In a comprehensive report that seems to rival the Washington Post's landmark coverage of the Watergate scandal, writer Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson lays out the facts behind the amazing crime story associated with the theft of Dorothy's slippers from "The Wizard of Oz", which occurred at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Okay, we're being sarcastic about equating this lengthy article to coverage of Watergate, but it is a remarkable account of a bizarre crime. The case caused a frenzy among fans of the film for years and over that period, many police and FBI personnel were involved in solving the case. The rather remarkable tale will undoubtedly be the subject of a movie some day, but for now, sit back and enjoy Dickinson's in-depth report that will take you quite some time to get through. Click here to read.
On April 28, director Francis Ford Coppola appeared at the Tribeca Film Festival to unveil "Apocalypse Now: Final Cut" which he feels is the definitive presentation of his landmark 1979 film. Coppola, looking trimmed down and very fit at age 80, was greeted by an enthusiastic sold-out audience at Manhattan's historic Beacon Theatre. The event inexplicably got off to a delayed start of almost 40 minutes as eager cinephiles began to grow restless. However, once Coppola took the stage to introduce the film, all was forgiven. He made a few brief remarks and indicated that he felt the original cut of the film was too short and his 2001 "Redux" version was too long. Then to the delight of the audience, he introduced an actor who had appeared in numerous Coppola films- Robert Duvall, who earned an Oscar nomination for his performance as the self-described "goofy fuck", Lt. Colonel Kilgore. Duvall only spoke briefly, joking that he is grateful he is still around to see the 40th anniversary screening of the film. He then got a cheer from the audience when he shouted in parting, "Charlie don't surf!", a key Kilgore line from the film.
(Photo copyright Tony Latino. All rights reserved.)
When the film began, it became apparent that the sound system would greatly enhance the magnificent visuals. When explosions occurred, seats vibrated in the manner not seen since the days of Sensurround. There was a slight problem with the sound mixing for this presentation. In at least some parts of the theater, the background sounds often overwhelmed the dialogue, making it muffled and sometimes unintelligible. It appears that it was eventually corrected as the second half of the film did not demonstrate this issue. The sound mix was indeed impressive during the famous helicopter attack set to Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries". The visual components were truly stunning with the viewer gaining even more appreciation for the ingenious achievement of cinematographer Vittorio Storaro.
How does "Final Cut" compare with previous editions? The following observations assume the reader has at least a general knowledge of the film. I first saw the movie in its opening engagement at the Ziegfeld Theatre in Manhattan. The presentation contained no opening or closing credits. Instead, attendees received an illustrated program listing the names of cast and crew. However, unions complained that participants were being denied proper credit in the film itself. Additionally, theater owners worried that when the movie was to go into general release, audiences would be perplexed by having the film end "cold" without any end credits. Thus, for the film's subsequent engagements, Coppola used fiery footage at the end of the film, representing the destruction of Kurtz's compound over which credits were unfurled. In 2001, Coppola reissued the film in the "Redux" version, adding significant scenes that had been deleted from the original cut. "Final Cut" leaves intact most of these scenes:
Extended footage of Kilgore's mad quest to initiate surfing amidst a raging battle and Willard's prank of stealing Kilgore's beloved surfboard. He also keeps in a later scene in which the voice of Kilgore can be heard from a helicopter demanding the return of the board, as the men hide below in their boat, obscured by the jungle.
The extended French plantation sequence in which Willard and his team come upon heavily-armed members of a proud French family who are determined to retain control of their beloved mansion and plantation. The soldiers are welcomed in to stay the night and Willard allows himself to be seduced by a glamorous widow who smokes cigars in an elegant manner.
(L to R: John Singleton, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube and Morris Chesnut
on the set of "Boyz N in the Hood".)
BY LEE PFEIFFER
Filmmaker John Singleton has died from the effects of a stroke at age 51. His death was not unexpected, as doctors had been unable to revive him and his family made the difficult decision to remove him from life support. Singleton was an inspiration for African-American filmmakers, building on successes by Gordon Parks and Spike Lee. His 1990 film "Boyz N in the Hood" was a personal reflection on growing up black in L.A. The film was a major hit and was highly acclaimed. He became the first African-American to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar, and the youngest person ever nominated in that category. He was also nominated for his screenplay. Singleton was only 24 years old and had recently graduated from USC film school. He built on the momentum with "Poetic Justice", "Higher Learning", "Rosewood" and other acclaimed films. He also produced the hit movie "Hustle & Flow" and in recent years had turned his attention to producing and directing television series. Singleton's death at a relatively young age was caused by a lifelong battle with hypertension and high blood pressure. For more, click here.
