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Clockwise from top left: Skyfall, The World Is Not Enough, The Spy Who Loved Me, Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice (MGM)Graphic: The A.V. Club

Since the first time he suavely announced “Bond. James Bond,” cigarette dangling from his lips, in 1962’s Dr. No, we’ve been naturally compelled to...

Being an international super spy comes with its share of drawbacks, which apparently include upsetting censors around the world. While James Bond has faced numerous censorship struggles throughout his more than 60-year on-screen run, he's often had a particular issue in his home country. For example, the original ending of 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever" was a little too S&m for the British censors, and was initially supposed to depict Jill St. John's Tiffany Case being tied to a bed by the charmingly bizarre Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd (Bruce Glover and Putter Smith respectively). That was very quickly nixed by UK censors who felt it was a little too kinky even for Bond.

But kink was less of a concern for the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) than violence. In a 2006 interview with Caped Wonder, "Diamonds" writer Tom Mankiewicz explained how "largely, the Brits cared a great...

Our hosts John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance Vlcek are back for a new episode of The Arrow in the Head Show – and for this one, they have been joined by a special guest! Actor/composer Rurik Sallé stopped by to talk to The Arrow and Lance about the 1993 film Warlock: The Armageddon (watch it Here), and you can find out what the trio had to say about the supernatural horror sequel by checking out the video embedded above!

Directed by Anthony Hickox from a screenplay written by Kevin Rock, Warlock: The Armageddon has the following synopsis:

The evil warlock has returned and he is determined to unleash the Devil using a set of mystic rune stones. An order of druids have to defeat him in order prevent Armageddon and banish evil for six hundred years.

The film stars Julian Sands, Chris Young, Paula Marshall, Joanna Pacula, Steve Kahan, R.G. Armstrong,...

When Sean Connery returned to the James Bond films after skipping out on "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (which is a great movie but seen as lesser at the time), anticipation was high. In 1971, Connery was Bond. George Lazenby was some pretender. There wasn't a tradition of handing over the character to a new actor yet. This was his grand return, and the film's creatives needed to get it right. They even brought back "Goldfinger" director Guy Hamilton to call the shots. 

On a financial level, everyone was happy. "Diamonds Are Forever" was the third-highest grossing film at the domestic box office in 1971. On an artistic level ... it's one of the worst films in the series. Connery is clearly only in it for the paycheck, the story is weirdly low-stakes and silly, and the Las Vegas setting feels chintzy.

The film does have two major bright spots though. First, there's...

Sixty years is a long time in the lifespan of a human being. And in the life cycle of a fictional character’s popularity, it’s usually unthinkable: a vast ocean of time which is rarely crossed by products of something as fleeting and fickle as pop culture. Nevertheless, six decades since Sean Connery first donned the tuxedo and uttered the iconic line of “Bond, James Bond,” the 007 character has endured in popularity.

In fact, during the character’s golden jubilee in 2012, Bond became arguably bigger than ever with the 50th anniversary also coinciding with the highest grossing Bond film at the box office, courtesy of Skyfall… of course that record only holds if you don’t count inflation, or certainly the amount of tickets sold by Connery’s fourth outing as MI6’s best man, Thunderball (1965). Either way, even the dour and brooding Craig movies still act as a reflection,...

Mark Cerulli (seated) with Aaron Prager, Matthew Lucero, August Kingsley and Rob Wight. (Photo by David Rubalcava)

Cinema Retro columnist Mark Cerulli has long championed indie horror films. They generally have one thing in common: the need to use innovative methods to compensate for less-than-extravagant budgets. Cerulli finally decided the best way to experience what it's like making one of these films was to participate in aspects of its creative process. Here is his report.

By Mark Cerulli

As a writer/producer for HBO, I had been on a number of film sets to do interviews and shoot “B-roll”… tolerated, sometimes even welcomed but never a part of the actual film. As a scriptwriter I had also piled up an impressive number of “passes” (my favorite was from Steven Seagal’s nutritionist!). Then in a Hollywood coincidence I met director Sean Haitz at the premiere of Rob Zombie’s Three from Hell.

