Last October I showcased some of my favorite film blogs, which at the time had a shared focus on the (then) upcoming Halloween season.  This time around I’d like to send a shout-out of support and point you to some exceptional film-related, film-centered, film-obsessed websites whose ongoing discussions of the young muse Cinema continue to energize and inspire me.

FERDY ON FILMS.  Marilyn Ferdinand and Roderick Heath alternate on this enlightened and engaging film blog.  Current discussions include “Famous Firsts: Debut Feature Work of Famous, and Infamous, Figures of Film” as well as reviews of Czech filmmaker Věra Chytilová’s DAISIES (1966) and Christopher Nolan’s THE DARK KNIGHT (2008).

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The Czech government was not at all amused, however, wondering how public funds could be thrown away on “trash” that made no sense. They also didn’t like the display of wasted food. Chytilová was unable to make films for years until she wrote an impassioned and lengthy letter vowing her dedication to socialist principles and explaining that the film was meant to show how small acts of destruction can build up and create an atmsophere in which greater destruction can take place. Well, this is one way to look at it, and since she’s the director, I guess she ought to know.

Kimberly Lindberg’s CINEBEATS:CONFESSIONS OF A CINEPHILE  has been uncommonly quiet lately (only one post apiece for June and July) but that just gives you ample time to read all the back issues.  In addition to having access to a seemingly inexhaustible archive of gorgeous movie and publicity stills, Kimberly is a persuasive and passionate writer with a refreshingly off-center perspective that leans frequently into the sub-specialty of 60s pop music.  Check out recent reviews of Ted V. Mikels’ forgotten GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS (1968) and Seth Holt’s THe NANNY (1965) or dig her overview of the musicals of British filmmaker Lance Comfort. 

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The groundbreaking British record producer and songwriter Joe Meek was the real driving force behind Live It Up! and the film features many of Meek’s original songs as well as live performances by some of the artists he produced… At the time Joe Meek was rather obsessed with the tall blond German born musician Heinz Burt. Burt had been a member of the Joe Meek produced band The Tornadoes but Meek thought Heinz Burt was worthy of a solo career and he was spending a lot of his time and energy focusing on launching Burt’s career at the time that Live It Up! was made. After Joe Meek’s unfortunate suicide in 1967, rumors about Meek and Burt’s romantic relationship spread but they were always denied by Burt, which probably had more to do with the social pressures placed on both men in the early ’60s than the actual truth.

Peter Nellhaus’ COFFEE, COFFEE AND MORE COFFEE is a caffeine-fueled exploration of the wonders and mysteries of cinema from all points of the globe, with a heavy accent on Asian films.  One of my favorite of Peter’s regular features is the cinematic “Coffee Break” pictorial, in which he posts frame grabs from movies in which the charactes stop the world for a cup o’Joe.

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Would you believe that The Nude Bomb is hands-down the funniest movie ever made? Would you believe that The Nude Bomb is almost as hilarious as a typical episode of Get Smart? How about a couple of random chuckles, a grin or two, before the film wears out its welcome?

I featured Jonathan Lapper’s CINEMA STYLES here last year and interviewed him recently about his excellent clip montage FRAMES OF REFERENCE.  I point you to the blog again because it remains one of the best, most thoughtful and also most accessible places (no clunky academic-speak here, by the hammer of Lacan!) on the Internet to share one’s love of the medium.  Jonathan is a knowledgeable, inquisitive and yet self-deprecatingly funny writer and his recurring “Favorite Moments” feature (clips from cherished films) and ever-changing banners (such as the one pictured above) make stopping by at least daily a priority.  Plus, the comments sections of his blog entries are often as entertaining as the essays themselves, with Lapper’s fellow bloggers joining in on the fast-paced fun.

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Back in the day, I used to read Thomas Edison’s blog – he really DID invent the Internet, as the debunkers at Snopes have noted to counter similar claims by Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Rube Goldberg. He had a lively style, but I grew bored of never hearing about any movies but his own (an early annoyance that has transferred to a loathing of Michael Moore). Also, he was a complete rip-off. If you wanted sound, you had to buy HIS Victrola and records! Unfortunately, Kazaa was temporarily shut down–again–by the feds, and was forced to pay for future development as bootleggers. I understand Eliott Ness’ heirs made a fortune on his Kazaa shares.

I’m with you. I got bored with all the “yesterday at Black Maria we were doing some interesting stuff”… blah, blah, blah. And if you ever brought up Bill Dickson he got all huffy, “He’s just an employee here, nothing more! I’m the inventor!”

Oh brother, the flame wars were intense. I think that might have had something to do with the invention of alternating current.  

This listing is not meant to be comprehensive or all-inclusive and is of course restricted by space and time limitations.  I’ll be beating the drum for more blogs in the future but in the meantime  I urge you to visit all of these blogs.  Bookmark ‘em.  Read ‘em.  Tell your friends.