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CURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman REVIEW: "IS PARIS BURNING?", 50TH ANNIVERSARY 2-CD SET BY DARREN ALLISON. Is Paris Burning? Composed by Maurice Jarre, The 50th Anniversary Recording of the Complete Score. A Special Collectors 2 CD Edition featuring a brand new recording by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Nic Raine. JESS FRANCO'S "EUGENIE...THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO Jack Palance appears late in the film as the cruel Antonin, but his performance in Justine is memorable for all the wrong reasons. Palance mugs and emotes through a few pages of purple prose as if he’s anxious to get his bit over with and move on to his next assignment. REVIEW: "TRUCK TURNER" (1974) STARRING ISAAC HAYES AND BY LEE PFEIFFER. It's easy to look back on the Blaxploitation film craze of the 1970s as a short-lived period that spawned some cinematicguilty pleasures.
"WE WANT OUR DVD!": "THE SAVAGE IS LOOSE" (1974) STARRING BY LEE PFEIFFER. If you've seen "The Savage Is Loose", you're among the few who can make such a boast. In 1974, at the height of his career, George C. Scott decided to bring this unusual tale to the bigscreen.
"IF IT'S NOT RIGHT, DON'T DO IT": A TRIBUTE TO WESTERN BY JOE ELLIOTT. Long-time Grass Valley, California resident (Norman Eugene) Clint Walker starred in the iconic television western Cheyenne from 1955-1963. This was the golden era of TV westerns, with dozens of similar shows airing around the same time. REVIEW: "CHINA GIRL" (1975) STARRING ANNETTE HAVEN BY LEE PFEIFFER. Vinegar Syndrome has released a special edition of the 1975 erotic film "China Girl" as a special edition Blu-ray/DVD. Before the advent of home video, hardcore movies had to rely on adult movie theaters for exhibition. CINEMA RETROCURRENT ISSUEDAME DIANA RIGG DEAD AT AGE 82 MISSISSIPPI BLUES. By Raymond Benson. Robert Altman’s 1974 crime drama, Thieves Like Us, when viewed today, seems to be a cross between Bonnie and Clyde (which preceded Thieves) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (which appeared twenty-six years later). It’s the Depression-era story, based on the novel by Edward Anderson, of a trio of escaped convicts who go on a bank-robbing spree.CURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman REVIEW: "IS PARIS BURNING?", 50TH ANNIVERSARY 2-CD SET BY DARREN ALLISON. Is Paris Burning? Composed by Maurice Jarre, The 50th Anniversary Recording of the Complete Score. A Special Collectors 2 CD Edition featuring a brand new recording by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Nic Raine. JESS FRANCO'S "EUGENIE...THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO Jack Palance appears late in the film as the cruel Antonin, but his performance in Justine is memorable for all the wrong reasons. Palance mugs and emotes through a few pages of purple prose as if he’s anxious to get his bit over with and move on to his next assignment. REVIEW: "TRUCK TURNER" (1974) STARRING ISAAC HAYES AND BY LEE PFEIFFER. It's easy to look back on the Blaxploitation film craze of the 1970s as a short-lived period that spawned some cinematicguilty pleasures.
"WE WANT OUR DVD!": "THE SAVAGE IS LOOSE" (1974) STARRING BY LEE PFEIFFER. If you've seen "The Savage Is Loose", you're among the few who can make such a boast. In 1974, at the height of his career, George C. Scott decided to bring this unusual tale to the bigscreen.
"IF IT'S NOT RIGHT, DON'T DO IT": A TRIBUTE TO WESTERN BY JOE ELLIOTT. Long-time Grass Valley, California resident (Norman Eugene) Clint Walker starred in the iconic television western Cheyenne from 1955-1963. This was the golden era of TV westerns, with dozens of similar shows airing around the same time. REVIEW: "CHINA GIRL" (1975) STARRING ANNETTE HAVEN BY LEE PFEIFFER. Vinegar Syndrome has released a special edition of the 1975 erotic film "China Girl" as a special edition Blu-ray/DVD. Before the advent of home video, hardcore movies had to rely on adult movie theaters for exhibition.CURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by PeckinpahCINEMA RETRO
MISSISSIPPI BLUES. By Raymond Benson. Robert Altman’s 1974 crime drama, Thieves Like Us, when viewed today, seems to be a cross between Bonnie and Clyde (which preceded Thieves) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (which appeared twenty-six years later). It’s the Depression-era story, based on the novel by Edward Anderson, of a trio of escaped convicts who go on a bank-robbing spree. CINEMA RETRO'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRADFORD DILLMAN CR: In 1968, you starred with Harry Guardino in a memorable TV-movie called Jigsaw, a remake of Mirage (1965), based on the novel Fallen Angel by Howard Fast. You played Jonathan Fields, an amnesiac who consults a private eye. This was one of the first made-for-TV movies, featuring a fine cast of Hollywood veterans, including Hope Lange, Pat Hingle, Victor Jory and Paul Stewart. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICHAEL MORIARTY? By Harvey F. Chartrand. MICHAEL MORIARTY, who starred in such classic films as Who’ll Stop the Rain and Pale Rider, exiled himself to Canada in 1995, following a nasty confrontation with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in a Washington, D.C. hotel room.Moriarty was invited along with network television executives and producers to hear Reno’s views on censorship of TV violence. DVD REVIEW: "RANSOM!" (1956) STARRING GLENN FORD AND … By Lee Pfeiffer. The Warner Archive has released the classic 1956 film noir Ransom! as a burn-to-order title. The film is a textbook example of minimalist production values being overshadowed by a strong, intelligent script (co-written by future 007 scribe Richard Maibaum) and excellent direction, courtesy of Alex Segal. "IF IT'S NOT RIGHT, DON'T DO IT": A TRIBUTE TO WESTERN BY JOE ELLIOTT. Long-time Grass Valley, California resident (Norman Eugene) Clint Walker starred in the iconic television western Cheyenne from 1955-1963. This was the golden era of TV westerns, with dozens of similar shows airing around the same time. NANCY WAIT, FORMER ACTRESS AND CELEBRATED … Former actress Nancy Wait gained notoriety and a loyal following due to her big screen debut in the 1972 British sex farce "Au Pair Girls". She later returned from London, where she had studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) and concentrated on building a REVIEW: "CHINA GIRL" (1975) STARRING ANNETTE HAVEN BY LEE PFEIFFER. Vinegar Syndrome has released a special edition of the 1975 erotic film "China Girl" as a special edition Blu-ray/DVD. Before the advent of home video, hardcore movies had to rely on adult movie theaters for exhibition. REVIEW: "THE CHASTITY BELT" (1967) STARRING TONY CURTIS BY LEE PFEIFFER. Tony Curtis, like most aspiring screen stars, slogged through bit parts in unmemorable films when he first broke into the industry in the late 1940s. CINEMA RETROCURRENT ISSUEDAME DIANA RIGG DEAD AT AGE 82 The Warner Archive's Blu-ray provides a sterling transfer and a wealth of great bonus extras. On the aforementioned audio track, Haden Guest provides insights into the fact the movie tended to buck the much-hated Production Code which provided self-censorship guidelines for studios that ensured all gangster movies had to uphold the theory that crime doesn't pay.CURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by Peckinpah SUBSCRIBE TO CINEMA RETRO! CINEMA RETRO is published three times a year: January, April and September (readers outside the UK will receive their copies approx 3-4 weeks after UK readers).Although the magazine can be found in specialty shops and major book stores in the US and UK, every issue is a limited edition. Stores tend to sell out quickly, thus the best way to insure that you receive every issue is throughBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICHAEL MORIARTY? By Harvey F. Chartrand. MICHAEL MORIARTY, who starred in such classic films as Who’ll Stop the Rain and Pale Rider, exiled himself to Canada in 1995, following a nasty confrontation with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in a Washington, D.C. hotel room.Moriarty was invited along with network television executives and producers to hear Reno’s views on censorship of TV violence. REVIEW: "IS PARIS BURNING?", 50TH ANNIVERSARY 2-CD SET BY DARREN ALLISON. Is Paris Burning? Composed by Maurice Jarre, The 50th Anniversary Recording of the Complete Score. A Special Collectors 2 CD Edition featuring a brand new recording by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Nic Raine. "WE WANT OUR DVD!": "THE SAVAGE IS LOOSE" (1974) STARRING BY LEE PFEIFFER. If you've seen "The Savage Is Loose", you're among the few who can make such a boast. In 1974, at the height of his career, George C. Scott decided to bring this unusual tale to the bigscreen.
"IF IT'S NOT RIGHT, DON'T DO IT": A TRIBUTE TO WESTERN BY JOE ELLIOTT. Long-time Grass Valley, California resident (Norman Eugene) Clint Walker starred in the iconic television western Cheyenne from 1955-1963. This was the golden era of TV westerns, with dozens of similar shows airing around the same time. CINEMA RETROCURRENT ISSUEDAME DIANA RIGG DEAD AT AGE 82 The Warner Archive's Blu-ray provides a sterling transfer and a wealth of great bonus extras. On the aforementioned audio track, Haden Guest provides insights into the fact the movie tended to buck the much-hated Production Code which provided self-censorship guidelines for studios that ensured all gangster movies had to uphold the theory that crime doesn't pay.CURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by Peckinpah SUBSCRIBE TO CINEMA RETRO! CINEMA RETRO is published three times a year: January, April and September (readers outside the UK will receive their copies approx 3-4 weeks after UK readers).Although the magazine can be found in specialty shops and major book stores in the US and UK, every issue is a limited edition. Stores tend to sell out quickly, thus the best way to insure that you receive every issue is throughBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICHAEL MORIARTY? By Harvey F. Chartrand. MICHAEL MORIARTY, who starred in such classic films as Who’ll Stop the Rain and Pale Rider, exiled himself to Canada in 1995, following a nasty confrontation with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in a Washington, D.C. hotel room.Moriarty was invited along with network television executives and producers to hear Reno’s views on censorship of TV violence. REVIEW: "IS PARIS BURNING?", 50TH ANNIVERSARY 2-CD SET BY DARREN ALLISON. Is Paris Burning? Composed by Maurice Jarre, The 50th Anniversary Recording of the Complete Score. A Special Collectors 2 CD Edition featuring a brand new recording by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Nic Raine. "WE WANT OUR DVD!": "THE SAVAGE IS LOOSE" (1974) STARRING BY LEE PFEIFFER. If you've seen "The Savage Is Loose", you're among the few who can make such a boast. In 1974, at the height of his career, George C. Scott decided to bring this unusual tale to the bigscreen.
"IF IT'S NOT RIGHT, DON'T DO IT": A TRIBUTE TO WESTERN BY JOE ELLIOTT. Long-time Grass Valley, California resident (Norman Eugene) Clint Walker starred in the iconic television western Cheyenne from 1955-1963. This was the golden era of TV westerns, with dozens of similar shows airing around the same time.CINEMA RETRO
MISSISSIPPI BLUES. By Raymond Benson. Robert Altman’s 1974 crime drama, Thieves Like Us, when viewed today, seems to be a cross between Bonnie and Clyde (which preceded Thieves) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (which appeared twenty-six years later). It’s the Depression-era story, based on the novel by Edward Anderson, of a trio of escaped convicts who go on a bank-robbing spree.CINEMA RETRO…
CHRISTOPHER LEE. The legendary star of hundreds of films is one of the most respected and honoured actors in today's film industry. With a career spanning half a century, Mr. Lee is currently at the height of his popularity with important roles in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy; George Lucas' new Star Wars trilogy and films for Tim Burton such as Sleepy Hollow and Charlie and COLUMNISTS - ENTRIES FROM MONDAY, JUNE 7. 2021 RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES. BY TODD GARBARINI. When I was a teenager, the Boy Scout troop that I was a member of consisted of nearly 25 scouts. REVIEW: CLINT EASTWOOD'S "BREEZY" (1973) STARRING … BY TODD GARBARINI. By the time he directed Breezy in November and December 1972, Clint Eastwood had already proven himself a capable actor with fifteen years of experience under his belt. He took up the role of director with his debut 1971 film Play Misty for Me and his follow up, 1973’s High Plains Drifter, both titles in which he also starred.. His third outing is different in that he set CINEMA RETRO'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRADFORD DILLMAN CR: In 1968, you starred with Harry Guardino in a memorable TV-movie called Jigsaw, a remake of Mirage (1965), based on the novel Fallen Angel by Howard Fast. You played Jonathan Fields, an amnesiac who consults a private eye. This was one of the first made-for-TV movies, featuring a fine cast of Hollywood veterans, including Hope Lange, Pat Hingle, Victor Jory and Paul Stewart.MATINEE RANCH
The Upper Iverson’s main asset was its almost mile-long “running insert” or chase road. This is where any form of traveling action could be photographed at speed from a camera car. Anything from a rider simply trotting along, to a runaway stage or wagon, a galloping posse and so on, would be filmed by the camera car keeping up with theaction.
JESS FRANCO'S "EUGENIE...THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO Jack Palance appears late in the film as the cruel Antonin, but his performance in Justine is memorable for all the wrong reasons. Palance mugs and emotes through a few pages of purple prose as if he’s anxious to get his bit over with and move on to his next assignment. REVIEW: "TRUCK TURNER" (1974) STARRING ISAAC HAYES AND BY LEE PFEIFFER. It's easy to look back on the Blaxploitation film craze of the 1970s as a short-lived period that spawned some cinematicguilty pleasures.
"IF IT'S NOT RIGHT, DON'T DO IT": A TRIBUTE TO WESTERN BY JOE ELLIOTT. Long-time Grass Valley, California resident (Norman Eugene) Clint Walker starred in the iconic television western Cheyenne from 1955-1963. This was the golden era of TV westerns, with dozens of similar shows airing around the same time. REVIEW: "NIGHT MOVES" (1975) STARRING GENE HACKMAN; WARNER BY LEE PFEIFFER. Some of the best private eye thrillers tend to be complex and sometimes incomprehensible affairs. Howard Hawks' "The Big Sleep", for example, had a plot that could not be comprehended even by the people who made the film, but it ranks as CINEMA RETROCURRENT ISSUEDAME DIANA RIGG DEAD AT AGE 82 Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Turner Classic Movies: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will celebrate the life and career of iconic actor, producer and director Norman Lloyd with a programming tribute on Monday, June 14. Lloyd, who passed away on May 11 at the age of 106, was known for playing the saboteur himself in Hitchcock’s Saboteur (1942) and was part of originalCURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by PeckinpahBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICHAEL MORIARTY? By Harvey F. Chartrand. MICHAEL MORIARTY, who starred in such classic films as Who’ll Stop the Rain and Pale Rider, exiled himself to Canada in 1995, following a nasty confrontation with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in a Washington, D.C. hotel room.Moriarty was invited along with network television executives and producers to hear Reno’s views on censorship of TV violence. REVIEW: "IS PARIS BURNING?", 50TH ANNIVERSARY 2-CD SET BY DARREN ALLISON. Is Paris Burning? Composed by Maurice Jarre, The 50th Anniversary Recording of the Complete Score. A Special Collectors 2 CD Edition featuring a brand new recording by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Nic Raine. REVIEW: "COWBOY" (1958) STARRING GLENN FORD AND JACK The 1958 Columbia release, written by Edmund H. North and an uncredited Dalton Trumbo (who was blacklisted), is based on the 1930 book “My Reminiscences as a Cowboy” by Frank Harris. REVIEW: "TRUCK TURNER" (1974) STARRING ISAAC HAYES AND BY LEE PFEIFFER. It's easy to look back on the Blaxploitation film craze of the 1970s as a short-lived period that spawned some cinematicguilty pleasures.
REVIEW: "CHINA GIRL" (1975) STARRING ANNETTE HAVEN BY LEE PFEIFFER. Vinegar Syndrome has released a special edition of the 1975 erotic film "China Girl" as a special edition Blu-ray/DVD. Before the advent of home video, hardcore movies had to rely on adult movie theaters for exhibition. CINEMA RETROCURRENT ISSUEDAME DIANA RIGG DEAD AT AGE 82 Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Turner Classic Movies: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will celebrate the life and career of iconic actor, producer and director Norman Lloyd with a programming tribute on Monday, June 14. Lloyd, who passed away on May 11 at the age of 106, was known for playing the saboteur himself in Hitchcock’s Saboteur (1942) and was part of originalCURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by PeckinpahBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICHAEL MORIARTY? By Harvey F. Chartrand. MICHAEL MORIARTY, who starred in such classic films as Who’ll Stop the Rain and Pale Rider, exiled himself to Canada in 1995, following a nasty confrontation with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in a Washington, D.C. hotel room.Moriarty was invited along with network television executives and producers to hear Reno’s views on censorship of TV violence. REVIEW: "IS PARIS BURNING?", 50TH ANNIVERSARY 2-CD SET BY DARREN ALLISON. Is Paris Burning? Composed by Maurice Jarre, The 50th Anniversary Recording of the Complete Score. A Special Collectors 2 CD Edition featuring a brand new recording by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Nic Raine. REVIEW: "COWBOY" (1958) STARRING GLENN FORD AND JACK The 1958 Columbia release, written by Edmund H. North and an uncredited Dalton Trumbo (who was blacklisted), is based on the 1930 book “My Reminiscences as a Cowboy” by Frank Harris. REVIEW: "TRUCK TURNER" (1974) STARRING ISAAC HAYES AND BY LEE PFEIFFER. It's easy to look back on the Blaxploitation film craze of the 1970s as a short-lived period that spawned some cinematicguilty pleasures.
REVIEW: "CHINA GIRL" (1975) STARRING ANNETTE HAVEN BY LEE PFEIFFER. Vinegar Syndrome has released a special edition of the 1975 erotic film "China Girl" as a special edition Blu-ray/DVD. Before the advent of home video, hardcore movies had to rely on adult movie theaters for exhibition.CURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by PeckinpahCINEMA RETRO
1 day ago · MISSISSIPPI BLUES. By Raymond Benson. Robert Altman’s 1974 crime drama, Thieves Like Us, when viewed today, seems to be a cross between Bonnie and Clyde (which preceded Thieves) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (which appeared twenty-six years later). It’s the Depression-era story, based on the novel by Edward Anderson, of a trio of escaped convicts who go on a bank-robbing spree. SUBSCRIBE TO CINEMA RETRO! CINEMA RETRO is published three times a year: January, April and September (readers outside the UK will receive their copies approx 3-4 weeks after UK readers).Although the magazine can be found in specialty shops and major book stores in the US and UK, every issue is a limited edition. Stores tend to sell out quickly, thus the best way to insure that you receive every issue is throughCINEMA RETRO
RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES. BY TODD GARBARINI. When I was a teenager, the Boy Scout troop that I was a member of consisted of nearly 25 scouts.CINEMA RETRO
BY LEE PFEIFFER. A year after their Oscar-winning triumph, The Bridge on the River Kwai, William Holden and writer/producer Carl Foreman teamed again for another drama set in WWII, The Key.The 1958 drama is primarily a love story but there is plenty of action on the high seas, all superbly photographed in B&W by the great Oswald Morris. CONTACT US - CINEMA RETRO UK OFFICE: PO Box 1570 Christchurch Dorset BH23 4XS England. Tel: + 44 0844 415 0920 (Mon-Fri 10.30am - 6pm) solopublishing@gmail.com. USAOFFICE:
BACK ISSUES #'S 46-48 cinema retro foto files issue #1: spy girls of the 1960s & 1970s tribute! now shipping! click on cover image to order. CINEMA RETRO EXCLUSIVE! A CONVERSATION WITH THE "DRIVE … (Above: Raphael Peter Engel (aka Zandor Vorkov) today. BY MARK CERULLI. When you think of Dracula, some iconic names immediately come to mind – Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Gary Oldman, Jack Palance and Raphael Engel.. Wait. Who? Raphael Peter Engel, aka “Zandor Vorkov” played the thirsty count in one of the most unique films to feature the immortal character – 1971’s Dracula vs CINEMA RETRO'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRADFORD DILLMAN CR: In 1968, you starred with Harry Guardino in a memorable TV-movie called Jigsaw, a remake of Mirage (1965), based on the novel Fallen Angel by Howard Fast. You played Jonathan Fields, an amnesiac who consults a private eye. This was one of the first made-for-TV movies, featuring a fine cast of Hollywood veterans, including Hope Lange, Pat Hingle, Victor Jory and Paul Stewart. CINEMA RETROCURRENT ISSUEDAME DIANA RIGG DEAD AT AGE 82 Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Turner Classic Movies: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will celebrate the life and career of iconic actor, producer and director Norman Lloyd with a programming tribute on Monday, June 14. Lloyd, who passed away on May 11 at the age of 106, was known for playing the saboteur himself in Hitchcock’s Saboteur (1942) and was part of originalCURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by PeckinpahCINEMA RETRO…
CHRISTOPHER LEE. The legendary star of hundreds of films is one of the most respected and honoured actors in today's film industry. With a career spanning half a century, Mr. Lee is currently at the height of his popularity with important roles in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy; George Lucas' new Star Wars trilogy and films for Tim Burton such as Sleepy Hollow and Charlie andBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason SUBSCRIBE TO CINEMA RETRO! CINEMA RETRO is published three times a year: January, April and September (readers outside the UK will receive their copies approx 3-4 weeks after UK readers).Although the magazine can be found in specialty shops and major book stores in the US and UK, every issue is a limited edition. Stores tend to sell out quickly, thus the best way to insure that you receive every issue is through CONTACT US - CINEMA RETRO UK OFFICE: PO Box 1570 Christchurch Dorset BH23 4XS England. Tel: + 44 0844 415 0920 (Mon-Fri 10.30am - 6pm) solopublishing@gmail.com. USAOFFICE:
PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICHAEL MORIARTY? By Harvey F. Chartrand. MICHAEL MORIARTY, who starred in such classic films as Who’ll Stop the Rain and Pale Rider, exiled himself to Canada in 1995, following a nasty confrontation with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in a Washington, D.C. hotel room.Moriarty was invited along with network television executives and producers to hear Reno’s views on censorship of TV violence. CINEMA RETRO'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRADFORD … CR: In 1968, you starred with Harry Guardino in a memorable TV-movie called Jigsaw, a remake of Mirage (1965), based on the novel Fallen Angel by Howard Fast. You played Jonathan Fields, an amnesiac who consults a private eye. This was one of the first made-for-TV movies, featuring a fine cast of Hollywood veterans, including Hope Lange, Pat Hingle, Victor Jory and Paul Stewart. CINEMA RETROCURRENT ISSUEDAME DIANA RIGG DEAD AT AGE 82 Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Turner Classic Movies: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will celebrate the life and career of iconic actor, producer and director Norman Lloyd with a programming tribute on Monday, June 14. Lloyd, who passed away on May 11 at the age of 106, was known for playing the saboteur himself in Hitchcock’s Saboteur (1942) and was part of originalCURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by PeckinpahCINEMA RETRO…
CHRISTOPHER LEE. The legendary star of hundreds of films is one of the most respected and honoured actors in today's film industry. With a career spanning half a century, Mr. Lee is currently at the height of his popularity with important roles in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy; George Lucas' new Star Wars trilogy and films for Tim Burton such as Sleepy Hollow and Charlie andBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason SUBSCRIBE TO CINEMA RETRO! CINEMA RETRO is published three times a year: January, April and September (readers outside the UK will receive their copies approx 3-4 weeks after UK readers).Although the magazine can be found in specialty shops and major book stores in the US and UK, every issue is a limited edition. Stores tend to sell out quickly, thus the best way to insure that you receive every issue is through CONTACT US - CINEMA RETRO UK OFFICE: PO Box 1570 Christchurch Dorset BH23 4XS England. Tel: + 44 0844 415 0920 (Mon-Fri 10.30am - 6pm) solopublishing@gmail.com. USAOFFICE:
PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICHAEL MORIARTY? By Harvey F. Chartrand. MICHAEL MORIARTY, who starred in such classic films as Who’ll Stop the Rain and Pale Rider, exiled himself to Canada in 1995, following a nasty confrontation with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in a Washington, D.C. hotel room.Moriarty was invited along with network television executives and producers to hear Reno’s views on censorship of TV violence. CINEMA RETRO'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRADFORD … CR: In 1968, you starred with Harry Guardino in a memorable TV-movie called Jigsaw, a remake of Mirage (1965), based on the novel Fallen Angel by Howard Fast. You played Jonathan Fields, an amnesiac who consults a private eye. This was one of the first made-for-TV movies, featuring a fine cast of Hollywood veterans, including Hope Lange, Pat Hingle, Victor Jory and Paul Stewart. SUBSCRIBE TO CINEMA RETRO! CINEMA RETRO is published three times a year: January, April and September (readers outside the UK will receive their copies approx 3-4 weeks after UK readers).Although the magazine can be found in specialty shops and major book stores in the US and UK, every issue is a limited edition. Stores tend to sell out quickly, thus the best way to insure that you receive every issue is throughABOUT CINEMA RETRO
AT LAST - A MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE CLASSIC AND CULT FILMS OF THE 1960's AND 1970's "CINEMA RETRO IS A MUST FOR FANS OF MOVIES OF THE 1960S AND 1970S- AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY ME TO SAY THAT!"- Sir Roger Moore, K.B.E. Fed up with reading those glossy film magazines, which contain endless pages of advertising for DVDs and promote the latest product placementCINEMA RETRO
14 hours ago · MISSISSIPPI BLUES. By Raymond Benson. Robert Altman’s 1974 crime drama, Thieves Like Us, when viewed today, seems to be a cross between Bonnie and Clyde (which preceded Thieves) and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (which appeared twenty-six years later). It’s the Depression-era story, based on the novel by Edward Anderson, of a trio of escaped convicts who go on a bank-robbingspree.
