By Lee Pfeiffer

Alan Arkin, who improbably gained a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his first film role, has passed away at age 89. Arkin gained stardom in the film industry with the release of Norman Jewison's hit 1966 comedy "The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming." in which he played the captain of a Soviet submarine that accidentally goes aground off the coast of New England and sets off a panic among the locals, who are convinced the Russians are invading. Two years later, Arkin earned another nomination for his dramatic role as a deaf mute in "The Heat is a Lonely Hunter". In 2006, he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "Little Miss Sunshine". He was nominated in that category again for the 2012 film "Argo". Arkin was also nominated for Emmy Awards for his role opposite Michael Douglas in the acclaimed comedy series "The Kominsky Method."

Arkin was primarily known for his comedic talents, having honed them as a young man when he was with the legendary Second City comedy group that spawned many other major stars over the years. His prominent roles included playing the title role in "Inspector Clouseau", "Catch-22", "Popi", "Last of the Red Hot Lovers", "Freebie and the Bean", "The In-Laws", "Edward Scissorhands", "The Rocketeer", "Havana", "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution", "Simon" and the feature film version of "Get Smart". Arkin also occasionally played dramatic roles to great acclaim as in "Wait Until Dark" in which he was a murderer who terrified a blind woman played by Audrey Hepburn and in "Glengarry Glen Ross". Arkin's legacy will be defined by his diversity in the roles he played. He was regarded by his colleagues as the epitome of an industry professional. For more, click here.

By Ernie Magnotta

Chuck Norris is an American icon. His resume is amazingly impressive—undefeated world karate champion, celebrity trainer, best-selling author, television personality, and action movie superstar. Many remember him from his eight season stint on the TV favorite Walker, Texas Ranger as well as in action movie classics Missing in Action, Code of Silence, Invasion U.S.A. and The Delta Force. However, some forget about Norris’s earlier efforts like Slaughter in San Francisco (1974), Breaker! Breaker! (1977) and Good Guys Wear Black (1978); films where the talented athlete-turned-actor was just starting his long, cinematic career. In 1979, Norris headlined A Force of One; a film which, appropriately enough, cast him as a competitive martial artist.

A Force of One follows karate champion Matt Logan (Norris) who, while rigorously training to defend his title in an upcoming match, is contacted by the local police in order to aid them in their current investigation. It seems that several officers have been murdered by an assassin who the cops are convinced is a well-trained martial artist. Matt agrees to help, but doesn’t realize that the killer is someone very close to him.

Written by Academy Award winner Ernest Tidyman and 9^th degree black belt Pat E. Johnson, A Force of One was directed by Paul Aaron; filmed in San Diego, California and released on May 18, 1979 by American Cinema Releasing.

The very entertaining and well-written film, which functions as an engaging police investigation/murder mystery, boasts solid direction by Aaron, who more than competently handles the exciting martial arts and action sequences. We are also given several well-drawn characters that are brought to life by the talented cast. Naturally, Chuck Norris is totally believable as the low-key, laid back, but extremely focused karate master Matt Logan. Norris also brings a bit of humor to this somewhat biographical role. Next, we have the beautiful Jennifer O’Neill conveying toughness, intelligence, humor and sensitivity as dedicated undercover cop Amanda Rust. The late, great Clu Gulager shines as a concerned police captain as does the always welcome Ron O’Neal, who plays one of the undercover team searching for the killer. Last, but not least, Eric Laneuville is extremely likeable as Norris’s adopted son, Charlie.

Adding to the fun and captivating film are a bunch of incredibly talented character actors/familiar faces such as James Whitmore, Jr., Ray Vitte, Clint Ritchie, Pepe Serna, Taylor Lacher, Charles Cyphers, Lisa James, Mel Novak and G.W. Bailey.

Lastly, we have the impressive acting debut of undefeated middleweight karate champion Bill “Superfoot” Wallace; a brief appearance by two-time Golden Gloves champion Edwin “Chu Chu” Malave, and Chuck Norris’s younger brother, Aaron Norris, who does quadruple duty by being stunt coordinator, performing stunts, choreographing fight scenes (with his brother), and playing Chuck’s corner man.

In addition to all this goodness is a wonderful, thriller-type musical score by composer Dick Halligan which, when combined with everything else, makes A Force of One a very enjoyable 90 minutes.

A Force of One has been released on Blu-ray in anamorphic (1.85:1) widescreen from a brand new 2K transfer and the movie, which I always remember looking a bit washed out, now looks crystal clear and vibrant. This film has always been a favorite of mine and I’ve never seen it look this good. The Region 1 disc also contains two audio commentaries; one with director Paul Aaron, and another with action film historians Brandon Bentley and Mike Leeder. We are also given the featurette “The Making of A Force of One” as well as the original theatrical trailer, TV spots, radio spots, a trailer for The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (which also stars Jennifer O’Neill) and trailers for five Chuck Norris action classics: Good Guys Wear Black, The Octagon, An Eye for an Eye, Code of Silence and Hero and the Terror.

If, like me, you’re a fan of this Chuck Norris martial arts classic, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this Blu-ray.

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By Ernie Magnotta

Action film icon Charles Bronson did it all. He made westerns (The Magnificent Seven, Once Upon a Time in the West), war films (The Great Escape, The Dirty Dozen), lone cop movies (The Stone Killer, 10 to Midnight) and vigilante films (Death Wish series). Just to name a few. Between 1968 and 1972, after mostly being a supporting actor in Hollywood movies and before become a Hollywood leading man due to films like Mr. Majestyk and Death Wish (both 1974), Bronson did a lot of great work in Europe and starred in many different roles; cop (Rider on the Rain aka Le passager de la pluie), thief (Farewell Friend aka Adieu l'ami), gangster (The Valachi Papers), etc. In 1970, he played a hitman (two years before playing a similar role in Michael Winner’s fantastic The Mechanic) in the underrated Italian-French co-production Violent City.

While vacationing with his lover Vanessa (Jill Ireland, Love and Bullets), professional hitman Jeff Heston (Bronson) is shot and left for dead. Heston survives, however, and tracks the killer down. After murdering him, Jeff decides to retire and live happily with Vanessa. But before the couple can leave town, Heston is asked by crime boss, Al Weber (Telly Savalas), to come work for him. Heston refuses, but Weber produces evidence of Heston’s previous murder. Jeff must now figure out a way to obtain the evidence from the dangerous crime boss and escape unharmed with the lovely Vanessa. However, Jeff is unaware that there are much more sinister forces conspiring against him.

Very well-directed by Sergio Sollima (The Big Gundown aka La resa dei conti, Revolver) from a thoroughly enjoyable script co-written by Lina Wertmüller (Seven Beauties), Violent City (aka Città violenta), is a well-done, entertaining piece of action cinema as well as one of the first examples of the subgenre called Poliziotteschi (Italian crime and action films of the 1960s and 70s which featured car chases, corruption, graphic violence, etc. as well as lone heroes who stood up to the system). Sergio Sollima does a wonderful job directing intricate, entertaining action sequences; most notably a Bullitt-like car chase Sollima swears was ripped off from one of his previous films and not from the 1968 Peter Yates/Steve McQueen action classic.

The adrenaline-charged script not only gives us plenty of action, but also a number of unexpected twist and turns; especially the ending. The well-written characters are made convincing by the estimable talents of Bronson, Savalas and Ireland. Through another terrific, mostly low-key performance, steely-eyed Bronson shows us that not only can he take care of business, but that his character possesses a softer side when necessary. Telly Savalas infuses his vicious character with quite a bit of humor, and the beautiful Jill Ireland gives several dimensions to Vanessa.

Violent City features even more great acting talent such as Michael Constantin (Cold Sweat, 1978’s The Inglorious Bastards), Umberto Orsini (The Damned), and Telly’s brother, George Savalas (The Slender Thread, Kelly’s Heroes).

Last, but not least, the engaging film, which was shot in the United States and distributed (in Italy) by Universal Pictures, benefits from a great musical score by the immortal Ennio Morricone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Once Upon a Time in America).

Although it’s not one of Bronson’s more well-known titles, that shouldn’t stop you. I enjoyed Violent City very much. It’s an entertaining action-thriller with a solid cast and an interesting story. I highly recommend checking it out.

Violent City has been released on a Region 1 Blu-ray from the always reliable folks at Kino Lorber. The wonderful-looking transfer is presented in the film’s original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and the disc also contains a highly informative audio commentary by Paul Talbot, author of the “Bronson’s Loose!” books; a terrific interview with director Sergio Sollima and the original theatrical trailer. We are also treated to a second disc which features Città violenta, the Italian print of the film as well as the 1973 U.S. cut known as The Family. Lastly, both discs feature exciting trailers to many different Bronson films.

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Actor Frederic Forrest has passed away at age 86. Forrest was a favorite character actor of director Francis Ford Coppola. He appeared in Coppola's "The Conversation", "Hammett", "One from the Heart" and "Tucker: The Man and His Dream". He also had a scene-stealing role as "Chef" in Coppola's 1979 masterpiece "Apocalypse Now" playing a reluctant soldier on a mission to find and assassinate Marlon Brando's mad Colonel Kurtz. Forrest rarely had leading roles but was widely respected in the industry. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his 1973 screen debut in "When the Legends Die" and was nominated for an Oscar for starring opposite Bette Midler in "The Rose". His other films include "The Two Jakes", "The Missouri Breaks" and "Falling Down". Upon hearing of his passing, Coppola said he found the news "heartbreaking".  For more, click here.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Most rock 'n roll movies of the 1950s and 1060s were rightly regarded as disposable entertainment. With a few exceptions, they were low-budget attempts to cash in on the new fad before it might fade away. Elvis Presley's films were cinematic gold for a while but even they began to fade with the release of director Richard Lester's two Beatles films, "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!", both of which brought innovation and style to the genre. The Monkees' feature film "Head" would also go boldly where no rock 'n roll flick would. "The Cool Ones", however, appears to have been made by people whose sensibilities were stuck in amber. Despite being released in an era when rock music was being defined by groups with a cutting edge, this musical comedy, released in 1967, has the hallmarks of similar films made a decade before. In short, it's a movie designed for hipsters but made by middle-aged squares. 

The film centers on the adventures of Hallie Rodgers (Debbie Watson), a dancer seen on one of those "Shindig"-type TV series designed to appeal to teenagers by presenting musical groups performing their latest hits live on stage. Hallie feels she has true star power but the show's arrogant producer, played by Phil Harris, refuses to give her a chance to sing on the program. In an act of defiance on live TV, Hallie steals the microphone from guest performer Glen Campbell and belts out a song. As she is chased around the stage by production executives, she engages in wild mannerisms that the audience mistakes for a new dance. She's summarily fired but later learns she has gained a following and that her moves on stage are now the latest dance craze called "The Tantrum". (I'm not making this up, folks.) She then attempts to woo one-time teen idol Cliff Donner (Gil Peterson) to form a duo. Cliff has fallen on hard times and is currently performing in a failing nightclub run by avuncular British export Stanley Crumley (Robert Coote). The moody Gil is smitten with Hallie but is reluctant to try to regain his former stardom. Ultimately, he concedes when the sees the enthusiastic response from their duets, which help revive Stanley's nightclub. With Stanley as their manager, they set about promoting the act by performing The Tantrum in front of growing audiences. At this point, they are approached by Stanley's estranged brother Tony (Roddy McDowall), a legendary record producer who travels with his own posse and who enjoys a rabid fan base himself. Tony takes control of the act but his sheer narcissism and arrogance results in tension between Hallie and Gil, who break up and reunite more times than I can recount. The bizarre production gets even stranger with a closing act by Mrs. Miller, who was a sixtyish everyday woman whose cover version recording of Petula Clark's "Downtown" became a novelty hit that elevated her to temporary fame.

"The Cool Ones" is awful on every level, but it's so awful it has the virtue to keep the viewer glued to the screen to see if it becomes even more awful.  The songs are mostly awful despite being the creations of notable talents Lee Hazlewood and Billy Strange, although the best of the lot, "This Town", would be a well-received recording by Frank Sinatra a couple of years later. The depiction of teenagers is awful, presenting them as brain-dead zombies who instinctively embrace every new song and dance move they experience on a TV show and instantly turn into raving mobs of fans. Young people are presented in an inoffensive, sanitized manner. No one smokes (cigarettes or anything else) and they're all satisfied sipping tonics and sodas in nightclubs. Cripes, to think this film was sandwiched between the release of "The Wild Angels" and the Woodstock festival....The direction by Gene Nelson (who displayed some talent in other films and TV series) is awful and so are the performances, with Debbie Watson overacting and Gil Peterson, who looks like a human Ken doll, underplaying with predictably boring results. They make for the  least erotic couple seen on screen since the Ma and Pa Kettle series. But the scene-stealing awful performance is provided by Roddy McDowall, who chews the scenery and everything else in sight while presenting an over-the-top caricature of a fussy, demanding gay man. But since film producers felt that teenagers shouldn't know that gay people exist, a plot device is inserted in which we learn Tony's unseen girlfriend is pregnant, which sends him into an even greater hissy fit that only reinforces the gay stereotype. Only dear old Robert Coote emerges with some dignity intact. The film does have colors that jump out of the screen and it is fun to see location footage of old L.A., which is marvelously photographed by legendary cinematographer Floyd Crosby, whose achievements include "High Noon". This would be his final film. The dance numbers are also well-choreographed by Toni Basil, who would go on to have the hit record "Mickey" in the 1980s. In the end, however, the movie makes those Frankie and Annette beach pictures look like biting social commentaries on life in the 1960s. I expected young Mickey Rooney to show up on screen shouting, "Hey, kids- we can put the show on in the barn!!!" The film was released as the bottom attraction on double features. There was probably no damage to anyone's career because few people saw it. 

In viewing "The Cool Ones", I came to the conclusion that I had to disagree with Huey Lewis and the News in that it isn't hip to be square. The film is available on DVD from the Warner Archive. It's a nice transfer and includes the original trailer. The DVD is region-free so that bad movie lovers everywhere can enjoy the film.

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Retro-Active: From the Cinema Retro Archives

By Lee Pfeiffer 

Justly acclaimed as one of the greatest film noir movies ever made, director Don Siegel's 1958 thriller The Lineup has been reissued by Sony as part of their burn-to-order DVD collection. The DVD carries over the bonus extras from the film's initial release in a Sony noir boxed set from 2009. Siegel makes the most of his modest budget, eschewing studio sets for actual San Francisco locations that add immeasurably the authenticity of the story and the action sequences, which are among the most ambitious of the era. The film derived from a popular TV series of the same name and features the star of the show, Warner Anderson, as a San Francisco detective, Lt. Ben Guthrie. His sidekick, Inspector Al Quine was originally played in the show by Tom Tully but the part in the film is played by Emile Meyer, whose mug perfectly suits the style of the movie. The "Macguffin" of this caper movie is an ornate doll loaded with heroin that has been carried into the United States by an innocent tourist (Raymond Bailey, the future Mr. Drysdale of "The Beverly Hillbillies".). The doll ends up in the hands of an equally innocent little girl and her mother who were on the same cruise ship. However, this is just a necessary plot device to present a fascinating character study of a team of criminals who are assigned to fly from Miami to San Francisco to claim the doll and deliver the drugs to a mysterious crime lord. Things go awry from the first few frames of the movie when an attempt to steal the tourist's luggage goes wrong, resulting in the death of a crime syndicate courier who bungles the first attempt to get the doll. The resulting action follows the desperate attempts by the Miami crooks to secure the missing drugs. Their lives depend on it because if they fail, the mob will suspect they have double-crossed them and kept the heroin for themselves. The criminal team is among the most psychotic ever seen on film. Dancer (Eli Wallach) is the younger man being groomed by his older mentor, Julian (Robert Keith, father of Brian Keith) to be his heir apparent. The two men are outwardly charismatic and friendly, but as the story progresses, we realize they are merciless sadists who will stop at nothing to get what they want. When they kidnap the young girl and her mother, we get a glimpse at exactly how devoid of human emotions they are. 

The caper story, expertly penned by the great Sterling Silliphant,  follows the efforts of the detectives to get to the drugs first-- but the cops are mere window dressing, as Siegel is clearly saving the best scenes for his hit men. Wallach and Keith rival that great pairing of Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager as the creepy criminal team in Siegel's memorable 1964 remake of The Killers. On one level, Keith is acting as a father to a younger man who might be seen as an adopted son. However, it doesn't take much to see that Siegel has introduced a very clear homoerotic element to the story which becomes even more apparent when the pair end up in a "social club" and hotel that very obviously caters to homosexual men. In case there is still too much subtlety for the viewer, the place is named the Seaman's Club!  (In one of the film's best remembered sequences, Wallach "offs" a would-be lover in a steam room.) The film is packed with inventive sequences that are still somewhat shocking today. It's rather amazing that some of these scenes were not diluted by squeamish studio executives. A helpless woman and her young child are kidnapped and menaced, a man in a wheelchair is thrown to his death and any number of innocent people are put in harm's way by the relentless criminal's quest to secure the missing dope. Most impressive is the climax of the film wherein Siegel films an exciting car chase that culminates on an unfinished stretch of freeway. It will have you on the edge of your seat (look for an amazing bit of stunt work in which a car is driven at high speed within feet of dropping off the end of the construction site.) All the earmarks are evident for what would become trademarks of Siegel's films: the story moves quickly, there isn't a wasted frame and the performances are terrific. 

Sony's DVD boasts an excellent transfer and some very interesting extras, though the studio once again undermines the latter features by not even bothering to mention them on the packaging. There is an interview with Christopher Nolan, who discusses the influence of noir films on his own work. There is also a feature length commentary track hosted by Eddie Muller of Turner Classic Movies and The Film Noir Foundation and bestselling crime novelist James Ellroy, whose work includes L.A. Confidential. Muller is extremely informative, conveying fascinating information about the film and the San Francisco locations. However, Ellroy, who describes himself as "The White Knight of the Far Right" wears out his welcome pretty quickly. His efforts to come across as politically incorrect become blatantly pretentious, as he peppers his comments with expletives and makes homophobic jokes with regularity. Even Muller seems a bit taken off balance by him. Nevertheless, Sony deserves kudos for allowing Ellroy's controversial commentaries to remain intact. If you can put up with Ellroy, you'll get some great insights into the film and Siegel's methods of working. 

The Lineup is American film noir at its best. 

(This DVD is "all region", meaning it will play on any international system). 

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Kino Lorber has released a new Blu-ray special edition of director Marcel Ophuls' landmark 1969 documentary "The Sorrow and the Pity". Here are the official details:

From its first release at an underground theater in Paris, this account of France’s occupation under the Nazi regime has been acclaimed as one of the most moving and influential films ever made. Director Marcel Ophuls interviewed the residents of Clermont-Ferrand who remembered the occupation, as well as government officials, writers, farmers, artists, and German veterans. Here, in their own words, is the story of how ordinary citizens and leaders alike behaved under military siege. Originally refused by French TV, the film garnered international success and acclaim – including an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary – while shattering the myth of an undivided and universally resistant France under the Vichy government. A triumph of on-the-ground filmmaking, The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) remains gripping, appalling, and exhilarating for its unflinching view of humanity.

Special Features:
• Marcel Ophuls Visual History (40 minutes, courtesy of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, ©2017 A.M.P.A.S.)
• Re-release trailer

Reviews

“One of the greatest documentaries ever made.” – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

“An artistic and intellectual triumph.” – Time Magazine

“Through its scale, intelligence, wit, imaginative organisation and polemical thrust, it changed the face of the documentary forever.” – The Observer

“The film is so boldly conceived, richly textured and beautifully paced that its marathon running time feels more like a sprint.” – The Guardian

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By Ernie Magnotta

In 1979, Chuck Norris’ karate classic, A Force of One was released to cinema screens. The enjoyable and action-packed film became a box-office success which left the fans screaming for more. Never one to disappoint, the six-time, undefeated world karate champion went right to work on his next project; a hard-hitting action extravaganza called The Octagon (1980).

After her father is killed by terrorists who have been trained in ancient Ninja techniques, Justine Wentworth (Karen Carlson) hires retired karate champion Scott James (our man Chuck) and a mercenary named McCarn (Lee Van Cleef) to take out the organization’s deadly leader, Scott’s adopted brother Seikura (Tadashi Yamashita).

Directed by Eric Karson and written by Leigh Chapman (from a story by Chapman and Paul Aaron), The Octagon, which was shot in Los Angeles, California and released by American Cinema Productions on August 8, 1980, is a very entertaining action/martial arts film. It contains an engaging story, solid direction, decently fleshed-out characters and a strong cast.

To begin with, we have the always convincing Chuck Norris as the caring, mellow, but, when necessary, lethal hero Scott James. Norris, who also brings a touch of subtle thoughtfulness to his character, is ably supported by fellow cast members Lee Van Cleef and Karen Carlson. The great Van Cleef plays mercenary McCarn as a tough, but happy character who loves what he does, while the beautiful Karen Carlson gives her mysterious role a bit of quiet fear and desperation.

The Octagon features more impressive talent such as Art Hindle, Tadashi Yamashita, Richard Norton, Kim Lankford, Jack Carter, Ernie Hudson, Yuki Shimoda, Larry D. Mann, John Fujioka, Brian Tochi, Tracey Walter, Brian Libby, Carol Bagdasarian, Kurt Grayson, and Chuck Norris’s brother Aaron Norris. Fun fact: During flashback scenes, Chuck Norris’s son, Michael Norris, plays Scott James as a teenager. The fun film also benefits from a terrific musical score by Blood, Sweat & Tears founder Dick Halligan, and some wonderful editing by Dann Cahn, known for editing I Love Lucy.

