On this day in movie history - The Gambler (1974):

The Gambler

directed by Karel Reisz,

written by James Toback,

was released in the United States on October 2, 1974.
Music by Jerry Fielding.

Cast:

James Caan, Paul Sorvino, Lauren Hutton, Morris Carnovsky, Jacqueline Brookes, Burt Young, Carmine Caridi, Vic Tayback, Steven Keats, London Lee, M. Emmet Walsh, James Woods, Carl W. Crudup, Allan Rich, Stuart Margolin, Ric Mancini, Joel Wolfe, Raymond Serra, William Andrews, Joseph Attles, Antonio Fargas, Ernest Butler, Sully Boyar, Gregory Rozakis, Starletta DuPois, Lucille Patton, Ed Kovens, Baron Wilson, Richard Foronjy, Frank Sivero, Frank Adonis, Philip Sterling, Patricia Fay, Beatrice Winde, Leon Pinkney, Alisha Fontaine, Presley Caton, Mitch Stein, Jonathan Kushner, Charles Polk, Dick Schaap, Chick Hearn, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Jerry Leon, Melanie Mayron.

On this day in movie history - Narrow Margin (1990):

Narrow Margin

directed and written by Peter Hyams,

based on a story by Martin Goldsmith and Jack Leonard,

was released in the United States on September 21, 1990.
Music by Bruce Broughton.

Cast:

Gene Hackman, Anne Archer, James Sikking, J.T. Walsh, M. Emmet Walsh, Susan Hogan, Nigel Bennett, J.A. Preston, B.A. 'Smitty' Smith, Codie Lucas Wilbee, Barbara Russell, Antony Holland, Doreen Ramos, Kevin McNulty, Andrew Rhodes, Lon Katzman, Dana Still, Lesley Ewen, Barney O'Sullivan, Natino Bellantoni, Ted Stidder, Lindsay Bourne, Robert Rozen, Tom McBeath, Ron Cummins, Harris Yulin, Jennifer Fahrni, John Michael Quinn.

On this day in movie history - Blade Runner (1982 movie & books):

Blade Runner

directed by Ridley Scott,

written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples,

based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick,

was released in the United States on June 25, 1982.
Music by Vangelis.

Cast:

Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, Daryl Hannah, William Sanderson, Brion James, Joe Turkel, Joanna Cassidy, James Hong, Morgan Paull, Hy Pyke.

Recommended reading:

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

By Philip K. Dick.

Filmed as Blade Runner (1982), directed by Ridley Scott.

ASIN: 0586036059

Published by Voyager.

First published 1968.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0006482805

ISBN-13: 978-0586036051

Description:

21st Century Bounty Hunter.

Through the mean streets of a grim 21st century megalopolis, bounty hunter Rick Deckard stalked, searching out the renegade replicants who were his prey. But this assignment involved Nexus-6 targets and as a result Deckard quickly found himself involved in a nightmare kaleidoscope of violence and subterfuge – and the threat of death for the hunter rather than the hunted…

“A marvelous and complex book, simply written but leaving all kinds of resonance in the mind.” – Brian W. Aldiss.

Future Noir:

The Making of Blade Runner

by Paul M. Sammon.

Revised & Updated Edition.

ISBN-10: 0062699466

ISBN-13: 978-0062699466

Description from back cover:

The ultimate guide to Ridley Scott’s transformative sci-fi classic Blade Runner.

Ridley Scott’s 2007 “Final Cut” confirmed the international film cognoscenti’s judgment: Blade Runner, based on Philip K. Dick’s brilliant and troubling science fiction masterpiece Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, is among the most visually dense, thematically challenging, and influential science fiction films ever made. Future Noir Revised & Updated Edition offers a deeper understanding of this cinematic phenomenon that is storytelling and visual filmmaking at its best.

In this intensive, intimate, and anything-but-glamorous behind-the-scenes account, film insider and cinephile Paul M. Sammon explores how Ridley Scott purposefully used his creative genius to transform the work of science fiction’s most uncompromising author into a critical sensation and cult classic that would reinvent the genre. Sammon reveals how the making of the original Blade Runner was a seven-year odyssey that would test the stamina and the imagination of writers, producers, special effects wizards, and the most innovative art directors and set designers in the industry at the time it was made. This revised and expanded edition of Future Noir includes:

An overview of Blade Runner’s impact on moviemaking and its acknowledged significance in popular culture since the book’s original 1996 publication.

An exploration of the history of Blade Runner: The Final Cut and its theatrical release in 2007.

A look at its long-awaited sequel, Blade Runner 2049.

The longest interview Harrison Ford has ever granted about Blade Runner.

Exclusive new interviews with Rutger Hauer and Sean Young.

A fascinating look at the ever-shifting interface between commerce and art, illustrated with production photos and stills, Future Noir provides an eye-opening and enduring look at modern moviemaking, the business of Hollywood, and one of the greatest films of all time.