CINEMA RETRO…
CHRISTOPHER LEE. The legendary star of hundreds of films is one of the most respected and honoured actors in today's film industry. With a career spanning half a century, Mr. Lee is currently at the height of his popularity with important roles in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy; George Lucas' new Star Wars trilogy and films for Tim Burton such as Sleepy Hollow and Charlie andCINEMA RETRO
BY LEE PFEIFFER. A year after their Oscar-winning triumph, The Bridge on the River Kwai, William Holden and writer/producer Carl Foreman teamed again for another drama set in WWII, The Key.The 1958 drama is primarily a love story but there is plenty of action on the high seas, all superbly photographed in B&W by the great Oswald Morris.CINEMA RETRO
1 day ago · RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES. BY TODD GARBARINI. When I was a teenager, the Boy Scout troop that I was a member of consisted of nearly 25 scouts. CONTACT US - CINEMA RETRO UK OFFICE: PO Box 1570 Christchurch Dorset BH23 4XS England. Tel: + 44 0844 415 0920 (Mon-Fri 10.30am - 6pm) solopublishing@gmail.com. USAOFFICE:
CINEMA RETRO
It was an era when Oscar speeches were mercifully short, as evidenced by Burt Lancaster accepting his Best Actor win for his magnificent performance in "Elmer Gantry" (1960).CINEMA RETRO
Cinema Retro Celebrating Films of the 1960s & 1970s. Archives. 2021: June: 4 entries ((view topics)May: 35 entries ((view topics)April: 32entries
MATINEE RANCH
The Upper Iverson’s main asset was its almost mile-long “running insert” or chase road. This is where any form of traveling action could be photographed at speed from a camera car. Anything from a rider simply trotting along, to a runaway stage or wagon, a galloping posse and so on, would be filmed by the camera car keeping up with theaction.
CINEMA RETROCURRENT ISSUEDAME DIANA RIGG DEAD AT AGE 82 Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Turner Classic Movies: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will celebrate the life and career of iconic actor, producer and director Norman Lloyd with a programming tribute on Monday, June 14. Lloyd, who passed away on May 11 at the age of 106, was known for playing the saboteur himself in Hitchcock’s Saboteur (1942) and was part of originalCURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by PeckinpahCINEMA RETRO…
CHRISTOPHER LEE. The legendary star of hundreds of films is one of the most respected and honoured actors in today's film industry. With a career spanning half a century, Mr. Lee is currently at the height of his popularity with important roles in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy; George Lucas' new Star Wars trilogy and films for Tim Burton such as Sleepy Hollow and Charlie andBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason SUBSCRIBE TO CINEMA RETRO! CINEMA RETRO is published three times a year: January, April and September (readers outside the UK will receive their copies approx 3-4 weeks after UK readers).Although the magazine can be found in specialty shops and major book stores in the US and UK, every issue is a limited edition. Stores tend to sell out quickly, thus the best way to insure that you receive every issue is through CONTACT US - CINEMA RETROLATEST ISSUE OF CINEMA RETRORETRO CINEMA APPCINEMA RETRO MAGTHROWBACK CINEMARETRO CINEMA TV UK OFFICE: PO Box 1570 Christchurch Dorset BH23 4XS England. Tel: + 44 0844 415 0920 (Mon-Fri 10.30am - 6pm) solopublishing@gmail.com. USAOFFICE:
PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICHAEL MORIARTY? By Harvey F. Chartrand. MICHAEL MORIARTY, who starred in such classic films as Who’ll Stop the Rain and Pale Rider, exiled himself to Canada in 1995, following a nasty confrontation with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in a Washington, D.C. hotel room.Moriarty was invited along with network television executives and producers to hear Reno’s views on censorship of TV violence. CINEMA RETRO'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRADFORD … CR: In 1968, you starred with Harry Guardino in a memorable TV-movie called Jigsaw, a remake of Mirage (1965), based on the novel Fallen Angel by Howard Fast. You played Jonathan Fields, an amnesiac who consults a private eye. This was one of the first made-for-TV movies, featuring a fine cast of Hollywood veterans, including Hope Lange, Pat Hingle, Victor Jory and Paul Stewart. CINEMA RETROCURRENT ISSUEDAME DIANA RIGG DEAD AT AGE 82 Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Turner Classic Movies: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will celebrate the life and career of iconic actor, producer and director Norman Lloyd with a programming tribute on Monday, June 14. Lloyd, who passed away on May 11 at the age of 106, was known for playing the saboteur himself in Hitchcock’s Saboteur (1942) and was part of originalCURRENT ISSUE
Issue #49 (January, 2021) Lee Pfeiffer goes undercover for Robert Vaughn's spy thriller "The Venetian Affair".. Cai Ross goes to hell for "Damien- Omen II". Ernie Magnotta continues our "Elvis on Film" series with "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" Robert Leese scare up some memories of the cult classic "Carnival of Souls". Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer look back on the 1976 SensurroundMAGAZINE NEWS
Cinema Retro Movie Classics Special Edition #8: The Wild Bunch. 112 Pages/perfect bound spine. £10.95 / $15.95. ISSN 1751-4606. NOW SHIPPING WORLDWIDE! This year's Movie Classics Special Edition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Sam Peckinpah's masterpiece The Wild Bunch (1969). This is an in-depth 124-page special, with a foreword by Sir Christopher Frayling and contributions by PeckinpahCINEMA RETRO…
CHRISTOPHER LEE. The legendary star of hundreds of films is one of the most respected and honoured actors in today's film industry. With a career spanning half a century, Mr. Lee is currently at the height of his popularity with important roles in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy; George Lucas' new Star Wars trilogy and films for Tim Burton such as Sleepy Hollow and Charlie andBACK ISSUES
XXXXXXX. Cinema Retro #6- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #7- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #8- SOLD OUT! Cinema Retro #9. Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry- 10 pages of coverage. Part of one our coverage of the 8 "Man from U.N.C.L.E." feature films begins with "To Trap a Spy" starring Robert Vaughn.; The 1970s big screen version of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" starring David Soul and James Mason SUBSCRIBE TO CINEMA RETRO! CINEMA RETRO is published three times a year: January, April and September (readers outside the UK will receive their copies approx 3-4 weeks after UK readers).Although the magazine can be found in specialty shops and major book stores in the US and UK, every issue is a limited edition. Stores tend to sell out quickly, thus the best way to insure that you receive every issue is through CONTACT US - CINEMA RETROLATEST ISSUE OF CINEMA RETRORETRO CINEMA APPCINEMA RETRO MAGTHROWBACK CINEMARETRO CINEMA TV UK OFFICE: PO Box 1570 Christchurch Dorset BH23 4XS England. Tel: + 44 0844 415 0920 (Mon-Fri 10.30am - 6pm) solopublishing@gmail.com. USAOFFICE:
PAUL NEWMAN WAS BI-SEXUAL: NEW BOOK'S SENSATIONAL … Porter's previous book, an unofficial sequel to Kenneth Anger's Hollywood Babylon, made similar provocative cases involving alleged gay love affairs among show business legends, some stories ringing true, others seeming to be too incredulous for even the most active imagination .However, by centering on Newman personally, Porter has opened a Pandora's Box of controversy simply because Newman WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MICHAEL MORIARTY? By Harvey F. Chartrand. MICHAEL MORIARTY, who starred in such classic films as Who’ll Stop the Rain and Pale Rider, exiled himself to Canada in 1995, following a nasty confrontation with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in a Washington, D.C. hotel room.Moriarty was invited along with network television executives and producers to hear Reno’s views on censorship of TV violence. CINEMA RETRO'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRADFORD … CR: In 1968, you starred with Harry Guardino in a memorable TV-movie called Jigsaw, a remake of Mirage (1965), based on the novel Fallen Angel by Howard Fast. You played Jonathan Fields, an amnesiac who consults a private eye. This was one of the first made-for-TV movies, featuring a fine cast of Hollywood veterans, including Hope Lange, Pat Hingle, Victor Jory and Paul Stewart.ABOUT CINEMA RETRO
AT LAST - A MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE CLASSIC AND CULT FILMS OF THE 1960's AND 1970's "CINEMA RETRO IS A MUST FOR FANS OF MOVIES OF THE 1960S AND 1970S- AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY ME TO SAY THAT!"- Sir Roger Moore, K.B.E. Fed up with reading those glossy film magazines, which contain endless pages of advertising for DVDs and promote the latest product placement SUBSCRIBE TO CINEMA RETRO! CINEMA RETRO is published three times a year: January, April and September (readers outside the UK will receive their copies approx 3-4 weeks after UK readers).Although the magazine can be found in specialty shops and major book stores in the US and UK, every issue is a limited edition. Stores tend to sell out quickly, thus the best way to insure that you receive every issue is throughCINEMA RETRO…
CHRISTOPHER LEE. The legendary star of hundreds of films is one of the most respected and honoured actors in today's film industry. With a career spanning half a century, Mr. Lee is currently at the height of his popularity with important roles in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy; George Lucas' new Star Wars trilogy and films for Tim Burton such as Sleepy Hollow and Charlie andCINEMA RETRO
1 day ago · BY LEE PFEIFFER. A year after their Oscar-winning triumph, The Bridge on the River Kwai, William Holden and writer/producer Carl Foreman teamed again for another drama set in WWII, The Key.The 1958 drama is primarily a love story but there is plenty of action on the high seas, all superbly photographed in B&W by the great Oswald Morris.CINEMA RETRO
20 hours ago · RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES. BY TODD GARBARINI. When I was a teenager, the Boy Scout troop that I was a member of consisted of nearly 25 scouts.CINEMA RETRO
“TOMORROW’S NEWS TODAY!” By Raymond Benson. One wonders if Bond villain Elliot Carver (Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997) ever saw the 1944 comedy-fantasy, It Happened Tomorrow.Carver’s evil plot involved making bad news happen so that his newspapers could scoop the headlines before other media outlets even learned about the events. CONTACT US - CINEMA RETRO UK OFFICE: PO Box 1570 Christchurch Dorset BH23 4XS England. Tel: + 44 0844 415 0920 (Mon-Fri 10.30am - 6pm) solopublishing@gmail.com. USAOFFICE:
BACK ISSUES #'S 46-48 cinema retro foto files issue #1: spy girls of the 1960s & 1970s tribute! now shipping! click on cover image to order.CINEMA RETRO
Cinema Retro Celebrating Films of the 1960s & 1970s. Archives. 2021: June: 4 entries ((view topics)May: 35 entries ((view topics)April: 32entries
MATINEE RANCH
The Upper Iverson’s main asset was its almost mile-long “running insert” or chase road. This is where any form of traveling action could be photographed at speed from a camera car. Anything from a rider simply trotting along, to a runaway stage or wagon, a galloping posse and so on, would be filmed by the camera car keeping up with theaction.
Cinema Retro
CINEMA RETRO
CELEBRATING FILMS OF THE 1960S & 1970S DVD REVIEW: "THE EYE OF VICHY" (1993), CLAUDE CHABROL'S DOCUMENTARY ABOUT OCCUPIED FRANCEBY LEE PFEIFFER
The darkest period of modern French history was the nation's humiliating defeat by Germany in 1940. France boasted of having the greatest army in Europe but was led by inept leaders who mistakenly used tactics of WWI. The French squandered the opportunity to strangle Hitler's rising armies, preferring to simply protest the building up of his armed forces in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. France and England declared war on Germany after Hitler's invasion of Poland in September 1939. However, a period of inaction followed, leading many to call the conflict "The Phony War". Although France had ample time to come up with strategies, its armed forces decided to fight a defensive war on French soil. The plan proved to be woefully inept in the era of the Blitzkreig. The fall of France in 1940 led to a period of political discontent that is still being debated today. In the aftermath of the war, General Charles DeGaulle, leader of the free French forces fighting from England, successfully marketed the notion that his nation was filled with patriots who consistently did all they could to resist their German occupiers. In fact, countless French patriots did indeed sacrifice their lives in order to do so - both on the battlefield and through the Resistance. Paris was liberated prior to to arrival of Allied forced by brave men and women who rose up to violently resist the most feared army on earth. Nevertheless, collaboration was the order of the day in occupied France. Hitler installed the WWI hero Marshall Petain as the head of state in Vichy, a region that was supposed to be free of German occupation. However, the world recognized it was a puppet state with Petain acting as a toady for his German masters. Petain and his co-collaborator Pierre Laval, maintained that appeasement of Germany was the only practical way for France to maintain some measure of independence. Indeed, France did avoid many of the atrocities committed in other occupied countries. However, the price of peace was full compliance with the Reich's obsessive oppression against Jews and any other group that was deemed a threat. Consequently, Petain and Laval capitulated by willingly complying with orders that meant certain death for countlessFrench citizens.
The subject of French collaboration was deemed so sensitive that Marcel Ophul's landmark 1969 documentary _The Sorrow and the Pity _could not be shown in the nation for years because it addressed the issue in a devastating way. In 1993, acclaimed director Claude Chabrol made his own statement on the subject with the release of his documentary _The Eye of Vichy, _which consisted entirely of French propaganda newsreels released during the German occupation. It's a fascinating glimpse into life in a totalitarian state. On the surface, Germany rewarded France for collaborating by allowing the niceties of every day life to go on as usual. The opera houses and movie theaters were packed and the elegant shops and cafes were doing brisk business. Behind the scenes, of course, the Resistance movement was being brutally suppressed and the nation was subject to a massive propaganda campaign designed to show the folly of siding with the "barbaric" Allies. Petain was given audiences with Hitler himself in order to propagate the falsehood that he was the leader of an independentnation.
Continue reading "DVD REVIEW: "THE EYE OF VICHY" (1993), CLAUDE CHABROL'S DOCUMENTARY ABOUT OCCUPIED FRANCE" Posted by Cinema Retroin
DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Monday, November 23. 2020 REVIEW: "A MIGHTY WIND" (2003) STARRING CHRISTOPHER GUEST AND EUGENE LEVY; WARNER ARCHIVE BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION “HEY NONNY NO, NANNY NINNY NO”BY RAYMOND BENSON
The Christopher Guest “Ensemble” was on a roll after the success of the wonderful _Best in Show _(2000), which in turn was the follow-up to the brilliant _Waiting for Guffman _(1996). I informally call it the “Ensemble” because actor/writer/director Guest tends to make ensemble pictures featuring a stock company of ridiculously talented comic actors. Not all the actors appear in each Christopher Guest movie, but familiar faces are in every title. It all began, really, with _This is Spinal Tap _(1984), which Guest did not direct (Rob Reiner did), but Guest and his partners in comedy, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, were likely the driving forces behind this “mockumentary” about a fictional rock band. The mockumentary genre, of course, is a comedy that is presented as if it’s a documentary. _Spinal Tap _was a massive hit and became a cult movie. It wasn’t until a little over a decade later that Guest pulled together some of the same creative team to make _Guffman_, which was about a small town community theatre (McKean and Shearer do not appear in it, but they co-wrote the songs with Guest). More importantly, the film featured the fabulous SCTV alumni Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, who are today basking in the deserved success of their TV show _Schitt’s Creek_. Other Guest stalwarts were in the cast as well, such as Fred Willard, Parker Posey, and Bob Balaban. _Best in Show _was next, and this time McKean was back along with Levy, O’Hara, Posey, Willard, and others. This one, about the world of dog shows/competitions, was extremely popular, and it paved the way for _A Mighty Wind_, a send-up of the folk music scene of the 1960s. Interestingly, the Coen Brothers tackled the same subject a decade later with _Inside Llewyn Davis _in a more serious vein, but the brothers put together an authentic live concert featuring many real folk acts in much the same way that _A Mighty Wind _brings together several fictional folk acts for a contemporary reunion concert in thefilm.
The Spinal Tap boys are back (Guest, McKean, Shearer) as The Folksmen. The New Main Street Singers is a parody of a New Christy Minstrels-style large ensemble group and feature John Michael Higgins, Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, Paul Dooley, and others. Finally, the duo Mitch & Mickey (Levy and O’Hara) were a couple back when they made records, but there was a painful breakup. They haven’t spoken in decades—but they’ve agreed to perform again for the reunion concert being mounted by the promoter and son (Balaban) of the bands’ deceased music producer. All of Guest’s films are improvised by the cast. In many ways, Guest is the Robert Altman of comedy. Every performer here _nails _his or her character—and they’re all excellent singers and musicians to boot! The songs are clever and hilarious, especially those by The Folksmen. Mitch & Mickey’s love ballad, “A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow,” is such a crowd-pleaser that it was nominated for Best Song at the Oscars (written by McKean and Annette O’Toole) and both Levy and O’Hara performed it at the Academy Awards ceremony of 2004. The Warner Archive has ported over their original DVD to high definition, and it looks great. All of the supplements from that edition are present, too—a wonderful audio commentary by Guest and Levy; loads of deleted and additional scenes; the complete reunion concert without edits; the complete “vintage TV appearances” by the bands, of which only excerpts are seen in the finished film; and the theatrical trailer. This reviewer especially likes the deleted scene in which The Folksmen argue about the lyrics to a song that contains the phrase, “Hey Nonny No, Nanny Ninny No”—or is it “Hey Nonny No, Nonny Ninny O”? (Apparently there’s an iron clad rule—Nonny comes before Ninny!) Oddly, the only supplement from the DVD that does not appear here are the “biographies” of the bands that were static screen text displays, but this being missing isnegligible.
_A Mighty Wind _is well worth the upgrade to Blu-ray. The movie is a heck of a lot of fun, full of laughs and charm, and you’ll find yourself humming the tunes later. Highly recommended.CLICK HERE
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Raymond Benson (see also Criterion Corner) on Sunday, November 22. 2020 REVIEW: WOODY ALLEN'S "A RAINY DAY IN NEW YORK" (2019); MPI BLU-RAYRELEASE
“ANOTHER MANHATTAN VALENTINE”BY RAYMOND BENSON
For a while, it didn’t look like we’d get to see Woody Allen’s most recent film, _A Rainy Day in New York_. Amazon Studios had been the company behind it, but when the #MeToo movement exploded in 2017 while the movie was in production, decades-old allegations against the filmmaker resurfaced, and Amazon dropped the picture. It had originally been slated for a 2018 release, but the search for a new distributor took another year. Finally premiering in Poland in 2019, and ultimately in the U.S. in 2020, _A Rainy Day _brought Woody fans back to an alternate universe Manhattan that exists only in the pictures of Woody Allen. The movie certainly has star power. Timothée Chalamet is Gatsby, this title’s Woody surrogate character, and he plays a Yardley college student from a wealthy Manhattan family who is more interested in living a Bohemian, artist lifestyle than staying in school. Elle Fanning is Ashleigh, Gatsby’s girlfriend and wannabe journalist. They plan a few days’ vacation back in Manhattan around Ashleigh’s assignment to interview cult filmmaker Roland Pollard (Liev Schreiber). While Ashleigh’s off doing her work, Gatsby meets Chan (Selena Gomez), the sister of an ex-girlfriend, and there is some spark between them. Meanwhile, Ashleigh is taken with Roland, but also with popular Hispanic actor Francisco (Diego Luna), as well as Roland’s screenwriter, Ted (Jude Law). Ashleigh is bouncing between almost-dalliances with the three men while Gatsby is trying to make sense of his life and figure out why his relationship with his mother (Cherry Jones) is awkward, as well as the quandry of what he wants inromance.
It’s _very _typical Woody Allen stuff, yet another valentine to his beloved city. In fact, for fans of the filmmaker’s work, in many ways it’s a somewhat refreshing return to a milieu of decades past in which a new picture by Allen would evoke the illusion that we’re in a Manhattan that exists only in the universe of Woody Allen movies. _A Rainy Day in New York _is about upper class, snobby, intellectual young people who seem to have stepped out of the 1970s and into today. Therein lies the rub, as one might find these characters a little difficult to believe as real in the year 2020. Nevertheless, it’s decent middle-of-the-road fare for Woody Allen. Since the New Millennium, the director’s output has been hit and miss (and more miss). This is an in-between. It’s enjoyable and will bring back much of the vibe that admirers of Allen’s work once felt when viewing his movies. For those who have turned their backs on the filmmaker, it will likely be a turn-off. The actors are winning and attractive, even if their characters and dialogue are out of another era. The script may be phone-in Woody, but there are some funny lines and charming, sweet sequences that typify his pictures. Vittorio Storaro’s cinematography provides a gorgeous view of the city, and there’s no question that this is indeed a handsome, feast of a visual production. MPI’s Blu-ray release is a no-frills package with no bonus features, but it looks marvelous. If you’re a fan, you’ll probably have a pleasant hour-and-a-half with _A Rainy Day in New York_. It will remind you of a time when a new Woody Allen film was an _event_, and the bittersweetness of the nostalgia will permeate your viewing. It’s too bad that the movie has so much… baggage.CLICK HERE
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Raymond Benson (see also Criterion Corner) on Saturday, November 21. 2020 FOUR NEWLY REMASTERED EDDIE MURPHY FAVORITES COMING TO DISC AND DIGITAL FROM PARAMOUNT FOUR NEWLY REMASTERED EDDIE MURPHY FAVORITES COMING TO DISC & DIGITAL _COMING TO AMERICA, BEVERLY HILLS COP, TRADING PLACES_ AND _THE GOLDEN CHILD_ ARRIVE DECEMBER 1, 2020, BEFORE THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT OF_COMING 2 AMERICA_
Relive some of Eddie Murphy’s most hilarious films at home before _Coming 2 America_ debuts! Own the following from Paramount Home Entertainment on December 1,2020:
COMING TO AMERICA
Newly remastered in 4K with HDR from a supervised restoration by director John Landis, COMING TO AMERICA is an essential comedy-classic for your collection. Available for the first time on 4K Ultra HD with Digital copy, in a limited-edition 4K Ultra HD Steelbook with Digital copy and themed mini poster, or on 4K Ultra HD Digital. Join Eddie Murphy on an unforgettable comic quest to the New World. As an African prince, it’s time for him to find a princess... and the mission leads him and his most loyal friend (Arsenio Hall) to Queens, New York. In disguise as an impoverished immigrant, the pampered prince quickly finds himself a new job, new friends, new digs, new enemies and lots of trouble. Keep an eye out for both Murphy and Hall in some unforgettable cameo roles! The 4K Disc presentations include the following previously released special features in HD: Prince-ipal Photography: The Coming Together ofAmerica
Fit For Akeem: The Costumes of Coming to America Character Building: The Many Faces of Rick Baker Composing America: The Musical Talents of NileRodgers
A Vintage Sit-Down with Eddie & Arsenio Theatrical Trailer Photo GalleryCLICK HERE
TO PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZON.BEVERLY HILLS COP
This action-comedy classic has been remastered in 4K with HDR and will be available in a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo with Digital copy and is available now on 4K Ultra HD Digital. BEVERLY HILLS COP follows the one-and-only Axel Foley, a street-smart cop from Detroit. Tracking down his best friend's killer in Beverly Hills, Axel smashes through the local barriers in a hilarious, high-speed pursuit of justice. The 4K Combo includes the following previously released specialfeatures:
Commentary by director Martin Brest Beverly Hills Cop—The Phenomenon Begins (SD) A Glimpse Inside the Casting Process (SD) The Music of Beverly Hills Cop (SD) Deleted scenes (HD) Behind-the-scenes featurettes incorporating vintage 1984 interviews (HD) An isolated audio track of the original score byHarold Faltermeyer
“BHC Mixtape ‘84”, which allows viewers to go directly to the scenes featuring the hit songs “The Heat Is On,” “Neutron Dance,” “New Attitude,” “Stir It Up,” “Do You Really,” and “Nasty Girl.” Location Map Theatrical Trailer (HD)CLICK HERE
TO PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZONTRADING PLACES
One of the funniest, most outrageous comedies of the 80s arrives on Blu-ray as part of the Paramount Presents line. Newly remastered from a 4K film transfer supervised by director John Landis, TRADING PLACES cemented Eddie Murphy’s star status. The limited-edition Paramount Presents Blu-ray Disc™ is presented in collectible packaging that includes a foldout image of the film’s theatrical poster and an interior spread with key movie moments. The film will also be available on 4K Ultra HD Digital. The very rich and extremely greedy Duke Brothers (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy) wager over whether “born-loser” Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) could become as successful as the priggish Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Akroyd) if circumstances were reversed. Alongside the street-smarts of Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis), Winthorpe and Valentine are a trio ready for a riotous revenge that culminates on the commodities trading floor in New York City. The Paramount Presents Blu-ray includes a new _Filmmaker Focus_ with John Landis, access to a Digital copy of the film, as well as the following previously released bonus content: Deleted Scenes Insider Trading: The Making of _Trading Places_ Dressing the Part The Trade in _Trading Places_ Trading Stories Industry Promotional Piece Theatrical TrailerCLICK HERE
TO PRE-ORDER FROM AMAZONTHE GOLDEN CHILD
Newly remastered from a 4K film transfer under the supervision of director Michael Ritchie, this hit action-comedy comes to Blu-ray for the first time as part of the Paramount Presents line. The limited-edition Paramount Presents Blu-ray Disc is presented in collectible packaging that includes a foldout image of the film’s theatrical poster and an interior spread with key movie moments. The film will also be available on 4K Ultra HD Digital. Eddie Murphy is “the Chosen One,” a social worker on a madcap mission to find “the Golden Child,” a young boy possessing mystical powers. Joined by Kee Nang (Charlotte Lewis), they’ll battle the countless henchmen of Sardo Numspa (Charles Dance), the mysterious and evil cult leader holding the boy captive. It’s a dangerous quest, complete with obstacle courses and a mythical amulet, sharply combining Murphy’s wit with eye-popping special effects for an unforgettable adventure. The Paramount Presents Blu-ray includes a new featurette on the Making of _The Golden Child, _as well as access to a Digital copy of the film and the theatrical trailer.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Friday, November 20. 2020 BOOK REVIEW: "THIS WAS HOLLYWOOD- FORGOTTEN STARS & STORIES" BY CARLA VALDERRAMA (RUNNING PRESS) “LIGHT AND DARK SIDES OF TINSEL TOWN”BY RAYMOND BENSON
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has lately been getting into the publishing business with such tomes as _The Essentials _(two volumes) and now this handsomely-designed and intricately-researched book on some of the lesser known, somewhat sensational stories fromHollywood’s past.
Written by popular Instagrammer Carla Valderrama (@thiswashollywood and @thiswasfashion), _This Was Hollywood—Forgotten Stars & Stories _(published by Running Press) presents a bundle of Tinsel Town tales that have a slightly tabloid feel to them, and yet they are as irresistible as a sighting of your favorite star at Hollywood and Vine. Many of these accounts come from the long, lost vaults ofmovieland history.
For example, the book opens with the early beginnings of the town of Hollywood and how the “movies” (as the _people_ in the budding film industry were called by the locals) took over and turned the sleepy community into one of the world’s most well-known cities. There’s a piece on the first movie star, Florence Lawrence, who was so popular that when she moved from Biograph Studios to IMP, she was promised that she would receive an actual billing of her _name_ on screen. You’ll learn the remarkable story of how Rin Tin Tin was found, brought to America, and trained to be one of the biggest starsof the silent era.