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By Fred Blosser

Kino Lorber Studio Classics has released “Against All Flags,” a 1952 pirate movie from Universal-International, in a new Blu-ray edition. In the opening scene, British naval Lt. Brian Hawke (Errol Flynn) endures a shipboard flogging in front of a stern-faced audience of enlisted men and fellow officers. It isn’t clear what crime he’s charged with. Cowardice? Disobeying orders? Breaking into the admiral’s rum supply? Not that it matters, because as we quickly learn, the whipping is only a cover story. Publicly, Hawke is a disgraced man. Privately, he’s assigned to infiltrate a troublesome pirate stronghold on Madagascar. There, posing as disgruntled turncoats, he and two loyal subordinates will covertly locate and disable the camouflaged batteries of cannon that protect the island. This will clear the way for a British warship to safely swoop in and get rid of the miscreants.

The list of candidates for the 2020 Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors election is now out, with the winner in each branch being chosen directly from these entries rather than whittling it down to four finalists in each, as has been done previously. The list of candidates is made up of qualified AMPAS members who actually submit themselves.

Also new this year in the streamlined timetable, as Deadline exclusively reported May 16. The winners for the 17 open slots on the 54-member board will be chosen by preferential balloting, just like Best Picture race at the Oscars. Voting begins Monday and ballots are due back June 5.

The actors branch is the largest in the Academy and it also has drawn the biggest field of contenders for the one spot that is up. Incumbent governor Whoopi Goldberg is running for re-election against past governor Ed Begley Jr. vying to return to the board.

Whoopi Goldberg will be facing 18 other actors who want her seat on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors, the Academy revealed to its members on Friday.

The Academy posted the list of candidates for the board from all 17 of its branches, with incumbent Actors Branch governor Goldberg going up against a slate of challengers that includes past governor Ed Begley Jr., as well as Richard Dreyfuss, James and Stacy Keach, Tim Matheson, Joe Pantoliano, Lou Diamond Phillips and Rita Wilson, whose husband, Tom Hanks, served on the board for many years.

Other branches whose contenders hit double digits included Cinematographers (12), Directors (13), Executives (12), Producers (16), Sound (10) and Visual Effects (10).

But the Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch, in which incumbent Kathryn Blondell was ineligible to run again, has only a single candidate, Linda Flowers.

Also Read: Oscars Board Election Has New Rules - But Expect the Same Old Results

Blondell,...

The list of candidates for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 2020-2021 Board of Governors has been unveiled to members.

Voting begins on June 1 and ends on June 5.

Candidates run for three-year terms with a maximum of three terms. Each branch has three seats on the board. Only one of those seats is open each year because terms are staggered.

The candidates were posted on the Academy members’ portal on Friday afternoon. Below is the complete list (divided by branch) of those running for spots on the board.

Actors

Michael Lee Aday

Ed Begley, Jr.

Robert Carradine

Nicolas Coster

Colman Domingo

Richard Dreyfuss

Spencer Garrett

Bruce Glover

Whoopi Goldberg (incumbent)

James Keach

Stacy Keach

Peter Wong

Jodi Long

Tim Matheson

Joe Pantoliano

Lou Diamond Phillips

Andrea Riseborough

Andrew Stevens

Rita Wilson

Casting Directors

Kerry Barden

Richard Hicks

Margery Simkin

Debra Zane

Cinematographers

Andrzej Bartkowiak

Richard P. Crudo

Svetlana Cvetko...

Cinema Retro has received the following press announcement:

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Laemmle’s Royal Theatre in Los Angeles will be presenting the 45th anniversary screening of Roman Polanski’s 1974 film Chinatown which itself takes place in the City of Angels. The film will be screened on Thursday, June 27th, 2019 at 7:00 pm. Starring Jack Nicholson in one of the many classics that he made during that phenomenal decade, the film co-stars Faye Dunaway, John Houston, John Hillerman, Diane Ladd, and Bruce Glover. The film runs 131 minutes.

Please Note:

The following cast/crew member(s) are scheduled at press time to appear in person, with the potential for more to be added to the list, so please check the Royal website link at the bottom for updates as the screening day draws closer:

Actor Bruce Glover

Assistant director Hawk Koch

Author Sam Wasson

From the press release:...

Coming off one of its most contentious years in history, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences has sent out its list of candidates for its Board of Governors elections late this month.

The Board of Governors directs the Academy’s strategic vision, preserves the organization’s financial health, and assures the fulfillment of its mission.

Governors attend 6-8 board meetings annually (in person or by video conference when out of town). Each Governor also serves on one board oversight committee and their branch’s executive committee, and they are expected to represent their branch at numerous Academy events through the year.

