Hey folks, Harry here... It'll be nice to see Martin Scorsese's epic cinematic examination of Howard Hughes' life in THE AVIATOR, but recently I just picked up the dvd for an old Edward Dmytryk flick called THE CARPETBAGGERS based on Harold Robbins' rather scandalous novel - which was "names changed to protect the author" fictional look at Howard Hughes, much in the same way that most folks seem to credit Welles' take on William Randolph Hearst with CITIZEN KANE. Now... THE CARPETBAGGERS certainly wasn't CITIZEN KANE, but it is one helluva take on the Howard Hughes story. And I absolutely loved George Peppard as "Jonas Cord" - the Hughes of the story. Also great in the film are Carroll Baker as "Rina Marlowe" aka Jean Harlow and Alan Ladd as "Nevada Smith" aka Buck Jones or Tom Mix - I believe. If you get a chance to check it out either before or after seeing Scorsese's version of Hughes' life, I definitely advise doing so.

Meanwhile, Moviefone has recently unleashed a new trailer for THE AVIATOR. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND PLAY THE NEW AVIATOR TRAILER The only problem I'm really having is accepting Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes. Hopefully, in the film as the story plays through, it'll feel more natural, but from the trailers - it looks like a teenage version of those Shirley Temple shorts she did for the National Relief Administration where it was little kids playing satiric takes on grown-up movies. And yes, I know Leo isn't a teenager... He just has a bit of that Mickey Rooney, Michael J Fox, Dick Powell juvenile curse in his genes. Oh well, hope Scorsese knocks this one out of the park!