Books I Am Reading

Am reading this.

Just finished reading this.

More About Scruffy

A couple weeks ago I wrote this blog entry about my reaction to an event that took place at the Arizona Humane Society -- an organization to which Matt and I contribute regularly.

Today I received an email from the Humane Society that lays out the events that occurred in December. I want to share that email with you. Please click on the image to the left to enlarge.

Yet Another Plastics House

We all know about the wonderful all-plastic House of the Future that once stood in Disneyland; but today I learned about another nearly all-plastic house that still stands in Texas.

It is the awe-inspiring Wilson House that served as a pioneer in early plastic laminates starting in the 1950s. The house is open for tours. There is even an online museum with more information about the founder of the company and builder of the house.

Thanks to Robin for the heads up about this link!

Books I Am Reading

Am reading this.

Just finished reading this.

Hollywood Time Machine

I've written a lot about early Hollywood. For some unknown reason the early years of filmmaking in California hold a special appeal for me. I read every book I can find -- especially contemporary accounts, which are very few in number and difficult to find; and watch every documentary I can. Unfortunately, I cannot do the one thing I really want: go back in time and actually watch history being made. How cool would it be to go back to Edendale in the early 1900s and watch the first films being made, to see how filmmaking evolved from the early crazy years to the crazier 1920s then 1930s.

Until time travel is perfected, I have found a method of virtual time travel: watching Hollywood's own films about Hollywood's own early days. I don't mean films today and their sloppy, romanticized attempts to recreate vintage Hollywood; rather, films from the 1920s - 1950s that show what was happening in those earlier days.

To get a taste of what early Hollywood was like I recommend the following:

Ella Cinders 1926

A young woman wins a magazine contest and becomes a movie star

Show People 1928

Local girl makes good in Hollywood

What Price Hollywood? 1932

How a waitress becomes a movie star

A Star is Born 1937

A fading movie star helps a young woman break into movies and watches as his career disappears and hers blooms

Hollywood Cavalcade 1939

Making silent films, and the advent of sound

Merton of the Movies 1947

Local boy makes good in Hollywood

Perils Of Pauline 1947

Not realistic look at Pearl White, who became a star making silent serials

Singin' in the Rain 1952

Silent films and the transition to sound

Man of a Thousand Faces 1957

Biography of Lon Chaney, star of many big silent films

Bonus:

A newer film that provides a good idea of working in silent film is: Good Morning Babylon 1987

Two Italian sculptors come to America and work on Griffith's film "Intolerance"

A television film more about the 1950s, but still gives a good idea of how Hollywood worked: What Makes Sammy Run? 1959 

(television movie shown on "Sunday Showcase")

A hyper-realistic view of a young hustler who rises to be a top producer in Hollywood

Documentaries:

The best way to learn about early Hollywood is to watch this documentary featuring interviews with many of the people who were there: Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film (13 parts) 1980

by Kevin Brownlow

Other films about Hollywood:

These are more about the inner-workings of Hollywood rather than filmmaking; but they all provide very interesting glimpses behind the scenes:

The Jolson Story 1946

It's a Great Feeling 1949

In a Lonely Place 1950

The Big Knife 1955

Jeanne Eagels 1957