December 28 - January 3, 2025

 

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

Brain Teasers:

During which American concert performance was the distinctive theme song for DJANGO played?

No one answered this one yet.

In which Italian Western does a bounty killer join a band of villains and partner with a woman?

Kevin Ross knew that it was SETTE WINCHESTER PER UN MASSACRO, aka SEVEN WINCHESTERS FOR A MASSACRE, aka PAYMENT IN BLOOD, aka WINCHESTERS FOR HIRE.

In which Italian Western does a bad guy attack by somersaulting and using his spurs to kill?

Kevin Ross knew that it was SETTE WINCHESTER PER UN MASSACRO.

Which American actor, born in 1942, acted in films with Marie-Jose Nat, Aldo Sambrell, Rafael Albaicin, Vonetta McGee, Peter O'Toole, Claudia Cardinale and Harrison Muller?

George Grimes and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was Richard Roundtree.

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 of IL MIO NOME E NESSUNO, aka MY NAME IS NOBODY and PARIS NOUS APPARTIENT, aka PARIS BELONGS TO US directed by Jacques Rivette.

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

George Grimes, Angel Rivera and Bertrand van Wonterghem knew that it was WHERE THE BOYS ARE.

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which Italian director, born in 1918, made 14 short films before finally making a feature with Eleonora Rossi Drago, and then worked with actors Ettore Manni, Rita Gam, Ed Fury, Shirley Jones and Dana Andrews?

Which Italian actor, born in 1916, was given an award for helping to hide Jews at Cinecitta during World War 2, and made films with directors Riccardo Freda, Nunzio Malasomma, William Dieterle, Jean Negulesco and Mario Gariazzo?

What American actor worked with directors Siro Marcellini, Hugo Fregonese, Sergio Corbucci, Jose Briz Mendez and Sergio Garrone?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Kevin Ross, Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Chelo Alonso and Tomas Milian in CORRI UOMO CORRI, aka RUN MAN RUN.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Charles Gilbert identified last week's frame grab of Rod Taylor and many beautiful women in LA REGINA DELLE AMAZZONI, aka COLOSSUS AND THE AMAZON QUEEN.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Kevin Ross, Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Maria Grazia Buccella and Terence Hill in LA COLERA DEL VIENTO, aka THE ANGER OF THE WIND, aka THE WIND'S FIERCE, aka TRINITY SEES RED.

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:

Taylor Tomlinson "Have It All" (2024) - on Netflix.

Mildly enjoyed:

 

I LUNGHI GIORNI DELLA VENDETTA (FACCIA D'ANGELO), aka THE LONG DAYS OF VENGEANCE (ANGEL FACE), aka DAYS OF VENGEANCE (1967) - I like revenge Westerns, but  this one features possibly the most complicated and unsatisfactory plan to get revenge I've seen. Giuliano Gemma breaks out of prison (thanks to the idiots who run the prison leaving a broken down but fully loaded cannon aimed at the wall of Gemma's cell) with the aim of convincing Judge Pedrucho (aka Pedro Basauri) that he was wrong to convict him for the murder of his father. You see Gemma's father was murdered by Sheriff Francisco Rabal so that the villain, Conrado San Martin, could take over the railroad he needed to sell weapons to Mexican General Franco Cobianchi. Gemma steals the weapons hoping to get San Martin's men to fight with Cobiancchi's men which the Judge would witness. Gemma surrenders to the Judge figuring that that action would convince the Judge of the truth. Unfortunately, the Judge is stupid enough to believe San Martin's version of the events, and our hero is sentenced to hang. Luckily, Rabal's widow, Nieves Navarro, finds the paperwork to prove Gemma's allegations, but the Judge shows more stupidity and waits until Gemma's neck is in the noose before calling off the execution. The resulting gun battle is fun, especially as director Stan Vance (aka Florestano Vancini) and Fight Coreographer Giorgio Ubaldi utilize Gemma's acrobatic skills to pull off some impressive stunts. And the fetching Gabriella Giorgelli brings some humor as the woman who won't agree to stay out of the fight. Interestingly, the Italian title has a subtitle of "Angel Face", which is what Gemma was called in UNA PISTOL PER RINGO. Producers Luciano Ercoli (the husband of Nieves Navarro) and Alberto Pugliese helped to make UNA PISTOLA PER RINGO, and they seemed to desire for this film to be as successful as the previous one by not only casting Gemma, but also Navarro and Pajarito (aka Manuel Muniz) from PISTOLA. I suppose they felt that Rabal and San Martin were more prestigious than George Martin and Fernando Sancho. The best thing about this movie is the splendid music score by Armando Trovajoli.

