In the web site for The Independent, Cinema Retro contributor Sheldon Hall provides an adaptation of his latest cover story for Cinema Retro about the making of the 1964 British war classic Zulu. Click here to read.

(Hall appears tonight at 7:00 PM on BBC1 in the UK)

The fascinating behind the scenes story is told in greater detail in issue #28 of Cinema Retro and in the updated edition of Hall's book about the making of the film.  

BY LEE PFEIFFER

The good folks at Scorpion Entertainment have done it again by producing first rate special collector's DVD and Blu-ray editions of a film that most critics dismissed as second rate at the time of its initial release. In this case, the film is "Dogs", which was unleashed (if you pardon the pun) on theaters in 1976, an era in which audiences went mad for movies about animals waging war on humanity. The modestly-budgeted production was shot in southern California on the outskirts of San Diego, with some key scenes filmed at Southwestern University. Directed by Burt Brinckerhoff, who went on to become a popular director of hit TV series, the film is set in an unnamed college in an unnamed town in an unnamed state. Suffice it to say that the area is fairly rural and the townspeople all seem to have connections to the local university.  A bearded, shaggy-haired and denim-clad David McCallum is Harlan Thompson, a science instructor at the school, whose counter-culture viewpoints and cynical disposition makes him a controversial figure among his peers. Nevertheless, when a series of mysterious and gruesome deaths occur, it is Thompson who is consulted about finding the culprit. Working with a new colleague at the school, Michael Fitzgerald (George Wyner)  and the town's sheriff (Eric Server), Thompson is at first baffled by what kind of wild animals would attack humans in a pack and leave their corpses chewed almost beyond recognition. When local dogs begin to act inexplicably vicious towards their owners, Thompson and Fitzgerald theorize that a local top secret government experiment with sensitive chemicals might some how be causing these generally benign household pets to become murderous beasts. In any event, it isn't long before Thompson and Fitzgerald encounter every classic cliched character to be found in horror films of the era. There is the stubborn bureaucrat who refuses to accept that a crisis is at hand. There are the trigger-happy mob members who set off on an ill-fated hunt for the furry fiends. There is the sexy young woman (Pre-"Dallas" Linda Gray) who inevitably feels compelled to take a shower, with predictably disastrous results.  (Yes, a Doberman manages to sneak into her bathroom in the film's mandatory homage to "Psycho"). Rounding out the "must-haves" for films of this genre, the climax must place a considerable number of students in imminent danger of suffering gruesome deaths.

Although "Dogs" is a factory of cliches, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the film. It's a true independent production that lacked any studio backing. As such, director Brinckerhoff does yeoman work getting around the obvious budget constraints. Although one assumes the cast and crew had their tongues firmly in their cheeks while shooting the movie, everyone plays it straight and no one goes for an over-the-top laugh. You keep waiting for one of those "so bad, it's good" moments to arrive, but surprisingly, the film remains a rather effective thriller. The premise, of course, is absurd...but so was the premise of Hitchcock's "The Birds", which is clearly the prime inspiration for "Dogs". The notion that any rural town in modern society can be completely cut off from humanity was far fetched when Hitchcock's film was released in 1963 and was even more unrealistic in 1976.  You also have to accept the other horror film cliche that occurs routinely in this movie: when people realize they are in imminent danger and have a method of escaping, they find a reason to delay their departure until it is too late. In this case, people who should immediately flee decide to "gather a few things together" first, as though stockpiling deodorant and hair gel would even cross your mind if you were in danger of being ripped apart by a pack of dogs. Refreshingly, however, the heroes of the film, played by McCallum and Wyner, act like true academics would in a crisis situation. They are not turned immediately into superheroes and when they take up arms, it has a tragic consequence. They also make human errors and prove to be wrong in some of their judgments. McCallum's trademark acting style of underplaying a scene has served him well throughout his career. While other actors often over-emote, he can quietly steal a scene even in such star-packed films as "Billy Budd", "The Great Escape" and "The Greatest Story Ever Told." This is an off-beat role for him and he delivers a fine performance. He's matched by George Wyner, who went on to have a very successful career as a character actor in hit comedies, though there is little evidence of his comedic appeal here. The two actors work well together and are joined by a competent supporting cast that includes Sandra McCabe, who nominally serves as McCallum's romantic interest but is really on-screen to provide the necessary "woman in jeopardy" sequences.

The Scorpion special edition DVD includes a campy introduction by their in-house hostess, actress Katarina Leigh Waters, who provides some interesting facts about the production while spoofing the horror film genre. There is also a documentary with recent interviews with Bruce Brinckerhoff, George Wyner, Eric Server and other people who worked on the production. Wyner and Server both talk about being thrilled to work with McCallum, who was the only big star associated with the production. Brinckerhoff, who is clearly proud of the film, discusses how the lack of production funds necessitated some of the actors to do their own stunts, which are uniformly impressive. He also points out the the film was edited by John Wright, who went on to receive two Oscar nominations and is today regarded as a top editor in the industry. The special edition also includes the original theatrical trailer. 

"Dogs" had a patchwork release and, to my knowledge, never even played in some key American cities. However, it did sensational business internationally and in rural American areas where its intended audience- the drive-in-crowd - responded to the chilling one sheet poster and the ominously-narrated trailer and TV spots. The flick has held up well over the years and if you view it in the proper context, it remains and effective example of indie filmmaking, both in execution and in marketing. 

If you want to "fetch" a copy from Amazon, click here to order DVD edition or click here to order Blu-ray. 

Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: one of the P.M.'s all-time favourite films.

Regardless whether you share his political views, readers will have to agree that British Prime Minister David Cameron's choice of movies are worth voting for. In an interview in yesterday’s Mail on Sunday 'Event' magazine he chose the following films as his favourite top five - Lawrence of Arabia; Where Eagles Dare; The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly; Casablanca, and Schindler's List. Nice one, Dave! There's a Cinema Retro exclusive "Broadsword Calling Danny Boy" tee shirt in the post to you, tomorrow.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Sony has released director Richard Brooks' 1965 screen adaptation of Joseph Conrad's Lord Jim as a burn-to-order DVD title. The novel, written in 1899, centers on Jim, an idealistic young man who fulfills his dream of being a highly regarded officer on a commercial cargo vessel in southeast Asia. All is going well for him under the guidance of his mentor, ship's captain Marlowe. However, when an injury causes Jim to convalesce for an extended period, he ends up on a rickety freighter under the command of an unscrupulous captain who is transporting hundreds of Muslim pilgrims. When the ship founders, the captain and his cowardly crew abandon ship, leaving the pilgrims to face what appears to be certain death. To his own astonishment, Jim spontaneously opts to join them in order to save his own life. When the ragged survivors finally make port, they are shocked to find that the ship was rescued- and Jim and his fellow crew members are now tarnished as cowards. The tale delves into Jim's psychological woes caused by an omnipresent sense of guilt. In the film version, Jim (played by Peter O'Toole) attempts to regain some honor by willingly testifying at a legal hearing that he did indeed act in a cowardly fashion. This only brings him scorn from his fellow British mariners who accuse him of tarring them all with the scandal. Morose and plagued by guilt, Jim works at menial jobs on the docks, trying to fade into obscurity but his notoriety follows him everywhere. Ultimately, he meets Stein (Paul Lukas), an aging intellectual who hires Jim for a dangerous mission to secretly transport arms and ammunition to a remote jungle village where the people have fallen under the dictatorial rule of a local warlord known as The General (Eli Wallach). Stein hopes that the delivery of these weapons will inspire the long-suffering people to revolt against their oppressor. Jim, feeling his life is meaningless, readily accepts the mission, even though it is considered near-suicidal. Against all odds, he manages to get the weapons into the hands of the villagers. He is proclaimed a local hero for doing so and in short order he finds a new acceptance among these people who know nothing of his shameful past. He forms a romantic bond with a local girl (Daliah Lavi) and begins to train the local men as armed combatants. They engage the General and his forces in an all out assault from which they emerge triumphant. Jim is suddenly thrust into the role of local hero and is proclaimed "Lord" by the grateful villagers. A period of peace and joy comes to the area- until intruders from the outside world arrive who seek to take religious treasures from the temple by force of arms. Suddenly Jim is once again forced to summon his courage to save the local people from further exploitation. 

Lord Jim was an expensive production back in the day and was heavily promoted as an equally prestigious follow-up to Peter O'Toole's back-to-back triumphs in Lawrence of Arabia and Becket. The project seemed to be a sure-fire proposition, given all the talent involved and the fact that Richard Brooks was a highly acclaimed director. Yet, for all the build-up, the production proved to be a flop with critics and a commercial dud. What went wrong? Viewing the film today, Brooks' own screenplay is rather schizophrenic and never provides a clear understanding of Jim. At the beginning of the movie he's an innocent Walter Mitty type (Brooks even throws in groan-inducing fantasy bubbles that appear in Jim's mind depicting him engaging in acts of derring do.) Then Jim becomes a relentless, morose symbol of self-pity before transforming himself overnight into a virtual super hero. (It is never explained how this simple ship's first officer is able to spontaneously concoct military strategies and invent innovative weaponry as though he were a 19th century version of 007's "Q"). O'Toole carries the gentle, angelic hero stuff to extremes and the New York Times' Bosley Crowther commented at the time that he looks as though he is perpetually about to burst into tears. Brooks also indulges in heavy-handed religious symbolism with Jim carrying out self-sacrifices in order to save the innocents around him. As with most films of this era, local native populations, though treated sympathetically, come across as the white man's burden. Jim's love interest, played by Daliah Lavi, looks like she stepped out of a Beverly Hills spa and in one absurd sequence is seeing ironing what appear to be curtains as he discusses committing suicide! (Keep in mind this is taking place in a remote jungle village in the 19th century so one wonders how big a priority ironing might have been.)  There is also no indication that the virginal Jim ever compromises his Christ-like persona by consummating his relationship with the girl (who is never named.) That may be noble for Jim, but it sure as hell makes their on-screen relationship a bore. The battle scenes are exciting and well-staged and Freddie Young's 70mm cinematography is as gorgeous as you would expect, though it is somewhat diluted by the fact that Brooks films large sections of the film within the obvious confines of studio sets. Similarly, the pivotal scenes of a ship in a storm-tossed sea are very obviously shot with miniatures. There is an excellent supporting cast with Lukas giving a fine performance as Jim's father figure, James Mason as an aristocratic cutthroat who leads an expedition of thieves into the village, Curt Jurgens, especially good as a cowardly opportunist businessman and Akim Tamiroff as, well, a typical Akim Tamiroff character (i.e. an amusing low-life). If you can get past the fact that Eli Wallach, a Jewish guy from Brooklyn, plays the only Asian warlord with a hairy chest, you can enjoy his wry performance, though the character is poorly defined. Jack Hawkins makes brief appearances as Captain Marlowe and provides narration for the early scenes, though this device is promptly dropped by Brooks and never reappears. 

The film is a quasi-epic that can't be called even a quasi-classic. It clocks in at 254 minutes, not exceptionally long if a film is engrossing enough, but at times the pace of Brooks' direction makes the story rather taxing to stick with. Nevertheless, Lord Jim looks better today than it did at the time of its initial release perhaps because it features so many talented artists who are no longer with us.

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By Darren Allison

Our good friends at Vocalion Records have released three excellent CDs. First is the super score to Bernard Kowalski’s 1969 B-movie thriller STILETTO (Vocalion CDSML 8501). Starring Alex Cord in the lead role and with support from Britt Ekland, Patrick O’Neal, Joseph Wiseman and Roy Scheider, the film was based on the Harold Robbins novel of the same name. Whilst Stiletto was never going to be an Oscar contender, as so many of these great little thrillers proved, it did gather something of a cult following. More often than not, restricted budgets and tight schedules surprisingly lead to great production values, with artists and crews having to think instinctively on their feet and with little time to elaborate. Stiletto music by American composer Sid Ramin is a truly evocative score. Ramin’s work was often uncredited and as a result, perhaps never received the recognition he ultimately deserved. Stiletto certainly highlighted Ramin’s ability to score a dramatic action movie. Pulsating Hammond organ, pounding percussion and golden brass lines - certainly draw similarities to the work of leading composers of the day such as Lalo Schifrin and Roy Budd. The music implies a rich, Mediterranean vibe which captures the film’s international romanticism. Stiletto’s score is, without doubt, the film’s dominant feature - the enduring survivor.

Vocalion’s release marks the score’s debut on CD. As a direct re-issue of the original CBS LP (CBS Records S 70062), the music has been beautifully remastered by Michael J. Dutton from the Original Analogue tapes. Considering the low key nature of the movie, Oliver Lomax has provided a richly detailed booklet covering both the production of the film and its spectacular music. To their credit, Vocalion have also included a reversible cover containing the original LP artwork and the splendid British colour artwork (which always gets my vote). Vocalion have again proved that big things are often salvageable from relatively minor films, and their foresight can only be applauded.

http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=CDSML8501

By Lee Pfeiffer

On the Bowery is a 2012 release from Milestone that is remarkable on a number of levels. I will confess that I was unfamiliar with this landmark 1956 film that was shot as a quasi-documentary exploring the deplorable living conditions of down-and-out men on New York's Bowery. This section of Manhattan today is replete with boutique shops and cafes but for decades it was infamous for being a place where transients and hobos (to use a quaint phrase) would gather to commiserate with each other about the bad breaks they had suffered in life. Seedy bars dotted the streets and if you grew up in New York during this era, you knew that a walk through the Bowery section would be tantamount to tempting fate when it came to your personal safety. Filmmaker Lionel Rogosin was a liberal, socially conscious man who devoted himself to documenting societal problems. On The Bowery is said to be his most accomplished project, shedding light on the trials and tribulations of an entire subculture of downtrodden people who existed only blocks from where New York's most elite residents lived. The film utilized actual Bowery inhabitants, which explains the authenticity of the performances. Rogosin had initially tried to film the project as a traditional documentary but decided it needed a story line to keep viewers engaged. A loose plot was constructed about one desperate man in search of work who is deceived by one of his best friends. Much of the dialogue was improvised but the bare-bones plot was adhered to. The result was an astonishingly moving film that caused quite a sensation in art house circles when it was released. Sadly, it would take decades for the Bowery to be reborn, which didn't do much for the wretched souls who had to fight for daily existence there during the period in which this movie was made. The Blu-ray release from Milestone is packed with bonus extras including another Rogosin feature film, Good Times, Wonderful Times. Once again, this was a scripted movie shot in the style of a documentary. Filmed in 1964, the project is Rogosin's statement against war. It combines real footage of WWII atrocities with scenes from a London cocktail party attended by elitist snobs. Unfortunately, the film plays as pretentiously as the people it criticizes.  The set also includes the 1957 documentary Out, made by Rogosin for the United Nations. It effectively chronicles the immigration of immigrants from Hungary to Austria in the aftermath of the Hungarian revolution of 1956. There is an impressive wealth of bonus extras on the 2 disc set which include a walking tour of the present day Bowery by Rogosin's son Michael, who also presents his own documentary about the making of On the Bowery. There is an introduction by Martin Scorsese, who is a great admirer of the film, and some vintage documentaries about life on Bowery. In all, a highly impressive release of passion-driven films by a true master of independent movie making.

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By Lee Pfeiffer 

As Cinema Retro gets inundated with DVDs to review during the course of any given year, it's virtually impossible to keep up with all of them in a timely manner. Here are some notable titles you should be aware of:

Cabaret Blu-ray (Warner Home Video): Warner Home Video has inherited the rights to Bob Fosse's classic 1972 film adaptation of the stage production that, in turn, was based on Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories. The Blu-ray comes packaged in one of those irresistible hardback book formats that is loaded with wonderful photos from the movie. The movie itself holds up superbly even after 40 years. The decline of Germany's Weimar Republic amidst the rise of National Socialism in the 1930s is seen through the eyes of nightclub singer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) and her constant companions (Michael York, Helmut Griem) . Fosse's decision to emphasize the sleaze elements of the Berlin of this era helped to elevate this to the status of one of the most intelligent musicals ever put on film- and Joel Grey's eerie Emcee serves as a thinly-veiled metaphor for for the moral destruction of a great nation. The set is packed with extras including recent and previously-released interviews with cast and crew members, a new documentary about the making of the film, an audio commentary track by author Stephen Tropiano, who wrote a book about the making of Cabaret and an original trailer. This title should be deemed as essential for any classic movie library.

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I'M DICKENS, HE'S FENSTER COLLECTOR'S EDITION (Lightyear Video/TV Time Machine): This 1962 sitcom lasted but one season but remains one of the more intriguing programs of its era. The show had the misfortune of being up against the popular Mitch Miller program and Route 66. Ratings suffered initially and ABC decided to cancel the series. However, ratings began to climb as positive word of mouth and good reviews began to spread. Ironically, the series began to gain more viewers than its competition but by then the leading actors had moved on to other projects. The show languished in Bootleg Heaven with no official DVD release until this 16 episode set was unveiled last year by TV Time Machiine and Lightyear Video. It features half of the show's episodes, 16 in all, each beautifully remastered. The series presents John Astin and Marty Ingalls as best friends who are also business partners who own their own handyman service. Although many people call the show a lost classic, I find only moderately amusing. In fact, the show's demise resulted in John Astin going on to star in a true TV classic, The Addams Family and left its creator, Leonard Stern, free to work with Mel Brooks in developing Get Smart! Nevertheless, the show is a pleasurable experience on all levels with the two leads demonstrating the deft comedic timing that would lead them to greater stardom in the years to come. What is outstanding is the love and care that has been put into this set. They include audio commentaries by Astin and Ingles along with guest stars Yvonne Craig, Lee Meriwether, Dave Ketchum, Chris Korman (son of Harvey Korman) and Leonard Stern, who passed away shortly thereafter. There are also any number of featurettes about the series and a wealth of vintage network TV ads. In all, a truly superb presentation of a show that few people are even aware of. The video company is said to be hoping to raise enough funding to release the second half of the show's only season. 

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The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Warner Archive): Director Tony Richardson's acclaimed 1962 film is the epitome of the British "kitchen sink drama", a genre that revolutionized film making in that country and reflected the concerns of the economically disenfranchised. Britain may have been on the winning side in WWII, but the financial repercussions of the conflict lingered for decades, resulting in a stagnant, class-driven society in which those on the bottom rungs found it very difficult to climb out of their impoverished situations. Consequently a generation of troubled youths emerged. Richardson's film poignantly shows the consequences of having young people come of age in a society that offers them little hope for advancement. Inevitably, many will take the wrong turn in life. The story follows a young man, Colin Smith (Tom Courtenay in a remarkable, star-making performance) as he is sent to a borstal, which is a juvenile corrections facility. Here, he finally finds something of value to center his attention on: his skills as a long distance runner. The facility's warden (Michael Redgrave) nurtures the young man until it becomes apparent that he is using him for his own personal aggrandizement. This leads to a suspense-laden, shocking conclusion centered around an all-important long distance race. Richardson's direction is flawless and the black and white cinematography only adds to the appropriately sullen look of the film. Superb supporting performances by all. (James Bond fans should keep an eye out for future 007 villain Joe Robinson as a track coach).  This film is a true classic of British cinema.

Click here to order from Warner Archive.

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (Shout! Factory): This is the complete American Masters PBS broadcast of a documentary that chronicles the remarkable life and career of Mel Brooks. As Brooks is very much alive and well, he is able to relate the highs and lows of his life as only he can relate them in his inimitable style. The 2013 shows finds Brooks reminiscing about working for Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows, where Brooks was considered to be too manic even by the likes of Caesar. He also relates funny anecdotes about his childhood and WWII experiences. Most of these stories have been told by Brooks for decades but his sheer exuberance and energy are infectious. The documentary by Robert Trachtenberg includes testimonials from such key comedic figures as Rob Reiner, Joan Rivers, Tracey Ullmann and Brooks' long-time collaborator Carl Reiner. The DVD also contains a number of out-takes from the PBS special. Well worth a viewing if you have any love for classic comedy.

