Classic Couple Academy

The land known as the Black Hills is the birthplace of the Očéti Šakówiŋ First Nations people–the Lakota and Dakota of the Great Sioux Nation. From the beginnings of the colonization of North America, the sacred land has been the site of conflict. The documentary film Lakota Nation vs. United States is a testament to […]

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 […]

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 […]

Here at Classic Couple Academy, we’re smack dab in the middle of production of our next Classic Couple Academy course offering. Creating a course is quite the journey. And while no one needs to see how the course “sausage gets made,” we can say our process requires a lot of creativity, laughter and hard work. […]

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 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 writer and Classic Couple Academy lead curriculum designer Kami Spangenberg shares her TCMFF picks and plans. I’m thrilled to be a credentialed member of […]

Bill Morrison’s film “let me come in” makes its broadcast premiere during the TCM Classic Film Festival 2021. Classic Couple Academy recently had the opportunity to ask filmmaker Bill Morrison about his experimental short. Listed on the Friday TCM Classic Film Festival schedule—actual TCM airtime is 3:15 am ET in the morning on Saturday, May […]