The Hollywood Reporter today published a news story with updates on the Hollywood History Museum under development by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, reporting that they have reached their initial $100 million dollar fundraising goal and that it is scheduled to open in 2016 at the May Company building at Wilshire Blvd. and Fairfax Ave. [Read more…]
Two big stories have been making news in the mainstream media in recent days, with regards to two different pairs of original ruby slippers from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – one purchased for the ‘in the works’ Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences “Academy Museum of Motion Pictures”; the other going off display at the Smithsonian for conservation and an eventual “American Stories” exhibit at their “National Museum of American History”.
Los Angeles based auction house Nate D Sanders is this month offering for sale an extraordinary number of Academy Awards as part of their monthly auction. The rare and highly coveted Oscar statue awards (in part due to the fact that AMPAS retain right of first refusal to buy back those awarded after 1950 – see past related story), seldom have come up for auction and it is very unusual to see so many offered in a single sale. [Read more…]
As was the case in previous years (see 2007 Year in Review, 2008 Year in Review, 2009 Year in Review, 2010 Year in Review), what follows is an editorial featuring my personal observations and opinions with regards to the business of buying, collecting, selling, preserving original pop culture artifacts – looking back at the top trends, developments, and news stories of 2011. As is always the case, this is a completely subjective exercise, and merely touches on the developments and events that relate to the hobby. [Read more…]
Last night the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced plans for a museum dedicated to the history of movies, tentatively called “The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures”, it is intended to take over the former May Company Department Store building near LACMA. [Read more…]
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences are holding a special exhibit called, “Crew Call 2011: Celebrating the Crafts”, which features in studio and on set photos taken by members of The Society of Motion Picture Still Photographers. The exhibition will be held September 9th – December 18th at The Academy Grand Lobby Gallery in Beverly Hills. [Read more…]
On June 17th, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held a special event celebrating the 30th anniversary of Raiders of the Lost Ark. They premiered a new digital restoration of the film, and also held a discussion panel with principal members of the crew that made the movie. [Read more…]