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TheSailingChannel presents a slice of the cruising lifestyle. Have you ever dreamt of "sailing off into the sunset?" Then join Bob and Kaye aboard their 36 foot sloop, "Bettie" as they cruise from Los Angeles to the Bahamas via the Panama Canal on the first leg of their sailing adventure. Cruising with Bettie is a 51-minute sailing/travel documentary available at www.thesailingchannel.tv/cwb. YOUTUBE RENTALS Cruising with Bettie is now available as a YouTube Rental for just $2.99 (US Only). Rent our sailing documentaries at TheSailingChannel YouTube Documentary Playlist. "Bettie" is based on a Cascade 36 hull. It was custom molded for Bob by Yacht Constructors in Portland Oregon back in 1978. Four years and lots and lots of man hours later Bob splashed her. "Bettie" has a raised freeboard that allows for a flush deck design. This is a fast-paced video, with gorgeous photography, that will give you a first hand look at the cruising lifestyle. Over 10,000 miles have passed under Bettie’s keel since Bob and Kaye left Los Angeles in 2004. They sailed down the west coast to Panama, through the Canal, east to Cartagena, Columbia then north to Honduras and east across the Caribbean to the Bahamas. That's the focus of this video. Bob Steadman was a highly acclaimed Hollywood cinematographer. Sadly, Bob past away earlier this year. His last Hollywood gig was as technical consultant to the Director of Photography on the feature, Body of Lies directed by Ridley Scott and starring Leonardo de Caprio and Russell Crowe. Check out Bob Steadman's screen credits on the Internet Movie Database. Bob's First Mate, Kaye is a Hollywood costume designer. Read all about them and their adventures in Bettie's Blog. Cruising with Bettie is available for purchase as a High Quality Windows Media or QuickTime Video Download for just $9.99. Click, pay with Paypal or your Credit Card, download and watch. The complete 51-minute video will be saved to your PC or MAC where you can enjoy unlimited full screen plays. It also looks great on your large flatscreen TV and the QuickTime version plays on your iPad, iPod, or Android mobile device. Cruising with Bettie is also available on DVD for $24.95 (includes U.S. shipping) and $29.95 (includes international shipping). Sailing Documentaries from $2.99. Be sure to subscribe via iTunes to receive free video podcasts for cruising sailors from TheSailingChannel.tv. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

From Cruising with Bettie: L.A. to the Bahamas, a 51-minute cruising documentary available at www.thesailingchannel.tv/cwb. YOUTUBE RENTALS Cruising with Bettie is now available as a YouTube Rental for just $2.99 (US Only). Rent our sailing documentaries at TheSailingChannel YouTube Documentary Playlist. Cartagena, Columbia is a cruising destination in the western caribbean. Join cruisers Bob and Kaye as they visit the old walled city for a look at Cartagena's colonial past, find great buys on precious stones, and discover other exotic fare. Cartagena is a segment from the 51-minute documentary. Cruising with Bettie is available for purchase as a High Quality Windows Media or QuickTime Video Download for just $9.99. Click, pay with Paypal or your Credit Card, download and watch. The complete 51-minute video will be saved to your PC or MAC where you can enjoy unlimited full screen plays. It also looks great on your large flatscreen TV and the QuickTime version plays on your iPad, iPod, or Android mobile device. This is a fast-paced documentary, with gorgeous photography, that will give you a first hand look at the cruising lifestyle. Over 10,000 miles passed under Bettie’s keel since Bob and Kaye left Los Angeles in 2004. They sailed down the west coast to Panama, through the Canal, east to Cartagena, Columbia then north to Honduras and east across the Caribbean to the Bahamas. Cruising with Bettie is also available on DVD for $24.95 (includes U.S. shipping) and $29.95 (includes international shipping). Bob Steadman was a highly acclaimed Hollywood cinematographer. Sadly, Bob past away earlier this year. His last Hollywood gig was as technical consultant to the Director of Photography on the feature, Body of Lies directed by Ridley Scott and starring Leonardo de Caprio and Russell Crowe. Check out Bob Steadman's screen credits on the Internet Movie Database. Bob's First Mate, Kaye is a Hollywood costume designer. Read all about them and their adventures in Bettie's Blog. Sailing Documentaries from $2.99. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