Here is the original U.S. radio spot promoting Alfred Hitchcock's 50th motion picture, the Cold War spy thriller "Torn Curtain" (1966) starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews.
Mill
Creek Entertainment has released a double-bill of“Fort Yuma Gold†(1966) and “Damned Hot Day
of Fire†(1968) in a Blu-ray + Digital edition.Mill Creek notes that the films are two of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite
Spaghetti Westerns -- a shrewd strategy to attract fans who may be interested
in sampling the same, often hard-to-find genre movies that Tarantino devoured
in his formative years.Both pictures
are above-average Italian Westerns.
In
“Fort Yuma Gold,†directed by veteran Italian filmmaker Giorgio Ferroni as
“Calvin J. Padget,†outlaw chief Nelson Riggs schemes with renegade Confederate
Major Sanders to steal a million dollars in gold from Fort Yuma, a Union
outpost, in the last days of the Civil War.While Sanders orders his troops to make a diversionary, suicidal attack
on the fort, he and Riggs will sneak into the post through an abandoned mine
and grab the loot.When a Union
commander some days’ ride away learns about the plot, he dispatches two of his
soldiers, Captain Lefevre and Sergeant Pitt, to warn the fort, guided by Lt.
Gary Hammond, a Confederate prisoner of war.As a native Westerner, Hammond knows the safest route to Fort Yuma.The two Northerners don’t.Secretly, Hammond hopes to elude the two
Yankees en route, locate Sanders‘ detachment, and avert disaster by warning his
friend Lt. Brian, one of Sanders’ adjutants, about the Major’s treachery.
The movie’s traditional plot is reminiscent of
Hollywood’s Civil War Westerns like “Escape from Fort Bravo†and “Alvarez
Kelly,†reflecting the strategy generally used by Italian studios in the early
days of the Spaghettis to make their films look as much like American
productions as possible.The actors
billed as “Montgomery Wood†(Hammond), “Red Carter†(Sgt. Pitt), and “Benny
Reeves†(Juke, Riggs‘ henchman) were actually Italians Giuliano Gemma, Nello
Pazzafini, and Benito Stefanelli.Gemma
also used the “Montgomery Wood†alias in three other Italian Westerns, and his
resemblance to American leading man and future best-selling novelist Tom Tryon
may have helped further the impression that “Fort Yuma Gold†was an import from
America.The deception probably worked
as long as ticket-buyers failed to recognize Ferroni, Gemma, Pazzafini,
Stefanelli, Dan Vadis (Riggs), Jacques Sernas (Sanders), and Antonio Molino
Rojo (Brian) as homegrown veterans of the Italian sword-and-toga epics of the
late 1950s and early 1960s.When the
popularity of the toga spectacles waned with the rise of the Italian Westerns,
many writers, directors, and actors transitioned easily from one genre to the
next.The hammy, WWE-style melees
between gladiators and centurions in the Hercules and Samson movies became the
saloon brawls of the Spaghettis, with athletic actors like Gemma, Pazzafini,
and Stefanelli doing their own stunts.By 1966, in turn, public tastes in the Italian Westerns had begun to
favor the cynical, down-and-dirty violence of Sergio Leone’s massively
successful Spaghettis over the American model.In Italy, “Fort Yuma Gold†opened as “Per pochi dollari ancora†or “For
a Few Extra Dollars.â€The moviemakers
were clearly hoping to ride the recent smash success of “For a Few Dollars
More,†even if Ferroni/Padget’s style bears little likeness to Leone’s.If you don’t expect a polished American
picture on one hand or a nihilistic Leone clone on the other, you might enjoy
“Fort Yuma Gold†on its own terms as a mostly fast-paced, sincere B-Western.
The
maverick independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch burst into art-house public
consciousness in 1984 with his strikingly original slice-of-life comedy, Stranger Than Paradise, and we hadn’t really
seen anything like it before. I remember going to see it at the little cinema
across from Lincoln Center in New York City. As the guy interviewed in front of
the theater in the supplemental documentary on this Criterion Collection doozy
says, the queue of people to get inside was indeed full of “hipsters.†It was
the picture to see if you were in tune to the downtown arts scene, avant-garde
theatre/music/film/literature, and far-from-Hollywood-mainstream moviemaking.
