tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14636711766283236482024-03-18T23:05:48.673-07:00Cinematic CatharsisReflections on film from a pseudo-intellectual perspectiveBarry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.comBlogger726125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-85131806965576942142024-03-18T23:05:00.000-07:002024-03-18T23:05:08.959-07:00Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIeoB2IcXJ4jCqaZtuZfQkslmv5O7kBSbHvRjevn5ZHI4s8UlZf4L4LHXd52ethydz8UkaeEXE18Br1CBvqf8PYm9vYQEXUe6VR39j9nU59ocjpnO0iFBONC0HM-hx83B33tPsZYl39Yrkfo3ZE0sU_KewwCxt4ZYgNCOLrVV_VHDNZd49QAwvmc4Iia_/s1600/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1056" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIeoB2IcXJ4jCqaZtuZfQkslmv5O7kBSbHvRjevn5ZHI4s8UlZf4L4LHXd52ethydz8UkaeEXE18Br1CBvqf8PYm9vYQEXUe6VR39j9nU59ocjpnO0iFBONC0HM-hx83B33tPsZYl39Yrkfo3ZE0sU_KewwCxt4ZYgNCOLrVV_VHDNZd49QAwvmc4Iia_/w264-h400/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_Poster1a.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">(1965) Directed by Russ Meyer; Written by Jackie Moran and
Russ Meyer; Starring: Tura Satana, Haji, Lori Williams, Ray Barlow, Sue
Bernard; Dennis Busch, Stuart Lancaster and Paul Trinka; Available on Blu-ray
and DVD</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">****</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_zQKl8dl615nuaWMZPdJwlDn1-Wn6Ylt_BEWA1sJbKM9TyYbY7Ore8gpOqGBe6zvQslp9CVOI0ZXL0A2Lo-cB1MLtNYx9S256utviT_WmfpmBfV8Lo-Q6y0ybpmB3CjFmyAQW9zcljFLJJQwBSfaE6dndYguTty5njeaWfdDZofzG91mZuSoTc6jCN5-/s800/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_3c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Billie, Varla and Rosie" border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="800" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_zQKl8dl615nuaWMZPdJwlDn1-Wn6Ylt_BEWA1sJbKM9TyYbY7Ore8gpOqGBe6zvQslp9CVOI0ZXL0A2Lo-cB1MLtNYx9S256utviT_WmfpmBfV8Lo-Q6y0ybpmB3CjFmyAQW9zcljFLJJQwBSfaE6dndYguTty5njeaWfdDZofzG91mZuSoTc6jCN5-/w640-h384/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_3c.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“I like men with big appetites. Only, I could never find one
to match mine.” – Varla (Tura Satana)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“I did this because it became difficult for films to be
playing in drive-ins. People in Texas, Oklahoma, were busting me – a lot of
problems. So, I started with the boys first, three tough boys… made a lot of
money. Then I said to Eve, my wife, ‘Why don’t we do one with three bad girls?’
It laid an egg – just died, this picture. No one cared about <i>Faster,
Pussycat</i>. Rejected the film… This wasn’t discovered until many years later.
Became a big hit, mega hit…” – Russ Meyer (from DVD commentary)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Today’s offering is the movie that John Waters once called
the greatest film ever made. While I don’t think I could quite make the same
proclamation, <i>Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!</i> is a damned entertaining classic
of its kind, especially noteworthy for the many movies and filmmakers it
inspired. Ex-WW II army photographer Russ Meyer catapulted to fame with his
nudie cutie <i>The Immoral Mr. Teas</i> (1959), before graduating to films with
rougher content. Shot in the Mohave (California) desert where temperatures approached
120 degrees, <i>Faster, Pussycat</i> captures the stark beauty of the
unforgiving landscape and its tawdry story in glorious black and white.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTu80qWLEyZlPACOeMICQ3DvgzAumaczSG6b5zXmE7VFpvvMUxbMUgJG5k1O3WKRyqmwLcUHrcY6VOh7Glnl7r-P62tJYuLXoToIdJijYBrOxiioVC7ciZM88BIcoxgLRuNGwtEnP6noZvSppexaqhcMxVfIEylRIiYFs6SencTfWPh2Pfc8qcstgafD2/s800/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Varla, Rosie, Linda and Tommy" border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="800" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTu80qWLEyZlPACOeMICQ3DvgzAumaczSG6b5zXmE7VFpvvMUxbMUgJG5k1O3WKRyqmwLcUHrcY6VOh7Glnl7r-P62tJYuLXoToIdJijYBrOxiioVC7ciZM88BIcoxgLRuNGwtEnP6noZvSppexaqhcMxVfIEylRIiYFs6SencTfWPh2Pfc8qcstgafD2/w640-h382/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_2a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Three go-go dancers,* Varla, Rosie and Billie (Tura Satana,
Haji, Lori Williams), wearing outfits that seem several sizes too small, drive
to the California desert for burning rubber** and general debauchery. Their
revelry is interrupted when they encounter Tommy (Ray Barlow), a would-be hot-shot
racer, and his fawning teenage girlfriend Linda (Sue Bernard). Varla, the group’s
default leader, quickly cuts him down to size, and in an ensuing scuffle, breaks
his back. The women leave his body on the desert sand, and kidnap Linda while
they calculate their next move. Through an overeager gas station attendant
(Michael Finn), they learn about an old disabled man (Stuart Lancaster) who
lives on a nearby farm with his two sons (Paul Trinka and Dennis Busch) and a
hidden fortune. They soon set their sights on the farm, scheming to find his
money while seducing the brothers. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #1: The go-go dancing scene at the beginning was
filmed at a real club, The Pink Pussycat, in Van Nuys, California, complete
with leering patrons. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Fun Fact #2: Lori Williams commented that she lied to
Meyer about her ability to drive when she was offered the part, leaving her
with no recourse but to learn prior to filming. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK9xqUjg08gLPtUS4Ay_SXSoPnA6hbiP_kQdAJvGy7xBHyKH1_d9IjX-UBtZzPizyEQ1C97H4aazMQ0LHYErmvv9Zm97aAPWEI3iNG5JXNpwHaFHNDBkt73g6a-yp4VN63_B-Dq-W24b0WfOS4RgwppfQhZH7hypj0Zb12XEB3Q1cWMmlUsYoJor1WkUs/s800/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Varla" border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="800" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK9xqUjg08gLPtUS4Ay_SXSoPnA6hbiP_kQdAJvGy7xBHyKH1_d9IjX-UBtZzPizyEQ1C97H4aazMQ0LHYErmvv9Zm97aAPWEI3iNG5JXNpwHaFHNDBkt73g6a-yp4VN63_B-Dq-W24b0WfOS4RgwppfQhZH7hypj0Zb12XEB3Q1cWMmlUsYoJor1WkUs/w640-h382/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_1c.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">It’s Tura Satana’s* movie all the way as the irrepressible
Varla. Clad head-to-toe in black, with long raven hair to match, she commands
our attention whenever she’s on screen. She’s the antithesis of the shrinking
violet, making men and women alike quiver. She does whatever she wants, whenever
she wants, and with whomever (“I never try anything. I just do it.”). When she
pounds Tommy to a pulp,** we never doubt for a second that she’s capable of virtually
anything. Satana plays the role as if she was born to play it, with a potent
mixture of wanton sexual energy and the omnipresent threat of violence. She was
apparently so convincing in the bad girl role that co-stars Williams and
Bernard,*** fearing for their personal safety, afforded her a wide berth. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #3: Meyers had a “no sex” policy for the
performers during filming, which Satana proceeded to break. She argued with
Meyers that she wouldn’t be able to continue with the shoot under his
conditions, so they struck a bargain, where she confined the object of her
amorous encounters to the assistant cameraman. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Fun Fact #4: As a practitioner of martial arts (including
karate and judo), Satana orchestrated her fight scenes. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">*** Fun Fact #5: Satana claimed that she couldn’t get a
reaction from Bernard, so she went out of her way to make Bernard hate her (“I
scared the living crap out of that girl.”). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KfCm5Jo7MSNZ_p0qlNm0NvVYHDUM2j49YKDGchwDYtchnO9nrcoFRmJXV80-EKNvR9AM5zDq7Gilkt4P24X6X1Yb8J3UHp4JIn2c2NzNQeKvdac3HJuOwKH5dPqnff-SOEJY9OdPlI03Xq1o5ECpIMlzQiwiqW3jy5oMWJUVvcUnIesAPjtrvWHjcrsw/s800/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Billie and The Vegetable" border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="800" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KfCm5Jo7MSNZ_p0qlNm0NvVYHDUM2j49YKDGchwDYtchnO9nrcoFRmJXV80-EKNvR9AM5zDq7Gilkt4P24X6X1Yb8J3UHp4JIn2c2NzNQeKvdac3HJuOwKH5dPqnff-SOEJY9OdPlI03Xq1o5ECpIMlzQiwiqW3jy5oMWJUVvcUnIesAPjtrvWHjcrsw/w640-h384/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_5a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Haji (Real name: Barbarella Catton) also makes a big
impression as the group’s nominal second-in-command (and Varla’s enforcer),
Rosie. Although it’s never expressly stated, it’s implied that she and Varla
are lovers. When Varla makes the moves on Kirk, the older brother, Rosie
becomes visibly distraught, forced to suppress her hurt and anger for the sake of
her partner’s plans. Rounding out the trio is Lori Williams as Billie, the
outlier of the group. While she half-heartedly plays the bad girl part, she’d
much rather be dancing on a stage somewhere (less scheming and more dreaming). In
one scene, she makes her intentions clear, biding her time for the right moment
to jettison the other two. Unfortunately for Billie, she learns too late that
no one leaves Varla without her say-so. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6WwRcjQKRXCL4YmKFIBAsH8NAXAzflCaiIi-glmZQn7K5EmQVqxSaJON_4i7N4aGMM-zeYKvqlCPga1KrU9G_z1pa85HQLw38XW5xEfv0h_5YNoKRx7QOYXLKeIVhsiCh5utXRjHhYwU8Li8S0jWiqaA-0ci9jZxxjxQqZYCR5IKmxbsCsd1ffQBe7ZD/s800/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_3d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Linda Gagged by Varla" border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="800" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6WwRcjQKRXCL4YmKFIBAsH8NAXAzflCaiIi-glmZQn7K5EmQVqxSaJON_4i7N4aGMM-zeYKvqlCPga1KrU9G_z1pa85HQLw38XW5xEfv0h_5YNoKRx7QOYXLKeIVhsiCh5utXRjHhYwU8Li8S0jWiqaA-0ci9jZxxjxQqZYCR5IKmxbsCsd1ffQBe7ZD/w640-h384/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_3d.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">As the diminutive Linda, Sue Bernard* presents a sharp
contrast to the three statuesque women. Short and cloyingly sweet, she’s the
embodiment of the wholesome, “all-American” beach bunny, happy to stand on the
sidelines and cheer her boyfriend on, while sublimating her identity. She’s the
polar opposite of the rough-and-tumble Varla, who refuses to define herself within
the context of any man. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #6: According to Satana, Bernard’s mother
insisted on micromanaging the production as it related to her daughter. Things
came to a head when Satana threatened to leave the production after a week of
shooting, unless the mother left. Guess who got their way?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKCpFUA9SF5oT5OHSHSgko42XGmWcZNKzRXhtikngvHXsnkAQg2PWwIajLoPbh9VuBtgZKGWIyvqUmGhfMWDIluZbQlSKUU5o263WARdaM9hOXOYUHtMgAt7cb_CItW2EoTXfwv7kwqTCrFLNMPVLp1TUwlbRzfJeuv_WjPARdOlO0epR34CFuhmxlpg5/s800/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Vegetable, Kirk, and The Old Man" border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="800" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKCpFUA9SF5oT5OHSHSgko42XGmWcZNKzRXhtikngvHXsnkAQg2PWwIajLoPbh9VuBtgZKGWIyvqUmGhfMWDIluZbQlSKUU5o263WARdaM9hOXOYUHtMgAt7cb_CItW2EoTXfwv7kwqTCrFLNMPVLp1TUwlbRzfJeuv_WjPARdOlO0epR34CFuhmxlpg5/w640-h382/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_4a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><i>Faster, Pussycat</i> features a strong supporting performance
by Russ Meyer regular Stuart Lancaster as the bitter, wheelchair-bound Old Man.* Physically and mentally twisted after he lost the use of his legs from a train
accident, he’s become a misogynistic misanthrope who blames women for his
misfortune. The Old Man’s hatred for women is only matched by his disdain for
his brawny, mentally challenged younger son, “The Vegetable” (Dennis Busch), whom
he blames for killing his mother during childbirth. If The Vegetable seems to
be modeled after Lenny from <i>Of Mice and Men</i>, his soft-spoken, reflective
older brother Kirk (Paul Trinka) is analogous to George. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #7: “Old” is relative, as Lancaster was only 45
at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKzz8aBrbVq-2k4lZVJTGCqlU-pteO_N-hNi5jeSyP89dLNChLpXuFlSqgwFxwSt9_UQ8EfGolooiZ33qEERvgqHI2FaKwSDQzSINANPSwnRutxyMO25vrRYT4ozg27kGxmCRlbUdW0E9tBSxKCgrr4dgjjtAvJoIOo1GV0XV3wPUf7_KpVKRB2i4DQ_3/s800/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_5b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Varla, Rosie, and The Old Man" border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="800" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKzz8aBrbVq-2k4lZVJTGCqlU-pteO_N-hNi5jeSyP89dLNChLpXuFlSqgwFxwSt9_UQ8EfGolooiZ33qEERvgqHI2FaKwSDQzSINANPSwnRutxyMO25vrRYT4ozg27kGxmCRlbUdW0E9tBSxKCgrr4dgjjtAvJoIOo1GV0XV3wPUf7_KpVKRB2i4DQ_3/w640-h382/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_5b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />It’s easy to see why audiences didn’t know what hit them
when <i>Faster, Pussycat</i> debuted. Russ Meyer turned the tables on the usual
depictions of men as the aggressors and women as the passive recipients of
their violent acts. (Spoiler Alert) Even Linda, the damsel in distress, is
forced in the end to step up and take action, instead of waiting for a man to
save her. So, is <i>Faster, Pussycat</i> about women’s empowerment or is that
merely window dressing to justify the main characters wearing revealing outfits
and engaging in catfights? Knowing Russ Meyer’s usual modus operandi, he was obviously
motivated by the latter, but the strong, independent women in the film were a
serendipitous byproduct. Bucking the status quo, however, has its consequences.
