Sunday 21 September 2014

1966, Film: “Fahrenheit 451”

The British film “Fahrenheit 451” is released 16 September 1966. The science fiction drama is directed by French cineast François Truffaut, starring Oskar Werner, Julie Christie in a dual role, and Cyril Cusack. The script is based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Ray Bradbury. This was Truffaut's first color film and the only English-language film he ever directed. The film was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 1966 Venice Film Festival.

Synopsis
In the near future, Guy Montag (Oskar Werner) is a firefighter who lives in a lonely, isolated society where books have been outlawed by a government fearing an independent-thinking public. The duty of the firefighters is to burn all books on sight that have been reported by informants. All people are drugged into obedience by reality television broadcasts on wall-length screens...
Oskar Werner as Guy Montag and Julie Christie as Linda Montag
Oskar Werner as Guy Montag and Julie Christie as Clarisse McClellan
Trivia
  • The title of the movie and the book comes from the auto-ignition temperature at which paper catches fire, according to a fireman to whom Ray Bradbury posed the question.
  • Paul Newman, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Charles Aznavour, Peter O'Toole, and Terence Stamp were at some stage considered for the role of Montag.
Oskar Werner as Guy Montag and Julie Christie as Clarisse McClellan
Cyril Cusack as The Captain and Oskar Werner as Guy Montag
Anton Diffring as Fabian
Director François Truffaut at the set of Fahrenheit 451
Main Cast
  • Julie Christie as Clarisse McClellan/Linda Montag
  • Oskar Werner as Guy Montag
  • Cyril Cusack as The Captain
  • Anton Diffring as Fabian/Headmistress
  • Jeremy Spenser as Man with the Apple
  • Bee Duffell as Book Woman
  • Alex Scott as Book Person: 'The Life of Henry Brulard'

Fahrenheit 451 Trailer

Sunday 7 September 2014

1965, Television: “Hogan's Heroes”

On 17 September 1965 the American television series "Hogan's Heroes" premieres on the CBS Network. The sitcom is set in a German prisoner of war camp (Stalag 13) during World War II and ran for 168 episodes from 1965 to 1971. Main stars are Bob Crane as Colonel Robert E. Hogan, coordinating an international crew of prisoners from the camp, Werner Klemperer as Colonel Wilhelm Klink, the commandant of the camp, and John Banner as Hans Schultz. The theme music was composed by Jerry Fielding. The series was created by Bernard Fein and Albert S. Ruddy.
John Banner, Bob Crane and Werner Klemperer
Synopsis
US Colonel Hogan leads an international team of POW's in Germany. The Germans give Hogan and his crew plenty of opportunities to sabotage their war plans. Camp commandant Colonel Klink is more concerned with having everything run smoothly and avoiding any trouble with his superiors than keeping an eye on the prisoners...
Bob Crane as Col. Robert E. Hogan
Trivia
  • The actors who played the four major German roles: Werner Klemperer, John Banner, Leon Askin, and Howard Caine were actually from Jewish origin. Furthermore, Klemperer, Banner and Askin had fled the Nazis during World War II.
  • On 16 October 1970 Bob Crane married his costar Sigrid Valdis on the set of the show.
  • On 29 June 1978 Bob Crane was brutally murdered in his apartment. The murder remains officially unsolved.
Bob Crane as Col. Robert E. Hogan with Elisa Ingram as Lili in “The Tower” (S02E27, 1967)
Main Cast
  • Bob Crane as Col. Robert E. Hogan
  • Werner Klemperer as Col. Wilhelm Klink
  • John Banner as Sgt. Hans Georg Schultz
  • Robert Clary as Cpl. Louis LeBeau
  • Richard Dawson as Cpl. Peter Newkirk
  • Larry Hovis as Sgt. Andrew Carter
  • Ivan Dixon as Sgt. James 'Kinch' Kinchloe
John Banner as Sgt. Hans Georg Schultz and Sigrid Valdis as Hilda (Col. Klink's secretary)
Awards
  • Emmy Awards: Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy: Werner Klemperer (1968)
  • Emmy Awards: Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series: Werner Klemperer (1969)

Hogan's Heroes Opening Credits

Thursday 4 September 2014

1964, Cars: Fiat 850

In 1964 Italian car maker Fiat introduced the Fiat 850, a small rear-engined rear-wheel drive car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, as a successor to the very popular Fiat 600.

The engine bas based on that of the Fiat 600 with an increased capacity to 843 cc. Initially two sedan versions were available: "normale" with a 25 kW engine and "super" with a 28 kW engine. The maximum speed was approximately 125 km/h. At the same time Fiat also introduced the Familiare as a successor to the Fiat 600 Multipla. It featured space for seven passengers in three seat rows.
Predecessor Fiat 600
Fiat 850 Sedan
Fiat 850 Coupé
In 1965 Fiat introduced the 850 Coupé on the Geneva Motor Show with the 843 cc engine tuned to produce 35 kW and a maximum speed of 135 km/h. At the same time the Bertone designed Spider was introduced with the 843 cc engine tuned to produce 37 kW allowing a top speed of 145 km/h.
Fiat 850 Spider
The Fiat 850 Special, a revised version of the 850 sedan was launched in 1968. It shared the 35 kW engine of the 850 Coupé featuring front disc brakes, a sport steering wheel and updated trim. The Spider and Coupé were also revised as the Sport Spider and Sport Coupé with a stronger engine with 903 cc and 39 kW.
Fiat 850 Spécial
Fiat 850 Sport Coupé
Successor Fiat 127 (1973)
Production ended in 1973 when the 850 was succeeded by Fiat 127 and the Seat 133 (in some countries Fiat 133). The 850 Familiare continued in production till 1976 when it was replaced by the similar Fiat 900T.


Fiat 850 Sedan Italian advert (1965)


Fiat 850 Sedan German Documentary (1964)


Fiat 850 Coupé French advert (1965)


Fiat 850 Sport Spider Italian ad (1968)

Brochure Fiat 850 Spider (1968, German)