CLICK TO PLAY After entering the Caribbean from the Panama Canal, cruisers Bob and Kaye stop at a commercial shipyard to get some repairs done on "Bettie's" keel. There they get an opportunity to watch the age-old craft of wooden boat repair alongside modern fiberglass and ocean going freighters. Join cruisers Bob and Kaye on their many adventures in "Cruising with Bettie: L.A. to the Bahamas," a 51-minute cruising life-style video. This is a fast-paced documentary, with gorgeous photography, that will give you a first hand look at the cruising lifestyle. Over 10,000 miles passed under Bettie’s keel since Bob and Kaye left Los Angeles in 2004. They sailed down the west coast to Panama, through the Canal, east to Cartagena, Columbia then north to Honduras and east across the Caribbean to the Bahamas. Available on Sailflix Vimeo on Demand Download-to-Own $9.99 | Streaming Rental $4.99 http://feeds.thesailingchannel.tv/~/559621800/0/thesailingchannel Bob Steadman was a highly acclaimed Hollywood cinematographer. Sadly, Bob past away several years ago. His last Hollywood gig was as technical consultant to the Director of Photography on the feature, Body of Lies directed by Ridley Scott and starring Leonardo de Caprio and Russell Crowe. Check out Bob Steadman's screen credits on the Internet Movie Database. Bob's First Mate, Kaye is a Hollywood costume designer. Sailing Documentaries and How-To Videos. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

CLICK TO PLAY TheSailingChannel.TV presents Secret Caribbean, an extraordinary 1 hour, 44 minute documentary about exotic island destinations for cruising sailors hosted by famous French sailor and filmmaker, Antoine. The documentary is available in English, French, and Italian.. Sail with Antoine on his catamaran, Banana Split, from Guadeloupe’s outer islands, north through the southern French Antilles, then on to Roatan, the Bay Islands of Honduras, the secluded atolls of Belize concluding with a dramatic fly-over outer atolls of extensive reefs where lies the Blue Hole, a major geological wonder of the Caribbean. Continue your voyage off the coast of Venezuela visiting the archipelago of Los Roques, consisting of over 300 small islands. Then its onto Bonaire, part of the Dutch Antilles, and reminiscent of the Caribbean before mass tourism. Next visit Williamstadt, the brightly colored Dutch capital on the isle of Curacao. Then make an off-shore passage north towards Panama with a stop at the small, out of the way, English speaking isle of Providencia. Arriving in Panama waters, pay an extensive visit to an island group out of the past: the San Blas, home to the Kuna Indians. Continuing north towards the Panama Canal, stop along the coast to visit a small colony of beach side bungalows. Here, passing sailors often spend some months of land time before continuing on their voyages. Finally, make the passage through the Panama Canal to the busy Panama City, a jumping off port for voyages across the Pacific. Available at Vimeo On Demand. http://feeds.thesailingchannel.tv/~/557876310/0/thesailingchannel/ Download to own $7.99 | Streaming Rental $3.99 Sailing Documentaries from $2.99. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

CLICK TO PLAY Preview of 91-minute classic sailing documentary. Beyond the West Horizon - A film by Eric and Susan Hiscock. In the late 1950's, very few "middle class" sailors had taken small sailing craft on long voyages. British Sailors, Eric and Susan Hiscock became pioneers in making long trans-oceanic passages in a small sailboat to what was then quite remote destinations. Their sailing adventures paved the way for future generations of cruising sailors who would follow in their wake, making blue water passage-making the more common experience it has become today. The Hiscocks shared their sailing adventures in several books and made a 16mm color documentary about their second circumnavigation aboard their 30 foot sloop, Wanderer III. The couple departed from Yarmouth Isle of Wight on the 19th of July 1959 and returned on August 8th, 1962. Prior to their departure, the BBC provided some camera training, a 16mm windup camera, and 4000 feet of color film stock. During their 30,189 mile circumnavigation, Eric and Susan meticulously filmed their voyage and their many land falls. On their return, the BBC edited a 91-minute documentary based on a script and narration written by Eric. The finished film aired on BBC television in January 1963. Working with the Beaulieu Film and Video Library at the UK National Motor Museum Trust, TheSailingChannel.TV has restored "Beyond the West Horizon" and digitally remastered it to HD. Watch free interviews with Lin and Larry Pardey about the Hiscocks, and Thies Matzen and Kicki Ericson - current owners of Wanderer III. Available at http://feeds.thesailingchannel.tv/~/99155700/0/thesailingchannel Streaming Rental $2.99 | Video Download (mp4 & wmv) $12.99 Sailing Documentaries from $2.99. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

