Happy Intersession, and happy Monday!!! Today’s movie at random is The Snake Pit (HU DVD 8513), a true classic from 1948 starring Olivia de Havilland. Here’s our summary: Following an emotional collapse a woman is placed in a mental institution by her husband. The severity of her depression causes her sympathetic doctor to try electric shock, … Continue reading “Movies At Random: The Snake Pit”
Happy Intersession, and happy Monday!!!
Today’s movie at random is The Snake Pit (HU DVD 8513), a true classic from 1948 starring Olivia de Havilland.
Here’s our summary:
Following an emotional collapse a woman is placed in a mental institution by her husband. The severity of her depression causes her sympathetic doctor to try electric shock, hydrotherapy, and drugs, along with psychoanalysis.
I really like the poster, so that’s what you’re getting instead of a trailer:
Enjoy it!
Today’s movie at random is the documentary Nanking (HU DVD 4367), which won a 2008 Peabody award. This well-regarded anti-war film is one of many crucial documentaries in our collection. The use of film storytelling to document, witness, and communicate plays such an important role in our history. It’s definitely worth checking out. Here’s our … Continue reading “Movies At Random: Nanking”
Today’s movie at random is the documentary Nanking (HU DVD 4367), which won a 2008 Peabody award. This well-regarded anti-war film is one of many crucial documentaries in our collection. The use of film storytelling to document, witness, and communicate plays such an important role in our history. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Here’s our summary:
Tells the story of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China in the early days of World War II and focuses on the efforts of a small group of unarmed Westerners who established a Safety Zone where over 200,000 Chinese found refuge. Told through deeply moving interviews with Chinese survivors, archival footage, and chilling testimonies of Japanese soldiers, interwoven with staged readings of the Westerners’ letters and diaries.
And the poster:
Let us know what you think.
Yay Monday! The last Movie At Random of July is Before the Nickelodeon: the early cinema of Edwin S. Porter (HU DVD 13148). Here’s our summary: Between the years 1894 to 1908, Edwin S. Porter was the leading American filmmaker. Follows his movie career, from his first job installing Thomas Edison’s Vitascope machines in New … Continue reading “Movies At Random: Before the Nickelodeon”
Yay Monday! The last Movie At Random of July is Before the Nickelodeon: the early cinema of Edwin S. Porter (HU DVD 13148).
Here’s our summary:
Between the years 1894 to 1908, Edwin S. Porter was the leading American filmmaker. Follows his movie career, from his first job installing Thomas Edison’s Vitascope machines in New York, through his business as a film exhibitor, to his job as head of Edison’s movie studio. There he created story films: Jack and the Beanstalk, The Life of an American Fireman, and The Great Train Robbery. By 1909, his film technique was old fashioned. Fired by Edison, he continued making films until 1915, but he had been left behind by new directors with new techniques.
And instead of the trailer, here’s Dream of a Rarebit Fiend, based on the hysterical Winsor McCay comic:
Happy viewing!
Today, July 29th, is William Powell’s birthday! I think I’ve suggested The Thin Man (HU DVD 4971 – 4977) about to death, so I’d like to encourage you to check out: The Great Ziegfeld (HU DVD 1979) Manhattan Melodrama (HU DVD 12753) Mister Roberts (HU DVD 5171) and My Man Godfrey (HU DVD 5850) Happy Birthday to the man … Continue reading “Happy Birthday William Powell!”
Today, July 29th, is William Powell’s birthday! I think I’ve suggested The Thin Man (HU DVD 4971 – 4977) about to death, so I’d like to encourage you to check out:
The Great Ziegfeld (HU DVD 1979)
Manhattan Melodrama (HU DVD 12753)
Mister Roberts (HU DVD 5171)
and My Man Godfrey (HU DVD 5850)
Happy Birthday to the man with the best quips and the chops to pull them off.
I’m not sure why, but the zeitgeist seems to want me to think a lot about Sessue Hayakawa these days. It’s funny, but on his Wikipedia page one of the things that’s remarked about him is that it’s weird how he was a huge sex symbol when later Asian men in Hollywood were so desexualized. In fact, he … Continue reading “Sessue Hayakawa”
I’m not sure why, but the zeitgeist seems to want me to think a lot about Sessue Hayakawa these days. It’s funny, but on his Wikipedia page one of the things that’s remarked about him is that it’s weird how he was a huge sex symbol when later Asian men in Hollywood were so desexualized. In fact, he was one of the first sex symbols of Hollywood, or so they say. I honestly don’t think that’s so weird when you also consider that he was a huge jock, and unbelievably handsome. Like, ridiculously so. What is intriguing, though, is that the Production Code both screwed him and made him since he could never portray the romantic hero if the lead actress was not Asian. But in a way, that also made him, because the villainous heartthrob may not get his costar, but he definitely gets the audience. It’s the Loki effect. No matter how wretched you make Tom Hiddleston look or behave, we all still know he’s Tom Hiddleston.
Here’s a selection of Hayakawa films in our collection. Tell us if any sweep you off your feet.
On July 25th, 1975, A Chorus Line opened on Broadway. You can read a bit more about the play in this article about the playbill, or on Wikipedia. This musical is particularly interesting for capturing the real experiences of broadway dancers. It was developed out of workshops with dancers, and at least at first, the … Continue reading “A Chorus Line”
On July 25th, 1975, A Chorus Line opened on Broadway. You can read a bit more about the play in this article about the playbill, or on Wikipedia. This musical is particularly interesting for capturing the real experiences of broadway dancers. It was developed out of workshops with dancers, and at least at first, the “winners” of the evening changed based on performance. It became the longest running musical on broadway until it was surpassed in 1997 by Cats.
