To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.
Brain Teasers:
Which actor, born in Northern Ireland, made five Westerns in Spain, but only one for an Italian director?
It was Stephen Boyd.
Complete the lyric: "The _____ ___ ringing. What do they say?"
No one has completed this yet.
Which fictional character created by Johnston McCulley in 1919 has been portrayed in at least 21 Italian films?
Tom Betts, Bertrand van Wonterghem, Angel Rivera and George Grimes knew that it was Zorro.
Which Italian actor, born in 1941 Rome, made his screen debut in an uncredited role in ESTHER AND THE KING before making over 70 movies?
Tom Betts, Bertrand van Wonterghem, Angel Rivera and George Grimes knew that it was Renato Rossini, aka Howard Ross.
Which Italian actor, born in 1916 Oderzo, would end up with 178 credits on the IMDb before passing away in 1989?
Tom Betts, Bertrand van Wonterghem, Angel Rivera and George Grimes knew that it was Massimo Serato.
And now for some new brain teasers:
Charles Gilbert asks "Which veteran of sword & sandal films was born in Lausanne in 1933 but took the name Rod Carter later in his career"?
Which Italian Western features a bounty killer who is a Muslim?
Which actor, born in Guyana, made three sword & sandal films and three Italian Westerns?
Name the movies from which these images came.
Tom Betts, Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Lee Van Cleef and Lionel Stander in AL DI LA DELLA LEGGE, aka BEYOND THE LAW.
Above is a new photo.
Can you identify from what movie it came?
George Grimes, Bertrand van Wonterghem, Angel Rivera and Charles Gilbert identified last week's photo of Liana Orfei and Guy Williams in IL TIRANNO DI SIRACUSA, aka DAMON AND PYTHIAS.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
George Grimes, Charles Gilbert, Angel Rivera and Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's photo of Caroline Munro, Robert Tessier and Marjoe Gortner in STARCRASH.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
No one has identified the above photo yet.
Can you name from what movie it came?
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I am interested in knowing what movies you have watched and what you enjoyed or not. So please send me an email at scinema@earthlink.net if you'd like to share. Here's what I watched last week:
Enjoyed:
JOHNNY CASH: THE REDEMPTION OF AN AMERICAN ICON (2022) - There has been criticism of this documentary on Johnny Cash's Christian values that it was made by filmmakers who hold more fundamentalist beliefs than Cash did, but that didn't bother me. It does have an obvious Christian message, but so did Cash at times - and the film should have included "Daddy Sang Bass". It does give a fairly accurate, and interesting, telling of his life story with a focus on his first wife, Vivian, not usually given. But, again, here's the story of Johnny Cash without a mention of my favorite of his songs from my childhood "Ballad of a Teenage Queen". Also, it is odd that while the flmmakers feature many comments about how great a song "Hurt" is, the end credits don't list that the song was written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails - a band frequenlty protested by fundamentalist Christians. Also, while they mention producer Rick Rubin, they don't mention that he helped to create Def Jam records and produced Public Enemy.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season seven (2020)
THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987) - Having really enjoyed WOLFAN'S GOT NARDS, I figured it was time to see what caused all the fuss. I can see why I haven't sought this out in the close to forty years since it came out, but I can also see why people who saw this when they were young could embrace this as their special film. It is charming and shows a real affection for not only the old Universal monsters, but also the kids who loved them. It is certainly more fun than THE GOONIES, which was a big hit when it came out. Adding the Gillman and the Mummy to the monster line-up was something that Universal never did in a movie, and doesn't really make any sense. Nor does having Dracula use dynamite and from where did the idea of a magic amulet come? On the other hand, I loved Ryan Lambert's spit-take when asked if he could find a virgin, and when he sees the photos after coming out of the shop. And five year old Ashley Bank is marvelous when she befriends Tom Noonan as the Frankenstein monster. It is kind of hard to believe that this was co-written by Shane Black of LETHAL WEAPON and IRON MAN 3 fame. The failure of this movie when it came out originally stalled co-writer and director Fred Dekker's career, but Black invited him to co-write THE PREDATOR in 2018.
