By Christopher Robinson

In 1977, a low-budget flick about the New York disco scene became a sudden sensation. Today it looms large in the pantheon of iconic cinema. Several of its moments, however, allude to another equally iconic film. Well, more so than that Wizard of Oz/’Dark Side of the Moon’ myth, anyway.

Saturday Night Fever’s success was undoubtedly attributed to several factors. There are gripping performances, multi-dimensional characters and a soaring soundtrack featuring the Bee Gees that steals the show. At the heart of it all is an undeniably compelling story.

Tony Manero(John Travolta) lives in Brooklyn with his parents, sister and grandmother. He works at a hardware store and on Saturdays, treks to the local discotheque where he reigns supreme as the neighborhood’s premier disco dancer. He parties, drinks and carouses with his buddies then goes home and sleeps it off, dreaming of more in life. ‘Night fever’: he knows how to do it and has fun but something is missing and at age nineteen he’s “gettin’ old”. The adoration he receives is only so rewarding, his relationships superficial. His ignorant friends provoke outside ethnic gangs, plunging them into brawls and Anette (Donna Pescow), a confused young woman who tags along, pressures Tony with advances in hopes of joining the ranks of her “married sisters”. His home life is no less complicated. Dinner table spats, though run-of-the-mill for the Maneros are exacerbated by Dad’s unemployment. Nevertheless, we see beneath the surface a caring, loving family. The “character” of Tony’s nearly silent grandmother is really to exemplify the multi-generational unit of the Italian-American family.

Enter Tony’s brother, Frank Jr.(Martin Shakar), the priest who “ain’t a priest no more”. His decision to leave the church causes a rift within their household and makes Tony reexamine his own choices. Tony’s brother often comes off as a surreal paradox. Though repeatedly spoken of, he curiously is never seen with any family members other than Tony. Were it not for his character being discussed in other scenes, he would seem a figment of Tony’s imagination. It’s even tempting to think of him as a component of Tony’s inner psyche. The name ‘Father Frank Junior’ itself, a contradiction in terms, he is essentially a cautionary figure for Tony to observe. He warns his brother not to act out someone else’s dream but to do what feels best for himself.

Tony’s world feels very wrong to say the least. His friends are treading down a path of drugs and recklessness. Misogyny and racism are ingrained in their sub-culture (Tellingly, network and basic cable presentations of the film censor its racial slurs until the pivotal diatribe where Tony denounces the group’s bigoted ways. To the censors, these slurs are deplorable and unnecessary unless used sympathetically). Looking for a way out, Tony searches new paths. He stares oddly at the Verrazano Bridge to “get ideas”.

One idea he soon gets is to try his hand at the club’s dance competition with the slightly stuck-up Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney), a fellow Brooklynite who shares a slowly developing sexual tension with Tony. They meet for lunch and she belittles him, condescendingly boasting about big dreams and famous people she has met. His ostensible unfamiliarity with the names she rattles off is belied by the numerous pop culture images adorning his wall at home. Appropriately, one of them is of Rocky.

Released in 1976, Rocky made a household name of Sylvester Stallone who portrayed Rocky Balboa, a Philadelphia underdog willing to subject himself to anything for a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the world heavyweight championship title.

A Stallone motif arguably surfaces throughout Tony Manero’s life, even if that name could have stumped him too. Compare Fever with Rocky and interesting parallels are obviated. Both center on characters who “take a shot”, using God-given gifts to attain something better in life than the perfunctory humdrum they face. Tony and Rocky both excel at their craft yet are still perceived as local losers and each go out of their way to win the heart of a woman who seems their virtual opposite. Both men sadly realize they have settled in with negative people who keep them subjugated and bury their dreams. And… oh yeah, did I mention their names almost rhyme?

Most significantly, in Rocky, the title hero advises a young girl on the dangers of allowing boys to mistreat and disrespect her. In vain, he explains how it will only leave her used, hurt and alone. In Fever, Tony takes on this similar role of the sage, educating Anette on how there are only “two kinds of girls-nice girls and pigs!” He elaborates on how she cannot be both and must decide early on in life which to be. From what annals of wisdom this philosophy is taken we simply do not know, but it is certainly likely that he ‘gets ideas’ from more than a bridge.

In the end, it would seem, the story resumed with a closing credit sequence as the Bee Gees crooned “How Deep is Your Love”. Who could have guessed then that the connection would be driven home when Stallone himself would write, direct and produce Fever’s sequel, Staying Alive. Tony’s rollercoaster life is further chronicled a few years later, still ‘taking a shot’, this time on Broadway. And… speaking of Broadway, guess where Rocky is slugging it out right now?

See a pattern?

Bob Hoskins, the acclaimed star of many British films, has passed away at age 71. Official cause of death was pneumonia, though he retired in 2012 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.  Hoskins was primarily a character actor who specialized in playing gritty, blue collar characters. He rarely got the lead role in major films but when he did, he excelled in movies like Disney's Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, the British crime classic The Long Good Friday and the 1987 drama Mona Lisa for which he won a BAFTA and Golden Globe as Best Actor as well as an Oscar nomination. For more click here

By Darren Allison

"The Next Alfred Hitchcock" was how director Brian De Palma was being celebrated by some back in 1973. It was largely in praise of his latest film, the thriller ‘Sisters’. There is little doubt that ‘Sisters’ is not only homage to Hitchcock’s Psycho, but also a huge nod towards Hitchcock’s entire body of work. As the saying goes - ‘You only borrow from the best’ and of course, it was no secret that De Palma was a huge admirer of Hitchcock’s work.

‘Sisters’ was inspired by a Life Magazine article read by De Palma, about the Russian Siamese twins Masha and Dasha. The film begins with a model named Danielle (played by Margot Kidder), who appears on the local TV game show, Peeping Toms (the film’s first example of its voyeuristic theme). Danielle goes out to dinner with the winning contestant, Phillip Wood. Her strange ex-husband Emile (De Palma regular William Finley) follows Danielle to the restaurant and finally creates a scene. Phillip takes Danielle back to her home in Staten Island. Emile keeps watch outside their apartment, as Danielle and Phillip spend the night together.

The next morning, Phillip is brutally killed (with a large Psycho style knife and in graphic detail) after overhearing Danielle speak to her sister, Dominique. The murder is seen by reporter Grace Collier (Jennifer Salt), from her own apartment (not unlike Hitchcock’s ‘Rear Window’). The police are not entirely convinced by Grace’s homicide story and they are not enamoured by her personally, perhaps because she had recently wrote a damming story on police procedures. In true Hitchcock style, Grace takes it upon herself to investigate and is drawn into a bizarre story of Siamese siblings, a mysterious mental institute, and identifying the truth behind Dominique and Danielle. It is established that Danielle never recovered from the death of her twin Dominique. Furthermore, Dominique remains alive in the mind of Danielle – a form of guilt lodged deep within her soul - and the result of having been the twin to survive a surgical separation. Danielle’s sexual experience with men (such as Philip or Emile) becomes the catalyst that awakens Dominique and the murderous side of Danielle's damaged mind.

De Palma’s film is a fascinating watch, the observations alluding to Hitchcock’s body of work almost border on blatant, but it is spirited, and because of that, we simply suck it in and revel in it - rather than being repelled by it. Even the ‘Janet Leigh’ element – (the killing off of a likeable lead character so early in the film), is carried out in ‘Sisters’ smoothly and capably. De Palma’s own trademark feature – the use of the split screen process is also deployed well. In particular, the murder of Phillip as witnessed by Grace uses the process to super effect. Whilst one half of the screen illustrates Phillip’s perspective looking from the apartment window across to Grace, the other half focuses on Grace’s window and her POV, looking to Phillip’s window and his eventual demise – all of which is excellent stuff. Fans of Hitchcock may also like to know composer Bernard Herrmann provides one of his truly great 70s scores for ‘Sisters’ – and cements the homage to perfection.

Arrow has produced a delicious looking (1080p) High Definition digital master with fine detail and just the right amount of grain. De Palma chose to shoot on 35mm opposed to 16mm, regardless of budget restraints, which proved to be the right choice as the difference clearly shows. De Palma was aware that blowing up a 16mm print to 35mm would have made a noticeable difference, instead he used 16mm in emphasise certain scenes, and he chose wisely. Viewing Arrow’s Blu-Ray allows us to view the film cleanly whilst never letting us forget we are watching a 70s movie, and as a result – a perfect balance is achieved. Adding to the overall retro experience, the original mono audio is also retained, leaving no room for unnecessary tinkering and tweaking and removing us from the familiar comfort ‘zone’.

Arrow has also provided a nice collection of extras that include an excellent documentary ‘What the Devil Hath Joined Together: Brian De Palma’s Sisters’ – A visual essay by author Justin Humphreys. There is also a generous collection of all new interviews with co-writer Louisa Rose, actress Jennifer Salt, editor Paul Hirsch and unit manager Jeffrey Hayes. The De Palma Digest – A film-by-film guide to the director’s career by critic Mike Sutton is a very nice 30 minute retrospective guide to De Palma’s work, and proves somewhat insightful – especially on his later films which to some degree had slipped under the radar… There is also an archival audio interview with De Palma friend and ‘Sisters’ co-star William Finley (Emile). The original theatrical trailer and gallery of ‘Sisters’ promotional material from around the world, round off the disc very nicely in deed. Whilst a check disc was provided for the purpose of this review, Arrow’s retail version contains a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys and a Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by author Kier-La Janisse (House of Psychotic Women) as well as Brian De Palma’s original 1973 Village Voice essay on working with composer Bernard Herrmann and a contemporary interview with De Palma on making ‘Sisters’, and the 1966 Life magazine article that inspired the film.

‘Sisters’ (released on April 28th 2014) is a super addition to the Arrow catalogue and a wonderful opportunity to enjoy De Palma’s first real taste of mainstream cinema in the finest possible quality.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON UK (THIS IS A REGION 2 PAL FORMAT RELEASE)

By Lee Pfeiffer

Adolf Hitler and Jesus Christ aren't generally linked together in any way, shape or form- but their names were invoked in a lawsuit regarding copyright infringement in L.A. this week. A judge has issued a summary judgment in a case against Warner Brothers and the producers of The Matrix film franchiset by a screenwriter, Thomas Althouse, who alleged that that key aspects of the movies were derived from a 1993 script he wrote. Althouse contends the lawsuit took so many years to file because he had only recently watched the films in question and came to the conclusion that references to Hitler being brought back from the dead could be traced to his script. He also maintained that Christ-like allusions could have also derived from said script. The judge dismissed the complaint saying that he could find no substantial similarities and noted that allusions to Christ can't be copyrighted, as they have been invoked in fiction throughout the centuries. I guess any would-be plaintiffs about to sue over Ben-Hur or The Greatest Story Every Told might now rethink their strategies. As for Herr Hitler, Althouse probably didn't bone up on his retro movies or he would have known that Nazi clones coming back from the dead is a concept that dates back decades in films such as The Frozen Dead (1967) and the more prestigious The Boys From Brazil (1978). For more click here

What a difference a few decades make. Harrison Ford says he is now intrigued by the idea of doing a sequel to the 1982 sci-fi classic Blade Runner and would look forward to working with director Ridley Scott again, though such a project is only in its early stages. Back in the day, however, the original film was a boxoffice bomb though over the years it has  come to be regarded as a classic. During filming of the original production, Ford found the filming to be a very unpleasant experience and his view of Scott at the time was far from complimentary. However, he seems to have soften his stance over the years and now says that if the script were good, he would welcome returning to the role. 

Click here for more 

By Lee Pfeiffer

The latest issue of Cinema Retro (#29) features my exclusive interview with Oscar-winning director William Friedkin in relation to the recent restoration of his 1977 epic adventure film Sorcerer. Regular readers of our magazine and web site know that we have been championing this great movie for years. It was a commercial and critical failure at the time of its release but its stature has grown over the decades and Friedkin told me he considers this his best film. That's quite a statement coming from the man who directed The French Connection and The Exorcist. In the interview, Friedkin discusses his painstaking efforts to finally get a proper video release of the film. An initial DVD release from Universal back in the 1990s was sub-par, to say the least. The print was less-than-stellar and Friedkin was annoyed by the fact that the movie was presented in the wrong aspect ratio. Through a long, convoluted process to determine who even owned the rights (it was co-financed by Paramount and Universal), Friedkin ended up having to sue both studios. The result was a clarification of ownership and Warner Home Video stepped forward to champion financing a restoration of the film. For Friedkin, this was the payoff in terms of finally having the film presented the way he envisioned it being seen. He personally oversaw the restoration and told Cinema Retro last month that he was thrilled with the result. He spoke very highly of Warner Home Video for their efforts in supporting this underrated classic. 

Cut to: the recent release of both the Blu-ray and DVD editions of the restored version. It seems that, although the Blu-ray is right up to expectations (Friedkin told me that it looked as good as what he saw through the camera when the movie was being filmed), someone at Warners botched the DVD release and presented it in the wrong aspect ratio- a truly ironic occurrence, given Warner's reputation for accuracy in its high profile restorations.

In response to our inquiries about the issue, Friedkin E mailed us from New Zealand to say that he will personally supervise a new DVD release of the film during the first week of May and advise everyone when it is ready. He also suggests that consumers who bought the DVD demand a refund. In the E mail, Friedkin also addressed misconceptions that the movie was shot in a widescreen format as well as unauthorized DVD versions that were released internationally. Here is his response:

"There never was a wide screen version of Sorcerer.  The film was shot in 35 mm in the standard 1.85 ratio.  I know of no authorized wide-screen version.  Possibly, someone bootlegged such a monstrosity, but I'm not aware of it. The Blu-ray is the ONLY authorized version of the film. Not a frame has been cut or changed in any way.  The picture and sound, both made from the 35mm master, have of course utilized digital restoration, bringing out all the colors and nuances on the soundtrack.  

