Clint Eastwood to Replace Steven Spielberg on ‘American Sniper’

Variety reports Clint is in talks for Warner Bros. biopic starring Bradley Cooper.

After losing Steven Spielberg as director, Warners Bros. has acted quickly to find a director for “American Sniper” with Clint Eastwood in talks to helm the biopic starring Bradley Cooper. Spielberg’s apparent reason for dropping the project was due to his inability to merge his vision for the film with the fixed budget. Jason Hall penned the script for “Sniper” about a Navy SEAL recounting his military career that included more than 150 confirmed kills. Film is based on the book “American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History” by Chris Kyle, Scott McEwan and Jim DeFelice. Cooper’s production company 22nd & Indiana Pictures and Andrew Lazar’s Mad Chance Productions optioned rights to the book a year ago. Eastwood is in production on the adaptation of “Jersey Boys” and would jump to “American Sniper” once the musical finishes filming.

From 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. The Pentagon has officially confirmed more than 150 of Kyles kills (the previous American record was 109), but it has declined to verify the astonishing total number for this book. Iraqi insurgents feared Kyle so much they named him al-Shaitan (“the devil”) and placed a bounty on his head. Kyle earned legendary status among his fellow SEALs, Marines, and U.S. Army soldiers, whom he protected with deadly accuracy from rooftops and stealth positions. Gripping and unforgettable, Kyle’s masterful account of his extraordinary battlefield experiences ranks as one of the greatest war memoirs of all time.

Clint and Dina: News filters through of split as Clint prepares filming Jersey Boys

More sad news has begun to filter through the channels, this time regarding Clint and Dina's separation. Clint and Dina, his wife of 17 years, have separated, she confirmed in a report Yesterday, Thursday 29th August.

They've actually been living apart for a while but remain close, Dina Eastwood, 48, told Us Weekly, which first reported the news. Clint Eastwood's manager told E! News he knew 'nothing about this,' noting that his 83-year-old client was off shooting a film and does not have a publicist. 

Clint and Dina during happier times

The film in question is probably Jersey Boys, a musical biography of the Four Seasons-the rise, the tough times and personal clashes, and the ultimate triumph of a group of friends whose music became symbolic of a generation. The film was due to start filming this summer (more on that as it happens).

Jersey Boys: Due for release in 2014

A source, who characterized the split as 'amicable,' told Us that the breakup actually happened in June 2012. The couple have not been photographed together since 2011. Dina, whose reality show Mrs. Eastwood & Company clocked seven episodes in 2012, entered rehab for depression and anxiety in April, (according to TMZ). A tabloid report in March (via the New York Post) had also reported that the couple were reportedly squabbling at Clint's daughter Alison's wedding.

Sad times...

‘Magnum Force’ Director Ted Post Dies at 95





Clint with Post filming on location Magnum Force

I was sad to learn that director Ted Post, who directed numerous early TV shows as well as the Clint Eastwood films Hang ‘em High and Magnum Force, died in Santa Monica on Tuesday 20th August. He was 95. He also directed more than 20 episodes of the TV Western series Rawhide.Throughout the 1950s and 60s Post helmed TV series including Danger in 1950, and going on to series including Perry Mason, The Rifleman and Gunsmoke. In the 1960s, he directed episodes of The Twilight Zone, The Defenders, Combat! and Peyton Place. The 1973 film Magnum Force was the first of the Dirty Harry sequels. Post also helmed features Beneath the Planet of the Apes, The Harrad Experiment and Go Tell the Spartans, as well as the TV series Rich Man, Poor Man — Book II and the 1986 TV movie of Stagecoach. Born in Brooklyn, Post was a theater usher before studying acting, but then moved into directing. He is survived by his wife Thelma, a daughter, a son, four grandchildren, a brother and a sister. Services were held 1 p.m. Friday 23rd August at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, 5950 Forest Lawn Dr, Los Angeles.

