BY JOHN M. WHALEN

Back in the 1950s, before he became a legend, filmmaker Sam Peckinpah (“The Wild Bunch,” “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia,” and “The Killer Elite”) wrote scripts for TV westerns, including “Gunsmoke,” “The Rifleman,” and “Tombstone Territory.” His reputation grew and in 1957 he wrote his first screenplay entitled “The Glory Guys” which was based on Hoffman Birney’s novel, “The Dice of God.” The book was a fictional account of Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn, with all names changed. The script went unproduced for almost eight years, and in the meantime Sam had moved on, directing features including “The Deadly Companions” (1960), “Ride the High Country” (1962) and “Major Dundee” (1965).

You would think that with that growing resume, Peckinpah would have been able to direct anything he wanted to, but such was far from the case. “Bloody Sam,” as he was called, affectionately by his fans, and not so affectionately by his critics, had a way of getting into fights with the wrong people. Arguments and disagreements with producers and studio heads were numerous, and he acquired a reputation as a “madman” after he ran way over budget and schedule, shooting “Major Dundee” all over locations around Durango, Mexico. The situation on “Dundee” was so bad star Charlton Heston put up his own money to finish the film when the suits threatened to pull the plug. And this, even after Heston one day on set had gotten so furious with Peckinpah he charged him on horseback with his saber. Luckily the director was on a crane and moved out of the way.

TV and movie producers Arthur Gardner, Arnold Laven, and Jules Levy, who had produced “The Rifleman” series, had held on to Sam’s script for “The Glory Guys,” and by 1964 were ready to make it as a feature film. But since he had just gotten fired from the “The Cincinnati Kid” after another dispute over creative disagreements, they didn’t want to take a chance on Sam directing it. Laven decided to direct it himself. It has been reported on IMDb that Peckinpah did some work on it, but Peckinpah historians Nick Redman, Paul Seydor and Garner Simmons, in the audio commentary included on the Twilight Time Blu-ray, totally dispute those reports. “The Peckinpah Posse,” as they are by now known after having done quite a few commentaries and written books about the director, state categorically he would not even have been able physically to be in Mexico at that time due to other commitments.

The posse members know a thing or two about Peckinpah and yet I was mystified when they seemed surprised at the similarities between “The Glory Guys” and “Major Dundee.” It’s pretty obvious that in many ways, “Dundee” is a polished, more thoughtful rewrite of “The Glory Guys” by a man who by then had eight years of TV and movie-making experience under his belt. Seydor and Simmons also seem dismissive of “The Glory Guys,” as nothing more than an expanded TV show, constantly pointing to clichés in both directing and writing. It’s a bit annoying to hear these experts spouting their opinions, which seem more aimed at impressing viewers with their knowledge, than providing any insight into the film. Only Nick Redman seems to actually like the film, and in my opinion there’s a lot to like.

There are constant themes and archetypes in all of Peckinpah’s movies, even here in this early work. The abuse of power by those in authority, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, the clean honesty of certain men finally revealed when the chips are down, and the sad poetry of the loser are ideas that Peckinpah would come back to again and again in his films. As “The Glory Guys” can be seen as an early, and not completely satisfying, draft of “Major Dundee,” so can that film be seen as the precursor to “The Wild Bunch,” which represents the apotheosis of all of his ideas in undoubtedly his greatest work.

Perhaps one reason the film compares unfavorably to “Dundee” is the cast. Chisel-jawed Tom Tryon as the lead, Captain Demas Harrod, is no Charlton Heston. His co-star Harve Presnell was no Richard Harris, his counterpart in “Dundee.” Senta Berger (who would star with Charlton Heston in “Dundee”) and James Caan, however, come off rather well. Andrew Duggan, another overly-familiar TV face, plays General Frederick McCabe, the vainglorious stand in for George Armstrong Custer.

Peckinpah’s take on the novel and the Little Big Horn is typically his. Don’t expect a repeat of “They Died with Their Boots On,” with Errol Flynn fighting to the end with his troops, surrounded by hundreds of Sioux. In fact, his script does not even include the battle at all. We see only the aftermath from Captain Harrod’s point of view: a body-strewn battlefield with a white stallion standing alone in the far distance, the fictional stand in for Comanche, the only survivor of Big Horn. It’s a powerful statement and one only an artist like Peckinpah could make. What critics often failed to understand about him was that even though the films he made were violent and, later on, bloody, the violence wasn’t the point. What he really wanted to show was the aftermath.

Aside from the informative, if somewhat frustrating, commentary track, Twilight Time has included a half-hour interview with Senta Berger, who made three films with Peckinpah (“The Glory Guys,” “Major Dundee” and “Cross of Iron” (1977). In Mike Siegel’s documentary “Passion and the Poetry: Sam and Senta,” the actress reveals that she first met the director at a studio function in Europe when she was just starting her career. Sam took a liking to her and put her in the films, adding her scenes to already finished scripts.

There are other supplements including  "Promoting The Glory Guys", which features international marketing materials, the original theatrical trailer and a short film about legendary cinematographer James Wong Howe, whose work filming the locations in Mexico in Panavision provides one of the real pleasures of the movie.  While I thought the interior shots seemed a little on the dark side, when the cameras move outside, the film comes alive. Howe’s compositions, especially in the exterior action scenes, the way he staged the cavalry formations, the battle scene on the river, are all masterfully done. The release includes an illustrated booklet with insightful liner notes by Julie Kirgo. 

All in all, this is a superb release, definitely a “must have.” “The Glory Guys” may not be a masterpiece, but it is entertaining and fascinating as an early glimpse into the creative mind of a filmmaking genius. Just make sure you watch it before you listen to the audio commentary to avoid spoilers.

(This is a limited edition release of 3,000 units).

CLICK HERE TO ORDER 

John M. Whalen is the author of "Hunting Monsters is My Business: The Mordecai Slate Stories" . Click here to order the book from Amazon)

BY BILL DUELLY

We’ve seen them at sci-fi or collectibles conventions shows; some more so in England than the US. They man tables with stacks of photos, offering autographs or pictures for a fee.  In many cases their faces aren’t familiar, as their characters wore heavy makeup or masks in their appearance in the original “Star Wars” film. Still, even as you approach them face-to-face some of these people still don’t ring a bell. Maybe it’s because their scenes were deleted or they were an extra amongst many. Others, you discover are a familiar masked character and you are happy to chat for a few moments with them, as that movie, and its two sequels (I am only referring to the original trilogy starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher), had such a lasting impact on your childhood.

