The New York Times has a fun and interesting article about the legacy of celebrated Americans and what became of their college dorm rooms. Some of the most famous and infamous people had rooms on campus and, depending upon their enduring name recognition, present day students get bragging rights if they are assigned a celebrity's room. However, dorm rooms- like people- do not always age gracefully. While Alan Alda's dorm room is revered and has been the center of high profile parties celebrating his association with the place, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's dorm room is now a women's bathroom. Some dorm rooms, such as that of Edgar Allan Poe, are so revered they are preserved for historical reasons. For more click here

Hollywood stars and politics generally mix about as well as oil and water. However, Kevin Costner is an exception because he is an expert on oil and water.

We all know there are plenty of celebrities who go around preaching conservation, even as they fly in their private jets. However, it appears that Kevin Costner is not one of these Hollywood blowhards, given the fact that he has spent over a decade sinking his own money into running a company he started that specializes in separating oil from sea water. To date, Costner didn't find much interest in his experiments, as discussing the intricacies of this subject is about as riveting as watching paint dry. Nevertheless, Costner has earned respect on the subject and his machines are already being utilized to help ease the oil spill crisis in the gulf coast. Costner was even asked to testify before Congress. He bemoaned the fact that a nation that could put a man on the moon never invested properly in technology that could limit damage from major oil spills. Looks like all that time the Oscar-winner spent at sea filming Waterworld had some benefit. Click here for more

Jean-Luc Goddard's landmark film Breathless is 50 years old - and is still making an impact in terms of contemporary fashion styles, thanks in large part to renewed interest in the clothing worn by Jean Seberg in the film. Click here for more

Proud winners Tom and Gail

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.

I really like the ideas being posted for a DVD of A Man Called Dagger. Another action flick that is impossible to find on DVD, or even VHS, is Blake Edward's Gunn, a feature film version of his famous Peter Gunn film. I have always wanted to see this movie, but there have been no videos, trailers, or even a soundtrack album. The only things I have seen of this rather elusive film are the poster, and a semi-nude publicity still of Sherry Jackson. Fans of Peter Gunn, Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini, and Ms. Jackson would love to finally see this lost treasure if it still exists somewhere. Please.-

Steven Handzel

Retro Responds: Good suggestion, Steven. Despite the fact that Edwards directed the film, it's largely been buried over the years. Did you know that William Friedkin was approached to direct it? He blatantly told Edwards and screenwriter William Peter Blatty that he hated the script. Blatty so admired Friedkin's honesty that he suggested him as the director of The Exorcist years later.- Lee Pfeiffer

Heston in his magnificent portrayal of Gordon of Khartoum. (Photo: William Burge Collection)

Here's a gem of a still from reader (and resident Charlton Heston expert) William Burge. Heston portrayed General Gordon in the superb 1966 epic Khartoum, co-starring with Laurence Olivier. As much as I admire Heston's great performance in the film (the best of his career, in the opinion of many), I'm even more in awe of his ability to ride camels in the film. Having recently attempted to do so in Egypt, I can firmly say that I have been taken out of consideration to play General Gordon in any future remake of the film. - Lee Pfeiffer

Click here for YouTube tribute to Heston

The Huffington Post presents 18 new, hilarious movie poster mash-ups combining elements of well-known films. Click here for slideshow.

In a bid to compensate for the dwindling sales of films on DVD, Hollywood studios are in discussion with with cable TV companies to offer recent films "on demand" to customers while some movies are still in theaters. Under plans being discussed, 30 days after a movie has been released, the service would make the film available to cable TV customers...the drawback being that it would be for a hefty premium of up to $30. Consumers may find that unpalatable since they know the movie would be available for purchase a short time later on DVD. There are also the problems the concept raises with theater owners, who are rebelling against the plan. For more click here

Well, nothing is more exciting (kind of Christmas in May) than when I open my mailbox and that white plastic package calls to me to open, open!! Now I'm just a some times documentary filmmaker and a regular reader of Cinema Retro and it is the joy of this publication that pulls all of us fans together! Issue volume 6 # 17 is the most packed with the finest variety of articles ever. I always read each issue with great interest but I am currently salivating over each and every article with a kid's excitement. The Valerie Leon article is fantastic!The wonderful How The West Was Won piece : how cool to see and read about the making of that film. Dave Worrall's Storm in a D-Cup tribute to June Wilkinson is delicious and tasty...and I have waited so long to get more insights on the making of The Haunting  - perfection! Well I could go on and on but I need to get back to what I think will be a very quick sell out issue. So much thanks from us regular guys and gals  who are fans of Cinema Retro. BRAVO! I will always renew and  rejoice in Cinema Retro!- Paul Jilbert

Retro responds:  Paul, the check is in the mail! Seriously, it's letters like these that keep us motivated. Niche market publishing is a tough business in these times but we find that people like yourself who support Cinema Retro by subscribing are always very excited by the content. A lot of talented people from around the world contribute to every issue and we couldn't do it without them. We do urge our web site readers to help support our efforts by at least sampling one issue. We think they'll see why so many world class actors and filmmakers are part of the Cinema Retro universe. Thanks again for your support.