Dead Technology or How we came to love Clint Eastwood on the humble video cassette…

I recently read a feature by Robert Vaux on the internet. As I was planning to start a dedicated page on Clint Eastwood home video movies, I felt it served perfectly as a great introduction. It explains in simple terms, how the video cassette came to be such a phenomenon. For the younger generation it probably seems like something from the ark, but unless you were around in 1979-80, I can’t possibly begin to tell you how it changed our lives. As a kid growing up in the fabulous 70s, and a manic film fan from such an early age, I had to rely upon a brief film excerpt (in b/w and silent) on a 200ft spool that provided me with a breath-taking 9 minutes of flickering imagery. I’m referring of course to the Super 8mm film format. Trying to ignore the loud clattering sound that emanated from my projector, I was nevertheless transported to the private world of my own Cinema Paradiso.

Below: A Super 8mm cut down or digest version of Clint's High Plains Drifter, at the time, the only way to watch Clint at home.

In 1980 and at the age of 16, life was about to change with the introduction of the VHS and Betamax home video cassettes. For the first time, I was able to tape from a television, a WHOLE movie, in colour and with sound… The revolution had just begun!  

Below: The Ferguson 3V23, at the time, the most advanced (and first) front loading VHS Recorder on the market. I was reading an article on Michael Crawford in a magazine and spotted it in the background of a photo of his apartment. On checking it out, it came at a cost (£699). But I was serious about film and simply had to have it, even if it took me two years to pay off...

It was certainly a beautiful machine and lowering the front flap revealed an array of buttons including Dolby Noise Reduction. Unfortunately, it had a nasty habit of chewing up tape when the cassette was ejected? It also weighed a bloody ton!

Before revisiting the era in which we could (for the first time) actually buy and own  a Clint Eastwood library, here is that article from Robert Vaux:

VHS tapes have now largely gone the way of the dodo bird, but in their time, they were one of the most dominant forms of home entertainment in history. More than that, they engineered large-scale changes in America's social fabric, creating the notion of the neighbourhood video store and the concept of watching movies at home instead of in the theatres. Later formats such as DVD and Blu-ray utilized superior technology to vanquish the VHS, but they owe a huge debt to the path it helped pave.

Origins: VHS (or "Video Home System") tapes were a creation of the JVC Corporation, which developed them from a number of earlier video tape formats. Video cassette recorders had been around since 1956, but they were often very expensive and not widely available for commercial use. That changed in the 1970s, as the technology become cheap enough to offer to consumers. The VHS tape and VCR recorder were introduced in 1975, with a two-hour running time on most cassettes.

Fighting Betamax: VHS's biggest competitor in the early days was Betamax, a rival format developed by Sony. Betamax tapes had sharper resolution but could not run as long as VHS tapes. Furthermore, JVC was much looser with its licensing, allowing VHS to spread more rapidly than Betamax. By the early 1980s, VHS was outselling Betamax nearly 3 to 1, and it remained on top until Sony finally abandoned the Betamax format in 1988.

Uses: VHS tapes were popular because they allowed consumers to tape TV shows for later viewing. Before the arrival of the format, people needed to be at home in front of their TVs when a given show came on, and had to wait for the commercials before using the bathroom.

Movie Battles and Alliances: In the early days of the VHS, movie studios viewed the technology as a threat: enabling viewers to copy and keep films while skirting existing copyright laws. In 1981, however, the Supreme Court ruled that VHS VCRs were permitted for private use, and that the studios couldn't curtail the technology. It ultimately proved a boon for studios. By marketing movies in their library--either as movie rentals at the video store or for direct purchase by consumers--they opened up an entirely new form of revenue.

Slow Decline: VHS held sway over its domain for nearly two decades--an eternity by contemporary standards. DVDs finally rose to vanquish the format in the late 1990s. They provided a sharper picture than VHS tapes, they lasted longer because they lacked moving parts and their storage space allowed them to include extra features such as behind-the-scenes documentaries on their discs. (Earlier formats such as laser discs offered similar advantages, but they were much more expensive than DVDs.) As of 2009, no VHS manufacturers are still in business in the United States, lowering the curtain on the first act in the home video revolution.

