June 3 - 9, 2023

 

 

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

Brain Teasers:

Which Italian Western has the last line in the English version: "Exactly!"?

It is SI PUO FARE... AMIGO, aka IT CAN BE DONE AMIGO.

Who did Richard Harrison say actually directed I SETTE GLADIATORI, which was credited to Pedro Lazaga?

No one has answered this question yet.

Which actor in the 1971 movie FIDDLER ON THE ROOF made an Italian Western?

George Grimes and Angel Rivera knew that it was Ray Lovelock. Bertrand van Wonterghem knew of Ray Lovelock, but also of Vladimir Medar of MASSACRO AL GRANDE CANYON, IL MIO CORPO PER UN POKER and I GIORNI DELL' IRA.

Which Italian director used the name Calvin Jackson Padget?

Tom Betts, Charles Gilbert, Angel Rivera, Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes knew that it was Giorgio Ferroni.

By what name is Robin McDavid better known?

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

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which Italian film editor became the director of movies starring Reg Park, Robert Woods, Hunt Powers, Bud Spencer and Roger Moore?

Which American actor who made Westerns in Italy pressured the Screen Actors Guild to have another actor with the same name to add an "S" to his credit?

Which German actor was killed in Italian Westerns by Klaus Kinski and Robert Woods?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Tom Betts, Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Angelo Boscariol and Richard Harrison in EL ROJO.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Charles Gilbert and Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's frame grab of Richard Harrison in PERSEO L'INVINCIBILE, aka MEDUSA AGAINST THE SON OF HERCULES.

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 frame grab of Wang Yu and Chiao Chiao in THE ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

**********************************************************************

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:

The Good Place season four (2019)

THE ICEMAN (2012) - Based on the true story of Richard Kukinski, THE ICEMAN is a prettied-up version of the story of perhaps America's most prolific serial killer - a fellow who worked as a murderer for New Jersey gangsters. Co-writer and director Ariel Vroman succeeded in creating an involving and intense film featuring an impressive performance by Michael Shannon, but they portray Kukinski as a doting family man, who just happens to kill people for a living - or when he loses his temper. Winona Ryder plays his wife, Stephen Dorff plays his incarcerated brother, while Ray Liotta plays his boss, David Schwimmer plays his boss' surrogate son, and James Franco, Robert Davi and Chris Evans play victims. Kukinski's physical abuse of his wife and the mental abuse of his children are not mentioned. 

Marvel Studios presents Assembled: The Making of Hawkeye (2022)

                                                                   The Making of THE ETERNALS (2022)

SURVIVING SEX TRAFFICKING (2021) - A non-profit documentary presented by Siddhayatan Tirth in association with the International Society of Humanity, a Stopping Traffic Production, A Film by Sadhvi Shree - Inspired by the teachings of non-violence of HH Acharya Shree Yogeesh. Here are profiles of a few women who escaped the life of being sex trafficked and how they coped with the mental scars they still carry. 

Mildly enjoyed:

DEATH IN HIGH HEELS (1947) - When people talk disparagingly about the British "Quota Quickies" they probably mean movies like this. Mostly the movie is shot on rather plain sets, which could be the same walls just redecorated. There are a few optical effects to spice up the visual side, but mostly the film is actors speaking expositional dialog. A newspaper arrives with a front page headline about a poisoning on Bond Street. Off screen voices we later learn are Police Detective Don Stannard and Sergeant Leslie Spurling talk about what is known about the case before the film launches into something like a flashback introducing the viewer to the owner and workers at the Bond Street clothing store. Eventually, a murder occurs and the film returns to "present" time and the police men set out to investigate, after doing a bit reminiscent of Laurel & Hardy where in they have to exchange hats. Based on a 1941 novel by Christianna Brand, the screenplay is hard to follow and often ventures near racist territory in the presentation on a Chinese character played by Diana Wong. Luckily, everything gets explained in a climactic scene which could have come out of an Agatha Christie story. I only watched this film, on YouTube, because it was produced by Hammer, or rather Marylebone-Hammer, but without any of the familiar names attached. Lionel Tomlinson would go on to direct another film for Hammer: WHO KILLED VAN LOON? Stannard would return to make three Hammer Films as Dick Barton before his death in an automobile accident. The murder victim in DEATH IN HIGH HEELS is played by Patricia Laffan who would go on to appear in QUO VADIS and DEVIL WOMAN FROM MARS. Also in the film is Nora Gordon, who went on to make the Hammer Films MURDER BY PROXY and THE GLASS CAGE.

