Nichelle Nichols, the actress whose performance as Lt. Nyota Uhura in the classic 1960s series “Star Trek” broke barriers for Black women performers on television, passed away on July 30 at the age of 89. Continue reading
Author Archives: Phil Hall
The Bootleg Files: Lambeth Walk – Nazi Style
BOOTLEG FILES 809: “Lambeth Walk – Nazi Style” (1942 short that riffs on “Triumph of the Will” with a soundtrack featuring an instrumental version of “The Lambeth Walk”).
LAST SEEN: On YouTube.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: In public domain anthologies.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Unauthorized use of Leni Riefenstahl’s film coupled with music clearance issues.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: It is out there, rights clearance be damned.
Some humor is timeless – think of Shakespeare’s comedies, Mark Twain’s novels and the Three Stooges’ knockabout. But with some humor, time is not an ally and it can difficult for later generations to appreciate what their predecessors were laughing about.
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The Bootleg Files: Sesame Street Episode 847
BOOTLEG FILES 808: “Sesame Street Episode 847” (1976 offering of the TV classic with guest Margaret Hamilton).
LAST SEEN: On YouTube.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: Not yet.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It’s complicated.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Who knows?
In the 1970s, character actress Margaret Hamilton experienced a career upswing. She landed the part of Cora, the New England general store manager, in a long-running series of Maxwell House coffee television commercials. And she had a few opportunities to revisit her beloved film role as the Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz” in several television appearances, including a kindly visit without her green make-up on “Mister Rogers” and in a wacky and ribald riff (with her green hue) in Paul Lynde’s campy Halloween special.
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The Bootleg Files: Hatter
BOOTLEG FILES 807: “Hatter” (2022 fan film short inspired by the Batman franchise).
LAST SEEN: On YouTube.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: Not yet.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: A fan film that borrows copyright protected characters.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Who knows
Fan films are a hit or miss affair – they’re mostly miss, IMHO – but sometimes the genre produces a genuine surprise. In this case, there is a very happy surprise coming from a pair of creative artists who’ve turned up before in The Bootleg Files series.
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The Greatest Radio Station in the World (2022)
In August 2021, David Owen of The New Yorker published an article that declared WPKN-FM in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to be “the greatest radio station in the world.” It was a highly subjective opinion, of course, but Owen’s celebration of the community-supported station’s free-form programming made a cogent argument about how this eclectic station was able to maintain its originality and spirit during a time when too much of radio broadcasting has become stale and predictable.
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Kosmonavt (2021)
A sexy young Russian lady who doesn’t speak English sets herself up at a chess table in New York City’s Central Park and tries to invite passersby to engage her in a game. A sad faced shlub who was stood up by his date ambles by and agrees to play. After losing badly, the lady encourages him to try again. They continue playing through the course of the day – but where can this relationship go?
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Dancing Pirate (1935) [Blu-ray/DVD]
The 1935 production “Dancing Pirate” has gained footnote status in movie history for several accomplishments: it was among the few productions nominated in the short-lived Academy Award category for Best Dance Direction, it was the first musical feature shot in the three-strip Technicolor process, it was the last film produced by the independent Pioneer Pictures studio, and it included uncredited blink-and-you-miss-them appearances by a young Rita Hayworth and future First Lady Pat Nixon as members of the dancing ensemble.
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