CMBA profiles a classic movie blog written by one of our members. This month, we are featuring Debbi Mack, who writes at I FOUND IT AT THE MOVIES. 

1. Why do you blog? 

There's a long answer and a short one to this. I'll give you the short one. Once upon a time, I had five blogs. On each of them, I reviewed books, educated writers, or talked about my life as a writer. Now, most of my blogging is either to review books and movies, talk about the writing life, educate people, and/or talk about my (somewhat bumpy) writing journey. 

2. Besides classic movie blogging, what are some of your other passions? 

First comes reading. I love to read almost anything. However, I'm partial to crime fiction (particularly involving private eyes-- male or female, although we can always use more females), contemporary or historical, sci-fi, and fantasy. And young adult and middle grade stories, in general. 

Also, watching movies of all sorts. I'm also a huge Doctor Who fan, as well as a fan of the show Red Dwarf, which I came to know thanks to late night showings on Maryland Public Television. 

Writing is another passion. Without question. 

Travel. I love travel, despite long lines, cancelled or redirected flights, and whatnot. I love exploring new places. 

3. If you could program a perfect day of classic movies for TCM, what would be the seven films on your schedule? 

Now, that's not impossible to answer at all, is it? ;)

Wow! My perfect lineup? So many choices!

Okay, at least one of them's gotta be a musical. And a silent. And, if you read my blog, you may notice I tend to like film noir. Movies from the 40s on get plenty of my attention. There are also more recent movies that I will always want to watch. 

Try these on for size (in no particular order). 

a. SAFETY LAST! I love Charlie Chaplin, I love Buster Keaton, but there's something about Harold Lloyd in this movie. There's the climatic scene with him scaling the side of the building, leading up the iconic "hanging from a clock" scene. But there's more than that. His expressions, the way his face tells you the story. 

And there's something about the glasses and overall nerdy look that appeals to me. 

b. SINGING IN THE RAIN. A film worthy of inclusion for many reasons. Gene Kelly's dancing, Debbie Reynolds' dancing, Donald O'Connor's launching himself against a wall and eventually through a window. There are memorable songs sung by talented people. And a love story, naturally. 

But it's also a movie about Hollywood. It's about a big disruption in the industry known as sound. It's interesting to look back on that era during our own times of disruption in the entertainment industry and think about that.  

c. THE MALTESE FALCON. Two words: Peter Lorre. 

Think about it. 

I was going to leave it at that, but Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstrret, and Elijah Cook, Jr. are all awesome in it. 

Plus, the story is practically copied from the novel, with the exception of the Flitcraft Parable, which digresses in a non-cinematic way from the plot. 

d. WHERE EAGLES DARE. I will never tire of seeing this movie. Not only is it a great action movie with great actors (Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood, Mary Ure, to name a few), but the plot is so full of twists that upon first seeing it, I was really shocked at some of the reveals. Which is why you should watch it at least twice, so you can revisit the joy of those reveals, knowing what's coming. 

Also, Mary Ure gets to kill Nazis, with an automatic weapon. She's a total badass. Not typical of most cinematic depictions of women in the late 1960s. And she doesn't seem at all threatened by the presence of the equally awesome Ingrid Pitt as Heidi, who assists with a high-risk WWII operation to infiltrate a German castle and rescue an American general with plans for a second front. Now, that's all I dare tell you. 

e. THE BIG LEBOWSKI. Great (satirical?) take on the hardboiled mystery genre. If you think about it, this movie took the 60s/70s hippie detective trope established by Robert Altman in The Long Goodbye and took it a step farther into the 90s with the slacker detective  archetype, the Dude. 

So many great characters. So many great lines. 

I love the Coen Brothers, but this one tops my list of favorite Coen Brothers films. 

 

f. SHADOW OF A DOUBT. One of my favorites by Hitchcock. I had to pick at least one of those.  

Joseph Cotten plays a killer named Charles who wheedles/seduces his way into moving in with his sister and her family in the small town of Santa Rosa. His niece, Charlie, adores him and fancifully thinks their common names provide a psychic link between them. You could say she's in for a rude shock. The movie also serves as a commentary on small town living, suggesting that darkness can dwell beneath the shiniest surfaces. 

Great story, great acting. Great movie all around. 

g. NIGHT AT THE OPERA. Yes, I am a Marx Brothers fan. (And, yes, I know. Duck Soup was better. But I still love this movie.) How can you not like the crowded stateroom scene? Or the scene where they keep moving beds from room to room? Or the contract negotiation between Groucho and Chico?  

