Above: Us one sheet for Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. Two weeks ago, as the 57th New York Film Festival kicked off, I griped about the uninspiring quality of the posters for the films in the festival’s main slate. 50 years ago it was a very different story. The posters I have found for the 19 films in the 1969 main selection make up a dazzling collection of illustration and forward thinking graphic design, even, or especially, the type-only poster for the only studio film in the festival: Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice which was the opening night film on September 16 (notably a Tuesday evening).Of course, many of these posters might have been made months or even a year after the festival, since we’re looking back with half a century of hindsight, and many of this year’s designs will no doubt be updated, but this was also the era in which...
- 10/11/2019
- MUBI
The Three Stooges Collection –
Volumes 1 and 2
Blu ray
Mill Creek Entertainment
1941-1965 / 1:33, 1:85 / Street Date April 21, 2015
Starring Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Joe DeRita
Cinematography by Franz Planer, Scotty Welbourne, William P. Whitley
Written by Raphael Hayes, Norman Maurer
Directed by Sidney Salkow, Edward Bernds, Norman Maurer
A frenetic mix of baggy-pants vaudeville and the Spanish Inquisition, the eye-poking exploits of The Three Stooges have appalled faint-hearted sophisticates and overprotective mothers for close to a century.
The team’s lowdown influence still lingers – not in the brutal roughhousing demonstrated by the lads in their most frantic moments but in their low class assault on upper class sensibilities – from the semen-sculpted hair-do of the Farrelly Brothers’s There’s Something About Mary to Johnny Knoxville’s Jackass to the mortifying contagion of diarrhea suffered by Paul Feig’s Bridesmaids, the Stooge abides.
And then there’s the Farrelly’s ode to brainlessness,...
Volumes 1 and 2
Blu ray
Mill Creek Entertainment
1941-1965 / 1:33, 1:85 / Street Date April 21, 2015
Starring Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Joe DeRita
Cinematography by Franz Planer, Scotty Welbourne, William P. Whitley
Written by Raphael Hayes, Norman Maurer
Directed by Sidney Salkow, Edward Bernds, Norman Maurer
A frenetic mix of baggy-pants vaudeville and the Spanish Inquisition, the eye-poking exploits of The Three Stooges have appalled faint-hearted sophisticates and overprotective mothers for close to a century.
The team’s lowdown influence still lingers – not in the brutal roughhousing demonstrated by the lads in their most frantic moments but in their low class assault on upper class sensibilities – from the semen-sculpted hair-do of the Farrelly Brothers’s There’s Something About Mary to Johnny Knoxville’s Jackass to the mortifying contagion of diarrhea suffered by Paul Feig’s Bridesmaids, the Stooge abides.
And then there’s the Farrelly’s ode to brainlessness,...
- 4/24/2018
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Matthew Gray Gubler‘s dream of clowning around finally came true — even if it threatens to put a brief dent in the Coulrophobics 18-49 demo.
For this Wednesday’s episode of Criminal Minds (CBS, 10/9c), Spencer Reid’s portrayer stepped behind the camera for an 11th time to spin a tale of two brothers and their frighteningly different approaches to donning funny wigs and make-up.
Here, Gubler talks about tackling the well-trod ground of killer clowns, as well as weighs in on the Bau’s recent roadblock and Reid’s stint as college professor.
Tvline | I was thinking that I...
For this Wednesday’s episode of Criminal Minds (CBS, 10/9c), Spencer Reid’s portrayer stepped behind the camera for an 11th time to spin a tale of two brothers and their frighteningly different approaches to donning funny wigs and make-up.
Here, Gubler talks about tackling the well-trod ground of killer clowns, as well as weighs in on the Bau’s recent roadblock and Reid’s stint as college professor.
Tvline | I was thinking that I...
- 3/21/2018
- TVLine.com
The National Film Registry has made its selections of 25 classic movies for 2017. As usual, it's an eclectic list featuring films from the silent era up to relatively recent years.
Films Selected for the 2017 National Film Registry
(alphabetical order)
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Boulevard Nights (1979)
Die Hard (1988)
Dumbo (1941)
Field of Dreams (1989)
4 Little Girls (1997)
Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)
Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
The Goonies (1985)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street (1905)
La Bamba (1987)
Lives of Performers (1972)
Memento (2000)
Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
The Sinking of the Lusitania (1918)
Spartacus (1960)
Superman (1978)
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988)
Time and Dreams (1976)
Titanic (1997)
To Sleep with Anger (1990)
Wanda (1971)
With the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain (1937-1938
For More Click Here...
