“Bond, James Bond.”
62 years, 25 films and 6 lead actors — but it all began with this iconic line from Sean Connery in Dr. No.
This iconic British character, conceived by author Ian Fleming in 1953, has captivated audiences worldwide as the world’s most famous secret agent in the history of cinema.
To tell the full story of how 007 began, Eon Productions opened its archives of photos, designs, and production materials to Taschen. The result is this remarkable account of the making of Dr. No.
Related: James Bond Movies In Order: Filmography, Bond Women & Iconic Villains
Director Terence Young debuted Dr. No in 1962, featuring Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, Bernard Lee as M., Joseph Wiseman as Dr. No, and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny.
The companion book provides a glimpse into the day-by-day account of what took place, which scenes were shot and who made the decisions that shaped the story and characters as it was filmed.
62 years, 25 films and 6 lead actors — but it all began with this iconic line from Sean Connery in Dr. No.
This iconic British character, conceived by author Ian Fleming in 1953, has captivated audiences worldwide as the world’s most famous secret agent in the history of cinema.
To tell the full story of how 007 began, Eon Productions opened its archives of photos, designs, and production materials to Taschen. The result is this remarkable account of the making of Dr. No.
Related: James Bond Movies In Order: Filmography, Bond Women & Iconic Villains
Director Terence Young debuted Dr. No in 1962, featuring Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, Bernard Lee as M., Joseph Wiseman as Dr. No, and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny.
The companion book provides a glimpse into the day-by-day account of what took place, which scenes were shot and who made the decisions that shaped the story and characters as it was filmed.
- 2/28/2024
- by Robert Lang
- Deadline Film + TV
There’s no question that the James Bond film franchise – the second longest-running such series in cinema history after Godzilla – comes with certain expectations in the minds of viewers. We can predict, mostly like clockwork, that 007 will wear a tux at some point in every film, he will bed at least one or more beautiful women, he’ll drive an Aston Martin (or some other high-end vehicle), and that he’ll have one polite conversation with the villain before the shooting really starts. There will also be a surreal, psychedelic credits sequence, often a big action scene before the credits, and so on.
But all those iconic trademarks of the Bond film franchise didn’t happen overnight. They were gradually introduced, especially in the early films, with some of them springing from the original Ian Fleming books and others invented by the filmmakers who adapted them. Some have remained virtually the same since their inception,...
But all those iconic trademarks of the Bond film franchise didn’t happen overnight. They were gradually introduced, especially in the early films, with some of them springing from the original Ian Fleming books and others invented by the filmmakers who adapted them. Some have remained virtually the same since their inception,...
- 2/10/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Sean Connery’s introduction in Dr. No Screenshot: Eon Pictures
The caricatured version of James Bond that has permeated pop culture is that of a debonair, shaken-not-stirred-martini-drinking Casanova who may get into a tight jam, but will always find a way out. That’s the image of 007 that I’ve had,...
The caricatured version of James Bond that has permeated pop culture is that of a debonair, shaken-not-stirred-martini-drinking Casanova who may get into a tight jam, but will always find a way out. That’s the image of 007 that I’ve had,...
- 8/25/2023
- by Drew Gillis
- avclub.com
There must be few things more daunting to a filmmaker than taking on the mantle of directing a new James Bond movie. Bond movies are cinema’s equivalent of a Philippe Petit-level highwire balancing act. Over 25 films, fans have carved out an understanding of what they expect from 007. There must be action, adventure, romance, and a dash of comedy. Yet for all the expectations surrounding the world’s most famous secret agent, the recipe isn’t set in stone; in fact, it’s forever evolving.
Where once Bond might have been defined by the wry humor and slapstick gags of Roger Moore, the more modern 007 of Daniel Craig played it straight. Bond has been known to take forays into the world of science fiction, either in an attempt to match box office rivals like Star Wars or in an attempt to address the concerns of an ever evolving technological world.
Where once Bond might have been defined by the wry humor and slapstick gags of Roger Moore, the more modern 007 of Daniel Craig played it straight. Bond has been known to take forays into the world of science fiction, either in an attempt to match box office rivals like Star Wars or in an attempt to address the concerns of an ever evolving technological world.
- 11/26/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The first James Bond film, ‘Dr. No,” starring Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Jack Lord and Joseph Wiseman, opened in England on Oct. 2, 1962. But the 007 classic didn’t open in New York and Los Angeles until May 29, 1963. Let’s travel back almost six decades to look at the top events, movie, TV series, books and other cultural events of that year in James Bond history, which was punctuated by the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 22.
35th Annual Academy Awards
Best Picture: “Lawrence of Arabia”
Best Director: David Lean, “Lawrence of Arabia”
Best Actor: Gregory Peck, “To Kill a Mockingbird
Best Actress: Anne Bancroft, “The Miracle Worker”
Best Supporting Actor: Ed Begley, “Sweet Bird of Youth”
Best Supporting Actress: Patty Duke, “The Miracle Worker”
Top 10 highest grossing films
“Cleopatra”
“How the West Was Won”
“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”
“Tom Jones”
“Irma La Douce...
35th Annual Academy Awards
Best Picture: “Lawrence of Arabia”
Best Director: David Lean, “Lawrence of Arabia”
Best Actor: Gregory Peck, “To Kill a Mockingbird
Best Actress: Anne Bancroft, “The Miracle Worker”
Best Supporting Actor: Ed Begley, “Sweet Bird of Youth”
Best Supporting Actress: Patty Duke, “The Miracle Worker”
Top 10 highest grossing films
“Cleopatra”
“How the West Was Won”
“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”
“Tom Jones”
“Irma La Douce...
- 10/8/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
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By Fred Blosser
In “Stiletto,” a 1969 release from Joseph E. Levine’s Avco Embassy Pictures, Cesare Cardinali (Alex Cord) enjoys a jet-setting lifestyle rivaling and maybe even surpassing those of his real-life contemporaries in the “Playboy” era. He resides in a lavish Midtown Manhattan penthouse, hobnobs with movie stars and minor European royalty at red-carpet parties, races cars on the international circuit, and romances two beautiful girlfriends. But he’s increasingly uneasy about what he has to do to keep the money coming. On the books, he earns his millions through a lucrative importing business. In reality, he’s on the Mafia’s payroll through his patron, crime boss Ettore Matteo (Joseph Wiseman). Whenever a particularly important murder contract is ordered, Cesare is called in to do the job. His specialized tool is a medieval stiletto, and although he’s good at what he does,...
By Fred Blosser
In “Stiletto,” a 1969 release from Joseph E. Levine’s Avco Embassy Pictures, Cesare Cardinali (Alex Cord) enjoys a jet-setting lifestyle rivaling and maybe even surpassing those of his real-life contemporaries in the “Playboy” era. He resides in a lavish Midtown Manhattan penthouse, hobnobs with movie stars and minor European royalty at red-carpet parties, races cars on the international circuit, and romances two beautiful girlfriends. But he’s increasingly uneasy about what he has to do to keep the money coming. On the books, he earns his millions through a lucrative importing business. In reality, he’s on the Mafia’s payroll through his patron, crime boss Ettore Matteo (Joseph Wiseman). Whenever a particularly important murder contract is ordered, Cesare is called in to do the job. His specialized tool is a medieval stiletto, and although he’s good at what he does,...
