By Lee Pfeiffer
In between filming the James Bond blockbusters The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, Roger Moore starred in a largely unheralded action adventure film that afforded him one of the best roles of his career. The movie was released internationally as North Sea Hijack but was retitled "ffolkes" in the all-important U.S. market. The title referred to the character Moore played, an eccentric crank who operates a Navy Seal-like team of daredevils who are periodically enlisted by the British government to combat terrorists. ffolkes may be a cute title for a movie hero but it lead to disappointing boxoffice returns in America, where audiences found it to be rather confusing: "What the hell is a ffolkes?" Nevertheless, this is a crackling good action flick, deftly directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, who was on a roll at the time with The Wild Geese, The Sea Wolves and this film,...
In between filming the James Bond blockbusters The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, Roger Moore starred in a largely unheralded action adventure film that afforded him one of the best roles of his career. The movie was released internationally as North Sea Hijack but was retitled "ffolkes" in the all-important U.S. market. The title referred to the character Moore played, an eccentric crank who operates a Navy Seal-like team of daredevils who are periodically enlisted by the British government to combat terrorists. ffolkes may be a cute title for a movie hero but it lead to disappointing boxoffice returns in America, where audiences found it to be rather confusing: "What the hell is a ffolkes?" Nevertheless, this is a crackling good action flick, deftly directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, who was on a roll at the time with The Wild Geese, The Sea Wolves and this film,...
- 5/16/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
By Lee Pfeiffer
Over the last year the entertainment industry has suffered incalculable losses of talented people. Some of them hit home personally, as is the case with producer Euan Lloyd, who passed away this weekend in London. I first met Euan in 1978 when I was attending college in New Jersey. I had the enviable gig of being the film critic for the campus newspaper, which afforded me the opportunity to routinely attend press screenings of forthcoming films in New York, which was a stone's throw across the river from my native Jersey City. I had read about the upcoming release of "The Wild Geese" which seemed to promise a "too-good-to-be-true" cast composed of some of my favorite actors (Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris above all) in the kind of gritty, macho British war flick that I had become addicted to ever since seeing "Zulu" at age 8. To...
Over the last year the entertainment industry has suffered incalculable losses of talented people. Some of them hit home personally, as is the case with producer Euan Lloyd, who passed away this weekend in London. I first met Euan in 1978 when I was attending college in New Jersey. I had the enviable gig of being the film critic for the campus newspaper, which afforded me the opportunity to routinely attend press screenings of forthcoming films in New York, which was a stone's throw across the river from my native Jersey City. I had read about the upcoming release of "The Wild Geese" which seemed to promise a "too-good-to-be-true" cast composed of some of my favorite actors (Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris above all) in the kind of gritty, macho British war flick that I had become addicted to ever since seeing "Zulu" at age 8. To...
- 7/4/2016
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Macnee with Honor Blackman in an early episode of The Avengers.
The distinguished British actor Patrick Macnee has passed away at age 93. Macnee personified the "typical" English gentleman in scores of films and TV appearances. He rose to fame as John Steed, the star of "The Avengers", the iconic TV series from the 1960s. He initially co-starred with Honor Blackman, then later Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson. He starred in "The New Avengers" in 1976. Macnee's also had a thriving career as a character actor in feature films. He appeared as young Jacob Marley in the classic 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol", as well as such diverse fare as "The Sea Wolves" , director Joe Dante's "The Howling" and spoofs such as "Young Doctors in Love" and "This is Spinal Tap". Macnee co-starred with his old friend Roger Moore in the 1985 James Bond film "A View to a Kill". He also...
The distinguished British actor Patrick Macnee has passed away at age 93. Macnee personified the "typical" English gentleman in scores of films and TV appearances. He rose to fame as John Steed, the star of "The Avengers", the iconic TV series from the 1960s. He initially co-starred with Honor Blackman, then later Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson. He starred in "The New Avengers" in 1976. Macnee's also had a thriving career as a character actor in feature films. He appeared as young Jacob Marley in the classic 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol", as well as such diverse fare as "The Sea Wolves" , director Joe Dante's "The Howling" and spoofs such as "Young Doctors in Love" and "This is Spinal Tap". Macnee co-starred with his old friend Roger Moore in the 1985 James Bond film "A View to a Kill". He also...
- 6/26/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
McLaglen with his father Victor on the set of Rawhide with Clint Eastwood.
