Chaplin as The Great Dictator: required viewing for Oliver Stone?
By Lee Pfeiffer
There's probably one thing that people on the political left and right can agree on: dictators are bad. Unfortunately, director Oliver Stone is not among them. Stone's latest controversial film, South of the Border, has him in the midst of a firestorm because the movie is yet another of the Oscar-winner's wet kisses to Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, who is painted at a courageous humanitarian struggling to allow his people to rise above U.S. oppression. The film is being criticized for presenting an absurd portrait of a man who has used corruption, violence and the suspension of civil liberties to retain rule. Stone has been criticized by both liberals and conservatives over the years for acting as a "useful idiot", Lenin's term for naive do-gooders in the West who could be used for propaganda purposes. Actor/producer Tom Gregory takes on Stone in a column in which he suggests that he view Chaplin's classic The Great Dictator, made at a time when most of the world chose to ignore the dealings of another charismatic strongman named Adolf Hitler. For more click here
As many observers expected, Swiss legal authorities have ruled they will not honor an extradition treaty with America to deport Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski to the United States, the adopted nation he fled in the 1970s in the midst of a sex scandal involving an underage girl. The case has dragged on for over 30 years. Polanski had been living in France, which does not extradite people for the charges Polanski had plead guilty to. However, when he visited Switzerland last year, he was placed under house arrest while Swiss courts weighed whether to honor requests from California prosecutors to extradite him. Polanski's supporters argue that he was double-crossed by a judge during the original court hearings. His critics say that he should have stayed to argue his case instead of fleeing. It is unclear whether prosecutors will continue to try to extradite Polanski if he travels outside of Switzerland or France. For more click here
Louis Gossett Jr. had already established a long, enviable career in movies by the time he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his remarkable performance as the drill instructor in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman. However, that achievement did little to divert him from the path of racism, poor health and self-destructive habits. Gossett has now released his memoirs, titled An Actor and a Gentleman and weaves a remarkable story about overcoming prejudice, drug abuse and even health problems related to mold in his home.
Here is the description of the book from Amazon:
"Louis Gossett Jr. is one of the most respected African American
stage and screen actors, who rose to fame with his Emmy-winning role in
the television miniseries Roots and Oscar-winning performance in An
Officer and a Gentleman. Now he tells the story of his
fifty-plus years in the entertainment world—from his early success on
the New York stage appearing with Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier in ARaisin in the Sun, through his long Hollywood career working
alongside countless stars, including Marilyn Monroe and Dennis Quaid. He
writes frankly of his struggle to get leading roles and fair pay as a
black man in Hollywood, his problems with drugs and alcohol that took
years to overcome, and his current work to eradicate racism and violence
and give our children a better future.
Includes
revealing stories and reminiscences involving famous performers,
including Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, Shirley Booth, Sammy Davis Jr.,
Steve McQueen, Richard Gere, Maggie Smith, Halle Berry, and Gena
Rowlands
Spans half a century of American theater and film
history, people, and performances
Highlights the problem
of racism in Hollywood and the challenges faced by African American
actors from the 1950s and 1960s onward
An
Actor and a Gentleman penetrates the celebrity glitz and glamour to
offer an honest, heartfelt portrayal of the African American experience
both in Hollywood and the New York theater world, as told by one of the
nation's most enduring and highly esteemed actors."
To watch a video about Gossett's career on Amazon and to order the book, click here
Gregory Peck and Mary Badham in the Oscar-winning film version of To Kill a Mockingbird.
As hard as it is to believe, Harper Lee's masterpiece To Kill a Mockingbird has come under attack from some political commentators, even as the book celebrates its 50th anniversary as one of America's best-loved classic novels. The film version is so revered that its main character, Atticus Finch, was voted by the American Film Institute as the greatest movie hero of all time. Seems that doesn't sit well with some critics, who now denounce that character, who favors reason over violence, as weak-kneed and feminized. Writer Jesse Kornbluth fights back on behalf of the fictional Mr. Finch. Click here to read
The self-imposed career meltdown of Mel Gibson continues. Not only did his talent agency drop him in the wake of his well-publicized tirade against his former lover, but the scuttlebutt in Hollywood is that Gibson is now too toxic to work with. Even in a town that tends to gloss over scandals, Gibson's anti-Semitic statements from his 2006 drunk driving arrest, coupled with the latest bad publicity, is apparently too much. Gibson had laid low for a few years before re-emerging a few months ago with Edge of Darkness, the kind of thriller that once would have been a major hit. The movie barely broke even at the box-office. Now distributors of his next two films seem to be in no hurry to announce premiere dates. Additionally, Gibson doesn't seem to have any supporters in the industry. A few years ago, he was hailed as a role model by many religious groups for bringing The Passion of the Christ to the screen - but those folks have been conspicuously silent since Gibson was caught on tape wishing horrible things for his former girlfriend. For more click here
Cinema Retro has received the following press release from the British Film Institute:
The
BFI is launching two national projects as part of its LONG LIVE FILM
campaign to celebrate the BFI Archive’s 75th birthday.
