March 29 - April 4, 2025

 

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

Brain Teasers:

In which French Western does the film end with the victim of rape killing one of the gang who raped her, but the one who did not participate in the rape?

It was UNE CORDE... UN COLT..., aka A ROPE... A GUN...., aka CEMETERY WITHOUT CROSSES.

Which American actor went to Italy to make a Western and brought along some authentic Colt .45s which he then rented to various productions?

No one answered this question yet.

Which actress became a star because of her dance in NEL SEGNO DI ROMA?

George Grimes, Angel Rivera and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Chelo Alonzo.

Which actress, born in Sweden in 1931, made Sword and Sandal, a Western, Horror and Art films in Italy?

George Grimes, Angel Rivera and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Anita Ekberg.

And now for some new brain teasers:

In which Western is Sergio Leone often cited as making a guest appearance, but he doesn't?

In which Italian produced Western does Sam Peckinpah make a guest appearance?

By what name is Guido Lollobrigida better known?

Name the movies from which these images came.

George Grimes and Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's frame grab of Brett Halsey (Montgomery Ford), Wayde Preston, Bud Spencer and Franco Borelli in OGGI A ME... DOMANI A TE!, aka TODAY TO ME... TOMORROW TO YOU, aka TODAY WE KILL, TOMORROW WE DIE.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's photo of Gloria Milland and Brad Harris in GOLIATH CONTRO I GIGANTI, aka GOLIATH AND THE GIANTS.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Silvana Mangano in RISO AMARO, aka BITTER RICE.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Angel Rivera identified last week's photo of Keiko Tsushima in SEVEN SAMURAI.

Above is a new photo.

Can you identify 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:

Mostly occupied with housework, I only watched The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show, some episodes of Season Four of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, an episode of The Punisher, an episode of Profilage, aka The Paris Murders, an episode of Ghosts and an episode of George and Mardy's First Marriage.

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David Deal Enjoyed:

ONDATA DI CALORE (70) - AKA Dead of Summer. Morocco. Bored wife Jean Seberg tries to entertain herself in her modern apartment in the absence of her husband. It is extremely hot and her air conditioning is broken. The sandstorm outside is relentless. When she ventures out, her luck is all bad; her car gets stuck and her attempt to flee by plane fails. Back home she is visited by her doctor and eventually she unravels altogether when her secret is revealed. Arthouse fare from Nelo Risi, Dino's less successful brother. Antonioni is clearly an influence here, and this reminded me of Luigi Bazzoni's ethereal mysteries Footprints (on the Moon) and The Possessed but it is much less compelling. However, this won first prize at the San Sebastian Film Festival so draw your own conclusion. The cropped version online seriously compromises the film.

STRANGE LUCK: THE TALE OF BILL BLACK (23) - Documentary on the comic artist and entrepreneur. This is not a slick production but it is heartfelt.

GENOVA A MANO ARMATA (76) - AKA The Merciless Man. Ex-FBI man and current low-rent PI Tony Lo Bianco is hired by a doctor (Maud Adams) to investigate the kidnapping and murder of her father. She hopes to regain the enormous ransom paid. To make matters difficult, Tony is constantly harassed by cop Adolfo Celi who just plain doesn't like him and his methods, and perpetually beaten up by a gang headed by Howard Ross. To say this is going to be a tough case with lots of twisted loyalties is an understatement. Shot entirely on location in Genoa, Mario Lanfranchi's (Death Sentence) crime thriller has a different feel from its brethren of the time. It plays more like a classic film noir with Lo Bianco working his way thru a maze with many wrong turns. There is plenty of action but no real likeable characters. Still it's worth it even tho some of composer Franco Micalizzi's soundtrack will sound very familiar to fans of the genre. The online version I watched was in black and white which added to the noir feel.

THE INN ON DARTMOOR (64) - Inspector Heinz Drache goes undercover to discover how a dozen inmates have escaped from Dartmoor prison in the last three years. Each of the prisoners made it across the impassible moors to the titular inn, and hightailed it to Africa! How could this happen? Acceptable Edgar Wallace knockoff with music by Peter Thomas and several recognizable faces in the cast.

THE REBEL (80)

BECOMING KATHERINE GRAHAM (25) - Excellent documentary on the head of the Washington Post. She must be rolling over in her grave.

KOYAANISQATSI (83)

CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (72)

A WOMAN OF MYSTERY (57) - Dermot Walsh is a reporter for scandal rag Fact Magazine. He's assigned to dig into the suicide of a young woman and discovers a counterfeit ring and murder. This British thriller moves a good clip and uses voice-over narration in the film noir style. Pretty fun. Hazel Court is a secretary at the mag and Dermot's gal who gets involved in the action.

THE PASSENGER (75)

DAMES DON'T CARE (55)

Mildly Enjoyed:

IL BRACCIO VIOLENTO DELLA MALA (79) - AKA Killer's Gold. Robert Widmark (real name Alberto Dell'Acqua) is hired by mob boss Victor Israel to steal $4 million from a safe. Job done, several of Israel's men try to rob Widmark of the dough. He foils their plan and decides to keep the loot for himself. Sometime later, Widmark is captured by Israel and tortured to spill the whereabouts of the money, but, in true mob fashion, Israel's woman (Daniela Giordano) and two of his men kill Israel, and the four of them head to where the money's hidden. It doesn't end well. Sergio Garrone (Django the Bastard) was never a sure bet and this brutal thriller wears thin early what with the near-constant brutality, repetitive scenes, and lack of star power. To the good is Giordano in various states of undress and the last act that takes place in the photogenic Spanish countryside. This can be counted among the last gasp of the Italian crime thread.

MORIANERNA (65) - A mean old patriarch is hated by his relatives who all live with him an an old dark house. When he announces that he will give away his fortune to charity, he is doomed to die. A moody, Gothic Swedish whodunit where every character is capable of murder. This is slow going but has very gloomy photography and some surprising nudity for the time. Good ending.

EL CASTILLO DE LAS MOMIAS DE GUANAJUATO (73) - Pretty sure you can figure out the English title. In order to live, a mad doctor must have the hormones of people in pain. So, he raises the mummies of Guanajuato and charges them with kidnapping the local folk and putting them to torture. Luckily, there are three masked wrestlers (Superzan, Blue Angel, and Tinieblas) around to foil his plans. This is the third and last of the "Mummies..." trilogy and, while it does not have Santo or much in the way of talent behind or in front of the camera, it does have its oddball charms. Strictly for those with a taste for the bizarre and the inept. The score by Bernardo Serrano is occasionally cool but does not work very well here; it lacks the tension badly needed for the subpar action scenes.

IL SESSO DEL DIAVOLO - TRITTICO (70) - AKA Sex of the Devil - Triptych. Rossano Brazzi, his wife Maitena Galli, and his assistant Sylva Koscina head to Istanbul on holiday. They rent a villa on the Bosphorus that is supposedly haunted by the ghost of the previous owner, a sculptress who hung herself in a tree on the property. Before long strange things start to happen. Does the creepy housekeeper have some sort of supernatural hold over the group? One of a number of erotic thrillers being made at the time featuring nude scenes and spooky goings on. This one does have those ingredients but they aren't very compelling. Directed by Oscar Brazzi, Rossano's younger brother who didn't have a very good handle on the mix. Borderline entertaining.

Did not enjoy:

HAYTABO (71) - Biochemist Eddie Constantine stumbles upon the notes of a professor who believes he's discovered a sort of immortality using time travel. Eddie, intrigued, begins to search for the professor, whom he ultimately finds. A deservedly obscure art film from Ulli Lommel (the Boogeyman franchise) that will try the patience of most viewers. The photography is good but Eddie is the only one of the actors with any gravitas. There is a cameo by Rainer Werner Fassbinder that is not worth the wait. Eddie seems bemused by the whole thing.

SENZA SAPERE NIENTE DI LEI (69) - AKA The Unknown Woman. Philippe Leroy is an insurance investigator working on the case of the suspicious death of a policyholder. He begins following the daughter (Paola Pitagora) of the dead woman and ends up falling in love with her. An Italian mystery in the classic detective mold which takes the character study route as opposed to that of a thriller. That means there is more talking and less action until the downbeat ending. The Morricone score is a major asset.

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Angel Rivera  Watched:

"THE CLOWN" (1953)
Red Skelton, one of my all-time favorite comedians, stars as a comedian who is trying to raise his son as a divorced single father whose career is in the slumps and is need of a comeback. Skelton shines in the role and brings the right amount of pathos with comedy. The character gets to make a comeback on a TV show highlighting his type of comedy. (Red Skelton had just  started his own long running TV show when he did this film.)

"THE BIG COUNTRY (1958),
A great American western with a great cast. Stars Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Charles Bickford, Alfonso Bedoya, (of "We don't need no stinking badges" fame),  Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Chuck Connors, and Burl Ives in his Oscar winning role. With direction by William Wyler. and a great musical score by Jerome Moross.  

