Michael Bay may be the perpetual target of critics, but he's crying all the way to the bank. Vanity Fair's list of the top money makers in Hollywood places Bay in the #1 slot with earnings of $125 million. To read the entire list click here

Here's yet another reason you can get ticked off about your mom tossing out your comic books: prices continue to soar on the collector's market. Just a week after Superman's first appearance in Action Comics #1 pulled in $1 million on the auction circuit, a new record was set by Detective Comics #27, which featured the 1939 debut of Batman. The comic sold for $1.075 million to an anonymous collector. If we had that kind of play money, we'd sure want the world to know about it. For more click here

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

These awards are named after movie lyricist Sammy Cahn (1913-1993), who received 4 Oscars for his songs, and was nominated more than any other songwriter, 26 times in all.  Cahn said he was “flattered and honored” to have these movie music awards named after him. His Oscar-winning songs are: “Three Coins in the Fountain”; “All the Way”; “High Hopes”; and “Call Me Irresponsible.”  All four songs were recorded by Frank Sinatra,  a big fan of Sammy’s lyrics.  Now in their  twenty-second (22^nd) year, the Sammys are the longest running awards for film music on CDs.  

They are chosen each year by Roger Hall, a film music historian, member of the International Film Music Critics Association, author of the book, A Guide to Film Music – Songs and Scores, and also editor of the long-running online magazine,  Film Music Review – www.americanmusicpreservation.com/fmr.htm

Now without any long speeches or tricky envelopes to open, here are the…

22nd Annual Sammy Film Music Awards for 2009

Best New Film Score: UP
Music by Michael Giacchino (Disney Pixar)

Best Overlooked New Film Score: CAPTAIN ABU RAED
Music by Austin Wintory (BSX Records CD)

Most Overrated New Film Score: AVATAR  
Music by James Horner (Fox Music/ Atlantic CD)

Best Golden Age Film Score (1930s-1950s):  THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (1936)
Music by Max Steiner (Tribute Film Classics CD)

Best Silver Age Film Score (1960s-1970s):  TIME AFTER TIME (1979)

Music by Miklos Rozsa (Film Score Monthly CD)

Best Bronze Age Film Score CD (1980s-1990s): TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE (1983)

Music by Jerry Goldsmith (Film Score Monthly CD)

Best Vintage Compilation: A JOHNNY MANDEL TRIO
(THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY, THE SANDPIPER, DRUMS OF AFRICA)
Music by Johnny Mandel (Film Score Monthly 3 CD Box Set)

Best Newly Recorded Vintage Film Score: EXODUS (1960)
Music by Ernest Gold (Tadlow CD)

Preservation Award – Best Album Producers:
Anna Bonn, John Morgan, William Stromberg (Tribute Film Classics)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Aaron Copland (1900-1990) – 1 Oscar (1949)

More information about these awards and review links are available at this link:

www.americanmusicpreservation.com/sammys2010.htm

It’s always hard to break into the movie business. For each of the lucky few who make it, there are 1000s that struggle to get their voice heard, their script read, or their film taken notice of.

So it’s fantastic to see that a few of the industries finest have banded together to give their name and their time to a brilliant new initiative called Openfilm.

Industry heavyweights James Caan, Robert Duvall, as well as director Mark Rydell and actor Scott Caan form the advisory board to a company that will showcase the brightest and best in emerging new film-makers. 

Taking advantage of the massive interest of online digital distribution trends, Openfilm will provide a platform for new films to be shared, commented on and have personal feedback from industry legends.

Openfilms’ video content delivery system is one of the industry’s finest and most robust, offering viewers unparalleled viewing clarity, even when opting for standard definition.

With over 4500 short films already loaded on the site, there’s no shortage of incredible material to view and comment on, with more to come – all vetted for quality before they are uploaded.

Chairman of the board James Caan is justly proud of the initiative, “At Openfilm, we’re here to mentor the undiscovered talent who will carry forth our passion to entertain and inspire through the powerful medium of film. So please join us for an entertaining and fruitful journey.”

Click here to visit the site (www.openfilm.com)

(Steve Saragossi interviewed James Caan for Cinema Retro issues 14, 15 and 16. Click here to read his article The Wrath of Caan.)

