To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.
Brain Teasers:
In what movie starring Charles Bronson can you see Robert Woods on a TV screen?
Telly Savalas is watching 7 PISTOLE PER I MACGREGOR, aka 7 GUNS FOR THE MACGREGORS, on a TV in CITTA VIOLENTA, aka VIOLENT CITY.
Who did Woody Strode credit as being the first movie producer to offer him the same kind of money white actors were getting?
Rick Garibaldi knew that it was Giuseppe Colizzi, who signed him on the location for SHALAKO to make LA COLLINA DEGLI STIVALI, aka BOOT HILL.
Complete the English language line from and Italian Western: "Early to bed, early to rise ____ ____ _____ ______ ___ ____."
No one has answered this question yet.
Which "black listed" American actor appeared in Italian Westerns with Lee Van Cleef, Charles Bronson, Terence Hill and Jack Palance?
Tom Betts, George Grimes, John Grace and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Lionel Stander.
Which historical figure was played in movies by both Franco Nero and Warren Beatty?
Tom Betts, George Grimes and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was John Reed - Nero in Krasnye kolokola, film pervyy - Meksika v ogne, aka MEXICO IN FLAMES, and Beatty in REDS.
Which "black listed" American screenwriter is now considered a producer on two Westerns made in Spain?
And now for some new brain teasers:
What character did Robert Woods originally play, but was replaced by David Bailey in the sequel?
Charles Gilbert asks, "Which sword and sandal film played in prime time on ABC Sunday Night Movie and was intended as a pilot for a TV show?"
Which veteran of Italian Westerns made a movie in Spain with Willie Nelson?
Name the movies from which these images came.
Tom Betts, George Grimes and Rick Garibaldi identified last week's frame grab from SE SEI VIVO SPARA, aka DJANGO KILL! IF YOU LIVE SHOOT!
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
Angel Rivera identified last week's frame grab of Wandisa Guida in ERCOLE CONTRO ROMA, aka HERCULES AGAINST ROME.
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 picture of Alan Steel in STORIA DI ARCIERI, PUGNI E OCCHI NERI, aka ROBIN HOOD ARROWS BEANS AND KARATE.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
Bertrand van Wonterghem, Angel Rivera, George Grimes and Charles Gilbert identified last week's frame grab of Shih Kien and Ahna Capri in ENTER THE DRAGON.
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:
Highly enjoyed:
She-Hulk Attorney At Law episode one (2022)
Enjoyed:
CHRONIQUE D'UN ETE, aka CHRONICLE OF A SUMMER (1961) - This is the film for which the term "cinéma vérité" was invented. It starts with the filmmaker and anthropologist Jean Rouch, sociologist Edgar Morin and Marceline Loridan discussing if "real life" can be captured on film or whether the presence of the camera results in people "acting". From Loridan asking people on the street to answer the question "Are you happy?", the film quickly moves into various people's homes asking the same question. The question soon becomes "What makes you happy?" and then "How do you feel about working for a living?" The introduction of an African immigrant named Landry brings in a discussion of racial discrimination, which soon follows into a discussion of the war in Algeria, the 1960 student protests and the conflict in Congo. Where in Africa Landry is from is never addressed, though he speaks French well. The discussion of racism leads to Marceline explaining to the Africans that the tatooed numbers on her arm signify that she was interned in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. Eventually, the film moves to Saint-Tropez and an interview with bikini model, aka cover girl, Sophie. The film ends with most of the people in the film discussing what they think about the project after a screening. This is followed by Rouch and Morin discussing what they accomplished. Though intended to capture life in France in the summer of 1960, the film reportedly was shot over a period of six months. It is hard not see similarities in the style of this film in the early works of French directors Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut and one wonders about the cross influence - particularly since one of the four cameramen on the project is Raoul Coutard. Roger Morilliere, Jean-Jacques Tarbes and Canadian Michel Brault are the other cameramen. Tarbes went on to shoot four of my favorite Alain Delon films: ADIEU L'AMI, LA PISCINE, JEFF and BORSALINO.