CLICK TO PLAY A film by Claire Roberge and Guy Lavoie.A human adventure meeting the indigenous people of the North. Join Claire and Guy aboard their steel-hulled sailboat, BALTHAZAR as they sail 7000 nautical miles from Gaspé, Quebec Canada to Alaska's Bering Sea via Greenland and the legendary Northwest Passage. Purchase or rent the full 81-minute documentary on Vimeo On Demand. Version française incluse. Un film documentaire de Claire Roberge et Guy Lavoie. Une aventure humaine qui rencontre les peuples indigènes du Nord. Rejoignez Claire et Guy à bord de leur voilier à coque d'acier, BALTHAZAR alors qu'ils naviguent à 7000 milles marins de Gaspé, au Québec, en passant par la mer de Béring en Alaska par le Groenland et le légendaire passage du Nord-Ouest. TESTIMONIALS: "Brilliant, your movie, impeccable, intelligent and very relevant story. I learn a lot, thank you" -- F. Rousseau “A movie to be seen! Thank you, it is really a great privilege to witness this great adventure. You shared it with a big generosity." -- M.R. Lepage ABOUT CLAIR, GUY, & BALTHAZAR After spending 7 years building their 10.5 meter sailing vessel, Claire Roberge, Guy Lavoie and their 2 daughters, Joelle and Chloe set off in September 1999 on a 5 year circumnavigation. Crossing 3 oceans the family sailed to 34 countries. Ten years after their return, Claire and Guy set off once more, this time to take on the mystical Northwest Passage - Canada's Arctic archipelago linking the North Atlantic with the Pacific. Presented by TheSailingChannel.TV Browse our VOD collection Join our eNewsletter for news and discount offers. Sailing Documentaries and How-To Videos. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

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In which our hero listens to the stories of the people that were a part of Clerks, too. With special guest Mike Belicose (Customer with Diapers). Recorded live at the SModcastle on March 18, 2022.

In which our hero listens to the stories of the people that were a part of Clerks, too. With special guest Mike Belicose (Customer with Diapers) and Thomas Burke (Roofer/Blue Collar Man) . Recorded live at the SModcastle on March 18, 2022.

For 25 years, Kevin Smith has tried to make his beardless, dickless twin of a daughter Harley laugh in real life. Now he does it every week on a podcast. Find it at Apple Podcasts, iheart.com, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Most men think about the Roman Empire several times a week, if a recent meme is to be believed. With Gladiator II, Ridley Scott brings the era back to life in the way only a teenage boy could imagine it. Historical accuracy continues to be an irrelevance for the director, and who could blame him? […]

The post Gladiator II Review: Ridley Scott’s Sequel Bests Predecessor By Going Dumb first appeared on The Film Stage.

Here’s a very welcome surprise before the end of the year: Leos Carax’s stunning cine-memoir It’s Not Me is getting a release this December. Sideshow and Janus Films announced today that the Cannes and NYFF selection will hit theaters in NY and LA as well as arrive on the Criterion Channel and VOD platforms on […]

The post Leos Carax’s It’s Not Me Coming to Theaters and Criterion Channel on December 10 first appeared on The Film Stage.