"HOTEL RWANDA (2004)
Powerful true life depiction of the genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994. As true to the real story as possible. Powerful performances led by Don Cheadle as the manager of the Hotel des Mille Collines in Rwanda where thousands of refugees where protected from the genocide.

"I AM RAQUEL WELCH (2025)
Interesting documentary about one of the most beautiful actresses of her day. Every male who grew up in the sixties and seventies dreamed about this female.

"I AM LUKE PERRY (2025)
Documentary about likeable actor who was a heartthrob in the nineties due to his role as "bad boy" Dylan McKay on the TV series, "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990-2000)

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed: 

The southerner (1945, Jean Renoir)

Urutoraman : kûsô tokusatsu shirîzu / Ultraman (1966) – episodes 4 to 7

Carry on screaming (1966, Gerald Thomas)

Hound of the Baskervilles (1977, Paul Morrissey)

Le grand amour (1969, Pierre Etaix)

Mildly enjoyed:

Sledge Hammer ! - episode “To Sledge with love” (1986, David Wechter)

Prophecy (1979, John Frankenheimer)

Coup dur chez les mous (1956, Jean Loubignac)

Did not enjoy:

Talos the mummy (1998, Russell Mulcahy)

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March 22 - 28, 2025

 

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

Brain Teasers:

In which Italian Western does the film end with the victim of rape killing one of the gang who raped her, but the one who did not participate in the rape?

It was LO AMMACCO COME UN CANE... MA LUI RIDEVA ANCORA, aka SHE KILLED HIM LIKE A DOG... BUT HE WAS STILL SMILING, aka REQUIEM FOR A BOUNTY KILLER, aka DEATH PLAYED THE FLUTE.

In which French Western does the film end with the victim of rape killing one of the gang who raped her, but the one who did not participate in the rape?

No one has answered this question yet.

The making of which Italian film resulted in Franco Nero ending his contract with Warner Bros. in Hollywood?

George Grimes knew that it was L'UOMO, L'ORGOGLIO, LA VENDETTA, aka MAN, PRIDE & VENGEANCE.

By what name is Marc Meyer better known?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes knew that it is Luigi Bazzoni.

Which English actor worked with directors Ronald Neame, James Neilson, Roger Vadim, Robert Hossein, Duccio Tessari and Luigi Bazzoni?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes knew that it was Peter McEnery.

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which American actor went to Italy to make a Western and brought along some authentic Colt .45s which he then rented to various productions?

Which actress became a star because of her dance in NEL SEGNO DI ROMA?

Which actress, born in Sweden in 1931, made Sword and Sandal, a Western, Horror and Art films in Italy?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Kevin Ross, George Grimes and Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's photo of Gianni Solaro and Mariano Vidal Molina in I 5 DELLA VENDETTA, aka FIVE FOR REVENGE, aka FIVE GIANTS FROM TEXAS.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes, Angel Rivera and Charles Gilbert identified last week's frame grab from ROMOLO E REMO, aka DUEL OF THE TITANS.

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 Chelo Alonso in MORGAN IL PIRATA, aka MORGAN THE PIRATE.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem, Angel Rivera and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Cynthia Rothrock in YES MADAM!

Above is a new photo.

Can you identify 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:

I AM RAQUEL WELCH (2025) - This program made no mention of my favorite story about Raquel Welch. Her husband Patrick Curtis was one of the producers of director Michael Reeves' THE SORCERERS. She was on the set helping the crew get the film done on a short schedule and tiny budget. How come no mention of FUZZ, MOTHER JUGGS AND SPEED and THE LEGEND OF WALKS FAR WOMAN?

THREE AGES (1923) - A silent era romantic comedy which works as kind of a parody of D.W. Griffith's INTOLERANCE, THREE AGES shows that throughout history the love a man has for a woman hasn't much changed. The three intercut stores take place during the time of the Caveman - featuring an animated dinosaur, Ancient Rome and modern times. As the man, Buster Keaton excells in the athleticism one expects. As the woman, Margaret Leahy, is fine in what would prove to be her only film. Wallace Beery makes a good adversary.

