CineMedia: Previous Sites of the Week

CineMedia's Previous Sites of the Month
*for March 2006!*	Grauman's Chinese Theatre	Opened in 1927, Grauman's Chinese Theatre is one of the grand dames of the classic picture palaces. Read a brief history of the theatre - from its spectacular grand opening featuring Cecil B. DeMille's "The King of Kings" to its recent renovations. Check out the Web cam showing you lives images of the theatre's famous courtyard featuring the foot and hand prints of the stars as people pass by on Hollywood Blvd. If you are heading out to Hollywood, you can even arrange a "VIP" Backstage Tour of the theatre. But our favorite part is the map of the Forecourt where you can see where each star's footprint slab is located. Classic Hollywood - at its best!
*for December 2005!*	De Palma a la Mod	Where has director Brian De Palma been lately? His most recent film was the 2002 "Femme Fatale" and his next film will be "The Black Dahlia" (starring Scarlett Johansson) due to be released next May. Rejoice in the return of De Palma! And this is the site for the most recent news about the director known for his eclectic film output (featuring such diverse films as "Carrie," "Scarface," and "Mission Impossible"). Beyond the news reports, there are also numerous links to interviews, critiques, blogs, and quotes - all relating to the man and his films.
*for September & October 2005!*	The Telethon Years	It's September again and you know what that means? Yes, it's time for the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon! And we love this site that chronicles the Telethon over the years. Browse through the photo album and see images from the show, advertisements, Jerry on stage, and our favorite, the photo of a stack of cue cards used during the 1976 broadcast. Watch highlights from numerous telecasts in the Video Clips section and read about previous shows in the Articles section. Finally, check out the "Surprise" section featuring special non-telethon material and where you can download a fantastic clip of Jerry impersonating Sammy Davis Jr. on Jerry's 1957 NBC Special. Pure genius - or so the French think....
*for August 2005!*	PopcornQ	PopcornQ is PlanetOut's section devoted queer cinema. Search or browse their huge film database for movies based on orientation (Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, "Straight," etc.) or themes (Comedy, Biography, Children's, etc.) and you get a concise summary, brief credits, and even a picture or clip or two. Want to watch a film now? Check out their "online cinema" featuring a substantial list of short films playing. Want to watch a film in person? PopcornQ maintains one of the best, up-to-date lists of lesbian and gay film festival from around the world. We especially like the "Professional Resources" section with all sorts of information about how to make and distribute your own film. Finally, the Queer Top 10 is a must visit: vote for your favorite queer celebrity or filmmaker.
*for April 2005!*	The DVD File	Love DVDs and everything about DVDs? Then you've arrived to DVD heaven. "The DVD File" is a highly updated site featuring reviews, interviews, techie reports - pretty much everything-DVD! Follow current DVD sales stats and "box-office," participate in weekly contests, and visit their "At the Drive-In" section for sneak peeks at DVD menus, trailers, and images. We love the "Inside the Disc" section that features behind-the-scenes details about the "making of..." many previous DVD releases and their huge "Forum" section brings DVD lovers from all over to talk shop. What more could you want (...if you're a huge DVD fan, that is...).
*for March 2005!*	The Lost Mind Awards Database	Just coming up for air after the Oscars? Still not sick of this-and-that awards presentations? If not, then "The Lost Mind Awards Database" is a great place for you to continue your awards fascination. And this site covers the awards - all of them. Here you'll find the listings for almost any media award imaginable - from the "African American Film Critics Awards" and the "Makeup and Hair Stylist Guild Awards" to the "Seattle Film Critics Awards." Hop into the "Comparisons" section and examine, for example, who won the Best Supporting Actor awards from 1936 to the present from over 30 groups and organizations. Or just look at the awards presented for any given year (from 1916 and on). In any case, this site is the definitive awards database.
*for February 2005!*	Oscar.com	It's Oscar time this month with the 77th Annual Academy Awards - and probably the best source to check out the nominees, the hype, and the history of the awards is the official Oscar site itself. Watch trailers from the nominated films and print off your own awards ballot for those Oscar-watching parties. Play their 'Predict the Winners" game and try to win one of the many prizes offered, including a plasma TV, year-long subscription to Blockbuster Online, or even (gulp!) the fabulous "Diamond Right Hand Ring." Well, at least it's fun to test your prediction skills. And what would an Oscar night be without all of the attention paid towards Hollywood's (and our) obsession with style. Check out photos of fashion from previous Oscar nights. And the best thing about this site? You can get through it in "less" than 6 hours!!!