Above: A very rare Video Sleeve from Norway, A Fistful of Dollars, date unknown.

Below: A Fistful of Dollars Netherlands, Video Film Express Concorde Video 911183, 1992

Above: Magnetic Video's opening Logo

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is the home entertainment division of 20th Century Fox when it was formed from Fox's acquisition of Magnetic Video Corporation, which had been distributing Fox titles on video. It was first known as "20th Century-Fox Video". In 1982, Fox teamed up with CBS to form "CBS/Fox Video", also launching two sub-labels; "Key Video" and "Playhouse Video", which both became inactive in 1991. CBS/Fox became "Fox Video" the same year, alternating with the CBS/Fox name until 1998, when Fox Entertainment Group acquired CBS's interest in CBS/Fox and was renamed under its current name as "20th Century Fox Home Entertainment" in 1995, alternating with the Fox Video name until 1998. Magnetic Video Corporation, a home video/audio duplication service established in 1968 by Andre Blay and based in Farmington Hills, Michigan. It was the first company to release theatrical motion pictures to home video for consumers in 1976, making special deals with companies including United Artists. In 1978 Fox purchased Magnetic Video from Blay, reincorporating it as "20th Century-Fox Video" in 1981. The earliest 20th Century Fox Video releases which included A Fistful of Dollars used the Magnetic Video logo. Probably because they were produced just before the disestablishment.

Below: A Fistful of Dollars, Fox Video (8710224) released in 1982 Farmington Hills Michigan. Twentieth Century-Fox Video (formerly Magnetic Video). The slip case box sleeve used the original U/A poster artwork.

Lots More to follow!

Two Mules: Some great rare photos

Out of all of Clint's movies from the 1970s, Two Mules For Sister Sara has been one film that has provided a great deal of behind-the-scenes or production shots. Just recently I have discovered a few new additions, and rather than just adding them to the dedicated "Two Mules for Sister Sara" page (where they may not be seen for a while unless the page is visited) I also decided to post them here as a temp new post. These great shots are rarely seen.

Above: A wonderful shot captures Clint passing the trailer of Shirley MacLaine who seems to be lost in her drink.

Above: Clint, Shirley and Don look over and revise the script.

Below: A nice close up of Clint and Shirley, who seem to have found something to smile about. 

Below: On Location during a break in filming Clint and Shirley seek some shade from the sun.

Below: A nice colour shot of Clint and Don during location filming.

Intrada continue to release Classic Eastwood scores.

I can't understand how some 5 months have passed since I last posted, where does the time go. I hope everyone who visits here had a great Christmas and peaceful new year. Sadly, it seems Clint's latest movie, Trouble with the Curve failed to ignite the box office both here in the UK or in deed the U.S. I did finally get around to seeing it, and thought it was entertaining enough, but I'm not going to dwell or deliberate over it right now, but instead will probably return to it in due course within its dedicated area of this site.

What has been very encouraging is the continuing commitment to some great soundtrack releases from Intrada. I would of liked to have told you all about these in advance, but there was a slight conflict in that I was assisting in a couple of these releases and therefore had to remain silent until they were officially made available.

Over the last few months Intrada have released a fistful of very welcome Eastwood soundtracks, all of which received their debut releases. Firstly, it was wonderful to see one of my personal favourites, Coogan’s Bluff (1969) (Intrada Special Collection Volume 223) finally receive an official release. For decades it was only available on a very poor sounding bootleg LP that contained less than 10 minutes of music. Intrada has provided a fully restored CD which contains the full score as well as the memorable song ‘Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel’, unused versions of the main title, unused source cues and 3 tracks featuring Schifrin’s music from the film’s radio spots. The CD provides almost 57 minutes of music and contains an excellent booklet featuring detailed notes and colour stills.

