To answer these trivia questions, please email me at scinema@earthlink.net.
Brain Teasers:
In which Italian Western does the film end with the victim of rape killing one of the gang who raped her, but the one who did not participate in the rape?
It was LO AMMACCO COME UN CANE... MA LUI RIDEVA ANCORA, aka SHE KILLED HIM LIKE A DOG... BUT HE WAS STILL SMILING, aka REQUIEM FOR A BOUNTY KILLER, aka DEATH PLAYED THE FLUTE.
In which French Western does the film end with the victim of rape killing one of the gang who raped her, but the one who did not participate in the rape?
No one has answered this question yet.
The making of which Italian film resulted in Franco Nero ending his contract with Warner Bros. in Hollywood?
George Grimes knew that it was L'UOMO, L'ORGOGLIO, LA VENDETTA, aka MAN, PRIDE & VENGEANCE.
By what name is Marc Meyer better known?
Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes knew that it is Luigi Bazzoni.
Which English actor worked with directors Ronald Neame, James Neilson, Roger Vadim, Robert Hossein, Duccio Tessari and Luigi Bazzoni?
Bertrand van Wonterghem and George Grimes knew that it was Peter McEnery.
And now for some new brain teasers:
Which American actor went to Italy to make a Western and brought along some authentic Colt .45s which he then rented to various productions?
Which actress became a star because of her dance in NEL SEGNO DI ROMA?
Which actress, born in Sweden in 1931, made Sword and Sandal, a Western, Horror and Art films in Italy?
Name the movies from which these images came.
Kevin Ross, George Grimes and Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's photo of Gianni Solaro and Mariano Vidal Molina in I 5 DELLA VENDETTA, aka FIVE FOR REVENGE, aka FIVE GIANTS FROM TEXAS.
Can you name from what movie it came?
Bertrand van Wonterghem, George Grimes, Angel Rivera and Charles Gilbert identified last week's frame grab from ROMOLO E REMO, aka DUEL OF THE TITANS.
Above is a new photo.
Can you name from what movie it came?
Bertrand van Wonterghem, Charles Gilbert and George Grimes identified last week's frame grab of Chelo Alonso in MORGAN IL PIRATA, aka MORGAN THE PIRATE.
Bertrand van Wonterghem, Angel Rivera and George Grimes identified last week's photo of Cynthia Rothrock in YES MADAM!
Above is a new photo.
Can you identify 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:
I AM RAQUEL WELCH (2025) - This program made no mention of my favorite story about Raquel Welch. Her husband Patrick Curtis was one of the producers of director Michael Reeves' THE SORCERERS. She was on the set helping the crew get the film done on a short schedule and tiny budget. How come no mention of FUZZ, MOTHER JUGGS AND SPEED and THE LEGEND OF WALKS FAR WOMAN?
THREE AGES (1923) - A silent era romantic comedy which works as kind of a parody of D.W. Griffith's INTOLERANCE, THREE AGES shows that throughout history the love a man has for a woman hasn't much changed. The three intercut stores take place during the time of the Caveman - featuring an animated dinosaur, Ancient Rome and modern times. As the man, Buster Keaton excells in the athleticism one expects. As the woman, Margaret Leahy, is fine in what would prove to be her only film. Wallace Beery makes a good adversary.
Mildly enjoyed:
I VAMPIRI, aka THE VAMPIRES, aka LUST OF THE VAMPIRE (1957) - Despite some atmospheric widescreen black and white photography by Mario Bava, this film is a rather mediocre thriller with enough mad scientist elements to qualify as Italy's first Horror movie of the sound era. Reportedly this was a troubled production with director Riccardo Freda leaving so that D.P. Bava had to take over to finish the project. Perhaps that's why the storytelling is so jumbled with few scenes following logically after each other. The music credited to Roman Vlad sounds like something from a 1940's Republic serial which doesn't help. Neither does the casting of bland Argentine born actor Dario Michaelis as the male lead. Carlo D'Angelo as the Police Inspector comes off a bit better, except that his character spends most of the film calling the hero a pest and taking too long to figure out the plot. I'm guessing that director Freda shot all of the scenes with star Gianna Maria Canale, who was his wife. For Canale fans, the film is disappointing because she only appears for less than a third of its short running time. It would seem that Bava was responsible for the effect of Canale aging before our eyes, which would have been duplicating what director Rouben Mamoulian and D.P. Karl Struss did with Frederic March in the 1931 DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. Still, Canale must have liked being cast as "the most beautiful woman in Paris". I wonder why the Italians decided to set this film in France rather than Italy. Do French castles look more runned down than Italian castles?
