“Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” Book Giveaway
Qualifying Entry Task for Facebook & Blog Contest
Okay, now for the Facebook/Blog version of our contest! CMH will be giving away TWO copies of Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show by Daniel de Visé,via Facebook and our Blog this month, courtesy of Simon and Schuster. And don’t forget, we’re also giving away FOUR MOREcopies of the book via Twitter this month as well, so please feel free to enter that contest too…
And, now for the details…
In order to qualify to win a copy of Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show via this Facebook/Blog contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, November 28 at 9PMEST. We will pick two winners via a random drawing and announce them on Facebook and here on this Blog the day after the contest ends (Sunday November 29).
About the Book: Andy Griffith and Don Knotts met on Broadway in the 1950s. When Andy went to Hollywood to film a TV pilot about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if the sheriff could use a deputy. The comedic synergy between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited The Andy Griffith Show, elevating a folksy sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship. Andy and Don—fellow Southerners born into poverty and raised among scofflaws, bullies, and drunks—captured the hearts of Americans across the country. Although they ended their Mayberry partnership in 1965, Andy and Don remained best friends for the next half-century. In a terrific review, Publishers Weekly says, “Andy Griffith and Don Knotts are one of the most famous comedy duos in America, and in this tender tribute, de Visé chronicles their relationship… de Visé offers an intimate look at the lives of these two stars, and his access is invaluable to understanding their lifelong friendship. He captures the complexity of both men and the intimacy of their friendship with extreme detail and sensitivity.” ANDY AND DON is a lively and revealing biography, and the definitive work on the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show and two of America’s most enduring stars. The book features extensive unpublished interviews with those closest to both men. De Visé shares a wealth of new information about what really went on behind the scenes, including personal struggles and quarrels.
…..
Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.
And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States or Canada (as noted above).
“A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan” AND
“Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress” Book Giveaway
Qualifying Entry Task for FACEBOOK and Blog Contest
Okay, now it’s time for the Facebook/Blog version of our Walter Brennan and Marilyn Monroe Book Giveaway. That said, we’ll be giving away ONE COPY EACH of A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan and Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actressby author Carl Rollyson, courtesy of University Press of Mississippi. And don’t forget, we’re also giving away FOUR MOREcopies of EACH BOOK via Twitter this month as well, so please feel free to enter that contest too…
And, now for the details…
In order to qualify to win one of the above books via this Facebook/Blog contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, November 28 at 10PMEST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on two different days within the contest period, via random drawings as listed below… So if you don’t win the prize via our first drawing on Nov 14, you will still be eligible to win the next prize drawing on Nov 28.
Saturday, November 14: One Winner (Marilyn Monroe Book)
Saturday, November 28: One Winner (Walter Brennan Book)
We will announce the winner(s) on Facebook and this Blog the day after each winner is picked (for example, we will announce the first winner on Sunday November 15 here on this blog and on Facebook).
ENTRY TASK to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 10PM EST —
1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post
THE QUESTION: What is one of your favorite roles played by either Walter Brennan or Marilyn Monroe?
…..
About the Books:
A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan: Walter Brennan (1894-1974) was one of the greatest character actors in Hollywood history. He won three Academy Awards and became a national icon starring as Grandpa in The Real McCoys. He appeared in over two hundred motion pictures and became the subject of a Norman Rockwell painting, which celebrated the actor’s unique role as the voice of the American Western. His life journey from Swampscott, Massachusetts, to Hollywood, to a twelve thousand-acre cattle ranch in Joseph, Oregon, is one of the great American stories. In the first biography of this epic figure, Carl Rollyson reveals Brennan’s consummate mastery of virtually every kind of role while playing against and often stealing scenes from such stars as Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart, and John Wayne. Rollyson fully explores Brennan’s work with Hollywood’s greatest directors, such as Howard Hawks, John Ford, and Fritz Lang. As a father and grandfather, Brennan instilled generations of his family with an outlook on the American Dream that remains a sustaining feature of their lives today. His conservative politics, which grew out of his New England upbringing and his devout Catholicism, receive meticulous attention and a balanced assessment in A Real American Character. Written with the full cooperation of the Brennan family and drawing on material in archives from every region of the United States, this new biography presents an artist and family man who lived and breathed an American idealism that made him the Real McCoy.
Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress, Revised and Updated: In American popular culture, Marilyn Monroe(1926-1962) has evolved in stature from movie superstar to American icon. Monroe’s own understanding of her place in the American imagination and her effort to perfect her talent as an actress are explored with great sensitivity in Carl Rollyson’s engaging narrative. He shows how movies became crucial events in the shaping of Monroe’s identity. He regards her enduring gifts as a creative artist, discussing how her smaller roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve established the context for her career, while in-depth chapters on her more important roles in Bus Stop, Some Like It Hot, andThe Misfits provide the centerpiece of his examination of her life and career. Through extensive interviews with many of Monroe’s colleagues, close friends, and other biographers, and a careful rethinking of the literature written about her, Rollyson is able to describe her use of Method acting and her studies with Michael Chekhov and Lee Strasberg, head of the Actors’ Studio in New York. The author also analyzes several of Monroe’s own drawings, diary notes, and letters that have recently become available. With over thirty black and white photographs (some published for the first time), a new foreword, and a new afterword, this volume brings Rollyson’s 1986 book up to date. From this comprehensive, yet critically measured wealth of material, Rollyson offers a distinctive and insightful portrait of Marilyn Monroe, highlighted by new perspectives that depict the central importance of acting to the authentic aspects of her being.