The John Sturges western Joe Kidd (1972) (Intrada Special Collection Volume 234) featured Clint in the title role, whilst the soundtrack offers one of composer Lalo Schifrin’s most exciting and evocative scores. Joe Kidd is a former bounty hunter in the American Southwest. When a band of Mexicans (lead by John Saxon as Louis Chama) find their U. S. land claims denied and all relevant records destroyed in a courthouse fire, they are forced into conflict. Schifrin’s music provides an array of varied cues and often featuring Spanish-tinged motifs. The main title in particular, is a rather delicate piece, but don’t be fooled, the music soon grows in strength as the score advances and results in plenty of action cues, all of which are delivered in signature Schifrin style.

Intrada presents the complete score from pristine condition multi-track stereo session elements courtesy of Universal Pictures. Highly informative liner notes by Schifrin authority Nick Redman plus reversible covers containing original Universal/Malpaso art from both America and Europe complete the exciting package. On a personal level, and having assisted art director Joe Sikoryak on this project, it is particularly rewarding to see Schifrin’s long overdue score finally see the light of day.

Also released for the first time is Jerry Fielding’s score to the Clint Eastwood/Don Siegel collaboration Escape from Alcatraz (1979) (Intrada Special Collection Volume 236). Confined spaces, cold conditions and containment were reoccurring themes that inspired composer Fielding to explore 'musique concrete' techniques. As Fielding suggested, ‘There's nothing lyrical about it; there's nothing poetic about it. It's an awful place’. First performed by orchestra, Fielding’s intense music was then reshaped in a variety of styles during the mixing process to produce an unorthodox sound. The result was uniquely original and highly unusual for a feature film. The complete score appears alongside alternative and unused cues. Due to the rare nature of score, (much of it was created mechanically in the studio after recording), finished mixes in varying stages of mono, multiple mono and stereo are necessarily the only elements that can be presented. They have been expertly mixed here into two-channel stereo by Chris Malone to afford optimal listening pleasure and the result is well worth a listen. Intrada were kind enough to also include a further score from a Siegel’s film, Hell is for Heroes (1962). Starring Steve McQueen, Bobby Darin and James Coburn, the film is a stark World War II drama. Composed by Leonard Rosenman, the score is an exciting (if rather too brief) excursion into the psychology of men in war. Its inclusion makes for a fabulous bonus.

High Plains Drifter Soundtrack finally released!

It's been a long time comin', but I was overjoyed to learn that Dee Barton's fabulous score for Clint's 1973 film High Plains Drifter has finally been released. We can only hope that Barton's scores for Play Misty For Me and Thunderbolt and Lightfoot may soon follow. Intrada have released High Plains Drifter to coincide with Universal's 100th Birthday celebrations. It was with Universal that Clint also made Play Misty For Me, so I'm tentatively hopeful that Misty may one day emerge on the silver platter. Thunderbolt and Lightfoot was released through United Artists, so I'm not sure who currently holds the rights to Barton's score. 

Above: Intrada's 24 page booklet has a choice of cover art.

Here's the official information from Intrada.