Some of the stories you might know. There will be more that you didn’t. Clark Gable’s love child. Sessue Hayakawa’s years as a “sex symbol.” Olivia de Havilland’s lawsuits against Warner Brothers. Marni Nixon and her “ghost-singing” for famous actresses in musicals. And much, much more. The hardcover edition comes with a lovely jacket that _feels _remarkably nice in one’s hands. Kudos to the designers of both the exterior and especially the interior, which is lavishly illustrated. In short, there is enough silver screen archaeology and anthropology here to make any Hollywood history enthusiast salivate. Also available in e-book and audiobook formats (although the latter would surely be missing the great visuals), _This Was Hollywood _ishighly recommended.
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Raymond Benson (see also Criterion Corner) on Thursday, November 19. 2020 A TRIBUTE TO BRITISH WRITER-DIRECTOR KEN HUGHES Writing on the Filmlink web site, Cinema Retro contributor Stephen Vagg provides an insightful look into yet another fine writer/director who never got the acclaim he deserved: Ken Hughes, who directed a wide variety of fine British films ranging from notable "B" movies to big budget gems such as "Cromwell" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". Clickhere to
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on Wednesday, November 18. 2020 EXCLUSIVE: DIRECTOR JOHN BADHAM INTERVIEWED BY CAI ROSS ‘Directors have needed a book like this since D.W. Griffith invented the close-up’, wrote legendary director John Frankenheimer about John Badham’s first book, ‘I’ll Be in My Trailer’. ‘We directors have to pass along to other directors our hard-learned lessons about actors. Maybe then they won’t have to start from total ignorance like I did, like you did, like we all did.’ Along with Frankenheimer, there were names like Oliver Stone, Michael Mann, Richard Donner and Steven Soderbergh weighing in from the directors’s corner. Giving the actors’s side of events, such luminaries as Mel Gibson, Frank Langella, Richard Dreyfuss, Jenna Elfman, Dennis Haysbert and Martin Sheen. Badham had gathered some of the most celebrated creatives in Hollywood to give us the benefit of their on-set experiences, and to offer advice about how these two very different artistic types can work together successfully on a picture. Of course, there was also plenty of anecdotal evidence that a film-set can be highly combustable work environment if director and actor are not particularly simpatico. He told me, ‘The first book came about after a talk at the AFI when one student asked “What do you do when an actor won’t do what you want him or her to do?” And the entire room of fifty, sixty people suddenly sat up straight, and I thought, “There’s a bookhere!”’
His second book, ‘On Directing’, presented his own hard-won experiences learned over a 50 year- long career as a guide for budding young directors who may have all the technological know-how, but haven’t yet learnt that building a good relationship with your actors is the most important skill of all. John Badham should know. Taking off like a rocket following his second feature, _Saturday Night Fever_, his name became synonymous with success after a long run of big movie hits like _Dracula, WarGames, Short Circuit, Blue Thunder _and _Stakeout_. In amongst those were smaller critically acclaimed films like _Who’s Life is it Anyway?_ and _American Flyers._ By the 1990s, he had built up a formidable reputation as both a hit maker and an ‘actor’s director.’ A second edition of the book, released in October has been expanded to include Badham’s more recent experiences as a TV director; a resumé which boasts titles like ‘Arrow’, ‘Psych’, ‘Supernatural’, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Sirens’. The new edition brings in new voices like Allan Arkush, Paris Barclay, Ryan Murphy and Michelle MacLaren, who give their own no-holds-barred battle stories from the front line of blockbuster TV in the 21st Century. Despite his brawny, all-American back catalogue, Badham is actually a Brit by birth, making his debut in Luton while his father served here in World War II. Moreover, he spent many months as a child staying with his grandparents in my own neck of the woods, North Wales. I chatted with this highly respected Hollywood veteran (and honorary Welshman) about his book, and about his 1991 hit _The Hard Way_, which has just been released as a special edition on BluRay by Kino Lorber. As well as still directing hit TV shows, Badham is a Tenured Professor at Chapman University in Orange, California teaching Film Studies. ‘I’m teaching directing remotely which is fun. I’ve got people doing scenes on Zoom - I’m getting very good at Zoom.’ YOU’RE THE IDEAL CANDIDATE TO HAVE WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACTOR AND DIRECTOR BECAUSE YOU’VE ALWAYS HAD A REPUTATION AS AN ‘ACTOR’S DIRECTOR.’ IT’S OFTEN THE FIRST THING ANY ARTICLE ABOUT YOU SAYS, INCLUDING THIS ONE. WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOU SO GOOD AT COAXING GREAT PERFORMANCES OUT OF ACTORS? JB. Well, my earliest training was at Yale University as an undergraduate and later a director at the drama school. As you can imagine, theatre is extremely actor-oriented and working with actors is one of the key skills that you have to learn as a director. A lot of film directors never really get that initial training with actors. They’re great with machinery, cameras, lights, microphones: that all does what you tell it to do but unfortunately actors have this annoying way of being human beings! And they have _ideas_ - at least a microphone has no ideas and won’t answer back. So, this is just something that I learned early on. WAS IT A HELP BEING THE SON OF AN ACTRESS AND THE BROTHER TOO? DID THAT GIVE YOU SOMETHING OF AN INSIDE TRACK ON HOW ACTORS TICK? JB Somewhat. I think I have some acting genes in me, I just didn’t get the best set, my sister did. (His sister, Mary Badham was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as young Scout Finch in _To Kill A Mockingbird_ (1962).) But I still love acting. I love to do it when I get to an opportunity, and every single time it makes me appreciate how difficult and how stressful it is for an actor, especially the poor guy with one line. How can you screw up one line? Well, I’ve seen it more times than you can say. HENCE YOUR ADVICE IN THE BOOK, RECOMMENDING THAT YOU TAKE AS MUCH TIME TO CHAT TO AND ENCOURAGE THE GUY WITH ONE LINE AS MUCH AS YOUR MAINCAST.
JB That’s right, he or she is the most terrified one out of everybody! The guys with big parts have probably long since gotten over their fears. They’re probably less needy than the poor guy who’s come in for one day, who doesn’t know any of the players, who hasn’t had a job in a while. Acting, you know, if you’re not doing it regularly you can get rusty pretty fast. I THINK YOU’RE ESPECIALLY GOOD AT GETTING VERY NATURALISTIC PERFORMANCES OUT OF ACTORS. I LOOK BACK ON FILMS LIKE _BLUE THUNDER_ AND _SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER_, AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ACTING AT ALL. IS THAT A STYLE THAT YOU FAVOUR? JB. I do. I want to really believe these people and in those two particular films, I used a kind of quasi-documentary technique in the acting scenes in particular. I always encourage the actors to improvise and ad lib, and they know they have the freedom to try anything which is very liberating. On _Saturday Night Fever_, the young cast were just thrilled to be able to improvise. Many of the scenes that have become kind of famous were just wonderful improvisations going on in the middle of a written scene. So we weren’t being quite as stickler about the text as we would have been had we been doing Shakespeare or Ibsen. IT DOES SHOW THAT YOU HAVE AN INNATE INSTINCT FOR WHAT MAKES A GREAT SCREEN PERFORMANCE, AS OPPOSED TO A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE. IT REMINDS ME OF THE STORY OF FRANK LANGELLA GIVING AN ALL-GUNS-BLAZING PERFORMANCE OPPOSITE OLIVIER IN _DRACULA_, UNTIL YOU SHOWED HIM WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN THE RUSHES AND HE REDID THE ENTIRE SCENE. JB Oh yes, and it took him a while because he’s so skilled as an actor on stage but he was trying to change a performance that he had been giving for eight months on Broadway, y’know six or eight times a week. Trying to change that is really tough. It’s like trying to teach a golfer a new swing; their muscles only go one way after time. YOU TALK A LOT IN THE BOOK ABOUT A NATURAL ANIMOSITY THAT EXISTS BETWEEN DIRECTORS AND ACTORS - SOMETHING THAT FOR THE MOST PART YOU’VE MANAGED TO AVOID. THAT SURPRISED ME. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THERE WAS IF ANYTHING A MUTUAL INTER-DEPENCENCY. WHY DO YOU THINK THIS RELATIONSHIP IS SO FRAUGHT? JB I think that many actors have just had bad experiences with directors who don’t know how to talk to actors, who speak in terms of results - ‘Be happier, let’s have more fun with this scene,’ and the actors privately, or publicly roll their eyes and they think that this director has nothing to tell me. Some actors, like Brando, like to test their director on the first day of shooting, just to see what they are going to have to work with. Brando would give the director two variations of a performance, one of which he knew to be terrifically dreadful, and see what the director did. And if he didn’t pick the right one, in Brando’s mind he was done for the rest of the film. He told Richard Donner he wanted to play Jor-El as a giant tomato! Before he’d even visited the set of _Superman_, he went to visit Richard Donner and the writer Tom Mankiewicz and shocked them with this, and it took them a while to find a way around the idea! Continue reading "EXCLUSIVE: DIRECTOR JOHN BADHAM INTERVIEWED BY CAIROSS"
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Interviews
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Tuesday, November 17. 2020 REVIEW: "THE CAT AND THE CANARY" (1939) STARRING BOB HOPE AND PAULETTE GODDARD; BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONBY FRED BLOSSER
In Paramount Pictures’ 1939 comedy-thriller “The Cat and the Canary,” six distantly related people converge on a creaky old mansion in the swamps. You know the kind. Secret panels in the walls, hidden passageways, dour oil portraits that watch you with real eyes, flickering lights. The six have gathered to hear attorney Crosby (George Zucco) read the will of eccentric Cyrus Norman, who died ten years before. There isn’t much family warmth in the group, since each person has fingers crossed that he or she will be the sole beneficiary of Uncle Cyrus’ rumored fortune. The spooky housekeeper Miss Lu (Gale Sondergaard) ratchets up the tension by claiming that the place is haunted. Meanwhile, a guard from a nearby mental institution shows up to report that a deranged murderer, “The Cat,” has escaped from his cell and lurks in the vicinity: “He’d just as soon rip you open as not.” Night is coming on, and there’s no transportation off the bayou until the next morning. What could possibly go wrong? Originally a popular 1922 Broadway play, “The Cat and the Canary” had already served as the basis for two films, “The Cat and the Canary” (1927) and “The Cat Creeps” (1930), before Paramount crafted its remake as a vehicle for two of its rising stars, Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard. It marked Hope’s seventh film for the studio and it was a critical and commercial hit. Moreover, it served as the template for many of the comic actor’s roles to follow. Wally Campbell, Hope’s character, captures the affections of vivacious Joyce Norman (Goddard) even though he’s openly nervous about the creepy goings-on around them, admitting, “Even my goose pimples have goose pimples.” A radio comic and former vaudeville headliner (already, Hollywood was tailoring its scripts to Hope’s real-life resume), Wally channels his trepidation into a running stream of one-liners. Thanks to Hope’s razor-sharp delivery, they’re still funny even if the frame of reference will escape younger viewers. On the way by canoe to the Norman mansion through the ‘gator-infested marsh, Wally cracks a joke that fails to amuse his poker-faced Indian guide (Chief Thundercloud). “What’s the matter, don’t you get it?” Wally asks. “Um,” the guide responds. “Heard it last year. Jack Benny program.” The Benny allusion leads you to expect that Wally will riff on the “Crosby” name when he arrives at the mansion and meets Zucco’s character. The quip almost writes itself: “Hey, when they said Crosby was here, I thought they meant Bing.” But no, the name is coincidental. No Bing jokes in Wally’s repertoire. The comedian and the crooner had not yet teamed up on their iconic “Road” movies. Hope shares several droll scenes with veteran actress Nydia Westman, who serves alternately as the star’s comic foil and junior partner, much like Martha Raye and Phyllis Diller in other Bob Hope features and skits over the years. Like Hope, Westman had a long career in films and TV. For those of us who knew her as a familiar, fluttery presence on 1960s sit-coms, it’s somehow comforting that she’s equally recognizable now to our grandkids. Decades later, they’re watching endless reruns of the same shows on cable channels and streaming platforms. The debut of “The Cat and the Canary” on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics presents the movie in the standard 1.37:1 screen aspect and richly defined black-and-white. The sharp image is especially welcome as endangered Joyce walks through the secret passageways of the Norman mansion with the Cat ready to pounce from the shadows. The old TV prints were usually murky, blunting the intended suspense of those scenes. Special features on the disc include the theatrical trailer and instructive audio commentary by LeeGambin.
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Monday, November 16. 2020 REVIEW: "THE APE" (1940) STARRING BORIS KARLOFF; BLU-RAY SPECIALEDITION
BY HANK REINEKE
On 14 April 1940, W. Ray Johnston, the President of Monogram Pictures Corporation, was resting at the Baker Hotel in Dallas, Texas. On the following day he was to meet with MPC’s company shareholders in the hotel’s ballroom. The _New York Herald Tribune_ would report that Monogram, later lovingly christened the most famous of Hollywood’s “Poverty Row” studios, was to announce their ambitious 1940-1941 program of fifty films: twenty-six features and twenty-four westerns. One of the films announced for imminent production was _The Ape_, an adaptation of the Adam Hull Shirk 1927 stage play. Johnston announced that big screen’s preeminent boogeyman, Boris Karloff, was to star in their horror new vehicle. Karloff would be cast as an obsessed scientist driven to madness and murder in pursuit of an otherwise noble goal. For Karloff’s fans, there was something familiar with this scenario. The actor was, once again, cast as a generally well-meaning, good-hearted soul whose medical ethics would be expeditiously abandoned in the course of research. If you’ve already screened _The Man They Could Not Hang_ (Columbia, 1939), _Black Friday_ (Universal, 1940), _The Man with Nine Lives_ (Columbia, 1940), or _Before I Hang_ (Columbia, 1940)… well, then you’ll know what to expect here. Except this time we also get an escaped and possibly murderous circus ape for diversion. 1940 had been a busy year for Boris Karloff, the actor having already appeared in several far more polished productions for the bigger studios: Universal, Warner Bros., Columbia and RKO. _The Ape_ would the last of the films Karloff would make for the more austere Monogram in the 1930s and 1940s: his previous entries were all in the studio’s “Mr. Wong” series of atmospheric detective mysteries. _The Ape_, which the _Hollywood Reporter_ would report was scheduled to commence shooting on 15 July 1940 was to be something of a summer vacation for Karloff. The film’s production was planned to be wrapped in a mere week’s time. That start date was apparently delayed. As the date of shooting neared, it was obvious that production would have to be pushed back. On 10 July 1940 the _Reporter_ scribed that “Kurt” Siodmak (who would soon pen Universal’s iconic _The Wolfman_) had been signed “yesterday.” If true, then that “yesterday” was a mere six days prior to the original announced first-day-of-shooting allotted to Siodmak to actually _write _the script. The newssheet also promised that the latest thriller from Monogram would “carry a top budget,” that being a “top budget” if measured by Monogram’s parsimonious standard. Shortly following the Siodmak announcement, the Hollywood papers would report that actress Maris Wrixon had been “borrowed from Warners” to appear as the film’s wheelchair-bound heroine, actor Gene O’Donnell also signed to play her romantic paramour. Sadly, _The Ape_ mostly wastes Wrixon’s talent - and her arresting physical attributes - as she’s mostly confined to a wheelchair throughout the film, a blanket draped over her no doubt elegant legs. Though Siodmak had already shown talent for writing the scripts on such screen-thrillers for Universal’s Invisible Man series, Monogram wasn’t terribly enthused with the draft turned in. It’s likely the producer’s balked at some of the “too-expensive-to-reproduce-on-the-cheap” foreign location settings that Siodmak’s draft would call for. So a second writer was quickly brought onto the project to tighten things up. A New York _Daily News_ gossip columnist wrote on 22 July that he had recently enjoyed a luncheon with the writer Richard Carroll who “_has just finished a Boris Karloff script. Something about an ape_.” In the film’s credits, Siodmak was credited for his adaptation of Shirk’s play, and perhaps more generously as co-writer of the screenplay. Siodmak would later rue that little of his original story was broughtto the screen.
_Box Office_ would further report on 29 July that William Nigh was hired onto the project as the film’s director. Tom Weaver, who would write the definitive study on these low-budget horror films, _Poverty Row Horrors!: Monogram, PRC and Republic Horror Films of the Forties _(McFarland, 1993) suggests filming did not actually start until early August… which was really pushing things: theater programmers planning on booking _The Ape_ were given a hard release date of 13 September 1940. Weaver, who along with Richard Harland Smith, provides a commentary to Kino Lorber’s Blu ray of _The Ape_, is one of the principal reasons to purchase the disc. This musty old film, more sci-fi than horror really, has been kicking around the public domain almost since the beginning of home video, but has never looked better than it does here.__ If you’re a fan of Karloff or of these old Monogram horror films of the 1940s, this Kino Lorber Blu-rayis certainly the edition to get. Aside from a few emulsion scratches here and there, this film has never appeared looking as fine, having been sourced from a 2K master held by the Library of Congress. The print used in the transfer is from the British release, distributed in 1940 by England’s Monarch Film Corporation. It’s presented here complete with the British Board of Censors title card on the film’s front end. As much as I love Boris Karloff, this is, in all honesty, one of his less memorable films. Upon its release in 1940 the _Los Angeles Times_ was kind to Karloff’s performance if not thrilled with the film in general. Of Karloff, the review conceded, “No matter how farfetched the story, he always makes it believable.” The _Hollywood Reporter_ thought Shirk’s original stage play was far more thrilling as a horror vehicle: “In wise realization that horror, as such, no longer holds its former popularity on the screen, most of the obvious chills have been removed from the screen version.” _Variety_ thought the resulting film totally dire, with the “Ultimate weight of the flick as a suspenser is nil and most of the footage is extremely boring.” The sixty-two minute film didn’t make much of public splash upon release, curiously playing first on co-bills alongside non-genre efforts as Gene Autry westerns. Occasionally, _The Ape_ was, on its second and third turns, more fittingly paired with another Monogram effort _The Revenge of the Zombies_ (1943, featuring John Carradine) on programmed midnight “Spook Frolics.” Such midnight screenings were probably the best setting in which to enjoy _The Ape_. While I personally love these sort of horror-cheapies of the 1940s, they are, admittedly, not everyone’s cup of tea. Most fans of vintage-classic horror much prefer Bela Lugosi’s poverty-row efforts for Monogram as – by intention or not – they all seem to have a deliriously looney vibe about them that rackets up the entertainment value. The mad scientist in _The Ape_ might be crazed, but compared to Lugosi’s madder-than-Hell and far more sinister Dr. Paul Carruthers in _The Devil Bat_ (1940), Karloff’s Dr. Adrian comes off as bland and dangerous as… well, as television’s Dr. Marcus Welby M.D. This Kino Lorber Studio Classics Blu-ray of _The Ape_ is presented here in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio and in 1920x1080p with a monaural DTS sound and removable English sub-titles. The set also includes several bonus features including two separate audio commentaries: the first by author Tom Weaver, the second by film historian Richard Harland Smith. The set also features a Poster and Image Gallery, and the theatrical trailers for _Black Sabbath, The Crimson Cult _(both featuring Karloff) and_ The Undying Monster_.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Sunday, November 15. 2020 FOCUS FEATURES 10 MOVIE BLU-RAY/DIGITAL SPOTLIGHT COLLECTION Cinema Retro has received the following press release from FocusFeatures:
Since its founding in 2002, Focus Features has been synonymous with innovative and critically acclaimed film-making. The iconic studio presents their renowned films that illuminate some of Hollywood’s greatest writers, directors, and actors in the FOCUS FEATURES:10-MOVIE SPOTLIGHT COLLECTION! Totaling an impressive 7 Academy Awards® and 11 Golden Globes® wins, the film set includes _LOST IN TRANSLATION, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, PRIDE & PREJUDICE, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, ATONEMENT, BURN AFTER READING, MOONRISE KINGDOM, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, ON THE BASIS OF SEX_ and _HARRIET_. With films from acclaimed directors such as The Coen Brothers, Sophia Coppola, Ang Lee and Wes Anderson, this collection is loaded with bonus features including filmmaker feature commentaries, cast interviews, deletedscenes and more!
(Continue to next page for list of bonus features.) EXCLUSIVE: AUTHOR DANA SCHOEL ON HIS BOOK "YOUNG STEVE MCQUEEN: HIS INCREDIBLE LIFE BEFORE STARDOM".BY DANA SCHOEL
The best place to start when telling how I came to write a screenplay about Steve McQueen is somewhere in the middle, around the time Netflix came knocking and asked me to develop a project about the King of Cool. To be precise, Netflix held a pitch session in 2018, in Montreal, where I live. Members of the Writer’s Guild of Canada (experienced screenwriters) were invited to a swanky hotel, where we went one-by-one into different rooms to meet the heads of various departments at Netflix. I met with the head of Independent Film Acquisition. My project was about a young Steve McQueen —a coming of age story, which ends before he gets into acting; lots of amazing things happened to him before he became a star, and in my view, those formative years were the most interesting and dramatic. Naturally, Netflix wanted to hear more about Steve. To back-track a little: I’d written a screenplay about a young Steve McQueen ten years prior. It had gotten positive feedback, even into the hands of some Hollywood producers. I mean real ones; people who’d produced My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Ring movies, etc… But as much as they liked my script, they didn’t see the commercial potential, and well, that’s how the movie business works. Initially, I’d chosen to write about Steve not because I was a particular fan or devotee. In fact, I’d only discovered his movies a few years before (not having grown up with them – being born in the mid-1970s when his career was near its end). As I explored his work (who was this guy, and why hadn’t my generation heard more about him?) I came to admire how he was the precursor of the modern star… taking on a wide range of roles and passion projects which meant something to him, even if they weren’t commercially viable, and sometimes were obvious experiments (Le Mans, An Enemy of the People, Tom Horn, etc). Not many Hollywood stars did that in his time, and still not many do it today. As much as I was drawn to his movies, what really drew me to write about him, was his early life. As a teenager, Steve had already traveled the globe, served as a merchant marine, worked in a brothel in the Dominican Republic; then he was in the army… and risked his life to save fellow soldiers. He served on President Truman’s yacht. Steve fell in love and had the chance at a posh job with his potential father-in-law… but passed it all up to go his own way. He was never bound by convention. All this before he became a star, or even started acting. Steve’s life, his _real_ life —not just his time in Hollywood— was ripe with dramatic potential. Why hadn’t someone made a movie about him before? Having had my first feature film released back in 2008 (as well as an extensive career in documentaries), I decided to take a crack at it. We can now fast-forward to when my Young Steve McQueen script sat in my drawer for many years, after its first run among a few Hollywood producers. In 2018, Netflix expressed interest in doing something about him, but my concept of a globe-trotting Steve McQueen was deemed too expensive. So, I pitched an alternate idea, centered on Steve’s later years when he walked away from traditional Hollywood, and was focused on helping troubled youth. Netflix appeared to like this approach which had a much lower budget. I spent the next year or so developing the concept. Doing so, I was able to get in touch with Steve’s son, Chad McQueen, who came on board as my executive producer. Chad was generous with his time and he helped to make sure all the details were authentic. He also enabled me to further my research. I spoke with Max Scott, former director of the Boys Republic reform school, where Steve had attended as a youth. Steve later went back as a star to help out troubled kids. I learned a lot about how he donated his time and resources to help those kids, away from the eyes of the press. I think even his son, Chad, learned something new: Max Scott told us how Steve had supported a teenager from the Boys Republic with Olympic dreams… in bobsledding no less! I could hear the surprise in Chad’s voice. It was inspiring to see how much Steve had helped out. I learned a lot of other details about the Boys Republic, too, how it functioned, and about Steve’s time there… like how he once beat off a gang of tormentors by putting a bar ofsoap in a sock!
There were major surprises for me as well. One day, Chad told me he’d just had lunch with Steven Spielberg, and they were talking about my project. I’d written a scene where Steve meets Steven, turning down the role in Close Encounters of the Third Kind… and Spielberg provided corrections as to what really went down. Chad told me he was pleased with how the writing was progressing. Unfortunately, as I was finishing up the final draft of the treatment, Netflix came back and said there wasn’t enough interest (among their audience) for a Steve McQueen film. They never even read what I wrote. Needless to say, I was upset. But, I hate giving up (if there’s anything Steve McQueen taught me!) To be clear, I couldn’t do anything with the Steve McQueen-Boys Republic project, since it was tied up in various contractual agreements. So, I decided to return to my earlier, Young Steve McQueen script and polish it up, based on my new insights. It then occurred to me: if Netflix was unwilling to fork out a small amount (say, under $5 million) to produce a film about Steve McQueen, it was unlikely anyone would take the risk on a more expensive project, with lots of exotic locations even though the script made the rounds again and feedback was universally positive. However, the answer was equally universal. There’s not much of an audience, today, for Steve McQueen. Or so they say. Are they wrong? I don’t know, but that’s exactly why I decided to release the Young Steve McQueen script in book form… to hear what real people have to say about it.CLICK HERE
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News/Reviews
on Friday, November 13. 2020 REVIEW: "NEWMAN'S LAW" (1974) STARRING GEORGE PEPPARD; KINO LORBER BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONBY NICK ANEZ
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_Newman’s Law_, the 1974 movie starring George Peppard, contains a revealing scene about the central character. Sergeant Vince Newman of the LAPD comes home from a dangerous but satisfying day’s work to his apartment. He is half-shaven and looks exhausted. He avoids looking at his wedding photo, perhaps because it is apparent that his wife has left him. His movements are sluggish as he takes a frozen dinner out of the freezer. He makes his way to a chair, takes his shoes off and slowly lowers his injured foot into a pale of hot water. Then he puts on his glasses and starts to read the newspaper without much enthusiasm. It is a lonely life for Newman. It is the penalty he must pay for being an honest cop. At least he can feel proud of the bust he made earlier in the day that could lead to the arrest of a crime lord. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know that that the bust will set in motion a chain of events that will destroy him. Universal released _Newman’s Law_ without much fanfare. It deserved better promotion because it is a unique film that stands apart from the numerous “honest lone cop” movies that began with _Bullitt_ (1968) and reached its peak with _The French Connection_ and _Dirty Harry _(both 1971). The movie begins with an action-packed sequence as Newman and his partner Garry arrest a drug dealer and uncover a huge stash of illegal narcotics. While in the dealer’s apartment, Newman answers a phone call from a man whose voice he identifies as crime kingpin Frank Falcone. District Attorney Eastman and Newman’s superior, Lieutenant Reardon, express an eagerness to finally nail Falcone with Newman as the chief witness. But something doesn’t smell right to Newman. After he arrested the dealer, the perp seemed to think that his arrest was a game and waved at Newman as he ran away. Then he seemed shocked when Newman put a bullet in his leg. Newman is equally surprised when the dealer dies while in custody. He begins to suspect that he is up against more than Falcone’s mob. This is confirmed when cops from Internal Affairs find a sack of illegal drugs in his apartment and arrest him. It is a perfect frame because it not only gets Newman off the force and gets Garry reassigned but it terminates the case against Falcone. Newman suspects that Falcone could not have arranged the frame without the collusion of personnel in high positions of law enforcement. But the plotters made one mistake; they have made Newman angry. And the movie isn’thalf over.
