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3 articles from 2009

8 hours ago | The Auteurs | See recent The Auteurs news »

What is it about the very scrupulous DVD collector, or, maybe what we might call the very scrupulous DVD librarian? What is it that drives him or her—but let's face it, more often than not it's a him—to pursue various iterations of a particular title in an obsessive fashion, so as to finally arrive at the closest thing at that moment to a platonic ideal of pictorial perfection? This week, we look at two versions of Fritz Lang's 1945 thriller Scarlet Street and try to arrive at an answer. »

18 October 2009 3:30 PM, PDT | SoundOnSight | See recent SoundOnSight news »

A term that translates to 'Black Film' already sounds interesting. Add to that dramatic, highly stylized cinematography and hard-hitting, gritty writing, and the appeal of film noir is clear. The term is mostly attributed to works such as Double Indemnity, Scarlet Street, and The Maltese Falcon, all major works which helped popularize the genre after its debut in the early 1940s. Film noir has its origins in literature, birthed in the middle of the 20th century when urban development and social unrest were creating a new world that demanded new literary styles. Coming into prominence at a time of expanding social consciousness in the context of urban life, authors such as Dashiell Hammett found a passion for writing in a 'hard-boiled,' street-smart manner.  Hammett's Two Sharp Knives is such a piece, with its stylized narrative, moody characters and dark setting, later to be enhanced in film by stark black and white imagery. »

- Daniel

4 May 2009 12:59 AM, PDT | DreadCentral.com | See recent Dread Central news »

For the first time in over half a century there is no Ackermuseum of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Forrest J Ackerman (1916-2008), genre-giant and the heart and soul of the largest collection of memorabilia ever assembled, has left the building. Now the building is leaving us. Without question, the end of an era. But not necessarily the end of Forry’s dream. Even as we face the depressing barren walls left by Uncle Forry’s absence, we’ll also consider how the recent auction of his memorabilia may offer a glimmer of hope for classic genre fandom and a new generation of Monster Kids.

Part 1: The Dark Before the Dawn

Forry’s collection began at his boyhood home on Sherborne Avenue, grew to mythical proportions at the 18-room Glendower Ave. Ackermansion and was ultimately downsized to fit in the 5-room “Horrorwood, Karloffornia” house pictured above. This was the final »

- GoJoeMoe

3 articles from 2009