Films Selected for the 2017 National Film Registry
(alphabetical order)
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Boulevard Nights (1979)
Die Hard (1988)
Dumbo (1941)
Field of Dreams (1989)
4 Little Girls (1997)
Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)
Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
The Goonies (1985)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street (1905)
La Bamba (1987)
Lives of Performers (1972)
Memento (2000)
Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
The Sinking of the Lusitania (1918)
Spartacus (1960)
Superman (1978)
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988)
Time and Dreams (1976)
Titanic (1997)
To Sleep with Anger (1990)
Wanda (1971)
With the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain (1937-1938
For More Click Here...
- 12/15/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Library of Congress has revealed the 25 films being add to the National Registry this year, which include fan favorites like Die Hard, along with culturally important titles like Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Come inside to check out the full list of movies getting preserved.
While film preservation has progressed greatly over the last several years, getting into the Library of Congress is a great way to ensure a cultural preservation attached to our nation. Every year more films are added and this week we've learned which ones made the cut:
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Boulevard Nights (1979)
Die Hard (1988)
Dumbo (1941)
Field of Dreams (1989)
4 Little Girls (1997)
Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)
Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
The Goonies (1985)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street (1905)
La Bamba (1987)
Lives of Performers (1972)
Memento (2000)
Only Angels Have Wings...
While film preservation has progressed greatly over the last several years, getting into the Library of Congress is a great way to ensure a cultural preservation attached to our nation. Every year more films are added and this week we've learned which ones made the cut:
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Boulevard Nights (1979)
Die Hard (1988)
Dumbo (1941)
Field of Dreams (1989)
4 Little Girls (1997)
Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)
Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
The Goonies (1985)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
Interior New York Subway, 14th Street to 42nd Street (1905)
La Bamba (1987)
Lives of Performers (1972)
Memento (2000)
Only Angels Have Wings...
- 12/15/2017
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Jordan Maison)
- Cinelinx
As you know, at the end of every year, the Library of Congress adds 25 films to the National Film Registry. These are seen as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films” and they will be a protected and preserved part of American history.
There's a great list of films this year that includes a mix of several different kinds of films and it's cool to see there are some timeless classics that made the cut this year. Some of those films include The Goonies, Die Hard, Superman, Memento, Titanic, Dumbo, Spartacus, and more. I provided the full list below. I'm surprised that some of these weren't already added to the registry!
Here’s the full list of 2017 National Film Registry inductees:
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)Boulevard Nights (1979)Die Hard (1988)Dumbo (1941)Field of Dreams (1989)4 Little Girls (1997)Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)The Goonies...
There's a great list of films this year that includes a mix of several different kinds of films and it's cool to see there are some timeless classics that made the cut this year. Some of those films include The Goonies, Die Hard, Superman, Memento, Titanic, Dumbo, Spartacus, and more. I provided the full list below. I'm surprised that some of these weren't already added to the registry!
Here’s the full list of 2017 National Film Registry inductees:
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)Boulevard Nights (1979)Die Hard (1988)Dumbo (1941)Field of Dreams (1989)4 Little Girls (1997)Fuentes Family Home Movies Collection (1920s and 1930s)Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)The Goonies...
- 12/13/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Die Hard, Titanic, The Goonies and Field of Dreams are among the 25 films that have been added to the National Film Registry, the Library of Congress announced Wednesday.
Classic films like 1960's Spartacus, 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, 1947's Gentleman's Agreement and 1951's Ace in the Hole were also named to the registry, which "recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage."
"Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and inform us as individuals...
Classic films like 1960's Spartacus, 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, 1947's Gentleman's Agreement and 1951's Ace in the Hole were also named to the registry, which "recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage."
"Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and inform us as individuals...
- 12/13/2017
- Rollingstone.com
Die Hard, Titanic, The Goonies and Field of Dreams are among the 25 films that have been added to the National Film Registry, the Library of Congress announced Wednesday.
Classic films like 1960's Spartacus, 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, 1947's Gentleman's Agreement and 1951's Ace in the Hole were also named to the registry, which "recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage."
"Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and inform us as individuals...
Classic films like 1960's Spartacus, 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, 1947's Gentleman's Agreement and 1951's Ace in the Hole were also named to the registry, which "recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage."
"Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and inform us as individuals...
- 12/13/2017
- Rollingstone.com
As is annual tradition, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden has announced this year’s 25 film set to join the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. Selected for their “cultural, historic and/or aesthetic importance,” the films picked range from such beloved actioners as “Die Hard,” childhood classic “The Goonies,” the seminal “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” and the mind-bending “Memento,” with plenty of other genres and styles represented among the list.
The additions span 1905 to 2000, and includes Hollywood blockbusters, documentaries, silent movies, animation, shorts, independent, and even home movies. The 2017 selections bring the number of films in the registry to 725.
“The selection of a film to the National Film Registry recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage,” Hayden said in an official statement. “Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and...
The additions span 1905 to 2000, and includes Hollywood blockbusters, documentaries, silent movies, animation, shorts, independent, and even home movies. The 2017 selections bring the number of films in the registry to 725.
“The selection of a film to the National Film Registry recognizes its importance to American cinema and the nation’s cultural and historical heritage,” Hayden said in an official statement. “Our love affair with motion pictures is a testament to their enduring power to enlighten, inspire and...
- 12/13/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Since 1989, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress has been accomplishing the important task of preserving films that “represent important cultural, artistic and historic achievements in filmmaking.” From films way back in 1897 all the way up to 2004, they’ve now reached 725 films that celebrate our heritage and encapsulate our film history.
Today they’ve unveiled their 2017 list, which includes such Hollywood classics as Die Hard, Titanic, and Superman along with groundbreaking independent features like Yvonne Rainer’s Lives of Performers, Charles Burnett’s To Sleep with Anger, and Barbara Loden’s Wanda. Also making this list are a pair of Kirk Douglas-led features, Ace in the Hole and Spartacus, as well as Christopher Nolan’s Memento and more. Check out the full list below and you can watch some films on the registry for free here.
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Based on the infamous...
Today they’ve unveiled their 2017 list, which includes such Hollywood classics as Die Hard, Titanic, and Superman along with groundbreaking independent features like Yvonne Rainer’s Lives of Performers, Charles Burnett’s To Sleep with Anger, and Barbara Loden’s Wanda. Also making this list are a pair of Kirk Douglas-led features, Ace in the Hole and Spartacus, as well as Christopher Nolan’s Memento and more. Check out the full list below and you can watch some films on the registry for free here.
Ace in the Hole (aka Big Carnival) (1951)
Based on the infamous...
- 12/13/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Jim Knipfel Sep 18, 2017
One of the earliest scary clown movies, The Man Who Laughs was also an influence on the creation of Batman villain, The Joker...
Clowns, both creepy and, well, slightly less creepy, were lurking about in the shadows for thousands of years before Stephen King’s evil clown Pennywise shambled along with those sinister red balloons of his. The Egyptians had them, the Greeks had them, the Romans had them. But in the 17th and 18th centuries, an interesting and telling thing happened.
See related The Croods 2 has been cancelled
During the Middle Ages, the clown and the performing freak were essentially one and the same. The jesters and fools who entertained in the royal courts of Europe were usually attired in flamboyant and garish costumes and makeup, and were often physically deformed in some way. After that, however, the two began to tear themselves apart, with the...
One of the earliest scary clown movies, The Man Who Laughs was also an influence on the creation of Batman villain, The Joker...
Clowns, both creepy and, well, slightly less creepy, were lurking about in the shadows for thousands of years before Stephen King’s evil clown Pennywise shambled along with those sinister red balloons of his. The Egyptians had them, the Greeks had them, the Romans had them. But in the 17th and 18th centuries, an interesting and telling thing happened.
See related The Croods 2 has been cancelled
During the Middle Ages, the clown and the performing freak were essentially one and the same. The jesters and fools who entertained in the royal courts of Europe were usually attired in flamboyant and garish costumes and makeup, and were often physically deformed in some way. After that, however, the two began to tear themselves apart, with the...
- 9/13/2017
- Den of Geek
Jim Knipfel Sep 30, 2019
An early scary clown movie, The Man Who Laughs, was also an influence on the creation of Batman villain, The Joker.
Clowns, both creepy and, well, slightly less creepy, were lurking about in the shadows for thousands of years before Stephen King’s It (or for that matter It Chapter Two), and the iconic evil clown Pennywise shambled along with those sinister red balloons of his. The Egyptians had them, the Greeks had them, the Romans had them. But an interesting and telling thing happened in the 17th and 18th centuries.
During the Middle Ages, the clown and the performing freak were essentially one and the same. The jesters and fools who entertained in the royal courts of Europe were usually attired in flamboyant and garish costumes and makeup, and were often physically deformed in some way, which I guess only added to the "hilarity." After that,...
An early scary clown movie, The Man Who Laughs, was also an influence on the creation of Batman villain, The Joker.
Clowns, both creepy and, well, slightly less creepy, were lurking about in the shadows for thousands of years before Stephen King’s It (or for that matter It Chapter Two), and the iconic evil clown Pennywise shambled along with those sinister red balloons of his. The Egyptians had them, the Greeks had them, the Romans had them. But an interesting and telling thing happened in the 17th and 18th centuries.
During the Middle Ages, the clown and the performing freak were essentially one and the same. The jesters and fools who entertained in the royal courts of Europe were usually attired in flamboyant and garish costumes and makeup, and were often physically deformed in some way, which I guess only added to the "hilarity." After that,...
- 9/13/2017
- Den of Geek
Jim Knipfel Sep 5, 2019
With the release of It Chapter Two, we take a look at one of the first creepy clown films.
