Week of « Prev | Next »
11 articles
Full Throttle: 1960S Japanese Action Cinema
1 hour ago
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
By Dean Brierly
Detective Bureau 2-3: Go To Hell Bastards! (1963)
The early 1960s proved to be a transitional period for Japanese director Seijun Suzuki. After churning out numerous yakuza films for Nikkatsu throughout the 1950s, the director began to rebel against the creative limitations imposed by the studio. Fed up with clichéd scenarios and adherence to stylistic conventions, Suzuki began infiltrating subversive visual flourishes to make things more interesting for himself and his audiences. Nineteen-sixty-three is widely regarded as the year Suzuki fully became Suzuki, starting with Detective Bureau 2-3: Go to Hell Bastards! Although it doesn’t scale the delirious heights of the more famous Tokyo Drifter (1966) and Branded to Kill (1967)—whose visual and narrative anarchy got him fired from Nikkatsu—the film still turns the yakuza genre on its head through Suzuki’s hyperbolic approach.
Story
Jo Shisido stars as Tajima, »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
An Evening With Christopher Plummer, Film Forum, New York November 30
23 hours ago
Cinema Retro has received the following press release from The Film Forum:
A tribute to actor Christopher Plummer will be held at Film Forum on Monday, November 30 at 7:30. Mr. Plummer will appear in person to discuss his long stage, screen and television career. Admission for this special event is $25, $15 for Film Forum members. Tickets will be available online Monday, November 23.
In his immensely entertaining new memoir, Christopher Plummer describes how “this young bilingual wastrel, incurably romantic, spoiled rotten, tore himself away from the ski slopes to break into the big bad world of theatre, not from the streets up but from an Edwardian living room down.” A Canadian (not English, as is often assumed), Plummer made his stage debut at 18 in Shakespeare’s Cymbeline over 60 years ago. As a super-star of the Broadway and London stage, Plummer has played most of the great classic roles: Hamlet, Lear, Macbeth, Iago, »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
"For Whom The Bell Tolls" And "Forbidden Planet" Saturday At Loews Jersey City
20 November 2009 8:31 PM, PST
The Loews Jersey City movie palace will present two classic films on Saturday November 22: at 2:00 Pm there will be a screening of For Whom the Bell Tolls starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman. At 7:30 Pm there will be a screening of Forbidden Planet featuring the film's original Perspecta soundtrack. On Sunday, there will be an old time organ concert at the Loews. The theater is only minutes from mid-town Manhattan and remains the most opulent theater in the New York metropolitan area to see classic films. Click here for details »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
Disney Releases "Imagineering The Magic Of Magic Kingdom" DVD; Available Exclusively At Disney Parks And Through Phone Order
20 November 2009 7:41 AM, PST
Cinema Retro has received the following press release that will be of interest to all Disney fans:
(November 1, 2009) Disney Theme Park Merchandise releases in November, the second in a series of DVDs highlighting the creation and enhancement of the Disney Theme Parks and Attractions as told from the perspective of the Walt Disney’s Imagineers. The DVD will be available for sale throughout the Disney Parks in California and Florida .
The DVD, “Imagineering the Magic-Magic Kingdom”, hosted by Imagineer Diego Parras, details through historical and rare film footage, the inspiration for the creation of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida and the early beginnings of the Magic Kingdom theme park.
The DVD focuses on the Walt Disney’s efforts to build on the success of Disneyland in Anaheim , California and to take that creativity and experience eastward . The challenges of building in Florida ’s swamplands and the high expectations »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
Cinema Retro Exclusive Interview With Bill Marx, Son Of Harpo Marx
19 November 2009 4:34 PM, PST
The legendary Harpo with his son Bill.
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Interview by Nick Thomas
It’s been 60 years since the Marx Brothers – Groucho, Chico, Harpo – officially appeared together in their last feature film, Love Happy. Although fans have little “love” for it and the brothers were not “happy” making it, the film did provide some enjoyable moments showcasing Harpo’s silent talents.
Along with brothers Zeppo and Gummo, the five Marx Brothers grew up in New York. Gummo dropped out of the act and the four brothers traveled the country as stage performers before taking Hollywood by storm, starting with Cocoanuts in 1929. Straight man Zeppo eventually bailed too, and the three remaining brothers went on to become arguably the greatest comedy team ever.
Between them, the five brothers raised a dozen children and a few went into the entertainment business. Now 72, Bill Marx (one of »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
Directors Pay Tribute To Roger Corman
19 November 2009 3:13 PM, PST
Corman in London, photographed by Cinema Retro's Mark Mawston.