Vince Newman may on the surface sound similar to his cinematic predecessors but he is quite different. Frank Bullitt, Popeye Doyle and Harry Callahan had a certain degree of calculated charisma due to their crowd-pleasing exploits as likeable maverick detectives who might just break a few rules to get the job done. Newman has no charisma at all. He is not particularly likeable and has a disagreeable disposition. He presents the appearance of a cold, detached and sullen outsider. He only has two close relationships. One is with Garry, whose happy family life with wife Edie and their children contrasts with Newman’s isolated life. The second is with his ailing father who is in a nursing home and can barely acknowledge his son’s presence. Otherwise, Newman has no personal life. He devotes his life to his job. He believes in justice and follows the rules that have been established by the bureaucracy – until that same bureaucracy breaks the rules and turns against him. Newman’s subsequent insolence provokes the wrath of his former superiors while his actions invite a death warrant from Falcone. As _Newman’s Law_ progresses, it becomes evident that Newman’s public persona is in part a pretense to conceal his sensitivity which makes him susceptible to emotional anguish. His vulnerability had previously been implied by his limp and his glasses but it is confirmed when he is reduced to tears. This will ultimately foretell his status as a loser along with his ultimate fate. Newman is not a loser because of any inherent deficiency but because the surrounding corruption is so pervasive. In a world in which conventional morality governs, a straight arrow like Newman would be a winner. But he cannot win in an environment characterized not only by rampant criminal activity and bureaucratic corruption but by legal plea bargaining and moral compromising. The ending of _Newman’s Law _is downbeat. After losing everything that is meaningful to him, Newman implements his personal law because the proponents of official law have proven to be incapable or unwilling to enforce justice. This leads to highlydramatic events.
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Thursday, November 12. 2020 OUT OF THE PAST: WATCH THE ORIGINAL TRAILER FOR "DR. NO" Enjoy the original British trailer for the first James Bond movie, "Dr. No" (1962) starring...well, you know who! Posted by Cinema Retroin
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on Wednesday, November 11. 2020 REVIEW: "NEVER STEAL ANYTHING SMALL" (1959) STARRING JAMES CAGNEY; BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONBY TIM MCGLYNN
Kino-Lorber has released a Blu-Ray edition of the 1959 musical comedy, Never Steal Anything Small starring James Cagney, Shirley Jones, Roger Smith and Cara Williams. If it doesn’t sound all that familiar it’s because this movie is a very odd duck. A musical without songs and dances, and a Damon Runyon type plot with characters that get a little nasty at times. James Cagney, in his final musical performance, plays Jake MacIllaney, a crooked dockworker and steward for the local stevedore’s union in New York City. He cheats, he schemes and he occasionally embezzles funds, but he is somehow still a lovable chap who is well liked by the rank and file. He dreams of becoming the union president and hires a straight-laced lawyer, Dan Cabot (Roger Smith), to help him keep one step ahead of the law. Dan is married to the lovely Linda Cabot (Shirley Jones) whom Jake covets badly enough to enlist the aid of his sometimes girlfriend, Winnipeg Simmons, a gorgeous redhead played by Cara Williams. Why Jake isn’t satisfied with Winnipeg is a mystery, but he manages to convince her to seduce Roger away from his wife soJake can move in.
Meanwhile, Jake is also plotting with his fellow longshoremen to remove the current union boss, Pinelli (Nehemiah Persoff), and his stooge Sleep-Out Charlie Barnes (Jack Albertson). Jake wheels and deals his way through the union election and always manages to stay out of harm’s way from the cops, Pinelli’s thugs, his lawyer and the two women in his life. He borrows freely from the chapter’s treasury and manipulates both friend and foe to achieve his dream position with the union. Jake is likeable simply because James Cagney is so charming at playing the small-time crook with a heart of gold. He prances and hoofs his way through scenes even though there is no dance music. In current movies this type of character would be considered a total cad. Cagney, however, cons and bamboozles his underlings and has everyone convinced that he is their best friend. He demonstrates his musical prowess in the wonderful number I’m Sorry, I Want a Ferrari sung with Winnepeg. In this tune, composed by Allie Wrubel and playwright Maxwell Anderson, he convinces Winnipeg to put the make on Dan in return for anew car.
Shirley Jones, looking terrific as a blonde bombshell, gives a spirited performance despite not having much to work with in this script. Jones had established her place in Hollywood with leading roles in the film versions of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma and Carousel. Elmer Gantry and The Music Man were yet to come for this multi-talented actress. She is allowed only one chance to showcase her wonderful voice in this film with the cute number I Haven’t Got aThing to Wear.
Roger Smith, as lawyer Cabot, was actually a protégé of James Cagney and appeared in the Lon Chaney biopic Man of a Thousand Faces. Later on, television viewers knew him as Jeff Spencer in the popular series 77 Sunset Strip. During the mid 60s Smith suffered a blood clot in his brain and was eventually diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, which cut short a promising acting career. He then went to work behind the scenes as a manager and producer for several actors including his second wife, Ann-Margret. Cara Williams began her career at age 16 at 20th Century Fox and eventually worked her way into feisty leading roles in films such as Born Yesterday, The Girl Next Door and The Defiant Ones. Her beautiful red hair is a delight in the restored Technicolor print used for this Blu-Ray release. Also look for the great character actors Nehemiah Persoff, Royal Dano and Jack Albertson in small, but memorable roles as union stewards and enemies of Jake. Based upon a play by Maxwell Anderson, the direction by Charles Lederer of his own script is crisp and funny with more than a passing nod to the stories and characters of Damon Runyon. There is, however, a bit of ugliness included when, for example, Jake and Linda have acid thrown at them by two of Pinelli’s hoodlums. Also, the whole idea of Jake pimping out his girlfriend to help him steal the wife of his young attorney is a plot line that will not go down well with modernaudiences.
At some point director Lederer must have planned for this to be a Guys and Dolls type musical. Why hire noted choreographer Hermes Pan if there wasn’t going to be some spectacular dancing sequences? The finished product, however, is instead a comic drama with two songs and a bit of a male chorus number to bookend the story. There doesn’t seem to be any clues in the script where other songs and dances mayhave been featured.
The Cinemascope photography by Harold Lipstein and William H. Daniels is gorgeous, and the color is heavily saturated with skin tones just a bit on the orange side. The colorful costumes and set designs fill the wide screen image beautifully. Since this film has only been seen during infrequent television broadcasts and a 1980s pan and scan VHS release, this is probably the first chance we have to see the full 2.35 aspect ratio since the original theatrical screenings. Movies should never be judged unless they are viewed in the proper screenwidth.
Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray boasts a clean, unscratched film source with the usual Technicolor softness. The mono sound is cold and crisp, and voices are presented at the proper volume. Extras on the disc include a theatrical trailer and audio commentary from film historian Daniel Kremer and author Lee Gambin. Both are knowledgeable and amiable while providing extensive backgrounds on both performers and crew. If you are expecting a song and dance film like The Seven Little Foys or Yankee Doodle Dandy you will be most disappointed. But an opportunity to see a charming James Cagney film that might be unfamiliar is worth the purchase price, especially when presented in such a handsome edition.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Wednesday, November 11. 2020 REVIEW: DAVID CRONENBERG'S "SHIVERS" (1976); BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONBY TODD GARBARINI
The widespread COVID-19 pandemic which took hold at the end of 2019 has made its way around the globe and looks like the sort of thing one would expect to see in either a David Cronenberg or George A. Romero film. Mr. Cronenberg has made a career out of making films which essentially depict human beings experiencing their bodies revolting against themselves while the late Mr. Romero directed a series of zombie films wherein droves of flesh-eating, reanimated corpses, presumably brought back to life by radiation emitted from a space probe returning from Venus that blew up in Earth’s atmosphere, wreak havoc among the living. Both directors present simultaneously dark and comedic visions of humanity, and we all now find ourselves in a precarious scenario that one would equate to the nightmares conjured up by these filmmakers since the quarantine orders took hold some seven months ago and show no signs of being relaxed anytime soon. Few, if any, of the Times Square revelers ringing in 2020 could have foreseen the rug being suddenly and viciously ripped out from underneath our feet three months hence. By the time he got around to shooting his first feature film between August and September in 1974, Mr. Cronenberg had already accumulated a good number of short films and television work under his belt. His most well-known early works consists of _Transfer_ (1966), _From the Drain_ (1967), _Stereo_ (1969), and _Crimes of the Future_ (1970). Following three years of television shorts/documentaries, _Shivers_ (1975) slithered its way into the Cinerama II in New York on Tuesday, July 6, 1976 under the title of_ They Came From Within_, a title I always preferred. It was shown on a double bill with Mark W. Lester’s _Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw_. Set in the Starliner Apartment complex, the sort of milieu that today stands as a dreaded COVID-19 petri dish, _Shivers_ is eerily prescient in its depiction of a virus run rampant. Dr. Emil Hobbes (Fred Doederlein of 1981’s _Scanners_) forces his way into Annabelle’s (Cathy Graham, her sole screen credit) apartment. A fight ensues and he kills her, then performs a horrific procedure on her body prior to committing suicide. He is obviously trying to stop the spread of something ghastly. Nick Tudor (Alan Migicovsky of 1974’s _The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz_) is another tenant who suffers from stomach pains and his behavior is unorthodox. It comes to light when Rollo Linsky (Joe Silver, who would also appear in David Cronenberg’s _Rabid_ in 1977) confesses to Dr. Roger St. Luc (Paul Hampton from 1972’s _Lady Sings the Blues_), the Starliner physician who finds Hobbes and Annabelle, that he and Hobbes, his medical colleague, were experimenting to produce a parasite that can be inserted into the body for the purpose taking over the function of a failed human organ. This may work in theory, however in practice things go wildly out of control. Little by little, we see various tenants get sick as a phallic-like bloody organism travels from host to host with what initially appears to be an unexpected side effect: everyone affected becomes sexually aggressive. Linsky later confesses to St. Luc that sexual arousal was the intention from the get-go. Hobbes’s effort was to return people to their natural sexual desires and to squash their over-intellectual tendencies. Nick is now in the same sexual state as the others and attempts to force sex on his wife Janine (Susan Petrie, who bears a resemblance to Michelle Pfeiffer in her early years) who seeks refuge from her lesbian friend Betts (Barbara Stelle in a fun cameo) who passes the parasite onto Janine, and the other residents, including a dishabille nurse (Lynn Lowry) who is involved with the doctor. Soon, the infection spreads throughout the building until it turned into “Night of the Horny Tenants”. The final scene is very calm and humorous as it suggests that the cure to society’s ills is a “happy ending”, one that director Cronenberg offers the tenants. The same cannot be said for poor Candy Carveth in the final moments of arguably his best film, 1979’s _The Brood_. The original shooting title was _Orgy of the Blood Parasites_ and the French title was _Frissons_ _The Parasite Murders_. Audiences may be surprised to see the inclusion of Ivan Reitman’s name, best known for producing the comedies _Stripes_ (1981) and _Ghostbusters_ (1984) among many others, but everyone has to start somewhere. I recall this fact being touted on the Vestron VHS cassette: “From the makers of GHOSTBUSTERS…” It’s gory kills notwithstanding, _Shivers_ itself is a comedy of sorts, satirizing society a gone wild. The climaxes of these films make one wonder what is next in store for humanity. It would seem that we all have the potential of being wiped out not by parasites or flesh eating zombies, but rather by human indifference and a perplexing failure on the part of citizens to simply wear a face mask and remain away from one another. It would not surprise me to see Mr. Cronenberg tackle this motif at some point downthe road.
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on Tuesday, November 10. 2020 REVIEW: "PIMPERNEL SMITH" (1941) STARRING LESLIE HOWARD; OLIVE FILMSBLU-RAY RELEASE
BY LEE PFEIFFER
Olive Films has released the now obscure 1941 British film noir "Pimpernel Smith" starring Leslie Howard, who also directed. The movie (known as "Mister V" in the United States) was released in 1941 at a time when England was hanging on by a thin thread as Hitler dominated most of Europe. As with all of the countries involved in WWII, the British film industry relied heavily on top stars appearing in inspiring movies that would boost public morale. This was especially true in England which saw its major ally, France, capitulate to Hitler in a matter of weeks, leaving the island nation standing alone against the Nazi menace. . At the time "Pimpernel Smith" was released in July 1941 (American would not enter the war until the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of that year), the Brits were enjoying a spate of good news. After the disastrous experience of the British expedition force in Dunkirk, the nation had been subjected to the Blitz, the daily bombing by the Luftwaffe. London was especially hard hit in what Hitler had hoped to be a strategy that would have destroyed the RAF and led to his massive invasion of England. Instead, after a year of bitter fighting, the RAF had defeated the Luftwaffe and Hitler put his invasion plans on hold as he dealt with the consequences of his misguided incursion into the Soviet Union. With the Battle of Britain now over, the Brits could catch their breath and resume normal activities such as attending the cinema without worrying about being bombed into oblivion. Apparently "Pimpernel Smith" was an especially popular boxoffice hit in 1941, though the film's reputation as faded into oblivion in the decades since. Howard's film production is a modern, loosely-based version of the classic "The Scarlet Pimpernel"- one of the first famous tales in which the dynamic hero hides behind a meek and mild alter ego to keep his identity secret. The story is set in the months before England went to war with the Axis powers following Germany's invasion of Poland. Howard plays Prof. Horatio Smith, a tweedy, eccentric academic who teaches at Cambridge. He arranges to take a group of his male students on a field trip to Germany ostensibly to undertake an archaeological expedition to prove that an ancient Aryan culture had once existed there- a notion that appeals to the xenophobic Nazi establishment. In reality, Smith is the unlikely anonymous hero whose exploits are filling the newspapers with tales of adventure, much to the delight of the British and the consternation of the Germans. Through daring schemes that border on the outrageous, Smith has been able to rescue important political prisoners from jails and concentration camps. His latest foray into Germany is designed to rescue Sidmir Koslowski (Peter Gawthorne), a Polish intellectual who is of value to the Allies. He has been arrested by the Germans on suspicion of being a spy. As the field trip gets under way, Smith plays up his role as an absent-minded professor, much to the amusement of his students. However, when he receives a flesh wound during one of his nocturnal secret missions, the boys catch on and insist that they be enlisted into helping Smith free Koslowski. Smith reluctantly concedes to accept their help. On the surface, Smith is treated as an honored guest by the Germans but the local military commander, General von Graum (Francis L. Sullivan) strongly suspects he is actually the "Pimpernel" and is determined to prove it and arrest him before any more prisoners can be freed. Von Graum forcibly enlists the services of Koslowski's beautiful daughter Ludmilla (Mary Morris) and makes her serve as a spy, holding her father's well-being over her head as collateral. Her mission is to seduce Smith if necessary in order to get proof of his extracurricular activities. Predictably, the two fall in love and Smith now not only has to rescue Koslowski, but hisdaughter as well.
Despite the fact that Leslie Howard was at the height of his career coming off of his role as Ashley Wilkes in "Gone with the Wind", "Pimpernel Smith" is a low-budget film that resembles a Poverty Row production. Perhaps resources and funding for films in wartime Britain were scarce even for a movie with strong propaganda value such as this. Virtually the entire film was shot on soundstages- and rather claustrophobic ones at that. City views glimpsed through windows are represented by low-grade matte paintings and there are only a few fleeting shots of actual exteriors. It's to Howard's credit as star and director as well as the screenwriters that the movie overcomes these distractions with a highly engrossing story line that builds in interest and suspense during the two-hour running time. Howard is in top form and he is more than matched by Francis L. Sullivan who makes for a larger-than-life villain in both the figurative and literal sense of the term. Sullivan uses his considerable girth and wry delivery to channel the best characteristics of Charles Laughton and Sydney Greenstreet. The witty script allows some wonderful byplay as Smith and von Graum maintain a superficial politeness even though they both regard each other as mortal enemies engaged in a cat-and-mouse game of strategy. Mary Morris makes for a lovely leading lady though the male actors who play Smith's students are so wholesome as to come across as absurd. It doesn't help matters that the styles of the era make them appear to look older than Smith. It's a pity that there were no further adventures of Pimpernel Smith. However, real-life tragedy intervened when Leslie Howard was flying back to England from neutral Portugal in 1943 aboard a civilian aircraft. The plane was shot down by German fighters and all aboard were killed. Germany claimed the tragedy was an error but theories persist that his may have been targeted because of rumors that Churchill was aboard. Another theory was that the Germans wanted Howard dead in retribution for an Allied propaganda campaign he had been carrying out in Spain and Portugal. (For full analysis of the conspiracy theories behind Howard's death, read this entryon Wikipedia.)
Thus, one of the film industry's most popular leading men had his life cut short due to the war even though he wasn't serving in combat."Pimpernel Smith" is a modest film but one that resonates very well today and gives us a full appreciation of Howard's talents as both actor and director. The Olive Blu-ray is _sans _any extras, which is a pity because of the aforementioned dramatic elements of Howard's life that would make for a good commentary track. However, the picture transfer is very impressive and does justice to the fine cinematography of Mutz Greenbaum.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Monday, November 9. 2020 "JACK PALANCE: HIS EXTRAORDINARY LIFE": A DOCUMENTARY BY JERRY SKINNER Here is a bare bones but quite interesting overview of the life of Hollywood "bad boy" legend Jack Palance, who did it his way right tothe end.
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on Sunday, November 8. 2020 REVIEW: "DEATH ON THE NILE" (2004) STARRING DAVID SUCHET; BLU-RAYRELEASE
BY LEE PFEIFFER
Acorn Media has released a Blu-ray edition of the 2004 TV adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Death on the Nile". The feature film-length episode ran as part of the popular British series, "Poirot" and stars David Suchet as the legendary Belgian detective. Numerous actors have portrayed the sleuth on the big screen and television. They include Peter Ustinov, Albert Finney, Kenneth Branagh and even Tony Randall. However, Suchet takes the prize for playing Poirot the most times, having done so in 70 episodes spread out over a 24 year period commencing in 1989. The role also fits him like a glove, as he keeps intact the basis persona of the character. He's very much a dandy, who dresses to the nines. He enjoys fine dining in opulent settings and pays an inordinate amount of time tending to his trademark mustache. He also possesses a dry wit and calm nature even in the midst of murderous goings-on. In "Death on the Nile", which had been filmed previously with Ustinov and an all-star cast as a theatrical feature film in 1978, Poirot finds himself on holiday aboard a cruise down the Nile. The plot takes place in the mid-1930s before the outbreak of WWII. (We know this because of a single reference to concerns over Hitler's rising power in Germany.) On board are the usual assortment of eccentrics, snobs, losers and charmers. The plot opens with penniless British lovers Simon Doyle (JJ Feild) and Jackie De Bellfort (Emma Griffiths Malin) paying a visit to Jacqueline's best friend, Linnet Ridgeway (Emily Blunt), an heiress who is one of the richest young women in England- and also one of the most selfish and detested. (It isn't explained how such different people would have forged such a strong friendship and why Linnet allows her friend to suffer in poverty instead of offering her some financial assistance.) Simon and Jackie have come to visit to introduce Johanna to Simon and to announce their engagement. Once Linnet's eyes set upon the hunky Simon, we know there's going to be some trouble. The scene cuts to a few months later with Simon, having been seduced by Linnet, having ditched Jackie. He and Linnet are now happily married and are aboard the same Nile cruiser that Poirot has booked a room on. Their honeymoon is less than blissful due to Jackie having stalked them across Europe (it isn't explained how the poor woman can afford to do this, which is a plot hole.) She is also on the Nile cruise, much to the couple's disdain. She quietly but sarcastically confronts them at every opportunity. Poirot and the other passengers are aware of the spectacle, which Jackie causes in order to shame the newlyweds. Poirot is joined on board by an good friend, Colonel Race (James Fox) but their hopes of having an enjoyable holiday are dashed when a sensational murder occurs. In reviewing any Agatha Christie mystery, the less said, the better. Suffice it to say that Poirot and Race are investigating the murder when two more occur within the tight group of suspects he has been acquainted with. The three murders are clearly connected and, in true Christie tradition, examination of the passengers reveals that each member of the disparate group had a motive for carrying out the killings. The fun of it all always culminates in the "A ha!" moment in which Poirot announces he has cracked the case. This version of "Death on the Nile", being a television production, has a more restrained budget than the Ustinov big screen feature, but the fact that key scenes were shot on location elevates it to a posh level. The explanation for the mysterious murders is clever enough, even if the execution that supposedly enabled them seems a bit of a stretch. The cast is first rate and includes David Soul as Linnet's rather grungy American financial adviser who joins the cruise with some pressing business to discuss. Director Andy Wilson keeps the pace brisk but never too hurried and remains true to the spirit of the traditional Poirot mysteries. Acorn Media's Blu-ray edition boasts a terrific transfer but no bonus extras. Christie fans will want to experience this impressive version of "Death on the Nile" before yet another version comes to the screen next year, this time from director/star Kenneth Branagh. Recommended.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Sunday, November 8. 2020 STREAMING REVIEW: "WILD WILD COUNTRY" (2018) (NETFLIX)BY LEE PFEIFFER
Way back in ancient times when I was majoring in Sociology in college, a professor pointed out some salient points regarding cults and the people who choose to belong to them. Top of the list is the fact that virtually all cults are centered around a single charismatic leader. There are other constants as well, namely, that people who comprise the membership of cults tend to be dealing with a life crisis. They feel ignored or rejected by society in general. They believe they are odd ducks and they naturally seek out the company of others who feel the same way. Another key factor is that, once immersed in a cult, members are loathe to believe anything negative about the great leader they idolize. They actually welcome an authoritarian presence to do the thinking for them. This characteristic isn't limited to cult members, of course...it extends to larger-than-life political figures as well. Even when confronted with hearing the great leader say something shocking on video or audio, they still choose not to believe it- or at least pretend they don't in order to justify their continued allegiance to a scoundrel. Indeed, most cult leaders turn out to be self-aggrandizing scoundrels who enrich themselves financially, sexually or otherwise by exploiting the loyalties of the followers. Ultimately, most cults dissolve under negative circumstances over a period of years. By then, the damage is done. Members have become so dependent on the cult that they scarcely know how to survive in itsabsence.
The consequences of cult worship are laid out in a fascinating six-part Netflix series, "Wild Wild Country" that is currently a streaming sensation. The series, superbly constructed by co-directors Chaplin Way and Maclain Way, revisits a scandalous situation that took place in the early to mid 1980s in rural Oregon and went on to be the subject of international scrutiny. An Indian guru, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh found himself under legal duress in his native country. Indian authorities had accused him of numerous instances of unethical behavior and some activities that might have been illegal. Not wishing to chance being arrested, the Bhagwan instructs his major domo, Ma Anand Sheela, to find a place in the United States where the Bhagwan and his growing international cult of followers could relocate. The ever-reliable Sheela studies the U.S. Constitution and discovers that he group can exploit loopholes to establish a thriving cult community in the hills of Oregon. Unfortunately, for the 40 inhabitants of the serene and sleepy hamlet of Antelope, the Bhagwan's purchase of a massive amount acreage adjoins their town. Overnight, aging cowboys and their wives find themselves surrounded by hundreds of cult members who dress in signature red clothing. The perpetually joyful members become elated when the Bhagwan himself arrives. A lineup of his personally owned 90 Rolls Royces is there to greet him. Before long, the cult members are singing loudly, swaying wildly and engaging in orgies, much to the disgust of the neighbors in Antelope. Soon, tensions boil over as the locals insult and harass the cult members. Sheela, who carries out the wishes of the Bhagwan (who rarely speaks), is charismatic young woman who uses an iron fist when it comes to using the law to outwit her opponents. Soon, the Bhagwan actually buys the town of Antelope and installs a puppet city council to carry out his instructions. The cult members also arm themselves for potential gun battles and establish what amounts to an estimable militia. The show becomes increasingly engrossing as it proceeds, aided immeasurably by the abundance of video segments culled from the international media coverage. The program is also supplemented by contemporary interviews with veterans of the conflict on both sides. The cult members are sympathetic figures at first, as their peaceful nature was inflamed by provocations of their neighbors. However, by the time the series reaches its sixth episode, you'll find yourself on a dizzying path of deceit, greed, theft, manipulation, a mass poisoning, murder attempts and advanced spy tactics that one federal official describes as being straight out of a 007 movie. Ultimately, the Reagan administration sends in Justice Department officials to use legal methods to thwart the cult and prosecute the members for various crimes. (The cult leaves plenty of bread crumbs for the feds to work with.) The victims in all this are the naive cult members who seem to represent the dying embers of the 60s hippie generation. Their devotion to Bhagwan is unquestioning, even when confronted with evidence of his less-than-ethical behavior. No one emerges from the show in a very good light. The cult members look like impressionable idiots (some still profess allegiance to the dear departed Bhagwan) while the Oregonian locals come across like comically stereotypical versions of God fearin' white conservatives. I won't say any more about "Wild Wild Country" other than you are likely to find yourself instantly engrossed. As you stick with the show, be prepared for a binge-watching session, as you will be eager to see how it all turns out. Posted by Cinema Retroin
DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Saturday, November 7. 2020 REVIEW: "BLUE MONEY" (1972) STARRING ALAIN PATRICK AND BARBARA MILLS; BLU-RAY/DVD SPECIAL EDITION FROM VINEGAR SYNDROME RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVESBY LEE PFEIFFER
In the early 1970s producer and director Bob Chinn was one of the most prolific and profitable names in the adult film industry. Chinn's productions may have had skimpy production values but he generally made them look more grandiose than anything competing erotic film producers were able to offer. Like many filmmakers in this bizarre genre, Chinn aspired to do films that were more mainstream and meaningful. He entered a collaboration with Alain Patrick, a young hunky actor in the Jan-Michael Vincent mode who had his own aspirations to become a respected star. By 1971 Patrick had accumulated some legitimate film and TV credits but always in "blink-and-you'll-miss-him" roles. Like Chinn, he drifted into the adult film industry where he established some credentials as a director. He and Chinn teamed up that year in an attempt to make a mainstream movie about the porn film business. The result was "Blue Money", which has just been rescued from obscurity by Vinegar Syndrome, which has released the film as a special editionBlu-ray/DVD.
