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Before all the modern day movie stars that fans obsess over on a daily basis, there was Gary Cooper. Tall, handsome, and with an (*ahem*) reputation in Hollywood for romancing starlets, he dominated the silver screen for decades. Cooper got his start during the silent era, when he made a name for himself as a romantic lead, before being one of the lucky male stars to transition successfully into talkies. Beginning in the 1930s, he hopped from genre to genre, starring in action adventure pictures and Westerns as well as showcasing a natural affinity for comedy.

During his time in Hollywood, he was nominated for five Academy Awards and took home two, in addition to earning an Academy Honorary Award just weeks before he died from cancer in 1961. His work as an actor was impressive, but his reputation and legacy are larger-than-life. There were rumors of romances between him and...

The Museum of Modern Art is spring cleaning its archives for a special ode to Old Hollywood. The exhibit “Face Value: Celebrity Press Photography,” which will open June 28, 2025 and be on display through June 21, 2026, features the best studio shots of iconic stars such as Clara Bow, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck, Elizabeth Taylor, Harry Belafonte, and more.

This is the first major exhibition of Hollywood studio portraiture to be showcased from the Museum Department of Film’s film stills archive since 1993. “Face Value” will feature over 200 works from 1921 to 1996, with studio photography of Joan Crawford, Louis Armstrong, Carole Lombard, Louise Brooks, Mia Farrow, Dennis Hopper, Lena Horne, Buster Keaton, Anna May Wong, W. C. Fields, Hattie McDaniel, Lupe Velez, Mae West, Bela Lugosi, Carmen Miranda, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, Spencer Tracy, and Oprah Winfrey, in addition to the aforementioned stars. Historical figures such as Jackie Robinson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis,...

The TCM Classic Film Festival, running this year from April 24-27 for its 16th annual edition, comes at a pivotal time for the network and the state of classic cinema as a whole.

As a new generation of cinephiles flock to vintage film screenings across Los Angeles and beyond, the TCM Classic Film Festival is meeting the moment with Tiktoks and creators helping spread the word.

Beginning in January, TCM hosted a video series titled “New Voices of Film,” where three content creators and impassioned cinema lovers presented a film of their choosing to program on the network. The selections ranged from the Douglas Sirk melodrama “All That Heaven Allows,” Billy Wilder’s “A Foreign Affair” to the pre-code classic “Merrily We Go to Hell.” But in order to reach younger audiences, TCM has also focused its efforts across social media, with short-form videos on TikTok and Instagram drawing bridges between contemporary and older films.

Technically, there were two Best Picture winners at the first Oscars ceremony. The event was held on May 16, 1929, in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and it only took 15 minutes to hand out all the awards. This was because, unlike modern-day Oscars telecasts, the winners had already been announced a few months before; the ceremony was only held as a way to provide a "prom" for the winners (one in which Douglas Fairbanks handed them their statuettes).

The two Best Picture categories were divided by "vibe." One category was called Outstanding Picture, while the other was called Best Unique and Artistic Picture. William Wellman's war epic "Wings" took home the former, with F.W. Murnau's "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans" winning the latter. There were also two Best Director categories that year, with Best Directing (Comedy Picture) going to Lewis Milestone for his film "Two Arabian...

[Editor’s Note: This list was originally published in February 2024. It has been updated to add new winners, including “Anora.”]

When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences hosted their first annual Academy Awards on May 16, 1929 — a short, 15-minute ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with tickets that cost the equivalent of $90 today — there were two top awards that night (and an honorary trophy for groundbreaking talkie “The Jazz Singer.”) The first was “Best Unique and Artistic Picture,” honoring boldly experimental art films pushing the medium forward: “Sunrise,” F. W. Murnau’s lyrical masterpiece of a romantic drama, received that prize. Then there was “Outstanding Picture,” given to more commercial fare made within the Hollywood system: That award was given out to “Wings,” a very good and extremely popular World War I action romance starring Clara Bow.

When AMPAS mounted a second ceremony a year later, they retroactively decided that Outstanding Picture was the real highest honor they gave out and discontinued Artistic Picture forever. And, as Oscar ceremonies...

Spanish auteur Luis Buñuel helped shape the language of cinema with his now-iconic surrealist reveries, so it’s only fitting that the re-release of one of his most beloved films lands in a time of collective social discord and disillusionment.

Buñuel, who arguably is best known for directing Catherine Deneuve in the legendary 1967 film “Belle de Jour,” helmed an ode to the frustrating pitfalls of the male id more than a decade prior, with 1953’s “Él.” Translated to simply be titled “Him,” the film centers on a paranoid priest (Arturo de Córdova) whose grasp on reality is skewed amid his obsession with a woman seeking solace and absolution (Delia Garcés).

