Classic Film “Raiders of the Lost Ark”Special Event May 17 in Omaha
TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz attending to celebrate
50th screening of classic films.
Omaha, NE –
April 24, 2024 – Celebrate the magic of cinema with Omaha film historian Bruce
Crawford as he presents his 50th tribute to classic films. The milestone event
will showcase the legendary blockbuster, "Raiders of the Lost Ark",
on Friday, May 17, 2024, at the Omaha Community Playhouse.
This special
screening commemorates the adventurous spirit and cultural impact of the 1981
classic. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Harrison Ford as the iconic
Indiana Jones, the film invites audiences to rediscover the exhilaration of the
chase for the Ark of the Covenant against the backdrop of a world on the brink
of war.
EVENT
HIGHLIGHTS:
·Screening:
"Raiders of The Lost Ark" (1981) ·Date
& Time: Friday, May 17, 2024, 7:00 p.m. ·Venue:
Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St, Omaha NE 68132 ·Ticket
Cost: $30.00 - Available for purchase starting Wednesday, April 24
SPECIAL
APPEARANCE:
Ben Mankiewicz, the esteemed host of Turner Classic Movies, will enrich the
evening with an exclusive on-stage discussion about the film's enduring legacy
and its significance in American pop culture. Fans will also have the unique
opportunity to engage with Mankiewicz during a post-show meet-and-greet
session.
In its
initial release, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" dominated box offices
worldwide and was later enshrined in the National Film Registry for its
historical, cultural, and aesthetic significance. As the latest in a series of
beloved classic film screenings, Crawford has hosted events featuring epic
narratives such as "Ben Hur," "Gone with the Wind," and
"The Godfather," with guest appearances by Hollywood royalty.
The 50th
classic film event promises to be a night of nostalgia and excitement. All
proceeds will benefit the Omaha Christian Academy. Don't miss this
extraordinary tribute to the timeless adventure that continues to capture the
hearts of moviegoers.
James Bond fans may have seen still photos of this event from July, 1966 when football stars visited Pinewood Studios and met some big name celebs who were filming there at the time including rocker Cliff Richard, legendary character actor Robert Morley, Sean Connery who was filming his fifth James Bond movie, "You Only Live Twice" and Yul Brynner who was making his own spy flick, "The Double Man" Unfortunately, these brief newsreel clips don't have the soundtrack so we can all just surmise what might have been said. Here is the description from the YouTube channel that posted the footage:
"Footage of the stars of the England Football team visiting the Pinewood Studios set of the latest James Bond movie "You Only Live Twice". They met the star of the film series Sean Connery and a number of other celebrities including film actor Yul Bryner, Englsih pop singer Cliff Richard, English comedy actor Norman Wisdom and the actor Robert Morley.
The visiting players, on a break from the ongoing FIFA World Cup tournament, included the captain Bobby Moore, striker Bobby Charlton, defender Jackie Charlton, goalkeeper Gordon Banks and striker Jimmy Greaves. Manager Alf Ramsay was also present.
Source: Reuters News Archive."
The Australian video company Imprint is releasing a Blu-ray edition of Patrick McGoohan's classic TV series "The Prisoner". The further good news is that it contains some new bonus material that didn't appear on previous releases from other companies. Click here to pre-order.
(Prices are in Australian dollars, so use a currency converter to see the cost in your own country.)
"RETRO-ACTIVE: ARTICLES FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES"
In 1986, the Imperial Toy Company licensed a line of official James Bond products. However, collectors were bewildered by the choice of items ranging from over-sized, cheapo plastic sunglasses to weapons,watches and communications equipment that were never seen in a 007 movie. The web site Plaid Stallions explains why. It seems Imperial had an existing line of generic action toys and decided to use their license with Eon Productions to simply print stickers and packaging that featured Roger Moore and re-market the stuff as official Bond merchandise. Indeed, it was official but only in the technical sense. Ironically, the enthusiasm for vintage Bond memorabilia has seen some of these less-than-inspiring toys sell for surprisingly high prices. Click here for photos and the full story. (Thanks to Nick Sheffo of the Fulvue Drive-in site for alerting us to this amusing article.)
In this rare in-depth interview, the late Robert Conrad is shown discussing his remarkable career on television. Here is the official description from the priceless "Pioneers of Television" project.:
Robert Conrad sits down to discuss his iconic moments in his career and the famous show "The Wild Wild West"
Director: Steven J Boettcher
Star: Robert Conrad
? About Pioneers of Television
Television’s beloved stars bring their stories to life, offering insider tales and surprising revelations you won’t hear anywhere else. The Emmy-nominated producers of Pioneers of Television open the vault to give you exclusive access.
Francis Ford Coppola puts his money where his mouth is when it comes to bringing his cinematic obsessions to reality. Unable to get major studio financing for his 1979 epic "Apocalypse Now", he mortgaged everything he had and financed the film himself. The movie became an acclaimed blockbuster but a few years later Coppola lost his shirt with his next self-financed project, the ill-fated mega-budgeted musical "One from the Heart". Now the veteran filmmaker has completed his latest dream project, the big budget film "Megalopolis", which Coppola has been trying to bring to the screen for many years. As with "Apocalypse", he's mortgaged his assets to make the movie, but now finds it difficult to get a distribution deal after a preview of the flick met with mixed reactions. Writing in The Hollywood Reporter, Thomas Doherty examines the situation in detail and looks back at the trials and tribulations Coppola faced bringing "Apocalypse Now" to the screen.
The Manila International Film Festival was set to open its doors to guests on 20 January 1982. The date was nearly a year to the day that strong-man Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marco had lifted his controversial eight-year term of martial law restrictions in the country. But the lifting of the martial law brought only small relief to the majority populace. ThePhilippines was still racked by issues of rampant poverty, wealth inequality and unemployment. Bothpolitical and cultural observers thought itfolly to stage such a gilded film event during this transitional period.The Associated Press reported the festival was toconvene in a building costing some 21.5 million dollars - and still under construction.The film center, designed to housescreening rooms and film laboratories,was to also serve as primary archive of Filipino cinema holdings.
The center, described as an eight-story “Parthenon-like Film Palace” was ordered to be built withinthe time of 170 construction days. In such rushed circumstance, aroof collapse occurredreportedly endingthe lives of some fourteen construction workers. The order to erect thepalatial center wasgiven by none other than Imelda Marcos, first lady of the Philippines, often chided for her “edifice complex” excesses. Many saw this wild expenditure as sorry government decision-makingconsidering the nation’s significant economic issues. But Marcos – appearing before the press in a pair of lovely pair of shoes, no doubt – saw it differently.
Marcoscountered that a strong Filipino “film industry would help reduce Manila’s crime rate, because it would give people something to do in their leisure time.” But she was also mindful that a prestigious festival might burnish her country’s damaged image worldwide – all those pesky claims of human rights violations continued to dog the regime.Though anti-Marco forces promised to disrupt the festival should it be held, the army was prepared to protect. There was, thankfully, no violence.
On 2 February 1982, a correspondent from Variety sent in a dispatch from the inaugural staging of the twelve-day festival. The report made note that Filipino film product wasn’t often seen outside the borders of the Pacific island nation. He reasoned this was due to the selling inexperience of local producers. They had worked in isolation for so long, they simply were not familiar with the film industry’s “aggressive marketing tactics.” Two months prior to the actual staging of the event, Variety described how “reluctant” Filipino producers had been invited to a seminar – one designed to stoke their “sales offensive” skills through “showmanship” tactics. But the trade sighed that despite the well-intentioned marketing teach-in, the Filipino film industry had been too long xenophobic, their business-side interest mostly “half-hearted.”
Regardless, and despite many boycotts of the Marcos-inspired event, there was a bubbling of international interest in Filipino film product. Brokers had expressed significant interest in buying distribution rights to eight of the Filipino features offered and available, the sum of those investments bringing sales of nearly a half-million dollars to local producers. Nearly 300 films had been made available to international film brokers at the event, sixty of Filipino provenance. One of the most popular Filipino films – described breathlessly as the festival’s “Top scorer by far” - was an unusual, over-the-top secret agent pastiche featuring a two-foot, nine-inch actor named Weng Wengas central hero. (Critic Alexander Walker of London’s Evening Standard would mockingly describe the diminutive Weng as “a James Bond type cut-off”). The Weng film, directed by Eddie Nicart, was mischievously titled For Y’urHeight Only, an obvious word playon the most recent James Bond screen adventure For Your Eyes Only.