The Octagon has been released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber in anamorphic (1.85:1) widescreen from a brand new 2K transfer and the movie has never looked better. The Region 1 disc also contains two very informative audio commentaries: one with director Erik Karson and another with action film historians Brandon Bentley and Mike Leeder. There is also “The Making of The Octagon” featurette, the original theatrical trailers, TV spots, radio spots, a trailer for Lee Van Cleef’s Death Rides a Horse, as well as trailers for five Chuck Norris movies: A Force of One, Good Guys Wear Black, An Eye for an Eye, Code of Silence and Hero and the Terror. Recommended.

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By Todd Garbarini

Film writer, producer and director Alessandro Michael de Gaetano, best known for the creepy 1977 horror film Haunted, passed away on Sunday evening, June 11, 2023, in Arizona at the age of 85 while surrounded by his family.

Bursting on to the scene with UFO Target Earth in 1974, with a style clearly inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), it’s a documentary format-film wherein interviewees discuss their “experiences” with UFO’s. An early entry in the history of computer-generated imagery (CGI) following Michael Crichton’s Westworld the year before, UFO Target Earth showcases the first time that CGI, albeit 8-bit, was used to create an alien for a motion picture, an accomplishment that Mr. de Gaetano was very proud of. The film also makes expert use of Krzysztof Penderecki’s “De Natura Sonoris No. 2” years before Stanley Kubrick employed it in The Shining (1980). UFO Target Earth is a nifty bit of Seventies nostalgia complete with rotary phones, telecommunications mechanical relay-switching equipment, AMPEX reel-to-reel recorders, and mainframe computers, all of which are arguably unidentifiable objects to members of Generation Z.

His second film was Haunted, which starred Virginia Mayo and Aldo Ray. It concerned the descendants of a woman’s accusers of her being a witch meeting a violent end after rumors abounded of her returning as an evil spirit. The comedy Scoring, featuring Laurene Landon about a female basketball team against a men’s team, was released in 1979. 1989’s Bloodbath in Psycho Town, 1995’s Project: Metalbeast, and 1996’s Butch Camp with Judy Tenuta followed.

At the time of his death, Mr. de Gaetano was developing a script for actress Vanessa Redgrave to star in called Red Gold.

CinemaRetro.com would like to extend to Mr. de Gaetano’s family our condolences upon his passing.

THE DC COMICS SUPERHERO COMES TO LIFE IN WES CRAVEN’S CULT CLASSIC FILM, MAKING ITS DEBUT ON 4K ULTRA HD!

Deep in Florida's darkest everglades, a brilliant scientist, Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise, Robocop) and a sexy government agent, Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau, John Carpenter’s The Fog) have developed a secret formula that could end world hunger and change civilization forever. Little do they know, however, that their arch nemesis, Arcane (Louis Jourdan, Octopussy) is plotting to steal the serum for his own selfish schemes. Looting the lab and kidnapping Cable, Arcane douses Holland with the chemicals and leaves him for dead in the swamp. Mutated by his own formula, Holland becomes “Swamp Thing” - a half human/half plant superhero who will stop at nothing to rescue the beautiful Cable and defeat the evil Arcane... even if it costs him his life.

DISC 1: 4K ULTRA HD SPECIAL FEATURES:

• 2023 4K Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of both the US Theatrical PG Version and Unrated International Version of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio in Dolby Vision / HDR
• Audio: DTS-HD Master 2.0 Mono, Spanish Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Wes Craven moderated by Sean Clark (Theatrical / PG Version)
• Audio Commentary with Makeup Effects Artist William Munns moderated by Michael Felsher (Theatrical / PG Version)
• Collectible “4K LaserVision” Mini-Poster of cover art

DISC 2: BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• 2023 HD Restoration of both the US Theatrical PG Version and Unrated International Version of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Wes Craven moderated by Sean Clark (Theatrical / PG Version)
• Audio Commentary with Makeup Effects Artist William Munns moderated by Michael Felsher (Theatrical / PG Version)
• Audio: DTS-HD Master 2.0 Mono, Spanish Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• "Tales From the Swamp" (Remastered) with Actress Adrienne Barbeau (HD, 16:56)
• "Hey Jude" with Actor Reggie Batts (HD, 14:30)
• "That Swamp Thing" with Len Wein, Creator of Swamp Thing (HD, 13:19)
• "Swamp Screen: Designing DC's Main Monster" featurette (HD, 20:32)
• "From Krug to Comics: How the Mainstream Shaped a Radical Genre Voice" featurette (HD, 17:34)
• Posters & Lobby Cards - Photo Gallery
• Photos from the Film - Photo Gallery
• William Munns’ Behind the Scenes Pictures - Photo Gallery
• Behind the Scenes Photos by Geoffrey Rayle – Photo Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:31)

• * Special Features May Not Be Rated, Closed Captioned Or In High Definition.

This title will be released on July 25. Click here to order from Amazon and save 30%.

By Hank Reineke

Rightfully or wrongfully, I’m going to concentrate this review of Mill Creek’s Sci-Fi from the Vault Blu on two of this Blu-ray set’s decidedly lesser films: Creature with the Atom Brain (1955) and The Thirty Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959). This is partially due to the fact that the set’s two most prominent titles, 20 Million Miles to Earth and It Came from Beneath the Sea, were previously issued by Mill Creek back in 2014 on their twofer Ray Harryhausen Creature Double Feature from the same transfers. Though Creature with the Atom Brain is making its U.S. Blu debut on this set, the film has seen a previous Blu issue on the UK import Cold War Creatures: Four Films from Sam Katzman. So only The Thirty Foot Bride of Candy Rock is making a worldwide debut on Blu with this set.

All four films in this new set come, as per the title, from the vaults of Columbia studios. Creature earlier appeared on the commentary-free DVD set Sam Katzman: Icons of Horror Collection (2007). As I am not privy to the sales figures of that set, I can only surmise should Mill Creek release a Sci-Fi Vault Vol. 2 on Blu, we might see the “missing” Katzman titles sprinkled into a future U.S. set. This Mill Creek set is not an “all Katzman” edition (ala Icons). The workhorse producer has no connection to either 20 Million Miles to Earth or The Thirty Foot Bride of Candy Rock.

It’s with no disrespect to the late, great special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen that I’m not going to do a deep dive into 20 Million Miles to Earth and It Came from Beneath the Sea. Though these two films are genuine and iconic sci-fi classics, both have previously gotten the Mill Creek Blu treatment and also received transatlantic Blu releases as well. So I can’t imagine anyone interested in these Harryhausen-associated titles not already in possession of copies. Fair to say, if you own Mill Creek’s previously published twofer, their reappearances here are redundant.

This new set, priced at an MSRP of $29.99, is – happily - available far less expensively from any variety of on-line retailers. In some sense, it’s a bargain. This recent edition does offer a new and informative audio commentary on It Came from Beneath the Sea, courtesy of Justin Humphreys and C. Courtney Joyner. So if you’re an enthusiast of commentary tracks, that’s a checkmark in the plus column. On the other hand, there’s no audio commentary included on 20 Million Miles to Earth, a film no less deserving of annotation. So that’s a checkmark lost.

Oddly, Edward L. Chan’s Creature with the Atom Brain (1955), an arguably less-deserving film, does come with a commentary track – this time courtesy of film producer-writers’ Phoef Sutton and Mark Jordan Legan. It’s nice to have a commentary supplied by two established screenwriters since Creature producer Sam Katzman had conscripted the great Curt Siodmak (The Wolf Man) to script his low-budgeter. The often curmudgeonly Siodmak was a pretty productive scripter, memorably knocking off no fewer than nine sci-fi/horror programmers for Universal 1940-44 – and many other original scenarios for other studios.

Though Siodmak provides a decent enough script for Creature, director Kahn’s film proves a B-film guilty pleasure a best. On their commentary, Sutton and Legan provide a breezy, lighthearted narration filled with the usual, occasionally colorful, anecdotes, often based on their rattling off resumes of the film’s various cast and crew member. To their credit, the two honestly acknowledge the film’s shortfalls, mulling that “the first four and a half minutes are the best thing about it.” The film is a bit of slow-going unless one has a sense of nostalgia about it.

It was late October 1954 when Variety reported that Katzman had tapped Kahn to direct Creature, the first of the producer’s first sci-fi feature film forays. News of actor Richard Denning signing on to star was reported the following week. Similar to Katzman, Kahn was a film industry workhorse, a director not identified with any one particular genre. In the 1950s, Kahn helmed war films, westerns, gangster pics and teenage melodramas. But he also managed to put the fright into the “Frightened Fifties,” cranking out no fewer than eight serviceable sci-fi pics in a four-year period: beginning with She Creature (1956) and finishing with Invisible Invaders (1959). Actor Denning provided a face familiar to 50’s sci-fi fans: the actor had lead roles in The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Target Earth and The Black Scorpion, to name only a few.

It was Columbia’s intention to bill the more pedestrian Creature as the supporting feature to It Came from Beneath the Sea. In June 1955 it was reported the double-bill was to be first rolled out to thirty-one theaters in and around the Los Angeles area. Both films would be produced under the aegis of Katzman’s Clover Productions. Though Kaufman’s low-budgeted independent offerings weren’t expected to bring in boffo box-office numbers, Columbia’s accountants were aware the absence of big name stars and inflated production costs brought better returns on investment.

A trade paper reported bluntly that Columbia, “feels it’s better to make a 15% to 25% profit on a picture than to stand to lose 50% to 75% on a wholly-made studio picture.” While Katzman’s pictures for Columbia (Creature with the Atom Brain, The Giant Claw, Zombies of Mora Tau and The Werewolf) might not have produced great art, they did bring in worthwhile returns on investment. It Came from Beneath the Sea, the far stronger film (with a bigger budget) managed great business, helped in part by a combination of Harryhausen’s screen magic, word-of-mouth excitement and a supportive radio-television-print campaign of $250,000. Though It Came from Beneath the Sea was not the first “giant” monster movie of the 1950s, it was among the earliest, and this monstrous sci-fi sub-genre would blossom throughout the 1950s and well into the 1960s.

Which leads us into our discussion of the final “giant” film offered on this set. The working title of Sidney Miller’s The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock was originally titled The Secret Bride of Candy Brock. The film’s co-screenwriter, Arthur Ross, was familiar writing for films featuring gargantuan(s): he had already helped craft the screenplay for Columbia’s The Three Worlds of Gulliver, a soon-to-be- released pic in 1960. But Candy Rock was to serve primarily as a vehicle for comedian Lou Costello. Though his 1940s heyday was behind him, the roly-poly actor had been introduced to a new generation of fans in the ‘50s through airings of The Abbott and Costello Show television series.

