August 2 - 7, 2025

 

To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.

Brain Teasers:

Which American actress was a celebrated dancer on Broadway before getting into movies, including one directed by Duccio Tessari?

Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Paula Kelly of TOUGH GUYS.

Which British actress, born in 1934, was considered a "sexy actress" in a 1959 movie before making a film in Italy in 1961?

No one answered this question correctly yet.

From what movie was director Vittorio Cottafavi reportedly fired because the French star didn't like him?

Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was LE VERGINI DI ROMA, aka AMAZONS OF ROME.

Which Italian actor, born in 1927, appeared in movies directed by Mario Soldati, Sergio Corbucci, Lucio Fulci, Federico Fellini, Mario Mattoli, Pietro Francisci, Abel Gance and John Sturges?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes knew that it was Ettore Manni.

And now for some new brain teasers:

What was the first movie that Jack Palance shot in Italy?

What was the last movie that Jack Palance shot in Italy?

What was the last Western the Jack Palance made with an Italian director?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's frame grab of Aldo Sambrell in THE TEXICAN.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and Angel Rivera identified last week's photo of Louis Jordan and Sylvia Syms in LE VERGINI DI ROMA, aka AMAZONS OF ROME.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes and Angel Rivera identified last week's photo of Angelo Infanti and Laura Gemser in EMANUELLE NERA, aka BLACK EMANUELLE.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Angel Rivera and George Grimes identified last week's photo Hiroyuki Sanada and Conan Lee in NINJA IN THE DRAGON'S DEN.

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:

Enjoyed:

Weeds season six (2010)

Did not enjoy:

NOAH'S ARC: THE MOVIE (2025) - I was not the targeted audience for this show. In 2003, Patrik-Ian Polk decided to write a series about Black gay men in Los Angeles. This became a web series in 2004, which was picked up by Logo TV. After two seasons, and 17 episodes, NOAH'S ARC: JUMPING THE BROOM was made and the show ended. However, in 2020, during the COV-19 pandemic, there was a reunion show made for YouTube and Facebook called THE 'RONA CHRONICLES in which the cast interacted via Skype. In 2025, everyone came back for a feature airing on Paramount+. Darryl Stephens and Jensen Atwood decided they wanted to be parents, and, luckily, they knew a young woman who was already knocked up. Jasmine Guy was the social services worker who must determine whether the gay couple were fit to be parents. While practicing with baby dolls, the guys learn that the woman was pregnant with twins. Much of this show was set in a Black Gay Drag Club so there were plenty of musical performances. Interestingly, for a show set in Los Angeles, there was virtually no White people. And after the end credits came the annoucment that this was made in Georgia.

NOAH'S ARC: JUMPING THE BROOM (2008) - That's right. I saw this out of order. One doesn't think of Martha's Vineyard as having many African-American residents, but in this movie Jensen Atwood was raised on Martha's Vineyard and he wanted to be married to Darryl Stephens at the old family home. It turned out that his parents aren't there, and that he hadn't "come out" to them yet. This film had just about all of the cliches of current romantic-comedies, except rather than a comedic gay friend of the bride, this film had a straight woman friend with a fiery attitude. Also there was a discussion of about being true to yourself and telling your parents about what they may decide to be aberrant. The most interesting thing about this movie was the appearance at the end of Phoebe Snow, who had a big hit in 1974 with "Poetry Man". Snow married Phil Kearns in 1975 and they had a daughter, Valerie Rose, who was born with severe brain damage. The marriage to Kearns ended in 1978 and he came out as gay. Snow dedicated herself to taking care of her daughter at home, which just about ended her career. At the age of 31, Valerie died in 2007. Almost two years after her performance in NOAH'S ARC: JUMPING THE BOOM, Snow suffered a cerebral hemorrhage which put her in a coma. On April 26, 2011, she died at the age of 60.

