by Bill Grinnell The Academy Awards ceremony is the biggest event of the year for me. I actually refer to it as Film Geek Christmas, and yes, as much as I hate to admit it, this day is more important to me than Christmas. While there are some volatile races this year, most of the… Continue reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Oscars
Tag: Film History
Articles or reviews which also feature information about film history.
Some Like it Hot
Flawless Some Like it Hot (1959) is widely considered to be the greatest screen comedy of all time. Yet before its release that would have been hard to imagine. The film was swarmed by controversy including worries about homosexuality, cross dressing, and sexuality. America has grown up quite a lot since then, and today it’s… Continue reading Some Like it Hot
Love is a Many Splendored Thing
Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955) is another example of how films were watered down in the 1950’s to smooth over or disguise controversial themes in films. Based on a book from a real life story, the Production Board repeatedly refused to sanction the filming because of the themes of adultery and miscegenation– mostly only the… Continue reading Love is a Many Splendored Thing
How the American New Wave was Born
It’s been called a lot of things. The New Hollywood, The Film School Generation, or simply as The 70’s. More recently, the 13 years between 1970 and 1983 have come to be known as The American New Wave. It was a period of much excitement, upheaval, and change that had the unintended after effect of… Continue reading How the American New Wave was Born
The Apartment
A near timeless film The Apartment (1960) marked quite a turn in American Cinema. During the 50s, movies making social commentary or dealing with dark issues were so sanitized that you now come to the end of them and say “that’s what that’s supposed to be about?” Just some examples of 50s watering down are:… Continue reading The Apartment