Camille

The latest issue of #eramagazine is out and I'm in it, talking about fabulous theatre restorations taking place in regional New South Wales!

Rings On Her Fingers (1942) There’s a charming, snappy comedy lurking somewhere within  Rings On Her Fingers  (1942), but it never quite emerges. Gene Tierney is Susie, a shopgirl whose life is turned upside down by...

New on the blog, a screwball comedy that could have been screwier: 'Rings On Her Fingers' (1942).

Program for 'The Jazz Singer' stamped 16 February 1929. It reads: 'Lyceum offers Union Theatres Cinesound (Western Electric System) Presentation.

Exactly 97 years today, my great-uncle attended a Sydney screening of 'The Jazz Singer'. Many years later, he gifted me the program he received that night. #filmsky

Movie screen with image reading 'Classic Matinees'. Photographed at Randwick Ritz Cinema.

Image of movie screen reading 'Charlie Chaplin in 'Modern Times'.

Image of Charlie Chaplin sitting atop giant gears in the film 'Modern Times'.

Charlie Chaplin, as the Tramp, with Paulette Goddard walk down a long path stretching into the distance in the final scene of 'Modern Times'.

90th anniversary screening of 'Modern Times', a film about feeling like an outsider in a world of oligarchs and hostile technology. Sound familiar? Perhaps if we try, we'll get by if we just smile. #filmsky #classicfilm

The Drudge - a Kelloggs Corn Flakes advertisement - 1941 YouTube video by CINEPIX

Sweet lord. This 1941 advertisement sees me.

I find official documents (immigration and especially enlistment) useful in this regard. Bela Lugosi's draft card confirms that he was 6 ft 1, for example. Schreck does look pretty tall in 'Die Strasse', the only non-Nosferatu thing I've ever seen him in.

On our 125th birthday, let’s rise to the test of our national character Modern Australia has been built by countless individual acts of service, bravery, ambition and kindness – resources that we must call upon following the Bondi atrocity.

Happy New Year.

Art Deco leadlight window with sunset.

A side door with decorative metal grille at the former Rega Products Building, Marrickville (1937).

A decorative wrought iron Art Deco door in naive style. Photographed Sydenham.

Art deco leadlight window in an apartment block. Photographed Randwick.

And there goes 52 weeks of fabulous Art Deco. So many buildings, structures and small details I never got to ... as the centenary closes, keep searching for details in 2026. Even in an ugly world, there's always beauty if you look for it. 😍 #artdeco #architecture #artdecoat100 #artdecocentenary

Bryant House (1940), front facade showing distinctive angled windows.

Bryant House (1940), side view from Pitt St looking towards the intersection with Hunter St.

Bryant House (1940), close up of facade highlighting unique angled windows and polished granite entranceway.

Bryant House (1940), front facade from opposite side of Pitt St.

Deco of the Week #52: Art Deco is officially 100 this year! To celebrate, I've decided to post a weekly photo of a Sydney Art Deco building. This (final!) week: Bryant House (1940), designed by the legendary Emil Sodersten. #artdeco #architecture #artdecoat100 #artdecocentenary

Donna Hill and friend at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, 2013.

A year since we lost @rudyfan.bsky.social. Unbelievable. A fabulous friend, always missed, never to be forgotten. ♥️♥️♥️

‘Weapons of mass construction’: the US ‘craftivists’ using yarn to fight back against Trump Fiber artists across the US are using their craft to protest against everything from national guard deployments to rollbacks on abortion rights

You can always count on Portland to represent creatively. Miss all my friends and fellow fibre artists there. #pdxlove

Also known as 'bingo card criticism'. "In tying Murnau to Hitchcock to Lynch and somehow working in 'Battleship Potemkin', you are now cowering before my superior erudition. Bingo! Or, should I say, Q.E.D? And before you ask me what those stand for, let me explain ..."

Challis House (1936), view from Martin Place showing main facade and Christmas tree.

Challis House (1936), view from Martin Place showing side entrance with decorative details and granite stairs.

Challis House (1936), view looking upwards at facade with main entrance featuring decorative granite surrounds and stained glass window.

Challis House (1936), view showing central entrance with granite surrounds.

Deco of the Week #51: Art Deco is officially 100 this year! To celebrate, I've decided to post a weekly photo of a Sydney Art Deco building. This week: Challis House, Martin Place (1936). And a very Deco Christmas to all! #artdeco #architecture #artdecoat100 #artdecocentenary

That's it! Of course, my REAL suggestion is Jacques Tati's 'Mon Oncle', because that's an movie that everyone enjoy all year round. 😍

My daughter just came up with the ideal Christmas movie. It's called 'Die, Wonderful Elf'. It's a combination of all three Christmas films members of our family suggested for Christmas Eve-Eve viewing (can you guess which ones?) #christmas #filmsky

Donnie Darko - Official Trailer YouTube video by Madman Films

Today I rewatched a film I first saw in a small cinema in East Village, NY in 2001. It was two months after the September 11th attacks and a few weeks after AA Flight 587 crashed, dropping a plane engine on a gas station in Rockaway. It seemed somehow appropriate to this surreally hellish week.

The currently boarded-up Minerva/Metro Theatre (1939), Kings Cross, night shot showing signage.

Minerva/Metro Theatre (1939), Kings Cross, showing doorway with decorative stained glass.

