“Summer nights are pleasant in Caulfield. They smell of heliotrope and jasmine, honeysuckle and clover. The breeze that stirs the curtains is soft and gentle. There’s the hush, the stillness of perfect peace and security. Oh, yes, the summer nights are pleasant in Caulfield–but not for us. Not for us.” Desperate, pregnant, and recently dumped…
Earlier this month, our friends at Wonders in the Dark set out to honor one of their own–the dearly departed Allan Fish–with an online film festival, for which I was sincerely honored to be invited to participate. I did not know Allan, outside of his online presence, but I nonetheless was in awe of him–of…
“Not only is a woman as well-fitted to stage a photo-drama as a man, but in many ways she has a distinct advantage over him because of her very nature and because much of the knowledge called for in the telling of the story and the creation of the stage setting is absolutely within her…
The good folks at Flicker Alley have put together some of our favorite compilations in recent years, including indispensable restored Blu-ray editions of Charlie Chaplin’s Mutual Comedies and Mack Sennett’s delightful early comedies. Now, Flicker Alley and a group of amazing sites for fans of silent and classic film are proud to bring you this…
When Robert Osborne passed away earlier this week, he took with him the collective hearts of the classic film-loving community. None of us here at True Classics ever had the pleasure of meeting Bob, but we were able to catch him in his element twice: once at the opening-night screening of Goldfinger at his self-named Athens film…
The Wonders in the Dark sci-fi countdown rolls on, and here’s another contribution from yours truly: at #25, it’s the 1956 deep-space classic Forbidden Planet: MGM, the studio that produced Forbidden Planet, threw a couple million dollars into the production of the film, and it shows in the final product. Boasting an intriguing storyline that is…
Over at Wonders in the Dark today, I’ve posted another entry in the sci-fi countdown, and this one was a particular joy to revisit. At #47, it’s Daffy Duck’s bravura turn as the daring do-er of the future skies in that masterful Chuck Jones joint, Duck Dodgers of the 24 1/2th Century (1953): 1953 also saw Daffy, along…
It is time yet again for another genre countdown hosted by our friends at Wonders in the Dark! This year, they are tackling sci-fi films, and I am honored to be contributing four essays for this year’s event. First up, at number 66, it’s Brad Bird’s fantastical directorial debut, the 1999 animated sci-fi masterpiece The Iron…
My mother died on a Tuesday. March 22, 2016, to be exact. Less than two months ago. That day will always be etched in my memory due simply to its utter ordinariness. I had some free time that afternoon, and the weather was that rare perfect mix of brilliant sunshine and cool breezes (blessedly minus the…
“How will you fill your empty pages? I pray that all you young people, middle-aged people, and old people like me live each day and enjoy each day, and when God calls you, that you answer Him and go willingly. But leave your mark on the world, on your children and on all the people…
A belated link to my final contribution to the Childhood Films countdown at Wonders in the Dark–at number four, it’s one of my favorite movies of all time, adapted from one of my favorite books, 1962’s To Kill a Mockingbird: I don’t think it’s too far off the mark to label To Kill a Mockingbird one…
As the Childhood Films countdown at Wonders in the Dark winds down to a close in the next couple of weeks, there are a number of beloved, brilliant films comprising the top twenty of the list. Among them is a longtime favorite of mine–at #17, it’s Steven Spielberg’s 1982 masterpiece E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: To say that E.T. had…
The childhood films countdown rolls along at Wonders in the Dark, and my contributions continue with a look at the movie voted into the #54 spot. From 1988, it’s legendary Japanese director/animator Hayao Miyazaki’s stunning, magical My Neighbor Totoro: What’s most fascinating about My Neighbor Totoro is how it portrays the two young girls, who are allowed…