Midsomer Murders season 23 episode 2 "The Debt of Lies" (2024) - It is a pleasure to see Tom Conti in Midsomer, but was calling his character Sebastian Cabot some kind of "inside" joke?

THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (2023) - This was obviously not made for me, so it is no suprise that I didn't respond to it very well. I probably would have liked it more if Anya Taylor-Joy had appeared as a live actor in the same dress that Samantha Mathis ran around in 1993's SUPER MARIO BROS.

THE WILD ROBOT (2024) - Is the message of this movie that A.I. Robots will save the planet by talking to the animals and bring peace to both predators and prey? I suppose we'll get more answers if and when Dreamworks Animation adapts the other two books in Peter Brown's trilogy.

Did not enjoy:

THE LADY IN THE LAKE (1947) - I had read about this movie for decades as the one inwhich we see much of the movie from the hero's P.O.V. I was surprised to finally see it and find it opened with star Robert Montgomery talking directly into the camera. The gimmick of having the story told in flashbacks with the audience "seeing things just as the hero sees them" ended up being rather dull as so much time was spent approaching doors and walking towards places. I was also surprised that so many scenes faded to black inorder for the story to skip ahead. However, the biggest problem with THE LADY IN THE LAKE is star Robert Montgomery. I guess he felt that in order to overcome being seen as a miscast light comic, he gave an obnoxious and rude performance, which made the hero very unlikable. Not surprisingly, this made the romantic subplot completely unconvincing. The mystery, based on Raymond Chandler's novel, also came off as dull and unconvincing. Whlie Audrey Totter played the love interest., Jayne Meadows proved to be much more attractive as the villain.

 

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David Deal Enjoyed:

THE DARK KNIGHT (08)

GUN BELT (53) - George Montgomery makes a good western hero.

TOMB OF LIGEIA (65) - I never tire of the Corman Poe flicks.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (12)

THE DELPHI BUREAU (72) - Total nostalgia trip here.

LE SAMOURAI (67) - Always excellent.

BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE (59)

CONCLAVE (24)

THE SECRET PARTNER (61)

Mildly Enjoyed 

THE TRAMPLERS (65)

SILENT ACTION (75)

THE COOL ONES (67)

ROMULUS AND REMUS (61)

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Angel Rivera  Enjoyed:

"MISS CONGENIALITY" (2000)

Sandra Bullock goes undercover at a beauty pageant to try and catch a mad bomber. Gets aid from Benjamin Bratt as a fellow FBI agent.

"MISSION TO VENICE" (1964)

Sean Flynn plays detective in this adaptation of James Hadley Chase's 1954 "Don Micklem" novel, "Mission to Venice". Instead of Micklem, Flynn portrays a character named Michael Newman whose father was an "agency man" who died in the line of duty. Sean must track down a missing man named Tregard who may or may not be a traitor. The trail leads to Venice where he meets a comely blonde and her "husband" who apparently are involved. 

Don't know if this counts as a "Eurospy" film, but it has a stark realism.

"SEVEN GUNS FOR TIMOTHY" (1966)

Sean Flynn is a tenderfoot in this "Spaghetti" western, who inherits a gold mine from his deceased uncle. The mine is sought after by Bandito leader Rodrigo Rodriguez played by Fernando Sancho, a well known Spanish actor, popular in "Spaghetti" westerns. Flynn's foreman puts together a group of former soldiers who served under him to help train Flynn to be a rough and tough hombre to fight off Sancho with their help. Outstanding Italian beauty Ida Galli stands by her man in this more or less comedic take on the "Magnificent Seven".

JUROR #2 (2024)

In what is said to be Clint Eastwood's last film and as a director, Nicholas Hoult plays a young man starting a family, (his wife is in the last month of a difficult pregnancy as the trial begins), who gets called for jury duty and slowly realizes he may be more involved in the case as more than just another juror. Toni Collette who played Hoult's mother in the 2002 film, "About a Boy", plays the prosecuting attorney on this case.

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Charles Gilbert watched:

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1943) Lavish production values makes it the favorite of the few versions I've seen. I gave a vhs copy to my daughter's school a couple decades ago during a revival of the tale courtesy of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. 

