GRIP & RIP WEEKEND: Room and Spotlight

Some weekends are for chilling, others are for GRIPPING IT AND RIPPING IT! Know what I mean? And by gripping it and ripping it, running and gunning, doing the Damme thing, on and on, I mean seeing 3 movies in 24 hours, working out, happy hours, checking out the new Fuller House on Netflix, going to a convention and watching a few minutes of the Oscars! The lady is into the awards stuff, so we upped our Best Picture viewings starting with Room over at the Cinemark Howard Hughes. Happy Hour at Dave & Busters came first where the kind of crappy service is ok because it's so cheap during HH. Followed by some racing and shooting games like Daytona and Aliens.

I knew nothing about Room going in besides Brie Larson from Scott Pilgrim VS The World was in it and it was about a mom and her kid, in you know, a room. Based on her novel, Emma Donoghue scripts and Frank's Lenny Abrahamson directs a sad but not depressing look at protecting your family and being reintroduced to the whole wide world when you've only known a small piece of it. Larson is fine as the mother but it's young Jacob Tremblay as her 5 year old son Jack who steals the show just by acting like a precious and precocious kid. I hadn't even watched the trailer for Room before we saw it so I had no clue what the outside world was going to be. Was it post-apocalyptic? Were they in another time? No, it totally wasn't but that was fine. I did find small issue with the fact that the "held against their will" film was shot in Canada yet set in Ohio. Why's it gotta be like that? Oh yeah, we used some Raincheck passes from the Expendables Marathon debacle to see the flick for free.

On Saturday it over to Culver City for drinks and grub at City Tavern, a chill, stylish joint with wood decor for cider, mac n' cheese, a burger and fries. Downtown Culver City has a nice feel, lots of impressive architecture, clean storefronts and you can feel the history. After City Tavern we stopped in for a quick drink at The Culver Hotel, who also does Saturday Happy Hour. James Dean starring East of Eden was being projected on the wall which I thought was Burt Lancaster classic Elmer Gantry at first. Damme. Then it was across the courtyard to The somewhat new Arclight Cinema for Spotlight. The true story of how Boston Globe reporters uncovered the city and worldwide scandal and cover up of Catholic priests abusing children. This is a total Oscars flick, true story, fighting the system, sad sexual overtones, etc. But it's solidly put together by director Tom McCarthy and co-writer Josh Singer along with a heavy hitting cast that includes Michael Keaton and standout (a lot coming from me) Mark Ruffalo who looks like Antonio Banderas here with his 2000's Julius Caesar haircut.

A few minutes in, I leaned over and asked the lady if the picture seemed dark and flickering to her, she agreed so I went to find a staff member. He told me straight up that Theater 8 is dark for some reason, something to do with the projector. But the flickering was new, he came in and watched a few minutes and agreed, making a call to someone but the issues remained. After the film I approached some crew to ask what the problem was, they apologized and we got some free tix. It's funny because I used some comp tickets to see it in the first place, mwa ha! Watching a bunch of people jot down notes and talk on phones in offices isn't exactly a visual feast so it was annoying but not worth any additional rage and retribution.

Macho Moments: From Here to Eternity

Welcome to Macho Moments, a look at some of my favorite random scenes in movies that just make you go, "oh shit!" or "somebody's gonna get it!". Our first installment takes us back to 1953's From Here to Eternity. Based on the best selling novel by James Jones, the 800 page tome was thought to be unfilmable. Director Fred Zinnemann and writer Daniel Taradash proved that wrong as the film was a huge hit of the decade and won 8 Oscars (we saw one of them at the Sony Lot this week, nice timing eh?). Playing on Turner Classic Movies this past Memorial Day weekend, I sat down for the flick and somehow enjoyed it even more than in the past. Chronicling the daily military base drama of Pearl Harbor before the 1941 attacks, Eternity boasts a stellar cast that includes Burt Lancaster as a Sergeant falling for his Captain's wife, Deborah Kerr as the suffering trophy wife, Montgomery Clift as a bugler and boxer who won't fight anymore, Frank Sinatra as a wise-cracking trouble maker and Ernest Borgnine as a mean and violent military prison boss.

While the film is known for it's iconic beach scene of Lancaster and Kerr smooching in the surf, the scene I remember most is the bar fight. Sinatra's Angelo Maggio and Borgnine's "Fatso" Judson have already butted heads over choice of music and racist taunts. Enjoying the bar scene during a weekend pass, Judson makes a crude remark about Maggio's sister which leads the whipper snapper to smacking the larger man in the back of the head with a bar stool! Judson whips out a knife and it looks like someone is going to the hospital until badass and oh so cool guy Sgt. Milton Warden aka Burt Lancaster steps in. Apparently Warden is one of the best soldiers around having already fought in Asia. When Judson fails to back down, Warden kicks it into badass mode and breaks a bottle, ready to get the killing started. Phew! Great scene by all involved as you're just waiting for the shit to go down. Especially Lancaster, who was headlining his first big studio feature and would go on to box office and award glory in roles like Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Sweet Smell of Success and Elmer Gantry in the ensuing years.

