In the star-studded, wildly erratic experience that is the 1967 big screen version of "Casino Royale", there is one oasis amidst the non-stop slapstick and zaniness. In this scene, noted expert gambler Evelyn Tremble (under the assumed name "James Bond"), played by Peter Sellers, engages SMERSH bigwig LeChiffre (Orson Welles) in a high stakes game of backgammon. Not shown in this clip is a preceding bit in which LeChiffre mesmerizes the bystanders by engaging in some marvelous feats of magic. (Welles was a noted magician in real life.) This is followed by an all-too brief interplay between Tremble and LeChiffre that actually approaches a level of seriousness not found elsewhere in the movie, which Bond fans either loathe or love. By the way, an observance of the scene shown here disproves the myth that Peter Sellers refused to ever be on camera with Welles, who he found intimidating. They are indeed seen in the same frame. However, it is true that Sellers' paranoia was in full bloom and he was resentful toward Welles because of his revered reputation and the idolization shown to him by the cast and crew. Sellers made it clear that he would not appear on set with Welles again. This left the production team with the awkward alternative of having to film closeups of Sellers that were shot when Welles wasn't on the set and vice-versa. Making matters worse, Sellers publicly insulted Welles, who responded in kind. Ultimately, producer Charles K. Feldman fired Sellers from "Casino Royale", which was probably what the mercurial actor had hoped for. This explains why his character is killed off and doesn't appear in the wacky, expensive battle royale inside Casino Royale. For all that, the film has plenty of merits: an amusing Woody Allen, a delightful David Niven as the real James Bond, the presence of the first "Bond girl", Ursula Andress, fantastic production design and a marvelous Burt Bacharach score and title theme song, played winningly by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. For more, click here.
James
Bond is almost surely the franchise that we here
at Cinema Retro have been the most closely associated with, with many of
our contributors having written Bond books, not forgetting our editors-in-chief
and Bond experts Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worrall’s many tomes including the The
Essential James Bond. There are so many other books about the James Bond
films out there as well that one might be forgiven for thinking that there
can’t possibly be anything left to say about them, but Llewella Chapman’s new
book Fashioning James Bond is proof that there is life in the old spy
yet.
This is the first
book to study the costuming of the Bond franchise, from Dr No (1962)
right through to Spectre (2015), drawing on material from many different
archives, looking at, amongst other things, scripts, correspondence, call
sheets and publicity materials, as well as new interviews with the families of
tailors and shirtmakers who made clothing for Bond, and of course the films
themselves. Clothing was always so important to Ian Fleming, who would
regularly take time out from the action to describe what characters were
wearing in perfect detail, and this was translated over to the films
themselves.
Chapman goes through
each film and analyses the iconic outfits in detail. The measurements of the
stars are supplied (have you always wanted to know Sean Connery’s collar size?
17”), the budget allowances for costuming and how much each outfit cost, and
call sheets provide details as to which costumes were needed at which
locations. Specific costumes such as Dr No’s famous Nehru suit are discussed at
length – it’s historical significance, what kind of shirt would need to be worn
underneath it, and the significance of its Asian stylings as a signifier of the
‘cultural politics of Bond villainy.’
George Lazenby’s sole
effort as Bond is also discussed, with plenty of information about the
different costumes he needed: twenty, more changes than any other Bond actor in
one single film. When Roger Moore came on the scene, his keen interest in
fashion (he had a credit on The Persuaders! for designing his own
costumes) was a big influence on the look that his James Bond would establish
in Live and Let Die (1973) and develop over the next decade. Timothy
Dalton also had some input when he arrived on the scene, preferring that Bond
wore more casual clothing such as a leather jacket, to be more in keeping with
the times.
When Pierce Brosnan
was chosen as Bond and the news got out that he would wear Italian suits there
was an outcry in the press, something which Chapman details. The Independent
claimed that ‘Fleming would be doing somersaults in his grave’! Daniel Craig
also wore Italian suits, before moving on to suits designed by Tom Ford, which
was deemed to suit his grittier, more edgy Bond.
Of course, it’s not
just the various Bonds whose clothing is put under the microscope by Chapman. The
costumes worn by the various ‘Bond Girls’ are also examined in great detail,
from Ursula Andress’ iconic bikini (totally improvised on set using her own bra
and a utility belt from a passing sailor), to Jill St. John’s fabulously
seventies outfits (and wigs), always being sure that the collars and cuffs
match. Again we get details of measurements and designs, and designers, and it
is fascinating to see just how much work goes into this aspect of the
filmmaking process, one which is often easily overlooked in favour of the more
bombastic elements of your average Bond film.
This review has only
really scratched the surface of Fashioning James Bond. There is such a
wealth of insight and information in here that it will keep any Bond fan happy
and will ensure that the next time you watch any of the films your eyes will
linger just that bit longer on the designs and the stitching.
International screen icon Jean-Paul Belmondo has died at the age of 88. The French star was one of the major influences in terms of popularizing anti-heroes on screen. His somewhat shaggy, rough-hewn look was at odds with traditional screen leading men. Belmondo was not handsome in the traditional sense, nor did he specialize in playing erudite, sophisticated characters. He excelled in playing the common man who was often caught up in extraordinary situations. Belmondo had flirted with being a boxer in his youth before gravitating to acting at the precise time French cinema's "New Wave" was taking the world by storm, led by directors and actors who would revolutionize world cinema. After appearing in numerous French films in the late 1950s, he became a sensation with his leading role in director Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 crime classic "Breathless". There would be no looking back. In the decades to come, Belmondo would be honored with countless film awards and saw his popularity extend to English-language cinema. He was well-versed in convincingly playing dramatic roles as well as light comedy. Belmondo was a real-life daredevil who insisted on performing many of his own stunts, perhaps most elaborately demonstrated in his 1960s spy spoof "That Man From Rio" in which he displayed a jaw-dropping ability to play dangerous scenes himself in the interest of making the film more realistic. Belmondo's reputation as a ladies man cost him his first marriage, which dissolved after he began an affair with Ursula Andress, with whom he starred in another French spy spoof "Up to His Ears" (1965) (aka "Chinese Adventures in China"). Andress would divorce her husband John Derek for Belmondo and their relationship lasted for years. In 2001, Belmondo suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed but the affliction did not stop him from continuing to appear on screen.
Released
in 1971, ‘Red Sun’ is an enthralling Western starring Charles Bronson, Toshiro
Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress. Bronson and Delon lead a group of
bandits to rob a train, but get more than they bargained for as they discover
the train is transporting a Japanese delegation featuring Mifune, who is
guarding a priceless ceremonial sword, a gift from the Emperor of Japan meant
for the President of the United States. Delon steals the sword and leaves
co-conspirator Bronson for dead. Mifune and Bronson team up to make an unlikely
alliance in search of Delon and the stolen sword.
“For
the disgrace of failure, he will rip his abdomen and kill himself†roars the
Japanese ambassador as he tries to solder Link (Bronson) and Kuroda Jubei
(Mifune) into the unlikeliest good cop/bad cop routine you’re ever likely to
witness. “Well, that’s something I’d like to see!†retorts the eagled eyed,
moustached loner Link, who moments earlier had been left for dead after the
left-handed gun Gauche (Delon) fancied a bigger share of the riches from the
robbery.‘Red Sun’ may display many of
the conventional Western characteristics – robbery goes wrong and a manhunt
ensues – but its international flavour is unlike any other film of this genre
that’s been put on screen to date.
It’s
very rare that the co-lead of an American Western is a stoic Japanese sword and
sandal figure, but the very fact that Bronson and Mifune should appear on
screen together at all has more meaning than the average cinephile might think.
Mifune appeared in the 1954 classic ‘Seven Samurai’, directed by Akira Kurosawa
– and Bronson appeared in the Western remake ‘The Magnificent Seven’ directed
by John Sturges, who had recently enjoyed success with genre hits ‘Gunfight at
the O.K. Corral’, ‘The Law and Jake Wade’ and ‘Last Train from Gun Hill’. Both
Bronson and Mifune played their parts in two of the most influential films of
the era, so the fact that they appeared on screen together is significant. ‘Red
Sun’ is a totally original story that might have seemed too bizarre to succeed,
but given the two leads’ history, it’s a perfect film to showcase their
combined talents.
Director
Terence Young captures with ease the hostile and unforgiving landscape of the
tactile terrain (filmed in AndalucÃa, Spain), as Maurice Jarre’s musical score
transports you into the picture. Throughout Young’s filmography, ranging from
the early Bond films to his transition to Hollywood working with commanding
lead actors like Henry Fonda, Anthony Quinn and Lee Marvin, he gives
lower-budget B movies gravitas. (He had collaborated with Charles Bronson a few
years earlier on ‘The Valachi Papers’.) The plot of ‘Red Sun’ feels
deliberately engineered for Bronson and Mifune and has something of a fantasy
cast list. However, it never feels detached from reality and the resulting
consequences of the characters’ actions feel meaningful, even though on the
printed page, the scenarios might have appeared to be ludicrous.
Link
and Jubei are chalk and cheese; Bronson is witty and Mifune is much more
strait- laced, amusingly so when trying to comprehend the comedic dialogue just
served to him on a plate by Bronson. The most memorable scenes of film occur
when Link and Jubei are reluctantly travelling together in search of the
Japanese ambassador’s ceremonial sword as they squabble like children and
engage in some comedic faux fighting. Bronson’s character Link accompanies Jubei
to retrieve the ceremonial sword with his own agenda in mind. After being left
for dead by Gauche (Delon) and his men, Link aims to find his share of the
train robbery proceeds, but in order to do that he needs to find Gauche and
take him alive.However, Jubei wants him
dead due to the dishonour and trouble he’s caused. All of this reaches a
boiling point in the film’s final act. If you know your Bronson movies, you
know it’s never a good idea to leave him for dead…it’s just not going to end
well for the antagonist.
