March 22 - 27, 2026

 

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

Brain Teasers:

Which Spanish actor worked for directors Ridley Scott, Leonard Schrader, Jesus Franco, Paul Mazursky, Hugh Wilson, Sergio Corbucci, Luis Bunuel and William Friedkin?

Steve Mason, Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes and Angel Rivera knew that it was Fernando Rey.

Which actress, born in Austria but considered to be German, was a step mother for five years to Jamie Lee Curtis?

Bertrand van Wonterghem, Angel Rivera, George Grimes and Charles Gilbert knew that it was Christine Kaufmann.

Which actress posed nude in Playboy in 1999 and was proclaimed to be "Germany's most beautiful grandmother"?

Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes and Angel Rivera knew that it was Christine Kaufmann

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which Western made in Spain was originally to star Victor Mature, but he was too drunk to work so Rory Calhoun replaced him?

Which American actor worked with directors Donald G. Jackson, Robert Vincent O'Neil, Michael Winner, Fernando Cortes, Paolo Bianchini, Sergio Leone and Sidney W. Pink?

Which American actor, who appeared in Westerns shot in Spain, reportedly spent time at the California Youth Authority's Preston School at Ione, CA, followed by the State Penitentiary in Springfield, MO and finally at San Quentin State Penitentiary in CA.?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Steve Mason, Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Claudia Cardinale and Paolo Stoppa in C'ERA UNA VOLTA IL WEST, aka ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Charles Gilbert identified last week's photo of Mimmo Palmara in IL COLOSSO DI RODI, aka THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

No one identified the above photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes identified last week's photo of Hiroyuki Sanada in SHOGUN'S NINJA.

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:

Mildly enjoyed:

Daredevil Born Again season one (2025)

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025)

98th Academy Awards (2026)

                                                       

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David Deal Enjoyed:

THE PIRATES OF CAPRI (49)

DOG SOLDIERS (02)

GUNSMOKE (53) - Gunslinger Audie Murphy is offered a job by town bad guy Donald Randolph: kill local rancher Paul Kelly so he can sell Kelly's ranch property to the railroad. When Audie wins said ranch in a card game, he decides to keep it and fight Randolph. Susan Cabot is Kelly's daughter and Charles Drake is Audie's old buddy hired to kill him. Mid-range oater directed by Nathan Juran (Doctor Blood's Coffin) is a bit deeper than Audie's previous westerns and is therefore more rewarding if still predictable.

TOKYO DRIFTER (66)

NAKED GUN (25)

DARJEELING LIMITED (07)

Mildly Enjoyed:

BLOODY PIT OF HORROR (65)

BIG, BAD WOLF (06)

BLACK CANDLES (82)

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:

Matchstick men (2003, Ridley Scott)

The wild wild west – episode « The night of the camera » (1968, Marvin Chomsky)

Kido keiji Jiban / Jiban (1989) – episodes 1 & 2

Ddo Oh Hae Yeong / Another miss Oh (2016, Lee Jong-jae & Song Hyeon-wook) – episodes 7 to 10

Mildly enjoyed: 

Les caprices de Marie (1970, Philippe de Broca)

Mademoiselle et son gang (1955, Jean Boyer)

The man from Laramie (1955, Anthony Mann)

Did not enjoy:

Tie ban shao / Teppanyaki (1983, Michael Hui)

The Alamo (2004, John Lee Hancock)

La valle dell'eco tonante (1964, Tano Boccia)

La grande nouba (1974, Christian Caza aka Michel Ardan)

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Angel Rivera Highly enjoyed:

"THE NUTTY PROFESSOR" (1963)
TCM is commemorating what would have been Jerry Lewis' 100th birthday with what are considered some of his best films and even though I have seen these films a few times, it has been a while since I have watched them. First off is the one considered by many critics to be his best;  his take on the Jekyll and Hyde story. Jerry plays two roles. One as the goofy looking professor, Julius Kelp and the other is Lewis' version of Mr. Hyde--"Buddy Love", a narcissistic, arrogant lounge singer whom many say Lewis patterned after his former partner, Dean Martin. I say he more than resembles, Frank Sinatra, in manner. Stella Stevens is there to provide some cheesecake factor. Has some very funny sight gags. 

