Our fourth Shamedown, all. I can't believe May first is TOMORROW. Anywhoo, if anyone would like to find out what a Shamedown is, Cinema Shame's 2023 announcement post can be found here. Past 2023 Shamedowns can be found here. All righty, here we go... Ever heard of Victor Jory? He's probably best known as the … Continue reading Shamedown #4: Streamline Express
Hitch Films A Play
Good evening... Ever heard of Juno and the Paycock? Any Irish people reading this probably have, but the rest of us, not so much. I hadn't, either, although I've owned the movie for a couple of decades or so. That's what I get for buying a Hitchcock collection sight unseen from the bargain bin at Wal-Mart, … Continue reading Hitch Films A Play
When MTV Does Sci-fi
Cue the ghosts of future past... MTV has turned out some pretty memorable movies but they're not always memorable for the same reasons. There's 2001's Save the Last Dance, with all its ballet-meets-hiphop coolness. There's 2004's Napoleon Dynamite with its endlessly quotable kitsch. There's the unbelievably low-key 2006 movie, Broken Bridges starring Toby Keith, Burt Reynolds, Kelly Preston … Continue reading When MTV Does Sci-fi
Van and Judy
We are now entering the Shane universe... The one and only time Van Heflin worked with Judy Garland in any significant capacity was on the 1943 film, Presenting Lily Mars, a light fun comedy that showed both actors to their best advantages and sometimes unexpected ones. Lily Mars (Judy Garland) is a native of Midhaven, Indiana … Continue reading Van and Judy
Announcing the Betty Grable Blogathon!
The Second World War saw tons of pinup girls, and I mean tons (we'll talk about this more on another day), but no one topped Betty Grable. Well, Rita Hayworth came very close, but even she didn't get past Betty. Grable was born on December 18, 1916 in St. Louis and was thrust into show business by … Continue reading Announcing the Betty Grable Blogathon!
During World War Two: William Wyler
William Wyler was born Willi Wyler on July 1, 1902 in Mülhausen in the Alsace-Lorraine region of what used to be Germany and is now France. He was initially not supposed to work in movies, as his apparent destiny was to inherit his father's haberdashery business. His training included college in Paris and a job … Continue reading During World War Two: William Wyler
The Seen On the Screen Blogathon: Wrapup
Hi, all! We have come to the end of our blogathon scrapbook of all of your familiar locales, and all of you have risen to the challenge in interesting and fun ways. I'm still working through your posts, of course, but look forward to reading the rest of them. Thank you, thank you, thank you … Continue reading The Seen On the Screen Blogathon: Wrapup
Hollywood Comes To Auburn
Off we go... Placer County is no stranger to the film business. Not to brag, but Hollywood has loved our scenery since the silent era. Charlie Chaplin, of course, filmed The Gold Rush in Truckee. Nike, when much wiser and more daring heads prevailed in the PR department, used Foresthill Bridge for the bungee-jumping scene … Continue reading Hollywood Comes To Auburn
The Seen On the Screen Blogathon Has Arrived
We're here, guys, and we're about to go places this weekend! Can't believe this blogathon has come already, because I feel like I just announced this thing and 2023 is flying by. As usual, if anyone's coming in late and wants to join us, because impulse trips are a thing sometimes, please let me know. … Continue reading The Seen On the Screen Blogathon Has Arrived
Different Year, Different Weirdness
The weirdness is back, bay-bee, and since my last go-round I've been dubbed the Queen of the Bad Movie by Michael of the wonderful Maniacs and Monsters blog, a title I wear proudly because Michael and his co-writer, Andrew are well-acquainted with weirdness themselves. So yeah, thank you, Michael. 🙂 Now, with the title comes … Continue reading Different Year, Different Weirdness
One Week Until the Seen On the Screen Blogathon
Seven days left, all, and I don't know about you, but I'm getting excited because we're gonna be going all kinds of places. Thanks once again to everyone who's signed up, and as usual, if anyone would like to join us, there's plenty of room, so just drop me a line and we'll get you … Continue reading One Week Until the Seen On the Screen Blogathon
Page To Screen: Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is a very personal heroine who, once encountered, is hard to forget, and everyone has their own ideas as to how she should be portrayed. The proof is in the dozens of film and TV movies made about her over the past century (see a complete list here). For those who might not … Continue reading Page To Screen: Jane Eyre
We’re All In This Together
I've heard things about Sunday School Musical, and when I found it on Tubi, curiousity got the better of me, not that there's much to ruin about the movie. Simply put, it is both a nostalgia hit and a train wreck, so averting the eyes is impossible, and anyway, it's an Asylum movie, so we … Continue reading We’re All In This Together
I Have the Power…Kinda
Here come the B's... What Gen Xer doesn't remember the original He-Man cartoon? And the toy line? Everyone I knew at school, including me, were huge fans and would play He-Man at recess all the time. And of course, we all remember the 1987 live action film, Masters of the Universe. The question is, though, do we really … Continue reading I Have the Power…Kinda
Taking Up Room 