By John Exshaw

Being reports of certain events which would have appeared earlier, had fate and the need to earn a buck not intervened.

Western Season

Irish Film Institute, 24-28 August 2011

Waiting at the station for the 3:10 to Tara Street, I was feeling good – deep down good, the way a man can feel when he’s got a bunch of Westerns to watch and a passel of press passes in his pocket. Leaving the Iron Horse at Westland Row, I cut across Grafton Street (no sign of them pesky Rykers) and on down to the Irish Film Institute, where they were about to let rip with a four-day, eight-film season called ‘The Western: Meanwhile Back at the Revolution ... The Western As Political Allegory’. Well, I reckoned they could use all them fancy five-dollar words and dress it up whatever they damn well liked, long as it meant seeing some real Westerns on the big screen. As Randy Scott would’ve said, “There’s some things a man can’t ride around—but Cowboys & Aliens ain’t one of them.” Ride clear of Diablo, hell, ride clear of dumb CGI special effects movies is more like it . . .

Anyhow, I figured not only was this a chance to see some Westerns the way they were meant to be seen but also an opportunity to have my say on films which wouldn’t normally fit into the Cinema Retro corral, being as they were made before 1960. Not that this is either the time or the place for what you might call in-depth chin-stroking and head-scratching—more like a chance to throw out some thoughts and see where they go.

First up, perhaps predictably enough, was High Noon (1952), described in the programme notes by season curator Declan Clarke as “a commentary on the McCarthy witch-hunt and the failure of U.S. intellectuals to stand up to the House Un-American Activities Committee.” This, of course, has become pretty much the standard interpretation of High Noon but it would be interesting to know to what extent it was perceived that way on its initial release; the British critic Robin Wood has recalled that he was completely unaware of any political subtext when he first saw the film, and it seems rather doubtful that many citizens of Main Street, U.S.A., came out of their local cinemas saying, “Gee, honey, that sure was one in the eye for Joe McCarthy!”

Although, generally speaking, I prefer to see something of the West in my Westerns (even if it’s Almería, west of Rome), High Noon remains one of the best “town Westerns” ever made, notable as much for its characterisation as for its celebrated manipulation of real time to build suspense. In particular, one is struck by the refreshingly adult depiction of Helen Ramírez (Katy Jurado), a “woman with a past” who is required neither to apologise for that past nor to expiate her supposed sins by catching one of those stray “moral” bullets which usually account for such characters (e.g., Linda Darnell’s Chihuahua in Ford’s My Darling Clementine, 1946). Other details I’d forgotten include the church scene in which Thomas Mitchell appears to be lending his support to Marshal Kane only to end up giving him the shaft, Howland Chamberlin’s nasty-minded hotel clerk, and Harry Morgan urging his wife to tell Kane that he’s not in, that he’s gone to church.

It's the ultimate fantasy for fans of Star Trek and Star Wars: the on-going debate over which series is best started with a shot across the bow by William Shatner, which, in turn, prompted Carrie Fisher to fire back and George Takei to plead for peace between the two sci-fi icons. Now CNN reports coverage of the spreading debate between fans of both series. Click here to read.

One of the DeLorean cars used in the 1985 boxoffice smash Back to the Future has sold for over $500,000. Part of the proceeds will be donated to a foundation to help cure Parkinson's Disease run by the film's star, Michael J. Fox. The DeLorean is making a bit a of a comeback lately among classic car collectors.  The auto's lifespan was short-lived. It was designed by the late, disgraced financier John DeLorean whose legal problems aborted his attempt to become a major player in the American car industry. For more click here

Gone are the days: Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop, when his name above the title meant boxoffice gold.

Forbes has compiled a list of the most over-paid movie stars. Topping the list are names like Drew Barrymore, Eddie Murphy (the list was compiled before the release of Tower Heist, which under-performed), Will Ferrell and Denzel Washington. The criteria is the number of dollars returned to the studio in relation to the salary paid to the star. For more click here

By Todd Garbarini

The quintessential and politically incorrect New York movie The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) has arrived on Blu-ray from MGM. Adapted from John Godey’s novel of the same name and brilliantly directed by Joseph Sargent with loads of smile-inducing and laugh-out-loud humor, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three concerns four heavily armed men, all sporting moustaches and machine guns, and named after colors to mask their identities (this idea was lifted by Quentin Tarantino and used to great effect in his 1992 film Reservoir Dogs), who commandeer a train from the New York City subway system and hold eighteen passengers hostage. They demand one million dollars in cash for their release – a mere pittance in today’s money. Robert Shaw shines as the lead baddy and heads the superb cast which also features Martin Balsam as a confederate, Walter Matthau as the police lieutenant who negotiates with Shaw, Hector Elizondo who is virtually unrecognizable as the monkey-in-the-wrench who causes problems for Shaw with his own sense of bravado; and Kenneth MacMillian as the Borough Commander. Among the film’s highlights are Matthau’s off-handed and embarrassing treatment of the representatives of the Tokyo Metropolitan Subway System who are visiting; Tom Pedi’s role as Caz Dalowicz whose no-B.S. approach to the hijackers results in a shootout in the tunnel; Lieutenant Rico Patrone (Jerry Stiller) who reads the newspaper and is bothered that he is being “interrupted” by the Japanese reps touring the facility; Lee Wallace’s turn as the Mayor (he’s a near dead ringer for Mayor Ed Koch who became the New York Mayor four years after the film’s release) and his inefficacy in dealing with the situation at hand, including his deputy mayor, played well played by Tony Roberts; Robert Weil as a transit worker (he’s a character actor who appeared in dozens of great New York films) and the film’s priceless ending. Film composer David Shire, who wrote excellent music for Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation (1974) and Martin Ritt’s Norma Rae (1979), provides a spectacular score that one cannot help humming long after the film is over.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a terrific balancing act of high suspense and tension and outright hilarity, something that few films are ever able to achieve. (One notable exception is Bob Clark’s 1974 thriller Black Christmas, which manages the same feat). What the film captures perfectly is the sense the people working in New York City have about themselves and their jobs, a veritable “another day at the office” mentality as they go about their routines no matter how outrageous the circumstances. The film couldn't have come to Blu-ray at a better time. With politicians using the safety and well-being of Americans as a bargaining chip for political gain (i.e. health care), the sentiments of the film are timeless and ring true in a city where corruption and racism run behind-the-scenes and are perfectly sized-up by Doris Roberts’s turn as the mayor’s wife when she tells him what he’ll get in return for paying out the ransom: eighteen sure votes.

There is no mention on the Blu-ray packaging of a remastered image and sound, so the transfer appears to be derived from the same master that was used on the standard definition DVD released in February 2000. The image is sharper this time with just a few instances of dirt and some scratches that are barely noticeable. The Blu-ray also adds subtitles in English, Spanish and French and retains the film's original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The disc also includes the film's theatrical trailer. I originally hoped that with the release of Tony Scott's 2009 remake, itself a well-made version with less emphasis on humor and more on action, there would be a reissue of the original with commentaries and a documentary on the making of the film, but no such luck. Still, despite the lack of the usual bells and whistles that generally accompany far less entertaining films, the upgrade to Blu-ray is worth it as this is one of the best films made during the American cinema's most riveting decade. Lensed also in 1998 for television by Felix Enriquez Alcala (how can you make this film without profanity?), this 1974 original is the most entertaining version of this story.

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By Lee Pfeiffer

In the aftermath of Mondo Cane's release in the early 1960s, every exploitation filmmaker seemed eager to jump on the bandwagon and produce "documentaries" that ostensibly were made to educate audiences about shocking and weird people and practices throughout the world. Even in the 1970s, Australia was considered an exotic locale to most of the world's population. Because of its inaccessibility, travel to Oz in those days was relegated to seemingly only the most financially secure lucky souls. Thus, life in Australia seemed to be a good bet for any number of exploitation films that gave a double meaning to the term "Down Under".  One of the more prominent opportunists to capitalize on this craze for the short-lived "Ozploitation" films was producer/director John D. Lamond, who churned out a number of soft-core porn films during the '70s and '80s. Among the more notable achievements was Australia After Dark, filmed on location throughout Oz in 1975. The film apparently caused a minor sensation in its initial release and was heavily edited in some countries, including England. The InterVision DVD label, in conjunction with CAV Distributing Corporation, has just found an uncut print "recently discovered in the cellar of the Lower Wonga Drive-in" according to the press release. That's appropriate because the drive-in's name alone sounds like an erogenous zone. In any event, the film's release is a welcome event as it brings us back to a time when international cinema was still pushing the boundaries on censorship.