As a culture, we seriously hate our clowns. A deep-seated and supposedly irrational fear of clowns is so commonplace it’s even been given a scientific name: coulrophobia. It’s hardly a surprise then that angry, axe-wielding or merely creepy clowns would become such a pop cultural mainstay, from The Simpsons and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, and more recently from Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight to Stephen King’s It and It Chapter Two. Back in the day, the video store where I used to work carried (I counted) nineteen clown-themed horror movies, from Killer Klowns From Outer Space to Divine’s last film, Out of the Dark.
Evil Clown comics used to be a regular feature in National Lampoon. The 1928 silent film The Man Who Laughs...
With the release of It Chapter Two, we take a look at one of the first creepy clown films.
As a culture, we seriously hate our clowns. A deep-seated and supposedly irrational fear of clowns is so commonplace it’s even been given a scientific name: coulrophobia. It’s hardly a surprise then that angry, axe-wielding or merely creepy clowns would become such a pop cultural mainstay, from The Simpsons and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, and more recently from Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight to Stephen King’s It and It Chapter Two. Back in the day, the video store where I used to work carried (I counted) nineteen clown-themed horror movies, from Killer Klowns From Outer Space to Divine’s last film, Out of the Dark.
Evil Clown comics used to be a regular feature in National Lampoon. The 1928 silent film The Man Who Laughs...
- 10/4/2016
- Den of Geek
Norma Shearer: The Boss' wife was cast in 'The Divorcee.' Norma Shearer movies on TCM: Early talkies and Best Actress Oscar Note: This Norma Shearer article is currently being revised and expanded. Please Check back later. Norma Shearer, one of the top stars in Hollywood history and known as the Queen of MGM back in the 1930s, is Turner Classic Movies' Star of the Month of Nov. 2015. That's the good news. The not-so-good news is that even though its parent company, Time Warner, owns most of Shearer's movies, TCM isn't airing any premieres. So, if you were expecting to check out a very young Norma Shearer in The Devil's Circus, Upstage, or After Midnight, you're out of luck. (I've seen all three; they're all worth a look.) It's a crime that, music score or no, restored print or no, TCM/Time Warner don't make available for viewing the...
- 11/11/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Flicker Alley's release 0f The House of Mystery (La maison du mystère) restores to light a major movie serial almost lost forever, and allows us again to appreciate the talents of the White Russian filmmakers who greatly energized French filmmaking in the 1920s. In particular, star Ivan Mosjoukine and director Alexander Volkoff, who would also collaborate on Kean (1924) and Casanova (1927) are approaching the height of their powers.The plot is pure melodrama: a mill owner is framed for murder, escapes from a penal colony, and spends years trying to clear his name, while the real killer woos his wife. But the ten episodes use their extended cumulative running time to explore nuances of character rather than to pile on implausible escapes and battles (though there are a few extremely impressive examples of those). The result is a tale of injustice that grips and satisfies, while displaying a highly sophisticated cinematic sense.
- 4/30/2015
- by David Cairns
- MUBI
Day Three of Ebertfest began much like Day Two, with panels at the Illini Union, the first titled “Remembering Roger Ebert” and the second “Film & Cultural Politics”. The former was an hour-long opportunity for the panelists (critics and Far-Flung Correspondents) and the audience to share their memories of and experiences with Ebert and express what he meant to them. Everyone had lovely, very personal stories to tell and the sense of loss, but more importantly love, was palpable in the room.
Krishna Shenoi relayed how he first got to know Ebert, through an out-of-the-blue comment at his blog Shenoi assumed was a prank, and how Ebert’s encouragement prompted his parents to support his decision to enter film school. Matt Zoller Seitz talked about his friendly rivalry with Ebert, as they tried to one-up each other with their discoveries of up and coming bloggers from around the world, Jana Monji...
Krishna Shenoi relayed how he first got to know Ebert, through an out-of-the-blue comment at his blog Shenoi assumed was a prank, and how Ebert’s encouragement prompted his parents to support his decision to enter film school. Matt Zoller Seitz talked about his friendly rivalry with Ebert, as they tried to one-up each other with their discoveries of up and coming bloggers from around the world, Jana Monji...
- 4/26/2014
- by Kate Kulzick
- SoundOnSight
Think silent films reached a high point with The Artist? The pre-sound era produced some of the most beautiful, arresting films ever made. From City Lights to Metropolis, Guardian and Observer critics pick the 10 best
• Top 10 teen movies
• Top 10 superhero movies
• Top 10 westerns
• Top 10 documentaries
• Top 10 movie adaptations
• Top 10 animated movies
• More Guardian and Observer critics' top 10s
10. City Lights
City Lights was arguably the biggest risk of Charlie Chaplin's career: The Jazz Singer, released at the end of 1927, had seen sound take cinema by storm, but Chaplin resisted the change-up, preferring to continue in the silent tradition. In retrospect, this isn't so much the precious behaviour of a purist but the smart reaction of an experienced comedian; Chaplin's films rarely used intertitles anyway, and though it is technically "silent", City Lights is very mindful of it own self-composed score and keenly judged sound effects.
