By Doug Oswald

Oliver Reed, Candice Bergen and Gene Hackman are on opposing sides of “The Hunting Party,”a 1971 Western released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber. Reed is Frank Calder who kidnaps school teacher Melissa Ruger (Bergen). The plan is to hold her for a ransom, but Frank also wants Melissa to teach him to read. Frank and his gang are pursued by Melissa’s sadistic husband Brandt Ruger (Hackman), a wealthy and powerful rancher. The film opens with Frank and his gang killing and butchering a cow from a heard of cattle and cutting out chunks of meat which they eat raw. The scene is disconcerting and is juxtaposed with a scene of Brandt forcing himself on Melissa, who is not enjoying his actions which border on rape and clearly involve the infliction of pain.

Frank’s gang are warned by lawmen to stay away from their town. They ride past the town bank which is heavily guarded and pass through town to the school. There they grab Melissa after her husband departs on a hunting trip with friends on his private train. Brandt and his friends also have several prostitutes and we witness Brandt’s sadism as he employs lit wax candles on the prostitute in his bed. When notified of his wife’s kidnapping the next morning, Brandt and his friends begin their pursuit of Frank and his gang along with his new high caliber hunting rifles with scopes. His friends think they are on a rescue mission, but they learn Brandt is less interested in getting his wife back than getting revenge.

Meanwhile, Frank tries forcing Melissa into teaching him to read, but she refuses and tries to escape several times. Frank rapes her and soon after she nearly shoots him. Frank gives her the ultimatum of teaching him to read or starving to death. Melissa succumbs during the only lighthearted scene in the movie in which she is tempted by Frank with a jar of peaches. Melissa is drawn to Frank and a romance develops between the two. Frank is an outlaw, but a man she is willing to be with and betray her sadistic husband. Brandt and his men soon catch up with Frank and his gang and starts picking them off like snipers, as they can kill at a great distance. One by one, Brandt’s men lose interest when they realize Brandt is less interested in rescuing his wife than killing Frank and his gang like animals. In one scene he even stacks the dead men along side the pond where they were killed, to the disgust of Brandt’s men who soon recognize their friend has gone mad.

Apart from the female lead, there are no “good guys” in this Western. They are all cutthroats, thieves and rapists or psychopaths. The movie is a blend of the Spaghetti Western and the new Hollywood action movie violence of the late 60s and 70s. Candice Bergen gives a terrific performance in an otherwise bleak and nihilistic movie, providing moments of hope that the story will turn in a different direction. She’s raped or nearly raped several times in the movie and her performance is a great follow up to her equally good performance in “Soldier Blue” from 1970. Gene Hackman gives a nasty performance,which is a forerunner to roles in other movies such as “Unforgiven” in 1992. Oliver Reed is understated for the most part and has an effective American accent in his only Western. It’s hard to figure out Frank Calder and his motives. Is he a bad guy? For sure, but he also gains our sympathy if only because the businessman Brandt Ruger is far worse than Frank and his gang members.

Familiar faces round out the cast with the likes of Simon Oakland, Mitchell Ryan, L.Q. Jones and William Watson to name just a few. Directed by Don Medford, the movie was filmed on location in Spain, which was irresistible for Hollywood productions trying to take advantage of the popularity of the Spaghetti Western craze and the Spanish vistas still largely unfamiliar to most movie-goers in America at the time. Known mostly for working in television where he had a prolific career, Medford directed this and the second “In the Heat of the Night” sequel, “The Organization,” which were both released in 1971 and remain his only big screen credits. Well, almost. In addition to the dozens of television credits as director from 1951 through 1989, he also directed the first episode of “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” (“The Vulcan Affair”) which was edited and released theatrically as “To Trap a Spy” in 1966. Thus, Medford could lay claim to three theatrical features depending on how one categorizes them. The screenplay is credited to William W. Norton, Gilbert Ralston and Lou Morheim, who may have crossed paths with Medford in television. The movie has a score by Italian composer Riz Ortolani ,who may be best known for his score to “The 7th Dawn” and more recently for three Quentin Tarantino films: “Kill Bill,” “Inglorious Basterds” and “Django Unchained.”

One of the problems with the movie is that it is very bleak with only the previously mentioned levity which seems out of place compared to the rest of the rest of the movie. While the film is unsettling, it is very good with fine performances by the three leads and the great supporting cast. This isn’t the kind of Western the Duke appeared in during this time period and one can debate which style was better: the extreme violence or the more traditional off-screen blood and violence. I appreciate both and I think there’s room for this variety, but there’s no doubt we were seeing one of the last gasps of the Hollywood Western.

The movie looks great on Blu-ray and I suspect it’s as good as it’s ever looked on home video, having being released previously on DVD and VHS. The disc has an audio commentary by Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson which I found very informative. Other extras include a 12-minute interview with actor Mitchell Ryan who shares his recollections while working on the film. The disc includes the trailer for this and other Kino Lorber releases and reversible cover art. Forget what you’ve heard or read about this movie, “The Hunting Party” may not be for everyone, but is recommended for Western fans due to the terrific cast of leading and supporting players.

Click here to order from Amazon

BY LEE PFEIFFER

The 1970s was the Golden Age of American TV movies and mini-series. Fortunately, many of these long unseen titles have been surfacing again on home video and streaming services. I'll admit that memories of the very good ones had somewhat romanticized my recollection of the TV movie genre in general. Upon viewing some of the titles today, they don't hold up as well as I had hoped, but even the weakest remain quite entertaining. "One of My Wives is Missing" is definitely a lesser entry in the TV movie cycle. In fact, I had never heard of it until I came across the title on Amazon Prime and decided to give it a go. The film was telecast in 1976 and has a good deal of talent associated with the production. The show was produced by the powerhouse team of Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg. The screenplay was by Peter Stone, who used the nom-de-plume Pierre Marton, and the director was Glenn Jordan, an established TV veteran with a long line of credentials. The cast was also impressive: James Franciscus, Jack Klugman and Elizabeth Ashley. 

The film starts out with Franciscus as Daniel Corban, a rich New York City executive frantically calling police numerous times to find out about any progress made relating to his previous report of his new wife as a missing person. Corban and she were enjoying their honeymoon at a lake resort in upstate New York when he claims she went out in her car and never returned. Corban is increasingly frantic to find out where she is. Finally, the local police chief, Murray Levine (Jack Klugman) meets with him to get more facts. Corban is frustrated by Levine's unorthodox police methods and feels that the small department he oversees is not up to solving the mystery. Corban tells Levine that his wife is even wealthier than he is and that they are a devoted couple. When Levine leaves, things start to get weird. An attractive young woman arrives at the house and makes herself at home, claiming she is Corban's wife Elizabeth. As played by Elizabeth Ashley, she's attractive, intelligent and has a habit of sauntering around the rented house in an array of provocative outfits that are cut down-to-there. Corban is stunned and claims he has no idea who she is and why she is posing as his wife. Still, she goes about her business, saying that he must be delusional due to stress. Things get even weirder with the arrival of a local priest, Father Kelleher (Joel Fabiani), who backs up Elizabeth's story and verifies that Elizabeth is indeed the real Mrs. Corban.

The central premise of the plot is the movie's weakest point. It's patently absurd because anyone could have easily be able to prove or disprove the real identity of a spouse even back in 1976 in the pre-internet era. The fact that Chief Levine can't achieve this simple task is explained away by the fact that it's the Labor Day weekend holiday and everything is closed, as though New York City police resources would simply shut down as though they were a local coffee shop. As screenwriter, adapting the Robert Thomas stage play "Trap for a Single Man", Peter Stone allows most of the action to take place in a living room before opening things up a bit in the climax. As with all whodunnits of this type, the less plot revelations, the better. Suffice it to say that the script veers increasingly into the realm of the unbelievable before Stone redeems himself by providing some cracking good plot surprises in the last fifteen minutes. Stone's presence on the low-brow TV movie is a bit of surprise, given that he had written such esteemed feature films as "Charade", "Father Goose" and "The Taking of Pelham One-Two-Three". Perhaps that's why he used an assumed name. A near fatal error is director Jordan's handling of the pivotal role of the priest.  Joel Fabiani is miscast in the part and Jordan has him using a cliched Irish accent that makes him sound as though he's channeling the ghost of Barry Fitzgerald. Franciscus is good, if a bit hammy at times, as the bewildered and exasperated husband. Klugman, always a pleasure to watch, is in full Columbo mode, exhibiting plenty of disarming tactics to mask the fact he is more competent than he seems. Ashley oozes sensuality and is quite effective as the woman who holds the key to the mystery. In all, it adds up as satisfactory, if unexceptional, trip back in time to the era of the "ABC Movie of the Week" series. 

The Amazon Prime streamer is presented "as is" with from a source that has not been enhanced in any manner. The film had been released on VHS and as a low-rent public domain DVD. The latter probably served as the source for the streaming presentation.

BY LEE PFEIFFER

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's timeless 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is said to be the most often-filmed adaptation of a book. I don't know if that's true but it's quite clear that over the decades, the tale has indeed inspired many adaptations for the cinema and television. The 1939 classic introduced audiences to the teaming of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson. The 1959 Hammer Films version was the first Holmes movie made in color and starred Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in another highly impressive adaptation. By the1970s, revisionist versions of Holmes stories were all the rage in cinema and on television, as evidenced by films such as "The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter ", "They Might Be Giants", "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution" and "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes". Thus, the famed comic duo of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore opted to bring a satirical version of "The Hound of the Baskervilles" to the big screen with a cast of highly respected British character actors that included Terry-Thomas, Joan Greenwood, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Griiffith and Roy Kinnear. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty, as it turned out. The first mistake was hiring Paul Morrissey to direct. Morrissey's track record in cinema consisted primarily of directing edgy, avant-garde cult films in conjunction with Andy Warhol. This would be his first foray into mainstream filmmaking. He also co-authored the script with Cook and Moore. Few could have predicted that the film would be  little-seen and much-reviled by those who had the misfortune of viewing it. If you're a fan of misguided, bad movies, your ship has come in with the new Blu-ray release.

On the surface, the script follows the basic plot of the novel. Sir Henry Baskerville (Kenneth Williams) is heir to a remote mansion house located just off the eerie and dangerous moors. However, it appears as though the previous male heirs met with foul fates due to their misdeeds- and some have fallen victim to a legendary murderous hound who stalks them. Holmes and Watson are enlisted to visit Baskerville Hall to protect Sir Henry while they investigate who has made attempts on his life. As in the novel, Holmes disappears from the mid-section of the story, leaving the sleuthing to Watson. As depicted by Cook and Moore, Holmes and Watson are two inept idiots who have gained reputations as great detectives largely through solving cases through the insights of others and by good fortune, when their blundering methods accidentally produce results. Both Cook and Moore play their characters with bizarre, undefined accents that are more annoying than amusing. Cook portrays Holmes as an effeminate fop and Moore's Watson is more Inspector Clouseau than Victorian era sleuth. Moore plays multiple roles in the film including a female character, which only reminded me that aside from "Some Like It Hot" and "The Birdcage", female impersonation tends to be more amusing in theory than execution on the silver screen. The movie lumbers from one unfunny bit to the next and the running time of 85 minutes begins to feel like a double feature of "Ben-Hur" and "Doctor Zhivago"; the cinematic equivalent of water torture as you wait for the next bad joke to drop. Making matters worse is the monotonous piano score "composed" by Dudley Moore which is annoying after several seconds yet is played throughout the entire film. It's like being trapped in a room for 85 minutes with a young piano student who only knows how to play "Chopsticks".

