TCM is Re-releasing "Singin' in the Rain"...

...on July 12th in select theaters for its 60th anniversary. More info here. List of theaters here.

Best Supporting Actress: 1990s

1990: Annette Bening, The Grifters

Oscar winner: Whoopi Goldberg, Ghost

Was she nominated?: Yes

Bergman for My Birthday

Thanks to a lovely Amazon.com gift card, I was able to order these foreign gems. My Bergman collection is taking a step up.

Hmmm......

I'm not so sure about this.

Double Feature: Love Affair (1939) and Wuthering Heights (1939)

Love Affair:

Better known as 1957's remake An Affair to Remember, this heartbreaking melodrama features Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer as lovers who meet on a cruise and agree to meet again, only to have their meeting spoiled. The love story is no epic (88 minutes), but it doesn't have to be. This is an underseen classic romance with great performances. While it is not one of 1939's best films, it is no wonder that this received a Best Picture nomination in a year of ten nominees.

The film received nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress (M. Ouspenskaya), Best Writing (Story), Best Art Direction, and Best Original Song. Though it did not win anything, the Best Picture nomination was arguably consolation enough, given that better films like Only Angels Have Wings, Gunga Din, The Roaring Twenties, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame were not nominated for Best Picture.

Wuthering Heights:

This classic from 1939 is a wonderful adaptation of Emily Bronte's famous literary work. Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon are magnificent as Heathcliff the poor stable boy and Cathy - his wealthy adopted sister. With a love story that has endured many cinematic versions, the film rivals the sweeping romance of Scarlett and Rhett in Gone with the Wind. William Wyler's film is one of the very best that 1939 has to offer, and it very much deserved its Best Picture nomination.

The film received nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress (G. Fitzgerald), Best Writing (Screenplay), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography (B&W), and Best Original Score. It did not win Best Picture, but it did win cinematographer Gregg Toland (Citizen Kane) his only Oscar.

Starting Fresh (Somewhat)

Dear Reader (if there is one):

If you've ever read this blog, you'll notice that I've recently changed many things. For starters, the blog has officially been retitled "The Cinematic Spectacle" from "The Hollywood Spectacle". I made this change because I love modern and foreign films and wanted to focus on more than just classic Hollywood ones. Since the blog looked a bit drab, I redesigned its look as well. Also, I've added a "Reviews" page with reviews from 2012. The reason I did not post reviews for modern films when I started this blog last fall is because this blog originated as a classic movie blog with some Oscar coverage. In recent months, I've moved away from that, so expect new reviews and more posts. I will discuss modern films and classic ones and will still cover the ongoing Oscar race. Essentially, I will post anything movie-related under this new platform.

P.S. - I will also be applying to the LAMB soon.

Best,

Josh

Best Supporting Actress: 1980s

1980: Charlotte Rampling, Stardust Memories

Oscar winner: Mary Steenburgen, Melvin and Howard

Was she nominated?: No