There has never been a better version of Sorcerer than the Blu- ray. The DVD, old and ugly and constantly in release from Film Properties was never authorized by me and is terrible."

The interview with Friedkin includes his comments regarding the unauthorized re-editing of the film that took place in markets outside of America, something that frustrates him to this day.

(Cinema Retro #29 is currently shipping in the UK and Europe and will be sent out to subscribers in America other territories in May.)  

 By Lee Pfeiffer

After years of litigation, Warner Bros. has prevailed in its lawsuit against several entities it claimed violated copyright laws by producing unlicensed merchandise based on the films The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind and also Tom and Jerry cartoons. The defendants had argued that the merchandise was derived from materials in the public domain, such as movie posters and images that were out of copyright. However, the judge found that the companies went beyond making exact reproductions of those materials and altered them for use in the creation of new lines of merchandise. (The companies produced collectible figurines of the actors who depicted characters in Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz). The judge ruled that the defendants have to pay $2.75 million in damages despite the fact that the defendants claim to have only derived a total of $70,000 in profits from the merchandise.  A factor in the judge's ruling was his belief that the defendants did not keep accurate records. The case further muddies the waters regarding what properties fall into the public domain, which, under American law, allows certain works to be reproduced without payment of royalties if such works are out of copyright or used in a context of educational or non-profit works. Scholars have long led the battle to open up more works under the public domain argument while copyright holders have tried to put a short leash on such freedoms. Central to the case are films derived from source novels. In some cases, merchandise and products could be produced based on literary works such as The Wizard of Oz that have fallen out of copyright. However, the law does not allow imagery to be used that depicts actors from the film versions of such novels, which are still under copyright. For example, a company could produce a line of products based on the literary concepts of characters from The Wizard of Oz but would have to get a license to use the depiction of those characters associated with the legendary film version.  For more click here

The provocatively - and appropriately- named Studblog presents a gallery of great old movie newspaper advertisements from regional theaters in America. This ad is from March 1972 and shows a Sean Connery double feature playing in Colorado Springs: his return as James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever paired with the big budget film The Red Tent in which Connery played the legendary explorer Roald Amundsen. The Bond flick was a predictable blockbuster but The Red Tent died at the boxoffice, the victim of a talky script and a bland title that revealed nothing about the fact that the movie was about the ill-fated race to the Pole. Looking at the ad, we never realized Connery's co-star was the lovely Claudia "Capdinale".  

By Lee Pfeiffer

William Castle, the legendary gentle giant of horror film producers, had become obsessed with Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? when the the film was released in 1962. Starring two aging "has-beens" - Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, who Jack Warner said he wouldn't give a "plugged nickel" for- the film became an unexpected hit with both critics and audiences and revived both women's careers. Crawford, who remained very much the diva even during the lowest points of her career, was delighted with the renewed attention. As she was nearing sixty years old, he found herself in the unlikely situation of appealing to both her traditional fans and also a younger generation. In order to achieve the latter goal, however, she realized she had to change with the times and appear in films that had broad appeal to teenagers. So the former Mildred Pearce was quite enthused when Castle approached her with his own spin on the Baby Jane bandwagon. With horror films all the rage, Castle had carved a sizable niche in the marketplace by producing "B" movies and backing them with "A" marketing campaigns that usually found him front and center in promoting the fare. Castle's dream project, however, was to finally make a film that would be seen as a legitimate horror classic. He enlisted writer Robert Bloch, then red hot as the author of the novel Psycho, to develop a script based on the premise of an aging sexpot who had turned into an ax murderess. He originally envisioned Joan Blondell for the role but an accident left the veteran actress unavailable. Castle then approached Joan Crawford, despite the fact that she was known to be virtually impossible to work with due to her endless list of demands. Nevertheless, Crawford was eager to build on her revived fame and accepted Castle's pitch to star in a film titled Strait- Jacket. The movie got off to a rocky start when the actress playing Crawford's daughter didn't live up to her expectations. Crawford had her fired and Diane Baker, who Crawford liked and had worked with previously, was hired on a minute's notice to step in. Baker had only 24 hours to study the script but was eager to reunite with Crawford.

Strait-Jacket presents Crawford as Lucy Harbin, who we see as a woman in her twenties (yes, the notion of Crawford playing a character that age is as absurd as it sounds.) Lucy is a small town girl with a checkered past. She dresses and acts like a vamp but has finally settled down and has found happiness with her younger husband, Frank (Lee Majors, uncredited, in his first feature film). Returning home from a trip a day early, however, Lucy spies Frank in their bed with an ex-girlfriend, sound asleep. Worse, Lucy and Frank's young daughter is in the next room. Outraged, she creeps into the bedroom wielding a handy ax from the woodpile and proceeds to decapitate them- all in full view of their daughter Carol. The film then jumps twenty years ahead to the present day (1964) and Carol (Diane Baker) is now an attractive, responsible young woman who is living with her aunt and uncle (Rochelle Hudson, Leif Erickson), Lucy's brother and his kind, sympathetic wife. They have raised Carol to adulthood after Lucy was sent to a mental asylum. Now they are nervously awaiting her arrival at their farmhouse. Carol is determined to make her mother feel welcome again and never bring up the past. Lucy's arrival is anything but joyous. There are some awkward sentiments displayed but it is clear that Lucy is frightened to death and consumed by guilt over the pain she has caused her loved ones. Every innocent aspect of the farm seems to bring back terrible memories, from the slaughter of chickens and hogs to everyday implements laying around that remind her of murder weapons. Not helping matters is the presence of a slovenly farmhand (a virtually unrecognizable George Kennedy), who has the demeanor of a serial killer. Nonetheless, Carol and her aunt and uncle try to ease Lucy back to a normal life, showing great patience and compassion. However, things start to go awry, as one would imagine in any William Castle movie of this nature. At Carol's urging, Lucy tries to recapture happier times by donning a wig and the same type of clothing she wore as a much younger woman. The desired effect doesn't occur, however. Instead, Lucy's personality changes to that of the sex-crazed vamp she once was and, in one of the film's most unintentionally hilarious sequences, she attempts to seduce Carol's finance, Michael (John Anthony Hayes) directly in front of the horrified Carol. More weird occurrences begin to happen, culminating in some gruesome ax murders. Lucy is the only logical suspect, but there are some neat twists to the tale that would be inexcusable to reveal here.  

Strait-Jacket is an enormously entertaining flick that was a substantial hit at the boxoffice, thus consigning Ms. Crawford to more films in the shock/horror genre. Sony's burn-to-order DVD is yet another example of the company failing to capitalize on excellentspecial features that are included in this edition (or we should say, "reissued", as this content had been available on a previous DVD release.) There is an amusing promotional short that shows Crawford, William Castle and Robert Bloch in a campy promotion of the film (Bloch totes an ax!); an informative documentary, Battle Axe,  about the making of the film with interesting insights from movie historians; Joan Crawford silent wardrobe tests and fascinating silent footage of Crawford's rehearsals for gruesome ax murder scenes and, rounding out the bonus items is a short TV spot. None of these features are even mentioned on the DVD sleeve. In all, highly recommended. 

(In the next issue of Cinema Retro (#29), writer Don L. Stradley provides an in-depth examination of how horror movies saved the careers of aging leading ladies, including Joan Crawford, who went on to have several hit films in the genre including Strait-Jacket.) 

Here's a real gem of a photo taken on the set of Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1963 chiller The Birds. Hitch was coming off a hot streak with North By Northwest (1959) and Psycho (1960). The Birds would be his last hit until his late career comeback with Frenzy in 1972.

It was the oddest entry in the film career of esteemed director Arthur Penn. The 1969 film adaptation of folk singer Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant has endured as a popular cult hit. Writer Christopher Robinson provides an interesting analysis of the movie on the Rare Cult Cinema web site. Ironically, the movie is out of print on DVD. How about bringing out a special edition?  Click here to read.  

By Lee Pfeiffer 

"More Than thea Rainbow" is director Dan Wechsler's homage to New York street photographer Matt Weber. What is a "street photographer"? He/she is someone who simply wanders around the city they reside in snapping photographs at a rapid-fire rate in the hopes of capturing some spontaneous bit of magic. Weber prowls the back streets and main drags of Manhattan, the beaches of Coney Island and anywhere else he might find everyday people engaging in interesting activities. These might include playing with children, having casual sex in an open area, frolicking at the seaside, sleeping on sidewalks or park benches or engaging in violence. Weber's photos tell the story of a city: the good, the bad and the ugly. Weber looks like an unmade bed and talks in  machine-gun fire fashion to such an extent that it often becomes exhausting just listening to him. However, he has an interesting story to tell and his photographs, which are seen abundantly throughout the film, are indeed mesmerizing. Weber began driving a taxi cab during the 1970s when Scorese and De Niro immortalized the profession in their classic 1976 Taxi Driver. In those days, Gotham was a deteriorating behemoth, with crime and pollution out of control. Weber ultimately sold his cab (an action he still sometimes regrets) in order to take to it to the streets to photograph the most exciting city on the planet. He admits that he got a significant financial boost to his meager income when he accepted $500,000 to move from his apartment many years ago. (The developer ended up going bankrupt before he could renovate the building into a luxury complex.)  With a degree of financial security, Weber shoots photos virtually non-stop, admitting that the most memorable photos come about unexpectedly. He asks no permission from his subjects and shoots their photos before most of them have time to react or object. He's strictly old school, shooting in B&W on 35mm film. He describes the wonders of using his darkroom equipment to see an image appear from a blank piece of paper before his eyes-- and the viewer ends up sharing in his enthusiasm. (He does acknowledge the expense and limitations of 35mm vs. digital and seems to be weakening in his refusal to work in the format.)

The movie, which is set to funky jazz music by Theolonius Monk and Keith Gurland, is a rich looking production, considering its a rather low-budget affair. Wechsler, like his subject, is also old school and has shot at least some of the film in 35mm. The movie is bit schizophrenic in terms of its content. Although Weber is clearly the main subject, Wechsler also interviews numerous colleagues of his who are also street photographers. The problem is that the film begins to treat them not only as people who comment on Weber's life and work, but also subject matters themselves. Thus, the movie often drifts from its original intention, which is to present Weber as the focus of the piece. The other photographers are an interesting lot, however. Some are likable and engaging, others are so pretentious they remind one of the types of pretentious snobs who are satirized in Woody Allen comedies. One of the photographers, Eric Kroll, seems a bit out of place here. He does offer some biting criticism of Weber's work, which is refreshing in an otherwise cinematic wet kiss to its subject, but Kroll is not a street photographer in the traditional sense. Rather, he specializes in  elaborate, staged sexual fetishes and there are plenty of eye-popping examples of his work in the film. He is also inexplicably joined throughout the interview by a lovely, well-endowed young lady who is virtually silent and sits attired in a corset that presents her two main assets in an almost 3-D effect. But what is she, or Kroll for that matter, doing in the film? They seem placed there purely for purposes of titillation.  

The movie is at its best when it sticks with Weber himself. He relates his transformation from taxi driver to photographer and along the way there are interviews with his wife (presumably ex-wife, as it is revealed they were in the process of getting a divorce during filming.) She is a rather unique character in her own way. She damns Weber with faint praise by listing his attributes while simultaneously telling viewers he's virtually impossible to live with. In a bizarre moment, she also assures the viewer that, not to worry, despite problems in the marriage, their sex life was satisfactory.

More Than the Rainbow's greatest attributes are Weber's photographs and director Wechsler wisely lets the pictures do the talking throughout most of the film. His cameras linger lovingly on some fascinating slice-of-life shots that are mini works of art. A homeless man with a resemblance to Van Gogh sleeps on the sidewalk under posters that promote an exhibition of the artist's works. The beginnings of a brutal fight between two men arguing in the street are caught on camera. Small children in Harlem stand outside a seedy bar in their Sunday finest on Easter. A group of young sailors give Weber a cautionary glance as they move past the porn palaces of old Times Square. Weber is clearly among those who extol the virtues of that era. Many don't. The past is always glamorized but, while the edginess and danger of New York in those days does have an appeal in retrospect and in Weber's photographs, for many of us the "new" New York, with its cleaner streets and low crime rates, is a far better place. Still, it's fun to revisit the bad old days through Weber's extraordinary photos.

More Than the Rainbow is an ambitious and highly entertaining film about a genuine  New York "character" who is every bit as intriguing as the subjects he photographs.

The film opens in New York at the Quad Cinema on May 2 and in L.A. at the Arena Cinema on May 24.  

To view the trailer click here 

Click here to visit the official web page view more of Matt Weber's photos. 

By Lee Pfeiffer 

Impulse Pictures continues their onslaught of releases of the retro erotic series Schoolgirl Report. The German films were all the rage in European cinemas back in the 1970s and this latest DVD edition (#12, "If Mom Only Knew...", for those who are counting) follows the standard formula. The 1978 film consists of numerous short stories linked by a thin plot device. In this case, the staff of a high school newspaper review letters written to them by fellow students outlining their sexual experiences. As each letter is read, the movie cuts to an enactment of the scenario. In the first episode, a young virgin is raised by her older brother, an airline pilot, after their parents pass away. She can barely control her sexual urges but, without a boyfriend, has no outlet for her passions. She develops an unhealthy crush on her brother, which he initially resists. ("Initially" is a key phrase in these types of movies.) Before long, she's casually walking around the house starkers and one night the unthinkable happens. The girl deludes herself into thinking she can actually establish a normal lifestyle with her brother as her lover...but she is in for a rude and tragic awakening. Another episode is a comedic one that follows the antics of a group of high school kids on a field trip to the forest with their stuffy teachers. After discovering a couple in the woods doin' what comes natural in the woods, the kids become uniformly aroused and run off to various remote locations to re-enact what they have just witnessed. As is usual in these flicks, the teachers are the victims of slapstick comedy. A grittier episode concerns a young girl who comes from a tragic background. Her brother died, her father committed suicide and her mother thinks nothing of having sex with strange men in her presence. She becomes sexually obsessed herself and is chronically pleasuring herself before moving on to becoming a drug addict and prostitute. The remaining two segments revert back to comedy. In one, a mother brings her young daughter to the family doctor for a checkup without realizing she has mixed up the dates. The doctor is out but a plumber who is doing work in the office pretends to be the physician and gives the young woman the kind of exam mom never dreamed possible. More slapstick occurs when the actual doctor returns to the office. In the final chapter, a German family agrees to take an exchange student into their home. They think it will be a girl who can act as a companion to their teenage daughter but it turns out to be a hunky male student from France...and we all know what hunky male French students like to do. In short order, despite dad's fevered attempts to keep them separated, not only is their daughter screaming "C'est magnifique!" but her friends end up sharing in the pleasure, as well. 

As sordid as these scenarios sound, the Schoolgirl Report series is fairly tame by today's standards. The segments are all soft core but there is an abundance of full frontal nudity, both male and female. The films are impressive in one respect: some of the scenarios are well done and evoke some genuinely erotic images. Others, such as the comedic segments, tend to fall into the "guilty pleasure" category. The Impulse DVD features the film in original German language with optional English sub-titles, though it should be pointed out that they are entirely superfluous because the plots aren't very difficult to follow even if restricted to just the visuals. The transfers show a good degree of snap, crackle and pop from the master film source, but that only adds to the retro-based naughty fun.  Click below to order:

We recently reviewed the popular 1972 TV movie The Dephi Bureau, which is the pilot for the short-lived espionage TV series starring Laurence Luckinbill. Some of our readers made us aware of the fact that the Warner Archive DVD release is actually an edited version of the broadcast version. We wrote to the Archive and received this prompt response from Matthew Patterson:

"Thanks for the heads up. It's actually good to know that this TV movie still has such fans. Unfortunately, this was a known issue going into the production process. All of the 35mm original negative and intermediate elements were all cut to the current (shorter) length. This was a very unusual case, and the only longer version we could track down that survived was in faded 16mm reference prints. Of course all this was done 40 yrs ago, and no one back then anticipated future distribution such as home video, so it was decided to go with the higher quality shorter cut for the DVD release. We're slowly trying to get the word out there as to why this was done. And as you know, we try and deliver the best possible elements for even the most obscure releases. So it is actually quite unfortunate that we were unable to track anything better down."

Sheila Exteberria and Ed Ryan in Nathan Silver's new indie film Soft in the Head.

By Don L. Stradley

There is a startling scene in Nathan Silver’s Soft In The Head where Natalia, a reckless woman/child who causes trouble wherever she goes, looks at her reflection in a cracked compact mirror.  The effect of the crack distorts her face to where she looks like one of the garish women in a Willem De Kooning painting. It’s jolting, for we’ve suspected Natalia is a monster of sorts, the type of young woman who is destined to be a skid row casualty, but is still young enough to manipulate a few men here and there. In the cracked reflection, we get a glimpse of Natalia’s true self, or at the very least, a peek at her grotesque future.

When we first see Natalia she’s being smacked around by her boyfriend. She leaves him, but intends to go back at some point because she believes the reunion will be passionate. Love and self-destruction seem abutted in her mind.  After showing up drunk at the family home of her friend Hannah, Natalia wanders into the night, oblivious to the catcalls from street people who mock her.  She intends to spend the night on the sidewalk, until she meets Maury, a well-meaning fellow who has turned his home into a sanctuary for derelicts. Maury invites Natalia over for dinner where she sits among men seemingly plucked from a touring production of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.  Natalia isn’t intimidated, though. She’s in her element, letting a bunch of homeless men fawn over her.

Even at her lowest, Natalia’s able to work her way into the hearts of vulnerable males, including Hannah’s shy brother Nathan.  He’s so smitten by her that he steals one of his mother’s necklaces for her, which sets off a major row in his very old-fashioned Jewish household. Nathan’s parents seem a bit thick – their son can barely dress himself or hold a conversation (Natalia describes him at one point as “mildly autistic…like a baby…”) but they spend an entire scene badgering him to meet a nice girl and give them some grandchildren.  When he announces that Natalia has won his heart, their shock is off the charts.

Some observers have already compared Soft In The Head to the films of John Cassavetes, but the comparison works at only the most superficial level. Cassavetes’ casts were headed by highly charismatic Hollywood actors – Peter Falk, Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, etc. Soft In The Head has no such glossy veneer, being made up of unknown New York actors who often look like they’re reaching, trying to be “real,” but also struggling to be amusing.  Silver, to his credit, allows his actors plenty of room for a kind of realistic give and take, but his scenes can’t match one of Cassavetes’ high-wire acts.  Also, Silver’s not aiming for the kind of philosophical statements that gave Cassavetes’ films an ersatz profundity. Silver’s aiming at smaller targets, but even so, his scenes feel self-conscience, as if he’s a bit too in love with the idea of being a filmmaker.  Silver lets the camera linger on   Natalia while she combs her hair out of her face, or sucks at her crooked teeth; it’s rare in recent movies that a camera has so desperately adored a female subject, as if Silver, too, is under Natalia’s spell.  (Still, even with shots that go on too long, Silver brings the movie in at a tight 75 minutes, something Cassavetes could never do!)

Soft In The Head doesn’t remind me of Cassavetes as much as it reminds me of certain films, novels and plays of the 1960s (i.e. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Dutchman, Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon). It was a genre with no name, but the distinctive trait was a melting pot of disparate characters (usually one African-American, a Jew, a war veteran, a hooker, a homosexual, an old man, and a hippie). They’d be thrown together, usually during a power failure or a housing shortage, or they’d be stuck in the same subway car.  Tempers would flair. The stories usually ended with a murder or a suicide, the remaining characters huddling together, waiting for the police.  Soft In The Head goes that way, too, but not in the way you might imagine.  

Silver ignores the usual narrative pattern we’d expect in a film like this one. He’s less interested in developing plots than in throwing some characters together to see what transpires. You can feel his love for these people, but this technique doesn’t allow the characters to take charge of the story. They have altercations that feel like acting class exercises, but nothing moves the plot forward. The sense we get is that the story is fidgeting, chasing its own tail. More, for instance, could have been done with Maury and his band of idiots. Where Silver really dropped the ball was in the storyline involving Natalia and Nathan.

Natalia and Nathan (their names even mirror each other) are two sides of the same person. Both are painfully immature, unable to stake out a spot in the adult world: one is homeless; the other still lives with his parents. Both could be described as soft in the head. Nathan is pure, knowing nothing of the weird games that go on between males and females, while Natalia, dense though she may be, has mastered those games. Nathan is horrified by Natalia’s revelation that she actually enjoys being abused, but just when that part of the story is gaining momentum, Silver lets it trail off…

Perhaps from a youthful flaunting of the rules, Silver shuffles the deck on us and gives us an ending that is unexpected, but also unengaging. He might have been better served if he’d chosen one of his plot strings and followed it to a conclusion, rather than floating from one plot to the next. Silver has some good instincts, though, and I’ll look forward to the day when he acquaints himself with the nuts and bolts of storytelling. As it is, Soft In The Head is a strangely intriguing work. It’s flawed, but unique. No one but Silver could have made it.

Sheila Etxeberría is believable as Natalia, bringing to the role a kind of ratty vulnerability.  There are some good turns by other actors, too, including  Ed Ryan as the enigmatic Maury, and Theodore Bouloukos as David, the most volatile of Maury’s guests. Carl Kranz, bless him, has an almost thankless role as Nathan. Here’s an isolated young guy who decorates his room with Woody Allen posters as if he’s searching for the right nebbish to model himself after, but instead of meeting Diane Keaton he meets Natalia.  Something tells me he’ll soon tear down Sleeper and replace it with The Blue Angel. 

The film opens in New York City, April 18.

BLU-RAY/DVD REVIEW

“RIOT IN CELL BLOCK 11” (Don Siegel)

“THE 400 BLOWS” (Francois Truffaut)

(The Criterion Collection)

TWO GEMS FROM THE 50s

By Raymond Benson

Two new releases from The Criterion Collection spotlight low-budget filmmaking in the 1950s—American and European—and couldn’t be more stylistically and thematically diverse. And yet, there is a personal stamp on the pictures that is very similar. Both films also tackle social problems with brutal frankness and feature anti-heroes as protagonists.

Riot in Cell Block 11 was produced by longtime Hollywood independent producer Walter Wanger (he was also responsible for two earlier Criterion releases, Stagecoach and Foreign Correspondent) as a hard-hitting, gritty, realistic picture depicting the inequities and maltreatment prisoners receive in American prisons. Wanger had a personal reason to make a film like that. He had barely missed spending some time in one. He’d caught his wife with another man, so Wanger shot the guy, seriously wounding him. A temporary insanity defense got him only four months at an “honor farm,” which was hardly the same as the federal penitentiary, but he was nonetheless inspired to tell the world how things really were. Enter Don Siegel, a macho, unconventional craftsman who would later make such classics as Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Dirty Harry. Since the picture was going to be made in Folsom State Prison and featuring real inmates as extras, Wanger needed something of a tough guy to helm the thing. Siegel was his man.

Released in 1954 and starring a bunch of B-movie character actors as leads (Neville Brand, Emile Meyer, Leo Gordon, and others), Riot concerns a group of irate inmates that take over their block and hold guards as hostages. Their demands are humane ones, and yet the governor and the movie’s “bad guy,” the commissioner, are against giving the cons anything and will use deadly force to stop the riot—even if it means sacrificing the hostages. Meyer, as the prison warden, delivers a surprisingly sympathetic performance as he sides with the convicts but still attempts to do his job (Meyer would later appear in a small role as a priest in Stanley Kubrick’s Paths of Glory). Brand and Gordon (who apparently really was a scary guy on the set) run the show—and there’s no shortage of beatings, arson, vandalism, and attempted murder (the film was banned in the U.K. on its initial release). Interestingly, the audience ends up rooting for the inmates, who normally should be the villains.

What’s particularly striking is Siegel’s use of location. As in a documentary, the use of the Folsom gives audiences a view of what it’s really like on the inside (at the time). It’s the real thing. Siegel manages to illustrate the claustrophobic desperation of the environment with great skill. But what’s even more profound is that the depiction of the prison population in 1954 is very different from what we envision the inhabitants of a prison might be today. For one thing, the whites outnumber the blacks in Riot. Was that realistic in 1954? It must have been, since all the extras in the picture were indeed inmates. The place also doesn’t seem as frightening as the gang-ridden institutions of the present. Nevertheless, Riot is honest and hard-hitting, another entry in a long line of “social problem films” that proliferated after World War II (The Lost Weekend, Gentleman’s Agreement, All the King’s Men, The Snake Pit, etc.).

Criterion’s new 2K digital restoration looks terrific. Since earlier home video versions in the U.S. were either on VHS or bootleg DVDs, the new dual format release is a welcome one. Film scholar Matthew H. Bernstein provides audio commentary. The extras are a bit disappointing, though. Two audio pieces feature Siegel’s son, Kristoffer Tabori, reading passages from his father’s autobiography and Stuart Kaminsky’s book on the director. These are fine if one doesn’t mind being read to for a half-hour. The other extra is all-audio as well—an excerpt from a 1953 NBC radio documentary series called The Challenge of Our Prisons. The usual thick booklet contains an essay by critic Chris Fujiwara, a 1954 article by Wanger, and a 1974 tribute to Siegel by Sam Peckinpah.

Francois Truffaut’s first feature film, The 400 Blows, released in 1959, was one of the opening salvos of the French New Wave. Drawing on his own childhood experiences, Truffaut introduces us to his alter-ego, Antoine Doinel, played beautifully by fourteen-year-old Jean-Pierre Leaud, who would star as the same character in four more films, spanning two decades—hence, we see Antoine grow up and enter adulthood before our eyes (see Criterion’s box set The Adventures of Antoine Doinel for the complete series).

The debut Doinel chapter is the most serious of the saga—the rest are, by and large, comedies. The 400 Blows paints a grim portrait of a young boy who is misunderstood by his parents and teachers, and is hence labeled a problem teen. Truffaut was particularly good at working with children and he would continue to do so throughout his career. The story follows Antoine’s troublesome day-to-day life until he is unfairly expelled from school and sent to a juvenile facility. It sounds dreary, but Truffaut manages to keep the film riveting from start to finish, and the final freeze frame is one of cinema’s most iconic images.

This seminal art film is a must-have in any serious collector’s library. With Godard’s Breathless (reviewed here previously), The 400 Blows exhibits quintessential traits of the New Wave—low budget financing, hand-held cameras, improvised action, and radical editing. It took neo-realism and made it arty. Its legacy is without question, for it remains Truffaut’s most financially successful picture in his native country.

Criterion has released the title a few times. The first one went out of print and became an expensive collector’s item on eBay until the company retrieved the rights again and re-issued a DVD of the film alone, as well as the box set of the complete Doinel pictures. Then there was the bargain-priced “Art House Essentials” edition. Now, a dual Blu-ray and DVD, the contents of which match the previous release, with the same supplements (two audio commentaries, audition footage of the actors, newsreel footage from Cannes, and two vintage Truffaut interviews). The only difference is the magnificent restored high-definition digital film transfer. The 400 Blows never looked so good. What is disappointing, though, is that the second Doinel film, a thirty-minute short entitled Antoine and Colette, was not included as a supplement. It’s on the 400 Blows DVD disc that’s in the Doinel box set. Why couldn’t it have been a Blu-ray special feature? Or is an Antoine Doinel Blu-ray box set in the works?

