Wanna see another new obsession? Check it out. A blog devoted to “pre-code cinema”. I’m in HEAVEN. Here’s one post on the evolution of the “Deco Lady”. But there is so much more on that site – mainly images – but many that I have never seen. I’ve only begun to explore it – it’s riveting.
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That is some really cool stuff, which I anticipate spending considerable time enjoying.
Also: my cultural education by means of your site continues: I’d never heard the term “pre-code cinema” and had to look it up on Wikipedia. Interesting history in its own right, and that blog is much more interesting when understood in its intended context.
Good Lord!!!! Kay Francis????? Wow. I’m impressed. And jealous.
Steve – Oh man, yeah, the whole pre-code era is FASCINATING. You can’t believe how racy it is!!
I think Public Enemy with Cagney was really the film that made the censors go: Hmmm, we need to crack down on this.
Of course the “code” then ushered in (in my opinion) the best 20 years of movies we’ve yet made … they had to be so creative to get aorund the code … etc. etc.
Really interesting stuff!!
I am LOVING all the images at that site! Fabulous!
Thanks for pointing that one out. What a great website. There is almost too much to see there. Just when you think you have seen it all you spot something you didn’t notice before. I just scanned it quickly and it took me over half an hour. This is one to come back to again and again.
What I like is that they really did have faces then, didn’t they. I would like to see them do some of the Gloria Swanson stuff to go along with the other things there. Then fast forward to Sunset Boulevard to contrast. Almost autobiographical.