Glendale News-Press •

Sanitarium holds history in arrested decay

After Billie Burke, best known for her portrayal of Glinda the Good Witch in the 1939 version of “The Wizard of Oz,” left the Emerald City, she found herself past the yellow brick road of Hollywood and behind the gates of the Rockhaven Sanitarium in Glendale. Located on Honolulu Avenue, the sanitarium stands as a treasured site of historic Glendale, an intimate and aging symbol of a time when the valley was dispersed with resting and recovery homes due to its clean air quality. Patricia Travis
Glendale News-Press •

Glendale shop awash in famous fans

Ray Bradbury’s famed 1953 novel “Fahrenheit 451,” which tells of a dystopian future where books are banned, serves as a warning for many of the evils of censorship as well as the perils of overreliance on technology. Perhaps that’s why the author of hundreds of short stories and nearly 50 books did his part to help bookstores survive, including Bookfellows/Mystery and Imagination on Brand Boulevard. Owner Christine Bell said Bradbury appeared at 25 book signings at the shop during a 14-year pe
Arc Publishing •

Blast From the Past: 'Harold and Maude' a Dark Delight

All of Harold's suicides are staged. When his psychiatrist asks what gives him a sense of fulfillment, he solemnly replies "I go to funerals." It is during one of these funerals where he meets Maude (Ruth Gordon), a 79-year-old woman who steals cars whenever she needs a ride, justifying her actions as a "gentle reminder" not to "get attached to things" because we are all "here today, gone tomorrow." Meanwhile, Harold's mother's solution to her son's "very carefree, idle, happy" life is an arrang
Arc Publishing •

Film Review: 'Band of Robbers'

Surely enough, Tom conspires to unite a "band of robbers" consisting of Huck and old friends Joe Harper (Matthew Gray Gubler), Tommy Barnes (Johnny Pemberton), and Ben Rogers (Hannibal Buress). All but Johnny take Tom's oath, which he wrote using phrases from "old pirate books" and "the Old Testament." The Nee Brother's sharp humor is particularly evident in this scene, as Tom's preachy speech is met with Johnny's flustered claims that he assumed he was being recruited into Amway or something of
Bridge of Spies © DREAMWORKS

Film Review: 'Bridge Of Spies'

Mainstream Hollywood films, even when emulating real-life events, rarely miss the opportunity to over-dramatize for cinematic effect. Yet, “Bridge of Spies,” starring Tom Hanks and directed by Steven Spielberg, held none of the frivolous excesses one expects from a historical thriller when telling the true story of a spy exchange between the Soviet Union and the United States. Instead, the devil was in the details. Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, a meticulous manipulation o
Daily Trojan •

Trump’s recent criticisms showcase vices of his own

It is in no way reaching to call the 2016 United States presidential election a joke, a media frenzy desperately clinging to the latest asinine comment made by Republican candidate Donald Trump. His most recent display of unbridled nonsense is the wild accusation that Democratic presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton is somehow a bigot. The BBC reported last Thursday that during a Mississippi rally, Trump claimed Clinton “sees people of color only as votes — not as human beings worthy of a better
Glendale News-Press •

Montrose Bowl still going strong

Tucked away on Honolulu Avenue, Montrose Bowl’s location is the definition of discreet. Despite the lack of flashing lights or colorful signs to announce its 77-year presence, the spot remains a favorite of locals and film companies. With its blue-green and orange coloring, red vinyl seats, and an absence of electronic scoreboards, the bowling alley is awash in the 1950s. A popular location shoot for many films, including “Teen Wolf” (1985), “Frankie and Johnny” (1991), and most recently Clint