Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...New book: the FILM NOIR ENCYCLOPEDIA, an updated version of FILM NOIR: AN ENCYCLOPEDIC REFERENCE TO THE AMERICAN STYLE, was released May 12th. The authors are Alain Silver, James Ursini, Elizabeth Ward, and Robert Porfino. A copy is winging its way to me as I write this...I don't have an earlier version so this will be a treat for my summer vacation reading.

...Matthew muses on Alexis Smith and Warner Bros. at Movietone News. His post is accompanied by some beautiful photos.

...Season 4 of THIRTYSOMETHING comes to DVD on September 7th. Curiously, it appears it will be an "Amazon exclusive" release.

...Lou Lumenick has a list of June 15th Warner Archive releases, which include Joan Crawford's THE GORGEOUS HUSSY (1936) and Bette Davis in FOG OVER FRISCO (1934).

...Warner Archive has announced a new program releasing some films restored and remastered, for a price of $25 per title (ouch!). The initial three titles include Edward G. Robinson's FIVE STAR FINAL (1931), currently on sale for $19.95.

...Mick LaSalle (COMPLICATED WOMEN) briefly wrote about THEIR OWN DESIRE (1929), available on Warner Archive DVD, at the San Francisco Chronicle. THEIR OWN DESIRE, starring Robert Montgomery and Norma Shearer, is one of my favorite pre-Code films. The location filming at the Norconian Resort is an added plus.

...At the TCM blog, Moira Finnie takes a detailed look at Edna Ferber's SO BIG on screen, particularly Jane Wyman's 1953 version.

...Also at TCM, Morlock Jeff has a fascinating analysis of the Douglas Fairbanks Jr. film SUCCESS AT ANY PRICE (1934), which airs on TCM on July 2nd.

...Steyn on Sunday...Mark Steyn certainly has a way with words.

...And...Scene! reviews THE CATERED AFFAIR (1956) with Debbie Reynolds, Rod Taylor, Bette Davis, and Ernest Borgnine.

...The cast album of the Broadway revival of PROMISES, PROMISES, starring Kristin Chenoweth, will be released on June 22nd. I love the cover art.

...PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (1951), starring James Mason and Ava Gardner, will be released on DVD August 3rd. I'll have more details when cover art is released.

...If you believed you could keep your health care plan under Obamacare, think again.

...More info on the recently found "lost movies" was posted by Leonard Maltin.

Have a great week!