Forgotten amid Robert Aldrich’s more critic-friendly movies is this superb suspense picture, an against-all-odds thriller that pits an old-school pilot against a push-button young engineer with his own kind of male arrogance. Can a dozen oil workers and random passengers ‘invent’ their way out of an almost certain death trap? It’s a late-career triumph for James Stewart, at the head of a sterling ensemble cast. I review a UK disc in the hope of encouraging a new restoration.
The Flight of the Phoenix
Region B Blu-ray
(will not play in domestic U.S. players)
Masters of Cinema / Eureka Entertainment
1965 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 142 min. / Street Date September 12, 2016 / £12.95
Starring: James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Krüger, Ernest Borgnine, Ian Bannen, Ronald Fraser, Christian Marquand, Dan Duryea, George Kennedy, Gabriele Tinti, Alex Montoya, Peter Bravos, William Aldrich, Barrie Chase.
Cinematography: Joseph Biroc
Stunt Pilot: Paul Mantz
Art Direction: William Glasgow...
The Flight of the Phoenix
Region B Blu-ray
(will not play in domestic U.S. players)
Masters of Cinema / Eureka Entertainment
1965 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 142 min. / Street Date September 12, 2016 / £12.95
Starring: James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Krüger, Ernest Borgnine, Ian Bannen, Ronald Fraser, Christian Marquand, Dan Duryea, George Kennedy, Gabriele Tinti, Alex Montoya, Peter Bravos, William Aldrich, Barrie Chase.
Cinematography: Joseph Biroc
Stunt Pilot: Paul Mantz
Art Direction: William Glasgow...
- 9/22/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Drag queens the world over are throwing up their hands in horror at the news that Lakeshore Entertainment will finance and produce a remake of the classic Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
Variety reports Walter Hill will direct while Lakeshore Entertainment's Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi will be produce along with the Aldrich Co.'s Adell Aldrich. Aldrich’s father Robert Aldrich was the original director and producer of the 1962 production. Hill directed a number of titles including 48 Hours, Red Heat, and Brewster's Millions. He produced the Alien franchise and, more recently, Prometheus. With that kind of background it will be interesting to see his interpretation of a film known for its gothic sensibility and campy goodness.
If you aren’t familiar with Baby Jane, it's the, well, batshit crazy story of two sisters who have fallen from former Hollywood glory and are slowly decaying in their Hollywood mansion.
Variety reports Walter Hill will direct while Lakeshore Entertainment's Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi will be produce along with the Aldrich Co.'s Adell Aldrich. Aldrich’s father Robert Aldrich was the original director and producer of the 1962 production. Hill directed a number of titles including 48 Hours, Red Heat, and Brewster's Millions. He produced the Alien franchise and, more recently, Prometheus. With that kind of background it will be interesting to see his interpretation of a film known for its gothic sensibility and campy goodness.
If you aren’t familiar with Baby Jane, it's the, well, batshit crazy story of two sisters who have fallen from former Hollywood glory and are slowly decaying in their Hollywood mansion.
- 9/28/2012
- by Sara Castillo
- FEARnet
After all these decades we finally have an answer to the question What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and you may or may not like it. The remake we first heard about in July now has a backer. Yep, pretty soon everything will be remade, rebooted, reduxed, and redistributed.
According to Variety, Lakeshore Entertainment has come on board to produce and finance a remake of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? with Walter Hill sitting in the director's chair.
Lakeshore Entertainment's Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi will be producing along with the Aldrich Co.'s Adell Aldrich. The original production was directed and produced in 1962 by Adell Aldrich's late father, Robert Aldrich, from a screenplay by Lukas Heller.
"Walter Hill is a great American talent," Rosenberg said. "His compelling vision has created a brilliant reimagining of this terrifying Gothic thriller."
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? revolves around...
According to Variety, Lakeshore Entertainment has come on board to produce and finance a remake of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? with Walter Hill sitting in the director's chair.
Lakeshore Entertainment's Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi will be producing along with the Aldrich Co.'s Adell Aldrich. The original production was directed and produced in 1962 by Adell Aldrich's late father, Robert Aldrich, from a screenplay by Lukas Heller.
"Walter Hill is a great American talent," Rosenberg said. "His compelling vision has created a brilliant reimagining of this terrifying Gothic thriller."
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? revolves around...
