To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.
Brain Teasers:
The daughter of which Italian star of Sword and Sandal and Westerns reportedly worked as a stripper at The Body Shop on L.A.'s Sunset Blvd.?
George Grimes knew that it was Vera Gemma, daughter of Giuliano Gemma.
In which Italian Western does everyone kill each other over a bag of gold, but we never get to see the contents of the bag?
No one has answered this one.
Which actress, born in Italy, worked with directors Dino Risi, Sergio Corbucci, Duccio Tessari, Alberto De Martino, Bernard Toublanc-Michel and Andrzej Zulawski?
No one has answered this one.
And now for some new brain teasers:
By what name is George Finley better known?
Which actor, born in Argentina in 1927, worked with directors Ramon Torrado, Eugenio Martin, Carlos Aured, Tulio Demicheli, Giorgio Ferroni, Enzo G. Castellari and Gregg G. Tallas?
Which Italian actress worked with directors William Wyler, Sergio Corbucci, Michele Lupo, Gregg G. Tallas and Mario Landi?
Name the movies from which these images came.
George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Nicoletta Machiavelli in UN MINUTO PER PREGARE, UN ISTANTE 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 identified last week's photo of Olinka Berova and Nello Pazzafini in LE CALDE NOTTI DI POPPEA, aka HOT NIGHTS OF POPPEA.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Marisa Mell in UNA SULL'ALTRA, aka ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
George Grimes identified last week's frame grab from BASTARD SWORDSMAN.
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:
Nobody Wants This season one (2024) - Kristen Bell and Adam Brody's charm goes a long way in making this miss-matched romantic comedy work.
Mildly enjoy:
Nobody Wants This season two (2025) - There really should be a legal limit to how many times a romantic couple can break up in a single season.
Did not enjoy:
DRAGON BLOWS (1973) - and so does this movie. The credits come on with the military music by Ennio Morricone for DUCK YOU SUCKER. Chiao Chiao hears a woman screaming for help because a man is trying to rape her. After considering whether to act or not, Chiao punches through a stone wall hitting the man in the back - killing him. The rescued woman thanks Chiao before running away. When Chiao's brother, Charlie Chin, arrives, he sees the wound on the dead man's back and admonishes his sister that they were not supposed to use the "Dragon Blow" for fear of giving away their identities. Well, obviously they will have to use the "Dragon Blow" before the end of the movie, but that's a long way away. Chiao and Chin come across some men who kill an older woman to kidnap a little girl. Chin wants to not get involved, but Chiao has to. It turns out that an evil secret society is after the little girl because they think she can get them a sacred jade. Our heroes keep seeking help in finding the girl's parents, and get betrayed again and again by people promising to help. When they finally find the girl's parents, they aren't so certain they can trust them. Chin prevails on Chiao that now is the time to stop being involved, but the leader of the secret society shows up and threatens the girl demanding the jade. Chin thinks he can bargain for the lives of the parents, the girl, his sister and himself, but once the villain gets his hand on the jade, he orders his men to kill all of the good guys. The four good guys eventually team up on the bad guy, but he is too strong to be taken down. After 30 minutes of screen time, with everyone punching and kicking in one location after another, Chiao and Chin finally decide to use the "Dragon Blow" and put the villian down. Yu Chuan Lin is credited as the "fighting instructor" and his choreography is tedious. Tedious can also be said of the direction by Tian-Lin Wang and writer Yi-Sheng Hsiao. In the IMDb Tian-Lin Wang has 128 credits, none of which with am I famliiar, and I hope it stays that way.
RED ONE (2024) - As if there weren't already enough "family friendly" Christmas movies, someone thought there should be a loud Superhero style one.
STEELE JUSTICE (1987) - During the war in Vietnam, Martin Kove is on a mission with Robert Kim but they are double-crossed by Soon-Tek Oh and nearly killed. Knocking down Capt. Joseph Campanella, Kove attempted to kill Oh in order to save Kim. Years later, in Southern California, Kove is an ex-cop who gets bailed out by current cop Kim, who takes him home. As Kove takes a bath, Soon-Tek Oh's evil son, Peter Kwong, arrives with goons to murder Kim's family. Kove and Kim's daughter, Jan Gan Boyd, survive, but when Kove attacks Kwong at Kim's funeral, he is back in jail, thanks to evil lawyer Sarah Douglas. Of course, Oh sends two thugs to murder Kove in jail, but eventually, Kove uses Detective Bernie Casey to get out to put an end to Oh's drug operation. Campanella shows up offering to help Kove, but he was in on the double-cross in 'Nam and he's ready to double-cross Kove again. Eventually, all of the bad guys are killed, and when Police Captain Ronny Cox shows up to apologize to Kove, Sela Ward, as Kove's wife, punches Cox out, as Bonnie Bedelia would do to William Atherton in next year's DIE HARD. This was Robert Boris' second effort as both writer and director after OXFORD BLUES. Years later, he wrote the original screenplay for AIR FORCE ONE, but by the time that movie was made, his name was removed from the credits. Sela Ward feels too good to be stuck in this low class action film, which also features Eric Lee and Al Leong. Reportedly Shannon Tweed and Irene Tsu are also in this movie, but I didn't recognize them.
