January 4 - 10, 2025

 

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

Brain Teasers:

During which American concert performance was the distinctive theme song for DJANGO played?

It was Jamie Foxx What Had Happened Was... on Netflix.

Which Italian director, born in 1918, made 14 short films before finally making a feature with Eleonora Rossi Drago, and then worked with actors Ettore Manni, Rita Gam, Ed Fury, Shirley Jones and Dana Andrews?

George Grimes, Charles Gilbert and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Vittorio Sala.

Which Italian actor, born in 1916, was given an award for helping to hide Jews at Cinecitta during World War 2, and made films with directors Riccardo Freda, Nunzio Malasomma, William Dieterle, Jean Negulesco and Mario Gariazzo?

George Grimes and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Rossano Brazzi.

What American actor worked with directors Siro Marcellini, Hugo Fregonese, Sergio Corbucci, Jose Briz Mendez and Sergio Garrone?

George Grimes and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Ty Hardin.

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which Italian Western is credited as "un film di Robert Lover"?

Can you name two Italian Westerns for which new title songs were added for U.S. release?

From what expensive Epic Movie was Sergio Leone fired?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Antonio Molino Rojo, Aldo Sambrell and Daniel Martin in UNA MINUTO PER PREGARE, UN INSTANTO PER MORIRE, aka A MINUTE TO PRAY, A SECOND TO DIE.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes and Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's frame grab of Anthony Steffen in AFRODITE, DEA DELL'AMORE, aka APHRODITE GODDESS OF LOVE.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes, Angel Rivera, Bertrand van Wonterghem and John Black identified last week's frame grab of Tony Musante in L'UCCELLO DALLE PIUME DI CRISTALLO, aka THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes identified last week's frame grab from SNUFF BOTTLE CONNECTION.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

**********************************************************************

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:

Gilmore Girls: A Year In the Life (2016) - This four part mini-series was made for Netflix, with each part being feature length. Most everyone who participated in the TV series made at least a cameo appearance and every bit was special. 

Mildly enjoyed:

 

DE LIFT, aka THE LIFT (1983) - What is causing the elevator in a multi-use building to act strangely? Was it because of a lightning storm? Was it because a maitence man was sabotaging it? Was it because the company providing microprocessors for the equipment was experimenting with protein based chips which can become sentient? Elevator repairman Huub Stapel wants to know, and reporter Willeke van Ammelrooy wants the story. Dutch filmmaker Dick Maas does a John Carpenter on this film, writing, directing and doing the music. The film is fairly effective, but the subplot involving Stapel's wife becoming convinced that our hero is cheating on her is rather annoying. Eight years later, Maas remade this film with an English language cast with the title DOWN, aka THE SHAFT.

L'OCCHIO NEL LABIRINTO, aka THE EYE IN THE LABYRINTH (1972) - I first saw Rosemary Dexter as Lee Van Cleef's sister in PER QUALCHE DOLLARI IN PIU, aka FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE, and I always wanted to see more of her. At the very least, director Mario Caiano allows you to see just about all of her in L'OCCHIO NEL LABIRINTO. So even if the movie is a rather poorly written thriller with camerawork failing to be artistically stylish, it is enjoyable just to be able to stare at Dexter. Caiano also provides a rather mild rape scene involving Sybil Danning, as well as an enjoyable cast of familiar faces including Adolfo Celi, Alida Valli (who looks terrific in a bikini), Horst Frank and Franco Ressel. As Dexter emerges from the sea without clothing, Valli (dubbed into English) says "A naked woman doesn't have to go into explanations.... especially if she is a young and beautiful as you." Huh?

