Three years after the first James Bond film, "Dr. No," a handful of folks who were working on the existing James Bond movies temporarily splintered off to make a completely different kind of spy film. 1965's "The Ipcress File" stars Michael Caine as Harry Palmer, a British secret agent who is much more interested in cooking a high quality meal than skiing off a cliff or dropping quippy one-liners after creatively killing his enemies. There are no scantily clad women, no suggestive double entendres, and no laser beams or gadgets -- in many ways, it's the anti-James Bond movie.
All the more interesting, then, that a handful of key Bond players helped bring this story to the big screen. "The Ipcress File" was scored by John Barry, who was responsible for that iconic James Bond theme song and composed the score for several early Bond pictures, including "Goldfinger" (coincidentally, Michael...
All the more interesting, then, that a handful of key Bond players helped bring this story to the big screen. "The Ipcress File" was scored by John Barry, who was responsible for that iconic James Bond theme song and composed the score for several early Bond pictures, including "Goldfinger" (coincidentally, Michael...
- 3/27/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
In the new HBO limited series The Regime, Kate Winslet plays Elena Vernham, the autocratic ruler of a small nation located somewhere in “Middle Europe.” Most of the action takes place inside Elena’s palace, and we frequently pay visits to a briefing room where Elena berates her cowed advisers. The room, with its huge round table and circular light fixture, very much resembles Ken Adam’s iconic war room set from the Cold War classic Dr. Strangelove. It is probably meant as a nod to the greatest piece of political satire ever filmed.
- 2/29/2024
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
When the Art Directors Guild holds its annual awards ceremony on Feb. 10, prizes will go to talented designers who created looks ranging from the nuclear-threatened whimsy of Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” to the apocalyptic wasteland of “The Last of Us,” to the pink-hued fantasy of a doll choosing between plastic eternity and real-world life and death (she picked the latter).
See a common thread here? In addition to the gloom lurking behind these creations, other contenders provided backdrops for the implied genocide of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” the grief of a lauded composer stricken by the death of his wife in “Maestro,” the battlefield carnage of “Napoleon” and the development of an ultimate weapon that can extinguish humankind in “Oppenheimer.”
Want more? There’s AI armageddon in “The Creator” and “A Murder at the End of the World,” Frankenstein biology in “Poor Things” and a cool-headed professional assassin in “The Killer.
See a common thread here? In addition to the gloom lurking behind these creations, other contenders provided backdrops for the implied genocide of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” the grief of a lauded composer stricken by the death of his wife in “Maestro,” the battlefield carnage of “Napoleon” and the development of an ultimate weapon that can extinguish humankind in “Oppenheimer.”
Want more? There’s AI armageddon in “The Creator” and “A Murder at the End of the World,” Frankenstein biology in “Poor Things” and a cool-headed professional assassin in “The Killer.
- 2/10/2024
- by Peter Caranicas
- Variety Film + TV
“You have a choice,” super spy Aiden (Sam Rockwell) tells novelist Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard). “You can either come with me and live, or you can go back and get your cat.”
It’s a hard decision for Elly to make. She loves her cat Alfie, her companion not just on lonely nights when she writes the latest entry in her hit spy novel series but also her passenger on a trip across the world, courtesy of the backpack carrier she wears throughout the film. But as Aiden points out, another wave of bad guys are on their way. And while his superhuman skills saved the day once, he doesn’t believe he can protect her through another assault.
The viewers do not share Elly’s indecision. We want her to save the cat. So ingrained in audiences is the desire for feline safety that “Save the Cat” has...
It’s a hard decision for Elly to make. She loves her cat Alfie, her companion not just on lonely nights when she writes the latest entry in her hit spy novel series but also her passenger on a trip across the world, courtesy of the backpack carrier she wears throughout the film. But as Aiden points out, another wave of bad guys are on their way. And while his superhuman skills saved the day once, he doesn’t believe he can protect her through another assault.
The viewers do not share Elly’s indecision. We want her to save the cat. So ingrained in audiences is the desire for feline safety that “Save the Cat” has...
- 1/31/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
This article contains light spoilers for James Bond: 007 #1.
In the first pages of a new comic book series, a mafioso gathers his family and talks of revenge. Reeling with sorrow and anger at the murder of his son, the mafioso vows to destroy his child’s killer. As he talks, the mafioso praises the remaining members of his family, and artist Rapha Lobosco devotes a panel to each, letting the reader see their importance: his strapping sons, his beautiful daughters, his loving wife, and his elderly mother.
But just when the mafioso hits the climax of his speech, an interuption forces him to turn around. There, he sees all but his mother dead, blood pouring from a bullet hole placed precisely in their foreheads. After killing the mafioso, the gunman turns to the elderly mother and says, “Better safe than sorry.” The sequence ends with a splash page showing...
In the first pages of a new comic book series, a mafioso gathers his family and talks of revenge. Reeling with sorrow and anger at the murder of his son, the mafioso vows to destroy his child’s killer. As he talks, the mafioso praises the remaining members of his family, and artist Rapha Lobosco devotes a panel to each, letting the reader see their importance: his strapping sons, his beautiful daughters, his loving wife, and his elderly mother.
But just when the mafioso hits the climax of his speech, an interuption forces him to turn around. There, he sees all but his mother dead, blood pouring from a bullet hole placed precisely in their foreheads. After killing the mafioso, the gunman turns to the elderly mother and says, “Better safe than sorry.” The sequence ends with a splash page showing...
- 1/23/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Clockwise from top left: Darth Vader helmet (Photo: Mj Kim/Getty Images); James Bond’s 1964 Aston Martin DB5 (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images); Dorothy’s ruby slippers (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images); A model X-Wing fighter (Photo: John Phillips/Getty Images)Graphic: The A.V. Club
Sometimes, C-3Po just doesn’t understand human behavior.
Sometimes, C-3Po just doesn’t understand human behavior.
- 10/30/2023
- by Ian Spelling
- avclub.com
The British production company Aardman, best known for award-winning shorts such as the evergreen Creature Comforts and short-to-feature franchises like Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, specializes in “Claymation,” stop-motion animation done using figurines made of clay and similar material. Even by the glacial standards of animation practice, they take ages to produce new work. You might say their output is rare as hens’ teeth, to quote a Britishism, which is apt because their most successful feature (and the highest-grossing stop-motion film ever) is still Chicken Run (2000), a family-friendly film set on a 1950s chicken farm that stars a brood of fowl with anatomically incorrect, but very Aardman-esque, over-bitey teeth.
But good things come to those who wait, and the studio’s sequel, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, is a worthy successor. Rounding up the feathered friends who made a break for freedom in the last film, led...
But good things come to those who wait, and the studio’s sequel, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, is a worthy successor. Rounding up the feathered friends who made a break for freedom in the last film, led...
- 10/16/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
By any metric, 23 years is a long time to wait for a sequel to Chicken Run, even when you factor in the fiendishly slow gestation of Aardman Animations’ meticulous stop-motion process. Surprisingly, it still feels fresh, not just because of the spring-clean of the core voice cast — Mel Gibson being the highest-profile casualty, lopped off as the “lone free-ranger” Rocky — but because, in the hands of director Sam Fell and his writing team, Dawn of The Nugget delivers a cleverly modern kind of family entertainment that, while it works to a formula, never feels written by committee.
The levels of peril it broaches are quite high, and may be disturbing for younger viewers, but the high-wire act it pulls off is to cover a very dark subject in an almost giddily Dayglo way that, this year at least, fills the unforeseen and indeed once unimaginable space between Barbie and The Zone of Interest.
The levels of peril it broaches are quite high, and may be disturbing for younger viewers, but the high-wire act it pulls off is to cover a very dark subject in an almost giddily Dayglo way that, this year at least, fills the unforeseen and indeed once unimaginable space between Barbie and The Zone of Interest.
- 10/14/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the many James Bond franchise staples introduced in 1964's "Goldfinger" was 007's Aston Martin DB5. Throughout his 60-year cinematic run, Bond has had the pleasure of driving some of the finest vehicles in the world, but none have become as synonymous with England's greatest spy as the DB5. Which is why, to this day, Aston Martin's 1963 luxury grand tourer remains the best James Bond car.
