CelluloidKid

*CAN SOMEONE PLEASE CORRECT THE SPELLING OF THE MAN'S NAME..IT'S STARTING TO BUG ME!!!* *IT'S: Ricardo Montalb?n NOT.... Ricardo Montalbalm !*

*Winning posthumous acting Oscar not easy* Jan. 22, 2009 MSN - Entertainment News! LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The last time an actor won an Academy Award after his death it took no less than a manic, tour-de-force performance that included exhorting Americans to throw open their windows and scream, "I'm as mad as hell and I am not going to take this anymore." That was the line Peter Finch made famous in 1976's "Network," when he played television newscaster Howard Beale who, courting a nervous breakdown and contemplating suicide over his disastrous ratings, turns into a wild-eyed, raving prophet of doom before his TV audience's very eyes. "I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a Depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth. Banks are going bust. Shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody anywhere seems to know what to do," Finch screams maniacally in a darkly comic scene still popular on the Internet 33 years later. The role won him the only Oscar awarded posthumously to an actor in the 81-year history of the Academy Awards. Just to be nominated posthumously for an acting Oscar is rare, with Heath Ledger only the sixth performer so honored Thursday. Dozens of people have been nominated in less prominent categories, including screenwriting, costuming and music. Two who won posthumously were Sidney Howard for screenplay for 1939's "Gone With the Wind" and Walt Disney for short subject (cartoon) for "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day" in 1968. "The fact that only one actor has ever won an Oscar from the grave tells us that in general at the Oscars, the feeling is when you're dead, you're dead," Tom O'Neil, a columnist for TheEnvelope.com, told The Associated Press last year after Oscar buzz began to build for Ledger's riveting performance as Batman's malevolent nemesis The Joker in "The Dark Knight." Film legend James Dean was nominated for best actor twice after his death, for "East of Eden" in 1955 and "Giant" the following year. But Ernest Borgnine won for "Marty" in 1955 and Yul Brynner took the Oscar in 1956 for "The King and I." More recently, Massimo Troisi was nominated for lead actor for 1995's "The Postman" but lost to Nicolas Cage who starred in "Leaving Las Vegas." Ralph Richardson was nominated for supporting actor for 1984's "Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes" but Haing S. Ngor won for "The Killing Fields." A sentimental favorite for a posthumous award in 1967 appeared to be Spencer Tracy, who had died shortly after capping a brilliant career with his performance in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" Tracy, who was the calm voice of reason among black and white parents concerned over their children's planned interracial marriage, lost to Rod Steiger, who starred in the interracial drama "In the Heat of the Night." Like Dean, who died at age 23 in a car crash, Ledger, 28, was an up-and-coming star cut down in his prime. Tracy on the other hand had won Oscars twice before and had been nominated nine times in all. Finch was 64 when he died of a heart attack two months before the awards ceremony. His widow accepted his Oscar. Ledger has been nominated once before, for best actor for 2005's "Brokeback Mountain." He lost to Philip Seymour Hoffman who won for "Capote."

Tommy Kirk was in: _Swiss Family Robinson_ (1960) directed by: Ken Annakin! *NEW DIRECTOR: Ken Annakin!*

_20,000 Years in Sing Sing_ (1932)

HAUTE COUTURE .. _Pr?t-?-Porter_ (1994) *NEW WORD: Bucolic!*

I also love: _A Boy and His Dog_ (1975) - Don Johnson plays a young man in a post nuclear war world who has an interesting friend, a telepathic dog. The dog gives him an advantage in dealing with the barbaric world he lives in. When Johnson finds one place that has escaped the devastation of the war, he also finds some rather odd attitudes. Has to be seen to be believed! I saw this bck in the late 80's on VHS!

OK, I just saw _Firecracker_ (2005), Sorry Karen not the greatest movie of your career! See it for Karen that is it! I have _The Pyx_ (1973)in my hands haven't watched it! _The Pyx_ (1973) A detective investigating the death of a heroin-addicted prostitute uncovers evidence pointing to the existence of a murderous devil cult.

Karen Black plays Mother Firefly in _House of 1000 Corpses_ (2003), but due to a salary dispute prior to beginning preproduction on its sequel _The Devil's Rejects_ (2005), Black was inevitably replaced by veteran actress Leslie Easterbrook.