I can’t say with certainty that For Y’ur Height Onlyplayed the grindhouse theaters of “The Deuce” on Manhattan’s 42nd Street, but the film would have fit in well there. It’s a spy-film fever-dream of sorts: thecrack addicts and alcoholics in the grungy red seats could awake from their own narcotic-fed hallucinations and behold images on screen even wilder beyond their own madness’s.This was James-Bond-on-a-budget.A very low budget.Weng’s “Agent 00” is even introduced via an ersatz 007 gun barrel sequence, the moment heightened by the pulsing –and very familiar – opening strains of John Barry’s “James Bond Theme.”
The film itself is all spy-film formula.For Y’ur Height Onlyopens with the kidnapping of a scientist who holds the secret formula to a coveted “N Bomb” weapon. The syndicate behind the kidnapping is led by the mysterious “Mr. Giant” who chooses to communicate withhis minions through a blinking-light, oversized facial mirror.Mr. Giant’s crime syndicate is not, all things considered, particularly political. They also dabble in street-level crimes: drugs, prostitution and theft. They’re a cabal of rogues,openly declaring, “The forces of good are our enemy and they must be exterminated.”
In reaction to the kidnapping, little-person Agent 00 (Weng, described as a “man of few words”), is summoned to report to the office of an ersatz “M.” Weng’s boss breaks down the situation before offeringthe agent a staggering number of gadgets to put to use while working in the field. These include a pen that “doesn’t write words,” a tiny jet-pack, and a razor-brim hat with boomerang-return capability. Of courseWeng manages to dutifully employall of these gadgets while targeting the evildoers: one minion remarks, inarguably, that Wengis “a one-an army,”anothertags him as the “scourge of the secret service.”
Honestly, Weng hardly requiresall the gadgetry. He parachutes from the top of a high-rise building using an ordinary bumbershoot for ballast (think Batman ’66 Penguin-style). But he more often employs his karateskills to bring down platoonsof bad guys with multiple sharp kicks to their groins.Weng also appears a lot smarter than his adversaries as well: he’salways a step or two ahead of theircounter-moves.In a filmbrimming-to-the-edgeswith non-stop action, Weng is constantly seen climbing above or understructures orsliding across floors to vanquish evil gunmen. The film reaches its climax when Weng engages in mano a mano fisticuffs with Mr. Giant, at the villain’s secret lair on a hidden island.
I believe it’s reasonable to saythat for all of its eccentric, energetic charm, For Y’ur Height Onlyis completely and utterly bonkers.It’s also a very cheap looking feature film, the settings gritty and tawdry, the scripting ridiculous. The faces of the entire cast are entirely covered in the glistening sheen of South Pacific humidity and sweat. The film’s atrocious dubbing (from native Tagalog to English) – not the fault of the original filmmakers, of course – burdens the soundtrack: an additional later ofaural nonsensetocompliment the madness on screen.Though For Y’ur Height Onlyis often categorized as an “action-comedy” the original filmmakers took exception, arguing it was no such thing. In their mind, they had made a straight-up formulaic spy film, albeit one with an unusual actor in the lead role.
Following the great reaction and interest inFor Y’ur Height Only at the Manila fest, there were discussions of grumbling embarrassment among Filipino artists and intellectuals in attendance. How could this amateurishly produced extravaganza of pure exploitative nonsense have bested the country’s more significantly erudite and artistic entries?But the film brokers at the festival weren’t highbrows. They were interested in buying cheap and making a few dollars off this novelty spy adventure. Kurt Palm of West Germany’s Repa-Film Productions,purchased the rights to For Yur Height Only(and two other of Weng’s films) for $60,000. Sri Lanka chipped in an additional $1500 for Height rights. Before the festival closed,the producers had sold export rights of Height to distributors in Belgium, France, Indonesia, Italy, Morocco, Nigeria and Switzerland, as well asa number of South American countries.Continue reading "AGENT DOWN: THE IMPROBABLE RISE AND SAD FALL OF SECRET AGENT "OO""
A mind-expanding endeavor, the set
features 99 mostly comic rarities produced from 1898 to 1926, gleaned from
archives and libraries across the globe. It is a triumph of scholarship.” —
Manohla Dargis, The New York
Times
"Cinema’s First Nasty Women
is a game-changer for teaching film history."
-- Catherine Russell, Cineaste
Magazine
"As an entertainment, it’s a
hoot. So much fun! As a look back at the film industry before women creators
were reined in, it’s an historical resource. For anyone who is interested in
early cinema, this disc set is a real treat!"
-- Audrey Kupferberg,
WAMC Northeast Public Radio
"An abundance of low-down female
slapstick anarchy....It's old-school film history turned inside out." --
Michael Atkinson, Sight and Sound
"We need to celebrate this
amazing, labor of love, four Blu-ray package - also hoping for future editions!
It has our strongest recommendation."
-- Gary Tooze, DVDBeaver
Fresh
off its win at the Cinema
Ritrovato DVD Awards, Cinema's
First Nasty Women -- a four-disc set showcasing more than
fourteen hours of rarely-seen silent films about feminist protest, slapstick
rebellion, and suggestive gender play -- has continued to garner critical
praise and inspire innovative repertory programming. This collection is a
celebration of the unknown but indelible women whose rebellious energy and
creative labor helped establish the international silent film industry. Their
work deserves to be enjoyed and remembered today.
Eat
your heart out Barbenheimer! With recent discussions about the power of
popular media to challenge gender norms, subvert lazy stereotypes, and incite
riotous experimentation, now is the perfect time to rediscover these
irreverent, uproarious, and astonishing works from more than a century ago. The
performers in these films paved the way for feminist comedy and gender activism
today. Their wild antics offer uncanny images for navigating the unresolvable
crises and unrealized potentials of our own times. Feast your eyes on Cinema's
First Nasty Women!
These
women organize labor strikes, bake (and weaponize) inedible desserts, explode
out of chimneys, electrocute the police force, and assume a range of identities
that gleefully dismantle traditional gender norms and sexual constraints.
The
films span a variety of genres including slapstick comedy, genteel farce, the
trick film, cowboy melodrama, and adventure thriller, and spotlight performers
and characters like Bertha Regustus, Minnie Devereaux (Cheyenne and Arapaho),
Lillian St. Cyr (Ho-Chunk), Léontine, Little Chrysia, and Edna “Billy” Foster.
Cinema’s
First Nasty Women
includes 99 European and American silent films, produced from 1898 to 1926,
sourced from thirteen international film archives and libraries, with all-new
musical scores, video introductions, commentary tracks, and a lavishly illustrated
booklet by leading scholars and artists, including Shelley Stamp, Jane Gaines,
Jennifer Bean, Mariann Lewinsky, Susan Stryker, Arigon Starr (Kickapoo), Kyla
Wazana Tompkins, Yiman Wang, and Liza Black (Cherokee).
Curated
by Maggie Hennefeld, Laura Horak, and Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi, and produced for
video by Bret Wood, Cinema’s First Nasty Women is a partnership of Kino
Lorber, Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, Women Film Pioneers Project, Eye
Filmmuseum, FIC-Silente, and Carleton University.
CINEMA'S FIRST NASTY
WOMEN
Four-Disc Collection (1898-1926)
Region Free
Directors: various
Cast: Florence Turner, Little Chrysia,
Texas Guinan, Fay Tincher,
Gene Gauntier, Mabel Taliaferro,
Bertha Regustus, Sarah Duhamel,
Evelyn Greeley, Laura Bayley, Edna
"Billy" Foster, Tsuru Aoki, Léontine
Total Running Time: 875 minutes
Countries: Denmark, France, Italy,
Netherlands, Sweden, U.K., U.S.