…..
Please note that Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) and Canadian entrants are eligible.
And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States or Canada (as noted above).
Despite being one of classic Hollywood’s greatest stars, Shearer was born nowhere near Hollywood. In fact, she wasn’t even born in America. That’s right, one of Hollywood’s most celebrated stars was actually born in the land of maple syrup and hockey: Canada! Montreal to be exact. In 2008 she was even added to Canada’s Walk of Fame.
…..
2.) Music was her first calling
About to drop the hottest mixtape of 1935
Like most creative types, Shearer tried a couple of different art forms before realizing her calling. More specifically, her first childhood ambition was music. With a whole lot of direction from her mother, the young Shearer hoped to one day become a concert pianist. All that changed, however, when she saw her first vaudeville show and promptly fell in love with acting.
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3.) Always had an eye for talent
Instagram worthy
Sure, everyone knows the story of how Shearer discovered Hollywood great, Janet Leigh, but did you know that she also helped to build the career of one of Hollywood’s greatest portrait photographers? In hopes of vamping up her image to get “sexier” roles, Shearer enlisted the help of then unknown LA-based photographer George Hurrell in the early 1930s. The picture above is just one of many great portraits that came from their sessions together — and before he knew what happened, Hurrell was basically the official photographer of the stars.
…..
4.) Revived by scholars
Although now seen as a feminist icon, that was not always the case. In fact, by the time of her death Shearer was simply remembered for her more “noble and upper crust” roles thanks to Romeo and Juliet, Marie Antoinette and The Women. However, once the resurgence of pre-code films began hitting the market in the 1990’s, film scholars quickly took note of the complex sexuality she was able to exude on screen. Her ability to maintain a dignified front while bucking the notion that a woman must remain virginal to be respected, demonstrated a depth to her acting that one would miss if they only paid attention to her time spent in period costumes. Film scholars still examine her roles to this day, analyzing them through the ever-changing lens of modernity and feminism.
…..
5.) She is Turner Classic Movies Star of the Month!
November Star of the Month
That’s right! You can see her films every Tuesday night in November on TCM. And if you are interested in seeing the pre-code films I was just talking about, pay particular attention to what’s airing on the 10th because that’s when most of her pre-code films are airing.
“A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan” AND
“Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress” Book Giveaway
Qualifying Entry Task for TWITTER Contest
And now for our next contest! I am thrilled to say that CMH will be giving away FOUR copies of A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennanand FOUR copies of Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actressby author Carl Rollysonvia TWITTER this month, courtesy of University Press of Mississippi. We’ll also be giving away ONE MORE copy of EACH book via Facebook and this Blog this month as well, so please stay tuned for those details which will be posted here on this blog tomorrow (Tuesday)…
And, now for the Twitter contest details…
In order to qualify to win a copy of one of these books via this Twitter contest giveaway, you must complete the following task by Saturday, November 28 at 10PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chances you have of winning, because we will pick winners on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.
Saturday, November 7: Two Winners (one Brennan winner + one Marilyn winner)
Saturday, November 14: Two Winners (one Brennan winner + one Marilyn winner)
Saturday, November 21: Two Winners (one Brennan winner + one Marilyn winner)
Saturday, November 28: Two Winners (one Brennan winner + one Marilyn winner)
We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter, the day after each winner is picked at 10PM EST (for example, we will announce the first two winners on Sunday November 8 at 10PM EST on Twitter). If you’re also on Facebook and want more chances to win, visit us at Classic Movie Hub on Facebook for additional book giveaways — because, as I mentioned above, we’ll be giving away TWO more books there as well (one Walter Brennan book and one Marilyn Monroe book)!
…..
ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 10PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…
1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post
2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win the Walter Brennan / Marilyn Monroe #BookGiveaway courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @upmiss & author @crollyson
THE QUESTION: What is one of your favorite movies starring either Walter Brennan or Marilyn Monroe?
(NOTE: upon successfully completing the 2-part entry task above, you will automatically be entered into a random drawing to win either one of the books (Brennan or Monroe); if for any reason you only are interested in winning one of the two titles, please specify that preference in your comment, for example: I am only interested in winning the Brennan book so please do not include me in the Monroe drawing.)
…..
