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All The Film References In James Gunn’s Guardians Of The Galaxy Series! ( Photo Credit – Facebook )

Full of pop culture references, including iconic movies, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy series is a fan-favorite in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While Peter Quill’s references are concentrated in 1980s American culture, there are quite a few others scattered around.

Here are the eight classic movies alluded to in the famed James Gunn-directed series (in no particular order).

1. The Maltese Falcon (1941) Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ Rt Score – 99% Director – John Juston

The film noir follows Pi Sam Spade, who, while investigating the murder of his partner, encounters a statue, The Maltese Falcon. In the first movie of the MCU trilogy, Peter Quill describes the ‘Orb’ as having a ‘Maltese Falcon sort of vibe.’

2. North By Northwest (1959) Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ Rt Score – 97% Director – Alfred Hitchcock

A classic spy thriller,...

Did Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest set the scene for James Bond? (Photo Credit – YouTube)

Long before James Bond ever ordered a martini or shot down a henchman in Dr. No, Alfred Hitchcock had already stitched together the cinematic DNA of 007 in North by Northwest.

Hitchcock’s thriller, released in 1959, three years before Sean Connery donned the tux, was practically a James Bond prototype in everything but name. Cary Grant’s Roger Thornhill, a sharp-suited ad man mistaken for a spy, finds himself dodging bullets, seducing mysterious women, and leaping across iconic landmarks.

Well, it sounds familiar, right? It should as this was the stylish, danger-laced formula that would come to define Britain’s most famous secret agent.

Trending When Meryl Streep Rejected A ‘Slightly’ Insulting Offer For The Devil Wears Prada & Walked Away With $4 Million Instead!

When Dune Director Denis Villeneuve Opened Up About His Lifelong Wish Of...

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Among James Bond fans, there is a well-established genre known as the non-Bond Bond movie. You might think that 26 official 007 films would be enough to satiate fans of England's greatest spy, but cinema's most enduring franchise has now been running for 65 full years, and evidently a film releasing on an average of every 2.5 years just simply isn't enough for 007 adherents.

Now that Amazon owns the James Bond IP that will surely change, with Bond spin-off ideas likely coagulating in the minds of Amazon execs as I type. While we await the onslaught of 007 media, however, there are several well-established non-Bond Bond movies that can act as solid substitutes for official 007 features. These movies include films that starred former 007 actors in roles that are, in all but name, essentially James Bond and there's even an entry...

Quick LinksNorth by Northwest Is Generally Considered “The Hitchcock Picture to End All Hitchcock Pictures”North by Northwest's Legacy Cannot Be DeniedCary Grant Makes North by Northwest

I might be one of the few Alfred Hitchcock fans who thinks North by Northwest is not the best Alfred Hitchcock film. There are plenty of arguments as to why it can be considered peak Hitch. From its iconic scenes in famous locations to the way it captured the whole vibe of mid-20th century America, there's a lot to appreciate about North by Northwest. And who doesn't enjoy seeing Cary Grant get to exercise both his dramatic and comedic acting chops?

The premise of the film, where Grant is an ad-man who gets mistaken for a spy, was apparently inspired by a suggestion from Otis L. Guernsey Jr. from a real-life scenario involving Nazi Germany. I am not trying to be...

The role of James Bond has been one of the most coveted and sought after, ever since Sean Connery donned the famous dinner suit, and left everyone shaken, and stirred in 1962's Dr No. Many great actors have played the iconic British spy, but there have also been numerous actors linked to the character over the years who have starred in identical roles.

The search for Daniel Craig's successor as James Bond has yet to be found, but a breakthrough in casting the next James Bond could be forthcoming. Landing the next Bond is absolutely key for Eon, and it's the toughest call they've had to make yet. Whoever the next Bond is, has to fit into a universe with massive built-in audience expectations, so the best route for any aspiring 007s is arguably to seek out roles that are identical to the suave spy.

Michael Caine As Harry Palmer...

