What’s the best Christmas film? This is a subject that always causes much debate around this time of the year. We asked frequent MovieFanFare contributor Rick Armstrong what he felt the best Yuletide flicks are. His responses may surprise you….
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Rock Hudson Gets Caught in an “Avalanche”
A 3.7 rating (out of 10) on the IMDb and a 7% (out of 100%) audience score on Rotten Tomatoes might lead one to believe that a movie may be a turkey. Yet, there’s always that “may” and, besides, I’m a…
Read more →Fairs, Carnivals, and Amusement Parks in Classic Movies
Fairs on film have evoked a nostalgic atmosphere of Americana, as typified by the three film versions of State Fair. Will Rogers starred in the original 1933 film about a family’s adventures at the Iowa State Fair, but the 1945…
Read more →Elevators in Classic Movies
“Take the stairs! Take the stairs! For God’s sake, take the stairs!” proclaimed the ad line to 1984’s The Lift. In general, that’s advice that should be heeded by most film characters. Angie Dickinson played a housewife that was brutally…
Read more →My Break Up with “Manhattan”
For most of my adult life, I’ve listed Manhattan as possibly my favorite Woody Allen film. It made that much of an impression when I saw it in 1980. Hence, I was enthused about a recent opportunity to view it…
Read more →Don’t Run and Hide from This Monster, “Swamp Thing” Is Here to Save You!
Government agent Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau) is sent to the swamp, where Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise) is working on a top secret experiment. Dr. Holland shows Alice a vegetable cell with animal DNA, telling her that his purpose is…
Read more →Seven Things to Know About Errol Flynn
In today’s guest post, Rick Armstrong reveals some fascinating secrets about the life and career of Errol Flynn that you may not have known! 1. According to Errol’s autobiography, My Wicked, Wicked Ways, he once worked on a ranch where…
Read more →Breakheart Pass: Murder on the Western Express
A murder mystery set aboard a train cruising through snow-covered mountains? Add Charles Bronson and an Old West setting and you’ve got Breakheart Pass. As discussed previously at this blog, I’m a big fan of mixed genres and, in particular,…
Read more →The Five Best Doris Day Performances
1. Lover Come Back (1961) – Doris Day wasn’t just a fine comedienne–she was an outstanding comic actress. Yes, she generates plenty of laughs in Lover Come Back, but she also makes her character believable. That’s why it’s so funny…
Read more →Sean Connery Stages “The Great Train Robbery”
In addition to writing bestselling novels like Jurassic Park and The Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton also found time to moonlight as a film director. One of his most successful efforts was The Great Train Robbery (1979), based on his own…
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