MOVIES THE OSCARS OVERLOOKED
I hate the term “snub.” The idea that Oscar voters gather in a big tent and decide to ostracize a film or filmmaker is absurd. But when the votes are counted, it’s inevitable that some good movies are overlooked.…
FROM ‘STAGECOACH’ TO ‘SPARTACUS’
When I participated in the second annual Coronado Island Film Festival in November I didn’t expect to come upon a treasure trove of Hollywood history in the town’s public library. I also met the man responsible for it, local…
NEW AND NOTABLE FILM BOOKS – January 2018
So many books, so little time! I haven’t had a chance to fully read each these books, which have piled up in recent months, but they are all worthy of your attention, which is why I’m happy to spread…
THE OLD DARK HOUSE, T-MEN, AND THE BIG KNIFE SPARKLE ON BLU-RAY
The Criterion Collection remains the Gold Standard for the treatment of films old and new on Blu-ray…but lately, several other distributors are making efforts to emulate Criterion. That’s a win-win for film buffs. Cohen Media, for instance, has just…
TINTED TALKIES
I recently wrote about the DVD release of William S. Hart’s Western Wagon Tracks from Olive Films with artistic title cards and authentic tints, taken from an original 35mm print at the Library of Congress. (to read the article, click HERE). I’ve always associated the process…
CHASING TRANE: AN ARTIST SUPREME
This has been a rich year for jazz-related documentaries. That happy trend continues with Chasing Trane, a tribute to John Coltrane by filmmaker John Scheinfeld, whose previous credits include The U.S. vs. John Lennon and Who is Harry Nilsson…
GENTLEMEN PREFER ANITA LOOS
In the weeks leading up this this year’s Academy Awards, Lesley Blume paid long-overdue tribute to pioneering screenwriter Anita Loos in a well-researched ARTICLE for the Hollywood Reporter. It reminded me of my own encounter with the woman responsible for Gentlemen…
