4 Shots From 4 Films: Happy 88th Birthday, Mamie Van Doren!

Posted on February 6, 2019 by gary loggins

4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking.

The irrepressible sex bombshell of the 1950’s and 60’s, Mamie Van Doren, is celebrating her 88th birthday today, and in her honor, we present 4 Shots from the films of Mamie Van Doren!

Untamed Youth (1957, D: Howard W. Koch)

High School Confidential (1957, D: Jack Arnold)

Vice Raid (1960, D: Edward L. Cahn)

3 Nuts in Search of a Bolt (1964, D: Tommy Noonan)

Happy birthday, Mamie, and here’s to many more…

Mamie in 2018

…you still got it,kid!

4 Shots from 4 Films: RIP George Barris

Posted on November 6, 2015 by gary loggins

4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films is all about letting the visuals do the talking. George Barris (11/20/25-11/5/15) was Hollywood’s car customizer to the stars. Barris is probably best known for designing the Batmobile for the 60’s TV series, but his work showed up in many movies. Here’s a look:

High School Confidential! (1958, director Jack Arnold)

Batman (1966, director Leslie H. Martinson)

Munster, Go Home (1966, director Earl Bellamy)

The Car (1977, director Elliot Silverstein)

Scenes That I Love: “Tomorrow Is A Drag” from High School Confidential

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Tonight, TCM has been showing a marathon a Mamie Van Doren films. I just sat through The Beat Generation, a 1959 film where Mamie is among the many women to fall victim to a crazed beatnik known as the Aspirin Kid.

Now, to be honest, The Beat Generation is not a very good film. In fact, it’s probably one of the most anti-female movies that I’ve ever seen. Watching it, I found myself very happy that I was not alive during the 50s.

However, it did remind me of the far superior High School Confidential, another film that featured a bunch of faux Beatniks and Mamie Van Doren in a supporting role. Released in 1958 and directed by Jack Arnold, High School Confidential is a lot of fun.

And that brings us to tonight’s scene that I love. In the scene below, “beatnik” poetess Philippa Fallon recites a poem while secret drug dealer Jackie Coogan plays the piano. I love this scene because it’s just so typical of the way that exploitation films from the 50s tended to portray the beat generation.

I have to admit that whenever I see one of these old films that attempted to cluelessly portray (and mock) the beatniks of the 50s, I’m reminded of the similarly clueless way that bloggers are portrayed in most current films and Aaron Sorkin-penned television series.