One can only hope!

By Lee Pfeiffer

Since its initial release fifty years ago, director Cy Endfield's British war epic Zulu has grown in stature. The film was understandably a hit in England but was deemed a boxoffice disappointment in the United States perhaps due to the fact that, like Khartoum (1966), the story relates to a historic battle that is well known by Brits by is virtually unknown to American audiences. What no one can dispute is that the film represents masterful movie making. Again, like Khartoum, it is a thinking man's war epic. The film relates the story of the Battle of Rorke's Drift, a tiny British outpost in southern Africa directly in the heart of the Zulu kingdom. A haunting pre-titles sequence shows the bloody aftermath of the Battle of Isandlwana, in which a British expeditionary force was massacred by Zulus in a sophisticated attack that stunned the government in London. Rorke's Drift is lightly defended by a relatively small group of British soldiers who know the Zulus are moving toward them. The officer is charge, Lt. John Chard (superbly played by Stanley Baker) is an engineer with no combat experience. His second in command is Lt. Bromhead (Michael Caine in a star-making performance) who doesn't inspire much confidence, either. He's a snobby dilettante who resents the fact that a sliver of military protocol has made Chard his superior officer. With the Zulu attack inevitable, Chard rises to the occasion and rallies his men by constructing crude fortifications and developing battle strategies. In the meantime, he must deal with a religious fanatic and his daughter (Jack Hawkins and Ula Jacobsson) who he must protect and a largely pessimistic company of soldiers who second-guess his ability to prevent them all from being slaughtered. The arrival of the Zulus is genuinely terrifying especially when Chard and his men realize how overwhelmingly they are outnumbered. Additionally, the Zulus have another unexpected edge: they have all the rifles and ammunition taken from the British soldiers they had defeated. Nevertheless, Chard manages to inspire his men and even Bromhead with his logic and courage. As with most war movies, the historical facts are considerably smudged in the interest of artistic license by that doesn't dilute the overall impact of the movie, which is thrilling. 

Zulu deservedly ranks among the best British films of its era and it has lost none of its impact over the years. The battle sequences are impressively staged and, while the literate screenplay doesn't delve into the political reasons for the Zulu uprising (it was largely prompted by an arrogant English diplomat who broke treaties with the tribe), the film refreshingly doesn't present the natives as another case of "white man's burden". Instead, the Zulus and their chief are seen as noble figures who develop a mutual respect for the British, even as they are trying to kill them. The film features any number of wonderful supporting performances including Hawkins, Jacobbsson, Patrick Magee and Nigel Green and James Booth particularly impressive. Richard Burton provides the moving narration in the film's opening and closing sequences and John Barry provides what is undoubtedly one of his greatest film scores. As director, Endfield does a superb job, though he never got the acclaim he deserved. His long-delayed bu little-seen 1978 prequel to the film, Zulu Dawn, goes into much greater detail about the origins of the Zulu conflict and depicts the British defeat at Isandlwana, which rocked the entire British government. 

The Twilight Time presentation is the best I've ever seen of this classic film and does full justice to the magnificent cinematography. An original trailer is included, an informative collector's booklet with notes by Julie Kirgo, an isolated track for John Barry's score and a very entertaining (and informative) commentary track by film historians Lem Dobbs and Nick Redman. There is still room for another deluxe collector's edition of Zulu (Cinema Retro's own Matthew Field produced an excellent documentary for the British release some years ago that one wishes was included on here), but for the moment, the Twilight Time Zulu is the edition of record. 

The Blu-ray is region free and is limited to only 3,000 copies. We suggest you get a copy quickly as this is destined to be one of those titles you'll ultimately see on eBay selling for a small fortune.

Click here to order.  

(The latest issue of Cinema Retro, #28, features in-depth coverage of the making of the film by Sheldon Hall, author of the book "With Some Guts Behind It" which documents the production of Zulu.)  

By Lee Pfeiffer

The Warner Archive has released the TV pilot film The Delphi Bureau: The Merchant of Death Assignment as a burn to order title. The 1972 film stars Laurence Luckinbill as Glenn Garth Gregory, a mild-mannered, bookish intellectual with a photographic memory who works for a mysterious organization known as The Delphi Bureau that secretly advises the President of the United States on matters of national security. Even Gregory doesn't know anything about the Bureau and says he doesn't know whether there are thousands of other operatives or if he is the sole agent. His only contact is his superior, Sybil Van Loween (Celeste Holm) , a perpetually chirpy Washington D.C. socialite who gives him his assignments but refuses to come to assistance whenever he gets in trouble. As an agent, Gregory is completely on his own. He is unarmed and must rely on his own wits to extract himself from deadly situations, which leads one to believe that the character of MacGyver might have been somewhat influenced by this scenario. In this pilot film, Gregory is assigned to investigate the wholesale theft of surplus military equipment including fighter jets. The trail leads to a gigantic farming complex in Kansas, headed by Matthew Keller (Dean Jagger), a respected elderly philanthropist who is using his resources for experimental of growing food in order to stamp out world hunger. Gregory finds that the complex is actually a cover for the arms smuggling operation and is being run by Stokely, Keller's right hand man. As played by Cameron Mitchell, Stokely drips with phony charm and friendliness that hides the fact that he is a cold-blooded killer intent on preventing Gregory from revealing his findings. The script makes it obvious that in the pre-cell phone era, it was much easier to present scenarios in which the protagonists are completely isolated simply by the fact that they can't get to a public pay phone. 

This pilot film spawned a short-lived TV series and it was created by the estimable talents of Sam Rolfe, who had also developed The Man From U.N.C.L.E. a decade previously. There are some similarities to the classic Alexander the Greater Affair two-part episodes of that series especially in a scene in which Gregory is attacked on a farm by a villain driving a tractor- a fate that befell U.N.C.L.E's Illya Kuryakin. Also, actor David Sheiner, who played a bad guy in the episodes, also turns up in the Delphi Bureau pilot flick. There is a tendency to believe that Hollywood's obsession with conspiracy movies went into high gear in the aftermath of Watergate. In fact, there were such films years prior to the 1972 break-in that brought down the Nixon administration. For example, The Manchurian Candidate and Seven Days in May, both classic political thrillers, were produced in the early 1960s. The Delphi Bureau was in production before Watergate but aired during the same year, thus making its premise of untrustworthy government officials quite timely. The movie also bares a coincidental resemblance to director Michael Ritchie's feature film Prime Cut, also released in 1972, in that it presents a rather cynical view of the American heartland with friendly, small town characters being revealed as sadistic murderers. (A chase through a corn field appears both in The Dephi Bureau and Prime Cut).

I very much enjoyed The Dephi Bureau on many levels. The production values are quite opulent and Luckinbill is refreshing as a hero, playing an everyday guy who is rather out of his element in going up against professional killers. Not much is made out of his photographic memory angle but he does have to rely on his wits rather than gadgetry to avoid numerous death traps. The film boasts an impressive cast with Holm particularly amusing as the unlikely head of the Bureau and other deft turns provided by Bob Crane, Joanna Pettet, Bradford Dillman, Dub Taylor and Frank Marth. Given the qualities of the pilot episode, its surprising that the offspring TV series wasn't a hit. However, fans of spy movies of the era will find the DVD well worth adding to their collections.

Click here to order from the Warner Archive.  

Author and Cinema Retro columnist Raymond Benson has collaborated with bestselling author Jeffery Deaver on "Ice Cold: Tales of Mystery and Intrigue From the Cold War", a new book that presents a topic both men know well: espionage. In addition to stories by Benson and Deaver, there are contributions from many other talented writers who specialize in thrillers. The book is winning rave advance reviews (click here).  Both Deaver and Benson have won acclaim for writing original James Bond novels. 

Benson and Deaver, along with other noted authors,  will be in New York City for a book launch event at the famed Mysterious Bookshop on April 29 at 6:00 PM. The store is located at 58 Warren Street in Tribeca.

Cinema Retro Editor-in-Chief Lee Pfeiffer, who will be at the event, said, "We're very excited by Raymond's new project. He's been with Cinema Retro since our first issue ten years ago and his regular column in which he discusses the "Ten Best Films" of a specific year has become an integral part of our magazine. Additionally, his insightful, on-line DVD reviews have helped www.cinemaretro.com enjoy significant growth in readership over the years. Like all of his other admirers, I'm looking forward to delving into "Ice Cold" and I encourage all of our readers in the New York City area to attend the event, which should make for a fun-filled evening." 

"Ice Cold" is available in many different formats from Amazon.  Click below to order paperback and Kindle editions. 

By Mark Cerulli

Everyone in the west knows the name – Gaddafi. For over 40 years he was an international riddle, visiting world capitals yet sleeping in a bulletproof tent; a statesman who surrounded himself with female bodyguards and, of course, a pariah scorned by the west for acts of international terror…

In Mad Dog: Inside The Secret World of Muammar Gaddafi , a remarkable Showtime documentary premiering April 11^th, director Christopher Olgiati and his team went deep inside the late despot’s hidden world. The resulting portrait is chilling, horrifying and impossible not to watch.

The film’s Executive Producer, Roy Ackerman spoke with Cinema Retro about putting together this daunting and dangerous project. “Chris (Olgiati) and I had worked together before… and he came to me about doing a film on the Lockerbie Crash and we spent a lot of time developing that but for various reasons we came to focus on Gaddafi.”

The film took three years to research and shoot in ten countries around the globe – from the United States to the Marshall Islands. (Try even finding them on a map!) Along the way the dictator’s finely honed image as a Nationalist Statesman completely unravels, revealing a desperate and perverse man who preyed on his own people.

Making any movie is all about challenges, but shooting inside Libya was in a whole other league – “It was very, very dangerous.” Roy remembers, “we went in three times and there were bombs going off and car bombs, one time we had to just leave because it was too unstable.”

The Libyan footage they did get is apocalyptic and stunning – a Mad Max moonscape of ruined buildings and burnt out interiors. They also interviewed several people who did business with the regime, including international fugitive Frank Terpil who supplied Gaddafi’s military with weapons. Another notable interview was former CIA officer Valerie Plame who provides perspective on Gaddafi’s dramatic hunt for nuclear weapons. The producers left no biographical stone unturned, even interviewing Gaddafi’s plastic surgeon who told a surreal tale of late night operations in an underground bunker, the dictator refusing general anesthesia for fear of assassination.

Through rare archival footage, we see a dashing young Gaddafi as an army officer with a killer smile, eager to bring his country out of its Colonial past. Gradually he becomes corrupted by his immense power and oil wealth (one billion dollars PER WEEK), which stripped away everything but a desire to stay in power at any cost. Outwardly a “family man”, in reality he indulged an array of dark and repulsive desires that the documentary illustrates in haunting detail.

The final chapter of Gaddafi’s tale is ironic and tragic – Western powers were willing to turn the page on Gaddafi’s notorious past due to the great equalizer - oil. Only the Arab Spring, which ripped through many countries, including Libya prevented reengagement and ultimately cost him his life. But the film’s Roy Ackerman felt that if there’s any lesson to be learned from Gaddafi, it’s proceed with caution – “You do deals with these people, they’re not stupid, they’ll get a price for it.”

Mad Dog: Inside The Secret World of Muammar Gaddafi premieres Friday, April 11 on Showtime.

American acting icon Charlton Heston will be honored by the United States Postal Service with a commemorative stamp. The unveiling, which will be attended by Heston's family, will take place at the famed Chinese Theatre in Hollywood as part of the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival on April 11. For more about the ceremony click here 

To order the stamps click here

Amazon is temporarily offering a special sale on the Universal Monsters Essential Collection Blu-ray boxed set that includes Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Phantom of the Opera, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein and Creature From the Black Lagoon. The set is loaded with 12 hours of bonus materials and includes a collector's book. Click below to order. 

Joe Dante's Trailers From Hell presents the teaser trailer for Paint Your Wagon, the 1969 mega flop musical starring Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood and Jean Seberg. This is yet another epic film that has judged by its boxoffice results instead of its artistic merits. Fortunately, Alan Spencer provides a good introduction and narration to the trailer and points out the film's attributes. The downside is that this teaser trailer itself runs only one minute but Spencer provides plenty of insightful facts into his commentary. Click here to view 

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Sony:

For Immediate Release

“…one of the great shows of television's Golden Age…”

-- The Huffington Post, Maureen Ryan

The Addictive, Emmy Award^®-Winning TV Drama
Starring Emmy Award^® Winners Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul

BREAKING BAD:
THE COMPLETE SERIES

Newly Created 16-Disc Blu-ray^â„¢ Box Set Available June 3
Featuring Hours of Bonus Content, Including the Two-Hour Documentary
“No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad”

Also Available for the First Time Ever as a 21-Disc Complete Series DVD Set

CULVER CITY, CALIF. (April 7, 2014) – The chemistry continues on June 3 when Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases one of the most critically acclaimed and award-winning shows of all time, BREAKING BAD: THE COMPLETE SERIES, available on Blu-ray^™ with newly created packaging, and, for the first time ever, as a complete series set on DVD. Just in time for Father’s Day and graduation gift giving, the explosive saga of high school chemistry teacher-turned-meth kingpin Walter White is available in its entirety, including all 62 uncut, uncensored episodes. The 16-disc Blu-ray set features more than 55 hours of bonus content, including the Blu-ray exclusive “No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad” documentary, chronicling the making of the final season, from filming the first table read to the very last day on set and everything in between. The 21-disc DVD set features more than 50 hours of bonus content.

