Ian Gomez Joins Clint Eastwood's Richard Jewell Movie

Ian Gomez is rounding out the cast of Clint Eastwood's The Ballad of Richard Jewell, about the Olympics security guard who found himself at the centre of a media frenzy. The Warner Bros. project is based on Marie Brenner's story in Vanity Fair about Jewell, who was working at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games when he discovered a backpack containing pipe bombs. He then sounded the alarm and helped to clear the area. Initially hailed as a hero, Jewell was soon the prime suspect. The FBI searched his home twice, and the media painted him as an overweight failed cop.

Gomez joins a cast that includes Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Olivia Wilde and Jon Hamm, with BlacKkKlansman actor Paul Walter Hauser playing Jewell. Gomez, whose recent credits include CBS comedy Living Biblically, will next be seen in Apple's The Morning Show, starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. He is repped by APA, manager Eric Skinner and Del Shaw.

Happy Birthday Lalo Schifrin / The single version of Dirty Harry

We have of course all become very familiar with composer Lalo Schifrin’s legendary Dirty Harry theme. Over 45 years on, the theme remains a favourite with the fans and still features in Schifrin’s concert sets when he takes his music on the road. The theme remains one of the mighty slices of urban Jazz. Yet, a great many people are still unfamiliar with the single version of the theme. 

This version actually appeared as a B side, on Lalo’s U.S. (Verve VK-10705) single Latin Soul. However, the single was also released in France as a 7” Special Disc Jockey vinyl, also on Verve (2009 025) and in a picture sleeve. Released in 1973, the track was produced by John DeMarco and Marshall Leib. The theme (arranged by Schifrin) is a great deal different from the film version - much sharper, faster and up-tempo with a distinct Latin, soulful edge. However, it does still contain the wonderful, wordless vocals by our very favourite songstress, Sally Stevens. 

The French 7” single - in its quirky picture sleeve (with artwork by designer Jean-Claude Trambouze) remains the most collectable. Today, and depending on sleeve and vinyl grades, you could easily pay anywhere between €64 for a very good copy to €100 for a near mint example.

Nevertheless, the A and B sides do both appear as bonus tracks on the French CD box set ‘The Sound of Lalo Schifrin’ a must have 5 CD collection that can be obtained at a very reasonable price. 

Personally, I can’t think of a better way of celebrating the Maestro’s special day.

Have a wonderful Birthday, Sir. On behalf of everyone at 
The Clint Eastwood Archive

                 

Paul Walter Hauser to lead in Clint Eastwood’s next movie

Paul Walter Hauser will star in Eastwood’s feature, which tells the story of the security guard who went from hero to suspect at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

In what has the potential to be a star-making turn, Paul Walter Hauser will star as Richard Jewell in Clint Eastwood’s feature telling of the security guard who went from hero to suspect at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Originally set up in 2014 at Fox, the project, titled The Ballad of Richard Jewell, has moved studios and is now at Eastwood’s longtime home, Warner Bros.

Jonah Hill was initially attached to play Jewell, with Leonardo DiCaprio attached to play his attorney. The two remain connected to the project as producers. Kevin Misher and Jennifer Davisson, DiCaprio’s partner at Appian Way, are also producing, as are Tim Moore and Jessica Meier.

Sam Rockwell is already in negotiations to portray Jewell's attorney.

Jewell was working as a security guard at the 1996 Summer Games when he discovered a backpack containing pipe bombs and subsequently sounded the alarm and helped to clear the area. However, the bomb did detonate, killing one person and injuring dozens of others.

Initially hailed as a hero, Jewell was soon the prime suspect, as the FBI searched his home twice. A media frenzy painted him as an overweight failed cop and mama's boy, and he became the punchline for late-night jokes.

After being raked over the coals by the media, Jewell was cleared, but the damage had been done. Lawsuits followed (against NBC and CNN, among several others), and the FBI and other government agencies were forced to make public apologies.

