Alfred Hitchcock Needs Our Help

by Kimberly Lindbergs | July 8, 2010

Categories | Directors, British Cinema, Alfred Hitchcock, Movie Morlocks, TCM

From my newest post at TCM’s Movie Morlocks Blog:

“This week the BFI (British Film Institute) launched a new campaign called “Rescue the Hitchcock 9” that asks the public to help them rescue 9 of Alfred Hitchcock’s earliest films. The original movies were shot on nitrate film, which is notorious for its incendiary properties. Nitrate film can also decompose over time and film archivists are forced to take drastic measures in order to preserve and restore these old films. The 9 silent films that Hitchcock made during the 1920s have badly deteriorated through the years due to general use and they’re currently in dire need of restoration. Thankfully there is new digital technology in place that can help repair worn and damaged films but the process is time consuming and costly.”

You can read the entire piece here.

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Old Rubber Lips

by Kimberly Lindbergs | June 10, 2010

Categories | Actors, British Cinema, Donald Cammell, Nicolas Roeg, Gay Interest, Movie Morlocks, TCM

Tomorrow night TCM Underground will be airing one of my favorite films, Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg’s Performance (1970) starring The Rolling Stones’ frontman Mick Jagger. I’ve spent a lot of time writing and thinking about Performance but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to express my affection for the movie again. In a post that I unimaginatively titled The Many Roles of Mick Jagger I delve into my early obsession with The Rolling Stones and discuss the various acting roles that Mick Jagger has taken over the years. Naturally I focused most of my attention on Performance since it provided Jagger with his best role and I never get tired of revisiting it. It’s a movie that I’ve seen countless times but I’ll probably be watching it again when it airs on TCM tomorrow evening. Visit the Movie Morlocks Blog if you’d like to read more about Mick Jagger’s movie roles.

Other recommended links where I opine about my love for Performance:
- The British are Coming to DVD
- Performance VHS VS DVD
- James Fox: Subverting Sexual Identity & Social Class in British Cinema
- 10 Characters I Love

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Introducing Laurence Harvey

by Kimberly Lindbergs | May 27, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, Horror, British Cinema, Laurence Harvey, Movie Morlocks, TCM

I recently watched the British horror movie House of Darkness (Oswald Mitchell; 1948), which features Laurence Harvey in his very first film role. Harvey’s one of my favorite actors but I haven’t had the opportunity to write about him much so I decided to rectify that this week by including a lot of background information about Harvey in a review of House of Darkness for TCM. If you like classic horror films or happen to be a Laurence Harvey fan like myself, you might find House of Darkness worth a look. It’s a lumbering and rather dull film but Harvey manages to make it watchable. Or maybe I just find Harvey incredibly watchable? Whatever the case may be, you can read Introducing Laurence Harvey at the Movie Morlocks Blog.

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Girly Comes to DVD!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | March 26, 2010

Categories | News, Horror, British Cinema, Freddie Francis

Last year I wrote a piece about one of my favorite Freddie Francis’ films, the black horror comedy Girly (1969). At the time there was little to no information about the movie available online but that’s about to change. I’m happy to report that Girly (aka Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly) will be released on DVD by Scorpion Entertainment on March 30th. From the company website:

“GIRLY is a killer black comedy unlike any other! In a large mansion outside of London, an eccentric family live an imaginative life: Girly, a flirtatious schoolgirl with eyes of fire; Sonny, her mischievous brother whose favorite toy is an 8mm camera; Nanny, the house’s caretaker with an unusual fixation on the children; and Mumsy, the family matriarch whose relationship with Nanny is rife with sexual tension. This family is far more dangerous than you can imagine! Any man who enters the house never comes out, as they are sucked into a blood-curdling game with Girly and Sonny as assassins!”

The DVD will feature a brand new widescreen print of the film mastered in HD from the original, an on camera interview with writer Brian Comport and an audio interview with director Freddie Francis, the original TV spot as well as the original theatrical trailer.