Label: Intrada Special Collection Volume 217

Date: 1973
Tracks: 27
Time = 54:27

At long last! World premiere of complex, highly original score for justifiably famous Clint Eastwood western with director as star. Dee Barton scores with unusually strong minor key main theme in western garb, then heads into Lago (the town) with much more under his saddle! Complex, experimental ideas play on strings, guitars, harmonica, percussion, early synths, electric bass, voice... an array of tense, dissonant colors! But there's much more than what has been known up to now: Universal's multi-track scoring session masters revealed numerous orchestral cues in traditional western guise that filmmakers dropped in favor of vivid experimental cues. New ideas like "Dummy Wagon" bring broad, expansive themes into play, action cues such as "Gunfight", "Shooting Stacy" offer intense brass figures amongst chaotic strings, even a sturdy vocal version of main theme with orchestra adds color, all of these being heard for first time ever, illuminating fact that composer intended much longer score than what (admittedly effective) amount remains in finished production. Dee Barton (famed composer/arranger for Stan Kenton as well as uncredited composer on several Dirty Harry films and composer of Eastwood's first directing effort: Play Misty For Me) writes with requisite nod to Morricone in use of rhythm, short motifs to punctuate script lines, so forth, but then takes off in his own direction with extremely challenging music - amongst western genre's most unorthodox ever. Intrada presentation offers every cue recorded by Barton, mixed into dynamic stereo from mint condition complete three-channel scoring session masters. Flipper cover offers dramatic shot of star under "Universal 100th Anniversary" banner on one side, exciting original poster campaign on the other. Take your pick! Dee Barton conducts. Intrada Special Collection release available while quantities and interest remain!

My Thoughts:

The Audio quality of Intrada's release is quite superb. The music retains a crisp clarity that seems to defy its 40 year age. Joe Sikoryak (who I have had the great pleasure of working with) has again provided an excellent booklet with an attractive layout. Sadly, there isn't a great deal of rare or unusual photos within the booklet. Instead, the regular, much repeated pictures are used to accompany the first rate (and highly detailed) liner notes provided by Douglass Fake.

Whilst I would never claim to be an expert on the use of illustrative material, I have spoken to many fans over the course of many years, and for them, it remains something of a grievance. However, I am also aware that some studios have, on occasions, offered a relatively small amount of stills to support projects such as soundtrack releases. It appears to be something of a red tape area, which I have increasingly found hard to accept. In addition, I also believe that 'fans' or 'collectors' sometimes own more photos or relevant illustrative material than the actual studios! The result of which, often leads to a feeling of genuine frustration. From a fans perspective, it is often summarised as a 'wasted opportunity' or a missed chance to 'make it something special'. Projects such as soundtrack releases are rarely privileged a second outing, and it is for that reason, that fans and collectors alike, rely upon it emerging at its very best. The choice of photos or posters may perhaps be perceived as a minor quibble or even an insignificant moan. But the arguments can sometimes spread beyond the boundaries of simple illustrative material.
 

High Plains Drifter is undoubtedly a very welcome and long overdue soundtrack, and we of course praise and applaud Intrada for overseeing its eventual release. The soundtrack is by definition, a celebration of the film's audio history, painstakingly produced and sounding quite magnificent throughout. Drifter's audio significance is restored, preserved and available for future generations. But can anything be done to make it that little bit 'special'?

Well, perhaps so...

Along with many other 'fans', I have always regarded Radio Spots to be an integral part of a film's audio history. Intended as an audio aspect of the film's original marketing campaign, the soundtrack CD would seem to provide the ideal opportunity and location for their inclusion. So it raises some interesting questions:

Was anyone aware of their existence?
 

Did anyone ever suggest their use?

Would Universal have been able to supply them?

There are in fact, a very nice set of Radio Spots to accompany High Plains Drifter, which (IMHO) would have rounded off this soundtrack rather nicely indeed.

So why not?

A simple key word search on the internet would have brought us to Intrada's attention. As an owner of a set, I would have been more than happy to provide Intrada with them for use on this release. There are many collectors such as myself, and we are all relatively easy to find. We are always here, and always available to assist. There are no hidden agendas. Among the many likeminded people I have had the privilege to speak with; we seem to share a common concern. The majority would be happy to help and assist, if only someone would ask... From my experience, collectors and fans simply want any Eastwood related product to appear at its very best. The individual has nothing to gain from it, other than perhaps a simple credit for their help.

It remains an interesting (if rather clouded) topic of conversation that I am sure will continue long after the end credits have rolled. But I would genuinely welcome some input on the subject. I'm sure it would prove fascinating. Perhaps Mr Douglass Fake of Intrada would be happy to participate and provide us with some answers on this subject.