...Thanks to Greenbriar Picture Shows, I was very excited to learn about the new book RKO RADIO PICTURES: A TITAN IS BORN by Professor Richard Jewell of the University of Southern California. This is Volume I of a planned two-volume history of the company. Dr. Jewell is a wonderful man who's an expert on RKO; one of my daughter's regrets was that she didn't get to take his RKO course before she graduated! (She did get to take his Westerns class.) I added Jewell's coffee table book THE RKO STORY to my collection over a quarter of a century ago!
...Deep Discount's spring/summer 25% off sale is now underway. It lasts until June 24th. Coupon code: 25MORE.
...TCM's Essentials Jr. series for young people starts tonight, showing 12 ANGRY MEN (1957). The movies run on Sunday evenings through late August. The schedule is here.
...Royal Watch: London's Daily Mail has fantastic large photos of today's flotilla on the Thames in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. There's also a video link at the bottom of the page which is very worthwhile. What a thrill it would have been to see in person! There were even three dozen private boats which had participated in the Dunkirk evacuation in today's parade; the Miracle at Dunkirk took place 72 years ago this week. (It just so happens I watched the 1958 British film DUNKIRK last night.) The image to the right is from CBS News.
...Caftan Woman's "One for June" pick on Turner Classic Movies is sure a good one: John Ford's FORT APACHE (1948), the first in the "Cavalry Trilogy" Ford made with John Wayne. It costars Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple, and John Agar, with a great supporting cast of favorites such as Ward Bond, Irene Rich, and Anna Lee....I was delighted to see Glenn Erickson give the underrated Fred Astaire-Joan Leslie musical THE SKY'S THE LIMIT (1943) such a good review. It's available from the Warner Archive.
...It was certainly interesting to learn that reviled former (sort of) owner Frank McCourt has had a grand jury investigating his accounting. I'm very discouraged that despite the recent sale of the team, McCourt will still receive an income from the parking lots. Ugh.
...Chris Edwards discusses the "Silent-Classic Divide" at the Cinementals.
...I just learned there's an Images of America book on the Pig 'N Whistle restaurant which came out in 2010. I'll be getting this; it's right next door to my favorite revival theater, the Egyptian, and I've enjoyed eating there several times. Actress Marsha Hunt remembers eating there as a child in the late '20s when her family vacationed in California....Speaking of the Egyptian, Southern Californians should take note that there's a wonderful event coming up there on June 13th: Pat Boone will appear in person at a screening of STATE FAIR (1962). (The original 1945 STATE FAIR is one of my favorite films, and while the remake has some problems, I still found it fun viewing.) He'll sign copies of the book PAT BOONE: THE HOLLYWOOD YEARS and be interviewed after the movie. The evening is free for American Cinematheque members; I'm hoping I can work out getting up there on a weeknight.
...I added TWO-MINUTE WARNING (1976) to my Netflix queue after reading about it at The Stalking Moon. I thought Charlton Heston's films SKYJACKED (1972) and AIRPORT 1975 (1974) were a lot of fun, so this looks like a film I'll enjoy....I haven't seen SOUTH OF ST. LOUIS (1949) since childhood. Any movie with Joel McCrea, Alexis Smith, and Zachary Scott has got to be worth watching! Jacqueline reviews it at Another Old Movie Blog.
...Another one that sounds interesting is Charles McGraw and Virginia Grey in THE THREAT (1949), reviewed by John Greco at Twenty Four Frames.
...A very happy 5th Bloggiversary to Raquelle and Out of the Past!
...Notable Passing: Actress Kathryn Joosten, who played the President's beloved secretary, Mrs. Landingham, on THE WEST WING, has passed on at the age of 72.
Enjoy a blessed Trinity Sunday, and have a great week!
"Two Minute Warning" isn't the greatest film, but it can be a fun watch. The most exciting part is seeing the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum used as the primary filming location!
ReplyDeleteThanks for highlighting the book on the Pig'N'Whistle. I have never seen the book but I will definitely want to pick that one up.
That'll be fun seeing the Coliseum featured in the film, Robby. Thanks for the feedback!
ReplyDeleteGlad I could share the info on the Pig 'N Whistle book. It's great to look back in time at our geographic area thanks to the books in this series.
Best wishes,
Laura
First, thanks for the mention. And also, I'm glad you drew my attention to that Richard Jewell book on RKO.
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Colin
I am friends with a young woman who is spending her vacation in London right now for the Queen's Jubilee! She wrote on facebook that she had to stand by the Thames in her spot for 8 hours! She didn't even dare leave to use the bathroom or she would not get her spot back. But she got some good photos ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the mention, Laura. I watched the BBC coverage of the flotilla yesterday -- like you I loved the inclusion of the Dunkirk boats. Must have been something to see the event in person. It'll be an exciting summer in London this year, with the Jubilee events and the Olympics coming up.
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