The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock was to be the comedian’s first feature film project following the dissolution of his partnership with Bud Abbott in July of 1957. That pair’s final film, the saccharine comedy-drama Dance with Me, Henry (United Artists, 1956) was generally dismissed as a tired re-play of routines long gone cold. Now, as a solo player, Costello was hoping that Bride might reestablish his box-office prowess. This indie production, shot on the Columbia studios lot, saw Costello’s manager, Eddie Sherman, serving as the film’s executive producer. With such leverage Costello was even able to gift a small role to daughter Carole.

Producer Lew Rachmil suggested to a reporter from London’s Picturegoer that Costello’s titular bride, Dorothy Provine (a 22 year-old blonde that stood 5’ 4” tall), was a “born comedienne – nearly as funny as Lou at times.” Provine was a relative newcomer to Hollywood, having worked only two studio soundstages, one for The Bonnie Parker Story and for a two- episode role as a twelve year old (!) on TV’s Wagon Train. Provine told gossiper Erskine Johnson that she hadn’t “missed a day’s work since I arrived in Hollywood, but I was always scared about every job being my last job.” She needn’t have worried, following Bride the actress was picked to star alongside Roger Moore as a regular character on the television series The Alaskans and would also have a prominent role in the 1963 Cinerama comedy It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

In conception, Bride seems little more than Lou Costello’s attempt to lampoon the popularity of the ongoing “giant monster” craze. Whiling away his days in an amateur laboratory, Costello’s rubbish collector and would-be inventor Artie Pinsetter (‘a world-famous scientist who’s not famous yet”) is determined to unravel secrets: primarily he wishes to learn how the prehistoric beasts that once roamed a local region known “Dinosaur State Park” had achieved gargantuan sizes. He’s investigating an ancient Native American belief that these creatures achieved such measurement due to a mysterious stream of steam emissions emanating from a canyon cave.

To this end he has constructed an elaborate electronic contraption that he calls “Max.” His invention is part time machine – due to its ability for “changing time curves” - and part straight man. Pinsetter hadn’t needed to go through all the trouble of mechanical tinkering. Walking through the canyon, girlfriend Emmy Lou (Provine), accidentally walks through a plume of canyon steam and finds herself having gained an additional 25 feet in height. The steam, we are told, is the castoff of atomic energy escaping from the bowels of the earth.

To make matters worse for Pinsetter, we learn Emmy Lou is the niece of the town’s self-involved and self-important bank president/gubernatorial hopeful Raven Rossiter (Gale Gordon, of Our Miss Brooks fame). Rossiter doesn’t care much for Pinsetter, and his ill-tempered behavior provides much of the film’s lukewarm comic tension. But ultimately, the film’s concentration is whether or not the townies – and alarmed Pentagon officials – can escape the problems wrought by Costello’s foolish inventions or of his skulking thirty-foot bride.

Shot in the fanciful descriptions of “Wonderama” and “Mattascope,” Bride is not a great film by any measure. But having said this, it’s an innocuous 73-minute nostalgia trip that admittedly brought a number of head-shaking smiles to my face. The film is an innocent bit of nonsense, a “family-friendly” movie that I’m certain brought fun to kiddie audiences of its day. My favorite time capsule moment occurs when an airborne Costello nearly collides with the Soviet Union’s recently launched Sputnik 1 satellite.

Sadly, Lou Costello would not live to see the finished film released to the public. The legendary film star would die of a heart attack, just days shy of age 53, on March 3, 1959 – a mere ten weeks following his first day of shooting on Bride in November of 1958 (production wrapped a mere month later). On March 24, 1959, executives at Columbia announced the aforementioned title change. The film was still in editing by June of 1959 – as was the Three Stooges’ sci-fi comedy Have Rocket, Will Travel. In July Columbia shared plans to package Bride as a late summer trip bill of such other family fare films as Rocket and Ted Post’s The Legend of Tom Dooley.

There were studio previews as early as July 7, but when Bride finally was unleashed on movie screens it was not as one-third of the aforementioned package as scheduled - but rather as the under bill to Disney’s Darby O’ Gill and the Little People or Have Rocket, Will Travel. Though there were no critical raves for Bride – truthfully the film was undeserving of such praise – most reviewers found the film harmless and wholesome family entertainment. Which it was. I suppose it would have been in poor taste to completely dismiss the value of the final film of one of Hollywood’s most beloved – and successful – actor-comedians.

In any event, Mill Creek’s Sci-Fi from the Vault collection has made The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock available for the first time on Blu-ray. Previously the film had only appeared on VHS by Columbia/Tri-Star in 1986 and – with a far lesser transfer - on the cheapie Good Times label in 1988. Its first digital appearance was a 2010 release as a DVD MOD from Sony/Columbia Screen Classics. So, regardless of merit, it’s nice to get this one on Blu. Its appearance here should interest fans of both Abbott and Costello-related productions as well as collectors of vintage 50s Silver Age sci-fi. There’s also a light-hearted but informative audio commentary for Bride provided by the Monster Party Podcast team. Think of a few wise-cracking - but informative - movie-buff friends sitting on the couch alongside you. The commentary adds a bit of color to an otherwise monochrome film.

To its credit, the set also includes two bonus features well worth a look: Daniel Griffith’s 25-minute doc They Came from Beyond: Sam Katzman at Columbia as well as his 14:30 minute doc Fantastical Features: Nathan Juran at Columbia. The former gives us a thumbnail tracing of Katzman’s career in film. The producer knocked out dozens of serials for Victory and Columbia - including Superman (1948) and Batman and Robin (1949) - from the mid-1930s on. He later moved on to producing features for Monogram – a studio described here as Hollywood’s “lowest echelon” - where he enjoyed the first of his feature film successes.

Katzman’s films for Monogram and others were usually made on shoestring budgets with tight shooting schedules. The producer didn’t necessarily favor the horror sci-fi genre during his 40+ years working in Hollywood. But having employed Bela Lugosi on the 1936 serial Shadow of Chinatown, Katzman managed to bring the now underworked and underappreciated actor to Monogram for a series of guilty pleasure, fan-favorite cheapie horror-melodramas. But Katzman was not shy on capitalizing on whatever fad was capturing public fancy. His filmography included everything from ghetto dramas, gangster pics, East Side Kids/Bowery Boys comedies, westerns, sword and sandal epics, early rock n’ roll pics – even a couple of Elvis Presley films (Kissin’ Cousins (1964) and Harum Scarum (1965) .

In the mid-1950s, sensing sci-fi was proving popular with audiences, Katzman scored big as the Executive Producer on such less penny-pinching epics as It Came from Beneath the Sea and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). Both of these films featured the completely amazing stop-motion special effects of the great Ray Harryhausen, with whom Katzman was happy to collaborate. In all likelihood, it’s the appreciative audience of so-called “Monster Kids” that continues to stoke interest in Katzman’s work.

The second bonus doc, Fantastical Features, has C. Courtney Joyner and Justin Humphreys taking a brief look at the films of the fast-shot flicks Nathan Juran directed for Columbia. Though not necessarily a horror/sci-fi film director, Juran had previously helmed The Black Castle (1952) for Universal and, more importantly, for that studio’s great giant insect epic The Deadly Mantis (1957). Once moving to Columbia, Juran managed a number of sci-fi/fantasy epics including such cinematic touchstones as 20 Million Miles to Earth, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958) and The 7^th Voyage of Sinbad (1958).

For the most part, all of these black-and-white films look great for their age, though they’re not entirely pristine: one can expect a few not terribly distracting scratches or speckling throughout. Personally, I’m not sure how many more times I will revisit Creature with the Atom Brain or The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock – they’re not great films - but it’s still nice to add these titles to my ‘50s sci-fi film collection. You’ll have to decide if they’re worth adding to yours.

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Act Naturally: The Beatles on Film

By Steve Matteo

344 pages • 978-1-4930-5901-0 • $24.95 • Paperback

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

“A terrific read that puts the Fabs’ films into an insightful and fact-filled context with a fresh perspective on just how important the movies were to their lasting legacy.” —Dennis Elsas, legendary WNEW FM and WFUV New York disc jockey and co-host of Fab Fourum on Sirius XM

“With Act Naturally: The Beatles on Film, Steve Matteo provides readers with the definitive, go-to book for understanding the group’s cinematic forays. Chockful of new information, Act Naturally is rife with stories about the Fabs’ filmic excursions and key aspects of their unparalleled contribution to music and celebrity culture.” —Kenneth Womack, author of John Lennon 1980 and Fandom and the Beatles

“Steve Matteo is the perfect companion and tour guide in navigating the Beatles’ fascinating dalliance with film, from the British New Wave of Richard Lester’s A Hard Day’s Night to the atmospheric verité of Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s Let It Be. This is a most welcome—and long overdue—exploration of an important but often overlooked facet of the Beatles’ saga.” —Mark Rozzo, author of Everybody Thought We Were Crazy and a founding member of Bambi Kino

“Fans of the films of the Beatles have not been given a book to revel in for many years. Steve Matteo has provided one: a deep-dive look at the Beatles, their soundtrack music, and their films. The Beatles remain the epitome of what a band can be. All-time greats. Matteo's history swiftly and clearly follows their path, transporting the reader to swinging ’60s London and beyond. This book is every Beatles fan's ticket to ride.”

—Noah Charney, author of The Devil in the Gallery: How Scandal, Shock, and Rivalry Shaped the Art World

“The Beatles are a gift that keeps on giving. Steve Matteo’s book is a gift in itself. For those of us who will always love the Beatles, Matteo’s book renews and expands this love of the songs and the four guys we thought we knew.” —David Yaffe, author of Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell

“Act Naturally is saturated with the author’s contagious love for his subject. It’s a miraculous chronicle of how those precious films came to be, their history from every imaginable angle, the characters—likely and unlikely—who had a hand in the productions, and industry logistics. I am so grateful to have been shuttled back to the 1960s, to swinging London, and to the Beatles’ glorious films. I learned a lot, and anyone interested in films of the ‘50s and ‘60s will get a huge charge out of this wonderful and meticulous history.” —Maura Spiegel, author of Sidney Lumet: A Life and Professor of English and Film at Columbia University

Backbeat Books is proud to announce the release of Act Naturally by Steve Matteo. The five films the Beatles worked on during their time together (A Hard Day’s Night, Help!, Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine, Let It Be) all represent key phases in the group’s career—some successful, some not. Subsequent reissues of the films have provided a deeper understanding of the group with the addition of bonus material, along with the recent release of Get Back on DVD and Blu-ray. With Let It Be last available on VHS in 1981, the Get Back series of Let It Be film footage by Peter Jackson, culled fifty-five hours of raw footage, to piece together a companion documentary to the original Let It Be film. The Beatles have never done anything like this before with any of their films.