For
me, it was my favorite film of the year. Audience members who dug it found
subtle humor in the three main characters’ seemingly aimless existences and
motivations to live their lives in a spontaneous, who cares? fashion. Those viewers who had wandered in not knowing
what to expect may have left the theater scratching their heads.
The
story, such as it is, concerns Willie (musician-turned-actor John Lurie), a
bachelor in Manhattan, who gets a visit from his Hungarian cousin Eva (Eszter
Balint). The two hang out with Willie’s friend Eddie (Richard Edson), and they sometimes
get along, sometimes not. Eventually, Eva goes to Cleveland, and a year later
the two guys go to visit her. Cleveland is Nowheresville, so they decide to go
back to New York—but on the spur of the moment change their minds and travel to
Florida with Eva. There are some shenanigans with gambling, horse races, dumb
drug dealers, and mistaken identity, after which the three characters go their
separate ways—but not intentionally. To say more would give away the oddball
sequence of events that is really the whole point of the picture.
Shot
in a seriously deadpan, almost drab style, the comedy comes from the sheer
dullness of the characters and their everyday lives. The black and white
cinematography by future director Tom DiCillo captures an equally dreary and
wintery New York, Cleveland, and Florida that emphasizes the dingy worlds in
which these misfits inhabit. Overlay this with Lurie’s own unique unconventional
chamber-music score and a blistering “theme song†of “I Put a Spell on You†by
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, and you have an exercise in supreme existential irony.
Criterion
has upgraded their original DVD to Blu-ray with a high-definition digital
restoration, supervised and approved by Jarmusch. It looks great, and its
graininess is perfect for the presentation’s thematic ideas. The movie comes
with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack and an audio commentary from 1996
featuring Jarmusch and Richard Edson.
Supplements
include Jarmusch’s first full-length feature film from 1980, Permanent Vacation, also in a
high-definition digital restoration. It’s even wackier and more poker-faced
than Stranger, about a young loner
(played by Chris Parker), who wanders around New York in a similarly
purposeless fashion as the characters in Stranger.
Not as effective as the main feature on the disk, Vacation is a trial run “student film†that shows promise.
There’s
alsoan interesting 1984 German
television documentary about Jarmusch’s first two films, with interviews with
the casts and crews of both. A short, silent behind-the-scenes documentary made
by Jarmusch’s brother Tom during the making of Stranger reminds me of someone’s old Super 8 home movies that hold
interest for everyone who is in them but not for the guests who are made to sit
through them.
The
thick accompanying booklet is jam-packed with illustrated material—Jarmusch’s
1984 “Some Notes on Stranger Than
Paradise,†critics Geoff Andrew and J. Hoberman on the picture, and
author/critic Luc Sante on Permanent
Vacation.
Stranger Than
Paradise is
a timely artifact from the mid-80s, when independent filmmaking was booming and
making waves. It’s a trail-blazer and an A+ experience for deadpan hipsters.
ABC TV will air a live tribute to the classic 1970s sitcoms "All in the Family" and the spin-off series "The Jeffersons" on May 22. Both shows were the creations of legendary producer Norman Lear. The telecast will be star-studded with Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei taking on the roles of Archie and Edith Bunker and Jamie Foxx and Wanda Sykes portraying George and Louise Jefferson. Both sitcoms became sensational hits and ushered in a new era of realism on American television. Issues of racism and sexism were discussed openly. Gay characters were the subjects of story lines. Social issues that resonated with the American public were portrayed in a humorous but poignant manner. Although both Archie Bunker and George Jefferson could be close-minded blowhards, they were both hard-working honorable men in many ways. Click here for more.
