Cinecon Pop-Up Day at Old Town Music Hall

 

Exciting news for classic movie fans who will be in Southern California this March. The Cinecon Classic Film Festival is holding its second annual pop-up day on Saturday March 21 from 9:30am to 8:30pm. It will be held at my favorite place to watch movies El Segundo's Old Town Music Hall (140 Richmond St, El Segundo, CA 90245). 

For any of you who are not familiar with the Cinecon Classic Film Festival, it tends to focus on rare old movies and TV shows that are hard to find and many of which even the most dedicated film and TV buffs have never even heard of. There are also premieres new restorations of classic movies and special guests who are related to the films. This pop-up day is a small sampling of what a Cinecon film festival is, and all funds will go to support the festival as well as Old Town Music Hall. 

This year's pop-up day will begin with the Paramount short, Find What's Wrong (1938).

After this will be a rare comedy movie that hasn't been seen in decades, Two Gals and a Guy (1951). This movie stars Robert Alda, Janis Paige and James Gleason. It also boasts the film debut of actress Patty McCormack, who will be appearing at the event in person.

 Then comes a new restoration of the silent film, The Johnstown Flood (1926) starring George O'Brien and Janet Gaynor (the stars of F.W. Murnau's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)).

After a lunch break is Sterling Yearian playing Old Town Music Hall's own 1925 Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ. This is followed by a new restoration of the classic Laurel and Hardy silent short, Big Business (1929).

Then comes a rare Paramount short film entitled Ted Husing's Television Preview (1940).

Afterwards is a 1960 episode of the classic TV western, The Rifleman. The episode features child actress Gigi Perreau, who will be at the event in person.  

Then comes a new restoration of the Tru-Color Roy Rogers western, Night Time in Nevada (1948). 

Afterwards is a new 2K restoration of the silent feature length movie, The Four Feathers (1929) starring William Powell, Richard Arlen and Fay Wray. 

The event ends with a new 4K restoration of House of Strangers (1949) starring Edward G. Robison and Susan Hayward. The film will be introduced by Kevin Schaeffer, the director of restoration and library management for the Walt Disney Company as well as Edward G. Robison's granddaughter, Francessca Robinson. 


If you wish to buy tickets for this event you can do so at Cinecon's Website.

 

Pre-Code Essentials: Must-See Cinema from Hollywood’s Untamed Era, 1930-1934 (2025)

 

Though it may not include the average person you pass on the street, Pre-code Hollywood has a surprisingly large and dedicated following. This era from 1930 to 1934, features many pure Hollywood classics that hold up massively well today. Some of these movies include such masterpieces as The Divorcee (1930), All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), Frankenstein (1931), I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), Three on a Match (1932), Grand Hotel (1932), Golddiggers of 1933 (1933), King Kong (1933) and Baby Face (1933). In this book historians Kim Luperi and Danny Reid picked out 50 classic Hollywood films (including those previously listed) from this era and take a close look at them. Their critical looks at these movies help bring great insight that allows us to enjoy these films on a greater level.

The research into these films is even more incredible. One of the most prevalent myths about Pre-Code Hollywood is that there was no censorship whatsoever. While the production code was not strictly enforced at this time, filmmakers still had to answer to local and state censor boards. This book takes a very close and eye-opening look at the interactions between studios and censor boards. This is an area of film history I was aware of, but it turns out I only knew the surface of. You may go into this book thinking you know a lot about Pre-code Hollywood, but you will soon learn just how wrong this assumption is. 

This book also works because of the two authors' writing style. This book is very well written and articulate but at the same time breezy and unpretentious. This writing style can full engage film scholars while still being readable and fun for causal readers. 

This is a truly essential book for fans of classic movies.  

Cowboy Church #257

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.

Today's musical selection begins with the King of the Cowboys and The Queen of the West, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Jesus in the Morning. This song reminds us that we are not only to leave a small part of the day with Jesus as our focus but all day long as well as everyday. We should wake up each morning with Jesus on our mind and go to bed each night the same way. While few of us will succeed with this every day, we will find that each day we do it will be an enriching day that will makes us grow as a person. This song comes from Roy and Dale’s 1973 gospel album, In the Sweet By and By.

