Voor 99% koud gemaakt

You can still get copies of Intrada's new, limited edition release of Henry Mancini's score to John Frankenheimer's 99 and 44/100% Dead, but they're almost gone. It's an oddball crime film not dissimilar in tone to Michael Ritchie's Prime Cut starring Richard Harris (seemingly made up to look just like his contemporary Michael Caine), Edmond O'Brien (already suffering the effects of Alzeimer's Disease in this, his last film), Bradford Dillman, Ann Turkel (soon to be Mrs. Richard Harris), and "Chuck Connors as Claw Zuckerman." Interestingly, some elements of the script by Robert Dillon were originally part of an early draft of Once Upon a Time in America that he worked on with Sergio Leone. Frankenheimer's film shows up now and then on Fox Movie Channel in 'scope, but remains unreleased on DVD.

This Belgian poster features the title in Dutch and French, something I don't recall seeing on another poster, but which makes perfect sense for a bi-lingual nation such as Belgium.

The key art that should have been used for the soundtrack CD, and which should be utilized for a DVD, should one ever materialize:

The comic-style posters are reminiscent of this bad boy:

EDIT: I just checked out Mr. Peel's site and see that he recently wrote a typically fine piece on 99 and 44/100% Dead!.

And Chuck Connors as Claw Zuckerman

Last week, I ventured into the film section of one of my favorite used bookstores, whilst waiting to go into a movie, and came out with a couple of out-of-print, coffee table-size hardcovers, John Springer and Jack Hamilton's They Had Faces Then: Superstars, Stars and Starlets of the 1930's (Citadel Press, 1974) and Harry Hossent's The Movie Treasury Gangster Movies: Gangsters, Hoodlums and Tough Guys of the Screen (Octopus Books, 1974). No dust-jackets, but in otherwise acceptable condition.

Both feature some gorgeous full-page and two-page stills. Here's a few from the gangster book from the then-new 99 and 44/100% Dead and the then-recent Shamus: