Cinema Retro
Celebrating Films of the 1960s & 1970s
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By Lee Pfeiffer Last night New York City became Hollywood-on-the-Hudson when The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted a 40th anniversary screening of Midnight Cowboy at The Directors Guild Theater. It was an extraordinary evening on every level. The program is part of the Monday Nights with Oscar series, which was created by Patrick Harrison of A.M.P.A.S. For years, Harrison has presented some of the most unique and memorable classic movie events the city has seen - and last evening was no exception. For the Midnight Cowboy tribute, some key members of the creative production team were reunited for an on-stage discussion hosted by David V. Picker, the legendary producer and former United Artists executive who oversaw the studio during its glory days of the 1960s and 1970s. Arriving at the theater, it was clear this was to be the hottest movie in town. Fans lined up for more than an hour with a separate line formed for a wait-list of movie lovers who were desperate to obtain a ticket - a scenario almost unheard of for a film that was first released in 1969. Prior to the movie, I was invited for a "meet-and-greet" with the participants immediately prior to the screening. Attendees were David Picker, producer Jerome Hellman, actress Sylvia Miles, cinematographer Adam Holender, costume designer Ann Roth and music supervisor John Barry. Unfortunately, Barry could not stay for the panel discussion after the film but he seemed delighted to be among his colleagues from Midnight Cowboy. We did chat a few minutes about our respect for our mutual friend Cubby Broccoli, who Barry said he missed tremendously. We then walked into the theater, where A.M.P.A.S. had been showing a superb slide program of rare stills from the film, set to the original soundtrack. David Picker made some brief introductory remarks and advised the audience there would be a discussion about the making of the film after the screening. The print shown was the restored version done for the 25th anniversary of the film. If you haven't seen Midnight Cowboy on the big screen, you can't truly appreciate the artistry behind it. I've always had a fondness for films that reflect the seamier side of New York and this movie captured Gotham during a period of extensive decline that began in the mid 1960s and lasted through the early 1990s. It now seems like a different world, but Adam Holender's brilliant cinematography provides us with a time capsule of this bygone era of grind house theaters, male hustlers strutting their wares on 42nd street, grimy luncheonettes, ancient arcades and foreboding subway stations. To paraphrase Woody Allen, the era was horrible, upsetting and very frightening - and it was all over much too quickly. Each time I see the film, I learn to appreciate a new aspect. In this case, I looked beyond the superb performances of Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight and appreciated the quality of the supporting actors, the most underrated being John McGiver's brief but classic turn as a religious fanatic who Joe Buck is hoodwinked into believing is actually the owner of a male escort service. The sequence manages to be as unnerving as it is hilarious.The use of rock music along with John Barry's immortal original themes also resonated more impressively than ever. As David Picker points out, in a properly made film, every nuance of every scene is the result of painstaking planning and debating. Following the screening, the members of the panel discussion were greeted with rapturous applause as they walked on stage. Picker moderated the discussion, which unveiled a wealth of fascinating anecdotes. For the record, it should be said that, had it not been for Picker, the film would never had been made. During his tenure at United Artists, Picker and his uncle Arnold prided themselves on supporting filmmakers who had offbeat scenarios for motion pictures. Although modest by nature, Picker was the man who urged UA to produce the James Bond series, release the Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood Dollars trilogy in America and sign The Beatles for A Hard Day's Night. We won't get into other "minor" achievements such as giving approval for The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. As hard as it is to believe in this era of studio micro-management, once UA gave the green light to a film, they never interfered with the creative process. Indeed, Picker said the first time UA brass saw any footage from Midnight Cowboy was at a screening when the finished film was presented. He said that Arnold Picker, who was an admittedly tough man to please, sat quietly with the rest of the brass in total silence at the end of the film, as director John Schlesinger and Jerome Hellman nervously awaited his response. Arnold simply stood up and said, "It's a masterpiece. Let's go to lunch."