One of the great mysteries of our time is the fate of the
three escapees who defied the odds and successfully broke out of the supposedly
‘escape proof’ Alcatraz federal prison in 1962. The famous 1979 Clint Eastwood film Escape From Alcatraz strongly implied that they were successful. However, since they
disappeared without a trace, some people believe that they most certainly must
have drowned. One person who is sure they made it is true crime reporter Don
DeNevi. His 1992 book “Riddle of the Rock†persuasively makes the case that the
Anglin brothers, at a minimum, returned to their roots in the Florida/Georgia
section of the southern United States and lived out their lives as free men.
Now, Canadian film producer and writer Graham Clegg wants to
turn this story into a feature film. Clegg, a screenwriter for Canadian televison, has optioned Denevi’s book – recently reissued by Bristal Park
Books as “Escape from Alcatraz†– with the intent of turning it into “a
sprawling mystery†for Hollywood.
They say we don't have glamor girls like we had in the glory days of Hollywood, but every now and then there is an exception to the rule. Our friends at the testosterone-filled web site Planet Z Man (modestly titled "The Last Great Bastion for Real Men!") have a regular feature called the Cougar Hall of Fame, which pays homage to older women who still have what it takes. This week's inductee is 45 year-old Courtney Cox. To view more cougars, click here
One of the most eagerly-awaited DVD releases of the year, Warner Home Video's 50th anniversary Blu-ray edition of Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest lives us to the hype. This is the first Hitchcock film to get the Blu-ray treatment and the remastered transfer from the original MGM VistaVision print makes the characters virtually jump off the screen. The color quality is exceptional and, even if you've seen the film countless times, this will rejuvenate the experience. Hitchcock called the movie the epitome of his work in the American cinema, and for my money it's arguably his best thriller: a timeless, almost flawless masterpiece that finds the perfect balance between suspense and comedy. The film also demonstrates why Cary Grant's talents were always taken for granted: he made outstanding performances look too damned easy.