Tag: classics

b-movie, bmovies, classics, comedy, horror, killer b cinema, movies, sci-fi

KILLER B CINEMA PRESENTS: SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS AND SILENT NIGHT BLOODY NIGHT

Lizzie Violet

Killer B Cinema presents Silent Night, Bloody Night and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians! Two killer B-movies to start the festive season off right and for the low, low price of $5. That’s right FIVE DOLLARS! And there will be trivia with prizes!

This month we will also be having a Krampus Raffle! Everyone who attends our movie night will get a raffle ticket for a prize pack AND for each tacky Xmas themed item you are wearing (ugly Xmas sweater, tinsel or garland accessories, over the top poinsettia hair flowers… you get it), you get an extra raffle ticket for the draw!

Doors (back performance space) open at 8 pm and the movies begin at 8:30 pm.

Link to Invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/529603940721676/

Silent Night, Bloody Night
Running Time: 85 minutes

Silent Night, Bloody Night (also released as Night of the Dark Full Moon and Death House[1]) is a 1972 American horror film directed by Theodore Gershuny and co-produced by Lloyd Kaufman. The film stars Patrick O’Neal and cult actress Mary Woronov in leading roles, with John Carradine in a supporting performance. The plot follows a series of murders that occur in a small town on Christmas Eve after a man inherits a family estate which was once an insane asylum.

Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
Running Time: 81 minutes

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is a 1964 American science fiction comedy film directed by Nicholas Webster, written by Paul L. Jacobson based on a story by Glenville Mareth, stars John Call as Santa Claus, and features an eight-year-old Pia Zadora as one of the Martian children. The film also marks the first documented appearance of Mrs. Claus in a motion picture (Doris Rich plays the role), coming three weeks before the television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which also featured the character.

Each month join Lizzie Violet & Zoltan Du Lac for a double bill of B-moves from the 1940s to 1970s!

Thank you to the Imperial Pub and their staff! They make our monthly event extra amazing!

We hope to see you at The Imperial!

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1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, classics, independent, movies, pre-code, rep theatre, silent films, silent movies, Uncategorized, vintage

Why Rep Theatres Are Important To The Vintage Culture and Community

Lizzie Violet

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I am a huge, HUGE classic movie nerd. Especially Silent Movies, Pre-code movies and 1950s Sci-fi. As a child, many Saturday mornings were filled with watching these movies and I have many fond memories of Saturday Night at the Movies with Elwy Yost. I grew up loving black and white classic cinema. Living in Toronto I am beyond fortunate that there are rep theatres that still show these movies on the regular or have themed movie afternoons/evenings. My fella and I have become regulars at the 4 pm Sunday show at the Carlton. $6 gets you a movie, popcorn, and a drink. Each month is themed. We are also a stone throw from The Revue and are found there often, especially during the Toronto Silent Film Festival. Why do I think these types of theatres are important, let me tell you.

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History. The history of the theatre and the history that comes along with the movies that are shown. Sadly, with the condo boom, many of Toronto’s beloved architecture, including old movie houses are being torn down. I don’t want to make this piece about that, I do want to raise how important it is to keep some of old Toronto still alive and intact. This includes our original movie theatres. There is so much incredible history in these buildings. Imagine the movies that were shown in these beautiful structures. Everything from The Silents of the early 1900s to the gritty movies of the 1970s. The people that would have walked across the thresholds. Buildings that allowed you to take refuge from the heat, the cold, the depression, the war or the general world outside. A place where you could escape to another world via celluloid. I often dream of being a child, jaw open while being mesmerized by a Silent Film, a sassy teen being inspired by the Flappers gracing the screen or a twenty-something being tantalized by a Pre-code bit of raunch. Witnessing a time in history and film-making when the creators cared about the story and the presentation.

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An escape. The world we live in is a harsh place to be in. It’s equally complicated by the all too convenient ability to pull out your phone to see or read the news, check social media, watch hours of youtube or stream whatever content you want and almost never be left to use your imagination if even for a short period of time. It’s why I write in complete silence. Going to a movie theatre, where you have to put your phone away is a wonderful feeling. To spend one to two hours being swept into another world, another time. To see films about a period of history, shot during that actual time. The music, clothes, sets — the story. Is it wrong that I still have crushes on Jimmy Stewart or Clara Bow?

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Most importantly, supporting independent businesses. Most of these theatres are independently owned. I would much rather support independent or family-owned businesses. I don’t only go to rep theatres to see the classics, I would much rather see the latest blockbuster in them. Yes, it means waiting a few extra weeks to see it, but if it means the money is going to a small business, I will wait.

