On Thursday June 10th, three girls from Royal Docks
Community School were treated to a day out at the world-famous Pinewood Studios
on the outskirts of London, England. They were greeted by Julia Hillsdon, Head
of Marketing at the studio, who gave them a tour of the mansion building
originally known as Heatherden Hall, which the studios have been built around.
Julia took them through the picture gallery and explained the studio’s
illustrious history, films made there, and the many famous stars that have
walked its corridors during the past 50 years or so.
This was followed by a tour of the vast garden area, this time
given by Dave Worrall, co-publisher of Cinema Retro magazine, who explained to
the girls how the gardens were used in various James Bond and other major films
over the years, including Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang, the Hammer Horrors and Harry
Potter. This was followed by a very interesting tour of Technicolor. Hosted
by Chris Smith, the girls were given an overview of how the laboratory
operates, including a preview of their new 3D technology in their luxury
screening room.
Cinema Retro columnist Dean Brierly has created two blogs to celebrate his favorite crime films of the 50s and 60s. As usual, Dean shows his taste for esoteric fare by avoiding many of the acknowledged classics in favor of films like Big House U.S.A., Hail Mafia!, Warning Shot and Kaleidoscope and other gems that rarely get the attention they deserve.
Congratulations to Cinema Retro contributor Tom Lisanti and sixties
actress Gail Gerber (Beach Ball, Girl Happy, Village
of the Giants) who were awarded the Silver Medal from the
Independent Publisher Book Awards for Best Autobiography/Memoir of 2009
for Gail's memoir Trippin' with Terry Southern: What I Think I
Remember. For more information visit Tom's web site www.sixtiescinema.com.