Favorite DVD Releases of 2008: Part II

by Kimberly Lindbergs | March 24, 2009

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, Japanese Cinema, British Cinema, American Cinema, Science Fiction, Amicus Productions, Richard Harris, Criterion, Freddie Francis, Ishiro Honda, Favorite 2008 DVDs, Peter Cushing, Russ Tamblyn

Apologies for the long delay! My annual list of Favorite DVDs always takes longer to compile than I expect it will. You can find the first part of this list here. Now on to Part II #11-20 . . .

Cornel Wilde in The Naked Prey (1966)

11. The Naked Prey (Criterion)
You can read my my thoughts about The Naked Prey here.

Bette Davis in The Nanny (1965)

12. The Nanny (20th Century Fox)
You can find my lengthy look at The Nanny here.

Yoshiko Tsuruoka and Yukio Mishima in Patriotism (1966)

13. Patriotism (Criterion)
One of the most surprising and unexpected Criterion DVD releases last year was this short film made by the celebrated Japanese author Yukio Mishima. Before Criterion’s official release of Patriotism (aka Yûkoku; 1966) the film was often hard to see and rarely shown anywhere. This 27-minute long movie contains no dialogue and it’s based on a short story written by Yukio Mishima, which was also performed as a modern Noh drama on stage. It’s a rich and deeply moving piece of work full of striking images that reflect the film’s stage origins and explore the writer’s obsession with Japanese nationalism and romantic ideals. Those who are unfamiliar with Mishima’s writing as well as the Japanese view of death and national honor may find Patriotism a bit muddled, but the film can be enjoyed as a historical document or an important work of art. It showcases Mishima’s artistic skills and foreshadows the author’s actual suicide, which makes for fascinating as well as thought provoking viewing. The Criterion DVD is beautifully packaged and comes with extensive notes including Mishima’s original story and details about the film’s production. It also includes interviews with Yukio Mishima and a short documentary on the making of the movie. Patriotism is essential viewing for anyone who is interested in Mishima, but it’s also an important Japanese film and Criterion should be applauded for releasing it. If you’d like to read more about Yukio Mishima please see my lengthy piece on the 1968 film Black Lizard, which he also appeared in.

Phase IV (1974)

14. Phase IV (Legend Films)
This interesting science fiction film was the only feature length movie directed by the legendary Saul Bass who is mostly remembered by film fans for his graphic design skills. Throughout the ’50s and well into the ’90s, Bass was responsible for some of the most amazing credit sequences and movie posters ever created. His design work for directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger, John Frankenheimer and Martin Scorsese is instantly recognizable and hard to top. Saul Bass also had directing ambitions and made many short films, but Phase IV (1974) was the only full-length motion picture he directed. The film’s plot involves a strange occurrence in space that seems to only effect the Earth’s ant population. Phase IV owes quite a bit to previous science fiction films such as Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Robert Wise’s The Andromeda Strain (1971), but it’s still a fascinating entry into the “nature-run-amok” genre that was made poplar in the ’70s. Bass’ choice to use lots of macro photography in an effort to humanize the ants in the film really make’s Phase IV stand apart from typical genre exercises. Mayo Simon’s script is also notable for the way it manages to dehumanize the scientists trying to cope with the ant problem and it smartly mixes hard science and speculative fiction to good effect. Unfortunately Legend Films released the DVD with no extras, but I’m glad that the movie is now easily available and the print looks sharp.

Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina in Pierrot le Fou (1965)

15. Pierrot le Fou (Criterion)
You can read some of my thoughts about Pierrot le Fou here.

Paul Jones in Privilege (1967)

