Today's Bill Collins Midday Movie is proudly brought to you by Chandler's.
Broadway.
And a very good afternoon to you.
Today our film is Gunsite Ridge.
Before I comment on Gunsite Ridge, do you see this?
That's a picture, a most beautiful picture in costume.
Joan Sutherland.
And this Designs for a Primadonna would have to be one of the two or three most exciting
books that's ever been published in Australia.
Why?
Well, following the movie today, I'm going to be talking to a man named Neville Drury.
He's a publisher.
And he's doing, to book publishing in Australia, what some very special people have done already
overseas.
But what he and his team have created just knocks my eyes out.
Joan Sutherland, Designs for a Primadonna.
Neville will be talking about this remarkable piece.
Tell your neighbours not to miss after the movie today because it's very special indeed.
You're going to see something absolutely stunning.
Now today's film is Gunsite Ridge.
Judging by the poster you've just seen or the poster that's on the wall now, you wouldn't
expect anything special.
Now the film has one enormous failing.
It was directed by Francis D. Lyon and I suspect that he came in at the last part of the business
because it's the kind of subject that looks as if it needed a Bud Burtico or a Joseph
H. Lewis to direct and bring together properly.
However, having said the, well, intimate, the direction lets the movie down.
Let me tell you now that it has some of the most beautiful black and white photography
you could ever see on the screen by Ernest Laszlo.
It has a musical score by David Raxon who composed the scores for Forever Amber, Bad
and the Beautiful and the Unforgettable Laura.
So you can see we're ahead already, aren't we?
Also the use of natural sound in some moments is quite extraordinary.
Now having said that, we get to the pièce de résistance.
The screenplay by Talbot Jennings and Elizabeth Jennings has one of the most unusual ideas
that I've ever seen.
Here are the two leading actors.
First of all we have Joel McCrae.
Now this scene is a pose shot for the film and don't take much notice of it.
It is supposed to be Mark Stevens there.
Joel McCrae has a good part in this film and I always like Joel McCrae.
I think most of us do.
And now here's a very bad picture of Mark Stevens but that's all I could show you today
unfortunately.
I was a bit tardy in getting a good picture of him into the studio.
Mark Stevens, a very handsome actor in the 1940s, he appeared to advantage a 20th Century
Fox and then his career went into a bit of a decline.
But there he plays in this film a most extraordinary character named Velvet.
Yes, he plays a character named Velvet and Velvet is a ruthless outlaw.
He is really vicious.
Can be calm and then do something really mean.
And he's a worry, he really is.
And the reason he is an outlaw is the most unusual reason I think I've ever encountered
in any western movie, be it a big one or a minor one.
You curious?
Well, Gunsight Ridge will certainly give you something to think about and the last few
moments on the screen are surprisingly touching.
Listen carefully to what is said.
And now Gunsight Ridge with Joel McCray and Mark Stevens.
Today's Bill Collins midday movie was proudly brought to you by Chandlers.
Isn't it a touchy little film?
Velvet, a ruthless and vicious man capable of sudden temper tantrums that mean violence.
His life gone leery all because he wants to study the piano.
It's quite a sad little story, a sad little western tragedy.
And I think Mark Stevens' last words on the screen, don't try to keep me, just let me
go.
I just found that almost overpoweringly sad.
Interesting film, what a pity it didn't have the touch of a really top director.
And that's all it needed to attain a kind of classic status.
There's so many good things in it and I thought you'd be moved by the story.
Now in a few moments time, I showed this to you early, designs for a primadonna, one of
the most thrilling things I've seen in book form for years.
And I'm going to be talking to the man who with his team created this remarkable, brilliant,
fascinating thing in a few minutes time.
Now I have with me a gentleman named Neville Drury who represents his own organisation,
Craftsman Press.
I showed this to you earlier, I want you to take another look just to see the beautiful
quality here.
Neville, I called this a slip case when I was talking to you earlier, it's not a slip
case at all is it?
That's called a solander box, it just has little clips on it and so on.
That looks very oriental, is that?
Well originally they were made of ivory, we can only afford something less lavish now,
but they're still very nice.
It's very convincing.
Now here's the book which comes out of this particular box and the book is absolutely
beautiful.
It's called Joan Sutherland, Designs for a Primadonna and of course Richard Boning's
name is on it.
Did this win a book award?
Yes it did.
What was the award?
Well the Australian Book Publishers Association has design awards every year and that was
one of them the year it came out two years ago.
If you do books like this you'll be winning it every year, it must be very demoralising
to other book designers.
Well Richard Boning is a great collector, he's got a mansion as you know in Les Vents
near Montreux in Switzerland and the whole house is full of collectibles.