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The Blue Hour/ One Naked Night/ Three in a Towel Triple Feature (Vinegar Syndrome): This is a triple feature of obscure retro erotica films. The main feature, The Blue Hour, is not really a sexploitation film in the traditional sense as it is far too pretentious in its attempt to emulate art house movie fare. The 1971 production begins with opening credits that take so long to unspool they almost need an intermission. It's a sign of how boring even a film that features an abundance of nudity can be. The story centers on a young Greek woman who is now living in America and married to a successful therapist/businessman. However, she is haunted by images of sexual atrocities that she has endured at various stages of her life including a confusing scenario in which she may have murdered a young Greek priest with whom she was romantically involved. The film boasts some exotic photography but it lumbers along to a completely abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion. The acting ranges from passable to atrocious. Far more interesting is One Naked Night, a 1965 B&W "quickie" that chronicles the exploits of another troubled young woman who moves from a small town to New York City. She ends up rooming with some party girls and is corrupted along the way leading to a conclusion that is rather shocking. The film is a virtual female version of Midnight Cowboy with mean ol' Manhattan proving to be a devil's playground of corruption for innocent young newcomers. The real appeal of the film is not the occasional flashes of nudity but the fact that it presents tantalizing glimpses of the Big Apple during the mid 1960s including Times Square, the infamous Playland arcade, the Latin Quarter and other hot spots of the era. There is also a quaint feel to even the sex sequences including a tender seduction of our heroine by a lesbian roommate, chain smoking swingers, stag movies shown on 16mm and guys who get dressed up in jackets and ties to attend orgies. The cast of unknowns tries hard but you are aware they are strictly amateur. Nevertheless, this is an entertaining look back at a bygone era when films such as this were deemed shocking. The final entry in the triple feature is titled Three in a Towel. Shot in 1969, it's basically a glorified home movie shot in color in various sections of San Francisco. The movie focuses on a young man's erotic dreams of being a sensual version of Walter Mitty and bedding many nubile young women. The film was obviously shot as a silent feature with narration and sound effects added later. It's a crude production played strictly for laughs and the sex is relegated to an abundance of female nude shots but the action never gets beyond soft core. A "highlight" of the film is a scene in which three hippie chicks eat a banana in a suggestive manner while groping each other. Bizarrely, the narrator uses Shakespearean quotes throughout....At least the filmmakers didn't take it all very seriously. The opening titles read a "A Miracle Production-- If It Turns Out to be a Good Movie, It's a Miracle!". The only other credit is "Produced by The Saint" but it seems pretty obvious we're not talking about Roger Moore here. The film is an utter waste of time aside from some interesting visuals of San Francisco in the late 1960s and ends up being about as erotic as a wet noodle. The transfers vary in quality based on the crude source materials but The Blue Hour has undergone a restoration process. In all, an interesting package of largely forgotten films that would otherwise have been lost to time. Their entertainment value is debatable but from a sociological standpoint, they may bring back some interesting memories if you lived through this era. There are no extras other than a trailer for Three in a Towel that promises a lot more sex than it actually delivers. 

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Nichols: The Complete Series (Warner Archives): The Warner Archives has released all 24 episodes of the little-seen TV series Nichols that starred James Garner. The show aired in 1971-72 but, despite Garner's star power, it was canceled after one season. Garner was just one of the Hollywood superstars who, by the 1970s, felt they should move to television. This was in direct contrast to the prevailing wisdom of the early days of TV in which it was regarded as a second rate medium for name actors to appear in. Among the other shows that failed in the 1970s were ones top-lined by the likes of Henry Fonda and James Stewart. Nichols presents Garner in his most popular on-screen alter-ego: a likable, laid-back anti-hero. Set in 1914, the pilot episode finds him as a career soldier in the U.S. cavalry who resigns due to his increasingly pacifist nature (an obvious nod to the anti-Vietnam War movement that was raging at the time). Nichols makes his way back to the small home town that bears his family name expecting to live a life of leisure. Instead, he finds his parents are dead and his estate has been swindled away by con men. The town has degenerated into a raucous place where a small group of corrupt citizens call the shot. Nichols is reluctantly enlisted to be the new sheriff and, a la Andy Griffith's Sheriff Taylor, he refuses to wear a gun and uses his wits to thwart his adversaries. The show boasts fine production values and some impressive cast members and guest stars (Margot Kidder is the love interest, playing a local saloon owner.) As with any TV series, the episodes vary in terms of quality, but watching Garner at this point in his career is certainly an entertaining way to pass some hours. Although audiences didn't warm to this show, they certainly didn't lose their affection for Garner, who went on to star in the smash hit series The Rockford Files a few years later. (That show's co-star, Stuart Margolin, also appears in Nichols.)  

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Wanted: Dead or Alive: The Complete Series (Mill Creek): The Mill Creek video company has repackaged and re-released Wanted: Dead or Alive: The Complete Series. The show made a star of young Steve McQueen, who played a bounty hunter in the old West. The series premiered in 1958 and ran for 94 30 minute episodes, all of which are presented in this collector's edition on multiple DVDs. McQueen shows the charisma and self-assured manner that would help elevate him to big screen superstardom a few years later. The show was also a training ground for upcoming directors, writers and other actors including Lee Van Cleef, Michael Landon, Warren Oates, James Coburn and DeForest Kelly. The writing and acting hold up extremely well, a reflection of an era when intelligent Westerns ruled the roost in terms of TV ratings. The boxed set also includes 4 colorized bonus episodes (which look surprisingly good), a photo gallery, some featurettes about various aspects of the show including McQueen's famed sawed-off shotgun that he carried in a holster and a digital reproduction of a comic book based on the show. There is also the complete public domain feature film The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery starring McQueen. In all, an outstanding value. 

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By Lee Pfeiffer 

Those naughty folks at Impulse Pictures have done well by digging up and marketing retro European and Japanese erotic films from bygone eras. Among the more popular releases are the "Schoolgirl" titles that were very popular in Germany during the 1970s. Each release presents several short stories relating to the sexual escapades of German high school girls. (The fact that most of the actresses look a bit long in the tooth to be playing 16 and 17 year old girls becomes less bothersome once the clothes are shed.) Impulse has just released volume 10 in this series which consists of a film originally released in 1976. The thinly-plotted script features story lines that are erratic in content as well as execution. The story opens with a female teacher addressing an all-girls classroom in a discussion on contemporary sexuality. As the girls debate social mores, several of them relate personal experiences. The first tale involves a middle-aged male teacher who is accused of raping a student he was tutoring. The man professes his innocence to a local prosecutor who is interviewing him about the case. (In a bizarre tactic, the prosecutor breaks the "fourth wall" and addresses the viewer directly, though this element does not appear in any other segment of the film). His young student claims she arrived at his apartment for her first lesson and that she was plied with liquor and was seduced by the teacher, who deflowered her. In an anemic conclusion, one of her fellow students comes forward with information that exonerates the teacher. This yawn-inducing scenario seems a mere pretense for showing the young girl disrobing and getting it on. In fact, the story presents flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks. The second story revolves around a gorgeous virgin who is desperate to make love. The rather flaccid scenario finds her learning a life lesson by cheapening her own values through having sex with a series of cads and suffering being gang raped (never shown, but implied). The next tale is somewhat more engrossing with a snarky teenage girl in conflict with her sexy stepmother. She induces a would-be lover to engage in an elaborate plot to discredit the stepmother so that her father divorces her. In return for the young man's cooperation, she promises to finally have sex with him. The plan involves the young hunk actively courting and seducing the stepmother while the daughter secretly documents the adultery by taking photos. The whole scenario comes to an ironic conclusion that sees the deceitful daughter getting her just desserts. The most amusing segment finds two young lovers who are frustrated by their lack of privacy. Inspired by William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist, the couple concocts a crazy scheme to finally get them into bed together in her parent's house. This is accomplished by having the girl pretend she is possessed by a demon. The over-the-top slapstick humor has the young woman walking around cross-eyed, rolling about the landscape and engaging in obscene behavior. In one scene she enter the family kitchen, drops her panties and exclaims to her mother, "I own this pussy and it's burning!" (And you thought Linda Blair had some rough dialogue to get through...) With their daughter's "possession" out of control, the family engages the services of an exorcist, who turns out to be her lover in disguise.  Behind closed doors, he performs a loud and very violent exorcism, but its really just the two of them having wild sex. The goofy premise is actually fairly amusing. The final tale has another gorgeous high school girl pampered by her middle-aged, married lover. When his wife finds out, complications ensue and she ends up becoming involved with the man's nephew (who somehow looks as old as his uncle).

The series definitely caters to female sensibilities. Women are generally presented in an intelligent manner and the sex scenes are fairly vivid but softcore and tastefully done. (Nothing too kinky here.) One of the most unintentionally amusing aspects of the film involves the English sub-titles which show that Germans must have felt at the time that the word "bang" was used constantly in American society. (One girl greets her would-be suitor by saying, "You want to bang me, right?") This misconception is an amusing reminder of how no one could convince director Sergio Leone that the phrase "Duck you sucker!" was not a common part of the American vernacular. He was so convinced that it was that he titled one of his most prominent films with this bizarre phrase. This latest Schoolgirl entry (pardon the pun) has relatively rich production values in that there are an abundance of sequences shot in actual locations as opposed to bedrooms. An enjoyable aspect of the movie is that it allows the viewer to relive the 1970s for better or worse. We see young people's bedrooms adorned with posters from Easy Rider. There are tacky fashions, high school girls with hairy armpits and the kind of grainy cinematography that was a mainstay of the era. 

The movie is definitely a guilty pleasure but it's  painless and largely inoffensive to watch- and it does boast some genuinely erotic moments.  

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By Lee Pfeiffer 

After decades of languishing in relative obscurity, the 1966 Italian Western The Big Gundown seems to be all the rage this year with both Grindhouse Releasing and Explosive Media's special collector's editions of the Sergio Leone-inspired film that starred Lee Van Cleef and Tomas Milian. This review deals with the Grindhouse release (the Explosive Media special edition is primarily being marketed to European viewers.) Grindhouse, which was co-founded by the late Sage Stallone and Oscar-winning editor Bob Murawski (The Hurt Locker), is dedicated to preserving films that have built a cult following or have suffered from lack of mainstream exposure. Consequently, the company has built up a loyal following of grateful retro cinema fans. After a two-year hiatus following Stallone's untimely death in 2012 at age 36, Murawski is carrying the torch and has recently resumed releasing some very interesting titles on Blu-ray. The Big Gundown has generally been acclaimed as the best of the non-Leone Italian Westerns. In fact, it's so good in comparison to the often awful other films in this genre, that it was said Leone himself was somewhat jealous of the movie's success. One reason for Leone's bitterness may have been that the movie starred Lee Van Cleef, whose career he had saved through the starring roles afforded him in For a Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Gundown was shot after the former film and before the latter, but not released in the USA until after The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The delay only enhanced the film's appeal to American audiences, as GBU had proven to be a boxoffice smash and had made Van Cleef a household name. The movie was directed by Sergio Sollima who co-wrote the script with Sergio Donati, a collaborator of Leone's. The story concerns a bounty hunter named Corbett (Van Cleef) who is hired to track down and kill a Mexican peasant named Sanchez (Tomas Milian) who allegedly raped and killed a 12 year-old girl. Corbett is pressured into taking the job by Brokston (Walter Barnes), a rich and influential rancher who convinces Corbett that slaying Sanchez would pave the way for a successful political career. Corbett realizes that Brokston simply wants a crony in the state house to do his bidding, but nevertheless agrees to take the assignment. Tracking down Sanchez proves to be more difficult than he anticipated. The charismatic and self-reliant wanted man engages Corbett in a cat-and-mouse chase across the countryside, narrowly avoiding capture at several points. When Corbett does manage to get the drop on him, Sanchez manages to outwit his captor and escape. When he is finally cornered, Brokston and a small army of men turn up to ensure that Sanchez is executed- but Corbett reveals some startling information that leads to unexpected and violent developments. 

Director Sollima presents a visually arresting film with an intelligent script, better dubbing than most Italian Westerns of this period and fine performances with Van Cleef and Milian playing well against each other in the manner that Van Cleef and Clint Eastwood did in their collaborations with Sergio Leone. The film is enhanced by yet another great musical score by Ennio Morricone, who composed the music for so many films of this period that he must have perfected a way of doing so in his sleep. The production rises above other films of this genre and if the movie never quite reaches the level of Leone's work, it can certainly be compared favorably. I would rank it, along with The Five Man Army, as the best non-Leone work to be found among the European Westerns. Sadly, when the film was released by Columbia in the USA, studio executives butchered the original cut. Some of this was to do with pacing and emphasizing action over dialogue-heavy scenes. There was also concern that Sollima's penchant for heavy-handed left wing political analogies to contemporary society. In any event, the result was that there have been numerous hybrid bootleg versions of The Big Gundown circulating for many years. 

The Grindhouse release is superb on every level beginning with a stunningly beautiful transfer that presents the film in a nearly flawless state. The Blu-ray special edition affords Citizen Kane-like analysis and presentation to the film. The mammoth 4 disc collector's edition would require an entire day of binge viewing in order to properly appreciate all the variations of the film that are presented here. In fact, it would be too confusing to attempt to explain all the nuances in this space. However, here is a sample of the highlights:

• Blu-ray presentation of the original uncensored English language edition of the film that includes three scenes which were originally edited out.
• Blu-ray of Sollima's original director's cut under its original title, La resa dei conti
• DVD of a 95 minute "expanded U.S. cut"
• Bonus CD of Ennio Morricone's original soundtrack recording of the score.
• A fascinating selection of in-depth interviews including Sergio Sollima and Tomas Milian, both of whom provide very interesting perspectives on the film and their careers in general. The Milian interview, shot last year, makes it clear that this is a man who has attained great respect in the international film industry, as illustrated by clips from some of his other major movies including the Oscar-winning Traffic. Milian tells very amusing stories about working in the Italian cinema during its glory days and mingling with the likes of Fellini and other major forces in the industry. There are also interviews with Sergio Donati who regards Sollima with affection even though he says they eventually had a feud that led to them parting ways professionally. Donati also discusses his relationship with Sergio Leone and why the famed director had resentment toward The Big Gundown. 
• There is also a wide variety of original trailers and TV spots plus a major selection of original production stills and international advertising materials. If you're as big of a geek for this type of material as I am, you'll be most grateful for its inclusion.
• There is a also a feature length commentary by film historians C. Courtney Joyner and Henry C. Parke, both of whom do yeoman work on describing interesting insights into the making of the film and the the personalities involved. The only drawback is that neither man introduces himself at the beginning of the commentary track so it becomes a bit confusing as to who you are listening to.
• Joyner also provides excellent liner notes in the accompanying collector's booklet in which he comprehensibly lays out the differences in the various versions of the film. The booklet also contains an essay on Morricone's score by Gergely Hubai.

In summary, Grindhouse Releasing has outdone itself with this presentation of a very esteemed cult  Western. For my money, its the best independent video release of 2013.  

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Acorn 

Silver Spring, MD; December 19, 2013 — After a highly competitive bidding process, Fox has acquired film rights to the iconic mystery novel “Murder on the Orient Express” from Acorn Productions Ltd/Agatha Christie Ltd, the UK based rights holding production arm of RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE). With more than two billion books sold, Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time, and “Murder on the Orient Express” is one of her most popular novels. The 1934 novel features her internationally renowned detective, Hercule Poirot, investigating a murder on the Orient Express.

Though no decision on writers or casting have been confirmed yet, Ridley Scott (Black Hawk Down, Gladiator), Mark Gordon (Saving Private Ryan) and Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class, Sherlock Holmes) will be producing the film.

Miguel Penella, CEO of RLJ Entertainment, said, “Since acquiring a majority share of Agatha Christie’s literary estate in February 2012, we have worked closely with Mathew Prichard, Agatha’s grandson, to find the right studio and filmmakers to grow the Christie brand. We are excited to be working with Fox as well as Ridley Scott, Mark Gordon and Simon Kinberg to produce a new, star-studded adaptation of one of the most well-known mystery novels of all time.”

Founded by Robert L. Johnson, RLJ Entertainment owns a 64% share in Agatha Christie Ltd, which manages Christie’s extensive literary works including more than 80 novels and short story collections, 19 plays, a film library of nearly 40 TV films, and iconic characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Agatha Christie’s grandson, Mathew Prichard, is Chairman of Agatha Christie Ltd.

“Murder on the Orient Express” was previously made into a 1974 film directed by Sidney Lumet. The film received six Oscar nominations, including best actor for Albert Finney as Poirot, and winning best supporting actress for Ingrid Bergman. The all-star cast of suspects also featured Lauren Bacall, Jacqueline Bisset, Colin Blakely, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave and Michael York.

Additionally, David Suchet portrayed the popular Belgian detective in all 70 television adaptations of Christie’s Poirot stories, including “Murder on the Orient Express” in 2010. The final five Poirot television mysteries aired in the U.K. in 2013 and will debut in the U.S. in 2014. In Sept. 2013, Agatha Christie Ltd and RLJ Entertainment announced the first fully-authorized new Agatha Christie novel to be released in September 2014. Bestselling author Sophie Hannah is writing the novel featuring Hercule Poirot.

Hilary Strong, Managing Director of Acorn Productions, and WME negotiated the deal for RLJ Entertainment.

The Library of Congress continues its tradition of adding 25 films a year to the National Film Registry. In addition to being preserved by the Library, the status ensures that the films cannot be edited for television viewing. This year's list is typically eclectic, with titles released in the silent era through 2012. Among the more iconic titles on the list are Pulp Fiction, Mary Poppins, The Quiet Man and The Magnificent Seven. For the entire list click here

By Howard Hughes

(The following review pertains to the UK release of the film on Region B format)  

Simple Acts of Annihilation

Dario Argento is the most famous Italian horror director to be associated with the ‘giallo’ style murder mystery films that emerged from Italy during the 1970s and early 1980s. The films were notable for their point-of-view camerawork, their unsettling atmospherics and nerve-jangling, claustrophobic scenes of terror. Argento is one of those directors you either love or hate, and his work has often been accused of being a case of style over content. His detractors cite his implausible plots, illogical loopholes, deafening soundtracks, overacting casts and over reliance on stylistic flourishes that float his slim narratives. His films are just too contrived and stylised, too gimmicky, to succeed. By contrast, Argento’s fans love his implausible plots, illogical loopholes, deafening soundtracks, overacting casts and an over reliance on stylistic flourishes. Argento’s colour cinematography is exquisite, with visual effects achieved via ingenious angles, complicated set-ups, wire-guided cameras, vivid lighting, garish colour schemes and seemingly impossible cinematic arabesques, to present moments of extreme shock and overtly choreographed violence, often unflinchingly in close-up.

Argento virtually invented ‘gialli’ with his impressive directorial debut. The murder mystery ‘The Bird With the Crystal Plumage’ (1970) benefited from Vittorio Storaro’s widescreen images in Cromoscope, Ennio Morricone’s spine-tingling score and a collection of good performances – Tony Musante and Suzy Kendall as the amateur sleuths, Eva Renzi as the gallery murder victim, Mario Adorf as a anchorite painter and Enrico Maria Salerno as the police investigator. Argento continued in a similar vein with ‘The Cat ‘o Nine Tails’ (1971) and ‘Four Flies on Grey Velvet’ (1971) – the three films became known as his ‘Animal Trilogy’ and all were scored by Morricone. Argento’s 1970s psychological thrillers reached their zenith with ‘Deep Red’ (1975), which had David Hemmings’ jazz pianist puzzling his way through a twisted whodunit. Argento then explored the supernatural with the first of his ‘Three Mothers’ trilogy, ‘Suspiria’, released in 1977. This gory cataclysm of witchery and murder remains his biggest success and finest achievement, a tour de gore. Argento has only grasped at this magnificent malfeasance occasionally since, which has left his fans expectant and frustrated in equal measure.

‘Tenebrae’ (1982) is one of Argento’s better post-‘Suspiria’ films and certainly holds its own within the ‘giallo’ canon. Written and directed by Argento, it begins with New York horror fiction writer Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa) arriving in Rome on a promotional tour for his new bestseller, a novel called ‘Tenebrae’ (which is Latin for ‘shadows’ or ‘darkness’). Pretty soon Neal finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation. Captain Germani (Giuliano Gemma) is seeking the killer of serial shoplifter Elsa Manni (Ania Pieroni), who was murdered with a cutthroat razor and is found with pages from Neal’s novel stuffed in her mouth – a modus operandi deployed in the novel itself. Asks bemused Neal of the inspector: ‘If someone is killed with a Smith & Wesson revolver, do you go and interview the president of Smith & Wesson?’ The killings continue. Tilde (Mirella D’Angelo), a journalist who is critical of Neal’s ‘sexist bullshit’ horror stories, and her on-off lover Marion (Mirella Banti) are slain in their apartment block with a razor, again in imitation of Neal’s horror fiction. Tilde’s criticism of Neal’s books parallels the charges occasionally levelled at Argento himself, as beautiful victims die beautiful deaths in the name of Argento’s artful darkness. The prime suspect in the ‘Tenebrae’ case is Cristiano Berti (John Steiner) a daytime TV book reviewer for Channel One, who is also Neal’s superfan. When an axe is planted firmly in Cristiano’s skull, he drops off the ‘wanted’ list. John Saxon played Neal’s literary agent Bulmer, Daria Nicolodi (from ‘Deep Red’) was Neal’s PA Anne, film director Enzo G. Castellari’s brother Enio Girolami appeared briefly as a store detective and Veronica Lario was Neal’s estranged, slightly unbalanced wife Jane McKarrow. Captain Germani tells Neal that he guessed the killer’s identity in the novel by page 30, but he’s not so quick on the real case. In the end, with the police stumped, Neal himself turns detective – as did Musante and Hemmings – to track down the ‘Peter Neal Tribute Act’ who is leaving a trail of corpses littering Rome.

