Classic Movies

Use the Blu Light Saber, Luke
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/V/G/-/-/StarwarsDVD1.jpg" alt="" hspace="5" width="124" height="170" align="right" /> All six of the <em>Star Wars</em> movies will get the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.starwars.com/themovies/saga/mebd/bluray/index.html">Blu-ray treatment</a> in a collection coming out in fall 2010 -- more than a year away.</p> <p>I'm sure it will be chock-full of interesting features, deleted bits and behind-the-scenes gewgaws, but I'm a purist.  I love the three earliest movies.   The effects are amazing, even after all this time, and they just have more heart than the big-budget wow of the more rceently released films.  They left me cold.  </p> <p>Maybe I'll just wait to buy them one at a time.  You?</p> <p><br class="spacer_" /></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/31/use-the-blu-light-saber-luke.htm">Use the Blu Light Saber, Luke</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 13:30:02.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/31/use-the-blu-light-saber-luke.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/31/use-the-blu-light-saber-luke.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/31/use-the-blu-light-saber-luke.htm&zItl=Use the Blu Light Saber, Luke">Email this</a></p>

What a Real Movie Star Should Drive
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/R/G/-/-/Roadster.jpg" border="0" alt="" align="right" />This turquoise dream machine, ladies and gentlemen, was given to starlet <strong>Diana Dors</strong>, England's curvaceous answer to <strong>Marilyn Monroe</strong>.  When she 17.  Before she had a driver's license.</p> <p>I have seen cars that are elegant, cars that bespeak speed, cars that betoken glamor. This is the first car I've seen that I would say was actually sexy.  Poetry from <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fxxtMqJa58&feature=player_embedded">every angle</a>.  I have never cared about cars in the least, but I think I actually covet this one.</p> <p>Not that I'll be putting it in the garage next to my high-performance 1984 Geo Prizm anytime soon.  One of only 51 ever made, the 1949 Delahaye roadster recently <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7948241/Diana-Dors-sports-car-fetches-nearly-2-million-at-auction.html">sold at auctio</a>n for about $3 million.</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/28/what-a-real-movie-star-should-drive.htm">What a Real Movie Star Should Drive</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Saturday, August 28th, 2010 at 19:18:19.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/28/what-a-real-movie-star-should-drive.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/28/what-a-real-movie-star-should-drive.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/28/what-a-real-movie-star-should-drive.htm&zItl=What a Real Movie Star Should Drive">Email this</a></p>

Masterpieces in Blu from Criterion
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/Q/G/-/-/modern_times2.jpg" alt="" hspace="5" width="121" height="170" align="right" />Those purveyors of classy classic movies at Criterion are at it again, coming out with Blu-ray editions of two superb - and very, very different -- films in November.</p> <p><em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.criterion.com/films/27526-modern-times">Modern Times</a></em> was <strong>Charlie Chaplin's</strong> final film as the Little Tramp, the endearing hobo overwhelmed by a world he can't control.  He was never better than here as the inept factory worker in this mostly silent film, filled with frenetic sight gags and dry social commentary.</p> <p>Then shift gears (nyuk, nyuk) to <a href="http://www.criterion.com/films/27525-the-night-of-the-hunter"><em>Night of the Hunter</em></a>, a chilling, grimly beautiful movie starring <strong>Robert Mitchum</strong> as the ultimate stalker. (You know, the "love-hate" knuckle tattoo guy.)  It's a terrifying piece, the only film ever directed by actor <strong>Charles Laughton</strong>.</p> <p>Both are visual masterpieces that richly deserve Criterion's passion for restoration and preservation, and the Blu-ray treatment.</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/26/masterpieces-in-blu-from-criterion.htm">Masterpieces in Blu from Criterion</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Thursday, August 26th, 2010 at 16:28:34.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/26/masterpieces-in-blu-from-criterion.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/26/masterpieces-in-blu-from-criterion.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/26/masterpieces-in-blu-from-criterion.htm&zItl=Masterpieces in Blu from Criterion">Email this</a></p>

