Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Kino Lorber has announced that TILL WE MEET AGAIN (1944) will be released August 25th. The Blu-ray disc, from a 4K scan of the 35mm nitrate original negative and 35mm composite fine grain, is a restoration by Universal and the Film Foundation. It will include a commentary track by Imogen Sara Smith.

...Leonard Maltin reviews the new Blu-rays of NIGHT WORLD (1932) and THE BIG COMBO (1955).

...Chris Yogerst has a new article for MovieWeb on Netflix announcing they're not interested in making theatrical films. Quite a change in tune from when Netflix was hoping to purchase Warner Bros.! It's also curious as Netflix owns the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

...Glenn Erickson reviewed the Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray FOLLOW ME QUIETLY (1949) a few days ago...Glenn also reviewed the new biography of director Richard Fleischer by Jason A. Ney.

...There's an interesting-looking novel coming this fall, ROUGH CUTS, about movie censorship in the silent film era. It was written by Glenn Miller and will be published by Koehler Books.

...Toby Roan has reviewed the Johnny Mack Brown Western UNDER ARIZONA SKIES (1946) which was just released by the Warner Archive Collection in the third volume of the Monogram Matinee series.

...John McElwee of Greenbriar Picture Shows looks back at the 50th anniversary of Warner Bros., including the book HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU, KID by James R. Silke, which has been on my bookshelf since it first came out when I was in my early teens.

...Over at Speakeasy, Kristina has reviewed NIAGARA (1953), starring Jean Peters, Marilyn Monroe, and Joseph Cotten. This is one I enjoyed several years back and would like to revisit.

...Coming to Blu-ray and DVD in the future from Film Masters: IT'S LOVE AGAIN (1936) starring Jessie Matthews and Robert Young.

...Notable Passings: Character actor James Handy was tragically murdered by his girlfriend's son a few days ago. Handy's roles included playing the bartender in TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022). He was 81...Singer Peabo Bryson has died at 75. Among his best-known recordings were "A Whole New World" from Disney's ALADDIN (1992) and "Beauty and the Beast" from the 1991 film of the same name...British actor Anthony Head (seen here), known for TV's BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (1997-2003) -- and a long-running series of Nescafe commercials opposite Sharon Maughan -- has died at 72.

...Please note that Around the Blogosphere This Week will not appear on June 13th. I will be attending the annual Concert in the Rocks benefit for the Museum of Western Film History in Lone Pine, California. The column will return on June 20th.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my May 30th column.

Post

Tonight's Movie: Pressure (2026)

On this June 6th anniversary of D-Day, it's very appropriate to review the new film PRESSURE (2026).

PRESSURE, which opened a week ago, is what might be called a "procedural," about the days immediately leading up to June 6, 1944.

The focus is particularly on meteorology, including weather forecaster James Stagg (Andrew Scott), and the process of choosing the D-Day invasion date.

In an era where all the data was gathered and charted by hand from a variety of sources, Stagg's job was to forecast for General Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) whether it was "go or no go" for landing on June 5th. The 5th had been chosen for a variety of reasons, including tides and the moon phase.

Stagg forecast a heavy storm was likely, though not certain, for the 5th and advised not going...and then he forecast an opening in the weather for June 6th. June 6th weather conditions still weren't ideal, but "good enough" for the landing, which otherwise would likely have to be put forward for a number of days.

I found PRESSURE extremely engrossing, to the point I plan to purchase it when it's available so I can revisit it. And I'll mention at the outset that I appreciated it told a fascinating story in just 100 minutes, rather than running over two hours, as so many films do these days.

To be sure, the film took dramatic license in some ways. For instance, Google search tells us that Stagg's baby wasn't born until later in 1944.

I'm also curious about Eisenhower's temperament in this time period, under the strain of making a decision; Fraser depicts the general yelling at a couple points, which surprised me. My limited Internet search turned up conflicting opinions on this. Clearly, I need to do a deep dive and read about D-Day; I wish my favorite World War II historian, Walter Lord, had written one.