Prior to "Goldfinger," there had been two Bond movies: 1962's "Dr. No" and 1963's "From Russia With Love." In the former, 007 was seen riding in a Sunbeam Alpine, and in the latter a Bentley Mark IV — an odd choice considering the car had been around for a good 30 years prior to Sean Connery's Bond making use of it. And in Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, "Casino Royale," the MI6 agent drove a 1930 Blower Bentley, a racing version of the Bentley 4½ Litre.
Prior to "Goldfinger," there had been two Bond movies: 1962's "Dr. No" and 1963's "From Russia With Love." In the former, 007 was seen riding in a Sunbeam Alpine, and in the latter a Bentley Mark IV — an odd choice considering the car had been around for a good 30 years prior to Sean Connery's Bond making use of it. And in Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, "Casino Royale," the MI6 agent drove a 1930 Blower Bentley, a racing version of the Bentley 4½ Litre.
- 8/21/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
1977's "The Spy Who Loved Me" is a landmark James Bond film for several reasons. For one, it fully cemented Sir Roger Moore as Bond, establishing his take on the character as distinctive and separate from Sean Connery and George Lazenby. For another, it introduced another recurring character to the continuity-lite franchise: Richard Kiel's imposing (and mostly silent) henchman, Jaws. The film also featured a then-groundbreaking stunt sequence, a buzzworthy moment that helped it become the massive box-office hit the franchise needed in order to continue at all after the underperformance of "The Man With the Golden Gun."
Most intriguingly for the spy movie in general, however, "The Spy Who Loved Me" introduced the notion of detente between Her Majesty's Secret Service (represented by Bond) and the Kgb (represented by Barbara Bach as Anya Amasova). This spirit of tolerance and occasional cooperation continued throughout the next several Bond films,...
Most intriguingly for the spy movie in general, however, "The Spy Who Loved Me" introduced the notion of detente between Her Majesty's Secret Service (represented by Bond) and the Kgb (represented by Barbara Bach as Anya Amasova). This spirit of tolerance and occasional cooperation continued throughout the next several Bond films,...
- 8/19/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Considering we share the same rare first name, I’ve always had a strong affinity with Redmond Barry. His epic travails across Europe – lovingly, beautifully, cynically portrayed in Stanley Kubrick’s once-underrated, now-reappraised classic Barry Lyndon – carry the sweep of history while never losing its romantic core. Like most Stanley Kubrick projects, the behind-the-scenes antics, including a potential threat from the Ira, are legendary – they also prove fertile ground for a metafictional exploration of the life of a below-the-line film crew falling in and out of love across the Irish countryside. With Kubrick By Candelight, location-manager-turned-director (and Stanley Kubrick superfan) David O’Reilly weaves a delicate romantic metafictional comedy that functions both as a tribute to the legendary filmmaker’s unique cinematic vision and as a delightful short in its own right. We had the chance to talk to O’Reilly about recreating Kubrick’s cinematic techniques, being inspired by countless days...
- 4/20/2023
- by Redmond Bacon
- Directors Notes
Plot: Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) travels to a remote island in Greece to solve a murder involving a reclusive tech billionaire (Edward Norton).
Review: Knives Out will probably become one of TIFF’s biggest success stories. Considered a risky gamble in its time, the movie proved to be a sensation upon its first screening. In the end, Knives Out was a smash hit at the box office that Netflix (who snapped up the rights to the series) has turned into what’s bound to become their first real franchise. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is bigger and perhaps even more brilliantly written than the first, sporting a tremendous cast led by Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe.
If Glass Onion suffers at all, it’s that we go into it expecting a twisty murder mystery, while the original took us by surprise as it was so unique. It was...
Review: Knives Out will probably become one of TIFF’s biggest success stories. Considered a risky gamble in its time, the movie proved to be a sensation upon its first screening. In the end, Knives Out was a smash hit at the box office that Netflix (who snapped up the rights to the series) has turned into what’s bound to become their first real franchise. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is bigger and perhaps even more brilliantly written than the first, sporting a tremendous cast led by Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe.
If Glass Onion suffers at all, it’s that we go into it expecting a twisty murder mystery, while the original took us by surprise as it was so unique. It was...
- 11/21/2022
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Director Stanley Kubrick's 1975 feature "Barry Lyndon", based on the 1844 novel "The Luck of Barry Lyndon" by author William Makepeace Thackeray, is now available newly restored on Blu-ray:
Considered Kubrick's masterpiece, "Barry Lyndon" recounts the (satirical) exploits of an insincere, 18th century, fortune-hunting Irish rogue.
Director Martin Scorsese has said that "Barry Lyndon" is his favorite Kubrick film.
Although we love certain parts of "2001: A Space Odyssey", "The Shining" and "Full Metal Jacket", next to Kubrick's Oscar-nominated "Dr. Strangelove" and "A Clockwork Orange", we concur with Scorsese, delighted by one-note actor Ryan O'Neal's performance, perfectly cast as a wooden innocent, determined to maintain his standing as a 'gentleman', while evolving into a devious scoundrel, in order to survive the era's useless wars, thievery and debauchery.
Drawing inspiration from "the landscapes of Watteau and Gainsborough," Kubrick and cinematographer John Alcott also relied on the meticulous art direction of Ken Adam and Roy Walker,...
Considered Kubrick's masterpiece, "Barry Lyndon" recounts the (satirical) exploits of an insincere, 18th century, fortune-hunting Irish rogue.
Director Martin Scorsese has said that "Barry Lyndon" is his favorite Kubrick film.
Although we love certain parts of "2001: A Space Odyssey", "The Shining" and "Full Metal Jacket", next to Kubrick's Oscar-nominated "Dr. Strangelove" and "A Clockwork Orange", we concur with Scorsese, delighted by one-note actor Ryan O'Neal's performance, perfectly cast as a wooden innocent, determined to maintain his standing as a 'gentleman', while evolving into a devious scoundrel, in order to survive the era's useless wars, thievery and debauchery.
Drawing inspiration from "the landscapes of Watteau and Gainsborough," Kubrick and cinematographer John Alcott also relied on the meticulous art direction of Ken Adam and Roy Walker,...
- 5/18/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Production Designer Ken Adam, Producer Albert R. Broccoli and Director Lewis Gilbert on the original "007 Stage" at Pinewood Studios.
It was the biggest James Bond film to date. Released in 1977, Roger Moore's third 007 film, "The Spy Who Loved Me", restored the series to its former grandeur, following the anemic reaction to the previous film "The Man with the Golden Gun". Producer Albert R. Broccoli was making his first Bond movie without his former partner, Harry Saltzman, who ended their partnership after "Golden Gun". Broccoli was determined to go all-out and backed his plans by getting United Artists to provide the biggest budget the franchise had ever enjoyed. Broccoli made sure every penny was on the screen and constructed the largest sound stage in the world at Pinewood Studios. American Cinematographer magazine has long provided detailed behind-the-scenes coverage of the making of the Bond films. They have reprinted their on-set visit...
It was the biggest James Bond film to date. Released in 1977, Roger Moore's third 007 film, "The Spy Who Loved Me", restored the series to its former grandeur, following the anemic reaction to the previous film "The Man with the Golden Gun". Producer Albert R. Broccoli was making his first Bond movie without his former partner, Harry Saltzman, who ended their partnership after "Golden Gun". Broccoli was determined to go all-out and backed his plans by getting United Artists to provide the biggest budget the franchise had ever enjoyed. Broccoli made sure every penny was on the screen and constructed the largest sound stage in the world at Pinewood Studios. American Cinematographer magazine has long provided detailed behind-the-scenes coverage of the making of the Bond films. They have reprinted their on-set visit...
- 2/24/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Roger Michell’s final feature retells story of the cussed Newcastle pensioner who stole a Goya portrait in protest at government spending priorities
For what has become his final feature film, director Roger Michell made this sweet-natured and genial comedy in the spirit of Ealing, which bobs up like a ping pong ball on a water-fountain. It is based on the true story of Kempton Bunton, the Newcastle cab driver who in 1965 appeared at the Old Bailey for stealing Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from London’s National Gallery. The mystery of its disappearance had so electrified the media that there was even a gag about it in the James Bond film Dr No, using a copy personally painted by the legendary production designer Ken Adam, which was itself stolen. Maybe there should be a film about that as well.
