To the PS Faithful,

Airing nightly next week on the IFC Channel, the new six-hour documentary MONTY PYTHON: ALMOST THE TRUTH (THE LAWYER’S CUT) includes photos and audio clips of The Goons as a key influence on the Monty Python troupe. Several latter-day shots of PS during the various Goons reunions and reconvergences. PS is also listed under “Very Special Thanks” in the end credits.

Best regards,

Jason

Think Pink!

The 1964 classic THE PINK PANTHER gets its first showing in NYC’s Greenwich Village in years on Saturday, October 24^th @9:00 PM at the Anthology Film Archives (corner of East 2^nd Street at 2^nd Avenue), in a 35mm print. One show only!

To the PSAS Faithful,

In the previously discussed (among PSAS Members) portion of Christopher Plummer’s exceptional memoir, In Spite of Myself (published last fall), in which Mr. Plummer vividly remembers PS and filming THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER (in 1974), he notes how he didn’t see much of PS in the (six) years following.

However, a reading of the text has turned up at least one earlier encounter. As it turns out, the actors had first met over a decade prior.

Per Mr. Plummer, while on location in Spain in 1963 filming the epic – and elaborately produced – THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, there were sumptuous daily lunches that became a destination point for cast, crew, and everyone who was anyone and in Spain at the time; “You never knew who might turn up at the lunches – Peter Sellers emerged one day armed with his camera, snapping everyone in sight, particularly Sophia [Loren], with whom he was having some sort of romance.”

(Ah, the eternal question of did-they-or-didn’t-they…)

Then, in 1968 or 1969 (the exact dates are unclear), with Mr. Plummer and George Murcell captaining a grass-roots effort in the U.K. (where Mr. Plummer was living at the time) to resurrect the historic Globe Theatre; “To form an arsenal, [George] managed to persuade such actors as Peter Sellers, Paul Scofield, Dorothy Tutin, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Johnson, and others to come on board.” (As Mr. Plummer reports, the Globe was ultimately restored under the [separate] aegis of actor/director Sam Wanamaker.)

Yet more examples of the many many people and places for/with PS that we were unaware of…

Best regards,

Jason

In addition to THE PARTY being shown in a rare IB Technicolor print on September 24^th, Hollywood’s famed Egyptian Theatre (www.americancinematheque.com) will also show a new 35MM print of PS’ 1964 classic DR. STRANGELOVE (directed by Stanley Kubrick) on Saturday September 19^th @7:30 PM – or, more accurately, @9:30 PM, since this is part of a double bill with another Stanley Kubrick classic, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971).

It will be a bit late to celebrate PS’ birthday, but a rare IB Technicolor print (ensuring that much more visual splendor) of PS’ 1968 classic THE PARTY (directed by Blake Edwards) will be screened in (appropriately enough) Hollywood at the American Cinematheque’s historic Egyptian Theater (www.americancinematheque.com), Thursday September 24^th @7:30 PM.

To the PSAS Faithful,

This fall brings the long-awaited issue of Sam Wasson’s A Splurch in the Kisser: The Movies of Blake Edwards. Written with the cooperation of Mr. Edwards and his family, the Wesleyan Film-published hardcover book will be available on or about October 1^st.

One can of course expect rare photos and tales of PS and Mr. Edwards over their six classic films (and attendant times) together.

Best,

Jason

To the PS Faithful,

Here is the splendid article reflecting the hard work of PSAS Member Laura Camuti!

Best,

Jason

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/jul/26/goons-film-sellers-milligan-secombe

Peter Sellers called it "a terrifyingly bad film" and his promised percentage of the takings was little more than £33. But Penny Points to Paradise is something of a missing link and has been hardly watched since its release in 1951.

Tomorrow, an audience at the British Film Institute will watch Sellers and his two co-stars, Harry Secombe, as a gormless pools winner, and Spike Milligan, as his best friend, clown around in an amiable seaside crime caper.

Shortly after, all three entertainers went on to transform British comedy with the Goon Show.

The BFI regards the restoration as a significant one, a "missing link in British comedy history". The institute's curator, Vic Pratt, said: "You are able to see them at the beginning of their careers. The film captures the moment as they are about to revolutionise comedy with the Goon Show and it's really important for that reason."

A DVD of the film will be released next month and while the movie is, as Pratt admits, "a bit rough around the edges", it is not as bad as Sellers remembered.

Sellers, in particular, shines in his two roles as an old major and a smooth talking salesman, Arnold P Fringe. "In Peter Sellers, you see a talent that was fully formed from the beginning and he clearly knows how to use the camera," said Pratt.

The restoration is about as close to the original as is possible. It came about after Kate Lees, granddaughter of Arthur Dent, who ran Adelphi Films, was sorting through material once stored in the company's production office. Gathering dust were two reels of rather battered 16mm film labelled Penny Points to Paradise.

