“The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy” Book Giveaway (November via Facebook and Blog)

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy”
Qualifying Entry Task for Facebook and Blog Book Giveaway Contest

Here we go…this is our Facebook/Blog version of the contest!  We will be giving away TWO copies of The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy by Matthew Dessem, via Facebook and our Blog this month, courtesy of The Critical Press. And don’t forget, we’re also giving away FOUR MORE copies 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  The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy via this Facebook/Blog contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, November 28 at 8PM EST. 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).

If you’re also on Twitter, please feel free to visit us at @ClassicMovieHub for additional giveaways — because we’ll be giving away FOUR BOOKs there as well! (Click here to see what we’re giving away on Twitter.)

Clyde Bruckman: The Gag Man

ENTRY TASK to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 8PM 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 slapstick scenes? 

…..

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).

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @criticalpress  on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):

…..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways | Tagged | 13 Comments

“Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” Book Giveaway (November via Facebook and Blog Contest)

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“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 MORE copies 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 9PM EST. 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).

If you’re also on Twitter, please feel free to visit us at @ClassicMovieHub for additional giveaways — because we’ll be giving away FOUR BOOKs there as well! (Click here to see what we’re giving away on Twitter.)

Andy and Don book

ENTRY TASK to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 9PM EST — 

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

THE QUESTION:
What do you love best about the character Barney Fife? 

Click Here to read an Exclusive Guest Post by Author Daniel de Vise: Five Timeless Andy-Barney Skits from 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).

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @SimonBooks on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):

…..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

 

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 11 Comments

Walter Brennan and Marilyn Monroe Book Giveaway (November via Facebook and Blog)

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“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 Actress by author Carl Rollyson, courtesy of University Press of Mississippi. And don’t forget, we’re also giving away FOUR MORE copies 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 10PM EST. 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)

brennan_and_monroe_horizontal_500

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).

If you’re also on Twitter, please feel free to visit us at @ClassicMovieHub for additional giveaways — because we’ll be giving away EIGHT BOOKs there as well (four Brennan Books + four Monroe Books)! (Click here to see what we’re giving away on Twitter.)

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).

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @upmiss or @crollyson on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the books, you can purchase the on amazon via the below link (click on images below):

     

…..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged , | 20 Comments

5 Things You May Not Know About Norma Shearer

Posted on November 3, 2015 by minooallen

 

5 Things You May Not Know About Norma Shearer

norma-shearer 1Norma Shearer

…..

1.) She was hatched from the icy north

norma-shearer-canadaThat’s totally a polar bear she is laying on

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

2About 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.

…..

3.) Always had an eye for talent

norma_shearer George hurrellInstagram 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

norma shearer 5

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!

norma-shearer-4November 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.

…..

Minoo Allen for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Posts by Minoo Allen, TCM | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Walter Brennan and Marilyn Monroe Book Giveaway (via Twitter November 2 through November 28)

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“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 Brennan and FOUR copies of Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress by author Carl Rollyson via 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)…

brennan_and_monroe_horizontal_500

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).

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @upmiss or @crollyson on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the books, you can purchase the on amazon via the below link (click on images below):

     

…..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 27 Comments

“Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” Book Giveaway (via Twitter November 2 through November 28)

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“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…

andy griffith and don knotts

And, now for the Twitter contest 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 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!

Andy and Don book

…..

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? 

Click Here to read an Exclusive Guest Post by Author Daniel de Vise: Five Timeless Andy-Barney Skits from 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).

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @SimonBooks on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):

…..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 17 Comments

“The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy” Book Giveaway (via Twitter November 2 through November 28)

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“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 Comedy 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…

Clyde Bruckman

And, now for the Twitter contest details…

In order to qualify to win a copy of The 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!

Clyde Bruckman: The Gag Man

…..

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).

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @criticalpress  on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):

…..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 16 Comments

The Universal Pictures Blogathon: Dracula (1931)

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“I never drink…wine”

bela lugosi as draculaBela Lugosi as Dracula, need I say more?

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.

Dracula 1931 movie posterAs 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.

Dracula 1927 Playbill starring Bela Lugosi

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).

bela lugosi as dracula in castleI 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 arrives at Castle DraculaRenfield (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.

bela lugosi as dracula and frances dade as lucy westonDracula 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).

bela lugosi and helen chandler draculaPublicity 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…

dracula advertisement for 1931 movie

The film debuts at the Roxy Theater in NYC on February 12, 1931.

And resources:

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A big Thank You to the Silver Scenes Blog for hosting this wonderful blogathon event! There are so many more wonderful Classic Bloggers participating in this event so please be sure to check out the other entries.

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

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Val Lewton: His Brand of Fear

Posted on October 29, 2015 by minooallen

Val Lewton
His Brand of Fear

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.

portraitProducer 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.

caat peopelSimone Simon stars the Val Lewton Produced film Cat People (1942 Jacques Tourneur director)

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfbGJrAVWUo

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?

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Minoo Allen for Classic Movie Hub

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Cleo from 5 to 7: Real Time with Agnes Varda

Posted on October 23, 2015 by minooallen

Cleo from 5 to 7
Real time with Agnes Varda

Young VardaAgnes Varda

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 poster

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.

Cleo in Paris

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.

Old VardaI told you she was a hair icon.

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Minoo Allen for Classic Movie Hub

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