On the James Bond set with Roger Moore

By Ray Bennett

LONDON – Roger Moore, who died on May 23 aged 89, told me that really he was a frustrated bank robber. “It’s only fear that’s stopped me from robbing banks, and that’s why I’m a movie actor. I’d get caught. I’ve never been caught acting.”

I spoke to him at Pinewood Studios on Dec. 10, 1984, on the set of his last James Bond picture, “A View to a Kill”. He had just been shooting an action scene with co-star Tanya Roberts. Unruffled, he sat on a director’s chair in the middle of a very cold soundstage smoking the first of several Davidoff cigars he would enjoy through the day. Continue reading

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‘Being a nice guy is acting’ and more great Roger Moore quotes

By Ray Bennett

LONDON – Roger Moore, who died Tuesday aged 89, spoke to me at Pinewood Studios on Dec. 10 1984 on the set of his last James Bond picture, “A View to a Kill”. Here are some highlights from my interview (see full story above): Continue reading

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KFMF: Adventure and tears as orchestra plays ‘Titanic Live’

By Ray Bennett

KRAKOW – The Krakow Film Music Festival raised James Cameron’s “Titanic” to new heights as it screened to a live performance of James Horner’s Oscar-winning score to mark the film’s 20th anniversary.

The festival had planned to invite the American composer to celebrate the occasion before he died aged 61 on June 22, 2015. He was piloting a single-engine plane when it crashed into a remote area about 60 miles north of Santa Barbara in California. Continue reading

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TV’s ‘Perry Mason’, Raymond Burr was someone to count on

By Ray Bennett

LONDON – Anyone who recalls “Perry Mason” or “Ironside” will recall Raymond Burr, who was born 100 years ago today. He was one of the biggest stars on television from the Fifties through to the Nineties … in more ways than one. Continue reading

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KFMF: Great composers light the beacon for 10th anniversary

By Ray Bennett

KRAKOW – The Krakow Film Music Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary on Saturday night with a spectacular concert of movie and television themes by some of the greatest names in film composing.

The three-hour show at the packed Tauron Arena included themes and songs by James Newton Howard, Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Alan Menken, John Williams, Alan Menken and Howard Shore, who was awarded the annual Kilar Award. Continue reading

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KFMF: Septuagenarian Giorgio Moroder rocks the night

By Ray Bennett

KRAKOW – Composer and music producer Giorgio Moroder showed that he has lost none of his steam at 77 as he was the special guest dee-jay at an Eighties-style late night street party as part of the Krakow Film Music Festival.

Dance2Cinema: Midnight Express Party was a free show on Jan Nowak-Jeziorański Square next to the city’s train station that attracted a huge crowed eager to disco-dance the night away. Continue reading

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KFMF: Jean-Michel Bernard puts fresh face on old film scores

By Ray Bennett

KRAKOW – With charm, skill and a good deal of wit, French pianist, composer, educator, orchestrator, and music producer Jean-Michel Bernard provided a fresh perspective on a range of well-known movie and television themes on Thursday night. Continue reading

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KFMF: Doldinger’s ‘Neverending Story’ score charms festival

By Ray Bennett

KRAKOW – The presence of German saxophonist and film composer Klaus Doldinger appeared to electrify conductor Christian Schumann and the Sinfonietta Cracovia as they performed the maestro’s score for “The Neverending Story” at the ICE Krakow on Thursday night. Continue reading

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KFMF: Krakow salutes one of its own: Abel Korzeniowski

By Ray Bennett

Krakow – Composer Abel Korzeniowski, who left Poland to find success scoring films in Hollywood, was given the key to the city of his birth and standing ovations following a concert of his music at the ICE Krakow Congress Centre on Wednesday night. Continue reading

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Krakow Film Music Festival celebrates first decade

By Ray Bennett

KRAKOW – The 10th annual Krakow Film Music Festival (KFMF) kicked off today and as organisers looked back on the domestic and international success of the Polish event, there was one key element: “The magic word is passion,” said Jan A.P. Kaczmarek. Continue reading

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