The high profile cast of esteemed character actors is largely wasted. Who would hire one of Britain's great clowns, Terry-Thomas, and cast him in a humorless role? The great Denholm Elliott suffers the indignation of having to carry around a puppy who pees all over everyone he meets (a gag that is repeated numerous times.). Similarly, Oscar winner Hugh Griffith's talents are also wasted but his role is mercifully brief. Kenneth Williams of the "Carry On" films plays Sir Henry with over-the-top stereotypical gay characteristics.The most sympathetic victim is Joan Greenwood, whose portrayal of an upper crust lady-of-the-manor sees her subjected to scenes that spoof "The Exorcist" - five years after that film was released and seemingly every conceivable rip-off of it had already been released. It's the equivalent of making a comedy today that tries to connect with viewers by spoofing "Saturday Night Fever". The exorcism scenes are elaborately staged, given the film's meager production budget, but they are as bizarre as they are grotesque and interminable. You simply have to see it to believe it. One hopes that Ms. Greenwood never saw the final film. Much of the blame for the pacing and erratic nature of the film must be placed squarely with director Morrissey, who is out of his element here. The scenarios are played out in a clunky manner and subtlety is not on the menu, as Morrissey employs a chainsaw instead of a scalpel. Because I'm an eternal optimist, I kept hoping that there would be at least one amusing moment delivered during the course of the film and-Voila!- the hope became a reality. It occurs in Spike Milligan's cameo as a constable who suffers a groin injury from the bumper of a car, causing him to utter a remark that actually woke me from my stupor for a few seconds to emit a genuine laugh. But the tradeoff was hardly worth it: ten seconds of amusement in return for 85 non-retrievable minutes of my diminishing life span. Fortunately for all involved, the movie was a bomb and, thus, the debacle was not witnessed by many. Consequently, everyone's reputation remained intact and Moore's clout rose appreciably after his acclaimed supporting role in the comedy thriller "Foul Play", which was released the same year and overshadowed "The Hound of the Baskervilles".

Code Red has released "The Hound of the Baskervilles" on Blu-ray with a very nice transfer. It's fairly bare bones with only the original trailer included as a bonus. I have to salute the company for bringing out this title, as even bad movies should be preserved and made available for easy access. After all, this review is only one person's opinion. ('lest you suspect that I'm too high brow to enjoy low brow comedy, I consider the Three Stooges to be hilarious. So there.) There may be others who view the film and howl with laughter, but speaking personally, I found this "Hound" to be a real dog. 

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

By Lee Pfeiffer

Among the many gems released by the Warner Archive is the obscure Girl of the Night which afforded Anne Francis a rare starring role in a theatrical feature. The 1960 modestly-budgeted movie purports to examine the pitfalls of a young woman who becomes a high-priced call girl. Francis plays Robin Williams (not the hairy guy from Mork and Mindy), a charismatic 24 year-old trying to carve a life for herself in New York City. She soon falls in love with Larry Taylor (John Kerr), a charismatic cad who pretends to love her while acting as her pimp. For a while, Robin seems content. She's pulling in enough loot to maintain a high lifestyle for herself and Larry, taking "appointments" from floozy madame  Rowena (Kay Medford.) When she learns Larry has been cheating on her, she despairs and seeks advice from psychiatrist Dr. Mitchell (Lloyd Nolan in typically stoic Lloyd Nolan mode.) Much of the story unfolds as Robin relates to Dr. Mitchell how a troubled childhood of abuse and neglect led her to prostitution. Mitchell tries to convince her she is still being used and abused by Larry, who she consistently forgives, against her better judgment.

Despite the obvious opportunity to present the subject matter in a sexploitation format, Girl of the Night is actually a highly engrossing film, intelligently written with a superb performance by Francis that should have been considered for an Oscar nomination. The fact that she never became a full-fledged star of the big screen is puzzling, though she did gain a loyal following based on her Honey West TV series in the 1960s. The film pulls its punches in terms of sanitizing prostitution (the word "sex" is used only once) and consequently, the worst aspects of the profession seem to be dealing with a few kinky customers and an unchivalrous boyfriend. However, director Joseph Cates handles the story very competently and takes advantage of some prime New York City locations. The film's supporting cast is quite engaging, with Kerr particularly good playing against type as a villain. The movie was produced by Max Rosenberg, who would soon go on to produce some of the most popular horror films of the 60s and 70s. In summary, Girl of the Night is a fine tribute to the talents of the under-appreciated Anne Francis.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

Relive the Hilarious Exploits of Wayne and Garth with a Limited-Edition Blu-ray™ SteelBook® on February 1, 2022

Celebrate the world’s most endearing slackers when WAYNE’S WORLD arrives in a Limited-Edition Blu-ray SteelBook on February 1, 2022, just in time for the film’s 30^th anniversary. 

Originally released on February 14, 1992, WAYNE’S WORLD marked the feature film debut of Wayne and Garth, the wildly popular characters originated by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey on “Saturday Night Live.”  A hilarious send-up of pop culture, the film also features Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere, and Alice Cooper (we’re not worthy!). 

Directed by Penelope Spheeris and written by Mike Myers and Bonnie Turner & Terry Turner, WAYNE’S WORLD follows Wayne and Garth as they try to promote their public-access cable show.

A hit with both critics and fans, WAYNE’S WORLD ultimately earned over $183M at the worldwide box office and spawned the sequel Wayne’s World 2.  A double feature of the two films will also be available on Blu-ray with access to digital copies on February 1.

The WAYNE’S WORLD Blu-ray SteelBook includes access to a digital copy of the film.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

BY DARREN ALLISON

The Film Detective has released one of their most ambitious film sets to date with The Sherlock Holmes Vault Collection. The set features three of the five films made between the years 1931-1937 starring Arthur Wontner as world’s greatest super sleuth. Having been told he resembled Doyle's creation for years, Wontner was finally cast in the role for The Sleeping Cardinal (released under its American title as Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour in this box set) in 1931. Produced by Twickenham Studios, Fatal Hour was loosely based on "The Adventure of the Empty House" (a short story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) with the noticeable change that in the film version, Ronald Adair is a card cheat. Wontner was joined by Ian Fleming as Doctor Watson and Philip Hewland as Inspector Lestrade. Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour played rather well and was considered a success. As a result, little time was wasted when producer Julies Hagen quickly rushed a second film into production. The Missing Rembrandt (1932) reunited director Leslie S. Hiscott with Wontner, Fleming, and Hewland. Unfortunately, it is not included within this collection, as sadly it is considered a lost film - and naturally there isn’t much The Film Detective can do about that. The collection is also missing Wontner’s third outing as Holmes, The Sign of Four: Sherlock Holmes' Greatest Case, also made in 1932.

