[March 23 Update: The Steve McQueen McQueen Blog-a-thon is under way here.]
For almost two years now, I’ve posted my cinema ruminations under an iconic image of Steve McQueen from The Great Escape. And yet, despite this blog’s branding, I’ve done very little writing about the King of Cool. With The Cooler just days away from the start of its third year, this must be remedied. And so today I’m announcing that I will host the Steve McQueen Blog-a-thon beginning on what would have been McQueen’s 80th birthday, March 24, and running through March 27.
I have some posts in mind, but I make this announcement now with the hope that other bloggers will take part in this effort. Traditionally, blog-a-thons are built around a genre or director – but rarely an actor or actress. So let’s remedy that, too. Submissions to the Steve McQueen blog-a-thon must meet only one criterion: they must somehow touch on Steve McQueen. If you’d like to write about the actor’s overall film career, go for it. If you’d like to discuss his lasting impact in pop culture, go for it. But bloggers should also feel welcome to write standard reviews of films in which McQueen appears. McQueen needn’t be the focus of your essay. He just needs to be the thread lacing together what I hope will be a wildly diverse group of submissions. (Likewise, please feel no pressure to bow at McQueen’s altar. If you’d like to rant about his limited range or whatever else, please do so.)
Per usual, post your contribution on your blog and send me the link via e-mail or in the comments section the week of the blog-a-thon. If you don’t have a blog and would like to contribute, e-mail me your contribution and I’ll post it here at The Cooler.
Please take part! I'm more excited to see what my fellow bloggers will submit than I am to post my own pieces.
In the meantime, if you wouldn’t mind spreading the word, I’d appreciate it.
29 comments:
Awesomeness! I'll try to think of something.
I'm in.
Consider me there with a piece on LE MANS.
Awesome. I'd be down for doing something on Junior Bonner.
Not sure which film to write about yet, or whether to go for a general overview, but I'm definitely up for taking part.
Great idea! I just posted a link on my blog, and I shall be making a contribution.
Terrific! Off to a promising start.
Hope more folks jump in there.
Excellent topic here. Th efirst McQueen movie to impress my as a teenager was THE BLOB.
Count me in, too!
Since most people are probably going to want to write on his collaborations with Sam Peckinpah and John Sturges, I'll likely be submitting something on one of his Norman Jewison pictures.
Great idea! Count me in. I'll tackle THE GETAWAY.
Count me in.
I'll probably write up The Getaway.
I'd love to write a piece, though I'm not sure which film of his yet.
I'm on the bandwagon. Love the idea, and I'm looking forward to contributing. In fact, i'm going into research mode now since i want to do a writeup on his private life. I just adore his racing life, so there will definitely be something about that, his cars, women, as well as behind the scenes and film reviews. I smell an avalanche of articles. Since this is my first Blog-a-thon, i assume this is ok?
Terrific!
Yes, multiple submissions are welcome, either from the same author or on the same topic.
Keep spreading the word!
Definitely doing something.... definitely
If I can, I'm gonna try to do something on THE CINCINNATI KID.
If not that, then maybe THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR.
An excellent idea. Count me in.
Looks like there are some excellent ideas and topics floating around.
I'm not sure where I'm going to take it, but I'm going to do a write-up on Never So Few. No, not the most memorable movie, but the teaming of Frank Sinatra and Steve McQueen often seems sorely overlooked, even if just from a cultural standpoint.
Agreed, I'm pumped. Thanks much all who have signed up (not that it's in blood or anything), and please keep spreading the word!
I'm definitely going to write something. I'm a teenager who wasn't even alive when he was, but he is still my favourite actor. Can't wait. Count me in!
Okay, bear with me here. If you're into Steve McQueen, you undoubtedly know he was a total racing & fast car fanatic...
I'm dating myself here, but I've worked in film production in LA since 1980, the year he died... but back in 1967, when I was 16, I bought my first car at a gas station on the corner of Sunset & Van Ness in LA (Hwd).
It was a 1938 Chevy hot rod with a huge Pontiac engine in it. It needed some work... but it was all I could afford. Though it looked like a hunk of junk… this car was a rocket… burned rubber and did wheel stands!
Anyway, just as I paid for it and got the Pink Slip in my hand... who shows up in a '67 VW Bug… powered by a 911S Porsche engine (210+ HP)???
McQueen! A friend of his at the Paramount lot (on Melrose) had told him about the Chevy; and he had come by to purchase it!
Having seen the Great Escape half a dozen times in the theatre (many years before cable, VHS or DVDs), I couldn't believe my eyes.
His comment as he looked it over: "Hey, way to go kid. Pretty cool… but just make sure you get that steering and those brakes replaced if you're gonna do any street racing. See ya’ around."
Can't believe I didn't get his autograph... I just wish that I'd had a chance to work with him on one of his films. Have another story I'll add to the Blog.
That's an awesome story.
I've always felt like autographs are the things you get to prove to someone that you got close enough for an autograph. But having an actual encounter trumps that. No autographs necessary.
Looking forward to your submission.
Only four days, and for two of those I'll be out of town, and not blogging about anything. Hoo boy. Hope I can squeeze something in...
A day early, but my little visual tribute is up here:
http://mooninthegutter.blogspot.com/2010/03/behind-scenes-with-my-favorite-actors_23.html
Thanks for hosting such a great blog-a-thon!
I emailed you a link but I am also paranoid.
http://thingthatdontsuck.blogspot.com/2010/03/getaway.html
Here's my contribution to the blog-a-thon. It's a wonderful idea - thanks for putting it together!
http://glipress.blogspot.com/2010/03/steve-mcqueen-and-evolution-of-action.html
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