The Museum of Uncut Funk

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 2, 2010

Categories | News, Actresses, Blaxploitation

Pam Grier in Coffy (1973)

This week I’m taking a mini vacation. I can’t afford to go anywhere but I’m planning on unplugging at home and relaxing. Before I disappear I thought I’d mention a new website that I recently linked to: The Museum of Uncut Funk. The site is run by Sista ToFunky who shares her vast collection of Blaxploitation memorabilia with visitors. She runs numerous blogs and even manages an online lounge where fans can gather together and celebrate ’70’s Black Culture. If you’ve got some spare time this weekend I highly recommend making a visit to The Museum of Uncut Funk.

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Impossibly Funky Fresh and Dope

by Kimberly Lindbergs | August 26, 2010

Categories | Books, Blaxploitation, Movie Morlocks, TCM

I haven’t had much free time lately but last weekend I set aside one afternoon to do some end of the summer reading and one of the books I enjoyed was Mike White’s Impossibly Funky: A Cashiers du Cinemart Collection.

The book is a great read and I think anyone who appreciates the variety of films that I cover here at Cinebeats will probably enjoy White’s book as well, which contains his controversial look at Quentin Tarantino’s films, an entire chapter devoted to script writers, reviews of obscure films as well as Hollywood hits and misses, interviews with various directors and actors, as well as a lengthy appreciation of one of my favorite blaxploitation films, Black Shampoo (Greydon Clark; 1976). You can find my review of Impossibly Funky: A Cashiers du Cinemart Collection over at TCM’s Movie Morlocks blog this week.

Recommended Links:
- ImpossibleFunky Productions (Mike White’s Blog)
- Greydon Clark - Official Website (Director of Black Shampoo)

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Sean Connery at 80

by Kimberly Lindbergs | August 25, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, Spies & Secret Agents, Sean Connery

Sean Connery in From Russia With Love (1963)

Sean Connery celebrated his 80th birthday today and there was a brief interview with him published in Scotland’s Daily Record that’s worth a read. He talks about retiring from acting and why From Russia With Love (1963) is his favorite of all the films he made. Good stuff!

Interview:
- Sean Connery at 80: My acting days are over but I’m still loving life.

And a great interview with Connery done at Cannes in 1968 . . .

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Courage Conquers Death

by Kimberly Lindbergs | August 19, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, American Cinema, Actresses, Romance, Movie Morlocks, TCM

Katharine Hepburn in Christopher Strong (1933)

On Friday, August 20th, TCM is devoting the day to the celebrated actress Katharine Hepburn as part of their ongoing Summer Under the Stars event. I really enjoy Summer Under the Stars and this year some of my favorite actors and actresses have been featured. I thought it would be fun to highlight one of my favorite Katherine Hepburn films this week, Dorothy Arzner’s action filled melodrama Christopher Strong (1933). It’s a wonderful early talkie featuring Hepburn in one of her most interesting roles. The cast is excellent and I love Roy Webb’s uncredited but impressive score. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see Christopher Strong yet you can catch it on August 20th when it plays on TCM. It’s well worth a look just to see young Katherine Hepburn strut around in the amazing costumes that were designed for her by Howard Greer and Walter Plunkett. The movie is full of wonderful eye-candy and also features some notable horror film actors such as the talented Colin Clive (Frankenstein; 1931, Bride of Frankenstein; 1935 and Mad Love; 1935) and young Helen Chandler (Dracula; 1931). It plays in the early morning hours so you may have to record it if you want to see it but I think it’s well worth the effort. You can find my piece about Christopher Strong over at TCM’s Movie Morlocks Blog.

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Happy Birthday Shane Briant!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | August 17, 2010

Categories | Actors, British Cinema, Hammer Horror, Shane Briant

Shane Briant in Straight on Til Morning (1972)

One of my favorite Hammer horror stars, the wonderful Shane Briant, is celebrating his 64th birthday today. He recently stopped by Cinebeats and left a link to a new youtube film he made where he revisits the character of Peter Clive that he played in Peter Collinson’s horror film Straight On Til Morning (1972) and I thought today would be a great day to share it. Straight On Til Morning is one of Hammer’s best and most unusual films in my opinion and features one of Briant’s greatest performances so it was really fun to see him in the title role again some 30 years later. Maybe someone could be encouraged to film a sequel? Shane Briant would obviously be up for it!

