BY GIACOMO SELLONI

Believe it or not, there was once a time when science was respected, not frowned upon or ridiculed.Today it sounds like a fairy tale, doesn't it? But in the late 19^th and early 20th centuries science led the way. It was a time of great technological developments and advancement. Illiterate people could still be technologically advanced - due to their learning the intricacies of the new mechanical technologies.

Into this time a young Albert Einstein, who would change the world, arguably, more than any other human before him, achieved his first notoriety. I speak of course of his 1905 paper on The Theory of Special Relativity. The document was panned at the time by most scientists who stuck to Newtonian Physics and Einstein was considered to be a bit of a joke in some circles. It wasn't until 1919 when an Englishman, Stanley Eddington, astronomer, physicist and mathematician, proved the theory through the observance of a solar eclipse down in Sobral, Brazil, thus verifying Einstein's genius. He had been considered one of Germany's best minds within the scientific community for some time but now the public- the world public- accepted his theory.

Einstein opposed the First World War. In fact, at 16 he was a draft dodger. He left Germany and joined his parents, who now lived in Italy, only to return to Germany after the war when the Weimar Republic (Germany's first democratic government) was formed. Many of his friends in science (many of them Jews) signed the Declaration of Militarization and the Occupation of Belgium and went to work for the German war machine. Included was Fritz Haber, who was Jewish. Haber was a physical chemist who invented chemical warfare. We know what implications this would have in the years to come.

Einstein said, "I am not only a pacifist, but a militant pacifist. I am willing to fight, to fight for peace." He despised nationalism. "Nationalism is an infantile disease," he said "It is the measles of mankind." A Jew who experienced anti-Semitism as a youngster growing up in southern Germany, a more agrarian existence then the typical urban, militaristic, Prussian upbringing we think of when we think of German culture, he became a crusader who spoke out on issues from women's rights and racism to immigration and nuclear arms control. One of his great regrets was that his work in physics helped lead to the creation of the great weapon of destruction the atom bomb. "I do not know how the Third World War will be fought, but I can tell you what they will use in the Fourth - rocks!"

Director Julia Newman has created an enlightening profile of the man Time Magazine named its Person of the Century. “Albert Einstein: Still a Revolutionary” lives up to its summarization in the First Run Features press release:

"An anti-war firebrand, Einstein also spoke out on issues ranging from women's rights and racism to immigration and nuclear arms control. But today, his image has been neutered into that of a charmingly absent-minded genius. He was, in fact, a powerful force for social change and a model for political activism."

Though Herr Einstein was resistant of fame at the beginning of his career, he eventually embraced it to help deliver his messages of peace and social justice. He was not only a scientist but also a humanitarian and futurist. He could see where the world was heading. It's a sad commentary on humanity's arc that he was correct about its trajectory in so many ways. “Albert Einstein: Still a Revolutionary” is so timely right now - it's scary.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON (Release date: May 26)

BY JOHN M. WHALEN

Do the names Sergio Leone, Sergio Corbucci, Frank Kramer, Sartana, Sabata, Tuco or Trinity mean anything to you, amigo? If they do, it’s probably because you’ve seen a few too many Spaghetti Westerns. "Spaghetti Western," for those tenderfoots that might not know, is the name given to a host of western films made in Italy and Spain during the sixties and seventies featuring an international cast usually headed by an American actor who had seen better days. Cowboy actors like Rod Cameron, Edd Byrne, and Guy Madison went to Europe after their TV and film careers petered out to battle outlaws, rustlers and ruthless killers who looked more like they just stepped out of a pizzeria in Palermo than a saloon in South Texas. These movies are wild, violent, and weird, but there was a certain something about them that kept you watching.

Although patterned after the Hollywood western, they are different in style, form, and content. The stories were full of double crosses and more twists than a rusty corkscrew, and sometimes it was hard to tell the good from the bad. Morality depended on how fast a man could draw a gun, but usually the man who rode into town seeking revenge for past wrongs came out the winner. Of course the most famous American TV Cowboy to strike it rich overseas was Clint Eastwood through his association with Sergio Leone. As the Man with No Name he and Leone made “A Fistful of Dollars,” “A Few Dollars More,” and “The Good the Bad and the Ugly” and created not just a career but perhaps even a legend.