"Blue Money" suffers from the same limitations as Bob Chinn's other productions in that it was financed largely by people who expected to get a hardcore porn flick. Thus he was given a budget of $35,000, which was a pittance even in 1971, and a very abbreviated shooting schedule. Under Alain Patrick's direction, however, the movie went in a different direction and became a hybrid between the mainstream and porn film genres. Patrick gives a very credible performance as Jim, a 25 year-old surfer dude type who lives an unusual lifestyle. On the surface he leads an unremarkable existence: he has a pretty wife, Lisa (Barbara Mills) who is a stay-at-home mom who devotes her energies to raising their young daughter. Like most fathers, Jim is a dad who goes off to work every day...except that his "work" is directing pornographic feature films. Shooting in a seedy makeshift studio, Jim and and his partner sell the finished product to shady distributors who pay them premium prices for master prints of their latest 16mm productions. Because Jim is considered one of the top talents in the industry, theaters are always hungry for his latest films. Ironically, although Jim's career is filming people having sex, he prides himself on remaining loyal to his wife and resists the occasional overtures of his female stars. Jim and Lisa have a joint dream: they are renovating a schooner-type yacht with the quest of quitting the adult film industry and sailing around the world as free spirits. All of this is put at risk when Jim casts Ingrid (Inga Maria), an exotic European beauty who is desperate for money, in his latest production. Against his better judgment, Jim begins an affair with her- thus endangering his marriage after Lisa starts to become suspicious. At the same time the government is cracking down on the porn business. Suddenly, there is a dearth of distributors to take Jim's films. He is being paid far less than usual- and the entire industry is paranoid about the number of high profile arrests of performers, producers and directors in the porn business. Lisa begs Jim to quit but he wants to take his chances in the hopes of making enough money to finally finish the schooner's renovations and allow him to take his family on their-long planned journey. "Blue Money" is an interesting production that never found acceptance by any audience. The film received some limited release in mainstream theaters but, although not quite hardcore, it is far too sexual for most general audiences. Conversely, people expecting to see a movie packed with gratuitous sex acts would also have been disappointed. Director Patrick has plenty of sex scenes and full frontal nudity but they are generally confined to the sequences in which we watch the actual filming of porn productions. In that respect, Patrick strips away any glamour or thrills from the process. Bored performers must enact explicit acts under hot klieg lights manned by total strangers. Jim must contend with moody actresses and actors who sometimes loath each other but who must engage in kinky sex. Every time Jim yells "Cut!", arguments can break out or the male leading man finds himself unable to perform on cue. Where the film excels is as a time capsule of sexual mores at the time of its production. There is much talk about the Nixon administration's Commission on Pornography report which had recently been released. Initiated by Nixon's predecessor, President Lyndon Johnson, the report came out during Nixon's first term in office. Nixon was confident that the report would legitimize his belief that pornography had a devastating effect on society- a talking point that would play well with his arch conservative base. Instead, the report basically said that there was no such evidence. Enraged, Nixon denounced the findings of his own commission and set about a crackdown on pornography. Countless man hours and millions of dollars were spent going after theater owners and people who made the films. In "Blue Money", when Jim is eventually arrested, the cops admit that the First Amendment would almost certainly ensure that he would win the court case- but the real strategy is to financially ruin those accused by having them spend their life savings on defending themselves. This gives the movie a hook that extends beyond the soap opera-like storyline centered on Jim's fragile relationship with his wife. The movie has a polished look to it and most of the performances are quite credible, with Patrick and Barbara Mills very good indeed. Continue reading "REVIEW: "BLUE MONEY" (1972) STARRING ALAIN PATRICK AND BARBARA MILLS; BLU-RAY/DVD SPECIAL EDITION FROM VINEGAR SYNDROME" Posted by Cinema Retroin
DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Friday, November 6. 2020 IN PRAISE OF FRED MACMURRAY Today marks the birthday of Fred MacMurray. Writer Joe Elliott provides a fitting tribute to the late actor.BY JOE ELLIOTT
Classic Hollywood actor Fred MacMurray is probably best remembered today as the easy-going father in the popular, long-running 1960s family sit-com “My Three Sons_._” As the head of the growing Douglas clan, the pipe-smoking, sweater-clad MacMurray each week dispensed his gentle blend of wisdom and humor to the delight of American television audiences. One might have thought this was the kind of role MacMurray had always played. Not so, a fact that was first brought home to me by my mother. I recall as a kid hearing her say she didn’t much care for him. Not like Fred MacMurray??? “But why?” I asked. “Because of the jerks he played in the movies,” she told me. It wasn’t until much later that I discovered what she meant. As many CinemaRetro readers will know, MacMurray was a popular film star long before his days in TV. Many still fondly recall him from his appearances in such Disney favorites as “The Shaggy Dog” (1959) and “The Absent-Minded Professor_”_ (1961). However, even before that, MacMurray starred in several well-known roles, notably including ones where he played, to borrow my mom’s word, a“jerk.”
MacMurray, a native Illinoian born in 1908, supported himself in his early years as a singer and jazz saxophonist (he played a trumpeter in 1937’s “Swing High, Swing Low” with Carole Lombard.) His first credited film role was in the forgettable “Grand Old Girl”_ _(1935)._ _While the movie didn’t go anywhere, MacMurray, on the other hand, was off and running. That same year, he appeared in no fewer than six other films, including the George Stevens’ masterpiece, “Alice Adams” with Katharine Hepburn. He quickly became one of Hollywood’s busiest young actors, portraying everything from air pilots to cowboys. In 1940, he appeared alongside rising star Barbara Stanwyck in “Remember the Night.” Soon he was being paired with many of Hollywood’s other leading ladies, including Alice Faye, Jean Arthur, Roseland Russell, Marlene Dietrich, and the beautiful British actress Madeleine Carroll. MacMurray starred in “Dive Bomber” at the start of World War Two and made several other routine dramas during the war years. Routine, that is, all except for one. Near the end of the war, he was again cast with Stanwyck in “Double Indemnity,” considered today a bona fide noir classic. MacMurray plays insurance salesman Walter Neff in the film. Neff becomes obsessed with the sexy wife of one of his clients, played by Stanwyck, and is willing to do anything to have her. As a result, he allows himself to be lured into a plot to brutally kill her well-meaning but naïve husband in order to collect the life insurance money on him. Director and writer Billy Wilder is said to have wanted MacMurray, who by then had a well-established good guy image, for the role to surprise and shock movie audiences. It was probably this film that started my mom thinking of him as a jerk. Like his friend and frequent co-star Barbara Stanwyck, MacMurray didn’t like to play the same role twice, and so the next year starred in the zany black-comedy “Murder, He Says.” “Murder” is, without a doubt, my favorite “Fred movie.” Peter Marshall (MacMurray) works for the Trotter Poll ("like the Gallup Poll, but not as fast"). He is sent out to find a co-worker who has mysteriously disappeared. In the process, he stumbles upon a backwoods family of homicidal maniacs, including the bullwhip-wielding matriarch of the clan (Marjorie Main) and her half-witted identical twin sons Mert and Bert (Peter Whitney), one of whom has a crick in his neck. There is some stolen money everyone is after, the location of which is hidden in the lyrics of a nonsense song. The creaky old house where Peter is held hostage is full of weird people and secret passageways. There are two girls, both claiming to be the same person. There is a hilarious climactic scene where everyone is assembled around the family dinner table. They keep turning the lights on and off while spinning around the lazy-Susan to avoid eating the poison-laced food. MacMurray with Peter Whitney and Marjorie Main in "Murder, He Says". Anybody who eats the food glows in the dark. “Murder, He Says” is a crazy, rambunctious movie, full of broad slapstick humor and great one-liners. A classic screwball comedy and one MacMurray is entirely at home in. Fred would go on to make more than forty more films in his career. Arguably his two best post-war roles, “The Caine Mutiny” (1954) and “The Apartment” (1960), once again featured him asfirst-class cads.
Fred MacMurray was one of the highest-paid film actors of his day. His shrewd investments in real estate and stocks made him one of the richest men in Hollywood. Perhaps one reason he was so rich, apart from his smart business sense, was his frugality, some might say, stinginess with a buck. Actor Robert Vaughn, who co-starred with him in “Good Day for a Hanging” (1959), told a revealing story about some boots. Vaughn arrived on the set one morning wearing a pair of expensive new leather boots he had recently purchased at a fashionable Hollywood boutique. MacMurray was much taken with them and asked Vaughn where he got them. The next day Fred appeared wearing a similar pair. When Vaughn asked him about them, he said he had spent the previous afternoon visiting one local thrift shop after another until he found just the pair he wanted! For all that, Fred MacMurray was very much a family man in real-life who enjoyed spending his off-hours playing golf, fishing, and working on his farm. "I take my movie parts as they come," he once said when asked about his career. "I don't fly into an emotional storm about them. I just do them. I guess I am an offhand comedian in a natural way." Actress Tina Cole co-starred with Fred MacMurray on “My Three Sons.” She was the real-life daughter-in-law of Beverly Garland. Garland played Fred’s wife on the final four seasons of the show. Here are a few memories Tina Cole recently shared with me about working with Fred MacMurray: _“I thought Fred was a gentle, very sincere man with a genuine love and respect for the family.__ He was quiet and rather shy off the set, but hysterical when he was on and he could say more with one lift of an eyebrow than most actors could with their entire face! __ _
_Fred was known for his ‘frugality’ and both cast and crew were very surprised with the huge bouquet of flowers he, and his wife June, sent me on my first day of shooting. He knew about fellow cast member Don Grady's and my deep love for each other and was disappointed when we did not marry. Thereafter, every time I saw him he would ask if I had fallen in love. He wanted to see me happily married, which I thought was so sweet.____ _
_Here's a little story Fred once shared with me: He had just finished the movie ‘The Apartment’ (in-between filming ‘My Three Sons’), and he and his family were vacationing at Disneyland. A woman who saw the ‘The Apartment’ went up to him in front of his family and belted him with his purse. ‘Mr. MacMurray,’ she said indignantly, ‘I took my kids to see that awful movie and I will never see anything you’re ever in again!’ After that, Fred only did family-oriented films realizing as he did he had developed a different reputation. He stopped doing ‘heavy’ parts because of the effect that woman had on him. True story.”_ Posted by Cinema Retroin Out
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on Thursday, November 5. 2020 OUT OF THE PAST: PETER 'OTOOLE RECEIVES HONORARY OSCAR IN 2003 He never won a competitive Oscar, though nominated numerous times. However, in 2003, the Academy awarded Peter O'Toole an honorary lifetime achievement Oscar. O'Toole is a study in old world class and graciousness. The icing on the cake must have been that his good mates Sean Connery and Michael Caine were there to see him receive thehonor.
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on Wednesday, November 4. 2020 WATCH CHARLES CHAPLIN ACCEPT HONORARY OSCAR The year was 1972 and Charles Chaplin, having been virtually banned from Hollywood due to his left-leaning political views in the age of McCarthy, made a triumphant return to the movie capitol to accept an honorary Oscar. The comedic genius was loathed by many in his personal life, but few would fail to be moved by this moment, which probably elicited the greatest ovation in Oscar history. (Note the presence of Jackie Coogan in the audience. As a child, Coogan starred with Chaplinin _The Kid_).
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on Tuesday, November 3. 2020 REVIEW: "THE FU MANCHU CYCLE" STARRING CHRISTOPHER LEE; 5 DISC BLU-RAY RELEASE FROM POWERHOUSE (REGION "B" PAL FORMAT)BY DARREN ALLISON
In 1965, maverick British producer and writer Harry Alan Towers (The Bloody Judge) scored a hit with The Face of Fu Manchu, a thrilling revival of Sax Rohmer’s super-villain imperiously portrayed by Christopher Lee. Powerhouse/Indicator have lovingly brought together all five films in the series and in the process produced a rather spectacular collection. Christopher Lee was of course no stranger to playing maniacal, Asian characters. He had already played Chung King, leader of the Red Dragon Tong's in Hammer’s movie The Terror of the Tongs (1961) directed by Anthony Bushell. Tall, dark and menacing in his stature, Lee was perfect casting for novelist Sax Rohmer’s notorious Chinese criminal mastermind. Produced by Harry Alan Towers and Oliver A. Unger, The Face of Fu Manchu was a British / West German co-production. Behind the camera was Australian-born British film director Don Sharp, a man who had made some fine film’s for Hammer including The Kiss of the Vampire (1961) and The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) also starringChristopher Lee.
The film sets out in rather unusual style with the apparent beheading of Fu Manchu. Where do we go from here one might ask? Back in London, his nemesis Nayland Smith (superbly played by Nigel Green), becomes increasingly concerned that Dr. Fu Manchu is not only still alive – but also back and operating in London. The kidnapping of Professor Muller (German actor Walter Rilla) unravels a plot involving a potentially lethal solution created from the seeds of a rare Tibetan flower: the Blackhill poppy. Fu Manchu learns that the poppy seed's poison can be used as a weapon and that just a pint of this solution is powerful enough to kill every person and animal in London. And so begins the classic encounter between good and evil. It is naturally a perfect example of pulp fiction in its purist form. Producer Towers (as writer Peter Welbeck) seems to relish in his comic book approach, and in fairness, it all works incredibly well and to great effect. One has to remember that these films were made as family-orientated adventures, although some minor cuts were made in order to retain its ‘U’ certificate which obviously made good business sense. Unlike the ‘X’ certified Terror of the Tongs which contained much darker, adult themes, Fu Manchu, in its context is more like a Bulldog Drummond mystery or perhaps a Charlie Chan adventure from the forties or fifties. It succeeds in creating a perfect balance of dramatic excitement and a sense of innocent, harmless fun – all of which is indicative of its period. Powerhouse/Indicator has produced a wonderful presentation of the film. Restored from a 4K scan of the original negative, the Techniscope frame and Technicolor print has never looked so good, revealing sharp detail and a rich, vibrant colour palette. Blacks are deep and solid and work especially well in contrast to the silky fabrics of Lee’s costuming. The audio (its original mono) is also clear and clean without any evidence of hiss or pops. It’s clear that these films have been worked upon with a great degree of love and care. Powerhouse has also offered a choice of two versions of the film. It was revealed at the time of production, reel 3 of the original negative contained a degree of damage to the left side of frame. This was dealt with at the time by zooming in on certain shots for the cinema prints and thereby eliminating the damage from view. Subsequent prints (for TV and other media formats) have always used the same ‘fixed’ theatrical version. However, for the first time, Powerhouse has offered the option to view the original print in its uncorrected version. Whilst the damage is of course still evident, it does however provide the opportunity of viewing the film without the use of panning or the post-production corrective fix. It’s a nice little touch on the part of Powerhouse and one which is bound toplease the purists.
The wealth of bonus material is also very impressive. Firstly, there’s an enjoyable, fact-filled audio commentary with genre-film experts, critics and authors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman recorded in 2020. Other bonus extras include an archival Interview with Don Sharp – Part One: From Hobart to Hammer (1993, 96 mins) made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring Sharp in conversation with Teddy Darvas and Alan Lawson; the BEHP Interview with Ernest Steward – Part One: The BIP Years (1990, 96 mins): archival audio recording of an interview with the respected cinematographer, also made as part of the British Entertainment History Project. There’s a b/w archival interview with Christopher Lee (1965, 4 mins); an extract from the Irish television programme Newsbeat, filmed during location shooting in Dublin. Vic Pratt Introduces ‘The Face of Fu Manchu’ (2020, 7 mins), an appreciation by the BFI curator. Underneath the Skin (2020, 49 mins) in which broadcaster, educationalist and author of The Yellow Peril: Dr Fu Manchu & The Rise of Chinaphobia, the wonderful Sir Christopher Frayling examines the origin, history and reputation of Sax Rohmer’s works. There are also a few alternative titles and credits sequences. For those of a certain age, there are Super 8mm versions: cut-down home cinema presentations which provide a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Original UK, German and French theatrical trailers and a generous image gallery featuring promotional posters, photos and publicity material round off this impressive world premiere onBlu-ray.
Due to the success of The Face of Fu Manchu – especially in America- producer Harry Alan Towers wasted very little time by setting the wheels in motion for a hasty sequel. Hoping to achieve the same success, Towers again pulled in West Germany’s Constantin Films along with his own Hallam Productions to co-finance the next project, The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966). Regardless of a very busy 1966, (a year that also included Hammer’s ‘back-to-back’ productions of Dracula: Prince of Darkness and Rasputin, the Mad Monk), Towers nevertheless managed to secure his leading man Christopher Lee. He was also fortunate enough to have original director Don Sharp sign againon the dotted line.
The story once again revolves around world domination, this time through the use radio waves which can carry destructive blast frequencies. In order to carry out his plan, Fu Manchu has kidnapped the daughters of prominent scientists whom he blackmails into helping him create his deadly transmitter. It was a simple enough narrative, written again in easy, comic book style by Harry Alan Towers. The great loss to this particular film is that of Nigel Green as Nayland Smith. Smith is this time played by Douglas Wilmer, an actor that had just played Sherlock Holmes in the TV series of 1965. Wilmer fits the role perfectly well and proves he can handle himself when it comes to the obligatory fist fight with the dacoits. However, he doesn’t quite possess the same regimented and commanding drive displayed by that of Nigel Green. As with his later portrayals of Dracula, Lee also has far less demanding role in The Brides of Fu Manchu. His presence is still dominating but he has far less to do. Here he seems more comfortable behind a control or instrument panel. In fact, it’s his depraved daughter Lin Tang (Tsai Chin) who this time takes a far more active role alongside lead henchman Feng (played wonderful by Burt Kwouk) who almost steals the show. Everything here though is all sufficiently menacing and a great deal of fun. Powerhouse has again delivered where it counts. Creating a newly restored transfer from a 4K scan of the original negative, the film looks beautiful and includes the original BBFC theatrical card. Director Don Sharp this time opted to drop the Techniscope process (probably due to Towers ever tightening of the budget) and instead chose to use a standard 1.85:1 lens – but thankfully this never distracts or lessons the overall viewing pleasure or impact. The rich greens, golds and pinks of the costuming again appear so rich. The restoration also reveals a much greater depth, particularly those cantered in the subterranean chamber; another beautifully lit set which looks far greater on screen than in probably was in reality. Every element of these scenes is greatly enhanced and benefit hugely from the new restoration. Powerhouse has also satisfied the purists by sensibly utilizing the cleaned original mono audio. The disc’s bonus material is also impressive and contains a full audio commentary, this time provided by film historians Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby (2020). Then there is a continuation of the BEHP Interview with Don Sharp – Part Two: A Director of Substance (1993, 95 mins) and Part 2 of the BEHP Interview with Ernest Steward: From Teddington to ‘Carry On’ (1990, 93 mins). Then there’s a real treat in the shape of The Guardian interview with Christopher Lee (1994, 87 mins): a wide-ranging onstage interview with the legendary actor, conducted by the film critic David Robinson. Lee was renowned as a great talker, and this is no exception. The iconic actor delves deep and concise providing the audience with a rare insight of the business and a feast of industry stories. BFI curator Vic Pratt provides another unique and newly filmed introduction to The Brides of Fu Manchu (2020, 7 mins). Pages of Peril (2020, 21 mins): has genre-film expert, critic and author Kim Newman discuss Sax Rohmer and the Fu Manchu novels. The film’s original theatrical trailer, a b/w TV spot and an Image gallery containing production photos, promotional and publicity material round off the world premiere Blu-ray verynicely.
Continue reading "REVIEW: "THE FU MANCHU CYCLE" STARRING CHRISTOPHER LEE; 5 DISC BLU-RAY RELEASE FROM POWERHOUSE (REGION "B" PAL FORMAT)" Posted by Cinema Retroin
DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Monday, November 2. 2020 KINO NOW OFFERS FREE FILMS TO STREAM Cinema Retro has received the following press release: KINO NOW CELEBRATES ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY WITH FREE MOVIE BINGE A Special Selection of Eight Films Available to Rent Free ThroughNovember 15th
FEATURING:
BEANPOLE
BOY
THE COMPLETE METROPOLISIT FELT LIKE LOVE
DAWSON CITY: FROZEN TIMEVARIETY
THE HITCH-HIKER
WALK WITH ME
VISIT
https://kinonow.com/series/anniversary-binge REDEEM COUPON CODE KNBDAY Free Sign-Up, No Subscription Required Kino Lorber celebrates the one-year anniversary of its digital streaming platform, Kino Now, with a selection of its most essential films. To mark the anniversary, Kino Lorber is making available for a limited time eight films to rent for free, reflecting a mix of award-winning international, documentary, American independent, and classic cinema. The coupon can be redeemed through November 15, and once redeemed will be active for 15 days. Sign-up for Kino Now is free, no subscription required. Click here to view the full lineup of the Kino Now Anniversary Binge. Included in the free binge are recent international hits like Taika Waititi's heartwarming coming-of-age family drama Boy, and Oscar® shortlisted Russian WWII drama Beanpole. Kino Lorber's slate of critically acclaimed documentaries is represented by Dawson City: Frozen Time about the discovery of a treasure trove of lost films in Northern Canada. Fans of Eliza Hittman's new film Never Rarely Sometimes Always will want to check out her Brooklyn-set indie debut It Felt Like Love, while classic film buffs can enjoy restorations of Fritz Lang's silent masterpiece Metropolis, and fresh from their repertory re-releases, Ida Lupino's Film Noir thriller The Hitch-Hiker, and Bette Gordon's Variety, a feminist time capsule of seedy early-'80s Times Square. Finally, those looking for spiritual calm in these tumultuous times can find it in Walk With Me, a Benedict Cumberbatch-narrated portrait of Thich Nhat Hanh, who helped popularize the teachings of mindfulness in the Western world. Since its launch last fall, Kino Now has grown to more than 1000 titles individually offered for digital rental or purchase -- no subscription necessary -- culled from the rich library of Kino Lorber and its partner labels. Additionally, a new selection of approximately 50 titles are added to the platform each month. Kino Now brings movie lovers the masterworks of yesterday and new films destined to be the classics of tomorrow. Available a click away for rental and purchase all in a one-stop shop, this superbly curated digital library brings new convenience to savoring great cinema at home, as well as allowing film lovers to build permanent digital collections of their favorites to watch whenever they want on any device from portable handhelds to large home theater screens. Richard Lorber, President & CEO of Kino Lorber, said, "As a distributor we launched Kino Now as a fresh channel focused on the groundbreaking narratives and documentaries we offer. The anniversary binge was curated as a snapshot of the great works in our library and offered as a 'thank you' to our most loyal customers and a 'welcome' for newcomers wishing to experience cinema." Posted by Cinema Retroin
DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Monday, November 2. 2020 PARAMOUNT RELEASING ROBERT ALTMAN'S "POPEYE" 40TH ANNIVERSARY BLU-RAY Cinema Retro has received the following press release: The beloved anvil-armed sailor of the seven seas comes magically to life in _POPEYE_, arriving on Blu-ray for the first time ever December 1, 2020 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Starring the incomparable Robin Williams in his first big-screen role and Shelley Duvall as his devoted sweetie, Olive Oyl, the delightful musical celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, having debuted in theaters on December 12,1980.
The new Blu-ray includes access to a Digital copy of the film, along with nearly 30 minutes of all-new bonus content featuring excerpts from one of Robin Williams’ final interviews, an archival interview with director Robert Altman, as well as a newly conducted interview with Stephen Altman. The full list of bonus features is below: * · Return to Sweethaven: A Look Back with Robin and the Altmans*
* · The Popeye Company Players*
* · Popeye’s Premiere*
* · The Sailor Man Medleys*
* · Theatrical Trailer Legendary producer Robert Evans and screenwriter Jules Feiffer worked for nearly three years to get _POPEYE_ into production. The film combined the talents of Robert Altman, composer and lyricist Harry Nilsson, numerous filmmaking artisans, and an outstanding cast of actors, mimes, athletes and street performers to bring the world of the beloved character to life. The result is an uplifting and visually delightful film that celebrates the magic of what Altman called “a genuine American hero.”CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Sunday, November 1. 2020 BREAKING NEWS: SIR SEAN CONNERY DEAD AT AGE 90BY LEE PFEIFFER
Sir Sean Connery has passed away at age 90. One of the few remaining genuine legends of the film industry, Connery's passing will seem surrealistic to his legions of international fans, as he somehow seemed immortal. Connery overcame a humble upbringing in Edinburgh, Scotland to emerge as a cinematic icon. As young man, he entered the Royal Navy but his stint was short-lived, as he was released from service due to health issues. He later dabbled in weight lifting and was Scotland's candidate in the Mr. Universe contest. Connery drifted into acting quite by chance after someone suggested he audition for a chorus role in a London stage production of "South Pacific". He got the part and the acting bug got the better of him and he became determined to make it his profession. Connery secured bit roles in low-budget British films without making much of an impact, though one of the films, "Hell Drivers" managed to assemble a remarkable cast that included two other future stars who would make their marks by playing secret agents, Patrick McGoohan and David McCallum. Connery seemed poised for stardom when was signed under contract by 20th Century Fox. However, what was to be his first major film, _Another Time, Another Place_ opposite Lana Turner, flopped. Fox saw no potential in the young actor but two enterprising producers, Albert R. ("Cubby") Broccoli and Harry Saltzman did. The pair had recently formed Eon Productions for the express purpose of bringing Ian Fleming's James Bond novels to the big screen, having secured funding from United Artists' head of production David V. Picker, who was a fan of the books. The producers considered many young actors for the pivotal role of 007, knowing that securing the right man would be essential for ensuring sequels to their first production, _Dr. No. _There have been countless variations of how Broccoli and Saltzman agreed to hire Sean Connery, who had enough hubris to refuse to film a formal screen test. However, Broccoli once told this writer that it was his wife Dana who suggested Connery, having seen him in the 1959 Disney film _Darby O'Gill and the Little People. _Connery suitably impressed the producers and _Dr.No _was brought to the screen in 1962 (it premiered in America the following year.) While the film wasn't a blockbuster, it was considered to be a sizable hit and, most importantly, Connery truly "clicked" with critics and audiences. The following film, _From Russia with Love _was released in 1963 to great acclaim and much higher boxoffice grosses on a worldwide basis. The films pushed the envelope in terms of sex and violence and Bond rapidly became male role model for the Playboy magazine era. Broccoli and Saltzman wisely decided to make each successive film more expensive and grander in terms of production values. With the 1964 release of _Goldfinger, _the fan movement had evolved into worldwide Bondmania. Connery had attributed much of his success in the role of 007 to Terence Young, the dapper director of the first two films, who took the 'rough-around-the-edges' young Scot to a level of refinement, teaching him how to dress, eat and drinkproperly.