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Please, check out your local rep theatre. The more we frequent them, the longer they stay alive.

MOVIE THEATRES :

Bloor Hot Docs Cinema (The Annex) – 506 Bloor Street West, Toronto 416-637-3123 — http://www.hotdocscinema.ca/

Carlton Cinema – 20 Carlton Street at Yonge, Toronto, 416 – 494-9371 — https://imaginecinemas.com/cinema/carlton-cinema/

Fox Theatre – 2236 Queen Street East, Toronto, 416-691-7330 — www.foxtheatre.ca

Humber Cinemas – 2442 Bloor Street West — http://www.humbercinemas.com/

Kingsway – 3030 Bloor Street West — http://kingswaymovies.ca/

Regent Theatre – 551 Mount Pleasant Road — http://regenttoronto.com/

Revue Cinema  – 400 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada M6R 2M9 — http://revuecinema.ca/

Royal Cinema – 608 College Street, Toronto, 416-466-4400 — www.theroyal.to

1920s, classics, movies, silent cinema, silent films, silent movies, Uncategorized

Silent Cinema

Lizzie Violet

As a child, I would spend hours watching silent movies. I was also that same child who not only wanted to be a flapper but insisted that her mother dress her like one. Fritzi Kramer runs a site called Movies Silently. You will always find incredibly informative posts about Silent Cinema from all over the world and because of Movies Silently, I have discovered silent movies I had never seen. I’m so thankful that so many silents have been preserved.

The queen of Egypt loves her Romans and so she falls for Mark Antony… What? You mean you know this one? Well, anyway, we’re looking over one of the very first feature-length Cleos with Helen Gardner in the title role. Home Media Availability: Released on DVD. Taking command A quick note before getting started. This…

via Cleopatra (1912) A Silent Film Review — Movies Silently

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, etsy, knit-a-long, knitting, online store, vintage, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage reproduction, vintage style

Killer Kitsch Vintage Knit-a-long

Lizzie Violet

For the months of September and October, I am hosting a vintage knit-a-long that offers three vintage sweater patterns from my Etsy shop! We have quite a few participants and I am having a lot of fun watching their progress on the version of the pattern they selected.

When I first put the idea out there, I asked those who were interested, to vote on patterns from my store. The top three would be the patterns for the knit along. The variety of the three patterns is wonderful and it made it hard to choose one. Many of us went with the two coloured jumper, one participant choose the cable jumper and another the bed jacket.

Every day I check to see what everyone is up to and right from the beginning I have been absolutely beside myself with joy!  The colour combinations are beyond stunning! There are a lot of greens!  I want to do this sweater again and this time will choose more fall colours. I choose the eggshell blue and grey colour because it reminded me of one of my favourite pre-code stars, Ruby Keeler.

We are nineteen days in and look at the amazing progress so far! These are only a few of the wonderfully talented women who are part of the Killer Kitsch Knit-a-long!  I will have another post soon showing, even more, progress and eventually finished jumpers!

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Please also check out all of the Instagram accounts of the participants! All of these ladies have killer vintage style and a few of them also have blogs. (links will be in their profile info at the top of their accounts)

@rorytheredd
@esmesvintagecloset
@raven_rose_retro
@mckeeveramanda
@marenmarnie
@thebendyredhead
@vintagedreamblog
@kamikatdesigns
@lovelyladylilian
@kellispieces
@marieloumarble
@handmadebyhandyside
@hortensepia

1930s, 1940s, 1950s, hat, my kingdom for a hat, sewing, vintage, vintage life, vintage pattern, vintage reproduction, vintage sewing

Favourite blog: My Kingdom For a Hat

Lizzie Violet

As I do with most of my favourite vintage bloggers, I discovered My Kingdom For a Hat via her Instagram account. Her wardrobe is #memade and she is another vintage gal who is inspiring me to have a vintage #memade wardrobe as well. I have the material and the patterns. Now that fall is upon us, I am itching to start sewing again.

I originally made this dress for a Pokemon trainer cosplay. Keen eyes will notice the appliques on the headscarf: bug types for life. I don’t consider myself a gamer or really much of a nerd, but my God I love me some Pokemon. The cosplay weekend ended up rained out, but my godparents’ cabin more […]

via me-made: minnie to the max — My Kingdom for a Hat

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, free, free knitting pattern, free pattern, knitting, vintage, vintage knitting, vintage knitting patterns, vintage pattern

Summer Knits!

Lizzie Violet

Summer Knits!

Contrary to belief you can definitely wear knits in the summer time. If you use cotton based yarns, you will have a fashionable knit jumper that you can wear even on the hottest of days.  Here are a few lovely summer knitting patterns to make and add to your summer wardrobe.

