In my book The World of Shaft, I included a chapter on the proposed Shaft comic strip Ernest Tidyman had been developing with respected comic book artist Don Rico. The strip was taken as far as 28 test panels between June and December 1972. Tidyman was unable to sell the strip to the major newspapers…
Month: October 2017
TV Review – GUNPOWDER (2017)
Gunpowder (TV) (2017, UK, Colour, 3 x 60m) ***½ pr. Laurie Borg; d. J Blakeson; w. Ronan Bennett; ph. Philipp Blaubach; m. Volker Bertelmann; ed. Mark Eckersley. Cast: Kit Harington, Liv Tyler, Peter Mullan, Mark Gatiss, Tom Cullen, Edward Holcroft, David Bamber, Shaun Dooley, Derek Riddell, Kevin Eldon, Robert Emms, Luke Neal, Richard Douglas, Pedro Casablanc, Jason Redshaw, Sian…
Shaft re-appraised following UK Blu-Ray release
Gordon Parks’ 1971 adaptation of Ernest Tidyman’s Shaft was released on Blu-Ray in the UK on 2 October via HMV’s “premium Collection”. The release has led to modern viewers and critics re-appraising a film that these days is seemingly better remembered for its theme song. Casimir Harlow at AVForums had this to say on 19…
Film Review – RADIO DAYS (1987)
Radio Days (1987; USA; DeLuxe; 88m) ***½ d. Woody Allen; w. Woody Allen; ph. Carlo Di Palma; m. Dick Hyman (supervisor). Cast: Mia Farrow, Diane Keaton, Jeff Daniels, Tony Roberts, Dianne Wiest, Woody Allen, Seth Green, Julie Kavner, Michael Tucker, Wallace Shawn, David Warrilow, William Flanagan, Mick Murray, Paul Herman, Mike Starr. A nostalgic look…
Book Review – McCLOUD #3: THE KILLING (1974) by David Wilson
McCLOUD #3: THE KILLING by DAVID WILSON (1974, Award, 156pp) *** Blurb: The killing started with a heist. Five men, masked as marauders from the past, knocked off an armoured car. They left no trace, save for a single silver spur. The plot was fiendishly clever, conceived by a money-hungry genius, executed by a brutal gang…
Film Review – PORRIDGE (1979)
Porridge (1979; UK; Eastmancolor; 93m) *** d. Dick Clement; w. Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais; ph. Robert Huke; m. Terry Oates (supervisor). Cast: Ronnie Barker, Richard Beckinsale, Fulton MacKay, Brian Wilde, Peter Vaughan, Julian Holloway, Geoffrey Bayldon, Christopher Godwin, Barrie Rutter, Daniel Peacock, Sam Kelly, Ken Jones, Philip Locke, Gorden Kaye. This prison comedy is…
Film Review – TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944)
TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944, USA, 100m, PG) ****½ Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Thriller, War dist. Warner Bros.; pr co. Warner Bros.; d. Howard Hawks; w. Jules Furthman, William Faulkner (based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway); pr. Howard Hawks (uncredited); ph. Sid Hickox (B&W | 1.37:1); m. Franz Waxman (uncredited); m/l. Hoagy Carmichael, Stanley…
Book Review – CAREER OF EVIL (2015) by Robert Galbraith
CAREER OF EVIL by ROBERT GALBRAITH (2017, Sphere, 584pp) **** Blurb: When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg. Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be…
Film Review: ALIEN: COVENANT (2017)
Alien: Covenant (2017; UK/Australia/New Zealand/USA; Colour; 122m) *** d. Ridley Scott; w. John Logan, Dante Harper, Jack Paglen, Michael Green; ph. Dariusz Wolski; m. Jed Kurzel. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Demián Bichir, Danny McBride, Carmen Ejogo, Jussie Smollett, Amy Seimetz, Callie Hernandez, Benjamin Rigby, Alexander England, Uli Latukefu, Tess Haubrich, Guy Pearce,…
Netflix in deal for latest Shaft sequel
Deadline.com is reporting that New Line, producers of the latest Shaft sequel – mooted by some sources to be titled Son of Shaft – have made a deal with Netflix to fund half the $30m budget in exchange for international rights. The deal reportedly means Netflix will be able to stream the movie just 2 weeks…