Genres: Comedy, Action, Drama,
Melodrama, Silent, Slapstick, Western
Technically speaking, OSS 117 secret agent Hubert
Bonisseur de La Bath is not a James
Bond knock off.The creation of wildly
prolific French author Jean Bruce, the first literary adventure of the spy arrived
in 1949 with the publication of Tu parles d'une ingénue (Ici OSS 117).This
would pre-date the April 1953 publication of the first Ian Fleming James Bond
novel, Casino Royale, by nearly four years.In the years following the publication of that
first 007 thriller to his last in 1965, Fleming would deliver an impressive thirteen
James Bond novels and nine short stories.
In contrast, Jean Bruce would
publish no fewer (and possibly more) than eighty-eight to ninety OSS 117
pulp-adventures between 1949 and March of 1963, the month and year of his
passing. It’s difficult to determine how many of Bruce’s novels were of his
composition alone. His widow, Josette – and later a teaming of the Bruce’s son
and daughter – would continue the pulp series into the early 1990s. So determined
bibliophiles will have their work cut out for them if they wish to track down
all of the 250+ published OSS 117 novels.
If OSS 117 beat James Bond to
the stalls of book-sellers, he also managed to beat him to the cinema
screen.Two OSS 117 films were released
throughout Western Europe and foreign markets in 1957 and 1960: OSS 117 n'est pas mort (OSS 117 is not Dead)
andLe bal des espions
(Danger in the Middle East).The latter title,
interestingly, does not feature “Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath.”Though based on one of Bruce’s OSS 117
novels, a messy rights-issue prevented the filmmakers to use the central
character’s moniker.These earliest
films, produced as routine crime dramas by differing production companies (and
featuring different actors in the title role), came and went without attention
nor fanfare.
But in 1963 Bruce’s OSS 117 character was resurrected as
a cinematic property following the success of Terence’s Young’s Dr. No, the first James Bond screen
adventure.The spy pictures comprising
Kino Lorber’s OSS 117 Five Film
Collection are tailored as pastiches of the popular James Bond adventures
of the 1960s.This new Blu ray set
features the entirety of OSS 117 film thrillers produced 1963 through 1968
during the height of Bondmania.And,
just as the Eon series offered a trio of actors to portray James Bond
(1962-1973), the OSS series would likewise present three in the role of Colonel
Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath.Each actor
would bring some aspect of their own personalities to their characterizations.
Of course, the name Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath is a bit
of a Franco-linguistic mouthful to market successfully overseas.So, throughout the five films the character usually
assumes an Anglo-friendly alias which helps move things along a bit more
smoothly: he alternately assumes – among others - such covert surnames as
Landon, Barton, Delcroix, Wilson and Mulligan.It certainly makes his character’s many “personal” on-screen introductions
easier for all involved.
The Kino set starts off chronologically with 1963’s OSS 117 is Unleashed (original title OSS 117 se déchaîne).Like the four films to follow, the series
were all Franco-Italia co-productions and distributed by Gaumont Films.Unlike those four, OSS 117 is Unleashed is filmed in black-and-white.The monochrome photography is not really an
issue.But cinemagoers were certainly cheated
of enjoying the beautiful beaches and Cliffside scenery of the village of
Bonifacio (off the Corsican strait) in vibrant color.
In OSS 117 is
Unleashed our hero (American actor Kerwin Mathews, best known to American
audiences for his roles in Ray Harryhausen’s special-effect laden epics The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) and The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960), is sent
to Corsica to investigate the suspicious death of a fellow agent.We’re told, suspiciously, there’s been, “lots
of accidents among agents near Bonifacio.”A preamble to the film, culled mostly of cold war era newsreel footage,
alerts that an unspecified enemy is working towards “neutralizing” free-world atomic
submarine movements in the area. With
conspirators tagged with such names as “Sacha” and “Boris,” we can reasonably
assume its east-of-the-Iron Curtain intelligence agents behind the plot.
Initially posing as a relative of the recently targeted
and now deceased CIA frogman (and later as a Lloyds of London insurance adjustor),
Mathews must dispatch and/or fend off a series of enemy agents and perhaps a duplicitous
woman.In due course, he survives a poisoning,
several (well-choreographed) hand-to-hand combat sequences and even a submerged
spear-gun and knifing frogman attack.The latter occurs while he’s search of a mysterious submerged
subterranean grotto.The base is outfitted
(as one might expect) with high-tech equipment and a detection system designed
to bring about “the end of atomic submarines.”The secreted grotto is also equipped with a built-in self-destruct
button… always handy, just in case.This
is all definitely Bond-on-a budget style filmmaking.Of course, the idea of covertly tracking atomic
submarines movements brings to mind the storyline of the far-more-lavishly
staged The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).
As far as I can determine, OSS 117 is Unleashed was never released theatrically in the
U.S.But Mathews’ second (and final) outing
as OSS 117, Panic in Bangkok (Banco à Bangkok pour OSS 117) (1964) would
have a belated release in the U.S. (as Shadow
of Evil) in December of 1966.Regardless,
Shadow of Evil was not exhibited as a
primary attraction in the U.S. market.It most often appeared as the under bill to Christopher Lee in The Brides of Fu Manchu or (more
sensibly) to Montgomery Clift’s political suspense-thriller The Defector.
In Panic in Bangkok,
Mathews is dispatched to Thailand to, once again, investigate the assassination
of a fellow agent.The murdered CIA operative
had been investigating a possible correlation between anti-cholera vaccines
produced by Bangkok’s Hogby Laboratories to an outbreak of a deadly plague in
India.The trail leads Mathews to
suspect a certain mysterious Dr. Sinn (Robert Hossein) is somehow involved.Unlike the previous film which lacked a singular
villain with a foreboding presence (ala Dr. No), the filmmakers offer
cinemagoers a more exotic adversary in Dr. Sinn.
Vinegar Syndrome has released a special edition of the 1968 whodunnit Western "5 Card Stud". It's an unusual title for the company, which generally specializes in releasing first rate special editions of obscure cult films and vintage erotica. The film was a follow-up project between veteran producer Hal Wallis and director Henry Hathaway, who had great success with their 1965 Western "The Sons of Katie Elder" which top-lined John Wayne and Dean Martin, who were reunited six years after co-starring in Howard Hawks' classic "Rio Bravo". "Stud" is by no means a classic, but it is a highly entertaining, offbeat entry in the genre, combining traditional Western elements with the novel idea of incorporating a plot concerning serial murders. Martin plays a character with a Hollywoodish name, Van Morgan. He's a professional gambler who finances his life and travels by dressing up like a dude and finding great success in the gambling parlors of Denver. In between games, he leads a low-key life in a small town of Ricon, Colorado, which is attracting miners intent on finding gold that is rumored to in the surrounding area. When the film opens, he is embroiled in a hard-fought game of poker with local men that extends well into the night. When one of the players is revealed to be cheating, the hot-headed Nick Evers (Roddy McDowell) overreacts and gets the other men to join him in tying up the culprit, riding him out by a nearby bridge to lynch him. Van attempts to stop the hanging, but Nick knocks him out with the butt of his pistol. Not much is done about the crime, since Nick is the son of beloved local cattle baron Sig Evers (Denver Pyle), a widower who runs the ranch with Nick and his sister Nora (Katherine Justice), who are both heirs to the cattle ranch. Nora clearly is smitten by Van, who is reluctant to formally court her, given the fact that she is a decent woman and he lives a somewhat indecent lifestyle. Things kick into gear when one-by-one the men who participated in the fateful poker game are murdered.
The plot is yet another example of Agatha Christie's classic suspense novel "Ten Little Indians" having influenced films of every type of genre. However, the script by the estimable Marguerite Roberts (who would collaborate with Wallis and Hathaway the next year for the triumphant "True Grit") gives the movie an unusual angle for a Western. Roberts had adapted a little-known novel titled "Glory Gulch" by Ray Gaulden and by all accounts took liberties to improve the story substantially. The movie comes to life with the introduction of the film's most dynamic character, the Reverend Rudd (Robert Mitchum), a gunslinging preacher who arrives out of nowhere to open the town's first chapel, determined to bring God into the lives of the town's hedonistic inhabitants. Rudd is a preacher in the fire-and-brimstone tradition. He's outwardly polite but also displays a healthy dose of cynicism. When one of the murders occurs in the chapel, he teams with Van to find the culprit as each of the poker players become increasingly paranoid that they might be the next victim.
