The late 1950s and the entirety of the 1960s was the golden age for big, brawny, studio-produced action-adventure epics. Films like "The Bridge on the River Kwai," "The Guns of Navarone," and "The Train" plopped big movie stars in the midst of finely crafted yarns about unflappable heroes pooling their expertise to pull off seemingly impossible tasks. Most of these were next-phase World War II movies that eschewed the reverential tone of the films made in the immediate wake of the conflict's end; they were less about the Axis enemy, and more about the ingenuity of men in high-pressure situations. When done well, they were hailed by critics and ticket-buyers alike.
And with due respect to the many entertaining entries in this subgenre, none of them can match the armrest-shredding suspense and rousing camaraderie of John Sturges "The Great Escape."
Working from a screenplay credited to W.R. Burnett and the...
And with due respect to the many entertaining entries in this subgenre, none of them can match the armrest-shredding suspense and rousing camaraderie of John Sturges "The Great Escape."
Working from a screenplay credited to W.R. Burnett and the...
- 2/24/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Frank Sinatra went through phases like he went through wives. The legendary crooner and movie star could exhibit impeccable taste for what people wanted to see and hear, and then, in a few year's time, completely lose his grasp of the zeitgeist.
Sinatra was threatening to enter one of his down periods in the mid-1960s. The popular music scene was in the throes of Beatlemania, while moviegoers were tiring of the Rat Pack's antics. Who wanted to see Sinatra and the gang saunter their way through Western and gangster pastiches like "4 for Texas" and "Robin and the 7 Hoods" when they could watch Elvis Presley set the screen ablaze with Ann-Margret in "Viva Las Vegas"?
To be fair, Sinatra was still Sinatra, but after giving one of his finest performances in John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate," he started playing it way too safe. Bud Yorkin and...
Sinatra was threatening to enter one of his down periods in the mid-1960s. The popular music scene was in the throes of Beatlemania, while moviegoers were tiring of the Rat Pack's antics. Who wanted to see Sinatra and the gang saunter their way through Western and gangster pastiches like "4 for Texas" and "Robin and the 7 Hoods" when they could watch Elvis Presley set the screen ablaze with Ann-Margret in "Viva Las Vegas"?
To be fair, Sinatra was still Sinatra, but after giving one of his finest performances in John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate," he started playing it way too safe. Bud Yorkin and...
- 2/1/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Hard to believe, but Cinema Retro is entering its 18th season thanks to the consistent support among classic and cult movie lovers worldwide. The new season will begin with issue #52, which will ship in the UK and Europe during December and to all other sections of the globe in January. Throughout the new season, we have an exciting lineup of in-depth analysis from talented film scholars who will be providing highlights such as these:
"The Sand Pebbles"- director Robert Wise's acclaimed 1966 epic that saw Steve McQueen earn his only Oscar nomination Disney's "Dr. Syn: Alias the Scarecrow", the fascinating journey of the adventure TV episodes starring Patrick McGoohan and the subsequent feature film version. "Somewhere in Time", one of the most beloved and haunting romances ever filmed. Exclusive interview with director Jeannot Szwarc. "Lord Jim", director Richard Brooks' ambitious adaptation of Joseph Conrad's classic novel. The film...
"The Sand Pebbles"- director Robert Wise's acclaimed 1966 epic that saw Steve McQueen earn his only Oscar nomination Disney's "Dr. Syn: Alias the Scarecrow", the fascinating journey of the adventure TV episodes starring Patrick McGoohan and the subsequent feature film version. "Somewhere in Time", one of the most beloved and haunting romances ever filmed. Exclusive interview with director Jeannot Szwarc. "Lord Jim", director Richard Brooks' ambitious adaptation of Joseph Conrad's classic novel. The film...
- 12/1/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Raffaella Carrà, beloved Italian singer, dancer and actor, who starred with Frank Sinatra in 1965’s Von Ryan’s Express, died Monday. She was 78.
“Raffaella has left us. She has gone to a better world, where her humanity, her unmistakable laugh and her extraordinary talent will shine forever, her longtime partner, Sergio Iapino, said in a statement Monday to Italian national news agency Ansa. A cause of death was not revealed, but Iapino said she had been battling an unnamed illness for some time.
Carrà was a popular figure throughout Europe and Latin America, known for her work in numerous popular television series, and was widely regarded as a gay icon.
Born in Bologna, Carrà made her feature film debut at the age of nine in Tormento del passato. She went on to appear in several Italian “peplum” films in the early 1960s, Fury of the Pagans, Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops,...