*for January 2005!*	Alfred Hitchcock - The Master of Suspense	Probably the finest site out there devoted to Hitch (and blessed by The Alfred Hitchcock Trust) featuring a brief bio, taut pages devoted to each of his directed films, and an entire section centered on his "collaborators" (i.e. lead actors, Saul Bass, Bernard Herrmann, etc.). But the best bits of the site rest in the "Wit and Wisdom" section (featuring tasty quips by Hitch, such as ""Actors are cattle" and "I didn't say actors are cattle. What I said was, actors should be treated like cattle") and the "All the Cameos" where Hitchcock is spotted in most of his on-screen appearances. A great, detailed site - and all housed within an elegant, sleek design. Even Hitch would be proud...maybe.
*for the weeks of Nov. 29th - December 31st, 2004!*	The Tim Burton Collective	Tim Burton has always been on of our favorite filmmakers - and this huge site has tons of Burton info. Check out the movie pages with their quotes, credits, reviews, and pictures or read one of the over 200 articles about Tim Burton on the site. The Forum page seems quite active, with specialized discussions about each film, the man himself, and his frequent collaborators, such as Danny Elfman and Johnny Depp. For those of you who are really hardcore Burton fans, keep on eye on the "Countdown to the release of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" which currently indicates that we have 220 days, 12 hours, 40 minutes, and 37 seconds until the film comes out. Yippee! But really, a page full of Tim Burton Related Fonts???
*for the weeks of Oct. 25 - Nov. 29th, 2004!*	Cinema Treasures	"Discover, Preserve, Protect" is the stated motto for Cinema Treasures - a wonderful site devoted to movie theater preservation and awareness. And the best thing about this site is that its content comes mostly from its members and visitors, who are encouraged to post news stories and tid-bits about local movie theater preservation activities. As you arrive to the site, you are first welcomed by a list of almost daily news postings, as well as a list of links to areas on the site, including "Industry News," "Theaters in Need," and "Openings/Closings." But the real gem of this site is its "Theater Guide" currently listing over 7500 theaters - which you can browse by chain, location, style, and even architect. A special site for those who appreciate cinemas and the grand old picture palaces.
*for the weeks of Sept. 27 - Oct. 25, 2004!*	Russ Meyer	R.I.P. to the director of such 'classics' as 'Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!,' 'Beyond the Valley of the Dolls,' and 'Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens.' Hands down the King of Sleaze, Russ Meyer was also a director who had a tremendous influence on many filmmakers to follow - particularly John Waters. Offensive, shocking, and not afraid to feature actresses with abnormally large breasts, Meyer created an unusual oeuvre featuring violence, stupid hunks and bimbos, and just a bit of sex. This site is a brief homage to his career - with photos, interviews, and credits. If you haven't ever watched a Russ Meyer film before - go rent a DVD, watch it - and then promise never to watch another one again - we dare you!
*for the weeks of Aug. 14 - Sept. 27, 2004!*	Laurel and Hardy Magazine	Although it's been over 50 years since Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy made their last film together, there's no shortage of fans for the famous comedy duo - and this site, produced by The UK-based Laurel & Hardy Appreciation Society, is a fine example. Based on their printed version of the magazine (which includes rare photographs, news, and stories), this site is "the" place to follow the sale and trading of Laurel & Hardy collectibles. This is also the place to buy such fine merchandise as Laurel & Hardy neckties, tie slides, and cufflinks as well as audio CDs and DVDs. Amazingly, the "Latest News" section has, well, the latest news about DVD releases, memorabilia shows, and TV screenings of their films. This site is definitely not another fine mess!
*for the weeks of June 14 - August 14, 2004!*	I Love Reality.com	If you love to watch Big Brother, The Restaurant, Airline, The Bachelor, My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance or any of the other 3,000 reality TV shows that seem to be gracing our TV screens, then you'll adore this site. The site is primarily a day-by-day breakdown of what's playing on the tube in terms of reality TV with a nice dash of gossip and commentary thrown in. We especially like the "Casting Call" pages where monthly casting calls for reality shows are announced for both US and UK productions. Yet when we read the casting call for The "Real" Gilligan's Island - a new TBS show seeking a real professor, a real skipper, etc., we realized there are no bounds to reality TV (and taste).