Recommended Links:
- My interview with Shane Briant
- Soundings: The Official Shane Briant Tribute Site

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Celebrating Woody Strode

by Kimberly Lindbergs | August 5, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, Italian Cinema, Crime, Movie Morlocks, TCM

Woody Strode in The Italian Connection (1972)

Apologies for the lack of direct updates lately but I’m still getting moved into my new home and my free time is limited at the moment. In the meantime you can still find me posting at the Movie Morlocks every week and you can also occasionally find me posting film related images and other fun stuff over at If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger, There’d Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats and at my personal home blog Mid-Century Living.

This week the Morlocks are celebrating the life and career of actor Woody Strode. Strode’s acting accomplishments are unfamiliar to many movie fans so I’m really excited about this week long tribute to the man and his work. I decided to write about Woody Strode’s powerful performance in the Italian poliziottesco (crime) film The Italian Connection aka La Mala Ordina (Fernando Di Leo; 1972). I haven’t had the opportunity to write about any of my favorite poliziotteschi movies so I wanted to rectify that and TCM’s decision to celebrate Woody Strode’s career gave me the opportunity to finally focus my attention on a great Italian crime movie. You can find my piece on The Italian Connection as well as many other terrific blog posts about Woody Strode and the film’s he appeared in at TCM’s Movie Morlocks Blog.

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Summer Under the Stars: Steve McQueen

by Kimberly Lindbergs | August 2, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, American Cinema, Steve McQueen, TCM

Steve McQueen in Le Mans (1971)

On Tuesday, August 3rd, Turner Classic Movies is continuing its annual Summer Under the Stars event and devoting the entire day to the work of another one of my favorite actors, Steve McQueen. They’ll be running many of my favorite McQueen films including his 1971 film Le Mans and I wrote a piece about this amazing movie for the TCM website, which you can find online. Some of the other McQueen films scheduled to play tomorrow are The Blob (1958), The Great Escape (1963), The Magnificent Seven (1960), Bullitt (1968), Junior Bonner (1972) and The Cincinnati Kid (1965).

I also recently wrote a piece about another one of my favorite Steve McQueen films; Baby the Rain Must Fall (1965). Baby the Rain Must Fall will be showing on August 26th during TCM’s Summer Under the Stars day long tribute to the actress Lee Remick who stars in the movie with Steve McQueen.

I’ve been eager to write about both films for some time now so I was happy to get the opportunity to revisit them again. Le Mans and Baby the Rain Must Fall are two of the most important films that Steve McQueen made during his impressive career and I’m glad that TCM viewers will get the chance to see them both this month.

- Summer Under the Stars: Steve McQueen in Le Mans (1971)
- Summer Under the Stars: Lee Remick & Steve McQueen in Baby the Rain Must Fall (1965)

Steve McQueen and Lee Remick in Baby the Rain Must Fall (1965)

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Summer Under the Stars: Julie Christie

by Kimberly Lindbergs | July 30, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Actresses, Science Fiction, Donald Cammell, Julie Christie

Julie Christie in an early promo shot for Billy Liar (1963)

I recently wrote a lengthy piece about Donald Cammell’s science fiction thriller Demon Seed (1977), which has been published at the Turner Classic Movies site. My article coincides with TCM’s annual Summer Under the Stars event that celebrates the careers of various actors and actresses all summer long. This year many of my favorite screen stars will be represented in TCM’s lineup including Steve McQueen, Errol Flynn, Gene Tierney, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter O’Toole and the lovely ’60s icon, Julie Christie. Demon Seed will be shown on August 2 along with many other terrific Julie Christie’ films such as The Go-Between (1971), Doctor Zhivago (1965), Far From the Madding Crowd (1967), Billy Liar (1963), Darling (1965) and Petulia (1968). You can read my piece on Demon Seed as well as articles about all the other Julie Christie films being shown on August 2 at the TCM site.

- Summer Under The Stars - August 2/2010: Julie Christie

Julie Christie in Demon Seed (1977)

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Before They Were Stars

by Kimberly Lindbergs | July 29, 2010

Categories | Actresses, Movie Morlocks, TCM

Before she was a star:
Ali MacGraw models for Heublein (1969)

Over at the Movie Morlocks I’ve posted a brief piece about the early modeling careers of a handful of Hollywood starlets including Tippi Hedren and Ali MacGraw. You might be surprised to discover that both actresses posed for toothpaste advertisements in the 1950s before they started acting. To find out more please visit TCM’s Movie Morlocks Blog.

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