I just love trying to recreate a character or scene from a film. I think the key to recreating is the genuinely love or be inspired by something. That way you approach the character from a point of admiration and created your vision authentically with your own personal touch. 

After reading my Classic Film Spotlight: Scrooge (1970) post I hope you know how much a deeply adore and love this rendition of the classic A Christmas Carol story. The character of the Ghost of Christmas  Present is this burly and jovial character who shows Scrooge the joy found in Bob Cracket's house and the fun being had at his nephew, Harry's house where they play The Minister's Cat game. The Ghost of Christmas Present then gives Scrooge a drink that is the milk of human kindness. He then proceeds to sing him a jolly song called, "I Like Life".

I like life 
Life likes me 
Life and I fairly fully agree 
Life is fine 
Life is good 
'Specially mine, which is just as it should be 
I like pouring the wine and why not? 
Life's a pleasure that I deny not 

It made me so happy to channel the character of the Ghost of Christmas Present from Scrooge (1970). If you haven't seen my other recreates you can check them out HERE. What other characters or films would you like me to try and recreate?

There are a few renditions of A Christmas Carol that are incredible to watch like Scrooge (1935) and Scrooge (1951) because they have an amazing cast of actors. Scrooge (1970) is my absolute favorite version of Scrooge because not only does it have all the incredible acting and story telling that the first two renditions have but with this film version they added music, dance, songs, and even a catchy parlor game. 

Scrooge (1970) stars Albert Finney as Ebenezer Scrooge, Alec Guinness as Jacob Marley, Edith Evans as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Kenneth More as the jovial Ghost of Christmas Present, Laurence Naismith as Mr. Fezziwig, and Anton Rodgers as the unforgettable Tom Jenkins. 

The story begins with Scrooge being his old miser self when suddenly at night he is awakened by three ghosts. Each ghost of the past, present, and future shows him what he is missing in his life, why he is the way he is, and the untapped happiness that awaits him if he turns over a new leaf. What makes this story more unique than the others is that the cast sing, dance, and act their way through the film making the viewer feel as though they too are on a unexpected adventure with Ebenezer Scrooge.

There are quite a few scenes in the film that are unique for a retelling of A Christmas Carol. You have Marley's personal hell filled with fire and brimstone, Marley flying high with his chains attached to him (Alec Guinness actually injured himself on that), a session of A Minister's Cat game which was a popular parlor game of the time, the Ghost of Christmas Present singing a uplifting song called "I Like Life", and a  bittersweet flashback of Scrooge's romance with his old boss Mr. Fezziwig's daughter. There is even an incredible song that is performed twice for two separate scenes called "Thank You Very Much". Watching the performances in this film is like watching a Broadway show come to life.

What also makes this rendition of Scrooge so unique is that Albert Finney plays himself both young and old. They aged him up to play Ebenezer Scrooge even though he was only 34 years old at the time. His performance is the most heartbreaking and uplifting I have even seen on film. 

This retelling of the Dickens classic tale of redemption is bursting with song and dance. The joy found in this film is unmistakable and connects to people of all ages. I started showing my children this film on Christmas Eve a few years ago and it is now a tradition they really look forward to experiencing every year. 

Have you seen this version of Scrooge? Have you had the chance to the watch the 1935 and 1951 film versions?

A Wonderful Life Experience was first published in Bunny's Victory and has 

since been edited and updated for A Vintage Nerd

The films begins with a few angels recalling the life of one simple man named George Bailey. They review his life and all those who he helped along the way. Then on Christmas Eve because of unforeseen financial circumstances, George Bailey decides to commit suicide by jumping over a bridge. Before he is able to jump, another man jumps and falls into the cold winter water. George immediately jumps in after him and saves his life. We then find out his name is Clarence Odbody who is played by the wonderful Henry Travers.

            Today is Rita Moreno's 90th Birthday. There are those who might know all about this amazing actress and                  those that might not. In celebration of such a big milestone I wanted to share a few images throughout the years of Rita.                                                                                     She is such a beauty and a passionate performer. 

