Landis at Forbidden Planet, London (Photo copyright Mark Mawston. All rights reserved.)
By Mark Mawston
The Halloween season found famed director
(and Cinema Retro contributor) John Landis in London to launch his new, very
well received book, Monsters in the Movies. (Click here to visit the DK Publishing web site for a peek into the book's contents.)
The link above will take you to just some
of the wonders this book holds, along with a short introduction by John himself.
As a fan of most of the films featured within its pages as well as the films of
John Landis himself, it was a real honour to have a couple of my own photo’s
deemed worthy enough (in historical importance)to be included alongside the many
stunning images this book holds.
The que at London’s Forbidden Planet Store
for a signing session with John on the 1st of Nov stretched around
the block. The book has already sold out in its original run (another has
commenced)but those lucky enough to get into London should head straight to
Forbidden Planet as well as the famed Cinema Store on St. Martins Lane as both
stores hold a limited amount of signed copies.John has stressed the fact that this is a fun book, with conversations
rather than in depth interviews with many of his friends ranging from Ray
Harryhausen, Sir Christopher Lee and Joe Dante. What it is however, is a book
of definitive monster images, many of which have never been seen before and as
such it is a must for any fans of the genre. My personal favourite, along with
many of those whom have read it, is the inspired Monster Carry spread, featuring
gals held by ghouls from all the different decades of dread. It’s also worth
pointing out that this is a great looking tome in its own right. I highly
recommend this wonderful book but if you do venture into the Capitol to get a signed
copy, then “Stay On The Roads…..â€, as was advised in
Landis’ classic An American Werewolf in
London.
The Duke's head gear from The Green Berets and The High and the Mighty.
By Roland
Schaefli
“This is
crazyâ€, Ethan Wayne whispered, as the bids in the auction started to climb way
over the estimates. The youngest son of movie legend John Wayne and other
members of the Wayne clan were present at the Beverly Hills auction on Oct 6th,
announcing that this would be the once in a lifetime shot for fans to get a
piece of the Duke, “and we’re not going to do it again†– and still, they could
not imagine that the fans would dig so deep in their pockets to collect their
father’s artifacts. The total of the two day sale eventually exceeded $5.4
million, a portion of the proceeds of which will fund the John Wayne Cancer
Foundation.
Hat from Big Jake
Only
weeks after John Wayne passed away in 1979, his house in Newport Beach was
sealed, an intensive inventory was taken of the Duke's personal items. Michael Wayne, then head honcho of
Wayne Enterprises, locked it all up. The boxes were transported in a warehouse almost to be forgotten for three decades, a la The Lost Ark. When
Michael passed away, Ethan (named after Wayne’s character in ‘The
Searchers’) took over running Wayne Enterprises. Michael had often mentioned his plans to open a John
Wayne museum, and it was well known among collectors that he had retained many of his father's film costumes. Why then, after all
this time, does the family allow the personal property – over 700 items - to be
scattered all over the world? “Michael had 30 years to do it – so why didn’t
he?â€, Ethan makes his point to Cinema Retro. His explanation why he feels great
about the auction is as simple as it is touching: “My father inspired people
through his films. And people have been calling the office for 32 years, asking
for a hat, a vest, a shirt. Because they have this strong connection. So for
me, I look at all these items, and they're going to go all over the world, and
they're going to inspire people. So all that attitude of John Wayne will be out
there living with these items, all over the globe.â€
The invitation to the private party following the screening was based on a note Holly Golightly writes to "Fred" in the film.
By Lee Pfeiffer
Paramount pulled out all the stops on September 16 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Blake Edwards' classic screen adaptation of Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffanys at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in New York City. Presented in conjunction with the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the event showcased the superb new digital restoration of the movie. Sadly Blake Edwards passed away last year but his wife Julie Andrews was on hand to celebrate his great cinematic achievement. The evening began with a "blue carpet" (to tie in with the new Blu-ray release) event attended by celebrities, fashion models and Ms. Andrews, who posed for photos and met with the press.
The ageless Julie Andrews arrives on the blue carpet.
(Photo copyright: Paramount)
On stage, Film Society director Richard Pena interviewed Ms. Andrews, who somehow looks as though she has found the secret to eternal youth. In her chat, Andrews said that she had seen Breakfast At Tiffanys when she was living in New York - and never dreamed she would end up marrying its director. She also said that Marilyn Monroe had been considered for the role of Holly Golightly and confessed she was delighted that the part eventually went to Audrey Hepburn. Andrews discussed the ironies that affected both she and Hepburn's careers. It was Andrews who became a sensation on stage as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady but it was Hepburn who got the coveted part in the film version. Nevertheless, Andrews managed to win the Best Actress Oscar that year because the loss of the Doolittle role afforded her the opportunity to play Mary Poppins. She said that she and Hepburn always joked about those ironies and the two became great friends.
The
film preservation community has been excited about the 2010 discovery of 75
hitherto lost American films found at The New Zealand Film Archive. One of the
most heralded finds is a John Ford silent from 1927 entitled UPSTREAM. On
Monday, June 20 Cinema Retro had been invited by A.M.P.A.S. to attend a screening of this film at the
Academy Theater at Lighthouse International in New York City. The opportunity
to see any new aspect of John Ford’s work is not be missed, and while it did
not bear the stamp of what we have now come to know as the JOHN FORD STYLE, the film
was impressive.
The
screening was introduced by Brian Meacham, a
preservationist for the Los Angeles archive of the Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences. Mr. Meachham spoke of how he undertook a vacation to New
Zealand in 2010 that wound up being a busman’s holiday. As is his want, he told
us, whenever he takes a personal trip he tries to contact film archives in the
city he is traveling to. After he arrived in Wellington the folks at The
New Zealand Film Archive told him that they had some cans of film he might be
interested in seeing. The result of that little visit proved to be a major find
to the American cinematic history.
Lumet with his honorary Oscar. Shockingly, he never won a competitive Academy Award.
By Lee Pfeiffer
Yesterday the family of the late legendary film director Sidney Lumet, in association with the Film Society of Lincoln Center, hosted a tribute to Lumet at Alice Tulley Hall. Cinema Retro contributing writer Doug Gerbino and I arrived at Lincoln Center not knowing exactly what the program would consist of. However, as we are both great admirers of Lumet's work, we could not pass up the invitation to attend. The tribute turned out to be one of the most extraordinary film-related events we had ever witnessed. An extraordinary number of diverse talents contributed their personal memories of working with Lumet through often hilarious anecdotes. Screenwriter Walter Bernstein said Lumet saved his career by hiring him to write TV productions even though he was blacklisted at the time. Christopher Walken recalled how Lumet gently guided him to giving a memorable performance in his first feature film, The Anderson Tapes. Lauren Bacall says she is still grateful to Lumet for casting her in Murder on the Orient Express because it gave her the opportunity to work with so many legends. Jonathan Demme said that as a young man one of the most visceral cinematic experiences he had was watching Lumet's The Hill. And on it went,with the event being capably hosted by Jenny Lumet, the director's charming screenwriter daughter. Amidst the tributes there were brilliantly edited clips from Lumet films interspersed with a variety of interviews he had given in recent years.
Much was made of the fact that Lumet disdained working anywhere but his beloved New York City. Jenny Lumet joked that some years ago Lumet and his wife found themselves unavoidably living for a period of time in Hollywood. As each light bulb in the house eventually burned out, Lumet refused to invest in new ones because the thought of being there long enough to burn through two bulbs depressed him greatly. James Gandolfiini recalled being a little-known out of work actor who was throwing in the towel on his chosen profession. One day Lumet called and he didn't believe it was really him. "Fuck off!", Gandolfini shouted into the phone, convinced the call was a prank by a friend. As he deliberated, he came to the nauseating realization that such a gag "would have been too complicated for my friends." Fortunately, Lumet called back and offered Gandolfini a job that, in essence, saved his career. Marshall Brickman spoke of Lumet's well-known dedication to working fast and efficiently. He joked that Lumet could shoot a 90 minute movie in 43 minutes. Phillip Seymour Hoffman spoke lovingly of starring in Lumet's final feature film, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Finally Glenn Close brought the house down with a soulful, closing rendition of Bye Bye Blackbird.
In the lobby on the way out, it was clear there were plenty of other notables who had attended ranging from film historian and interviewer James Lipton to MSNBC political commentator/TV producer Lawrence O'Donnell. Walter Bernstein, who is among the last of the legendary screenwriters, graciously conceded to an interview for a future issue of Cinema Retro. I also got to chat a short bit with Vanessa Redgrave, who was amused when I showed her that a copy of a book I'm currently reading: Marc Connelly's book about the making of Tony Richardson's The Charge of the Light Brigade, in which she starred. Redgrave agreed enthusiastically that the film was drastically under-rated in its day and needs to be re-examined for the major work it is. (I see another article in Cinema Retro's future...)