The whodunnit aspect of the script is done away with when the identity of the killer is revealed well before the climax. The villain's identity won't come as a shock to any astute viewer, but it's an awful lot of fun watching the clues unravel. Martin was criticized by some reviewers for sleepwalking through his part, but it's an unfair criticism. He gives a perfectly fine performance even if he is upstaged by Mitchum in the meatier and more interesting role. Inger Stevens, in one of her final screen roles before tragically committing suicide at age 35, appears as Lily, a local madame who moves into town with her "girls" and opens a bordello disguised as an upscale tonsorial parlor, which results in some amusing dialogue and sight gags. Van finds himself torn between good girl Nora and the exotic bad girl Lily. The film boasts a marvelous cast of beloved character actors, some of whom only have bit roles. In addition to Denver Pyle, you can relish the presence of Yaphet Kotto, who is excellent in an early career performance. Other participants include John Anderson, Ruth Springford, Roy Jenson,Whit Bissell and Hope Summers, who was a regular on "The Andy Griffith Show". The only off-key note is provided by the miscast Roddy McDowell, who plays a villain in traditional Roddy McDowell style, with a quasi-English accent and an erudite manner that doesn't fit his role as a hard scrabbled cattle rancher. Hathaway's direction is spot-on and the film also offers a quirky musical score by Maurice Jarre that seems to emulate the music found in the Sergio Leone Westerns. We even get to hear Dino warble the catchy title song.
The Vinegar Syndrome release is highly impressive, having been newly scanned and restored in 4K from its original camera negative. Aside from a blurry few seconds in the opening poker game the rest of transfer is excellent. The sleeve has very creative artwork by Tony Stella that seems to pay tribute to the Italian movie poster designs of the era. (There is also reversible sleeve artwork that shows the stars.) There's a 16-page, amply illustrated collector's booklet with an excellent and informative essay by film historian Jim Healy, who astutely points out elements of the film noir genre that are interwoven in the movie. Historian Lizzie Francke provides an excellent video essay about the dramatic life and career of Marguerite Roberts, who managed to rebound after being blacklisted during the dark days of McCarthyism. Film critic Walter Chaw provides a video essay that is devoted entirely to the life and career of Henry Hathaway, and states the obvious: he was always underrated. There is also an impressive commentary track by film book author and Cinema Retro columnist Brian Hannan, who provides plenty of very interesting insights into the making of the film and the Western genre of the 1960s. (He points out that "5 Card Stud" was quite successful at the boxoffice.) As side note, Hannan also runs the addictive blog "The Magnificent 60s".
I don't know if there will be more films of this type released by Vinegar Syndrome, but I hope this isn't an aberration and that there will be more to follow, especially if they are presented in such a fine manner.
"Sweet November", released in 1968, came and went without generating
much enthusiasm from critics or the public. Produced the estimable team
of Jerry Gershwin and Elliott Kastner, who would go on to make "Where
Eagles Dare", the film is a romantic comedy set in Brooklyn Heights,
just across the river from Manhattan decades before the area was deemed
to be hip. Anthony Newley is Charlie Blake, a stuffy British import to
Gotham who is the workaholic president of a company that manufactures
cardboard boxes. You know the type: no time for love or laughs and just
perfect to be taught a life lesson by the right girl, who, in this case,
happens to be Sara Deever (Sandy Dennis), a 23 year-old independent
young woman who meets cute with Charlie while they both are taking a
test to renew their driver's licenses. As in all such scenarios, the
small talk is awkward and Charlie finds Sara to be wacky and annoying-
before discovering that her bizarre conversations are somewhat
intoxicating. Before long, they are pals and Sara brings him to her
apartment. She explains she's an artist who has found a way to act as a
de facto repair woman for other apartment dwellers, thus supplementing
her income. She also has unusual living arrangements. Every month, she
"adopts" a new man with emotional needs who gets to live with her for a
full month, during which time she serves as an amateur psychiatrist who
documents the progress (or lack there of) in bringing the temporary man
of the house to a better status than she found him in. At the end of
every month, the male tenant must leave to make room for his
replacement. Sara can discern that Charlie is an uptight nerd who is
also frustrated poet at heart. She convinces him to be her tenant for
November. Since Charlie owns his company, he's able to take the time
off, which serves as a reminder of nice things were before E- mails and
text messages came to rule the lives of executives.
Sara's modest flat provides some amusing sight gags: her bed is
located on a shaky platform accessible only by a even shakier ladder.
However, the perks of being her "Tenant of the Month" are that you don't
have to pay rent and you get to sleep with her, though the sexual
aspect of the relationship is only hinted at. Charlie finds Sara to be a
handful in terms of personality quirks. She has an opinion on
everything and likes to play "Mother Hen", advising her tenants about
how to improve their lives. Gradually, Charlie becomes intoxicated by
her innocence and good nature. She's Holly Golightly on steroids, as she
inspires him to explore his creative impulses, shed his business attire
and dress in the currently mod styles. Sara introduces Charlie to her
best friend, Alonzo (nicely played by Theodore Bikel), an artist and
local activist who serves as a father figure to her. Before long,
Charlie is madly in love with Sara and dreads the day when his eventual
departure will have to occur in order to accommodate her next tenant.
Until this point, "Sweet November" plays out like a sitcom of the era,
albeit with some nice footage of Brooklyn. Director Robert Ellis Miller
often encourages his stars to overplay the "cutesy" elements of their
characters. Sara is almost pretentiously quirky and Charlie displays a
fey personality and habits that were mostly associated with
stereotypical gay characters of the era. However, Herman Raucher's
script takes a somber turn in the last third of the film as Charlie
desperately convinces himself that Sara loves him as much as he loves
her. A dramatic twist is introduced that leads to a genuinely touching,
if unexpected finale. As the script grows darker, the two leads have
more to work with. Dennis brings a sensitivity to her performance as the
ultimate liberated woman and Newley (who generally displays more ham
than your local supermarket) eventually reigns in his comedic mannerisms
and redeems himself by making Charlie a more sympathetic figure.
"Sweet November" has all the trappings of a stage play that was
adapted to a film. In fact, it is not, although one can easily see it
translated into a theater production, as most of the scenes take place
in an apartment. The script was considered to be a hot property back in
the day and Audrey Hepburn was said to have been interested in starring
in the film. It enjoyed a prestigious opening at Radio City Music Hall
but critics were dismissive of the movie, though the influential New
York Times almost begrudgingly acknowledged a positive recommendation.
The film quickly disappeared until 2001 when it was remade starring
Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, though that film failed at the
boxoffice as well. Despite its unenviable legacy, "Sweet November" is a
touching film that will probably please most retro movie lovers. It is
currently available as a region-free DVD through the Warner Archive.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM THE CINEMA RETRO MOVIE STORE
In this appearance on "The Dick Cavett Show", director Blake Edwards shows some of his prized bloopers from the set of "A Shot in the Dark" starring Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau. Even the normally dour George Sanders can't resist cracking up!
Dan Blocker, who played the gentle giant Hoss Cartwright on "Bonanza", rarely gave personal interviews but he made an exception in 1971, sitting down with entertainment journalist Bobby Wygant. Blocker discusses his travels, his prediction for the show's future and family aspects of life Tragically, he would die the very next year at age 43.
In
“Man-Eater of Kumaon,” a 1948 feature now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber
Studio Classics, Dr. John Collins (Wendell Corey) undertakes an ill-fated
big-game hunt in the distant land of the movie’s title—an actual region of
India in the Himalayan foothills, not a fantasy world orbiting somewhere
between planets Coruscant and Dune as the exotic name might suggest nowadays.Stalking a tiger in the underbrush, Collins
inflicts an agonizing but not fatal injury as his bullet severs one of the
tiger’s toes.His Indian guides warn
that the wounded tiger will begin attacking and killing humans, and they urge
him to finish what he started.But the
American doesn’t
feel particularly responsible for the villagers now at the mercy of the
carnivore.In his case, it’s less a
matter of Western chauvinism than a general lack of empathy for other people
whatever their ethnicity, a shortcoming that cost him his marriage back in the
States.
