Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...The San Francisco Sentinel recently ran an excellent article on Deanna Durbin in conjuction with the Film Noir Foundation's screening last week of CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY (1944) and LADY ON A TRAIN (1945). That's a double bill I hope makes it to the Noir City Film Festival in Hollywood next year!

...The Film Noir Foundation unveiled the schedule for their January Noir City X festival in San Francisco. There are some interesting titles -- I'm particularly intrigued by BEDELIA (1946) starring Margaret Lockwood and THE GREAT GATSBY (1949) starring Alan Ladd -- but I confess I found the lineup of last spring's Hollywood festival much more interesting. It will be interesting to see which of the films shown in San Francisco turn up on the schedule for the 14th annual festival at the Egyptian next spring. (There's a fun trailer for San Francisco's festival on YouTube.)

...Where Danger Lives recently featured French posters of American film noir titles. Great stuff!

...Barrie Maxwell of The Digital Bits has compiled a list of 34 brief reviews for manufactured-on-demand DVDs, including many titles from Warner Archive.

...Over at Skeins of Thought, Moira has a wonderful post on Eve Arden which includes photos of Arden with her family.

...Greenbriar Picture Shows recently ran a wonderful photo-filled post on the pre-Code film TAXI! (1932), starring James Cagney and a very glam Loretta Young.

...Greenbriar also has a neat post up on MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), with more to come this week.

...And speaking of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, I was delighted Lou Lumenick asked Margaret O'Brien about Joan Carroll in a recent interview. Carroll played Tootie's sister Agnes in ST. LOUIS; she was pitch perfect but is too often overlooked amidst the large cast. Carroll is seen here on the far left in a still which has always intrigued me; based on the costumes of the three older characters, it takes place prior to Lon's going-away party, but it does not appear in the final film.

...If you're a Netflix DVD subscriber, watch your email for a coupon for a free extra rental.

...At the D23 website, Jim Fanning has written about the production history of Disney's production of BABES IN TOYLAND (1961), which I reviewed last month.

...Last month I wrote about seeing a digital screening of MANHATTAN MELODRAMA (1934) at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. In what seems to be a sign of the times, as far as revival theaters showing 35mm prints less frequently, I notice the Egyptian is showing a digital print of WHITE CHRISTMAS (1954) this week. On the other hand, VERTIGO (1958) is being shown in 70mm near year's end!

...I enjoyed a DVD Verdict review by P.S. Colbert of the Warner Archive release THE RICH ARE ALWAYS WITH US (1932), starring Ruth Chatterton, George Brent, and Bette Davis.

...Ed Morrissey provides a thorough, fact-based assessment regarding why the NTSB's recommendation that all cell phone use -- even hands free -- be banned in cars is silly.

...Count me as definitely intrigued by the trailer for SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN (2012) starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, and Kristin Scott Thomas. It opens in the U.S. on March 2, 2012.

...This new cookbook that interests me: ALL ABOUT ROASTING: A NEW APPROACH TO A CLASSIC ART by Molly Stevens. I've owned Stevens' ALL ABOUT BRAISING for a few years now and use it often. (As a side note, the spiral-bound Good Housekeeping cookbook ROAST IT! is one of my most frequently used cookbooks. It can be purchased very inexpensively via Amazon, and I recommend it highly.)

...Current reading: the cookbook ELIZABETH DAVID'S CHRISTMAS. The book was put together from the British cookbook author's papers after her death in 1992.

...Here's a wonderful story about a 93-year-old Belgian nurse honored for her life-saving work at the Battle of the Bulge.

Have a great week, and Merry Christmas!