October 17 - 23, 2026

 

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

Brain Teasers:

Which Italian director began his career making comedies but became famous for his horror films beginning in the 1970s?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and Angel Rivera knew that it was Lucio Fulci.

Which actress born in Brazil, became famous for appearing in Italian movies beginning in 1969?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and Angel Rivera knew that it was Florinda Bolkan.

Which Italian crime movie was released in the U.S. with the ending cut off suggesting that the "hero" was killed?

No one has answered this one yet.

And now for some new brain teasers:

By what name is Jose Martinez Martinez better known?

Which Italian actor born on December 30, 1940, died on July 29, 2021?

Which Italian actor worked for directors Costa-Gavras, Jerry London, Giuliano Montaldo, Lucio Fulci, Mario Gariazzo, Sergio Garrone and Gianfranco Parolini?

Name the movies from which these images came.

Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's frame grab of Nicoletta Machiavelli in GIARRIETTERA COLT, aka GARTER COLT.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem identified last week's photo of Loredana Nusciak, Carl Mohner and Ida Galli in IL CROLLO DI ROMA, aka THE FALL OF ROME.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

Bertrand van Wonterghem and Angel Rivera identified last week's photo of Reb Brown in IL MONDO DI YOR, aka YOR THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE.

Above is a new photo.

Can you name from what movie it came?

 No one has identified the above 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:

BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL (2025) - Filmmaker David Kittredge has put together a great film about one of the most bone-head movies ever made - THE HERETIC, EXORCIST II.

HBO Comedy Half-Hour "Louis C.K." (1996) - I was a fan of Lucky Louie, so I was disappointed when Louis' scandal knocked him down. I wondered when he would appear again. Then I found that he had been appearing for years but not where I'd noticed. So I'm doing some catch-up thanks to YouTube and Netflix.

Louis C.K. Sincerly (2020)

Louis C.K. Sorry (2021)

Louis C.K. Back to the Garden (2023) - It got a little distracting to notice audience members flinching when Louis strolled about in the circle and the spotlight would hit the patrons in the eyes.

Louis C.K. Ridiculous (2026)

Mildly enjoyed:

The Art of Music "Peter Frampton and Warren Haynes" season one episode two (2025)

Did not enjoy:

TARZAN OF THE APES (1918) - I suppose that TARZAN OF THE CHIMPS wasn't as strong a title, but those are the simians with whom our hero mostly hangs out. Gorillas are the enemy. Time has not been kind to the first movie version of Edgar Rice Burroughs 1912 novel. What was the original running time? The version I saw was just over 40 minutes. Reportedly, much of the film was mutilated by various state censors,and, of course, no one was concerned about film preservation back before World War 1. Even so, many feel that this was the most faithful adaptation of the novel, or at least the first part of the novel. The film begins with Lord and Lady Greystoke, played by True Boardman and Kathleen Kirkham, agreeing to go to Africa to help stop the Arab slave trade. The ship on which they traveled was taken over by mutineers, and the Greystokes were put ashore. A sailor named Binns, played by George B. French, protected the English couple from the mutineers, but on shore he was quickly captured by the Arabs and became a slave. We don't see them do it, but the Greystokes build something akin to a log cabin, which is where Kirkham gives birth to a boy. After the mother dies, the father is at a loss for how to feed the baby. Luckily, a female ape is upset over the death of her infant, so the cries of the human baby inspire her and her clan to steal the child, which she would raise as her own. It is unclear whether the apes killed the father, as this print was very choppy. One day, the growing boy, played by Gordon Griffith, sees his reflection in the water and realizes that he is not like the other members of the clan. Later on, he sees some native men take off their clothes and go swimming. Inspired by his innate "Englishness", the boy desires clothes, and steals what one of the natives was wearing. Later still, he finds the cabin in which he was born and discovers a knife. He also finds a spelling book, which fascinates him. Eventually, Binns finds himself near where he last saw the Greystokes and escapes from the slavers. He finds the Greystoke cabin and befriends the boy, teaching him how to read and write. When the slavers show up, Binns endeavors to get the boy back to England, but they get separated. We don't see him do it, but a title informs us that Binns made it back to England where he informed the Greystoke heirs of the boy's existence. When the heirs and a couple of scientists seek the white ape, he has grown to be Elmo Lincoln. Lincoln wears something akin to what we would expect a caveman would wear, as well as an ugly wig to suggest unkempt long hair. In the group is Jane, played by Enid Markey, who brought along her black maid, played by Madame Sui-Te-Wan. The Arab slavers aren't around anymore, but trouble arrives when a native man decides to kidnap Jane. The boy, who now calls himself Tarzan - as evidenced by a note he leaves on the cabin saying that everything inside is Tarzan's so don't touch it. - rescues Jane. Meanwhile, the white guys searching for Jane scare the local natives into thinking that they are being attacked. Tarzan stops the battle by setting fire to the native village, so the combatants break off to try and save their homes. After Jane teaches Tarzan that he is a man and a man does not force a woman to belong to him, Tarzan returns the woman to the now empty cabin. Tarzan is about to walk away, but Jane calls him back. And that's how it ends. Reportedly the story continued in THE ROMANCE OF TARZAN (1918), but no one has been able to find an existing print of that movie. Next up was the 15 part serial THE SON OF TARZAN(1920) and  the 15 part serial THE ADVENTURES OF TARZAN (1921). Fred Miller and Lois Weber are the credited writers, while Scott Sidney is the credited director. The film was made in Louisiana.