Alfred Hitchcock is, as the kids would say, the G.O.A.T. when it comes to crime thrillers. And I love how so many of his protagonists unknowingly find themselves in the middle of a mystery, but, over the course of the film, prove that they were probably the right person to end up at the wrong place at the wrong time. Jeff solved a murder in Rear Window, Ben and Jo unearthed a political crime in The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Roger Thornhill shed light on a deadly game of spies in North by Northwest. Later on, filmmakers like Brian De Palma (Blow Out), the Coen Brothers (No Country for Old Men), Steven Soderbergh (Kimi), David Robert Mitchell (Under the Silver Lake), and Sriram Raghavan (Andhadhun) furthered this particular subgenre of crime thrillers while making some kind of relevant commentary on the state of modern society.

Warner Bros. is bringing two cinematic classics to a new physical media transfer this Thanksgiving season. Blu-ray.com has announced the 4K Ultra-High Definition Blu-ray releases of Alfred Hitchcock‘s spy thriller North by Northwest and Mel Brooks‘ irreverent western satire Blazing Saddles. Both releases will be hitting retailers on November 19.

North by Northwest stars Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, and Leo G. Carroll. The description reads, “Cary Grant stars as an innocent man mistaken for a spy in one of director Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest thrillers. While leaving New York’s Plaza Hotel, advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Grant) has the misfortune of standing just as the name “George Kaplan” is paged–starting a lethal case of mistaken identity and a nonstop game of cat and mouse as he is pursued across North America by espionage agents trying to kill him–and by police who suspect him of murder.

North by Northwest (65th anniversary) will be released for the first time on 4K Ultra HD and Digital on November 19. North By Northwest Cary Grant stars as an innocent man mistaken for a spy in one of director Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest thrillers. While leaving New York’s Plaza Hotel, advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Grant) has the misfortune of raising his hand just as the name “George Kaplan” is paged–starting a lethal case of mistaken identity and a nonstop game of cat and mouse as he is pursued across North America by espionage agents trying to kill him–and by police who suspect him ... Read more...

From classic thriller to science fiction classic to controversial comedy, three iconic movies are celebrating the anniversaries of their release Blazing Saddles (50th anniversary), North by Northwest (65th anniversary) and The Terminator (40th anniversary), and all three of them will be released for the first time on 4K Ultra HD and Digital on November 19.

Also celebrating anniversaries are The Wizard of Oz (85th anniversary), which will be available in an 85th Anniversary Theater Edition on November 5 and The Polar Express (20th anniversary), which was released on 4K in 2022.

Released in 1974, Blazing Saddles, which returned to theaters last month to mark the milestone, has been called ribald, tasteless and...hilarious. This classic spoof of the Western genre by director Mel Brooks pokes fun at everyone and everything. A corrupt governor grants a reprieve to an African American convict if the condemned man agrees to serve as sheriff of a small Western town,...

In a career that lasted over 50 years, Alfred Hitchcock was never stymied by expectations, hampered by codes, or inhibited by good taste. He always found a way to navigate the morass of cultural mores, finding ecstatic freedom within societal strictures. The last of these aspects, edging past good taste, provide the tastiest, trashiest facets of the director's penultimate masterpiece, Frenzy, a 1972 film that brought Hitchcock astride the directors who were now finding their own form, who took great inspiration from the Master of Suspense, and added their own Freudian hang-ups into stark, bloody relief. Perhaps no other director embodies the power of suggestion quite like Hitchcock, but in 1972, audiences were already beginning to crave something more fleshy.

Hitchcock's taste for the macabrely allusive began in earnest with 1927's The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, an early example of a mistaken identity story that would become a prominent element...

Mel Brooks created unforgettable comedy characters by remixing classic genre stereotypes with his inimitable style of humor. Collaborating with funny actors like Wilder, Candy, and Moranis enhanced Brooks' satirical genius. Memorable characters like Sheriff Bart, Igor, and Leo Bloom showcase the best of Brooks.

Mel Brooks created plenty of unforgettable comedy characters throughout his career, including some of the funniest movie characters of all time. Brooks' movies often make fun of other movie genres, like how Spaceballs mocks sci-fi tropes and Young Frankenstein plays with the stereotypes of the horror genre. Brooks always has a knack for remixing and reimagining the stock characters which populate these genres.

Although Mel Brooks' satirical genius created some memorable characters, he was certainly helped by the fact that he often collaborated with some of the funniest actors in Hollywood. Gene Wilder, John Candy and Rick Moranis all did some of their best work in Mel Brooks movies.