PALE RIDER (1985) One of the weakest westerns turned out by Malpaso; seems like the repeat apotheosis of a mysterious heroic saddle tramp; this time posing as a man of the cloth. Eastwood exercised a bit of licence with Revelation 6:8 in the title. The horse is pale, not the rider. First time viewing for me. Richard Kiel given very little to do. And John Russell doesn't appear until two-thirds the duration of the film.

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Highly enjoyed:

ZZ Top: live from Texas (concert) (2007, Milton Lage)

Enjoyed:

Abre tu fosa, amigo... llega Sabata (1970, Juan Bosch)

Un dolar de recompensa (1972, Rafael Romero Marchent)

Jomyeonggage / Light shop (2023, Kim Hee Won) - episodes 3 to 7

A man on the inside – season 1 – 8 episodes

Gojira shingyura pointo / Godzilla singular point (2021, anime) episodes 1 to 7

Mildly enjoyed:

Zorro contro Maciste (1963, Umberto Lenzi)

Did not enjoy:

La tumba de la isla maldita (1972, Ray Danton & Julio Salvador)

Ibulong mo sa hangin / Curse of the vampire (1966, Gerardo de Leon

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December 21 - 27, 2024

 

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

Brain Teasers:

During which American concert performance was the distinctive theme song for DJANGO played?

No one answered this one yet.

In which Italian Western does a bounty killer join a band of villains and partner with a woman?

No one answered this one yet.

In which Italian Western does a bad guy attack by somersaulting and using his spurs to kill?

No one answered this one yet.

And now for some new brain teasers:

Which American actor, born in 1942, acted in films with Marie-Jose Nat, Aldo Sambrell, Rafael Albaicin, Vonetta McGee, Peter O'Toole, Claudia Cardinale and Harrison Muller?

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? 

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

Name the movies from which these images came.

George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Rosalba Neri in JOHNNY YUMA.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes, Angel Rivera and Charles Gilbert identified last week's photo of Margaret Lee and Reg Park in MACISTE CONTRO I MOSTRI, aka FIRE MONSTERS AGAINST THE SON OF HERCULES.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

David Deal and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Margaret Lee in NEW YORK CHIAMA SUPERDRAGO, aka SECRET AGENT SUPER DRAGON.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

George Grimes identified last week's photo from SWORD OF DOOM.

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:

High enjoyed:

DOWNTON ABBEY A NEW ERA (2022) - Set in pre-World War 2, this lovely film doesn't suggest how the Crawleys will fare in the coming upheaval.

Enjoyed:

MELODIE EN SOUS SOL, aka ANY NUMBER CAN WIN, aka THE BIG GRAB (1963) - I must have been about ten years old when I saw this movie accidentally. Mike Rinck and I went to the theater to see THE LAW AND JAKE WADE because Henry Silva was in it. We went in early and caught the second half of MELODIE. It was in French with Japanese subtitles, but this was the suspenseful robbery scene which had just about no dialogue so it was easy to understand. We were both impressed by the knockout ending, so THE LAW AND JAKE WADE could only have been a crushing disappointment. When Mike and I went back to see MELODIE after it moved to a different theater, we only wanted to see the French film. We stuck around after the intermission to see what trailers were being shown, and then ran nosily out of the theater so as not to be hurt by the stench of WADE - which we had decided was the worst movie ever made. MELODIE changed my life. It made me a life long fan of French crime movies, Alain Delon, Jean Gabin and director Henri Verneuil. The new Blu-ray is a wonder to behold with English subtitles. Previous copies that I had of the film had all been shortened, so seeing it complete was also a treat.

