Sad news today as it’s been reported that genre director Anthony Hickox recently died at the age of 64. The under-appreciated director is best known for helming Waxwork, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, Warlock: The Armageddon, and more.
Filmmaking was in Anthony Hickox’s blood from day one. He was born to Douglas Hickox, who directed Theatre of Blood and Zulu Dawn, and Anne V. Coates, the Oscar-winning editor of Lawrence of Arabia. After initially working as a club promoter in London, Hickox moved to Los Angeles to become a writer and director. His first feature film was Waxwork, quickly followed by Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat. He went on to helm Waxwork II: Lost in Time, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, Full Eclipse, Warlock: The Armageddon, and more.
Related Silent Kill: Jean-Claude Van Damme to lead a treasure-hunting action movie set in the Congo
Anthony Hickox later shifted towards the action genre,...
Filmmaking was in Anthony Hickox’s blood from day one. He was born to Douglas Hickox, who directed Theatre of Blood and Zulu Dawn, and Anne V. Coates, the Oscar-winning editor of Lawrence of Arabia. After initially working as a club promoter in London, Hickox moved to Los Angeles to become a writer and director. His first feature film was Waxwork, quickly followed by Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat. He went on to helm Waxwork II: Lost in Time, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, Full Eclipse, Warlock: The Armageddon, and more.
Related Silent Kill: Jean-Claude Van Damme to lead a treasure-hunting action movie set in the Congo
Anthony Hickox later shifted towards the action genre,...
- 10/10/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Retro-active: The Best From The Cinema Retro Archives
By Lee Pfeiffer
Kino Lorber has released a new DVD edition of John Wayne's late-career detective flick "Brannigan". The 1975 film takes Wayne out of the saddle and deposits him squarely in central London ("The Duke's in London. God Save the Queen!" read the tag line on the film poster.). The "fish-out--of-water" crime thriller concept began with Don Siegel's outstanding "Coogan's Bluff" (1968), which inspired Dennis Weaver's hit rip-off TV series "McCloud". Still, the premise works well with Wayne's tough Chicago Irish cop Jim Brannigan sent to London to extradite a top crime figure, much as Clint Eastwood's Coogan was shipped to New York to bring a criminal back to Arizona. Wayne had gone the detective route the year before in "McQ". He had originally been offered the role of Dirty Harry but correctly assumed his fans would not stand...
By Lee Pfeiffer
Kino Lorber has released a new DVD edition of John Wayne's late-career detective flick "Brannigan". The 1975 film takes Wayne out of the saddle and deposits him squarely in central London ("The Duke's in London. God Save the Queen!" read the tag line on the film poster.). The "fish-out--of-water" crime thriller concept began with Don Siegel's outstanding "Coogan's Bluff" (1968), which inspired Dennis Weaver's hit rip-off TV series "McCloud". Still, the premise works well with Wayne's tough Chicago Irish cop Jim Brannigan sent to London to extradite a top crime figure, much as Clint Eastwood's Coogan was shipped to New York to bring a criminal back to Arizona. Wayne had gone the detective route the year before in "McQ". He had originally been offered the role of Dirty Harry but correctly assumed his fans would not stand...
- 5/1/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Cy Endfield, who directed 1964’s Zulu, wrote the book and screenplay for this 1979 prequel helmed by Douglas Hickox. It’s a similarly sprawling epic featuring even more Hollywood heavyweights including Burt Lancaster, Peter O’Toole, John Mills, and Bob Hoskins in a small role. Despite all the firepower—on the battlefield and in the cast list—the film failed to make the same impact as Endfield’s original.
The post Zulu Dawn appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post Zulu Dawn appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 9/21/2020
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Images from this picture were burned into our Boomer childhood brains … we actually sat still for almost three hours to watch it. John Sturges’ epic show is like a fine-tuned watch — its unbreakable story is populated by ideal characters that become instant heroes, just for acting like normal men that want free of confinement. It’s really about freedom — after two hours in the Pow compound, the fugitives set loose in the wide, green beauty of Germany might as well be escaping into a wonderland of light and space. In its own way this show made our parents’ wartime experience come alive — it’s The picture to interest kids in events of the past.
The Great Escape
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1027
1963 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 172 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date May 12, 2020 / 39.95
Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, Hannes Messemer,...
The Great Escape
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1027
1963 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 172 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date May 12, 2020 / 39.95
Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, Hannes Messemer,...
- 5/2/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
In a war film, what’s the difference between nasty exploitation and just plain honest reportage? André De Toth made tough-minded action films with the best of them, and this nail-biting commando mission with Michael Caine and Nigel Davenport is simply superb, one of those great action pictures that’s not widely screened. To its credit it’s not ‘feel good’ enough to be suitable for Memorial Day TV marathons.
