7 articles

22 hours ago

By Raymond Benson

“A Dickens Delight”

By Raymond Benson

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby may not immediately come to mind when naming the most well-known of author Charles Dickens’ novels, but it’s arguably one of his best. Besides being a cracking good story in print, the Royal Shakespeare Company famously produced an 8-1/2-hour long Tony Award-winning play (staged in two parts, with a dinner break) in 1980 that was one of this reviewer’s most treasured theatrical experiences.

The motion picture, released in 2002 to positive critical acclaim but little enthusiasm from ticket-buyers, is also a delight. Writer/director Douglas McGrath whittled down Dickens’ massive tome to a mere 132 minutes, and yet one doesn’t miss the extracted bits. The screenplay is an essential lesson in adaptation. Now a gorgeously rendered Blu-ray release from Twilight Time, Nickleby can be re-evaluated and appreciated for the superb achievement it is. »

- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)

30 December 2016 6:18 AM, PST

By John M. Whalen

Back in the 1950s, before he became a legend, filmmaker Sam Peckinpah (“The Wild Bunch,” “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia,” and “The Killer Elite”) wrote scripts for TV westerns, including “Gunsmoke,” “The Rifleman,” and “Tombstone Territory.” His reputation grew and in 1957 he wrote his first screenplay entitled “The Glory Guys” which was based on Hoffman Birney’s novel, “The Dice of God.” The book was a fictional account of Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn, with all names changed. The script went unproduced for almost eight years, and in the meantime Sam had moved on, directing features including “The Deadly Companions” (1960), “Ride the High Country” (1962) and “Major Dundee” (1965).

You would think that with that growing resume, Peckinpah would have been able to direct anything he wanted to, but such was far from the case. “Bloody Sam,” as he was called, affectionately by his fans, »

- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)

28 December 2016 7:01 PM, PST

The belief that the year 2016 is the worst one on record in terms of celebrity deaths will only be reinforced with the news that show business legend Debbie Reynolds has passed away at age 84 just one day after her daughter Carrie Fisher died from heart-related problems. Reynolds was grieving the loss of Carrie when she was hospitalized on Wednesday night due to shortness of breath.  Click here for more. 

Click Here For New York Times Overview Of Ms. Reynolds' Remarkable Career.  »

- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)

28 December 2016 9:56 AM, PST

By Bill Duelly

We’ve seen them at sci-fi or collectibles conventions shows; some more so in England than the Us. They man tables with stacks of photos, offering autographs or pictures for a fee.  In many cases their faces aren’t familiar, as their characters wore heavy makeup or masks in their appearance in the original “Star Wars” film. Still, even as you approach them face-to-face some of these people still don’t ring a bell. Maybe it’s because their scenes were deleted or they were an extra amongst many. Others, you discover are a familiar masked character and you are happy to chat for a few moments with them, as that movie, and its two sequels (I am only referring to the original trilogy starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher), had such a lasting impact on your childhood.

“Elstree 1976” is a recent documentary that follows ten such actors who, »

- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)

27 December 2016 11:10 AM, PST

Actress and novelist Carrie Fisher, daughter of Debbie Reynolds and the late singer Eddie Fisher, has died from complications related to a heart attack she suffered on a flight from London to Los Angeles last Tuesday. Fisher had been hospitalized in Los Angelessince and was described as being in "stable condition" as doctors worked feverishly to save her. Fisher is best known for playing the character of Princess Leia in the "Star Wars" film series. She was 60 years old.Fisher had been in London to promote her recently-published memoirs.  Click here for more. For Washington Post story click here.  »

- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)

27 December 2016 6:07 AM, PST

By Lee Pfeiffer

Even at 90 years of age Jerry Lewis can still grab a headline. When the Hollywood Reporter recently visited his home to conduct a video interview, Lewis looked  as though he was facing root canal surgery. He rudely answered questions with one or two word answers, insulted the crew throughout in a not very subtle manner and for seven excruciating minutes that have since gone viral, he dissed the interviewer, who never lost his cool or the respect he showed to the comedy legend. In that regard, he showed more class than Lewis himself. This wasn't an ambush-style interview or one loaded with "gotcha" questions. The pity is that if Lewis had played ball with the interviewer, he could have provided some interesting insights from the standpoint of a man his age who is still actively performing on stage and in film. Instead Lewis acted as though he »

- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)

26 December 2016 5:54 AM, PST

Time Life has released the retro TV comedy series "Hee Haw" as a 14-dvd boxed set. Here is the official press release:

Program Description

Pickin’ and grinnin’, singin’ and spinnin’ tall tales and corny jokes, the citizens of Kornfield Kounty landed on television in 1969 with the arrival of Hee Haw as a summer replacement series for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. With a cast of down-to-earth characters including Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones and Archie Campbell, knee-slapping comedic zingers, and jaw-dropping musical performances, the comedy-variety show, co-hosted by Buck Owens and Roy Clark, captivated the country. In 1971, after two successful years, CBS dropped the show in an effort to “de-countrify” the network’s programming; however, it was quickly picked up and aired for the next 21 years, making Hee Haw the longest-running weekly syndicated original series in television history.

In a new-to-retail set, Hee Haw: The Collector’S Edition offers 14 Hee-larious »

- nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)

7 articles

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