Week of October 22 - 28, 2022

 

 

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

Brain Teasers:

Which American, who had been a "close friend" of a young Stanley Kubrick, directed a Western in Spain?

It was Alexander Singer who made CAPTAIN APACHE.

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?

Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Jean Martin.

Which French actress who appeared in an Italian Western also appeared in film directed by Vittorio De Sica based on a play by Jean-Paul Sartre?

Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Françoise Prévost.

Can you name two actors who made Italian Westerns who had daughters who made movies accused of being child pornography?

Angel Rivera and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that Walter Barnes' daughter,  Laura Wendel, starred in MALADOLESCENZA when she was 11. Who was the other father?

And now for some new brain teasers:

Can you name two Italian film directors who made "MONDO" movies before making a Western?

On what movie did Robert Woods and George Hamilton work together?

Which American actor who appeared in Italian costume action films became a producer for Walt Disney Productions?

Name the movies from which these images came.

No one identified the above photo yet.

Can you name from what movie it came?

No one identified the above frame grab yet.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's frame grab of Romano Puppo and Giuliano Gemma in AFRICA EXPRESS.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

No one identified the above photo yet.

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:

Alaska Daily (2022) - I've watched the first three episodes of this ABC series starring Hilary Swank and I'm hoping that the rest of the season will be as enjoyable.

High School the first four episodes (2022) - Tegan & Sara's memoir HIGH SCHOOL alternated between one sister's reminiscences and then the other sister's recollection of similar events. Writer/director Clea DuVall's adaptation for Freevee starts out in a similar format, but then introduces the points of view of other characters, including the sisters' mother, nicely played by Cobie Smulders, their father and some of their friends. Newcomers Railey and Seazynn Gilliland are solid as the fictional versions of the musical duo.

PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN (2017) - Writer and director Angela Robinson guides a terrific trio of actors - Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall and Bella Heathcote - in this compelling and moving tale of an unconventional love that led to the creation of an unconventional comic book. 

She-Hulk: Attorney At Law season one episode nine (2022)

THE FOREIGNER (2017) - Jackie Chan signaled his desire to make a James Bond movie with 1996's FIRST STRIKE. Here he's collaborating with Bond director Martin Campbell and star Pierce Brosnan in a political action film, but he's shown more as a Rambo FIRST BLOOD character. While it is nice to see a film touting the training of the Vietnam era U.S. Army's Special Forces again after decades of Navy Seals propaganda, Chan's character often feels like a spoiler injected into a drama about the politics of Northern Ireland. There's an IRA plot to resume bombings in London in an effort to get the U.K. government to grant amnesties to imprisoned IRA "soldiers". Chan's daughter is killed in the first explosion and he is determined to get revenge. On TV he learns that Northern Irish politician Brosnan is the only person who might have information, so Chan begins a personal campaign against Brosnan to get the names of the possible terrorists. But Brosnan doesn't know who the terrorists are, and he secretly works with British Intelligence to uncover them. Chan only succeeds in putting more pressure on Brosnan, and does nothing to actually solve the mystery. Later, he actually ruins a planned assault by British Intelligence on the terrorists by single-handingly attacking the bad guys. Based on Stephen Leather's novel THE CHINAMAN, the film offers Chan an opportunity to show English speaking audiences his ability to play drama - even more than he did in the Chinese language NEW POLICE STORY (2004). Naturally, he still shows off his ability with action, but the film waits about 39 minutes until he throws his first punch. Thankfully the movie has a more upbeat ending than the original novel.

THOR RAGNAROK (2017)

Traces season one (2019) - Molly Windsor plays a young woman returning to her birth home in Dundee, Scotland to begin working at the (fictitious) Scottish Institute of Forensic Science and Anatomy. Clues suddenly begin to pile up leading to the re-opening of the unsolved decades old murder case of her mother. The mystery is interesting, but it is the personal story, and the strong performances of the cast, which make this six part mini-series compelling. 

Mildly enjoyed:

The Bridge (2013) I've not seen the original Scandanavian TV series, but I enjoyed the 2013 British version called The Tunnel - though I thought it was stretched out a bit to fill ten episodes. Also in 2013, an American version aired on FX stretched to 13 episodes.I've only watched the first four episodes to far, and they've added quite a few subplots to justify the added length. 

