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As a lover of experimental film, I’m a big fan of UbuWeb, a no-budget educational website founded by poet Kenneth Goldsmith to be a resource for all things avant-garde. My favorite part of the site is its massive page of links to films, most of them shorts, but some feature-length films. Arran read more

The first time I watched Black Panther (2018) and saw Danai Gurira in full warrior garb, grasping a spear and riding the top of a car with blazing confidence, I thought to myself, “There’s Cleopatra!” It immediately brought me back to an early scene in Cleopatra Jones (1973) where read more

It’s been another great month in podcasting. There’s an excellent array of special guests in my May roundup. Episode titles link to the show discussed: Magnificent Obsession Leonard and Jessie Maltin  Leonard and Jessie Maltin discuss the origins of the Maltin family business a read more

One of the most exciting discoveries in the archival offerings of Seattle International Film Festival 2019 is a silent spec-fi film that has been out of circulation for eighty years. Made in Seattle by director, producer and star Richard Lyford, As the Earth Turns (1938) is an innovative, exhilarati read more

Decades after getting his big break in Frankenstein (1931), Boris Karloff revisited the idea in Frankenstein 1970 (1958). This time he was the one harvesting body parts and playing with knobs as Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Karloff is the draw in this low-budget quickie production which recently made it read more

Sonja: the White Swan (2019) is a biopic of skating star Sonja Henie, who made records as an athlete and sparkled briefly, but potently as a movie queen in Hollywood musicals. I don’t know enough about this phenomenally successful athlete/actress to be able to say whether it succeeded in telli read more

While I think that it is usually best to go into a film cold in order to enjoy it fully, the work of Austrian filmmaker Norbert Pfaffenbichler benefits from some explanation. His experimental works are accessible, but require preparation. Invest in Failure (Notes on Film 06-C, Monologue 03) (2018), read more

Ben Hecht: Fighting Words, Moving Pictures Jewish Lives Series Adina Hoffman Yale University Press, 2019 Hollywood movies would have been very different without the brilliance of screenwriter Ben Hecht. He not only wrote enduring classics, but in the early days of the talkies gave shape to major f read more

I wrote this review days before the legendary Doris Day passed on. It is in a way a tribute to her charm and talent, because every word I've ever written about her has been a tribute. She was the living embodiment of sunshine and so phenomenally talented. Produced in the last decade of Doris Day read more

My introduction to the concept of pre-Code as a film category probably began with the Forbidden Hollywood VHS series hosted by Leonard Maltin and featuring Warner Bros films. Having delighted in those saucy flicks, I would eventually devour Thomas Doherty and Mick LaSalle’s books on the era, l read more

I’m a big fan of pre-code Constance Bennett, with her razor sharp hip bones and saucy quips. She doesn’t get nearly enough credit for her contribution to the lively adult-themed flicks of that time. While Our Betters (1933) is not the best of those films, Bennett is reliably excellent as read more

The schedule for the 45th Annual Seattle International Film Festival is out, and it is a jawdropper. SIFF is going to be an especially happy place for classic film fans this year. With restorations, rediscoveries, and a diverse array of voices, the selection is especially tantalizing. This year read more

I’ve been waiting years for the release of Be Natural:The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché, a documentary about pioneering French filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché directed by Pamela Green. As an early Kickstarter backer of the film, I’d frequently receive enticing updates about the production, read more

With Clarence Brown directing and a polished cast headed by Greta Garbo and John Gilbert, A Woman of Affairs (1928) rises above the limitations of its material: a scandalous novel neutered for the screen. Now available on DVD from Warner Archive, this second pairing of Brown and Garbo’s celebr read more

There was such a reflective vibe at TCMFF 2019. I'm sure this was due in part to the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the festival and the 25th year of TCM, but I think it was mostly because we are living in chaotic times and are in constant need of getting our bearings. I found this mood in m read more

Bloggers and film historians looking all over the place in the lobby of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. I'm the Elizabeth Taylor stan in the front. As much of a thrill as it is to spend four days gorging on classic films, ask anyone what they like most about TCM Classic Film Festival and they will read more

TCM Classic Film Festival 2019 has been my favorite of the six I have attended so far. It was a special year: the 10th anniversary of the festival and the 25th of the network, and you could see the extra care the organizers put into this year’s event to create a mood of celebration and nostalg read more

It’s been a great month in podcasting. So many entertaining and enlightening shows! Here are my favorites. Title links go to the episode: Pure Cinema Podcast Kiddee Midnights March 17, 2019 It’s always a bit overwhelming to listen to Brian Sauer and Elric Kane’s epic film re read more

Today I am flying to Hollywood to attend pre-festivities for the TCM Classic Film Festival. I am so excited to share this experience with all of you! How to follow me for daily pics and updates: Instagram aclassicmovieblog Twitter classicmovieblg And of course I will be sharing more details and read more

Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II Robert Matzen GoodKnight Books, 2019 While it is well known among classic film fans that Audrey Hepburn endured many hardships during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in World War II, there has been little firm detail about what the actress went thr read more