Metro-Minerva Theatre (1939), street scene circa mid 1940s.

Metro-Minerva Theatre (1939), seen on opening night, and showing the adjacent restaurant complex, known as the Roosevelt.

Deco of the Week #50: Art Deco is officially 100 this year! To celebrate, I've decided to post a weekly photo of a Sydney Art Deco building. This week: The Minerva/Metro Theatre (1939). Soon to be renovated after years of uncertainty. #artdeco #architecture #artdecoat100 #artdecocentenary

Bondi beach shooting live updates: attack at Jewish festival declared a terror incident as death toll rises to 12 including one shooter; police investigate possibility of third offender Follow updates live

I've spent all this weekend feeling mentally and physically sick at the state of the world. And now this. I am disgusted and horrified. Not in our country. Not anywhere.

The Spot, Randwick (circa 1941), view of corner from intersection of Perouse St and St Pauls Rd.

The Spot, Randwick (circa 1941), view from Perouse St showing original tiled storefront.

The Spot, Randwick (circa 1941), view of original tiled entranceway.

The Spot, Randwick (circa 1941), view of tiled entranceway and original storefront.

Deco of the Week #49: Art Deco is officially 100 this year! To celebrate, I've decided to post a weekly photo of a Sydney Art Deco building. This week: The Spot, Randwick (circa 1941), with some original tilework and storefronts. #artdeco #architecture #artdecoat100 #artdecocentenary

a woman with fish painted on her face looks at the camera . ALT: a woman with fish painted on her face looks at the camera .

I was just thinking about this one the other day actually, when I read that Margot Robbie saw it eight times at the movies. I saw it seven.

Agree. Looks like the logo for Elon's latest rustbucket.

Looney Tunes - That's All Folks YouTube video by Top Clips

Presented without comment. #filmsky

An AI generated picture that purports to be of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, but does not look like either person, and also adds a third figure for no particular reason.

I broke my rule about never ever knowingly using AI to prompt a picture called 'Buster Keaton shakes hands with Charlie Chaplin.' Instead, it gave me 'Adolph Menjou shakes hands with El Brendel, while Harry Langdon looks on for some reason." 🤷 #classicfilm #classiccomedy

St Philips Housing Estate (circa 1940), Glebe. Several single-storey houses on Broughton St, Glebe.

St Philips Housing Estate (circa 1940), Glebe. Close up of double storey house showing decorative stonework and tiling.

St Philips Housing Estate (circa 1940), Glebe. Double storey apartment on Broughton St with decorative glass tile.

St Philips Housing Estate (circa 1940), Glebe. Single storey dewlling with original fences and gates, showing decorative brickwork and tiling.

Deco of the Week #48: Art Deco is officially 100 this year! To celebrate, I've decided to post a weekly photo of a Sydney Art Deco building. This week: A whole Art Deco precinct - St Philips Housing Estate, Glebe (circa 1940). #artdeco #architecture #artdecoat100 #artdecocentenary

Hard to go past 'A Bush Christmas' (1947) - it's hokey but quite a fun watch. Though it has zero to do with Christmas, I can imagine 'The Castle' (1997) going down a treat on a hot Christmas afternoon.

Craig's Wife (1936) Harriet (Rosalind Russell) is  Craig's Wife  (1936), a haughty socialite who has married the wealthy but feckless Craig (John Boles) not out love, but a craving for independence. Her adoring...

New on the blog: Rosalind Russell in Crawford mode as 'Craig's Wife' (1936). #filmsky #classicfilm

185 Burwood St Burwood (circa 1938), showing decorative curved brickwork on corner with Livingstone Rd.

185 Burwood St Burwood (circa 1938), as seen from across Livingstone Rd.

185 Burwood St Burwood (circa 1938), showing original 1930s storefronts and tilework.

185 Burwood St Burwood (circa 1938), as seen from Burwood Rd.

Deco of the Week #47: Art Deco is officially 100 this year! To celebrate, I've decided to post a weekly photo of a Sydney Art Deco building. This week: 185 Burwood Rd, Burwood (circa 1938). #artdeco #architecture #artdecoat100 #artdecocentenary

A display of lobby cards, film stills and other memorabilia relating to the career of actress Joy Howarth, also known as Constance Worth.

Preparing a display of some of my Joy Howarth/Constance Worth memorabilia for tomorrow's presentation to the wonderful ladies of the Concord West VIEW Club. #classicfilm #filmsky

Golden Barley Hotel (1939), Enmore - as seen from intersection of Edgware Rd & Llewellyn St.

Golden Barley Hotel (1939), Enmore - as seen from Llewellyn St.

Golden Barley Hotel (1939), Enmore - Close up of decorative parapet and flagpole.

Golden Barley Hotel (1939), Enmore - decorative signage as seen from Llewellyn St.

Deco of the Week #46: Art Deco is officially 100 this year! To celebrate, I've decided to post a weekly photo of a Sydney Art Deco building. This week: Golden Barley Hotel (1939), Enmore. #artdeco #architecture #artdecoat100 #artdecocentenary

Why Pope Leo is making a plea to save our cinemas The pope shared his four favorite films, and spoke to Hollywood heavyweights about why cinemagoing matters so much in the world today.

Saving cinema as a spiritual exercise? I can dig it. #filmsky