"I could never hate you, Danny."

When it premiered on network television on May 29 and 30 1984, Prince of the City was shown in 2 2-hour segments, including footage that was not part of the 1981 theatrical cut. I'd love to see this material, but, of course, it was not included on the rather thin "Special Edition" DVD from a few years back. Anyone seen a torrent of this television cut show up on one of those shadowy sites that shall go unnamed here--because I don't know the names of them?:

The above still mis-identifies Tony Page as Richard Foronjy.

"Hips or lips?"

I would have preferred if the DVD had retained the original key art as displayed in this ad from the Directors' Fortnight catalog in '07:

"You're the new barn boss, O'Brien!"

Ashby MIA

This one is now controlled by Warner Bros. so an Archive release is a distinct possibility. Will it be released as Second Hand Hearts or under its original, infinitely more commercial title The Hamster of Happiness? Either way, I'm very curious to see this obscure piece from the last act of Ashby's career.

Producer James Guercio, often credited as James William Guercio, is the producer and director of the cult classic Electra Glide in Blue also starring Robert Blake. Guercio, of course, is most well known for his '70s-era record label and recording studio (Caribou) and being the original producer and manager of Chicago. He's now a large-scale developer and cattle rancher with interests in oil and gas exploration.

Now Playing: May 16, 1973

"I don't have a red suit."

Dog Days, indeed.

As New York experiences a heatwave more intense than we've seen in awhile, what better time than now to pay homage to one of the most accurate depictions of what can happen in the city when it gets overheated...

The recently acclaimed documentary about Dog Day co-star John Cazale, I Knew It Was You has been picked up by Oscilloscope Laboratories who will release the DVD.

"You Shoulda Been There!"

I've just heard that Floyd Mutrux will be in New York later this summer at the Walter Reade, in tandem with filmmaker / scholar Thom Andersen (Los Angeles Plays Itself), to discuss Mutrux's American Hot Wax and Dusty and Sweets McGee, both of which will be screened together. I can only imagine we New Yorkers will be treated to an enlightening discussion of Mutrux's portrayal of Los Angeles in Dusty and Sweets. American Hot Wax is a New York movie, Brooklyn to be exact, although the only location listed on the IMDb is the Wiltern on Wilshire Blvd. I'm guessing this stood in for the Brooklyn Paramount on Flatbush Ave. I would imagine that this will come up in during the Mutrux / Andersen discussion..."When Los Angeles Plays New York."

"But girl you've got me thinkin', while I'm drinkin' one more beer..."

You have to love that each guy even has an animal buddy...a hawk for Lincoln and an orangutan for Philo...and each one is a trucker, of course.

Dig the alternate art on this insert:

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!.