October 18 - 24, 2025

 

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

Brain Teasers:

Which Oscar winning American actor, who made an Italian Western, was quoted by Liz Smith as saying that he didn't drink water because "fish fuck in it"?

Angel Rivera knew that it was Van Heflin.

Which American actor, who made an Italian Western, appeared as three different characters on I Love Lucy?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes knew that it was Lawrence Dobkin.

In which Italian Western does a dying man shoot the canteen of the escaping evil woman so that she dies of thirst in the desert?

No one answered this question yet.

Which Italian producer offered Richard Harrison a chance to star in Italian movies, thus inspiring the American to break his contract with AIP?

Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes and Angel Rivera knew that it was Italo Zingarelli.

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which Mexican actor worked with directors Henri Verneuil, Damiano Damiani and Luis Bunuel?

What role did Mark Forest turn down which then went to Gordon Mitchell?

Which Spanish actress, who appeared in Westerns, was married to Craig Hill?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Lawrence Dobkin and Mark Damon in JOHNNY YUMA.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Scilla Gabel and Mark Damon in IL FIGLIO DI CLEOPATRA, aka SON OF CLEOPATRA.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes identified last week's frame grab from UNA SULL'ALTRA, aka ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER, aka PERVERSION STORY

No one was able to identify the above photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes identified last week's photo from BLIND WOMAN'S CURSE

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:

RIPLEY'S GAME (2002) - Based on the same 1974 novel by Patricia Highsmith (the third in her series about Tom Ripley) as director Wim Wenders' DER AMERIKANISCHE FREUND, director Liliana Cavani's RIPLEY'S GAME is a more faithful adaptation, but is surprisingly conventional for the often controversial Italian filmmaker. An Italian-U.K. coproduction, Cavani's seems to have been made in English, with many American and British actors. Ripley's home has been moved from France to Italy and the murders from Munich to Berlin. John Malkovich makes for a very compelling Ripley, without the homosexual suggestions found in the two movie adaptations of THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY. Lena Headey is also very fine as the wife of the "innocent" man manipulated into becoming an assassin. Ennio Morricone contributes a splendid music score. If this movie was made in response to the major success of THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, the U.S. distributor completely failed to build on that success by not giving this an U.S. theatrical run. Charles McKeown, who is best known for his collaboration with the Monty Python guys, was the main writer here. Reportedly financial difficulties resulted in Cavani having to leave before production was completed, and Malkovich stepped in to finish directing the movie.

AVENTURAS DE ROBINSON CRUSOE, aka ROBINSON CRUSOE (1954) - Here's another film which may not have been made if it wasn't for the "Red Scare" in Hollywood. Hugo Butler moved to Mexico as a result of the "Hollywood Blacklist" where he met Spanish director Luis Bunuel, who had left Europe during the Spanish Civil War. Together they made a loose adaptation of Daniel Defoe's novel, but included that the main character, played by Daniel O'Herlihy, was on his way to Africa from Brazil to buy slaves when his ship was wrecked. It is only during a number of hallucenation scenes, that one is reminded of Bunuel's celebrated surrealism. There is no faulting Bunuel's straightforward telling of this celebrated story of survival, and O'Herlihy is splendid in the tittle role. Alex Phillips assists with vivid color photography. Reportedly, the producers were trying to convince Bunuel to use Orson Welles and they showed him Welles' MACBETH. From that screening, Bunuel selected O'Herlihy, who played Macduff. O'Herlihy would get a Best Actor nomination from the Motion Picture Academy, while the film won six Ariel Awards in Mexico. There are many recognizable Mexican actors here including Jaime Fernandez of GUNS FOR SAN SEBASTIAN, Chel Lopez of Bunuel's EL ANGEL EXTERMINADOR and Jose Chavez of THE WILD BUNCH. 

