news and views

Welcome to 2011 everyone! I trust everyone had a safe and fun end of the year celebration. We'd like to kick things off here at the Shelf with a little TCM news and some great articles from around the Shelf Community of friends that we've read in the last week or so.

TCM in January is proving to be a DVR's worst nightmare- a perfect storm of too much I want to record and save and too little space to save it. While I long for the perfect technology where I can just store infinite amounts of classic films, television and special features on small, portable safe hard drives that I can watch or recall at a moments notice, I do appreciate the somewhat trusty, if imperfect and overworked DVR. Last night proved to be a true workout for my trusty companion as TCM began it's monthly look at Hal Roach Studios with an Our Gang Marathon. I am a sucker for the Our Gang and subsequent Little Rascals shorts; I grew up watching them on early morning television and learned all about how to make scaled down working versions of firetrucks made out of junk and household items, as well as the stinky effects of Limburger cheese.

The marathon continues during the day today and Hal Roach studios will be the TCM Spotlight featured on Tuesdays and Wednesdays all January long. Also this month, TCM's Star of the Month is sardonic funnyman Peter Sellers. and you can expect to see Dr. Strangelove and The Pink Panther on rotation, but don't miss one of my favorites, Murder By Death, which is a funny spoof of classic film detectives and the mystery genre. I am eager to catch Sellers in After the Fox and I'm All Right Jack- both of which I've never seen. Set your DVRs appropriately. Later this month, TCM will also feature an evening of early gangster classic films: City Streets, Scarface, Little Caesar and The Mayor of Hell. The later three have been available on DVD and see some rotation on TCM, but this will be my first chance to catch City Streets, starring Gary Cooper and Sylvia Sidney (who replaced Clara Bow after she suffered a nervous breakdown). On January 12th, TCM will be celebrating Luise Rainer's 101st birthday by showing an interview with Rainer by Robert Osborne that was done at last years TCM Film Festival, as well as showing four of Rainer's films, The Good Earth, Dramatic School, The Great Waltz and The Great Ziegfled. After watching the advance screening copy of the interview, Ms. Rainer is a lively and interesting (then) 100 years old.

Coming soon to TCM:
This month TCM will roll out another edition in their ongoing TCM Vault collection from Universal. This time it will be the double feature Murder, He Says/Feudin', Fussin' And A-Fightin'. Murder, He Says stars Fred MacMurray as a pollster stranded in the Ozarks after replacing the previous public opinion recorder, who is now missing. When MacMurray find the Hillbilly family the Feagles, headed by matriarch Mother (the awesome Marjorie Main), he realizes that he just may have stumbled on why he predecessor is missing: he's dead and the Feagles killed him. Feudin', Fussin' And A-Fightin' stars Main again this time with her erstwhile Ma and Pa Kettle costar, Percy Kilbride. Also starring Donald O'Connor as a traveling salesman who is coerced into representing the small town of Rimrock in an annual race with a rival backwoods town. This Double Feature TCM Vault collection will be available on DVD January 31, 2011.

In February, TCM will be rolling out their annual 31 Days of Oscar celebration. Each year TCM has presented Oscar nominated and winning films and performances in a themed presentation. This year the films will be presented in a Trivia style format with a different trivia marathon everyday. From the press release:
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is getting trivial with its annual 31 DAYS OF OSCAR® festival in February. The 2011 edition of the month-long event will feature more than 340 Academy Award®-nominated and winning movies, scheduled in trivia-inspired marathons. In addition, each night will feature a Best Picture Oscar winner at 10 p.m. (ET).
TCM host Robert Osborne, who is also the official biographer of the Academy Awards and the Academy’s red carpet greeter, will host 31 DAYS OF OSCAR, which will mark its 17th year on Turner Classic Movies. The 2011 edition will feature several high-profile films making their debuts on TCM, including three Best Picture winners: Cavalcade (1933), Amadeus (1984) and Forrest Gump (1994). The month also includes the TCM debuts of the blockbusters Pretty Woman (1990) and Thelma & Louise (1991), as well as outstanding dramas like Hugh Hudson’s Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), Hector Babenco’s Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing (1989) and Michael Mann’s Ali (2001).
Several excellent actress showcases are planned for TCM for the first time, including Janet Gaynor in Street Angel (1928), Loretta Young in The Men in Her Life (1941), Ingrid Bergman in Joan of Arc (1948) and The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958), Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop (1956), Julie Andrews in Star! (1968) and Cathy Burns in Last Summer (1969). Also, such international classics as Hiroshi Teshigahara’s Woman in the Dunes (1964), Constantine Costa-Gavras’ Z (1969), Jean-Charles Tacchella’s Cousin, Cousine (1975), Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) and Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors: Red (1994) will come to TCM for the first time.

And in March, TCM's Star of the Month will be the original blonde bombshell, Jean Harlow! Some of the actresses films that will be featured will be Red-Headed Woman, Suzy, Riffraff, Libeled Lady, Wife Vs. Secretary and Dinner at Eight. I am personally looking forward to catching Reckless, Red Dust, Personal Property and her last film, Saratoga.

From some of our friends around the blogging community I've read several excellent "end of the year" articles that I would like to direct your attention to:
Our friend Laura at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings has a wonderful post about all the films she watched this past year- sort of like a classic film fan journal if you will. She has posted many great reviews of these films throughout the year, so if you are curious about any of the titles she mentions, please check out her reviews. Laura had a goal to watch 208 movies in 2010, and ended up with 211. No doubt she has a similar goal for 2011- talk about a New Year's resolution I would love to keep! Good luck, Laura, and as always we look forward to your "Tonight's Movie" reviews throughout the coming year!