Legendary
director and actor John Huston claimed that ‘Red Sun’ was among the three best
Westerns ever made, alongside 1948’s ‘Red River’ and John Ford’s ‘Stagecoach’.
Huston certainly has an interesting take. Would ‘Red Sun’ finish anywhere my
own personal list of the top 10 Westerns ever made, let alone top three? No. I
enjoy the film very much and find it particularly re-watchable, as there’s
simply nothing else like it. Huston’s choice of placing ‘Red Sun’ on such a
high pedestal isn’t completel unworthy, however. It’s an inclusive Western,
well-loved in the genre’s fandom, but its appeal outside of that isn’t
extensive.
The
three main players involved in the project – Young, Bronson and Mifune – had
already produced their best work inside their respective filmographies. That
being said, ‘Red Sun’ still has a unique appeal over 50 years after its
theatrical release. Bronson has the same low-key magnetism that he displays in
mostl of his films whilst Mifune is suitably memorable as a samurai who finds
himself in the Old West.All the more
impressive about his performance is the fact that ‘Red Sun’ was his first
feature film role in the English language. (Where he has dialogue, at any
rate.) As for the rest of the main cast, Ursula Andress is commanding as
Cristina in what is the only main female character in the film. Although
Andress receives second billing, she doesn’t appear until an hour into the
film. That being said, Andress is worth the wait. She displays a certain
exterior swagger that is reminiscent of her breakout role as Honey Ryder in
‘Dr. No’ more than a decade previous. Alain Delon is every inch the perfect
villain as Gauche in his black attire, a dress code that could be compared with
that of Henry Fonda in ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ or Jack Palance in
‘Shane’. Delon is just as likely to shoot someone down with his menacing blue
eyes as he is with his pistol, as he’s an outlaw with no ethical compass.
‘Red
Sun’ is the pinnacle of the Eastern/Western crossover and has to be seen to be
believed.
We regret to report that actor John Richardson has passed
away this week, just two weeks before what would have been his 87th
birthday.
John found fame in the 1960s via
films such as Mario Bava's Black Sunday and Hammer Film's remakes
of She and One Million Years B.C., wherein he co-starred alongside
many of the most beautiful actresses of the era, such as Ursula Andress,
Barbara Steele and Raquel Welch who famously bemoaned, on first being
introduced to John, that her new leading man was more beautiful than she
was!
John's role in One Million Years B.C. (1966), Ray Harryhausen's prehistoric
animated cult classic, led to a long relationship with his co-star Martine
Beswick and a move to Hollywood, where he landed roles in big budget
Hollywood productions such as Vincente Minnelli's On A Clear Day You Can See
Forever with Barbra Streisand.
Not a fan of Hollywood, John began
working in his beloved Italy, starring in low-budget thrillers such as Torso
and Eyeball, which he was surprised to find had a larger following
than some of his more mainstream features. Some of these films he hadn't seen since
he made them and which I had the pleasure of finding and giving them to him to
watch. John famously used to ask for the car he drove in these films to be
included in his fee and he also informed me that he once bought a vehicle that took his fancy from Steve McQueen.
Cars may have been a passion but his
first real love- bar his partner Helen- was photography. We were introduced via
a mutual friend, and from this, our shared passion for film and photography led
to the interview that subsequently appeared in Cinema Retro (Vol. 15: issues 45
and 46). John discussed his life both in front of and behind the camera, his first career-spanning interview since retiring from the film world, as he
preferred to remain out of the limelight and to spend most of his days walking
and taking photographs.
John may have battled dinosaurs and vampires
on screen but the current real-life horror of Covid took from us one of the true
gentlemen of cinema whose love for life was obvious through the twinkle in his
famously blue eyes. The eternal flame that John entered in She is true
in a way; for as long as the amazing genre films in which he starred continue
to flicker on screen, John will always be with us.
John’s partner Helen thought it would
be fitting that this announcement came via Cinema Retro and myself, as I'd
become very close to John after our interview, catching up with each other most
weeks via the phone. In his usual down-to-earth way, he initially said "no
one would be interested in hearing my stories". They were- and John was
shocked to learn that they had been nominated in last year's Rondo Awards. His
experiences pertained to a golden age when stars really were just that. Now, another
real star is shining in the heavens.
John's time as a movie star led to
several iconic roles on screen but it was his work as a photographer that he
was most passionate about and through this he has left us with many more iconic
images that he took from behind a lens.
John M. Richardson January 19th 1934-
January 5th 2020.
The
jaw-dropping gorgeous Ursula Andress gets top billing in this British caper
film directed by none other than Peter Hall, the genius stage director
of most of Harold Pinter’s great works, as well as Amadeus and Equus
and other brilliant pieces of art for the stage. He didn’t make many films,
though, but Perfect Friday, released in 1970, happens to be in his
filmography, and it’s a wacky entry indeed.
Andress
stars as Lady Brit Dorset, a pampered, glamorous wife of Lord Nick Dorset
(David Warner), and they team up with lower-class bank manager Mr. Graham
(Stanley Baker) to pull off an elaborate heist of £200,000.
Mr. Graham is really the protagonist of the story, so it’s unclear why Andress
received top billing—maybe it was an exchange for her appearing nude throughout
many sequences.
Graham,
bored with his job, gets the idea to rip off the reserve cash from the bank
where he works, so he enlists the eccentric Lord and Lady Dorset to be his
cohorts. Unfortunately for Lord Dorset, Graham falls in love with his wife, and
lo, there is much shagging. Lady Dorset continues to shag Lord Dorset as well,
even though Nick Dorset dresses as if he’s a member of a 1967 psychedelic pop
band, complete with false eyelashes, makeup, wigs, and frilly boas.
The
script by Scott Forbes and Anthony Greville-Bell is witty and intentionally scandalous
(after all, this is 1970) and is handled by director Hall with aplomb. Its
improbability and Swinging London sensibility is all part of the fun.
Kino
Lorber’s new high definition restoration immediately identifies it as a 1970s
picture—that color film stock is unmistakable. There are English subtitles for
the hearing impaired, along with a commentary by film historian and critic
Peter Tonguette. The only supplements are trailers for this and other Kino
Lorber releases.
Fans
of British filmmaking, heist capers, and Ursula Andress’ skin tone should get a
kick out of it.
The
name Sergio Martino will strike a chord with anyone who has even a passing
interest in Italian exploitation pictures of the 70s and 80s. Once seen, who
can forget The Great Alligator or The Island of Fishmen – both of which are
favourites of this writer in their showcasing of Barbara Bach at her most
radiant – or premium Suzy Kendall giallo Torso, or for that matter once ‘video
nasty’ and Ursula Andress headliner The Mountain of the Cannibal God? Marking Martino’s
second giallo, The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail (o.t. La coda della scorpione),
was released in 1971, sandwiched between a couple of his most highly regarded
titles, The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh and All the Colours of the Dark. Scorpion’s
Tail isn’t quite on a par with either of those, but it’s still a respectable
entry in the sub-genre.
When
her husband is killed in a plane accident on a business trip to Greece, his
unfaithful wife (Evelyn Stewart) is informed she’s beneficiary to a $1 million
inheritance, with the one caveat that she has to travel to Athens to finalise
her claim. However, there are a number of people intent on getting their hands
on the not insubstantial sum, and at least one of them will remorselessly
resort to murder to do so. A turn of events results in the arrival of an
insurance investigator (George Hilton), who hooks up with a reporter (Anita
Strindberg) to check out some irregularities, and they inadvertently set
themselves up as targets for the killer.
An
enjoyable enough, if not particularly remarkable giallo then, touting a
convoluted plot loaded with sufficient a measure of misdirection to keep things
unpredictable. Opening in a very clean looking London and moving on to various
Greek locales, the travelogue location work certainly functions in the film’s
favour, lending it production value that eclipses the slightly ponderous
narrative of the screenplay (a collaborative affair from Eduardo Manzanos,
Ernesto Gastaldi and Sauro Scavolini). Most of – if not quite all – the
standard giallo trappings come into play, primarily there are a number of
graphic murders perpetrated by a fedora-wearing, razor-wielding maniac attired
in black (who’s not averse to donning a scuba wetsuit when the moment is
propitious). Some of them are pretty nasty too, including a startling– if not
particularly realistic – moment of eye-violence (squeamish viewers be warned!).
However, there’s a conspicuous dearth of nudity, in fact it’s about as coy as
they come that department; of course, nudity is seldom (if ever) pertinent, but
it’s standard enough a constituent within this sub-genre as to be noticeable
when it’s missing. The showdown on a forebodingly rocky stretch of desolate
Grecian coastline is fantastic, combining vertiginous camera angles and
suspenseful POV to maximum dramatic effect.
Heading
up a strong cast – which includes Alberto De Mendoza, Ida Galli (aka Evelyn
Stewart), Janine Reynaud and Luigi Pistilli – are George Hilton and Anita
Strindberg. Hilton also starred for Martino in the aforementioned pair, The
Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh and All the Colours of the Dark. His rugged good
looks found him top billing in a slew of spaghetti westerns – he was a one-spin
Sartana – as well as a run of crime and gialli pictures such as The Case of the
Bloody Iris, My Dear Killer and The Two Faces of Fear... though 1965’s spoof
Bond caper Due mafiosi contro Goldginger (in which he played Agente 007) can
probably be safely disregarded! He’s on top form here and rubs along well with
the very lovely Anita Strindberg. This writer first became aware of her in Who
Saw Her Die?, in which she appeared alongside George Lazenby and Adolfo Celi.