4. What classic movie do you love, but most people don't know about-- and what do you love about it? 

One of my favorite old movies is What's Up, Tiger Lily? This film marks Woody Allen's directorial debut and I just love it. It's beens too long since I've seen it shown anywhere, so I'm overdo for a watch session. 

The technique of overdubbing a Japanese spy film with completely unrelated dialogue is so clever and (when you think about) so relatively cheap to produce. Exceptionally clever! 

5. What is something that most people don't know about you? 

I once drove my car in a traffic scene that occured in an episode of Homocide: Life on the Street. I recall Andre Braugher as Detective Pembleton giving me the once-over through the passenger window as I drove past him. 

It's the episode about the I-95 serial killer. Look for a very brief shot of a whte MR2 in a traffic scene on Route 40 (pretending to be an interstate highway). That's me at the wheel. 

------------------

We thank Debbi for participating in our Q&A profile and encourage you to visit I FOUND IT AT THE MOVIES.

Tweet

The Spring 2024 CMBA Blogathon: Screen Debuts & Last Hurrahs

 

The CMBA Spring Blogathon is here! 

This blogathon celebrates the first tentative steps onto the screen or behind the lens, as well as the grand finales of artistic voyages, for actors/actresses, directors, cinematographers, editors, and fashion designers.

Monday, May 20:

• Realweegiemidget Reviews Films, TV, Books and More: Michael Caine/Glenda Jackson The Romantic Englishwoman & The Great Escaper
• 4 Star Films: The Last Hurrah - Stars Spencer Tracy and James Gleason's final film.
• silverscreenmodes: Gene Tierney
• Taking Up Room: Robin Williams
• A Person in the Dark: James Cagney in "One, Two, Three"
• Shadows and Satin: Kirk Douglas in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
• Louise Brooks Society: Louise Brooks - debut
• Cary Grant Won't Eat You: Van Heflin's debut in A Woman Rebels
• The Classic Movie Muse: Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy -Naughty Marietta (1935): 
• Once Upon a Screen: Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in Alien 1979

Tuesday, May 21: 

• Box Office Poisons: Grace Kelly's Last Hurrah
• Twenty Four Frames: Martin Scorsese - Who's That Knocking At My Door
• Critica Retro: Clara Bow
• The Everyday Cinephile: Josef von Sternberg’s - The Salvation Hunters 1925

Wednesday, May 22:

• Silent-ology: Robert Harron
• The Silver Screen Affair: Cedric Gibbons
• Cinematic Scribblings: Federico Fellini - The White Sheik 1952
• Classic Film Observations & Obsessions: Cecil B. DeMille - Last Hurrah
• Nitrate Glow: Stanley Kubrick's debut feature Fear and Desire
• Hamlette's Soliloquy: Bobby Darin in "Come September" (1961)

Thursday, May 23:

• Lady Eve’s Reel Life: Art and Life: Autumn Sonata (1978), Ingrid Bergman’s Final Film.
• Another Old Movie Blog: Richard LeGrand - Gildersleeve's Bad Day (1943)
• I Found it at the Movies: Burt Lancaster in Field of Dreams 1989
• Whimsically Classic: Robert Montgomery's directorial debut - Lady in the Lake 1947
• Speakeasy: Laird Cregar
• Watching Forever: Ann Harding

Friday, May 24:

• Outspoken & Freckled: John Garfield 
• A Vintage Nerd: Doris Day
• The Last Drive In: Teresa Wright in The Little Foxes 1941
• Louise Brooks Society: Louise Brooks in Overland Stage Raiders 1938
• Once Upon a Screen: Jack Lemmon in It Should Happen to You 1954
• Silver Screenings: Douglas Fairbanks in The Private Life of Don Juan

Tweet

CMBA Profile: TAKING UP ROOM

 

Each month, the CMBA profiles a classic movie blog written by one of our members. This month, we are featuring Rebecca Deniston, who writes at TAKING UP ROOM. 

1. Why do you blog? 

I love film, but I also love to write. It's definitely a compulsion. To be honest, blogging was something I wanted to do for a long time but had no idea what to write about. That all changed when I got basically ghosted by a publication I used to write book reviews for, and I was so ticked I started Taking Up Room just to have a place to post what would have been my current review. I don't think it was exactly revenge because my former editor didn't know what I was doing, but more like a sudden redirection.

2. Besides classic movie blogging, what are some of your other passions? 

Oh, my word, there are so many. I'm a Christian, I love cooking, history, reading, the beach, hanging out with friends, piano, singing, music of all kinds, my family, museums, Seinfeld, Gilmore Girls, Christy (the book and the Kellie Martin series), Shakespeare, Tolkien, L.M. Montgomery, C.S. Lewis, and travel. For starters. Whew.

