The Daily Movie Wallpaper
Thursday, December 24, 2009

This rare behind the scenes image is a continuation from the still from yesterday (here) with an additional press release going over this crazy shooting of its first day of shooting and Kovacs King Kong moment (posted below). I hope that these two days in a row of rare Laszlo Kovacs stills and Richard Rush cinema and from the great underrated Freebie and the Bean serve to put you in the Happy Holidays spirit! Note that Freebie and the Bean is available on home video from the Warner Bros. Archives (here).

Related Coverage:
::: View Image 1280×925
::: View Previous Movie Wallpaper – [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

 
Caption:
VERTIGINOUS HEIGHTS was one disadvantage in getting the reality producer-director Richard Rush (foreground) wanted for scenes in Warner Bros.’ “Freebie and the Bean.” Following Rush are co-stars Alan Arkin and James Caan. Cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs is at right. Screenplay for the outrageous action comedy by Robert Kaufman from a story by Floyd Mutrux.
 
 
Warner Bros. Studio (Press Release)
 
RUSH TO CAAN AT THE 66TH FLOOR:
“DON’T LOOK DOWN, JIMMY!“
 
Every good film ought to have an auspicious beginning, preferably one which does not threaten the survival of the stars. Warner Bros.’ “Freebie and the Bean,” produced and directed by Richard Rush and starring Alan Arkin and James Caan, had one which made duck soup of the most hairbreadth action which was to follow.
 
Selected for the first day’s shooting was a scene atop a 66-story skyscraper under construction in San Francisco. Another day and crews would begin placing the facing on the massive skeleton. It was that day or never. The moviemakers were to wish that they had given greater consideration to the latter alternative.
 
The scene called for police investigators Arkin and Caan to rise to the top of the building in an elevator outside the building, then to interrogate an informer on top of a crane swinging out over the city, 65 stories above the ground.
 
The stepped onto the platform which was enclosed by thin wire mesh and began their ascent. Director Rush did not know then a small detail which would make the journey fraught with danger. He did not guess until he called out the word, “Action!”
 
“Suddenly I heard a series of incoherent murmurings, mumbles and squawks coming from Jimmy, who has a severe case of acrophobia. He can step off a curb and suddenly have to reach for support in his dizziness. I mean, he’s a tough guy and athletic guy, rides broncos, though I’ve no idea how he gets up on them,” Rush recalls.
 
“We managed to get Jimmy’s hand unclutched from the wire mesh and rewoven in a clutch at a lower level, out of camera range. We were filming sections of the scene on the way up. I was totally wrapped up in the scene. Unfortunately, so was the operator, a congenial 75-year-old man huddled on the floor with his hand on the control button and his mind on the wonderful new world of show business.”
 
“We overshot the 65th floor and came to a jolting stop somewhere around 66-and-a-half and jammed there, suspended in space with the rain pouring down and the high winds and the cable partially off its track. Arkin and the acrophobiac were just finishing their lines.”
 
“To accommodate the crew members who were huddling in that over-sized bucket along with cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs and a Panavision camera, the safety ladder had been removed. The ancient operator suddenly sprang to life, crawling up the inside of the wire cage like King Kong, balancing atop the elevator and banging on the cable with a ball peen hammer.”
 
“The tune he was playing was ‘Abandon Ship!’ I swung open the cage door and jumped to the 65th floor,” explains Rush, “extending an arm to help Arkin and Caan. The entire crew followed.”
 
Not a word was spoken. As they found a skeletal staircase and walked 65 stories down to the street, where they were greeted by the waiting operator, ball peen hammer still in his hand. They continued without a look at each toward the dressing rooms, to their cars and back to the hotel. Despite the problems, enough of the sequence remained on film to edit. Shooting was over for the day.
 
 

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

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile

The Daily Movie Wallpaper
Saturday, November 28, 2009

SURPRISE #6

It has been a great month bringing you these extra looks at other Richard Rush films to accompany the Psych-Out celebration! This crazy image from Freebie and the Bean marks the fitting end to this surprise section. Note this film is available (here) via home video from Warner Bros. Archive.

A Month Long Celebration of Psych-Out (1968) at CID: November 2009

Each day in November of 2009 at CID we will be celebrating Richard Rush cinema one still at a time with his 1968 film, Psych-Out, along the way with added surprises.

I’d love to know what is your favorite Richard Rush film!?! Tweet what it is on Twitter with the following hashtag of #richardrush.

For fans of this film be sure and pick up Gary Kent’s new book, Shadows and Light, Journeys With Outlaws In Revolutionary Hollywood (details).