However, there is still plenty here to enjoy in this nicely compiled collective. The series of films picks up again with Wontner’s fourth movie, The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes (1935). The story sees Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson come out of retirement to investigate a mysterious murder. They find that an American criminal organisation called The Scowrers has asked evil mastermind Professor Moriarty to wreak vengeance on John Douglas, the informant who sent them to prison. Again, the film did very well and received a great many positive critical reviews.

Wontner was by now fifty-nine years old, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to hide his age. Wontner's final Holmes film, Silver Blaze (1937) had Ian Fleming return for a final turn as Dr. Watson, as did Lyn Harding as Moriarty while John Turnbull became the third actor to play Inspector Lestrade. The production notably injected Sir Henry Baskerville from The Hound of the Baskervilles into this adaptation. The film wasn't released in the U.S. until 1941 by which time it had undergone a title change to Murder at the Baskervilles, probably due to the overwhelming success of Basil Rathbone s The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939).

Whilst this set is clearly not the definitive Wontner collection, The Film Detective has also included a bonus film to round out the set. A Study in Scarlet (1933) was an American Pre-Code mystery thriller directed by Edwin L. Marin and starring Reginald Owen as Sherlock Holmes and Anna May Wong as Mrs. Pyke. Despite her billing, Anna May Wong only appears on screen for some ten minutes. Reginald Owen had played Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes (1932) and as such, became one of a small number of actors to play both Holmes and Watson. A Study in Scarlet remains a nicely made movie, dripping with atmosphere and rife with coded messages, villains and secret passages. The film also opens with the original BBFC U certificate card.

Each of the four films (individually cased) in this collection come with an impressive set of extra material. All four films include an audio commentary: Fatal Hour (Jennifer Churchill), The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes (Jason A. Ney), Silver Blaze (Phoef Sutton & Mark Jordan Legan) and A Study in Scarlet (Peter Atkins & David Breckman). All commentaries are informative and enjoyable. The history of Holmes is explored over 3 parts and 3 discs in The Adventures of Sam Sherman, and lasting around 20 minutes in total. There are also a number of original shorts dating way back to the 1900’s. In fact Sherlock Holmes Baffled (1900) may only run for around 30 seconds, but is still acknowledged as the earliest known film to feature Arthur Conan Doyle's detective character. The quality of these shorts varies, from excellent to the bad beyond compare. A Black Sherlock Holmes for example is barely watchable, there is so much damage - but considering its historical and social importance alone, it certainly warrants its inclusion here. Also included is a reconstructed Radio adaptation of Sherlock Holmes and the Blue Carbuncle, a Felix the Cat cartoon Sure Luck Holmes (1928). Elementary Cinema: The first cinematic adventures of Sherlock Holmes, is an original documentary lasting 27 minutes plus a full episode (Blind Man’s Bluff, 26 minutes) of the Ronald Howard Sherlock Holmes TV series is also a welcome addition. The episode (filmed in black and white) has been mastered rather nicely too, although wrongly dated as 1964 instead of 1954.

So there is certainly plenty here for any Holmes fan to enjoy. However, it is in the quality of the feature films where this set falls short. All of these films were low budget productions, and were never going to compete with the Basil Rathbone movies which were classy and altogether more prestigious in their presentation. But that doesn’t mean that these films still shouldn’t look good. Sadly, it looks as if all of these films were struck from grainy 16mm prints, and it shows. In the case of Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour (albeit, the earliest film here), I found myself stepping down on the sharpness control, just to eliminate the heavy graininess of the picture. I have no doubt at all that The Film Detective has probably worked with the best possible sources that were made available to them.

If these films are new to you and first-time purchases, then I dare say they will fit perfectly in your collection. But for the more travelled Holmes fan it might be worth checking out your existing versions again first, and ask yourselves if it is worth the overall upgrade?

The packaging has been nicely put together, a nice leather look brown slip case holds all 4 individually cased movies, each of which comes with a postcard-sized art card and an informative booklet containing history and essays for each of the films. I certainly can’t fault the effort here; it’s just a shame that the quality of the films doesn’t quite hit the mark.

(Darren Allison is the soundtracks editor for Cinema Retro. Read his column in every issue.) 

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

THE WHISTLE AT EATON FALLS
 Flicker Fusion Blu-ray Disc Edition
SPECIAL PRE-ORDER SALE PRICE: $19.95 (M.S.R.P. $24.95)

The Whistle at Eaton Falls / 1951 / Directed by Robert Siodmak / 96 minutes
USA / UPC: 6-17311-60629-8

(Los Angeles, CA–January 14, 2022) -- Flicker Alley and LdR Films, in association with the Library of Congress, proudly present a new restoration of Robert Siodmak’s labor drama, The Whistle at Eaton Falls (1951), in a replicated media publication as part of Flicker Alley’s new “Flicker Fusion” Blu-ray disc series.

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER FROM THE FLICKER ALLEY STORE

About Flicker Fusion

This is the second title in Flicker Alley’s “Flicker Fusion” series, a publication line that brings new projects, lesser known rarities, and archival restorations to light. With a nod to the steady stream of images that motion pictures utilize in creating the magic of moving images, our “Flicker Fusion” series will be an ongoing way to offer high quality, pressed Blu-ray Disc publications at an affordable price. Look for more titles to be announced soon.

About Flicker Alley, LLC

Flicker Alley, LLC was founded in 2002 by Jeff Masino. Each Flicker Alley publication is the culmination of hundreds of hours of research, digital restoration, graphic design, music composition and scoring. Collectively, they reflect the creativity, expertise, and shared passion of many talented collaborators. The Flicker Alley brand has grown to enjoy national and international critical acclaim. The company is a four-time recipient of the National Society of Film Critics Film Heritage Award for publishing "rare early U.S. and foreign silent film."

BY TIM MCGLYNN

Kino Lorber has released a Blu-ray edition of the 1966 drama A Man Called Adam, starring Sammy Davis Jr. Directed by Leo Penn, this look into the world of jazz music and race relations in America during the turbulent ‘60s features an all-star cast including Louis Armstrong, Cicely Tyson, Ossie Davis, Mel Torme, Peter Lawford and Frank Sinatra, Jr.

Adam Johnson is a legendary jazz trumpeter in the mold of Miles Davis. He’s confident, moody and somewhat distant from his fans and fellow musicians. He doesn’t play by the rules and doesn’t take the advice offered to him by his best friend Nelson Davis. When we first meet Adam, he’s walked off the stage at a Cincinnati club after getting razzed by a drunken patron for not playing more upbeat music.

Adam Johnson is an alcoholic who doesn’t try to keep his addiction a secret. He often performs while intoxicated and displays an attitude of arrogance towards those who support him. His drinking is linked to an auto accident ten years earlier that killed his wife and daughter as well as blinded his pianist. He often becomes morose when his colleagues try to convince him the car crash was not his fault.

Adam Johnson is a lonely man who won’t allow anyone to get close. When he returns to his apartment after the incident in Cincy, he finds that Nelson has loaned out his apartment to established jazz icon William “Sweet Daddy” Ferguson. Adam angrily throws Ferguson out into the hallway, not realizing who the old gentleman is. After things cool down, Adam is introduced to Ferguson’s beautiful granddaughter Claudia, who is an ardent follower of Martin Luther King, Jr. and adheres strongly to his teachings of non-violent protests. Adam will test her beliefs as he and Claudia enter into a passionate and stormy relationship.

Due to his bad temper on stage, Adam is forced to take a job fronting a tour through the American South set up by his agent Manny. This happens after Adam capitulates to Manny in a humiliating scene at a restaurant. Realizing he has few alternatives, Adam cooperates in an attempt to impress Claudia. For most of the concert dates Adam plays by the rules and is supportive of his young trumpet protégé Vincent. In one poignant scene, the two musicians realize that all of the Black audience members at a performance have been relegated to the balcony. They point their trumpets up to these appreciative fans, which raises the ire of several whites on the main floor. After the concert Vincent, who is also white, is savagely beaten by a group of racist thugs.

The remainder of the film documents Adam’s decline, as he’s unable reconcile his feelings toward his music and his love for Claudia. The civil rights movement was coming to a boiling point at this time in America and Adam has witnessed first hand some of the ugliness running rampant in the South. At this point many viewers may be reminded of 2018’s Best Picture winner Green Book, wherein a New Jersey wiseguy escorts a Black concert pianist through the South on a concert tour during the late 60s. Adam experiences some of the same emotions in that he isn’t able to satisfy the expectations placed upon by him by both whites and Blacks.

Director Leo Penn, father of actor Sean, cast many well-known jazz greats for the sake of authenticity. While Louis Armstrong plays a fictional character, the rest of the players are the real deal. The music score was arranged by saxophonist/bandleader Benny Carter. His great song, All That Jazz, is heard over the titles as well as a party scene where Mel Torme provides a smooth as silk rendition. For younger viewers, Mel Torme may be the singer Harry Anderson’s character worshipped on the television classic Night Court. Here he was at his absolute peak as he works the room with his vocal prowess. Other greats include Vincent Favata, Kai Winding, Roy Glenn, George Rhodes and Lester Williams. Nate Adderly covered the solos for Sammy Davis, Jr. While not musicians, keen-eyed viewers may be able to spot George Kirby and a very young Morgan Freeman as party guests during the All That Jazz sequence.

The script by Les Pine and Tina Rome is tight and doesn’t waste a scene or character in this story. As the film was made in 1966, profanity is not heard and to be honest, this film doesn’t need it. The actors convey their emotions with body language and facial expressions that communicate what we need to know. It may be because most of director Penn’s experience was in television that we see a lot of close-ups that fill the screen with the faces of his actors. This film had to be striking on the big screen.

The mono sound mix is clear and features a bit of bass that is readily apparent during the music numbers. This Blu-ray was sourced from a print free of any scratches and presents the black and white images in stark contrast. The nightclub scenes are starkly lit and the ever-present cigarette smoke is easily seen.

A very enthusiastic commentary track is provided by film critic/historian Sergio Mims who displays his knowledge of both film and jazz. While A Man Called Adam is set during the 1960s era of cool jazz, one does not have to be a fan to enjoy this film. Just know that the character of Adam Johnson is one of the best in the business.

As a kid growing up in the ‘60s in the Chicago area, I was actually pretty well-versed in this style of music. My father was a musician and a real jazz aficionado who played in area clubs and juke joints. He listened to his records all the time at home and I learned the players and the styles by osmosis, if nothing else. While not my favorite kind of music, I certainly developed an appreciation for the technique and improvisational skills these musicians possessed. Names like Oscar Peterson, Coleman Hawkins and Wes Montgomery were as well known as the Beatles in our house. It would be a very rare event that we as a family would make the journey to Chicago’s Loop to catch a movie at the first-run theaters on State or Randolph Streets. I remember two: Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins at the State-Lake and A Man Called Adam at the Roosevelt.

A theme covered in this film is the fact that most of these great musicians were Black, yet the money behind them came from white agents and club owners. This story was an early attempt to place the Black performers front and center. It’s interesting that the advertisements for the movie still list the white actors first.

Kino Lorber’s edition of this great film is presented in the original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 and includes English subtitles. The original trailer is also included.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

BY EVE GOLDBERG

Are you now or have you ever been a Beatles fan? Would you like to be a fly on the wall, witnessing the most important and influential rock band in history create their art? Or do you simply enjoy watching musical brilliance at work? If you say yes to any of the above, you’ll want to watch Get Back. This three-part, seven and a half-hour documentary mini-series chronicles three weeks in the musical life of the Beatles as they write, rehearse, discuss, noodle around, and perform the songs for their final album, Let It Be.

The original footage was filmed with multiple cameras in January, 1969, by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg for the 1970 film Let It Be. More recently, Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson restored the original uncut footage and shaped it into Get Back, which he calls “a documentary about a documentary.” This description is a bit misleading, because while the 1969 film crew is a presence in the new series, mostly Get Back is not about making a film; it’s an intimate glimpse at the Beatles’ creative process.