“Elstree 1976” is a recent documentary that follows ten such actors who, during the summer of 1976, played various roles while filming at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, England and on location in Tunisia. This cast is comprised of: David Prowse (Darth Vader), Paul Blake (Greedo), John Chapman (X Wing Pilot- Red 12- Drifter), Anthony Forrest (Fixer & Sandtrooper), Laurie Goode(Stormtrooper & Cantina Creature), Garrick Hagon (Biggs Darklighter) , Angus MacInnes (X-Wing Pilot), Derek Lyons (Medal Bearer- Throne Room ), Pam Rose (Leesub Sirlin- Cantina Character) and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett) (Note: Bulloch appears late in this movie, as he joined the “Star Wars” cast during “The Empire Strikes Back” a few years later.)

The first 40 minutes or so of this piece seem rather sluggish and confusing, as we are introduced to this large group and listen to fairly detailed life histories. Once we start to get into the discussion of the actual filming itself, the pace picks up considerably and it becomes a much more interesting experience. We find out that this was basically just another job to many of these people who had just showed up during general casting calls. England was a busy place for film production in the 70s and 80s and there was a very relaxed, informal atmosphere at the studios and amongst the performers. Prowse was cast due to his large physical frame (he was a body builder) and Jeremy Bulloch went on the advice of his half-brother, co-producer Robert Watts. The production anecdotes are very interesting and through it all no one had any clue that what they were involved with would be such a phenomenon that continues to this day and probably will well into the future.

The after-stories are often the most interesting; many of the cast members just continued with day work in the movies or went back to other interests. Angus MacInnes continued acting and ended up with Harrison Ford again in 1984’s “Witness” as one of the crooked cops (it would have been nice if this reunion of sorts was expanded upon); David Prowse began personal appearance tours around release of “The Empire Strikes Back” and over time found himself on the wrong side of Lucasfilm. Prowse alleges that whenever he would publicly inquire about unpaid royalties from “Return of the Jedi”, Lucasfilm would tell him that the movie had yet to turn a profit. Because of his public criticisms, Prowse is now banned from ‘official’ “Star Wars” events, such as Disney “Star Wars” weekends and the yearly celebrations.

When the film addresses the subject of fan conventions, the actors discuss the caste system … those who receive on screen credit and those who are ‘extras’. The extras generally are viewed as opportunists. How far this feeling extends into the fan base is another story that we really don’t get the answer to.

Although “Elstree 1976”, which was directed by Jon Spira, has many merits that will please “Star Wars” fans, I was disappointed that there wasn’t more emphasis on behind-the-scenes photos and footage of the actual shoot, not recreated scenes with the interviewees. It’s probable that rights issues prevented this from occurring. Smatterings of clips from “Star Wars” are shown but they are all too brief. Additional visual materials would have considerably enhanced this documentary. Also, with a title like “Elstree 1976”, I would have appreciated more detail about the legendary studio itself and some discussions of famous films that were shot there and how the studio has impacted the area of Borehamwood, especially in the wake of other UK-based studios that are no longer around. There is also a missed opportunity in that the documentary makers did not capitalize on the fact that Elstree has a prop/mechanics shop that still houses artifacts from the original film such as matte paintings, prop light sabers, original droid blueprints, etc. A visit to this facility would have greatly enhanced the viewing experience.

The video release from FilmRise reviewed for this article is a special edition Blu-ray.  One of the special features does have a few of these actors returning to the empty Stage 7 where the Millennium Falcon was built for the hanger scenes. Lacking any compelling visuals, the tour around an empty set rings somewhat hollow. Other special features include some comments from the cast that were cut out from the final version of the documentary, a trailer and a director’s commentary.

It should be noted that this is a grassroots production funded by a Kickstarter campaign, so viewers should keep in mind that the director had limited resources. As such, it’s an ambitious undertaking that, despite the film’s shortcomings, provides an interesting look at aspects of the “Star Wars” franchise that have never been explored from this particular angle.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM THE CINEMA RETRO MOVIE STORE

Time Life has released the retro TV comedy series "Hee Haw" as a 14-DVD boxed set. Here is the official press release:

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Pickin’ and grinnin’, singin’ and spinnin’ tall tales and corny jokes, the citizens of Kornfield Kounty landed on television in 1969 with the arrival of HEE HAW as a summer replacement series for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. With a cast of down-to-earth characters including Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones and Archie Campbell, knee-slapping comedic zingers, and jaw-dropping musical performances, the comedy-variety show, co-hosted by Buck Owens and Roy Clark, captivated the country. In 1971, after two successful years, CBS dropped the show in an effort to “de-countrify” the network’s programming; however, it was quickly picked up and aired for the next 21 years, making HEE HAW the longest-running weekly syndicated original series in television history.

In a new-to-retail set, HEE HAW: THE COLLECTOR’S EDITION offers 14 HEE-larious discs featuring some of the best sketches and brightest stars from the series’ impressive 23-year history, rarely seen since their original broadcasts. Across 21 vintage hours, viewers can sit back and be entertained by korny klassics such as “PFFT! You Were Gone,” “Gordie’s General Store,” “Board Fence,” “Cornfield” and “Moonshiners” -- as well as the all-time favorites “Rindercella” and “Trigonometry.” And because HEE HAW was a favorite stop for country music’s biggest stars and legends, THE COLLECTOR’S EDITION also features hundreds of classic performances from Hall of Famers at the peaks of their careers including Tammy Wynette ("Stand By Your Man"), George Jones ("White Lightnin"), Merle Haggard (“Okie From Muskogee"), Waylon Jennings ("Me and Bobby McGee"), Johnny Cash ("I Walk the Line”), Jerry Lee Lewis ("Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On"), Tanya Tucker ("Delta Dawn"), and Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty ("Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man") and too many others to name.

Though the last “new” episode aired in 1992, this 14-disc collector’s edition perfectly captures the reasons why HEE HAW was one of the longest-running and best loved television variety shows of all time!

BONUS FEATURES

New interviews with show regulars including Roy Clark, Lulu Roman, George Lindsey, Charlie McCoy and Jim and John Hager

Additional bonus programming includes all-time favorite comedy from the early years in “Hee Haw Laffs,” featuring “Board Fence,” “Doctor Spot,” “Old Philosopher,” “Haystack,” “Schoolhouse” and other knee-slappers 

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

BY DOUG OSWALD

Robert Wagner is a college student trying to end the relationship with his pregnant girlfriend in “A Kiss Before Dying,” recently released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber. Joanne Woodward is Dorothy “Dorie” Kingship, the girlfriend who falls in love with handsome Bud Corliss (Wagner). Bud is a local guy attending college on the GI Bill while living at home with his doting widowed mother played by Mary Astor. Dorie is deeply in love with Bud, believing they will get married and live happily ever after. However, Bud has a more sinister view of the relationship as he is more interested in Dorie’s inheritance than her love. His greed graduates to a plot to murder Dorie when he realizes Dorie’s father will disinherit her upon learning of her pregnancy.

Bud’s first attempt to murder Dorie by poisoning her with chemicals he steals from the college chemistry department is a failure. He researches the proper chemicals in the college library and, like a bank robber, cases the locked room where the chemicals are stored. He also writes a fake suicide note and tells Dorie the pills are vitamins for the baby and she must take them that night. She agrees and says goodnight to Bud, who mails the suicide note. The next day Bud seats himself at his usual desk in class expecting to hear news about Dorie when she walks in.

