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Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, John Frankenheimer... that's a robust list of directors who've created certain films that frighten the living daylights out of us all. But there's one classic psychedelic feature that a rather special candidate made. Trailblazing graphic designer Saul Bass designed the posters and title sequences for films by those three directors and countless others, and he also released a few short films in his lifetime. However, his sole feature film is a horror offering, Phase IV, released in 1974. It grew to have a legion of fans, not only for its striking sci-fi plot about super-intelligent ants in the Arizona desert, but also for its haunting visual style and score, and its meticulous use of macro-photography.

Although this was the only feature-length film from Saul Bass, he was still a key figure in Hollywood with instantly recognizable work, famous for his distinguished posters and title sequences. Far more than a designer,...

Historian Dr. Joanne Paul explains how A Man for All Seasons is one of the strongest onscreen depictions of the reign of Henry VIII and the Tudor period. Adapted from Robert Bolt's 1954 play of the same name, the 1966 period piece movie explored the career of Lord Chancellor Robert More (Paul Schofield), as he was challenged by the crisis brought about by King Henry VIII's (Robert Shaw) first divorce. The fifth-highest-grossing movie of 1966, A Man for All Seasons is acclaimed for its cast and production values, and celebrated as an influential example of filmmaking.

With YouTube channel History Hit turning its sights to Tudor England in their latest Historian Answers Google's Most Popular Questions, Dr. Paul tackled the question of which movie represents the period best.

Praising A Man for All Seasons, Paul stated that the movie offered "the best representation" of Henry VIII ever put on screen. The...

The 1970s was not just a prime decade for science fiction movies but an era in which those movies carried even more urgent messages about the many problems facing humanity on Earth. Sure, the sci-fi outings of the 1950s and early ‘60s carried warnings about nuclear destruction and radiation too, while the latter half of the ‘60s began delving into sociological examinations of race, youth culture, and radical politics. But the ‘70s introduced a whole new set of crises into the genre, in tandem with the growing awareness of such issues in the real world.

Climate change, unchecked population growth, lack of food, heavy pollution—all of those were prevalent in the science fiction cinema of the ‘70s, along with monsters, nuclear holocausts and other holdovers. But the messages seemed to hit harder, at least in the moment, because they were ripped in many cases right from the headlines. Decades later,...

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

Ghost Face Figure from Mezco Toys

Ghost Face is slashing into Mezco Toyz’s One:12 Collective line. Due out in November, the 6.5″ action figure costs $95. Shipping is free with the code WINTER79.

The Scream slasher has over 28 points of articulation, a black robe with poseable hood and sleeves, four interchangeable heads, and eight interchangeable hands.

Other accessories include: butcher knife, hunting knife, hunting knife with blood effect, scythe, remote control, popcorn bowl, three attachable blood effects, and display base with adjustable post.

Phase IV 4K Uhd from Vinegar Syndrome

Phase IV crawls onto 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on March 26 via Vinegar Syndrome. The 1974 sci-fi horror cult classic has been newly restored in 4K from its...

Welcome to a special Class of ’81 edition of Catalog From the Beyond, where I’m taking a little detour out of pure horror for a side quest into action thriller to celebrate the American film debut of the late, great Rutger Hauer. You may not associate Hauer with the horror genre specifically, but it’s hard to argue that he didn’t make quite the impression in genre films. Of course, most know him as Roy Batty in Blade Runner, and for me you’re not going to get a more memorable villain than his turn as John Ryder in The Hitcher. But it occurs to me that he also has something of a penchant for playing vampires with bloodsucker roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), Salem’s Lot (2004), multiple Dracula movies, and even a stint on True Blood. But long before he started buying prosthetic fangs in bulk, Hauer broke...

This thinking man’s epic got left behind with the demise of Road Show movies, which is a shame. A beautifully made, uncompromised story of warring 17th century Germany, it plays like a fine epic, with great performances. Audiences didn’t want to see Michael Caine playing this kind of character in a costume drama that wasn’t glorious escapism. Everybody’s good — it’s a great picture for Omar Sharif and the underappreciated Florinda Bolkan. The (originally) 70mm cinematography looked incredibly good in 1971.

The Last Valley

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1971 / Color / 2:35 widescreen (in release) / 125 min. / Street Date June 23, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95

Starring: Michael Caine, Omar Sharif, Florinda Bolkan, Nigel Davenport, Per Oscarsson, Madeline Hinde, Michael Gothard, Brian Blessed, Miguel Alejandro, Christian Roberts, Yorgo Voyagis, Ian Hogg, Vladek Sheybal.

Cinematography: Norman Warwick, John Wilcox

Film Editor: John Bloom

Original Music: John Barry

Visual Effects: Wally Veevers

From the...

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By Doug Oswald

Michael Caine plays a British Petroleum engineer on loan to the army during WWII and assigned to British controlled North Africa. He’s drafted to lead a group of disparate men on a mission behind enemy lines to destroy a German coastal fuel depot in “Play Dirty” available on Blu-ray by Twilight Time. Playing chess while supervising the transfer of fuel from British ships to coastal fuel storage tanks, Captain Douglas (Caine) is ordered to report to Colonel Homerton (Bernard Archard) who transfers him to the special services unit commanded by Brigadier General Blore (Harry Andrews). He’s to lead a group of men under the command of Colonel Masters (Nigel Green) including Captain Cyril Leech (Nigel Davenport), a former prisoner who uses other criminals in his missions against the Germans. When Douglas reminds the general he’s...

Alexander Mackendrick’s exhilarating pirate adventure mixes accurate history with a fine story of innocence corrupting the corrupt: Anthony Quinn’s pirate goes soft for a 12 year-old girl, and jeopardizes his highly insecure professional standing. James Coburn is superb as the first mate trying to keep the skullduggery on course with a passel of interfering kids on board. And young Deborah Baxter offers an un-sentimentalized portrait of the ordinary magic of childhood. No Summer Magic this! Region-Free German disc.

A High Wind in Jamaica

Blu-ray Caution This May be Region B only see below

Explosive Media GmbH

1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 106 min. / Street Date July 20, 2018 / Sturm über Jamaika / Available at Amazon.de

11.99 Euros Starring: Anthony Quinn, James Coburn, Deborah Baxter, Dennis Price, Lila Kedrova, Nigel Davenport, Isabel Dean, Kenneth J. Warren, Gert Fröbe, Vivienne Ventura

Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe

Art Director: John Hoesli

Film Editor: Derek York

Original Music: Larry Adler

Written by Stanley Mann,...

This moody, unsettling whodunnit benefits from sensitive cinematography, fine direction and a perfectly-cast group of players. Stephen Boyd gets a worthwhile starring role, backed by some good names and a nice debut from Judi Dench. What I don’t understand is why Pamela Franklin, possibly the most talented and versatile young English player ever, didn’t become a major star. She’s more than half the picture here.

The Third Secret

Region B Blu-ray

Powerhouse Indicator

1964 / B&W / 2:35 / 103 min. / / Street Date February 25, 2019 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £17.77

Starring: Stephen Boyd, Pamela Franklin, Diane Cilento, Richard Attenborough, Jack Hawkins, Paul Rogers, Alan Webb, Rachel Kempson, Freda Jackson, Judi Dench, Peter Copley, Nigel Davenport, Charles Lloyd Pack, Barbara Hicks.

Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe

Film Editor: Frederick Wilson

Original Music: Richard Arnell

Written and Produced by Robert L. Joseph

Directed by Charles Crichton

Trying to keep up a production schedule during the cash-flow crisis of Cleopatra,...

Douglas Rain, the Canadian actor who provided the voice to the Hal 9000 computer in Stanley Kubrick’s classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, died Sunday at the age of 90.

The Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada, which Rain co-founded in 1952, announced the actor’s death Sunday, adding that Rain died of natural causes, CTV News reports.

“Canadian theatre has lost one of its greatest talents and a guiding light in its development,” Stratford Festival’s artistic director Antoni Cimolino said in a statement. “Douglas Rain was that rare artist: an actor deeply admired by other actors.

Douglas Rain, who voiced the soft-spoken Hal 9000 robot that went rogue in Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” has died. He was 90.

The Stratford Festival, which Rain, who was a dedicated Shakespearean actor, co-founded in 1952, said that Rain had died of natural causes in Stratford, Ont. in Canada.

The festival said Rain performed at the festival for more than 45 years.

“Canadian theatre has lost one of its greatest talents and a guiding light in its development,” the festival’s artistic director, Antoni Cimolino, said in a press release Sunday, according to CTV.

“Douglas Rain was that rare artist: an actor deeply admired by other actors.”

Rain was born in Winnipeg, Man. in 1928, studied at the Old Vic in London, and performed at theaters and festival across Canada. He received a Tony nomination in 1972 for his role in Robert Bolt’s production of “Vivat! Vivat! Regina!”

All of Rain’s...