- 3/17/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Photo: Marlon Brando as Japanese character, Emma Stone as Asian American, Joseph Wiseman as Chinese-German and Mickey Rooney as Asian The Covid-19 virus has affected the lives of everyone, that is a certainty. But one of the perhaps unexpected results of the virus’s global takeover of the public consciousness has been an increase in racism directed against people of Asian descent. Violent hate crimes against Asian-Americans in the United States have seen a dramatic uptick, and NBA star Jeremy Lin and Best Actor contender and 'Minari' star Steven Yeun have used their respective platforms to discuss their experiences with hate since the initial outbreak in the US. Related article: How Steven Yeun is Creating a More Authentic, Representation of Asian Americans in Hollywood Related article: Oscar Buzz: ‘Minari’ is an Incredible Portrait of the Korean-American Experience With all this discussion around combating these and all other forms...
- 3/2/2021
- by Patrick Nash
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Viavision’s first deluxe Film Noir boxed set gives us four titles that emphasize star power — Glenn Ford, Ray Milland, Kirk Douglas and Lee J. Cobb. The Australian release includes three Columbia titles and the home video premiere of a rare Paramount picture. Which ones are core Noir and which are merely ‘noir adjacent?’ The special extras invest in a quartet of audio commentaries from the top experts and Film Noir Foundation creators Eddie Muller and Alan K. Rode. There’s nothing that pair doesn’t know about these pictures.
Essential Film Noir Collection 1
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 18, 19, 20, 21
1947-1957 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 366 min. / Street Date October 28, 2020 / Available from Viavision [Imprint] / 149.99
Starring: Glenn Ford, Janis Carter, Barry Sullivan; Ray Milland, Audrey Totter, Thomas Mitchell; Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, Joseph Wiseman, Lee Grant; Lee J. Cobb, Richard Boone, Kerwin Mathews.
Directed by Richard Wallace, John Farrow, William Wyler, Vincent Sherman
The Australian disc boutique...
Essential Film Noir Collection 1
Blu-ray
Viavision [Imprint] 18, 19, 20, 21
1947-1957 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 366 min. / Street Date October 28, 2020 / Available from Viavision [Imprint] / 149.99
Starring: Glenn Ford, Janis Carter, Barry Sullivan; Ray Milland, Audrey Totter, Thomas Mitchell; Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, Joseph Wiseman, Lee Grant; Lee J. Cobb, Richard Boone, Kerwin Mathews.
Directed by Richard Wallace, John Farrow, William Wyler, Vincent Sherman
The Australian disc boutique...
- 1/16/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Kino Lorber Studio Classics:
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New York, NY -- December 8, 2020 -- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, the '80s sci-fi classic TV series and 1979 theatrical feature starring Gil Gerard, is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Buck Rogers: The Complete Collection, available on Blu-ray includes both seasons of the TV series plus the 1979 Theatrical Feature. The Theatrical Feature is also available individually on Blu-ray.
The Complete Collection comes packed with bonus features including the Pilot Episode (Awakening), 32 Episodes and Theatrical Version (First Time in HD), New Audio Commentaries for 11 Selected Episodes by Film/TV Historian Patrick Jankiewicz, Author of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: A TV Companion, New Audio Commentary by Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson (Theatrical Feature), New Interview with Co-Star Erin Gray, New Interview with...
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New York, NY -- December 8, 2020 -- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, the '80s sci-fi classic TV series and 1979 theatrical feature starring Gil Gerard, is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Buck Rogers: The Complete Collection, available on Blu-ray includes both seasons of the TV series plus the 1979 Theatrical Feature. The Theatrical Feature is also available individually on Blu-ray.
The Complete Collection comes packed with bonus features including the Pilot Episode (Awakening), 32 Episodes and Theatrical Version (First Time in HD), New Audio Commentaries for 11 Selected Episodes by Film/TV Historian Patrick Jankiewicz, Author of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: A TV Companion, New Audio Commentary by Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson (Theatrical Feature), New Interview with Co-Star Erin Gray, New Interview with...
- 12/9/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
(Von Sydow in Bergman's "Hour of the Wolf", 1968)
By Raymond Benson
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We lost one of the world’s great thespians on March 8, 2020, and it’s sad that so many in the U.S. know him only from such Hollywood-fare franchises such as Star Wars, Game of Thrones, and even James Bond.
In fact, my Facebook and Twitter feeds on March 9 were full of tributes to the late Max von Sydow, but I despaired to see so many Bond fans acknowledge him only for what amounted to a five-minute-ish cameo as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 1983 non-Eon Productions 007 picture, Never Say Never Again. Really? That’s what you remember him for?
Max von Sydow was so, so much more than Blofeld, or Lor San Tekka, or the Three-Eyed Raven, or even Father Merrin (The Exorcist).
For me, I knew Max von Sydow through...
By Raymond Benson
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We lost one of the world’s great thespians on March 8, 2020, and it’s sad that so many in the U.S. know him only from such Hollywood-fare franchises such as Star Wars, Game of Thrones, and even James Bond.
In fact, my Facebook and Twitter feeds on March 9 were full of tributes to the late Max von Sydow, but I despaired to see so many Bond fans acknowledge him only for what amounted to a five-minute-ish cameo as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 1983 non-Eon Productions 007 picture, Never Say Never Again. Really? That’s what you remember him for?
Max von Sydow was so, so much more than Blofeld, or Lor San Tekka, or the Three-Eyed Raven, or even Father Merrin (The Exorcist).
For me, I knew Max von Sydow through...
- 3/10/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The “No Time to Die” theme song from 18-year-old singer-songwriter Billie Eilish dropped on Thursday, co-written and produced by her brother, Finneas O’Connell. Fittingly, it’s a haunting ballad that bids farewell to Daniel Craig’s fifth and final outing as James Bond. Listen below.
Eilish, who swept the Grammys this year and who sang the “Yesterday” “In Memoriam” tribute at the Oscars on Sunday, is the youngest person to record a theme song for a Bond movie. Her song follows the back-to-back Oscar winners, “Writing’s on the Wall” (“Spectre”) from Sam Smith (co-written by Jimmy Napes), and the eponymous “Skyfall” from Adele (co-written by Paul Epworth). The other two Bond songs from the Craig era are the rockers “Another Way to Die” (“Quantum of Solace”) from Jack White & Alicia Keys, and “You Know My Name” (“Casino Royale”) from the late Chris Cornell.
Eilish, in a statement, said, “It...
Eilish, who swept the Grammys this year and who sang the “Yesterday” “In Memoriam” tribute at the Oscars on Sunday, is the youngest person to record a theme song for a Bond movie. Her song follows the back-to-back Oscar winners, “Writing’s on the Wall” (“Spectre”) from Sam Smith (co-written by Jimmy Napes), and the eponymous “Skyfall” from Adele (co-written by Paul Epworth). The other two Bond songs from the Craig era are the rockers “Another Way to Die” (“Quantum of Solace”) from Jack White & Alicia Keys, and “You Know My Name” (“Casino Royale”) from the late Chris Cornell.
Eilish, in a statement, said, “It...
- 2/14/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Tim George Jan 17, 2020
Giant lasers, underwater bases, poker games... 007's baddies don't always have the brightest evildoing ideas. Here are some of the silliest!
James Bond returns this year in No Time To Die--the 25th canonical 007 adventure and the fifth and final outing for star Daniel Craig.
This time around, Bond is going up against Rami Malek’s Safin, a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology. We don’t yet know what Safin has in store for Craig’s super spy, but producer Barbara Broccoli has described the character as "a nasty piece of work," while Malek has called him "quite unique and very complex."
The real question is: just how over-the-top will Safin’s evil plan turn out to be? As fun-to-watch as the franchise’s many iconic villains are, their 'genius' schemes are often insanely ambitious--and don’t make all that much sense either. So...
Giant lasers, underwater bases, poker games... 007's baddies don't always have the brightest evildoing ideas. Here are some of the silliest!