Damme Words: Lee Marvin Point Blank

A few flights ago I purchased Charles Bronson: Menacing Face Worth Millions on my Amazon Kindle. They recommended I also look into Lee Marvin: Point Blank as it was on special for only a couple of bucks. Cut to my most recent flight to and from Oklahoma City and I finally cracked open Point Blank and polished it off in just a few sittings. Billed as the first full-length, authoritative and detailed account of the iconic actor's life, Point Blank is an incredibly entertaining and quick read on the great and gruff Lee Marvin. In short, Lee Marvin was a badass, an American man and a true individual. Dwayne Epstein goes way back in the Marvin family history to discuss ancestors with the same ornery, unique personality that Marvin would eventually inherit. Mainly in the form of a relative who embarked on a trek to the north pole and died in the cold. Marvin's father Lamont never did too well in life but served in both World War I and II.

Marvin's upbringing is highlighted by his troubles with authority and school. Today you could dub it Attention Deficit Disorder and Dyslexia but back then he was just a shit starter. Bouncing around a dozen schools on the east coast, Marvin dropped out and signed up for the Marines during World War II. After participating in 21 invasion missions in the Pacific, Marvin was injured and had had enough of war. Back in New York and having already dabbled in acting, Marvin set out to land in a Broadway play. Forces would take him to Los Angeles where he slowly built up his career working for directors like Don Siegel, Fritz Lang, Raoul Walsh, John Sturges and Richard Fleischer before latching onto tough guy helmers Robert Aldrich, John Ford and John Boorman playing opposite the likes of Marlon Brando, Charles Bronson, Jack Palance and John Wayne. Frustrated at playing villains and second banana, Marvin hit leading man status at age 40 with western comedy Cat Ballou and would go on to win the Oscar for Best Actor. The 60's were Marvin's go-go years with The Killers, The Professionals, The Dirty Dozen, Point Blank and Paint Your Wagon highlighting his most lucrative era. Known for starring in violent pictures, Marvin never tried to glamorize action or death, feeling that as filmmakers they could show how horrible violence could be to dissuade audience members from enjoying it. Never setting out to be an actor-producer or director a la Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Steve McQueen or James Garner, Marvin was at the whim of Hollywood's ebbs and flows. The 70's and 80's saw him working but never at the same level as his peak. Notable roles in Emperor of the North, Prime Cut, The Iceman Cometh, The Big Red One, Death Hunt and The Delta Force were largely ignored by audiences and only embraced years later.

On the personal side, Point Blank delves into Marvin's tumultuous lifestyle of drinking and rabble rousing. There's plenty of pages devoted to his wife Betty, mistress Michelle and later wife Pam. Marvin's excessive drinking is present through his adult life with the man himself claiming if you gave him a bottle of any booze, he'd drain it himself before the night was through. Surprisingly, his drinking never affected his work too much. Many a witness states that Marvin could drink all night but once he was on set and cleaned up, he'd always give his best. Today we'd call it Post Traumatic Stress but for Marvin, painful memories of the war would manifest themselves after many a drink leading to violence in the forms of fighting or waving guns around before accidentally discharging them in the house. Marvin's candor was always appreciated by the press and his likeable yet terrifying demeanor is highlighted by crude come on's to women, picking on fellow actors to make them look bad or in one case, seeing his competition on Oscar night crying after losing. Marvin's solution? Getting his attention, smiling wide and showing off his statue.

There's a good deal of information surrounding the development, production and release of Marvin's films but I could have used a more facts, figures or interview snippets as each film gets maybe a couple pages. Tidbits like Marvin developing The Wild Bunch, selling it to Sam Peckinpah but then passing on the film to make Paint Your Wagon are great. As are his examples of telling it like it is. One great case is describing co-star Charles Bronson's less than sunny demeanor and constant droning about working in coal mines as a kid. Marvin would mock Bronson for not being in a mine for 30 years and riding around in a Rolls Royce. In a bid to cut down on the craziness of Hollywood and Malibu, Marvin and wife Pam moved to Tuscon, Arizona. Marvin loved to fish and would act occasionally to get out of the house. His last role was in Cannon Films' Chuck Norris hostage rescue vehicle, The Delta Force. After making a million bucks for Paint Your Wagon, Marvin allegedly accepted $50,000 for Force after the producers described it to him on the phone for 15 minutes, made a deal with his agent in 20 then shortly after put him on a plane where he shot the flick in 8 weeks. No fuss, no muss.