For all its counterculture posturing, <i>Faster, Pussycat</i> has a simple
morality tale at its core, where only the virtuous come out on top.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8m5oq1KHynVp_7mz96mjwS39KgtT4ofan8CrUAxKK0dSoYH_n_JM1_BmKSg11d69Eehc1EnJ82Hg_sNcyftAvzAcVRiC2kd3GisPsvErcuS1OtqK7tNAxyT51_w9NQb5sS9k9QwGDnmMeMonmejAAH1I2Df6qPQ4NWse6kl8zjhtOXjW0pgaMKWb_6zgy/s800/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_6a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Linda and The Vegetable" border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="800" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8m5oq1KHynVp_7mz96mjwS39KgtT4ofan8CrUAxKK0dSoYH_n_JM1_BmKSg11d69Eehc1EnJ82Hg_sNcyftAvzAcVRiC2kd3GisPsvErcuS1OtqK7tNAxyT51_w9NQb5sS9k9QwGDnmMeMonmejAAH1I2Df6qPQ4NWse6kl8zjhtOXjW0pgaMKWb_6zgy/w640-h384/Faster%20Pussycat%20Kill%20Kill_6a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />The film’s crisp black and white cinematography is perfect
for a story told in bold contrasts and broad strokes. Like its antihero
protagonist Varla, there’s nothing namby-pamby about it. <i>Faster, Pussycat!
Kill! Kill!</i> was made for drive-ins (ironically the same market it was
created for, and where it bombed). Years ahead of its time, it transcended its
exploitation origins to become something much more. Its DNA can be seen in John
Waters’ anti-establishment antiheroes (particularly as embodied by Divine), or
in the <i>Stray Cat Rock</i> series starring Meiko Kaji. Anything that
represents a significant paradigm shift is likely to have difficulty finding
acceptance at first, but <i>Faster, Pussycat</i> eventually captured its
audience. Change was on the cinematic and societal horizon, and it was only a
matter of time before filmgoers realized what they were missing.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Sources for this article: DVD commentary by Russ Meyer; “Go,
Pussycat Go” making-of featurette (2004); Russ Meyer interview, by Jim Morton, <i>Incredibly
Strange Films</i> <i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span><o:p></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-62834818993552818112024-03-12T16:03:00.000-07:002024-03-12T16:05:27.289-07:00Turkey Shoot<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMVGZugNc0C92o_wrVDYHc1hHNMV0gDX11GW2ysYW3sB2SOTGZowJdlrQ1VIGR1NMnjZRQT4_L8irc1HKWeSuRJwlJ-Lsu0J4lTrB-c7kqIeG2U_zoLLvWfQNmL5bSb27kSoUuT83QVo3S8zrSW51zT6ursDjOCp1XqB8GQs2Lpnd6AMw4U6kyKyfSHfX/s1516/Turkey%20Shoot_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Turkey Shoot Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1516" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMVGZugNc0C92o_wrVDYHc1hHNMV0gDX11GW2ysYW3sB2SOTGZowJdlrQ1VIGR1NMnjZRQT4_L8irc1HKWeSuRJwlJ-Lsu0J4lTrB-c7kqIeG2U_zoLLvWfQNmL5bSb27kSoUuT83QVo3S8zrSW51zT6ursDjOCp1XqB8GQs2Lpnd6AMw4U6kyKyfSHfX/w264-h400/Turkey%20Shoot_Poster1a.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">(1982) Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith; Written by Jon
George and Neill D. Hicks; Story by George Schenck, R. Wayland Williams and
David Lawrence; Starring: Steve Railsback, Olivia Hussey, Michael Craig, Carmen
Duncan, Noel Ferrier, Lynda Stoner, Roger Ward, Michael Petrovich and Gus
Mercurio; Available on Blu-ray and DVD </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">***</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“We are all part of a great society. One which is the
product of many generations of thought. While it is true that in the past,
mistakes have been made, we now know that society depends on the wholehearted
cooperation of every one of its members. There is no room for shirkers,
malcontents or deviants. And we are here to help you gain your rightful places
in that great society. Freedom is obedience. Obedience is work. Work is life.”
– Thatcher (Michael Craig)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxwdNM4QPklMryyupmKKebrA6mDpQIdyksoPDIFnpiT2G_8RrPigs7YO8MqmrARefZ5zI8FYhXznSxrRe6LqKx2DgJgcASC78HRtk8ph5vB-xSzi13EuFwl3nG_h0OssJFUKRvPQTtNtx4dqsxN92mXk6pB9zKBhMC7YagitkkJLItcHD5Z4C9s0UDL6U/s800/Turkey%20Shoot_1b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Prison Sign" border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="800" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxwdNM4QPklMryyupmKKebrA6mDpQIdyksoPDIFnpiT2G_8RrPigs7YO8MqmrARefZ5zI8FYhXznSxrRe6LqKx2DgJgcASC78HRtk8ph5vB-xSzi13EuFwl3nG_h0OssJFUKRvPQTtNtx4dqsxN92mXk6pB9zKBhMC7YagitkkJLItcHD5Z4C9s0UDL6U/w640-h272/Turkey%20Shoot_1b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Turkey Shoot</i> (aka: <i>Escape 2000</i> in the U.S.) rode
the wave of Ozploitation films from the ‘70s and ‘80s, which promised excessive
violence, flashes of gratuitous nudity, and death-defying stunts – a
combination unpopular with critics but ideal for international audiences,
hungry for movies that traipsed on the wild side. Director Brian-Trenchard
Smith* described his movie as “a bit of a train wreck,” with a budget that was
cut in half (to $1.6 million),**/*** just before shooting commenced. The lack
of funds necessitated making concessions to the script: the filmmakers cut out the
first 15 pages, which would have set up the dystopian society only hinted at by
the rest of the film. Another four pages, depicting a climactic helicopter
chase, were trimmed from the screenplay, and the shooting schedule (on location
north of Queensland) was reduced to 28 days. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #1: Trenchard Smith commented: “I make a lot of
films for pubescent males, being a perpetual pubescent male, perhaps.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Fun Fact #2: According to Trenchard-Smith, the film was
originally set in Depression-era America, circa 1933, but that changed to
sometime in the near future, presumably someplace in Australia. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">*** Fun Fact #3: The prison camp set was designed for 500
extras, but only featured 20 to 70 at most, depending on the daily demands of
the shoot. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXqpakV9YLjej4gWSluQgwEabnREh1VHjx9lNEki0uVkq7Q5vNDMrLTeETuu-Zi3nt9JyAexybpFpUNAc4TF0OfNonW8v2xasjJXzc-H9_i03VGdzsL6MIIj8sLsyoZTZN1WG2O5hhG6a2-M_9y0D8VD2dh0053XdyzwfS5AMDbmERVH0fsIo5GDJEuYh/s800/Turkey%20Shoot_1d.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Paul Anders" border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="800" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXqpakV9YLjej4gWSluQgwEabnREh1VHjx9lNEki0uVkq7Q5vNDMrLTeETuu-Zi3nt9JyAexybpFpUNAc4TF0OfNonW8v2xasjJXzc-H9_i03VGdzsL6MIIj8sLsyoZTZN1WG2O5hhG6a2-M_9y0D8VD2dh0053XdyzwfS5AMDbmERVH0fsIo5GDJEuYh/w640-h272/Turkey%20Shoot_1d.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />The opening credit sequence attempts to bridge the gap in
the script’s missing prologue, through a montage of news clips depicting civil
unrest. We can infer that the resulting future society of 1995 (!) has devolved
into a police state, where individual rights have taken a backseat to control
of the masses. In the following scene, we’re introduced to three of the key
players, as they arrive to their assigned prison camp. Paul Anders (Steve Railsback),
who has the most substantial backstory, is a repeat-offender – a political
dissident who runs a covert radio show.* For Chris Walters (Olivia Hussey), it’s
guilt by association as the formerly law-abiding shop owner is arrested for the
misfortune of having the wrong friends. It’s not entirely clear why the third
prisoner, Rita (Lynda Stoner), was sentenced to prison, although one can
presume it has something to do with her freewheeling attitude, which seems
counter to the ultraconservative sensibilities embodied by the sadistic warden,
Thatcher (Michael Craig). Accompanying the warden is a small army of guards,
who cater to his whims (and some of their own). Not long after they arrive, the
new convicts are granted clemency, but there’s a catch. They must survive the
hunt. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #4: The policeman who whacks Anders with his
truncheon is none other than Trenchard-Smith.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-naG-POxCh1CL4qj8YP8kgoUKQNFG1IQon8q1MxU3w0fbWSnaQCtydF3r8W9ixXCEFuLbzUpDV6YCcaOmzSxwKj88UTi8ry4X4r5fy3rMit805HxTQ-BVYd0GI6OkG-gZ4BFq7I_wDOlcdalPD8G_t4xGI0DGgTCRvGbhGkn88h2Ly_ghaKxN1GR6Wnr/s800/Turkey%20Shoot_3b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Thatcher" border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="800" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-naG-POxCh1CL4qj8YP8kgoUKQNFG1IQon8q1MxU3w0fbWSnaQCtydF3r8W9ixXCEFuLbzUpDV6YCcaOmzSxwKj88UTi8ry4X4r5fy3rMit805HxTQ-BVYd0GI6OkG-gZ4BFq7I_wDOlcdalPD8G_t4xGI0DGgTCRvGbhGkn88h2Ly_ghaKxN1GR6Wnr/w640-h272/Turkey%20Shoot_3b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />In a movie not distinguished by its subtlety, <i>Turkey
Shoot</i> features a surprisingly understated standout performance by veteran
actor Michael Craig as the empathy-challenged warden Thatcher (guess who he’s
named after?). He spews government-sanctioned rhetoric about rehabilitation,
while exhibiting blatant disregard for the welfare of the prisoners. Craig (who
wrote much of his own dialogue) hits the right notes as a career-minded
mouthpiece for the ruling class and its calculating propaganda. Steve Railsback
does an admirable job as Thatcher’s nemesis, Paul Anders, who refuses to succumb
to the will of the fascist government. He represents the unbroken spirit that
Thatcher detests, refusing to buckle under intimidation tactics. Even if it
kills him, he’s determined to send the message that no jail can hold him for
long.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-rriVsgZMB7BdyaSPjySBDiPLP6zcL_F8Q27w5FCjFbjWfL2YZmxiZd6_MpabFFJEutfZoWgpU9QMW9RRO7xsR9m_FVoSrIko_9IXtHf9r-quOdUGng984V0uHnNLI5_xpWObiyCqt1TcuzBA3Py0a9GFuSidVT2MgmdlNR_TOl5IgUiBfKZ2IL_xT7n/s900/Turkey%20Shoot_3a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Paul Anders and Chris Walters Watch in Horror" border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="900" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-rriVsgZMB7BdyaSPjySBDiPLP6zcL_F8Q27w5FCjFbjWfL2YZmxiZd6_MpabFFJEutfZoWgpU9QMW9RRO7xsR9m_FVoSrIko_9IXtHf9r-quOdUGng984V0uHnNLI5_xpWObiyCqt1TcuzBA3Py0a9GFuSidVT2MgmdlNR_TOl5IgUiBfKZ2IL_xT7n/w640-h274/Turkey%20Shoot_3a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Olivia Hussey reportedly didn’t enjoy the shoot,* which comes
across in her visibly uncomfortable performance (when Hussey objected to a nude
scene, a body double was brought in). On the other hand, her unease works
fairly well for the character, who’s very much a fish out of water. It takes
very little time for the once-compliant model citizen to become disillusioned
when she witnesses the abuses of the people in power. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #5: According to another cast member, Hussey was
terrified by the prospect of being outdoors with Australia’s native wildlife. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMKxXQIvxmH4eHwY2jkDf3PJoayJcHR4xiPWaYfwaUUwYvlXjc89YukhSEAZnsN-Izo4WtF8j6zbWFa4fkUpLjnE9Ez3R7L3R_JW2414a6CLogIeyk3nfxd-Uazg9lxuolyIosmiVchlodtObQIeT7Rb2gJcoabowTOt73P41afz_yQM37lcXUOBZXIwI/s800/Turkey%20Shoot_1c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ritter" border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="800" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMKxXQIvxmH4eHwY2jkDf3PJoayJcHR4xiPWaYfwaUUwYvlXjc89YukhSEAZnsN-Izo4WtF8j6zbWFa4fkUpLjnE9Ez3R7L3R_JW2414a6CLogIeyk3nfxd-Uazg9lxuolyIosmiVchlodtObQIeT7Rb2gJcoabowTOt73P41afz_yQM37lcXUOBZXIwI/w640-h272/Turkey%20Shoot_1c.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Ex-pro wrestler Roger Ward creates an appropriately imposing
presence as the vicious Chief Guard Ritter, who doles out punishment with a
sneer. In one of the most difficult scenes to watch, Ritter beats and kicks a diminutive
female prisoner to death, followed by a later sequence when he sets an escapee
on fire. Similarly, Gus Mercurio chews the scenery as Red, a man who takes
pleasure in ensuring the inmates’ lives are a perpetual living hell. Of course,
