treasure island

(With apologies to Thrilling Days of Yesteryear-- I just realized you titled your piece on this topic Treasure Island as well. I didn't mean to swipe it from you, it didn't really see the title previously, as I was interested in what you wrote. It should however, reflect the similar attitude with both have towards this news.)

I have dreams. Oh, yes- I have dreams. When I was a kid, they used to be of the trapped-in-a-toy-store-with-endless-amounts-of-candy variety, but nowadays sometimes they tend to be more...pedestrian. I dream that I will come home from work one day and lawn has been raked and mowed, or a neighbor got one of my bills in their mailbox, but figured, "Oh what the heck. I'll pay it for him anyway." That's not to say I don't have some more fantastical dreams. Remember that Twilight Zone episode with Burgess Meredith and the books? Nagged and bothered anytime he chose to read, one day something happens and his city is wiped out- no people anywhere. He goes to the library and rejoices that now he finally has time to read anything he wants. Then his glasses break. My dream is like that, except without the city being wiped out, glasses or books. But it does involve black and white- My dream was that somewhere there is a place, an island maybe, where I could go and ALL of the classic movies would be there and I could just pick and choose what I wanted. No hoping for studios to but them out on DVD, no searching stores for titles, or trying to DVR or catch a lucky break and see it on TV. This dream was a dream of a true Treasure Island.

I say was, because, in a way, part of it has come true. In case you haven't heard, Warner Brothers has begun a new way to provide classic films to consumers. This morning, I began my stroll down my own proverbial Allen's Alley of The Shelf Community and got the scoop from the fantastic Laura from Laura's Miscellaneous Musings, and from our pal Ivan at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear (both of whom credit the blog Something Old, Something New for the news).
In short, Warner Brothers is providing a sort of "upon order" system on their website, where you can order titles from Warner Vault, all of which have never been previously released to DVD. Let me be clear- these are many titles (as of now about 150 are listed) from Warner's massive vault that have never made it, and never will make it to traditional, retail-ready DVD. And the titles are fantastic!

You can order a DVD copy of a title for $19.99 or a digital download for $14.99 of any of these classic titles, which range from the silent era and into the 80s. In the event of a DVD order, WB will then press the DVD of the title and send it to you in a DVD case with artwork and DVD label, just as if you had purchased it in the store. This is a phenomenal move, one that took me a while to truly process the historic nature of and what it means. Ronald Epstein at Home Theater Forum also announced this today and has more details, and there will be a live chat with George Feltenstein from Warner Brothers tonight at HTF, where the will discuss this and other projects in the works. Roger has also stated: "The quality of these DVDs (and I forgot to mention these are only DVDs) are as good as anything you would expect the studio to release. Theywill be in their proper aspect ratio, 16x9, and with the necessary audiocodecs. Nothing will suffer when it comes to presentation quality."

According to sources, WB plans to add to the Archive- about 20 additional titles a month. By end of the year, there may be around 300 titles available. A quick glance at the 145 or so available now have already got the heart pumping: Private Lives with Norma Shearer, Ah Wilderness, Carbine Williams with Jimmy Stewart, the great campy superhero flick Doc Savage: the Man of Bronze, Tugboat Annie with Marie Dressler, Edison the Man with Spencer Tracy and on and on. Like I said, it's my dream of a DVD Treasure Island come to life...except for the island part or the part where it's free. But I will take it! The only disappointment, and I rate this as somewhat minor- is the fact that there will be no extras, except for the occasional original trailer when available. I do enjoy the extras and commentaries, but I would rather have this if means it's a choice of having a great print of a film on DVD or none at all. Make no mistake, this is a counter move by WB brought on by several factors, not the least of which is the economy, the increasing move to Blu-Ray (and I personally think the real new format- download), and a way to satisfy consumer demand while still minimizing the chance that some titles won't sell.

More details are continuing to emerge (so stay tuned), but all indicators are that this is a welcome offering, and I think a historic turning point in the way the content is delivered. Sure, digital download has been around, but on a scale like this from a major studio is huge news and a massive undertaking. George Feltenstein in a article in the International Tribune states: "There are still thousands of movies that we own that consumers haven't been able to get. I expect that we'll be selling thousands of copies of every title over a period of time, and making a lot of people really happy." In another article in the L.A. Times, Feltenstein further states:
"My dream has always been to find a way to get everything to everybody who wants it... No matter how obscure or arcane, there is something in the library that somebody wants. But yet you have to hit a certain threshold of sales potential to justifying making a DVD the old-fashioned way. Just the cost of authoring, compression and menus, all of that kind of thing, can run into a great deal of money, and with shelf space at retail being diminished -- there is no more Tower Records, Music Plus. . . . [Now] We can make two DVDs or we can make 2,000 [of a title]."

