There’s a reason author Jeanine Basinger’s books are so thick: they’re filled with classic film knowledge and analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Whether it’s deconstructing star personas or the … Continue Reading The Movie Musical
Warner Archive has re-released The Pajama Game. How does this Doris Day vehicle hold up?
Up until this point I’ve only reviewed (and seen) two Bob Hope features, both of them straightforward comedies – The Ghost Breakers (1940) and the fantastic The Cat and the … Continue Reading Mad About Musicals: Son of Paleface (1952)
I missed seeing Those Redheads From Seattle when it screened at the TCM Classic Film Festival last year and, really, that might have been for the best. The year 1953 … Continue Reading Mad About Musicals: Those Redheads From Seattle (1953)
Throughout the next four weeks I’ll be reviewing various musicals in support of TCM’s newest interactive online course, Mad About Musicals. Any classic film lover will tell you mitigation is … Continue Reading Mad About Musicals: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
Gene Kelly is responsible for crafting two of the most enduring musicals of the 1950s, 1951’s An American in Paris and 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain. But by 1957 Kelly … Continue Reading Les Girls (1957)
One of the many countless reasons we appreciate classic cinema is glorious Technicolor. Better yet, give me vibrant Technicolor that shows off magnificent costumes and beautiful faces and it won’t … Continue Reading A Date With Judy (1948)
My year-long Centennial Celebration kicks off with a two-episode look at composer Leonard Bernstein.
Esther Williams always knew her career wasn’t permanent. So when the quality of her films hit a certain level she walked away, and it’s all Jupiter’s Darling’s fault. The film … Continue Reading Jupiter’s Darling (1955)
The studio era had a way of doing things with genres that weren’t unique but, in execution, make all the difference in the world. Director Henry Koster was adept at … Continue Reading Music for Millions (1944)
The 1960s have come represent a decade in turmoil, and that’s true. With Vietnam, political and racial unrest, it doesn’t appear too far removed from our current times; but in … Continue Reading A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
The liminal threshold between the 1950s and 1960s seems as distinct as to be a literal crevasse between the two decades, and the clearest divide comes through in the cinema … Continue Reading The Girl Most Likely (1958)
This is what happens when inspiration knocks. I originally had zero plans to review Gigi. I’d seen it years ago and didn’t care for it, but figured I’d give it … Continue Reading Gigi (1958)
You might call this cheating, but this review ran already. It originally ran as part of my Halloween films, so if you missed it the first time here it is. … Continue Reading The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
With the mad rush of Halloween I’m behind on putting out my TCM Top Twelve for November. Thankfully, I only had to drop one movie that’s already run. The twelve … Continue Reading The TCM Top Twelve for November
Back with another edition of Journeys in the Disney Vault. I should mention we’ll see this series next week but once October hits we’ll only see it once as … Continue Reading Dumbo (1941)