"ARTISTS AND MODELS" (1955)
Considered one of Martin & Lewis' best films. Dean plays a comic book artist and Jerry is his roommate and buddy whose dreams provide Dean with plots for his comic strip, "Vincent, the Vulture". Along for the ride is Shirley MacLaine, one of my favorite actresses, in her second film role,  playing the model for Lewis' favorite comic book character, "Bat Lady" and Dorothy Malone playing the love interest for ole Dino and also a female comic book artist who draws the aforementioned "Bat Lady" comic book. Things turn tricky when Jerry starts dreaming about a secret formula for rocket fuel which some spies are after, led by Zsa Zsa Gabor. One of Dean Martin's hit songs, "Innamorata" is featured. 

Enjoyed:

 "THE H-MAN" (1958/9)
A Japanese Sci-Fi film about a gelatinous radioactive mass created by Hydrogen bomb testing that "liquefies" its victims. The film stars several actors known for their association with the more popular Kaiju films like "Godzilla" and "Rodan". The film also has elements of Japanese Yakuza films.


"DAVE" (1993)
Kevin Kline runs an employment agency as well as impersonates the current president to whom he bears a slight resemblance. When the real president becomes incapacitated, he is asked to impersonate the president and take his place by his corrupt chief of staff played by Frank Langella. The impersonator Kline starts to try to rectify the corrupt machinations of Langella in order to save the nation. Good-natured political satire made at the height of the Clinton administration. 


"ICONS OF NEW HOLLYWOOD: HOLLYWOOD MYSTERIES #116: R*PE, SEDATIVES, & SHARON TATE-THE TWISTED LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER JONES" (2026)
An interesting documentary made about actor, Christopher Jones who to some bore a slight resemblance to actor, James Dean and who purportedly had an affair with Sharon Tate. When Tate was murdered, Jones was devastated and he soon after retired from acting. The documentary alludes to other factors that may have contributed to his decision to give up acting. Jones died of cancer at the age of 72.


"98TH ACADEMY AWARDS"(2026)
Conan O'Brien was the host and was very amusing. I hadn't seen all the nominated films or even heard of most of them. I did see and liked the best picture winner, "One Battle After Another". I found the show entertaining for the most part.

Mildly enjoyed:

"THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS" (1982)
A sex comedy based on a seemingly popular Broadway show which was transformed into a vehicle for Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. She sings the song she wrote "I Will Always Love You" in the film. (The song would become a big hit for Whitney Huston when she performed it in the film, "The Bodyguard" (1992)  The film has its moments, especially when Charles Durning as the governor performs a song titled, "Side Step" about the governor dodging questions from the press that he does not want to answer. All in all a cute movie, but may not be for everyone.

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Charles Gilbert watched: 

MACABRE (1958) B&W. Doctor (William Prince) and housemaid (Jacqueline Scott) search the local cemetery for his missing daughter. Two other women in his life have died; one (Christine White) just recently. Also stars Jim Backs as the sheriff. Featured on Creature Feature which now includes the housemaid arousing a feud with Tangella.

DELTA FORCE (1986) Early Chuck Norris vehicle produced by Golan Globus with an impressive Hollywood cast. The story is fictional but patterns the debacle during the Carter administration where a rescue mission failed woefully in the Middle East.

THE MONGOLS (1961) The wild eyed son Ogatai (Jack Palance) of Genghis Khan (Rolando Lupi) and concubine (Anita Eckberg) insidiously thwart the efforts of the Poles for peace with the barbarous Mongols.

WANTED (1967) Newly appointed sheriff Gary Ryan (Guiliano Gemma) is framed for murder, escapes jail, and goes out on the lam to search for justice. Nello Pazzafini plays a padre.

THE BIG HOUSE USA (1955) B&W. Blackguard drifter (Ralph Meeker) is sent to prison for extortion even though his worse crime was kidnapping a preteen boy. In the big house he shares a cell with Broderick Crawford, William Tallman, Lon Chaney, and Charles Bronson.  They engineer an escape with the goal of retrieving the ransom money in Royal Gorge, Colorado meant for the boy's return. Ranger Reed Hadley is waiting for them.

