Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...An advance review copy MURDER AT THE MOVIES: A MOVIE PALACE MYSTERY by Alicia Malone of Turner Classic Movies has just arrived in my mailbox. It will be published by Running Press in October. Looks like fun!

 ...Dave Karger of TCM also has a book coming out from Running Press later this year: 50 MOVIE NIGHTS: CONTEMPORARY STARS ON THEIR FAVORITE CLASSIC FILMS

...Raquel Stecher of Out of the Past has just published a new edition of her much-appreciated "New & Upcoming Classic Film Books" list. A book on Rita Johnson particularly caught my eye, and I'm also intrigued by upcoming titles on UNIVERSAL MUSICALS, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (spelled NEIGHBOUR in the title because it's a UK book), Joe McDoakes comedies, and MGM costume designer Adrian.

...Last week I shared the sad news of the passing of actor Randolph Mantooth of EMERGENCY! On Twitter, Gary Wells shared the link for an article he wrote a few years ago on the show and its importance in his life. It's a lovely read.

...Last night I recorded a recent documentary on Disney Imagineer Bob Gurr, BOB GURR: LIVING BY DESIGN (2025), from public TV. Disney fans will want to keep an eye out for it. I've been very fortune to meet Bob and hear him speak a number of times over the years.

...Good news for Deanna Durbin fans! Universal is releasing FIRST LOVE (1939) and I'LL BE YOURS (1947) on Blu-ray in August. I rewatched FIRST LOVE just a few months ago and loved it all over again.

...Toby Roan has reviewed the new Warner Archive Blu-ray of COLT .45 (1950) at 50 Westerns From the 50s. My own copy just arrived and will be reviewed here in the near future.

...I enjoyed this interview Lee Jutton conducted with Eddie Muller, with topics including film noir (of course!) in general and his TCM "Summer of Darkness" series in particular.

...Coming to Blu-ray from Sony in September: A Blu-ray release of TV's BRIDGET LOVES BERNIE (1972-73) starring David Birney and Meredith Baxter, who was known as Meredith Baxter Birney after their real-life 1974 marriage. I fondly recall the time I went to see Linda Purl starring in Ibsen's A DOLL HOUSE in an Equity Waiver theater in Los Angeles in the early '80s and the Birneys were sitting behind me...alas, they later divorced.

...Criterion is reissuing its Eclipse set The First Films of Samuel Fuller, originally released on DVD, on Blu-ray. I reviewed one of the films in the set, I SHOT JESSE JAMES (1949), here over a dozen years ago. I quite enjoyed it.

...At Shadows and Satin Karen Burroughs Hannsberry has just reviewed a film I need to watch soon, CAST A DARK SHADOW (1955) with Margaret Lockwood and Dirk Bogarde.

...This weekend I watched Jeanne Crain in DANGEROUS CROSSING (1953) for the first time in many years. I'd forgotten just how entertaining it is. Recommended!

...My great thanks to Christine of ClassicFilmLA for again tipping me off to some wonderful upcoming Disney-themed events. This fall a new exhibition is opening at the Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale: "California Visionaries: The Lives and Legacies of Walt Disney and Hubert Eaton." It runs September 19th through February 7th. A decade ago I attended a wonderful Forest Lawn Museum exhibit of art by Eyvind Earle, who designed the look of Disney's SLEEPING BEAUTY (1959), and I hope to visit this exhibit as well. The museum offers free admission.

...And Walt Disney Archives Director Becky Cline gives a talk on Disney's True-Life Adventures at the Los Angeles Breakfast Club on August 5th.  As I said to Christine, I only wish it weren't such a challenge making it from Orange County to Los Angeles for Breakfast Club events; they start at 7:00 a.m.

...Notable Passings: I was very sorry about the death of Sam Neill at 78. I haven't seen a great many of his films but when I did I always liked him, most especially in THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990)...Emmy-nominated soap opera actor Scott Bryce, best known for AS THE WORLD TURNS, has died at 68.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my July 11th column.

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