Be My Guest - Kristen (Journeys In Classic Film)

My guest this month is one pretty cool blogger named Kristen. She writes the awesomely amazing blog Journeys in Classic Film. We became friends last year and share a love for classic film. Right now she has this amazing tourney going on featuring the best actresses from the classic era to the modern era. And she will be helping me next month for my annual classic movie actress tourney. I thought it was high time everyone got to meet her. Some already know her but some will be meeting her for the first time. Take it away Kristen. Oh and here's the link to Kristen's cool blog:  journeysinclassicfilm.com

1. What made you start blogging?

Kristen: My blog started out as an experiment to see if I could actually commit to keeping one (I have a lot of one and done entries on the Interwebs).  When I started I was/am working for two other sites that kept me writing about contemporary, opening-weekend movies, and I wanted a chance to write about classic movies, which I don't normally get to discuss so as I was starting to blog regularly I noticed it was shifting more towards discussing classic movies.  The rest, as they say, is history!

Me: And a great history you are now making Kristen.

2. Who are your favorite classic stars?

Kristen: Veronica Lake, first and foremost, is my blog mascot so she's top.  Other leading ladies include Lauren Bacall, Natalie Wood, Marilyn Monroe, Julie Andrews, Katharine Hepburn, Joan Blondell, Bette Davis, Ann-Margaret, and Ingrid Bergman.  As for the men, I'll be hard pressed to find a boyfriend who won't have me comparing him to William Holden and Robert Mitchum.  Also adore Cary Grant, Warren Beatty, William Powell, Humphrey Bogart, Marlon Brando, Gene Kelly, and Jack Lemmon.  

Me: I reallty can't argue with none of your choices Kristen.

3. What are some of your favorite films?

Kristen: Such a lengthy list as any film blogger would say.  I'll leave it to classics only: Singin' in the Rain, Anne of the Thousand Days, Splendor in the Grass, West Side Story, Night of the Hunter, Sabrina, Bringing Up Baby, The Big Sleep, Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Some Like It Hot, Bye Bye Birdie, The Thin Man, A Streetcar Named Desire, Sullivan's Travels, I Married a Witch, Xanadu (yes, I included that).

Me: Some great films you named that I also love with the exception of West Side Story and Xanadu.

4. Describe your first classic movie experience

Kristen: I did see the Disney re-releases a few times, but my seminal classic movie experiences have to be in 7th and 11th grades.  In 7th grade my history teacher showed us Anne of the Thousand Days to spotlight the Tudor dynasty.  I was the only one who loved it, and actually wrote an extra credit paper on it.  Later in high school I took a film class and watching Singin in the Rain made me realize I needed to watch more.  So both my experiences were in a classroom (how sad that film classes are hardly offered now).

Me: I saw that in 10th grade English lit...love that movie! Like you too.

5. What films upon first viewing did you not like, but later on after re-watching loved them?

Kristen: Casablanca first off.  After seeing that in a theater, I really appreciated how representative of classic film it truly is.  Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Jaws.

Me: All three are winners in my book.

6.Describe the perfect way for you to watch a film

Kristen: The perfect setting would be in an old movie palace that actually showed classic movies in their heyday.  We used to have an old theater like that in my town, but it closed.  

Me: Sounds marvelous

7. How many friends, family member or co-workers share your love of classic films?

Kristen: My mother is probably the second biggest classic film fan, but when I recommend her movies she has a very distinct taste (she hates screwball comedies) and we don't usually like the same films.  My best friend likes some, but she's particular to romances which I'm iffy on.  

Me: Oh she doesn't like screwball comedies...man those are my favorites!

8. What is your favorite time period: the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's or 60's?

Kristen: The 40s

Me: Good call...The 30's are my favorites but I also love the 40's quite a bit too.

9.  What are some of your favorite film quotes?

Kristen: "I can never have children."  "We'll adopt some" - Some Like It Hot.  "I sent her as far as I could, since we don't own Scotland" -Anne of the Thousand Days. "And his whiskers are real, too!" -Miracle on 34th Street (something about the way little Natalie Wood says this line makes me smile). "Can I still come over and push you in the pool?" -Sullivan's Travels.  "But with a little sex in it" -Sullivan's Travels "Isn't it better for a girl to be preoccupied with sex instead of occupied?" -The Moon is Blue 

Me: Great quote from The Moon is Blue

10. What classic films have you yet to see for one reason or another?

Kristen: Citizen Kane, The Godfather: Part 2, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Best Years of Our Lives, any of the work of Ingmar Bergman

Me: You have to see The Best Years of Our Lives Kristen..It is beyond great. Patti will back me up on that!

11.  What is your favorite genre?

Kristen: Drama which, to me, includes film noir, political, historical, ec.

Me: Cool..and there are tons of great dramas for sure

12. If you threw a movie theme party, describe how you would do it. The costumes, decorations, food, etc.

Kristen: It could be because I saw Gangster Squad, but I'm dying to do a 1940s Hollywood glamour type party based around The Big Sleep, The Blue Dahlia or Double Indemnity.  Of course the ladies would have coiffed hair a la the peekaboo style of Veronica Lake.  Lots of pinstripes, fedoras, hopefully my friends would be into talking like Edward G. Robinson.  

Me: Haha...awesome!

13. What are some films that are widely loved that you couldn't care less about?

Kristen:  I always state my distaste for Gone With the Wind.  I also don't get the adoration for Mrs. Miniver.  Other movies I hate to admit I don't like include The Women, An American in Paris, and The Band Wagon.

Me: Right there with ya on An American in Paris and The Band Wagon. Don't like either of them.

14. Who’s the biggest film fanatic that you know? Besides yourself of course.

Kristen: Most of the people I know that are bigger film fanatics are bloggers such as you Monty, Nick Powell of Cinematic Katzenjammer (although he's modern films), the amazing Patti of They Don't Make 'Em Like They  Used To, Lindsay of The Motion Pictures, the group at French Toast Sunday

Me: Nice shout out to Patti there!

15. And finally who are some of your favorite film characters?

Kristen: The entire cast of Some Like It Hot, Max Cady from Cape Fear, Harry Powell from Night of the Hunter, Jennifer of I Married a Witch, Sabrina Fairchild and David Larrabee of Sabrina, Elizabeth Lane of Christmas in Connecticut, Anne Boleyn of Anne of the Thousand Days, Donald Greasham of The Moon is Blue, the second Mrs. de Winter in Rebecca, Alicia Huberman and Devlin from Notorious, Susan of Bringing Up Baby

Me: Yes to all of those characters especially Elizabeth Lane..,my favorite Barbara Stanwyck role and film.

Well that wraps up another be my guest this month and I want to thank Kristen for taking the time to come on here and be a good sport and answer all my questions. She did an excellent job don't you agree? Please stop by and check out her amazing blog if you haven't already and I will see everyone back here next month with another new guest and friend.