The shocked Bud scrambles unsuccessfully to retrieve the suicide note, but immediately comes up with a new plan. He tells her they are going to get married at city hall which is everything Dorie wants to hear. Arriving early, they head for the observation area on the roof where the film’s most dramatic sequence is set in motion.

There’s a foreshadowing of “Psycho” with the relationship between Bud and his mother as well as the involvement of the intended victim’s sister. Mrs. Corliss is oblivious to Bud’s true nature and he resents her intrusiveness. Jeffrey Hunter is Gordon Grant, a college professor who knows Bud and Dorie and takes an interest in mysterious matters concerning Dorie.He connects with Dorie’s sister Ellen Kingship (Virginia Leith of “The Brain that Wouldn’t Die” fame), who is suspicious events that transpire- and Bud in particular. I’ll not reveal the climax, the movie comes to an entertaining and satisfying conclusion.

Directed by Gerd Oswald and released by United Artists in 1956, the screenplay by Lawrence Roman is based on the novel by Ira Levin. The movie is beautifully photographed in Cinemascope by Lucien Ballard (“The Killing” and “The Wild Bunch”) giving the film a dream-like- look and feel which is aided by the on-location filming. The movie was made in and around Tucson, Arizona including a copper mine south of town where the climax takes place.

Wagner is terrific as the psychopathic killer because, initially, we want to like him and hope he will do the right thing. Jeffrey Hunter appears in the movie too briefly, but is a welcome addition to the cast. Joanne Woodward gives a sincere performance as the cursed Dorie with Virginia Leith, Mary Astor and George Macready rounding out the impressive supporting cast. The Kino Lorber Blu-ray looks beautiful and sounds great with a running time of 94 minutes. The original trailer is the only extra on the disc. This entertaining thriller is highly recommended for fans looking for an engaging psychological thriller.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

NOW AT A REDUCED PRICE! ONLY $61.00 THROUGH AMAZON...ORIGINAL PRICE WAS $149.00- FREE SHIPPING FOR PRIME MEMBERS.

Time to put up your Dukes! (DVDs, that is!)

DVD COLLECTION OF 40 WARNER AND PARMOUNT FILMS IS LARGEST JOHN WAYNE BOX SET EVER

INCLUDES HOURS OF SPECIAL FEATURES AND REMARKABLE MEMORABILIA

AMAZON BUYERS GET EXCLUSIVE WAYNE BELT BUCKLE 

Here is the original press release from when the set was originally made available:  

To commemorate one of America’s most iconic film heroes, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will introduce a comprehensive new DVD set -- John Wayne: The Epic Collection -- on May 20. The spring release, just in time for Father’s Day gift-giving, will contain 38 discs with 40 Wayne films (full list below), including The Searchers, once called one of the most influential movies in American history[1] and the film for which Wayne won his Best Actor Academy Award^®, True Grit (1969). The collection comes packaged in a handsome book with unique collectibles and hours of special features.

The coffee table book includes a chronological presentation of Wayne films, enhanced with wonderful photographs; the hours of special features include commentaries, documentaries, featurettes, vintage shorts and classic cartoons; and the special John Wayne collectibles include personal correspondence, script pages/covers, pages with Wayne’s notations and behind-the-scenes artifacts.

Wayne’s legacy will also be celebrated at the 4^th annual John Wayne Film Festival in Dallas from April 24^th through the 27^th. The four-day festival will feature screenings of some of Wayne’s classic feature films, Q + A sessions with Wayne family members and co-stars, and parties celebrating the John Wayne heritage and legacy. All the proceeds from the festival will benefit the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

In making the announcement of the new collection, Jeff Baker, WHV’s Executive VP and General Manager, Theatrical Catalog said, “Thanks to our recent strategic alliance with Paramount and their catalog titles, we’re delighted to be able to offer this number of titles representing such a broad range of Wayne’s work. Wayne was one of the most popular film stars ever. For more than a quarter century he was one of the tops at the worldwide box-office. This collection will certainly be a ‘must have’ for loyal John Wayne fans and, hopefully, will have an equal appeal to younger folks who want to learn more about him.”

Born Marion Robert Morrison in Winterset, Iowa, John Wayne first worked in the film business as a laborer on the Fox lot during summer vacations from U.S.C., which he attended on a football scholarship. He met and was befriended by John Ford, a young director who was beginning to make a name for himself in action films, comedies and dramas. It was Ford who recommended Wayne for his first leading role.

For the next nine years, Wayne worked in a multitude of B-Westerns and serials in between bit parts in larger features. Wayne’s big break came in 1939, when Ford cast him as the Ringo Kid in the adventure Stagecoach. Wayne nearly stole the picture from his more seasoned co-stars, and his career as a box-office superstar began. During his 50 year film career, Wayne played the lead in more than 140 movies[2], an as yet unsurpassed record, and was nominated for three Academy Awards^®[3], winning the Best Actor award for his performance in True Grit (1969).

Discs In John Wayne: The Epic Collection

BY RICH DREES

Roger Corman's work both as a director and a producer has often been characterized as exploitation, quickly and cheaply produced product that promised some cheap thrills – be they violence or sex – for the theater-goers' admission. It was certainly not an accusation he would ever shy away from. But that didn't mean that he didn't ensure that there wasn't at least a certain level of craft to be found in his films. And sometimes, even a bit of art sneaks through the process.

Such is the case with “Boxcar Bertha,” the second feature from filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Corman was looking for something that could serve somewhat as a sequel to his recently released “Bloody Mama” when his wife discovered the fictional account of a woman who rode the rails of the South during the Depression. The story and resultant film had more than a few echoes of Arthur Penn's “Bonnie And Clyde” and while Corman has never admitted that this was the case in this instance, he has been known to surf the wave of another film's popularity all the way to the shore.

While the film's Deep South- during- the- Depression setting is a far cry from Scorsese's Little Italy New York City upbringing, he certainly works hard to make the film his own. Although a bit rough around the edges – the first couple of minutes features a somewhat jarring sound effect miscue when a plane lands in a grassy field accompanied by the sound of tires screeching on concrete and the film boasts two different title sequences for some reason – it is easy to see Scorsese starting to define elements that he will work with throughout his career. The film's story is somewhat episodic, a feature of his next film, 1973's “Mean Streets.” Examining the psyches and characters of those on the opposite side of the law is a tendency that was probably engendered in Scorsese by the Warner Brothers crime films and socially conscious dramas of the 1930s that he has stated his love for in the past. And the film's climactic crucifixion certainly had to appeal to the Catholic in him, even if it the Christ imagery isn't set up in anyway in the preceding eighty-some minutes. (Incidentally, it was during the “Boxcar Bertha” location shoot in Arkansas that star Barbara Hershey gave Scorsese a copy of Nikos Kazantzakis' novel “The Last Temptation of Christ” which he adapted to some controversy in 1988.)