- 9/27/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Writer-director Walter Hill is one of the great underappreciated auteurs. He can do it all: stylish action, intelligent dialogue, epic scale and intimate relationships. So it's always good news to announce that he has a new movie, especially when he wrote it himself. Do I want to see him do yet another remake? No. But in this case I am curious to see his take on the classic star vs. star horror flick "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" made famous by Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. "Obviously, our first task is to find the proper casting for the two defining roles,” said Hill, who adapted the original novel by Henry Farrell. The potential casting choices are tantalizing indeed. Meryl Streep vs. Glenn Close come to mind. Lakeshore Entertainment is funding the movie with principals Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi producing with Adlrich Company's Adell Aldrich; Robert Aldrich directed the...
- 9/27/2012
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
We now have an answer to the question, who is going to produce and finance the remake of the Bette Davis-Joan Crawford classic Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? The answer is Lakeshore partners Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi, who’ll produce with The Aldrich Company’s Adell Aldrich. Robert Aldrich helmed the 1962 original, and as Deadline revealed during Comic-Con, Walter Hill is helming the remake. Hill, who most recently wrapped the Sylvester Stallone-starrer Bullet To The Head, partnered with The Aldrich Company to develop the remake, which Lukas Heller adapted from the Henry Farrell novel. Lakeshore will help Hill re-create the nightmarish relationship between two sisters in a crumbling Hollywood mansion, where former child star Jane Hudson (Davis) holds captive her crippled former movie-queen sister (Crawford). “The idea is to make a modern film without modernizing the period,” Hill told me at the time. “It needs to...
- 9/27/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Walter Hill is set to write and direct a remake of the 1962 classic "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" at Aldrich Co. says THR.
Robert Aldrich's classic starred Bette Davis as former child star Baby Jane Hudson and Joan Crawford as her crippled sister Blanche. Hill said the plan is to create a modern film without modernizing the period.
Hill will adapt the screenplay from Lukas Heller’s screenplay for the original, rather than the Henry Farrell novel on which it was based. Hill and Adell Aldrich will produce.
Robert Aldrich's classic starred Bette Davis as former child star Baby Jane Hudson and Joan Crawford as her crippled sister Blanche. Hill said the plan is to create a modern film without modernizing the period.
Hill will adapt the screenplay from Lukas Heller’s screenplay for the original, rather than the Henry Farrell novel on which it was based. Hill and Adell Aldrich will produce.
- 7/12/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
I don't know how many of you have seen the original Bette Davis/Joan Crawford tour de force Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, but it about scarred me for life the first time I watched it. Here's hoping the planned remake announced today can do it justice!
According to Deadline, Walter Hill (pictured; The Warriors, Streets of Fire, "Tales from the Crypt") has partnered with The Aldrich Company to develop a remake of the 1962 classic. Hill will write the script and direct the film. The original was directed and produced by Robert Aldrich, with Lukas Heller adapting the Henry Farrell novel.
The story is set in a decaying Hollywood mansion where Jane Hudson (Davis), a former child star, and her sister, Blanche (Crawford), a movie queen forced into retirement after a crippling accident, live in virtual isolation. “The two equal leads demand great performers — that is a given, Hill said.
According to Deadline, Walter Hill (pictured; The Warriors, Streets of Fire, "Tales from the Crypt") has partnered with The Aldrich Company to develop a remake of the 1962 classic. Hill will write the script and direct the film. The original was directed and produced by Robert Aldrich, with Lukas Heller adapting the Henry Farrell novel.
The story is set in a decaying Hollywood mansion where Jane Hudson (Davis), a former child star, and her sister, Blanche (Crawford), a movie queen forced into retirement after a crippling accident, live in virtual isolation. “The two equal leads demand great performers — that is a given, Hill said.
- 7/11/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Director Walter Hill has entered into a partnership agreement with the Aldrich Company to remake What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Hill will direct and adapt the screenplay.
The original 1962 psychological thriller was directed by Robert Aldrich and featured the iconic pairing of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as sisters Jane and Blanche.
“The two equal leads demand great performers– that is a given. The intensity of the gothic storyline makes a reconfiguration of the drama still a potentially searing experience. The idea is to make a modern film without modernizing the period. It needs to resonate the golden age of Hollywood,...
The original 1962 psychological thriller was directed by Robert Aldrich and featured the iconic pairing of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford as sisters Jane and Blanche.
“The two equal leads demand great performers– that is a given. The intensity of the gothic storyline makes a reconfiguration of the drama still a potentially searing experience. The idea is to make a modern film without modernizing the period. It needs to resonate the golden age of Hollywood,...