In any event, it's certainly not out of the ordinary for some fictionalization to occur in movies, and while Fraser's casting and a couple of his acting choices surprised me, I have to say I enjoyed the performance.

I'll post a brief personal side note that I saw Fraser in person narrating the Christmas story at Epcot in December 2023, seen here.

Both Fraser and Scott, as the prickly Stagg, do a fine job conveying the enormous pressure they were under to make the best decision possible, with both Allied lives and the fate of the European war at stake.

We know from his opening scene with his wife (Tamsin Topolski) that Stagg is capable of warmth and caring, but once at Allied Headquarters he's all business, barking "Get me the data."

I loved the way PRESSURE zeroes in on a very particular part of the planning of "Operation Overlord"; it's an excellent, intimate counterpoint to the epic THE LONGEST DAY (1962), which shows what happens after Stagg tells Eisenhower "Go."

Fraser and Scott are ably supported by Chris Messina (JULIE & JULIA) as an American meteorologist who clashes with Stagg, Damian Lewis as Bernard Montgomery, and Kerry Condon (F1: THE MOVIE) as Kay Summersby.

Summersby is treated matter-of-factly in the film as a close aide to Eisenhower who has the ability to speak with him on a more personal basis, but nothing further is implied about their relationship, which I appreciated.

PRESSURE was directed by Anthony Maras, with the screenplay written by Maras and David Haig from Haig's play.

The movie was filmed by Jamie Ramsay, and my only major criticism of the film is it follows the current trend of looking very...brown. I look back on the visuals of several new movies I've seen recently, including SHELTER (2026) and CRIME 101 (2026), and just remember dingy browns with some green. The stills used here give a sense of the look. It's a bizarre cinematography trend which I hope fades out quickly.

Parental Advisory: This film is rated PG-13. Opening and closing scenes incorporate wartime violence, and it's tough enough to watch I had to look away. However, anyone mature enough to be interested in what is, in the end, an inspirational story may be able to handle it, including choosing not to watch certain moments.

A trailer for PRESSURE is here.

Recommended.

Tweet

Gold Country Western Locations at Classic Movie Hub

I recently traveled to California's "Gold Country," where many Westerns have been filmed over the past century.

My latest Western RoundUp column at Classic Movie Hub takes a close-up look at movie locations in Jamestown and Columbia.

This included a look at the "most photographed train engine in the world," the No. 3 engine at Railtown 1897 in Jamestown.

Please click over to Classic Movie Hub for my article, which includes many photographs, and thanks for reading!

Previous Classic Movie Hub Western RoundUp Column Links: June 2018; July 2018; August 2018; September 2018; October 2018; November 2018; December 2018; January 2019; February 2019; April 5, 2019; April 30, 2019; May 2019; June 2019; July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; November 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; April 2020; May 2020; June 2020; July 2020; August 2020; September 2020; October 2020; November 2020; December 2020; January 2021; February 2021; March 2021; May 2021; June 2021; June 2021 (No. 2); July 2021; August 2021; September 2021; November 2021; December 2021; December 2021 (No. 2); January 2022; February 2022; March 2022; April 2022; May 2022; June 2022; July 2022; August 2022; September 2022; November 2022; November 2022 (No. 2); January 2023 (No. 1); January 2023 (No. 2); March 2023; April 2023; May 2023 (No. 1); May 2023 (No. 2); June 2023; July 2023; September 2023; September 2023 (No. 2); October 2023; November 2023; December 2023; January 2024; February 2024; March 2024; April 2024; May 2024; June 2024; July 2024; August 2024; September 2024; October 2024; November 2024; December 2024; January 2025; February 2025; March 2025; April 2025; May 2025; June 2025; July 2025; August 2025; September 2025; October 2025; November 2025; January 2026 (No. 1); January 2026 (No. 2); February 2026; March 2026; April 2026.

