Is this a rumor?

Long time no hear from. Video Screams has or had it for sale for $25. Unfortunately there are a number of problems with it such as missing scenes, photography needing work and an abrupt ending which gives you the impression Coppola didn't know how to end the movie. As I said, the journey upriver takes forever.

On the plus side, it includes the plantation scene, more footage of Brando and more time in the tiger cage for Sheen. I haven't seen it for some time, and my memory dims. Perhaps, as I said, someday they might find the original 5 hr verson of The Wild Bunch.

There's a company in Viriginia that sells soundtracks, often complete. I recently got The Alamo, Fall of The Roman Empire and The Wild Bunch. The Tiomkin scores were rerecorded in Prague some reason. Both The Alamo and The Wild Bunch contains three hours of music from the two films plus supplemental, deleted or alternate takes. The Alamo scores eiliminates Frankie Avalon, Marty Robbins and The Brothers 4 as well as Wayne's 2 speeches from the previous albums. I am big on Tiomkin, and they also have The Thing and Red River. Tiomkin later recycled some of the Red River music for Dean Martin's songs in Rio Bravo. Tiomnkin, by the way, turns up on an old Jack Benny episode late at night.

There's a curious flub in Rio Bravo. Somebody's conveniently holding Wayne's horse when he chases after two of John Russell's men.If I remember a comment on the commentary is the effect that "whoever thought a western starring Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson would become such a classic?"

Not much else new. My niece, who just got engaged last week, didn't really want to talk about her movie Welcome to Harlem. It played at the Apollo Theater 18 months ago, at some film festivals and U of Maryland but never seems to have any luck finding distribution.

I turned 71 yesterday. Aside from my family and hs classmates nobody believes I'm that old. I look at Carl Bernstein, who was a year behind me in high school, and I swear he looks older than me.

I see Steve Forrest, who was Dana Andrews' brother, died recently as well as Michael Caine's brother Stanley who had a very brief career of three movies. I caught the Caine's in The Italian Job last night. Entertaining with a literal cliffhanger ending. Interesting contrast of Michael Caine's Cockney accent with Noel Coward's upperclass one.