There's nothing shocking by today's standards in Australia After Dark, though Lamond didn't punt when it came to showing extensive views of full female and male nudity. Although the movie's key premise is sexploitation, most of the more interesting segments pertain to more mainstream topics. There is a visit to the world's longest bar as well as brief but fascinating looks at ancient cave wall paintings. There's also a brief segment about a 19th century serial killer of women who nevertheless received hundreds of "fan letters" from women admirers. Lamond shoots and edits in a haphazard, anything-goes style. Thus, one minute you're paying a visit to an S&M club and the next you're viewing a beautiful young naturist swimming nude in the Great Barrier Reef. There is a pointless but extended visit with a performance artist named Count Copernicus, who - based on his billing in the film- must have been somewhat of a sensation at the time. Copernicus dresses in drag even while he gets it on with comely young women. He also cloaks his "schtick" with pretentious political protests, making him the kind of character generally spoofed in Woody Allen movies. In another segment, we view a body painting studio where uptight businessmen spend their lunch hours renting live nude models whose bodies they adorn with "art". In the most compelling sequence, we're brought inside a modern witches coven where practitioners initiate a new female member by having her ravaged by some bloke dressed as a witch doctor (Imagine the voodoo sequences from Live and Let Die if they had been rated X.) Intermingled with all this are shots of  sexily-clad young women who were filmed surreptitiously for inclusion in the movie. The girl-on-the-street footage reminds us why my friend, British fashion consultant Colin Woodhead, has referred to the '70s "the decade that fashion forgot" - but it also reminds us that the era did present us with the regrettably short-lived hot pants craze. Other segments jump from alleged UFO landing sites to a visit to a shop where the owner gained fame by custom-fitting bikinis to female customers who willingly doffed their clothes to get his professional opinion.

The DVD includes a director's commentary with John Lamond and Mark Hartley, director of Not Quite Hollywood, a documentary about Ozploitation films. Their conversation is highly enjoyable due to the lack of pretentiousness. Lamond makes no bones about his desire to make a cheap, trashy movie designed for quick playoff in Aussie drive-ins. However, he did have a loftier goal in mind. Tired of having Australians live in the shadows of the Americans and British, he wanted to do his part to show that there were plenty of local people who were equally eccentric to those seen in overseas films. The fact that by doing so, he helped reinvigorate the entire Australian film industry, pleases him to this day. He also discusses certain scenes he had to cut including footage of Trans Australian Airlines (TAA). The company agreed to fly him for free around Australia in return for promotion in the film. However, when airline executives saw the finished movie they were horrified and forced Lamond to cut all footage of TAA from the film. (Now that the airline is defunct, Lamond has restored the footage for this DVD release.) Lamond also admits staging certain sequences, though he says the participants were only recreating their normal activities. Both Lamond and Hartley come across as the kind of unpretentious guys you'd like to sit around and enjoy a cold one with and their conversation on the commentary track eclipses the merits of the film itself. At one point, Lamond stops in his tracks to comment on some nubile naked young woman by saying, "Look at that! That's all woman!"  (This also has to be the only audio commentary track in memory in which both participants discuss in detail the changing viewpoints of female sexuality by making observations about the abundance of pubic and armpit hair on the female participants.) The DVD sleeve also promises a trailer gallery of Lamond's other films, but for the life of me I couldn't find it on the actual DVD.

The print of the film is only adequate and appears to have been shot through some sort of glass filter that leaves some consistent blemishes throughout. Nevertheless, it's a very enjoyable guilty pleasure and one can't fault InterVision for the film quality. After all, would you have spent time tracking this down in the cellar of the Lower Wonga Drive-In?

Australia After Dark is tacky, sleazy, and politically incorrect. I loved every minute of it.

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Daniel Craig said he considered quitting the role of James Bond if MGM's complicated financial problems continued to impede getting the next 007 film off the ground. Fortunately, the matters were resolved and he is happily filming Skyfall right now. Craig had previously said that shooting Quantum Of Solace was not the most pleasant of experiences. A writer's strike caused disruption to the filming and resulted in the script being altered by non-writers including himself. For more click here

Robert Vaughn at the Players Club for a Cinema Retro tribute in 2009. The former Man From U.N.C.L.E's career has been red hot in the UK, where he just wrapped the 9th season of Hustle. He's also shooting a new feature film and will join the cast of Coronation Street. (Photo: Tom Stroud.)

In a fun and revealing Q&A with The Independent, Robert Vaughn opens up about his childhood, his personal likes and dislikes and his regrets in life. Click here to read

By Lee Pfeiffer

Producer David L. Wolper's acclaimed three-part documentary The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich has come to DVD through the Warner Archive. Originally telecast in 1968, the film is based on author William L. Shirer's best-selling 1960 book, which caused a sensation and debate among historians. Shirer had personally witnessed key events leading up to the war. Like his contemporary, Edward R. Murrow, Shirer was a European correspondent for CBS radio during the late 1930s. He was adept at circumventing even the press restrictions dictated by Hitler himself. Thus, Shirer managed to be the only non-German reporter to witness the French surrender in 1940. Shirer had also accompanied German troops during their Blitzkrieg attacks on other European countries. Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich was acclaimed by academics for the personal aspects he brought to the narrative, but he was assailed for his theory, postured in the book, that Germanic peoples were naturally predisposed to follow tyrants. German literary critics and historians fiercely contested that theory, saying that the period of Hitler was simply a terrible anomalie in the nation's legacy. The TV adaptation of Shirer's book is itself a cause of some controversy. There are those who claim there is a six hour version of the documentary that has never been widely seen. The DVD released by Warner Archive is a three hour version and it appears as though this is the entire ABC broadcast from 1968. There are, however, some curious chunks of history absent from the program. This might be due to the problems of condensing a twelve year period into a three hour program or it could indicate that the broadcast had been culled from a longer version that was never released. (For example, the Battle of the Bulge, Hitler's mad but initially successful attempt to save the Reich, is not even mentioned.)

Despite these reservations, it's easy to see why the show caused a sensation upon its initial broadcast. Keep in mind that it was shown during an era when the major networks prided themselves on educating the public and financing intellectual programing, a notion that seems sadly quaint nowadays. This was also decades before the emergence of the cable TV networks that now routinely broadcast WWII documentaries. Thus, it was powerful stuff to see the shocking footage of war, carnage and genocide in one's own living room. The program is solemnly  narrated by Richard Basehart and follows Adolf Hitler from his humble beginnings in Austria through his disgust at the German surrender in WWI. Hitler had certainly distinguished himself in battle, serving as a runner between trenches- a job where one's life expectancy was measured in days. He also received the Iron Cross for bravery. However, his intemperate nature and volatile personality precluded him from what would have seemed a natural career in the military. Indeed, he never rose above the rank of corporal. 

The program traces how Hitler became a political activist with the National Socialist party in the post WWI era, when Germany was in dire straits. Not only had the nation suffered terribly during the conflict but had also been cynically used by the British and French as a cash cow for war reparations. Hitler perceived that Germany would never be able to rise from the status of a serf nation and used public anger to empower him. His initial attempts to seize the government by force failed, but he became a martyr to the cause by going to jail, where he authored his manifesto Mein Kampf. Because the documentary was shot during a period when most people from the WWII era were still alive, there are fascinating interviews with those who knew Hitler well and they give interesting insights into the man's psyche. It becomes clear why Hitler was destined to become a national leader: he was unapologetic, cocksure and driven by a singular obsession to restore Germany as a leading world power. The film deftly covers the integral aspects of Hitler's rise to power, his stunning takeover of virtually all of Europe and his ultimate fatal mistakes: declaring war on America in solidarity with the Japanese and launching his misguided invasion of the Soviet Union. The movie also spends a good deal of time examining the human toll of the war on civilians and the graphic footage of concentration camps is as chilling today as it was decades ago. William Shirer appears periodically throughout to add his own historical perspectives. If the occasionally bombastic musical score sounds a bit like music from Mission: Impossible, it's because both programs were scored by Lalo Schifrin- and some of the background themes in Reich seem to be actually lifted from the classic spy series.