The court heard this was Bunton’s...
For what has become his final feature film, director Roger Michell made this sweet-natured and genial comedy in the spirit of Ealing, which bobs up like a ping pong ball on a water-fountain. It is based on the true story of Kempton Bunton, the Newcastle cab driver who in 1965 appeared at the Old Bailey for stealing Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from London’s National Gallery. The mystery of its disappearance had so electrified the media that there was even a gag about it in the James Bond film Dr No, using a copy personally painted by the legendary production designer Ken Adam, which was itself stolen. Maybe there should be a film about that as well.
The court heard this was Bunton’s...
- 2/23/2022
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Maverick director Robert Aldrich’s one foray into grand-scale epic filmmaking is returned to crystal clarity in this fine import disc, a restoration from original Italian film elements. Stewart Granger’s Lot allies his Hebrew tribe with the notorious cities of evil, and almost loses his soul to Anouk Aimée’s wicked Queen Bera. Pier Angeli is the slave who becomes Lot’s wife, and Rossana Podestà is the daughter taken by Stanley Baker’s rapacious prince. Second unit director Sergio Leone whips up a terrific battle scene (maybe), Ken Adam provides the spectacular sets and Miklós Rózsa the powerful music score. And yes, the explosive finish involves hellfire, brimstone and the Biblical Pillar of Salt.
Sodom and Gomorrah
Explosive Media
All-region Blu-ray
1962 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 154 and 117 min. / Street Date December 9, 2021 / Available from Amazon.de /
Starring: Stewart Granger, Pier Angeli (Anna Maria Pierangeli), Anouk Aimée, Stanley Baker, Rossana Podestà, Rik Battaglia,...
Sodom and Gomorrah
Explosive Media
All-region Blu-ray
1962 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 154 and 117 min. / Street Date December 9, 2021 / Available from Amazon.de /
Starring: Stewart Granger, Pier Angeli (Anna Maria Pierangeli), Anouk Aimée, Stanley Baker, Rossana Podestà, Rik Battaglia,...
- 1/1/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
“Brosnan Before Bond”
By Raymond Benson
In 1986, Pierce Brosnan almost became James Bond, nearly a decade before he actually did so. He had been cast to replace Roger Moore as the iconic 007, but at the last minute, NBC waved his contract for the television series Remington Steele at him, exercising the option to make another season. Brosnan was out, and Timothy Dalton was in.
And then… Remington Steele’s new season ended up consisting of only six episodes, finishing its run in early 1987. So, Brosnan had been baited and switched. Nevertheless, in the interim years between then and his appearance in GoldenEye (1995), the actor set about establishing himself as a leading man in feature films.
One of these early starring roles was in the 1988 production, The Deceivers, a British picture made by the elite Merchant Ivory Productions, and it was produced by Ismail Merchant himself.
“Brosnan Before Bond”
By Raymond Benson
In 1986, Pierce Brosnan almost became James Bond, nearly a decade before he actually did so. He had been cast to replace Roger Moore as the iconic 007, but at the last minute, NBC waved his contract for the television series Remington Steele at him, exercising the option to make another season. Brosnan was out, and Timothy Dalton was in.
And then… Remington Steele’s new season ended up consisting of only six episodes, finishing its run in early 1987. So, Brosnan had been baited and switched. Nevertheless, in the interim years between then and his appearance in GoldenEye (1995), the actor set about establishing himself as a leading man in feature films.
One of these early starring roles was in the 1988 production, The Deceivers, a British picture made by the elite Merchant Ivory Productions, and it was produced by Ismail Merchant himself.
- 12/19/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
We loved James Bond but diehard ’60s spy fans hold a special admiration for Len Deighton’s ‘thinking man’s secret agent’ Harry Palmer. Viavision pulls off a slick trick by assembling the three top Michael Caine Harry Palmer pictures, each from a different studio, in a single deluxe gift box. Harry fights the Brain Drain, encounters criss-crossing conspiracies at the Berlin Wall, and witnesses a privatized invasion of the U.S.S.R., in The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin and Billion Dollar Brain, three great pictures by three very different directors. The presentations come with a glut of special edition extras.
The Harry Palmer Collection
All-Region Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 75, 76, 77
1965-67 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / Street Date October 20, 2021 / Available from Amazon / 109.99
Starring: Michael Caine
From the novels by Len Deighton
Produced by Harry Saltzman
Directed by Sidney J. Furie, Guy Hamilton, Ken Russell
It didn’t seem possible that there...
The Harry Palmer Collection
All-Region Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 75, 76, 77
1965-67 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / Street Date October 20, 2021 / Available from Amazon / 109.99
Starring: Michael Caine
From the novels by Len Deighton
Produced by Harry Saltzman
Directed by Sidney J. Furie, Guy Hamilton, Ken Russell
It didn’t seem possible that there...
- 11/13/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The great director discusses some of his favorite movies with host Josh Olson.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Alzheimer Case a.k.a. Memory of a Killer (2003)
Memory (Tbd)
The Protégé (2021)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Cast A Deadly Spell (1991)
The Mask Of Zorro (1998)
GoldenEye (1995)
Casino Royale (2006)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Slap Shot (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Salt (2010)
Atomic Blonde (2017) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Oliver Twist (1948)
Dr. No (1962) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary
The Guns Of Navarone (1962)
The Dirty Dozen (1967) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s 70mm reissue review
The Spy Who Loved Me...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Alzheimer Case a.k.a. Memory of a Killer (2003)
Memory (Tbd)
The Protégé (2021)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Cast A Deadly Spell (1991)
The Mask Of Zorro (1998)
GoldenEye (1995)
Casino Royale (2006)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Slap Shot (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Salt (2010)
Atomic Blonde (2017) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Oliver Twist (1948)
Dr. No (1962) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary
The Guns Of Navarone (1962)
The Dirty Dozen (1967) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s 70mm reissue review
The Spy Who Loved Me...
- 8/27/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
"The Furniture," by Daniel Walber. (Click on images for magnified detail)
Ken Adam in 1976. Photo © Deutchse Kinemathek
Today marks the centennial of legendary production designer Ken Adam, the artist responsible for some of the biggest film sets of the 20th century. The first that comes to mind for me is the supertanker in The Spy Who Loved Me, built on the world’s largest sound stage. Adam designed dozens of secret military facilities and hidden lairs for the seven James Bond films he worked on. But his most famous is probably the “War Room” from Dr. Strangelove, another vast interior - and the reason he had to turn down From Russia with Love.
Adam’s legacy is intimately connected to these atomic fantasies, which continue to influence our collective memory of the Cold War...
Ken Adam in 1976. Photo © Deutchse Kinemathek
Today marks the centennial of legendary production designer Ken Adam, the artist responsible for some of the biggest film sets of the 20th century. The first that comes to mind for me is the supertanker in The Spy Who Loved Me, built on the world’s largest sound stage. Adam designed dozens of secret military facilities and hidden lairs for the seven James Bond films he worked on. But his most famous is probably the “War Room” from Dr. Strangelove, another vast interior - and the reason he had to turn down From Russia with Love.
Adam’s legacy is intimately connected to these atomic fantasies, which continue to influence our collective memory of the Cold War...
- 2/5/2021
- by Daniel Walber
- FilmExperience
Peter Lamont interviewed by Gareth Owen at a celebration of his career at Pinewood Studios, 2016. (Photo: Mark Mawston).
We at Cinema Retro mourn the passing of our good friend Peter Lamont, the legendary Production Designer of many James Bond films as well as "Titanic", for which he received the Academy Award. Cr columnist and author Gareth Owen reflects on Peter's life and career.
By Gareth Owen
Normal 0 false false false En-gb X-none X-none
British Oscar winning (and four-time nominee) Production Designer Peter Lamont passed away on December 18th aged 91 after suffering complications from pneumonia.
Having seen his name on the silver screen throughout my formative years on films such as The Seven Percent Solution, Sleuth, Fiddler On The Roof, and of course pretty much every James Bond film, I first met Peter in 1990 at Pinewood Studios and was immediately struck by his friendliness, charm and modesty. I bumped into him...
