“I be done seen about everything when I see an elephant fly.” Dumbo is, I think, one of the most charming of the classic Walt Disney animations. The movie was produced on a relatively low budget after the financial failures of the expensive Pinocchio and Fantasia. Its a brisk 64 minute fable of a baby…
Cool Hand Luke
“What we have here is a failure to communicate….” These are the last words spoken by Paul Newman’s Luke, a fiercely disruptive convict, whom the authorities are determined to crush in 1967’s classic prison drama. Unbroken to the last, he parodies the exact words spoken to him by the warden before being shot. Cool Hand…
The Italian Job
The Italian Job has so many great moments, its one of the most memorable British films of the 60s, I reckon. Who doesn’t love the endlessly quotable dialogue (“You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!”), or cheeky thief Michael Caine and his gang’s escape from a gridlocked Turin in a fleet of Mini…
Forbidden Planet
Memorabilia from Forbidden Planet makes for some of the most collectible movie items out here. If I had an original release US poster I would be a rich man. But I have to make do with this rather less valuable 60s re-release Spanish herald (plus my Australian poster for The Invisible Boy – not a sequel…
It’s A Wonderful Life
Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life is a Christmas stalwart – it’s upbeat message encapsulated in the climactic scene of a deliriously happy James Stewart yelling ‘Merry Christmas’ at passersby in a picture perfect snowy town. And yet…the vast majority of the lengthy run-time is actually rather bleak and depressing. Stewart’s character attempts suicide and…
The Wizard Of Oz
“We’re not in Kansas anymore. We must be over the rainbow…” I’m probably more familiar with that line because one of my favourite rock groups, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, used it as their intro tape on their live shows and live albums than from The Wizard Of Oz itself. I think I’ve seen the movie years…
Gone With The Wind
Gone With The Wind remains the highest grossing movie of all time if box office receipts were adjusted for inflation. (Take that, James Cameron!). It was also for many years the most successful Oscar-winning movie (netting 8 awards), including Best Picture. I’m not sure if I have ever sat through all 3 hours and 42…
Spanish heralds (ii)
I wrote previously about my recent discovery of Spanish heralds. Here’s 3 more recently acquired fun items from the 50s, these all with a loose nautical theme. Take your pick from Gregory Peck in Captain Horatio Hornblower, Rock Hudson in Sea Devils or the one and only Esther Williams in Million Dollar Mermaid. I don’t…
Spanish Heralds
I wasn’t at all familiar with Spanish heralds until I bought a small lot recently. These are basically post-card sized double sided flyers which were cheaply printed and given out to promote upcoming movies. The majority seem to date from the 50s. Considering the volumes in which they must have been produced, its surprising that…