To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.
Brain Teasers:
On what movie did Victor Israel, Helga Line and Julio Pena work with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing?
George Grimes, Charles Gilbert, Angel Rivera and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was HORROR EXPRESS, aka PANICO EN EL TRANSIBERIANO.
Which actor, who worked in Hollywood during the 1940s, was often thought to be French or Spanish but was born in Argentina?
Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was George Rigaud, aka Georges Rigaud, aka Jorge Rigaud.
Which actress, born in Berlin, Germany, is often thought to be Spanish and made Sword & Sandal movies and Westerns?
Bertrand van Wonterghem and Charles Gilbert knew that it was Helga Line.
And now for some new brain teasers:
Charles Gilbert asks, "In an interview, what two other actors did Franco Nero say were offered the role of Django?"
Which Spanish actress was born in Almeria, Spain in 1938?
Which American actor, who made Italian Westerns, committed suicide at the age of 43?
Name the movies from which these images came.
George Grimes, Bertrand van Wonterghem and Charles Gilbert identified last week's frame grab of Franco Nero in VAMOS A MATAR COMPANEROS.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
Bertrand van Wonterghem, Charles Gilbert and George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Ombretta Colli, Giovanni Cianfriglia and Gianna Maria Canale in IL FIGLIO DI SPARTACUS, aka SON OF SPARTACUS, aka THE SLAVE.
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 Steve Reeves in MORGAN IL PIRATA, aka MORGAN THE PIRATE.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
George Grimes identified last week's photo of Tatsuya Nakadai and Toshiro Mifune in DAI-BOSATSU TOGE, aka SWORD OF DOOM.
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:
Nurse Jackie seaons one (2009) - I've avoided this for over a decade, so I was pleasantly surprised as how much I enjoyed this portrait of a competent nurse who is addicted to pills and to cheating on her husband in order to get pills from the pharmacist.The dynamics of her relationship with her two daughters is particularly interesting.
Mildly enjoyed:
Nurse Jackie season two (2010) - This season loses some points by ignoring Jackie's suicide attempt on the last episode of season one.
Only Murders In The Building season five (2025) - You would think that to bring together Meryl Streep, Renee Zellweger and Dianne Wiest one would need stronger material, but at least they seem to be having fun.
Did not enjoy:
CB40 (1993) - Unless he is speaking lines written by Kevin Smith, I'm not much of a fan of Chris Rock. Rap does little for me. So, a Chris Rock spoof and celebration of Rap is something that I easily spent over 30 years avoiding. Charlie Murphy sure did look a lot like his brother Eddie.
FREAKIER FRIDAY (2025) - I am not a big fan of the original 1976 FREAKY FRIDAY, but I am a fan of Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster. I haven't watched the 2003 remake yet and I had not intended to watch this sequel yet, but it was put on and I suffered through it. I enjoyed myself by imaging that it would turn into an INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS remake.
THE INVISIBLE BOY (1957) - When a character like Robby the Robot becomes popular in a unique movie like FORBIDDEN PLANET, how can you cast him in something else? Well, MGM got the bright idea of sticking him in this story about how Philip Abbott creates a super computer that can answer every question put to it. Naturally, it decides that it wants independence from its human control. My favorite story about a super computer out to control the world is COLOSSUS by D.F. Jones, which was published in 1966 and made into the movie THE FORBIN PROJECT in 1970. Abbott takes his son, Richard Eyer, to work where he gets a secret brain boost. With his new intelligence, Eyer finds the dusty Robby the Robot in his dad's garage, which he cleans up and puts in working order. Hoping to boost Robby's brain, Eyer sneaks Robby into the supercomputer's lair, and hooks the two machines together. The supercomputer takes over Robby and informs him on how to make Eyer invisible, so that the machines can kidnap him in order to force Abbott to give up the secret code which will make the supercomputer independent. Meanwhile, the supercomputer has put implants into the brains of the military brass so that he can control the new space platform with nuclear weapons that is being launched into orbit. The title would suggest that this movie is a "kiddie romp", but the storytelling is quite dark and suspenseful. Cyril Hume, who co-wrote FORBIDDEN PLANET, co-wrote THE INVISIBLE BOY with British novelist Edmund Cooper.