3. If you could program a perfect day of classic movies for TCM, what would be the seven films on your schedule?

I have a series on Taking Up Room called "During World War Two," which is about Hollywood's response to the war, movies made during the war, stars who served, and so on, so I think my theme would be "Women In the War." The seven films would be So Proudly We Hail!, The Doughgirls, Since You Went Away, Pin-Up Girl. Keep Your Powder Dry, Journey For Margaret, and The More, the Merrier.

4. What is a classic movie that you love, but most people don't know about -- and what do you love about it?

Wow, that's a hard choice. The thing I've noticed about movie blogging is that I'm usually not the only one to have heard of a particular film, which is a nice feeling, really. If I had to pick, though, it would probably be 1942's The War Against Mrs. Hadley. Yeah, another World War Two movie. It's not on DVD or any streaming service, although TCM shows it sometimes, and the Lux Radio Theatre version is widely available. What I like about it is that it is pure Second World War propaganda, but in an interesting time capsule kind of way. It's about a woman named Mrs. Stella Hadley who tries her hardest to pretend the war isn't happening, but circumstances are against her. Those who have read my blog for a while know I've mentioned this movie several times, but what I haven't said is that I'm hoping someone with some influence at Warner Bros. will see my blog and get Mrs. Hadley on DVD already.

5. What is something that most people don't know about you? 

I started learning to write, embroider and bake all at the age of six. That was a busy year.  :-)

----------

We thank Rebecca for participating in our Q&A profile and encourage you to visit TAKING UP ROOM. 

Tweet

The Spring 2024 CMBA Blogathon: Screen Debuts & Last Hurrahs

It’s almost here! Time for the CMBA Spring Blogathon! This year’s theme is Screen Debuts & Last Hurrahs. It will run from May 20-24, 2024.

The blogathon, for CMBA members only, will celebrate the first tentative steps onto the screen or behind the lens, as well as the grand finales of artistic voyages. Select any actor/actress, director, cinematographer, editor, fashion designer, etc. and write about their first or last (or both!) experience in front of or behind the camera. (If it is difficult to find their earliest work, you can write about their first accessible feature.)

Please use this form to submit your topic choice, blog name, and preferred date for posting, if any. 

Because there is such a variety of topics to choose from, we won't be accepting duplicates. Topic selections will be accepted in order of receipt.

To promote the blogathon on your blog, take your pick from any of the banners at the bottom of this post. 

We’re really looking forward to another great blogathon! 

Monday, May 20:

• Realweegiemidget Reviews Films, TV, Books and More: Michael Caine/Glenda Jackson The Romantic Englishwoman & The Great Escaper
• 4 Star Films: The Last Hurrah - Stars Spencer Tracy and James Gleason's final film.
• silverscreenmodes: Gene Tierney
• Taking Up Room: Robin Williams
• A Person in the Dark: James Cagney in "One, Two, Three"
• Shadows and Satin: Kirk Douglas in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
• Louise Brooks Society: Louise Brooks - debut
• Cary Grant Won't Eat You: Van Heflin's debut in A Woman Rebels
• Hometowns to Hollywood: Eva Marie Saint
• The Classic Movie Muse: Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy -Naughty Marietta (1935): 

Tuesday, May 21: 

• Box Office Poisons: Grace Kelly
• Twenty Four Frames: Martin Scorsese - Who's That Knocking At My Door
• Critica Retro: Clara Bow
• The Everyday Cinephile: Josef von Sternberg’s - The Salvation Hunters 1925
• The Wonderful World of Cinema: Joseph L. Mankiewicz - Sleuth 
• In The Good Old Days Of Classic Hollywood: 12 Angry Men (1957) - The Directorial Debut Of Sidney Lumet

Wednesday, May 22:

• Silent-ology: Robert Harron
• The Silver Screen Affair: Cedric Gibbons
• Film Fanatic: William Wyler 
• Cinematic Scribblings: Federico Fellini - The White Sheik 1952
• Classic Film Observations & Obsessions: Cecil B. DeMille - Last Hurrah
• Nitrate Glow: Stanley Kubrick's debut feature Fear and Desire
• Hamlette's Soliloquy: Bobby Darin in "Come September" (1961)

Thursday, May 23:

• Lady Eve’s Reel Life: Ingrid Bergman
• Another Old Movie Blog: Richard LeGrand - Gildersleeve's Bad Day (1943)
• I Found it at the Movies: Burt Lancaster in Field of Dreams 1989
• Whimsically Classic: Robert Montgomery's directorial debut - Lady in the Lake 1947
• Speakeasy: Laird Cregar

Friday, May 24:

• Outspoken & Freckled: John Garfield 
• A Vintage Nerd: Doris Day
• The Last Drive In: Teresa Wright in The Little Foxes 1941
• Louise Brooks Society: Louise Brooks in Overland Stage Raiders 1938
• Once Upon a Screen: Jack Lemmon in It Should Happen to You 1954
• Silver Screenings: Douglas Fairbanks in The Private Life of Don Juan

Tweet

CMBA Profile: The Film Noir Report

Each month, the CMBA profiles a classic movie blog written by one of our members. This month, we are featuring Johnny Gumshoe, who writes at THE FILM NOIR REPORT.  

