Hello!

How dare they!  I know I often mention that Bronson Caverns is a great 2 hour side trip for Hollywood visitors genuinely into old movie locations. But wait: last week CineSavant’s intrepid watchdog Gary Teezel went back to the site and discovered this feeble bit of City Parks micro-management. The reason that the caverns themselves are blocked off is supposed to be about a falling rocks hazard… which seems a bit far fetched. Is this a lawsuit-avoider?  Or are they worried about homeless encampments in the Hollywood Hills, as seen in The Day of the Locust?

It’s now like visiting Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco — when we get all the way there, security fences inspired by 9/11 prevent us from walking to the sweet spot where Madeline Ulster jumped into the drink.

I exchanged notes with corresponent George Stewart and then checked out his little blog
Crazy College for its interviews — George is fascinated by ‘all recordings odd, silly or forgotten.’ Chances are that fans of Tom Lehrer and Stan Freberg already know about Crazy College but I found a nice article about a record producer’s boxed set of Atomic Cafe– type ‘atom craze’ platters. George Kimball also interviews Disney great Ward Kimball.

For actual old music lovingly presented, also check out Scratchy Grooves, a curated series of podcasts hosted by Bill Chambless. I’m listening to the first one up as I write, it’s a lot of fun.

CineSavant’s third link is to the Trailers from Hell commentator who makes me feel like I’m once again a happy film student, listening to somebody who knows what he’s talking about. Last week Brian Trenchard-Smith narrated a trailer for an obscure but important Australian film called Jedda.

It’s half- exploitation and half- ethnographic exposé; Brian cuts through modern evasions to show the film’s worth, even if it would likely be banned today by frantic PC watchdogs. Another worthwhile winner from Mr. T.C.

Thanks for reading! — Glenn Erickson