Amicus tries for class-act science fiction: lifelong coma sleeper Terence Stamp is revived as an ‘adult baby’ and must be educated in a medical psychology lab. But hey, Doctors Nigel Davenport and Robert Vaughn differ on how to raise children! The bouncing baby Cockney is soon an infantile Clockwork Orange, defying his minders and running away to see the world for himself. No, you can’t explain youth rebellion that easily…

The Mind of Mr. Soames

Blu-ray

Powerhouse Indicator

1970 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 98 min. / Street Date September 24, 2018 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £14.99

Starring: Terence Stamp, Robert Vaughn, Nigel Davenport, Christian Roberts, Donal Donnelly, Dan Jackson, Vickery Turner, Judy Parfitt, Pamela Moiseiweisch.

Cinematography: Billy Williams

Film Editor: Bill Blunden

Original Music: Michael Dress

Written by John Hale, Edward Simpson, from a book by Charles Eric Maine

Produced by Max Rosenberg & Milton Subotsky

Directed by Alan Cooke

I’m not sure that the...

Daniel Pilon died on June 26 after a battle with cancer. He was 77.

Pilon, who had a 50-year career as an actor that reached its peak during the 1970s and 1980s, was born on November 13, 1940, in Montreal.

His first movie role was in Gilles Carle's 1968 drama Le Viol d’une Jeune Fille Douce (The Rape of a Sweet Girl), where Pilon and his elder brother, Donald Pilon, played two of the heroine's three brothers.

That was followed by an appearance in the 1969 British war film, Play Dirty, where Pilon played the role of Capt. Allwood alongside Michael Caine and Nigel Davenport.

During the 1984-1954 season, Pilon guest-starred on primetime soap opera Dallas as Renaldo "Naldo" Marchetta, the villainous tycoon and ex-husband of Jenna Wade.

In daytime soaps, Pilon's most popular role was Max Dubujak on Ryan's Hope (1984-1988). He went on to play Alan Spaulding on Guiding Light (1989-1990) and...

Man vs. Nature never turns out well in horror; certainly nothing past the ‘50s terrors of looming lizards/shellfish caused by radiation/radiation. And while the ‘70s switched the vibe into eco-horror, the genre never lost sight of the nagging realization that when we push against the elements, they push back hard. So it is with Saul Bass’ Phase IV (1974), a weird and riveting sci-fi thriller that proves (as if it was needed) ants are way smarter than man.

Released in the U.S. in September by Paramount, Phase IV was not a financial success, and only inspired middling critical thought, at best. Lying somewhere between 2001’s cosmic tone poem and a Bert I. Gordon schlocker, audiences chose to ignore the cerebral looking for a visceral experience that isn’t really there; nevertheless, this uneasy mixture results in a unique experience far apart from other When Animals Attack films.

The...

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.

Going...going....

Last Remaining Copies.

Cinema Retro proudly presents this year's Movie Classics 80-page special issue: "World War II Movies of the Sixties", showcasing films that only Cinema Retro would cover in-depth. Some are true classics, others are simply vastly entertaining- and all are celebrated through rare production photos, international marketing campaigns, then-and-now location photos and little-known facts. 

Films covered in this issue:

The Guns of Navarone - Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, David Niven Battle of the Bulge- Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan Anzio- Robert Mitchum, Peter Falk The Victors- George Peppard, Eli Wallach, George Hamilton The Train- Burt Lancaster, Jeanne Moreau Tobruk-Rock Hudson, George Peppard, Nigel Davenport Hannibal Brooks- Oliver Reed, Michael J. Pollard The Devil's Brigade- William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards Von Ryan's Express- Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard Operation Crossbow- George Peppard, Sophia Loren, Richard Johnson Is Paris Burning?...

Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation by Cecil Beaton

This week marks the 90th birthday of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in 1926. The Queen celebrates two birthdays each year: her actual birthday on the 21st of April and her official birthday on the second Saturday in June. (Trooping of the Colours)

She is the world’s oldest reigning monarch as well as Britain’s longest-lived. In 2015, she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, to become the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regent in world history.

Looking to celebrate her Majesty’s birthday? First, everyone rise for the national anthem of the United Kingdom.

God save our gracious Queen!

Long live our noble Queen!

God save the Queen!

Send her victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us:

God save the Queen!

For more on the Queen’s schedule, visit the official site: www.

By Todd Garbarini

On March 4, The Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles will be hosting a 50th anniversary screening of Cy Endfield’s fine 1965 film Sands of the Kalahari, which stars Stuart Whitman, Stanley Baker, Susannah York, Harry Andrews, Theodore Bikel, and Nigel Davenport. The 119-minute film is in color and will be screened on 35mm at 7:30 pm. This is a rare screening and a wonderful opportunity to see it on the big screen.

Scheduled to appear at the screening is actor Stuart Whitman. According to actor, film authority, and longtime friend of the legendary Stuart Whitman, Douglas Dunning confirms that, following the screening, Mr. Whitman will be discussing his career and his experience making this film.