Play Dirty
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1968 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 118 min. / Street Date October 17, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Nigel Davenport, Nigel Green, Harry Andrews.
Cinematography: Edward Scaife
Film Editor: Jack Slade
Art Direction: Tom Morahan, Maurice Pelling
Original Music: Michel Legrand
Written by Lotte Colin, Melvyn Bragg, from a story by George Marton
Produced by Harry Saltzman
Directed by André De Toth
Some movies that were ignored when new now seem far more important, perhaps due to the tenor of times.
Play Dirty
Blu-ray
Twilight Time
1968 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 118 min. / Street Date October 17, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Nigel Davenport, Nigel Green, Harry Andrews.
Cinematography: Edward Scaife
Film Editor: Jack Slade
Art Direction: Tom Morahan, Maurice Pelling
Original Music: Michel Legrand
Written by Lotte Colin, Melvyn Bragg, from a story by George Marton
Produced by Harry Saltzman
Directed by André De Toth
Some movies that were ignored when new now seem far more important, perhaps due to the tenor of times.
- 10/24/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Nobody stands up for Britons in the lower class trenches like the fierce, opinionated and outright brilliant Mike Leigh; his unusual writing and directing method yields terrific results in his first feature made for TV. And the early performances of Tim Roth, Phil Daniels and Gary Oldman should be the stuff of acting legend, ’80s style.
Meantime
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 890
1984 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 107 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date August 15, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Marion Bailey, Phil Daniels, Tim Roth, Pam Ferris, Jeff Robert, Alfred Molina, Gary Oldman, Tilly Vosburgh, Eileen Davies, Peter Wight.
Cinematography: Roger Pratt
Film Editor: Lesley Walker
Original Music: Andrew Dickson
Produced by Graham Benson
Devised and Directed by Mike Leigh
Mike Leigh is something of an acquired taste, but I have to say that I haven’t forgotten anything of his that I’ve seen. There are of course his ‘special’ period recreations of Topsy-Turvy and Mr. Turner,...
Meantime
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 890
1984 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 107 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date August 15, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Marion Bailey, Phil Daniels, Tim Roth, Pam Ferris, Jeff Robert, Alfred Molina, Gary Oldman, Tilly Vosburgh, Eileen Davies, Peter Wight.
Cinematography: Roger Pratt
Film Editor: Lesley Walker
Original Music: Andrew Dickson
Produced by Graham Benson
Devised and Directed by Mike Leigh
Mike Leigh is something of an acquired taste, but I have to say that I haven’t forgotten anything of his that I’ve seen. There are of course his ‘special’ period recreations of Topsy-Turvy and Mr. Turner,...
- 8/12/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Internecine Project
Blu-ray
Kino Lorber Classics
1974 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 89 min. / Street Date January 3, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: James Coburn, Lee Grant, Harry Andrews, Ian Hendry, Michael Jayston, Christiane Krüger, Keenan Wynn, Julian Glover.
Cinematography: Geoffrey Unsworth
Film Editor: John Shirley
Original Music: Roy Budd
Written by: Barry Levinson, Jonathan Lynn from a book by Mort W. Elkind
Produced by: Barry Levinson
Directed by Ken Hughes
Don’t let the ugly Italian poster art on the disc box throw you — The Internecine Project is a clever plot-driven murder tale in an espionage vein that gathers a string of B+ stars from the early 1970s for ninety minutes of suspense. It’s not the kind of suspense that makes you wonder what’s going to happen next, but the kind that points to a finish that we know will employ a big surprise, a killer-diller last-minute twist. Or three.
The...
Blu-ray
Kino Lorber Classics
1974 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 89 min. / Street Date January 3, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: James Coburn, Lee Grant, Harry Andrews, Ian Hendry, Michael Jayston, Christiane Krüger, Keenan Wynn, Julian Glover.
Cinematography: Geoffrey Unsworth
Film Editor: John Shirley
Original Music: Roy Budd
Written by: Barry Levinson, Jonathan Lynn from a book by Mort W. Elkind
Produced by: Barry Levinson
Directed by Ken Hughes
Don’t let the ugly Italian poster art on the disc box throw you — The Internecine Project is a clever plot-driven murder tale in an espionage vein that gathers a string of B+ stars from the early 1970s for ninety minutes of suspense. It’s not the kind of suspense that makes you wonder what’s going to happen next, but the kind that points to a finish that we know will employ a big surprise, a killer-diller last-minute twist. Or three.
The...
