Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...There will be an Ida Lupino Blogathon on August 1st and 2nd, sponsored by the blog Miss Ida Lupino. Click the link for details and a list of participating classic film blogs.

...My husband came across a great reminiscence about the London Symphony Orchestra recording John Williams' landmark score for STAR WARS (1977): "At one point, George Lucas got so excited, he called his pal Spielberg in Hollywood, to let him hear the opening fanfare through the telephone."

...Here's an interesting trailer for George Clooney's THE IDES OF MARCH (2011), due out in October. Clooney directs and stars, and he also cowrote the screenplay.

...Karen reflects on Robert Montgomery and Norma Shearer in PRIVATE LIVES (1931) at Shadows and Satin. Her comments made me want to watch it again. :)

...At The Second Sentence, Elisabeth lists three of her favorite WALTONS episodes dealing with John-Boy's writing career. As longtime readers may recall, THE WALTONS is one of my all-time favorite shows. Highly recommended.

...Breakfast coffee at the Original Pantry in Los Angeles is no longer free. The restaurant is coping with higher prices by charge 50 cents for coffee, the first time the restaurant has charged for breakfast coffee in its 87 years. I described a trip to the Pantry in 2008.

...Moira has a very interesting post on RUTHLESS (1948) at Skeins of Thought. It's got a terrific cast, including Zachary Scott, Diana Lynn, Lucille Bremer, Louis Hayward, and Sydney Greenstreet. I've had it in my Netflix Instant queue and am delighted to learn from Moira that Netflix is showing an excellent print.

...Susan King reports in the L.A. Times that the papers of director Nicholas Ray will be archived at the University of Texas at Austin.

...Royal Watch: The BBC has video of Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter, Zara Phillips, leaving the church after her wedding yesterday. For those who enjoy perusing the photos and fashions, here's the royal family attending a wedding eve cocktail party on the Royal Yacht Britannia, and here's photos from the wedding day. (The Duchess of Cambridge looked great, as always.) Having been there, I loved the photo in Holyrood Abbey at Holyroodhouse.

...Jessica muses on the sad, somewhat mysterious end of actress Carole Landis at Comet Over Hollywood. I really enjoyed Landis in films such as MOON OVER MIAMI (1941) and I WAKE UP SCREAMING (1941). I found Eric Gans' book CAROLE LANDIS: A MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL, from University of Mississippi Press, an informative read.

...From the Hollywood Reporter: "Hollywood's First Digital Christmas to Cause Pain." (Via Kristina.) I just don't see the appeal in "owning" nebulous films stored in a "cloud," which could disappear due to who knows what. Streaming is fun for some titles, but I like to own my own DVDs and know they're accessible at any time.

...And here's another issue of the times, E-Books vs. paper.

...At Where Danger Lives, the Greatest Sci-Fi Poster Countdown lists Nos. 11 through 20.

...And the Calamity Jane series has concluded at Another Old Movie Blog with Parts 3 and 4.

...TV Shows on DVD reports that Season 3 of FALCON CREST is on the way to DVD in early 2012.

...If you haven't yet visited Tom's series on the Movie Theaters of Los Angeles -- first linked to here in June -- be sure to stop by. He's got four photo posts up so far, with several more installments to come.

...Glenn Erickson reviews the Warner Archive release DARK OF THE SUN (1968), starring Rod Taylor, at DVD Savant.

...I like the titles chosen by Audrey for a dream Ginger Rogers boxed DVD set, guest posted at Waitin' on a Sunny Day.

...Notable Passing: Character actor G.D. Spradlin has passed on a month short of his 91st birthday. Spradlin, a successful oilman, didn't start his acting career until he was in his 40s.

Have a great week!