Did not enjoy:
LATE MARRIAGE (2001) - Thank you to whom ever wrote about this for Wikipedia, because there were nuances here that I didn't get. I knew that Lior Ashkenazi's parents were trying to force him to marry and kept introducing him to young acceptable women. I didn't understand that they were part of a community of Georgian-Israelis wanting the 31 year old man to marry inside the community. I knew that Lior was secretly having an affair with an older woman of whom his parents wouldn't approve because she was a divorcee with child. I didn't understand that she was from a Moroccan-Israeli community. When the parents, and their friends, threaten the woman with violence, I certainly lost any sympathy I might have had for them. Unlike most moviemakers, writer/director Dover Kosashvilli in his first feature did not give us a "love conquers all" ending, but had Lior married to an acceptable woman, while not being particularly happy about it. About midway through the movie, Lior had an extended bed scene with Ronit Elkabetz, as the unacceptable woman, that was remarkably realistic but far from pornographic. It very strongly showed how good a couple they were. Interestingly, while this was an Israeli movie made by Israelis - and was Israel's submission for the 74th Academy Awards in 2002 but was not nominated, the credits were in French, as the film was funded partly by a grant from France to encourgage Israeli filmmaking.
THE POSSESSION (2012) - Giving the Catholics a break, here THE EXORCIST rip-off involves a Jewish demon called a Dybbuk. Though trapped in a Dybbuk Box, the evil spirit sings to a woman at the beginning of the film. When she decides to go after the box with an hammer, the evil spirit starts tossing her around like a rag doll until she breaks. Later on, basketball coach Jeffrey Dean Morgan has his weekend visit with this two daughters and they go to a yard sale. Younger daughter Natasha Calis finds the Dybbuk Box and gets her father to buy it. Naturally, Calis begins to act strangely, and Morgan's soon to be divorced wife, Kyra Sedgwick, blames him. Eventually, Morgan takes the box to someone who can read the Hebrew writing on the box, and is told that it is a Dybbuk Box. Seeking help, Morgan goes into the Hasidic community. Matisyahu offers to perform the ritual of exorcism to free Calis, which takes place in an hospital in which Calis is taken after a seizure. In front of the whole family, including sister Madison Davenport and mother Sedgwick, Calis' soul is fought for by Matisyahu and Morgan. Morgan even pulls a "Father Karis" tellling the evil spirit to come into him. Finally, Matisyahu is able to put the evil spirit back in the box, and Morgan's family reunites, with talk of divorce over. Matisyahu is driving away with the box to seek the help of his father when a truck slams into him. Thrown safely from the wreckage, the box begins to sing again threatening us with a sequel. This "based on a true story" film was taken from an article by Leslie Gornstein called "A Jinx In A Box?" which was published in 2004 in the Los Angeles Times. The article was based on an Ebay posting by Kevin Mannis in 2003, who claimed to have a dybbuk box for sale. Mannis, at one point, admitted that he made up the idea of a dybbuk box to sell an incomplete mini-bar. This film continues the run of Ghost House productions that I hate. Thankfully director Ole Bornedal hasn't made a sequel, but he's still making movies in Denmark.
SAINTS AND SOLDIERS (2003) - The Washington Times called this film "one of the sharpest and most compelling entries of the early Mormon cinema era." I wasn't aware that there was a "Mormon cinema" nor did I pick up on this film being a "propaganda piece for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" - which is what the Seattle Times opinioned. I did pick up on a character played by Corbin Allred being called "Deacon" because he was so straight laced. The film began with a shot of Allred dead, before the title "Three weeks earlier" appeared. Suddenly we saw a dramatization of the "Malmedy massacre"; when German soldiers killed unarmed American prisoners during the "Battle of the Bulge". Four Americans survived the massacre, realized that they were now behind enemy lines, and tried to find their way to safety. Eventually, they came upon British soldier Kirby Heyborne hanging by his parachute in a tree. Heyborne reported that he had vital ariel reconescent (think of Henry Fonda in BATTLE OF THE BULGE) that had to be taken to Allied HQ. Later on, the group ended up taking a German soldier prisoner, to whom Allred could speak fluent German. The others were considering killing the prisoner, but Allred ended up letting him go. After a while, the group was discovered by Germans and two were killed. The former German prisoner recognized Allred and helped him, and the two others, to take command of a Jeep to make an escape. A final skirmish happened infront of the American line, where Allred gave up his life so that the Brit and American medic Alexander Niver could reach safety. In the finale, Niver acknowledged the former German prisoner, who was now an official P.O.W., and squatted to take care of the wounded German soldier he saw kill Allred. Filmed in Utah, SAINTS AND SOLDIER was directed by Ryan Little. It was made with money from a private investor from California on a budget of $780,000 with World War II reenactors bringing their own costumes and weapons to keep costs down. Before going into general release, the film was shown at over 15 film festivals which generated favorable critical publicity. For me, this was just another low budget World War II drama that celebrated heroism and self-sacrifice without the cynicism that someone like Samuel Fuller would bring. The resulting film did well enough to justify two sequels: SAINTS AND SOLDIERS: AIRBORNE CREED and SAINTS AND SOLDIERS: THE VOID.