- 1/6/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
At the bitter end of a ten-year slide into ever-cheaper productions, The Cannon Group sends stars David Bradley (a nice guy), Steve James (everyone's favorite) and Marjoe Gortner (a stiff) to South Africa for an anemic entry in this series. Cannon is considered a 'fun' subject this year because of those funny documentaries that came out. Savant cut the trailer for this particular picture, so takes the opportunity to talk about the wild life and times in the Cannon trailer department. American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt Blu-ray Olive Films 19 / B&W / 2:35 1:85 widescreen / 1:37 flat Academy / 90 min. / Street Date August 16, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98 Starring David Bradley, Steve James, Marjoe Gortner, Michele Chan,Yehuda Efroni, Alan Swerdlow. Cinematography George Bartels Film Editor Michael J. Duthie Original Music George S. Clinton Written by Gary Conway from characters by Avi Kleinberger & Gideon Amir Produced by Harry Alan Towers Directed...
- 8/30/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
This noir hits with the force of a blast furnace -- Cy Endfield's wrenching tale of social neglect and injustice will tie your stomach in knots. Sound like fun? An unemployed man turns to crime and reaps a whirlwind of disproportionate retribution. It's surely the most powerful of all filmic accusations thrown at the American status quo. Try and Get Me! Blu-ray Olive Films 1950 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 92 min. / Street Date April 19, 2016 / The Sound of Fury / available through the Olive Films website / 29.95 Starring Frank Lovejoy, Kathleen Ryan, Richard Carlson, Lloyd Bridges, Katherine Locke, Adele Jergens, Art Smith, Renzo Cesana, Irene Vernon, Cliff Clark, Donald Smelick, Joe E. Ross. Cinematography Guy Roe Production Design Perry Ferguson Film Editor George Amy Original Music Hugo Friedhofer Written by Jo Pagano from his novel The Condemned Produced by Robert Stillman Directed by Cyril Endfield
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Socially conscious 'issue' movies are not all made equal.
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Socially conscious 'issue' movies are not all made equal.
- 4/15/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Star Wars franchise is going strong 38 years later. But what about the artists and filmmakers who helped make the 1977 original a hit?
In theatres all over the world in 1977, audiences thrilled at the sights and sounds of Star Wars. Harking back to a bygone age of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, it also pointed forward to the coming age of ubiquitous computers and special effects-led blockbusters.
But while the triumphant fanfare of John Williams' score gave Star Wars a confident swagger, its success was far from preordained. George Lucas reworked his script time and again; studios turned his concept down; even the production was rushed and torturous.
By now, the contribution George Lucas, John Williams and Star Wars' cast made to cinema is well documented. But what about some of the other artists, technicians and fellow filmmakers who helped to make the movie such a success? Here's...
In theatres all over the world in 1977, audiences thrilled at the sights and sounds of Star Wars. Harking back to a bygone age of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, it also pointed forward to the coming age of ubiquitous computers and special effects-led blockbusters.
But while the triumphant fanfare of John Williams' score gave Star Wars a confident swagger, its success was far from preordained. George Lucas reworked his script time and again; studios turned his concept down; even the production was rushed and torturous.
By now, the contribution George Lucas, John Williams and Star Wars' cast made to cinema is well documented. But what about some of the other artists, technicians and fellow filmmakers who helped to make the movie such a success? Here's...
- 4/22/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Above: Us one sheet for The 4th Man (Paul Verhoeven, Netherlands, 1983).
I’ve always liked this elegant poster for Paul Verhoeven’s The 4th Man with its striking combination of soft realism and hard geometry (that knife-like number 4!) and I decided recently to look for other designs by the artist who signs himself Topazio. But, although I have found a number of pieces with his signature, I have so far come up short on much information on the man. Vincent Topazio was, it seems, an illustrator who worked from at least the mid 70s (I found a 1975 New York magazine illustration for an article on dog trainers credited to him as well as the cover for The Average White Band’s Cut the Cake from the same year) through at least the mid 80s. I have found seven of his movie posters, all illustrated in what seems to be a combination of crayon and airbrush.
I’ve always liked this elegant poster for Paul Verhoeven’s The 4th Man with its striking combination of soft realism and hard geometry (that knife-like number 4!) and I decided recently to look for other designs by the artist who signs himself Topazio. But, although I have found a number of pieces with his signature, I have so far come up short on much information on the man. Vincent Topazio was, it seems, an illustrator who worked from at least the mid 70s (I found a 1975 New York magazine illustration for an article on dog trainers credited to him as well as the cover for The Average White Band’s Cut the Cake from the same year) through at least the mid 80s. I have found seven of his movie posters, all illustrated in what seems to be a combination of crayon and airbrush.
