Congratulations Mr. Corman!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 11, 2009

Categories | News, Directors, American Cinema, Oscars, Roger Corman

One of my favorite filmmakers will be getting an Honorary Oscar this year! Surprising news came out of Hollywood this morning when the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Roger Corman, along with actress Lauren Bacall and cinematographer Gordon Willis will all be recipients of a much deserved Lifetime Achievement Award.

Disappointingly, the Academy has decided not to televise the event and viewers will no longer be able to see these people receive their Lifetime Achievement Awards. Since my main motivation to watch the Oscars every year is to see the Lifetime Achievement Awards handed out to previously neglected artists I find this turn of events extremely disappointing. I guess the Academy plans to fill airtime with more terrible musical numbers? Who knows. But I suspect that they’ll be loosing lots of viewers like myself who get the most enjoyment from the montage sequences and hope for an opportunity to see old Hollywood mix with new Hollywood. Sadly it seems that old Hollywood isn’t worthy of television time anymore.

Corman is no stranger to getting Awards. He has his own star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and in 1996 he was honored by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association with a Career Achievement Award just to name a few of his career accomplishments, but this will be Roger Corman’s first Oscar.

Congratulations Mr. Corman!

News Links:
- Offical Press Release from the Academy
- The Los Angeles Times Story
- The New York Times Story

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Being Hal Ashby

by Kimberly Lindbergs | July 31, 2009

Categories | Books, Directors, American Cinema

Hal Ashby on the set of Harold and Maude (1971)

With the exception of Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman and John Cassavetes, I can’t think of many other directors who have had more influence on modern American cinema in recent years than Hal Ashby. And yet, Ashby’s name still remains relatively unknown among the general film-going public. This seems partially due to the fact that all of the other directors I mentioned have been the subject of many books and formal studies. But since his early death in 1988 at age 59, Ashby’s troubled life has remained the stuff of Hollywood legend.

Thankfully that’s all changed with the release of Nick Dawson’s new book Being Hal Ashby: Life of a Hollywood Rebel recently published by the University of Kentucky Press. This fascinating account of the life and death of Hal Ashby is the first biography written about the director and it’s an important as well as informative read.

Hal Ashby is often remembered for his rebellious spirit, drug addiction and outsider status in Hollywood during the ‘70s. But Being Hal Ashby debunks a lot of the myths that have surrounded the director for years. It also sheds light on the creative choices Ashby made throughout his career without sensationalizing the darker aspects of his life. I really appreciated the tone of Nick Dawson’s book since it shied away from the tabloid style of so many other current biographies. The writer’s self-assured and thoughtful approach to his subject is really refreshing.

The ’70s proved to be an extremely productive decade for many Hollywood filmmakers, but few directors had such an incredible run of first-rate movies throughout the ’70s as Hal Ashby. In contrast to some of his more somber contemporaries, Ashby’s films managed to reflect the underlying anxiety felt in post-’60s America while still celebrating the country’s boundless optimism. Between 1970 and 1971 Hal Ashby directed The Landlord (1971), Harold and Maude (1971), The Last Detail (1973), Shampoo (1975), Bound for Glory (1976), Coming Home (1978) and Being There (1979). But before becoming one of the decade’s greatest filmmakers, Ashby was an Oscar winning editor who worked on some of the best films of the ‘60s including The Children’s Hour (1961), The Cincinnati Kid (1965), The Loved One (1965), The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966), In the Heat of the Night (1967) and The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).

Being Hal Ashby provides readers with a well-rounded examination of Ashby’s career and doesn’t bypass the films he continued to make into the ‘80s before succumbing to the cancer that finally killed him. It’s obvious that Nick Dawson has a deep appreciation of the director’s work and his enthusiasm is contagious. After finishing Being Hal Ashby I was inspired to seek out some of the director’s later films such as Lookin’ to Get Out (1982) and 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) that I may have dismissed in the past. I suspect that I’ll now view them with new appreciation and respect. When a book inspires me to reevaluate my own opinions about a filmmaker’s career, it’s well worth recommending.