At its heart,...
• Top 10 teen movies
• Top 10 superhero movies
• Top 10 westerns
• Top 10 documentaries
• Top 10 movie adaptations
• Top 10 animated movies
• More Guardian and Observer critics' top 10s
10. City Lights
City Lights was arguably the biggest risk of Charlie Chaplin's career: The Jazz Singer, released at the end of 1927, had seen sound take cinema by storm, but Chaplin resisted the change-up, preferring to continue in the silent tradition. In retrospect, this isn't so much the precious behaviour of a purist but the smart reaction of an experienced comedian; Chaplin's films rarely used intertitles anyway, and though it is technically "silent", City Lights is very mindful of it own self-composed score and keenly judged sound effects.
At its heart,...
- 11/22/2013
- The Guardian - Film News
Apart from the three sneak screening titles that will stir up the buzz in the coming days, Julie Huntsinger and Tom Luddy’s 40th edition of the Telluride Film Festival excels in bringing a concentration of solid docus from the likes of Errol Morris and Werner Herzog who this year cuts the ribbon on a theatre going by his name and introduces Death Row, a pinch of Berlin Film Fest items (Gloria, Slow Food Story, Fifi Howls from Happiness) Palme d’Or winner (this year Abdellatif Kechiche will be celebrated), upcoming Sony Pictures Classics items (Tim’s Vermeer, The Lunchbox), Venice to Telluride to Tiff titles (Bethlehem, Tracks and Under the Skin), the latest Jason Reitman film (Labor Day) and the barely known docu-home-movie whodunit (by helmers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine) The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden which features narration from the likes of Cate Blanchett, Diane Kruger and Connie Nielsen.
- 8/28/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
This week is no laughing matter as we pick out the best clown cameos – from the weepy to the creepy
This week's Clip joint is by Martyn Conterio. Think you can do better? Email your idea for a future Clip joint to adam.boult@guardian.co.uk
The movies have turned the once buffoonish, humble clown into an often monstrous screen entity. If they're not kidnapping victims to eat (à la Killer Klowns From Outer Space) then they're pathetic, mopey sorts "crying on the inside". Coulrophobia, too, goes some way to explain what we can describe as their inherent creepiness and strangeness. After all, aren't these guys supposed to make us laugh with daft antics and pratfalls in the arena of a Big Top?
The clown has appeared in a range of titles: from melodramas to pitch black comedies. The horror film, however, feels the clown's natural home despite giving...
This week's Clip joint is by Martyn Conterio. Think you can do better? Email your idea for a future Clip joint to adam.boult@guardian.co.uk
The movies have turned the once buffoonish, humble clown into an often monstrous screen entity. If they're not kidnapping victims to eat (à la Killer Klowns From Outer Space) then they're pathetic, mopey sorts "crying on the inside". Coulrophobia, too, goes some way to explain what we can describe as their inherent creepiness and strangeness. After all, aren't these guys supposed to make us laugh with daft antics and pratfalls in the arena of a Big Top?
The clown has appeared in a range of titles: from melodramas to pitch black comedies. The horror film, however, feels the clown's natural home despite giving...
- 9/5/2012
- by Guardian readers
- The Guardian - Film News
Alexander Payne is once again an Oscar-nominated director, for his wonderful film The Descendants (still my favorite picture of 2011), but you may not be aware that his love of cinema runs deep. When he agreed to introduce Lon Chaney in He Who Gets Slapped at last year’s San Francisco Silent Film Festival, he talked about his lifelong passion, and his love of silent film, with such eloquence that I later asked if he would allow me to reprint his speech. This seems as good a time as any. Like most of you, I fell in love with silent film as a child, even as my exposure to them, in 1960s and '70s Omaha, was limited. And I’m sure that like many of you, I spent all of my...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...
- 1/30/2012
- by Leonard Maltin
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
Ten Silent Films Anyone Who Liked The Artist Should See
This year's Oscar race got serious when the Golden Globes picked their winners for Best Picture. The Globes haven't always been a good barometer for which film will actually take Best Picture but they do help films garner recognition and additional box office at a critical time of the year. This year's two winners, The Artist for Best Musical or Comedy and The Descendants for Best Drama, were already considered front-runners and although neither is considered a lock at this point, the wins at last weekend's Globes ceremony certainly didn't hurt their chances. Which brings me to a question for the audience. Is The Artist getting attention simply because it is a curiosity or is it really that good? I tend to agree with Brad's review when he suggested that "... 80 or so years ago I don't think it would have...