In this most up-to-date deep dive into the band's cinematic output, author and longtime music journalist Steve Matteo follows the fan frenzy around their films from the 1964 premiere of A Hard Day’s Night through 1970's Let It Be to the release of Get Back in late 2021. Their earlier films parallel an unprecedented period in the artistic and commercial evolution of British world cinema. Matteo explores the production process, original theatrical film releases, subsequent VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray releases and bonus material, along with the U.S. and U.K. soundtracks. The film legacy of the Beatles is an exciting inside look at the group and their music-making process.

Steve Matteo is the author of the books Let It Be and Dylan and contributed to the collection The Beatles in Context. He is a contributing editor for The Vinyl District and has written for such publications as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, New York magazine, Time Out New York, Rolling Stone, Spin, Rock's Backpages, Elle, Interview, and Salon. He often appears on radio in his capacity as a music journalist and author.

Since 1991, Backbeat Books have been favorites among passionate music fans and musicians. Known for their depth, spirit, and authority, Backbeat offers a diverse range of books - from biographies and memoirs, critical examinations and histories, to authoritative volumes on musical instruments and instruction - covering all areas of rock 'n' roll, jazz, and beyond.

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By Hank Reineke

The working title of the Universal-Jewel silent six-reeler The Trap (1922) was Wolf Breed – for reasons that will soon become apparent. Lon Chaney’s feature role casting was reported during the first week of September 1921, the film reportedly to be based on a scenario by Lucien Hubbard. The film was apparently still in production during late September/early October of 1921. Newspapers were reporting that immediately following Chaney’s completion of Wolf Breed, the actor “will appear in The Octave of Claudius for Goldwyn.” That film would in fact be made, but released as The Blind Bargain (1922), directed by Wallace Worsley - who would later helm Chaney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Along with London after Midnight (1927), The Blind Bargain is inarguably the most sought after of the actor’s lost films.

The Trap, by any measure, is a more modest effort than any of the aforementioned trio of films. The photoplay features Lon Chaney as Gaspard the Good. His character is so named as he is a kind and gentle soul. He’s a simple-living, always smiling, bubbly effervescent personality - a man of good-standing in the small idyllic French Canadian mountain village of Grand Bellaire. But Gaspard’s usual pleasant demeanor will soon sour. Returning to the village from a recent trip, Gaspard discovers that he has not only lost his girlfriend Thalie (Dagmar Godowsky) to a seemingly well-to-do carpetbagger named Benson (Alan Hale), but also to his unregistered claim to his pappy’s hyacinth gemstone mine. Gaspard tries his best to sublimate his personal sorrows, one title card noting while “The morning sun was no more radiant,” the broken-spirited Gaspard managed to hold “no malice” within his heart. For a time, anyway.

But things change in the intervening span of seven – yes, seven – years. The cad Benson has suffered several reversals of fortunes, beginning with a calamitous cave-in dooming his mining operation. We also learn Benson has not been a particularly loving husband to sweet Thalie who we watch as she succumbs to a fatal illness. Her husband coldly dismisses his wife’s deathbed lethargy to “laziness.” Sitting astride Thalie’s bedside is her grieving five-year old son with Benson, “The Boy” (Stanley Goethals). Gaspard too has suffered a shocking reversal – a shift in personality as the last few years events have left him bitter. Though Benson’s recent streak of bad breaks should have brought Gaspard a measure of satisfying yin and yang closure, it’s simply wasn’t enough to erase the sting of his personal anguishes.

So seeking a more punishing revenge on Benson, Gaspard convinces a local tavern tough that the carpetbagger has been saying awful things about him. The enraged brute attempts to assail Benson who unexpectedly defends himself with a pistol shot – a crime for which he is sentenced to the gallows. But this sentence is later commuted to a prison sentence when the brute survives the shooting. In the interim, and as per Thalie’s deathbed wish, Gaspard has taken custody of her son - for whom the bitter ex-lover intends to administer a misplaced vengeance. But in short time the innocent “wee waif” reawakens the good in Gaspard’s heart who becomes a doting model foster parent to the child. But when Gaspard is informed that Benson has been released from prison with plans to collect his biological son, a distraught Gaspard - fearful of losing the boy - sets up a diabolical snare involving a trap door and a starving wolf lying in wait.

It’s a melodrama for sure. In its review of May 20, 1922, Billboard suggested while the storyline of The Trap was overly “trite,” the film itself was visually appealing with “most picturesque locations” and “photography showing some rare and perfect gems of outdoor beauty.” (The film was actually photographed not in the Canadian wilderness but in the tranquil and majestic canyons of Yosemite National Park). Chaney’s “remarkable impersonation” of the French-Canadian Gaspard was noteworthy, even though the review concedes “the vehicle is not sufficiently strong to do justice to the ability of the star.” This contrasts with the view of Variety’s critic who thought director Robert Thornby’s excessive use of full-frame close-ups of Chaney – which allowed a bit too much melodramatic over-emoting on the actor’s part – was nothing if not “tiresome.” Personally, I disagree with this assessment. Though there are no shortage of such close-ups, Chaney’s facial expressions on screen enable the actor to convey emotions of sorrow, joy, malice and anger in a visual manner that no title card could ever convey as successfully.

That said, The Trap was an idiosyncratic picture in some sense, and certainly an archetype of the tortured character roles Chaney would more famously play in the future. Many silent pictures of the day were structured around romantic angles in their scenarios. But following Gaspard’s loss of both mine and sweetheart Thalie (the actress being the daughter of the famed Lithuanian-American classical pianist Leopold Godowsky), the film drops any pretension of romantic conciliation or renewal. The movie instead focuses on Chaney’s dark, methodically-plotted and coldly calculated plan of revenge.

Cinema Retro has received the following press announcement:

FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, in all of its brilliant glory, arrives for the first time on 4K Ultra HD digital and disc August 1, 2023 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Writer/director John Hughes’ seminal comedy about a high school student’s wild adventures in the Windy City during a single, magnificent day off continues to be enjoyed, quoted, and revered.  The enduring classic captures the uproarious antics of Ferris and his friends as they relish the freedom of being not quite grown up.

This remastered 4K Ultra HD release features Dolby Vision™ and HDR-10, as well as Dolby Atmos® audio for a wonderfully immersive and liberating experience*.  The release also includes John Hughes’ original director’s commentary, which has not been available on disc since the first DVD release in 1999, along with access to a digital copy of the film and the following legacy bonus content:

Commentary with Director John Hughes                                                 

Getting the Class Together: The Cast of Ferris Bueller's Day Off

The Making of Ferris Bueller's Day Off 

Who is Ferris Bueller?

The World According to Ben Stein

Vintage Ferris Bueller: The Lost Tapes 

Matthew Broderick stars as the delightfully charming Ferris who, with his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) and best bud Cameron (Alan Ruck), ditches school to enjoy one perfect day as a kid with no responsibilities.  In 2014, FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF was added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, which serves as a compendium of films that have been judged to be culturally, aesthetically or historically important. 

*Dolby Atmos enabled devices are also required to experience Dolby Atmos at home. To experience Dolby Vision on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc, a Dolby Vision enabled TV is required with a Dolby Vision enabled 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player.

*Dolby Atmos enabled devices are also required to experience Dolby Atmos at home. To experience Dolby Vision on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc, a Dolby Vision enabled TV is required with a Dolby Vision enabled 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player.

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“YOU CAN’T GET GOOD HELP THESE DAYS.”

By Raymond Benson

These days, filmmaker Joseph Losey doesn’t get the acclaim he deserves. An American who showed great talent in Hollywood in the early 1940s and was well on his way to a lucrative and respectable career, got sidelined by HUAC—the House Un-American Activities Committee. Because Losey had ties with the early Communist Party in the U.S., he, along with many, many other artists working in Tinsel Town, was blacklisted. He fled his native country to the United Kingdom, where he remained until his death. Losey made films in England and France, many of which are admired films noir. In the 1960s and beyond he moved toward making provocative art films, working with writers such as Harold Pinter and generally pushing the envelope in the cinema.

The Servant (1963) is one of those art films that Losey made, and it was his first collaboration with playwright Pinter (they did three pictures together). Based on a 1948 novella by Robin Maugham, The Servant is also one of Pinter’s first attempts at screenwriting. Pinter had been enjoying some success in the theatre since the late 1950s but was still not yet a fully established theatrical superstar at that time (this would occur a couple of years later). His own adaptation of his play, The Caretaker, was also made in 1963. Pinter took Maugham’s novella and re-tooled it to emphasize the class warfare that is going on in the subtext of the story, as well as adding what can only be described as the Pinter’s Theatre of Menace—a sense of subtle, unnerving threat that exists in most all of his work.

The story is about a wealthy international real estate developer, Tony (James Fox, in a debut role), a bachelor who hires a manservant, Hugo Barrett (Dirk Bogarde). They get along splendidly at first, although Tony’s girlfriend, Susan (Wendy Craig), senses something off about Barrett and wants Tony to get rid of him. Tony refuses. Barrett one day convinces Tony to hire his sister, Vera (Sarah Miles), to be a maid. Vera seduces Tony one night when Barrett is away. But then one day Tony and Susan come home to the flat and find Vera and Barrett in bed together. Turns out they’re not brother and sister at all. And then the tale takes a sharp left turn into nightmare territory as relationships change and power dynamics are reversed. To reveal more would spoil the creepiness of what happens next.

The Servant is a powerful, disturbing film. The crowning touch is the superb, unsettling performance by Bogarde, who won the BAFTA award that year for Best Actor (the film was nominated for Best Picture). The movie was ignored by the Oscars, but Pinter did win the award for Best Screenplay by the New York Film Critics Circle. Today, the movie resides at #22 on the BFI Top 100 British Films of the 20th Century list.

Losey’s perceptive direction masterfully uses mise-en-scène in a carefully staged sense of place that is claustrophobic and austere. He treats the theatre-of-the-absurd goings-on with absolute sincerity and realism… a perfect approach to Pinter’s exceptional dialogue and the mood established by the piece.

The Servant is very much an adult film, something that couldn’t have been made in America in 1963, and it’s a bit surprising that Britain’s censors weren’t all over it. But, then again, everything lies in the subtext. What you don’t see on screen can’t be censored, can it? The film is a brilliant display of shocking subject matter done in an ordinary, matter-of-fact presentation.

The Criterion Collection’s new Blu-ray release features a new 4K digital restoration with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack. It shows off the striking black and white cinematography by Douglas Slocombe, a longtime British DP who later won three Academy Awards (including one for Raiders of the Lost Ark).

Supplements include a new, interesting overview of Joseph Losey’s career by film critic Imogen Sara Smith; a rare audio interview with Losey from 1976; a revealing 1996 interview with Harold Pinter; vintage interviews with actors Dirk Bogarde, Sarah Miles, James Fox, and Wendy Craig; and the theatrical trailer. The enclosed booklet contains an essay by author Colm Tóibín.

The Servant is for fans of Joseph Losey, Harold Pinter, and, especially, Dirk Bogarde, who owns this motion picture. His portrayal of Hugo Barrett surely upends the old adage that ‘you can’t get good help these days.’