MY CHAUFFEUR (1986) - After this film and VALLEY GIRL, the incredibly charming Deborah Foreman seemed set for The Big Time, but it didn't happen. Still, we have this entertaining little movie, which played like writer/director David Beaird couldn't come up with enough to make it feature length. So Penn & Teller show up to contribute about fifteen minutes of foolishness which was completely unrelated to the central plot. The main story was a romantic comedy about Foreman being given a job for a mysterious reason by wealthy E.G. Marshall as a chauffeur. One of her clients was Marshall's son, Sam Jones. Their love story was hardly convincing, but cute anyway. Sean McClory as Marshall's butler was another chamer, with Howard Hesseeman as the sort-of villain. Sam Jones had his chance at The Big Time six years earlier with FLASH GORDON, which didn't happen, but he found steady work on TV.

Did not enjoy:

BLOOD SORCERY (1986) - Like most Hong Kong Horror films, BLOOD SORCERY features a lot of disgusting eating followed by throwing up. As best an I can figure, the story is about a taxi driver who finds himself cursed by the ghost of a dead woman. The dead woman recruits an evil sorcerer to plague the driver, who finds that he can't achieve penetration into his wife. Finally a Taoist monk arrives to battle the evil sorcerer. A skeptical scientist witnesses the triumph of good over evil magic and decides that he will have to study more. Wen-Po Tu is the film's director.

CHALLENGE THE NINJA (1986) - Often incorrectly called CHALLENGE OF THE NINJA, this is another IDF effort taking an unreleased on video Asian flick, shooting new footage with a Caucasian performer wearing a silly outfit - here it's Bruce Baron, and calling it a "Ninja" movie. I find it hard to believe that these films have fans but the proof is on YouTube.

EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC (1977) - The summer of 1977 was promising to be a great time. A new film by director John Boorman. A new film by director William Friedkin. A new film by director George Lucas. I was in San Marcos, Texas when EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC opened, and I was there for the first showing that day. As with most people, I hated it. Right from the beginning of the film, it became apparent that this film was made by people who didn't understand, or like, THE EXORCIST. With THE EXORCIST, director William Friedkin strived to set the story in a realistic world. Even the opening scenes in Iraq seemed like a documentary. Everything in that film was relatable, even when it got into the supernatural. Boorman's film jumps right into the supernatural, and never gives the audience anything with which to identify. It even invents African mythology involving locusts and an hypnotic device which allows two people to be in mental sync. Boorman has a penchant to fragment his story-telling, so it is not surprising that most audiences couldn't figure out what was going on most of the time. And, they couldn't figure out how this related to THE EXORCIST, aside from appearances by Linda Blair, Max von Sydow and Kitty Winn. When this film flopped at the box office, many think piece articles appeared with opinions on why it didn't work for audiences. Some felt it was because it wasn't as shocking. These opinions completely misunderstood why THE EXORCIST was loved. Even star von Sydow misunderstood the appeal thinking that audiences were enjoying the spectacle of a young woman being abused. Everyone chose to ignore that the makers of THE EXORCIST said that the film portrayed an evil that convinced some of the existence of the Devil. If you can believe in the Devil, then how do you explain good except with the existence of God? Accepting that supernatural evil exists must result in the acceptance of supernatural good when some choose selfless sacrifice in the combat. Boorman injects a different idea; that some people are born into this world with the ability to fight supernatural evil. Instead of an innocent girl becoming possessed by a demon to cause a priest to lose his faith in God, Boorman would have it that the girl was born with such goodness that evil was attracted to her for combat. He also suggests that locusts are minions of evil. One thing that the makers of THE EXORCIST knew was that they must never mention the name of the demon Pazuzu because it would sound ridiculous to audiences. The makers of THE EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC threw out this idea and many characters insist on the demon being named out loud. I don't remember anyone laughing about Pazuzu in the small audience with which I first saw this film. What I remember laughing at was when the train conductor catches Blair taking out Richard Burton's wallet and Burton says "The sow is mine.".  I'm always looking for bargains on home videos, so I picked up a used copy of THE EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC figuring that after 40 years I'd give it another look-see. Recently, I discovered that I had picked up two VHS copies for cheap. When I checked to see which one was better, I was shocked to discover that they were two different versions of the film, even though the boxes they were in were identical. I figured that the one which ran 118 minutes would be the original film that I saw in the theater and I decided to watch it first. Most of it was the same mess that I remembered, but the line "The sow is mine" was gone. In its place was "She belongs to me." Is my memory faulty, or was this a change they made when they found that the line produced laughter in the audience? Anyway, I've now also watched the 103 minute version and it is different. In addition to having an opening narration which explains the idea that there are people being born all over the world with the ability to combat evil, and that the Max von Sydow character was being thought of as an heretic by the Catholic Church because of this belief, but they also changed the dialog with the train conductor again. Now, Burton doesn't even say "She belongs to me." At least this second version shows what happened to the taxi driver after his cab crashed through the gate in Georgetown. One of the more annoying aspects of this movie is the set design. Who thought that a clinic which deals with disturbed children should have glass walls and automatic doors? And who thought every set should have multiple reflective surfaces? Did anyone else notice that all of Linda Blair's costumes seemed designed to announce that she has grown to become a sexy young woman? I am now aware that Ennio Morricone provided an angelic piece of music every time Blair manifests her supernatural goodness. Martin Scorsese champions this movie because he felt that the concept of people being born with such goodness that evil must attack them to be interesting. The fact that the movie features a lead performance by Richard Burton which is so intense as to be laughable and an uncompelling storyline which is completely unconvincing may not bother him, but it bothers me. - For the record, the Friedkin film, SORCERER, also flopped while the Lucas film, STAR WARS was wildly popular. I spent the rest of the summer arguing that STAR WARS was more fun, but SORCERER was a better film.