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN (1935) - Reportedly college athlete, and Olympic Silver Medalist in the shot put, Bruce Bennett, aka Herman Brix, was MGM's pick to star in TARZAN THE APE MAN, but he broke his shoulder appearing in TOUCHDOWN, so the role went to Johnny Weissmuller. When Edgar Rice Burroughs, who didn't like the MGM film, set up the Burroughs-Tarzan company, Bix was cast in a 12-chapter serial to be shot in Guatemala. The serial was also offered as a feature film, which is what I saw. The feature begins with a unique disclaimer, "AN ASHTON DEARHOLT EXPEDITION PICTURE, The production of this film was carried out under conditions of extreme difficulty and hardship, involving personal danger to the actors and technicians to whom the producers owe a debt of great appreciation. The sound recording was occasionally interfered with by the extremely variable atmospheric conditions and your kind indulgence is craved in this direction." Chas. F. Royal was credited as the writer of the screen play, with Edward Kull as director. The film begins in Africa with archaeologist Ula Holt rejecting an offer by the crooked Ashton Dearholt to join his expedition to find the Green Goddess in Guatemala. Meanwhile, Frank Baker announces his plan to also find the Green Goddess. Merrill McCormick storms into the country club where Baker is making his plans demanding that Baker take Tarzan on the expedition. Baker thinks that Lord Greystoke is back in England, but he is corrected with the knowledge that Greystoke wanted to return to the jungle. Baker charges Lewis Sargent to find Lord Greystoke and to tell him that his friend, Jean de Briac, was captured by the lost tribe that worships the Green Goddess. Sargent is unable to find Greystoke until he is attacked by a lion, which inspires our hero to swing to his rescue. Rather than Cheetah, Tarzan's associate chimpanzee is called Nkima, and is played by Jiggs. Tarzan tells Jiggs that he can't come along to Central America, but we soon see Jiggs sharing sea sick pills with Sargent below decks on the ship. Baker is relying on papers showing the location of the Green Goddess being held by Padre Muller, but Dearholt steals the papers so our heroes are on the run to get ahead of the villain. Eventually, everyone ends up in the lost city, which is inhabited by natives that act like the infected in WORLD WAR Z. They swarm over our hero, and even after he tosses a few off a great height, he is captured. While Queen Jackie Gentry is hesitating to sacrifice Tarzan with a large blade, and the natives are preparing to toss Baker's daughter Dale Walsh into a pit of alligators, Dearholt inadvertently saves them when he steals the Green Goddess. In the end, the good guys win, with the help of a machine gun hidden inside a suitcase which Sargent has been lugging around in the jungle. I wonder if this sudden appearance of a machine gun might have, in some way, inspired the machine gun in DJANGO. There is no Jane in this film, and it is good to know that there are enough vines on the trees in Central America for our hero to swing into action. Bennett has the same lack of body hair that MGM decided upon, but in this version he speaks in complete sentences and is even dressed in an evening suit while on an ocean voyage.