Governors have fiduciary responsibilities imposed by state law to serve the Academy’s best interests, by acting with responsibility and care when approving annual goals presented by management, as well as major policies concerning governance.

CEO Dawn Hudson oversees a staff of more than 300 who conduct the Academy’s day-to-day business.

At this point, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ governors election looks more like a round-up than a race; more than 180 members have declared their interest in filling 17 contested spots on the 54-member Board of Governors.

Voting in the run-off round starts on Monday and ends May 18. That will narrow the present field to a maximum of four nominees per branch in the final round, which follows.

For now, there are on average about 11 candidates in the running for each slot. In the casting directors and costume design branches, only three members have declared for each slot. But not so in the actors branch, where 17 members — including Brie Larson, Jacki Weaver and Meg Ryan — are vying for the spot being vacated by termed-out Tom Hanks; or the producers, executives, and public relations branches, all of which have a bumper crop of candidates. Marvin Levy, currently a governor in the public relations branch,...

In the grand tradition of Deliverance (1972), Rituals (‘77), and Up the Creek (1984) comes Hunter’s Blood (’86), a backwoods hicksploitation actioner that more than gets by with a cast handpicked by the B movie gods and a script wittier than it has to be. Who says the outdoors hold no charm? (Well, normally that would be me.)

Based on the novel by Jere Cunningham (who later wrote the story for Judgment Night, which is just the urban version of the same tale), Hunter’s Blood was released by Palace Pictures in the U.K. in September, and picked up by Roger Corman’s Concorde Pictures for release stateside in January of ’87, where soon after it was destined to languish on home video shelves, with store clerks puzzled as to where it should be stocked. (By the by, I always saw it in the Horror section, where I think it rightfully belonged.) Hard...

Hollywood glamour strikes the crime genre, with a bank robbery tale that concentrates on high living and high fashion. Superstars Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway play a coy game of thief and investigator. This expensive show is not really in fashion anymore, but in 1968 it was high-class filmmaking, with Norman Jewison solidifying his position as a smart maker of solid mainstream entertainment.

The Thomas Crown Affair

Blu-ray

Kino Lorber

1968 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / Street Date February 13, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, Paul Burke, Jack Weston, Biff McGuire, Astrid Heeren, Gordon Pinsent, Yaphet Kotto, Bruce Glover.

Cinematography: Haskell Wexler

Film Editor: Hal Ashby, Byron Brandt, Ralph E. Winters

Montage and title design: Pablo Ferro

Original Music: Michel Legrand

Written by Alan R. Trustman

Produced and Directed by Norman Jewison

Ah, 1968 was a good movie year. I remember my father returning from a car hunt (before he bought...

Happy October, gang! With the Halloween season now officially underway, we have an incredible day of horror and sci-fi home entertainment releases to enjoy. Arrow Video has put together three stunning special edition sets for Children of the Corn, Don’t Torture A Duckling, and The Suspicious Death of A Minor, but we also have several other modern cult titles debuting as well, including Popcorn, 976-evil, and The Hidden.

For all you Charles Lee Ray enthusiasts out there, Cult of Chucky and the Chucky: Complete 7-Movie Collection both come home on Tuesday, and Scream Factory is also releasing the recent indie horror thriller Jackals on Blu-ray.

Other notable home entertainment titles bowing on October 3rd include American Horror Story: Roanoke, A Ghost Story, Haunters: The Art of the Scare, Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut, iZombie: The Complete Third Season, and Vampyr: Special Edition.

A horror movie marathon becomes host to all-too-real scares in 1991's Popcorn, coming out on a standard Blu-ray following its special Steelbook release from Synapse Films. We have details on the anticipated home media release in today's Horror Highlights, which also includes the poster for Brawl in Cell Block 99, a behind-the-scenes video from The Mummy (now out on Digital HD), and the trailer and release details for #FromJennifer, co-starring Tony Todd and Derek Mears.

Popcorn Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD: "Press Release: "In the history of Synapse Films few titles have generated as much excitement as Popcorn, director Mark Herrier’s 1991 cult favorite that’s been one of the most in-demand genre films of the Blu-ray era. Unavailable for over a decade, Popcorn now comes to HD in a deliciously butter-topped Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD release that will have fans craving for refills!

What could be scarier than...

Young Burt Reynolds is coming back to the small screen. Recently, getTV announced they will air the 1960s series Hawk this weekend.Created by Allan Sloane, the crime drama starred Reynolds as John Hawk, an Iroquois police detective working for the New York City District Attorney's office. The cast also included Wayne Grice, Bruce Glover, and Leon Janney. The show ended in 1966 after only one season.Read More…...