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is by no means a Ken Burns-type comprehensive look at a momentous historical era. However, it achieves its goals of condensing these events into a powerful, informative and timeless look at a time when the world truly seemed to have gone mad. It also serves as a cautionary tale in terms of allowing economic despair to lead to the election of false gods who wreak havoc on the societies they had vowed to save.

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Actress Suzanna Leigh, who was Elvis Presley's leading lady in Paradise Hawaiian Style, is embroiled in a distasteful legal battle with the son of a deceased model who claims Leigh stole a ring from his mother. The heirloom was given to his mom by the late actress Sharon Tate, who died at the hands of Charles Manson's gang in 1969. The son, an acclaimed documentary filmmaker,  claims Leigh had stolen the ring on the pretense of having it appraised. She allegedly never returned it. When his mother passed away recently, Leigh sold the ring at auction. The son is now taking legal steps to have that sale nullified. Leigh denies any wrongdoing. For more click here

Good news for fans of the literary Matt Helm: author Donald Hamilton's long out-of-print novels will be reprinted by Titan Books. The novels bear virtually no resemblance to the fun but campy Dean Martin films made in the 1960s, as Hamilton wrote straight forward, hard-hitting stories. For more click here 

For Matthew Bradley's analysis of the literary and cinematic  Matt Helm click here 

Here's a 1972 marketing ploy that you have to say is unique: pairing the exploitation horror film Blacula with the appropriately-named Jim Brown action pic Slaughter - and promoting the pair as perfect for the Christmas/New Year's season. After all, what says "Peace on Earth" more than a blood-sucking fiend who rises from the dead and a gut-busting, sex-obsessed private dick who takes no prisoners?

Joe Dante has unearthed a rare find for his Trailers From Hell site: a 1949 half-hour adaptation of Dickens' A Christmas Carol hosted by Vincent Price. The show's threadbare budget is all too apparent, but, hey- any project that combined the great talents of Charles Dickens and Vincent Price is worth a look. Click here to watch the entire broadcast.

By Todd Garbarini

Like most children of the 1970s, television viewing was a big part of my week. Beginning at 7:30 PM and ending two and-a-half hours later, my family’s Thursday nights consisted of That’s Hollywood, Mork and Mindy, Angie, Barney Miller, and Carter Country. Not having seen Barney Miller until well into its sixth season, I just assumed that the entire show took place in the police station. Now that the show’s entire series is available in a DVD box set, courtesy of the fine folks at Shout! Factory, my initial impressions of the show were proven wrong. The pilot episode features Barney Miller’s family, specifically his wife, played with charm by Barbara Barrie. Abe Vigoda, Maxwell Gail, and Ron Glass appear from the get-go, and guest star Chu Chu Malave, who played Maria’s boyfriend who tackles Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and (of all things) the delivery boy who seduces Bobbie Bresee in Mausoleum (1983), plays an out-of-control prisoner who commandeers Fish’s gun and holds the precinct hostage.

During the initial episodes, Barney Miller feels like it is trying to find its way, and it gets much funnier as it progresses into later seasons. If it were made today it more than likely would have been axed after a few lackluster-performing episodes. To think that it lasted eight seasons illustrates just how different the television landscape was back in the 1970s. What is most surprising is the level of diversity among the ethnic groups that were represented early on in the show. Although this is so commonplace now, it was sort of a watershed back then: Gregory Sierra as the Puerto Rican detective Chano; Max Gail as Polish Detective Stan "Wojo" Wojciehowicz; African-American Ron Glass as Harris (my personal favorite); Jack Soo as the deadpan Japanese-American Yemana; and Abe Vigoda as Fish - I cannot think of him in anything except The Godfather (1972).

Where the show always shined for me even at a young age was in the characterizations of both the detectives and the silly perps who made their way through the 12th Precinct in Greenwich Village. Ron Carey as Levitt and James Gregory as Inspector Luger always made me laugh when they showed up. This was not a show of one-liners, but rather one that dealt with a multitude of topics and situations and made them truly laugh-out-loud funny. The term “sitcom” really fits this show as the humanity and hilarity that ensues comes from the characters, not punch lines.

The first three seasons of Barney Miller had been released on DVD by Sony, but due to lackluster sales the remaining five seasons were neglected. Shout! Factory, on the other hand, has put together a beautiful DVD box set which belongs in the collection of all fans of the show. The entire series of 168 episodes is provided on 25 DVD’s and comes with a beautiful booklet that details the names of each and every episode and the original airdate. There is a half-hour look back at the show with Hal Linden, Max Gail, and Abe Vigoda; a half-hour description about the character’s creations; a featurette about the show’s writing; the show’s original, unaired pilot with Charles Haid(!); and all 13 episodes of Abe Vigoda’s short-lived spin-off series Fish from 1977.

Shout! Factory has done an extraordinary job of putting together this collection which was obviously done with a great deal of care and foresight. Highly recommended.

I would love to see the same treatment bestowed upon on T.J. Hooker, a favorite of mine from my teen-age years. This was another show that Sony released and abandoned after only the first two seasons made their way to DVD. Fingers crossed!

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Robert Easton's name may not be familiar to the public but for decades he has been the "go-to" guy for prominent actors who needed to master the art of speaking in different dialects. Easton started out as a character actor but feared that his southern accent would keep him typecast as hillbillies. He began to study regional accents and foreign languages and discovered he had an uncanny knack for not only mastering them, but for teaching them as well. In short order, he became a real life Henry Higgins, teaching such diverse talents as Charlton Heston, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert Duvall, Robert Vaughn,  Anne Hathaway and Forest Whitaker. As recently as a couple of weeks ago, he completed working with John Travolta on a project. Easton died this week of undisclosed causes at age 81. All the while, Easton worked as a supporting player and appeared in dozens of prominent films and TV series beginning in the early 1950s. Ironically, while Easton had initially wanted to avoid being typecast as eccentric country characters, he adopted just such a look in real life, sporting a long mane of white hair and a Moses-type beard. Click here to read about his remarkable career.

We're pretty late in posting this, but the sheer number of press releases and event announcements submitted to Cinema Retro has ye olde editor-in-chief occasionally finding himself guilty of letting some stories slip through the cracks. This is a press release relating to the new Star Babe Invasion retro comics that we're admittedly hooked on. You gotta love any magazine that has Raquel Welch, Barbara Eden and Bette Page on the cover!

STAR BABES RETURN!

Goofa Man Productions is all tingly to announce the release of the second issue of 3-D Pete’s Star Babe Invasion Comics!

The book takes an admiring look at those charismatic, curvaceous creatures from the cosmos... STAR BABES!

“I don’t know why I tend to focus on Star Babes,” admits the head honcho of Goofa Man Productions, Mike Fisher. “I mean,

they’re voluptuous women in skimpy costumes flying around in retro spaceships, blowing things to bits with cool-ass ray

guns. Why would ANY guy be drawn to that? I just can’t figure it out,” he wonders.  

This cosmic issue features a fun commentary on Jane Fonda’s classic Star Babe flick, Barbarella. Plus, read a 3-D Pete

tale of UFO abduction as well as an analysis of the Star Babes in the original Star Trek television series. This issue has

illustrations of sexy Julie Newmar, Raquel Welch, Marta Kristen, Nancy Kovack and more! Don’t forget the full-color center

spread of a gorgeous galactic girl! SKWONK-A-DONK!

The biggest scoop in this issue is an interview with fabulous Rachelle Wood — the most famous Star Babe you’ve never

heard of! Rachelle plays one of the hottie Star Babes in the Bud Light Close Encounters commercial which has enjoyed

a tremendous amount of airtime. Rachelle reveals all her Star Babe secrets when she confesses, “I was a Bud Light Star

Babe!”

ABOUT THE CREATOR

Fisher produces cartoons for Animation Magazine and other publications as well as online sites.

He contributed cartoons to Starlog magazine for over 20 years. 