About the Books:
A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan: Walter Brennan (1894-1974) was one of the greatest character actors in Hollywood history. He won three Academy Awards and became a national icon starring as Grandpa in The Real McCoys. He appeared in over two hundred motion pictures and became the subject of a Norman Rockwell painting, which celebrated the actor’s unique role as the voice of the American Western. His life journey from Swampscott, Massachusetts, to Hollywood, to a twelve thousand-acre cattle ranch in Joseph, Oregon, is one of the great American stories. In the first biography of this epic figure, Carl Rollyson reveals Brennan’s consummate mastery of virtually every kind of role while playing against and often stealing scenes from such stars as Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart, and John Wayne. Rollyson fully explores Brennan’s work with Hollywood’s greatest directors, such as Howard Hawks, John Ford, and Fritz Lang. As a father and grandfather, Brennan instilled generations of his family with an outlook on the American Dream that remains a sustaining feature of their lives today. His conservative politics, which grew out of his New England upbringing and his devout Catholicism, receive meticulous attention and a balanced assessment in A Real American Character. Written with the full cooperation of the Brennan family and drawing on material in archives from every region of the United States, this new biography presents an artist and family man who lived and breathed an American idealism that made him the Real McCoy.
Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress, Revised and Updated: In American popular culture, Marilyn Monroe(1926-1962) has evolved in stature from movie superstar to American icon. Monroe’s own understanding of her place in the American imagination and her effort to perfect her talent as an actress are explored with great sensitivity in Carl Rollyson’s engaging narrative. He shows how movies became crucial events in the shaping of Monroe’s identity. He regards her enduring gifts as a creative artist, discussing how her smaller roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve established the context for her career, while in-depth chapters on her more important roles in Bus Stop, Some Like It Hot, andThe Misfits provide the centerpiece of his examination of her life and career. Through extensive interviews with many of Monroe’s colleagues, close friends, and other biographers, and a careful rethinking of the literature written about her, Rollyson is able to describe her use of Method acting and her studies with Michael Chekhov and Lee Strasberg, head of the Actors’ Studio in New York. The author also analyzes several of Monroe’s own drawings, diary notes, and letters that have recently become available. With over thirty black and white photographs (some published for the first time), a new foreword, and a new afterword, this volume brings Rollyson’s 1986 book up to date. From this comprehensive, yet critically measured wealth of material, Rollyson offers a distinctive and insightful portrait of Marilyn Monroe, highlighted by new perspectives that depict the central importance of acting to the authentic aspects of her being.
…..
Please note that Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) and Canadian entrants are eligible.
And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States or Canada (as noted above).
“Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” Book Giveaway
Qualifying Entry Task for TWITTER Contest
Time for our next contest! I am happy to say that CMH will be giving away FOUR copies of Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show by Daniel de Visé,via TWITTER this month, courtesy of Simon and Schuster. We’ll also be giving away TWO MORE copies of the book via Facebook and this Blog this month as well, so please stay tuned for those details which will be posted here on this blog on Wednesday…
And, now for the Twitter contest details…
In order to qualify to win a copy ofAndy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show via this Twitter contest giveaway, you must complete the following task by Saturday, November 28 at 9PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chances you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.
Saturday, November 7: One Winner
Saturday, November 14: One Winner
Saturday, November 21: One Winner
Saturday, November 28: One Winner
We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter, the day after each winner is picked at 9PM EST (for example, we will announce the first winner on Sunday November 8 at 9PM EST on Twitter). If you’re also on Facebook and want more chances to win, visit us at Classic Movie Hub on Facebook for additional book giveaways — because, as I mentioned above, we’ll be giving away TWO books there as well!
…..
ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 9PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…
1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post
2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win “Andy & Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @SimonBooks
THE QUESTION: What is it that you love about The Andy Griffith Show?
About the Book: Andy Griffith and Don Knotts met on Broadway in the 1950s. When Andy went to Hollywood to film a TV pilot about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if the sheriff could use a deputy. The comedic synergy between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited The Andy Griffith Show, elevating a folksy sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship. Andy and Don—fellow Southerners born into poverty and raised among scofflaws, bullies, and drunks—captured the hearts of Americans across the country. Although they ended their Mayberry partnership in 1965, Andy and Don remained best friends for the next half-century. In a terrific review, Publishers Weekly says, “Andy Griffith and Don Knotts are one of the most famous comedy duos in America, and in this tender tribute, de Visé chronicles their relationship… de Visé offers an intimate look at the lives of these two stars, and his access is invaluable to understanding their lifelong friendship. He captures the complexity of both men and the intimacy of their friendship with extreme detail and sensitivity.” ANDY AND DON is a lively and revealing biography, and the definitive work on the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show and two of America’s most enduring stars. The book features extensive unpublished interviews with those closest to both men. De Visé shares a wealth of new information about what really went on behind the scenes, including personal struggles and quarrels.
…..
Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.
And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States or Canada (as noted above).
“The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy”
Qualifying Entry Task for TWITTER Book Giveaway Contest
I am happy to say that CMH will be giving away FOUR copies of The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedyby Matthew Dessem,via TWITTER this month, courtesy of The Critical Press. We’ll also be giving away TWO MORE copies of the book via Facebook and this Blog this month as well, so please stay tuned for those details which will be posted here on this blog on Wednesday…
And, now for the Twitter contest details…
In order to qualify to win a copy ofThe Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy via this Twitter contest giveaway, you must complete the following task by Saturday, November 28 at 8PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chances you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.