Neal’s book is modestly described by an advert in a Rome bookstore as ‘Il giallo dell’anno, forse del deccennio’ – ‘The giallo of the year, perhaps the decade’ – and the film isn’t bad either. ‘Tenebrae’ gives Argento’s fans exactly what they want. With its gratuitous bloodletting and stylised choreography of murder, this is over-the-top, comic-book Argento, a partial return to ‘realism’ after the phantasms of ‘Suspiria’ and ‘Inferno’. The production’s backroom staff was of an excellent calibre. Horror directors Lamberto Bava and Mario Soavi were the film’s assistant directors, and the murders, involving razor, knife and axe, were staged imaginatively by Giovanni Corridor. ‘Tenebrae’ was photographed by Luciano Tovoli in Technicolor and 1.85:1 screen ratio (rather than Argento’s earlier preferred format of 2.25:1 widescreen). Some of the cinematography – pills resting on a glass tabletop, or water rinsing blood from an open razor blade – is starling in its clarity. In a terrifying sequence, a woman Maria (Lara Wendel) is chased through a park by a guard dog and inadvertently bumbles into the killer’s basement lair. Before Tilde and Marion are murdered, Argento’s camera glides up the outside of their apartment building, peeping through windows, then sweeps up over the slate roof and swoops down to the block’s stair landing, in an intricate camera take that seems inspired by Sergio Leone’s gliding Chapman crane shot at Flagstone City railway station in ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ (1968), a film Argento worked on with Leone during the treatment stage. Another victim is stabbed in broad daylight in a busy municipal square and ultra-weird flashbacks from the killer’s traumatic past depict the murder of a woman (played by transsexual ‘Eva Robins’/Roberto Coatti) who is wearing a white dress and bright red high heels. The film’s pulsating synthesizer fugues – the pumping adrenalin of the killer or the fearful, fleeing victims – were provided by Claudio Simonetti, Massimo Morante and Fabio Pignatelli, who as members of the band Goblin had such success with the soundtracks for ‘Deep Red’ and ‘Suspiria’. The film’s murders are graphically staged with zeal – the movie ran into trouble on its first release, being prosecuted as a ‘Video Nasty’ in the UK and appearing in the US in truncated form as ‘Unsane’, shorn of 10 minutes. The killings are very gory – seemingly even more so in this pristine blu-ray edition – and the house of horrors bloodbath that climaxes the film offers plenty of the red stuff and some good shocks.

Arrow Film’s new steelbook edition of ‘Tenebrae’ is the most comprehensive and impressive edition yet released. There are various prints of the film out there on DVD. One has the onscreen title as TENEBRAE and the credits and the ‘Tenebrae’ page extracts in English. Arrow’s print (running time: 1:40:53) has the onscreen title TENEBRE and the credits and pages in Italian text. I’ve never been mad about ‘Tenebrae’, but this Blu-ray release has made me re-evaluate the film as one of Argento’s superior gialli – certainly in visual terms. The colours are bold and tremendous, the cinematography in moments as delicious as anything in ‘Suspiria’ or ‘Inferno’. Those red heels have never looked so, erm, red. The feature itself is blu-ray Region B and DVD Region 2, and as well as the English language dub it is available to play with Italian audio and English subtitles. It was shot in English and Franciosa, Saxon, Steiner and Gemma voiced themselves in the English version. A wealth of extras include a collectors’ booklet with writing from Alan Jones and Peter Strickland, and an interview with cinematographer Luciano Tovoli. Copious disk extras include two audio commentaries (one by Alan Jones and Kim Newman, another by Thomas Rostock), interviews with co-star Daria Nicolodi, composer Claudio Simonetti, and author Maitland McDonagh (‘Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento’). There’s also 16 minutes of Simonetti’s band Goblin performing tracks from ‘Tenebrae’ and ‘Phenomena’ in person at a gig at Glasgow Arches. All in, this is a definitive release of what is a strong contender for Argento’s finest 1980s movie.

The steelbook edition of ‘Tenebrae’ is available now from Arrow Films.

Click here to order: http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk/tenebrae-steelbook/

Howard Hughes is the author of ‘Cinema Italiano: The Complete Guide from Classics to Cult’. 

We've plugged this release before, but if you are really stuck for a last minute holiday gift, forget those plans to get the guy in your life one of those neckties that lights up and says "Let me kiss you in the dark, baby!" Instead, go for the Dark Knight Ultimate Collector's Edition, which was recently released by Warner Home Video. It's one of those hernia-inducing boxed sets that is packed with goodies including:

• Blu-ray editions  and Ultra Violet access to all three Batman flicks directed by Christopher Nolan: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises
• A special bonus disc that includes "the complete IMAX sequences from The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises" that allows you to view these scenes in their original aspect ratios; a fascinating conversation between Christopher Nolan and veteran director Richard Donner about the challenges of revitalizing the Batman legend, a new documentary titled The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of the Dark Knight Trilogy.
• Nobody does boxed set collectibles better than Warners and this set is no exception. You get a souvenir program of images from the films, a set of separately packaged villain art prints, a letter from Christopher Nolan and even some toy replicas of three vehicles.

Each boxed set is individually numbered and the release is limited to 141,500 units. Grab it while you can. To the Bat poles!

Click here to order from Amazon and save $25 

By Lee Pfeiffer 

Maverick actor and filmmaker Tom Laughlin has died at the age of 82 after a long illness. Laughlin was just another hunky actor in small roles in films like South Pacific and Tea and Sympathy. However, in 1967 he successfully rode the wave of popularity attached to biker flicks by writing, directing and starring in The Born Losers. (He used the named T.C Frank for his non-acting credits). The film starred Laughlin as a half-Native American named Billy Jack who takes on seemingly insurmountable odds to help oppressed people. The film was a hit and Laughlin revived the character in 1971 in the film Billy Jack. However, he was angry with Warner Brothers' lukewarm marketing of the film. He engaged in a high profile battle to win back distribution rights and finally prevailed in court. In 1974 Laughlin took the bold step of investing millions of dollars in re-marketing a movie that had not been a major success. This time, however, he used an innovative distribution method called "four walling" which centered on renting a wide number of theaters across the country and keeping all of the boxoffice revenues. Laughlin's plan worked so well that it permanently changed distribution patterns of major films which had once been centered on the premise of rolling out releases in slow, methodical manner. Suddenly "wide" releases became the norm and the strategy helped make Jaws the top boxoffice attraction of all time. Laughlin repeated his success with The Trial of Billy Jack in 1974. Critics scoffed at the script's ham-handed embracing of left wing political causes but the public responded especially in the immediate aftermath of the Watergate crisis that saw President Richard Nixon resigning from office shortly before the film was released. Laughlin found that the third time was not the charm, however, and his third film in the series, Billy Jack Goes to Washington (a remake of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) barely saw release in 1977. A high profile Western, The Master Gunfighter, released in 1975, was also deemed a boxoffice disappointment.  

Laughlin's obsession with political activism alienated him from many in the Hollywood community. Unlike John Wayne and Jane Fonda, who successfully weathered criticisms of their high profile political pronouncements, Laughlin seemed to irk the people in power. Laughlin never ceased in expressing his distrust for whoever was irunning the show in Washington. At various times he was seen as a radicial leftist but at other times he seemed to extol beliefs of the right wing fringe movement. In short, he annoyed both sides. By having taken on the studio system, he was deemed toxic by the big money people in the industry. Working with his wife and co-star Delores, he tried repeatedly to get other film projects off the ground without success. He made three quixotic attempts to run for President as a Republican but was ignored by the party establishment. Nevertheless, in death, Laughlin is finally getting the credit he was often denied in life for reinvigorating the motion picture distribution business. For more click here  . For comments from Laughlin's daughter click here

Joan Fontaine, who won the Best Actress Oscar for Alfred Hitchcock's 1941 classic Suspicion, has died in her California home at age 96. Fontaine began her film career playing attractive but nondescript characters until Hitchcock cast her as the female lead in his 1940 film version of the bestseller Rebecca opposite Laurence Olivier. The film earned her an Oscar nomination and elevated her to one of Hollywood's most in-demand actresses. In 1943 she received a third and final Oscar nomination for The Constant Nymph. Fontaine also won rave notices in the film version of the Gothic novel Jane Eyre, starring opposite Orson Welles. In both films she played an innocent woman whose husband is harboring a shocking secret that is unveiled within the walls of a stately but foreboding country manor. Fontaine's other major films include Ivanhoe, The Emperor Waltz, Kiss the Blood Off My Hands, This Above All, The Women, Gunga Din, Casanova's Big Night, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Tender is the Night. She retired from feature films in the 1960s after being offended by being asked to play Elvis Presley's mother. However, Fontaine did continue to appear in TV shows for another twenty years. These included Ryan's Hope, Hotel and The Love Boat. Fontaine was the sister of fellow Oscar winner Olivia De Havilland but the two sisters engaged in an on-going feud that extended back to their childhood years. For more click here 

O'TOOLE

Acclaimed actor Peter O'Toole, star of stage and classic cinema, has passed away in a London hospital after a long illness. He was 81 years old. O'Toole shot to international prominence when director David Lean cast the largely unknown actor in the title role of his 1962 masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia. O'Toole proved he was not to be a "one hit wonder", earning 8 Oscar nominations throughout his career, though he was frustrated at not winning the award in a competitive category. In 2003 he accepted the Academy's consolation honor: a lifetime achievement Oscar. O'Toole, Irish at birth, benefited from the explosive emergence of young method actors in the British film industry of the 1960s. His drinking exploits with friends like Richard Burton and Richard Harris were the stuff of legend and were chronicled in Robert Sellers' best selling book Hellraisers. O'Toole's career was not comprised of all hits. He went through dry spells as early as 1965 with the failure of his big budget adventure film Lord Jim and the flop 1969 musical version of Goodbye, Mr. Chips followed by another ill-advised venture into the musical format with the 1972 film of Man of La Mancha. . Yet, he would always surprise critics and audiences with an unexpectedly inspired performance in films that were often somewhat mundane. Among his most memorable cinematic achivements: Becket, My Favorite Year, The Lion in Winter, The Stunt Man, How to Steal a Million and What's New Pussycat?  Fiercely private and disdainful of publicity and interviews, O'Toole generally proved to be quite charming when he would let his guard down. Although he said he had retired from the film industry, he was coaxed out of retirement for a historical film that is awaiting release.- Lee Pfeiffer For more click here

If you love director Richard Brooks' slam-bang 1966 Western The Professionals as much as we do, you should click here to gaze at some great international posters from the film that starred Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Claudia Cardinale (at her hottest!), Jack Palance, Woody Strode and Ralph Bellamy. It's part of Steve Thompson's blog celebrating his favorite year: 1966, and what baby boomer could argue with him? 

By Ernie Magnotta

Over the years, Friday the 13^th has been called many things. Upon its release in May of 1980, critics who reviewed the low budget, independent wonder called it everything from a blatant Halloween clone (which director Sean Cunningham never denied it was) to an overly violent dead teenager movie made with no apparent talent or intelligence.

Gene Siskel was so outraged by the film that he called Cunningham “one of the most despicable creatures ever to infest the movie business.” Siskel even went so far as to publish the home address of actress Betsy Palmer (who gives a magnificent performance in the film) and he encouraged fans to write to her and express their disappointment in her taking a role in such a ghastly film.

Why did this creepy little horror film strike such a negative chord in critics all over the country? To answer that question, we must go back to 1978. The Alfred Hitchcock/Italian giallo-inspired Halloween was released that year and was not only loved by the movie-going public, but the near perfect film was universally praised by critics including Roger Ebert, who rightfully called it “A film so terrifying that I would compare it to Psycho.”

Critics and audiences alike were in awe of the way director John Carpenter masterfully built suspense and the amazing film became an instant classic as well as a box office phenomenon.

Fast forward to 1980; Director Sean Cunningham decides to make a horror film and very wisely comes up with the idea to combine two of the most current and successful scary movies: Halloween and George A. Romero’s classic 1979 zombie epic, Dawn of the Dead.

Cunningham would use Halloween’s structure (he would also borrow from Mario Bava’s groundbreaking 1971 giallo film, A Bay of Blood aka Twitch of the Death Nerve) while adding Dawn’s amazingly graphic and realistic gore effects. He would even engage the talents of the man responsible for Dawn’s innovative gore, special FX maestro Tom Savini.

This is primarily what outraged critics of the time. In their eyes, Cunningham could not match Carpenter in masterfully building terror and suspense (and there is much truth to that), so, instead, the filmmaker would rely solely on realistic and bloody effects in order to scare his target audience. The film was also accused of equating sex/drugs/alcohol with death as well as being both misogynistic and illogical.

Now, I’ll be the first to say that when it comes to the art of filmmaking, Friday the 13^th cannot hold a candle to Halloween, but I refuse to agree with anyone who calls Friday worthless, misogynistic and illogical junk whose only talent can be found in its gore content.

Yes, the blood flows and Savini’s effects are still as astonishing now as they were 33 years ago, but the entertaining film works for many other reasons which I’ll list right now.

First of all, just like Halloween, the film has a documentary-like feel to it. Cunningham simply shows us a likeable group of teenage counselors (one of whom is a young Kevin Bacon) who are hard at work fixing up Camp Crystal Lake a few weeks before the noisy children are due to arrive. The characters have no Hollywood-esque dramatic motivations or conflicts. They are just a very normal, happy and realistic group going about their daily business. As viewers, we almost feel as if we’re eavesdropping on their lives.

This technique is greatly aided by the more than competent writing of Victor Miller who wisely avoids stereotypes such as “the jock” or “the bitch” and creates a pleasant group of normal and realistic kids. The wonderfully natural acting of the kids themselves also helps. We like this group and when the killer’s POV shots interrupt these normal, quiet scenes, it really has an impact.

Next up is Sean Cunningham’s directorial style. (For those who have said this film is little more than a gore-fest, listen up.) Cunningham uses tried and true techniques such as showing us early on the horror that the killer is capable of, then showing us exactly where the killer is and, finally, having his likeable characters enter the killer’s space one at a time. Naturally, this technique produces a fair amount of tension, suspense and scares.

I won’t reveal the killer’s identity, but I will say that it’s not our hockey masked pal, Jason. (Jason’s reign of terror begins in part 2 and he doesn’t don his iconic mask until part 3.) However, once you know who the killer is and learn the motivation behind the murders, you will be petrified by the killer’s terrifying personality. Not only that, but upon repeat viewings of the quieter, early scenes, knowledge of the killer’s personality creates even more eerie, goose bump-like scares.

Cunningham also creates a nice moody atmosphere by having half of the film take place during a nighttime thunderstorm. Combine that with the quiet, isolated camp location and a moving POV camera which suggests a creepy, violent and vengeful presence always lurking nearby and you have not only a very scary little film, but a real feeling of almost inescapable doom.

I can’t go on about the film’s scare factor without mentioning the frightening musical score by the great Harry Manfredini. His instantly recognizable “ki ki ki, ma ma ma” has become a part of horror music history and now stands tall alongside other immortal horror themes such as Bernard Hermann’s magnificent score for Psycho, John Williams’ often imitated, but never duplicated score for Jaws and John Carpenter’s iconic and terrifying Halloween theme.

Last, but certainly not least, is the final scare of the film. Without giving away too much, I have to say that it is one of the most shocking and unexpected scares in horror movie history and second only to the brilliant ending of Brian De Palma’s Carrie (1976). It’s a magnificently crafted scene that can be credited to Sean Cunningham’s solid direction, Victor Miller’s imaginative writing, Adrienne King’s subtle and naturalistic acting, Tom Savini’s magnificent makeup work and Harry Manfredini’s frightening music all working as one to give audiences the fright of their lives.

Australian release poster.

And that’s just the final scene. All those elements work together throughout the entire film and help to create a fun, scary rollercoaster ride. The gore effects work more as a punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. It usually caps off a tense and frightening scene. It is not the only technique at work here. As a matter of fact, take the very minimal amount of gore out of the film and you still have an extremely eerie, claustrophobic and terrifying film.

As far as being misogynistic, equating sex/alcohol/drugs with death and being illogical goes, critics couldn’t have been more off base.

Let’s start with misogyny. First of all, there is an equal amount of male and female deaths, and Kevin Bacon’s death is probably the best and most graphic death scene in the film. Second of all, and don’t read this if you haven’t seen the film, the killer is female. So, if the filmmakers hated women, the killer would’ve been a man. Saying that this film hates women is ridiculous.

Next up is the idea that the kids were punished by death for engaging in sex, drinking and smoking pot. Well, if that were the case, then why does the final girl survive? Midway through the film she indulges in both beer and marijuana. It is also revealed that she was in a relationship with the head of the camp and, although it isn’t shown that they had sex, the dialogue strongly suggests it. Much like Halloween (the female survivor of that film also smokes pot and clearly wants to be in a relationship with a boy), this idea of sex/drugs/alcohol being punishable by violent death is not a part of Friday the 13^th, but would be misinterpreted by future slasher filmmakers thereby beginning that slasher “rule.”

Lastly is the ridiculous idea that all of the characters in this film do completely illogical things before getting killed. This never happens. First of all, the characters are silently killed off one by one in a Ten Little Indians manner. The remaining characters have no idea that there is a killer among them, so it makes sense that they would go about their business as if everything is normal. Also, once the last two characters sense that something is wrong, they both do completely logical things. Unfortunately, they are thwarted by the intelligent killer who is always one step ahead of them.

For example, when they can’t find anyone, they try to call for help, but, unbeknownst to them, the line has been cut. (They believe that it’s just out of order due to the storm.) Next, they find a bloody axe in one of the cabins and immediately decide to leave, but their car has been sabotaged. Their last idea is to just hike the ten miles to civilization and get help, but it’s pitch black outside and a thunderstorm is raging.

With the exception of the heroine knocking out the killer a few times and then either not continuing to pummel her or throwing the weapon aside, the characters all act logically/intelligently in every situation, but still get killed which is one of the reasons why the film is so scary.

So, is it a masterful piece of cinema like Halloween or Psycho? Certainly not. However, it’s far from worthless junk and it totally works without the effects which, by the way, take up less than sixty seconds of the film’s 95 minute running time. At the time, those amazing gore effects were the only things that were new in this type of film, so that’s what critics mainly became fixated on. Unfortunately, they missed much of the wonderful craftsmanship that went into the rest of the film.

Friday the 13^th may be a dead teenager movie, but it’s one of the best of its type. While not in the same league as its predecessors, it’s a much better film than it’s been given credit for. It’s also an important film in that, along with Halloween, it created a very successful subgenre/formula of the horror film and, due to being released by Paramount Pictures and becoming a huge financial success, it gave up and coming filmmakers a chance to break into the Hollywood system by producing their own low budget slasher films which utilized the same structure and similar techniques.

To date, the film has spawned ten sequels, one remake, countless imitations and the character of Jason has become an icon of fright. Entire books have been written about the series and at least one book was wholly devoted to the groundbreaking first film. There have also been Friday the 13^th comic books, novelizations, video games, action figures and conventions. Not bad for a little movie that has been wrongfully dismissed as an illogical, misogynistic, incompetent spectacle of gore.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER ON BLU-RAY FROM AMAZON

Actress Eleanor Parker has died at age 91. She was best known for playing the Baroness who was engaged to Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) in the classic 1965 film version of The Sound of Music. Upon hearing of her death, Plummer released this statement:  "Eleanor Parker was and is one of the most beautiful ladies I have ever known, both as a person and as a beauty. I hardly believe the sad news for I was sure she was enchanted and would live forever." Parker had been nominated for three Academy Awards but it was her role as the Baroness for which she is best-remembered, as the rich woman who loses the love of Captain Von Trapp to Maria (Julie Andrews). Parker's other key films include Of Human Bondage, The Man With the Golden Arm, The Naked Jungle, Caged and Detective Story. For more on her life and career, click here. 

Cinema Retro has released the following press release. (Please note: this American release of The Big Gundown is entirely different from the European special edition released by Explosive Media that we reported on recently).

LOS ANGELES - Grindhouse Releasing is proud to present the first-ever U.S. home video release of the greatest Spaghetti Western you’ve never seen: Sergio Sollima’s widescreen epic THE BIG GUNDOWN! 