We at Cinema Retro mourn the passing of our good friend Peter Lamont, the legendary Production Designer of many James Bond films as well as "Titanic", for which he received the Academy Award. Cr columnist and author Gareth Owen reflects on Peter's life and career.
By Gareth Owen
Normal 0 false false false En-gb X-none X-none
British Oscar winning (and four-time nominee) Production Designer Peter Lamont passed away on December 18th aged 91 after suffering complications from pneumonia.
Having seen his name on the silver screen throughout my formative years on films such as The Seven Percent Solution, Sleuth, Fiddler On The Roof, and of course pretty much every James Bond film, I first met Peter in 1990 at Pinewood Studios and was immediately struck by his friendliness, charm and modesty. I bumped into him...
- 12/19/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
It’s finally back on Blu in Region 1, the ‘sixties spy movie beloved by enthusiasts that yearned for something a bit more substantial & nutritious than James Bond. This first Harry Palmer adventure seems even more perfect than when it was thanks to a great espionage recipe and quality ingredients. Michael Caine is sensational as the anti-007, the feel of London streets is intoxicating, and John Barry’s music score is beyond praise. Are Sidney Furie’s directorial mannerisms too show-offy, too fussy? I only raise the question to defend him.
The Ipcress File
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 109 min. / Street Date October 27, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Guy Doleman, Sue Lloyd, Gordon Jackson, Aubrey Richards, Frank Gatliff, Thomas Baptiste, Oliver MacGreevy, Freda Bamford, David Glover, Mike Murray, Anthony Baird.
Cinematography: Otto Heller
Film Editor: Peter Hunt
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: John Barry
Written by W.H. Canaway,...
The Ipcress File
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 109 min. / Street Date October 27, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Guy Doleman, Sue Lloyd, Gordon Jackson, Aubrey Richards, Frank Gatliff, Thomas Baptiste, Oliver MacGreevy, Freda Bamford, David Glover, Mike Murray, Anthony Baird.
Cinematography: Otto Heller
Film Editor: Peter Hunt
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: John Barry
Written by W.H. Canaway,...
- 10/13/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
On The Morning Show, production designer John Paino was tasked with designing the set for a show within a show, embracing the chance to dive into a world he’d never before explored.
Created by Jay Carson and Kerry Ehrin, the drama centers on a popular breakfast news program broadcast out of New York, which is rocked to its core when one of its longtime anchors is fired, due to accusations of sexual misconduct.
An Emmy nominee behind such prestige series as Sharp Objects and Big Little Lies, Paino is always compelled by the notion of a new design challenge. In the case of The Morning Show, the challenge was to put his personal touch on a kind of set that feels ubiquitous, bringing out all the special, little details within a space that might otherwise be taken for granted.
“It’s almost like, how do you do the war room?...
Created by Jay Carson and Kerry Ehrin, the drama centers on a popular breakfast news program broadcast out of New York, which is rocked to its core when one of its longtime anchors is fired, due to accusations of sexual misconduct.
An Emmy nominee behind such prestige series as Sharp Objects and Big Little Lies, Paino is always compelled by the notion of a new design challenge. In the case of The Morning Show, the challenge was to put his personal touch on a kind of set that feels ubiquitous, bringing out all the special, little details within a space that might otherwise be taken for granted.
“It’s almost like, how do you do the war room?...
- 6/16/2020
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Myopic Harry Palmer, the great cook, lover and reluctant spy, returns to where his trouble with the British Army began. This time he’s tangled up in a political snarl that might have dire consequences: not only are the Russians involved, ex-Nazis are on the payroll. Israel may have an agent in the field, and not necessarily working in Her Majesty’s interest. Michael Caine’s star quality shines through in this second Harry Palmer spy yarn, filmed on German locations in high style by Guy Hamilton.
Funeral in Berlin
Blu-ray Disc
Paramount Pictures
1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 102 min. / Street Date May 26, 2020 / 20.49
Starring: Michael Caine, Oskar Homolka, Paul Hubschmid, Eva Renzi, Guy Doleman.
Cinematography: Otto Heller
Film Editor: John Bloom
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: Konrad Elfers
Written by Evan Jones from the novel by Len Deighton
Produced by Charles D. Kasher & Harry Saltzman
Directed by Guy Hamilton
All three...
Funeral in Berlin
Blu-ray Disc
Paramount Pictures
1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 102 min. / Street Date May 26, 2020 / 20.49
Starring: Michael Caine, Oskar Homolka, Paul Hubschmid, Eva Renzi, Guy Doleman.
Cinematography: Otto Heller
Film Editor: John Bloom
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: Konrad Elfers
Written by Evan Jones from the novel by Len Deighton
Produced by Charles D. Kasher & Harry Saltzman
Directed by Guy Hamilton
All three...
- 5/30/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Susie Mancini received one basic instruction from “Space Force” co-creator Greg Daniels when she was hired to design the sets for the Netflix comedy, which debuts May 29: “Re-create reality with a hint of enhancement.”
The series, based on the new branch of the U.S. military established at the request of President Trump, revolves around Gen. Mark R. Naird (played by series co-creator Steve Carell), who uproots his family and moves to a secret military base in Colorado where he must lead the service arm that protects America by “waging space warfare.”
For the “reality” part of her mandate, Mancini borrowed designs from Nasa and SpaceX; for the “enhancement” part, she channeled brutalist architecture with a touch of Stanley Kubrick.
“The challenge was that it’s a world that doesn’t exist today, but it’s a real branch of the military,” says Mancini (“Ingrid Goes West” “Dollface”). Her...
The series, based on the new branch of the U.S. military established at the request of President Trump, revolves around Gen. Mark R. Naird (played by series co-creator Steve Carell), who uproots his family and moves to a secret military base in Colorado where he must lead the service arm that protects America by “waging space warfare.”
For the “reality” part of her mandate, Mancini borrowed designs from Nasa and SpaceX; for the “enhancement” part, she channeled brutalist architecture with a touch of Stanley Kubrick.
“The challenge was that it’s a world that doesn’t exist today, but it’s a real branch of the military,” says Mancini (“Ingrid Goes West” “Dollface”). Her...
- 5/29/2020
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
From the people that brought you Pandemic Parade chapters 1-8, comes yet another thrilling episode featuring Jesse V. Johnson, Casper Kelly, Fred Dekker, Don Coscarelli, Daniel Noah, Elijah Wood and Blaire Bercy.
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wondrous Story of Birth a.k.a. The Birth of Triplets (1950)
Contagion (2011)
The Omega Man (1971)
Panic In The Streets (1950)
The Last Man On Earth (1964)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Innerspace (1987)
The Howling (1981)
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Sand Pebbles (1966)
Where Eagles Dare (1969)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Goldfinger (1964)
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965)
Murder On The Orient Express (1974)
Dr. No (1962)
From Russia With Love (1963)
Bellman and True (1987)
Brimstone and Treacle (1982)
Richard III (1995)
Titanic (1997)
Catch 22 (1970)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966)
The Graduate (1967)
1941 (1979)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Jaws (1975)
The Fortune (1975)
Carnal Knowledge (1970)
Manhattan...
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wondrous Story of Birth a.k.a. The Birth of Triplets (1950)
Contagion (2011)
The Omega Man (1971)
Panic In The Streets (1950)
The Last Man On Earth (1964)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Innerspace (1987)
The Howling (1981)
The Invisible Man (2020)
The Sand Pebbles (1966)
Where Eagles Dare (1969)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Goldfinger (1964)
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965)
Murder On The Orient Express (1974)
Dr. No (1962)
From Russia With Love (1963)
Bellman and True (1987)
Brimstone and Treacle (1982)
Richard III (1995)
Titanic (1997)
Catch 22 (1970)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966)
The Graduate (1967)
1941 (1979)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Jaws (1975)
The Fortune (1975)
Carnal Knowledge (1970)
Manhattan...