SAW IV (2007) - SAW movies bare a resemblance to FINAL DESTINATION flicks - no one survives no matter what they do. As I predicted after SAW III, another film by director Darren Lynn Bousman would be a major irritant. This one is particularly annoying with a "What The Fuck" script. If this film begins with the autopsy of Tobin Bell, as killed in SAW III, how does Scott Patterson burst in at the end of SAW IV just as Tobin Bell dies? Oh, I get it. Everything after the autopsy scene was flashbacks. And this film commits the age-old sin of flashbacks within flashbacks. The question of how anyone can conceive, afford and build such elaborate "mousetraps" I guess will always dwell in the land of "suspension of disbelief". Interestingly, as with SAW III, the most gore is shown during a medical procedure - here an autopsy.

SAW V (2008) - For this installment, David Hackl, who worked as the production designer on the previous SAW movies, got the director's chair. That made sense as the design of the movies was more important than the storytelling. All of the annoying editing tricks were still in place, though the gore stopped being from medical procedures and now came with the kills. As much as I liked watching Julie Benz and Meagan Good, I preferred watching them in something else. At least this film resolved the story of Angus Macfadyen's kidnapped girl from SAW III.

SAW VI (2009) - These films are pretty consistent with each other no matter who gets the director's credit. This time it is Kevin Greutert, who was the film editor on the previous five SAWs.

SAW 3D. aka SAW 3D THE FINAL CHAPTER (2010) - evin Greutert returned as director for what was supposed to be the last film of the franchise. The two films starring Vincent Price as Dr. Phibes were the first films I saw which were just a series of gruesome murder scenes, but also featured an E.C. comic book sensibility. The SAW films don't have that, nor the cinematic stylistics which made the Phibes films fun. Obviously, I am not a fan of these films and I don't really have anything more to write about them, so I'll take a quote from Rotten Tomatoes: "Sloppily filmed, poorly acted and illogically plotted, SAW 3D leaves viewers trapped in the most lackluster installment of the series."

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Angel Rivera  Highly enjoyed:

 "BILLY JOEL: AND SO IT GOES": PARTS ONE & TWO (2025)
For Billy Joel fans and any one else interested in musical icons. Part One covers his rise to fame and how he almost lost it all due to a motorcycle accident and his excessive drinking. His first wife and one time manager does leave him, citing she couldn't watch him destroy himself. Part two covers his recovery and loss of income due to bad business actions and his successful return to prominence and his residency as "the house band" at Madison Square Garden  and his 100th MSG show. The documentary ends there and does not cover the condition that caused him to step back from performing while he tends to his health. All in all an interesting documentary. 

"THE OUTER LIMITS: S1; E 29: A Feasibility Study" (4/13/1964) 
"STAR TREK: Voyage One: The Menagerie" (aka "The Cage") (1964/65/88)
I like to watch some films and episodes over and over again. "Star Trek; Voyage One: The Menagerie" is one of those films I like to watch in its original form again and again. For those unfamiliar with its plot, Capt. Pike played by Jeffery Hunter lands on the planet Talos IV where the Talosian race with their strong mental powers try to keep the Capt. as a mate for a female crash survivor whom they hope to use the Capt. for breeding stock to restore their planet to its former glory which was destroyed by war.
 In the Outer Limits episode, "A Feasibility Study" a whole Earth community is transported to the planet, Luminos where the population is dying. The Luminoids hope to determine if the humans abducted can survive and they can be used as slave labor. This episode I remember well from when I first saw it at the age of seven. The ending is very profound as the kidnapped humans realize that if they survive, the whole human race would be marked for slavery. So in order to not let that happen, our main character, played by Sam Wanamaker addresses his fellow captives and says ('Spoiler alert) his wife has contracted the disease that is destroying the Luminoids and will receive their fate and become a living immobile being. He says to prevent the feasibility of their abduction allowing the Luminoids to make all Earthlings slaves, he states he will take his wife's hand and contract the disease. He then asks will some one take his hand. The self-sacrifice of the abducted community saves the rest of humanity.  Both episodes had a profound effect on me.

Enjoyed:

"THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS" (2025)
The fourth attempt to bring the comic book characters to the silver screen. Stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic. Despite having a mustache which the comic book character doe not have Pascal does a decent job of portraying the leader of the group. I am a big "Fantastic Four" fan. Even though I consider myself more a DC fan, I own the first 100 issues of the Fantastic Four in reprint volumes. Instead of  fighting Dr. Doom, the Four's main foe, they fight Galactus,an alien being who devours planets for their energy. Basically a reboot of the 2007 "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" with a few changes to the story. For example, instead of the traditional male Silver Surfer, "FF:FS" has a female Silver Surfer. The film also includes the robot, H.E.R. B.I.E. a character from the second Fantastic Four animated TV Series. All in all all this version of the FF is well worth the viewing.