Starring the legendary Lee Van Cleef as a relentless bounty hunter on the trail of Cuchillo (Eurofilm superstar Tomas Milian), a savage Mexican outlaw accused of the rape and murder of a twelve-year-old girl, this release contains fifteen additional minutes of gunslinging action never before seen in America.

THE BIG GUNDOWN is one of the most highly acclaimed and long sought-after films in the spaghetti western genre, hailed by critics for its stunning cinematography, the amazing performances of Lee Van Cleef (following his iconic role in THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY) and Tomas Milian, the classic Ennio Morricone music (recently used by Quentin Tarantino in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS), and the riveting direction of Sergio Sollima.

The 4-disc deluxe Blu-ray/DVD edition of THE BIG GUNDOWN, including a bonus Blu-ray of the uncensored director’s cut and a bonus CD of Ennio Morricone’s classic soundtrack, arrives in stores December 10, 2013.

Click here to order THE BIG GUNDOWN now on Amazon.com

Watch the trailer on the Grindhouse Releasing YouTube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ_CN7ECekQ

Special features are as follows:

- Spectacular new 2K digital restoration of the uncensored English-language version NEWLY EXPANDED WITH THREE ADDITIONAL SCENES!

- BONUS Blu-ray disc – LA RESA DEI CONTI - the complete, 110-minute director’s cut presented in Italian with optional English subtitles and special musical subtitles.

(This unrated, extended edition contains material different than the R-rated version.)

- BONUS CD – THE BIG GUNDOWN original soundtrack by Ennio Morricone

- Exclusive, in-depth interviews with director Sergio Sollima, actor Tomas Milian and screenwriter Sergio Donati

- Audio commentary by Western film experts C. Courtney Joyner and Henry C. Parke

- 24-page booklet featuring liner notes by C. Courtney Joyner and Euro-music expert Gergely Hubai

- Extensive still galleries, trailers, and TV spots… AND OTHER SURPRISES!

“The best non Sergio Leone spaghetti western…boasting stylish widescreen photography and a great Ennio Morricone score.” – Leonard Maltin

“Hardly a man is left alive in this bloody, gutsy and fantastically suspenseful action thriller…plus blood, filth and every variety of violence.” – Reed Porter, The LA Citizen News

“Unfolds in hard, unrelenting style. THE BIG GUNDOWN explodes with violence and sadism. “ – Manuel Herbtsman, Film and TV Daily

“This is one of the best non-Leone westerns. The ‘hunt in the cane field’ is among the greatest ten minutes ever put on film.” – Thomas Weisser

For updates on our home video releases and theatrical screenings, visit www.GrindhouseReleasing.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grindhouse-Releasing/125392227536411

Twitter: www.twitter.com/grindhousefilm

David McCallum with event host Bruce Crawford. (Photo: Steve Gray)

By Jon Heitland

On any list of the best films based on World War II, The Great Escape, directed by John Sturges and based on the novel by Paul Brickhill, will always rank near the top. The compelling story of a group of British and American prisoners of war and how they outwitted their Nazi captors observes its 50^th anniversary this year, and actor David McCallum, who plays Ashley-Pitt in the film, travelled to Omaha, Nebraska on November 9, 2013, to help celebrate the classic film. Proceeds went to the Nebraska Kidney Foundation, which was why McCallum took time from his busy television schedule to make an appearance. The evening event centered around a showing of the film at the large, concert-style theater at the prestigious Joslyn Museum, to an enthusiastic, full house crowd of 1000.

The Great Escape 50 year retrospective was another in a long running series of film tributes organized by Omaha film historian and documentary producer Bruce Crawford, who, since 1992, has produced similar events for other classic films, with major sponsorship from Jerry and Patti Gress. Crawford is a lifelong lover of cinema, and his retrospectives include appearances by the film’s stars or director to share their recollections with an appreciative audience. Crawford has also produced two radio documentaries on classic film composers, including Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, Psycho, Taxi Driver, The Day The Earth Stood Still, Vertigo, North By Northwest, etc.) and Miklos Rozsa (El Cid, Quo-Vadis, Julius Caesar, King of Kings, and Ben-Hur).

His past film retrospectives have included a tribute to special effects legend, Ray Harryhausen, with screenings of Mysterious Island, and Jason and the Argonauts in 1992; a 35th anniversary screening of Ben-Hur with director William Wyler's family as special guests in 1993; and The Longest Day, with director Ken Annakin and the family of producer Darryl F. Zanuck in 1994. In subsequent years he honored Alfred Hitchcock with a showing of Psycho, with Janet Leigh and her daughter Kelly as honored guests; Gone With The Wind with Ann Rutherford; and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, with Frank Capra, Jr.

For The Great Escape event, local World War II re-enactors appeared in uniform along with a local modeling club’s display of vintage model planes from the era, along with a model of a prisoner of war camp. Attendees particularly enjoyed a motorcycle identical to that ridden by Steve McQueen in the film when he tries to jump a barbed wire fence to elude German soldiers. A United States Postal Service commemorative envelope for the 50^th anniversary of The Great Escape was also unveiled, featuring scenes from the film involving both McCallum and Steve McQueen.

Commemorative envelop by the artist Nicolosi.

In introducing the film, McCallum recalled how he got the acting “bug” at a young age: “My life as an actor started when I was about 10 years old. I did a scene from King John, from Shakespeare, as a very small prince in the tower, and there this jailer with a red hot poker is about to put out his eye, and he pleaded for his life. I did this in a very small theater in a church, and at the end I got a standing ovation. The scene got a standing ovation, but I assumed it was for me. At that moment I realized I had come home, I had found the place where I was going to be for the rest of my life.”

Memorabilia display (Photo: Jon Heitland)

McCallum, a native Scot, was the son of professional classical musicians, his father David, Sr., first violinist for the London Philharmonic, his mother Dorothy a cellist. Young David took up the oboe at age eight, and attended the Royal Academy of Music for a time, but he left school at age 15 to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for two years to become an actor. He then went into repertory theater, but that was interrupted when he was conscripted into the National Service. McCallum recalled “I became second in command of C company, Third Battalion of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force.” McCallum noted with pride this unit distinguished itself earlier in World War II because of the enemy lines of communication it captured, adding “I mention this because the wonderful thing about being in the British army is you learn how to put the uniform on, how to march, how to salute, and that all came in very useful later on, on several occasions, The Great Escape being one of them.”

(Photo: Steve Gray)

After leaving the army, McCallum did a lot of television in Great Britain, with an occasional movie role in such films as The Long, The Short And The Tall, with Laurence Harvey; Billy Budd, directed by Peter Ustinov; and Freud with Montgomery Clift, directed by John Huston. It was while filming Freud that McCallum met director John Sturges, who would remember him later when casting The Great Escape. Sturges had directed Bad Day At Black Rock, in 1955, one of McCallum’s favorite films. Sturges had also directed the iconic western The Magnificent Seven, in 1960, which starred Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and James Coburn, three of the stars he would feature in The Great Escape, along with Robert Vaughn, McCallum’s future co-star on The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Upon being cast as Ashley-Pitt in The Great Escape, McCallum remembered “When I arrived on set, John Sturges, the director, gave me a letter, and in the letter it said ‘Let us know what you want, do you need a babysitter, where would you like to live, would you like a car, would you like a driver?’ Which was welcoming in a way which I never thought possible.” McCallum noted he had not done a major Hollywood type movie before, and he appreciated the respect and care with which the cast was treated.

On the set of The Great Escape, McCallum stated the cast all got along well, although they formed small social groups for their off time: “We had a wonderful time together. The Germans went off with the Germans, and the British went off with the British, and I went off with Donald Pleasance., who was a good friend of mine.” McCallum soon also became friends with James Garner, as most of Donald Pleasence’s scenes were with Garner. The three men remained friends from then on. McCallum did not see much of Steve McQueen, who played one of his most remembered roles in the form of Hilts, the cocky American flier whose motorcycle escape has become a classic sequence, because for many of the ensemble scenes, McQueen’s character was in the “cooler”.

McCallum also enjoyed the fact his wife, actress Jill Ireland, and son Paul were with him during the filming, and they would sight see on his days off in Starnberg, Germany. His mother also visited the set, and McCallum drove her around Austria. Another member of the Great Escape cast, Charles Bronson, also became lifelong friends with David McCallum, their friendship even surviving McCallum’s divorce from Ireland and her later marriage to Bronson. McCallum has been happily married to his wife Kathy Carpenter since the 1960s.

Although most attendees were interested in re-experiencing the inspiring film, many were there to meet McCallum, popular today for his role of Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on televisions’s N.C.I.S., as well as a substantial contingent who fondly remembered him as Illya Kuryakin, the enigmatic Russian spy on The Man From U.N.C.L.E. from 1964 to 1968. McCallum as Illya created a sensation at the time, resulting in mob scenes and rock star-like status for McCallum.

The experience of being a “sex symbol”, especially for teen age girls, caught McCallum by surprise at the time. His character was originally intended to be a a sidekick to Robert Vaughn’s Napoleon Solo, but quickly became a co-star that helped make the series a hit in the 1960s and a lasting icon in popular culture. Many of those teen age girls, now in their 50s and 60s, stood in line after the film to meet McCallum and get an autograph, which the 80 year old actor graciously supplied to about 300 attendees anxious to meet him, finishing just before midnight. He also enjoyed seeing a large display of Man From U.N.C.L.E. memorabilia featuring his image at the event supplied by this writer, a fan from Iowa and author of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Book: The Behind The Scenes Story of a Television Classic.

McCallum and Cinema Retro's Jon Heitland in front of a display of Man From U.N.C.L.E. memorabilia. (Photo: Mike Beacom)

Today McCallum, besides appearing on N.C.I.S., also does voice over work on video games, which he describes as a wonderful opportunity to over act. He commutes regularly from Los Angeles back to New York City to see his family. He looks forward to raising a glass of wine to another 50^th anniversary next year, the golden anniversary of the premiere of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

In concluding his remarks on The Great Escape to the appreciative audience, McCallum emotionally recalled that the cast first saw the film when it premiered in London at the Odeon Leicester Square Cinema (the scene of many later James Bond premieres): “The balcony seats had been reserved for the cast. I sat down in my seat, not knowing what to expect. And for the very first time, as the curtain parted, and the music of Elmer Bernstein came up, I watched that film. And I will never, ever, forget that moment.”

PHOTOS:

Steve Gray http://stevegray.zenfolio.com/p322117469 srgray@cox.net

Michael Beacom

Jon Heitland

by Todd Garbarini

Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976) is one of the greatest American films ever made. It is also one of the most disturbing, and it is astonishing to look back and see that a major studio (Columbia Pictures) released it as is. Although nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor (Robert DeNiro), Best Supporting Actress (Jodie Foster), and Best Original Score (Bernard Herrmann, who also was nominated in the same year for his impressive score to Brian DePalma’s Obsession, albeit posthumously) by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, it won none. The top honor instead went to John Avildsen’s Rocky, the story of a streetwise debt collector in Philadelphia who gets the chance to become a boxing world superstar. Mr. Alvidsen also walked away with the statue for Best Director, and the fact that Mr. Scorsese was not even nominated in this category has long been considered to be one of the most, if not the most, egregious Oscar snub(s) in the Academy’s history, something the organization appears to have attempted to smooth over with what is generally considered to be his consolation prize - his Oscar for The Departed (2006), a good film but not in the same league as his greatest work (he lost out on directing Oscars for Raging Bull (1980), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), and The Aviator (2004). )

Robert De Niro gives one of his greatest screen performances as Travis Bickle, a lonely cabdriver who deliberately works long hours because he cannot sleep. He befriends Iris (Jodie Foster), a 12-year-old prostitute whose pimp Sport (Harvey Keitel) raffles off a menu of shocking sex acts (even by today’s barely-there standards) not heard outside of a porno film or a sound bite by Toronto Mayor Rob Ford that she and Travis can engage in for a price. Instead of taking up the offer, Travis uses his time with Iris to try and convince her to leave the profession that she is a part of. When she refuses, he arms himself to the teeth and kills her pimp, her John, and the lowlife who stands in the hall and collects the money in what was at that point in American cinema one of the most shocking and bloody sequences ever filmed. Today, you could probably show it on network television with few cuts, if any.

What makes Taxi Driver so memorable is the way that it captures New York City in the summer of 1975 when it was filmed. The city was a terribly depressing and dangerous place to be at that time, and cinematographer Michael Chapman manages to capture the Big Apple in a way that few cameramen have - Owen Roizman’s work on The French Connection (1971) and The Taking of Pelham 123 (1974) being two obvious exceptions. In the midst of all of this, photographer Steve Schapiro took innumerable publicity shots on the set of the film and captured the cast in their moments during camera set-ups, prior to and after shooting, and while taking a break. The images are a fascinating look at the ideas that both Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Schrader had about the city and the central character, the aforementioned Bickle, and how they wanted to get those ideas across to the audience. The city itself is also a character in Taxi Driver and this fact comes out quite strikingly in Mr. Schapiro’s on-set photographs which are now available for aficionados of this great film in the form of a new book by Taschen, the glorious publisher of such mammoth tomes on cinema greats like Kubrick, Fellini, Truffaut, Bergman, and others.

Simply titled Taxi Driver, this stunning, oversized book is a collection of beautiful photographs taken by Mr. Shapiro that depict much of the action of the film and candid, behind-the-scenes shots. It begins with a foreward by director Scorsese, written in 2010 while he was shooting Hugo (2011) in London, and it follows with an introduction which is a reprinting of Richard Thompson’s interview with Mr. Schrader from the March/April 1976 issue of cinema cognoscenti magazine fave Film Comment; Paul Garner’s “It’s Dilemma, It’s Delimit, It’s De Niro” essay from New York magazine from May 16, 1977; Norma McLain Stoop’s essay “In the Middle of the Street in the Middle of the Night” from After Dark, May 1976; Judy Klemesrud’s essay “Jodie Foster’s Rise From Disney to Depravity” from the New York Times on March 7, 1976; Lawrence Grobel’s Playboy Interview with Robert De Niro from Playboy in January 1989; Richard Goldstein and Mark Jacobson’s interview “Martin Scorsese Tells All: Blood and Guts Turn Me On!” from The Village Voice, April 5, 1976; and Mr. Schrader’s interview with Mr. Scorsese from January 29, 1982, published in Cahiers du Cinema, during the editing of the eerily prescient The King of Comedy, its relation to Taxi Driver as a companion piece included for obvious reasons. The rest of the text is German and French translations of the aforementioned essays.

The most unsettling images are not of the film’s bloodshed at the end, though they are quite graphic and colorful and which friend Father Francis Principe told the director was a little too much “Good Friday” and not enough “Easter Sunday” when he viewed it at a private screening in 1976, but of the slow dancing sequence between Sport and Iris, depicted in the this book. Here is a twelve year-old girl being told by a man who uses her nascent sexuality for his own method of making money, that she’s his woman. It’s really quite revolting, and probably goes on today with all the multiple cases of sex trafficking in the world. Taxi Driver doubles as a cautionary tale, its religious themes also present.

When Taxi Driver was released to theaters in 1976, the ending was so bloody that in order to avoid receiving an X rating from the MPAA, the director was faced with cutting down the scenes, something he did not want to do. He opted instead to de-saturate, or lessen the amount of color, in the sequence so it would not look as graphic. This action was incorporated into the film artistically to represent what the murder scene might have looked like in the tabloids. On the film’s 35^th anniversary in 2011, the film was released on Blu-ray. Since times have changed, there was an effort afoot to re-saturate the film and make it look the way that it was intended to look prior to the color reduction process. Unfortunately, that color negative could not be located, and there is talk that it might not have survived. Mr. Shapiro’s photographs of this brutally violent sequence, replicated in this book, might be all that visually remains of this controversial sequence.

Taxi Driver is a stunning achievement from Tashen, and I personally want to thank Mr. Schapiro for having taken such amazing photographs of this incredible film. A must for any serious fan of American cinema.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE BOOK DISCOUNTED FROM AMAZON.COM.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE FILM, TAXI DRIVER, MASTERED IN 4K BLU-RAY DISCOUNTED FROM AMAZON.COM.

By Lee Pfeiffer

It's conventional wisdom that 1939 is regarded as the greatest year ever for classic movies. (I respectfully argue that 1969 was even more impressive, but I digress). So many great films were released in this one calendar year: Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Gunga Din and too many others to list. Lost amid this wealth of cinematic treasures is the often-overlooked John Ford classic Drums Along the Mohawk, a movie that certainly ranks among the legendary director's best work, yet it curiously remains among his least-discussed major achievements. The movie has just been released as a Blu-ray special edition by Twilight Time. The film stars Claudette Colbert and Henry Fonda as  Lana and Gil Martin, colonial era newlyweds who leave the safety of a big city (Albany, New York) to settle in the upper Hudson Valley, then a no-man's land of hardship and danger for the farmers and settlers who tried to claw out a life there. Their marriage and move to a farm Gil has purchased happens to coincide with the outbreak of the American Revolution. Suddenly, this non-political couple who only want to prosper on their own land find themselves enmeshed in the crisis of the times. Like most farmers, their desire to opt out of the conflict between colonists and British forces turns out to be wishful thinking. The Brits have allied themselves with local Indian tribes who terrorize the settlers through constant raids, forcing them to take refuge in a local fort while they suffer the indignity of watching their farms burn. The fort only provides temporary protection. Short of ammo and provisions, the defenders realize they have precious little time to form a strategy for survival. In the film's most compelling sequence, Gil volunteers to make a seemingly suicidal run through the forest to reach reinforcements at another fort. He is doggedly pursued by three Indian braves who are hot on his heels. Ford milks considerable suspense from the sequence which foreshadows Cornel Wilde's brilliant 1966 movie The Naked Prey. As with any Ford production, however, this one spends considerable time on character development, homespun comedy and American traditions. The battle sequences are impressive but its the actors who make the most of the spotlight with both Colbert and Fonda (in his first of several collaborations with Ford) perfectly cast. There are also Ford stock company regulars like Ward Bond and John Carradine but it is Edna May Oliver who steals the show in an Oscar-nominated performance as a feisty pioneer widow whose forceful nature terrorizes the Indian warriors more than they can intimidate her. 

Drums Along the Mohawk was Ford's first color film. It was shot in Technicolor but apparently Fox tossed out the original film elements in the 1970s. This restored version is obviously not as gorgeous as the original theatrical presentations but the film nevertheless looks terrific. Twilight Time has released the movie as a limited edition (3,000 unit) Blu-ray that features some interesting bonus extras. Top of the list is Nick Redman's 2007 feature length documentary Becoming John Ford that traces the mercurial director's long history at Fox and his collaborative productions with studio boss Darryl F. Zanuck. The two would create some great films but ultimately a feud over My Darling Clementine would lead to Ford leaving the studio in 1946. Redman, co-founder of Twilight Time, does a superb job of providing notable talking heads (including Peter Fonda) who provide insightful details on Ford's life and career. Redman also appears on an equally informative commentary track with film historian Julie Kirgo who provides the informative write-ups for the Twilight Time collector's booklets that accompany each release. It's nice to finally hear her speaking directly to viewers and the commentary track is highly entertaining. There is also an original trailer. The only complaint is that the artwork on the sleeve is a bit bland given the star power in the movie. 

In all, another big winner from Twilight Time.

Click here to order from Screen Archives.  

By Todd Garbarini

Amber Heard was nineteen when she played the title character in Jonathan Levine's slasher film All the Boys Love Mandy Lane; she can at least get away with playing a seventeen year-old. Mandy Lane, which debuts this month on Blu-ray, is better known for its reputation of having been shelved for seven years following its debut at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival for reasons best served by another article. Up to this point, Ms. Heard was already a veteran of four films and several television appearances; this is her first real starring role, as the film rests on her shoulders. She gives quite a remarkably natural performance and having seen her work since this 2005-lensed outing, I would attribute her onscreen “nervousness” as the object of affection by testosterone-driven wolves in her midst to her skill as a serious dramatic actress than to an inability to relax and just “be”.

Mandy Lane represents the epitome of the adolescent female sexual ideal, The Perfect High School Girl - the girl all the boys vie for; the girl all the girls want to be or want to destroy. The tone is set in the film’s opening shot as the camera focuses on Mandy Lane’s breasts, revealing the dumbfounded stares of the average-looking boys and girls in the hallway, and conveys their longing cinematically without being exploitative. She is friends with Emmett (Michael Welch), a nerdish boy whose desire for Mandy is as strong as all the other guys, but he tries to hide it. He just knows that she is out of his league. In some ways, the film seems like it plays like a modern day “horny teenager” flick, but that would be a cursory dismissal. While the 1980s will probably be remembered as the birth of the horny teenager horror film, which started in 1978 when Michael Myers bludgeoned his sister to death after “the sex act” in John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978), the films of the 2000s will no doubt be looked upon as the remake era, or most certainly the “influenced by” era. Sean Cunningham made Friday the 13^th a superstitious day to be reckoned with, and premarital sex was forever labeled as a crime punishable by death by deranged killers.  Still, young men with sex on their minds did all they could to get the girls of their dreams into bed.  He Knows You’re Alone (1980), My Bloody Valentine (1981), The Burning (1981), The Boogens (1981), Halloween II (1981), and countless other stalk-and-slash films repeated this formula with much less panache and cinematic style than Mr. Carpenter did in his watershed film, even prompting a send-up of horror films in the form of Student Bodies (1981), a comedy that ridiculed death as the inevitable outcome to teenage sex.