Post

TCM in June: Highlights

It's time for a detailed look at the June highlights on Turner Classic Movies!

TCM will celebrate the centennial of Marilyn Monroe beginning on Monroe's June 1st birthday. She will continue as Star of the Month for the next three Mondays, ending on June 22nd.

The TCM Spotlight will focus on disaster films every Wednesday.

This month's Noir Alley movies are THE BLUE DAHLIA (1946) on June 6th and 7th, BLACKOUT (1954) on the 13th and 14th, THE MAN I LOVE (1946) on the 20th-21st, and STOLEN FACE (1952) on June 27th and 28th.

I'm especially excited about one of the month's "Special Themes," as Eddie Muller revives his "Summer of Darkness" title from 11 years ago. On most Friday evenings in both June and July, Eddie will be hosting "Summer of Darkness: Eddie Muller's Top 25."

According to a TCM press release, the Summer of Darkness series will feature Eddie's "personal selections of the greatest film noir titles ever made." These films will be accompanied by "late-night neo-noir pairings that trace the genre's enduring influence."

I'll add a personal note, that I've seen Eddie at three different film festivals in the past month, including this past weekend at the UCLA Festival of Preservation. He is a very busy man! Yet always gracious, friendly, and enthused.

Below are just some of the June highlights. Please click on any hyperlinked title to read my complete review.

...Two of Marilyn Monroe's most enjoyable films, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES (1953) and HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE (1953), will be shown on June 1st.

...There's a fantastic evening of aviation disaster films on June 3rd, including AIRPORT (1970), ZERO HOUR! (1957), THE CROWDED SKY (1960), and SKYJACKED (1972).

...A June 4th birthday tribute to Rosalind Russell includes the enjoyable minor mystery FAST AND LOOSE (1939), costarring Robert Montgomery.

...The first "Summer of Darkness" evening, on June 5th, features THE MALTESE FALCON (1941), DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944), and DETOUR (1945).

...I try to never miss a chance to recommend I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING! (1945), which airs on Sunday, June 7th. A magical film.

...Movies including cruises on June 8th include THREE DARING DAUGHTERS (1948) and ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS (1948).

...On June 9th the theme is hotels, including HOTEL BERLIN (1945) with fave Andrea King.

...I especially love the June 10th "sisters" theme, which includes a pair of very enjoyable June Allyson MGM films, TWO SISTERS FROM BOSTON (1946) and TWO GIRLS AND A SAILOR (1944). It's a wonderful day of viewing!

...Director William Beaudine was recently featured in a retrospective here at the New Beverly and Vista theaters. TCM is featuring a day of his films on June 11th, including Jean Parker in ADVENTURES OF KITTY O'DAY.

...The Summer of Darkness lineup on June 12th consists of SCARLET STREET (1945), THE KILLERS (1946), and NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947). My favorite of this trio is THE KILLERS.

...The Marilyn Monroe films on June 15th include one of my favorites of her filmography, NIAGARA (1953). Jean Peters and Joseph Cotten also star.

...Anyone who's followed this blog for a length of time will understand my opinion that June 16th is the best day on the June calendar: a dozen Tim Holt Westerns! A selection of both his prewar and postward "B" films will be shown, including the gritty THE ARIZONA RANGER (1948), costarring Tim's father Jack. It's a day to sit back and enjoy Tim and Chito (Richard Martin) in Lone Pine and other familiar Western locations.

...The disaster movie lineup on June 17th includes the TCM premiere of Dana Andrews in CRACK IN THE WORLD (1965).

...Summer of Darkness takes the evening off on June 19th, but no worries, there's a full daytime lineup of Alfred Hitchcock films, including two of my all-time favorites, THE LADY VANISHES (1938) and FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT (1940).

...The Father's Day lineup on June 21st includes OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES 91945) and, of course, LIFE WITH FATHER (1947).

...I love the programming on June 22nd: Several films with the word "valley" in the title, including the adventure film VALLEY OF THE KINGS (1954), starring Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker.

...Another fun theme, on June 23rd, is travel, including Jane Powell in NANCY GOES TO RIO (1950).

...June 24th features a day of films directed by King Vidor, including favorites Clark Gable and Hedy Lamarr in COMRADE X (1940).

...The June 26th Summer of Darkness lineup consists of OUT OF THE PAST (1947), RAW DEAL (1948), and MOONRISE (1948). All excellent films, and OUT OF THE PAST is iconic.

...I loved recently revisiting Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in THE GAY DIVORCEE (1934), which will be shown on June 29th. (As a matter of fact, it's also part of the "ocean voyages" theme on June 8th!)

...The month ends with mysteries on June 30th, including Dick Powell in CORNERED (1945).

For more on TCM in June 2026, please visit my post Quick Preview of TCM in June along with TCM's online schedule.

Have a great summer!

Tweet

Tonight's Movies: Lorna Doone (1922) and The Magnificent Matador (1955) at the UCLA Festival of Preservation

We had a really wonderful day yesterday seeing four films at the 2026 UCLA Festival of Preservation.

The festival was held at UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum in Westwood, where I have seen scores of films over the years. It began Friday evening, May 29th, running through Sunday night.

We chose to attend most of the day Saturday due to both our schedules and our interest in the day's movies. Two of yesterday's films were new to us and two were repeat watches, combining for a perfect day of viewing.

We also saw a quartet of restored Fleischer and Terry Toons cartoons which were introduced by animation historian Jerry Beck. I especially enjoyed THE MOUSE OF TOMORROW (1942), the very first Mighty Mouse cartoon. I was also delighted to receive a cute Mighty Mouse button as we entered the theater.

Following the first two cartoons we saw ADVENTURES OF CASANOVA (1948), starring Arturo de Cordova, Lucille Bremer, and Turhan Bey.

I first saw ADVENTURES OF CASANOVA at UCLA a dozen years ago as part of a tribute to de Cordova. I remembered liking it and that it was screened in a rather murky 16mm print, but not much more.

I'm happy to report that I absolutely loved revisiting the movie and it looked terrific, thanks to a restoration from the 35mm nitrate original picture negative, a nitrate fine grain, a nitrate track negative, and a 16mm print.

ADVENTURES OF CASANOVA is grand fun, somewhat akin to THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940), and I hope that this print will make its way to the greater viewing public via film festivals, TCM, and/or Blu-ray. It would be perfect for a Flicker Alley release!

Next up was a silent version of LORNA DOONE (1922), directed by Maurice Tourneur, father of Jacques Tourneur.

While the movie plot at times differed significantly from R.D. Blackmore's classic novel, which I have read and reread over the years, taken on its own terms this is an enjoyable and visually beautiful film.

Madge Bellamy (THE IRON HORSE) plays the title character, an innocent young girl living amongst the violent Doone clan in a remote valley.

She is ultimately rescued by the kind, sturdy young farmer John Ridd (John Bowers), though there are multiple complications before John and Lorna arrive at their Happily Ever After.

The movie has some striking California location work -- I've been unable to find out exactly where -- which adds to the movie's strong visuals, photographed by Henry Sharp. The performances are on the melodramatic side, but overall it's quite an entertaining 70 minutes.

We were fortunate to see LORNA DOONE with live music by Cliff Retallick, who always does a marvelous job.

Adding to the fun: Packages of Lorna Doone cookies were handed out as we exited the theater!

After a lunch break at The Apple Pan, the third film of the day was MERRILY WE LIVE (1938). This is one of my all-time favorite screwball comedies, which I think I've come to appreciate more on each successive viewing, and it was my first time to see it theatrically.