*for the weeks of May 24 - June 14, 2004!*	Seeing Stars: TV Locations	If you know you'll be driving around Los Angeles with nothing to do, be sure to check out this site before you head out. It's a wonderful listing of locations where TV shows were filmed. For example, you won't find the Beverly Hillbillies' mansion at the fictitious 518 Crestview Drive in Beverly Hills, but rather it's at 750 Bel Air Road in Bel Air. Or for those of you who would prefer more of a hike, go find the Bat Cave featured in the "Batman" TV show - located in heart of Griffith Park (and properly known as the Bronson Caves). There's plenty here to keep you driving for days - but even if you're not in LA, it's fun to learn how certain locations where dressed up for their TV debut and to see how the locations look today.
*for the weeks of April 26 - May 24, 2004!*	TV Aus	"Where TV Meets a Bunch of Internet Nerds" proclaims this forum-based site devoted to watching TV in Australia. Hop online and chat to Aussies about The Simpsons, Big Brother, or Australian Idol. Very up-to-date and very active in terms of postings, this site is a great place to learn not only the latest about Australian TV shows, but also about how Australians are watching any numbers of programs. Even in the middle of the night down under, there are numerous people logged on and chatting away. In fact, people chat about all sorts of things on this site - from mobile phone services to rugby, but fortunately the different on-going forums are categorized and moderated. A fun (and informative) site to drop into every-so-often.
*for the weeks of March 15 - April 26, 2004!*	Exploding Cinema	"No Stars No Funding No Taste" is the motto of this UK-based coalition of independent film/video makers. Exploding Cinema is a great site for very-indie filmmakers with lots of resources and advice being offered here. Check out the "Rants" section for more about their aims and objectives (and the "History" section for a thorough chronology of London-based independent filmmaking) or browse through their "Noticeboard" for cheap cameras for sale. We liked the very useful "D.I.Y. Cinema" section for information relating to how you can go about making your own flick ("Step 1: Get a gang; Step 2: Hold a meeting, etc."). Once you've made your film, you can submit it to the group to have it exhibited at one of their frequent shows. As they proclaim throughout the site, "Kick Out the Jams!"
*for the weeks of Feb. 16 - March 15, 2004!*	That '70s Show - Bloody '70s Site	It's a guilty pleasure for many of us - watching the madcap antics and zany sets ("we had that avocado-green fridge") of "That '70s Show" and following the trials and tribulations of Kelso, Donna, Fez, Eric, Jackie, and Hyde. This is a very cute fan page - a page that gushes on and on about the show and its cast. And we think that's cute. Never mind the highly irritating Angelfire pop-ups - or the practically hidden menu of items on the site (you'll find them by following the "!UPDATES AND NEWS!" link located at the top of the home page. But in there, you'll find pictures, episode guides, quotes, and, well, more gushing. This site is also part of two Webrings: "That '70s Show Webring" and "The Donna and Eric Webring," so from here you can explore even more '70s stuff!
*for the weeks of Jan. 1 - Feb. 16, 2004!*	Lost in Translation	Congratulations to Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray for their nabbing of three Golden Globe awards (Best Picture - Comedy, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay) for "Lost in Translation." And their Web site for the film is an equally appealing site. Read interviews with director, Coppola, and browse through a limited gallery of photos. Read reviews of the film (we like this feature) and watch clips. But the aspect that we most liked is the ability to control the site's accompanying music (from the soundtrack, of course), including volume and track choice. And by the way, if you haven't seen the film, yet, make sure you do. It's sure to be a classic and will most likely be touring the theaters again with these awards in hand.
*for the weeks of Nov. 24 - Dec. 31, 2003!*	Class Act - Those Golden Movie Musicals	If you are a hard-core musical fan, then this site should be bookmarked at the top of your list. Search and browse by film title, actor, songs, and composer. Look up the classic Fred Astaire film, "Let's Dance," and you get a brief description ("A Frank Loesser score and Fred Astaire's famed "Piano Dance" highlight this musical that teams Fred with Betty Hutton, an ex-showgirl who returns to the boards against the wishes of her society in-laws"), film credits, list of songs, awards received, and links to buy the film or see when it's playing on TV. When not searching for specific films, you can also read up on featured actors (currently spotlighting Fred Astaire, Gower Champion, and Bing Crosby) and actresses with excellent photos and bio information. All in all, we think that "Class Act" is, indeed, a class act!
