Wednesday, September 14, 2011

CLIFF NOTE

RIP to Cliff Robertson, departed at 88, acclaimed for his Oscar-winning turn in the title role in Charly, as JFK in PT-109, & as a variety of characters, often unlikable or even villainous, in many other notable films including The Best Man, Picnic, 3 Days of the Condor, Obsession, Brainstorm, Star 80 & Wind. All the same, he’s probably now best known as Uncle Ben in the Spider-Man movies.


Turner Classic Movies, by the way, will change their schedule to devote next Monday, September 19, to Robertson’s work.

RIP also to producer & studio head John Calley, passed on at 81.

One more RIP, alas: to the Scottsdale 6 Drive-In, one of only two remaining drive-in theater complexes in the Valley. It has reportedly closed down, though the management holds out some hope for a resurrection.
at

2 comments:

  1. Phil14 September, 2011 11:39

    I'm particularly bummed about the Drive In. I've watched a ton of movies there over the years, and now with kids of my own it's a great way to catch a flick on one of thoese beautiful valley nights.

    For Cliff Robertson, how about UNDERWORLD USA? I watched it for the first time this year and loved it. Being a total gossip whore, I always think of Robertson and the check forgery scandal in the 70s. INDICENT EXPOSURE is a great book on the story.

    I'm not expert John Calley or anything, but he showed up quite a bit in documentaries about Kubrick and films of the 70s and he always seemed to be the antithesis of the stereotypical studio executive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. M.V. MOORHEAD14 September, 2011 23:34

    Yeah, & a friend of mine is buried in the cemetery next door to the Drive In, having chosen the site in part for proximity to the movies! He went there with his son years ago. I only ever went there once--I saw "The Losers" there last summer. It was great, though, much darker then the Glendale Drive-In.
    I never saw "Underworld USA," but it sounds great, & I think it's part of the upcoming TCM tribute.

    ReplyDelete