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Cinema Retro has received the following notification from Bondstars.com:

In this 70th year of the literary James Bond, we are celebrating the written legacy of all things 007 at Pinewood Studios with a very special event on October 29th in association with Ian Fleming Publications.

The day will kick-off with morning coffee in the John Barry Theatre and terrace – which faces the new ‘Sean Connery Stage’ – followed by the first ever UK cinema screening of the original 1954 version of Casino Royale, plus an exclusive and never-before-seen filmed interview with Jimmy Bond himself, actor Barry Nelson discussing the production.

We’ll continue in the theatre …

With readings of extracts from books by Bond actors throughout, as we introduce: Jon Turner to discuss his mentor Richard Chopping’s designs for Fleming’s James Bond books and archive (which he curates) as well as Ian Fleming biographer Andrew Lycett will discussing all things Ian Fleming.

David Lowbridge-Ellis will then host interviews and discussions with continuity authors Raymond Benson, Charlie Higson, 00-series author Kim Sherwood, Young Bond author Steve Cole and (pending filming commitments) Anthony Horowitz.

Lunch will follow and then we’ll move into the Pinewood Picture Gallery for book signings, mingling, informal chat, some memorabilia tables and a talk about Pinewood filming locations by author Dave Worrall on the garden patio, before afternoon tea brings the day to a close.

There’ll also be a 24- page exclusive commemorative souvenir brochure included.

The cost per ticket will be around £175.00 (excluding a non-refundable booking fee if you pay by debit \ credit card).

http://www.bondstars.com/events/casinoroyale70/register

Glenda Jackson, the esteemed British actress who later launched a successful political career, has passed away at age 87 at her home in London. Jackson rose from working in live theater to making her mark in British films in the 1960s and 1970s. She won two Best Actress Oscars over the course of three years for "Women in Love" and "A Touch of Class". In the interim, she was also nominated for "Sunday, Bloody Sunday". She later won praise for her work in television, most notably in the acclaimed productions of "The Patricia Neal Story" and "Elizabeth R." Jackson later left acting to concentrate on a career in politics, becoming an MP under Tony Blair's New Labour movement in the late 1990s, though she would later have a public falling out with Blair over his support for the U.S.-led war against Iraq. After leaving politics in 2015, she resumed her acting career. She had recently completed a film with Michael Caine. For more, click here. -Lee Pfeiffer

On June 25, The Film Forum Theatre in New York City will present a DCP screening of Stanley Kramer's classic comedy "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World".

Click here for information.

By Hank Reineke

The fifteenth annual New York City Independent Film Festival was held during the week of June 4 through 11 at Manhattan’s Producer’s Club on West 44^th Street, a few blocks west of Times Square. The week-long festival would host the screenings of over two hundred indie films. Co-Directors John Anderson and Bob Sarles' absorbing and authoritatively assembled music doc Born in Chicago, screened on the festival’s final day, doesn’t pretend to serve as the definitive nor most academically-minded treatise on the history of blues music in America. Such studies as the seven-episode PBS series The Blues (2003) had already touched lightly on many aspects of multi-layered history of the blues in America. This film’s primary interest lies elsewhere.

The state of Mississippi, the birthplace of the blues and home of some of the music’s greatest practitioners is, of course, referenced early on in Born in Chicago. But the fertile musical and agricultural area surrounding the Mississippi Delta region serves merely as the pregnant preface of what’s to come. There’s no mention that I can recall of the high-end music of band leader W.C. Handy, the self-proclaimed “Father of the Blues,” or of Ma Rainy, “Mother of the Blues” or even of such a master figure as songster Charley Patton, the acknowledged progenitor of the rough and tumble country blues.

Alan Lomax’s 1941-1942 Library of Congress recordings of one McKinley Morganfield (soon to be rechristened as “Muddy Waters”) down on Stovall’s Plantation near Clarksdale, MS is briefly referenced in Born in Chicago, but only in passing. The film recalls Waters as merely one of the many immigrant blues singers who, among non-musical travelers and those feeling racism and economic hardship, would abandon Mississippi - and neighboring states - to seek employment in Chicago’s burgeoning meat-packing and steel industries.

The blues singers arriving in the Windy City would often perform for pocket change on Chicago’s fabled Maxwell Street, and there’s a bit of historic film footage included in the film to document it. But ultimately Born in Chicago assumes that a knowledgeable blues aficionado is already conversant with the complex reasons that Chicago would birth the raw and immeasurably emotive electric blues. Born in Chicago soon time-jumps from a basic introductory primer to a particular moment in history – a period roughly encompassing 1964 through 1970 - when public interest in the blues music would peculiarly shift along color lines.

Though the blues was created by black artists for a primarily black audience, by the mid-1960s it was lovingly embraced by a cabal of young, white and often gifted musicians. In some sense these mostly suburban youngsters were oddballs. Not only were they complete outsiders to African-American life and musical culture, but estranged from even their own middle-class heritages. The best of them were determined to apprentice with the real-deal blues masters whose recordings they had painstakingly studied and cherished.

Such Chicago blues artists as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf (aka Chester Burnett), and Little Walter Jacobs were at their musical – if not money-earning career peaks – in the 1950s. Though Chicago boasted any number of record labels pressing 78 rpm discs of the talent grinding their music out almost nightly in such saloons as Pepper’s Lounge, Silvio’s, Smitty’s Corner, Big John’s, the Blue Flame Lounge, and Frost’s Corner, it was Chess Records that emerged the most important and iconic. Though label co-founder Leonard Chess appears in an archive footage interview alongside his son Marshall, Born in Chicago wisely chooses not to revisit the company’s backstory. That’s a tale already told in several docs as well as in Darnell Martin’s ill-disguised Chess-mirror fiction-feature Cadillac Records (2008).

There’s lots of archival footage threaded throughout Born in Chicago. Some of the film’s moodiest and most intimate saloon environ images come courtesy of several reels of silent B-roll 8mm color footage shot by drummer Sam Lay and his wife. Lay is an important figure here due to his key role in the blues tradition’s transition: he not only worked the South Side taverns with nearly all the blues giants but was also a founding member (along with bassist Jerome Arnold) in the inter-racial Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

Though not a concert film by any means – all performances featured in Born in Chicago are offered in truncated form - there are extended clips of Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf to offer insight into the power of their stage presence and hypnotic powers. This inclusion is not unreasonable as the two singers were the figurehead totems of the Chicago blues scene of the 1950s. Muddy and Wolf were also among the most generous and least suspicious of interlopers. They were appreciative of the enthusiasm and interest of these young, white blues revivalists and allowed them to share the stage and showcase their talents.

Of course, Muddy and Wolf didn’t singularly or together create the Chicago blues scene. During the course of Born in Chicago we’re briefly introduced to a number of the first and second wave Chicago’s bluesmen, as well as the iconic sidemen who helped create the sound: Otis Spann, Yank Rachel, Robert Lockwood, Willie Dixon, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, Magic Sam, Walter and Big Walter “Shakey” Horton all pass through the film in either image or musical snippet, all honorably referenced as “engines” of the scene.

Though the blues was derived partly from African musical traditions, the blues as the world knows it today was birthed in the area of the Mississippi Delta. Chicago blues was, at the very beginning anyway, mostly an electric, highly amplified extension of that earlier homegrown music, improvised out-of-necessity to cut through the din of celebratory patrons gathered inside cramped and sweaty neighborhood taverns.

The 1950s was the decade Chicago’s blues scene was at its creative peak. The musicians who arrived in Chicago during the great migration from the southern U.S. quickly bonded to a natural audience. They were warmly embraced by audiences that were once – and now again - neighbors. The musicians and their fans shared similar customs, life experiences and musical interests, and such familiarity allowed Chicago’s blues scene to thrive during the 1950s.

But by the early 1960s, the musical tastes of black audiences began to shift, particularly among younger listeners. This group held no bonding memories or immediate connections to blues or rustic southern musical culture. The rhythm-and-blues and soul of Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, and James Brown was in emergence and such artists were now the most favored of black audiences. It wasn’t long until the Motown and Stax labels would supplant Chess as the recording mecca for black artists.

But just as black interest in blues was seemingly on the wane, there was a sudden curious interest in the art by young, rebellious and hip Midwestern middle-class whites. Their passion for the music was often ignited by their discovery of late-night broadcasts of blues and old-school R&B found on the far ends of their radio dials. Many of these disciples – which would include such 1960’s blues and rock luminaries as Barry Goldberg, Michael Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites, Paul Butterfield, Corky Siegel, Harvey Mandel, Charlie Musselwhite, Elvin Bishop, Steve Miller and Bob Dylan – are all featured in Born in Chicago. It could be argued they were actually re-born in Chicago.

In any case, this is the time period under analysis in Born in Chicago. Liberal and open-minded students attending (or merely hanging on the fringes) of the University of Chicago – the campus itself nestled within the city’s Southside – played a role in the blossoming blues revival. Through the interventions of on-campus folk music clubs Chicago U. would stage not only small folk-music gatherings but several important folk music festivals – several showcasing such blues artists as Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim, Big Joe Williams and blind street singer Arvella Gray. This new interest in folk-blues music brought many students and scene hanger-on’s to Chicago’s pawn shops in search of guitars and friends and subsequent musical fellow travelers.

The most dedicated – and talented of these musicians – would reverse “integrate” these black-only Southside blues taverns - often under the suspicious and unwelcome gaze of black patrons in attendance. But both Muddy and Wolf and their respective band members would embrace such musicians as guitarist Michael Bloomfield and blues harpist Paul Butterfield et.al. once they realized these searching white youngsters – many demonstrating superlative musical talent – were looking to absorb, as best they could, the essence and emotional comport of the blues.

By Doug Oswald

Lee Marvin is an American soldier suspected of aiding the enemy during the Korean War in “Sergeant Ryker” released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber. Shortly after the release of the “The Dirty Dozen” in 1967, Universal saw fit to repackage a two-part 1964 Kraft Suspense Theatre courtroom drama “The Case Against Paul Ryker” and release it as feature film in theaters. As can be seen from the art reproduced on the Blu-ray cover, Universal was selling the release as an action-packed military movie not unlike “The Dirty Dozen” which was a big hit for MGM. Marvin also won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 1965’s “Cat Ballou,” and became an in demand A-list star in a series of popular movies that followed. “The Dirty Dozen” pushed him into superstar status and one can hardly blame Universal for cashing in by repurposing the two-part TV episode as a theatrical release.

The production follows the trial of Sergeant Paul Ryker in 1951 during the Korean War. Ryker’s just been found guilty of treason and is sentenced to death for collaborating with the Chinese. He returned to his unit with the fantastic story of being sent on a secret mission behind enemy lines to gather information. The problem is the general who allegedly sent him on the mission died while Ryker was gone and a mysterious letter left by the general was never found. What follows are attempts by his wife and defense attorney to gather evidence after being granted a retrial. Most of the “action” is limited to Ryker’s jail cell in Tokyo and consists mostly of courtroom drama and in a flashback the one action scene involving his wife and lawyer.