- 1/23/2015
- by Adrian Curry
- MUBI
Ah Durban! South Africa's cultural melting pot of English, Afrikaner, Indian, and Zulu. Famous for her sunny beaches and busy harbour; infamous for her cauterizing curries and wizardly weed. I grew up in the central green foothills you can see below, half an hour from those miles of golden sand. The snowcapped mountain range in the distance is the Drakensberg, named for the vast dragon's back it resembles. You may well have seen those mountains up close if you've ever watched Cry, The Beloved Country, or the historical war films Zulu and Zulu Dawn.Durban is also home to Southern Africa's longest running and largest film festival, and as a local boy it gives me the giddys to introduce Twitch's virgin coverage of the Durban International...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 7/17/2014
- Screen Anarchy
I'm hugely saddened to report that Oscar-nominated British actor Bob Hoskins -- the quintessential Cockney gent of latter-day cinema -- has passed away. Aged 71, he died in hospital following a bout of pneumonia. His wife, Linda, and four children issued a statement clarifying that the Londoner "died peacefully at hospital last night surrounded by family," and thanked well-wishers for their "messages of love and support." Hoskins' health had been declining for some time: he retired from acting in 2012 after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. His last screen role was in "Snow White and the Huntsman." After supporting roles in such films as "Zulu Dawn" and a BAFTA-nominated turn in Dennis Potter's TV landmark "Pennies From Heaven," Hoskins' film breakthrough came in his late thirties with the role of conflicted East End crime boss Harold Shand in the 1980 gangster classic "The Long Good Friday," which earned him another BAFTA nod.
- 4/30/2014
- by Guy Lodge
- Hitfix
To mark the release of Zulu on 5th May, we’ve been given 3 copies to give away on Blu-ray.
22nd January 1964 – On the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift during the Anglo-Zulu war in South Africa, the theatrical release of a new historical war drama made an indelible mark on British cinematic history.
Cy Endfield’s (The Mysterious Island, Zulu Dawn) dramatic military re-enactment; Zulu, depicted the ultimate David and Goliath tale of a relatively small garrison of 139 British and colonial soldiers stalwartly defending their mission station against an army of 4,500 Zulu warriors. Eleven of the surviving men were subsequently awarded a Victoria Cross for outstanding bravery on the battle field.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of this classic screen giant, along with the 135th anniversary of the troop’s victory, the next generation can now enjoy a brand new collectible anniversary edition of this BAFTA® nominated movie juggernaut,...
22nd January 1964 – On the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift during the Anglo-Zulu war in South Africa, the theatrical release of a new historical war drama made an indelible mark on British cinematic history.
Cy Endfield’s (The Mysterious Island, Zulu Dawn) dramatic military re-enactment; Zulu, depicted the ultimate David and Goliath tale of a relatively small garrison of 139 British and colonial soldiers stalwartly defending their mission station against an army of 4,500 Zulu warriors. Eleven of the surviving men were subsequently awarded a Victoria Cross for outstanding bravery on the battle field.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of this classic screen giant, along with the 135th anniversary of the troop’s victory, the next generation can now enjoy a brand new collectible anniversary edition of this BAFTA® nominated movie juggernaut,...
- 4/28/2014
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
By Lee Pfeiffer
Since its initial release fifty years ago, director Cy Endfield's British war epic Zulu has grown in stature. The film was understandably a hit in England but was deemed a boxoffice disappointment in the United States perhaps due to the fact that, like Khartoum (1966), the story relates to a historic battle that is well known by Brits by is virtually unknown to American audiences. What no one can dispute is that the film represents masterful movie making. Again, like Khartoum, it is a thinking man's war epic. The film relates the story of the Battle of Rorke's Drift, a tiny British outpost in southern Africa directly in the heart of the Zulu kingdom. A haunting pre-titles sequence shows the bloody aftermath of the Battle of Isandlwana, in which a British expeditionary force was massacred by Zulus in a sophisticated attack that stunned the government in London.
Since its initial release fifty years ago, director Cy Endfield's British war epic Zulu has grown in stature. The film was understandably a hit in England but was deemed a boxoffice disappointment in the United States perhaps due to the fact that, like Khartoum (1966), the story relates to a historic battle that is well known by Brits by is virtually unknown to American audiences. What no one can dispute is that the film represents masterful movie making. Again, like Khartoum, it is a thinking man's war epic. The film relates the story of the Battle of Rorke's Drift, a tiny British outpost in southern Africa directly in the heart of the Zulu kingdom. A haunting pre-titles sequence shows the bloody aftermath of the Battle of Isandlwana, in which a British expeditionary force was massacred by Zulus in a sophisticated attack that stunned the government in London.
