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Have you been watching the amazing new original documentary series on Turner Classic Movies called The Power of Film? This riveting six-part series explores some of the most popular and memorable American films of all time. New episodes will premiere every Thursday night through February 8. As read more

Reputed screenwriting scribe Nunnally Johnson starts off on clever footing by giving his mythic western hero an obvious antagonist. It was the railroad — that lawless iron horse — forcing Jesse James into the position of a criminal. Though he would evolve over time into the complicated read more

Steven Levitan wrote this episode. Levitan’s one of the few sitcom people whose names I recognize. I didn’t realize he’d done “Frasier.” Turns out this is his first of four episodes. Recognizing the writer (though not remembering he hadn’t contributed a script to credit level before Seat), read more

This episode tells a loser’s story. He played the game of thrones and he lost. The loser in question is Humphrey Stafford; real guy, wikipedia page and everything, played by Maurice Roëves. Roëves is awesome. He also gets to give more personality to Stafford than anyone else in the episode gets read more

This episode tells a loser’s story. He played the game of thrones and he lost. The loser in question is Humphrey Stafford; real guy, wikipedia page and everything, played by Maurice Roëves. Roëves is awesome. He also gets to give more personality to Stafford than anyone else in the episode gets read more

The Taking of Power by Louis XIV (La prise de pouvoir par Louis XIV) Directed by Roberto Rossellini Written by Philippe Erlanger, Jean Gruaut, and Roberto Rossellini 1966/France Office de Radiodiffusion Television Francaise First viewing/Netflix rental   Rossellini embraces the bizarre in his h read more

The Bad Sixties: Hollywood Memories of the Counterculture, Antiwar, and Black Power Movements Kristen Hoerl University Press of Mississippi, 2018 It’s been a turbulent few years in the world and while movies can be a great escape from the chaos, they can also provide a revealing window into t read more

Made between the second and third seasons of The Patty Duke Show, the teen comedy Billie (1965) is a best-forgotten stain on the resumes of its star and her veteran supporting cast. Indeed, the only reason to watch this ill-conceived adaptation of the 1952 Broadway play Time Out for Ginger  read more

The late Robin Williams once said, "No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world." Those of us who love classic cinema and the history of Hollywood certainly know this to be true. On that note, the theme of this year's TCM Classic Film Festival (TCMFF) was Powerful Words: The read more

Isn't that a remarkable photo of Carole Lombard (the October 1939 cover of Movie Life)? This full-color portrait is stunning -- and now, thanks to fellow Lombard fanatic Brian Lee Anderson, I know quite a bit more about a crucial part of this picture......the flowers.According to Anderson, these ros read more

The Menacing Power does all right setting up the hook of The Phantom Creeps–Bela Lugosi is a mad scientist with various technological inventions he’s going to use for nefarious purposes–and even manages to gracefully segue between the expository setup and the chapter’s cliffhanger. So far Lugosi’s read more

Since Sunday tends to be a day of quiet and reflection for many people, it seems an appropriate day to celebrate silent movies. But in keeping with the “day of rest” theme, I’m just going to post this without any commentary and just sit back and let you enjoy. read more

Like everyone else over the past few days, I have been following the horrific stories of abuse at the hands of production mogul Harvey Weinstein. The abuse itself has been compounded by allegations of complicity by the rest of the company, and the issuing of NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) and le read more

The 109th anniversary of Carole Lombard's birth is three weeks from Friday, but Turner Classic Movies is getting the jump on the celebration this Friday by showing seven of her films. It isn't quite your usual list of Lombard's "greatest hits" -- only one of her so-called "big four" is on the schedu read more

Absolute Power has a number of narrative issues. Well, less narrative issues and more narrative slights. As the film enters the third act, director Eastwood and screenwriter William Goldman decide the audience has gotten enough out of the movie and it’s time to wrap things up. It’s a shame because read more

A few days ago, as I spent a sick afternoon at home, I was pleased to discover the delightful Born Yesterday (1950) playing on TCM. This is a movie that has always fascinated me–Judy Holliday’s performance as the dim-witted Billie Dawn won her an Oscar for the Best Actress of 1950, in read more

This is my entry in The Universal Pictures Blogathon hosted by Silver Scenes. Click HERE for more Universal entertainment! The Sick Rose O Rose thou art sick. The invisible worm, That flies in the night In the howling storm: Has found out thy bed Of crimson joy And his dark secret read more

Reading film studies books is a hobby usually reserved for the hardcore film fanatic. Once upon a time these tomes were usually formal, academically centered slogs through jargon and film examples. But that’s not the book I’m recommending today. Better known as the film critic for the Sa read more

“Orson Welles: Power, Heart and Soul” Book Giveaway Qualifying Entry Task for Facebook/Blog Contest Okay, now it’s time for our next Contest… I am happy to say that CMH will be giving away TWO copies of Orson Welles: Power, Heart, and Soul via FACEBOOK and this Blog this month, courtesy read more

  “Orson Welles: Power, Heart and Soul” Book Giveaway Qualifying Entry Task for TWITTER Contest I am happy to say that CMH will be giving away FOUR copies of Orson Welles: Power, Heart, and Soul via TWITTER this month, courtesy of The Critical Press. We’ll also be giving away TWO MORE read more