Disney will be launching its high profile streaming service that will mandate viewers subscribe directly if they want to see films under the company's banner. These extend from the Star Wars franchise to the traditional Walt Disney classics. However, the 1946 animated film Song of the South will not be among them. Ever since the emergence of home video, movie buffs have pressured the company to release the film, which won a Best Song Oscar for "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah". The problem is that the depiction of African-American character Uncle Remus, played by James Baskett, is considered to be racially insensitive by contemporary standards. However, Disney has been accused of hypocrisy in the past because the movie had been available in certain countries on home video. If it is racist in the United States why isn't it racist anywhere? To be sure, the film would certainly seem offensive to modern audiences that have not been acquainted with how black characters were portrayed in Hollywood in days of old. We've all seen cringe-inducing scenes even in films that are considered to be classics. They are difficult to watch for enlightened viewers of any race. However, there is a solution to this: important films with racially sensitive materials could be presented with an introduction explaining the controversial aspects and placing them in the context of the era in which they were made. If Disney doesn't want to stream the movie on its new service, it should at least be available on home video. Suppressing art, even when offensive, is never a good idea and the film is a masterpiece of animation blended with live action. Although Song of the South is the only film that Disney has banned from exhibition or video release in America, the company did digitally alter re-issues of Fantasia to eliminate black cherubs that it was felt would be viewed as offensive. Disney has also announced it will make some minor edits to the animated version of Dumbo prior to making it available for streaming because of racial concerns.
Disney could turn its dilemma into a win/win by placating classic movie lovers and placing the film in context by addressing the disturbing elements head on and admitting what is obvious: like most studios, it has used prejudicial stereotypes at some points in its history. The studio has traditionally made films that catered to children but that doesn't mean it should treat all viewers as though they are children.
The James Bond producers assembled Daniel Craig and some of the main cast members at Ian Fleming's legendary home in Jamaica for a press event officially announcing the next 007 film. The title is still unknown but Rami Malek, Oscar-winning star of Bohemian Rhapsody, appeared by video to confirm he will be playing a villain. The program begins at around 1:47.
Joe Dante's Trailers from Hell web site presents John Landis having a field day reviewing the schlock 1977 Universal horror film "The Car", which can best be described as "Jaws" with hubcaps. It probably inspired Stephen King's "Christine" and other bad demonic car movies, but this one is the real gem in terms of unintentional laughs. I saw it at an advanced critic's screening back in the day and I can recall pensive-looking Universal executives scribbling down notes based on the uproarious laughter from the audience. A few weeks later, I went to see the film again with friends who were anxious to appreciate a very bad horror movie. Much to my surprise, some of the scenes had been deleted in an apparent last-minute attempt to salvage this "car" wreck of a movie. What remained was still a hoot but one can only hope that the American Film Institute will one day seek to restore this missing footage so we can enjoy this classic turkey in its original cut. Somehow, I kinda doubt it.
David Picker and his wife Sandy at a book party for release of his memoirs in Beverly Hills, 2013. (Photo copyright Cinema Retro, all rights reserved.)
BY LEE PFEIFFER
David V. Picker, whose tenure at major film studios and as an independent producer, made him a legend in the film industry, has died from colon cancer in New York at age 87. The Picker family lived and breathed movies and in the 1950s they ran United Artists under the leadership of Arthur Krim. Under Krim and the Pickers, UA entered a "Golden Age" of achievements. David, who was named head of production at an early age, showed an uncanny ability to attract top talent and produce films that were popular and critical successes. He was ultimately named President and COO of the company. During his tenure, UA brought to the screen films that were diverse in content including "West Side Story", "The Magnificent Seven", "The Great Escape", "In the Heat of the Night", "Judgment at Nuremberg", "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and many others. He also thought outside the box by green-lighting "Midnight Cowboy", making it the only "X-rated" movie to win a Best Picture Oscar. He also backed director Bernardo Bertolucci's controversial film "Last Tango in Paris" and developed a gradual distribution roll-out that used the movie's notoriety as a marketing took, making the film a sensation. When he heard about a director named Sergio Leone having great success with the European Western "A Fistful of Dollars", Picker ignored conventional wisdom and struck a deal to release the film in English-language markets. The Leone trilogy of films with Clint Eastwood made both men international celebrities and went on to become acclaimed as classics despite their modest production values. Picker also struck a long term production deal with Woody Allen, resulting in many highly acclaimed films.