Mildly enjoyed:

CROOKS AND CORONETS, aka SOPHIE'S PLACE (1969) - Following up his previous collaboration with producer Herman Cohen's BERSERK!, writer/director Jim O'Connolly made this amiable crime comedy showcasing Telly Savalas and Warren Oates in perhaps their most relaxed and charming performances. Getting out of an American prison, Savalas is met by Oates and they immediately go to see Gangster Cesar Romero. Savalas has a plan to rob an great English estate and he needs backing from Romero. As previous schemes by Savalas only ended with Savalas going back to prison, Romero isn't interested until Savalas mentions that the estate has four paintings by an obscure artist of which Romero has none. Arriving in the U.K., Savalas and Oates are met by local hood Harry H. Corbett, who is supposed to help the Americans but is trying to figure out how to double-cross them. Setting out on their own, Savalas and Oates strive to sneak into the estate and case the joint, only to discover that there are inexpensive guided tours. Catching Lady Edith Evans trying to steal a gold cup using a fishing pole, Savalas and Oates end up befriending the grandson, Lord Nicky Henson. The two Americans are able to con the Aristocrats, who then 

invite the strangers to move into the grand house. As Savalas catalogs the many valuable books in the house, Oates uses his mechanical skills to help get a large collection of vintage propeller planes working. As the crooks find themselves becoming friends with the Aristocrats, they decide that "you don't steal from friends". However, Romero shows up, and enlists Corbett to force Savalas and Oates to carry through on the plan to fleece the estate. Savalas has to devise a madcap defense ot the estate. At 106 mins, the movie feels a bit long - though it seems obvious that a romantic subplot between Savalas and Vickery Turner was cut out, but the comfortable pacing and the charm of the players makes it all mildlly enjoyable. Hammer Film fans will enjoy seeing Thorley Walters as a butler, but his role is very small. Also in small roles are David Bauer, David Lodge and Hattie Jacques.

JOHN CANDY: I LIKE ME (2025) - I have come to hate documentaries that use SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) leader for transitions. I haven't actually timed it, but I think most programs that use this would be ten minutes shorter. It is bad enough when they use part of the countdown to the sync pop, but cut away before it finishes. It is even worse when they use the Kodak leader found on Super 8 film. Do they think this is "cool" or do they do it just to annoy those of us who have used such plastic material? In any case, most of director Colin Hanks film intercuts talking heads revealing to us what a great guy Candy was with details about his career. However, towards the end, there are suggestions of problems Candy was having before his death, but there doesn't seem to be enough time to go into those.

ZORRO CONTRO MACISTE, aka SAMSON AND THE SLAVE QUEEN (1963) - I remember seeing this with my family when it hit the theaters and we were all disappointed that it wasn't a mythological adventure, but a Zorro movie. And a confused Zorro movie at that not being set in Old California. Just where is the Island of Guadarrama of the colonies of Cristobal and of Santa Marta where in lies the Kingdom of Nogara? Wikipedia informs me of a town called Guadarrama near Madrid, but no island. Well, it doesn't really matter. What does matter is that the king had died in a far-off land and General Attilio Dottesio is on his way back to Nogara with the will that will announce who will be the new Queen - the evil Moira Orfei or the good Maria Grazia Spina. Orfei is a cahoots with the head of the Palace Guard Massimo Serato. Serato decides that they need a powerful man to intercept the General and steal the will. Finding Alan Steel in the marketplace doing the "breaking chains with his chest" act which Anthony Quinn performed in LA STRADA, Serato decides that he is the man for the job. Meanwhile, mild-manner poet Pierre Brice has to leave for Paris to oversee the publishing of his book of poetry. Brice advises Spina to seek out Zorro in nearby Astruria for help. Obviously, Brice is also Zorro, but when he meets Spina, he has to augment his usual eye mask with a scarf covering his lower face as Spina is familiar with that part of his face. One can easily amuse oneself by noting the changes in Brice's mask from scene to scene. As the General and his men march through the forest, bandits led by Andrea Aureli fall upon and kill them all. Aureli finds the sealed "holster" carrying the will, but Steel steals it from him. Brice takes it from Steel, but then Steel gets it back. Brice gets Steel to drink some drugged wine and then substitutes a phony holster in Steel's bag while making off with the real holster. Aureli kidnaps the drugged Steel, and gets his hands on the phony holster. Brice feels that he can't allow Aureli's henchmen to feed the dopey Steel to a crocodile, so he hides the holder under the bed in this room and goes to rescue the strong man. As it turns out, Steel didn't need rescuing, but while Brice thinks he's doing a good deed, Steel goes back to the Inn and finds the hidden holster. Will Steel give the holster to the bad guys? Will tavern wench Rosy De Leo, who is also a maid to Spina, convince Steel to back Spina against Orfei in the Princess race? When will Brice take off his mask and allow Spina to love him? Will the stunt department come up with some fight moves that don't look like professional wrestling? Speaking of stunts, Nazzareno Zamperla, Sal Borgese and Nello Passazini can all be identified during the fight scenes. The original version of this movie has some nice music by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino, but the U.S. distributor felt the need to replace much of it with bits of Les Baxter's score for the U.S. release of GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS. Directed by Umberto Lenzi, from a script co-written by Guido Malatesta, ZORRO CONTRO MACISTE is a rather dull and predictable adventure film which provides some fun if you like this sort of thing.