1. Why do you blog?

A small part of me gets sad whenever I talk to a movie lover who's never seen a Robert Mitchum film, never heard of Lizabeth Scott, only knows Humphrey Bogart from Casablanca, or only recognizes Kirk Douglas as Michael Douglas' father.  So my number one reason for blogging is to call attention to the rich treasure trove of classic films, actors, and directors who fade further and further out of the public's consciousness with each passing year and each new generation.

 

I focus on film noir because I find that in the classic period of strict censorship, studio-controlled messaging, and tendency towards stagey and escapist cinematic production values, classic noir films came the closest to reflecting the true, down-to-earth, unvarnished aspects of human nature, and therefore, may be more accessible and relatable to younger audiences. That's not to say other classic films aren't equally accessible and relevant, but film noir simply resonates most with the movie enthusiast and historian in me, and is what I'm most interested in writing about.

 

2. Besides classic movie blogging, what are some of your other passions?

I compose music for film and TV, often collaborating with my wife, who is also a composer and jazz singer.  Music has been a part of my life since childhood, when I started taking piano lessons.  In my teen years, I taught myself guitar and played in rock bands for several years. Later, I focused on songwriting, which eventually led me to the composing work I do now.  I actually spent most of my professional life working in the corporate tech world, and music was just something I did on the side, but for the last three years, it's become my full time vocation.

 

3. If you could program a perfect day of classic movies for TCM, what would be the seven films on your schedule?

I'm going to break out of my film noir box and harken back to my college days to pay homage to a local TV station that ran a pair of classic movies every night after midnight (this was before the days of cable TV and hundreds of channels). Even though I had classes the next morning, I made a point of staying up to watch the first movie, and often stuck around for the second one, too. It was these late night viewings that really put me on the path of classic film appreciation. So here are seven films I first saw in the wee hours of the morning, that had a lasting impression on me:

 

AFTER THE THIN MAN (1936)

Discovering Nick and Nora Charles was like finding buried cinematic gold. All of the Thin Man films are great, but my favorite is this, their second outing, in which we have the rare opportunity to see a young Jimmy Stewart play a villain.

 

SUSPICION (1941)

This film had a big impact on me because I didn't realize it was a Hitchcock film when I first watched it (I tuned in after the opening titles), so I was completely unprepared for the ominously dark turn this seemingly light romantic comedy gradually took. It's a perfect example of how not knowing anything about a film ahead of time results in a significantly enhanced viewing experience.

 

THE GAY DIVORCEE (1934)

I always heard about Fred and Ginger in the abstract, but it wasn't until my late night TV viewings that I got a chance to see what all the fuss was about. I instantly fell in love with the music, dancing, and comedic banter. Truly some of the greatest escapist movies of the 1930s. Most folks point to Swing Time or Top Hat as the best Fred and Ginger films, but this is my personal favorite for the great music, wacky plot, thoroughly entertaining supporting cast, and over the top deco set designs.

 

THE BLACK CAT (1934)

Not only do we get to see Lugosi and Karloff together in their prime, but the film itself is a hauntingly beautiful and atmospherically moody work of cinematic art.

 

DETOUR (1945)

One of my all-time favorite noirs. A simple low-budget effort, with a highly effective plot that's elevated to legendary status by an incendiary femme fatale performance from Anne Savage.

 

THEM! (1954)

I absolutely love 1950s science fiction films, the good ones, the bad ones, the cheesy ones, all of them. This is definitely one of the better entries, and probably the best of the giant bug films that permeated the era, featuring a respectable cast, competent production values, and a serviceable attempt at plausibility given its outlandish premise.

 

HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940)

It was a toss up between this and The Philadelphia Story. Both are superb, but I went with His Girl Friday for the witty rapid-fire dialog and impressive performances by the entire cast. I never tire of this truly entertaining film.