Despite the Bond films bringing Connery wealth, acclaim and fame, there was already the seeds of trouble in Paradise. He could perceive that the Bond films would have a much longer history than anyone initially anticipated. Consequently, he became afraid of being typecast. He sought other roles in high profile films. In the 1964 thriller, _Woman of Straw, _he gave a strong performance as a manipulative womanizer and schemer. Although the film is a gem, it flopped on its release. Connery had high hopes for working with Alfred Hitchcock as the male lead in _Marnie_ the same year. Hitchcock had been riding high with a wave of acclaimed, high profile films but to Connery's disappointment, _Marnie_ was a critical and boxoffice failure. By the time Connery went into production on the fourth Bond film, _Thunderball, _he was feuding with the producers, who, in turn, were feuding with each other. The unexpected popularity of the Bond franchise had put enormous pressure on everyone. Connery, an intensely private man, found himself the reluctant idol of millions around the globe. His marriage to actress Diane Cilento was suffering as a consequence. Prior to the release of _Thunderball _in 1965, Connery won acclaim for his lead role in _The Hill, _an intense prison drama that teamed him with director Sidney Lumet for the first time. The movie was widely praised but sank at the boxoffice. Connery became frustrated that fans only wanted to see him as Bond, a theory proven by the blockbuster grosses for _Thunderball. _Connery's attempt at a madcap comedy, _A Fine Madness, _also flopped in 1966, the year he was going into production on the fifth Bond movie _You Only Live Twice. _Filmed in Japan under enormous logistical pressures, Connery had made it known he was fed up with playing 007. Although contractually obligated to star in the next film, _On Her Majesty's Secret Service, _the producers released Connery from the movie and hired novice actor George Lazenby to play Bond. Eager to reshape his image, Connery teamed with producer Euan Lloyd for the European Western _Shalako_, which boasted an international high profile cast. While not a flop, the movie also didn't indicate that there was a major acceptance of Connery in a non-Bond role. The Russian/Italian co-production of _The Red Tent _in which Connery played doomed Norwegian Arctic explorer Roald Amundsen, was a boxoffice disaster. He had high hopes for director Martin Ritt's _The Molly Maguires, _but that failed commercially, too. Perhaps for this reason, Connery agreed to return to the role of James Bond one more time in _Diamonds are Forever. _After George Lazenby had quit the series after only one film, producers and United Artists had signed American actor John Gavin for the role of Bond. However, David Picker wanted to ensure the stability of the lucrative series and offered Connery the highest salary ever paid to an actor: $1.25 million plus a percentage of the gross. Connery agreed with the promise of using the windfall to establish a charity in his native Scotland. Ironically, Connery's latest non-Bond film, _The Anderson Tapes, _proved to be a critical and commercial success even as he was filming his return to the role of 007. Predictably, _Diamonds Are Forever _was a smash hit, despite the fact that a weak script had left some diehard fans somewhat disappointed. After all, Connery was back and the world press rejoiced. Nevertheless, Connery resisted offers to appear as Bond again in _Live and Let Die _and Roger Moore inherited the role, finding equal success over a twelve year period. Some of Connery's post-Bond films fared well, despite the high profile failure of director John Boorman's sci-fi film _Zardoz _and _The Offence, _a grim police drama in which Connery gave an Oscar-caliber performance. However, the movie, which reunited him with Sidney Lumet, was barely released theatrically and played briefly in only a handful of venues. Connery finally began to earn praise from critics for his performances in films such as _The Man Who Would Be King, The Wind and the Lion, Murder on the Orient Express, The Great Train Robbery _and _Robin and Marian. _By this point in his personal life, he and Diane Cilento had divorced. Connery would then marry the artist Michelene Roquebrune in 1975. They remained married until his death. Professionally, many of his films still failed at the boxoffice, though by this point he was enjoying status as an icon of international cinema. In 1983, he returned to the role of James Bond in _Never Say Never Again_, a loose remake of _Thunderball _that was produced outside of the Eon franchise films. The movie was a financial success and earned good reviews, though Bond purists widely consider it to have fallen short of its potential. In 1988, Connery was awarded the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his impressive performance as an aging Irish cop on the trail of Al Capone in _The Untouchables. _Even as he aged, he was regarded as a sex symbol. Upon being told that he had been voted "The Sexiest Man Alive", Connery characteristically quipped that there weren't many sexy dead men. In 1989, he co-starred with Harrison Ford in the blockbuster _Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, _directed by Steven Spielberg. Connery would later say it was one of his most enjoyable experiences as an actor. The following year, he scored another hit with _The Hunt for Red October, _a Cold War thriller that benefited from the recent collapse of the Soviet Union. However, it wouldn't be until 1996 when he starred in another blockbuster release with the prison adventure film _The Rock. _His 1999 crime caper _Entrapment_ was also a major hit but Connery was publicly griping that the filmmaking process and the quality of scripts presented to him were becoming matters of concern. After the ill-fated super hero movie _The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen _in 2003, he announced he was retiring from acting. Despite overtures from the industry, Connery refused all offers, including another Indiana Jones film. In his post-retirement years, Connery kept a low public profile, rarely appearing at events or granting interviews. This led to rumors that he was ill or even at death's door. However, in 2010, his brother Neil told this writer that people simply didn't understand that Connery was enjoying a laid-back retirement lifestyle, having traveled and worked so extensively for decades. Politically, Connery remained steadfastly nationalistic in terms of Scottish independence and would occasionally March in the Tartan Day parade in New York City, attiredin a kilt.
Sir Sean Connery's legacy was not only as an icon of international cinema, but also as a man of dignity and honor who made it to the top without compromising his principles. He had lived to see many of his films become regarded as classics and he enjoyed the respect of his peers as well as audiences around the world. Not bad for a Scottish lad who started out driving lorries and polishing coffins. Posted by Cinema Retroin
Obituaries
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Saturday, October 31. 2020 RELIVING THE IMPACT OF GEORGE ROMERO'S "NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD" Critic J. Hoberman reflects on the cinematic and societal impact of George Romero's seminal indie horror classic "Night of the Living Dead", which was released in that tumultuous year of 1968. (Yes, folks there actually _was_ a more tumultuous year than the crazed election era of 2020.). The Vietnam War was raging, protests were ongoing, cities were burning and two of the most important men of the era- Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy- were assassinated within a span of two months. Fittingly, Romero's groundbreaking horror flick tossed aside all conventions. There was no happy ending, a black man was the hero and we were all made aware of how fragile the solidity of civilized society actually was. We survived all that and we may well survive the calamity of our era of Coronvirus, crazed political leaders and the rise of fringe hate groups. But now, more than ever, Romero's cheapo horror masterpiece seems to speak to our era in way we haven't experienced since the year it was released. Click here to read. - _Lee Pfeiffer___CLICK HERE
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Reviews & Essays
on Saturday, October 31. 2020 "THE HAUNTING" (1963): READ THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER'S ORIGINAL REVIEW Shirley Jackson's famed ghost story novel "The Haunting of Hill House" was originally made into an MGM film by director Robert Wise in 1963. Jan de Bont's 1999 remake was poorly received and most recently, there is a hit Netflix series inspired by Jackson's book. However, for pure brilliance, Wise's interpretation of the story still stands as a masterpiece of the horror film genre in which ambiguity and unexplained events prove to be more chilling than most films that employ over-the-top special effects. For all of respect accorded the film today, it was not particularly well-received by critics when it originally opened. One of the more positive and insightful reviews was written by James Powers for The Hollywood Reporter. Click hereto read.
Posted by Cinema Retroin Out
of the Past
on Saturday, October 31. 2020 STREAMING REVIEW: "DON'T READ THIS ON A PLANE" STARRING SOPHIEDESMARAIS (AMAZON)
BY GIACOMO SELLONI
Don't Read This on a Plane is Stuart McBratney's third feature film. Based in Newcastle, Australia he is a veteran director of over 500 commercials, several music videos and a TV series. He is also a lecturer and an academic at the University of Newcastle's School of Creative Industries, where he teaches Media Production. He has a PhD in Design and if that isn't enough, this writer/director also composed the music for the film. But enough about him. Impressive as his accomplishments may be this review is about this film and especially this film's lead actress. Don't Read This on a Plane is a fun film. The title of the film is also the title of our protagonist's third novel (the first two being failures). You'll find yourself asking many questions. The first of course being: "Why shouldn't I read this on a plane?" Other questions you'll have throughout the course of the film will be: "Is her book autobiographical?" and "Now what?" The main question you may ask yourself is "Why isn't Sophie Desmarais a star?" A native of Montreal, Canada, she's starred in numerous television series and a number of films. She won numerous awards for her role as Sarah Lepage in Sarah Prefers to Run (or Sarah Préfère la Course in French). Sophie Desmarais is Jovanna Fey. (Merriam-Webster defines "Fey" not only as: 2) a: able to see into the future, VISIONARY b: marked by an otherworldly air or attitude - but also 1) _chiefly Scotland:_ fated to die, doomed. An apt surname for our heroine. The novel in question: Don't Read This On A Plane is Jovanna's amusing and risqué chronicle of one woman's series of, shall we say frolics, with one hundred women. This is the novel she hopes will bring her fame, and if not exactly fortune, put some money in the bank. Is Jovanna Fey able to see into the future? Sadly, NO. Does she possess an otherworldly air (think: faerie)? Absolutely, YES. Sophie Desmarais brings this magical, daring and strong creature to life. She carries the film and sweeps you along with her. The film opens in Paris with Jovanna packing for a tour to promote her new book. She is going off on a 21-day jaunt through Europe that will take her to some of the most famous and beautiful bookshops on thecontinent.
Landing in Venice, she discovers her hotel reservation has been cancelled. When she calls her book publisher, located in Newcastle, Australia, she discovers he's gone bankrupt. An inefficient assistant failed to notify her of that fact. While all of her hotel reservations have been cancelled, the airfare for the entire journey is paid in full. So, if she wants to continue "You must cover the tax, food, accommodations, promotions, insurance, communications, and miscellaneous expenses. The Greeks did insist on upfront payment for your driver. Nothing like a collapsed economy to spar the bit of entrepreneurial spirit," Alec, the publisher informs her. He also signs over to her all the rights to the book; "Maybe this is all for the best?" "I'm stranded and penniless, Alec. So, how can this be for the best?" she replies. But she decides to carry on. Her husband can't help her. He works as a cook on an off-shore oil rig, gone for 28 days at a clip, and is difficult to get a hold of since there's no cell service. She checks into a youth hostel for a night of very little sleep but she learns of the MOAF network - Mattress on a Floor. A real, world-wide network where people let strangers stay in their home on anything from a yoga mat to a bed. Jovanna meets many colorful, interesting and occasionally dangerouspeople this way.
Don't Read This on a Plane takes us through eight stops as Jovanna hitchhikes and roughs it traveling to and from airports to bookshops and MOAF homes. Through it all she tries to maintain a façade of success to the bookshops' owners. We get to visit such gorgeous bookshops as the Libreria Acqua Alta in Venice, the Livaria Lello in Porto, the Book Barge, a floating "bookshop" in Burgandy (one of the funniest scenes in the film), Der Jakob und Wilhelm Grimm Zentrum in Berlin, the Antal Szerb University in Budapest, Atlantis Books in Santorini, the Boekhandel Dominicanen in Maastricht and finally in Oradea, Romania where Jovanna reads in front of a large crowd at the Oradea State Theatre. Don't Read This on a Plane was filmed in all the places mentioned. Ten different cities in all. And we do find out why we shouldn't read THIS on a plane. Sophie Desmarais charms the viewer throughout as Jovanna Fey. There is a touch of pixie to go along with the pluck and courage she brings to the role. Among the smaller character roles that stand out are Eugene Gilfedder as Alec, the publisher, Hildegard Schroedter as Maria, the truck driver, Dorotheea Petre as Ksenia Allen C. Gardner as Theo and Marie Bray as Olga, the sole attendee on the Book Barge. Addendum: "The coin was wrong. But I had to flip it to find out." -Jovanna Fey.
The film is available for streaming on Amazon and numerous services. Click here for info.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Friday, October 30. 2020 CINEMA RETRO SEASON 16 NOW COMPLETE. SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR ALL THREEISSUES!
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Thursday, October 29. 2020 REVIEW: "AGAINST ALL FLAGS" (1952) STARRING ERROL FLYNN AND MAUREEN O'HARA; BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONBY FRED BLOSSER
Kino Lorber Studio Classics has released “Against All Flags,” a 1952 pirate movie from Universal-International, in a new Blu-ray edition. In the opening scene, British naval Lt. Brian Hawke (Errol Flynn) endures a shipboard flogging in front of a stern-faced audience of enlisted men and fellow officers. It isn’t clear what crime he’s charged with. Cowardice? Disobeying orders? Breaking into the admiral’s rum supply? Not that it matters, because as we quickly learn, the whipping is only a cover story. Publicly, Hawke is a disgraced man. Privately, he’s assigned to infiltrate a troublesome pirate stronghold on Madagascar. There, posing as disgruntled turncoats, he and two loyal subordinates will covertly locate and disable the camouflaged batteries of cannon that protect the island. This will clear the way for a British warship to safely swoop in and get rid of the miscreants. One of Hawke’s assistants is played by busy 1950s character actor John “Basher” Alderson. You may be excused if you mistake Alderson for the equally prolific Bruce Glover from “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971) and “Chinatown” (1974). The two actors looked remarkably alike. On Madagascar, Hawke insinuates himself into the pirate brotherhood even though one of the senior captains, Roc Brasiliano (Anthony Quinn), continues to question his motives. Roc’s distrust of the newcomer is further fueled by jealousy. Red-haired lady pirate Spitfire Stevens (Maureen O’ Hara) has resisted the buccaneer’s heavy-handed advances, but she’s reluctantly attracted to Hawke, and the chemistry is mutual. Then Spitfire’s temper flares when the lieutenant takes an interest in a young princess (Alice Kelley) captured during a raid on a treasure ship. Hawke tries to keep the situation platonic -- he watches over the girl to make sure she isn’t abused by the pirates -- but Spitfire interprets his motives as sexual. The sheltered Princess Patma wishes they were, dreamily insisting “Again,” after she coaxes a kiss from Hawke. The lieutenant’s dilemma is played for laughs, with an obvious wink-wink-nudge-nudge for viewers aware of Errol Flynn’s offscreen reputation in the bedroom. In 1952, that would have been everybody in the movie theater. Hollywood is a lot more skittish about such things today, justifiably so. Hawke enlists the aid of the princess’ tutor (Mildred Natwick) to hide Patma’s identity, lest the pirates use her as a royal hostage. Thus, the lieutenant has to juggle several tricky tasks at once as Spitfire fumes and Roc watches for an excuse to tie Hawke to a stake at low tide to be eaten by crabs. (Did Ian Fleming take notes for “Doctor No”?) The Kino Lorber Studio Classics Blu-ray edition of “Against All Flags” restores the movie’s ravishing Technicolor in a notable upgrade over previous home-video releases, not to mention decades of inferior TV prints. As film historian Stephen Vagg notes in his audio commentary, Technicolor and the A-list casting of Flynn, O’Hara, and Quinn are the production’s distinguishing virtues. Otherwise, at the standard screen aspect of 1.37:1 and a thrifty running time of 84 minutes, it doesn’t particularly stand out from the dozens of other pirate adventures that emerged from Universal-International, Columbia, 20th Century Fox, and RKO in the late 1940s and early 1950s. At that, O’Hara’s flaming tresses had already been on Technicolor display in “The Black Swan” (1942) and “The Spanish Main” (1945). Vagg’s engaging commentary covers a wide range of topics, including the careers of the three stars, the history of pirate movies, and the real-life buccaneers represented in the picture, including a Black pirate captain portrayed by Emmett Smith. A Black character as a peer among white equals would be unremarkable casting now, but it was a progressive statement on racial equality for its time. Fans will be pleased that Vagg gives a shout-out to “Swordsmen of the Screen,” Jeffrey Richards’ rousing 1977 study of swashbuckling cinema. The Kino Lorber release also includes the movie’s theatrical trailer.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Thursday, October 29. 2020 STREAMING REVIEW: MARIO BAVA'S "BLACK SUNDAY" STARRING BARBARA STEELE(WWW.KINONOW.COM)
BY TODD GARBARINI
I’m a sucker for black and white horror films and thrillers. _Hold That Ghost!_ (1941) and _Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein_ (1948) are the closest I ever got to an actual horror film when I was a child. The latter actually frightened me and gave me more than a handful of nightmares while in kindergarten. As I got older, I thrilled to the suspense-filled _Psycho_ (1960) by Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Wise’s _The Haunting_ (1963), and George A. Romero’s _Night of the Living Dead_ (1968) on network television viewings. I picked up a VHS copy of John Llewelyn Moxey’s masterful _The City of the Dead_ under the insipid title of _Horror Hotel_ and discovered a classic that I love to this day. There is an overall spookiness that I associate with black and white that I wish contemporary horror film directors would go back to. It’s not all blood and guts – mood and atmosphere go a very long way. Following my discovery of Dario Argento’s work after a theatrical screening of _Creepers_ in 1985, I began to read about Mario Bava’s work and how it influenced Signor Argento’s style. _Black Sunday_, alternately known as _The Mask of Satan_ and _Revenge of the Vampire_, is a highly stylized gothic horror film that is considered to be Mario Bava’s directorial debut despite him having come in at the eleventh hour to finish up several films in the late 1950’s credited to other directors: _I Vampiri_ (1957), _The Day the Sky Exploded _(1958), _Caltiki – The Immortal Monster_ (1959) and _The Giant of Marathon_ (1959). Shot in 1960 and released on Thursday, March 9, 1961 in New York City, _Black Sunday_ is a creepy tale starring the luminous Barbara Steele in dual roles as both a condemned witch in 17th Century Moldavia named Asa Vajda and as a melancholic townswoman named Katja Vajda some 200 years later – quite a coincidence! Asa condemns her persecutors to death for her fate which finds her body placed into a mausoleum and found by chance two centuries later by a doctor (Andrea Checci) and his assistant (John Richardson) who are enroot to a convention and accidentally free Asa from her eternal sleep, giving her the opportunity to enact evil upon the heads of those unlucky enough to be related to those responsible for her death. While the plot is similar in theme to Mr. Moxey’s classic _The City of the Dead_ – I could hear the immortal words of the villagers “Bring me Elizabeth Selwyn” in that film as I watched _Black Sunday_ – the time and place is much different and the film benefits enormously from Signor Bava’s experience as a cinematographer even from the film’s opening frames. The imagery that permeates much of _Black Sunday_ are the stuff of childhood nightmares: cobwebs, creepy cemeteries, eerie sounds in the night…there is even a scene wherein a character fights off a vampire bat in a fashion that obviously provided the inspiration for Jessica Harper’s Suzy Bannion to do the same in Dario Argento’s _Suspiria_ (1977), albeit in dazzling Technicolor. Continue reading "STREAMING REVIEW: MARIO BAVA'S "BLACK SUNDAY" STARRING BARBARA STEELE (WWW.KINONOW.COM)" Posted by Cinema Retroin Todd
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on Wednesday, October 28. 2020 REVIEW: "SERGEANT YORK" (1941) STARRING GARY COOPER; WARNER ARCHIVEBLU-RAY RELEASE
“A RELUCTANT WAR HERO”BY RAYMOND BENSON
Howard Hawks’ biopic of American war hero Alvin C. York, _Sergeant York_, was the highest grossing film of 1941. It received many accolades, including a Best Actor Oscar for star Gary Cooper and a trophy for Film Editing. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay (John Huston was one of four writers involved), Supporting Actor (Walter Brennan), Supporting Actress (Margaret Wycherly), Cinematography, Art Direction, Music Score (by Max Steiner), and Sound Recording. The film was released in the summer of ’41 and did very well at the box office. By the time it was playing in rural America later in the year, though, the attack on Pearl Harbor had occurred. The mobilization to prepare for war helped give _Sergeant York _a second wave of financial success and it continued to play on U.S. screens into 1942. “Biopic” may be too broad of a description of the movie because it covers only two years of York’s life. The year is 1916 and York is already a grown man. York (Cooper) lives in an extremely rural area of Tennessee, near the Kentucky border (one of the bars he frequents with his best friends, played by Ward Bond and Noah Beery, Jr., is divided by the state line on the floor—and Tennessee residents must go to the Kentucky side of the place to purchase their liquor, and then walk back across the room to the Tennessee side to sit and drink it). York is an uneducated farmer (he can read, but an entire book is daunting for him) and poor. He lives with his wise but stern mother (Wycherly) and two younger siblings (the sister is played by a teen June Lockhart). The town—such as it is—has an unofficial patriarch in the form of the pastor and general store proprietor, Rosier Pile (Brennan). York is sweet on Gracie (Joan Leslie), and she has reciprocal feelings for him, but he worries that he has no land of his own or anything else he can offer. One stormy night, York is on his way on horseback to perhaps kill a man whom he feels stole a land purchase from him. York is struck by lightning and he survives. He suddenly finds religion after the incident. This dovetails with America’s entering World War I, and York is drafted. He enters the army but insists that he is a conscientious objector. The last act of the film becomes an engaging war movie in Europe, and it depicts how York overcomes his objection to perform a significant heroic act that solidifies his place inAmerican history.
While _Sergeant York _is perhaps a little lengthy at 134 minutes, under the direction of Howard Hawks it moves from one entertaining set piece to the next. The characterizations are expertly rendered by the entire cast. Brennan is always good during this period of his career (he won three Supporting Actor Oscars between 1936 and 1940), and George Tobias, as a fellow soldier from New York who teaches York about “subways,” is also winning. The movie, however, belongs to Cooper, who displays charm, humility, and integrity throughout thepicture.
(Note from the Warner Archive: Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging (MPI) presents a "Before & After" video comparing the previous master of Sergeant York (1941) with our brand-new master featured on our new Warner Archive Blu-ray.) Warner Archive’s Blu-ray is a port-over from Warner’s original DVD release. The restored transfer is gorgeous and clean, and it comes with an audio commentary by film historian Jeanine Basinger. Supplements include a “night at the movies” selection of shorts (a semi-comic documentary called _Lions for Sale_, and a Porky Pig cartoon). Of special interest is the 38-minute making-of featurette, _Sergeant York: Of God and Country_. For fans of _Sergeant York_, Gary Cooper, Howard Hawks, or depictions of Americana, the new Warner Archive edition of the picture is worththe upgrade.
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Raymond Benson (see also Criterion Corner) on Tuesday, October 27. 2020 REVIEW: "THE GROUNDSTAR CONSPIRACY" (1972) STARRING GEORGE PEPPARD; BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONBY NICK ANEZ
Universal released _The Groundstar Conspiracy_ starring George Peppard in 1972 and it died a swift death at the box-office. It is based on the 1968 novel _The Alien_ by L. P. Davies, a British author whose novels were known for merging the various genres of horror, science fiction, mystery, adventure and fantasy. _The Alien_ combines mystery and science fiction for an intriguing plot that takes place in England fifty years in the future and involves unidentified flying objects, an amnesiac patient who may be from another planet, espionage, murder and regenerative surgery. _The Groundstar Conspiracy_ retains the basic premise of the novel but changes virtually everything else. The screenplay by Mathew Howard (a pseudonym for Douglas Heyes) transfers the setting to 1972 California, focuses primarily on the espionage storyline and eliminates the novel’s plot of a possible invasion from another planet. (In the novel, the UFO landing and alien visitors are eventually revealed to be fraudulent.) The film begins with a series of explosions at Groundstar, a top-secret research government laboratory. Six people are killed but one man survives, though his face is burned beyond recognition. Despite his suffering, the severely wounded man finds his way to a nearby cottage occupied by Nicole Devon who immediately calls authorities. The man’s security card identifies him as computer technician John Welles. Additional material in his possession indicates that he set the explosions to conceal his theft of classified documents. Further investigation reveals that his credentials were forged and his identity fabricated. All evidence implicates Welles as a saboteur and murderer. However, he will require medical treatment including extensive plastic surgery before he can beinterrogated.
Tuxan, who is known only by his surname, is Groundstar’s chief security officer and his primary objective ostensibly is to force John Welles to reveal the name of the traitors who paid him to commit the crimes and the location of their spy ring. When his bandages are taken off, Welles stares in shock at his scarred, unfamiliar face and claims to have amnesia. He is devastated when Tuxan accuses him of murder and treason. Tuxan asserts that he is faking his amnesia and subjects him to a series of brutal methods of coercion, including excruciating shock therapy, to discover the truth. When these methods fail, Tuxan condemns Welles to a secret prison until he confesses. However, following an accident, Welles escapes and sets out to recover his memory. His only clue is Nicole Devon whom Tuxan suspects of being part of the conspiracy. Though Nicole is emotionally fragile due to recent personal traumas, Tuxan treats her as another collaborator. The fact that Welles and Nicole become romantically involved may seem clichéd but there is the suggestion that, in addition to mutual attraction, they gratify their passion because they both despise Tuxan. They don’t realize that they are mere pawns of Tuxan’s strategy which includes secretly filming everything they do – yes,everything.