In late breaking news, Disney and Odeon theatres have brokered a mutually agreeable deal that will result in Odeon backing off its threat to boycott the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland from its theater chain in the UK and certain other countries. The dispute was over Odeon's protest about Disney's plan to release the film on DVD a scant 12 weeks after its theatrical premiere. Details were not discussed, and the DVD release is going as planned, so one wonders just what Odeon got from the deal. Click here for more.

UPDATE TO THIS STORY: CNN NOW REPORTS THAT THE BODY OF ANDREW KOENIG HAS JUST BEEN FOUND. HE HAD APPARENTLY COMMITTED SUICIDE. MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

Actor Walter Koenig, who played Chekov on Star Trek, finds himself in a terrible real-life family crisis. He and his wife are distraught over the fact that their son, actor Andrew Koenig, who once starred in the sitcom Growing Pains, has inexplicably gone missing. The Koenigs are pleading with their son to contact them and were scheduled to appear on Larry King's show last night. Adding to the mystery, King reported that the Koenigs, whose appearance was delayed a bit by breaking news, were also missing when King's staff went to bring them on the air. For more click here

James Cameron may be king of the world at the box-office, but ex-wife Linda Hamilton, who starred in Cameron's Terminator films says he's a flop as a husband and father. Hamilton says Cameron is obsessed with his work and treats his family like afterthoughts. The pair 'terminated' their marriage when Cameron took up with actress Suzy Amis, who had a bit part in Titanic. Hamilton provides fascinating insights into the personal life of the world's most successful filmmaker. Surprisingly, despite all the dirty laundry aired, Hamilton still entertains Cameron, his wife and ex-wives and their families at her home every Christmas. To read the entire interview click here

Sony has confirmed that the forthcoming Spiderman movie, set for release in 2012, will capitalize on new technology and be presented in 3-D. Although this will elevate the production cost substantially, audience response to recent films that utilize the format has been enthusiastic. Sony believes the number of theaters equipped to show 3 D will continue to build. For more click here

In a recent interview, Mel Brooks recalls how meeting and marrying Anne Bancroft, who he met in 1961, had a wonderful impact on his life and career. It was Bancroft who came up with the idea of making a stage musical from The Producers. Brooks has been widowed for five years and says he thinks of his beloved wife every day. For more click here

Odeon, one of Europe's largest movie theater chains, is boycotting Disney's new 3-D version of Alice in Wonderland starring Johnny Depp. The chain is protesting the decision to release the film on DVD a scant 12 weeks after the theatrical premiere. Odeon says is has spent heavily to invest in the 3-D equipment and that the decision to bring the film out so soon on home video sets a precedent that will undermine their investments. The film, which is premiering this week in England, will not be shown in Odeon cinemas in the UK, Italy or Ireland - all territories subject to the 12 week DVD "window". For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Some years ago when I joined the Writers Guild of America, I went to a party where a veteran screenwriter said that members of the profession generally gripe that they are treated like second class citizens in the Hollywood hierarchy. He then repeated the old joke about the dumb would-be starlet who actually thought she could find fame and fortune in the film business by sleeping with the writer. It may be time to rethink that thought process. At least writers have the WGA to look after their interests. When we go to the movies, we take for granted the talents of the visual effects artists who bring the astounding special effects to reality. However, as fimmaker Lee Stranahan points out, these are among the most under-valued of today's creative movie making team members. Although many members of the film world's most powerful unions get royalties on non-theatrical revenue streams from the films they work on, visual effects artists have no such benefit. There is also no union representation for them, and- as Stranahan pointsout- they are often listed after the caterers during the credits roll. Stranahan makes a poignant plea for James Cameron, the most notable supporter of visual effects technology, to take up the cause of these artists. Click here to read

Director Robert Zemeckis will employ the same animation technologies he used for The Polar Express and Disney's A Christmas Carol to bring a 3-D remake of The Beatles' Yellow Submarine to the screen. The faux Beatles group The Fab Four will be seen in the film, but the actual Beatles songs will be heard. That's the height of irony: a cover band's music being bumped by original artists. The Beatles were not very interested in becoming involved in the 1968 original and didn't even lend their voices to it, although they did make a brief live action cameo appearance.  Click here for more details

