Samurai, Gunfighters, Starships, Insects, and Amigos

Posted on March 26th, 2012 by Adam-Troy Castro

  First Commentary by Adam-Troy Castro {The} Seven Samurai (1954). Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Screenplay by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura. Various Cuts from 160 minutes to 207 minutes exist. **** The Magnificent Seven (1960). Directed by John Sturges. Screenplay by William Roberts, Walter Newman, and Walter Bernstien (latter […]

Tags: Action, Akira Kurosawa, Battle Beyond The Stars, Brad Dexter, Chevy Chase, Eli Wallach, George Peppard, James Coburn, John Landis, John Sturges, Kevin Spacey, Martin Short, Richard Thomas, Robert Vaughn, Samurai, Science Fiction, Seven Samurai, Steve McQueen, Streve Martin, Sybil Danning, Takashi Shimura, The Magnificent Seven, Toshiro Mifune, Yul Brynner

MR. SMITH and BILLY JACK go to WASHINGTON

Posted on December 29th, 2011 by Adam-Troy Castro

A matter of liberty.     First Commentary by Adam-Troy Castro Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). Directed by Frank Capra. Screenplay by Sidney Buchman, from a story by Lewis R. Foster. Starring Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Harry Carey, Claude Rains.  129 minutes. *** 1/2 Billy Jack Goes To Washington (1977). Directed by Tom Laughlin. […]

Tags: Alfred Hitchcock, Anthony Mann, Billy Jack Goes to Washington, Claude Rains, David Morrell, Delores Taylor, E.G. Marshall, Easy Rider, Frank Capra, Harry Carey, James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Luci Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Rambo, Sam Wanamaker, Tom Laughlin, Toshiro Mifune

Two Visits to Willy Wonka’s CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Posted on December 4th, 2011 by Adam-Troy Castro

* We* are the music makers… and *we* are the dreamers of dreams.    First Commentary by Adam-Troy Castro Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory (1971). Directed by Mel Stuart. Screenplay by Roald Dahl (and an uncredited David Seltzer), from the novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Starring Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, […]

Tags: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Akira Kurosawa, Batman, Cary Grant, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Christopher Lee, Deep Roy, Edward Scissorhands, Fantasy, Freddie Highmore, Gene Wilder, Helena Bonham Carter, Jack Albertson, Jack Nicholson, James Fox, John August, John Wayne, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DeCaprio, Martin Scorcese, Peter Ostrum, Psycho, Robert De Niro, Roy Kinnear, Some Like It Hot, Tim Burton, Tony Curtis, Toshiro Mifune, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory