April 29 - May 5, 2023

 

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

Brain Teasers:

Complete the lyric: "She talks about a _____ without a ____."

No one filled in these gaps yet.

Complete the lyric: "He doesn't ____; doesn't ____ it."

No one filled in these gaps yet.

Which Italian actress died on November 15, 2015 in Seattle, Washington?

Tom Betts, Angel Rivera, Rick Garibaldi and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Nicoletta Machiavelli.

In which Western does Terence Hill pretend to hand over his pistol only to fire it upside down?

It is not MY NAME IS NOBODY. Do you know in what film this happened?

And now for some new brain teasers:

Complete the lyric: "Maybe his heart is ____. Maybe his life is ___."

In what film did Raymond Lovelock play Henry Fonda's son?

What film featured Raymond Locklock's cinematic debut?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Tom Betts, Bertrand van Wonterghem and Rick Garibaldi identified last week's frame grab of Gabriella Giorgelli in I LUNGHI GIORNI DELLA VENDETTA, aka LONG DAYS OF VENGEANCE.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

No one identified the above photo.

It shows Lisa Gastoni in THARUS FIGLIO DI ATTILA, aka THARUS SON OF ATTILA.

Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's frame grab of Ida Galli, Giuliano Gemma and Venantino Venantini in IL GRANDE ATTACO, aka THE BIGGEST BATTLE, aka BATTLE FORCE.

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?

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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:

LE MERAVIGLIE DI ALADINO, aka THE WONDERS OF ALADDIN (1961) - I first saw this as a child at a Saturday morning "kiddie" matinee and I fell in love with it. I guess the perspective was that a comedy about Aladdin had to be a kid's movie. Considering the amount of female flesh on display, and the continued threats by the villain to torture our heroine as she is being hung naked by her wrists (naughty bits hidden), this is not a movie usually thought to be for small children. That may be why I thought it was great. I still love it and the idea of Donald O'Connor playing a young man who still lives at home with his mother never bothered me. Who knew there were Amazons in the Arabian desert?

SATAN MET A LADY (1936) - One story has it that Warner Bros. wanted to re-release the 1931 version of THE MALTESE FALCON, but the Hayes/Breen office considered that film "too lewd" for exhibition. So, the studio got Brown Holmes to do a new version, and they assigned Bette Davis to the project. Davis felt the script was so beneath her talents that she didn't report for work. When the studio put her on suspension, she gave in because she needed her salary. Having recently watched both the 1931 and the 1941 version of THE MALTESE FALCON, SATAN MET A LADY was even more delightful than I remembered. Holmes retained a lot of Hammett's material while playing loose with many elements. Would anyone have gone to see this movie if it was titled THE HORN OF ROLAND? Like Ricardo Cortez, Warren William is an unapologetic skirt chaser, but, as this was made in 1936, William doesn't actually have sex and Bette Davis doesn't have any suggested nude scenes. Holmes gets everyone down at the docks, on a rainy night, for the arrival of the treasure, which actually brings a little action to the film. I particularly appreciated that writer Holmes and director William Dieterle didn't try to sell the idea that Bette Davis and Warren William might have fallen in love.

Unsung Presents Best In Black "Activists" (2023) profiling Coretta Scott King, Medgar Evers, Angela Davis, Bobby Seale, Jim Brown, James Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, Ida B. Wells, Paul Robeson, W.E.B. Du Bois, Maya Angelou and Thurgood Marshall.

Mildly enjoyed:

A WEEKEND WITH LULU (1961) - This "madcap" comedy written by Ted Lloyd and Val Valentine and directed by John Paddy Carstairs isn't that much different from later "madcap" comedies like WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT? except in four years the lasciviousness of the male characters can be more readily expressed. Leslie Phillips hopes to spend a pleasant weekend with his girlfriend, Shirley Eaton, in a moble home called "Lulu" thanks to his van driving buddy Bob Monkhouse. Naturally, Eaton brings along her mother, Irene Handl. Lost in the night during a rain storm, the four English persons find that they've driven themselves onto a railroad flat car which has taken them to France. Soon they try to figure out how to get the money to buy food and fuel as well as how to get back to England. Luckily, Eaton is with them to distract every Frenchman in sight, as well as Count Alfred Marks. Naturally, the film ends with a "madcap" chase. A few shots of Eaton in her bra and panties is about as exciting as this movie gets, and even guest appearances by Sid James and Kenneth Connor don't get a laugh. However, Graham Stark is mildly amusing.