both characters’ appalling behavior are designed to manipulate the audience, so
their horrible comeuppance can supply some much-needed catharsis.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsRKtlH6kelHFjmmctSRqxcUnYMcRXFl4kPaXi24xWzT_VQCkree6DpDCPxUPORpFMi954SBZinPNaT85yjJc48FeddFDGes-V-axYgjibRgIExafocyLLe3UWOswLzKDWFcTKYjaVy1y3g1xgVOC9RQaBf5VdUXp4oDjj2Z9XnouXK3PFRLUicCmGGKD/s800/Turkey%20Shoot_2b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Hunters Before the Hunt" border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="800" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsRKtlH6kelHFjmmctSRqxcUnYMcRXFl4kPaXi24xWzT_VQCkree6DpDCPxUPORpFMi954SBZinPNaT85yjJc48FeddFDGes-V-axYgjibRgIExafocyLLe3UWOswLzKDWFcTKYjaVy1y3g1xgVOC9RQaBf5VdUXp4oDjj2Z9XnouXK3PFRLUicCmGGKD/w640-h272/Turkey%20Shoot_2b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />What would a variation of <i>The Most Dangerous Game</i> be
without a cast of cartoonishly villainous hunters? Tito (Michael Petrovich)
drives a mini-bulldozer with his trusty sidekick from a sideshow, the beast-man
Alph (played by wrestler Steve Rackman), who has a penchant for inflicting pain
(and munching human toes). Secretary Mallory (Noel Ferrier) is the picture of excess,
with his portly stature, cigar, and phallic firearm. While it certainly seemed
several of the male actors were enjoying themselves with their over-the-top
roles, the only actress who seemed to be having fun was Carmen Duncan as amoral
Jennifer. She dresses as if she’s about to attend a posh soirée with the upper
crust, instead of killing unarmed prisoners in cold blood. Her weapon of choice
is a crossbow with an assortment of arrows. She enjoys inflicting pain and
satisfying her insatiable libido with equal gusto. Both appetites are intertwined
as she sets her eyes on Rita. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDVsYZVpzgXwmz25x-5VhU2KRg-0lLawS1HABhHP-1Ifof0vFPs8aXAxHfgxHlGLUahN1fGuVvGZzjQTSz7Oozyp3ZAQvQP6ZTvir6IablgytRU7nFQNrN1KEnEmLkb0fCIC1jn9EVup-uCBXnMRwiH6SGZ7ByVOcleNpqDc06vMnVd6tEwk1i9zwzwo-/s800/Turkey%20Shoot_5a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Alph" border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="800" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDVsYZVpzgXwmz25x-5VhU2KRg-0lLawS1HABhHP-1Ifof0vFPs8aXAxHfgxHlGLUahN1fGuVvGZzjQTSz7Oozyp3ZAQvQP6ZTvir6IablgytRU7nFQNrN1KEnEmLkb0fCIC1jn9EVup-uCBXnMRwiH6SGZ7ByVOcleNpqDc06vMnVd6tEwk1i9zwzwo-/w640-h270/Turkey%20Shoot_5a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Brian Trenchard-Smith described <i>Turkey Shoot</i> as “<i>1984</i>
meets <i>The Camp on Blood Island</i>,” blending trashy excess with social commentary
(dubious crimes and disproportionate punishment, as befits a society hellbent
on controlling its citizens). Predictably,<i> Turkey Shoot</i> wasn’t a hit
with Australian critics expecting high-minded entertainment, but that didn’t
stop it from connecting with audiences to become a modest hit. Trenchard-Smith
acknowledged it for what it was, a low-brow crowd pleaser with some
heavy-handed satire thrown in for good measure. While the delivery is clunky in
parts, <i>Turkey Shoot</i> reminds us that dystopian films never go out of
style (we love to see the oppressed fight the oppressors). Although you might not
respect yourself in the morning, it’s not a bad way to spend 90 minutes or so.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sources
for this article: Severin Blu-ray commentary by Brian Trenchard-Smith; “<i>Turkey
Shoot</i>: Blood and Thunder Memories” documentary</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-11979892078996811982024-02-29T20:52:00.000-08:002024-02-29T20:52:11.293-08:00February Quick Picks and Pans <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jevqMEg0Xc6OR-I2b5ICA4nOtARlJBq77PSTdV3Csv1bBgsseGRntiko528p3utM4raI-1L6YaFuUcLVUuUb4EJemoonBwYl7RMQX1WCRpgEQeXv6JPqi2sS6Uk6mxgxDKjMxSZnVxGj-CpIo5nwFhB3MtiZq93r-ZHX2LOq5QGoRVFPtXptdwCCswOg/s1000/Visitors%20from%20the%20Arkana%20Galaxy_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Visitors from the Arkana Galaxy Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="869" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jevqMEg0Xc6OR-I2b5ICA4nOtARlJBq77PSTdV3Csv1bBgsseGRntiko528p3utM4raI-1L6YaFuUcLVUuUb4EJemoonBwYl7RMQX1WCRpgEQeXv6JPqi2sS6Uk6mxgxDKjMxSZnVxGj-CpIo5nwFhB3MtiZq93r-ZHX2LOq5QGoRVFPtXptdwCCswOg/w348-h400/Visitors%20from%20the%20Arkana%20Galaxy_Poster1a.jpg" width="348" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Visitors from the
Arkana Galaxy </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(1981) Robert (Zarko
Potocnjak) likes to immerse himself in his writing, much to the detriment of
his long-suffering girlfriend, Biba (Lucie Zulová). While working on his latest
science fiction novel, his characters suddenly take on a life of their own:
Andra (Ksenia Prohaska) an android, two precocious kids, and a terrifying monster
that resembles a cross between ALF and Giger’s xenomorph. When they cross paths
with Robert’s friends and neighbors, havoc ensues. Director/co-writer Dusan
Vukotic’s Croatian-language oddity is full of WTF moments that will make you
alternately scratch your head and smile. I’m not sure how this ever got made, but
I’m kind of thankful for it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">Rating: 3 ½ stars.
Available on Blu-ray and Kanopy</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdlql4EDBv8efBQ1F6YH_i_EaGaDPj36RISbQUyoSXh7L5HQnsDWBkSSg58Wl1S0EBlrBoUMeF26_ScoX1N8VvmCQ-vmv_hOka2NE4Y9p2IHGtJ0boWGySwRFEzSQyYMGc955EaVPlriBYEwMQ5qHXx7o5GtbmRJHr6sps9P_F77mh-uSB_AaR3ZGAyj4/s500/The%20Cat%20Creature_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Cat Creature Poster" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdlql4EDBv8efBQ1F6YH_i_EaGaDPj36RISbQUyoSXh7L5HQnsDWBkSSg58Wl1S0EBlrBoUMeF26_ScoX1N8VvmCQ-vmv_hOka2NE4Y9p2IHGtJ0boWGySwRFEzSQyYMGc955EaVPlriBYEwMQ5qHXx7o5GtbmRJHr6sps9P_F77mh-uSB_AaR3ZGAyj4/w300-h400/The%20Cat%20Creature_Poster1a.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><i>The Cat Creature</i> (1973) This mildly engaging TV movie
directed by Curtis Harrington (<i>Who
Slew Auntie Roo</i>, <i>Night Tide</i>) and written by Robert Bloch (<i>Psycho</i>) plays a bit like a
low-key <i>Kolchak</i> episode. After a thief (Keye Luke) steals
an ancient Egyptian amulet, people tied to the amulet are killed off by a
murderous feline. A college professor (David Hedison) teams up with a skeptical
police detective (Stuart Whitman) to get to the bottom of the mysterious
slayings before an occult store clerk (Meredith Baxter) becomes the next target.
There’s some fun dialogue and nice chemistry between Hedison and Baxter, but
the film never adds up to much (no thanks to a silly ending). </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: 3 stars.
Available on YouTube</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGHXP7AcEz3sL1OpVVii8AwkNll2rWqduJCL5PQwSem_fBsJvve6HFb2zDbFlvkXL2avslViLZ9HXDlOnNTUxLOAR-ekqSrIfonMMbiXTPh_NloydMGutLOREUSMcYbJC8vAXqMKEjZP3lXiXI56t82X4zQw2O8wkRVmPFVp9COMmDNatpFg5RCVXFVk-/s512/Tender%20Dracula_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Tender Dracula Poster" border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="356" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGHXP7AcEz3sL1OpVVii8AwkNll2rWqduJCL5PQwSem_fBsJvve6HFb2zDbFlvkXL2avslViLZ9HXDlOnNTUxLOAR-ekqSrIfonMMbiXTPh_NloydMGutLOREUSMcYbJC8vAXqMKEjZP3lXiXI56t82X4zQw2O8wkRVmPFVp9COMmDNatpFg5RCVXFVk-/w279-h400/Tender%20Dracula_Poster1a.jpg" width="279" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tender Dracula</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (aka: </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Big Scare</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">) (1974) Peter
Cushing stars for his first and only time as a vampire (Or is he?) in this tepid
French sex farce. The writers of a popular TV show visit a castle owned by
reclusive horror celebrity MacGregor (Cushing). Strange things are afoot when they
spend the night with two frisky actresses (Miou-Miou and Nathalie Courval), and
something or someone attempts to kill them. Despite the frothy material, Cushing
and co-star Alida Valli (as his wife Héloïse) seem to be enjoying themselves.
There are a couple of fun nods to Cushing’s work at Hammer, but as a comedy, it
falls flat.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: 2 ½ stars. Available
on Blu-ray (included in the Cushing Curiosities box set) and DVD</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxTGpJYMgTH0nfv0OQR8612Zcl_hXr0SHfA6nm1rEkC_QRuwJIKH_Nj3c0WwJ6Gej-whYGRSbOrA44hxH-4JV1q-qVoiIbA-IicMMeFpu7c8u_k3G89Fl-pwh2VLWpzyxULlQBNTcLOU57hHApv5viCs-lYxjqlS1kwi9olR4op8Kv3rOPyT1AZ-YIHc0/s600/Blood%20Suckers_Poster2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Blood Suckers" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="399" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxTGpJYMgTH0nfv0OQR8612Zcl_hXr0SHfA6nm1rEkC_QRuwJIKH_Nj3c0WwJ6Gej-whYGRSbOrA44hxH-4JV1q-qVoiIbA-IicMMeFpu7c8u_k3G89Fl-pwh2VLWpzyxULlQBNTcLOU57hHApv5viCs-lYxjqlS1kwi9olR4op8Kv3rOPyT1AZ-YIHc0/w266-h400/Blood%20Suckers_Poster2a.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blood Suckers </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(aka:</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Incense for the Damned</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">)
(1971) A young woman (Madeleine Hinde) travels to Greece to discover the
whereabouts of her fiancée, college professor Tony Seymour (Alexander Davion).
To her horror, he’s become infatuated with</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Chriseis (Imogen Hassall) an oddly alluring woman, and the cult that
surrounds her. This slow-moving, kind of, sort of vampire movie plays coy with its
subject to the point where it ends up being an exercise in frustration with
little payoff. Outside of a drug-fueled psychedelic orgy scene (in the uncut
version), there’s not much to distinguish this from other, better horror films
from the era. Despite being touted as a Peter Cushing vehicle he's barely in
it, except for the beginning and ending, as Tony’s mentor, Dr. Goodrich. You’d probably
be more entertained by watching a TV test pattern. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;">Rating: 1 ½ stars. Available
on Blu-ray (included in the Cushing Curiosities box set) and DVD<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-44166027760917772742024-02-24T18:55:00.000-08:002024-02-24T19:12:00.890-08:00Guru, the Mad Monk<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUrhhIt2Pv9iIQSY1PSoaXY3Mr-U1d29JylZDNWzWboC5pa8UoNHU7HqlxaBrUw8lR3hs-k6qdGMtKHLMX7lxuWVyaDFEYO874VuVkQ7ECK3VCMU1ihfUgKpxr3JTqO0CGF-jh_p1PytTt0ypjcSITMhBOA1JVs3Hi0LX1yOZXdVNMC9tVlo6cNTLRFXx/s600/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Guru the Mad Monk Poster" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="383" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUrhhIt2Pv9iIQSY1PSoaXY3Mr-U1d29JylZDNWzWboC5pa8UoNHU7HqlxaBrUw8lR3hs-k6qdGMtKHLMX7lxuWVyaDFEYO874VuVkQ7ECK3VCMU1ihfUgKpxr3JTqO0CGF-jh_p1PytTt0ypjcSITMhBOA1JVs3Hi0LX1yOZXdVNMC9tVlo6cNTLRFXx/w255-h400/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_Poster1a.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">(1970) Written and directed by Andy Milligan; Starring: Neil
Flanagan, Jaqueline Webb, Judith Israel, Paul Lieber, Jack Spencer, Frank
Echols and Gerald Jacuzzo; Available on Blu-ray and DVD </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">**</span>½ </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“Talk comes cheap, my boy, and I’ve learned not to gamble on
people’s words. I can’t afford to. I have learned in this mortal life of ours
that it is each man for himself. I preach that God takes care of those who
believe in him, but I’ve discovered that all my years of believing haven’t
helped me one bit. Mother Church sends me little money to exist on, and even
then, it doesn’t arrive when it’s supposed to, so I preach one thing and
continue believing another. Self-survival. You would be well to remember this.”