Entertainment Weekly columnist Chris Nashawaty has done yeoman work in soliciting comments from some top-name directors, actors and writers who recall their memories of working for producer Roger Corman. The B movie king is finally being shown the respect he deserves, culminating with a special Oscar being bestowed on him for his remarkable achievements in film. Corman gave crucial first breaks to many directors and actors who went on to have great careers. In this article, homage is paid to Corman by Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Joe Dante, Jonathan Demme, Sylvester Stallone, Dennis Hopper, William Shatner, Richard Matheson and others. Click here to read »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
Actor Dennis Cole Dies; Starred In TV Series "Felony Squad"
19 November 2009 3:25 AM, PST
Actor Dennis Cole has passed away at age 69. He guest-starred on countless hit TV series since he made his mark as one of the stars of the 60s crime show Felony Squad. He also co-starred with Rod Taylor in the short-lived 1970s series Bearcats. Cole, who was once married to Charlie's Angel star Jaclyn Smith, refused to appear in any show involving violence following the 1991 murder of his son in a home invasion. For more click here »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
Join Cinema Retro At The Players Club Gala Tribute To Robert Vaughn, November 22 In New York City
18 November 2009 6:54 AM, PST
On Sunday, November 22, The Players, the legendary New York City private club for the performing arts, will honor member Robert Vaughn with a gala dinner. Cinema Retro Editor in Chief Lee Pfeiffer will interview Vaughn on-stage for a discussion of his remarkable career and his recent autobiography A Fortunate Life. There will be screenings of relevant clips from Vaughn's work including The Magnficent Seven, Bullitt, The Towering Inferno,S.O.B, his current hit British series Hustle, Washington:Behind Closed Doors (for which he won the Emmy), Superman 3 and, of course, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. There will also be rarely seen early career footage of Vaughn's TV appearances. Ben Gazzara, Vaughn's co-star from The Bridge at Remagen, is scheduled to speak, as is actor Joseph Sirola, who guest-starred in several episodes of U.N.C.L.E. The date has special significance for Vaughn: it is his birthday and it is »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
Disney Deep-sixes "20,000 Leagues" Remake
16 November 2009 3:23 PM, PST
The original Disney version of the classic Jules Verne tale starred Kirk Douglas and James Mason.
Disney has temporarily shelved plans for a much-vaunted remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, although the studio is committed to ultimately making it. Apparently the director, McG, has withdrawn from the project, which was slated to begin shooting in February, even though no casting has been announced. By the way, what's with the name of the director? We don't mind great historical figures being referred to by one name, but McG hardly qualifies for the honor alongside Picasso and Rembrandt. In fact, his qualifications seem somewhat less impressive than those that earned Liberace a one-name monicker. For more click here »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
Actor Edward Woodward Dies At Age 79; Starred In Cult Hit "The Wicker Man"
16 November 2009 6:10 AM, PST
Actor Edward Woodward has passed away at age 79. The acclaimed star of stage and screen had appeared in many high-profile films including Breaker Morant, The Final Option, Young Winston and - more recently- the hit British comedy Hot Fuzz. He also starred in the popular British TV series Callan. However, Woodward will always be associated with the classic cult horror film The Wicker Man in which he plays a police inspector whose search for a missing girl leads him to interact with a bizarre society that mingles sex, murder and the occult. The film's long and pained history has been the subject of books and documentaries, but suffice it to say that it became a far bigger hit in the years after its initial release. Woodward co-starred in it with Sir Christopher Lee. In the 1980s, Woodward became a popular household name in America through his Emmy-nominated role as The Equalizer on TV. »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
"2012" A Tidal Wave At International Boxoffice; $225 Million Gross
16 November 2009 3:24 AM, PST
By Lee Pfeiffer
The critically-lambasted Roland Emmerich disaster flick 2012 defied expectations and has amassed a gigantic opening gross of $225 million from international play dates. The film benefited from a strong marketing campaign that persuaded plenty of dimwits in the audience that the world really is expected to end in 2012, based on some hooey in an ancient Mayan calendar. So many people bombarded Nasa with their concerns that, for the first time, the space agency had to go viral in their own marketing campaign to assure these folks that the world isn't really scheduled to be destroyed in 2012. (If that were the case, you could at least be assured that Cinema Retro wouldn't send you any more of those annual letters cajoling you to renew your subscription.) Disney's A Christmas Carol held strong and looks to build into a sizable holiday hit. The rock-oriented Pirate Radio opened weak but the studio »
- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
11 articles