I had only met Lumet twice but, like every member of the audience, you came to feel you knew him intimately as a friend. In all, a wonderful day and a brilliant tribute by the Film Society of
Lincoln Center to one of the true giants of the motion picture industry.
The Film Society of Lincoln Center will be presenting a major Lumet film festival during July including screenings of rarely seen films such as The Offence. For more click here
Elia Kazan's 1960 film Wild River starring Montgomery Clift and Lee Remick is the subject of a new documentary titled Mud On the Stars, the title of one of two books that the screenplay was based on. The documentary looks at how the filming affected the lives of people in rural Tennessee and includes personal reminiscences of individuals who were involved in the production or witnessed it being shot. A screening of the documentary takes place on June 2 in Cleveland, TN. Click here for info
The Players, the legendary private club for the arts located at Gramercy Park in Manhattan, recently held their 2011 Hall of Fame ceremony. The annual event inducts members into the Hall who have made outstanding contributions to the arts. The roster of this year's ceremony was particularly impressive, including many familiar names who were inducted posthumously along with current club members. Among them: Humphrey Bogart, Dick Cavett, Mary Tyler Moore, Sir John Gielgud, Jerry Stiller, Lauren Bacall, Hume Cronyn, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Carol Burnett, Walt Disney, Jimmy Fallon, Arthur Miller, Gregory Peck, Tony Randall, Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Katharine Hepburn, John Carradine, Harry Belafonte, Charles Laughton, Sir John Gielgud and others. Also inducted were two prominent names from American politics: President Dwight D. Eisenhower and former New York City Mayor David Dinkins.
Mayor David Dinkins with Claire Gozzo and actor and Cinema Retro contributor Joe Sirola.
Thumbs up from Tuco: Eli Wallach chats with Cinema Retro editor-in-chief Lee Pfeiffer.
The evening began with a cocktail hour in the club's famed Great Hall, where honorees mixed and mingled with other club members. A gourmet dinner followed, with club Executive Director John Martello screening a wonderful film clip compilation of the honorees' achievements. In addition to the actors and writers inducted, there were also other inductees who had distinguished themselves by their support of the club and the arts. Each inductee was honored with the unveiling of their portrait, painted by one of twenty-six esteemed artists. Among them was the famed Everett Raymond Kinstler, whose portraits of legendary members adorn the club's walls. Appropriately, Kinstler himself was inducted on the evening. Fittingly, he provided a self-portrait for the occasion.
Actor Thomas Waites (L) and collector Joe Hart display an amazing collection of memorabilia from The Thing.
By Lee Pfeiffer
Last Saturday, the Loew's Jersey City movie theater presented Thing-Fest. Contrary to what you may think, this wasn't a tribute to the famed disembodied hand from The Addams Family. Rather, it was a double feature consisting of Howard Hawks' original 1956 science fiction classic The Thing From Another World along with John Carpenter's 1982 remake, The Thing. Hundreds of fans descended on the legendary movie palace that has been restored to its former glory thanks to many years of work by dedicated volunteers. I only attended the evening screening of the Carpenter movie, having never seen it before on the big screen. Suffice it to say, it was worth the effort. Universal provided a very good print of the movie and its widescreen attributes were accentuated by the excellent sound system in the Loew's, which made every sound effect resonate through the cavernous theater. The impact was made all the more impressive by Ennnio Morricone's heart-pounding score. Carpenter's reinterpretation of the Hawks film is a work of brilliance, but much credit must go to the special effects team for their amazing creations of the monster alien that morphs into the physical form of its victims. There is literally nothing that comes close to these achievements in today's CGI-packed sci-fi films. Although the audience was reverent and well-behaved, it was clear that the theater was packed with Thing fanatics, some of whom could not help but shout out key lines of dialogue at the precise moment the actors spoke the words.
A nice surprise was the appearance of actor Thomas Waites, who played "Windows", one of the ill-fated members of the Antarctic research team who meets a gruesome fate, courtesy of The Thing. Waites introduced the film, then appeared after the screening to engage in a Q&A with audience members. One interesting anecdote he told related to an almost disastrous bus ride the key cast members took to the remote Alaskan filming location. The bus became engulfed in white-out conditions due to a fast moving blizzard, causing the vehicle to hang precariously off an embankment. Keeping in spirit to his role as the film's heroic leading man, Kurt Russell took the lead and gingerly instructed his fellow actors as to how to slowly crawl off the bus without causing it to tumble over. (Shades of the original Italian Job!) Waites also graciously sat behind a "Thingfest" table in the theater's magnificent lobby and signed photos for a seemingly endless stream of fans. Adding to the unexpected pleasures was an impressive display of Thing memorabilia set up by collector Joe Hart, who traveled all the way from Canada to attend. Hart, who runs the excellent web site Outpost31.com, which is devoted to the Carpenter film, proved to have an impressive collection that boasted many toys, prop replicas and rare international movie posters.
Despite being almost 30 years old, John Carpenter's film remains a many splendored Thing.
(All photos copyright Cinema Retro. All rights reserved)
Click here to order the DVD discounted from Amazon
Cinema Retro's Graham Hill provides these photos from the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival screening of An American in Paris at the famed Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, April 28. (All photos copyright Graham Hill. All rights reserved)
Hugh Hefner
TCM host Robert Osborne
Legendary cinematographer Haskell Wexler
Leonard Maltin
Retro movie fans gather to watch the celebs arrive
On March 30th 2011 Cinema Retro was invited to a special screening of Karel Reisz's classic British New Wave drama Saturday Night Sunday Morning at the BFI Southbank in London. Featuring an unforgettable performance by Albert Finney as rebellious, hard-living factory worker Arthur Seaton, this gritty, vital piece of cinema, is widely agreed to be one of the best British films of all time. Originally released in 1960, Saturday Night Sunday Morning was produced by Woodfall a production company that led the wave of kitchen sink dramas which explored post-war working class issues in a serious manner for the first time.
The screening was preceded with a Q & A with actress Shirley Anne Field. In conversation with the BFI’s artistic director Eddie Berg, Field credited the whole production for successfully creating credible working class characters who she felt had previously been portrayed on screen in a very patronising way. She touched on the problems the picture faced with the British censor due to the sensitive issues it explored such as abortion. Field also fondly reminisced about working with Finney and other British legends such as Hilda Baker.
A clip from the interview is available to view on the BFI Live website:
Cinema Retro's Bill Duelly was invited to tour the traveling exhibition of props from the Harry Potter films. Here is his report:
There is no doubt that the Harry Potter film series has enjoyed
success that has only been rivaled by the James Bond and Star Wars series.They are a
testament to England’s
filmmaking craft and to their benefit, the producers have saved costumes,
props, etc. from Sorcerer’s Stone
(aka: Philosopher’s Stone in the UK), up through
the last of the series.A good deal of England’s
film-making legacy has been lost already, particularly in Borehamwood, where
the MGM Studios (home to: 2001, Dirty
Dozen, Where Eagles Dare, etc) amongst others has been destroyed. Elstree
(home to the original Star Wars
Trilogy & Indiana Jones) has lost much of its acreage and facilities.Reversing this trend, plans are underway to
open a comprehensive tour/exhibit next year at the home base of the Potter
series, Leavesden Studios.
For the past two years, a massive collection of props and costumes has
been touring the US and has
now landed at the Discovery Times Square Exhibition
Center in New York.One cannot say enough about the amount of material that is at this
exhibit.Even the mildest of fans will
appreciate all this has to offer.This
certainly is a rare opportunity to glimpse into the detail of the series.One is impressed with the quality of the
costumes, the detail of the jewelry, the creatures and the sets.A good deal of the set pieces actually are
old, quality furniture, not reproductions artificially aged.
Starting out as though on a Disney ride, one weaves around on line
until groups are let in to an initial meeting area.Here some visitors are picked for a ‘sorting
hat’ ceremony, before they are then led to another area where they are treated
to a 3-4 minute, multi-panel montage of clips from the films before the
curtains part and you are greeted by steam and the front of the Hogwarts
Express.
The exhibit takes you through various themed sections, with props
& costumes: Gryffindor – for Ron, Harry, Hermione centered items like,
their wands, acceptance letter, time turner,dorm room, etc. ‘Classrooms’ takes you through areas of: Potions;
Divinations; Umbridge’s office; Prof Lockhart’s
books and pictures . ‘Quidditch’ showcases various game pieces and costumes.