Did not enjoy:
THE DEVIL'S COMMANDMENT (1960) - Return to 1960 when the Italian film I VAMPIRI had a female bubble bath scene and a suggested rape scene added to the English language version, along with other bits and pieces, inorder to be presented as an "Adults Only" feature. With all of these alterations, no one thought to explain how Dr. Julien du Grand was able to make the very old Margherita du Grand into the youthful Giselle du Grand. Nor did anyone feel the need to explain what happened to Joseph Signoret after he fainted in the police station. Being used to seeing Wandisa Guida as a mature woman, I didn't recognize her as Laurette. Among other faults, the U.S. version dropped my favorite bit from I VAMPIRI - when journalist Pierre Lantin stops three female students to ask about their missing friend, Laurette immediately slaps Lantin with her left hand. The young women giggle and say it was because Laurette declared that she was going to slap the first man to bother them once they stepped outside of school. This bit also set up the confusion Lantin feels when Giselle du Grand has to sign a check using her left hand, when she had always previously used her right hand. But since that bit and the scene with the check was dropped in favor of a new scene showing a woman being strangled to death, U.S. viewers of the new version wouldn't know about that. The authorship of the screenplay was credited to assistant director Piero Regnoli, who would go on to write and direct L'ULTIMA PREDA DEL VAMPIRO, aka THE PLAYGIRLS AND THE VAMPIRE, in 1960. I VAMPIRI was the idea of director Riccardo Freda, who wanted a film in the German Expressionist style. Reportedly, it was after an argument with producers Ermanno Donati and Luigi Carpentieri that Freda left the film to be finished by cinematographer Mario Bava. Bava then rewrote the script, coming up with an happy ending. Discussions about the inspirations for this story range from the legend of Elizabeth Bathory to Edgar allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher". However, the most obvious inspiration is the 1931 film verson of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, from which Freda and Bava took the technique to show du Grand's make-up transformation.
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David Deal Enjoyed:
GOLD FOR THE CAESARS (63) - Jeffrey Hunter is a slave of the Romans. He's an architect and somewhat of a geologist, so upon finishing a bridge in Spain, he is recruited by the local Roman bigwig (Massimo Girotti) to lead an expedition to the Valley of the Sil, to find an old gold mine in an area held by the Celts. Jeff is also hot for Mylene Demongeot, Girotti's mistress. This complicates things. The money is on the screen and it's not the usual "slay the evil usurper" plot. Ron Randall is a nasty whip-wielding centurion.
THE WOLF MAN (41) - Continues to impress.
I BURY THE LIVING (57)
ANORA (24) - This really surprised me. Excellent. Recommended.
HAIL MAFIA (65) - One of the great hit man movies. And a great jazz soundtrack too. Criterion should release this.
Mildly Enjoyed:
LA REGINA DEI TARTARI (60) - AKA Queen of the Tartars/The Huns. Chelo Alonso was stolen from her village in a raid by the Tartars when she was young. She is then raised by the chief of the Tartars, Fulco Lulli, who has an unstable relationship with a rival tribe led by Jacques Sernas. Eventually, Chelo is given the tribal reigns and and she falls for Jacques. Sounds like a recipe for trouble. Italian/French co-production puts the appealing Alonso on display in fetching outfits and she has the brass to lead the tribe too. Well-mounted with plenty of cruelty and action for aficionados.
L'AVOCCATO DELLA MALA (77) - AKA Gangbuster. Ray Lovelock is hired by Mel Ferrer to deliver a couple of valuable (stolen) paintings and exchange them for cash. Ray delivers the paintings and on the way back with the money is robbed by several hooligans. This bodes ill for Ray but things may not be as they seem. This Italian crime flick plays more like a film noir than an action thriller. Ray is really put thru the paces here; he's subjected to multiple beatings and never seems to have the upper hand. Just surviving is a victory in this dark entry. Features Gabriele Tinti and a bald John Steiner as an icey hitman.