Grab something sweet and salty from the concession stand and save yourself the best seat in the house, because this March, Synapse Films will release a limited edition Steelbook Blu-ray of Mark Herrier’s cult horror film Popcorn:

Featuring a 2K scan of the 35mm interpositive, Synapse Films' Popcorn Collector's Edition Steelbook Blu-ray is limited to 3000 items and is slated for a March 7th release. Below, we have a look at the cover art as well as the press release with full details:

Press Release: In the history of Synapse Films few titles have generated as much excitement as Popcorn, director Mark Herrier’s 1991 cult favorite that’s been one of the most in-demand genre films of the Blu-ray era. Unavailable for over a decade, Popcorn finally comes to HD in a deliciously butter-topped Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Steelbook® Blu-ray that will have fans craving for refills!

“They did this in one take, which I hate.”

David Fincher loves Chinatown.

Of course, anyone who appreciates brilliant filmmaking should feel the same way, especially if they also appreciate themes of human nature drenched in cynicism. The film is easily one of the smartest, most beautiful gut-punches to come out of Hollywood in the ’70s (or any other decade for that matter), and it remains a powerful commentary on greed, bureaucracy, and the futility of good intentions.

Fincher sat down with Robert Towne, the film’s writer, for a commentary, and it makes for a fascinating look at a classic film.

Keep reading to see what I heard on the commentary for Roman Polanski’s Chinatown.

https://medium.com/media/885c1e98ecd68619e111417b944466a1/hrefChinatown (1974)

Commentator: Robert Towne (writer), David Fincher (fan)

1. Fincher loves how sinister the black & white logo looks as it suggests something monstrous like King Kong, but...

After upwards of thirty years in film and television, Crispin Hellion Glover remains one of Hollywood’s most enduringly eccentric characters. The erstwhile star of “Back to the Future” has since carved out an admirable and unique niche for himself as the director of boundary-pushing arthouse flicks like “What is it?” where many of the actors were non-professionals afflicted with Down’s Syndrome. What many may not know is that Glover grew up in the heart of Los Angeles, the son of actor Bruce Glover, and that he at one point harbored the same big-screen dreams as so many other Hollywood hopefuls before and after him. Granted, you wouldn’t necessarily get that impression from the bold and provocative public persona Glover has cultivated over the years, but that’s just one of the man’s many fascinating contradictions. Read More: Crispin Glover Discusses The Morally Questionable Ending Of '...

Diamonds are Forever

Directed by Guy Hamilton

Screenplay by Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz

UK, 1971

Following up On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, widely considered by most fans to be the best Bond incarnation pre-reboot, here the series takes a step back to recast the iconic Sean Connery in the role of mischievous misogynist Jimmy B, and promptly trips over itself in a strangely crass and dull outing. Replacing the wooden George Lazenby with the series’ original super spy proves to be mere consolation rather than icing on the cake bomb.

Diamonds are Forever surprisingly starts with direct continuity, with Bond leading a ruthless and fisticuffs laden hunt across the world for wife killer Ernst Stavros Blofelt (played here by Charles Gray). He eventually tracks down the evil mastermind and gives him a searing exit to proceedings, or so it seems. Getting back to the small matter of his day job...

While July 28th may be a light day in terms of the amount of horror and sci-fi titles making their home entertainment debuts, we do have an interesting assortment of films and TV to look forward to. Kino Lorber has dug up two classics—The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein and Cherry 2000 (starring Melanie Griffith)—which are being released on Blu-ray this Tuesday, and Scream Factory has another underrated genre gem getting the HD treatment as well—the horror western Ghost Town.

For all you MST3K fans out there, Shout! Factory is putting out another collection of campy films that you’ll be able to add to your collections this week and Bayview Entertainment also has a double feature of cult movies from Germany—Strangler of the Tower / Monster of London—arriving on DVD.

The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray & DVD)

After the death of Victor Frankenstein...

The deserted town the Brady family got trapped in on their way to the Grand Canyon is charming compared to the one in 1988's Ghost Town. On July 28th, Scream Factory will release Ghost Town on Blu-ray, and we've been provided with three copies to give away.