LONG
LIVE FILM
will give members of the public a unique opportunity to adopt a Hitchcock film
with a fund-raising appeal to restore his early films: RESCUE THE HITCHCOCK
9.
And
there’s a national hunt for the BFI’s 75 MOST WANTED FILMS, a search for
important but elusive films, including the only missing Hitchcock film, The
Mountain Eagle.
RESCUE THE
HITCHCOCK 9
Alfred
Hitchcock’s early silent films need urgent attention to restore them to their
former glory. The BFI needs YOUR help to bring these cinematic masterpieces
back to life and secure them for future generations as the BFI celebrates 75
years of the BFI National Archive.
A
dedicated cinema trailer, voiced by Kenneth Branagh, and a new website are part
of the campaign. www.bfi.org.uk/saveafilm
Every
penny counts and even small amounts can add up to help us reach our target of
£1 million. From July onwards, members of the public who would like to save an
important and historic film can contribute by visiting www.bfi.org/saveafilm.
Donors with upwards of £5,000 ADOPT a specific film from the shortlist
and receive an on-screen credit, whilst a donation of £100,000 will secure the
full restoration of an individual film with their name in the credits. All
donations are welcome but £25 and upwards will help RESCUE one of the
films, from 50cm of film to restoring a whole scene, and make the contributor a
BFI Supporter, receiving regular updates about the status of the restoration
while having the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped to save a
crucial part of British cultural history. With enough support, we also hope to
be able to commission a new score for each film from a major composer of
international standing.
Hitchcock
is internationally recognised as one of Britain's greatest ever film-makers. 30
years since his death he remains one of the world's most influential and
important directors. Funds permitting, we hope to start restoration work on The
Farmer's Wife (1928), a delightfully unexpected comedy of a farmer in
search of rural matrimony.
Hitchcock's
early films are among the finest achievements of British silent cinema. On its
first release The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1926) was acclaimed
as a masterpiece and his subsequent films refined his techniques of stunning
visual composition, richly cinematic storytelling linked to dramatic invention,
which are uniquely Hitchcock.
New
digital techniques mean that we are now in a position to transform scratched
and damaged negatives into beautiful viewing copies. The original nitrate
materials for all these films are in a very poor state as decades of wear and
tear have taken their toll.
Sony has released an exciting new collection of Film Noir gems in association with Martin Scorsese's Film Foundation. Here is the official press release for the set, which will be released in July.
Sony
Pictures Entertainment (SPHE) and Martin Scorsese’s non-profit film
preservation organization, The Film Foundation, partner once again to bring
five films to DVD for the first time, fully-restored and re-mastered, in Columbia
Pictures Film Noir Classics II, debuting on DVD July 6. This must-have
collection includes Pushover (1954), Human Desire
(1954), The Brothers Rico (1957), Nightfall (1957)
and City of Fear (1959). In this second volume, renowned directors
Fritz Lang, Phil Karlson and Irving Lerner are joined by Jacques Tourneur and
Richard Quine in proving that lust, adultery, greed and revenge all add up to
cold, calculated murder. Film Noir Classics II takes viewers on a dark journey
among low-lifes and mobsters, cops and gun molls, and the dim-witted, hapless
pawns who forever changed the landscape of cinema, and whose doomed paths are
as disturbing today as when they were first committed to film.