PLANET HULK (2010) - While elements of this story were used in THOR: RAGNAROK, this direct to home video animated feature is very different. It is closer to the original comic book story, which has several elements not used in the MCU movies - though a bit seems to have been suggested in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. Now I need to research from where Beta Ray Bill came. Has anyone else noted that the plot here is like a science fiction version of an old Italian Maciste movie except that Hulk doesn't want to be a hero?

Did not enjoy:

THE FIGHTING KENTUCKIAN (1949) - How can a story set in Alabama be called a "Western"? That's not the only odd element in this odd movie. Set after the War of 1812, the film involves a group of militiamen marching from the Battle of New Orleans back to Kentucky. To the tune of "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain", or the old Negro spiritual "When the Chariot Comes" - which dates from  the 1890s not 1819 - the Kentuckians march and sing "Only six hundred miles more to go..." Later on they charge into battle with a wagon designated to play music with a bugle, flute and drum. That the bugle player is Oliver Hardy stepping into a Gabby Hayes role is another odd element. Still another unusual element is that the film deals with the settlement of Demopolis, a colony in the Alabama Territory assigned to French refugees after the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo. Kentuckian John Wayne meets French woman Vera Ralston on the march and decides to stay in Alabama. Fellow Kentuckian Oliver Hardy decides to stay with Wayne to keep him out of trouble. Soon, Wayne and Hardy discover that Alabama big-wigs John Howard and Grant Withers have conspired to convince the refugees to build outside of their assigned land with the plan to raid their settlement and seize their property. Meanwhile, Marie Windsor and Paul Fix plot to rob Withers' safe. Much of the action is the sort to be found in a "Western", but is hindered by all of the guns being single shot muzzle loaders. Despite this, the bad guys ride into battle firing away willy-nilly. Wayne warns the French of the coming attack, but Hardy is the one to get the Kentuckian militia to ride to the rescue - ride on horseback! Veteran director George Waggner gets sole writing credit for this film, which was the second produced by star John Wayne for Republic Pictures. Yet another odd element of this film is the portrayal of the guys in Alabama being akin to "city slickers" while the Kentuckians are rough and tumble brawlers. Needless to say, there are no Blacks or Native Americans to be seen. Is this the only film in which we hear John Wayne's thoughts in a voice over?

rise: blood hunter (2007) - Writer/director Sebastian Gutierrez is quoted as saying "I like vampire movies...but for me, the moment that there are fangs or garlic, it becomes really campy and no longer scary." So why make a vampire movie? These vampires don't have reflections in mirrors, seem to be okay in direct sunlight, can't be killed by bullets or being run over by trucks, and have an urge to drink human blood. The bad guys seem to have a sadistic desire for murder and perverse sex, but they don't have the ability to shape shift, have super strength or have mental control over others. And they all seem to be easily knocked unconscious. Supposedly they have extra longevity in their undead state, but no one in this movie actually does - except for the suggestion that our heroine isn't put out of her misery in the end. Gutierrez leaves a number of plot threads dangling at the end of this movie - particularly what is Arturo's plan with Bishop out of the way. I'm guessing he was hoping this would become a franchise, but aside from frequent suggestions of Lucy Liu getting naked - though nothing is really seen - what is an audience supposed to enjoy? I've only seen the 94 minute theatrical cut. Does the 122 minute extended cut make more dramatic sense because what I saw failed to engage my interest. Is this the only movie in which a vampire needs to use a toilet to urinate? Fans of the old L.A. Weekly office on Sunset Blvd. may get a kick out of seeing people actually using the front door. Gutierrez gets his girlfriend Carla Gugino to play a small role, and so does Robert Forster and Mako. Remember back before HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS when vampires fed on people and didn't make a mess of it? So that was Marilyn Manson playing the bartender!

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Charles Gilbert watched:

HILLBILLIES IN A HAUNTED HOUSE (1967) Interludes of country music dominate this farce about three musicians (Joi Lansing, Ferlin Husky, and Don Bowman) on the way to Nashville who seek overnight accommodations in an old house. It's being secretly occupied by bungling international agents (Basil Rathbone, John Carradine, Lon Chaney in the nadir of their career), ordered around by Linda Ho. 