1930s Short sleeve Sailor Collar (photo not available here, but is on the pattern website)

1930s Chic Jumpers I love Theodora Goes Wild’s blog. She has lots of patterns available. This is one of my favourites.
Chic_Jumper

1940s Marguerite Pullover One of my regular go to for vintage patterns is The Vintage Pattern files. There are knitting, crochet and sewing patterns available.

marguerite

1940s Short Sleeve Blouses Va-Voom Vintage is a blog I check on the regular. She is also a curvy girl and has a large variety of patterns and shows sewing write-ups.
1940sshortsleeveblouses

1950 Happy Time Sweater  Free Vintage Knitting has thousands of free knitting patterns.

happytimesweater

1951 Jack Frost Pullover Pattern One of the things that draws me to Jack Frost patterns — is the spooky looking photography. Always shadowy with a pinch of Film Noir.
jackfrostpullover

1920s, 1930s, classics, joan crawford, movies, old hollywood, silent films, silent movies, vintage

Silent Movies Are Good For the Soul

Lizzie Violet

Ever since I can recall, I’ve wanted to be a Flapper and even to the point, as a young child I would often ask my mother to dress me like one. In my early days of high school, I would mix styles of punk, Edwardian and Flapper. A look that made a fourteen-year-old stick out in the hallways, clashing with her fellow, small town, plaid wearing classmates. I would be seen wandering the halls with books on ghosts and a notebook to write in.  When I was home, I would either be in my room writing, doing art, or sewing or watching classic movies, especially silents. No one understood why I would want to do this, no one really got me. Why would a teenager, be so intrigued by silent movies or prefer reading the 1927 Eaton’s Spring and Summer catalogue replica she inherited from her grandfather? Shouldn’t she be out running amok in the streets or listening to that rock and/or roll music?

 

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At some point in grade ten, my love of German Expressionist film started. Unfortunately, being in a small town, my only options for silent movies was TVO or rentals. At that time I didn’t have a huge selection and unlike here in Toronto, our public library didn’t have a huge selection of rentals. I was able to get my hands on Metropolis and Nosferatu from our local rental place. I watched both of these movies so many times, I could have shadowcast them. When I moved away from that small town and to Toronto, my world opened up. Not only did I have access to places like the Toronto Reference Library and Blockbuster, but there were groups and organizations that also loved silent movies. Pre-Facebook (yes there was a time before Facebook) I was able to find meet-ups via the classifieds in Now Magazine or posters, found on the telephone poles along Queen street.

My fourteen-year-old self would be beside herself today if she had those options. Social media has helped bring together large groups of silent film aficionados and like-minded, dames and fellas. Every April in Toronto, there is a Silent Film Festival. Sadly, I’m not able to see all of the movies at the festival (if only there was more time), but my dream is to one day get a pass and see every — single — one. This year we were able to see some ‘found’ movies and serials such as Sherlock Holmes, a Buster Keaton short and the 2nd reel from an epic pie fight brought to you by Laurel and Hardy called ‘The Battle of the Century’. It truly was the greatest pie fight in history.  I have included a YouTube video below of a shorter version of the video. If you can, you should see the restored longer version.  Side note: at 3:22 mark, I still drool over how stunning the outfit, worn by the woman who lands fanny first on a pie. I’m so glad her dress missed the pie!

I have an ever growing collection of silent movies on DVD. I fantasize often about owning a projector and film on reels, but due to the condition of most original silent films, this may remain a fantasy and a whole other blog post. Fortunately for me, a streaming service called FilmOn has a silent film and classic movie channel. I have discovered films I’ve never seen and also get to re-watch and fall in love again with, old favourites. I will never grow weary of watching the Barrymores, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Clara Bow, Mary Pickford, Errol Flynn, Valentino or Joan Crawford. Joan Crawford you say? Absolutely.  She got her start, on the big screen, in the silents. There is something so delightful in watching her in Our Dancing Daughters.

As I continue to watch silents, I am finding new favourites. Recenty I watched ‘The Married Virgin (1918) – Rudolph Valentino‘. As soon as Valentino walks into a scene, you can see why women swooned over him. As I watch Valentino and other stars like Clara Bow, Jean Harlow and Joan Crawford, I often wonder what it would have been like to have been alive in the 1920s and 1930s. It would have been incredible to see these movies, for the first time, in the cinemas of those eras. We are fortunate for festivals such of The Toronto Silent Film festival, but if I could hop into a time-machine, I would set the dial to that era.

What are your favourite silent films?

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