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David Deal Enjoyed:
DEATH RIDES A HORSE (67)
A PLACE CALLED GLORY (65) - From 2018: "Lex Barker and Pierre Brice are gunfighters who become friends and then find themselves in a gunfight against each other for money. Old-fashioned and very agreeable German-Spanish western from Sheldon Reynolds. He helmed Killer's Carnival, a Eurospy flick that also starred Lex and Pierre. Featuring Marianne Koch and a good supporting cast."
MOONFLEET (55) - From 2010: "Fritz Lang's stylish swashbuckler is full of spooky atmosphere and adventurous action. Stewart Granger as an anti-hero smuggler and George Sanders as a corrupt and decadent official round out the delights."
POLICE STORY 2 (88)
THE WHITE SPIDER (63)
Mildly Enjoyed
RITUAL OF EVIL (70) - See the Television Fright Films of the 1970s book for a complete review.
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Angel Rivera Highly enjoyed:
THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE" (1962)
One of my favorite of the films of John Ford! "When the legend becomes fact; print the legend!" Jimmy Stewart was sure in a pickle when he went up against Lee Marvins' "Liberty Valance". Having had the gun shot out of his hand and being wounded, he still tries to defend himself by picking up the gun and trying to use his other hand to shoot Valance. Marvin laughs as he knows Stewart is now easy pickings for him. Though unknown to both Wayne is off to the side to defend Stewart, who would surely be dead, as he shoots Valance dead. Everyone then hails Stewart as a hero for killing Valance. Wayne now has to face the fact that he protected Stewart at Vera Miles' insistence, only to see Miles, whom he considered to be his girl, fall into Stewart's arms. Valance is pure evil and the good folk of the state praise the man whom they think killed him. Great performance by all involved; especially Wayne. Marvin, as I stated plays Valance as "pure Evil." Stewart, Vera Miles, Woody Strode and Edmond O'Brien flesh out the rest of the cast. A true American western classic.
Enjoyed:
PAUL ANKA: HIS WAY (2024)
A documentary on Anka who tells of his survival after his initial success as a "teen Idol" to his success as a song writer and performer. (He wrote all of his hits; such as "Diana"; "(You are my) Destiny"; "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" and "Puppy Love".) He also wrote "My Way", a big hit for Sinatra and also for Elvis. The documentary tells of his successes and of his survival showing him performing all over the world to large crowds of fans.
Mildly enjoyed:
JAY KELLY (2025)
George Clooney plays a super-star movie star who after years of success wants to reconnect with his daughters who have some resentment towards Clooney. All this, while his agent played by Adam Sandler tries to keep his client happy. Clooney and Sandler go to Europe, first ostensibly to accept a film lifetime achievement award from the Italians, but really, he is there to try to connect with one of his daughters who is traveling with friends through Europe. Clooney has to face his success in his career with his failure as a father. A little slow but with performances that are spot on.
One of my favorite of the films of John Ford! "When the legend becomes fact; print the legend!" Jimmy Stewart was sure in a pickle when he went up against Lee Marvins' "Liberty Valance". Having had the gun shot out of his hand and being wounded, he still tries to defend himself by picking up the gun and trying to use his other hand to shoot Valance. Marvin laughs as he knows Stewart is now easy pickings for him. Though unknown to both Wayne is off to the side to defend Stewart, who would surely be dead, as he shoots Valance dead. Everyone then hails Stewart as a hero for killing Valance. Wayne now has to face the fact that he protected Stewart at Vera Miles' insistence, only to see Miles, whom he considered to be his girl, fall into Stewart's arms. Valance is pure evil and the good folk of the state praise the man whom they think killed him. Great performance by all involved; especially Wayne. Marvin, as I stated plays Valance as "pure Evil." Stewart, Vera Miles, Woody Strode and Edmond O'Brien flesh out the rest of the cast. A true American western classic.
Enjoyed:
PAUL ANKA: HIS WAY (2024)
A documentary on Anka who tells of his survival after his initial success as a "teen Idol" to his success as a song writer and performer. (He wrote all of his hits; such as "Diana"; "(You are my) Destiny"; "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" and "Puppy Love".) He also wrote "My Way", a big hit for Sinatra and also for Elvis. The documentary tells of his successes and of his survival showing him performing all over the world to large crowds of fans.
Mildly enjoyed:
JAY KELLY (2025)
George Clooney plays a super-star movie star who after years of success wants to reconnect with his daughters who have some resentment towards Clooney. All this, while his agent played by Adam Sandler tries to keep his client happy. Clooney and Sandler go to Europe, first ostensibly to accept a film lifetime achievement award from the Italians, but really, he is there to try to connect with one of his daughters who is traveling with friends through Europe. Clooney has to face his success in his career with his failure as a father. A little slow but with performances that are spot on.
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