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Showing posts with label behind the scenes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label behind the scenes. Show all posts

September 8, 2025

18 Publicity Photos of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Alyssa Milano on the Set of “Commando” (1985)

Commando is a 1985 American action film directed by Mark L. Lester and produced by Joel Silver. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role, alongside Rae Dawn Chong, Alyssa Milano, Vernon Wells, Bill Duke and Dan Hedaya.

In the film, Schwarzenegger starred as Colonel John Matrix, a retired Special Forces operative living a quiet life in the mountains with his daughter Jenny, played by a then 12-year-old Milano. The film’s emotional core hinges on their relationship: Jenny is kidnapped by mercenaries trying to force Matrix into carrying out an assassination. Instead, Matrix launches a one-man war to rescue her, unleashing the kind of explosive, over-the-top action that made Commando a cult classic.

Milano had just started her career when she took the role. She was simultaneously starring on the hit sitcom Who’s the Boss? (1984–1992), which helped make her one of the decade’s most recognizable child actors. In Commando, she balanced vulnerability and spirit—her character outsmarts her captors a few times, which added suspense and gave her more agency than many child roles in action films of the era.

For Schwarzenegger, Commando was part of his rapid rise after The Terminator (1984). The film cemented his reputation as the quintessential 1980s action hero: muscular, witty, and unstoppable.

Behind the scenes, he reportedly had a warm and protective rapport with Milano, treating her like a real daughter on set. Milano later reflected fondly on the experience, saying she felt safe working with him even in such an intense and violent movie.

Commando was released in the United States on October 4, 1985, where it received praise for the action sequences and humor. The film became a commercial success at the box office and was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Special Effects, but lost to Back to the Future.






Fabulous Portraits of Giulietta Masina in “La Strada” (1954)

La Strada is a 1954 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini, often regarded as one of his masterpieces and a landmark in world cinema. The title translates to “The Road”, reflecting the film’s poetic journey through human suffering, love, and redemption.

The story follows Gelsomina (played by Giulietta Masina), a simple and innocent young woman who is sold by her impoverished mother to Zampanò (Anthony Quinn), a brutish traveling strongman. As they wander from town to town, Gelsomina endures hardship but also reveals her purity and resilience. Along the way, she encounters Il Matto (Richard Basehart), a gentle and free-spirited tightrope walker who changes her perspective on life.

With its blend of neorealism, symbolism, and lyrical storytelling, La Strada explores themes of loneliness, cruelty, innocence, and the search for meaning. The haunting score by Nino Rota has become iconic, perfectly echoing the melancholy and tenderness of the film.

La Strada won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1957 and established Fellini as an internationally acclaimed director. Giulietta Masina’s performance as Gelsomina remains one of the most beloved in Italian cinema, making the film a timeless classic.

These remarkable photos highlight the emotion and artistry of La Strada (1954), with Giulietta Masina’s iconic performance at its heart.






September 7, 2025

When Sylvester Stallone Met Michael Schumacher in 1998

In 1998, Sylvester Stallone met Michael Schumacher at several Formula One events. Stallone was in the early stages of a film project about F1, which eventually became the 2001 movie Driven. He was reportedly doing research for the film, visiting F1 races and meeting with drivers and team personnel.

Their most well-documented meeting took place at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 24, 1998. Photos from the event show Stallone in the Ferrari garage, speaking with Schumacher and even sitting in Schumacher’s Ferrari F300 car. Another meeting between the two was documented at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on September 11, 1998.

During their encounters, Stallone and Schumacher were photographed laughing and engaging in a playful “boxing” pose. The meetings generated significant media attention due to Stallone’s star power and Schumacher’s status as a top F1 driver.






September 6, 2025

How Richard Gere’s Suits in “American Gigolo” (1980) Put Armani On the Global Fashion Map

Richard Gere’s fashion in the 1980 film American Gigolo was groundbreaking, largely because it introduced Giorgio Armani’s signature “deconstructed” menswear to a global audience and helped launch his career. His character, Julian Kaye, a high-priced male escort, used clothing as both a profession and an identity, treating his wardrobe with an almost fetishistic reverence.

The fashion in the film broke from the boxy, structured suits and flamboyant disco styles of the 1970s. Armani’s designs were a radical departure, defined by their relaxed silhouette and use of soft, luxurious fabrics.

John Travolta was originally attached to the lead role, with his casting announced by the Los Angeles Times in January 1978. He was provided a wardrobe by Giorgio Armani and appeared in a photo spread for the trade publication Variety announcing his participation. The following year, Travolta dropped out of the production to deal with his mother’s death and father’s illness.

In Travolta’s absence, Barry Diller of Paramount Pictures offered the part of Julian Kay to Christopher Reeve, but Reeve turned down the million-dollar offer. Chevy Chase was also offered the role but declined. Schrader offered the part to his first choice, Richard Gere, who accepted. Gere was cast two weeks before shooting began. In 2012, Gere said he was drawn to the role partly because of its gay subtext, commenting, “I read it and I thought, ‘This is a character I don’t know very well. I don’t own a suit. He speaks languages; I don’t speak any languages. There’s kind of a gay thing that’s flirting through it and I didn’t know the gay community at all.’ I wanted to immerse myself in all of that and I had literally two weeks. So I just dove in.”