I was surprised to read that Marvin was only 63 when he died as he looked much older. Prematurely gray at 40, Marvin looks frail and weak in Delta Force from his years of drinking and 5 packs of cigarettes a day. Fading fast, Marvin was hospitalized in 1987, suffered a heart attack and died on August 29th after living a very full life. For any fan of Marvin or macho, honest films from the 50's and 60's, Point Blank is definitely a must read. Format wise, there's photos peppered through but nothing too rare and the content is actually only 200 of the 300 page length with the remaining 100 devoted to notes and index.

Western of the Day: Vera Cruz

Turner Classic Movies is a great channel.  I remember when AMC used to show classic movies but now they show the popcorn equivalent of USA and are more known for their original programming like Mad Men and The Walking Dead.  TCM has kept it old school though, celebrating stars and features from past eras with retrospectives and documentaries, unafraid to broadcast films in Black and White.  Most films are preceded and followed by on air segments discussing the film, providing tidbits on the production and reception.  Scanning through their listings I came across a flick I hadn't seen in a very long time, 1954's Vera Cruz.  Gary Cooper headlines while Burt Lancaster co-stars and produced with Robert Aldrich directing a script from Roland Kibbee, James R. Webb and Borden Chase.

Vera Cruz opens in Mexico where we learn that many a Civil War veteran travels down south to join the Franco-Mexican war as mercenaries where the locals fight against French emperor Maximilian.  Benjamin Trane (Cooper), a clean, suit clad, square tie wearing plantation owner from Louisiana runs into black clad, white toothed, over grinning Joe Erin (Lancaster).  A tense introduction and sale of a horse shows Trane's humanity and Erin's paranoia before the duo runs into the royal army and high tails it.  Trane gets himself into trouble with Erin's gang, which includes western staple Jack Elam and future stars Ernest Borgnine and Charles Buchinksy aka Bronson as dirty, rude, savage thugs.  The motley crew shuns an offer to work for the local resistance army and ends up selling themselves out to the Emperor who needs an escort for his wife, The Countess Duvarre and a wagon train to the port at Vera Cruz where she's supposedly headed back to France.  Turns out it's a set up as the wagon is loaded with $3 million bucks worth of gold intended to buy troops from Europe to keep ol' Maxy in power.  Everybody finds out about the gold of course and double and triple crosses, fending off the rebel army and uneasy alliances ensue.

I'm not sure when the first buddy picture was but Vera Cruz is firmly in the would be tradition of the genre.  One is a southern gentleman while the other is a wild west outlaw, etc.  It's a little edgier though as the two leads are friendly but more in the sense of waiting to be stabbed in the back rather than a brotherly bond.  High Noon's Gary Cooper as Benjamin Trane is standup and forthright, seemingly naive yet learned and experienced while Burt Lancaster channels his swaggering, over the top performances from The Crimson Pirate and Arrow and the Flame but with added menace as Joe Erin.  Lancaster overuses his trademark mega watt smile and physicality here and comes off a bit theatrical while Cooper relies on his quiet strength.  Erin's lack of manners cracked me up as he eats whole chickens with his hands and guzzles goblets of wine with little of the liquid actually going into his mouth. Suave guy himself Cesar Romero from Batman shows up as the Marquis Henri de Labordere, coincidentally, he would play a Marquis again in 1963's Donovan's Reef.  Jack Elam, whose career was defined by westerns starring the likes of John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and James Garner plays it mean here along with Borgnine and Buchinksy as would be child killers and rapists Donnegan and Pittsburgh.

This was one of Robert Aldrich's first feature films but his future as an action director with visual flair is firmly established as Vera Cruz contains some rough and tumble excitement; a convoy ambush, river crossing, harrowing escapes, horse jumps and lots and lots of shootouts featuring revolvers, repeating Winchester rifles and a Gatling gun.  One interesting technique that caught my eye was that actors tended to walk into frame and get close ups throughout which is said to have influenced spaghetti western director Sergio Leone.  Lancaster had already worked with Aldrich on the earlier Apache and the two would reteam twice more twenty years later on Ulzanna's Raid and Twilight's Last Gleaming.  On a viewing once upon a time, it was said that Lancaster amped up his performance to overcompensate Cooper's quiet delivery but upon seeing dailies immediately asked to reshoot scenes as he had gone way over the top.  With the studio system collapsing, Burt Lancaster was a forerunner of actors procuring their own projects and producing themselves.  Vera Cruz cost $1.7 million but made over $11 million at the box office.