“Raffaella has left us. She has gone to a better world, where her humanity, her unmistakable laugh and her extraordinary talent will shine forever, her longtime partner, Sergio Iapino, said in a statement Monday to Italian national news agency Ansa. A cause of death was not revealed, but Iapino said she had been battling an unnamed illness for some time.
Carrà was a popular figure throughout Europe and Latin America, known for her work in numerous popular television series, and was widely regarded as a gay icon.
Born in Bologna, Carrà made her feature film debut at the age of nine in Tormento del passato. She went on to appear in several Italian “peplum” films in the early 1960s, Fury of the Pagans, Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops,...
- 7/5/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Italian singer, actor, dancer and TV host Raffaella Carrà — who over the course of a 60-year career became a national pop culture sensation, sold millions of records across Europe, and found TV success in Spain and Latin America — has died, Italian national news agency Ansa and multiple Italian media outlets have reported.
Carrà, who was 78, had been suffering from an unspecified illness, her former partner of many years Sergio Japino, a choreographer, told Ansa.
Born in Bologna, Carrà started in showbiz as a child, first appearing at age 8 in the 1952 melodrama “Tormento del Passato,” directed by Mario Bonnard. A few other small film roles followed. She subsequently moved to Rome where Carrà studied classical ballet and attended acting classes at Rome’s Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia film school, from which she graduated in 1960.
In 1965, Carrà co-starred with Frank Sinatra in Canadian director Mark Robson’s World War II drama “Von Ryan’s Express.
Carrà, who was 78, had been suffering from an unspecified illness, her former partner of many years Sergio Japino, a choreographer, told Ansa.
Born in Bologna, Carrà started in showbiz as a child, first appearing at age 8 in the 1952 melodrama “Tormento del Passato,” directed by Mario Bonnard. A few other small film roles followed. She subsequently moved to Rome where Carrà studied classical ballet and attended acting classes at Rome’s Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia film school, from which she graduated in 1960.
In 1965, Carrà co-starred with Frank Sinatra in Canadian director Mark Robson’s World War II drama “Von Ryan’s Express.
- 7/5/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
by Nathaniel R
Year of the Julies: Andrews and Christie dominated both the Oscars and the box office
The Supporting Actress Smackdown 1965 Episode arrives on October 9th, so you have until October 8th to watch the four movies and vote on them. Let's talk context...
Great Big Box Office Hits: 1)The Sound of Music 2) Doctor Zhivago 3) Thunderball 4) Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines 5) The Great Race 6) That Darn Cat 7) Cat Ballou 8) What's New Pussycat? 9) Shenandoah 10) Von Ryan's Express
Oscar's Best Pictures: The Sound of Music and Doctor Zhivago (10 noms / 5 wins each) led by the two Julies, battled it out at the Oscars The other Best Picture nominees were Ship of Fools (8 noms / 2 wins), Darling (5 noms / 3 wins) another Julie Christie vehicle, and A Thousand Clowns (4 noms / 1 win). But what would have been nominated if the Best Picture race were 10 wide...
Year of the Julies: Andrews and Christie dominated both the Oscars and the box office
The Supporting Actress Smackdown 1965 Episode arrives on October 9th, so you have until October 8th to watch the four movies and vote on them. Let's talk context...
Great Big Box Office Hits: 1)The Sound of Music 2) Doctor Zhivago 3) Thunderball 4) Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines 5) The Great Race 6) That Darn Cat 7) Cat Ballou 8) What's New Pussycat? 9) Shenandoah 10) Von Ryan's Express
Oscar's Best Pictures: The Sound of Music and Doctor Zhivago (10 noms / 5 wins each) led by the two Julies, battled it out at the Oscars The other Best Picture nominees were Ship of Fools (8 noms / 2 wins), Darling (5 noms / 3 wins) another Julie Christie vehicle, and A Thousand Clowns (4 noms / 1 win). But what would have been nominated if the Best Picture race were 10 wide...
- 9/26/2020
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Going...going....
Last Remaining Copies.
Cinema Retro proudly presents this year's Movie Classics 80-page special issue: "World War II Movies of the Sixties", showcasing films that only Cinema Retro would cover in-depth. Some are true classics, others are simply vastly entertaining- and all are celebrated through rare production photos, international marketing campaigns, then-and-now location photos and little-known facts.