Uncnsrd "Eric Benet" (2023)

Did not enjoy:

LITTLE SORCERER, aka CINDERELLA AND THE LITTLE SORCERER, aka ELLA AND THE LITTLE SORCERER (2021) - This is a sequel to 2018's CINDERELLA AND THE SECRET PRINCE, which I haven't seen. Reportedly, that film dealt with a witch substituting a fake Prince at the Royal Ball after turning the real Prince into a mouse. Cinderella succeeded in turning the  real Prince back into a human, but the witch turns our heroine into a statue before the witch dies. Inorder to turn Cinderella back into a girl, the Prince had to become a mouse again. So the sequel begins with Cinderella's girlfriend, the Little Sorcerer, rushing in saying that she's found a way to turn the Prince back into a person. This leads to a long journey for Ella, the sorcerer, and their two mouse buddies across the ocean to visit various sorcerers to find the Light stone that can save the Prince. Produced by Gold Valley Films, which seems to be a Los Angeles based Chinese animation company, this obviously aspires to compete with the computer animated features from Walt Disney. I know that I am not the intended audience for this kind of film, but I even found FROZEN mildly entertaining.

THE MOLE PEOPLE (1956) - I suppose there were many different versions of this kind of story before H. Rider Haggard's SHE, published in 1886, but most movies seem to follow the same plot. Many films set in ancient times also feature slave revolts and destruction by earthquake or volcano. The only remarkable thing about this movie is Bud Westmore's make-up for "the dark ones". And unlike other versions of this story - like WAR GODS OF THE DEEP, the leading lady, Cynthia Patrick, does not die when exposed to the outside world. However, the filmmakers still decide to kill her off with falling debris. 

OUTLAWS OF THE PLAINS (1946) - In 1940, Producers Releasing Corporation decided to make a series of "Billy the Kid" movies having nothing to do with the story of Henry McCarty, aka William H. Bonney, aka "Billy the Kid". Bob Steele played Billy as the standard Western hero for six films. In 1941, Buster Crabbe, the "King of the Wild West", took over the role for 13 films. In 1943, someone must have realized the error of labeling their hero after a notorious criminal, and he became "Billy Carson". Crabbe continued to make the next 23 movies, of which OUTLAWS OF THE PLAINS was the final installment. Directed by Sam Newfield, thought to be the most prolific American director of the sound era with over 250 features films to his credit - including two from England's Hammer Films: SCOTLAND YARD INSPECTOR and THE GAMBLER AND THE LADY, this film has Al "Fuzzy" St. John as a crystal ball gazing "psychic" who is in touch with Indian spirit Chief Standing Pine. The spirit tells Fuzzy where to find gold, but as soon as Fuzzy finds the gold,.Charles King Jr. pops out and claims that he owns the land. King will sell Fuzzy the land for $50,000. Naturally, King is in cahoots with Jack O'Shea, who is voicing the Indian spirit. Fuzzy tells the spirit that he's going to ask his friend Buster Crabbe to visit, and King and Hackett suggest that the other member of their evil trio, John Cason, ambush Crabbe on the road. Of course Crabbe figures out that Fuzzy is being scammed, but Fuzzy goes ahead with his plan to get the townspeople who believe in his psychic abilities to raise the money to buy the land. Crabbe runs into his old friend Karl Hackett whose daughter, Patti McCarty, is all "growed up". Crabbe informs Hackett of his suspicions and Hackett goes to investigate. King orders Cason to kill Hackett, and Crabbe arrives too late to save his friend, but he captures Cason and ties him to a tree. Crabbe also arrives too late to prevent Fuzzy from giving the bad guys all of the money. Sheriff Bud Osborne arrives in time to join Crabbe and Fuzzy in chasing down the bad guys, who find Cason and try to escape. When the good guys catch up with the bad guys, there is a shootout but only the murdering Cason gets killed. Back in town, railroad agent Slim Whitaker announces that he wants to buy the "worthless" property that Fuzzy holds the deed on for $150,000. Shouting "Hooray, I'm psychic! I'm psychic!", Fuzzy runs down the road to "have another peek in the crystal ball." No one seems to care about the murdered Hackett and the expected scene of someone informing McCarty of her loss doesn't happen. No matter who played the hero in these movies, Al "Fuzzy" St. John was in all 42 of them.