Jewell, who did work as a police officer and a sheriff's deputy, died in 2007 at the age of 44 due to health issues linked to his weight.

The film's script, penned by Billy Ray, is based on the Vanity Fair article "The Ballad of Richard Jewell" written by Marie Brenner.

Hauser played one of the racist lunkheads in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman and next appears opposite Mindy Kaling in Late Night. He is also currently stealing scenes in YouTube’s streaming cult hit Cobra Kai. Hauser also had a standout role as Nancy Kerrigan's attacker in I, Tonya and recently wrapped Netflix's Da 5 Bloods, which reunited him with Lee. And on a career that's on a fast-moving roll right now, the actor just booked a gig on the true-crime movie Silk Road opposite Jason Clarke and Nick Robinson.

My thanks to Dave Turner

Sam Rockwell to Star in Clint Eastwood's Next Movie

Leonardo DiCaprio was originally slated to play the part when the project was set up at Fox. Some great news arrived today, via The Hollywood Reporter. Sam Rockwell is set to appear in Clint's Richard Jewell Movie. Mia Galuppo reports:

Oscar winner Sam Rockwell is readying to close a deal to star in Clint Eastwood's latest drama, The Ballad of Richard Jewell. The Warner Bros. project is the story of the titular disgraced Olympic security guard who was working at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games when he discovered a backpack containing pipe bombs and subsequently sounded the alarm and helped to clear the area. Initially hailed as a hero, Jewell was soon the prime suspect, however, as the FBI searched his home twice and the media frenzy painted him as an overweight failed cop. Rockwell will play the lawyer that would help to clear Jewell's name.

The movie had been set up at Fox since 2014, with Leonardo DiCaprio on board to play Jewell's attorney and Jonah Hill set to play the security guard. Hill and DiCaprio are now producing the project, with Tim Moore, Jessica Meier, Kevin Misher and Jennifer Davisson, DiCaprio’s partner at Appian Way. Billy Ray wrote the screenplay. Rockwell was last in theatres playing George W. Bush in Adam McKay's Vice, and can currently be seen playing Bob Fosse on FX's Fosse/Verdon.

My kind thanks to Davy Turner

Eastwood on Universal (Super) 8mm

Anyone of a certain age may remember these humble beginnings of home entertainment. For me, they certainly bring back some much cherished memories. The Super 8mm gauge was a chance for fans to see an Eastwood film at their own leisure and without waiting for it to show up on TV. Universal (formerly Castle films) also started to release longer versions than the standard 200ft reels (approx. 8 minutes) with 1 x 400ft (approx. 16 minutes) and 2 x 400ft (about 35 minutes). As a retrospective reminder, I thought it would be refreshing to feature two titles that I use to own. There’s a slight feeling of regret about these reels as I no longer own them. Back in the early 1980s and the emergence of the Home Video Cassette, it was all too easy to become swept up in the new format on the block. With hindsight, these little gems still hold a great deal of nostalgia. I’ve also chosen to revive these images, largely because they were the longest Super 8mm films I ever owned.

High Plains Drifter was the longest of the films as it was a 2 x 400ft version. These came in a plastic snap case with an outer slip case containing some of the original artwork. The Universal 8 prints were arguably considered to be a little softer than the previous Castle film prints. Nevertheless, owning more than 30 minutes of the movie overshadowed any such technical issues. I don’t recall if there was ever a 1 x 400ft edition of High Plains Drifter.

The Eiger Sanction 1 x 400ft was another favourite. Again the film came in a white plastic snap case, but rather strangely the outer slip case had disappeared and was instead replaced with a card insert. I never really understood the process behind this idea. It’s not as if the plastic case had a clear cover to slip the insert in (much like a typical DVD case), so it really served little purpose and was normally popped inside the case for good measure and safe keeping.

The biggest drawback however was that both of these films were presented in a flat (4x3) format, which didn’t really benefit films that were shot in the Panavision widescreen process. But of course, as teenagers we rarely considered this as the films flickered away on our bedroom wall or (if lucky) on your dad’s pull-up screen.

