It’s hard to believe it’s already been three years since the controversial biography Schulz and Peanuts, by David Michaelis. You have until next Tuesday to listen to a BBC Radio 4 feature on Charles M. Schulz.
I’m a bit surprised to hear Jeannie say, “David did a marvelous job…” Russell T. Davies, who brought Doctor Who back from hiatus, chimes in with the factoid that long before the Tardis, Snoopy’s doghouse was much bigger inside than it appeared outside.
Mike Fox’s stage name is Michael J. Fox. Mike is a great guy. I make a point of featuring Mike every so often because I have a personal connection to him, for a reason that some of you know. Tonight, Michael J. is the guest programmer on Turner Classic Movies…
… and tonight he’s also appearing on the CBS series The Good Wife.
Back in September, Fox talked about his life with Parkinson’s Disease with Sanjay Gupta on CNN.
Over four years ago I put up a bat house in our back yard…
… but did any bats move in? Nope. I thought it might be due to the disease that’s decimating the bat population around here, but then, while cleaning out the gutters, I found a bat.
A dead one. Not due to the disease, but trapped as it tried to escape from behind a bedroom window shutter. I loosened the shutter, pulled out the unfortunate winged mammal, and tossed it into the woods.
Discussions of the various IPTV streaming video players that are available (go Roku!) all revolve around the prospect of consumers having the option of dropping cable TV. But as long as that’s where Turner Classic Movies is found, there’s no letting go of cable for me.
Monday, TCM began its new 7-part series, Moguls & Movie Stars. The first installment is The Films of Thomas Edison, and it reminds me in no small way of Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film.
At least once each week, either as a comment at the link above, or by mail, I hear from somebody requesting (sometimes pleading) that I post the complete series or make DVD copies. Silent aficionados are anything but silent! The one thing I won’t do is make DVD copies. That’s crossing a line too far.
The acclaimed Hollywood series was produced 30 years ago in England, by Kevin Brownlow and David Gill (now deceased). Brownlow is being awarded an honorary Oscar™ this month, so this week and next, New York’s Documentary Festival will be honoring Brownlow.
The TCM documentary is a survey of the entire history of Hollywood, so there’s no way it can even begin to scratch the surface of silent films, compared to Brownlow and Gill’s in-depth, 13-part series. Yet I won’t be surprised if it kindles some more interest in the Silent era.
I know that Brownlow would love to see a DVD set released of Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film. While we’re waiting, I would certainly love to post it, but even if Brownlow were to contact me he couldn’t grant permission, due to the copyright hassles that have been holding back the set’s release. What I would like to see is TCM step in and help get things moving legally. Ideally, TCM would show the series the same way it presents everything — complete and unedited — and promote a DVD box set with some never-seen extras.
This is one very happy lifelong Giants fan, a true believer from NY to SF. Enjoy it, Joe!
Halloween has come and gone again! Eric came up with some nice designs, and I did the carving. Eric says the one on the right is Japanese for pumpkin.