 

4. What is a classic movie that you love, but most people don't know about -- and what do you love about it?

The Gangster (1947) with Barry Sullivan, Belita, Akim Tamiroff, and Joan Lorring. I love this film because it's so unexpectedly different from typical crime noirs of the era. Instead of a guns-and-mayhem gangster film, we get an intimate character study of a brooding and lonely mob boss. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a fascinating curiosity that was in many ways, ahead of its time.

 

5. What is something that most people don't know about you?

In addition to classic films, I have a soft spot for old classic radio shows. Just like classic film, it's something I discovered in my youth, thanks to a local radio DJ who played curated episodes one night a week. And now, thanks to the internet, these wonderful radio dramas, mysteries, and comedies can be enjoyed 24/7!

 

Classic film and radio are of course, inextricably linked, since nearly all major movie stars of the era also performed on radio. In addition to making various guest appearances, quite a few film stars had their own radio series, such as Joel McCrea in Tales of the Texas Rangers, Jimmy Stewart in The Six Shooter, Frank Sinatra in Rocky Fortune, Dick Powell in Richard Diamond Private Detective, Brian Donlevy in Dangerous Assignment, Irene Dunne and Fred MacMurray in Bright Star, and Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in Bold Venture. And many stars reprised their film roles in radio adaptations of their latest movies on shows like Academy Award Theater, Lux Radio Theater, Old Gold Comedy Theater, and Screen Director's Playhouse.

In addition to their nostalgic entertainment value, classic radio shows provide an added dimension of insight that can enhance our appreciation of classic film.

----------

We thank Johnny for participating in our Q&A profile and encourage you to visit The Film Noir Report! 

Tweet

CMBA Profile: CLASSIC FILM and TV CORNER

 

Each month, the CMBA profiles a classic movie blog written by one of our members. This month, we are featuring Madeleine (aka "Maddy") Langham, who writes at Classic Film and TV Corner.  

1. Why do you blog?

When I write my articles and reviews I like to think that in the process I am hopefully raising awareness of lesser known/lesser discussed classic era films and series; as well as encouraging people to check out black and white films and non-English language films and TV series.

2. Besides classic movie blogging, what are some of your other passions?

I love reading fiction and non-fiction. I’m also a major history buff, my particular topics of interest include pioneering women; royal history; ancient Egypt and ancient Rome; WW2; the golden age of ocean liners; fashion and female aviators.

3. If you could program a perfect day of classic movies for TCM, what would be the seven films on your schedule?

I wish we had this channel here in the UK. I love their YouTube account where they share their stunning promo trailers and their poignant and beautifully done In Memoriam videos. I would program a day of Japanese films and a day of British films. I do get the impression that the channel overwhelmingly focuses on American films - rather than showing large amounts of films from other countries as well – so it would be nice to introduce American audiences to classic films, directors, actors etc that they’re not familiar with from other countries.  

Japanese Films

Ikiru(1952) Directed by Akira Kurosawa

When A Woman Ascends The Stairs(1960) Directed by Mikio Naruse

Street Of Shame(1956) Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi

Rashomon(1950) Directed by Akira Kurosawa

The Eternal Breasts(1955) The third film from Japan’s second female film director Kinuyo Tanaka. This is a powerful and moving story following a woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer.

Onibaba(1964) Directed by Kaneto Shindo

Late Spring(1949) Directed by Yasujiro Ozu

British Films 

Millions Like Us(1943) Directed by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder

Pool Of London(1951) Directed by Basil Dearden

The Small Back Room(1949) Directed by Michael Powell

The Passionate Friends(1949) Directed by David Lean

My Beautiful Laundrette(1985) Directed by Stephen Frears

Saturday Night And Sunday Morning(1960)Directed by Karel Reisz

Went The Day Well?(1942) Directed by Alberto Cavalcanti

4. What is a classic movie that you love, but most people don't know about -- and what do you love about it?

Shooting Stars(1928). Anthony Asquith’s British Silent film is one of the best films about filmmaking ever made. It’s become my favourite Silent film. I love the performances, the cinematography, and most of all the way that the story plays with us by massively changing direction and becoming much darker and more surprising in its second half. I try and recommend this one to as many people as I can. I don’t know if it’s streaming anywhere, but it has received a beautiful Blu-ray release from the British Film Institute. 

5. What is something that most people don't know about you?

I have recently been published for the first time. I am a contributing author to the book New Waves: 1980s TV In Britain, which is edited by Rodney Marshall. I have written about the groundbreaking series The Gentle Touch (1980-1984), which was the first British series to feature a female police officer as its lead character. 

I am also Autistic. 

-----

We thank Maddy for participating in our Q&A profile and encourage you to visit Classic Film and TV Corner !

Tweet