Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the internet...an extra-big helping after taking the last two weeks off for vacation!

...There's lots of interesting news on upcoming releases. We'll start with Criterion Collection announcing a Blu-ray and DVD release of HIGH SIERRA (1941), starring Humphrey Bogart and Ida Lupino. What makes this really interesting is the set will also include COLORADO TERRITORY (1949), starring Joel McCrea and Virginia Mayo. The set also includes Bogart and Lupino in the 1944 Screen Guild Theater radio production of the story along with plentiful additional extras.

...Upcoming Warner Archive Blu-ray releases include IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME (1949) and SHADOW OF THE THIN MAN (1941).

...The Film Detective has a special edition Blu-ray of THE FABULOUS DORSEYS (1947) coming in November. Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey star along with Janet Blair.

...Coming from ClassicFlix in September: INTERNATIONAL LADY (1941), starring George Brent, Ilona Massey, and Basil Rathbone. This will be the first ClassicFlix Silver Series release to come out on Blu-ray along with DVD.

...There have been a number of interesting Kino Lorber Blu-ray announcements since my last roundup. A few of the upcoming titles in Kino Lorber's Studio Classics line:

*DEVIL AND THE DEEP (1932), starring Tallulah Bankhead, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, and Charles Laughton.

*TORCH SINGER (1933), a Claudette Colbert pre-Code I reviewed on DVD back in 2009. Ricardo Cortez costars.

*AMONG THE LIVING (1941), starring Albert Dekker, Susan Hayward, Frances Farmer, and Harry Carey (Sr.).

*JET PILOT (1957), starring John Wayne and Janet Leigh.

*THE CHEAT (1931) starring Tallulah Bankhead, announced for October.

...Toby Roan has announced he'll be contributing a commentary for an episode of THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW release coming later this year from the 3-D Film Archive and ClassicFlix. More details on this are in my May 22nd roundup.

...Here's Leonard Maltin on the ClassicFlix Vol. I release of LITTLE RASCALS shorts, which I'll be reviewing here at a future date.

...Director Quentin Tarentino, who owns the New Beverly Cinema, has bought the Vista Theatre, photographed by me on a 2014 bus tour of historic Los Angeles theaters.

...A number of Hallmark Channel films are coming to DVD this fall, including a pair of last year's best holiday films: LOVE, LIGHTS, HANNUKAH! (2021) is out October 5 and CHRISTMAS BY STARLIGHT (2021) releases October 19th. I reviewed the former film here and the latter film here. Incidentally, it's currently "Christmas in July" on the Hallmark Channel.

...Caftan Woman has a new post on UNION STATION (1950), a very enjoyable film starring William Holden and Nancy Olson. Olson turned 93 on July 14; here's my 2016 birthday tribute.

...I always enjoy Jessica Pickens' "Watching 1939" reviews, which recently have included WITHIN THE LAW (1939) and THE UNDER-PUP (1939).

...The Hollywood Legion Theater is celebrating a "Summer of Celluloid" with 35mm drive-in screenings. Variety has details.

...Raquel Stecher has posted her first round-up of Summer Reading Challenge reviews of classic film books at Out of the Past. My first book reviews of the summer should be up later this month!

...Regular readers here have read my praises for the Disney+/Marvel TV series WANDAVISION (2020), starring Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany. While I haven't paid much attention to TV's Emmy Awards for decades -- the TV Academy ignoring performances like Robert Conrad in CENTENNIAL (1978) and Jane Seymour in EAST OF EDEN (1981) soured me permanently -- it is nonetheless gratifying to see that WANDAVISION received an impressive 23 nominations last week. Most deserving of all was the Emmy-nominated Olsen, who gave a truly epic performance.

...Speaking of Marvel, LOKI (2021), starring Tom Hiddleston as the God of Mischief, will be returning for a second season on Disney+. Due to the press of work I still need to watch this week's series finale, but I've really enjoyed it.

...Upcoming cookbooks from America's Test Kitchen: FIVE-INGREDIENT DINNERS, out next month, and ONE-HOUR COMFORT, to be published in September.

...Jeff Arnold's West takes a look at THE LAST WAGON (1956) one of numerous excellent Westerns filmed in Sedona, Arizona.

...I've been a fan of Linda Purl since YOUNG PIONEERS (1976). I had no idea she and Patrick Duffy (Bobby on DALLAS) are currently a couple. Duffy was widowed four years ago.  In addition to her TV work, I saw Purl in a memorable stage production of Ibsen's A DOLL HOUSE circa 1980.

...Glenn Erickson's latest CineSavant/Trailers From Hell reviews include Kino Lorber's O.S.S. (1946) and THE WEB (1947), along with the Warner Archive Collection's I WOULDN'T BE IN YOUR SHOES (1948). All three titles will also be reviewed here this summer.

...At 50 Westerns From the 50s, Toby Roan has reviewed the very enjoyable ESCAPE FROM FORT BRAVO (1953), starring William Holden and Eleanor Parker. I'll also be reviewing this Warner Archive Collection release! (Update: Here is my review.)

...There's a fun photo tribute to character actor Charles Lane at Vienna's Classic Hollywood.

...Notable Passings: Joyce MacKenzie, the leading lady of the "B" crime film DESTINATION MURDER (1950), seen here with costar Hurd Hatfield, has passed away at the age of 95. She was a familiar face in numerous films throughout the '40s and '50s; one of MacKenzie's other notable roles was appearing as Jane opposite Lex Barker's Tarzan in TARZAN AND THE SHE-DEVIL (1953)...Charlie Robinson, a supporting actor as the clerk on TV's NIGHT COURT (1984-92), has died at 75...Chick Vennera, who had an appealing supporting role as Richard Gere's pal in YANKS (1979), has died at 74...Lois Ranson, who had a brief film career from 1939 to 1943, has died at 99. Her films included the Three Mesquiteers "B" Western UNDER TEXAS SKIES (1940).

...More Notable Passings: William Smith, a busy working actor for seven decades, beginning as a child in 1942, has passed on at 88...Robert Sacchi, who impersonated Humphrey Bogart on several occasions, has died at 89...SUPERMAN (1978) director Richard Donner has died at 91...I was very sorry to learn of the death of Stuart Damon at 84. He was Prince Charming in the Lesley Ann Warren TV version of CINDERELLA (1966) and starred on GENERAL HOSPITAL for many years as Dr. Alan Quartermaine.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my June 26th roundup.

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