Today, it’s perhaps laughable in context, that a film was only available in a very edited and condensed form – but hell, it was pure magic back in the day.  

Below: An original advertisement featuring the release of The Eiger sanction

A Fistful of Dollars 1965 Rare Mexican 7" Promo

It was back in February that I reported on a very rare Mexican 7” single for Ennio Morricone’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly EP. The single (in auction) finally ended up selling for £348.28. Just recently I also noticed another 7” promo single from Mexico (A Fistful of Dollars), another that I had never seen before. The bidding finally ended yesterday (after 42 bids) and another staggering final price of £286.90!

It seems that there is no limit when it comes to Morricone’s rare Dollar pressings. That iconic imagery of Eastwood as the man with no name continues to draw serious interest. I suggest our Mexican readership should be checking out their lofts and basements– pronto!

On the negative side, there have also been a small number of reports that there are some fake singles seeping out of Mexico, especially on James Bond related singles, complete with colour photo copied sleeves and labels. With all such purchases, always try to be vigilant and take as many precautions as possible in researching the product.  

The Mule on Blu-ray and DVD

The Mule on Blu-ray and DVD – a cautionary tale?

The Mule was released on home video last week here in the UK, just about a month after its release in the U.S. The U.S. version is available as a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy, while the UK version is just a standard Blu-ray.

                                   

The Mule is also available (U.S. and UK) as a 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray set, again with the U.S. version also including a digital download. I have also seen at least 1 steel book edition available in France. The standard UK DVD edition seems to include the same bonus material as the higher end formats.

So, what do the fans receive as bonus material in their chosen package?  

Well, this is where it all gets rather depressing, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, it’s getting to be quite a familiar story. Let me start with a question. Is the Theatrical Trailer becoming a lost and unappreciated art? 
I remember approaching this subject, back in the days of Gran Torino (2008), Hereafter (2010), J. Edgar (2011), American Sniper (2014) and Sully (2016) all of which neglected any sign of a trailer.. It is now seemingly the default policy (especially in regards to Warner Bros and their Eastwood titles) to drop the original theatrical trailer, a teaser trailer and/or any other essential promo material, such as TV spots, which I think is incredibly sad. It’s a policy that perhaps signifies and confirms the ‘throwaway’ and ‘disposable’ nature in which film is regarded these days. Goggle any of the above titles and the chances are it will immediately deliver a link to ‘view the trailer’. However, a great deal of fans, especially from the era of Clint’s classic years – would still like to have the trailer included in a nice clean, non-streaming version – is it so hard to include it within a Blu-ray or DVD package?

As you may have guessed, The Mule does not include any form of trailer. What it does include is also not too impressive. Again, and as far as my knowledge goes, I believe the same extras appear on both the U.S. and UK – so what do we get:

"Nobody Runs Forever: The Making of The Mule" (10:59, 1080p) – A (very) short behind-the-scenes featurette includes comments from Clint, producer Kristina Rivera, screenwriter Nick Schenk, actors Ingacio Serricchio (Julio), Andy Garcia (Laton), Alison Eastwood (Iris), and Bradley Cooper (Agent Colin Bates), as well as producer Tim Moore and other members of the cast and crew. Although it doesn't have time to go into great detail, it briefly touches upon growing day lilies, building a stash house and researching drug cartels, shooting on the road, wardrobes and costume design, stories from the set, and more. It's a little piece that arguably could and should have been longer.

Toby Keith "Don't Let the Old Man In" Music Video (2:54, 1080p / Dolby Digital 2.0) – is a pretty standard movie soundtrack video featuring clips from the film and no sign of singer Toby Keith.

And that’s it my friends. I can see the day rapidly approaching where the movie itself will cease to become a physical entity. The studios appear to be gradually chipping away around the edges, perhaps in the hope that no one will really notice… but mark my words. The better days have most certainly gone and instead been replaced by an ill wind that’s gradually blowing our way.