From the press release:

From the Collection of the Library of Congress

Sands of the Kalahari (UK, 1965)

A plane crash in the South African desert exposes its survivors...

I have the full rundown on the notorious spacey alternate ending to this sci-fi winner by design specialist Saul Bass. The ants are taking over, and they mean business. World conquest begins at a research lab in Arizona, where Nigel Davenport, Michael Murphy and Lynne Frederick try to hold out against super-intelligent hormigas that cut them off, build sophisticated weapons and instantly adapt to any chemical attempt to stop them. Phase IV Blu-ray Olive Films 1974 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 84 min. / Street Date October 27, 2015 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98 Starring Michael Murphy, Nigel Davenport, Lynne Frederick, Alan Gifford Cinematography Dick Bush Insect sequences Ken Middleham Art Direction John Barry Film Editor Willy Kemplen Original Music Brian Gascoigne Written by Mayo Simon Produced by Paul B. Radin Directed by Saul Bass

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Olive Films Blu-ray of the intriguing Sci-Fi curiosity Phase IV appears to be a newer, cleaner transfer than the older DVD.

When I was a kid, I used to love a scary movie. I remember catching the original The Haunting (1963) one night on Channel 9’s Million Dollar Movie when I was home alone. Before it was over, I had every light in the house on. When my mother got home she was screaming she’d been able to see the house glowing from two blocks away. The only thing screaming louder than her was the electricity meter.

That was something of an accomplishment, scaring me like that. Oh, it’s not that I was hard to scare (I still don’t like going down into a dark cellar). But, in those days, the movies didn’t have much to scare you with. Back as far as the 50s, you might find your odd dismemberment and impaling, even an occasional decapitation, but, generally, the rule of the day was restraint. Even those rare dismemberments,...

Glenda Jackson: Actress and former Labour MP. Two-time Oscar winner and former Labour MP Glenda Jackson returns to acting Two-time Best Actress Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson set aside her acting career after becoming a Labour Party MP in 1992. Four years ago, Jackson, who represented the Greater London constituency of Hampstead and Highgate, announced that she would stand down the 2015 general election – which, somewhat controversially, was won by right-wing prime minister David Cameron's Conservative party.[1] The silver lining: following a two-decade-plus break, Glenda Jackson is returning to acting. Now, Jackson isn't – for the time being – returning to acting in front of the camera. The 79-year-old is to be featured in the Radio 4 series Emile Zola: Blood, Sex and Money, described on their website as a “mash-up” adaptation of 20 Emile Zola novels collectively known as "Les Rougon-Macquart."[2] Part 1 of the three-part Radio 4 series will be broadcast daily during an...

From The Time Machine to The War of the Worlds, legendary sci-fi writer H.G. Wells brought the spectacular to life on the printed page. One of his most haunting tales, The Island of Doctor Moreau, has been adapted for the screen multiple times and soon one of the film versions will receive a high-definition upgrade, as it’s been announced that Kino Lorber will release Don Taylor’s The Island of Dr. Moreau on Blu-ray.

Kino Lorber revealed they will release 1977’s The Island of Dr. Moreau on Blu-ray in June. No special features have been announced at this time, but stay tuned to Daily Dead for further updates.

“Animals become monsters – and a man becomes part animal – in this sci-fi shocker starring Burt Lancaster and a galaxy of mutant monsters created by some of the make-up legends behind Planet of the Apes. On a tropical Pacific island, the mad Dr.

In celebration of Sound on Sight’s 7th anniversary, writers were asked to come up with articles that present their childhood favorites in the realm of films, TV shows, books or games.

I chose films and anyone who has any familiarity with my writing knows I am virtually incapable of writing an article about a single film so I’m going to focus on a number of movies I saw in my youth.

Growing up in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio, I was fortunate enough to have my own room and my own TV set.

My family didn’t go out to the cinema very often so my introduction to movies was primarily through television.

The household cable television was limited to the family room and the parental restrictions that went with that so a far as movie watching went, it was mostly just me in my room where there were no...

“If a movie makes you happy, for whatever reason, then it’s a good movie.”

—Big E

*******Warning: Review Contains Spoilers*******

By Ernie Magnotta

If there’s one thing I love, it’s 1970s made-for-tv horror films. I remember sitting in front of the television as a kid and watching a plethora of films such as Gargoyles, Bad Ronald, Satan’s School for Girls, Horror at 37,000 Feet, Devil Dog: Hound of Hell, Scream Pretty Peggy, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Moon of the Wolf and The Initiation of Sarah just to name a few. Some of those are better than others, but all were fun.