Lancaster had already been nominated for an Academy Award for the superb 1953 World War II drama From Here To Eternity but still had a decade plus of leading man hits awaiting him in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Sweet Smell of Success, Elmer Gantry, Seven Days In May and The Swimmer to solidify his spot as a Dammaged Goods favorite.  Cooper had been acting for thirty years by the time Vera Cruz was released and headlined major hits like Sergeant York and High Noon before passing away in 1961.  Aldrich would go on to become an unsung hero of sorts in the genre of macho and raw action flicks, directing Attack, The Dirty Dozen, Emperor of the North and The Longest Yard featuring leading men Jack Palance, Lee Marvin and Burt Reynolds.  Years after Vera Cruz was released, the Mexican government was so incensed over the portrayal of its people, it forced a censor/adviser on the Mexican set production of The Magnificent Seven to make sure Mexicans were not shown in a negative light.

Gotta Drank! Percy's and Co.

Nestled in the serene, cobbled streets of Ballard next to Hattie's Hat is a very cool neighborhood joint called Percy's and Co.  It's got an old style feel with an ornate wooden bar, brick walls and a patio in the back.  Lots of manicured mustaches and beards VS the shitty, 80's style ponytails I saw at Capitol Hill a couple days before.  Not that one is better than the other, I mean I'm sure this place fills up with Mumford and Sons/Edward Sharpe listening mother fuckers on a weekend night with their faux southern twang and warble sounding, ball-less, string strumming tunes eating lentil soup wearing plaid.  Their crafted cocktails and libations offerings were quite in depth and to help you find your new favorite they had a system of ordering where you selected sweet, sour or savory, a type of liquor and off you went with an adventurous beverage.  We snacked on some tasty chili-lime popcorn and kicked back with some deliciously smooth cocktails.  It was a beautiful day and their patio looked like a nice spot to relax.  Many bars in Seattle offer movies on the patio which I thought was a pretty cool idea.  This place was doing an Alfred Hitchcock retrospective through the summer.  Not sure if that would work in L.A. with all the noise and distractions. 

A real Southern Gentleman:

Charles Bronson Thursday

Last week I received a belated birthday present from a dear friend I've known since the 4th grade.  His dad is a big John Wayne fan and that translated to him being able to keep up with my interest in the masculine, loner, doer types of the 60's.  One of his nicknames is Hilts a la The Cooler King aka Steve McQueen while I'm Danny, The Tunnel King aka Charles Bronson from the all-male cast, stick it to The Man, World War II prison camp classic The Great Escape.  The painting by Seattle's Jim Blanchard will be a nice addition to my wall of stuff in the new apartment's Den/Dammage Pit West.  The gift coincided with me reading James Garner's (Charm In Peace) memoirs, The Garner Files where he briefly describes his encounters with the granite faced action star.  This comes on the heels of rereading the musings of other luminaries of the time like director John Sturges, assistant director Robert Relyea and producer Walter Mirisch over the summer.

From the written words of James Garner and Jon Winokur's The Garner Files, 2011:

Garner describes his Great Escape co-star as a pain in the ass with a chip on his shoulder.  The two nearly came to blows over a poker game but years later had a surprisingly pleasant dinner together along with their wives.  Garner wasn't sure if Bronson held a grudge but he sure did.

Assistant Director turned producer turned production executive Robert Relyea wrote of Bronson often in his 2008 book, Not So Quiet on the Set: My Life In Movies During Hollywood's Macho Era, as Relyea worked with Sturges who in turn cast Bronson in Never So Few, The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape.  Relyea was also on the set of Kid Galahad, an Elvis Presley starring vehicle featuring Bronson as his boxing trainer:

Describes Bronson as a physical specimen seemingly burdened by a permanent chip on his shoulder and prone to sulk and suspicion.  Not mean spirited naturally but at some point put up his guard around people and never let it down.  Relyea mentions Bronson never backing down from a challenge, especially when he's the only one who believes he's been challenged.  During Kid, Bronson warned a co-star "I'll punch your fucking lights out if you don't get out of my face" and contested Elvis' karate skills leading Bronson to break his hand trying to split a board after an impromptu karate demonstration by Presley.  The two partied together often in Mexico on Magnificent Seven and Relyea let Bronson use his German hotel room during Escape not knowing it was to meet with the married Jill Ireland who would eventually become Bronson's wife.

Executive producer of Kid Galahad, The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape along with titles like West Side Story, In the Heat of the Night and The Pink Panther, Walter Mirisch writes briefly of Bronson in his 2008 memoir I Thought We Were Making Movies, Not History:

Noticed Bronson in 1953's House of Wax and made sure to keep and eye on him, claims it was his idea to bring him on to The Magnificent Seven years later.  Mirisch's company also produced the Bronson starring vehicle Mr. Majestyk in 1974 after being unable to secure Steve McQueen.  By that time Bronson had graduated from supporting roles and was a bonafide star in Europe and Asia.  Budgeted at $2 million with $400,000 and 10% of the gross going to its star.  No mentions of Bronson being a pain in the ass or having a chip on his shoulder here though Mirisch does make a fleeting comment about friction between the star and director Richard Fleischer.