In Quentin Tarantino’s latest film, “Once Upon a Time . . . in Hollywood,” Leonardo DiCaprio plays Rick Dalton, a washed up seventies TV cowboy who makes the trip to Rome to restart his career by starring in "Uccidimi Subito Ringo, Disse el Gringo," ("Kill Me Now Ringo, Said the Gringo"). That slightly looney title inspired Fred Blosser, author and movie reviewer for this site, to put together a book every Italian Western fan should track down. Blosser, better known as a Robert E. Howard scholar, (see, "Western Weirdness, and Voodoo Vengeance: An Informal Guide to Robert E. Howard's American Horrors"), has seen more Spaghetti Westerns than anyone I know. He probably wouldn't admit it, but I'd say he's an expert on the subject. “Sons of Ringo: The Great Spaghetti Western Heroes,” is what he calls an informal readers guide to the pistoleros, bounty hunters, mercenaries, and desperadoes of the Italian Western.

"Like Tarantino’s fictitious film," Blosser says, "dozens of actual Italian Westerns were released with names like Ringo, Django, Sartana, Sabata, and Trinity in the title. These films still remain an indelible part of pop culture more than a half-century after they first appeared on big screens in Europe and the U.S."

The book examines a representative section of these movies, beginning with a brief overview of the genre.  Selections from Leone and Corbucci are highlighted, followed by the movies of the Sabata series, four non-series Westerns starring the legendary Lee Van Cleef, two films by “the Fourth Sergio” (Martino), two classics in the socially conscious “Zapata Western” sub-genre, an array of lesser-known Sons of Ringo, and as a postscript, five representative examples of the German Western school that paralleled the opening phase of the Italian Western.

This book is full of information on films ranging from the well-known, to the really obscure. If you're a fan and are looking for a book that provides historical context for these movies, and perhaps tells you something you never knew about them, this is it. Even a tinhorn four- flusher like me can find it useful. There’s enough info on many of the titles that you'll be able to fake it at your next cocktail party and convince your friends you've actually seen them. Don't wait. Mosey on over to Amazon and tell them Tuco sent you. And remember: "When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk."

CLICK  HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

CLICK HERE TO ORDER KINDLE VERSION FROM AMAZON

BY LEE PFEIFFER

The 1969 film version of Woody Allen's Cold War comedy "Don't Drink the Water" comes to Blu-ray through Kino Lorber. If the film is remembered at all, it's usually disparaged by Allen fans who lament his complete lack of involvement in any aspect of the production, probably because he was simultaneously prepping his own directorial and starring role debut in "Take the Money and Run". Allen's comedy had a sensational run on Broadway, with over 500 performances after debuting in 1966. The story centers on the Hollander family, its grumpy patriarch, Walter (Jackie Gleason) and his devoted wife Marion (Estelle Parsons). Walter is a top caterer in Newark, New Jersey and is preparing for a high profile event that will see him earn a good sum of money. First, however, he's being dragged off on a European vacation with Marion and their teenage daughter Susan (Joan Delaney), who is very much into the "mod" scene of the era, much to Walter's disdain. En route to Athens, however, the plane is hijacked and lands in a Soviet satellite country. Although the pilot assures everyone that diplomatic channels will ensure they will take off shortly for their original destination, the Hollanders make the mistake of getting off the plane to take some photos despite the fact that they are surrounded by heavily armed security forces under the direction of fanatical communist intelligence chief Krojack (Michael Constantine), who attempts to arrest them for being spies. Walter spots a nearby limousine belonging to the U.S. consulate and convinces the acting ambassador, Axel Magee (Ted Bessell) to race them to the safety of the embassy in a madcap chase with Krojack and his goons in hot pursuit. Inside the embassy, they learn that Axel is the incompetent son of the esteemed ambassador (Howard St. John), who has just left on a diplomatic mission. It isn't long before Walter turns into the typical "Ugly American" and is barking insults and commands, expecting to be released immediately into U.S. custody. Obviously, things don't go well. The Hollanders find themselves victims of an international incident and are warned to prepare for a prolonged stay at the embassy, as the inept Axel attempts to find a solution and Walter sweats getting back home in time for the catering event.

