To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.
Brain Teasers:
Can you name two actors who made Italian Westerns who had daughters who made movies accused of being child pornography?
Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that Walter Barnes daughter, Laura Wendel starred in MALADOLESCENZA when she was 11. So that's half of an answer.
On what movie did Robert Woods and George Hamilton work together?
Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes and Angel Rivera knew that it was WHERE THE BOYS ARE.
Which American actor who appeared in Italian costume action films became a producer for Walt Disney Productions?
Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Jerome Courtland.
And now for some new brain teasers:
Which French actor who appeared in Italian Westerns has a small role in the first feature film directed by a former writer for Cahiers du Cinema?
Who didn't play Klaus Kinski's brother: Giuliano Gemma, Jean Louis Trintignant or Antonio Sabato?
Which Italian Western sports a title inspired by a scene in THE ALAMO?
Name the movies from which these images came.
Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Dean Reed in INDIO BLACK, SAI CHE TI DICO: SEI UN GRAN FIGLIO DI..., aka ADIOS SABATA.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes and Charles Gilbert identified last week's frame grab of Georges Marchal in ULISSE CONTRO ERCOLE, aka ULYSSES AGAINST THE SON OF HERCULES.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Lilli Carati and Ray Lovelock in AVERE VENT'ANNI, aka TO BE TWENTY.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Yuen Biao in RIGHTING WRONGS.
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:
Astrid et Raphaelle, aka Astrid season five episode 7 "They Shoot Jockeys Don't They?" (2024)
Odissea (dal Poema di Omero), aka The Odyssey (1968) - With a marvelously atmospheric music score by Carlo Rustichelli, conducted by Bruno Nicolai, the eight part Dino de Laurentiss produced TV mini-series shares some elements seen in the 1954 feature film ULISSE, aka ULYSSES, produced by de Laurentiss with his then partner Carlo Ponti. Here, though, the presence of the gods is right up front, with some dialogue heard between statues as well as the narrator keeping up informed of their actions. Where as in ULYSSES, our hero, played by Kirk Douglas, has lost his memory when he washes up on the shore of Scheria, in the mini-series, our hero, played by Bekim Fehmiu, keeps mum about his identity for fear of scaring the peaceful Phaeacians because of his violent reputation. Billed as Barbara Gregorini, American born Barbara Bach made her debut in Odissea as Nausicaa, the role played by Rossana Podesta in 1954 and completely missing in the 2026 film. While the scene in Scheria is included in the 1997 television mini-series, Nausicaa is never introduced and the scene is only included to have the Phaeacians give our hero transport to Ithica. The only disappointing thing about the Italian mini-series is that it isn't the complete story. So far, no dramatization uses Odysseus' attack on Cicones following the victory at Troy. This version has the lotus-eaters, Polyphemus (directed by Mario Bava and includes one of my favorite story elements "My name is Nobody"), Circe (but doesn't mention that they become lovers), a visit to Hades, the Sirens, the cattle of the Sun god, and Calypso. It does not have the wind god Aeolus. the giant cannibals Laestrygonians, nor Olyssesus' son hanging of the female slaves who had sex with the suitors. This mini-series is the only dramatization to include the families of the dead suitors seeking revenge on Ithaca, but Athena intervenes to get all to accept peace. As Penelope, Irene Papas has never looked as beautiful as she does here, and she gives another strong performance as to be expected. Fehmiu is fine as Odysseus, though performances are always difficult to judge when the dubbed voice isn't that of the visible actor. Renaud Verley plays Telemachus, while Marina Berti plays the fierce Queen of Scheria. Considering how Helen is often shown as a blond, seeing Scilla Gabal with dark hair is startling, and she's not been given a scar on her face as in the Nolan version. Fausto Tozzi plays Menelaus while American Sammy Berg, aka Samson Burke, performs the role of Polypheus, the cyclops. Luciano Rossi fans may get a kick out of seeing him play a good guy, Theoclymenus, while other familiar faces like Franco Fantasia, Gerard Herter and Enzo Fiermonte also appear. In the land of the dead, we see Mimmo Palmara appear as Achilles. The ending of the mini-series leaves me confused. After finally spending time in bed with Penelope, Odyssesus says that he must go on another journey to find the people with whom he is supposed to die. Still, with the music by Rustichelli and the straight forward direction by Franco Rossi, this version feels like cinematic poetry.
