September 7 - 13. 2024

 

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

Brain Teasers:

What deal did Gordon Mitchell make with Demofilo Fidani regarding the use of the Cave Studios?

The answer I was looking for was that if Fidani rented Cave Studios, Gordon Mitchell would appear in the films for free. Mitchell was operating Cave for about a year before Fidani informed him that if he got the proper license from the government, then Fidani would get money from the government for using an "official" studio. Mitchell estimated that over 100 films had already used the studio before he got the proper paperwork. By the time he lost his license, Mitchell thought that over 500 films had used the Cave Studios.

What was "Super Spaghetti"?

Tom Betts knew that it was a character created by Gordon Mitchell to teach children about ecology and healthy living. Towards the end of his life he wanted to introduce the character as part of a program in the L.A. school system. He also hoped to turn it into an animated TV series like Captain Planet.

What was the excuse the Italian government used to close the Cave Studios?

The answer I was looking for was that the Italian government wouldn't issue him another license for the studio unless he built a modern soundstage. When this edict was passed on the big Italian studios, the government assisted in the costs with subsidies. No subsides were offered to Cave Studios.

Which Italian director, who used Enzo Barboni as a cinematographer, felt that Barboni killed the Italian Western with the Trinity films?

Tom Betts and George Grimes knew that it was Sergio Corbucci.

By what name is Simonetta Vitelli better known?

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

By what name is Luciano Pigozzi better known?

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

And now for some new brain teasers:

After which Hollywood actress did Simonetta Vitelli take her pseudonym?

In which Italian Western is there an exterior Cashier's window at the Sheriff's office?

Which Italian actor regrets turning down the role Gian Maria Volonte got for PER UN PUGNO DI DOLLARI because the money was too little?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Tom Betts, Bertrand van Wonterghem, and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Brian Kelly in SPARA GRINGO SPARA, aka THE LONGEST HUNT.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

 

Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's photo of Gloria Milland and Brad Harris in GOLIATH CONTRO I GIGANTI, aka GOLIATH AND THE GIANTS.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Brad Harris, Adriana Alben, Ursula Davis (aka Pier Ana Quaia) and Esmelda Barros in EVA LA VENERE SELVAGGIA, aka KING OF KONG ISLAND.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes identified last week's photo from THE BRAVE ARCHER 2.

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:

Mildly enjoyed:

MAN ON THE MOON (1999) - Getting a well known performer to portray another well known performer seems to me to be a bad idea. Jim Carrey's energy is very different from Andy Kaufman's, and while I believe Carrey's performance is very sincere, it isn't convincing. You certainly can't complain that the filmmakers didn't load their film with plenty of celebrity cameos.

UN UOMO CHIAMATO APOCALISSE JOE, aka A MAN CALLED APOCALYPSE JOE, aka APOCALYPSE JOE, aka A MAN CALLED JOE CLIFFORD (1970) - It seems to me that producer Eduardo Brochero, aka Eduardo Manzanos, had a cute idea about a would-be actor in the Wild West who uses actor's make-up and skills to thwart the villain who has stolen the gold mine he inherited from his murdered uncle. Unfortunately, co-writer and director Leopoldo Savona failed to develope the idea into a coherent movie. Scenes rarely flow logically from one to the next, and the tone vacillates from serious action to humorous violence. The film begins with Anthony Steffen proclaiming "to be or not to be" holding a skull, which should only be only a prop during the "alas poor Yorick" soliloquy. We don't get to hear any more of his performance, so the viewer can't tell if he is actually speaking the correct words. but nothing written by William Shakespeare should end with the actor gunning down five members of the audience. In jail, Steffen is informed that Aunt Flora Carosello has paid his bail, but our hero doesn't want out of the cell because he's afraid his Aunt will make him go home. That is not the Aunt's agenda. She's come to inform Steffen that his dead uncle's will arrived in the mail and Steffen has inherited a gold mine in Landberry. Where is Landberry he wonders, and she says she doesn't know and he should ask somebody else. Steffen arrives in Landberry and immediately catches the eyes of two women: barber's assistant Veronica Korosec and saloon owner Mary Paz Pondal. Barber Fernando Cerulli tells Steffen where to find Eduardo Fajardo, who has taken control of the mine. When Steffen confronts Fajardo, Sheriff Giulio Baraghini informs our hero that his uncle lost the ownership of the mine in a card game with Fajardo before falling off a cliff soon after. Steffen decides to stick around to investigate, so Fajardo quickly sends out a team to kill him. And so begins a series of failed efforts to kill Steffen which suddenly takes a turn when Fajardo captures our hero and tries to torture him into signing a paper giving up all claims to the mine. Steffen escapes only to return two months later in disguise as an old man driving a wagon proclaiming theatrical performances. Eventually, Fajardo leads a small army into town to kill Steffen, which leads to a series of "stalk and kill" bits which goes on for about thirty minutes of running time and usually ends with an humorous death. At the end of the movie, Steffen puts Cerulli in charge of the mine because he's going to London to meet Shakespeare. While exactly in what year this movie is set isn't mentioned, Western stories are usually set in the 1870s. Is the audience expected to know that Shakespeare died in 1616 and that our hero is ignorant to think that he can meet him? Steffen leads a cast of Italian/Spanish Western regulars that is fun to watch and the action is colorful. I'm uncertain if Bruno Nicolai's music score is a repeat of what he wrote for BUON FUNERALE AMIGOS!... PAGA SARTANA and IL MIO NOME E SHANGAI JOE, or if it just sounds the same. At no point in the English language version of this movie does anyone mention the Apocalypse.