Restored 'Metropolis' Coming on Blu-Ray
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/P/G/-/-/metropolis2.jpg" alt="" hspace="5" width="113" height="170" align="right" />Following the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2008/07/13/lost-footage-of-metropolis-discovered.htm">miraculous discovery</a> of a full copy of Fritz Lang's masterful <em>Metropolis</em> in Buenos Aires back in 2008, the fully restored version of the film will be out in November from <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.kino.com/metropolis/">Kino</a>.</p> <p>The 1927 evocation of an art-deco dystopia is worth the viewing for the breathtaking visuals alone. The story is pretty good, too. Even if you've never seen it before, you'lll recognize the fabulous female robot, and see how the film has been echoed ever since in classic science fiction movies. I can't wait to see the restoration.</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/25/restored-metropolis-coming-on-blu-ray.htm">Restored 'Metropolis' Coming on Blu-Ray </a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 at 14:57:59.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/25/restored-metropolis-coming-on-blu-ray.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/25/restored-metropolis-coming-on-blu-ray.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/25/restored-metropolis-coming-on-blu-ray.htm&zItl=Restored 'Metropolis' Coming on Blu-Ray ">Email this</a></p>

Classic Movies get 'The Simpsons' Treatment
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/O/G/-/-/alfred_hitchcock.jpg" border="0" alt="" align="right" />I love <em>The Simpsons</em> for so many reasons, but one of the best trademarks of the long-lived animated series is its clever visual homages to classic movies.</p> <p>There's lots of great shot-by-shot comparisons on line. Here's a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.neenja.com/articles/4/40_movie_references_from_the_simpsons">good one</a> on "Neenja,"and <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.joeydevilla.com/2007/09/22/simpsons-scenes-and-their-reference-movies/">this one</a> from "Accordion Guy" focuses on a lot of great classic movies. Nowadays I can't see these scenes from <em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/mysteryandsuspense/fr/NorthByNorthwes.htm">North by Northwest</a>, Cape Fear, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/mysteryandsuspense/fr/Vertigo.htm">Vertigo</a>, Psycho</em> or <em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/dramaandbiography/fr/Citizen_Kane.htm">Citizen Kane</a></em> without thinking of the <em>Simpsons</em> versions.</p> <p>I guess that's a good thing...</p> <p><em>Homer as Hitchcock</em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/22/classic-movies-get-the-simpsons-treatment.htm">Classic Movies get 'The Simpsons' Treatment</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 at 22:22:11.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/22/classic-movies-get-the-simpsons-treatment.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/22/classic-movies-get-the-simpsons-treatment.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/22/classic-movies-get-the-simpsons-treatment.htm&zItl=Classic Movies get 'The Simpsons' Treatment">Email this</a></p>

Hitchcock Designer Passes
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/N/G/-/-/crop_duster.jpg" border="0" alt="" align="right" />You may not know his name, but you certainly know his work.  <strong>Robert Francis Boyle</strong>, the man who created the look for some of the most memorable scenes in classic movie history, has passed away at age 100.</p> <p>Best known for his work on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/actorsanddirectors/tp/Best-Hitchcock-Movie-List.htm">Alfred Hitchcock movies</a>, notably <em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/mysteryandsuspense/fr/NorthByNorthwes.htm">North by Northwest</a></em> and <em>The Birds</em>, Boyle was a spectacular art director.  You've seen his handiwork in the lovely village of Norman Jewsion's <em>Fiddler on the Roof</em>, and the original<em> Wolfman</em>, a visually influential <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/earlysciencefiction/tp/7_Early_Movie_Monsters.htm">classic early monster movie</a>.</p> <p>His taste and insistence on perfect locations gave his movies a great sense of place that add subtly to the movies' emotional impact.  To experience both sides of that coin, try the  chilling <em>In Cold Blood</em> and the heartwarming <em>The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming</em>.</p> <p>The New York Times has a full <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/movies/04boyle.html?_r=2&src=me">obituary</a>.</p> <p><em>Cary Grant in the famous crop duster scene from 'North by Northwest'/Getty Images</em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/12/hitchcock-designer-passes.htm">Hitchcock Designer Passes</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Thursday, August 12th, 2010 at 12:47:45.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/12/hitchcock-designer-passes.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/12/hitchcock-designer-passes.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/12/hitchcock-designer-passes.htm&zItl=Hitchcock Designer Passes">Email this</a></p>

