On the road again... Few Golden Age comedy teams have worn better than Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Bob was the zany comic. Bing was the suave crooner who always got the girl. Whenever these guys were together they played off each other, they trolled each other, and they had a ball. Thankfully for those … Continue reading Morocco Bound
And Then There Was Agatha Christie
Building a mystery... One of the first Agatha Christie films I ever saw was 1945's And Then There Were None. It's got an all-star cast and an effective bait-and-switch structure that I would hate to spoil, so it's probably best to just dive right in without much of a build-up. Here we go... The movie opens … Continue reading And Then There Was Agatha Christie
One Week Until the Fourth Broadway Bound Blogathon
(Yes, that's Christopher Plummer, rest his soul.) Seven days, now, friends. Seven days until the curtain rises, those coveted shiny statuettes get one last polish, and we go back to Broadway. Who else is getting excited? I know I am--I think we're going to have another fun event this year. Our Broadway has a mighty … Continue reading One Week Until the Fourth Broadway Bound Blogathon
We Are Mishpokhe
Eh, what's up, Doc? Few studios are as influential as Warner Bros. Over its long history it's pioneered sound film, refused to tiptoe around the Nazis or any other pressing social issue, and has never shied away from presenting a grittier, more realistic view of life. What's amazing is that its history is largely unknown. … Continue reading We Are Mishpokhe
Oh, It’s You, Mr. Lee
Hello, all... One of the interesting things about Sir Christopher Lee is that he never turned his nose up at a good part whether it was large or small, and over the course of his career he amassed quite a selection of bit roles in various films and TV shows. There wasn't a lot of … Continue reading Oh, It’s You, Mr. Lee
Reading Rarities: Irish Americans
Most of my family came from Ireland, although we're still unearthing the details of what parts they hailed from. So far we know my paternal grandpa's ancestors were Irish Catholics from Wexford (yes, just like the Kennedys), but that's about it. The story that I've always gotten about my mom's side of the family is … Continue reading Reading Rarities: Irish Americans
My Favorite Movies By Decade
Rick's annual National Classic Movie Day 'dos have been part of things on Taking Up Room from the get-go, and every year we film bloggers always wait with bated breath to see what angle we'll be working. Whatever it is, we all know it's going to agitate the brain cells nicely because it often involves … Continue reading My Favorite Movies By Decade
Those Who Wish Me Dead (A Mostly Spoiler-Free Review)
Wow. Those Who Wish Me Dead is a ride. Once it gets going, anyway. The main character is smoke-jumper Hannah (Jolie), the baddest of the bad. She parachutes off the backs of pickup trucks even though she's knows she isn't supposed to. She's too cool to join the guys in a game of cornhole, but then she … Continue reading Those Who Wish Me Dead (A Mostly Spoiler-Free Review)
Not My Son
Angelina Jolie has a new movie coming out tomorrow, Those Who Wish Me Dead. Ordinarily I'd do an Origins post but I'm just not feeling it this time. I do, however, have a germ of an idea forming, which I'll share in a bit. In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to look back at … Continue reading Not My Son
Take Me To Your Leader
Drum roll, please... Remember when chinoiserie was huge in the late nineties and early 2000s? It's always been a thing in Western culture, but it seemed like it was in every magazine and fashion trend in some way at the turn of the twentieth-first century. Of course, those of us who were around then remember … Continue reading Take Me To Your Leader
I Have A Patreon Account
Yes, you read that right: I broke down and got a Patreon. This was not something I would have originally planned on, since a blogger's budget is generally pretty small, if we have a budget at all. It's not as if we're always buying new cameras or plane tickets or something. Maybe this is my … Continue reading I Have A Patreon Account
Stage To Screen: Girl Crazy
Amazing as their music is, a lot of George and Ira Gershwin's musicals aren't presented today in their original forms, and while Girl Crazy is no different, it has stayed more intact than the vast majority of its mates, at least in terms of its music. Girl Crazy marked the debut of such classics as "I Got … Continue reading Stage To Screen: Girl Crazy
Roger Christian’s Lost Film
"Lost media" is an intriguing phrase. Even Star Wars has its share of lost media, of course. It also has media that should be lost but isn't. The cringe-y, kitschy Holiday Special, for instance, would not be missed if it suddenly disappeared from YouTube, but that's another story for another time. The 1980 short, Black Angel was … Continue reading Roger Christian’s Lost Film
One Month Until the Fourth Broadway Bound Blogathon
Broadway calls, people. Thirty-one days and counting. We're off book, our shows are blocked, and things are coming together. In one month the curtain will rise and the show will begin. And this year we've got an awards show to get to, so we'll also need to get dressed to the nines. Tie those bow … Continue reading One Month Until the Fourth Broadway Bound Blogathon
Taking Up Room 