Cinebeats.com Is Moving!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | December 6, 2011

Categories | News

12/9 Update: My blog is still here. Have no idea why? Blogsome reps haven’t explained what’s going on. Users were told that Blogsome would close its doors on 12/7 so I moved all my content to Wordpress hosting. For now you can find my latest updates at: http://cinebeats.com or http://cinebeats.wordpress.com/.

I got the unfortunate and sudden news that Blogsome is closing its doors on Dec. 7th 2011 so Cinebeats has been forced to move to Wordpress.com

Located @ http://cinebeats.wordpress.com/

Please make sure any and all bookmarks and links you use to visit Cinebeats lead to http://cinebeats.com or http://cinebeats.wordpress.com

Cinebeats.com is this blogs permanent URL and it will never change no matter where the blog is hosted.

I’m currently trying to transfer 5 years of blog content to my new Wordpress server so if you visit http://cinebeats.wordpress.com/ please be aware that it’s being updated ASAP and some links, content, etc. may not be available immediately. I apologize in advance for any dead links & content errors you may come across but I’m currently glued to my computer desk around the clock trying to make all the appropriate changes so I can get Cinebeats up & running again at full capacity and make the move as painless as possible for myself and my readers.

I really appreciate all my loyal readers who have followed this blog for the last five years and I hope you will continue to visit Cinebeats at its new location.

I plan to make Cinebeats a more zine-like & reader friendly experience in the coming months. I also have some exciting plans for Cinebeats in 2012 so please share this news with everyone you know - Cinebeats is Moving!!!

Permanent URL: cinebeats.com
Wordpress URL: http://cinebeats.wordpress.com

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Ken Russell 1927-2011

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 28, 2011

Categories | News, Directors, British Cinema, Ken Russell

The news about Ken Russell’s death hit me hard. Just last week the great man actually took the time to befriend me on Twitter (I’d been following him there for a year or more). I exchanged a brief note with him. Got the opportunity to tell him I was honored that he had taken the time to follow me and I hoped that he knew he was one of my favorite directors. He was jovial online, seemed extremely friendly and still very young at heart. I had imagined sending the 84-year-old director some interview questions soon that I hoped he would answer about the upcoming DVD release for my favorite Russell film, THE DEVILS (1971), which featured production design by Derek Jarman. He seemed very excited about that upcoming DVD release but also disappointed that his work was still being censored in 2011. Obviously that email interview wasn’t meant to be. Que sera, sera! You will be greatly missed Unkle Ken. You and your amazing movies made the world a much more interesting place to live in.

Recommended Links:
- Ken Russell: A True British original @ BBC
- Ken Russell Dead: Film loving stars lead tributes on Twitter @ The Daily Mirror
- Ken Russell Obituary @ The Guardian
- Ken Russell: A Life in Photographs @ The Guardian
- Ken Russell: His Film Career @ The Guardian
- The Musical Legacy of Ken Russell @ The Guardian
- “Pity we aren’t madder”: Ken Russell links in his magnificent memory @ Film Studies For Free

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THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT (1970)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 25, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, American Cinema, Drama, Movie Morlocks, TCM

Bruce Davison & Bud Cort in THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT (1970)

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday. I’ve been wrestling with a lot of personal stuff lately and some big changes are coming to this blog soon. But I just wanted to share a quick update about my latest piece for The Movie Morlocks titled, ‘Politics, Protest & Progress in THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT.’ It’s a detailed look at Stuart Hagmann’s neglected first film, which should interest some politically-minded readers. Here’s a brief sample from my post:

“Stuart Hagmann’s THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT (1970) is often dismissed today as a dated relic of the early ‘70s. During its initial release it was singled out for being exploitive and failing to be a straightforward adaptation of the book it was based on. Many critics claimed that Stuart Hagmann’s direction was erratic and too creative for its own good, which supposedly diminished the film’s political message. When I recently set aside some time to watch THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT I prepared myself for the worst. I expected to see a confusing, opportunistic, dated and laughable Hollywood film made to cash in on the political zeitgeist of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. But I came away from the movie with an entirely different opinion and immediately understood why it had been nominated for a Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1970 and walked away with a Jury Prize. Not only is THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT a much better film than I had anticipated but it’s particularly poignant considering the current political climate. Student protest, police brutality, free speech and social activism are still hot button issues today. Not a lot has changed in 40 years. We’re still fighting the same battles and wrestling with the same complex issues that have been plaguing the country for decades. Like other controversial films from the same period such as MEDIUM COOL (1969), ZABRISKI POINT (1970) and PUNISHMENT PARK (1971), THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT asked some important questions that still haven’t been answered.”