In addition, Fisher produces award-winning independent short animations, which have shown at film festivals across the

country. His latest short video is a 30-minute documentary about UFOs, titled Craft of Unknown Origin. In this video, Fisher

uses his animation skills to visualize what UFO witnesses have seen.

If you have any questions for Mike, please contact him at galacticfish61@gmail.com. See more of Mike’s work at

www.goofaman.com.

TO ORDER 3-D PETE’S STAR BABE INVASION COMICS

The book is a 24-page, digest-sized comic with a full-color cover and a fabulous full-color center spread of a Star Babe!

ORDER NOW!

• ISSUE TWO (THE LATEST ISSUE) — Just send $5 to the address below.

• COLLECTOR’S ITEM, ISSUE 1 — Send $10 for this classic edition! Pete takes a look at Devil Girl from Mars as well as Star Babes from Star Trek and Lost in Space! While supplies last!

Star Babe Invasion/Mike Fisher

510 Enchanted Way

San Antonio, Texas

78260

Please make checks payable to Mike Fisher and specify which issue(s) you’d like. Thanks!

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from the BBC:

(Christmas Eve; 10:40pm; BBC FOUR)

BBC Bristol’s Timeshift reveals the Ten Commandments of Big Cinema as it goes behind the scenes of the biggest film genre of them all - the Hollywood Epic. See the biggest sets ever known! Hear the sound of Ancient Rome! Count the spiralling costs as budgets soared!  

From Ben-Hur to The Ten Commandments, from El Cid to Cleopatra, these were films that set a new standard in BIG. In the days before computers they recreated ancient worlds on a vast scale, and they did it for real. Epic cinema hired armies, defied the seasons and changed cinema. Even the screen wasn't big enough for the epic, so Hollywood made it bigger - and some cinemagoers experienced vertigo watching these vast productions.  

Today, the Epic lives on in the Oscar-laden Gladiator and the spectacular sweep of Avatar. As this documentary reveals, the stories behind the films are as spectacular as the films themselves.   

The programme will include a number of classic Hollywood Epics from the 1950s and 1960s, and will include rare behind the scenes footage of Charlton Heston being interviewed on the set of El Cid.  

BBC Four will also see a Season of Classic Epics, including The Fall of the Roman Empire, El Cid, Land of the Pharaohs and many more.   

More info can be found on the BBC Four Timeshift Programme Page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018jp1v

It's hard to believe but Diamonds Are Forever is 40 years old this month- the film, that is. The 1971 movie marked Sean Connery's return to the role of James Bond after a one film absence. (George Lazenby played the role in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.) The film is still considered a lukewarm entry in the series by die-hard fans, as it introduced the "over-the-top" humor that would define the series for many years to come. Still, it was a boxoffice blockbuster and did boast a great John Barry score and the trademark Ken Adam sets. The web site MI6 HQ has uncovered an interview with Connery conducted during the filming of Diamonds. Click here to read.

Here is the ultra rare Christmas teaser trailer for the film.

By Tom Lisanti

Steve McQueen: The Actor and His Films by Andrew Antonaides and Mike Siegel from Dalton Watson Fine Books is one of the finest, most lavish movie books about a single actor that I have ever read. All of iconic superstar Steve McQueen’s films are equally discussed from his classics (The Blob, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, The Cincinnati Kid, The Sand Pebbles, Bullitt, The Thomas Crown Affair, Papillon), to his lesser known earlier movies (Never Love a Stranger, The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery)An Enemy of the People, The Hunter), to his misfires (The Honeymoon Machine, Soldier in the Rain, Baby the Rain Must Fall), to his TV series (Wanted: Dead or Alive). Most coffee table-type movie books that I have encountered are extravagantly- made, featuring glorious photographs, but containing very little substance. However, Steve McQueen: The Actor and His Films is not only handsomely produced, featuring over 1,000 rare B&W and color photographs, but also contains an in-depth analysis of all of McQueen’s movies listed chronologically. This does not mean McQueen’s life story is ignored. The writers expertly weave in the actor’s journey into each chapter. Reading about his childhood clarifies his actions and behavior as an adult, such as his legendary insecurities and his determination not to bested by anyone particularly a co-star. Each film is allocated one chapter featuring a plot summary; a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie (often with comments from cast or crew); the reaction of critics and the audience to the final product; and an analysis of the movie itself and McQueen’s performance. All of this is accompanied by rare photos and a plethora of international color posters/lobby cards. Considering how much effort and expense went into the making of this book, you might  expect it to be nothing but a paean to the actor no matter what the merits of a specific movie. Not here. I commend the writers for taking an honest and balanced approach in commenting on McQueen’s choices and his performances.

As a film historian myself, my favorite part of the book is the backstory for each of the movies. The King of Cool on screen was not so beloved by many of his co-stars or directors off-screen. It is interesting to read about the tricks McQueen employed to upstage agitated movie star Yul Brynner on the set of The Magnificent Seven. Similarly, on Soldier in the Rain McQueen, somewhat immaturely, took out his frustrations on Jackie Gleason and director Ralph Nelson when his choice to direct the movie, Blake Edwards, walked just before filming began. The authors are correct to take him to task for his behavior here and on other movie sets. They rightly point out he was miscast as Soldier in the Rain’s loser G.I., delivering a performance that was “another oddity and one of the worst misfires of his career.” Indeed, it's McQueen’s awkward performance that drags co-star Jackie Gleason down. Sans McQueen on screen, Gleason is wonderful as evidenced in his scenes with the sparkling Tuesday Weld as his dumb blond blind date, who has some surprising insights to the world.

Each chapter of this book is wonderful in its own way. The standout chapters for me are those pertaining to The Sand Pebbles and Papillon, one of my favorite movies of all-time. The authors fairly give equal credit to the success of these films both to McQueen and their directors/writers. Thus, I was surprised that in their analysis of The Cincinnati Kid, the authors give director Norman Jewison most of the credit for its success and didn’t even mention screenwriter Terry Southern who took Ring Lardner, Jr.’s original script and rewrote it even as the movie was being shot. Some of the most iconic images from the film come from the mind of that genius satirist.

The authors offer such knowledgeable insight into McQueen’s less-successful films that I now have an urge to view. For instance, Nevada Smith, the prequel to 1964’s hit The Carpetbaggers. Critics dismissed this Henry Hathaway-directed western in 1966 and I believed the criticism of it being below-par. And since leading lady Suzanne Pleshette is one of my least favorites from the Sixties, I really had no desire to sit through it despite my admiration for McQueen. However, the authors create a convincing case for giving it a try, from the beautiful vistas that fill the wide-screen, to the expert way Hathaway juggles character development and action, to Pleshette’s character being not the typical love interest. Not to mention the fact that McQueen is shirtless throughout a lot of the movie, though they concede that it is a stretch to believe the actor, who was in his mid-thirties at the time, as a teenage half-Indian vowing revenge on the varmints that tortured and killed his parents. However, they conclude that McQueen triumphs over this and his performance “engages the viewer emotionally.”

I highly recommend Steve McQueen: The Actor and His Films by Andrew Antonaides and Mike Siegel to fans of the superstar and to Sixties/Seventies film enthusiasts. The authors do a superlative job from their perceptive prose to the magnificent visuals selected to accompany each chapter. A bit pricey you may say at $69 (cheaper on Amazon.com), but this spectacularly produced book is more than worth it.

