 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Jun 21, 2020 - 11:29 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
|
YOUNG WINSTON was a historical biopic that covered the life of Winston Churchill from age 7 (played by Russell Lewis) to about age 25 (played by Simon Ward). Ian Holm played the real-life George Buckle in the film. Buckle was a writer and biographer, who in 1884, at the age of 29, became editor of The Times of London.
YOUNG WINSTON was the third film in a row in which Holm played a historical character. Holm, John Mills, Jack Hawkins, Patrick Magee, Anthony Hopkins, and Edward Woodward received "special appearance" credits.
Richard Attenborough directed the 1972 release. Alfred Ralston provided the film’s music, which included several selections taken from the works of Edward Elgar. Angel Records released the soundtrack in the U.S., but it has not been re-issued on CD.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 21, 2020 - 3:51 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
|
Harold Pinter’s THE HOMECOMING was based on the London production of The Royal Shakespeare Company, as presented on the Broadway stage by Alexander H. Cohen. The play’s Royal Shakespeare Company production, directed by Peter Hall, who also directed the film, opened in London on 3 June 1965; the New York production opened on 5 January 1967. With the exception of Cyril Cusack in the role of “Sam,” all of the actors who appear in the film appeared in the play’s New York production. During the Broadway run, Michael Jayston, who plays “Teddy” in the picture, replaced Ian Holm in the role of “Lenny.” Before replacing Holm, Jayston had understudied the roles of Lenny and Teddy in the New York production. The Broadway show won Tony awards for Best Play, Best Director of a Play, Best Actor in a Play (Paul Rogers) and Best Supporting Actor in a Play (Holm). Vivien Merchant and scenic designer John Bury, who also worked on the film, were nominated for Tony awards. Merchant and Pinter were married from 1956 to 1980.
The story is set in a dreary North London flat, the site of perpetual psychological warfare, as a philosophy professor (Jayston) visits his family after a nine-year absence, and introduces the four men—father (Rogers), uncle (Cusack), and two brothers (Holm and Terence Rigby), to his wife (Merchant).
Paul Rogers and Ian Holm in THE HOMECOMING
In June 1967, M-G-M had purchased the rights to Pinter’s play for approximately $200,000 plus a percentage of the box-office profits. At that time, Edward Lewis was announced as the film’s producer and John Frankenheimer as its director. Production was delayed due to Frankenheimer’s schedule, and M-G-M eventually opted not to make the film due to “budgetary inflation.”
The film did include several shots set outdoors, but very little of the play’s dialogue was altered for the film. Although interiors were shot at Shepperton Studios, footage depicting the arrival of Teddy and Ruth to the house was shot in the Hackney area of north London, where Pinter spent his childhood. Pinter’s play was inspired by a childhood friend, who married and moved to Canada but for many years did not tell his authoritarian father about his wife.
In accordance with the American Film Theater’s subscription plan, the picture, the second AFT release, played a series of two-day engagements throughout the U.S. and Canada. Screenings included one intermission. After its initial two-day run in Los Angeles in mid-November 1973, AFT founder Ely Landau arranged for the film to play in Los Angeles for one week in December 1973, so that it would qualify for Academy Award consideration, but the film received no nominations. The picture did not open in Great Britain until May 1976, at which time Vivien Merchant received a BAFTA nomination as Best Supporting Actress. The film has no original score.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 21, 2020 - 10:16 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Grecchus
(Member)
|
The Juggernaut quad poster art reminds me very much of Ice Station Zebra. Was the same artist commissioned to do it? There's the aerial action, the ship itself and the underwater cutaway. As if the brief was for an ISZ lookalike, in which case the poster art seems to follow the same path as do temp tracks.
Edit: Google says yup, it was Bob McCall in both cases. So, I guess that means the artist himself signposted his own path. He was a much respected NASA illustrator. He did the 2001 space station/Orion cover and Aries landing at the moonbase with the astronauts in the foreground, as well as concept art for Disney's Black Hole. He more or less designed the basic form of the Cygnus. He seems to have also done the poster work for Tora, Tora, Tora, inluding a tonnage of concept art incorporated into the FSM and La La Land soundtrack releases.
One more thing - wasn't Freddie Jones (also RIP) in the film? I mean, he was 'Juggernaut,' so shouldn't there be a credit on the poster? But then again, that would be giving things away. I digress.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 22, 2020 - 12:54 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
|
THE WOOD DEMON was a 1974 staging by the “BBC Play of the Month” of an early version of Chekhov's “Uncle Vanya.” It starred Ian Holm as the play's title character, “Khrushchov,” a country doctor and conservationist concerned with preserving the natural Russian forests. Chekhov establishes his rather large cast by opening at a social gathering, the birthday party of a local merchant. Several families converge, including an aged professor (Anthony Douse) who brings along his daughter from his first marriage, “Sonya” (Vickery Turner), and his second wife “Helen” (Francesca Annis). Sonya has eyes for the Wood Demon, but he is at odds with her “Uncle George” (Ronald Hines) and just about everyone, in regards to his environmental causes. Helen is intrigued by the doctor's ideas, even as she must rebuke George's advances and that of the town rake, “Theo” (Donal McCann).
Ian Holm in THE WOOD DEMON
Donald McWhinnie directed the production, which aired on the BBC on 17 November 1974.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 22, 2020 - 11:31 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
|
ROBIN AND MARIAN finds Robin Hood (Sean Connery), aging none too gracefully, returning exhausted from the Crusades to woo and win Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn) one last time. Ian Holm plays King John in this 1976 tale.
Ian Holm in ROBIN AND MARIAN
Principal photography took place in Northern Spain, near Madrid, rather than in England, because some of the major principals were tax exiles. Most of the castles were from the 14th century, but staged to look like the 12th century structures in England. A castle in Valladolid was burned for the film and then sand blasted to remove the marks.
This was Holm’s second feature in a row working with director Richard Lester. Lester originally engaged Michel Legrand for the film’s score, with whom he had worked on THE THREE MUSKETEERS. But he was not pleased with the results, and after Lester moved on to his next project, executive producer Ray Stark engaged John Barry to write a replacement score. Barry’s music also was found wanting, and Stark had Richard Shore re-orchestrate much of it. Silva Screen re-recorded Barry’s score for a 2001 CD release, while Prometheus released the original tracks in 2008. Legrand’s rejected score was released by Universal Music France in 2009.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 22, 2020 - 11:50 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
|
The 1976 action-adventure SHOUT AT THE DEVIL was set during World War I. A British aristocrat (Roger Moore), an American entrepreneur (Lee Marvin), and the latter's attractive young daughter (Barbara Parkins), set out to destroy a German battle-cruiser which is awaiting repairs in an inlet just off Zanzibar. Moore played the young love interest although he was actually 47 in real life (Parkins was 33). Ian Holm played Lee Marvin’s mute servant, “Mohammad.”
Ian Holm and Lee Marvin in SHOUT AT THE DEVIL
This was the second of two filmed adaptations of novels by Wilbur Smith that starred Roger Moore. The first had been GOLD (1974). Both pictures were directed by Peter R. Hunt. Maurice Jarre’s score was released on a Barclay LP in France, and was re-issued on CD by Quartet in 2010.
Daily Variety estimated the budget for SHOUT AT THE DEVIL at $9.5 million, “the most expensive independent production of all time,” according to American International Pictures (AIP), the film’s U.S. distributor. AIP’s plans to release the film in April 1976 were postponed in order to give the studio’s publicity department time to build “a massive campaign.” AIP considered a new title for SHOUT AT THE DEVIL for its U.S. release, as the company was concerned that the public would expect a story about the supernatural. However, the title proved not to be an issue in England, where the film had opened in April and was already attracting large audiences. The film ultimately hit U.S. theaters in November.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 22, 2020 - 12:31 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
|
JESUS OF NAZARETH was an epic re-telling of the story of Jesus Christ, made as a television mini-series. Robert Powell starred in the title role, and the film featured nearly two dozen well-known actors and actresses in other roles. Director Franco Zeffirelli had considered Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino for the part of Jesus, and Robert Powell to play Judas. Tom Courtenay was offered the role, but declined. Once Powell got the lead role, Peter O'Toole was cast as Judas, but had to back out of the project, due to illness. Ian McShane ultimately played the part.
Zeffirelli wanted Marcello Mastroianni for the role of Pontius Pilate, but they couldn't agree on financial terms. Zeffirelli was happy in the end, as he felt that Rod Steiger was a "magnificent Pilate". Maria Schneider was originally offered the role of the Virgin Mary, but declined, and later regretted the decision. Olivia Hussey played the part. Elizabeth Taylor was interested in playing Mary Magdalene, but the role went to Anne Bancroft. Ian Holm played the scribe "Zerah,” an entirely fictional character created purely for dramatic reasons.
At a cost estimated between twelve and twenty million dollars, this mini-series had a budget equivalent to many feature films of the time, and was by far the most expensive made-for-television movie at the time of production, a record it would hold for several years.