TheSailingChannel presents a slice of the cruising lifestyle. Have you ever dreamt of "sailing off into the sunset?" Then join Bob and Kaye aboard their 36 foot sloop, "Bettie" as they cruise from Los Angeles to the Bahamas via the Panama Canal on the first leg of their sailing adventure. Cruising with Bettie is a 51-minute sailing/travel documentary available at www.thesailingchannel.tv/cwb. YOUTUBE RENTALS Cruising with Bettie is now available as a YouTube Rental for just $2.99 (US Only). Rent our sailing documentaries at TheSailingChannel YouTube Documentary Playlist. "Bettie" is based on a Cascade 36 hull. It was custom molded for Bob by Yacht Constructors in Portland Oregon back in 1978. Four years and lots and lots of man hours later Bob splashed her. "Bettie" has a raised freeboard that allows for a flush deck design. This is a fast-paced video, with gorgeous photography, that will give you a first hand look at the cruising lifestyle. Over 10,000 miles have passed under Bettie’s keel since Bob and Kaye left Los Angeles in 2004. They sailed down the west coast to Panama, through the Canal, east to Cartagena, Columbia then north to Honduras and east across the Caribbean to the Bahamas. That's the focus of this video. Bob Steadman was a highly acclaimed Hollywood cinematographer. Sadly, Bob past away earlier this year. His last Hollywood gig was as technical consultant to the Director of Photography on the feature, Body of Lies directed by Ridley Scott and starring Leonardo de Caprio and Russell Crowe. Check out Bob Steadman's screen credits on the Internet Movie Database. Bob's First Mate, Kaye is a Hollywood costume designer. Read all about them and their adventures in Bettie's Blog. Cruising with Bettie is available for purchase as a High Quality Windows Media or QuickTime Video Download for just $9.99. Click, pay with Paypal or your Credit Card, download and watch. The complete 51-minute video will be saved to your PC or MAC where you can enjoy unlimited full screen plays. It also looks great on your large flatscreen TV and the QuickTime version plays on your iPad, iPod, or Android mobile device. Cruising with Bettie is also available on DVD for $24.95 (includes U.S. shipping) and $29.95 (includes international shipping). Sailing Documentaries from $2.99. Be sure to subscribe via iTunes to receive free video podcasts for cruising sailors from TheSailingChannel.tv. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

From Cruising with Bettie: L.A. to the Bahamas, a 51-minute cruising documentary available at www.thesailingchannel.tv/cwb. YOUTUBE RENTALS Cruising with Bettie is now available as a YouTube Rental for just $2.99 (US Only). Rent our sailing documentaries at TheSailingChannel YouTube Documentary Playlist. Cartagena, Columbia is a cruising destination in the western caribbean. Join cruisers Bob and Kaye as they visit the old walled city for a look at Cartagena's colonial past, find great buys on precious stones, and discover other exotic fare. Cartagena is a segment from the 51-minute documentary. Cruising with Bettie is available for purchase as a High Quality Windows Media or QuickTime Video Download for just $9.99. Click, pay with Paypal or your Credit Card, download and watch. The complete 51-minute video will be saved to your PC or MAC where you can enjoy unlimited full screen plays. It also looks great on your large flatscreen TV and the QuickTime version plays on your iPad, iPod, or Android mobile device. This is a fast-paced documentary, with gorgeous photography, that will give you a first hand look at the cruising lifestyle. Over 10,000 miles passed under Bettie’s keel since Bob and Kaye left Los Angeles in 2004. They sailed down the west coast to Panama, through the Canal, east to Cartagena, Columbia then north to Honduras and east across the Caribbean to the Bahamas. Cruising with Bettie is also available on DVD for $24.95 (includes U.S. shipping) and $29.95 (includes international shipping). Bob Steadman was a highly acclaimed Hollywood cinematographer. Sadly, Bob past away earlier this year. His last Hollywood gig was as technical consultant to the Director of Photography on the feature, Body of Lies directed by Ridley Scott and starring Leonardo de Caprio and Russell Crowe. Check out Bob Steadman's screen credits on the Internet Movie Database. Bob's First Mate, Kaye is a Hollywood costume designer. Read all about them and their adventures in Bettie's Blog. Sailing Documentaries from $2.99. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

CLICK TO PLAY After entering the Caribbean from the Panama Canal, cruisers Bob and Kaye stop at a commercial shipyard to get some repairs done on "Bettie's" keel. There they get an opportunity to watch the age-old craft of wooden boat repair alongside modern fiberglass and ocean going freighters. Join cruisers Bob and Kaye on their many adventures in "Cruising with Bettie: L.A. to the Bahamas," a 51-minute cruising life-style video. This is a fast-paced documentary, with gorgeous photography, that will give you a first hand look at the cruising lifestyle. Over 10,000 miles passed under Bettie’s keel since Bob and Kaye left Los Angeles in 2004. They sailed down the west coast to Panama, through the Canal, east to Cartagena, Columbia then north to Honduras and east across the Caribbean to the Bahamas. Available on Sailflix Vimeo on Demand Download-to-Own $9.99 | Streaming Rental $4.99 https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/559621800/0/thesailingchannel Bob Steadman was a highly acclaimed Hollywood cinematographer. Sadly, Bob past away several years ago. His last Hollywood gig was as technical consultant to the Director of Photography on the feature, Body of Lies directed by Ridley Scott and starring Leonardo de Caprio and Russell Crowe. Check out Bob Steadman's screen credits on the Internet Movie Database. Bob's First Mate, Kaye is a Hollywood costume designer. Sailing Documentaries and How-To Videos. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