Did not enjoy:

Monk the first three episodes (2002) - A number of my favorite detective shows feature characters that are social inept - Sofia Helin in the original The Bridge, Clemence Poesy (!) in The Tunnel, Emily Deschanel in Bones and Sara Mortensen of Astrid et Raphaelle, aka Astrid. Obviously, all of the characters are inspired by Sherlock Holmes, but I wondered if they had also been inspired by a TV series from 2002 that I never bothered to watch - Monk. So, when I found that GET-TV was playing the first three espisodes of the series, I decided to see if I had been wrong in ignoring the show. I had not. The show proved to be as uncompelling as I had feared.

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Angel Rivera  Highly enjoyed:

"THE HAUNTING" (1963)
One of the scariest films I've ever seen. First saw it in my pre-teens. Still gives me "the chills". Classic Robert Wise with great performances by Richard Johnson (almost Bond; instead was Drummond); Claire Bloom: Russ Tamblyn (one-time Riff) and especially Julie Harris. Based on "The Haunting of Hill House". (We who walk here, walk alone!)

"SCARLET STREET" (1945)
Classic Film Noir! Edward G. Robinson is great as hen-pecked milquetoast "Chris Cross" and ultimate femme fatale; Joan Bennett. whom milquetoast Robinson can't resist and when murder; a crime of passion is involved, what a classic outcome. One can feel sympathy for the poor devil.

Enjoyed:

"ROOFMAN" (2025)
Channing Tatum is an ex-soldier turned thief who robs McDonald's restaurants by entering thru the roof and surprising the employees at specific times of the day. While hiding in a Toys-R-Us, he spies, after escaping from jail, employee Kirsten Dunst (who looks great, now in her early forties!) They fall in love, but spring was never waiting for them. Based on a true story. 

"TO TRAP A SPY" (1964)
TCM was showing all eight "Man from U.N.C.L.E." films. This was the first. The pilot, which is more about Solo, Napoleon Solo, (as David McCallum has only a few short scenes in it). The original intent of the series was to feature Solo as a single agent like Bond, James Bond. Film holds up well for something made in the sixties.. 

"COMPLIANCE" (2012)
Based on a true story. A manager at a fast food restaurant receives a call from a "police officer" telling her that her young beautiful female employee has stolen money from a customer and she must "strip search" the girl and take away her clothes. The "officer" then tells the female manager that the employee has to be guarded by a male before the police get to the restaurant. She then assigns her fiancee to guard the employee and leaves him to do as the "officer" tells him to do to the employee. The film illustrates how one listens to what they believe is an authority figure, without question. Interesting story done well.

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:

Mr Vampire (1985, Ricky Lau)

Four faces west (1948, Alfred E . Green)

Liberty (short) (1929, Leo McCarey)

Wrong again (short) (1929, Leo McCarey)

Not the 9 o'clock news (1979) – episodes 3 & 4

Mildly Enjoyed

… Piu forte ragazzi ! (1972, Giuseppe Colizzi)

These thousand hills (1958, Richard Fleischer)

Flash Gordon conquers the universe (1940, For Beebe & Ray Taylor) – episodes 1 & 2

Red sundown (1956, Jack Arnold)

Did not enjoy:

The Mississipi gambler (1953, Rudolph Maté)

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