What a great experience seeing it with an appreciative audience! I laughed throughout, especially at the final ever-escalating series of kitchen pratfalls (seen here). I particuarly marveled at Clarence Kolb's physicality, given he did his own stunts and was roughly 63 at the time of filming.

After MERRILY WE LIVE I had the pleasure of viewing film historian Dick Bann's "keybook" containing every still shot for the movie. I could have spent much longer with it than time permitted, but I especially lingered over the set shots of the movie's amazing kitchen, including studying the countertop milkshake makers!

Finally we saw THE MAGNIFICENT MATADOR (1955), a 94-minute film directed by Budd Boetticher.

It was a CinemaScope film shot in Mexico by Lucien Ballard; the very vivid Eastmancolor rather reminded me of the Technicolor hues of SLIGHTLY SCARLET (1956), which I revisited earlier this month at the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival.

I'm sure I must have read about the film at some point, given the director and leading lady Maureen O'Hara, but the title was completely unfamiliar to me. I was very much seeing it "cold."

It's the story of Luis Santos (Anthony Quinn), a great Mexican matador who abruptly pulls out of a bullfight, to the dismay of his many admirers.

Wealthy Karen Harrison (O'Hara), who owns an estate in Mexico, is fascinated by Santos and literally chases after his Rolls-Royce in her little convertible sports car. She also intrudes on him as he prays in church.

Despite her aggressiveness, Luis and Karen slowly bond after she invites him to take refuge at her home. Her (apparently alcoholic) admirer Mark Russell (Richard Denning), who wants to marry her, is angry, but there's nothing he can do to stop the growing attraction between Luis and Karen.

But why did Luis avoid the bullfight, and what is his connection to young Rafael Reyes (Manuel Rojas)?

For the first half or so of the film, I kept thinking "This is a very strange movie," between the title song, O'Hara's playgirl "stalker" character, Denning's perpetually soused jerk, and constant abrupt fade-outs from scenes; that said, it increasingly grew on me as it went along and I would enjoy seeing it again in the future.

Quinn is charismatic as the bullfighter and has good chemistry with the perpetually feisty O'Hara. I especially liked the film's conclusion, which provided a better ending than I had expected.

Young Manuel Rojas, who plays up-and-coming matador Rafael, was the last husband of actress Martha Vickers (THE BIG SLEEP). He also appeared in Boetticher's BUCHANAN RIDES ALONE (1958). In the '80s he was married to actress Pamela Sue Martin (NANCY DREW, DYNASTY) who was nearly 23 years his junior.

The film has a nice supporting cast which also includes Thomas Gomez, Anthony Caruso, Eduardo Noriega, Lola Albright, and William Ching.

It was a marvelous day in every way; my husband even won a UCLA tote bag after correctly answering a trivia question. We all owe the UCLA Film & Television Archive a great debt for their work preserving cinema history.

Post

Tonight's Movie: Follow Me Quietly (1949) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

FOLLOW ME QUIETLY (1949) is a movie I've enjoyed multiple times in the past, including on Turner Classic Movies in 2011 and via a Warner Archive DVD in 2014.

It had been a number of years since I last saw the movie, so I was glad to revisit it this weekend on a brand-new Warner Archive Blu-ray.

FOLLOW ME QUIETLY is a minor yet well-made, interesting film noir/crime film which runs a snappy hour flat.

William Lundigan plays Detective Harry Grant, who is trying to find a serial killer known as "The Judge."

Grant is aided by his colleague, Sergeant Art Collins (Jeff Corey), and alternately helped and hindered by an enthusiastic young crime reporter, Ann Gorman (Dorothy Patrick).

In some ways this is a familiar tale, yet the direction by Richard Fleischer (THE NARROW MARGIN) and black and white cinematography by Robert de Grasse knocks this film up several notches from "ordinary" to "special."

As I noted in past reviews, there are many special moments, from the off-kilter camera angles as the detectives do footwork to the smoke-filled shots in the police station.