Ghost Town synopsis: "A dusty ghost town, seemingly abandoned, holds the lives of its original inhabitants in an animated netherworld for 100 years…

When a modern-day sheriff's deputy is lured to a desolate, spooky ghost town in search of a missing woman, he comes face-to-face with a malevolent spirit from the town's past. The spell of death and suffering over the undead townspeople must end to set them free from eternal pain. The horrors of a possessed outlaw, in a time-suspended dimension are only the setting for a frightening battle for the mind, nerves and flesh.

Starring Franc Luz (The Nest, When Harry Met Sally), Jimmie F. Skaggs (Oblivion,...

This summer, Scream Factory will take viewers to a ghost town that's a lot more sinister than the one the Brady family was trapped in on The Brady Bunch. Slated for a July 28th release, the western horror film Ghost Town hits Blu-ray on July 28th:

Press Release -- "The good. The bad. The Satanic. Scream Factory proudly presents the Empire Pictures classic Ghost Town on July 28, 2015 in its Blu-ray debut.

A dusty ghost town, seemingly abandoned, holds the lives of its original inhabitants in an animated netherworld for 100 years…

When a modern-day sheriff’s deputy is lured to a desolate, spooky ghost town in search of a missing woman, he comes face-to-face with a malevolent spirit from the town’s past. The spell of death and suffering over the undead townspeople must end to set them free from eternal pain. The horrors of a possessed outlaw, in a time-suspended...

“I suppose you’ve been down the long, hard road?”

“Who hasn’t?”

You never know what’s brewing at Webster University’s Strange Brew cult film series. It’s always the first Wednesday evening of every month, and they always come up with some cult classic to show while enjoying some good food and great suds. The fun happens at Schlafly Bottleworks Restaurant and Bar in Maplewood (7260 Southwest Ave.- at Manchester – Maplewood, Mo 63143).

This month, they’re brewing up some Bronson! Hard Times screens at Schlafly Bottleworks Wednesday, April 1st as part of Webster University’s ‘Strange Brew’ Film Series. The ‘Charles Bronson Exhibit’, a collection of movie paper, figures, models kits, toys, and other odd memorabilia will be on display that night at Schlafly.

No one could touch Charles Bronson in terms of global popularity throughout the 1970’s and Hard Times (1975) was his best film from that decade (my favorite for cinema,...

Chicago – Nobody puts actor Crispin Hellion Glover in a corner. The eclectic and insightful performer is also a filmmaker, musician and author, and he brings all those elements to Chicago with the presentation of his “Big Slide Show” at the Patio Theater, 6008 Irving Park Road, on Friday, February 7th, 2014.

Crispin Hellion Glover was born in New York City and raised in Los Angeles. His father is actor Bruce Glover, who used the made-up middle name “Hellion” on his resume, and bestowed it for real upon his son. Glover’s first name was inspired by the “St. Crispin’s Day Speech” in the William Shakespeare play, “Henry V.” Glover was educated in progressive schools up through his secondary education, and graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1982.

Crispin Glover Presents His ‘Big Slide Show’ in Chicago

Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

He began acting professionally at...

Cult movie director Crispin Glover has released the first three images promoting his latest directorial effort, which as of this writing remains nameless. All three images can be viewed in the gallery below.

In addition, Glover will be previewing 10 minutes from the film in Chicago, Illinois on January 31 at the Music Box Theater at a screening of his second directorial effort, It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine.

This latest movie will complete Glover’s “It” trilogy of films that began with What Is It?, which was completed around 2005. The film will also mark the first time that Crispin has ever acted on-screen with his father Bruce Glover, an actor who has appeared in diverse films such as Chinatown, Diamonds Are Forever and Ghost World.

Crispin is notoriously protective of the films he has directed, choosing to show them publicly only at screenings at which he can make a personal appearance.

Villains have always been and will always be some of the most fascinating and memorable characters in the world of genre film. Here we will take a look at the greatest villains of cinema from the 1990’s.

The criteria for this article is the same as in my previous articles Cinema’s Greatest Villains: The 1970’s and Cinema’s Greatest Villains: The 1980’s: the villains must be from live-action films-no animated features-and must pose some type of direct of indirect lethal threat. The villains can either be individuals or small groups that act as one unit.

The villains must be human or human in appearance. Also, individuals that are the central protagonists/antiheroes of their respective films were excluded.

Brad Dourif as The Gemini Killer in The Exorcist III (William Peter Blatty, 1990): Veteran actor Dourif is intense and unforgettable as an executed murderer inhabiting someone else’s body in...