After
recovering from an onset of malaria, Collins plans to try his luck inSumatra next.But the tiger has already begun its depredations, and on his way to
Delhi, the hunter encounters a little boy, Panwah, orphaned by the big
cat.Collins conveys the child to a
nearby village, where he is taken in by a young couple, Narain (Sabu) and Lali
(Joanne Page), whom the American befriends.In part, we infer, he becomes close to the loving couple because they
remind him of what he lost back home when his wife divorced him.Still, he resists the idea that, having
turned the tiger into a killer of humans, it’s up to him to restore peace and
security by finishing the job—until the attacks become personal when Lali is
badly mauled while saving Panwah.
“Man-Eater
of Kumaon” was loosely based on a best-selling memoir by big-game hunter Jim
Corbett, who in real life was neither an American nor a disenchanted
physician.This wasn’t the first or last
instance of filmmakers purchasing a popular book, keeping the title for name
recognition, and throwing out most everything else.Unlike many books and films that have
glorified big-game hunting as a macho rite of passage, the dilemma facing John
Collins is a crisis of conscience, not a challenge to his ability to secure a
trophy head.Still, animal-rights
advocates and conservationists are likely to be disturbed by scenes of the
hunter pointing his rifle at the tiger whatever the context.Now, laws would require that the cat be
tranquillised as the first resort and relocated to another habitat away from
humans, not killed.Aside from Sabu, all
the Indians in the story are portrayed by non-Indian actors, a practice that
wouldn’t begin to change for another ten years, when Kamala Devi and I.S Johar
appeared in prominent supporting roles in another movie about ferocious
felines, “Harry Black and the Tiger” (1958).Arguing that studios should have been more inclusive in the 1940s is a
little like contending that Ford’s Theatre should have had metal detectors in
1865.Nevertheless, it’s still a hurdle
for many viewers today, accustomed as we’ve become to the routine presence of
Indian and Indian-American actors in contemporary TV shows and movies, although
critically beloved classics like “Gunga Din” and “Black Narcissus” often seem
to get a pass in this regard.
Well
acted by the always dependable Wendell Corey and capably directed by Byron
Haskin (better known to Sci-Fi enthusiasts for 1953’s “The War of the Worlds”
and six episodes of “The Outer Limits” in 1963-64), “Man-Eater of Kumaon” shows
to good advantage in the new Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.The movie was filmed in black and white by
acclaimed cinematographer William C. Mellor, a choice that may have been
necessitated by the budgetary logistics of incorporating old B&W stock
footage into new shots of a tiger prowling through a backlot jungle set, but it
serves a dramatic purpose too.Mellor’s
glistening daytime shots and hi-def, misty nocturnal compositions underscore a
Film Noir quality in the plot, as fate manoeuvres John Collins into an
initially reluctant, then fiercely resigned showdown with the hostile force of
nature represented by the rogue tiger.Special features on the Blu-ray include several trailers for other
jungle movies and Wendell Corey pictures available from Kino Lorber, a
spirited audio commentary by David Del Valle and Dan Marino and reversible sleeve artwork.
"RETRO-ACTIVE: ARTICLES FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVE"
By Lee Pfeiffer
We must admit that when it comes to showcasing bad movies, Cinema Retro is a bit provincial in that we tend to concentrate on misfires from English language cinema. But why not spread the wealth? After all, there are bad movies being made in every language. The good reaction we got from running the 1959 Mexican "Santa Claus" film has now inspired us to honor a bad Turkish flick, the 1972 crime thriller "Kareteci Kiz", of which we have only seen the death scene depicted here. If there is a worse scene showing the demise of a movie villain, we've yet to see it but your intrepid staffers will keep pursuing the quest. This also has the bonus of including what is probably the worst movie fight scene of all time. It's accompanied in part by some brief snippets from Hugo Montenegro's hot-selling 1966 cover version of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." theme, thus illustrating the benefits to producers who don't have to worry about such nit-picky aspects of film making such as obtaining intellectual property rights. Enjoy!
British advertisement for the 1961 double feature of "Gold of the Seven Saints" starring Clint Walker and Roger Moore and "The White Warrior" starring Steve Reeves.
In this memorable scene from the 1969 classic "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", Paul Newman makes short work of his seemingly undefeatable opponent, Ted Cassidy.
In this excerpt from an interview with Ben Mankiewicz from Turner Classic Movies, Jerry Lewis recalls his reunion with Dean Martin after not having spoken to him in 20 years. Here is the famous reunion moment from Jerry's 1976 Muscular Dystrophy telethon:
A dissatisfied housewife brings home a stranded alien and
gradually falls in love, high school students live in fear after a beautiful student
is found dead, her back snapped across the gymnasium balance beam, a young teen
dates the enigmatic daughter of a mad scientist, in one town aliens have
actually become part of the community and started attending the local school, a
late-night DJ picks up signals from across space which appear to be from his
recently abducted wife, the real Creature from the Black Lagoon finds himself
working in Hollywood and falling for Julie Adams, teens on Lover’s Lane find
themselves fighting back against a potential alien invasion, and mysterious
video tapes show the real Bela Lugosi in films made by Ed Wood that cannot
possibly exist, given that he had died years before.
This new collection of stories by Dale Bailey (some of
which were previously published in magazines including Asimov’s Science
Fiction and Lightspeed) draws on his own memories of half-watched movies
on late-night TV and reading articles in Fangoria. Perhaps because of
this many of the stories are told as if distant, troubling memories are being
reluctantly recalled. Although the cover art may suggest a fun,
nostalgia-tinged trip back to the fifties, these are stories infused with loss,
grief and melancholy; one man recalls visiting his dead brother’s apartment in
Hollywood, trying to understand how they drifted apart, another, whose wife has
been missing since he claims to have witnessed her being taken up into the sky,
can no longer fully connect with the people around him, a young wife lives in a
trailer park struggling to overcome the tragedy of her baby daughter dying just
minutes after birth, and the Creature tries to reconcile his feelings for Julie
Adams with his desperate need to return to the swamps. These are people whose
lives have not turned out the way they had hoped, trying to understand and come
to terms with their frightening, life-changing experiences. Yet at the same
time, Dale, not forgetting what most of us are here for, combines B-movie
tropes and titles such as ‘Invasion of the Saucer-Men', ‘The Ghoul Goes West’, ‘Night
Caller from Outer Space’ and ‘I Was a Teenage Werewolf’, with humour,
real-world heartbreak and longing.
This hardback collection, published by Electric
Dreamhouse, is a wonderful read for any classic movie fan. Each story is
accompanied by a suitably pulpy illustration (dome-headed aliens, slavering
werewolves and pulchritudinous heroines appear to be Sheady’s specialty), and
the book cover is a work of art in itself, packed with imagery from many
drive-in movies, and not just those referenced in the book. These are stories
that will linger in your mind long after reading, much like the tragic tales
themselves have lingered in the minds of their respective narrators.
Simpson publicity photo for the "Naked Gun" film series. (Photo: Paramount.)
By Lee Pfeiffer
O.J. Simpson, the American football Hall of Fame honoree who went on to develop a successful acting career, has died of cancer at age 76. In 1994, Simpson became the key suspect in the murder of his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman. The resulting trial became one of the most riveting of the modern era with TV audiences following every aspect of his case. The ensuing mania involving Simpson's fate elevated some people associated with the case to prominence while destroying the reputations of others. Although there was considerable evidence tying Simpson to the murders and the fact that he tried to escape police in a notorious and bizarre slow-moving car chase through Los Angeles, the case took on racial elements that divided the nation. For many Black people, Simpson's ultimate acquittal represented a rare case of justice being delivered to a member of their community. White viewers were largely convinced that Simpson had literally gotten away with murder. The "must-see" TV element of the case often overshadowed the fact that it was about two people who had been brutally murdered, as defense attorneys, prosecutors and even the judge became immediate media sensations. When the verdict was announced, America seemed to come to a standstill while everyone found a TV or radio to gather around during the pre-social media era. Simpson's acquittal didn't end his troubles. He was found liable in a civil case for the deaths and was ordered to pay Ron Goldman's family substantial damages. Simpson went to great lengths to avoid doing so, as Goldman's father used media sources to relentlessly hound him. In his post-trial years, Simpson maintained a low key persona, though comedians would often scoff at his public commitment to track down "the real killer".
