TheArchive: Reviewing the Rare, Retro, and Restored

We have recently mourned the passing of acting legend Wilford Brimley, who died on August 1 at the age of 85. Brimley became a household name thanks to his appearances in movies like Cocoon, commercials for Quaker Oats, and ubiquitous public-service announcements for diabetes awareness. Brimley’s acting career gained him loyal admirers among film fans, who heaped praise on his performances in films such as Absence of Malice, The Natural, The Firm, Hard Target, and of course, the cult horror classic The Thing. At TheArchive , we’re proud to have worked closely with one of Brimley’s many performances via our efforts to restore Where the Red Fern Grows: Part Two , the 1992 sequel to the 1974 film adaptation of the classic novel by Wilson Rawls. It was a privilege to construct a newly restored 4K master of this film from scans of original film elements. However, this proved to be one of the most difficult restoration processes we have undertaken for TheArchive . To give you a better sense ...

B-Movies, Leslie Nielsen and Bears, oh my! (aka an exploration into insanity) You've been warned... There are plenty of weird movie clips that we all see shared across the web. You know the ones. Those clips so out of context, so bizarre and head scratching they couldn't possibly be legit? So on this lovely summer day, I wanted to share with you something so timely, so lined up with hipster pop culture that I have dug out from TheArchive none other than Leslie Nielsen and wait for it...animals on attack! I mean who needs funny man Sandler and his latest Netflix yawner or the lunatic in Tiger King when I'm delivering you the real uncut gems! IMHO (yes throwback Thursday acronyms may abound), there is one clip that defies so much logic that it actually becomes more baffling, as more context is gleaned. One where a shirtless Leslie Nielsen, you know, that perpetually white haired real funny guy, best known for his roles in Airplane! and Naked Gun, figh...

With July 4 th falling on a Saturday, parties would normally be off the charts around the country. But this weekend, for so many reasons, celebrations may be more subdued. Celebrating our nation's independence will be a right and privilege each person here in the states can exercise and t his particular writer will be home with his family revisiting a popular TheArchive movie, BEYOND THE MASK . I thought it ironic given this Covid-19 time, that a film celebrating American independence would have such an apt title.    Beyond the Mask , in beautiful 4K, is an action-packed adventure romance set in 1776 during the turmoil of the Revolutionary war, bringing history to life in a story filled with liberty, freedom, and faith. Based on true events, the film features action, battles, and suspense, leading up to the historic signing of the Declaration of Independence. Andrew Cheney stars as William Reynolds, Kara Kilmer as Charlotte Holloway, ...

Summer Summer Summertime  (for B-Movies...because you’ve seen everything else) Ahhh…summer! The Sand! The Surf! The Sun! The July 4th fireworks spectacle!  Or in reality, none of that while we  stew inside suffering through the same stupid shit on Netflix. As we continue into the Covid-19 apocalypse I’ve run out of stuff to watch. Until now. While I’m safely hidden in  TheArchive ’s Top (Pop) Secret (thank you to our popcorn sponsor) bunker (totally not a broom closet), I’m going to share some B-Movie Summer fun from the dark corners of…not the broom closet! Or Roomba closet! (Thank you Roomba) How great is this image?!? So grab your sunscreen (can you get a sunburn from your iPhone?), stay six feet away from the TV, (can I give the virus to the actors in the movies? Some of them deserve it!), and enjoy a vision of days gone by…. I haven’t felt the sun on my skin in three months... Our first mo...