16. Privilege (New Yorker Video)
When you’ve seen as many films as I have, you tend to become a little jaded so whenever I discover something new that really excites me and makes me fall in love with the possibilities of cinema all over again there is reason to celebrate. Last year I was exposed to the work of director Peter Watkins for the first time after seeing his impressive 1967 film Privilege as well as Punishment Park (1971) and I knew I had stumbled onto something really special. Peter Watkins is a controversial director who likes to use nonprofessional actors in his pseudo-documentary style films. His work has won him many awards, but his films have also been banned due to the politically charged content and in turn very hard to see. Thankfully that’s changed in recent years and New Yorker Video has given many film enthusiasts like myself the opportunity to see his work on DVD. In Privilege we’re introduced to an enigmatic pop singer named Steven Shorter (played by the real-life musician Paul Jones) living in a futuristic alternative London in the late ’60s. Like many pop stars and movie actors today, Steven Shorter is controlled by his “handlers” who make almost all of his decisions for him. Steven’s sterile world begins to crumble when his handlers decide that they want him to start promoting conservative values to the youth who adore him. Privilege becomes more dark and cynical as it progresses and we’re left with a smart and creative look at the effects of social conditioning filtered through popular culture. Watkins’ experimental docudrama directing style works really well here and it’s complimented by the film’s great production design and Peter Suschitzky’s excellent cinematography. Suschitzky has worked with some of my favorite directors including Joseph Losey, Ken Russell and David Cronenberg so I was excited to see his early efforts on display in this fascinating film. The performances all very good and Paul Jones does a nice job of playing the deeply troubled pop star. I also enjoyed seeing the beautiful Jean Shrimpton in her first major film role. She shows that she’s got some acting ability in Privilege so it’s a shame that she didn’t go on to appear in more films. I liked the subtle approach she took to playing Steven Shorter’s love interest and I wondered if Shrimpton had followed some acting suggestions from her real-life boyfriend at the time, Terence Stamp. New Yorker Video really did a great job on this DVD release. The film looks terrific and it comes with some interesting extras including a short documentary chronicling the career of American pop idol Paul Anka called Lonely Boy (1962) that inspired Peter Watkins to make Privilege, the film’s original trailer, a stills and poster gallery and a nice collector’s booklet.

War of the Gargantuas (1966)

17. Rodan/War of the Gargantuas (Classic Media)
I love a good giant monster movie and Classic Media packaged two of director Ishirô Honda’s best monster movies together for this impressive DVD release. Rodan was Honda’s popular 1956 follow-up to Godzilla and it’s a classic in its own right, but I personally like the unforgettable craziness that can be found in the director’s 1966 effort War of the Gargantuas much more. War of the Gargantuas has never been available on DVD before and if you enjoy ’60s style monster mayhem complete with psychedelic flourishes and a catchy musical number, then you’ll enjoy this sequel to Honda’s Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965). The film stars cult icon Russ Tamblyn in one his most unforgettable roles as a young doctor trying to help a group of Japanese scientists figure out why giant monsters are attacking Tokyo. Are the Gargantuas just unexplainable giant anomalies with bad tempers or are they man made creatures with a personal vendetta? You’ll have to watch to find out! This 2-Disc DVD set comes with lots of worthwhile extras including two versions of War of the Gargantuas (the uncut Japanese film with English subtitles and the English-dubbed U.S. version) as well as an interesting original documentary called Bringing Godzilla Down to Size.

Andrew Prine in Simon, King of the Witches (1971)

18. Simon, King of the Witches (Dark Sky Films)
Simon, King of the Witches (1971) is not the best film that made my Favorite DVDs of 2008 list, but there’s something undeniably appealing about this unusual American horror film that has developed somewhat of a cult following over the years. The plot revolves around the rise and fall of one Simon Sinestrari (Andrew Prine). Simon is a charismatic magician who uses his abilities to charm a group of wealthy and influential L.A. residents who shower him with praise and money. Unfortunately none of them are really prepared to dance with the devil so when things start to go horribly wrong, Simon is forced to take drastic actions. The film was written by Robert Phippeny, a practicing magician who brought a lot of his own experience to the script, but the film never takes itself very seriously. Simon breaks the fourth wall in the movie’s opening minutes by looking straight at the camera and telling us who he is and as the film unfolds the underlying black humor becomes more and more apparent. Andrew Prine is great as the cocky and charismatic Simon and he manages to hold the film together even during its dullest moments. Warhol superstar Ultra Violet even shows up as the leader of some naked Wiccan ritual that Simon ridicules mercilessly. Director Bruce Kessler worked mostly in television during the ’60s and ’70s and there is a static look to the film that screams “made for TV movie” but don’t let that discourage you! The film also features some creative special effects and a great psychedelic scene involving Simon’s trip through a mirror that makes up for how dreary the rest of the film looks. Dark Sky Films really did an outstanding job on their DVD release of Simon, King of the Witches. It includes a nice looking widescreen print of the film, the original trailer and radio spot, as well as insightful interviews with director Bruce Kessler and the film’s star Andrew Prine. It’s a shame that the major studios so rarely put the same kind of effort and care into releasing their films on DVD.