I GRANDI CONDOTTIERI, aka THE GREAT LEADERS, aka GIDEON AND SAMSON: GREAT LEADERS OF THE BIBLE (1965) - Is it ironic that the most famous movie about Samson would be made by a Jewish director that never mentioned that the character was Jewish? It seems that it would take an Italian director to embrace the Jewish history of Samson and even explain that the power from his hair came from being a Nazirite; those considered consecrated by God who took a vow to never cut their hair as a sign of their fidelity. Dutch Judo champion Anton Geesink is not often mentioned among the stars of strong man movies, but he's quite formidable as Samson. He stars in the second half of this two-part movie, the first part being about Gideon, a simple farmer who is chosen by God to drive the Midianites from Israel. It appears that the Gideon section was directed in Spain by Francisco Perez-Dolz with a mostly Spanish cast aside from Ivo Garrani as Gideon. A narrator explains that because the Israelite people forgot Jehovah and began adoring Baal, Jehovah abandoned his people and allowed the Midianites to pillage them. Gideon, however, kept faith with God and shrewdly saved his crop from harm. He is visited by a stranger, played by Fernando Rey, who informs him that Jehovah has chosen him to unite his people to drive out the Midianites. Garrani and Rey play off each other wonderfully, even though they are dubbed into English by other actors. Not to be forgotten, Maruchi Fresno is given a solid part to play as Gideon's wife, who was left behind to run the farm. Using many of the same locations in Almeria, the Gideon half of the movie even uses the same camera angles often seen in Westerns. The battle scenes featured in a montage seem to be from another production, but this production provides some impressive spectacle of its own. The Samson section begins with Samson's father, Manoah, toiling in the fields as the narrator explains that, "once again however, the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God and the blessings they had received from Him and they returned to adoring false gods. And so Jehovah punished them once more and delivered them into the hands of their enemies." Manoah's wife, played by Ana Maria Noe, rushes into the field to tell her husband that, though barren, she has been visited by an Angel who tells her that she will deliver a son who will be a Nazirite. The film then jumps ahead to the Philistine campaign to force the Israelites to surrender Samson to them. Unlike in SAMSON AND DELILAH, where Samson breaks his bonds after learning that the Philistines have released the Jewish captives, here the Philistines renegade on their promise to release the captives, which inspires our hero to break his bonds, pick up the jawbone of an ass, and kill 1,000 soldiers. In both films, this happens during a spectacular wind storm. Perhaps inspired by director Cecil B. DeMille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, these filmmakers show the Philistine temple of Dagon being constructed by Jewish slaves, many of them dying in the effort. The Italians include the incident of Samson visiting a harlot in Gaza, and needing to tear the city gate off its hinges in order to escape an ambush. Next the film introduces a simple country woman, Delilah - played by Rosalba Neri, who arrives in Gaza and is envious of the harlot who is shopping for jewelry. Delilah is arrested for the Philistines already know that Samson is living with her. They tempt her with wealth if she will get Samson to reveal the secret of his supernatural strength. Unlike SAMSON AND DELILAH which created a personal rationale behind the woman's actions, this film just presents Delilah as a simple woman who envies life in the city. Samson's mother shows up, but doesn't want to be introduced to Delilah. Instead she tries to get Samson to save his people from slavery. He is still upset about their willingness to turn him over to the Philistines, so she leaves disappointed. As in SAMSON AND DELILAH, Delilah tries to get our hero to reveal the secret behind his strength, and as in the other film, he teases her with false revelations. Finally, he reveals that he doesn't trust women because of the betrayal by his wife on their wedding night, which was vividly portrayed in SAMSON AND DELILAH. As a token of his love and trust of Delilah, he is willing to divulge his secret, which she, at first, decides that she'd rather not know. He divulges, she drugs his wine and then beckons the Philistine soldiers into their home. As in the Bible, a servant cuts off Samson's hair and Delilah cowers as Samson is bound by the soldiers. Samson's mother goes to the harlot in Gaza because she thinks that the harlot knows someone that will allow the mother to visit her son in bondage. It is only when the mother visits her son by the mill stone that it is revealed that Samson has been blinded. He rails to God that while his hair has grown back, his strength has not returned. He asks his mother to pray for him as he is to be humbled in the Temple of Dagon in the morning. Among the circus performers celebrating the capture of Samson can clearly be seen Alberto Dell'Acqua, and here only one dwarf taunts our hero. Delilah sits next to the leader of the Philistines, and, as in SAMSON AND DELILAH, shows regret for her actions, but does nothing to aid Samson. Finding the structural support for the temple, Samson prays for forgiveness and the return to his strength, which, of course, is granted. The effects work in the Cecil B. DeMille movie may be more spectacular, but what Dino Gallano and Vitantonio Ricci came up with here is impressive as well. The Samson story seems to have been directed entirely in Italy by Marcello Baldi, much of it on stages at Cinecitta with some location work at the beach of Tor Caldara, Lazio.
THOR LOVE AND THUNDER (2022)
Mildly enjoyed:
DUST DEVIL the final cut (1992/2006) - The short version took out everything that made the movie interesting - including a notation that the last double bill at the drive-in was THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES and THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMMAGE. Is this from where director Lars Klevberg got the idea for POLAROID?
Did not enjoy:
A NOVEL ROMANCE (2015) - I contend that there are good movies on the Hallmark Movie Channel, this just isn't one of them. Amy Acker is as adorable as usual, and Dylan Bruce, of Orphan Black, is also adorable, but the script by Beverly Nuako and Hanz Wasserburger is strictly formula. Director Mark Griffiths is a veteran of this sort of thing. Charles S. Dutton plays the only black man in Portland, Oregon, who delivers sage advice to Acker in her moment of romantic crisis.
SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949) - I suppose it is a given that if you're going to make a movie about Samson and Delilah that Samson is going to be made to seem stupid. But as he is considered a leader of his people, shouldn't we see some intelligence in addition to his mysterious strength? Most of the movie follows the biblical tale, except that it uses an idea from the 1927 novel SAMSON THE NAZIRITE by Vladimir Jabotinsky. Jablotinsky introduces the idea that Delilah is the younger sister of the Philistine woman Samson marries. And so director Cecil B. DeMille, who wants the film to be "one of the greatest love stories of all time", expands the role of Delilah so that she becomes the center of the tale, not some harlot come later. Watching this now, it is obvious that many of the Italian films that I love were influenced by it. There's our hero given a choice between a bad girl and a good girl, only the Italians usually have him pick the good girl in the end - except in SPARTACO. The toppling of the temple is echoed by Steve Reeves in LE FATICHI DI ERCOLE and by Reg Park in ERCOLE ALLA CONQUISTA DI ATLANTIDE. How many Italian produced strongmen fought lions? Being forced to turn a mill stone turns up in URSUS. Being annoyed by dwarves is in IL GIGANTI DI METROPOLIS. And lifting opponents over his head is almost required by most strong men. Unfortunately, while Hedy Lamar is delicious as Delilah, and George Sanders is fun as leader of the Philistines, DeMille's film tries to be a moral lesson - even though there is no mention of our hero being Jewish. Having Russ(ell) Tamblyn as the boy Saul seems to want to link the story to the first King of the Israel, but Tamblyn's desire to use his sling against the enemy is more reminiscent of the story of David. Interestingly, the good girl in this film is Miriam played by Olive Deering. DeMille would hire Deering to play Miriam, the mother of Moses, in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS seven years later.
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Charles Gilbert watched:
HORROR OF DRACULA (1958) Svengoolie follows up last week's CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN with my second favorite movie of all. I saw it in an historic building turned into a walk-in theater across the street from the renowned Golden Lamb Inn, famous in Ohio for visiting Presidents in Lebanon, I was age 8 .
THE WIND'S FIERCE {1970) Assassin Marco and his brother Jacobo (Terence Hill and Mario Pardo) are hired to kill a demagogue supporting a peasant revolt against Spanish aristocracy, chiefly Don Antonio (Fernando Rey). Dated before the Trinity craze, it has since been retitled TRINITY SEES RED even though the tenor is anything but funny. Maria Grazia Buccello plays the pretty hotel proprietess Soledad.
HOT ROD GIRL (1956) B&W. Plain clothes policeman Ben Terrill {Chuck Connors} wants to see the local teens get a drag strip so there will be no street racing. In the mean time his friend Jeff {John Smith}, a mechanic, loses his brother and his driver license in a highway accident. Lori Nelson is the titular girl.
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David Deal Enjoyed:
DR. SATAN (66) - Dr. Plutarco Arozamena AKA Dr. Satan is flooding Mexico City with counterfeit currency in order to fund his experiments with killing and reanimating people with his serums. It becomes apparent that the doc is calling upon the real Satan for help in his mad schemes. Interpol is on his trail. Very atmospheric horror/crime hybrid from Miguel Morayta (The Bloody Vampire and Invasion of the Vampires, both recommended) has a kitchen sink approach but it's charming in its way, and looks way cool too. The wild electronic post-industrial score is by Luis Hernandez Breton, who provided the same for the two Morayta films mentioned above.
SANTA FE PASSAGE (55) - Disgraced scouts John Payne and Slim Pickens are finally offered a job by Rod Cameron on his wagon train carrying guns and ammo across the deserts of the southwest. Rod's partner is Faith Domergue who soon gets under John's skin. Lots of impressive action with Apache attacks, wild horses on a collision course, not to mention some varmints wanting to trade the guns away. William Witney knew how to make a western.
