C I N E B E A T S :: Cinema Retro #10 :: January

FEATURED POSTS

10 Questions with Shane Briant

The talented British' born actor Shane Briant made his screen debut in the Hammer horror film Demons of the Mind. Since then he's gone on to appear in over 60 films and television productions including Straight On Till Morning (1972), The Picture of Dorian Gray (1973), The Mackintosh Man (1973), Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974), Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974), The Naked Civil Servant (1975) and Lady Chatterley's Lover (1981). Currently Briant is focusing his attention on writing fiction and he has recently completed a psychological thriller called Worst Nightmares that will be released May 12th. I've admired his film work for many years so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to ask Shane Briant a few questions about his early movies and current writing projects. READ MORE

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED POSTS

The Girl On a Motorcycle (1968)

The talented director and cinematographer Jack Cardiff has passed away at the age of 94. As the tributes start to roll out from various news sites and film blogs its become clear to me that most people regard Jack Cardiff as a great cinematographer and have little regard or knowledge of his directing contributions, which is a shame. Cardiff was a brilliant photographer and his groundbreaking contributions to cinematography are well worth celebrating. But his impressive work as a director on films like the wonderful D.H. Lawrence adaptation Sons and Lovers (1960), the entertaining spy thriller The Liquidator (1965), the excellent erotic drama The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) and the effective horror film The Mutations (1974) is also worthy of applause. READ MORE

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED POSTS

Favorite DVD Releases of 2008

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but overall 2008 was somewhat of a lackluster year for new Region 1 DVD releases of '60s and '70s era films when compared to the previous two years (See: 2006 and 2007). Some of my favorite DVD companies such as BCI Eclipse and most recently New Yorker Films have folded. Boutique DVD companies are releasing fewer products and what is being released is often of questionable quality. With the failing economy and the rise in popularity of Blu-ray discs, it seems like the number of new worthwhile DVD releases might continue to drop dramatically in 2009. READ MORE

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED POSTS

Resurrecting Yusaku Matsuda

Toru Murakawa's Resurrection of the Golden Wolf (aka Yomigaeru kinrô; 1979) is a wildly uneven Japanese crime film that left me wishing it had been helmed by another director. The film's script was adapted from a popular novel by Haruhiko Ooyabu and directors like Seijun Suzuki have had great success turning Ooyabu's hard-boiled fiction into films, but Toru Murakawa doesn't have Suzuki's eye for detail or his pop art sensibility. Resurrection of the Golden Wolf runs much too long and the dramatic filler weighs down the action, but even with its flaws the movie still keeps your attention thanks to the star performance of Yusaku Matsuda. READ MORE

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED POSTS

We Are Controlling Transmission

This year analog broadcasting is coming to an end. On June 12th 2009 television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch permanently to digital. Digital broadcasting promises to provide viewers with a sharper picture and more diverse programming options, but this unavoidable change is forcing millions of people to buy new television sets or opt for getting a converter box that will often cost them $40 or more. I feel for these people because I didn't have complete cable TV Access or a digital television myself until 2007. READ MORE

Cinema Retro #10

by Kimberly Lindbergs | January 12, 2008

Categories | Movie Reviews, News, Spies & Secret Agents, Actresses, Hammer Horror, Cinema Retro, Peter Cushing

A new issue of the British film magazine Cinema Retro arrived in my mailbox yesterday and it might be my favorite issue yet. I’ve been feeling under the weather lately, but flipping through a new issue of Cinema Retro overstuffed with fantastic color photos from ’60s and ’70s era films can cheer me right up.

I’m tempted to refer to issue #10 as the “Blond Bombshell” issue since it contains articles on no less then four fabulous blond starlets including Susan George, Joy Harmon, Doris Day and gorgeous cover girl Elke Sommer. Elke has long been one of my favorite actresses and Cinema Retro #10 features an extensive look at one of her best films, Ralph Thomas’s super spy thriller Deadlier Than the Male (1967). Besides lots of amazing photos from the film you’ll find a piece called In Conversation with Elke Sommer where she discusses her experiences while making the movie. The article also mentions that Elke will be appearing regularly in upcoming issues discussing her life and career in film, which I’m really looking forward to reading.

Other highlights from issue #10 include an insightful look at one of my favorite British films from the sixties, Michael Winner’s smart satire about the world of advertising called I’ll Never Forget What’s’isname (1967), which starred the great Oliver Reed in one of his best roles as an angry young man working for an advertising agency while trying to manage his chaotic love life. Orson Welles also has a memorable role in the film as Reed’s ex-boss who tries to lure him back to the company once he gives up advertising to write for a small literary magazine.

Top: Doris Day and Oliver Reed
Bottom: Peter Cushing and Susan George

In the new issue there is also a firsthand account of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the release of Hammer’s first color film The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) that was held at Bray Studios last summer, a fascinating look at cuts that were made to Sam Peckinpah’s controversial film Straw Dogs (1971), as well as the magazine’s ongoing features on special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen, the actress and Bond girl Luciana Pauluzzi, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. star David McCallum and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. films, which were recently shown on Turner Movie Classics here in the states.

Naturally there’s lots more to read in Cinema Retro #10 such as soundtrack reviews and various bits of film related news and information. I’m sure the new issue is going to sell out fast so grab it while you can. It has inspired me to revisit some of my favorite Elke Sommer movies so you can expect me to be writing more about the actress and her films in the future.

In the meantime check out my previous posts about Cinema Retro and visit the magazine’s official site for more information on how you can get yourself a copy of the latest issue. The web’s great, but please continue to support print magazines!