YOU'LL FIND OUT (1940) - What with Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre you'd think this flick would be better known in Monster Fan circles. But, unlike ABBOT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, there are no monsters, and this "haunted house mystery movie" is more of a Kay Kyser musical comedy. The music is acceptble, but the comedy isn't. Is M.A. Bogue deliberately intended to look like Moe Howard?
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David Deal Enjoyed:
DEATH IS NIMBLE, DEATH IS QUICK (66) - Please refer to The Eurospy Guide for a review of this Kommissar X series entry.
FANTASTIC PLANET (73)
THE FALCON OUT WEST (44)
FOOTPRINTS (74) - Probably in my top 20.
FREY, THE ARCHITECTURAL INTERPRETER (20) - Interesting documentary on the Palm Springs modernist architect.
MONOLITH MONSTERS (57)
THE WOMAN CHASER (99) - Hadn't seen this in ages. It holds up nicely. Patrick Warburton is great.
STATELINE MOTEL (73) - Good to see a proper release of this rough gem of a noir.
VAMPYRES (74)
TERROR CREATURES FROM THE GRAVE (65)
Mildly Enjoyed
HYPNOSIS (63)
THE SHAKEDOWN (60)
GOOD LUCK, CHARLIE (65) - Eddie Constantine chases a Nazi war criminal in Athens. I'm a fan of Eddie's films, generally speaking, and I wish they got more respect. This one comes across as more of a travelogue of Greece then a compelling drama, however.
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Angel Rivera Highly enjoyed:
"THE BIRDS" (1963)
Haven't watched this in awhile. This time watching it, one can see how well the master of suspense paces his films. First for those who have never seen the film,(spoiler alerts) it starts out like a romance film with Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren having a meet-cute and then Tippi going on to pursue Taylor in his home town of Bodega Bay. In the scene where she gets off a motor boat to greet Taylor, out of nowhere she is surprisingly struck by a sea gull. This is the first inkling that something is happening in Bodega Bay. In another scene that smacks of a romance film, Tippi will stay in Bodega Bay and chooses to rent a room in the house of Taylor's former lover and now friend played by "The Bob Newhart Show"'s Suzanne Pleshette. The scene where dialog tells the audience that the affair between Taylor and Pleshette was over long ago but she reveals that she moved to Bodega Bay because she still wanted to be near "Mitch" (Taylor). Next Pleshette gets a phone call and its Mitch asking to speak to Tippi. Here is the genius of Hitchcock in the way he frames the scene. There is Tippi on the phone sort of flirting with Mitch in the background, while in the foreground Pleshette is seen smoking a cigarette while she visibly endures "Mitch" reaching out to a new girl right in front of her. Still Pleshette and Hedren have no animosity between them. So as they prepare to turn in, a loud bang is hard on the door. The door is opened to reveal a dead bird which they presumed had banged into the door in the dark of the night, except that the night sky is bright due to the light of the full moon. In a normal romance film where we have the couple who is going to get together, yet there might seem to be a rival in the form of Pleshette. But in Hitchcock fashion, Pleshette is removed. A scene after the birds have attacked the town Mitch and Tippi head over to Pleshette's house to pick up Taylor's younger sister played a teenage Veronica Cartwright (of "Alien" fame). They discover the body of Pleshette outside her home. They look for Kathy (Cartwright) and see that she is safe, but crying as she sees them from a window in the house. After picking up Pleshette's dead body and placing it in the house, they get into Mitch's car. Here Kathy tells them they heard the explosion coming from the town that had happened during the bird attack. They went outside to see what had happened when the birds attacked. Kathy then says Pleshette pushed Kathy bask into the house, "and they covered her!" "Annie(Pleshette) pushed me back into the house", Kathy tells them sobbing all the while.
The rest of the movie is now full on horror and suspense as out heroes try to defend themselves and survive "The Birds". Well worth viewing if you've never seen the film and worth re-watching if you haven't seen the film in a while as I had.
"THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS" (1989)
Great romance film and character study. Two pianists played by the Bridges' brothers, Beau and Jeff, take on a singer in the hopes of getting more bookings. The singer hired is Michelle Pfeiffer, who never looked sexier than she does here. The film then precedes to depict how Pfeiffer (her character's name is "Susie Diamond") changes the lives of the brothers. All the characters are likeable and well played by the distinguished cast. Well worth the viewing and re-viewing.