So he's interested in opera designs, original scores, all that sort of thing and periodically
he comes up with an idea for a book.
I see.
And this was his first book.
And this is his first one.
Some of the reproductions of the costumes for Joan Sutherland are absolutely stunning.
I think we ought to start with a couple from Lucia.
Tell me about these, why are these so special, the ones from Lucia?
Well the people that have been involved, Zeff Raleigh did the designs for those and as you
know he's a great film director as well, but he's also a really remarkable artist and all
the time Richard has gone around the world liaising with these key graphic designers
and he's built up a collection, his own private collection of original artworks of all the
opera costumes.
So all of these are in the possession of Richard Boning?
Yes, all the originals are in his collection.
What a collection, aren't they fabulous?
He came out from Switzerland and put them all on the floor and we chose them all for
the book.
Isn't that remarkable, oh you must have, that's like a child being let loose in a toy store
isn't it?
Fantastic.
Well those from Lucia are absolutely stunning, but I think one of the most thrilling pictures
in the book is this one from Julius Caesar, isn't that something?
It is, it's by Jose Verona and he's a very masterful designer.
I see, has he designed a lot for Joan?
He has, yes particularly, he did Mary Stuart as well.
It's no wonder, opera singers can be called a prima donna, they must feel so special wearing
that brilliant costume.
And of course not all of the designs have the features that remind us of Joan, but I
think one of the best in the book is the one from La Traviata which is one of her greatest
roles ever.
That's by Michael Stenit who's an English designer and he always portrays Joan just
as he is and as you can see on the cover of the Salander box there's a very good lightness
to Joan.
Oh let's have another look at the cover of the Salander box, just a tight look at that
wonderful picture of Joan.
How long has Craftsman Press been in operation Neville?
We started in 1981, there are three of us in the company and Jeffrey King, my publishing
colleague and art director Judy Hungerford who designed this book.
Oh she's a genius.
We're the three directors.
I see, now so you must closely supervise everything that you do at Craftsman Press.
Well we do but I have to say that the books unfortunately have to be printed in South
East Asia, in Tokyo or in Singapore.
Because of terrible, terrible costs here.
Exactly, and so we have to to some extent trust the printers to be involved as well
but we have a very good rapport with them obviously.
Do you have to go up there to where the books are being printed to supervise first hand
or do you just leave it to them?
I don't but the proofs come backwards and forwards until we get them right.
I see.
So.
And getting them right must be quite a laborious process.
It's horrendous yes.
But we started off with a very good track record because the very first book we did
on Justin O'Brien was actually Book of the Year so we got off to a good start.
You know, you know I must say this to those who are watching and listening now, if you
feel the texture of one of these books that Neville has here today it's absolutely wonderful.
Now this is a slip case.
That's right.
And this is the art of Justin O'Brien.
I'll show you the cover then we'll show you at least one page from the art of Justin O'Brien.
Now when you started Craftsman Press, Neville, this was your intention to bring out limited
editions of books associated with the arts.
That's true.
We wanted to specialise mostly on fine art but then because Joan Sutherland and Richard
Bonning got interested in us as a publisher we then branched into performing arts as well
and now we do general books as well.
And in general books are you likely then to bring out editions of say a special edition
of a novel like Heritage Press and the Folio Society?
We might do that.
We've stuck mostly to non-fiction so far but a thing like the Ken Doane book for example
which is more down market if I could use that expression or more mainstream.
I don't know how Ken Doane would feel about that.
I mean we did a paperback of this but this is just for collectors, this version.
I see.
And he designed the fabric himself.
So you do a paperback.
This was the only time.
I see.
But sometimes I think there'll be the need to have it in a version that's a little cheaper.
Because this, once again the texture of this and when you look at the inside, what is it
called, the fly leaf is it?
That's the end paper.
That's the end.
Gosh you must think I'm dumb but I'm a bit carried away at the moment and that's why
I'm making all the mistakes.
But just I must show the cover again look see.
Well Ken actually printed that fabric himself.
And this is fabric on the cover.
So even though it's a mainstream book, mainstream commercial art, it still is a collectible
because he designed the fabric.
I see.
So I suppose it's possible then Neville that a lot of people would have books in their
homes, they don't realise they have something that's collectible and very very valuable.
That's true, that's true.
The point is though it has to be a limited edition, a limited print run.
Even with that there are only 99 Ken Doane hard covers done.
99.
You've got to get under a couple of hundred.
Did you hear that?
99.
Isn't that amazing?
Now I know many of you all want to know about Craftsman Press.
How can you get in touch with them and find out what books they have because they've probably
got something of interest to everybody who's listening and looking right now who loves
beautiful things.
Well Neville and I'll be back in a moment to let you know how you can find out more about
Craftsman Press.