She didn’t enjoy as prodigious a career as Hilton, but she did score a lead
role in Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key for Martino, as well
as featuring in such renowned fare as Lizard in a Woman’s Skin and Women in
Cell Block 7. Her performance in Scorpion’s Tail is among her finest and there’s
no denying that the scene she spends clad in a sheer, clingy wet shirt affords the
audience a prurient bonus treat.
Here is newsreel footage from the 1966 Royal Film Performance of "Born Free" with Queen Elizabeth attending. Guests include the film's stars Virginia Mckenna and Bill Travers and celebs Rex Harrison and Rachel Roberts, Leslie Caron and Warren Beatty and Ursula Andress, along with Woody Allen, who were in London to film "Casino Royale". The event took place at the Odeon Theatre in Leicester Square, London. (Thanks to reader Dave Norris for the heads up on this. Dave served as chief projectionist at the Odeon for many years.)
Shameless has released the UK video debut of the 1978 cult film The Mountain of the Cannibal God as a Blu-ray special edition. (The film is also known as The Slave of the Cannibal God.) The plot is as follows: Susan Stevenson (Ursula Andress) and
her brother Manolo (Claudio Cassinelli), unable to get help from the New Guinea
authorities, hire former explorer Edward Foster (Stacy Keach) to help them find
her husband. He went missing months ago in the jungle whist on a quest to reach
the sacred mountain of Ra Ra Me. Susan clearly loves her husband and would do
anything to get him back. Foster agrees to take them, despite the obvious
difficulties ahead, not only from the dangerous animals, but also from the
legendary cannibal tribe said to be lurking within the darkness of the jungle canopy.
Along the way they find a cult-like village of local tribespeople watched over
by Father Moses (Franco Fantasia) and Arthur Weisser (Antonio Marsina), who is
also a jungle explorer. An affection seems to develop between Susan and Arthur,
despite her supposed devotion to her lost husband, and after some trouble in
the village when two locals are murdered by mysterious masked figures, they all
set off together to find the mountain. Along the way they experience Herzogian
levels of physical punishment as the game cast scramble down mountains, face an
eight-metre-long snake, and, in one astonishing sequence, attempt to climb up a
clearly deadly waterfall. It is a miracle that none of the cast were
hospitalised.
Of course, the title of the film giving
it away somewhat, the exhausted group eventually run into cannibals and all
hell breaks loose. Susan discovers the fate of her husband and is stripped,
tied up and oiled by the cannibals who then indulge in a frenzied orgy that
would have made Caligula blush; even the livestock are not left out of the sexually-charged
proceedings. This energetic display is just the primer however for a darker
appetite which will soon be satisfied…
With Ursula Andress being surrounded by
sex, nudity, graphic violence, real snakes and a devious dwarf, it is no wonder
The Mountain of the Cannibal God has
developed something of a reputation over the last forty years. The 1970s Italian
cannibal films are notorious for their use of real onscreen animal killings,
something which became popular as a result of Mondo Cane (1962) and its many sequels and rip-offs over the
preceding decade. The directors have always claimed that these scenes were
added at the insistence of financially-minded producers, and debates continue
to rage amongst fans and scholars as to whether new releases of the films
should still include the footage, or whether it should now be removed. In the
UK this decision tends to be in the hands of the BBFC, where all films released
have to conform to The Cinematograph Act of 1937. The Mountain of the Cannibal God originally included a scene of a
monkey fighting a losing battle with a snake, as well as another snake fighting
a bird of prey, and other assorted real-life animal slaughter, all of which no
doubt contributed to its inclusion on the Video Nasties list in 1984. Two
minutes of these scenes have now been removed for this new Blu-ray restoration,
although not all animals get through the film unscathed; we still see a
tarantula get impaled on a knife, a large lizard is gutted, skinned and eaten
alive, and in one frenzied scene, dozens of green water snakes are grabbed and
eaten by hungry cannibal tribesmen.
Dario Argento – whose directorial career has
now spanned almost 50 years, positioning him as a genuine icon of terror cinema
– is probably best associated with his clutch of intoxicatingly imaginative chillers,
each of them ornamented with brutal (and increasingly graphic) murder scenarios,
stylishly lurid lighting schemes and wildly inventive camerawork.
Throughout the second half of the 1960s
Argento had found a degree of success in writing stories and screenplays for movies;
he most famously worked alongside Sergio Leone for 1968's Once Upon a Time in the West. But it was taught 1970 thriller The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (o.t. L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo) that
marked his debut in the director’s chair and set him on the path to becoming
the Godfather of the giallo.
Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante), an American
writer currently residing in Rome, walks past a brightly lit art gallery late
one night and sees inside a shadowy figure, clad in black, stabbing a woman.
Attempting to intervene, Dalmas manages to get himself trapped in the entrance
between two sets of locked sliding doors, unable to prevent the assailant from
fleeing and helpless to assist the woman left bleeding to death on the floor.
Fortunately, aid arrives and the woman – Monica Ranieri (Eva Renzi), wife of
the gallery's owner – survives. It transpires that Monica was the almost-victim
in a series of attacks that have left several beautiful women dead. Dalmas becomes
obsessed with the case, replaying what he saw over and over in his head,
convinced that he's missing a vital clue to solving the mystery. But in getting
involved he inadvertently sets himself up as a target for the killer.
Argento not only directed but also wrote The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (basing
it thematically on a 1949 pulp novel, “The Screaming Mimiâ€, by Frederic Brown).
He would go on to make better movies but for a debut feature this really is an
exemplary piece of film-making, bearing many of the embryonic flourishes – clearly
influenced by the works of Alfred Hitchcock and Mario Bava – that would later
become his trademark; specifically the faceless, black-gloved killer whose
nefarious activities are often shot POV and, on a more cerebral level, the misperception
of a witnessed moment, with characters struggling to retrieve a clue buried in
their subconscious, the significance of which failed to register upon them when
initially glimpsed. These recurrent themes would play out to varying degrees of
success in many of Argento's later films, most significantly Four Flies on Grey Velvet (o.t. 4 mosche di velluto grigio, 1971), Cat o'Nine Tails (o.t. Il gatto a nove code, 1971), Deep Red (o.t. Profondo rosso, 1975, considered by many to be the greatest of all
the Italian gialli), Tenebrae (o.t. Tenebre, 1982), Phenomena (1985), Opera (1987),
Trauma (1993), The Stendhal Syndrome (o.t. La
sindrome di Stendhal, 1996), Sleepless
(o.t. Non ho sonno, 2001), The Card Player (o.t. Il cartaio, 2004), Do You Like Hitchcock? (o.t. Ti
piace Hitchcock, 2005) and Giallo
(2009).
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage itself is a masterpiece of sustained
suspense. The escalating tension during a scene in which the hero's girlfriend
(Suzy Kendall) is menaced by the killer – who uses a large kitchen knife to
methodically chip away at the lock on her apartment door – is as perfect an
example as one could wish for as to why Argento is often referenced as the
Italian Hitchcock. The violence – notably an out-of-shot vaginal stabbing – was
transgressive for its day, and in spite of the fact that far more shocking
atrocities have been unflinchingly splashed across the screen in the decades
since, several moments in Argento's fledgling offering still pack quite a visceral
punch.
Cinema Retro recently caught up
with the editor of this fantastic new film poster book to talk movies and
poster collections.
CR: Where did you find all
these posters? Are they from several collections, are they yours, or are they
sourced from online collections?
Adam Newell: There are just over
1,000 posters in the book, and boy, do I wish they were all mine! That would be
an amazing collection to own. Alas, only a handful of them are mine, some are
from my co-authors, and many are from online collections (with a special tip of
the hat going to Mikhail Ilyin).
CR: Regarding the originals,
how does one go about finding posters like these, and how do you store and
protect them?
AN: Back in the day, hunting
down vintage movie posters was a question of going to specialist shops down
dusty back alleys, being on the (snail) mailing list of the right dealers, or
attending movie ephemera fairs. I remember the first time I visited the US, in
1992, finding a shop down a back street in Hollywood, which was stuffed to the
gills with amazing US one-sheets for movies going back decades. It was a real
kid/candy store moment, and I spent hours in there looking at posters I'd never
seen before, mostly for films I'd never heard of! (As a complete aside, I also
remember that day earwigging a long conversation
between the shop
owner and a customer who was agonising over whether to buy a piece of TV
history the shop had for sale: an original Batgirl cowl, as worn by Yvonne
Craig. The price tag was $3,000, and I think he ended up not buying it. I
daren't think what that thing might be worth today...)
These days of course,
the internet has changed all that. At any one time, tens of thousands of
original movie posters are for sale online, along with countless repros, if
it's just the art you want. Need a repro of the one-sheet for Devil's Express, starring the amazing
Warhawk Tanzania in a pair of yellow dungarees? eBay will oblige. When I looked
a few weeks back, there was even an original one-sheet from that movie, for a
mere twenty bucks! I wish I'd bought it now. Specialist shops and dealers are
still around of course, and are always worth checking with if you're after
something in particular, and then there are auction houses for the really
high-end stuff. If you have several million dollars to spare, you could build
up a nice collection of original 1930s horror movie posters: in recent years
there have been quite a few sales of 'the only known surviving copy' of
particular posters, from the Karloff Frankenstein,
for example.
As for storage and
protection, it's the same as for any paper-based collectable: avoid damp,
cigarette smoke, and too much direct sunlight. I always think the best way to
store a poster collection is to have one of those floor-standing
display/portfolios you can flip through, so they can at be at least partially
'on display' at all times. If you've got the wall space, then put as many up as
you can! Decent clip frames will allow you to easily 'rotate' what you have on
the wall at any one time. Otherwise, it's best if they can be stored flat or
rolled, rather than folded, even if they came folded in the first place.
CR: What advice would you have
for someone who wants to become a film poster collector?