TARZAN AND THE GREEN GODDESS The amazing sequel to THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN (1938) - Reportedly NEW ADVENTURES only used the first four chapters of the serial, so, a number of years later, a new feature came out with material from the rest of the show. For some odd reason, the filmmakers decided to portray Guatemala as Africa-like, with stock footage of a rhino, lions and giraffes. In addition to the jewels inside the Green Goddess, this film informs us that it also has an ancient Mayan formula for a powerful explosive which the villains still covert. NEW ADVENTURES didn't say what happened to Dearholt, but he's back to attempt to steal the Green Goddess from Baker and Bix with his boss "Hiram Powers". Not included in this story is Dale Walsh, Harry Ernest, Merrill McCormick and Nkima. Without his associate chimp, Bix is seen playing with Central American monkeys. In addition to Dearholt stealing and losing the Green Goddess, he also steals and loses the code book needed to read the formula. As a call back to NEW ADVENTURES, the denizens of the "Dead City" venture out to swarm over our heroes in an effort to get back the Green Goddess. At this point, Dearholt has it, so torturing Lewis Sargent does them no good. Of course, Bix saves the day, and even saves Holt, who has also been captured. Now that Walsh isn't around, Holt becomes the "damsel in distress" with even an hint of a possible romance by the film's end. The heroes and the villains all end up on a ship heading back to England, where Dearholt finally gets what's coming to him by the traitorous Jack Mower. There is a tremendous ocean storm which doesn't really reach a conclusion before the film cuts to the good guys celebrating at Greystoke Manor with everyone dressed as Gypsies. It has been decided that the explosive formula is too dangerous to let anyone have it, so our heroes burn it, but they keep the jewels also found inside the idol. I wonder if the full 15 part serial seemed more complete,or was this material always going to feel incomplete?

TARZAN'S PERIL (1951) - Has anyone ever done of a study of alopecia in regards to Tarzan? Lex Barker may have a wonderful head of hair - though we never see him comb it with the "stay put" lotion he is obviously using, but he is completely hairless on the rest of his body - though we never peak under his loin cloth. While shaving all of the hair off a man is standard for body building contests, it is also considered fairly common among homosexuals. However, Lex Barker has Jane, in the form of Virginia Huston, who seems to be well groomed at a jungle beauty salon we never see. We have to wait about twenty minutes before Barker appears on the scene. The film opens with Dorothy Dandridge ascending to the throne of the Ashuba tribe in Africa. District Commissioner Alan Napier and his successor Edward Ashley attend the ceremony just as Napier is about to begin his retirement. Frederick O'Neal of the rival Yorango tribe arrives to gift Dandridge a chest full of jewels in order for her to marry him, but she insultingly turns him down. Meanwhile, the jungle drums alerts everyone that the evil gun runner, and ex-slave trader, George Macready has escaped jail. Barker informs Huston that he plans to stay out of trouble, but soon he discovers that Macready has murdered Napier and Ashley and is selling guns to O'Neal so he can take revenge on Dandridge, so he has to take action. With extensive location work with real Africans in Kenya (minus the leading actors), PERIL boasts more authenticity than most of the early Tarzan movies, but that fails to enliven the dull screenplay credited to Samuel Newman and Francis Swann. The "additional dialogue" by John Cousins doesn't help, nor does the direction by Byron Haskin. To soften the climax in which Barker causes Macready's death, the film makers intercut Cheeta eating a watch and then being pleased that he can hear its chimes coming from his stomach.