The restoration has been funded by Laura Camuti, an American and a Sellers fan, who said she had grown up loving the Pink Panther movies. She said: "I became aware of how much of his career I didn't know about. I didn't know about the Goon Show, for example."

She too believes the film is much better than Sellers thought. "He was often terribly critical of his own work," she said. "I appreciate that it's nothing like the level of Dr Strangelove but I really enjoy his performances in this film."

Penny Points to Paradise, which is set in Brighton, also features very good performances from actors who would go on to make names for themselves ? Alfred Marks, as the cigar chomping bad guy, and Bill Kerr, as his sidekick.

"It's fair to say that it's a bit rough around the edges," said Pratt. "It's a cheap and cheerful film that was filmed in just three weeks.

"But it is particularly interesting because you are seeing most of the Goons just before they made it big and you see them honing their craft. Spike Milligan isn't playing his normal role, he's almost the straight man, while Harry Secombe is the central figure."

Also on the DVD are two similarly obscure films getting an airing.

Let's Go Crazy, which was filmed to use up a week of studio time left over from Penny Points to Paradise, features Sellers in a series of restaurant comedy sketches playing characters with names such as Crystal Jollibottom and Izzy Gozunk.

Milligan is also included in the footage, playing an early version of his Eccles character from the Goons.

To the PS Faithful,

The new issue of Time Magazine (dated August 3, 2009)’s “Short List” page (p. 63) includes Academy Award-winning actor Timothy Hutton’s personal picks in music, literature et al.

Showing his great good taste, Mr. Hutton (whose father was the late actor Jim Hutton) writes the following;

“A Celebration of Sellers is a comprehensive collection of Peter Sellers’ recordings, from satires of Beatles songs to movie outtakes and sound tracks. I especially like ‘Boiled Bananas and Carrots’ and his parody of ‘She Loves You.’ If all you know of Sellers is The Pink Panther and Dr. Strangelove, do yourself a favor and dial into these tracks.”

As we all well know what day today it is/was, Timothy Hutton’s recommendations are especially welcome and apropos.

Best,

Jason

To the PS Faithful,

Just published is Nick Dawson’s heavily researched biography, Being Hal Ashby, of the late great director Hal Ashby. BEING THERE is covered in detail, of course, with insight into PS and Ashby’s friendship and working relationship – as Dawson reminds and reports, PS first met with Ashby about directing BEING THERE in 1973 and kept the faith for the 6 years it took to be able to get the movie made.

The hardcover book’s photos include a rare B+W of Ashby on location with author/screenwriter Jerzy Kosinski; the only shot of PS is one of the familiar classic B+Ws of Chance in his garden.

Best,

Jason

To the Peter Sellers Faithful,

NEVER LET GO, the 1960 drama directed by John Guillermin in which PS stars in a rare dramatic role as a ruthless criminal, will be screened for the first time in 14 years in NYC at Manhattan’s Film Forum (www.filmforum.org). Showtimes are Friday August 21^st and Saturday August 22^nd at both 3:35 PM and 7:25 PM.

Best,

Jason

To the PS faithful,

This year’s Paris Cinema Festival (www.pariscinema.org) in July will include a multi-film tribute to Claudia Cardinale; THE PINK PANTHER will be screened on three different dates/times, thereby bringing PS’s Clouseau back to (appropriately enough) Paris!

Upcoming in cinemas later this year is the early 1960s-set film AN EDUCATION, showcasing actress Carey Mulligan. Actor Peter Sarsgaard plays opposite her, and in one scene she overhears his character doing excellent vocal impressions of two Goons; Peter Sellers-as-Bluebottle and Spike Milligan-as-Eccles.

Best,

Jason

To the Peter Sellers Faithful,

Cable network Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will pay tribute to PS on Saturday August 29^th (not long before what would have been his 84^th birthday) and Sunday August 30^th with a 24-hour marathon of his movies, including some rarities! Please allow for extra time if you are recording, as some movies may run just past the hour or half-hour (and into the next one).

The list;

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29^th (and SUNDAY, AUGUST 30^th) on TCM

6 a.m.                                       Your Past is Showing (a.k.a. The Naked Truth)

7:30 a.m.                                  The Mouse that Roared

9 a.m.                                       I’m All Right Jack

11 a.m.                                     The Millionairess

12:30 p.m.                                 Only Two Can Play

2:30 p.m.                                  The Wrong Box

4:30 p.m.                                  After the Fox

6:15 p.m.                                  Murder by Death

8 p.m.                                       [“THE ESSENTIALS” hosted showcase] Lolita

11 p.m.                                     Waltz of the Toreadors

1 a.m.                                       Two-Way Stretch

2:30 a.m.                                  There’s a Girl in My Soup

4 a.m.                                       The Party

Best,

Jason

For those who haven’t seen, PSAS Member Laura Camuti is quoted in yesterday’s London (Sunday) Times!;

Lost Peter Sellers films on screen after 50-year intermission

Missing British comedies found in a movie mogul’s garage cinema are being restored for a new generation

Richard Brooks

FOR some 50 years, the reels of film lay forgotten in a London garage. Now a cache of more than 30 has been discovered, showing the first performances by young actors who would go on to become some of Britain’s greatest comedians, including Peter Sellers, Prunella Scales and Ronnie Corbett.