MACISTE ALLA CORTE DELLO ZAR, aka MACISTE AGAINST THE CZAR, aka ATLAS AGAINST THE CZAR (1964) - It is always fun to watch an American release that has to explain why the title calls the hero "Atlas" while everyone in the movie calls him "Maciste". This movie starts with an interesting idea: Czar Massimo Serato found a map to a lost civilization and he sends Hungarian actor Tamas Fellegi, aka Tom Felleghy, to find reported treasure. After about half an hour into the film, Felleghy uncovers a sarcophagus in addition to the treasure. Inside the sarcophagus is Kirk Morris. With a half-hearted explanation that this lost civilization had discovered the secret to suspended animation, Felleghy rubs some oil on Morris' chest and he awakens with no memory. Everyone wonders how someone who seems to have just been born from the past can speak their language, but after he devours food brought to him, they decide that Morris is a regular kind of guy. After the Czar orders Giulio Donnini to send brigands to make sure that everyone on the treasure hunt is killed - thus keeping the location secret, everyone decides that Morris is an exceptional guy when he fights off the attackers by throwing boulders at them. From this point on, MACISTE AGAINST THE CZAR follows the usual plot established when Maciste was given a cinematic revival with MACISTE NELLA VALLE DEI REI - he meets rebels and joins them in taking down the tyrant. Why the filmmakers decided that this story takes place in Russia is a mystery, as there is nothing shown to establish that this is Russia except for some of the costumes. The belly dancers and the middle eastern sets certainly don't sell the idea that this takes place in Russia. Perhaps the filmmakers realized that their story was recycled, because they didn't make much of an effort to flesh out the characters, and everyone seems to just act out the bare minimum of what is required. I hope the dialog in the original Italian version isn't as banal as what I heard on the English language dub. There are two "feats of strength" - Morris has to bend a metal column and then stand his ground while two teams of horses try to pull him into a bunch of spears aimed at his body. Neither feat advances the plot. And why does Donnini drug Morris into a coma instead of killing him? And why do the filmmakers feel the need to have Morris again brought back to life when Ombretta Colli succeeds in giving him the antidote to Donnini's drug? If you're keeping track, this is one of the few Maciste movies in which our hero ends up leaving with his love interest - though the filmmakers made very little effort to establish that the characters even knew each other, let alone fell in love. Gloria Milland can been seen in this movie, but is given just about nothing to do - except scream when she and Colli are menaced by an incredibly unconvincing execution machine that Morris has to go underground to disable. And what the hell are we to make of Nello Pazzafini, looking like a caveman, just hanging around for Morris to clobber? Behind the name Amerigo Anton, director Tanio Boccia is credited with giving Kirk Morris a movie career, and this is their fourth film together.

TEXAS ACROSS THE RIVER (1966) - I saw this when I was ten years old, and didn't much care for it. 56 years later, I still don't much care for it. However, I didn't know that Tina Aumont was in it, under her married name of Tina Marquand. I also didn't know that she was American born, as I was used to seeing her in European films. The movie was half over before I realized that Alain Delon was playing a Spaniard and not a French man. I didn't remember that The Kingston Trio sang the theme song written by Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen, though part of that tune has haunted me for over fifty years - probably because of its use in the trailer - it is not included on any of the Trio's LPs. The comedy in this film is about on the level of Dean Martin's TV Variety Show, and no one would accuse it of being enlightened conscience toward its treatment of Native Americans. Being a comedy, none of the Whites are killed in the film, but no one seems worried about killing Indians - who look to all be played by Whites in darken make-up. Fans of the Broken Arrow TV show may enjoy seeing Lebanese born Michael Ansara playing a Comanche instead of an Apache, but having Joey Bishop play a member of the Kronk tribe makes one wince. There are a couple of gags here that I've seen elsewhere, though I'm not sure if it was before or after this film. Andrew Prine digs a grave and ends up striking oil, referred to as "the curse of Texas". In another gag, Bishop fires a pistol and three Indians fall off their horses. When Bishop fires again, the same three Indians fall again. This is repeated a third time, but when Bishop runs out of bullets, he throws his empty gun and the same three fall yet again. Also in the cast are Rosemary Forsyth, Peter Graves and Richard Farnsworth who is unrecognizable under heavy make-up as a Comanche medicine man. The formerly black-listed Michael Gordon directed. Composer Frank De Vol sometimes indicates that something is funny by tossing in some rock'n'roll music.