- 5/29/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
“France’S Answer To Bond”
By Raymond Benson
Way back in 1911, French writers Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre created a super-villain who became a worldwide phenomenon in literature, comics, and film—Fantômas, a master of disguise, thief, killer, and head of his own network of criminals. The two authors wrote 32 books featuring the character, and then Allain alone continued with 11 more. There was a serial of silent films made in France beginning with Fantômas. Over the last century, more films, comics, books, and television series were produced, leading up to the hugely popular reboot of the character in the 1960s.
After the success of the first James Bond film Dr. No (1962), the French studio Gaumont quickly got into the act of making their own answer to what was becoming a phenomenon. Once From Russia with Love (1963) proved that 007 wasn’t a one-shot wonder, director André Hunebelle and writers Jean Halain...
By Raymond Benson
Way back in 1911, French writers Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre created a super-villain who became a worldwide phenomenon in literature, comics, and film—Fantômas, a master of disguise, thief, killer, and head of his own network of criminals. The two authors wrote 32 books featuring the character, and then Allain alone continued with 11 more. There was a serial of silent films made in France beginning with Fantômas. Over the last century, more films, comics, books, and television series were produced, leading up to the hugely popular reboot of the character in the 1960s.
After the success of the first James Bond film Dr. No (1962), the French studio Gaumont quickly got into the act of making their own answer to what was becoming a phenomenon. Once From Russia with Love (1963) proved that 007 wasn’t a one-shot wonder, director André Hunebelle and writers Jean Halain...
- 5/1/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
With “Farmageddon,” the stop-motion sequel to the Oscar-nominated “Shaun the Sheep Movie” (now streaming on Netflix), Aardman couldn’t resist embracing sci-fi for the first time. And for newbie feature directors Will Becher and Richard Phelan, it was a rare opportunity to take a deep dive into the genre, especially the beloved films of Steven Spielberg.
When a cute yet free-spirited alien child, Lu-la, crash-lands near Mossy Bottom farm, Shaun, normally the troublemaker, becomes a responsible buddy on a quest to find Lu-la’s lost spaceship and return home, fighting off a secret government agency bent on capturing the alien. “The idea of Shaun being the rebel and always pushing boundaries changes when he meets this alien who has no limits, who has no boundaries,” said Becher. “And he has to grow up a bit, learning what it’s like to be an older brother. We talked a lot about...
When a cute yet free-spirited alien child, Lu-la, crash-lands near Mossy Bottom farm, Shaun, normally the troublemaker, becomes a responsible buddy on a quest to find Lu-la’s lost spaceship and return home, fighting off a secret government agency bent on capturing the alien. “The idea of Shaun being the rebel and always pushing boundaries changes when he meets this alien who has no limits, who has no boundaries,” said Becher. “And he has to grow up a bit, learning what it’s like to be an older brother. We talked a lot about...
- 2/14/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile,” Ira Levin’s “Deathtrap” and Robert Altman’s “Gosford Park” are among the classic murder mysteries mentioned as inspiration for Rian Johnson’s deliciously clever thriller “Knives Out,” which has earned three Golden Globe nominations and several critics’ awards.
But alas, dear reader, the game is afoot.
As soon as I saw the puzzle-perfect interior of mystery writer Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer)’s mansion, I thought of the 1972 classic mystery thriller “Sleuth,” starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and adapted by Anthony Schaffer from his Tony Award-winning 1970 play.
The film version of “Sleuth” earned four Oscar nominations: Best Actor for both Olivier and Caine, director for Mankiewicz (it would be the multi-Oscar-winner’s final film) and John Addison’s playful score. Though most acting honors for lead actor went to Marlon Brando for “The Godfather,...
But alas, dear reader, the game is afoot.
As soon as I saw the puzzle-perfect interior of mystery writer Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer)’s mansion, I thought of the 1972 classic mystery thriller “Sleuth,” starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and adapted by Anthony Schaffer from his Tony Award-winning 1970 play.
The film version of “Sleuth” earned four Oscar nominations: Best Actor for both Olivier and Caine, director for Mankiewicz (it would be the multi-Oscar-winner’s final film) and John Addison’s playful score. Though most acting honors for lead actor went to Marlon Brando for “The Godfather,...
- 12/16/2019
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
By Mark Cerulli
Forty eight years ago, United Artists continued their series of highly profitable Bond double features by releasing arguably the biggest 00 double bill of them all – Thunderball and You Only Live Twice. Both films had coined money on their initial releases, with Thunderball being the highest-grossing 007 film of that era – in fact, of many eras, right up until Skyfall in 2012. Thunderball earned a stunning $141 Million worldwide (over one billion dollars in today’s money), a number that must have had UA’s finance department humming the Bond theme at 727 Seventh Avenue. You Only Live Twice pulled in over $111 Million worldwide, its profits squeezed perhaps by a competing Bond film, the over-the-top comedy, Casino Royale with Peter Sellers, David Niven, Terence Cooper and Woody Allen as various Bonds or an Italian spy knockoff starring Sean Connery’s younger brother, Neil. (More on that later.)
Throughout the 60s, 70s and into the early 80s,...
Forty eight years ago, United Artists continued their series of highly profitable Bond double features by releasing arguably the biggest 00 double bill of them all – Thunderball and You Only Live Twice. Both films had coined money on their initial releases, with Thunderball being the highest-grossing 007 film of that era – in fact, of many eras, right up until Skyfall in 2012. Thunderball earned a stunning $141 Million worldwide (over one billion dollars in today’s money), a number that must have had UA’s finance department humming the Bond theme at 727 Seventh Avenue. You Only Live Twice pulled in over $111 Million worldwide, its profits squeezed perhaps by a competing Bond film, the over-the-top comedy, Casino Royale with Peter Sellers, David Niven, Terence Cooper and Woody Allen as various Bonds or an Italian spy knockoff starring Sean Connery’s younger brother, Neil. (More on that later.)
Throughout the 60s, 70s and into the early 80s,...
- 8/8/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
William Hurt, Christine Lahti and Elizabeth Perkins do excellent work in this superior drama which delivers an important, unforced life lesson. An emotionless hotshot surgeon gets a dose of his own medicine when he’s hit by a cancerous tumor, and is put through the same wringer that so humiliates his patients. What might be a cynical critique becomes a curiously uplifting drama about the need to include some humanity in one’s profession. Asserting the importance of kindness and empathy to people in need, director Randa Haines’ show is more uplifting than a faith-based film.
The Doctor
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1991 / Color / widescreen / 122 min. / Street Date March 5, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 19.95
Starring: William Hurt, Christine Lahti, Elizabeth Perkins, Mandy Patinkin, Adam Arkin, Charlie Korsmo, Wendy Crewson, Bill Macy, J.E. Freeman, Ed Rosenbaum.
Cinematography: John Seale
Film Editor: Lisa Fruchtman, Bruce Green
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: Michael Convertino...
The Doctor
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1991 / Color / widescreen / 122 min. / Street Date March 5, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 19.95
Starring: William Hurt, Christine Lahti, Elizabeth Perkins, Mandy Patinkin, Adam Arkin, Charlie Korsmo, Wendy Crewson, Bill Macy, J.E. Freeman, Ed Rosenbaum.
Cinematography: John Seale
Film Editor: Lisa Fruchtman, Bruce Green
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Original Music: Michael Convertino...
- 3/5/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
A top horror title gets the Powerhouse Indicator treatment just in time for Halloween — it’s not a domestic release but it plays in our Region A players. You can shuffle the alternate versions like a deck of cards: one basic movie, but six separate encodings: by length, title sequence and aspect ratio. Plus fascinating extras and a killer versions comparison feature.
Night of the Demon / Curse of the Demon
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1957 / B&W / 1:66 + 1:75 widescreen / 95 & 82 min. / Limited Edition / Street Date October 22, 2018 / available from Amazon UK / £47,42
Starring: Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Maurice Denham,
Athene Seyler
Cinematography: Ted Scaife
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Special Effects: George Blackwell, S.D. Onions, Wally Veevers
Film Editor Michael Gordon
Original Music: Clifton Parker
Written by Charles Bennett and Hal E. Chester
from the story Casting the Runes by M. R. James
Produced by Frank Bevis, Hal E. Chester
Directed by Jacques Tourneur...