Blade Runner:

The Inside Story

By Don Shay.

Published by Titan Books.

Published 2003.

ISBN-10: 1840232102

ISBN-13: 9781840232103

Description:

In 1982, to coincide with Blade Runner's original release, Cinefex, the respected magazine devoted to movie design and special effects devoted an entire, extended issue to Ridley Scott's sci-fi masterpiece. That issue has been out of print since then, but in constant demand – copies now sell on the collector's market for over $100. Titan Books is proud to bring this classic back into print, in a remastered hardcover edition.

Described as 'the single most comprehensive examination of Blade Runner's special effects', this must-have book contains scores of images not available elsewhere, as well as authoritative text, containing in-depth, exclusive interviews with director Ridley Scott and the legendary designer Syd Mead.

Born on this day – M. Emmet Walsh:

M. Emmet Walsh

Actor

March 22, 1935 – March 19, 2024

Credits:

Outlaw Posse (2024); A Little White Lie (2023); M. Emmet Walsh: Defining the Character (2022); Dotty & Soul (2022); The Immaculate Room (2022); The Righteous Gemstones (2019–2022); American Gigolo (2022); The Mimic (2020); Knives Out (2019); South of Bix (2019); Sneaky Pete (2019); Raising Buchanan (2019); Faith, Hope & Love (2019); Sorry, Not Sorry (2019); Toto (2018); Change in the Air (2018); Shifting Gears (2018); The 4th Annual Carney Awards (2018); Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast (2018); The Man for the Part (2016); Captain America: Civil War Reenactors (2016); Boiling Pot (2015); Adventure Time (2012–2015); Empire (2015); The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power (2015); Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories (2014); 5-Second Films (2014); Calvary (2014); Cigar Man (2013); Pound Puppies (2010–2013); Love Sick Love (2012); Damages (2012); Arthur Newman (2012); The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012); Army Wives (2012); The Assignment (2010); Chasing 3000 (2010); 'Til Death (2010); Pound Puppies (2010); Odds & Ends (2009); Comedy Is Pain (2009); Sam Steele and the Junior Detective Agency (2009); Youth in Revolt (2009); Don McKay (2009); Haunted Echoes (2008); Your Name Here (2008); Sherman's Way (2008); Big Stan (2007); Man in the Chair (2007); Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007); The Kite Runner (2007); Only in LA (2005); Greener Mountains (2005); Racing Stripes (2005); Christmas with the Kranks (2004); The Guardian (2001); Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales (2003); Charlie Lawrence (2003); Baggage (2003); What's New, Scooby-Doo? (2002); The Mind of the Married Man (2001–2002); Snow Dogs (2002); Frasier (2001); Night Visions / Reunion (2001); Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (1999–2001); Eyeball Eddie (2001); Christmas in the Clouds (2001); AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills: America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies (2001); On the Edge of 'Blade Runner' (2000); Ed (2000); Gideon's Crossing (2000); Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family (2000); Poor White Trash (2000); NYPD Blue (2000); Jack of Hearts (1999); Monster! (1999); Me and Will (1999); Random Hearts (1999); The Wild Thornberrys (1999); The Iron Giant (1999); Wild Wild West (1999); The X-Files (1999); Nightmare in Big Sky Country (1998); Men in White (1998); Erasable You (1998); Tracey Takes On... (1998); Twilight (1998); Chairman of the Board (1997); My Best Friend's Wedding (1997); The Killing Jar (1997); Retroactive (1997); The West (1996); Early Edition (1996); Romeo + Juliet (1996); The Lottery (1996); Albino Alligator (1996); A Time to Kill (1996); Portraits of a Killer (1996); The Outer Limits (1996); Criminal Hearts (1996); Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995); From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1995); Panther (1995); Dead Badge (1995); The Way West (1995); Baseball (1994); Relative Fear (1994); Home Improvement (1994); Probable Cause (1994); The Glass Shield (1994); Camp Nowhere (1994); Madness of Method (1994); Cops and Robbersons (1994); Bitter Harvest (1993); Wilder Napalm (1993); The Jackie Thomas Show (1993); The Music of Chance (1993); Four Eyes and Six-Guns (1992); Wild Card (1992); The Naked Truth (1992); Equinox (1992); White Sands (1992); Killer Image (1992); The 6th Annual Independent Spirit Awards (1991); Silverfox (1991); Fourth Story (1991); The Flash (1990); The Civil War (1990); Narrow Margin (1990); Love and Lies (1990); The Nerd (1989); Chattahoochee (1989); Catch Me If You Can (1989); Tales from the Crypt (1989); Thunderground (1989); Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989); Unsub (1989); The Mighty Quinn (1989); Brotherhood of the Rose (1989); Red Scorpion (1988); War Party (1988); Clean and Sober (1988); Sunset (1988); The Milagro Beanfield War (1988); No Man's Land (1987); Harry and the Hendersons (1987); Murder Ordained (1987); The Abduction of Kari Swenson (1987); Raising Arizona (1987); Broken Vows (1987); Vanishing America (1986); Amazing Stories (1986); The Magical World of Disney (1986); Back to School (1986); The Deliberate Stranger (1986); Resting Place (1986); Critters (1986); Wildcats (1986); The Best of Times (1986); The Right of the People (1986); The Hitchhiker (1986); The Twilight Zone / Dealer's Choice (1985); ABC Weekend Specials (1985); Fletch (1985); Missing in Action (1984); Courage (1984); Grandview, U.S.A. (1984); The Outlaws (1984); The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984); You Are the Jury (1984); Blood Simple (1984); Scandalous (1984); AfterMASH (1984); Silkwood (1983); Night Partners (1983); ABC Afterschool Specials (1983); Blade Runner (1982); Fast-Walking (1982); The Escape Artist (1982); Cannery Row (1982); Reds (1981); Little House on the Prairie (1981); Back Roads (1981); Hellinger's Law (1981); East of Eden (1981); High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane (1980); Ordinary People (1980); Raise the Titanic (1980); Brubaker (1980); City in Fear (1980); Skag (1980); The Gift (1979); The Jerk (1979); The French Atlantic Affair (1979); The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979); Dear Detective (1979); No Other Love (1979); James at 16 (1978); Straight Time (1978); A Question of Guilt (1978); Superdome (1978); Starsky and Hutch (1976–1978); Red Alert (1977); Airport '77 (1977); Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1977); Slap Shot (1977); Gibbsville (1976); Nickelodeon (1976); Mikey and Nicky (1976); Bound for Glory (1976); The Invasion of Johnson County (1976); Baretta (1975–1976); Kate McShane (1975); Crime Club (1975); The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1975); The Waltons (1975); At Long Last Love (1975); Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic (1975); The Rockford Files (1975); Amy Prentiss (1974); McMillan & Wife (1974); The Gambler (1974); Doctor Dan (1974); Serpico (1973); Kid Blue (1973); The Sandy Duncan Show (1972); The Bob Newhart Show (1972); Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972); What's Up, Doc? (1972); Nichols (1971–1972); The Don Rickles Show (1972); Bonanza (1971); Ironside (1971); The Jimmy Stewart Show (1971); All in the Family (1971); They Might Be Giants (1971); Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971); Cold Turkey (1971); Julia (1971); Arnie (1970); Little Big Man (1970); The Traveling Executioner (1970); End of the Road (1970); Alice's Restaurant (1969); Stiletto (1969); The Skirts of Happy Chance (1969); Midnight Cowboy (1969); N.Y.P.D. (1969); The Doctors (1968).