‘Hagrids Hut’- allows visitors to sit in his chair as well as see the full size
Buckbeak;
On the lower level, there is the ‘Forbidden Forest’
with the Centaur, giant spiders and dragons. Then the ‘Dark Forces’ section
features a Dementor, Death Eaters, as well as Voldemort costume and set pieces
from Goblet of Fire.Leaving the is area,
you are lead to the Great Hall, with a predominance of material relating to
‘Goblet of Fire’ such as the Yule Ball costumes and table settings as well as
the Tri-Wizard cup.The last item on the
tour is the sword of Griffendor.
Some things to keep in mind during this exhibit:it is in many ways a museum, so there is a
strict ‘no touching’ and ‘no photo’ policy in effect (although they will take a
photo of you on the way in and superimpose you in front of Hagrids Hutt &
Hogwarts for $25-$45).A souvenir
program is available so in many ways it frees you up from worrying about taking
pictures on your own, although I know parents and big fans will be disappointed
by the ‘no picture’ policy. Parents also
beware- there is a BIG gift shop at the end!
There are three distinct areas where ‘touching’ is allowed:in Hagrids Hut, you are allowed to sit in his
oversized chair; by the herbology
section there is a group of Mandrakes you can pull out and make them squeal and
last, there are three Quidditch hoops that you can throw the bloggers through
for a ‘score’.
There is no way that all the items can be listed here, nor would I
want to, as one of the best things in this exhibit are discovering the details.
The Discovery Times Square is located at 44th Street, between 7th &
8th Avenues in NY and is open10AM-8PM, 7 days a week.The exhibit will run through September 5.Tickets are available in advance from:discoveryts.com.The official website for the exhibit is:http://www.harrypotterexhibition.com/
Cinema Retro contributing photographer Mark Mawston was invited to cover
Stefanie Powers’ recent appearance at a London
book signing. Here is his report:
Actress Stefanie Powers was in London on Sat April 2nd at a
signing of her book at the famed Cinema Store. Que’s went around the block with
many traveling a great number of miles to meet the much loved actress. Some
were lined up before 8am for the 11am signing. On arriving Stephanie had time
to pose for Retro photographer Mark Mawston before admiring the Escape From Athena poster behind the
signing table, sadly pointing out how many of the great cast and crew had since
left us. Stefanie looked a million dollars, which may explained why she played
a millionairess wife so successfully. Stefanie was amazing with her fans, who
came from all over Europe and she spoke three
languages during conversations with them in my short time there.
The highlight
for Stefanie occurred when one of the
fans showed her the tattoo on her arm which was the signature of her brother in
law, 60’s singer Eden Kane! The fan then asked Stefanie to sign her name next
to it so that they would remain close! This tickled her no end. That intro from
Hart to Hart was true, she was
gorgeous on every level and the way she treated her fans could give pointers to
some of those currently sampling their own 15 minutes, which in some cases, is
all they will get. This was a proper star, not a flash in the pan. In looks
alone, as Max would say, this is one gal who knows how to take care of herself….
ALL PHOTOS COPYRIGHT MARK MAWSTON. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Last night at the Royal Institute of British Architects in
London, BAFTA
paid tribute to the production designer Sir Ken Adam, who turned 90 last year.
Sponsored by the Albert R. Broccoli and Dana Broccoli Foundation,guests enjoyed a champagne reception followed
by the event which was hosted by Matthew
Sweet who introduced the many guests who took to the stage and honoured the
great designer. Among them; Christiane Kubrick, Michael G. Wilson, Nicholas
Meyer, Anouk Aimee, Peter Lamont, Sir Christopher Frayling, and Lewis Gilbert
to name but a few. Actress Eunice Gayson read out a very funny letter on behalf
of Sir Roger Moore, who was unable to attend, and current-day production designers
praised Sir Ken Adam for inspiring them to enter the film business. Supplemented
by on-screen film clips and visuals, BAFTA produced a first class event worthy
of such an iconic and respected technician, and also presented Sir Ken with a
special BAFTA award for his services to the film industry.
(Photo copyright Mark Mawston. All rights reserved)
It was an honour to
have been there, and for me, a wonderful occasion to meet up and chat with
Barbara Broccoli, David Arnold, Michael G. Wilson and other people from the
Bond world who Lee Pfeiffer and I have befriended since writing our book 'The
Essential James Bond' many years back. It was also fun to catch up and gossip
with 'Bond Girls' Lana Wood, Caroline Munro, Martine Beswicke, Valerie Leon and
Shirley Eaton, who had been invited to the event too. The auditorium was packed
with architects, designers and professionals from the arts and film industry,
and I even noticed Monty Norman lurking in the background! However, it was
delightful to see Barbara Broccoli deep in conversation with production
designer Syd Cain, himself now in his nineties and wheelchair-bound, who, along
with Peter Lamont, played such an integral part in the history of the Bond
franchise as the man who was being honoured on the night.
Our Man in London, acclaimed photographer Mark Mawston was invited to cover the recent BAFTA awards ceremony. As usual, Mark got up close and personal to get some terrific photos. Here are a few choice shots from the event. Click here to visit Mark's web site.
(All photos copyright Mark Mawston. All rights reserved)
The Hollywood Show is always a favorite with retro movie and TV lovers. Cinema Retro contributor Graham Hill attended the most recent event. Click here for details about the April show in Burbank. (All photos copyright Graham Hill. All rights reserved)
New York's 92nd Street Y hosted the launch of the four part PBS documentary “Pioneers of Television,†and featured Hollywood icons Angie Dickinson, Linda Evans, Nichelle Nichols and Stephanie Powers. Moderated by Alison Stewart, the event saluted “smart, strong women on television, who helped reimagine the roles of women in society and helped break down seemingly permanent barriers.â€
“I did an episode of “Police Story†that was turned into the Police Woman series,†Dickinson recalled.“The character’s original name was Lisa, which I changed to Pepper.We came out at the beginning of the Women’s Movement in America.We fed the movement and the movement fed us.â€
“I was scared to death to work with Barbara Stanwyck,†Evans recalled of her days on “The Big Valley.â€â€œShe was larger than life.She took me under her wing.She said:‘Show up on time, Audra and know your lines.’She always called me by my characters name.â€
“I grew up in musical theater,†Nichols said.“I thought “Star Trek†would be a nice stepping stone for me.Gene Roddenberry has given be my first guest starring role in “The Lieutenant,†and then called me again to be Uhura, which was based on “Uhuru,†the Swahili word for freedom. He created the first ensemble starring cast on television.â€
“Collaboration was the key to television in those days,†Powers added.“There are no Gene Roddenberrys anymore- there is no central artistic and creative spirit that brought about the best we could give to the characters.It’s all committees of executives.â€
“I was under contract to Columbia Pictures.I did 15 movies in five years.I remember being popped out of a giant toaster with Stan Freberg.I then got to start in “The Girl from UNCLE.â€We did 23 episodes a season, working 37 hours a day and sleeping for 10 minutes.â€
L TO R: John Martello, Executive Director of The Players, Richard Schickel and Cinema Retro Editor-in-Chief Lee Pfeiffer. (Photos: David Savage)
On January 9, Cinema Retro hosted a special evening in honor of noted film critic and documetary maker Richard Schickel. The event took place at the legendary Players club for the arts at New York's Gramercy Park. Mr. Schickel, who was awarded an honorary membership in the club, was interviewed by Cinema Retro editor-in-chief Lee Pfeiffer. The wide range of topics included Schickel's memories of attending films as a child in his native Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the state of today's film journalism, Schickel's more controversial comments from over the decades, his long-time friendship and collaborations with Clint Eastwood and his opinions of films that have been drastically under-rated. Schickel noted he has just read the script for Eastwood's forthcoming big screen biopic of J. Edgar Hoover and said it has the potential to be one of the great film biographies. Full coverage of the event will appear in Cinema Retro issue #20.
Cinema Retro has received the following press release from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
ACADEMY DEBUTS INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL OSCAR SIDEWALK DISPLAY IN NYC
Beverly Hills, CA—The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has launched an interactive Oscar-themed sidewalk display at 1333 Broadway in New York City. The expansive window display in midtown Manhattan features nine linked 46-inch LCD screens that literally envelop passers-by in a virtual “red carpet experience.†As people walk past the eight-foot high wall of LCD screens, specially designed sensors react to their motion, triggering a flurry of virtual flashing paparazzi cameras and spotlights. Completing their sidewalk “celebrity experience,†pedestrians will receive an on-screen invitation to tune in and watch the 83rd Academy Awards® presentation on ABC Sunday, February 27.
