The List of Adrian Messenger (1963)

[Scottie]

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Who is releasing this? Universal? Shout?

Edit: Nevermind, I overlooked the Universal icon on your post. I love this, such a fun film with all the “hidden” guest appearances.

[Nailwraps]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

Who is releasing this? Universal? Shout?

Universal

[Monterey Jack]

Great early Jerry Goldsmith score on this one.

[Jobla]

If only they'd add an audio commentary track about the real "secrets" of this movie. Video Watchdog had an article about the making of this film several years ago.

[Alex82]

What a surprise, it's the kind of movie that independent labels usually get.

[Alex82]

Originally Posted by Jobla

If only they'd add an audio commentary track about the real "secrets" of this movie. Video Watchdog had an article about the making of this film several years ago.

Do tell, I'm curious.

[Gerby]

Love this film, one of Huston's best in my opinion.

[Markgway]

George C. Scott is great, but the mystery is flat, and some of the celebrity cameos are cheats.

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by Markgway

George C. Scott is great, but the mystery is flat, and some of the celebrity cameos are cheats.

[Show spoiler]I'm quite fond of this film, George C. Scott gives a great ott performance, & of course there's Kirk Douglas. The Burt Lancaster woman protester is a cheat, but I think that's the only one, I'm sure that's Frank Sinatra under the gypsy make-up.

[Markgway]

[Show spoiler]I think Sinatra only did the reveal. Sure I read that somewhere. Maybe the VW article?

[thinredline]

Please don't make spoilers for us that haven't seen the film!

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by thinredline

Please don't make spoilers for us that haven't seen the film!

Yup, quite right, it's fun to see who is what. It's a very quirky fun film.

[thinredline]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

Yup, quite right, it's fun to see who is what. It's a very quirky fun film.

well, i've read this. Don't know if it's true or not..

[Show spoiler]
"several of the bit characters are played by famous stars in heavy makeup, and each of these stars -- Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, Frank Sinatra, and Tony Curtis -- unmasks in the epilogue. In truth, only Douglas and Mitchum did any real acting under their mounds of collodion and crepe hair; the others showed up only to shoot their unmasking scenes (at a salary of $75,000 each!) and were doubled in the film itself.~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide "

[CinemaScope]

And let's not forget the great Jerry Goldsmith score this film has.

[klauswhereareyou]

This is good since from what I remember this only got a burn on demand DVD release. Hope the transfer is at least decent (you never know with Universal catalog releases).

[Dan_Shane]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

[Show spoiler]I'm quite fond of this film, George C. Scott gives a great ott performance, & of course there's Kirk Douglas. The Burt Lancaster woman protester is a cheat, but I think that's the only one, I'm sure that's Frank Sinatra under the gypsy make-up.

[Show spoiler]Not his voice though. That's the late, great Paul Frees.

[Gacivory]

This is perfect timing! Just rewatched Fat City and The Misfits, and been on a Huston kick!

[ajabrams]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

This is perfect timing! Just rewatched Fat City and The Misfits, and been on a Huston kick!

I'd love to see a nice Blu ray of Huston's "Moulin Rouge." "Messenger"is an automatic buy for me - a fun watch!

[Jobla]

When the film opened in Seattle circa 1963, the newspaper display ad offered an additional bit of ballyhoo: the ad said "Talk to Kirk Douglas," and a phone number was specified. So, I called it, and it was just a recording of Douglas pumping the film. You could listen to Kirk Douglas (unless the voice was actually Paul Frees), but you couldn't really talk to him.