Mildly enjoyed:

"I BURY THE LIVING" (1958)
A psychological horror film where Richard Boone is the new director of a cemetery with a map that shows which plots have corpses (marked with a black pin) and plots that have been sold but not yet filled with a white pin. Boone makes a mistake marking an unoccupied plot with a black dot instead of a white dot and then the couple that owns the plot turns up dead. 

"GARBO" (2005)
 A documentary about the reclusive actress. Although I was never really a fan of Garbo's and know little about her movies, the documentary was still interesting.

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:

The manchurian candidate (1962, John Frankenheimer)

The desert rats (1953, Robert Wise)

Betrayed / When strangers marry (1945, William Castle)

Across the line (2010, R. Ellis Frazier)

Mildly Enjoyed

The young savages (1960, John Frankenheimer)

Phantoms (1998, Joe Chappelle)

Les tontons flingueurs (1962, Georges Lautner)

Hollow man (2000, Paul Verhoeven)

Il cobra (1967, Mario Sequi)

L'amateur / S.O.S. Fernand – episode « Le somnambule » (1967, Jean-Pierre Decourt)

Did not enjoy:

Escape velocity (1998, Lloyd A. Simandl)

Jack Brooks monster slayer (2007, Jon Knautz)

Game of the dead (short) (2008, Nicolas Hugon)

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 David Deal Enjoyed: 

STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP (46) - One of the lasting poverty row horrors,

THE MAN FROM BITTER RIDGE (55) - Undercover investigator Lex Barker walks into a hornet's nest in Tomahawk where oily John Dehner and his nasty brothers aim to get Dehner elected sheriff and run the sheepherders headed by Stephen McNally out of this cattle country. Lex is there to find out who's been robbing the stagecoaches (three guesses) and he falls for McNally's girl Mara Corday before things get cleaned up. An above average western from Jack Arnold with a good cast of supporters and solid writing.

THE CORRUPT ONES (67) - Check out this adventure with Robert Stack, Elke Sommer, and the great Werner Peters.

SHOWDOWN (50) - "Wild" Bill Elliott is out for revenge for the murder of his brother. He figures the killer works for a nearby cattle ranch so he joins a cattle drive to find out. He figured right. Excellent dark western with Walter Brennan, Marie Windsor, and a nasty Harry Morgan. This opens in a graveyard on a stormy night, something you can't say about many westerns. Recommended.

THE BLACK PIT OF DR. M (58)

THE ASCENT (76) - During a fierce winter in WWII, in the frozen hinterlands of Russia, a group of partisans are running from the Germans. Two of their number break away to look for food. This is their journey to hell. A stark, compelling film that won Best Picture at the Berlin film festival. And deserved it.

THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD (57)

ANGEL WITH THE IRON FISTS (67) - Lily Ho is agent 009 who infiltrates a large criminal organization that has been targeting government spies. Another enjoyable "bangpian" film filled with color and action.

DEAD EYES OF LONDON (60)

KISS KISS, KILL KILL (65) - Please refer to The Eurospy Guide.

ROCKETMAN (19) - If Elton John rings a bell, check this biopic out.

WITNESS IN THE CITY (59)

THE DEADLY MANTIS (57)

THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (32)

Mildly enjoyed:

OVERLAND TELEGRAPH (51) - The installation of overland telegraph lines in the west meant that army outposts along the line aren't needed anymore. This is a problem for George Nader who has all of his money tied up in supplies for the forts. Nader and saloon owner Hugh Beaumont conspire to sabotage the telegraph. Beaumont has it in for Nader because he wants his girlfriend Mari Blanchard. Tim Holt and his sidekick Chito Rafferty (Richard Martin) ride right into this mess and try to make sense of it. Plot heavy oater with many moving parts is adequate entertainment for Holt fans.

SON OF THE STARS (88)

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July 26 - August 2, 2025

 

To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.