No one could touch Charles Bronson in terms of global popularity throughout the 1970’s and Hard Times was his best film from that decade (my favorite for cinema, the only films from the ‘70s I would personally rate above Hard Times are Taxi Driver, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Godfather). Walter Hill, in his 1976 directorial debut, made a remarkably earthy and entertaining film about illegal bare-knuckle fighting in Depression-era New Orleans. Hard Times, whose succinct tag line read “New Orleans 1933, in those days words didn’t buy much”, perfectly exploits Bronson’s granite presence and is a concise, almost mythical celebration of men who only communicate with their fists. Bronson is Chaney, a hardened loner who hops off a freight train in New Orleans where he tries to score some quick cash the only way he knows how-with his fists.

The fight scenes in Hard Times, which seem authentic rather over-choreographed,...

Olive Films has announced that it will release 1995’s Night Of The Scarecrow April 30 on DVD and Blu-ray, both in anamorphic widescreen with special features to be announced. Directed by Jeff Burr of Stepfather II and The Offspring and scripted by Reed Steiner and Dan Mazur, the film takes place in a small town where partying teenagers accidentally free an evil spirit that takes over a nearby scarecrow, which sets out on a vengeful murder spree. Elizabeth Barondes and John Mese star, and the cool supporting cast includes Office Space’s Stephen Root, veteran character actors Bruce Glover and Dirk Blocker, 2001: A Space Odyssey’s Gary Lockwood, future Oscar nominee John Hawkes and Hammer glamour gal Martine Beswick. Retail prices are $24.95 for the DVD, $29.95 for the Blu-ray.

Olive Films has announced that it will release 1995’s Night Of The Scarecrow April 30 on DVD and Blu-ray, both in anamorphic widescreen with special features to be announced. Directed by Jeff Burr of Stepfather II and The Offspring and scripted by Reed Steiner and Dan Mazur, the film takes place in a small town where partying teenagers accidentally free an evil spirit that takes over a nearby scarecrow, which sets out on a vengeful murder spree. Elizabeth Barondes and John Mese star, and the cool supporting cast includes Office Space’s Stephen Root, veteran character actors Bruce Glover and Dirk Blocker, 2001: A Space Odyssey’s Gary Lockwood, future Oscar nominee John Hawkes and Hammer glamour gal Martine Beswick. Retail prices are $24.95 for the DVD, $29.95 for the Blu-ray.

Olive Films has announced that it will release 1995’s Night Of The Scarecrow April 30 on DVD and Blu-ray, both in anamorphic widescreen with special features to be announced. Directed by Jeff Burr of Stepfather II and The Offspring and scripted by Reed Steiner and Dan Mazur, the film takes place in a small town where partying teenagers accidentally free an evil spirit that takes over a nearby scarecrow, which sets out on a vengeful murder spree. Elizabeth Barondes and John Mese star, and the cool supporting cast includes Office Space’s Stephen Root, veteran character actors Bruce Glover and Dirk Blocker, 2001: A Space Odyssey’s Gary Lockwood, future Oscar nominee John Hawkes and Hammer glamour gal Martine Beswick. Retail prices are $24.95 for the DVD, $29.95 for the Blu-ray.

Olive Films has announced that it will release 1995’s Night Of The Scarecrow April 30 on DVD and Blu-ray, both in anamorphic widescreen with special features to be announced. Directed by Jeff Burr of Stepfather II and The Offspring and scripted by Reed Steiner and Dan Mazur, the film takes place in a small town where partying teenagers accidentally free an evil spirit that takes over a nearby scarecrow, which sets out on a vengeful murder spree. Elizabeth Barondes and John Mese star, and the cool supporting cast includes Office Space’s Stephen Root, veteran character actors Bruce Glover and Dirk Blocker, 2001: A Space Odyssey’s Gary Lockwood, future Oscar nominee John Hawkes and Hammer glamour gal Martine Beswick. Retail prices are $24.95 for the DVD, $29.95 for the Blu-ray.

After all the debates, controversies, and stereotype accusations have cleared, looking back on Blaxploitation cinema today it’s easy to see healthy portions of the crime and action genres. Using these genres and the struggles of the black community, these films were created for those that wanted to see African American characters on the big screen not taking shit from the man, “getting over”, and–above all else—being the heroes in movies. In the documentary Baad Asssss Cinema, Samuel L. Jackson gives his take on the heroes of Blaxploitation: “We were tired of seeing the righteous black man. And all of a sudden we had guys who were…us. Or guys who did the things we wanted those guys to do.”

