Beyond the Classics
-
The Original Ghostly Thrills of ‘The Uninvited’
Everyone loves a good ghost story. You have this film to thank for their popularity in cinema today.
-
The Flop that Ruined Musicals for Cecil B. DeMille
We look at the 1930 film ‘Madam Satan’ — where it fails and where it accidentally succeeds.
-
Romance, Crime, and Queer-coding in ‘Johnny Eager’
The queer storyline and fascinating lives of the lead actors set this film apart from other crime romances before and since.
-
The Contradictory Mexican-American Representation of ‘Bordertown’
The 1935 film relies on stereotypes but inadvertently shows the debilitating barriers that racism puts on Mexican immigrants.
-
Loss of Identity in ‘My Name is Julia Ross’
Suspense, camp, and social commentary are all on display in this early film noir.
-
The Unsettling Appeal of ‘Dementia’
In 1955, John Parker’s experimental feature didn’t find its deserved audience. Today, we present it as an essential work of horror cinema existing in the canon beyond the classics.
-
Dorothy Arzner’s ‘Working Girls’ Shows Depression Hard-Knocks from the Female Perspective
Dorothy Arzner’s 1931 film ‘Working Girls’ shows “MEN may do the bossing — but the girls make their own plans for them!’
-
Love Needs No Explanation in ‘History is Made at Night’
The restored Criterion edition of Frank Borzage’s masterpiece romance shows the talent and intuition he had to reach the audience’s hearts.
-
‘Where Are My Children?’ and Lois Weber’s Trailblazing Films About Women
First-wave feminism sprung from the birth control movement, which is on full display in Weber’s controversial 1916 film.