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Charles Gilbert Enjoyed:

THE COMMANCHEROS (1961) Texas rangerJohn Wayne takes prisoner the dandy gambler Stuart Whitman on a riverboat.  They cross paths with an outlaw secret society living in the desert with their own code of living. With Nehemiah Persoff.

FORT DEFIANCE (1951) Ben Johnson seeks recompense on Dane Clark for the death of his brother that occured during the War Between the States. He befriends the blind brother (Peter Graves) of his prey.

DUEL AT DIABLO (1966) Filmed in southern Utah. Army scout James Garner, seeking the slayer of his native American wife, rescues Bibi Anderson from a tribe. Her husband Dennis Weaver is not so grateful. Seems she left him on her own volition, and now has a half breed son. Disturbing torture scene when Garner finds out Grange (Weaver) is his target but is now in the hands of the Apaches screaming for mercy.    Director Ralph Nelson appears at the end as cavalry commander.

THE LAST WAGON (1956) Delmer Davess oater with Richard Widmark.leading a lone wagon of peace loving adventurers through western wilderness. 

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David Deal Enjoyed:

THE SARACEN BLADE (54) - Educated commoner Ricardo Montalban swears revenge on the house of Michael Ansara for the death of his father. Happenstance will lead Ricardo into love (with Betta St. John), into the family he hates, and into sweet revenge. Rousing adventure from William Castle who guides us through the fun court intrigue with the supremely capable Ricardo as the dashing hero.

A SECRET PLACE (56) - A small time gang heists a diamond bank, and for some reason everything goes wrong. British thriller boasts atmospheres of shadowy film noir, gritty on-the-street realism, and a closer look at the characters than expected.

THE CASE OF THE SCORPION'S TAIL (70)

DRAUGASAGA (85)

SLEUTH (72)

THE SECRET SEVEN (63) - Tony Russel is secretly against the cruel regime of Gerard Tichy, so he buys six talented slaves - including his brother Massimo Serato - in an effort to overthrow Tichy. Fun peplum from Alberto De Martino that has a heist element and the beautiful Helga Line.

PRIZZI'S HONOR (85)

PINOCCHIO (22)

O'HORTEN (07)

Mildly Enjoyed

SECOND CHANCE (47) - Professional thieves Kent Taylor and Louise Currie team up to heist some diamonds. Taylor's gang doesn't trust newcomer Currie, but is she the one who really turns things sour? Programmer has a noir attitude but the writing is too soft for a true downbeat flavor.

SECRET SERVICE INVESTIGATOR (48) - Ex-GI Lloyd Bridges gets a mysterious job. He's a dead ringer for a dead runner in a counterfeiting gang, so the cops want him to impersonate the ex-runner and deliver some plates and pick up the payment for them. Only those guys aren't cops. Small crime flick from Republic that features George Zucco as the kingpin and many familiar faces along the way. Time killer.

RUN PSYCHO RUN (68) - A year after the death of his wife (Elga Andersen) and son, Gary Merrill returns to his estate with a new wife (also Anderson) and her son. Is he going mad with love for his dead wife, or is there something else going on? All of his relatives living off his generosity favor the former. Black and white Gothic from Brunello Rondi (The Demon [63]) would be of interest if the plot had veered into psychological or supernatural goings on but as it stands, it's rather talky with little for the cast to do.

SECRETS OF THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE (78) - One of the myriad speculative documentaries produced in the 1970s (and since), this one is pretty well done. Enjoyable hokum.

THE SECRET OF THE RED ORCHID (61)

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Angel Rivera Enjoyed:

"Superman and Lois" Season 3 episode 6

"Young Sheldon" Season 6 episode 18

"Not Dead Yet" Season 1 episode 11

"Doctor Who" (1963) "The Dead Planet" the original BBC-TV serial with William Hartnell as the Doctor and the introduction of the Daleks.

"Dr. Who & the Daleks" (1965) The full color adaptation of the BBC-TV serial starring Peter Cushing as "Dr. Who" which was the first Dr. Who (or Doctor Who) I ever saw, when it made to USA theaters; back in the swinging sixties.

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:

Gokushufudo / The way of the househusband – season 1 (2020) – episodes 4 & 5

Outrage coda (2017, Kateshi Kitano)

The killing of a Chinese bookie (1976, John Cassavetes)

Hell’s angels (1930, Howard Hughes

Mildly enjoyed

DC’s legends of tomorrow – episode “meat: the legends (2020, Rachel Talalay)

Pony express (1953, Jerry Hopper)

The wild wild west – episode “the night of the fugitives” (1968, Mike Moder)

Some mothers do’ ave’ em – episode “the psychiatrist” (1972, Michael Mills)

Did not enjoy:

DC’s legends of tomorrow – episode « the ex-factor” (2020, David Geddes)

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April 22 - 28, 2023

 

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

Brain Teasers:

What name did Dragomir Bojanic-Gidra use when he appeared in Italian movies?