Given his racy role in American Gigolo, Gere had to look good, and while his nude scene got people talking, so did his stylish suits. The suits are immediately recognizable for their relaxed yet refined tailoring and muted color palettes, and they’re practically their own character in the film. As Schrader quipped, “As an actor, Richard was more interested in the character than the clothes, but to me the clothes and the character were the same. I mean, this is a guy who does a line of coke in order to get dressed!”

Gere and Armani were forever linked in the public eye, as American Gigolo made them both stars. They remained friends after the film. There’s even a long-running rumor that because of the impact American Gigolo had on the brand, Gere had the privilege of walking into any Armani store and getting whatever he wanted for free.

Armani credited Gere with making him famous, saying, “It was what I would call a crucial moment. Nobody could have imagined the success that film would have, which in fact marked the imagination of the ’80s, and it became an important vehicle for my fashion. He helped me to make myself known in the United States, where many requests for my clothes started to arrive.”

In a 2000 Vanity Fair interview, Gere spoke admiringly of Armani’s aesthetic, praising how the suits were “Quite stylized, big shoulders and thin waists, thin lapels. It was like looking at an old carpet where the natural colors blend and even bleed as opposed to some of these new carpets made of plastic fibers where the colors are monolithic,” and emphatically saying, “I don’t know any other designer.” The actor has continued to wear Armani suits throughout his career, and his American Gigolo looks have stayed on the vision boards of designers and menswear enthusiasts for decades.






August 31, 2025

35 Behind the Scenes Photos of Angie Dickinson During the Filming of “Rio Bravo” (1959)

Rio Bravo is a 1959 American Western film directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, and Walter Brennan. Set in a small Texas town, the story follows Sheriff John T. Chance (played by Wayne) as he arrests the brother of a powerful rancher for murder. With only a recovering alcoholic deputy (Martin), a young gunslinger (Nelson), and an aging sidekick (Brennan) to help him, Chance must hold the prisoner in jail until U.S. Marshals arrive, while fending off the rancher’s hired gunmen.

The film is celebrated for its strong character dynamics, witty dialogue, and blend of action, drama, and humor. It also stands out for its musical interludes, with Martin and Nelson performing songs that added to the movie’s charm.

Today, Rio Bravo is regarded as a classic Western and one of Howard Hawks’ finest works, influencing later films in the genre for decades. Take a look at these vintage photos to see portraits of Angie Dickinson during the filming of Rio Bravo in 1959.






August 28, 2025

Snapshots of Micky Dolenz of The Monkees Posing With a Chimpanzee in 1967

In 1967, during The Monkees’ summer tour, Micky Dolenz took photos with a chimpanzee actor named Mr. Jinx in the Monkees’ New York City suite at the Warwick Hotel. The photos show Dolenz with Mr. Jinx, an event that also led to a discussion by other Monkees, like Mike Nesmith, about the tendency for fans to ask for pictures with their pets.

“I’m surprised that Nez sat for pictures because we always tended to avoid that,” said Dolenz. “People would say, ‘Oh, take a picture with my pet monkey!’ And we would say, ‘When you meet The Beatles, do you ask them to take a picture with a cockroach?’”

Shortly after Micky shot these pics, Mr. Jinx would retire to the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, MO.



August 23, 2025

Fabulous Portraits of Ava Gardner From “The Barefoot Contessa” (1954)

The Barefoot Contessa is a classic 1954 drama film written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The movie stars Ava Gardner as María Vargas, a Spanish dancer who rises from obscurity to international stardom, and Humphrey Bogart as Harry Dawes, a cynical Hollywood director who becomes her confidant and mentor.

The film is a glamorous yet tragic tale about fame, wealth, and disillusionment. It explores how María’s natural beauty and talent bring her success, but also how the pressures of high society, personal ambition, and troubled relationships ultimately shape her destiny.

Renowned for its lush cinematography, elegant costumes, and Gardner’s magnetic screen presence, The Barefoot Contessa has long been regarded as one of the defining films of her career. It remains a fascinating portrait of Hollywood’s Golden Age, mixing drama, romance, and a critique of celebrity culture.

Take a look at these fabulous photos to see portraits of Ava Gardner during the filming of The Barefoot Contessa in 1954.






August 17, 2025

Unseen Behind the Scenes Photos of Robert De Niro Practicing in Front of the Mirror From the Film “Taxi Driver” (1976)

Robert De Niro has shared the backstory behind one of the most unforgettable moments in Martin Scorsese’s 1976 masterpiece, Taxi Driver, revealing that the iconic scene was partially improvised. “Some of the best stuff, not always, is when it’s improvised.”

In the film, De Niro’s portrayal of disturbed cabbie Travis Bickle birthed one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history: standing in front of a mirror, Bickle talks to himself and points a gun at his reflection as he imagines facing off with a foe.

“You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin’ to?” De Niro, as Bickle, famously demands of his invisible adversary. “You talkin’ to me? Well, I’m the only one here. Who the f*ck do you think you’re talking to?”