Saturday, November 7: One Winner
Saturday, November 14: One Winner
Saturday, November 21: One Winner
Saturday, November 28: One Winner
We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter, the day after each winner is picked at 8PM EST (for example, we will announce the first winner on Sunday November 8 at 8PM EST on Twitter). If you’re also on Facebook and want more chances to win, visit us at Classic Movie Hub on Facebook for additional book giveaways — because, as I mentioned above, we’ll be giving away TWO books there as well!
…..
ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 8PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…
1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post
2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win “The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy” courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @criticalpress #BookGiveaway
THE QUESTION: Who is one of your favorite early-film comedy stars and why?
…..
About the Book: Though today he is barely remembered, Clyde Bruckman was a key figure in early film comedy, collaborating with icons like Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, W.C. Fields, Laurel & Hardy, and the Three Stooges. Working while screenwriting was still in its infancy, Bruckman helped shape many influential shorts and films, developed the gags that made them legendary, and eventually became a director himself. But Bruckman’s own life was filled with tragedy and disappointment, from alcoholism to accusations of plagiarism, and over time his story has been relegated to little more than a footnote. Matthew Dessem’s The Gag Man is the first book-length biography of this fascinating but elusive figure. Drawing on archives, court documents, and of course the films themselves, Dessem brings Bruckman’s story to life and shines a light on an important corner of Hollywood history.
…..
Please note that Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) and Canada entrants are eligible.
And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States or Canada (as noted above).
I’d venture to guess that many classic movie fans have fond (or not so fond) memories of being scared out-of-their-wits when they were kids as they watched Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy — or any one of those iconic Universal monster movies. For me, being a big scaredy cat and all, well, that is a gross understatement — and yet, here I am, writing about Dracula, a story which still gives me the heebie-jeebies to this very day.
As the Poster says: Dracula, the Greatest Horror Show of All Time!
The iconic Bela Lugosi film was the first Universal horror sound film of the Golden Age. It was directed by Tod Browning and interestingly-enough released on Valentine’s Day in 1931 (February 12 in NY and February 14 nationally). The film was based on the 1924 English stage play (revised in 1927 for Broadway), which was, in turn, loosely based (I repeat loosely based) on the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. The 1927 Broadway play starred Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula and Edward Van Sloan as Van Helsing, both of whom would go on to reprise their roles in the 1931 film. I will also briefly mention here that the silent 1922 classic, Nosferatu, also tells the story of Dracula (as Count Orlok) but was not authorized by Stoker’s estate, so that said, the 1924 stage play was the first authorized adaptation of Stoker’s story.
The Original Broadway production debuted on October 5, 1927 at the Fulton Theatre in NYC. The play starred Bela Lugosi as Dracula, and ran through May 1928.
I would imagine that most of us are familiar with the story of Dracula, so I won’t recount the actual film plot here, but suffice to say that Bela Lugosi creates the iconic vampire figure — a suave and sophisticated nobleman with an ominous presence, complete with eccentric accent, hypnotic stare, and long black cape. The film itself has a dark and ‘impending doom’ feel to it, thanks largely to the work of cinematographer Karl Freund and his eerie lighting, gliding camera trackings, and moody and shadowy atmospheres. Adding to the doom and gloom of course are the magnificently eerie Transylvanian castle and British abbey (Universal spent a considerable sum in building these giant sets).
I am Dracula. I bid you welcome.
I must add here however that, although the 1931 film is iconic (understatement), it is markedly different from the novel (which is a real page-turner by the way). Some of the most significant differences include:
1) In the novel, real estate solicitor Jonathan Harker travels to Count Dracula’s Transylvanian castle to facilitate the Count’s purchase of an English estate. Harker is enticed by Dracula’s gracious manners, but soon realizes that he is Dracula’s prisoner (or is he really going mad???). After a series of un-nerving events, Harker barely escapes from the castle with his life. In the 1931 film, however, it is Renfield who is the real estate solicitor that travels to Count Dracula’s castle. Renfield immediately falls under Dracula’s spell and becomes a raving lunatic slave to Dracula. In the novel, Renfield is merely another patient (and madman) in Dr. Seward’s asylum (although there will be a connection between Renfield and Dracula as the story progresses).
Renfield (Dwight Frye) arrives at Dracula’s Castle
2) In the novel, Dracula-victim Lucy has three suitors (Quincey Morris, Dr. John Seward and ultimate fiancee Arthur Holmwood) — all three of whom come to her aid in her terrifying nightly distress. In the film, Lucy is not involved in any romances and quickly dies instead. That said, the characters Arthur Holmwood and Quincy Morris do not appear in the film.
Dracula visits poor Lucy Weston (Frances Dade)
3) As for Dr. John Seward — in the novel, Seward is one of Lucy’s two failed suitors (as noted above). In the film however, Dr. Seward, is the father of Mina (Lucy’s friend). And, as it must follow – in the novel, Lucy’s friend is Mina Murray, but in the film, she is Mina Seward (because she is now Dr. Seward’s daughter).
Publicity still of Dracula preparing to feast on Mina (Helen Chandler)
And now for some fun facts…
In 2000, the 1931 film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. .
There was a Spanish version of the film made at the same time as the English version. It was filmed at night after the English actors ad crew had left, using the same sets as the Tod Browning production, but with a different cast and crew, a common practice in the early days of sound films. The Spanish version contains scenes that could not be included in the final cut of the English version.