– Father Guru (Neil Flanagan)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKix2LiA4wnmTIc-YsNTU2_0rw9taYv8Ua_839t5jTDxK4a3aAL2kFRoSDjzYIfaCLcoRJkaXFo5j8ItzZ1Eh9UUqAIVxRhFXlmN4uaR_3JxdD2h39he8XV6FPO-od4dbiOX8HMs1Ac6xD0nY0XXFvFyp2bXUdyyyGeQlpnbmegZK4CvgWVawpdO2Lpb0A/s800/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_2a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Guru Sentences Nadja" border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="800" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKix2LiA4wnmTIc-YsNTU2_0rw9taYv8Ua_839t5jTDxK4a3aAL2kFRoSDjzYIfaCLcoRJkaXFo5j8ItzZ1Eh9UUqAIVxRhFXlmN4uaR_3JxdD2h39he8XV6FPO-od4dbiOX8HMs1Ac6xD0nY0XXFvFyp2bXUdyyyGeQlpnbmegZK4CvgWVawpdO2Lpb0A/w640-h482/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_2a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br />A gargantuan thanks to Rebecca from Taking Up Room for
hosting the latest edition of the <a href="https://takinguproom.com/2024/02/23/the-sixth-so-bad-its-good-blogathon-has-arrived/" target="_blank">So Bad It’s Good Blogathon</a>,
a continuing celebration of the best of the worst. Today’s offering is a piquant little number by the notorious filmmaker Andy Milligan, Guru, the Mad Monk. I would be remiss if I didn’t give thanks to author/blogger John Harmon for introducing me to the dubious charms of Milligan’s handiwork. Be sure to visit his blog, <a href="https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tales from the Freakboyzone</a> for articles about Milligan, and much, much more…</span><p></p>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk96785353;"></span>
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOVjd-GmQavgkehpxDfwLYFUimpaDlSfywtYmr3sa996piDd7zTI3ku-wbfxKM0Ra5J0BlAcCsm6U3Ixi4XxBncYjwI5l_WK_DEXzam9ddDNU_JvAJ_T_t0zKsD08j5jLjP34U3gpH9alJi9H7Hk0CydQbNkq4JcOVg6fucy1pEwC81jeJnqoXEOyeIFc/s800/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_3b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Guru, Nadja, Igor and Carl" border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="800" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizOVjd-GmQavgkehpxDfwLYFUimpaDlSfywtYmr3sa996piDd7zTI3ku-wbfxKM0Ra5J0BlAcCsm6U3Ixi4XxBncYjwI5l_WK_DEXzam9ddDNU_JvAJ_T_t0zKsD08j5jLjP34U3gpH9alJi9H7Hk0CydQbNkq4JcOVg6fucy1pEwC81jeJnqoXEOyeIFc/w640-h482/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_3b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />The late great Andy Milligan’s ambition arguably outweighed
his talent by a substantial margin, yet his films have more heart and craft
than the generic big-budget prefabricated blockbusters typically churned out by
the Hollywood studios. Milligan didn’t know the meaning of staying in his lane,
given his limited means, creating costume period pieces for what would seem
like pocket change to the typical Hollywood producer. Set in Eastern Europe presumably
during the Middle Ages, <i>Guru, the Mad Monk</i> was his most cinematic to
date (his first to be shot on 35 mm film), but don’t let that fool you – <i>Cleopatra</i>
this isn’t. <i>Guru</i> was budgeted at an estimated $11,000* and in typical
Milligan fashion, shot over six days. An old Manhattan church* provided a
quasi-Old-World look (get used to it, since the church and its grounds are basically
the only setting). The sound of waves crashing and seagulls screeching lead us
to believe it’s on the remote island enclave of Mortavia (don’t bother looking
it up). </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #1: This was one of the few offerings by Milligan’s
short-lived production company, Nova International Pictures (created in an
effort to control his film distribution). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Fun Fact #2: According to Cinefear.com founder Keith
Crocker, the ever-hot-headed filmmaker was known for entering theaters that held
unauthorized screenings of his films, and stealing back the prints. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">*** Fun Fact #3: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church was built in
1831, while the wrought iron fence surrounding the structure dates back to 1790.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF1BMyaHkdK4ZLMAe2W-TF6jm1q0521BTmUFiK3uvju9-w0Bl_FgcTJt6pB6BZ_wwsKrf7SXFygUgCf_MREkopE7RAYzgzsdLOp3tcYxFJVFWzjOIfmTy6mZ4PAwHOIjAymZ8fOPKYNSu_pCGky4wW8wFXvWLVhk5239gxoEKNsPDE90bVVKgDgXnp0x1/s800/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_4a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Carl Makes a Pact with Guru" border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="800" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF1BMyaHkdK4ZLMAe2W-TF6jm1q0521BTmUFiK3uvju9-w0Bl_FgcTJt6pB6BZ_wwsKrf7SXFygUgCf_MREkopE7RAYzgzsdLOp3tcYxFJVFWzjOIfmTy6mZ4PAwHOIjAymZ8fOPKYNSu_pCGky4wW8wFXvWLVhk5239gxoEKNsPDE90bVVKgDgXnp0x1/w640-h482/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_4a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Hungry for power and money, the corrupt Father Guru (Neil
Flanagan), with the aid of his vampire companion Olga (played by Flanagan’s
real-life spouse, Jaqueline Webb) and faithful hunchbacked assistant Igor (Jack
Spencer), looks for ways to bring more revenue to his church. He finds the
perfect opportunity in Nadja (Judith Israel), a young woman imprisoned for a
murder she didn’t commit. Her lover Carl (Paul Lieber) implores Guru to spare
her life. In turn he’s employed by the holy man to acquire bodies for medical
experimentation, which can be sold for cash (Carl’s ventures away from the
church economically occur off-screen). Guru’s plans are sidetracked, however,
when Igor falls for Nadja. His position as de facto ruler of Mortavia is
further threatened when Bishop Kopel (<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Frank Echols)</span> pays him a visit, along with his intended
replacement, Father Polanski (Gerald Jacuzzo).</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Tj6rGBQ46Yi-WFb0pgpreRVVyECbrvUKmx9mbpcpAzCrUB36Jy2iZxnA6ms26KJjt2k-h48vHnYoelbkbsbGf4mfYLRDOhDzCZJGles6IEZrjB63Gy8BBfENMUOIHFUms3Lr6UCO86UOH3bNPMkAcmP__NkuyHubngEKmcJOOKm8WrSEg7HnmyxvU8tz/s800/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_5a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Guru's Mirror Scene" border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Tj6rGBQ46Yi-WFb0pgpreRVVyECbrvUKmx9mbpcpAzCrUB36Jy2iZxnA6ms26KJjt2k-h48vHnYoelbkbsbGf4mfYLRDOhDzCZJGles6IEZrjB63Gy8BBfENMUOIHFUms3Lr6UCO86UOH3bNPMkAcmP__NkuyHubngEKmcJOOKm8WrSEg7HnmyxvU8tz/w640-h480/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_5a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Milligan regular Neil Flanagan chews the scenery with his tour
de force (or should I say, “tour de farce?”) performance as the title character.
Guru’s contradictory behavior becomes a mouthpiece for Milligan’s deep-seated cynicism
about organized religion and authority figures in general. In a scene that must
be experienced to be believed, he argues with himself in the mirror, revealing
the conflicted sides of his psyche (predating Andy Serkis’ motion capture
performance as Gollum by 30 years). Every time he’s on screen, you know it’s
going to be interesting. One of the few performers in the film with genuine
talent, Flanagan was the secret weapon in Milligan’s troupe, having worked extensively
in theatre, film, and television.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtARw-ArbZzHEahyNdaKyc2m1Yv-fHxEm7fzu6apOcq6bvq3ongePgP-vSRUN4-FdN9GxnVXCSN9k4wcYjrwH7_PKRT7aK-glqwoqZD3BoDXmwnHanUpYeyof1owXQid6Bu51c23kUhHIYpNxiLLV8dr3cFm4I9EFvmsNNb6VXnfOqibon_5v8I0LUX_9K/s800/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_4b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Igor and Guru" border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="800" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtARw-ArbZzHEahyNdaKyc2m1Yv-fHxEm7fzu6apOcq6bvq3ongePgP-vSRUN4-FdN9GxnVXCSN9k4wcYjrwH7_PKRT7aK-glqwoqZD3BoDXmwnHanUpYeyof1owXQid6Bu51c23kUhHIYpNxiLLV8dr3cFm4I9EFvmsNNb6VXnfOqibon_5v8I0LUX_9K/w640-h482/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_4b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Flanagan aside, Milligan often rounded out his cast with
non-actors pulled off the street, friends, lovers, and otherwise (hence, the
varying quality of the performances). Paul Lieber,* who plays our hero Carl, recites
his dialogue as if he’s reading the fine print in a non-disclosure agreement (calling
him wooden is an insult to trees). On the other end of spectrum, Jack Spencer hogs
the spotlight as Igor, grinning and hopping around like an overeager puppy, despite
Guru’s constant barrage of insults and browbeating (“I can say anything to you,
you ignorant bastard, and you just smile”). Jaqueline Web hams it up as Guru’s
partner in crime, Olga, feeding off the blood of the executed. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #4: With 68 acting credits to date, one can only
assume he’s gotten much better. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIGuaIQb0jztpS0IDbZpiDyw_ljf0biWqhbzlx31T0AE15-qvRtZmjvdekH95pJ6GzUknWQLaxEkmDNEkDeIygcv1g-HifUptqkolmKsvAyfFCZ63wbYW3z6gBYWspEYQCvL3ctx97SEj0TtYDMkNtpgBarakEsSbdFYXW40Jjw-lrhb9gvtWkw3QJGO8/s800/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_3a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Look Ma, No Hands!" border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="800" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIGuaIQb0jztpS0IDbZpiDyw_ljf0biWqhbzlx31T0AE15-qvRtZmjvdekH95pJ6GzUknWQLaxEkmDNEkDeIygcv1g-HifUptqkolmKsvAyfFCZ63wbYW3z6gBYWspEYQCvL3ctx97SEj0TtYDMkNtpgBarakEsSbdFYXW40Jjw-lrhb9gvtWkw3QJGO8/w640-h482/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_3a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Guru’s</i> not-so-special makeup effects, depicting the
numerous tortures of condemned prisoners, would be gruesome if they weren’t so
unconvincing. In one scene, a condemned man’s eyes (resembling hors d'oeuvres
at a cocktail party) are gouged out, and a thief’s “hands,” which appear to
have been pilfered from a department store mannequin, wobble before they’re chopped
off. As stagey and cartoonish as the effects were, one crude decapitation scene
was reportedly enough to make someone in the audience throw up. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpY1fzb9syscfPSNQKOAF10-8-ctv6R7YYhjZq7T6TDt0Z0SllywoXd317DT3D5fTqeHe8aH_MVMKo5CHGdoyirn_2782Fyuxj5XFzkKy3C8E7Sl0TdNXR6BGJSDMaE8tZscedWVx1iiT9lFG0-gyDg3slLsW2kCXCW5mesu7EEQ9_xKUFSKkvLz7R7T11/s800/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_5c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Father Guru and Bishop Kopel" border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="800" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpY1fzb9syscfPSNQKOAF10-8-ctv6R7YYhjZq7T6TDt0Z0SllywoXd317DT3D5fTqeHe8aH_MVMKo5CHGdoyirn_2782Fyuxj5XFzkKy3C8E7Sl0TdNXR6BGJSDMaE8tZscedWVx1iiT9lFG0-gyDg3slLsW2kCXCW5mesu7EEQ9_xKUFSKkvLz7R7T11/w640-h484/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_5c.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />A highlight (or lowlight, depending on your point of view)
of a Milligan production are the slapdash costumes,* created by Milligan
himself. <i>Guru’s</i> costumes never disappoint, evoking a bygone, albeit
indistinct, era. Witness scraps of furniture upholstery, curtains, and other
assorted bits and pieces, held together with nothing more than pins and repurposed
to vaguely resemble something from the medieval period, more or less. Meticulously
researched adherence to period accuracy took a backseat to the practical requirement
of having enough material to cover the cast’s derrieres. Another Milligan
trademark on display was the copious amount of cloth draped over the walls of
the cathedral to conceal modern fixtures. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #5: Frank Echols, who played Bishop Kopel, Guru’s
superior, commented on his outfit: “Andy, I look like an old hooker off 8<sup>th</sup>
Avenue.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7REW2WHadOXHJvqKgsroh16QigYZq8DcDfhzLAmpH577v7vSqmHXTyqs8PFDv04Yo9jqmOJ5b__BFXWvdV7dWFLTWtyAe40frenxRD-oYy8rtVE1kWFZwNyM7OCncD0BHcqcOf82HQCqVqDUMBIa7QYLBuFd4zIsjEF0QCLAGPpZyWdF8HeULhQqicMz/s800/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_1b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Nadja and Carl" border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="800" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7REW2WHadOXHJvqKgsroh16QigYZq8DcDfhzLAmpH577v7vSqmHXTyqs8PFDv04Yo9jqmOJ5b__BFXWvdV7dWFLTWtyAe40frenxRD-oYy8rtVE1kWFZwNyM7OCncD0BHcqcOf82HQCqVqDUMBIa7QYLBuFd4zIsjEF0QCLAGPpZyWdF8HeULhQqicMz/w640-h482/Guru%20the%20Mad%20Monk_1b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Milligan claimed <i>Guru</i> was his worst film,* but don’t
let that dissuade you (like most artists, he probably wasn’t the best judge of
his own work). While it’s certainly uneven, <i>Guru, the Mad Monk</i> is among his
most fun movies. Amidst the goofiness, there are some serious things to say,
although considering Milligan’s fickle nature, you’re best advised to take any “messages”
with a grain of salt. Working with budgets that would make 1940s Poverty Row productions
look lavish by comparison, Milligan did a lot with virtually nothing. Perhaps
that’s why his movies resemble something out of another time and place (or maybe
another dimension). I would say Milligan’s films are an acquired taste, but I
don’t think there’s a way to properly immunize yourself – you just have to dive
in head-first. Either they click or they don’t. Lower your expectations, then
lower them a few notches down from there, and you might have a good time (don’t
expect Martin Scorsese or even H.G. Lewis levels of competence). Does it entertain?
