How a love of sports made Garry Marshall a comedy legend

Posted on July 20, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

LONDON – Garry Marshall, who died Tuesday aged 81, said one of the reasons he became one of the most prolific and successful producers of TV sitcoms was because he was a sports nut. Continue reading →

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Cheryl Ladd on ‘Charlie’s Angels’, Farrah Fawcett and bikinis

Posted on July 12, 2016 by admin

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LONDON – Cheryl Ladd, who turns 65 today, was always the most fun and down-to-earth of TV’s “Charlie’s Angels”, friendly and a bit flirty, and she wasn’t catty about Farrah Fawcett when she had every right to be. Continue reading →

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Why Bill Murray had all the good lines in ‘Ghostbusters’

Posted on July 10, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

LONDON – Bill Murray not only got all the big laughs in the original “Ghostbusters”, he also got the girl and he told reporters at the New York junket for the film in 1984 that it was all Dan Aykroyd’s fault. Continue reading →

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When Gordie Howie pretended that we were buddies

Posted on June 10, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

LONDON – In Canada, Gordie Howe, who has died aged 88, has long been revered and will always be remembered as Mr. Hockey, the greatest ever ice hockey player. I will always remember the day he made out that we were pals. Continue reading →

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Kraków Film Music Festival: ‘A total pleasure!’

Posted on June 1, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

KRAKÓW – Cliff Martinez said it best. The genial but taciturn favourite movie composer of filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, said, “It is simply very exciting to be in a place that celebrates film music.”

Martinez was speaking at a media conference at the 9th annual Kraków Film Music Festival where his music for films by Nicolas Winding Refn were celebrated along with other creators of scores both traditional and alternative. Continue reading →

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Kraków Film Music Festival: Animation Gala

Posted on May 30, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

KRAKÓW – Animated films tend to be filled with basic emotions that offer composers the opportunity to revel in them all from the terror of oppression to the tumult of revolt, the panic of flight to the anguish of loss, and the joy of mischief to the elixir of romance and the splendour of victory all in one picture. Continue reading →

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Kraków Film Music Festival: alterFMF Gala: Drone Sounds

Posted on May 29, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

KRAKÓW – The annual Kraków Film Music Festival continues to extend and deepen our appreciation of movie music and the life of film scores after the credits roll. The latest example was an outstanding concert of electronic film music by Americans Cliff Martinez and Joseph Trapanese, Iceland’s Jóhann Jóhannsson and Poland’s Łukasz Targosz . Continue reading →

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Kraków Film Music Festival: Wars & Kaper: Deconstruction

Posted on May 28, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

KRAKÓW – The annual Kraków Film Music Festival showed its adventurous side on May 26 with a fascinating programme of jazz interpretations of film music by treasured Polish composers Henryk Wars and Bronisław Kaper by the Audiofeeling Trio, with deejay Mr. Krime, titled “Wars & Kaper: Deconstruction”. Continue reading →

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Kraków Film Music Festival: Polanski, Desplat and Goldsmith

Posted on May 27, 2016 by admin

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By Ray Bennett

KRAKÓW – The plaintive trumpet solo that Jerry Goldsmith wrote for Roman Polanski’s 1974 film “Chinatown” hovered like a blessing over a concert of music from the Polish director’s movies to kick off Kraków’s annual Film Music Festival on May 25. Continue reading →

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Why Donovan said he would get me a knighthood

Posted on May 10, 2016 by admin

By Ray Bennett

LONDON – When Donovan, who turns 70 today, announced in Cannes that the internet is the new Sixties, my story about it made headlines around the world. When I ran into the folk-rocker later at a BMI gathering in London, he told me it had given him  the greatest publicity he’d had in years. “I’m going to get you a knighthood,” he said. Continue reading →

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