Films covered in this issue:
The Guns of Navarone - Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, David Niven Battle of the Bulge- Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan Anzio- Robert Mitchum, Peter Falk The Victors- George Peppard, Eli Wallach, George Hamilton The Train- Burt Lancaster, Jeanne Moreau Tobruk-Rock Hudson, George Peppard, Nigel Davenport Hannibal Brooks- Oliver Reed, Michael J. Pollard The Devil's Brigade- William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards Von Ryan's Express- Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard Operation Crossbow- George Peppard, Sophia Loren, Richard Johnson Is Paris Burning?...
Last Remaining Copies.
Cinema Retro proudly presents this year's Movie Classics 80-page special issue: "World War II Movies of the Sixties", showcasing films that only Cinema Retro would cover in-depth. Some are true classics, others are simply vastly entertaining- and all are celebrated through rare production photos, international marketing campaigns, then-and-now location photos and little-known facts.
Films covered in this issue:
The Guns of Navarone - Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, David Niven Battle of the Bulge- Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan Anzio- Robert Mitchum, Peter Falk The Victors- George Peppard, Eli Wallach, George Hamilton The Train- Burt Lancaster, Jeanne Moreau Tobruk-Rock Hudson, George Peppard, Nigel Davenport Hannibal Brooks- Oliver Reed, Michael J. Pollard The Devil's Brigade- William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards Von Ryan's Express- Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard Operation Crossbow- George Peppard, Sophia Loren, Richard Johnson Is Paris Burning?...
- 8/25/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Submarine movie evening: Underwater war waged in TCM's Memorial Day films In the U.S., Turner Classic Movies has gone all red, white, and blue this 2017 Memorial Day weekend, presenting a few dozen Hollywood movies set during some of the numerous wars in which the U.S. has been involved around the globe during the last century or so. On Memorial Day proper, TCM is offering a submarine movie evening. More on that further below. But first it's good to remember that although war has, to put it mildly, serious consequences for all involved, it can be particularly brutal on civilians – whether male or female; young or old; saintly or devilish; no matter the nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other label used in order to, figuratively or literally, split apart human beings. Just this past Sunday, the Pentagon chief announced that civilian deaths should be anticipated as “a...
- 5/30/2017
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Seinfeld regular Ian Aberbrombie has died at the age of 77.
The British character actor, who played Elaine Benes' fussy and eccentric boss Mr. Pitt, passed away on Thursday.
His credits also include film roles in Von Ryan's Express, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Young Frankenstein, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Army of Darkness, and Rango.
Abercrombie also played 800-year-old wizard Professor Crumbs in Disney TV hit Wizards of Waverly Place and he voiced Palpatine/Darth Sidious on George Lucas’ animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
The British character actor, who played Elaine Benes' fussy and eccentric boss Mr. Pitt, passed away on Thursday.
His credits also include film roles in Von Ryan's Express, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Young Frankenstein, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Army of Darkness, and Rango.
Abercrombie also played 800-year-old wizard Professor Crumbs in Disney TV hit Wizards of Waverly Place and he voiced Palpatine/Darth Sidious on George Lucas’ animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
- 1/28/2012
- WENN
Movies about trains are ridiculous, moronic and hysterically illogical. Keep it real, rail
Motion pictures, by their very nature, require audiences to suspend their disbelief. Unless we are willing to believe that a short Caucasian from south Philadelphia could battle his way to the heavyweight championship of the world, we cannot enjoy the Rocky movies. Unless we believe that great white sharks are incredibly intelligent and almost impossible to kill, we cannot enjoy Jaws. Unless we are willing to take a brief sabbatical from reality, storing common sense in the larder, we cannot enjoy movies as varied as The Dark Knight, Ben-Hur, King Kong, Slumdog Millionaire, The Matrix and Harry Potter. Yea, unless we are willing to become children again, we can never enter the kingdom of cinema.
For whatever the reason, I can never suspend my disbelief with films involving trains. Train movies always strike me as ridiculous and stupid.
Motion pictures, by their very nature, require audiences to suspend their disbelief. Unless we are willing to believe that a short Caucasian from south Philadelphia could battle his way to the heavyweight championship of the world, we cannot enjoy the Rocky movies. Unless we believe that great white sharks are incredibly intelligent and almost impossible to kill, we cannot enjoy Jaws. Unless we are willing to take a brief sabbatical from reality, storing common sense in the larder, we cannot enjoy movies as varied as The Dark Knight, Ben-Hur, King Kong, Slumdog Millionaire, The Matrix and Harry Potter. Yea, unless we are willing to become children again, we can never enter the kingdom of cinema.
For whatever the reason, I can never suspend my disbelief with films involving trains. Train movies always strike me as ridiculous and stupid.