All About Eve at 60
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/G/G/-/-/bette_davis.jpg" border="0" alt="" align="right" />The quintessential classic movie cat fight has turned 60, although the ladies involved would never admit it.</p> <p><em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/dramaandbiography/fr/AllAboutEve.htm">All About Eve</a></em> is one of the greatest, um, "witch"-fests ever to hit the silver screen, with <strong>Bette Davis</strong> as a legendary Broadway star losing her luster to age, and <strong>Anne Baxter</strong> as the butter-wouldn't-melt protege ready to take her place -- and her man -- at a moment's notice.</p> <p>With a comic bit part by a young <strong>Marilyn Monroe</strong>, <strong>Thelma Ritter</strong> as a wisecracking dresser and <strong>Celeste Holm </strong>as the trusty girlfriend, the movie barely needs any manly support, but <strong>George Sanders </strong>is unctuously perfect as a theater critic.</p> <p>The Best Picture Oscar winner in 1950, the old girl is holding up pretty well for 60. You might want to see her again, for old times sake.</p> <p><em>Davis in a publicity still for 'All About Eve,' the Hulton Archive/Getty Images</em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/11/all-about-eve-at-60.htm">All About Eve at 60</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 at 00:05:47.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/11/all-about-eve-at-60.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/11/all-about-eve-at-60.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/11/all-about-eve-at-60.htm&zItl=All About Eve at 60">Email this</a></p>

Patricia Neal Dies at 84
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/F/G/-/-/neal.jpg" border="0" alt="" align="right" /><strong>Patricia Neal</strong>, the Oscar-winning actress who endured stunning career highs and lows along with tragic illnesses, has died at age 84 of lung cancer.</p> <p>She won her Oscar for her work as the world-weary housekeeper in <em>Hud</em>, resisting the advances of bad boy <strong><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/movielistsbyactor/tp/Classic_Paul_Newman_Movies.htm">Paul Newman</a></strong>.<br /> I'll always remember her as the anti-bimbo in the early sci-fi thriller <em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/earlysciencefiction/fr/EarthStoodStill.htm">The Day the Earth Stood Still</a></em>, nothing like the pneumatic starlets who were to follow in '50s science fiction. She's also deliciously cold and self-centered as the married, older woman keeping a boy-toy writer in New York in <em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/comedies/fr/BreakfastTiffan.htm">Breakfast at Tiffany's</a></em>.</p> <p><em>The New York Times</em> has a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/movies/09neal.html">fine obituary</a>.</p> <p><em>Neal in a 1948 publicity shot, from the Hulton Archive/Getty Images</em></p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/10/patricia-neal-dies-at-84.htm">Patricia Neal Dies at 84</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 at 18:55:15.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/10/patricia-neal-dies-at-84.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/10/patricia-neal-dies-at-84.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/10/patricia-neal-dies-at-84.htm&zItl=Patricia Neal Dies at 84">Email this</a></p>

Lots of Bogie in Blu
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/E/G/-/-/bogart.jpg" border="0" align="right"><strong>Warner Brothers</strong> is a doing a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65S1DW20100629">huge release</a> of <strong><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/actorsanddirectors/a/BogartPage.htm">Humphrey Bogart</a></strong> movies on blu-ray in October for all us die-hard Bogie fans.</p> <p>I'm especially looking forward to the first blu-ray editions of <em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/dramaandbiography/fr/TreasureSierra.htm">Treasure of the Sierra Madre</a></em> and <em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/mysteryandsuspense/fr/MalteseFalcon.htm">The Maltese Falcon</a></em>. Yum. But they're also releasing a huge collection of 24 Bogart films, from <em>The Petrified Forest</em> to <em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/od/mysteryandsuspense/fr/BigSleepReview.htm">The Big Sleep</a></em>.</p> <p><br class="spacer_" /></p> <p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/03/lots-of-bogie-in-blu.htm">Lots of Bogie in Blu</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 at 00:03:52.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/03/lots-of-bogie-in-blu.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/03/lots-of-bogie-in-blu.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/03/lots-of-bogie-in-blu.htm&zItl=Lots of Bogie in Blu">Email this</a></p>

Cool Posters for 'Rolling Roadshow'
<p><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/D/G/-/-/dirty-harry.jpg" border="0" alt="" align="right" />Artist Olly Moss has done signature black-and-red movie posters for the "<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://rollingroadshow.com/">Rolling Roadshow</a>" series of classic movies about American workers that the Alamo cinema and drafthouse chain is hosting around the country.  From <em>Rocky</em> to <em>Robocop</em> to <em>Dirty Harry</em>, it looks like a good time.  And the posters are very cool.</p> <p>But my question to the organizers -- guys, where's <em>Norma Rae</em>?</p><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/02/cool-posters-for-rolling-roadshow.htm">Cool Posters for 'Rolling Roadshow'</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/">About.com Classic Movies</a> on Monday, August 2nd, 2010 at 00:01:00.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/02/cool-posters-for-rolling-roadshow.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/02/cool-posters-for-rolling-roadshow.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://classicfilm.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://classicfilm.about.com/b/2010/08/02/cool-posters-for-rolling-roadshow.htm&zItl=Cool Posters for 'Rolling Roadshow'">Email this</a></p>