The unsung supporting players in these films that backed Fred Williamson and Pam Grier and many other stars were people acting and making a living off of it.

Diamonds are Forever

Directed by Guy Hamilton

Screenplay by Richard Maibaum & Tom Mankiewicz

UK, 1971

Following up On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, widely considered by most fans to be the best Bond incarnation pre-reboot, here the series takes a step back to recast the iconic Sean Connery in the role of mischievous misogynist Jimmy B, and promptly trips over itself in a strangely crass and dull outing. Replacing the wooden George Lazenby with the series’ original super spy proves to be mere consolation rather than icing on the cake bomb.

Diamonds are Forever surprisingly starts with direct continuity, with Bond leading a ruthless and fisticuffs laden hunt across the world for wife killer Ernst Stavros Blofelt (played here by Charles Gray). He eventually tracks down the evil mastermind and gives him a searing exit to proceedings, or so it seems. Getting back to the small matter of his day job...

Following the world premiere screening of "Freaky Deaky" at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 22, the fest hosted a "Tribeca Talks" panel with director Charles Matthau and cast members Andy Dick, Crispin Glover, Michael Jai White, Sabina Gadecki, Breanne Racano, and Leonard Robinson at the School of Visual Arts Theatre in New York.Those in attendance spoke to moderator Kurt Loder and the audience about making their film adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel, in which a Detroit cop and a beautiful actress try to take down a rich movie producer and wind up dealing with extortion, double crosses, and dynamite in the process. Here's what we learned:Matthau, who wrote and directed "Freaky Deaky," called actor and filmmaker Crispin Glover "my friend for 40 years," ever since they attended the same grade school in Los Angeles. Glover's father is veteran character actor Bruce Glover, while Matthau is the son of the.

To mark the 50th Anniversary of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time and as James Bond prepares for his 23rd official outing in Skyfall 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.

Following the departure of George Lazenby after just one film in the lead role, producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman were left wondering if the success and popularity of the series so far had been down to just one man, Sean Connery. While Lazenby had made a good impression as Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service his performance was essentially a reinterpretation of Connery rather than a reinvention of the role itself. With the producers keen to cast a new lead they set to work auditioning actors for the part,...

The Flicks:

Big Bad Mama (1974): Angie Dickinson stars as Wilma McClatchie in this Bonnie & Clyde style shoot ‘em up set in Texas in 1932. After breaking up her young daughter’s wedding and finding out that bootlegging is harder than it seems, Wilma takes her two teenage daughters on the road and decides that they deserve a better life. After a chance encounter with a bank robber (a likeable Tom Skerritt), Wilma decides that ripping off banks is her ticket to the big time. With the help of a suave gambler (William Shatner, appropriately hammy) the gang sets out for bigger and bigger scores; including banks, an oil field robbery and even kidnapping a wealthy heiress. All while staying just one step ahead of the authorities.

This is a very solid Depression era road movie. It has everything you’d expect from a 70’s cult classic: car chases, shootouts, blood and bare breasts galore.

Oakland — Just in time for the holiday season, the Gravy has arrived.

Saint Misbehavin’: The Wavy Gravy Movie opens up in various theaters across America at the start of December. Wavy Gravy is an icon with an ever changing career. He’s gone from the legendary Merry Pranksters to the head of security at the original Woodstock to running a respected charity and finally achieving international greatness as a flavor of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. The many facets of his life are covered in the documentary directed by Michelle Esrick.

We had a chance to sit down for an extensive interview with Wavy Gravy and Michelle Esrick when the movie premiered at 2009’s Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

This first part has him discuss getting drunk with Jack Kerouac (On the Road) and dropping acid at the Electric Acid Kool-Aid Tests. Ahhh good times.

Now we get...

The following is a list of Los Angeles-area stage and film acting schools, teachers, and coaches organized by category and alphabetically.Each of the entries contains the following information, if applicable: name of teacher or school; address; phone and fax numbers; email address and/or website; average number of students per class; whether beginning, intermediate, or advanced students are taught; whether auditing is permitted; whether a work/study program is offered. Descriptions of the class, school, or coaching are provided by the instructor of institution and edited by Back Stage.Schools of teacher who have been omitted may contact, in writing, Listing, c/o Back Stage, 5055 Wilshire Blvd., 6th floor, Los Angeles, CA 90036, so that we may include you in our next list.  Acting Technique/Scene StudyAARON McPherson STUDIOWest Hollywood, CA aaron@aaronmcphersonstudio.comwww.aaronmcphersonstudio.com310-918-5335Class size varies, 12 max. for auditioning class, 40 max. for scene study; day...