The film was directed by Howard Morris, a veteran character actor and respected director of top sitcoms of the era. Indeed, the film plays out like an extended TV production and its merits largely rest on Gleason's broad shoulders, as he indulges in his characteristic "slow burns" and temper tantrums, especially when he finds a budding romance between Susan and Axel. The embassy houses another refugee, a European priest, Father Drobney (Richard Libertini), who is also wanted by Krojack for subversive activities. Libertini provides some of the few genuine laughs as the lovable priest tries to demonstrate his inept skills as a magician. There are a few yucks scattered throughout and the film doesn't play out as badly as its reputation might indicate, but much of the mayhem feels about as flat as a week-old pancake. This is rather surprising because the screenplay was entrusted to two of the top comedy writers of the time period, Harvey Bullock and R.S. Allen. However, what made audiences howl in live theater proves to be difficult to transfer to the silver screen. Gleason is Gleason, essentially playing his standard character. For those of us weaned on his TV shows, he comes across very well. To the uninitiated, he's probably just an insufferable grouch. Parsons, who was a recent Oscar winner for "Bonnie and Clyde" is stranded in an underwritten role that doesn't do justice to her comedic skills, but Delaney is quite charming and Ted Bessell provides some personality to a bland, one-note role. 

Some of the blame must be assigned to Howard Morris, who probably felt confined by the restraints of the script. Full disclosure: I knew Morris and he was a genuinely hilarious person on screen and off. He specialized in theatre of the absurd and had only recently gravitated to directing feature films. However, the scripts he was offered were generally very conventional. In the final scenes of "Don't Drink the Water" in which Hollanders disguise themselves as an Arab sheik and his harem to affect their escape, Morris gives in to his impulses and goes full-throttle for the absurd angle (even appearing in a cameo role). However, the climax of the film doesn't match with the earlier aspects of the movie, which are grounded somewhat in realism, thus making for a fairly dreadful finale. Nevertheless, "Don't Drink the Water" isn't a terrible film. It has provides a few giggles and some other delights, but overall it's a missed opportunity.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray features a commentary track by film historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson, who are ubiquitous on KL releases. The track is highly engaging because they provide plenty of interesting background on the film (which was shot at a studio in Miami Beach to ensure Gleason wasn't far from is favorite golf course and exteriors were filmed in Quebec.) They also refreshingly staunchly defend the film, pointing out its assets, which include wonderful, mod opening titles and a zesty score by Patrick Williams, who also provides the corny-but-toe-tapping title song. They also argue that the movie is an unappreciated gem, which only proves that comedy can't be debated because you can never force a viewer to laugh at scenes they find inherently unfunny. Nevertheless, one has to respect their defense of a comedy that even Woody Allen so disdained that he felt compelled to remake it for television in the 1990s. The Blu-ray also features an abundance of comedy trailers for KL releases.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

“AN ALASTAIR SIM QUARTET”

By Raymond Benson

Alastair George Bell Sim, popularly known as Alastair Sim, was one of those great British actors famous for his remarkable facial features, physical presence, and vocal delivery. Primarily a renowned stage performer from the 1930s to the 1970s, Sim also made several films—mostly comedies, because he could do “irony” as well as, say, Alec Guinness. Sim is perhaps best-known for his definitive Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (1951, titled Scrooge in the U.K.), but his work portraying acerbic and sarcastic characters in other pictures in the late 40s and through the 50s, is outstanding.

The impressive Film Movement label has released this 4-disk package that highlights a quartet of notable Alastair Sim appearances in what are deemed to be among the best post-war “very British” comedies. This was a time when Ealing Studios, for example, was making its mark in the genre. These four movies capture a Britain still recovering from rationing and regaining a foothold in the international scene. Here lie the catalysts for later, more abstract 1960s British humor such as The Goon Show and Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The four titles also come with over two hours of supplements.