Mildly enjoyed:
GLI SCHIAVI PIU FORTI DEL MONDO, aka THE STRONGEST SLAVES IN THE WORLD, aka SEVEN SLAVES AGAINST THE WORLD, aka SEVEN SLAVES AGAINST ROME (1964) - Was this movie created because someone felt that the spectacle made for ORO PER I CESARI, aka GOLD FOR THE CAESARS (1963) needed to be reused in another movie right away? I think I was eight years old when I saw this movie at the Fort Buckner Theatre on Okinawa, and I think this was the first time I became aware of Gordon Mitchell. I liked him so much in this film, that when I saw REVENGE OF THE GLADIATORS, aka LA VENDETTA DI SPARTACUS, a week later, and he turned out to be a traitor in that film, I hated REVENGE. In any case, I really liked SEVEN SLAVES, though seeing it now was a bit disappointing. Screenwriters Roberto Gianviti and director Michele Lupo seem to want a slapstick movie rather than a straightforward action film. Even after a mass rebellion of slaves leading to a mass crucifixion, our heroes punch the bad guys more than stab them. Gordon Mitchell is dragged away from his farm to work as a slave building an aqueduct in an unnamed country, probably North Africa due to the dress of the various extras. Giacomo Rossi Stuart is in charge of the construction and favors inhuman conditions. Roger Browne is brought in to take over the job, and immediately prevents Stuart from carrying on his cruel ways. With the aid of some fellow sadists, Stuart seeks to blame Browne for a slave rebellion on the construction site. As Browne prevented Stuart from killing him, Mitrchell saves Browne during the rebellion, but is at a loss as to what to do when he and five other slaves succeed in escaping Stuart's new campaign of murder. Eventually, they don masks as The Wolfhead Gladiators, planning to make enough money to buy a ship and escape to freedom.Browne's girlfriend, Scilla Gabel, who is the daughter of the local governor, shows up so that the movie isn't only about half naked men. Eventually, Browne proves his innocence and The Wolfhead gladiators join him in putting down an anti-Roman rebellion to be led by Stuart. Aside from favorites Mitchell, Browne and Gabel, the film also features fight arranger Alfio Caltabiano - who always gives himself either two swords or two wine barrels in combat, bald-headed Pietro Ceccarelli, Nello Paazzfini and Mario Novelli - aka Anthony Freeman. The very short Arnaldo Fabrizio is paired up with a very tall actor playing his brother for some typical slapstick bits. It is fun seeing locations that would become very familiar in Italian Westerns showing up here, particularly that farm house in UN DOLLARO BUCATO. There is also that waterfall seen in various Hercules movies. Francesco De Masi contributed an exciting music score that doesn't quite rival what he would do in Westerns.
THE ODYSSEY (2026) - It would seem that writer/director Chrisopher Nolan is incapable of telling a story in a linear fashion, and this film fractures the telling in more ways than the 1954 ULYSSES did. Also if Nolan is attempting to make a realistic version of the tale, are all of the visions of Athena, played by Zendaya, supposed to be our hero's hallucinations? Every dramatization of the epic poem mucks around with the story, but this one has many head-scratching moments. Because we only hear about the cyclops being the son of Poseidon by various crew member's accounts, which our hero discounts, are we not supposed to think that Odysseus is cursed by the sea god? Is Odysseus' flaw that he wants to every decision to be his ignoring what the gods may do? Is that why he only gets home when he surrenders to fate and allows circumstance to pilot his raft to Ithica? Nolan keeps harping on "Zeus' Law" which is no where in the Homeric poem. He seems to have taken Xenia, the Greek custom of hospitality to strangers, and elevated it as the basis of civilization, which our hero destroys with the ruse of the Trojan Horse. Nolan decides that the "horse" should not be mounted on wheels, as usually pictured, so that the Trojans have to drag it into the city. He also decides to not show the Trojans celebrating the end of the war by getting roaring drunk, so that they mount a strong defensive effort when he Greeks enter the city. Not surprising, the film also doesn't depict the hero having sex with just about every female encountered on his way home. Not being an historian, I have no comment on historic inaccuracies though nothing is a blatantly wrong as most of 300.
