Cinema Sounds & Secrets

Encore! Encore! This January Janet, John, (and Pen) wanted to revist the astounding life this actress with her 80-year long career in film, television, and the stage... Angela Lansbury. This English-born, though Irish-bred actress began her career, after escaping the Blitz by moving to United States, at the age of eighteen by playing a cheeky Cockeny servant to Charles Boyer in the thriller Gaslight (1944). This role brought her a ...

Encore! Encore! After spending a wonderful New Year's with our loved ones we thought what better way to start off this new year of Cinema Sounds and Secrets than revist two films with two takes on love!

We'll drop back in time 500 years to the time of Lords and Ladies and sword fights, then leap ahead in time to hot rods, Little Richard and poodle skirts! Uptown Girls, Downtown Boys…you get the drift – but as is the way with love –...

Encore! Encore! This December Janet, John, (and Pen) wanted to revist the astounding life of the director of A Warm December, an extremely talented actor, activist, and diplomat... Sidney Poitier! Born in Miami, Florida on February 20th in 1927, this Bahamian-American actor changed the game for black actors forever in the motion-picture industry by becoming the African American to win the Academy Award for best actor and the first ...

Encore! Encore! Some may not know her but that's why we're here to remind you of one of the most iconic, legendary goddesses of film, stage, and cabaret who has ever lived. The Blue Angel, The Scarlett Empress, Lola Lola, and The Blonde Venus - in other words…the woman who graces our logo! 

The legendary Marlena Deitrich.

Join us as we revist the tribute to this icon and delve into why she graces our and your screens!

To learn more...

Encore! Encore! - This winter we wanted to keep things cool and what better way then to revist the "King of Cool," himself, Steve McQueen! The iconic man's man from the 60's and 70's… broke into a bank while wooing the glam faye dunaway, got locked up with Dustin Hoffman and made the great escape on a classic Triumph motorcycle dressed up as a BMW… only in Hollywood. Join us for Episode 6: "The Manly McQueen."

To find out more ab...

In our latest tribute, Janet, John, (and Pen) celebrate the life and career extremely talented and iconic actor... Michael Madsen! Born in Chicago to a filmmaking and author mother and a veteran/firefighting father, this actor went against the grain during his rather chaotic upbringing and got his start in theater. Specifically with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company as John Malkovich's apprentice. His first noteworthy role being that...

Splash (1984), The Shape of Water (2017), Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948). This week, Janet, John, (and Pen) explore three amazing films all swimming in the same subject pool— can you fall in love with a sentient being in the water— better yet, can they fall in love with you? This under the sea romance film craze started with an actor who was the ...

In our latest tribute, Janet, John, (and Pen) celebrate the life and career of the wonderful singer, actor, television heartthrob, and queer icon because of his heart-touching memoir, Shattered Love... Richard Chamberlain! Born in Beverly Hills in 1934, this American heartthrob didn't start off with an amazing childhood. In fact, even though he was a track star, earning four letters in both high school and college, he recounts his ...

In our latest tribute, Janet, John, (and Pen) celebrate the life and career of the actress, director, producer, and fashion icon whose began to rise to stardom during the New Hollywood movement... Diane Keaton! With a 60-year long career in Hollywood, this actress was always destined to one day be under the limelight, but after seeing her mother win Mrs. Los Angeles her resolve to become a part of the dramatics of performing at a y...

The Sure Thing (1985), Something Wild (1986), Lars and the Real Girl (2007). This week, Janet, John, (and Pen) explore three amazing films starring young actors who all got their big break and became movie stars who are to this day still giving astounding  performances. Their break through movies in the 80's look at love with a slightly wacky angle; one man wants to just find a girl to end his virginity, another takes off with a to...

In our latest tribute, Janet, John, (and Pen) celebrate the life and career of the actor who played one of the most iconic villians in horror film history... Tony Todd! Desperately desiring to be an actor since he was a little boy, this New England native went from working at the Artisits Collective as a teen to joining the Eugene O'Neill Actors Institute to hone his acting skills. At 28, this brilliant character actor landed in Ne...

Encore! Encore! - This fall we needed a laugh, so we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes. What better way to laugh than bask in the hilarity of 3 great 1970's comedies with some of the funniest film moments in film brought to us by; Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974), Arthur Hiller's Silver Streak (1976) and Animal House (1978) produced by Ivan Reitman! Join us for Episode 14: "We Might Never Stop Laughing."

Where else c...

Encore! Encore! - This fall we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes. This time its a minisode! Lets take another look at one of the most famous sound effects in fim history. 

The scream originated in 1951 and is often used for scenarios in which someone is shot, falls from a great height or is thrown from an explosion, adding comedy to situations often thought to be to serious. 

To find out more about this and past episodes'...

In our latest tribute, Janet, John, (and Pen) celebrate the life and career of a very culturally edgy producer, screenwriter, and director of film, television, and opera who was closely identified with the "New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s... William Friedkin! Inspired by Citizen Cane as a child, he threw away his "bad boy" ways from high school and began his career in media by working for his local news station at 16, moving o...

Love Story (1970), Roman Holiday (1953), and Holiday (1938). This week, Janet, John, (and Pen) explore three love stories ranging across the eras of the 70s, the 50s, and depression era New York. One became a surprise hit because of it's "soon-to-be" leading lady's love for the book, another discovers that the only thing love between a princess and newspaperman may need is a single holiday, while the other finds out that love doesn...

In our latest tribute, Janet, John, (and Pen) celebrate the life and career of a revered Greek musician and composure who found success  across many different genres... Vangelis! His career began in rock bands,  where with Aphrodite's Child he helped create the album 666, which would become a progressive-pyschadelic rock classic. He continued to find success in the music industry before transitioning to scoring films with Charitos ...

In our latest tribute, Janet, John, (and Pen) celebrate the life and career of a revered American actor who found fame in a leading role across many different genres... Val Kilmer! His career page on the stage, beocming the youngest person at the time to be accepted into Juilliard, and get his start in an off-Broadway musical The Slab Boys (1983) with Kevin Bacon and Sean Penn. His overnight breakthrouhg came with the 1984 comedy T...

In our latest tribute, Janet, John, (and Pen) celebrate the life and career of a ledgendary American screenwriter and director whose career spanned over four decades... Robert Town! After graduating college he worked many odd jobs, including being a tuna fisherman, until he started taking acting classes and became friends and roommates with none other than Jack Nicholson. His breakthrough came in the form of his assistance in the s...