Â The panel discussion proved to be contentious at times as participant's had different memories of certain events. Sylvia Miles, ever the gadfly, told an entire story about how she won the part in the film - only to have Jerome Hellman (who had hired her) tell her that her story was so far off from what had really happened, that it appeared they were on two different continents. Hellman also challenged Adam Holender about certain recollections of the production, but Picker diffused these minor quibbles with deft, statesman-like abilities that would have made Henry Kissinger envious. Picker also had to humorously contend with Miles' attempts to monopolize the discussion and remind everyone that she was nominated for a Supporting Actress Oscar although only on screen for six minutes. It's safe to say that this woman loves the spotlight so much, she probably strikes a pose every time she opens the refrigerator door. Still, her quirkiness brought a great deal of laughter to the evening. Costume designer Ann Roth downplayed her own contributions, saying no one is ever interested in the costume design - a misstatement challenged by the audience. She went to say how there was great debate over aspects of Jon Voight's cowboy duds - and he had to be convinced to wear a black hat instead of a white one. Much of the discussion centered on John Schlesinger, about whom nary a negative word was said. It was clear he was a most extraordinary man. Hellman explained that Schlesinger had agreed to do a film with him when he was red-hot following the release of Billy Liar and Darling. However, Schlesinger's big budget MGM production of Far From the Madding Crowd had bombed and suddenly the offers dried up. Schlesinger was determined to prove he had another winner in him and it was he who suggested to Hellman that they adapt James Leo Herlihy's novel Midnight Cowboy to the screen. The script went through several unsuccessful incarnations before Waldo Salt submitted an unsolicited script. Salt was a writer on the fringe of suicide and this was his last attempt to get a meaningful story to the screen. With Hellman and Picker's backing, Midnight Cowboy not only saved his career, but his life. Hellman also related that he had cast Dustin Hoffman as Ratso after seeing him in a one-man off-Broadway production in which he simply darted around the stage pushing a broom! Hoffman was completely unknown, but by the time Midnight Cowboy went into production, he was already a hot property due to The Graduate - a film he was reluctant to test for out of fear it might conflict with Hellman's production. David Picker also afforded the audience a surprise treat by showing vintage clips from the 1970 Academy Awards ceremony in which the film was awarded Oscars for Best Picture, director and screenplay. Watching these clips from so long ago was a movie lover's delight. Schlesinger was not able to attend the ceremony because he was shooting Sunday, Bloody Sunday and Voight accepted his Oscar. What struck me was how low-key the Oscar ceremonies used to be and how brief and gracious the acceptance speeches were, as opposed to today when you would think the winners were getting paid by minute. Many people have pondered how Dustin Hoffman failed to get the Best Actor award. My own theory is that he had to compete with fellow nominee Jon Voight, so they probably cut into each other's votes. Not helping matters was that, after forty years in the business, John Wayne gave the performance of his career in True Grit and was the popular and sentimental favorite. In all, it was remarkable to witness these talented individuals recall the making of a masterpiece. If you've never seen Midnight Cowboy, I almost envy you for having that experience to look forward to. It was film made by giants both in front of and behind the cameras. As Norma Desmond might point out, there are still great movies being made today - it's just the people who make them who seem smaller. (Thanks to Christina Colon, Harvey Bolgla and Matthew Calderone for their assistance in coverage of this event). For more on Monday Nights with Oscar, click here and sign up for the newsletter.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away movie posters were actually considered works of art. The artists who created them were allowed to let their imaginations run wild and even B movies often boasted posters with magnificent artwork. Today, however, that era is all but gone. Movie posters generally consist of bland head shots of the stars and look like they were created by a high school apprentice working on a scanner during lunch break. In this exclusive article for Cinema Retro, Sim Branaghan, author of the new book British Film Posters: An Illustrated History, celebrates a bygone era in which movie fans would salivate over posters of forthcoming films.
Where does any love-affair with the cinema really begin? Mine, unfortunately, appears to have begun with the Christmas 1970 reissue of Mary Poppins at Walsall’s ABC cinema – or at least, it did according to my mother. Being then just a few weeks short of my fourth birthday, I have no recollection of the trip. But things improved as the years passed – The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Island At the Top of the World, At the Earth’s Core, Star Wars, Warlords of Atlantis, and many others were cheerfully enjoyed in the faded glamour of local Black Country fleapits like the Wolverhampton Odeon, Dudley Plaza, and West Bromwich Kings, all now sadly long-vanished. One thing you couldn’t ignore about these films, while queuing patiently outside to get in (remember that?) were their posters – glorious full-colour paintings, often tending to depict Doug McClure being menaced by an irritable dinosaur. They were frequently more memorable than the films themselves.
Continue reading "THE LOST WORLD OF BRITISH FILM POSTERS"
Cinema Retro
welcomes reader correspondence. Please send any letters, suggestions or criticisms to
cinemaretro@hotmail.com
PRAISE FOR DEAN BRIERLY
Hi,
I just
finished reading the "GUNS, CAMERA, ACTION!" article and I loved it! I'd like
to see more from this guy, what a talented writer, that guy knows his stuff, and
is spot-on in perspective and opinion.
I'll be back
for more!
