Category Archives: The Big Screen

Anniversary of Dr. No

Posted on October 5, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Anniversary of Dr. No

On October 5, 1962, the 1st James Bond film, Dr. No, premiered in London (it would arrive in the US the 8th of May of 1963).

Dr. No poster

Posted in Because I Can, On This Day, The Big Screen

50th Anniversary of Scooby Doo!

Posted on September 13, 2019 by James| Comments Off on 50th Anniversary of Scooby Doo!

The first episode of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! “What a Night for a Knight” debuted on the CBS network Saturday, September 13, 1969. The original voice cast featured veteran voice actor Don Messick as Scooby-Doo, radio DJ Casey Kasem (later host of radio’s syndicated American Top 40) as Shaggy, actor Frank Welker (later a veteran voice actor in his own right) as Fred, actress Nicole Jaffe as Velma, and musician Indira Stefanianna Christopherson as Daphne. Scooby’s speech patterns closely resembled an earlier cartoon dog, Astro from The Jetsons (1962–63), also voiced by Messick.

Posted in Because I Can, Critters, Humor, The Big Screen, The Little Screen (Television)

To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before…

Posted on September 8, 2019 by James| Comments Off on To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before…

Enterprise

On September 8, 1966, “The Man Trap” was first released upon the world. This, the first episode of one of the most famous TV Shows in history, Star Trek.

Posted in Because I Can, On This Day, The Big Screen, The Little Screen (Television)

80th Anniversary of the Wizard of Oz

Posted on August 25, 2019 by James| Comments Off on 80th Anniversary of the Wizard of Oz
WIZARD OF OZ ORIGINAL POSTER 1939.jpg

From Wikipedia:

The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and distributed by Warner Bros. Family Entertainment. Widely considered to be one of the greatest films in cinema history, it is the best-known and most commercially successful adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Directed primarily by Victor Fleming (who left the production to take over the troubled Gone with the Wind), the film stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale alongside Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, and Bert Lahr.

Characterized by its legendary use of Technicolor (although not being the first to use it), fantasy storytelling, musical score, and memorable characters, the film has become an American pop culture icon. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, but lost to Gone with the Wind, also directed by Fleming. It did win in two other categories: Best Original Song for “Over the Rainbow” and Best Original Score by Herbert Stothart. While the film was considered a critical success upon release in August 1939, it failed to make a profit for MGM until the 1949 re-release, earning only $3,017,000 on a $2,777,000 budget, not including promotional costs, which made it MGM’s most expensive production at that time.

The 1956 television broadcast premiere of the film on the CBS network reintroduced the film to the public; according to the Library of Congress, it is the most seen film in movie history. It was among the first 25 films that inaugurated the National Film Registry list in 1989. It is also one of the few films on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. The film is among the top ten in the BFI (British Film Institute) list of 50 films to be seen by the age of 14.

The Wizard of Oz is the source of many quotes referenced in contemporary popular culture. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but others made uncredited contributions. The songs were written by Edgar “Yip” Harburg (lyrics) and Harold Arlen (music). The musical score and the incidental music were composed by Stothart.

Posted in Because I Can, On This Day, The Big Screen, The Little Screen (Television)

RIP Peter Fonda

Posted on August 17, 2019 by James| Comments Off on RIP Peter Fonda

Peter Fonda, the son of a Hollywood legend who became a movie star in his own right both writing and starring in counterculture classics like “Easy Rider,” has died.

The first line of his wikipedia article says it all:

Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American actor. He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda. He was a part of the counterculture of the 1960s.

Posted in Because I Can, Events, The Big Screen

Happy Birthday, Han Solo/Dr. Jones!

Posted on July 13, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Happy Birthday, Han Solo/Dr. Jones!

 Solo! Hay lapa no ya, Solo!

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford (July 13, 1942 – )

Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. His career has spanned six decades and includes roles in several Hollywood blockbusters, including Presumed Innocent, The Fugitive, Air Force One, and What Lies Beneath. At one point, four of the top six box-office hits of all time included one of his roles. Five of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry.

In 1997, Ford was ranked No. 1 in Empire‘s “The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time” list. As of July 2008, the United States domestic box office grosses of Ford’s films total over US$3.5 billion, with worldwide grosses surpassing $6 billion, making Ford the third highest grossing U.S. domestic box-office star. Ford is the husband of actress Calista Flockhart.

Posted in The Big Screen

Anniversary of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Posted on June 30, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Anniversary of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

WillyWonkaMoviePoster

Original Movie Poster (June 30, 1971)

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 American musical fantasy film[4] directed by Mel Stuart, and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. It is an adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and tells the story of Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum, in his only film appearance) as he receives a Golden Ticket and visits Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory with four other children from around the world.