The trailer has been released for the forthcoming action flick The Green Hornet, which improbably stars Seth Rogen as the titular character. Jay Chou plays Kato, the role that made Bruce Lee a star in the 1960s TV series. The good news is that Rogen has apparently gone on a strict diet that has reduced his roly poly physique to something akin to an average build, but the movie appears to be a weird hybrid of reverence for the source material combined with the kind of belly laughs one might expect from a Rogen flick. The usual elements of contemporary action films are present: lightning fast cuts and ear-splitting, awful music. We'll try to be objective, but for the moment we'd rather they brought back Van Williams to star! Click here to view trailer
Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Sony:
CULVER
CITY, CA – JUNE 29, 2010 – On his 90th birthday, Sony Pictures Digital
Productions is excited to announce the renaming of its 119-seat screening
theater after visual effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen. The honor comes
just days after the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) paid
tribute to the creative legend in London with a special award feting his
contributions to film.
The Ray Harryhausen Theater will be formally dedicated on Monday, July 12,
2010, with the unveiling of a sign displaying the theater’s new name, a
reception, and the screening of one of Harryhausen’s seminal hit films,
JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS. The 1963 classic, originally produced and released by
Columbia Pictures (now part of Sony Pictures Entertainment), has been
lovingly restored to its original splendor by Sony Pictures. The filmmakes
its debut on Blu-ray Disc onJULY 6– the
fifth Harryhausen Blu-ray title from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, the most
of any filmmaker from the label. The disc features new commentaries by
Harryhausen himself, as well as Oscar®-winning director Peter Jackson, along
with film historian Tony Dalton and visual effects expert Randall William Cook,
and a new interview with Harryhausen with filmmaker John Landis.
“It’s an incredible honor to have this theater named at the studio I called
home,†says Harryhausen. “It means as much to me as my Academy Award® and the
BAFTA honor I just received, especially knowing that it is a working theater
where visual effects artists and animators work every day.â€
The theater, located on the Culver City, Ca. campus of Sony Pictures Digital
Productions, is the screening theater of Sony Pictures Imageworks, Sony
Pictures Animation and Sony Imageworks Interactive. Used on a daily basis
in the creation of modern visual effects and animated features, the theater
represents the living legacy of Harryhausen’s lifelong career, as Sony’s
artists continue to develop and practice new animation techniques for bringing
fantasy to life, much as the facility’s namesake did throughout his career.
The Los Angeles Times provides a slide show of enticing photos from Universal Studios' new King Kong 360 3-D ride, based on Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of the classic film. Click here to view
Fans of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. have been promised that a feature film is in the works since Jimmy Carter sat in the Oval Office. After decades of false leads and studio wariness about the project, it appears as though there is some action in the bullpen. Click here to read
ADI News reports that Sylvester Stallone is philosophical about the fact that he may be nearing the end of his career as an action star. Although Stallone has the high-profile action pic The Expendables about to be released, he feels his future lies with directing. “I’m on borrowed time,†he recently said. “At this age I hear the ticking
clock and it’s as loud as the gong on Big Ben.†He looks to another screen icon for inspiration regarding the next stage of his career: “The ultimate ambition is to follow in Clint Eastwood’s footsteps and
move on to directing films without me having to be in them,†he said at
the Los Angeles Film Festival where he received a special award for his
film career. For more click here
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer says that both he and Tom Cruise had been trying for years to launch a sequel to their 1986 smash hit but the project never came together. They are now putting back on the burner to explore ways to bring the film to fruition. The original film was made so long ago that co-star Kelly McGillis was still into men! However, the idea of a sequel so many years after the release of the original is not unheard of. Martin Scorsese's 1986 film The Color of Money, for example, was an acclaimed sequel to the 1961 movie The Hustler. Click here for more
The International Movie Database has become a "must-read" for movie lovers around the globe, as it offers a treasure trove of information about virtually every movie ever made as well as credits and biographical details of the people who made them. However, there are some people who are not enamored of the service, which offers much of its data free to readers and charges a fee for a more comprehensive plan aimed at hardcore movie lovers and journalists. Seems there are plenty of actors and actresses who oppose IMDB's policy of listing the actual birth dates of thespians. (Notably, industry professionals, such as technicians and directors, have voiced no such complaints.) The Writers Guild of America, which provides much of the information used on IMBD, is siding with the actors and has formally asked IMDB to remove the birth data, even though it is invaluable to researchers. Thus far, IMDB has admirably stuck to its guns and noted that it only removes information if it is found to be inaccurate. For more click here
Cinema Retro's eagerly-awaited limited edition Movie Classics tribute issue to the Sergio Leone/ Clint Eastwood Dollars trilogy is now shipping worldwide.
In the footsteps of Cinema Retro's landmark Movie Classics special edition tribute to Where Eagles Dare, publishers Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer present their most ambitious release yet: the most extensive tribute to the Clint Eastwood/Sergio Leone 'Dollar' film trilogy ever published. Years in the making, with contributions from prominent film historians from around the globe.
THIS IS A LIMITED EDITION AND WILL NEVER BE REPRINTED ONCE THESE ISSUES SELL OUT!
PLEASE NOTE: CINEMA RETRO MOVIE CLASSICS SPECIAL EDITIONS ARE NOT PART OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION PLAN AND MUST BE ORDERED SEPARATELY.
Full coverage of 'A Fistful of Dollars', 'For a Few Dollars More' and 'the Good, the Bad and the Ugly' - and why these films remain timeless cinematic classics.
80 full pages (16 pages more than the standard Cinema Retro issue)
Packed with hundreds of rare production stills, collectibles and international movie poster art culled from archives from around the world.
Many photos never before published - including rare behind the scenes production stills from people who acted as extras in 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'
Special foreword by Leone biographer Sir Christopher Frayling
The legendary film locations - then and now
Coverage of the rare, deleted sequences
Cast and crew biographies
LIMITED SUPPLIES REMAINING! CLICK BELOW TO ORDER WORLDWIDE. (PRICE INCLUDES POSTAGE)
Even the legendary Network character Howard Beale wasn't hawking rip-off gold investment schemes and promoting wacky conspiracy theories to his viewers.
It's time for one of our infrequent forays into covering the abyss known as American television. Everything has been dumbed down to the point that you might be tempted to think Pamela Anderson is running the news divisions. Once reputable networks like The History Channel now cater to the wing-nut fringe with endless specials that cater to folks who believe they are routinely being abducted by UFOs or encountering literal manifestations of angels or vampires. Don't think you can find much solace in the political spectrum, either. Some very highly-rated talk show hosts have been violating any sense of ethics by doing "news reports" about the soaring value of gold and why consumers should invest. "Coincidentally" these programs are sponsored by firms that sell gold investments to suckers at home at rates that consumer advocates say is over 200% of the actual value. All of this is sandwiched in between seemingly endless ads for pills that improve sexual performance, but at the risk of enduing a 30-year erection or projectile vomiting as minor side-effects. The audience has become so undemanding that there is a hit show about a man who literally bakes extravagant wedding cakes. However, instead of hearing me rant about the sorry state of
the medium, it's best to read the words of Variety critic Brian Lowry
who poignantly takes on what he calls the "Wackadoodle" state of
America's cable networks.As Lowry points out, the insane media world personified by Network's raving anchor man Howard Beale is now upon us. Some of us may be mad as hell but it looks like we'll have take it for many years to come. Click here to read (This article links to Variety and you may have to register as a reader in order to have access.)
The situation is not without irony: the 18 year old daughter of two Hollywood icons would seemingly be delighted to have inherited her looks from parents who are international sex symbols. However, Warren Beatty and Annette Benning's daughter Kathlyn is now living as a man under the name of Stephen and is proceeding with plans to get a sex-change operation. Beatty, a long-time outspoken liberal who has supported gay rights, is said to be heartbroken over his daughter's decision, even as his wife tries to be supportive of Kathlyn. For more click here
Most Superman fans probably don't realize that in 1966, the character starred in a major Broadway musical titled It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Superman! No less than the esteemed Charles Strouse provided the score. The show opened in the midst of Batmania and took a campy approach to portraying the Man of Steel. Reviews were kind, but the public was unresponsive and the show closed after a brief run. It has now been revived in Dallas and the time frame has been brought back to 1939 in order to ensure that the material doesn't seem too dated for contemporary audiences. Click here for more
Rising star: Russell Kyle (Photo: Dave Worrall. All rights reserved)
On Friday 25th June, The Media Lunch
Club in London hosted a
special preview of 'Talking To Jeremy' at Eon Production's plush
screening room
in Piccadilly. (In fact the film was
run three
times to cope with demand).
'Talking To Jeremy', written by Cinema Retro's own Gareth
Owen, was the winning film script in the Club's 2009 'Short Circuit'
competition.
Entries to the competition - a 10 minute short, set around a lunch -
were first
judged by a celebrity panel including Sir Roger Moore and Guy Hamilton,
with the
top three scoring scripts performed at an actor's read-through in central
London.
The audience then voted for their favorite of the three, which
subsequently
went into production with The Brighton Film School.
