Anyone who has ever been to San Francisco, especially between the upper ends of Hyde Street and Market Street nearest the Bay, has probably seen (or at least walked over) the bronze compasses that commemorate the Barbary Coast Trail. The Barbary Coast was the stuff of legend in the nineteenth and early twentieth century with … Continue reading In Old San Francisco
Just the Two of Us
It's the Dynamic Duos! Betty Grable and Don Ameche were each icons in their own right. Ameche was a durable lead actor who did everything from drama to comedy to musicals, whether on the screen or on the radio. Betty, was, of course, the A-number one pinup of the Second World War, and a popular … Continue reading Just the Two of Us
Moana Becomes A Man
Have you seen Disney's Moana? I watched it on Netflix a few months ago, and thought it was all kinds of cute and fun. Plus, Moana hasn't worn out its welcome like some films that shall remain nameless (Hint: "Let it go, let it go..."). Also on Netflix is another version of Moana from 1926. Uh huh. Silent. It's always … Continue reading Moana Becomes A Man
All By Himself
From the good to the mad to the lonely. And why shouldn't our hero be lonely? He's the last man in a world full of zombies. At least, that's what he thinks... The sixties and seventies were a funny time in Hollywood. The studios were in transition, and since they were no longer allowed to … Continue reading All By Himself
Monster Mashup
We've seen the good, and now we get to see the mad. The very, very mad. Universal got a lot of mileage out of their monster movie franchises. The granddaddy of the talkie era was, of course, Dracula, originally played to great effect in 1930 by Bela Lugosi and Carlos Villareas (in the Spanish language version). … Continue reading Monster Mashup
I’m From the Government, and I’m Here To Help
It's the Movie Scientist Blogathon! Great Scott! We're looking at good scientists today, and what's better than saving all of mankind from a mysterious bacteria? Remember how the Apollo 11 astronauts were put in a mobile quarantine facility to make sure they didn't bring anything infectious back from the moon? Who hasn't seen the pictures … Continue reading I’m From the Government, and I’m Here To Help
Stage To Screen: The Women
September 1, 1939 was the day the Second World War started. It was also the day the M-G-M film, The Women, premiered to great fanfare. Three years previously, The Women was a successful Broadway play by Clare Boothe Luce, with a respectable six-hundred sixty-six performances to its credit (or six-hundred fifty-seven, if you believe Wikipedia). Directed by George … Continue reading Stage To Screen: The Women
Taking Up Room 