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In Movies and Circuses: This is based on a article by Fred D. Pfening, Jr, former president of the Circus Historical Society. I have expanded upon the original article, adding more information where I felt it was needed and tried to explain further what was not covered. Information about horses was added because of their…
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Two Separate Worlds: Comparing Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland and Tim Burton’s Underland Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the tale of a little girl who falls down a rabbit hole into a nonsensical world, has been an enduring classic for over a century. The complete history of Alice’s adventures is recounted in two books, Wonderland published in 1865 and Through the…
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Bath-Tub Stunt Effective for ‘Rounders’ in Iowa BOXOFFICE, The pulse of the Motion Picture Industry. July 12, 1965 Highlighting J. Louis “Doc” Smith’s promotion for “The Rounders” was the bath tub bit, when relief projectionist Rick Annunazio sat in the tub nightly in front of the Iowa Theatre, Jefferson, Iowa. Manager Smith had Annunazio reading…
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The 1960’s were a time of transition for Hollywood films, with the old-line mogul producer’s giving way to executive committees who looked to increase profits wherever possible. With the invasion of the fabulous Beatles from Britain and the popularization everything British, Hollywood producers looked to England to make lower cost films. The talent market for…
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Marketing films requires a lot of savvy. For one thing, the timing of a film–entertainers can have a short shelf life; what seems a sure hit because, say, Brittany Spears is available, can bomb because Brittany Spears is imploding. Likewise elements of the culture can change rapidly – events like 911 or Columbine turn the…
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The process from a film’s conception to it’s premiere is rifled with conflicts. Just like any creative process, one might say. The most obvious obstacle for aspiring filmmakers is often said to be that foreboding question of finance. This means much more than ensuring appropriate equipment and technical support. It also means being prepared for…
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Laws of Attraction (1995), a comedy, at least on the surface, is worth viewing. The movie almost blew apart 15 times before it ever premiered. Like The Passion, no one wanted to put money into it, saying people wouldn’t go to see a movie without special effects The movie is somewhat in the Katherine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy (for example, Adam’s…
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BOXOFFICE, Barometer. February 28, 1966,Section Two, a Section of BOXOFFICE Magazine The BOXOFFICE BAROMETER was published by Associated Publications, Inc. as a section of BOXOFFICE at 825 Van Brunt Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri, 64124. Ben Shylen was the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief; Donald M. Mersereau was the Associate Publisher and General Manager; Jesse Shylen was the Managing Editor;…
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Call Me Legion: Excerpt from Peter Fraser’s Analysis of Horror Cinema It would be conventional to say that some of us are simply more impressionable. And while that is certainly true, horror film surmises that the easiest victims of the diabolic are those who have no healthy fear and respect for the subject. The Church…
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The world of movies and television offers an incredibly broad landscape. Not only can stories be told in a wide assortment of genres, styles, and mediums, but the undergirding values and themes of stories will also vary greatly depending on the storytellers and their cultural backgrounds. Different cultures can have incredibly unique approaches to crafting…