The virtual Oscar sidewalk display also features two unique digital photo stations, located on either side of the LCD wall, where people can pose for photos while “holding†a virtual Oscar statuette. Once they digitally “accept†their Oscar, a virtual keyboard appears on the touchscreen, utilizing the same capacitive technology as the iPad and iPhone, allowing them to e-mail their customized photo to either themselves or to friends and family, sharing their moment of stardom.
“Our theme for this year’s Academy Awards presentation is ‘You’re Invited,’ and we have tried to extend that idea across as many platforms as possible,†said Janet Weiss, director of marketing for the Academy. “We’re excited that this innovative, interactive experience gives our fans a fun new way to engage with and share in the Oscars®.â€
“Through this immersive display, everyone has the chance to connect with the Academy Awards and send the proof to their friends and family,†said Chris Beauchamp, CEO of Monster Media, responsible for the development and installation of the digital experience. “And who hasn’t dreamed of holding an Oscar? Well, now they can!â€
The display at 1333 Broadway is the first of two opportunities for movie lovers in New York to experience the Oscars firsthand. On Wednesday, February 23, the Academy will open its popular “Meet the Oscars†exhibition in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal. “Meet the Oscars – Grand Central†will be open daily through Oscar Sunday, February 27, and will afford the public the opportunity to hold a real Oscar statuette.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
Last Saturday night I attended the L.A. double-feature screening of The French Connection and To Live And Die In L.Ahosted by the man himself, legendary director William Friedkin. Presented by American Cinematheque, it was as you might expect, a sold-out event at the four-hundred-seat Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, California.
This being the fortieth anniversary of the Academy Award-winning The French Connection, it was nice to see it up on the big screen again, with a newly struck pristine print.After the showing, William Friedkin was introduced to the audience, many members of which were not even born when it first came out in 1971. Still, they were just as mesmorized by the film as the older hard-core fans were. Friedkin was introduced… and right from the start, the seventy five year-old director owned the room, as they say in show business.Never one to be accused of being boring, Friedkin was certainly full of energy talking about his movies, whilst offering up humorous, salty anecdotes of how he made them and what he had learned from the classic masters like Alfred Hitchcock and his close personal friend Billy Wilder. Friedkin, who had started out making documentaries, had by 1965 progressed to television and had been chosen to direct one of the last of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents shows at Universal. He proceeded to tell us that, whilst directing the episode, some studio executives and Mr. Hitchcock himself visited the set, all fully attired with dark suits and ties as was the practice of the day. Friedkin recalled he was clad in jeans and a casual shirt, looking completely under-dressed and unworthy in their eyes. Hitchcock, who was always seen in a dark suit years after all the other Hollywood directors stopped dressing so formally, apparently just shook his head. A few years later, Friedkin was to get his revenge, as it were, when he accepted the Best Director Oscar for The French Connection. Adding to Friedkin’s sense of satisfaction was the fact that Hitch was seated in the auditorium to witness his triumph- though Friedkin admits that the legendary director apparently did not recall ever having met him before.
Bruce Crawford, organizer of the Omaha Film Events, escorts Ms. Reynolds to the screening.
Debbie Reynolds brought a good deal of star power to Omaha when she appeared before a packed auditorium for a screening of Singin' in the Rain. Click here to view four pages of photos from the event and more information about classic movie screenings in Omaha.
Kevin Spacey accepts the Edwin Booth Lifetime Achievement Award from Johnnie Planco, President of The Players. (Photo copyright Ann Vellis/The Players)
Giacomo Selloni reports on a special evening at the legendary Players club in New York City.
For just the ninth time in its illustrious 123 year history, the Players club has awarded its prestigious Edwin Booth Lifetime Achievement Award, on this occasion to Kevin Spacey. In a January 10 benefit dinner held at the famous club on Gramercy Park to support the Players Foundation for Theatre Education, Mr. Spacey joined the ranks of Edward Albee, Angela Lansbury, Jose Ferrer, Helen Hayes, Jack Lemmon, Christopher Plummer, Marian Seldes and Jason Robards, who all received the award for “promoting the arts and its ability to enrich lives.â€
Mr. Spacey, who is in midst of his 7th year as artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre Company in London, presented the Booth Award to Jason Robards in 1999.He was presented his award by friend and co-star in the films “The Ref†and “Recount,†Dennis Leary.Also in attendance were Tony Bennett and wife Susan, Phil Ramone (who produced the music for “Beyond The Sea), Richard Thomas, Miss USA 2010 – Rima Fakih and Stephen Baldwin, one of Spacey’s co-stars in his Oscar winning performance in “The Usual Suspects.â€
In his remarks to the sold out house, Stephen Baldwin called Kevin Spacey, “Legendary in his effort in keeping it about the work.â€He praised him for being “a tremendous example of someone who keeps it about the art.†Mr. Baldwin then gave way to a musical interlude by Player Steve Ross who was followed to the stage by Mr. Leary to present the award.
“That’s when my hatred grew,†said Dennis Leary describing the first week of rehearsals on “The Ref†to the audience as he listed Kevin Spacey’s talents. “Kinda funnier than me…, he can really sing…, but when he started to do his impressions of Jack Lemmon and William Hurt – they were really f’ing funny, that’s when my hatred for Kevin coalesced into a true, legendary hatred.†Rarely have so many statements of hatred been uttered with such love in the voice of the speaker.
With his closing words; “Kevin is someone who has set his mind on the path of bringing the theater back to life with his own, bare, talented handsâ€, Leary called Spacey to the stage; “Kev, come get another award.â€
In his acceptance speech, Kevin Spacey was humble, funny and gracious.“It is always a bit strange to receive an honor for one’s lifetime of work. At this particular point in my life, when I’m not even halfway through, it is both remarkable and incredibly worrying.â€He thanked everyone for their kind words; “except, Dennis Leary.â€He paid tribute to the Players itself, to educational programs and to the sense of family that acting provides.“I believe that far from being a luxury item, arts and culture are a necessity in our lives.Culture provides the magic of our experiences.Countries may go to war, but culture brings us together.â€
January 10th was a night that brought many people together at the Players to pay tribute to a remarkable talent and deserving recipient.
We apologize for getting the word on this out too late to catch the premiere broadcast, but TCM is showing a new Clint Eastwood documentary about jazz great Dave Brubeck this month. Click here for story - and check TCM schedule for next screening.
(
November 30, 2010 - Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images North America)
Cinema Retro contributor- and Friars Club member- Eddy Friedfeld takes you inside the recent roast for Quentin Tarantino.
“Quentin Tarantino changed the face of cinema, and now it’s time for cinema to return the favor,†Roastmaster General, filmmaker/comedian Jeffrey Ross said, as the Friars honored the acclaimed writer/director with an assembled dais of actors and comedians skewering him with insults, making fun of his body of work, his body, and each other.
The eclectically star-studded event held in front of a capacity crowd at the New York Hilton’s ballroom on December 1st, included Uma Thurman, Jerry Lewis, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Cheech Marin, Rosario Dawson, Eli Wallach, Patricia Arquette, Kathy Griffin, Howard Stern, and Harvey Weinstein and was ably hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, who turned to his friend and collaborator and said: “I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Jim Henson every day for designing your face.†“Quentin believes that men and women of any race had equal rights to be raped and maimed on the movie screen.â€
“Inglourious Basterds†co-star Eli Roth turned to Madsen and Buscemi and said: “Mr. Brown and Mr. Blond, you look like Mr. Ash and Old Yeller,†referring to their “Reservoir Dogs†characters. A raspy voiced Madsen said: “Uma Thurman, you are the object of Quentin’s affection. I used to be.†“Quentin, because of Harvey Weinstein you’re sitting here. And because of “Grindhouse,†Harvey has to borrow cab fare to get home…He is the only documented case of a man who envies his own penis,†Richard Belzer said. “Quentin has severe abandonment issues. His father left not only before he was born, but before he came.â€
Perhaps the most prestigious arts award given in the United States is the Kennedy Center Honors, which takes place annually in Washington D.C. Every year a diverse group of people from various aspects of the arts are honored by the top names in show business and politics. This year's honorees included Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey, choreographer Bill T. Jones, Broadway composer Jerry Hermann and country singer Merle Haggard. Keeping in tradition, the President and First Lady were in attendance at the black tie event. President Obama is known to be a big McCartney fan and had previously admitted that one of the great thrills of his life was watching Sir Paul sing "Michelle" in front of his wife at a performance at the White House. The Washington Post pointed out the incredibly diverse list of attendees from the music world: Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Itzhak Perlman, Renee Fleming, Jennifer Hudson, Harolyn Blackwell, Steven Tyler, Jessye Norman, Leon Fleisher, Denyce Graves, Joshua Bell, Terence Blanchard, Kris Kristofferson, Barbara Cook, Norah Jones, Kid Rock, Theodore Bikel, Matthew Morrison, Gwen Stefani, No Doubt, Carol Channing, Chita Rivera, Christine Baranski, Angela Lansbury, Karen Ziemba and Florence Henderson. If only a Hollywood agent were managing the affair: it would have been the ultimate jam session. The intertwining of show biz and political figures has occasionally resulted in some awkward moments. It was during the administration of President George W. Bush that Barbra Streisand was chosen to be honored, thus leaving her with a difficult choice. Streisand was so adamant in her vitriolic criticism of the President that many predicted she would never appear at the White House for the pre-ceremony festivities. Yet, such is the prestige of this award that Babs did just that and was photographed politely shaking the President's hand.