If you haven't seen any of her films, here are a few Rita Moreno films I think you might enjoy:

1. West Side Story (1961)
2. Summer and Smoke (1961)
3. The Night of the Following Day (1968)
4. Popi (1969)
5. Marlowe (1969)
6. Carnal Knowledge (1971)
7. The Ritz (1976)
8. Four Seasons (1981)

Something funny happens to me when people talk about a movie a lot or suggest that I see it. It's not that I don't want to join in the excitement of a new film or view a movie that has pleased audiences for years and years. I think I sort of recoil from films that are super famous because a lot of times they come with high expectations. I tend to put them aside for a wee bit until I get in the mood to see them or somehow I come across them and make myself watch them finally.

There aren't a lot of super famous classic films I haven't seen but there are a few that did well in the box office at their time or are well known to many. The other day I finally got access to Now Voyager (1942) and it made me think about all the famous classics I have yet to see. Here is my list of 20 famous classic films I have not seen yet.

What famous classic films have you not seen yet? Why haven't you watched them? Have you seen any of these?

It Happened One Night (1934)

Stagecoach (1939)

His Girl Friday (1940)

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

The Maltese Falcom (1941)

Citizen Kane (1941)

Laura (1944)

Double Indemnity (1944) 

Gilda (1946)

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

On The Waterfront (1954)

Carmen Jones (1954)

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

An Affair to Remember (1957)

La Dolce Vita (1960)

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Back in the day there was nothing better than putting on a record and listening to the latest vinyl. The quality of music that can be heard on a vinyl is something special. It sounds more intimate as if you are listening to the band play nearby.

These days listening to and collecting vinyls has made a huge comeback. It honestly took me a while to move from cassette tapes to CD's and even longer to switch from CD's to the Apple Music on my phone. But I have to tell you this, I still have all of my cassettes and all of my CD's and so does my husband. If our children ever want to delve into the oldies but goodies they will be able to look through a treasure trove of cassettes, CD's and yes, vinyls. 

Recently I acquired a really hard-to-find vinyl soundtrack from the movie, The Apple (1980). One of my guilty pleasures is musicals (in film, tv, or Broadway) and this film has it all-music, campy songs, glitter makeup, over-the-top dance numbers, a battle between good and evil, and in the middle of it all is an epic love story. The soundtrack of this film cannot be found on cassette, CD, or on any music app so finding this record had made me feel so lucky to be able to add it to my collection.

Music plays a huge role in films. There are some films whose soundtrack become a main character in the story. Here are 12 must have vintage vinyl soundtracks that you can add to your collection:

What on earth could this tower of books and dvd's be? I feel lucky that through my blog I have been able to explore Old Hollywood and my personal style for ten years now. But I would like to bring my studies up a notch. 

My days are filled to the rim with housework and mommy work and lots of tending to my health because of my disability. And although my lifestyle is never boring, it is very demanding. Which is why I am so grateful that my blog has given me the opportunity to keep creative and delve into things I love without taking away from my everyday life. 

Simply put, one day I want to be a film historian and an author.  I figure as my children get older I will have more time, opportunity, and help so that I could go back to school and get a degree in film history. Until then I thought I could take my passion for film and explore it on a deeper level on my own through A Vintage Nerd blog. I am taking my education into my own hands.

As you can imagine I will be writing more film reviews and book reviews in the months and years ahead because delving deeper into Old Hollywood is what makes me the happiest. It has always been the foundation of my blog. I will continue to do personal style outfit posts, inspirational posts, and general vintage themed posts, but I will also take a deeper dive into the world of classic film.

What are the things that make you happiest? Have you even known a film historian before? 

Here are my 6 steps to becoming a film historian:

1. Make a list of films you want to see. Keep yourself open to films you think you might not enjoy. Add silent films, various types of genres, and international films as well. 

2. Watch those films. Write about them on a blog, social media, or down on paper.

3. Find a classic film group to join. You can find them on social media, through a blog or website. This way you can interact with others who enjoy classic films as much as you. 

4. Make a list of actors and actresses you'd like to know more about. 

5. Research all the books that were written by the actors and actresses you're interested in. 

6. Make a list of autobiographies and biographies to give yourself a chance to get to know the actors or actresses from the viewpoint of themselves and others. 

7. Take your time watching the films and reading the books. Writing things down about what you watched and read will help you remember. Talking about what you watched and read will help you filter out ideas, thoughts, and feelings about what you learned. All of these steps will take you closer to becoming a film historian.

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If you would like to support my film studies I have a wishlist set up at Amazon that include films and book that I can review here on A Vintage Nerd. You can find my list HERE. Thank you for your support!