P.J. (1968) - I guess I was probably twelve years old when I saw this film many times in various theaters. Though I had seen George Peppard in HOW THE WEST WAS WON, THE VICTORS and THE CARPETBAGGERS, I didn't become a fan until I saw OPERATION CROSSBOW. I didn't much like THE THIRD DAY or THE BLUE MAX, but I loved TOBRUK and ROUGH NIGHT IN JERICHO. So I was primed for P.J. As a twelve year old, I was also developing an interest in watching women on the screen, and P.J. provided  a nice chance to stare at Gayle Hunnicutt. But I was even more impressed by Susan Saint James, and I still wish she had had a better movie career. Though I had seen HARPER and didn't much like it, P.J. was probably the first Private Detective movie to have an impact on me, though I used to watch the Peter Gunn TV show religiously. Seeing Raymond Burr play a bad guy was thrilling and director John Guillermin gave the action some effective gore. For years I thought that Peppard's chest had been raked by the nasty rings worn by the patrons of The Gay Cabollero, but seeing it again, thanks to the Koch Lorber Blu-ray, I now see that it was caused by a fellow's long fingernails. I think Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In had already been playing on my local TV, so seeing Arte Johnson as a weasly criminal was a bit of shock. Imagine my shock finally re-watching THE THIRD DAY and seeing him play a psychopathic murderer. I quite liked director Guillermin's next two films, HOUSE OF CARDS and THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN, but have hated everything he made after that.

Mildly enjoyed:

 

An Evening with Dula Lipa (2024) - I had not heard of this singer, aside from a few punch lines to jokes I didn't understand, until she appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to advertise this TV special. So I gave this show a look-see. Her music doesn't appeal to me much - though I guess she did a song for the BARBIE movie. But, then again, Elton John's music doesn't much appeal to me either - though I do like "Daniel".

Black Comedy in America season one episode seven "Our Roots" (2024)

Black Comedy in America season one episode ten "Dave Chappelle" (2024) - Part of the reason I watched this program was to try and understand Chappelle's popularity, but I still don't get it. 

7 WINCHESTER PER UN MASSACRO, aka SEVEN WINCHESTERS FOR A MASSACRE, aka PAYMENT IN BLOOD (1967)

PROFESSIONISTI PER UN MASSACRO, aka PROFESSIONALS FOR A MASSACRE, aka RED BLOOD YELLOW GOLD (1967) - George Martin, George Hilton and Edd Byrnes may wear Confederate uniforms, but stealing is all they're interested in doing. As a battle for a town rages around them, Hilton sniffs out where to find the money in an abandoned bank. Later on, Confederate General Carlo Gentili plans to use confiscated Union gold to buy weapons from a dealer in Mexico. Martin, Hilton and Byrnes are caught stealing weapons to sell to the Yankees, and are sentenced to be shot. However, Major Gerard Herter, who had been given the assignment to take the gold to the arms dealer. steals the gold wagon for himself. Gentili decides that the best people to catch these thieves are the thieves about to be shot. So our heroes, along with Lt. Milo Quesada, set out to catch Herter and his gang. Unfortunately, their efforts to seperate the thieves from the gold wagon end up with the gold wagon in the hands of an eccentric Mexican bandit gang led by Jose Bodalo. Much of this movie is played for ironic humor, particularly by Hilton who is a defrocked preacher who gets very excited by using dynamite. Monica Randall has a small role as does Pietro Torrisi. This is one of the three Westerns directed by Nando Cicero, who shows a nice visual sense. Made after IL BUONO IL BRUTTO, IL CATTIVO, aka THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY, PROFESSIONALS gets points for using firearms that look like they were the types used during the U.S. Civil War, but the gatling gun looks completely wrong.

Midsomer Murders "The Blacktree Prophecy" season 23 episode 1 (2024)

The Dark Side of Comedy season two episode 4 "Carlos Mencia" (2023) - I have never been a fan of Carlos Mencia and had only a vague idea of who he is. I was completely unaware of the controversey about him, and don't remember the South Park episode clipped here. But the main information I got from this episode was learning about Joe Rogan, who I kept hearing about because of the recent presidential election. So, Rogan is a comedien with a podcast who is credited with destroying Mencia's career. And helping to get Trump elected.

 

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David Deal Enjoyed:

THE FALCON'S ADVENTURE (46)

TERROR IN THE MIDNIGHT SUN (58) - There's something about the innocence and enthusiasm of this silly flick that gives me a kick. They're not out to rip you off and it shows.

TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE: THE MOVIE (90) - It's been a long time since seeing this, and it still holds up as a competent, enjoyable horror anthology.

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (64)

THE MAN IN A LOOKING GLASS (66) - This two-parter from The Baron TV show is good for an Anglo fix.

THE SAINT IN PALM SPRINGS (41)

RAW DEAL (48) - This is primo film noir, hands down.

Mildly Enjoyed 

THE LION OF ST. MARK (64) - This swashbuckler has a lot going for it, e.g. cast and locations, but my cropped, blurry DVR doesn't present it in the best light.