AN: If you don't mind having a
repro, then even those million dollar posters can be found inexpensively
(though you should always beware of the quality: one of those semi-automated
eBay sellers will happily sell you a full size repro of a poster, taken from a
scan which is not nearly up to the task...). If you're looking to buy original
posters, then whenever you can, simply buy what you like, not what you think
you 'should' be buying as an investment or whatever. Certain genres, artists
and series (James Bond, for example) will always attract a premium price, and
are way out of reach for most collectors, but that
doesn't mean there
aren't plenty of other posters to go around. Foreign language posters can be
cheaper than their US/UK equivalent, and often have cooler art!
Cinema Retro columnist Tom Lisanti co-authored (with Louis Paul) the book "Femme Fatales: Women in Espionage Films and Television, 1962-1973" for McFarland publishers. The book has just been issued in a softcover edition, revised and updated. Here is Tom Lisanti's story behind the creation of the book.
It was a long time coming, fifteen years in fact, but McFarland
and Company finally released a soft cover edition of the very popular and
well-received Film Fatales: Women in
Espionage Film & Television, 1962-1973 by Louis Paul and myself. The
book profiles 107 dazzling women (Ursula Andress, Raquel Welch, Dahlia Lavi,
Carol Lynley, Elke Sommer, and Sharon Tate, among them) who worked in the
swinging sixties spy genre on the big and small screens. Some include interviews
with these sexy spy gals. This new edition contains some profile revisions and
updates and a few new photos.
The idea for this book was all Louis Paul’s. We worked together
at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and became friends.
Louis is an expert on European spy movies, giallos, thrillers, etc. from the
sixties and seventies. He had a side video business and produced a fanzine
called Blood Times. I had been interviewing sixties actresses for
magazine articles and culled them for a book that was called Fantasy
Femmes of Sixties Cinema. While I was finishing it up, Louis suggested we
do a book on sixties spy girls. There were books on just the Bond Girls but we
thought we'd go beyond that to also include actresses from the Matt Helm, Derek
Flint, and Euro spy movies. And we also decided to include actresses who worked
in TV spy shows like The Man fromU.N.C.L.E., I
Spy, The Avengers, It Takes a Thief , etc. At
the last minute I pulled quotes from some of my interviewees on their spy
films/TV shows destined for my first book and saved for Film Fatales.
Robert Vaughn and Donna Michelle in the Man From U.N.C.L.E. feature film "One Spy Too Many" (1966).
We felt that the book would reach a nice size audience because spy films have remained so popular due to James Bond. It is 2017 and they still are making Bond movies. It seems never ending and moviegoers just love the escapism. The affection for the 1960s Bond movies extends to the copycat films (Matt Helm, Derek Flint, Harry Palmer, Diabolik, etc.) and TV shows of the day. They all employed handsome debonair leading men, adventure, romance, diabolical villains, picturesque scenery, and some of the most beautiful actresses from Hollywood and Europe. The spy girls in particular remained popular because this genre gave them different type characters to play. A number of the actresses are exceptional and in some cases their characters are more memorable than the hero. In the book the roles are broken down into four distinct types: the helpful spy/secret agent/operative; the innocent caught up in the chicanery; the bad girl-turned-good; and the unrepentant villainess/femme fatale/assassin. This is why fans love their spy girls because of the varied facets found in this genre.
Time Life has released "Bob Hope: Entertaining the Troops", a priceless presentation of Hope's famous USO shows for American troops serving overseas. The two programs, presented uncut, are a wonderful time capsule of the era. At the time the Vietnam War was raging and the only glimpses concerned Americans got of the fighting men were grim images squeezed into the half-hour evening news during this pre-cable TV era. Thus, Hope's merry band of entertainers allowed some welcome views of the servicemen getting a rare and well-deserved laugh from the songs, skits and stand up presented by Hope and his troupe. Not surprisingly, the biggest reactions are afforded to the sex symbols who traveled with him. In this case, they include Connie Stevens, Lola Falana, Romy Schneider and Ursula Andress. Admittedly, the humor creaks with age but the spirit and good will is timeless. One of the shows is interesting from a historical perspective, as Hope and company kick off their tour at the White House in the presence of President Nixon, then still riding high from his first election and a couple of years away from the Watergate scandal that would bring down his entire administration. There are also some bonus extras, described in the press release below:
"The legendary Bob Hope, one of the greatest entertainers of
the 20th century, was best known for his Christmas specials.Traveling with special guests, he visited US
troops in dozens of locations around the world, performing on battleships and
battlefields -- and sometimes even accompanied by the sound of fighter jets
overhead.His missions were often
dangerous, his schedule brutal, yet for thousands of servicemen and women far
from home there was no one like Hope for the holidays.
On May 10, Time Life®, creator and direct marketer of unique
music and home entertainment products, will deliver BOB HOPE: ENTERTAINING THE
TROOPS, a single DVD featuring three TV Christmas Specials: a rare,
never-before-released 1951 special from The Korean War Era , along with shows
from 1970 and 1971 – two of the most-watched shows in TV history! Featuring Hope’s hilarious monologues and
guest stars aplenty, these shows prove that laughter is truly the best medicine, regardless of the time zone or
terrain. With this DVD release, Hope’s
fans will enjoy more than two and a half hours of Hope’s house calls across
three special troop shows:
The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the World with the
USO (Original Airdate: January 15, 1970) --
Hope and company embark on another Christmas tour to
entertain the troops, starting with a send-off from the White House. The 16-day tour then continues through
Germany, Italy, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Guam, and on-board the USS
Ranger and the USS Sanctuary. Highlights
include Neil Armstrong, recently back from his historic moon walk, answering
questions from the service members, and Connie Stevens singing the “Wedding
Bell Blues†to four service members named Bill.
The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the Globe with the
USO (Original Airdate: January 14, 1971) --
Hope visits U.S. military bases to entertain the troops and
bring them Christmas cheer, starting with rehearsals at West Point and with
stops in England, Germany, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Alaska, and to the USS
John F. Kennedy in the Mediterranean, and the USS Sanctuary in the South China
Sea. Highlights include Hope and Lola Falana doing a song and dance, Hope trading
zingers with Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench, plus a routine with Ursula
Andress, Gloria Loring and Miss World Jennifer Hosten.
Chesterfield Sound Off Time (Airdate: December 23, 1951) – This
rare, never-before-released special was filmed during the Korean War aboard the
aircraft carrier the USS Boxer. Highlights include Hope and Connie Moore crooning
“I Wanna Go Home (With You)â€, the Nicholas Brothers performing their acrobatic
style of tap dancing, and Hope, in an extended comedy sketch, taking command of
the ship and sailing it on a secret mission."
Cinema Retro has asked author Michael Richardson to write an exclusive article for us regarding what influenced him to write his new book "The Making of Casino Royale".
BY MICHAEL RICHARDSON
The sixties James Bond spoof Casino
Royale was a psychedelic multi-storylined extravaganza of improvisation and the
constant rewriting of various screenplays, brought about after negotiations
between producer Charles K Feldman, Eon Productions, United Artists and
Columbia Pictures failed to bring about a co-production. Realising that he
would have to proceed without Bond actor Sean Connery, Feldman crammed his
picture with as many famous names as possible: Peter Sellers, Woody Allen,
David Niven, Ursula Andress, Orson Welles, Deborah Kerr, Daliah Lavi, Joanna
Pettet, Barbara Bouchet, William Holden and Jean Paul Belmondo to name but a
few. The cast also included several unbilled cameos such as: Peter O’Toole,
Caroline Munro, Dave Prowse, John Le Mesurier, Fiona Lewis and ex- Formula 1
racing driver Stirling Moss.
I had watched Charles K Feldman’s Casino Royale on
television many times before a friend of mine furthered my interest in the
production by pointing out the different plotlines and disjointed nature of the
screenplay. Over the years, I both researched and came across much more
information about the hap-hazard manner in which CasinoRoyale was produced,
which only wetted my appetite to learn as much as I possibly could about this
feature film that had somehow managed to get out of control. My fascination
with this craziest Bond film of all eventually brought about an exchange of
faxes with director Val Guest, who was living in California at the time. When
Guest made a flying visit to London for Christmas 2005, I telephoned him at his
London home in Belgravia just before the New Year and we discussed the
production in great detail.
Sometime later I was reading an interview with
Guest, where he was quoted as saying, ‘There’s a whole film to be made about
the making of Casino Royale!’ This made me think, though obviously making a
movie was beyond my abilities and resources, but writing a book that outlined
both the development and production of the film was certainly something I could
do. Doubling my efforts to obtain even more information regarding the film, I
read through every Peter Sellers, Woody Allen, Orson Welles and David Niven
biography I could locate. However, this was just the beginning as I then began
consuming every book associated with anyone who had worked on the film
including actors: Dave Prowse, Ronnie Corbett, Peter O’Toole, Chic Murray and
Duncan Macrae, directors: Val Guest, John Huston and Robert Parrish, plus
writers: Wolf Mankowitz and Terry Southern. My quest for additional knowledge
involved the scouring of both British and American film industry publications
of the time, plus searches through many website features and on-line archives
and even obtaining the French published Ursula Andress biography, despite not
being able to read or speak the language.
The Making of Casino Royale (1967)
explores all aspects of production, including the origins of Ian Fleming’s
novel and subsequent screenplays, the casting choices, pre-production, filming
at three British film studios, location filming in England, Ireland, Scotland
and France, plus publicity and merchandising. This gives an overall picture of
how this strange psychedelic pop art movie was assembled from several different
storylines that involved no fewer than seven directors (including two second
unit directors), working from a screenplay credited to three writers, although
known to have input from at least nine other people including Peter Sellers and
Woody Allen. Eventually, I amassed enough information to
assemble a production schedule with dates for the picture, which indicates in
which order the various segments were filmed, who was directing and which major
cast members were present.
