It was on 11 January 1974 -- every fan of Pee-Wee's Big Adventure knows -- that Large Marge died in the worst "accident" that many had ever seen. The sound of the crash was evocatively compared to that of "a garbage truck dropped off the Empire State Building." Ten years later, an apparently quinquagenarian truck … Continue reading Mapping Pee-Wee Herman in Los Angeles (and Beyond) on the Anniversary of Large Marge’s Passing (Which Should Probably Be Designated Pee-Wee Herman Day)
Category: Film
A Guide to African Cinema
INTRODUCTION One might think that defining African Cinema would be an easy enough task. Spend a little time in the attempt, however, and the difficulty in doing so definitively soon becomes evident. A film set in Africa, shot in Africa by an African crew, and starring an African cast is certainly an example of African … Continue reading A Guide to African Cinema
Mother’s Day Movies
Mary Cassatt's After the Bath (circa 1901) The American Mother's Day was invented by Anna Jarvis in 1905, when her own mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Her mother's death proved the inspiration for a holiday and by 1908 others joined her in this macabre celebration.After five years of dedication to her obsession, Mother's Day was … Continue reading Mother’s Day Movies
An Interview with Karie Bible for Women’s History Month
In the past most of my posts for Women’s History Month have focused on historical figures. This year I decided to instead focus on living breathing women who’re contributing to the vibrant cultural landscape of Los Angeles. This week’s subject is Karie Bible, an independent contractor who maintains Film Radar, volunteers for the American Cinematheque in … Continue reading An Interview with Karie Bible for Women’s History Month
Show-Me Hollywood — Missourians in Hollywood on Missouri Day
Happy Missouri Day! I was not born in Missouri but I count myself fortunate to have grown up there, moving to the Show-Me State from Kentucky when I was four and staying until I was sixteen. Of course, I ended up moving west (St. Louis is the Gateway to the West after all) to the great … Continue reading Show-Me Hollywood — Missourians in Hollywood on Missouri Day
Wah Ming Chang
Wah Chang was a Chinese-American artist and prop designer. Today he’s most recognized for his iconic designs on the television series Star Trek. He was born on this day in 1917 and with that in mind, it being Asian-Pacific Heritage Month, me planning on going to see the Star Trek Into Darkness tonight, and The Wrath … Continue reading Wah Ming Chang
Los Angeles’s Secret, Foreign Language Movie Theater Scene
Los Angeles is a film town -- maybe the film town. Like the Hollywood district contained within it, the name "Los Angeles" a metonym for the American film industry in the minds of many. "La La Land," "The Entertainment Capital of the World" and all that. I love movies; however, in my mind, the Hollywood film thing actually … Continue reading Los Angeles’s Secret, Foreign Language Movie Theater Scene
Fear of a black galaxy — Black people in science-fiction
Photo by JD Hancock The other day I was listening to the podcast The Auteur Cast. In discussing The Empire strikes back, one of the hosts used the character of Lando Calrissian to question why there are so few black people in science-fiction. It’s not a new question. In 1976, on the album Bicentennial Nigger, Richard … Continue reading Fear of a black galaxy — Black people in science-fiction
Gower Gulch and the sort of beginning of Hollywood
The Hollywood neighborhood emerged as a small village in the late 19th century and was incorporated as its own municipality in 1903. But for most people in the world, “Hollywood” is synonymous with the commercial American film, which established itself there first in an area that came to be known as "Gower Gulch." Before Hollywood … Continue reading Gower Gulch and the sort of beginning of Hollywood
For Ozoners Only — On this day, in 1933, the first drive-in theater opened
THE FIRST DRIVE-IN An advertisement for the first Drive-In The first drive-in theater opened on 6 June, 1933 at 2901 Admiral Wilson Boulevard in Camden, New Jersey. It was the invention of Richard M. Hollingshead Jr, who'd began screening films outdoors at his home with a 1928 Kodak projector sat on the roof of his car. … Continue reading For Ozoners Only — On this day, in 1933, the first drive-in theater opened
Eric Brightwell 