I watched every second of Get Back and was riveted the entire time. I felt privileged to witness this amazing, extended close-up of such a significant moment in pop culture history.

Three things in particular stood out to me:

First, at this time in the life of the Beatles, Paul is unmistakably the driving force. John, certainly Paul’s creative and intellectual equal, and in the past his co-leader, seems to be semi-checked out. With Yoko at his side—she literally spends almost every minute sitting next to John, often physically touching in some way—John seems only half-present for much of the group’s discussions and casual jamming. However, he does seem to fully engage when they are actually recording or performing.

Secondly, I was struck by the utter lack of toxic masculinity in the room. These four immensely talented, powerful, wealthy guys just want to play music together. The way their talents and personalities mesh, how they respect each other and give each other space, and most of all how their creativity flows is awesome to observe. At one point Paul and George bump up against each other about how to play something, but the conflict is muted and civil and quickly resolved as George acquiesces to Paul’s vision. George seems to accept his place in the group dynamic—until at one point he doesn’t. Which leads to by far the most dramatic and tension-filled portion of the film.

And finally, Yoko. I found her constant presence very peculiar. She’s at John’s side, smack in the middle of the Beatles’ tight circle of creativity, for nearly the entire film. She doesn’t participate, she doesn’t interfere, she’s just there. Once in a while she does her own thing—she reads a fan magazine, paints, sews—but mostly she does nothing. I found myself annoyed by her presence. I kept wondering: Why is she there? Doesn’t she have her own life to attend to?

If you’re curious about the myth that “Yoko broke up the Beatles,” this documentary will fascinate on that level alone. The simple answer is No. The complicated answer is that throughout the film it’s apparent that the Beatles are drifting apart, and John and Yoko’s relationship is just one of many factors in that drift. Looking back on the blame-Yoko phenomenon, it’s easy to see how racism and sexism and the fact that she doesn’t fit into the traditional role or image of a “musician’s wife” all played a part in her demonization.

Not to be lost amidst all the personality dynamics is the pleasure of watching the Beatles create. In one astonishing sequence, Paul starts by strumming a few chords on his guitar as Ringo and George look on. A few seconds in, the chords change a bit and take on a shape that sounds a bit familiar. Soon Paul begins to add in some vaguely mumbled, improvised words. Within a span of two minutes—two minutes!!—he has come up with the music and lyrics to the Beatles’ hit tune “Get Back.”

* * *

For a deeper look at John and Yoko’s relationship, and to learn more about who they were as individual human beings, check out the documentary, John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky. Produced in 2018, this film centers around the making of John’s Imagine album, which he recorded at his home studio in 1971.

Like Get Back, Above Us Only Sky incorporates old session footage of John and his band rehearsing and recording. In this case the session material was shot for a film that John released alongside the Imagine album. But, unlike Get Back, the studio footage in Above Us Only Sky is just one element among many. We also observe John and Yoko’s domestic life together; we see them reading the newspaper and smoking in bed; we see them goofing off around their rambling Tittenhurst Park estate in Ascot, England; we see footage of John’s young son, Julian, and his friends playing on the estate grounds.

One of the most memorable—and chillingly prescient—scenes is when an emotionally disturbed Vietnam vet shows up at John’s estate. The police want to arrest him, but John nixes that idea. Standing in the doorway, he talks to the vet: “Don’t confuse the songs with your own mind,” John counsels the man. “I mean they might have relevance to your mind, but a lot of things do…I’m just a guy who writes songs. We can only say ‘hello’ and what else is there?” Then he feeds the guy lunch.

But Above Us Only Sky is much more than a verité glimpse of John and Yoko’s life in 1971. The film also delves into their childhoods; their personal, political and artistic development; their anti-war activism; what brought them together; and why they fled London for their bucolic estate. New interviews with Yoko, Julian Lennon, bassist Klaus Voormann, and members of John and Yoko’s personal staff are woven throughout the verité and archival footage to provide context and perspective on the lives of two remarkable people.

Taken together, Get Back and Above Us Only Sky compliment each other and fill in each other’s blanks in telling the story of John, Yoko, the Beatles, and a seminal slice of our cultural history.

(Get Back is currently streaming on Disney+. Above Us Only Sky is currently available on Netflix.)

(Eve Goldberg is a writer and filmmaker.  Her articles have appeared in Hippocampus, The Gay & Lesbian Review, The Reading Room and AmericanPopularCulture.com.  Her film and television credits include Emmy-nominated Legacy of the Hollywood Blacklist, and Cover Up: Behind the Iran-Contra Affair.  Her first book, Hollywood Hang Ten, is a mystery novel set in 1963 Los Angeles. See a sampling of her short films on her web site at https://eve-goldberg.com/  )

By Giacomo Selloni

The Real Charlie Chaplin opens in a manner most apropos for the last silent film star to embrace the new sound medium - with a title card. "Enjoy any Charlie Chaplin you have the good luck to encounter, but don't try to link them up to anything you can grasp. There are too many of them." - Max Eastman, writer and friend of Charlie Chaplin.

Before there was Beatlemania in 1964, there was the "Chaplin Craze," "Chaplin Fever," "Charlie-Mania," and my favorite: "Chaplin-oia." "Chaplin-itis has swept across America" reads one paper's headline. It is December, 1916 and in railroad stations across the United States, and at the same hour, people wait for his arrival.

Look-alike contests sprung up around the world. Chaplin himself allegedly entered one and finished twentieth! The character that propelled Chaplin to fame had many names; "The little man," "The little fellow," and of course, "The Tramp." Often imitated, and lawsuits often followed, no one quite had the same appeal, the same je ne sais quoi. Perhaps it was the way he looked directly into the camera at us.

Perhaps it was that crooked smile, the naughtiness behind those eyes, pathos, or just the Everyperson's need to root for the underdog. Charles Spencer Chaplin understood that role. He lived it. "In a society sharply defined by class, the Tramp not only stands up to the man. He gives him a kick up the arse for good measure."