BULLETS DON'T ARGUE (64) - Sheriff Rod Cameron (as Pat Garrett) has his wedding day interrupted when Bible-quoting killer Horst Frank (as Billy Clanton) and his brother Angel Aranda (as George Clanton) rob the local bank of $30k. Rod chases them into Mexico, beyond his jurisdiction, to bring them and the money back. Along the way they make friends and enemies. Mario Caiano's western is a fine bridge between the old-style oaters influenced by the American classics to the lean and mean westerns post-Leone. This has a simple plot, good script that hints at the violence to follow in the decade, and a solid cast. A nice surprise. Note: I may not have all the facts but I'm not at all sure the real Garrett ever met up with the Clantons.
ELMORE LEONARD: BUT DON'T TRY TO WRITE (22) - Worthy PBS doc on the influential writer.
DR. SATAN AND THE BLACK MAGIC (67) - Dr. Satan is back and all the stops are pulled out. DS makes a bargain with the real Satan; DS will steal a formula for turning base metals into gold, kill the one who has it and Satan will free DS from his never-ending evil life. Unfortunately, the owner of the formula is a very powerful Asian vampire who would prefer things as they are. This time the doctor's adventures are in vivid ultra-color with very modern sets, looking to me like a Star Trek pallette gone mad on a Saturday morning. Just as entertaining, if not more, than the first film (see above), it would be nice to these properly restored.
THE WALKING DEAD (36)
THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT (22) - Fun imaginary look at Nicholas Cage's personal and professional life. I liked it.
COUNT DRACULA (77) - See the Television Fright Films of the 1970's for a complete review of this excellent adaptation.
Mildly enjoyed:
THE DEVIL'S MASK (46) - Two detectives are hired by a woman who believes her stepdaughter is trying to killer her. What is really at the bottom of this mystery has something to do with a doomed explorer, shrunken heads, and an evasive taxidermist. One of several programmers based on the famous "I Love a Mystery" radio show. Entertaining enough with its twists and turns but has basically a no-name cast.
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Bertrand van Wonterghem Highly enjoyed:
Le salaire de la peur (1954, Henri-Georges Clouzot)
Heaven’s gate (1980, Michael Cimino)
Enjoyed:
The sandman – season 1 – episodes 5 to 8
Derry girls – season 3 – episode 2
Thief (1981, Michael Mann)
Daughter of the dragon (1935,Lloyd Corrigan)
I am Groot – season 1 – episodes 1 to 3
Mildly enjoyed
The man from Atlantis – episode « Melt down » (1977, Virgil W. Vogel)
Young Sheldon – season 3 – episode 1
Holmes and Yoyo – episode « Pilot » (1976, Jackie Cooper)
Strangler of the swamp (1946, Frank Wisbar)
Did not enjoy:
She-Hulk, attorney at law – season 1 – episode 1
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Angel Rivera Watched and Mildly enjoyed:
Jurassic World Dominion" (2022)
A fitting end to the second Jurassic trilogy. Brings back the original stars from Jurassic Park; namely Neil, Dern, and Goldblum with Howard and Pratt from the Jurassic World movies and brings them all together with a few new friends and enemies. While the movie isn't as bloody as the other films in the series; it sort of feels like a Disney movie. Worth a look see if you liked the other films in the series.
"Flareup" (1969) TCM is having their "Summer Under the Stars" film festival where they showcase the films of a different star each day and this week one day showcased the films of Raquel Welch. Now "Flareup'" was one I remember seeing the ads for but missed it when it was in theatres or on TV.
In this one she is a go-go dancer on the run from an insane and angry husband played by Luke Askew who blames Raquel for the dissolution of his marriage which caused him to murder his ex-wife. Also cast in the film is James Stacy who appeared with Raquel in her first featured film role in 1965's " A Swingin' Summer" . Spoiler alert: She engineers her own escape and rescue by getting rid of the danger in a fiery manner. There are a few topless girls in the film, but Raquel is not one of them. She does do a dance in a jumper outfit with the front cut down to there to a song titled "Michelle" (not to be confused with the Beatle song of the same name. Her character happens to be called. Michelle.) Worth a look if you're a Raquel fan.
Next, "Bandolero" (1968) a good western with co-stars, Dean Martin, James Stewart, and George Kennedy.
"Hannie Caulder"(1971) One I had not seen since when it debuted in theatres, and didn't remember a lot. She plays a woman whose husband was murdered and she was savagely gang raped by three brothers played by Ernest Borgnine, Jack Elam and Strother Martin. She survives and then enlists the aid of a bounty hunter played by Robert Culp to instruct her in the use of firearms so she can take revenge on her attackers. The film has a lot of good moments, especially between Welch and Culp. Also some Welch skin is shown which is always a pretty sight.
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