Night of the Demon / Curse of the Demon
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator
1957 / B&W / 1:66 + 1:75 widescreen / 95 & 82 min. / Limited Edition / Street Date October 22, 2018 / available from Amazon UK / £47,42
Starring: Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Maurice Denham,
Athene Seyler
Cinematography: Ted Scaife
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Special Effects: George Blackwell, S.D. Onions, Wally Veevers
Film Editor Michael Gordon
Original Music: Clifton Parker
Written by Charles Bennett and Hal E. Chester
from the story Casting the Runes by M. R. James
Produced by Frank Bevis, Hal E. Chester
Directed by Jacques Tourneur...
- 10/20/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
It wasn’t easy coming up with fresh space ships for the rebooted “Star Trek Discovery” and “Lost in Space,” or the “Star Trek” riffs on “USS Callister” (“Black Mirror”) and Seth MacFarlane’s “The Orville.” After all, there’s cultural significance and legacy and immense pressure in creating what amounts to homes and playgrounds and battle arenas, with distinct shape languages that help define the looks of their shows.
Of course, “Star Trek” offers its own set of challenges and, with “Discovery,” it required a special Federation ship that was only a decade removed from the original Enterprise. For “Lost in Space,” they had a lot more artistic license in designing a futuristic Jupiter 2. However, for the USS Callister, the “Black Mirror” team had to steer clear of any direct references to “Star Trek” while still evoking its ’60s vibe. MacFarlane’s team, meanwhile, was tasked with coming up...
Of course, “Star Trek” offers its own set of challenges and, with “Discovery,” it required a special Federation ship that was only a decade removed from the original Enterprise. For “Lost in Space,” they had a lot more artistic license in designing a futuristic Jupiter 2. However, for the USS Callister, the “Black Mirror” team had to steer clear of any direct references to “Star Trek” while still evoking its ’60s vibe. MacFarlane’s team, meanwhile, was tasked with coming up...
- 6/8/2018
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Gilbert on the set of the 1977 James Bond blockbuster The Spy Who Loved Me with production designer Ken Adam and producer Albert R. Broccoli at Pinewood Studios, London.
By Lee Pfeiffer
Cinema Retro mourns the news of director/producer Lewis Gilbert's death in London at age 97. Gilbert was a good friend to our magazine and gave what is probably his last interview to our correspondent Matthew Field several years ago. It ran in three consecutive issues of Cinema Retro (#'s18, 19 and 20).
Gilbert had a remarkable career that began early in life as a music hall performer and an actor in small roles in British films. During WWII he served in the Raf, producing and directing documentaries for the military. His first feature film as director was "The Little Ballerina", released in 1947. Gilbert toiled through directing low-budget, often undistinguished films, honing his craft along the way. He earned praise for...
By Lee Pfeiffer
Cinema Retro mourns the news of director/producer Lewis Gilbert's death in London at age 97. Gilbert was a good friend to our magazine and gave what is probably his last interview to our correspondent Matthew Field several years ago. It ran in three consecutive issues of Cinema Retro (#'s18, 19 and 20).
Gilbert had a remarkable career that began early in life as a music hall performer and an actor in small roles in British films. During WWII he served in the Raf, producing and directing documentaries for the military. His first feature film as director was "The Little Ballerina", released in 1947. Gilbert toiled through directing low-budget, often undistinguished films, honing his craft along the way. He earned praise for...
- 2/28/2018
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
As expected, “Blade Runner 2049” and “The Shape of Water” were the big production design winners for fantasy and period at the 22nd Art Directors Guild Awards on Saturday at Hollywood and Highland. “Logan” was the surprising contemporary winner (production designed by Francois Audouy), but Pixar’s “Coco” made history as the Adg’s first animation honoree (earned by production designer Harley Jessup).
Production designers Dennis Gassner and Paul Austerberry will square off for the Oscar. Gassner, the favorite, created a harsh and brutalistic dystopia for Denis Villeneuve’s “Blade Runner” sequel, while Austerberry’s brought noir and water motifs to Guillermo del Toro’s period fantasy-romance.
For TV, “Game of Thrones,” (period or fantasy), “The Handmaid’s Tale” (contemporary), “Black Mirror” (limited series), “Glow” (half-hour series), and “Will & Grace” (multi-camera series) were the big winners.
Adg honors went to Lucasfilm president and “Star Wars” franchise producer Kathleen Kennedy...
Production designers Dennis Gassner and Paul Austerberry will square off for the Oscar. Gassner, the favorite, created a harsh and brutalistic dystopia for Denis Villeneuve’s “Blade Runner” sequel, while Austerberry’s brought noir and water motifs to Guillermo del Toro’s period fantasy-romance.
For TV, “Game of Thrones,” (period or fantasy), “The Handmaid’s Tale” (contemporary), “Black Mirror” (limited series), “Glow” (half-hour series), and “Will & Grace” (multi-camera series) were the big winners.
Adg honors went to Lucasfilm president and “Star Wars” franchise producer Kathleen Kennedy...
- 1/28/2018
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
It’s great when a fancy costume picture really has something to say — Alan Bennett’s crazy tale of a king’s episode of mental illness becomes a highly entertaining comedy of errors, but with serious personal and political ramifications. Nigel Hawthorne is exceptionally good as the sovereign whose brain has de-railed; Helen Mirren, Ian Holm, Rupert Everett and Amanda Donohoe variously try to help him — or steal his crown.
The Madness of King George
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1994 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 111 min. / Street Date October 31, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring: Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm, Amanda Donohoe, Rupert Everett, Julian Wadham, Jim Carter, Rupert Graves, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Anthony Calf, John Wood, Robert Swann, Peter Woodthorpe.
Cinematography: Andrew Dunn
Film Editor: Tariq Anwar
Production Design: Ken Adam
Written by Alan Bennett from his play
Produced by Stephen Evans, David Parfitt
Directed by Nicholas Hytner
Every few years the...
The Madness of King George
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1994 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 111 min. / Street Date October 31, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring: Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm, Amanda Donohoe, Rupert Everett, Julian Wadham, Jim Carter, Rupert Graves, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Anthony Calf, John Wood, Robert Swann, Peter Woodthorpe.
Cinematography: Andrew Dunn
Film Editor: Tariq Anwar
Production Design: Ken Adam
Written by Alan Bennett from his play
Produced by Stephen Evans, David Parfitt
Directed by Nicholas Hytner
Every few years the...
- 11/18/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
“The Beauty Of Irony”
By Raymond Benson
Leave it to The Criterion Collection to present a jaw-dropping, eye-popping Blu-ray release of Stanley Kubrick’s 1975 masterpiece that many critics have called one of the most beautiful films ever made. While the picture received many accolades upon its initial release, including Oscar nominations for Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay—and wins for Cinematography, Production Design, Costumes, and Adapted Score—it was again one those Kubrick films that was controversial and misunderstood at first. It was not a financial success in the U.S., and yet today it’s considered one of the auteur’s greatest works.
After such titles as Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and A Clockwork Orange, it may have seemed to be an odd choice for Kubrick to make a picture such as Barry Lyndon. One must look back to the period between 2001 and Clockwork to understand it. Kubrick...
By Raymond Benson
Leave it to The Criterion Collection to present a jaw-dropping, eye-popping Blu-ray release of Stanley Kubrick’s 1975 masterpiece that many critics have called one of the most beautiful films ever made. While the picture received many accolades upon its initial release, including Oscar nominations for Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay—and wins for Cinematography, Production Design, Costumes, and Adapted Score—it was again one those Kubrick films that was controversial and misunderstood at first. It was not a financial success in the U.S., and yet today it’s considered one of the auteur’s greatest works.
After such titles as Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and A Clockwork Orange, it may have seemed to be an odd choice for Kubrick to make a picture such as Barry Lyndon. One must look back to the period between 2001 and Clockwork to understand it. Kubrick...
- 10/28/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
“For an intellectual product of any value to exert an immediate influence which shall also be deep and lasting, it must rest on an inner harmony, yes, an affinity, between the personal destiny of its author and that of his contemporaries in general.”—Thomas Mann, Death in Venice Barry Lyndon. I can’t believe there was a time when I didn’t know that name. Barry Lyndon means an artwork both grand and glum. Sadness inconsolable. A cello bends out a lurid sound, staining the air before a piano droopingly follows in the third movement of Vivaldi's “Cello Concerto in E Minor.” This piece, which dominates the second half of the film, steers the hallowed half of my head to bask in the film’s high melancholic temperature. Why should I so often remember it? What did I have to do with this film? I only received it with...