The movies, all shot in the early 1950s when Britain was trying to turn its film industry into a mini-Hollywood, have now been given to the British Film Institute (BFI) to restore.

Few of them have been seen in cinemas since their original release.

Those being screened soon include Penny Points to Paradise and Let’s Go Crazy, both starring the then 26-year-old Peter Sellers. They will be shown at the end of July at the BFI’s cinema on London’s South Bank before being released on DVD in early August. The BFI hopes to restore and release the rest of the films over the next 15 years if funding is available.

The films were all either made or distributed by Adelphi, a family-run company set up in 1939 by Arthur Dent who, like so many American movie bosses, had an east European Jewish background. Dent, who had at one time been the British representative of Sam Goldwyn, the Hollywood mogul, stored the prints of the films in his garage in Highgate, north London.

His company did not make any more films after 1956 although short clips from a few were sold by his children over the following decades.

The negatives and prints were left in cans in the garage of the family home until Dent’s granddaughter, Kate Lees, stumbled upon them and realised their significance as a “missing” chapter of the British film industry.

“They’re a snapshot of a particularly prolific period of British film-making,” said Lees, who donated them to the BFI.

One reason the first two films to be restored are those starring Sellers is that the institute is being given money by Laura Camuti, an American fan of the comedian. “[Sellers’s] vocal skills are mind-boggling,” said Camuti.

Both Let’s Go Crazy and Penny Points to Paradise, a comedy about a man who wins the football pools, were shot in 1951. It was the same year as the first radio series of The Goon Show, the comedy which kick-started the careers of Sellers, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe.

Let’s Go Crazy, a half-hour film of zany comedy, stars Sellers and was co-written by him and Milligan.

However, it had mixed reviews. Roger Lewis, Sellers’s biographer, wrote that it was “amateurishly done. It lasts 32 minutes and probably took less time to create”.

Lees herself still has a letter written by Milligan to her father, Stanley Dent, thanking him for “the Lolly from Penny Points. It is a pleasant suprise [sic] as I never expected any at all, knowing the film profession to be what it is”.

Three films made in 1953 and 1954, featuring Prunella Scales, albeit in small roles, have also emerged. Scales, who has been married to the actor Timothy West since 1963, was then just 20 and at the start of a long and distinguished career, which has included playing Sybil in Fawlty Towers and the Queen in the 1991 television play A Question of Attribution.

Other virtually forgotten films in the cache showing British stars include The Great Game, a comedy about football which featured Thora Hird and Diana Dors, a favourite of Dent’s; and What Every Woman Wants, a drama with Brian Rix and Joan Hickson.

Rolf Harris, who arrived in Britain from Australia as a 22-year-old in 1952, won a role as Private Proudfoot in You Lucky People three years later. “My agent of the time lined up auditions for stage shows and films and I managed to get a few minor roles,” said Harris. “In the Tommy Trinder film You Lucky People, I was a bearded soldier. I had three lines of dialogue.”

Corbett was in his mid-twenties when he made his first film, a year before his first professional stage appearance. Fun at St Fanny’s was a comedy set in a boys’ boarding school and appeared just after the first of the St Trinian’s girls’ boarding-school farces.

Other Adelphi films now with the BFI include several early ones featuring Sid James, Max Bygraves, Joan Sims and Dennis Price

Hallo My Capitain!

This is for posting on the PSAS site and anywhere else/to whom anyone would like –

“They were all Clare Quilty…”  “I’m just as sorry as you are, Dimitri…”

Manhattan’s Museum of Modern Art (www.moma.org), which over the years has screened (in the best film prints available) such Peter Sellers classics as THE PARTY, THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH, and THE PINK PANTHER, is now showcasing PS’ two unforgettable movies that he made with the late great director Stanley Kubrick.

The schedule is as follows;

LOLITA – Saturday June 20^th @5:00 PM and Monday, June 22^nd @8:00 PM

DR. STRANGELOVE – Sunday June 21^st @5:30 PM and Wednesday, June 24^th @8:00 PM

As a reminder, a new print of the latter classic begins a weeklong run at Manhattan’s Film Forum (www.filmforum.org) this Friday, May 22^nd.

Best regards,

Jason Simos