Before I go on I must mention the narrator. It is Pearl Mackie. Possibly known to you Doctor Who fans as Bill Potts, the final companion of the 12th Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi. She is amazingly deft at nuance and possesses the right amount of gravitas to make things compelling while moving the tale along.

Chaplin was born on in 1889. An auspicious year that began with a total eclipse of the sun. Charlie was born on April 16. Four days later in Austria-Hungary his doppelganger, Adolf Hitler is born. Coincidence? Fate? The Eiffel Tower was opened to the public. Jack the Ripper is still at large while London installs electric street lamps. In Kyoto, Japan, a playing card manufacturing company, Nintendo (yes, THAT Nintendo. Do your own research here...) is formed. It is the early, beginning days of both film and sound recording.

One can say Chaplin and film grew up together. Both he and film grew to be among the most famous icons on Earth. "The Tramp will make Chaplin more famous than any King, Queen or Emperor. More famous than any philosopher, artist or religious figure. Famous in a way no one has been before."

His parents were in the "Variety business." His father ran away with a chorus girl, abandoning his wife,

Charlie and his older half-brother Sydney. They lived in a four-wall flat on Fitzalan Street until his mom was sent to a mental home and he was sent to the Lambeth Workhouse.

It's here where we meet Effie Wisdom. She grew up with Chaplin and her interview, with historian Kevin Brownlow, when she was 92 in 1983 informs us about the retched conditions Chaplin grew up in. The scenes are recreated from the actual recordings.

At fifteen, he joined Fred Karno's Mumming Birds troupe where he learned the essentials of physical comedy - how to take a trip, a punch, to fall down stairs. In 1910, with the Troupe, he came to America. In between 3-a-day shows he teaches himself the cello, Greek and yoga. When Mack Sennett loses his lead Keystone Cop, Ford Sterling, he hires the Brit Chaplin away from Karno at a salary of $150 per week, three times his current salary. He decides he'll try it for a year.

Eventually, we learn of Chaplin's dark sides. The insecurities, the abuses, the predatory behavior towards underage girls (see: 'Chaplin' the 1991 film directed by Richard Attenborough starring Robert Downy Jr. for more on that), the lawsuits, the abortions, Communist sympathies, expulsion from America, life in Switzerland with Oona O'Neill and his triumphant return at the 1972 Oscar ceremony.

Much of the information we receive comes from a 1966 interview he did with Life Magazine, one of the few times he spoke to a reporter with a tape recorder running. Again, some of it recreated but with photos taken from the interview itself.

Not all his ex-wives stories are here. His second wife, Lita Grey Chaplin's story is touched upon. I won't get into it here. It's not pretty. There are interviews with some of his and Oona's children done after Chaplin passed. No mention of his being a Romany Gypsy is here, which I found strangely conspicuous.

Judge for yourself what Chaplin's life was. There's no denying the man's genius and abilities; he was a one-man wrecking crew who oversaw EVERY aspect, every shot of his films. For example, it took him 534 days of shooting, with multiple actresses (only to rehire the original), to get one scene right for City Lights, his silent opus in the beginning days of sound. "Talking is an artificial thing," he said, "whereas movement is as near to nature as a bird flying. The voice is very beautiful but it is not as great as the silence of somebody just looking." 50,000 people showed up for the premiere of the film.

Chaplin was once the most famous man in the world. The highest paid actor. Eventually, his public fall from grace and closet skeletons defined how he was perceived. The film is full of archival footage including home movies of family life in Switzerland. With features such as these and never-before- heard recordings a Chaplin is revealed that the world has never seen before.

BY LEE PFEIFFER

Charlton Heston fans will appreciate the fact that one of his most underrated films has finally made it to Blu-ray through a joint release by Kino Lorber and Scorpion Releasing. "Number One" (released in certain countries under the title "Pro") is an off-beat vehicle for the superstar, who was then at his peak of popularity. The fact that the movie under-performed at  the box-office and failed to score with critics didn't diminish Heston's status as a leading man. He would go on to star in such hits as "The Omega Man", "Skyjacked", "Soylent Green" "Earthquake", "Midway"and "Airport '75"- with cameos in the popular "The Three Musketeers" and "The Four Musketeers". The poor response to "Number One" doesn't diminish its many merits - and the fact that Heston was willing to play against type in a largely unsympathetic role. For the film, he reunited with director Tom Gries, with whom he made the acclaimed 1968 Western "Will Penny".  Curiously, both movies center on the same theme: a macho man who can't come to grips with the fact that he is aging and, therefore, his chosen way of life is threatened. In "Will Penny", Heston played the title character: a middle-aged cowboy who feels the inevitable aches and pains of trying to maintain a career that is clearly suited for younger men. Similarly, in "Number One" he plays "Cat" Catlan, a star quarterback for the New Orleans Saints football team. Catlan has seen plenty of fame and glory as the team's Golden Boy and the idol of the crowds. But now he is 40 years old and, although still in Herculean physical condition compared to most men his age, he's fallen victim to the constant brutalities he suffers on the field.

The film opens on a particularly disastrous game in which Catlan makes some serious misjudgments about plays and bungles some key passes. The result is an embarrassing loss for the team. The Saints' gruff coach Southerd (John Randolph) isn't ready to give up on Catlin but seemingly every other team member is. Catlan is subjected to some cruel jokes and he has to contend with the fact that a much younger player (Richard Elkins) is breathing down his neck, hoping to replace him as quarterback. Things aren't much better at home for Catlan. His long-suffering wife Julie (Jessica Walter) patiently endures his mysterious absences, unpredictable mood swings and volatile temper. She is a very successful fashion designer but Catlan is "old school" when it comes to the role of wives. He wants Julie to stay home and cater to his needs. In the midst of one of their frequent fights, he even stoops so low as to cruelly tease her about her inability to conceive a baby. Still, she sticks with him even when he confesses to having an affair with an attractive, self-made woman, Ann (Diana Muldaur). Faced with the fact that his career is winding down, Catlan reluctantly explores his options for his post-NFL life. They aren't very enticing. His best friend Richie (Bruce Dern), is an obnoxious former Saints player who brags about having gotten out of the game at age 34. He now runs a very successful car leasing business and lives a playboy lifestyle. He wants Catlan to work for him, a prospect that doesn't sit well with the aging quarterback. He also gets an offer from a computer company to work for them but the idea of dealing of being surrounded by machines in the confines of an office is repugnant to him. Ultimately, Catlan is inspired by his wife to go out on a high note. During one of their rare moments of domestic detente, she convinces him that he still has some good games in his future if he can shake off the funk and get his confidence back. The film's climactic game is the very definition of mixed emotions. Catlan performs well and has his mojo back but the movie's ambiguous final shot is anything but uplifting.