THE RETURN (2024) - Italian born producer/director Uberto Pasolini is no relation to Pier Paolo Pasolini. He is actually the grandnephew of Luchino Visconti and a member of the Visconti di Modrone family. His education came in Great Britain, and he entered the movie industry working for David Puttnam on THE KILLING FIELDS. In 1994, he created Redwave Films and gained international recognition by producing THE FULL MONTY. Reportedly this project began with a screenplay by Edward Bond in 2003, which Neil Jordan was to direct with Javier Bardem in talks to play Odysseus. That never went into production, but in 2022 the project was revived with some revisions to the script by John Collee. An Italian-Greek-British and French co-production was arranged with Pasolini as producer. Pasolini approached actor Ralph Finnes to star and direct, but Finnes insisted that Pasolini make this his fourth film as a director. Reportedly, Pasolini asked Finnes who should play Penelope and he replied "Juliette Binoche, of course", making this his third collaboration with the French actress after EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS and THE ENGLISH PATIENT. Here, our hero washes up on the beach in Ithaca and is taken in by a pig farmer and nursed to health. It becomes apparent that Finnes is so disgusted by his actions during the Trojan War, which we never see, that he doesn't feel that he is worthy to resume his place as the King and the husband to Penelope. Much of the film depicts how destitute the island Kingdom has become in his absence, but Finnes is only compelled to action when those seeking for force Penelope to marry actively seek to murder her son, Charlie Plummer. The film is reminiscent of an old-time Japanese Yakuza film in where the audience is made to wait a long time before the violence that we know is coming finally arrives. Just about all of the bullshit Christopher Nolan added to THE ODYSSEY is missing here. There is no mention of "Zeus' Law" or warnings about the people from the sea - which, of course, means the Greeks attacking Troy. There is also no mention of sailing West to find the dead. What Pasolini gives us is two marvelous performances by Finnes and Binoche. Actually made with Greek input, THE RETURN is a much more convincing portrayal of the people and the times they lived. Interestingly, Pasolini hired his ex-wife Rachel Portman to compose the music.
ODYSSEUS RETURNS (2024) - It had become accepted fact that Ithaki island was the actual place called Ithaca in The Odyssey by Homer. Makis Metaxis began to notice that many of the landmarks of his own island of Kefalonia, aka Cephalonia, matched the descriptions of Ithaca in the Homeric text. After much exploration, he found a grave site. The site was excavated and Metaxis became convinced that they had found the tomb of Odysseus. However, his findings contradicted accepted fact and he faced ridicule for over 30 years. Eventually, American archaeologist John G. Younger looked at the evidence and agreed that he could be correct.
The Odyssey (1997) - Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky began making English language movies in 1984 with MARIA'S LOVERS and RUNAWAY TRAIN. At some point, he collaborated with Chris Solimine to write this version of Homer' epic poem. Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope and Robert Halmi Sr.'s Hallmark Entertainment agreed to produce, along with Nicholas Meyer. Finally, someone decided to make a linear version of the tale beginning with Penelope, played by Greta Scacchi giving birth to Telemachus. Her husband, Odysseus, played by Armand Assante, is there to deliver the baby. The filmmakers also decided to have Odysseus narrate the show. Soon, Assante is called away to join the attack on Troy. As with most versions, the Trojan Horse is mounted on a platform with wheels, and most of Troy is drowsy with celebration. For some unknown reason, these filmmakers decide to have Odysseus' father already dead, but his widow, Anticleia, played by Irene Papas, is alive, until she commits suicide by walking into the sea. Some have complained about versions of The Odyssey not having the sex in the original text, but this version has some, especially after Circe, played by Bernadette Peters, demands that Assante take her to bed before she will change his men back from animals. The writers also decided to put the lotus eating element in this part of the story instead of it being on its own. "My name is Nobody" is also included in this version of the scene with the cyclops. Geraldine Chaplin plays Eurycleia, the faithful nurse, Michael J. Pollard is Aeolus, the wind god, Vanessa Williams plays Calypso, who lives on an island with many maids, who can't keep her hands off Assante, Christopher Lee is Tiresias, whom Assante goes into Hades to visit and Eric Roberts plays Eurymachus, the most obnoxious of the suitors. The gods are quite visible in this version, with Isabella Rossellini making a very beautiful appearance as Athena. Freddy Douglas, aka Federick Stuart, appeals as Hermes, the messenger of the gods. This version sees Hades as something like the Christian idea of a burning hell.
