2011 CMBA Hitchcock Blogathon

Welcome to the Classic Movie Blog Association's 2011 Hitchcock Blogathon. It's a marathon homage to the Master of Suspense, spanning over 40 years of his films. Twenty members of the CMBA are reviewing the following Hitchcock classics (click on the blog name to read the post):

The Birds – Classic Film & TV Café
Dial M for Murder – True Classics: The ABCs of Film
The Lady Vanishes – MacGuffin Movies
Lifeboat – Classicfilmboy’s Movie Paradise
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) – Reel Revival
Marnie – My Love of Old Hollywood 
Mr. and Mrs. Smith – Carole & Co. 
North By Northwest – Bette’s Classic Movie Blog
Notorious – Twenty Four Frames
The Pleasure Garden – Thrilling Days of Yesteryear
Rear Window – Java’s Journey
Rebecca – ClassicBecky’s Film and Literary Review
Rope – Kevin’s Movie Corner
Shadow of a Doubt – Great Entertainers Media Archive
The 39 Steps – Garbo Laughs
Three Classic Hitchcock Killers – The Lady Eve’s Reel Life
Torn Curtain - Via Margutta 51
The Trouble with Harry – Bit Part Actors
Vertigo – Noir and Chick Flicks
The Wrong Man – The Movie Projector

It's Almost Here...

The CMBA Hitchcock Blogathon will take place on Monday, January 17th. Twenty CMBA members are writing about their favorite Hitchcock films and characters during a marathon one-day event. Be sure to check back here on Monday morning for a list of all the films and blogs. Or, you can go directly to your favorite CMBA classic movie blogs and read their Hitchcock reviews!

Coming in January 2011!

And the 2010 CiMBA Winners are....

The Classic Movie Blog Association (CMBA) is proud to announce its winners for the 2010 CiMBA, an award given in seven categories to recognize excellence in classic movie blogging among the CMBA's thirty members.

Over the last two months, CMBA members had an opportunity to self-nominate their best blog posts in each category. If the number of nominees exceeded five in a category, a screening vote was held to reduce the number (although there were still ties, creating six nominations in two categories). Click here to vote the full list of nominees.

The members then voted to select the best of the best. Unlike some web awards, only CMBA members can vote for the CiMBA--making it an award given by one's peers. The voting was close in many of the categories, which is indicative of the outstanding quality of all the nominees.

Congratulations to the 2010 CiMBA winners! We strongly encouragely all classic movie lovers to check out their outstanding posts below:

Best Film Review (Drama)
Boris Karloff Blogathon, Day 7: “You know what they call my films today? Camp! High camp!” (A review of Targets) by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr., Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, http://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2009/11/boris-karloff-blogathon-day-7-you-know.html

Best Film Review (Musical or Comedy)
Love Me Tonight (1932) by R.D. Finch, The Movie Projector, http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2010/06/love-me-tonight-1932.html

Best Classic Movie Article
The Best Fred Astaire Musicals Without Ginger Rogers by R.D. Finch, The Movie Projector, http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-fred-astaire-musicals-without.html

Best Profile of a Classic Movie Performer or Filmmaker
About John Gilbert...An Interview with Leatrice Gilbert Fountain by TheLadyEve, Classic Film & TV Cafe, http://classic-film-tv.blogspot.com/2010/08/about-john-gilbertan-interview-with.html

Best Classic Movie Blog Event
Trivia Time by Paul2, Classic Film & TV Cafe, http://classic-film-tv.blogspot.com/2010/01/trivia-time-part-17.html (this is a link to just one of the quizzes).

Best Classic Movie Discussion
10 Questions with John Stangeland, author of Warren William: Magnificent Scoundrel of Pre-Code Hollywood by Cliff Aliperti, Warren-Wiliam.com, http://warren-william.com/2010/06/21/interview-john-stangeland/

Best Classic Movie Blog Design
Classicfilmboy’s Movie Paradise, http://www.classicfilmboy.com/

Nominees for the 2010 CiMBA - The CMBA's Awards for Excellence in Classic Movie Blogging

Below is the complete list of official nominees for the 2010 CiMBA awards.

