Last weekend I was delighted to attend a live screening of F. W. Murnau’s NOSFERATU (1922). The timing of this silent classic fits in nicely with my October series of horror classics. My town’s local arts center in partnership with Footprints’ Birkenstock sponsors an ongoing series for silent film screenings. This was the 2nd of silent gems I had the pleasure to see as part … Continue reading The Original Vampire: Nosferatu

Originally posted on Once upon a screen…:
This week (May 26th to be exact) marks the 125th anniversary of the release of Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula.  It went on sale for the first time in London bookshops on that day in 1897.  Since (to me) that novel introduced what would become the single, most popular and influential character in popular culture, I thought it deserved… Continue reading

Originally posted on cinematically insane:
In the spring of 1992, the city of Scranton paid tribute to a kindly old musician who had relocated from Manhattan in the late 1950s. Sadly, it turned out to be a requiem. A few months later, Sammy Timberg was dead at the age of 89, and the accomplishments of a life deeply intertwined in the history of American popular… Continue reading

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