Although arguably the most iconic Dracula, Bela Lugosi only played the Count one more time — in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) — which marked the 2nd and final time that he would play Dracula.
The novel has been in the public domain in the US since its original publication because Stoker failed to follow proper copyright procedure.
Universal’s original plan was to make a big-budget film that would strictly adhere to the novel. However, after the stock market crash of 1929 and during the subsequent Great Depression, Universal chose not to take a risk on such an investment. Instead, it adapted the much less expensive stage play.
The New York Times review of February 13, 1931 says “This picture can at least boast of being the best of the many mystery films.” An interesting review (to say the least) for a now-timeless horror classic…
The film debuts at the Roxy Theater in NYC on February 12, 1931.
A big Thank You to the Silver Scenes Blogfor hosting this wonderful blogathonevent! There are so many more wonderful Classic Bloggers participating in this event so please be sure to check out the other entries.
In the magical world of movie making, it’s the director that usually gets all the creative glory. Heck, there’s even a popular notion in film criticism called the auteur theory that rests on that very idea. And while, yes, the director is often the most important creative force behind a film, there are exceptions. On Friday October 30th, Turner Classic Movies will focus on one of the most exceptional of those exceptions, film producer Val Lewton.
Val Lewton was born Vladimir Ivanovich Leventon in Yalta, in the former Imperial Russian, now situated in Ukraine. As a child he immigrated to the U.S with his mother and sister, spending his childhood focusing on his creative talents. Even while in the rank and file world of military school, the young Lewton would hone his imaginative story-telling skills. It was that very imagination that would get him fired from his job as a reporter for the Darien-Stamford Review, when he published a completely fabricated article detailing the death of a truckload of chickens due to the New York heat wave.
After Graduating from Columbia University with a degree in journalism, Lewton began his career as an author. Through a series of career-related events, Lewton found himself in Hollywood. In the mid-1930’s he was hired by MGM as the publicist and assistant to none other than Producer extraordinaire David O. Selznick. From Selznick, Lewton was not only able to flex his creative muscles (though often with no onscreen credit), he was also to learn the ropes of filmmaking, particularly as a producer. From Selznick he learned the importance of creative team building – a skill that would prove invaluable in the next phase of his career.
In 1942 Lewton jumped ship from MGM to RKO and became the lead producer of RKO’s newest unit, which specialized in horror films made on a meager budget. Lewton was offered a lofty amount of creative freedom with his films under the conditions that they kept within a 150,000-dollar budget and accepted the film’s titles based on market research. That was all. After Lewton was given his first title, Cat People, his first order of business was to assemble a team of writers, directors, assistants, and technical engineers (i.e gaffers, best boys ect). And then the team began working.
The plot of Cat People is similar to just about any lycanthropy story out there: A young girl (Irene) turns into a panther when either jealous of her husband’s coworker (Alice), or sexually aroused by her psychiatrist. Which makes sense when you consider by the 1940s Hollywood had a clear formula for horror films that dated back to the Universal Horror monsters. The Cat People did not stray far from that premise. However, Lewton’s handling of the material was anything but conventional as the very first thing Lewton’s creative team did was toss the old notions out of the horror formula window. You see, for Lewton, the ultimate horror did not exist as a fanged monster on the screen but rather, rested in dark reaches of the human mind.
Lewton’s approach to horror ditched the shock value of the unearthly creature and, in its place, latched onto the fear of the unknown. His brand of fear did not rely on showing the source of terror but instead fostering on atmosphere that best engaged the imagination of the audience. A Val Lewton horror film would rarely outright show the audience “the creature” but would merely suggest it through the use of lights, shadows, and carefully crafted sound design. Take the swimming pool scene in Cat People as an example.
In the scene Alice is swimming, seemingly alone, in a poorly lit indoor pool. However, she quickly becomes aware that she is not alone and that something is lurking just out of sight along the edges of the pool. She hears a low growling and then sees the shadow of an indistinct large shadow along the pool’s wall. The shadow moves along the wall and anxiety builds as the shadow becomes smaller and smaller until it is clearly the outline of panther. She screams as we hear the loud roar of a panther. Check out the scene below to see what I’m talking about.
So, be sure to check out Cat People when it airs on TCM at 8:00pm on Friday, October 30th. And while you’re at it, you might also want to watch the TCM original documentary Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows right after at 9:30PM because, well, why not?
All this month Turner Classic Movies has been shining a spotlight on the trailblazing women of the global film industry. And while Classic Movie Hub is in the habit of concentrating on the top Hollywood glam of the classic era, I would like to take our focus away from tinsel town and onward to the city of lights to highlight the work of the trailblazing writer/director/editor/hair-style icon and all-around auteur Agnes Varda.
