Everyone who knows me knows of my inexplicable fascination with the French Foreign Legion. It all goes back to that fateful Sunday afternoon when I was about twelve years old and I happened to catch BEAU GESTE on television. From then on I was hooked.

For years I intended to write a book on the pop culture history of the Foreign Legion — the movies, books, pulp magazines, music, comic books, toys, games, and so on. It was intended as a companion to my favorite of my own books THE ALAMO: A CULTURAL HISTORY.

But the reality of the publishing world always stopped me. For one thing, what publisher would be interested in such a book? And even if one were, how many pictures would they let me use, and how much color? I’ve gathered hundreds and hundreds of images for this project and it depressed me to think of publishing only a tiny fraction of them.

So I made a decision that was at once stupid and inevitable: I would produce it not as a book but as a DVD. That way there would be no limit to the illustrations I could use. More important, I could also videotape interviews with authorities on the subject and use clips from films.

So now I am nearing the end of the research and writing phase and I hope to go into the editing bay within the month. So far I’ve interviewed Leonard Maltin, Kevin Brownlow, William Wellman Jr. and the two survivors of a fascinating spoof version of BEAU GESTE, filmed on the Wellman fort in the winter of 1939-40.

I also interviewed historian Joseph Musso who allowed me to get video of his many Foreign Legion uniforms, kepis, weapons, medals, flags, insignia and more. What a treasure trove!

In the next two weeks I’m going to interview Laurel and Hardy expert/author Randy Skredvedt. Then it’s off to New York to interview film historian John Andrew Gallagher and pulp magazine authority Ed Hulse, and then on to Chicago to interview toy collector Marc Gaynes and photograph his vast collection of Foreign Legion toys.

I’ve also been after the author of one of the definitive histories of the Foreign Legion but although he originally agreed to the interview he has been mighty hard to pin down. And I’m desperately trying to get to Cullen “Cuffy” Crabbe to get his memories of working in Africa with his dad Buster on the TV series CAPTAIN GALLANT OF THE FOREIGN LEGION. If anyone knows him and can put in a good word for me, please be in touch.

Will this DVD have an audience? I have no idea. All I know is that I love the subject so much and am having such a great time putting it together, that the finished product will be a source of great pleasure and pride in my house, if in no others. I’ve really gotta stop doing these labors of love. But in this case, I just couldn’t do otherwise.

Every once in a while a major studio releases something intended specifically for me. Other people might enjoy it, but make no mistake — it’s mine, all mine.

This week, Warner Home Video is doing such a thing, releasing a box set of six pre-Code films directed by William A. Wellman — “Forbidden Hollywood Volume Three.”

http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Hollywood-Collection-Purchase-Midnight/dp/B001OSC4G0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1237399106&sr=1-1

Now, everyone who knows me is aware of my nearly lifelong devotion to the films of Wild Bill Wellman. A chance viewing of “Beau Geste” on TV when I was twelve sparked my interest in film — it was the Big Bang of my cinematic life. And eighteen years later, I published my first book which, not at all coincidentally, was about its director, William A. Wellman.

So you can imagine my delight when I learned that the latest “Forbidden Hollywood” DVD set would consist only of Wellman films; it’s like Christmas in March over here at the Vast Thompson Compound.

I was honored to be asked to provide a commentary track for one of my favorite Wellmans, “Wild Boys of the Road” (1933). I was joined by my friend William Wellman Jr. who, as you can imagine, brought not only a lot of knowledge to the table, but also some precious and personal insight.

And one of my best pals, John Andrew Gallagher, provided the commentary for “Heroes For Sale” (1933), another of Wellman’s bleak and powerful Depression-era dramas.

All three of us can also be seen in the documentary “Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick” (1996) along with lesser co-stars such as Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Martin Scorsese, Robert Mitchum, Tab Hunter, Nancy Reagan and many others. This is the first time that “Wild Bill” has been available on DVD and it’s a big occasion in my life. In addition to being one of the “talking heads,” I served as Associate Producer (which translates as “no check”) and historical advisor on this terrific documentary.

And Richard Schickel’s 2007 revamp of his “Men Who Made the Movies” episode on Wellman is also included. It’s brilliant. The original production in 1973 had an enormous impact on me. Although I was already a fan of Wellman’s, this was the first time I’d gotten a grasp of his entire career, and I never looked back.

Here’s a what a “Films in Review” critic posted about the set. I don’t get a penny from the sale of this set (I don’t get a penny from much of anything) but if I can introduce newbies to my cinematic idol Wild Bill, I’ll be more than happy.

http://www.filmsinreview.com/2009/03/18/forbidden-hollywood-collection-volume-three/

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