Two Canadian fans of the classic A Christmas Story have created a new documentary homage to their favorite film. Click here to watch an interview with them. 

She made cinema history in Frank Capra's Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life playing Jimmy Stewart's youngest daughter ZuZu. But life has been far from wonderful for Karolyn Grimes, who played the role. Now 68 years old, Karolyn has suffered being orphaned as a teenager, watching two husbands die, a child commit suicide and losing her stepchildren in a court battle. Yet in true Capra-esque style, she maintains a sunny outlook and finds solace from the fact that a half century later, millions of people are still moved and inspired by the film. London's Daily Mirror has an interview with Karolyn. Click here to read.

(Thanks to subscriber Rich Skillman for the tip)

The good folks at the Egotastic! web site have done another great humanitarian service by posting some - er, titillating photos of Marisa Tomei in her acclaimed performance as a stripper in The Wrestler. As you know, we at Cinema Retro blush real easy so we'll only publish this teaser shot....but if you're sense of morality is as low as ours, you won't be able to resist clicking here to see an abundance of other shots of the 44 year-old Oscar winner - as well as a slew of revealing photos of other famous actresses.

Just when you thought long-planned big screen version of The Green Hornet couldn't get any weirder, what with Seth Rogen playing the title role, comes news that the director, Stephen Chow (Kung-Fu Hustle) has quit the project over the usual "creative differences" but will stay on as an actor to play the role of Kato! Whatever they put onscreen can't be any stranger than the way the flick is shaping up. For more click here

Peter Falk, the 81 year-old star of Columbo and many major feature films, is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and cannot recognize the people around him. His daughter has applied for the legal right to handle his affairs. For more click here

Unless you've been living in a cave for the last couple of days, you're aware of President Bush's less-than-successful farewell tour through Iraq. While addressing the Iraqi press corps, one irate journalist protested the U.S. invasion by tossing both of his shoes at the President, who managed to duck them with the skill of the Artful Dodger. Although no one can take much pleasure in seeing an American President humiliated on foreign soil, Bush's reaction to the incident was bizarre, to say the least. Among the words he used to describe the shoe-toss melee was "interesting" and said he did not feel offended by the man's actions! Despite the fact that his legacy rests entirely on his Mid East policies, the President also seemed ignorant of the fact that throwing a shoe at someone in that part of the world is the ultimate sign of disgust. Bush said, "So, somebody threw a shoe at me...", oblivious to the fact that the choice of objects to toss wasn't random. The President sounded as though the guy might just as easily have thrown a vintage Abba album at him if it was handy. In any event, it didn't take long before the spoof masters took advantage of the incident to create a memorable video in which the President stars with The Three Stooges. Click here to view.

Our non-American readers may not be up on the latest Chicago political scandal that is dominating the news. Given that Chicago politics are seemingly inspired by the screenplay of Robin and the Seven Hoods, one would need a scroll to list all the politicos ensnared in corruption stings in recent years. Suffice it to say that four of the last eight governors of the state of Illinois have ended up in jail and Gov. Rod Blagojevich looks to carry on that proud tradition. The Gov knew he was under federal investigation for corruption, but that didn't stop him and his Lady MacBeth-like wife from engaging in phone conversations that were so vile and filled with corrupt schemes that it would have tested Martin Scorsese's ability to make it seem believable to the public. Suffice it to say that Blagojevich, a Democrat, has now given the much-oppressed Republican party a breather. Not only is the attention off their recent political scandals, but in terms of sheer stupidity, the Gov makes Sarah Palin look like Stephen Hawking. Why report this on a movie-based web site? Well, it's because we're convinced Blagojevich, who was arrested on corruption charges, should have another major crime lodged against him: impersonating an actor.  He seems to have been stuck in a time warp and has emerged thinking he is actor William Devane, circa 1970s, when the thespian sported one of the worst hairdos in Hollywood history: a seemingly unmoveable clump that looked like it couldn't be dislodged by a blast of TNT. Well, let's hope the Gov has some acting ability himself- he can put it to good use when he's organizing those jailhouse entertainment shows like those other loveable crooks from The Producers. - Lee Pfeiffer

 

Producer Richard D. Zanuck has confirmed to Collider's web site that Tim Burton's next film will indeed be a big screen adaptation of the cult 1960s TV series Dark Shadows. Johnny Depp will play the role of vampire Barnabas Collins, played in the TV show by Jonathan Frid. Filming will begin in London next summer. For a video interview with Zanuck click here

Forget that mediocre remake of The Italian Job starring Mark What's-'is-name from a few years back. The 1969 original British version is still the gold standard of gold heist movies. The film's controversial ending still elicits so much debate among movie fans that the Royal Society of Chemistry has sponsored a fan competition to see who can come up with the most creative resolution for how the likable crooks might have gotten out of their dilemma (trapped aboard a gold-laden bus that is dangling precariously over a cliff face). However, the film's star, Sir Michael Caine, reveals how the movie was intended to end in order to make way for an envisioned sequel that never occurred. To read more click here