Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...The ClassicFlix restoration of OUR TOWN (1940) will be out on Blu-ray in November. Extras will include two radio productions and a commentary track. This is a film which fell into public domain and only been available in very poor prints, so this is exciting news.

...Next month Kino Lorber is launching a new label, Kino Cult. It will focus on horror and science fiction.

...Kino Lorber now has a final listing for their COLUMBO Blu-ray set which has been discussed here over the last couple of weeks.

...David Bossert's latest Disney history book, THE HOUSE OF THE FUTURE: WALT DISNEY, MIT, AND MONSANTO'S VISION OF TOMORROW will be out next month! As I shared here in February 2022, I was one of those who backed this book via an Indiegogo campaign 18 months ago. My copy is due to ship next week!

...This October Samantha Ellis will be hosting the Linda Darnell Centennial Blogathon at her blog, Musings of a Classic Film Addict.

...SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (2023) is out on Blu-ray next week.

...Ben Model has a new Kickstarter project for a 2K restoration of THE BAT (1926). The release date target is October 2024.

...Jessica Pickens has reviewed the musical PAN-AMERICANA (1945) at her blog Comet Over Hollywood. That's one I've been meaning to check out.

...This week I finally crossed THE ICE CREAM BLONDE: THE WHIRLWIND LIFE AND MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF SCREWBALL COMEDIENNE THELMA TODD off my book wish list, and it just arrived! The author is Michelle Morgan for Chicago Review Press.

...Another book on a notable movie-connected death is coming next year: A MURDER IN HOLLYWOOD: THE UNTOLD STORY OF TINSELTOWN'S MOST SHOCKING CRIME by Casey Sherman will focus on Lana Turner and the death of gangster Johnny Stompanato.

...J.B. Kaufman's "Movie of the Month" for September is LADY KILLER (1933) starring James Cagney. It's been a decade since I last watched it; time for another look?

...As reported here in July, Olive Films has gone out of business. Since then I've been working to collect the last few Olive titles on my wish list before they go out of print. Toby Roan has compiled helpful checklists of Olive titles; a Westerns list is at 50 Westerns From the 50s, and a list of the company's films from other genres is at Toby's blog The Hannibal 8. It was my pleasure to lend Toby a hand putting together these lists, all the more so as Toby found some titles I've added to my purchase list!

...This weekend Glenn Erickson has reviewed the new Warner Archive Blu-ray release of WICHITA (1955) at Trailers From Hell. WICHITA stars Joel McCrea as Wyatt Earp; it was directed by Jacques Tourneur. A copy is currently in my review stack! (Update: Here is my review of the new release of WICHITA.)

...A few days ago the Hollywood Reporter published an article on good news for the L.A. movie theater scene. Along the same lines, the Los Angeles Times just published a preview of the Netflix renovation of the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. The theater is due to reopen by November.

...Notable Passing: Soap opera actress Arleen Sorkin (DAYS OF OUR LIVES) has passed on at the age of 67. She was also well known for her voiceover work in various BATMAN productions.

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

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