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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 23, 2020 12:42:24 GMT
One of the joys of lockdown was having the time to think about my life, and one of the conclusions I came to was that I had neglected some good friendships. over the last few years . I've had good reasons (mothers illness & death, work, redundancy, health problems, supporting my father , debt, yadda yadda) but have made efforts to rekindle some of those friendships recently and it has worked in some cases and it is a good feeling.
The other conclusion I have come to recently is that after having spent a year and half on this CFB IMDB2 forum , that it is a lovely little place to be and spend quality online time. Everyone here seems like a grown up, and we can all cheerfully trash each others favourite movies with glee and impunity , knowing that few are likely to throw a hissy fit, throw their toys out of their pram or turn into a destructive vindictive little firebreathing troll. Because I think we all recognise that the disagreements are actually where some of best fun is to be had, and come on - wouldn't this board be a dull place if we all agreed about everything. But that we could usefully use more traffic and therefore input from some other grown ups with different perspectives and genre specialisms/expert knowledge etc, ( IMHO We could usefully use more Maria Mntez enthusiasts, for example  )
With both those thoughts in mind , why don't we send a callout to some of our former imdb1cfb chums and ask them if they want to play with us again?
I vaguely recall a couple of WHERE ARE THEY NOW type threads in my time here. If anyone who posted them ( or knows where they are)could provide links in a response I'd be grateful.
I thought I'd start with 5 suggestions for our callout (and no offence to any other posters or ones I've forgotten - these were the first 5 names I came up with)
TREVORACLEA -He's a Brit I think living outside London but not too far, I think he was in the Biz - a screenwriter - his personal recollections of being a lowly gopher on the madness that was set of the total disaster that was REVOLUTION (the second worst film ever made) were some of the best reportage on film making I have ever read. I didn't read many of the long film reviews on cfb1- I prefer short & pithy - I'm a Maltin baby - but his I avidly read every word and often went back and read them again for the joy of the poetry, On balance I'd give him the edge over Kael.
LUCIAHARPER - I think she Was Australian. Calm, sharp as a knife and resolute, she took no prisoners but did so in a kindly way. Obviously she was a Joan Bennett Fan - and who isn't? - and we shared a passion for Noir. We parted company on the Cinematic value of Widow Selznick but neither of us got our panties in a bunch over it.
CLORE - I think he was from Chicago and might have had a son he cared for (if not full time) I think he was quite impoverished. He was one of the few to see the funny side of the LOST HORIZON musical and had one of the best all round perspectives straddling most genres the board. I think he found the demise of imdb1 quite devastating.
STRELNIKOFF - probably fair to say he was one of imdb1's more contentious contributors, but I adored him and referred to him as STRELBABY.His biting response to the post IS BENJAMIN BUTTON CONSIDERED A CLASSIC MOVIE? one of the funniest I read in my decade plus of being there. On the down side I remember him ruffling feathers on another board, resulting in the complainants popping up on CFB as those Jap planes did over Pearl Harbour and we endured a troll attack lasting 5 days. I think he disappeared under a cloud of conspiracy theories and threats of litigation about something snippy he'd said on the screenwriting board. I did get the odd personal message from him after that updating me on the drama that was unfolding but I simply concluded he'd been watching BURN AFTER READING a few too many times,
And least but certainly not least ADDISON - doyenne of CFB. The Big Chees.THe BSD. The Head Honcho. THE CEO. SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED and MISTRESS OF ALL HE SURVEYED all rolled up in one. Imperious and haughty as Gladys Cooper on a bad day but wise, witty, articulate, helpful, informative, opiniionated, unclutterd coherent and jam packed with anecdotes from his carrer as a working actor on a good one, What he didn't know about Sharon Stone's on set attitude wasn't worth knowing. I usually read all his weekly WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WEEK POSTS hungry for the dish. He put me on ignore for a couple of months - a dispute over Teresa Wright (whom he loathed - Dietrich & Fonda pere completing his unholy trinity of classic era stars). But he allowed me back into the fold when my challenges to his ALL TIME TOP STARS post proved too tempting for him to ignore.
So why don't we ask them and any others folk here can suggest to come back and play here.