Did not enjoy:

A 001 OPERAZIONE GIAMAICA, aka OUR MAN IN JAMAICA (1965) - The direction is credited to "Richard Jackson", supposedly producer Ernst R. von Theumer, but, reportedly, actually American Mel Welles and German Peter Jacob. The resulting film is a miserable attempt to replicate the success of DR. NO with no budget, a lousy script, and a poor sense of humor. American TV actor Larry Pennell plays Ken Stewart, Agent 001, who is a charmless womanizer to whom every woman is inexplicably attracted. Waking up with a terrible hangover, Pennell can't remember the name of his female guest, who wants to hold him to the promise he made last night to marry her. Getting a phone call, Pennell explains that he has to go to work, and the woman exclaims that she didn't think he would have to go to work because he said he was a "James Bond". That's just the first of a long list of things spoken in the English language version of this movie that makes no sense. Hungarian actor John Bartha explains that 009 is missing in Jamaica while investigating arms smuggling, so Pennell sets off the to island flying his own Piper Cub airplane. When the air traffic controller tells Pennell that he'll have to wait ten minutes before an air strip will be open, the movie takes the opportunity to do an ariel sightseeing tour of Jamaica, before Pennell can land and the story can proceed. It seems indelicate to point out that while this movie seems intent on having a parade of sexy woman, none of the actresses on view give Ursula Andress competition. An Italian-German-Spanish co-production, the film added Spanish director Antonio del Amo to the list of screenwriters, giving his credit list a reprieve from the Joselito films he was making. The other credited screenwriter is Kurt Vogelmann, who has only one other credit on the IMDb - ...4..3..2.1...MORTE, aka MISSION STARDUST. Eventually, Pennell teams up with Brad Harris to attack an island on which the bad guys are operating. To help satisfy the German producers, the cast includes Margarita Scherr, Barbara Valentin and Wolfgang Kielieng. For the Italians there is Linda Sini and Raf Baldassarre. For the Spaniards, there is Roberto Camardiel. In English, the opening theme song is "I Am Afraid". The IMDb reports two songs, "Un Uomo Come Te" and "Io Lo Sapevo" sung by Maria Cristina Landi. In any case, Marcello Giombini gets composer credit but he fails to provide anything worth while, even when he almost duplicates John Barry's 007 music. 

DESOLATION CANYON (2006) - The made for the Hallmark Channel Western has shoot-outs, chase scenes, and a kidnapped young boy, but director David S. Cass Sr. has rendered everything so flat nothing feels dramatic. The non-stop musical commentary by Joe Kraemer adds to the flatness where nothing registers emotionally. The cast is okay including Stacy Keach, Patrick Duffy, Kenneth Johnson, David Rees Snell and A. Martinez.