I have the most beautiful book here from Neville Drury's Craftsman Press.
Orpheus, the song of forever, the pictures and the designs for the borders are absolutely
exquisite.
Now Nadine Amadio and Charles Blackman collaborated on this.
That's right.
Nadine wrote this fantasy story and the images are by Charles Blackman.
It's absolutely exquisite.
Now that has great significance for your company hasn't it, this book?
It does because it was this book which actually led us to Joan Sutherland and Richard Boning
because they're great friends of Nadine's.
I see.
And they fell in love with this book and Richard came out and said look I want you to do our
book in the same lavish style and that's how the designs for Primadonna were formed.
Well Richard Boning and Joan Sutherland have access to all the publishers in the world
haven't they?
So I mean to say it's really quite marvellous to know that they wanted you to do their book.
I think that's fantastic.
It was a great compliment to us.
Now Craftsman Press, where are you based?
In Seaforth in Sydney.
I see.
And you do all the printing, don't do the printing there but this is just the focal
point of all your operations.
Well we have a tiny little office and all the activity flows across one desk and I just
coordinate it.
I see.
Now we've got the address now Craftsman Press 11 Burnt Street Seaforth Sydney 2092 phone
02 94 3508.
Now Neville if anyone would like to find out what your publications are and the prices,
if they can write directly to that address, we'll show it again before we say good afternoon,
or they can write to us care of channel 10, write to me care of channel 10 and I'll make
sure that Neville Drury at the Craftsman Press has the information.
You'll send a brochure will you?
Sure.
Letting them know what your books are all about.
We'll put them on the mailing list.
That'll be fabulous.
So there we are.
Neville will see that you go on the mailing list if you'd like to know more about the
Craftsman Press.
Now we'll show you a couple more times.
Let's have another look at it right now.
There's the address of Craftsman Press 11 Burnt Street Seaforth Sydney 2092 or phone
02 94 3508.
Now Neville you've brought a couple of other books here to show us.
The Lloyd Rees, the later works.
Has that been out very long?
Well actually I hate to say that's out of print already.
Out of print?
So anyone who has a copy of the Lloyd Rees has the collectible.
How many copies did you have of this?
We did 350 of that, of which 150 were in a in a slander box like the Joan Sutherland
and the others were in a slip case.
I wonder if everyone realises that these are also signed and numbered copies.
This one is, this edition is limited to 250 copies of which this is number 134.
And it is wonderful.
I love that picture of Lloyd Rees, the artist in his studio by Max Dupin.
Is that how you pronounce his name?
Yeah I think so.
Max Dupin.
That is absolutely beautiful.
But the whole book is the, it is just stunning.
This as you can see, it's just absolutely beautiful.
Well these were works since Lloyd turned 70.
So it's the latter part of his life.
Oh, it takes your breath away.
You get excited every day when you go home and you look at your own books.
That's right.
And we're very excited because this one here by Roland Wakelin is a brand new release this
week.
Oh and look at the slip case.
You must see the slip case and once again the texture.
What's that?
It's just a heavy Japanese fabric.
We don't go for leather.
You know a lot of people that do collector's editions really love leather but we think
it's very hard to control the quality.
I see.
We'd rather go for coloured fabrics.
And this is?
That's called the art of Roland Wakelin.
Yes, tell me a little bit about Roland Wakelin.
Well Roland Wakelin is called an early modern artist and he was a Sydney based painter.
Really his fame was in the 30s and he was a big influence on Lloyd Rees.
And this is the first book on him.
I tell you, look some of these, I mean I know everyone watching now will appreciate the
beauty.
I love Lloyd Rees and his living room and the landscape with figure, 1943.
Well we're launching this book at the Painters Gallery in Sydney this week.
This one is being launched now?
Absolutely.
Well isn't that amazing?
And how many copies of this one are going to be in existence?
Well there's a hundred limited editions and just an ordinary trade edition which retails
for $65.
I see.
I tell you the Craftsman Press is certainly a vital part of the book publishing industry
in Australia.
You're really making a mark aren't you?
Well we really enjoy it because there's a real gap for a quality art publisher that
just specialises in art books and doesn't do anything else and that's what we're trying
to fill.
So how many books would you think you'd do in a year?
Around ten.
Ten a year would be stretching since even then.
Yes it would because the quality has to be there.
And all three of you work hard on every book.
We do.
Neville, congratulations.
Let's have the address one more time please so that you'll know where to write to or where
to phone if you want a brochure about the Craftsman Press books.
Thank you Neville.
Tomorrow's movie is an appointment with danger with Alan Ladd and the lovely Phyllis Calvert.
I do hope you'll join me because I know you're going to enjoy the film.
Good afternoon.