The story behind the making of this
film outlines how what was happening behind the scenes was just as bizarre as
anything happening in front of the cameras. The book also pieces together what
material was filmed and then discarded from the movie, by using reference
sources such as production stills, portions of scripts and anecdotes about the
making the film. Overall this outlines the story of a major blockbuster movie,
which got out of control to become one of the most complicated productions
filmed and the most bizarre James Bond film ever. Almost 50 years after being produced the elements that originally worked
against the sixties Casino Royale, such as the lack of a coherent storyline and
the sending up of James Bond, are now considered to work in its favour and have
assisted in making it a cult slice of sixties psychedelia.
Just
to whet your appetite I can confirm that you will discover the answers to the
following…
1 During development, which James Bond
actor was approached about playing the character for what would have been the
first time in June 1964?
2 During December 1965, which actress
well known for appearing in The Avengers television series was named in the
American press as being lined-up to appear in Casino Royale?
3 For his cameo role in the Scottish
Marching Band sequence, what did Peter O’Toole accept as payment?
4 Why did Sarah Miles turn down the
role of Meg, one of the McTarry daughters?
5 What did Shirley MacLaine do the
week before principal photography was due to commence that stopped production?
6 Why was Blake Edwards turned down as
a director for Casino Royale?
7 After suffering the bad experience
of having his screenplay constantly rewritten while making the film What’s New
Pussycat? why did Woody Allen agree to work with Charles K Feldman again on
Casino Royale?
8 What role was Dave Prowse originally
going to play in Peter Sellers’ nightmare?
The Huffington Post presents writer Pat Gallagher presents a tribute to her choices as the 12 most memorable sex sirens of yesteryear. From Marilyn Monroe to Raquel Welch and Ursula Andress, click here to check out the article and see if you agree.
Virna Lisi, one of the most prominent European actresses to find success in Hollywood during the 1960s, has died at age 78. The exact cause of her death has not been revealed but the NY Times states that she was recently told she had an incurable disease. Lisi's stunning looks helped her find success in her native Italy before she followed the path taken by Ursula Andress, Sophia Loren, Anita Ekberg and other European beauties and moved to Hollywood. Here she made a sensational big screen impression opposite Jack Lemmon in the hit 1965 comedy "How to Murder Your Wife". Lisi never made any cinematic classics but during her years in the film industry she starred opposite such prominent leading men as Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Richard Burton, George C. Scott, Marcello Mastroianni, Robert Vaughn and David Niven. She was recently widowed and said that she had gone into self-imposed retirement because her husband had always objected to her career as a cinematic sex siren. For more click here.
Twilight Time has released the Fox WWI epic The Blue Max as a limited edition (3,000 units) Blu-ray. The studio had excelled in producing excellent war movies during the 1960s and early 1970s including The Longest Day, The Sand Pebbles, Tora! Tora! Tora! and Patton. The Blue Max has not remained as revered as those films but in many ways it is no less impressive. By 1966, the year the film was released, WWI had been largely ignored by Hollywood in favor WWII films. Not only was that conflict far more recent, unlike the complex issues that made "The War to End All Wars" a reality, the forces of good and evil were much easier to define in WWII. Prior to The Blue Max, the most ambitious relatively recent WWI film had been Kubrick's Paths of Glory, released almost a decade before. The Blue Max was based on the bestselling novel by Jack Hunter, who felt there were still shards of chivalry during the WWI era that would ultimately be replaced by the sheer barbarism of the second world war. The protagonist of the story is Lt. Bruno Stachel, a lowly infantryman who decides to rise above the horrors of trench warfare in favor of the German air corps. He arrives at his barracks and immediately isolates his fellow squadron mates with his arrogant and conceited nature. Stachel has a chip on his shoulder: unlike most of the other pilots, he is not a dilettante and comes from a very modest social background. The squadron's hero is Willi von Klugerman (Jeremy Kemp), who is acknowledged as their flying ace. Willi is also the recipient of the coveted Blue Max, Germany's highest decoration for courage in combat. In order to earn the medal, a pilot must have twenty verifiable "kills" of enemy aircraft. Although Stachel and Willi form a friendship, it has shaky foundations. Willi knows that Stachel's obsession is to outperform him and also be awarded the Blue Max. The rivalry between the two men extends to their personal lives: they are both bedding Countess Kaeti von Klugerman (Ursula Andress), the vivacious wife of Willi's uncle, the influential General General Count von Klugerman (superbly played by James Mason). Willi enjoys making humorous references to his lover as "my aunt". With Stachel's appearance, however, things become complicated, as Kaeti, who enjoys an open marriage with her husband, is free to indulge in her fantasies of bedding air aces and turning them into rivals. Stachel's valor in the skies earns him the respect, if not affection, of his comrades and General von Klugerman engages in a campaign of deception in order to build up morale by making Stachel a "working class hero" for propaganda purposes. In doing so, both men cross ethical lines by awarding Stachel "kills" he did not earn, much to the disgust of Stachel's commanding officer (Karl Michael Vogler), a man who represents old world military honor and integrity.
While the bedroom aspects of The Blue Max are compelling, it is the aerial sequences that dominate the film. They are brilliantly photographed by Douglas Slocombe and are set to Jerry Goldsmith's impressive and atmospheric musical score. The film, shot in Ireland (doubling for France) features several incredible dogfights and stunt flying sequences that are never less than thrilling. With America's late entry into the war, German fortunes diminish and the ragtag squadron's attack on advancing Allied infantry forces is epic in scope. Director John Guillerman, long underrated by the way, deftly weaves the action on the battlefield with the action in the boudoir and is helped significantly by the intelligent screenplay which has a highly creative and satisfying climax that improves upon the ending of the book and calls to mind the old adage from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
If there is a flaw in the film it is that there is no one other than Karl Michael Vogler's supporting character to cheer for. Stachler is a shameless opportunist without respect for anyone around him. George Peppard fulfills the basic requirements of the role: he's handsome and cocky, but the character is underwritten. If you are going to have a heel as the central protagonist, he must be embellished with some likable qualities aside from hunky good looks. Consider Paul Newman in Hud and The Hustler: two equally selfish characters, but both of whom had enough redeeming values to make you at least occasionally like them. Similarly, the sexual predator played by Andress is also a despicable person on a moral basis, as she enjoys playing her lovers against each other and reducing her husband to the role of cuckolded spouse. As for the General, he, too, is an opportunist who willingly trashes military protocol to create a national hero based on exaggerations and lies. As for Kemp's character, Willi, he is a genuine hero, but also an elitist snob with a superiority complex who will go to any length to retain his status of golden boy of his squadron. With this pack of knaves and rogues dominating the screen, it's hard to feel empathy for any of them.
Guillerman provides some haunting clues regarding the consequences of Germany's fortunes, as it becomes obvious to the main characters that the war is lost. In a sequence set in Berlin, the military brass and their wives continue to live and dine in opulence, oblivious to the fact that the citizenry is forming soup kitchens and engaging in bread riots. The General's babble about retaining the integrity of the military in order to prevent revolution is filled with hypocrisy because he is deceiving the German people through his phony propaganda campaigns. Similar tactics, of course, would be key to the rise of National Socialism in the 1930s.
Unlike the other Fox war movies mentioned previously, the film's cachet among retro movie lovers seems to have diminished over the years. It deserves to be re-evaluated and enjoyed by anyone who respects the kind of old fashioned, roadshow epics they just don't make any more. The Blue Max is superb on many levels and had a great impression on future directors George Lucas and Peter Jackson (who salvaged and restored Peppard's plane from the film!).
The Twilight Time release is one of the most impressive we've seen from this company, with a flawless transfer that does justice to this rich-looking film. The set includes the usual, informative liner notes by Julie Kirgo, an isolated audio track of Goldsmith's score and a second track with alternative music and commentary by Kirgo and fellow film historians Nick Redman and Jon Burligame. A theatrical trailer is also included.
Last
night saw Cinema Retro attend the exclusive private viewing of Designing OO7 - Fifty Years of Bond Style
at The Barbican in London. This unique exhibition showcasing the design, craft
and style of a screen icon - James Bond - is superblydesigned (by Ab Rogers, and guest-curated by
fashion historian Bronwyn Cosgrave and Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy
Hemming) . The exhibition is a must-see event for anyone with an interest in
film, let alone James Bond. Produced in partnership with Eon Productions, ably
assisted by the head of their archives, Meg Simmonds, the exhibition has
amassed over 400 items that reflect the history of Bond over the last 50 years.
Following
the press call in the day, the organizers invited people who have worked on the
films over the years and also friends of Eon to a champagne reception and
private view of the exhibition. And what a show it is! After walking down the
red carpet and past the fabled Aston Martin DB5, guests were given their own
'OO7 passport' to gain access to all areas and greeted with a glass (or two) of
Bollinger champagne.
Producer
Michael G. Wilson (with Barbara Broccoli at his side) addressed the guests with
a wonderful tribute speech to those 'background' women and men who have been
responsible for creating the 'look' of the James Bond films over the years.
Many were in attendance, including: Norman Wanstall, John Glenn, David Arnold,
Neal Purvis, Rob Wade, Arthur Wooster, Anthony Waye, John Richardson, Chris
Corbould, Debbie McWilliams, Lindy Hemming, and Peter Lamont, Wilson acknowledged Lamont as the production designer
who not only took over from Ken Adam, but also oversaw the building of two
studios for Eon Productions. Peter received a rapturous round of applause from
the appreciative audience.
The
entrance to the exhibition is designed to look like the now-famous gun barrel,
and after walking through this, you enter a chamber resembling part of Fort
Knox, with large metal bars adorning one wall from floor to ceiling. The
centre-piece is a large revolving circular bed with a life-size model figure of
a golden girl lying across it. From here, guests are led through five rooms and
travel down a lift to one exhibit of large-scale models and props. Very
impressive.
