Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the internet...

...The schedule for Noir City 13, to be held in San Francisco this January, has been announced. It's fun to comb through the schedule to see what might play at Noir City 17 in Hollywood later in the year. There is usually some duplication but the schedules also have unique titles. I note San Francisco will be showing IVY (1947), which was shown in Hollywood last March. I expect that the restorations of WOMAN ON THE RUN (1950), with Ann Sheridan and Dennis O'Keefe, and THE GUILTY (1947) with Bonita Granville, Don Castle, and Regis Toomey, will also be shown in Hollywood this year. I'd also love to see Doris Day land the airplane in a big screen showing of JULIE (1956)!

...Leonard Maltin has posted lists of "New and Notable Film Books" here and here. I have several of them, and have added more titles to my wish list for the future!

...Congratulations to Jacqueline for concluding her fine series, "The Year of Ann Blyth." Jacqueline will be taking a brief hiatus from posting at her blog and return in February 2015.

...Raquel's experience seeing the silent film LONESOME (1928) with a live performance by the Alloy Orchestra sounds magical. Visit her post at Out of the Past.

...The Criterion Collection has announced the Robert Montgomery's RIDE THE PINK HORSE (1947), which I reviewed in 2011, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in March 2015. Extras will include a commentary track and a Lux Radio Theatre production. Montgomery starred in and directed the film, which also stars Wanda Hendrix and Thomas Gomez. Gomez received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in the film.

..."The Myth of Jewish Hollywood's Collaboration With the Nazis" by Mark Horowitz. The book which made the claims has already by shredded by numerous respected historians, including Jeanine Basinger, but this was a very interesting catalogue of the book's flights of fantasy. (The original book is mentioned in the article but I've avoided linking to it directly.) (Via The Self-Styled Siren.)

...As many readers know, John Knight is a valued commenter here; be sure to check out his list of Favorite Discoveries of 2014 at Rupert Pupkin Speaks.

...The Hallmark Channel's Christmas movies have been a big ratings success. Entertainment Weekly has an interesting behind-the-scenes look at how the films come together. I was interested that the excellent film THE CHRISTMAS CARD (2006) is a consistent generator of high ratings years after it was first introduced.

...This year's additions to the National Film Registry include the long-overdue inclusion of RIO BRAVO (1959), plus the Fox musicals DOWN ARGENTINE WAY (1940) and THE GANG'S ALL HERE (1943), along with the Pixar short LUXO, JR. (1986), which created the lamp and ball images so familiar to those who watch Pixar films.

...Holiday feel good videos: A little boy gets to be a UPS driver for a day and Westjet, which did a great "Christmas Miracle" video last year, brought joy to a village in the Dominican Republic.

...Gordon Gebert was a very talented child actor in excellent films such as HOLIDAY AFFAIR (1949), SADDLE TRAMP (1950), THE HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL (1951), CHICAGO CALLING (1951), and THE NARROW MARGIN (1952). As I wrote in my post on CHICAGO CALLING, he went on to be a professor of architecture in New York. He was recently interviewed prior to attending a screening of HOLIDAY AFFAIR. (Via Raquel.)

...Over at 50 Westerns From the 50s, Toby is inviting lists of favorite '50s Western releases and favorite viewing discoveries for the past year. Lots of interesting comments and ideas for movies to check out in the coming year, such as THE OUTCAST (1954) which has a really interesting cast -- the supporting actors include favorites like Frank Ferguson, James Millican, and Harry Carey Jr.

...Royalty Baby Watch: Prince Albert of Monaco and his wife Princess Charlene are now the parents of twins, Jacques and Gabriella. The babies are the grandchildren of the late Princess Grace of Monaco, previously known as actress Grace Kelly...Princess Madeleine of Sweden expects her second child next year.

...Notable Passings: Arthur Gardner, producer of THE RIFLEMAN and Robert Taylor's series THE DETECTIVES, has passed on at the age of 104. He was also an actor and is believed to have been the last surviving cast member of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930). He was also thought to have been the oldest voting member of the Academy, taking part in voting until he reached the age of 100...Actor Booth Colman, whose screen career dated to THE BIG SKY (1952), has died at 91...British actor Tom Adams, who was in THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963), has died at 76...Norman Bridwell, creator of the children's book series about CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG, has passed away at 86.

Have a great week, and Merry Christmas!