Starring three-time Emmy^® winner Bryan Cranston (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series) alongside two-time Emmy winner Aaron Paul (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series), Sony Pictures Television’s groundbreaking series achieved record-breaking viewership with more than 10 million viewers in its final season. BREAKING BAD was created by Vince Gilligan (TV’s “The X-Files”), who also served as executive producer with Academy Award^® winner Mark Johnson (1988, Best Picture, Rain Man) and Michelle MacLaren (TV’s “The X-Files”). The series boasts an exceptional ensemble cast, including 

Anna Gunn (TV’s “Deadwood”), Dean Norris (TV’s “Under the Dome”), Betsy Brandt (TV’s “Michael J. Fox Show”), RJ Mitte (TV’s “Switched at Birth”), Bob Odenkirk (The Spectacular Now), Giancarlo Esposito (TV’s “Revolution”) and Jonathan Banks (TV’s “Community”).

Synopsis:
The incredible saga of high school chemistry teacher-turned-meth kingpin Walter White is here in its entirety: all 62 uncut, uncensored episodes! Emmy® winner Bryan Cranston portrays Walter White, a family man who turns to crime after a lung cancer diagnosis unravels his bland but simple life. Recruiting former student and small-time drug dealer Jesse Pinkman (Emmy® winner Aaron Paul) to be his partner in crime, Walt rises to the top of the meth trade, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. But he can’t keep his dogged DEA agent brother-in-law
Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) off his trail forever. Will Walt get away with it all, or die trying? Re-live every moment of this groundbreaking original series with riveting performances by Emmy® winner Anna Gunn, Giancarlo Esposito, Jonathan Banks, Bob Odenkirk, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte and more. Breaking Bad was executive produced by Vince Gilligan, Mark Johnson and Michelle MacLaren. The complete box set is loaded with special features.

Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Features:

More than 55 hours of special features, including:

· “No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad,” an exclusive two-hour documentary that chronicles the filming of the final eight episodes.

· Bad Memories – Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul talk about the show ending and some of their favorite moments.

· Bryan Cranston: Director – Go on set with Bryan Cranston as he directs the first episode of The Final Season, entitled "Blood Money."

· Scene Envy – The cast tell us which scene they wish they could have been in.

· Shocking Moments - The stars reveal the moments that shocked them most.

· A Look Ahead to the Final Season – The cast gives their thoughts on what an amazing final season this is going to be!

· From Walt to Heisenberg – From high school teacher to deadly meth dealer, watch as Walter White quickly transforms into Heisenberg.

· How Will It End? – At the beginning of Season 5, the cast gives their thoughts on how they think the show will end.

· Avenging Agent: Dean Norris as Hank Schrader – A look at the character Hank Schrader and the man who played him, Dean Norris.

· Scene Stealer: Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader – A look at the character Marie Schrader and the woman who played her, Betsy Brandt.

· A Criminal Attorney: Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman – A look at the character Saul Goodman and the man who played him, Bob Odenkirk.

· Jesse’s Journey:  Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman – A look at the character Jesse Pinkman and the man who played him, Aaron Paul.

· Skyler Breaks Bad:  Anna Gunn on Season Four – Actress Anna Gunn and series creator Vince Gilligan explore Skyler’s character evolution through the fourth season.

· Growing Up in the White House:  RJ Mitte on Walter, Jr. – RJ Mitte, Anna Gunn, Bryan Cranston and series creator Vince Gilligan discuss the extraordinary dynamics of the White family, and Walter, Jr.’s unique role.

· The Ultimate Chess Match – Members of the cast and crew discuss Walter White and Gus Fring’s extraordinary and complicated battle of wits and their struggle for Jesse’s allegiance.

· Looking Back:  A Season Four Retrospective - Season Four’s most surprising and memorable moments.

· Ted's Wipeout – In Episode 411, “Crawl Space,” Ted Beneke suffers a head injury while trying to escape from Saul’s goons. In this featurette, Christopher Cousins (Ted) explains how this shocking stunt was accomplished.

· The Truck Attack Storyboard Comparison – A side-by-side comparison of the Los Pollos Hermanos truck attack and the brilliant shot-by-shot storyboards that were created for the episode “Bullet Points.”

· Walt and the Challenger Storyboard Comparison – A side-by-side comparison of Walt’s joy ride in Walt Jr.’s new Dodge Challenger and the storyboards that were developed for that sequence by the writer and director, Peter Gould.

DVD Special Features:

More than 50 hours from Season 1 through the Final Season

Broadcast Year: 2008-2013 (AMC)

BREAKING BAD: THE COMPLETE SERIES is not rated.

CLICK LINK BELOW TO PRE-ORDER AND SAVE $$$$

Hollywood legend and Oscar winner Mickey Rooney has died at age 93.

Click here for details. 

Click here for critic Shawn Dwyer's article The Triumph and Tragedy of Mickey Rooney.  

Fabby, the star of the new sitcom Fabby Knows Best, introduces the creative teams from Stage 17.

The cast of Wallflowers.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Last week Cinema Retro was invited to attend a launch part at the Walter Reade Theatre at Lincoln Center in New York City to celebrate the on-line launch of production company Stage 17's first season of all original programming. The festivities kicked off with a fun VIP champagne party after which guests were escorted into the theater to see highlights of the programs on the big screen. The Stage 17 line-up includes an abundance of original comedy shows, reality programming and "Fan Fare", a show that is set at the world famous Sardi's restaurant that is devoted to the latest productions on Broadway.

Broadway star Kate Baldwin.

Actress Elizabeth Stanley

The festivities were attended by the network's creator David Stoller, who joined cast and production crews on stage to celebrate the launch. The ambitious venture is just another indication that industry types believe the future lies in on-demand programming that viewers can watch anytime, anywhere at their own convenience. In the early days of on-line programs, it was fairly apparent that production values were far below that of network shows. However, the Stage 17 productions are virtually indistinguishable from the big budget fare on the major networks. More importantly, the shows give exposure to talented young artists, some of whom may well become stars in the near future.

VIP kickoff party.

Fabby with David Stoller of Stage 17 productions.

To explore the lineup of Stage 17 programming, click here to visit the official web site and get ready for some binge viewing.  

Ejiofor and girlfriend Sari Mercer snapped by Cinema Retro's Mark Mawston at this year's BAFTA awards in London.

We don't usually repeat rumors concerning forthcoming James Bond films because inevitably they turn out to be either inaccurate or completely untrue, at least in the very early stages. However, this one comes from a reputable source: Variety, which reports that Chiwetel Ejiofor,  the Oscar-nominated leading man of "12 Years a Slave" is strongly being considered to play the villain in the next 007 flick, scheduled for release in November 2015 with Daniel Craig reprising as Bond and Skyfall director Sam Mendes also returning. Variety reports that producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson were so pleased with the response to Javier Bardem's performance as the baddie in Skyfall that they want to raise the caliber of Bond villains by approaching another red-hot actor who is a star in his own right. The strategy isn't entirely new: Christopher Walken, an Oscar winner for The Deer Hunter, had appeared as the villain in the 1985 Bond film A View to a Kill opposite Roger Moore.   Click here for more

By Lee Pfeiffer

MGM and James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli feel they have their own license to kill--film projects, that is, that they allege violate their copyrights to the 007 character and series. MGM had warned Universal not to go forward with a spy movie titled Section 6 that purports to explore the fact-based origins of MI6 in the aftermath of WWI. The Bond producers and MGM stated their concerns that leaked elements of the screenplay showed plot devices that they allege are clearly inspired by the works of Ian Fleming including the fact that British agents have been assigned licenses to kill and that they carry "00" status. Both of those attributes are fictional and are directly linked to Fleming's creation.  MGM has filed suit this week against Universal and screenwriter Aaron Berg alleging that Section 6 is clearly based on elements of the Bond books and films. The producers don't control the literary rights to the Bond novels but do have exclusive rights to any screen versions of 007's adventures. 

The long-running Bond film series has been the subject of numerous legal battles over the decades. These include successful attempts to stop the airing of TV commercials which the producers allege violated their copyrights. There was also a long legal battle beginning in the mid-1970s to prevent producer Kevin McClory from bringing a remake of Thunderball to the big screen. (McClory had served as producer on the blockbuster 1965 version of the film).  The late, legendary producer Albert R. Broccoli challenged McClory's rights for years but the film ultimately was made under the title of Never Say Never Again and released in 1983. McClory lost numerous other legal battles with Broccoli's production company, EON, however. These included launching other derivative films and TV series based on Thunderball, the one Bond novel that he had secured film rights to as the result of a legal settlement he made with Ian Fleming in the early 1960s that alleged Fleming used some of McClory's ideas to develop the novel upon which the film was based.

The Bond franchise is carefully guarded by EON for good reason. More than half a century since the first Bond film premiered, the series is more popular than ever. The latest entry, Skyfall, released in 2012, is not only the highest grossing film of the series but the top grossing British film of all time.

For more click here 

Our old pal Robert Vaughn is a smash in London. Vaughn is starring in the West End production of Twelve Angry Men (with Tom Conti now co-starring). The play's boxoffice results have been such a smash that the run has been extended through June. Meanwhile, in this 50th year of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Vaughn still attracts fans who line up outside the Garrick Theatre to get his autograph. Let's hope the show makes it to Broadway. Click here to visit Soloholics,  the official Robert Vaughn web site, run by Tammy Hayes. 

By Darren Allison

James Glickenhaus's Vigilante Classic Survives its Dark and Controversial Past

Arrow’s commitment to releasing finely polished versions of cult greats appears to be beyond question. I recently viewed their deluxe Blu-ray release of the 1980 grindhouse favourite The Exterminator. I have some vivid memories of The Exterminator, a film that practically sucked me from the high street and into the lobby of my local cinema some 34 years ago. What a poster: an unidentifiable urban soldier wearing a black biker helmet and using a flame thrower as his weapon of choice! Yep, it was an image that was always going to get me to the box office for my ticket and of course, the latest copy of Film Review magazine. The Exterminator was quite an extraordinary film; lame of course by today’s standards – perhaps, but in 1980 is was really something rather wild.

Director James Glickenhaus wastes little time in his narrative style, a huge hilltop explosion sees a soldier flying through the air. We are undoubtedly in the middle of a war zone – the Vietnam War. The next cut reveals we are in an enemy camp, and an interrogation of 3 bound U.S. soldiers. Two of the captive soldiers, John Eastland (Robert Ginty) and Michael Jefferson (Steve James) witness the slow decapitation of their fellow marine. Both Eastland and Jefferson manage to escape before they are killed. They manage to reach a helicopter and escape. We dissolve into a night helicopter shot of New York – and the opening credits roll. It’s an amazing pre-credit sequence that manages to pull you straight into the action and you’re hooked. It is soon established that both men have simply escaped one hell hole to arrive back home to another. Working together in the gritty city of New York, Eastland learns that his buddy Jefferson has been the victim of a gang attack which has left him paralysed. Unhappy with the police and the slow progress in apprehending the attackers, Eastland sets out to avenge his friend and track down the gang in a one-man revenge vendetta.

The Exterminator turned up the heat considerably and set the bar for an altogether new standard of ‘Death Wish’ -type vigilante thriller. Glickenhaus presented us with a genuine urban ugliness – the likes of which we had never witnessed before. While it was not considered a ‘big budget’ movie – in the general sense of the words, you can certainly see where the money shots are. The incredibly real throat cutting and decapitation sequence still stands out, even by today’s standards – it remains a brilliantly created special effect by the legendary Stan Winston. Yet there is nothing overly stylised here – the action, the atmosphere and above all, the revenge killings – arguably border on bad taste. However, Ginty’s portrayal of a troubled survivor – an anti-hero of circumstance rather than choice, never fails to keep the audience firmly on his side. Whilst the moralistic side of your conscience will no doubt be screaming out legitimate concerns, Ginty’s ‘everyman’ appeal will most certainly still have you rooting for him by the time of the final reel.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Warner Home Video.

Burbank, Calif., March 25, 2014 – The Harry Potter™ Wizard’s Collection, released in 2012, sold more than 30,000 sets at $499.99 SRP and is now completely sold out. To continue offering fans access to the most successful film franchise in history, a new collection will be available April 29 -- the Harry Potter™ Hogwarts Collection. The collectible box set is sure to please fans who want the world of Harry Potter™ conveniently available in one place. Included in this set are all eight Harry Potter™ films, plus a whopping 45+ hours of previously released bonus material that contains the complete eight-part documentary series, ”Creating the World of Harry Potter.”

The Harry Potterâ„¢ Hogwarts Collection will be offered at the new lower price of $249.99 SRP.

Films Included in this Collection – All on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet*

· Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ Theatrical Version on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD with UltraViolet and Extended Cut on Blu-ray

· Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ Theatrical Version on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD with UltraViolet and Extended Cut on Blu-ray

· Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD with UltraViolet

· Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD with UltraViolet

· Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD with UltraViolet

· Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ – Part 1 2D on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD with UltraViolet and 3D Version on Blu-ray

· Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ – Part 2 2D on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD with UltraViolet and 3D Versions on Blu-ray

Special Features for Hours of Entertainment – everything previously released including the eight-part documentary “Creating the World of Harry Potter” on Blu-ray:

• Creating the World of Harry Potter - Part 1: The Magic Begins

The magic begins. The choices, the breakthroughs, the early decisions that impacted all the films are explored here via rare footage, cast and crew reminiscences and more. Learn about the extensive search by producer David Heyman and director Chris Columbus for the perfect actors to portray Harry, Ron and Hermione and see the earliest meeting of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.

