On this day in movie history - 88 Minutes (2007):

88 Minutes

directed by Jon Avnet,

written by Gary Scott Thompson,

was released in the United States on April 18, 2008.
Music by Edward Shearmur.

Cast:

Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski, Amy Brenneman, William Forsythe, Deborah Kara Unger, Ben McKenzie, Neal McDonough, Leah Cairns, Stephen Moyer, Christopher Redman, Trilby Glover, Damien Leake, Brendan Fletcher, Michael Eklund, Kristina Copeland, Tammy Hui, Vicky Huang, Bob Stephenson, Philip Moon, Victoria Tennant, Michal Yannai, Paul Campbell, Brenda McDonald, Carrie Genzel, Kaj-Erik Eriksen, Heather Dawn, Julian Christopher, Tim Henry, Mike Dopud, Brad Turner, Michael Adamthwaite, Jean Montanti, Tim Perez, Marcus Hondro, Rebecca Chunn, Elan Even, Celeste White Steele, Linley Subryan.

On this day in movie history - The Lookout (2007):

The Lookout

directed and written by Scott Frank,

was released in the United States on March 30, 2007.
Music by James Newton Howard.

Cast:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode, Isla Fisher, Carla Gugino, Bruce McGill, Alberta Watson, Alex Borstein, Sergio Di Zio, David Huband, Laura Vandervoort, Greg Dunham, Morgan Kelly, Aaron Berg, Tinsel Korey, Suzanne Kelly, Brian Edward Roach, Martin Roach, Ofield Williams, Julie Pederson, Stephen Eric McIntyre, Janaya Stephens, Marc Devigne, Courtney-Jane White, Thanya Romero, Paul Christie, Tracy Beemer, Gordie Farrell, Toni Reimer, Ted Felbel, Charles Crossin, Chuck Robinson, Kalyn Bomback, John Bluethner, Leslie Bais, Harry Nelken, Andrew Degryse, Shailee Ferguson, Kevin Michayluk.

On this day in music history - Feast of Joy and Love, by Laura Sullivan (2007):

Feast of Joy and Love

Album by Laura Sullivan,
released March 10, 2007.

Track list:

Bouquet of Bach; Cafe des Artiste; Waltzing with Beethoven; Greensleeves; Pinot Noir; Morning in the Meadow; Memories of the Ice Cream Truck; Porch Swing Night Romance; Shaelaelah; Ala M'Ode to Joy; Last Kiss.

On this day in movie history - Soundies: A Musical History (2007):

Soundies: A Musical History

documentary directed by Chris Lamson,

written by Chris Lamson and Jennifer Sneider,

was released in the United States on March 3, 2007.

Hosted by Michael Feinstein.

Music by Michael Feinstein.

Cast:

Van Alexander, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Mel Blanc, Will Bradley, Les Brown, Cab Calloway, Mark Cantor, Cyd Charisse, Nat 'King' Cole, Dorothy Dandridge, Doris Day, Yvonne De Carlo, Jimmy Dorsey, George Duke, Roy Eldridge, Duke Ellington, Frances Faye, Michael Feinstein, Irving Fields, Joe Franklin, Hugh Hefner, Spike Jones, Louis Jordan, Gene Krupa, Liberace, Leonard Maltin, Ginny Mancini, Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Martin, The Mills Brothers, Dan Morgenstern, Helen O'Connell, Anita O'Day, Jackie Parton, Les Paul, 'Snub' Pollard, Stan Ridgway, Kay Starr, Claude Thornhill, Mel Tormé, Merle Travis, Fats Waller, Ben Webster, Lawrence Welk.

On this day in movie history - The Number 23 (2007):

The Number 23

directed by Joel Schumacher,

written by Fernley Phillips,

was released in the United States on February 23, 2007.

Music by Harry Gregson-Williams.

Cast:

Jim Carrey, Paul Butcher, Virginia Madsen, Logan Lerman, Danny Huston, Rhona Mitra, Bud Cort, Chris Lajoie, Mark Pellegrino, Lynn Collins, Michelle Arthur, Ed Lauter, Corey Stoll.

On this day in music history - Voila, by Belinda Carlisle (2007):

Voila

Album by Belinda Carlisle,

released February 5, 2007.

Track list:

Ma Jeunesse Fout Le Camp; Bonnie et Clyde; Avec le Temps; Sous le Ciel de Paris; Des Ronds Dans L'eau; Pourtant Tu M'aimes; Ne Me Quitte Pas; La Vie en Rose; Contact; Merci Cherie; Jezebel.

Recommended reading - Balboa Films (2007):

Balboa Films

A History and Filmography of the Silent Film Studio

By Jean-Jacques Jura & Rodney Norman Bardin II.

Published by McFarland.

