Classic Couple Academy

The Power of Film is a six-part series hosted and curated by renowned UCLA professor emeritus, founding chair of UCLA’s Film and Television Producers Program, and one of the founders of the UCLA Film Archive, Howard Suber. Each 40-minute episode in The Power of Film dives deep into the art of storytelling by examining the […]

Before Hollywood director Orson Welles ascended to fame as producer, director and star of Citizen Kane (1941), he struggled as an actor and writer for radio. In 1936 at the age of 20, untested and battling addiction which was difficult in that time since now is easier as you can get help with drug abuse. […]

In the1943 film Stormy Weather, brothers Fayard and Harold Nicholas performed a dance routine—shot in one take with no rehearsal—regarded as the greatest dance routine ever put to film. Almost 80 years onward, that performance continues to amaze and inspire not just dancers, but dance as an art form. The short film Nicholas Brothers: Stormy […]

The Classic Couple Academy team of Kami, Chris and Kim are attending the TCM Classic Film Festival April 21-24, 2022. Kami’s attending on a media pass for our sister site, ClassicCouple.com. Check out our TCMFF coverage there for some exclusive interviews with TCM hosts and guest presenters and to keep up with our antics. And […]

We’re thrilled to offer an online guest lecture titled The Uncensored Betty Boop on Monday, November 8 at 10 am, hosted by our friends at Sal St. George Living History Productions. Interested attendees can register for the event here. We’ll be showcasing Betty Boop, the Queen of the Animated Screen, as a major Paramount Pictures […]

In the Pre-Code era, Betty Boop as cartoon character mirrored how many female stars of the Big Screen were portrayed. Like the feature films of the time, Betty Boop cartoons featured racy themes, provocative behavior, and lively musical numbers. Adult audiences expected spicy entertainment, and Betty Boop cartoons delivered. Betty Boop’s best appearances are considered […]

We’ve been teasing it for months, but at last it’s here: the newest Classic Couple Academy course offering. Drum roll, please…Betty Boop: Sexpot, Spinster, Icon! One of the biggest stars of the 1930s, ninety years later Betty Boop is a mainstay pop culture icon. Here at the Academy, we love Betty Boop, and we wanted […]

At Classic Couple Academy we’re all about learning about classic film. The release of the second installment of TCM’s award-winning podcast, The Plot Thickens, Season 2: The Devil’s Candy, offers unprecedented behind the scenes access into the making of The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990). This is must-listen podcasting for film lovers! The making of […]

Chantal Akerman was a Belgian film director, screenwriter, artist, and film professor at the City College of New York. She was born to Holocaust survivors from Poland; her mother Natalia (Nelly), survived years at Auschwitz. Daughter Chantal and mother were extremely close with Nelly encouraging Chantal to pursue her career in film. In 1971, Chantal […]

The Classic Couple Academy team is ready for the TCM Classic Film Festival 2021. We’ve reviewed the scheduled programming on TCM and HBO Max and made our selections of must-see content. Here native New Yorker and Classic Couple Academy technical lead Chris Chase shares his TCMFF picks and plans. The TCM Classic Film Festival 2021 […]