Did not enjoy:

THE KEEPER (1976) - A former child actor on CBC radio and folk singer, T.Y. Drake became a writer on U.S. television shows like Then Came Bronson and The Psychiatrist. In 1975, he was able to write and direct a feature film starring Christopher Lee which was so bad that it only gained a release in 1985 on home video from Trans World Entertainment. He would go on to write the screenplay for TERROR TRAIN in 1980. THE KEEPER seems to have been originally intended to be a thriller, but, perhaps after seeing how poorly it was coming together, becomes a comedy. It is 1947 British Columbia and Tell Schreiber is a private detective sent to investigate hypnotherapist Christopher Lee at the Underwood Asylum. Only the wealthiest families send their disturbed relatives to Underwood. However, the patients relatives soon die off, leaving their fortunes to Lee's patients, who are under his hypnotic control. It is easy to see why Christopher Lee was cast in the role as he had had extensive experience playing villains who put people under hypnotic control Here he uses a machine to amplify his ability, that allows the filmmakers to fill up a feature length running time with poorly done visual effects. Police Inspector Ross Vezarian tries to interfere with Schreiber's investigation and almost takes over the film with his inept efforts. The best thing about this film is the introduction of 11 year old child actor Ian Tracey, who would go on to be a series regular on the 2nd best show ever produced for television: DaVinci's Inquest.

Orphan Black Echoes first season (2023) - I am a fan of Orphan Black and of Keeley Hawes, whom I first saw on Spooks, aka M1-5, back in 2002. So this sequel is very disappointing.

 

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David Deal Enjoyed:

THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (58)

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR (42)

KNIVES OF THE AVENGER (65)

7 MEN FROM NOW (56)

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SECRET WEAPON (42)

THE BLANCHEVILLE MONSTER (63) - The Blu-ray in the Gothic Fantastico set looks really good.

BEING THERE (79)

THE CREATURE WITH THE BLUE HAND (67)

Mildly enjoyed:

SAMSON (61)

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Angel Rivera  Enjoyed:

"ATRAGON" (1963/65)
A Japanese answer to "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1961) and "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (1954)
The Mu Empire threatens to conquer the world starting with Japan. Enter forgotten Captain who has built him a vehicle better than any Gerry Anderson vehicle. This thing goes up in the air, bores thru solid rock and goes deep into the ocean. Spoiler alert: Of course the  good Captain Jinguchi saves the day.Special effects pretty good for this type of film. 

"HOLLYWOOD BLACK" (2024)
Four part docuseries about  black filmmakers and their experiences with Hollywood. from the silent era to present. Interesting and informative.

"HANG 'EM HIGH" (1968)
The Clint Eastwood classsic. Now I had seen ads for it as a kid, but never really got around to seeing it. Hadn't seen it maybe, but in a long time. What stands out is the performance of Inger Stevens as the widow of a recently deceased husband and an assault victim. First rate. 

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Highly enjoyed:

Speakeasy (spectacle) (2022, Emmanuel Carriau)

Enjoyed:

L'étoile filante (2023, Fiona Gordon & Dominique Abel)

Umbrella academy – season 4 (2023) (6 epis)

La cloche tibétaine (1974, Michel Wyn & Serge Friedman) – episode 2

Anthony Perkins, l'acteur derrière la porte (doc) (2020, Christophe Champelaux)

Horrors of Dracula (1958, Terence Fisher)

Star Trek – episode «Amok time» (1967, Joseph Pevney)

Slow horses – season 4 – episode 1

Mildly enjoy:

Un p'tit truc en plus (2023, Artus)

Trap (2023, M. Night Shyamalan)

We are zombies (2023, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell & François Simard)

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Charles Gilbert watched:

THE ADVENTURES OF TARTU (1943) B&W. Robert Donat plays a glib British spy assigned to secrete into Germany to curb development of Nazi produced  poisonous gases used for warfare. He encounters Valerie Hobson working for the underground, who is somewhat more alluring than she was in BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, WEREWOLF OF LONDON, or GREAT EXPECTATIONS.

LEFT BEHIND (2000) News reporter Cameron 'Buck' Williams (Kirk Cameron) in Israel witnesses a strange occurrence in the sky when a fleet of hostile jet fighters all meet sudden destruction against no counterstrike. This begins a series of other strange events (or manifestations) that include the sudden human disappearance of millions around the world (leaving only their clothes behind). All children are included with the missing. 

From the fictional constructs in the book series Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and James Jenkins, Cameron has purportedly, since tacked his views on the Rapture that discount any "secrecy" to the return of Christ to earth as eisegeted (falsely interpreted) in I Corinthians 15:52 and I Thessalonians 4:17. These are excerps of instruction from epistles (letters) written to churches in these cities by the apostle Paul. The theology of "Rapture" is relatively new, having it's modern provenance in England with the Plymouth Brethren, when preacher John Nelson Darby latched on to a dream described by one of his parishoners, a young girl named Margaret McDonald. America was exposed to it through commentary in the Scofield bible, and the academics at e.g. Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

 Clarence Gilyard costars as a preacher that missed the ascension, and controversial charismatic preacher T. D. Jakes makes an appearance as a tv minister that attempts to explain to the world the meaning of the events (unless it was on tape, he missed it, too).  The collaberation in production between Jakes and Cameron with his reformist views puzzles me since the two Christian camps are normally at odds. A five-point Calvinist like Kirk hangs out with wouldn't even include all infants in the Rapture unless God had predetermined them "elected". Apropos, George C. Scott provides a definition of Five-point Calvinism (also known as the Doctrines of Grace) to Season Hubley in the movie HARD CORE (1979)

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