By Lee Pfeiffer

If you wondered when the adaptations of low-rent TV series into expensive feature films would peak, we can all hope it's already happened with The A-Team. The awful hit TV series of 1980s will be coming to a theater near you (but hopefully not near me.) At least the film should shut up people who chronically complain that feature film versions of TV series never get it right: this looks as bad as the series that inspired it. The teaser trailer opens as a hard-edged action film, but morphs into the kind of cartoon-like, over-the-top stunts that defined the TV series. The only question is why the hell Liam Neeson loaned his presence to this project. It's as cringe-inducing as watching Orson Welles when he was relegated to shilling for a wine company on those TV ads from the 1980s.   Click here to view

 

As regular readers of Cinema Retro know, publishers Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worrall's book The Alamo: A Visual Celebration of John Wayne's Epic Movie was an instant hit, selling out very quickly. We've received many requests from readers asking if we can find additional copies for sale. We're happy to say that we have been able to obtain a small quantity of copies of this limited edition, hardback volume. It is available for sale through our Ebay affiliate Spy Guise. See description below:

This is a rare edition of the book  THE ALAMO: A VISUAL CELEBRATION OF JOHN WAYNE'S CLASSIC MOVIE. Written and designed by Cinema Retro magazine publishers Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worrall, the book recounts the dramatic and inspiring story of John Wayne's obsession with making his 1960 film that recounted one of the most famous battles in history. The production was a challenge from day one, as Wayne was not only starring and producing, but also making his directorial debut with one of the largest budgeted American movies ever made. The problems Wayne encountered were seemingly insurmountable and involved political battles, forces of nature and even a murder of a cast member. The book covers all aspects of production including the controversial Oscar campaign that became part of Hollywood lore. Despite these obstacles, Wayne managed to emerge with one of the great epics of American cinema.

The book was designed as a limited hardback print run of only 1500 copies. The book sold out very quickly, but we have been able to get a very small number of unused copies which are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The book was never sold in retail chains or through Amazon.

Each copy is individually numbered and has labels signed on the interior by both authors.

The book contains over 650 rare color & b&w photos, many of which have never been published before. There are entire sections dedicated to international marketing campaigns and collectibles tied in with the film. This is sure to be a valued collector's item in the years to come.

If that special someone in your life loves epic movies, this will make the perfect holiday gift. (Coonskin cap not included!)

PRICE: $110 (includes free postage anywhere in the world)

For views of the interior of the book and to order directly through Ebay, click here

You can also order through Pay Pal by sending $110 to: or by sending a check to: cinemaretro@hotmail.com

Cinema Retro

POB 152

Dunellen, NJ 08812 USA

(If you wish to pay by credit card, E mail us at cinemaretro@hotmail.com)

It's a big news day for Martin Scorsese. Although the New York Times panned Shutter Island, critic Roger Friedman gives it a rave and reports that Scorsese will team with Leonardo DiCaprio again for a biopic of Frank Sinatra. When asked if DiCaprio will sing the songs himself, Scorsese responded, "With those records?", clearly implying he intends to use actual Sinatra recordings. Curiously, Scorsese has long been linked with a biopic of Dean Martin, but the project has yet to come to fruition. For more click here

Love was in the air over the weekend for North American movie-goers, as the ensemble comedy Valentine's Day scored a huge $52 million. Warner Brothers predicts a total of $60 million over the President's Day weekend, which would be a record for the holiday. In second place was the action film Percy Jackson with The Wolfman nipping at Percy's heels.  Both films scored approximately $31 million. For more click here

Joe Johnston, who is riding high as the director of The Wolfman, is set to bring the Marvel Comics icon Captain America to the big screen. Refreshingly, Johnston seems intent to keep at least part of the story in the WWII era in which the character first appeared - and plans to include an appearance by his Nazi nemesis The Red Skull. Click here for more details on the project. By the way, it's time for a re-evaluation of Johnston's wonderful, under-rated 1991 Disney superhero flick The Rocketeer, which was also set in WWII. The film featured a great character and terrific turns by Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin and Timothy Dalton, who is particularly impressive as an evil version of Errol Flynn. If you haven't seen it, check it out.