A man who can be given much credit for Bronson's rise in Hollywood is Dammaged Goods Hall of Famer John Sturges, director of Bad Day at Black Rock, Escape From Fort Bravo, Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape and Ice Station Zebra.  Sturges worked with Bronson multiple times when Charlie was up and coming and once when the former coal miner had hit the big time.  From Glenn Lovell's 2008 study Escape Artist: The Life and Films of John Sturges:

Bronson's 2nd on screen performance was a 2-day bit part in Sturges' The People Against O'Hara in 1951. For 1960's Seven, Bronson seemed pitch perfect for the habitually mad at the world Bernardo O'Reilly but Sturges wasn't interested in him playing type.  Instead, the character gets the biggest emotional arc as a hired gun adopted by the village children with a tender soul and need for family.  On set, Bronson hung out with co-star Steve McQueen as they went both kept busy looking for chicks.  For 1963's The Great Escape, a co-star describes Bronson as perpetually pissed off, chewing tobacco and shirtless to show off his muscular physique and impress any would be conquests.  His frequent tales of a poor upbringing eating weed soup were cut off by Sturges who told him those days were over and that he was on his way to becoming a star.  That proved true but by 1973's Chino, Sturges' career was on the decline while Bronson had just been deemed the Number-One Star in the world by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.  Armed with director and script approval, Bronson would frequently take two and half hour lunches with wine flowing on location.  In full prima donna mode, Bronson would emerge from his RV when he felt like it and hold up production regularly.

What is it about these seemingly insecure, opinionated and cantankerous alpha males like Bronson, McQueen, Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas that cemented them into silver screen legends?  While they might have come off as assholes to some, they weren't fucking assholes judging by the fact that Bronson was married to Jill Ireland for decades and brought his 7 children to every movie location to keep the family close.  Once McQueen trusted you, he was your friend and you were not his lackey while Douglas' hard headed attitude and disdain for the status quo helped break the Black List in the 50's.  That charismatic, seemingly selfish yet determined mindset backed by the thought that any of them could deck you if necessary gave us a litany of macho, "get the job done" types that went dormant in the 70's but was resurrected in the 80's with driven descendants Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme who capitalized on their accents, hyper developed bodies and self belief to create their own sub-genre of film.  Like Frank Sinatra, they did it their way.

View In Peace: New Beverly Cinema

Surfing the various calendars for repertory screenings, special events and the like, I noticed that the New Bev didn't have any programming after September 1st.  That wasn't a surprise, of late, it seems they were always posting their schedule last minute.  The next time I checked, the site stated that the New Bev would have no programs in September and that a full October calendar would be posted soon.  I figured they were doing some renovations, maybe installing some new sound or seats, giving themselves time to plan some exciting programs as there's plenty of friendly competition around in Los Angeles in the form of The American Cinematheque's non-profit support, historic venue to The Cinefamily's robust scheduling of films, festivals, podcasts and special events.  The New Bev has been a constant in my Los Angeles life since the late 2000's.  I've seen some great films here, many for the first time on the big screen.  From Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer to Charles Bronson street fighting in Hard Times to Edgar Wright's programing that included The Warriors with special guests Walter Hill, James Remar, Larry Gordon and Frank Marshall, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Westworld.  Then there was 13 Assassins, the Bill and Ted double feature with Alex Winter, the fantastic double of Drive and Warrior as well as  Michael Biehn in person for The Victim among dozens of others.  The one that got away?  The Terminator and Aliens with Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Ricco Ross, Jeanette Goldstein and Mark Rolston in attendance...

In May, The New Bev became part of my personal and professional history when the first Dammaged Goods live event took place over three nights.  After a few unanswered e-mails, I walked into the theater and met Michael Torgan, the manager/operator/programmer/ticket taker/concessions guy extraordinaire.  After a few minutes of discussing what I wanted to do, Michael agreed to host the screenings versus me having to rent the venue as I had writer/director Sheldon Lettich ready to attend.  Of course, the nights of Double Impact and Bloodsport went off spectacularly and JCVD co-stars in Lionheart Harrison Page and Brian Thompson even swung by with Sheldon to support.  Michael was absolutely terrific in getting everything set up, the prints of both films looked great and he seemed happy with the turnouts even though I felt bad we didn't do nearly as well as the sold out Mean Girls anniversary before us.  I had no idea that it was the beginning of the end of an era.