This year's Oscar race got serious when the Golden Globes picked their winners for Best Picture. The Globes haven't always been a good barometer for which film will actually take Best Picture but they do help films garner recognition and additional box office at a critical time of the year. This year's two winners, The Artist for Best Musical or Comedy and The Descendants for Best Drama, were already considered front-runners and although neither is considered a lock at this point, the wins at last weekend's Globes ceremony certainly didn't hurt their chances. Which brings me to a question for the audience. Is The Artist getting attention simply because it is a curiosity or is it really that good? I tend to agree with Brad's review when he suggested that "... 80 or so years ago I don't think it would have...
- 1/25/2012
- by Bill Cody
- Rope of Silicon
In the first part of a new series, Zoe takes a look back at the history of MGM, one of Hollywood’s oldest and most notable studios...
Studios have come and gone since the birth of cinema, and the film business is an unpredictable one, as the history of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer reveals. Founded in 1924, its name conjures up images of lavish musicals, sweeping historical epics, glamorous stars and its mascot, Leo the lion.
It’s fair to say that MGM is one of the most famous and influential studios in Hollywood, and certainly one of the most iconic studios to come out of American film industry. But where did it all begin?
The story begins in the early 1920s. Vaudeville, previously one of the most popular forms of entertainment, is beginning to dwindle, as movies capture the public’s imagination. Enter Marcus Loew, a theatre chain owner. What Loew wanted was...
Studios have come and gone since the birth of cinema, and the film business is an unpredictable one, as the history of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer reveals. Founded in 1924, its name conjures up images of lavish musicals, sweeping historical epics, glamorous stars and its mascot, Leo the lion.
It’s fair to say that MGM is one of the most famous and influential studios in Hollywood, and certainly one of the most iconic studios to come out of American film industry. But where did it all begin?
The story begins in the early 1920s. Vaudeville, previously one of the most popular forms of entertainment, is beginning to dwindle, as movies capture the public’s imagination. Enter Marcus Loew, a theatre chain owner. What Loew wanted was...
- 1/10/2012
- Den of Geek
The Phantom Carriage (1921)
Directed by Victor Sjostrom
Written by Selma Lagerlof and Victor Sjostrom
Cinematography by Julius Jaenzon
For many, the tired face and defeated body of Victor Sjostrom became synonymous with mortality in Ingmar Bergman’s pivotal film, Wild Strawberries. Few know that he was not only Bergman’s mentor but one of cinema’s greatest filmmakers. For Bergman, there was no greater film than Sjostrom’s The Phantom Carriage and he would revisit it yearly, often on a summer day, losing himself in it’s angst and plays of light.
There are many similarities between Wild Strawberries and The Phantom Carriage. The most obvious being the central force of Sjostrom, who not only directs The Phantom Carriage but stars in it as well. Both are about men hardened by life, forced to confront and reflect upon their empty existence. Sjostrom plays a much younger man in his own film,...
Directed by Victor Sjostrom
Written by Selma Lagerlof and Victor Sjostrom
Cinematography by Julius Jaenzon
For many, the tired face and defeated body of Victor Sjostrom became synonymous with mortality in Ingmar Bergman’s pivotal film, Wild Strawberries. Few know that he was not only Bergman’s mentor but one of cinema’s greatest filmmakers. For Bergman, there was no greater film than Sjostrom’s The Phantom Carriage and he would revisit it yearly, often on a summer day, losing himself in it’s angst and plays of light.
There are many similarities between Wild Strawberries and The Phantom Carriage. The most obvious being the central force of Sjostrom, who not only directs The Phantom Carriage but stars in it as well. Both are about men hardened by life, forced to confront and reflect upon their empty existence. Sjostrom plays a much younger man in his own film,...
- 12/19/2011
- by Justine
- SoundOnSight
Part of a series by David Cairns on forgotten pre-Code films.
Edward L. Cahn—how shall I sing your praises? Perhaps before seeing this film I wouldn't have bothered, though It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) is a genuinely exciting sci-fi horror, and a clear precursor to Alien. Apart from that, Cahn seems to resemble W. Lee Wilder (Billy Wilder's idiot brother), in that he was capable of semi-decent Z-grade noirs, but concentrated much of his attention on science fiction, a genre he seemed to have no understanding of and nothing but contempt for. Cahn's Invisible Invaders (1959) may safely be recommended to anybody who likes really, really stupid movies. Movies so stupid they forget to breath.
Above: The chain gang chorus line—a surprisingly uncommon trope.
But decades earlier, things were different. Cahn was already churning out several quickies a year, with snap-brimmed titles like Homicide Squad (1931) and Radio Patrol (1932). The difference was,...