- 7/11/2012
- by Erin Strecker
- EW - Inside Movies
One of the great, dysfunctional sister acts, Jane and Blanche Hudson, are returning to the silver screen. Walter Hill is planning to write and direct a remake of 1962’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, which was directed by Robert Aldrich and famously starred rival acting legends Bette Davis, as the former child star Baby Jane Hudson, and Joan Crawford as her crippled sister Blanche. Photos: Top 15 Grossing Threequels of All Time Hill has struck up a partnership agreement with the Aldrich Company and will share producing credit with Adell Aldrich, daughter of the late Robert Aldrich. Hill will adapt
read more...
read more...
- 7/11/2012
- by Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
One of cinema's great dysfunctional sister acts, Jane and Blanche Hudson, are returning to the silver screen.
Walter Hill is planning to write and direct a remake of 1962’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, which was directed by Robert Aldrich and famously starred rival acting legends Bette Davis, as the former child star Baby Jane Hudson, and Joan Crawford as her crippled sister Blanche.
Photos: Top 15 Grossing Threequels of All Time
Hill has struck a partnership agreement with the Aldrich Co. and will share producing credit with Adell Aldrich, daughter of the late Robert Aldrich. Hill will adapt the screenplay from Lukas ...
Walter Hill is planning to write and direct a remake of 1962’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, which was directed by Robert Aldrich and famously starred rival acting legends Bette Davis, as the former child star Baby Jane Hudson, and Joan Crawford as her crippled sister Blanche.
Photos: Top 15 Grossing Threequels of All Time
Hill has struck a partnership agreement with the Aldrich Co. and will share producing credit with Adell Aldrich, daughter of the late Robert Aldrich. Hill will adapt the screenplay from Lukas ...
- 7/11/2012
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
One of cinema's great dysfunctional sister acts, Jane and Blanche Hudson, are returning to the silver screen.
Walter Hill is planning to write and direct a remake of 1962’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, which was directed by Robert Aldrich and famously starred rival acting legends Bette Davis, as the former child star Baby Jane Hudson, and Joan Crawford as her crippled sister Blanche.
Photos: Top 15 Grossing Threequels of All Time
Hill has struck a partnership agreement with the Aldrich Co. and will share producing credit with Adell Aldrich, daughter of the late Robert Aldrich. Hill will adapt the screenplay from Lukas ...
Walter Hill is planning to write and direct a remake of 1962’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, which was directed by Robert Aldrich and famously starred rival acting legends Bette Davis, as the former child star Baby Jane Hudson, and Joan Crawford as her crippled sister Blanche.
Photos: Top 15 Grossing Threequels of All Time
Hill has struck a partnership agreement with the Aldrich Co. and will share producing credit with Adell Aldrich, daughter of the late Robert Aldrich. Hill will adapt the screenplay from Lukas ...
- 7/11/2012
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- The 24th Turin Film Festival gets underway today with a lineup that includes the in-competition international premiere of Todd Rohal's "The Guatemalan Handshake", a series of horror, western and adult genre films, and three major retrospectives, including one dedicated to director Robert Aldrich.
The nine-day festival, which runs through Nov. 18, also includes the world premiere of 17th-century period piece "Le Fiamme del Paradiso" (The Flame of Paradise) from venerable Italian director Luciano Emmer. The film, which is acted entirely in the regional Italian dialect of Trentino, is the 55th full-length feature from the 88-year-old director, who won the 1952 Golden Globe for "Pictura".
Additionally, Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers" will unspool at Turin in tandem with its overall Italian bow today. The Italian premieres of Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette" and Jared Hess' comedy "Nacho Libre" also will take place at the festival and Guillermo Del Toro's "El Laberitino del Fauno" (Pan's Labyrinth) make its European premiere.
"The Guatemalan Handshake" is the only U.S.-made film in the 12-strong best film competition, which also includes Mauro Santini's "Flor da Baixa" (Flower of Baixa) and Chinese director Xia Peng's "Pleasures of Ordinary".
A total of 240 short- and full-length films and documentaries are scheduled to screen.
The Turin festival has always operated in the shadow of the older and larger Venice Film Festival, which held its 63rd edition in August. But this year, it also falls under the shadow of the big-budget, first-year RomaCinemaFest, which concluded Oct. 21.
But Turin co-director Giulia D'Agnolo Vallan said that having the high-visibility Rome event on the calendar did not have much of an impact on Turin -- at least not this year.
"I don't know what will happen in the future, but this year, I can't think of any area where we clashed with Rome," D'Agnolo Vallan said in an interview. "We have a very specific identity and Rome still doesn't have an identity. It's too new."
