Though he has appeared in over two hundred films and television shows for generations of fans, Cesar Romero will always be the Joker. While his series of guest appearances in the 1960s Batman show is undeniably memorable, there’s a lot more to both Romero the man and the actor.
My guest is Samuel Garza Bernstein, author of Cesar Romero: The Joker Is Wild. We discussed the most fascinating performances of this elegant, underrated talent who always maintained the heights of his stardom and lived life to the fullest with remarkable kindness and positivity.
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One of the best decisions I ever made was to attend the TCM Classic Film Festival, and there are thousands of movie fans who feel the same way. I've attended for several years. This one-of-a-kind event is as much about the community it draws as it is its films, panels, guests, and welcoming TCM hosts. I have spent many hours at the festival with my guests Aurora Bugallo, who writes the Once Upon A Screen blog and who is active on social media as Citizen Screen and Karen Burroughs Hannsberry who writes the Shadows and Satin blog, is editor of the bi-monthly film noir publication the Dark Pages Newsletter and is author of Femme Noir: Bad Girls of Film and Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir. We had a lot of laughs and even got a bit emotional reminiscing about the many ways our days together in Hollywood were memorable, heartwarming, and even life changing.
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There's an intriguing array of films both new and archival that may appeal to classic film fans at Seattle International Film Festival 2025, which takes place in theaters from May 15-25 and online with a selection of films from the main fest May 26-June 1. While the festival doesn't offer nearly as many archival choices as it used to, what it does offer is choice:
Holly Woodlawn of Andy Warhol Factory fame gets a perfectly surreal and wacky showcase for her unusual talents in this long thought to be lost, but now restored film. With a Bette Midler song and an unmistakable voice cameo from Lily Tomlin, this fervently unserious flick revels in its gags and unending goofiness. It’s not for common tastes, but anyone with a love for camp, trash, and unconventional wit and hijinks will love it.
Though lead John Forsythe is typically bland, this noir moves along at a good pace and is a fun watch. Edward G. Robinson blazes with the charisma our protagonist lacks and, in an amusing touch, plays a collector of art just like he was in real life. The film is an odd choice for 3D, and it was more popular in 2D when it was released, but a recent restoration by 3-D Film Archive should bring new life to the format. Whatever the genre, screenings of 3-D Film Archive restorations are always a blast, and this film should be great with a crowd.
While using multi-talented artist Jean Cocteau’s own words and images to explore his work has undeniable power, the execution of this film is orderly and conventional in a way that doesn’t mesh with the spirit of the artist. It is pleasant, beautiful, and works both as a tribute and an as introduction for those who are curious about the French surrealist, but ultimately it lacks inspiration. It is nevertheless a must-see for classic film fans at SIFF.
The documentary Chain Reactions (2024) features five writers and directors reflecting on the influential horror flick The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). Ultimately though, the film is about more than one movie. In discussing the effect Tobe Hooper’s grimy masterpiece had on them, Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama also reflect on the power of cinema itself and how a single movie is infinite in the way it affects each viewer in a unique way. A basic set-up is all that is required with minds this brilliant; director Alexandre O. Philippe was wise to let these knowledgeable and insightful participants mold the creative direction of the film. While it will be most rewarding for Chainsaw fans, any film fan can relate to the way a single movie can shift your perspective and even change your life. That said, the plentiful gore will turn away some viewers.
Leni Riefenstahl is notorious for making propaganda films for the Third Reich, with the jarring pictures of her shaking Hitler’s hand evidence of a lasting scar on a legacy of great film craft. The chilling and gripping Riefenstahl is more about the effect of that association on the filmmaker’s legacy than her work. While physically and mentally strong, Riefenstahl’s ego was easily wounded. She is shown to be elated when she views her own work and infuriated that her association with the Reich has blocked her from the praise she feels she deserves. As a result, she falls into denial, and is shown frustrating multiple interviewers who receive rage rather than remorse when they present her with proof of what she supported. Footage of hate-filled speeches from the time and her own stories of abuse at the hands of Nazi men reveal how much the filmmaker was and remained in denial and cold to the suffering with which she was associated. Informed by newly available archival materials, it’s a complex portrait of a complicated woman which provides plenty of food for thought in the present day.
There are a lot of familiar patterns and themes in classic pre-Code Hollywood movies (the time period roughly between 1930-34), as can be seen in this collection of clips. Censors found it too racy, but these classic films were also honest, humorous, and adult. These moments were even more playful and creative in cartoons from the era.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about most Joan Crawford impressions is that they are usually actually an impression of Faye Dunaway playing Crawford in Mommie Dearest (1981). There's a dramatic difference in the way Carol Burnett portrayed the actress before the publication of the book that would inspire that film and the way impressionists, and particularly drag artists, would portray her after it came out. It's also interesting that the one film role from which many impressionists draw inspiration, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) is one of Crawford's most subdued roles and one in which her costar Bette Davis and impressionists tend to steal the spotlight.
A kiss is rarely “just a kiss,” as can be seen in these 100 classic movie screen kisses. Classic film kisses can be romantic, passionate, unusual, shy, violent, forced in an era that had a very different perspective on consent, and any number of emotions and situations in between.
My guest is Christopher S. Connelly, author of Helen Morgan: The Original Torch Singer and Ziegfeld’s Last Star. Morgan was a hugely popular singer and actress who set the template for musical theater performance style. We talked about Morgan’s big heart, her deeply emotional connection with audiences, and how her approach to life was more Auntie Mame than as the downtrodden songstress she has been typically rumored to be.
Learn more about Christopher's book and where to buy it here:
https://www.kentuckypress.com/9781985900592/helen-morgan/
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This collection of impressions and ‘toons featuring Bette Davis show some of the many ways she has been impersonated, interpreted, and lampooned in popular culture. As grand as she was, Davis always had a sense of humor about herself. She has been impersonated countless times over the years, and she’s been amused and even enthusiastic about the attention. In fact, she appears in this video doing an impression of herself, that is actually comedian Arthur Blake’s impersonation of the actress, which became the basis of many other impersonations of Davis. She explains all in the video.
The thought of classic film noir movies typically evokes shadowy black and white images, but there are lots of color films with the fatalistic themes, tropes, and even the shadows commonly seen in film noir.
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Robert Bellissimo has had me as his guest on his excellent Robert Bellissimo at the Movies video podcast two times: once to discuss the sci-fi/film noir Repeat Performance (1947) and recently to talk about Joan Crawford in Autumn Leaves (1956). In this episode we discuss Sudden Fear (1952) which has the noir and theater world characteristics of that first film and the star of the second. We talked in detail about this fascinating independent production that served as a perfectly noirish backdrop for one of Crawford’s best performances.
Robert Bellissimo at the Movies YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@RobertBellissimoAtTheMovies
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