Edward L. Cahn—how shall I sing your praises? Perhaps before seeing this film I wouldn't have bothered, though It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) is a genuinely exciting sci-fi horror, and a clear precursor to Alien. Apart from that, Cahn seems to resemble W. Lee Wilder (Billy Wilder's idiot brother), in that he was capable of semi-decent Z-grade noirs, but concentrated much of his attention on science fiction, a genre he seemed to have no understanding of and nothing but contempt for. Cahn's Invisible Invaders (1959) may safely be recommended to anybody who likes really, really stupid movies. Movies so stupid they forget to breath.
Above: The chain gang chorus line—a surprisingly uncommon trope.
But decades earlier, things were different. Cahn was already churning out several quickies a year, with snap-brimmed titles like Homicide Squad (1931) and Radio Patrol (1932). The difference was,...
- 12/15/2011
- MUBI
Below you will find a list of movie that Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright has never seen. Not long ago Wright went out and asked his friends and fans to recommend some movies they thought he may have missed over the last thirty years of his life. He got recommendations from Quentin Tarantino, Daniel Waters, Bill Hader, John Landis, Guillermo Del Toro, Joe Dante, Judd Apatow, Joss Whedon, Greg Mottola, Schwartzman, Doug Benson, Rian Johnson, Larry Karaszeski, Josh Olson, Harry Knowles and hundreds of fans on this blog.
From these recommendations, Wright created a master list of recommended films that were frequently mentioned. The director now wants the fans to choose which of the films on the list he should watch on the big screen.
Wright is holding a film event at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles called Films Edgar Has Never Seen.
From these recommendations, Wright created a master list of recommended films that were frequently mentioned. The director now wants the fans to choose which of the films on the list he should watch on the big screen.
Wright is holding a film event at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles called Films Edgar Has Never Seen.
- 10/18/2011
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
Edgar Wright's latest epic project [1] has him partnering with Quentin Tarantino, Judd Apatow, Joss Whedon, Bill Hader, Guillermo Del Toro, Joe Dante, Greg Mottola, Harry Knowles, Rian Johnson and, probably, several of you. Like all of us, Wright has a bunch of classic and cult films he's never seen. Unlike all of us, he has the means to see them for the first time on the big screen and will do just that in December [2] at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles during Films Edgar Has Never Seen. The director of Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World asked both his famous friends (some of which are listed above) and fans to send in their personal must see lists and, from those titles, Wright came up with one mega list from which he'll pick a few movies to watch December 9-16. After the jump check...
- 10/18/2011
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
Lon Chaney on TCM: He Who Gets Slapped, The Unknown, Mr. Wu Get ready for more extreme perversity in West of Zanzibar (1928), as Chaney abuses both Warner Baxter and Mary Nolan, while the great-looking Mr. Wu (1927) offers Chaney as a Chinese creep about to destroy the life of lovely Renée Adorée — one of the best and prettiest actresses of the 1920s. Adorée — who was just as effective in her few early talkies — died of tuberculosis in 1933. Also worth mentioning, the great John Arnold was Mr. Wu's cinematographer. I'm no fan of Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), or The Phantom of the Opera (1925), but Chaney's work in them — especially in Hunchback — is quite remarkable. I mean, his performances aren't necessarily great, but they're certainly unforgettable. Chaney's leading ladies — all of whom are in love with younger, better-looking men — are Loretta Young (Laugh, Clown, Laugh), Patsy Ruth Miller...
- 8/15/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Lon Chaney, He Who Gets Slapped Lon Chaney is one of the most fascinating movie stars in film history. Throughout the 1920s, Chaney was one the biggest box-office draws the world over despite what could kindly be described as an unhandsome face — one that was often disguised by heavy layers of makeup to make him look ancient, deformed, Chinese, female, etc. His roles usually fell into two categories: total fiends, or fiends and semi-fiends in love/lust with or protective of some pretty young thing or other. On Monday, August 15, Turner Classic Movies will be showing 15 Lon Chaney movies, in addition to the reconstructed — by way of stills — London After Midnight (1927), perhaps the most talked about lost film ever. TCM will also present the premiere of the 1922 version of Oliver Twist, directed by future Oscar winner Frank Lloyd (Cavalcade, Mutiny on the Bounty), and starring Chaney as Fagin, The Kid's Jackie Coogan as Oliver,...
- 8/15/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Marlene Dietrich in Kurt Bernhardt's The Woman Men Yearn For Among the silent-film classics to be featured at this year's San Francisco Silent Film Festival are Victor Sjöström's He Who Gets Slapped (1924), starring Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer, and John Gilbert in the newly founded MGM studios' first production; five-time Oscar nominee Clarence Brown's The Goose Woman (1925), starring Louise Dresser and Constance Bennett, and which was recently restored by UCLA; and William Desmond Taylor's Huckleberry Finn (1920). Taylor's 1922 murder — unsolved to this day — was one of the major scandals that rocked Hollywood in the early '20s. Other festival highlights include [...]...