Ever wonder whatever became of the kids who starred with Gene Wilder in the 1971 classic Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Okay, maybe you never did wonder what happened to them, but CNN can fill you in on what they've been doing in the ensuing years. Click here to find out. 

On February 9, Ringo Starr was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His wife, former James Bond girl Barbara Bach, attended the ceremony with him, along with some of his colleagues in the music business. In addition to his legendary association with The Beatles and a successful solo music career, Starr also appeared in feature films such as The Magic Christian and Caveman. For more click here

Fox has commissioned screenwriter David Scarpa to pen a script for a proposed plan to reboot Daredevil, the blind superhero based on the Marvel Comics character. The film isn't slated for production, so the fate of the project is still uncertain. However, the commissioning of a script shows Fox is serious about finding a way to exploit the red hot response to many Marvel characters in feature films. Daredevil was played by Ben Affleck in a 2003 big screen feature. Although not a bomb, the film under-performed at the box-office and diminished enthusiasm for a sequel. For more click here

Tom Cruise will star in a fourth Mission:Impossible film for release in May 2011. Paramount will distribute the film, which is ironic because it was the excessive cost of the third movie in the series that led to the studio splitting with Cruise in a messy 2006 professional business "divorce". J.J. Abrams, who directed that film, will co-produce with Cruise, but apparently won't direct. Click here for details.

The legendary Hollywood sign's iconic status as an undisturbed iconic symbol of the film industry is in danger of losing its cachet. There are frantic efforts underway to raise enough funding to stave off a development that would crowd out the sign and greatly undermine the rural area surrounding it. Click here for details.

David Prowse, the imposing stuntman who played Darth Vader in the original Star Wars films received good news: his prostate cancer is in remission. The 74 year old actor has been battling the disease for the last year. For more click here

In England to attend the premiere of Invictus, Clint Eastwood sat down with the Telegraph to reflect on his life and remarkable career, ranging from a near death experience in an airplane to the lessons having children late in life has taught him. Click here to read

Cinerama expert and documentary film maker Dave Strohmaier has been called the Indiana Jones of lost films. On the great web site In70mm.com, Dave relates the surrealistic story of how a late-breaking tip lead him to a most unexpected location where he had to quickly devise a way to prevent the destruction of the last known print of the long-missing Cinerama's Russian Adventure. Click here to read

Remember Days of the Thunder, the auto racing pic released 20 years ago that teamed Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman? Although the movie was considered somewhat of an under-performer at the boxoffice, Paramount hopes to reignite interest in the flick through tying in with the mania for NASCAR. The studio is actively licensing a line of T shirts featuring logos from the film and snappy tag lines like: "Rubbin' Is Racin'" and "You Can't Outrun the Thunder." It sounds like a creative ploy, especially since it would derive revenue out of a film that ran out of gas years ago. For more click here

UPDATE FEBRUARY 10: Fangoria's web site is back on-line, though it states it is being revamped. We're glad to hear that this long-running magazine is still apparently in business, but the publishers fail to address any of the issues stated in the article below. In fact, there is no explanation at all regarding the bizarre absence of the web site for an extended period of time, nor is there any discussion of the future of the magazine.

The horror movie blogs are on fire with speculation regarding what is going on at Fangoria magazine. The publication, which launched in 1979, has gone through disruptive times with a series of new owners, a bankruptcy and a warehouse fire. There has also been criticism that the magazine was slow to make necessary changes to keep up with the look of modern magazines. Now it appears as though the magazine may no longer be in business. The official web site has been off-line with no message alerting readers as to why. No official from the company has addressed the rumors. The latest issue is on newsstands, but apparently there are no announcements about the next issue or any Fangoria events in the coming months. Regardless of the explanation, the sound of silence by management is bizarre, to say the least. To read the web site's Horror Bid's analysis of the situation, click here