Andrew V. McLaglen, the son of famed character actor Victor McLaglen, who went on to a successful career as both a television and feature film director, has died at age 94. McLaglen got into directing by working on popular television Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s such as "Rawhide" and "Have Gun, Will Travel". He collaborated with John Wayne on the 1963 Western comedy "McLintock!", which proved to be a boxoffice smash. He would collaborate with Wayne on numerous other films such as "Hellfighters", "Cahill: U.S. Marshall", "The Undefeated" and their most acclaimed joint project, the 1970 Western "Chisum" which proved to be a favorite of President Richard M. Nixon. (Some of Nixon's political adversaries theorized that the film inspired him to launch the secret war in Cambodia.) McLaglen also excelled at making action adventure films such as...
Andrew V. McLaglen, the son of famed character actor Victor McLaglen, who went on to a successful career as both a television and feature film director, has died at age 94. McLaglen got into directing by working on popular television Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s such as "Rawhide" and "Have Gun, Will Travel". He collaborated with John Wayne on the 1963 Western comedy "McLintock!", which proved to be a boxoffice smash. He would collaborate with Wayne on numerous other films such as "Hellfighters", "Cahill: U.S. Marshall", "The Undefeated" and their most acclaimed joint project, the 1970 Western "Chisum" which proved to be a favorite of President Richard M. Nixon. (Some of Nixon's political adversaries theorized that the film inspired him to launch the secret war in Cambodia.) McLaglen also excelled at making action adventure films such as...
- 9/5/2014
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Odd List Simon Brew 15 Nov 2013 - 07:08
Lots of films are dedicated to, or in memory of someone. But it's not always clear why. We've been finding out...
Back when Breaking Bad returned for its final batch of episodes in August 2013, it had a dedication at the end of it. The card read 'Dedicated to our friend Kevin Cordasco'. As it turned out, Kevin Cordasco was a 16-year old who had been battling cancer for seven years, who had met both Bryan Cranston and Vince Gilligan. Cordasco died before he could ever get to see the episode dedicated to him.
I found this such a moving story, that it got me wondering about the dedications that appear on films, and what the story behind them was. After all, the dedications are there for a reason. What I uncovered was some funny stories, mainly extremely sad ones, and some extremely moving dedications.
Lots of films are dedicated to, or in memory of someone. But it's not always clear why. We've been finding out...
Back when Breaking Bad returned for its final batch of episodes in August 2013, it had a dedication at the end of it. The card read 'Dedicated to our friend Kevin Cordasco'. As it turned out, Kevin Cordasco was a 16-year old who had been battling cancer for seven years, who had met both Bryan Cranston and Vince Gilligan. Cordasco died before he could ever get to see the episode dedicated to him.
I found this such a moving story, that it got me wondering about the dedications that appear on films, and what the story behind them was. After all, the dedications are there for a reason. What I uncovered was some funny stories, mainly extremely sad ones, and some extremely moving dedications.
- 11/14/2013
- by sarahd
- Den of Geek
Outstanding Blu-ray presentations of two all-action classics, featuring the best of British are available to purchase right now. Arrow Video are proud to announce the release of The Wild Geese and Who Dares Win, available to buy on Blu-ray from 8th October 2012.
We have three copies of each Blu-ray to give away to our readers…
The Wild Geese (Arrow Video)
Available to buy on Blu-ray from 8th October 2012
British film legends Richard Burton (Where Eagles Dare; Cleopatra), Roger Moore (James Bond) and Richard Harris (Gladiator; Unforgiven) head up an all-star cast in the much-revered, all-action adventure film, The Wild Geese, coming to Blu-ray for the first time in October.
A high octane, thrill-ride directed by veteran action and western director Andrew V. McLaglen (The Sea Wolves; Chisum) and edited by John Glen (the director of the Bond movies For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View To A Kill, The Living Daylights...
We have three copies of each Blu-ray to give away to our readers…
The Wild Geese (Arrow Video)
Available to buy on Blu-ray from 8th October 2012
British film legends Richard Burton (Where Eagles Dare; Cleopatra), Roger Moore (James Bond) and Richard Harris (Gladiator; Unforgiven) head up an all-star cast in the much-revered, all-action adventure film, The Wild Geese, coming to Blu-ray for the first time in October.
A high octane, thrill-ride directed by veteran action and western director Andrew V. McLaglen (The Sea Wolves; Chisum) and edited by John Glen (the director of the Bond movies For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View To A Kill, The Living Daylights...
- 10/9/2012
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Italian artist at the forefront of popular illustration in the 1960s and 70s
The Italian artist Arnaldo Putzu, who has died aged 85, was one of the most distinctive illustrators of his generation, painting film posters – from Italian realist cinema to the Carry On series – and book and magazine covers. While his long career started and finished in Italy, his work in Britain encapsulated the whole look of popular illustration in the 1960s and 70s.