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It's been such fun to look back at ten years of posts and realize there are some really cool things I have done and experienced. This shoot was one of my favorite ones to put together. If you are interested in dressing up as Melanie Daniels from The Birds (1963), here is some Halloween costume inspiration.

If you love Old Hollywood and have been on Instagram, you must have come across Carla Valderrama's amazing account called This Was Hollywood. It is a jam packed account filled with images and tidbits about classic films and their stars from every decade. 

Recently Carla wrote her own book all about the Old Hollywood stars she loved. I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing her book which you can find HERE. I was also lucky to score an interview with Carla and learn more about where her passion of classic films and Old Hollywood comes from. She is such a sweetheart and I feel lucky to have connected with someone who gets as giddy about classic films as I do. 

If you are interested in reading Carla's book This Was Hollywood ,  you can get your own copy HERE. Carla also created a super fun Movie Club for those of you who identify as classic film buffs or are interested in learning more about Old Hollywood movies. 

When did your love for classic film begin? What was the first classic film ever you watched?  

My love for classic film started at a Party City with my mom when I was 6, and I saw a cardboard cutout of Marilyn Monroe. I asked my mom, “Who is that?” and she said, “It’s Marilyn Monroe, she was a huge movie star.” And I knew I had to watch all of her movies. 

I don’t remember the first film. It might have been Some Like It Hot, but it might also have been Gone With the Wind. It’s all a blur.

What motivated you to share your passion on Instagram?

I was frustrated and depressed with where I was in my life, and classic movies always made me feel better. So I decided to share them with other people, hoping it would make them feel better too.

What is one classic film you can watch over and over again and not get bored?

Singin’ In the Rain. Watched it more times than I can count. It’s the greatest escapism ever. It’s got singing, dancing, a great story with tons of film history. And it’s in glorious Technicolor.

What is your favorite year or decade of classic film?

Depends on the day of the week. I love the 40s and 50s because of film noir and musicals. But I also love the 70s, because it’s so real and raw. 

Name your favorites: 

Man, you’re not playing around here!

Top five films:

In no particular order, also changes all the time. But today’s Thursday, and here’s what I’m feeling:

Singin’ In the Rain. Vertigo. Sherlock Jr. (1924). Odds Against Tomorrow. Paper Moon. 

Director:

Can’t pick one. Lois Weber, because she was a badass bitch and super innovative. Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder, because they turned out an insane amount of classics. Stanley Kubrick, because he did something different for every movie. 

Costume Designer: Travis Banton, a guy more people should know about.

Top five actors:

Sidney Poitier, John Garfield, Robert Mitchum, Gary Cooper, William Holden

Top five actresses:

Carole Lombard, Marilyn Monroe, Gloria Grahame, Gene Tierney, Judy Garland

Did you always want to be an author? How did the idea of your book, This Was Hollywood come about? 

Yes, but I never thought I’d get to write a book. Especially since I never finished college and never published anything before, LOL. 

The idea came from my Instagram, where I was writing really long captions. An editor from the publishing house noticed and asked if I had an idea for a book. I said yes, and quickly came up with one on the spot.

What did you learn from the process of putting this amazing book together? 

To always fight for what I believe in, even if other people are telling me otherwise. It doesn’t matter if something isn’t usually done a certain way. If I think it’s the way it should be done, I’m going to push for that. A lot of people did not think this book would succeed based on how I presented it, but it did because of how I presented it. Which was very satisfying.

Also, in a world of remakes and reboots, be yourself.

What advice do you have for those starting out watching classic films?

Have fun. Movies are fun. They’re not a chore. If you’re watching a movie and you’re not enjoying it, move on to something else. I don’t care if some pretentious institution says it’s a great film. It doesn’t matter. The only basis I think you can judge a movie is an emotional one. Does it make me laugh or cry or feel something? If not, why am I wasting my time. Also, don’t pay attention to reviews—either from critics or IMDB or whatever. I’ve discovered many gems just by keeping an open mind. 

What advice would you have for those who want to share their passion for film? 

Share what you love and do it for fun. If you’re not having fun, what’s the point? Let’s be real, we ain’t in this for the money!

Lastly, list ten films you think are as close to perfect as a film could be. 

Singin’ in the Rain (again!). Paper Moon (again). Rififi. La Grande Illusion. Casablanca. The Godfather. The Killing. Sunset Boulevard. Double Indemnity. It’s a Wonderful Life.