Round Up The Usual Suspects Round up the usual film noir suspects: melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt, desperation and paranoia. Film History Snippet: Film noir developed during and after World War II. After the war an ambience of anxiety, paranoia, suspicion, lingered in society. Soldiers, businessmen, factory workers, housewives were disillusioned....

Unsung Hero–Lady of The Night It’s been a long day and I am afraid it’s a long post today. But I just had to tell you about this movie. Monta Bell’s, Lady of the Night (1925)… I gotta admit I am very selective when it comes to silent movies. Just the shear mention of silent movies sends shivers down many backs. But I confess I like quite a few of these movies. The other night I watched what I think will go down...

TCM Picks Top 50 Leading Men of Classic Film Ok, I am sure you will not agree with all the list, and I am sure you can think of at 50 more. I have to wonder, on what kind of yardstick are they basing thier judgements? I know that if it were me I’d have a rough time picking. Go to this link to see...

Classic Horror films now on DVD, includes one of my favorites the chilling “Devil Doll,” with Lionel Barrymore. Didn’t he look good in that skirt? Read the review on DVD Hollywood’s Legends Of Horror Surely to make you...

I managed to watch a couple of the Janus Films on TCM this month. I have a few more on my TiVo. I saw Federico Fellini’s, “La Strada,” and Ingmar Bergman’s, “Wild Strawberries.” La Strada is a moving story of a traveling circus performer (Anthony Quinn) in post-war Italy. He purchases a peasant girl (Guilietta Masina) to be his wife and co-star. He mistreats her and causes her to suffer immensely....

On Norma Shearer—she was in my mind the most beautiful, and talented actress to grace the movie screens. Norma had “shear” sophistication. Norma took on roles that were for that day considered unbecoming, or smutty. The fascinating thing about her was how she was able to play these roles without being crude. Try doing that today, there might be one or two exceptions. Of course, issues such as divorce, illicit...