Tom Betts, Angel Rivera, George Grimes and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Anthony Ghidra.

Which Italian actor and stunt arranger directed 7 feature films?

Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Alfio Caltabiano.

Complete the lyric: "She talks about a _____ without a ____."

No one filled in these gaps yet.

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which Italian actress died on November 15, 2015 in Seattle, Washington?

In which Western does Terence Hill pretend to hand over his pistol only to fire it upside down?

Complete the lyric: "He doesn't ____; doesn't ____ it."

Name the movies from which these images came.

Tom Betts, Rick Garibaldi and Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's frame grab of Jose Manuel Martin, Nazzareno Zamperla and Giuliano Gemma in UNA PISTOLA PER RINGO, aka A PISTOL FOR RINGO.

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?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Alberto Sordi and Nicoletta Machiavelli in UNA QUESTIONE D'ONORE, aka A QUESTION OF HONOR.

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?

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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:

Classic Albums "The Doors" (2008)

Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star (2002)

The Who - Sensation - The Story of Tommy (2013)

Unsung presents Best In Black "Film Pioneers" (2023) celebrating Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, Gordon Parks, Lena Horne, Billy Dee Williams, Cicely Tyson, Quincy Jones, Pam Grier, Viola Davis, 

Chadwick Boseman and Sidney Poitier. That's not a bad list, but I thought how about Melvin Van Peebles, Brock Peters, Woody Strode, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Isaac Hayes, Hattie McDaniel, 

Raymond St. Jacques, James Earl Jones, Paula Kelly and Jim Brown?

Uncnsrd. "Sheryl Lee Ralph" (2023)

Mildly enjoyed:

THE MALTESE FALCON (1931) - Since the Humphrey Bogart cult has deemed the 1941 film the definitive version, few seem aware of this original version. Made in the "pre-code" era, the 1931 version has sexual content not seen in the 1936 SATAN MET A LADY version or the Bogart film. Ricardo Cortez also portrayed the hero as a skirt-chasing lothario who is more of a "wise ass" than a "tough guy". I prefer Warren William in the 1936 film, which tells the same story with a lighter more comedic quality. Plus it is the only time I found Bette Davis attractive.

THE MALTESE FALCON (1941) - I remember being rather disappointed when I finally got a chance to see this "classic" at a revival theater years ago. Having just watched the 1931 version, I felt it was time to give the film another chance and I still don't like it much. The 1931 version had virtually no music score, but Ricardo Cortez' humorous portrayal of Sam Spade kept the movie bouncing along punctuated by Bebe Daniels' suggestions of nudity. The 1941 version doesn't have much sexual suggestiveness and has a rather overbearing music score that keeps suggesting that what we are watching is amusing. What doesn't work for me is the romantic relationship between Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor. The 1931 version suggests that the relationship is mostly physical, and it isn't until a jail house coda that the suggestion is made that Spade might actually have fallen in love. In the 1941 version, the climax of the movie is all about Spade refusing to allow his possible love get in the way of doing what he thinks is right. As the romance didn't work for me, this ending felt unearned. Another thing striking about both versions is that so much of the action is talked about rather than shown. What is also striking is how much of the dialogue is the same, except that in the 1941, we don't learn that Wilmer killed Gutman and Cairo before being arrested.

THE WOLVERINE (2013) - While it is enjoyable to see Hiroyuki Sanada get the co-starring credit, the film itself tends to drag a bit and has too many double crosses to my liking.

Did not enjoy:

