Film 80: Escape from Alcatraz review and The Clint Eastwood Appreciation Society full TV Report

Film 80: Escape from Alcatraz review and The Clint Eastwood Appreciation Society full TV Report

My thanks again to Olly Pedgen for sending me a fresh copy of this great TV report from 1980. This extended excerpt is from the BBC Film 80 programme hosted by the late Barr Norman. This episode turned out to be a double treat for Eastwood fans – featuring a review on the latest Eastwood movie, Escape from Alcatraz directed by Don Siegel and a very special feature on The Clint Eastwood Archive including an interview with founder and owner, Dave Turner. 

Dave remains a long-standing friend of the Archive – his Appreciation society was in fact the main inspiration for the Archive being formed. As teenage fans of Clint, Dave’s magazine was really our only link to the world of Clint, there was nothing better than hearing that magazine drop through the door. 

Ok, so it was irregularly produced, and perhaps a little crude in its appearance – but technology was of course in its infant stages – a typewriter, photo pages cut and pasted together, photocopied and stapled together was about as good as it got - until the magazine was later produced in an A4 size booklet with full colour cover. Nevertheless, it was everything to us fans, with the help of Dave Worrall and Mal Baker the magazine kept us in touch and some lifelong friends have blossomed in return. 

So, enjoy this rare treat – the VHS source originally came from Dave Turner who passed it on to Olly who in turn was kind enough to share here, many thanks’ friends. Thanks also to Davy Triumph for a bit of technical help. 

Tightrope: It was 42 Years ago this week

Tightrope: It was 42 Years ago this week

I was somewhat surprised when our friend Olly Peden dropped me one of his regular updates in regards to Tightrope’s release – which was (rather shockingly) 42 years ago this week. I remember seeing this like it was yesterday, and the waiting outside my local ABC cinema. Actually, it was a rather good period for Clint movies, in the February of 1984 UK audiences welcomed the return of Harry Callahan in the fourth film of the series Sudden Impact. Six months on and we were treated to a second new cop film n the shape of the excellent Tightrope. 

Yes, it was this week on (August 17thth) that Tightrope hit the screens. Tightrope is a film that really tends to divide opinion. I know some fans are really bored by it – but I’ve always really enjoyed it. It was welcoming (imo) to explore the vulnerability of a hard-nosed Eastwood character and in many ways signified a general change in attitudes. Most critics agreed too. 

Roger Ebert praised the film for taking chances by exploring the idea of a hard-nosed cop learning to respect a woman. He cites the film as "a lot more ambitious" than the Dirty Harry movies. Ebert's colleague Gene Siskel also praised the film during their on-air review of the film on At the Movies, crediting the performance of the villain, the relationship between Eastwood and Geneviève Bujold, and Eastwood doing "a terrific job risking his star charisma playing a louse" and also "taking us inside to see what it's really like to abuse women". Janet Maslin concluded that the film "isn't quite top-level Eastwood, but it's close." David Denby stated that as an actor Eastwood "gave his most complex and forceful performance to date." 

I would agree with most of that, in fact I probably enjoy it a great deal more than Sudden Impact – which I saw as simply ‘routine’ and designed just to cash in on the then current trend of vicious filmmaking with films such as Scarface and the cold-blooded killing machine which was The Terminator. 1984 was a monumental turning point for cinematic violence, directly triggering the creation of the PG-13 rating by the Motion Picture Association of America. 

Tightrope was filmed in New Orleans in the fall of 1983. Filming locations include the French Quarter, the Piazza d'Italia, the Dixie Beer Brewery, the Crescent City Connection (the second span of which is seen under construction), and the Creole Queen riverboat.

While Richard Tuggle retained the director's credit, Eastwood reportedly directed much of the film himself after finding Tuggle too indecisive. It eventually grossed $48 million at the United States box office. In its opening weekend Tightrope was number 1, taking in $9,156,545, an average $5,965 per theatre.

My thanks to Olly for the reminder. 

1972 Publicity or the ‘stripy pants’ photo session

1972 Publicity or the ‘stripy pants’ photo session

Here’s a great collection of publicity stills of Clint taken in 1972. For obvious reasons they are often referred to as the ‘stripy pants’ sessions. It does make me smile, an indication of the fashion of the day and what you could or could not get away with. Clint saves the day here by also sporting a classic red Lacoste polo shirt. 

Taken in 1972. Clint was about to embark on a new project called Breezy – which began filming in November of the same year. Apart from a small ‘Hitchcock like’ cameo appearance in the movie, Clint would serve only as director. 

In fact, there are a couple of production shots from Breezy that show Clint wearing a similar pair of those famous stripes – which help to tie these shots together. Outlandish for sure, but you pull it off sir. 

Photo Opportunity #76: On Location Where Eagles Dare

Photo Opportunity #76: On Location Where Eagles Dare

The first of the month reminds me that we have just hit August. I thought I’d scan and post this lovely shot from my own collection – a photo free of any AI interference. It captures Clint and Richard Burton in between shots while on location shooting Where Eagles Dare. It was an ideal chance for some press photographers to capture the 2 stars who both look in relaxed mood. I think it’s a cracking shot with glorious colour detail.