Tricks & Treats Night #15: Red Hot

Posted by Dave on October 15, 2012
Posted in: Film, Movies. Tagged: , , . 1 Comment

Trick & Treat for October 15th:

AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN (1957; starring Glenn Langan; directed by Bert I. Gordon)

Lt. Col. Glenn Manning’s amazing adventure begins at an A-bomb testing site, and ends near Las Vegas. Like the characters in a more recent film set in Vegas, THE HANGOVER, Glenn also wakes up with a big head. But in Lt. Manning’s case, it’s literally a big head… and arms, legs and… well, we will stop there. During a noble attempt at a rescue, Glenn is exposed directly to the full force of an atomic blast. The good news is that he survives. The bad news is that he’ll need some really colossal socks, among other items, as he is now growing upwards to an eventual height of 60 feet, barefooted. This does not sit well with Glenn (played by Glenn Langan). He becomes irritable and acts out, evidenced by such behavior as impaling a soldier with a giant hypodermic needle and vandalizing the Golden Slipper Casino. Making sure that what’s happening in Vegas stays in Vegas, the U.S. Army takes its customary, 1950s sci-fi movie measures: pulverization via banks of artillery. Not surprisingly, we recommend enjoying this ridiculous but fun film with a box of Atomic Fire Balls. If it’s too much “red hot flavor”, just remember: you might grow… to like them. 

Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.

Hollywood on the Lake

Posted by Johnny C on October 15, 2012
Posted in: interiors. Tagged: , , , . 1 Comment

This weekend The Chicago Architecture Foundation’s hosted a citywide event that opened up some historic Chicago buildings for tours; theaters, restaurants, and apartment buildings all were available to see and hear about their history and importance. I made a special point to get to St. Augustine College, which was the site for the old Essanay Studios.

Essanay Studios was one of the biggest movie picture studios in the country in the early part of the 20th century. They were best known for launching the film careers of Charlie Chaplin, Ben Turpin and Gloria Swanson.

White City Cinema has a wonderful write-up of the secret world of Chicago’s film history that I suggest you read.

St. Augustine College is having a funding drive to restore parts of the building and to create a Charlie Chaplin auditorium in one of the large rooms that a hundred years ago his early films were created.  The room feels historic. Their goal is save part of cinema history, create a museum, and offer a place for people to come to learn about and watch silent films.

Learn more about their fundraising drive here:  St. Augustine College.

Also, I’m lucky enough to live in beautiful Ravenswood Manor on the Northside of Chicago, just about three miles from the old studio. Across the park from me is a huge mansion. It was built by Essanay Studios in order house stars who were in Chicago to film. It’s an amazing place and a couple of years ago was up for sale.

Here is the real estate tour of that property.

Posted by Gloria on October 15, 2012
Posted in: Movies. 2 Comments

Alfred Hitchcock on What’s My Line — a good watch!

Vickie Lester's avatarBEGUILING HOLLYWOOD

There are so many stories in Hollywood of his wit and humor – and there’s one mythic tale (and I’ve never seen the footage, so I’d have to say it was a myth) of Hitch dancing in a hula skirt for a home camera at a party with an idol painted on his swaying and prodigious belly. Well, as to dancing this is the best I could come up with. But, over at The Hitchcock Zone they’ve got the skinny…click on the blue letters.

And, I thought this was charming – Alfred Hitchcock appearing as a mystery guest on “What’s My Line”:

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Previously on Home Projectionist

Posted by Dave on October 15, 2012
Posted in: Film, Movies. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

If you spent most of your time watching movies this past week, you might have missed these articles here at Home Projectionist:

Visit Home Projectionist on Facebook

Tricks & Treats Night #14: Screamy, Creamy

Posted by Dave on October 14, 2012
Posted in: Movies. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Trick & Treat for October 14th:

ALIEN (1979; starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, and Harry Dean Stanton; directed by Ridley Scott)

Deep in the far reaches of the galaxy, the space freighter Nostromo is returning home from its mission in space for a nefarious outfit called the Company. The crew of the ship, meanwhile, is in deep hibernation. But they are awakened by Nostromo’s Mother computer system. A nearby planet has sent out an S.O.S. The Nostromo lands and the crew investigates, discovering an array of strange looking “pods”. Whereas you’d attach an Apple iPod to your body, on this planet the pods attach themselves to you. Whether you like it or not. Judging by John Hurt’s reaction, you won’t like it. Soon, a large, alien creature has emerged and begins haunting the nooks and crannies of the Nostromo, threatening the crew and displeasing the ship’s cat, Jones. That’s when things have gone too far, and when Sigourney Weaver springs into action. Ridley Scott’s ALIEN raised the bar high for future sci-fi films set in and around the Milky Way, just as the Milky Way bar raised the bar for, well, you know… 

Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.

Reel History: October 14, 1947

Posted by Dave on October 14, 2012
Posted in: Film, History, Movies. Tagged: , , , , , . 3 Comments

ON THIS DAY in 1947, U.S. Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager, piloting the Glamorous Glennis X-1 rocket-powered experimental aircraft, became the first person to break the sound barrier during level flight. This event was depicted in the 1983 film, THE RIGHT STUFF, with Sam Shepard as Yeagar, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, and Fred Ward.