Anita Ekberg, who made screen history with her romp in the Fountain of Trevi in Fellini's La Dolce Vita, attended the 50th anniversary re-premiere of the film in Rome, where a restored print was unveiled. Also in attendance: Martin Scorsese. Click here for story
The cavernous lobby of the Loews before the thundering herds arrived for showtime. (Photo: Cinema Retro)
Wayne Zimmerman gave an astonishing performance on the organ. He played non-stop, ranging from old fashioned sing-a-longs to a perfect, in-synch performance of the original score for Nosferatu. (Photo: Cinema Retro)
By Lee Pfeiffer
Last Saturday night's screening of F.W. Murnau's classic 1922 horror film Nosferatu may have set an attendance record for the Loew's Theatre in Jersey City, New Jersey. The legendary movie palace had been saved from destruction by dedicated volunteers and has been showing classic films again for the last decade. The day began with a well-attended screening of Son of Frankenstein, certainly among the best of the Universal horror classics. However, it was the evening screening of Nosferatu that brought out the masses. The theater management expected a good turnout but admitted they were stunned. The lines of people patiently waiting to buy tickets extended all the way down the street and the show time was delayed by forty minutes just to accomodate the crowds. The draw was not only the opporunity to see the film in one of the great American theaters, but to enjoy the original musical score played on the magnificent Wonder Morton organ by Wayne Zimmerman, who came in from Pennsylvania to perform. He was masterful, to say the least. The jovial Zimmerman not only played non-stop as a warm up while the audience took their seats in the cavernous theater, but then went on to play the film's score in perfect synchronization. The feat earned him several thunderous ovations. Best of all is the fact that so many young people come out to see classic films at the Loew's. For many, this was their first experience with a silent movie. The audiences are always reverent and there are absolutely no cell phones ringing or text messages being sent. It's good to know that there are still so many sophisticated moviegoers to support such ventures. Click here to sign up for the Loew's newsletter.
The Loew's has just been named Best Movie Theatre by the Village Voice. Here is their review:
[As printed in The Village Voice] "Pee-wee's back and all the rage right now, but how many of us who grew up on his Saturday-morning wackiness remember seeing him on the big screen? Fortunately, a drop-dead gorgeous historic movie palace on Journal Square in Jersey City has taken an eclectic approach to programming films. Earlier this year, the Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre revisited the decades, the monthly series culminating in a 1990s night that featured Pee-wee's Big Adventure in all its celluloid glory, introduced by a Wonder Morton Organ and all. Then the fall season kicked off with "Three of the Best Films Hitchcock DIDN'T Make"; also, all of October's selections are Halloween-themed. Besides the obvious reason to head to Jersey for a film here ('cause Jersey rules, duh), there are the gilded ceilings, red-velvet tapestries, $6 tickets, and a reminder that movies, when shown in the right place, can be all-out magical—even when they're about a man-child discovering that there's no basement in the Alamo."
One
need not enter the fanciful but occasionally dangerous TIME MACHINE of H.G.
Wells to travel to the past.A far more
agreeable option, especially for horror movie fans weaned on the 1960s and
1970s films of such genre legends as Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Peter
Cushing, is a road trip to George Reis’s DRIVE-IN SUPER MONSTER-RAMA.This year’s MONSTER-RAMA was held, as always,
at the Riverside Drive-In Theatre in Vandergrift, PA, forty miles east of
Pittsburgh, on the Friday and Saturday following Labor Day weekend.This year’s event was the fourth annual
meeting of monster-movie fans and drive-in theatre devotees and, by most
accounts, was the best MONSTER-RAMA yet.Things got started around 8 PM each night, and went well beyond the
witching hour, usually ending somewhere between 4 and 4:30 AM.Each evening four full length feature films were
screened in their original 35mm and the stacked program also offered a
seemingly endless parade of devilishly entertaining vintage trailers, as well
as timeless drive-in concession ads that promoted everything from snack bar
treats (including “Chilly Dilly†pickles) to PIC anti-mosquito coils to a
“Drizzle-Guard†canopy that would enable one to enjoy drive-in films in the
rain.Unfortunately, we could have used
the latter item during Saturday night’s program, but the MONSTER-RAMA, without
question, attracted the steeliest of the hardcore fans.Only a relative few allowed the steady
drizzle to dampen their enthusiasm of the event.If anything, the MONSTER-RAMA offers too much
of a good thing, turning a pleasant night of movie-going into a test of
endurance as one must fight off the cold night air and cyclical bouts of
physical and mental fatigue as the clock hand spins well beyond 3 AM.Personally, I had succumbed to a number of
nostalgic pangs – and a few late-night stifled yawns - throughout the
weekend.As the family and I watched
Friday night’s fourth and closing film THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN through struggling,
sleepy eyes, I was suddenly twelve years old again, remembering (with odd fondness)
all the times I had forced myself to stay awake beyond 3 AM so I could catch
such tantalizingly titled old monster movies as SLAUGHTER OF THE VAMPIRES (1962)
or DR. BLOOD’S COFFIN (1961) on late night television.The DRIVE-IN SUPER MONSTER-RAMA offers, and delivers,
that sort of retro-experience.In
spades.
Last Sunday night I had the pleasure of attending The Big Picture- A Celebration of 75 Years
of 20th Century Fox at the famed Hollywood Bowl. Turner Classic
Movies host Robert Osborne did the honors, introducing us to various clips from
Fox’s great library.The LA Philharmonic
conductor David Newman, son of the legendary music composer Alfred Newman and a
noted composer himself, re-lived the magic of the great Fox film scores,
delighting the 15,000 or so fans that attended the two-hour event.There were plenty of screens constructed to
allow the audience to enjoy the film segments, though each clip was badly cued
with a blank screen and an anxious orchestra was forced to poise for an anxious
30 seconds in between scenes.I thought
the opening well-edited montage of some 175 movie clips was by far the best
part of the evening.
I can well imagine the pride David Newman must have
felt when conducting from the same music sheets his father had once
utilized.The scores ranged from was
from such classics as Zorro, How Green
Was My Valley, Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing to the world famous Fox
fanfare itself. There were also scores
of David Raksin for Laura, Jerry
Goldsmith’s Planet Of The Apes and
James Horner’s themes for Avatar.It was quite a treat to see a live orchestra
play such memorable music. Surprisingly, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s extensive
Fox legacy was mentioned only briefly in the concluding Sound Of Music salute.Fifteen minutes was devoted solely to the climax of Avatar, making for a not particularly well-proportioned sampling of
the Fox studio sound.In the aggregate,
my main complaint was that the evening should have been longer to accommodate
so many great Fox scores that were left unrepresented.
There were a number of ironies about the evening. No
one from Fox officially attended (or at least was publicly introduced).
Likewise, no former Fox celebrities or veteran employees were present to lend a
hand in toasting a studio that gave Hollywood its very voice through the
invention of sound-on film, otherwise known as Movietone.It would have made the evening far more
special if it had been arranged for someone from Fox to address the audience. One
of the other ironies is that the evening was indirectly sponsored through
Warner Brothers, which owns Turner Classic Movies, rather strange since Warner’s
own sound system Vitaphone was replaced by that of Fox. The Warners-Fox
relationship had another historic precedent when the two studios collaborated
on producing Irwin Allen’s 1974 blockbuster The
Towering Inferno, which marked the first production to be co-produced by
rival studios.On behalf of all retro
movie lovers, I’ll offer a “Here’s looking at you†salute to TCM for making the
effort to commemorate the 75th anniversary of this great studio.
Last month, film historian Bruce Crawford held a special 35th anniversary screening of Jaws in Omaha, Nebraska. Among those attending were screenwriter Carl Gottlieb and Clarence Hupka, a survivor of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, the legendary and tragic ship that was sunk in the final days of WWII- only to have many of its crew killed by sharks. The incident was memorably woven into the film as the inspiration for Quint's obsession with shark hunting. Click here for photos of the event
The annual Comic-Con in San Diego has become a "must" for movie studios looking to promote their forthcoming action movies. The event draws many thousands of comic and film enthusiasts including those lovable eccentrics who love to mug for the cameras. Click here for the Huffington Post's slide show from the event.
