Eastwood Interviewed marks the Archive’s big 100

No, I haven’t scooped an exclusive!

I noticed recently that my number of posts had reached an incredible count of 99.

I never had a clue it had risen so quickly, so it got me thinking…

‘How can I celebrate the illustrious 100?’

I thought it was a good opportunity to mark this site’s century by reproducing a number of great Eastwood interviews. Each of these posts will be titled as:

Eastwood Interviewed

followed by its relevant number with some form of title and/or a date.

Each of these interviews will be either from the web or a vintage magazine.

I hope this exercise will serve not only as a great form of resource, but also perhaps as an opportunity of discovering something that you might have previously missed.

In the long term, and to keep some sort of reference guide, I will be creating a post named Eastwood Interviewed Index. This section will list all interviews and contain live links that will take you direct to any chosen interview you may want to read. This should save time and avoid having to search the entire Archive for any particular interview.

Let’s just hope it works in practice!

Thanks for your continued support

The Clint Eastwood Archive

The Beguiled: The Storyteller 1971

Most Wanted

This is an item I have long been after. Filmed in 1971, during the making of The Beguiled, The Storyteller is the first Documentary short ever directed by Eastwood. Shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, under the Malpaso Production Company, it has a running time of 12 minutes.

Although I have only seen short clips from this documentary, it's right up there among my most wanted of Eastwood items. It has never been made commercially available, although I do know it exists on 16mm film, could it be in your attic! If so, drop me a line.

The hunt for this documentary short shouldn't of really been necessary at all, had Universal seen fit to release it. Why it wasn't added to their DVD or Blu-ray release of The Beguiled is totally beyond me? What a superb additional feature this would of made..

I would also of been happy to let them use my set of original radio spots, had they asked nicely!

It has certainly been a long running argument, but I've always believed that the companies involved should at least put out an open call, way in advance of producing these DVD or Blu-ray sets. It seems clearly evident to me that it is the fans and the genuine collectors that not only hold the most interesting items, but also have the common sense to know 'what' exactly should be included within these DVD and Blu-ray packages.

Reminds a little of the closing from The Towering Inferno...

Paul Newman: 'Ok, I'm asking...'

Steve McQueen: 'You know where to find me...'

If only it were that easy...

Above: Eastwood as he appears in The Beguiled: The Storyteller

Clint Eastwood Classic Quotes!

Hello Friends,

Thought I would share this great collection of Eastwood quotes that I came across recently on You Tube. The Compilation was put together by Manwithnoname2020. I'm sure it must of been a painstaking project, but I have to say the finished result is absolutely wonderful. 170 quotes in total from most of Clint's movies and some classic Rawhide. Thanks to Manwithnoname2020 for uploading, I hope you all enjoy.

The Clint Eastwood Archive

Invictus 2009

The film tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa's rugby team, Francois Pienaar, to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa's underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match. Starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Release Date December 11th 2009 (US) February 2010 (UK)

To Watch the Trailer, click below:

Below: The U.S. 1 sheet poster:
Below: The Original Soundtrack release from Sony Classical – 88697630742

Below: The Invictus DVD release from Warner Home Video
Below: Invictus Blu-ray release 

Below: Here's a few early behind the scenes Production shots
(Thanks to my good friend Kevin Wilkinson for sending these to the site)

Below: Early concept artwork which has appeared on the web, although it should be made clear, this is NOT official artwork and has nothing to do with the official promotional material.

Above: Movie director Clint Eastwood with the South African acapella boy-band Overtone: who say Clint's asked them to make a demo of their songs for the sound-track for his new movie about Nelson Mandela and South Africa's transition from apartheid.This is a great kick-start to the band's career.

Below: Here is a special preview ticket from Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Clint Eastwood with real-life film subject, South African rugby captain François Pienaar, during the making of the 2009 film Invictus.

Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman during Invictus

Clint Made French Legion of Honor Commander

PARIS (Reuters) - President Nicolas Sarkozy awarded U.S. actor and director Clint Eastwood one of France's top honors on Friday, hailing him as a cinema legend and a symbol of the type of America that the French adored.

It is unusual for a foreigner to be elevated to the rank of commander of the French Legion of Honor but Eastwood, who went from playing tough guy roles like Dirty Harry to directing highly praised films, said he saw France as his second home.

"My wife chastised me saying if that was true why don't I speak French," he told friends and officials gathered at the Elysee Palace for the ceremony, promising to take lessons.

He jokingly referred to Sarkozy as "my president" after receiving the red-ribboned medal, and said he planned to go out and show off his award.

"As a commander of the arts and letters, I think I will go out on the streets of France today and throw my weight around," said Eastwood, 79, who recently finished making a supernatural thriller in France, "Hereafter."

''This is a wonderful honor,'' Eastwood said. ''It is just a great pleasure for me. I really love France. I love movies, and I love the appreciation that the French people have for movies.''

Sarkozy said French admiration for U.S. cinema helped transcend any problems the two countries might have had in the past -- a veiled reference to France's fierce opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

"When one loves the cinema of a people, one loves the people," the president said.

He called Eastwood, whose line "Go ahead, make my day" became a global catchphrase, "a myth, a giant, an example of the admiration we have for American culture."

He added that problems between the two countries had only arisen "when America was not as big as we would have liked in our dreams.

"You, you have never let us down," he added.

From The New York Times

A visit from an old friend: Dave Turner

I was thrilled a few weeks back to hear from an old friend and former president of The Clint Eastwood Appreciation Society, Dave Turner.

I had not spoken to Dave in a couple of years, but glad to learn he still stops by here at The Clint Eastwood Archive from time to time. Dave took early retirement in May this year, and along with his wife, was treated to a present, back to California. It’s hard to believe it was 30 years ago that Dave meet with Clint for the first time (was it really ’79!), it was also a special year for me, as it marked the first time I signed up to the Society and became a very proud member.

It was a good opportunity for Dave to revisit The Hog (and to recapture that famous photo moment that we’ve all been guilty of). Sadly the Hog has changed a little inside, as Dave said, ‘The huge Josey mural that was there back in the day had gone.’

Above: Dave revisits The Hogs Breath Inn, photos taken May 2009

I’d always admired Dave’s loyalty to the Eastwood scene and his continued commitment. As well as producing a great magazine, long before the introduction of the web, Dave was our only real connection to the Clint scene. We also had a great regular correspondent in Kev, our member based in San Francisco (are you out there Kev, SAY HELLO!). Dave has also sent a birthday card to Clint on every single birthday.

Amazingly, Dave still receives a few letters a year from people who have managed to acquire back copies of the old society magazines, in the hope that it is still going! It’s always great to hear from ‘El presidento’ and I’d like to thank him also for the wonderful photos he sent me.

Below: Looking at this super shot, I feel I should be listening to Dee Barton's music!

Above: Photos taken May 2009

Today, Dave remains happy in his painting pursuits, so do stop by and visit the web site: www.davytpainterman.co.uk

The Clint Eastwood Archive

The Magnificent Stranger 1966

This is a film that surfaced in 1966 on the back of The Dollar movies. It was nothing more than a couple of episodes of Rawhide edited to form the basis of a feature length movie. It soon became banned and withdrawn from a theatrical run. It was named The Magnificent Stranger, the original shooting title for A Fistful of Dollars.

Below: An Italian poster for The Magnificent Stranger and Italian Fotobusta

Below: Another Italian design poster for The Magnificent Stranger, I have this design poster on the Italian Locandina style design

Below: Another great Italian design for The Magnificent Stranger 1966

Below: Here's my Orignal Italian Locandina poster for The Magnificent Stranger

Below: A rarely seen original press still