Guest blogger Mark Fertig presents this captivating look at the life and death of a true Hollywood original:
Most people believe Alan Ladd committed suicide, but the details surrounding his death are so convoluted no one can be sure what really happened. History is often guilty of erring on the side of sensationalism — but in Ladd’s case suicide is the logical assumption. In 1962 he was found lying half-dead in a pool of blood with a bullet lodged in his chest. The newspapers bought into the story of an accident, but everyone who knew him believed it was a botched suicide attempt. It really doesn’t matter whether his January 1964 death was intentional or not; Ladd’s life had been in a downward spiral for years — some could say from the moment he broke into the movie business — and it was apparent that he was hell-bent on digging an early grave.
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Jason Marcewicz | Art of the Movies
Six Pix presents a sextet of movie posters representing a particular actor/director/genre. You pick the one you feel is visually the most artistic or best sums up the film.
Posters featuring the city of New York are up for debate in this installment of Six Pix.
George D. Allen and Irv Slifkin | Movie Buzz, Movie Buzz Podcast
It has been said that viewers today are more likely to consume entertainment or informational media that they believe will most likely reinforce their existing biases, rather than look for opposing or challenging points of view. This phenomenon is perhaps easiest to observe in movies when it comes to how people respond to documentaries focused on contentious issues or ideas, but it would be just as possible for a work of fiction to contain ideas, strongly presented, that might have a profound effect on what you believe.
This is a thornier—and maybe more personal—question than Must a Great Movie Have a Happy Ending. With that in mind, let's Ask Movie Irv his opinion on the matter:
Irv's a good sport, answering these tricky questions on the spot. You have a little more time now to consider your own answers. I thought about using variations on this question, like Has a Movie Ever Changed Your Life? (which is a bit more ambitious) and Has a Movie Ever Changed You? (which is a bit more broad and open to interpretation), so feel free to riff on those slightly altered inquiries as well.
This past weekend one of the premium movie cable channels, in a delightfully mordant move, ran a 24-hour Mother's Day marathon of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 salute to filial devotion, Psycho. Now, I've watched Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh and company more times than I can remember (certainly more than 50), but there's one scene about halfway into the picture that I always enjoy. I don't want to give too much away, since there may yet be readers out there (presumably younger ones) who have yet to see the film, so I'll simply say it's when Perkins' Norman Bates is trying to dispose of a car in a handy swamp. As he watches, the auto slowly sinks into the mire...and then suddenly stops, the vehicle's rear sticking out for all to see. A nervous Norman stands on the edge of the marsh, unsure what to do, and we in the audience--in spite of the actions that led up to this moment--start to feel nervous for him, hoping that the car will continue its muck-filled descent and take its incriminating evidence with it.
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Even though summer isn't here for almost a month, the summer movie season is already upon us. With The Avengers currently breaking all sorts of records, I thought it might be fun to see what your favorite blockbusters were.
Jaws? Star Wars? Titanic? Avatar? Which cinematic blockbuster did you find yourself returning to, and why? Let me know in the comments!
Guest blogger Rick 29 writes:
The popularity of Blaxploitation films had already begun to wane by 1974, just three brief years after Shaft made a box office splash. The genre needed a kick and producer Fred Weintraub hoped to provide that--literally--with his urban martial arts film Black Belt Jones. Weintraub and director Robert Clouse were responsible for the previous year's international hit Enter the Dragon, which sealed Bruce Lee's superstardom. Their idea to blend Blaxploitation and kung fu must have seemed like a natural fusion. To ensure a smooth transition, they cast African-American karate champion Jim Kelly, who appeared in Enter the Dragon, in Black Belt Jones.
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Jason Marcewicz | Create-A-Caption
You know the drill. Below is a classic movie photo with Jason’s caption.
You’re encouraged to leave your own suggestion in the comment section below!
Foreign drivers...sheesh.
Guest blogger Fritz presents his views on a classic film favorite in today's guest post:
It's another movie that is usually considered one of the worst winners in the Best Picture Academy Awards category, but I have to admit that Around the World in 80 Days (1956) provides some terrific entertainment, even though it still has various flaws which bring the overall quality down. Considering the possibilities that Jules Verne’s novel offered, Around the World in 80 Days surely took many wrong turns. A lot of times, the movie unfortunately focused on too unimportant details and protracted the movie unnecessarily. And yes, at various moments, the whole production becomes a huge bore, which is certainly shocking considering that this is a story of endless opportunities.
Jay Steinberg | This Week in Film History
May 15, 1900: The Lumiere brothers dazzle audiences at the Paris World's Fair with films projected onto an enormous 82' x 49' wide screen.
May 17, 1912: Carl Laemmle oversees the merger of a number of independent production companies to form Universal Manufacturing Company.
May 18, 1912: The first feature film from what would go on to be a burgeoning cinema industry in India, Pundalik, opens in Bombay.
Chris Cummins | New Releases This Week
It's that time again! Here's a rundown of what new DVD and Blu-ray releases are now available. Check it out, I'm sure there's something here that you'll want to watch!
A reporter (Jean Arthur) assigned to cover a high profile mob trial discovers that she shares an unexpected familial connection to the nightclub owner (Jack Holt) providing the accused with an alibi, in "Whirlpool" (1934). Donald Cook, Allen Jenkins, Lila Lee also star. Arthur and Holt star in "The Defense Rests" (1934), a courtroom drama about a sleazy attorney who persuades his female clients to use their feminine wiles to influence juries. Nat Pendleton, Arthur Hohl co-star. Then, "The Most Precious Thing In Life" (1934) stars Arthur as a cleaning lady at a college who becomes confidante to a young student who turns out to be the son she was separated from years earlier. With Richard Cromwell, Cook. And, a small town's gossip mill nearly ruins the reputation of a local good girl (Arthur) when a misunderstanding leads everyone to wrongly assume she's gotten pregnant out of wedlock, in "Party Wire" (1935). Victor Jory, Helen Lowell, Charley Grapewin, Robert Allen also star.
Jerry Frebowitz | Talkin' the Oldies
They say that the mark of the great ones is that they make their accomplishments look so effortless, and that certainly applies to this inimitably graceful figure who defined the musical film genre for generations with his polish, skill and class. Born in Nebraska on May 10, 1899 to Austrian immigrants, Fred Austerlitz demonstrated a gift for dance even as a small boy tagging along to his big sister Adele's ballet lessons. While still children, the siblings were booked as a vaudeville novelty act, and they polished their craft until obtaining their Broadway break in 1917.
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