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It’s a Cold War thriller in the steamy tropics! The Reds are making their move in Malaya and four vibrant people are caught in the crosshairs: rich rubber planter William Holden, revolutionary strategist Tetsuro Tanba, peaceful teacher and activist Capucine, and adventurous Governor’s daughter Susannah York. Director Lewis Gilbert keeps a rickety script on its feet drama-wise and superb cinematography (Freddie Young) and impressive music (Riz Ortolani) do the rest. The show ended up being most noted for a nude swimming scene scooped in the pages of Playboy.

The 7th Dawn

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1964 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 123 min. / Street Date January 4, 2022 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95

Starring: William Holden, Susannah York, Capucine, Tetsuro Tanba, Michael Goodliffe, Allan Cuthbertson, Sydney Tafler, Maurice Denham.

Cinematography: Frederick Young

Production Designer: John Stoll

Art Director: Herbert Smith

Film Editor: John Shirley

Original Music: Riz Ortolani

Associate Producer: John Dark

Written for the...

Gilbert on the set of the 1977 James Bond blockbuster The Spy Who Loved Me with production designer Ken Adam and producer Albert R. Broccoli at Pinewood Studios, London.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Cinema Retro mourns the news of director/producer Lewis Gilbert's death in London at age 97. Gilbert was a good friend to our magazine and gave what is probably his last interview to our correspondent Matthew Field several years ago. It ran in three consecutive issues of Cinema Retro (#'s18, 19 and 20). 

Gilbert had a remarkable career that began early in life as a music hall performer and an actor in small roles in British films. During WWII he served in the Raf, producing and directing documentaries for the military. His first feature film as director was "The Little Ballerina", released in 1947. Gilbert toiled through directing low-budget, often undistinguished films, honing his craft along the way. He earned praise for...

DVD Playhouse—March 2011

By

Allen Gardner

127 Hours (20th Century Fox) Harrowing true story of Aron Ralston (James Franco, in another fine turn), an extreme outdoorsman who finds himself trapped in a remote Utah canyon, his arm pinned between two boulders, with no help nearby, no communication to the outside world, and dim prospects for survival, to say the least. Director Danny Boyle manages to prove again that he’s one of the finest filmmakers working today by making a subject that is seemingly uncinematic a true example of pure cinema. Inventive, breathtaking, funny, and horrifying, often all at once. Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara make a memorable, brief appearance as hikers who connect with Ralston during his journey. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Boyle, producer Christian Colson, co-writer Simon Beaufoy; Deleted scenes; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-hd 5.1 surround.

Amarcord (Criterion) Federico Fellini’s Oscar-winning, autobiographical classic might...

 

York on the set of the 1968 film Duffy

 

By Lee Pfeiffer

Acclaimed British actress Susannah York has died from cancer at age 72. York, a Rada graduate, first came to prominence in the early 1960s, scoring a key role in Tunes of Glory. A rebellious spirit in the rebellious 60s, York's career initially thrived with memorable roles in films such as Tom Jones, The 7th Dawn, Sands of the Kalahari, Kaleidoscope, A Man For All Seasons, Battle of Britain and the provocative lesbian drama The Killing of Sister George. In 1970, she received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? True to character, she refused to attend the ceremonies. Although the best parts were behind her, York still received star billing in "A" grade productions like X, Y and Zee (aka Zee and Company) with Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Caine, and the 1974 adventure film Gold opposite Roger Moore.

This week's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" topic is Federico Fellini's wonderful classic La Dolce Vita (1960). One caveat before we begin: I've had a difficult night and computer issues, so I was only able to pull screenshots from the film's first half. But no matter. Ninety minutes in, Fellini has already gifted us with a greater movie than most and there's still another one its same size waiting after the imaginary intermission.

Who crafts pictures like Fellini? Or rather, who crafts motion pictures like him? No one. His camera is often moving and its subjects always are. Fellini loves a crowd and his hordes are either surrounding the action on the verge of chaos or they're lining up to follow some invisible pied piper of dance leading them through a restless black & white bacchanalia.  The effect is so sensual and dizzying that the image of Anita Ekberg as...

Our final issue of Season 6 has now been mailed to subscribers worldwide, and the general feeling is that it's one of our best yet.

Gary Giblin offers an extensive, in-depth tribute to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho to commemorate the film's 50th anniversary. He shares little-known facts about the movie and also examines its legacy, including the sequels. Matthew Field offers part one of his recent interview with director Lewis Gilbert, who discusses his war movies such as Sink the Bismarck!  and The 7th Dawn. Dean Brierly's ass-kicking interview with ass-kicking Blaxploitation legend Fred ("The Hammer") Williamson

Coverage of Cinema Retro's Movie Magic Tour of England: Richard Johnson joins us at the mansion seen in The Haunting and we catch up with Sir Roger Moore, Britt Ekland, Maud Adams, Richard Kiel and George Lazenby at a major London James Bond event.

Howard Hughes' special tribute to the life and career...