Did you catch the "everything" in that statement kiddies? Least you think I am still dreaming, my professional role model, Glenn Erickson, AKA The DVD Savant, wrote a piece about this news at his site, in which he received a further statement from Feltenstein himself, to wit:
"The goal is to eventually make EVERYTHING available, but obviously that will take a lot of time, and a lot of money. I set out some ground rules. Everything HAS to be Original Aspect Ratio, and 16x9 if widescreen. No 4x3 Letterbox. No Pan 'n' Scan. I also wanted consumers to be able to preview the master before the buy, so they'd understand what they were buying." See, Feltenstein told Glenn the goal is to make EVERYTHING available.

So let's show WB our support, classic film fans, by doing your consumer thang, as it were. Who knows- maybe your hard-to-find dream flick is only a few months away from being on the list. You can check out the WB Archive site here: WBshop.com, and a FAQ about the discs here. Laura and several other sources are also stating that television series may be available in this fashion as well. One question I had was if Netflix or other rental sites would be making a connection here, to provide fans the opportunity to rent any of these films, to which we will have to wait and see. However the good news is that ClassicFlix online DVD rental site has already put up and shut up if you will, and have stated that they are purchasing the WB titles and they will be available thru their service.

If anyone has more news to add, or hears of any further details, please contribute your comments in the comments section or email us at randomshelf@hotmail.com. Stay tuned...

Monday evening update: Please be sure to read the comments section folks- and add your own as well. Please note Ivan's comments (TDYY) about other studios falling suit. I agree with him; and like I said earlier- this is historic folks. I truly believe that. The beginning of a massive move. Now it may not be as historic or earth-shattering as previous breakthroughs, but I think it is rather fitting that the studio that changed the Hollywood and banked on sound films is now taking another turn to the future.




Oh, for ten toes!

quick dvd news

Just wanted to interrupt the corned beef and cabbage for a moment and note that Fox Home Entertainment has listed two films for development on their Fox Classics page, under coming soon: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Stars and Stripes Forever (1952 bio of John Philip Sousa starring Clifton Webb). I know several Shelfers and classic film fans have been looking forward to Brooklyn for sure- let's hope they continue to do the great transfer jobs they've been doing lately on their classics. You can go to Fox Classics webpage to see the Coming Soon listing for yourself. It also includes several re-releases and the soon to be released special edition of The Robe. We just received a review copy and we will be posting that review soon. You can also read a transcript of the interesting chat with Fox restorationist Schawn Belston that was held at the Home Theater Forum, courtesy of The Digital Bits.
Stay tuned.



For childhood, Saturday - free from school - is the most changeless of institutions - whether it is in city or village, or main street, or in those vital, teeming streets which were the Brooklyn of a few decades ago.

a wee bit of irish...

Happy St. Patrick's Day to one and all!
First off a clip from that great movie, The Quiet Man, just to put us in the right spirit:


Also we present two great performances:
Allison Krauss and The Cheiftains perfoming Molly Ban:

Also
The Coors and The Cheiftains live- get yer dancin' shoes out lassie!


Enjoy!




Then, a toast: May their days be long and full of happiness; may their children be many and full of health; and may they live in peace... and freedom.

weekend tv

With the non-stop presence of cable television, DVDs and streaming internet, no one should be starved for entertainment or their favorite television shows. Just because it's say, a rainy Saturday afternoon, no kid should be sighing that there is nothing to do. To say that kids are over-indulged today is perhaps an understatement. I'm guilty of it and so are many other parents. In many ways it's just a result of technology and the times in which we live. However, the burden lies on the parent. Turn off the game console, the internet or TV and kick them outside and introduce them to the light. Television and such is great, especially enjoyed in moderation. That being said, I remember my childhood days - the weekends were great, at least Saturday. The regimen was simple: get up early, break out the sugary cereal, watch hours of cartoons, then after a quick lunch, hit the door running for playtime outside.