Yes, it does. Is it for everyone? Definitely not, but if you’re the kind of person
that appreciates Milligan’s special brand of je ne sais quoi, you’re in for a
treat.</span><span style="color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #6: Editing the film was apparently a nightmare
for Milligan, in no small part, due to the fact that sound and picture were
recorded separately, and frequently out of synch. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Sources for this article: The Ghastly One – The 42<sup>nd</sup>
Street Netherworld of Director Andy Milligan, by Jimmy McDonough; Severin
Blu-ray commentary by Keith Crocker; “Remembering Andy Milligan” featurette
with Tom Vozza<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-58285181415098911542024-02-05T20:06:00.000-08:002024-02-07T18:00:24.955-08:00Announcing the Mismatched Couples Blogathon<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojoIc54fLysu31wjfo_clNLVsI1DvoQjIK0G5j5z8fj29G21zC3wUKLWo3DNXLTWAR38TO1f9EVTj17rUnF-P301-BhcX9qUfIdqwQ8i0-qa4BiXYRYP7h_ozwb-7mxKW1b9o0zuTGs4-0KLkvAhzIdSy2KCh1tcehdb6vsdOS9HY-WpxR-hcxLpr5f9c/s684/Mismatched%20Couples4_The%20Shape%20of%20Water.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Mismatched Couples Blogathon - The Shape of Water" border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="684" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojoIc54fLysu31wjfo_clNLVsI1DvoQjIK0G5j5z8fj29G21zC3wUKLWo3DNXLTWAR38TO1f9EVTj17rUnF-P301-BhcX9qUfIdqwQ8i0-qa4BiXYRYP7h_ozwb-7mxKW1b9o0zuTGs4-0KLkvAhzIdSy2KCh1tcehdb6vsdOS9HY-WpxR-hcxLpr5f9c/w400-h275/Mismatched%20Couples4_The%20Shape%20of%20Water.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Opposites attract, so the saying goes, but perhaps it should
be “opposites distract.” Whichever way you look at it, we love to see synergy
between two characters, but we enjoy it even more when there’s friction. With
this in mind, Yours Truly and Gill Jacob from Realweegiemidget Reviews have
conspired to bring you the Mismatched Couples Blogathon, a three-day (plus) exploration
of less-than-ideal character pairings.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdddzYcezC8Ds3CLrRTL03OYIpucz2IEksET2TXLDwIIn8MerLG6QyERIoxDSn1Li_bw3XXrHDl2iV1W6A7J2PFoEjLIzIu3_mFQHjkY963GFYwtCqn5shpacTdnnvmapqYi5rztGkFGJTh9VMh6BY_4jt_9uHkhDeYmpKWTmbox5QMFL8C4OlLh6Wkzep/s700/Little%20Shop%20of%20Horrors_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Little Shop of Horrors - Seymour and Audrey" border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="700" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdddzYcezC8Ds3CLrRTL03OYIpucz2IEksET2TXLDwIIn8MerLG6QyERIoxDSn1Li_bw3XXrHDl2iV1W6A7J2PFoEjLIzIu3_mFQHjkY963GFYwtCqn5shpacTdnnvmapqYi5rztGkFGJTh9VMh6BY_4jt_9uHkhDeYmpKWTmbox5QMFL8C4OlLh6Wkzep/w400-h225/Little%20Shop%20of%20Horrors_5.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">There are countless examples of mismatched couples in cinema
and TV, from buddy cop stories, to adventures, to romcoms, and everything in between.
For the purposes of this blogathon, the <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“couple”
can be romantic or non-romantic, as long as the relationship between the two
characters is a key plot point. H</span>ere are just a few suggestions: </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Odd Couple</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (1968) (The 1970-1975 TV version is perfectly acceptable too!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars: A New Hope</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (1977) (Han and Leia or C3PO and R2D2)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Princess Bride</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (1987) (Westley and Buttercup)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Moonraker</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (1979) (Jaws and Dolly)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the
Desert</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (1994) (Tick and Marion)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Die Hard</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (1988) (John and Holly McClane)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It Happened One Night</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (1934) (Peter and Ellie)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sometimes Aunt Martha Does Dreadful Things</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (1971) (Paul and Stanley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Fifth Element</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (1997) (Korben Dallas and Leeloo or Korben Dallas and Ruby Rhod)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p></blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGpb2b6ngxCexwBtadwoiXNhLW5ds-m55WItd7AMcbVPBDJeU3Ap9AQkyksOCCE2l4EUO96hsNjMFOQf1d_ACGINhmIP4-9LjlhIOTVJvQ1R7i2BRRKbrvaQ9GNlnphfsG1j5y7CRg2v7TF_MBM-9So5gLHf7fQFQNUG9KXTfaONr2yzQ3IAnX3_iYcBP/s1366/Godzilla%20vs.%20Megalon_4a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Godzilla and Jet Jaguar" border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="1366" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGpb2b6ngxCexwBtadwoiXNhLW5ds-m55WItd7AMcbVPBDJeU3Ap9AQkyksOCCE2l4EUO96hsNjMFOQf1d_ACGINhmIP4-9LjlhIOTVJvQ1R7i2BRRKbrvaQ9GNlnphfsG1j5y7CRg2v7TF_MBM-9So5gLHf7fQFQNUG9KXTfaONr2yzQ3IAnX3_iYcBP/w400-h169/Godzilla%20vs.%20Megalon_4a.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What: The Mismatched
Couples Blogathon</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Who: Hosted by Yours Truly
(Barry P.) and Gill Jacob</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Where: Cinematic Catharsis
and Realweegiemidget Reviews</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When: March 29-31, 2024</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">How:</span> Please read
the rules below, and send me your post request (review, podcast, etc…) <a name="_Hlk509052913">via email (</a><a href="mailto:barry_cinematic@yahoo.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk509052913;">barry_cinematic@yahoo.com</span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk509052913;">), Twitter (@barry_cinematic), Instagram (barry_cinematic),
or by commenting below</span>. You may also contact Gill by commenting on her
<a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2024/02/05/mismatched-couples-blogathon/" target="_blank">post</a>,
or through her blog’s <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/contact-me/" target="_blank">Contact Me</a> page (Be sure to include a link to your blog, your blog’s title, and your preferred
name).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><o:p> </o:p>Important Note: Barry will be away from February 10<sup>th</sup>
– 15<sup>th</sup>, and Gill will be away from February 29<sup>th</sup> – March 13<sup>th</sup>.
As a result, please be sure to contact us both with your choices, to ensure
that we don’t miss them. (See Rule #2) </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsv1oVRFx9ZUThbOS9rhb7HA5_HkVblbrqQ-4-ySaj-BnmnSZxKwLDQi7WScFMZNCsmORpySGQGLy2B4Bmzc2S0zgWny6dvR9iJRwXbkM0ulPX7hq22B78JX4a5wGtOXlzVJRej1XT5xIJwdNHe5uZfc-Bt6pklIm7Cqp0_ERzjgVHJue19Jomqd8H2jp/s640/King%20Kong_6c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="King Kong and Ann Darrow" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsv1oVRFx9ZUThbOS9rhb7HA5_HkVblbrqQ-4-ySaj-BnmnSZxKwLDQi7WScFMZNCsmORpySGQGLy2B4Bmzc2S0zgWny6dvR9iJRwXbkM0ulPX7hq22B78JX4a5wGtOXlzVJRej1XT5xIJwdNHe5uZfc-Bt6pklIm7Cqp0_ERzjgVHJue19Jomqd8H2jp/w400-h300/King%20Kong_6c.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">THE RULES…</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->You may review ANY film or TV show related to the
subject, with the exception of biopics. Book reviews are fine, as well. However,
please restrict your choice ON-SCREEN couples (no tabloid or gossip material). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->To ensure that your blogathon choice is recorded in a
timely manner, be sure to send all requests to Barry <i>and</i> Gill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->We will not allow duplicate pairings, UNLESS you are
covering a series of films or a retrospective of an actor/filmmaker’s work. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->A maximum of TWO entries will be permitted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->When responding with your choice, be sure to add your
Twitter/Instagram/Mastodon/Bluesky handle or a link to your Facebook page so we
can promote your post. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b>Please choose one of the banners below</b> to
display on your blog.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->A full list of blogs, podcasters and review choices
will be posted on a separate page and updated regularly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Only original, never-before-published posts will be
accepted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Send a link to your post/podcast/video to Gill and me during
one of the days of the blogathon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Note:
we will publish all the links on both blogs, with daily updates on March 29<sup>th</sup>,
30<sup>th</sup> and 31<sup>st</sup>. If you plan to participate, but you’re
running late, please let us know as soon as possible, so we can post a
last-minute update.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Please
also note: Gill and I have already claimed the following the titles below, so
they are off the table, unless they’re included in a larger retrospective (see
Rule 2 above). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="color: white;">Barry at Cinematic Catharsis – <i>Pink
Flamingos</i> (1972)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="color: white;">Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews
– <i><o:p></o:p></i></span><span style="color: white;"><i>Kuolleet Lehdet </i>(<i>aka: Fallen Leaves</i>) (<i>2023)</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Oh, and one more thing…
Remember to grab a banner below and have fun!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnAhNWQ6wPY9zwW_YCYyPZZ1F6F0CXzbfkQ37vkewwWLI_HTCibCXgEzxFHrtwuD-NFQ7wi9AlPZ5ofypyO3bS274oL9XyqpH40dasonmgbzAVnibldPBfrpcUKYVe6vKPTNtyevBBB56HI3bfl_Qqncc_LaV8qIAqRMb2MGPVCFDnWh1gPEg7cXVBxP5/s640/Mismatched%20Couples1_The%20Odd%20Couple.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mismatched Couples Blogathon - The Odd Couple" border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="640" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnAhNWQ6wPY9zwW_YCYyPZZ1F6F0CXzbfkQ37vkewwWLI_HTCibCXgEzxFHrtwuD-NFQ7wi9AlPZ5ofypyO3bS274oL9XyqpH40dasonmgbzAVnibldPBfrpcUKYVe6vKPTNtyevBBB56HI3bfl_Qqncc_LaV8qIAqRMb2MGPVCFDnWh1gPEg7cXVBxP5/w400-h274/Mismatched%20Couples1_The%20Odd%20Couple.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HpBpeIXNLxlx-t36QlIJ1aidRgdxGeQ8dCPlSobWe43qm5CZWSokNiWz79OGcEOPrnkExy36ydLevCGjzE0wl1fvjATZcSNwPH58gRZ86hXqiScsDMlvnUXHv8GcOCltU1DSxmzgD2UoBWHbJPiRVTW8Fm51VqMX6N27-UbbNh5NClWIrUqZ4L6CYV0j/s640/Mismatched%20Couples2_Indiana%20Jones.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mismatched Couples Banner - Indiana Jones and Willy" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="640" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HpBpeIXNLxlx-t36QlIJ1aidRgdxGeQ8dCPlSobWe43qm5CZWSokNiWz79OGcEOPrnkExy36ydLevCGjzE0wl1fvjATZcSNwPH58gRZ86hXqiScsDMlvnUXHv8GcOCltU1DSxmzgD2UoBWHbJPiRVTW8Fm51VqMX6N27-UbbNh5NClWIrUqZ4L6CYV0j/w400-h271/Mismatched%20Couples2_Indiana%20Jones.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAVUIyQSuItxAIXBR_Qt2N7ssDad7No43cmWLU9P0rgJI2vgGnQ219frSAmZy_ua1UalAgs6LpNWNutZv-53lyHd9jNDr5UZlbg96SLtEhBe-dmDB_rOaDMI3KDCnwVLH9e3E1EwDRyPGBb0YO-fM395O-rKgqqzlKesWqBxKYLshqtLdwlwcF92U-bbJ/s684/Mismatched%20Couples3_Star%20Wars.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mismatched Couples Blogathon - C3PO and R2D2" border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="684" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAVUIyQSuItxAIXBR_Qt2N7ssDad7No43cmWLU9P0rgJI2vgGnQ219frSAmZy_ua1UalAgs6LpNWNutZv-53lyHd9jNDr5UZlbg96SLtEhBe-dmDB_rOaDMI3KDCnwVLH9e3E1EwDRyPGBb0YO-fM395O-rKgqqzlKesWqBxKYLshqtLdwlwcF92U-bbJ/w400-h275/Mismatched%20Couples3_Star%20Wars.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><o:p><br /></o:p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEHgFZMpNszzVnXZOvqRaLa6vaqcyP3Hq5ToHPMDznG4JWdoc4YPhxRLfY0MDJZuzzQ_wNnRv2RtPoD4H-4ctXp3q78n-TLVnaHEyouQJ8kPr3W53swAM4x6titzifPaJKN4z8nk0vr-Nr815vahpsoVVTxg74iXsOIE0vDLT5yzPjgHGNAGclhbRomKI/s684/Mismatched%20Couples4_The%20Shape%20of%20Water.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Mismatched Couples Blogathon - The Shape of Water" border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="684" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEHgFZMpNszzVnXZOvqRaLa6vaqcyP3Hq5ToHPMDznG4JWdoc4YPhxRLfY0MDJZuzzQ_wNnRv2RtPoD4H-4ctXp3q78n-TLVnaHEyouQJ8kPr3W53swAM4x6titzifPaJKN4z8nk0vr-Nr815vahpsoVVTxg74iXsOIE0vDLT5yzPjgHGNAGclhbRomKI/w400-h275/Mismatched%20Couples4_The%20Shape%20of%20Water.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiU1CPKOnmebW-ugSQbrKGApayvaFo7t2QP5_HilMwpa9s6hLywLAcPEDGs27tiUrd7k8uqfBQEZAT7NA-VJ39ZQa1T26f8e6T3XEwseJpaGsuNXIVyxHilJdEDwrRtMrd3rUSr52uGW4qgwdPiMDmzOk8I3iWoF85AanDR_04AswEKql5tQpXaob3jswk/s685/Mismatched%20Couples5_Polyester.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Mismatched Couples Blogathon - Polyester" border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="685" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiU1CPKOnmebW-ugSQbrKGApayvaFo7t2QP5_HilMwpa9s6hLywLAcPEDGs27tiUrd7k8uqfBQEZAT7NA-VJ39ZQa1T26f8e6T3XEwseJpaGsuNXIVyxHilJdEDwrRtMrd3rUSr52uGW4qgwdPiMDmzOk8I3iWoF85AanDR_04AswEKql5tQpXaob3jswk/w400-h275/Mismatched%20Couples5_Polyester.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-91842562943360568292024-01-31T17:24:00.000-08:002024-02-04T14:59:07.301-08:00Japan-uary XIII Quick Picks and Pans<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzRI7ymE2E91D6fgEb-sbkVUtFezSc2wMkeJ1Y3OlzkZy4oqL0gvpW4hG2PTbhtMLubTaUQl1h26eEgAOW7nz7XAXJEcm0vpehsOGBdvqHAuP9D123txNPoq5BWYkb3cEU3tCIXo-sLUcVYTOy0LiTAXlW0fX8T_oC00-dSW0MLYUWTMUXgvu1W6xYKuk/s500/Howl%20from%20Beyond%20the%20Fog_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Howl from Beyond the Fog Poster" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="340" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzRI7ymE2E91D6fgEb-sbkVUtFezSc2wMkeJ1Y3OlzkZy4oqL0gvpW4hG2PTbhtMLubTaUQl1h26eEgAOW7nz7XAXJEcm0vpehsOGBdvqHAuP9D123txNPoq5BWYkb3cEU3tCIXo-sLUcVYTOy0LiTAXlW0fX8T_oC00-dSW0MLYUWTMUXgvu1W6xYKuk/w273-h400/Howl%20from%20Beyond%20the%20Fog_Poster1a.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Howl from Beyond the
Fog </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(2019) In this 35-minute short
film from writer/director Daisuke Sato (effects crew, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Godzilla: Final Wars</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Great Yokai War</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">), set in the late
19<sup>th</sup> century, a village lake is guarded by a legendary creature. When
a young blind woman and her family are threatened by greedy land developers,
the fearsome kaiju (which is also blind) becomes her only salvation. The enchanting
tale is depicted through puppetry, subdued light and acute camera angles to depict
a monster of vast scale. Sato’s less-is-more approach creates a unique visual
experience. My only quibble is that I wish the film were longer, leading me to hope
the filmmaker makes a full-length feature someday.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Special thanks to the
late Twitter user Freddie Premo (RIP) for recommending this to me a couple of
years ago.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">****</span>.
Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Prime Video and Tubi<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJadxln5EQSTLS_SgGUfykLfOkO9dkk-W2Ke8fS-52vUDBIn_zTt8FSQegsHVUiSn2K8vpNFl8NRDP5A5Lz4Kqvxcb6wpDiv1Dn1s1jNclsgkDIG8YhSEaPemldE0QmE2Z_Em7rTCjMjRln1zvmbbuB4AubYHLv4ZB4I4D0ixpPMsGNRb9dAT8h1FXYTI/s1280/The%20Secret%20of%20the%20Telegian_Poster2a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Secret of the Telegian Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="884" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJadxln5EQSTLS_SgGUfykLfOkO9dkk-W2Ke8fS-52vUDBIn_zTt8FSQegsHVUiSn2K8vpNFl8NRDP5A5Lz4Kqvxcb6wpDiv1Dn1s1jNclsgkDIG8YhSEaPemldE0QmE2Z_Em7rTCjMjRln1zvmbbuB4AubYHLv4ZB4I4D0ixpPMsGNRb9dAT8h1FXYTI/w276-h400/The%20Secret%20of%20the%20Telegian_Poster2a.jpg" width="276" /></a></span></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>The Secret of the
Telegian </i>(<i>aka: Densô ningen</i>) (1960) In this sci-fi movie with noir overtones, a group of businessmen
are being murdered one-by-one, while the assailant is nowhere to be found. Clues
point to a former soldier who vowed revenge against the officers who smuggled
gold in the waning days of World War II. With the help of a disabled scientist
who developed a device to transport matter, he methodically carries out his
plan to murder the wealthy profiteers. Jun Fukuda’s second directorial effort is
well-paced and suitably creepy (thanks to some impressive effects by Eiji Tsuburaya).
It’s a shame <i>The Secret of the
Telegian </i>remains largely unknown
outside of Japan (it never received a theatrical release in the U.S.), so it’s long
overdue for re-discovery. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½. Available
on DVD (Region 2)</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECmUa45Dltc8SUtaAogbSmM0YrKy5rCOuYv-LZ1JvyIxdXrFAaHN0E6r-8e3fR3UiKGEYLINLNJN4piXravI2Wu0JB4QfT6NbwUyAk00UsrNp9cUb_xc3zyEVAXXVQxKob9IZXHB-L5SSjZR_KoXUM4fCWy55asv1Qd9Xqx2XYKjeqGC0iB2GBSRTupGX/s1202/Bakemono_Poster1a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Bakemono Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECmUa45Dltc8SUtaAogbSmM0YrKy5rCOuYv-LZ1JvyIxdXrFAaHN0E6r-8e3fR3UiKGEYLINLNJN4piXravI2Wu0JB4QfT6NbwUyAk00UsrNp9cUb_xc3zyEVAXXVQxKob9IZXHB-L5SSjZR_KoXUM4fCWy55asv1Qd9Xqx2XYKjeqGC0iB2GBSRTupGX/w266-h400/Bakemono_Poster1a.jpeg" width="266" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bakemono </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(2023) A demonic creature, spurred on by a
bitter middle-aged man (Takashi Irie) who made a pact with it, feeds off suppressed
rage. Writer/director Doug Roos’ non-linear film, featuring a diverse Japanese/international
cast, follows several guests over the course of a few nights, in a sketchy
Tokyo Airbnb.The monster (or “bakemono” in Japanese) lurks in the shadows, pitting
individuals against each other (and themselves). The delightfully icky practical
effects (also by Roos) recall the work of Rob Bottin on </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Thing</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. It’s a disconcerting, unnerving experience that requires your full
attention, but well worth the time. Watch out for it.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½.
Available: Blu-ray (through <a href="https://igg.me/at/bakemono" target="_blank">Indiegogo</a>), but watch for it elsewhere soon!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ-qht1J3UNcGlqGpqfwdXEm5_LKk_yURWnBcL4D92DvNeaSwh_EpMyw3_YdbEKxehG_vGXsqtA0mgaEXhcS0o_zLL5zoqtD_0pzzZ4rhCXuzfbjzycOW_kgOOv7Al576OeMDwCJMVppjvSiNzBdywBfNVBHNOb_rAwYBZfjYMrJn0hAisYQzLmDAUjJd/s1435/The%20iDol_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Idol Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ-qht1J3UNcGlqGpqfwdXEm5_LKk_yURWnBcL4D92DvNeaSwh_EpMyw3_YdbEKxehG_vGXsqtA0mgaEXhcS0o_zLL5zoqtD_0pzzZ4rhCXuzfbjzycOW_kgOOv7Al576OeMDwCJMVppjvSiNzBdywBfNVBHNOb_rAwYBZfjYMrJn0hAisYQzLmDAUjJd/w279-h400/The%20iDol_Poster1a.jpg" width="279" /></a></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i><i>The iDol </i>(2006) Ken
(Jin Sasaki), a 20-something otaku who obsessively collects vintage space-age
memorabilia, acquires a bright green action figure, which possesses hidden
powers. In the span of a day, the fickle plastic toy arranges a dream date with
his favorite celebrity, only to have him lose all his worldly possessions
several hours later. Director/co-writer Norman England’s <i>Twilight Zone</i>-esque
premise works well within the confines of the short film, although it would
have been nice to see this expanded into a longer feature. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>½. Available on Tubi </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi4FcREEV_Co3sCzFHTIV6V7tMEjBEcAVm-18badNY5cMRIZr6pYaMiUMhOoSP6uXqh-zoLJ4Ig8s1UkGXe-luPMjd6a5dG3uL4vgd92KdUDP6juKk1J5aA9PByrDvldk-hPojsIg64yYDynJ2N1FIYlvlzzo-eaIuRuXT-xpl0cZF7M0haAahn91Vo16/s961/Sailor%20Suit%20and%20Machine%20Gun_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Sailor Suit and Machine Gun Poster" border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="680" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi4FcREEV_Co3sCzFHTIV6V7tMEjBEcAVm-18badNY5cMRIZr6pYaMiUMhOoSP6uXqh-zoLJ4Ig8s1UkGXe-luPMjd6a5dG3uL4vgd92KdUDP6juKk1J5aA9PByrDvldk-hPojsIg64yYDynJ2N1FIYlvlzzo-eaIuRuXT-xpl0cZF7M0haAahn91Vo16/w283-h400/Sailor%20Suit%20and%20Machine%20Gun_Poster1a.jpg" width="283" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sailor Suit and
Machine Gun </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(1981) After her
father’s sudden death, high school student Izumi Hoshi (Hiroko Yakushimaru) reluctantly
becomes his successor as chairman of a small yakuza clan. As rival gangs close
in to destroy them, she inadvertently discovers she has a knack for this kind
of thing. Not your typical yakuza movie, Shinji Sômai’s sophomore effort is a
winning combination of crime drama with social farce.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½.
Available on Blu-ray and Midnight Pulp</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RQZiJO5_e7J96zpWdJXXfQHyuTnrOd9QZKdgADk_FRoROhnM2jFLjfhdpiYpBC2plxJ2xnlwVETJp8FLklzLyDgV6BpBSkbyKzsLn5E6YAzfEFCb3Uc6U8Jq5ae9CkkdqUggMBxby8jVooRfUgnPA8IloV8IJifNjZn5n17N1oCww6d8Ww-MfIN7gRb6/s567/The%20Bullet%20Train_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Bullet Train Poster" border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="396" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RQZiJO5_e7J96zpWdJXXfQHyuTnrOd9QZKdgADk_FRoROhnM2jFLjfhdpiYpBC2plxJ2xnlwVETJp8FLklzLyDgV6BpBSkbyKzsLn5E6YAzfEFCb3Uc6U8Jq5ae9CkkdqUggMBxby8jVooRfUgnPA8IloV8IJifNjZn5n17N1oCww6d8Ww-MfIN7gRb6/w279-h400/The%20Bullet%20Train_Poster1a.jpg" width="279" /></a></span></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>The Bullet Train </i>(1975) Jun'ya Satô’s tense disaster thriller
borrows a page from <i>Airport</i> (1970), starring Shin'ichi (“Sonny”) Chiba
in the George Kennedy role, as Aoki, a determined rail employee. In the film’s
premise (which, in turn, influenced the 1994 movie <i>Speed</i>), a bullet train carrying
1,500 passengers faces the grim prospect of exploding if it drops below 80 kph.
Officials feverishly endeavor to find a way to locate and deactivate the bomb. At
two-and-a-half hours, <i>The Bullet
Train </i>is a bit overlong, but on
the other hand, it devotes a commendable amount of screen time to establishing
the bomber (Ken Takakura) and his co-conspirators as sympathetic,
three-dimensional characters with believable motivations. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½.
Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0CfYywVjjDnh7EB2PDCG4QB1FpT8OU3yqAbuo4CYjh8CtkgPst94m4-swm3knDafCzrfQZqdPhbqCyCRGvZM8ybJA0DtlTnw8YQVOlmGV_mvQhW1SX-TI12dsOHF0f5yOIutC5daKj4uOjXeZUJxABsttizPY6WITxFdAMvv_aHfjpnrJCBi4c9icmEm/s690/House%20of%20Terrors_Poster1a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="House of Terrors Poster" border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="460" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0CfYywVjjDnh7EB2PDCG4QB1FpT8OU3yqAbuo4CYjh8CtkgPst94m4-swm3knDafCzrfQZqdPhbqCyCRGvZM8ybJA0DtlTnw8YQVOlmGV_mvQhW1SX-TI12dsOHF0f5yOIutC5daKj4uOjXeZUJxABsttizPY6WITxFdAMvv_aHfjpnrJCBi4c9icmEm/w266-h400/House%20of%20Terrors_Poster1a.png" width="266" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>House of Terrors</i> (1965) After her husband dies in a
psychiatric hospital, a grieving widow discovers that she’s inherited a villa he
secretly purchased. A stipulation of his will contends that she must share the
property with his ethically ambiguous father (who was also his doctor at the
time of his death). Most of the film, which recalls Italian gothic horror films
of the period, takes place in a spooky old mansion with a creepy hunchbacked caretaker
(Kō Nishimura). Although House of Terrors (aka: <i>The Ghost of the Hunchback</i>)
borders on being a bit too derivative for its own good, it’s well worth a look
for the gloomy atmosphere and pervasive eerie mood. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">.
Available on Blu-ray</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67kmwKlfwjgE_cfz2cbhRIBKQ4wYl5WuPPZpKfFQRcD_dRGzfa3UXHlB9gnd2gzcxSrdJPOG381tsT4AF116rfJhGfAlzIjGoEdFk5KdnSVcyb1ubul_bH6lyORtSrwG-ZT5Wv3-TEB-F7ONgcTqcJyxokX4c8s5kQasjM0n0nlGDtrU_KJSyhqp7crdE/s1434/Ghostroads%20-%20A%20Japanese%20Rock%20n%20Roll%20Ghost%20Story_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Ghostroads - A Japanese Rock n Roll Ghost Story" border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67kmwKlfwjgE_cfz2cbhRIBKQ4wYl5WuPPZpKfFQRcD_dRGzfa3UXHlB9gnd2gzcxSrdJPOG381tsT4AF116rfJhGfAlzIjGoEdFk5KdnSVcyb1ubul_bH6lyORtSrwG-ZT5Wv3-TEB-F7ONgcTqcJyxokX4c8s5kQasjM0n0nlGDtrU_KJSyhqp7crdE/w279-h400/Ghostroads%20-%20A%20Japanese%20Rock%20n%20Roll%20Ghost%20Story_Poster1a.jpg" width="279" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ghostroads: A Japanese
Rock ‘n Roll Ghost Story </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(2017) Manabe
Takashi stars as the leader of a mediocre retro rock band. He has a sudden
burst of inspiration when he encounters the ghost of a blues musician in an
old, battered amp, but soon learns that inspiration doesn’t come free. Faced
with a Faustian bargain, he must choose between fame and his bandmates. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ghostroads</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> features some fun music and unexpected cameos (watch for L.A.
alternative music radio figurehead Rodney Bingenheimer), but Darrell Harris doesn’t
really convince as a blues legend, and it misfires as a comedy. At a sparse 77 minutes,
however, it won’t wear out its welcome… much.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½.
