Category: 633 SQUADRON

Cliff Robertson, Star of Charly, Has Died

Cliff Robertson has died. I don’t know how at the moment. His website is down but I am going to send our little group’s condolences to him via his Press Agent – when I can find his address. It will probably be swamped in the welter of messages from other people but it’s the best I can do.

I only had the briefest of correspondences with him but I was struck by how open, warm and friendly he was. He asked me to go to his house to conduct an interview ‘Mano a Mano’ but it wasn’t the right time for me. I did feel also that he was possibly not well by some of the things he said. It’s sad I won’t now have the chance to talk to him but at least we have some answers to questions about 633 Squadron.

Cliff, if you are watching or listening, you will be missed.

Cliff Robertson R.I.P.

Steve Thompson has given me this address if anybody wants to leave a message about Cliff.
https://cinemanewswire.blogspot.com/2011/09/charles-thompson-phil-lansdale-cliff.html

If you haven’t already read it, you can find Cliff Robertson’s answers to a questionnaire I I sent him on the film 633 Squadron a year before he died here.

Best Film Car Chase Vote

Here is my vote for the best Vehicle Chase (as usual in reverse pts order – 10 pts for best)

10 Bullitt
9 The Italian Job
8 Mad Max II the truck at the end
7 Boat Chase in Live and Let Die
6 Gone is 60 Seconds remake
5 Gone is 60 Seconds original
4 The French Connection
3 Diamonds are Forever
2 Vanishing Point
1 Duel

The following candidates (not in any order) Continue reading “Best Film Car Chase Vote” →

Best drunk in a film – Time to Vote!

Okay time for a final vote now we have had plenty of time to deliberate. I have a few additions though so if anybody else has, please add them now:

Original list:

1. Walter Matthau in Earthquake (this is also definitely my funniest)
2. Lee Marvin in Paint Your Wagons
3. Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou (I’m still going to check out Paul Newman in The Sting though)
4. Paul Newman in The Hudsucker Proxy
5. Shelley Winters in Alfie
6. Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now (thanks for suggestion El’Phantasmo)
7. I forgot Nick Cage in Leaving Las Vegas
8. Embarrassing one this but Oliver Reed in Oliver! Okay, okay I know the film is a bit of old hokey’ but he really is very menacing – and he was Carol Reed’s nephew.
9. Okay – the butler in Dinner for One, although I am not sure I have seen this. I will look on YouTube
10. Cary Grant in North by North West. Actually this is pretty good too.
11. I am actually adding in George Peppard in the Blue Max because the book from which the film was made was actually about alcoholism and I think on reflection Peppard is trying to convey something of this.
12. Peter O’Toole in Murphy’s War
13. Lee Marvin in Shout at the Devil
14. Robert Mitchum in El Dorado

That’s all from me. If you have none to add you can vote straight away. 10 pts for your favourite down to 1 point for your tenth favourite (we do PR here)

Also been trying to think of my ‘6 films you have got to see’ but it’s actually extraordinarily difficult. Mainly because I am trying to think of not my personal 6 favourites but 6 which I think everyone should see. So far I have only thought of 2.

Finally don’t miss the UK film 1066 which is currently in production. It’s the first UK film ever to be selling shares to the public and it has the biggest cast ever for a UK film. It has Lewis Collins as Earl Godwin too, which should be fun. Perhaps at last he will get some recognition. It also has Mark Lester (remember Oliver!) as King Harold.

Stop Press: there is a competition to win a day on the set of the film 1066: go to http://www.lewiscollins.info and click on ‘Competition’.