Lots more about this timely film at the Morlocks:
- Politics, Protest & Progress in THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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“Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down!”

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 17, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, British Cinema, Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson

I recently got the opportunity to discuss the work of British screenwriter and novelist, Alan Sillitoe with members of The Alan Sillitoe Committee, including Alan’s son David. The name might not be familiar to many film fans but Alan Sillitoe is responsible for writing SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING (Karel Reisz; 1961) and THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER (Tony Richardson; 1962). He gave a voice to Britain’s “angry young men” and helped define a generation.

Both SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING and THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER are films that are near and dear to my heart and undoubtedly two of the best films to emerge from the British New Wave in the ’60s. I’ve briefly mentioned both movies on numerous occasions but I haven’t given them as much attention as I’d like. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING will be airing on TCM this Saturday (Nov. 19th) so I thought it would be a good time to rectify my negligence. You can find my interview with members of The Alan Sillitoe Committee at the Movie Morlocks and I thought I’d share some of my thoughts about the film here.

In SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING, Albert Finney made his incredible screen debut as a young man by the name of Arthur Seaton. Arthur is a working-class lad raised in Nottingham who lives with his parents. He has a dead-end factory job that pays the bills but it leaves little room for much else. He spends the work week looking forward to his Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. During these weekend breaks Arthur fishes with friends, drinks himself into a stupor and seduces any willing lady that catches his eye. When he clashes with his boss and is accused of being a ‘red’ (communist) or gets beaten up for sleeping with a married woman, Arthur doesn’t let it faze him and lives by the motto, “Don’t let the bastards get you down!” while making it known that, “I’m out for a good time - all the rest is propaganda!” Arthur is much too smart and much too curious to be satisfied with the life his parents have accepted. Unfortunately his rough existence has made him a little mean and he doesn’t suffer fools lightly. But underneath all that false bravado is an angry young man with a volcanic size chip on his shoulder that could explode at any moment. Despite the underlying tension that filters through every frame of SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING, the film seems to end on a somewhat upbeat note with Arthur denouncing his parents (”They have a TV set and a packet of fags, but they’re both dead from the neck up.”) and realizing that he’s his own man, able to make his own way in the world, even if that world seems determined to hold him back.

“And trouble for me it’ll be, fighting every day until I die. Why do they make soldiers out of us when we’re fighting up to the hilt as it is? Fighting with mothers and wives, landlords and gaffers, coppers, army, government… Well, it’s a good life and a good world, all said and done, if you don’t weaken, and if you know that the big wide world hasn’t heard from you yet, no, not by a long way, though it won’t be long now.”
- Arthur Seaton from Alan Sillitoe’s ‘Saturday Night and Sunday Morning’

Watching SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING again recently, I was reminded of how poignant and powerful the film’s underlying message still was. Few films address the concerns of young working-class people so directly and so well. As I said earlier, it’s one of the most important movies that emerged from the British New Wave and it features a literal ‘who’s-who’ of British cinema at the time including the fabulous Albert Finney, as young Arthur. Finney swaggers through the film like a beautiful bulldog always keenly aware of everything going on around him. The film made Finney a star and it’s easy to see why. He’s a handsome man but it’s more than just looks that make young Finney so irresistible. He’s truly committed to the role of Arthur Seaton and he was able to harness the kind of rough and tumble working-class spirit that is so hard to find in today’s young actors. He’s a genuine tough guy and you don’t want to mess with him but he’s just soft enough to win a woman’s heart.

SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING was directed by Karel Reiz who brought a real authenticity to the film. Reiz was part of the British Free Cinema movement and his documentary background gave him the ability to truly capture the Nottingham local. He gave the film a real sense of place and purpose. The celebrated cinematographer Freddie Francis also helped shape the look of the film and there are some truly beautiful scenes that showcase Albert Finney and his costars (including award-winning actress Rachel Roberts and Shirley Anne Field) in the most flattering light imaginable. These lush moments can occasionally take you out of the film but Reiz and Francis quickly return you to the gritty streets of Nottingham. SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING was also edited by Seth Holt (THE NANNY) and produced by Tony Richardson (THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER) along with Harry Saltzman (LOOK BACK IN ANGER). And last but not least, it features an amazing jazz riddled score by John Dankworth (THE SERVANT).