The DVD Savant, Glenn Erickson, offers his thoughts on the past year in films and DVD output and where we might be going from here, as well as his 2011 Wish List. I found his article thought provoking and agreed with so many of his positions, such as "Netflix and web streaming are terrific, but neither activity appeals to the basic motivation of collectors -- to possess one's own viewable copy of a favorite film. Specific titles can come and go at the will of the distributors -- a cool rare movie might surface, only to be withdrawn because of a rights issue or money dispute. The appearance of a remake in theaters might cue the disappearance of the original it is based on. Collectors are looking forward to the day when arrays of home-based hard drives (with backups) allow us to keep personal copies, but I haven't noticed any content providers championing that idea. As an individual inundated with disc product, having my collection stored on a digital drive, all backed-up and safe, sounds like a dream. " A dream others like myself share.... Also don't miss Glenn's Best of 2010 Disc List, a list that includes the much written about new to DVD, discovered & restored print of Metropolis.

Another one of our favorite movie bloggers and good pal, Jacqueline, had some great recent reviews of some under appreciated holiday classics over at Another Old Movie Blog. She posted wonderful reviews of Holiday Affair as well as The Shop Around the Corner (one of my favorites). The icing on the cake to me, though, was a great post on books for children about World War II that were written during the War. It seems she may be considering a possible book on the topic. Let me just say I hope she does, as I would love to read it! A great post, one well worth your time.

Lastly, John McElwee recently celebrated a five year anniversary of the always great and must read Greenbriar Picture Shows blog- congratulations John! The articles and pictures are can't miss as always, and I count myself as a fan from the very beginning of the blog! By the way- if you haven't already caught them- there have been several recent articles that are can't miss. First, an excellent three part series review of White Christmas, and this post with John's unique perspective on Frank Capra's romantic comedy, It Happened One Night.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned...




Aww,raspberries!

vintage ad and more

(from the Internet Archive database collection of scanned Photoplay Magazine - August 1930 issue)
Just dropping in on a very busy week for a couple of items (and to share the cool vintage Lifesavers ad from 1930.

Around Ye olde blogging neighborhood:
I am pleased to let you know Ivan at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear is mending and has actually pulled himself away from the nurses long enough to check in at his blog. Drop in and wish him well. We've missed ya, Ivan.

Still a fairly new link at the Shelf Community clubhouse: Golden Age Comic Book Stories, has been a wonderful retreat for me from the dreariness of politics as of late. Mr. Door Tree (as he calls himself) scans and posts the beautiful artwork from children's books of days gone by. You will find yourself enthralled.

John McElwee reviews the new second edition of Richard Barrios’ look at the birth of the sound era, A Song In The Dark at Greenbriar Picture Shows. The book just shot up to the top ten of my read-when-I-get-a-moment-to-breathe list.

Leonard Maltin has had some great articles on his Movie Crazy site lately (Leonard, I love ya, but your old site was much better) : He reviews the long awaited DVD release of The African Queen, discusses Great Movies still not out on DVD, and discusses a man by the name of David Pierce, who is developing an online website project called Media History Digital Library, which aims to be "A major conservation and access project for historical printed materials related to cinema, broadcasting and recorded sound." Very cool and I hope he succeeds.

The alluring Self-Styled Siren has had some great articles as always. Of particular interest: A post on the topic of adultery in classic films- followed by a great discussion thread. Also - I would be remiss if I didn't direct you to a couple of wrap-up/follow-up posts on the results from last month's For the Love of Film Blogathon. Thanks to Ferdy and the Siren, all the participating bloggers (of which I was proud to be one) and all those who donated to the cause, enough money was raised for the National Film Preservation Foundation, to restore a feature comedy and a cartoon. Awesomely done, oh awesome ones. Hopefully, this will be an annual event. We expect to hear the titles of the film and cartoon announced in coming months.


Laura at her self-titled Miscellaneous Musings has been throwing quite a few pre-code films in the DVD player in the last few weeks and has reviewed them, causing me to continue to add even more titles to my already busting-at-the-seams must-see list. Two recent films of interest: 1934's Desirable and 1932's Faithless. Even the titles are all "pre-code-y" goodness.

And sure, if ye be a true classic film fan, ye have watched a wee bit of The Quiet Man this past St. Paddy's day. And what of John Ford's other "Irish" film? What? You didn't know that Ford made another film set in Ireland (well, I guess, aside from The Informant?). Well, until I read Moira Finne fine examination of John Ford's The Rising of the Moon, I really didn't realize it either.

UPDATE:
Shortly after this posting, I saw news about the passing of actor Robert Culp. This was very sad for me especially for having grown up on watching him guest star on everything, but also from starring in one of my all-time favorite shows, The Greatest American Hero as take no prisoners FBI agent Bill Maxwell. And of course he will always be remembered for his role along co-star Bill Cosby in the great I Spy. You can read some excellent tributes at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings, Thrilling Days of Yesteryear and Big Hollywood. Mr. Culp will definitely be missed- and it has been an especially sad first quarter of 2010 for losing so many excellent actors and actresses.

Two mini-reviews of new releases this week:
Speaking of The African Queen- I have picked up my copy and my intial reaction is "WOW" - Paramount has really out done themselves with this release. The Commemorative Box set is the way to go for the classic movie fan, if nothing else, than for the bonus disc of the Lux Radio Theater adaption of the film and the copy of Katharine Hepburn's book on her experience on the making of the film (which has been out of print for a while). A neat little extra is also what they are calling a Collectible Senitype. It has three separate film frames in the three separate Technicolor colors- then one frame bringing them together to see for yourself the basic idea of the Technicolor process. Very, very neat. The film itself is fantastic and the digital and audio restoration is superb. Do not hesitate to pick it up - we give it a very enthusiastic 5 stars!