Published 2007.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0786430982

ISBN-13: 9780786430987

Description:

From 1913 through 1918, Long Beach, California, was home to the largest independent film company in the world, the largely forgotten Balboa Studio. Founder Herbert M. Horkheimer bought the studio from Edison Company in 1913, and by 1915 Balboa's expenses exceeded $2,500 a day and its output hit 15,500 feet of film per week. Bert Bracken, Fatty Arbuckle, Henry King, Baby Marie Osborne, Thomas Ince, and William Desmond Taylor began their careers with the studio.

In 1918, Horkheimer stunned the industry by declaring bankruptcy, shutting down Balboa, and walking away from moviemaking. The closing of the studio effectively ended Long Beach's runs as a major film location and left many wondering about the true reasons behind Horkheimer's decision. Most of Balboa's films have been lost, and little has until now been written about the studio. This book first explores the history of filmmaking in Long Beach and then fully details the story of Balboa. The extensive filmography includes length, copyright date when available, cast and credits, and a plot summary.

On this day in music history - Key of Sea, by Jennifer Thomas (2007):

Key of Sea

Album by Jennifer Thomas,

released January 9, 2007.

Track list:

A Beautiful Storm; Prelude in F; Release; You By My Side; Suite Dreams; Will's Song; Old Movie Romance; Pure; O Mio Babbino Caro; The Red Aspens; Somewhere; The Tempest; Sospiro.

Recommended reading - The Stop-motion Filmography (2007):

The Stop-motion Filmography

A Critical Guide to 297 Features Using Puppet Animation

By Neil Pettigrew.

2-Volume Set.

Published by McFarland & Company.

Published 2007.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0786431075

ISBN-13: 978-0786431076

Description:

This is a major McFarland reference work providing in-depth analyses of all puppet animation sequences in every film that has featured the process, including King Kong and Jason and the Argonauts. The focus is on how effective the sequence was and how it was executed. In addition to the analysis, each entry provides title, year of release, cast and production credits including producer, director, screenplay, director of photography, art director or production designer, music, stop-motion animators, armature builders, puppet makers, stop-motion cameramen, sequence supervisors, and more. Ratings of the film and of the effectiveness of its stop-motion sequences are also given.

“Gargantuan...an insightful and affectionate tribute to [puppet animation] films. Brilliant color photographs shine out alongside numerous black and white photos...recommended.” – Choice.

“Well-researched, well-written and a solid addition.” – Video Watchdog.

“Detailed…a ‘must have’.” – Famous Monsters of Filmland.

“Amazing...thousands of details...an important work.” – Association Internationale du Film d'Animation (ASIFA) / The International Animated Film Association.

“A mightily impressive tome...exhaustive...an essential book for stop motion fans.” – SFX Magazine.

“Staggeringly comprehensive study...provides shot-by-shot analysis of every stop-motion sequence in every known feature film that uses the process...Pettigrew’s thoroughness and accuracy border on the astounding...a work of impeccable scholarship.” – Scarlet Street.

“A treasure-trove of information.” – Ani-Mato.

“Superbly researched and informative text and illustrations...provides in-depth analyses of all puppet animation sequences...a valuable source of information...immaculately researched and written in a lucid and very readable manner” – Talking Pictures Magazine.

Recommended reading - Silent Movies (2007):

Silent Movies

The Birth of Film and the Triumph of Movie Culture

by Peter Kobel.

Preface by Martin Scorsese.

Foreword by Kevin Brownlow.

Published by Little, Brown and Company.

Published 2007.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 0316117919

ISBN-13: 978-0316117913

Description:

Drawing on the extraordinary collection of The Library of Congress, one of the greatest repositories for silent film and memorabilia, Peter Kobel has created the definitive visual history of silent film. From its birth in the 1890s, with the earliest narrative shorts, through the brilliant full-length features of the 1920s, Silent Movies captures the greatest directors and actors and their immortal films.

Silent Movies also looks at the technology of early film, the use of color photography, and the restoration work being spearheaded by some of Hollywood's most important directors, such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.

Richly illustrated from the Library of Congress's extensive collection of posters, paper prints, film stills, and memorabilia – most of which have never been in print – Silent Movies is an important work of history that will also be a sought-after gift book for all lovers of film.

"If you ever wondered why film buffs get weak in the knees about the movies made before talkies, this book can help you understand. . . . it is beautifully designed with a dazzling array of movie stills, posters and promo material drawn from the Library of Congress' memorabilia collection." – San Francisco Chronicle.

"The definitive visual history of silent film." – New York Daily News.

"A handsomely designed and illustrated pictorial history of the voiceless cinema." – Los Angeles Times.

"A ravishing, oversize, million-pound study of the silent movie era, not just its films, but its promotion, its culture and the way these movies changed how we think about the world." – Washington Post Express.

"Kobel has lovingly detailed this world-from the zany publicity campaigns to the lavish scripts to the decadent star lifestyles. SILENT MOVIES is an essential addition to any film or design lover's library." – Encore magazine.

"Spectacular." – The New York Times.

"This isn't a coffee table book, though any coffee table would be lucky to be graced by it. The excellent text manages the trick of being exhaustive without being exhausting, while the photos – and stills, and posters, and lobby cards – are enchanting." – Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal Online.