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