Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...TCM recently made several announcements regarding next month's TCM Classic Film Festival. In a move away from the opening night musicals of past festivals, this year's TCMFF will open with a 40th anniversary screening of ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (1976). Additional festival announcements, including Gina Lollobrigida's planned appearances, may be found in my February festival update.

...Attendees at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival will include Eva Marie Saint, Carl Reiner, Elliott Gould, John Singleton, Stacy Keach, and Anna Karina. It should be noted that although most of the films just announced were relatively "recent," that is fairly typical in terms of the guests who are available to come to the screenings. Once the entire schedule is announced there are always many classic-era films to choose from, with multiple venues simultaneously showing films. (March 21st Update: It was announced today that Francis Ford Coppola will be honored with a hand and footprint ceremony at the Chinese Theatre during the festival.)

...For more on the TCM Classic Film Festival, Scott Feinberg interviewed TCM programming exec Charlie Tabesh for The Hollywood Reporter.

...From the Huffington Post: "Why the TCM Classic Film Festival is Important" by Govindini Murty. "You remember things better when you directly experience them for yourself. This is why you should go and see classic films for yourself, the way they were meant to be seen: in a movie theater, with an audience."

...Exciting news from the Criterion Collection: The classic HERE COMES MR. JORDAN (1941), starring Robert Montgomery, Claude Rains, and Evelyn Keyes, comes to DVD and Blu-ray June 14th.

...Following Susan King's departure from the Los Angeles Times, a new classic film columnist has been introduced: Kevin Crust will be writing the weekly Classic Hollywood Newsletter. This week's edition is here. You can subscribe to it for free weekly email delivery.

...Here's a New York Times interview with Natalie Wood's daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner (via Aurora).

...New for cooks, COOK IT IN CAST IRON, from the always reliable chefs at Cook's Country.

...Interesting to note that the three titles in the Alan Ladd 1940s Collection released by TCM late last year are now also available as single titles in the Universal Vault Series, along with AND NOW TOMORROW (1944), which was dropped from the set at the last minute. (My review of another print of AND NOW TOMORROW is here.) Links to the other new DVD releases: LUCKY JORDAN (previously reviewed here), O.S.S. (1946) (previously reviewed here), and TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST (1946).

...Over at Speakeasy, Kristina has recently reviewed a whopping eight Alan Ladd films, on March 15th and 18th. Update: And here are three more Ladd reviews from Kristina, on the 22nd. Update: And more from the 26th! What a great series of reviews.

...Raquel has posted one of her fabulous lists of upcoming books on classic film. Interesting books due out by May include UNSUNG HOLLYWOOD MUSICALS OF THE GOLDEN ERA from McFarland, by Edwin Bradley; CONVERSATIONS WITH CLASSIC FILM STARS by James Bawden and Ron Miller for University Press of Kentucky; and SHOT ON LOCATION: POSTWAR AMERICAN CINEMA AND THE EXPLORATION OF REAL PLACE by R. Barton Palmer for Rutgers University Press. Be sure to check out Raquel's entire list!

...Mark Harmon has no plans to retire, with the news that NCIS has received a two-season renewal for years 14 and 15.

...Speaking of not retiring, another Indiana Jones film from Spielberg and Ford? Really? This seems to be a series with diminishing returns as it goes... Well, we'll see.

...Here's a nice post on Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent in a favorite film, MY REPUTATION (1946), at the Claude Rains Fan Club.

...Notable Passings: WAGON TRAIN star Robert Horton has passed away at 91...Emmy-nominated actor Joe Santos, known to so many of us for playing Dennis Becker on THE ROCKFORD FILES, has died at 84. He's seen at the right with James Garner...Highly regarded production designer Ken Adam, known for his work on James Bond films, DR. STRANGELOVE (1964), CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (1968) and more, has passed on at the age of 95...and Frank Sinatra Jr. has passed on suddenly at age 72.

Have a great week!