TARZAN'S SAVAGE FURY (1952) - The Tarzan series produced by Sol Lesser for RKO starring Lex Barker could not settle on who should play Jane. Here, it is Dorothy Hart, who soon after this retired from acting to become a female entertainer for the American Association for the United Nations. In any case, she continued the tradition of looking like she just came from an unseen jungle beauty salon. SAVAGE FURY begins with Charles Korvin shooting a white man in the back while supposedly hunting a lion in the bush. Korvin pressures Patric Knowles into taking on the identity of the slain man, who was Lord Greystoke, a cousin of Tarzan. Korvin has in his possession the journal of Tarzan's father, who wrote about a fabulous diamond treasure held by the Wazuri Tribe. Pretending to be agents for the British governmant, Korvin and Knowles tell Tarzan that he must help them get the diamonds to aid Britain in securing defensive systems for the military. Tarzan outright refuses saying that without weapons, there would be no war. The villains prey upon Hart to change our hero's mind, and they all set off to face the fiercest warriors in Africa. As Greystoke's journal reported that they ending up accepting Tarzan's father, it is hoped that they will accept his son. Meanwhile, Tarzan comes upon some natives using boys as bait to lure crocodiles close enough to shore to kill the critters. When Tarzan sees that they are using a white boy, Tommy Carlton, whose toll line gets caught on a fallen tree, our hero dives into action, kills the crocodile and then scatters the natives saying "No use boys as bait". At first Tarzan is going to take the boy back to the mission from where he may have come, but after teaching him that he can stop a lion from attacking by staring the cat in the eye and saying "Ungowa", Tarzan decides to adopt the boy. Hart doesn't seem to mind, but still it seems very reckless to me that Tarzan decides to take both the woman and the boy on an expedition to face the fiercest warriors in Africa. Knowles isn't as committed to stealing the diamonds as Korvin is, especially as Korvin seems to be working for a foreign power. Who the foreigners are is never mentioned, though, at one point, Knowles calls Korvin "comrade". Perhaps Knowles lack of commitment is why he is so careless with passports. Cheeta takes the Greystoke passport which would have proved that Knowles was lying, but Hart doesn't open it. Later on, Cheeta steals it again and hides it on the journey. Later on, Cheeta steals Knowles's real passport and Hart does open it to discover the ruse. I decided to watch the Tarzan movies when I realized their influence on the Italian sword and sandal films I love. Just as Maciste is introduced sleeping at the beginning of MACISTE NELLA VALLE DEI RE and MACISTE NELLA TERRA DEI CICLOPI - the first two modern Maciste movies, here we first see Tarzan sleeping. However, where as Mark Forest and Gordon Mitchell are waking up on a beach, Barker is found waking up in a tree. Similar to the execution machine in IL TRIONFO DI ERCOLE, Hart is facing death in a wacky Wazuri machine designed to look like a giant crocodile mouth. Picking up a villain and tossing him off a cliff into the a pack of angry lions is standard stuff for both Tarzan and Maciste. As usual, the filmmakers toss in a lot of animal stock footage, and Chimpanzee antics, supposedly to  entertain the kids, and, as usual, it makes the film a drag to watch. Bill Walker plays the chief of the Wazuri, which isn't nearly as good a role at the one he would get in 1962's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. This was the last production film director Cyril Endfield made in the U.S. before he fled to the U.K. during the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities blacklist. In the U.K., he made what many consider his masterpiece, the 1964 film ZULU.

