sixties

Click below to see the trailer for actress Marlyn Mason’s new short film The Bag co-starring Richard Erdman about an elderly woman who contemplates ending her life.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKzGiHSM9ts

One of the most talented starlets of the day in my opinion was Marianna Hill (profiled in my book Glamour Girls of Sixties Hollywood).  She was the typical 60s actress appearing in various roles on all the top TV shows and on the big screen worked in B-horror movies, big budget productions such as Howard Hawks' racecar drama Redline 7000 and was one of Elvis' leading ladies in Paradise, Hawaiian Style. 

But as a lot of her contemporaries' careers wound down during the 70s Marianna hit her stride (and disrobed on screen) in an eclectic mix of movies including the violent westerns El Condor (a personal favorite) and High Plains Drifter; two of the strangest horror movies of the day The Baby and Messiah of Evil; the acclaimed The Godfather, Part II; and the hippie movie Thump Trippin' where as a unhappily married woman she strips to her bra and panties and go-go dances at a redneck bar as in the clip below:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb7wlATLyzU

Sad to report that esteemed British director Ronald Neame passed away last week.  Though his impressive resume includes such well-received movies as Tunes of Glory, The Chalk Garden, The Prme of Miss Jean Brodie, and The Odessa Files, to me is the hero who directed my favorite movie of all-time, The Poseidon Adventure.  Though the press gave most of the credit to the film's huge success to producer Irwin Allen, when interviewed the cast gave props to the soft-spoken, elegant Neame.  So impressed with him, he was able to persuade his all-star cast to forego stunt doubles and do most of their stunts themselves for the sake of realism.  Carol Lynley had an intense fear of heights, but Neame got her to climb Christmas trees and ladders, and trek across a catwalk over 100 feet in the air.Click the below link to read more about him:

 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/19/magazine/19neame.html

 httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pwmTfMlEfM

Another great go-go number from Elvis Presley's Spinout (1966) as he sings the title tune.  That's blonde Arlene Charles (profiled in my book Glamour Girls of Sixties Hollywood) with the pink halter top and orange slacks dancing next to him early on in the song.  Spending all my time after school in the '70s watching these movies on ABC-TV's 4:30 Movie no wonder my film tastes are so warped to this day!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpYTpO3dW5I