Mildly enjoyed:

I VAMPIRI, aka THE VAMPIRES, aka LUST OF THE VAMPIRE (1957) - Despite some atmospheric widescreen black and white photography by Mario Bava, this film is a rather mediocre thriller with enough mad scientist elements to qualify as Italy's first Horror movie of the sound era. Reportedly this was a troubled production with director Riccardo Freda leaving so that D.P. Bava had to take over to finish the project. Perhaps that's why the storytelling is so jumbled with few scenes following logically after each other. The music credited to Roman Vlad sounds like something from a 1940's Republic serial which doesn't help. Neither does the casting of bland Argentine born actor Dario Michaelis as the male lead. Carlo D'Angelo as the Police Inspector comes off a bit better, except that his character spends most of the film calling the hero a pest and taking too long to figure out the plot. I'm guessing that director Freda shot all of the scenes with star Gianna Maria Canale, who was his wife. For Canale fans, the film is disappointing because she only appears for less than a third of its short running time. It would seem that Bava was responsible for the effect of Canale aging before our eyes, which would have been duplicating what director Rouben Mamoulian and D.P. Karl Struss did with Frederic March in the 1931 DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. Still, Canale must have liked being cast as "the most beautiful woman in Paris". I wonder why the Italians decided to set this film in France rather than Italy. Do French castles look more runned down than Italian castles?

Did not enjoy:

THE DEVIL'S COMMANDMENT (1960) - Return to 1960 when the Italian film I VAMPIRI had a female bubble bath scene and a suggested rape scene added to the English language version, along with other bits and pieces, inorder to be presented as an "Adults Only" feature. With all of these alterations, no one thought to explain how Dr. Julien du Grand was able to make the very old Margherita du Grand into the youthful Giselle du Grand. Nor did anyone feel the need to explain what happened to Joseph Signoret after he fainted in the police station. Being used to seeing Wandisa Guida as a mature woman, I didn't recognize her as Laurette. Among other faults, the U.S. version dropped my favorite bit from I VAMPIRI - when journalist Pierre Lantin stops three female students to ask about their missing friend, Laurette immediately slaps Lantin with her left hand. The young women giggle and say it was because Laurette declared that she was going to slap the first man to bother them once they stepped outside of school. This bit also set up the confusion Lantin feels when Giselle du Grand has to sign a check using her left hand, when she had always previously used her right hand. But since that bit and the scene with the check was dropped in favor of a new scene showing a woman being strangled to death, U.S. viewers of the new version wouldn't know about that. The authorship of the screenplay was credited to assistant director Piero Regnoli, who would go on to write and direct L'ULTIMA PREDA DEL VAMPIRO, aka THE PLAYGIRLS AND THE VAMPIRE, in 1960. I VAMPIRI was the idea of director Riccardo Freda, who wanted a film in the German Expressionist style. Reportedly, it was after an argument with producers Ermanno Donati and Luigi Carpentieri that Freda left the film to be finished by cinematographer Mario Bava. Bava then rewrote the script, coming up with an happy ending. Discussions about the inspirations for this story range from the legend of Elizabeth Bathory to Edgar allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher".  However, the most obvious inspiration is the 1931 film verson of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, from which Freda and Bava took the technique to show du Grand's make-up transformation.

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David Deal Enjoyed:

GOLD FOR THE CAESARS (63) - Jeffrey Hunter is a slave of the Romans. He's an architect and somewhat of a geologist, so upon finishing a bridge in Spain, he is recruited by the local Roman bigwig (Massimo Girotti) to lead an expedition to the Valley of the Sil, to find an old gold mine in an area held by the Celts. Jeff is also hot for Mylene Demongeot, Girotti's mistress. This complicates things. The money is on the screen and it's not the usual "slay the evil usurper" plot. Ron Randall is a nasty whip-wielding centurion.

THE WOLF MAN (41) - Continues to impress.

I BURY THE LIVING (57)

ANORA (24) - This really surprised me. Excellent. Recommended.

HAIL MAFIA (65) - One of the great hit man movies. And a great jazz soundtrack too. Criterion should release this.

Mildly Enjoyed:

LA REGINA DEI TARTARI (60) - AKA Queen of the Tartars/The Huns. Chelo Alonso was stolen from her village in a raid by the Tartars when she was young. She is then raised by the chief of the Tartars, Fulco Lulli, who has an unstable relationship with a rival tribe led by Jacques Sernas. Eventually, Chelo is given the tribal reigns and and she falls for Jacques. Sounds like a recipe for trouble. Italian/French co-production puts the appealing Alonso on display in fetching outfits and she has the brass to lead the tribe too. Well-mounted with plenty of cruelty and action for aficionados.