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Everything old becomes new again. At at a time when movie fans are dumping VHS tapes and players into dust bins and thrift stores, the New York Times reports there is a sub-culture of horror fans who are keeping the format alive. Mind you, these aren't folks who sit around watching old Universal and Hammer horror films. Rather, they favor home grown, ultra crude productions that literally star the girl next door (who generally comes to a horrific end). There are enough of these VHS fans to merit some titles being newly released in the format. Click here to read

One of our favorite retro movie web sites, Cinebeats, pays tribute to Jack Cardiff's offbeat and sexually steamy Girl on a Motorcycle (aka Naked Under Leather) starring Marianne Faithfull and Alain Delon. Click here to read

(See Cinema Retro issue #14 for cover story and in-depth coverage of the film)

By Lee Pfeiffer

The boutique DVD label Twilight Time has released a limited edition (3,000 units) of the 1955 film The Left Hand of God starring Humphrey Bogart. The 1955 Fox drama is set in China in 1947, though it curiously avoids the topic of the battle between the forces of democracy and communism that raged throughout the country in the post-WII period. Bogart plays Jim Carmody, a soldier of fortune who finds himself stranded in China and serving as a military adviser for a local ruthless warlord. Although he's bribed with plunder and women, Carmody realizes he's still a virtual prisoner and plots his escape. This he accomplishes by adopting the identity of a recently murdered Catholic priest. He makes his way to a rural Christian mission where he continues his ruse. Caromdy knows just enough about Catholicism to fool the Christian converts at the mission, which is run by Dr. Sigman and his wife Beryl (E.G. Marshall and Agnes Moorehead, both in fine form) along with a beautiful young nurse, Anne (Gene Tierney). Although much of the plot devices outlined here are not revealed until well into the film, I assure you that this is no way diminishes the suspense quite simply because there isn't any. We know from the first few minutes that Bogart isn't really a priest, especially when he secretes a loaded pistol under his pillow.

The film, directed by the usually able Edward Dmytryk, is based on a novel that had been kicked around Hollywood for years before Fox took the plunge. It's a glum, humorless affair and the informative liner notes by Julie Kirgo tell us that Bogart was already in the early stages of ill health that would soon prove to be fatal. (He would only make two more films in rapid succession before passing away from cancer in 1957.) Similarly, Tierney's career was sidetracked as she battled mental illness. This was to be her big comeback movie but she would henceforth be relegated to supporting roles before retiring from acting in 1964. The film is filled with absurdities. Tierney struts around the isolated mountain mission in a wardrobe that makes it look like she just returned from the showroom at Saks 5th Avenue. As we've written about extensively in Cinema Retro, the practice of casting Caucasian stars in parts meant for Asian actors was firmly in place during this period. Thus, we have Lee J. Cobb as the charismatic Chinese warlord! That's right- Willy Lohman himself trading barbs with Bogart and using the same voice and mannerisms as his immortal villain Johnny Friendly from On the Waterfront. This is awkwardly explained by having him remind Bogart that he is a graduate of an American university! This can actually be the solution for all of our disaffected college grads who are frustrated with the lack of jobs. Instead of joining the Occupy Wall Street movement, they can simply move to Asia and become warlords. The profession may be dead in China, but it's booming in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Although the film was shot entirely on the Fox Ranch in California, it must be said that the excellent production design and creative use of matte paintings does make for a convincing "on location" feel. The film's other strength is a fine score by the great Victor Young. However, the plot meanders and ends up going nowhere. Even the potentially suspenseful threat of a vengeful warlord is derailed over a friendly game of dice.There is virtually no chemistry between Bogart and Tierney, despite some longing gazes. This is because Fox was concerned about offending the Catholic church so the film was scrubbed of all but the most innocent references to sex.

Twilight Time's transfer is up to their usual excellent standards and features Young's score on an isolated track. As mentioned previously, the company's inclusion of liner notes booklets in every release is a welcome touch, especially when they don't sugarcoat flawed films such as this. 

The Left Hand of God is not Bogart at his best, but even second rate Bogie is still worth a look.

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Craig on the set of Skyfall in London

One thing you have to say about Daniel Craig: he's bluntly honest. In an interview with Empire magazine, the screen's latest 007 promises that Skyfall will rival or surpass the quality of the acclaimed Casino Royale. Craig says he and director Sam Mendes are working hard to incorporate the aspects of the Bond films they grew up with into the new film. He also candidly discusses why many fans and critics were left cold by Quantum Of Solace, attributing the film's faults to fallout from a writer's script that found him having to help write certain sequences - "And a writer, I am not", says Craig. For more click here

By Todd Garbarini

Beauty and the Beast was a very successful film for Walt Disney upon its was released on Wednesday, November 13, 1991. The follow-up to the studio’s highly praised The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast proved that a new generation of audiences had a desire for animated film fare. As a result of this success, Disney decided to create another adventure with Belle and the Beast. The result was Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, which originally was intended as a theatrical continuation of the story, but ended up being produced for home video in 1997. The film may appear to be a sequel, but it is not. The action actually takes place within the timeline that occurs in the original film: after the fight with the wolves, but before the fight with Gaston.

Since the Beast was transformed from a Prince on Christmas, he is understandably Ebenezer Scrooge-ish when it comes to the yearly holiday, and forbids the mere utterance in his presence of any mention of the word. Belle must adhere to his wishes or face violent outburst, which are frequent, from the Beast. With the help of the castle’s anthropomorphized clock (Cogsworth), candle (Lumiere), tea pot (Mrs. Potts) and tea cup (Chip), Belle has to prove to the Beast that Christmas is a wonderful holiday.

The film was released on VHS cassette in 1997 and is now available on a double-disc set of a standard DVD and the high definition Blu-ray. As you can well imagine, the difference in picture quality between VHS and DVD is dramatic, and comparing the VHS to Blu-ray is even more startling. If you are a fan of this film, the upgrade is most definitely worth it.

In addition to the Enchanted Christmas, Disney is re-issuing their made-for-home video film Beauty and the Beast: Belle’s Magical World on standard definition DVD. This film was released on VHS in 1998 and was comprised of three separate segments: The Perfect Word, Fifi's Folly, and The Broken Wing. In 2003, the film was released on DVD and an additional segment, Mrs. Potts's Party, was added. It is this same DVD version that is being made available once again, this time with different cover art. If you have the VHS and are on the fence about upgrading, this new DVD is the way to go. If you already have the 2003 DVD version, there is no reason to upgrade.

The musical numbers in both films are quite nice, although the animation isn’t quite up to the high level of excellence of the original theatrical film. Paige O’Hara and Robbie Benson reprise their roles as Belle and the Beast, respectively, in both films.

The obvious audience for the films is children, girls in particular. The filmmakers reiterate the message that love can overcome differences between people in an entertaining way that never threatens to become overly-preachy.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS" BLU-RAY FROM AMAZON

CLICK HERE TO ORDER "BELLE'S MAGICAL WORLD" DVD FROM AMAZON

By Dean Brierly

The wait is over. The cult series It Takes a Thief (1968-1970), which starred Robert Wagner as Alexander Mundy, a world-class thief given a pardon by SIA director Noah Bain in return for plying his felonious trade on behalf of Uncle Sam, has finally arrived in a Region 1 DVD package. After years of DVD limbo marked by gray market bootlegs and an incomplete Region 2 release, multimedia company Entertainment One recently put out a deluxe, 18-disc box set featuring all 66 episodes from the entire three seasons.

The episodes have been digitally re-mastered, and while I haven’t looked at them all yet, the dozen or so I’ve watched are clear and sharp, with vibrant color and little video noise. Certain shots show their age more than others (these are typically stock shots), some nighttime scenes are a bit murky, and the amount of film grain is variable, especially in the season 3 episodes (which also exhibit some minor ghosting), but that’s understandable given the show’s age and the condition of the source material. I watched episodes from all three seasons on my 55-inch flat screen, albeit in the 4:3 ratio (which is how television series from the 1960s and ’70s should be watched), and was generally quite impressed with the picture quality. The audio is fine too, especially when I crank up the volume during the glorious title sequence.

Overall, the sound and video quality is a big upgrade from the 2010 Region 2 release from German company Polyband. (And Polyband only put out season 1 and half of season 2.) Even if Entertainment One had limited this to a bare-bones set, it would still be manna from TV heaven, but they’ve also stocked it with some terrific extras. Fans will be thrilled to learn that the set includes both the pilot episode, “A Thief is a Thief,” plus the long-unavailable, extended-length version of the pilot, which was released theatrically under the title “Magnificent Thief.”

In addition to that magnificent bonus, there is a 30-minute video interview with Wagner that touches on various aspects of the show’s production history, the creative team, the brilliant roster of guest stars, and his feelings about the character of Alexander Mundy. Wagner’s charisma remains as potent today as when he made the series, and he obviously retains a strong emotional connection to what was arguably his most famous role. The show’s abrupt and mystifying cancellation after season 3, despite solid ratings, took Wagner completely by surprise, and though he’s gracious about it, it’s clear he regrets the network’s decision. Listening to him wax reminiscent is pure gold.

