Blog of the Week: Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Ivan  G. Shreve, Jr. describes Thrilling Days of Yesteryear as “a blog that revels in the good old days—when black-and-white movies weren't necessarily bad things, when people listened to a radio for entertainment...and when unreality shows (talking horses, witches, genies, monsters and martians) ruled the television airwaves.”

Thrilling Days of Yesteryear can be found at: http://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.blogspot.com/.

Click on the links below to view some of the recent posts at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear:

RIP Ronald Neame

Mayberry Mondays #8: The Church Play

Crime does not pay (as well as it used to) #4

Blog on Bray Days

As some of you may be aware, Bray Studios in England are in danger of closure and demolition to make way for housing. This would amount to the destruction of an important part of British film and cultural history. Bray was home to Hammer Films for many years (where iconic productions like The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy were filmed) and subsequently was used in the production of many other films (including The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the model work for Alien) and TV programmes (including Space 1999 and Dr Who). The Save Bray Studios campaign, organised by Hammer expert Robert Simpson, is trying to raise awareness of this imminent threat and encourage others to do likewise. As such, if you love classic and horror cinema please consider taking part in the following, and inform others of it:

The Watching Hammer blog (http://watchinghammer.blogspot.com/) would like to propose next week (Sun - Sun) as a week of Blog on Bray Days.

Please take part and choose a day next week as your Blog on Bray Day to write a post on Bray Studios, the place they hold in cinema history, the danger they currently face, and what people can do, including relevant links.

The Save Bray Studios facebook page can be found here - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=106861216022812

The Save Bray Studios blog can be found here - http://braystudios.blogspot.com/

The Watching Hammer blog has posted a list of suggested things people can do, including addresses to write and/or email here - http://watchinghammer.blogspot.com/2010/07/save-bray-studios.html

Post URLs can be emailed to Watching Hammer which will collate them as links.

CMBA member Watching Hammer thanks you very much and asks you to please take part!

Blog of the Week: Java's Journey

In Java's world, a Classic Movie is "one that fits somewhere between the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s."  Java also occasionally explores Honorary Classics, which are "those films which do not fit the loosely strict definition." The blog is Java's "journey through classic films. I gush over my favorite bits of vintage cinema (stories from in front of or behind the camera) and I explore the parts of this vast genre of history that I don't yet know."

You can visit Java's Journey at: http://javabeanrush.blogspot.com/

Recent posts at Java's Journey include:

Les Miserables (1935)

Watch Classic Movies for Free This Summer with Screen on the Green

Robert Wagner's Autobio Pieces of My Heart

Bend of the River (1952)

Blog of the Week: FilmPhiles

FilmPhiles is a place for lovers of film to gather, to share their love of films and film-making, to enjoy each others' company, and to have fun! The members of FilmPhiles review: silent, pre-code, and foreign films; film noir; screwball cinema; television series; and film turkeys. They also profile actors, actresses, directors, and even animal stars!

You can visit FilmPhiles at: http://filmphiles.blogspot.com/

Recent posts at FilmPhiles include:

Frank Capra: That Certain Thing (1928)
John Barrymore--Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920)
Gilby's Favorite TV Actresses--The Top Five!
Bernadette (the dog)

Blog of the Week: Silent Stanzas

Silent Stanzas is a unique classic movie blog devoted to poetry, photographs, and anecdotes about silent film. Here's a reprint from Avalon76's poem about Douglas Fairbanks:

His Majesty, the American

Oh Douglas Fairbanks! Has there ever been

A name which conjures up such suave finesse?

You were like nothing else they'd ever seen,

Your wit and humor bright and effortless;

Add in your strength and athlete's nimble air

And there was born a modern Musketeer -

So likeable that even an affair

With Mary made the audiences cheer.

As Robin Hood, or Baghdad's swarthy Thief
You made a genre single-handedly,
The "costume picture" to this day is strong -
Just one part of your lasting legacy.
Through ninety years, the public you've delighted...
It wasn't only artists you united!

Silent Stanzas can be found at:  http://silentstanzas.blogspot.com/.

Blog of the Week: Purviance, Chaplin, cinema e solidão

The CMBA's only foreign language blog is administered by Carla Marino, a self-professed compulsive reader, film buff and writer. Carla's blog is a mixture of classic movie reviews (Gene Kelly's Invitation to the Dance), recent celebrity news (Kate Jackson's financial woes), and interesting lists (the best ten films of Charlie Chaplin).

Purviance, Chaplin, cinema e solidão can be found at: http://purviance13.blogspot.com/.

Click on the links below to view some of the recent reviews at Purviance, Chaplin, cinema e solidão:

Gene Kelly's Invitation to the Dance

Ten Best Films of Charles Chaplin

Julie Andrews Returns to the Stage after 30 years

A New Film Biography of Cantinflas

If I have a Classic Movie Blog, why should I join CMBA?

Here are three good reasons for becoming a member of CMBA:

1. Unlike general online blogging communities, CMBA members are devoted specifically to celebrating classic movies. CMBA provides a unique forum for its members to exchange blogging ideas, promote each other's blogs, and provide quality assurance by monitoring each other's blogs and providing confidential feedback.

2. CMBA can increase the number of readers for your blog. CMBA members are encouraged to comment on--and link to--each other's blogs, thereby creating a network of classic movie blogs that will generate greater online traffic.

3. CMBA recognizes excellence in classic movie blogging via an awards program administered by and for its members.

There is no cost to joining CMBA. There are requirements to place a CMBA link on your blog site. CMBA will never be monetized nor accept advertising in any form. It is a nonprofit organization and will stay one. Current members must vote on the acceptance of new members. If you have a classic movie blog and are interested in applying for CMBA membership, send an e-mail to: classic.movie.blog.assoc@gmail.com.