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Shadows of the Past
Martin Everett


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 786
Location: Brecon
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From Daily Telegraph - 10 Nov 09..............

Caine haunted by shadows past

While happy to accept the bouquets for his new film Harry Brown which is released this week, Sir Michael Caine, 76, says that when he saw his face projected on a cinema screen in the 1964 film Zulu he threw up and ran out of the auditorium.

Mandrake reckons that what had really upset the veteran actor was not so much his voice, or how big his head looked - as he suggested - but the pale blue eye shadow the make up artists had applied to his face for the film about the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

Sir Michael's spokesmen declined to be drawn on the eye shadow, but it is very apparent now that the film is available in high-definition television.

Quentin Crisp, living in London in the 1960s himself, certainly had a difficult time of it when he applied make up of such a vivid hue.

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Martin Everett
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Martin

I'm at a bit of a loss, about Michael Caine and his reaction to 'Zulu', in more than this case, as since he has made his name in films from then on, he, to me, seems to keep distancing himself from 'Zulu' somewhat.

I'm not sure if it is because of how he looks in it, or maybe it wasn't as an enjoyable experience for him as we might think, therefore resulting in not really wanting to get 'into it' too deeply.

Bad memories may not be the right phrase, more a let's-talk-about-now-not-then, type of attitude.

I've seen this with other actors, that something they were proud of at the time, after a while, in hindsight, is then seen to be a bit of an Achilles' Heel, distracting them (and audiences) from their later so-called 'serious' work.

Just my opinion though.

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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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I suspect we can take this Michael Caine story with a pinch of salt, at least if he is referring to the premiere on 22 Jan 1964. After all, we are told by Jack Hawkins in his memoirs that he, too, was so shocked at how his part was portrayed that he dashed from his seat in disgust and anger and left the auditorium. (From memory, I think he added that he soon crept back into his seat when he realised no-one had noticed his protest).

It must have been quite crowded in the foyer, or at the bar, or perhaps in the loo for a while if all these disgruntled thespians were storming about. Sheldon is the oracle, so how about some answers?

How many left their seat, if any? Did they leave together? If not, who was first? Did they cross on the stairs? Were their any exchanges between them? Did they console each other at the bar and vow never to work for Baker/Endfield again? Were they joined by Green, Booth and Emmanuel? Did they both/all return to their seats, or only Hawkins? If so, who gave in first? We need answers, Sheldon - and quickly. Meanwhile, Bromhead and Witt are turning in their graves.

Peter
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Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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Don't worry, Peter - the premiere did not inspire mass walk-outs of the cast and crew! Caine was talking about his first sight of himself in "rushes" (a.k.a. "dailies), i.e., the fresh, uncut footage of each day's setups rushed back from the labs (in this case by plane from London and car from Johannesburg) and routinely screened (in one of the hotels on location) for the director, producer and key crew members. Seeing his first star close-ups in this raw state not only provoked Caine's sudden retching but a determination never to watch himself in rushes again - which apparently he has maintained to this day. I'm sure he enjoyed the finished film!
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Well done, Sheldon, I knew you'd know the answer! In fact it's a better story than I had envisaged.

Mentioning the London rushes reminds me that it was a remarkably successful operation to merge filming from as far apart as S Africa and London (although perhaps not so exciting for those in the cast who never got near S Africa). Green presumably quoted his little bit from the Psalms in the hospital or store before or after his SA stint (ditto Hawkins & the others) or was the interior of that part mocked up in S Africa? I suppose Witt's daughter and Chard also had to appear in interior scenes, so must have done them in the studio - or used a similar interior in SA? What about the roll call? If Booth stayed in England, was that scene cleverly disguised as being in SA?

All very clever, as you "can't see the joins" - or I can't, anyway. No doubt such a split between exotic location and London studio is quite routine in the film world.

Peter
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Mel


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 345
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Peter
Look carefully and you'll see the join. Green is in SA for the roll call. Booth is in the London studio. Smile

Sheldon
Could I take this opportunity to enquire of the Jay Pinto film? Any more news of its full release?

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Sheldon Hall


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 377
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As Mel says, the roll call scene cleverly intercuts location and studio shots. The scene inside the store was in fact shot in SA - it was used as a "cover" set when rain or other bad weather prevented exterior filming (which was frequently). But other hospital scenes involving the Witts were indeed shot in the studio - see the still of Cy directing Ulla which appears in my book.

As for the vintage making-of film, I've not heard from Jay Pinto in quite some time, and my hopes to make another documentary about the production have come to nothing. Still, the new decade may bring something...
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Shadows of the Past
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