Best Film Review (Drama)

America by SilentFilmFanatic, Noir and Chick Flicks, http://dawnschickflicks.blogspot.com/2010/08/america-1924-dw-griffith.html

The Asphalt Jungle (John Huston) by John Greco, Twenty Four Frames, http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2010/07/03/the-asphalt-jungle-1950-john-huston/

Boris Karloff Blogathon, Day 7: “You know what they call my films today? Camp! High camp!” (A review of Targets) by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr., Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, http://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2009/11/boris-karloff-blogathon-day-7-you-know.html

The Clock by Brian, Classicfilmboy’s Movie Paradise, http://www.classicfilmboy.com/2010/05/clock-timeless-romance.html

Richard III -- A Villain for the Ages by ClassicBecky, ClassicBecky’s Film and Literary Review, http://classicbeckybrainfood.blogspot.com/2010/08/richard-iii-villain-for-ages.html

The Whisperers (1967): Are You There by Rupert, Classic Movies Digest, http://classicmoviesdigest.blogspot.com/2010/02/whisperers-1967-are-you-there.html

Best Film Review (Musical or Comedy)

Ball of Fire (Howard Hawks) by John Greco, Twenty Four Frames, http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/ball-of-fire-1941-howard-hawks-2/

Feel Good Movies: I Hope You're Going My Way Too by ClassicBecky, Classic Film & TV Cafe, http://classic-film-tv.blogspot.com/search/label/going%20my%20way

Love Me Tonight (1932) by R.D. Finch, The Movie Projector, http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2010/06/love-me-tonight-1932.html

Margie (1946): The Roaring 20's, High School Style by Rupert, Classic Movies Digest, http://classicmoviesdigest.blogspot.com/2010/01/margie-1946-roaring-20s-high-school.html

Movies I’ve stared at recently on TCM #48 (“They’ve taken the last of the canteens” edition) by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr., Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, http://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2009/12/movies-ive-stared-at-recently-on-tcm-48.html

The Smiling Lieutenant by Brian, Classicfilmboy’s Movie Paradise, http://www.classicfilmboy.com/2010/04/smile-smile-smile.html

Best Classic Movie Article

“Because he lived and wrote and acted here, this land will always be a saner place to live. That fact is his true monument.” – Herman Wouk by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr., Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, http://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2010/02/because-he-lived-and-wrote-and-acted.html

The Best Fred Astaire Musicals Without Ginger Rogers by R.D. Finch, The Movie Projector, http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-fred-astaire-musicals-without.html

Ernest Borgnine Said What? The TCM Classic Film Festival by Sazball, Classic Film & TV Cafe, http://classic-film-tv.blogspot.com/2010/05/ernest-borgnine-said-what-tcm-classic.html

In Defense of Scarlett O'Hara by Brandie, True Classics: The ABCs of Classic Film http://trueclassics.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/in-defense-of-scarlett-ohara/

My Top 10 Introduction to Warren William Recommendations by Cliff Aliperti, Warren-William.com, http://warren-william.com/2009/12/09/my-top-10-introduction-to-warren-william-recommendations/

Best Profile of a Classic Movie Performer or Filmmaker

About John Gilbert...An Interview with Leatrice Gilbert Fountain by TheLadyEve, Classic Film & TV Cafe, http://classic-film-tv.blogspot.com/2010/08/about-john-gilbertan-interview-with.html

Jennifer Jones by Brian, Classicfilmboy’s Movie Paradise, http://www.classicfilmboy.com/2009/12/my-favorite-40s-actresses-11.html

Katharine Hepburn Starring in Box-Office Poison by Rupert, Classic Movies Digest, http://classicmoviesdigest.blogspot.com/2010/05/katharine-hepburn-starring-in-box.html

Mantan the Funnyman by Kevin Deany, Kevin’s Movie Corner, http://kevinsmoviecorner.blogspot.com/2010/02/mantan-funnyman.html

Too Marvelous for Words by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr., Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, http://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2009/11/too-marvelous-for-words.html

Best Classic Movie Blog Event

Dawn and Monty’s Summer Movies at the Beach by Dawn and Monty, Noir and Chick Flicks, http://dawnschickflicks.blogspot.com/search/label/summer%20beach%20movies. Surfing was big, dancing was all part of a day at the beach and some cool songs made their way onto our favorite beach films.  