12 Comments »

Vanwall says; January 13, 2008 @ 3:52 pm

Altho I prefer him in “Danger Route”, I loved Richard Johnson in “Deadlier Than the Male”, with the girls superbly nasty bits of fluff, I must say. Chess anyone? Elke always was a lovely addition to any film. As for “I’ll Never Forget What’s’isname”, Reed’s casual stroll with an axe was one helluva beginning, for sure, and it has a nice harder-edged complementary feel if viewed with “The Jokers” on a double bill.
Vanwall says; January 13, 2008 @ 4:01 pm

Well I’ll be damned - Elke’s posing with a Nazi MP44 from WWII, a fairly rare piece - the prop dept must’ve had a hard time digging up an AK-47 back in the ’60s, so any old hunk of iron would do, I guess.
Keith says; January 13, 2008 @ 9:01 pm

The sexy cover of Elke Sommer would be reason enough to get this magazine. She is a stunningly gorgeous actress. I watched her earlier tonight in the Dean Martin Matt Helm spy spoof “The Wrecking Crew.” I’ve seen it countless times, but I can never get enough of Elke.
Bruce says; January 13, 2008 @ 10:04 pm

I’ll Never Forget What’s’isname

Oliver Reed plus AX is what makes that film a must see.
Jonathan Lapper says; January 14, 2008 @ 7:38 am

Hi Kimberly - Three posts I’ve missed by you, as I was sick all weekend. Sorry to have not been here when they went up but I was happy to see this. I had never seen the actual print version of Cinema Retro until I was sent a free copy after doing the Toshiro Mifune post to their web page. I admit, I was expecting something more along the lines “Famous Monsters” and such where newsprint or lower quality paper is used. But wow was I impressed when I got it (not this issue though, the one before with Eastwood). It’s incredible! The spreads are amazing and the interviews and articles are great. It’s a terrific magazine and website and I look forward to reading more. Too bad they only do three a year.
Richard Harland Smith says; January 14, 2008 @ 11:11 am

Man, I was sick this weekend, too. It’s the blog virus!
cinebeats says; January 14, 2008 @ 1:29 pm

Oliver Reed + Ax = priceless!

I’m still fighting off a cold and I feel like my head’s in a vice, but thanks for the comments!

Vanwell - I’ve never seen The Jokers and I really, really, REALLY want to! If you happen to have a copy on hand or know where I can get one please feel free to send me an email. This goes for anyone else who might read this as well.

Keith - 3 cheers for Elke! She’s easily one of the sexiest, smartest and most fabulous blond bombshells to appear in movies. I adore her!

Jonathan - No worries about not commenting. I don’t expect to hear from you every time I post something. If I commented on every post written by all the bloggers I read I wouldn’t get anything written myself, and sometimes I have absolutely nothing to add. I’m glad you’re reading Cinema Retro! I’ve been pimping the magazine for awhile now and the guys who publish and write for it are terrific. Observant readers will probably notice that a few of my own blog posts have been posted on their site over the past year. I can’t recommend the magazine enough to other fans of ’60s & ’70s era cinema!

Richard - I’m blaming you for making me sick!
Andrew Monroe says; January 14, 2008 @ 1:50 pm

Just a couple of weeks ago I watched the Italian crime film RISKING with Elke Sommer, and yes she`s a stunner.

As for Cinema Retro, it`s a marvelous magazine, I just picked up the new issue today - in a weird coincidence I had just ordered the dvd of DEADLIER THAN THE MALE last week, never seen it before. CR is one of the handful of film magazines I regularly buy, I particularly love the soundtrack reviews. They`re one of the only magazines that regularly reviews them, along with Video Watchdog. I see this issue includes LA RAGGAZINA by Nico Fidenco - fantastic score from one of my favorites.

Anyway, while I love film sites and blogs like this one, they will never be the same as holding a magazine/book in your hands. Also, they`re much easier to take to bed than a computer, even a laptop, ha.
Campaspe says; January 15, 2008 @ 1:50 pm

Oliver Reed — phwoar, as the British say. In the annals of James Bond movies he’s gotta be my biggest regret, he’d have rocked as 007. Are you familiar with The Oliver Reed Net, simply one of the best fan sites around? Whoever runs it did us all a huge service by compiling a bunch of magazine articles on the man, who was nothing if not good copy. It’s a weird sort of comfort reading for me. Bad day? Time to read up on Oliver dropping his trousers at a press conference in Rome.

Oh right, the magazine. :) It looks great, I may have to subscribe.
cinebeats says; January 16, 2008 @ 4:03 pm

Andrew - I’m glad you’re a fellow Cinema retro reader! It’s a terrific magazine and well worth subscribing to if you enjoy ’60s and ’70s era films. It might seem a little pricey since It’s published in the U.K. but it’s jam packed with rare color photos that make it worth every penny.

Campaspe - Oliver is the bomb and easily one of my favorite actors too! I think he might have been too much of a bad boy to play Bond since I can’t imagine him taking orders from anyone, but I would have loved to have seen him give the role a try. I have come across that site before and it’s terrific! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone compiled all the TV interviews Reed did during his lifetime and released them on DVD? I’d buy that!
Peter Egley says; May 25, 2009 @ 12:15 am

Oh that magazine looks great! Oliver Reed, Peter Cushing, Susan George!
Leona says; June 7, 2009 @ 12:02 pm

When I was working at Paramount Studios in the 1990s, we were at lunch one day talking about the “great misses” in cinematic history. Top miss was Oliver Reed not doing Bond, even if it was just for a coupla films. God, those eyes, that face, that body, the milk chocolate voice. He would have given us a Bond truer to Fleming’s vision. Big miss. But happy that Ollie never sold his soul to Los Angeles, like Caine and the others. We all admired him for that. He still has a big cult following in Hollywood.

RSS feed for comments on this post.

Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>