Australian lobby card.

Of course, there are the requisite exploitation elements. Gun fights break at with the required regular intervals and a train explosively slams into a car left on some tracks at one point. And of course there's some nudity. By all accounts, Scorsese was irritated that some nudity had to be inserted into his first feature, “Who's That Knocking At My Door?” (1967), in order to get a distribution deal. Here, when both Hershey and David Carradine as her labor leader-turned-bank robber lover lose their clothes, it feels somewhat casual, perhaps an influence of the European cinema Scorsese is also a fan of. It certainly doesn't live up to the expectations set by the stars who claimed in a Playboy interview at the time of the film's release that their love making scenes were real and not simulated.

Twilight Time's Blu-ray transfer of “Boxcar Bertha” is a solid looking 1080p transfer. The disc doesn't come with too much else besides some rather exuberant liner notes by film historian Julie Kirgo and an isolated score soundtrack movie music fans should appreciate. Those who complain that modern trailers give away too much of the film that they are advertising will be dismayed to see that the practice was alive and well in 1972 with the “Boxcar Bertha” trailer included here. (This release is limited to only 3,000 units.)

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

CLICK ON BANNER BELOW TO VISIT RICH DRESS' SITE WWW.FILMBUFFONLINE.COM 

By Hank Reineke

Curt Siodmak’s The Magnetic Monster is one of the more thoughtful – and thought provoking - science-fiction films of the era. Produced by Ivan Tors (whom would share screenplay credit with Siodmak), this intriguing 1953 release from United Artists is a cerebral, worthy addition to the classic sci-fi canon. Its likely most fondly remembered among devotees of 1950s sci-fi for whom the presence of a rubber-suited monster is not a prerequisite.

Richard Carlson (It Came From Outer Space, The Creature from the Black Lagoon) essays the role of Dr. Jeffrey Stewart, a brilliant graduate of Boston’s M.I.T. now working for the OSI (Office of Scientific Investigation). Stewart and his assistant, the bespectacled egghead Dr. Dan Forbes (King Donovan) are self-described “Detectives with Degrees in Science.” They’re government “A-Men,” the “A” prefix representative of their pedigree in atomic energy research. The two are called by an official from the Office of Power and Light to investigate a complaint regarding strange occurrences taking place inside a Hardware Store. It seems as though the entire establishment has become magnetized. The assortment of display clocks adorning the walls have all stopped working, the doors of such household appliances as washing machines are snapping open and shut, and steam-irons are careening across store counters. One frightened employee is nearly run down inside the shop by a barreling rotary-blade lawn mower. “I can’t have appliances sailing around my store!” the distressed shopkeeper sensibly complains to the arriving investigators.

With the assistance of a Geiger counter, the two scientists discover that traces of radiation are present. Through additional testing, they conclude the epicenter of radioactivity can be traced to an apartment sitting directly over the shop. There they discover a corpse that has succumbed to radiation poisoning. After checking with officials in Washington D.C. that no government-held radioactive elements have recently gone missing, the trail goes briefly cold. Things heat up again when they receive reports that the radio and radar communications systems at a local airfield have suddenly gone haywire. They’re also contacted by an exasperated cabbie at the airport whose taxi’s engine has gone inexplicably dead - and mysteriously magnetic. His most recent passenger, we learn, was a somewhat distraught elderly gentleman desperately clinging to a small suitcase.

The man with the suitcase, they soon learn, is also a scientist, Howard Denker (Leonard Mudie). Denker, as we might have initially suspected, is neither a foreign spy nor a Soviet saboteur. He was merely an ambitious research scientist from Southwestern University; his cosmic creation has – much in the manner of Frankenstein’s monster – quickly turned on him and escaped. He too is slowly dying from the ravages of radiation poisoning. His monstrous creation is a super-charged element with an insatiable appetite for energy. Denker cautions that his creation must be constantly fed an electric charge or else “it will reach out with its magnetic arms and kill anything within its reach.” The scientists arrange to have a sample of the dangerous element put in to the Cyclotron at the State University. But the massive particle accelerator is no match for this man-made monster of magnetism. Dr. Denker’s unstable element is made stronger following an implosion of the Cyclotron in which two men are killed and all energies absorbed by the creature that doubles in mass with each feeding.

The A-Men finally realize what they’re up against. The element continues to aggressively feed and grow and, when starved, compensates by swallowing all energies existing in “empty spaces.” This energy is then converted into mass. Carlson recognizes this chain reaction is, essentially, the same from which the universe was first created and the planets formed. Unable to prevent the element from continually doubling in strength and size, the scientists warn that at such a growth rate this magnetic monster will eventually knock the earth from its axis. When a government defense administrator suggests the creature might be disposed of by dropping it into the ocean (ala The Blob), he’s advised the super-heated element would likely turn the sea bed into a blanket of steam.

The only hope for mankind is, unusually, in the hands of the Canadians. Apparently, the U.S. has learned that its neighbor to the north has built a secret nuclear energy facility some seventeen hundred feet down a mineshaft near Nova Scotia. The Americans believe the only way to destroy the magnetic monster is to not starve it but to overfeed it with power generated by the facility’s Deltatron. Their plan is to allow the monster to literally choke itself to death by pumping some 900 million volts of power into it. The Canadians aren’t too enthused with the idea. The Deltatron’s expensive and expansive subterranean facility, its temperature naturally regulated by surrounding sea water, has only been tested to emit some 600 million volts. The Canadians argue that increasing the output to 900 million volts is suicidal; it would put the infrastructure and the safety of everyone working at the facility at great risk. More egregiously, if Dr. Stewart is wrong in his calculation, this so-called “magnetic monster” will become so powerful that no force on heaven or earth will ever be able to contain it.

BY DAVE WORRALL

The world-famous Pinewood Studios celebrates 80 years in the film business this year and Penguin Books have published a luxurious large-format 376-page hardback book to commemorate the fact. Loaded with interesting stories - from the studio's beginnings to the latest 'Star Wars' offering under the Disney banner - it's certainly an interesting ride along the way. All of your favourites are here: the 'Carry On', James Bond, Superman and Batman series, as well as photos galore - many I'd not seen before (although a few captions are incorrect) - make for an easy read without getting too bogged down with statistics. Nice to see industry insiders being interviewed, and there are numerous quotes from the likes of Sir Roger Moore, Barbara Broccoli, Sir Ridley Scott, Martin Campbell, Michael G. Wilson and Michael Grade, to name but a few. Interestingly, now that Pinewood owns the 'other' famous British studio at Shepperton, this gets coverage, too.