Hitchcock's legendary movies owed their success to talented actors like Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, and James Stewart. Performances by stars like Janet Leigh and Robert Walker brought depth and intensity to Hitchcock's iconic characters. Alfred Hitchcock's collaborations with actors like Tippi Hedren and Anthony Perkins elevated his films.

Throughout his career, Alfred Hitchcock worked with many of the best actors of his time, and they delivered some iconic performances for him. His regular stars included Cary Grant, James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman and more. Each of these actors elevated his movies in their own ways, delivering unforgettable performances that have helped enshrine Hitchcock's reputation as a legendary director.

Alfred Hitchcock's best movies wouldn't be the same without the input of some Hollywood icons. His movies often work by delving into the darkest corners of human psychology, so they need great actors. His most famous characters, such as...

There’s a story Alfred Hitchcock always liked to tell about how, when he was five years old, his father dropped him off at the local police station near his home in East London. William Hitchcock left a note for the coppers explaining that his son had been misbehaving. A policeman locked young Alfred in a cell for a few minutes and explained, “This is what we do to naughty boys.”

When Hitchcock recounted that story to Dick Cavett he was in his 70s, but the incident continued to leave a profound mark on the director. He said he was still “terrified of the police” because of that and drew a connection from that to the feelings of guilt and wrong-men-on-the-run paranoia that seeps into so many of his films.

The funny thing is, though, father characters are almost entirely absent from Hitchcock’s work. There are a few: Cedric Hardwicke...

The DS9 episode "Armageddon Game" establishes a strong friendship between O'Brien and Bashir, despite dropping big Hollywood influences. The episode was originally planned to have elements of chase movies like North by Northwest and Midnight Run, but budget constraints changed the script. "Armageddon Game" became a smaller character piece due to budget limitations, focusing on O'Brien and Bashir's time in an abandoned facility.

Two classic Hollywood movies inspired Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 13, "Armageddon Game", but few of those influences appear on-screen. "Armageddon Game" is widely regarded as the DS9 episode that establishes the friendship between Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) as they end up on the run from the combined forces of the Kellerun and T'Lani. Facing death bonds the two Star Trek: DS9 characters for life, creating one of the franchise's most enduring friendships. However, Bashir and O'Brien's ordeal in...

It’s one of those images used in every “best movie moments” montage (and parodied by Family Guy): a snappily-dressed Cary Grant sprinting across an open field, pursued by a bullet-firing crop duster plane. Frequently cited as one of the greatest films ever made, preserved by the Library of Congress, and a box office smash, North by Northwest is Alfred Hitchcock at his peak, a work of superb entertainment informed by Hitchcock's distinct sensibilities without being weighed down by them. Grant, a frequent Hitchcock collaborator, leads the self-aware caper as Roger Thornhill, the world's most dapper advertising executive this side of Mad Men. A case of mistaken identity sends Thornhill racing to clear his name. Those circumstances lead to the plane chase. As it stands, Hitchcock's original idea for the sequence wouldn't have been nearly as exemplary. Instead, it sounds better suited to a mid-budget 1990s popcorn flick.

Nancy Meyers has written a love letter to Cary Grant by recommending his screwball comedies and classics like North by Northwest and The Philadelphia Story as part of the December 2023 Turner Classic Movies lineup in her own TCM Picks video.

“He’s a brilliant prototype for a leading man in a romantic comedy certainly. And I would be lying if I said I didn’t think of him sometimes as I’m writing. You can picture him doing it and it makes you better,” Meyers, whose rom-com canon includes box office performers like Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday and What Women Want, tells The Hollywood Reporter.

Her TCM movie picks follow Meyers insisting she has viewed most Cary Grant movies dozens of times, not least to study the iconic star’s slapstick humor and verbal sparring with leading ladies to see beneath his debonair looks and onscreen charisma, to the...

Hollywood has a long track record of remaking some of its greatest and most treasured films. From thrillers made in the 1940s to science fiction films of the '60s, many fans of classic movies have been lucky -- or unlucky -- enough to see their favorite stories get brought into the modern age. Throughout this time, however, many movies that could use a modern update continue to be overlooked.