- 4/13/2014
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Peter O’Toole: ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ actor, eight-time Oscar nominee dead at 81 (photo: Peter O’Toole as T.E. Lawrence in David Lean’s ‘Lawrence of Arabia’) Stage, film, and television actor Peter O’Toole, an eight-time Best Actor Academy Award nominee best remembered for his performance as T.E. Lawrence in David Lean’s epic blockbuster Lawrence of Arabia, died on Saturday, December 14, 2013, at a London hospital following "a long illness." Peter O’Toole was 81. The Irish-born O’Toole (on August 2, 1932, in Connemara, County Galway) began his film career with three supporting roles in 1960 releases: Robert Stevenson’s Disney version of Kidnapped; John Guillermin’s The Day They Robbed the Bank of England; and Nicholas Ray’s The Savage Innocents, starring Anthony Quinn as an Inuit man accused of murder. Two years later, O’Toole became a star following the release of Lawrence of Arabia, which grossed an astounding $44.82 million in North America back in 1962 (approx.
- 12/15/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
For the fans of this wonderful man, which I proudly count myself as one; 26 May 2013 marks the centenary of horror legend Peter Cushing. One of the most versatile actors to grace the big screen, Cushing never gave a single bad performance throughout his 50-year career. A dedicated perfectionist, who believed in giving nothing less than his best effort, Cushing’s 100% commitment always lifted a bad film. The movie may fail him but he would never fail his public.
Cushing began his acting career in repertory theatre and with his legendary one-way ticket to Hollywood, made his film debut in 1939. After a couple of productive years in the States, he worked his way back to England following the outbreak of World War 2. Marrying actress Helen Beck, he worked on stage but struggled to find good roles until he became a member of the RSC under Laurence Oliver. As British TV’s first big star,...
Cushing began his acting career in repertory theatre and with his legendary one-way ticket to Hollywood, made his film debut in 1939. After a couple of productive years in the States, he worked his way back to England following the outbreak of World War 2. Marrying actress Helen Beck, he worked on stage but struggled to find good roles until he became a member of the RSC under Laurence Oliver. As British TV’s first big star,...
- 5/28/2013
- Shadowlocked
Watching “Zulu Dawn,” now out on Blu-ray, you get the distinct impression that this is a British version of frontier mythology. Instead of the wide, wild American west, you’re given Britain’s colonialism in Africa. Even the music feels like a sweeping Western score. The 1979 prequel to “Zulu” rides the line between being a pure artifact of a bygone era—one that depicts a romanticized, unrealistic version of the time—and a modern, revisionist take that strives for a more accurate portrayal of historical reality. The Zulu, though portrayed as fierce warriors, are not simply bloodthirsty savages bent on eradicating the noble white man. Granted, they’re not exactly well rounded, but they’re not presented as a monolithic evil, either. Their war is a defensive war, fought to preserve their way of life and culture. They aren’t given much to make them human on an individual level,...
- 4/6/2013
- by Brent McKnight
- Beyond Hollywood
Sneak Peek director Douglas Hickox' 1979 action adventure "Zulu Dawn", prequel to the classic feature "Zulu", now available in a re-mastered HD Blu Ray/DVD Combo Pack from Severin Films.
The film stars stars Burt Lancaster, Peter O’Toole, Simon Ward, Bob Hoskins and Sir John Mills :
"...the shocking true story events of 'The Battle of Isandlwana', started January 1879, when arrogant officials of the British colony of Natal, Africa issued a list of unauthorized ultimatums to the 'Zulu Nation'.
"When the 'Zulu King' refused their demands, the Empire declared war.
"And in a series of grave tactical blunders, a garrison of 1,500 British soldiers faced an army of 25,000 enraged Zulu warriors in what would become the most horrifying disaster in British military history..."
Special features include short films with Zulu War expert Ian knight, the film's historical advisor Midge Carter, a visit to the actual locations of the battle of...
The film stars stars Burt Lancaster, Peter O’Toole, Simon Ward, Bob Hoskins and Sir John Mills :
"...the shocking true story events of 'The Battle of Isandlwana', started January 1879, when arrogant officials of the British colony of Natal, Africa issued a list of unauthorized ultimatums to the 'Zulu Nation'.
"When the 'Zulu King' refused their demands, the Empire declared war.
"And in a series of grave tactical blunders, a garrison of 1,500 British soldiers faced an army of 25,000 enraged Zulu warriors in what would become the most horrifying disaster in British military history..."
Special features include short films with Zulu War expert Ian knight, the film's historical advisor Midge Carter, a visit to the actual locations of the battle of...
- 4/4/2013
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
They really don’t make films like Zulu Dawn anymore. The prequel to the 1964 classic Zulu, which featured Michael Caine in his first-ever starring role, was released fifteen years later and given a far less enthusiastic welcome than its predecessor. Zulu Dawn is one of those old historical epics lush with details and destruction, striving to take advantage of the larger-than-life screens the film would be viewed upon. There is something to be said about the sheer glee that filmmakers of this era seemed to take in filling every frame with maximum visual content, but without CGI enhancement. In this case, it is thousands of Zulu warriors and British soldiers, battling across the wide South African landscapes. It’s all very impressive, especially when restored to its correct aspect ratio and remastered for Blu-ray.