Picker also saw early potential in the Beatles before they became household names internationally. He arranged a multiple picture deal and hired young director Richard Lester to helm "A Hard Day's Night". The film became a sensation. Perhaps his greatest success was arranging a deal with James Bond producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman to bring Ian Fleming's 007 novels to the big screen after Columbia passed on the opportunity. Picker foresaw the potential of a long-term franchise but later admitted no one could have foreseen it thriving after a half-century. It was Picker who arguably salvaged the Bond franchise after Sean Connery retired from the role after his fifth Bond film, "You Only Live Twice" in 1967. Unknown actor George Lazenby took over the role for "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" but he, too, quit, leaving the franchise in disarray. American actor John Gavin was signed for the role for "Diamonds are Forever" but Picker had second thoughts about his viability to play Bond. He arranged to meet Connery for a game of golf in Spain and convinced him to return for one more Bond movie, agreeing to the highest salary ever paid to an actor. The film's success proved there was still a major market for James Bond and allowed Connery's successor Roger Moore to thrive in the role of 007.
Picker left UA in the 1970s and became an independent producer. One of his great successes was Bob Fosse's 1974 film "Lenny". He also produced the acclaimed comedy "Smile" and the disaster thriller "Juggernaut". At various times he was wooed back to take top level positions at various studios including Paramount, Columbia and Lorimar. He oversaw some major successes as well as flops but his low-key personality didn't often mix well with the hyper-activity in the New Hollywood. Ultimately, he returned to independent producing and brought Steve Martin to the big screen with the enormous hit "The Jerk". Picker also served for a time as President of Hallmark Entertainment Productions.
Picker, who was a modest and reserved figure in an industry strewn with big egos, rarely gave interviews but he was a contributor to Cinema Retro, enlightening readers with behind the scenes stories pertaining to specific films. He told us that during his days at United Artists, he and his fellow production executives were conscious of the fact that the company had been founded by actors: Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. Thus, it became the corporate philosophy to not interfere with a director or producer once a movie had been given the green light. The first time the UA brass often saw any of the film was when it was completed and screened. There were exceptions when a production was deemed to be in trouble and over-budget. Picker admitted he made a mistake when he greenlit director George Stevens' biblical epic "The Greatest Story Ever Told" largely on the basis that he had grown up idolizing the filmmaker. The movie proved to be a boxoffice disaster and the studio only recovered because of the success of "Help!" and "Thunderball". Picker had also given the go-ahead for the big budget adaptation of James Michener's "Hawaii". When the budget started hitting the stratosphere, Picker went to the location and personally cut out the last half of the script in an attempt to salvage what became a boxoffice disaster. He also had to inform director/star John Wayne that he had to trim considerable footage from the roadshow presentations of "The Alamo" when the film went into wide release in order to ensure profitability. Wayne complied without complaint but when the same situation arose with Stanley Kramer's "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", it resulted in bad feelings between the two men. Picker always claimed that although the film is beloved by many, he couldn't stand to watch it because it brought back so many negative memories of feuding with Kramer.
Picker had been involved in politics throughout his adult life along
with other prominent members of his family who promoted liberal
candidates and causes. His uncle Arnold was named in the first spot on
President Nixon's notorious "secret" list of personal enemies. In a note below Arnold's name, Nixon indicated that the resources of the federal government should also be considered to be used illegally against David Picker and United Artists as a corporation. Picker said that when the list became public in the midst of the Watergate scandal, he hung it on his wall with pride.
Picker was arguably the last major studio head from a Golden Age of Hollywood film production. His 2013 memoir "Musts, Maybes and Nevers" is an essential read for anyone who likes classic movies. Cinema Retro is grateful for his friendship and contributions to our magazine and we extend our sincere condolences to his wife Sandy and the entire Picker family.
Just in case you thought the good folks at Vinegar Syndrome only release version of vintage porn flicks, it may come as news that they are also providing another valuable social service: remastering long-forgotten grind house "classics". Case in point: "The Muthers", a 1976 gem that plays out like the ultimate Tarantino fantasy. It's a combination of several genres: Women in Prison ("W.I.P", for the initiated), chop socky, sexploitation and blaxploitation. It doesn't get any better than this if you were weaned on this glorious type of sleaze that played routinely on 42nd Street. Directed by cult "B" movie favorite Cirio Santiago, "The Muthers" is yet another low-budget flick from the era that was filmed in the Philippines. The movie opens with a memorable introduction to the titular characters. They are Kelly (Jeannie Bell) and her equally sexy sidekick Anggie (Rosanne Katon, Playboy's Miss September in 1978), who are female pirates with an all-male crew ("You go, girls!"). We see them aboard their high speed, armed vessel as they raid a tourist boat and grab the booty. (Since these are good pirates, no one gets hurt). We know the pirates go by the name of The Muthers because their vessel is adorned with a big sign that reads "The Muthers", in what must have been the first case of branding for high seas pirates. When they return to their Hole-in-the-Wall-like village, they are informed that Kelly's teenage sister has gone missing. They start trawling the waterfront bars and learn that she has been abducted by a human trafficking ring. Working with a government agent who wants to bring down the head of the ring, a notorious crime kingpin named Monteiro (Tony Carreon), Kelly and Anggie volunteer to be captured. They are brought to Monteiro's jungle prison camp, which is guarded by a virtual army of heavily-armed thugs. Here they find dozens of young women being kept in brutal conditions. They are forced to perform manual labor and are simultaneously being groomed for sale to a procurer of girls for international brothels. Kelly manages to get a fleeting glimpse of her sister before she learns the younger girl has made a desperate attempt to escape into the jungle- a strategy which goes tragically awry.