Patrick Wymark and Peter Cushing in The Skull (1965)

19. The Skull (Legend Films)
The Skull (1965) has long been one of my favorite British horror movies from director and award winning cinematographer Freddie Francis, so I was thrilled to find out that Legend Films would be releasing it in widescreen on DVD. The Skull was adapted from a short story by the talented horror writer Robert Bloch called The Skull of the Marquis de Sade and it tells the dark tale of Dr. Christopher Maitland played to perfection by the late great Peter Cushing. The good doctor likes to collect unusual esoteric relics and when he gets offered the chance to own the skull of the famed Marquis Des Sade naturally he jumps at the opportunity. Unfortunately for him the skull is haunted by the spectre of the malevolent (according to the film) De Sade who begins to take control of the unsuspecting Dr. Maitland. The Skull is one of Freddie Francis’ best color films and also one of the best British horror films ever produced by Hammer rival Amicus. The direction is tops and Francis conjures up some impressive visuals that are sure to please even the most discriminating horror fans. All the performances in the film are solid, but horror regulars Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and the under appreciated Patrick Wymark deliver some of their best work in The Skull. The movie also includes a memorable score by the talented Elisabeth Lutyens. Lutyens was the first female composer to create soundtracks for British film and she made her mark working on great horror movies and thrillers such as Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965), The Earth Dies Screaming (1965) The Psychopath (1966) and Theatre of Death (1966). Unfortunately this bare bones DVD release doesn’t offer anything in the way of extras except for the original trailer but the widescreen uncut restored print of the film does look fantastic, which makes this disc well worth owning.

Richard Harris in This Sporting Life (1963)

20. This Sporting Life (Criterion)
I’d really like to write a more lengthy post about this terrific Lindsay Anderson film and hopefully I’ll find the time to in the future, but in the meantime you can read my brief comments about This Sporting Life (1963) here.

Honorable mentions: The Deadly Bees (1967), Girl Boss Revenge (1973), Last House on the Beach (1978) and Tragic Ceremony (1972).

A few films that might have made my list if I had the opportunity to see them: Ken Russell at the BBC (collection), Blast of Silence (1961), Le Deuxième Souffle (1966), Mandingo (1975) and The Wolves (1972).

And that concludes the third year of Cinebeats annual Favorite DVDs of the year report! Legends Films really made its mark on my list this year and as usual, Criterion dominated it. 2009 is shaping up to be an interesting year for DVD releases and next month I hope to start sharing My Favorite DVDs of the Week with readers once more.

Next month also marks Cinebeats third year anniversary and I want to make it special so if all goes well you can expect to see a flood of activity here in April! In the meantime, you can still follow Cinebeats at Twitter where I often share bits of film and TV related chatter.

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Favorite DVD Releases of 2007: Part II.

by Kimberly Lindbergs | February 12, 2008

Categories | Movie Reviews, Favorite 2007 DVDs, Lindsay Anderson, Richard Harris, Malcolm McDowell, Criterion, Peter Cushing, Teruo Ishii

Favorite DVD Releases of 2007: Part II. - Top 30 DVDs #1-10.

Black Test Car (1962)

Black Test Car (Fantoma)
Yasuzo Masumura is one of my favorite Japanese directors, but unfortunately many of his films are unavailable on DVD and have never been seen outside of Japan. Thankfully Fantoma has been making an effort to release many of Masumura’s films and in 2007 they released his brilliant and extremely dark satire Black Test Car (Kuro no tesuto kaa, 1962). The film takes a rather unflattering look at the corruption and greed behind the burgeoning car industry in Japan and anyone who’s familiar with the director’s earlier film Giants and Toys (Kyojin to gangu, 1958) will immediately spot similarities between the two movies. Masumura was a director who was clearly interested in critiquing Japan’s economic boom and exploring the ways in which American capitalism was affecting Japanese society after WW2. As much as I enjoyed the director’s colorful satire Giants and Toys (1958), I personally think Black Test Car is a more effective film dealing with similar themes and I’m grateful that Fantoma has made it available on DVD. Black Test Car features some stunning black and white photography, and Masumura’s direction is top-notch here. All the actors involved with the production deliver some great performances, but I found Jiro Tamiya and Junko Kano especially effective as a young couple whose relationship becomes deeply strained throughout the course of the film. The Fantoma DVD contains an excellent widescreen transfer of the film along with the original theatrical trailer, a biography on the director and still galleries.