Read more...
Read more...
- 3/26/2013
- by Lee Jutton
- JustPressPlay.net
By Lee Pfeiffer
Fifteen years after co-producing and directing the British Victorian-era war classic Zulu, Cy Endfield brought an epic prequel to the story to the screen with Zulu Dawn. Unlike the original film, however, this 1979 release suffered from a bungled and scatter shot North American release that ensured that very few Yanks or Canadians ever had the opportunity to see the film in theaters. Botched release notwithstanding, the movie is in many ways as good as its predecessor, even if the screenplay falls short on presenting the main characters in a fully developed way. The story pertains to the greatest British military defeat of its era as the Victorian penchant for colonialism extended into South Africa. Initially the indigenous Zulu tribes had a cordial relationship with the British, but a foolish change in political strategy saw increasing incursions onto Zulu territory. The Zulu king went to great lengths to...
Fifteen years after co-producing and directing the British Victorian-era war classic Zulu, Cy Endfield brought an epic prequel to the story to the screen with Zulu Dawn. Unlike the original film, however, this 1979 release suffered from a bungled and scatter shot North American release that ensured that very few Yanks or Canadians ever had the opportunity to see the film in theaters. Botched release notwithstanding, the movie is in many ways as good as its predecessor, even if the screenplay falls short on presenting the main characters in a fully developed way. The story pertains to the greatest British military defeat of its era as the Victorian penchant for colonialism extended into South Africa. Initially the indigenous Zulu tribes had a cordial relationship with the British, but a foolish change in political strategy saw increasing incursions onto Zulu territory. The Zulu king went to great lengths to...
- 3/13/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Life of Pi I don't always include the 3-D Blu-ray version when I put together this column, but with Life of Pi that's sort of the whole point right? I mean, if anyone talks about this movie the first, and sometimes only, thing they talk about are the visuals. Personally it was only an "okay" movie that I didn't really think amounted to much, but I expect it will have a rather impressive life on the home video market following its Oscar wins.
The Blob (Criterion Collection) Blu-ray I watched this Blu-ray on Sunday night and listened to the commentaries yesterday on and off throughout the day. This isn't exactly a feature-rich release and we're talking about more of a classic sci-fi film from the late '50s with a nostalgia factor for some and a certain level of intrigue from cinephiles, but is it a "must buy"? The commentary...
The Blob (Criterion Collection) Blu-ray I watched this Blu-ray on Sunday night and listened to the commentaries yesterday on and off throughout the day. This isn't exactly a feature-rich release and we're talking about more of a classic sci-fi film from the late '50s with a nostalgia factor for some and a certain level of intrigue from cinephiles, but is it a "must buy"? The commentary...
- 3/12/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Founder of Goldcrest Films with a string of Oscar-winning movies to his name
It is a mark of the wide-ranging success of Jake Eberts, founder of the once-mighty Goldcrest Films, who has died aged 71 after suffering from cancer, that few headline writers summing up his life could agree on his most notable producing credit. Was it Chariots of Fire (1981), Gandhi (1982) or The Killing Fields (1984)? The Name of the Rose (1986), Driving Miss Daisy (1989) or Dances With Wolves (1990)? Easier instead to herald him as the man whose films won a staggering 37 Oscars.
From the mid-1970s onwards, Eberts combined business acumen and creative energy with an integrity much admired in the film industry. The actor Kevin Costner, with whom he worked on Dances with Wolves and Open Range (2003), said of him: "Hollywood is full of people who either have intelligence or integrity. Jake is the only one with both." Lord Attenborough, who collaborated with Eberts on Gandhi,...
It is a mark of the wide-ranging success of Jake Eberts, founder of the once-mighty Goldcrest Films, who has died aged 71 after suffering from cancer, that few headline writers summing up his life could agree on his most notable producing credit. Was it Chariots of Fire (1981), Gandhi (1982) or The Killing Fields (1984)? The Name of the Rose (1986), Driving Miss Daisy (1989) or Dances With Wolves (1990)? Easier instead to herald him as the man whose films won a staggering 37 Oscars.
From the mid-1970s onwards, Eberts combined business acumen and creative energy with an integrity much admired in the film industry. The actor Kevin Costner, with whom he worked on Dances with Wolves and Open Range (2003), said of him: "Hollywood is full of people who either have intelligence or integrity. Jake is the only one with both." Lord Attenborough, who collaborated with Eberts on Gandhi,...
- 9/10/2012
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
Stage and screen actor known for his roles in The Three Musketeers and Young Winston
In 1971 the actor Simon Ward, who has died after a long illness aged 70, was plucked from virtual obscurity by the director Richard Attenborough to play Winston Churchill in the film Young Winston, supported by actors of longstanding reputation including Robert Shaw, Anne Bancroft and John Mills. After the film's release a year later, Ward found himself a star on several continents. "That was a frightening role," he recalled. "You were playing someone whom everyone had very strong feelings about. As a movie, it had the most extraordinary mixture of adventure – the fighting, riding, running up and down mountains – and some wonderful dialogue scenes shot at Shepperton."