Author Bob McCabe mentions first visiting the studio in 1977 (aged 10) and seeing the American cars scattered on the backlot following the filming of 'Superman'. Well, I was there too, Bob - although a tad older! For those of you, like me, who have been fortunate to visit this wonderful 'film factory', then it is worthy of a place in your library. For those of you who will probably never pass through its portals, then it's an even a bigger treat. Oh, and Cinema Retro gets a credit in the 'sources of research' section! 'Pinewood: The Story of an Iconic Studio' has a cover price of £40.00., but is currently available from Amazon UK for the bargain price of £26.00. Now that's what I call a great Christmas present.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON UK

BY LEE PFEIFFER

Released as part of "The Hollywood Collection", an independent label, "Roger Moore: A Matter of Class"  is a very  illuminating 1995 show that originally aired on the American cable network A&E. Running less than an hour, the show nevertheless packs considerable content into its abbreviated running time.It also benefits greatly from the participants including Sir Roger himself (though years before he earned his knighthood.) Moore provides some very funny and occasionally very moving anecdotes about growing up in WWII London where he was a rather chubby, sickly child who often bore the brunt of other kid's bullying. As a defense mechanism he adopted a philosophy of making self-deprecating jokes on the theory that no one enjoys making fun of someone who makes fun of himself. It's been a tactic that has served him well to this day. Moore also discusses his middle-class upbringing, his overly-protective parents and the trauma of existing as a child in a city that was being bombed virtually every night. Moore was also subject to the mass deportation of British children from the cities to temporary foster homes in the British countryside when the war with Germany was gearing up to full-throttle stage. In the post-war years he did a brief stint in the army before using his skills as a cartoonist to get a job in the film industry. With his almost surrealistic good looks it didn't take long for him to catch the eye of producers and Moore found his real niche in front of the cameras. Moore led a charmed life almost from the day he decided to become an actor. Things just fell into place. Even setbacks such as a short-term contract with MGM that saw him cast in forgettable films ended up luring him back to England where he enjoyed enormous success in the long-running series "The Saint". A decade later his TV series with Tony Curtis "The Persuaders" proved to be a big hit in Europe but a flop in America, leading to the show's cancellation. Here again, Moore benefited from a seemingly negative development. When the show was taken off the air, Moore was a free agent and available to accept the role of James Bond. The rest, as they say, is history.

With Tony Curtis in "The Persuaders".

Aside from providing ample film clips from Moore's films the program also shows him touring hard-hit parts of the world in his role as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. For Moore this has been more than window dressing. He has worked tirelessly to raise funds for programs to help children in poverty and doubtless would like that to be the legacy he is most remembered for. The show boasts interesting insights from many of Moore's friends, family members and colleagues including his son Christian, Bond producer Michael G. Wilson, David Niven Jr, director Lewis Gilbert, Tony Curtis, Gregory Peck, actresses Maud Adams and Carroll Baker and, most poignantly, Michael Caine, who compares Moore's early years with his own hard scrabble life in East London and provides interesting insights into his friend's  psyche. Although the show's technical aspects betray its age (primitive graphics and titles), its a slick and polished production. The DVD includes an extensive photo gallery of Moore's life and career though the images lack any accompanying captions, which might leave those not familiar with the nuances of his films rather frustrated. There is also a photo gallery of the show's producers in the company with many other notable people in show business and some promos for other titles in the "Hollywood Collection".

"Roger Moore: A Matter of Class" very much reflects the man himself: it's easy-going, often very funny and always engaging.

(This DVD is region-free and will play on any international system).  

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM THE CINEMA RETRO MOVIE STORE. 

BY DOUG OSWALD

A seemingly harmless prank by teenage girls takes a horrific turn in producer/director William Castle’s 1965 production “I Saw What You Did”, recently released on Blu-ray by Shout! Factory as part of their Scream! Factory line of horror titles. Libby and Kit (Andi Garrett and Sara Lane) are baby sitting Libby’s little sister Tess when they come up with a game taking turns choosing random phone numbers out of the phone book and making prank calls stating, “I saw what you did, and I know who you are!”

Among their first recipients is Judith Marak (Joyce Meadows). Libby asks seductively to speak with Steve, Judith’s husband. When Judith informs Steve (John Ireland) of the call, Steve reacts by savagely stabbing her to death. Later, he answers the phone to hear, “I saw what you did, and I know who you are!” Steve engages the girls and asks to meet Libby. Libby and Kit have no idea Steve has just murdered his wife and after a few more calls agree to meet Steve still thinking they’re engaged in a harmless game.

Amy (Joan Crawford) is Steve’s neighbor and shows up shortly after Steve’s wife is murdered. Apparently they’re having an affair and Steve had plans to leave his wife and marry the wealthy widow. Amy figures out what has happened due to Steve’s strange behavior surrounding the calls from Libby pretending to be “Suzette.” Amy attempts to blackmail Steve into marrying her and that leads to further dramatic deveopments. With Crawford relegated to a distinctly supporting role, the movie relies heavily on the performances of the three young actors. Fortunately, they come through and the sincerity of their performances gives the film a slight edge- of -your- seat feeling, but one never gets the notion that the girls are in any real danger. We move from prank call to concerned parents trying to call and check on the children as we watch Steve plan his next move. The movie features a strong supporting cast of veteran actors in addition to Crawford and Ireland including Leif Erickson as Dave Mannering (Libby & Tess’ father), Patricia Breslin as Ellie Mannering (their mom), John Archer as John Austin (Kit’s father) and John Crawford as a state trooper who comes to their inevitable rescue.

Interestingly, the three young actors at the center of the movie had very short careers in the entertainment industry. Andi Garret (Libby) appeared in four episodes of “The Wild Wild West” from 1966-68 and an episode of “Baa Baa Black Sheep” in 1976 before retiring from acting. Sarah Lane (Kit) was a regular on the TV series, “The Virginian” from 1966-1970 appearing in 105 episodes as Elizabeth Grainger followed by appearances in the movies “Schoolgirls in Chains” in 1973, “The Trial of Billy Jack in 1975 and “Billy Jack Goes to Washington” in 1977 before retiring from acting. Sharyl Locke (little sister Tess) appeared in “One Man’s Way” and “Father Goose” in 1964 prior to “I Saw What You Did” in 1965. This was followed by an appearance on “Burke’s Law” in 1965 and “Bonanza” in 1966 after which she, too, retired from acting.

The music by Van Alexander is entertaining, but a bit too cheerful for a thriller. The score feels out of place and would better suite a 1960s sitcom and perhaps it’s used as a way to underscore the innocence of the young girl’s prank. It’s still distracting and more befitting a Haley Mills teen comedy like “The Parent Trap” and “The Trouble with Angels” or one of the many “Beach Movies” of the era.

