Comments on: It All Started with ‘Immortals of the Screen’ http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/ MovieMorlocks.com is the official blog for Turner Classic Movies (TCM). No topic is too obscure or niche to be excluded from our film discussions. And we welcome your comments on our blogs and bloggers. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:41:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: myidolspencer http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-9766 myidolspencer Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:04:22 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-9766 To Susie again, very first moviebook I was actually given as a kinda' gift, was "LIFE: Goes to the MOVIES"-(& there's a 3 hour companion pc documentary) This was in Tom's River, NJ around 1979/80 & I was a kid of about 15 at the time. Can you tell me/us more on "Immortals of the Screen" please Thank You To Susie again, very first moviebook I was actually given as a kinda’ gift, was “LIFE: Goes to the MOVIES”-(& there’s a 3 hour companion pc documentary)
This was in Tom’s River, NJ around 1979/80 & I was a kid of about 15 at the time.

Can you tell me/us more on “Immortals of the Screen” please

Thank You

]]> By: myidolspencer http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-9765 myidolspencer Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:59:10 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-9765 To Susie & others, just wanted to check-out what she's covered of late. Plus, I see TCM's once superb "Message Boards" are still literally FROZEN & for reasons nobody seems to want to explain i.e. webmaster/ administrator,etc??? W.H.Y.? Anyhow, the book by Thomas Schatz on "The Genius of the System' is thee 1 that personally drew my attention. I've had a huge interest in it as soon as I 1st caught that tremendous docu on 1939 by the network. So much so I even located online used for just $7.00 But, to the person-(moirafinnie) that owns a copy, please drop me a line & let me now the scoop on this book please! Most of all is it all text, or are there photos as well? Plus a few other questions, please I see a shot of the legendary Cary (Archie Leach) Grant at the top. For those that may not know this fact based little item. During the mid to late 1960's he was actually prescribed LSD-(& so were a few other celebs) I reckon' it was to help with depression & such. However & according to then wife: Dyan Cannon, it was just too-much to live with & it was in pt reason for the duo's divorce as well. I got to see & photograph his very fancy house-(though on a very small road) in Beverly Hills-(0ct. 2005) Located on Beverly Grove, Dr. & very close-(no relation to AFI's #2 all-time male movie star though) was the infamous residence of: Heidi Fleiss! Most know he was born though in Bristol, England. & there is a plaque marking the original house, still-standing. With the recent announcement of "Westwood, Village"-(another place soon to be torn down!? & it's where you also see about 80% of new premiere's.) It's evident other countries respect it's history a lot more. & please let a fellow fan know the scoop on "Genius of the System?" PLEASE Thanks To Susie & others, just wanted to check-out what she’s covered of late. Plus, I see TCM’s once superb “Message Boards” are still literally FROZEN & for reasons nobody seems to want to explain i.e. webmaster/ administrator,etc??? W.H.Y.?

Anyhow, the book by Thomas Schatz on “The Genius of the System’ is thee 1 that personally drew my attention. I’ve had a huge interest in it as soon as I 1st caught that tremendous docu on 1939 by the network. So much so I even located online used for just $7.00 But, to the person-(moirafinnie) that owns a copy, please drop me a line & let me now the scoop on this book please!

Most of all is it all text, or are there photos as well?
Plus a few other questions, please

I see a shot of the legendary Cary (Archie Leach) Grant at the top. For those that may not know this fact based little item. During the mid to late 1960′s he was actually prescribed LSD-(& so were a few other celebs) I reckon’ it was to help with depression & such. However & according to then wife: Dyan Cannon, it was just too-much to live with & it was in pt reason for the duo’s divorce as well.
I got to see & photograph his very fancy house-(though on a very small road) in Beverly Hills-(0ct. 2005) Located on Beverly Grove, Dr. & very close-(no relation to AFI’s #2 all-time male movie star though) was the infamous residence of: Heidi Fleiss!
Most know he was born though in Bristol, England. & there is a plaque marking the original house, still-standing. With the recent announcement of “Westwood, Village”-(another place soon to be torn down!? & it’s where you also see about 80% of new premiere’s.) It’s evident other countries respect it’s history a lot more. & please let a fellow fan know the scoop on “Genius of the System?” PLEASE
Thanks

]]> By: Rosalina http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-8995 Rosalina Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:18:12 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-8995 For all things Pre-Code, I like "Sin in Soft Focus" by Mark A. Vieira, but it's good to learn of other books on the subject. Thank you. For all things Pre-Code, I like “Sin in Soft Focus” by Mark A. Vieira, but it’s good to learn of other books on the subject. Thank you.

]]> By: Helen http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-8985 Helen Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:28:13 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-8985 I want to buy some of the books you mentioned, but I have so many sitting around that I feel I need to read before I buy a book I know will get a higher priority than, say, a book about the Civil War I received as a Christman gift. I bought Donald Bogle's book about the evolution of African Americans in film, Toms, Coons, Mammies & Bucks, based on his appearance a couple of years ago on TCM. While it was interesting and tried to be scholarly, I was dumbstruck at the number of errors regarding the films he highlighted. Did he not have a fact checker? I want to buy some of the books you mentioned, but I have so many sitting around that I feel I need to read before I buy a book I know will get a higher priority than, say, a book about the Civil War I received as a Christman gift.

I bought Donald Bogle’s book about the evolution of African Americans in film, Toms, Coons, Mammies & Bucks, based on his appearance a couple of years ago on TCM. While it was interesting and tried to be scholarly, I was dumbstruck at the number of errors regarding the films he highlighted. Did he not have a fact checker?