Brain Teasers:

Which Italian Western, starring Klaus Kinski, reused the music from UN UOMO, UN CAVALLO, UNA PISTOLA, aka THE STRANGER RETURNS?

It was LA BELVA, aka THE BEAST.

Which American actress was a celebrated dancer on Broadway before getting into movies, including one directed by Duccio Tessari?

No one has answered this one yet.

Which Italian actress' career began in 1955, but thought she would retire from acting when she married a film director, only to find that he continued to ask her to appear in front of the camera because he needed her?

George Grimes knew that it was Lorella De Luca.

How many children did the previously mentioned actress have with her director husband?

George Grimes knew that it was three.

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which British actress, born in 1934, was considered a "sexy actress" in a 1959 movie before making a film in Italy in 1961?

From what movie was director Vittorio Cottafavi reportedly fired because the French star didn't like him?

Which Italian actor, born in 1927, appeared in movies directed by Mario Soldati, Sergio Corbucci, Lucio Fulci, Federico Fellini, Mario Mattoli, Pietro Francisci, Abel Gance and John Sturges?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes and Tom Betts identified last week's photo of Lukas Amann and Giuliano Gemma in I GIORNI DELL'IRA, aka DAYS OF WRATH, aka DAY OF ANGER.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Ida Galli, John Drew Barrymore and Suzy Andersen in ROMA CONTRO ROMA, aka WAR OF THE ZOMBIES.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes identified last week's photo of Nieves Navarro and Frank Wolff in LA MORTE CAMMINA CON I TACCHI ALTI, aka DEATH WALKS IN HIGH HEELS.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes identified last week's photo of Ruriko Asaoka in GOYOKIN, aka THE STEEL EDGE OF REVENGE.

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:

Mildly enjoyed:

THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN (1979) - I wonder what Shelly Burton had in mind while penning the story that became this movie. Was it how public heroes become sell-outs in their older years? Was it about how advertising sells falsehoods to the public? Was it about the cost of redemption when a sell-out feels the need to do the right thing? In any case, the resulting film offers some entertaining moments, but ultimately seems pointless. After spending most of the running time making corporate head John Saxon and his minions the bad guys, it ends with no one facing any negative consequences for their actions. Sydney Pollack had stated that he can't make a film unless there is a love story, I wonder if Burton originally envisioned reporter Jane Fonda and horseman Robert Redford falling in love. Especially since Pollack said that he was re-writing the script throughout production, I wonder what was the original intent of the script. The film is notable as the acting debut of Willie Nelson, and if you don't like the song "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys", then avoid this flick because not only is it sung over the opening credits, it's is also sung by Nelson and Redford while relaxing in a mobile home. Obviously, Pollack and Nelson got along, because Pollack helped to produce HONEYSUCKLE ROSE starring Nelson. At best, this movie works as a prequel to THE HORSE WHISPERER (1998).

Hollywoodism: Jews, Movies and the American Dream (1998) - Based on Neal Gabler's 1988 book AN EMPIRE OF THEIR OWN, this TV documentary by Simcha Jacobovici and Stuart Samuels recounts how a group of Eastern European Jews, who faced antisemitism on the East Coast and Chicago, were able to create their own empire when they moved their operations to a property development in Southern California called Hollywoodland. The premise of the program is that in trying to assimilate into the culture of the United States, they extolled "American" values in their movies, which became the all-pervasive fantasy of life in their adoptive home. The idea is also that many of the conflicts seen in those movies were inspired by the traumas they experienced in the old country - especially pogroms and the destruction of homes by the Cossacks of Russia. Oddly, to illustrate that, the program begins with the massacre of the McBain family at the beginning of ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, which is not an Hollywood film. Of course all of ONCE...WEST is inspired by Hollywood Westerns, so I won't argue so strongly against it not being appropriate. (I always felt that the massacres in Italian Westerns were inspired by experiences of World War 2, which director Giiulio Questi said was the inspiration of SE SEI VIVO SPARA.) Another odd choice is a clip from THE GODFATHER PART 2 in the section on Jews coming to the U.S. When Nazi Germany began their attacks on Jews, the heads of the movie studios and various contract talent began to organize assistance programs, but where dissuaded from continuing by former U.S. Ambassador to England (and one time Hollywood producer) Joseph Kennedy (who was a notorious Hitler apologist). He argued that if the U.S. were to be drawn into War against Germany, many in the U.S. would accuse the Jews of dragging them into it. Luckily, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor solved the problem of Hollywood criticism of the Nazis. The fact that the U.S. government requested the Jewish studio heads to make movies in favor of the War effort, made many of them feel that they were finally accepted by U.S. society. However, after the War was over, the House Un-American Activities Committee chose to investigate Hollywood for subversion. All the movies made to support our World War 2 allies in the Soviet Union were now considered Communist propaganda. The perspective of this program is that when the Jewish studio heads acquiesced to H.U.A.C., they lost their status as moguls. The program made no mention of television erroding their power. While not enitrely convincing in their perspective, the makers of this documentary certainly found many archival clips to keep things interesting.

