Guest blogger Blair Kramer writes:
Nope. There was no such animal. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was a total fabrication. But you sure coulda' fooled me when I was 10! And that's precisely what special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen did!
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Today's guest post from Priscilla presents a look at the 1939 film classic Another Thin Man:
Another Thin Man was made as part of the enormously successful Thin Man Series, which spanned 13 years with six movies. It capitalized on the delectable pairing of William Powell with Myrna Loy, an on-screen couple who had set American movie-going hearts on fire.
The combination was truly perfect. Powell's debonairness, distinguished good looks, incomparable voice, and jolly personality with Loy's sophisticated beauty, gut-instinct comedic timing, and quick wit gave audiences a pair who appeared to be the most genuinely in love, sincerely married, and perfectly matched couple in the history of the world. Under the direction of W.S. Van Dyke (mostly) with a fantastic screenplay based on top-rate literature, the Thin Man Series was a masterpiece waiting to happen.
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Guest blogger ClassicBecky writes:
In May of 1944 the United States was embroiled in the dark days of World War II. After 2 ½ years of war, grief and fear of the future, American audiences chose as their favorite movie a little film which helped them remember what life is ultimately about -- love of God, love of people, humor in the midst of difficulty, ordinary human beings living each day as it comes. Going My Way was a Paramount film directed by Leo McCarey. McCarey was known mostly for his comedies before the 1940s, working with such greats as the Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields and Mae West. During the '40s, McCarey became increasingly concerned about the needs of people struggling with wartime difficulties, as well as social injustice against the economically disadvantaged.
Guest blogger Marsha writes:
Once upon a time, when I was a very obnoxious teenager with pseudo-intellectual pretensions, I made my father throw his napkin at me at the dinner table. Dad had come home after a hard day's work as a mechanic and I had come home from a hard day with Shakespeare. As I was rhapsodizing over the macaroni and cheese about the beauty of Shakespeare's words (my Mom was a willing listener), my Father grumbled, "what's so great about Shakespeare? I don't think he was so much." Insufferable little brat that I was, I said something to the effect that "there's nothing wrong with Shakespeare. You just can't appreciate him." Hence the flying napkin.
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Guest blogger Kim Wilson writes:
Who runs Washington? How does one become a congressperson, a senator, or the president? These questions were asked in 1939—and are still being asked today. Americans would like to think that idealists like Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) go to D.C. to serve the best interests of those they represent. Yet, in reality, few idealists ever get to Washington, and if they do get there they are quickly disillusioned by the political process. Most rational Americans today know that the political process has been corrupted, but I’m not quite so sure that people were so aware of what happened in Washington back in 1939—the year this film, like so many other classics, hit the silver screen.
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Drive the 2011 neo-noir film starring Ryan Gosling is reviewed by guest blogger Mark Fertig:
It isn’t often that such a classicly rendered film noir hits the mainstream. Make no mistake about what Drive is and isn’t: it isn’t an L.A. Confidential-style period piece, nor is it a tribute like Walter Hill’s 1978 cult classic The Driver (though it certainly winks at that film in many obvious ways), and it isn’t a Quentin Tarantino-esque retread of drive-in pulp either. Drive is an exhilarating crime picture — one that marks the continued maturation of an important young director and one that will inevitably push Ryan Gosling’s star one step higher on Hollywood’s A-list. And although much of its appeal owes to the powerfully original filmmaking of director Nicolas Winding Refn (Valhalla Rising, the Pusher trilogy), it’s not an unconventional film, nor is it one that ignores its classic Hollywood.
Guest blogger Nathanael Hood writes:
In hindsight, it's a little unfair that The Longest Day was destined to be released in 1962, the same year as David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia. As a result, The Longest Day will always be overshadowed by the film that is said to be one of the greatest film epics of all time. And, really, that isn't fair. The Longest Day is one of the most ambitious and massive films ever produced by Hollywood. The film sported five screenwriters and a whopping six directors. The result: one of the finest war films ever made about World War Two. It seems inevitable that history will remember Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan as the definitive film about the D-Day Normandy landings. However, while Saving Private Ryan focused on a very small group of soldiers, The Longest Day encompasses the entirety of the forces involved in that terrible battle. The filmmakers brought in military consultants, many of whom actually fought during D-Day, from both the Allied and Axis camps. It is estimated that 23,000 troops were brought in from the American, British, and French armed forces for shoting. Darryl F. Zanuck, the principle director, effectively commanded more “soldiers” than any general did during the invasion. The film poster boasts 42 international stars, including John Wayne, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, and Robert Mitchum. It cost $10,000,000 to make, earning it the title of most expensive black-and-white film ever made until 1993 and the release of Schindler's List.