Rainy nights add to the film's evocative mood, and there's a great chase sequence at the Los Angeles Gas Works. A very spooky sequence inside a police station is also extremely memorable, even shocking.

The film was made with care and thoughtfulness, with the end result being a very watchable film which will be especially appreciated by fans of the genre.

The three leads are all likeable; Patrick's character starts out as an annoyance but eventually her relationship with Lundigan evolves into greater understanding, and even playfulness.

The supporting cast includes Frank Ferguson, Nestor Paiva, Charles D. Brown, Paul Guilfoyle, Marlo Dwyer, Douglas Spencer, Robert Emmett Keane, Howard M. Mitchell, and Virginia Farmer.

Lillie Hayward's screenplay was based on a story by Francis Rosenwald and, believe it or not, Anthony Mann, himself an accomplished director of film noir.

As a side note, director Fleischer's family name was seen several times at yesterday's UCLA Festival of Preservation thanks to the screening of restored Fleischer cartoons. More on the festival is coming soon.

The Blu-ray print is from a 1080p HD master from a new 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative. It looks and sounds terrific. Fans will be pleased.

The lone extras are the trailer and a Crime Does Not Pay short, DARK SHADOWS (1944), which stars Jacqueline White and a number of familiar character actors. Optional English-language subtitles are provided.

Thanks to the Warner Archive and Allied Vaughn for providing a review copy of this collection. This set may be purchased from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

Post

Tonight's Movie: Gambling Ship (1933) - A Universal Blu-ray Review

I've seen the vast majority of Cary Grant's films, but thanks to Universal I've recently caught a couple of his very earliest films for the first time.

I reviewed the entertaining comedy THIS IS THE NIGHT (1932) last month, and I've just finished watching GAMBLING SHIP (1933).

GAMBLING SHIP is a quick little 72-minute film from Paramount Pictures which I found lots of pre-Code fun.

Grant plays Ace Corbin, a Chicago mobster who decides he's tired of living dangerously and heads to California for a fresh start.

On board the train Ace falls for lovely Eleanor Kenniston (Benita Hume, the future Mrs. Ronald Colman).

Ace gives Eleanor a false name, while simultaneously unaware that the seemingly refined Eleanor is actually Eleanor La Velle, girlfriend of California-based gangster Joe Burke (Arthur Vinton).

Once in California, Eleanor discovers that Joe is in dire financial straits due to machinations by another crook, Pete Manning (Jack La Rue). She decides she must remain loyal to Joe long enough to get him out of trouble.

Ace's dreams of a new life on the West Coast are likewise stymied by Pete, and Ace decides to go into business with Joe running the title gambling ship. Eventually true identities and relationships come to light...meanwhile Pete lobs a literal bomb onto the ship.

I found this quite an entertaining little movie. It's certainly no classic, but at the same time it's a great example of the movie fun which is "out there" awaiting rediscovery. I enjoyed it.

The screenplay by Marcin and Seton I. Miller, adapted by Claude Binyon from a story by Peter Ruric, keeps things moving quickly, and I especially liked that the characters don't spend an inordinate amount of time fretting over lies and who's been in love with who.

Indeed, underneath her patrician exterior Eleanor is one tough little cookie, deciding she owes it to Joe to help him when he's down, at the expense of the true love she has just discovered. There's a great police interview scene where both Ace and Joe discover they're in competition with one another.

Grant, with an odd gray streak in his hair, is charismatic, showing somewhat more onscreen charm than he did in THIS IS THE NIGHT. One can see his stardom growing watching these films back to back.

The film also benefits from a terrific supporting cast, including the always-reliable Glenda Farrell and Roscoe Karns. Also in the cast are Edward Gargan, Marc Lawrence, Sam McDaniel, Edwin Maxwell, and Spencer Charters. Gail Patrick is said by IMDb to be a casino patron, but I didn't spot her.

I also especially enjoyed the shipboard set, including its neon lights glowing in the distance as patrons arrive by water taxi.