*for the weeks of November 3 - 24*	Elf	So, okay, we're suckers for clever, film promo sites - so, of course, we love the newly-launced site for the upcoming Will Farrell vehicle, "Elf". Here you'll find all of your typical promo items under "All About Buddy," as well as ample downloadable items such as wallpaper and icons under "Stocking Stuffers." But what we really love are the little bonus items included on the site, including an interactive Elf coloring book (make Santa's nose really red!) and the hilarious "elf-help books" with such titles as "I'm OK, You're a Gnome" and "Elf Matters: Cobbling Your Life Together Like a Well-Made Shoe" by Dr. Skippy Philler. Oh, and we hear the film is funny as well....
*for the weeks of September 29 - November 3*	Donald O'Connor Web Site	What a class act! Donald O'Connor - always the 'other guy' in a number a great film musicals and an actor who turned 78 a month ago - will be heavily missed. And this cute Web site is a perfect homage to the actor. As it says on the title page, this site is all about "the man, the myth, and the legend of O'Connor. Famous for his roles in "Singin in the Rain" and the "Francis the Talking Mule" film series, this site highlights his career through photos, credits, lobby cards, tributes and facts. Good bye, Donald.
*for the weeks of September 15 - 29*	BarneyFife.com	BarneyFife.com was created in 1998 by Joey Fann "to provide information about an inspirational study based on themes" from 'The Andy Griffith Show' and, besides all of the moral connections made by Mr. Fann and Co. (he had previously used clips of the show as part of a Sunday morning marriage enrichment class), there is plenty of info here relating to everyone's favorite hometown, Mayberry. Read through the "Lesson Plans" which are cute, if not a little bit odd, or thumb through the detailed history of the show. We particularly liked the "Barneyisms" section featuring fun little bits of dialogue from the show, such as this one from episode 90, "Barney's First Car": Barney:� The last big buy I made was my mom's and dad's anniversary present. Andy:� What did you get them? Barney:� A septic tank. Lastly, for the true die-hard fan, you can even join "The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club" (20,000 members and growing!).
*for the weeks of August 25 - September 15*	Warner Bros. Cartoons Filmography and Title Card Gallery	If you're a fan of old Bugs Bunny cartoons, then Dave Mackey's cute little site devoted to Warner Bros. cartoons is the place for you. Click on a year between 1929 and 1964 and you'll be presented with a chronological listing of WB's cartoon releases of that year - complete with brief descriptions and credits. But the best part of the site are the screen shots of the title cards for each film - and being able to see how they changed over the years - from the stark, black and white cards of the 30s to the rich, colorful cards of the 50s. And how could you not like a site that declares that it's "Dedicated to Mom, who loved Tweety"....!
*for the weeks of July 28 - August 25*	The Classic TV Database	Many fun bits and pieces about classic TV programs can be found on this databased-driven site, but beware of some of the commentary (here's an example of how they describe TV in the 50s: 'The first thing you need to know is that there wasn't much of it. Mostly, in the afternoons and evenings. The second thing you need to know is that it was black and white. Actually, it was various shades of gray. Dithered, sort of.'). Still, there's lots of information (arranged by decade or alphabetically) about those TV shows we love to love as well as over 700 theme song clips. Check out their TV Top 100 where you'll find 'I Love Lucy' at number one and 'MASH' at number two, although we were a bit disappointed to find 'The Beverly Hillbillies" all the way down at number 51 (one up from 'The Golden Girls' and one below 'I Dream of Jeannie')! Oh, and if you are in the market for some classic TV magnets, you can get 'em here from Rocky and Bullwinkle to Schoolhouse Rock.
*for the weeks of June 23 - July 28*	2-pop: The Digital Filmmaker's Resource Site	Look past the millions of blinking ads and you'll find one of the best online sites for budding digital filmmakers. Relevant news briefs ("Altman Goes for HD on New Film") and a very active forum area make this site a very up-to-date resource site. Pose questions to other professionals about new digital gear or trade secrets about Avid shortcuts. Good stuff!