Guest blogger Dan Slaten writes
While it's true that romantic comedies are primarily targeted towards women, not all romantic comedies are "chick flicks." In fact, there are quite a few romantic comedies that appeal to men as much, if not more, than they do to women. Here are five of the best such movies that guys can watch by themselves without feeling bad about it.
Why does this adult fairy tale appeal to guys so much? First: fencing. Guys love sword fights. Even in this day and age where swords are pretty much irrelevant, guys still love watching a good sword fight. Why do you think Star Wars is so popular? Sword fights and spaceships. Of course, there aren't any spaceships in The Princess Bride, but there are plenty of other things that appeal to guys, like cliffs of insanity, fireswamps, and a pit of despair. The villains, a douchebag prince and his six-fingered friend, are great, too. Plus there's all that stuff about Wuv, Twue Wuv. The story is so good that even young Fred Savage, whose grandfather (Peter Falk) is reading the story of The Princess Bride to him within the movie, warms up to the kissing parts before the movie ends.
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Guest blogger Alyson Krier writes:
As one of the most delightful screwball comedies of the 1930s, Bringing Up Baby has been enjoyed by generations and all ages. Directed by Howard Hawks, it is the story of befuddled boy meets impulsive girl and she gets in the way of his museum’s grant for one million dollars. Not the best way to capture his heart. But she can keep him beside her if he thinks that she is in danger from a leopard in her apartment. Don’t worry, Baby is as docile as a kitten...I hope.
The boy in question is Dr. David Huxley (Cary Grant in thick glasses). We meet him contemplating high in the air next to a brontosaurus skeleton. He is engaged to marry Miss Alice Swallow (Virginia Walker) tomorrow and their match seems less than romantic. She clearly states that, “Our marriage must contain no domestic entanglements of any kind.” Looks like all work and no play coming up for David.
Guest blogger Allen Hefner recently contacted MovieFanFare with this article he wrote about the various actors of Double Indemnity:
No one can argue that Double Indemnity (1944) is not a wonderful film noir classic. It is the very definition of the genre. The only thing I didn't like about the film is Barbara Stanwyck as a blonde, and I don't think I'm alone. According to legend, director Billy Wilder realized his mistake in assigning her the wig, but it was too late in production to go back and reshoot. A story was later brought forward to say that he wanted that look to underline the sleaziness of the character. I doubt that story. Stanwyck’s portrayal was much more intelligent than that.
But I don't want to discuss the stars here. Leads Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray and Edward G. Robinson don't need any of my words. Who else was part of making this film so good? Let’s look at the Bit Parts.
Guest blogger Laura G. writes:
Angel and the Badman (1947) is one of my very favorite John Wayne movies, one which I revisit on a regular basis.
The movie is a simple tale about gunslinger Quirt Evans (Wayne) who is wounded and nursed back to health by a family of Quaker farmers, including beautiful Penny (Gail Russell), who falls in love with Quirt at first sight.
Penny is disarmingly honest with Quirt about her feelings for him, and though at first he struggles against it, Penny's steadfast love and her family's kindness gradually convince Quirt to embrace a new life...if his past doesn't catch up with him.
For those still shortsighted enough to assert that Wayne wasn't much of an actor, I would argue that all one has to do to know the truth about Wayne's acting ability is actually watch his movies. At least half of Wayne's performance in this film was conveyed without dialogue -- his eyes and face are incredibly expressive. There's a wonderful scene where he holds off a trio of bad guys with his steely gaze and an unloaded gun; he also has some quiet comedic moments where he's baffled either by Penny or his own growing feelings for her. I think it's one of his best performances. Wayne was also the film's producer.
Guest blogger Rory B. writes:
I love James Cagney because he played gangsters but also danced. He was flirty with a love for life but a tinge of pathos. In real life he was married to one woman for 64 years. He was that perfect combo of artistic, sensitive, and bad boy. He was reported to be faithful to his wife but almost cheated with actress Merle Oberon. If he had cheated with Merle, I’d forgive him for good taste. If you are going to cheat one time, the exquisite Merle Oberon is the way to go. Heck, I’d consider cheating on my spouse with Merle!