Released by Universal in the summer of 1965, the movie’s poster declares, “William Castle Warns You: ‘This is a motion picture about uxoricide!’” Uxoricide is the killing of one’s wife, but I think the word sounded more exotic than murder. This enjoyable black & white shocker looks terrific in its widescreen presentation with great sound and running a brief 82 minutes. Extras on the Shout! Factory release include the cool trailer featuring producer, director and showman William Castle informing the audience that the theater will provide seat belts so the viewer will not be shocked out of their seat. There’s also a photo gallery and the regular release trailer. Highly recommended for fans of William Castle, Joan Crawford and 1960s shock thrillers.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

BY JOHN M. WHALEN

“Death Valley Days” was a half-hour western anthology series that ran for 20 years on radio starting in 1930, continued on TV for 18 seasons (1952-1970), and is still being shown on cable TV today. The series, noted for its authentic detail and historical accuracy, was created by British writer Ruth Woodman at the request of Pacific Coast Borax, the company that made 20 Mule Team Borax. The company wanted a series that tied in with their detergent product, and since Borax is principally mined in Death Valley, Woodman suggested the series be focused on stories based on the history and geography of that area. She made frequent trips to the borax mines and the surrounding vicinity digging up historical tidbits that could be used as the basis for stories. She eventually became one of the foremost experts on that period and place in history.

For the first 11 years of its run, each episode of “Death Valley Days” was introduced by The Old Ranger (Stanley Andrews), who would begin by relaying some bit of historical information about Death Valley that would be used as the basis of the story. The Old Ranger was later replaced as host by Ronald Reagan, Robert Taylor, and Dale Robertson. These three even appeared in some of the stories.

Timeless Media Group, a division of Shout! Factory,has released the first season of 18 episodes from 1952 on three DVDs. The picture quality of the episodes is astonishing, given their age. There’s no information on the packaging to indicate if the original film elements have undergone restoration, but all 18 episodes look brand new.

There is a variety of tales included in this first season, and a host of familiar faces on hand from western films and TV shows of that era. One that particularly caught my attention was an episode that would not have aired as written in today’s politically correct world. “Swamper Ike” features legendary stuntman/actor Jock Mahoney playing a man raised by Indians, who wasn’t sure if he was really an Indian or a white man. The question becomes crucial when the girl he loves, played by Margaret Field, says she won’t marry him if he’s an Indian! She doesn’t believe a marriage between people of two different races will work. (Margaret Field, by the way, had just married Mahoney in real life. She already had a daughter by a previous marriage, a girl named Sally Field.) Hired as a swamper by mule driver Hank Patterson, and given the name Ike, Jocko is hated by Denver Pyle, his rival for Field’s affections. There is a lot of good stunt work by Mahoney in this episode, but the conclusion, in which, much to everyone’s great relief, Mahoney discovers that he’s actually white and can now marry his lady love, is pretty much out of kilter with today’s attitudes.

For its first two years on the air, “Death Valley Days” was produced for television by Gene Autry’s Flying A Productions, which also produced Mahoney’s Range Rider series. So, it’s no coincidence that Gail Davis, star of Flying A’s “Annie Oakley” also appears in one of the episodes. In “The Little Bullfrog Nugget,” she plays Mamie Jaggers, the only single woman in Bullfrog, Nevada. All the men are vying for her attention but she can’t make up her mind which one to marry.

“She Burns Green,” starred James Griffith and Donna Martell as a couple prospecting for gold, but who turn to mining borax instead when they discover rich deposits of it near them. The title is based on the fact that you can tell if it’s borax by setting it on fire. If the flame burns green, it’s borax.

“Self-Made Man,” starts out highlighting a rock drilling competition among the miners, that demonstrates how they used to use hand drills to get the borax out of the mine. But it also tells the story of a man who loses one of his arms and thinks his life is over. As a miner, it is over, but with the encouragement of his wife he takes up the study of law and becomes a successful lawyer.

That’s the kind of story that the series presented most of the time—gritty, realistic tales that showed the harshness of life in Death Valley but which ultimately show the good guys wresting some sort of triumph out of their hardships. Woodman’s writing may be well researched, but her plots and characters are pretty simplistic. The acting is as good as can be expected.

“Death Valley Days” is an interesting piece of television history. There were a total of 296 episodes filmed over 20 years, and it remains to be seen how many more episodes will be forthcoming on DVD.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

John M. Whalen is the author of "Hunting Monsters is My Business: The Mordecai Slate Stories" . Click here to order the book from Amazon)

BY LEE PFEIFFER

It isn't often that you might expect to read the word "delightful" in a review of a Charles Bronson movie but "From Noon Till Three" is just that: a delightful 1976 send-up of the traditional Western genre. In fact it seems like this was the year in which numerous revisionist Westerns were released. They included "Buffalo Bill and the Indians", "The Outlaw Josey Wales", "The Missouri Breaks" and John Wayne's final film, "The Shootist". By 1976 Charles Bronson was an established screen presence for about two decades.He was a familiar face to American movie-goers who liked his work as a supporting actor but it was the European market that elevated him to star status. Bronson finally began to get top-billing in Westerns and action films and became reasonably popular in America. But it was the 1974 release of his smash hit "Death Wish" that saw him soar to the level of superstar. The film was a mixed blessing. Bronson made some good films in the following years but eventually succumbed to the lure of a quick pay check, cranking out low-end urban crime movies that were often as absurd as they were over-the-top. "From Noon Till Three" allows Bronson and his real life wife and frequent co-star Jill Ireland a rare opportunity to flex their comedic muscles, which they do impressively. 

Bronson plays Graham Dorsey, a member of small time gang of bandits who are riding into a one-horse town to rob the bank. The film's opening is quite eerie as the bandits become unnerved when they discover there isn't a single living soul anywhere in the town. This sets in motion a "Twilight Zone"-like beginning that is quickly explained as a nightmare Dorsey is suffering, but is none-the-less quite effective for grabbing the viewer's attention.  When the gang nears the actual town, Dorsey's horse goes lame and must be shot. He rides double with another bandit until they reach the opulent mansion house of Amanda (Jill Irleand), an attractive widow who resides in the countryside with only a maid and servant as companions. When the bandits arrive on her doorstep, she is home alone and is understandably filled with anxiety being in the company of the men, who demand she give them a horse. She lies and says she doesn't have one- and Dorsey validates her story, opting to stay behind at the house while the robbery takes place. He finds Amanda very desirable but none-the-less acts like a gentleman- though as her tough facade fades, she becomes susceptible to his charm. Dorsey claims he suffers from incurable impotence, a ploy that works when Amanda finally volunteers to "cure" him. This results in the pair spending several heavenly hours together enjoying sexual adventures and falling in love. When word reaches Amanda that Dorsey's fellow bandits have been captured, she implores him to try to save them from hanging. Dorsey pretends to ride to their rescue, but instead bushwhacks a traveling con man and adopts his identity. The other man is mistaken for Dorsey and shot dead by a posse. Dorsey is ironically arrested because the man he is impersonating is also wanted by the law. Got all that? Things get really complicated when Dorsey spends a year in prison, studying (ironically) how to be a banker. He intends to return to Amanda and live their dream of moving to Boston, where he can get a job as a bank manager. When he returns to the woman he has been obsessing over for the last year, the reception he receives from her is something less than welcoming. Seems that since she believed Dorsey was dead, she set about memorializing him in a memoir titled "From Noon Till Three", a scandalous record of the hours in which they made love and fell in love. In the book, Amanda relates tall tales about Dorsey's crime exploits that he had previously bragged about...and she takes a bit of intentional creative license by describing him as an elegant, dashing man when, in fact, he looks like what he is: a saddle tramp. To say much more would spoil the fun. Suffice it to say that the film really kicks into gear when Dorsey discovers that Amanda's memoir has become an international sensation and she is idolized worldwide by both men and women. She doesn't have much incentive to now admit that Dorsey is not only alive and well but also falls considerable short of the handsome hunk the world has come to imagine. 

