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- “To me, music is no joke and it’s not for sale.” — Ian MacKaye
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- “Ballet taught me to stay close to style and tone. Literature taught me to be concerned about the moral life.” — Joan Acocella
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- Bryce on The Books: “Nine Stories”- ‘The Laughing Man’ (J.D. Salinger)
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Tag Archives: Hal Wallis
September/October 2023 Viewing Diary
I moved in late September. Again. I found a little cozy apartment, the second floor of a little house, with slanted ceilings, little cubbyhole-eaves everywhere, and a big yard. It’s a 10 minute walk to the beach. I found it … Continue reading
Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies
Tagged Bette Davis, biopic, comedy, Costa-Gavras, Dana Andrews, documentary, drama, Eli Wallach, England, Ewan McGregor, film noir, France, Fritz Lang, George Cukor, George Sanders, Germany, Gloria Grahame, Hal Wallis, historical drama, Ireland, Joan Crawford, Joan Fontaine, Judy Blume, Kate Lyn Sheil, Lana Turner, Lee Marvin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, Miriam Hopkins, Norma Shearer, Otto Preminger, Paul Schrader, River Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Roman Polanski, Rosalind Russell, Sidney Lumet, Spain, Supernatural, Vincente Minnelli, women directors, WWII
29 Comments
September 2022 Viewing Diary
The Deep End (2022; d. Jon Kasbe) I’m into cults but I actively avoid woo-woo, so somehow Teal Swan escaped my radar. Well, she’s on my radar NOW. This Netflix doc is extraordinary because Teal Swan participated in it, she … Continue reading
Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies, Television
Tagged Baz Luhrmann, comedy, documentary, drama, Elvis Presley, England, film noir, Hal Wallis, Ida Lupino, James Cagney, John Garfield, Marilyn Monroe, musicals, New Zealand, Olivia de Havilland, Raoul Walsh, Rita Hayworth, Thomas Mitchell, true crime, westerns, women directors
29 Comments
My talk at the old Memphian Theatre: Elvis in Hollywood
When Indie Memphis senior programmer Miriam Bale asked if I wanted to give a talk on Elvis during my time in Memphis, I was excited, but when I heard it was going to be in the Circuit, it felt almost … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, Music
Tagged Ann-Margret, Elvis Presley, Hal Wallis, Kurt Russell, Michael Curtiz, Mildred Dunnock, Tuesday Weld
24 Comments
For Film Comment: Elvis, Actor
I am so happy to sing the praises for Film Comment‘s TCM Diary of an acting career that has been ignored, dismissed, scorned, from the jump. I’ve written about Elvis’ acting a lot here on my site, but rarely anywhere … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, Music
Tagged Elvis Presley, Errol Flynn, Hal Wallis, King Creole, Live a Little Love a Little, Love Me Tender, Mildred Dunnock, reviews, Viva Las Vegas
10 Comments
Dueling Anthems: Memo From Hal Wallis
70 years ago today, Casablanca premiered. Memo from Casablanca producer Hal Wallis to Max Steiner, composer: On the Marseilles, when it is played in the Cafe, don’t do it as though it was played by this small orchestra. Do it … Continue reading
Posted in Movies, On This Day
Tagged Casablanca, France, Hal Wallis, romantic drama, war, WWII
3 Comments
Hal Wallis and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley and Hal Wallis I’ve written before about Hal Wallis, and my admiration for not only his producing smarts, but how he exemplifies the artistic and intuitive producer (so so rare nowadays). His memos in re: Casablanca are not … Continue reading
The Books: “Don’t Fall Off the Mountain” (Shirley MacLaine)
Daily Book Excerpt: Entertainment Biography/Memoir:: Don’t Fall Off the Mountain, by Shirley MacLaine I wonder if Shirley MacLaine is bad at anything. I’m sure she is – and so she doesn’t spend her energies in those areas … or who … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Books
Tagged Alfred Hitchcock, Bob Fosse, entertainment biography, Hal Wallis, Shirley MacLaine
13 Comments
Dueling Anthems: Memo From Hal Wallis
Memo from Casablanca producer Hal Wallis to Max Steiner, composer: On the Marseilles, when it is played in the Cafe, don’t do it as though it was played by this small orchestra. Do it with a full scoring orchestra and … Continue reading
Posted in Movies
Tagged Casablanca, Hal Wallis, Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Michael Curtiz
15 Comments