Tricks & Treats Night #13: Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut…

Posted by Dave on October 13, 2012
Posted in: Film, Movies. Tagged: , , , , , . 1 Comment

Trick & Treat for October 13th:

DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1932; starring Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins; directed by Rouben Mamoulian)

This classic “tampering in God’s domain” movie was one of several cinematic explorations of the Robert Louis Stevenson story. This, the first sound version, stars Fredric March in the title roles. March plays Jekyll, the wealthy, compassionate doctor with a dark side. The brainy but overly curious doc decides to expand his practice into areas where he has no expertise, areas that were better left unexplored. As a result of a chemical concoction he self-prescribes, his winning personality spins-off into a second entity that is brutal and lecherous, and without any bedside manners: the depraved Mr. Hyde. Where Jekyll is kind and thoughtful, Hyde is aggressive and relentless, pursuing his prey with joyful abandon. That prey is primarily a young and beautiful woman, Miss Champagne Ivy Pearson (the coquettish Miriam Hopkins). Jekyll’s fascinating transformation is accompanied by the sound of a heartbeat–that of the director himself, Rouben Mamoulian. And so the personality battle rages on, Jekyll to Hyde, Hyde to Jekyll, and back again. Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don’t. 

Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.

50 Years (!!!) of the Rolling Stones

Posted by Gloria on October 13, 2012
Posted in: Documentary, Film, Movies. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

We’re not only celebrating 50 years of bad boy James Bond this year, but it’s also the 50th year of rock ‘n roll bad boys, the Rolling Stones. These may be old guys, but they’re still fascinating to watch.

To recognize the Stones’ impressive milestone, on November 15, HBO is showing its new  documentary, CROSSFIRE HURRICANE.

About the film, director Brett Morgan says, “This is not an academic history lesson,” but an opportunity to  “experience firsthand the Stones’ nearly mythical journey from outsiders to rock & roll royalty.”

The band also debuted a tour documentary THE ROLLING STONES: CHARLIE IS MY DARLING — IRELAND 1965 as part of the New York Film Festival on September 29.

With these kinds of films available, along with all the archival clips being rolled out on the official Rolling Stones YouTube channel, it’s time to plan your own at-home Stones party. After watching old friends Mick, Keith, and the gang go from fresh faced to craggy, still legends, still appealing, everyone will want to get up and dance when you start playing “Satisfaction.”

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rolling-stones-bring-crossfire-hurricane-to-hbo-november-15th-20120830#ixzz29BUPVBEd

The Big Green Chair — Something Old Is New Again

Posted by Gloria on October 13, 2012
Posted in: interiors, Movies, tablets. Tagged: , , , . 3 Comments

I discovered the big green chair at the “Mousehole” in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. What luck! A curious (but comfy) chair indeed, with holes drilled into both arms, so that I could insert the movable stand on either side and adjust the angle for perfect hands-free viewing for reading books and using my tablet to watch movies.

So  many products have emerged as a result of the mobile device boom, and here was this chair, perhaps a bit of innovation from the ’50s, that did the trick. Everything old is new again, as they say.

The Vitra NesTable is a version of the big green chair but much more adaptable since you can maneuver this type of stand to work with any seating in the house.

vitra.com

And I really like the adjustable table stands that are coming out, too, like the one below that allows you to prop your tablet any which way — even overhead — for watching while reclining in your chaise lounge. It’s so space age.

Personally, I like using a plain old pillow to prop up my tablet when I watch in bed. But there’s also the Lap Log, a pillow filled with buckwheat, if you want to buy something special, like a pet bed, for your tablet.

One could spend hours checking out all of the tablet stands out there to satisfy your personal preferences. Meanwhile, I think I’ll wait for someone to develop a new version of the big green chair….maybe one that has an adjustable cup holder.

Tricks & Treats Night #12: Cold As Ice

Posted by Dave on October 12, 2012
Posted in: Film, Movies. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Trick & Treat for October 12th:

THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951; starring James Arness, Kenneth Tobey; directed by Howard Hawks)

Near a cold and very remote Arctic research station, a large, unidentifiable flying object has apparently crashed. Scientists rush to the location and discover that the spacecraft is buried in ice. In the course of setting off thermal devices to free the craft, they’ve destroyed it. However, there’s a body–what appears to be the ship’s pilot. Cutting the body away within its slab of ice, they transport it back to the lab for safekeeping. Scientists being human, after all, they make mistakes. These scientists are, as we can see, no exception to the rule, as they allow a space heater to thaw the ice, uncovering a very large, very unhappy alien being (Gunsmoke’s James Arness), who, it’s soon apparent, dogs don’t like. Is it a letter carrier from another world? As it turns out, it’s more like a vegetable–a sort of carrot, to be precise. This carrot, like most carrots, keeps well in the fridge, and–like most monsters–it runs amok. And this being a 50s sci-fi film (and a very good one), there’s the requisite humanitarian, who begs we refrain from our animal urges and reason with the monster–er, carrot. Thus, he’s an expendable character. But meanwhile an ingenious plan to dispose of this veggie has been devised and implemented, and soon, it’s The End. Or is it? “Keep watching the skies!”, we are warned. Here’s another warning: beware of unwrapping “things”. Like your Zero bar, for instance. You just don’t really know what’s in it. 

Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.

Sensitive to Questions Quiz #20: “We’re on top of the monument!”

Posted by Dave on October 12, 2012
Posted in: Film, Hitchcock, Movies. Tagged: , , . 2 Comments

Sensitive to Questions

Good evening. If a director is going to tell a story that will interest the audience, it’s good to have structure. Oh, structure to the plot is good, too, of course. But we’re talking about actual structures. To be more precise, buildings, statues, and monuments. Important ones, impressive ones. Did these monuments, each of which appeared in a Hitchcock film, make an impression on you? Find out by taking this little quiz.

Good luck, Mr. Thornhill, wherever you are…

Take the Quiz!

(*The quiz title was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest: “Something wrong with your eyes?” “Yes”, says the sunglass-clad Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant), “They’re sensitive to questions”. As Roger and Eve attempt to escape from Vandamm’s clutches, Roger suddenly realizes where the two of them are: “This is no good, we’re on top of the monument!”)