The late Mexican filmmaker directed 35 movies between 1929 and 1977 in the span of his career.

The official synopsis for “Él” reads: “After fleeing her abusive husband, Delia Garcés seeks out the advice of a clergyman, only to discover that her husband...

The Academy Awards are a funny thing: At once steeped with tradition, yet desperately fighting to reinvent itself and retain relevancy at every turn. Although there are certain categories that have been with the iconic awards ceremony since the very beginning, others have come and gone. Sometimes this is in response to changes within the industry -- types of films waxing or waning in popularity, for example, or certain elements of filmmaking becoming obsolete -- while other times it's decidedly more political. 

But the categories that the Academy Awards chooses to feature say almost as much about the state of the industry as do the films they celebrate. As Hollywood evolves, the Academy constantly finetunes its awards ceremony, and for that to happen, some categories have had to be jettisoned over the years. Pull out the awards speech you've been practicing in the mirror since you were 12 and put on...

The Best Picture race at the 2025 Oscars is coming into focus. The Oscars, also known as the Academy Awards, were created by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1929, and celebrate the artistic achievement of each year's films in a variety of categories including acting, directing, editing, costume design, sound design, and more. The Oscar that is perhaps the most prestigious is the Best Picture award, which celebrates what Academy voters have deemed to be the best film of the year.

Over the years, there have been a wide variety of Best Picture winners, so far running from 1927's Wings, a silent film starring Clara Bow, through 2023's Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan's biopic-thriller of J. Robert Oppenheimer starring Cillian Murphy. Some winners are minted classics such as 1942's Casablanca, 1964's The Sound of Music, 1971's The Godfather, and 1992's Schindler's List. However, there are also some winners that...

Lindsay Lohan opened up in a new interview with Flaunt.

The 38-year-old Our Little Secret actress covered the publication’s latest issue and was lensed by The Morelli Brothers.

In the accompanying interview, she discussed her brief cameo in the Mean Girls musical movie, which premiered earlier this year. Lindsay also reflected on life coming “full circle” with the new version of the movie and her upcoming Freaky Friday sequel.

She even revealed two celebrities that she’d like to bring to life in a biopic and provided an update on her music career.

Keep reading to find out more…

On her Mean Girls cameo… “I think I was five months—no, maybe I was six months pregnant at the time. So that was a little different. I love Tina Fey, and I loved working with her again. So that was really sweet. To be there with the new cast was nice.

Margot Robbie is still baffled by the reception of “Babylon.”

Damien Chazelle’s 2022 epic was a box office dud, grossing only $15 million (domestic) on a budget within the $80 million range. Lead star Robbie said during the “Talking Pictures” podcast on Tk that she still doesn’t understand why audiences didn’t show up for the sprawling feature that received mixed reviews and was iced out of awards season.

“I love it. I don’t get it either,” Robbie said of why the film was not well-received. “I know I am biased because I am very close to the project and I obviously believe in it, but I still can’t figure out why people hated it.”

She added, “I wonder if in 20 years people are going to be like, ‘Wait, “Babylon” didn’t do well at the time?’ Like when you hear that ‘Shawshank Redemption’ was a failure at the...

Margot Robbie appeared on the “Talking Pictures” podcast and expressed her continued bafflement over moviegoers hating “Babylon,” her infamous 2022 box office flop co-starring Brad Pitt. Directed by “La La Land” Oscar winner Damian Chazelle, the Hollywood epic centered on silent movie stars in the 1920s as they struggle to adapt during the industry’s transition to talkies. “Babylon” was made for a budget in the $80 million range but bombed with $15 million at the domestic box office and $63 million worldwide.

“I am still saying that,” Robbie said when podcast host Ben Mankiewicz expressed confusion over people not liking “Babylon.” “I love it. I don’t get it either. I know I am biased because I am very close to the project and I obviously believe in it, but I still can’t figure out why people hated it. I wonder if in 20 years people are going to be like, ‘Wait, “Babylon...

Over the years, Taylor Swift has established herself as a major leading figure in the music industry. The talented artist has gained a massive worldwide fanbase. Loyal Swifties are aware of not just her musical genius but also her humble generosity.

The Anti-Hero singer has repeatedly proven her kind nature by supporting important causes. Swift is one of the many celebrities who understands her position and utilizes it for the benefit of those in need. Recently, the 14-time Grammy winner has donated a huge sum of $5 million to a relief fund. Fans noticed this and immediately criticized Donald Trump supporters for trying to diminish her contribution.

A little kindness goes a long way: Not the Anti-Hero

Taylor Swift has been basking in professional glory for a while now, the singer earned 14 Grammy Awards along with 52 nominations. Her recent albums have also earned phenomenal responses with fully-packed concerts.