When I think back, there have been some legendary names associated with small screen horrors. Genre masters John Carpenter (Halloween), Steven Spielberg (Jaws), Wes Craven (Nightmare on Elm Street), Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and Joseph Stefano (Psycho) all took shots at television...

Top 100 horror movies of all time: Chicago Film Critics' choices (photo: Sigourney Weaver and Alien creature show us that life is less horrific if you don't hold grudges) See previous post: A look at the Chicago Film Critics Association's Scariest Movies Ever Made. Below is the list of the Chicago Film Critics's Top 100 Horror Movies of All Time, including their directors and key cast members. Note: this list was first published in October 2006. (See also: Fay Wray, Lee Patrick, and Mary Philbin among the "Top Ten Scream Queens.") 1. Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock; with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam. 2. The Exorcist (1973) William Friedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Max von Sydow (and the voice of Mercedes McCambridge). 3. Halloween (1978) John Carpenter; with Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Tony Moran. 4. Alien (1979) Ridley Scott; with Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt. 5. Night of the Living Dead (1968) George A. Romero; with Marilyn Eastman,...

With so many films released on the run up to Halloween it’s been hard to keep up with reviews, so we’re going to play catch-up with another review round-up looking at some recent releases in brief. This time round we have reviews of Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari, Saints & Soldiers: The Void, The Island of Doctor Moreau, and The Pigman Murders.

Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari

Stars: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Friedrich Feher, Lil Dagover, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Rudolf Lettinger | Directed by Robert Weine

Synopsis: At a local carnival in a small German town, hypnotist Dr. Caligari presents the somnambulist Cesare, who can purportedly predict the future of curious fairgoers. But at night, the doctor wakes Cesare from his sleep to enact his evil bidding…

My thoughts: Along with Last Year in Marienbad and The 400 Blows, Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari was one of those “important” films that I,...

Horror cinema has a long tradition of creating iconic characters and none more so than those borne in the early days of the genre: characters such as Frankenstein’s monster, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon and, of course, Dracula – the king of horror. A character who, despite his many cinematic deaths, always returns to the silver screen for one more bite of flesh… As he does this week in Dracula Untold, which features Luke Evans as the evil Vlad Tepes.

With that in mind we thought we’d rundown the ten best unforgettable Dracula performances in cinema. Check them out below and let us know in the comments if you agree or disagree!

Christopher Lee – Dracula (1958)

Dracula (1958) is the first in the series of Hammer Horror films. Directed by Terence Fisher, Dracula (1958) stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh and Michael Gough. Retitled Horror of Dracula...

Sometimes in this business we end up writing our own synopses for films. The good folks over at VideoETA have done so for Dan ("Dark Shadows") Curtis and Dan Curtis' Dracula, and it's pretty... well... see for yourself!

"This version of the Transylvanian count talks more and is ugly to boot; Van Helsing gets him."

We hereby nominate VideoETA to write all synopses from here on out.

Official Synopsis

Academy Award winner Jack Palance stars in this terrifying adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic vampire novel Dracula, written for the screen by sci-fi/horror master Richard Matheson ("The Twilight Zone," I Am Legend, Duel) and produced by the legendary Dan Curtis ("Dark Shadows," Trilogy of Terror, The Winds of War).

Palance (City Slickers, Batman, Shane, Contempt) is Count Dracula, whose centuries-old existence is threatened after he attacks the lovely Lucy Westenra (Fiona Lewis; Dr. Phibes Rises Again), and her fiance (Simon Ward; "The Tudors,...

After the long holiday weekend, it’s time to get back into the swing of things and for us, that includes keeping you guys updated on all the great horror, sci-fi and thriller movies making their home video bow this week.

On May 27th, Robert Hiltzik’s cult classic slasher Sleepaway Camp finally makes its high definition debut courtesy of the fine folks at Scream Factory. We’re also seeing the release of Dan Curtis’ Dracula and Death Spa from Mpi Home Video and E.L. Katz’s superb Cheap Thrills is also arriving on DVD and Blu-ray for those of you who may have missed it earlier this year. This week we’re also getting a pair of disaster flicks, the latest from Danny Trejo (the hardest working man in Hollywood) and actor/director Joe Swanberg as well as a few more titles that should definitely be of interest to genre fans.

There have been many great actors to portray Count Dracula over the passing decades, and in case you forgot Jack Palance donned the fangs and cape for Dan ("Dark Shadows") Curtis in Dan Curtis' Dracula, it's heading to Blu-ray this month.

From the Press Release

Academy Award winner Jack Palance stars in this terrifying adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic vampire novel Dracula, written for the screen by sci-fi/horror master Richard Matheson ("The Twilight Zone," I Am Legend, Duel) and produced by the legendary Dan Curtis ("Dark Shadows," Trilogy of Terror, The Winds of War).