_The Groundstar Conspiracy_ is an ingenious thriller with surprising twists and turns. Due to the film’s intricate narrative, what appears to be obvious may not be what is actual. Also, Tuxan may be more deceitful than the suspects that he interrogates. Furthermore, the abuse that John Welles suffers may be the result of his own actions, of which he may be totally unaware. If this sounds byzantine, it is intended to be. The film contains an extremely convoluted plot that is quite clever as well as challenging. It also raises some troubling questions, including the recurrent one of whether the good guys have to be more unscrupulous than the bad guys to achieve victory. In view of Tuxan’s accomplishment, this movie suggests that the answer is a definite affirmative. However, one of the movie’s many assets is that the exposure of the principal traitor is only a prelude to the solution of the story’s central mystery, which is the identity of the man known as John Welles. One indisputable fact is that Tuxan is a ruthless piece of work. He is tenacious about his mission and uses any means, legal or illegal, to preserve national security. He treats all personnel connected to Groundstar as suspects, including scientists, military personnel and politicians. He manipulates people like puppets on a string and equates Welles with cheese used to trap rats. He torments Welles physically and mentally regardless of his possible innocence. He believes that the end justifies the means and the end for him is the disclosure of the spy ring. The fact that he does uncover the traitors validates for him his brutal treatment of the innocent people that had the misfortune to fall under his suspicion. Yes, he is a genuine bastard but the key to his personality is that he is quite proud ofthis designation.
Lamont Johnson’s confident direction alternates the swift pace of the action and interrogation scenes with the more serene interludes of the developing relationship between Welles and Nicole. Johnson exercises restraint in the torture scenes and doesn’t exploit the grisly activities. In contrast, he accentuates the suffering of both Welles and Nicole which suggests sympathy for the lovers. Johnson filmed the entire movie in the vicinity of Vancouver, British Columbia. With the aid of Michael Reed’s splendid Panavision and Technicolor cinematography, he highlights British Columbia’s marvelous coastal locations that substitute for California’s Pacific Coast; the modernist Groundstar complex is actually Simon Fraser University. Johnson only directed a dozen theatrical films during his 45-year career and worked mostly in television, for which he received several Emmy and DGA (Directors Guild of America) nominations and awards. But this film, along with 1970’s _The Mackenzie Break_ clearly shows that he excelled in both arenas, especially when he worked with skillful actors. George Peppard’s forceful performance as Tuxan is particularly impressive because he doesn’t try to make his character even faintly likeable. Due to Tuxan’s consistent nastiness and persistence, Peppard must necessarily give a one-note portrayal. But he does it with admirable proficiency. His interpretation of Tuxan doesn’t convey a trace of suppressed softness beneath his merciless surface. He doesn’t suggest even a smidgen of compassion for the amnesiac which makes his character especially loathsome in view of the climactic revelation. Even more despicable, the actor suggests a hint of satisfaction during the torture sequences because of the message his action is sending to the enemy, whomever they may be. At the finale, when Tuxan is flushed with success, Peppard still doesn’t allow his character to display any warmth toward his primary victim. Indeed, he proudly exhibits additional egotism. It is an audacious performance because it is designed to deliberately alienate audiences. Nevertheless, Peppard’s innate appeal makes Tuxan fascinating and persuades those same audiences that people like him are necessary. Continue reading "REVIEW: "THE GROUNDSTAR CONSPIRACY" (1972) STARRING GEORGE PEPPARD; BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION" Posted by Cinema Retroin
DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Monday, October 26. 2020 OUT OF THE PAST: JOHN BOORMAN'S "DELIVERANCE" (1972) If you're a Cinema Retro reader, you probably don't have to be told how impressive director John Boorman's 1972 adaptation of James Dickey's bestseller "Deliverance" is, but here's a reminder.CLICK HERE
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on Sunday, October 25. 2020 REPORT: "NO TIME TO DIE" WILL NOT PREMIERE ON STREAMING SERVICEBY LEE PFEIFFER
Mike Fleming of the Deadline website adds some context to a recent report from Bloomberg News that the next James Bond film, "No Time to Die", might "premiere" on a major streaming service. Deadline says that although some discussions and consideration were given to this option, Bond producers have decided to hold out for a theatrical premiere in April, 2021. The report goes into the financial stakes that effect the film and the franchise in general. If recent history is any indication, "No Time to Die" could gross over a billion dollars from international theatrical exhibition. The movie was originally slated to premiere in London last March but considerations of the virus led producers to announce it would be delayed until this November. With the world still reeling from the effects of the virus, Eon Productions announced that April, 2021 would be the new target date. However, much will depend on world conditions at that time. As experts predicted, the world is still grappling with the virus and a new surge is expected to get only worse with the arrival of colder weather. While great progress is being made in the development of vaccines, the earliest one might be approved seems to be late this year. By the time it could begin to be administered to general populations worldwide, experts cite next spring or summer as the most likely timetable. This calls into question whether the marketplace would be any more favorable to release a major movie. "No Time to Die" is said to have cost about $250 million. The producers have acknowledged they want to premiere the film in theaters. However, the only thing anyone knows for sure regarding the effect of the virus is that no one knows anything for sure. For more click here.
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on Sunday, October 25. 2020 BOOK REVIEW: “TCM’S THE ESSENTIALS, VOL. 2—52 MORE MUST-SEE MOVIES AND WHY THEY MATTER” BY JEREMY ARNOLD (RUNNING PRESS) “A GOOD STARTING POINT—PART TWO”BY RAYMOND BENSON
With the publication of Jeremy Arnold’s new lavishly illustrated and intelligently written TCM (Turner Classic Movies) coffee-table paperback, _The Essentials, Volume 2: 52 More Must-See Movies and Why They Matter, _I find myself going back to my review of the original Volume 1 of _The Essentials _and am tempted to repeat much of what wassaid there.
“The Essentials” is a weekly Saturday night event on TCM in which a guest host introduces a picture he or she believes is an Essential, i.e., a title “film lovers need to know,” as film historian Ben Mankiewicz explains in the forward. The number 52 is used because there are 52 weeks in a year. Unlike in Volume One, the new book contains an Appendix listing _all _the Essentials that TCM has aired, indicating the ones chosen for both Volumes 1 and 2 (and there are still plenty left over, leaving open the possibility of a Volume 3 and 4!). It must be stated that TCM’s choice of movies depend entirely on what is available to the network to broadcast. For example, _The Godfather_, surely an “Essential,” is not on the list because TCM has never had the rights to show it. _The Wizard of Oz _is not there, either. Therefore, TCM’s list of Essentials, while containing all fabulous, important, and indeed _must-see _titles, does unfortunately omit some obvious pictures, albeit through no fault of their own. That said, the new Volume 2 handsomely complements Volume 1 design-wise and sits neatly on the shelf beside its older brother. Author Jeremy Arnold does a superb job presenting the reasons why a particular film matters and provides interesting sidebar trivia for each entry. The book is gorgeously illustrated with many stills, both color and black-and-white. The new tome includes such classics as _Sunrise_, _Freaks_, _Top Hat_, _Stagecoach_, _Sullivan’s Travels_, _Yankee Doodle Dandy_, _Notorious_, _Rashomon_, _High Noon_, _The Bridge on the River Kwai_, _The Apartment_, _Psycho_, _The Producers_, _Hannah and Her Sisters_, and I was particularly pleased to see _2001: A Space Odyssey _(an omission I noted from Volume 1!). It is always too easy when judging a book of “bests” to complain about what’s missing. That won’t happen here except to say that it’s unfortunate that TCM does not incorporate more foreign-language titles that are indeed must-see “essentials”—for example, there’s not a single film by Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, or Francois Truffaut on the full list. While there are a few, such as Godard’s _Breathless _(included in Volume 1) and Ray’s _Pather Panchali_ (here in Volume 2), so many are missing. One must conclude that this is because TCM concentrates more on purely American/Hollywood fare. But this is quibbling. All told, like Volume 1 before it, _The Essentials Volume 2 _is another good starting point “bucket list” of must-see movies, especially for younger aficionados who might want to get a jump start on their film history class.CLICK HERE
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Raymond Benson (see also Criterion Corner) on Saturday, October 24. 2020 BOOK REVIEW: "JOHN BADHAM ON DIRECTING: NOTES ON 'SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER', 'WAR GAMES' AND MORE" (2ND EDITION) (MICHAEL WIESEPRODUCTIONS)
BY CAI ROSS
“Directing is so much more than staging scenes or moving the camera,” explains John Badham in the new edition of his last book. “It is how to make the impossible possible. It is storytelling, imagination, people managing, resource skills, physical stamina, so many things a director is called upon to be good at. Including accepting the blame for everything: the script, the performances, the camerawork etc., etc., etc. And yet, in spite of all those limitations, obstacles, and endless politics, we charge forward trying to make the very best of what we have to work with. Who else would do such a crazy thing? But how can we not?” In the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, John Badham enjoyed something of the Midas Touch. A former actor - and brother of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ actress Mary Badham - he had graduated at the same movie academy of hard knocks as contemporary directors like Steven Spielberg and Richard Donner: namely directing 1970s TV shows, in his case ‘The Streets of San Francisco’, ‘Kung Fu’ and ‘NightGallery’.
He struck box office gold with his second feature, _Saturday Night Fever_ which became a worldwide phenomenon in 1977, capturing the disco era at the zenith of its popularity and transforming John Travolta into an icon in white polyester. He demonstrated his versatility straight away with his next movie, a luscious, romantic _Dracula_ starring Frank Langella, with the Transylvanian Count retooled as a swoon-inducing Gothic romancer. Into the 1980s, Badham alternated kid-centric thrillers like _WarGames_ and _Short Circuit _with more mature action pictures like _Blue Thunder_, _Stakeout_ and _Bird on a Wire, _all of which resonated with audiences. A sure-footed, no-nonsense director, Badham’s work was characterised by his affinity with actors and his ability to coax naturalistic performances from his cast that won over audiences time after time. Even in high concept mainstream studio blockbusters, his cast were always given room to breathe and play off each other, giving his work a charm and longevity absent from a lot of other hits from the time. Following hits like _The Hard Way_ and his underrated remake of _La Femme Nikita_, _Point of No Return_, Badham’s career went full circle in the new millennium as he returned to television, directing episodes of some of the most successful shows of the past twenty years like ‘Supernatural’, ‘Heroes’, ‘Arrow’ and ‘Psych’, though the difference in working methods on TV made for an often jarring gear-change, or as he puts it, “The parallel universe takes a hard-right fork here and spears you on a sharply pointed tine.” In 2006 he published his first book, ‘I’ll Be In My Trailer’ (co-written with Craig Modderno), a juicy and highly entertaining memoir that dealt with the often strained relationship between director and actor. In his quest to pass on his hard-won skills at ameliorating tensions, Badham was joined by fellow-travellers including Oliver Stone, Richard Donner, John Frankenheimer and Michael Mann, and passing insightful tips from the actors’s corner of the ring, such luminaries as Martin Sheen, Eriq LaSalle, Mel Gibson, Richard Dreyfuss, and the “always exciting, never dull scatological actor” James Woods. The central theme of resolving the potential conflict between actors and directors carries through to ‘John Badham on Directing’ (2nd Edition). The first half of the book is a ‘How To…’ guide on saying the right things, not saying the wrong things, creating the right atmosphere and tips, learned the hard way, on the best ways to get your actors to overcome their innate distrust of you. Once again, Badham is joined by a gang of learned pals offering their own advice, which is more often than not a sage reduction like Steven Soderbergh’s simple edict, “Don’t tell actors what to think. Tell them what to _do._” Badham recalls once doing precisely the opposite, gabbing on at considerable length trying to explain the internal machinations of Bill Bixby’s character, until Bixby stopped him and said, “I have no idea what you just said.” It is typical of Badham’s understated style to make himself the butt of most of the jokes and the source of most (but by no means all) of the screw-ups that he’s spent fifty years learning from. He’s still working today at the cutting edge of mainstream television but as a graduate of the old-school he still has a fondness for the more analogue-era techniques. He decries the post-digital tendency to print everything, knowing that the poor editor will be drowning in mostly useless footage. He also has little time for new innovations like video playback, preferring to deal with the actors the old way, standing off camera. “The video monitor became the watercooler of the set,” he groans. “Anyone with nothing better to do scammed a pair of headphones and sat in a forest of director’s chairs crowded around the video monitor, Monday morning quarterbacking every second.” Despite being called ‘…On Directing’ the book is not a manual for wannabe directors looking to learn how to create dolly-zoom shots, block scenes or choose camera lenses correctly - though Badham is generous in his recommendation of other writers’ works that offer further reading in that area. In Badham’s experience, new directors flush with all the benefits of modern technology, tend to already know everything about the mechanical side of making movies. It’s having to deal with other human beings on the set that often proves to be theAchilles heel.
Instead, anyone hoping to pick up a bullhorn and recline into the director’s chair for the first time will benefit from the many anecdotal lessons learned by Badham and his collaborators about vitally important but untaught skills like how to praise a performance, or how not to give advice notes, and deceptively simple guidance, like always show up to work forty-five minutes early. His tales of the brutally intense world of directing television shows are particularly compelling. Often, books on directors tend to concentrate on the almost mythical figure of the grand Hollywood auteur, but the advice and reminiscences of TV directors like Michelle MacLaren (‘Breaking Bad’), Allan Arkush (‘Nashville’) and Romeo Tirone (‘Dexter’) feel especially vital given television’s seemingly unstoppable cultural dominance. It’s also an invaluable read for scriptwriters who get a rare sense of what a director will do with their magnum opus after it’s had the go-ahead to be turned into a movie. The first thing I did after reading this was to return to my own script and strike a red pen through any adverbs in the personal directions! ‘John Badham on Directing’ is a warm, honest, amusing, direct and informative collection of hard-earned wisdom that anybody with even a passing interest in film-making would enjoy. For anyone actively planning on becoming a professional film-maker, it is absolutely essential. The summaries at the end of each chapter should be cut out and stuck to the walls of anyone hoping to become the next Christopher Nolan…or John Badham, for that matter. Heed his advice: he knowswhereof he speaks.
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on Friday, October 23. 2020 DVD REVIEW: "HEARTS OF THE WEST" (1975) STARRING JEFF BRIDGES AND ANDY GRIFFITH; WARNER ARCHIVE RELEASEBY LEE PFEIFFER
"Hearts of the West" is a somewhat sentimental, generally amusing tale that displays affection for the early sound era of cinema. Written by Rob Thompson and directed by Howard Zieff, the film barely registered at the boxoffice when released in 1975, despite having received very positive reviews. The story is another familiar "fish-out-of-water" tale with young Jeff Bridges as Lewis Tater, an Iowan who is obsessed with the Western novels of Zane Gray. He's eager to get to the real West to find inspiration for his own plans to become a screenwriter for the horse operas that were all the rage in the 1930s. First, he plans to attend a university in Nevada where he hopes to hone his writing skills. Upon arriving in Nevada, however, he finds that the "university" doesn't exist beyond a post office box where gullible applicants have sent their tuition fees. While still licking his wounds, Lewis checks in to a local boarding house and coincidentally ends up confronting the two men behind the scam (Richard B. Shull and Anthony James.) A brawl ensues and Lewis escapes in their car, while also taking a box that contains a pistol. The con men chase after him to no avail, as Lewis escapes into the desert. What he doesn't know is that the box he has taken has a secret compartment containing thousands of dollars in ill-gotten gains from the tuition applicants. Lewis is saved from dying of thirst when he stumbles on to a low budget movie company that is filming a Western. He befriends veteran stuntman Howard Pike (Andy Griffith), who takes him under his wing and gets him a job as a stunt man despite the fact the Lewis has no experience. Still, his willingness to place himself in danger favorably impresses the director, Kessler (Alan Arkin). Lewis also strikes up a romantic relationship with the script girl, Miss Trout (Blythe Danner), who gets him a job as a busboy in a local diner to help him add to his skimpy wages on the film set. Lewis discovers the hidden money and uses it to try to buy an audience with eccentric film producer A.J. Nietz (a very quirky and funny Donald Pleasence), who he hopes to convince to buy his script for a Western. Things go awry, however, when the two con men track him down and threaten his life. "Hearts of the West" provides gentle comedy, as director Zieff favors mild chuckles over belly laughs. What enriches the film is the vast assortment of interesting characters. Bridges, then 24 years old, shows star power as the likeable but gullible protagonist and Andy Griffith steals the show as the shopworn, cynical stuntman who never realized fulfillment of his dreams. All of the supporting actors give yeoman performances and there are brief appearances from beloved character actors such as Frank Cady, Dub Taylor, Alex Rocco, Herb Edelman, Marie Windsor, Thayer David and William Christopher, among others. The film is an homage to a bygone era of filmmaking. Ironically, the same can now be said about "Hearts of the West", which is available as a region-free DVD from the Warner Archive. The only bonus extra is the original trailer.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Thursday, October 22. 2020 REVIEW: "RONIN" (1998) STARRING ROBERT DE NIRO; ARROW VIDEO BLU-RAYRELEASE
(RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST ARTICLES FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVE.)BY TODD GARBARINI
I’m a sucker for car chases. Not the perfunctory, last-minute “Hey, this movie needs a car chase!” variety, but the kind that comes as a result of a particular plot point wherein some_one_ or some _group_ has to get away from some _other_ group. While most new car chases such as _The_ _Fast and the Furious_ sort are usually accomplished through CGI, I find that this sleight-of-hand fakery virtually abolishes all tension. The best ones that I have seen all did it for real through innovative and unprecedented filming techniques and excellent editing: _Grand Prix_ (1966), _Vanishing Point_ (1967), _Bullitt_ (1968), _The Seven-Ups_ (1973), _The Blues Brothers_ (1980), _The Road Warrior_ (1981), _The Terminator_ (1984), _F/X_ (1986), _Terminator 2: Judgement Day_ (1991), and _The Town_ (2010) all have action sequences that put the full wonder of filmediting on display.
There are two major car chases in the late John Frankenheimer’s _Ronin_, which opened on Friday, September 25, 1998, and it’s the second and longer one that ranks up there in the pantheon of The Greatest Car Chases Ever Filmed. _The French Connection_ (1971) and _To Live and Die in L.A._ (1985) are the granddaddies of car chases in my humble opinion and _Ronin_’s is certainly in the top ten, with a stupendous wrong-way-driving-against-incoming-traffic sequence through a tunnel in France to composer Elia Cmiral’s exciting score. The title of “Ronin” is originally a reference to the feudal period of Japan relating to a samurai who has become masterless following his master’s death as a result of the samurai’s failure to protect him. To earn a living, the samurai wanders from place to place attempting to gain work from others. For the uninitiated, title cards prior to the film’s opening credits inform us of this. This name relates to the film as several mercenaries meet for the purpose of stealing an important silver case. Sam (Robert DeNiro), Vincent (Jean Reno), Gregor (Stellan Skarsgard), and Spence (Sean Bean) and several others are the persons for hire. Deirdre (Natascha McElhorne) is the one who called them all together but she offers little in the way of an explanation as to what the contents are. Like in Quentin Tarantino’s _Reservoir Dogs_ (1992), they don’t know one another and work under the assumption that all involved are trustworthy which eventually will be their undoing. Now ya see, if they has listened to the James Poe episode “Blood Bath” on the old time radio show_ Escape!_, none of this would have ever happened! Yeah… Sam used to work for the CIA, Vincent is a “fixer”, Spence is a former Special Air Service expert in weaponry, Gregor is an expert in electronics, and Larry (Skipp Sudduth) is one of the drivers. Sam is the most inquisitive and probably has the most to lose. They don’t discuss their past and are eager to get paid. Sam almost acts like the ringleader, but he has some serious competition after they secure their objective and are double-crossed. It then becomes a game of who can trust who (naturally, the answer is no one). There are some really good supporting performances by Michael Lonsdale (I hadn’t seen him in a theater since _Moonraker_!) and Jonathan Pryce and the action always keeps moving forward but unlike today’s films, the action sequences are well-staged and edited and have depth to them. A terrific addition to Mr. Frankenheimer’s filmography. Continue reading "REVIEW: "RONIN" (1998) STARRING ROBERT DE NIRO; ARROW VIDEO BLU-RAY RELEASE" Posted by Cinema Retroin Todd
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on Wednesday, October 21. 2020 REVIEW: "THE PASSAGE" (1979) STARRING ANTHONY QUINN AND MALCOLM MCDOWEL; BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONBY TIM MCGLYNN
Kino-Lorber has unleashed the Blu-ray edition of 1979’s World War II thriller The Passage starring Anthony Quinn, James Mason, Kay Lenz and Malcolm McDowell. This is a grim story concerning the efforts of a Basque shepherd to lead an escaped scientist and his family across the Pyrenees to safety in Switzerland. Anthony Quinn plays the reluctant shepherd, known only as the Basque, who has a violent history and is no stranger to guerilla warfare. The Basque has 72 hours to make the dangerous journey with German scientist John Bergson (Mason), his sickly wife (Patricia Neal) and two grown children (Lenz and Paul Clemens). Every effort has been made by the Underground to keep this mission a secret, but it soon becomes apparent that SS officer Von Berkow (McDowell) is hot on their trail. Malcolm McDowell at this time was best known for his chilling role as Alex DeLarge in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. He had been attempting to soften his maniacal image with roles in Royal Flash and Nicholas Meyer’s excellent Time After Time. 1979, however, would send him back to ultimate villain status with the release of Caligulaand this film.
McDowell pulls out all the stops with his over the top performance of a sadistic SS Captain who has a total fixation with Hitler. He will stop at nothing at thwarting the escape of Bergson and his family with no regard to who he has to hurt or kill. During an extremely unpleasant rape scene, Von Berkow displays his undergarments that include a swastika on the crotch. Nice guy. Patricia Neal, who herself was not well during filming, plays the ailing but stoic wife of Bergson. She wants nothing more than to see her children escape over the mountains even if it means sacrificing her own life. James Mason is in fine form as the scientist who initially resents the Basque’s cold efficiency in leading the expedition. He reluctantly comes to understand the importance of pushing on to stay ahead of his pursuers and the two men reach a stateof detente.
The Basque is not pleased with being asked by the Underground to take on this mission and becomes more upset when he learns that the scientist’s family is included. He maintains a smoldering rage throughout the journey, which he finally directs towards the enemy andaway from Bergson.
Kay Lenz, best known at the time for Clint Eastwood’s Breezy and the action film White Line Fever, has a thankless role here. She is the vulnerable daughter who must endure being smacked around and finally assaulted by the despicable Von Berkow as the family hides among agroup of Gypsies.
Also included in the cast are two former James Bond villains, Christopher Lee and Michael Lonsdale. Lee is the leader of the Gypsy troupe that shelters the Bergson family along their way. Lonsdale, a member of the Underground, is taken captive by Von Berkow and faces ahorrendous fate.
Another James Bond connection to The Passage is that the associate producer is Maurice Binder, the designer of so many memorable main title sequences for the 007 series. No, he did not create the rather ordinary titles for this production. As indicated in the disc’s interview with Malcolm McDowell, he never produced another film. Director J. Lee Thompson, who is best known for the classic thrillers The Guns of Navarone and Cape Fear, brings his talent for staging action scenes to The Passage. The nasty scene in which a key character is dispensed with in a gruesome manner in the kitchen is remarkable in that the ugly maiming is implied, not actually shown. Viewers may be reminded of the same technique used by Hitchcock in Psycho’s infamous shower murder. The Panavision cinematography by Michael Reed is one of the film’s highlights with the beautiful mountain backdrops of the Pyrenees providing a fresh, cold look to the location shots. James Mason reportedly told Kay Lenz that this film would not be successful because the cold weather scenes would make audiences uncomfortable. Whether this was true or not is open to debate, but the picture only grossed around $71,000 in the U.S. during a very limited release. The extras on Kino-Lorber’s release include a fascinating interview with actor Malcolm McDowell where he claims: “That movie contains some of the best work I’ve ever done.” He goes on to detail how he and director Thompson agreed that Von Berkow should be played to the extreme. One of their ideas featured a scene where McDowell looks at himself in a mirror and holds up a comb to imitate Hitler’s moustache. It was was also their idea to have Von Berkow wear the jockstrap with the swastika. Reportedly, Christopher Lee thought this was in extremely poor taste. McDowell’s interview is quite self-deprecating and he gives high marks to his fellow cast members. He particularly enjoyed his time with James Mason and their conversations over dinner. He tells a funny anecdote about Christopher Lee insisting that his raggedy Gypsy clothing had to fit perfectly. You will also learn how the Arab oil embargo played a part in McDowell accepting his role in The Passage. Also included on the disc is an alternate ending that features Von Berkow hallucinating during his final confrontation with the Basque. These scenes contained some shockingly graphic violence that was toned down for the theatrical release. So often we read about elements being cut from movies to ease potential controversy. Here we’re allowed to see and judge for ourselves. The Passage was almost unseen in the U.S. as it played one week in selected cities. European audiences were more receptive to the film which allowed it to make back most of the production costs. There was a VHS release during the 80s and some showings on Cinemax, but this is a mostly unknown film on this side of the pond. I always appreciate that Kino-Lorber includes trailers for additional films on their Blu-rays, which is how I became aware of this movie. All in all, I would say The Passage is an interesting film considering the cast and director, and the extra features alone are worth thecost.
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Tuesday, October 20. 2020 OUT OF THE PAST: "NBC SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES" INTRO (1972) Remember when it was exciting to see your favorite movies premiere on prime time television? Most of the time, they were edited for time or content and, of course, you had to suffer through commercials in the pre-streaming and home video era. Still, they generally garnered high ratings. Here's a vintage 1972 intro for the popular "NBC Saturday Night at the Movies" program, this week showing the top-notch 1967 Western "The War Wagon". Posted by Cinema Retroin Out
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on Monday, October 19. 2020 REVIEW: "FLYING LEATHERNECKS" (1951) STARRING JOHN WAYNE AND ROBERT RYAN; WARNER ARCHIVE BLU-RAY RELEASEBY DOUG OSWALD
The Duke teams up with Robert Ryan as Marine pilots fighting the Japanese in the Pacific during WWII in “Flying Leathernecks,” just released on Blu-ray via the Warner Archive Collection. The story picks up in Hawaii in the middle of 1942 as Major Daniel Kirby (John Wayne) takes command of a Marine Corps aviation squadron about to ship out for combat in the Pacific. A veteran of the Battle of Midway, Kirby meets the men in his unit along with his executive officer, Captain Carl “Griff” Griffin (Robert Ryan), who is a bit ruffled after being passed over to take command. While a great pilot, Griff is not good at making difficult life and death decisions regarding the other pilots and has become their friend. On Guadalcanal, the squadron pilots become experts at close air support which is precision aerial strafing against enemy ground troops within yards of American soldiers. The men grumble because they want to become flying aces and take out Japanese Zeros in dog fights. This results in pilot deaths as they break from missions to go out on their own in search of Zeros. It’s no safer on the ground as the airfield is routinely attacked by enemy strafing and bombing. Between missions, Jay C. Flippen offers comic relief as Master Sergeant Clancy, the flight line chief. He’s not only the chief mechanic, but also their “don’t ask me any questions” scrounger. Everything from tents and cake to captured Japanese sake. Flippen is likable and steals every scene he’s in. Actor and director Don Taylor plays Lieutenant Vern “Cowboy” Blithe, Griff’s brother-in-law. He sports a pair of brightly colored cowboy boots while in his flight suit claiming military boots hurt his feat. William Harrigan is on hand as the Navy doctor, Lt. Commander Joe Curran who shows up to offer advice to Major Kirby. The efforts of the squadron in close air support are successful and Kirby is reassigned and promoted. He returns to his wife Joan (Janis Carter) and their son Tommy (Gordon Gebert) who refers to his father as major and later colonel. The squadron returns to combat on Okinawa and continue their close air support of the ground troops. The movie comes to a satisfying conclusion with Kirby and Griff putting oldgrudges aside.