This is followed by NEEDTOBREATHE and Carly Pearce with Fall On Me. 

Afterwards is Johnny Cash with This Train is Bound for Glory. This wonderful recording comes from John's 1979 album, A Believer Sings the Truth. This was a double length gospel album and Columbia Records felt that such an album from John could never be successful. However, Columbia allowed John to release the album on its own and it was successful earning a spot in the Country Top 50. A shorter version of the album called I Believe would be released in 1984, which would feature a select few songs from the double album. A Believer Sings the Truth would not find its way to CD until 2012.

This is followed by the Turney Brothers (Frank Luther/Carson Robison) with their 1929 recording of At the Cross.  This song was written by Issac Watts. Issacs was a church pastor in the 1700's and often wrote hymns and poems to go along with his sermons, and some of the hymns (including this one) are still known today with the most famous being Joy to the World. Though little is know about the origins of these songs, we do know that Issac was an influence on another one of the great hymn writers, Fanny Crosby (Blessed Assurance, Draw Me Nearer), who after hearing one of Issac's hymns at a revival meeting in 1851 gave her life to the Lord and began writing her great hymns. 

Then comes Cowboy Copas with Wreck on the Highway. This song was written Dorsey Dixon. The song is Dixon's most famous composition; however, he received no royalties from it. He tried to sue Roy Acuff (who had a massive hit with the song) over it. This was eventually settled out of court. Cowboy Copas' version comes from his 1963 album, Beyond the Sunset. 

Next is  The Sons of the Pioneers with The Woodsman Prayer from their 1963 album, Hymns of the Cowboy. This song was written by Stan Jones. Stan is best known for writing the cowboy music classic, Ghost Riders in the Sky. He also wrote the theme song for John Ford's The Searchers (1956), which The Sons of the Pioneers sang in that film. 

Today's musical selection closes with Tammy Wynette with He's Got the Whole World in His Hands. This comes from her 1969 gospel album, Inspiration. 

Now for the first episode of TV's The Lone Ranger.

Now for a sermon from the Reverand Billy Graham.

Psalm 57

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam. When he had fled from Saul into the cave.

1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,

    for in you I take refuge.

I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings

    until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,

    to God, who vindicates me.

3 He sends from heaven and saves me,

    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—

    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

4 I am in the midst of lions;

    I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—

men whose teeth are spears and arrows,

    whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

    let your glory be over all the earth.

6 They spread a net for my feet—

    I was bowed down in distress.

They dug a pit in my path—

    but they have fallen into it themselves.

7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,

    my heart is steadfast;

    I will sing and make music.

8 Awake, my soul!

    Awake, harp and lyre!

    I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

    I will sing of you among the peoples.

10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

    let your glory be over all the earth.

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #269

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with a real classic, Gold Diggers of '49 (1935). This short film was directed by the one and only Tex Avery. It was the first film, he directed for Warner Brothers and much of his famous style is already here. This cartoon does not feel like the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts that came before it. Instead, this cartoon has a faster pace and wackier sense of humor. While there is no doubt that Tex would have timed some of these gags even faster later in his career, you can clearly see the inklings of what would become his signature style. This is also the first black and white Looney Tune to feature Porky Pig (though the character had appeared in a color Merrie Melody beforehand). This is important as Porky would soon become the main star of the black and white Looney Tunes series. Yet in this film he is a supporting character. The real star is Beans the Cat. Both of these characters had made their debut in the color Merrie Melodies short, I Haven't Got a Hat (1935). Beans would remain the star of the Looney Tunes series for short while until Porky took over the series. 

Next is the Talkartoon cartoon, Accordion Joe (1930).

Now for the Terry Toons cartoon, The Tale of a Dog (1959). This film came out after Paul Terry had sold Terry Toons to CBS. CBS as well as having the rights to the cartoons also retained the entire Terrytoons staff. As well as airing the old films on TV, CBS was interested in keeping the theatrical cartoons from the studio going and did so with Gene Deitch as the new artistic supervisor. Gene Deitch had worked with UPA, a studio that specialized in flatter more artistic stylized design work and this look can be seen in almost every Terry Toon made during this period. Cartoon fans today know Gene Deitch best for some truly underwhelming Tom and Jerry shorts in the 1960's. This is not fair though as this was just a small part of his career and elsewhere, he made some great films.