Taylor Swift in Anti-Hero Mv | Credits: @TaylorSwift

However,...

The iconically seductive silent film star Clara Bow is being further immortalized courtesy of a festival at New York City’s Film Forum.

1920s superstar Bow, who recently inspired a track named after her on Taylor Swift’s “Tortured Poets Department” album, is at the center of a career retrospective screening series at the New York City indie theater. Deemed the very first “It Girl,” Bow starred in films such as “Wings,” “The Saturday Night Kid,” and short “The Pill Pounder” which was recently rediscovered and subsequently restored after 101 years.

Bow’s turn in silent comedy “It” also inspired the very term “It Girl,” which refers to “sex appeal” as coined by British author Elinor Glyn, who also appears in the feature as well as a young Gary Cooper.

The festival will run on most Mondays at Film Forum from October 7 to December 30, with an additional screening on Thursday, October...

Taylor Swift wrapped up her third and final Eras Tour date in Dublin, Ireland, at Aviva Stadium on Sunday, and she debuted The Tortured Poet’s Department’s closing track “Clara Bow” live along with giving it a special dedication to an icon who was also in attendance.

“You don’t even know she’s doing it, she’s just become friends with so many female artists just to be a guiding hand,” Swift said before delivering the song on acoustic guitar. “I can’t tell you how rare that is.

Taylor Swift is Currently in London as part of her Eras Tour (Photo Credit –Instagram)

34-year-old singer Taylor Swift is currently in London as part of her Eras Tour, which will resume in Liverpool on June 13 for her 100th performance. The “Fortnight” singer had a great time spending a night out with friends while taking a well-earned break.

She was spotted on June 11 with a mix of old and new friends for a girls’ night out at the Argentinean restaurant Casa Cruz. Swift looked amazing in expensive designer clothing that cost thousands of dollars, complete with her signature red lip and curtain bangs.

The Grammy winner’s attire is always a source of interest, and this outing was no exception. She effortlessly wore a chic, fashionable look that reflected her sophisticated style. Her appearance at the restaurant heightened the already star-studded atmosphere, emphasizing her status as a fashion icon and beloved celebrity.

On June 4, 1937, Hollywood dancer and movie extra Patricia Douglas went public with her experience at an MGM exhibitors convention the previous month, where she alleged that a salesman raped her in the parking lot of the studio-backed event. What followed was a systematic smear campaign against Douglas (one of the very first women to go public with her sexual assault in Hollywood) and a laughable attempt at a civil trial in which the prosecutor literally never showed up.

Douglas’ story went from the front pages to the dustbin of history, a cautionary tale for anyone who might get any ideas about the possibility of actual justice in Tinseltown. Until that is, David Stenn began researching a biography of Jean Harlow (who died days after Douglas made the front pages) and discovered Douglas’ story.

That discovery ultimately led to Stenn’s 2007 documentary “Girl 27” (how the press referred to Douglas) and a friendship with the still-living Douglas.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is shaping up to be the most anticipated upcoming MCU release for several compelling reasons. Firstly, the movie is rumored to feature numerous cameos and variants. Additionally, it’s Deadpool’s debut in the MCU and marks the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, despite his previous retirement from the role. There’s also speculation that this film will lead into ‘Secret Wars,’ though this remains unconfirmed.

One of the most persistent rumors is that Taylor Swift will appear as Dazzler. This rumor has been circulating for at least a year, backed by notable scoopers and leakers. The speculation gains traction considering Ryan Reynolds is a huge fan of Swift, and his wife, Blake Lively, is close friends with the artist.

Since then, both Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy have addressed the rumors of Taylor Swift appearing in the film. Recently, Reynolds revisited the topic due...

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is the hottest upcoming MCU release, for a few good reasons. The movie is rumored to include numerous cameos & variants, it’s Deadpool’s first foray into the MCU, and it’s the movie that managed to pull Hugh Jackman out of his Wolverine retirement. It’s also rumored to lead into ‘Secret Wars’ but we’re going to take this with a grain of salt.

Among those mentioned cameos & variants, is Taylor Swift appearing in the movie as Dazzler. This is one of the most persistent rumors, being traced back at least a year ago to notable scoopers and leakers. It’s especially convincing when you take into account that Reynolds is a huge fan of Swift, and his better half Blake Lively is good friends with the artist.

Since then, the rumors of Swift appearing were addressed by Reynolds, and Shawn Levy himself, and recently,...

Lindsay Lohan is looking to take on the legacy of Ann-Margret.