MEINE FREUNDIN CONNI - GEHEIMNIS UM KATER MAUR, aka CONNI - SECRET OF MAU THE CAT, aka CONNI AND THE CAT (2020) - As I am not the intended audience, it is not surprising that I've never heard of the series of "Conni" books from Germany - written by Liane Schneider and illustrated by Eva Wenzel-Burger. The books spawned a TV series, a radio series and this movie which popped up on my cable service. The animation is comparable to the Curious George TV series on PBS, and I supposed it is aimed at the same age group: 2 - 4 year olds. A Germany-Ireland Co-Production, this movie tells the story of a tomboyish little girl who is going on her first school trip away from home and she wants to take her cat. "No animals on the trip", she is told, but the cat manages to sneak aboard the bus in the luggage compartment. For a long time, Conni doesn't know that the cat is about - making friends with a raccoon and failing to catch a bird that hangs around. Mischief abounds, and young Luca's pet raccoon is blamed for it. Of course the adults don't believe Conni telling them that some of what happened is the fault of her cat - because Luca's mother is allergic to cats and she's not sneezing. Also, raccoons are known to steal shiny things and cats don't. Finally, Conni is able to find the thieving bird's nest and the stolen items are returned, so the raccoon isn't sent away to a petting zoo. Was this movie inspired by Gioachino Rossini's opera LA GAZZA LADRA, aka THE THIEVING MAGPIE?

STREETDANCE, aka STREETDANCE 3D (2010) - After Nichola Burley's dance crew qualifies for the big dance competition, their leader, and Burley's boyfriend, quits, saying that he has to focus on his paying job. They also lose their rehearsal space. Burley's job is delivering food from a deli. Delivering a sandwich to a ballet school, Burley meets teacher Charlotte Rampling and mentions that her students don't look like they enjoy dancing. Rampling asks to see Burley's crew perform, which they do in a shopping mall. Not having a permit, the crew is chased away by mall security, but Rampling saw enough to invite Burley and her dancers to rehearse at the ballet school. However, she springs a surprise condition - Burley has to integrate five ballet dancers into her crew.At this point, audiences should be able to figure out how the rest of the screenplay by Jane English will play out - Burley's boyfriend turns out to have joined a rival dance crew, the ballet school arranges for the ballet dancers now integrated with the hip hop dancers have an audition for the Royal Ballet at the same time as the street dancing competition and after seeing a proper ballet performance, Burley injects ballet moves into her crew's routine. Of course, the ballet dancers get to the competition after the audition for the Royal Ballet and the good guys win the street dance competition. While it is fun seeing Eleanor Bron as a ballet teacher disapproving of the hip hop dancers, directors Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini fail to provide any entertainment to those not interested in hip hop streetdancing.  However, this BBC Films, Vertigo Films and UK Film Council production in 3D was the highest grossing film of 2010 at the U.K. box office, so a sequel was made. There was also a French remake in 2019 called LET'S DANCE.

TRACK OF THE MOON BEAST (1972) - Screenwriter Bill Finger was the co-creator of the Batman comic book back in 1939, but Bob Kane did not acknowledge his contribution until after Finger died in 1974. TRACK was "on the shelf" until 1976 when it was sold to television. However, during his lifetime, Finger co-wrote with Charles Sinclair, two of the Gamma space station movies, LA MORTE VIENE DAL PLANETA AYTIN and THE GREEN SLIME. As unimpressive as those two movies were, they were at least professionally made, which was not something of which TRACK OF THE MOON BEAST has been accused. After working as an Assistant Director, Richard Ashe got his chance as the helmer of this low-budget feature made in New Mexico. Thankfully, he was not given the chance again. A comet hits the moon and fragments fall to Earth hitting Chase Cordell in the head. He turns into a man-size lizard monster, which supposedly is part of the local Indian lore, but NASA scientists can't help him as the particles are spreading throughout his body which will cause him to eventually explode. In order to stop him from killing more people, Gregorio Sala fashions an arrowhead from another piece of the fallen meteorite and shoots it into Cordell hastening his explosive end. Of the cast, only Patrick Wright was able to continue a notable acting career.

X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST (2014) - Considering how much I disliked X-MEN FIRST CLASS for trying to change the history of the Cuban Missle Crisis, you can imagine how I felt about this film suggesting that JFK was a mutant.

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Charles Gilbert Enjoyed:

THE STOLEN LIFE (1946) B&W. Bette Davis plays twins: Pat and Kate, one married to Glenn Ford, making the other jealous. Extrovert Pat drowns in a boating mishap. Kate tries to hoist her as she goes under but manages to retrieve her wedding ring only. So she seizes the opportunity to assume her sister's identity with benefits.

DEAD RINGER (1964) B&W. Bette Davis again plays twins Edith and Margaret. The former shoots her sibling and assumes the identity of her high society sister. Her boyfriend cop Karl Malden gets wise.