The Belles of St. Trinian’s (1954) is the first—and best—of the hugely popular St. Trinian’s series based on Ronald Searle’s drawings and cartoons about a boarding school for girls in which the students are unruly delinquents and the teachers are just as bad. Directed by Frank Launder and written by the formidable team of Launder and Sidney Gilliat (The Lady Vanishes, Night Train to Munich), Belles features Sim in dual roles—as Millicent Fritton, the headmistress of St. Trinian’s (yes, Sim is in drag, and he’s hilarious), and as her twin brother, Clarence, a gambler and bookmaker whose daughter, Arabella (Vivienne Martin) is in the sixth form of the school. The plot involves Fatima, a new student who is the daughter of the “Sultan of Makyad” (Eric Pohlmann). Everyone around Fatima is attempting to get information on the sultan’s horse that will be competing in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. British stalwart comic actor George Cole plays Flash Harry (a role he would repeat in subsequent entries in the series), a shifty sort who sells gin to the science department. There can be no doubt that Michael Palin channeled Cole in some of the television Python sketches fifteen years later. Wildly funny comedienne Joyce Grenfell is police sergeant Ruby Gates—she also returns for further adventures at St. Trinian’s. The picture is slightly ribald (probably an eye-raiser in 1954!), full of eccentric and amusing personages and situations, and is a joy to watch. Supplements attached to this title are a making-of featurette, separate interviews with film historian Geoff Brown, film lecturer Dr. Melanie Williams, Sim’s daughter Meredith McKendrick, and Steve Chibnall, professor of British Cinema at De Montfort University.

School for Scoundrels (1960) is a pure delight that sees Sim in a supporting role as “Mr. Potter,” a nudge-nudge-wink-wink nod to Stephen Potter, the author whose Gamesmanship books were the bases of the film. These were satirical books that instructed men how to “one-up” their rivals, be successful, and always get the girl. Ian Carmichael is Henry Palfrey, a total failure, even though he owns his own business (but his employees walk all over him). After a chance encounter on a bus, Henry falls in love with April (Janette Scott, a sparkling beauty whose second husband was Mel Tormé). Unfortunately, cad and annoying “man about town,” Raymond Delauney (Terry-Thomas, in a role that defines every character Terry-Thomas ever played!) attempts to seduce her away from Henry and simultaneously humiliate the young man. Henry eventually enrolls in Potter’s School of Lifemanship to learn how to “one-up” his adversaries and finally win over April. This somewhat sexist (it’s 1960, after all), but hilarious, romp was the final film directed by Robert Hamer (Kind Hearts and Coronets). It was also remade—badly—in 2006 with Billy Bob Thornton. Supplements included are interviews with Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw, Terry-Thomas biographer Graham McCann, Stephen Potter’s grandson Chris Potter, and a restored trailer.

Laughter in Paradise (1951) finds Sim as one of four distant relatives of the recently deceased Henry Russell (Hugh Griffith), a notorious but wealthy prankster. In order to inherit £50,000 of the old man’s money, each of the four cousins (Sim, Fay Compton, Guy Middleton, and George Cole) must perform a public act designed to turn their lives upside down. For example, Sim is a retired officer who now writes “penny dreadful” crime stories. His task is to commit a crime and spend 28 days in jail. Compton, a stuffy spinster who treats her servants horribly, must gain employment as a servant in a household for a month. Cole, a meek and introverted bank manager, must pull an armed robbery prank on his beast of a boss. Middleton, a womanizer, must propose to the next female he sees—and he must get her to agree to marry him. Director Mario Zampi pulls off some mighty funny stuff here. The scene in which Sim attempts to shoplift in a jewelry store is comic gold. Alas, there are no supplements accompanying this title.

Hue and Cry (1947) is important in the pantheon of British cinema in that it is considered the first of the comedies produced by Ealing Studios, although it is more of a Boys’ Own adventure tale. The protagonist is teenage actor Harry Fowler as Joe Kirby, who is part of a gang called the Blood and Thunder Boys (that also includes a girl or two) who rummage around the bombed-out ruins of post-war London and environs (shades of John Boorman’s Hope and Glory!) and always narrowly escape getting into trouble. One day, after reading a pulp comic (ironically called “Trump”!) and its detective story contained within, Joe begins to suspect the same crime being committed out of a furrier shop in Covent Garden. Thus begins a “ripping yarn” in which Joe and his young cohorts attempt to solve the puzzle. Sim has a small role as the author of the mystery stories appearing in Trump. Directed by none other than Charles Crichton (The Lavender Hill Mob, A Fish Called Wanda), the picture is great fun and also provides an extraordinary street-scene depiction of war-torn Britain at the time. Supplements include an interview with Professor Chibnall again, and a locations featurette comparing the movie’s settings with what they are today.

Film Movement’s high definition digital restorations (from StudioCanal) are spectacularly good. If this is an example of the company’s quality control, then Film Movement will be a major competitor to other classic film Blu-ray/DVD labels.

All four titles in this wonderful package are gems. Towering over them is the charismatic presence of the amazing Alastair Sim, who commands the screen and will make you laugh. Highly recommended.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

Kino Lorber has launched its new Kino Marquee streaming program that allows movie fans to rent or buy a selection of art house titles that are not available for streaming elsewhere. The purpose of the program is to benefit local independent theaters through revenue from "virtual ticket" sales. These are films that ordinarily would be playing in theaters. Here is an update from Kino Lorber:

Hello movie lovers,

We’re delighted and honored to have so many new people joining us here at Kino Now!

In response to nationwide closures of movie theaters due to COVID-19, we launched a new initiative called Kino Marquee that lets independent theaters deliver award-winning films that their audiences can watch in the safety of their own homes while still generating revenue to help them survive these difficult times. We were blown away by the number of people who chose to support their local theaters by buying a “virtual ticket” to one of our films.

Kino Marquee is powered by Kino Now, which brings together our carefully curated library of over 1000 award-winning international, documentary, independent, and classic films for you to rent or purchase. You’re receiving this email because you signed up to receive updates from us when you bought your virtual ticket.

Welcome newcomers! And to our long-time Kino Now customers, welcome back!

We thought we’d celebrate the occasion by adding some of our biggest recent hits to our list of Kino Now Essentials. These films were all released in theaters in the last three years by Kino Lorber and our partners at Zeitgeist Films. Maybe you saw them at your local art house. Maybe you read a review of them in your local paper. Maybe you heard about them from a friend but never got a chance to check them out. Or maybe they are brand new to you!

We also chose these films because we think they make for perfect viewing in these unique and often difficult times we are all living through. They feature stories that entertain, fascinate and uplift. They also show the power of movies to open up new worlds and bring people together. We strongly believe that cinema can be an empowering and restorative force in this time of global crisis.

So without further ado, here are our eight selections for the Kino Now New Essentials. We hope you enjoy!

– The Kino Now Team

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS KINO MARQUEE

“A British Right Stuff”

By Raymond Benson

There exists a period in the career of the great David Lean in which several of his pictures are today more or less forgotten, especially in the U.S. After the one-two double punch of Brief Encounter and Great Expectations in the mid-40s, Lean directed several pictures that were less than stellar in terms of popularity and critical acclaim (e.g., The Passionate Friends, Madeleine) before he hit a spectacular stride with Hobson’s Choice, Summertime, and The Bridge on the River Kwai in the mid-50s.

Nestled neatly in this middle period is The Sound Barrier (titled Breaking the Sound Barrier in the U.S.), released in 1952. Despite doing very decent box office on both sides of the Atlantic, the film isn’t one that comes to mind when considering Lean’s genius.

It's the story of how the sound barrier was broken in Britain post-World War II, loosely based on real events and personages. Ralph Richardson stars as John Ridgefield, an airplane manufacturer and pioneer in jet engine technology. His daughter, Susan (Ann Todd, who was married to director Lean at the time the film was made), marries a crack-shot pilot, Tony (Nigel Patrick), and Ridgefield promptly hires Tony to be a test pilot.

But after Susan’s brother Chris (a very young Denholm Elliott) is killed in a flight accident, the story turns more intense and becomes a thriller with a documentary feel. To reveal how the characters achieve their goals and how the sound barrier is actually broken would be major spoilers. Suffice it to say that The Sound Barrier is an engaging, exciting picture that is exquisitely filmed. It’s a sort of British version of The Right Stuff, made thirty years prior to that landmark title. The aviation sequences are very impressive, given the time the movie was made.

There is one problem with it, though. The picture leaves the impression that the sound barrier was first broken by a British pilot. After the film’s release, many British subjects believed this to be true. This notion is patently false—it was Chuck Yeager in the United States who initially achieved the feat!

Kino Lorber’s new high definition transfer looks good, although one wishes that Lean had waited another year or two to make the picture so that he could have utilized a widescreen aspect ratio. It comes with an audio commentary by film historian and critic Peter Tonguette, as well as a ten-minute vintage interview with Lean about the picture and theatrical trailers.

For aviation aficionados and fans of David Lean and British cinema, The Sound Barrier will take viewers on a soaring flight above the clouds.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

STREAMER'S CHOICE: "NOBODY'S FOOL" 

Because so many of our readers find themselves house-bound during this period of Coronavirus, we'll be providing occasional reviews of films and series currently available on popular streaming services.