CLICK TO PLAY TheSailingChannel.TV presents Secret Caribbean, an extraordinary 1 hour, 44 minute documentary about exotic island destinations for cruising sailors hosted by famous French sailor and filmmaker, Antoine. The documentary is available in English, French, and Italian.. Sail with Antoine on his catamaran, Banana Split, from Guadeloupe’s outer islands, north through the southern French Antilles, then on to Roatan, the Bay Islands of Honduras, the secluded atolls of Belize concluding with a dramatic fly-over outer atolls of extensive reefs where lies the Blue Hole, a major geological wonder of the Caribbean. Continue your voyage off the coast of Venezuela visiting the archipelago of Los Roques, consisting of over 300 small islands. Then its onto Bonaire, part of the Dutch Antilles, and reminiscent of the Caribbean before mass tourism. Next visit Williamstadt, the brightly colored Dutch capital on the isle of Curacao. Then make an off-shore passage north towards Panama with a stop at the small, out of the way, English speaking isle of Providencia. Arriving in Panama waters, pay an extensive visit to an island group out of the past: the San Blas, home to the Kuna Indians. Continuing north towards the Panama Canal, stop along the coast to visit a small colony of beach side bungalows. Here, passing sailors often spend some months of land time before continuing on their voyages. Finally, make the passage through the Panama Canal to the busy Panama City, a jumping off port for voyages across the Pacific. Available at Vimeo On Demand. https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/557876310/0/thesailingchannel/ Download to own $7.99 | Streaming Rental $3.99 Sailing Documentaries from $2.99. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

CLICK TO PLAY Preview of 91-minute classic sailing documentary. Beyond the West Horizon - A film by Eric and Susan Hiscock. In the late 1950's, very few "middle class" sailors had taken small sailing craft on long voyages. British Sailors, Eric and Susan Hiscock became pioneers in making long trans-oceanic passages in a small sailboat to what was then quite remote destinations. Their sailing adventures paved the way for future generations of cruising sailors who would follow in their wake, making blue water passage-making the more common experience it has become today. The Hiscocks shared their sailing adventures in several books and made a 16mm color documentary about their second circumnavigation aboard their 30 foot sloop, Wanderer III. The couple departed from Yarmouth Isle of Wight on the 19th of July 1959 and returned on August 8th, 1962. Prior to their departure, the BBC provided some camera training, a 16mm windup camera, and 4000 feet of color film stock. During their 30,189 mile circumnavigation, Eric and Susan meticulously filmed their voyage and their many land falls. On their return, the BBC edited a 91-minute documentary based on a script and narration written by Eric. The finished film aired on BBC television in January 1963. Working with the Beaulieu Film and Video Library at the UK National Motor Museum Trust, TheSailingChannel.TV has restored "Beyond the West Horizon" and digitally remastered it to HD. Watch free interviews with Lin and Larry Pardey about the Hiscocks, and Thies Matzen and Kicki Ericson - current owners of Wanderer III. Available at https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/99155700/0/thesailingchannel Streaming Rental $2.99 | Video Download (mp4 & wmv) $12.99 Sailing Documentaries from $2.99. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