Rocky King Detective episode "In The Bag" B&W. Roscoe Karns plays the detective investigating the deadly poisoning of a male hospital patient. Commercials for Geritol, Snowdrift Wesson Oil shortening, Dentyne, and Chlorets were more interesting than the show. TVDays.com is produced by nostalgia TV afficionado Ira Gallen.

FIRE MONSTERS AGAINST THE SON OF HERCULES. (1962) Reg Lewis only appearance in Italian cinema. He plays a bare chested strongman defending the peaceful nomadic people in white fur skins. Andrea Aurelli plays Fuon, the aggressive head of the cave dwelling Droods, who all wear black. After an earthquake erupts, he must recruit help from the Ulma tribe lead by Giovanni Pazzafini. They also wear black fur skins.

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March 14 - 21, 2026

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

Brain Teasers:

What is the family relationship between Moira Orfei and Liana Orfei?

Bertrand van Wonterghem, Angel Rivera and Charles Gilbert knew that they are cousins.

Which Italian actress worked for directors Mario Costa, Luigi Capuano, Federico Fellini, Massimo Pupillo and Albert Band?

Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Liana Orfei.

Which Spanish actor worked for directors Victor Matellano, Sergio Leone, Vittorio Cottafavi, Luis Arroyo and Nicholas Ray?

Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Conrado San Martin.

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which Spanish actor worked for directors Ridley Scott, Leonard Schrader, Jesus Franco, Paul Mazursky, Hugh Wilson, Sergio Corbucci, Luis Bunuel and William Friedkin?

Which actress, born in Austria but considered to be German, was a step mother for five years to Jamie Lee Curtis?

Which actress posed nude in Playboy in 1999 and was proclaimed to be "Germany's most beautiful grandmother"?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Bertrand van Wonterghem and Charles Gilbert identified last week's photo of Conrado San Martin in ALL'OMBRA DI UN COLT, aka IN A COLT'S SHADOW.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

John Black and Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's photo of Liana Orfei in LA LEGGENDA DI ENEA, aka ANEAS, aka THE LAST GLORY OF TROY, aka THE AVENGER.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

No one identified the above photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

No one identified the above 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:

Mildly enjoyed:

ANORA (2024) - For such a slight story, this film is very long - 139 mins. 

Frontline "Remaking the Middle East: The U.S., Israel & Iran" (2026)

GIRL FROM HUNAN (1986) - Shen Congwen wrote the short story Xiao Xiao, aka Hsiao Hsiao, in 1929. Considered one of the most important writers in modern China, he was slated to win the 1988 Nobel Prize in Literature, but died at the age of 85 before the ceremony. Xiao Xiao is a 12 year old girl promised in marriage to a 2 year old boy who lives in a remote village in the mountains. The village is governed by clan rules, which can be strict and the women in the village begin to gossip as Xiao Xiao grows up and doesn't bind her breasts or her feet. The young woman begins to take charge of her husband more as a mother than as a wife, though the boy still takes milk from his birth mother's breast. He calls Xiao Xiao "sister". A farmhand, who is single, becomes infatuated by the virgin wife, and eventually seduces her when she is about 14. Not surprising, Xiao Xiao becomes pregnant. About that time, the village captures another couple engaged in adultery. The man is beated severly and the woman is drowned in the river. Our heroine suggests that she and the farmhand run away. He does, without her. Terrified, Xiao Xiao makes many efforts to abort the baby, and but they all fail, so she tries running away on her own. It is unclear how she ends up back in the family barn, but her mother-in-law is uncertain what to do with her. Efforts to sell her to another family fail, and the grandmother advises that drowning a pregnant girl would curse them. As the elders await the birth of the child, one proposes that if it is a girl, that they drown the baby. Luckily, a boy is born and the family celebrates by naming it Bull. Times are changing as the sight of "girl students" in town confuse everyone, with their Western dress and reading books. Xiao Xiao's husband is now a student in town, and is teased by his female classmates because there is a rumor that he's married. The husband now has to travel back to the village to attend the infant Bull's wedding to another adolescent girl. Xiao Xiao is now celebrated as the mother of the groom, and her mother-in-law suggests that it is time for her to finally have sex with her husband. Fu Jingsheng is credited with the wonderful photography, and if you love picturesque images of rural China, this is the movie for you. Xie Fei and U Lan share the director's credit and are probably responsible for the slow pacing, which may match the pace of life in this remote village. As soon as Deng Xiaoguang as the farmhand begins to eyeball Naren Hua, aka Na Renhua, the audience knows that this will cause problems. It is hard for some viewers to not yell "Get On With It!" knowing how this will develope, but I doubt if many Western audiences would guess how it would end. 