FANTASY IN BLUE (1975) - With pornographic performers John Toland, John Leslie and Georgina Spelvin in the cast, I guess this is probably also available in an hardcore edition. The one I watched studiously avoided any footage of penises, though it had no problem with close-ups of cunnilingus or "fingering". Husband Toland is frustrated that his wife, Sharon Thorpe, only gets off using a electric massager. He goes to Splevin for advice, and she invites the couple to an orgy. Thorpe runs out of the orgy and the couple decide that what they really need is a vacation just for the two of them. However, Thorpe is grabbed and raped by two men and a woman, which she likes and secretly plans to return to Spelvin's orgy without her husband.

FATHOM (1967) - I saw this back when it came out in theaters, and I didn't like it. Since then, THE SORCERERS (1967) has become one of my favorite movies, and I was eager to see more of Elizabeth Ercy. Unfortunately, Ercy has a tiny role just like she has in the other 11 credits on IMDb aside from THE SORCERERS. Also in FATHOM is Tom Adams, whom I hoped would have been a bigger star after LICENSED TO KILL, aka THE 2nd BEST SECRET AGENT IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. Even Clive Revill is disappointing in this flick from TV director Leslie H. Martinson.

TENEMENT (1985) - Possibly inspired by THE WARRIORS and ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13, credited writers Joel Bender and Rick Marx came up with a workable movie script - a gang of drug dealers want revenge on the residents of a tenement building after the residents snitch on them to the cops. Out on bail, the gang decides to kill everyone in the tenement building after cutting off the telephone lines leaving the residents with no way to contact the outside world. Unfortunately, producer Walter E. Sear decided to entrust the project to director Roberta Findlay, who also worked as the movie's director of photography. Just because she was a woman making exploitation films, Findlay should not be celebrated since she showed no talent for making good movies. The most remarkable thing about this movie was that no actor was listed in the opening credits. It was also remarkable that the final bad guy was killed by being stabbed with a broken TV antenna. Mina Bern would go on to work with directors Joan Micklin Silver, Barry Levinson, Andrew Bergman and Woody Allen before she died in 2010 at the age of 98. Rhetta Hughes had previously appeared in SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG. Paul Calderon would amass over 100 credits on the IMDb, mostly on television.