Swashbuckling and tongue-in-cheek slapstick were added to the mix when Ward, known for his aristocratic looks and high cheekbones, was cast as the Duke of Buckingham in Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers...
In 1971 the actor Simon Ward, who has died after a long illness aged 70, was plucked from virtual obscurity by the director Richard Attenborough to play Winston Churchill in the film Young Winston, supported by actors of longstanding reputation including Robert Shaw, Anne Bancroft and John Mills. After the film's release a year later, Ward found himself a star on several continents. "That was a frightening role," he recalled. "You were playing someone whom everyone had very strong feelings about. As a movie, it had the most extraordinary mixture of adventure – the fighting, riding, running up and down mountains – and some wonderful dialogue scenes shot at Shepperton."
Swashbuckling and tongue-in-cheek slapstick were added to the mix when Ward, known for his aristocratic looks and high cheekbones, was cast as the Duke of Buckingham in Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers...
- 7/23/2012
- by Anthony Hayward
- The Guardian - Film News
Rada-trained star of Zulu Dawn, Young Winston and Supergirl was 'one of the most admired actors of his generation'
The actor Simon Ward, who played the title role of Winston Churchill in 1972's Young Winston, has died after a long illness. He was 70.
The star of both stage and screen died "peacefully" on Friday, with his wife Alexandra and three daughters at his side.
Ward appeared as Sir Monty in the BBC legal drama Judge John Deed and as Bishop Gardiner in The Tudors. He also had roles on the big screen in Zulu Dawn and Young Winston.
A statement from Ward's agents, Shepherd Management, said: "The son of a car salesman from Beckenham, Kent, Ward wanted to be an actor from an early age and joined the National Youth Theatre at the age of 13 and stayed there for eight years.
"Ward went on to train at Rada and became...
The actor Simon Ward, who played the title role of Winston Churchill in 1972's Young Winston, has died after a long illness. He was 70.
The star of both stage and screen died "peacefully" on Friday, with his wife Alexandra and three daughters at his side.
Ward appeared as Sir Monty in the BBC legal drama Judge John Deed and as Bishop Gardiner in The Tudors. He also had roles on the big screen in Zulu Dawn and Young Winston.
A statement from Ward's agents, Shepherd Management, said: "The son of a car salesman from Beckenham, Kent, Ward wanted to be an actor from an early age and joined the National Youth Theatre at the age of 13 and stayed there for eight years.
"Ward went on to train at Rada and became...
- 7/22/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
There have been many portrayals of werewolves and other shapeshifting man/woman-beasts, in the media of film, but I can’t say there has been many memorable ones. With The Wolf Man (1941) Lon Chaney Jr. transformed into a werewolf at the full moon, and created one of the three most famous horror icons of the modern day. Werewolf fiction as since been an exceptionally diverse genre with ancient folkloric roots and manifold modern re-interpretations – from high shcool basketball players to American tourists hiking through the UK. Here is the list of my personal favourites.
#13- El aullido del diablo/ Howl of the Devil (1987)
Directed by: Paul Naschy
Paul Naschy, also known as Jacinto Molina Alvarez, was a Spanish movie actor, screenwriter, and director working primarily in horror films. His portrayals of numerous classic horror figures—the wolfman, the hunchback, Count Dracula, the mummy—have earned him recognition as the Spanish Lon Chaney.
#13- El aullido del diablo/ Howl of the Devil (1987)
Directed by: Paul Naschy
Paul Naschy, also known as Jacinto Molina Alvarez, was a Spanish movie actor, screenwriter, and director working primarily in horror films. His portrayals of numerous classic horror figures—the wolfman, the hunchback, Count Dracula, the mummy—have earned him recognition as the Spanish Lon Chaney.
- 10/13/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Olive Films will release the acclaimed 1965 action-adventure film Sands of the Kalahari on Blu-ray and DVD on Aug. 2.
Stuart Whitman feels the heat in Sands of the Kalahari.
Olive’s latest release of a vintage movie from the Paramount Pictures library, Sands of the Kalahari begins with a chartered plane crashing in a remote African desert after colliding with a swarm of locusts. And it’s not the harsh surroundings or the vicious baboons that the survivors have to worry about, but a fellow crazed passenger!
Directed and co-written by Cy Endfield, the movie’s cast includes Stuart Whitman (The Longest Day) as a businessman and big-game hunter, Stanley Baker (The Guns of Navarone) as a chain-smoking and alcoholic mining engineer, Susannah York (Superman) as a beautiful young divorcee, Nigel Davenport (Zulu Dawn) as the plane’s captain and Theodore Bikel (The African Queen) as a doctor.