Grace and Frankie season two (2016)

IT'S A DRINK! IT'S A BOMB! (1985) - Respected director of photography David Chung ended up getting co-director credit on 1977's THE CHASE with Ping To. 8 years later, producer Sammo Hung decided to give him a moden day chase comedy for his credited directorial debut. It is Christmas time and corrupt H.K. cop Kong Lau gets assistant Kai-Chi Liu to make two bombs inside Sarsae soda cans. After a successful test of one can in front of Japanese gangsters Eddy Ko and Elvis Tsui, Lau sends Liu to deliver the second can so that they can get paid. Liu decides not to give them the can and hides it just as Tsui plugs him in the back with a miniature crossbow. Liu ends up seeking help from George Lam as Bobo. After a wild chase, taxi driver John Sham, as Lion Head, gets involved after the bad guys side swipe his car. Lam crashes his motorcycle and the villains finally kill Liu, in front of bicyclist Maggie Cheung, as Cat. Before Liu dies, he gives an ambiguous clue to Cat as to where to the find the bomb. A whole lot of sillyness ensues, complicated when the trio try to explain what is going on to Sgt. Paul Chun. Naturally, Chun tries to hand the case over to his superior, Lau. Eventually, it all works out and the bad guys get arrested. The trio walk away wondering what they should do next, with Lam trying to claim Cat's attention away from Sham. Fast paced but nonsensical, IT'S A DRINK! IT'S A BOMB! becomes tiresome since much of what happens doesn't necessarily follow what has previously occurred. However, some bits do elicit a laugh.

Leanne season one (2025)

                                                       

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David Deal Enjoyed:

SAMPO (59)

TRON (82) - The 4K looks great.

SUPER SEVEN CALLING CAIRO (66) - See The Eurospy Guide for a review of this Roger Browne entry.

ENCOUNTER OF THE SPOOKY KIND II (89)

FOUR GUNS TO THE BORDER (54) - Outlaw Rory Calhoun and his gang (George Nader, Jay Silverheels, John McIntire) plan to rob the Cholla Bank. Along the way they meet up with old friend Walter Brennan and his pretty daughter Colleen Miller who has eyes for Rory. Thing is, the bank robbery is an excuse for Rory to back home and take revenge on Charles Drake who stole his woman Nina Foch. Meanwhile, the local Apache tribe is getting restless. That's a lot of name dropping but Richard Carlson's western has a deep cast plenty of plot to keep them busy. A good, fun oater.

I AM WAITING (57)

THE KILLER LIKES CANDY (68) - Another one for The Eurospy Guide.

DEAD MEN WALK (43)

Mildly Enjoyed:

DEFEAT OF THE MAFIA (70) - A female drug courier with two suitcases containing heroin makes a switch at the airport when she arrives in Rome. She gives her bags to her partner and the mob goons sent to get them end up with the phonies. Shortly thereafter the courier is found dead and crime boss Luciano Pigozzi wants his dope. Cop Pier Paolo Capponi is on the case, and the courier's supposed cousin, Victor Spinetti (A Hard Day's Night), flies in from New York to handle the business of the deceased. Writer-director Warren Kiefer had quite the background story that I won't go into here. He also made Castle of the Living Dead that featured the debut of Donald Sutherland who named his kid after the director. As far as this film is concerned, it's a rather dull and crude affair with not much to recommend it other than a few familiar cast members.

