L. A. ITAL FEST; 2 NEW HALLMARK WESTERNS

LOS ANGELES ITALIA FESTIVAL 2013 CELEBRATES ‘SPAGHETTI WESTERN MASTERS’

Franco Nero and Joan Collins at last year's Festival

The festival, which runs from Sunday, February 17^th through Saturday, February 23^rd, will honor Al Pacino with the first Jack Valenti – Los Angeles Italia Legend Award, and will be held at the Chinese Theatre 6 in Hollywood.  The screenings are free, on a first come, first served basis, although you may need to RSVP for events with live appearances.  Those of particular interest to Western fans begin on Sunday morning at 9, with the documentary ONCE UPON A TIME…SERGIO LEONE, directed by Giovanni Minoli.  That evening, at 10:40 p.m., the world premiere of another documentary, GIULIANO GEMMA: AN ITALIAN IN THE WORLD, directed by Vera Gemma.  Giuliano Gemma was a popular star first of gladiator movies, then of many Spaghetti Westerns, including A PISTOL FOR RINGO, ARIZONA COLT and ALIVE OR PREFERABLY DEAD. 

On Monday, February 18^th at 10:30 a.m., TEXAS, ADIOS, directed by Ferdinando Baldi and starring Franco Nero, will be screened.  On Tuesday, February 19^th at 9 a.m., DJANGO KILL…IF YOU LIVE, SHOOT!, starring Tomas Milian and directed by Giulio Questi will screen.  At ten p.m., the short documentary FRANCO NERO: THE MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES, directed by Carlo Gabriel Nero will screen, followed by the original DJANGO, starring Nero, and directed by Sergio Corbucci.  On Wednesday, February 20^th, at 10 p.m., RINGO THE KILLER, directed by Duccio Tessari and starring Giuliano Gemma, will screen.  On Friday, February 22^nd, at 8 p.m., Franco Nero will attend a screening of LETTERS TO JULIET (not a Western), in which he costars with his wife, Vanessa Redgrave, and Amanda Seyfried.  Finally on Saturday, February 23^rd, 3:40 p.m., Sergio Leone’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (a gangster film, not a Western) will screen.  To learn more about these screenings, or about the many non-Western screenings and events, go HERE.

HULU TO MAKE A WESTERN!

Hulu, the online service for downloading and viewing TV episodes and movies, is entering the world of original programming with a Western!  Entitled QUICK DRAW, there is nothing else that I can reveal at this time, except that they will be shooting eight episodes over four weeks IN Southern California.  When I can share more, I will!

TWO NEW WESTERNS ON HALLMARK THIS MARCH!

Clearly no network has a greater commitment to the Western genre than the Hallmark Movie Channel.  Last month they aired QUEEN OF HEARTS (read my review HERE ),the third annual entry in their GOODNIGHT FOR JUSTICE franchise, co-created by, and starring Luke Perry as a 19^th Century Wyoming circuit judge.  Last June they premiered HANNAH’S LAW (read my review HERE ), and in March they’ll premiere two new Westerns: no other outlet has produced four new Westerns in a year.  No one else comes close.

The first, airing Saturday, March 9^th, is WILD HEARTS stars Ricky Schroder and his real-life daughter Cambrie Schroder.  Written by Ricky and Andrea (Mrs. Ricky) Schroder and directed by Ricky, it’s a present-day Western tale about a young girl who leaves Malibu for the Sierra Nevada Mountains to find her father, and hopefully establish a relationship.  He’s a professional wrangler, and they are both drawn together and apart over the future of a wild mustang named Bravo.  Also featured in the cast of this Schroder Family Production are three of Cambrie’s siblings, Holden, Luke and Faith.  Also lurking in this film is one of the current West’s most effective villains, Martin Kove.  I spoke with Ricky about his appearance in the most recent GOODNIGHT FOR JUSTICE film (you can read that HERE ) and hope to interview Ricky again, along with daughter Cambrie, very soon, and we’ll also be discussing LONESOME DOVE and his other Westerns.

‘SHADOW ON THE MESA’ will premiere on the Hallmark Movie Channel on Saturday, March 23^rd at 8 p.m.  Star Kevin Sorbo trades in his Hercules sandals for cowboy boots; co-starring with TRUE BLOOD’S Wes Brown; Gail O’Grady, thrice Emmy nominated for NYPD BLUE; Meredith Baxter, thrice Emmy nominated for FAMILY and A WOMAN SCORNED: THE BETTY BRODERICK STORY; Greg Evigan, well-remembered for B.J. AND THE BEAR and MY TWO DADS; and Barry Corbin of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and many others, and twice Emmy nominated for NORTHERN EXPOSURE. 