Sir Sean Connery was in an unusually sentimental and jovial mood when he introduced a screening of John Huston's 1975 classic The Man Who Would Be King at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Adding to the delight was his reunion with actor Saeed Jaffrey, who gave such a wonderful portrayal of Billy Fish in the film. Click here to watch
Cinema Retro's Matthew Field is covering the action at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Here is his first report:
Big Tam, as Sir Sean was nicknamed in childhood, arrives and greets fans (Photo copyright Matthew Field. All rights reserved)
The 64th Edinburgh
International Film Festival kicked off Wednesday night and CINEMA RETRO were
there on the red carpet. The film chosen for the opening gala was Sylvain
Chomet’s The Illusionist - an animated feature by Academy Award® nominated
filmmaker Sylvain Chomet - which was made and set predominantly in the Scottish
capital.
(Photo copyright Matthew Field. All rights reserved)
Arrivals at the Edinburgh Festival
Theatre, a venue used for the first time by EIFF, were greeted by the
eight-piece Horndog Brass Band which entertained the huge crowds that lined
Nicolson Street. The biggest star of the night was none other than Sir Sean
Connery - one of the festival’s patrons. He entertained the crowds and
happily signed autographs for fans. He later entertained the paps with a dance
outside the after party in Bristo Square!
Click here for video of Connery dancing with the band.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? marked Nichol's debut as a film director.
Director Mike Nichols was the honoree at a star-packed tribute held by the American Film Institute on Thursday. As was the custom, the program appeared to be more a Friar's Club roast than a staid tribute to the acclaimed director. Robin Williams chided Nichols about his penchant for having total control over his projects by saying, " "it's rumored that you even had final cut at your own circumcision." For more click here
Richard Johnson returns to the scene of the screams: Ettington Park manor house, the 15th century mansion where exteriors for The Haunting were filmed. (Photo copyright: Mark Mawston. All rights reserved.)
Cinema Retro and T.W.I.N.E. Tours recently conducted the Movie Magic Tour of British film locations. Thanks to all who joined us on an unforgettable journey through film history. Participants from the United States, UK, Canada and Australia got to experience a once-in-a-lifetime tour that included a Q&A with Sir Roger Moore; attending Fanfest, the largest gathering of James Bond actors ever staged; an exclusive tour of Portmeirion, the fabled Wales location of The Village from the classic TV series The Prisoner, a screening of MGM's How the West Was Won in original Cinerama format and a very special event relating to the classic 1963 horror film The Haunting. Not only did the group get to stay at the luxurious Ettington Park manor house where exteriors for the movie were shot, but we also invited the film's star Richard Johnson to join us as a surprise guest. Richard delighted attendees by helping to host a candlelight screening of the film and managed to summon the courage to spend the night in what is reputed to be England's most legendary haunted house! A full report will be posted as soon as the jet lag from our whirlwind adventure fades and there will be coverage in issue #18 of Cinema Retro.
Cinema Retro's Lee Pfeiffer welcomes Fritz Weaver to the screening of Fail Safe at The Players. (Photo: Paul Scrabo)
On April 1, Cinema Retro held a screening of Sidney Lumet's 1964 Cold War classic Fail Safe at the legendary Players club in New York City. Editor-in-chief Lee Pfeiffer interviewed actor Fritz Weaver, who made his feature film debut in the movie. Weaver recalled that Lumet gave his leading actors the choice of what role they wanted to play. He chose the cold, calculating political scientist, but Walter Matthau had already taken that role. Weaver then chose to play the tightly-wound colonel who cracks under the pressure of trying to prevent a nuclear holocaust. He later learned that Matthau had wished he had played that role, so both men ended up playing the part the other actor actually would have preferred.
Joyce Randolph is interviewed by ABC Radio film critic Bill Diehl at the Players club.
.
On Thursday March 4, Cinema Retro hosted a tribute to actress Joyce Randolph at the legendary Players club in New York City. Joyce is the last living cast members of the classic 1950s sitcom The Honeymooners, in which she starred with Jackie Gleason, Art Carney and Audrey Meadows. The show began as a sketch on Gleason's variety program in the early 1950s before expanding to a half hour sitcom.The series centered on the trials and tribulations of Brooklyn bus driver Ralph Kramden (Gleason) and his long-suffering wife Alice (Meadows), who must patiently endure his crackpot get-rich-quick schemes as well as his tendency to engage in temperamental outbursts. Art Carney played Ralph's best friend and upstairs neighbor, a dim-witted by lovable sewer worker named Ed Norton. Joyce Randolph was Norton's wife Trixie.Gleason resisted the cliche of giving the Kramden's children, the absence of which allowed the scripts to center on the comedic talents of the four principals.
.
Despite being a major success, Gleason- who exercised dictatorial control over his TV shows - decided to end the series after just one season because he was concerned he couldn't maintain the high quality of the scripts. Although only 39 episodes of the weekly series were ever produced, you'd be hard-pressed to find an American of any background who hasn't grown up quoting dialogue from these classic shows. Joyce attended the club's monthly cocktail party and posed for countless photos. Although world-famous celebrities are regulars at the club, Joyce seems to have brought out the rare fan instinct in members. Following dinner, Cinema Retro Editor-in-Chief got plenty of laughs when he donned the traditional uniform of Ralph Kramden's lodge, The Raccoons (complete with coonskin Davy Crockett hat) and introduced Joyce to the stage, where she kept the audience laughing consistently with her anecdotes. Following this, two episodes of the series were shown on the big screen and most people were astonished at how little Joyce has changed over the ensuing years. At the end of this very special evening, Pfeiffer embraced Joyce and belted out Gleason's signature line that closed many episodes of The Honeymooners: "Baby, you're the greatest!"
Continue reading for ABC Radio's film critic Bill Diehl's take on the evening.
Whatever you thought about the Oscar ceremonies, here's an angle that is sure to unite all movie fans: the Huffington Post's photo essay on which actresses displayed their cleavage best. Check here to see the contenders.
As we informed you previously, Cinerama expert Dave Strohmaier will be unveiling a digital restoration of the long-unseen 1958 travel documentary Windjammer at this years Widescreen Weekend at the Bradford Film Festival in England. The screening will take place on Saturday, March 27. Now Dave is giving us a sneak preview of the original trailer, which segues from flat format to 3-panel Cinerama. It only whets our appetite to see the entire film. If you haven't been to the Widescreen Weekend festival, you don't know what you're missing! To view the trailer click here. For more on the screening at Bradford click here
Vanessa Redgrave accepts the lifetime achievement award. (Photo: BAFTA/Brian Ritchie)
By Lee Pfeiffer
Just because the BAFTA awards was the social event of the season in London doesn't mean British ex-pats were willing to let their countrymen have a monopoly on partying. On Sunday night, members of BAFTA's American east coast contingency gathered to watch a simulcast of the awards show. The venue was a strange one for people from a nation that is generally immune to the joys of baseball: Mickey Mantle's restaurant on Central Park South, founded by the late New York Yankees legend. Indeed, it was not a love of baseball that led BAFTA officials to rent the venue for the second year in a row. Rather, it was the abundance of TV screens strategically placed around the restaurant that affords virtually every diner a prime viewing spot. I was the guest of Lisa Harrison of BBC America, and a member of BAFTA's east coast office. Thus, I had to 'suffer' being the only male at a table of charming British ladies, each of whom had some very interesting takes on how they wanted the awards to turn out. Understandably, they were rooting for the home team and were pleased when a British film won a significant award.
Host Jonathan Ross (Photo: BAFTA/Brian Ritchie)
Although the show's host Jonathan Ross is largely unknown to Americans, he's an iconic figure on British TV (imagine someone with the clout of Jay Leno and David Letterman). Ross's monologue was not as razor-sharp as we might have expected, but the refreshing thing about the BAFTA telecast is that it is actually about the films and filmmakers, not the comedic timing of the host. I also like the fact that there is virtually no padding to the ceremonies. Ross did a good job of moving the show forward at a rapid pace, with nary a second wasted. The acceptance speeches were all dignified and classy and the awards themselves were generally regarded by the New York contingent as well-deserved. (Interestingly, it seemed virtually no one was cheering for Avatar to win any major award except for the category of special effects. This led me to believe I am not alone in my view that the film is supremely over-rated.) The choices of director Kathryn Bigelow and The Hurt Locker as the top winners gained cheers from the crowd.