Filming took place in Munich in 1970, and the film was released by Paramount Pictures on June 30, 1971. With a budget of just $3 million, the film received positive reviews and performed well in 1971, earning about $4 million at the end of its original run. It then made an additional $21 million during its 1996 re-release.

The film has since developed a cult following especially due to its repeated television airings and home entertainment sales. In 1972, the film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score, and Wilder was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, but lost both to Fiddler on the Roof. In 2014, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Big Screen

Happy Birthday, Kris Kristofferson

Posted on June 22, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Happy Birthday, Kris Kristofferson

Kristoffer “Kris” Kristofferson is an influential American country music songwriter, singer and actor. He is best known for hits such as “Me and Bobby McGee”, “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”, and “Help Me Make It Through the Night”.

Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – )

Wikipedia Link

Posted in Music, The Big Screen

Anniversary of Jaws

Posted on June 20, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Anniversary of Jaws

Jaws Poster

In 1975, we learned that it was no longer “safe to go back into the water.”

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Big Screen

First Motion Picture Theater

Posted on June 19, 2019 by James| Comments Off on First Motion Picture Theater

The first motion picture theater was called a nickelodeon because admission was a nickel.

It opened in McKeesport, PA on June 19,1905.

Posted in On This Day, The Big Screen

Anniversary of Jurassic Park

Posted on June 11, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Anniversary of Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park Poster

June 11, 1993

Wikipedia Link

Posted in On This Day, The Big Screen

Anniversary of WarGames

Posted on June 3, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Anniversary of WarGames

In 1983,

A Computerized Voice Asked You…

Shall We Play A Game?

Wikipedia Link

YouTube Link

Posted in On This Day, The Big Screen

Happy Birthday, Clint Eastwood!

Posted on June 1, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Happy Birthday, Clint Eastwood!

Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. (May 31, 1930 - )

Clinton “Clint” Eastwood, Jr. (May 31, 1930 – )

Clint Eastwood is an American film actor, director, producer, composer, pianist, businessman, investor, and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide.

Wikipedia Link

Read more »

Posted in The Big Screen

40th Anniversary of Alien!

Posted on May 25, 2019 by James| Comments Off on 40th Anniversary of Alien!

Alien was released on May 25, 1979 in the United States and September 6 in the United Kingdom. It was met with critical acclaim and box office success, winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, three Saturn Awards (Best Science Fiction Film, Best Direction for Scott, and Best Supporting Actress for Cartwright), and a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, along with numerous other nominations. It has been consistently praised in the years since its release, and is considered one of the greatest films of all time. In 2002, Alien was deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. In 2008, it was ranked by the American Film Institute as the seventh-best film in the science fiction genre, and as the thirty-third greatest film of all time by Empire magazine.

The success of Alien spawned a media franchise of films, novels, comic books, video games, and toys. It also launched Weaver’s acting career, providing her with her first lead role. The story of her character‘s encounters with the Alien creatures became the thematic and narrative core of the sequels Aliens (1986), Alien 3(1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997). A crossover with the Predator franchise produced the Alien vs. Predator films, which includes Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007). A prequel series includes Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017).

Wikipedia Link

Posted in Because I Can, The Big Screen

Anniversary of Star Wars

Posted on May 25, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Anniversary of Star Wars

Star Wars

May 25, 1977, Memorial Day weekend opens with an intergalactic bang as the first of George Lucas’ blockbuster Star Wars movies hits American theaters.

Wikipedia Link

Posted in Because I Can, On This Day, The Big Screen

Happy Birthday, George Lucas

Posted on May 14, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Happy Birthday, George Lucas

George Lucas

George Walton Lucas, Jr. (May 14, 1944 – )

George Lucas is an Academy Award-nominated American film producer, screenwriter, director and chairman of Lucasfilm Ltd. He is best known for being the creator of the epic Sci-Fi franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones.

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Big Screen, The Little Screen (Television)

May the 4th Be With You

Posted on May 4, 2019 by James| Comments Off on May the 4th Be With You

May the 4th

Posted in Because I Can, Humor, The Big Screen

RIP Chewbacca

Posted on May 3, 2019 by James| Comments Off on RIP Chewbacca

Posted in Because I Can, News, The Big Screen

Anniversary of Miracle on 34th Street

Posted on May 2, 2019 by James| Comments Off on Anniversary of Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th Street (also titled The Big Heart in the UK) is a 1947 film which tells the story of a gentle old man, working as a Santa Claus at Macy’s department store in New York City, who contends that he is the real deal.

Miracle on 34th Street

Wikipedia Link

The film was released in theaters May 2, 1947.

 

Posted in Because I Can, On This Day, The Big Screen

20th Anniversary of ‘The Matrix’

Posted on March 31, 2019 by James| Comments Off on 20th Anniversary of ‘The Matrix’
The Matrix 2D DVD © Warner Bros.

Wikipedia Article

Posted in The Big Screen