The Oscars 1944 (consisting of five posts, a poll and feedback from readers) by Brian, Classicfilmboy’s Movie Paradise:
-- http://www.classicfilmboy.com/2010/02/oscars-1944.html
-- http://www.classicfilmboy.com/2010/03/1944-and-then-there-were-five.html
-- http://www.classicfilmboy.com/2010/03/1944-and-nominees-are_03.html
-- http://www.classicfilmboy.com/2010/03/1944-and-my-winner-is.html
-- http://www.classicfilmboy.com/2010/03/and-real-winners-from-1944-are.html

Trivia Time by Paul2, Classic Film & TV Cafe, http://classic-film-tv.blogspot.com/2010/01/trivia-time-part-17.html  (this is a link to just one of the quizzes). This weekly quiz may be the most challenging classic movie trivia game on the web! Some installments of Trivia Time have been viewed by over 400 readers and generated up to 30 comments.

Best Classic Movie Discussion

1962: Hollywood’s Second Greatest Year Part 3 by R.D. Finch, The Movie Projector, http://movieprojector.blogspot.com/2009/11/1962-hollywoods-second-greatest-year.html

10 Questions with John Stangeland, author of Warren William: Magnificent Scoundrel of Pre-Code Hollywood by Cliff Aliperti, Warren-Wlliam.com, http://warren-william.com/2010/06/21/interview-john-stangeland/

Everybody’s Got One by ClassicBecky, ClassicBecky’s Film and Literary Review, http://classicbeckybrainfood.blogspot.com/2010/05/everybody-has-favorite-or-two.html

Sark and Rick Discuss Brian De Palma's "Body Double" by Sarkoffagus and Rick29, Classic Film & TV Cafe, http://classic-film-tv.blogspot.com/2009/11/sark-and-rick-discuss-brian-de-palmas.html

A “Tale” Worth Enjoying by Brian, Classicfilmboy’s Movie Paradise, http://www.classicfilmboy.com/2010/06/tale-worth-enjoying.html

Best Classic Movie Blog Design

ClassicBecky's Film and Literary Review, http://www.classicbeckybrainfood.blogspot.com/

Classicfilmboy’s Movie Paradise, http://www.classicfilmboy.com/

Java’s Journey, http://javabeanrush.blogspot.com/

Noir and Chick Flicks, http://dawnschickflicks.blogspot.com/

Blog of the Week: Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Ivan  G. Shreve, Jr. describes Thrilling Days of Yesteryear as “a blog that revels in the good old days—when black-and-white movies weren't necessarily bad things, when people listened to a radio for entertainment...and when unreality shows (talking horses, witches, genies, monsters and martians) ruled the television airwaves.”

Thrilling Days of Yesteryear can be found at: http://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.blogspot.com/.

Click on the links below to view some of the recent posts at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear:

RIP Ronald Neame

Mayberry Mondays #8: The Church Play

Crime does not pay (as well as it used to) #4

Blog on Bray Days

As some of you may be aware, Bray Studios in England are in danger of closure and demolition to make way for housing. This would amount to the destruction of an important part of British film and cultural history. Bray was home to Hammer Films for many years (where iconic productions like The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy were filmed) and subsequently was used in the production of many other films (including The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the model work for Alien) and TV programmes (including Space 1999 and Dr Who). The Save Bray Studios campaign, organised by Hammer expert Robert Simpson, is trying to raise awareness of this imminent threat and encourage others to do likewise. As such, if you love classic and horror cinema please consider taking part in the following, and inform others of it:

The Watching Hammer blog (http://watchinghammer.blogspot.com/) would like to propose next week (Sun - Sun) as a week of Blog on Bray Days.

Please take part and choose a day next week as your Blog on Bray Day to write a post on Bray Studios, the place they hold in cinema history, the danger they currently face, and what people can do, including relevant links.

The Save Bray Studios facebook page can be found here - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=106861216022812

The Save Bray Studios blog can be found here - http://braystudios.blogspot.com/

The Watching Hammer blog has posted a list of suggested things people can do, including addresses to write and/or email here - http://watchinghammer.blogspot.com/2010/07/save-bray-studios.html

Post URLs can be emailed to Watching Hammer which will collate them as links.

CMBA member Watching Hammer thanks you very much and asks you to please take part!