James Bond returns this year in No Time To Die--the 25th canonical 007 adventure and the fifth and final outing for star Daniel Craig.
This time around, Bond is going up against Rami Malek’s Safin, a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology. We don’t yet know what Safin has in store for Craig’s super spy, but producer Barbara Broccoli has described the character as "a nasty piece of work," while Malek has called him "quite unique and very complex."
The real question is: just how over-the-top will Safin’s evil plan turn out to be? As fun-to-watch as the franchise’s many iconic villains are, their 'genius' schemes are often insanely ambitious--and don’t make all that much sense either. So...
- 1/16/2020
- Den of Geek
Charles Bronson plays a real-life Mafiosi in a period picture with a fine script, some good performances and a production so sloppy that the whole thing could be called The Anachronism Papers. Joseph Wiseman and Lino Ventura bring additional tough-guy star-power, and Bronson actually commits himself to the role — quite a change of pace for one of his later pictures.
The Valachi Papers
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 125 min. / Street Date June 13, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95
Starring: Charles Bronson, Lino Ventura, Jill Ireland, Walter Chiari, Joseph Wiseman, Gerald S. O’Loughlin, Amedeo Nazzari, Fausto Tozzi, Pupella Maggio, Angelo Infanti, Guido Leontini.
Cinematography: Aldo Tonti
Film Editor: Johnny Dwyre, Monica Finzi
Original Music: Riz Ortolani, Armando Trovajoli
Written by Stephen Geller from the novel by Peter Maas
Produced by Dino De Laurentiis, Roger Duchet
Directed by Terence Young
In 2001 I received the plum assignment of editing a...
The Valachi Papers
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 125 min. / Street Date June 13, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95
Starring: Charles Bronson, Lino Ventura, Jill Ireland, Walter Chiari, Joseph Wiseman, Gerald S. O’Loughlin, Amedeo Nazzari, Fausto Tozzi, Pupella Maggio, Angelo Infanti, Guido Leontini.
Cinematography: Aldo Tonti
Film Editor: Johnny Dwyre, Monica Finzi
Original Music: Riz Ortolani, Armando Trovajoli
Written by Stephen Geller from the novel by Peter Maas
Produced by Dino De Laurentiis, Roger Duchet
Directed by Terence Young
In 2001 I received the plum assignment of editing a...
- 7/15/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
By Fred Blosser
When Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” emerged as a surprise box-office smash in the early months of 1972, studios and distributors hustled to meet popular demand for more movies about life in the Mob. In New York, a dubbed print of Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1967 film “Le Samourai” was hurriedly retitled and screened as “The Godson” in a masterful example of bait-and-switch marketing. Melville’s chilly, claustrophobic picture about a hit man portrayed by Alain Delon is a fine crime drama, but it had no connection to Coppola’s picture or, for that matter, to any aspect of American Mafia lore at all. “The Valachi Papers,” based on Peter Maas’ bestselling nonfiction book, followed as a more legitimate successor. Rushed through production by Dino De Laurentiis in spring and summer 1972, the film was scripted by Stephen Geller and directed by Terence Young. Shooting largely took place at De Laurentiis’ Rome studio.
When Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” emerged as a surprise box-office smash in the early months of 1972, studios and distributors hustled to meet popular demand for more movies about life in the Mob. In New York, a dubbed print of Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1967 film “Le Samourai” was hurriedly retitled and screened as “The Godson” in a masterful example of bait-and-switch marketing. Melville’s chilly, claustrophobic picture about a hit man portrayed by Alain Delon is a fine crime drama, but it had no connection to Coppola’s picture or, for that matter, to any aspect of American Mafia lore at all. “The Valachi Papers,” based on Peter Maas’ bestselling nonfiction book, followed as a more legitimate successor. Rushed through production by Dino De Laurentiis in spring and summer 1972, the film was scripted by Stephen Geller and directed by Terence Young. Shooting largely took place at De Laurentiis’ Rome studio.
- 7/8/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Dr. No
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood
1962, UK
Author, Ian Fleming had been seeking out a movie deal for nearly a decade until the rights for his novels were finally bought by producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli. Little did they know they would change the landscape of spy-action cinema forever with the release of Dr. No.
Dr. No was the first James Bond novel turned into a film, though it was the sixth novel in the book series The film was adapted by Wolf Mankowitz (who went uncredited by request, fearing the film would bomb), Johanna Harwood (the first and only women screenwriter of the franchise), Berkeley Mather, and long time contributor Richard Maibaum. Arguably Dr. No is one of the closest cinematic interpretations of any Bond novel in tone and plot. The changes they made were mostly cosmetic save for some minor...
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood
1962, UK
Author, Ian Fleming had been seeking out a movie deal for nearly a decade until the rights for his novels were finally bought by producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli. Little did they know they would change the landscape of spy-action cinema forever with the release of Dr. No.
Dr. No was the first James Bond novel turned into a film, though it was the sixth novel in the book series The film was adapted by Wolf Mankowitz (who went uncredited by request, fearing the film would bomb), Johanna Harwood (the first and only women screenwriter of the franchise), Berkeley Mather, and long time contributor Richard Maibaum. Arguably Dr. No is one of the closest cinematic interpretations of any Bond novel in tone and plot. The changes they made were mostly cosmetic save for some minor...
- 11/1/2015
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
Theodore Bikel. Theodore Bikel dead at 91: Oscar-nominated actor and folk singer best known for stage musicals 'The Sound of Music,' 'Fiddler on the Roof' Folk singer, social and union activist, and stage, film, and television actor Theodore Bikel, best remembered for starring in the Broadway musical The Sound of Music and, throughout the U.S., in Fiddler on the Roof, died Monday morning (July 20, '15) of "natural causes" at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. The Austrian-born Bikel – as Theodore Meir Bikel on May 2, 1924, in Vienna, to Yiddish-speaking Eastern European parents – was 91. Fled Hitler Thanks to his well-connected Zionist father, six months after the German annexation of Austria in March 1938 ("they were greeted with jubilation by the local populace," he would recall in 2012), the 14-year-old Bikel and his family fled to Palestine, at the time a British protectorate. While there, the teenager began acting on stage,...
- 7/23/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Artist Jeff Marshall created this tribute to Sir Christopher Lee, which was presented to him by Cinema Retro publishers Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worrall.
By Lee Pfeiffer
Sir Christopher Lee, the acclaimed British actor, passed away last Sunday in London. He was 93 years old. The family waited to make the announcement until all family members could be notified. Lee was an early contributor to Cinema Retro magazine and periodically provided interviews and personal insights into the making of his films. We, along with movie lovers everywhere, mourn his loss. Lee was more often than not associated with the horror film genre, a fact that often frustrated him. He would routinely point out that he made many diverse films and played many diverse roles in movies of all genres, from comedies to westerns. For many years he was most closely associated with the films of Hammer studios, the British production firm...
By Lee Pfeiffer
Sir Christopher Lee, the acclaimed British actor, passed away last Sunday in London. He was 93 years old. The family waited to make the announcement until all family members could be notified. Lee was an early contributor to Cinema Retro magazine and periodically provided interviews and personal insights into the making of his films. We, along with movie lovers everywhere, mourn his loss. Lee was more often than not associated with the horror film genre, a fact that often frustrated him. He would routinely point out that he made many diverse films and played many diverse roles in movies of all genres, from comedies to westerns. For many years he was most closely associated with the films of Hammer studios, the British production firm...
- 6/11/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Christopher Lee, the prolific actor who terrified audiences as Dracula, as the Frankenstein monster, and as Saruman in "Lord of the Rings," died Sunday at the age of 93.
The Guardian reported that Lee passed away after being admitted to a London hospital for respiratory problems and heart failure. His wife of over 50 years, Gitte Kroencke, released the news days later in order to inform family members first.
Lee was born May 27, 1922. As a young man, he served in the Royal Air Force as an intelligence officer during World War II. After the war, he turned to acting on the advice of his cousin (the Italian ambassador to Britain). For years, Lee had bit roles in dozens of films by legendary directors like Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and John Huston.
He got his big break in 1957 when he played the monster in "The Curse of Frankenstein." That led to the titular role in 1958's "Dracula.
The Guardian reported that Lee passed away after being admitted to a London hospital for respiratory problems and heart failure. His wife of over 50 years, Gitte Kroencke, released the news days later in order to inform family members first.
Lee was born May 27, 1922. As a young man, he served in the Royal Air Force as an intelligence officer during World War II. After the war, he turned to acting on the advice of his cousin (the Italian ambassador to Britain). For years, Lee had bit roles in dozens of films by legendary directors like Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and John Huston.
He got his big break in 1957 when he played the monster in "The Curse of Frankenstein." That led to the titular role in 1958's "Dracula.
- 6/11/2015
- by Kelly Woo
- Moviefone
We've arrived at Roger Moore's penultimate Bond. But isn't it about time somebody fought Octopussy's corner?
After the comedown of For Your Eyes Only, the series is back on a high. A very good-natured, occasionally thrilling escapade that boasts an impressive roster of villains, a finely developed heroine, unusually meaty roles for series stalwarts General Gogol and Q, a nuclear bomb and a gloriously stupid title. Yes, Roger Moore has aged to the point where counting the wrinkles is a legitimate distraction. And many valid criticisms can be levelled about plot and credibility. But the good outweighs, or certainly overwhelms, the bad in Octopussy. Still, he really should have quit after this one.
The Villain: Kamal Khan got his break by winning the talent competition Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Singing Superstar - and that was just the beginning. 2012 hit Ishk Sufiana launched Khan into stardom and he bagged...
After the comedown of For Your Eyes Only, the series is back on a high. A very good-natured, occasionally thrilling escapade that boasts an impressive roster of villains, a finely developed heroine, unusually meaty roles for series stalwarts General Gogol and Q, a nuclear bomb and a gloriously stupid title. Yes, Roger Moore has aged to the point where counting the wrinkles is a legitimate distraction. And many valid criticisms can be levelled about plot and credibility. But the good outweighs, or certainly overwhelms, the bad in Octopussy. Still, he really should have quit after this one.
The Villain: Kamal Khan got his break by winning the talent competition Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Singing Superstar - and that was just the beginning. 2012 hit Ishk Sufiana launched Khan into stardom and he bagged...
- 5/17/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
By Anjelica Oswald
Managing Editor
For almost 30 years, Mark Landis forged artwork and passed it off as his own to various museums around the country. It wasn’t until Matthew Leininger, a registrar at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, investigated the pieces in 2008 that the forgery was exposed. Leininger dedicated his time to investigating Landis further, and the scale of forgeries was revealed in 2012. Both men are featured in Art and Craft, a documentary about Landis, directed by Jennifer Grausman and Sam Cullman and co-directed by Mark Becker. Because Landis never sold his work to the museums, only donated the works in what he calls acts of “philanthropy”, he was never prosecuted.
The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore said, “The film will appeal to art lovers, but some viewers who can hardly tell their Cezannes from Chagalls will find the story fascinating as well.”
The film was picked by...
Managing Editor
For almost 30 years, Mark Landis forged artwork and passed it off as his own to various museums around the country. It wasn’t until Matthew Leininger, a registrar at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, investigated the pieces in 2008 that the forgery was exposed. Leininger dedicated his time to investigating Landis further, and the scale of forgeries was revealed in 2012. Both men are featured in Art and Craft, a documentary about Landis, directed by Jennifer Grausman and Sam Cullman and co-directed by Mark Becker. Because Landis never sold his work to the museums, only donated the works in what he calls acts of “philanthropy”, he was never prosecuted.
The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore said, “The film will appeal to art lovers, but some viewers who can hardly tell their Cezannes from Chagalls will find the story fascinating as well.”
The film was picked by...
- 12/19/2014
- by Anjelica Oswald
- Scott Feinberg
By Darren Allison
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Our good friends at Vocalion Records have released three excellent CDs. First is the super score to Bernard Kowalski’s 1969 B-movie thriller Stiletto (Vocalion Cdsml 8501). Starring Alex Cord in the lead role and with support from Britt Ekland, Patrick O’Neal, Joseph Wiseman and Roy Scheider, the film was based on the Harold Robbins novel of the same name. Whilst Stiletto was never going to be an Oscar contender, as so many of these great little thrillers proved, it did gather something of a cult following. More often than not, restricted budgets and tight schedules surprisingly lead to great production values, with artists and crews having to think instinctively on their feet and with little time to elaborate. Stiletto music by American composer Sid Ramin is a truly evocative score. Ramin’s work was often uncredited and as a result,...
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Our good friends at Vocalion Records have released three excellent CDs. First is the super score to Bernard Kowalski’s 1969 B-movie thriller Stiletto (Vocalion Cdsml 8501). Starring Alex Cord in the lead role and with support from Britt Ekland, Patrick O’Neal, Joseph Wiseman and Roy Scheider, the film was based on the Harold Robbins novel of the same name. Whilst Stiletto was never going to be an Oscar contender, as so many of these great little thrillers proved, it did gather something of a cult following. More often than not, restricted budgets and tight schedules surprisingly lead to great production values, with artists and crews having to think instinctively on their feet and with little time to elaborate. Stiletto music by American composer Sid Ramin is a truly evocative score. Ramin’s work was often uncredited and as a result,...
- 1/18/2014
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Eleanor Parker 2013 movie series continues today (photo: Eleanor Parker in Detective Story) Palm Springs resident Eleanor Parker is Turner Classic Movies’ Star of the Month of June 2013. Thus, eight more Eleanor Parker movies will be shown this evening on TCM. Parker turns 91 on Wednesday, June 26. (See also: “Eleanor Parker Today.”) Eleanor Parker received her second Best Actress Academy Award nomination for William Wyler’s crime drama Detective Story (1951). The movie itself feels dated, partly because of several melodramatic plot developments, and partly because of Kirk Douglas’ excessive theatricality as the detective whose story is told. Parker, however, is excellent as Douglas’ wife, though her role is subordinate to his. Just about as good is Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee Lee Grant, whose career would be derailed by the anti-Red hysteria of the ’50s. Grant would make her comeback in the ’70s, eventually winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her...
- 6/25/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
When Eon Productions' first James Bond movie, Dr. No, was a hit at the box office, United Artists immediately ordered up a sequel, giving Eon twice the budget of the first movie and adding a $100,000 bonus to Sean Connery's $54,000 salary. Hoping to capitalize on the popularity of then-sitting President John F. Kennedy, the producers decided to next adapt Kennedy's favorite novel rather than the novel that followed Dr. No in creator Ian Fleming's series. From Russia with Love was a smash hit at the box office, ensuring that the fledling film franchise would continue.
The global terrorist organization Spectre is back and they want revenge on James Bond (Connery) and MI6 for disrupting their plans and killing Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) in the previous movie. Spectre's Number 1 — identified as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in later movies — sets his sights on a Lektor, a decoding machine used by Soviet Intelligence...