When Wes Craven's Scream (1996) reignited interest in horror in 1996 and proved that it was once again viable box office, so has there been resurgence in the teenage sex and death flick.  Unlike the gawky and under-confident teenagers of a quarter century ago who had to borrow their parents’ oversized cars to get some action, today's teens are muscular and sexy model types who seem to have stepped off of the pages of GQ and Playboy magazines.  Most of them appear to have money and their own set of wheels.  In Mandy Lane, director Jonathan Levine manages to take a very overdone and tired horror subgenre and make it different and interesting.  The obnoxious jock Dylan (Adam Powell) and his posse of over-stimulated friends, all expertly portrayed by Whitney Able (Chloe), Luke Grimes (Jake), Melissa Price (Marlin), Edwin Hodge (Bird), and Aaron Himelstein (Red), invite Mandy Lane to a party at his house.  Mandy agrees, and elects to bring her awkward friend Emmet along, much to Dylan's chagrin.  Once there, Dylan puts the moves on Mandy who nervously brushes off his advances.  This disgusts Emmet who tricks Dylan into a maneuver designed to impress Mandy but that effectively takes Dylan out of the game completely.   Nine months after Dylan's untimely demise, Red rounds up Chloe, Jake, Marlin, and Bird for a weekend at his father's mansion in Bastrop, TX. The locales should look familiar to Tobe Hooper fans.

A caretaker in the form of a much older Garth (Anson Mount) who lives in a shed in the back is there to oversee the teens and protect them, complete with a firearm at his side.  Mandy, whose parents died when she was young and is now being raised by her aunt, is invited and decides to go along.  Once there, the guys all descend upon The Perfect Blonde, making no bones about how much they want to jump hers.  Jake is especially aggressive and looks a bit like Robert Pattinson from the Twilight films.  Mandy is made the most uncomfortable by him, which makes one ponder why she would agree to spend the weekend with a group of people who all want the one thing from her that she is not willing to surrender.  That question is answered near the end in an interesting twist. 

Things begin to go wrong rather quickly and it does not take the high schoolers long to learn that there is a murderer in their midst.  Director Levine reveals the killer’s identity early on and yet despite that, the film remains interesting enough for the audience to want to see it through to the end.  He directs the film with a restrained hand, which is refreshing when most films like this tend to hit the audience over the head with quick cuts, loud music and sound effects in a desperate effort to be suspenseful.  The middle of the film drags a bit but not by too much, and perhaps Mandy Lane would benefit by some tighter editing. 

The females in the film are snotty and bitchy but not in an overly hateful fashion.  Unlike the shallow vamps in the Black Christmas remake in 2006 and many others of its ilk, Chloe and Marlin, just like the guys who are all pining after Mandy, are all real people.  Credit must go to the performers in this film.  They all talk and sound like real teenagers who are looking to find their place in the world, and are concerned with how others perceive them and are the types to surrender to peer pressure.  The script by Jacob Forman is, no pun intended, a cut above standard fare, providing archetypes that are familiar yet different.

The film also possesses a good use of existing music - try to watch the racetrack scene set to the Go-Go’s “Our Lips Are Sealed” without smirking at the subtle irony. The score by Mark Schultz is also very good.

The Anchor Bay Blu-ray, which provides a terrific visual and aural transfer, has a feature-length commentary with director Levine and judging from his comments it was recorded this year. Mr. Levine provides an interesting, engaging and very funny commentary seen from the standpoint of a director who made his first film some eight years ago (he has since directed three films since Mandy Lane). At times he complains that he wishes he had done a certain shot differently, but that is inevitable through the benefit of time and hindsight. The standard DVD also contains this commentary.

All in all, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is an above-average slasher film.

NOTE: If you have a region-free DVD or Blu-ray player, the French DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film both have a 28-minute interview with Ms. Heard, shot circa 2006, wherein she talks about the film. A 14-minute interview with the director can also be found on this edition. However, there is no running commentary on these versions, which also possess English-language soundtracks.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE ANCHOR BAY BLU-RAY FROM AMAZON 

(This book was recently reviewed by Lee Pfeiffer. Here is columnist Adrian Smith's take on this volume.)

Crab Monsters, Teenage Cavemen and Candy Stripe Nurses - Roger Corman: King of the B Movie

by Chris Nashawaty Introduction by John Landis

ISBN: 1-4197-0669-1

Hardback

272 pages

As part of the Gothic season at the British Film Institute recently, Roger Corman sat and signed autographs for well over an hour as the line of fans and admirers snaked its way around the building. At least 50% of those fans were clutching copies of this new coffee-table book, a visual delight from Chris Nashawaty, writer for Entertainment Weekly.

Several books have been published on the Corman phenomenon, most notably his own autobiography How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime. Since that was published in 1990 he has made at least a hundred more. Until he gets around to updating that volume, which given his continuing workload in film production seems unlikely, we are lucky that so many other writers and filmmakers are constantly willing dive into his career.

Whilst not as revealing or personal as Bevery Gray's excellent Roger Corman: An Unauthorised Life, Nashawaty's book is a real joy. He has selected over 150 images, many of which are previously unpublished. Artwork, photos and movie stills are presented in full colour alongside an oral history of the life and career of Roger Corman, from his childhood right up to the present day. Corman's contribution to the movie business is immense, and, as covered in the book, his honorary Academy Award in 2009 was well deserved. Those lined up to congratulate him on that night included Jonathan Demme, Ron Howard, Jack Nicholson and Peter Bogdanovich. The list of those filmmakers who have graduated from the "Corman School" is almost endless, and the fact that he is still making films today means that yet another generation are learning from the master.

As evidenced by a photograph of him on the Hawaiian set of Piranhaconda (2012), Corman is very much a hands-on producer. He has an almost preternatural sense of what is going to become the next big thing in the business; providing teenage movies for the drive-ins in the 1950s, using VHS before the major studios in the late 1970s or bringing monster mash-up movies to the Syfy channel (as well as Piranhaconda, Corman has been responsible for Sharktopus (2010), Dinocroc vs. Supergator (2010) and Dinoshark (2010), the latter as both producer and star).

As well as dozens of new interviews, the book also critically examines some of the key titles from Corman's back-catalogue, either as director or producer. Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957), The Little Shop of Horrors (1960), The Intruder (1962), The Big Doll House (1971), Boxcar Bertha (1972, an early film from Martin Scorsese) and even The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) are all touched on, amongst many more. One can use Nashawaty's selections as a list for beginners keen to gain an understanding of Corman as a filmmaker.

With Christmas just around the corner, this book is well worth considering sending to the movie lover in your life. It makes the perfect introduction to Roger Corman and his work, and contains new stories and anecdotes as well as a few that will be familiar to aficionados. And as he is showing no sign of slowing down, the Corman story is not over yet.

Click here to order from Amazon 

Click here to order from Amazon UK  

Swiss label Explosive Media (www.explosive-media.com) has  just released two classic Italian spaghetti westerns on Blu-ray from brand new HD transfers: Giulio Petroni's Death Rides a Horse (1967), starring Lee Van Cleef, John Phillip Law, and Mario Brega and Gianfranco Parolini's Sabata (1969), starring Lee Van Cleef, William Berger and Ignazio Spalla. Both films have their world-wide premiere on the Blu-ray format.

These new releases have newly-produced special features, bonus DVDs and illustrated booklets. Both are available for purchase in Switzerland and Germany via Amazon and have English tracks. Explosive Media released the brilliant Blu-ray version of Lee Van Cleef's The Big Gundown last year, so fans already know the calibre of content and quality presented by this Swiss company.

Death Rides a Horse

Fifteen years after four bandits massacred his family, a young man (John Phillip Law) seeks revenge. Several of the men responsible now hold positions of power in the new West, but one of the bandits (Lee van Cleef) is due to be released from prison. Having been framed by the others all those years ago, he is ready to exact bloody reprisals, and so forms an unholy alliance with the vengeance-seeking man whose family he helped destroy. Original Italian title: Da uomo a uomo.

Sabata

Gunslinger Sabata (Lee van Cleef) is not a popular figure in the town of Daugherty. When he discovers that the town's kingpins are behind a bank heist, he becomes a marked man, unable to trust even his own friends. Sabata is soon headed for a final shoot-out from which there can be but one survivor. Original Italian title: Ehi amico... c'è Sabata, hai chiuso!

· Both films available for the first time on Blu-ray

· Special bonus documentaries on the making of the films

· Lee Van Cleef trailer gallery on both editions

· Photo galleries

· 24 page collectors booklets

· Original trailer for both films

For more information visit: www.explosive-media.com

George Lazenby, Laurene Landon and Douglas Dunning in "Hunter".

Douglas Dunning, Cinema Epoch’s Director of Acquisitions, has just announced that the company has obtained the rights to release four films from XPosse Productions for worldwide distribution on DVD and on all digital platforms. Scary Tales is among the titles scheduled for release. Here is a brief trailer for the film.

Mr. Dunning is currently also appearing opposite actor George Lazenby, who is best known for playing James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), in the recently completed film Hunter, which was directed by Gregory Hatanaka, who is also the president of Cinema Epoch. Mr. Lazenby plays General Bullmont in the film. Also starring is actress Laurene Landon who has starred in the Peter Falk film All the Marbles (1981), I, the Jury (1982), Hundra (1983) and Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold (1984).

Mr. Dunning can also be seen in Jason Rutherford’s upcoming film Shhhh. You can view the trailer here and click on the homepage here. 

Tony Musante, the popular character actor who was a fixture in Italian films and TV series, has died in a New York hospital at age 77. Musante, who brought intensity to all of his roles, was driven more by artistic satisfaction than a desire to make the big money. He made a splash with U.S. audiences in 1967 playing a thug who terrorizes passengers on a New York City subway train in the film The Incident. He won acclaim for his role as a gay man who is wrongly convicted and executed for murder in the 1968 Frank Sinatra film The Detective. He also had a co-starring role with George C. Scott in the 1971 crime film The Last Run and starred in director Dario Argento's 1970 cult classic The Bird With the Crystal Plumage. In 1973 he reluctantly starred in the TV series Toma about a maverick cop. Despite the show's ratings success, Musante left the series after one seasons. It was then re-developed as Baretta, which became a major hit for Robert Blake, who took over the lead role. In recent years  Musante continued to act periodically and had a recurring role in the TV series Oz in 1997. For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer 

The magnificent Oscar-winning best picture of the year for 1968, Oliver!, has been released as a Blu-ray special limited edition (3,000 units) by Twilight Time. This adaptation of the smash stage hit was a dream project for director Lewis Gilbert but, much to his dismay, the director's seat was given to Sir Carol Reed. How Gilbert's version of the film would have differed will never be known but suffice it to say, it's hard to imagine he could have improved on Reed's vision. There had been numerous previous screen versions of Dickens' classic novel Oliver Twist, with the most notable being David Lean's 1948 movie with a star-making turn by Alec Guinness as Fagin. The 1963 stage musical by Lionel Bart was a sensation and it stood to reason that the screen rights were quickly scooped up. The film went against the tide when considering other major musicals of the period. By the late 1960s, the youth revolution had taken international cinema by storm. Suddenly, big budget, old-fashioned musicals were deemed out-dated. Paint Your Wagon, Sweet Charity, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Hello, Dolly! and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever all either under-performed or outright bombed. Yet, Oliver! was a major hit with both critics and audience. Perhaps the anti-Establishment tone of Dickins' timeless tale had a wider appeal than those other films. Clearly, the story is a scathing indictment of the British class system that had consigned the poorest citizens to lives of toil and struggle. The novel's impact on social mores can be equated with that of Uncle Tom's Cabin in America. Yet, for all the darkness inherent in the story line, Oliver! is primarily a joyous screen extravaganza in which good inevitably triumphs over evil. The most famous orphan in all of literature is perfectly brought to life by Mark Lester, who has a natural grace in front of the camera and a shy demeanor that suits his interpretation of Oliver very well. (although his songs were dubbed by professional singers.) Surprisingly, the film was a major hit despite the lack of "name" actors. Only Oliver Reed (nephew of Carol Reed) had star power and his performance as the menacing Bill Sikes is truly frightening to behold. However, it is Ron Moody's Fagin that steals the show. It's a wonderful performance with Moody masterfully manipulating all those around him as London's most charismatic con man. Other stand-outs are Shani Wallis as Sikes' ill-fated lover Nancy, Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger and Harry Seacomb as Mr. Bumble. There are elaborate sets masterfully designed by John Box and show-stopping musical numbers like "Food, Glorious Food", "Consider Yourself", "As Long As He Needs Me" and ""Who Will Buy?". 

Twilight Time's special edition Blu-ray is a wonderful experience. The transfer is excellent and the special features have broad appeal. There are recent interviews with cast members including Ron Moody and Mark Lester as well as a vintage featurette (that shows its age) depicting how the filming was done. There is also an isolated track score, sing-alongs and dance-alongs and a theatrical teaser trailer for the roadshow release that curiously doesn't have any moving images, just still photos. The film remains as entertaining today as it did during its initial release. This special edition makes perfect holiday viewing for the entire family.

Click here to order from Screen Archives.  

Barbara Feldon and Cinema Retro's Lee Pfeiffer at the Episcopal Actors Guild in New York City.

On November 21, Cinema Retro hosted an Evening With Barbara Feldon at the historic Episcopal Actors Guild in New York City. The event benefited indigent people in the arts. Ms. Feldon was interviewed by Cinema Retro Editor-in-Chief Lee Pfeiffer, who asked her about her career prior to her Emmy-nominated performance in "Get Smart". She revealed that she had come to New York as a young woman from her native Pittsburgh with the desire to enter show business. Good looking and statuesque, Feldon was soon hired for a three month stint as a chorus girl at the famed Copacabana. She said it was the most thrilling time of her life, to be young and in New York with unlimited possibilities before her. Shortly thereafter, she became one of the top fashion models of the era, which- in turn- led her to be the face of Revlon in print and on TV ads. Those ads helped elevate her status and brought her to the attention of Hollywood producers. She played some bit roles in TV series before the producers of "Get Smart" (created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry) approached her for the role of Agent "99" opposite Don Adams. She initially turned down the offer, as she already had a lucrative career in modeling. She had also been offered a plum role in Sidney Lumet's film "The Group". She credits her agent at the time for convincing her to accept the part of "99" on the basis that Candice Bergen had the prime role in the Lumet film because she played a lesbian, which was a sensational notion at the time. He cautioned Feldon that she would just be lumped in with the other talented actresses who were to appear in the film and that Bergen would get all the attention. She accepted his advice and reluctantly flew to Hollywood, leaving behind her beloved New York. She immediately knew she made the right decision. The friendly bond between cast and crew on "Get Smart" was addictive and she said the show was a pleasure from day one. She credited Buck Henry for setting the tone of the early episodes, as Mel Brooks had already departed to work on his first feature film, "The Producers". After viewing a screening of the "Satan Place" episode with Cinema Retro's own Joe Sirola as the villain, Feldon remarked at how well the writing held up. Amusingly, she said she still feels self-conscious about how she towered over the much-shorter Don Adams and was reminded of how she attempted to minimize the height difference by slumping a bit in their scenes together or finding an excuse to sit down. Feldon said that when the show's ratings fell in the fourth season and the show moved from NBC to CBS for the fifth and final season, the idea of marrying "99" and Maxwell Smart was done simply as a gimmick, as was the introduction of their twin children who she laughingly said "disappeared rather quickly". Feldon also discussed the fact that the character of "99" was one of the first independent female characters on television. Pfeiffer mentioned that there were precious few such role models aside from Emma Peel and Cathy Gale of "The Avengers" and April Dancer of "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E". Feldon agreed, saying that she was happy that "99" was given more to do than simply being "the skirt" but said that, even then, it was clear that her character was often there to comfort or console the male hero, Maxwell Smart. She said, however, that given this was before the Women's Lib movement, it was rather progressive for the medium of television. 

Feldon signs a commemorative shoe phone for contributing Cinema Retro photographer Tom Stroud.

Feldon said that, despite working with Adams for years, she knew very little about his personal life. It was only when they reunited for the TV movie "Get Smart Again!" in 1989 that they truly bonded and became close friends until Adams' death in 2005. Asked about why she didn't appear in the rather anemic "Get Smart" 1980 feature film, "The Nude Bomb", she said bluntly that she simply hadn't been asked. She said she was philosophical about the snub, saying that they were obviously looking for younger women to play against Adams. Pfeiffer asked Feldon to reflect on the contributions of Edward Platt, whose spot-on performance as "The Chief" is often overlooked in evaluations of the show. She said he played an integral part in the show's success and was a truly lovely man who was also a trained professional opera singer. She also discussed her post-"Smart" career when she wrote and performed a one woman show because she thought her acting skills might be getting stale and wanted a challenge that would "terrify" her. She also spoke about her lucrative career as one of New York's top voice-over talents. Speaking of feature films, she said that, at the time, being a TV star had made it difficult to transfer into theatrical films, although she loved working with Dick Van Dyke on the 1968 Disney film "Fitzwilly" and was especially pleased to star with Bruce Dern in the acclaimed 1975 comedy "Smile". She also spoke about how, after a failed marriage and relationships, she came to the conclusion that people don't need committed relationships in order to find happiness. She said her book, "Living Alone & Loving It: A Guide to Relishing the Solo Life", extols the virtues of living an independent life. She said living alone doesn't mean you are living a lonely life. She said her life is filled with wonderful people and great times, but she has chosen not to engage in a monogamous relationship. 

"...and loving it!" Barbara expresses her appreciation to "Get Smart" scholar Nate Sears for flying in from Utah for the event.

Cinema Retro reader Tony Latino with Barbara Feldon.

Prior to the event, Barbara Feldon was interviewed for ABC News Radio by film critic Bill Diehl.

Following the interview, Ms. Feldon graciously answered questions, signed autographs and posed for seemingly endless photos with fans. She said she was genuinely touched by the fact that so many people still take an interest in her work. In all, a fun and informative evening with the ultimate New York "independent woman"- who still cites her three month stint as a chorus girl as the most fulfilling time of her career.  

(Click here to find out how to join the Episcopal Actors Guild, which is non-sectarian. Dues are only $35 annually and you will get invitations to many exclusive entertainment-related performances and events. Proceeds go to aid charitable causes relating to the arts.)

(Click here to order Barbara Feldon's book "Living Alone & Loving It" from Amazon)  

Paul Mantee, a popular fixture on TV shows and feature films, passed away on November 7. Mantee had appeared on many TV series over the years and had recurring roles on the 1980s hits Hunter and Cagney and Lacy. He first began appearing in the medium in the late 1959s and eventually guest starred on major programs such as The F.B.I, Mannix, Dragnet, Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare, Batman, The Time Tunnel, Bonanza, Kojak and Seinfeld. Mantee also appeared in small roles in many feature films. In 1964 he had a rare starring role in Robinson Crusoe on Mars, a fairly low-budget sci-fi film that became a major cult hit thanks to its intelligent script, direction and performances. He also had the lead role in the 1968 James Bond spoof A Man Called Dagger. For more click here

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

For the first time on DVD a feature length documentary, Return to Scatterbrook: Memories of Worzel,  celebrating the cult 70’s/80’s television series, Worzel Gummidge.

Featuring key interviews with members of the cast and crew; rare archive footage of Jon Pertwee; visits to the locations, and with many previously unseen continuity shots; behind the scenes photographs, and production designs – this film opens up the storybook behind British TV’s most lovable scarecrow.

Worzel Gummidge is highly regarded today as a piece of classic television, making this documentary a special journey down memory lane for anyone who remembers this delightful, magical series.

Featuring: Jon Pertwee, Geoffrey Bayldon, Lorraine Chase, Jeremy Austin & Mike Berry

Directed By Derek Pykett

DVD Extras: An Evening With Jon Pertwee (1996) & Worzel Gallery

Running Time: 104 minutes

Money raised from the sale of this DVD goes to:

Alzheimer’s Society (in loving memory of Cecelia & Michael Ripper) & All Dogs Matter

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON UK

“City Lights”

“Frances Ha”

(The Criterion Collection, November 2013)

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

By Raymond Benson

Among the wondrous Blu-ray products released this month by The Criterion Collection, that Cadillac of labels, are a masterpiece from 1931 and an absolute gem from 2013—Charles Chaplin’s City Lights, and Noah Baumbach’s Frances Ha. Both packages come with Blu-ray and DVD discs, which apparently will be the norm for Criterion releases from now on.

