By Todd Garbarini ..read more

By Adrian Smith Franco Serpieri (played by an incredibly lean, lank-haired George Lazenby, almost unrecognisable from his role as James Bond just two years earlier) is a sculptor living in Venice with his daughter Roberta (played by ubiquitous red-headed child actor Nicoletta Elmi, who was in every cult film of the 1970s it seems), and has recently separated from his wife Elizabeth (the beautiful Swedish actress Anita Strindberg). But tragedy soon strikes when Roberta is found dead, floating in the water, and a child killer is on the loose amongst the fog-laden Venetian alleyways and canals ..read more

When it was first released in 1975, director Walter Hill's atmospheric Depression-era drama "Hard Times" (released in some countries as "The Streetfighter") didn't win over many critics or the general public. However, its stature has grown considerably over the decades and this excellent drama continues to resonate with fans. The film reunited Charles Bronson and James Coburn, who previously had appeared together in "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Great Escape". There's an excellent supporting cast, as well. Here's the original trailer.  ..read more

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(James Earl Jones in the 1989 baseball classic "Field of Dreams". Photo: Universal) By Lee Pfeiffer James Earl Jones, the internationally acclaimed star of stage, screen and television, has passed away at age 93. Jones won Tony, Grammy and Emmy awards and was also accorded an honorary Oscar. As a young boy, he developed a stutter that made him so self-conscious that he sometimes pretended to be mute. He credited a sympathetic teacher in high school for giving him the confidence to overcome the problem. As an adult, Jones had to overcome the racial barriers in the field of acting. His imposi ..read more

By Lee Pfeiffer The works of William Shakespeare have often been adapted on stage and on screen to a contemporary era. In 1955, Paul Douglas starred as a gangster an adaptation of "MacBeth", titled not so subtlety "Joe MacBeth". In 1991, director and screenwriter Williiam Reilly similarly transformed the classic tale to the modern crime genre with "Men of Respect". Never heard of it? Neither had I until the screener arrived. My passion for crime movies, coupled with the interesting cast, led me to to view the film. For the first 3/4 of the movie, I was very impressed. Reilly, with scant profe ..read more

We've seen some pretty weird record albums tied in with celebrities. If you thought William Shatner's "Transformed Man" is the gold standard of bizarro ventures by actors into the realm of 331/3 records, Cinema Retro contributor Doug Gerbino spotted this gem that seems to beg for further investigation into its origins. Whatever possessed James Mason, one of Hollywood's most notorious cads both on screen and off, to delve into the world of Alvin and the Chipmunks, is a mystery destined to rank with debates about the origins of the pyramids. We also love the fact that Mason is seen on this chil ..read more

p> Here's a quaint relic from the past, from a time when the Internal Revenue Service wasn't the subject of the intense political debate that surrounds it today. In these undated radio spots, Bob Hope, Marlon Brando, Zasu Pitts, Jeanne Crain and Bing Crosby encourage Americans to fill out their tax forms and file them in a timely manner. Ms. Crain even assures nervous women that they can be just as competent as men when it comes to fulfilling the annual task ..read more

By Todd Garbarini It is reported that Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to play the title role of Paul Verhoven’s Robocop (1987), which made logical sense following his successful turn as the Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 of James Cameron’s The Terminator three years earlier. In fact, his physique proved to be an asset following his portrayal of Conan the Barbarian (1982) which landed him as the Terminator, so it would only make sense that portraying Robocop would follow, right? Well, in the words of…sorry, word…of the Terminator: “Wrong.” His physique, this time around, proved to be a liability as ..read more