CLICK TO PLAY A film by Claire Roberge and Guy Lavoie.A human adventure meeting the indigenous people of the North. Join Claire and Guy aboard their steel-hulled sailboat, BALTHAZAR as they sail 7000 nautical miles from Gaspé, Quebec Canada to Alaska's Bering Sea via Greenland and the legendary Northwest Passage. Purchase or rent the full 81-minute documentary on Vimeo On Demand. Version française incluse. Un film documentaire de Claire Roberge et Guy Lavoie. Une aventure humaine qui rencontre les peuples indigènes du Nord. Rejoignez Claire et Guy à bord de leur voilier à coque d'acier, BALTHAZAR alors qu'ils naviguent à 7000 milles marins de Gaspé, au Québec, en passant par la mer de Béring en Alaska par le Groenland et le légendaire passage du Nord-Ouest. TESTIMONIALS: "Brilliant, your movie, impeccable, intelligent and very relevant story. I learn a lot, thank you" -- F. Rousseau “A movie to be seen! Thank you, it is really a great privilege to witness this great adventure. You shared it with a big generosity." -- M.R. Lepage ABOUT CLAIR, GUY, & BALTHAZAR After spending 7 years building their 10.5 meter sailing vessel, Claire Roberge, Guy Lavoie and their 2 daughters, Joelle and Chloe set off in September 1999 on a 5 year circumnavigation. Crossing 3 oceans the family sailed to 34 countries. Ten years after their return, Claire and Guy set off once more, this time to take on the mystical Northwest Passage - Canada's Arctic archipelago linking the North Atlantic with the Pacific. Presented by TheSailingChannel.TV Browse our VOD collection Join our eNewsletter for news and discount offers. Sailing Documentaries and How-To Videos. Brought to you by TheSailingChannel.TV

It looks like this time, Paramount's decades-held hopes of making a movie out of Tom Clancy's epic saga Without Remorse are really going to happen! Last month, Variety reported that Jamie Bell will join the previously announced Michael B. Jordan (playing frequent Clancy hero John Clark) in the movie from director Stefano Sollima (helmer of the very Clancy-esque Sicario: Day of the Soldado). Bell will play a familiar character from the Tom Clancy universe, CIA Deputy Director of Operations Robert Ritter. Henry Czerny memorably essayed the role in 1994's Clear and Present Danger, in which Willem Dafoe played Clark.

Today, several more actors joined the cast, making this Without Remorse more and more of a reality! (Forgive my incredulity. It's just hard to believe this movie is finally happening after literally decades of development!) Deadline reports that Luke Mitchell (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Jacob Scipio (Bad Boys For Life), Cam Gigandet (Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden), Jack Kesy (12 Strong), and Todd Lasance (Spartacus) are all signing on as members of Clark's SEAL team. Nearly all of them have played special forces operators before. Additionally, Jodie Turner-Smith (The Last Ship, The Neon Demon) has been cast as a potential love interest for Jordan.

According to the trade, "Without Remorse is the origin story of John Clark, played by Jordan, a Navy SEAL-turned-CIA ops officer, who seeks revenge after his girlfriend is killed by a Baltimore drug lord." That sounds more or less like the novel, so if this capsule summary comes from the studio (and not just a Deadline writer Wikipedia-ing the book), then perhaps we can expect a fairly faithful adaptation. What I'm guessing we won't get is a period piece. I doubt Clark will serve in Vietnam in this version; I suspect they'll make it contemporary. (This was the plan back when Tom Hardy was supposed to play Clark in a series intended to cross over with Chris Pine's intended Jack Ryan franchise.) Paramount are very eager to launch a new film franchise with this movie, already eyeing Clancy's Rainbow Six as a follow-up. Also unclear is whether there will be any crossover with Amazon's Jack Ryan TV series, which hails from the same producers. The Clark character has been kept out of that series so far because of the percolating film franchise, but that doesn't necessarily preclude a cameo from John Krasinski in Without Remorse....

Without Remorse is slated to open September 18, 2020.

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A post shared by Nicolas Bedos (@nicolasbedosofficiel) on Nov 15, 2019 at 2:57am PST

A whole decade after the release of his second OSS 117 spy spoof, Lost in Rio (review here), Jean Dujardin (who picked up an Oscar for Best Actor in the interim) has at long last stepped back into the role that brought him international fame. Cameras began rolling this week on a third OSS 117 comedy, as announced by director Nicolas Bedos via video of a clapperboard on Instagram. OSS 117: Alerte rouge en Afrique noire (literally translated as OSS 117: Red Alert in Black Africa, which very much has the ring of a Jean Bruce novel title, but the ultimate English title is unlikely to be a direct translation of the French one) is scheduled to film in Paris and Kenya, with Bedos (La belle époque) taking the reins from Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist), who helmed the first two. Hazanavicius and Bedos both contributed to the controversial 2012 sex comedy portmanteau The Players, which also starred Dujardin. Jean-François Halin, who co-wrote the first two OSS 117 comedies with Hazanavicius and went on to create the very funny, Sixties-set comedic spy series Au service de la France (known as A Very Secret Service in America, where it streams on Netflix) handles solo scripting duties on this one. Pierre Niney (Yves Saint Laurent), Fatou N'Diaye (Spiral), and Wladimir Yordanoff (currently appearing with Dujardin in An Officer and a Spy) are also among the cast.

Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, code name OSS 117, began life long before Dujardin. The redoubtable secret agent was the brainchild of French author Jean Bruce, and starred in a series of 234 novels (of which only a handful have ever been translated into English) beginning in 1949 (and thus predating Ian Fleming's more famous superspy). The books are serious spy stories, and the character was initially treated seriously on screen, too, beginning in the 1950s, but most famously in a series of five exceptional Eurospy movies directed or produced by André Hunebelle (Fantomas) between 1963 and 1968. (Read my review of my favorite, OSS 117: Terror in Tokyo, which presaged many James Bond moments, here.) Once notoriously hard to track down in English-friendly versions, Kino Lorber has now, happily, released a set of those five films on DVD and Blu-ray. For a more in-depth history of the character and links to my reviews of all the films, see my post OSS 117: An Introduction.

In 2006, Michel Hazanavicius revived the character in the hilarious send-up OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (review here). That first spoof was set in the Fifties and brilliantly parodied the early Bond films (with Dujardin partly channeling young Sean Connery) and Alfred Hitchcock movies... along with the prevalent casual racism and sexism of that era. The 2009 sequel was set in the late Sixties, spoofing the Sixties Bond movies and Eurospy movies.

A third film has been mooted ever since, always intended to be set in Africa. At one point it was supposed to be set in the Seventies and parody blaxploitation movies, Jason King, and Jean-Paul Belmondo action flicks, as well as the Roger Moore Bond movies (and fashions) of that period. Now, presumably since so much time has passed, Premiere reports that OSS 117: Alerte roughe en Afrique noire will be set in the 1980s. While I'm sorry we won't see Dujardin sporting Peter Wyngarde-style fashions, the Eighties setting will still provide ample opportunity to spoof the Moore Bond films and Belmondo, whose own African spy epic The Professional was made in 1981.
Thanks to Jack for the red alert on this one!

The spy genre has lost a Great today. The Guardian reports that Honor Blackman has passed away at the age of 94, "of natural causes unrelated to coronavirus." It's crushing to lose two of the key Bond Girls in a matter of months, Blackman's death coming on the heels of Thunderball's Claudine Auger in December. And while she will probably be best remembered for her definitive portrayal of Pussy Galore opposite Sean Connery in Goldfinger, Blackman's mark on the spy genre is far greater. For me, she'll first and foremost always be Cathy Gale, John Steed's first regular female partner on the UK TV classic The Avengers.

Cathy Gale was ultimately overshadowed by Steed's more famous subsequent partner, Emma Peel (played to perfection by another future Bond Girl, Diana Rigg), but Gale's and Blackman's place in television history cannot be overstated. Cathy Gale was television's original badass, leather-clad female spy, paving the way not only for Mrs. Peel, but for Honey West (producer Aaron Spelling was inspired to create the show by Avengers episodes he saw in England, and reportedly first offered the role to Blackman, who turned it down), The Bionic Woman, Alias's Sydney Bristow, and every other leading lady of espionage to throw an attacker over her shoulder, as well as non-spy heroines like Xena and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Quite simply, there had never been an action-oriented female protagonist on television before Honor Blackman's groundbreaking performance. She changed the game. In part, this was due to Blackman inheriting scripts that had been originally written for another male partner for Steed (following his first season foil, Ian Hendry's Dr. David Keel), which were hastily rewritten for her, but kept the character involved in the action in a way women hadn't been previously on TV. But in a larger part, it was due to Blackman's undeniable and very physical presence: she played Cathy as a woman definitely not to be trifled with! And she learned judo for the role, impressively dispatching stuntmen twice her size on a regular basis on episodes that were at the time taped live. Her obvious talent even led to the publication of a book, Honor Blackman's Book of Self-Defense.