Peter O’Toole in Becket (1964)

Becket (MPI Home Video)
I enjoy well-done British historical dramas and many great ones were released on DVD for the first time last year including the wonderful Anne of the Thousand Days (1968), which I also considered including on my list. But my favorite film of the bunch was Becket (1964), which is based on the Tony Award-winning play written by Jean Anouilh. The film plays somewhat free and loose with historical facts, but still manages to be an engaging and thoughtful take on the important events surrounding the relationship between King Henry II and Thomas Becket (the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170). Becket was directed by the gay filmmaker Peter Glenville and he injects the film with a wonderfully subversive edge that hints at a deeper relationship between Becket and King Henry II, who are played brilliantly by Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole. The film can be viewed simply as a great historical drama and I first saw it presented as an education tool when I was in high-school, but I also think Becket is one of the most sentimental and moving films ever shot about unrequited love shared between two men. Watching Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton struggle with their feelings for one another is what really keeps the film interesting and adds weight to the political power plays in the film and its dramatic conclusion. The DVD features an audio commentary from Peter O’Toole, the original trailer, an impressive still gallery and archival interviews with Richard Burton as well as composer Laurence Rosenthal and editor Anne V. Coates.

Doris Day in Caprice (1967)

Caprice (20th Century Fox)
Like movies such as Last of the Secret Agents? (1966) and Skidoo (1968), Caprice (1967) is a film often talked about disparagingly by people who’ve never actually seen it and it’s nowhere near as awful as you’ve been led to believe. Yes, the film has its problems and its stars (Doris Day and Richard Harrison, who’s rarely looked so good) don’t seem to have much chemistry on screen, but this entertaining spy satire also contains some really funny bits, well-done action scenes, fantastic Ray Aghayan costumes and a wonderfully polished pop-art look thanks to director Frank Tashlin and Oscar winning cinematographer Leon Shamroy. I never expected Caprice to get a DVD release, much less one as wonderful as this, but 20th Century Fox really went all out last year. Besides a spectacular restored widescreen transfer of the film, the DVD also includes commentary tracks by film historian John Cork and Pierre Patrick, a fascinating interview with costume designer Ray Aghayan, radio interviews with Doris Day and Richard Harrison, a nice photo gallery and two interesting shorts called Double-O Doris and Doris and Marty that explores the strained relationship between the Doris Day and her husband & manager, Martin Melcher. Hopefully I’ll get around to writing a longer review of Caprice in the future, but in the meantime, I highly recommend the film if you happen to enjoy Dean Martin’s Matt Helm movies as much as I do.

Chosen Survivors (1974)

Chosen Survivors / The Earth Dies Screaming (Midnite Movies / 20th Century Fox)
Last year 20th Century Fox released some terrific films as part as their wonderful Midnite Movies series, including The House on Skull Mountain / The Mephisto Waltz double feature, which I also wanted to include on my list. I haven’t seen all of last year’s Midnite Movie double features, but Chosen Survivors / The Earth Dies Screaming was one of my favorites. Before the DVD was released I hadn’t seen either of these unusual science fiction films before, but I really enjoyed them. Chosen Survivors (1974) tells an apocalyptic tale about a group of strangers thrown together in a sort of underground holding tank by the U.S. military after a thermonuclear war has destroyed earth’s surface. Things get worse when bloodthirsty bats show up and start killing people. There’s something strangely compelling about the film, and it’s definitely helped by the wonderful space age set designs and cast, which includes Jackie Cooper in what has to be his creepiest role ever. The film was directed by Sutton Roley who made lots of films for television and Chosen Survivors often has a “small set” feel, but it’s also really entertaining. The Earth Dies Screaming (1964) has a somewhat similar theme involving space aliens who use poison gas to wipe out the earth’s population leaving only a handful of survivors to deal with the aftermath. It was directed by the talented British director and Hammer legend Terence Fisher, who brings a lot of stylish touches to this low-budget movie. Overall I enjoyed Chosen Survivors a bit more, but The Earth Dies Screaming contains some rather creepy moments reminiscent of George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968). This nice looking two-disc DVD set from 20th Century Fox makes for a worthwhile night of viewing.