Bridget
Murdock Scottsdale,
AZ Cinema Retro responds: Bridget, we share your enthusiasm for Dean's writing and knowledge but really hate to pass these compliments along to him. The last time we did, it went straight to his head. We've already got reports that since receiving your letter, he is lounging about clad in an ascot and is insisting upon being addressed as "A Man Called Brierly". STAR WARS REDUX
Thanks a whole lot for the article on Star Wars
by Bill Duelly. What a great perspective. His description of cueing up the
film at a special local showing in 1994 really captured the unique fun and
excitement that a projectionist in love with the art of movies can contribute
to in the right environment. Here´s hoping for more of that kind of
environment.
Duelly´s take on Star Wars as a movie (i.e.,
with historical context, general and personally subjective) --as a physical as
well as cultural artifact, with a social dimension-- was an especially rare
treat for the 30th anniversary. So much else has been about "the saga" and the
Lucasfilms commodity.
Thank you for an insightful article I can share
with and save for my young son, who´s a big Star Wars fan, but not convinced by
the pretentious "saga" concept either.
Thanks again,
Greg Helmick Cinema Retro responds: Thanks Greg...We have to admit to not being fanatical over the franchise the way many others are and that's why we also appreciated the nature of Bill's article. It gave the a human side to the impact the film had as opposed to simply debating the exact measurements of a storm trooper's helmet. While the new entries in the series may have been constructed primarily to sell toys at Burger King, there is no denying that George Lucas has created something that will be an integral part of popular culture for years to come. Our guess is even if they made a hundred more episodes, fans will still have the most appreciation for the first SW and Empire. DEBATING BOND I recently visited the Cinema Retro website and carefully read the essay on the OHMSS
screening at the Film Forum’s “Vintage 007 and 60s Spies A Go-Go†festival in New York City. I
attended the early evening screening of OHMSS on Saturday and, I’m happy
to report, there were lots of laughs and applause and cheers at that showing as
well. I agree with almost all of the observations in your essay- but with one
caveat. I’m of the belief that OHMSS would be honored as a classic
007 film, regardless of whether it was Sean Connery or George Lazenby
wearing the shoulder holster. Lazenby’s performance is amazing –
especially when you consider his near-total lack of acting experience.
But it would seem to me that Peter Hunt was determined to bring Fleming’s (next-to-last)
great Bond novel to the screen in its original vision and I believe
Hunt’s decision would have held firm regardless of the actor portraying James
Bond. The fact that George Lazenby didn’t do Diamonds Are Forever
absolutely cheated fans out of a great follow-up to OHMSS, but (well
publicized personality conflicts with the Producers aside) I can’t imagine
Connery not at least considering OHMSS had he known the direction
that Hunt was planning on taking the series; away from the gadgets and sci-fi
and towards the commission of a witty, intelligent screenplay and the return to
a From Russia With Love-type staging. There were so many moments
in the script – no doubt the result of Richard Maibaum’s respect for Connery’s
interpret – when the dialogue was so obviously tailored to a Connery-esque
delivery. A simple case in point would be when Bond rolls out of
Moneypenny’s office with his off-handed sign-off that he’s off for some
“beachcombing.†That’s a Sean Connery moment. And, of course,
having Connery cradle the late Mrs. Bond in the film’s final reel would have
had a far greater emotional impact on theater-goers… there’s just so much
history there, how could it not have? None of this is George Lazenby’s
fault, of course, and having said all this, OHMSS remains one of the
classic James Bond films and, unequivocally, ranks alongside FRWL and Goldfinger
as the best of the series “first phaseâ€. I’m not of the oft-repeated
opinion that Connery mailed-in his performance in You Only Live Twice
(and having watched the film for the umpteenth time at the Forum on Friday, I
still believe that). George Lazenby was a great and credible James Bond -
no doubt about it - and I would have loved to see him stay on. But this
doesn’t change the argument that, sadly, Sean Connery walked away from the
series (at least) one film too soon
Regards,
Hank Reineke Cinema Retro responds: Thanks for the excellent observations, Hank. Actually, Peter Hunt only got the job of directing OHMSS because of the Connery departure. He was brought on board for his directorial debut largely because they felt they were going to do something bold to introduce the new 007.Thus, it's by no means certain that Hunt would have been given the job at all had Connery continued in the role. In fact, he had a falling out with the producers on You Only Live Twice because they backed off their promise to let him direct the film, opting instead for Lewis Gilbert. They very well may have continued with a known director had Connery not quit. In any event, we do agree the film would have been fascinating with Connery in the role - if they had remained respectful of the source novel. It's all speculation at this point with no clear answer. However, it seems unlikely this would have been the case simply because the series had ventured too far into the fantastic by that point. The same fate befell Pierce Brosnan- he could have done a hard-edged job in Casino Royale but he had been too closely associated with the gadget-laden Bonds that he had starred in. As for the dialogue, we agree- there were too many Connery-esque one-liners for Lazenby. As for Sean's performance in Twice, it's a matter of opinion. He's certainly fun to see in action , but we still think he had one eye on his watch while filming it.