Marvin, no stranger to portraying military characters, served in the Marine Corps during WWII and was wounded during the Battle of Saipan in 1944. He’s very good here as Ryker and there are a couple of scenes when Marvin is about to jump out of the screen going from calm to crazy and back again in a matter of seconds. Marvin died way too young at age 63 leaving many memorable classic movies in his list of credits.

The production also features top notch performances from Bradford Dillman as Captain David Young, Ryker’s defense attorney, Peter Graves as Major Frank Whittaker, the prosecutor, and Vera Miles as Ann Ryker, the estranged wife of Sergeant Ryker. The cast also features a fine cast of character actors who will be familiar to anyone who watched broadcast TV and movies in the 60s and 70s including Lloyd Nolan, Murray Hamilton and Norman Fell to name just a few.

Buzz Kulik, a veteran television director with a few feature films to his credit, directed the original “Kraft Suspense Theatre” two-part episodes which was originally broadcast on October 10th and October 17th of 1964. Kraft Theatre lasted for two seasons from 1964 to 1966 spanning 59 episodes, filmed at Universal Studios and broadcast on NBC. Interestingly, a spinoff series released by ITV titled “Court Martial” featured Dillman and Graves in their “Ryker” roles as military lawyers and it ran for 26 episodes from 1965 to 1966 with the setting changed from the Korean War to WWII Europe.

The 1968 movie release does not fulfill the promise made on the poster art: “Lee Marvin Explodes into action as Sergeant Ryker.” We do see plenty of Ryker getting angry while sitting in his jail cell and in the courtroom. The bulk of the action consists of his lawyer and his wife riding in a Jeep and attacked by the enemy in Korea as they search for evidence in Ryker’s case. The movie, which clocks in at 85 minutes, would be easy to dismiss as a theatrical release, but it plays rather well on the small screen. The Blu-ray looks and sounds terrific and a nice surprise for me was the score by John Williams.

Extras include the trailer for this and other Kino Lorber releases. Also included is a fascinating audio commentary by film historian and filmmaker Daniel Kremer who details the history of made-for-television productions which were released theatrically. The Blu-ray is worth the purchase for the audio commentary alone. What would have been nice is the option to watch the made for television version, but I’m happy to see this version on Blu-ray. Highly recommended.

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Actor Treat Williams, the ruggedly handsome star of feature films and television, has died from injuries incurred in an accident while he was riding a motorcycle. The incident, which is still under investigation, occurred in rural Vermont, where Williams had resided in recent years. An SUV had apparently crossed the road in front of Williams, who was unable to avoid a collision. Williams was 71 years-old. He had gained prominence in the film industry in the late 1970s by scoring the leading role in director Milos Forman's 1979 screen adaptation of the Broadway sensation "Hair". In 1981, he won praise for his starring role in Sidney Lumet's true-life crime film "Prince of the City". Other major films included "Deep Rising", "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead" and "Hollywood Ending". He later starred in the hit TV series "Everwood". For more, click here.

By Lee Pfeiffer

“Noir Bar” by Eddie Muller (Running Press) 228 Pages, Illustrated (B&Wand color); Hardback. ISBN: 9780762480623

If you’re a fan of all things related to Film Noir, you’re probably quite familiar with Eddie Muller, who is known as the Noir Czar. Muller’s passion for the genre is well-known and his influence in keeping Noir in vogue is widespread. He founded the Film Noir Foundation in 2005, through which he hosts popular film festivals. He’s also a regular host on Turner Classic Movies’ presentations of Noir movies, always nattily attired and giving viewers tips on how dress in real Noir style. He’s also a prolific author who we interviewed about his landmark book “Dark City”, which is the seminal book on the subject. One would think he’s covered every conceivable angle in regard to analyzing the genre but he’s pulled another rabbit out of his hat with the release of “Noir Bar”, an infectious and clever advisory about how to properly prepare cocktails inspired by Noir films. Thus, we have recipes related to specific film titles including The Asphalt Jungle, The Big Sleep (the original, of course!) and more obscure gems such as Decoy. As the press release points out, “Rita Hayworth is toasted with a Sailor Beware, an original concoction which, like the film that inspired it, The Lady from Shanghai, is unique, complex, and packs a wallop.” But there’s more…much more. In addition to enticing close-ups of the concoctions, there is an abundance of superb B&W stills and colourful movie posters. It’s the stuff that dreams are made of…and also hangovers. Highly recommended even for teatotallers.

Sample recipe:

BLACK MANHATTAN INSPIRED BY SIDE STREET

What could be more appropriate to this film than a Black Manhattan, a noir twist on the most classic of whiskey-based cocktails?

COUPE GLASS, chilled

MIXING GLASS, strained

2 ounces rye whiskey

1 ounce Averna amaro

Dash Angostura bitters

Dash orange bitters

Garnish Luxardo Maraschino cherries

NOTES: I garnish this with at least two cherries on a cocktail skewer. Since you can’t see the cherries in the drink, rest the skewer on the lip of the glass. Getting Luxardo cherries on a skewer takes finesse; you don’t want the sticky syrup on your fingers. Use a barspoon to fish up a cherry, hold it against the inside lip of the jar, and gently pierce the fruit, using the spoon to push it to the middle of the skewer. Repeat with one or two more cherries. Wipe the excess off the skewer with a napkin before setting it across the glass.

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In this episode of Film 101, we're tracing the evolution of this particular set piece. Join us as we look at what Bullitt (1986), The French Connection (1971), and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) have to say about the characters behind the wheel.

Jackie Gleason never sat down for many in-depth interviews. This classic segment from a 1984 segment of "60 Minutes" was an exception. Interviewed by Morley Safer, Gleason is larger than life in every way: physically, habitually and in terms of his wit, as he chain smokes in his natural environment: a bar.

Here is the original 1975 trailer for Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon", widely acclaimed by critics as one of his best films. Although highly acclaimed, it wasn't financially successful at the time due to the extravagant production costs. Some critics griped that it was too slow moving, but that's the beauty of the production. Most of the critical establishment hailed the film, some calling it a masterpiece.  In the comments section, a viewer notes that the trailer contains some differences from the final release version. This is probably true, as trailers must be released long before the finished film and Kubrick was known to make changes in his films almost up to the moment of release.

RETRO-ACTIVE: FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES.

"BIG TOP HILARITY"

By Raymond Benson

Finally! Chaplin fans can rejoice that The Criterion Collection has at last released the long-awaited missing entry in their run of excellent Blu-ray and DVD editions of the filmmake's feature films. For a while it appeared that The Circus, one of the auteur's best and certainly, arguably, his funniest picture, was forgotten, as it's been a few years since Criterion's last Chaplin release. Now, here it is. (The only features that remain to be given the Criterion treatment are A Woman of Paris from 1923, which didn't star Chaplin, and A King in New York, from 1957, his last starring vehicle. A Countess from Hong Kong, from 1967, perhaps doesn't count.)

The Circus was made just as Hollywood was beginning the transition from silents to talkies. There were still plenty of silent pictures being produced in 1928, and the move to sound wouldn't be seriously completed until 1930 (or, in some rural areas of the country, 1931!). Ironically, Chaplin chose to make an additional silent comedy in 1931, City Lights, and a semi-silent movie, Modern Times, in 1936!

Charlie is The Tramp, of course. Broke and penniless, he wanders near a traveling circus and, while eluding the police who mistakenly suspect him of being a pickpocket, accidentally finds himself in the Big Top ring in front of an audience. They find his antics hilarious, and the cruel and greedy proprietor/ringmaster (Al Ernest Garcia) hires him on the spot, mainly to take advantage of him. The Tramp does not realize he's funny and how much he's worth! Then there's the bareback rider (Merna Kennedy), with whom Charlie falls in love. He sets out to protect her from the abuse inflicted by the boss.

That's the story in a nutshell, but it's the collection of hilarious set pieces that make this film a classic. The opening pickpocket/sideshow/fun house sequence is inventive and clever. Charlie's introduction into the circus, and especially his unwitting messing up of the magician's act, provides belly laughs. But the real stroke of brilliance is the climax of the movie, when Charlie attempts a tightrope act and is beleaguered by a group of monkeys that have gotten loose. One of these primates, an impish cutie named Josephine, appeared in many movies of the period. How her trainer got her to bite Charlie's nose without hurting him is a marvel.

It's interesting to note that The Circus practically disappeared for decades until Chaplin dug it out again in the 1960s to provide the original score and title song, restore the feature, and re-release it. It had a reputation of being a lesser work, mainly because it had been made during a painful time in Chaplin's personal life and he may have suppressed it. The truth is that the film is underrated -terribly so. It's one of the genius's masterworks.

Criterion's new 4K digital restoration of the 1969 re-release version (the only one we can get, I presume) is beautifully presented with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Chaplin's own original score, complete with a vocal title song ("Swing Little Girl", sung by Chaplin himself) sounds terrific. A new audio commentary by Chaplin biographer Jeffrey Vance accompanies the feature.

Supplements abound. New to the Criterion edition include a fascinating interview with Chaplin's son Eugene (complete with home movies); a wonderful and eye-opening examination of the visual effects and production design of the film with film scholar Craig Barron ("In the Service of the Story"); footage of 1969 interviews on Chaplin's Swiss estate; an audio interview from 1998 with musical associate Eric James; and newly discovered outtakes of the Tramp and the Bareback Rider. There is also a nearly half-hour documentary from 2003, "Chaplin Today: The Circus", that provides insight into the troubled production; unused sequences with a new score by Timothy Brock and related outtakes; excerpts from the recording session of "Swing Little Girl"; footage from the 1928 Hollywood premiere with appearances by many celebrities; and re-release trailers. The package booklet sports an essay by critic Pamela Hutchinson.

The Circus demands to be reevaluated and cherished as a treasure from one of cinema's most important creative artists. This one's a must.

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Here's a clip from director John Sturges 1974 crime thriller, "McQ", representing the only time the legendary director worked with the legendary John Wayne. At least they produced a top-notch action film. 

By Lee Pfeiffer

By the year 1972, the esteemed Billy Wilder was licking his wounds over the boxoffice debacle that was "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes". Wilder's revisionist depiction of the legendary sleuth is precisely what Holmes fan clamor for today, but to a generation that defined the depiction of Holmes and Watson by the low-budget film series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, there was little enthusiasm to see an all-too human Holmes with all-too-human failings. Wilder blamed the poor reception for the film on the fact that the studio had overridden his objections and made major cuts to the movie. Years ago, some of the missing footage was discovered and the altered film was accepted favorably by reviewers and retro movie lovers. Still, at the time, Wilder was not used to suffering the humiliation of public rejection of one of his movies. After all, he had given us classics such as "Some Like It Hot", "The Apartment", "Sabrina", "Double Indemnity" and "Stalag 17". Wilder was eager to return to his comedic roots and for his next film, "Avanti!" and he enlisted long-time collaborator Jack Lemmon to star and his esteemed writing partner I.A.L. Diamond to co-author the script with him. The stars seemed be aligned for another Wilder comedy hit, but it didn't work out that way, to put it mildly. "Avanti!" was another critical and commercial failure and this time it really hurt. Henceforth, the few films Wilder would direct would all be bombs, marking an inglorious end to an otherwise glorious career. Yet, "Avanti!" deserved a better fate. It's certainly Wilder in an inspired mode even if the inspiration came from a flop Broadway comedy production that he and Diamond kept the basic plot premise of but otherwise rewrote.