Available on DVD (Region 2) and Tubi</span><i><o:p> </o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilH9s64LamaGkOT1CNe7j_y_vcVQv3nZVkyzdt-p9WOXZbP40bHF4aQycZL7oYY3nZ3Yyxus0rAxLcAz0LSJUW6A3ApKw7NwstHODulX7xvwp0xxe2CWhoONciYCKjrvYa7-E-HmRNMihx75uvdaRszLsRkEQ9SJKdIK18gZpINXYhyphenhyphenDQgIxG5E99DfYdM/s268/Cube_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Cube Poster" border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="188" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilH9s64LamaGkOT1CNe7j_y_vcVQv3nZVkyzdt-p9WOXZbP40bHF4aQycZL7oYY3nZ3Yyxus0rAxLcAz0LSJUW6A3ApKw7NwstHODulX7xvwp0xxe2CWhoONciYCKjrvYa7-E-HmRNMihx75uvdaRszLsRkEQ9SJKdIK18gZpINXYhyphenhyphenDQgIxG5E99DfYdM/w281-h400/Cube_Poster1a.jpg" width="281" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cube </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(2021) Yasuhiko Shimizu’s remake of Vincenzo
Natali’s mind-bending 1997 original about a group of strangers trapped in a
vast multiroom structure adds a couple of interesting wrinkles to the original
story, but otherwise doesn’t have anything new to say. Even the new booby traps
seem uninspired. The characters are underdeveloped, and the drama over who lives
and who dies seems more perfunctory than suspenseful. With no one to root for
and few surprises, what was once novel is now repetitive and tedious.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. Available
on Prime Video, Kanopy and Tubi</span><i><o:p> </o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-799447945651614192024-01-22T23:49:00.000-08:002024-01-23T17:25:18.612-08:00The Bold and Bizarre World of Cinematic Yokai<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHH2VneXW29tt0dSOIJUfUHrI8DOv08NekXN7wh5-tU8bUFmhAVDBXUt2DpyD1eLlYCZchEoSZBA-YId3TZ0uNNjnty3okF3-TIy65rn5O7REirJfUo0UTbwuSijgzicowb_3rJeoE3Ro6oJwKN3ifmPhHcu9taDSKNnRR66OONQUsRNQSKZG4zKMvmTZ/s574/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_Publicity1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Great Monster War - Assorted Yokai" border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="574" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHH2VneXW29tt0dSOIJUfUHrI8DOv08NekXN7wh5-tU8bUFmhAVDBXUt2DpyD1eLlYCZchEoSZBA-YId3TZ0uNNjnty3okF3-TIy65rn5O7REirJfUo0UTbwuSijgzicowb_3rJeoE3Ro6oJwKN3ifmPhHcu9taDSKNnRR66OONQUsRNQSKZG4zKMvmTZ/w400-h301/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_Publicity1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">I
love yokai! There, I said it. Ever since I was introduced to these fanciful and
frightening beings in all their cinematic glory, I can’t get enough of the
things that go bump in the night. But what exactly are yokai? These reclusive,
elusive creatures belong to a broad category of mythical spirits (or monsters)
that inhabit every corner of the Japanese countryside (and in some urban
areas). Part cryptid, part urban legend, yokai are an integral component of
Japanese folklore and pop culture. Chances are, if you’ve watched many Japanese
movies, anime, or manga, you’ve seen yokai (sometimes translated as spirits,
monsters, demons, or goblins) already in one form or another. But what are
they? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35LPjwxvrEQ9yYaCEzh8O_sti9cSoP3IxvWDqvbcYh9RzAe9xz0vnc46nOHNJr7h_GzGXt2npAp6Yq3uAoYYYLvmopNpWJGb98_D2JM0V0vtY-pe3_Vv2MqNEFOUpp-bVEMwmH4H2Vh6Rc7gIG2NY7WYOMPh5wD9tbvsx2t3jR2RsKK8i-3XPytmbRIRL/s853/Pom%20Poko_3a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Gashadokuro" border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="853" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35LPjwxvrEQ9yYaCEzh8O_sti9cSoP3IxvWDqvbcYh9RzAe9xz0vnc46nOHNJr7h_GzGXt2npAp6Yq3uAoYYYLvmopNpWJGb98_D2JM0V0vtY-pe3_Vv2MqNEFOUpp-bVEMwmH4H2Vh6Rc7gIG2NY7WYOMPh5wD9tbvsx2t3jR2RsKK8i-3XPytmbRIRL/w400-h216/Pom%20Poko_3a.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">There
are literally hundreds of yokai, as diverse as the habitats they represent. Their
temperament ranges from harmless to deadly. Many are tricksters who only want
to frighten people away, but encounters with some can result in a nasty end.
While the variety of yokai are far too numerous to cover here, I’ve chosen to
focus on a baker’s dozen of the more popular examples that you’re most likely
to encounter on your TV screen. What follows is a brief guide to yokai in the
movies and where you can view them. Happy hunting!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4gWqxCJTZECc_o7xbV-oExpSlGRW8hPKIUGLfx6TIPvu6UQdChsEyuwhz5xKzQRHKSYX4ltzV3QzqXlFWiTywiWkDiQ3IiNyZqY6MBugnqGrHUI5E2CNDm6aPGfSpP8YvTj0NgDh5Glwt6C54Tx9G4GC8sWEif4JPTDZ8wUee8zspw5pOybFKAMW67xQ/s800/Summer%20Days%20with%20Coo_1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Kappa" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4gWqxCJTZECc_o7xbV-oExpSlGRW8hPKIUGLfx6TIPvu6UQdChsEyuwhz5xKzQRHKSYX4ltzV3QzqXlFWiTywiWkDiQ3IiNyZqY6MBugnqGrHUI5E2CNDm6aPGfSpP8YvTj0NgDh5Glwt6C54Tx9G4GC8sWEif4JPTDZ8wUee8zspw5pOybFKAMW67xQ/w640-h360/Summer%20Days%20with%20Coo_1a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kappa
(Water Sprite)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">By
far one of the most widely known (and frequently depicted) yokai are kappa.
While there are several variations, the stereotypical kappa is humanoid in
appearance, but with a turtle’s beak and shell, as well as a ceramic plate on
top of its head that must remain wet to maintain its vitality. Kappa are characterized
by their fondness for sumo wrestling, eating cucumbers (Sushi fans might
recognize the “kappa roll,” which includes – you guessed it.), and excessive
flatulence. Although they’re generally depicted as benign, they have a mischievous
streak, with a tendency to drag people into the waterways where they live. Some
are also thought to attack the posterior of swimmers for a mythical organ within
the colon.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Where
can you see them?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">You
don’t have to look very hard to find kappa in Japanese fantasy films. They’re
featured prominently in </span><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-once-over-twice-big-monster-war-aka.html" target="_blank"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (aka: </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Great
Yokai War</i></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-once-over-twice-big-monster-war-aka.html" target="_blank">)</a> (1968) and Takashi Miike’s remake, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-great-yokai-war-aka-yokai-daisenso.html" target="_blank">The Great Yokai War</a></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
(2005). In </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2021/01/summer-days-with-coo-aka-kappa-no-ku-to.html" target="_blank">Summer Days with Coo</a></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (2007), they’re the star attraction. And
before </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Shape of Water</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (2017) introduced us to the possibility of
(ahem) human-monster relations, the surprisingly charming </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Underwater Love</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
(2011) featured the yokai in quite possibly the only Kappa-themed pinku musical.
And last but definitely least, an “ordinary” kappa grows to extraordinary
proportions in the middling Kaijū eiga-spoof, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Death Kappa</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (2010).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIaYuI5M2YgS-ZZAnn_8Y4JmAhQ-xUvUjafh55ZwPSlxBj5gYLBNeAugztbQe4y56-YYJ43iRS0VUovgAJv-XuX3q_thhpjkSJy1C9YccgX1C3JwLfncmiGY0Fugb0JZnU_F4kf9zr-ZQOCNv8kWUQ90r5rGA02VluAbvemXNhZPsP9YTzDN1v4w8Wv7U/s853/Onibaba_7a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Onibaba" border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="853" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIaYuI5M2YgS-ZZAnn_8Y4JmAhQ-xUvUjafh55ZwPSlxBj5gYLBNeAugztbQe4y56-YYJ43iRS0VUovgAJv-XuX3q_thhpjkSJy1C9YccgX1C3JwLfncmiGY0Fugb0JZnU_F4kf9zr-ZQOCNv8kWUQ90r5rGA02VluAbvemXNhZPsP9YTzDN1v4w8Wv7U/w640-h272/Onibaba_7a.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Onibaba
(Demon Hag)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is one yokai you don’t want to mess with. Appearing as an old woman, the Onibaba
feasts on the livers of unborn children and the flesh of wayward travelers.
Legend has it that she started out as a human being, but unfortunate circumstances
forced her into existence as a supernatural entity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Where
can you see them?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Look
no further than </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2016/01/onibaba.html" target="_blank">Onibaba</a></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (1964), which approaches the legendary yokai
from a more pragmatic perspective.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKAMXjq6yX2PTPW0CyLh3BaslF1Xy9DrX3HMqz5iaeYn3UHYEIa726gPSqI_vL0J5xlFKRjHZA2ND-CChiQFYT20JznrmKHDju4ZLBmCISVHtHSUqlVZJP8jKj0Zg3tBXTa6QqlqbnmopRdBke9hzPkVCKyvE0UMwFTjRHVnWGog4BTxRj-3vlhEuVVVw/s853/Pom%20Poko_2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nopperabo" border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="853" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKAMXjq6yX2PTPW0CyLh3BaslF1Xy9DrX3HMqz5iaeYn3UHYEIa726gPSqI_vL0J5xlFKRjHZA2ND-CChiQFYT20JznrmKHDju4ZLBmCISVHtHSUqlVZJP8jKj0Zg3tBXTa6QqlqbnmopRdBke9hzPkVCKyvE0UMwFTjRHVnWGog4BTxRj-3vlhEuVVVw/w640-h346/Pom%20Poko_2.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Nopperabo
(No-face)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Perhaps
the uncanniest yokai of them all are the <a name="_Hlk156845950">Nopperabo</a>,
proving that when it comes to frights, less is sometimes more. They look normal
enough until they turn around, revealing a face completely devoid of features (“Did
they look like this?”). They’re not inherently dangerous like the Onibaba, but delight
in creeping out unsuspecting humans who happen to cross their path.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Examples
of these faceless wonders can be found in <i>Along with Ghosts</i> (1969) and <i>Pom
Poko</i> (1994).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyvzUdxtr8wSBTGJfKHgKAGedseh81DZM6BsqAP7jt9BpTmWlzMgHVkCSP8E81a8b_jhmbVEBLNAOFBOrrPDuuLruwKTLRce-4yuYICW1eoeVeSUvAfTakS_AiqHfvK28uPf3y1isDjJZKSLN8YZA5i6QXMQ5Rmmlm8eIXQ8GKH9nVO_2eZkHATgKmILK/s853/Pom%20Poko_4a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kara-kasa" border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="853" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyvzUdxtr8wSBTGJfKHgKAGedseh81DZM6BsqAP7jt9BpTmWlzMgHVkCSP8E81a8b_jhmbVEBLNAOFBOrrPDuuLruwKTLRce-4yuYICW1eoeVeSUvAfTakS_AiqHfvK28uPf3y1isDjJZKSLN8YZA5i6QXMQ5Rmmlm8eIXQ8GKH9nVO_2eZkHATgKmILK/w640-h344/Pom%20Poko_4a.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kara-kasa
(Haunted Umbrella)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">My
personal favorite yokai isn’t dangerous or especially fearsome, but relies on
the element of surprise. A discarded oiled-paper umbrella takes on life of its
own, sporting one large eye, a single shapely leg where the handle should be,
and a solitary sandal. A natural-born trickster, the Kara-kasa likes to drop in
on people unexpectedly. If their appearance isn’t enough to send someone
running, they might provide additional enticement to vacate the premises with a
sloppy lick from their serpentine tongue.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">You’ll
find examples of the kara-kasa in <i>Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare</i> (1968)
and <i>100 Monsters</i> (1968). Also, watch for cameos in <i>Pom Poko</i> (1994)
and <i>Sakuya: Slayer of Demons</i> (2000).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4zDPz8hIAHc51MVFE7_X4B3TsjOF30Ta1GEh_PLNEJMgkw_BD5H7ZEYHhMipfWDvhkbvDn0JseX7kGAQNUiuj923PCe6QrtSlRxRF_A-eftYseneZQiG0yt8IJ2WwldS3A_u9JoX4NY7GbtRAnhPgHz814cQO8pPJp65v6-lnVOMP1Zhay5Lj6auWEF7/s837/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_4b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rokurokubi" border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="837" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4zDPz8hIAHc51MVFE7_X4B3TsjOF30Ta1GEh_PLNEJMgkw_BD5H7ZEYHhMipfWDvhkbvDn0JseX7kGAQNUiuj923PCe6QrtSlRxRF_A-eftYseneZQiG0yt8IJ2WwldS3A_u9JoX4NY7GbtRAnhPgHz814cQO8pPJp65v6-lnVOMP1Zhay5Lj6auWEF7/w640-h356/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_4b.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rokurokubi
(Long-necked Woman)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">At
first glance, the Rokurokubi appear to be a normal human being (much like the
nopperabo), but just when you’re lulled into a false sense of security, their
true nature appears. The rokurokubi (who are uniformly female) enjoy scaring
men out of their wits (and sometimes their life essence) with their absurdly
long, twisty necks.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Rokurokubi
are nearly as prevalent in films as kappa, appearing in <i>Yokai Monsters: Spook
Warfare</i> (1968), 100 Monsters, The Great Yokai War (2005), and (briefly) in Pom
Poko (1994). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEj2YMfF4KPp5JXKo8cqkO0ueWE9FxD9QA38Hz326UybQHH0qOrgr8yGC1ATubM7yxxUByS552LrPUnkueL-hU9rtc8MmRbc3fIreUnJcLKRvJvesNUXuuo7LW0hanxdQNNTUSAvDE0DRx6uYWDeCfUyzneP9vjvrcH3QLDQ2gh32O_vG1dsCHnMADMqy/s800/Kwaidan_4a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Yuki-Onna" border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="800" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEj2YMfF4KPp5JXKo8cqkO0ueWE9FxD9QA38Hz326UybQHH0qOrgr8yGC1ATubM7yxxUByS552LrPUnkueL-hU9rtc8MmRbc3fIreUnJcLKRvJvesNUXuuo7LW0hanxdQNNTUSAvDE0DRx6uYWDeCfUyzneP9vjvrcH3QLDQ2gh32O_vG1dsCHnMADMqy/w640-h276/Kwaidan_4a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yuki-Onna
(Snow Woman)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">One
of the more dangerous yokai, the Yuki-Onna resembles an attractive woman with an
extremely pale complexion. They roam the snowy countryside looking for victims.