 

****************************************************************

David Deal Enjoyed:

MASTER STROKE (66) - Please refer to The Eurospy Guide.

SMILE BEFORE DEATH (72) - Time to give up my crummy DVR.

THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX (09)

THE BLACK SCORPION (57) - The special effects here run the gamut from excellent to barely acceptable but this is still a fave 50's sci-fi classic.

SEVEN GOLDEN MEN (65) - A loveable Italian crime film.

PROJECT X (67) - I don't know what William Castle was smoking but the result is entertaining.

SUNSET BLVD (50) - Relentlessly modern noir. If you haven't seen it, treat yourself.

X THE UNKNOWN (56) - Would make a good double bill with Caltaiki.

EMILIA PEREZ (24)

TERROR BY NIGHT (46)

Mildly Enjoyed 

THE DEVIL'S HAND (62) - I like the modern, clean floor style of this low budget effort, and the cast doesn't hurt either, but it plays things pretty safe.

****************************************************************

Angel Rivera  Enjoyed:

"A NORMAL HEART" (2014)
Mark Ruffalo portrays Ned Weeks, a gay man and writer at the beginnings of the AIDS epidemic (1981-1984) when it was strictly believed to be  a "homosexual" disease. Some of the instances reminded me of the COVID epidemic when it was believed it only effected the elderly and those whose immune systems have been compromised by other conditions. The disease begins to take its toll among the gay communities but government and the rest of society doesn't seem to care. Powerful stuff.

"AND THE BAND PLAYED ON" (1993)
Matthew Modine plays Dr. Don Francis working for the CDC begins to study and advocate for research at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. When it appears that only gay men seem to contract the disease,  Dr. Francis and his colleagues at the CDC have their jobs cut out for them, when no one seems to care as long as the disease effects gay man. This film deals with the disease as an international phenomena as the disease is found outside of the USA. Interesting film as actions (it seems to me, at least) resemble what governments do when prejudice and economics seem to work against the populace.

'"A COMPLETE UNKNOWN" (2024)
Bio-pic about the early days of  Bob Dylan, from when he comes to New York City to when he "goes electric" at 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Some good musical performances.

******************************************************************

Charles Gilbert watched:

Super Shock Show hosted by Sicko-Psychotic (actor Jim Childs) in Las Vegas, features chapter lengths of the Japanese caped hero STAR MAN, and part 6 of MOLEMEN AGAINST THE SON OF HERCULES. Interesting in that he includes information for the "Mighty Sons of Hercules" theme song citing credit for Leonard Whitcup, Ted Lehrman, and Peter Reiner (?). Song performed by the Herculons.

The full length Freaky Flick that follows, is Roger Vadim's BLOOD AND ROSES starring his wife Annette (Stroyberg) Vadim and Mel Ferrer. Another version of the Carmilla Karnstein vampire myth.

PHANTOM STAGECOACH (1957) B&W. William Bishop in a western programmer with Kathleen Crowley. Foe is Richard Webb. Rival operators feud over stage coach lines with one side building an ironclad juggernaut to get the upper hand.

ADVENTURES IN SILVERADO (1948) B&W. William Bishop with Gloria Henry (Dennis the Menace mom). He trades fists and barbs with Forest Tucker while searching for a highwayman that robs the stage coach lines. Doc Edgar Buchanan turns out to be the Robin Hood thief.

******************************************************************

Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:

Le comte de Monte Cristo (1954, Robert Vernay)

Le comte de Monte Cristo (1961, Claude Autant-Lara

Jomyeonggage / Light shop (2023, Kim Hee Won) – episode 8

Gojira shingyura pointo / Godzilla singular point (2021, anime) episodes 8 to 10

Kekkon surutte, honto desu ka ? / 365 days to the wedding (anime) (2024, Hiroshi Ikehata) – episode 1

Mildly enjoyed:

Le comte de Monte Cristo (2023, Matthieu Delaporte & Alexandre de la Patellière)

******************************************************************