Category Archives: Film

My autobiography is now available worldwide on Amazon

Posted on March 8, 2026 by admin

By Ray Bennett It’s been a long time coming but now I can announce that my autobiography is available worldwide on Amazon. Here’s the description: In the golden days of Hollywood, M-G-M studios boasted that it had ‘more stars than … Continue reading →

Posted in Edinburgh International Film Festival, Festival de Cannes, Film, Interviews, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Krakow Film Music Festival, Locarno International Film Festival, Media, Memory Lane, Music, Places, Reviews, Television, Theatre, TIFF Toronto International Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival, World Soundtrack Awards | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on My autobiography is now available worldwide on Amazon

How quiet scenes help make ‘The Great Escape’ so thrilling

Posted on December 28, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett John Sturges’s terrific prisoner-of-war adventure ‘The Great Escape’ is an annual treat around this time of year and remained great entertainment when I watched it on BBC-TV for the enth time. Elmer Bernstein’s splendid score was the … Continue reading →

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Meeting Rob Reiner a second time showed me a different man

Posted on December 16, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett Fame and popularity can so easily go to the head of entertainers and so it seemed the first time I met Rob Reiner when he was still in his 20s and starring in the smash hit TV … Continue reading →

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Woody Allen on ‘Annie Hall’ and why he disliked his other films

Posted on November 30, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett As Woody Allen turns 90 today, I’m reminded of his remarkably candid comments at a New York junket for ‘Annie Hall’ in the Spring of 1977. He hated having to publicise his films, he said, ‘I don’t … Continue reading →

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How I helped keep Bill Murray subversive

Posted on September 21, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett I had a bone to pick with Bill Murray, who turns 75 today. It was 1990 and all the rebellious early comedians on “Saturday Night Live” appeared to have lost their way. From radical satire they’d moved … Continue reading →

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When Topol stood me up to go off to war

Posted on September 9, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ star Chaim Topol cancelled my interview with him in June 1967 but he had a very good reason. He left his starring role of Tevye in the hit West End production … Continue reading →

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Jill St. John wanted to share recipes but not Robert Wagner

Posted on August 19, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett Jill St. John, who turns 85 today, has brightened big and small screens in countless TV shows and movies including her big splash as the first American James Bond girl, Tiffany Case, in ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ opposite … Continue reading →

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When Steve Martin became my biggest fan

Posted on August 14, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett Carl Reiner greeted me in his hotel room in Toronto and said, ‘Steve Martin is your No. 1 fan.’ Performers become fans of critics, of course, only when we write something they like. Their film ‘All of … Continue reading →

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Lalo Schifrin on his love of the music for ‘Tango’

Posted on June 26, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett Argentinian composer Lalo Schifrin, who has died aged 93, is known for his concerts, recordings, film scores such as “Bullitt”, “Cool Hand Luke” and “Dirty Harry” and TV shows such as “Mission: Impossible” and “Mannix” but one … Continue reading →

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Frederick Forsyth did more than write great thrillers

Posted on June 9, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – English writer Frederick Forsyth, who died today aged 86, not only wri0te  clever and exciting thrillers such as ‘Day of the Jackal’ (starring Edward Fox, above)  and ‘The Odessa file’, he also was prescient about … Continue reading →

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