]]> By: debbe http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-8956 debbe Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:56:50 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-8956 I loved this blog suzidoll and am embarrassed to admit I knew very few of the books you mention. clearly some of my film classes used different books. but one thing i would like to add which is one my favorite "genres" are the books about the studios gone mad, or the executives and how they (think )wield power, and all the citizens of the studio executives offices who think they are doing rocket science. I love to read about how some movies got made or not in some cases, and the scandales behind them... it doesnt enrich my ability to understand film, but i love knowng the inside scoop. lot to think about here..... love the fact also that you xeroxed a book in the library..... that is love. I loved this blog suzidoll and am embarrassed to admit I knew very few of the books you mention. clearly some of my film classes used different books. but one thing i would like to add which is one my favorite “genres” are the books about the studios gone mad, or the executives and how they (think )wield power, and all the citizens of the studio executives offices who think they are doing rocket science. I love to read about how some movies got made or not in some cases, and the scandales behind them… it doesnt enrich my ability to understand film, but i love knowng the inside scoop. lot to think about here….. love the fact also that you xeroxed a book in the library….. that is love.

]]> By: Alan K. Rode http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-8953 Alan K. Rode Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:55:24 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-8953 I am sentimental about IMMORTALS OF THE SCREEN. My brother bought the book back in the mid 1960's and we enjoyed many hours leafing through it and laughing about the copious factual inaccuracies and unusual prose style. Here's a gem: "For many years George Arliss played Disraeli so well and so competently that when it came time for him to play the part for the Warner Brothers it was only natural that it would immortalize him". Of another actor, Stuart wrote that "...he immortalized himself permanently". I can't remember all of the inaccurate statements of fact, but one that I do recall credits Lionel Barrymore with playing Long John Silver in Treasure Island (1934) instead of Wallace Beery. Several pages forward, Beery is credited in a photo with playing Long John Silver. I recollect at the time a multi-page letter that an outraged cinephile wrote to Films in Review listing all of the errors in IMMORTALS... don't know where it is anymore. Lest you think I am being too harsh, IMMORTALS OF THE SCREEN was a well-intentioned book that whetted my appetite for classic movies and stars and provided a lot of fun. I am glad to see it influenced others as well. I am sentimental about IMMORTALS OF THE SCREEN. My brother bought the book back in the mid 1960′s and we enjoyed many hours leafing through it and laughing about the copious factual inaccuracies and unusual prose style. Here’s a gem:

“For many years George Arliss played Disraeli so well and so competently that when it came time for him to play the part for the Warner Brothers it was only natural that it would immortalize him”.

Of another actor, Stuart wrote that “…he immortalized himself permanently”.

I can’t remember all of the inaccurate statements of fact, but one that I do recall credits Lionel Barrymore with playing Long John Silver in Treasure Island (1934) instead of Wallace Beery. Several pages forward, Beery is credited in a photo with playing Long John Silver.

I recollect at the time a multi-page letter that an outraged cinephile wrote to Films in Review listing all of the errors in IMMORTALS… don’t know where it is anymore.

Lest you think I am being too harsh, IMMORTALS OF THE SCREEN was a well-intentioned book that whetted my appetite for classic movies and stars and provided a lot of fun. I am glad to see it influenced others as well.

]]> By: Brock James http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-8951 Brock James Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:54:38 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-8951 Have you read "All About All About Eve" and/or "Get Happy" (Judy Garland bio)? i love both of these.... also "Uncle Mame." i seem only able to learn history only through films and celeb biographies, Have you read “All About All About Eve” and/or “Get Happy” (Judy Garland bio)? i love both of these…. also “Uncle Mame.” i seem only able to learn history only through films and celeb biographies,

]]> By: suzidoll http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-8944 suzidoll Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:20:37 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-8944 Moira: I do own City of Nets. I loved it so much, I bought another book by the same author on 19th century France, which was almost as good. Medusa: Wonder how many other people are in the "Immortals" club? Moira: I do own City of Nets. I loved it so much, I bought another book by the same author on 19th century France, which was almost as good.

Medusa: Wonder how many other people are in the “Immortals” club?

]]> By: medusamorlock http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-8943 medusamorlock Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:54:21 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-8943 "Immortals of the Screen" -- Oh, yes! I've still got my copy! “Immortals of the Screen” — Oh, yes! I’ve still got my copy!

]]> By: moirafinnie http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/06/15/it-all-started-with-immortals-of-the-screen/#comment-8942 moirafinnie Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:46:40 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=11171#comment-8942 What a fascinating list you've compiled. I can't wait to read Dyer's "Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society" which sounds so interesting, especially since Paul Robeson is one of the figures in that book. I also love "The Genius of the System" by Thomas Schatz and might suggest another book about that period as well: "City of Nets:A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940's" by Otto Friedrich is one of the best analyses of the intersection of mass media, high and low culture in a city teeming with émigrés from every corner of the earth in the decade of WWII and its aftermath. It's both funny, eye-opening, and informative about the business and artistic sides of show biz and the social upheavals fermenting in that time and place. What a fascinating list you’ve compiled. I can’t wait to read Dyer’s “Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society” which sounds so interesting, especially since Paul Robeson is one of the figures in that book. I also love “The Genius of the System” by Thomas Schatz and might suggest another book about that period as well:
“City of Nets:A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940′s” by Otto Friedrich is one of the best analyses of the intersection of mass media, high and low culture in a city teeming with émigrés from every corner of the earth in the decade of WWII and its aftermath. It’s both funny, eye-opening, and informative about the business and artistic sides of show biz and the social upheavals fermenting in that time and place.

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