Remastered in high-definition from a 35mm archive print,...
Stuart Whitman feels the heat in Sands of the Kalahari.
Olive’s latest release of a vintage movie from the Paramount Pictures library, Sands of the Kalahari begins with a chartered plane crashing in a remote African desert after colliding with a swarm of locusts. And it’s not the harsh surroundings or the vicious baboons that the survivors have to worry about, but a fellow crazed passenger!
Directed and co-written by Cy Endfield, the movie’s cast includes Stuart Whitman (The Longest Day) as a businessman and big-game hunter, Stanley Baker (The Guns of Navarone) as a chain-smoking and alcoholic mining engineer, Susannah York (Superman) as a beautiful young divorcee, Nigel Davenport (Zulu Dawn) as the plane’s captain and Theodore Bikel (The African Queen) as a doctor.
Remastered in high-definition from a 35mm archive print,...
- 4/27/2011
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Just a few days after the death of John Forsythe, Dynasty actor Christopher Cazenove has died at the age of 64. The man who played Blake Carrington's evil brother for two seasons succumbed to septicaemia (blood poisoning). He had been battling cancer for the past year.
Cazenove was a veteran actor and appeared in dozens of films over the past 40 years, most notably, 3 Men and a Little Lady, A Knight's Tale, Zulu Dawn, and Eye of the Needle.
On television, he appeared in series like Judge John Deed, Charmed, Nash Bridges, and Tales from the Crypt.
According to the Daily Mail, Cazenove's agent, Lesley Duff, said on behalf of his family and girlfriend Isabel Davies: "Christopher died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones having contracted septicaemia at the end of February. Despite a valiant fight and the untiring...
Cazenove was a veteran actor and appeared in dozens of films over the past 40 years, most notably, 3 Men and a Little Lady, A Knight's Tale, Zulu Dawn, and Eye of the Needle.
On television, he appeared in series like Judge John Deed, Charmed, Nash Bridges, and Tales from the Crypt.
According to the Daily Mail, Cazenove's agent, Lesley Duff, said on behalf of his family and girlfriend Isabel Davies: "Christopher died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones having contracted septicaemia at the end of February. Despite a valiant fight and the untiring...
- 4/8/2010
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Christopher Cazenove, who has died of septicaemia aged 64, always dreamed of being a film star, although his father – a brigadier in the Coldstream Guards – wanted him to follow in his military footsteps. Ironically, when Cazenove fulfilled his acting ambitions, he made his name as the blue-eyed, clean-cut hero Lieutenant Richard Gaunt in The Regiment (1972-73). The drama series, following a 1970 pilot, traced the fortunes of the Cotswolds Regiment at the turn of the 19th century – from the Boer War to service in India – through the lives of two families, the Gaunts and the Brights. Cazenove's fame was confirmed when he was featured on the cover of Radio Times.
The old Etonian seemed happy to become typecast playing aristocrats. On television, he was also seen in Jennie, Lady Randolph Churchill (1974) as George Cornwallis-West, a...
The old Etonian seemed happy to become typecast playing aristocrats. On television, he was also seen in Jennie, Lady Randolph Churchill (1974) as George Cornwallis-West, a...
- 4/8/2010
- The Guardian - Film News
Zulu Dawn (1979) is the prequel to the 1964 film Zulu which tells the story of a proud British army which suffered the worst defeat ever inflicted by a native army during the Victorian era. Burt Lancaster (Colonel Anthony Durnford), Peter O’ Toole (Lord Frederick Chelmsford), Simon Ward (Lt. William Vereker), Bob Hoskins (Sgt-Major Willams), James Faulkner (Lt. Melvill and film’s producer), Denholm Elliot (Lt. Col. Henry Pulliene), and Sir John Mills (Sir Henry Bartle Frere) head the cast of British officers and bureaucrats which began the legendary Anglo-Zulu war.
The film is a rather well researched account of the battle at Isandlwana. This was in Zulu land which bordered the British colony of Natal in South Africa. In January, 1879. Sir Henry Bartle Frere (Mills) is the High Commissioner for her majesty Queen Victoria who along with Lord Chelmsford (O’ Toole), insight a war against King Cetshwayo, the King of the...
The film is a rather well researched account of the battle at Isandlwana. This was in Zulu land which bordered the British colony of Natal in South Africa. In January, 1879. Sir Henry Bartle Frere (Mills) is the High Commissioner for her majesty Queen Victoria who along with Lord Chelmsford (O’ Toole), insight a war against King Cetshwayo, the King of the...
- 3/15/2010
- by Douglas Barnett
- The Flickcast
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