- 10/15/2017
- MUBI
Stanley Kubrick’s contribution to great cinema of the 1970s offers his vision of what an epic should be. Transported by images that recall great paintings of the period, and Kubrick’s new approaches to low-light cinematography, we witness a rogue’s progress through troubled times. And even Ryan O’Neal is good!
Barry Lyndon
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 897
1975 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 185 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 17, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Ryan O’Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee, Hardy Krüger, Steven Berkoff, Gay Hamilton, Marie Kean, Diana Körner, Murray Melvin, Frank Middlemass, André Morell, Arthur O’Sullivan, Godfrey Quigley, Leonard Rossiter, Philip Stone, Leon Vitali Leon Vitali, Wolf Kahler, Ferdy Mayne, George Sewell, Michael Hordern (narrator).
Cinematography: John Alcott
Editor: Tony Lawson
Production design: Ken Adam
Conductor & Musical Adaptor: Leonard Rosenman
Written by Stanley Kubrick from the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray
Produced and Directed by Stanley Kubrick
The...
Barry Lyndon
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 897
1975 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 185 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 17, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Ryan O’Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee, Hardy Krüger, Steven Berkoff, Gay Hamilton, Marie Kean, Diana Körner, Murray Melvin, Frank Middlemass, André Morell, Arthur O’Sullivan, Godfrey Quigley, Leonard Rossiter, Philip Stone, Leon Vitali Leon Vitali, Wolf Kahler, Ferdy Mayne, George Sewell, Michael Hordern (narrator).
Cinematography: John Alcott
Editor: Tony Lawson
Production design: Ken Adam
Conductor & Musical Adaptor: Leonard Rosenman
Written by Stanley Kubrick from the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray
Produced and Directed by Stanley Kubrick
The...
- 10/3/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018 is set. Sir Ken Adam, the Oscar-winning production designer behind Dr. Strangelove and the James Bond franchise, and Bambi illustrator and longtime Warner Bros veteran Tyrus Wong will be inducted during the 22nd annual Adg Awards on January 27 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland. Â"There are few exceptionally gifted artists who are capable of inspiring all of us through their command of imagination,…...
- 9/19/2017
- Deadline TV
The Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018 is set. Sir Ken Adam, the Oscar-winning production designer behind Dr. Strangelove and the James Bond franchise, and Bambi illustrator and longtime Warner Bros veteran Tyrus Wong will be inducted during the 22nd annual Adg Awards on January 27 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland. Â"There are few exceptionally gifted artists who are capable of inspiring all of us through their command of imagination,…...
- 9/19/2017
- Deadline
With powerhouse “Game of Thrones” (winner of the last five Special Visual Effects Emmys) out of contention, the race is wide open. Or is it? With sci-fi fave “Westworld” leading all Emmy noms with 22 (including 12 for below-the-line crafts), this could be a case of revolving HBO glory.
Here’s how the nominees stack up: newcomers Westworld” (“The Bicameral Mind”) and “American Gods” (“The Bone Orchard”) take on perennials “Vikings” (“On the Eve”) and “Black Sails” (“Xxix”) and sophomore entry “The Man in the High Castle” (“Fallout”). It’s a great mix of futuristic sci-fi, surreal mythology, swashbuckling and warrior battles, and upside down, sci-fi world building.
It could have been even more interesting and competitive if Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and “Legion” hadn’t been shut out. Too bad, because the Upside Down and Demogorgon creature were fabulous effects in “Stranger Things” and “Legion’s” exploding kitchen was very trippy.
Here’s how the nominees stack up: newcomers Westworld” (“The Bicameral Mind”) and “American Gods” (“The Bone Orchard”) take on perennials “Vikings” (“On the Eve”) and “Black Sails” (“Xxix”) and sophomore entry “The Man in the High Castle” (“Fallout”). It’s a great mix of futuristic sci-fi, surreal mythology, swashbuckling and warrior battles, and upside down, sci-fi world building.
It could have been even more interesting and competitive if Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and “Legion” hadn’t been shut out. Too bad, because the Upside Down and Demogorgon creature were fabulous effects in “Stranger Things” and “Legion’s” exploding kitchen was very trippy.
- 7/18/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
This French disc release of the Jacques Tourneur classic gets everything right — including both versions in picture perfect transfers. Devil debunker Dana Andrews locks horns with Niall MacGinnis, a necromancer “who has decoded the Old Book” and can summon a fire & brimstone monster from Hell, no election fraud necessary. Even fans that hate ghost stories love this one — it’s a truly creepy, intelligent highlight of the horror genre.
Night of the Demon
Region A + B Blu-ray + Pal DVD
Wild Side (Fr)
1957 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 95 & 82 min. / Street Date November 27, 2013 / Curse of the Demon, Rendez-vous avec la peur / Available from Amazon UK or Foreign Exchange Blu-ray
Starring: Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Maurice Denham,
Athene Seyler
Cinematography: Ted Scaife
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Special Effects: George Blackwell, S.D. Onions, Wally Veevers
Film Editor Michael Gordon
Original Music: Clifton Parker
Written by Charles Bennett and Hal E. Chester
from the...
Night of the Demon
Region A + B Blu-ray + Pal DVD
Wild Side (Fr)
1957 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 95 & 82 min. / Street Date November 27, 2013 / Curse of the Demon, Rendez-vous avec la peur / Available from Amazon UK or Foreign Exchange Blu-ray
Starring: Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Maurice Denham,
Athene Seyler
Cinematography: Ted Scaife
Production Designer: Ken Adam
Special Effects: George Blackwell, S.D. Onions, Wally Veevers
Film Editor Michael Gordon
Original Music: Clifton Parker
Written by Charles Bennett and Hal E. Chester
from the...
- 5/20/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Industry giants to provide film processing facilities in the UK.
Kodak and Pinewood have announced that they will collaborate to support the use of physical film in motion picture and television production.
Kodak will establish a new film negative processing lab on part of the Ken Adam Building at Pinewood Studios in the UK.
They will also work together on co-branding initiatives and promotions.
Steven Overman, president of Kodak’s consumer and film division and chief marketing officer, said: “Kodak is committed to strengthening the infrastructure that enables the world’s leading filmmakers to continue to shoot real film.
“This collaboration with Pinewood will ensure that we can continue providing high quality processing in one of the world’s most vibrant markets.”
Darren Woolfson, group director of technology for Pinewood said: “This move signifies our support for the continued ability of filmmakers to choose to shoot their films on physical film in the UK. We’re proud...
Kodak and Pinewood have announced that they will collaborate to support the use of physical film in motion picture and television production.
Kodak will establish a new film negative processing lab on part of the Ken Adam Building at Pinewood Studios in the UK.
They will also work together on co-branding initiatives and promotions.
Steven Overman, president of Kodak’s consumer and film division and chief marketing officer, said: “Kodak is committed to strengthening the infrastructure that enables the world’s leading filmmakers to continue to shoot real film.
“This collaboration with Pinewood will ensure that we can continue providing high quality processing in one of the world’s most vibrant markets.”
Darren Woolfson, group director of technology for Pinewood said: “This move signifies our support for the continued ability of filmmakers to choose to shoot their films on physical film in the UK. We’re proud...
- 5/16/2017
- by orlando.parfitt@screendaily.com (Orlando Parfitt)
- ScreenDaily
Michael Reed Mar 24, 2017
Examining some of the key turning points in the Star Trek series, with the projects that never quite made it to the screen...
“History is replete with turning points. You must have faith.” - Spock
See related Broadchurch series 3 episode 4 review Broadchurch series 3 episode 3 review Broadchurch series 3 episode 2 review Broadchurch series 3 episode 1 review
Star Trek has been with us for over 50 years in one form or another. It started in 1964 with the filming of the pilot episode of the original series, and it has continued to the present day, through films and subsequent TV series, along with other mediums such as books and video games.