It’s pretty rare for musicals to have this type of documentary feel to them, and because the setting is a theater, A Chorus Line really pulls it off. You might compare A Chorus Line to, for example, Working which is based on a Studs Terkel book but is…um…maybe not the best musical. Although, man, check out this selection with Rita Moreno who is just beyond perfect:
Or you might compare it to Hands on a Hardbody, which is based on a documentary film, but seems to have a bit more of a story.
There is a 1985 film version of A Chorus Line (HU DVD 9659) starring Michael Douglas, but it’s pretty widely panned. But, in 2008, a documentary called Every Little Step (HU DVD 6224) returned to this musical. From our summary:
For over three decades, there’s been one singular sensation: A Chorus Line. This groundbreaking hit musical inspired by the emotional lives of dancers during the audition process. Now the story comes full circle and offers a revealing, unprecedented look at the auditions for the Broadway revival of the perennial classic. The music, the moves and the real-life drama, bringing you closer to the footlights than you ever thought possible.
However you choose to experience A Chorus Line, today’s a great day to do it!
Happy Monday! Today’s Movie At Random is Hitchcock’s The Wrong Man (HU DVD 3530). For some reason I’ve been really into Henry Fonda lately after seeing Mister Roberts (HU DVD 5171), and I adore Hitchcock, but I’ve actually never seen this one! I’ll have to remedy that, if you don’t beat me to it. Here’s our summary: … Continue reading “Movies At Random: The Wrong Man”
Happy Monday! Today’s Movie At Random is Hitchcock’s The Wrong Man (HU DVD 3530). For some reason I’ve been really into Henry Fonda lately after seeing Mister Roberts (HU DVD 5171), and I adore Hitchcock, but I’ve actually never seen this one! I’ll have to remedy that, if you don’t beat me to it.
Here’s our summary:
The first Hitchcock film based on a true story. A nightclub musician is falsely accused of a robbery, an accusation that ruins his life.
And here’s the absolutely incredible trailer:
Happy viewing!
Today is a very special someone’s birthday…Natalie Wood! Natalie Wood was born July 20th, 1938. She was in so many good movies, but we’re going to particularly recommend: Gypsy (HU DVD 5738): I already have “If Mama Was Married” stuck in my head. The Searchers (HU DVD 1808): This movie is incredible. I completely forgot … Continue reading “Happy Birthday Natalie Wood!”
Today is a very special someone’s birthday…Natalie Wood!
Natalie Wood was born July 20th, 1938. She was in so many good movies, but we’re going to particularly recommend:
Happy birthday Natalie!
P.S. If you’re into watching Christmas movies in July, it’s HU DVD 2336.
Certain members of the media services team decided to watch A Very English Scandal recently, having enjoyed Hugh Grant’s villainous turn in Paddington 2. Interestingly, Paddington is played by Ben Whishaw. This reunion of the two actors, as many have remarked, is…uh…a little different. We all love Ben Whishaw. He’s perfect. He’s perfect in Perfume … Continue reading “Hugh Grant. Somewhat Awesome.”
Certain members of the media services team decided to watch A Very English Scandal recently, having enjoyed Hugh Grant’s villainous turn in Paddington 2. Interestingly, Paddington is played by Ben Whishaw. This reunion of the two actors, as many have remarked, is…uh…a little different.
We all love Ben Whishaw. He’s perfect. He’s perfect in Perfume (HU DVD 3823), in Skyfall (HU DVD 5001), and in The Lobster (HU DVD 13642). Oh, and in Paddington (HU DVD 12216). He was less perfect, possibly, in Cloud Atlas (HU DVD 9072) which was just not a good movie.
But Hugh Grant, who I have loathed since the abomination that is Love, Actually (HU DVD 3510), is actually kind of awesome these days. Hugh Grant the befuddled punchline has become Hugh Grant the master of weaponizing his own loathsomeness. It’s not that he didn’t play sleazy men before. He’s a sleazeball in Bridget Jones’s Diary (HU DVD 8606). It’s some new character of age and reflection that makes, for example, the first “Bunny” scene in A Very English Scandal so distressing and yet funny. It’s like you can see him enjoying it.
As such, I’m inclined to study him further in, for example, Sense and Sensibility (HU DVD 6003), Four Weddings and a Funeral (HU DVD 6282), and Florence Foster Jenkins (HU DVD 13752). I’d love to see The Remains of the Day (HU DVD 6274), which I just found out he was in, but I keep putting off reading the book.
Any guilty Hugh Grant favorites?
Today’s movie at random is Sound and Fury (HU DVD 681), an important documentary about deaf culture and the impact of cochlear implants. We also have streaming access to the follow up film, Sound and Fury: 6 years later. DC has such an interesting deaf community, and while this documentary is a little outdated, it’s … Continue reading “Movies At Random: Sound And Fury”
Today’s movie at random is Sound and Fury (HU DVD 681), an important documentary about deaf culture and the impact of cochlear implants. We also have streaming access to the follow up film, Sound and Fury: 6 years later. DC has such an interesting deaf community, and while this documentary is a little outdated, it’s still a very interesting look at this divisive issue.
Here’s our summary:
If you could make your deaf child hear, would you? Sound and fury is the intimate, heart-rending tale of the Artinians, an extended family with deaf and hearing members across three generations. Together they confront a technological device that can help the deaf to hear but may also threaten deaf culture, and their bonds with each other.
And here’s the trailer:
Happy viewing!