Tom Gries was a good director for Heston. He somehow managed to tamp down Heston's larger-than-life personality and afford him the opportunity to play everyday men. In "Number One", Heston is subject to the sorts of problems that plague most middle-aged men. He's nervous about his future. He often takes his frustrations out on the people closest to him. He tries to reassert his youth by exerting his sexual prowess through having an affair. Throughout it all, Heston admirably does not try to make Catlan into a hero. There is a level of sympathy accorded to him because of the emotional and physical stress he is under but his sheer disregard for others makes him more a villain than a hero. (He even refuses to give fans his autograph). Even worse is his sheer selfishness in how he deals with his wife's needs. He feels threatened by the success she is enjoying in her own career and therefore diminishes her achievements. Heston gives one of his finest performances, ironically, in what was one of his least-seen films.He gets able support from the woefully-underrated Jessica Walter, whose performance a couple of years later in "Play Misty For Me" should have assured her of major stardom (and an Oscar nomination). Director Gries also utilizes the talents of real-life football players, some of whom exhibit impressive acting skills. Diana Muldaur also excels as the siren who lures Catlan into her bed. There is an air of authenticity to the film, primarily because Gries shot much of it in front of packed stadiums. (Cinematographer Michael Hugo's work is especially impressive). Gries also captures the feel of New Orleans back in the day, capitalizing on the local scenery, jazz clubs and even getting the great Al Hirt to perform a number and do a bit of acting. About the only dated aspects of the film concern the off-the-field activities of the NFL players. Catlan complains that they are paid like peasants, which was probably true in 1969, but is a rather laughable notion today. Also, the NFL team is required to wear jackets and ties when traveling to or leaving the stadium, another rule that would be virtually unenforceable by contemporary standards. 

"Number One" never found its audience in 1969 but hopefully the impressive Blu-ray transfer will help retro movie lovers appreciate its merits, even if it lacks bonus extras except for a single trailer. The film did have at least one critic who appreciated the movie and Heston's performance. Writing in the New York Times, critic Howard Thompson wrote: "Charlton Heston, minus a beard, a loincloth, a toga or the Red Sea, tackles a starkly unadorned role in one of the most interesting and admirable performances of his career…If Heston could have been better, we don’t know how." Our sentiments exactly. 

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Cult Epics:

Cult Epics presents SYLVIA KRISTEL 1970s COLLECTION

Includes 4 films premiering on Blu-ray & DVD on December 14, 2021

Los Angeles, CA (November, 2021)

Synopsis: Cult Epics proudly presents the Sylvia Kristel 1970s Collection, featuring four of the legendary Dutch icon's most diverse films in new 2K transfers and entirely uncut, for the first time on home video in the United States. 

Released in 1975, Alain Robbe-Grillet's surreal, absurdist sado-masochistic drama Playing with Fire (Le jeu avec le feu) features Sylvia in one of her most challenging roles alongside Jean-Louis Trintignant, Anicée Alvina and her Emmanuelle co-star Christine Boisson. The set's two Dutch films are co-starring Rutger Hauer, and Sylvia at the peak of her career. Submitted for the 1978 Academy Awards — Best Foreign Film, Wim Verstappen's Pastorale 1943 is a war drama centered on the Dutch resistance during World War II, and features also the debut of Renée Soutendijk. Painter turned director Paul de Lussanet’s romantic psychological drama Mysteries, based on the world famous novel by the Norwegian nobel prize winner Knut Hamsun and shot by renowned cinematographer Robby Müller, also stars Rita Tushingham and David Rappaport. Filmed and released right after Sylvia became one of the world's biggest stars as Emmanuelle (1974), Sigi Rothemund's 1974 film Julia is a German sex comedy drama, with Sylvia as a young boy’s first love, foreshadowing her later U.S. commercial hit Private Lessons.

SYLVIA KRISTEL 1970s COLLECTION 4xBlu-ray / 4xDVD

Price:              $99.95 / $79.95

Street Date:          December 14, 2021

Production Year: 1975/1978/1978/1974

Country: France/Netherlands/Germany

Video run time:         Approx. 429 Mins

Language: French, Dutch, German & English language w/optional English subtitles

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1/1.66:1

Audio: LPCM 2.0 Mono, DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono / LPCM 2.0 Mono, Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Label: Cult Epics

Distributor: CAV

Blu-ray/DVD Cat.no. CE188/189

BD/DVD UPC 881190018897 / 881190018996

Rating:                         Not Rated

Region: Region Free

Sylvia Kristel 1970s Collection from Cult Epics on Vimeo.

SPECIAL FEATURES

New 2K HD Transfers (from original 35mm film elements) and Restoration

Original LPCM 2.0 Mono.

New DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono

New and Vintage Interviews with Cast & Crew

Poster & Photo Galleries

Original Theatrical Trailers

Limited numbered Edition of 2500 copies made (Blu-ray) includes 40-Page illustrated booklet written by Jeremy Richey and Poster with Art by Gilles Vranckx. DVD Ltd. Edition of 1000 includes booklet and poster

Cult Epics website exclusive includes an additional DVD with Interview with director Just Jaeckin on Sylvia. Limited to 200 copies www.cultepics.com

In conjunction Cult Epics will release Sylvia Kristel: From Emmanuelle written by Jeremy Richey as a Hardcover book, on January 17, 2020 (new release date). 352 Pages, fully illustrated, 12x10 inches.