Wilder and Lemmon had enjoyed such audience-pleasing hits as "Some Like It Hot", "The Apartment", "Irma La Douce" and "The Fortune Cookie". Lemmon is well-cast as Wendell Armbruster, Jr., the son of a titan of American industry who has just died in an automobile accident in Italy where he went every year for a month-long personal sabbatical to cleanse his body and soul. Wendell is already in a state of nervous panic when we first see him on board the flight to Italy. He has just a few days to arrange to bring his father's body back to Washington, D.C. where a high profile televised funeral will take place with the President and other world dignitaries in attendance. (It's never explained why the Armbruster family self-imposed such a tight deadline for retrieving the body and staging the funeral.) Wendell idolized his father as the symbol of American family values and conservative political doctrine; a robust Republican who socialized with Henry Kissinger and who was devoted to Wendell's mother. Upon arrival in the quaint coastal town where his father died at his favorite small hotel, Wendell is greeted by the manager, Carlo Carlucci (Clive Revill), an unflappable local "Mr. Fix-It" with a penchant for reassuring words and an ability to move mountains to carry out impossible tasks. However, Wendell is in for a shock when he meets Pamela Piggott (Juliet Mills), a working class girl from East London whose mother also died in the same car crash as Wendell Sr. Turns out the two were lovers who met for the past ten years at the hotel, where they were adored local legends. Thus begins a madcap farce in which Wendell has to deal with the emotional revelation that his father was an adulterer while at the same time keeping family members and the public in the dark about the scandal. Pamela has a different attitude. Unlike Wendell, she knew of the affair long ago and assures Wendell that the two were madly in love and could fulfill their fantasies through their annual reunion. Wendell also learns that his ultra conservative father would join his lover for daily nude swim.

If the conventional wisdom in Hollywood is that comedies must run under two hours, Wilder was happy to ignore it. "Avanti!" clocks in at 144 minutes. It's as though he was celebrating the leisurely Italian lifestyle depicted in the film, a lifestyle that can be both simultaneously maddening and idyllic. Do we have to tell you that Wendell and Pamela lock horns only to become lovers themselves, even going so far as to replicate the dear departed's daily nude swim in the best-remembered scene from the movie? Despite the lengthy running time, the film is never boring and the performances are all top-notch with both Lemmon and Mills in fine form. However, the scene-stealer is Clive Revill in a remarkably funny performance. You'll swear you're watching an Italian actor instead of a native New Zealander who made his mark in British film and stage productions. The movie is peppered with some genuine Italian character actors, as Wendell becomes embroiled with a local group of poverty-row mobsters. Wilder and Diamond also mix in an amusing murder and blackmail plot. There is a late appearance by the marvelous Edward Andrews as a U.S. State Department official who arrives to resolve Wendell's problem of getting his father's body back home in time for the funeral. For all the laughs, however, there is a poignancy to the story, as Wendell learns to love and admire Pamela, who has initially disparages because of her "weight problem."  This is an uncomfortable aspect of the movie not only because Juliet Mills most decidedly did not have a "weight problem", but she endures (as women did during this era) constant barbs and insults and even makes self-deprecating jokes about her non-existent girth.

"Avanti!" may not be classic Wilder, but it's very good Wilder and that's enough to merit a "highly recommended" designation.The film is currently streaming on Screenpix, which is available to Amazon Prime subscribers for an additional fee of $2.99 a month.

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SUPERMAN Web3 Movie Experience

Iconic DC Super Hero Film Being Released as a Multimedia Living Movie Experience from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and Eluvio

Includes 4K UHD Feature Film and Special Features, Interactive Themed Navigation, Explorable Image Galleries, Discoverable Digital Easter Eggs, and more!

Burbank, CA, June 5, 2023 – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, in partnership with content blockchain pioneer Eluvio, announced today the next installment of the WB Movieverse with the iconic DC Super Hero film Superman Web3 Movie Experience, available for preview at https://web3.wb.com and opening for purchase on June 9. 

The release of Superman Web3 Movie Experience follows the 2022 first-of-its-kind Web3 entertainment offering The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition) Web3 Movie Experience.

Superman Web3 Movie Experience is a multimedia NFT for fans to own and to engage with the 1978 Richard Donner film in an exciting way. Through dynamic menu options based on iconic locations from the film, owners can watch the film in 4K UHD on desktop, mobile, tablet or TV, access special features, view image galleries and artist renderings by notable DC artists, discover digital easter eggs, as well as sell the experience in a community marketplace. 

The Superman Web3 Movie Experience will be offered in standard and premium editions:

Standard edition ($30 for 1 week from 8:00AM ET on June 9 to 7:59AM ET on June 16) includes an interactive location-based navigation menu, Superman: The Movie Theatrical Version, previously released special features and an image gallery featuring stills and behind the scenes galleries.

Premium edition ($100 for 24 hours from 8:00AM ET on June 9 to 7:59AM ET on June 10) includes 3 different variations available for purchase separately, Truth, Justice, and Hope, each featuring an illustration of Christopher Reeves’ Superman from one of three DC artists - Ivan Reiss, Ben Oliver, or Bill Sienkiewicz. Each variation includes an interactive and explorable location-based navigation menu and 3 versions of the feature film – Superman: The Movie Theatrical Version; Superman: The Movie Expanded Director’s Cut; and Superman: The Movie Extended TV Edition - along with previously-released special features, and image galleries featuring costume and detail images from the Warner Bros. Archive and stills and behind the scenes galleries.

The Superman Web3 Movie Experience will include a free voucher code for a DC3 Super Power Pack: Series Superman from the DC NFT Marketplace, offering 3 randomly selected Superman comics with rarities from Common to Legendary. These packs are time-gated, open edition drops, limited to one per account. There will be new themed packs launching every few weeks, so stay tuned for updates.

Early access to all editions of the Superman Web3 Movie Experience will be available to DC Bat Cowl NFT holders at 8:00AM ET on June 8, to DC3 holders at 11:00AM ET on June 8, and to The Lord of the Rings Web3 Movie Experience holders at 2:00PM ET on June 8.

“For fans of this beloved and iconic film, Superman: The Movie is being released as an exclusive Web3 film and immersive digital collectible for the first time,” said Michelle Munson, CEO and co-founder of Eluvio. “As part of the WB Movieverse, consumers can easily watch, collect, and sell their film Web3 Movie Experiences on the blockchain, in the Movieverse marketplace. For Warner Bros., and the broader industry, Eluvio is honored to back this novel digital sell-through experience for 4K films and premium video assets – all streamed from and backed by secure blockchain access and ownership on the Eluvio Content Fabric.”

The Superman Web3 Movie Experience will drop to the public on June 9, exclusively at https://web3.wb.com  and will be available for purchase by credit card or crypto currency. 

To participate in this novel experience, fans can create a secure, easy-to-use media wallet that acts as a digital vault and enables consumers to stream and purchase content via credit cards or crypto wallets.The Superman Web3 Movie Experience is powered by Eluvio, pioneers of Web3 innovation throughout the media and entertainment industry. The Eluvio Content Blockchain provides a high-performance, simple-to-use, and cost-effective Web3 platform built for content. It enables Web3 native media experiences, allowing publishers and fans to directly enjoy and monetize shows, films, concerts, digital albums, digital collectibles, interactive and metaverse experiences, and more.  Content creators, and their communities, benefit from a significantly more carbon-efficient and high-performance alternative to traditional platforms for content streaming, distribution, and storage, including 4K streaming, ticketing, NFT minting, and trading of premium content. Notably, in this experience, the core digital assets along with derivative NFTs are all on the blockchain, not just the token (NFT) itself. Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment and fans enjoy blockchain-backed access control and content rights enforcement, scalable attestation of ownership, smart contracts that enable distributed royalties, and content experiences that can even evolve over time.

Eluvio’s Content Blockchain also provides a breakthrough in carbon-footprint efficiency in the ways it manages media and uses blockchain technology, and on-chain content ownership. Through a novel compositional and just-in-time protocol, the Eluvio Content Blockchain does not make digital file copies and significantly reduces the network storage and usage requirements as compared to traditional streaming and content distribution systems. It also uses an eco-friendly “proof-of-authority” consensus, which avoids the high energy consumption used in computational “proof-of-work” blockchains.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) distributes the award-winning movies, television, animation, and digital content produced by Warner Bros. Discovery to the homes and screens of millions through physical Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD retail sales and digital transactions on major streaming, video-on-demand cable, satellite, digital, and mobile channels.  WBHE is part of Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales, one of the world’s largest distributors of entertainment programming.

About Eluvio, Inc.

Eluvio (https://eluv.io) is the content blockchain for the creator economy. The Eluvio Content Fabric is a utility blockchain network for owner-controlled storage, distribution, and monetization of digital content at scale. It provides live and file-based content publishing, transcoding, packaging, sequencing, and dynamic and static distribution, and minting of derivative NFTs for all ranges of content experiences. Examples of companies and creators whose content blockchain initiatives have been powered by Eluvio include FOX Entertainment, Globo, MGM Studios, Microsoft, SONY Pictures, Telstra, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, WWE, The Masked Singer, Dolly Parton, Black Eyed Peas, Rita Ora, independent filmmakers, and many others. Eluvio is led by Emmy Award-winning technologists, Michelle Munson and Serban Simu, founders and inventors of Aspera, a pioneer in digital video transport technology, and a core team of innovators. Based in Berkeley, California, Eluvio has received numerous industry awards including the prestigious Engineering Excellence Award by the Hollywood Professional Association and recognized with 11 US patents.  Follow Eluvio at @EluvioInc or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/eluv-io.

"EAST OF EDEN" AND "RIO BRAVO" 4K EDITIONS COMING FROM WARNER BROS.

ANNA MAY WONG 3-FILM BLU-RAY SET RELEASED BY KINO LORBER

"SUPERMAN 5-FILM COLLECTION 1978-1987" ON 4K NOW AVAILABLE

CINEMA RETRO ISSUE #56 HAS SHIPPED WORLDWIDE

OUT OF THE PAST: RICHARD ROUNDTREE AS SHAFT (1971)

REVIEW: "HEAT" (1986) STARRING BURT REYNOLDS; KINO LORBER BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION