Friday, June 23, 2023

June 24 - 30, 2023

 

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

Brain Teasers:

Which American actor, who made Italian Westerns, could not accept a role in DOCTOR ZHIVAGO because he was under contract to Warner Bros.?
No one has answered this question yet.

Which Italian actress worked with directors Michelangelo Antonioni, Sergio Leone, Mauro Bolognini, Paolo Bianchini and Louis Malle?
Tom Betts and Angel Rivera knew that it was Lea Massari.

Which Italian actor worked with directors Sergio Corbucci, Enzo Barboni, Giuseppe Colizzi, Alfred Vohrer, and Dick Richards?
Tom Betts, Angel Rivera and George Grimes knew that it was Mario Girotti, aka Terence Hill.

Which American actor, who made Italian Westerns, is credited as a screenwriter on a movie starring Kirk Douglas?
No one has answered this question yet.

And now for some new brain teasers:

Can you name two American actors who were needed to replace Klaus Kinski in two different Italian Westerns?
Lee Van Cleef met his last wife on the set of what movie?
Which actor who made Westerns was born in Reinosa, Cantabria, Spain on March 2, 1940?

Name the movies from which these images came.


Tom Betts and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Julian Ugarte, Karen Yeh and Goyo Peralta in LA DOVE NON BATTE IL SOLE, aka THE STRANGER AND THE GUNFIGHTER, aka BLOOD MONEY.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?


No one has identified the above photo yet.
Can you name from what movie it came?


No one has identified the above photo yet.
Can you name from what movie it came?


George Grimes identified last week's photo from THE BLIND WOMAN'S CURSE.
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:

AVATAR (2009) - A remake of DANCES WITH WOLVES with a dash of RETURN OF THE JEDI and FERNGULLY, this James Cameron film is an hoot.

A Discovery of Witches season one (2018)
                                           season two (2021)
                                           season three (2022)
                                                                    
Did not enjoy:

ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE (2021) - I found the theatrical version over-long and annoying. Now we get the "director's cut" which is even longer and downright irritating. Does anyone know why HBO MAX is playing this in 4X3? Does Snyder think viewers don't have 16X9 TV sets? And who thought that a "JUSTICE IS GREY" version was a good idea? I'm certain that I'm not the only person who wished that Joss Whedon had turned down the offer to take over the production of the theatrical version. It would seem that Warner Bros. was hoping for THE AVENGERS and Snyder wanted 300 BIGGER, LONGER AND SUPERPOWERED. And did Snyder really think that having four different endings would whet an appetite for the sequels he wanted to make?

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Charles Gilbert Watched:

CURSE OF THE DEMON (1957) B&W. The monster looks fierce enough, but the tempo is plodding. American professor John Holden (Dana Andrews) suspects English devil worshiper Karswell is responsible for recent deaths of colleagues in London.]

FFOLKES aka NORTH SEA HIJACK (1980) Roger Moore plays a bearded eccentric that leads British commandos in an effort to thwart terrorist Anthony Perkins and his gang that hijack oil rigs for ransom. Ffolkes is honored for his heroism in the end but, instead of medals, the Prime Minister presents him with three kittens.

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David Deal Enjoyed:

THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER (62)

ALONE AGAINST ROME (62)

STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP (46)

YOUR HONOR (73) - Professor Martin (Chris Avram) makes a meager living teaching English to the wheelchair-bound son of a Mafia boss. Soon indebted to the boss, Martin must take on a mysterious mission that includes intensive training and a trip to Amsterdam to complete the contract. Existential Italian crime from Romano Scavolini that I didn't like at first; its odd pacing and vague motives are off putting. But once used to the rhythm of the piece, it was captivating as it unfolds. The score by Carlo Esposito has its cool jazz moments.

TALES OF TERROR (62)

THE DEADLY MANTIS (57)

TODAY WE KILL, TOMORROW WE DIE (68)

I'LL SEE YOU IN HELL (60)

SWEET BODY OF DEBORAH (68)

BLUE EYES OF THE BROKEN DOLL (72)

THE TOUGH ONES (76)

Mildly enjoyed:

THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME (88) - An eccentric young animator (Mike Jittlov) wants to make a movie in Hollywood. An amazing concoction of live action melded with all kinds of animation and special effects, primarily stop-motion. This low tech extravaganza is clever and extremely ambitious - points for that - but its manic pace is tiring, and much of the acting is annoying. The late-80s LA time capsule aspect is a major plus. Features a tired-looking Steve Brody in his last film.

THE CURSE OF NOSTRADAMUS (59)

THE MONSTERS DEMOLISHER (59)

GENIE OF DARKNESS (59)

THE BLOOD OF NOSTRADAMUS (59)

THE WHITE BUFFALO (77) - Tormented by nightmares of a giant white buffalo, Wild Bill Hickok (Charles Bronson) heads west to find and kill the fabled creature. Along the way he picks up a sidekick, Jack Warden, and Crazy Horse (Will Samson) who lost a son to the beast. A fantasy western from veteran J Lee Thompson about men and fate that, while succeeding on some of those levels, rarely satisfies as an engaging film. The production shortcomings are distracting but the patter is great. Features Stuart Whitman, Kim Novak, Clint Walker, Slim Pickens, and John Carradine.

DEADLY SPAWN (83)

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Angel Rivera Enjoyed:
"The Flash" (2023) Finally got out to the movies and this one, while not a great one, is still fun. Lots of DC superhero cameos as the Flash tampers with time and then the consequences of his actions. The ending is kind of interesting.

"Superman & Lois" Season 3, episode 12 (2023) Luthor makes an appearance, this time played by Michael Cudlitz, best known for his role in "The Walking Dead". Still an interesting take on the Man of Steel mythos.

"The Social Network" (2010) still a good film with an interesting history of the birth of "Facebook"

"School of Rock" (2003) still a good comedy with especially fine performances from Jack Black and Joan Cusack.

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