Entering through the legendary gun barrel.
There
are props and costumes galore, including Oddjob's bowler hat, Scaramanga's
'Golden Gun', and even the white bikini worn by Ursula Andress in Dr. No (on loan from Planet Hollywood).
The walls are adorned with production designs, sketches and storyboards, and
they have even managed to squeeze in the BMW motorcycle from Tomorrow Never Die, too. It was also
great to see the original attache case and prototype of Rosa Klebb's
flick-knife shoe, both iconic props seen in From
Russia With Love. It certainly brings back many memories of a series of
films that have entertained generations of movie goers the world over.
Cinema Retro has received the following press release from MGM and Park Circus film distributors:
Glasgow, 1st May 2012.Park Circus and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios are pleased to announce a special celebration at the 65th Cannes International Film Festival to mark the 50th Anniversary on the big screen of Ian Fleming’s James Bond.
Five James Bond films will screen in new digital versions as part of the Cinema de la Plage screenings.
The celebration will kick off with a 50th anniversary screening of DR NO directed by Terence Young and starring Sean Connery and Ursula Andress.
First released on 5th October 1962 Albert R. “Cubby†Broccoli’s production of DR NO marked the first big screen appearance for Ian Fleming’s James Bond character.
DR NO will be followed by screenings of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE and CASINO ROYALE.
This is the first time a James Bond film has screened during the festival.
The screenings in Cannes mark a year long celebration including a return to theatres worldwide of some of the classic Bond films. The celebration continues on the small screen with BOND 50, a collectible box-set featuring all 22 James Bond films on Blu-ray disc for the first time including the debut of nine James Bond films previously unavailable in high definition Blu-ray. Fans around the world can pre-order now with participating online retailers
Over on his Filmgoers Guide blog, CINEMA RETRO contributor Howard Hughes reviews some Euro-cult rarities from the 1960s and 1970s, including Enzo G. Castellari's Napoleonic comedy The Loves and Times of Scaramouche (1976), with Michael Sarrazin and Ursula Andress http://filmgoersguide.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/not-tonight-josephine/ The German 'Winnetou' westerns starring Lex Barker and Pierre Brice, including The Treasure of Silver Lake (1962) and Among Vultures (1964) http://filmgoersguide.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/requiem-apache/ And Marcello Baldi's little-seen Old Testment trilogy - Jacob, the Man Who Fought With God (1963), Saul and David (1964) and The Great Leaders (1965) - some of which was shot in Almeria, southern Spain. http://filmgoersguide.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/who-was-solomon-king/
Britt Ekland in The Man With the Golden Gun (1974)
The Daily Mail takes a look at Bond girls now and then. The gallery shows that time has been kind to these ladies, from Ursula Andress to Teri Hatcher, and it seems the best way to age gracefully is to simply bed down with 007! Click here to view
The first Bond girl is arguably the best: Ursula Andress in Dr. No.
Entertainment Weekly's Joshua Rich provides us with yet another completely superfluous, yet admittedly fun, movie list, this time evaluating the merits of major James Bond actresses and characters. Some of his observations are spot-on (i.e Ursula Andress and Diana Rigg rank among the best; Denise Richards and Britt Ekland among the worst. ) Some of the other conclusions seem delusional: would you really consider Lotte Lenya's Rosa Klebb to be a "Bond Girl?" or Maud Adams' Octopussy among the worst characters? Click here and judge for yourself
Jacqueline Bisset as Miss Goodthighs graces the cover of Cinema Retro #6 which features in-depth coverage of Casino Royale. See Back Issues section to order.
By Lee Pfeiffer
The Daily Mail reports that the big budget 1967 spoof version of the James Bond novel Casino Royale, which was only moderately successful at the boxoffice, has since grossed over $120 million to date. The revenues are obviously enhanced by decades of TV broadcast fees and home video income. Peter Sellers' estate is still getting royalties because the legendary actor had negotiated an astonishing deal that would pay him 3% of the gross in perpetuity. The much-troubled production became legendary when virtually every British studio was utilized by numerous directors to bring the spoof to life. An all star cast included Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Deborah Kerr and Woody Allen. The film received mixed reviews but earned the wrath of hardcore Bond and Ian Fleming purists who complained the movie the squandered the opportunity to bring an excellent novel to the screen (a situation that was finally remedied with the 2006 release of the "serious" version of Casino Royale.) This was the only Bond novel that wasn't controlled by legendary Eon Productions producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. Rather than bring the rights owners, producer Charles K. Feldman, in as a partner on a big screen version, they preferred to let Feldman develop his own project. The result was that the film was in theaters at the same time as Eon's official Bond movie You Only Live Twice.
For extensive coverage of the making of the 1967 Casino Royale, see Cinema Retro issue #6.
The first and, for many, still the most memorable 007 girl: Ursula Andress in Dr. No.
The web site Flavorwire provides background on the legendary James Bond screen sirens along with film clips and undates about what they are doing today. Click here to read
Most people think of Ursula Andress as the first on-screen James Bond girl. In fact, eight years before Andress made her memorable entrance in the 1962 007 film Dr. No, actress Linda Christian portrayed the femme fatale in the 1954 live CBS one-hour TV version of Casino Royale that starred Barry Nelson as "Card Sense" Jimmy Bond. Christian had been a contract player for MGM and was once married to screen heartthrob Tyrone Power. She passed away this week after a battle with cancer at age 87. For more click here
Artist Al Hirschfeld's depiction of Sean Connery and Ursula Andress in Dr. No
By Lee Pfeiffer
Joe Dante sent us the head's up that he's just posted the original American trailer for the first James Bond movie, Dr. No on his Trailers From Hell web site as week long tribute to Connery's films. The trailer features an intro and narration by director Brian Trenchard-Smith, who remembers visiting Pinewood Studios as a child and being mesmerized by observing the movie being filmed. There are countless tales of exactly how Sean Connery got the part of Bond. Trenchard-Smith goes with the story, oft-told by long time Bond editor and director Peter Hunt, that it was he who brought the young Scot to the attention of producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. The film's director, Terence Young, also used to take credit for bringing Connery to the role. For the record, Broccoli told me that the first time Connery was suggested for the role of Bond occurred when he and his wife Dana attended a screening of Disney's Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Cubby admitted to me that he didn't initially see any potential in Connery as Bond until Dana convinced him that he had raw sex appeal that could translate to the role of 007. What is the actual truth behind all of these stories? There is probably truth in all of them, although Cubby always insisted that when he told Terence Young that they had cast Connery, with whom he had worked previously in the 1950s, the director simply put his head in his hands and said, "Disaster! Disaster!".
This much is indisputable: Connery himself says that without Young's mentoring, he would not have succeeded in the role. The young actor was a diamond in the rough and the erudite Young gave him a crash course in manners, dress and proper dining habits. In essence, he taught Connery the snobbier aspects of Bond's personality. It's doubtful all of these people would have been debating who got the credit for casting Connery as Bond if the film had not been a smash hit. As John F. Kennedy once observed, "Victory has a thousand fathers but defeat is an orphan." Click here to view
For any guy who feels frustrated that they might never be able to date a James Bond girl, you might take some satisfaction in having them in 12" form. Mattel has introduced a line of commemorative James Bond girl Barbies. Here is the official product description:
Barbie goes Bond! Barbie can do just about anything, and now she's got her sights set on the world's top secret agent: Bond, James Bond! What better way to celebrate the long-running film franchise than with this series of dolls depicting the legendary 'Bond Girls'? Collect them all! Dolls stand about 11 1/2-inches tall. This set of 3 individually packaged dolls includes (subject to change): 1x Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore from Goldfinger 1x Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder from Dr. No 1x Halle Berry as Jinx from Die Another Day This daring and captivating assortment includes three Bond Girl favorites! The Goldfinger Barbie Doll features pilot Pussy Galore, all geared up and ready to help 007 thwart Goldfinger's evil plan while wearing a fitted black suit with golden vest. The very first Bond Girl, Honey Ryder, was cool, confident, and completely unforgettable. This Dr. No Barbie Doll pays tribute to a memorable scene from the film as she's dressed in a white, belted swimsuit with a shell-diver knife and sheath. Brave, bold, and beautiful, Jinx was pure luck for James Bond. The Die Another Day Barbie Doll wears an orange bikini inspired by the one Bond first spies her in as she exits the ocean.
Click here to order the set of three dolls from Amazon
Cinema Retro readers know that columnist Tom Lisanti wrote a piece for issue #17 about the little-seen 1969 thriller Once You Kiss a Stranger that included comments from the film's star Carol Lynley. At the time, the film was unavailable on DVD, but lo and behold, yet another cult movie we've written about has now been released to home video. We're starting to think we have a crystal ball that influences studio executives. In any event, the movie is a minor trifle, but a fun one, that is primarily distinguished by Lynley playing against type as an outwardly charming and seductive young woman who is, in fact, a mentally unstable person with a penchant for violence. Curiously, the movie is a loose remake of Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, as both films were inspired by Patricia Highsmith's source novel.
Lynley plays Diana, a consistently perky type who hides her emotional turmoils within her. Distraught by the possibility that her aged aunt and psychiatrist might re-commit her to a mental asylum, she concocts a scenario for the perfect crime. She seduces a married, famous golf pro (Paul Burke) and in playful pillow talk, tells him she will kill his main rival on the golf circuit, thus ensuring he will become a champion. In return, Burke is expected to kill the psychiatrist before he can have her committed to the asylum. Burke jokingly plays along, unaware the bedroom chatter is being secretly videotaped. (This is probably one of the earliest uses of a home video camera to figure into a motion picture storyline). When Burke discovers Lynley has actually carried out the murder, he is blackmailed by her. He faces a Hobson's Choice: either kill the psychiatrist or face the gas chamber for his role in the killing of the golfer.