When it comes to remaking a movie, there are several criteria that can be explored to see if a film should get adapted for a younger audience. From a lack of technology at the time the film was made to those types of stories being absent from modern Hollywood, many films have earned a second look. For some of these films, a remake could save a franchise from hitting a wall, while others could make forgotten stories relevant again.

Waterworld...

North by Northwest, often hailed as one of the greatest movies of all time, is not based on a true story, but it does have real-life inspirations. Alfred Hitchcock's masterful direction and attention to detail gradually build tension in the film, immersing viewers into Roger's thrilling journey. The idea for the "non-existent spy" in the movie was inspired by a World War II incident and a conversation between Hitchcock and journalist Otis L. Guernsey, who shared a story about the CIA's use of a decoy.

Alfred Hitchcock's magnum opus, North by Northwest, may not be based on a true story, but it does have some real-life inspirations. Often touted as one of the greatest movies of all time, North by Northwest focuses on Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant), who gets embroiled in a web of peril and espionage when a group of spies mistakes him for a government agent named George Kaplan.

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI, and sign up for our weekly email newsletter by clicking here.NEWSKillers of the Flower Moon.Amid brewing Cannes selection rumors, a US theatrical release date has been announced for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which is being co-distributed by Apple and Paramount. The film will open in limited release on October 6 before expanding nationwide on October 21. This speaks to Apple’s new strategy to spend $1 billion a year on theatrical releases, geared toward raising its profile in the film industry.Unions representing screenwriters in the US are currently negotiating for better working conditions and equitable wages in a new three-year contract. The New York Times looks at whether or not a strike might be likely after the current agreement expires on May 1.Recommended VIEWINGWe’re thrilled to exclusively premiere Mdff...

As Time notes, the title of Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller, "North by Northwest," seems to be a reference to flying north on Northwest Airlines, which we see Cary Grant's protagonist and mistaken identity victim, Roger Thornhill, do as he leaves Chicago for South Dakota's Mount Rushmore National Memorial toward the end of the movie. There's a much more famous scene involving Grant and a plane in "North by Northwest," of course, but while Hitchcock and screenwriter Ernest Lehman were brainstorming for that scene, the movie itself almost flew right off course.

In a 2000 interview with the journal Creative Screenwriting, Lehman explained how the classic scene of Grant's character running across an open field in the middle of nowhere with a plane chasing him from behind first came together. Hitchcock spoke elsewhere about how he wanted to upend cliches by putting his protagonist in peril in "the loneliest, emptiest...

Mark Allison Jul 11, 2019

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Hitchcock's spy thriller, we look at how the classic actioner set the template for a new kind of movie.

This article comes from Den of Geek UK.

Alfred Hitchcock was never content with mastering a single genre. Having spent the 1950s perfecting the murder mystery (Rear Window), crime drama (To Catch a Thief), and psychological thriller (Vertigo), the master of suspense ended the decade by turning his lens to the world of spies and statecraft.

Now 60 years on from its premiere in Chicago, North by Northwest remains the perfect espionage thriller, providing the template for James Bond, Ethan Hunt, and six decades of imitators.

Eschewing the slow-burn suspense and hushed atmosphere of Hitchcock's earlier spy thrillers like The 39 Steps (1935) and Saboteur (1942), North by Northwest pioneered a new breed of action cinema rooted in larger-than-life adventure and momentous setpieces. Indeed, the...

By Fred Blosser

I saw many, many Italian-made sword-and-toga movies as a kid in the early 1960s at the Kayton, my neighborhood movie house, where they usually played on mismatched double-bills with B-Westerns, British “Carry On” comedies, low-budget noir dramas, and fourth-run Elvis movies. Many of these Italian epics were simplistic and formulaic, as if the producers figured that people had come to see spectacle, sex, and sword-fights, and never mind anything else. Regardless, more ambitious productions occasionally surfaced with slightly more dramatic substance and marginally higher production values. One such entry was “The Colossus of Rhodes” (1961), Sergio Leone’s first acknowledged directorial credit preceding his breakthrough success with “A Fistful of Dollars” in 1964. The Warner Archive Collection has released the 1961 movie on Blu-ray with audio commentary by Sir Christopher Frayling, Leone’s biographer and longtime critical champion.

The script co-written by Leone has plenty of plot -- almost too much,...