The Big Shakedown (1934)
The Big Shakedown is exactly what happens when a big city gangster played by suave Ricardo Cortez puts pressure on […]
Hangar 18 (1980)
We’re Back! The Video Store Action Heroes have once again turned the clock back to simpler times when we’d all […]
Nightkill (1980)
Thirty-eight years is a long time. That’s how long I’ve gone between viewings of this Ted Post directed thriller that […]
Deadly Jaws (1974)
aka No Gold For a Dead Diver ….. and a half dozen other names in foreign languages including the original […]
Singing With the Stars
Each and every time I wander through an antique store or mall looking for original movie posters and lobby cards […]
I Walk Alone (1947)
In the five films they actually starred in together not counting a couple cameo bits in another pair, Burt Lancaster […]
Nightwing (1979)
This Columbia Pictures release that borrows a certain blueprint or two tosses a few more scare tactics at movie goers […]
The Atomic Kid (1954)
Blake Edwards. That name was synonymous with The Pink Panther series in my house growing up laughing till I cried while watching […]
Women’s Prison (1955)
While it may seem a tad unfair, this behind bars picture that features a sadistic Ida Lupino as the edgy prison […]
Robbers Roost (1955)
Born in Montana, George Montgomery, was well suited to the western during the decade of the 1950’s when the genre […]
The Haunted Palace (1963)
Roger Corman and AIP once again treat us to a Vincent Price graveyard fest that while being hailed as another of the […]
Battle at Bloody Beach (1961)
Breaking stride, real life WW2 hero, Audie Murphy, found himself in a war film as opposed to riding the trail […]
(Paul Henreid + Patricia Medina) X 2 = Popcorn Adventures
From Columbia Pictures by way of frugal producer Sam Katzman, who fans of Monogram cheapies with Bela and the Bowery […]
Gambling Ship (1933)
This Paramount feature that has thankfully turned up in a collection of Cary Grant titles on DVD sees the iconic […]
Looking Back at 2018 …. Where Does The Time Go?
Here I am a full 5 years into Mike’s Take On the Movies and hopefully still displaying a passion for […]
The Cariboo Trail (1950)
The first thing I should point out while spotlighting this Randolph Scott western is how fortunate we are to be […]
Gallery ›
Boxing Day Brawlers and Bruisers …. Round 5
December 26th arrives and it’s time to mine the many images of movie stars who put on a pair of […]
Celebrating Those Who Joined Us In 1938
In honor of my father’s 80th birthday I’ve decided to shine the light on those faces we are all sure […]
Kirk Douglas and the Leading Ladies
Yes I’ve been celebrating the films and career of Kirk Douglas since starting this online project 5 years ago so […]
Boris Karloff Posters on his Birthday
When the calendar hits the 23rd of November it’s time to celebrate. Meaning it’s time to celebrate the birthday of […]
Featured Actor ›
When Bronson Met Boone On Have Gun Will Travel … Part 2
Before Richard Boone had found his most identifiable character, Paladin, on Have Gun Will Travel he had headlined an earlier […]
When Bronson Met Boone On Have Gun Will Travel … Part 1
Western television shows proved a wonderful training ground for countless actors honing their craft through the 1950’s and 60’s. Among […]
Virginia Mayo Goes West Part 3
Wrapping up this six film run with Miss Mayo we come to a pair of late 50’s entries that saw […]
Virginia Mayo Goes West Part 2
Next up are a pair of westerns that saw Virginia reteam with two well known leading men of the era […]
Slumming With .... ›
Slumming With George Zucco …. Can Be So Much Fun!
On any given day during the 1940’s if you walked about the movie sets in Hollywood you might see George […]
Slumming With Samantha Eggar … A Triple Feature
The more I looked for someone to feature in my third go around of ‘Slumming With”, it became painfully obvious […]
Slumming With Cameron Mitchell …. A Triple Feature
Picking up where I left off poking a bit of fun while Slumming With David Carradine, I selected Mr. Cameron Mitchell […]
Slumming With David Carradine …. A Triple Feature
During the VHS era, it seemed as if David Carradine had a new title turning up weekly at the corner […]
Brando's Pick of the Month ›
Devil Dog : The Hound of Hell (1978)
Brando’s Halloween Pick of the Month Coming on the heels of a big screen horror flick, The Evil, Richard Crenna […]
A Pair of Canine Shorts with The Three Stooges
Brando’s Pick of the Month I can’t speak for you but let’s get this out of the way right now […]
White Fang (1973)
Brando’s Pick of the Month Care to guess who directed this big screen adaptation of the classic Jack London tale […]
Oh! Heavenly Dog (1980)
Brando’s Pick of the Month If I didn’t know any better, Brando and I tuned in to watch Fletch 3. […]
Book Takes ›
Niv , The Authorized Biography of David Niven
By Graham Lord (published in 2003) Like any self respecting, self appointed film buff I knew the basic facts of […]
Mr. Novak : An Acclaimed Television Series
By CHUCK HARTER. Bear Manor Media Just recently I was contacted by Mr. Harter concerning his forthcoming book on a […]
Hollywood Enigma : Dana Andrews
by Carl Rollyson Seeing Dana Andrews name on any cast list catches my eye as I’m confident it does with […]
I Owe Russia $1200 … by Bob Hope
This tale of travel from the legendary Bob Hope is one with heart around all the laughs that features Bob […]
Now Playing ›
Now Playing August 17th, 1977
Under the circumstances of Burt Reynold’s passing, the time seems appropriate for joining me in a look back to the […]
Now Playing Monday July 21st, 1969.
