Munster, Go Home (1966) is a minor film that will entertain people, like me, who grew up watching the TV show when it was new. The film, unlike the TV series, is in color. There is going to be a new Munsters movie this year.
Most of the TV cast is there with a supporting cast including Hermoine Gingold, John Carradine and Terry-Thomas.
I have never been to a drive-in movie. There aren’t many left.
John Waters used the suburban Baltimore Bengies Drive-In for the film Cecil B. Demented. The Edmonson Drive-In was in his Polyester showing art-house films.
Looking Back at the Original Drive-In Movie Theater
I recently watched At the Drive-In about the Mahoning, PA drive-in theater and the work of people to keep it alive. Recommended.
I recently watched the newest Batman film (2022) and the earliest one (1966). (There were two serials in the 1940s.)
The Batman (2022) reminded me of the Christopher Nolan Batman films – dark and gloomy. No sunshine and lots of rain. It left lots of room for a sequel. My favorite scene was a confrontation in jail between Batman and the Riddler – no CGI or action, just fine acting.
The 1966 Batman: The Movie was released in-between seasons one and two of the TV show which was very popular but only briefly. It was even on twice a week. I had never bought superhero comics but I did after watching the show.
It’s much lighter than any of the subsequent Batman films. It’s just good, clean, campy 1960s fun. The villains are especially outrageous.
We had a black and white TV back then so this was the first time I had seen Batman, Robin and the villains in color (and except for Batman, the colors are very bright). The supplements on the Blu-ray have interviews worth seeing.
In this scene, Batman is bitten by a shark while from a helicopter. Robin has to leave the copter to give him the anti-shark spray. Who’s flying the helicopter while Robin is on the ladder? They don’t answer that.
Start with Pandora’s Box (1929) a great silent film in which she plays Lulu. It would certainly be on my list of top ten silent films. The great Criterion Collection two-disc DVD version is out of print. I posted a link to a version on YouTube. I assume it’s in the public domain by now.
She wrote a book that was published in 1982. I also added the review from the New York Times.
Kevin Brownlow‘ and David Gill’s Hollywood
The Parade’s Gone By (1986) is Brownlow’s excellent book about silent films
Here are links to the first four of nine episodes of Hollywood on YouTube.
Internet Archive has episodes, too.
I saw this great film in a theater when it was new. It’s available on as part of a Blu-ray disc set from the Criterion Collection
Josef von Sternberg was a great film director. He is best known for his seven films with Marlene Dietrich which started with The Blue Angel (1930). They are known for their fantastic lighting and photography. Prior to that, he had made some excellent silent films such as Underworld (1927).
Gregg Toland, one of the best cinematographers ever, was born on May 29, 1904. He is best known for his work on Citizen Kane and pioneering usage of deep focus photography.
Woody Guthrie wrote lyrics about Ingrid Bergman that were set to music by Billy Bragg and Wilco.
Sad! 