Podcasts for Classic Film Fans: August Round-up

A lot of my podcast listening this month featured classic actresses, whether as sole focus of an episode or discussed at length. I loved all of these great tributes to some of the most talented and influential women in studio age Hollywood. All episode titles link to the show: 

Hollywood Obsessed 

Getting Personal with Hollywood Hunk and TV Action Hero Lorenzo Lamas—Part 1 

August 13, 2023 

Lorenzo Lamas is so humble and charming in this interview in which he discusses both his own career and his famous parents: Fernando Lamas, Arlene Dahl, and stepmother Esther Williams. I’m looking forward to part two.

Cinema Junkie 

Anna May Wong’s Rendezvous with American History 

August 24, 2023 

This is an excellent talk with Yunte Huang, author of Daughter of the Dragon: Anna May Wong's Rendezvous with American History. He has a great perspective on Wong’s legacy and most important films, in which he acknowledges problematic aspects of her career, but emphasizes where she shined as a performer.

Fade Out 

Sylvia Sidney in Mars Attacks! 

August 25, 2023 

Film and culture writer Marya Gates talks about Sylvia Sidney’s final film, Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks! (1996). I love how she discusses that this late film in her career was her introduction to the actress. The directors who cast film legends like Sidney have done so much to inspire interest in classic films.

Movie Nights & Matinees 

Collecting and Projecting Classics 

July 30, 2023 

This was a fascinating talk about old school film collecting and projecting. As much as I love the convenience of digital home projection, I’m always going to be drawn to the tactile allure of film.

On YouTube: Bette Davis Completely Loses it

 

My latest on YouTube: a tribute to the fiery power of Bette Davis, the actress who inspired my lifelong passion for classic movies.

On YouTube: 50 MORE Saucy Pre-Code Moments

 

I had so much fun making my 50 Saucy Pre-Code Moments video that I had to do a part two. There are a lot more clips I want to share, so it is likely that I will eventually make a part three! This period of Hollywood film history is endlessly amusing.

On YouTube: Barbara Stanwyck Completely Loses it for Four Minutes and Cary Grant Gets Physical

 

I have been having a blast making YouTube videos lately. My two most recent uploads are tributes to a pair of my favorite actors: Barbara Stanwyck and Cary Grant. I'm going to be posting more frequently on the channel, as I have a lot of things to explore, so if you haven't already, follow me over there to keep in the loop!

 

News! My Film The Light to Play at the Tacoma Film Festival 2023

 

I am thrilled to share that my short film The Light has been selected for Tacoma Film Festival 2023. This is the first film that I have submitted to a festival and the first narrative movie I've made, so I'm incredibly honored to be included.

The city of Tacoma has special meaning for me because my Dad was born there. He was a major factor in my becoming interested in classic films and supported me by buying me books, our first VCR, and loads of VHS cassettes for recording afternoon matinees.

The Light is the story of a spirit lost between worlds who reminisces about her past life while trying to figure out where she belongs in the afterworld. I narrate the story over a series of clips from public domain films which I edited together to create a new work.

After the festival in October, I will be sharing the film with a wider audience, but for now, I'm delighted to have made something which has earned these laurels:

Podcasts for Classic Film Fans: July Round-up

The highlight of my podcast listening this month was finding a couple of fascinating new-to-me shows. All episode titles link to the show: 

All Things Marilyn 

President Kennedy’s Birthday Gala: Fact vs. Fiction 

June 26, 2023 

An excellent deep dive into the facts about the famous dress Marilyn Monroe wore to sing Happy Birthday to President Kennedy and the night of the fundraiser where she sang. It’s an episode as much about getting facts straight about any historical event as it is doing justice to Monroe.

Forgotten Hollywood 

The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear with Author Nat Segaloff 

June 26, 2023 

Nat Segaloff was a publicist for The Exorcist (1973) and he brings his insider view to a new book, The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear. He shares a lot of great stories from the early promotion of the film to the rumors that surrounded the production.

Weird Work 

I’m a Location Scout 

June 2, 2022 

I loved this older episode about the interesting, but demanding work of a movie location scout. There’s a lot more to this job than I expected.

Teenage Golden Age 

July 27, 2023 

Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit and Glamour of an Icon (feat. Kate Anderson Brower) 

This was a solid overview of the remarkable variety in Elizabeth Taylor’s life with her most recent biographer, Kate Anderson Brower. I agreed when Brower called her, “the first influencer.” I think that accurately describes the effect she had on her public throughout her life, including her enormous and brave work fighting AIDs.