Sir Roger and Lady Moore (first row, right) at the Eon screening room. (Photo: Dave Worrall. All rights reserved)
'Talking To Jeremy' stars Claire
Carroll as
middle-aged struggling actress Milicent Parry, who uses every
opportunity
possible to further her failing career. When a famous film director,
followed by
a famous film producer walk into the restaurant, she is enjoying lunch as
a
'mystery customer', it seems all her dreams have come true ... well, so
she
thinks.
Director John Hough (far right), and film producer Marcia Stanton, discuss the student film with Maurice Stevens of the Brighton Film School in the reception of Eon Productions. (Photo: Dave Worrall. All rights reserved)
The celebrity audience at the screening
included
Sir Roger & Lady Moore, actress Judy Cornwell, director John Hough (Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry; The Watcher in the Woods)
and Eon
Productions VP of Marketing, Stephanie Wenborn.Lunch followed, with guest speaker (and
film
producer) Neil Peplow giving a fascinating and often hilarious insight
into his
career and beyond. 'Short Circuit 2' is set to launch
later this year
and along with including the chance for a script to be filmed, will
include a
substantial cash prize too.
Cinema Retro publisher Dave Worrall (L) with Ajay Chowdhury, publisher of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang magazine.(Photo copyright Dave Worrall. All rights reserved.)
Cinema
Retro’s Dave Worrall was reunited with James Bond’s fabled Aston Martin last
weekend, some eighteen years since first seeing it in the home of its owner
Jerry Lee, on the outskirts of Philadelphia, USA. Dave
wrote and published the highly successful book ‘The Most Famous Car in the
World’ back in 1991, which tells the definitive history of Bond’s Aston Martin
DB5 as seen in the films Goldfinger
and Thunderball. In total, there were
four cars used back in the mid to late 60s: two for filming, and two for
promotional purposes. At the time, Dave tracked them all down, and one of the
cars driven by Sean Connery in both films is coming up for auction in October.
To
kick-start the promotion, R.M. Auctions, who are responsible for the sale, brought
the car over to the UK last week where it was previewed to both media and
public at the Midsummer Classic Concourse event at the highly prestigious Stoke
Park Country Club. Bond fans will remember this was the setting for the famous
golf game between OO7 and Auric Goldfinger in the 1964 film of the same name.
It was also the first time the car has been in England since being purchased by
Jerry in 1969.
"Oddjob" returns to the scene of the crime! (Photo copyright Dave Worrall. All rights reserved.)
Dave,
who has assisted R.M. Auctions in the past with Bond-related
information, was
invited to attend the preview and the ‘Thunderball black-tie Dinner’ on
the
evening, which was a fundraiser for the ‘Help the Heroes’ charity.
John Lithgow has signed for a key role in Fox's new Planet of the Apes flick titled Rise of the Apes. Lithgow will play actor James Franco's father, a character whose treatment for Alzheimer's disease inadvertently leads to the all-out war between apes and humans. For more click here
It's seems hard to believe, but there has never been a big screen biography of Hugh Hefner. That's about to change, according to Hef. Long-stalled plans for such a pic have picked up steam and the movie - appropriately titled Playboy- will be produced by Brian Grazer, though filming dates are still unconfirmed. It appears as though Robert Downey Jr. will play the legendary publisher, who famously launched Playboy Magazine with a small loan from his own mother.
Legendary film critic devotes an extensive article on his blog to an unusual topic: his attendance at his recent Class of 1960 High School reunion. He uses the opportunity to write movingly about the ups and downs experienced by his generation and how some things among the classmates remain the same, even over decades of turbulent change. Click here to read
Kung Phooey: The New York Times blasts The Last Airbender
By Lee Pfeiffer
Remember when a new film by director M. Night Shyamalan was perceived as an actual event? Films like The Sixth Sense, Signs and The Village gave his movies the aura of something special - and audiences anticipated being brought in unpredictable directions by the compelling storylines. Nowadays, Shyamalan is content to take the Nicholas Cage career path and trash his talents in return for a sizable paycheck. Shyamalan is now down to adapting cartoon series to the big screen with The Last Airbender, an effects-filled extravaganza designed to appeal to audiences who are glued to the fare on Saturday morning kid's TV stations. The New York Times critic A.O. Scott blasts the film in his review, saying "It’s all pretty silly, and handled with unrelenting solemnity. But
that in itself is neither unusual nor fatal. The problem — the
catastrophe — of “The Last Airbender†is not in the conception but the
execution. The long-winded explanations and clumsy performances are made
worse by graceless effects and a last-minute 3-D conversion that wrecks
whatever visual grace or beauty might have been there. The movie is so dim and fuzzy that you might mistake your
disposable 3-D glasses for someone else’s prescription shades. And Mr.