Over the last 72 hours, rumors, interviews and articles have circulated describing what exactly is happening to the Los Angeles fixture.  After 7 years, it seems that hands off owner Quentin Tarantino wants to get more involved with the theater and turn it into the last bastion for film in the city as well as the world.  You see, movie prints cost a lot of money, like thousands of dollars each.  They're shipped across the country in several heavy containers and you need one for every theater showing your movie.  With the rise of digital filmmaking and projecting, movie houses can now simply download a feature or DCP (Digital Cinema Package) which is the equivalent to a 35mm print that will essentially last forever.

A few years ago, studios began offering theaters a rebate of sorts to upgrade to digital projection to help offset the cost.  Recently, studios have all but abandoned striking film prints except to appease a chosen few like Tarantino, Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan.  The New Bev was outfitted with a digital projector not long ago and is believed to be part of Tarantino's reasons for taking over.  Why?  Because Tarantino is a film nut and collects prints.  The idea for the flick Grindhouse came from Robert Rodriguez wanting audiences to be able to experience a night at Tarantino's house where he would program double and triple bills complete with related trailers, shorts and other oddities.  Now, the director is looking to share his collection with the world and keep 35mm alive.  Tarantino has stated he'll be curating the first several months of programming at the new New Bev when it reopens in October.  Torgan's involvement is still being worked out while current staff are said to be getting promoted.  One of them is kind of a public face for the joint and produced a documentary about the plight of film but their attitude rubs me the wrong way and the Q&A's I've seen them host have not been among the best.  Whatever happens, I hope the New Bev continues to showcase their vast array of fare and that Michael remains involved, takes a well deserved break or moves on to his next great adventure.  Without him and the New Bev, I wouldn't be working on live event number 4 or met Dolph Lundgren, Robert Patrick, Sheldon Lettich and the throngs of awesome, 80's and 90's action movie loving fans out there.

Charm In Peace: James Garner

I was saddened to see that James Garner passed away on Saturday night in his Brentwood home at the age of 86 by what can only be deemed natural causes.  I had just watched The Great Escape over 4th of July weekend and was again reminded of what a cool, charismatic, funny and macho presence Garner was.  Arguably his role as smooth talking scrounger Hendley in The Great Escape is richer than star Steve McQueen's Captain Hilts, who got to add some motor cycle chase scenes to give audiences something to remember him for.  Garner was one of the last guys Hollywood had left.  What I mean is that he is one of the last of that era's leading men who could do physical, funny and dramatic without breaking a sweat.  He was a star with presence and personality not just fleeting fame.  A product of a broken family and later a veteran of the Korean War and merchant marines, Garner had that real life experience that many young actors are missing today who simply got into the craft from an early age.  He even went after both Warner Brothers and Universal in court, and won!  Of his Great Escape colleagues, director John Sturges, producer Walter Mirisch, co-stars McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, James Donald and Donald Pleasance among others have all passed away while other dynamic personalities from the period like Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, John Wayne and Robert Mitchum have also ascended to the Hollywood party in the sky.  I figure Kirk Douglas is the last of this strong willed, independent and status quo rejecting lot so I should probably write him to tell him how much I've enjoyed his work on and off screen.

I can't recall where I first saw Garner's work but I never really got into his TV stuff where he became a star on Maverick then cemented his legacy with The Rockford Files.

The Great Escape - Bob Hendley, the smooth talking, tool stealing, document procuring scrounger who looked so dashing in his white turtleneck while trying to escape a German camp.  Word is that a rough cut showcased Garner's character to the point that Steve McQueen walked out on the production causing director John Sturges to fire the actor and rewrite the script to blend his character with Garner's.  Of course The Cooler King stayed on and The Great Escape became one of his signature roles.  McQueen and Garner would become friends, neighbors and racing competitors with McQueen often throwing empty beer cans on Garner's beautifully manicured lawn.

The Americanization of Emily - Charles Madison, a smooth talking naval officer aide with an aversion to combat falls for Julie Andrews and gets sent to fight.  Great dialog from Paddy Chayefsky and wonderful chemistry with Andrews.  James Coburn pops up as his buddy nicknamed Bus, which is just an awesome nick name.

Support Your Local Sheriff - Jason McCullough, a big, burly dude in the west who uses his wits, charm and mouth to get out of most trouble in this western comedy.  Loved the bit where he stops a big fight so he can grab his lunch and eat in peace as well as the scene he sticks his finger into a threatening bandits gun and convinces him it will backfire.  Terrific supporting cast and the sequel, Support Your Local Gunfighter is amusing but not quite as good.  I believe he earned a career high salary for one of the flicks in the $750,000 range.