"From Noon Till Three" is stylishly directed by Frank D. Gilroy and its based upon his novel of the same name. Gilroy had the magic touch in terms of bringing out the best in both Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland, both of whom rarely had an opportunity to demonstrate their flair for light comedy and they are both terrific. Gilroy, who also penned the screenplay, took advantage of a new era of cynicism in major films and "From Noon Till Three" proved to be far ahead of its time in predicting how the general public can be bamboozled into believing urban legends if they are marketed creatively enough. (Coincidentally, Paddy Chayefsky's "Network", released the same year, took an equally cynical view of the current day  TV news industry.)  The movie is a wealth of small pleasures and unexpected plot turns and boasts a fine score by Elmer Bernstein and impressive camerawork by Lucien Ballard, not to mention an impressive mansion house set by Robert Clatworthy. I don't want to overstate the merits of the film but I do want to point out that even if you're not a Bronson fan you should give this one a try.

Twilight Time has released "From Noon Till Three" as a limited edition Blu-ray of 3,000 units. It includes the original trailer, an isolated score track and an informative collector's booklet with notes by Julie Kirgo.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER 

“ROMAN HOLIDAY?”

By Raymond Benson

One of the great director Federico Fellini’s more curious motion pictures is his 1972 part-documentary/part-fictional collage that consists of “impressions” of Rome, both past and present. In many ways, it is the middle chapter of a trilogy that comprises Fellini Satyricon (1969) and Amarcord (1973), although not many film historians view them as such.

Roma is a love letter, so to speak, to Italy’s capital city. The film takes place in three time periods—sometime during the 1930s, the war years, and the present (i.e., 1971-72, when the movie was made). It is also very much a product of its time, when the counter-culture movement was still in full swing. The modern sequences of Roma are populated by “hippies” and long-haired youth, as well as motorcyclists, intellectuals (Gore Vidal makes an appearance as himself), and Fellini as himself. The sequences cut back and forth from the past to the present, presenting a story-less narrative that is jumbled and episodic; but the visuals of cartoonish decadence and surreal settings make up a fascinating piece of celluloid.

Many of the faces in the film—and I do mean “faces,” because Fellini always cast the most absurd caricatures as extras in his later pictures—are recognizable in Amarcord (easily one of the director’s best works). Anna Magnani provides allegedly her last screen appearance at the end of Roma, where she tells the narrator (Fellini, presumably) to go away and leave her alone. Many Fellini-esque hallmarks abound in the movie—feuding families, grotesque prostitutes, and irreverent ecclesiastical figures.

The 1930s-40s sequences are autobiographical. A young man arrives in Rome to be a journalist (as Fellini did), and stays with a large family that his mother knows. He explores the city, visits brothels, and goes to music hall performances. The present day scenes are more documentary-like, following the director and a film crew around the city as they shoot a traffic jam, the excavation of an ancient Roman home, and—the highlight of the movie—a wacked-out fashion show for priests, nuns, and bishops. Totally bizarre.

The Criterion Collection presents a 2K digital restoration of the international version of the picture (120 minutes). The long-lost original Italian cut was seventeen minutes longer, but these deleted scenes are included as supplements (as restored as possible). The feature comes with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack, as well as an audio commentary by Frank Burke, author of Fellini’s Films.

Other supplements include new interviews with filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino on Fellini’s influence, and poet and Fellini friend Valerio Magrelli. There’s a collection of Felliniana (posters, artwork) from the archive of collector Don Young, and the theatrical trailer. An essay by film scholar David Forgacs adorns the booklet.

Fellini’s Roma is a mess of a film, to be sure, but it’s always fun to play in a mess made by Fellini. It is a welcome addition to Criterion’s stable of excellent cinema.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

BY TIM GREAVES

With Christmas 1970 on the horizon, the UK’s thrilling new sci-fi TV show UFO was well underway. Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's first live-action series, it was set in the future and revolved around the activities of the Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organisation (SHADO), a covert agency presided over by Commander Ed Straker (Ed Bishop) to fend off alien attacks on mankind. As a wide-eyed 8-year-old I was hooked and I can recall wishing two things. One was that I could have one of the Dinky Toys’ missile-firing SHADO Interceptors, which I thought then (and still think now) was the coolest among the incredible array of vehicles that appeared in the show; I’d not be nearly as forgiving today as I was back then that Dinky had manufactured it in garish green, where the ‘real’ ones on TV were white. The other wish was that I could somehow watch UFO whenever I wanted instead of having to wait the week-long eternity between each episode. Now, the first of these wishes had a pretty good chance of being granted, after all Christmas was coming and if it didn't materialise then it would only be a few months more until my birthday. The second wish was… well, frankly it was silly; the only way to watch episodes whenever one wanted would be to own them and that was beyond the realms of possibility, literally the stuff of dreams. Yet here's the thing: Although I never did get that Interceptor toy, almost 20 years later, thanks to a TV run in the early hours of the morning during the late 1980s, I got to own every episode on video. Then along came the wonders of DVD and a spiffy Network box set release which suddenly made those dropout-impaired, off-air VHS recordings completely redundant. It's now almost half a century since UFO first aired on television in the UK and Christmas has truly come early this year with Network's upgrade of the show to sparkling Blu-Ray format.