We’re principally interested in the core of the franchise here, the TV series and films, and we’re going to take a look at some 'what if...' possibilities of projects that almost happened but didn’t. If you’re reading...
Examining some of the key turning points in the Star Trek series, with the projects that never quite made it to the screen...
“History is replete with turning points. You must have faith.” - Spock
See related Broadchurch series 3 episode 4 review Broadchurch series 3 episode 3 review Broadchurch series 3 episode 2 review Broadchurch series 3 episode 1 review
Star Trek has been with us for over 50 years in one form or another. It started in 1964 with the filming of the pilot episode of the original series, and it has continued to the present day, through films and subsequent TV series, along with other mediums such as books and video games.
We’re principally interested in the core of the franchise here, the TV series and films, and we’re going to take a look at some 'what if...' possibilities of projects that almost happened but didn’t. If you’re reading...
- 3/16/2017
- Den of Geek
The 21st Annual Art Directors Guild Excellence in Production Design Awards ceremony was billed as a “Return to Hollywood.” Backdrops from classic films dotted the interior of the Ray Dolby Ballroom lobby. Johnny Crawford and his Orchestra kicked off the evening’s festivities with “Hooray for Hollywood.” Even a handful of the evening’s big winners were films that fit the theme perfectly.
As expected, “La La Land” continued its storybook run through awards season, with David Wasco’s team winning for Contemporary Film. In an upset, Wynn Thomas and the team from “Hidden Figures” took home honors in Period Film, despite “Hail, Caesar!” being the only of the category’s nominees to also pick up a nom for Oscars night. “It’s been a long journey to this moment,” said Thomas, who described being nominated at the very first Art Directors Guild award for “Mars Attacks!” “I’m so...
As expected, “La La Land” continued its storybook run through awards season, with David Wasco’s team winning for Contemporary Film. In an upset, Wynn Thomas and the team from “Hidden Figures” took home honors in Period Film, despite “Hail, Caesar!” being the only of the category’s nominees to also pick up a nom for Oscars night. “It’s been a long journey to this moment,” said Thomas, who described being nominated at the very first Art Directors Guild award for “Mars Attacks!” “I’m so...
- 2/12/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Louisa Mellor Jan 17, 2017
We’ve scoured Sherlock’s The Final Problem for tiny details and references to other stories, and here’s what we found…
Warning: contains spoilers.
See related Travelers: why you should watch Netflix's new time travel show Travelers: first trailer for Netflix time travel series
With the help of the pause button and a pot of strong coffee, we’ve picked through Sherlock’s series four finale The Final Problem to seek out the nerdy references and painstakingly added background details. (You can find the same for the previous episodes here and here.)
Here goes…
1. Starting with the obvious, The Final Problem is of course the title of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1893 short story in which Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty appear to tumble to their deaths in the Reichenbach Falls. Andrew Scott’s Moriarty references the title several times in series two finale The Reichenbach Fall.
We’ve scoured Sherlock’s The Final Problem for tiny details and references to other stories, and here’s what we found…
Warning: contains spoilers.
See related Travelers: why you should watch Netflix's new time travel show Travelers: first trailer for Netflix time travel series
With the help of the pause button and a pot of strong coffee, we’ve picked through Sherlock’s series four finale The Final Problem to seek out the nerdy references and painstakingly added background details. (You can find the same for the previous episodes here and here.)
Here goes…
1. Starting with the obvious, The Final Problem is of course the title of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1893 short story in which Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty appear to tumble to their deaths in the Reichenbach Falls. Andrew Scott’s Moriarty references the title several times in series two finale The Reichenbach Fall.
- 1/16/2017
- Den of Geek
Time limit: 0 Quiz-summary
0 of 9 questions completed
Questions:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Information
Get the feeling someone is looking over your shoulder? This quiz won’t help! This week we’re investigating the subtle (and not-so-subtle) art of spying in the movies.
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
Quiz is loading...
You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.
You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:
Results
0 of 9 questions answered correctly
Your time:
Time has elapsed
You have reached 0 of 0 points, (0)
Average score Your score Categories Not categorized 0% Your result has been entered into leaderboard Loading Name: E-Mail: Captcha: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Answered Review Question 1 of 9 1. Question
The plot of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest was suggested by this spy film.
The Man Who Never Was I Was Monty’s Double Odd Man Out Correct
Clifton Webb starred in Ronald Neame’s 1956 film...
0 of 9 questions completed
Questions:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Information
Get the feeling someone is looking over your shoulder? This quiz won’t help! This week we’re investigating the subtle (and not-so-subtle) art of spying in the movies.
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
Quiz is loading...
You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.
You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:
Results
0 of 9 questions answered correctly
Your time:
Time has elapsed
You have reached 0 of 0 points, (0)
Average score Your score Categories Not categorized 0% Your result has been entered into leaderboard Loading Name: E-Mail: Captcha: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Answered Review Question 1 of 9 1. Question
The plot of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest was suggested by this spy film.
The Man Who Never Was I Was Monty’s Double Odd Man Out Correct
Clifton Webb starred in Ronald Neame’s 1956 film...
- 1/16/2017
- by TFH
- Trailers from Hell
"The Furniture" our weekly series on Production Design. Here's Daniel Walber
Happy Thanksgiving! In three days, Americans will gather together to cook, feast and argue. The acrimonious presidential election has launched a multitude of think pieces on the subject. How do you talk to your relatives who voted differently than you? The classic stereotype of the young, liberal, usually-white urbanite going back to conservative “middle america” for turkey is certainly more fraught this year than it’s ever been. Does that scenario now come with the moral obligation to speak up?
This may seem like a weird way to begin a column about Addams Family Values, a comedy sequel without an overt political message. But there's some Thanksgiving advice to be found in the Oscar-nominated design of legendary production designer Ken Adam (The Spy Who Loved Me) and set decorator Marvin March (Annie). Beyond the social satire of the early 1990s ("But Debbie.
Happy Thanksgiving! In three days, Americans will gather together to cook, feast and argue. The acrimonious presidential election has launched a multitude of think pieces on the subject. How do you talk to your relatives who voted differently than you? The classic stereotype of the young, liberal, usually-white urbanite going back to conservative “middle america” for turkey is certainly more fraught this year than it’s ever been. Does that scenario now come with the moral obligation to speak up?
This may seem like a weird way to begin a column about Addams Family Values, a comedy sequel without an overt political message. But there's some Thanksgiving advice to be found in the Oscar-nominated design of legendary production designer Ken Adam (The Spy Who Loved Me) and set decorator Marvin March (Annie). Beyond the social satire of the early 1990s ("But Debbie.
- 11/21/2016
- by Daniel Walber
- FilmExperience
Stanley Kubrick’s hypnotic masterpiece looks just as good 40 years on, as it follows the fluctuating fortunes of Ryan O’Neal’s humble Irish hero
Stanley Kubrick’s rereleased Barry Lyndon, based on Thackeray’s 1844 novel about a roguish adventurer, is more than 40 years old. What is so striking now isn’t Ken Adam’s sumptuous production design, with those painterly candlelit interiors. It’s the eerie, hypnotic adagio of the pace – a Kubrick signature, very different from, say, the rollicking world of Tony Richardson’s Tom Jones (1963).
Taking the 18th-century tale at a steady, relentless drumbeat, and with a seductively cool detachment, Kubrick guides you through his hero’s rise and fall, bookended by two sensational duelling scenes. He brings about a slow, mysterious shift from comedy to tragedy; a tidal advance and retreat in fortune.
Continue reading...
Stanley Kubrick’s rereleased Barry Lyndon, based on Thackeray’s 1844 novel about a roguish adventurer, is more than 40 years old. What is so striking now isn’t Ken Adam’s sumptuous production design, with those painterly candlelit interiors. It’s the eerie, hypnotic adagio of the pace – a Kubrick signature, very different from, say, the rollicking world of Tony Richardson’s Tom Jones (1963).
Taking the 18th-century tale at a steady, relentless drumbeat, and with a seductively cool detachment, Kubrick guides you through his hero’s rise and fall, bookended by two sensational duelling scenes. He brings about a slow, mysterious shift from comedy to tragedy; a tidal advance and retreat in fortune.
Continue reading...
- 7/28/2016
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.