*for the weeks of April 7 - June 23*	Slapstick: The Silent Comedy Quicktime Cavalcade	If you just love old-time silent movies, then this site is for you. See Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in "The Rough House" (1917) or a clip from Charlie Chaplin's classic film, "The Tramp" (1915). Other classic stars with clips include Harry Langdon, Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Max Linder. But be warned: these are very tiny Quicktime movies that don't run very long (but they do download quite quickly!). This is also a great opportunity to watch some rarely seen silent Our Gang clips. After getting a taste of these little movies, you'll probably want to watch the whole films and enjoy the true brilliance of silent comedy.
*for the weeks of March 10 - April 7*	One Hundred Years of Film Sizes	You've got the 35mm, you've got the 16mm, you've got the 70mm, and you even have the 63mm film gauge size. There's nothing too mundane to warrant a Web site these days and we love this little gem that we stumbled upon. Learn everything (and we do mean, "everything") you need to know about the various film gauges over the past 100 years. See an early example of Kodak's 8mm film introduced in 1932 and find out exactly was so "super" about Super 8 film stock. This is an interesting page with some handy links and literature references - and was even recently updated. And whatever "did" happen to Pathe's 17.5mm film? A quick and pleasurable crash course on film size providing a dash of handy cocktail chitter-chatter.
*for the weeks of Feb. 3 - March 10*	Lynn's Tribute to Busby Berkeley	"We're In the Money, We're In the Money." This site is a fun and loving tribute to one of Hollywood's best choreographers, Busby Berkeley. The biography section details his unhealthy devotion to his mother (as well as his three ex-wives) while the film sections provide interesting bits of information about his dance numbers. Check out the "Invent" section to learn about Berkeley's many innovative ideas (such as the fact that he was first to use a musical number as a "story within a story"). Finally, the "Images" section includes ample still photos and sound clips of his work and should keep your toes tapping for hours. Why don't they make movies like they used to?
*for the weeks of Jan. 20 - Feb. 3*	Coenesque	A cute, simple fan site devoted to quirky filmmakers, Joel and Ethan Coen. There are pages for their films ("Fargo," "The Man Who Wasn't There"), their favorite troop of actors (John Goodman, Steve Buscemi), and bios about the boys themselves. Go to the "Index" page for more links and the ability to cast your vote for what you think their best film is (tip: current leader is "The Big Lebowski" with 35% of the votes!). But what we cynically like most about this site are the many ways in which the site tries to hawk everything Coen through a multitude of links to Amazon. Talk about evangelical vigor!
*for the weeks of Jan. 6 - 20*	Movie Pitch	My-oh-my - it's such a simple concept for a site: submit "ideas" for future Hollywood film projects, get a mega-buck contract, make your first million, and then move on to pitching more fantastic movie ideas. Developed by Robert Kosberg (he produced " 12 Monkeys" and studio head Sherry Lansing calls him "the best idea man in Hollywood"), this site proudly proclaims: "You don't need to be a writer. You don't need an agent. You just need a great idea." Check out the "What's a Good Idea?" section where Mr. Kosberg provides a few suggestions, including: "A young gay man is accidently (sic) struck on the head and suffers amnesia. His father, who had never accepted his son's sexual orientation, tries to remake his son as a heterosexual." Hmmm. The "Hollywood Speak" section is helpful for getting around your "treatments" and "coverages," while the "Rip Off?" section is there to comfort potential submitters. Of course, there are also ample opportunities to purchase Kosberg's instructional CD-ROM ($20.00 plus $3.50 S&H). Come on, give it a shot...!
*for the weeks of Dec. 23 - Jan. 6*	City of Domes	CineMedia glides into the New Year spot-lighting the futuristic "City of Domes" site - which claims to be the first Web site devoted to the 1976 classic Sci-Fi film (and TV series), "Logan's Run," starring Michael York as the "Sandman" approaching his 30th birthday (and therefore his enforced "retirement"). Apart from the usual array of credits, photos, and sound clips, there's also ample sections for the truly die hard Logan's Run fan, including a fantastic section devoted to "Props and Costumes" (mostly guns and hoods - but a lot of images of them!), "Vehicles" (the solar car), "Script Drafts", and "Locations." And finally, what site wouldn't be complete without a "Stuff" section detailing every soundtrack, video, and DVD release this film could ever have. The Sandman would be proud...

Read Previous Sites of the Week From 2002!