Being Hal Ashby: Life of a Hollywood Rebel retails for $37.50, but you can currently purchase copies of the book at Amazon for just $30. Whether you’re a fan of Hal Ashby and his films or just interested in what Hollywood was like in the ‘70s; Being Hal Ashby makes for some great summer reading.

Recommended Links:
- You can read an excerpt from Being Hal Ashby at the Film In Focus Website
- Being Hal Ashby @ Twitter offers news & updates about the book

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I Love You, Ted V. Mikels!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | July 12, 2009

Categories | News, Directors, Ted. V. Mikels

I’m not in the Directors’ Guild, not in any guild. I just don’t want anyone telling me what to do, or what I can not do. - Ted V. Mikels

I’ve expressed my admiration for B-movie maestro Ted. V. Mikels before when discussing the life of Mikels’ starlet Tura Satana as well as Mikels’ ode to go-go dancing, Girl in Gold Boots (1968). He’s my favorite purveyor of no-budget movies and if you haven’t experienced a Mikels’ film yet you should stop reading this and go visit his official website the Wild World of Ted V. Mikels. At age 80 Mr. Mikels is still going strong and you can find autographed DVDs of many of his films for sale there.

So why this sudden outburst of love for Ted. V. Mikels? Today is the final day of The Spirit of Ed Wood Blogathon and Mikels career as a director, cinematographer, writer, producer and actor is comparable to Ed Wood’s. Mikels even worked with Wood on the film Orgy of the Dead (1965). So I thought I’d share a trailer from Mikels’ film The Astro Zombies (1965) as a reminder that The Spirit of Ed Wood Blogathon ends today. If you haven’t contributed yet you still have time (at least according to the West Coast clock I’m on) or if you just want to check out the final results you can find them at Cinema Styles.

More words of wisdom from Mr. Mikels:

The easiest thing is making the film. The toughest thing is getting the money, the second toughest is getting it back. - Ted V. Mikels

It takes your guts and your entrails and your soul to make a film. It takes everything you possess within you! - Ted V. Mikels

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Remembering Yasuharu Hasebe (1932-2009)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | June 21, 2009

Categories | Movie Reviews, Directors, Japanese Cinema, Crime, Blogathons, Tokusatsu, Pinky Violence, Yasuharu Hasebe, Nikkatsu, Akira Kobayashi

Akira Kobayashi in Yasuharu Hasebe’s Black Tight Killers (1966)

While I was trying to compile a post for the Japanese Cinema Blogathon currently happening at Wildgrounds I read the news that one of my favorite Japanese directors, Yasuharu Hasebe, had died after contracting pneumonia on June 14th. Hasebe was 77 years old, but he was still an active director and his last project was the police drama The Case Files of Mamoru Yonezawa (Kanshiki: Yonezawa Mamoru no Jikenbo; 2009), which was released earlier this year.

After learning about Yasuharu Hasebe death I immediately decided to put aside my previous plans to write about one of my favorite Japanese actors (Akira Kobayashi) and focus on writing a bit about Hasebe’s films instead. In a sad coincidence, Akira Kobayashi also appeared in some of Hasebe’s best films.

Only a handful of the movies that Yasuharu Hasebe made are currently available on DVD in the US, but they showcase the work of a talented director who injected his action-packed dramas and violent pink films with pertinent social messages and lots of style. Although he’s not as revered as many of his contemporaries, Yasuharu Hasebe was able to masterfully navigate through the Japanese studio system while carving out his own distinct creative path. The director wrote or co-wrote many of his best films, which often touched on similar themes including female oppression and exploitation, as well as race relations and the American occupation of Japan. Yasuharu Hasebe’s films are frequently sited for their orchestrated action and extreme violence, but I think that many of them have maintained their power because of the director’s socially conscious scripts and keen sense of mise-en-scène.

Yasuharu Hasebe seemed to enjoy placing his camera in unexpected places and shooting his films in an intimate manner that is often surprisingly innovative. His frequent use of extreme close-ups and wide long shots is often breathtaking and although I’ve never seen it mentioned anywhere else, I firmly believe that the recurring visual motifs and framing techniques seen throughout many of Hasebe films mark his work with an individual flair that is undeniably his own. I wouldn’t hesitate to call Yasuharu Hasebe an “auteur” but I know that I’m in the minority. It’s important to point out as I’ve often done before, that western film criticism of Japanese cinema is still in its infancy and I suspect that Yasuharu Hasebe ’s films will receive much more critical attention and acclaim in the future as more critics and film scholars are exposed to his work.

