Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Alain Delon, Anthony Asquith, Art Carney, Georg C. Scott, Ingrid Bergman, Jeanne Moreau, Joyce Grenfell, Lance Percival, Michael Hordern, Omar Sharif, Rex Harrison, Shirley MacLaine, Terence Rattigan on 31/05/2020| Leave a Comment »
This film is 1965 (well, 30 December 1964 premiere!). THE YELLOW ROLLS-ROYCE (linked) is a Terence Rattigan script, with three separate stories all involving the same car, set between England in 1931, Italy a few years later, then Trieste and Yugoslavia in 1941. It’s most noted for its stellar cast … Rex Harrison, Jeanne Moreau, Shirley MacLaine, George C. Scott, Alain Delon, Omar Sharif and Ingrid Bergman.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Anna Palk, Billy Fury, Danny Williams, Helen Shapiro, Jimmy Crawford, Maurice Kaufmann, Max Bacon, Michael Wattis, Michael Winner, Shane Fenton on 30/05/2020| 2 Comments »
I’m getting into these 1960s pop exploitation films. Next up is PLAY IT COOL from 1962. It was Michael Winner’s first feature film, and stars Billy Fury as a pop singer called Billy Universe. The plot is an excuse to visit a series of clubs and see Helen Shapiro, Bobby Vee, Shane Fenton & The Fentones, Jmmy Crawford and Danny Williams. As ever, bit parts are by British comic actors. It is black and white. In reverse of normal practice, they colourized the lobby cards. In the end, it goes to show what a huge leap forward “A Hard Day’s Night” was, just eighteen months later.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Alan Klein, Avis Bunnage, Harry H. Corbett, Joe Brown, Marty Wilde, Michael Carreras, Michael Ripper, Susan Maughan on 27/05/2020| Leave a Comment »
Review of 1963’s pop exploitation film WHAT A CRAZY WORLD (linked) starring Joe Brown, Susan Maughan, Marty Wilde, Freddie & The Dreamers and Harry H. Corbett (fresh from Steptoe & Son). The interest lies in the strong concept that writer ALAN Klein (NOT the Beatles manager ALLEN Klein) had of “British Music Hall meets Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Rock and Roll gets a lesser share to me, but it has some great time capsule moments. And some really odd ones.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Haold Blankenship, Haskell Wexler, Marianna Hill, Marshall McLuhan, Peter Bonerz, Robert Forster, Verna Bloom on 26/05/2020| Leave a Comment »
Review of MEDIUM COOL from 1969. This is probably the most thorough review on the blog, and that’s because this film deserves it. When it came out, Michael Billington’s review said: “I can’t think of any film that tells you more about the texture of American life today.” It’s a film you have yo watch twice too. Even though my review is full of plot spoilers, I hope it gets readers to watch it again … or simply watch it.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Johnny Cash, Lauren Hutton, Michael J. Pollard, Robert Redford, Sidney J. Furie, Wallace Beery on 24/05/2020| Leave a Comment »
A shorter than usual review in the 1960s Retrospective series.LITTLE FAUSS AND BIG HALSY (linked) with Michael J,. Pollard, Robert Redford and Lauren Hutton. Notable for its Johnny Cash soundtrack, it’s the two guys on bikes / motorbikes / cars template from 1970, probably trying to cash in on Easy Rider.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Anthony Newley, Julia Foster, Ken Hughes, Robert Stephens on 19/05/2020| Leave a Comment »
Another in the 60s retrospective series, THE SMALL WORLD OF SAMMY LEE from 1963. Starring Anthony Newley, Julia Foster & Robert Stephens. London’s Soho 1963 as it was. In was the typical “race against time before the gangsters get you” movie but also far more than that. The B&W restored DVD is pristine too. A classic.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Henry Hathaway, Karl Malden, Steve McQueen on 14/05/2020| Leave a Comment »
Review of Nevada Smith (linked) in the 60s Retrospective series. Starring Steve McQueen, directed by Henry Hathaway. The film was a side project from The Carpetbaggers, filling in the back story. Westerns were not at their height of popularity in 1966, and this is a classic of the genre or a cliche, whichever. It was an interesting change, and a nod to readers who asked for some American movie reviews after such a run of 60s British ones.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Eleanor Bron, George Harrison, John Lennon, Leo McKern, Paul McCartney, Richard Lester, Ringo Starr, Rory Kinnear, The Beatles, Victor Spinetti on 12/05/2020| Leave a Comment »
Review of The Beatles 1965 film HELP! (linked) in the 60s Retrospective Series. This one’s even more comprehensive than my review of A Hard Day’s Night. Director Richard Lester has said that his obituary will begin ‘Beatles director …‘ On the basis of this he has been called ‘the father of MTV video’ and it was the innovative and exciting area of the film. The trouble is the basic storyline is dire.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Alun Owen, George Harrison, John Junkin, John Lennon, Norman Rossington, Paul McCartney, Richard Lester, Ringo Starr, Victor Spinetti, Wilfred Brambell on 10/05/2020| Leave a Comment »
The 60s Retrospectives. I’ve been avoiding A HARD DAY’S NIGHT, (Linked) simply because it has had so much written about it, but it is unavoidable as probably the key “Swinging Sixties London” movie. A lot on the film, The Beatles, the album … definitely a pleasure to rewatch.
Posted in Uncategorized on 07/05/2020| Leave a Comment »
I’ve just posted a short story “In The Days of Covid-21 – A Fictional Story of The Near Future” which is from my related Dart Travis fiction website. You might enjoy it. I’ve mirrored the story here too.
Peter Viney's Blog 