Be on the scene as imagination and know-how combine to create a look that's distinctly wizardly. From details tiny (what about Hermione's buckteeth?) to huge (Quidditch, anyone?), this is the fun and fascinating opening of a whole new portal into Harry's world. Begin the magic.

• Creating the World of Harry Potter - Part 2: Characters

"We really do look at the story and characters first," producer David Heyman says. "That's the heart and that's the soul of the film." And that's the heart and soul of this incisive, decade-spanning exploration of how the series' actors bring the beloved Harry Potter characters to life. Discover which parts of the J.K. Rowling books helped Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and more stars make their roles leap from page to screen.

See screen tests, including Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and Jessie Cave (Lavender Brown) working with the established stars. Learn why so many of Britain's acting greats wanted to be part of Harry Potter's world...and which ones became mentors to the young stars. Share each director's vision as you watch Daniel, Rupert and Emma grow up with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Your journey into Harry's world continues.

• Creating the World of Harry Potter - Part 3: Creatures

Soar on the back of Buckbeak. Battle a Hungarian Horntail. Trace Voldemort's terrifying transformation from grotesque infant-like creature to Dark Lord. Fascinating footage lets you experience the Harry Potter world of creatures through new eyes with this revealing look at a new group of wizards: the artists who create the monsters and marvels. Roam the Harry Potter Creature Effects workshop, where actors with a little FX magic are turned into beasts and sketches turn into animatronic wonders. Join Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as they share stories about acting opposite everything from tiny computer-generated pixies to a four-ton mechanical spider (guess which young star is really afraid of spiders). New discoveries and new revelations all make your journeys into Harry's world even more thrilling!

• Creating the World of Harry Potter - Part 4: Sound & Music

Can you imagine the Yule Ball without the Potter Waltz? Quidditch without the whoooosh of flying? Or any Harry Potter film without the iconic Hedwig's Theme? Now, absorbing interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses let you share the vision of composers, sound experts and others who make the Harry Potter films enchantment for the ears as well as the eyes. Experience sound and music that magnify triumph and fear, joy and suspense while transporting viewers on an emotional journey alongside the on-screen characters. Learn how specially created musical motifs identify individual characters and places. Watch as Foley artists use unusual techniques to replicate everyday sounds. Discover a whole new way to look at – and listen to – Harry's world.

• Creating the World of Harry Potter - Part 5: Evolution

Deeper. Bolder. Darker. As the eight Harry Potter films trace Harry's journey from innocent schoolboy to selfless hero, the series undergoes a transformation. Evolution – packed with exclusive content – takes you along for every exciting step of the 10-year filmmaking odyssey. Join the four directors and key members of the crew and cast, including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, as they explore how the creative vision for the films evolved to maintain the integrity and increasing intensity of J.K. Rowling's expansive literary series. From the ever-changing architecture of Hogwarts castle and growing landscape of the wizarding world, to the darkening palette of each successive film, to the young actors maturing along with their characters, it is a wondrous and spectacular adventure to experience.

• Creating the World of Harry Potter - Part 6: Magical Effects

In Harry Potter's world, portraits come to life, potions transform, time reverses, Quidditch players soar, dragons attack and magic is everywhere. Explore the moviemaking magic that created the wizardry and wonder of the Harry Potter film series. Now, fascinating insights, interviews and watch-it-happen footage let you experience the triumphs of the technical wizards who conjured up an awe-inspiring alternate reality. Share the fun as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson negotiate the moving stairs. Marvel as an oversized water tank transforms into the depths of the black lake for the Triwizard Tournament. Discover which amazing sequence was filmed entirely using computer-generated imagery. Watch as blue- and green-screen backgrounds transform into towering structures and endless landscapes. You don't know the magic until you've seen Magical Effects.

• Creating the World of Harry Potter - Part 7: Story

Over the course of ten years, screenwriter Steve Kloves worked tirelessly with author J.K. Rowling to develop her seven magical books into eight magical films. From the beginning, Kloves had to decide what to keep, what to change and what to cut while staying true to Rowling's vision, initially without even knowing how the series ended! Learn the story behind the stories and see how the two collaborated and developed a friendship based on mutual trust and respect, as they sit down together for an intimate, free-flowing conversation. Gain new insight into J.K. Rowling's own conceptions of her beloved characters, and hear how Kloves was able to adapt them faithfully for the screen while maintaining the fine balance between heart, humor and heroism that exemplifies the series.

• Creating the World of Harry Potter - Part 8: Growing Up

They grew up with the world watching them. By the time the final film wrapped, the young stars of Harry Potter had spent nearly half their lives on set. In Growing Up, new and vintage interviews featuring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and other cast and crew show how the actors have grown over the course of the series, while behind-the-scenes footage gives an exclusive look at their lives as actors and as children who've grown into young adults. From early interviews shortly after being cast, to the poignant final day of filming, watch how their ideas of acting, fame, their characters and themselves have changed through four directors, eight films and ten years. Learn how the more experienced actors took the younger ones under their wings and see the friendships that only years of collaboration could create. Finally, say farewell to the series with Daniel Radcliffe as he delivers an emotionally charged speech to the cast and crew as the final film wraps.

· Harry Potter™ Hogwarts Collection Blu-ray Bonus Disc

• More than 3 hours of features including:

§ “The Harry Potters You Never Met” - Meet the stunt doubles for Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as they demonstrate how they balanced major stunt work while seamlessly mimicking the actors they represented.

• “Designing the World of Harry Potter” - Explore how production designer Stuart Craig and his creative team brought J.K. Rowling's imagination to life on the screen.
• “When Harry Left Hogwarts” (Extended Version) - Hear candid and emotional stories about the final days on set in this extended behind-the-scenes look.

§ “50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments” (Definitive Version) - Take a look back with cast members who share their on and off-screen memories.

§ “Secrets Revealed! Quidditch” – At last, the secrets behind the special effects required for the breathtaking Quidditch scenes are revealed.

§ “Secrets Revealed! Hagrid”- See the camera tricks, towering stand-in and voluminous body suits behind the beloved Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Sony  

CULVER CITY, CALIF. (March 31, 2014) – George Clooney’s action thriller THE MONUMENTS MEN marches its way onto Blu-ray Combo pack, DVD and Digital* May 20 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Based on the
non-fiction book of the same name by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter, the film pays tribute to the real men and women who risked their lives to recover and return thousands of cultural treasures stolen by the Nazis during World War II.

The Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack is loaded with bonus materials, including two all-new featurettes that highlight the making of the film. The first, “George Clooney’s Mission,” features interviews with Clooney, as well as the rest of the cast, on the elements that went into completing THE MONUMENTS MEN. The second featurette, “Marshaling the Cast,” features a cast discussion on the real men and women they brought to life on screen. Exclusively available on the Blu-ray are two additional exclusive featurettes. “In Their Own Words” is a unique piece that offers the most comprehensive and direct insight into the hearts and minds of these heroes, featuring an interview with Harry Ettlinger, one of the last surviving members of the Monuments Men. “A Woman Amongst the Monuments Men” features a discussion with
Cate Blanchett on the historic, wartime female character she plays in the film (Claire Simone).

A Smokehouse production, THE MONUMENTS MEN is directed by Clooney, and written by Clooney and Grant Heslov. Starring in the film is an exceptional ensemble cast, including two-time Academy Award^® winner Clooney (Argo, Best Motion Picture of the Year, 2012), Academy Award^® winner Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting, Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, 1997), Bill Murray (The Grand Budapest Hotel), John Goodman (Argo), Academy Award^® winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, 2011), Bob Balaban (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Hugh Bonneville (TV’s “Downton Abbey”) and Academy Award^® winner Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, 2013).

Synopsis:

Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, THE MONUMENTS MEN focuses on an unlikely
World War II platoon, whose job it was to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves so they could be returned to their rightful owners.  In a seemingly impossible mission, the Monuments Men, as they were called, find themselves risking their lives in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1,000 years of culture.

About the Real Monuments Men:

Hitler had decreed that if he died and the war was lost, nearly 5 million pieces of stolen art were to be destroyed. In an effort to thwart the Nazis’ intent, President Roosevelt, with the support of General Eisenhower, created the MFAA (Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives) unit in 1943, and tasked them with the job of rescuing and protecting Europe’s art masterpieces. Ultimately, more than 300 men and women worked in the MFAA between 1943 and 1951, returning thousands of cultural items that had been looted or displaced during the war.

Blu-ray & DVD Combo Pack Special Features:

• George Clooney’s Mission
• Marshaling the Cast

Exclusive to the Blu-ray:

• Deleted Scenes
• The Real Monuments Men
• A Woman Amongst the Monuments Men

NOTE: This review pertains to the Region 2 UK release. 

By Mark Mawston

There are some films that stick with you- films that made a real impact but were impossible to track down after that one fleeting TV screening in pre-DVD and streaming days. Could they be as good as you remember or were they obscure for a reason? This was my worry when I was given my review disc of Brian De Palma’s Phantom of The Paradise, a film I’d been wanting to revisit for years.

I remember watching this in my room after college one late Monday night and thinking it was the epitome of the term “cult movie”. I simply loved it.  I was fully aware of the huge following The Rocky Horror Picture Show had and was shocked that this film wasn’t as famous. For years I’d asked anyone who mentioned Richard O’Brien’s cult classic if they felt the same about Phantom of The Paradise and most of the time I was met with “Phantom Of The What?” I thought I was in a minority who loved this film but on watching Arrow’s superb transfer of the film and its stunning extras, I see that the film has a healthy following amongst the great and the good of movie cultdom, including Edgar Wright, Quentin Tarantino and especially Guillermo del Toro.

Phantom of The Paradise is now available from the Arrow Video label. The feature-packed disc is released as both a Limited Edition Steel Book and deluxe Blu-ray featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by The Red Dress. This exciting Blu-ray release also includes an exclusive collector’s booklet featuring new writing about the film by festival programmer Michael Blyth and an exploration of the film’s troubled marketing history by Ari Kahan, curator of SwanArchives.org, illustrated with original stills and promotional material.

The addictive retro-based web site Hill Place offers an extensive analysis and appreciation of John Ford's The Were Expendable, an homage to the heroic U.S. Navy men who manned the P.T. Boats in WWII. The flick starred Robert Montgomery and John Wayne and is today considered one of the best movies in the WWII genre. However, at the time of its release at the very end of the conflict, it was vastly under-appreciated by a war-weary  public that just wanted to indulge in relatively lightweight fare. (The same fate befell Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, which was considered by many to be too downbeat for audiences that had just undergone years of personal suffering).

Click here to read the article about They Were Expendable and realize why it represents Ford at his best. 

Cinema Retro has received the following announcement:

The Morning After was established in February/March 1991 as the official The Persuaders!/ITC Appreciation Society by the then copyright owners, the ITC Entertainment Group Ltd.

The society mainly concentrated on The Persuaders! in the club magazine, The Morning After but some issues were 'specials' dedicated to other ITC action-adventure series made in the 1960s and 70s such as The Champions, Man In A Suitcase, Department S and The Baron.

This book reproduces the first 10 issues of The Morning After in their entirety. These issues have long been out of print and were printed in very small quantities. Original copies rarely turn up and now sell on auction sites for anything between £15 – £20 per issue.

TMA Reprints 1 – 10 by Jaz Wiseman
£20.00
Available now, direct from:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/jaz-wiseman/tma-1-10/paperback/product-21475079.html

Son Terry (left) watches his Father Dickie, dance with lead vocalist Kerry Schultz and guitarist David D'Andrade (far right) during the band's performance of The Man With the Golden Gun.

By Dave Worrall

Last weekend (Saturday 22nd March) I had the pleasure of being invited to Jean and Dickie Bamber's Diamond Wedding anniversary celebrations held at Heatherden Hall, Pinewood Studios. Dickie has worked in the film industry for over 50 years on productions such as Genevieve, The Ipcress File, Thunderball, Battle of Britain, A Bridge Too Far and many of the Carry On comedies, to name but a few. Their son Terry, himself a veteran of the industry, and who I first met on the set of the James Bond film GoldenEye, did his parent's proud. Following a champagne reception we dined in the Pinewood house restaurant (remember the scene in Who Dares Wins where the hostages are held around a dining table in the US Ambassador's residence? Well, we were in the same room.)

The evening's cabaret was provided by the 14-piece band 'Q the Music' who specialize in performing music from the James Bond films. From Dr. No to Skyfall, this mini-orchestra performed some of the best cover versions I have ever heard. They were brilliant. Bond fans themselves, their renditions of even the instrumentals such as 'Bond 77' from The Spy Who Loved Me and 'Runaway' from For Your Eyes Only, were spot on. Kit Mlynar on saxaphone, and David D'Andrade on guitar, were excellent, as was lead vocalist Kerry Schultz. Wow, what a voice. This was professionalism at its best.

Lead vocalist Kerry Schultz belts out a Bond hit song.