I think I have an email for trevor so am happy to take him on. And if someone can post a link to addison's blog I'll take him too (if I can work out the PM function properly if there is one)
Anybody in contact with CLORE, LUCIA or STRELBABY
Or anyone else?
Drytoast has left us recently
Another poster who won't be joining us O'SULLIVAN, AKA Mike. After a while swapping posts/PMs on CFB1 on British New Wave stuff, a shared passion, we began meeting up in about 2010 or so regularly for a pint in Central london or Croydon, where he lived. We did this regularly every 3-4 months for a chinwag about CFB1 activitiy, what we'd watched recently and swapped/shared movies (it made sense to double up on dvd purchasing as we both wanted the same things and ciould waste our money far more effectively as a team) He gradually developed into a great friend. Sadly he developed cancer and died a couple of days into Jan 18. He lived long enough to get a civil partnership with Domnhall (spelling?) , his partner of maybe 15-20 years, and indeed the last time I saw him was about a month before he passed having tea & cake with his partner & the other witness at his civil partnership in The cafe at the David Lean cinema in Croydon, where he had a few years earlier treated me to a front row seat during the inaugural screening of the restored PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN - one of the most dazzling experiences I have had in front of a big screen. I've been trying to find his website/blog link , which I think is still in cyberspace but in trawling through the old emails I hit the one whre he confirmed he only had three months to live, burst into tears and decided not to pursue it. The only positive thing aboout him passing is that crown the belonging to the global authority on the work of Belinda Lee is now firmly on my head.
Sorry if all this a bit more heady and emotional than my usual contributions but but that's the way I'm feeling at the moment.
Strong thoughts?
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Post by claudius on Aug 23, 2020 13:45:21 GMT
Trevor Acela continued doing film reviews for amazon.co.uk at least a year ago. Now any review are just non film products. I remember when he revealed he wrote the booklet to the BEN HUR 35th Anniversary Set which I managed to get Charlton Heston’s autograph.
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Post by bravomailer on Aug 23, 2020 14:47:29 GMT
I too liked Lucia Harper and Strelnikoff. Lucia dropped out because of a jerk on the Music Board. I'm glad he isn't on IMDB2. Strelnikoff left after an argument on the Screenwriters board. Don't know the details. He and I used to vie on the old I Need To Know board which was quite active.
I'm not in touch with either.
I recall Addison DeWitt's signature said that cats were revered in Ancient Egypt - and have never forgotten it.
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Post by OldAussie on Aug 23, 2020 20:31:29 GMT
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Post by marshamae on Aug 23, 2020 23:14:52 GMT
The guy from Ireland who loved Asian cinema . He was very bright, might have been a journalist.
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Post by marianne48 on Aug 24, 2020 0:46:56 GMT
The guy from Australia (can't recall his name) who was an expert on VERY early television. He may still post here, but I don't remember his new name, either.
misspaddylee, who posted on the CF board almost daily.
bigkingtut2000, who had a silly sense of humor.
And of course, the remarkably consistent Mr. Horse.
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Post by marshamae on Aug 24, 2020 0:53:56 GMT
I likedStrelnikov too.
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Post by phantomparticle on Aug 24, 2020 5:51:00 GMT
I keep hoping Clore will show up. When he and telegonus (who is here) got together they could cover several pages on just about any subject. It was a master class on the moving picture. When I joined the IMDB around 2008, they were among the first to welcome me and were never less than professional in everything they wrote. Clore became a target of one of the more virulent trolls but stuck it out to the end. He joined another forum and gave me the link, but I chose to leave the boards like so many others. Fingers crossed (on both hands) that he will find his way here.
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Post by snsurone on Aug 24, 2020 12:11:09 GMT
I'd love to know whatever became of hobnob65. He was the most knowledgable person on the subject of classic film that I ever knew online (no offense, Doghouse,  ). I really learned a lot from him on the old format. |
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 24, 2020 13:03:29 GMT
The guy from Australia (can't recall his name) who was an expert on VERY early television. He may still post here, but I don't remember his new name, either. misspaddylee, who posted on the CF board almost daily. bigkingtut2000, who had a silly sense of humor. And of course, the remarkably consistent Mr. Horse. TUT WAS wonderfil - wasn't he the one that had dated Tura Satana from FASTER PUSSYCAT KILL KILL? (or claimed to). He wouldn't ever give the level of detail on that encounter I required - a positive tease 
Misspaddy was lovely too - she probably has the best manners of the lot of us !
