The Big Picture
I’ve been a cinephile before I had words to describe what I am. My family still tells stories of me watching the John Wayne movie Hatari as a transfixed toddler.
Over the years, I’ve gone through more than my share of phases. I’ve written screenplays, I still do my darndest to explore film criticism. However, I recently decided there’s one thing we all need to do in the film community. We need to get rid of gate keeping.
We have enough problems with studios and algorithms deciding what we should and shouldn’t watch. Embrace the joy. Watch a Michael Curtiz film, a Martin Scorsese, a Larry Buchanan or a Roger Corman. All it takes is one moment to light a spark.
The joy I’ve taken as a child of Nick at Nite and Perry Mason tv movies has grown into Piercing Pop Culture. There’s too much cult, exploitation and tv adjacent media disappearing. Works like Casablanca and The Sound of Music will be fine. Let’s embrace the weird, the wacky and the under seen. They have their own value.
My goal here is to shine a light on that value. Preservation struggles don’t just hang over silent film and streaming presents new struggles as catalogs are held tightly under studio control. This is a hunt we are all on. Embrace what you love. Talk about it. You never know when it will strike a chord in this big diverse community of ours.
The Quest Continues: Kim’s White Whale Media (updated August 11, 2025)
A little look at the movies that I’m questing for! These are films that (upon my last check at least) are currently not on any streaming site (or YouTube) and are currently not available on DVD.
An Affair of the Skin (1964): Starring Kevin McCarthy, Lee Grant and Viveca Lindfors. Directed by Ben Maddow.
Diamond Safari (1958): Starring Kevin McCarthy, Robert Bice and André Morell. Directed by Gerald Mayer.
The Oklahoma Woman (1956): Starring Peggie Castle, Richard Denning, Mike Connors and Cathy Downs. Directed Roger Corman.
Links, Links, Links!!
Looking to Follow More Creators from Denver?
Chillyboy Productions: A YouTube channel looking at film and television archival and new releases.
Geekly Goods: A Youtube channel specializing in new releases with a special interest in genre, superhero and more.
Trashwire: A website covering film and media new releases. Denver based.
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Interested in learning more about film in the Rocky Mountain Region?
Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media: Resources for creators interested in working more with local government and resources.
Denver Film: Home of the Denver Film Festival. Runs new release and the occasional archive screening through their home location at the SIE Film Center.
Denver Film Critics Society: The regional critics group representing Denver and the surrounding areas.
Sundance Film Festival: More on the Sundance Film Festival as the iconic Fest preps for its upcoming move to Boulder Colorado.
The Stanley Film Center: More information about the burgeoning film center based out of The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.
Women in Film Media Colorado: An advocacy and support group working with women working in all spheres of the film and media landscape in Colorado.
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Cinematic and Entertainment Preservation Resources
Academy Film Archive: Restoration and preservation arm of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Missing Movies: An organization that works with filmmakers, archivists and distrubutors to aid in finding lost cinematic materials.
The Film Foundation: Preserves and restores classic film.
UCLA Film & Television Archive: A pioneering organization in film and television preservation.
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