In 1955: Jim Henson built the first version of Kermit the Frog; The first US advisors arrived in South Vietnam; Winston Churchill resigned as Prime Minister of the UK; The Salk polio vaccine received FDA approval; Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald’s in Illinois; Disneyland opened to the public; Gunsmoke, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and The… Continue reading Before Elvis and his gyrating hips ruined everything: A look back at 1955
Tag: Elia Kazan
Dean’s list
Despite only appearing in three major films before his death at age 24, James Dean was ranked the 18th greatest male film star by the American Film Institute. This is my ranked list of his films. 3) Rebel Without a Cause (1955) Teenager Jim Stark (James Dean) moves to Los Angeles with his parents and befriends outcasts Plato… Continue reading Dean’s list
The daytime panic in the streets of Mecca
Day for Night (1973) French melodrama Je Vous Présente Paméla stars an older screen legend, a younger sex symbol, and a British actress (Jacqueline Bissett). During filming, the cast and crew wish the interminable, troubled shoot would end. In a charming bit of camera winking meta narrative, the director, Francois Truffaut, plays Ferrand, the director of the… Continue reading The daytime panic in the streets of Mecca