Shyamalan’s fondness for shallow-focus techniques, with a figure in the
foreground presented with sharp clarity against a blurred background, is
completely out of place in the deep-focus world of modern 3-D. The
format also has no place for one of this director’s major gifts, which
is his ability to use the implications of what is off camera to create a
mood of intrigue and suspense." For full review click here
Director Tim Burton may be close to committing to adapting a stop-motion big screen version of the classic TV series The Addams Family for the big screen. The 1960s sitcom was far ahead of its time but is back in vogue. In the 1990s, there were two hit movies based on the show and there is currently a Broadway musical. For more click here
The estate of Elvis Presley has announced the discovery of three rare photos taken in 1957 showing The King signing autographs for fans at the gates of Graceland. For full details click here
From Beyond the Grave: Farrah Fawcett is apparently still among us, but for some strange reason feels the only person worth speaking to is Tori Spelling!
By Lee Pfeiffer Celebrities will do some shameless things to promote their books but the talent-free Tori Spelling takes the cake even by Hollywood standards. Spelling has pulled out all the stops and even raided the grave in order to drum up publicity for her latest book, which will undoubtedly be used primarily to balance out the short legs on kitchen tables. Seems she claims she has been contacted by the ghost of Farrah Fawcett. 'Lest you think she's a bit daft, Tori "verifies" her claim by saying the late actress was summoned with the help of John Edward, the so-called psychic who can mysteriously summon up spirits of the dead to coincide with some naive sucker opening up his checkbook at a seance. According to Tori, Farrah asked her to pass on some puzzling messages to her son Redmond and ex-beau Ryan O'Neal. Given the hell these two made her life, one can only imagine the nature of the message. Not incidentally, if Ms. Fawcett has the power to return from the grave, couldn't she have delivered the message herself? Apparently the deceased are stuck with a form of communication similar to the old party lines we had to share on our telephones. Rumor has it that Tori will be promoting her next TV series in conjunction with Jacob Marley's ghost. For more click here
Daniel Craig as 007 in the 2006 blockbuster Casino Royale.
By Lee Pfeiffer
If you're getting your tuxedo laundered in hopes of attending the next James Bond premiere in London, you might want to spare yourself a trip to the cleaners. The London tabloid The Mirror has a report indicating that the next James Bond film may not make the anticipated release date of 2012. It's old news that the film has been delayed due to MGM's cash crisis, but the Mirror provides a more downbeat assessment, saying that the next Bond could be years away. It would certainly be a major disappointment to fans and Eon Productions if there is not a new film to coincide with the series' 50th anniversary in 2012. As per their custom, Eon has not commented extensively on such reports, saying only “We do not know when development will resume and
cannot comment further at this stage.†London tabloids have been notorious in spreading doom-and-gloom rumors about the franchise- many of them demonstrably false. If another studio buys MGM, which could happen at any time, it is certain the new Bond would be fast-tracked, as the series remains the primary asset of the once-great studio. Nevertheless, until that happens, 007 fans will have to cool their heels, as Eon is not likely to launch another entry until the situation at MGM is stabilized. One thing everyone agrees on is that James Bond Will Return, as it says at the end of every film. The series had previously thrived despite the absence of a new film between the years 1989-1994. For more click here
Based on Richard Matheson's classic sci-fi novel I Am Legend, the 1971 film The Omega Man was actually the second big screen adaptation of the story. In 1964, Vincent Price starred in a low-budget Italian version titled The Last Man on Earth. In 2007, Will Smith had a blockbuster hit with I Am Legend, though that film, like the ones that preceded it, was only loosely based on the novel. Each is effective in its own way, but for pure sentiment I prefer The Omega Man, which I saw during its initial run during my high school years. The film made a major impression on me and although time has undoubtedly diminished its impact, the movie still makes some poignant observations about human nature, as well as providing Charlton Heston with one of his most memorable roles. Heston is Robert Neville, a scientist who finds himself the only person immune from the biological agents that have seemingly wiped out the rest of the human race. The best parts of this film are the early scenes in which Neville is seen trying to keep his sanity amidst the crumbling infrastructure of Los Angeles (the film is set in the "future" year of 1975).
Kastner with Clint Eastwood on the set of the 1969 MGM epic Where Eagles Dare. (Photo: Cinema Retro Archives)
By Lee Pfeiffer
Producer Elliott Kastner has died at age 80. Known for his humorous personality and penchant for off-color jokes, Kastner was a larger-than-life character. Although born in America, he made England his home through much of his career and maintained an office at Pinewood Studios until the end of his life. Kastner moved from the music industry into film production with his first credit as producer on the 1965 film Bus Riley's Back in Town. He was one of the first producers to secure independent financing for his films, then sell the distribution rights to major studios. Kastner had many high profile films to his credit including Harper with Paul Newman, The Missouri Breaks and The Nightcomers- bothwith Marlon Brando, and perhaps most notably the 1969 MGM WWII film Where Eagles Dare with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. The film was based on a story by Alistair MacLean and Kastner went on to adapt other works by the author for the screen including Breakheart Pass, Fear is the Key and When Eight Bells Toll. He also brought the character of detective Philip Marlowe back to the screen in the 1970s with The Long Goodbye, The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely, the latter two starring Robert Mitchum.
Perhaps inspired by Helen Mirren's Oscar-winning turn as Queen Elizabeth, producers of a big screen biopic of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher are wooing Meryl Streep to take on the role. Ordinarily, the idea of an American actress playing an icon of British politics would seem to be absurd, but there is no doubt that Streep could do justice to the role. Lady Thatcher, who served as PM from 1979-1990, has been in declining health for years, however, so there might be some sensitivity about bringing the film to fruition, particularly if it is a "hit piece" on Britain's Iron Lady. For more click here
One would think that after years of trying to rehabilitate his image after spewing anti-Semitic rants during a drunken driving arrest, Mel Gibson would learn to keep the ugly side of his personality to himself. However, Gibson is proving to be just another Hollywood airhead who thinks it's a brilliant move to make sure his worst behavior is preserved for the ages through the wonder of tape recording. Gibson has been battling his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva over custody issues relating to their infant daughter. Things must not be going Mad Mel's way, given the tirade he was allegedly spewed, which was recorded by Grigorieva. Among the bon mots reported by Radar-On-Line, which has heard the recordings, are threats to burn her house down, insults about her looks and a wish to have her gang-banged. We won't dignify the actual quotes here, but if you want to read the transcripts click here. Suffice it to say, Gibson leaves few stones unturned in utilizing the kinds of language that would make a longshoreman blush. Speaking personally, I'm generally able to overlook the actions and words of certain stars relating to their behavior or politics, if I admire their skills as actors. Jane Fonda was too left-wing for me and John Wayne was too right-wing, but I always enjoyed their films. However, if these allegations prove to be accurate, Gibson's latest tirade indicates his initial scandal was no fluke. A man who can wish violence on a woman who bore his child, and make racial slurs in the process, may be fairly deft at playing heroes on screen, but he isn't much of a man in real life. I've always enjoyed Gibson's performances and many of his films. However, unless this scandal proves to be erroneous, I've spent my last hard-earned dollars patronizing his movies. While I never wish ill of anyone else, I do hope that Gibson will become obscure enough for people to someday ask, "Whatever happened to that guy whatsisname from the Lethal Weapon series?" (Note: As of this writing, Gibson has not commented on these specific allegations, but he has not denied them, either) For more click here
Louis Gossett Jr. had already established a long, enviable career in movies by the time he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his remarkable performance as the drill instructor in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman. However, that achievement did little to divert him from the path of racism, poor health and self-destructive habits. Gossett has now released his memoirs, titled An Actor and a Gentleman and weaves a remarkable story about overcoming prejudice, drug abuse and even health problems related to mold in his home. 
The trailer has been released for the forthcoming action flick The Green Hornet, which improbably stars Seth Rogen as the titular character. Jay Chou plays Kato, the role that made Bruce Lee a star in the 1960s TV series. The good news is that Rogen has apparently gone on a strict diet that has reduced his roly poly physique to something akin to an average build, but the movie appears to be a weird hybrid of reverence for the source material combined with the kind of belly laughs one might expect from a Rogen flick. The usual elements of contemporary action films are present: lightning fast cuts and ear-splitting, awful music. We'll try to be objective, but for the moment we'd rather they brought back Van Williams to star! 