The Last of Us season two (2025) - Many fans of the video game hate this second season because it doesn't follow the game's story line. They also complain about changes to the characters. Not being someone who plays the game, I just hate the cliff hanger ending.

NO BLADE OF GRASS (1970) - I think I saw this four times back when it was still in theaters, but the version I recorded off TCM many years ago - and just watched - didn't jibe with my memory. My memory often is flawed, but this copy has obviously been censored for TV with a cussin' word or two missing and the rape scene being shortened. Director Cornel Wilde obviously wanted to deliver a "save the Earth" message along with the action adventure Science Fiction material, and boy did he lay it on thick. The film begins with a theme song by Roger Whittaker which spells out the message followed by a montage of scenes showing industrial pollution of the air, land and water. Such montages pop up frequently in the movie as if the drama being played out isn't harrowing enough. This time I wondered if the irritating Flash-forward clips were part of Wilde's original intention, or were they added later when the film seemed to lag at certain points. In any case, the film is based on John Christopher's (aka Sam Youd) novel THE DEATH OF GRASS and supposes that civilization will descend into barbarism when a virus kills all of the grassy plants (including wheat and rice) around the world. When events start to go bad, Patrick Holt invites his brother Nigel Davenport and his family to come stay with him in his farm in Northern England. John Hamill gets the word that things have gone really bad, so they set off. There are a number of violent incidents on the journey and Davenport ends up leading a larger group of survivors to the walls of his brother's farm. Holt won't take in more than the family he initially invited, so Davenport must decide to either betray those who followed him, or lead an attack on his brother's farm. I went back to see this movie originally because it featured brutal violence, which seems softened in the version viewed. Has it been softened, or has the brutal violence of the current fare just made it seem softer? Hammer Film fans will note that this was Lynne Frederick's first feature film and Christopher Neame had a small role.

THE THREE PENNY OPERA (1963) - Have you ever been in a play and then thought that seeing the movie version would bring back memories of your show? Well, that's never happened for me with THE THREEPENNY OPERA. The show began in 1728 when John Gay wrote a ballad opera with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch called THE BEGGAR'S OPERA. Satirising Italian Opera which was popular in England at the time, Gay used popular ballads for the music. Instead of the grand traditions of Italian Opera, Gay set his show among the denizens of a prison for the poor. As the show denounced the poverty, injustice and corruption of society, it is not surprising that the show appealed to Marxist playwright Bertolt Brecht in 1928 Germany. Working with composer Kurt Weill, Brecht adapted Gay's play, which had been translated into German by Brecht's lover Elisabeth Hauptmann, into DIE DREIGROSCHENOPER, aka THE THREEPENNY OPERA. The play made a star of Weill's wife, Lotte Lenya, and was so successful that it had been translated into 18 languages. In 1933, the Nazis came to power and Brecht, Weill and Lenya had to flee Germany. Director G.W. Pabst made a film version of the show in 1931 - which had very little to do with the play in which I was in. In 1956, Marc Blitzstein translated the show for an Off-Broadway production featuring Lotte Lenya, who won a Tony Award for her performance. Bobby Darin did a Jazzy version of the show's opening song, "Mack the Knife", which won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1959, which ensured the continued notoriety of the show. When I discovered that there had been a 1963 movie version, I figured that it was based on the 1956 production. I was wrong. Instead, it was a German production directed by Wolfgang Staudte, who had started his career in 1932. How much of this production was done in English and how much in German I don't know, but they only used Blitzstein's version of "Mack the Knife". All of the other songs had new lyrics, possibly by co-screenwriter Gunther Weisenborn. Staudte also re-arranged the order of the scenes, though most everything happened as in the show I knew. Unfortunately, I've only been able to see a very bad TV broadcast of the 1963 movie, but Staudte mostly surrounded his cast with a carnival setting giving the show a theatrical look. Sammy Davis Jr. plays the "Street Singer" so he gets to do his version of "Mack the Knife". If you've ever wanted to see Curt Jurgens, aka Curd Jurgens, as a suave lothario, this is the movie for you. It sounds to me that he sings his songs in English, and I've never before seen him look dashing. Also a revelation is Gert Frobe, a year before GOLDFINGER, giving a very animated performance. It doesn't sound like he's singing his songs or speaking in the English version. Hildegard Knef plays Jenny Diver, but her song "Pirate Jenny" is missing. The production of THE THREEPENNY OPERA in which I appeared is the Marc Blitzstein version, staged at North Dakota State University February 12-15, 1975. My major complaint about the 1963 movie version, is that they screw up my favorite song, "What Keeps A Man Alive?"

