Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...The excellent biographer Scott Eyman will have a new book out next April, JOHN WAYNE: THE LIFE AND LEGEND. Eyman's previous titles include PRINT THE LEGEND: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN FORD, ERNST LUBITSCH: LAUGHTER IN PARADISE, and EMPIRE OF DREAMS: THE EPIC LIFE OF CECIL B. DEMILLE, all of which are on my shelves.

...Another week with a Vin Scully link...he's been named the Grand Marshal of the 2014 Rose Parade! This will be the 125th parade. Scully will also toss the coin before the start of the Rose Bowl game, which will be celebrating its centennial.

...Last May I revisited Jacques Tourneur's CANYON PASSAGE (1946) for the first time in several years. CANYON PASSAGE stars Dana Andrews and Susan Hayward, with a deep cast of supporting performers. Colin writes about the movie today at Riding the High Country. He terms the film "one of the very best westerns made in the 1940s...I would go so far as to say it’s essential viewing."

...While you're visiting Riding the High Country, be sure to check out Colin's other posts on movies like THE MAN FROM COLORADO (1948) and THE LAST OF THE FAST GUNS (1958).

...This week Jacqueline writes about a wonderful Tyrone Power-Ann Blyth film, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU (1951), at Another Old Movie Blog. Her post includes a look at the original version of the story, BERKELEY SQUARE (1933). I especially enjoyed her description of the nuances in Blyth's performance. And thanks to Jacqueline for the link to my 2008 review!

...Food plays a key role in two new films which have debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. There's more on THE LUNCHBOX (2013) at First Showing.

..."Grocery Stores Adding Tech Features to Stay Competitive."

...This week Glenn Erickson's reviews at DVD Savant include looks at new Olive releases, BULLFIGHTER AND THE LADY (1951) and FLAT TOP (1952). When I saw BULLFIGHTER a few years ago I found it excellent, while FLAT TOP is an imperfect but entertaining diversion for fans of Sterling Hayden and Richard Carlson.

...I loved Will's fun essay on "Old Movie Camp" at Cinematically Insane. Where can I sign up?

...Last week was the second anniversary for the #TCMParty group on Twitter. If you'd like to join in the fun live-Tweeting while watching movies on TCM, check out this explanatory post by my friend Aurora at Once Upon a Screen.

...USC has now taken over operation of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the next century and will be investing in renovations...now USC just needs a strong football team back to go with it!

...Here's Carley on MARGIE (1946) at The Moviola. She writes that Jeanne Crain "is 100% believable as the bookish, wide-eyed, idealistic girl-next-door. Crain totally sells the role, and she sells the movie."

...The ClassicFlix site continues Beta testing its remodel before "throwing the switch" permanently. If you'd like to click over for a visit, Stacia of She Blogged By Night now has a post up on Kay Francis, and you can also read my essay on Dick Powell.

...Coming to DVD from Kino this October 18: a remastered edition of THE HITCH-HIKER (1953), starring the great Frank Lovejoy and Edmond O'Brien, directed by Ida Lupino. Incidentally, if you have Amazon Prime, you can stream THE HITCH-HIKER at no extra charge.

...New cookbook out later this month: MARTHA STEWART'S CAKES. Our family likes MARTHA STEWART'S COOKIES so this one may be worth checking out too.

...It was announced last week that Angela Lansbury will be presented with an Honorary Oscar, to be presented at the Governor's Awards this November. Angelina Jolie will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

...If you missed the update in my Centennial Tribute to Alan Ladd, his film CHINA (1943) with Loretta Young has just come out on DVD-R in the Universal Vault Collection. To date my experience with the prints in the Universal Vault series has been excellent. I reviewed CHINA last year; it's a tough but worthwhile watch, surprisingly grim for its era.

...Attention Southern Californians: A reminder that the World 3-D Film Expo, which I wrote about last week, opened this weekend at Hollywood's Egyptian Theatre. Leonard Maltin and Susan King have more.

Have a great week!