After Lohan first voiced her desire to portray the frequent Elvis Presley collaborator in a biopic, Us Weekly reports that Ann-Margret, 83, has agreed to the project and has been spending time with Lohan in preparation for her portrayal. IndieWire has reached out to Lohan’s representatives for comment, but we did not immediately receive a response.

A source told Us Weekly that Lohan “feels she’s the only one who can play the part” of Ann-Margret, and that Lohan “wants to win an Oscar and an Emmy.” Lohan believes the biopic could “take her career to the next level.”

The actress recently has ushered in her “Lohannaissance” via some Netflix movies, which she’s also produced, and is preparing for the long-awaited “Freaky Friday” sequel — it’s in the works with Jamie Lee Curtis. Lohan recently had a cameo...

Taylor Swift surprisingly unveiled The Anthology version of The Tortured Poets Department, which contains 15 additional songs. The album's lengthy tracklist of 31 songs sets up a potential sequel to Folklore's documentary on Disney+. A Tortured Poets Department film could feature special guests, like Post Malone and Florence Welch.

Anticipation was high for Taylor Swift's eleventh studio album The Tortured Poets Department, but the singer-songwriter managed to exceed expectations with a few surprises, including a double album drop, which indicates that a sequel to Swift's 2020 film is very likely. Prior to the album's release, Swift unveiled its number of tracks and their titles, so, fans were expecting only 16 songs. However, a couple of hours after The Tortured Poets Department was added to streaming platforms, Swift announced that she had written 15 additional songs, which were subsequently added to The Anthology edition of the album and made public.

Swift's eleventh studio album has,...

Fans Believe That Taylor Swift Has Just Confirmed The Dazzler Cameo Rumors In Deadpool & Wolverine ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Are the T-Swift MCU cameo rumors true? Is MCU finally going to have the pop star on the silver screen? Those Dazzler cameo rumors are not dying down anytime soon, and Taylor Swift may have just fanned the fire by almost confirming the rumors.

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s trailer is out; it is everything you might expect. Keeping in touch with its Deadpool charm, it’s action-packed, hilarious, and meta. With Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds reviving the title roles, fans are excited to see the real-life bromance bloom in the MCU world.

Rumors regarding her involvement in Deadpool & Wolverine have been circulating for months, and neither lead star Ryan Reynolds nor director Shawn Levy have provided a clear response. But Swift’s last line in “Clara Bow,” the last...

Following the release of The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift revealed the inspiration behind songs “Fortnight,” “Clara,” “Florida!!!,” “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?,” and “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys.”

On Monday, Amazon Music offered a playlist experience including track-by-track commentary from Swift on her latest album. Following the release of her surprise double album, Swift called the 31-track LP “an anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and sentiments from a fleeting and fatalistic moment in time — one that was both sensational and sorrowful in equal measure.

Taylor Swift is opening up about the inspiration behind several of her tracks on her 11th studio album Tortured Poets Department.

In an Amazon Music commentary, Swift said the album’s opening song “Fortnight”, a team-up with Post Malone, “exhibits a lot of the common themes that run throughout this album, one of which being fatalism, longing, pining away, lost dreams.”

“I think it’s a very fatalistic album in that there are lots of very dramatic lines about life or death and I love you, it’s ruining my life. These are very hyperbolic, dramatic things to say,” she noted. “But it’s that kind of album – it’s about a dramatic, artistic, tragic kind of take on love and loss.”

She said she “always imagined” that “Fortnight” occurred in an “American town where the American Dream you thought would happen to you didn’t.”

“You ended up not...

For over 25 years, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival called the Castro Theatre home. With the iconic theater now closed for a year-plus-long renovation, Sfsff has relocated to the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, located in a beautiful park created for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition at the north edge of the Presidio. The auditorium, primarily a performance space, seats nearly a thousand and features a spacious foyer where passholders could visit and relax between shows (particularly useful on chilly weekends).

Sfsff prides itself on mixing landmark productions and audience favorites with rediscoveries, revelations, and rarities, often recently uncovered and restored. And for its 27th edition this year, the festival presented 20 features and six short films over five days, all with live musical scores by some of the finest silent film accompanists in the world.

The opening night film, Albert Parker’s 1926 swashbuckler The Black Pirate, certainly qualifies as both landmark and favorite.

Internet fans believe Taylor Swift might've referenced her upcoming cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine on her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. The singer has been rumored to make an appearance in the superhero film, but nothing has been confirmed.

Taylor Swift's new album is out and it seems to include a reference to her potential Deadpool & Wolverine role. For months, rumors about her involvement in Deadpool & Wolverine have only been growing, with director Shawn Levy and lead star Ryan Reynolds dodging a straight answer. However, in the final song of The Tortured Poets Department, called "Clara Bow," Swift's final lyric is "Dazzling."