Putzu was born in Rome, the son of a senior Italian navy officer. At about the age of 10, he began painting seriously, studied art at the Rome Academy, and found a love of portraiture, which he practised by painting his relatives. While doing illustration work in Milan in 1948, he met the poster artist Enrico de Seta, who took him back to Rome to work at the heart of the booming Italian film industry.
After four years with De Seta,...
The Italian artist Arnaldo Putzu, who has died aged 85, was one of the most distinctive illustrators of his generation, painting film posters – from Italian realist cinema to the Carry On series – and book and magazine covers. While his long career started and finished in Italy, his work in Britain encapsulated the whole look of popular illustration in the 1960s and 70s.
Putzu was born in Rome, the son of a senior Italian navy officer. At about the age of 10, he began painting seriously, studied art at the Rome Academy, and found a love of portraiture, which he practised by painting his relatives. While doing illustration work in Milan in 1948, he met the poster artist Enrico de Seta, who took him back to Rome to work at the heart of the booming Italian film industry.
After four years with De Seta,...
- 9/21/2012
- by Sim Branaghan
- The Guardian - Film News
Production designer behind the deadly gadgets used by James Bond – and his foes
The production designer Syd Cain, who has died aged 93, was one of many behind-the-scenes professionals elevated to something like prominence by the worldwide interest in the James Bond films. An industry veteran who began work in British cinema as a draughtsman in 1947, contributing to the look of the gothic melodrama Uncle Silas, Cain is credited on a range of film and television projects, but remains best known for his work in various design capacities on the 007 series, from Dr No in 1962 to GoldenEye in 1995.
Born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, Cain served in the armed forces in the second world war, surviving a plane crash and recovering from a broken back. Working at Denham Studios in Buckinghamshire in the 1940s and 50s, he moved up from uncredited draughtsman (on Adam and Evelyne, The Interrupted Journey, You Know What Sailors Are...
The production designer Syd Cain, who has died aged 93, was one of many behind-the-scenes professionals elevated to something like prominence by the worldwide interest in the James Bond films. An industry veteran who began work in British cinema as a draughtsman in 1947, contributing to the look of the gothic melodrama Uncle Silas, Cain is credited on a range of film and television projects, but remains best known for his work in various design capacities on the 007 series, from Dr No in 1962 to GoldenEye in 1995.
Born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, Cain served in the armed forces in the second world war, surviving a plane crash and recovering from a broken back. Working at Denham Studios in Buckinghamshire in the 1940s and 50s, he moved up from uncredited draughtsman (on Adam and Evelyne, The Interrupted Journey, You Know What Sailors Are...
- 12/2/2011
- by Kim Newman
- The Guardian - Film News
Cinematographer who honed his style on Ken Loach's innovative TV dramas
The cinematographer Tony Imi, who has died aged 72, was instrumental in pioneering a new style of filming television drama in the 1960s, before he moved on to feature films. Few could forget the misfortunes that befell a homeless young couple and their children in Cathy Come Home, a programme that shocked the nation and was instrumental in the formation of the charity Shelter.
Imi's handheld camera, on the move and close up to the action, made the story chillingly real, in the vein of a current affairs programme, rather than fiction. Cathy Come Home, screened as part of the groundbreaking Wednesday Play series by the BBC in 1966, proved that TV drama could be relevant to the lives of people in Britain.
The director, Ken Loach, was in the early days of establishing his method of social-realist film-making – shooting...
The cinematographer Tony Imi, who has died aged 72, was instrumental in pioneering a new style of filming television drama in the 1960s, before he moved on to feature films. Few could forget the misfortunes that befell a homeless young couple and their children in Cathy Come Home, a programme that shocked the nation and was instrumental in the formation of the charity Shelter.
Imi's handheld camera, on the move and close up to the action, made the story chillingly real, in the vein of a current affairs programme, rather than fiction. Cathy Come Home, screened as part of the groundbreaking Wednesday Play series by the BBC in 1966, proved that TV drama could be relevant to the lives of people in Britain.
The director, Ken Loach, was in the early days of establishing his method of social-realist film-making – shooting...
- 4/27/2010
- by Anthony Hayward
- The Guardian - Film News
Frank Skinner's Opinionated, 30 Rock, Charlie Brooker and the UK bow for The Prisoner lead this week's TV highlights. Plus lots of movies too...
Frequenters of the site will be aware that we're friends of the comedians and often voice our appreciation of anything that can give us a giggle. News and current events usually don't. So, we welcome the arrival of Frank Skinner's Opinionated tonight, Friday, April 16th at 10:00pm on BBC2, a show that brings guest comedians to studio audiences around the country to talk about topical stuff. We're of the mind that if you can't laugh, you'd often cry at today's goings on, so any help in that area is promptly ticked on our telly timetables.