The global terrorist organization Spectre is back and they want revenge on James Bond (Connery) and MI6 for disrupting their plans and killing Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) in the previous movie. Spectre's Number 1 — identified as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in later movies — sets his sights on a Lektor, a decoding machine used by Soviet Intelligence...
- 2/23/2013
- by BrentJS Sprecher
- Reelzchannel.com
Dr. No
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood
1962, UK
Author Ian Fleming had been seeking out a movie deal for nearly a decade until the rights for his novels were finally bought by producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli. Little did they know they would change the landscape of spy-action cinema forever with the release of Dr. No.
Dr. No was the first James Bond novel turned into a film, though it was the sixth novel in the book series The film was adapted by Wolf Mankowitz (who went uncredited by request, fearing the film would bomb), Johanna Harwood (the first and only women screenwriter of the franchise), Berkeley Mather, and long time contributor Richard Maibaum. Arguably Dr. No is one of the closest cinematic interpretations of any Bond novel in tone and plot. The changes they made were mostly cosmetic save for some minor...
Directed by Terence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood
1962, UK
Author Ian Fleming had been seeking out a movie deal for nearly a decade until the rights for his novels were finally bought by producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli. Little did they know they would change the landscape of spy-action cinema forever with the release of Dr. No.
Dr. No was the first James Bond novel turned into a film, though it was the sixth novel in the book series The film was adapted by Wolf Mankowitz (who went uncredited by request, fearing the film would bomb), Johanna Harwood (the first and only women screenwriter of the franchise), Berkeley Mather, and long time contributor Richard Maibaum. Arguably Dr. No is one of the closest cinematic interpretations of any Bond novel in tone and plot. The changes they made were mostly cosmetic save for some minor...
- 11/2/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Ever since the release of Dr No in 1962, the first of twenty two Bond films based on the crime thrillers penned by Ian Fleming in the 50′s, we have had a plethora of super villains with their own unique quirks and ploys to cause mayhem.
Fortunately, each time they have been thwarted at the last moment by our favourite Spy James Bond, who has since been played by eight actors to date, from Sean Connery through to Daniel Craig.
We have also witnessed some fairly zany characters in the way of villains too, such as Jaws, Mr Big, Scaramanga and others. With yesterday being Global James Bond Day, celebrating fifty years of our favourite spy, what better opportunity then than to document our favourite villains from the series? Because without the villains, after all, there would be no James Bond.
10. Dr. Julius No
Film: Dr No
Dr Julius No was...
Fortunately, each time they have been thwarted at the last moment by our favourite Spy James Bond, who has since been played by eight actors to date, from Sean Connery through to Daniel Craig.
We have also witnessed some fairly zany characters in the way of villains too, such as Jaws, Mr Big, Scaramanga and others. With yesterday being Global James Bond Day, celebrating fifty years of our favourite spy, what better opportunity then than to document our favourite villains from the series? Because without the villains, after all, there would be no James Bond.
10. Dr. Julius No
Film: Dr No
Dr Julius No was...
- 10/7/2012
- by Joseph Dempsey
- Obsessed with Film
The opening shot, viewed from inside the barrel of a gun. The silhouetted beauties of Maurice Binder's credit sequence. That Monty Norman instrumental theme, promising sex and danger in just four notes. The martinis. The game of chance that's really a game of nerves. The women, gorgeous and lethal. The patient Miss Moneypenny, who'd give as good as she gets if he ever gave her a chance. The supervillain, living in a luxurious, elaborate hidden lair. And the line of introduction: "Bond, James Bond." It's remarkable how many enduring elements of the James Bond film franchise were there from day one, built into the initial installment, "Dr. No," (released 50 years ago, on October 5, 1962). That's why, even if you've never seen "Dr. No," you feel like you know it. Even so, there's plenty you may not know about the landmark spy film, including the real-life spies who made it, how...
- 10/5/2012
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Back in April, Daniel Craig, a.k.a. Agent 007, had to defend Heineken's product placement in new flick "Skyfall," insisting that "having a beer is no bad thing, in the movie it just happens to be Heineken."
He should have added, "Oh, and there's gonna be a kick-ass commercial as well," since Heinekin just released a knockout Bond-themed spot bookended with appearances by the man himself.
The plot of this lavish ad involves Craig's Bond being pursued, only to throw his tail with a lookalike who then has to rocket through a Euro luxury train evading all kinds of baddies, including a computer-enhanced appearance by Bond villain numero uno Dr. Julius No (the late Joseph Wiseman).
While the Martini may be absent, producers still managed to get some gin in this commercial by employing the exquisite pipes of New Zealand singer/songwriter Gin Wigmore. Her song "Man Like That" has...
He should have added, "Oh, and there's gonna be a kick-ass commercial as well," since Heinekin just released a knockout Bond-themed spot bookended with appearances by the man himself.
The plot of this lavish ad involves Craig's Bond being pursued, only to throw his tail with a lookalike who then has to rocket through a Euro luxury train evading all kinds of baddies, including a computer-enhanced appearance by Bond villain numero uno Dr. Julius No (the late Joseph Wiseman).
While the Martini may be absent, producers still managed to get some gin in this commercial by employing the exquisite pipes of New Zealand singer/songwriter Gin Wigmore. Her song "Man Like That" has...
- 9/21/2012
- by Max Evry
- NextMovie
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat is a monthly newspaper run by Steve DeBellis, a well know St. Louis historian, and it.s the largest one-man newspaper in the world. The concept of The Globe is that there is an old historic headline, then all the articles in that issue are written as though it.s the year that the headline is from. It.s an unusual concept but the paper is now in its 25th successful year! Steve and I collaborated last year on an all-Vincent Price issue of The Globe and I.ve been writing a regular movie-related column since. Since there is no on-line version of The Globe, I post all of my articles here at We Are Movie Geeks as well. In honor of the 40th anniversary of Blueberry Hill, the landmark St. Louis restaurant and music club that.s filled with pop culture memorabilia, this month.s St.
- 9/11/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
James Bond's latest foe is played by Javier Bardem with dyed blond hair. But there is surely method in this casting madness
When it was revealed last year that the next James Bond film would be called Skyfall, there was a collective sigh of relief from cinemagoers concerned, in the wake of the whole Quantum of Solace debacle, that Bond titles were now being chosen by a blindfolded invigilator picking nouns from a hat. No sooner had that matter been cleared up than other pressing questions emerged. Were we to see at last the return of old hands like Q and Miss Moneypenny, rumoured to be working in call centres since the new-broom policy of the Daniel Craig era? And would there really be a subplot in which the Queen parachuted into an unloved corner of east London to do battle with the Arctic Monkeys?
Clearly wires got crossed, and...
When it was revealed last year that the next James Bond film would be called Skyfall, there was a collective sigh of relief from cinemagoers concerned, in the wake of the whole Quantum of Solace debacle, that Bond titles were now being chosen by a blindfolded invigilator picking nouns from a hat. No sooner had that matter been cleared up than other pressing questions emerged. Were we to see at last the return of old hands like Q and Miss Moneypenny, rumoured to be working in call centres since the new-broom policy of the Daniel Craig era? And would there really be a subplot in which the Queen parachuted into an unloved corner of east London to do battle with the Arctic Monkeys?
Clearly wires got crossed, and...
- 8/1/2012
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
For the next 22 weeks, MTV Movies Blog will be running what we call the Bond-a-Thond. Every Wednesday we're taking a look back at a single (official) Bond film, giving you the vitals and seeing how it holds up, right up until the release of "Skyfall" on November 9. Feel free to watch along with us and share your thoughts or just kick back and enjoy the Bond.