If you’d like to learn more about this terrific film please follow the link to the Movie Morlocks. It will take you to my interview with members of The Alan Sillitoe Committe where we discuss Sillitoe’s work in film.
- “Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down!” @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

I also wanted to give a special shout-out to fellow film blogger and Alan Sillitoe Committee member Neil Fulwood who agreed to answer questions and went out of his way to contact Alan’s son David. Cheers, Neil! Please stop by his terrific film blog, The Agitation of the Mind and tell him I sent ya.

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Occupy Cinema

by Kimberly Lindbergs |

Categories | News, Causes

I’m sure my readers are well aware of the Occupy movement, which started in New York and has since spread across the globe. In case you’re unaware of what the Occupy movement is about here is a brief description taken from the Occupy Wall Street website.

“Occupy Wall Street is a people-powered movement that began on September 17, 2011 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and actions in over 1,500 cities globally. #ows @OccupyWallSt is fighting back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations.”

In response to the worldwide Occupy movement I wanted to share some Occupy Cinema (Twitter hashtag #occupycinema) links with my readers that may offer a way for cinema lovers to take part in and support the movement. The ideas shared by the following sites might also inspire you to explore ways that you can use cinema as a positive activism tool in your own life.

Cine Foundation International
From the Cine Foundation International website: “Cine Foundation International produces films, coordinates video and broadcast projects, and takes direct actions in the protection and promotion of humanitarian causes, especially surrounding the censorship or imprisonment of film artists.”

Occupy Cinema
From the Occupy Cinema website: “An open collective harnessing the moving image to aid the worldwide occupation movement.” Occupy Cinema was recently featured in IndieWire where they discussed their goals and objectives.

Cinemas In Solidarity
From the Cinemas In Solidarity Statement: “Across the globe, as people are taking to the streets to redefine and reclaim the world they live in, Cinemas In Solidarity join with them in proposing a new, different, and better world.”

Please approach all of these sites with some caution and common sense. It’s up to each individual to figure out if and how they might participate in the Occupy movement and what level of commitment and support they’re able to offer.

Recommended Reading & Viewing (Updated Nov. 17 - 20):
- Interview with Occupy Wall Street “Bat-Signal” Projectionist @ BoingBoing
- Director Alejandro Jodorowsky wants us all to ‘occupy our minds’ @ Dangerous Minds
- Actor, singer & activist Harry Belafonte on the Occupy movement @ Dangerous Minds
- How Art Propels Occupy Wall Street by Michele Elam @ CNN
- How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the OWS Protests by Matt Taibbi @ Rolling Stone
- Occupy America by Henry Rollins @ LA Weekly
- OWS-inspired activism by Glenn Greenwald @ Salon

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All Aboard the HORROR EXPRESS!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 11, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Spanish Cinema, TCM

At the Movie Morlocks this week I took a sneak peek at Severin Films upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Package for HORROR EXPRESS (1972). This entertaining Spanish/British production directed by Eugino ‘Gene’ Martino is finally getting the red carpet treatment from Severin that it’s long deserved and if you’re a fan of the film you’re going to want to pick up this release. A brief outtake from my post:

“HORROR EXPRESS has often been described as an unusual mix of THE THING (1951) and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974). But it also contains a dash of QUATERMASS AND THE PITT (1967) and a touch of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD (1971) during its suspenseful final moments. The direction is somewhat static but the film manages to maintain a steady momentum throughout its 90-minute running time. In an interview with Spanish director Eugenio Martin included on the DVD he constantly refers to the film as an ”action” movie instead of using the word “horror” and I think that’s understandable. HORROR EXPRESS has plenty of horrific moments and it’s surprisingly gory for its time. But the film also features some effective action sequences including an explosive ending that’s particularly well-staged. Like many of Eugenio Martin’s westerns including BAD MAN’S RIVER (1971) and PANCHO VILLA (1972), the characters in HORROR EXPRESS also exchange some funny banter that lightens the mood without lessening any of the tension. This low budget fast-paced thriller is sure to gain many more fans thanks to Severin’s careful restoration. It’s a particularly modern horror film even though it takes place in a period setting and I think it’s aged well.”

You can read my full review if you follow this link:
- “All Aboard the HORROR EXPRESS!” @ TCM’s Movie Morlock’s

I’ve also created a an image gallery for HORROR EXPRESS at Flickr that you cam view here.

