Archive for the 'The Old School' Category

‘MacGuffin,’ SHOT hit 50th mark

Thursday, April 27th, 2023

Wouldn’t be prudent for us to promote this weekend’s UIUC and ISU student film shows without honoring the 50th anniversary of the UI student-made ‘MaGuffin’ and SHOT as well. Get learned!

Gettin’ set to enjoy COUNTY FAIR

Friday, July 22nd, 2022

A month late yet in perfect timing with the Champaign County Fair, which opens today, we look at the newest in-house WILL-TV documentary directed by Sarah Edwards, COUNTY FAIR.

Blu-ray SAVES Turkish sci-fi fave

Wednesday, October 27th, 2021

To many, THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD might as well have come from outer space. To cult film connoisseurs like Big Bosphorus Media, it instead holds a place in their movie-loving hearts.

Two days remain for UI Press sale

Thursday, June 24th, 2021

The University of Illinois Press publishes a fair amount of books and journals concerned with cinema, television, and new media. We provide a quick guide to what’s available as their “Summer Sale” winds down very soon!

Early Kacmarynski creeps onto BD

Thursday, May 27th, 2021

Burning Bulb Publishing has released Champaign filmmaker Jeff Kacmarynski’s long-unseen first feature, DISSOLUTION. We speak with the writer/director about it and upcoming projects.

‘Cinema’ history nods to UI prof

Wednesday, May 12th, 2021

Joseph Tykociner’s fabled sound-on-film apparatus did not find favor in its time. Lenny Lipton provides an appreciation in his new book, ‘The Cinema in Flux,’ from Springer.

If a pic paints a 530-word post…

Thursday, January 14th, 2021

Recent life necessities have forced me to sort out a lot of things. At least I get to keep the can.

One of these days, I’m going to…

Tuesday, January 5th, 2021

There might as well be something soothing about this and, surprise, it doesn’t come from the cinema.

NAFF still a no-show for October

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020

Where have all the good times gone? That is one of several major understatements for today. Do your civic duty, C-Uvians, and then consider whether our film culture can rebuild after the drought.

ISU video crew high on ‘Mother’

Wednesday, October 14th, 2020

As an aside to a tangent, we vicariously saunter about Mother Murphy’s of Normal, IL, thanks to another student project born at Illinois State University, ANYTHING BUT NORMAL. Take a trip with us!

August and everything NAFFter

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2020

Ye Ed is rooting for the film culture of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, to rebound from the turbulence of recent years. Not everything will survive, such as the theaters he recently photographed.

Virus fells Orpheum, shorts Avon

Friday, July 3rd, 2020

Nationwide consensus is that small businesses and organizations will get raked over the coals before the pandemic is over. We look at how a first-run, mixed-use, and former movie theater are doing.

Don’t ever let the dust settle, C-U

Thursday, June 25th, 2020

Self-restriction has been lifted as your humble editor rockets out the gate with fresh words on important topics and miscellany as well as dear old Dad. He might mention a few filmy things on top of that.

Let’s all go to the ‘Movies,’ C-U

Monday, June 8th, 2020

Once upon a time, next to no one in our society knew how to make movies. Traveling impresarios of a century ago made sure to tease the average citizen with the possibilities in programs like ‘Making Movies.’

UI ghosts linger on and off screen

Friday, May 29th, 2020

University of Illinois students a generation apart do their on-camera best to convince viewers that campus spirits drift among us. Their existence somewhat haunts your humble editor to this day.