Wes Brown plays a bounty hunter searching for his mother’s killer, and enlisting the aid of the father he never knew, Sorbo.  Director David S. Cass Sr. knows westerns from the inside out.  Before he began directing 2^nd unit on HERE COME THE BRIDES, he started out at Old Tucson, stunting for Sam Peckinpah in DEADLY COMPANIONS, and later doubling for John Wayne and Robert Mitchum.  Incidentally, much of the cast has more Western experience than you might guess.  Gail O’Grady’s first screen role was in THE THREE AMIGOS, but don’t go crazy looking for her: her part was cut.  Greg Evigan was effective in the underrated but quite watchable 6 GUNS, playing a sheriff (read my review HERE ). Barry Corbin has many Western credits, but he has two very recent ones of particular interest: in REDEMPTION: FOR ROBBING THE DEAD (read my review HERE ) he’s very moving as a sympathetic judge.  In Ernest Borgnine’s last film, THE MAN WHO SHOOK THE HAND OF VICENTE FERNANDEZ (read my review HERE ) he’s hateful and funny as the Rascal-riding head outlaw bullying the other denizens of a retirement home.  And in 2012, Kevin Sorbo donned a beard to play Lincoln opposite Barry Bostwick, who plays the title character in F.D.R. – AMERICAN BADDASS (there are some questions as to the historical accuracy in this one, but it is a comedy).

NEW BEVERLY CINEMA DOUBLE-BILLS ‘DJANGO UNCHAINED’

‘DJANGO UNCHAINED’ has been screening at Quentin Tarantino’s own Hollywood revival house, The New Beverly Cinema, since the movie opened.  Now they’ve announced that starting on this Friday the 15^th, it will continue for two more weeks, but in a double-bill.  It’s not been disclosed what the second feature(s) will be , nor whether it’ll be two weeks with one other movie, a different double-bill every day, or something in between.  There is much speculation that DJANGO UNCHAINED will be paired with Spaghetti Westerns.  Stay tuned!

MORE MOVIES ANNOUNCED FOR ‘WHAT IS A WESTERN?’ AUTRY SERIES

The once-a-month screenings, now in their third year, will continue, while skipping the month of March, preempted by the play THE BIRD HOUSE, written by Cherokee playwright Diane Glancy.  The series is curated by Jeffrey Richardson, Gamble Curator of Western History, Popular Culture, and Firearms, who always leads a discussion of the film’s history prior to the screening.  All of the screening are on Saturdays.

April 20^th, RAMROD (1947), directed by Andre De Toth, starring Veronica Lake and Joel McCrea.  Also on hand, guest presenter James D’Arc, Curator of the Motion Picture Archive at Brigham Young University. 

May 11^th, HUD (1963), directed by Martin Ritt, starring Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas and Patricia Neal.

June 8^th, DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944), directed by Billy Wilder, starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson.  (Great noir, but I wouldn’t call it a Western)  Guest presenter, Glynn Martin, Exec. Director of the Los Angeles Police Museum.

July 13^th, BLAZING SADDLES (1974), directed by Mel Brooks, starring Cleavin Little, Gene Wilde and Slim Pickens.

August 10^th, QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER (1990), directed by Simon Wincer, starring Tom Sellick, Laura San Giacomo and Alan Rickman.

And now, the Sergio Leone, ‘Man With No Name’ Triptych, on September 14^th, A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, on October 12^th, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE, and on November 2^nd, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.

But wait, there’s more:  On Saturday, February 23^rd, at noon, there will be a double-feature screening of Gene Autry movies, as there is on the last Saturday of every month.  This time it is  BLUE MOUNTAIN SKIES (1939), and GENE AUTRY AND THE MOUNTIES (1951). 

And, not a screening, but a book talk and signing, on Saturday, March 9^th, at 2 p.m., Pulitzer Prize winner Glenn Frankel discusses his latest book, THE SEARCHERS, THE MAKING OF AN AMERICAN LEGEND, with documentary director Nick Redman.

‘HEAVEN’S GATE’ TO SCREEN AT FILM FORUM, NEW YORK!

Praised as a masterpiece, mocked as a bomb, what is certain is that director Michael Cimino is one of the finest directing talents of the 20^th century, yet this movie cost an unheard-of-for-the-time fortune, and crashed and burned.  For one week, from March 22^nd through the 28^th, New Yorkers can see a new 4K restoration of the complete director’s cut, and judge for themselves.  I’ve never seen it, and am leery of watching an epic for the first time on a TV screen.  If I could get to New York, I’d be first in line.

LEE MARVIN MOVIES, AND THE SIEGE AT THE ALAMO, AT THE AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE!