Yeah- I said hours of cartoons. Many moons ago, it wasn't very often that you got a chance to watch a cartoon. Maybe a weekday afternoon, or during the holidays, perhaps an evening special on TV. But for the most part, Saturday was the high holy day of animation for kids. But what about Sunday? Sure Sunday was church for a lot of families, perhaps even visiting even more family, but for the most part it was the kids last ticking hours until school on Monday. And there wasn't much that could releive the stress from that impending doom on television either. Except....

Well, when I was a kid Sunday late afternoon meant two things: Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and The Wonderful World of Disney (or what ever titled incarnation thereof). Two shows I very much looked forward to. And then on occasion, during the holidays, we got to stay up to watch whatever primetime holiday special that was being aired on television. It was fun and exciting. Partly because it was the chance to watch cartoons or wild animals on TV, but also because of the fact that it wasn't an everyday, available at your fingertips existence. I sometimes lament that my own children don't have that same excitement when it comes to holiday specials. After all, we have them on DVD- they could watch Christmas specials in July if they wanted.

So, what got me to thinking about all that "excitement"? Well, I read this neat article, A Tribute to Discontinued Cereals, and wanted to share it with all the Shelfers out there, which I did by hotlinking the title. Go on check it out- I'll wait. Do da de, da dum.....Oh, back already? Ok, good. Well seeing some of those boxes (like the one above, which said picture came from said article), I also got to think about those Sunday afternoons as well. So I thought I would bring a little of the past for all of us to enjoy- well, at least those of us who grew up with this stuff. And as a bonus- since it is close to another holiday- I had to include some of those ubiquitous classic commercials that were always shown during these shows. So I present to you the classic Sunday one-two punch (or at least the openings, plus a bonus):

First up: Marlon Perkins in Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom:


Commercial Break!


Next the Wonderful World of Disney:


Commercial Break!


Finally, I always got excited when the Wonderful World of Disney had a Donald Duck cartoon- especially if it was one with the Bee or my favorite, Humphrey Bear. So let's take a look at one that was on the show many times: Rugged Bear!


Well I hope you've enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. Perhaps we can turn off the television now and then, not only to get the kids out into the sunshine or into a book, but to also make the entertainment that much more special. Have a great weekend!



People like to think their world is somehow more grown up than Papa's was.

when you wish upon a star...

This week sees the 70th Anniversary release of the DVD Platinum edition of Walt Disney's follow up to Snow White: Pinocchio. If you have the previous incarnations of this film on VHS or DVD, you might think- Why bother? If you are a Disney-phile, you are thinking: I hope they did it right this time, and where can I pick it up. The one thing that Disney has understood for many years is the value of it's history and the endless recycling of it's product. From rereleasing it's films in theaters on a rotating basis to the creation of the mysterious "Disney Vault", fans have had many opportunities to see these films. In recent years with the refinement of DVD, the internet and Blu-Ray more Disney films have been including more features and behind the scenes material, etc. And this newest re-release of Pinocchio is no exception.

Whether you are merely a fan of the parks, or maybe the animation or even like me - an all-around Disney fan, you probably have a collection of DVDs or books and are interested in the various aspects of Walt Disney's imagination come to life.(I recently finished a recent book on the creation and building of Walt Disney World called Realityland, which I do recommend for a well balanced portrait of the realities of running WDW) I love reading everything on the parks, the animation, live action films and especially the man himself. However the Disney corporate office itself has had a mixed history in understanding the heritage and the love that fans have for it and Walt's legacy. I have found that that has changed in recent years, at least in the support of the archival output- everything from the Walt Disney Treasures series on DVD to now some material showing up on the web.

So when I found this Disney run site, D23, I was somewhat skeptical but encouraged that there would be some good stuff. Billing itself as "The Official Community for Disney Fans", D23 is a website, a quarterly publication and fan community. Why "D23"? It references the founding year of Disney's studio: 1923. The focus seems to be on the dedicated fan looking for archival information, behind the scenes look and nostalgic material. The is even a print edition that will be available every quarter (including at Barnes and Noble stores). The site seems to be is available to everyone, but there is a charter membership available, but you can check that out on the site yourself. My favorite aspect so far is the Archive page with historic material and articles, but also a daily page of old Disney comic strips including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck (my fave) and Scamp (Lady and the Tramp). The scans aren't the greatest quality, but hopefully will improve. Also fun is the link to clips and videos of classic cartoons and behind the scenes videos. All in all it's a cool site and gives a Disney-phile like myself more material to enjoy. Check it out- it's being added to the Shelf Links list, and you might want to put it on your favorites as well. Oh- and don't forget to pick up Pinocchio if you haven't already.

