To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.
Brain Teasers:
Complete the lyric, "Behold the man called _____. The meanest gun in the West."
George Grimes knew that the blank should have "Pecos".
Can you name two Italian Westerns in which, in the English language versions, the final last line is stopped before the character can complete a derogatory phrase?
George Grimes and Angel Rivera knew that it was IL BUONO IL BRUTTO IL CATIVO, aka THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY, and INDIO BLACK, aka ADIOS SABATA.
In which Italian film based on Greek mythology did the same actress play both Penelope and Circe?
Bertrand van Wonterghem and Angel Rivera knew that it was ULISSE, aka ULYSSES, co-starring Silvana Mangano.
And now for some new brain teasers:
Which actress, born in France, appeared in movies with Klaus Kinski, Guy Madison, Ann-Margaret, Mike Marshall, Ivan Rassimov and Kirk Morris?
Which actor, born in Hungary, appeared in movies with Gordon Mitchell, Rita Calderoni, Joseph Cotten, Ivan Rassimov and Tony Randall?
Which actress, born in France, worked with directors Duccio Tessari, Mario Bava, Peter Hammond, Giorgio Capitani and Terence Young?
Name the movies from which these images came.
Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Eli Wallach in IL BUONO IL BRUTTO IL CATTIVO, aka THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
Charles Gilbert, Bertrand van Wonterghem, and George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Joe Robinson and Harry Baird in LE GLADIATRICI, aka THOR AND THE AMAZON WOMEN.
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 Vittorio Gassman and Mickey Rooney in L'ARCIDIAVOLO aka THE DEVIL IN LOVE.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
George Grimes identified last week's frame grab from THE BASTARD SWORDSMAN.
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:
Wishful Drinking (2010) - Carrie Fisher published the memoir in 2008, and then turned it into a one-woman stage performance, with the help of Joshua Ravetch. In 2010, HBO made this documentary concert special of the show. I had just finished listening to the audio book of Wishful Drinking when I remembered that I had a DVD+R of the HBO show. The audio book has more material about her efforts to deal with her drug addiction and bi-polar disorder. The HBO show features many visual gags and film clips which, naturally, the audio book doesn't.
BRIGHT LIGHTS (2016) - Family friends Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens worked with Debbie Reynold's son Todd Fisher to put together this moving portrait of the relationship between Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2016 and was scheduled to air on HBO in March 2017. However, Carrie died on December 23, 2016 followed by the death of Reynolds on December 27, so HBO moved up the airing to January 7, 2017. Something mentioned in this documentary is that Carrie's friend Griffin Dunne helped Carrie to get over that virginity problem when they were teenagers. This is something not mentioned in any of the books I've recently read about Debbie and Carrie.
Did not enjoy:
MADAM WEB (2024) - I am unfamiliar with the comic book character, but this movie version is no fun. With a super hero origin story, the audience is anxiously waiting until the hero finally figures out their powers. That never happens in this movie, though during the end credits there is a suggestion. So what's the point? Were we supposed to know that the baby born in the end was Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man? What happens to the villain's hacker, played by Zosia Mamet? While I enjoyed looking at Dakota Johnson more here than in the FIFTY SHADES movies, that's not enough to recommend watching this flick. Sydney Sweeney and Kerry Bishe are also a pleasure to behold, but the best thing about this movie, for me, is that it exposed me to "Dreams" by The Cranberries.
