MGM is turning 90 and is celebrating its history as the studio that has more stars than are in the heavens.
As hard as it is to believe, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer turns 90 in 2014, and its ready to kick-off a global yearlong celebration today, beginning with famed mascot “Leo the Lion” leaving his paw mark at the iconic TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
Founded in 1924 when theater magnate Marcus Loew bought and merged Metro Pictures Corp. with Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Productions, MGM and its legendary roaring lion logo signify the Golden Era of Hollywood to film lovers around the world.
The studio that was once known during that Golden Age for having more stars than there are in the heavens has fallen on rough times over the last several decades. However, they still intend for that legacy to breathe new life into the future, as seen in the below 90th Anniversary trailer, which will run in movie theaters across the country.
It’s great seeing MGM celebrate its legacy even in films sampled in that trailer: Rocky, Platoon, A Fistful of Dollars, Fargo, Get Shorty, Skyfall, Dr. No, Dances with Wolves, Raging Bull, Annie Hall, The Princess Bride, Thelma & Louise, and more.
Yet personally, it is a shame to see the studio afraid to reference the “Golden Age” that it dominated as THE biggest Hollywood studio. Other than a brief clip from Some Like It Hot, you might never guess that this is the studio behind Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Apartment, North By Northwest, A Night at the Opera, and so many, many more.
Still, here’s a toast to MGM.