Now for an earlier cartoon from the Terry Toons studio when Paul Terry was still the studio head, A Day in June (1944). 

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Next comes one of Disney's funniest cartoon shorts, Der Fuehrer's Face (1943). This film grew out of a Donald Duck short about paying your taxes during war time called The New Spirit (1942). There was going to be a scene (in a story treatment by Joe Grant and Dick Huemer) in that short that featured a radio announcer talking about the horrors of living in a totalitarian state. This was not used in that short, but the idea stayed in the heads of those working at the Disney studio. These ideas grew into a cartoon that would feature Donald Duck living in Nazi Germany. Jack Kinney, Disney's most comedic and satiric cartoon director being placed in the director's chair guaranteed that this short would be a comedic masterpiece as well as an effective piece of political commentary. The cartoon was originally going to be titled Donald Duck in Nutziland. However, it would be retitled Der Fuehrer's Face after the satirical and catchy song Oliver Wallace wrote for the cartoon. Disney studio staffer Jim Macdonald remembered Wallace improvising the song one day at Walt's request. Macdonald stated, "He did that in about ten minutes. That's spontaneity!" Before the cartoon even reached theaters Spike Jones and his City Slickers released a recording in late 1942 and had a massive hit with it. This film also benefits from some top-notch animation. John Sibley animated the hilariously cartoony marching band animation at the start. The real highlight of the cartoon is the great montage sequence which was animated by Les Clark and Hugh Fraser. This cartoon we earn Donald Duck, his one and only Oscar. It later received the 22nd spot in Jerry Beck's must-own book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons. 

Now for the New 3 Stooges cartoon, Stooges in the Woods (1965). 

Next comes Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in The Prison Panic (1930). This is one of the Oswald films produced by Walter Lantz when Walt Disney discovered he didn't have the rights to the character he created, which led to Disney creating Mickey Mouse. These Lantz Oswalds were actually my introduction to the character, and I guess I will always have a soft spot for them. 

Now to close with a song. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald 

Donald Duck: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Movie Review: I Can Only Imagine 2

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent biopic of the Christian rock band MercyMe. 

Despite the prevalence of both musical biopics and sequels in modern cinema, a sequel to a musical biopic is rare. That is what makes I Can Only Imagine 2 work so well. It tells the story of what happens after where most musical biopics stop and about how everything doesn't necessary work out perfectly after your dreams come truly. With this theme the sequel takes a more serious and sometimes even melancholy tone. All the while though in true Christian movie fashion, this film tells how God is by your side through the tough parts of life and that even in your darkest days you can find hope. That the story is not afraid to go to darker and more serious places makes this message all the more effective. One may accuse this story of sermonizing at times, but the sermons fit the story and the characters. They are also quite well written (especially when dealing with the story behind the classic hymn, It is Well).

This movie also benefits greatly from an excellent cast. John Michael Finley is still great as the band's lead singer Bart. Trace Adkins is again fantastic as the band's manager. Sammy Dell is an excellent addition as Bart's teenage son holding his own with the rest of the great cast. However it is Milo Ventimiglia as the band's opening act, Tim Timmons who truly steals the show. He is simply wonderful here bringing a real heart to the film as well as some of the movie's most effective comedic moments. (On a sidenote it is strange how we actually hear more Tim Timmons music than MercyMe music in this film).

My main complaint with this movie however is that the focus is so much on Bart, his teenage son and Tim that we don't really get to know or spend time with any of the other characters. These characters are mostly just kind of there without us really having any connection to them. The sole exception is the band's manager yet that is more because of Trace Adkins' performance and a few pretty funny lines he is given than any actual character development. 

Despite these flaws though this is a very emotionally effective biopic. 

  

   

Movie Trailer: Toy Story 5

 

Movie Trailer: Pressure