Related Henry Cavill Addresses Second Taylor Swift Connection After Argylle Henry Cavill has a new connection with Taylor Swift after the Argylle rumors. Ok so the last word on the last song from #Tsttpd (Clara Bow) is "dazzling", Taylor Swift is heavily rumored to...

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is the hottest upcoming MCU release for a few good reasons. The movie is rumored to include many cameos and variants, marking Deadpool’s first appearance in the MCU and Hugh Jackman’s return from Wolverine retirement. There are also rumors that it will lead into ‘Secret Wars,’ but we’re taking this with a grain of salt.

One of the persistent rumors among these cameos and variants is Taylor Swift appearing in the movie as Dazzler. This rumor traces back at least a year to notable scoopers and leakers. It’s especially convincing when you take into account that Reynolds is a huge fan of Swift, and his better half, Blake Lively, is good friends with the artist.

Now, some fans believe that Swift may have hinted at (or confirmed) her cameo in the movie as Dazzler through her latest lyrics.

In the closing line of...

Onstage at the 2024 Grammys, Taylor Swift announced that her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, was on its way during her acceptance speech. After months of frantically theorizing what the pop star's newest album would sound like, fans can finally rest easy because Tortured Poets is finally here — and unsurprisingly, it's an immersive amalgamation of songs about heartbreak, forbidden love, and fame. The latter is best represented in the album's final track, "Clara Bow," a direct reference to a stellar actress from the silent film era. Clara Bow's career onscreen rose to prominence in the 1920s amid cinema's transition to the talkies. A popular figure in and out of films, she became the first person to be called an 'It girl', after starring in her most well-known project, It, back in 1927. With a filmography that spans 57 films, Bow had a notorious yet short-lived run in Hollywood. More than 50 years since her passing,...

The great-grandchildren of Clara Bow are feeling the love after Taylor Swift named a song after the iconic 1920s actress on The Tortured Poets Department.

In a new interview with People, Nicole Sisneros and Brittany Grace Bell — the granddaughters of Bow’s son Rex Bell Jr. — shared that they felt “chills” after listening to Swift’s song dedicated to the iconic actress, calling both Swift and Bow “it girls.” Track 16, “Clara Bow,” serves as the closing track of the standard edition of Tortured Poets.

“[They’re] both raw and amazingly talented artists,...

“Clara Bow” is the 16th track on Taylor Swift‘s new album The Tortured Poets Department and the real-life subject’s family is reacting to the song.

If you didn’t know, there was an actress named Clara Bow in the silent film era and she gained the nickname “The It Girl” in the 1920s.

Clara‘s personal life was often the subject of tabloids, with some calling her more “brazen” than her peers. She eventually suffered a breakdown and left her acting career to escape Hollywood and focus on her mental health.

Taylor sings on the chorus of the song, “This town is fake, but you’re the real thing / Breath of fresh air through smoke rings / Take the glory, give everything / Promise to be dazzling.”

Clara‘s family members opened up about the song following its release.

Keep reading to find out more…

Clara‘s great-granddaughter Nicole Sisneros told People,...

Taylor Swift released her album The Tortured Poets Department on April 19. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

There is a reason why Taylor Swift sits atop the game. She embodies the popstar life, the glitz, the fame, and the shiny new outfits, but also the large-scale attention that it brings to one’s life. Her reverential new album lays bare her emotional struggles of falling in and out of love in a public space like a spectacle for millions. Her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, is literally all anyone can talk about. The internet is entrapped in Swift’s charms and swirling in the web of stories that she has spun. Swifties are losing their minds over speculations and wild theories. And the reactions are hilarious.

Her highly anticipated album dropped on April 19, and then, at 2 Am Et, Taylor announced that it was, in fact, a double album. Swifties around the world...

When describing a big star’s new release, two clichés are frequently used: it is highly anticipated and long-awaited. Well, the 11th studio album by pop sensation Taylor Swift can’t exactly be called ‘long awaited’—just 18 months have passed since the release of her previous album, Midnights. The Grammy winner made her ‘highly anticipated’ 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, available on Friday, April 19, 2024.

The 16-track album is peaceful and enjoyable to listen to, but if you read the lyrics carefully—as most Swift fans do—you will discover a convoluted and disorganized stream of thought where Swift swings between waves of introspection, rage, longing, and grief.

Taylor Swift performing at the Eras Tour

Also, it is interesting to note that this latest album credits the two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone for her work on the song Florida!!!.

Emma Stone’s Unexpected Contribution to Taylor Swift’s Latest...

The Tortured Poets Department has finally arrived and you can stream Taylor Swift‘s new album for free right here.

This is Taylor‘s 11th studio album and she shocked fans when she announced it during a Grammy Award acceptance speech back in February.