The films of: Spencer Tracy I enjoyed were: _Libeled Lady_ (1936) _Captains Courageous_ (1937) - Tracy won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in this film. _Mannequin_ (1937) - Tracy and Joan Crawford..OOP on VHS ..Not on DVD yet! _Boys Town_ (1938) _Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_ (1941) - Tracy, Ingrid Bergman & Lana Turner, directed by Victor Fleming! _A Guy Named Joe_ (1943) _Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo_ (1944) _Father of the Bride_ (1950) _Father's Little Dividend_ (1951) _Bad Day at Black Rock_ (1955) _Inherit the Wind_ (1960) _Judgment at Nuremberg_ (1961) - Spencer Tracy was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role! _Cass Timberlane_ (1947) - Lana Turner Co-Stars again! _Edison, the Man_ (1940) _Boom Town_ (1940) - Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Claudette Colbert & Hedy Lamarr!

*_Celeste Holm_* *_Gentleman's Agreement_ (1947)* *_All About Eve_ (1950)* - Nominated for Academy Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role. *_Come to the Stable_ (1949)* - Nominated for Academy Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role. *_Three Men and a Baby_ (1987)* - She is so funny! *_Road House_ (1948)* - Ms. Holm in a film noir!

What blows my mind is that during the Ricardo Montalb?n tribute TCM aired _The Singing Nun_ & then on Sunday 01/25/09 TCM will Re-Air _The Singing Nun_ ! This is silly!

Cleavon Little was in: _FM_ (1978) W./Eileen Brennan! *NEW STAR: Eileen Brennan!*

*Dr. Strangelove Comes to Blu-ray on June 16th, 2009!* A Stanley Kubrick classic is getting the anniversary treatment. Dr. Strangelove will be released on Blu-ray in a new _45th Anniversary Special Edition_ on June 16. We don't have any cover art or full special features details as of yet, but the disc will be priced at approximately $39. We'll surely keep you updated on any developments with this new BD disc. The film stars Peter Sellers and Sterling Hayden. Stanley Kubrick's black comedy classic about an "accidental" nuclear attack received four Oscar nominations (including Best Picture, 1964). Convinced the Commies want to pollute America's "precious bodily fluids," a crazed general (Sterling Hayden) orders a nuclear air strike on the U.S.S.R. As his aide, Captain Mandrake (Peter Sellers), scrambles to unlock a recall code to prevent the bombing, the U.S. President (Sellers again) calls a drunken Soviet Premier on the hotline claiming the proposed attack is all a silly mistake, while the President's advisor (an ex-Nazi scientist) Dr. Strangelove (Sellers once more) verifies the existence of a dreaded Doomsday Machine - a retaliatory device designed by the Soviets to end the human race once and for all! *_Special Features_:* (More special features to be announced later) - Documentary: "No Fighting in the War Room" - Featurette: "Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and Dr. Strangelove" - Interview with former Defense secretary Robert McNamara - "The Cold Facts" - a bonus track that offers trivia and background information on the Cold War, plus interviews with experts and analysts (including Daniel Ellsberg and former counter-terrorism chief Richard A. Clarke)

pest ...... _Arachnophobia_ (1990) *NEW WORD: Bogle/Boggle!*

Bruce Bennett also acted again W./Miss. Joan Crawford in _Sudden Fear_ (1952) which lead to Miss Crawford being directed by David Miller, & also being nominated for Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role! *NEW DIRECTOR: David Miller!!*

*Interesting that the costume design is by Edith Head!* *I'm still trying to understand the disagreements or "Mystery" about the running time...even TV Guide states: The Swinger - 1966, Movie, NR, 81 mins* Another film site that is selling the film on DVD states: Runtime: 90 minutes..!?? Sooo hmmmmmmmmmm!??! & TCM lists: Runtime Listing: 81 mins. The more I hear about this film, maybe someone should try to contact the film studio itself (Studio: Paramount Pictures) and find out what the exact running time is or was , & if indeed there was a "Director's cut"!?. After all they do have a research department. But then again, on another movie message board someone has the following question about _The Swinger_ (1966): *_The paint scene - original version:_* I taped this scene off TV in 1979 or 1980 and it runs about six minutes. The scene as it ran on AMC is WAY shorter and has at least one shot that's an alternate take. Has the original shown up anywhere yet? *- NO ONE HAS ANSWERED BACK YET!* I hope we are all talking about the same film!? There is not a lot of info on the internet or in books about: _The Swinger_ (1966) *_The only "Trivia" I find is on Movie database_:* Ann-Margret rides a 500cc Triumph T100C Tiger motorcycle in the film. Later, she herself featured in Triumph Motorcycles's official advertisements in the USA.

