Originally posted on cinematically insane:
When asked why he was making his first visit to New York City, Pierre Étaix smiled broadly. “It’s never too late,” the 83-year-old actor/director said, as the capacity crowd at Film Forum signaled their enthusiastic agreement. Still vibrant and playful, the French filmmaker appeared at the downtown Manhattan revival house on Friday night after a screening of LE GRAND AMOUR, a… Continue reading

As part of my ongoing tribute to fun and spooky classic films throughout October, today I present to you my offering of Alan Rafkin’s THE GHOST AND MR. CHICKEN (1966). Yes, this family classic is the perfect addition to my line-up of what reflects my childhood favorites and I continue enjoy with my family. After a successful run on the popular TV series, “The Andy … Continue reading The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

Originally posted on True Classics:
Tomorrow evening on TCM, Robert Osborne and animation scholar/historian Jerry Beck will be co-hosting a six-hour block of classic, rare animation in prime-time. To say this is an extremely welcome night of entertainment is an understatement. Robert Osborne and Jerry Beck, filming segments for a night of rare animation. Photo via TCM. Classic animation gets the short shrift nowadays. Sure, you… Continue reading

Originally posted on cinematically insane:
I’m a late – but tirelessly enthusiastic – convert to silent movies. Though I’ve always been familiar with Harold Lloyd’s bespectacled visage, my introduction to the films of the so-called “third genius” of silent comedy came just a few years ago. My first Lloyd feature-length comedy was his final silent masterpiece: SPEEDY, produced by his own Harold Lloyd Corporation in the summer… Continue reading

Originally posted on cinematically insane:
“Black & white movies are so boring and fake,” a co-worker once said to me, with an accompanying look of disgust usually afforded to those who belch audibly in public places. In my younger days, I might have taken the bait and tried to plead my case. But now that I’m older (and lazier), I usually don’t bother anymore. It… Continue reading

Originally posted on Once upon a screen…:
I am, once again, honored to feature a guest post written by Manish Tripathi (@manishtpa) on this blog. ___________________________________________ It’s funny how things in life turn out, and how one thing leads to another, quite often without the expected outcomes.  This is certainly true for this post about Hedy Lamarr.  Please allow me to explain. A few nights… Continue reading

Originally posted on Once upon a screen…:
Edward D. Wood, Jr. was born in 1924 to a blue-collar family in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.  They say his mother, Lillian, dressed him up like a girl throughout his early childhood until people started making comments about it.  Wood grew up during the Golden Age of film.  Talking pictures had just been perfected and his childhood was filled with films… Continue reading

As I promised, my blog scribblings for the month of October will focus on the spooky and fun film classics I have enjoyed since child hood. Today, I bring to you that hilarious Halloween classic parody, Mel Brooks’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974). I grew up being entertained by the people who made and starred in this film. Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder were, and continue to … Continue reading Young Frankenstein

Originally posted on cinematically insane:
What attracted me first to CONFESSIONS OF AN OPIUM EATER (1962) was the poster. Our story, courteous reader, begins in late November of 2008. I was in Framingham, Massachusetts, working on the production of a meeting for pharmaceutical sales reps. Sure, it sounds glamorous, but this event was really no different than any of the dozens of other similar events… Continue reading

Originally posted on Once upon a screen…:
The most basic and obvious allure of film is the image.  Although I sometimes feel like a cheat when I post pictorials dedicated to classic stars on this blog, they are also the posts I revisit most often.  I never tire of looking at these people and I know I’m not alone.  Today calls for another such tribute.… Continue reading