To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.
Brain Teasers:
Which Italian director worked as a writer on two films starring Steve Reeves, one starring Mark Forest, one starring Rod Taylor, one starring Lang Jeffries, two starring Reg Park and three starring Gordon Scott until he made his directorial debut with none of those stars?
Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes and Angel Rivera knew that it was Duccio Tessari.
Which Italian "Art Director" is credited with creating the look of the Italian Western?
Angel Rivera and George Grimes knew that it is Carlo Simi.
By what name is Jack Dalmas better known?
Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes and Angel Rivera knew that it is Massimo Dallamano.
And now for some new brain teasers:
Which star of Italian Westerns was born on January 9, 1925 in New Jersey?
What Italian Western was reviewed in the U.S. ending with the joke "Could it be we will soon have before us such epics as THE GOOD, THE BAD AND MACBETH?"
In which Italian Western is the villain named Bill San Antonio?
Name the movies from which these images came.
Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Alberto Dell' Acqua and Franco Nero in TEXAS ADDIO.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
Bertrand van Wonterghem and Angel Rivera identified last week's frame grab of Tony Russel in I CRIMINALI DELLA GALASSIA, aka THE WILD WILD PLANET.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
George Grimes identified last week's photo of Kuo Chui and Lu Feng in CRIPPLED AVENGERS, aka MORTAL COMBAT.
Above is a new photo.
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:
Highly enjoyed:
Downton Abbey season five (2014)
Enjoyed:
Downton Abbey season four (2013)
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. "Born To Sing: Ciara & Alanis Morissette" season ten, episode one (2024)
MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED! (2010) - Director Mark Hartley put together a splendid look at the movie industry which grew in the Philippines turning out low budget action and horror films for the U.S. market. While the usual suspects are shown, including Roger Corman, Joe Dante, Sam Sherman, Sid Haig, Jack Hill, Eddie Romero, Geraldo de Leon, John Ashley, Celeste Yarnall, Jonathan Demme, Steve Carver, Dick Miller, Allan Arkush, Pam Grier, Gloria Hendry, Margaret Markov, Patrick Wayne, Cirio H. Santiago, Bobby Suarez, Chris Mitchum, Dick Randall and Jayne Kennedy, along with many many clips - including HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, there is no mention of the Italian filmmakers who followed, particularly after the success of APOCALYPSE NOW and PLATOON.
Mildly enjoy:
Leonardo da Vinci (2024) - A fascinating subject for a two part, almost four hour, documentary, Leonard da Vinci, like most films by Ken Burns that are over 2 hours long, kept putting me to sleep. Often using split screens mixing vintage paintings - not by da Vinci, shots of da Vinci's notebooks and studies of nature - lots of birds in flight and rushing water, the documentary attempts a visual experience which doesn't really impart much information. The background of how da Vinci's life faced upheaval due to the politics of his time is interesting, as is his artistic competition with Michalangelo and other great artists. The angelic music by Caroline Shaw also contributed to my feeling sleepy. It is irritating to see a brand new documentary that hasn't worked out how to show English subtitles that do not blend into bright backgrounds and become unreadable. While this is a "Ken Burns Film", Sarah Burns and David McMahon are credited as the writers and co-directors.
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Angel Rivera Highly enjoyed:
"A REAL PAIN" (2024)
Jesse Eisenberger of "The Social Network" (2010) & "Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice" (2016) fame stars and directs this little slice of life and semi-autobiographical film. The story is about two Jewish cousins who go on what is called a "Heritage tour" to Warsaw, Poland to see the house where their recently deceased grandmother, who was a Holocaust survivor, lived before escaping the Nazis and making it to America. His cousin is portrayed by Kieran Culkin, brother of Macaulay Culkin. A real human story that deals with grief; loss and trying to cope with whatever life throws one's way.