Also released this week, but perhaps flying under the radar: John Woo's epic film of Chinese History, Red Cliff. You can purchase the US theatrical version, but don't. You want to pick up the Internation version with parts I and II. Woo's filmed version of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms tells the story of end of the Han Dynasty in China and the infamous battle that took place in 208 A.D. which changed the entire course (and scale) of the country. The film is subtitled of course, but, grow up- you can handle it. You don't want to miss the entire performance of the actors. The cast is incredible and the film is wonderful- and a bit of a departure for fans used to John Woo's action films. Oh don't misunderstand- there is action, but there is so much more. US fans of Asian cinema have been looking forward to this, and if all you know of asian films is Jackie Chan (no disrespect, cause I love the Chan-man too), broaden your horizons- treat yourself to this visual feast of an epic film. 5 stars!

That's all for today Shelfers- stay tuned for more Shelf-y goodness.



Truth and illusion are often disguised as each other.

best wishes to our pal...

...Ivan Shreve at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear. We've been concerned since we hadn't seen "hide nor hair" of our pal at the hallowed halls of his blog. Now we've gotten info from Tom at Motion Picture Gems that word comes from several other bloggers in the know, Edward Copland and The Self Styled Siren (is this a grapevine or what?), that Ivan has taken ill and is in the hosptial.
All of us at The Shelf wish Ivan a speedy recovery and a speedy return to the blogosphere.
Stacia at She Blogged By Night has also passed on word that you can also send your very own get well wishes to Ivan via the Athens Regional Medical Center's eGreetings system.
Ivan- get well soon friend!



You have nothing to worry about. The last patient I gave one of those to won the Kentucky Derby.

Restoring Film, Preserving Art and Conserving Culture

Shelfers- the time is now. It is the end of a very special week- one that hits a cause near and dear to my heart and many others. It is the week of the For the Love of Film: Film Preservation Blogathon that has been hosted by The Self-Styled Siren and Furdy on Film. Allow me the indulgence of doing something I have never done on The Shelf; I am asking for your help and your donations. You see, this is the point of the blogathon; not merely to discuss and call attention to the need for Film Preservation, but to also ask for your donation to The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF).

As described by the Self Styled Siren, the role of The National Film Preservation Foundation is thus: “The National Film Preservation Foundation is the independent, nonprofit organization created by the U.S. Congress to help save America’s film heritage. They work directly with archives to rescue endangered films that will not survive without public support.” When you make a donation, The NFPF will enter you in a drawing to give away 4 DVD sets as thank-you gifts. Winners will be chosen in a random drawing, and could receive: Treasures III: Social Issues in American Film, 1900-1934 and Treasures IV: American Avant Garde Film, 1947-1986.

I ask that you take a moment to consider it and to donate- you can do so by clicking the button below. I can wait.

Click Here to Donate

Are you back? If you didn’t click- why I’ll give you the button a second time:

Click Here to Donate

OK- hopefully you have taken full advantage of this time to make a contribution towards the preservation of film. I know that readers of this blog fully appreciate the need for preservation and have appreciated popping in a DVD of your favorite film and have marveled when you discovered a re-mastered print and improved sound over that old VHS copy you had. Or perhaps you have purchased a copy of a DVD with a restored print that restored precious minutes to a film you last saw on TV. Studios and distributors have made the effort to restore these films, and in some cases preserve and rescue them from oblivion. Costs, however, are often prohibitive. And although some studios have gone the route of MOD or digital distribution to lower costs, but meet demand; often restoration is not done because of said costs.

But what about the film that isn’t in good enough condition to release- or to allow a theatrical screening? Often they are languishing in libraries, studio archives and even in private collections- deteriorating slowly, but surely, over time. Some films are in such a state that to take them out and even expose them to air and light would cause them irreparable harm. Further, there are those films that exist only in partial prints. One good example is Fritz Lang’s great silent epic Metropolis. Missing footage in a foreign print has only been recently discovered and a restoration project ensued which has culminated in a complete version of the film which will be shown this year at the TCM Film Festival; the first time the complete film has been seen by an audience in decades.

So why should you be concerned? You, after all, are not a professional film technician. Maybe you don’t write articles about or research movies or film history. Maybe you don’t have a private collection of prints – you, after all, are merely a film fan. You don’t have the resources or the know how to do anything about it. Or do you? Your contribution is a direct way for you to be involved in this process. It is a way for you to make a real difference.

Now, many bloggers have been contributing their time and considerable talents to this blogathon. Everyone from Film critics like Roger Ebert to hall of fame film writers and bloggers like the Self Styled Siren to little old amateurs such as myself, have been writing to tell you why this effort is so important. I want to take just a moment and perhaps demonstrate the importance of your donation from another angle.

Your old Uncle Loophole teaches history and humanities at a local campus of a large University. I went to school and majored in History and minored in Anthropological Archaeology. My graduate work was in American History with another degree in Museum Administration specializing in Material Culture studies. I don’t tell you this to scare you away (“Oh noooo- academia! Run!”) or to brag on myself. No, I tell you this so you can appreciate where I am coming from, and so you can understand the full impact of what I am going to say. Film Preservation is nothing short than the preservation of our culture and our history. Our Federal Government, National museums, public committees and local governments around our nation spend millions annually to preserve historic sites, battlefields, buildings and many material objects. Conserving areas of land considered vitally important to our culture and to our future is considered of major importance. And these things should be preserved. In fact, I would venture to say there is much more out there that needs preservation and they can’t, or won’t, preserve them all. It is a daunting task, but it is one that is well worth the effort. A historian once said that a people that forgets their past is like a scary, lost person – lost without any guide to their future path. I would also add that a nation that loses the connection with its past, also loses its connection to the present; like a rudderless ship that has had no embarking point and has no destination, and can’t fix its present location. With nothing to guide it or give the ship information- the stars, sea charts, knowledge of its course- that ship will aimlessly travel on and perhaps never reach its intended destination.