Scorpion has been releasing some great films on DVD recently such as Ken Hughes’ The Interncine Project (1973) and Goodbye Gemini (1970), which I wrote about earlier this year. It’s always nice to see a new boutique DVD label making an effort to release interesting movies that were previously hard to see. I’m looking forward to what other films they release in the future.

The DVD retails for $24.95 but you can currently purchase Girly at Amazon for $21.49.

- My lengthy look at Freddie Francis’ Girly (1969)
- My brief look at Goodbye Gemini (1970)

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Goodbye Gemini (1970)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | January 26, 2010

Categories | Movie Reviews, News, Horror, British Cinema

This week the unusual British horror film Goodbye Gemini (1970) is getting released on DVD by Scorpion Releasing. I’ve only seen the film once on a second generation video tape and the quality was abysmal so I’m really happy that I’ll finally have the opportunity to see the movie again. Scorpion Releasing is a new boutique DVD company and according to Amazon.com they’re releasing Goodbye Gemini in widescreen and it will include the original trailer for the film as well as audio commentary with actress Judy Geeson and producer Peter Snell.

Goodbye Gemini explores the troubled relationship between two 20-year-old twins named Julian (Martin Potter) and Jacki (Judy Geeson). The film takes full advantage of its swinging London setting and the seemingly innocent and attractive siblings make for some great on screen eye-candy, but there’s a lot going on under the surface of this unusual British thriller. The film has some genuinely creepy moments and the strong sexual themes are handled surprisingly well. Goodbye Gemini also boasts some creative camera work and exceptional performances from all the actors involved including Michael Redgrave and Alexis Kanner.

I think the film’s most impressive performance comes from British born actor Martin Potter who had just finished starring in Fellini’s decadent masterpiece Satyricon (1969). Porter really gets to show off his acting chops in Goodbye Gemini as one of the troubled twins and his work in the film is especially noteworthy for the range he showed and the risks he was willing to take with his role. Martin Potter was an extremely attractive young actor and he was at the height of his beauty in 1970. His androgynous good looks and genuine sex appeal are used to great effect in Goodbye Gemini.

Goodbye Gemini was directed by Alan Gibson who also directed two vampire films for Hammer studios; Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) and The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973). A lot of critics and horror fans have dismissed Gibson’s films with Hammer but I think his work shows a real appreciation for the Grand Guignol aspects of horror cinema. In some ways Alan Gibson was ahead of his time and I think the modern feel and look of his films often sets his work apart from his contemporaries.

If you’ve enjoyed other horror films involving twin siblings such as Robert Mulligan’s The Other (1972), Brian De Palma’s Sisters (1973) and David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers (1988) you’ll probably find Goodbye Gemini just as interesting.

Martin Potter and Judy Geeson in Goodbye Gemini (1970)
Goodbye Gemini can currently be purchased at Amazon for $19.99 and it should be available at online rental outlets like Netflix and Greencine.

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She Who Must Be Obeyed

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 30, 2009

Categories | Movie Reviews, British Cinema, Actresses, Hammer Horror, Ursula Andress, Hammer Glamour

Ursula Andress in She (1965)

My favorite moment in She (1965) occurs about 90 minutes into the movie when Ursula Andress glides by Peter Cushing playing Professor Holy and Bernard Cribbins as his aspiring man servant Job. Cushing declares “By Jove!” at the sight of Ursula and Cribbins turns to his costar and utters the line, “They just don’t make them like that anymore, sir.” It’s a funny toss away line but it sums up the way I feel about all the women who populated Hammer films throughout the studio’s history. They just don’t make them like that anymore.

In Marcus Hearn’s new Hammer Glamour book he quotes the chairman of Hammer studio James Carreras from an old interview. In the interview Carreras is asked what he looks for when hiring an actress for a role. He answered that she needed “A good face and figure, of course. But it’s more than that; she has to have a special kind of magnetism. I can’t describe it, but I know it when I see it.”