WORKING GIRL (1988) - After THE GRADUATE, CATCH-22 and CARNAL KNOWLEDGE, I thought Mike Nichols as the greatest film director in the U.S. The reviews for DAY OF THE DOLPHIN and THE FORTUNE kept me from rushing to the theater to see them, and then their box office failure put the brakes on his cinema career. He came back with a filmed document of Gilda Radner's stage show, which scarcely hinted at his former glories, and while SILKWOOD and HEARTBURN were of some interest, they too weren't very thrilling. I was too tired of writer Neil Simon to consider going to BILOXI BLUES, so I put off seeing WORKING GIRL for about forty years. I have to say that the clips I saw of WORKING suggested that the film would be fun, so I finally gave it a view and boy what a dud it was. Kevin Wade was credited with the screenplay, and it featured no surprises and few laughs. It wasn't until halfway through the film, when Harrison Ford entered the story, that the film suddenly became interesting. Melanie Griffith played an ambitious secretary who, due to a series of ridiculous plot elements, pretends to be heed boss, Sigourney Weaver. While Weaver was recovering from a skiing accident, Griffith put together a business deal that Weaver had tried to claim as her own. This put Griffith face to face with Harrison Ford, who turned out not only to be one of the players in the business deal, but was also Weaver's intended husband. The movie was a big box office success and even got Carly Simon an Oscar for Best Song. In the supporting cast was Alec Baldwin as Griffith's cheating boyfriend, Joan Cusack as Griffith's best friend, and Kevin Spacey as a businessman trying to put the make on Griffith. Reportedly Ricki Lake and David Duchovny also appeared, but I didn't see them.
****************************************************************
Angel Rivera Highly enjoyed:
"FIREFLY" (2002-2003) S1, E 8: "Out of Gas"
This episode is loaded with origin stories for Mal's crew! Fun to watch (again)!
Enjoyed:
"THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE" (1968)
I never knew how beautiful Kim Novak was until I saw her in this picture. Here she is in her mid thirties and looking real seductive. So the movie is worth it just to see her; ten years older than in "Bell, Book and Candle" (1958) but even more sexy.)
"AT THE CIRCUS" (1939)
A Marx Bros. film I thought I hadn't seen, but as I watched a feeling of "Oh Yeah!" hit me. "Now I vaguely remember that!". Still Amusing I thought!
"AMERICAN GODFATHERS: THE FIVE FAMILIES" (2024)
A documentary and history of how organized crime operated in the New York City area (and at some times Beyond) from their beginnings to the current day. Interesting look at the real Valachi and Crazy Joe Gallo along with other little known names one may have heard only on "The Untouchables" (TV series 1959-1963). Or else where!
Mildly enjoyed:
"LANTERN" S1, E5
I'm not liking this, but like something you can't help but look at, I'm still watching"
*****************************************************************
David Deal Enjoyed:
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE (53) - The Blu-ray looks nice.
THE DELPHI BUREAU (72) - For Joanna Pettet.
PASSPORT TO HELL (65) - Check the Eurospy Guide.
TASTE OF EXCITEMENT (68) - Eva Renzi is on holiday in southern France when someone tries to run her car off the road. The cops don't believe her, of course, but they change their tune when the assassination attempts continue. Her love interest is artist David Buck who takes her side. Fun and twisty British mystery with a good cast and better locations. Director Don sharp is known in these quarters for Kiss of the Vampire, The Face of Fu Manchu, and Witchcraft, among others.
MACHINE GUN MCCAIN (69) - Cassavetes was made for this movie.
WALK A TIGHTROPE (63) - Patricia Owens sees her husband shot down right in front of her by Dan Duryea. Then Duryea claims she hired him to do the killing and that he'll be back to collect. Duryea is tops in this above average British mystery. Recommended.
THE OUTFIT (73) - Love the gritty 70s drive-in crime.
EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS (56)
AEON FLUX (05) - 4K looks nice.
Mildly enjoyed:
TEXAS ACROSS THE RIVER (66) - A "comedy" western with Dean Martin, Alain Delon, and Joey Bishop as an Indian. Competent but not nearly as funny as it thinks it is.
ARE WE GOOD? (25) - Comedian Marc Maron deals with his grief over his wife's death at our expense.
*****************************************************************
Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:
Raumpatrouille – episode 'Angriff aus dem all' (1966, Michael Braun)
Naeildo chulgeun / See you at work tomorrow ! (2025, Jo Eun-sol) – episodes 5 & 6
The guest (2018, Kim Hong-seon) – episodes 3 & 4
Mildly enjoyed:
The snow creature (1954, W. Lee Wilder)
Gray lady down (1977, David Greene)
On l'appelle catastrophe (1983, Richard Balducci)
The invaders – episode 'The possessed' (1967, William Hale)
Did not enjoy:
Folies bourgeoises (1975, Claude Chabrol)
Un flic (1972, Jean-Pierre Melville)
*****************************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment