About & Archive

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I’m Kristina (which I probably need to mention since my previous blog had my name on it, and this one doesn’t) and I love classic movies, Hollywood history, general retro pop culture, rock n roll, swing & country, biographical, political and historical realities and contexts rather than critical readings.

I’m a regular writer for the print noir-centric bimonthly Dark Pages, check out this page dedicated to all the Dark Pages info to get a better looksee at the magazine & learn how to subscribe

For DP’s readers who are diehard noir buffs, I delve deep into the making of noirs, the lives of the players who populated the genre, and also do a regular noir calendar of releases and TV viewing, usually around a different theme every issue.

for LANDMARK REPORT (link takes you to my author page there) I write on entertainment and do a weekly Classic movie roundup of news, new releases or alternate viewing & “classic movie 101″ approach to introduce new fans of the classics to essentials and films they might not know

Besides writing I also do custom artwork and you can check out a few pics of that here

“MY MAJOR WORKS”

Fall 2010 Films of the Golden Age Magazine: my article on the making of the 1933 prohibition gangster musical BROADWAY THROUGH A KEYHOLE. the controversial plot was based on NY gossip & written by Walter Winchell ”about” Al Jolson and Ruby Keeler, & starred Paul Kelly, nightclub queen Tex Guinan, crooner Russ Columbo, and many more. It has tragedy, gossip, history and more. How can you turn that down?

2009 Classic Images: my extensive biography on great character actor PAUL KELLY who was a rising star when he became the center of a scandalous and sensational manslaughter trial– then considered the celebrity trial of the young century–and how he managed to rebuild his life & career afterwards.

My bio of Ward Bond, great actor, athlete, political activist and close friend of John Wayne & John Ford.

for the Dark Pages Double Indemnity special issue 2011, I wrote on Edith Head, Wally Westmore, cinematographer John Seitz, designers/art dept. Hans Dreier, Hal Pereira & Bert Granger.

for the Dark Pages Out of the Past special issue 2010, I wrote on the people behind the scenes, including stories from the set, bios of director Jacques Tourneur, DP Nick Musuraca, Producer Warren Duff, editor Sam Beetley, set decorator Darrell Silvera, costumer Ed Stevenson, composer Roy Webb. I also wrote bios of pioneering black actress Theresa Harris and OOTP poster artist William Rose

some of my other articles, with a link if posted

my top 10 Noirs (as of Fall 2011)

Ella Raines

Wanda Hendrix

Donald Buka

Jane Russell

Farley Granger

John Payne

Virginia Mayo

Joan Caulfield

Craig Stevens

Kent Smith

Gene Evans

Steve Brodie

John Derek

Joan Leslie

Martha Vickers

Joan Leslie

Richard Todd

the writers behind noir

Johnny Eager

Shockproof

Nowhere To Go

Wendell Corey

Faith Domergue

June Vincent

Phil Carey

Van Johnson

Nina Foch

Don Galloway

Ricardo Montalban

Ann Savage

Marshall Thompson

Phyllis Thaxter

Lola Albright

Richard Rober

Derailed

10 Great Portraits from films Noir

Naked City: From Page to Screen

Richard Widmark

Laraine Day

10 Musical Stars who made it big and changed their images by doing Noir

Jean Gillie

Lois Maxwell

Beverley Michaels

Darryl Zanuck’s influence & Fox Noir

Mala Powers

Bruce Bennett

Janis Carter

Undercurrent

Gun Crazy

Side Street

Mona Freeman

Road House

Glenn Ford

Marc Lawrence

these are a few of my Dark Pages cover stories:

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browse this site by category:

MOVIES big catch-all category, all posts related to movies

QUICK REVIEWS aka “just watched” movies, quick impressions

YOU LOOK FAMILIAR bios of those faces you often see but names you might not know

DARK PAGES NOIR related articles previously published in DP magazine, and news about my writing there and previews of the new issue

MUSIC articles

COMFY CHAIR spotlighting other great blogs out there, and highlighting classic stuff you should watch on TV this week, usually posted weeekends

SHOPPING LIST: DVD RELEASES /STUFF TO BUY usually posted every tuesday

LANDMARK REPORT stuff that’s been published at LM

OPEN THREADS

SITE NEWS

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total list of posts in reverse chronomalogical order:

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2 Responses

Colin

I just nominated you for a blog award. You can read about it here:
http://livius1.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/ending-the-year-on-a-high/

December 30, 2011 at 11:56 am

Reply
- kristina
  
  wow, many many thanks! so much appreciated. stay tuned for a formal post in the next day or so!
  :)
  
  updated: here tis http://hqofk.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/comfy-chair-my-1st-award/
  
  December 30, 2011 at 3:27 pm
  
  Reply