Palance (City Slickers, Batman, Shane, Contempt) is Count Dracula, whose centuries-old existence is threatened after he attacks the lovely Lucy Westenra (Fiona Lewis; Dr. Phibes Rises Again), and her fiance (Simon Ward; "The Tudors," "Young Winston") calls in famed vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing (Nigel Davenport; A Man for All Seasons, Mary, Queen of Scots) to investigate.

Mpi Home Video has announced that they’ve given Dan Curtis’ Dracula a high definition upgrade and will be bringing the 1974 horror movie to Blu-ray on May 27th:

“Academy Award winner Jack Palance stars in this terrifying adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire novel Dracula, written for the screen by sci-fi/horror master Richard Matheson (The Twilight Zone, I Am Legend, Duel) and produced by the legendary Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows, Trilogy of Terror, The Winds of War). Palance (City Slickers, Batman, Shane, Contempt) is Count Dracula, whose centuries-old existence is threatened after he attacks the lovely Lucy Westenra (Fiona Lewis, Dr. Phibes Rises Again), and her fiance (Simon Ward, The Tudors, Young Winston) calls in famed vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing (Nigel Davenport, A Man for All Seasons; Mary, Queen of Scots) to investigate.

Originally shown on CBS-tv in 1974, Dan Curtis’ Dracula has long been considered among the...

Next in line to inherit the throne of Royal films is Diana. The film takes audiences into the private realm of one of the world’s most iconic and inescapably public women – the Princess of Wales, Diana (two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts) — in the last two years of her meteoric life.

On the occasion of the 16th anniversary of her sudden death, acclaimed director Oliver Hirschbiegel (the Oscar-nominated Downfall) explores Diana’s final rite of passage: a secret love affair with Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan (Naveen Andrews, “Lost,” The English Patient), the human complications of which reveal the Princess’s climactic days in a compelling new light. Diana is in select theaters now.

As long as filmmakers have been bringing the lives of England’s Kings and Queens to the silver screen have moviegoers been going to the cinemas to be schooled in British Monarchy.

So Arise, Sirs and Ladies,...

British character actor Nigel Davenport has died at the age 85. The magnetic, physically intimidating Davenport was a founding member of the English Stage Company, the resident theatrical company at London’s Royal Court. An obituary in The Guardian [http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/oct/29/nigel-davenport] notes that Davenport “was in every production” of the Esc’s inaugural season, except for its landmark premiere of John Osbourne’s Look Back In Anger. Ironically, three years later, Davenport made his movie debut in Tony Richardson’s 1959 film version of that same play. A year later, he also appeared ...

Powerful stage and screen actor often cast as an aristocrat, king or moustachioed villain

When the whisky flowed, according to the writer John Heilpern, the actor Nigel Davenport looked "as if he might knock you through the wall for sport". However, words such as "imposing" and "heavyweight", both often applied to his performances on stage and screen across more than 40 years, do not do sufficient justice to his lightness of touch and comic energy.

Davenport, who has died aged 85, was a founder member of the English Stage Company (Esc) at the Royal Court – in the first season, he was in every production except Look Back in Anger – and a distinguished president of Equity, the actors' union; he played leads in Restoration comedy and absurdist drama as well as King Lear.

In a recent rerun of the BBC's Keeping Up Appearances, he loomed as a lubricious old navy commodore coming on...

Nigel Davenport, veteran British character actor and father of actor Jack, has died. He was 85.In a career that spanned half of a century, the imposing Davenport was perhaps best known for his work in Fred Zinnemann’s A Man for All Seasons and as aristocratic Olympic official Lord Birkenhead in the Oscar-triumphing Chariots Of Fire. He was a stalwart on the small screen, too, with appearances in shows as diverse as The Saint, The Avengers, Howards' Way, South Riding and, more recently, Midsomer Murders.An Oxford graduate, he earned his spurs on the West End stage. He understudied in a Savoy Theatre run of Noel Coward's Relative Values before joining the English Stage Company and appearing in plays on both sides of the Atlantic.Davenport started small on the big screen with a walk-on in Tony Richardson's new wave classic Look Back In Anger and a cameo as...

Nigel Davenport has died at the age of 85.

The British actor passed away on Friday (October 25). There is no word yet as to the cause of death.

Davenport enjoyed a career which spanned several decades and included both film and television. He was also father to actor Jack.

He starred in such films as A Man for All Seasons, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan and The Island of Dr. Moreau.

The star also made several appearances on television series including The Saint and The Adventures of Robin Hood.

