Upcoming Events and Blogathons

The month of November promises to be a good one for the classic film blogging community. As usual, The Great Katharine Hepburn will be right in the thick of it. Here are some things to look forward to this month and next.

Katharine Hepburn movies this month on TCM are:

• ADAM'S RIB (1949) - 2 Nov., 10:00 pm EST
• STAGE DOOR (1937) - 4 Nov., 10:00 am
• ALICE ADAMS (1935) - 6 Nov., 6:45 am
• GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (1967) - 10 Nov., 2:00 am (11 Nov.)
• LITTLE WOMEN (1933) - 14 Nov., 6:00 am
• THE IRON PETTICOAT (1956) - 29 Nov., 8:00 pm

Turner Classic Movie's star of the month this November is Constance Bennett, sister of Joan Bennett, and member of the famous New York theatrical family. I will be writing a post about my favorite Constance Bennett film, TOPPER (1937), also starring Cary Grant, Roland Young, and Billie Burke. TCM will be airing TOPPER and one of its sequels, TOPPER TAKES A TRIP (1939), on 20 November.

This month TCM is also celebrating "Great Adaptations," novels that have been adapted into feature-length films. They started off on the 5th with a day of great American Classics, including Katharine Hepburn's personal favorite film, ALICE ADAMS (1935). 

On the 7th they showed a dozen classic adventure stories. 

This Monday, the 12th, will feature National Book Award Winners and Finalists. 

Your favorite mystery and suspense novels/films will be shown this Thursday, 14 November, including classics like THE MALTESE FALCON (1941), THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946), and Alfred Hitchcock's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951). 

Keep your eye out for the incomparable DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965) on the 19th when TCM will be showing classic Russian and French literature. On that day you will also find ANNA KARENINA (1948), THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1939), Lerner and Loewe musical GIGI (1958), and Lon Chaney's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925). 

Great adaptations of Southern literature will be featured on November 21, including Harper Lee's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) and Margaret Mitchell's GONE WITH THE WIND (1939). Also on the 21st, TCM will begin showing children's classics, which will continue into the 22nd with family comedies like CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (1950).

November 22 will be dedicated to classic British literature. I would recommend setting aside the whole day to sit down and soak in the refined culture of Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Dickens, Kipling, and their compatriots. 

The final day of "Great Adaptations" is the 28 November and will feature a combination of science fiction novels and classic Westerns.

Also in November, the classic film blog L.A. La Land: Fame, Fortune, and Forensics has chosen Clara Bow as their star of the month. I hope to write a post about the quintessential Bow movie, IT (1927).

Andy Watches Movies and Cinema Schminema are co-hosting the Nostalgiathon Blogathon, in which participants "relive things from your childhood through the eyes of an adult." Not quite sure if or what I will contribute to the blogathon, but I am in love with the concept.

Lara over at Backlots has embarked upon the Carol Lombard Filmography Project (CLFP). She has set herself the monumental task of viewing and analysing her complete filmography. I might chip in to give her a hand with an article of my own about the immortal Lombard.

There are a couple of blogathons to look forward to for next month. Furious Cinema, Criminal Movies, and Masala Corner are co-hosting the Scenes of the Crime Blogathon, which will run from December 1, 2012 to April 30, 2013. I look forward to contributing a post about  my two favorite crime films, BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967) and BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969). I may also write about the twisted Katharine Hepburn crime movie, THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION OF GRACE QUIGLEY (1984).

The second annual Duelling Divas Blogathon has been announced by Backlots and will run December 20-23. Joan and Bette have their claws out once again and are at each others throats. I intend to write about the tragic feud between sisters Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine.

Keep your eyes on this space for regular posts about all these events. Let me know what you think about the movies you are watching as well as any special features you would like to see added to this blog. I am always open to new suggestions and I love your feedback!