When the song titles were unveiled, Taylor‘s fans immediately came up with theories about the meanings behind each track on the album. Now that the album is officially out, we’re sure there will be even more theories about what each song means.

The album appears to be a breakup record with references to her splits from recent ex-boyfriends Joe Alwyn and Matty Healy.

“Fortnight” featuring Post Malone, which is the first track on the album, is also going to be the first single. The music video drops at 8pm Et on Friday (April 19), so stay tuned!

Head inside to listen to the new album and get the download link…...

“You look like Clara Bow in this light,” Taylor Swift sings on the final track of “The Tortured Poets Department,” titled after the 1920s sex symbol. She goes on to name-check two more immediately recognizable women — Stevie Nicks and one Taylor Swift — but what attracted Swift to reference a silent movie star on an album that also includes a throwaway Charlie Puth reference?

A movie star by the age of 20, Bow’s career was over at 28. Now Swift might have positioned her to win over a new generation of fans.

Known as the “It Girl” for both her starring role in the silent comedy “It” and her place as one of the pre-eminent sex symbols of ’20s Hollywood, Bow wasn’t washed up because her box office slipped. She was washed up because her scandal-plagued life made her a liability, both for the studios and for her own mental health.

The Pill Pounder, one of the key titles in the CV of the iconic flapper, has enjoyed a belated revival at the San Francisco Silent film festival

A century after she first began to turn heads, Clara Bow is “It” once more. The iconic flapper of the silent film era inspired Margot Robbie’s character Nellie in Damien Chazelle’s Hollywood epic Babylon, is namechecked on Taylor Swift’s forthcoming album The Tortured Poets Department, and yesterday at the San Francisco Silent film festival, one of her earliest films was shown for the first time since the days of bathtub gin.

The story of the film’s discovery has already caused excitement online. Film-maker Gary Huggins inadvertently snapped up a slice of lost silent film history at an auction in a car park in Omaha, Nebraska, that was selling old stock from a distribution company called Modern Sound Pictures. Hoping...

A slew of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner collectibles sold at auction over the weekend, including a pink Pucci dress worn by the actress and a smoking jacket and slippers worn by the Playboy founder.

The three-day auction, which ended Saturday, saw the long-sleeved silk jersey Pucci dress go to the winning bidder for $325,000, which set a record for a Pucci dress sold at auction, according to organizer Julien’s Auctions.

Also sold were the one-space mausoleum crypt at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary in Los Angeles, located near the final side-by-side resting places of Hugh Hefner and Marilyn Monroe, for $195,000; a grave marker from Monroe’s crypt, for $88,900 (constant touching from fans led to minor wear, causing it to be replaced); Hefner’s burgundy smoking jacket, slippers, pajamas and tobacco pipe ensemble ($13,000); and a circular mansion bed custom-made for Hefner as a backup to his primary bed...

The year before she became internationally acclaimed as the original “It Girl” for starring in the film It, Clara Bow made this peppy silent comedy directed by the Wizard Of Oz’s Victor Fleming, which had a gala screening at HippFest with live accompaniment from Neil Brand.

Bow doesn’t actually turn up until part way through the film that begins firmly with the perspective of men. Ralph Prescott (Percy Marmont) is a divorce lawyer, tired of both life and the flirtations of his clients who decides to head up country to the delightfully named Mantrap for some R&r. Joe Easter (Ernest Torrence), meanwhile is a backwoods trader lured by the bright lights and finely turned ankles of Minneapolis.

It is there that Joe crosses the path of the flirtatious Alverna (Bow), a manicurist who gives plenty of flutter with her polish. As is often the way with silent films,...

Every time a presumed-lost silent film is rediscovered, it’s cause for celebration. When elements were found to restore complete versions of “The Passion of Joan of Arc” and “Metropolis,” the resulting restoration premiere was a major cinematic event. For his part, the silent film historian Kevin Brownlow told me he thinks a treasure trove of lost silents is just awaiting rediscovery in the archives of the Cinemateca de Cuba.

One major new find occurred right in the United States, however. Filmmaker Gary Huggins was hoping to buy a celluloid reel for a cartoon as part of the auction of films an Omaha-based distributor had held, after the distributor folded. He had to purchase a number of other films as well in order to get the one he wanted, and among those other titles? A presumed-lost 1923 movie with silent film megastar Clara Bow called “The Pill Pounder.”

A fun broadcast...