First up—City Lights, arguably Chaplin’s best and most enduring feature film. Made at a time when sound had already taken over Hollywood, Chaplin insisted on shooting another silent picture. Everyone thought he was mad. The moguls believed that even after only four years of sound movies, audiences would not care to step backwards into the silent era ever again. Chaplin proved them wrong. City Lights, even without spoken dialogue (but with a gorgeous Chaplin score and sound effects) is sophisticated and intelligent, hilarious and touching, and remarkably clever. Often regarded as one of the best films ever made, Chaplin’s masterwork is the story of a tramp (duh) and his love for a blind flower-girl, who mistakenly thinks Charlie is a rich man. As our hero attempts to perpetuate this misconception, the results are side-splitting funny—until Chaplin’s trademark pathos takes over and “there isn’t a dry eye in the house.” It is said that Albert Einstein had tears rolling down his cheeks at the premiere.

Boy, oh, boy, does the film look good on Blu-ray. The new digital restoration from a 4K film transfer is crisp, sharp, and blemish-free. Like Criterion’s earlier release this year, Safety Last!, City Lights looks as if it were made last week. There’s a new audio commentary by Chaplin biographer Jeffrey Vance, as well as a host of extras. Many of these are repeated from the MK2 Warner Brothers release from around ten years ago, such as the documentary Chaplin Today: City Lights, archival footage from the production of the film, rehearsals, and clips of the director with boxing stars at Chaplin Studios in 1918. A new feature, Chaplin Studios: Creative Freedom by Design, explores how Chaplin built his famous studio with a mind toward expressing his unique ways of working. The usual outstanding booklet contains an essay by critic Gary Giddins and a 1966 interview with Chaplin himself.

In short, if you’ve never seen City Lights or have any doubt that Charles Chaplin was the greatest film artist in the industry’s first fifty years, then by all means pick up this set.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON

Second—Director Noah Baumbach’s delightful Frances Ha originally premiered at film festivals in 2012, but was released theatrically in 2013, making it a contender for this year’s Academy Awards. I sincerely hope it’s not overlooked. Baumbach is known for making quirky films (see The Squid and the Whale, for example), and Frances Ha is no different. However, unlike Baumbach’s earlier mixtures of dark humor and tragedy, the new picture is definitely a comedy. At its heart is Greta Gerwig’s performance as Frances, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Baumbach. Frances is a well-meaning, life-is-mostly-wonderful type of young woman who strives to be a choreographer but can’t seem to get the opportunity to strut her stuff. Throughout the picture, she is a woman without a home, crashing at various friends’ apartments in New York City, always promising herself that she’ll “get her own place soon,” hopefully with her best friend Sophie (played by Sting’s daughter Mickey Sumner), with whom Frances shared a place at the story’s beginning. While the film is full of laughs and smiles, there is an under-current of loneliness that doesn’t really hit you until after the movie is over—despite the genuine happy ending.

Shot digitally in color and then converted into glorious black and white, New York hasn’t looked so good since Woody Allen’s Manhattan. Baumbach’s storytelling expertise is all in the characters and how the film is edited, and in many ways, the picture resembles something Francois Truffaut might have done in the early 60s. In fact, Baumbach utilizes famous French New Wave movie music (by Georges Delerue and others) for much of the score. If ever there was an homage to that important and creative movement in cinema history, Frances Ha is it.

Extras include an interesting dialogue between Baumbach and director Peter Bogdanovich; one gets the impression that the elder statesman might be something of a mentor to the younger filmmaker. Also of note is the dialogue between Greta Gerwig and filmmaker/actress Sarah Polley. A further conversation about the look of the picture between Baumbach, DOP Sam Levy, and Pascal Dangin, who did the film’s color mastering, is enlightening. The booklet contains a perceptive essay by playwright Annie Baker.

If you missed Frances Ha in the theaters last spring, now’s your chance to catch up. It truly is a jewel.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON 

Robert Sellers' book The Battle for Bond presents an in-depth examination of the complicated rights issues relating to the 007 films.

MGM and Danjaq have finally ended decades of litigation relating to rights held by producer Kevin McClory to the James Bond franchise. McClory had certain film rights relating to the novel Thunderball which Ian Fleming had based on an ill-fated collaboration between himself, McClory and writer Jack Whittingham in the 1950s when the trio tried unsuccessfully to bring 007 to the big screen. In order to thwart a rival film production of novel from being made, Bond producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman hired McClory as producer of the 1965 blockbuster screen version of Thunderball. However, McClory always claimed that his rights allowed him to make other Bond films and even TV series. In 1983, a big screen remake of Thunderball titled Never Say Never Again proved to the only one of these projects to succeed. MGM and Danjaq consistently brought law suits designed to slow down or stop McClory from exploiting the rights he claimed he held. In a lawsuit that took place in the year 2000, the court rejected most of McClory's claims and, in essence, gave the full rights to the Bond character to MGM and Danjaq. Still, issues remained with McClory's estate after the producer passed away in 2006. The latest agreements bring an amicable close to any remaining litigation. Click here for more. 

By Lee Pfeiffer 

"Sex only dirty if you're doing it right", Woody Allen once said. The cast members of Our, Girls certainly do it right so this stroll down Mammary Lane from the Impulse Pictures DVD label can certainly be classified as a "dirty movie", to put in the parlance of days gone by. Ordinarily, old grind house porn doesn't merit critical attention but Impulse is a serious label that takes pains to preserve some the more notable titles of this genre from the 1970s and 1980s. I suppose there is some sociological merit to them, but the bottom line is: are they still erotic? In the case of Oui, Girls the answer is "yes" and "no". Much certainly depends upon individual viewer's tastes in erotica. More so than any "legit" movie, if you don't find the leading actors attractive, chances are you'll find the entire enterprise more taxing than stimulating. The film was directed (so to speak) by F.J. Lincoln, whose main claim to fame in this era is that he had one of the starring roles in Wes Craven's original Last House on the Left. The liner notes on the DVD box indicate this film was highly regarded in adult film circles back in the day. "Highest rating...an erotic masterpiece", exclaimed High Society magazine. 'lest you think this is on the level of Last Tango in Paris, think again. What apparently separated Lincoln's films from the rest of the grind house pack is that they at least had some modest production values. In an era where most porn films were confined to "one reelers" shot in somebody's bedroom (or kitchen, or garage), Lincoln attempted to shoehorn something akin to a plot into the action- and he also shot on location so that his productions had some scenery and atmosphere. Even back in 1982, however, it's hard to imagine that this modest enterprise would have elicited great praise from within the adult film community, especially when a decade before, Gerard Domiano's The Devil in Miss Jones set the high water mark for acting, story and production values. Lincoln's great achievement here was gathering numerous "superstars" of the porn genre in this one film....sort of like The Towering Inferno, only these superstars don't wear pants. 

The film opens with a young couple, Barbara (Anna Ventura) and Nick (Paul Thomas, who bears a striking resemblance to Donald Sutherland in Invasion of the Body Snatchers) discussing a mystery. Nick, an insurance investigator, suspects that a man named Buck Thomas (Michael Morrison) may have murdered his wife. Nick gets Barbara to agree to accompany him to the Circle S singles ranch, which, in fact, is a place for swingers. Seems that ol' Buck holds court there with his latest flame, the sexually insatiable Cora (Lisa De Leeuw).  The story then veers to another couple, Laura (Tiffany Clark) and Frank (Michael Bruce) who are curious about spicing up their love lives by experimenting with swinging.  They arrange a meeting with an exotic, strange woman named Francine (Sharon Kane) who invites them to the Circle S to indulge in their fantasies. Once the couples arrive at the ranch, director Lincoln throws the entire murder mystery plot out the window (it's abruptly resolved in a single sentence, then not revisited again). Instead, things get hot and heavy with guys eyeing girls, girls eyeing guys and, of course, girls eyeing girls. The sex scenes are legitimately erotic and Lincoln doesn't go too much beyond the pure vanilla stage in that nothing overly perverted goes on, as long as you're comfortable with a dozen people rolling around together on the living room floor. 

There are some interesting observations to make about the film. For one, while the women range from ordinary looking to downright exotic and the men look like they just stepped got off work at the local factory. In this pre-Botox and silicone era, most of the performers looked like people you might actually meet in real life. Thus, the guys are hairy and the girls are even hairier. The real fun comes when various cast members attempt to act. Here, the guys have the advantage with most of the male actors delivering dialogue in a manner that doesn't elicit unintentional laughter. Their physical appearance is something else, however, as they are cursed by having to wear the fashions of the era (short-shorts and polyester were all the rage). The women fare better in the fashion department because plunging necklines and garter belts do the trick in any era. The most amusement comes from the performance of Anna Ventura as Barbara when she gets to scold boyfriend Nick. She plays the part like she's Liz Taylor's Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and induces some gut busting unintentional laughter in the process. There is also a funny sequence in which Nick is seduced by Cora. Barbara walks in and catches them in the act but Paul has an excuse: as an insurance investigator he had to use her bottom to get to the bottom of the case. (Male insurance investigators may want to make note of this excuse in case they find themselves in a similar dilemma.) The film's grand finale features an all-out orgy, though Lincoln is rather subdued in not taking this scene as far as we might have expected. 

The opening credits on the DVD transfer look like they were run over by a garbage truck but, in a way, it adds to the ambiance of the grind house flick. Fortunately, the print quality improves dramatically after that. There are no bonus features on the disc. Oui, Girls is a nostalgic throwback to an era when even porn seemed a little less calculated and manufactured by rote. I'm still trying to figure out the relevance of the title since there isn't even an allusion to the French anywhere on screen. If you pine away for those days watching porn in dingy theaters, you'll enjoy this DVD. To enhance the experience, make sure you're wearing your trench coat while viewing it.

Click here to order from Amazon. 

Terry Gilliam with Cinema Retro columnist Adrian Smith at a 2009 BFI tribute to Gilliam in London.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

Filmmaker Terry Gilliam is fronting a Kickstarter campaign to restore Walerian Borowczyk's classic 1968 film Goto, l'île d'amour (Goto, Island of Love).

Speaking about the Polish artist and filmmaker’s work Gilliam says: “They activate a part of my brain that very few other things do…I haven't seen any of these films in probably thirty or forty years, but they all have stuck with me. He needs to be restored and the world needs to be reminded.”

Trailer featuring Gilliam: vimeo.com/user18756682/gilliam-on-boro

Until now the majority of Borowczyk's early films have been unavailable. However, earlier this year writer, documentary filmmaker and producer of the box set, Daniel Bird secured the permission of his widow Ligia Borowczyk to restore nine short films and two feature films including Le théâtre de Monsieur & Madame Kabal (The Theatre of Mr and Mrs Kabal, 1967) and Blanche (1971) which will be released by Arrow films in Spring 2014.

Producer Daniel Bird says: ”For fifteen years I have been trying to find a way to restore Borowczyk's early films. Obviously, I am thrilled to be working with Arrow Films on this box-set."

The restorations were completed at Deluxe laboratories, London, under the supervision of leading film restorer, James White. This will be the first time that many of these films will be available in any home video format in any territory.

Born in Poland in 1923, where he studied painting and sculpture before establishing himself as a poster artist during the late 1950s, Borowczyk emigrated to France in 1959 where he lived and worked for the rest of his life. With films such as Renaissance (1963) and Rosalie (1966), Borowczyk played a major part in getting animated film recognised as a serious art form.

According to Amos Vogel, author of Film as a Subversive Art, Borowczyk's harrowing 1964 animation Les jeux des anges (Angels' Games) is simply “a masterpiece of modern art.”

In The New Biographical Dictionary of Film, David Thomson describes Borowczyk as “one of the major artists of modern cinema, arguably the finest talent that East Europe has provided.”

In addition, Arrow Films has collaborated with Argos Films, Paris, to release two other Borowczyk films, Contes immoraux (Immoral Tales, 1974) and La Bête (The Beast, 1975) in newly restored high definition transfers, as well as five more short films. These acquisitions will form the basis of Arrow’s Walerian Borowczyk Blu-ray and DVD box set, which is to be released as part of the Arrow Academy series in Spring 2014.

The co-producer of the box set is Michael Brooke in conjunction with Ligia Borowczyk and the filmmaker's  regular assistant and producer, Dominique Segretin.

By Adrian Smith

Note: This review pertains to the Region 2 (PAL) format UK release.

This Cinema Retro writer would love to be able to explain to you in detail what just what The Final Programme is about, but I have absolutely no idea. The plot revolves around Jerry Cornelius (Jon Finch), a swaggering millionaire scientist who seems to think he is the second coming in this futuristic, possibly post-WWIII Britain. His father, also a scientist, died when he was on the brink of some kind of amazing discovery, and it is up to Cornelius to find out what it was. Along the way he meets a variety of bizarre characters who drift in and out of the plot with nothing particular to contribute. Amongst these are many familiar faces from film and TV, such as George Coulouris, Sterling Hayden, Patrick Magee and Graham Crowden, the latter seemingly channelling Quentin Crisp. The film has flashes of visual inspiration spread throughout its running time, including colourful filters and multiple layers, but these alone do not make up for a story that makes no sense whatsoever. At one point Cornelius finds himself in a nightclub which is built like a giant pinball machine, complete with scantily-clad go-go dancers in giant hamster balls. It's colourful and exciting, and you can almost imagine this film taking place in the same Britain as A Clockwork Orange (1971).

Robert Fuest is probably best known for directing the Vincent Price camp comedy-horror classics The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) and Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972), films with plenty of visual style to compensate for the slightly flimsy plots, themselves a derivation from the much-imitated Agatha Christie story And Then There Were None (also known as Ten Little Indians). The film is based on a much-respected science fiction novel by prolific author Michael Moorcock. He has not been particularly complimentary about the film in the past, and neither have ardent fans of the book, who have complained that too much was removed from the story. This may help explain why the film makes no sense, with Jerry moving from unusual experience to unusual experience for no reason. It is a movie that is less than the sum of its parts, which is a pity as individual parts are intriguing and entertaining, and suggest that there could have been something very special here. Instead it is like trying to watch a film through the fog of a room full of stoners. Originally an X certificate in the UK, the film is now rated 15 for the occasional swearing, drug-taking and nudity, all very much of its time.

This is a film which has been greatly anticipated on UK DVD, and it is a pity that Network did not take the opportunity to create materials that may help the audience to put the film in some sort of context. Sadly both Robert Fuest and Jon Finch died last year, too late to have their final reflections on the film recorded. Michael Moorcock is still around but would not necessarily want to contribute, but some kind of short documentary or commentary track from a historian would definitely help if you are new to the film. As it is you get a couple of trailers and the choice to watch the opening titles in Italian. Not exactly mind-blowing extras, which are precisely what this DVD release needs.

Martine Beswick (One Million Years B.C., Slave Girls and Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde), Caroline Munro (Captain Kronos and Dracula A.D.72), Kate O'Mara (Horror of Frankenstein and The Vampire Lovers) and Maddie Smith (Vampire Lovers and Frankenstein and the and Monster from Hell). (Photo: copyright Mark Mawston, all rights reserved.)

Saturday 9th November 2013

Report by Adrian Smith

On Saturday in the shadow of Westminster Abbey, amidst the power-hungry elite of Whitehall and Downing Street, gathered an even more sinister and corrupting influence. Darth Vader rubbed shoulders with evil twins, corrupted children, vampires, zombies and even Jack the Ripper. Overseeing this evil conclave were directors whose films were so depraved that sometimes sick bags were supplied to the audience.

Horror film buffs were of course overjoyed at the fantastic selection of stars at this Hammer and Horror Film event. Representing the Bond girls were Caroline Munro, Caron Gardner, Martine Beswick and Madeline Smith. They were alongside horror queens Barbara Shelley, Kate O'Mara, Judy Matheson, Janina Faye and Emily Booth. Barbara Shelley sat with some of the alien children from her classic British sci-fi Village of the Damned, Teri and Lesley Scoble and Martin Stephens (also star of The Innocents). David Warner (Tron), Dave Prowse (Star Wars) and John Carson (Plague of the Zombies) were all very friendly and accommodating of the multitude of demanding fans, and writer-directors Michael Armstong (Mark of the Devil), Norman J. Warren (Satan's Slave) and Brian Clemens (The Avengers) were also there discussing their work and meeting old friends.

Kate O'Mara, Dave Prowse (Horror of Frankenstein) and Madeline Smith. (Photo: copyright Mark Mawston. All rights reserved.)

The focus of the day was the recent restoration of Hammer's Twins of Evil. To celebrate the director John Hough met up with Damien Thomas, who played Count Karnstein, Judy Matheson, burnt at the stake by Peter Cushing, and good twin Mary Collinson, who had travelled to the event from Milan. Sir Christopher Frayling, one of the UK’s leading authorities on vampire fiction, lead the onstage discussion. He provided a fascinating history of the Karnstein story from its origins in the work of Sheridan Le Fanu to Hammer’s lesbian vampire trilogy. They all clearly enjoyed the reunion, and Hough did his best to convince the audience that the Collinson girls' voices were not dubbed, despite what all the film history books say. Mary explained that they both received elocution lessons, as neither of them were trained actors. Twins of Evil was to be their last film, released when they were only nineteen, and they returned to modelling.

Other guests were also interviewed throughout the day. Brian Clemens, Caroline Munro and John Carson got together to discuss the magnificent Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter, agreed by one and all to be the last good film Hammer made in the 1970s. Norman J. Warren described the difficulties of making Satan's Slave with money raised by your producer re-mortgaging his house. They had such small funds that star Michael Gough had to supply his own wardrobe and sleep on a friend's sofa for three weeks, all for the grand sum of £300.

David Warner was especially mischievous during his interview, reacting with horror every time a clip was shown from his extensive back-catalogue (including Tom Jones, The Omen, Time After Time and Star Trek). He had the room in gales of laughter and explained that as an actor without any ambition he is very happy to have never been a star, something that many in the room disagreed with.

Cinema Retro columnist Adrian Smith with Mary Collinson (Twins of Evil). (Photo: copyright Mark Mawston. All rights reserved).

What makes one of these conventions so enjoyable is that alongside the guests are dozens of stalls weighed down with rare DVDs, obscure film posters, original James Bond toys, vinyl, novelisations; virtually every kind of film memorabilia and ephemera that you can think of (and many you can't) from all over the world. From Thai Evil Dead posters to original Hammer Quads it was a collectors dream, even though you may also need to re-mortgage your home yourself in order to pay for everything you want. Cinema Retro came home laden with press books, lobby cards, old magazines, books and rare Spanish 1960s superhero movies, and could easily have gone around the hall several more times.

They hold the London Film Memorabilia Convention several times a year in Westminster, and often feature special guests. You can find out what is coming up on their website at http://www.londonfilmmemorabiliaconvention.co.uk.

(For Cinema Retro's review of the U.S. special Blu-ray edition of Twins of Evil, click here) 

Lesleh Donaldson with Cinema Retro columnist Todd Garbarini.

By Todd Garbarini 

Richard Ciupka’s unfairly maligned 1983 horror film Curtains was screened recently as part of the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Scary Movies 7 exhibition that also included screenings of Lucky McKee’s new film All Cheerleaders Die, Michele Soavi’s highly regarded Cemetery Man (1994), Eli Roth’s new film The Green Inferno, John D. Hancock’s ultra creepy Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971), the New York premiere of Clive Barker’s 1990 film Nightbreed - the Cabal Cut, and Peter Carter’s brilliant Rituals (1977), better known as The Creeper, which stars Hal Holbrook and Lawrence Dane in a film that is clearly influenced by John Boorman’s Deliverance (1971) but easily stands on its own as a strong piece of independent filmmaking.

Appearing in person at the Curtains screening was actress Lesleh Donaldson who played Christie Burns, the ice skater in the film. Ms. Donaldson, who made her film debut as Michael Douglas’ teenage daughter in Steven H. Stern’s 1979 film Running, introduced the film and spoke at length following the screening with a question-and-answer session. Also at the screening were longtime Curtains aficionados Bryan Norton (he teaches filmmaking at the New York Film Academy and is the director of Penny Dreadful with Betsy Palmer and Jack Attack with Helen Rogers), actor Joe Zaso, film directors Bart Mastronardi, Alan Rowe Kelly, Howard Simon, and yours truly representing Cinema Retro.