While in the camp, Kelly and Anggie meet Marcie (Trina Parks), another beauty who is regarded as a long-time veteran prisoner who knows all the ropes. Marcie introduces them to Serena (Jayne Kennedy), who is the privileged mistress of Monteiro (who also sleeps with his male guards). Anggie resents Serena for selling out in return for her soft lifestyle at the camp and derisively refers to her as a "house nigger". But Marcie informs her that Serena often provides what human compassion she can towards the prisoners. Ultimately, Kelly, Angie and Marcie enlist Serena in an audacious plan for them all to escape. They do so but Monteiro and his goons are in hot pursuit. As the women hide in the jungle, they face death from the elements, starvation and dangerous critters. In the film's best scenario, Marcie is bitten in the chest by a deadly snake. As Serena sucks the blood out, Marcie gets the movie's best line of dialogue: "Just like every other snake I've met-- won't leave my tits alone!" Although Parks, Kennedy and Katon frustrate male viewers keeping their clothes mostly intact, Bell delivers the goods with two (not one, but two!) gratuitous topless bathlng sequences. She also saunters around the tropical location clad in a long-sleeve turtleneck shirt, the absurdity of which is overshadowed by the fact that she is conspicuously bra-less. The film climaxes with double crosses, a big shootout between the "good" pirates and Monteiro's forces, with machine gun slinging chicks also going hand-to-hand with the villains. (Yes, everybody is kung-fu fighting.) At one point in the movie, Bell gets to swing vine-to-vine a la Tarzan. As low grade action films go, it doesn't get much lower or better than this- and it's all set to a typically funky '70s disco score.
Jeannie Bell displays why the questionable choice of wearing a long-sleeve turtleneck in the tropics has its good points.
The Vinegar Syndrome release has undergone a 2k restoration from the original 35mm negative, making it yet another one of their titles that probably looks infinitely better today than it did upon its initial release. An appropriately cheesy trailer is also included that doesn't even credit the actresses, though perhaps they consider that to be a positive.
Back in 1978, Burt Reynolds was still at the beginning of
a cycle of six action comedies that he made with director Hal Needham—a cycle
that started with “Smokey and the Bandit “(1977) and ended with “Cannonball Run
II†(1984). One of the best of these
films was “Hooperâ€â€”a tribute to Hollywood’s unsung hero, the Hollywood stunt
man. “Hooper†was a very personal film for both Reynolds and Needham who both
started their movie careers as stunt doubles. Needham started doing stunt work
in the early years of live TV in New York and is best remembered for his stunt
driving in Steve McQueen’s “Bullitt†(1968). Reynolds also began in TV and
parlayed his athletic ability along with his good looks to become one of
tinseltown’s biggest stars. In a very real way, “Hooper†is even more personal
film for Reynolds, because one of the characters in the film is based on a
legendary, real-life stunt man/movie star, whom Reynolds knew personally and in
fact idolized.
“Hooper†begins with opening credits superimposed over
Sonny Hooper (Reynolds) putting on braces, ace bandages, and padding over a
body bearing multiple scars. “March of the Toreadors†plays on the soundtrack
as he dons a motorcycle outfit and strides out into the sunlight to perform a
dangerous stunt, skidding a motorcycle under a moving truck. He’s working on a
spy movie starring Adam West who appears in the film as himself. That stunt
completed, next day he takes a high fall off a roof with a dog. “Make me look
good,†West tells him. But it’s after that fall we discover Sonny’s got a bad
back. He gets his friend Cully (James Best) to walk him to his trailer, where
he gives him a shot of Xylocaine. “You know what I’d do if I ever met the guy
who invented Xylocaine?†Sonny asks. “I’d get on my knees and kiss his ass.â€
In the meantime, a new younger stuntman said to be the
next Sonny Hooper, arrives on the scene. Ski (Jan Michael Vincent) meets Sonny
during filming of a chariot race scene. Although he sees Ski as a threat, Sonny
can’t help liking the young up-and-comer. For one thing, the kid is damn good
at what he does. Maybe too good. As the story progresses, Sonny realizes the
new generation of stunt players coming up are smarter and tougher, if not better
than he and his contemporaries were. “They don’t take pills,†he tells Cully, “they
don’t drink, they don’t take shots, and they carry little pocket calculators.
We don’t watch out, they’re gonna blow us right out of the tub.â€
The story follows a simple straight line, the old timer
trying to keep up with the younger rival even if it costs him his life. His
doctor tells Hooper that his vertebrae are torn almost beyond repair. One heavy
impact or fall could paralyze him for life. Naturally the film leads to a
climax that calls for Hooper and Ski to perform the greatest stunt ever
filmed—one that involves jumping a rocket car 325 feet over a collapsed bridge.
In addition to the main plot line there is a subplot that
in a way is even more interesting than the rest of the movie, once you know the
inside story. Hooper has a sweetheart, a gal named Gwen, played, of course by
Sally Field, Reynolds’ main squeeze at the time. Gwen has a father, Jocko Doyle
(Brian Keith) who was once known as the greatest stunt man alive. It’s no
coincidence that in real life Sally Field’s stepfather was none other than Jock
Mahoney one of the greatest stuntmen who ever lived. Keith first appears on
horseback wearing a fringed buckskin jack, the kind that was Mahoney’s trade
mark when he played the Range Rider, a Gene-Autry produced TV series that aired
in the 1950s. Mahoney, who was known in the trade and by his friends as
“Jocko,†had been a stunt double for Charles Starrett in the Durango Kid
features. He played Yancy Derringer on a CBS series and went on to play Tarzan
in two features that were filmed in Asia. Unfortunately, he contracted dysentery
and dengue fever while on location in Thailand and his general health took a
heavy hit. During the filming of an episode of the Kung Fu TV series in the
seventies Mahoney suffered a stroke and was confined to a wheel chair for some
time.
I mention all this because near the end of Act Two of “Hooper,â€
Jocko Doyle also suffers a stroke, mirroring the same fate suffered by Mahoney.
In Gene Freese’s biography, Jock Mahoney,
The Life and Films of a Hollywood Stuntman, the author tells us that both
Reynold and Needham were Jocko fans, and of course he was Sally Field’s
stepdad. Freese says the part of Gwen’s father was “based on Jock Mahoney
himself.†Both the star and the director wanted Mahoney to play the part, but
the studio didn’t want him. Some fans, who knew the Mahoney/Doyle connection
thought that perhaps he wasn’t physically able to play the part. But that wasn’t
it. He was fit enough, Freese writes, but the studio wanted a bigger name.
However, Mahoney was on hand during filming in an advisory capacity and
provided some of the “Mahoneyisms†that the actors used in their dialog.
“Hooper†is one of those special movies that really
deserved to be released on Blu-Ray. For one thing it’s the kind of movie that
they don’t make any more, and probably never will again. As Hooper said, the
boys with the calculators and computers have taken over. A lot of stunt work has
been replaced by CGI. “Hooper “is light hearted and fun to watch because
everyone in it seems to be enjoying themselves. Reynolds does his usual mugging
and winking into the camera, and there was real chemistry between he and Field
back then. But more importantly, “Hooper†pays homage to the men and women who
made the stars look good, as Adam West said. And it shows the price these
legendary people paid, in terms of broken bones, chronic pain, in some cases
permanent injury and even death. Yet despite the odds of surviving a career
like that intact, the film conveys a sense of good humor mixed with bravado
that’s hard to find in movies these days. It’s no Range Rider, but it’s a damn
good movie.
Warners Home Video released “Hooper†in 1.85:1 aspect
ratio. The picture is excellent. The soundtrack contains the usual country
western tunes, but is in mono with too much shrill high end and not enough
bass. The only extra is a standard format trailer. This is another case where an
iconic film significant at least of the time period in which it was released,
is presented with no commentary or documentary features. I would really have
enjoyed hearing Reynolds or Field talk about it.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE "HOOPER" TRIBUTE FACEBOOK PAGE.