Cubby on the Jamaican locale for Dr. No with John Kitzmiller, Sean Connery and Ursula Andress.
With a major tribute to Albert R. Broccoli taking place in Los Angeles this month, the man known as Cubby is remembered by his daughter Barbara, his stepson Michael G. Wilson and James Bond screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz. Click here to read
There will be a rare appearance by Ursula Andress at the Autographica show in Birmingham, England on the weekend of September 12-13. The iconic first James Bond girl will be joined by other alumni of the 007 series including Edward Fox, who played M in Never Say Never Again. For more click here
Ursula Andress' iconic entrance as the first James Bond girl in Dr. No ranks high in the poll.
Yesterday, we linked to the men's iconic swmsuit poll on the Huffington Post. Today, legendary women's swimsuit scenes from the silver screen are being voted on. Click here to view the top vote-getters.Â
Take a great trip down Retro Lane through the superb movie poster and lobby card reproductions available from the good folks at the Femme Fatales and Fantasies Movie Poster site. Here's a teaser: the original Hammer Films one sheet poster for Ursula Andress as She. Click here to visit the site
Hirschfeld's rendering of Sean Connery and Ursula Andress, used in the film's original publicity campaign. (Image: Greenbriar Picture Show)
John McElwee's wonderful nostalgia movie site, the Greenbriar Picture Show features his personal memories of seeing the first James Bond movie, Dr. No - and how it has held up over the decades. McElwee analyzes the differences between this early characterization of Bond and those found in future entries in the series. To read click here
Britain's Tomahawk Press have released their most ambitious book yet - consisting of a treasure trove of never-before-seen production stills from classic Hammer films. This is a limited edition volume and is absolutely essential for anyone with a love of these great movies. Here is their official press release.
.
Hammer
Films - A Life in Pictures
By
Wayne Kinsey
                                                      A
Strictly Limited Edition Hardcover Book
ISBN
978-0-9531926-9-4
240 pages, colour and B&W
265 x 190mm, hardback
RRP:
£34.99
Foreword
by Nigel Arthur -
Curator BFI Stills
Last
year, several boxes of never-seen-before photos of Hammer Films productions was
archived by Hammer expert Wayne Kinsey for the British Film Institute. Kinsey
and the BFI were so impressed by the collection, that it was agreed the best
should be published.
Through
these rare and mostly previously unseen images, Hammer Films – A Life in
Pictures tells the visual story of Hammer’s output. You will be guided
through this wonderful collection of photos by Kinsey himself,the celebrated
author of Hammer Films – the Elstree Studios Years and Hammer Films –
the Bray Studios Years. Hammer Films – A Life in Pictures
explores the wider and fascinating side of one of the British film industry's
greatest success stories, showing once and for all that Hammer was not just a
purveyor of cheap horror pictures.
In
fact, they made films in a number of different genres such as war thrillers,
gritty dramas, comedies and colourful swashbuckling adventures. Some of these
were among their best films; 1959 is a case in point which included such
classics as Never Take Sweets from a Stranger, Hell is a City and
Yesterday's Enemy, the latter of which earned Hammer BAFTA nominations
for best picture, best actor and best supporting actor. Hammer's films also
benefited from an expert team of actors and technicians, including big names
that on first glance would never have thought to be associated with Hammer
including Robert Aldrich, Ken Adam, Joe Losey, Bette Davis, Tallulah Bankhead,
Donald Sutherland, Joan Fontaine, Richard Widmark, Ursula Andress and Raquel
Welch.
This is a Limited Edition hardcover book (only 2500 copies worldwide) that is
destined to become a highly sought-after collectors’ item.OVER 600
PHOTOGRAPHS!! CLICK HERE TO ORDER
I hide it from my family, co-workers and friends, although
I’m sure they suspect.I indulge only in
secret within the confines of a darkened room late at night.The sleeplessness and bloodshot eyes in the
morning are the tell-tale signs that something is wrong.I am hopelessly hooked and there is no
possibility of recovery or reform.I am
a DVD pause-button junkie.
There are two kinds of pause-button addicts, each with their
own agenda and needs.The first is the
type who dissects action scenes in a movie looking for flaws.I know one of these geeks, Zippy the
Zit-Faced Kid.Zippy can’t wait to buy a
new DVD of a recent action film and freeze-frame his way through a car chase or
battle scene.He eagerly looks for
continuity mistakes he can report to the goofs section of the Internet Movie
Database.
Zippy, and those like him, may be the ones responsible for
the heavy reliance on CGI effects in films today. Directors and editors, sure
that their work will be put under the microscope by legions of fault finders
with their DVRs and DVD players, take the safe route with computer generated
perfection.Their efforts result in explosive
special effects that somehow don’t provide us with the “wow†factor the way the
old masters did in the Sixties and Seventies.
I, on the other hand, have purer intentions.I want to appreciate the artistic skills that
went into creating a set piece during an action-adventure film.I admire the craftsmanship of the model makers,
process photographers and stunt people involved in the production of a
science-fiction or action classic.In
other words, I just want to see that exploding head, bloody squib or bare
breast a little clearer.I pause to
enjoy, not to destroy.
Listed below, in no particular order, is a small sampling of
favorite freeze-frame moments from my personal DVD library.Zippy wouldn’t bother with any of these films;
they were all made before he was born.
The Thing From
Another World – 1951
As the vegetable-like alien, played by James Arness,
continues to threaten the scientists at the North Pole, Kenneth Tobey and his
crew decide to set the creature on fire.The monster enters the room and is doused in kerosene and set
aflame.Slow-motion playback reveals a
terribly dangerous sequence as several stuntmen take turns throwing buckets of
fuel at the burning monster.One pail of
kerosene is hurled at the Thing as another cast member stands directly behind
it, seemingly in the path of the flaming liquid.
Common sense tells that me that this scene was thoroughly
planned and rehearsed with safety in mind.But it still looks incredibly risky.
Dr. No. – 1962
Any James Bond movie will provide several pause-button
worthy moments in the flashy title sequences.Those silhouetted models during Maurice Binder’s montages were barely
covered up by precise placement of the titles.In this film, Sean Connery and Ursula Andress shower in a de-contamination
chamber after exposure to radiation.After a towel is handed to Ms. Andress, it appears that we get a glimpse
of more than we should see.Closer
inspection with the pause feature reveals that, alas, it is merely a
skin-colored bikini top. Not to despair Bond fans.A careful viewing of the love scene between Connery and Jill St. John in
Diamonds are Forever does provide a
fleeting glance of Ms. St. John in the altogether.
The Exorcist – 1974
William Freidkin’s tale of demonic possession includes
graphic scenes worthy of closer examination including the projectile vomiting
effect, Linda Blair’s rotating head and the infamous crucifix sequence.My favorite pause-button moments, however, are
the near-subliminal images inserted into key scenes involving Father Karras,
played by Jason Miller.In the theater
the viewers realize they have seen something hideous, but they are unable to
identify it.Freezing the film reveals a
truly terrifying shot of a demon.Friedkin
also used this technique in his 1980 thriller Cruising, and director David Fincher utilized flash images in
1999’s Fight Club.
The Gauntlet – 1977
As Clint Eastwood attempts to escort mob witness Sondra
Locke from Las Vegas to Phoenix, several attempts are made on their
lives.In one scene, an ambulance driver
jumps into a rented car to start it up for the fleeing pair.A loud explosion destroys the auto and the
helpless paramedic trapped inside.The
pause button reveals a realistic dummy in the driver seat that bounces around
from the force of the blast.Car bombs
in the movies always have a generic quality and this effect demonstrates how
truly violent they can be.
Papillion – 1973
While Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman are imprisoned at DevilsIsland,
a condemned man is led to the guillotine for execution.As the camera looks up at the giant blade,
the prisoner’s head is also visible.Movie
goers were probably thinking director Franklin J. Schaffner and editor Robert
Swink would cut away at the last second, before the falling blade struck the
man’s neck.In a beautiful example of
cinematic sleight of hand, the shot changes and a prosthetic head is
inserted.By keeping our attention
focused on that blade, the filmmakers startled audiences when the head was
chopped off and blood appeared to cover the lens.
As with all of the examples included in this list, the pause
button is used to admire the filmmakers’ technique, not to spoil the effect.
War of the Worlds –
1953
Byron Haskin’s version of The War of the Worlds, produced by George Pal, scared the daylights
out of me when I was young.After my
first viewing on television at the age of nine, I was under the sheets hiding
from those deadly Martian machines.
This film, along with The
Thing From Another World, was among the first to feature a full-body fire
stunt and the result was terrifying. As
troops come under fire from the deadly heat ray, stuntman Mushy Callahan dances
across the screen completely engulfed in flames.Standing right in front of him is another
soldier, totally oblivious, stomping out a burning piece of paper. Maybe it was
a classified document they wanted to keep away from the alien invaders.
As I overcame my fear of Martians and flaming stuntmen, The War of the Worlds became a
treasured classic in my DVD collection.
A Star is Born – 1976
In this remake of a remake, Barbra Streisand and Kris
Kristofferson, both playing pop singers, share a romantic interlude.As the camera gracefully circles the lovers,
Ms. Streisand’s blouse is lifted over her head and falls away.We are prevented from seeing any real nudity
by clever camera work, subdued lighting and the precise placement of the
actors’ arms.Undoubtedly this scene had
to be rehearsed several times to get the timing just right.In today’s films a little CGI airbrushing can
remove any unwanted body parts.