Dr. No (1962)
Title Meaning: The villainous, vaguely Asian owner of Crab Key Island and agent of Spectre (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion)
Plot: When an MI6 agent goes missing, Double O agent James Bond sets off for Jamaica in order to solve the mystery and foil the nefarious plot of Dr. No, a representative of Spectre, the international evil organization bent on throwing off the balance of world power (we think).
Bond: Sean Connery
Villain: Dr. Julius No, a mad genius...
Dr. No (1962)
Title Meaning: The villainous, vaguely Asian owner of Crab Key Island and agent of Spectre (Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion)
Plot: When an MI6 agent goes missing, Double O agent James Bond sets off for Jamaica in order to solve the mystery and foil the nefarious plot of Dr. No, a representative of Spectre, the international evil organization bent on throwing off the balance of world power (we think).
Bond: Sean Connery
Villain: Dr. Julius No, a mad genius...
- 6/13/2012
- by Kevin P. Sullivan
- MTV Movies Blog
Rita Hayworth, Gilda Rita Hayworth is Turner Classic Movies' Star of the Evening. TCM will be presenting the quintessential Hayworth in Gilda at 5 p.m. Pt. That'll be followed by the quintessential anti-Hayworth in The Lady from Shanghai, plus Fire Down Below, The Happy Thieves, The Lady in Question, and Affair in Trinidad. If you haven't watched Gilda (1946), you must. Charles Vidor's dark melodrama oozes romance, lust, desire, intrigue — and Nazis, too. All that set in a Hollywood-made Buenos Aires, where Hayworth's Gilda is married to George Macready's forbidding casino boss, but loves the youthful Glenn Ford's Johnny, who loves Gilda and has a deep, huh, respect for her husband, who, for his part, also happens to be, huh, deeply attached to Ford. As a son. Hayworth moves her body beautifully while singing "Put the Blame on Mame" and "Amado Mio," but the voice coming out of...
- 4/8/2012
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Latest Additions Include Star-Studded Appearances, Noted Film Historians,
An Opening-Night Poolside Screening of High Society (1956)
And a Vanity Fair Showcase of Architecture in Film
Complete Schedule for 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival
Now Available at http://www.tcm.com/festival
With just over two weeks left before opening day, the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival continues to expand its already-packed slate with new events and live appearances:
On opening night of the festival, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will be the site of a poolside screening of the lavish Cole Porter musical High Society (1956), starring Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. Actresses Maud Adams and Eunice Gayson will attend a 50th Anniversary screening of the James Bond classic Dr. No (1962) and participate in a conversation about being “Bond Girls.” Filmmaker Mel Brooks will be on hand to introduce his brilliant parody Young Frankenstein (1974). Filmmaker John Carpenter will introduce his favorite film, the...
An Opening-Night Poolside Screening of High Society (1956)
And a Vanity Fair Showcase of Architecture in Film
Complete Schedule for 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival
Now Available at http://www.tcm.com/festival
With just over two weeks left before opening day, the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival continues to expand its already-packed slate with new events and live appearances:
On opening night of the festival, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will be the site of a poolside screening of the lavish Cole Porter musical High Society (1956), starring Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. Actresses Maud Adams and Eunice Gayson will attend a 50th Anniversary screening of the James Bond classic Dr. No (1962) and participate in a conversation about being “Bond Girls.” Filmmaker Mel Brooks will be on hand to introduce his brilliant parody Young Frankenstein (1974). Filmmaker John Carpenter will introduce his favorite film, the...
- 3/28/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
To mark the 50th Anniversary of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time and with filming well underway on James Bond’s 23rd official outing in Skyfall due for release later this year, I have been tasked with taking a retrospective look at the films that turned author Ian Fleming’s creation into one of the most recognised and iconic characters in film history.
With Roger Moore well and truly established in the lead role after just one film, work began on a follow-up to Live And Let Die almost as soon as it was released into cinemas. Keen to capitalise on the renewed success of the character, producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman chose Fleming’s final Bond novel, The Man With The Golden Gun as their ninth film featuring the British secret agent.
With the novel taking place largely in Jamaica, it was felt...
With Roger Moore well and truly established in the lead role after just one film, work began on a follow-up to Live And Let Die almost as soon as it was released into cinemas. Keen to capitalise on the renewed success of the character, producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman chose Fleming’s final Bond novel, The Man With The Golden Gun as their ninth film featuring the British secret agent.
With the novel taking place largely in Jamaica, it was felt...
- 3/15/2012
- by Chris Wright
- Obsessed with Film
James Bond 007 Declassified File #1: "Dr. No" This series will trace the cinema history of James Bond, while also examining Ian Fleming's original novels as source material and examining how faithful (or not) the films have been to his work. Directed by Terence Young Screenplay by Richard Maibaum & Johanna Harwood & Berkley Mather Characters/Cast James Bond / Sean Connery Honeychile Ryder / Ursula Andress Dr. Julius No / Joseph Wiseman Felix Leiter / Jack Lord M / Bernard Lee Professor Rj Dent / Anthony Dawson Miss Taro / Zena Marshall Quarrel / John Kitzmuller Sylvia Trench / Eunice Gayson...
- 2/21/2012
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
You'd think a movie starring Marlon Brando at the height of his young-firebrand sex appeal, written by Nobel laureate John Steinbeck, and directed by the great Elia Kazan, would be better remembered today. Yet "Viva Zapata!", released exactly 60 years ago (on Feburary 7, 1952), is all but regarded as a footnote in the careers of Brando, Steinbeck, and Kazan. That's a shame, since it's at once a terrifically exciting action film, a heroic biopic, and a penetrating political study. Of course, even then, it was an odd one -- a movie about legendary figures in Mexican history portrayed by an almost Mexican-free cast; a movie about a pro-peasant revolutionary hero made at a time of anti-Communist hysteria in Hollywood. That it got made at all was remarkable, given the battles over censorship and casting, not to mention the battles between Brando and co-star Anthony Quinn, whose bitter tension often erupted into elaborate pranks and practical jokes.
- 2/7/2012
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
As James Bond prepares for his 23rd official outing in Skyfall and to mark the 50th Anniversary of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time I have been tasked to take a retrospective look at the films that turned author Ian Fleming’s creation into one of the most recognised and iconic characters in film history.
Ian Fleming died just one month before the release of the third James Bond film, Goldfinger in August 1964. Even though both Dr. No and From Russia With Love had been successful and well received it was not until Goldfinger that James Bond truly became a worldwide phenomenon and it is a tragedy that Fleming never lived to see the full impact his creation had on popular culture.
The story of the fourth James Bond film, Thunderball, is a complicated one that pre-dates the formation of Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman...
Ian Fleming died just one month before the release of the third James Bond film, Goldfinger in August 1964. Even though both Dr. No and From Russia With Love had been successful and well received it was not until Goldfinger that James Bond truly became a worldwide phenomenon and it is a tragedy that Fleming never lived to see the full impact his creation had on popular culture.
The story of the fourth James Bond film, Thunderball, is a complicated one that pre-dates the formation of Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman...
- 12/31/2011
- by Chris Wright
- Obsessed with Film
As James Bond prepares for his 23rd official outing in Skyfall and to mark next year’s 50th Anniversary of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time I have been tasked to take a retrospective look at the films that turned author Ian Fleming’s creation into one of the most recognised and iconic fictional characters in film history.
Back in 1961 nobody could have foreseen the success and longevity that James Bond would go on to enjoy in the years that followed. At the time, film producer Albert R. Broccoli, who was reeling from being declared bankrupt after the box-office failure of his most recent picture The Trails of Oscar Wilde, was on the lookout for an idea for his next project. When asked by his wife Dana what he really wanted to do, he replied “I have always wanted to film the Ian Fleming James Bond...
