The Black Dahlia Is a Victim of Time
Journalist and historian William J. Mann tries to conjure who the “Black Dahlia”, Elizabeth Short, really was, but time is a powerful killer.
hollywood
Jack Benny Tries to Be a Lothario in These Saucy 1930s Comedies
It’s absurd to think of Jack Benny or his characters as lotharios, but he does his best in these 1930s saucy, censor-restricted comedies.
MGM’s ‘Lovely to Look At’ Lives Up to It’s Title
MGM musical Lovely to Look At is gorgeous stuff; the colors bleed so richly and profusely that they spread across the frames like melted crayons.
When Celebrity Spouses Go Off-Script
Fan obsession over celebrity spouses mirrors anxieties about our performative selves in the age of influencers.
Paul Verhoeven Made the Blueprint for Neo-Totalitarianism
Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi films are like how-to manuals for neo-totalitarianism, which doesn’t rely on coups, martial law, violent suppression of the opposition press, or paramilitary factions roaming the streets to instill our obedience.
‘The Cinema of Extractions’ Drills into Hollywood’s Petrochemical Bones
Professor of visual culture Brian Jacobson drills down into how oil fueled Hollywood and Hollywood fueled a new “Cinema of Extractions”.
‘Dark City Dames’ Sheds Light on Women in Film Noir
The incredible amount of information and the stunning reproductions of posters, stills, and publicity photos make Eddie Muller’s Dark City Dames a stirring tribute to women in film noir.
Hobart Bosworth’s Edgy Strong Silent Type Clings to Life
What remains of Hobart Bosworth’s edgy strong silent type characters and his directing achievements cling to life in the few silent-era Hollywood films left to us.
It Ain’t Easy Being Green in Wicked’s Hollywood
In Wicked: Part 1, “normal” citizens come in all skin colors – except green. It ain’t easy being green in Wicked’s (or America’s) Hollywood.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and the Death of Hollywood Franchises
Hollywood franchise films may not have started as theme parks, but the drive to eliminate risk will quickly turn them into the very thing their detractors fear.
New Bio Explores What Fueled Joan Crawford’s ‘Ferocious Ambition’
Was Joan Crawford self-made or industry-made? Biographer Robert Dance explores what fueled the Hollywood star in Ferocious Ambition.
We All Must Reckon with the ‘MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios’
Corporate villainy! Creative tyranny! Dangerous foes and tough allies! MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios blasts the superhero movie universe with the studio’s massive, messy history.