THE TINGLER (1959) B&W. Dr. Warren Chapin (Vincent Price) wants to prove that fear engenders a spinal growth resembling a giant centipede. He resorts to unscrupulous means to effect his experiment. Once he extracts one from a patient it becomes a creepy crawly. A schlock shocker from William Castle.

TERROR OF THE STEPPES (1964) Clash of the khans with Kirk Morris as Sandar, Daniel Vargas as Altan, and Franco Corbbuchi aka Peter White as Yesen. The latter has promised his daughter (Ombretta Colli) to the pejoratively ambitious Altan, but she wants to marry Sandor who rules a band of brigands. Odd to see Furio Meniconi in a propitious role. Also with bad girl Moira Orfei.

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Highly enjoyed:

Vers la bataille (2019, Aurélien Vernhes-Lermusiaux)

Enjoyed:

Ça tourne à Saint Pierre et Miquelon (2021, Christian Monnier)

Werewolf by night (2022, Michael Giacchino)

Un asunto privado –season 1 – episode 2

Parker Lewis can’t lose (1990) – season 1 – episode 1

Mildly enjoyed:

Incroyable mais vrai (2021, Quentin Dupieux)

House of the dragon – season 1 – episode 9

Young Sheldon – season 3 – episodes 6 to 12

Geullichi / Glitch – season 1 – episode 2

She-Hulk : attorney at law – season 1 – episodes 8 & 9

Flight of the lost balloon (1961, Nathan Juran)

Did not enjoy:

Journey to the center of the earth (TV) (1992, William Dear)

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Angel Rivera watched:

"Elvis" (2022) The Baz Luhrmann directed film which starred Austin Butler as Elvis. If one squints during the performance recreations, Butler does seem to resemble the real thing. Tom Hanks wearing heavy make up as the Colonel resembles Tom Hanks wearing heavy makeup. I am a big Elvis Presley fan and so the film is more a curiosity than a good bio pic. But does have some moments that are interesting. Worth a look if you are also a big Elvis Presley fan.

"Pinocchio" (2022) This is allegedly a "live-action" version of the Disney animated film of the same title with Tom Hanks as "Geppetto". The character of Pinocchio is visualized by CGI. So much for live-action. While the movie does have some good moments, I am still dumb-founded as to why Disney felt the need to make this version. The film reminds me of when "Psycho" was remade. While the new version is not  an exact shot-for-shot remake, I still don't get why this remake was made as it offers nothing of the charm of the original animated version.

"Blonde"(2022) the Netflix NC-17 rated movie starring Ana de Armas as the titular "blonde". I am a big Marilyn Monroe fan, so I have seen many movies and documentaries about Marilyn and also read my share of Monroe biographies as well as one purported to be based on Monroe's diary. So while de Armas gives a good performance; one must remind oneself that this movie is based on a fictionalized biography and so has taken many liberties with her true story. The film is very depressing and shifts from B/w to color and back to B/w when portraying recreations from Monroe's life. And at almost three hours running time it is hard to sit through. I must add that in certain scenes de Armas bears more of a resemblance to Madonna than to Marilyn.

"Captain Apache"(1971) I had read about a really steamy love-making scene, but in the version I saw on YouTube the scene must have been cut short. Nevertheless this Lee Van Cleef starring film is hard to swallow, Van Cleef spends most of the film trying to solve a murder before he discovers the real plot afoot. Carol Baker still looks great at 40 years of age which is what she was when she did the film. It was hard for me to buy Van Cleef as a love interest for Baker.

"Lady Frankenstein"(1971) An interesting take on the Frankenstein legend. Dr. Frankenstein played by Joseph Cotten is killed near the beginning of the film by his creation, who through an accident is defaced and made to look-like a disfigured  monster. Enter daughter Frankenstein (Rosalba Neri) to take up her father's work. (She herself is a well established scientist.) Because this movie was made during the Seventies there is a lot of nudity. Even our "heroine" is seen in the altogether, but this is part of the story. I watched the "director's cut" on YouTube,  so I may have seen more nudity than in other cuts of the film. Still the film has a decent modicum of sex and violence. Enough to make it an interesting exploitation film.

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