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Angel Rivera Highly enjoyed:
"THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY" (2025)
Here is an Updated version of the documentary released in 1995. What is interesting about this series is the documentary consists of each "Beatle" appearing on camera to tell their recollections of the events of their careers accompanied by archive footage of these events. (Lennon is shown from archived interviews made by him. And the added Ninth episode has footage previously not shown when they were made in 1995.) Especially for Beatles fans, streaming now on Disney+.
"SPIDER-MAN:BRAND NEW DAY" (2026)
Well worth the time! The effects are good, and the soap opera aspects are handled well, so you care about the characters. Zendaya is cute to watch and Tom Holland is likeable as the main lead. The plot also leaves us with a slightly positive ending. (Although Our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is going to be busy; as I believe he will be in the next Avengers movie: "Avengers: Doomsday").
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David Deal Enjoyed:
THE FALCON IN HOLLYWOOD (44)
SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH (43)
DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS (65) - My favorite Barbara Shelley movie.
Mildly enjoyed:
BOMBAY WATERFRONT (52) - Crime writer and amateur detective Paul Temple (John Bentley) and his wife (Patricia Dainton) become involved in a series of murders by a character called The Marquis. It all revolves around an ancient artifact discovered by famous archeologist Christopher Lee. The last of a quartet of B films featuring Temple, a literary character that took off via a radio serial. This brisk and breezy entry will entertain at the level expected of such fare.
NAZARENO AND THE WOLF (75) - This is a beautiful Argentinian art film, a romantic tragedy about a young man cursed with lycanthropy when love enters his life. Reportedly, this became the most successful film of all time in its home country. I enjoyed watching it but it's not for everyone.
THE PUBLIC DEFENDER (31) - Playboy Richard Dix takes on the secret identity of "The Reckoner" to prove that his girlfriend's (Shirley Grey) father is being framed for business fraud. An okay programmer from RKO that feels very creaky today.
THE PICK-UP (68) - Two mob bagmen on their way to LA from Vegas with a million bucks in the trunk are waylaid by a couple of women with car trouble. When the inevitable happens and the ladies steal the money, the bagmen give chase while the mob looks for them. Lee Frost's (Black Gestapo) low-budget crime story is mostly an excuse for extended, fairly graphic sex scenes and some violence. Not that that's a bad thing. In retrospect, I'm surprised this was available at the library.
EL CHARRO DE LAS CALAVERAS - The titular Rider of the Skulls is a masked man fighting for justice in old Mexico. In this trio of stories he tackles a shaggy werewolf, a vampire that actually looks like a bat, and a headless horseman. Aimed at the younger set, this doesn't contain any serious violence, but it does have a kid sidekick for our hero, some hokey monsters and tired comic relief.
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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:
Le furet (1949, Raymond Leboursier)
Coffy (1973, Jack Hill)
Foxy Brown (1974, Jack Hill)
Carré de valets (1947, André Berthomieu)
Sigeuneol / Signal (2015, Kim Won-seok) – episodes 2 to 9
Mildly enjoyed:
Masters of the universe (2025, Travis Knight)
Did not enjoy:
Mata-Hari, agent H21 (1965, Jean-Louis Richard)
Slogan (1968, Pierre Grimblat)
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