I think that certain “je ne sais quoi” is what really separates the stable of Hammer actresses from today’s aspiring scream queens. The glamourous women that populated Hammer films seemed to have a kind of natural charisma that’s hard to come by. Many of the women were conventionally beautiful but they often had an original look, a sincerity, charm or acting skills that separated them from the pack. Ursula Andress had power and intensity. She was a stunning beauty but she appeared to be unafraid, independent, confident and a little dangerous in ways that can be both intimidating and incredibly alluring. These qualities made Ursula the perfect candidate to play Ayesha or “She That Must Be Obeyed” in Hammer’s fantasy epic.

She was Hammer’s big-budget adaptation of H. Rider Haggard classic novel of the same name. It tells the strange tale of three British travelers, Professor Holy (Peter Cushing), Job (Bernard Cribbins) and Leo (John Richardson) who come in contact with an immortal Queen called Ayesha (Ursula Andress) or “She That Must Be Obeyed.” Ayesha ruthlessly rules over her subjects and she believes Leo is the reincarnation of her long dead lover Kallikrates that she killed in a jealous rage centuries ago. After luring the three men to her kingdom with the help of her servant Billali (Christopher Lee), Ayesha tries to convince Leo to become immortal and rule by her side. Things get complicated when a rebellious uprising threatens to destroy everything that Ayesha holds dear.

H. Rider Haggard’s 1886 novel was filmed twice before in 1925 as a silent movie and in 1935. The 1935 film adaptation of She was nominated for an Oscar and apparently inspired many other adventure films with it’s striking set designs. Hammer’s 1965 film version of She was not nominated for any Oscars but it was one of the studios most expensive productions and it was also the first Hammer film built around a female star. The movie is rather faithful to H. Rider Haggard’s original story but it seems to lack the esoteric undertones that I personally found so interesting in the book as well as the emotional punch and character development. Hammer’s film also suffers from the dull performance of it’s male lead John Richardson who is never able to make the character of Leo convincing. Director Robert Day does a good job with the material and makes some smart directing and editing choices but the film seems a bit erratic at times. The exciting moments and inspired direction in one scene can become diminished by the static look of the next. The film also doesn’t shy away from ethnic stereotypes that can be found in the original novel but the “noble savages” in She do an admirable job with their limited roles. The movie does boast some impressive special effects and sets for the time that really help make She one of Hammer’s best looking and most enjoyable adventure movies.

Peter Cushing is very good as Professor Holy and he brings his usual gravitas and class to the film. I also think Christopher Lee is effective as the devious Billali and Bernard Cribbins is great in his small but very funny role as Job. Rosenda Monteros also appears in the movie but she’s rather forgettable as the “other woman” trying to win Leo’s affection. The star of She is Ursula Andress but her seductive, cold and unearthly performance in the film occasionally seems at odds with her character. She doesn’t have a lot of chemistry with her male love interest in the movie (the bland John Richardson) and the script lacks passion. Ursula was reluctant to play Ayesha and has often complained about her role in the movie over the years. Her dissatisfaction seems to come across on screen but I think Andress should be credited for helping to keep the movie interesting. She subtly embodies the character of Ayesha in a way that a lessor actress could never manage. Her performance also benefits from the talented cinematographer Harry Waxman who photographed the actress beautifully throughout the film. Ursula seems to glow and shimmer on screen thanks to Waxman’s camera work.

Ursula Andress’ first real break out role was in the hugely popular James Bond feature Dr. No (1962). Her infamous bikini scene as Honey Ryder in Dr. No made the 25-year-old actress a household name. When Hammer decided to adapt H. Rider Haggard’s novel for the screen they needed an actress who could generate ticket sales and bring an otherworldly beauty and glamour to their film. Ursula fit the bill perfectly. The statuesque beauty was born to German and Swiss parents and raised in Europe. Her international appeal has made her a lot of fans all over the world but her thick accent seemed to get in the way of her career. Directors and studio executives often thought her speaking voice was just too exotic to appeal to an English speaking audience so Ursula’s voice was dubbed in Dr. No as well as She. I think Hammer made a wise decision to cast Ursula Andress in She but their choice to dub the actress is questionable and may be part of the film’s problem. Her natural voice could have brought a little more flair to the character of Ayesha and we wouldn’t have to second guess her performance in the film. While I was recently watching She again I kept getting distracted by the occasionally awkward dub job.