If you are a James Bond fan, or simply like to hear movie music live, I highly recommend this band. In fact, they are at The Lincoln Drill Hall on April 18/19, and in Wycombe on May 11th. Check out their web site for further details and treat yourself to a fabulous night out. www.QTheMusicShow.com

By Todd Garbarini

American Hustle, one of the best Martin Scorsese films not directed by Martin Scorsese (James Toback’s Fingers (1978) is another film that falls into this camp), opens with an amusing sequence in a hotel room wherein con artist Irving Rosenfeld (a nearly unrecognizable Christian Bale) is attempting to hide his male pattern baldness. It is April 1978 and confederates Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), who is presenting herself as an English aristocrat named Lady Edith Greensly and Richard DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) are in the midst of trying to sting Carmen Polito (Jeremy Renner), the Mayor of Camden, NJ. Irving has to get it together and be convincing (what we don’t know at this point of the film is how conflicted he is about what he is doing regarding the mayor). He comes to blows with Richard, who eggs him on and ruffles his hair in a hilarious moment of awkwardness and discomfort, and we wonder if Irving will blow a gasket and go Joe Pesci on Richard or if he will simply attend to his ridiculous comb-over. The question of why they want to sting the mayor is eventually revealed as the story flashes back to when Irving and Sydney first meet and bond over their love and admiration of Duke Ellington. They realize they are kindred souls and their attraction to one another intensifies. As we come to learn, however, nothing is quite as it seems because as David Mamet showed us in both House of Games (1987) and The Spanish Prisoner (1997), everyone is potentially a mark and each mark is played for someone else’s gain. Irving is married and has a son but like professional thief Neil Mccauley (Robert De Niro) in Michael Mann’s Heat (1995) he is good at what he does, and in this case he knows how to not only conduct loan scams but forge fake paintings even when hiding behind a legitimate business of being a dry cleaner for tax purposes. Unfortunately, he and Sydney attempt to con Richard, who turns out to be an FBI agent who cuts them a deal: he forces them into aiding him entrap some other targets and promises that if their help results in four good arrests, they will both end up with tabula rasas, effectively avoiding jail time.

American Hustle, which opened theatrically in December 2013, is set within the framework of the Abscam scandal of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, which also provided the backdrop for the Al Pacino/Johnny Depp vehicle Donnie Brasco (1997). It was the first time in history that undercover FBI agents videotaped the taking of bribes by politicians. This factors into the film, which was directed by David O. Russell who also directed Flirting with Disaster (1996), I Heart Huckabees (2004), and Silver Linings Playbook (2012). Mr. Russell has meticulously recreated the 1970s to such a degree that you cannot help but marvel at all of the details, looking carefully to try and spot any obvious anachronisms. Amy Adams stars opposite Mr. Bale (who followed in Mr. De Niro’s thespian footsteps and gained some 40 pounds to play the role) and she gives a multi-layered performance as Sydney, impersonating a refined British woman. It becomes a game between Irving and Richard trying to tell which person they are talking to, Sydney or Lady Greensly. Jennifer Lawrence portrays Irving’s wife, Rosalyn, and proves why she is one of the best actresses working today. Rosalyn is a loose cannon. Like Sharon Stone’s impetuous Ginger McKenna in Casino, she has a big mouth and messes with dangerous people when she isn’t starting fires by microwaving metal or vacuuming her house while belting out the famous songs of the day. She hates Sydney and lets her know it, and underneath the hardened and tough veneer is a woman who is hurt by her husband’s betrayal.

Goodfellas (1990) and Casino (1995) are obvious stylistic influences here, ranging from effective use of period music to the inclusion of an uncredited Robert De Niro as a mobster, Victor Tellegio, who actually speaks Arabic! The scene where he attempt to communicate with a supposedly wealthy Arab sheikh (in reality a fraud who speaks Spanish and English) is both tense and funny. Jeremy Renner is his usual brilliant self as the Mayor of Camden, based upon Angelo J. Errichetti who in reality served three years in prison for his role in the Abscam scandal (in the film, which is highly fictionalized, he serves 18 months). Mr. Errichetti passed away seven months prior to the release of American Hustle at the age of 84.

The use of voiceover is also effective, a device that Mr. Scorsese also employed to great effect in his aforementioned gangster epics. The film runs a quick 138 minutes, but I have seen 90-minute movies much longer than this.

The Blu-ray is the way to go for this release as it comes with a DVD and digital copy. The extras are slim, which is unfortunate considering the high number of Oscar nominations and accolades the film received. They consist of a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film which runs 16 minutes, and an extended deleted scenes section that runs 22 minutes. The requisite theatrical trailer is also included. I would have loved a running commentary from the director as the film was obviously a labor of love. That being said, its exclusion should not detract from your enjoyment of watching this highly watchable recreation of a specific moment in time in New York and New Jersey’s history.

Advance Sale

Production Code Basics is scheduled for release AT CINEVENT (May 22-25). Anyone who buys the new PC Basics can either pick up their copy at Cinevent or we will start shipping immediate upon our return from Cinevent

Regular Price - $19.95

Pre- release Sale at $15.00 and includes U.S. shipping
ORDER YOURS NOW!

Blu-ray/DVD Review

Ingmar Bergman’s PERSONA

The Criterion Collection

A Mystery of Faces

By Raymond Benson

Much has already been written about Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 head-scratcher, Persona—it’s been analyzed, dissected, reconstructed, and debated, and it still remains a cinematic enigma, and a brilliant one at that. Of all of the Swedish master’s challenging works, Persona is undoubtedly the most complex, audacious, radical, and experimental film Bergman ever made. It’s also been widely parodied and imitated. Its influence on other filmmakers, and on pop culture itself, cannot be taken lightly.

Persona, which means “mask” in Latin, is all about artifice. Bergman makes no pretentions that what the audience is viewing is make-believe—it is an invented drama about personalities hiding behind “masks,” if you will, performed for a camera that translates the images onto celluloid. In fact, Bergman begins Persona with an extraordinary prologue consisting of the arc lights igniting inside a projector and the film starting to move through the sprockets. An extra on this new Criterion Collection release is Bergman scholar Peter Cowie’s analysis and visual essay on this first several minutes of the picture—and it is enlightening for those of us who have studied and pondered over the meanings behind the seemingly haphazard images (including an erect penis!) that assault the viewer at the start of the film. It’s interesting to note that Bergman’s original working title on his script was Cinematography.

Once the story starts proper, we find ourselves in the sphere of two women. One, a nurse (Bibi Andersson), is taking care of an actress (Liv Ullmann) who has lost her ability—or will—to speak. They are alone on an island off the coast of Sweden (it was actually filmed on Fårö, where many of Bergman’s pictures from the period were made, and where the director lived and died), and go through a series of emotional soul-searching moments together. That’s putting it simplistically. By the end of the short film (83 minutes), the two women have exchanged selves. Or traded masks. Or become one. Or maybe the characters were two sides of the same person all along. Or... something. In other words, Persona is totally open to interpretation, and it demands multiple viewings to fully appreciate. It helps that the film is immensely entertaining. You can’t keep your eyes off these two incredible actresses who are giving their all to us.

While Andersson had worked with Bergman many times prior to Persona, this was the first picture featuring Ullmann, who would also become a regular member of the director’s “stock company” as well as his lover. Another extra in the package is a feature-length documentary, Liv & Ingmar, directed by Dheeraj Akolkar, which examines the remarkable forty year relationship between the two. It’s certainly one of those great cinematic behind-the-scenes love stories, like Burton and Taylor or Tracy and Hepburn. Ullmann is breathtakingly beautiful in Persona, and, since her character is silent, her acting is displayed entirely in the expressions on her face. On the other hand, the film is a tour de force for the also-gorgeous Andersson, who talks non-stop. It’s certainly the best thing Andersson ever did, and her performance was worthy of Academy Award consideration (she did win other awards for the film around the world).

What everyone takes away from Persona, though, is the magnificent black and white cinematography by Sven Nykvist. His manipulation of light and shadow is nothing short of magical. And the close-ups! The tale is all in the up-close and personal examination of these women’s faces. We’ve all seen the iconic stills of Andersson and Ullmann together, looking directly at the audience... or the even more startling image of their two faces merged. There have been many tight director-cinematographer relationships over the years, but the partnership between Bergman and Nykvist was one of the most profound.

And thank goodness for The Criterion Collection’s new 2K digital restoration! The Blu-ray looks far better than the MGM/UA edition that was released several years ago. Along with the above-mentioned extras, the package includes a dual Blu-ray/DVD format; new interviews with Liv Ullmann and filmmaker Paul Schrader; archival interviews with Bergman, Ullmann, and Andersson; on-set footage with audio commentary by Bergman historian Birgitta Steene; and the usual slick booklet jam-packed with more photos, essays, and interviews.

Can you unravel the mystery that is Persona? Consider it a challenge, as well as an opportunity to experience a cinematic wonder.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

Dear Bond fan,

If you haven't already ordered your copy of MI6 Confidential issue #24 or (better yet!) a 2014 subscription, here's a little taste of what you've been missing:

Director John Glen on filming during a war:
“The Argentinean War was taking place at the time of Octopussy. We went down to Northolt airfield and Peter Lamont, the production designer, very cleverly made palm trees out of plaster to double for a generic South American nation that 007 single-handedly invades.” Whilst Glen was shooting at Northolt, a member of his crew overheard a curious conversation in a local pub: “They were discussing why there were palm trees at Northolt Airport and someone said, ‘It’s to make the Argentinean prisoners of war feel at home!’ They were quite serious in the pub."

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Cultographies

Reviews by Adrian Smith

Frankenstein by Robert Horton

Wallflower Press

ISBN: 9780231167437

Paperback

Price $15/ £10.50

120 pages

Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! by Dean De Fino

Wallflower Press

ISBN: 9780231167390

Paperback

Price $15/ £10.50

108 pages

Use of the term "cult film" has been around for some time now, but it still seems difficult to ascertain a true definition. Cult, it would seem, is in the eye of the beholder; it is not easily described, but you know a cult film when you see it. This series of slim volumes (around 100 pages each) from Wallflower Press sees a variety of writers and academics wrestle their own personal cult film demons as they give analysis, behind-the-scenes tidbits and biographical details of all the major players concerned.

Two of their latest books are on Frankenstein (1931) and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965). Robert Horton successfully argues that although the original Frankenstein was such a mainstream hit that one may not consider that it qualifies as part of a cult series, it has become a cult in the manner of a religion, through its hundreds of sequels and the iconography that has arisen. The face of Frankenstein's monster, as played by Boris Karloff, is one of the most recognisable images of the twentieth century. From model kits to sweets dispensers, thanks to endless sequels and the repeats of Universal horrors on TV throughout the fifties and sixties, Frankenstein provided the monster that kids most empathised with. Boris Karloff became an elder statesman of horror and was hugely loved and respected in the sixties, because despite his many other roles over the years, it was the monster stitched from reclaimed corpses that people remembered with the most fondness.

Horton manages to avoid this book simply being a rehash of the same old material we have read elsewhere, and he points out in great detail Frankenstein's ability to still shock today, thanks not only to Karloff's performance but also to James Whale's inventive and mischievous direction. The film may be over eighty years old but this does not mean it cannot still be frightening.

Whereas Horton is tackling a series of films, and as he argues, a "cult" in itself, Dean De Fino is taking on what could initially seem an easier task: one single film by noted smut-peddler Russ Meyer. However Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! is no ordinary film. Made relatively early in Meyer's career, it marks his move away from "nudie-cuties" and "roughies" into something new. Although the film borrows freely from other genres (beach party, biker flick, drag race, juvenile delinquent), he seems to create something entirely different. From the jazz-infused opening sequence to the improbably large bosoms of his female cast, Meyer's film is a fever dream that grind-house fans and art-house enthusiasts can both appreciate.

The book is again a mixture of biographical information, behind-the-scenes gossip and analysis, and each element is equally fascinating to read. Using such sources as Russ Meyer's own autobiography and other reminiscences the story behind the making of the scene makes for as entertaining a tale as what ended up on the screen. He allegedly allowed for no fraternisation between cast and crew members in order to ensure that all the sexual tension was up on screen (this was later used as a plot device in Meyer-fan John Waters' Cecil B. DeMented (2000)). Russ Meyer allegedly allowed this rule to be broken only once in his entire career, and that was to allow Tura Satana secret trysts with a crew member. Even he could not say no to her. Satana plays Varla, the leader of a vicious gang of go-go dancers, and her performance is terrifying. Men are not safe when she is around. Tura Satana's own history is incredible, and sadly her recent death has left her memoirs so far unpublished. According to De Fino she was gang-raped and sent to reform school at 10 and married off to a 17-year old at 13. She ran away and was posing nude for Harold Lloyd and working as a stripper by the age of 15, and by 25 she was teaching Shirley MacLaine burlesque and had slept with Elvis. And then she met Russ Meyer. If ever two people were destined to work together and form a life-long friendship, it was them.

De Fino makes connections from the film to the cultural and political unrest in 1965. He posits that Meyer was playing out issues from the civil rights and sexual revolution right there in the dust Mojave Desert. This interpretation backs up the argument that Meyer infused his films with political relevance, and explains why his films have survived to be hailed as worthy of serious attention whilst many of his erotic contemporaries have been forgotten.

With books on other cult titles such as This is Spinal Tap (1984), Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974) and Quadraphenia (1979), the Cultographies series is an excellent way to become conversant in the cult film of your choice.

For more information and to order copies go to www.cultographies.com.

Amphibious Lotus Esprit seen in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

This model helicopter used in Skyfall (2012) is on display in the foyer.

The Cougar driven by Diana Rigg in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Cinema Retro London reporter Matthew Field admires the art gallery section of the exhibition.

Cinema Retro's Dave Worrall with Ken Adam's early sketches of the legendary Aston Martin DB5 that was first seen in Goldfinger (1964).

Blofeld's Bath-O-Sub, as seen in Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Speedboat driven by Roger Moore in his first Bond film, Live and Let Die (1973)

Dave and Matt get to ham it up with some "real" Bond girls: some of the ladies from Eon Productions. This souvenir photo puts attendees inside the legendary gun barrel and will be available at the Bond in Motion exhibition.

Entrance to the exhibition at the London Film Museum.