The Holy Mountain (1973)

The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky: Fando y Lis / El Topo / The Holy Mountain (Starz / Anchor Bay)
This impressive DVD collection features three of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s earliest films and besides one major complaint I have (when will we get a good NTSC Region 1 DVD release of the director’s best film, Santa Sangre?), this really is a spectacular collection of avant-garde cinema that should be savored. Jodorowsky’s surreal efforts play with genre expectations and are loaded with iconographic imagery and strange landscapes that I never get tired of exploring. El Topo (1970) is probably my favorite film in the collection, but The Holy Mountain (1974) gets more interesting with each viewing. Alejandro Jodorowsky is a fascinating artist and this important collection sheds some much needed light on his body of work. This new DVD set features beautiful restored and re-mastered transfers of his films, plus many impressive extras including soundtracks for El Topo and The Holy Mountain, exclusive in-depth interviews and a feature-length documentary about the director, photo galleries and Jodorowsky’s directorial debut short called La Cravate, which was long thought lost.

Anais Nin in Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954)

The Films of Kenneth Anger” Vol. 1 and Vol. 2(Fantoma)
Fantoma should be applauded for bringing this terrific two-volume collection of Kenneth Anger’s esoteric short films (1947-1981) to DVD. Previously I had only seen a few of Anger’s films (Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, 1954 and Invocation of My Demon Brother, 1969) on poor-quality videos, but Fantoma really did a spectacular job of restoring these experimental movies and they look better than ever. I’ve only managed to watch the first volume of this new DVD collection myself, but I wanted to include both volumes on my list because I think Anger’s work is smart, challenging, thought provoking and well worth seeking out. Many interesting counterculture figures and artists such as Anais Nin, Anton LaVey, Mick Jagger and filmmaker Curtis Harrington appear in Anger’s films and collaborated with him, which makes these films important historical documents as well as fascinating viewing. Extras include a deluxe 48-page book with an introduction by Martin Scorsese, audio commentary from Kenneth Anger, rare outtakes and more.

The Singing Street (1952)

Free Cinema (Facets)
This amazing three-disc DVD collection from Facets collects many influential short films from Britain’s Free Cinema movement, which helped reinvent documentary in the early 1950s and gave birth to the British New Wave. Working on shoestring budgets with hand-held 16mm cameras, directors like Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson and Lindsay Anderson were able to create startling films that brilliantly brought Britain and its working-class citizens to life, while exploring the underlying social tensions that seemed to be lingering right under the countries surface after WW2. This is the first time these important films (shot between 1952-1963) have been made available on Region 1 DVD and they really highlight the imagination and intelligence of these young British filmmakers, who would go on to create some of the greatest films made in the sixties and seventies. This three-disc DVD collection includes an extensive booklet from the BFI (British Film Institute) and an interesting documentary about the Free Cinema Movement. I hope to write much more about the films in this wonderful collection soon.

Peter Cushing in From Beyond the Grave (1973)

From Beyond the Grave (Warner Home Video)
Please see my previous review of this terrific Amicus anthology film HERE.

Horrors of Malformed Men (1969)

Horrors of Malformed Men (Synapse Films)
For years I’ve been hoping someone would unearth this rare experimental Japanese horror film that was often assumed lost after it was banned in Japan shortly after its initial release, so you can imagine how happy and surprised I was to discover that Synapse was releasing it on DVD last year. Thankfully the film did not disappoint and Horrors of Malformed Men (1969) turned out to be one of the most fascinating Japanese horror films I’ve ever seen. Horrors of Malformed Men is based on an original novel by the popular Japanese author Edogawa Rampo that borrows a lot from H. G. Wells’ classic The Island of Dr. Moreau. Director Teruo Ishii takes what could have been a somewhat familiar premise and turns it into a fascinating fever dream that combines Butoh dance, stunning color photography and a haunting soundtrack by famed composer Masao Yagi. You might laugh, you might cry and you might even have your mind blown by this unapologetically strange and surreal film. Be sure to watch the great interviews included on the DVD with directors Shinya Tsukamoto and Minoru Kawasaki, which only add to the film’s enjoyment and offer an interesting look at the influence this unusual movie had on a new generation of Japanese filmmakers. Other great extras include audio commentary by author Mark Schilling, the original Japanese trailer, a poster gallery and detailed biographies of director Teruo Ishii and author Edogawa Rampo.

