Now Screening - What Are You Watching Right Now?

[struth]

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, 1973.






Sam Peckinpah's alcoholism was so advanced during the making of this film that he would have to start the day with a large tumbler of neat vodkas to stop his shakes. By mid afternoon, he would have moved onto grenadine. After that, he was too drunk to work. James Coburn recalled that Peckinpah was only really coherent for four hours a day. Kris Kristofferson and Sam Peckinpah had several heated arguments during the making of the film, and others on the set often thought it would end up in a fight. Peckinpah, always very confrontational, wanted to fight Kristofferson but said that he feared Kristofferson, a former Army Airborne Ranger, would "kill him". Kristofferson answered, "Yeah, Sam, I think you're right". In spite of this, Peckinpah referred to Kristofferson as a "fucking great guy" and said that working with him was "one of the greatest experiences of my life".

[struth]

Murder by Decree, 1979. Christopher Plummer stars as Holmes in this Jack the Ripper film.






One of the last actors cast was James Mason. Director Bob Clark had to travel to Spain, where Mason was shooting another movie, to meet with him. Mason agreed to play Watson if he could make him a serious character, not the "silly ass" buffoon character which was the rule. Mason re-wrote two scenes, including the famous "pea scene".

The Masonic signs Sherlock Holmes makes to the Chief Inspector are: the Duegard of the Entered Apprentice (right hand palm down over left hand palm up), the Sign of the Entered Apprentice (drawing the right hand from left to right across the throat), a variation of the Real Grip of a Master Mason (the handshake with the thumb and little finger extended), and finally the Sign of a Fellow Craft (drawing the right hand across the body from the left breast to the right hip). The Signs all refer to the penalties associated with the divulging of the Order's secrets to outsiders, for example, having the throat slit and the chest opened and the heart torn out. The Duegard refers to the gesture of holding the Bible during the initiation ritual in the left hand, with the right resting upon it.

[struth]

The Apartment, 1960. Directed by Billy Wilder.






The film was lauded by Soviet-bloc critics as an indictment of the American system and a story that could only have happened in a capitalistic city like New York. At a dinner honoring him in East Berlin, Billy Wilder said the movie "could happen anywhere, in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Rome, Paris, London." When Wilder said the one place it could not have happened was Moscow, the East Germans broke into thunderous applause and cheers. When the ovation died down, Wilder continued: "The reason this picture could not have taken place in Moscow is that in Moscow nobody has his own apartment." The remark was met with grim silence.

In the scene, where Karl punches Baxter, Jack Lemmon was supposed to mime being punched, he failed to move correctly and was accidentally knocked down. Billy Wilder chose to use the shot of the genuine punch in the film.

[struth]

Another Wilder film now, The Spirit of St. Louis, 1957... Jimmy Stewart plays the part of Charles Lindbergh.






The alpha-numerical ID for the Spirit was NX-211. In aviation nomenclature this indicates that the plane is American, and is an experimental model.

In Charles Lindberghs first view of Ireland, he flies over 'Skellig Island', this is the same island featured in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), when Rey (Daisy Ridley) meets Luke (Mark Hamill) for the first time.

Even though Jimmy Stewart was a decorated World War II bomber pilot, all the aerial sequences were piloted by, Paul Mantz. Years later, Mantz would team up with fellow ace pilot, Frank Tallman. Together they were involved in a number of hit films including the spectacular airplane stunts preformed in, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) Tragically, both would die in separate plane crashes. Mantz, while preforming a routine "Touch 'n Go" scene for the movie, The Flight of the Phoenix (1965).

The film was one of Warners' biggest failures; many felt it was due to Stewart being twice the age of the character he was playing, and just wasn't right for the part.

[struth]

The Big Sleep, 1946. Directed by Howard Hawks. Watched this recently but I like it.lol






Warner Bros. studio chief Jack L. Warner gave Howard Hawks $50,000 to purchase the rights for "The Big Sleep." Hawks bought the rights for $5,000 and pocketed the rest. According to film historian Jon Tuska the purchase price was actually $10,000.

[struth]

Chisum, 1970. John Wayne plays title role which is directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. Its a pretty loose play on history but most of Holywood was. People then wanted the legend not the truth.





Speaking metaphorically, Chisum says he's a pretty good chess player. In real life, Wayne actually was.

When Billy the Kid and companions break into McSween's store, McSween comes down the stairs in the dark, asking, "Who's there? Who's there?" These similar to are what legend relates as being the last words of Billy the Kid, who spoke them in Spanish in a dark room just moments before he was killed. As quoted by a witness, he said, Quien es? Quien es? (Who is it? Who is it?)

[struth]

Watched this recently, although it was a fairly old print dvd. This is the remastered bluray i just got as a pressie. The Picture is well cleaned up thankfully.
Rogue Male, 1976, from the novel by Geoffrey Household. Stars Peter O'Toole.




Regarding the name of the cat, Asmodeus. Asmodeus is a demon who specializes in spreading lust. He preys on common people and royalty and even divine beings.

[walpurgis]

That's one I've been meaning to get and the book. Read the book and vaguely recall the movie from many years ago.

[struth]

That's one I've been meaning to get and the book. Read the book and vaguely recall the movie from many years ago.

picture on the bluray is miles ahead of the dvd. it was an old tv film and not shot terribly well.

[struth]

That's one I've been meaning to get and the book. Read the book and vaguely recall the movie from many years ago.

if i can find the dvd i will send it to you mate