CROSS OF THE DEVIL (75) - A writer is haunted by dreams of a woman being terrorized by the Knights Templar AKA the Blind Dead. Soon he receives a panicked letter from his sister who thinks her husband may kill her. When he journeys to meet her, he discovers her already dead. How do these events tie together, and do we care? This was John Gilling's (The Plague of the Zombies) final film made after his move to Spain, and I wouldn't say he went out with a bang. Co-scripter Paul Naschy creates some opportunities for exploitation, but they are not taken advantage of, and the result is another lackluster Euro-horror entry.

DR. STRANGE (78) - Peter Hooten is Dr. Strange, a psychiatric doctor with heretofore unknown supernatural powers. Strange finds himself a pawn in an epic battle between Good and Evil, enlisted by John Mills to fight the evil Jessica Walter. Can he keep the beyond at bay? A TV pilot film for a failed series, this does offer some atmosphere and not-too-shabby special effects, and a synth soundtrack that sometimes feels inspired by Goblin and the De Angelis brothers.

FOR A FEW BULLETS MORE (66) - Another version of the story of Pat Garrett (Fausto Tozzi) and Billy the Kid (Peter Lee Lawrence). And yet another second-string Euro western, this time from the middling Julio Buchs (A Bullet for Sandoval). To the good there are plenty of familiar faces here, but as a bridge western straddling the classic American style and that of the Leone future, this lands on the wrong side of that fence.

Did not enjoy:

DICK BARTON, SPECIAL AGENT (48) - British spy Dick Barton (Don Stannard) uncovers a Commie plot to poison the waters around England to ruin the fishing industry. This Hammer product feels a warmup for the science fiction classics they would produce in the coming years. As it is, we have a boys' adventure that, though occasionally mildly humorous, wears thin quickly.

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Highly Enjoyed:

Francesca (2015, Luciano Onetti)

Enjoyed:

Le professionnel (1981, Georges Lautner)

Young Sherlock (tv serie) (8 epis)

Thief (1981, Michael Mann)

Ddo Oh Hae Yeong / Another miss Oh (2016, Lee Jong-jae & Song Hyeon-wook) – episodes 1 to 6

Mildly enjoyed: 

The story of a great enemy (1939, Paul H. Sloane)

Did not enjoy:

Bad man of Deadwood (1941, Joseph Kane)

Voulez-vous un bébé Nobel ? (1980, Robert Pouret)

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Angel Rivera Enjoyed:

"ARTHUR" (1981)
TCM is showing its 31 days of Oscar and  I caught a few that I haven't seen in awhile. First up is the original version of "Arthur" (1981) that starred Dudley Moore and Liza Minelli. As well as Sir John Geilgud in an Oscar winning performance as Arthur's man-servant and "father". Still funny after all these years. 

"MIDNIGHT COWBOY" (1969)
The only X-rated movie to win best picture; I've only seen the toned down for an R-rating version. Still a formidable film to win best picture Oscar! Scenes still relevant today. Like the scene when Voight notices there is a man lying on the street and people are just walking around and  past him as though he weren't even there. Still has powerful imagery and relevance to today. 

"TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD" (1962)
Best picture "Oscar" and winner of Best Actor for Gregory Peck. A real document of its time; especially how memorable  some of the scenes are and its relevance for today's audiences.

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Charles Gilbert watched: 

FATE IS THE HUNTER (1964) B&W. Soon after takeoff a jet passenger liner loses an engine to fire, and crashes into a beach pier. Airline executive Glenn Ford searches for the cause when most observers believe it was pilot error; his friend Rod Taylor. Much of the tale depicts flashback of his time in the army. Jane Russell appears as herself entertaining troops overseas when she was a popular pinup. 

TERROR OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1973) Delightful ensemble of golden era actors solving the murder of a London chamber of horrors curator (John Carradine). Ray Milland, Broderick Crawford, Louis Hayward, Patric Knowles, and Elsa Lanchester.

LONG DAYS OF VENGEANCE (1967) Lengthy Italian oater with Giuliano Gemma in the lead role. He's unrecognizable at first with long hair and beard from hard labor in prison. When he breaksbandits. heads straight for the barber, then goes after those who framed him,  chiefly the Conrado Sanmartin character. Also stars Franco Cobianchi as a Mexican bandito.

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