The Belgium born filmmaker began her film career in the 1950s as part of the French New Wave, specifically The Left Bank. Like the famed French New Wavers, The Left Bank created films that were experimental in their form and content, breaking the mold created by the Hollywood Studios. However, unlike the “French New Wave proper,” the Left Bank did not begin their careers as young film critics and avid connoisseurs (think Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut) but instead tended to be older than their “right bank” counterparts and tended to be involved with other art forms, most notably literature. Despite creating some of cinema’s most artistically influential films, Varda did not grow up a cinephile. In fact, she barely watched any films in her youth, focusing more on the plastic arts. After spending her early artistic career as a photographer and photojournalist, Varda founded her own film studio in 1955 despite having no training in the medium. Her first film, La Pointe Courte, was a critical success, but her biggest success would come 7 years later with the film Cleo from 5 to 7.
Cleo from 5 to 7 is a fictional narrative that tells the story of Cleo, a rising French pop star who has been diagnosed with cancer but must wait two hours to confirm the diagnosis. She spends the next two hours meandering around Paris, awaiting the possibly catastrophic news. And that is the film. You see, because of Varda’s early career as a photographer and a “not-seer-of-movies,” the audience does not experience the film in what I like to call “Hollywood time” i.e through scenes held together through montage and manipulation of time. Instead Varda forces the audiences to wander around Paris with Cleo in real time, trailing along at her languid, steady pace. Rather than following the actions that lead the film protagonist to the film’s ultimate conclusion, the audience instead must follow the character as she waits for the diagnosis final conclusion. And through that waiting, Varda offers an alternative viewing experience.
The film contains a documentary-esque realism that captures the zeitgeist of the 1960s Parisian aesthetic while retaining its relentless first person narrative. Because Cleo is waiting, she has ample time to simply watch. And as she watches, we (the audience) watch through her. Thanks to Varda’s career as photojournalist, Paris is filmed with an almost clinical precision. In real time, we are privy to its posh bistros and quaint cafes, its young lovers and old enemies, its beautiful people and dirty pigeons. Paris is not only romanticized by the camera but also serves as distraction from possible imminent disaster. It’s breathing, yet numb – just like Cleo as she waits for answers. And in this waiting, in this watching, Cleo grows as a character.
Although Cleo is our protagonist, the average moviegoer might have some trouble relating to her. As a rising Parisian pop-star, she suffers from trappings of not only show business but of the patriarchal nature of 1960s French culture. She is self-involved, vapid, and pampered, even uttering the line “as long as I’m beautiful, I’m alive” But when given the news she very well might have cancer, there is a shift in her psyche. For two hours all she can do is wait and wonder. Wonder about life and death, about reality and about the universe itself. By giving sight to the external world, to realities of the mundane, Cleo is forced to realize that if she dies, the world can and will continue without her. This existentialist notion is furthered after she meets Antoine, a French solider on leave from fighting in the Algerian War, who confides to Cleo he believes the French are dying for nothing. And although there is a new uncertainty in Cleo’s being after coming to such conclusions about life and the nature of the universe, it does offer her a certain clarity as to her place in it.
Whether she has cancer or not at this point seems almost inconsequent but I won’t spoil the ending for you. So, please, find out the diagnosis yourself as I implore you to watch this film when it airs on TCM, which is Tuesday October 27th at 9:30pm. And while we’re talking about Varda, you should check out The Gleaners and I because, well…it’s just very good.
“A train and a room, and a car and a room, and a room and a room…”
A Hard Day’s Night has been touted by fans and critics alike as one of the most influential musical films of all time and a precursor to the modern music video. A huge financial and critical success, it inspired numerous films and television shows (most notably The Monkees), and featured innovative filming and editing techniques, marking the ascent of Richard Lester into the pantheon of important 1960s directors. Village Voice auteurist Andrew Sarris called it “The Citizen Kane of jukebox musicals,” while many other critics hailed it as being in the tradition of The Marx Brothers with homages to the silent-era comedies of Buster Keaton and the Keystone Cops.
And, yes, I’m sure it is all that, and probably more — but for me it’s simply a guaranteed good time… From the moment I hear the iconic opening chord* at the very start of the film, well, that’s the cue to me that, for the next 87 minutes, I will be smiling, anticipating my favorite dialog, bouncing my head, singing along, and fighting an irresistible urge to pick up my guitar and start playing… And, it’s always been like that… ever since I was a little kid… in a nutshell, The Beatles just put me in a good mood!
*BTW: the structure of the opening chord is a popular topic of debate among Beatle fan guitar players 🙂
Part comedy, part cinéma vérité, A Hard Day’s Night essentially ‘chronicles’ a day-in-the-life of The Beatles. So, what does this have to do with Planes Trains and Automobiles??? Well, the first section of the film is set entirely on a train as the boys travel to a television gig, and it’s here that we meet most of the main characters, and also get a sense of The Beatles’ personalities and comradery… And, yes, the footage was actually shot on a train, filming from Monday, March 2, 1964 for a full six days, as the train traveled slowly through the suburbs of England’s West Country…
That said, let’s spend some time with the boys on the train as they make their way to their live television performance…
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As the opening song (“A Hard Day’s Night”) winds down, the Beatles finally escape a deluge of crazed fans and hop on board a train heading for their next gig, a TV performance…
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Once the Fab Four is safely on the train, we meet three of the film’s four supporting characters… the first is Paul’s grandfather (Wilfrid Brambell), a clean old man…
John: Hey, pardon me for asking, but who’s that little old man? Paul: Er, what little old man? John: That little old man? Paul: Oh that one, That’s my grandfather George: Your grandfather? Paul: Yeh. George: That’s not your grandfather. Paul: It is, you know. George: But I’ve seen your grandfather. He lives in your house. Paul: Oh, that’s my other grandfather, but he’s my grandfather, as well. John: How do you reckon that one out? Paul: Well, everyone’s entitled to two, aren’t they? and that’s my other one. John: We know that but what’s he doing here??? Paul: Well, me mother thought the trip would do him good. Ringo: How’s that? Paul: He’s nursing a broken heart.