Mildly enjoyed:
"SUPERMAN & LOIS" (2021-2024) Season 4; Episode 9
The penultimate episode has Superman fighting the Bizarro/Doomsday creature again and not doing any better than the last time . (When Doomsday killed him.) The series finale is next.
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Charles Gilbert watched:
WARPATH (1951) Ex Cavalry officer (Edmond O'Brien) searches for the men responsible for the death of his beau, knowing only their names, and that they've enlisted in General Custer's army. So he does the same, signing up as a lowly private. Right away he clashes with sergeant Forest Tucker, and eventually is on the mount fighting the Indians. Television's What's My Line and To Tell the Truth alumnus Polly Bergen has the lead female role.
THIEVE'S HIGHWAY (1949) B&W. Nick Garcos (Richard Conte) home from military assumes his father's business in the produce market. He finds papa is now crippled at the hands of inscrupulous market boss Mike Figlia (Lee J. Cobb) in San Francisco. A truck load of apples serves as the vehicle to approach his civil method of making things even, but his efforts aren't so successful.
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David Deal Enjoyed:
THE SLEEPING CAR KILLER (67) - AKA Mördaren - En helt vanlig person. A murderer stalks the night trains. This Swedish mystery features a train full of red herrings and potential victims that is surprisingly frank (if not always forward-thinking) in the matters of lifestyles and sexual mores. This attitude plus mild nudity and an existential ending make it worth the time.
RIDER IN BLUE (59) - A famous private eye's wife visits an army riding school and stumbles onto a murder. Swedish mystery set in the great outdoors is colorful yet manages to pull off some intrigue and spookiness, especially in the big reveal at the end.
ROBOT DREAMS (23) - In a universe populated by animals, this is the story of a dog and his robot friend. Clever animated film takes a gentle approach to life and love. Though a bit too long, this still works in telling us that things don't always work out the way you hope but they work out the way they should.
BARAKA (92) - Yep, still good.
THE FALCON'S ALIBI (46)
SMOKESCREEN (64)
CALIBRE 9 (72)
THE SAINT TAKES OVER (40) - One of my favorite of the George Sanders series entries.
THE PEARL OF DEATH (44)
ONCE (06) - I hadn't seen this since it first came out. I remember watching the two leads performing the Oscar-nominated song at the awards show and accepting the Oscar. The film still holds its modest power as a 21st century example of the Nouvelle Vague; a lean and learned look at the practicalities of life, love, and loss. Recommended.
Mildly enjoyed:
SEVEN DEATHS IN A CAT'S EYE (73) - I've seen this in several incarnations and still have not warmed up to it, despite its superior craft.
NIGHT OF THE SCORPION (72) - A rich young man's drunken rage causes his wife's death. It's ruled an accident, so he leaves town. A year later he returns to his ancestral mansion and its mysterious inhabitants with a new wife (Daniela Giordano). Another generic Spanish Gothic that shows a little skin and lots of conversation.
DJANGO THE BASTARD (69) - Here's another one I've wanted to like more than I ever did.
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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:
Undercover agent (1952, Vernon Sewell)
Love in pawn (1953, Charles Saunders)
The book of life (2014, Jorge R. Gutierrez)
Gangmaegang / Seoul busters (2023, Ahn Jong-yeon & Shin Joong-hoon) – episodes 17 to 20
Yooryungeul jabara / Catch the ghost (2019, Shin Yoon Sub) – episodes 2 to 7
Hwayugi / A korean odyssey (2017) – epsiodes 1 to 4
Joyonghan gajok / The quiet family (1998, Kim Ki-woon)
Mildly enjoyed:
Bailout at 43,000 (1957, Francis D. Lyon)
Silo - season 2 - episode 1 (2024)
Did not enjoy:
Dune: prophecy - season 1 - episode 1 (2024)
The crawling hand (1963, Herbert L. Strock)
The exorcism (2019, Joshua John Miller)
Alien kermesse (2023, Manon Henry & Maxine Dambly) (tv serie) (6 epis)
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