Frank Morgan was in: _I Live My Life_ (1935) W./ (My favorite!) Miss. Joan Crawford! *NEW STAR: Joan Crawford!!*

I grew up as a military brat, & so my summers were always spent in movie theaters on & off the Air Force Bases. I have seen so many older films on the big screen, but their are several I still would love to see up there on the screen! My fondest memory of going to the movies with my mother, & be introduced to the "Classics, was the 1st time I got to see _Lawrence of Arabia_ (1962). The 1st time I got to see _Lawrence of Arabia_ was "NOT" on on VHS, or TV but on the "Big Screen" for it's restoration/director's cut release in 1989. NOW .....THAT IS HOW U EXPERIENCE A CLASSIC FILM FOR THE 1st TIME! However, the 1 film I always would like to see see on the big screen is: _Mildred Pierce_ (1945) W./Joan Crawford! Well, any Joan Crawford film on the "big screen" in fact!! _The Misfits_ (1961) or _Gentlemen Prefer Blondes_ (1953) W./Marilyn Monroe would be cool to see on the "big screen"! I have seen _Some Like It Hot_ (1959) on the big screen several times, but I would very much like to some "other" MM film on the "Big screen"! Also the "Original" cut of _The French Line_ (1954) in 3-D W./Jane Russell would be another treat to see on the "big screen"!

*You knew you should have hit the eject button when....* When Arnold Schwarzenegger tries to act. Sylvester Stallone tries to act. **** jokes...any film with a "**** jokes"...body fluids etc....I'm sorry toilet humor is not funny.! Any film With: Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Rob Schneider, Paris Hilton, Ben Stiller. When horror films turn into "Torture Horror Porn" I.E. _Turistas_ (2006), _Hostel_ (2005) etc.Trash! Anytime U have to show nonstop torture to entertain, the film makers take way the "horror"! Give me the good Ol' slasher flicks from the 70's & 80's that had more "Imagination" & "Style"!! Remakes..Reboots..I.E.: _The Day the Earth Stood Still_ (2008) ... _Halloween_ (2007), _The Fog_ (2005)...._The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ (2003), _Friday the 13th_ (2009)! - More Trash, & this country is in an economic hardship & this is "HOW" Hollywood waste money! When the film is as about as boring as watching paint dry, I.E. _Spider_ (2002), _Solyaris_ (1972).

Ann Sothern was in: _Cry 'Havoc'_ (1943) W./Margaret Sullavan & directed by: Richard Thorpe! *NEW DIRECTOR: Richard Thorpe!*

How odd....I turn on the Flix Channel (Channel 190, Cox in Phoenix, Az.) , & guess what!??! _Cold Turkey_ (1971) is on again! LOL! I just love Dick Van Dyke as Rev. Clayton Brooks! The set & art direction for his room is just hilarious. I love the painting in the background of the man praying. LOL! I also love Vincent Gardenia as Mayor Wappler! To me he will always be Mr. Mushnik in _Little Shop of Horrors_ (1986). *_I found this very interesting bit of trivia on the film_:* *Made in 1969, it gathered dust on the distributor's shelf for two years before it was released - coincidently, around the time _All In The Family_ became an instant hit and it and Lear became a hot Hollywood property.* The info I found on the film Cold Turkey (1971) indicates that this was Norman Lear's "*_Only_*" big screen film. He was mainly an American television writer and producer who produced such popular sitcoms as _All in the Family_, _Sanford and Son_, _One Day at a Time_, _The Jeffersons_, _Good Times_ and _Maude_. It seems his career was more writer, producer, oroduction manager & actor. In 1967, Lear was nominated for an Academy Award for writing _Divorce, American Style_. Also, in 2003, Lear made an appearance on _South Park_ during the _I'm a Little Bit Country_ episode, providing the voice of Benjamin Franklin. What an interesting man .....Norman Lear! The things U learn from a film when U go into a a director's filmography! *I also can't believe that original music was provided by: Randy Newman!* Randy Newman's film scores include: Ragtime, The Natural, Toy Story, Leatherheads, Meet the Parents and Seabiscuit. He also scored four other Pixar films: A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., and Cars. Very talented cast and crew for the film: _Cold Turkey_ (1971)!! *A true "Cult" film!*

*You should check out my thread:* *Thread: CLASSIC FILMS ON THE BIG SCREEN.....* http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=133372&tstart=0 *Lots of info about various classic films being shown on the "Big Screen" at various venues through-out the country.*

Michael Caine WAS IN: _Sleuth_ (1972) directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz! *NEW DIRECTOR: Joseph L. Mankiewicz!*

Seance - _Supernatural_ (1933) W./Carole Lombard! *NEW WORD: Light rail!!*

*Julie Ormond couldn't act her way out of a paperbag!*