I greatly value our history and our material culture. When I look at things that the people of the past created I can often see reflected therein their values, concerns, fears and hopes. And nowhere is that more the case than in the art and expressive materials that a culture creates: sculptures, novels, paintings, music and even in the case of the 20th century and on- films. I use film in my classes to teach and to illustrate because I find that few material objects can reach a person with such immediacy as film. When I teach my 20th Century American Experience class- film plays a vital part. In past classes I have used The Grapes of Wrath and I Was a Fugitive from a Chain Gang when discussing how the Great Depression affected the American People. I have screen clips from The Wild One, Blackboard Jungle and Attack of the 50 Foot Woman when discussing American culture in the 1950s and its concern with Atomic power, racism and its perception of youth rebellion. My class has viewed In the Heat of the Night and watched interviews with the makers and stars of the film when discussing changes in the culture in the 1960s. I have used film footage of the moon landing, Civil Rights marches, World War II fighting to vividly demonstrate where we have been as a nation. In other words I use film as context- and to help students make a personal connection to the past. There is a difference between using film in class to demonstrate context and then using a film in class (such as a historical epic) and say “This is what happened.” I do not do the later- but using it as context is as valuable as discussing the nation’s literature, music or art. I can’t recall a class on The Civil War that didn’t mention Uncle Tom’s Cabin, or a class on the Renaissance that didn’t discuss the art of the period. In short- a culture creates- and what it creates also contains elements of what it values and believes. Its material culture is nothing short of a mirror held up to capture the image and light of the person holding it to admire.

There are many, many films that are pure escapism- and pure entertainment- but even they are important as a part of our common heritage. Before the radio and moving picture- there was still so much to divide us culturally. The 20th century is nothing, if not the story of a nation that found a common language in radio, film, and television and created a common culture- and a nation that became less and less isolated from itself and from the world. The images we have of our nation, of our entertainment, of our highs and lows, and of how we interpret those highs and lows are as important as the self-same written documents and government papers that we spend so much time and effort to preserve. My assertion is thus- when you aid in preserving our film heritage, you are doing nothing short of preserving and conserving our culture.

I know that not all films necessarily share equal importance in terms of what they contain or even their entertainment value. But there are many films in University holdings, studio archives, private collections and in libraries that have important historical documentary footage- or are films that hold a special place in out entertainment culture. Your donation can go to help find and preserve those films before they are lost forever. We have already lost some- let’s make the move to try and preserve what we can for future generations. Your love of film and your favorite cartoons, shorts, documentaries, comedies, romances and on and on can be passed on to your children and their children and provide the rich cultural heritage and common language of film that we all share.

Again, please donate to the Film Preservation cause. You effort and contribution can do much to help and we can united in a common cause that makes a mark, makes a difference towards our history and our culture. Again here is the link to donate:
Click here to Donate

Thank you for your enthusiasm and thank you for your support. And please go to the Siren’s post with the blogathon’s master list for links to many, many great articles and posts. (By the way- you know this is important to Uncle Loophole when he breaks with 5 years of Shelf tradition and include capitalization in the post title!)



We've seen growing awareness of film preservation, yet the deterioration and eventual disappearance of films have not come to an end. There's still a race against the clock to save what we can at some point.

jam packed february

That about describes it- a jam-packed February for film lovers and especially classic film fans. First off, if you are a TCM fan you know that January was a great month with the Shadows of Russia TCM Spotlight, put together by film critic Lou Lumenick and Farran Smith Nehme, otherwise known as one of our favorite film bloggers, The Self-Styled Siren. One of the highlights for me was being able to catch Comrade X with Hedy Lamar and Clark Gable.

This month is busy, busy, busy also, and we will be trying to add to the festivities as best we can. A few things to be on the lookout for:

At TCM it is the annual celebration known as 31 Days of Oscar- usually many of the films are ones that see regular rotation on TCM during the year, but this year sees several unusual entries that in years past. Check out the schedule at the 31 Days of Oscar site. Jack Benny superfans, such as myself, will be tickled to see his 1937 Artists and Models with Ida Lupino (thanks to Laura at her Miscellaneous Musings for that tip! Check out her site for even more hot tips!)

The Academy Awards kicked off the month with their announced nominees. Not much too add, as in years past there wasn't much to get excited about. However, this year sees the second animated film nominated for Best Picture in Academy history: Up. Needless to say, we are rooting for Pixar's delightful film.

DVD releases of note for this month will include two great sets from Sony coming Feb. 9th: Bad Girls of Film Noir 1 & 2. Vol. 1 includes The Killer that Stalked New York, Two of a Kind, Bad for Each Other and The Glass Wall. The line-up for Vol. 2 includes Night Editor, One Girl’s Confession, Over-Exposed, and Women’s Prison. A nice entry for a year that is already seeing a derth of traditional DVD releases. And let us not neglect to mention the Criterion release of Leo McCarey's film Make Way for Tomorrow due Feb. 23rd.

Lastly, and in some ways more importantly, this month there is a blog-a-thon being hosted by The Self-Styled Siren and Ferdy on Films from February 14th through the 21st: For the Love of Film. It's blog-a-thon with a purpose near and dear to old Uncle Loophole's heart: Film Preservation. The stated mission: "Creating awareness about the need for film preservation and raising funds for the National Film Preservation Foundation." Needed monies will be raised and many bloggers, some of whom are very familiar to Shelfers, will be participating- we hope to do so as well. Check out the website at For the Love of Film. Also check out this short commercial and do your part: spread the word.



As we said- things are pretty busy this month, so be sure to check back in and around The Shelf nation!



Well, there's some good news and some bad news. Last week all the towels were stolen. But on the other hand the water wasn't running so nobody needed the towels. Everything balances.

aw, shucks...