Also: Here is an article from Jim Hill Media about the launch of D23- honestly, I didn't realize that the launch was a big media event. Apparently there was and while some critics are complaining that this is yet another Disney method to wring money out of fans, the website has the backing of everyone from Bob Iger and corporate to the actually dyed in the wool Disney Legends like Dave Smith (legendary historian and archivist - who knew they could be legendary) to Marty Sklar (legendary Imagineer) and John Lasseter (head of Disney and Pixar animation studios). Hmmm- am I out of the loop or ahead of the curve? Who cares? Check it out.





I'm not interested in pleasing the critics. I'll take my chances pleasing the audiences.

tcm pick for march 4th with original trailer

Here is a great pick for today, starting TCM's star of the month Ronald Reagan and Pricilla Lane: Brother Rat!
Check out the trailer and be sure to see it, tonight at 8pm est.

Brother Rat (1938) Original Trailer:


This is the film where Reagan met his first wife, Jane Wyman and is Eddie Albert's film debut.
Enjoy!


Does this happen all the time when a girl doesn't wear glasses?

happy birthday, dr. seuss!

In honor of the birthday of Dr. Seuss we offer the following special presentation. If you were a kid in the 70s, you will remember this TV special: The Cat in the Hat!

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Enjoy!



I am indeed a cat, and this, indeed, is a HAT.

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.

repost: shelf interview with robert osborne

In honor of the beginning of TCM's annual 31 Days of Oscar celebration, and our weekly TCM Oscar Top Shelf picks, we are reposting the interview tha JC Loophole conducted with TCM's host and Academy and Film Historian Robert Osborne. Please feel free to comment below and enjoy! Stay tuned for our weekly Shelf picks.


Turner Classic Movie's 31 Days of Oscar is upon us, and the man with perhaps the most experience and knowledge about the Oscars around TCM and, just around period, is Robert Osborne. Robert Osborne has been the host of Turner Classic Movies since it first hit the air. He is a film historian, journalist, the official historian of the Academy Awards and author, most notably of the indispensible 75 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards. He is not only extremely knowledgeable about film history, but he's interviewed many stars and downright legends. In addition to all of that he is a gentleman and a very nice guy. And at the end of the day - a classic film fan like the rest of us. Recently, before the Academy Awards show, I had the opportunity to talk with Mr. Osborne about TCM, the Oscars, interviewing the stars and classic films.

JC: Mr. Osborne…

RO: Hey, J.C.! How are you?

JC: I’m doing great, how are you?

RO: Good. Thank you for all of the nice things you write about TCM.

JC: Well, I guess I am a TCM fanatic.


RO: Well we like that! That’s not a bad thing to be!

JC: You’ll have to forgive me if I am little nervous, because I’m not quite as experienced as you in conducting interviews.

RO: Don’t be nervous. I’m your friend; I come into your house every night.

JC: Yes, you do!

RO: So don’t be nervous!

JC: OK, well I just have a couple quick questions. I know your time is valuable, and you have others to talk to, but I want to ask you kind of a couple of things about the Oscars. Kind of in line with 31 Days of Oscars and also just some things about classic films in general. The Oscars, of course, are coming up soon…

RO: Right…

JC: You’ll be there of course.

RO: Right…

JC: It is the benchmark awards show, but it also has had its share of criticism and odd years and things like that. Why have the Oscars endured for so long?

RO: Well, I think they’ve endured because they really do represent the best in Hollywood. We’re all kind of movie fans and movie buffs. So it’s kind of the pick of the litter. It’s also usually involved with people that we’re familiar with; at one time it was Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy and Better Davis, and now it’s George Clooney and Julie Christie and new people. But through the ages, you know, it’s always been filled with glamorous people and it takes us, the Oscar show itself, takes us to a world that most people don’t, you know, aren’t inhabiting all times. So I think all of that together is… and it’s also synonymous with being the benchmark and being the best at whatever you do, so I think that’s why it’s endured. I also think it’s endured because there’s never been a scandal connected to it. Which is amazing- because something that involved with attracting money and if a picture wins an Oscar it can make a lot more money- that there’s not been ever a scandal connected to it, the Oscars. And they work very hard to protect that. That’s very important. So I think there are many, many reasons, but I think the main reason it has fascinated people for so long is- and our 31 Days of Oscar schedule would be a sample of that, because it’s representing great films, that endure, and films that, even if you’ve sent them once or twice, or fifteen times, you still want to see them again.