After Ursula Andress made She the actress appeared in many terrific movies including What’s New Pussycat (1965), La decima vittima aka The 10th Victim (1965), Les tribulations d’un chinois en Chine aka Up to His Ears (1965), The Blue Max (1966), Casino Royale (1967), Soleil Rouge aka Red Sun (1971) and The Fifth Musketeer (1979). Outside of the amazing La decima vittima, these movies usually only provided Ursula with secondary roles and they weren’t very demanding films but they were all a lot of fun to watch. She also appeared in some very bad movies throughout her career and I think this probably tarnished Ursula’s appeal over time. After appearing in Clash of the Titans (1981) as the goddess Aphrodite Ursula seemed to take fewer and fewer roles.

In 2000 Ursula Andress was diagnosed with osteoporosis and in recent years her condition has gotten much worse but the 73-year-old actress hasn’t let the disease slow her down. She recently became an international ambassador for woman’s health and is currently working with the Timeless Women campaign in an effort to help educate women about osteoporosis. Mattel has also recently turned Ursula’s iconic character Honey Ryder into a Barbie for a series of classic Bond Girl dolls that are scheduled to be released early next year. At age 73 Ursula continues to gain new fans of all ages. Her timeless appeal obviously still resonates with the public. She seems destined to remain an ageless and glamourous beauty in our imaginations much like her character in Hammer’s She.

She is only available for sale at the Warner Brother Archives Shop. While I appreciate Warner’s efforts to make their film archives available to the public, it’s unfortunate that online rental companies like Netflix, Greencine and Blockbuster aren’t stocking these films. If you want to see She you’re going to have to buy it.

If you’d like to see more images from the film you can find them in my Flickr She Gallery.

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The First Leading Lady of British Horror

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 27, 2009

Categories | British Cinema, Actresses, Hammer Horror, Barbara Shelley, Hammer Glamour, Terence Fisher

Barbara Shelley in Quatermass and the Pit (1967)

Like many of my fellow Americans I’m enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday so I’ve been distracted by family, good food and drink. But I wanted to take a moment to shine a spotlight on The First Leading Lady of British Horror, Barbara Shelley.

Barbara starred in no less than eight Hammer films that I’m aware of including Mantrap (1953), The Camp on Blood Island (1958), Shadow of the Cat (1961), The Gorgon (1964), The Secret of Blood Island (1964) Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966), Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966) and Quatermass and the Pit (1967). She’s easily one of the most talented actresses that worked with the studio during the ’60s but her name isn’t as well known as many of her female costars. Her earthy beauty, seductive voice, natural grace and impressive acting abilities made her standout among her contemporaries and it’s surprising that she didn’t become a bigger and better known star. She was terrific in the horror films she made for Hammer as well as other studios which earned her the title of “The First Leading Lady of British Horror.” And she also appeared in some of Britain’s best television shows such as Danger Man, The Avengers, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Dr. Who but it’s a shame that she’s not better known outside of the UK.

My favorite Barbara Shelley performance can be found in the 1966 Hammer film Dracula: Prince of Darkness. In the movie Barbara plays a prim and proper British lady who turns into a bloodthirsty vampire. In an effort to keep the Hammer Glamour activities alive and well here at Cinebeats I thought I’d repost a link to my lengthy appreciation of Barbara’s standout performance in the film that I wrote back in 2007 called The Lady Is a Vamp.

Barbara Shelley in . . .
Top: The Secret of Blood Island (1964)/Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
Bottom: Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966)/Quatermass and the Pit (1967)

Barbara Shelley is still alive and well but she retired from acting in the late ’80s. She seemed rather reserved in the recent Hammer Glamour book, but most recently she participated in the DVD commentary for the British horror film Ghost Story which I wrote about earlier this month. I wish Barbara Shelley would follow in Raquel Welch’s footsteps and consider writing her own memoirs. During her lengthy acting career Barbara appeared in films with such celebrated actors as Gloria Swanson and George Sanders. She also worked with other important genre directors like Val Guest and Sergio Corbucci. During her years with Hammer studio Barbara worked almost exclusively with director Terence Fisher and appeared in films with popular Hammer stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing so I’m sure her insights and commentary on “The Studio That Dripped Blood” would prove invaluable to horror fans.