Martin Scorsese is moving at a snail's pace in terms of casting his Frank Sinatra biopic. The Oscar winning director admits he's having a hard time finding the right actors to play the legendary Chairman of the Board at various stages of his career. However, he did admit his dream casting: Al Pacino as Sinatra and Robert DeNiro as Dean Martin...Let's hope this is one dream that comes true. For more click here

From sandbox to screen: the studio that once brought The Godfather films to fruition is now stooping to adapting kid's toys for feature films. We can't wait for "Colorforms: The Adventure Continues!"

Doh! Play-Doh, that is...Empire On Line reports that Paramount is "toying" with the idea of adapting famous Hasbro creations as big screen entertainments...Is there any further proof necessary that the apocalypse must be at hand? Click here for details

Welcome to Hollyweird...Did you ever suspect that Julie Andrews could have almost indirectly sabotaged the U.S Navy's co-operation on the making of director John Sturges' Ice Station Zebra? The swabbies at the Pentagon had a sense of humor that was somewhat less boisterous than that of Leonid Brezhnev. When MGM requested access to a U.S. submarine to conduct research for the Cold War thriller, the Navy Department initially turned them down - even spurning Rock Hudson's personal pleas. Seems when it comes to the U.S. Navy, not everyone wanted a piece of the Rock. Navy Department officials were still steamed about MGM's cynical 1964 comedy The Americanization of Emily starring Julie Andrews and James Garner which portrayed a U.S. Admiral played by Melvyn Douglas as a war-mongering buffoon. Thus, they initially decided to punish the studio by withholding co-operation. We wonder if the Royal Navy is still harboring a grudge over MGM's portrayals of Captain Bligh in both versions of Mutiny on the Bounty.

How do you solve a problem like Julie? That old subversive Ms. Andrews in a great publicity shot with co-stars James Coburn, James Garner and Melvyn Douglas for "The Americanization of Emily."

For the full report, read columnist Army Archerd's report from 1967, posted on www.variety.com

ORDER THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY COLLECTOR'S EDITION DVD DISCOUNTED FROM AMAZON BY CLICKING HERE

CLICK HERE TO ORDER ICE STATION ZEBRA SPECIAL EDITION DVD DISCOUNTED FROM AMAZON

BRITISH CUSTOMERS: ORDER ICE STATION ZEBRA DVD FROM AMAZON UK

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

(The following piece was the first film review posted on Cinema Retro on February 25, 2007)

"Bus Riley" and William Inge: or When Playwrights Are Wronged

By Joel Shatzky

Bus Riley's Back in Town is a 1965 Universal production that is vaguely based on a play written by William Inge (1913-1973) in the early1950's bearing the same title. Because of the rewriting of the script and plot by the studio so that the story could be more of a vehicle for Ann-Margaret, Inge removed his name from the credits and not even the fact that the title was from an Inge play was mentioned. It is one of the few times, I believe, that a prominent playwright had his credits removed from a script that was based on his own play. Even Tennessee Williams, who had every good reason to remove his name from the credits of A Streetcar Named Desire due to the distorted ending, abstained from such a temptation.

Rue McClanahan, the youngest of The Golden Girls, died this week at age 76. The smash hit show ran on NBC between 1985 and 1992. McClanahan perfected the role of vamp in the series and transformed her success into other ventures including the New York stage. McClanahan also appeared in theatrical films, making her big screen debut in the 1971 film They Might Be Giants. McClanahan had been fighting various illnesses in recent years but remained active until recently on the New York social scene, where she attended events at The Players club and other arts-related organizations. McClanahan's death leaves Betty White as the only surviving Golden Girl. For more click here

We always bemoan the fact there are few great movie posters created anymore. For an example of the glory days, check out these Italian and German original 1960 release posters for the Rat Pack opus Oceans Eleven. (Note that the German poster incorporates Frank Sinatra's name in the title!)

In the wake of the Star Wars craze, everyone who could hold a camera seemed to quickly churn out their own low-budget sci-fi film. Among the most notorious was the 1977 independent film Starship Invasions starring two actors who should have known better: Robert Vaughn and Christopher Lee (who is forced to parade about in a costume that makes him resemble a cross between Hedda Hopper and an ornate living room lamp.) The movie proved that Ed Wood did indeed instill his legacy in a new generation of movie directors. Still, the goofy pic had its goofy charms and has since become a cult favorite. Click here for a review on the Canuxploitation site, which celebrates bad Canadian low budget movies.

The fun retro site Brian's Drive-In Theatre features a section dedicated to Steve Reeves and the Hercules films that made him famous. Click here to view

Sony continues to release Hammer horror and suspense classics, much to the delight of fans. Here is the official press announcement for the latest release.