ARE YOU LISTENING, FOX? Lee and Dave, Just in case you talk to anyone at Fox Home Entertainment soon,
could you please let them know how much at least one fan appreciates what
they're now doing featuring the original ad art and the old 20th Century-Fox
logo on the covers of their Classics Collections. As a fan of pre-1970 Fox,
it's like a dream come true for me. Also, with the DVD special editions
of Fantastic Voyage and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea coming soon, I hope Fox
is readying the same sort of thing for Journey to the Center of the Earth. I
think the transfer they did for the DVD of this title is great, and I was
thrilled to finally see the original trailer, but I wish like hell it had a
commentary track and some extras. I think the movie has a lot of fans and
deserves such a treatment, and comments from cast members Pat Boone and Arlene
Dahl, both still alive and active, would be greatly appreciated (in case anyone
at Fox reads this). And speaking of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea....
I'm really enjoying renting the TV series DVDs from Netflix (I can't afford to
buy everything I want), and I wonder if Cinema Retro plans an article on the
series soon? The transfers look fantastic and since I was a kid in the sixties
(born in '59) seeing the Fox "Color by DeLuxe" look restored is a huge
thrill. Thanks, Rory Monteith Cinema Retro Responds: Thanks for sharing your insights, Rory. Your observations regarding the special edition commentary tracks for these films really make sense and we'll pass them on to Fox brass. There is almost a moral obligation on the part of studios to solicit the participation of key actors and filmmakers for popular films from bygone eras, even if they may not have been Oscar winners. That's why we were delighted that Fox is producing special editions of films such as Our Man Flint and Von Ryan's Express. When cast and crew members can't be found for commentary tracks, there are always knowledgeable scholars and authors who can enlighten fans as to how the films were made. Regarding Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, we will indeed try to cover the series on the web site. The print magazine is still largely devoted to feature films, but with the enormous amount of potential articles and contributions that are always being submitted, we've launched the web site so we can accomodate more ideas. Thanks for your support! AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: DVDS Cinema Retro #7 is beautiful! Definitely worth 12 bucks!
It's a great idea to have a
DVDs Most Wanted column...Here's mine: the Traveling Executioner, Welcome Home Soldier Boys, The
Farmer, If ( a Lindsay Anderson omnibus featuring O Lucky Man and Britannia Hospital
also would be most welcome), Buster and Billie, Von Richtofen & Brown...I'll think of
more
later and send 'em on! Thanks. Bill Ameen, North
Carolina Cinema Retro responds: All good suggestions, Bill. By the way, Von
Richthofen and Brown (also known as The Red Baron) starring John Philip Law will be released
on DVD in the USA in April. See posters below for the two different ad campaigns.
Lee Pfeiffer reports on the Bradford International Film Festival -Day 3 Today's events began at 10:00 AM with a crowd gathering in the Pictureville Cinema for Cinerama Ventures, a festival of documentaries hosted by Dave Strohmaier and Randy Gitsch, producers of the acclaimed documentary Cinerama Adventure. The presentation included new featurettes about the making of How the West Was Won that were frustratingly dropped from the recent deluxe DVD release. One documentary looked at the film's return engagement in the 1990s at the Arclight Hollywood Cinerama Theatre and featured moving interviews with attendees who spoke about how much the film meant to them. Another fascinating documentary centered on the film's legendary run at the small Neon Theatre in Dayton, Ohio. The theater was specially fixed to conform with Cinerama projection standards and How the West Was Won was intended to run for a matter of weeks...instead it ran for years, as fans descended on the theater from all over the world. The documentary centered on the efforts of projectionist John Harvey who personally ran every performance of the movie at the theater during its run. In doing so, Harvey - who had also reconstructed a Cinerama print from diverse reels from various sources - managed to perform duties that originally required five men to handle the complex Cinerama projection system. The documentary was funny, informal and, in the end, very touching as it examined how one man's dream of keeping Cinerama alive has paid dividends in the ensuing years. There was also a terrific documentary in which Cinerama fan Tom March visited the main locations of How the West Was Won and photographed them as they are today. The images were brilliantly overlayed on film clips from the original movie. Sadly, Warner Home Video did not include this featurette on the recent DVD release. A true highlight of the morning's presentations was the surprise unveiling by Dave and Randy of a reel of film from the long-missing feature Russian Adventure. The film was a bizarre attempt by the Soviets to emulate the American 3-strip Cinerama process. It was ultimately released in the USA in 1966 with narration by Bing Crosby! Perhaps due to Cold War tensions at the time, not even Der Bingle could persuade audiences to attend the showings and the