The early days of Hollywood were quiet, at least on screen. The silent movies captivated audiences with broad theatrics and vivid expressions, paired with music that ebbed and flowed with the action on screen. Moviegoers made mega-stars out of actors like Greta Garbo, Clara Bow, and Douglas Fairbanks, to name just a few. Then came 1927's The Jazz Singer, the first Hollywood release with spoken dialogue, and five simple words from the mouth of actor Al Jolson changed everything: "You ain't heard nothing yet." It was a touchstone moment in Hollywood history (a time that's captured in 2022's Babylon), changing how films were made on a revolutionary scale. Actors like Franklyn Farnum were able to make the switch to talkies relatively easily, but for others the advent of sound ended their Hollywood careers forever. That's what happened, but why? Why their Hollywood dreams ended is a different question altogether, and there's more than one answer.

The 1st Academy Awards ceremony took place 95 years ago, on May 16, 1929. There were only 12 categories at the inaugural Oscars, three of which were permanently discontinued the following year. Wings was the very first movie to win Best Picture, then called Outstanding Picture, at the Oscars.

12 lucky individuals and movies won the very first Oscars 95 years ago at the 1st Academy Awards. The 2024 Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, are just around the corner. With a stacked lineup of 2024 Oscar nominees across all categories, the 96th Academy Awards are sure to be an exciting night. The award show may be a grand spectacle now, but the very first Oscars, which took place on May 16, 1929, before the ceremony and the awards themselves were ever colloquially known as "Oscars," was a much more lowkey affair.

The 1st Academy Awards ceremony, which honored films released between August 1, 1927, and July 31, 1928, was hosted by Academy President Douglas Fairbanks...

“I’ve seen Paris, France, and Paris, Paramount Pictures,” Ernst Lubitsch said, or so they say, “and on the whole I prefer Paris, Paramount Pictures.”

The great director’s preference for the Hollywood city of lights over the French one expresses a common enough affinity for illusion over reality, but the studio in question was not chosen for alliteration alone. If gritty Warner Bros. specialized in mean streets and threadbare apartments and glitzy MGM spent big on grand hotels and emerald cities, Paramount transported moviegoers into realms of dreamy exoticism, allegedly set in Vienna, Budapest or St. Petersburg, but conjured with better-than-the-original costuming, set design, lighting and dialogue. In an age before jumbo jets, who was to quibble over verisimilitude?

A new version of Paramount looks to be a-borning: Controlling stakeholder Shari Redstone may put her company on the auction block. Whatever conglomerate or mogul buys the assets, it’ll...

Wings holds up over time due to its authenticity, with the director and actors having real World War I combat experience. The movie's massive budget and lengthy film shoot allowed for extensive planning, resources, and the capture of stunning aerial footage. Wings broke new ground with its use of synchronized sound, onscreen nudity, and LGBT representation, making it reflective of society in 2024.

Directed by William A. Wellman, Wings was released in 1927 and became the first film in Hollywood history to receive the Academy Award for Best Picture. The silent and synchronized sound film follows American fighter pilots Jack Powell (Charles Rogers) and David Armstrong (Richard Arlen) as they enter combat during World War I together while falling in love with the same woman named Sylvia Lewis (Clara Bow). In addition to winning Best Picture in 1929, Wings also earned an Academy Award for Best Engineering Effects.

Although most silent films and...

She’s the reason that rising female stars are often called “the It girl.” She starred in the first movie to win an Oscar for best picture. By 1930, she’d made in 45 movies in six years. By 1933, after struggles with men and mental illness, Clara Bow’s Hollywood career was over.

There’s been a surge of interest in the legendary actress who straddled the silent and sound eras this week after Taylor Swift revealed the tracklist for her upcoming album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” The last song on Side D is titled “Clara Bow.”

A native of Brooklyn, Bow grew up in poverty and got her start in pictures after she won a contest sponsored by a magazine. Her prizes were “an evening gown, a trophy and a promise to help the aspiring young actress gain entrée into the film industry,” according to Bow’s biography from Turner Classic Movies.

Taylor Swift may or may not be aligned with the interests of the U.S. government (she’s definitely not), but she does wield immense cultural power. Every time the 14-time Grammy winner includes an obscure lyrical reference in her songs, it creates an opportunity for the nerds who recognize it to say something like, oh, “But do you know what’s really cool about Clara Bow?”

So … do you know what’s really cool about Clara Bow?

Until this week, Clara Bow was just another silent movie star whose career got reduced to a persona in popular culture (the hedonistic “It Girl” both in the movie “It” and in her real life). But now that her name is revealed as inspiring a track on Swfit’s upcoming album “The Tortured Poets Department,” expect Bow to become a sensation all over again, 100 years after her heyday.

New Yorkers have the chance...

Taylor Swift unveiled the tracklist for her upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department, on Monday. The release comes after the pop star announced her new album onstage at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night.

The new 16 songs boast features from Post Malone and Florence + the Machine, along with a 17th bonus track titled “The Manuscript.”

