Vintage Movie Wallpaper of the Day
Monday, July 13, 2009

I’ve always really liked this image from the 1971 West German documentary World Sex Report from Richard Rimmel and glad to finally at last get it posted up here.

Image Source:
Official still that was used in the original USA release of the film.

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile

Vintage Movie Wallpaper of the Day
Thursday, February 19, 2009

If you’re a fan of great tracking shots and creative inter-scene movement of the camera in cinema… then you really should check out many Tonino Valerii films! He is one of those rare filmmakers I can feel perfectly his footprint in the flow of how a film is cut, the camera moves and the free flowing yet precise ways he guides his actors/actresses through their marks and character arcs. He’s a Leone disciple done proud. I’m not just saying that because you would also find filmmaker Richard Linklater damn near mirroring my sentiments but because I truly marvel and feel the same way about Valerii.

Here in Day of Anger (I Giorni dell’ira) if it weren’t for Lee Van Cleef getting some of the best dialogue of his career to say, you could almost turn the audio off save for the score by Riz Ortolani, you could experience it as a beautiful silent spaghetti western. The fusion of style, collaboration, energy and resourcefulness of the production designer, Enzo Serafin, Franco Fraticelli and Tonino Valerii make this one of my all-time favorite spaghetti westerns. This one is a real unsung treat that deserves to have a much wider following.

This re-release Japanese poster for the film is a great montage of imagery from the film and the symmetry Giuliano Gemma and Van Cleef share in it really elevates it even more. The only thing in my opinion it’s missing that would really put it over the top are some fiery flames. Regardless this is a stunning spaghetti western poster featuring a really inspired montage and sweaty crackling colors.

Many of the various home video releases of this film have been atrocious to say the least. Most save for the Wild East are too washed out, too cropped and riddled with audio imperfections to really grade it definitively. My recommendation would be to track down a copy of the Wild East DVD release (info) whenever it pops up on eBay. Outside of that I can say seeing this on film is hands down the best way to experience it. I’ve seen it once projected on the big screen and it’s that experience that makes it stand out so much.

Related Coverage:
::: Japanese Poster Celebration Month – January 2009

Image Source:
Official artwork that was used in the original Japanese poster for the film.

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile

Vintage Movie Wallpaper of the Day
Sunday, November 23, 2008

Always a good way to start out a week with an image of Lee Van Cleef.

Related Coverage:
The Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow did a tour of Spain earlier this year for the Man With No Name trilogy. Images from these screenings can be viewed below:

::: The Good the Bad and the Ugly at Cortijo los Frailes
::: For a Few Dollars More in Los Albaricoques, Spain
::: Fistful of Dollars at the Cortijo el Sotillo, Spain

Image Source:
Official issued still that was used in its original US release.

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile

[ View Image (1024x399) ]

[ View Image (1024x400) ]

[ View Image (1024x403) ]

[ View Image (1024x402) ]

[ View Image (1024x405) ]

Vintage Movie Wallpaper of the Day
Friday, August 29, 2008

One of the great all-time directors is Max Ophuls whose films always seemed immaculately dressed with a symphony of sweeping details, rich colors and lush lighting. Like the great artists of cinema, every frame of his films breathed with his distinct vision of reality, illusion and fantasy.

Sadly many of his works have yet to really see a proper restored release on video. Luckily, Lola Montes was restored this year. It first screened at Cannes and screens again at the 35th Telluride Film Festival. As you can tell from the stills above, this new version certainly leaves all other versions looking like a VHS copy of a VHS copy of a VHS copy of a VHS copy found in a dumpster.

Image Source:
Official issued still that was used in its original international restored retrospective release in 2008.

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile

[ View Image (502x768) ]

Vintage Movie Wallpaper of the Day
Friday, August 8, 2008

Austin audiences today is it for a rare glimpse of Last Year at Marienbad on the big screen! Later on at the Paramount Theater they will be screening the new print of this film one last time. Showtimes are 7:15 and 9:15 with tickets $7 dollars each (full details here). I consider the 1959 Alain Resnais film, Hiroshima mon amour, as one of my all-time favorites, so it goes without saying that I’m greatly anticipating and can’t wait to see Last Year tonight. I realize the Olympics are on, but an opportunity to see this film greatly overrides that in importance. If your an Olympics nerd then there is no way in hell I’m going to convince you… on the other hand if your a cinephile, then what the hell are you waiting for – tonight is the kind of night you live for! Let’s go get lost in the dark of the theater with the cinema of Resnais!!!

Image Source:
Official issued still that was used in its original international re-release.

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile