A&E Articles

(One of a historical motion picture series about the documentarian’s favorite films, a project dedicated to The Other Hollywood — Culver City, Santa Monica,  Venice,  West L.A.)

                In one of my earlier columns (Jan.10), I said I was going to list my own personal one hundred favorite films. I wrote my reasons for selecting "It’s A Wonderful Life" and "The Yearling" as my two favorite films, both made in 1946. 
                My third choice is the classic "Third Man," directed by Carol Reed in 1949, starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Vali, Orson Welles and Trevor Howard. It was co-produced by Alexander Korda and David O. Selznick.  This was Selznick’s last film before he folded his Culver City production offices and went to Europe.  

 

          7 p.m. — Redevelopment Agency meeting, Council Chambers, 9770 Culver Blvd.

       Presidents Day. Government offices, banks and schools close.

        To list your event or show in thefrontpageonline.com, email your information to Ross Hawkins at rjhculvercity@aol.com. Include time, location, telephone number or email to obtain information and whether event is free or there is a charge.

 

                                     Friday, Feb. 17

 

       7:30 p.m.   — Trainwreck Theater Improv Show, presented by the Culver City High Academy of Visual and Performing Arts at the

Sony Pictures Theater (SPoT) behind the Robert Frost Auditorium,

4401 Elenda, Culver City. Fee. Information: Darryl Hovis,

Artistic Director, 310.642.4200, ext. 6009. Performance

also Saturday night, 7:30.

 

       To list your event or show in thefrontpageonline.com, email your information to Ross Hawkins at rjhculvercity@aol.com. Include time, location, telephone number or email to obtain

                                  Thursday, Feb. 16

 

                   5:30 p.m. — Greater West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Mixer, Luxe Hotel, 1461 Sunset Blvd., west of 405 Freeway. Fee. RSVP 310.481.0600. 

 

                   7 p.m. — Culver City Homeowners Assn. meeting features a pro and con presentation on Measure V, the Charter Reform proposal. Vets Auditorium. Public invited. No charge.

         

                   8 p.m. — George Orwell’s “1984,” performed by the Culver City-based Actors Gang. Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Blvd. Thursdays-Fridays-Saturdays at 8, Sundays at 2, through April 8. 310.838.4264.

 

       To list your event or show in thefrontpageonline.com, email your information to Ross Hawkins at rjhculvercity@aol.com. Include time, location, telephone number or email to obtain

(One in a series about Hollywood’s bygone days.)

 

       I didn’t see the movie, but I read the book.

       "Ben Hur" was made into a movie three times. The first version was unauthorized, filmed ‘way back in 1907. The second version was begun in 1923 by the Goldwyn Company in Italy after Samuel Goldwyn was booted out of the company.

       Joseph Godsel, the man who engineered Goldwyn’s exit from the

Studio, obtained the rights to the book and long-running theatrical spectacle for the Goldwyn Company. The company decided to film the massive epic in Italy when Mussolini was the dictator, and costs skyrocketed.

            Improv comes to the Culver City High School campus next weekend when the  school’s Trainwreck Theater Improv Comedy troupe presents two nights of audience-participation comedy.

            Under the auspices of the school’s Academy of Visual and Performing Arts,

performances will begin at 7:30 on Friday, Feb. 17, and Saturday, Feb. 18.

            Joel Goodman, who teaches two levels of improvisational acting to twenty students every Saturday, has been working with the troupe for several years. “These students take their comedy very seriously,” he said.

              The Friends of the Library are promising a sweetheart deal — in honor of Valentine’s Day — at Saturday’s six-hour book sale at the Julian Dixon Library.

            Videos, audio cassettes, DVDs, CDs and magazines will be available during the 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. book sale, as well as hardcover books and paperbacks.

            Starting Wednesday, Feb.15, the library will be closed for two weeks, reopening on Thursday, March 2.

            The library is at 4975 Overland Ave.

            For information, or to become a member of the Friends, go to www.ccfol.org or contact the Friends of the Library at 310.559.1676.

       In my next few columns, I’m going to list My  Twenty-Five Favorite Movies of all time. Please note that I’m not calling them the Twenty-Five  Greatest Films of all time. I happen to think that any Best list is arbitrary.

       The American Film Institute has its list of Hundred Greatest Films greatest films, and

each year all film critics break out their own Ten  Best Films lists.