Here’s a brief rundown of some of my favorite Yasuharu Hasebe films and television productions that are currently available on DVD in the US . . .

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Feroz Khan 1939-2009

by Kimberly Lindbergs | April 27, 2009

Categories | News, Actors, Directors, Bollywood

Sad news this morning from India. Bollywood legend Feroz Khan has died at age 69 due to complications from cancer. Feroz Khan is beloved by Bollywood fans for his work as a director and actor who appeared in many of his own productions such as Apradh (1972), Dharmatma (1975), Qurbani (1979), Janbaaz (1986) and Yalgaar (1992). READ MORE

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Some Thoughts on Jack Cardiff 1914-2009

by Kimberly Lindbergs | April 22, 2009

Categories | News, Directors, British Cinema, Alain Delon, Bikers, Marianne Faithfull, Girl On a Motorcycle, Jack Cardiff, Featured

Jack Cardiff with Marianne Faithfull on the set of 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

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A Ken Russell Interlude

by Kimberly Lindbergs | March 20, 2009

Categories | News, Directors, British Cinema

Just taking a brief break from putting the final touches on the last half of my Favorite DVDs of 2008 list and wanted to point out a few Ken Russell related reading and viewing suggestions.

As I’ve mentioned before, Ken Russell is one of my favorite directors and with the recent unfortunate death of actress Natasha Richardson I’ve had his 1986 film Gothic on my mind a lot. In the film Natasha Richardson does an incredible job of bringing Frankenstein author Mary Shelley to life. Marilyn Ferdinand has just written a nice piece about this often under-appreciated Russell movie that you can find on her blog, which I highly recommend reading: Gothic (1986)

I also thought it was a good time to mention that I’ve recently watched some great interviews with Ken Russell that are available online. The BBC Film Network site has a interesting and lengthy video interview with the director on their website right now that you can view here: Ken Russell: Interview. And on Youtube I highly recommend the Media Funhouse video interviews with Russell, which you can find here and here.

And last but not least, in 2008 Ken Russell updated his autobiography and the paperback version of the book will be published in April. It’s a great read if you’re a fan of the director or just want to know more about one of British cinema’s most original artists. You can find more information about the book at Amazon: A British Picture: An Autobiography by Ken Russell.

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Ishiro Honda Online!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 10, 2008

Categories | News, Directors, Japanese Cinema, Science Fiction, Ishiro Honda

Last week the English language version of Ishiro Honda’s official website debuted online with very little fanfare, but I highly recommend stopping by the site to see the wonderful collection of materials on display there!

Ishiro Honda (1911-1993) is one of Japan’s most important filmmakers and his body of work includes Godzilla (1954), Rodan (1955), The Mysterians (1957), Mothra (1961), Matango (1963), Destroy All Monsters (1968) and Latitude Zero (1969). His acclaimed science fiction and fantasy films have influenced and informed popular culture around the world, but he also worked with his dear friend Akira Kurosawa on some of the director’s greatest films such as Stray Dog (1949) and Ran (1985).

At the new website you’ll find a filmography for Ishiro Honda illustrated with many wonderful photos and colorful movie poster reproductions, as well as a biography and interesting essays written by people who worked with Honda. You’ll also be able to read personal messages from the director’s wife and son Ryuji, who is busy making plans for a world-wide celebration to honor the 100th Anniversary of his father’s birth in 2011.

“If one gets upset due to some anger, it only makes things that much more painful. What lives must die, what has shape will eventually crumble. Fatigue is only felt when one gets bored of what he is now doing. My husband has left me with lots and lots of great words, which I often recall. Although he is no longer with us, his presence is still very strong in our hearts.”
- Kimi Honda (the director’s wife)

According to the news blurb on the site more updates are planned, including the translation and publication of informative essays written by Ishiro Honda himself, so check back often!

- The Official Ishiro Honda Website

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