I received word today that this humble little blog has received the Kreativ Blogger Award our pal (don't hold that against him) over at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, Ivan G. (the "G" stands for goin' places) Shreve, Jr. Ivan, erstwhile curmudgeonly classic culture commentator that he is, bestowed upon us this nice award- the first in Shelf history. We were further honored when we saw the august company we kept- as Ivan bestowed it upon several other blogs that we admire and love. On behalf of the trained professional staff here at The Shelf- oh, and the authors too- I thank you Ivan for being so kind.

Now it says here in the official handbook that there are several duties to which we must attend. Here they are in order:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award. - Again, thanks Ivan!

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog. Already proudly displayed above.

3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award. Here ya go.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
Well, I'll speak for myself- Matt, Wolfie and Mrs. Baravelli can chime in on their own.

a. I had been known, on occasion, to enjoy a jar of Gerber Plum baby food when I was feeding my own brood. I was pretty sure they didn't mind. The banana suited them better.

b. Outside of family, I have considered Groucho Marx, Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp and Humphrey Bogart to be my personal heroes since the age of 8.

c. My favorite comedian and star of all time is Jack Benny. It is my lifework to listen to all of his radio shows. It doesn't pay well, but it's a living.

d. If forced at gunpoint, I believe I would choose Dino over old Blue Eyes to play on the vitrolla.

e. I am working on a book. Seriously. On the long term plan. Just don't ask me what the title is, because I haven't decided.

f. I have an unusual affinity for television theme songs. I have Sanford and Son, Night Court, Barney Miller, Friends, Newhart and Cheers on what passes for my mp3 player. (By the way-You can hear the full version of Sanford and Son here.)

g. When in High School I formed a comedy club that actually spread to two other schools, and we were known for two things: 1. A prank advertising the High School Building for sell in our local newspaper (they got a few calls) and 2. Having our own Monty Python "cover" troup. Once we performed the Lumberjack song at a community fundraiser held at a friend's Unitarian Church. Believe it or not, Unitarians have a wicked sense of humor.

5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers and post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
Well, Ivan has nominated several that we would as well, but we have more that we think are well worth a daily read, and are quite keen to boot.

A. Jacqueline at Another Old Movie Blog.

B. Moira at Skeins of Thought.

C. C.K. Dexter Haven at Hollywood Dreamland

D. Livius at Riding the High Country.

E. Bacall at Classic Movie Gab.

F. Raquelle at Out of the Past.

G. Operator_99 at Allure

6. There is no number 6- it says here.

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

Well, we have fulfilled our award winning duties and again, we would like to thank Ivan for this honor. And we encourage you to go visit the nominated blogs we've listed. We do think they are the bee's knees.

Let joy be unconfined. Let there be dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor.

pause for the music: 10 favorite christmas music performances

There is an abundance of Christmas music (and as the case may be, muzak) being piped through malls, elevators, radio stations, and telephone automated holds throughout the land right now. You almost cannot escape it, I mean - if you wanted to...that is...*ahem*. Anyway, I like Christmas music, but I prefer it on my terms- I prefer it performed beautifully and well. I don't always go in for the latest pop star's take on a classic, but on occasion some of them have put out some fantastic records.
Nonetheless- for this week's Christmas music installment of our ongoing 2009 Shelf Christmas Party, I thought I would share some clips of some of my favorite Christmas carols in some of the most beautiful performances I've heard. Several are classics, and some of them are more recent performances that are unforgettable. By the way, most of these are available on CD, and I encourage you to purchase them for your own collection.

I even decided to just pick my 10 favorites and even invite all of you out there to comment or share with me your favorites. Perhaps a Christmas Music Meme is in order- I invite any of my fellow bloggers to jump on the bandwagon. And the task is simple: What are your 10 most favorite Christmas music performances? Ones that still give you chills, and you have to listen to every year? I'll invite a couple to join in, but anyone is welcome to join in this fun Christmas meme. You don't have to provide clips like I have- just at least tell us what they are and why you like them. If you post one- let me know and I will update this post with a link to all the sites and posts that send me a link.

For now, here are my 10 Favorite Christmas music performances (in no particular order really, but numbered so I can make sure I narrow it down to ten).
Enjoy!


10. Kristen Chenoweth: Do You Hear What I Hear? Kristen Chenoweth's Christmas CD from last year is one of my new favorites- absolutely beautiful.



9. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Brian Stokes Mitchell: Sleigh Ride
(The Mormon Tabernacle Choir always puts on a fantastic Christmas concert with some of the most celebrated performers around the world- and this song just sounds so great with a large choir and the bells- just awesome. I've always loved hearing them perform this song since hearing it on that Holiday classic special with Jimmy Stewart: Mr. Krueger's Christmas.)



Honorable mention: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with The King's Singers: O, Holy Night (enough to give me chills everytime I hear it.)



8. Celtic Women: The First Noel (clip also includes a wonderful instrumental of In the Bleak Midwinter)



7. To me one of my favorite singers of all time is Harry Connick Jr., and his Christmas albums get heavy rotation this time of year. In fact, my own little tradition to kick off the chilly time of year is to listen to Harry's soundtrack to When Harry Met Sally- especially since there are several "wintery" type songs on there, including Winter Wonderland. Harry's version is still my favorite and on his last album he brought along his daughter to record it as a duet. Here is Harry Connick Jr and his daughter Kate with Winter Wonderland:



6. Amy Grant: Grown Up Christmas List. Yes, it's kinda sappy. Yes, I had a crush on Amy Grant growing up. What of it? You wanna fight about it or something? Either way- it's a beautiful song, and she has a beautiful voice- her Christmas albums are something I enjoy listening to every year.



