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HAPPY THANKSGIVING! (1)
Backlots Posted by Lara on Nov 23, 2011
Here’s hoping that all my readers have a happy Thanksgiving with lots to be thankful for! I’ll be spending the evening at a family friend’s house, but not before tuning into TCM for their SPECTACULAR lineup all day tomorrow: (Please note: I have the TCM website set to Pacific Ti read more
STAR OF THE MONTH ANALYSIS: Bipolar Disorder in Classic Hollywood
Backlots Posted by Lara on Nov 20, 2011
After the difficult birth of her first child in 1943, Gene Tierney began showing some serious signs of mental instability. She ultimately spent a good part of her adult life in and out of mental institutions, struggling with what we would now term bipolar disorder (then known as “manic depres read more
Happy Birthday to Gene Tierney!
Backlots Posted by Lara on Nov 19, 2011
Today is Star of the Month Gene Tierney’s birthday! She would have been 91 years old. Here is a photographic and video tribute to her. Stay tuned the rest of this month for more Gene Tierney-themed posts! Interview with Gene Tierney, July 1985. read more
BREAKING NEWS: L.A. Sheriff Reopens Natalie Wood Case
Backlots Posted by Lara on Nov 18, 2011
30 years after Natalie Wood’s tragic drowning off the coast of Catalina Island in 1981, the initial ruling that her death was accidental is being reexamined. According to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s office, the captain of the boat off which Natalie Wood allegedly slipped and fell into t read more
MOVIE REVIEW: “Tobacco Road” (1941)
Backlots Posted by Lara on Nov 10, 2011
In celebration of our Star of the Month Gene Tierney, I will be reviewing Tobacco Road, one of Gene’s earliest endeavors into film, and one in which despite efforts to the contrary, her striking looks win out over all the makeup to make her look like a hillbilly, and she simply looks stunnin read more
New York Times Obituary for Gene Tierney–November 8, 1991
Backlots Posted by Lara on Nov 6, 2011
Our Star of the Month Gene Tierney left this world 20 years ago today, succumbing to a long battle with emphysema at her home in Texas. Here is an article written by Richard Severo of the New York Times, appearing in the newspaper on November 8, 1991–2 days after Gene Tierney’s death. B read more
HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIVIEN LEIGH!
Backlots Posted by Lara on Nov 5, 2011
Today, November 5, marks what would have been Vivien Leigh’s 98th birthday. Here is a tribute to mark the occasion of the birth of one of the 20th century’s best and most beautiful actresses, who encompasses far more than Scarlett O’Hara and Blanche DuBois. We’ll soon be rev read more
TCM Classic Film Festival HEADS UP
Backlots Posted by Lara on Nov 4, 2011
Attention, all prospective attendees! Passes for the 3rd annual TCM Classic Film Festival will go on sale November 9. GET YOUR PASSES EARLY–last year they had 25,000 attendees. The theme this year is Style in Movies, and the opening night Gala screening will be a newly remastered version of read more
STAR OF THE MONTH: Gene Tierney
Backlots Posted by Lara on Nov 1, 2011
First off, you may notice something different about the title of this entry. When you are not God, it is rather stressful to try to cram an entire lifetime into one 7-day period. I have, thus, converted Backlots’ regular Star of the Week feature to a celebration of one star per month, to try read more
HITCHCOCK HALLOWEEN DAY 3: Psycho (1960)
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 31, 2011
Happy Halloween, everyone! Well, here is the final installment of Hitchcock Halloween, and I have picked probably Hitchcock’s most twisted tale. A creepy motel, multiple personalities, an Oedipus complex, and a whole lot of chocolate syrup take center stage in this immortal (!) thriller, in read more
HITCHCOCK HALLOWEEN DAY 2: Rebecca (1940)
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 30, 2011
I have been wanting to write a post about Rebecca for some time now, as in the list of the top 10 most brilliant Hitchcock films, this one takes the #1 spot in my book. It is the perfect thriller and mystery, one that stays with you long after you’ve finished the last scene. For years after read more
Backlots’ HITCHCOCK HALLOWEEN
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 29, 2011
Starting later today, I am going to start what I am calling Hitchcock Halloween, which will be a 3-day countdown to the big day, Hitchcock-style. A new poll will show up in the “Polls” section, asking readers what they think is the scariest Hitchcock film, and I will profile what I cons read more
HITCHCOCK HALLOWEEN DAY 1: Dial “M” for Murder
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 29, 2011
How’s that for a still? This scene is the marker for the beginning of the action in Dial “M” for Murder, a film that I think is far too overlooked in the Hitchcock pantheon. When most people hear the name “Alfred Hitchcock,” they tend to think of Rear Window or The Bi read more
Lecture and Booksigning with Emily W. Leider, Author of “Myrna Loy: The Only Good Girl in Hollywood”
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 27, 2011
You may recall that when I made Myrna Loy the Star of the Week a few weeks ago, I discovered mid-week that there was to be a new biography, in fact the only biography ever written about Myrna Loy (aside from her own autobiography, Being and Becoming). This was a monumental coincidence, and I found read more
A Carole Lombard Dream
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 25, 2011
Upon falling asleep last night after a relatively uneventful evening, I had a dream about Carole Lombard. Mind you, I have not seen any of Lombard’s movies for about a month or so, and wasn’t particularly thinking about her yesterday, so this was a rather strange occurrence. The dream read more
A housekeeping notification…
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 23, 2011
Just a small note. So as not to make you think you’re seeing things, I have added a “Backlots on the Web” section to the sidebar. In this section I have added a button leading to Backlots’ Twitter page and, after much ethical and moral deliberation, a PayPal button. Times ar read more
Rita Hayworth Picture Spam
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 23, 2011
For the last day of Rita Hayworth week. I hope you enjoyed the Rita theme this week–I actually think I’m going to change Star of the Week to Star of the Month, starting in November. That way I can have more time to really go in-depth with each star. But for now, here is a photographic t read more
Happy birthday, Joan Fontaine!
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 22, 2011
Turning 94 today is the beautiful, multi-talented stage and screen star, Joan Fontaine. One of my personal favorites, Joan now lives in Carmel with her secretary and her dogs, and continues to sign autographs and answer fan mail. Primarily known as a “Hitchcock actress,” having starred read more
New poll on Star of the Week Rita Hayworth
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 21, 2011
Here is a new poll that will remain on the site for the next week or so. Enjoy! read more
Silence in Sound: The Power of “Johnny Belinda” and “The Miracle Worker”
Backlots Posted by Lara on Oct 21, 2011
When the silent era finally gave way to talkies in 1927, an art form was lost–the art of meaningful expression without words. When we look at the films of the great silent stars, for example those of Clara Bow, Norma Talmadge, or Lillian Gish, we see a wholly separate kind of film, one wher read more