Throughout the 1960s the Andersons were best known for a slew of action shows aimed at children with marionettes as their stars – Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet remain among the most fondly remembered – and, aside from 1969 TV movie Doppelgänger (aka Journey to the Far Side of the Sun), UFO was their first dalliance with live-action. It was also their first move towards something aimed at a more mature audience, its storylines touching upon some distinctly adult themes; not only was there the ever-present core threat of aliens abducting humans and harvesting their organs to sustain their dying race, there were flirtations with adultery, divorce, interracial romance and the recreational use of hallucinogenic drugs, a facet which prevented the final episode, “The Long Sleep”, from being screened during the series' initial run; it eventually showed up some two years later. The very appearance of the aliens was disconcertingly sinister, sporting eerie liquid-filled helmets, the viscous green fluid therein enabling them to breathe. Additionally, the characters regularly made flawed decisions and not all the stories concluded happily. There was also a pervasive frisson of sexuality throughout the series; not only were most of SHADO’s female personnel clad in rather provocative attire, in the first 15-minutes of the show’s pilot episode alone a woman fleeing from aliens tears her dress and exposes her underwear, moments later there’s a protracted tracking shot of a young woman's shapely legs as she walks across the studio forecourt, then Gabrielle Drake performs a semi-striptease (to accompanying wah-wah organ music). Of course, as a futuristic action series it was still going to harbour huge appeal with a younger audience and whilst the heavier plot tropes would probably have by-passed most kids, throwaway dialogue such as "These clouds give about as much cover as a G-String on a belly dancer" almost certainly flew right over their heads; at 8-years-old I doubt I even knew what a belly dancer was, let alone a G-String!

Ed Bishop and Ayesha Brough

Producer and co-creator (with Sylvia) of UFO, Gerry Anderson also wrote and directed the first episode, "Identified". Other directors on the series were David Lane (8 episodes), Ken Turner (6 episodes), Alan Perry (5 episodes), Jeremy Summers and David Tomblin (2 episodes each), and Cyril Frankel and Ron Appleton (a single episode each). As with any series there are great stories and not-so-great stories, but there isn't a single entry in UFO's run that doesn't have something intriguing going on. Among my personal favourites are Frankel's "Timelash", in which Straker arrives at SHADO HQ and finds the entire establishment frozen in time; Turner's "Ordeal", which finds a key SHADO member abducted by the aliens and turned into one of their own; Lane's "A Question of Priorities", in which Straker is torn between the responsibility of his job and a tragedy in his personal life; and Summers' "The Psychobombs", wherein the aliens turn several humans into living explosive devices.

Heading up the cast, Ed Bishop was the only actor to participate in all 26 episodes but there were regular appearances by a handful of others, among them Michael Billington (as Colonel Paul Foster), George Sewell (as Colonel Alec Freeman), Dolores Mantez (as Nina Barry), Antonia Ellis (as Joan Harrington), Vladek Sheybal (as Dr Doug Jackson), the aforementioned Gabrielle Drake (as Lieutenant Gay Ellis), Keith Alexander (as Lieutenant Keith Ford), Wanda Ventham (as Colonel Virginia Lake) and Ayesha Brough (who, despite the fact she appeared in 19 episodes, was curiously never given the courtesy of a name). 

BY TIM GREAVES

The first of only three films for which Peter Fonda took up residence in the director's chair – the others being Idaho Transfer (1973) and Wanda Nevada (1979) – unconventional western The Hired Hand (1971)is the jewel of the triad. A couple of fleeting outbursts of violence aside, it's heavy on gentle drama and light on shoot-'em-up action, as such more a thinking man’s western than one whose white hats and blackguards are clearly defined from the outset and proceed to serve up a profusion of rapid-fire gunfights with bounteous squirts of ketchup.

Following an upsetting incident which prompts him to reflect on his life choices, drifter Harry Collings (Peter Fonda) informs his travelling companions Arch Harris (Warren Oates) and Dan Griffen (Robert Pratt) that he's decided to return home to the wife and daughter he deserted six years earlier. Before they can part ways Dan is shot by a man who claims he assaulted his wife, which alters Arch’s plans; instead of riding out to the coast he accompanies Harry back to his homestead where, unsurprisingly, they're met with some disdain by his wife Hannah (Verna Bloom). She softens a little, however, and agrees to take on the pair as hired hands. As time passes and the bonds of Harry and Hannah's relationship strengthen, Arch begins to feel like a third wheel and announces his intention to hit the trail, whereafter Harry finds himself faced with a deadly situation that will test his loyalties to the zenith.

An unequivocal critical success when it was released in 1971, it's a little perplexing to learn that The Hired Hand passed broadly unacknowledged on the awards circuit, not so much in respect of wins – there were none – but more in that it received only 2 nominations; both were derived from critics' awards ceremonies and both were for Warren Oates as ‘Best Supporting Actor’. In any event, deserved as those nominations were, even though he was technically playing second fiddle to Fonda, to pigeonhole Oates as the movie’s supporting actor wasn’t exactly fair; he enjoys easily as much screen time as his co-star and, due in part to Alan Sharp's elegant script, I'd suggest as characterisation goes Arch Harris is far more interesting than his phlegmatic comrade and Oates gets to overshadow Fonda in every respect. High Plains Drifter's Verna Bloom also gives a memorable performance as the slightly dowdy yet subtly sensual Hannah Collings, outwardly toughened by circumstance but warm and caring beneath. Meanwhile Severn Darden, perhaps best remembered as Conquest of the Planet of the Apes’ baddie Kolp (a role he reprised in Battle for...), makes for a splendid if underused malefactor; he’s so deliciously venomous that one hankers to see more of him. 

The picture was beautifully shot by Vilmos Zsigmond (later Oscar-winner for his cinematography on Close Encounters of the Third Kind), with a profusion of freeze-frame transition dissolves and exquisite chocolate-box sunsets that are joyous to behold. Folk musician Bruce Langhorne's debut film score is evocative of the very essence of western movies and his banjo-driven opener is nothing if not a triumphant earworm. 

Following his success as star and co-writer on Easy Rider, Peter Fonda was in a position to do whatever he wanted; that his directorial debut should birth The Hired Hand – a film so accomplished, with such genuine depth of emotion and richness of character – shows the measure of the man’s talent and one might lament that opportunities to expand on it were to subsequently prove so scant. The aforementioned deficit of action means it probably won't be to everyone's taste, especially those seeking a more traditional western. But those who enjoy a thoughtful, leisurely-paced tale of the Unforgiven ilk are likely to feel well rewarded.

Admirers of The Hired Hand should be thoroughly delighted by Arrow Academy's dual format Blu-Ray/DVD package. The movie is presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio with 1.0 mono sound and certainly looks better than it ever has. Peter Fonda provides a feature accompanying commentary and the plentiful supplements comprise a 59-minute in-depth documentary from 2003 (which includes interviews with Fonda, Verna Bloom, Vilmos Zsigmond and Bruce Langhorne), a second documentary from 1978 (which runs 52-minutes and focuses on a trio of Scottish screenwriters, the pertinent one being Alan Sharp), a 2-minute to-camera piece in which Martin Scorsese enthuses about the film, five deleted scenes (presented 4:3, with a combined runtime of around 20-minutes, one of which features Larry Hagman and places a different slant on Arch’s reasons for upping sticks and departing the Collings ranch), an alternate edit of the finale, a 1971 audio recording of Fonda and Warren Oates at the NFT, a generous selection of trailers, radio and TV spots, and a stills gallery. The release also benefits from the now standard (for Arrow’s releases) reversible sleeve art and souvenir booklet.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON UK