Author Archives: dcaligari

September 3, 1952 –The screwball comedy, Monkey Business, directed by Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Charles Coburn, and Marilyn Monroe, opened in New York City on this date. Although the film shares a title with the otherwise unrelated 1931 Marx Brothers comedy Monkey Business, the films have some vague connections: Early inContinue reading “Monkey Business premiered”

September 3, 1932 –The Looney Tunes short, Bosko the Lumberjack, directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising starring Bosko, was released on this date. The idea of a co-worker (in this case, Pierre) kidnapping the love interest (Honey) by use of a hook and raises her to him is reused from the Oswald the LuckyContinue reading “Bosko the Lumberjack premiered”

September 3, 1955 – The Looney Tunes short, Dime to Retire, directed by Bob McKimson starring Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, was released on this date. Porky paid $5.00 for the cat to get rid of the mouse, $10 for the dog to get rid of the cat, $26 for the lion to get ridContinue reading “Dime to Retire premiered”

September 3, 1960 – The Merrie Melodies short, From Hare to Heir, directed by Friz Freleng, and starring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam, was released on this date. The background of the chasm where Yosemite Sam falls off of was later reused in Devil’s Feud Cake.

September 3, 1983 –One of the songs that defined MTV in the 80s, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by the Eurythmics, gave them their only US chart topper. In 1978, Squeeze had a UK hit with Take Me I’m Yours, which features the line “Dreams are made of this” in the chorus. Marilyn MansonContinue reading “Some of them want to use you”

September 2, 2006 –Stephen Frears brilliant portrayal of the royal family’s reaction to the death of Princess Diana, The Queen, starring Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, and James Cromwell opened at the Venice Film Festival on this date. Scenes within the Royal household were shot on 35mm film, so they would look lush and cinematic. ScenesContinue reading “The Queen premiered”

September 2, 1949 – Carol Reed’s adaptation of Graham Greene’s post war thriller, The Third Man, starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard, and Orson Welles, premiered in London of this date. During the shooting of the film, the final scene was the subject of a dispute between Graham Greene, who wanted the happy endingContinue reading “The world grew up around him, that’s all.”

September 2, 1939 – The Merrie Melodies short, Little Brother Rat, directed by Chuck Jones, and starring Sniffles, was released on this date. It’s implied that the duck caused the demise of the fox, something that likely pushed the censorship envelope at the time. Two years later, Mazurka Mouse would have a similarly unsettling ending.

September 2, 1944 – The Merrie Melodies short, Goldilocks and the Jivin’ Bears, directed by Friz Freleng, was released on this date. Because the short contains stereotyped portrayals of African-Americans, it is no longer available in any type of authorized release and is among the group of controversial cartoons known to animation buffs as theContinue reading “Goldilocks and the Jivin’ Bears premiered”

September 2, 1949 – The Merrie Melodies short, Dough for the Do-Do, directed by Friz Freleng, and Starring Porky Pig, was released on this date. (This short is basically a remake of Porky in Wackyland.) This was the last Porky Pig cartoon to be directed by Friz Freleng.