Tank - Sgt. Major Zak Carey, a loving father and Army legend serving his final tour of duty at a small base in Georgia who runs afoul of the corrupt, local law enforcement.  Uses his personal tank to break his son out of jail then goes on the run.  Funny and random flick from the 80's post Garner's 2nd successful TV run with The Rockford Files' 6 year, 122 episode run which saw the star sue Universal for compensation and profits and walking away with an alleged $14 million bucks.

Maverick - Marshall Zane Cooper, the elder straight arrow lawman to Mel Gibson's hot shot gambler who is afraid of guns Bret Maverick.  It looks like Garner, Gibson and Jodie Foster are having a ball in Richard Donner's update of the television show and that makes it more fun for the audience.  Watch out for cameos from Donner alum Corey Feldman and Danny Glover as well as a nod to Lethal Weapon even though the movie takes place in the 1800's.  James Coburn pops up again opposite Garner in a nice reunion. Apparently producers wanted Paul Newman but after he passed, they came to their senses and back to the man who originated the role.

Space Cowboys - Tank Sullivan, Clint Eastwood credits Garner with paving the way for TV stars transitioning to film after suing WB to get out of his Maverick contract.  Garner anchors a cast that includes Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, James Cromwell, William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones as a former test pilot turned reverend.  The young version of Tank is played by Body Armor's Matt McColm too boot.  The scene where Jones and Garner try to keep up with NASA's young astronauts lifting weights is a great one.

I just watched a documentary that interviewed Kurt Russell, an actor who always seemed like he was having a good time and went into semi-retirement to work on a vineyard.  It reminded me of Garner who was known to consider acting a means to an end, playing roles big and small, never chasing status, just working and happened to get lucky and made it on a bigger level.  The kind of guy who just comes off as a cool dude you'd like to kick back with and shoot the shit with.

Mr. Majestic: Kirk Douglas

"Kirk would be the first person to tell you he's a very difficult man. And I would be the second."
      - Burt Lancaster on friend and frequent co-star Kirk Douglas

Leading men, professional rivals and closest of friends Douglas and Lancaster starred together in some 7 feature films.  My favorites being John Sturges' 1957 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral where they play odd couple gunslinger and sheriff buddies Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp battling cattle barons and cleaning up Tombstone.  Then there's John Frankenheimer's 1964 Seven Days In May where Douglas plays Colonel Martin "Jiggs" Casey, aide to Lancaster's General James Mattoon Scott who is planning to overthrow the weak willed President and install himself as leader.  When Jiggs accidentally uncovers the plot, he must convince skeptical military leaders, politicians and the President himself in order to stop his one time friend and personal hero.

Kirk Douglas Week: The Ragman's Son

I've been a fan of Kirk Douglas since seeing Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on AMC during college.  I had just discovered The Magnificent Seven and was now going through director John Sturges' credits.  Since I loved Tombstone, westerns and the entire Wyatt Earp-Doc Holliday mythos, Gunfight just seemed right up my alley.  Of course, Gunfight is a great flick and I've been watching Douglas and Burt Lancaster ever since.  In recent years I've become a huge admirer of Douglas as an actor and human being.  He always just comes off as a cool guy; larger than life with strong opinions and work ethic.  His guest starring role on The Simpsons remains one of my favorite episodes.  You know, where he plays a bum, wins a lawsuit then buys a rocket car?

Walking in a bookstore in Burbank a couple years ago, I came across Douglas' autobiography, The Ragman's Son.  It's quite a tome but he's lived quite a life.  A quick search on Amazon showed it for much cheaper online but I wanted it now and made the purchase.  The few extra bucks I paid were worth it, I supported a brick and mortar establishment and delved in that night.

It's a great read of non-fiction that reads like your favorite novel.  Douglas is funny, self deprecating and candid as he looks back at his humble beginnings as the only son of illiterate Russian Jewish immigrants, growing up in New York with several sisters, a father who collected junk and rags and a mother who always believed in him.  Douglas became a man with a passion for women; his encounters triumphant as well as disastrous are well documented as well as his quest and ultimate failure to become a star on Broadway.  Even after a career spanning decades as a movie star, Academy Award nominee, producer and humanitarian along with the millions of dollars earned and as many fans entertained; Douglas is still that little boy looking for a pat on the back from his father.

As his days as a leading man winded down after the writing of Ragman, Douglas suffered a stroke, contemplated suicide but finally bounced back, writing several more books.  His latest chronicled the making of Spartacus and the breaking of the Black List, where the government went after those in the entertainment business with Communist ties and essentially exiled them from Hollywood.  To celebrate the release, the Chinese Theatre screened Spartacus and honored Douglas with a new set of hand and feet prints in the famous courtyard.  I was buying a copy of the book when the man himself walked over, in all his post stroke, 90 year old splendor and told me to make sure I was paying full price.  A sense of humor goes a long way.