Lesleh Donaldson

Exhibited from a rare 35mm print, Curtains is one of the most under-appreciated thrillers of the early 1980s. The Canadian production went before the cameras in November of 1980 and was beset by a multitude of problems which stretched over several years and included but were not limited to: creative differences between director Ciupka and the film’s producer, the late Peter R. Simpson, who directed much of the film; a last-minute change in casting of one of the supporting characters; and issues of money for the budget. This tale of director Jonathan Stryker (played by the late John Vernon) and his desire to bring the story of a woman, Audra, to the screen also features veteran actress Samantha Eggar as actress Samantha Sherwood having herself committed to a sanitarium to study mentally disturbed individuals only to find that Stryker, for reasons never explained, has secretly decided to leave her there and recast the film by auditioning other actresses at his house. Once she gets out, all hell breaks loose…

“Richard and Peter did not get along and they both had their own views of what this movie was going to be about,” Ms. Donaldson said after the screening. “Richard (Ciupka) was a cinematographer who had a very artistic view of what the film should look like. On the other hand, Peter Simpson, having done Prom Night prior to this, knew what worked. He just wanted your typical slasher movie. So, they were constantly battling and eventually Richard just left the project. They cast Celine Lomez in the Linda Thorson role (of Brooke Parsons) originally. I am not sure what happened, if she got another role or whatever, but she left.” When asked if she still has her fake head that appears in a toilet during a gruesome discovery, she admits that it was an artificial makeshift toilet and they used her real head for the scene. “The dinner scene and the bedroom scenes were all done by Richard,” Ms. Donaldson continued. “The ice skating rink scene and the chase through the prop house, that was all Peter. The other actresses and myself, we all got along fine. There were no fights of any sort. I liked all of the women, they were all really great. I didn't get to know Samantha Eggar very much but to be honest I think she kept herself away from everybody because that’s what the character called for. I became really good friends with Lynne Griffin (who played Patti O’Connor and also starred in Bob Clark’s Black Christmas) and she was very excited that they were screening the movie tonight. She couldn’t be here, unfortunately, but she really wanted to. Anne Ditchburn was also a very good friend as well. I did actually practice a skating routine and she helped me. I didn’t actually get to do my routine because I had practiced skating in an arena. When it came time to shoot my ice-skating scene in the movie, I literally took one glide out on to the icy pond and hit a bump. I fell face-first on to the ice. Looking at it on the big screen I can see the cut on my chin. Of course, I did it right behind Peter and Gerry Arbeid (production manager)! Gerry turned to Peter and said, ‘Didn’t we pay for her training?’ So, they had to use a double for my ice skating.”

Ms. Donaldson was nominated for a Genie Award for her performance in the 1980 horror film Funeral Home but lost out to Margot Kidder in Donald Shebib’s Heartaches (1981). Her other horror film outings include Happy Birthday to Me (1981) and Deadly Eyes (1982).

Released on VHS in 1983 and on DVD in 2007, Curtains is currently undergoing a long overdue digital film restoration from an interpositive under the auspices of Don May, Jr.’s company Synapse Films with a Blu-ray scheduled for release in 2014.

Audra herself couldn’t have done it better!

By Lee Pfeiffer 

Italy may have suffered immeasurably during WWII but in the post-war era the Italian cinema entered a renaissance period with world-acclaimed directors making the country the epicenter of the European new wave films. The Italian cinema was still in vigorous condition in the 1960s and the nation's most glamorous actors and actresses became international stars. In the wake of Fellini's La Dolce Vita and 8 1/2, even mainstream American audiences that were generally immune to the charms of foreign films became smitten by the Italian touch. One of the most unheralded Italian imports from this era ironically boasted one of the most impressive casts. Made in Italy was released in America in 1967 with an all-star cast that included Virna Lisi, Sylva Koscina, Anna Magnani, Alberto Sordi and Nino Manfredi. The movie, which has been released as one of Sony's burn-to-order DVD titles, is a madcap look at a disparate number of Italians who are all experiencing something chaotic during the course of a single day. The movie, directed and co-written by Nanni Loy (The Four Days of Naples), runs at a fairly manic clip and certainly contains some moments of inspired comedy. However, the screenplay is woefully under-written with some of the vignettes (which are all unrelated) ending abruptly on an unsatisfactory note. Not helping matters is the penchant for dubbing films during this era, an absurd practice that was designed to increase boxoffice dollars but resulted in plenty of voices that didn't seem to match the actors on screen. This film is no exception, with only a few instances in which the dubbing can be deemed satisfactory. In most cases, it's poor and woefully distracting. The dozens of vignettes have varying running times and are primarily designed to look at how every day life in Italy impacts its citizens from all walks of life. Loy gets a bit Felliniesque by making some social commentary along the way. In one sequence, a group of bored, super wealthy socialites decide to "slum it" by eating in a crowded restaurant that is popular with the working class. The snobs arrogantly laugh at how they are immersed with those of lower social status in much the same way as visitors to a zoo might be amused by the antics of some exotic animals. In the most poignant sequence, a middle-aged out of work man desperately seeks employment and goes off on a job interview for a position of laborer. The hopes and enthusiasm of his wife at the prospect of his finding a job is genuinely touching even though the episode ends on a downbeat note.  The only consistent characters seen throughout are a group of bawdy Italians who are aboard a flight to Sweden where they apparently have been engaged to do some unspecified work. The scenes of these obnoxious men clowning on the plane are routinely unfunny and the payoff is even weaker when they arrive in Sweden only to find it a gray, humorless place. The funniest segment involves Alberto Sordi as a philanderer who is caught in the act with his mistress by his wife- only to slickly present a defense of his actions that is designed to make him appear to be the victim of his wife's uncaring behavior. Another funny segment involves Anna Magnani trying to simply walk her family to a local ice cream parlor only to have to endanger everyone's lives by trying to cross the lanes of non-stop traffic that resembles a racetrack. The premise is very funny but, again, the script ends on a bizarre note, as though the writers couldn't envision a satisfying conclusion. The film's main attributes are the superbly photographed scenes of various exotic Italian cities and other locations, all set to a jaunty and delightful musical score. 

Made in Italy is a mixed bag. There is inspired humor in small does along with some poignant social commentary, but all too often the segments are as leaden as a mountainous plate of lasagna.

The DVD transfer is excellent but there are no bonus extras.  

CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON 

By Lee Pfeiffer

Warner Home Video has released a deluxe Blu-ray edition of director Oliver Stone's 1991 film JFK to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The movie was a lightning rod for controversy upon its initial release and film critics and historians still debate the film today. Stone, who has made clear he is a firm believer that in the theory that JFK's murder was part of a greater conspiracy plot, altered many key historical events in order to make these theories more convincing to audiences. Stone defended this decision as being within the realm of "artistic license" and claimed that, as a filmmaker, his primary goal was to make a compelling movie. His critics cited their belief that, to impressionable audience members, his powerful movie would be confused with established fact. No matter where you stand on the debate, virtually everyone agreed that the movie was a gripping, expertly-made  thriller. It earned 8 Oscar nominations, winning two. 

The Blu-ray boxed set is outstanding in terms of content and quality. The set presents Stone's "director's cut" of the film (the original theatrical cut is not included, having apparently been disowned by Stone), a feature length documentary titled Beyond JFK: A Question of Conspiracy, deleted/extended scenes and feature length commentary. There is also an episode of the TV series Olvier Stone's Untold History of the United States titled JFK: To the Brink that delves into the various foreign crisis the new President had to deal with. A theatrical trailer is also included. 

The set contains a separate DVD that has other excellent bonus programming including the 1963 feature film  P.T. 109 that recreates how Kennedy won his stripes as a WWII hero (Cliff Robertson plays JFK, having been personally chosen by the President for the role). The film is enjoyable enough in its own right but, aside from the Kennedy connection, it's basically a standard WWII adventure. Robert Culp and Ty Hardin co-star.  There is also a new feature length documentary titled JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later as well as the acclaimed vintage feature film documentary John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums which has been remastered for this release. There is a wealth of bonus collectibles including book of JFK quotations, reproduction of his inaugural address, reproduction of Kennedy campaign poser, 20 photos and correspondence fro te the JFK Presidential Library and a 44 page photo book. Nobody seems to excel at these "everything-but-the-kitchen sink" boxed sets like Warner Home Video does. Somebody over there deserves praise for their creative bonus collectibles that are included in so many of their boxed sets.

In all this is a magnificent release on every level.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER DISCOUNTED FROM AMAZON 

There are various other options for purchasing the Blu-ray aside from the boxed set,  as outlined below on the official official press release.  

BURBANK, Calif., August 21, 2013 – November 22, 2013 will mark 50 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will commemorate this tragic chapter in U.S. history by honoring one of our most influential presidents with the release of a new collection featuring the award-winning motion picture, JFK. Director Oliver Stone’s controversial highly-charged story surrounding the tragedy debuts November 12 as JFK 50 Year Commemorative Ultimate Collector’s Edition (JFK UCE) on Blu-ray™.

Stone’s film is considered one of the most provocative of our time. In addition to box-office success and critical acclaim, it captured eight Academy Award^®[i] nominations (including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor), winning two (Best Cinematography and Film Editing). It also won Stone a Best Director (Motion Picture, 1992) Golden Globe^® and ultimately played a major role in the national debate that lead to passage of the 1992 Assassination Materials Disclosure Act.

Stone directed from a screenplay he wrote with Zachary Sklar. The all-star cast includes Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman, Sissy Spacek, Jack Lemmon, Joe Pesci, Donald Sutherland, Laurie Metcalf, John Candy, Walter Matthau, Sally Kirkland, and Edward Asner.

The JFK UCE includes the Director’s Cut with 17 additional minutes not seen in theaters and will feature three captivating documentaries – Oliver Stone’s JFK: To the Brink, the insightful look at the JFK presidency that was included in his 2012 Showtime Series, “The Untold History of the United States;” the brand-new JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later from filmmaker Robert Kline; and John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums, a documentary produced by George Stevens, Jr., and written and directed by Bruce Herschensohn, who also composed the music. The film was named one of the Ten Best Films of 1965 by the National Board of Review.

In addition, the JFK UCE includes the feature film drama, PT 109, about Kennedy’s World War II experiences as a skipper in the South Pacific. The JFK UCE also contains commemorative items from the Kennedy Presidential Library: collectible reproductions of family and presidential photos, a campaign poster from the 1960 presidential campaign, and a copy of Kennedy’s historic inaugural address. Lastly, there is a 32-page book of famous quotations, and a 44-page JFK movie photo book.

The JFK 50 Year Commemorative Ultimate Collector’s Edition will sell for $59.99 SRP. The documentaries JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later and John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums will also be available on DVD separately, for $5.94 and $11.97 SRP respectively. Untold History of the United States, containing JFK: To the Brink, will make its U.S. Blu-ray debut October 15.

Special Features:

• JFK: To The Brink – Chapter from Oliver Stone’s “Untold History of the United States”
• New Documentary -- JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later
• Remastered Documentary – John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums
• Feature film -- PT 109

• Behind the Story

• Commentary by Director Oliver Stone
• Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy
• Multimedia Essays
• Assassination Update – The New Documents
• Meet Mr. X: The Personality and Thoughts of Fletcher Prouty
• Deleted/extended scenes with commentary by director Oliver Stone (production audio only)
• Theatrical trailer

About The UCE’s Special Features

JFK: To the Brink: This documentary is Chapter 6 from the powerful historical series “Untold History of the United States,” a ten-part Showtime Original Series, debuting on Blu-ray October 15 through WBHE. The in-depth, surprising, and totally riveting series, co-written by Stone with Peter Kuznick and Matt Graham, was directed and narrated by Stone. This one-hour segment sheds valuable additional insight into JFK’s presidency during the Bay of Pigs; on the brink of total war during the Cuban Missile Crisis; through early Vietnam; JFK's attempts at peace with Khrushchev; and finally the President’s assassination

JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later: 50 years after his assassination on November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy remains as vital and compelling as when he was first elected. This documentary reacquaints us with the first Irish-Catholic president and the youngest in U.S. history, presenting images and personalities frozen in time. From Kennedy's nomination to his election, from his inspiring inaugural address to the Bay of Pigs, from civil rights and racial struggles to space exploration, from the Berlin Wall appearance to his leadership during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy ranks among the great presidents in the history of the United States.

John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums (1965): This documentary tribute to President Kennedy was named one of the Ten Best Films of the Year by the National Board of Review. Produced by George Stevens Jr. for the United States Information Agency (USIA), it was narrated by Gregory Peck, and written and directed by Bruce Herschensohn, who also composed the music. The film chronicles the thousand days of JFK’s presidency, featuring numerous clips from speeches and an intimate look at Kennedy family life. It was not originally intended for the general public; however, the quality was considered so outstanding that a special act of Congress allowed it to eventually be shown theatrically.

PT 109 (1963): Before Kennedy was president, he was a hero in World War II. Based on the book by Robert J. Donovan, this film stars Academy Award^®-winning actor Cliff Robertson (Best Actor in a Leading Role --Charly 1969) as Lieutenant Kennedy. While a young captain of a PT boat in the South Pacific, Kennedy lead his men in a daring rescue of American Marines stranded on a small island inside the area of Japanese control. On another mission, a Japanese destroyer sliced the small boat in half, and miles from the nearest island Kennedy proves himself a hero with his efforts to save his crew.

Also Available Individually

JFK Remembered: 50 Years Later (Documentary)

Pricing: $5.94 SRP

Run Time: 120 Mins.

Cat/UPC: 1000411226/ 883929346851

John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums (Documentary)

Pricing: $11.97 SRP

Run Time: 85 Mins.

Cat/UPC: 1000435145/ 883929371914

The Untold History of the United States (contains JFK: To the Brink)

Street Date: October 15, 2013

Order Due Date: September 10, 2013

Pricing: $49.99 SRP

Run Time: 801 mins

Catalog #: 1000420438

"CRAB MONSTERS, TEENAGE CAVEMEN, AND CANDY STRIPE NURSES: ROGER CORMAN, KING OF THE 'B' MOVIE" BY CHRIS NASHAWATAY; FOREWORD BY JOHN LANDIS 

Review by Lee Pfeiffer

You can fill an ocean liner with all the tribute books that have been written about "B" movie mogul Roger Corman. The most elaborate so far is this superb coffee table volume by Chris Nashawatay, a long-time film critic for Entertainment Weekly. The book presents a plethora of outstanding movie posters, lobby cards and behind the scenes stills, some of which are from Corman's personal archives. They are all wonderfully presented, as this book is particularly well-designed to capitalize on the nature of the films it celebrates. So many big stars and directors had their initial success with Corman productions. In these pages you can relish Jack Nicholson as Cry Baby Killer, Ron Howard starring in (and directing for the first time) Eat My Dust, and Robert Vaughn as the Teenage Caveman. Best of all is the excellent, in-depth coverage and graphics of Corman's greatest successes: the string of Edgar Allan Poe film adaptations he collaborated on with Vincent Price. (This past Halloween, I watched several of them in succession on TCM and I am amazed at how well they hold up, despite low production values.). There biker films, sexploitation pics and low-brow comedies, all given the Corman touch of being slick and well-produced. Corman has lived to see his reputation placed on an exalted level (he received an honorary Oscar, something that would have seemed inconceivable back in the 1960s). The book has significant contributions from such esteemed figures as Peter Bogdanovich, James Cameron, Bruce Dern, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson and William Shatner- not to mention a heartfelt introduction by John Landis, who also credits Corman for distributing the works of Fellini, Bergmann and Kurosawa in the USA. In all, this book is an ambitious and highly entertaining work that retro movie lovers will find irresistible. 

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BY TODD GARBARINI

Does the world really need another documentary about George A. Romero’s watershed 1968 zombie film Night of the Living Dead? After having watched a new documentary directed by Rob Kuhns called Birth of the Living Dead, the answer is a resounding “Yes!” Horror films have arguably never been more popular than they are now. The Internet and compact digital devices such as iPads and cell phones have permitted people who normally would not be able to afford the type of equipment necessary to make a film the ability to do so. Consequently, “found footage” films and zombie epics like 28 Days Later (2002) prosper. Digital video and the explosion of computers and digital editing capability have become a filmmaker's best friend. This is a far cry from the conditions under which Mr. Romero and company made Night.

What Birth of the Living Dead does so well is pinpoint that exact moment in history, in this case October 1968, when Mr. Romero’s seminal film was unleashed upon an unsuspecting world. Prior to this, Mr. Romero, who was born in the Bronx prior to moving to Pittsburgh, cut his teeth five years earlier by creating a company called the Latent Image and produced hundreds, if not thousands, of commercials. Sir Ridley Scott similarly produced some 3000 commercials prior to his film debut, 1977’s The Duelists. Mr. Romero comically mentions having shot footage for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and maintains even that wound up being frightening!

There are many ways in which film can be ruined and when shooting on celluloid, invariably footage can end up over or under exposed. In the case of some of the commercials that Mr. Romero worked on, a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into shooting footage that would end up plagued by mistakes made in the lab. This is simply a fact of life and similar problems of shooting digitally are rife with issues that plague filmmakers even today. USB devices get lost, hard drives crash, digital videotape is accidentally erased, etc. Mr. Romero has seen it all.

The average filmgoer probably believes that Night was Mr. Romero’s very first film. While this is true in terms of having a film released, he actually attempted to make an Ingmar Bergman-like drama prior to it. With money obtained and saved through making commercials, he purchased a 35mm Arriflex film camera and began work on a film entitled Whine of the Fawn, sort of a variation on Ingmar Bergman's The Virgin Spring (which, ironically enough, influenced Wes Craven’s notorious Last House on the Left in 1972). The film proved to be difficult to make and seemed pretentious and was mercifully abandoned. While reading the novel I Am Legend by famed author Richard Matheson, Mr. Romero wrote his own story and screenplay about a zombie outbreak. It went before the cameras under the title of Night of the Flesh Eaters. This was 1967, the era of Vietnam, racism, civil rights movements, anger, and rioting. The country was exploding as a result of class differences and racial injustice. Mr. Romero’s film was seminal in that there was a new revolution at hand: the dead were coming back to life en masse. Rechristening the Latent Image as Image Ten, Night of the Flesh Eaters became Night of the Living Dead - without a copyright trademark which was left off due to an oversight, resulting in unknown amounts of money lost as the film became public domain. Mr. Romero shot and edited the film himself. The budget was so small that the cast and crew of Night pulled double duty behind and in front of the camera. This film is really the very definition of a team effort and at this time independent cinema was fairly new. In New York Martin Scorsese was just starting out; in Toronto, David Cronenberg was shooting his short films Transfer and From the Drain; John Carpenter was in film school at the University of Southern California; Wes Craven was teaching and trying to get his film career off the ground; Dario Argento was writing film criticism for a newspaper in Rome and preparing to shoot his first movie. It was an exciting era.

It is hard for contemporary audiences to imagine what it must have been like to see a film like Night in 1968. Birth gives us a graphic insight to those troubled times. Mr. Romero admits in Birth that most people on the crew didn’t even believe that the film would get finished. Birth offers the opinions of a whole host of people in the industry about their experiences having seen Night. One of them is Gale Anne Hurd, the producer of The Terminator, Aliens, and The Abyss, and who is now an executive producer on AMC’s extremely popular and successful series The Walking Dead. It is amazing to see that 45 years after the release of Night, it is obvious that Mr. Romero is responsible for the zombie genre.

Birth also very carefully examines the casting of the late African American actor Duane Jones as Ben, the hero of the film. Most people thought that Mr. Romero was making a statement about white and black relations by casting Mr. Jones. The truth is, he was the best person to audition for the role. Just as simple as that. There is no mention in Night nor is there any sort of reference to Ben’s color. It's basically a non-issue.

It is also interesting to point out that film criticism at the time wholeheartedly embraced Night. Many well-regarded publications such as Positif analyzed the film under a microscope and interpreted it from the standpoint of serious film theory. This gave the movie an air of prestige never imagined.

Overall, this is an excellent and insightful look at the effect that this low-budget American film had on the motion picture industry. Even if you are not a fan of horror or of Night, I would recommend that you see it to appreciate and be familiar with Night’s cultural significance. An excellent companion piece to this film is Ben Harvey’s BFI Film Classics book on Night which can be purchased here from Amazon.com.

Birth of the Living Dead begins its theatrical engagement at New York’s Independent Film Center (IFC) at 323 Sixth Avenue at West Third Street on November 6, 2013. Fitting, as the IFC is the former Waverly Theater where Night premiered in 1968.

Who knew?

Click here for the film’s official website.