There were lots of Aussies
Can't remember Mr Horse
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 24, 2020 13:05:03 GMT
I'd love to know whatever became of hobnob65. He was the most knowledgable person on the subject of classic film that I ever knew online (no offense, Doghouse, ). I really learned a lot from him on the old format. I recall the name with vague pleasure but can't recall detail. Everyone's experience of imdb would be so subjective though depending on what you opened or ignored.
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 24, 2020 13:09:53 GMT
I keep hoping Clore will show up. When he and telegonus (who is here) got together they could cover several pages on just about any subject. It was a master class on the moving picture. When I joined the IMDB around 2008, they were among the first to welcome me and were never less than professional in everything they wrote. Clore became a target of one of the more virulent trolls but stuck it out to the end. He joined another forum and gave me the link, but I chose to leave the boards like so many others. Fingers crossed (on both hands) that he will find his way here. I agree Clore & tele were/are awesome contributors. I'm glad clore found a new playground - from my last pm with him (or maybe an email just after armaggedon) he sounded devastated about the rug being pulled. If you can recall or have the time to dredge up that link if you stiill have i'd be grateful No big if won't can't we are all busy people . Yes I vaguely recalled his troll problem - I had my own fires to fight! 
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 24, 2020 13:14:49 GMT
Yes he was absolutely hilarious . Were you there one posting under another name who snapped, during a discussion on Jayne Mansfield's alleged ginormous IQ/intellect " I don't care if she was so bright she split the atom in her trailer during breaks on set, I still don't like her?" If so you get the Silver to Strelbaby's Gold in my funniest post on imdb1cfb oscars. If not you please just pretend you were!
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 24, 2020 13:18:59 GMT
Thanks Aussie I was hoping you would weigh in . Well I haven't spoken to trevor since armaggedon but I'll try and tempt him by telling him we are planning a Robin Askwith appreciation or an appraisal of the HUGGET family oeuvre - something that he can't resist. 
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 24, 2020 13:23:25 GMT
I too liked Lucia Harper and Strelnikoff. Lucia dropped out because of a jerk on the Music Board. I'm glad he isn't on IMDB2. Strelnikoff left after an argument on the Screenwriters board. Don't know the details. He and I used to vie on the old I Need To Know board which was quite active. I'm not in touch with either. I recall Addison DeWitt's signature said that cats were revered in Ancient Egypt - and have never forgotten it. Aussie has sorted me out on Addison thanks - yes I recall lucia calling time for a while and I suspect armaggedon occured whilst she was on her sabbatical - from my last PM with her she was lying low for a while ithought not abandoning us but hey it was a while back and i'm old enough to get the odd senior moment.
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 24, 2020 13:46:56 GMT
Trevor Acela continued doing film reviews for amazon.co.uk at least a year ago. Now any review are just non film products. I remember when he revealed he wrote the booklet to the BEN HUR 35th Anniversary Set which I managed to get Charlton Heston’s autograph. Thanks maybe he was a film hack though - he'd mentioned he was working on screenplays - I'd never enquired if if he'd had any actually filmed.(I'm aware that we may have the odd "celeb" amongst our happy band who may wish the pleasures of anonymity and am wary of pushing too hard on persional detail if folk say they are active participants in the flic biz). But he definitely merits an occupation with qull in hand. And so do the rest of us.
I'm so jealous you met Chuck, claudius . How was he - Huge fan. Don't really give a monkeys about his views on guns - not my views but he was entitled to his own. More significant is that he has been described as "an axiom of cinema"  In truth I prefer the 50s ones - I think he got a shade duller and a lot less sexy after the oscar. My favourites (not neccessarily the "best") would be
1 TOUCH OF EVIL ( "Cultural appropriation" ?- Blow me! - I'll totally buy the argument today but we are on a fool's errand applying 2020 sensibilities to 1958 cultural artefacts) 2 THE BIG COUNTRY 3 RUBY GENTRY - the sexiest swamp in cinematic history 4 THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH - the definitive "take charge guy"  5 THE NAKED JUNGLE
I thought GRAY LADY DOWN was neglected - tense, solid, well acted (Ronny Cox esp fine) submarine-being-slowly-flooded suspenser with Chuck trying to seal those hatches!