Summer of Sturges: Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

John Sturges that is. During the 1950's and 60's, John Sturges was one of Hollywood's most prolific directors, churning out critical and commercial hits like Bad Day At Black Rock, Escape From Fort Bravo, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape and Ice Station Zebra. Through his lengthy career he directed a who's who of leading men including Spencer Tracy, William Holden, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Frank Sinatra, Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, James Garner, James Coburn and Rock Hudson.

Many of the titles listed above deal with soldiers or police types in the middle of seemingly insurmountable odds. Infiltrating a racist town to uncover a hidden murder, trying to stop a prison escape while defending the innocent, 7 men taking on 40; there isn't a meat grinder Sturges didn't throw his characters into. This is where he excels as a story teller; creating a deft balance between character and action. His films always excite as much as they illuminate the trials, tribulations and thoughts of our heroes.

Perhaps his most seminal work, The Great Escape, is celebrating it's 50th anniversary. Around Los Angeles, a new, 4K restoration digital print premiered at the Turner Classic Movie Festival in April and is playing at the historical Aero Theatre this weekend. Since Sturges' work is never far from my television, I've declared it Sturges week with nightly viewings to prime the pump for the momentous occasion.

1957's Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is a take on an old classic, the story of near mythical lawman Wyatt Earp and his friendship with card playing killer Doc Holliday. The film takes place before, during and after the duo's involvement in the infamous shootout at the O.K. Corral. Where Wyatt, his brothers and Holliday took on local cattle barons The Clantons after business and family tensions boiled into a personal vendetta and eventual war. It's a fun, exciting and well made western yarn full of gunfights, showdowns, love, loss, heartbreak and vengeance.

Another staple of Sturges work is his notion of "minding the gut" of a cast. He felt stars would take care of their own but the middle roles are just as important. Viewers will spot Rhonda Fleming, John Ireland (Spartacus), Earl Holliman (Sons of Katie Elder), a young Dennis Hopper, DeForest Kelly (Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy) and Lee Van Cleef in a small role among many others.

Burt Lancaster plays Earp strong and stern while Kirk Douglas portrays John "Doc" Holliday as charming yet angry beneath the smile. This would be the 2nd of an eventual 7 movies the two played opposite each other. Director John Frankenheimer (Seven Days In May, The Manchurian Candidate, Ronin) described them as professional rivals, like two great boxers always trying to get the best out of the other. In a time before homoerotic (Rocky III), heroic bloodshed (John Woo's The Killers) and bromance (Arnold and Sly in The Expendables), Lancaster and Douglas were just a case of square deal and "I like your cut". Men appreciating other men. According to Douglas' autobiography, their off screen rapport saw them having dinner after shooting and sitting around talking late into the night. Their natural ease with one another even rankled one of the film's producers who just couldn't understand having a friendship like they had.

The film recently played at UCLA's tribute to Burt Lancaster with Kirk Douglas on hand to introduce the film.  Unfortunately an out of town wedding put the kibosh on seeing Corral on the big screen with a living legend.  Ah well, I was a couple feet away from him at a Spartacus anniversary.

Check out this clip where Earp and Holliday confront 20 cowboys:

Ask Me a Question: The Crimson Pirate

 With February and March movie releases not exactly blowing any wind up my skirt, I started searching for screenings around LA.  Anyone not familiar, if you live in or around Los Angeles, California you are spoiled rotten when it comes to music or movie related events.  Anyway, I discovered UCLA was doing a Centennial Celebration on one of my favorite actors, Burt Lancaster!  Quickly perusing the schedule, I spotted the first of many programmed features I wished to view on the glorious big screen.

The Crimson Pirate (1952) with Trapeze (1956).  I had only seen The Crimson Pirate once but remembered it with fond memories.  It's a bit of a trip to think that a serious leading man of Hollywood like Lancaster had once been a real life trapeze artist.  You just don't find those kinds of multi-talented, lived in leading men these days.

Lancaster's daughter Joanna introduced the film to the crowd which included her sister and the family of Crimson Pirate screenwriter Roland Kibbee.  The idea for CP came from Lancaster's success in another swashbuckler, The Flame and the Arrow (People get you into things and things get you into trouble so stay away from people).  Lancaster and co-star Nick Cravat did their own stunts after their doubles quit the production, fearing some of the high wire gags involved.

The Crimson Pirate is just fun adventure.  From the first moment Lancaster speaks to camera and welcomes us to the movie with that gigawatt smile; we know we're in for a treat.  What follows is a swashbuckling good time full of laughs, action and impressive athleticism that takes place on pirate ships, in village streets, castle keeps, under water and even a hot air balloon in the sky.

http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events/2013-04-05/burt-lancaster-centennial-celebration

See you there for Gunfight at the O.K. Corral but where is The Swimmer?!