Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Coming September 16th from Running Press: CRISS-CROSS: THE MAKING OF HITCHCOCK'S DAZZLING, SUBVERSIVE MASTERPIECE STRANGERS ON A TRAIN by Stephen Rebello. Rebello is also the author of ALFRED HITCHCOCK AND THE MAKING OF PSYCHO and A CITY FULL OF HAWKS: ON THE WATERFRONT SEVENTY YEARS LATER - STILL THE GREAT AMERICAN CONTENDER.

...Kino Lorber has targeted a July 15 release date for the previously announced EXCLUSIVE (1937) starring Fred MacMurray and Frances Farmer, directed by Alexander Hall. It will feature a commentary track by Jason A. Ney, joined by Farmer expert Jeffrey Kauffman.

...There's a new book coming from silent film expert Ben Model next month: THE SILENT FILM UNIVERSE. It features a foreword by esteemed film historian Jeanine Basinger.

...At Silentology Lea Stans writes about Western star Tom Tyler and the Blu-ray set of Tom Tyler Westerns recently released by Ben Model's Undercrank Productions.

...The first woman, Mandy Walker, has been elected President of the American Society of Cinematographers. Her credits include HIDDEN FIGURES (2016) and MULAN (2020).

...Colin reviews TROOPER HOOK (1957), starring Joel McCrea and Barbara Stanwyck, at Riding the High Country.

...Coming to Region 2 Blu-ray in August from Powerhouse Indicator: OUT OF THE CLOUDS (1955) and STORM CENTER (1956). OUT OF THE CLOUDS, an "airport" film directed by Basil Dearden, is a U.S.-only release. STORM CENTER stars Bette Davis, directed by Daniel Taradesh.

...New this month from Simon & Schuster's Avid Reader Press: HOLLYWOOD HIGH: A TOTALLY EPIC, WAY OPINIONATED HISTORY OF TEEN MOVIES by Bruce Handy. An excerpt on Mickey Rooney and the Andy Hardy films recently appeared in The Hollywood Reporter.

...My sincere appreciation to David Blakeslee and Criterion Cast for sharing links to several of my reviews on Argentinian film noir in conjunction with a new episode on the same topic. The podcast may be accessed here, along with links to other resources.

...I just learned about the existence of the LITTLE HOUSE COLORING BOOK, published by HarperCollins in 2016. It's based on Garth Williams' classic illustrations for Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. I suspect I'll be picking it up at some point.

...Jacqueline T. Lynch has reviewed HEAT LIGHTNING (1934), starring Aline MacMahon, Ann Dvorak, and Preston Foster, at Another Old Movie Blog. It's part of the Classic Movie Blog Assocation's Cry Me a River "tearjerkers" blogathon; more entries are linked at the CMBA site.

...Based on a recommendation I just purchased SCREWBALL COMEDY AND FILM NOIR: UNEXPECTED CONNECTIONS by Thomas C. Renzi. It was published by McFarland Books in 2012.

...My summer reading stack also includes last year's JEAN PETERS: HOLLYWOOD'S MYSTERY GIRL by Michelangelo Capua. It was published by the University Press of Mississippi.

...Glenn Erickson's latest Blu-ray reviews include SIDE STREET (1950), recently released by the Warner Archive Collection. SIDE STREET stars Farley Granger, Cathy O'Donnell, and James Craig, directed by Anthony Mann.

...Over at Greenbriar Picture Shows, John McElwee takes a look at STAR DUST (1940) starring Linda Darnell and John Payne.

...Notable Passing: Sad news, Mara Corday has died at the age of 95. Her February passing was just announced in The Hollywood Reporter. Corday was in a great many '50s Westerns I've enjoyed, including a few reviewed here, and she was also in several "monster" movies such as TARANTULA (1955). She retired to raise a family after marriage to actor Richard Long, but following his early 1974 death she appeared in several Clint Eastwood movies, including THE GAUNTLET (1977). Eastwood, a friend from Corday's '50s studio days, gave her small roles to help her maintain health insurance.

...More Notable Passings: George Wendt, famed for his role as "Norm!" on CHEERS (1982-93), has died at 76...Production designer Les Dilley has died at 84.  His credits included STAR WARS (1977), THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)...Cinematographer Billy Williams (THE WIND AND THE LION) has died at 95. He was an Oscar winner for GANDHI (1982).

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my May 17th column.

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