PROJECT GUTENBERG (2018) - THE USUAL SUSPECTS must have been very popular in Hong Kong for this movie to win Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Make Up Design at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards. Aaron Kwok is in prison in Thailand when he sneaks a letter into the outgoing mail. Soon after, he is extradited to Hong Kong as part of Inspector Catherine Chau's investigation into a worldwide counterfeiting organization run by "Painter". Kwok is under pressure to give up all of the information he has about "Painter". Soon the proceedings are complicated by the arrival of "National Treasure" artist Zhang Jingchu, who also wants Kwok to talk because "Painter" is responsible for the death of her fiance. Kwok gives a long and complicated story about how he and Jingchu were struggling artists in Vancouver, Canada, but while she had talent and was being offered a gallery show, he made a living forging other people's art. Kwok identifies "Painter" as Chow Yun-fat, who thought that Kwok's forgeries were good enough for him to join his counterfeiting organization. After numerous spectacular shoot-em-ups, Kwok tells the police that Yun-fat tried to force him to kill Jingchu's fiance, but that Kwok thought that he had killed Yun-fat. However when Kwok was arrested, he said he saw Yun-fat in the crowd. Giving the police a detailed description of Yun-fat, Kwok is released into witness protection with Jingchu. As I've already given away, it turns out that Kwok had been lying for about the two hours of the film's running time, and that Kwok is actually "Painter". The Jingchu who came to bail him out is actually a woman whose face was burnt off in a spectacular battle in Thailand, and Kwok had the surgeons give her a new face - the face of Jingchu. When the real Yun-fat shows up at the police station, it turns out that he was a cop who helped deliver Kwok to the police station. Chau springs into action, but it seems that Kwok and the false Jingchu have already made a getaway on a yacht. Unlike THE USUAL SUSPECTS, the master criminal does not getaway, as it turns out that the false Jingchu is jealous of Kwok's fascination with the real Jingchu so she blows up their getaway yacht. In a final twist, Chau reports the end of the case to the real Jingchu, who identifies a photo of Kwok as a neighbor who used to watch her from afar. With location work in Canada, Thailand and Hong Kong, PROJECT GUTENBERG (which sounds like it should be a docudrama about the printing of the Christian Bible), is a 300 million hk dollar production with quite the collection of production logos at the beginning of the movie: Magnum Films, Just Creative Studio, A Really Happy Film, Just Creative Distribution Workshop, Bona Film Group, Emperor Motion Pictures, Alibaba Pictures and Popmovies. At 130 minutes, this is a long and unrewarding viewing experience. Writer and director Felix Chong had previously won many awards as the co-writer of INFERNAL AFFAIRS.

******************************************************************

Charles Gilbert Watched:

COSMIC MONSTERS (1955) B&W. Forest Tucker in the U. K. again as a scientist dabbling in magnetism. Cosmic rays impinge upon England making monsters from insects. Gaby Andre costars.

THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST (1945) B&W. John Abbott plays the undead in South Africa.

GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI (1966) AI Pictures. Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone, who don't do comedy well, join the teen beach gang in an old haunted house. Tommy Kirk, Deborah Walley, Nancy Sinatra endure the raucous screams of Patsy Kelly.

Mayday National Airlines flight 102. Cargo plane at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan crashes just after takeoff off. April 29, 2013. Load of heavy armored vehicles were not secured. Aft vehicle of 5 broke free and slid back into vital hydraulic lines.

The Mike Mentzer Story. The high-intensity bodybuilder tells his own story throughout the video. Nothing mentioned about his demise from drug addiction. He and brother Ray died within a day of each other.

THE GHOUL (1933) B&W. British Gaumont Pictures with Boris Karloff, Ernest Thesiger, and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Creature Feature guest is horror historian David Skal.

THE BLACK RAVEN (1943) B&W. PRC Pictures with George Zucco and Wanda McKay. Title refers to a motel near the Canadian border on a perpetual rainy night patronized by a menagerie of colorful characters.

BABY FACE NELSON (1957) B&W. Don Siegel directs Mickey Rooney as the pint-sized gangster. Many notable underworld type actors but I was especially surprised to see Sir Cedric Hardware in there.

B-29 Enola Gay The plane that dropped the atomic bomb. Documentary focuses on the commander pilot Paul Tibbets played by Robert Taylor in ABOVE AND BEYOND..

***************************************************

David Deal Enjoyed:

TEXAS RANGERS (51) - After the Civil War, George Montgomery slips into criminal activity, and is sent to the state pen for it. His old army major now runs the Texas Rangers and he recruits George to go after Sam Bass and his gang. Many twists and turns in this solid western from Phil Karlson. Noah Beery Jr is the sidekick and Gale Storm is a newspaper editor trying to keep up with the plot.

THE MAN ON THE SPYING TRAPEZE (66) - See The Eurospy Guide for a complete review of this Wayde Preston entry.

THE TIGER WOMAN (45) - Kane Richmond is hired by Adele Mara to stop a contract on her husband's life for his gambling debts. When Kane goes to the bookie, he learns the debt was just paid, and just as quickly Adele and her lover find her husband dead of a supposed suicide. Another breezy mystery from Republic that moves in a pretty straight line but Kane is a good hero and Adele is the perfect femme fatale.

OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE (23)

THREE TOUGH GUYS (74) - Odd couple Isaac Hayes, an ex-cop, and priest Lino Ventura are both looking for the million dollars stolen in a heist that resulted in Lino's friend being killed. They eventually find it after several murders of those involved. Gritty street story from Duccio Tessari shot in Chicago doesn't have the sharp script that would've given it heft but there is pleasure in watching the two leads take care of business. Fred Williamson is the third tough guy arcade owner who also wants the dough. William Berger is the bumbling cop. Hayes' score is also a plus.

TIGHT SPOT (55) - Ginger Rogers is pulled from the slammer by DA Edward G Robinson and cop Brian Keith to convince her to testify against mobster Lorne Greene. They put her up in a hotel room where Ginger is a sitting duck but at least she and Brian start taking a shine to each other. But this road has some unexpected twists and turns. Enjoyable, tense and funny crime flick from Phil Karlson with a sassy Ginger Rogers and terrific patter.

CAMILLE 2000 (69)

THE DAY THE SKY EXPLODED (58)

THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (63)

Mildly enjoyed:

TERROR ABOARD (33) - When a yacht is found floating, a freighter crew boards it and discovers several dead people. In flashback we learn who committed the murders and why. Somewhat gruesome pre-code body count film has several spooky, atmospheric scenes but also more than enough unfunny comedy. Features Neil Hamilton.

THE TERROR OF ROME AGAINST THE SON OF HERCULES (64) - AKA Maciste, Gladiator of Sparta. Maciste (Mark Forest) is the undisputed champion gladiator in the court of the evil Roman emperor. When Maciste falls for a Christian girl (Elisabetta Fanti), his true destiny is revealed. Entertaining peplum with a decent budget from Mario Caiano. Marilu Tolo is the emperor's daughter who has a thing for Maciste.

SPLIT (89) - Psychedelic, low-budget science fiction about Big Brother, mass consumerism and rebellion. What it lacks in funds it makes up with sardonic attitude and 80s-era computer graphics that are sure to please. Not great but interesting and sometimes actually funny.

THREE SWORDS FOR ROME (63) - AKA The Three Centurions. Soldier buddies Roger Browne, Mimmo Palmara, and Mario Novelli are on their own after their regiment is disbanded. They are offered jobs as trainers for the troops of a royal court, where the queen (Lisa Gastoni) takes a shine to Roger. The king is feeble and his advisors - including the queen - are part of a blood cult who want to rule the land. After many fights, battles, and the twists and turns of fate, justice prevails in this competent entry. The black-hooded cult members and their blood sacrifices are a highlight.

***************************************************

Angel Rivera Enjoyed:

"The Wonders of Aladdin" (1961) This was a favorite from childhood. I read it was one of three movies that producer Joseph E. Levine had for Steve Reeves, but for some reason Reeves did not do the picture. Enter Donald O'Connor and the rest is history. O'Connor acquits himself well in the comedy and some of his dancing training shows through. The program works out well as matinee fare for children of all ages. While not a classic, still a most entertaining film.

"Superman and Lois" season 3 episode 10.

"Super Star--Elizabeth Taylor" a short documentary about Elizabeth Taylor.

"The Game Show Show" a documentary series about the history of game shows in the media.

*****************************************************

Bertrand van Wonterghem Highly enjoyed:

Renfield (2022, Chris McKay)

Enjoyed:

Rapporto Fuller, base Stoccolma (1967, Sergio Grieco)

The English – season 1 – episode 6

Silo – season 1 – episode 5

Ghosts – season 3 – episode “the woodworm men” (2020, Nick Collett)

Nevada (1944, Edward Killy)

Taza, son of Cochise (1954, Douglas Sirk)

The invaders – episode “the watchers” (1967, Jesse Hibbs)

Mildly enjoyed

Duck soup (1933, Leo McCarey)

Darkman (1989, Sam Raimi)

Young Sheldon – season 6 – episodes 21 & 22

****************************************************