5. Frank Sinatra: I'll be Home for Christmas/ Dean Martin and Frank: Marshmallow World. He's the Chairman- and he recorded a version of this song that is still one of the best and most heartfelt around. Fellow crooner Dino also recorded this classic solo and with Frank that is at once playful and sentimental- as only Dino and Ol' Blue Eyes could make it.
I'll Be Home for Christmas:



Marshmallow World (from the Dean Martin show):



4. Nat King Cole practically made Mel Torme's The Christmas Song an indelible classic. Nat brings soul, feeling and warmth to Christmas songs that I have to listen to every year. And his performance of Hark the Herald Angels Sing is one of my all time favorites, earning him a double bill at the number 4 spot:
Christmas Song:



Hark:



3. Burl Ives, etc.- Soundtrack to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. What makes a Christmas song a classic? It's hard, because there are so many, and there so many versions of each song. Obviously, everyone has a favorite version of their particular song, but sometimes one just steps up above them all. When Rankin/Bass released their special Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer- in many ways the Burl Ives' version became the standard for kids of all ages. For my number 2 pick though- I'd have to suggest the whole darn soundtrack, especially to make sure I include my favorite: Silver and Gold:



2. Vince Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack. I am a Peanuts fanatic- and my family knows it. The very first CD I owned was the soundtrack to this special. Lucy and Linus, O Christmas Tree- all seasonal classics. But anytime I hear "Christmas Time is Here" memories come rushing back, and I am transported to my childhood.



1. Now for classic Christmas performances that I have to hear during this time of year, you just can't forget Bing. And he's number one with me- no contest. Yes, White Christmas and Holiday Inn get multiple viewings in the Loophole household...but for some reason, I just love this performance of White Christmas with Bing and Marjorie Reynolds from Holiday Inn. It is tops in my book:



Honorable mention Bing: I could just make this entire list Bing's stuff- it's that great. But this little bonus performance comes from White Christmas- it isn't about Christmas per se, but I can't tell you how many times when times have been hard or down, that this wonderful song comes to mind: Count Your Blessings, Instead of Sheep. For me it's one of the lynchpins of the movie and it's just one of the things that makes White Christmas an everlasting classic movie.



I hope you've enjoyed this music filled meme and entry into the Shelf's 2009 Christmas party. I'd like to invite one and all bloggers to participate if they will- I'd love to see what songs Laura, Jacqueline, Ivan, the Classic Maiden and Retrohound have as their favorites. So I am tagging you 5 in particular, if you are willing.
Again - if you want to post your favorites- send me a link and I will update this post and include it here.

UPDATE:
Lawdy, lawdy - we've already got some awesome posts up and I've received word that some are working on their picks. So we have some awesome posts to look forward to.
Remember- if you've taken up the challenge,(and the challenge is issued to one and all who wish to participate) please send me a link via email, or in the comments section and I will post it here!

First up- Ivan, the Master of Ceremonies at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear , has his selections posted for your viewing pleasure. And may I say, I was "thrilled," (HA- get it? You know, cause the name of the blog...and ...oh, never mind) yes, thrilled to see one his selections is the almighty Stan Freberg's Green Christmas. Longtime Shelfers know we have an unexplainable, yet eternal affection for all things Freberg. Do yourself a favor and go straightaway and check it out:

“We need a little Christmas/Right this very minute…”

Retrohound kicks it up a notch with a very eclectic list. This is one of the reasons I sent out this meme-- I wanted to discover stuff I've never heard and rediscover things I had forgotten. Retrohound has plenty of music know-how and brings it to the table. To my eternal shame- he included Thurl Ravencroft's You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch- and I forgot. I can't believe I forgot about "Stink! Stank! Stunk!" Thanks for saving our bacon, Retrohound. Go hither and read it (and listen): Top 10 Christmas Song Performances of All-Time (well, this year anyway)


"OK, Uncle Loophole," you say, "We are familiar with your picks- fairly standard. We want something different, something hip, something unusual." Alright- I've got just the thing for you- check Gilligan's Retrospace. Some of the most unique choices yet and full of pop culture and some new performances for you to enjoy. Bonus points for picking a Mrs. Brady performance and the cool opening original post graphic. Don't delay- head over to 10 Favorite Christmas Music Performances straightaway.

The ever awesome Jacqueline at Another Old Movie Blog, has taken up the challenge and she has outdone herself. She has even gone one further by making her choices only from performances in classic films. I've "listened" to her picks several times already and am in the mood to pull out my stack of films for another round. But she serves the "coup de grace" with her commentary after her picks about what Christmas music means to all of and in bringing people together as a community. And I quote: "Christmas songs cater to neither young or old, city or rural. If you know some, you learned them as a child. For the rest of your life, you’ll fit into any makeshift street carolers or living room chorus, just like Joseph Cotten, who has a hard time fitting in any place after his bad war experience." And there is much more. Please go over and immerse yourself in Favorite Christmas Music Meme.




You sound sweet, but you don't make sense.

tcm watch...and more

A couple of 5-star worthy TCM news items to bring across the bow of the Shelf, and more from around the Shelf neighborhood:

You may already know that Turner Classic Movies is hosting their first annual TCM Classic Film Festival April of 2010 in Hollywood, CA. They will be presenting more than 50 classic films, and hosted by Robert Osborne- with many talks and special guests such as Leonard Maltin, Peter Bogdanovich, and Douglas Trumbull. News comes today that there will be several specials screenings. From the news release:
"spectacular events will include the world premiere of a newly restored edition of George Cukor’s music-filled 1954 drama A Star is Born; the North American premiere of a restored version of Fritz Lang’s 1927 science-fiction silent masterpiece Metropolis; and a 50th anniversary screening of the influential French classic Breathless, the film that launched Jean-Luc Godard’s career."
Especially note worthy is the first North American screening of the restored version of Lang's Metropolis. Last year a a 16mm negative was discovered in Buenos Aires that included an additional 30 minutes of footage that hasn't been seen since the films 1927 premiere in Berlin. A live orchestra will providing the music for the silent film classic. Hopefully news and details of a DVD release won't be too far behind.
Information on tickets, passes and the Festival, for anyone lucky enough to be out there, can be found at the Festival website.

