Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...Tyrone Power fans won't want to miss the recent posts at Greenbriar Picture Shows on JESSE JAMES (1939); both Part One and Part Two are filled with gorgeous photos of Power and costar Nancy Kelly. Production photos and publicity materials are included; one of my favorite shots is of Power and costar Randolph Scott on the set. On the same topic, there are some nice screen caps from the DVD at DVD Beaver.

...Lots of stories in the news this week about the new "life form" discovered by NASA. It comes from Mono Lake, which we pass every summer as we drive north on the 395 to Bridgeport. (Incidentally, some sources have referred to Mono Lake being in Yosemite, which isn't true.)

...The Lady Eve celebrates one of my all-time favorite MGM musical numbers, Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer dancing "Coffee Time" in YOLANDA AND THE THIEF (1945). She includes a link to a YouTube video. I've always been fond of this film, which hasn't always been appreciated. I've got a DVD a kind friend made for me of YOLANDA...time to take another look at it!

...The Self-Styled Siren was recently interviewed by Victor Ozols of BlackBook, and there's also a very nice photo.

...I'm unfamiliar with FLIGHT TO TANGIER (1953), a Joan Fontaine-Jack Palance movie described briefly at Olivia and Joan: Sisters of the Silver Screen. Hope to check it out sometime, along with a number of other yet-unseen Fontaine films.

...The new Criterion Collection DVD of THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955) sounds fascinating. The movie's subject matter has never particularly interested me, but there's a second disc with two and a half hours of footage of Charles Laughton directing Robert Mitchum, Lillian Gish, Shelley Winters, and the rest of the cast; Laughton would let the camera run between takes. Here's a review by Glenn Erickson at DVD Savant.

...I didn't realize that, just as there are now "made on demand" DVDs, there are also made-to-order music CDs. More here.

...My sons were glad to hear the EMERGENCY! TV-movies are finally on the way. No release date yet.

...Livius reviews Anthony Mann's DEVIL'S DOORWAY (1950) at Riding the High Country. I've previously read that this is one of Robert Taylor's best performances, but I think I've been putting off seeing it due to the sad plotline. It's available on DVD-R from Warner Archive.

...I also enjoyed this review of James Mason in ODD MAN OUT (1947) at the same blog.

...There are nice photos to scroll through, including a series of movie snow scenes, at SixMartinis and the Seventh Art.

...Enjoyed reading that the new President of USC hosted 350 students for Thanksgiving dinner. A lovely "Trojan Family" story.

...This "public service" video "How to Talk To Your Kids About Star Wars" is fairly amusing. (And for the record, of course you start them off with the original trilogy.)

...For a touching story filled with real Christmas spirit, be sure to check out Rick Moore's "Christmas Surprise" at Holy Coast.

...And if you haven't yet seen the YouTube video of the "flash mob" performance of the Hallelujah Chorus, which recently surprised shoppers in a mall food court, it will put a smile on your face... I have happy memories of performing the Hallelujah Chorus in Disneyland's Candlelight Caroling Procession when I was in high school...one year the narrator of the program was Cary Grant!!

...I'll have Disney and Warner Archive news coming soon, as well as a review of a new book on WEST SIDE STORY (1961).

Have a great weekend!