It was an historic occasion when the stars of West Side Story were reunited at the Hollywood Show, L.A's premiere event for autograph seekers and movie memorabilia collectors. Among those attending were three stars of the Oscar-winning musical: Russ Tamblyn and Supporting Actor/Actress winners George Chakiris and Rita Moreno. Click here for the official web site and sign up for announcements about future shows.(Photos all copyright Graham Hill/Cinema Retro)
The age of the glamorous movie premiere may be dead in Hollywood, but it lives on in England. In fact, nobody does premieres better than the Brits, as anyone who has attended a 007 grand opening can attest. Leicester Square becomes a magical place, with thousands of enthused, but well-behaved fans gathered to cheer the stars and filmmakers as they walk down the red carpet - and the after-parties are even better! The new Sherlock Holmes film just premiered at the Empire Theatre in the Square. Click here for photo coverage.
A memorable day at The Players club, as Food for Thought Productions presented a tribute to Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone. (L to R) Jeremy Hollingworth, Katharine Luckinbill, Fritz Weaver, director Tony Marsellis, Anne Serling and Michael Citriniti. (Photo copyright Lee Pfeiffer/Cinema Retro)
By Lee Pfeiffer
On December 10, Food for Thought Productions staged another of their memorable events at The Players, the legendary arts club at Gramercy Park in New York City. A talented group of actors gathered to pay tribute to the late, great Rod Serling. The event offered a reading by Serling's daughter Anne in which she poignantly and touchingly recalls what life was like growing up with a father who was regarded as one of the entertainment industry's great talents. Anne Serling told a story similar to that of other children of celebrities: to her, he was just "dad" - a funny, gentle man who would amuse his family with humorous antics - and who had such sentiment for his roots that he made an annual pilgrimage to visit the modest home he grew up in at Binghamton, New York. During a Q&A with the audience, Anne shed some light on Serling's work and personality. In response to my question about how he felt about Night Gallery, his 1970s horror anthology series, Anne indicated that her father quickly became disgruntled with the series because NBC offered him only limited influence over the stories and productions. She said that, with the exception of a few episodes, the experience left him frustrated.Â
In
2007, Cinema Retro contributing
writer Raymond Benson (and author of twenty-one published books, including
James Bond continuation novels) teamed up with Chicago’s Daily Herald film critic Dann Gire to create “Dann and Raymond’s
Movie Club,†a live cinema history program that has become a big draw at
Chicagoland suburban libraries. Â
Benson
met Gire, who is also founder and president of the Chicago Film Critics
Association, around fifteen years ago at the home of mutual James Bond fan Doug
Redenius and have been friends ever since.Â
One day they happened to note how they each had similar
interests—especially in film—and decided to try and “do something
together.â€Â After talking with Susan
Gibberman, Head of Reader Services at the Schaumburg Township District Library
in Schaumburg, Illinois, they struck a deal to present the Movie Club on the
first Thursday of every month (excluding the summer). Using a Siskel and Ebert format, the pair
cover a topic with history, anecdotes, jokes, and clips from their
representative favorites. For example,
one night they might talk about political films such as The Birth of a Nation, Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington, Dr.
Strangelove, and JFK. Audience participation is encouraged, and the
two hour program proved to be immensely entertaining. Dann and Raymond’s Movie Club quickly became
the most popular adult program at the Schaumburg library (the largest suburban
library in Illinois). They are now in
their third season in Schaumburg. The
Arlington Heights Memorial Library hired the duo in 2008, so they now present
their show there on the second Thursday of every month. Â
For
anyone in the Chicagoland area who is interested in attending Dann and
Raymond’s Movie Club (admission is free), the schedule is always posted on the
Appearances page of Benson’s website, www.raymondbenson.com,
and on the Dann and Raymond’s Movie Club page on Facebook.
Cloris Leachman recently attended a 35th anniversary screening of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein in Omaha, Nebraska. The event drew a packed house of enthusiastic fans. Seen with Ms. Leachman are her son George England Jr. (left) and screening organizer Bruce Crawford.
Cinema Retro contributor Graham Hill recently snapped some stars from our favorite films and TV series at the Hollywood Collector's Show. Click here for information on the next star-packed event in February 2010.
Lost in Space star Bill Mumy. (Photo copyright Graham Hill)
Oscar winner Louise Fletcher (Photo copyright Graham Hill)
M*A*S*H star Sally Kellerman (Photo copyright Graham Hill)
Rosemary Forsyth, star of such films as Shenandoah and The War Lord. (Photo copyright Graham Hill)
The recent A.M.P.A.S. screening of Harold and Maude in Los Angeles proved to be one of those completely unforgettable evenings for anyone fortunate enough to be in attendance. It was a night of intense drama as we entered, for it was
taking place just hours after the announcement of the death of Michael Jackson,
and a day after the thunderbolt announcement of the Academy’s decision to
expand the Best Picture nominations to ten, a practice that had been abandoned in
1943. But most of all it was the beginning of a tribute to the late, great Hal
Ashby, a director who, along with Robert Altman, typified the the best of
American cinema in the 1970s and “Harold and Maude†may well be the best-loved
film of his remarkable, but too brief career. But let us start at the
beginning.
Like many, I got into “Harold & Maudeâ€
through its music. While listening to Radio Station KGB in San Diego, the
announcer played a great Cat Stevens song called, “Maybe You’re Right“ and
announced that the song, along with several other Cat Stevens songs were among
the many joys to be sampled in a wonderfully eccentric film of forbidden love
called “Harold & Maude,†playing at the leading revival house in town, the
Ken Theatre. Any
movie with a Cat Stevens score sounded pretty good to me and the DJs gushing endorsement
clinched the deal, I caught it the very next night. As it turned out, “Maybe
You’re Right†wasn’t in the film but there were a host of other the Catman’s
tunes running through the it, and unlike the cynically placed pop songs injected
in a film today for marketing purposes, these songs were woven into its fabric—
it was impossible to imagine "Harold & Maude" without “Trouble,â€
or “Don’t be Shy,†or “If You Want to SIng Out, Sing Out.†The movie had
come and gone like a shooting star a few months earlier but had left a trail of
goodwill in its wake, and as I watched it that night in the ratty, torn seats
of the Ken, it was one of those epoch-defining films that summarized the best
of that era - a zest for life over death, a celebration of one person’s
individuality over mob conformity, an anti-war sentiment that virtually every
film at the time embraced, and a rejection of the mindless consumerism that
would soon be the legacy of the Me Generation 1980s, just a few years away. But
most of all, “Harold and Maude,†was a celebration of love, in all
its pain and glorious redemption, and it remains one of the grandest
expressions of the healing power of that scary emotion ever put on celluloid.
The film
had made an immediate impact on me, and a year later when the occasion arose
for me to make my first student film, I wrote a script that was a tip of the
hat to “H&M†wherein an alienated philosophy student who reads Camus’
famous dictum in “The Myth of Sisyphus†that the only philosophical question is
whether or not kill oneself decides to end it by jumping off the nearby cliffs
overlooking the Pacific. Just as he is about to hurl himself off the precipice
a beautiful woman calls to him to help her photograph the sunset. He looks down
at the water and then at the girl and figures he can jump later. He snaps the
picture of the young maiden, and she invites him back to her apartment. After
leaving the next morning, full of love for life, he realizes as he approaches
his car that he has left his glasses at her apartment. He turns to go back and
get them and gets run over by a truck. OK, so “Harold and Maude†it wasn’t, but
it does provide a clue to the film’s huge impact upon my delicate
sensibilities. But as the
counterculture faded and disco gave way to big-haired British synth bands and
angry hip-hop gangsta acts, I relegated “Harold and Maude†to those quaint 70s
relics that were best left back with tie-dyed T-shirts and patched Levis and
the oeuvre of Seals & Crofts or the Captain and Tennille. I hadn’t seen the
film since that night in 1972, and because it was such a perfect film-going
experience, so tied to the time, I was afraid that maybe it wouldn’t hold up
after those cold intervening years, or maybe I was afraid that I had been so changed
by time that I would no longer be open to the film’s magic. There
was certainly an electricity in the air as I walked into the Academy foyer.
The first
person I saw was Haskell Wexler, a friend since 1982 when he was a guest in a
film series I was running at the San Diego Museum of Art. Then I chanced
upon  fellow San Diego expatriate Cameron Crowe, Curtis
Hanson, Variety critic Todd McCarthy, Academy director Bruce Davis and the
lovely Diablo Cody who chatted about her upcoming film, “Jennifer’s Body,†a
horror film, a genre that she confessed no longer held the same attraction for
her it once did: “I think I’ve got that out of my system.†Jon Voight
said he was looking forward to discussing working with Ashby on the
panel.