BY LEE PFEIFFER

Paul Newman gives a delightful, Oscar-nominated late career performance in "Nobody's Fool", a comedy/drama written and directed by Robert Benton. Newman plays Sully Sullivan, a 60 year-old lovable cad who finds himself down on his luck in his boyhood hometown of Bath, in upstate New York. He barely scrapes by doing odd jobs for Carl Roebuck (an inexplicably unbilled Bruce Willlis), the obnoxious owner of a local construction company. The two men are sworn enemies but they maintain a relationship because they mutually benefit. Sully makes his home in the boarding house of the elderly widow, Beryl Peoples (Jessica Tandy), who showers him with maternal love. The feeling is mutual and Sully acts as handyman and confidant to Beryl. Sully enjoys being a local legend because of his spontaneous and often self-destructive actions. He's also a local lady's man who openly flirts with Carl's long-suffering wife Toby (Melanie Griffith), who must endure her husband's drunkenness, gambling and flagrant womanizing. Sully is relegated to living out his final years in Bath, recognizing that his earlier dream of achieving great things aren't likely to happen. His life is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of his estranged son Peter (Dylan Walsh) and his wife and two young sons. Sully had deserted his family when Peter was only a year old. His wife remarried and the divorced couple still reside in Bath, where Sully maintains a civil relationship with her and her second husband. Peter and Sully have a tense reunion and it becomes apparent that Peter is in a failing marriage. His wife soon returns home, leaving Peter to look after their son Will (Alexander Goodwin). It isn't long before old tensions rise between Sully and Peter but father and son try to bury the hatchet, as Peter prepares to live as a divorced man, too.

Nothing overly dramatic happens in "Nobody's Fool", which is precisely why it is so enjoyable. Sully is a big fish in a small pond and we watch him engage in antics that would be more appropriate for a kid in high school. When he isn't gambling away his meager stash of cash, he's drunkenly antagonizing the town's Barney Fife-like deputy, Raymer (Phillip Seymour Hoffman). He also steals Carl's new snowblower multiple times, only to have Carl steal it back. He knows that Toby is as infatuated with him as he is with her, but it's doubtful they will take their relationship to a physical level. Peter begins to ease the tensions with his father, especially when he learns that Sully had a terrible childhood marred by an abusive father. There are heartwarming scenes in which Sully tries to compensate for his own failings as a father by bonding with young Will. Robert Benton's direction captures the look and feel of small town life in a snow-bound period. Here, the population is small enough that even enemies have to socialize because the town only has one bar.

Newman was 69 years old at the time he starred in "Nobody's Fool", but he's handsome and spry enough to credibly play a character who is a decade younger. He gives a marvelous performance as a typical Newman character: the somewhat shady rogue with a twinkle in his eye. The supporting cast is equally impressive with an Bruce Willis very good indeed as Sully's antagonist and Jessica Tandy especially moving in what would be her final screen performance. Dylan Walsh registers strongly as Peter and Alexander Goodwin manages gives a highly disciplined performance for someone so young. The film is peppered with some terrific character actors including Philip Bosco as a cynical judge and Gene Saks, especially funny as Sully's perpetually inept lawyer who is prone to gambling his artificial leg in poker games. Pruitt Taylor Vince also registers strongly as Rub, a simple-minded man who Sully considers to be his best friend.

Although "Nobody's Fool" is a sentimental tale, it never becomes drippy or corny. The movie was well-received by critics and the public in 1994 and if you haven't had the opportunity to enjoy it, we recommend you do so.

"Nobody's Fool" is currently streaming on Amazon Prime (USA)

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE DVD FROM AMAZON

Jerry Stiller in a promotional photo for "The King of Queens". (Photo: CBS/Sony)