- 5/24/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Fellow monster fans, there’s a disturbing fact we must face around the same time each year: Few gift buyers immediately associate the post-Halloween holidays with horror movies! The everyday shopper can therefore be forgiven for not realizing that you’d be especially thrilled to receive one of your favorite chiller classics (past or present) in your stocking, or that mega-size gift set under the tree.
So, in the spirit of the holidays, I’m here to help you out and provide a service to relatives, longtime companions, and any other colleagues, best pals, or associates eager to please their beast fiends. If you don’t already own at least one of the following 10 fright-acular films, you may feel free to forward this post to all those concerned.
I’m going to endeavor to avoid some of most obvious of gift items. We all know that the Alien Quadrilogy has...
So, in the spirit of the holidays, I’m here to help you out and provide a service to relatives, longtime companions, and any other colleagues, best pals, or associates eager to please their beast fiends. If you don’t already own at least one of the following 10 fright-acular films, you may feel free to forward this post to all those concerned.
I’m going to endeavor to avoid some of most obvious of gift items. We all know that the Alien Quadrilogy has...
- 12/6/2010
- by Movies Unlimited
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
By Doug Gerbino
The Warner Archive Collection released six rare Lon Chaney, Sr. films on October 26 -- five silents and one talkie (his one and only talkie). The films are He Who Gets Slapped (1924); The Monster and The Unholy Three (both 1925); Mr. Wu and Mockery (both 1927); and The Unholy 3 (1930), the sound remake of the 1925 film with a numerical title and a different ending. Lon Chaney, Sr. was a fascinating actor. It's a shame that he is pigeon-holed as a horror star. This is due to the over-availability of two of his most famous films: Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and Phantom of the Opera (1925/29). The fact that these two films are public domain has made them the most widely available of his movies. Within recent years, Warner Home Video has been releasing some of Chaney's MGM films. In 2003, Warner Home Video and TCM released The Lon Chaney Collection, which contained three films: The Aces of Hearts,...
The Warner Archive Collection released six rare Lon Chaney, Sr. films on October 26 -- five silents and one talkie (his one and only talkie). The films are He Who Gets Slapped (1924); The Monster and The Unholy Three (both 1925); Mr. Wu and Mockery (both 1927); and The Unholy 3 (1930), the sound remake of the 1925 film with a numerical title and a different ending. Lon Chaney, Sr. was a fascinating actor. It's a shame that he is pigeon-holed as a horror star. This is due to the over-availability of two of his most famous films: Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and Phantom of the Opera (1925/29). The fact that these two films are public domain has made them the most widely available of his movies. Within recent years, Warner Home Video has been releasing some of Chaney's MGM films. In 2003, Warner Home Video and TCM released The Lon Chaney Collection, which contained three films: The Aces of Hearts,...
- 11/7/2010
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Eleanor Boardman, John Gilbert in King Vidor‘s Bardelys the Magnificent John Gilbert on TCM: The Big Parade, Flesh And The Devil Schedule (Pt) and synopses from the TCM website: 3:00 Am Busher, The (1919) In this silent film, a minor-league baseball player gets his shot at the big leagues. Cast: Charles Ray, Colleen Moore, John Gilbert. Dir: Jerome Storm. Bw-55 mins. 4:00 Am He Who Gets Slapped (1924) In this silent film, a scientist flees his tragic past to become a circus clown. Cast: Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer, John Gilbert. Dir: Victor Seastrom. Bw-72 mins. 5:30 Am Merry Widow, The (1925) In this silent film, a European nobleman courts the wealthy American widow he once loved to save his bankrupt homeland, Cast: Mae Murray, John Gilbert, Tully Marshall. Dir: Erich von Stroheim. Bw-137 mins. 8:00 Am Show, The (1927) In this silent film, a sideshow dancer secretly loves the show’s amoral barker.
- 8/24/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Renée Adorée, John Gilbert in King Vidor‘s The Big Parade (top); John Gilbert, Greta Garbo in Clarence Brown‘s Flesh and the Devil (bottom) John Gilbert on TCM: Queen Christina, Downstairs Here are my top recommendations for John Gilbert Day (in addition to Queen Christina, mentioned in the previous post): Victor Sjöström‘s touching, poetic He Who Gets Slapped (1924), which features my favorite Lon Chaney performance as a clown with a past — no, Chaney doesn’t play a politician; he’s a real circus clown. Both Gilbert and Norma Shearer are flawless in less demanding but just as memorable roles. Erich von Stroheim‘s The Merry Widow (1925), a megablockbuster that solidified Gilbert’s superstardom along with King Vidor‘s The Big Parade, released that same year. Mae Murray shines in the title role, while von Stroheim adds some welcome kinky touches. (C’mon, TCM, I know you have...
- 8/24/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
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