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Mini Monday #10

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 7, 2011

Categories | Pierre Clementi, Mini Mondays

Pierre Clementi driving a Mini Cooper in Listen, Let’s Make Love (1967)

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Jacqueline Susann’s The Love Machine

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 3, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, American Cinema, David Hemmings, Drama, John Phillip Law, Hammer Glamour, Movie Morlocks, TCM

I recently got the chance to review the Warner Archive DVD release of THE LOVE MACHINE (1971) based on Jacqueline “Valley of the Dolls” Susann’s book and naturally I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve mentioned the film at Cinebeats before during my farewell post to John Phillip Law, which was written after he passed away in 2008. I think it’s a great film so I went to bat for it at the Movie Morlocks this week. It’s not an easy movie to recommend. It’s been mocked by Mystery Science Theater 3000, bashed by an endless parade of critics over the years and celebrated as a kitsch classic worthy of cult camp status and not much else, but I think it’s got more to offer than unintentional laughs. Few films feature three leading men that I absolutely love (John Phillip Law, Robert Ryan AND David Hemmings!) as well as Hammer glamour girls, Mary and Madeleine Collinson (TWINS OF EVIL), Anitra Ford (INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS) and ’60s beauty icon Lynda Moran just to name a few of the lovely ladies in this film. THE LOVE MACHINE also contains lots of fabulous ’70s fashions, plus stylish decor by the likes of Burke and inspired by designer Eero Saarinen. Do I need to say anymore? If you’re a Cinebeats’ reader chances are you’re going to enjoy this film as much as I do. An excerpt from my post:

“Taken seriously, THE LOVE MACHINE could be seen as an interesting predecessor to NETWORK (1976), which depicted the drama unfolding in the boardrooms and backrooms of high-powered television networks. The film also smartly critiques our blind fascination with popular news personalities who often manipulate the public trust for their own gain. Like Mark Robson, who adapted VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, director Jack Haley Jr. was obviously inspired by filmmakers like John M. Stahl and Douglas Sirk who created shrewd and stylish melodramas in the 1940s and ‘50s such as MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION, LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN and ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. And although I wouldn’t categorize THE LOVE MACHINE as a “woman’s picture” it was based on a woman’s novel that appealed to a large female audience. As a period piece, THE LOVE MACHINE is an unusal time capsule. It’s of its time and yet totally outside it. But as pure entertainment I think it has lots of visual interest and an oddly involving (and at times convoluted) plot. However you decided to approach the film, I think it makes for some unforgettable viewing.”

You can find my full post about THE LOVE MACHINE at The Movie Morlocks:
- Jacqueline Susann’s The Love Machine @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

I also created a Flickr Gallery for THE LOVE MACHINE that you can view here.

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Derek Jarman: An Appreciation

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 1, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, News, British Cinema, Marianne Faithfull, Gay Interest

As a teenager growing up in the ’80s it was impossible to overlook Derek Jarman’s work. He was all over MTV. He was part of a group of British filmmakers that included Julien Temple and Alex Cox who made music videos or music inspired films that seemed particularly in-sync with their times. Jarman’s work was interesting, experimental and demanding of its audience but I appreciated the challenges he presented. I had grown up watching classic films but as a troubled and rebellious teenager I was eager to break away from convention. Discovering the work of an artistically inclined filmmaker like Jarman, who was creating with a limited budget while trying to express his ideas about the world and his place in it, was incredibly inspiring to me. I was drawn to Jarman’s work as well as the work of directors like Andy Warhol before I even knew what the word “avant-garde” meant. Foreign films were still foreign to me but like most kids my age, I had my MTV. And I watched the music channel with wide-eyed wonder in the early half of the ’80s (1981-84). I didn’t know it at the time but my exposure to the work of directors like Jarman at such an early age helped make me into the film lover I am today. While my passion for ’60s and ’70s cinema is never ending, it should also be apparent that I appreciate the unexpected, thirst for the undiscovered and thrive on the unconventional. I’m also able and willing to see the good in films that are often overlooked due to their limited budgets. I owe some of that to Derek Jarman.

I recently had the opportunity to write about Derek Jarman for Fandor.com during their week-long appreciation of the director’s life and work. The two pieces I wrote are titled, Radical Shakespeare: The Alchemy of Derek Jarman’s “The Tempest” and A Light that Never Went Out: the MTV Legacy of Derek Jarman. The first piece discusses Jarman’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s last play, The Tempest while the other piece focuses on his music video work for artists such as Marianne Faithfull and bands like The Smiths. If you’re familiar with Derek Jarman’s work or just curious about this unusual and controversial filmmaker please make your way over to Fandor.

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