After leaving football as a true legend, Simpson successfully built an acting career. Although he was never a major boxoffice draw as a leading man, he was very popular in supporting roles. He appeared in such films as "Capricorn One", along with Hollywood royalty in the 1974 blockbuster "The Towering Inferno" as well as the star-studded "The Cassandra Crossing" before co-starring with Leslie Nielsen in the "Naked Gun" trilogy, adeptly playing a hapless, accident-prone detective. Simpson's acting career and role as a popular TV pitchman were casualties of his murder trial and work in the entertainment field dried up even though he had been found not guilty. Simpson was back in the news again some years later when he was arrested and convicted of an armed robbery connected to his attempt to reclaim sports memorabilia that he said had been stolen from him. Simpson would serve nine years in prison for the crime.
In 1971, director Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood teamed again for the offbeat Gothic Civil War drama "The Beguiled" which daringly cast Eastwood in a villainous role. Universal wasn't happy with the finished film and launched a deceptive print campaign implying the movie was a typical Eastwood action flick, a tactic that appalled Eastwood and Siegel. Not helping matters was the cornball narration of this original trailer. The film has been re-evaluated over the decades and now ranks as a major achievement in both men's careers.
Richard Attenborough wins the Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for "Gandhi" at the 1983 Academy Awards. When listening to Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett announce the nominees, try to absorb just how many great films were nominated in this one year.
Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Blue Underground:
On April 23rd, Blue Underground releases Goodbye
Uncle Tom, one of the most graphic and notorious films ever made, on
Limited Edition 4K UHD and Blu-Ray.
Originally released in 1971, Goodbye Uncle Tom is
an Italian mondo-docudrama based on true events about the rise and revolt of
slavery in America.
Directors Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco
Prosperi (Mondo Cane) used period documentation and historical
accounts to recreate the antebellum south and the horrors of the slave
trade. The film was so shocking in its detailed look at the atrocities of
slavery that distributors in the US forced Jacopetti and Prosperi to cut it and
radically re-edit the film before release.
Even in its truncated form, Goodbye Uncle Tom created
a stir amongst critics. Roger Ebert called it, “… the most
disgusting, contemptuous insult to decency ever to masquerade as a
documentary.” while Pauline Kael said, “the most specific and rabid
incitement to race war," and The Detroit Chronicle hailed it as
"a graphic, moving, nerve-paralyzing film."
Goodbye Uncle Tom can
now be seen more than five decades after its initial release in both its
original uncut Italian version, alongside its drastically different English
version, both fully restored in 4K from their original camera negatives.
Includes a bonus Blu-ray disc with a wealth of supplemental features that give
context to the staggering and violent look back at this horrific chapter of
American history.
The 4K UHD and Blu-ray Extras special features include
feature-length documentaries; never-before-seen interviews with
writers/directors Gualtiero Jacopetti, Franco Prosperi, composer Riz Ortolani
and others; rare behind-the-scene footage; English and Italian trailers; still
galleries, including Giampaolo Lomi’s behind-the-scenes photos; a bonus CD of
the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Riz Ortolani; and a collectible
booklet.
Burt Reynolds had been gnawing around the boundaries of genuine stardom for more than a decade, starring in short-lived television shows and top-lining "B" movies. He ingratiated himself to the American public by showcasing his wit and comedic abilities by appearing on chat shows. In 1972, he struck gold when director John Boorman cast him opposite Jon Voight as the two male leads in the sensational film adaptation of James Dickey's "Deliverance". Finally, he could be classified as a major movie star. Soon, Reynolds was cranking out major films even while his uncanny ability to publicize himself resulted in such stunts as his famed provocative centerfold pose in Cosmopolitan magazine. On screen, Reynolds sensed that he could cultivate an especially enthusiastic audience if he catered to rural movie-goers. He was proven right with the release of "White Lightning", a highly enjoyable 1973 action/comedy that perfectly showcased Reynolds' favored image as a handsome, unflappable hero with a Bondian knack for tossing off quips while facing death and also engaging in good ol' boy towel-snapping humor. Playing bootlegger Gator McClusky, Reynolds drew major crowds, very much pleasing United Artists, which enjoyed hefty profits from the modestly-budgeted production. Reynolds learned, however, that his audience wouldn't necessarily follow him if he deviated from that image. When he went against the grain in films like "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing", "At Long Last Love" and "Lucky Lady", the movies bombed. When he stuck to the basics, he had hits with "Shamus", "The Longest Yard" and "W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings". The legendary Variety headline that read "Hix Nix Stix Pix" was no longer true. The American heartland loved Burt Reynolds, especially when he played characters that rural audiences could embrace.
In 1976, Reynolds fulfilled another career milestone by directing his first feature film, a sequel to "White Lightning" titled "Gator". Like the first movie, it was shot entirely on location in Georgia and picked up on the adventures of everyone's favorite moonshiner. When we first see Gator in the sequel, he his getting out of jail only to be targeted by the feds to be used as a pawn in a multi-state crackdown on an epidemic of political corruption that threatens the career of the self-serving, ambitious governor (played very well by famed chat show host Mike Douglas in his big screen debut.) Gator is living in a shack located deep in an inhospitable swamp with his elderly father and precocious 9 year-old daughter when the feds launch a major raid to arrest him on moonshining charges. In reality, they want to use the warrant as leverage to convince him to go undercover for them inside the crime ring. Gator wants no part of it and leads the feds on a merry chase around the bayou in which he is pursued by speed boats and helicopters before finally relenting. The lead federal agent in charge is Irving Greenfield (Jack Weston), an overweight, hyper-nervous Jewish guy from Manhattan who has the unenviable task of ensuring that Gator follows orders. A good portion of the film's laugh quotient comes from Irving's less-than-convincing attempts to "blend in" with small town southern locals. The crime ring is run by Bama McCall (Jerry Reed), an outwardly charming and charismatic fellow who, in reality, uses brutally violent methods to ensure loyalty and intimidate local businessmen to pay protection money. He and Gator are old acquaintances and he doesn't hesitate to give Gator a good-paying job as an enforcer for his mob. Things become more intriguing when Gator sets eyes on Aggie Maybank (Lauren Hutton), an attractive local TV anchor with liberal political beliefs that find her squaring off against Bama in order to protect the poor merchants he is exploiting. "Gator" proceeds on a predictable path but its predictability doesn't detract from its merits, which are considerable. Reynolds is a joy to watch and it's small wonder he leaped to the top ranks of cinematic leading men. His cocky, self-assured persona served him well on the big screen and "Gator" is custom-made to please his core audience. He also proved to be a very able director, handling the action scenes and those of unexpected tragic twists with equal skill. He also gets very good performances from his eclectic cast, with Weston engaging in his usual penchant for scene-stealing. Reed also shines in a rare villainous role and ex-model Hutton proves she has admirable acting chops, as well. The action scenes are impressive thanks to the oversight of the legendary Hal Needham, who would forge a long-time collaborative relationship with Reynolds.
The Kino Lorber Blu-ray is a reissue with extras from the 2018 release ported over. The new additional material consists of a commentary track by film historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson, who also provide a new track on the KL reissue of "White Lightning". The track is quite valuable and entertaining, as old pros Mitchell and Thompson provide a wealth of interesting facts and observations about the film. For example, they discuss that "Gator" is far lighter in tone than the revenge thriller "White Lightning" and say that Reynolds thought the script for "Gator" was sub-par but did the film on the proviso he could direct it. The disc is also impressive not only because of the excellent transfer but also because it contains a filmed interview with Reynolds, who extols the film's virtues and its personal meaning to him. In an unusually candid conversation, he divulges amusing anecdotes about Hutton's on-set quirks that included a penchant for exhibitionism (she would flash her breasts to appreciative crew members.) He also relates how a car crash stunt almost killed Hal Needham. Most poignantly, he talks about his personal affection for Georgia, a state he has filmed over twenty movies in. He also candidly expresses his regret that only directed a few films and never fulfilled his dream of directing productions he didn't star in. The Blu-ray set also includes a new gallery of trailers for Reynolds films available from KL. In all, a highly impressive release of an action film showcasing Reynolds at his best. Recommended.
Cult director Bert I. Gordon was at the helm
for this terrifying story of supernatural passion. Set on an island in a
tight-knit community, Tom Stewart (Richard Carlson) is preparing to marry the
woman he loves. All is well until Tom's old girlfriend, Vi (Juli Reding), confronts him at
the top of the island's lighthouse, claiming he can only be hers! A freak
accident throws the scorned woman to her death. At first relieved, Tom's tune
changes when her vengeful spirit begins to follow him wherever he goes. He's
soon tormented, body and soul, by an unforgiving she-ghost! What lengths will
Tom go to in order to protect his secret? Will the vengeful Vi finally reveal
herself to the others at hand?
And the scene is pretty much set for a quite
wonderful slice of low- budgeted shenanigans. Bert I. Gordon was of course a
master of his art in this particular genre of filmmaking. Starting off in
advertising using his trusted 16mm camera, Gordon wasn’t one to sit back and
wait for success, instead he chased his dream, and as a result accomplished a
pretty good career in movies. He’s best known for writing and directing science
fiction and horror B-movie classics such as King Dinosaur (1955), The Amazing
Colossal Man (1957), Earth vs. the Spider (1958), Village of the Giants (1965),
and later the Joan Collins fun fest Empire of the Ants (1977).
In the late 50’s, ghostly supernatural films
were building in popularity, movies such as Roger Corman’s The Undead (1957),
Edward L. Cahn’s Voodoo Women (1957) and William Castle’s House on Haunted Hill
(1959) signified a change in trends. Gordon was always astute and possessed a good
sense of understanding when it came to successful box office. And so, following
the current trend, Gordon embarked upon his own ghost story in the form of
Tormented (1960). Starring Richard Calson, the actor that had already
established himself in genre classics such as The Maze (1953), It Came from
Outer Space (1953) and Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Carlson engages
in the fun like a seasoned pro. He’s supported by former child star, Lugene
Sanders, the marvellously formed Juli Reding, child actress Susan Gordon
(daughter of the director) and a young, hip Joe Turkel – who appeared in Stanley
Kubrick's The Killing (1956), Paths of Glory (1957), and later in The Shining
(1980). Aside from being hugely enjoyable throughout, this Film Masters 4K restoration
looks absolutely perfect. Stark, sharp and beautiful on the eye, the amount of
work afforded to this rather cheaply made movie really elevates it to a much
higher level. Blacks are nice and deep, and the images contains just the right
amount of grain without over-cooking it. There seems to be a couple of very
minor jump cuts along the way – best rest assured, blink at the right time and
they’re pretty much undetectable. The print shows no wear, scratches and
virtually free of dust and dirt spots. The audio clarity is also clean and
bright in both DTS and the Dolby digital track. It’s very obvious that the
efforts in restoring this film have really paid off and the results are hard to
fault.
But this Film Masters release offers so much
more – you really have to praise the package as a whole, there’s really no skimping
or cutting corners in terms of its content. Firstly, and as we have come to
expect with the Film Masters releases, there’s an interesting and insightful
commentary track by historian, writer and filmmaker Gary Rhodes along with
contributions by Larry Blamire. The track is a detailed and informative
education. There is an all too brief featurette, Bert I. Gordon: The Amazing
Colossal Filmmaker – which features an archival interview with the charismatic
director who provides us with a general overview of how he began in the
business of movies. Then there is Bigger Than Life: Bert I. Gordon in the
1950’s and 1960’s, a Ballyhoo Motion Pictures documentary featuring film
historian C. Courtney Joyner. This documentary provides a great insight into
the director’s career, with plenty of clips, stories, trailers, poster art and
rare photos illustrated throughout – a real joy. For the more serious scholars,
there is an enjoyable visual essay by The Flying Maciste Brothers (Howard S.
Berger and Kevin Marr). The Spirit is Willing: CineMagic and Social Discord in Bert
I. Gordon’s Tormented, offers a much deeper analysis of the movie and its
implications – which is fine should you want to delve into that particular
territory. At the other end of the spectrum, Film Masters also offers the whole
film again, this time in the form of the Mystery Science Theater 2000 version
(1992). There’s no disputing the fact that these presentations are purely
produced as a put down or a ‘roasting’ for light-hearted entertainment – which is
fine if this is your thing. At least Film Masters has again had the foresight
to cover all areas, and provide something for everyone – dependent upon your
particular taste. One thing I did find particularly interesting during this
version is that it contains the original opening Allied Artists title –
something that was missing from the restored main feature version. There are two
Tormented trailers included, an original ‘raw’35mm version and a 2024 re-cut
version using restored element. Again, a nice way of satisfy all audiences with
both the old and the new, and I’m fully behind that way of thinking. Also
included on the disc is an ‘unreleased TV pilot’ of Famous Ghost Stories
featuring Vincent Price. I was initially quite excited about viewing this, as
it tied in nicely with Tormented because the episode again starred Richard
Calson and Susan Gordon. So, I was a little disappointed to discover that this
was not the full episode and instead was simply just the opening and closing
intro and outro clips featuring Vincent Price. The entire show would hade been
a real treat if included. But overall, this minor quibble takes nothing away
from what is a very generous collection of extras.
On top of that, Film Masters have also
included a nicely produced 22-page illustrated booklet with essays by respected
film historian Tom Weaver and novelist/filmmaker John Wooley. The film sleeve
and booklet cover make good use of the original film artwork.
Film Masters have produced
an excellent package with their presentation of Tormented. The company seems to
grow from strength to strength with each of their new releases. It’s a rare
feeling to feel genuinely excited when considering what might be waiting around
the next corner. I can only hope it’s more of the same.
Some credit director Piers Haggard with coining the term
‘Folk Horror’ during an interview to set his film The Blood on Satan’s Claw
(1971) apart from the more traditional horror offerings by the likes of Hammer
Films and Amicus. As the term has taken hold, such films have become more
closely aligned with a European arthouse style of filmmaking. The genre has
since been retrospectively assigned to many films including the aforementioned
film, alongside the other two points of the ‘Unholy Trinity’ of British Folk Horror;
Witchfinder General (1968) and The Wicker Man (1973). This is a
‘wyrd’ genre, where the films are often unsettling rather than outright
horrifying, although in the case of modern folk horrors such as Kill List (2011),
both things can be said to be true.
When director Ben Wheatley went into the woods to shoot In
the Earth (2021), not only was he returning to the tone and style of his
earlier films Kill List and A Field in England (2013), but he was
also with the title addressing the very essence of Folk Horror: as this new
book discusses in detail, Folk Horror is something with its roots in ancient
(pagan) times, something in the earth, just below the surface - perhaps in an
English field - that once disturbed seeps out, terrifying some, whilst bringing
others together with its community rituals and human sacrifice.
In this new collection of academic essays, the old and
new British examples of the genre are explored in detail from a range of
fascinating perspectives; studies of history, folklore and Britain’s
non-Christian past, the close-knit communities often at the heart of Folk
Horror films and their clashes with modernity, Celtic Folk Horror, the way in
which female filmmakers have subverted tropes and shifted generic conventions,
the recurring use of drums in pagan ceremonies and rituals, the evils of the British
landscape, social and political influences on the films across the decades, and
the relevance and influence of certain British writers such as Arthur Machen on
the genre. As well as the three films of the ‘Unholy Trinity’, each of which
gets a fair amount of analysis here, other films under discussion include Ken
Russell’s wildly entertaining The Lair of the White Worm (1988), based
on the Bram Stoker novel which itself is based on the north-eastern legend of
the Lampton Worm, The Company of Wolves (1984), Doomwatch (1972),
Cry of the Banshee (1970), Psychomania (1973), and many more
including several modern films which this writer was previously unfamiliar but
has to now seek out.
As with all academic collections, the caveat must be
added that the hardback price is because this edition is aimed at libraries,
and a more affordable paperback edition will be available in due course. This
is a worthwhile collection for anyone interested in this ‘wyrd’ sub-genre of
the British horror film, particularly now that Spring is here and soon ‘Summer
is icumen in’.
The White Bus (aka Red, White and Zero) is an experimental film by future acclaimed director Lindsay Anderson. Running a scant 46 minutes, the movie was intended to be one third of a feature film that consisted of other offbeat stories by different directors. For various reasons, the other segments were never completed, thus leaving Anderson's work an orphan. The movie is currently being streamed on the Screenpix service. The merits of the film are debatable. It's visually striking. Filmed primarily in B&W with occasional short sequences in color, the movie is a fairly incomprehensible critique of British society. Like Bryan Forbes' The Whisperers, the movie was largely photographed in and around Manchester and the city fairs equally bad in Anderson's work. The plot, such as a it is, centers on an unnamed young woman (Patricia Healey) who is bored working in a London office. We see her at the end of another mundane day getting ready to leave for home. However, the viewer is then exposed to a pair of legs dangling from above her desk. Someone has hanged themselves, but no one in the office pays the slightest bit of attention. The girl takes a train to Manchester and ends up inexplicably deciding to board a white tourist bus that is packed with an eclectic assortment of international eccentrics. The bus stops at various locations including factories and the group is escorted about by the Lord Mayor (Arthur Lowe) who is decked out in full regalia.
There are bizarre sequences that are at times rather mesmerizing - like outtakes from an episode of The Prisoner in that they mingle realism with fantasy. Anderson seems to be making a cynical comment about the degradation of society and the loss of individualism, though the message is muddled amidst the arresting visual aspects of the film. Consequently, the whole enterprise becomes rather frustrating and wearying. Anderson has something to say but is so obtuse about making his point that the film becomes rather like one of those pretentious movies designed to please no one other than pseudo intellectuals who populate panels at film festivals.
There are some other talented people involved in this enterprise including future Oscar winning producer Michael Deeley (The Italian Job, Blade Runner, The Deer Hunter), acclaimed film maker and movie historian Kevin Brownlow(It Happened Here) and screenwriter Shelagh Delaney, whose novel the segment is based on. Young Anthony Hopkins also has a brief bit in the film. Anderson fans will certainly want to check out this early endeavor, but for the average viewer its rather difficult to warm to.
(Screenpix is available as an add-on subscription to subscribers to Amazon Prime, Hulu and YouTube. Click here for more information.)
After
Woody Allen’s early, zany comedies made between 1969-1975, the filmmaker began
making personal works more akin to those of European auteurs. Art-house
pictures, really. He seemed to have taken his cue from the likes of Ingmar
Bergman, certainly, but also Federico Fellini and others. To this reviewer, though,
Allen’s movies, be they comedies or dramas from Annie Hall (1977)
onwards, almost always deal with the fragility of flawed human relationships—the
same kinds of pictures made by French director François
Truffaut. Truffaut’s films are full of extramarital affairs, love gone wrong,
and sometimes the murder of someone who has gotten in the way of a central
character’s goals.
Now,
Allen’s 50th motion picture, Coup de chance (“Stroke of
Luck”), shot in France with a French crew and cast, and with dialogue entirely
in French (with English subtitles), demonstrates that the director really has
become Truffaut and made his own little European art-house picture like The
Soft Skin or The Woman Next Door (two of Truffaut’s dramas). Or is
it just another Crimes and Misdemeanors or Match Point or Irrational
Man, to name some of Allen’s own dramas that deal with the same subject
matter?
Even
though much of the new film is very familiar Woody Allen territory, Coup de
chance is undoubtedly his most engaging piece since, say, Blue Jasmine.
Is it as good? Not really. And it doesn’t touch Match Point, which is
easily one of the director’s greatest thrillers, which Coup de chance attempts
to be.
Fanny
(the radiant Lou de Laâge) is married to wealthy Jean (the handsome
but appropriately cold Melvil Poupaud). They live in Paris and enjoy an
upper-class, privileged life due to Jean’s work as some kind of financier (“He
makes rich people richer,” Fanny explains). Fanny works at an auction gallery
but is somewhat bored by the couple’s high society social life and especially
by Jean’s continual insistence of going to the country to hunt game with his
friends. Every so often, Fanny’s mother, the wise but somewhat fussy Camille (Valérie
Lemercier), comes to visit for a few days. Camille gets along well with Jean
and even enjoys going hunting in the country with him and his pack while Fanny
stays at the cottage with a book to read. One day on a city street during her
lunch break, Fanny, by happenstance, runs into a former high school
acquaintance, Alain (Niels Schneider). Alain, a divorced writer, immediately
gushes how he had a crush on her back then and would enjoy taking her to lunch.
Fanny agrees. And then she agrees again. Before long, Fanny and Alain are
having an affair. Jean, however, is the jealous type. Extremely so.
To
reveal more would spoil the rest of the story, but most viewers of Woody
Allen’s films can likely predict how it’s going to go. There is an unusual
twist in the third act… and indeed there is a “stroke of luck” that occurs
which emphasizes the film’s themes of coincidence, luck, and fate and how these
concepts can be intertwined. These were common ideas that Polish director Krzysztof
Kieslowski imbued in his pictures, too.
Allen’s
direction here is top form and he is aided by the editing of Alisa Lepselter.
The film moves at a rapid pace with brief vignette-like scenes. The actors are
all superb, despite working with roles that unfortunately do not have much
depth in such a picture of brevity and briskness. The photography by veteran
Vittorio Storaro is gorgeous, and the imagery makes one want to plan an
immediate trip to visit Paris.
The
problems are that we’ve been down this road too many times with Woody Allen.
Yes, there are a few differences in the structure and storytelling, but the
familiarity still nags at the viewer. The novelty of an Allen picture being
entirely in French and in Paris does distinguish it from the others… but then
there’s the issue of whether or not American audiences will relate to these
upper-class French people or care about them at all. (One might have the same
argument about Allen’s portrayal of upper-class New Yorkers in previous
movies!) Another issue is the overuse of upbeat, lively jazz music (mostly
Herbie Hancock’s “Canteloupe Island”), which in some scenes feels highly
inappropriate for a thriller, and ultimately becomes tiresome.
That
said, there’s no question that Coup de chance is an improvement over the
last few Woody Allen titles, but it likely will not be included among the
fifteen to twenty of the filmmaker’s most respected works. But when there are
fifty titles from which to choose, landing somewhere in the middle isn’t bad.
Will
there be future pictures from Allen, who at the time of writing is 88 years old?
Who knows… but if he goes out with Coup de chance then it will be considered
an admirable effort.
(Barbara Rush with Robert Vaughn, Anthony Eisley and Paul Newman in "The Young Philadelphians". Photo: Cinema Retro Archive.)
By Lee Pfeiffer
Actress Barbara Rush has passed away at age 97. Rush had a long career in film, theater and television. She worked under contract in the 1950s for both Paramount and Universal. Her first prominent role was in the 3-D sci-fi cult classic "It Came from Outer Space". She also had a major role in director Martin Ritt's 1957 drama "No Down Payment", a riveting critique of hypocrisy in post-WWII suburban society. She co-starred with Paul Newman in the acclaimed 1959 drama "The Young Philadelphians" and would reunite with him, playing an unsympathetic role, in Martin Ritt's 1967 classic western "Hombre". She was the female lead in the 1958 WII drama "The Young Lions" starring Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift and Dean Martin. She would also co-star with Frank Sinatra in the comedies "Come Blow Your Horn" and "Robin and the Seven Hoods". In later years, she found success on television in recurring roles in the prime time soap operas "Flamingo Road" and "7th Heaven". She also toured in the one-woman stage production of "A Woman of Independent Means", earning kudos from critics. She also gained pop culture status in the 1960s by playing the villainess Nora Clavicle in the "Batman" TV series. Rush was married three times, including to actor Jeffrey Hunter. She is survived by her son and daughter. For more click here.