On Saturday, February 16^th, 7:30 pm at the Egyptian, catch a double bill of Lee Marvin’s Oscar winner, CAT BALLOU and THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE.  UPDATE!  JUST FOUND OUT 'CAT BALLOU' DIRECTOR ELLIOT SILVERSTEIN WILL BE PRESENT TO SPEAK BETWEEN MOVIES!  Same time, same date at the Aero it’s GONE WITH THE WIND.  Thursday the 21^st at the Egyptian, Lee stars in HELL IN THE PACIFIC and THE PROFESSIONALS.  And on Saturday, February 23^rd, to mark the 13-day siege that began on this date in 1836, the Egyptian will screen Budd Boeticcher’s THE MAN FROM THE ALAMO, starring Glenn Ford.  Co-star Jeanne Cooper will be signing her autobiography beforehand, and after will join co-star Julie Adams, and Glenn Ford’s son Peter Ford for a discussion.

WESTERN WINS AT BAFTA

BAFTA, the British Oscars, were awarded tonight.  Quentin Tarantino won Best Original Screenplay, and Christoph Waltz won Best Supporting Actor for DJANGO UNCHAINED.  Daniel Day-Lewis was named Best Actor for LINCOLN.

TCM FANATIC - WESTERN NOW ONLINE!

And speaking of TCM (okay, nobody was), have I mentioned that the segment I was interviewed for is now viewable here?








THE AUTRY NATIONAL CENTER

Built by cowboy actor, singer, baseball and TV entrepreneur Gene Autry, and designed by the Disney Imagineering team, the Autry is a world-class museum housing a fascinating collection of items related to the fact, fiction, film, history and art of the American West. In addition to their permanent galleries (to which new items are frequently added), they have temporary shows. The Autry has many special programs every week -- sometimes several in a day. To check their daily calendar, CLICK HERE. And they always have gold panning for kids every weekend. For directions, hours, admission prices, and all other information, CLICK HERE.



HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE MUSEUM

Across the street from the Hollywood Bowl, this building, once the headquarters of Lasky-Famous Players (later Paramount Pictures) was the original DeMille Barn, where Cecil B. DeMille made the first Hollywoodwestern, The Squaw Man. They have a permanent display of movie props, documents and other items related to early, especially silent, film production. They also have occasional special programs. 2100 Highland Ave., L.A. CA 323-874-2276. Thursday – Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. $5 for adults, $3 for senior, $1 for children.



WELLSFARGO HISTORY MUSEUM

This small but entertaining museum gives a detailed history of Wells Fargo when the name suggested stage-coaches rather than ATMS. There’s a historically accurate reproduction of an agent’s office, an original Concord Coach, and other historical displays. Open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Admission is free. 213-253-7166. 333 S. Grand Street, L.A. CA.


WESTERN ALL OVER THE DIAL


INSP’s SADDLE-UP SATURDAY features a block of rarely-seen classics THE VIRGINIAN and HIGH CHAPARRAL, along with BONANZA and THE BIG VALLEY. On weekdays they’re showing LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, BIG VALLEY, HIGH CHAPARRAL and DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN.


ME-TV’s Saturday line-up includes THE REBEL and WAGON TRAIN. On weekdays it’s DANIEL BOONE, GUNSMOKE, BONANZA, BIG VALLEY, WILD WILD WEST, and THE RIFLEMAN.


RFD-TV, the channel whose president bought Trigger and Bullet at auction, have a special love for Roy Rogers. They show an episode of The Roy Rogers Show on Sunday mornings, a Roy Rogers movie on Tuesday mornings, and repeat them during the week.


WHT-TV has a weekday afternoon line-up that’s perfect for kids, featuring LASSIE, THE ROY ROGERS SHOW and THE LONE RANGER.


TV-LAND angered viewers by dropping GUNSMOKE, but now it’s back every weekday, along with BONANZA.


WRAPPING UP…

Spent Saturday afternoon at The Autry, watching LAST OF THE MOHICANS in beautiful – if a little scratchy – 35mm.  I hadn’t seen it in its entirety since it opened twenty-one years ago, and I think I may have to add it to my regular every-two-years rotation, along with the best of Ford and Hawks, LONESOME DOVE and TOMBSTONE.  Amazing that after two decades, Madeline Stowe looks as beautiful in the current REVENGE as she does here, and Daniel Day-Lewis, though not as ‘ripped’ in his Academy Award-nominated LINCOLN as he is here, has aged well.  Russell Means, who we recently lost, turns in a fine performance, as does the terrifying Wes Studi, and whose name jumped out of the end titles but HELL ON WHEEL’S Colm Meany as a British officer.  As Curator Jeffrey Richardson pointed out, classifying it as a Western is iffy, unless you go back to the original designation of west of the thirteen original colonies.  But that’s good enough for me.  If you haven’t watched it in a while, it’s well worth tracking down.  And Jeff also says director Michael Mann is thinking of doing another Western.  I’m crossing my fingers!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright February 2013 by Henry C. Parke - All Rights Reserved