JC: There are a lot of them, that you see pop up on television, and you’ve just got to stop what you’re doing and finish watching it.

RO: Right. There are certain movies like- and I get really angry with myself- Casablanca. It will be on TCM and I’ll think, ‘Well, I’ve seen this…you know, much too much,” (laughs) and you watch one scene and you’re still there two hours later.

JC: Because you’re drawn into that world.

RO: Yes. They almost…, some of these great movies that we have, and we so many of them in this month of February, is that they almost refuse to let you leave once you get in. They’re like page turners on a book. One scene just takes you to the other. I’m forever saying, “Oh, well, I’m just going to wait until that scene where they do this or that scene where Ingrid Bergman does that”, but you’re still there at the end of the movie. It’s one of those things that’s so great about good film making.

JC: One of my favorite shows on TCM is Private Screenings.

RO: Oh, thank you.

JC: It’s fascinating to me how at ease everybody seems to be with you when you talk to them. Do you have a chance to talk them before the actual interview?

RO: Well some of them I have known before. I think that part of that comes with them watching TCM and realizing that I’m not going to go out and try and trap them and that I’m not interested in their personal life, except maybe in how it affected their screen choices and things. I have to tell you, TCM is a very friendly place and people come down there and the whole crew and everybody makes them feel comfortable and at home. And I think that ease makes people at ease then when they are sitting talking to me. And also, what we usually do is when we have somebody like an Angela Landsbury or Jane Fonda or Jane Powell or whoever, you know we kind of sit and chat for a couple or three hours, and that’s cut down to an hour. So it’s not as though it’s like there is a “freneticness” to it all. They can relax and talk and they get the feeling that they are talking with somebody that not only knows their background but likes them and is interesting in them. I think one of the problems that a lot of celebrities understandably have today in the newsmedia is that they’re out for news scoops or scandal or something…

JC: The “gotcha” element…

RO: Yeah, the gotcha thing. And we don’t have that and I think that helps them relax.

JC: Is there somebody that you have interviewed that you had an idea of who they were and didn’t know them that well, but when you interviewed them they surprised you, in a good way or bad way?

RO: Well, yeah. Robert Mitchum I had known on and off for a long time, and I had been to film festivals with him and sat and talked with him and sometimes tried to get away from him only because he was a heavy drinker and he liked to sit at the bar for hours. He was fascinating and told great stories. You know, he was much brighter than we ever give him credit for. He would write poetry and all that sort of stuff. He would tell fascinating stories, but after a while, when you have to get up and work the next day or do something, you don’t want to be sitting at a bar at two AM for the third night in a row. And so, I’d known him on and off for a long time, and he came to do the interview. He was very witty and all of that, until the camera was on, and then he absolutely stonewalled me the whole time the camera was on.

JC: I remember seeing that…

RO: He’d do yes and no answers and everything. And then we’d break for lunch and he’d be like a Chatty Cathy doll again. He was just being cantankerous and ornery. (both laughing) You know, I could’ve killed him, I could’ve killed him. The only other thing he would do, he would raise his hand, because he had emphysema so terribly he had a nurse with him and the oxygen tank. He would raise his hand, and we thought he had to go to the bathroom. He’d go out and have a cigarette. He’d be sitting out there with a nurse and an oxygen tank attached to him having a cigarette. And you just wanted to say, “Are you crazy?” Well, he obviously was a really great guy and certainly one of my favorite actors.

JC: One of my favorite interviews was the Private Screenings you did with Mickey Rooney, that was also included on the recent Mickey and Judy DVD Collection. He just seemed so much fun.

RO: Yeah, he was crazy, you know, too and he’s one of the most talented people in the world.

JC: Is there someone out there; actor, actress, director, that you haven’t interviewed that you would love to?

RO: I’d love to do one with Olivia de Havilland. She unfortunately lives in Paris, so that’s not too easily arranged. I’d like to do Michael Caine. I’d love to do Gena Rowlands. There are several. What we don’t ever try to do though, is just collect people just to be collecting them. They’re expensive to do and they’re fun to do, but we also want to have an exclusive club of people. So we’re very selective about who we invest the time in to do that. There are certainly people with great careers that would be interesting to talk to, but we really try to hold it down to a minimum and get people that are really valid, where somebody like you, is really interested in watching, because you’ve not been disappointed in it.

JC: It’s a wonderful show…

RO: Thank you.

JC: When I got interested in classic films, when I was very little, my dad exposed me to quite a few, and radio shows as well. And now I’m in my 30s and I still surprise people with my interest (they think I’m too young to know the films) and the writing that I do about classic films. From my perspective I see more and more people my age and younger getting interested and passionate, and running websites about them. I’m introducing my kids to them…

RO: Great! That’s music to my ears.

JC: They are big Abbott and Costello and Three Stooges fans right now, much to my wife’s chagrin…

RO: (Laughs) Well that’s great. How do you like our 31 Days of Oscar schedule this year?

JC: I love it, with the “Decades.”

RO: Good…

JC: Last year with the schedule divided up into categories [Oscar nomination categories] and was great to see the different kind of films that were nominated. And I think in a way, like you mentioned earlier, this is a good way for people to get more familiar with, not just the Oscars, but with some films that they didn’t know were ever nominated.

RO: Right. Well, you know it’s also interesting, because if you have a history with the film too. We change, so therefore those films change for us. A movie that maybe we saw as a kid and didn’t like, you can see know and really appreciate. By the same token, a film that you liked as a kid or when you are in high school or just out of high school, that you thought was terrific, you look at it now and you say, well that’s not really so great. But it also gives us a chance to see films, not in our 31 Days of Oscar so much because those are all pretty much great films or they wouldn’t have been in that echelon, but just Turner Classic Movies in general. You’ll see a film, that may not be a terrifically great film, but it comes at a certain time in an actor’s life, and actor you particularly like, and it’s interesting to see how their careers were all built. And I love that about our channel too.

JC: Is there a place, for someone who is just starting to get interested- I’m talking in the line of films- for somebody is just getting interested in classic film, what’s a good starting point for them?

RO: Well, I really think that’s the whole concept of our franchise, “The Essentials.” It’s kind of like, if you really want a background in film, these are some of the ones that are essential to see. That’s once a week on Saturday nights, and it goes all year long. This year, Carrie Fisher has been co-hosting with me and next year it’s Rose McGowan. And I think that’s the best place to start to see these films. We try to explain why it’s essential and why this is an important film, and I think that would be a good place for anybody to start.

JC: Is there a director or actor or actress that you think their body of work is underrated and they are due for rediscovery?

RO: Well, I think Howard Hawks doesn’t get as much attention as he deserves. He was a great director in so many, every different category. And also a wonderful director, Clarence Brown, that almost nobody talks about, that did The Yearling, National Velvet and a lot of the Garbo films. He was one of those great directors that nobody really talks about, but of course in those days nobody really talked about anybody but the stars. Unless you were a Hitchcock or a Cecil B. DeMille and had your own publicist, people didn’t know who you were all that much. Clarence Brown is still forgotten and more attention should be paid.

JC: And what was your favorite classic film DVD release from last year?

RO: From last year? That- I would have to think about, there were so many. I can’t think of just one off the top of my mind just now. That’s a good question, I’ll have to give that some thought.

JC: OK (laughs) Well, thank you Mr. Osborne for chatting with me today.

RO: Thanks, it was nice talking to you!

JC: I appreciate it. It was wonderful talking to you.

RO: And thanks for your enthusiasm! Goodbye.




Thanks very much to Robert Osborne for taking the time to talk with me and thanks to Turner Classic Movies and Sarah Schmitz at TCM for setting up the interview.




You know, Rick, I have many a friend in Casablanca, but somehow, just because you despise me, you are the only one I trust.

meme: 20 actors

I know I am late to this meme; Twenty favorite Actors, but I promised Laura I would throw in my 2 cents. And besides, why should I let everyone else have all the fun? This one wasn't as hard, but that isn't to say I had many actors not on this list that I could've included. I love the work of many actors, but the 20 on this list represent the actors whose films I have most sought to see, just because they were in the film. (And I may have cheated on one or two entries by including teams- so sue me, it's my list!)
So here they are, in no particular order- JC Loophole's Twenty Favorite Actors.