The movie was directed by Louis J. Gasnier and Max Marcin, two names that are new to me. It was filmed by Charles Lang.

The Blu-ray print is very good, with a strong soundtrack.

As with other recent Universal Blu-ray releases, there are no extras. Optional English-language captions are provided.

GAMBLING SHIP is recommended for fans of Cary Grant and pre-Codes.

Thanks to Allied Vaughn and Universal for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. It may be purchased from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

Post

Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...There's great news for fans of film noir and crime films: Kino Lorber Studio Classics has announced that the Dark Side of Cinema XXVII Blu-ray collection is "coming soon." The terrific lineup of films includes Raymond Burr in UNMASKED (1950), which was my favorite film at the 2025 Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival, plus Bob Steele in THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY (1941) and Dane Clark in THE MAN IS ARMED (1956). This sounds like a fabulous set for those of us who love exploring little-known movies.

...THE MAVERICK QUEEN (1955), which Kino Lorber earlier this year announced would be coming to Blu-ray, is now scheduled for a July 21st release. The print will be from a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative.

...THE LOVE TRAP (1929) , directed by William Wyler and starring Laura La Plante, is due out from Kino Lorber on July 14th...and "coming soon" is HIGH RISK (1981), with a cast including Anthony Quinn, Bruce Davison, Lindsay Wagner, Ernest Borgnine, and more.

...Disc reviews: James L. Neibaur, Glenn Erickson, and Stuart Galbraith IV (the latter of The Digital Bits) have each reviewed the new Kino Lorber release of NIGHT WORLD (1932)...Galbraith has also recently reviewed MOGAMBO (1953) and BEND OF THE RIVER (1952)...Glenn Erickson has also reviewed Kino's release of THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1924) and VCI's two-film set of the public domain films D.O.A. (1949) and BORDERLINE (1950)...Timothy E. of Home Theater Forum has reviewed the new release Fleischer Cartoons Greatest Hits Volume 1. I just bought a copy a few days ago; it's available from ClassicFlix.

...Over at Comet Over Hollywood, Jessica Pickens' latest reviews include BRIDAL SUITE (1939) and SWEETHEARTS ON PARADE (1953).

...Ahead of this weekend's UCLA Festival of Preservation, KABC TV in Los Angeles has a news story on the UCLA Film and Television Archive.

...Notable Passings: Marcia Lucas, who won the Oscar for editing STAR WARS (1977), has passed away at 80. Lucas also edited RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) and did uncredited editing work on THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980); I will always be grateful to her for her many contributions to three of my very favorite movies. Lucas was nominated for another editing Oscar for AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)...I was very sorry to learn of the death of actress Ann Robinson (WAR OF THE WORLDS) at the age of 96. I was fortunate to see her at a couple different screenings over the years. Here she graciously posed for me at the TCM Classic Film Festival a decade ago...It was also sad to learn of the passing of actress Caitlin O'Heaney (TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY). I loved her as Snow White on THE CHARMINGS (1987-88) and was mystified when she was replaced after the first season. Depending on the source, she was 72 or 73.

...More Notable Passings: British actor David Burke, who was Dr. Watson to Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes in the classic 1984-85 TV series, has passed on at 91...Actor Peter Helm, who appeared in TV and movies for a dozen years beginning in 1959, has died at 84. He was married to actress Brooke Bundy (GENERAL HOSPITAL) in the early '60s. Survivors include his sister, actress Anne Helm...Character actor Charles Cioffi has died at 90...Costume designer Albert Wolsky has passed on at 95. He won Oscars for ALL THAT JAZZ (1979) and BUGSY (1991). His other credits included a pair of films I loved, TV's Hallmark Hall of Fame production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1976) and THE TURNING POINT (1977), seen here...Kelly Lee Curtis, the oldest child of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, has died at 69. Survivors include her younger sister, Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my May 16th column.

Post