John: Oh, poor old thing. Hey mister, are you nursing a broken heart? He’s a nice old man isn’t he? Paul: He’s very clean.
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Yes, Paul’s granddad is indeed a clean old man, but also a king mixer…
John: Hellow grandfather! Grandfather: Hullo! John: He can talk then, can he? Paul: Of course he can talk. He’s a human being, isn’t he? Ringo: Well if he’s your grandfather, who knows, ha ha ha… John: And we’re looking after him, are we? Grandfather: I’ll look after meself. Paul: Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of. John: He’s got you worried, then? Paul: Him? He’s a villain, a real mixer. And he’ll cost you a fortune in Breach of Promise cases. John: Get on. Paul: No, straight up.
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And now we meet supporting characters number two and three… Manager Norm (Norman Rossington, right) and Tour Manager Shake (John Junkin, left)
Shake: Hey, who’s the little old man?George: It’s Paul’s Grandfather. Shake: Oh, eye, but I thought… John: No, that’s his other one. Shake: Oh that’s all right then John: Clean though, isn’t he? Shake: Oh, eye, he’s very clean.
Norm: Now look, I’ve had a marvelous idea. Just for once, let’s all try to behave like ordinary, respectable citizens. Let’s not cause any trouble, pull any strokes, or do anything I’m gonna be sorry for. Especially tomorrow in that television theater, because… Norm: Are you listening to me, Lennon? John: You’re a swine. Isn’t he, George? George: Yeah, a swine. Norm: Thanks.
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The Beatles’ personalities start to emerge during Norm’s ‘lecture’…
Shy George and Lovable Ringo, each immersed elsewhere, totally disregard Norm…
Adorable Paul feigns interest, hanging on Norm’s every word…
And, yes, Witty John sniffs Coke (or maybe it’s Pepsi?)
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Norm (seeing Paul’s grandfather for the first time): Hey… George, Paul, John, Ringo (in unison): Who’s that little old man? Norm: Well, who is he? Ringo: He belongs to Paul.
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Probably not a good idea, but…
Grandfather: I want me coffee Norm: Well you can come with Shake and me if you like. Paul: Look after him, I don’t want to find you’ve lost him. Norm: Don’t be cheeky. I’ll bind him to me with promises. Very clean, isn’t he? Come ed, granddad.
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Now we meet another character (Richard Vernon)… this will be his only scene in the film…
Man shuts window… Paul: Do you mind if we have it open? Man: Yes I do. John: Yeah, but there are four of us and we’d like it open. That’s if it’s all the same to you, that is. Man: It isn’t. I travel on this train regularly, twice a week, so I suppose I’ve some rights. Ringo: So have we.
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Ringo turns on the radio, and the Man abruptly shuts it off… Man: And we’ll have that thing off as well, thank you. Ringo: But…
Man: An elementary knowledge of the Railway Acts would tell you that I’m perfectly within my rights. Paul: Yeah, but we want to hear it, and there’s more of us than you. We’re a community, like, a majority vote. Up the workers and all that stuff!
Man: Then I suggest you take that damned thing into the corridor — or some other part of the train — where you obviously belong. John (leaning over towards Man): Give us a kiss.
Paul: Look Mr. we paid for our seats too you know. Man: I travel on this train regularly. Twice a week! John: Knock it off Paul. You can’t win with his sort. After all, it’s his train isn’t Mr.
Man: Don’t take that tone with me, young man. I fought the war for your sort. Ringo: I bet you’re sorry you won.
Man: I shall call the guard! Paul: Ah, but what? They don’t take kindly to insults, you know. Come on. Let’s go and have some coffee and leave the kennel to Lassie!
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Hey mister, can we have our ball back?
Hey mister, mister… can we have our ball back?
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Now, we go to the Dining Car to see what Norm, Shake and Granddad are up to…
Well, Paul warned them, didn’t he…
Norm: I’ve a good mind to bump you Shake. John: Hey, if you’re gonna have a barney can I hold your coat? Norm: He started it. Shake: I did not, he did.
Paul: You two have never had an argument in your life and in two minutes flat, he’s got you at it. He’s a king mixer. He hates group unity so he gets everyone at it.
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Now we meet ‘the girls’… Incidentally, the blonde is Pattie Boyd who later married George (December 25, 1965).
George: Hey look at the talent…
Paul: Excuse me madam. Excuse me, but these young men I’m sitting with wondered if two of us could come over and join you. I’d ask you myself, only I’m shy.