Prior to playing Cathy Gale, Blackman was known for glamour more than ass-kicking. But she'd already racked up a pretty impressive roster of spy roles. Foremost among them was a regular role on the 1959-60 ITC wheel show The 4 Just Men (review here), in which she played Nicole, secretary to Paris-based Just Man Tim Collier (Dan Dailey). That was a series very much of its time in all respects, so Nicole was no Cathy Gale, but Blackman nonetheless imbued her with the quick wit and spark that would later define her more famous character alongside her martial arts skills. She also made pre-Avengers appearances on other ITC series like The Saint, Danger Man,  and The Invisible Man, as well as U.K. spy and detective series like Top Secret (sadly lost), Ghost Squad, and The Vise, while also turning up in spy movies like Conspirator (with Elizabeth Taylor), Diplomatic Passport, and the original 1953 TV movie version of Little Red Monkey (penned by wartime BSC spy Eric Maschwitz and adapted two years later into a feature film version). Other notable film roles during this period include Jason and the Argonauts (1963), the Eric Ambler-penned Titanic drama A Night to Remember (1958), the Dirk Bogarde suspense drama So Long at the Fair (1950), and the Hammer noir The Glass Tomb (1955). Following the international success of Goldfinger, Blackman surprisingly didn't make many more spy appearances. The notable exceptions were the superior 1968 Goeffrey Jenkins adaptation A Twist of Sand (a movie in dire need of a Blu-ray or at least DVD release!), opposite Deadlier Than the Male's Richard Johnson, and a 1983 TV adaptation of Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence mystery The Secret Adversary. In the late Nineties, Mike Meyers dreamed of getting Blackman and Connery to play Austin Powers' parents, but that didn't happen and Michael Caine ended up playing his dad. While not playing spies, though, Blackman continued to have a robust post-Bond career, including a re-teaming with Connery in the 1968 Western Shalako, a pair of 1970s cult horror movies, Fright ('71), and Hammer's final genre flick of that incarnation, To the Devil a Daughter ('76), opposite Christopher Lee, and, more recently, a very memorable comedic turn in Bridget Jones's Diary (2001). She also continued to make her mark in television, too, with recurring or starring roles on Doctor Who, The Upper Hand, and Coronation Street, and guest appearances in Columbo, Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible, Midsomer Murders, and New Tricks.

Her early fame from The Avengers brought her an unlikely career milestone in 1990 when an infectious novelty single she had recorded with Patrick Macnee in the early Sixties, "Kinky Boots," became a dubious Top 10 radio hit at Christmastime. Some have described it as "embarrassing," but as far as I'm concerned both of those stars had enough infectious charisma to pull it off even if they're not really singers! (I'm also partial to the B-side, "Let's Keep It Friendly," about the characters' platonic relationship on the show.)

Blackman has also had a successful theater career, including productions of "The Sound of Music," "My Fair Lady" and "Cabaret," and a couple of touring one-woman shows. It was one of these performances that brought her into my out-of-the-way neck of the woods when I was in high school in the mid-Nineties. I took in the show, which was amazing, and then managed to meet her backstage. Blackman was the first Bond celebrity I'd ever met, and she did not let me down. She seemed genuinely happy to meet with fans, and gladly signed a Goldfinger trading card for this starstruck teen while regaling me with stories from her days on The Avengers. She even weighed in with a decidedly non-PC answer on a debate I'd been having at the time with a friend about whether Bond and Pussy's roll in the hay was truly consensual. "Darling," she told me, eyes sparkling, "it was Sean Connery. Any woman would have wanted it!"

That sparkle remained ever-present as she remained a public figured right up to the end, always reliable for some media appearances whenever a new Bond movie came out. She never turned her back on the franchise, or publicly showed any resentment for the "Bond Girl" label that followed her throughout her career. She also continued to be a cheerleader for The Avengers, despite having left the series just before its transition to film and color... and the American broadcast that cemented its global fame.

In Blackman's final episode of The Avengers (after her Goldfinger casting was already public news), Steed bade farewell to Cathy Gale with a typical request of a favor, beginning, "And as you're going to be out there anyway, pussyfooting along those sun-soaked shores..."

"You thought I might do a little investigating," she finishes, knowing him all too well. She demurs, asserting her well-earned right to a vacation. "You see I'm not going to be pussy-footing along those sun-soaked shores," she corrects her partner, "I'm going to be lying on them." Pussyfooting or lounging, Honor Blackman has certainly earned her trip to those sun-soaked shores. While more terrestrially, the modern spy genre forever owes her an enormous debt. Blackman was a true trailblazer, who transformed the role of women in the spy genre from femme fatales who relied exclusively on their sexuality to equal participants in the action, undaunted by superior force and unmatched in combat skills.