As if that weren’t enough, there’s also a video interview with series writer and producer Glen A. Larson, who shares fascinating behind-the-scenes insights on the show’s inception, the differing styles of its producers, and the commitment to maintaining the scripts’ unique blend of narrative invention, suspense and sophisticated humor. Rounding out the extras are a collectible booklet with retrospective essay (full disclosure: penned by this Cinema Retro contributor), a limited-edition senitype (reproduced 35mm film frame) and 4-piece coaster set (for imbibing sophisticated cocktails while watching Mundy purloin secret documents and seduce beautiful girls).

The packaging is simple, functional and striking. The discs come packed in three sturdy foldout booklets (one for each season) that are liberally illustrated with rare publicity stills and cool screen grabs. The booklets themselves, plus the essay booklet, the senitype (which is set into a protective cardboard square) and the coasters, are kept in place in a cube-like box with an interior placeholder. It’s a bit unconventional, but works well enough.

Having already written extensively about the show on this site, I won’t dwell here on its creative DNA of action, espionage, humor and hedonism. Fans of It Takes of Thief are well aware of its ingenious premise, its jet set ambience, its swinging music, its urbane villains, and its smart and sexy women. They don’t need to be sold on its merits; they just want the opportunity to add it to their DVD collections. Suffice it to say that Entertainment One’s class treatment does justice to the legacy of this one-of-a-kind series and iconic star.

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(Click here to read Dean Brierly's 2010 review of the German DVD edition and overview of the series)

Looks like those folks at The Guardian in London have good taste when it comes to appreciating sexy film posters. The newspaper's web site has a photo tour of classic movie posters from Cinema Sex Sirens, the new book by Cinema Retro publishers Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer. Click here to view To order the book, click on banner at top of page.

By Todd Garbarini

Having grown up on the Rankin Bass Christmas specials since I was a child, the Yuletide season just isn't the same without a yearly viewing of some of their most enchanting shows. Since the 1960s and 1970s, specials such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, The Little Drummer Boy and The Year Without a Santa Claus were shown on the major television networks. In the late 1980s it became increasingly difficult to see most of these specials unless you had cable television or video cassette recorders as the major networks stopped airing them. With the availability of home video, the shows were inevitably made available to the masses and made great Christmas presents.

The fine folks at Classic Media have released some of these beloved Christmas classics on Blu-ray. In a two-disc set entitled The Original Christmas Classics, disc one contains Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town. Premiering on Sunday, December 14, 1970, Santa Claus is a stop-motion animated special that stars Fred Astaire as a postal worker who uses the device of children’s letters and inquiries about Santa as the basis for telling the story of how Santa came to be. Santa Claus is voiced by Mickey Rooney. The story is based upon the Christmas song of the same name and features a wide variety of musical numbers. There is the mean-spirited character Mayor Burgermeister Meisterburger who despises toys and arrests anyone in possession of one. There is a scene where his soldiers burn a group of toys in front of horrified young children. The sequence was often cut from some broadcasts because it was deemed too upsetting to kids. Fortunately, it has been restored for the Blu-ray, along with other scenes that were occasionally cut to accommodate more commercials

Disc two features three specials, the first of which is the most well-known of all, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which premiered on Sunday, December 6, 1964. Also running 51 minutes, the copyright year is erroneously listed as MCLXIV (1164), not MCMLXIV (1964). A stop-motion animated special that premiered on the NBC network and was sponsored by GE, Rudolph made its way to CBS for many years and is based on the Johnny Marks song of the same name. It features a lot of themes that are still prevalent today, including the consequences of bullying and name-calling. However, despite all of this, Rudolph triumphs in the face of adversity with his equally-spurned friend Hermie who wants to be a dentist!

Next up is Frosty the Snowman, a hand-drawn animated special from Sunday, December 7, 1969 that features Jimmy Durante and a host of enjoyable songs. The idea was to create a show that resembled a Christmas card and for the most part the concept is successful. A young girl, Karen, makes a snowman she christens “Frosty” and tops him off with a top hat she obtains from a magician. Karen is voiced by June Foray, best known for Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Cindy Lou Who, Witch Hazel, and Granny.

The final show is Frosty Returns from Tuesday, December 1, 1992 and it cannot hold a candle to its predecessors. It is a curiosity to behold as the dominant theme mirrors that of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, (i.e. corporate enterprise schemes to profit at the expense of the environment.) The show is also an exercise in political correctness as the there are no overt references to “Christmas.”

It is wonderful to see these specials in high definition, although Frosty Returns looks like it was mastered from a lower-quality video release and there is a fair amount of dot crawl prevalent. If you look closely at Santa Claus and Rudolph, you can see the wires that were used to move the characters around, something that was difficult to see on standard television viewings. The colors are strong and vibrant, especially in the sequence about the Island of Misfit Toys. Despite the aforementioned quality issues on Frosty Returns, it’s safe to say that, by and large, these gems have never looked better and make for a perfect holiday treat.

The programs are provided with the requisite chapter stops and have no extras.

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We all know that every blockbuster movie inspires a tidal wave of low rent imitators, but this ad from the Cinema Retro vault illustrates one of the more laughable rip-offs. Released in 1973, The Godchildren attempted to imitate the sheer power of The Godfather - but somehow putting a contract out on a guy who wears flower-decorated muumuu shirts seems more like a public service.

This 1980 trade magazine ad extolled the new technology of Dolby technology which would go on to revolutionize the experience of watching movies. Given George Lucas' creative input into the Dolby sound systems, it shouldn't be surprising that the advertisement features a theater marquee showing the recently-released The Empire Strikes Back, shown here in Dolby sound and in 70mm. Ah, 70mm- those were the days...

By Bill Duelly

(Photos copyright Jon Walmsley. All rights reserved.)

For many years I’ve been impressed by the enduring legacy of The Waltons, the hit CBS TV series from the 1970s that lives on in reruns today. There have been reunion movies and a remarkably enduring and enthusiastic fan base. Actress Michael Learned, the female lead of the series, was among other cast members who recently reunited at a 40^th anniversary celebration of the show at the legendary Loew’s Theatre in Jersey City, New Jersey. Learned describe the key to the show’s success as “love of family’. The surviving principal cast members, as well as supporting players, really do consider themselves an actual family and keep in close contact, often participating in each other’s personal lives and activities. The Loew’s event was not only a very sentimental reunion of the cast members but it also touched all those fans in attendance, as well.

Ray Castro, who has known many of the cast members for over decades, organized the event. He realized that the year 2011 marked the 40^th anniversary of the telecast of The Homecoming, the classic TV movie that inspired The Waltons. Castro was determined to celebrate the date with a special event and was delighted that cast members were in agreement. The Loew’s proved to be the perfect venue for the event. The wonderful old movie palace had been saved from the wrecking ball years ago and is staffed by a remarkable and enthusiastic group of volunteers. This ‘diamond in the rough’ frequently shows old movies in original 35mm format via carbon arc projectors on a 35 foot screen. The Waltons event included a screening of The Homecoming and a tribute to its star, the late Patricia Neal, a panel discussion and even a few songs; a holiday entertainment treat for a reasonable $20.

Retro's Dave Worrall with magazine contributor Madeline Smith, who starred with Ingrid Pitt in the Hammer horror hit The Vampire Lovers.

By Matthew Field

(Photos all copyright Mark Mawston)

On Wednesday 7th December Riverside Studios - a unique arts and media centre on the banks of the Thames in Hammersmith, London played host to special screening of the Hammer classic The Vampire Lovers.

Screened to celebrate the launch of Dave Worrall and Lee Pfeiffer’s new coffee table tome Cinema Sex Sirens – actress Madeline Smith was on hand to introduce the screening. Based on La Fanu's short story Carmilla, The Vampire Lovers was the first Hammer horror film of the 1970s and broke new ground with its erotic lesbian themes. Addressing the audience Smith amusingly recalled “I got a very worried phone call from the producer who said he was concerned about my lack of bosom. He said 'We like you a lot, but we don't think you are voluptuous enough'. I reassured him, and then I scuttled off to Hornby and Clarke dairy round the corner and I bought every yoghurt I could find and stuffed myself like you might fatten cattle, and it worked!”