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David Deal Enjoyed:
THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK (62)
ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK (72)
THE BONEYARD (91) - When a small-town coroner is discovered with the bodies of three young children, he tells a tale of his family that has been protecting the world from these demons for generations. Local cop Ed Nelson and his young partner enlist of the help of crime psychic to get to the bottom of this strange event. Then the monsters come out. This turns into a siege movie with the main characters trapped in the morgue trying to fight off the demons. This was a very fun monster movie with good special effects and scary kid monsters. Other old timers in the cast are Phyllis Diller and Norman Fell.
BLACK WIDOW (51) - Robert Ayres stars as a wealthy man who loses his memory after being clubbed by a man who tricked him into stopping the car to help him. The man then proceeded to steal Robert's wallet and car and then die in a fiery crash. Now everyone assumes Robert is dead, including his scheming wife who has plans for Robert's money. A good noir plot that moves fast, but doesn't show a lot of flair. Enjoyable enough.
THE EVIL OF DRACULA (74)
THE INSATIABLES (69)
Mildly enjoyed:
BEHIND THE HEADLINES (56)
HOUSE OF 1000 DOLLS (67)
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Angel Rivera Enjoyed:
"KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON"(2023)
Martin Scorsese's new thriller based on a true story. In 1920s Oklahoma, Osage Native American families are being murdered for their oil land rights when oil is found on their reservation. Engrossing with an excellent performance from Leonardo DiCaprio.
"THE INSURRECTIONIST NEXT DOOR" (2023)
A documentary by Alexandra Pelosi (daughter of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi). She interviews several individuals charged with crimes for participating in the attack on the Capital on Jan. 6th, 2021. Some of it is unbelievable. Definitely has seen to be believed.
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Charles Gilbert watched:
MIDNIGHT MAN (1974) Burt Lancaster plays an ex cop on parole, now taking a job on a college security staff. When a coed (Catherine Bach) is killed he cannot refrain from investigating, despite warning from his parole officer (Susan Clark) with whom he has a fling. Burt's long time buddy Nick Cravat plays a gardener.
FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED (1969) Fifth in the series is pretty bad despite having Veronica Carlson in the cast. The evil sawbones springs his colleague from an asylum to retrieve valuable information on brain transplant experimentation.
FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN (1967) Fourth in the series is not as bad as I expected. Doctor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) investigates the nature of death and the soul by having his assistant (Thorley Walters) monitor his cryogenic self experiment to prove the soul remains with the body after death. Concomitant to further experimentation, he revives the life of a disfigured girl (Susan Denberg), who drowned herself upon the guillotine execution of her lover who defended her against three rogue youths. There was no creation of woman.
THE BADLANDERS (1958) Alan Ladd and Ernest Borgnine are released from Yuma Prison. They plan and carry out a theft of gold ore in a mine that is currently in operation. With Katy Jurado and Nehemiah Persoff.REVOLT OF THE BARBARIANS (1964) Deft Roman commander Darius (Roland Carey) suspects heists of gold meant as remuneration for the military, is being directed from inside the walls of the palace. IMDb: Susan Sullivan of American television is not in the cast.
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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:
Siren of Atlantis (1947, Gregg G. Tallas & John Brahm)
Un-myeong-cheol-eom neol sa-rang-hae / Fated to love (2014) - episodes 5 to 10
The green hornet – episode “the frog is a deadly weapon” (1966, Leslie H. Martinson)
Il mostruoso dottor Crimen (1953, Chano Urueta)
The man from planet X (1951, Edgar G. Ulmer)
Dei yuk mo moon / We're going to eat you (1980, Tsui Hark)
Midly enjoyed:
I bury the living (1957, Albert Band)
38° 5 quai des orfèvres (2022, Benjamin Lehrer)
Beast of the yellow night (1971, Eddie Romero)
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