If you like this film and want to see other great films that have been reborn through Lars and Weird Wednesday, be sure to get out to this weekly series each Wednesday (info). In particular this month is the screening of Sam Peckinpah’s, BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA.

Related Coverage:
::: Previous Movie Wallpaper
::: Lars Writeup for Weird Wednesday

Month Long Celebration:
::: 11/28 – Surprise #6: Freebie and the Bean
::: 11/27 – Rocking Out to Mumblin’ Jim
::: 11/26 – The Moment of Truth
::: 11/25 – Don’t Make Jack Nicholson Mad!
::: 11/24 – Surprise #5: A Man Called Dagger
::: 11/23 – Jenny Davis Fights for Her Life!
::: 11/22 – Stoney & Jenny
::: 11/21 – Jenny Davis
::: 11/20 – More with Jenny Davis
::: 11/19 – All Hell Breaks Loose
::: 11/18 – Life Seed Death
::: 11/17 – Dean Stockwell is Dave
::: 11/16 – Surprise #4: Too Soon to Love
::: 11/15 – Love Sweet Love
::: 11/14 – The Vox Mobile
::: 11/13 – More from the Funeral
::: 11/12 – Surprise #3: Savage Seven
::: 11/11 – Sitar Player
::: 11/10 – Surprise #2: Hells Angels on Wheels
::: 11/09 – Ladies and Gentlemen… The Seeds!
::: 11/08 – Warren has a bad trip!
::: 11/07 – The Funeral
::: 11/06 – Surprise #1: Freebie and the Bean
::: 11/05 – Jenny Davis in Love…
::: 11/04 – Warren, Stoney & Ben
::: 11/03 – Bruce Dern is The Seeker
::: 11/02 – Elwood, Jenny & Stoney
::: 11/01 – Jenny Davis in Classic Film Pose
::: Announcement

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

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile

The Daily Movie Wallpaper
Friday, November 6, 2009

SURPRISE #1

As promised there would be some surprises and diversions to celebrate other films of Richard Rush. Today marks the first of these surprises with a film image so cool it might just be the single coolest one anyone has posted for 2009. If you love this film like I do then this image of James Caan and Alan Arkin is volume 11!

Caption:
A FIRST FOR ARKIN: Warner Bros.‘ “Freebie and the Bean” provides Alan Arkin, shown here with co-star James Caan, his first opportunity as a two-fisted action star. The outrageous comedy was produced and directed by Richard Rush from a screenplay by Robert Kaufman.

A Month Long Celebration of Psych-Out (1968) at CID: November 2009

Each day in November of 2009 at CID we will be celebrating Richard Rush cinema one still at a time with his 1968 film, Psych-Out, along the way with added surprises.

I’d love to know what is your favorite Richard Rush film!?! Tweet what it is on Twitter with the following hashtag of #richardrush.

For fans of this film be sure and pick up Gary Kent’s new book, Shadows and Light, Journeys With Outlaws In Revolutionary Hollywood (details).

If you like this film and want to see other great films that have been reborn through Lars and Weird Wednesday, be sure to get out to this weekly series each Wednesday (info). In particular this month is the screening of Sam Peckinpah’s, BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA.

Related Coverage:
::: Previous Movie Wallpaper
::: Lars Writeup for Weird Wednesday

Month Long Celebration:
::: 11/06 – Surprise #1: Freebie and the Bean
::: 11/05 – Jenny Davis in Love…
::: 11/04 – Warren, Stoney & Ben
::: 11/03 – Bruce Dern is The Seeker
::: 11/02 – Elwood, Jenny & Stoney
::: 11/01 – Jenny Davis in Classic Film Pose
::: Announcement

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

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile

Incredibly rare Japanese poster artwork for the mega-fantastic Richard Rush film, Freebie and the Bean. Within 70’s Japanese poster artwork, this particular design and footprint is recognizable across many different posters done for various films. I’m not 100% if there was just one prolific designer that was knocking all these out or not, but regardless certainly in the case here they do a rocking realization of the movie in capturing the overall fun and crazy euphoria of the film.

I dedicate this posting of this poster artwork to Weird Wednesday which is screening one of my personal favorite Umberto Lenzi’s with PARANOIA (more info) this upcoming Wednesday. Note that Mr. Lenzi will be making an appearance Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival this year.

Eiga Chirashi = mini poster/flyer’s from Japan

Image Source:
Official still used in the original Japanese poster artwork for this film.

Related Links:
::: IMDb Profile