Malcolm McDowell in If…. (1968)

If…. (Criterion Collection)
When I first saw Lindsay Anderson’s If…. (1968) it deeply affected me and helped spark my lifelong interest in British cinema. Over the years my admiration for Anderson’s smart film about British youth “revolting against the status quo and daring to imagine what it might be like to put something else in its place” (David Ehrenstein - from his Criterion Essay written for DVD release of If….) has only grown. In the film Malcolm McDowell gives an iconic performance as a troubled student named Mick Travis who rebels against the system with his imagination and wits. I love the way Anderson creatively mixes color with black and white photography within If…. in order to give Mick Travis an inner life that’s so incredibly rich that he seems to literally live and breath right on the screen. If…. has often been compared to Jean Vigo’s 1932 classic Zero for Conduct and Anderson was undoubtedly inspired to some degree by that film, but If…. is clearly a product of the turbulant times that it was made in and frankly it’s a superior and more complex effort that ranks as one of the greatest and most important British films of the sixties. Criterion really did a remarkable job on their two-disc DVD presentation of If…., which includes a newly restored high-definition digital transfer of the film approved by cinematographer Miroslav Ondricek, an insightful audio commentary with actor Malcolm McDowell and film historian David Robinson, interviews with McDowell, Ondricek, Anderson’s assistant Stephen Frears, producer Michael Medwin and screenwriter David Sherwin, Anderson’s Academy Award–winning documentary about a school for deaf children called Thursday’s Children (1954) narrated by Richard Burton and a very nice booklet featuring articles about the film by David Ehrenstein, as well as screenwriter David Sherwin and director Lindsay Anderson.

Links to the first, third and fourth part of my Favorite DVD Releases of 2007 list can be found here:
- Favorite DVD Releases of 2007: Part I. - The DVD Year in Review - An Introduction
- Favorite DVDs of 2007 Part III. (#11-20)
- Favorite DVDs of 2007 Part IV. (#21-30)

Part III. of my Favorite DVD Releases of 2007 - #11-20 will be posted soon so stay tuned!

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DVD of the Week: This Sporting Life (1963)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | January 27, 2008

Categories | British Cinema, DVD of the Week, Lindsay Anderson, Richard Harris, Criterion

I was hoping I’d get the chance to watch the new Criterion release of Lindsay Anderson’s This Sporting Life (1963) this week, but unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to. Since I’ve seen the film before and I have great respect for it, I really have no problem recommending the new Criterion disc. It promises to be one of the best DVD releases of the year. I hope to delve deeper into the film in the future after I have a chance to view it again so you can expect to see more posts from me about the British New Wave and British cinema in general in 2008.

In the meantime, if you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Anderson’s gritty bleak drama yet, I highly recommend This Sporting Life. The film was produced by the talented filmmaker Karel Reisz (Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment, etc.) and his influence on the production seems somewhat apparent when you watch the film. This Sporting Life is really a pivotal film in Lindsay Anderson’s directorial career and undoubtedly one of the most important films to come out of the British New Wave. It also features one of Richard Harris‘ finest performances.

The new Criterion DVD boasts a lot of great extras including multiple short films by Lindsay Anderson, audio commentary by Paul Ryan and David Storey, a documentary and interviews with people who knew and worked with the director. Criterion’s two disc DVD presentation of This Sporting Life is currently available from Amazon for $34.99 and the film is also available for rent from online sources like Greencine and Netflix.

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Richard Harris Sings!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | December 5, 2007

Categories | Soundtracks, Actors, Lindsay Anderson, Richard Harris

Richard Harris in one of his many Nehru style jackets he designed himself (1968)

Blame TCM for recently showing Lindsay Anderson’s brilliant This Sporting Life (1963), blame the wonderful Colin for sending me a copy of Richard Harris’s 1968 album A Tramp Shining as an early Christmas gift and last but not least, blame The Simpsons for parodying one of my favorite musical numbers from Camelot (1967) in a recent episode that I just watched. All these factors have somehow combined to put the incredible Richard Harris in the forefront of my thoughts lately.