For those of you who have been keeping up with the Universal library on made to order DVD through TCM archives collection, you may know that a film fans have been eagerly hoping will make it to DVD will debut on the TCM/Universal collection starting Friday Nov. 20th. Remember the Night, starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck is the story of a prosecutor (MacMurray) who finds himself falling in love with a shoplifter (Stanwyck) during a court recess at Christmas time. The rarely seen Christmas film will not only soon be available to fans on DVD, but it also is one of the headliners for TCM's Christmas movies throughout the month of December. Thursdays in December (including Christmas Eve, natch) will feature lineups of beloved holiday classics. Here is a listing of the Christmas film line-up that winds up with a special Sherlock Holmes marathon on Christmas Day (what TCM is unashamedly calling Holmes for the Holidays)
(a complete month schedule can be found on TCM.com)

The following is a complete lineup of TCM’s Thursday primetime and Christmas Day schedule:

Thursday, Dec. 3
8 p.m. – A Christmas Carol (1938), starring Reginald Owen and Gene Lockhart.
9:15 p.m. – Little Women (1949), starring June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh and Margaret O’Brien.
11:30 p.m. – Tenth Avenue Angel (1948), starring Margaret O’Brien and Angela Lansbury.
1 a.m. – 3 Godfathers (1948), starring John Wayne, Pedro Armindáriz, Harry Carey Jr. and Ward Bond.
3 a.m. – Hell’s Heroes (1930), starring Charles Bickford and Raymond Hatton.
4:30 a.m. – Bush Christmas (1947), starring John Fernside and Chips Rafferty.

Thursday, Dec. 10
8 p.m. – It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947), starring Don DeFore, Ann Harding and Gale Storm. 10 p.m. – Fitzwilly (1967), starring Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Feldon and Edith Evans.
Midnight – Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), starring Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and Lewis Stone.
2 a.m. – Susan Slept Here (1954), staring Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds and Anne Francis.
4 a.m. – Little Women (1933), starring Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas and Frances Dee.

Thursday, Dec. 17
8 p.m. – Christmas in Connecticut (1945), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet.
10 p.m. – Holiday Affair (1950), starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh.
11:30 p.m. – Never Say Goodbye (1946), starring Errol Flynn and Eleanor Parker.
1:30 a.m. – Period of Adjustment (1962), starring Tony Franciosa, Jane Fonda and Jim Hutton.
3:30 a.m. – Beyond Tomorrow (1940), starring Harry Carey, C. Aubrey Smith and Maria Ouspenskaya.

Thursday, Dec. 24 – Robert Osborne’s Christmas Picks
8 p.m. – Remember the Night (1940), starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray.
9:45 p.m. – Christmas in July (1940), starring Dick Powell and Ellen Drew.
11 p.m. – Chicken Every Sunday (1948), starring Dan Dailey and Celeste Holme.
1 a.m. – Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), starring Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Lucille Bremer and Mary Astor.
3 a.m. – In the Good Old Summertime (1949), starring Judy Garland and Van Johnson.
5 a.m. – The Shop Around the Corner (1940), starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart and Frank Morgan.

Friday, Dec. 25
7 a.m. – Little Women (1933), starring Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas and Frances Dee.
9 a.m. – A Christmas Carol (1938), starring Reginald Owen and Gene Lockhart.
10:15 a.m. – The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), starring Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan and Monty Woolley.
12:15 p.m. – Christmas in Connecticut (1945), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet.
2:15 p.m. – Little Women (1949), starring June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh and Margaret O’Brien.
4:30 p.m. – Holiday Affair (1950), starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh.
6 p.m. – Susan Slept Here (1954), starring Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds and Anne Francis.

Friday, Dec. 25 – Holmes for the Holidays
8 p.m. – The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Richard Greene and Wendy Barrie.
9:30 p.m. – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939), starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce and Ida Lupino.
11 p.m. – The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970), starring Robert Stephens, Colin Blakely and Genevieve Page.
1:15 a.m. – Sherlock Holmes’ Fatal Hour (1931), starring Arthur Wontner, Ian Fleming and Jane Welsh.
2:30 a.m. – The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Andre Morell and Maria Landi.
4 a.m. – A Study in Terror (1965), starring John Neville, Donald Houston, Georgia Brown and Anthony Quayle.

You can stay tuned to the Shelf for a upcoming review of the first wave of the Universal/TCM Archives set: Horror Cult Classics, and of Remember the Night!

From some of our blogging neighbors:

Laura, our friend of Laura's Miscellaneous Musings fame, reports on a recent interview with Warner Home Video's George Feltenstein and the state of the Warner Archives program. Feltenstein offers that Warners will be making improvements to the DVD on demand library and program, perhaps, as Laura Mused, because of the newly created Universal/TCM Archives DVD on demand program. If so, that is a great thing- and may lead to other studios presenting their own form of DVD on Demand (Fox- I keep staring at you!) And if one were to compare- the Universal/TCM effort hands down is leading out of the gate in terms of print quality, extras an everything fans have come to expect from DVDs. Warners has the vast selection and titles- we just want you to up the game a bit. And George, you are a Classic Film Fan's hero- keep bringing your skill and knowledge to bear on the WB Archives and up the quality. Please read Laura's post - it's very informative and makes some dead-on observations - and has a link to the interview.

The inimitable Ivan at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear takes a look at those childhood heroes of mine, Rocky and Bullwinkle, who turn 50 years young today!