John Wayne

Spencer Tracy

The Marx Brothers

Gene Kelly

Jimmy Stewart

Tyrone Power, Jr.

Sydney Poitier

Fred Astaire

Dana Andrews

Edward G. Robinson

Errol Flynn

Charlton Heston

Charles Laughton

Clark Gable

Humphrey Bogart

Bing Crosby and Bob Hope

Cary Grant

James Cagney

William Powell

Pat O'Brian

And of course I could go on with 20 more- but rules is rules. As far as tagging goes, it's a little late for that - so if you have some choices yourself - let us know in the comments section or give us a link to your own list.



There's not much to say about acting but this. Never settle back on your heels. Never relax. If you relax, the audience relaxes. And always mean everything you say.

tcm alert: new episode of private screenings

We were very fortunate to receive an advance screening of the new episode of Private Screenings- the wonderful original Turner Classic Movies program where erstwhile host Robert Osborne sits down and chats with a film professional. This episode's interviewee is Ernest Borgnine.

After having served in WW II, Borgnine pursued acting - first on sets, then as an actor in ensemble works. The gruff looking, big guy started out playing a henchman or the heavy in several roles, it was his titular role in the television production of the Broadway hit, Marty, that propelled Borgnine to better things. In a few short years, Borgnine had won an Oscar for the big screen version of Marty and was on his way; sometimes still playing the heavy, but also starring in Westerns and action flicks - and even as the title role of that lovable Naval rascal in McHale's Navy on television. Today, even my kid's recognize Borgnine's voice, as in addition to regular work in other shows, he is the voice of Mermaid Man on Nick's Spongebob Squarepants!


This episode of Private Screenings is well worth your while, as are all of the episodes. As always Robert Osborne makes a knowledgeable and charming host, and Borgnine has some great stories and memories. You can read more about him here.
TCM's Private Screenings premieres tonight at 8pm eastern followed by several of Ernest Borgnine's films: Marty, The Last Command and From Here to Eternity. Be sure to not miss it.



All my brothers and brothers-in-laws tell me what a good-hearted guy I am. You don't get to be good-hearted by accident. You get kicked around long enough, you become a professor of pain.

high wattage

I'm not much of a "Late Night Show" watcher- ever since Johnny Carson retired, it isn't really that interesting to be honest. Of course, back during Johnny's reign, the stars came out for him, even when a guest host was filling in. I don't mean to knock the current roster of hosts and shows, but it seems to me they pluck a comedian into a hosting gig and hope it goes off. If they are lucky they might hire someone who has been a writer, like Conan O'Brien, and actually has talent to make it entertaining.

But there is a key difference- the stars of today just aren't of the same wattage as the ones of the past. Now you might disagree with me, but in Johnny's day, there were guests and then sometimes a surprise guest might pop in studio- people like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, George Burns, or maybe even Ann-Margaret. You knew you were going to laugh, hear some good music and be entertained. Today I don't even recognize half of the music acts that show up to perform, and the all the guest seem to be concerned about is plugging their latest attempt at a film performance that most likely will be disappointing.

Maybe I'm getting old or just more cantankerous, but I think the late shows have lost there luster. I offer the clips below as an example of a time when the big stars guested or even just "popped in" and yukked it up and the audience in studio and at home just ate it up. They knew the public was their lifeline, but with these people - entertaining was more than a career- it was in their blood.
When was the last time you saw such "high wattage" on a late show. Heck, to me they don't even make stages today that can handle the star power of these folks.

Check out Don Rickles guest hosting when Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and John Wayne pop in.


How about Johnny with two of his own favorite people: Mel Blanc and Jack Benny
(the clip is not wide as normal for some reason, but it's still fantastic- Mel still breaks up Jack and Johnny with a rountine they both know by heart):


And here is a clip segment of some great talent that appeared on Carson, including the one and the only Groucho (and Jack playing his violin!)


Oh sure, I know saying something like "the good ol' days" is a cliche, but sometimes, just sometimes, I think my grandparents had a point. They really don't make 'em like they used to.



And so it has come to this. I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something that I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it.