Back in 1961 nobody could have foreseen the success and longevity that James Bond would go on to enjoy in the years that followed. At the time, film producer Albert R. Broccoli, who was reeling from being declared bankrupt after the box-office failure of his most recent picture The Trails of Oscar Wilde, was on the lookout for an idea for his next project. When asked by his wife Dana what he really wanted to do, he replied “I have always wanted to film the Ian Fleming James Bond...
- 11/16/2011
- by Chris Wright
- Obsessed with Film
We're back on track this week with an episode starring Joseph Wiseman (Aka the future Dr. No). He plays a wealthy man who compels three people from his past to visit him in his bomb shelter. And then the air raid sirens go off ... The Twilight Zone, Episode #82: "One More Pallbearer" (original air date January 12, 1962) The Plot: Wealthy eccentric Paul Radin (Joseph Wiseman) has constructed a bomb shelter 300 feet beneath a New York City skyscraper. Workers finish installing a television screen and sound system just in time for his three guests to arrive. All three have a past connection to Radin. Colonel Hawthorne (Trevor Bardette), his military superior during World War II, ordered him court-martialed for refusing to follow a...
- 10/12/2011
- Screen Anarchy
It's always fun when a movie allows you to root for the crooks -- Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, Ocean's 11, The Sting, among many others. The Happy Thieves is another one in the bunch where the main characters are a set of classy criminals whose only faults are that they chose a lucrative life of crime over an honest job. Other than that, they're educated, sophisticated, and have more class than Mr. Kotter.
The three "happy" thieves (who, by the way, aren't especially happy) who make up the film's main trio are Jim Bourne (Rex Harrison), Eve Lewis (Rita Hayworth), and Jean Marie Calbert (Joseph Wiseman), all with particular parts to play in the heists they pull. At least, they all have their parts in the heist we see them pulling off at the opening of the film: the theft of a painting from a wealthy man's mansion.
Read more.
The three "happy" thieves (who, by the way, aren't especially happy) who make up the film's main trio are Jim Bourne (Rex Harrison), Eve Lewis (Rita Hayworth), and Jean Marie Calbert (Joseph Wiseman), all with particular parts to play in the heists they pull. At least, they all have their parts in the heist we see them pulling off at the opening of the film: the theft of a painting from a wealthy man's mansion.
Read more.
- 6/16/2011
- JustPressPlay.net
Given the success of Warner’s Archive program, we’re thrilled to see other studios scouring their vaults for content aimed at the discerning cinephile. Here’s a release showcasing the latest coming from MGM via Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment:
Los Angeles (April 14, 2011) – Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is bringing even more classics to DVD in April through its unique “manufacturing on demand” (“Mod”). The newest group of films will be part of the MGM Limited Edition Collection and available through online retailers. The vast catalog ranges from 1980’s Defiance to 1965’s four-time Academy Award® nominated A Thousand Clowns.
Enjoy your favorite movies from across the decades including:
1950′s
● Davey Crockett, Scout (1950): A U.S. military scout is assigned to stop Indian attacks on a defenseless group of wagon trains making their way West. Stars George Montgomery, Ellen Drew, Noah Beery Jr. Directed by Lew Landers.
● Cloudburst...
Los Angeles (April 14, 2011) – Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is bringing even more classics to DVD in April through its unique “manufacturing on demand” (“Mod”). The newest group of films will be part of the MGM Limited Edition Collection and available through online retailers. The vast catalog ranges from 1980’s Defiance to 1965’s four-time Academy Award® nominated A Thousand Clowns.
Enjoy your favorite movies from across the decades including:
1950′s
● Davey Crockett, Scout (1950): A U.S. military scout is assigned to stop Indian attacks on a defenseless group of wagon trains making their way West. Stars George Montgomery, Ellen Drew, Noah Beery Jr. Directed by Lew Landers.
● Cloudburst...
- 4/21/2011
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Sidney Lumet directs Al Pacino in 1973's Serpico.
The great American filmmaker Sidney Lumet died Saturday morning, April 10, of lymphoma at his home in New City. He was 86.
Sidney Lumet made movies for grown-ups — strongly written, well-acted stories about grown-ups that he brought to the screen with a straight-forwardness that allowed the material and performers to breath but didn’t sacrifice the naturalism and subtle artistry that was his trademark. Firm but unobtrusive, his direction of such modern classics as Network, Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico, among his more than 50 films, is masterful in its naturalistic presentation and confidence. We’re talking the top, here. Simply the best.
Okay, now for my Sidney Lumet story: I attended the New York premiere of the concert film Neil Young: Heart of Gold directed by Jonathan Demme on a snowy night at Lincoln Center back in 2006. It was a relatively low-key premiere, but...
The great American filmmaker Sidney Lumet died Saturday morning, April 10, of lymphoma at his home in New City. He was 86.
Sidney Lumet made movies for grown-ups — strongly written, well-acted stories about grown-ups that he brought to the screen with a straight-forwardness that allowed the material and performers to breath but didn’t sacrifice the naturalism and subtle artistry that was his trademark. Firm but unobtrusive, his direction of such modern classics as Network, Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico, among his more than 50 films, is masterful in its naturalistic presentation and confidence. We’re talking the top, here. Simply the best.
Okay, now for my Sidney Lumet story: I attended the New York premiere of the concert film Neil Young: Heart of Gold directed by Jonathan Demme on a snowy night at Lincoln Center back in 2006. It was a relatively low-key premiere, but...
- 4/10/2011
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
So Christopher Lee, the 88 year old British actor, is to be honoured with an Academy Fellowship (read, Lifetime Achievement Award) at tonight’s BAFTAs ceremony in London, clearly the highlight of the night’s activites.
Lee has been a dominant figure in British, European (he’s fluent in Italian and German, proficient in French) and American cinema since 1948 and holds the Guinness World Record for the most acting credits: a staggering 268… and counting. Whilst I’m inclined to say that it’s about time he was bestowed with such an honour, I hope that it doesn’t encourage him to consider retiring.
With his roots well and truly within the low budget offerings of Hammer Studios, Lee has gone on to become the most enduring British actor of all time. Along with the fantastic Peter Cushing, Lee managed to bring a touch of class and superior acting ability to his Hammer adventures.
Lee has been a dominant figure in British, European (he’s fluent in Italian and German, proficient in French) and American cinema since 1948 and holds the Guinness World Record for the most acting credits: a staggering 268… and counting. Whilst I’m inclined to say that it’s about time he was bestowed with such an honour, I hope that it doesn’t encourage him to consider retiring.
With his roots well and truly within the low budget offerings of Hammer Studios, Lee has gone on to become the most enduring British actor of all time. Along with the fantastic Peter Cushing, Lee managed to bring a touch of class and superior acting ability to his Hammer adventures.
- 2/13/2011
- by Stuart Cummins
- Obsessed with Film
Horror fanatics are still buzzing like chainsaws over the Academy Awards’ genre montage. Anywhere there could be a conversation about it online, there was one. Many were upset over the Twilight ‘tweens’ participation, as if their mere presence sent a message about the state of scary in Hollyweird, USA.
A few seemed happy, though, to just get a glimpse of their beloved Evil Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 if only for a few seconds. But many called the selections generic and thoughtless, demanding the likes of Demons and TerrorVision instead (well, maybe not TerrorVision; that was just me).
How about Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer? Re-Animator? It’s Alive? Tombs of the Blind Dead? Coffin Joe? No list is perfect, but with a bit more care and a phone call to any one of us, the Oscars could have elevated that section into a real scream. Or maybe they...