“The producer [of the film] … said on some show that Marty had said it was all improvised,” the actor shared. “We had something [on the page], I forget exactly but Marty remembers a lot better than I do.”

“It seemed right,” De Niro added, reflecting on the moment. “It was done spontaneously. You don’t know what’s going to [happen]. That’s the fun of working, especially with someone like Marty Scorsese. It’s nice to be able to go here and there, go off, following the scene or the thrust of the story, but you can go here and there. You never know when that stuff is usable.”

What most people don’t know is that the interiors of Travis’s apartment and Iris’s room hallways were actually shot in the very same building, 586 Columbus Avenue. The building was condemned and it has long since been demolished.

De Niro’s performance in Taxi Driver earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. In 2003, Bickle was ranked as the 30th greatest movie villain in movie history by the American Film Institute in their “AFI 100 Years…100 Heroes & Villains” list.






August 16, 2025

Fascinating Behind the Scenes Photos of Ingmar Bergman’s Masterpiece “Persona” (1966)

Persona is a 1966 Swedish psychological drama film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, often regarded as one of his greatest works and a landmark in world cinema. The story follows Elisabet Vogler, a stage actress who suddenly stops speaking during a performance and withdraws from the world. She is cared for by Alma, a young nurse, in a remote seaside cottage, where the boundaries between their identities begin to blur.

The film is noted for its minimalist setting, intense performances, and complex exploration of themes such as identity, duality, isolation, and the nature of reality. Bibi Andersson plays Alma with vulnerability and emotional intensity, while Liv Ullmann’s portrayal of the silent Elisabet is haunting and enigmatic.

Cinematographer Sven Nykvist’s striking black-and-white photography heightens the sense of intimacy and psychological tension, using close-ups and stark contrasts to capture every nuance of expression. The film’s unconventional narrative structure and symbolic imagery invite multiple interpretations, making it a subject of ongoing scholarly analysis and debate.

Persona has been praised for its daring artistry and remains a deeply influential piece of cinema, inspiring countless filmmakers and continuing to challenge audiences with its enigmatic power. Take a look at these fascinating behind-the-scenes photos to see how Ingmar Bergman crafted his haunting masterpiece Persona (1966).






August 14, 2025

Outtakes From The Doors’ “Waiting for the Sun” Album Cover Photoshoot in Los Angeles, 1968

Waiting for the Sun is the third studio album by The Doors, released by Elektra Records on July 3, 1968. It became the band’s only number one album, topping the Billboard 200 for four weeks, while also including their second US number one single, “Hello, I Love You.”

The cover art for the album Waiting for the Sun.

The album cover for Waiting for the Sun was shot in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles in February 1968 by photographer Paul Ferrara, a longtime friend of Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek from their days at UCLA. The photos were taken on a cliff, utilizing natural light. The set-up wasn’t elaborate: no big crew, no fancy staging—just the band and the photographer, sharing a familiar outdoor spot. Ferrara used a station wagon as a platform for his camera.

Fun anecdote from Dennis Dunaway (the original Alice Cooper bassist): “Glen Buxton (original Alice Cooper guitarist) and him (Jim Morrison) used to go out drinking a lot. As a matter of fact, they stayed up all night drinking at a Mexican restaurant. Then Jim Morrison flipped out because he remembered he had a photo shoot for the album cover Waiting for the Sun. They had set up a shoot so they could have the sun coming up behind the band. He freaked out because he didn’t have anything to wear, so Glen took his black sweater off and gave it to him and that’s what he’s wearing in that picture.”






August 11, 2025

35 Rarely Seen Photos of the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” Original Cast

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American superhero television series that premiered on August 28, 1993, on the Fox Kids programming block. It is the first entry of the Power Rangers franchise, and became a 1990s pop culture phenomenon along with a large line of toys, action figures, and other merchandise. The show adapted stock footage from Japanese television series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (1992–1993), which was the 16th installment of Toei’s Super Sentai franchise.

The casting process for the show was extensive, with hundreds of actors auditioning. David Yost originally tried out for the role of Jason but was cast as Billy instead, and he had to adapt to playing the nerdy character, even though he was a skilled martial artist in real life. Thuy Trang was reportedly so nervous during her audition that she almost couldn’t finish it.

Several of the original cast members were accomplished martial artists. Jason David Frank (Tommy Oliver) was a black belt in multiple disciplines and later went on to have a career in MMA. Austin St. John (Jason Lee Scott) was a black belt in Taekwondo, Judo, and Kenpo. Thuy Trang (Trini Kwan) had a black belt in Shaolin kung fu. Walter Emanuel Jones (Zack Taylor) was a black belt in Hopkido.

While some of the actors performed their own stunts, the in-suit fight scenes were almost always performed by professional stunt performers. Thuy Trang, for example, performed many of her own stunts and was injured on set a number of times. Amy Jo Johnson and David Yost, who were experienced gymnasts, often incorporated their acrobatic skills into their fight scenes.

A major point of behind the scenes tension was the low pay for the actors, especially in comparison to the show's massive success. This ultimately led to the departure of Austin St. John, Walter Emanuel Jones, and Thuy Trang in the second season.









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