Following the screening Dave Worrall was joined by Madeline to autograph copies of the book, which has been listed as one of the best film books of the year by the Evening Standard of London. Lavishly illustrated throughout the book is dedicated to Vampire Lovers star Ingrid Pitt. In attendance was Ingrid Pitt’s widower Tony Rudlin.

(Please note: Cinema Retro's limited, signed and numbered editions of Cinema Sex Sirens are now sold out in the UK. Click here to order from Amazon UK and get an extensive look at the inside of the book.)  A small number of copies are still available through our U.S. office for shipment with America. Click banner ad at top of page for details) 

(For Madeline Smith's memories of making The Vampire Lovers, see her article in Cinema Retro issue #3,available in our back issues section)

“I was born a nervous wreck, and I think movies were one way of transferring my own private horrors to everyone else’s lives". So said Steven Spielberg in 2007. If anyone shouldn't be nervous, it's Spielberg, who had already become a legendary director before he reached the age of 30. While most people equate Spielberg with directing, he also oversees a vast number of projects that he produces. The NY Times analyzes why Spielberg's passion for specific projects results in a workaholic lifestyle that will see him release two major films this year and a slate of other ambitious projects in 2012. Click here to read. 

An ultra rare pristine copy of Action Comics #1, the comic book that introduced Superman to the world in 1938, has blown away world records when sold recently by ComicConnect.com's auction service. The comic was given an Overstreet Guide estimated value of $1,050,000 but ended up selling for more than twice that amount: $2,161,000. While the value of many comics have  flatlined over the years, the "Golden Age" issues that introduced such icons as Superman and Batman continue to escalate. Adding intrigue to this auction was the fact that this issue had been stolen and was presumed lost forever- until surfacing in a Los Angeles garage recently. For more click here

Not even the NRA would endorse this one!

By Lee Pfeiffer

An ambitious, off-beat Western produced by and starring Rod Taylor, Chuka is ultimately undermined by a complete lack of humor and threadbare production values. It appears all the production money went into salaries for the talented and high profile cast that includes Luciana Paluzzi, Ernest Borgnine, John Mills, Louis Hayward, James Whitmore and Cinema Retro's own Joe Sirola. The plot finds Taylor as Chuka, a legendary gunslinger who ends up at a remote U.S. Army fort that is destined to be attacked by an overwhelming number of Indians, who are facing starvation and desperate to get the food stored in the outpost. Chuka tries to reason with the martinet commanding officer, Colonel Valois (John Mills), a transplanted ex-British army officer who is trying to overcome alcoholism and depression over the fact that he has been relegated to overseeing a company of misfit soldiers, each with a sordid past. Valois stubbornly refuses to listen to Chuka's admonition that the only way the inhabitants of the fort can survive is if they abandon the place and leave the food for the Indians. Determined to finally prove he can be a competent army officer, Valois wants to engage the tribe in battle- despite the fact that the odds are against him. Complicating the situation is the presence of two young women, Veronica (Luciana Paluzzi) and Helena (Angela Dorian), who are isolated at the fort due to the threat from the Indians. Chuka feels a sense of personal responsibility for Veronica, as they had almost engaged in a love affair some years earlier.

Most of the tension in Chuka derives from the conflicts between the inhabitants of the fort. It seems that every solider has a skeleton in his closet and resentments against the colonel and each other mount until a mutiny is attempted. The problem with the screenplay is that there is far too much baggage for each character to carry and the storyline begins to take on soap opera-like patterns. The sin of it all is that the movie dares to be ballsy enough to forgo a certain number of cliches and dare to present the protagonists in an unsympathetic light. Chuka may be the hero, but he's hardly a symbol of virtue. The colonel deals with accusations of cowardice while hiding a shocking secret that refutes that notion. Even his steadfast sergeant (Ernest Borgnine) has a secret reason for being slavishly devoted to the colonel.

The performances are fine throughout. The primary problem with the film is the shockingly skimpy production values. Sequences in the fort are confined to a tiny area that gives the sets less grandeur than Fort Courage in the average episode of F Troop. The poor lighting only highlights the obvious studio setting. The always capable director Gordon Douglas does manage to provide some genuine suspense including a dinner sequence in which the drunken colonel verbally eviscerates his officers for their lack of loyalty. There's also a well-staged drag-down fight between Taylor and Borgnine and a far too tame sex sequence between Taylor and Paluzzi. Old pros Whitmore, Hayward and Sirola add capable support but have little to do.

Chuka is a passable time-passer but never fulfills its ambitions of being a truly memorable Western, though the ending does have its share of surprises and shocking moments.

The film was released by Paramount on DVD in 2005 but has been out of print for several years. A new, sealed version sells for over $50 on Amazon. The movie has its flaws but deserves to be accessible to retro film lovers, so let's get it back on the market!

On the What Culture! web site, writer Jame Simpson has an extended and ambitious article comparing whether John Wayne or Clint Eastwood were effective in various film genres: Westerns, war movies and detective thrillers. Click here to read and see if you agree with his conclusions.

By Lee Pfeiffer

By the way some reviews describe this moody 1967 film, one might think they are dealing with a story about the supernatural. Dame Edith Evans, giving a bravura Oscar-nominated performance, plays an elderly woman who believes she can hear conspiratorial voices plotting against her. She reprimands them but they keep returning. They are the titular "Whisperers"- however, this plot angle is only fleetingly explored in Bryan Forbes downbeat but impressive film. In fact the movie is a character study that illustrated the plight of the elderly in Britain at that time. The Brits may have been on the winning side in WWII, but the social consequences of living in a nation that was financially crippled because of the consequences of that conflict were severe. The popular image of England in the mid to late 1960s was that of London being the epicenter of the pop culture revolution. British bands dominated international pop charts, British fashions were all the rage and The Beatles and James Bond appeared to be far more than the usual flash-in-the-pan rages (a theory that has been proven true over the ensuing decades). However, outside of London, the British working class were often relegated to spartan lifestyles with pensioners particularly vulnerable to various societal degradations.

The Whisperers personifies this dilemma through the character of Mrs. Ross (Evans), who eeks out a daily battle to survive while trying to retain some vestiges of her dignity. She lives in a dreary public housing flat in Manchester and the city is presented by Forbes as the armpit of England, with smokestacks belching polluted fumes into the skies while impoverished children play aimlessly in the streets amid vacant, partially collapsed buildings. Mrs. Ross can only exist because of social services but, as Roger Ebert pointed out in his review of the film, even the best-intentioned societies can humiliate those they seek to help. Thus, her request for a simple pair of shoes necessitates a personal visit from a well-meaning social worker (well played by Kenneth Griffiths) to examine her current pair to ensure they do indeed merit being replaced. Financially, the loss of a single pound can wreak havoc on her life and she can only get it replaced by the local government if she files a formal report with the police. A free cup of soup at a nearby church comes at a price: the reverend makes the recipients feign religious devotion and sing hymns before they can eat. This is a "kitchen sink" drama in which the kitchen sink literally plays a role, with the slow steady dripping of this standard household fixture taking on an ominous air.

Publicity photo for Brosnan's first Bond movie, GoldenEye (1995)

Maybe it's because he's had some substantial hits in movies like Mamma Mia! and The Ghost Writer  since retiring from the role of 007, but Pierce Brosnan says "I never go near them" when referring to the four James Bond films he starred in. Brosnan says he's proud of his work in the series but is all too happy to pass it on to Daniel Craig and company, saying not even his sons can induce him to sit down and watch one of his Bond films with them. For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

MGM's burn-to-order division has released the 1955 film The Quatermass Xperiment on DVD. The film was essential in establishing the "Hammer Horror" brand that would serve the British studio well in the years to come. The movie was based on a BBC mini-series that had won acclaim for its intelligent treatment of a science fiction/horror story. By necessity, however, many of the nuances of the TV series were omitted when transferring the storyline to an 82 minute feature film.