On this day in movie history - Straight Time (1978):

Straight Time

directed by Ulu Grosbard and Dustin Hoffman,

written by Alvin Sargent, Edward Bunker and Jeffrey Boam,

based on the novel No Beast So Fierce by Edward Bunker,

was released in the United States on March 17, 1978.
Music by David Shire.

Cast:

Dustin Hoffman, Theresa Russell, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Stanton, M. Emmet Walsh, Rita Taggart, Kathy Bates, Sandy Baron, Jake Busey, Tina Menard, Stephanie Ericsson, Dave Kelly, Don Sommese, Kit Jee Wong, Peter Kwong, Jane Howard, Ronald L. Mellinger, Michael Blakley, John Colton, Edward Bunker, Corey Rand, John Gilgreen, Mary Craven, Peter Jurasik, Enid Hendershot, James Ray, Stuart I. Berton, Barry Cahill, Susan Sherman, Francesca Drown, Emily Le Rue, Ernest Taylor III, Fran Ryan, Bob Jarvis, Mark F. Hill, Mags Kavanaugh, Daniel Nunez, John McKinley Robertson, Mary Margaret Robinson, Deborah Sahagun.

On this day in movie history - Hellinger’s Law (1981):

Hellinger’s Law

directed by Leo Penn,

written by Lawrence Vail and Jack Laird,

based on a story by Lawrence Vail and Ted Leighton,

was released in the United States on March 10, 1981.
Music by John Cacavas.

Cast:

Telly Savalas, Morgan Stevens, Ja'net DuBois, Roy Poole, Rod Taylor, Melinda Dillon, James Sutorius, Tom McFadden, Lisa Blake Richards, Kyle Richards, Arlen Dean Snyder, Thom Christopher, M. Emmet Walsh, Robert Phalen, Jack Ramage, Patsy Rahn, Don Hanmer, Francis X. McCarthy, Cindy Fisher, Bill Cross, Randy Holland, Sean Penn.