CULVER CITY, CALIF. (January 20, 2010) – On April 6^th, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) opens the doors to the Hammer vault with the release of six films making their DVD debuts in The Icons of Suspense Collection Presents Hammer Films. Hammer Films made their name with monsters and vampires, but this third compilation from SPHE proves they could frighten the public without them. Topping the set is the uncut version of the futuristic classic These Are The DamnedThe Damned, 1963), directed by the legendary Joseph Loseygr. Peter Cushing and Andre Morell match wits in Cash on Demand (1961). Oscar^®-winning cinematographer Guy Green directed The Snorkel (1958), about a young girl who can’t convince anyone her stepfather is a murderer. The renowned Val Guest directed the startling psychodrama Stop Me Before I Kill! (aka The Full Treatment, 1960). Kerwin Matthews finds himself in the middle of a strange mother/daughter threesome in the Jimmy Sangster-written Maniac (1963). Plus, this ultimate rarity: Cyril Frankel’s astounding Never Take Candy from a Stranger (aka Never Take Sweets from a Stranger, 1960), a serious, and still horrifyingly timely, chiller about a small town terrorized by an elderly child molester. You won’t do better than this impeccable collection from the darkest corners of the Hammer imagination, which will be available for $24.96 SRP.

DVD Special Features Include:

· Digitally Remastered Audio and Video, Full Screen Presentation, original theatrical trailers

CLICK HERE TO ORDER DISCOUNTED FROM AMAZON

A prequel to Quentin Tarantino's 1997 film Jackie Brown is in the works, based on Elmore Leonard's novel The Switch.The bad news for QT fans is that, although he gives the project his blessing, he won't be in the director's chair. Click here for more

Many people will remember that Lorne Greene capitalized on his Bonanza fame to launch a new career as a crooner of cowboy songs in the 1960s- and some were quite successful. Click here to listen to Greene sing Five Card Stud.

When critics go on a tangent against ridiculous sequels, they generally cite Jaws- The Revenge as prime evidence. The ill-conceived third sequel to the classic film is a treasure trove of unintended laughs. And to think that Michael Caine couldn't be on hand in Hollywood to accept his Oscar for Hannah and Her Sisters because he was filming this! Click here to view the trailer

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

Movie producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein have honored their late mother by establishing a new video company in her name. The Miriam Collection, released through the Genius Products video label, will issue vintage films on DVD in special collector's editons. It wouldn't be accurate to call each of the forthcoming releases a classic, but it would be safe to say that movie fans will be over the moon about the availability of some long-desired gems that had never been released on DVD previously. The most exciting news for Cinema Retro readers is the fact that the Weinsteins have the rights to the films of producer Samuel L. Bronstron and their initial release, the 1961 epic El Cid is first rate in every conceivable way. Bronston was a man who didn't know how to think small - his appetites were big and so was his love for the film industry. He shot epic movies on relatively economical budgets by establishing a studio in Spain. By doing so, he took advantage of the dictator Franco's desire to improve his nation's discredited image by luring heavyweight Hollywood producers to do business in Spain. Bronston found not only favorable financial and climate conditions there, but Franco also gave him a literal army of unpaid extras through use of, well, the Spanish army.

One of six commemorative mini-lobby cards included in the set

Bronston planned to finanace his next film with the profits from the previous one. The idea worked well initially. El Cid, which tells the story of Spain's greatest hero - Rodrigo de Bivar, who united disparate factions of his countrymen in a common goal to defeat an invasion of Islamic religious fanatics- was a box-office and critical triumph. However, Bronston, who was a poor businessman, found his luck had run out on future productions such as 55 Days at Peking, Circus World and The Fall of the Roman Empire. Each bombed at the boxoffice and left him in staggering debt. He ultimately lost the "empire" he had built.

If you think they don't make movies the way they used to, consider that they don't even make premieres the way they used to. The archives of the San Francisco Chronicle take us back to the summer of 1985 when the city hosted the American premiere of the James Bond flick A View to a Kill. No one does premieres like Eon Productions, as evidenced by the fact that each subsequent London premiere for a Bond movie seems to exceed the last in terms of scope and grandeur. Nevertheless, all the stops were pulled out for A View to a Kill in San Francisco, where much of the movie was shot, including a proclamation by then mayor Diane Feinstein of an official "James Bond Day". Additionally, the major cast members were present and there were special effects shows performed by stuntmen. It's a sad commentary on today's American film industry that there are virtually no longer any such grand premieres: just a bunch of people clad in sweatshirts and sneakers having a few drinks in a renovated airline hangar. Here's hoping Eon decides to once again spread some of that London glamor to the U.S. for the premiere of the next Bond movie, as the last truly spectacular 007 opening in America was the Radio City Music Hall kick-off of GoldenEye in 1995. For more click here

Director Guillermo del Toro has announced he is leaving as director of the Hobbit film projects to be produced by Peter Jackson. The ambitious prequels to The Lord of the Rings films have still not gotten the formal start date from cash-strapped MGM which is struggling to survive a cash crisis. del Toro said he will continue to co-write the screenplays with Jackson but felt the uncertainty at MGM is forcing him to move on to other projects. The studio has no films in production at the present time as it scrambles to find a new buyer. Jackson was putting a more optimistic spin on the Hobbit project. Click here for more