I first became aware of Richard Harris when I was a very young thing. My parents had a copy of the Camelot film soundtrack and the original Broadway recording, and both of them got a lot of play in our home. I can distinctly remember my father loudly singing all of Richard Harris’ songs from the film while he was in the shower.

Don’t let it be forgot
That once there was a spot,
For one brief, shining moment
That was known as Camelot.

As the years wore on I became enamored with Richard Harris, as well as that rowdy bunch of womanizing British & Irish actors who drank too much and had egos as big as their booming voices. Along with Richard Harris, I can never get enough of Richard Burton, Oliver Reed, Albert Finney and Peter O’Toole. They’re all personal favorites and I’ll watch them in anything.

With that pronouncement out of the way, you may be asking yourself, besides Richard Harris, what do This Sporting Life, A Tramp Shining and Camelot all have in common? Well, they all feature Richard Harris singing of course!

I was surprised while watching This Sporting Life recently to see Richard Harris take the stage at a pub and belt out a rather lackluster song called Here In My Heart. I love the film and I had first seen it many years ago, but I didn’t remember Harris singing in the movie. It’s one of his earliest and best films and his performance in it made him a star, but his singing voice seems rather underdeveloped in 1963. Even though Here In My Heart is a rather dull tune, it was released as a single in 1963 and was the first song Richard Harris ever recorded. It had previously been a hit for Al Martino in 1952, but I haven’t been able to track down any information about how Harris’ version of Here in My Heart was received by the record buying public.

Harris was never a great singer but he was a great orator, and there is an obvious improvement in his voice when you compare his singing in This Sporting Life to his singing in Camelot four years later. Harris got the part of King Arthur in Joshua Logan’s version of Camelot after Richard Burton (who had been in the stage version) turned it down. In Camelot Harris gets to perform a few songs, including the impressive opening and ending themes. The film and the soundtrack were very popular with listeners in 1967 (including my parents!), and the film went on to win an Oscar for Best Music Score. Camelot is one of my favorite musicals and with a terrific cast that also includes fabulous sixties stars like Franco Nero, Vanessa Redgrave and David Hemmings, what’s not to like?

The popularity of Camelot led Richard Harris to record the pop album A Tramp Shining in 1968, which contained the hit song MacArthur Park. The song has become the butt of a few jokes over the years and is often parodied, but I think it’s amazing for it’s length, memorable lyrics and bombastic tone. Listening to it today might make you wonder how in the world it ever became a hit, but I think it’s a really remarkable tune.

MacArthur’s Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down…
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don’t think that I can take it
‘cause it took so long to bake it
And I’ll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!

Richard Harris’ album A Tramp Shining was written, arranged and produced by the American songwriter Jimmy Webb. Webb is best known for writing hit songs like Up, Up, and Away for The Fifth Dimension and By The Time I Get To Phoenix for Glenn Campbell, but the hit single MacArthur Park that he wrote for Richard Harris may be his most ambitious effort. MacArthur Park was #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968 and A Tramp Shining was nominated for Album Of The Year. Richard Harris was also nominated for Contemporary Pop Male Vocalist of The Year in 1968 for MacArthur Park.

After the success of his album A Tramp Shining, Harris would go on to record 10 more records, but he never really had the same success with his musical efforts that he achieved in the sixties. Listening to the record now, it’s impossible to not be reminded of the Camelot soundtrack since they share a similar musical style at times. MacArthur Park is undoubtedly the best song on the album, but I also like the sweet and short Dancing Girl and the epic unconventional composition The Yard Went on Forever, which rivals MacArthur Park in length. I’m sure my rather sentimental opinion of Richard Harris colors my view of A Tramp Shining, but the record is just plain fun to listen to.

There’s no video on YouTube featuring Harris actually singing MacArthur Park, but I did come across this video featuring Richard Harris’ hit song:

Newly added (1/2008) - another video detailing the recording and performance of the song from a British program called the “50 Greatest One Hit Wonders.”

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