THE LETTER (1940) B&W. Early Bette Davis as wife of a rubber plantation owner. The story opens with her charging out of her bungalow in Singapore shooting a man to death firing a pistol multiple times. Her defense is that he attacked her, but a letter discovered that she had written to him tells of an affair. She goes to trial but is acquitted when her "honest" attorney withholds the letter evidence. Widow Gale Sonderguard with the original letter offers it for bribe cash, and gets revenge in the end

THE BURGLARS (1957) B&W. Noir with Dan Duryea leader of a small theft ring that includes Jayne Mansfield who cases a mansion they break into. The rest of the film they are laying low and contending with a corrupt cop who wants in on the action. Martha Vickers costars. 

THE PHANTOM FROM 10,000 LEAGUES (1955) B&W. Kent Taylor plays a biologist assigned to uncover the cause of several radiation deaths along the ocean coast. Also a diver he encounters a shaft of atomic light at the bottom of his decent that is guarded by a man fish mobster. Some international subterfuge as Philip Pine tries to gain formulae from the scientist behind the mystery.  With Cathy Downs.

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David Deal Enjoyed:

MATANGO (63)

THE RESTLESS BREED (57) - Scott Brady goes revengin' for the death of his father who was a lawman. Scott remains single-minded in his blood quest, ignoring the law and remaining a man of mystery as long as he can. He's after Jim Davis, who shows up near the end, but first Scott has to cut thru his minions headed by Leo Gordon. Anne Bancroft is the woman who falls for Scott, and marshall Jay C Flippen is his old family friend trying to talk him out of killing. Allan Dwan's western has an edge - like an unflinching cockfight - but ends in the expected way.

RIMFIRE (49) - Gambler Reed Hadley rides into Stringtown, NM to do some gambling. After winning big, Reed is framed for playing with marked cards, and is soon tried in a kangaroo court and sentenced to hang. Reed's last words before his untimely demise remind the townsfolk that he dies unjustly and there will be repercussions. Shortly after, the supposed ghost of the gambler goes on a killing spree, marking each corpse with a playing card. All this has something to do with hot federal gold as well as revenge. A fast-moving western that teeters between old fashioned oatery, Gothic mystery, and film noir. A curio.

MUTINY IN OUTER SPACE (65)

Mildly Enjoyed

REVENGE OF THE BARBARIANS (60) - It's Rome vs the Visigoths, sparked by the hot-headed Barbarian Robert Alda. The Roman emperor is a dim fop whose sister (Daniella Rocca) is the brains of the outfit. She uses her feminine wiles to undercut the Barbarians at every turn. Or so she thinks. Giuseppe Vari's adventure has a kinky edge to it which adds to the usual goings on.

ROGUE'S YARN (56) - Derek Bond and Nicole Maurey plot to kill Derek's wife. Derek uses to an automatic pilot on his yacht so he can dash off it and kill his wife without anyone the wiser. Unfortunately for him, a particularly dogged inspector from Scotland Yard is on his tail. This Brit thriller hinges on proving the theory of the autopilot or that Derek's wife knew who killed her, so didn't raise an alarm. It's a bit stodgy but enjoyable enough.

JOHNNY YUMA (66)

THE BLACK DOLL (38)

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Angel Rivera Enjoyed:

"Vicki" (1953) Leonard Maltin's classic movie book says it  is a remake of "I Wake Up Screaming" a 1941 mystery which starred Betty Grable and Victor Mature which I had never seen. The remake stars Elliot Reid, probably best known as Jane Russell's love interest in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"(1953) in the Victor Mature role and Jeanne Crain in the Betty Grable role. The plot has a model murdered. Here Richard Boone plays a detective convinced Reid is the murderer. The gal murdered was portrayed by Jean Peters, seen in flashbacks. Character actor Casey Adams is also in the film. (Jean Peters and Casey Adams costarred with Marilyn Monroe in "Niagara"(1953). So the film has an interesting cast playing all these elaborate scenes trying to keep one from knowing who is the murderer and then there is what some reviews call an unexpected twist.

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:

Gokushufudo / The way of the househusband – season 1 (2020) – episode 3

The Cherokee kid (1996, Paris Barclay)

Three strangers (1946, Jean Negulesco)

DC’s legends of tomorrow – episode « Ground control to Sara Lance” (2020, Kevin Mock)

Kumonosu-jô / Throne of blood (1957, Akira Kurosawa)

Mildly enjoyed

Young Sheldon – season 6 – episode 17

Le magnifique (1973, Philippe de Broca)

Sapevano solo uccidere (1968, Tanio Boccia)

Il ritorno di Clint il solitario (1972, Alfonso Balcazar)

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