The film makes use of color air combat footage from the Korean War which was waging as the movie was in production, and inter mixes that footage with shots of the pilots on their cockpits and the troops on the ground. WWII era Grumman F6F Hellcats were still in use during the Korean War, but nitpickers will note the Wildcats used during the Battle of Guadalcanal were Grumman F4Fs. I doubt most people noticed then or will notice now. You may be wondering what a leatherneck is. The name dates back to 18th century when American and British Marines and soldiers wore a leather collar around their neck, often sewn into the cloth collar to improve posture and military bearing. The leather collar continued to be used as part of the U.S. Marine uniform until it was discontinued in 1872. An alternative legend to the origin of the term states the leather collar was worn to protect against saber blades when Marines boarded enemy ships. It can also be used as a derogatory reference. Whatever the truth, Marine pilots would be Flying Leathernecks. The reference is less common today and I’ve never heard any of my Marine friends use the name. Produced by Edmund Grainger and directed by Nicholas Ray, the movie is presented by Howard Hughes and released by RKO in August 1951. The music score by Roy Webb is serviceable, utilizing the Marine Corps song as the title track and variations of the Marine song used throughout the movie.Not every John Wayne movie can be a classic but this is an enjoyable WWII aviation movie and certainly can be seen by the more cynical as pro- war propaganda. The Korean War was waging and the Duke’s politics were well known. The movie has a 102 minute running time filled with aerial combat and drama on the ground. The Warner Archive Blu-ray and sounds slightly better than the previous two DVD releases, but you will have to decide if this it’s worth the upgrade. For me, the Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray is a welcome addition to my John Wayne home video collection. The only supplements are subtitles and the re-issuetrailer.
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Monday, October 19. 2020 REVIEW: "BUCCANEER'S GIRL" (1950) STARRING YVONNE DE CARLO; BLU-RAYSPECIAL EDITION
BY FRED BLOSSER
Thanks to cable and digital TV channels, Yvonne de Carlo (1922-2007) is probably best known today, even and maybe especially among youngsters, from endless reruns of “The Munsters.” As Lily Munster, it’s a safe bet that de Carlo will outlive all the rest of us for decades to come, if not centuries. But long before Lily, de Carlo was a sultry, exotic leading lady in dozens of costume epics, film noirs, and Westerns from the late 1940s through the 1950s. One such vehicle, the 1950 Universal-International picture “Buccaneer’s Girl,” is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. De Carlo plays Deborah McCoy, a singer and dancer who stows away in boy’s clothing on a ship out of Boston, owned by a wealthy New Orleans businessman, Narbonne (Robert Douglas). Narbonne’s archenemy is the pirate Baptiste (Philip Friend), whom she meets when the buccaneer attacks and seizes the ship. Debbie presently slips away from the pirates and makes her way to New Orleans, where she’s given room, board, and job leads at a “School for Genteel Young Ladies” run by Madam Brizar (Elsa Lancaster). Entertaining at a soiree, Debbie again encounters Baptiste, this time in his respectable secret identity as the dashing Captain Robert Kingston, who has been commissioned to capture Baptiste. It’s been a long chase. “He’s always one step ahead of me,” Kingston says wryly. “Maybe you should try standing still,” Debbie rejoins. As Baptiste, Kingston’s motives are pure in the honored tradition of Zorro and the Scarlet Pimpernel. To avenge his late father, who was bankrupted by Narbonne, he preys only on Narbonne’s ships. The stolen booty is laundered into a fund to support unemployed mariners who were forced out of their jobs by the ruthless businessman when he bought their ships and installed his own crews. Thanks to his weaselly spy Patout (Norman Lloyd), Narbonne secures evidence to identify and arrest Kingston as Baptiste. In the meantime, Debbie’s fledgling romance with the pirate metaphorically hits rough waters when she learns that Kingston is engaged to the socially prominent and snooty Arlene (Andrea King), the governor’s daughter. Directed by Frederick de Cordova, who later became Johnny Carson’s longtime confidant and producer, “Buccaneer’s Girl” is the sort of harmless, old-time escapism that Johnny and his Mighty Carson Art Players would eventually lampoon on the “Tonight Show.” Today, in a similar set-up, you’d wait to see when or if the woman, once discovered, will avoid rape. But Debby is befriended by Baptiste’s salty crew much like the new kid on the block who wanders over to the playground and gets accepted into the other 10-year-olds’ softball team. The leader of the crew is first mate Jared- no relation to Kushner-played by Jay C. Flippen, who’s given to exclamations like “Well, lower me jib!” Jared’s last name might be but probably isn’t Kushner. The movie is so family-friendly that nobody is killed in the brawls and sword fights, and Madam Brizar’s business seems to be a combination finishing school and talent agency for real, and not a euphemism for . . . well, you know . . . as we might expect in our more cynical era. As film historian Lee Gambin remarks on his audio commentary for the KL Studio Classics Blu-ray, de Carlo invests her role with “great gusto and flair.” She’s equally adept at taking pratfalls, romancing Kingston, bopping bad guys on the head, and exercising her claws in a catfight when Debbie finally puts up with enough from Arlene. Action fans may wish her three musical numbers had been reduced to one to make more room for pirate-type stuff, especially since the old-school FX for the battles between Baptiste’s ship and Narbonne’s are nicely done, but then again, the movie is designed as a showcase for de Carlo, and the title is ‘Buccaneer’s Girl” and not “Buccaneer.” As Baptiste, Philip Friend engagingly looks and sounds a lot like Rex Harrison at a fraction of Harrison’s going rate, even in 1950. The Kino Lorber Studio Classics disc frames the movie at its proper 1.37:1 aspect ratio and delivers Russell Metty’s Technicolor cinematography with gorgeous clarity and richness. Besides Lee Gambin’s informative commentary, extras include a theatrical trailer and clear SDH subtitles.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Sunday, October 18. 2020 OUT OF THE PAST: JOHN FORD'S "THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE" From the Paramount archives: enjoy this scene from John Ford's classic "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962) and relish the amazing array of great actors: John Wayne, James Stewart, Lee Marvin, Strother Martin, Woody Strode, Vera Miles, Edmond O'Brien and Lee Van Cleef.CLICK HERE
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of the Past
on Saturday, October 17. 2020 REVIEW: BILLY WILDER'S "FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO" (1943) STARRING FRANCHOT TONE; BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONBY RAYMOND BENSON
“BILLY WILDER GOES TO WAR”BY RAYMOND BENSON
In 1943, Hollywood churned out dozens of war films in support of the U.S. involvement in the global conflict raging at the time. Many were cheaply made rush jobs, others were good “B” pictures, and a select group were “A” level, excellent pieces of celluloid that are now classics. All were essentially propaganda pictures made to lift the spirits of the American people and the troops who were able to see them. _Rah Rah, Let’s Go Get ‘Em! _ Billy Wilder, an Austrian Jew who had fled Germany as the Nazis gained power, settled in Hollywood in 1933 after a brief stint in France. He immediately found work as a talented screenwriter, ultimately earning his first Oscar nomination for co-writing _Ninotchka _(1939). As war heated up in the 1940s, Wilder then became, after the likes of Preston Sturges, a rare Hollywood double threat—a writer/director. _Five Graves to Cairo _is only his second picture as a director, and it’s one of those propaganda war films that could be classified as an“A” classic.
In the flavor of _Casablanca_, _Five Graves _is also a spy movie in a way. The plot involves British tank corporal John Bramble (Franchot Tone), who, after his crew is wiped out in the North African desert, makes his way to Sidi Halfaya in a delirium. He stumbles into a hotel, the “Empress of Britain,” run by an Egyptian, Farid (Akim Tamiroff). Also present in the desolated hotel is the French maid, Mouche (Anne Baxter). The Germans, led by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (Erich von Stroheim, of course) are on their way to town, and they’ll be staying at the hotel. The British had recently been run out of town and are regrouping at El Alamein. Lieutenant Schwegler (Peter van Eyck) arrives with men ahead of Rommel to fix up security and make arrangements for his commanding officer. In a pinch, Bramble must impersonate the dead “waiter,” of the hotel, a man called Davos. It turns out that Davos, who had a peg leg, was a German spy who had made regular reports on British movements before he was killed. This gives Bramble the opportunity to play double agent and ferret out Rommel’s secret of hidden supply dumps in Egypt known as the “five graves to Cairo.” Throw in a love/hate conflict between Bramble and Mouche, and you’ve got the makings of a terrific warthriller.
_Five Graves to Cairo _is well-made, tightly written (by Wilder, with longtime scribe partner Charles Brackett), and superbly acted. Tone, while not being an A-level star per se, carries the movie well. Baxter, speaking with a European accent that isn’t _quite _French, is suitable enough and certainly exudes screen chemistry. Erich von Stroheim almost steals the picture as Rommel, doing his typical German officer routine we’ve seen before; he makes a terrific heavy for the tale. Tamiroff’s purpose is primarily comic relief, and he always fulfills that duty with skill. Kino Lorber’s impressive high definition restoration looks sharp and clear. It comes with an audio commentary by film historian Joseph McBride, as well as the theatrical trailer for this and other Billy Wilder releases by Kino. _Five Graves to Cairo _is a time capsule of its day, a potent look at a filmmaker early in his extraordinary career, and a marvelousentertainment.
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TO ORDER FROM AMAZON REVIEW: "THE STING II" (1983) STARRING JACKIE GLEASON AND MAC DAVIS; KINO LORBER BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITIONBY FRED BLOSSER
To say that George Roy Hill’s “The Sting” (1973) was a hit is like calling Amazon a successful little internet business. Starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, “The Sting” placed second in ticket sales for its year of release ($159.6 million), surpassed only by “The Exorcist.” In the Academy Awards ceremonies on April 2, 1974, it earned seven Oscars, notably honors for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. The Best Picture award sparked a brief controversy as to whether the stylish but relatively lightweight film about an elaborate confidence scheme deserved the accolade. The pot was further stirred during the awards broadcast, when the screenwriter, David S. Ward, flashed a gesture on stage after picking up his statuette. It was the same signal used by real-life con artists to declare victory over unwary dupes, some observers asserted. Whatever the merits of the argument, the awards gave the picture a further nudge at the box office. In Hollywood, such success traditionally demands a sequel. In 1975, “Daily Variety” first reported the news that “The Sting, Part II” was slated for production. That announcement was followed by a long gestation in which several producers, writers, scripts, and proposed stars followed one after another on the project at Universal Picture. At times, various drafts were titled “The Next Sting,” ‘Two Guys from Milwaukee,” and a real head-scratcher, “The Sting II: That’s Why the Lady is a Tramp.” Apparently at no point did anyone propose pulling the plug, even after the years went on and one iteration was scrapped for the next. When the sequel was finally released on February 18, 1983, it was simply titled “The Sting II.” The original and the sequel shared David S. Ward as the screenwriter. Both movies were premised around two enterprising grifters who pull a Big Con on a shady character against a period backdrop of the Great Depression. Both had opening credits illustrated by title cards in 1930s Norman Rockwell style. But everything else had changed. Jennings Lang had replaced Richard Zanuck and David Brown as producer, Jeremy Kagan had moved into the director’s seat (as Jeremy Paul Kagan), and Lalo Schifrin was credited with the musical score. Like Marvin Hamlisch’s in the original, it leaned heavily and anachronistically on Scott Joplin’s jaunty, early 1900s ragtime compositions. The most conspicuous change was the absence of Newman and Redford from the starring roles. The actors had signaled early on that they had no interest in a sequel. Universal should have taken that as an omen. Ultimately, perhaps it did. February is a notorious time of the year for dumping movies in theaters after studio executives have lost interest or confidence in them. “The Sting II” opened to anaemic box office ($6.3 million) and strongly negative reviews at a level of indignation usually reserved for political attack ads. Did “The Sting II” deserve its fate? A new release of the picture on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics offers present-day viewers the opportunity to decide for themselves. People age 30 and under are most likely to regard it as a curiosity from a time before Hollywood began to cater to kids and teens with superhero spectacles and the like. In the film, racketeer Doyle decides to get even with (as in, kill) the team of con artists who soaked him for $500,000 in the earlier film. He starts by kidnapping, torturing, and murdering Kid Colors (Bert Remsen), and diverting suspicion onto a rival hoodlum, Macilinski (Karl Malden). The ruse is plausible because Macilinski is known for his crude, ruthless methods. Gondorff and Hooker, the ringleaders of the previous sting, decide to retaliate against Macilinski by scamming him out of $400,000 in an elaborate hoax involving bets on a boxing match. As they proceed, unaware that they’ve targeted the wrong man, Lonnegan waits patiently to lower the final boom, enjoying his apparent success in fooling the two professionals at their own game. Malden’s Macilinski and a slick lady grifter played by Teri Garr were new characters, and the three leads might as well have been, too. Newman’s Henry Gondorff was renamed Fargo Gondorff and played by Jackie Gleason, and Redford’s Johnny Hooker was renamed Jake Hooker, played by Mac Davis. Oliver Reed assumed the part of Doyle Lonnegan, originally played by Robert Shaw. Why Ward and Kagan thought to rename two of the primary characters but not the third, when all three were recast but were all supposed to be the same ones played by Newman, Redford, and Shaw, is a puzzler. Maybe remnants of previous, contradictory drafts had found their way into the final shooting script. Critics took a dim view of the recastings, as if suspecting Universal of a bait-and-switch scam of its own against fans of Newman and Redford. Mac Davis, who passed away at age 78 in September 2020, came in for particularly negative press, although he had received good notices for two previous movies, “North Dallas Forty” (1979) and “Cheaper to Keep Her” (1981), and performed capably as Hooker. Davis brought name value as an enormously successful and well-liked singer and songwriter, and more importantly for audience demographics, he had a devoted female fan base. A greater disappointment was Oliver Reed, whose Lonnegan lacked the steely menace of Shaw’s, although that may have been as much the script’s fault as Reed’s. “The Sting II” isn’t the complete wreck that you would guess from the old reviews, but it isn’t particularly distinguished either, covering as it does much the same ground as its predecessor with less energy, inspiration, polish, and surprise. Still, fans of Gleason, Davis, and caper pictures will give kudos to KL Studio Classics for granting it new visibility on Blu-ray. Films like this one risk sliding completely into limbo, now that they no longer play widely on HBO, Cinemax, and your local TV affiliate’s Afternoon Money Movie asthey once did.
The KL Studio Classics Blu-ray at least looks gorgeous in hi-def, 1.85:1 color. Special features include the theatrical trailer and audio commentary by Jeremy Kagan. The director speaks fondly about various aspects of the film, including the question of whether someone can change a bet on a prizefight after the match has already started -- a key element in the plot.CLICK HERE
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DVD/Streaming Video Reviews & News on Friday, October 16. 2020 REVIEWS: THREE HORROR FLICKS FROM VINEGAR SYNDROME: "ZOMBIE 5: KILLING BIRDS", "MEMORIAL VALLEY MASSACRE" AND "GRAVE ROBBERS"BY TODD GARBARINI
Vinegar Syndrome is the name of a phenomenon that occurs in motion picture film when reels of film are poorly stored in hot and humid conditions. The hallmarks of this unfortunate and inevitable fate to motion picture film consist of physical degradation of celluloid precipitated by the film development process and indifferent/poor film storage – such as film stored on rusted metal reels – all resulting in film bearing the faint or strong smell of vinegar. The film can become very brittle, suffer from shrinkage and/or take on a contorted shape making it nearly impossible to run through a projector. In short, the only way to arrest the process is to make pristine duplicates of the film’s original camera negative following the developing stage and store them in climate-controlled conditions. As one can well imagine, however, this type of care was rarely if ever instituted by low budget movie studios who saw their assets (i.e. a finished motion picture feature film) as having a limited shelf life apart from ancillary markets that rarely included life beyond cable and television broadcasts and foreign cinema exhibition Alternately, they simply didn’t have the money or space to store the negatives. Vinegar Syndrome is also the name of one of the best film preservation companies working today, located in Connecticut. Their enormous efforts have rescued many foreign films and drive-in fan favorites from certain death, offering up a smorgasbord of primarily obscure titles long forgotten from the age of home video when feature films were released as-is on videocassette (VHS/Beta) and videodisc (RCA Capacitance Electronic Disc and Pioneer LaserDisc). With advances made in digital video restoration, films that have never even seen the light of day outside of a grindhouse theater on 42nd Street in New York City or a drive-in theater are now available on DVD/Blu-ray/4K Ultra High Definition Blu-ray thanks to this amazing company. Three recent horror releases that I can safely say never, ever, _ever_ come up in conversation when suggesting the best horror films to watch in the month of October include director-credited Claudio Lattanzi’s strangely titled slasher _Zombie 5: Killing Birds_ (1987), Robert Hughes’s straight-to-video killer-in-the-woods homage _Memorial Valley Massacre_ (1988), and Rubén Galindo, Jr.’s _Grave Robbers_ (1989). None of these films won any awards in the acting department, but they are all worth noting for a variety of reasons. "ZOMBIE 5: KILLING BIRDS" _Zombie 5: Killing Birds_, originally given the equally strange title of _Killing Birds: Raptors_, begins promisingly enough before it slows to a craw (sorry, _crawl_) and interminably meanders to a sudden and abrupt ending. Filmed in Thibodaux, LA in August 1987, the plot is schematic and uninspired, light years from the best examples offered from other Italian thrillers, most notably the _giallo_ genre which the film seems to be influenced by: Dario Argento’s _The Bird with the Crystal Plumage_ (1970), _Profondo Rosso_ (1975) and _Tenebre_ (1982) are among the finest examples to date. However, _Killing Birds_ is by no means a _giallo_ thriller, and its lack of an interesting cinematic visual style makes it suffer in the end. _Birds _concerns a cuckolded Vietnam veteran (Robert Vaughn, if you can believe it) who murders his wife and her lover upon returning from the war in 1967, and spares his infant son only to be blinded by one of the property’s birds. Twenty years later, a group of college students who study rare birds aim to put another feather in their cap so-to-speak by studying the rare birds on display in the vast home. It’s the perfect set up for some crazy though uninspired mayhem. The best thing about _Birds_ is Lara Wendel, an actress genre fans will recall as the ill-fated Maria who unwittingly roams into the killer’s house following an attack by a Doberman pinscher in _Tenebre_, among many other Italian thrillers. In actuality, the film is directed by longtime genre favorite Aristide Massaccesi, known alternately by the much easier-to-pronounce pseudonym of Joe D’Amato (I love that name), who had his name removed as he had made multiple films in a short period of time, a maneuver instituted by industry rules. The new Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome includes the followingextras:
The transfer is done in 2K from the film’s original 35mm negative and looks beautiful. The audio includes both the English language track and the Italiandubbed track.
_Talons_ is the name of the video interview with director Claudio Lattanzi. In December 1985 he began working with Michele Soavi on the documentary _Dario Argento’s World of Horror_ which is still, as of this writing, the best documentary on him yet made. In 1986 he also worked with director Soavi on _StageFright_ and was introduced to Aristide Massaccesi, aka Joe D’Amato, and the company of Filmirage. He then discusses the writing process of the film. This is an unusually in-depth interview which runs nearly 50 minutes. There is a video interview with sound man Larry Revene who also has worked as a director of photography that runs about 15 minutes and he provides some interesting tidbits on the making of the film and how the Italian crew was very particular and had their own food catered. The real reason to buy this disc is for the package’s standout audio commentary with film historian and author Samm Deighan who provides a wealth of knowledge and information on not just the film but the genre and the people involved in the making of the film. She knows what she’s talking about and she speaks slowly, authoritatively and is fascinating to listen to. I have heard some other commentaries with lots of information that the speakers blow through very quickly, so it was a pleasure to listen to this commentary which is done at a much slower pace. Ms. Deighan also provides the commentary to the upcoming Vinegar Syndrome title _I Start Counting_ – I would recommend buying that Blu-ray sight-unseen just for her commentary alone. I cannot wait to listen to that one and I haven’t even seen the movie yet! There is also reversible cover artwork and newly translated Englishsubtitles.
There are also the English and Italian trailers included. If you’re a fan of _Zombie 5: Killing Birds,_ this is the edition to own. If you haven’t seen it and are a fan of the horror genre, pick up this disc for Samm Deighan’s commentary alone. It’s chock fullof great info.
CLICK HERE
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Posted by Cinema Retroin Todd
Garbarini
on Thursday, October 15. 2020 REVIEW: "THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE" (1959) STARRING BURT LANCASTER, KIRK DOUGLAS AND LAURENCE OLIVIER; KINO LORBER BLU-RAY RELEASEBY LEE PFEIFFER
By 1959 Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas were at the peak of the popularity with movie audiences. Genuine superstars, the larger-than-life actors were among the first to exert their independence from the major studios by forming their own production companies and becoming masters of their own destinies. Between them they produced and sometime starred in some excellent films. Among the most underrated of their numerous on-screen team-ups was their joint production of "The Devil's Disciple", based on George Bernard Shaw's scathing satire based in New England during the American Revolution. The film was criticized in some quarters (including the New York Times) for taking some severe liberties with Shaw's original work in order to elaborate the action sequences that audiences would expect to see in a Lancaster/Douglas film. Still, the movie retains the requisite wit that would have to be apparent in any adaptation of a Shaw story. The film had a troubled production history. It was in the works to be made as early as 1939. Over the years, names like Marlon Brando, Rex Harrison, Montgomery Clift and Carroll Baker had been attached to various announcements about production schedules that never materialized.When Lancaster got the film rights to the story it was announced it would go into production in 1955. By the time it all came together, Lancaster had teamed with Kirk Douglas for a joint production with Laurence Olivier now the third lead. The film was originally to be directed by Alexander Mackendrick who had recently worked with Lancaster on "Sweet Smell of Success". Shortly after filming began, Mackendrick was summarily fired. The director claimed it was because of his objection to revisions in the screenplay that emphasized action and sex over the elements that were pure Shaw. Lancaster and Douglas maintained that his release was due to their dissatisfaction with the pace of filming. In any event, Mackendrick's dismissal was good news for Guy Hamilton, the up-and-coming young British director who would go on to make four James Bond movies. As a replacement for Mackendrick, Hamilton's light touch and ability to mingle action with humor and romance made him a suitable director for this particular film. Among the more significant changes between the play and screenplay is that the character of Rev. Anthony Anderson, played by Lancaster, has been elevated in importance to match that of Richard Dudgeon, played by Douglas. The film opens in New Hampshire village during the final days of the American Revolution. Anderson is a kindly, gentle man with a pretty young wife, Judith (Janette Scott), who tries to remain apolitical despite the momentous events taking place around him. The British under General Burgoyne (Laurence Olivier) have occupied the surrounding areas and taken harsh measures to eliminate rebel resistance. This is achieved by publicly hanging suspected rebels, sometimes on the basis of slim or mistaken evidence. When Burgoyne's men string up the father of notorious rebel Richard Dudgeon, it sets in motion a series of events that make it impossible for Rev. Anderson to remain on the political sidelines. Dudgeon, a wanted man, breaks the law by cutting down his father's body from the public square and bringing the deceased to Rev. Anderson's home. Anderson takes an instant dislike to Dudgeon because of his cynical sense of humor but agrees to bury his father with dignity in his church's graveyard. This results in tumultuous goings-on. Burgoyne orders Anderson arrested for treason but when the troops arrive at his house, Anderson is gone and Dudgeon, who is visiting, adopts his identity and is arrested in his place. This act of gallantry impresses Judith, who is already smitten by Dudgeon, as he represents the kind of dynamic man of action she secretly craves. (The fact that he looks like Kirk Douglas doesn't hurt matters.) Meanwhile, Anderson, has indeed turned into a man of action himself, engaging the British in battle. When he learns of Dudgeon's deception he begins to formulate a strategy that will ensure that Burgoyne is left with no choice but to spare Dudgeon fromexecution.
We won't make the case that "The Devil's Disciple" is an underrated classic but suffice it to say it has many merits and deserved a better fate from both critics and the public. Burt Lancaster may get top billing but he's saddled with a quiet, understated character throughout most of the film who comes across as a bit of a bore- at least until he takes up arms. Consequently, Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier get the lion's share of good dialogue and amusing scenes and both actors make the most of it. Douglas's interpretation of Dudgeon is as a man who scoffs at death and has a cock-sure determination that somehow he'll survive any situation. He also boasts a gallows humor that is more than matched by Olivier, who admires his intended victim and extends him every courtesy even as he prepares the gallows for his hanging. Olivier's _bon mots_ are priceless, whether it's deploring the aristocrats in London who have botched British military operations in the colonies or simply chastising his lunkhead officers (Harry Andrews gets most of the abuse). Olivier's performance is all the more impressive given the fact that in his personal life he was coping with the mental breakdown of his wife, actress Vivien Leigh. He was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Actor. The film also boasts some creative special effects with toy soldiers used to illustrate the military situation. Helping matters along is a lush score by Richard Rodney Bennett and some impressive B&W cinematography by Jack Hildyard. While "The Devil's Disciple" isn't the best of the Lancaster/Douglas screen collaborations (for that, see "Seven Days in May"), it's a highly enjoyable romp with much torecommend about it.
Kino Lorber has released the film on Blu-ray and it's a crisp, impressive transfer. There is a bonus trailer gallery of other Lancaster and Douglas titles available from the company: "The Train", "The Scalphunters", "Cast a Giant Shadow" and "Run Silent, Run Deep" along with the theatrical trailer for "The Devil's Disciple".CLICK HERE
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