- 12/9/2010
- by Joe Queenan
- The Guardian - Film News
So last year I joined Twitter and desperately struggled to figure out a good use for it. Assuming most people following my account might come from the Film Junk podcast, I thought it might be an idea platform to keep track of what films I've been watching and what ratings I give them. My first post was March 9th, 2009 with David Cronenberg's The Brood (3.5/4) and since then I've managed to check out a good number of great films over the last year. (Jacques Tati's Play Time and Wim Wender's Paris, Texas are definitely two stand outs on this list.) Many of these are first time viewings, but a there are also a lot of movies I just felt the urge to revisit. So what do you think? Any favourites? Have a look for yourself after the jump! The Brood, (Cronenberg, 1979) 3.5/4 Operation Crossbow (Anderson, 1965) 3.5/4 Watchmen, (Snyder, 2009) 3/4 Pontypool, (McDonald, 2008) 4/4 Pinocchio,...
- 3/10/2010
- by Jay C.
- FilmJunk
Who knew that the Nazis -- one of the most brutal regimes in the history of brutal regimes -- would be responsible for such fun, mind-blowingly awesome entertainment? The second I see a dude in a grey German uniform and an eye patch enter the frame, I’m like ‘Whoa. That Nazi is going to provide me a great amount of entertainment this evening’. So, with Inglorious Bastards having recently premiered at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, I figured I'd put together a list of some awesome WW2 films as a resource for anyone wanting to beef up their WW2 film knowledge before checking out Tarantino's self-proclaimed 'masterpiece'. It's worth noting that I focused on older films -- pre-1980 for the most part -- and only the stories featuring Nazi's. It was tough to cut this down to 15 films, but I'm sure you all will be able to come up with...
- 5/26/2009
- by Jay C.
- FilmJunk
Von Ryan's Express novelist and former journalist David Westheimer has died of heart failure. He was 88. The World War II veteran died at UCLA Medical center in California on Tuesday. Texan Westheimer served as an air force navigator and was captured by enemy troops. He was released from a Prisoner of War camp in 1945 and drew on his experiences to write Von Ryan's Express, which followed a group of American soldiers on the run from Nazis in Italy and was later turned into a film starring Frank Sinatra. The celebrated novelist also wrote My Sweet Charlie, the story of a relationship between a black civil rights activist and a white teenager, which became a Broadway hit. He worked as editor of the Houston Post newspaper and his other novels included Summer Of The Water and Delay En Route.
- 11/15/2005
- WENN
Jerry Goldsmith, the legendary composer whose diverse, long, and prolific career included some of the most famous themes of the last fifty years, died in his sleep Wednesday night in Beverly Hills, after a long battle with cancer. He was 75. Goldsmith was nominated for 17 Academy Awards, winning his sole Oscar for The Omen, as well as 5 Emmys, including the theme for Star Trek: Voyager. Goldsmith's career began in the early 1950s with the nascent television medium and continued virtually non-stop, until his illness forced him to abandon appearances and offers for more work. Born in 1929, Goldsmith was a classically trained musician, who learned from pianist Jakob Gimpel, as well as guitarist and film composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. With his diverse background Goldsmith wrote effectively for nearly every genre imaginable but seemed particularly adept at crafting original work for science fiction, suspense, and adventure films. That held true for both television and film. His TV work included the themes to The Waltons, Dr. Kildaire, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and original music for The Twilight Zone and Gunsmoke. Films afforded him a broader canvas and Goldsmith took advantage of it with his work on Freud (his first Oscar nomination), Lillies of the Field, Von Ryan's Express, and The Sand Pebbles. His garish, brassy score for Planets of the Apes, which he conducted at one point wearing an ape mask, earned him his fourth nomination. His score for Patton, full of memorable marches, included the ingenious and indelible device of a short trumpet triplet to indicate the famous WWII general's recollection of his past lives as a warrior (it was also famously spoofed in a Simpsons episode). Roman Polanski's harsh city in Chinatown was given a smoky noir glow from Goldsmith's score. It was for his work on The Omen, arguably one of the best horror scores ever written, that Goldsmith received his only Academy Award. Suffused with Latin chanting and fierce, driving themes, it is often repurposed or imitated today. Goldsmith also liberated the "Star Trek" franchise from its small-set roots with his rapturous, almost nautical, score for Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The theme for the film became the new theme for the following films as well as Star Trek: The Next Generation. It will probably be the most lasting evidence of Jerry Goldsmith's long and successful career. Goldsmith is survived by his wife, Carol; five children, six grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.
- 7/22/2004
- IMDb News
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