On Saturday, April 17th, a show that is perhaps unwise to be shown in pubs will air at 9:30pm on ITV. We say that as it's the reimagining of The Prisoner,...
Frequenters of the site will be aware that we're friends of the comedians and often voice our appreciation of anything that can give us a giggle. News and current events usually don't. So, we welcome the arrival of Frank Skinner's Opinionated tonight, Friday, April 16th at 10:00pm on BBC2, a show that brings guest comedians to studio audiences around the country to talk about topical stuff. We're of the mind that if you can't laugh, you'd often cry at today's goings on, so any help in that area is promptly ticked on our telly timetables.
On Saturday, April 17th, a show that is perhaps unwise to be shown in pubs will air at 9:30pm on ITV. We say that as it's the reimagining of The Prisoner,...
- 4/15/2010
- Den of Geek
Martin Benson was a dour-faced character actor who appeared in numerous film and television productions from the late 1940s. His notable genre roles include Dorkin, the circus ringmaster who aspires to hit the bigtime exploiting Gorgo, the giant prehistoric reptile, in the 1961 film of the same name. He was featured as American gangster Solo in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, who had a “pressing engagement” when he refused to take part in Goldfinger’s plot to rob Fort Knox. He was shot to death by henchman Oddjob, and crushed into a metal cube in a junkyard metal compactor along with his luxury car and gold bullion. He also appeared, under heavy prosthetics, as Jeltz, the poetry-spouting alien Vogon Captain, in the 1981 British television production of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Benson was born in London on August 10, 1918. He served in the military during World War II before embarking on...
Benson was born in London on August 10, 1918. He served in the military during World War II before embarking on...
- 3/24/2010
- by Jesse
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
By Lee Pfeiffer
Martin Benson, the distinguished British actor, has passed away at age 91. Although he had a wealth of credits from film and TV work, Benson was immortalized as the ill-fated Mafia boss Mr. Solo in the 1964 James Bond classic Goldfinger. It was his character who was famously crushed to death inside a new luxury car in one of the film's most legendary scenes. Benson's character's name caused some contention with the Bond producers. Ian Fleming suggested using the same name as the hero Robert Vaughn played on The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and embellished it a bit by adding a first name: Napoleon. The show's producer Norman Felton originally shot the pilot under the title Solo but changed it to The Man From U.N.C.L.E. when Bond producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman raised concerns that viewers might confuse it with an official Fleming project. Benson's other film credits include Cleopatra,...
Martin Benson, the distinguished British actor, has passed away at age 91. Although he had a wealth of credits from film and TV work, Benson was immortalized as the ill-fated Mafia boss Mr. Solo in the 1964 James Bond classic Goldfinger. It was his character who was famously crushed to death inside a new luxury car in one of the film's most legendary scenes. Benson's character's name caused some contention with the Bond producers. Ian Fleming suggested using the same name as the hero Robert Vaughn played on The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and embellished it a bit by adding a first name: Napoleon. The show's producer Norman Felton originally shot the pilot under the title Solo but changed it to The Man From U.N.C.L.E. when Bond producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman raised concerns that viewers might confuse it with an official Fleming project. Benson's other film credits include Cleopatra,...
- 3/4/2010
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
British stuntman Martin Grace was Roger Moore’s stunt double throughout his run as Ian Fleming’s British superspy James Bond. He also doubled the actor in many of his non-Bond film outings.
Grace was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1942. He began working in films in the mid-1960s, playing a Thal in the 1965 feature Dr. Who and the Daleks with Peter Cushing. He first became involved with the Bond film franchise as a stuntman on 1967’s You Only Live Twice starring Sean Connery. He also worked on the 007 films Live and Let Die (1973) and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), and began serving as Roger Moore’s stunt double with The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Grace also doubled Moore on the Bond films Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983) which left him badly injured while filming an action sequence aboard a train, and A View to Kill (1985), and the...
Grace was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1942. He began working in films in the mid-1960s, playing a Thal in the 1965 feature Dr. Who and the Daleks with Peter Cushing. He first became involved with the Bond film franchise as a stuntman on 1967’s You Only Live Twice starring Sean Connery. He also worked on the 007 films Live and Let Die (1973) and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), and began serving as Roger Moore’s stunt double with The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Grace also doubled Moore on the Bond films Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983) which left him badly injured while filming an action sequence aboard a train, and A View to Kill (1985), and the...
- 2/12/2010
- by Bryan
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
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