The following is a list of Los Angeles-area stage and film acting schools, teachers, and acoaches organized by category and alphabetically.Each of the entries contains the following information, if applicable: name of teacher or school; address; phone and fax numbers; email address and/or website; average number of students per class; whether beginning, intermediate, or advanced students are taught; whether auditing is permitted; whether classes are ongoing or by sessions; any special emphasis used in classes or coaching; whether a work/study program is offered. Descriptions of the class, schoool, or coaching are provided by the instructor or institutions and edited by Back Stage.Schools or teachers who have been omitted may contact, in writing, Listings, c/o Back Stage, 5055 Wilshire Blvd., 6th floor, Los Angeles, CA 90036, so that we may include you in our next list.Acting Technique/Scene StudyAARON McPherson STUDIOWest Hollywood, CA [email protected].

We’ve seen veterans like Jeff Bridges, Christopher Walken and Burt Reynolds launch hugely-successful second acts in recent years, reminding fans that they’re talented folks who’ve survived decades in Hollywood and aren’t above laughing at themselves every now and then. But don’t be surprised if the next post-fame comeback is engineered by none other than… Crispin Glover?

A teen star turned blockbuster actor turned indie actor who has found himself at times ostracized by Hollywood, the 45-year-old recently celebrated the biggest opening of his career in Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.” Having seen “Hot Tub Time Machine” recently, I can tell you that he steals every scene he’s in.

But that doesn’t mean he plans on giving up the eccentric, fiercely independent films he’s been making over the last few years.

“My next project is one I’m planning to do at...

Screenwriter and filmmaker Robert Towne.

Forget It Bob, It’S Chinatown

Robert Towne looks back on Chinatown’s 35th anniversary

By

Alex Simon

The haunting trumpet wailing plaintively over the closing credits. The bandage covering star Jack Nicholson’s nose. The best last line of a movie, ever: “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown"; all elements of a film now regarded by scholars, critics and cinefiles alike as one of the greatest pieces of American celluloid ever made. Chinatown was a collaboration between a who’s-who of ‘70s film icons. Directed by Roman Polanski, produced by Robert Evans, written by Robert Towne, starring Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, shot by John Alonso, and scored by Jerry Goldsmith, Chinatown was nominated for 11 Academy Awards in 1974, but brought home only one: for its writer. Robert Towne was barely 40, and Chinatown his first produced original screenplay, his previous efforts having been literary adaptations, such as 1973’s The Last Detail.

• Crispin Glover fans have no doubt been wondering what happened to Simon Says, the indie slasher opus starring the eccentric actor as homicidal twins, which was made nearly three years ago and has only made a few festival appearances in North America since. Well, the wait is finally over.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release the William Dear-written/directed flick on DVD June 23. The cast also includes From Within’s Margo Harshman and Kelly Blatz, Greg Cipes, Carrie Finklea, Kelly Vitz, Artie Baxter, veteran actor Bruce Glover and Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively along with her siblings Lori and Robyn and their father Ernie, and the disc will contain a widescreen transfer with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, a filmmaker audio commentary and possibly other extras. Retail price is $26.98.

• Genius Products will give Sea Beast, the latest Sci Fi Channel creature feature from Snakehead Terror and Yeti director Paul Ziller, its DVDebut...

Acting COACHINGThe following individuals or companies specialize in one-on-one acting coaching. Private coaching is also available from the majority of those listed in the "Acting Schools and Classes" category. Coaches in other specialties, such as musical theatre, voiceover, or young performers, are listed in those categories.Jules Aaron(323) 660-7342Aaron, the former head of of graduate programs at CalArts and U.C. Riverside, is an award-winning director and acting teacher. He has won directing awards from the L.A. Drama Critics Circle and Back Stage. He coaches actors for specific auditions, develops appropriate monologues, and conducts cold reading sessions. By audition only.Phyllis APPLEGATEOne-On-One(323) 655-5167Emmy-nominated character actor Applegate studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute on scholarship. She offers ongoing individual performance coaching combining Strasberg's methods with her own. Applegate coaches actors on audition techniques, cold readings, character creation, scene study, and text interpretation.The Audition COACHWest Hollwood, www.myspace.