L'AVOCCATO DELLA MALA (77) - AKA Gangbuster. Ray Lovelock is hired by Mel Ferrer to deliver a couple of valuable (stolen) paintings and exchange them for cash. Ray delivers the paintings and on the way back with the money is robbed by several hooligans. This bodes ill for Ray but things may not be as they seem. This Italian crime flick plays more like a film noir than an action thriller. Ray is really put thru the paces here; he's subjected to multiple beatings and never seems to have the upper hand. Just surviving is a victory in this dark entry. Features Gabriele Tinti and a bald John Steiner as an icey hitman.

CLOAK WITHOUT DAGGER (56) - Fashion reporter Mary Mackenzie bumps into an old flame (Philip Friend) from the war, and with him comes trouble. He's mixed up in espionage and murder and she's not sure which side he's on, but she is hell bent to find out. Light-hearted British cold war mystery is an adequate afternoon time-killer, not a gripping thriller.

FURY IN MARRAKESH (66) - A large criminal organization has located a Nazi stash of counterfeit dollars worth billions, hidden in order to flood the market at the war's end. They also discover that one of their own has stolen a chunk of the money and is passing the bills at the New York World's Fair. The police departments of several countries have noticed this too and CIA agent Stephen Forsyth is assigned to the case. Globe-hopping Eurospy flick that excels in the locations department but is no better than average otherwise. Features Dominique Boschero being ill-treated. For completionists.

GLI SCHIAVI PIU FORTI DEL MONDO (64) - AKA Seven Slaves Against the World. The Romans are building a massive viaduct with slave labor under the vicious rule of Giacomo Rossi Stuart. When centurion Roger Browne visits and sees the cruel treatment of the slaves, he reports back and in turn is given charge of the project. Rossi Stuart takes revenge by freeing the slaves and blaming Browne, who must flee for his life. Browne teams up with six of the slaves who escaped, all musclemen, including Gordon Mitchell and Nello Pazzafini, in a plan to save his good name. Michele Lupo's peplum is mostly good stuff but there is too much comedy relief in the final third which threatens to sink the picture. Worth a watch.

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Angel Rivera  Enjoyed:

"DOC SAVAGE: THE MAN OF BRONZE" (1975)

Mildly enjoyed:

"THE LAST OF SHEILA" (1973)

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Charles Gilbert watched:

THE LOST WORLD (1960) Ersatz version of the A. C. Doyle tale courtesy of Irwin Allen. Shown on Svengoolie, I submitted to boredom without finishing the view.

THE WRECKING CREW (1968) Dean Martin as Matt Helm in the last of four movie installments. His playmates in this are Elke Sommer, Sharon Tate, Tina Louise, and Nancy Kwan. Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, and Ed Parker have bit fighting parts. Norris said in an interview with Letterman that his scene at "The House of 7 Joys" was with Elke and Nigel Green, but it was actually with her and John Larch.

THE AMBUSHERS (1966) Helm is summoned to locate a missing U. S. spacecraft that resembles a flying saucer. Senta Berger takes a back seat to Janice Rule in casting for the film.  Albert Salmi grossly miscast as a criminal mastermind.

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed: 

Gilda (1946, Charles Vidor)

The avengers – episode « The girl from auntie » (1965, Roy Ward Baker)

The scarlet empress (1934, Josef Von Sternberg)

Narrow margin (1952, Richard Fleischer)

Carry on cowboy (1965, Gerald Thomas)

All king's men (1949, Robert Rossen)

The invaders – episode « Dark outpost » (1967, George McCowan)

Stay hungry (1976, Bob Rafelson)

Batman – episodes « The ring of wax / Give'em the axe » (1966, James B. Clark)

Some mother do'ave'em – episode « Cliffhanger / Frank goes over the edge » (1973, Michael Mills)

Cheech & Chong's up in smoke (1978, Lou Adler)

Dark Passage (1946, Delmer Daves)

Mildly enjoyed:

Mr Ricco (1974, Paul Bogart)

The golden mistress (1954, Abner Biberman)

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935, Frank Lloyd)

Pitcairn island today (short) (1935)

Trois vieilles filles en folie (1952, Emile Couzinet)

Reap the wild wind (1942, Cecil B. De Mille)

The Palm Beach story (1942, Preston Sturges)

Shurayukihime / The princess blade (2001, Shinsuke Sato)

Out of the past (1947, Jacques Tourneur)

Did not enjoy:

For whom the bells toll (1943, Sam Wood)

Pittsburgh (1942, Lewis Seiler)

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