CLOAK WITHOUT DAGGER (56) - Fashion reporter Mary Mackenzie bumps into an old flame (Philip Friend) from the war, and with him comes trouble. He's mixed up in espionage and murder and she's not sure which side he's on, but she is hell bent to find out. Light-hearted British cold war mystery is an adequate afternoon time-killer, not a gripping thriller.
FURY IN MARRAKESH (66) - A large criminal organization has located a Nazi stash of counterfeit dollars worth billions, hidden in order to flood the market at the war's end. They also discover that one of their own has stolen a chunk of the money and is passing the bills at the New York World's Fair. The police departments of several countries have noticed this too and CIA agent Stephen Forsyth is assigned to the case. Globe-hopping Eurospy flick that excels in the locations department but is no better than average otherwise. Features Dominique Boschero being ill-treated. For completionists.
GLI SCHIAVI PIU FORTI DEL MONDO (64) - AKA Seven Slaves Against the World. The Romans are building a massive viaduct with slave labor under the vicious rule of Giacomo Rossi Stuart. When centurion Roger Browne visits and sees the cruel treatment of the slaves, he reports back and in turn is given charge of the project. Rossi Stuart takes revenge by freeing the slaves and blaming Browne, who must flee for his life. Browne teams up with six of the slaves who escaped, all musclemen, including Gordon Mitchell and Nello Pazzafini, in a plan to save his good name. Michele Lupo's peplum is mostly good stuff but there is too much comedy relief in the final third which threatens to sink the picture. Worth a watch.
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Angel Rivera Enjoyed:
"DOC SAVAGE: THE MAN OF BRONZE" (1975)
Mildly enjoyed:
"THE LAST OF SHEILA" (1973)
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Charles Gilbert watched:
THE LOST WORLD (1960) Ersatz version of the A. C. Doyle tale courtesy of Irwin Allen. Shown on Svengoolie, I submitted to boredom without finishing the view.
THE WRECKING CREW (1968) Dean Martin as Matt Helm in the last of four movie installments. His playmates in this are Elke Sommer, Sharon Tate, Tina Louise, and Nancy Kwan. Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, and Ed Parker have bit fighting parts. Norris said in an interview with Letterman that his scene at "The House of 7 Joys" was with Elke and Nigel Green, but it was actually with her and John Larch.
THE AMBUSHERS (1966) Helm is summoned to locate a missing U. S. spacecraft that resembles a flying saucer. Senta Berger takes a back seat to Janice Rule in casting for the film. Albert Salmi grossly miscast as a criminal mastermind.
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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:
Gilda (1946, Charles Vidor)
The avengers – episode « The girl from auntie » (1965, Roy Ward Baker)
The scarlet empress (1934, Josef Von Sternberg)
Narrow margin (1952, Richard Fleischer)
Carry on cowboy (1965, Gerald Thomas)
All king's men (1949, Robert Rossen)
The invaders – episode « Dark outpost » (1967, George McCowan)
Stay hungry (1976, Bob Rafelson)
Batman – episodes « The ring of wax / Give'em the axe » (1966, James B. Clark)
Some mother do'ave'em – episode « Cliffhanger / Frank goes over the edge » (1973, Michael Mills)
Cheech & Chong's up in smoke (1978, Lou Adler)
Dark Passage (1946, Delmer Daves)
Mildly enjoyed:
Mr Ricco (1974, Paul Bogart)
The golden mistress (1954, Abner Biberman)
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935, Frank Lloyd)
Pitcairn island today (short) (1935)
Trois vieilles filles en folie (1952, Emile Couzinet)
Reap the wild wind (1942, Cecil B. De Mille)
The Palm Beach story (1942, Preston Sturges)
Shurayukihime / The princess blade (2001, Shinsuke Sato)
Out of the past (1947, Jacques Tourneur)
Did not enjoy:
For whom the bells toll (1943, Sam Wood)
Pittsburgh (1942, Lewis Seiler)
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