Turin has traditionally focused on first, second, or third efforts from directors or on new directions for established directors, as Emmer's "Le Fiamme del Paradiso" shows.
This year, many of those films are falling into specific genres, with the second edition of the "Masters of Horror" television series screening, including episodes of "Family" from John Landis, "The Screwfly Solution" from Joe Dante and Dario Argento's "Pelts". The international premiere of Walter Hill's "Broken Trail" starring Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church will highlight the festival's western films. And iconic New York-based sexploitation director Joe Sarno will be the subject of a small tribute that will include four of his films.
Other tributes and retrospectives include screenings honoring French director Claude Chabrol, Catalonian writer Joaquin Jorda and writer Piero Bargellini, best known for the 1945 film "La Porta del Cielo" (The Gate of Heaven).
But the most important retrospective will be for Aldrich, whose 31 films between 1953 and 1981 include the 1974 Golden Globe-winning comedy "The Longest Yard"; "The Big Knife", which won a Silver Lion in Venice in 1955; and 1963's "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?"
"Getting this Aldrich retrospective together was a real challenge because some of the master prints were lost and had to be refurbished or repaired," D'Agnolo Vallan said. "We're very proud of this work".
Directors Del Toro, Landis, Argento, Hill and Sarno will be on hand for the screening of their films. Aldrich, who died in 1983, will be represented by his daughter Adell Aldrich and actors Ernest Borgnine and Keith Carradine -- both veterans of his films.
The nine-day festival, which runs through Nov. 18, also includes the world premiere of 17th-century period piece "Le Fiamme del Paradiso" (The Flame of Paradise) from venerable Italian director Luciano Emmer. The film, which is acted entirely in the regional Italian dialect of Trentino, is the 55th full-length feature from the 88-year-old director, who won the 1952 Golden Globe for "Pictura".
Additionally, Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers" will unspool at Turin in tandem with its overall Italian bow today. The Italian premieres of Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette" and Jared Hess' comedy "Nacho Libre" also will take place at the festival and Guillermo Del Toro's "El Laberitino del Fauno" (Pan's Labyrinth) make its European premiere.
"The Guatemalan Handshake" is the only U.S.-made film in the 12-strong best film competition, which also includes Mauro Santini's "Flor da Baixa" (Flower of Baixa) and Chinese director Xia Peng's "Pleasures of Ordinary".
A total of 240 short- and full-length films and documentaries are scheduled to screen.
The Turin festival has always operated in the shadow of the older and larger Venice Film Festival, which held its 63rd edition in August. But this year, it also falls under the shadow of the big-budget, first-year RomaCinemaFest, which concluded Oct. 21.
But Turin co-director Giulia D'Agnolo Vallan said that having the high-visibility Rome event on the calendar did not have much of an impact on Turin -- at least not this year.
"I don't know what will happen in the future, but this year, I can't think of any area where we clashed with Rome," D'Agnolo Vallan said in an interview. "We have a very specific identity and Rome still doesn't have an identity. It's too new."
Turin has traditionally focused on first, second, or third efforts from directors or on new directions for established directors, as Emmer's "Le Fiamme del Paradiso" shows.
This year, many of those films are falling into specific genres, with the second edition of the "Masters of Horror" television series screening, including episodes of "Family" from John Landis, "The Screwfly Solution" from Joe Dante and Dario Argento's "Pelts". The international premiere of Walter Hill's "Broken Trail" starring Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church will highlight the festival's western films. And iconic New York-based sexploitation director Joe Sarno will be the subject of a small tribute that will include four of his films.
Other tributes and retrospectives include screenings honoring French director Claude Chabrol, Catalonian writer Joaquin Jorda and writer Piero Bargellini, best known for the 1945 film "La Porta del Cielo" (The Gate of Heaven).
But the most important retrospective will be for Aldrich, whose 31 films between 1953 and 1981 include the 1974 Golden Globe-winning comedy "The Longest Yard"; "The Big Knife", which won a Silver Lion in Venice in 1955; and 1963's "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?"
"Getting this Aldrich retrospective together was a real challenge because some of the master prints were lost and had to be refurbished or repaired," D'Agnolo Vallan said. "We're very proud of this work".
Directors Del Toro, Landis, Argento, Hill and Sarno will be on hand for the screening of their films. Aldrich, who died in 1983, will be represented by his daughter Adell Aldrich and actors Ernest Borgnine and Keith Carradine -- both veterans of his films.
- 11/9/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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