He is perhaps best known for his role in 1981's Chariots of Fire.

Davenport was also the president of the British Actors' Equity Association and founder of the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theater.

Watch the trailer for Chariots of Fire below:...

British veteran actor Nigel Davenport, whose screen career spanned five decades and included roles in Best Picture Oscar-winners A Man For All Seasons and Chariots of Fire, died October 25. He was 85. Davenport’s early films included Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom and Tony Richardson’s Look Back In Anger and The Entertainer; he also appeared in A High Wind in Jamaica (1965), Living Free (1972), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977), Nighthawks (1981), Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), and Caravaggio (1986). As a character actor his standout roles include the Duke of Norfolk in A Man For All Seasons, Lord Bothwell in Mary, Queen of Scots, Dr. Van Helsing in the Richard Matheson-penned Dracula, and Lord Birkenhead in Chariots of Fire. In 1974 Davenport starred in Saul Bass’s lone directorial effort, the sci-fi bomb turned cult classic Phase IV.

Nigel Davenport, the veteran British actor who appeared in the Oscar best picture winners A Man for All Seasons and Chariots of Fire during a career that spanned more than a half-century, has died. He was 85. Davenport died Oct. 25, British newspapers reported Tuesday. No other details were immediately available. Davenport, a magnetic presence known for his gravelly voice and expressive gaze that came from a lazy right eye, appeared in more than 40 features, on dozens of TV shows and in countless stage productions. In Fred Zinnemann’s A Man for All Seasons (1966), Davenport played the powerful

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Writer Lee Gambin calls them Natural Horror films, other writers call them Revenge of Nature or Nature Run Amok films and writer Charles Derry considers them a type of Apocalyptic Cinema.

Of course we’re speaking of one of the great horror subgenres for which we’ll employ writer Kim Newman’s tag: The Revolt of Nature.

Since the end of the 1990s, lovers of animal attack films have been subjected to copious amounts of uninspired Nu Image, Syfy Channel and Syfy Channel-like dreck like Silent Predators (1999), Maneater (2007) Croc (2007), Grizzly Rage (2007) and a stunning amount of terrible shark attack films to name a few that barely scratch the surface of a massive list.

These movies fail miserably to capture the intensity of the unforgettable films they are imitating and the recent wave seems to carry with it the intent of giving the Revolt of Nature horror film a bad name.

In the world of horror cinema, the best way to fight a monster–be it supernatural, human, or natural one–is with a character that possesses special knowledge and skills. These experts, recruited into battle by other characters or colliding with the conflict intentionally, are the savants of the horror world.

Examples of savant characters include David Warner’s bat expert Phillip Payne in Nightwing, Zelda Rubinstein’s spiritual medium Tangina in Poltergeist, Matthew McConaughey’s dragon slayer Denton Van Zan in Reign of Fire, Lin Shaye’s paranormal investigator Elise Rainier in Insidious, and Otto Jespersen’s monster killer Hans in Trollhunter.

This article, divided into three sections based on what type of monstrous force is being fought, focuses on the greatest savant characters the horror genre has to offer.

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Vs. The Supernatural

Peter Cushing as Doctor Van Helsing in Horror of Dracula and The Brides of Dracula: In these two Hammer films,...

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...

December was Tarantino Month here at Sos, and since January is dedicated to westerns, I thought it would be best to whip up some articles spotlighting films that influenced Tarantino’s Django Unchained. Since I began my list back in December, I’ve noticed similar lists popping up online – all of which are somewhat suspect, since they recommend some terrible films. For my money, all of the movies listed below are essential viewing for fans of Django Unchained, and come highly recommended.

Note: This is the third of a three part article.

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I Giorni dell’ira (Blood and Grit) (Day of Anger) (Gunlaw) (Days of Wrath)

Directed by Tonino Valerii

Written by Ernesto Gastaldi, Tonino Valerii, Renzo Genta

Italy, 1967

Day of Anger is a spaghetti western directed by Tonino Valerii, who began his career as Sergio Leone’s assistant and would later direct My Name Is Nobody (1973). Lee Van Cleef stars as Frank Talby,...

If you're at all familiar with Saul Bass' 1974 insect run amok flick, Phase IV, you'll be happy to hear that the long lost original ending of the film has been uncovered, and yes, even screened already. Read on for details.

THR reports that Pogrammers at Los Angeles’ The Cinefamily unveiled the never-before-seen ending to Phase IV on Sunday night after a screening of the theatrical cut of Saul Bass’ 1974 feature film debut. Celebrating the work of the iconic artist and title sequence designer, the repertory house uncovered a reel of the footage, which was long thought lost – or to never have existed -- and showed it as a part of its "Saul Bass on Film" series.

