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Elfin Rita Tushingham makes a smash film debut as Shelagh Delaney's dispirited working class teen, on her own in Manchester and unprepared for the harsh truths of life. It's one of the best of the British New Wave. A Taste of Honey Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 829 1961 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 100 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date August 23, 2016 / 39.95 Starring Rita Tushingham, Dora Bryan, Paul Danquah, Murray Melvin, Robert Stephens. Cinematography Walter Lassally Film Editor Anthony Gibbs Original Music John Addison Written by Tony Richardson and Shelagh Delaney adapted from her stage play Produced and directed by Tony Richardson

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

The British New Wave got a real shot in the arm with 1961's A Taste of Honey. A stubbornly realistic drama about life in the lower working classes of Manchester, it was adapted from a near-revolutionary play by Shelagh Delaney, produced by Joan Littlewood. Here in...

Maximo Park have admitted that their future is uncertain. Frontman Paul Smith said the band discussed splitting before making new album The National Health because of the dominance of pop music in the industry. "We ask questions about ourselves before each record. Before this one we were like, 'Does the world need another Maximo Park record?' We wrote some songs and came to the conclusion that it does," he told The Sun. "To use a sporting analogy, we're taking it game by game. I'd like to think we'll make plenty more records but if it's not working for (more)...

Gary Barlow has managed to hold off new challengers by staying on top of the UK album chart with Sing. Despite the Diamond Jubilee celebrations ending nearly two weeks ago, the mini-album has scored a third week at the summit of the chart. Amy Macdonald achieves her third top five album with Life in a Beautiful Light entering at two, beating her last album's peak of four. Usher enters at three with his latest album Looking 4 Myself. Coldplay climb a place to four with Mylo Xyloto, with Paloma Faith dropping two spots to five with Fall To Grace. Fleetwood Mac arrive at nine with 25 Years: The Chain, a week after the death of former member Bob Welch. Maximo Park's fourth studio album The National Health enters at 13, with Hot Chip a position below with In (more)...

Maximo Park plan to play five in-store gigs in one day to celebrate the release of their new album. The band from Newcastle released their much-anticipated LP The National Health today (June 11) and plan to celebrate by performing in five different record shops in the North East this Saturday (June 16). Speaking of their decision to mark the occasion with the gigs, vocalist Paul Smith said: "All of us are regular record buyers and we prefer to indulge this passion at the shops of independent retailers who have a genuine love of music and knowledgeable, friendly staff." The band said that they understand (more)...

Maximo Park have announced their first full UK tour in three years. The five-piece take to the road in November in support of their upcoming fourth album The National Health, which is released via V2 on June 11. On the same day, the band releases new single 'Hips and Lips'. The band played a last-minute homecoming gig in Newcastle earlier this month Tickets for the new shows go on sale this Friday, June 1 at 9am, and are priced at £16 (more)...

Maximo Park have announced details of their new album. The band will release The National Health as their fourth studio LP on June 11 and have debuted the record's title track online. "We're in a global recession and everyone is being bombarded with bouncy, happy music," frontman Paul Smith said. "The nation is out of control and the record is about taking back control, and being a force for change in your own life. "It can't speak for everybody but it has its eyes and ears all around us... that's always been a Maximo Park thing: look at yourself." He added: "See how you relate to yourself and hopefully someone else will have something in common with it. Our songs are built on empathy. I would hope it's as vital a music as people would want to hear." (more)...

A pink designer dress worn by the late Diana, Princess of Wales, has gone under the hammer for almost $205,500. The fuschia evening gown by Victor Edelstein was among a collection of top celebrity memorabilia, including props worn by Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley, which were sold at the Gotta Have It! Rock and Pop Culture Auction last week.

The late British royal wore the dress to a gala with the President of Hungary in 1992 and it proved to be the biggest draw in the online sale, overshadowing the $62,250 one bidder paid for a pair of gloves worn by Jackson during a photoshoot for his classic album "Bad", reports TMZ.

A jacket The Rolling Stones star Keith Richards wore on the High Tides and Green Grass album sold for $36,000, while a 'Mr. Tiger' Karate Diamond Ring owned by Presley was snapped up for $27,350, and a handwritten poem by John Lennon, titled The National Health Cow,...

Beloved Broadway, film and television star Paul Ryan Rudd has lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 70. The entertainer died at his home in Greenwich, Connecticut on Thursday, August 12.

His Broadway credits include "The National Health" in 1974, a 1975 revival of Eugene O'Neill's "Ah, Wilderness!", and a revival of "The Glass Menagerie" that same year. He also starred in the original production of John Guare's comedy "Bosoms and Neglect" in 1979, was part of the original Broadway cast of David Rabe's "Streamers" in 1976, and starred as Romeo in a 1977 production of "Romeo and Juliet". Alongside Meryl Streep and Philip Bosco, Rudd played the title role in a 1976 production of "Henry V" for the New York Shakespeare Festival.

On U.S. television, he starred in "Beacon Hill", and in 1977 TV movie "Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye". He also appeared in "The Betsy", the 1978 film based on the Harold Robbins novel,...

Beloved Broadway, film and television star Paul Ryan Rudd has lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 70.

The entertainer died at his home in Greenwich, Connecticut on Thursday.

His Broadway credits include The National Health in 1974, a 1975 revival of Eugene O’Neill’s Ah, Wilderness!, and a revival of The Glass Menagerie that same year.

He also starred in the original production of John Guare’s comedy Bosoms and Neglect in 1979, was part of the original Broadway cast of David Rabe’s Streamers in 1976, and starred as Romeo in a 1977 production of Romeo and Juliet.

Alongside Meryl Streep and Philip Bosco, Rudd played the title role in a 1976 production of Henry V for the New York Shakespeare Festival.

On U.S. television, he starred in Beacon Hill, and in 1977 TV movie Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye. He also appeared in The Betsy, the 1978 film based on the Harold Robbins novel, and continued his TV career throughout the 1980s with guest roles on TV series Hart to Hart, Moonlighting and others before leaving acting to raise his children.

Rudd is survived by his second wife, Martha Bannerman, their three children, Graeme, Kathryn and Eliza and his mother, Kathryn Rudd.