We've got more links than a sausage factory...
But to start with, here's a few of our friends who have been especially supportive of our endeavors, all of whom are worthy of your love, respect, and support! And please -- tell 'em In The Balcony sent ya!
DVD Companies!
VCI Entertainment, Inc., offers a wealth of vintage films, including a hefty batch of classic movie serials. These guys love old movies, and it shows. Visit them at VCI Entertainment.
Just about the nicest fella in cyberspace is my ol' bud Trevor of Down Under DVD. He's in Australia, a country known for surfing, exporting bad singers and actors to the U.S., and American movie serials on DVD. Trev offers just about anything you want in the way of chapterplays, rare TV shows, and many vintage films series, and if you're worrying about ordering from Australia, don't: low prices and very fast service is the rule. Check out Down Under DVD.
AC Comics has a number of nifty reprints of old funnybook favorites like Nyoka, Spy Smasher, Don Winslow, and many others. They also offer a bunch of Republic serials, including Spy Smasher, Panther Girl of the Kongo, Zombies of the Stratosphere, and Perils of Nyoka on DVD, with more coming. So check them out at AC Comics.
Grapevine Video continues to offer really rare titles on DVD in excellent condition, and it's a delight to peruse their website and check out the monthly specials and the "Hey, I thought that film was lost!" titles they offer. Visit them at Grapevine Video.
If you're not too picky about quality but you'd like to build a serial collection quickly and inexpensively, try Oldie DVD. In general, his stuff is watchable, sometimes better than that -- and he's very cheap. Sorry, I mean "value priced".
Good Reads!
Remember the classic TV series Matinee at the Bijou? We'll, they're trying to bring it BACK on the air with all new episodes! Read all about it at MatineeAtTheBijou.
The Nostalgia League is just a groovy place to hang out with a bunch of folks who like to reminisce. You'll find a lot of really interesting stuff there; it's at The Nostalgia League.
Thrilling Days of Yesteryear is a very interesting blog by one of our Balcony members, with a lot of musings about pop culture and interesting reviews of the same kind of stuff I'm always watching. Highly recommended.
Greenbriar Picture Shows is a site that everybody who visits the Balcony should read regularly. Terrific stuff about the heyday of movie exploitation.
Mark Evanier and his entire website are interesting, but I especially like News from Me. Make sure you check out his sub-site devoted to vintage TV show tickets; a lot of great stories there.
Few names command more respect from lovers of classic films than Leonard Maltin. His site is called Movie Crazy.
One of the best spots on the 'net for cult movie news and reviews is George R. Reis' DVD Drive-in.
Balcony Buddies
Sgt. Bill Cassara, author of the wonderful book Edgar Kennedy: Master of the Slow Burn, presents a website devoted to that iconic comic. It's EdgarKennedy.org.
The Thunder Child is the official Chair of the In The Balcony Science-Fiction Department, and sees to it that nobody around here ends up with the head of a common housefly. T.C. hosts a fine website, too, at ThunderChild.
Kan Smiley annually presents a series of outstanding calendars, and they're all beautiful, full-color reproductions of classic movie posters, lobby cards, vintage posters and... well, you just have to see 'em to appreciate 'em at Saturday Matinee Memories.
Namtab designs posters inspired by classic movie serials, monsters, pulp fiction, and whatever else strikes his fancy, and he's our favorite artist. You'll find his work at Namtab.
Thad is one of our regular Balconeers, where he's known as "The Cartoon Guy". He's actually NOT animated (although he does tend to kind of bob up and down when he walks, just like a Fleischer character), but he sure knows his cartoon stuff. You'll find him at ThadKomorowski.com.
Rodney is another beloved Balconeer, and he's got a site devoted mainly to classic comic strips. Good stuff at ComicsNStories.
AndyFish is just THE MAN. I don't know any other way to put it. Of course, when you say it aloud, it sounds like "Andy the Fish Man" and if you're like me, you think of the Marx Bros.' movie Animal Crackers. If you don't get the reference, forget it. Anyway, visit Andy's fishbowl at UndercoverFish and at Hebs&Fish.
Max Allan Collins is the esteemed writer of Dick Tracy and Road to Perdition and all good stuff like that. You'll also find him hanging around the balcony once in awhile, soaking up the atmosphere (and occasionally making off with hand towels). His website is, where else, MaxAllanCollins.
I love listening to classic movie scores on CD; it's like watching the movie with my ears while I work. Mr. Ray Faiola has a site that offers terrific CDs any movie fan'll love. It's the Chelsea Rialto Studios. Go and be impressed!
Other Assorted -- and New! -- Links
We asked our regular Balconeers to recommend some groovy websites, and they recommended the following, all of which are certified high in the groovosity department.
Good ol' Evan installed a theatre pipe organ at the Collingwood Arts Center, where they show not only silents but also a classic movie program complete with trailers, shorts and serial chapter once a month. Their website is at CollingwoodArtsCenter.
Reel Movie News has got news and reviews, but mainly it's just a fun place with a good attitude about movies and life in general. You'll find them at ReelMovieNews, naturally.
You love the Bowery Boys, don't you? Sure you do! Everybody that's read this far into this website must love the Bowery Boys. Of course, it's doubtful that you love 'em enough to create a website for them, but you don't need to: somebody's done it for you! That's right! Check out bowery-bijou.blogspot.com.
The Great Garbo... One of the loveliest, most memorable stars in cinema history. More about her at Ultimate Garbo.
Monsters, TV sitcoms, and other bastions of popular culture can be found at YouDontHaveToVisit. You don't HAVE to, but g'head!
Say, be a darb and go visit the one and only website that we're aware of devoted to one of our favorite funnymen of the '20s and '30s, the incomparable Charley Chase.
If you don't like 1950s science-fiction movie, man, are YOU in the wrong place. If you DO, you should visit the RadiationTheater.
More links coming; check back often!