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Paul’s Grandfather strikes again…
Paul’s Grandfather: I’m sorry miss, you mustn’t fratranize with me prisoners. Girl (Boyd): Prisoners? Paul’s Grandfather: Convicts in transit… Get out ladies, get out while you can!
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Norm: Hey, have you seen Paul’s Grandfather??? John: Of course, he’s concealed about me person.
Paul: Honestly, I can’t trust you with anything Norm. If you’ve lost him, I’ll cripple you…
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The boys go looking for Grandfather…
Won’t tell you what Ringo sees here, but suffice to say, it might have been his lucky day… or not…
Paul: Excuse me, have you seen that little old man we were with?
John: We’ve broken out. Ah, the blessed freedom of it all! Have you got a nail file, these hand cuffs are killing me. I was framed. I’m innocent. I don’t want to go!
Paul: Sorry for disturbing you, girls. John: I bet you can’t guess what I was in for, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha…
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Paul: Should we go in here? John: Nah, it’s probably a honeymoon couple or a company director or something… Paul: Well, I don’t care, I’m going to broaden me outlook…
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Paul’s Grandfather: Congratulate me boys, I’m engaged! Paul: Oh no you’re not!!! Not this time.
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Paul’s Grandfather: And to think me own grandson would have let them put me behind bars. Paul: Don’t dramatize. Let’s face it, you’re lucky to be here. If they’d have had their own way, you would have been dropped off already. Well, you’ve got to admit you upset a lot of people. At least I can keep my eye on you while you’re stuck in here.
But Paul feels sorry for his Granddad, so…
Paul joins him, and soon the other lads come by as well…
John: Don’t worry son, we’ll get you the best lawyer green stamps can buy Paul: Oh, it’s a laugh a line with Lennon…
John: Let’s do something then. Paul: Like what? John: Hummmmm….
Ringo: I’ll deal… Aye aye, the Liverpool Shuffle…
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And now we are treated to our next song…at about 13 minutes into the film…
If this is love, you gotta give me more 🙂
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Norm: Hey, don’t move any of you, they’ve gone potty out there… The place is surging with girls.
John: Please sir, sir, can I have one to surgery sir, please sir… Norm: No, you can’t. Now listen, as soon as I tell you, get out through this door here into that big car that’s waiting…
The old in-one-car-door-and-out-the-other-give-them-the-slip trick…
Not a moment of peace when they’re out and about…
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Well, at 17 minutes into the film, the boys are off the train, so this is where I will leave you… But suffice to say that, as the movie progresses, we are treated to some marvelous classics as The Beatles rehearse for their show, and later again, during their television performance (to a horde of screaming fans including a very young Phil Collins by the way). We also see some fun gags and side adventures along the way, plus a bunch of Ringo trouble caused by Granddad, culminating in some Keystone Cop like chaos…
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Just a few fun facts before I sign off…
The title track won a Grammy for Best Performance by a Vocal Group in 1964.
The movie was nominated for two Oscars:
Alun Owen: Test Writing (Story and Screenplay)
George Martin: Best Music (Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatement)
The word “Beatles” is never mentioned in the movie.
The plot was inspired by the Beatles themselves. According to director Richard Lester “The boys had just recently played Stockholm. I asked John, ‘How did you like it?’ ‘It was lovely,’ he said. ‘It was a car, and a room, and a stage, and a cheese sandwich.’ That became the script!”
In the “Can’t Buy Me Love” field sequence, Richard Lester stood in for John, who was at Foyles bookstore at a literary luncheon for his first book, In His Own Write.
George Harrison met his future/first wife, Pattie Boyd on the set. Boyd was seeing photographer Eric Swayne at the time, so she declined when George asked her out. A few days later, after ending her relationship with Swayne, she went back to work on the film and, when Harrison asked her out on a date for a second time, she accepted. According to Boyd, one of the first things Harrison said to her on the film set was: “Will you marry me? Well, if you won’t marry me, will you have dinner with me tonight?”
The concert performance sequence at the end was filmed with six cameras in front of an audience of 350 screaming fans (including a 13-year-old Phil Collins) at the Scala Theatre on Charlotte Street, in London.
At one point the studio considered re-dubbing their voices with those of trained actors, but Richard Lester absolutely refused.
The constant mention of Paul’s grandfather as being “clean” are references to Wilfrid Brambell’s role in “Steptoe and Son” (1962) which featured the catch-phrase, “You dirty old man.”
In 1984 MTV honored Richard Lester with a special award for being “The Father of the Music Video”.
Songs featured in the film include “A Hard Day’s Night,” “I Should Have Known Better,” “If I Fell,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “And I Love Her,” “I’m Happy Just to Dance with You,” “Tell Me Why” and “She Loves You”
Selected pieces from this CMBA Blogathon are available in the Planes, Trains & Automobiles eBook, available for free at Smashwords and on Amazon for $0.99, with all profits going towards the National Film Preservation Foundation.
by Matthew Dessem, via TWITTER this month, courtesy of The Critical Press. We’ll also be giving away TWO MORE copies of the book via Facebook and this Blog this month as well, so please stay tuned for those details which will be posted here on this blog on Wednesday…
via this Twitter contest giveaway, you must complete the following task by Saturday, November 28 at 8PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chances you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.