We generally try to minimize covering contemporary show biz gossip, but its been a few years since we visited the other planet that Heather Mills lives on. (She doesn't tread the same earth as we mere mortals).  Yes, the ex-Mrs. Sir Paul McCartney is still trolling about, desperately using charities and cheesy reality show appearances as an excuse to get in the spotlight. If you're intrigued by quasi-celebrities who shamelessly use charities to promote their own image, Mills is the gift that keeps on giving.  Mills Now London's Daily Mail offers a devastating report on her business dealings and personal habits, which include whining about a consistent lack of money even though she is worth millions of pounds. The Daily Mail piece accuses Mills of gaining praise and attention for promising to make significant donations to charities- then failing to delivery after the spotlight fades. The British tabloids are known for tearing down celebrities, but this isn't based on innuendo and supposition. It's a legitimate look at Mills' business affairs and her shocking behavior toward friends and colleagues. Sir Paul must be thanking his lucky stars he no longer has to spend "a day in the life" of Heather Mills. To read click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Here's another fine movie that has been largely unseen in recent years: Ivan Tors' 1966 adventure Around the World Under the Sea. The flick combined the talents of Lloyd Bridges, Goldfinger sensation Shirley Eaton, Man From U.N.C.L.E. David McCallum, Flipper star Brian Kelly, Daktari! star Marshall Thompson, with Keenan Wynn thrown in for good measure. The plot centers on a team of scientists who undergo a hazardous mission to plant earthquake detection devices on deep sea beds around the world. They encounter every obstacle imaginable, including some pretty frightening sea creatures. Tors, who excelled in underwater films and TV series, wrings a good deal of suspense from some of the situations and the film is entertaining throughout. It spawned a soundtrack album and tie-in comic book, but aside from a release on VHS in the 1980s, has remained unseen since except for rare showings on TCM. It's a worthy candidate for DVD release.

Click here to watch the original 1969 theatrical trailer for Sam Peckinpah's classic Western, The Wild Bunch. (See issue #3 of Cinema Retro for 18 page Peckinpah tribute including writer Mike Siegel's visit to legendary locations from The Wild Bunch.)

The trailer has been released for Oliver Stone's Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Against all odds, it actually looks compelling rather than gimmicky. Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko finally gets out of jail to find a new world awaiting him. The limo waiting at the prison gate isn't for him but for a street thug. It's good to see Douglas back in a meaty role and, if nothing else, the pic co-stars Eli Wallach, which is worth the admission alone. To watch the trailer click here

The annual Razzie Awards for worst achievement in filmmaking have been announced, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is shaping up to be the Ben-Hur of bad movies with nominations in all the key categories. Running close is the failed Will Ferrell comedy Land of the Lost and G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra distinguishing itself as well. Don't worry- perennial nominee Eddie Murphy is still on the Dishonor Role, thanks to his performance in Imagine That. If only the networks would telecast this ceremony! For full nominations click here

The Los Angeles Times the time-honored analysis of who was shafted in this year's Oscar nomination line-up. Some people and titles that were considered "shoo-ins" didn't make the cut this year.

Click here to find out the details.

The Oscar nominations were announced this morning and James Cameron's Avatar tied with his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker for 9 nominations each. For the first time since 1943, the Best Picture nominations have been expanded to ten films, even though the list of nominated directors remains at five (a virtual admission that the other five films are "throw away" nominees with little chance of picking up the prize). Meryl Streep scored her 16th Oscar nomination for Julie and Julia. There were some surprises: key nominations for District 9, Matt Damon and the lack of director or Best Picture nomination for Clint Eastwood's Invictus, even with the expanded list of Best Picture nominees. The awards will be presented on March 7. For the list of nominations click here

The Screen Rant web site has an article by Vic Holtreman titled The Top Five Rules for Movie Remakes. Most of his observations are right on the money. Click here to read and see if you agree

Notorious bad boy Rip Torn is at it again. The brilliant character actor has had a long battle with the bottle, which has often led to embarrassing public incidents and arrests. However, over the weekend, Torn's behavior resulted in an incident that could have serious ramifications for him. He was alleged to have been found inside a Connecticut bank he supposedly broke into and was in possession of a firearm. Police say he was also intoxicated. Torn is being held on $100,000 bail. For more click here