Shelf favorite, and constant object of adoration, the Self-Styled Siren as demonstrated why we admire her so much- she has been able to achieve every classic film fan's dream and programmed a film series for Turner Classic Movies. In January of 2010, TCM will present Shadows of Russia: a month long look at the many images of Russia and Communism through the lens of Hollywood. How it all came about is up on her site (and reading her recent take on rewatching The Bicycle Thief is well worth your time as well. )

Finally- several bloggers have noted and posted on the 100th anniversary of wonderful actor Robert Ryan, and deservedly so- in addition to being fantastic in so many noirs, his subtle ability to make any character breathe life hard is evident in so many other roles. Some of the best tributes read came from another Shelf favorite and regular read, The Classic Maiden and the bloggers over at TCM's Movie Morlocks.

That's all for today Shelfers- please stay tuned for more news and reviews and of course, more Thanksgiving 2009 celebration!



Oh my, yes. My life is just one long round of whoopee.

must see tv..., er, internet

I know we've been away from our battle stations for a little while, but a healthy dose of Jury Duty and catching up afterwards will do that for you. Nonetheless, I have read several things lately around the ol' Shelf Community and our neighbor bloggers and friends and found many things worth reading. Some of the best commentary and film history is right here at your fingertips with a few clicks of the mouse. Allow me to highlight a few; it's time for another edition of The Shelf's Passing Parade.

Item 1:
Big Hollywood is big time for sure, so congratulations are in order to John Nolte (formerly Dirty Harry) and Andrew Breitbart. While it is a daily read, two articles in particular are wonderful gems:
First up, one of our favorites, Robert Avrech, of the great Seraphic Secret, posted an article today on the story of silent film actress Alma Rubens and her rise and fall and all too brief life. It is perfect companion to our various discussions about the Hollywood of the silent and pre-code era. Wonderful piece.
Second, Noel Anenberg gives a very interesting take on the classic western High Noon and how it is analogous to our present political situation.

Item 2:
Those of you who may have seen the documentary Warners at War on last year's Homefront Collection DVD, or even have read Hollywood Goes to War or various biographies of the Warner Brothers, have heard of Warner's 1943 effort at propaganda called Mission to Moscow. It's a now little-seen film which Warners produced in 1943 starring Walter Huston as an ambassador to the USSR; ostensibly based on the real life story and book of the actual ambassador. It was an effort at boosting relations between our wary ally and our wary selves, but it only really gave Warners headaches over the years. TCM ran it on their schedule recently and the awesome Self-Styled Siren has seen and wrote a great review of the film and discussed it's impact and place among classic films. Please go check out her post and tell her Uncle Loophole sent ya'. It's been one of my favorite posts in recent memory.

Item 3:
There is another great post on a now little known actress whose career spanned decades on stage and screen: but chances are many people have seen her and never really knew who she was. Remember the chain smoking lady from the afterlife office in Beetlejuice? Well her name was Sylvia Sydney and she worked with many of the greats including Fritz Lang (in one of my favorite little Lang films he did in the US- Fury with Spencer Tracy) and Hitchcock. Moira Finne has penned an extensive portrait of this fascinating woman and her equally fascinating life over at TCM's Movie Morlocks.

Item 4:
Speaking of TCM, have you been attending TCM U during the 31 Days of Oscar? You should be- just click on the TCM ad at the top to go over and check out the schedule.

Item 5:
And finally, make sure to check in with the DVD Savant Glenn Erickson and his new feature at film.com every month: Glenn's Guide for the Classics Collector.

Hope you've enjoyed this addition of the Passing Parade and will enjoy the articles. Be sure to check them out and stay tuned for more of the Shelf.



People gotta talk themselves into law and order before they do anything about it. Maybe because down deep they don't care. They just don't care.

meme: 20 actresses

One of my favorite film bloggers, the always wonderful Self-Styled Siren, has tagged me with my very first meme. And this is a doozy. I actually told her- tag me next time, I'll do one. She said this one would be hard and it'll teach me what to volunteer for next time. Boy, was she right. The meme: 20 Favorite Actresses. Now, I'm not saying it wasn't great fun, but gee whiz- like the Siren herself said- it's like picking your favorite children. And while others who have done their lists might be chuckling at my woe- t'aint funny, McGee. I know I left someone off, I struggled with some choices more than others, and there were some that I just said to myself- if only it were 25! But I will remain true to the theme and the rules for my first one out.

For this one I just had to think- whose performance or film stuck with me most? Who could I not forget when I think of my film experiences? Who just dug down into my heart, and I can't bear thinking of "filmdom" without them? Who would I most want to be deserted on an uninhabited island...well, you get the picture. I norrowed the list down several times, and in order to really pair it down- I decided to go with "all-time" greats. I mean if you watch them over and over again, they are pretty much at the top of your list, right? And since this is partly a classic film blog- classic film actresses are a must.

The meme originated at Film Experience Blog, and you most definitely want to check out the Siren's list , Flickhead and Ivan's over at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear. And at the end of the post I will tag several other unsuspecting bloggers with this most arduous of memes.
So without further ado- and in no order whatsoever (that would be impossible), and with minimal comment- I give you:
JC Loophole's Twenty Favorite Actresses (with apologies to the many others I love):

Myrna Loy

Norma Shearer

Maureen O’Hara

Maureen O'Sullivan

Grace Kelly

Cyd Charisse

Olivia de Havilland

Jane Powell

Mae Clark

Loretta Young

Barbara Stanwyck

Joan Blondell

Katherine Hepburn

Rosiland Russell

Carole Lombard

Lauren Bacall

Bette Davis

Judy Garland

Gene Tierney

Ingrid Bergman

Now, the other hard part is figuring who to tag. Well, I had to think about who's lists would I love to see- then it became easy! So- sorry in advance, and here's hoping you will take up the task!
I tag:
Laura at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings
Jacqueline at Another Old Movie Blog
John at Greenbriar Picture Shows
Bacall at Cine Classics
and Dirty Harry at Dirty Harry's Place.

Here's hoping you'll carry on- I look forward to seeing the lists!




I'm a tough old broad from Brooklyn. I intend to go on acting until I'm ninety and they won't need to paste my face with make-up.