The nature of art is that it produces an emotional response, sometimes it’s loud and obvious but more often than not it’s muted and internalized.  If an art form resonates or touches us in a meaningful way, it’s likely to create a memory of the time when we first experienced it.  As such, we might […]

Leading up to the 100th anniversary of his birth date (and an unadvertised tribute by TCM), the movie morlocks are writing a week’s worth of articles about the iconic actor Robert Ryan, who is best known for intense performances in films such as these: Crossfire (1947) – for which he earned his only Academy Award […]

… I have no interest in participating – as a follower or a tweeter – the traditionalist in me has wondered what it would have been like in the old days if today’s computing and communications infrastructures were available back then, if classic Hollywood actors and actresses could regularly share 140 characters of information about their […]

One of the greatest things about Turner Classic Movies, besides Robert Osborne, is the fact that they show movies that can’t be (readily) seen anywhere else.  Starting Monday, TCM will be featuring some of the best films from fifty-two of (arguably) the most celebrated directors in cinema’s history.  While you’re probably familiar with the classics […]

When you hear the name Jack Carson, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?  Hopefully it’s not The Tonight Show, which was hosted by Jack (Parr) and (Johnny) Carson before Jay Leno.  If you’re like me, you might initially remember that he played sarcastic wise guys, bombastic buffoons, and overbearing salesmen in all those […]

Where to begin?  In honor of TCM’s 15th Anniversary, let me first say “THANK YOU”.  Thank you for preserving film’s history for us.  Thank you for offering us an escape from the schlock that’s been coming out of Hollywood ever since the summer blockbuster (which seduced its executives) was born and a myopic focus on […]

It was 1937 before the Academy finally honored supporting actors and actresses with an award and (for the first seven years that it was given) they received plaques – in lieu of the more coveted ‘Oscars’ – to recognize their achievements (though these plaques were later replaced with statuettes).  In fact, over the past 80 […]

A couple of years ago I wrote that one of the surest ways to earn an Academy Award – or at least an Oscar nomination – was to portray a prostitute.  Though the focus of the article was on actresses, Jon Voight also received his first nod for playing one in Midnight Cowboy (1969), the […]

  Among the plethora of Warner Bros. Home Video DVD released last fall, the timing of their new and Blu-ray versions of Cool Hand Luke (1967) was ironic given its story:  featuring Messiah-like hero worship of its title character, played by the late great Paul Newman.  But unearned and irrational praise – especially absent any […]