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Angel Rivera  Enjoyed:

"THE UNION" (2024)
Mildly entertaining fluff about Halle Berry who works for secret US spy agency enlisting aid of former lover Mark Wahlberg when her agency's spies are compromised. Also co-stars J. K. Simmons and Jackie Earle Haley.

"L. A. CONFIDENTIAL" (1997)
Gritty Neo-noir. Captures era of 1950s Los Angeles. Made stars out of Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce. Also features Kevin Spacey (before his mess) ; James Cromwell; David Strathairn and Kim Basinger's Oscar winning performance. Highly recommended for those who have not seen it.

"TEMPLE OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT" (1964)
Sean Flynn, Errol Flynn's son in colonial India, sent to rescue the Viceroy's daughter who has been kidnapped by a cult of murderers. Plenty of action and comedy;both intentional and unintentional.

"RIGHT TO OFFEND: THE BLACK COMEDY REVOLUTION" S1; Ep. 1 &2 (2022)
Interesting two-part documentary about the rise and current state of Black stand-up comedians from Dick Gregory to Bill Cosby to Richard Pryor to Eddie Murphy to Kenan Ivory Wayans, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle and their influence on American comedy.

"TARZAN'S FIGHT FOR LIFE" (1958)
Gordon Scott plays Tarzan with Eve Brent as Jane. Tarzan goes up against James Edwards and Woody Strode as a native witch doctor and his henchman. Only Scott movie to feature Jane. Later Scott, Brent along with Rickie Sorenson as Tarzan's son would be in a pilot for a Tarzan TV series which doesn't sell.

"TARZAN'S HIDDEN JUNGLE" (1955)
Scott's first film as Tarzan. Costars future wife Vera Miles. 

'"POINT OF IMPACT" (1993)
Michael Pare stars as a customs officer who is blamed for negligence which caused the death of his best friend, another US customs officer. Turns out Pare's chief is corrupt and working with  Cuban gangster Michael Ironside who has a very sexy wife played by Barbara Carrera. I watched this film alone for Barbara Carrera. Action filled '90s pot-boiler.

"THE SON OF CAPTAIN BLOOD" (1962/4)
Sean Flynn, son of original "Captain Blood" actor Errol Flynn in film about "son of Captain Blood." Flynn becomes pirate captain; saves his black servants from slavery and saves his mother from an earthquake and tidal wave which destroys one time mecca of pirates,  Port Royal, Jamaica.  Flynn gets the girl played by Alessandra Panaro best known for her role in the minor classic "Rocco and His Brothers"(1960).

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Charles Gilbert watched:

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT (1960) B&W. A man suffering from amnesia following a car accident, is succored by a travelling evangelist, and becomes a renowned preacher. The lady he was with prior to the accident learns of his success, and schemes to bribe him. I saw this on television in the sixties.

THE CRIMSON TIDE (1995) The C.O. ( Gene Hackman) and X.O ( Denzil Washington) of the nuclear sub U. S. S. Alabama clash viciously while underway during an international crisis. When I signed for the Nuclear Power Program in 1972, I declined sub training and served only on surface ships. No subs for me. I spent three and a half years on U. S. S. Nimitz CVN 68, and was discharged in Spain 1978; just before Kirk Douglas came aboard to film FINAL COUNTDOWN.

THE WEREWOLF (1956) B&W. Steven Rich plays a chemically induced werewolf hunted down by sheriff  Don Megowan and deputy Harry Lauter. The evil Dr. Morgan Chambers (George Lynn) in this had appeared twelve years earlier as the inspector in HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN that evicted Dr. Nieman and Daniel from the gypsy camp.

THE DEVIL COMMANDS (1941) B&W. Boris Karloff vehicle in which he plays a scientist searching for means to communicate with the dead, especially after his wife is killed in a car accident. Especially eerie with his lab arrangement consisting of a mix of dead bodies and live subjects equipped with large buzzing electric helmet conductors, all seated around a table. 

A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY (1966) Pathetic comedy set in the West about an reformed gambler ( Henry Fonda) grovelling before his meek wife (Joanne Woodward) to enter a poker game with wealthy players. It's all a ruse, as the affectation, with help from the banker, is to scam the high rollers in short order. The only reason I stayed with it is to see Tony Giorgio (Palancio in MAGNUM FORCE) in a flash appearance at the end.

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