BY LEE PFEIFFER

Jerry Stiller, who rose to fame in the 1960s by teaming with his wife Anne Meara as a comedy act, has died at age 92. The father of actor Ben Stiller, Jerry went on to a successful acting career himself, becoming an iconic presence on such television series as "Seinfeld" and "The King of Queens". Both he and his wife Anne always aspired to acting careers but found their initial success in standup comedy, although Stiller appeared in dramatic roles on many television programs beginning in the late 1950s. Anne was a tall and of Irish heritage and Catholic while Jerry was short and Jewish. Their first major break came in 1961 when Ed Sullivan featured them on his show. They were an immediate sensation and would be invited back over the years for return appearances. Audiences loved their shtick which revolved around the ways men and women get on each other's nerves. They always worked "clean" and their observations resonated with everyday people who could identify with them. Ultimately, both Stiller and Meara would develop separate, successful acting careers. Stiller got his first credited role in a feature film in 1974 with a supporting part in "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three". Many more film roles would follow. However, it was in the role of Frank Constanza on the TV series "Seinfeld" that he became immortalized in pop culture. The character was high strung, manic and possessed a hair-trigger temper, generally directed at his son George (Jason Alexander) or his long-suffering wife Estelle (Estelle Harris). Despite the show's long run, Stiller only appeared in 30 episodes but his presence was always welcomed by fans. His most memorable episode involved his character's devotion to the fictional holiday he created, "Festivus", which was an alternative to Christmas and Hanukkah. "Festivus for the rest of us!" was his mantra and the logo can be found on the T shirts of fans even today. Following "Seinfeld", Stiller found great success playing a regular role in the CBS sitcom "The King of Queens" over a nine year period.

Jerry Stiller never went out of style. He continued to work even after Anne's death in 2015, occasionally teaming with his son Ben, with whom he appeared in the two "Zoolander" films.

For NY Times obituary, click here.

BY DOUG OSWALD

Michael Caine plays a British Petroleum engineer on loan to the army during WWII and assigned to British controlled North Africa. He’s drafted to lead a group of disparate men on a mission behind enemy lines to destroy a German coastal fuel depot in “Play Dirty” available on Blu-ray by Twilight Time. Playing chess while supervising the transfer of fuel from British ships to coastal fuel storage tanks, Captain Douglas (Caine) is ordered to report to Colonel Homerton (Bernard Archard) who transfers him to the special services unit commanded by Brigadier General Blore (Harry Andrews). He’s to lead a group of men under the command of Colonel Masters (Nigel Green) including Captain Cyril Leech (Nigel Davenport), a former prisoner who uses other criminals in his missions against the Germans. When Douglas reminds the general he’s on loan from British petroleum for costal duties only, the general reminds him he’s wearing a British uniform. Leech doesn’t want him either, but Masters promises him a bonus payment of 2,000 British pounds if he brings back Captain Douglas alive.

Leech and his motley crew of a half dozen criminal soldiers for hire with crimes ranging the gamut from drug smuggling to rape and murder were released by Colonel Masters from an Egyptian prison. They include a Tunisian named Sadok, the demolition man; Kostos Manov, the armorer; Boudesh, communications; a Cypriot named Kafarides, transport and supplies; Sinusi Arab guides, Hassan and Assine for whom it is overtly hinted they are homosexual. Leech, a self described “black sheep of an admirable family from County Dublin,” was the captain of a tramp steamer in the Black Sea. Leech sunk it for the insurance money off Djibouti with all hands on board. Colonel Masters ends the introduction with, “War is a criminal enterprise. I fight it with criminals.”

The mission is to destroy a German fuel depot at Leptis Magna in western Libya. They have to travel in a horseshoe route south around the German lines through desert which resembles a moonscape of craggy rocks, sand and land mines which they travel off road disguised as Italians in German trucks. The road is bumpy and they go through their supply of tires as they blow out one by one. In one nail-biting scene, the group has to use cable and pulleys to haul their trucks to the top of a cliff. Soon a group of Germans arrive and they wait to ambush a British patrol. Leech prevents Douglas from alerting the British and the Germans kill the British patrol and depart. “You play dirty Captain Leech,” says Douglas. Leach replies, “The way to survive here is to watch, listen and say nothing. I play safe.” This doesn’t sit well with Captain Douglas who orders the men to bury the dead British soldiers at gunpoint. Later, Captain Douglas asks, “Tell me, how did the other English officer’s die?” Captain Leech replies without pause, “Unexpectedly!”

This variation on the “men on an impossible mission” movie trope is quite possibly the most nihilistic war movie ever made. I’ll not provide spoilers, but those who have seen “Play Dirty” know what I mean. I first watched this movie on broadcast TV in the 1970s on the ABC Friday night movie. This was on late night television after prime time and was drawn to it after seeing the TV promo. After that initial broadcast, the movie was hard to find on television. I was able to read about this elusive movie which grew in stature in my mind with its relentless themes of hopelessness and betrayal. These were the days before cable TV and home video was a few years away. DVD, Blu-ray, Netflix & Amazon Prime were decades away. I finally caught up with this movie in its DVD release by MGM in 2007. That was at least a 30 year wait. I upgraded to “The War Collection” UK Blu-ray release by MGM in 2014.