The Hunting Party –
1971
A violent western obviously influenced by the graphic
gunplay in Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild
Bunch and Pat Garrett and Billy the
Kid.Don Medford’s film features a
nasty rancher, played by Gene Hackman, who tracks down and executes the kidnappers
who have taken his wife.In one of the
bloody ambush scenes we are not only treated to slow-motion squib hits, we see
a bare-chested cowboy take a high-powered rifle shot to the abdomen.Further review with the pause-button reveals
a chilling effect featuring prosthetics and make-up.
The Fury – 1977
And finally, we come to Brian DePalma’s psychic thriller, The Fury.John Cassavetes, as John Childress, is the
villain who plans to harvest the telekinetic powers of Andrew Stevens and Amy
Irving for military use.As with all
cinematic evil doers, he who lives by the sword must perish by it.Childress literally explodes in a tense confrontation
with Irving utilizing
slow-motion photography, multiple camera angles and flying body parts in an orgasmic
finale of total revenge.Rick Baker’s
prosthetic work is outstanding, as always, and the effect is startling.Some have criticized this scene as indulgent
overkill by De Palma, but I believe it is beautifully shot and edited.I have found myself uncontrollably pressing
the repeat button on my DVR to watch the scene over and over, mesmerized by this
Grand Guignol imagery.
While Zippy and his
legion of hypercritics might not agree, I find this old-fashioned style of
filmmaking more visceral and exciting.Computer generated effects are nothing short of amazing when employed in
limited quantities -but when movies
become wall-to-wall digital tapestries, they lose the “wow†factor and we stop
wondering how they did it.
Lois as Miss Moneypenny in the 1967 Bond film "You Only Live Twice"
A Personal Rememberance by Lee Pfeiffer
Lois Maxwell, the actress who initiated the role of Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond films beginning with Dr. No in 1962, has passed away at the age of 80. She had been battling cancer for the last few years and had moved from England to Australia to be with her son and his family. For millions of Bond fans worldwide, the death of one of the original key cast members came as a terrible blow. For this writer, it also is devastating news on a personal level. Throughout my years of association with the Bond franchise and Eon Productions, I have been honored to know Lois Maxwell and to call her my friend. She was a unique woman in every way: steadfast, humorous, and extremely witty. I first met Lois when I appeared on The Geraldo Rivera Show in the early 1990s to promote a Bond book I had co-authored. She was in rare form and stole the spotlight from an array of other, younger Bond girls. She later agreed to be a guest at a film convention I sponsored in New Jersey in 1993. She regaled the crowd with wonderful anecdotes and signed autographs for hours. Afterward, fellow Bond book authors Dave Worrall and Graham Rye joined me in escorting Lois around New York City where we spent a memorable afternoon showing her the sights and dining at Planet Hollywood.
In 1995, my partners John Cork and Mark Cerullli and I went to visit Lois at her home in Frome, in the British countryside near Bath. We were shooting documentaries for MGM on the making of the Bond films. Her brassy nature and disarming wit were on display throughout and the wonderful anecdotes she related are preserved forever on the DVD special editions of the films. I next saw Lois at the James Bond Jamaica Festival in 1996 where we were invited as guests. This was an extraordinary event that brought many of the prominent alumni from the series to the island where the movies were launched with Dr. No. It remains one of the most enjoyable holidays I've experienced, as I was able to relish the company of Ursula Andress, George Lazenby, Richard Kiel and so many other actors and technicians from the series. At night, Lois led everyone dancing to steel drum bands under a crisp, clear Jamaican sky. The highlight was a private party at Ian Fleming's home, Goldeneye. Here the event took on a special resonance as the actors and crew members were entertained in the home of 007's literary creator. Lois was one of the few who had come to know Fleming and told wonderful tales that seemed all the more moving because of the setting.
When Lois' favorite Bond co-star Roger Moore retired from the series in 1985, producer Cubby Broccoli personally called her to tell her that she would not be returning to star as Moneypenny opposite new Bond actor Timothy Dalton. Lois said it would have looked ridiculous for her to making "goo-goo eyes" at a much younger man but suggested to Cubby that she be allowed to play M. Cubby dismissed the idea, saying audiences wouldn't accept a female head of MI6. Lois got no end of satisfaction when Judi Dench was cast in the role of M years later - she felt her instincts had been proven correct.
I last saw Lois in January, 2002 when Dave Worrall and I were invited by Eon to attend a private party at Pinewood Studios to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Bond film franchise. The room was packed with alumni from the series, from actors to technicians. Cubby's widow Dana Broccoli presided over the festivities along with Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson and Pierce Brosnan, who was about to start filming Die Another Day. It was a truly wonderful affair capped off by the dedication of a plaque to Cubby Broccoli. We had a drink with Lois at the historic Pinewood bar where so many screen legends had socialized. We both realized this event was a bittersweet occasion. Lois lamented the loss of so many of her colleagues from the series and said, "Soon we'll all be gone, Lee". True enough, since that wonderful day a number of other prominent Bond veterans have passed away including Dana Broccoli. Like Lois, she was one of those women you came to believe was immortal. Now Lois is gone, too. For millions of 007 fans, however her work will live on and for those of us who considered her a friend, she'll always be our Number One Bond Girl. Rest in peace, Miss Moneypenny. (For additional details click here)
PERSONAL PHOTOS OF LOIS MAXWELL
In New York for the 1993 Spy-Fi Convention, Lois dines with (l to r): Ron Plesniarski of Spy Guise Inc, Denise Plesniarski, Graham Rye, Dave Worrall, Janet Pfeiffer and Lee Pfeiffer
Lee Pfeiffer and Graham Rye with Lois on the ferry from Weehawken, New Jersey to midtown Manhattan, 1993.
The 2002 Eon celebration at Pinewood. L to r: Caroline Munro, Carole Ashby, Richard Kiel, Shirley Eaton, Michael G. Wilson, Dana Broccoli, Lois Maxwell, Colin Salmon, Sir Ken Adam and Eunice Gayson. (Photo copyright Laurent Perriot)
At long last, MGM will release a special DVD edition of the 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale. Release date is November 6. The disc has been produced by Steve Rubin and Steve Mitchell. Rubin is well known Bond expert and author of The James Bond Films and The James Bond Encyclopedia.He's also a documentary film maker who produced and directed a tribute to The Great Escape.The disc will have many special features as outlined below:
The Making Of Casino Royale" featurette
"Bond James Bond" featurette
"A 3 Ring Circus" featurette
"More Directors, More Stars" featurette
"The Big Climax" featurette
"It’s a Wrap!" featurette
Audio commentary
See Barbara Bouchet's exclusive interview in Cinema Retro's Casino Royale special issue #6
Rubin and Mitchell tracked down a number of stars who have not been interviewed in many years to tell the story behind this over-budgeted, out-of-control big budget film that was produced by Charles K. Feldman. The film production took over three major studios and starred an eclectic cast of actors including Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Woody Allen, William Holden and Orson Welles. Whether you love or hate the movie, the story behind it is fascinating.
No release date has been set for the U.K. as of yet.
Meanwhile, Sony is planning on releasing a major special edition of the Daniel Craig Casino Royale -this time possibly as a three disc set to contain all the extras. No release date has been set.
For full coverage of the making of Casino Royale, see Cinema Retro issue #6. The issue features exclusive interviews with Barbara Bouchet and Caroline Munro as well as dozens of rare stills and movie poster art.
In this new feature, we'll periodically run the original film titles of famous motion pictures. You would be amazed at how many well-known films had their titles changed just prior to release!
This rare British trade magazine ad illustrates the 1964 western comedy "4 for Texas" that starred Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ursula Andress and Anita Ekberg. Did you know the film was actually shot under the title of "Two for Texas"? Presumably, the original title was amended to give equally billing to the voluptuous female stars. Not to be crude, but "Four for Texas" could have referred to only Andress and Ekberg! Also, Bette Davis was announced as having a major role in the film but for reasons unknown dropped out of the production.
As regular readers of the Cinema Retro site know, Warner Brothers and Paramount have teamed for major Elvis DVD promotions to commemorate the 30th anniversary of The King's passing. The Paramount side of the promotion, a boxed set titled Lights! Cameras! Elvis! showcases 8 feature films, packaged in four clamshell cases containing double features. The movies are from the 1960s with the exception of King Creole from 1958. Other titles in the collection are: Easy Come, Easy Go, Blue Hawaii, Fun in Acapulco, G.I. Blues, Girls! Girls! Girls!, Roustabout and Paradise Hawaiian Style. We received a set in advance of the August 7 release date and we were pleasantly surprised to see the films packaged in a smart, blue velvet (what else?) collector's case. The merits of the films themselves range from being among Elvis' better efforts to being weak even by The King's standards - but even the worst of the lot merit being classified as entertaining, guilty pleasures. One of the great joys of watching Elvis films is the array of gorgeous co-stars and this boxed set is a feast for the eyes, topped by Ursula Andress lighting up the screen in Fun in Acapulco. If there's a complaint about the set, its that once again Paramount has been stingy with extras. It would have been great to have film historians or Elvis experts comment on the individual films, but each title is sans extras except for a few trailers. The films are also available individually, but if you give a hoot about Elvis at all, you shouldn't be able to resist purchasing the entire boxed set, though even the most devout fan will probably have to quit their jobs and put their lives on hold for several months to get through the plethora of titles released in August alone. A good value from Paramount, but we hope to see special editions of these titles in the future.
After successfully joining forces for the new John Wayne 100th Birthday DVD promotion, Warner Home Video and Paramount Home Entertainment have come up with a blockbuster Elvis Presley promotion that will see WB releasing Elvis:The Hollywood Collection with six feature films and Paramount releasing The Lights! Action! Elvis! collection consisting of eight major features starring the King. Additionally, several major Elvis concert films will be released and coordinated with a festival relating to Presley to be held at Graceland that will be held between August 11-18. Warners will be screening Elvis films on the grounds of Graceland during the festival. Continue reading for the full official press release.