In the 1950s through 1970s, episodes of hit television shows were often turned into feature films. Here's one exploiting "Bonanza" that was used for European markets but which was never released in the USA.
When
I was asked to review a film from 1975 called Supercock, I immediately thought that it sounded like a film that
may have starred the late adult film performer John Holmes who was known the
world over for being extraordinarily, if not freakishly, well-endowed. An
Internet Google search turned up Supercock
– the film I was reviewing andanotherone that starred John Holmes, a film I only joked about even
existing! The latter didn’t surprise me in the slightest and I breathed a sigh
of relief that I wasn’t being asked to review that film.
Supercock is a comedic outing concerning the
sport of cockfighting with a humorous script that makes as many sexual
inuendoes as you can imagine, to the point of it being a one-note joke that
occasionally draws guffaws, smiles, and even a few rolling eyes. It was usually
double-billed with the Warren Oates/Monte Hellman vehicle Cockfighter (1974). Shot in the Philippines circa 1974, the film
stars the late Ross Hagen as Seth Calhoun, a Western clothing-wearing hotshot
from the United States boasting about his cock, Friendly (a rooster that performs
in cockfights and has a reputation that precedes him). The dialog is insipid as
evinced by the airport scene as Seth walks through Customs and, when asked if
he has anything else to declare, he responds, “Just my cock,†drawing grins
from female onlookers. This is where he meets a taxi driver who calls himself
G.I. Joe (Tony Lorea) and they make an unlikely pairing as they attempt to take
on the highly lucrative industry of cockfighting, with G.I. Joe taking 5% of
the profits. A competitor, Seeno Nono (Subas Herrero), makes a failed attempt
to ingratiate himself with Seth only to find that the latter isn’t for sale.
Seth challenges Seeno Nono to a cockfight with Friendly against three of his best, well, cocks (you get
the picture). You see, Seth’s cock excels at fighting since he has been trained
in a technique called “affection training.â€
In
an effort to sway Seth, Seeno Nono unleashes one of his weapons, an attractive
Asian (Nancy Kwan) who, in typical B-movie narrative style, is not only young
but completely unattached (just like in real life!). Under his orders, she puts
the moves on Seth and wouldn’tcha know it she begins to develop feelings for him.
Her feelings of conflict don’t sit well with her boss who finally pulls out the
big guns in the form of his henchman who make a mad dash to steal Friendly in a
very funny and frenetic on-foot chase sequence that pits them against G.I. Joe
and Seth. The finale consists of a showdown between Seth and Seeno Nono’s cocks
(gosh, that sounds horrible…).
Supercock, like the 1979 horror film Tourist Trap, inexplicably received a PG
rating but rest assured that this is not
a film for children by any means. If the title draws a blank, it was also known
as: Fowl Play, A Fistful of Feathers, and Superchicken.
This is obviously a low-budget affair so you’re not going into this expecting the
cinematic equivalent of Once Upon a Time
in the West. There is no profanity or sex in the film although there is a
significant amount of violence between the roosters that could easily upset
youngsters should they possess the fortitude to get past the dubbed dialog and
“cock†banter that permeates the first two thirds of the film.
If
you can believe it, there is a novelization of the film. I can hear the words of Isaac Davis
in Woody Allen’s Manhattan (1979)
wherein he essentially describes the writing of novelizations of movies as another
“contemporary American phenomenon that’s truly moronic.†Supercock appears to be no exception.
Directed
by Gus Trikonis, the man responsible for The
Swinging Barmaids (1975), The Student
Body (1976), Moonshine County Express
(1977), and The Evil (1978) among
many other motion picture and television titles, Supercock is an acquired taste (sorry, another awful pun) and is now
available in a limited edition Blu-ray. It has a very good transfer and while
grainy it’s free of scratches, tears and reel-change cue marks. The extras
include trailers for The Intruder (1975),
The Dismembered (1962), The Satanist (1968), Trailer Trauma, Trailer Trauma 2, and Ninja
Busters (1984). The highlight is a feature-length audio commentary with
grade-B movie director Fred Olen Ray who talks a little bit about the film but
speaks at length about low-budget filmmaking in addition to his experiences in
the industry. A very informative and fun listen, worth the price of admission.