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[MikeMalloy]

Like Federico said, he looks pretty good doesn't he?

Was he on form Mike? Any feedback from Mike Martinez as regards how the interview went?

Sharp as a tack on names and titles, I'm told.

Oh, and thanks to Messrs. Redman and Grimes for supplying me with the three Harrison/Bianchi movies that I didn't already have. That aided my question writing, naturally.

Apparently, Harrison even gives the scoop on these two obscure crime movies -- neither of which seem to be circulating:

Once Upon a Gangster
Clouzot & Co versus Borsalino & Co

[MikeMalloy]

He looks really great! He should be 70something right now, I guess...
If you see him again please tell him that Enzo Milioni (who was Sergio Grieco's assistant on Beast With A Gun) sends him a big hug.

Keep up the good work, Mike!

Hey, Federico! Good to see you on here!

I forget -- are you friendly with Mario Bianchi? I wonder if he and Harrison remain in touch...

Did I ever post frame caps from the excellent EUROCRIME! interviews you conducted -- Luc Merenda, Mario Caiano, Sal Borgese and Claudio Fragasso?

[Federico]

Clouzot & Co versus Borsalino & Co

There's a pretty rare italian vhs for this movie, released by Torino Video.
Not a very good movie but it's interesting because Nello Pazzafini has one of the biggest roles of his whole career.
Good old Richard Harrison wasn't a great screenwriter...  

[Federico]

I forget -- are you friendly with Mario Bianchi? I wonder if he and Harrison remain in touch...

I've met Mario Bianchi just once, for Satan's Baby Doll extra features. In that occasion we discussed mostly about his beginnings and his horror movies.
I don't know if he kept in touch with Mr. Harrison, but I would be surprised if he did.
On the other hand i'm 100% that Claudio Fragasso would love to see him again.

[MikeMalloy]

Clouzot & Co versus Borsalino & Co

There's a pretty rare italian vhs for this movie, released by Torino Video.

I guess I'll find out soon enough, but in the meantime, tell me: Is it at all related to the Alain Delon BORSALINO films, or is it just cashing in with the name in the title -- sort of like all those "Django" and "Sartana" movies that didn't even feature characters by those names.

[vigilanteforce]

This documentary keeps getting better and better. I love Richard Harrison! Wish someone would interview him about his HK Ninja movies as well 

[Federico]

Is it at all related to the Alain Delon BORSALINO films, or is it just cashing in with the name in the title -- sort of like all those "Django" and "Sartana" movies that didn't even feature characters by those names.

This movie just uses the name of Borsalino, it has nothing to do with Alain Delon movie.
In this movie Richard Harrison plays Borsalino (a mafia kingpin) but the movie it's more a pretty lame comedy than a crime flick.

[MikeMalloy]

This documentary keeps getting better and better. I love Richard Harrison! Wish someone would interview him about his HK Ninja movies as well 

That's a bit of a sore subject with Harrison, but there is a very good video interview with him that does go into this topic:

Nanarland.com

[vigilanteforce]

Thanks Mike, I already knew about Nanarland but never noticed that video interview! Looks great!

[Stephen Grimes]

Oh, and thanks to Messrs. Redman and Grimes for supplying me with the three Harrison/Bianchi movies that I didn't already have. That aided my question writing, naturally.

No problem Mike,glad i could help 
Really looking forward to seeing the Harrison interview,big fan of his work with Mario Bianchi.

[mattblake]

I'm really looking forward to this doc, Mike!

Richard also talks about his HK movies in the Gods in Spandex book (http://thewildeye.co.uk/blog/2008/06/gods-in-spandex/).  As Mike says... I don't think he was all that happy with what happened out there!

[MarcMorris]

How are the clip clearances and footage coming along for this? Any ideas which films will be included?

[aylmer666]

Harrison's a nice guy and lives in a wonderful estate right on Malibu next to Matthew McCanaughey's property.  He was a real peach all through the interview and gave way more answer than he needed to... which is good!

We very lightly touched on his ninja movies withe Godfrey Ho.  Just like I'd suspected he'd met Ho (who then was merely an AD) earlier on the set of the two Shaw Brothers epics he filmed in the late 70's, and acted in his ninja movies in the 80's as a favor.  Ho was very courteous to him and a pleasure to work with, but then stabbed him in the back as soon as he left Hong Kong and re-cut his footage into at least 10 more movies!

While his crime films were not exactly my "favorites" of the genre, Harrison DID get to work with all the big Eurocrime directors earlier in the 60's... so he had some good stories about Lenzi, Margheriti, Castellari, and Marino Girolami. 

The most hilarious story was about Umberto Lenzi while they were filming a spy movie "Mountain of Light" in Singapore.  Apparently, Harrison thought it would be funny to hook Lenzi up with a transexual to shut Lenzi up (Lenzi was always angry and yelling on set).  Lenzi ended up seeing the transexual for several days and thanking Harrison repeatedly for the introduction.  Then, on the plane ride home, Harrison informed Lenzi that the "woman" he'd been "seeing" was a transexual.  Lenzi got super-pissed for about 1 minute... but then cooled down and said "eh, it's all in the past!".  And that was that.

[Stephen Grimes]

There's an article written by Lenzi in the new issue of Cine 70 where he mentions abit about filming MOUNTAIN OF LIGHT in Singapore with Harrison,not surprisingly he doesn't say anything about that very funny story.

[MikeMalloy]

How are the clip clearances and footage coming along for this? Any ideas which films will be included?

Since picking up interest at Marche Du Film, the consensus with the interested parties is that I should create a long-form demo (60-90 minutes) that is my absolute dream version and not worry about clearances at this stage. Then, if an interested party falls in love with it as is, we build the licensing fees into the finishing funds (or negotiate to use 50% of the clips in the demo -- that sort of thing). Perhaps a lot of extra work for me, assembling a feature-length cut that may not resemble the finished product, but a good way to get some major momentum going.

Fortunately, I can compose '70s-style instrumental funk in my sleep, so that will keep music costs down.