The mini-series premiered on NBC as "The Big Event" in two three-hour installments with limited commercials on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday (April 3 and April 10, 1977). Additional footage was added for a 1979 re-run, which was broadcast in four two-hour installments. The film has been released on VHS and DVD as one complete presentation with one set of credits.
The film received Emmy Nominations for Outstanding Special and for James Farentino as Outstanding Supporting Actor, for playing Simon Peter. Zeffirelli received a BAFTA nomination for Best Direction of a Single Play. Maurice Jarre’s score for the film was released on an RCA LP in the U.S., and on Pye Records in the UK. The first CD release came from RCA Italy in 1996. An expanded release was issued in Italy by Legend in 2010.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 22, 2020 - 3:59 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
|
Like JESUS OF NAZARETH, the miniseries HOLOCAUST first aired as a presentation in NBC's Big Event series. Written by Gerald Green, the story begins in the Germany of 1935. We are introduced to the family of Jewish doctor “Joseph Weiss” (Fritz Weaver). his wife “Berta” (Rosemary Harris), his brother “Moses” (Sam Wanamaker), his sons “Rudi” (Joseph Bottoms) and “Karl” (James Woods), and his daughter “Anna” (Blanche Baker). We also meet struggling lawyer “Erik Dorf” (Michael Moriarity), who is urged by his ambitious wife to join the SS.
As the Nazis' persecution of the Jews is stepped up by the SS Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler (Ian Holm), most of the Weiss family is deported to the Polish ghetto--then to Auschwitz, which is overseen by Erik Dorf. Rudi and his Jewish girlfriend “Helena” (Tovah Feldsuh) witness the 1941 Baba Yar massacre, then join the Russian partisans in their battle against the Nazis. Also appearing in HOLOCAUST is Meryl Streep as Karl Weiss' Christian wife “Inga.”
David Warner and Ian Holm in HOLOCAUST
Marvin J. Chomsky directed the miniseries, which was originally telecast in four parts on April 16, 17, 18, and 19, 1978. Morton Gould’s score was released on an RCA LP, which was re-issued on CD by Notefornote Music in 2018.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 22, 2020 - 9:53 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
|
I could never understand why Michael Jayston never progressed beyond the role of Tsar Nicholas in this film, unless I'm mistaken.
Although NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA was in the top 20 films of 1971 at the box office, with a $21 million U.S. gross, Jayston's next three films were flops, at least in America:
Follow Me! [U.S.: The Public Eye] (1972) - $2.4 million
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972) - $1.9 million
Bequest to the Nation [U.S.: The Nelson Affair] (1973) - $0.7 million
That last film was also critically blasted. And although Jayston's next film, THE HOMECOMING with Ian Holm, was critically praised, the whole American Film Theater experiment barely limped into a second, truncated season before the unstable economics of the enterprise caused its collapse. Jayston's feature film career never recovered, at least as far as the U.S. was concerned. Most of his remaining films were British productions little seen in the States.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting that despite calling him the 'Lord of the Rings' actor, no one has actually said what a great Frodo he was in the 1980s radio production for BBC Radio 4, which was without doubt a major influence on Peter Jackson casting him as the older hobbit.
So I'm putting that right. I listened to the serial when it was broadcast twice weekly back in the eighties, and it took a long time for the actors in the first film to overcome my attitude that there were no others than those in the radio production. And one of those was Holm as Frodo. He was just great.
Having it on cd has meant many more listens. One of them when I used it as a playout from reading bedtime stories (The Hobbit of course, among them) to my daughter when she was very young.
My first exposure to the actor was his 1970s lead performance in t a UK ITV production about Napoleon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 23, 2020 - 8:41 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Grecchus
(Member)
|
Thank you, Bob. Maybe his accent was perhaps a little too English? It's funny how money with a little tinge of popularity is, apparently, the final arbiter in such things. I always liked Jayston as an actor. I think I knew he'd somehow missed the 'big' boat when he appeared in the excellent as it then was, BBC production of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, however, not to belittle his dramatic output since his face and voice are distinctive enough to be remembered by anyone experiencing his imprint. And what the heck, when you think of Tsar Nicholas, whose face and voice come to mind immetiately? I think he's also done a fair bit of voicework over the years.
Rozsaphile: That freezing drive in the car with Alec Guinness epitomizes the talky actor slant that goes into making dramas, especially one like TTSS, particularly memorable. As in, it's Guinness AND Jayston, fer chrissakes! And to think Patrick Stewart was completely voiceless!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