film ultimately lost more than $15 million. It was thought to be missing for decades but, acting on a tip, Dave Strohmaier found the complete feature stored in a trailer in Los Angeles. As he prepared to remove it, a local artist challenged him, saying he had permission to spray paint the reels and dangle them from the ceiling of his art exhibition. Using innovative Sherlockian thinking, Dave said that the film represented a "Hazmat" situation because the stock was highly flammable and that the artist was risking interfering with public safety. Humiliated and chastized, the artist stood silently as Dave loaded the last known print of this film into a pickup truck, thus ensuring it's preserved for future generations. Seeing the sample reel was a treat for all in the audience. Forget the fact that the travelogue was little more than a ludicrous Soviet propaganda film that implied the average Russian was living it up by taking drives in the country in their sports cars. (Both sports cars in the country were probably requisitioned for this film.) It offered a fascinating time capsule of a bygone era - and left the audience hungry for more. Dave and Randy are looking into what the next steps will be in terms of preserving and exhibiting the print, which has suffered from the dreaded "vinegar syndrome" that ultimately destroys film. Following this presentation, came the main event: the big screen premiere of Warner Brothers' new digitally remastered version of How the West Was Won. This was the same master that was used for the recent DVD release. The film had to be especially formatted on the Cinerama screen because the dimensions didn't exactly conform. However, miracle worker projectionist Duncan McGregor managed this feat with a bare minimal amount of cropping. As the famed overture of Alfred Newman's magnificent score resonated through the audience, the anticipation built steadily. When the curtains parted, the MGM lion roared as the famous main title theme thundered through the theater. The digital version was stunning - and benefited from the fact that the "join lines" had been painstakingly eliminated. I found this was a welcome development, though Cinerama purists might argue that anything other than the original presentation is a bastardization. However, if there were complaints from the audience, they were not obvious. Everyone was thrilled to see the film looking better than ever. Kudos to Warner Home Video for making the substantial investment in preserving an American classic. From an artistic standpoint, this is brilliant filmmaking - taking a sweeping, epic tale and personalizing it through the eyes of the members of one family. I was also reminded of how diminished today's star system is. With 24 Hollywood legends in How the West Was Won, one can only ponder how a remake of the film could feature even a fraction of such personalities. Adam Sandler would probably be cast as General Grant. The next main event was an afternoon presentation of Fox's 1966 epic The Bible...In the Beginning. I have only seen bits and pieces of the film over the years and was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to view the recently restored print. However, it was explained that - unbelievably- Fox made a poor print from the restored elements and oversaturated the Adam and Eve opening sequence, which was considered quite erotic in its day. It was hoped that a corrected print had been sent, but after a few minutes, it became obvious that Fox had sent the problematic print. Indeed, the magnificent cinematography in this opening reel made it look like you were glimpsing images in an inkwell, with every nighttime sequence virtually indistinguishable. There were other problems, as well - namely, the quality of the movie itself. Although both Dave Worrall and I find the holy books that the major religions are based on to be as believable and inspiring as Dr. Seuss books, we were prepared to view the film objectively. After all, we have admiration for such religious-based films as Ben-Hur and The Greatest Story Ever Told. However, The Bible shapes up as a massive ego trip by John Huston, who directs, narrates (as the voice of God, no less) and stars as Noah. The film quickly lapses into ham-handed acting, laughable narration (with God talking to Adam like a schoolmaster chastising an unruly pupil) and cornball dialogue that would have been the envy of Ed Wood. I confess that I became very amused by the fact that there are people in this world who literally believe the cause of our woes is the fact that a guy and his girlfriend ate a golden apple offered to them by a serpent -and these are some of the same people who still complain that the old Batman TV series was too "over-the-top"! However, even the unintentional laughs generated by The Bible couldn't convince us to sit through more than the first half hour. Life itself is just too precious to have given another two hours to reviewing the film. As I wrote of The Silver Chalice, "You may not have been an atheist going into the theater, but you probably emerged as one." The evening offered a well-received presentation of West Side Story, but by this point, our weary arses needed a break so it was off to dinner, the pub (for another late night) and looking forward to Sunday's highly-anticipated big screen showing of Khartoum. (Click here to visit Dave Strohmaier's definitive Cinerama history web site)
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