TOM HORN (1980) - I've been avoiding this movie for about 35 years. Who wants to see a movie about a "stock detective" who gets framed for a murder and hanged when the Cattleman's Association thinks he is a liability? Well, the movie is downright watchable with a striking performance by Steve McQueen. Reportedly the production was originally to be directed by Don Siegel, who quit. Next came Elliot Silverstein and then James William Guercio. McQueen wanted to direct the film himself, but the Directors Guild ruled that he couldn't. TV director William Wiard ended up with the director's credit, but many believe that McQueen actually did the work. In any case, the final film has much to recommend it, except for the inclusion of a romance featuring Linda Evans. This subplot comes to nothing and feels out of place. Western movie fans should enjoy seeing a supporting cast including Richard Farnsworth, Billy Green Bush, Slim Pickens, Elisha Cook Jr. and Geoffrey Lewis. Thomas McGuane and Bud Shrake get the credit for the screenplay supposedly based on Tom Horn's autobiography. 

Did not enjoy:

ALL NEAT IN BLACK STOCKINGS (1969) - Reportedly acclaimed British Horror/Fantasy novelist wrote this "social realist" novel partly based on her husband's experiences as a window cleaner. I certainly hope that her husband was less of a cad as the guy portrayed here by Victory Henry. Henry is turned on by young women wearing black stockings. But, after causing an uproar at an hospital because of a nurse he spotted while window cleaning, he ends up taking her back to his place where he swaps her for the woman already in his flat mate's bed. He starts to feel serious about virginal Susan George, but after bringing her home, he finds that his flat mate, Jack Shepherd, got in first. When George finds out that she's pregnant, Henry agrees to marry her. She insists that they live with her mother, Clare Kelly. One night, Henry and Kelly get into a tussle and end up having sex. While Kelly makes Henry breakfast and lunch, when George comes home with the baby, it becomes apparent that everyone's miserable. Henry throws away the lunch made for him by Kelly, goes to a cafe and begins flirting with the waitress dressed in black stockings. I guess this is supposed to be amusing, but I found it incredibly dreary featuring characters I don't like doing things I don't like. British TV director Christopher Morahan got his feature film debut when producer Carlo Ponti hired him to make DIAMONDS FOR BREAKFAST with Marcello Mastroianni and Rita Tushingham. That film was also reported to be unfunny. My main interest in ALL NEAT IN BLACK STOCKINGS is that it features two actors from one of my favorite movies, director Michael Reeves' THE SORCERERS. Susan George would go on to become world famous, while Victor Henry would continue to be acclaimed as a stage actor until he was hit in the head by a concrete lamppost knocked over by an automobile in 1972. This put him in a coma from which he never recovered. He died in 1985.

BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) - I didn't much like this movie when it came out in theaters, and I still don't like it. Since it has become a celebrated Cult Movie, I figured I'd give it another look-see and it has everything in it I don't enjoy: creeping killer camera, an house filled with young women set up to be killed and an ambiguous ending. Basically this is an old dark house murder mystery in which the mystery is never solved. I didn't like the 2006 remake either.