A few seemed happy, though, to just get a glimpse of their beloved Evil Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 if only for a few seconds. But many called the selections generic and thoughtless, demanding the likes of Demons and TerrorVision instead (well, maybe not TerrorVision; that was just me).
How about Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer? Re-Animator? It’s Alive? Tombs of the Blind Dead? Coffin Joe? No list is perfect, but with a bit more care and a phone call to any one of us, the Oscars could have elevated that section into a real scream. Or maybe they...
- 3/9/2010
- by Heather Buckley
- DreadCentral.com
(from left) Michael Jackson, David Carradine, Bea Arthur, Ricardo Montalban, Karl Malden, Brittany Murphy and Patrick Swayze After losing the likes of Paul Newman, Bernie Mac, George Carlin, Estelle Getty, Roy Scheider and Heath Ledger in 2008 who would have ever thought 2009 would have also taken so many recognizable and loved names. Of course, these are the things we never plan on as once again I continue the tradition I started back in 2006, remembering those we lost over the past year. Like always I will remind you this is not a complete list, but to my knowledge it is a pretty good representation of those we lost from the world of entertainment... Pat Hingle (Died January 3, 2009) - Commissioner Gordon in the '80s and '90s series of Batman movies. Died from Myelodysplasia (blood cancer).
Ricardo Montalban (Died January 14, 2009) - Played the memorable role of Khan in Star Trek - The...
Ricardo Montalban (Died January 14, 2009) - Played the memorable role of Khan in Star Trek - The...
- 1/13/2010
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Character actor Joseph Wiseman brought to life the first screen villain for British secret agent James Bond when he played Dr. No in the 1962 film of the same name.
Wiseman played the cool and calculating menace in the first of the long-running series of James Bond films, which initially starred Sean Connery as the British secret agent.
Wiseman was born in Montreal, Canada, on May 15, 1918, and moved to the United States with his family as a child. He began his career on stage and made his Broadway debut in the late 1930s.
Wiseman appeared frequently on television throughout his career, with roles in the 1950s anthology series Suspense, Lights Out, Tales of Tomorrow, and Inner Sanctum. He was featured as Death in a 1954 production of Death Takes a Holiday for Kraft Theatre, and was the Sorceror in a 1958 Shirley Temple Storybook adaptation of The Wild Swans. He starred in the...
Wiseman played the cool and calculating menace in the first of the long-running series of James Bond films, which initially starred Sean Connery as the British secret agent.
Wiseman was born in Montreal, Canada, on May 15, 1918, and moved to the United States with his family as a child. He began his career on stage and made his Broadway debut in the late 1930s.
Wiseman appeared frequently on television throughout his career, with roles in the 1950s anthology series Suspense, Lights Out, Tales of Tomorrow, and Inner Sanctum. He was featured as Death in a 1954 production of Death Takes a Holiday for Kraft Theatre, and was the Sorceror in a 1958 Shirley Temple Storybook adaptation of The Wild Swans. He starred in the...
- 11/7/2009
- by Harris Lentz
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Welcome to the 207th Edition, one week away from the Four Year Anniversary. This week, I pay tribute to Lucy Vodden, Lou Jacobi, Joseph Wiseman, Captain Lou Albano, and Bruce Springsteen. I have one movie from the Random Myspace Profile selection process and next week will have at least 1, possibly 3.Whaledreamers (2006): This is my tribute to Lucy Vodden, the apparent inspiration for the Beatles...
- 11/1/2009
- by Shaun Berk
· A Single Man star Nicholas Hoult probably has a lot to talk about with Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson now, as Tom Ford has added Hoult to the illustrious list of stars who've gone topless for him to sell magazines (in Hoult's case, for the new Out).
· Congratulations to erstwhile Michael Scott paramour Amy Ryan and her fiance, who became the proud parents of a baby girl last week.
· Bad news for Hollywood gays, though, as T.R. Knight and Rosie O'Donnell both appear to have split from their partners.
· Is everybody from TV dealing oxycodone now? First there was the Big Brother dude, and now there's Smallville's Sam Jones, who was arrested today after taking part in a conspiracy to deal more than 10,000 pills of oxycodone.
· Joseph Wiseman, who played James Bond villain Dr. No, died Monday at the age of 91. Pour out a martini for him in honor, won't you?...
· Congratulations to erstwhile Michael Scott paramour Amy Ryan and her fiance, who became the proud parents of a baby girl last week.
· Bad news for Hollywood gays, though, as T.R. Knight and Rosie O'Donnell both appear to have split from their partners.
· Is everybody from TV dealing oxycodone now? First there was the Big Brother dude, and now there's Smallville's Sam Jones, who was arrested today after taking part in a conspiracy to deal more than 10,000 pills of oxycodone.
· Joseph Wiseman, who played James Bond villain Dr. No, died Monday at the age of 91. Pour out a martini for him in honor, won't you?...
- 10/21/2009
- Movieline
Joseph Wiseman, the Canadian-born actor best known for his deliciously evil portrayal of the James Bond villain, Dr. No, passed away yesterday at age 91. Wiseman appeared in a slew of Broadway productions, television shows, and movies such as Viva Zapata! with Marlon Brando and The Unforgiven with Burt Lancaster. But he will always be remembered for locking horns with Sean Connery's agent 007 in 1962's Dr. No. Wiseman's character, a mad scientist with an arsenal of fiendishly wry quips, a charter membership in Spectre, and a nasty atomic-powered radio-beam weapon, became the prototypical Bond villain. Later in his life, the...
- 10/21/2009
- by Chris Nashawaty
- EW.com - PopWatch
James Bond's original nemesis Dr. No has died - the actor Joseph Wiseman passed away on Monday.
Wiseman played the metal-clawed, crazed scientist in the first ever 007 feature film in 1962, which starred Sean Connery and Ursula Andress.
He died aged 91 at his home in New York after a prolonged battle with ill health - almost eight months after his wife, modern dancer/choreographer Pearl Lang, died suddenly from a heart attack following hip surgery.
As well as his role as Dr. No, Wiseman featured in a string of films including Detective Story and The Unforgiven.
He also had guest roles in Law & Order, The Streets of San Francisco and The Twilight Zone.
Wiseman played the metal-clawed, crazed scientist in the first ever 007 feature film in 1962, which starred Sean Connery and Ursula Andress.
He died aged 91 at his home in New York after a prolonged battle with ill health - almost eight months after his wife, modern dancer/choreographer Pearl Lang, died suddenly from a heart attack following hip surgery.
As well as his role as Dr. No, Wiseman featured in a string of films including Detective Story and The Unforgiven.
He also had guest roles in Law & Order, The Streets of San Francisco and The Twilight Zone.
- 10/21/2009
- WENN
By Wrap Staff
The diabolical Dr. No has died. Joseph Wiseman, who played the sinister title character in the first James Bond movie, was 91. The Canadian-born actor had been in declining health for the last several years, according to his daughter Martha Graham Wiseman. Wiseman had a long career on stage and screen before appearing opposite Sean Connery in 1962’s “Dr. No.” He made his Broadway debut in 1938 in Robert E. Sherwood's "Abe Lincoln in Illino...
The diabolical Dr. No has died. Joseph Wiseman, who played the sinister title character in the first James Bond movie, was 91. The Canadian-born actor had been in declining health for the last several years, according to his daughter Martha Graham Wiseman. Wiseman had a long career on stage and screen before appearing opposite Sean Connery in 1962’s “Dr. No.” He made his Broadway debut in 1938 in Robert E. Sherwood's "Abe Lincoln in Illino...
- 10/21/2009
- by Lew Harris
- The Wrap
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