Here is Ray Charles singing the wonderful title tune although this version came after the film, where we just get an instrumental. Definitely a favourite theme tune tough
and here is the film itself for anyone interested.
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Post by phantomparticle on Aug 24, 2020 16:10:36 GMT
Like Clore, I was disappointed and disgusted at the way things turned out at IMDB. I jettison just about everything I had saved, reviews, links, the entire shish-ka-bob. It was only a couple months ago that I decided to give it another try. This was the second forum I looked at and it has turned out to be the best of all those I've investigated. Hoping he is in good health and will surprise us all some day.
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Post by bravomailer on Aug 24, 2020 16:15:26 GMT
Heyyouactor, whose avatar was an image of Jason Robards, Jr, said he was Paul LeMat.
Wasn't Addison DeWitt an actor?
Jimcat was often rather contentious. I once mentioned that I knew three people who'd been extras in major films and he thought it utterly preposterous.
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 24, 2020 16:40:56 GMT
Like Clore, I was disappointed and disgusted at the way things turned out at IMDB. I jettison just about everything I had saved, reviews, links, the entire shish-ka-bob. It was only a couple months ago that I decided to give it another try. This was the second forum I looked at and it has turned out to be the best of all those I've investigated. Hoping he is in good health and will surprise us all some day. Yes the armageddon was horribly managed and the rationale flimsy (some guff about celebs not liking all the trolling on their own boards and getting lots of sad hurty thoughts and feelings about it all. Man up! I say - you get paid enough and if you can't handle trolls then don't become celeb or better still don't read the posts and get a life - end of problem . I f i were a celeb I'd be too busy dining at Le Gavroche, boogying away at Studio 54, having lots of hot celeb sex , driving swank cars, shooting fowl with the Windsors, treating the help like slaves, enjoying a wive range of recreational substances and generally throwing my weight around too much to care if some nobody from Cyanide Springs, New Mexico thought I was carrying a couple of extra pounds - and I certainly wouldn't be gawping at my PC. Did Ava Gardner give a fig about what us mortals thought? Don't think so... so any celebs reading - don't use your lack of cojones as a reason
I did log on for the final explosion party though on Armaddeon day which was actually fun for me and did bring some kind of closure - At the stroke of midnight I was engaged in the BEST SONG FOR ARMAGGEDON thread and my final post was my contribution
I was one of the very first posters on the new cfb - I think we were all nervous it was a trap of some kind ( it might still be I guess!)-but I was in a que sera sera mood that day.....but quickly got distracted by real life stuff soon after and didn't really start checking in in earnest since Jan 19 I'd say.
For what it worth I have seen more films than imdb's founder/CEO. The fact that he chose to catalogue them on his computer ( becoming a global sensation and squillionaire in the process) and I opted for a biro, 6 x 4 inch record cards and shoeboxes for mine isn't the point. I've got the moral high ground. 
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 24, 2020 16:47:45 GMT
Heyyouactor, whose avatar was an image of Jason Robards, Jr, said he was Paul LeMat. Wasn't Addison DeWitt an actor? Jimcat was often rather contentious. I once mentioned that I knew three people who'd been extras in major films and he thought it utterly preposterous. Oh I recall Heyou - I sent him a PM because he would have worked with Gloria Grahame (my favourite) on MELVIN AND HOWARD but he never replied. Her biog says they didn't got on so maybe that is why he didn't respond. Or maybe it wasn't the real Paul LeMat
Addison certainly was an actor although mostly bits on big screen I gather. He got very snippy if you referred to him as an "extra" but i can't recall the rather high falutin' alternative he preferred. Anyone remember?
My memory of Jimcat personally is a fond but vague one but I'd concede (as with Strel) he was one of our more - er - confrontational chums 
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).
In truth I prefer the 50s ones - I think he got a shade duller and a lot less sexy after the oscar. My favourites (not neccessarily the "best") would be
)