Haven't watched this in awhile. This time watching it, one can see how well the master of suspense paces his films. First for those who have never seen the film,(spoiler alerts) it starts out like a romance film with Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren having a meet-cute and then Tippi going on to pursue Taylor in his home town of Bodega Bay. In the scene where she gets off a motor boat to greet Taylor, out of nowhere she is surprisingly struck by a sea gull. This is the first inkling that something is happening in Bodega Bay. In another scene that smacks of a romance film, Tippi will stay in Bodega Bay and chooses to rent a room in the house of Taylor's former lover and now friend played by "The Bob Newhart Show"'s Suzanne Pleshette. The scene where dialog tells the audience that the affair between Taylor and Pleshette was over long ago but she reveals that she moved to Bodega Bay because she still wanted to be near "Mitch" (Taylor). Next Pleshette gets a phone call and its Mitch asking to speak to Tippi. Here is the genius of Hitchcock in the way he frames the scene. There is Tippi on the phone sort of flirting with Mitch in the background, while in the foreground Pleshette is seen smoking a cigarette while she visibly endures "Mitch" reaching out to a new girl right in front of her. Still Pleshette and Hedren have no animosity between them. So as they prepare to turn in, a loud bang is hard on the door. The door is opened to reveal a dead bird which they presumed had banged into the door in the dark of the night, except that the night sky is bright due to the light of the full moon. In a normal romance film where we have the couple who is going to get together, yet there might seem to be a rival in the form of Pleshette. But in Hitchcock fashion, Pleshette is removed. A scene after the birds have attacked the town Mitch and Tippi head over to Pleshette's house to pick up Taylor's younger sister played a teenage Veronica Cartwright (of "Alien" fame). They discover the body of Pleshette outside her home. They look for Kathy (Cartwright) and see that she is safe, but crying as she sees them from a window in the house. After picking up Pleshette's dead body and placing it in the house, they get into Mitch's car. Here Kathy tells them they heard the explosion coming from the town that had happened during the bird attack. They went outside to see what had happened when the birds attacked. Kathy then says Pleshette pushed Kathy bask into the house, "and they covered her!" "Annie(Pleshette) pushed me back into the house", Kathy tells them sobbing all the while.
The rest of the movie is now full on horror and suspense as out heroes try to defend themselves and survive "The Birds". Well worth viewing if you've never seen the film and worth re-watching if you haven't seen the film in a while as I had.
"THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS" (1989)
Great romance film and character study. Two pianists played by the Bridges' brothers, Beau and Jeff, take on a singer in the hopes of getting more bookings. The singer hired is Michelle Pfeiffer, who never looked sexier than she does here. The film then precedes to depict how Pfeiffer (her character's name is "Susie Diamond") changes the lives of the brothers. All the characters are likeable and well played by the distinguished cast. Well worth the viewing and re-viewing.
Enjoyed:
"THE SPY WITH THE GREEN HAT" (1967)
This is the fifth "Man from U.N.C.L.E." movie culled from a two part episode of the series. Despite some "campy" elements the film is quite entertaining as our heroes try to stop of the machinations of THRUSH agent Jack Palance and his main operative Janet Leigh as they plot to take over the world and impress their chief played by Will Kuluva, who wears a green hat and who originally played the head of U.N.C.L.E. in the U.N.C.L.E. pilot episode before being replaced by Leo G. Carroll. The plot also has some character actors who were known for playing gangsters back in the thirties and forties. The "gangsters" help the men from U.N.C.L.E. thwart the plans of the THRUSH agents. The "gangsters" known as the Stilletto brothers are mad at THRUSH for kidnapping their niece played Leticia Roman, best known for the Mario Bava classic, "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" (1963). The film also has a scene which is a take off on the famous scene from "The Public Enemy" (1931) where James Cagney pushes a grapefruit half into Mae Clarke's face. Here Eduardo Ciannelli, the lead Stiletto brother pushes a grapefruit half into the face of his nagging wife played by Joan Blondell. One of the more entertaining U.N.C.L.E. films.
"THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E." S3, E25 "The Hot Number Affair" (aired 3/10/1967)
A fun episode as the guest stars are Sonny and Cher. THRUSH has placed coded messages in the pattern of a dress. Every one is looking for the dress last worn by model, Cher who can't seem to remember where she left it. The dress was manufactured by dressmakers "Agnes Sue" a company run by George Tobias, best remembered for his role of Abner Kravitz on the old "Bewitched" sit-com (1964-1972) and Ned Glass, best known as "Doc" in the classic "West Side Story" (1961) Sonny plays the role of a dress cutter who works for "Agnes Sue" and made the dress. He is also madly in unrequited love with Cher, who basically doesn't know he is alive. The main villain is Joe Mantell, probably best remembered for his role in the movie, "Marty" (1955). After Solo and Illya thwart the plans of the THRUSH agents, Cher is told Sonny is an undercover agent of U.N.C.L.E. making her see him in a new light. All in all a funny and entertaining episode.
This is the fifth "Man from U.N.C.L.E." movie culled from a two part episode of the series. Despite some "campy" elements the film is quite entertaining as our heroes try to stop of the machinations of THRUSH agent Jack Palance and his main operative Janet Leigh as they plot to take over the world and impress their chief played by Will Kuluva, who wears a green hat and who originally played the head of U.N.C.L.E. in the U.N.C.L.E. pilot episode before being replaced by Leo G. Carroll. The plot also has some character actors who were known for playing gangsters back in the thirties and forties. The "gangsters" help the men from U.N.C.L.E. thwart the plans of the THRUSH agents. The "gangsters" known as the Stilletto brothers are mad at THRUSH for kidnapping their niece played Leticia Roman, best known for the Mario Bava classic, "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" (1963). The film also has a scene which is a take off on the famous scene from "The Public Enemy" (1931) where James Cagney pushes a grapefruit half into Mae Clarke's face. Here Eduardo Ciannelli, the lead Stiletto brother pushes a grapefruit half into the face of his nagging wife played by Joan Blondell. One of the more entertaining U.N.C.L.E. films.
"THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E." S3, E25 "The Hot Number Affair" (aired 3/10/1967)
A fun episode as the guest stars are Sonny and Cher. THRUSH has placed coded messages in the pattern of a dress. Every one is looking for the dress last worn by model, Cher who can't seem to remember where she left it. The dress was manufactured by dressmakers "Agnes Sue" a company run by George Tobias, best remembered for his role of Abner Kravitz on the old "Bewitched" sit-com (1964-1972) and Ned Glass, best known as "Doc" in the classic "West Side Story" (1961) Sonny plays the role of a dress cutter who works for "Agnes Sue" and made the dress. He is also madly in unrequited love with Cher, who basically doesn't know he is alive. The main villain is Joe Mantell, probably best remembered for his role in the movie, "Marty" (1955). After Solo and Illya thwart the plans of the THRUSH agents, Cher is told Sonny is an undercover agent of U.N.C.L.E. making her see him in a new light. All in all a funny and entertaining episode.
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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:
Alias Smith & Jones – episode «Wrong train to Brimstone » (1971, Jeffrey Hayden)
Mildly enjoyed
Horizons west (1952, Budd Boetticher)
New mad mission (1997, Kar Lok Chin)
The telegraph trail (1932, Tenny Wright)
The invaders – episode « The ransom » (1967, Lewis Allen)
Did not enjoy:
Raw edge (1956, John Sherwood)
Wonder woman – episode «The pied piper » (1977, Alan Crosland Jr)
Arriva Dorellik (1967, Steno)
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Charles Gilbert watched:
RED PLANET (2000) Val Kilmer and his astronaut pals discover they don't need their self contained headgear for oxygen on Mars because the algae planted there previously makes the atmosphere like that on Earth. I was expecting some creature menace, but got only a swarm of bug-like nematodes. Viewing once is enough.
DJANGO (1966) In the ending, kneeling behind a narrow grave plot cross for protection seems a bit far fetched.
THE MERCENARY (1968) Peasant revolutionary Paco Roman (Tony Musante) contracts with pensionary Sergei Kowalski (Franco Nero), whom he calls "Polock", to lead the popular resistance in Mexico.
COMPANEROS (1970) Swede "Penguin" Peterson (Franco Nero) teams with Thomas Milian in another Mexican Revolution yarn. Jack Palace is again cast in a tertiary role.
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