Showbiz History: Hamlet's Wins, Natalie's Child, and Judy's Premiere x 3

12 random things that happened on this day, September 29th, in showbiz history...

Natalie Wood gave birth to her first child on this day in 1970

1940 Strike Up the Band starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland is a hit in its opening weekend. One of my favorite old review blurbs ever is for Judy Garland calling her "oomphy". Hee.

1948 Hamlet has its american premiere in New York City. 176 days later it wins 4 Oscars: Picture, Actor, Art Direction... and Costume Design...

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Curio: What's Up Doc?

by Nathaniel R

Illustration by Glen Hanson. His incredible shop is here.

After Claudio's article about Madeline Kahn in What's Up Doc? I was inspired to rewatch it (it had been a gazillion years). The movie was even better than I had vaguely remembered from childhood. And as great as Kahn was I was all about the incredibly sexy chaos/chemistry of Ryan O'Neal's stuffy geologist and Babs' over-educated troublemaker. Then on Streisand's birthday this week one of our favourite illustrators, Glen Hanson, posted some in progress What's Up Doc? (1972) drawings that are just super  and also sang to Babs on his Instagram.

This all led to missing the departed "Curio" column so let's revive it to celebrate movie-inspired art each week. After the jump more art inspired by What's Up Doc...

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Almost There: Madeline Kahn in "What's Up, Doc?"

by Cláudio Alves

There's a generalized belief that the Oscars are allergic to comedy. While that's not completely accurate, there's a kernel of truth in the statement. The Academy tends to prefer weighty dramas that signal their importance instead of light comedy. Considering the inherent subjectivity of humor and the way people tend to rile against any comedic Oscar champion (Birdman, The Artist, Shakespeare in Love, etc.), it's easy to understand why so few funny pictures get the most desired golden statuettes in Hollywood. Even this very series has been guilty of overlooking great comedic performances and focusing mostly on heavyweight drama, preferring tears to guffaws.

Well, it's time to change that and there's no better way to do it than by examining the hilarity of one of cinema's funniest women in one of New Hollywood's greatest farces. We're talking about the inimitable Madeline Kahn in What's Up, Doc?…

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Best of the "Whodunnit?" Genre (Part Three)

Part One Gosford Park, etcetera
Part Two The Maltese Falcon, etcetera
...and now we conclude the countdown of the best whodunnits in honor of the impending release of the all star mystery Knives Out.

by Eurocheese

2. Memento
I know Christopher Nolan isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – fair enough. Whodunnits are essentially excuses to get inside the head of a killer. To start with a murder, realize the killer can’t trust his own thoughts , and try to put together who is pulling the strings in his mind… what an impressive conceit to thrill die hard mystery fans. Disorienting the audience in every scene while cutting in clips of a paranoid, trapped man trying to piece together his memories, without giving anything away? I have to believe Agatha Christie herself would applaud the finale...

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List-Mania: Who are your all time favorite character actresses?

by Nathaniel R

With the announcement of the latest panel for the next celebration of actressing at the edges, how about a related list discussion? Who are you favorite character actresses ever? I've listed 21 of my favorites after the jump from throughout film history. This list was off the top of our heads so there's surely some glaring "how did you forget about ________ ???" examples of missing geniuses...

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