Sunday, June 12, 2011

Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...A new book due out this week celebrates a half century of WEST SIDE STORY: SOMETHING'S COMING, SOMETHING GOOD: WEST SIDE STORY AND THE AMERICAN IMAGINATION by Misha Berson. There's another recent book on the film musical version, which I reviewed in December.

...James Garner now has an Official Fan Page on Facebook.

...Last weekend I shared reviews of the new DVD release of NIGHT FLIGHT (1933) by Glenn Erickson and Leonard Maltin. Here's two more, from Mike Clark and Lou Lumenick.

...Mike Clark also reviewed the recent Twilight Time release of FATE IS THE HUNTER (1964).

...Reviews, reviews, and more reviews: Une Cinephile looks at DEADLINE AT DAWN (1946) starring Susan Hayward...Judy has a great write-up on William Wellman's BEAU GESTE (1939), which also features Hayward, at Movie Classics...MONDO 70 reviews Jane Russell and George Brent in MONTANA BELLE, which was filmed in 1948 but not released until 1952...and Clara reviews Gene Tierney in DRAGONWYCK (1946) at Via Margutta 51.

...The Lady Eve has a wonderful post on Catalina Island and the movies.

...British films coming from VCI Entertainment on July 19th include Dirk Bogarde in PENNY PRINCESS (1952) and SIMBA (1955). Earlier in July, on the 5th, VCI releases TIARA TAHITI starring James Mason and John Mills.

...My daughters saw SUPER 8 (2011) this afternoon and give it a thumbs up. Leonard Maltin and Chris Yogerst liked it too. It sounds like a fun throwback to the Spielberg films of the late '70s and early '80s.

...For British royalty watchers: the Daily Mail has lots of beautiful photos of yesterday's Trooping the Colour ceremony celebrating the Queen's 85th birthday...and the Duchess of Cambridge looked beautiful attending her first official public charity event following the wedding.

...At Sisters of the Silver Screen, Tom's got video of PASSWORD -- with Joan Fontaine and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. That's about as classy as a game show can get!

...Are you stocking up on incandescent light bulbs yet?

...Netflix has made some changes to its website which aren't universally loved. The giant posters seemed to me akin to the "non-reference" version of IMDb -- there's an impulse out there to make things about the visuals and bury the information so people have to go hunting for it.

...And what's with Netflix streaming a 1940 film in widescreen? CinemaStyles shows how THE GRAPES OF WRATH was strangely stretched out.

...Notable passing: British travel writer Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor has passed on at the age of 96. Earlier this year IN TEARING HASTE, a collection of letters between Fermor and the Duchess of Devonshire, was published; a link is in this roundup. Fermor's wartime experiences, chronicled in a fellow officer's book, ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT, were told in a 1957 Powell-Pressburger film with Dirk Bogarde playing Fermor.

...I've been to the Curious George bookstore in Cambridge's Harvard Square on multiple occasions, though it's been a decade since my last visit. I was sorry to learn it's closing.

Have a great week!

3 Comments:

Blogger Judy said...

Thanks so much for the plug for my review, and for putting together all these links - so much to explore. I didn't realise that Patrick Leigh Fermor had died. Just enjoyed reading the two reviews of 'Night Flight' you linked to - as a big fan of John Barrymore, and MGM all-star casts, I really want to see this film. Also agree with the New York Post's article hoping that Warner Archive will release more of JB's rarities!

12:07 AM  
Blogger UGN said...

Hi Laura:
Thanks for the link to the Jim Garner Facebook page, it is really a great fan site. There are tons of photos, memorabilia, and stories. There are even cast call sheets from episodes. Fans can post and upload photos and ask questions. It it really neat!

Mrs. UNG

6:55 PM  
Blogger Laura said...

You're very welcome, Judy! Delighted to know you are enjoying the links. :)

Very glad to know the Garner site is so good, Mrs. UNG! It sounds very comprehensive. I'm not on Facebook but based on your recommendation I'll have to spend some time checking out the info shared there. Wish they could simultaneously gather it all on a blog, which seems like a more permanent resource which would be easier to explore long term.

Best wishes,
Laura

10:20 AM  

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