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Me Loana. You Tumak.

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 25, 2009

Categories | Movie Reviews, Books, British Cinema, Actresses, Hammer Horror, Hammer Glamour, Raquel Welch

Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C. (1966)

I love Raquel Welch. She’s not a great actress but she did appear in some good films and when she’s given the right material to work with she can be very funny. I’ve always thought that Raquel’s natural appeal as a comedic actress had been overlooked due to her overwhelming sex appeal. There’s just no getting around the fact that Raquel Welch is gorgeous but she also has a great sense of humor that often seemed to be ignored by critics who couldn’t see past her incredible beauty. Of course Raquel Welch never let them. Her publicity stills continually presented the actress as a sexy film siren. Glamour (or glamor!) was obviously in Raquel’s blood and she had no intention of letting anyone forget it. And although she showed some dramatic skill in films such as Hannie Caulder (1972) and The Last of Sheila (1973), I personally think she really shined in comedies like Bedazzled (1967), Fathom (1967), Myra Breckinridge (1970) and The Three Musketeers (1973). Could she have become the Lucille Ball of her day? That’s doubtful but I often wonder what direction Raquel’s career would have taken if she had focused her attention on making funny movies and developing her comedic abilities.

Raquel Welch became an international star after appearing in the Hammer film One Million Years B.C. (1966). The movie was a remake of the 1940 Hal Roach film One Million B.C. that was nominated for two Oscars for its special effects and musical score. Hammer’s remake didn’t get any Oscar nominations but it was the studio’s most commercially successful film and featured some terrific special effects by Ray Harryhausen and a good score composed by Mario Nascimbene. But a large part of the film’s success was due to its female star. Hammer launched one of the most widely seen ad campaigns in the studio’s history for One Million Years B.C. and it paid off. Posters and publicity stills from the film featuring a fur bikini clad Raquel circulated around the globe appearing in countless magazines and newspapers. To this day Raquel Welch is one of the most widely recognized film stars in the world thanks to Hammer’s publicity blitz.

One Million Years B.C. is a highly entertaining fantasy film that takes place in a prehistoric world inhabited by dinosaur monsters and cave people. In the film Raquel Welch plays a young woman named “Loana the Fair One” who is part of the Shell People tribe. Loana falls in love with a man called Tumak (John Richardson) from the Rock People tribe and together the two would-be lovebirds are forced to fight for the survival of themselves and their love in a harsh world that seems determined to destroy them both. The film plays out like some kind of prehistoric retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet but the great special effects and nonstop action help make One Million Years B.C. one of Hammer’s most exciting and enjoyable movies.

Raquel Welch was given very little dialogue in One Million Years B.C. so she’s forced to use her body language and facial expressions to let the audience know what her character is feeling throughout the course of the film. This may sound like an easy task but it’s not and Raquel does a nice job of working with a limited vocabulary. She’s commendable in a film that doesn’t require much from her and she brings a warm sensitivity to a role that could have easily become forgettable in another actresses’ hands. Of course she also looks amazing in the movie and manages to inject lots of glamour into the rocky barren landscape of One Million Years B.C..

In 2010 Raquel Welch will be celebrating her 70th birthday and she’s kick-starting the year with the publication of her self-penned memoirs titled The Secrets of Timeless Appeal. The book is currently scheduled to be released in January of next year and focuses on her struggle to age gracefully in Hollywood where actresses are often put out to pasture before age 40. In the book Raquel supposedly opens up about being typecast as a “sex symbol” as well as her plastic surgery, struggles with aging and menopause. She also offers up beauty tips and health advice. It’s rumored that the actress might divulge intimate details about her romantic flings with other actors including Warren Beatty and Richard Burton as well as musician Alice Cooper but we’ll have to wait until January 2010 to find out.