In the movie, desert ants suddenly form a collective intelligence and begin to wage war on the desert inhabitants. It is up to two scientists (Nigel Davenport, Michael Murphy) and a stray girl...

When I was a kid, I used to love a scary movie. I remember catching the original The Haunting (1963) one night on Channel 9’s Million Dollar Movie when I was home alone. Before it was over, I had every light in the house on. When my mother got home she was screaming she’d been able to see the house glowing from two blocks away. The only thing screaming louder than her was the electricity meter.

That was something of an accomplishment, scaring me like that. Oh, it’s not that I was hard to scare (I still don’t like going down into a dark cellar). But, in those days, the movies didn’t have much to scare you with. Back as far as the 50s, you might find your odd dismemberment and impaling, even an occasional decapitation, but, generally, the rule of the day was restraint. Even those rare dismemberments,...

Latest Additions Include Star-Studded Appearances, Noted Film Historians,

An Opening-Night Poolside Screening of High Society (1956)

And a Vanity Fair Showcase of Architecture in Film

Complete Schedule for 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival

Now Available at http://www.tcm.com/festival

With just over two weeks left before opening day, the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival continues to expand its already-packed slate with new events and live appearances:

On opening night of the festival, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will be the site of a poolside screening of the lavish Cole Porter musical High Society (1956), starring Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. Actresses Maud Adams and Eunice Gayson will attend a 50th Anniversary screening of the James Bond classic Dr. No (1962) and participate in a conversation about being “Bond Girls.” Filmmaker Mel Brooks will be on hand to introduce his brilliant parody Young Frankenstein (1974). Filmmaker John Carpenter will introduce his favorite film, the...

All this talk about Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows makes me think about the original Dark Shadows, and when considering show creator Dan Curtis’ ovure, I am reminded of his great, and often unfairly overlooked, 1973 take on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The film, shot in England in 1973, hit the airwaves on February 8, 1974, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The telepic starred Jack Palance, in retrospect, a natural nod as the fanged fiend. As audiences would see a decade later in the Palance-hosted television hit Ripley’S Believe It Or Not, he has always been the perfect sinister gentleman, a quality played to the hilt in Dracula.

Also starring Simon Ward, Nigel Davenport, Pamela Brown, Penelope Horner, Murray Brown, and the stunning Fiona Lewis, Dracula was shot at famed Pinewood Studios in England, and could easily pass as a Hammer production. Curtis handles the tale like a bigger budget episode of Dark Shadows,...

If there is one famous literary character that has made such an impact on film and television, it has to be Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle’s immortal detective. Holmes has generated such a fascination for filmmakers; he is probably more popular, and certainly more prolific, than Dracula and James Bond put together. The number of Holmes films produced since the pioneering days of the silent era is so extensive it’s unlikely the Great Detective will ever be absent from our screens for very long.

Within the last couple of years, Holmes has become fashionable again thanks to Robert Downey Jr’s cinematic reinvention of the role in two successful Guy Ritchie movies and the excellent TV series Sherlock, which effectively transports Holmes (brilliantly played by Benedict Cumberbatch) to modern day London. Oddly enough the concept is not a new one considering Holmes, like Dracula, is a man of his time...

Our round-up of John Barry’s non-Bond movie scores continues with a look at some romantic compositions from the disco decade…

As we embark on the fourth part of our appreciation of John Barry’s career beyond Bond, we move into a decade renowned for its glitter balls, bell-bottoms and jiggle television. However, this phase of Barry’s career is representative of a burgeoning interest in more emotionally charged, fractured and complex ideas, viewed through the filter of a maturing, mellowing artist.

Even the most vibrant, exotic scores could not disguise the introspection and sensitivity of the man himself. He continued to chase universal themes – and he was still capable of conjuring up worlds of intrigue and drama – but the projects he gravitated towards more in the wake of Midnight Cowboy were those that allowed him to explore more intimate musical textures.

Barry still accepted a range of eclectic assignments,...

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,...

The words “South African exploitation cinema” or “South African Grindhouse cinema” are just not words that one hears uttered together often, especially around these parts.

But after reading about the below film, as well as watching its trailer, I’m sure film enthusiasts will be strongly encouraged to do some research of their own and learn more

The flick is titled Death Of A Snowman, and was made in 1978, just about coinciding with the blaxploitation cinema era here in the USA. I thought we’d talked about it here before, but a search on this blog revealed nothing, so this must be the first post about it.

Anyway, the film, also once known as Soul Patrol and Black Trash, is now on DVD, and you can pick up a copy on Amazon.com for about $20. Pick up your copy Here. It’s not on Netflix yet, however. Sorry!

The short...