The movie begins with a War of the Worlds-like scenario: a rocket ship crashes on a remote farm, thus causing a media frenzy. It turns out the ship is not from an alien world. Rather, it is the brainchild of a respected scientist, Prof. Quatermass (Brian Donlevy) who has secretly engaged three astronauts to make an unauthorized flight into space. The crash landing back on earth convinces Quatermass that bucking official authorities has paid off: this is the first manned rocket to enter space and return to earth. However, there are some unexpected complications: two of the three astronauts and inexplicably missing and the third, Carroon (Richard Wordsworth), is reduced to a trance-like state, staring catatonically into thin air and not speaking to even his wife and closest associates. As Quatermass and his colleagues attempt to solve the riddle of the missing astronauts, Carroon becomes a virtual killing machine. It turns out he has been infected by an alien presence that could wipe out humanity if a way isn't found to stop him. 

The above photo of Steve McQueen in Bullitt presents the legendary actor after he was well-established as a screen superstar. However in 1963 he was yet to hit major stardom and was primarily known for his TV series Wanted: Dead or Alive. His success in the 1960 film The Magnificent Seven had yet to be fully capitalized on. That would change with the release of The Great Escape later in 1963. In the interim, Life magazine sent photographer John Dominis to spend some casual time with McQueen and his wife Neile at their home in California. The photos that Dominis captured offer some truly remarkable insights into the brash young actor, who would become increasingly private as his fame soared. There are photos of McQueen racing cars, working out, cuddling with his wife and hunting in the mountains. Click here to view

It's deja vu all over again when it comes to movie poster designs.

We often rail about the sad state of movie poster marketing campaigns today. In the past, cheapo movies had ad campaigns that made them look like epics. Today, we have genuine epics with posters so poor it makes them look like low-budget monstrosities. Plagiarism is rampant, also. Check out the following article from the Gizmodo site to see how one successful poster campaign inspires endless legions of imitators for decades to come. Click here to read

John Wayne's beloved yacht, The Wild Goose, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Duke purchased the converted minesweeper in 1962 and loved relaxing with friends and family on board. Among the dignitaries he entertained on the vessel were future presidents Richard M. Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Wayne also leased the boat out for TV and movie productions including the films Skidoo and The President's Analyst, as well as the classic television series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. For more click here

Vivid's X-rated spoof of Batman was the top-grossing porn film of 2010.

By Lee Pfeiffer

When you think of porn films, you probably envision the old days when guys wearing trenchcoats would slink into grungy theaters. Today it's as mainstream as you can get with couples all over the world indulging in naughty fare in the privacy of their own homes. However, the industry has been hit hard by the seemingly limitless number of web sites that provide X rated materials for free. Consequently, the glory days of making a fortune in porn video have come and gone. That is, with the exception of Vivid, the first porn production company to become a giant in its field. By industry standards, they are to the X-rated world what MGM once was to Hollywood: providing (relatively) gigantic budgets of hundreds of thousands of dollars to their films. They also put effort into actually getting witty scripts to accompany the huffing and puffing on-screen and devote up to six months to bringing a film to a, ...er, climax. They also have a "wanted list" of any celebrity sex tapes that make it to the open market. Many of these have supposedly been lost or stolen, but more cynical minds believe they are actually leaked to the industry by the participants themselves in order to ensure further publicity. For more click here

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Steven Spielberg defends (kinda defends, anyway) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Although the film earned a fortune at the boxoffice, it's generally hated by fans who believe everyone involved just did the project to earn a sizable paycheck. In the candid interview, Spielberg acknowledges some of the story points went against his own instincts but he wanted to be loyal to George Lucas, who wrote the script. For more click here

With the new 007 flick in production, the MI6-HQ web site takes a look back at the opening of the second James Bond film From Russia With Love and how it fared with critics and the public. Click here to read

Alan Sues, a regular on the ground-breaking Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In series, has died at age 85.  Although Sues never officially said he was gay at the time, he was one of the first mainstream performers to proudly portray effeminate characters on mainstream TV shows. By 1968, when Laugh-In premiered, societal values were radically changing, allowing Sues and other cast members to be themselves. Sues specialized in playing flamboyant characters including Uncle Al, the Kiddies' Pal, a drunken and rude host of a children's TV show. Sues' personality fit well into the "anything goes" mix of the Laugh-In jokes and crazy characters. He stayed with the show through 1972. He also appeared in classic TV series such as The Wild, Wild West and The Twilight Zone. He played Prof. Moriarty in the acclaimed 1975 Broadway production of Sherlock Holmes. Click here for more.

Writers Peter Enfantino and John Scoleri's addictive blog To the Batpoles offers in-depth insights into specific episodes of the Batman TV series- and provides some interesting clips. Click here to read

By Giacomo Selloni

   "I was born in Harlem... I weighed a pound and a quarter and the doctor said 'If he survives, he'll be a genius,' but, he said, 'Don't count on it'."  Thus begins Irwin Hasen's narration of his life in "Irwin - A New York Story" by painter, and first-time filmmaker Dan Makara. The short film was presented at the famous Players club in Manhattan on November 30, 2011. In it Mr. Hasen speaks candidly and openly about his career, work and especially his personal life. The documentary short takes you back and forth through Hasen's miserable childhood, first "paying" job, schooling, being in on the ground floor of the burgeoning comic book industry, army stint and most importantly the creation for which he's most famous, "Dondi", the newspaper comic strip he drew for over 30 years. Hasen, at age 92, is also one of the few surviving comic book artists of the Golden Age period, having worked on Superman, Green Lantern and many other classic titles.  Many of his friends, also legends in comic industry also appear in the film to reminisce. Coming in at almost 55 minutes, "Irwin" is a bit long for a short; not unlike the man himself. At times funny (Mr. Hasen is often self-deprecating), moving, nostalgic and cartoonish (as it should be), "Irwin - A New York Story" is a colorful and honest look at a true New York and comic book art legend. He also tells you how to make a great martini!

Click here to visit Facebook page for the film

Cast a Giant Shadow: can young Ben Whishaw overcome Desmond Llewelyn's indelible portrayal of Q?

I don't care if Ben Whishaw is considered one of the best young English actors of his generation; he is all wrong for the part of Q precisely because he is too young and handsome. I'm not expecting a clone of Desmond Llewelyn or John Cleese or Alec McCowen to reprise the role of Bond's sarcastic old gadget provider in Skyfall, but Whishaw's delicate features and tousled hair are more suited to decadent poets and rock and roll stars (you may remember his young Keith Richards in STONED/2005). Whishaw would also make an excellent Dr. Who. (I think 70-year-old Jon Finch – once considered to play James Bond – would have been an interesting choice for Q.) I have a bad feeling about Whishaw's taking on the role. Back in 1999, the luscious 28-year-old model Denise Richards was cast as a nuclear scientist in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, starring Pierce Brosnan as Bond. Sex bomb Richards (fresh from her success in STARSHIP TROOPERS) was so miscast as "Dr. Christmas Jones" that her scenes elicited laughter... The part of Q requires a certain amount of gravitas that 31-year-old Whishaw at present is rather lacking in.

- Harvey Chartrand

Retro responds: Judging by the general reaction across the board among Bond fans, most seem to be siding with your point-of-view. To your point, I think it would be a mistake to present the character of Q as a loveable eccentric. That vision of the role is indelibly the domain of the beloved Desmond Llewelyn. Although I have my concerns, history has taught us not to jump to conclusions about casting decisions in Bond movies. The notion of Denise Richards playing a scientist and Tanya Roberts playing a geologist seemed to be laughable on the surface-- and those fears proved to be well-founded. On the other hand, right up to the night of the royal premiere of Casino Royale you would be hard-pressed to find anyone enthused about the chances of Daniel Craig making a good James Bond. There were even web sites entirely dedicated to predicting disaster due to his casting. Not many people are making that argument today. As for Whishaw, one must remember that Eon are continuing to reinvent the franchise from the ground up. Thus, any preconceived notion of the character of Q has to be relegated to history. There are some serious and enormously talented people working on Skyfall - and those in the know who have seen the script say its sensational. So let's reserve judgment until we see how creatively Whishaw's talents are utilized. - Lee Pfeiffer

Empire, the long-running British film magazine, has compiled a list of the 100 greatest British films. Usually these lists are written by people whose frame of reference doesn't extend back beyond the 1980s, but this is an insightful compilation and includes so many worthy movies that you'll feel compelled to finally see those that have eluded you. Click here to read