Western fans rejoice! I’d be in my glory taking in five westerns we all know and love playing at the […]
Now Playing July 1st 1967 on Canada’s 100th Birthday
Talk about a celebration! Not only was my beloved Canada celebrating it’s 100th year but theaters in Toronto, Ontario had […]
Now Playing August 9th, 1978
The New Jersey Daily News unveiled a wondrous selection of films to choose from should we decide to summon that […]
Blogathon ›
Two Flags West (1950)
With an opportunity presenting itself to select a Joseph Cotten movie thanks to Maddy’s Classic Film site and Crystal of […]
Educating Rita (1983)
When an on line celebration of Michael Caine films for his 85th birthday on March 14th, 2018 was put forth, […]
A Pair of George Kennedy Telefilms
I settled on spotlighting Oscar winner George Kennedy when Maddy, who I must say loves her classic movies announced a […]
Mother Lode (1982)
Thanks to a couple of movie crazed bloggers living in Canada, Kristina of Speakeasy and Ruth of Silver Screenings, there exists the O’Canada […]
Articles ›
The Badlanders (1958)
This article on The Badlanders was published in The Dark Pages celebration on the film The Asphalt Jungle. Read on […]
Lizabeth Scott Stands Up To Robert Ryan and Robert Mitchum in The Racket (1951)
Previously this piece was kindly published by Karen of Shadows and Satin in her Noir newsletter The Dark Pages. Lizabeth […]
Anthony Caruso : More Than The Henchman
This article on Mr. Caruso was kindly featured in the September 2014 issue of The Dark Pages put forth by […]
An Evil to Behold : Sherry Peatty in The Killing (1956)
This article was kindly published by the Dark Pages last May and it was my attempt at presenting a take […]
Live Take ›
The Charles Bronson Starter Kit and Then Some
Chatting up a list of Bronson titles worth checking into using posters as props from my personal collection.
Film Books We Rely On Vol. 3 or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Crime Movies
After a couple months of intense negotiations over finding the right director to film the third installment of videos dedicated […]
Film Books We Rely On Volume 2
Once again I am joined by Kristina from Speakeasy to share more of our favorite books devoted to the study […]
Film Books We Rely On
Making her debut on camera for a live take, I am joined by Kristina Dijan who operates the wonderful and […]
Monthly Reviews ›
November 2018 In Review
November sometimes represents a month of horror movie withdrawal for me after binging on them for the Halloween season. With […]
October 2018 In Review
Every year I eagerly anticipate the month of Halloween in hopes that some rare horror titles of the past are […]
September 2018 In Review
As most of you who drop in regularly already know, I’m way behind in keeping up with modern movie fare […]
August 2018 In Review
No major road trip this month kept me closer to the TV set and the chance to knock off some […]
Posts I Like
Man’s Favorite Sport? (1964)
While the legendary Howard Hawks may not be remaking his own Rio Bravo here as he kind of did with […]
Selling the Movie With Jeff Chandler on the Poster
Jeff Chandler was a sure fire leading man in most any genre during the 1950’s. From his Oscar nominated turn […]
Five Years and Counting …
The older one gets the more one realizes that Dad was right. Time passes us by in the blink of […]
Hangar 18 (1980)
We’re Back! The Video Store Action Heroes have once again turned the clock back to simpler times when we’d all […]
What You Missed on Mars …. at the Monster Bash
Again I made the trip and again I really have nothing but good things to say about the friendly atmosphere […]
Time to Read a Good Movie
More of those movie tie-ins that can make for a nostalgic look back to simpler times at both the movie […]
Robbers Roost (1955)
Born in Montana, George Montgomery, was well suited to the western during the decade of the 1950’s when the genre […]
Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953)
With Cinemascope backed up by a tremendous score from Bernard Herrmann and a stupendous cast of character players surrounding youngsters […]
Knock On Any Door (1949)
“Knock on any door and you may find Nick Romano.” Under the Columbia banner, Humphrey Bogart and his own Santana […]