One Million Years B.C. is available on DVD and currently selling at Amazon for just $6.99. You can also pre-order Raquel Welch’s upcoming autobiography The Secrets of Timeless Appeal at Amazon for $17.79.

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The Glamour of Hammer

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 24, 2009

Categories | Books, British Cinema, Actresses, Hammer Horror, Hammer Glamour

Hammer Glamour cover girl Madeline Smith

Hammer horror films were an essential part of my childhood and one of my favorite things about Hammer films was the glamorous female stars. While growing up I thought that the women in Hammer movies were incredibly beautiful and I still do. Big hair and big busts seemed to be one of the studios regular requirements but many of the gorgeous women who appeared in Hammer films also knew how to act. These curvaceous ladies could play naive and innocent victims in one film and bloodthirsty ferocious killers in the next. They broke rules, pushed boundaries and kept up with their male costars even when given secondary roles and third billing. Now there’s a book that gives these women the star treatment that they’ve long deserved.

In September Titan Books released Marcus Hearn’s fabulous tribute to Hammer’s female stars entitled Hammer Glamour: Classic Images from the Hammer Archives. The term “Hammer Glamour” has been used by Hammer fans for decades but Hearn’s book is the first book that I know of that focuses solely on Hammer’s female stars. This lush coffee table collection contains over 150 pages and features profiles as well as interviews with many of the actresses who had prominent and lessor known roles in Hammer movies. The book is beautifully put together and the actresses are smartly presented in alphabetical order, which makes for easy referencing. It also includes an informative introduction by the author and a helpful index of Hammer film titles that corresponds with the actresses mentioned in the book. Hammer Glamour is a real treat for horror fans and makes a great companion to author Marcus Hearn’s previous book, The Hammer Story. Together both of Kearn’s informative texts offer new and seasoned Hammer fans a fascinating look at “The Studio That Dripped Blood.”

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Hammer Glamour is reading what the actresses have to say about their experiences working with the studio. Many of them have a great sense of humor about their work. They also express a real fondness for their co-stars and film crew. Actor Peter Cushing is often singled out for his generous behavior and good nature. It’s obvious that he was beloved by those who knew him and befriended him during his lifetime.

Top: Janette Scott and Pauline Peart
Bottom: Yutte Stensgaard and Valerie Gaunt

Finding background information about these actresses wasn’t always easy and Marcus Hearn clearly had to go out of his way to compile the profiles and interviews for Hammer Glamour. I really appreciate the author’s extraordinary efforts because the book provides Hammer fans with an unprecedented look at some of the studio’s most fascinating stars. It also contains many rare photos that I’ve never seen before and I can almost guarantee that even the most avid Hammer fans will find some surprises in Hammer Glamour.

My only complaint is that I wish the book was bigger. I think the publishers could have easily added an additional 150 pages and I’m sure it would have still found an eager audience. I’d love to see Marcus Hearn and Titan Books publish a future expanded volume of Hammer Glamour that provided even more information about the women included in the book and offered lengthier profiles of the actresses who were left out or given scant attention. I’d also love to see more photographs showcased as well since I can never get enough Hammer Glamour eye-candy.

Minor complaint aside, Marcus Hearn’s Hammer Glamour is truly a feast for the senses and it should find a place in every serious Hammer fan’s library. I suspect that anyone who is interested in British film history might also find Hammer Glamour worth reading because the book indirectly provides a unique and occasionally troubling look at what it was like to work as an actress within the British film industry during the late 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.

Hammer Glamour retails for $29.95 but it’s currently on sale at Amazon for just $19.77. I really can’t recommend the book enough so if you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift for a friend or yourself I suggest picking up a copy of Marcus Hearn’s book. For more information about Hammer Glamour visit the official Titan Book site: Hammer Glamour

I also recommend a visit to Holger Haase’s fabulous World of Hammer Glamour fan site.

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