SAW III (2006) - I didn't much like the first two, but this one I really didn't like. Stylistically, this featured every editing trick I loath in current Horror movies especially flash cuts with load sound effects. I also hated that Dina Meyer and Angus Macfadyen were wasted in such a project. Darren Lynn Bousman directed II and this flick. He also directed SAW IV, so I'm not looking forward to watching that.

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Angel Rivera  Enjoyed:

'ROOM 222" (1969-74) Various Episodes!
YouTube is streaming several episodes of the old show. The ones I watched were interesting for their story lines, but were more interesting to me for their guest stars. 
In one episode the female student was portrayed by Linda Haynes, a minor and popular actress of the time ("Latitude Zero" (1969) with Cesar Romero) and her friend a pre-"Laverne and Shirley," Cindy Williams. In another episode, about cheerleaders doing cheers with out bras underneath their cheerleader outfits featuring a post "Lost in  Space" Angela Cartwright as one of the cheerleaders (you really can't see anything, so I guess you're just supposed  to imagine you can see nipples.) Also as one of the basketball team members getting into trouble for ogling Angela is a very young, tall and with a head of blonde hair,  Ed Begley, Jr. Also as a father of one of the students is a post "Star Trek" DeForest Kelley. His episode had to do with his character being falsely indicted on criminal charges and how it affected his relationship with his son. An interesting piece of nostalgia. I think it was one of the first TV series to have two black leads, as well as interesting story lines representing the times; that still holds up today.   

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Highly enjoyed:

 The odd couple (1967, Gene Saks)

Enjoyed:

Shoot out (1971, Henry Hathaway)

Valdez is coming (1970, Edwin Sherin)

Déviation obligatoire (theatre play) (2004, Yves di Tullio)

Posse (1975, Kirk Douglas)

The gunfight at Dodge city (1959, Joseph M. Newman)

Objective : Burma (1945, Raoul Walsh)

A l'arraché (short) (2003, Fred Cavaye)

Mildly Enjoyed

The hunting party (1971, Don Medford)

Jubal (1956, Delmer Daves)

Les poneyttes (1967, Joël le Moigne)

The fatal witness (1945, Lesley Selander)

Plein les poches pour pas un rond (1978, Daniel Daert)

Fun with Dick and Jane (2005, Dean Parisot)

Did not enjoy:

The rear gunner (short) (1943, Ray Enright)

The tanks are coming (short) (1941, B. Reeves Eason)

Terror train (1979, Roger Spottiswood)

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 David Deal Enjoyed: 

HYSTERIA (64)

I'LL SEE YOU IN HELL (60)

THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND (25) - An eccentric young millionaire, who lives on an otherwise uninhabited island, invites his fave folk duo from years ago to play a gig for him. Completely unassuming comedy that treats its characters truthfully. Witty and charming. And recommended.

THE SCARLET BARONESS (59)

MANNEQUIN IN RED (58) - A model is found dead, an ornate knife in her back, in the display window of fashion house Le Femme. The police investigator's wife goes undercover at the request of the house's owner to ferret out the killer. Soon, more murders occur and a blackmail plot turns out to be integral to the crimes. Swedish director Arne Mattson's mystery thriller is very colorful and modern, and draws strong parallels with Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace (64). It's a bit long but consistently interesting, visually and otherwise. The same investigative couple feature in Mattson's Rider in Blue, another worthwhile mystery.

LA NOTTE (61)

THE TALL T (57)

GORGO (61)

BACK TO THE WALL (58)

FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS (62)

AND GOD CREATED WOMAN (56) - This is better than its reputation.

LUST FOR A VAMPIRE (71) - Gotta wrap up the week with another cerebral entertainment.

Mildly enjoyed:

CAPTIVE OF BILLY THE KID (52) - Five people each hold a piece of a map that leads to Billy the Kid's loot stash. Detective "Rocky" Lane has been hired by one of the five to keep them all safe. It doesn't work because one of the five is the villain of the piece. Fair oater features future Lone Ranger Clayton Moore.

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