TheArchive: Reviewing the Rare, Retro, and Restored

April Fools’ Day is almost here! If you come across news that seems too outrageous to be true, chances are it’s part of the long-standing tradition of pranks and hoaxes. Many well-known brands pour significant resources into elaborate April Fools’ marketing campaigns , rolling out fake products and services just for laughs. But how did this playful holiday begin, and what role does it play in comedy as a genre—especially in film? While its exact beginnings remain unclear, April Fools’ Day has been celebrated in different cultures for centuries. One of the most widely accepted theories traces the holiday back to 16th-century France, when the country switched from the Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar, to the Gregorian calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII. Under the Julian system, the new year was observed around April 1. However, some people slowly adapted to the change when the Gregorian calendar moved New Year’s Day to January 1. Those who continued celebrating the o...

Let's take a break from cold world events as we long for a little summer warmth.... Four years before the the series debut of nearly the same title starring Will Smith (now a ubiquitously marketed Peacock remake of their own), and a year before starring together in the cult hit Summer School , Mark Harmon and Kirstie Alley showed their romantic comedy chemistry in this week's remake spotlight and little known 80s classic called  Prince of Bel-Air .  Mark Harmon’s perfect life gets better when he meets Kirstie Alley  a preppy artist who catches Harmon’s eye, much to the chagrin of her wealthy uncle, who is his pseudo-mentor cum benefactor.  He blackmails Harmon into breaking off the relationship or else he’ll cut off all financial support and break their business partnership.  The interesting piece of nostalgia about this movie is that it clearly inspired  Summer School!  Mark Harmon, Kirstie Alley, Patrick Labyorteaux , and Dean Camron all play t...