As
the lights dimmed, Academy president Sid Ganis took the occasion to note the
passing of the King of Pop, Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon (it is amazing, how
the old “it always comes in 3s†folklore does seem to come true), and then the
lights went down and out stepped Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf, to perform
the two original songs, “Don’t be Shy†and “If You Want to Sing Out,†from the
movie. It was one of the most remarkable performances I’ve ever witnessed, so
simple and unadorned, yet riveting in its power and intensity and as dramatic
an opening to the evening as one who hope for.
Following
that was a panel discussion moderated by Cameron Crowe that was comprised of
Judd Apatow, Diablo Cody, Peter Bart, Seth Rogen, Peter Bart, Haskell Wexler
and Jon Voight. It was enjoyable, but the problem was that when there are so
many people on a panel, time only permitted the briefest of answers and only
Bart, Wexler and Voight actually worked with Ashby, so there wasn’t the
opportunity to really delve into the man at length. But the unspoken question
that hung in the air was - how would the film hold up? The answer - it played
like gangbusters.
Instead of
being some precious hippie relic from a distant, tie-dyed past, “Harold and
Maude†seems even more astonishing now than it did then. In an age of
“Transformers,†to see a studio film like this seems like a miracle. And one of
my favorite moments - there are so many - was the brief shot of the
concentration camp tatoo on Maude’s arm. Blink and you miss it, Ashby
practically throws it away, but by making the audience work and pay
attention, when you catch it, it adds such a tremendous emotional subtext to
film, a layer revealed only to fellow initiates. It is a kind of cinematic
subtlety that has vanished along with bell bottoms and floral ties.Â
There
was something of a George Stevens double bill last week in Los Angeles.
On Tuesday, George Stevens, Jr. introduced his father’s film, “The
Diary of Anne Frank,†at the Skirball Institute and took part in a
panel discussion with Millie Perkins and Diane Baker conducted by LA
Weekly film critic, Ella Taylor.
The
intervening years have not dimmed the power of film, in fact, it seems
even more powerful today, despite the many films dealing with the
Holocaust in the intervening years. Perhaps because of the gripping
humanity of the source material, the film manages to convey the
horrible monstrosity of the Holocaust by humanizing it, giving the
nameless 6 millions not only names and faces but recognizable
personalities. We care because we have come to recognize these people,
for all their foibles and quirks, they are us.
Yet
another factor in the film’s success is due to the superb mastery of
his craft that George Stevens demonstrates in the film. He had helped
liberate a concentration camp during WW II and that horrific memory
infuses every frame of “Anne Frank.†The fear of discovery that was
ever-present hangs in the air throughout the film like an unspoken
terror that dare not be named. The tension Stevens created, especially
in the scenes of the burglary of the safe later, when the Nazis search
the office while the cat nearly gives them away, is cinematic mastery
of suspense worthy of Hitchcock. Throughout the film, the lighting,
composition and editing are all textbook examples of great film
directing.
The artist Nicolisi unveils his magnificent portrait of Brando as Don Corleone (Photo copyright Anne Tucker)
Left to right: event organizer Bruce Crawford, John and Lori Martino, Miko, Prudence and Karen Brando and Nicolisi. (Photo copyright Anne Tucker)
On Saturday May 30, Bruce Crawford hosted his 24th
classic film salute in Omaha Ne. with a special showing of The Godfather and a
tribute to Omaha native, Marlon Brando. Brando's son, Miko and his wife Karen
and daughter Prudence, were special guests. Actor John Martino, who played
"Paulie Gatto" in the film, was also a guest speaker.
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In his usual manner, Bruce had re-enactors in 1940s
era clothing and gangster style apparel. Godfathers' Pizza, co-sponsored the
event as a benefit for the Omaha Hearing School for Children. Artist Nicolosi
created another breathtaking portrait for the event, this time one of Brando as
Vito Corleone. Miko spoke emotionally of his father to the large audience at the
Joslyn Art Museum's Witherspoon theater. John Martino told of his selection over
actor Robert De Niro for the role of Paulie. The film was a pristine restored print, the Coppola
restoration. The audience was in awe of the film as it was shown on the big
screen. Most had never seen it in its proper theatrical format. Earlier in the day, the Brandos
were taken to the home that Marlon was raised in and toured the Omaha Community
Playhouse, where Brando's mother, Dorothy, co founded in 1924. It was a historic
visit as the Brandos' had never been to Omaha before and rarely make public
appearances. For more, visit Omaha Film Events web site.
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The Brando family sent the following letter to the Omaha World Herald:
“What a
wonderful way to commemorate Marlon by showing a Cinematic Classic “The
Godfather†in his own hometown!  From the moment we landed in Omaha until the time we
left, we felt that we were treated with so much respect and received warm
welcomes from everyone. The respect that we received was the same that
Marlon had for his native land. Amber Miller was gracious enough to take
us on a tour of the Omaha Hearing School for Children.  The
tour of the Omaha Playhouse which starred Miko’s grandmother, Dorothy Brando,
back in 1925 was very moving. We were also very fortunate to have
visited the house that she lived in when Marlon was a
child.
We would like
to thank all the Omaha Film Event sponsors for giving us an unforgettable
weekend. The generous hospitality and professionalism from Bruce Crawford left
us with a very memorable experience. Miko, Prudence and I were very
touched by the amount of love and adoration the people of Omaha have for Marlon,
and we were honored to have been included in such a prestigious event.Â
It was great to see that the screening of The Godfather drew such a large
crowd. On behalf of Marlon, Miko would like to thank Bruce for honoring
his father in such a celebrated event.â€
The Motion Picture Academy
has been on a roll as of late, presenting some of the finest  exhibits and
screenings in its fabled history. The year began with a tribute to Academy
founder Douglas Fairbanks featuring legendary film scholar Kevin Brownlow. In
April there was a tribute to Milt Kahl, “The Animation Michelangelo,†that
featured Brad Bird and others paying tribute to one of Disney’s premier
character designers. Currently, there is an excellent display of cells and
sketches highlighting the Japanese form of animation, “Anime!†(The Academy is
to be commended for their continued celebration of that frequently neglected art
of film-making). And last week, there was tribute to Joseph Mankewiecz, one of
the finest screenwriters who ever lived whose name wasn’t Billy
WIlder.
.
But for shear star power and
emotion, it would be tough to be last Friday’s tribute to  the songwriting team
of Marilyn and Alan Bergman. Emceed by longtime friend and associate, the Mighty
Q - Quincy Jones - got things off to a rousing start by urging the sold-out
crowd to party and the lovefest continued for the  next three
hours.The clips began with the
memorable Bergman/Marvin Hamlisch collaboration, “The Way We Were,â€Â  and it
explored the hits, the neglected gems and triumphs of this talented and enduring
partnership. One of the dramatic highlights of the evening was when Alan Bergman
and Michel Legrand at the piano performed the Oscar-winning, “The WIndmills of
Your Mind,†while images of Steve McQueen in a glider unspooled behind
them.That particular song was
written at the behest of Norman Jewison who felt a song was needed to depict the
character’s inner turmoil, and Alan Bergman took pains to note, that was the
defining task of every song, to delineate the emotional core of the character in
that particular context.
.
Other performance highlights
included such overlooked gems as “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?â€
from the Richard Brooks drama, “The Happy Ending,â€Â  “How Do You Keep the Music
Playing?†(which Quincy Jones called his favorite song) from the Burt
Reynolds/Goldie Hawn film, “Best Friends†as well as some of the more celebrated
numbers like “It Might be You,†from “Tootsie†and “In the Heat of the Nightâ€
from the Oscar-winning picture of the same name. After such many tributes
from Marvin Hamlisch, John WIlliams and Norman Jewison (all on videotape) and
performances by Patti Austin, Michel Legrand and Dave Grusin, there was a special
desert (which apparently Alan Bergman doesn’t eat, he is more of a Postum kinda
guy) in store for the sold-out audience - la  Grandest Diva of them all, Miss
Barbra Joan Streisand.Although recuperating from a
cold and unable to sing, she was unabashed in her love and admiration for the
Bergmans and revealed she was to record an entire album of their songs as a
tribute. Some home movies were shown of Marilyn Bergman assisting Babs in
rehearsing “Yentl†and the evening closed with clips from that film, a labor of
love for all concerned.
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Ellen Harrington produced the
event and she deserves her own special Oscar for the level of excellence this
special evening as well as all the many other events she has prepared for the
Academy. And fellow Academy producer, Randy Haberkamp, is also doing
Oscar-worthy work on the ongoing series “1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year,†and
with such upcoming events as the tributes to Hal Ashby in store, in the annals
of the Motion Picture Academy presentations, 2009 may prove to be the Academy’s
greatest year.