On Tuesday 18^th March Cinema Retro was invited to the opening of Bond In Motion at the London Film Museum in Covent Garden. The exhibition, which is the largest collection of official James Bond vehicles ever assembled, had previously been on display at Beaulieu Motor Museum. The cars looked fabulous in their new home and the design of the exhibits allows visitors to get closer to the vehicles than ever before. Iconic cars that have featured in the high octane, all action Bond films on display, include the underwater Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me, the Rolls-Royce Phantom III from Goldfinger, and the Aston Martin DB5 from GoldenEye, to name but a few.Additionally a mezzanine level showcases an array of storyboards, sketches and production design drawings on display to the public for the first time. New to the exhibition is a 1/3 scale model of an Agusta Westland AW101 helicopter used in Skyfall. Museum founder Jonathan Sands and Meg Simmonds of Eon Productions welcomed VIPs to the champagne reception.To visit the London Film Museum web site click here. 

Bond in Motion opens to the public on Friday March 21st at the London Film Museum, 45 Wellington Street, London WC2E 7BN. Tel: 020 7202 7043. The exhibition is open seven days a week from 10am to 8pm. (last entry 5pm). Advance tickets available from Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.co.uk

(All photos copyright Cinema Retro. All rights reserved.) 

By Lee Pfeiffer

Although Hammer Films is best known for its lineup of horror movies, the British studio routinely produced a diverse line of product ranging from adventure movies to crime melodramas. As the popularity of the horror flicks soared in the mid-1960s, Hammer began to concentrate almost exclusively on that genre. One of the better non-horror films was The Scarlet Blade, produced in 1964. The film was inexplicably retitled as The Crimson Blade for U.S. audiences, thus rendering meaningless the tie-in to the titular character, a swashbuckling do-gooder who rallies country folk in support of the king during the English Civil War of the 17th century. The film opens with King Charles I (Robert Rietty) on the run from the forces of Cromwell, who want to arrest him and execute him after a show trial. The king is being protected by a small band of royalists but is nevertheless captured. With the countryside terrorized by the arrival of Cromwell's local governor, Col. Judd (Lionel Jeffries), a plot is nonetheless is hatched by a group of rebels to rescue the king when he is being transported to the Tower of London. The man who is orchestrating this is Edward Beverly (Jack Hedley), who is has the secret alter ego of The Scarlet Blade. In that role, he is a constant thorn in the side of Judd. The Scarlet Blade and his small group of derring-doers raid Judd's compounds, attack his forces and inspire the locals to resist Cromwell's reign. Thus, Judd becomes obsessed with his capture and execution. Unbeknownst to Judd, his own daughter Clair (June Thorburn) is secretly assisting the rebels. Judd can barely stand the the fact that she has openly loyalist sentiments but doesn't suspect she is actually in collusion with The Scarlet Blade. Clair is being wooed by Judd's right hand man, Capt. Tom Sylvester (Oliver Reed), an arrogant egotist who learns that she is in league with the rebels. He offers to keep her secret and quietly assist her activities but only if she pledges her love for him. Clair is initially resistant to Tom's boorish personality but agrees to his offer. Tom is as good as his word and meets with the Scarlet Blade and his men and offers genuine assistance. However, when Clair tells him she actually has fallen in love with Edward Beverly, Tom's loyalties change once more.

The Crimson Blade is a fun, rousing and intelligently scripted story that has the hallmarks of Hammer productions of the period (i.e modest budget but rich production values, crisp color cinematography and a first-rate cast). It's a pleasure to see Lionel Jeffries playing an outright villain instead of a lovable old eccentric and he delivers an excellent performance in a role that seemed to have been envisioned for Christopher Lee. Oliver Reed is equally impressive in this early career role and June Thorburn is fetching as the requisite damsel in distress. The action sequences are frequent and very well-staged and as the Scarlet Blade, Jack Hedley has plenty of swash in his buckle and makes a fine action hero.

The film boasts an excellent transfer and is now available as a Sony burn-to-order title. There are no bonus extras.

Click here to order from Amazon

Ossie Morris signs a copy of his 2006 autobiography 'Houston, We Have a Problem' for Matthew Field in February of this year.

Oscar-winning British cinematographer Oswald Morris passed away Monday evening at his home in Dorset, England. He was 98 years old.

A founding member and former president of the BSC (the British Society of Cinematographers), 'Ossie', as he was known to all in the business, won an Academy Award in 1971 for the musical Fiddler on the Roof and four Baftas, including one for The Hill (1965) starring Sean Connery. His early career included working on David Lean's Oliver Twist and John Huston's Moulin Rouge. Ossie worked on over 40 major productions in his life, including Oliver!, The Wiz, The Guns of Navarone, Equus, The Man Who Would be King, and many, many more.

Retro's Matthew Field met the great man at his home just a few weeks ago, in what has now turned out to be his last interview. The September issue of Cinema Retro will feature part of Matt's interview in our tribute to this legendary man.

RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST ARTICLES FROM CINEMA RETRO'S ARCHIVES

By Lee Pfeiffer

Last year, the Harris Poll reported that John Wayne ranked among America's top ten favorite actors. This may seem like an incredible feat for a man who's been six-feet under since 1979, but the Duke's popularity continues to grow as evidenced by the tidal wave of DVD titles and tributes afforded him this year on what would have been his 100th birthday. Unlike many actors of the past, Wayne is not being rediscovered by a new generation. In fact, he's never been out of style. While younger generations have to be educated about the work of legends such as Bogart and Cagney, it seems people become acquainted with Wayne's image while still in the womb. Warner Brothers and Paramount have teamed up for a major Wayne DVD promotion that will put a dent in any collector's wallet if they hope to acquire all the latest releases and it's bound to evoke mixed emotions in many fans. (Henny Youngman once defined "mixed emotions" as having your mother-in-law drive off a cliff in your new Mercedes.) On the one hand, all of the new releases are "must-haves" for serious collectors. On the other hand, there are so many titles being released simultaneously that not only your eyeballs but your wallet will be overtaxed if you try to absorb them all at once. Tops on the list is WB's "Ultimate Collector's Edition" of Howard Hawks' 1959 classic Rio Bravo. The film is available in several different scaled-down versions, but we'll pretend those don't exist. If you like the movie, there is only one choice and it's the Ultimate Edition.

The web site Do You Remember? pays tribute to the great James Cagney and his Irish roots through some terrific film clips on this St. Patrick's Day. Click here to view 

The addictive pop culture blog Hill Place presents an impassioned defense of Tina Louise as Ginger over Dawn Wells as Mary Ann on the Gilligan's Island TV sitcom. Retro TV lovers have long been debating who was the hottest chick on the isle: sweet but sexy "good girl Mary Ann or "bad girl" diva Ginger. It's amazing how compelling this article actually is, as it delves into the behind-the-scenes rivalry between the two actresses. Click here to read

By Lee Pfeiffer

The Warner Archive has reissued Paramount's out-of-print DVD of director Anthony Mann's 1957 Western The Tin Star. Henry Fonda stars as Morg Hickman, a ex-lawman-turned-bounty hunter who delivers the body of a wanted man to a small town's sheriff's office. He gets a hostile reaction from the local population because of his unsavory profession. Nevertheless, Morg has to stay around a few days in order to collect the $500 reward money from Sheriff Ben Owens (Anthony Perkins), a young greenhorn who has reluctantly accepted the position of lawman after his predecessor was murdered. Morg perceives the likable young man as nervous and easily manipulated by some of the more obnoxious men in town. Morg ends up boarding with a young widow, Nona Mayfield (Betsy Palmer), who is a bit of a social outcast because her son Kip (Michael Ray) is half Indian. Before long, Morg and Nona form a chaste but loving relationship and he finds himself not only acting as surrogate father to Kip but also a mentor to Ben Owens. When a beloved local citizen is murdered by two brothers (Lee Van Cleef, Peter Baldwin), a local firebrand, Bart Bogardus (Neville Brand), goes against the sheriff's wishes and organizes a posse that is out for blood. Determined to take the men alive and ensure they get a fair trial, Ben enlists Morg's assistance. Under Morg's guidance, the pair bring the brothers back to jail- only to find that Bogardus intends to lead a lynch party to the jail that night. Ben knows that this is the ultimate test of his ability to finally earn respect from the citizens of the town. But in order to gain that respect, he'll have to face down a heavily armed, drunken mob.

The Tin Star is a superior Western, filmed in B&W in VistaVision and bearing the hallmarks of any Anthony Mann film: intelligent script (by legendary Dudley Nichols) and fine, realistic performances from an excellent cast that also includes a wonderful turn by veteran supporting actor John McIntire. Like The Ox Bow Incident, which also starred Fonda, the movie goes beneath the standard action sequences found in horse operas of this period and delves in to the issues of racism, justice and the price that must often be paid for displaying personal courage.

The DVD boasts a crystal clear transfer but does not contain any extras.

Click here to order from the Warner Archive.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Timeless Media have released the epic 1976 adventure film Shout at the Devil as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. The movie, produced by Michael Klinger and directed by Peter Hunt, is an big budget affair very much in the style of John Huston's The Man Who Would Be King, which was released the previous year. Both films follow the antics of a couple of charismatic rogues in exotic settings. The film is based on the novel by author Wilbur Smith, who also co-wrote the screenplay. The movie was shot in between Roger Moore's second and third James Bond films, The Man With the Golden Gun and The Spy Who Loved Me and boasts a "who's who" of Eon Productions talent. Peter Hunt had edited the early Bond films and directed On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Ironically, Moore and Hunt never worked on a 007 film together but in 1974 Moore starred in Hunt's excellent adventure film Gold, which was also a Michael Klinger production. Among the Bond veterans moonlighting on Shout at the Devil were main titles designer Maurice Binder, cinematographer Michael Reed and camera operators Alec Mills and Alan Hume, special effects wizard Derek Meddings, production designer Syd Cain, future Bond director John Glen, assistant director Frank Ernst, stills photographer George Whitear and publicist Geoff Freeman. All that was missing was Cubby Broccoli's name above the title. With so many old pros working on the movie, it's no surprise that Shout at the Devil is an opulent production, impressive in many ways.

The story is set in East Africa in 1913 in the days leading up to WWI. Flynn O'Flynn (Lee Marvin) is an American of Irish descent who is living the good life on the African continent. A poacher of ivory and a shameless con man, Flynn and his mute right hand man Mohammed (Ian Holm) routinely line up gullible victims for exploitation. Among them is a British dandy named Sebastian Oldsmith (Roger Moore), a man who is en route to Australia when he makes the fatal decision to spend a few days in a port city. He is befriended by Flynn, who robs him of every cent then gains his gratitude by pretending to lend him money-- which in fact came from his own wallet. O'Flynn coerces Sebastian to become a partner in the ivy poaching trade and brings him back to his comfortable lodge located in the African bush. Here, Sebastian meets and falls in love with O'Flynn's daughter Rosa (Barbara Parkins). The two marry and have a baby much to the bemusement of O'Flynn, who, more often than not, is drunk. O'Flynn and Sebastian's poaching ventures are occasionally thwarted by their arch nemesis, a German military bureaucrat named Fleischer (Rene Kolldehoff), who is the local government administrator and who is known for his heartless exploitation of natives and his ruthless methods of enforcing German law in the region. O'Flynn and Sebastian delight in playing cat-and-mouse games with Fleischer and wreaking havoc on his activities. However, when Germany and England go to war, Fleischer is allowed unlimited local power and he extracts a terrible revenge. O'Flynn and Sebastian are later coerced into volunteering to serve on a mission for the British navy. They must locate, infiltrate and blow up a German war ship that is deemed an imminent danger to Allied shipping interests in the region. The deadly mission allows O'Flynn and Sebastian the opportunity to finally settle their scores with Fleischer.

The film's leisurely running time of 150 minutes actually passes very quickly thanks to the brisk pace afforded by director Hunt, who once told this writer that the film was originally shot as an even longer roadshow presentation and that he had the only remaining uncut print of it in his garage (!) (One can only wonder what became of it after Hunt's death in 2002). This version at least restores a half hour of footage that was not seen in the American theatrical release. The movie also benefits from Michael Reed's widescreen cinematography, Maurice Jarre's rousing score and the excellent special effects work of future F/X legend Derek Meddings. There is also the delightful aspect of enjoying the genuine on-screen chemistry between Roger Moore and Lee Marvin. Moore plays straight man to Marvin's scenery-chewing character. This isn't the cool, understated Marvin of Point Blank and The Killers, but the eyeball-rolling, over-the-top Marvin of Paint Your Wagon and The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday. At times his facial expressions would seem to be more fitting in a cartoon. Nevertheless, he's never dull to watch and his lovable rogue schtick never wears thin with this viewer. (Moore and Marvin also have the kind of extended, knock-down, drag 'em out fist fight that permeated John Ford's films.) Midway through this largely comedic storyline, the script takes a sharp turn due to an act of unspeakable savagery that effects the lives of the three main characters and fills them with an obsession for getting even with Fleischer, who- until this point in the story- has been portrayed as a rather buffoonish, Sgt. Schultz-like character. The jarring disparity in tone may be off-putting to some viewers but the storyline that encompasses the mission to infiltrate and blow up the German war ship quickly dominates the action and leads to a compelling and action-packed conclusion.

Shout at the Devil was a hit with international audiences but a rather bungled release in America led to the movie being very under-exposed here over the decades. The Timeless Blu-ray/DVD combo boasts an excellent transfer but unfortunately the only extras are a selection of still photos, some of which look suspiciously like screen grabs. Nevertheless, this is an outstanding, old-fashioned adventure that retro movie lovers will definitely want to embrace.

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In 1994 producers were making plans to bring James Bond back to the silver screen after a six year absence. Many actors were considered but according to Liam Neeson, who had just hit it big as the star of Schindler's List, he was offered the role. He was enthused about playing the part in the film that would become GoldenEye, but was talked out of his decision. To find out the details click here