TARZAN THE FEARLESS (1933) - Originally intended as a 12 part serial, TARZAN THE FEARLESS was also released as a feature edited together from the first four chapters. When author Edgar Rice Burroughs planned to make features as an independent producer in 1928, he had the rights to five films, while MGM purchased the other rights. Sol Lesser acquired the rights to the five independent titles and set out to make FEARLESS at about the same time MGM was making TARZAN THE APE MAN with Johnny Weissmuller. Agreeing to hold his project until after MGM had released their film, the Lesser project probably was helped when the MGM film was an hit. As Buster Crabbe previously played KING OF THE JUNGLE, and., like Weissmuller, had been an olympic swimmer. Burroughs approved him as Tarzan. While mostly hairless, Crabbe sported a little armpit fuzz in addition to his full curly head of hair. As with the Weissmuller version, Tarzan here doesn't talk until Mary, not Jane, teaches him "Mary, mine." Villains Philo McCullough and Matthew Betz agree to lead a safari so that Jacquline Wells, aka Julie Bishop, and her boyfriend Edward Woods, can find Well's father, Dr. E. Alyn Warren, who is doing research in the jungle. McCullough has a request from lawyers in London to kill Tarzan, so that his inheritance can be settled. He and Betz also wants to find the Emerald mine said to be in the area. McCullough also decides that he wants to force Wells to marry him. So, we get African tribesmen, the Egyptian-looking people of Zar - who worship the Emerald Finger God, and the two white villans for which our hero must contend. The highlight of this movie are a number of close-ups of the lovely Jacqueline Wells, whose presence almost makes the poorly produced and dully written film around her worthwhile. Robert F. Hill is the credited director while Edgar Rice Burroughs gets a "Story by" credit while Wm Lord Wright gets a "Screenplay Supervision" tag. Interestingly, in this film, Tarzan threatens to smack Mary when she tries to leave his cave after he indicates that she can't leave. Also, at one point, it looks like she will kiss him, but he doesn't understand kissing and moves his head away.

TARZAN AND HIS MATE (1934) - Many feel that this, the second Tarzan film starring Johnny Weissmuller, is the best one, but I feel that is because it was censored shortly after its release and waiting for the nudity and gore to be reinstated may have made it seem more important that it is. Or possibly it is because it has a noticeably larger budget. What is kind of surprising is how much of it has in common with the one film starring Buster Crabbe: Tarzan is fascinated by a portable wind-up record player and our heroine is kind of tempted by one of the two white villains who is actively trying to murder our hero. Here, Neil Hamilton and Paul Cavanagh are out to get all of the ivory from the elephant's graveyard. Obviously Tarzan and the elephants are against this. Complicating things, the villains run into a tribe of "lion eating men". These guys can summon lions to kill their enemies. Tarzan counters by leading an attack of apes followed by a second wave of elephants.Reportedly, W.S. Van Dyke was announced to co-direct this picture with Art Director Cedric Gibbons. At some point, Van Dyke was dropped, and later Jack Conway came aboard as an uncredited director. However, Maureen O'Sullivan reported that "Animal Director" James C. McKay actually helmed the production. Whomever should get credit, should also get the blame for failing to make the screenplay, credited to James Kevin McGuinness, involving and credible. How come when ever Weissmuller or Crabbe swim in the river, it is free of danger, but as soon as someone else gets in it crocodiles suddenly swarm? It is nice though that O"Sulivan gets her own "jungle roar" this time.

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Angel Rivera Highly enjoyed:

"FIREFLY (2003) S1, E13 "Heart of Gold"

My favorite episode. The ever lovely Melinda Clarke guest stars as a friend of Inara's who is a former companion, now independent (without protection of the "Guild") and running a non-protected brothel in a bad land and is in need of assistance; so she calls on Inara for help. Inara gets Malcolm and the crew of "Serenity" to come to her friend's aid. This episode feels like an old-style Western with the crew coming to the aid of the "whores in distress" and lots of shoot-em-up action. IMO best episode of series. 

 

"THE TEMPLE OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT" (1964/6)

Good "actioner" with Sean Flynn, son of Errol Flynn as a British colonial officer out to rescue his friend and his friend's fiancee, the Viceroy daughter's from a cult of fanatical murderers who worship a white elephant. A guilty pleasure. 

 

"TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE" (1959)

IMO the best Tarzan, Gordon Scott goes on a manhunt to catch bad guy Anthony Quayle and his band which includes a pre-James Bond Sean Connery for murder and theft. Considered by many as  the best Tarzan movie ever made.

 

"DUEL AT THE RIO GRANDE" (1963/4)

Another guilty pleasure. An ersatz Zorro film with Sean Flynn using "the sign of Zorro" (original Italian title, "Il Segno di Zorro") to combat a corrupt generalisimo who is behind the death of his father and has taken over the silver mine that belonged to his father.

Enjoyed:

"WORKING GIRL" (1988)

Cute romantic fantasy/comedy starring the then at her most lovely, Melanie Griffith and Harrison Ford (playing something other than Han Solo or Indiana Jones). Sigourney Weaver is also in the cast as a conniving" wench" spoiling Melanie's dreams. 

 

"CHASING AMY" (1997)

Possibly Kevin Smith's best film (outside of "Clerks" (1994) with Ben Affleck as a comic book artist who falls in love with lesbian Joey Lauren Adams, a fellow comic book artist and somehow convinces her to switch her sexual orientation to be with him. The ins and outs of relationships are addressed as Ben can't really get pass Joey's past. Not for everyone.

 

"THE FOREIGNER" (2017)

Jackie Chan is great in a serious role, as he plays a special forces trained Asian man who seeks justice for his daughter, killed in an IRA bombing and goes after Pierce Brosnan, a former IRA man, now working with the British government in Belfast, who he feels knows something about the bombers who killed his daughter. Great action film with great performances by Chan and Brosnan.

 

"ROAD HOUSE" (1989)

Patric Swayze is a "cooler" trying to clean up a bar located in the town owned by Ben Gazzara. Still enjoyable action film, even with some holes in its plot. Great supporting performance by Sam Elliot as Swayze's friend and "mentor".

 

'THE BRIDES OF DRACULA" (1960)

Peter Cushing is Van Helsing, the greatest vampire hunter and killer who ever lived going after a blonde male vampire who may or may not have inspired the vampire, Lestat. IMO one of the best vampire movies not to feature Dracula as he appears in the title only, but not the movie.

 

Mildly enjoyed:

"HORROR EXPRESS" (1972/3)

Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee star in this film about an alien creature aboard a Trans-Siberian express train. Telly Savalas is also on board. Nice to watch Lee and Cushing in heroic roles and not their usually villainous roles. Telly Savalas is obviously having fun over acting as a Cossack captain. Interesting film. 

 

"LANTERNS" (2026) S1, E8, "Dirt and Stars"

The conclusion to this series loosely based on the Green Lantern comic book series. While I did not really enjoy this series, it had some high points. Mainly, Kyle Chandler as Green Lantern/ Hal Jordan. Even though I did not care for the series' take on Hal Jordan, considered the greatest Green Lantern who ever lived; the finale had some good points. If Kyle Chandler has been written out of any future episodes of the series I will not be watching.

 

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David Deal Enjoyed:

SCREAM OF THE WOLF (74) - Check the Television Fright Films of the 1970s book.

A CERTAIN KILLER (67) - Hitman Raizo Ichikawa agrees to take a high-risk job killing a yakuza boss. This sets in motion a chain of events that will change everyone involved. Another top-notch Japanese crime noir that unfolds in the forgotten spaces that edge a metropolis. Highly recommended.

A KILLER'S KEY (67) - Hitman Raizo Ichikawa takes on another high-risk job killing another yakuza boss. But when he is double-crossed and left for dead, Ichikawa works his way through a line of mobsters until he reaches the top dog. A worthy, stylish follow-up to A Certain Killer told with more character depth this time. Also recommended.

BLOOD AND BLACK LACE (64)

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Bertrand van Wonterghem Enjoyed:

The vampire lovers (1970, Roy Ward Baker)

The outer limits – episode 'The duplicate man' (1964, Gerd Oswald)

Last ones laughing U.K. (game show) (season 2)
The guest (2018, Kim Hong-seon) – episodes 8 to 16

Kim Kong (2017, Stephen Cafiero) – episodes 1 & 2

Mildly enjoyed:

Quatermass 2 (6 episodes) (1955, Rudolph Cartier)

Paul, la série (6 episodes) (2026, Antoine de Bary & Nathanael Munnich)

Did not enjoy:

Wonder woman (1974, Vincent McEveety)

Blind date (1983, Nico Mastorakis)

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