Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...I've been tracking the scheduling of upcoming theatrical releases closely. Last week Disney pulled the plug indefinitely on its big screen release of MULAN (2020), after having previously rescheduled it twice; originally slated to come out in March, it was pushed to July and then August. The studio says it is "pausing" its release plans "as we assess how we can most effectively bring this film to audiences around the world." Disney is also delaying currently scheduled STAR WARS films by a year. I anticipate more schedule changes will be announced by Disney and other studios in the weeks to come.

...Another film I'm tracking, Kenneth Branagh's DEATH ON THE NILE (2020), was pushed back two weeks, from October 9th to October 23rd. It's a follow-up to Branagh's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2017), which Branagh both directed and starred in as Hercule Poirot.

...I'm delighted that my friend Karen Burroughs Hannsberry, an expert on film noir and pre-Codes, has recently embraced Westerns. She writes at Shadows and Satin about watching Robert Mitchum in the terrific BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948). It's part of the excellent "Western noir" series currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.

...Disney animator Ruthie Tompson celebrated her 110th birthday last week! She was interviewed by the Hollywood Reporter. She's anxious for the pandemic to end so she can have a Dodger dog and root for the Dodgers. Tompson is a survivor of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, as is 105-year-old actor Norman Lloyd, who had an interview with Todd McCarthy published last week by Deadline.

...Leonard Maltin reviews some classic comedy releases recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, including Buster Keaton's THE CAMERAMAN (1928), now out from the Criterion Collection.

...Speaking of Leonard Maltin, this was announced yesterday: King of the Movies: The Leonard Maltin Game.

...Jessica Pickens has written about a favorite Elvis movie, BLUE HAWAII (1961), for her blog Comet Over Hollywood.

...The Metzinger Sisters cover Fay Wray and Ralph Bellamy in ONCE TO EVERY WOMAN (1934) at Silver Scenes. I recently recorded this when it premiered on Turner Classic Movies and look forward to checking it out.

...Theresa Brown wrote a nice post for TCM Tumblr on black actress Bernice Pilot and the film THE LAW IN HER HANDS (1936).

...Last week I read about a great-looking new cookbook, CHICANO EATS: RECIPES FROM MY MEXICAN-AMERICAN KITCHEN by Esteban Castillo. The peeks I've seen at the colorful layouts make it look like it will be as much fun to read as it will be trying the recipes.

...Coming soon: THE ART OF STAR WARS: GALAXY'S EDGE by Amy Ratcliffe.

...Kino Lorber is having a sale through August 3rd.

...I give Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood points for creativity, looking for ways to generate an income during our current "situation": They are now offering Concessions To Go for your "movie night at home."

...Tomorrow afternoon, July 26th, Silent Revue Toronto is hosting a free online screening of the wonderful silent version of PETER PAN (1924). It stars Betty Bronson as Peter Pan and Mary Brian as Wendy (as seen here).

...As he's done since March, silent film accompanist Ben Model continues to host a free Silent Film Watch Party every Sunday afternoon at noon Pacific time/3:00 Eastern.

...Notable Passings: Singer-actress Annie Ross, whose screen career spanned six decades, has died at 89. Marc Myers paid tribute at JazzWax...Dancer Zizi Jeanmaire has died at 96. Her films included HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (1952), ANYTHING GOES (1956), and BLACK TIGHTS (1961). Her husband, choreographer Roland Petit, died in 2011...It was announced today that TV talk show host Regis Philbin has passed away at the age of 88. While I didn't watch the New York incarnation of his long-running talk show, I occasionally watched him on A.M. LOS ANGELES with Cyndy Garvey "back in the day."

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my July 18th roundup.

Have a great week!