Ultra Swank - Retro Adventures

Film

Destination New York – Five Movies Where New York is the Star

Sometimes, the city in which a movie is set plays a role more important than that of the main characters and, over the years, many filmmakers have been drawn to the crusty liveliness of New York. Here are a few films where, even when cast alongside screen legends like Audrey Hepburn, Robert Redford and Marlon Brando, New York was the star. The Best of Everything (1959) The...

Destination Paris – Five Movies Where Paris is the Star

Sometimes, the city in which a movie is set plays a role more important than that of the main characters and the City of Love, in particular, has long been a favorite of filmmakers. Here are a few films where, even when cast alongside screen legends like Audrey Hepburn and Marlon Brando, Paris was undoubtedly the star. The Earrings of Madame de… (1953) The story...

Hollywood Legends – Where are they now?

Gone with the Wind, Spartacus, Pillow Talk, To Have and Have Not… these are some of the films that comes to mind when we think of “Classic Hollywood” today. But what of the actors and actresses who appeared in them, the men and women who defined glamour and romance during Hollywood’s golden age… where are they now? Still hard at work. James Garner (Born 1928):...

Saul Bass – Title Designer
Written by Katharine Miller in Film

Saul Bass – Title Designer

When the opening credits for an Alfred Hitchcock film start rolling, it’s impossible to not be instantly captivated. The simple concept, bold graphics, and dynamic animations are all evidence of Saul Bass’s genius at work. Saul Bass began his career by designing print ads for movies. His first collaboration with director Otto Preminger was the film poster for Carmen Jones. From there, it seemed a...

Airport – A Star Studded 1970s Melodrama

The first of its kind, Airport set the standard for the disaster films of the 1970s. Films such as The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The Towering Inferno (1974), and my favorite – Rollercoaster (1977) collected A-list, B-list, and C-list movie stars and put them into some pretty crummy situations. But their pain is our pleasure; the films grossed a ton of money – Airport made over...

The Party – With Birdie Num Num
Written by Katharine Miller in Film

The Party – With Birdie Num Num

What happens when Blake Edwards, Peter Sellers and Henry Mancini collaborate on a motion picture? Usually, a Pink Panther movie. The exception was the 1968 comedy The Party, with Blake Edwards once again directing Peter Sellers and his antics to a swinging Mancini soundtrack. Edwards and Sellers team up to make a slapstick comedy for the mod set. The result is a smorgasbord of sight...

Maurice Binder – Title Designer
Written by Katharine Miller in Film

Maurice Binder – Title Designer

The name’s Binder, Maurice Binder. You may not recognize the name but you’d know his work if you saw it. The opening sequence of James Bond looking down a gun barrel is one of the most iconic moments in film history. Through saturated colours and tantalizing silhouettes, Maurice Binder created the most memorable, eye-catching title credit sequences of the 20th century for the James Bond...

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