By Lee Pfeiffer

When it opened in 1970, director Lewis Gilbert's film version of Harold Robbins' best-seller The Adventurers was reviewed by New York Times, which referred to the production as "a spectacular blast-furnace lulu of human waste". Indeed, Gilbert himself said of the film a few years ago that it was "terrible" and that he regretted having been involved with it. With such a reputation, it's no wonder that even retro movie lovers such as myself have never made the effort to watch the movie. However, the Warner Archive has just re-issued Paramounts original DVD release of the film and, upon receiving the screener, I had enough morbid curiosity to give it a try. How, after all, could a film by a major director and featuring a big all-star cast go so completely wrong? The answer is: it didn't. The Adventurers is not high art, but it doesn't deserve its place in the Razzie book of ten worst films of all time. The worst that can be said of it is that it is a relentlessly downbeat affair that goes on for three hours with nary an iota of humor or anything, in fact, to relieve the consistent depiction of human suffering. At times, it makes Sophie's Choice look like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Gilbert, who had recently come off the double-barreled successes of Alfie and You Only Live Twice, had envisioned directing the screen adaptation of Oliver! When that project went to Carol Reed, he ended up with The Adventurers. 

The movie opens with an unsettling sequence set in a fictional South American country (it was filmed in Colombia). A young boy named Dax Xenos watches in horror while a group of soldiers invades his family compound and systematically rape and kill all of the women, including his mother and sister. Dax barely escapes and rescues his friend, a girl Amparo. Together they survive an arduous trek across the desert and are reunited witih Dax's father (Fernando Rey) who is a prominent rebel leader trying to depose the nation's dictator. Ultimately the rebels win and install a new leader, General Rojo (Alan Badel), who promises to initiate democracy but who proves to be as ruthless and greedy as his predecessor. (The parallels to Castro are probably no coincidental).  Dax's father is named a prominent diplomat and over the years, the two become closer than ever. With Dax now a handsome young man and playboy, he is thrust into the political limelight when his father is assassinated, ostensibly by rebels now trying to oust Rojos, but in reality the command was given by Rojos himself. The story traces Dax's rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches life as he tries to preoccupy himself by opening up a fashion studio with some old friends. However, he is repeatedly drawn to efforts to oust Rojos back in his home country. He ultimately uses his social contacts among the rich and famous to raise capital to finance arms to the guerrillas and ultimately ends up helping to lead a massive assault on the presidential compound. Intermingled with these action sequences, we follow Dax's busy love life as he romances rich cougars (Olivia De Havilland among them) and enters an ill-suited marriage with the world's richest young woman (Candice Bergen.)  Dax, who is nominally the hero of this film, comes across as a cad. When his wife suffers a miscarriage in an accident and finds she can no longer bare children, he basically says, "Adios" and goes on his lustful way to find other women. He eventually is reunited with Amparo (Leigh-Taylor Young), who is the daughter of Rojos. The two have an on-again, off-again affair. (Only Harold Robbins or Sidney Sheldon could envision such complicated love lives).

The three hour movie is consistently engrossing and the locations, which include Rome and New York, are exotic, to say the least. This was one hell of an expensive production and it must have originally been envisioned for a road show release (it has an intermission.) The battle scenes are massive in scale and superbly staged and the entire film is stunningly photographed by the great Claude Renoir. The music by Antonio Carlos Jobim is also an impressive asset. Bekim Fehmiu, who was then a largely unknown Yugoslavian actor who was plucked from obscurity, meets the physical requirements of the role in that he has a calendar model's good looks and appears very Bondian in a tuxedo. Critics called his performance wooden and dull but he is supposed to be playing a man so scarred by boyhood traumas that he finds it almost impossible to show overt emotion. A film of this magnitude certainly called out for a major star in the lead role, so Fehmiu's lack of clout with audiences clearly hurt the boxoffice potential. However, there are any number of other good actors in supporting roles including Ernest Borgnine (very good as Dax's only true friend), the aforementioned Ms. De Havilland and Bergen, Charles Aznavour, Rosanno Brazzi, Leigh-Taylor Young, John Ireland and the always great Fernando Rey. (Even 007's Miss Moneypenny, Lois Maxwell, shows up in a blink-and-you'll-miss-her cameo.) Gilbert's direction is assured and and he keeps the lengthy story running at a fast enough pace that there is nary a dull moment.

The Adventurers doesn't represent anything like the best films of its era. However, it is also not the shameful mess even its director has labeled it as. Huge in scope and featuring rich production values, the movie has some shots that feature enough extras to rival Cleopatra. It's a pretty grim affair throughout but retro movie fans should ignore conventional wisdom and form their own opinions about its overall merits. Recommended. 

The Warner Archive DVD features an excellent transfer but no bonus extras.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Last evening I attended a rather remarkable event: the world premiere screening of the new highly-touted National Geographic Channel TV movie Killing Kennedy. (The program will be telecast on November 10.) What made the evening remarkable was the fact that, instead of premiering the film in a New York or L.A. prestigious venue, National Geographic in association with Cablevision, chose Greenbriar, a senior citizens community in the central New Jersey town of Marlboro. It seems the channel is taking a populist approach to publicizing their most prestigious productions and it was decided to premiere the Kennedy film before an audience of people who were alive during the events recounted on screen. Several politicos were on hand (there is an election in New Jersey next week, after all) including Jonathan Hornki, the mayor of Marlboro -who used some clout to get the event held at Greenbriar- and state  senator Joe Kryllos (R). Also in attendance was Charlie Parsons, one of the executive producers. Discussing historical facts among senior citizens who lived through the actual events is generally a risky business. I taught classes about films pertaining to the Cold War to adult ed students at NYU and found that I learned as much from the class as they did, thanks to their personal insights. Thus, National Geographic felt very confident that they had a good product with this high budget, slickly made recreation of the events that unfolded  50 years ago on that somber day in Dallas.

Rob Lowe and Ginnifer Goodwin as JFK and Jackie Kennedy.

There are plenty of landmark moments in American history that have taken place over the last century, but few that can be called genuinely seminal. I would list the attack on Pearl Harbor, D-Day, the moon landing, the 9/11 terrorism acts and certainly the assassination of John F. Kennedy. With the 50th anniversary upon us, there is no shortage of beings and entities that are trying to exploit this dreadful day in U.S. history. Some are motivated purely by profit others by profit and a desire to enlighten people. The National Geographic Channel falls squarely into the latter category. Producer Parsons explained that the channel prides itself on presenting fact, not fiction or speculation. He also said the decision was made to go with the traditional theories about the assassination (i.e, Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.) This is, in itself, refreshing. The two most prominent major feature films made about the death of Kennedy- Executive Action (1973) and Oliver Stone's  JFK (1991)- both propagated conspiracy theories. Parsons didn't endorse or dismiss such theories but simply said that, had the project delved into those waters, the film would have been too large in scope to cover the key events effectively in an 88  minute time slot. There are plenty of intelligent people who believe in the conspiracies and others who are genuine nutcases...the kind of folks who believe President Bush orchestrated the destruction of the World Trade Center and that President Obama is a Marxist illegal alien from Kenya. The channel will take a lot of heat from this crowd for presenting a straight-forward view that Oswald alone killed Kennedy; in essence presenting the Warren Report version of events. However, it is now unusual to see this traditional interpretation of the assassination being put forward since conspiracy-oriented films and TV show have been sucking up all the oxygen on the subject for the last couple of decades. 

National Geographic Channel had a major success with their February airing of Killing Lincoln, a truly outstanding production that rightly earned the highest ratings in the channel's history. That film was based on a best-selling book by Bill O'Reilly (yes, that Bill O'Reilly) and his co-author Martin Dugard. The success of the book led to the two collaborating on Killing Kennedy and-most recently- Killing Jesus. Whether you love or loathe O'Reilly for his controversial political punditry on Fox News (and there is no middle ground), you have to credit him for bringing historical events back into the public mainstream through his books. In an increasingly dumbed-down world, anyone who helps elevate interest in history is to be commended. The new Killing Kennedy production represents new ground for National Geographic: it's the channel's first scripted docudrama. (In the parlance of the 1970s, it would be called a "TV movie".) That is, is has no narration and the scripted project stars professional actors. This is a bit risky for a venture that prides itself on historical accuracy as scripted dramas always run the risk of reflecting the biases of the screenwriters. While I don't profess to be a JFK assassination scholar, it seemed to me that overall production was accurate based up on what we know, not supposition.  (There is some clunky ambiguity about JFK's removal of missiles from Turkey in order to give Kruschev a fig leaf to end the Cuban Missile Crisis, but that's a minor criticism.)

Will Rothhaar as Lee Harvey Oswald

The film traces parallel story lines involving the rendezvous with destiny that both John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald were approaching from disparate paths. The movie presents interesting insights into Oswald's defection to the Soviet Union and his ultimate disappointment about living in the decrepit "Worker's Paradise". He ultimately returns to America with his Russian wife with the dream that he will somehow be the center of a major news story. When that fails to happen, his life rapidly disintegrates. His marriage begins to unwind, his wife and children move out and he is relegated to a menial job in the Dallas school book depository from which the deadly shots were fired. Meanwhile, JFK is nursing his wounds over his bungling of the Bay of Pigs invasion and trying to prevent all out nuclear war when the Soviets move missiles into Cuba. The President is very well-played by Rob Lowe, who opts to capture the essence of the character as opposed to attempting a flat-out imitation of the man. It's a wise move. Lowe conveys Kennedy's charm, intelligence and swagger but also reveals his self-centered side through his dalliances with other women (as aspect of White House life that is conveyed strongly, but briefly.) JFK becomes a more mature and thoughtful person following the tragic death of his infant son. Jackie Kennedy (played by Ginnifer Goodwin as a sympathetic and tolerant figure) finally sees her husband becoming the man she knew he could be- but, of course, tragedy will cut short this transformation. Oswald's marriage is also delved into in a detailed way with Michelle Trachtenberg outstanding as his long-suffering Russian immigrant wife. (Impressively, Trachtenberg learned how to speak Russian phonetically from her mother, who was born in the Soviet Union.) As Oswald comes to the realization that his dreams of grandeur are destined for failure, he makes a rather spontaneous decision to make history by assassinating the president. As Oswald, newcomer Will Rothhaar gives a very impressive performance, avoiding the types of pretentious quirks or overt signs of villainy that one might have anticipated. Instead, he plays Oswald as a somewhat sympathetic loser; a man who is capable of having genuine empathy for the civil rights movement, yet is equally capable of manhandling his wife in a rage. Other key historical figures such as LBJ, Jack Ruby and Bobby Kennedy remain peripheral characters out of necessity due to time constraints but every supporting performance is played to perfection. The film actually gets better as it nears its inevitable and tragic conclusion. It's hard to ring suspense out of a drama when we all know how it ends. Fred Zinnemann achieved this with his brilliant 1973 film The Day of the Jackal about a fictitious plot to assassinate Charles de Gaulle and director Nelson McCormick manages to do the same with Killing Kennedy. Production values are top-notch as is the editing and cinematography. None of this is surprising given the impressive talent behind the scenes (both Ridley Scott and David Zucker are among the executive producers.) Oliver Stone may get his knickers twisted when he sees this non-conspiratorial view of the JFK assassination but the truth is that no one can say they really know the truth. Despite compelling questions, mysteries and inconsistencies regarding key aspects of the Warren Report, no one has ever produced definitive evidence of a plot that went beyond the mad act of a desperate man who wanted to known for making some kind of mark on society, even if it were to be a tragic one. 

Killing Kennedy is sure to get a huge audience when it is broadcast on November 10 (a DVD release will follow shortly thereafter). Hopefully, an enthusiastic response to a production this good will only encourage the National Geographic Channel to continue to elevate the standards of historical dramas with similarly-themed programming. Everyone involved should take a well-deserved bow. 

A couple of years ago we met director Tom Donohue and his colleagues, who were in the beginning stages of their documentary Casting By, which explores the generally neglected contributions of casting directors to major motion pictures. In the ensuing months, Tom and his team have interviewed a remarkable number of prominent directors, actors and producers for their film including Woody Allen, Robert Duvall,  Robert Redford, Al Pacino, Robert De NiroMartin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood. The film, which is being touted as a strong Oscar contender, has just opened theatrically in New York. Additionally, Woody Allen, who generally keeps a low profile, was inspired by the film to write an open letter to the movie industry extolling the virtues of casting directors. (To read the letter click here)

Here is a synopsis and play dates for the film:

"Casting is 95% of directing a picture," Martin Scorsese says at the start of Casting By, a "scintillating (THR)", fascinating (NYT)" and "wildly entertaining"(Indiewire) look at an important and vastly under-appreciated craft that will never let you look at movies quite the same way again. Director Tom Donahue focuses his lens on the pioneering contributions of Casting Director Marion Dougherty whose keen eye and gut instincts almost singlehandedly created a profession from the ashes of a dying studio system and helped give birth to the golden era of the New Hollywood. The film combines "the greatest assemblage of talking-head star power in any documentary ever made" (Back Stage) with a rich treasure trove of archival to craft a fun and revealing journey through the last half century of Hollywood. "More than a must-see. It’s a brisk, breezy, enjoyable and often endearing experience." -Film School Rejects

By Lee Pfeiffer 

The three Harry Palmer feature films (The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin and Billion Dollar Brain) have had a rather cluttered history in terms of their video releases. Surprisingly, producer Harry Saltzman didn't stick with one studio in terms of their theatrical releases, as he did with the James Bond films which he co-produced with Cubby Broccoli. Instead, each of the Palmer films was financed by and released by a different studio. Thus, in the ensuing decades, the video rights to these films have been convoluted. The titles have remained consistently available to consumers in some countries, while in others (including the USA), they have appeared and disappeared from the marketplace for years at a time. Now the Warner Archive has reissued Paramount's original DVD version of Funeral in Berlin as a burn-to-order title. The original film, The Iprcress File, was internationally acclaimed as the "thinking man's 007" movie. Caine's Harry Palmer, replete with Cockney accent, was the working man's secret agent. He does not have a big expense account, he lives in a modest apartment and he is basically disdainful of authority figures. (Bond is, too, but generally only in a playful sense.) Two qualities that Bond and Palmer do share is that they are both incorruptible and are prone to bedding a parade of beautiful women they encounter both socially and on the job. Funeral in Berlin seems intent on emphasizing the independent nature of Harry Palmer. He reluctantly follows orders given to him by his grim, unsmiling boss Ross (Guy Doleman), but  he clearly disdains the man and the bureaucracy he represents. Palmer is on some kind of probation with MI6 and Ross dangles his termination as a constant threat. Palmer is so financially impoverished that he can't even afford a car (Ross won't extend a loan to him) and he must commute about London via public buses. 

Ross summons Palmer to his home and informs him he must leave abruptly for West Berlin. It seems an influential Soviet general named Stock (Oscar Homolka) has made it clear that he wants to defect to the West. Palmer is immediately skeptical but Ross can't pass up the opportunity to bring Stock "in from the cold", so to speak. Palmer arrives in West Berlin and is greeted by his local contact with German intelligence, Johnny Vulcan (Paul Hubschmid). Like Palmer, he's young, charismatic and good looking and in the course of business, they enjoy the local bar scene as well as some willing beauties. Among them is Samantha Steel (Eva Renzi), a vivacious young woman who boldly seduces Palmer. Harry's suspicions that she is a spy are borne out when he learns she is with Israeli intelligence. The complicated plot, based on the Len Deighton novel, next finds Palmer in East Berlin where he meets with General Stock. As played by Oscar Homolka, the character comes across like a Soviet version of Henny Youngman, constantly cracking jokes and tossing insults. Nevertheless, the chemistry between Caine and Homolka is one of the main assets of the film and the character of General Stock was brought back in Billion Dollar Brain. Palmer suspects that Stock is lying about his desire to defect and this sets in motion plot devices that are so convoluted that the movie gets extremely confusing. After a while, it's hard to follow who is trying to accomplish what and the motivations and allegiances of the characters are also blurred. At some point, I just gave up and sat back to enjoy the performances and the assured direction of Guy Hamilton, who impressively capitalizes on the West Berlin locations. (Hamilton, who had previously directed Goldfinger, is not the only 007 luminary brought into the production. Producer Saltzman also has legendary production designer Ken Adam on board.) The film is drenched in the sullen mood of the Cold War era but there are some funny witticisms uttered by the bespectacled Palmer. In one of the film's most amsuing on-going sight gags, every time Palmer enters or leaves Samantha's apartment, he walks past some ancient stone decorations that look exactly like erect phallus symbols, a master touch by Ken Adam. 

Caine is in virtually every frame of the film and dominates the production with his low-key performance. Paul Hubschmid is very good as an ally whose allegiance is called into question. Eva Renzi acquits herself well as the femme fatale, equally adept with a machine gun in hand or walking seductively through opulent settings in head-turning wardrobe. One of the delights of any Palmer film is the strained byplay between Palmer and Ross, who is expertly played by another Bond film veteran, Guy Doleman (he played the villain Count Lippe in Thunderball). In fact, Ross is such a stick-in-the-mud that he makes Bernard Lee's "M" look like a towel-snapping prankster. Their scenes in this film bristle with wit and tension. It should also be mentioned that John Barry's moody, acclaimed score for The Ipcress File has been left out of this film with new themes by composer Konrad Elfers, who emphasizes traditional bombastic German music that might seem more fitting in a military epic but somehow is interwoven sensibly into the action. 

Many retro movie lovers consider Funeral in Berlin to be the best of the Palmer feature film trilogy (Caine revised the character many years later in a couple of ill-conceived TV productions.). I still vote for Iprcess as the best of the lot, but this film has so many merits that it can be enthusiastically recommended. The transfer from the previous Paramount DVD edition is identical and of high quality. (Even the packaging is identical, save for the notation that the new release is through the Warner Archive).  The only extra is a trailer that seems to have been struck from an unfinished work print, as it lacks any titles or graphics and doesn't even mention Michael Caine's name. Kudos to the Warner Archive for making this Harry Palmer title accessible once again. Let's hope The Ipcress File and Billion Dollar Brain reappear soon in the American market, too. 

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By Raymond Benson

It’s not a title that readily pops into one’s head when recalling the great horror films throughout the decades. A British production released when Universal Pictures’ line of horror franchises had declined and Val Lewton’s minimalist RKO productions had reached their height, The Uninvited has remained fairly obscure, in the U.S. anyway, but has also consistently maintained a solid reputation as one of the great, classic haunted house pictures. In fact, The Uninvited could be the first film to treat ghosts seriously rather than as an instrument for humor.

Directed by Lewis Allen and starring Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey and gorgeous Gail Russell in her first film role, the motion picture was released by Paramount in early 1944. Milland was a minor star at the time who would shoot to super-status the following year by winning a Best Actor Oscar for The Lost Weekend. Russell, as described by filmmaker Michael Almereyda in a visual essay extra, was a tragic case of Hollywood Chew-‘Em-Up and Spit-‘Em-Out Syndrome. Remarkably beautiful, Russell had nonetheless suffered from severe stage fright and yet Paramount kept casting her in films over the next dozen years or so in an attempt to make her a star—until alcoholism took over and she died young at the age of thirty-six. However, Russell’s performance in The Uninvited is an impressive debut, and one can easily see why the studio had faith in the actress. Her nervous, yet vulnerable delivery—which apparently was her career downfall in later years—works well with her character in the picture, i.e., a young woman tormented by the ghost of her mother, who died violently by falling off a cliff to the sea—or was she pushed? And is it really her mother?

Milland and Hussey play siblings who buy a creepy old abandoned mansion that sits on the precipice of an English coastline. The previous owner, and Russell’s grandfather in the story, is the inimitable Donald Crisp. Shortly after the couple moves in, the ghost makes its presence known with spooky sobbing, moving things about, and eventually materializing as surprisingly well-done animated ethereal figures. But wait! There is evidence to suggest that there are rival ghosts haunting the couple and the alleged daughter of one of the spirits. Who is the other ghost?

There’s no doubt about it—this is great stuff. It’s English, it’s gothic, it’s romantic, and it handles the subject matter with respect; Lewis really does want to creep out the audience, and he succeeds. Beautifully shot by Charles Lang (Oscar nominee for Black & White Cinematography), The Uninvited is old-fashioned intelligent movie making at its best. Also of note is that the jazz standard “Stella by Starlight” was written by Victor Young for the movie and would be covered by a multitude of artists after lyrics were added to the tune a couple of years after the picture’s release.

The Criterion Collection’s new Blu-ray edition of The Uninvited upholds the label’s long tradition of quality work and presentation. The film looks gorgeous in its new 2K digital restoration. Extras include the aforementioned informative and interesting visual essay, two radio adaptations from 1944 and 1949, both starring Ray Milland, a trailer, and the substantial booklet with an essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme and a 1997 interview with director Allen.

The Uninvited is a perfect Halloween movie. Tell the trick-or-treaters to go away for an hour-and-forty-minutes, get comfortable, turn out the lights, and watch it. You will be spooked

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