Swift announced The Tortured Poets Department on Sunday evening after winning the Grammy for best pop vocal album for her 10th album, Midnights.

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“This is my 13th Grammy,” Swift said when accepting the award, acknowledging her proclaimed lucky number. “I want to say thank you to the members of the Recording Academy for voting this way, but I know that the way that the Recording Academy voted is a direct reflection of the passion of the fans. So I want to say ‘thank...

Where to Watch Powered by Wings, a 1927 film, features an impressive dolly shot achieved through creative tricks and careful choreography of extras, showcasing the skills of cinematographers before the invention of the Steadicam. The dolly shot in Wings proves that high-tech equipment and post-production tricks are not always necessary for visually impressive shots, highlighting the importance of practical filmmaking techniques. Director William A. Wellman went to great lengths to achieve not only the dolly shot but also the aerial and battle sequences in Wings, making it a groundbreaking film for its time with scenes depicting nudity and same-sex relationships.

Filming techniques and technology have come a long way, making “impossible” shots a lot easier to make, either practically or in post-production, but one 1927 movie still has one of the greatest shots in cinema history, almost 100 years after its release. Silent films were key in the development of cinema and its techniques,...

When Kenneth Anger died earlier this month at the age of 96, the world of avant-garde cinema lost one of its foundational artists, every bit as influential as Maya Deren or Luis Buñuel. He was far from a household name, but Anger seemed perfectly fine with that: he was a fiercely private person, and with each bold, surreal short film he made, he proved that he couldn’t be normal if he tried. He was not a filmmaker who bent toward the mainstream; he was a filmmaker who staked out his own position and allowed the mainstream to bend toward him. For some, Anger is best known for Hollywood Babylon, a filthy tell-all book that asserted, among other things, that Jayne Mansfield was decapitated in her fatal car accident, and that Clara Bow once had sex with the entire USC football team (including then-student John Wayne). It was written when Anger...

According to a report in Variety, pioneering experimental queer filmmaker Kenneth Anger, the director of seminal shorts like "Fireworks," "Rabbit's Moon," "Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome," and "Scorpio Rising," has died at the age of 96.

The news was announced on Anger's website by Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers, the managers of Anger's art galleries. He had passed away on May 11, 2023, and the news was only just announced today.

Anger was a firebrand, an artistic rebel who aggressively and provocatively eschewed convention to present the world a new, cohesive type of underground, ultra-queer aesthetic that informs media and culture to this day. His shorts "Fireworks" and "Scorpio Rising" in particular blended traditionally ultra-masculine imagery -- Naval officers, leather-clad bikers -- with unapologetic gay lust, revealing the desire that exists so naturally in those worlds. Anger also blended images of queerness with religious iconography, tearing down conventional Christian morality, and introducing...

Writer-director Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” is the sort of maximalist movie where every frame teems with excess, so it’s only fitting that its costumes be outrageous in both their number and designs. Between the cast of over a hundred speaking roles and the abundance of extras, costume designer Mary Zophres estimates that she and her department created around 7,000 costumes, which is even more impressive when one considers the meticulous detail that went into every piece of clothing. Nowhere did this approach pay more dividends — both in glamour and character development — than with Jean Smart’s brutally honest gossip columnist Elinor St. John. A close look at her costumes reveals the thought and care that, when multiplied by hundreds of cast members, made “Babylon” the most sartorially spectacular film of 2022 and Zophres an Oscar nominee for best costume design.

“People don’t realize how important costumes are to creating a character,...

After Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick” soared with both critics and audiences last year it scored with the academy last month earning six Oscar nominations including Best Picture. The Tom Cruise blockbuster is in a dogfight for this top award with the likes of “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Fabelmans” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.”

Turning the clock back over nine decades, the very first Best Picture winner in Oscars history was another high-flying Paramount release, 1927’s “Wings,” which also claimed the prize for best engineering effects. Directed by 30-year-old World War I vet William A. Wellman, who was snubbed, “Wings” revolves around two young smalltown men Jack (Charles “Buddy” Rogers) and David to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember...

You’ve never seen Hollywood quite like the way it’s portrayed in “Babylon,” the new film from Oscar-winning “La La Land” and “First Man” filmmaker Damien Chazelle. This three-hour epic takes place in the late 1920s and opens in a debauchery-filled Hollywood in the heyday of silent films, as it then chronicles a trio of characters through the transition to talkies. Chazelle assembled an all-star cast for the film, including Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, and holds nothing back in this R-rated drama that has drawn more than a few comparisons to Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Boogie Nights.”

So if “Babylon” is the film you’re looking to watch over the holiday break, you may be wondering how and where to see it. All your questions answered below.

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