Joseph Tykociner’s fabled sound-on-film apparatus did not find favor in its time. Lenny Lipton provides an appreciation in his new book, ‘The Cinema in Flux,’ from Springer.
Posted in Cinema Discourse, Education/Classes, Preservation, Print Matter, The Old School, Videos du C-U | 
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Recent life necessities have forced me to sort out a lot of things. At least I get to keep the can.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, JP Confidential, Secret MFHQ, The Old School | Comments Off on If a pic paints a 530-word post…
There might as well be something soothing about this and, surprise, it doesn’t come from the cinema.
Posted in Alums Done Good, Bittersweet Places, JP Confidential, Secret MFHQ, The Old School | Comments Off on One of these days, I’m going to…
Where have all the good times gone? That is one of several major understatements for today. Do your civic duty, C-Uvians, and then consider whether our film culture can rebuild after the drought.
Posted in Area Festivals, C-U Confidential Shows, JP Confidential, MICRO-FILM du C-U, Ones That Got Away?, Public Events, Sad Places, The Old School | Comments Off on NAFF still a no-show for October
As an aside to a tangent, we vicariously saunter about Mother Murphy’s of Normal, IL, thanks to another student project born at Illinois State University, ANYTHING BUT NORMAL. Take a trip with us!
Posted in Business Matters, Documentary, Education/Classes, Happy Places, Media Coverage, Preservation, Student Film, The Old School, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on ISU video crew high on ‘Mother’
Ye Ed is rooting for the film culture of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, to rebound from the turbulence of recent years. Not everything will survive, such as the theaters he recently photographed.
Posted in Business Matters, Images du C-U, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Sad Places, The Old School, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on August and everything NAFFter
Nationwide consensus is that small businesses and organizations will get raked over the coals before the pandemic is over. We look at how a first-run, mixed-use, and former movie theater are doing.
Posted in Business Matters, Education/Classes, How You Can Help, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Public Events, Sad Places, The Old School, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on Virus fells Orpheum, shorts Avon
Self-restriction has been lifted as your humble editor rockets out the gate with fresh words on important topics and miscellany as well as dear old Dad. He might mention a few filmy things on top of that.
Posted in C-U Confidential, How You Can Help, JP Confidential, Ones That Got Away?, The Old School | Comments Off on Don’t ever let the dust settle, C-U
Once upon a time, next to no one in our society knew how to make movies. Traveling impresarios of a century ago made sure to tease the average citizen with the possibilities in programs like ‘Making Movies.’
Posted in Advertising du C-U, Education/Classes, Gone Hollywood, Images du C-U, Ones That Got Away?, Print Matter du C-U, Public Events, The Old School, Theatres & Venues, VHS is Best | Comments Off on Let’s all go to the ‘Movies,’ C-U
University of Illinois students a generation apart do their on-camera best to convince viewers that campus spirits drift among us. Their existence somewhat haunts your humble editor to this day.
Posted in Alums Done Good, Article du C-U, JP Confidential, Media Coverage, Student Film, The Old School, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on UI ghosts linger on and off screen
Once again, the archives at MFHQ trigger your humble editor into remembering times of a different creative energy. Herein we have evidence of his stab at fashioning attire for a lost short film project.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Images du C-U, JP Confidential, Ones That Got Away?, The Old School | Comments Off on Cicadas fashioned to fit allegory
Our limited series on filmmaking books from the Michael Wiese Productions library continues with ‘Stock Footage + Everything under the Sun’ by James Forsher, reviewed by Jason Pankoke.
Posted in Alums Done Good, Critique du C-U, Education/Classes, Print Matter, The Old School | Comments Off on MWP volume sifts ‘Footage’ gold
It has been a long while since a feature-length project has emerged from the WILL-TV studios in Urbana, so we welcome ILLINOIS COUNTRY with open arms. It airs tonight, March 6, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.
Posted in Alums Done Good, Broadcast Dates, Documentary, Education/Classes, Music Video, The Old School, YouTube du C-U | Comments Off on COUNTRY to encore on WILL-TV
On the lighter side, there are few film things we remember more fondly than the Freaky Film Festival of Champaign. Circa 2019, the internet allows us to revisit a few former Freaky movies, circa 1999. Indulge!
Posted in Area Festivals, Happy Places, How You Can Help, Public Events, The Old School, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on URBANA sets off Freaky flashback
People are paramount over the places and things in MICRO-FILM Country. Agreed? Then, you won’t mind if we address how you can help ease the financial bind of a friend and mother due to a major health crisis.
Posted in Crowdsourcing du C-U, For the Children, How You Can Help, Sad Places, The Old School | Comments Off on Freaky Film friend needs our help