Our TCM Club met on March 14 to play a new game created by TCM Club member, Sharon. Henceforward named Sharon’s Classic 5, the game asks five questions related to a classic film theme. Facilitated by Sharon, who had thoroughly researched each question, the group was asked to name five items in each category. Numerous…
About: Kami Spangenberg
Author Archives: Kami Spangenberg
Nostalgia and Coffee
Classic Couple welcomes guest blogger Sharon Walters, sharing her reflections on The Duke Is Tops (1938) It is Monday morning, and birds are singing. Yes, a beautiful sunny day and I remembered I had the next few days to myself. What better time to watch an old-time movie called The Duke is Tops. Other than…
TCM Club Gathering: February 2021
Our TCM Club met on February 21 to discuss three films from the TCM monthly schedule. Club members could choose to view one, two or three films from the selections of the month: The Bad and the Beautiful (1952): melodrama about a Hollywood producer making his way to the top of the studio system Crossfire…
The Three Stooges: A Crash Course
We’re excited to announce our latest Classic Couple Academy course offering. The Three Stooges: A Crash Course is now available. The Three Stooges: A Crash Course shares who’s who in the Stooges comedy troupe, showcases their early years as performers and highlights the principles of Stooges comedy. The Stooges’ 50+-year career spanned short-subject films, feature…
An Essential Film in Black History: The Duke Is Tops (1938)
The Duke Is Tops (1938) is an American musical film released by Million Dollar Productions, a production company noted for advancing Black filmmaking in the late 1930s. Ralph Cooper, one of the three heads of Million Dollar Productions, scripted, co-directed and starred in the film. The Duke Is Tops is a B-musical featuring a mostly…
TCM Club Gathering: January 31, 2021
Our TCM Club enjoyed its biggest gathering to date since transitioning to virtual meetings. Fourteen club members got together on January 31 for two hours of fun. We pulled out a club favorite from the early days when we were just getting to know when another. Designed to break the ice and get the group,…
First TCM Club Gathering of 2021
Our TCM Club held its first meeting of 2021 on January 10. After catching up on all things holiday and New Year, we turned over the meeting to Lexi, who had created a custom game for the group. Lexi’s game was based on the notion of “six degrees of separation” – the concept that anyone…
Classic Couple 2020 in Action: Top 10 Moments
2020 was so startlingly different from any year we’ve experienced in our lifetimes. Challenges abounded. While it certainly wasn’t the year we expected, it did deliver its own unique gifts. Hunkered at home, we resisted the temptation to cease production. Indeed upon reflection, we took a lot of action as the Classic Couple in 2020…
TCM Club Holiday 2020 Gathering
Our TCM Club held its virtual Holiday 2020 Gathering December 20. We enjoyed libations and toasted our friendship with one another, sustaining us all in a challenging year. Courtesy of our TCM Club Games Committee, we engaged in a competitive round of Classic Christmas Movies Bingo. And some of us enjoyed cookies baked from our…
Women Make Film: 14 Weeks, 14 Films in 2020
Over the course of 14 weeks in 2020, we studied Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema on our sister site, Classic Couple Academy. Each episode presented a several chapters exploring filmmaking techniques employed by the filmmakers. Below is a list of the themes we explored and the 14 films we wrote about…