Directed by Andre De Toth, “Play Dirty” was his final official screen credit as director. He was the uncredited director on the 1987 horror film “Terror Night.” The one-eyed De Toth is probably best known as the director of the 3-D classic “House of Wax” in 1953. An irony lost on very few. He was known for directing gritty westerns and thrillers as well as episodes of several popular TV shows in the 50s and 60s. De Toth replaced Rene Clement who walked after Richard Harris was fired, allegedly for refusing a military style haircut. The movie was filmed on location in Spain, standing in for North Africa. Cinematographer Edward Scaife was the director of photography on “The Dirty Dozen,” the original prisoners-turned-soldiers on an impossible mission movie.

“LIZ AND MIA GET FREAKY”

By Raymond Benson

Once again, Kino Lorber, a company grandly competing with other “Cadillac” DVD/Blu-ray publishers, has released an esoteric non-mainstream title from yesteryear that might have otherwise have remained under the radar screens of retro movie lovers.

The filmography of Joseph Losey, the American expat who fled the U.S. to Britain after being blacklisted in the early 50s, has been duly represented by Kino. The company has released several of his titles, a recent one being Secret Ceremony, a British production starring American actors in the three lead roles.

Made in 1968, the picture is one odd duck, but it’s got quite the cast—Elizabeth Taylor, Mia Farrow, Robert Mitchum, Peggy Ashcroft, and Pamela Brown. Based on a novel by Marco Denevi, Secret Ceremony resembles some of the avant-garde stage plays by the likes of Harold Pinter or Jean Genet; in fact, the movie reminded this viewer of Genet’s The Maids, in a way. Unfortunately, Ceremony is in no way as successful or admirable as any of the works by these writers.

Taylor plays Leonora, whom we are led to believe might have been a former prostitute. She’s a little unbalanced because her only daughter died some years ago. Farrow plays Cenci, a wealthy but childlike young woman who lives alone in a huge mansion. Coincidentally, she’s a bit unbalanced as well because she lost her mother in the past. And wouldn’t you know it? Cenci resembles Leonora’s dead daughter, and Leonora looks like Cenci’s deceased mom. After Cenci stalks Leonora on the streets for a time, the older woman finally succumbs and moves into the mansion with Cenci to be her “mother.” Meanwhile, Cenci’s aunts (Ashcroft and Brown) make trouble by trying to steal some of Cenci’s belongings and money, and then there’s the estranged stepfather, Albert (Mitchum) who unexpectedly shows up. Oh, and of course he apparently sexually abused Cenci back in the day.

It's all about role-playing, fantasies, repressed sexuality, psychological and physical abuse, and power games, and the freaky family dynamics stretch the drama to an almost interminable 109 minutes.

While the film does not work in any way, shape, or form in terms of story or acting (both Taylor and Farrow are, frankly, terrible, and Mitchum seems to be in the wrong movie), it does look gorgeous. Kino Lorber’s new high definition master is sharp, colorful, and quite attractive (the cinematography was by Gerry Fisher). This is accompanied by an audio commentary by Tim Lucas, and it has optional English subtitles for the hearing impaired. The only other supplements are trailers for this and other Kino Lorber titles.

Strictly for fans of Taylor, Farrow, or Losey, perhaps Secret Ceremony might be an entry as one of those “so bad it’s good” pictures. Masochists will experience much revelry in its campiness.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

REVIEW: BILLY WILDER'S "AVANTI!" (1972) STARRING JACK LEMMON AND JULIET MILLS; BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION

AUTHOR DERRICK BANG TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES OF HIS NEW TWO-VOLUME BOOK ON CRIME AND SPY JAZZ SCORES ON SCREEN

REVIEW: "THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER" (1935) STARRING GARY COOPER; BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION

REVIEW: "HITLER'S MADMAN" (1943) STARRING JOHN CARRADINE; WARNER ARCHIVE DVD RELEASE

REVIEW: CAROL REED'S "OUTCASTS OF THE ISLANDS" (1951) STARRING RALPH RICHARDSON AND TREVOR HOWARD; BLU-RAY RELEASE