Anyone unlucky enough to encounter them runs the risk of having his or her life
energy drained and freezing to death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">The
Yuki-Onna enjoyed her time in spotlight in a segment of <i><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2013/01/classics-revisited-kwaidan-aka-kaidan.html" target="_blank">Kwaidan</a></i> (1964), and
starred in her own film, <i>The Snow Woman</i> (1968). She also makes a guest appearance
in <i>The Great Yokai War</i> (2005). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGeVCSP2l6y93TuZd7pVgeUT7HWpxqiTDXjqvxhIMWKQI4l73-bxtLspIyJ2kT23oHNDNbcBHDK6zc9K0MSyPR0kB70n5Kqcm3kaXDInML9-lNW4P7YjOP43hbnMjNLqrbultz4-S2wH0oMN7RjCMywYoNWbLG2tum1NPA_MlSn4n7vQCeBgDjumb8qNM/s800/Carved%20-%20The%20Slit-Mouthed%20Woman_1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kuchisake-Onna" border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="800" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGeVCSP2l6y93TuZd7pVgeUT7HWpxqiTDXjqvxhIMWKQI4l73-bxtLspIyJ2kT23oHNDNbcBHDK6zc9K0MSyPR0kB70n5Kqcm3kaXDInML9-lNW4P7YjOP43hbnMjNLqrbultz4-S2wH0oMN7RjCMywYoNWbLG2tum1NPA_MlSn4n7vQCeBgDjumb8qNM/w640-h348/Carved%20-%20The%20Slit-Mouthed%20Woman_1a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kuchisake-Onna
(Slit-Mouthed Woman)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">One
of the more recent yokai, Kuchisake Onna is the stuff of urban legend (and
nightmares). Pray you never run into her. The lower portion of her face is concealed
by a surgical mask or other piece of cloth, which conceals the fact that her
mouth is slit from ear to ear in the hideous approximation of a smile. There’s
no correct answer to her challenge, “Am I pretty?” If you answer “yes,” she follows
you home, where a violent death awaits. If the answer is “no,” she reveals her visage,
slashing the victim’s face in a grotesque mimicry of her disfigurement.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Perhaps
not the best representation of the Kuchisake Onna, but <i>Carved:</i> <i>The
Slit-Mouthed Woman</i> (2007) has its unsettling moments.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWfhcsSrfI-Kq56793PFZttz2kdY5k5V4zgnUUbqM90N7n32NHiHdqdP8NPRoslnHS60bAdwSqkst98B0O3XJM4QogR5j__2auUiiF_CMxEs9PJhZGS3Y6W6UEhkDtjnz4uuj9fa3OSVu2GXtrf3NmaTjoE0qpm5DqX5i36pb6VXPWTeXsox-dME_uvOB/s853/Pom%20Poko_1a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tanuki" border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="853" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWfhcsSrfI-Kq56793PFZttz2kdY5k5V4zgnUUbqM90N7n32NHiHdqdP8NPRoslnHS60bAdwSqkst98B0O3XJM4QogR5j__2auUiiF_CMxEs9PJhZGS3Y6W6UEhkDtjnz4uuj9fa3OSVu2GXtrf3NmaTjoE0qpm5DqX5i36pb6VXPWTeXsox-dME_uvOB/w640-h346/Pom%20Poko_1a.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tanuki
(Raccoon Dog)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Unlike
the other yokai on this list, Tanuki have real-life counterparts, inhabiting
the Japanese countryside, albeit in dwindling numbers. Not really raccoons, but
a member of the canine family, folklore suggests these critters possess supernatural
properties. With their reputation as natural-born tricksters, Tanuki enjoy
deceiving humans with their shape-shifting abilities. They’re also known for
their enormous testicles (I didn’t make that up), as depicted by the ubiquitous
statuettes around their native country.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Look
no further than the bittersweet <i>Pom Poko</i> (1994), an entire movie devoted
to the wily, fun-loving creatures, who wage a losing war with humans
encroaching on their habitat. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiis6FfI3ygp7A9mk80TT0QfpayWKn7CUFnTWDb-BOh-D2LoVYXV6MqnI1bK_kyYy8zf-NmhVxwmSC6PlGq3CQanaQ6823zzhAEsdBBgW8ww60OUwg-fsvHEDw3QnRINbDKTxkyH9ZdQTbeQa59Tlt43_ddvXOm6hLRMAB-ZQpfp5eFRXQUShU9dHj9VZh9/s800/100%20Monsters_4a_crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nuppeppo" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiis6FfI3ygp7A9mk80TT0QfpayWKn7CUFnTWDb-BOh-D2LoVYXV6MqnI1bK_kyYy8zf-NmhVxwmSC6PlGq3CQanaQ6823zzhAEsdBBgW8ww60OUwg-fsvHEDw3QnRINbDKTxkyH9ZdQTbeQa59Tlt43_ddvXOm6hLRMAB-ZQpfp5eFRXQUShU9dHj9VZh9/w640-h426/100%20Monsters_4a_crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><a name="_Hlk156850186"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Nuppeppo</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">While
they’re not exactly the rock stars of the yokai world, Nuppeppo (which is also
Japanese slang for someone who wears too much makeup), you don’t have to look
too hard to find them in the cinematic world (the real world is another story).
These bipedal creatures are vaguely human in shape, but resemble a squat, featureless
blob with legs, with a tendency to wander around abandoned places and graveyards.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You
can find an example of the</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Nuppeppo in<i> Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare</i> (1968) and <i>100 Monsters</i> (1968).
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkzY8L10fWH3PIDa2pPwjwQSsNUj3L9SEE3jIy4n29nZ0kVQ2Xs33PdOX5z_4iY4KKQs5C6xm9hvRL48fbPfBNtep6ftqJrzjElmw5qXdnPlfhjhFPeEOxD_qLBjnoGuG5lb54h5IfSlHGm-f8OfLSpaF6l_EU1jknay1amfWT4Eu4h50mHtO7hrI_T8D/s836/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_5b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tengu" border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="836" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkzY8L10fWH3PIDa2pPwjwQSsNUj3L9SEE3jIy4n29nZ0kVQ2Xs33PdOX5z_4iY4KKQs5C6xm9hvRL48fbPfBNtep6ftqJrzjElmw5qXdnPlfhjhFPeEOxD_qLBjnoGuG5lb54h5IfSlHGm-f8OfLSpaF6l_EU1jknay1amfWT4Eu4h50mHtO7hrI_T8D/w640-h356/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_5b.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tengu
(Mountain Goblin)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tengu
are supernatural mountain spirits that resemble men with wings and long noses. As
with many yokai, there are many variations. They’re ambiguous in nature, however,
as portrayed in film, they’re generally benevolent and monk-like.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">One
appears in<i> The Great Monster War</i> (2005), although with a blue complexion
(rather than red). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtDvBveZDe_Ti4b0xtBUO6StYADnOr63Di5cQv5ZhAMVuC6kEEFVt3byw6npFu_N2n8ldiUOezNYQkSyDs9GyMTeiv4dXI7KFF-xstdkrV_SkD3VqR_i7bzypMxa-nwIJAcg5enHrVhswSkwRgfgu1_Su5AE5CwjosizveMvmj0f0pYF1TvZqMrZaPsnZ/s800/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_2b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wanyudo" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtDvBveZDe_Ti4b0xtBUO6StYADnOr63Di5cQv5ZhAMVuC6kEEFVt3byw6npFu_N2n8ldiUOezNYQkSyDs9GyMTeiv4dXI7KFF-xstdkrV_SkD3VqR_i7bzypMxa-nwIJAcg5enHrVhswSkwRgfgu1_Su5AE5CwjosizveMvmj0f0pYF1TvZqMrZaPsnZ/w640-h346/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_2b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wanyudo
(Wheel Priest)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Wanyudo makes it presence known in spectacular fashion: as a fiery spinning
wagon wheel with the face of a priest in the middle. This yokai has a vengeful
streak, ready to run over whomever is foolish enough to get in their way. The
Wanyudo dines on the souls of its unfortunate victims, subsequently dragging
their bodies to hell. Villagers protect themselves against the Wanyudo by
adorning their doors with a talisman.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">You
can catch a glimpse of the Wanyudo in<i> The Great Yokai War</i> (2005), and
briefly in <i>Pom Poko</i> (1994).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYin69oXvlx-MH-rHmJnTEomR3JuS-NMQ0v5PC6-LWH8sgWxR_FnmMyzTbL46E5LlKRgU7qscHBwToPMMCAoooBKt5UMBH_Z4bDUQZwoTJ1FtBzDvMatqly9aIevz7CWyISTw_kbthjfjXRYFsxrrebBKbbGMBsyY6dt8ALr-Tnj7tAQ-sfUKF7uCLEb3/s1920/100%20Monsters_3a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Abura Sumashi" border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1920" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYin69oXvlx-MH-rHmJnTEomR3JuS-NMQ0v5PC6-LWH8sgWxR_FnmMyzTbL46E5LlKRgU7qscHBwToPMMCAoooBKt5UMBH_Z4bDUQZwoTJ1FtBzDvMatqly9aIevz7CWyISTw_kbthjfjXRYFsxrrebBKbbGMBsyY6dt8ALr-Tnj7tAQ-sfUKF7uCLEb3/w640-h272/100%20Monsters_3a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Abura
Sumashi (Oil Presser)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
unassuming yokai is short, with a huge, boulder-like head, and dressed in a
straw raincoat. Not much is known about the Abura Sumashi, however, their
distinctive appearance is attributed to a curse for stealing oil when they were
still in human form.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">An
Abura Sumashi appears as the nominal leader of the yokai in <i>Yokai Monsters:
Spook Warfare</i> (1968) and <i>The Great Yokai War</i> (2005).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CVP1BTm4QWBMkkMRTBO34fieKloxipJ53zoAoAizFjTH4dEsZmsjUVRHsisjjCR0hQSN8mPJbqY9mgFtTvssBiUhpHnJKiqKZnbtuLZ9vCcQV7duypA-IYwg1UgdMNnRDT9M4nR9vBNMoLHZZQukqwx7VUz-nJ_5qpzOk1ULDxQBM3_A3SzNICGCOoKW/s800/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_3c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Mokumokuren" border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CVP1BTm4QWBMkkMRTBO34fieKloxipJ53zoAoAizFjTH4dEsZmsjUVRHsisjjCR0hQSN8mPJbqY9mgFtTvssBiUhpHnJKiqKZnbtuLZ9vCcQV7duypA-IYwg1UgdMNnRDT9M4nR9vBNMoLHZZQukqwx7VUz-nJ_5qpzOk1ULDxQBM3_A3SzNICGCOoKW/w640-h346/The%20Great%20Yokai%20War_3c.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mokumokuren
(Haunted Shoji Screen)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">While
they’re among the least threatening of yokai, Mokumokuren’s harmless nature
doesn’t diminish their ability to creep you out. Like some of their yokai brethren,
Mokumokuren are a prime example of taking something inanimate and innocuous and
turning it into something vaguely sinister. A prevalent aspect of traditional
Japanese architecture is the sliding paper (shoji) screen. Now imagine said
screen adorned with multiple pairs of eyes, and you’ve got a Mokumoku-ren. If
you ever felt you were being watched when you were alone, this could be the culprit.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where
can you see them?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You
can spot the offending décor in<i> The Great Yokai War</i> (2005)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Sources
for this article: <i>Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide</i>, by
Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt; <i>Strange Japanese Yokai</i>, by Kenji Murakami; <i>The
Book of Yokai</i>, by Michael Dylan Foster; <i>The Night Parade of One Hundred
Demons</i>, by Matthew Meyer; <i>Japandemonium Illustrated, The Yokai
Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-87647985964466874182024-01-07T17:49:00.000-08:002024-01-07T17:49:04.950-08:00Jigoku<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFZJW4-oLjESyn0rg5UKavQtjHClnK2zpcSLN6FjmQnSciMVVPmm4iD9EmIYI5Z4oXWWYZkGXjvHX0z0fRrH8BP6FbBbh0faNxwVmkrVWWfWxs55xSebTgnZdUDg8Q9K_o2d0zm9Icab4v40vHTDjayQPOqpwWa7WCjQZiRyvuv4N1hogdTzr3rhgjqWQ/s429/Jigoku_Poster1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jigoku Poster" border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="306" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFZJW4-oLjESyn0rg5UKavQtjHClnK2zpcSLN6FjmQnSciMVVPmm4iD9EmIYI5Z4oXWWYZkGXjvHX0z0fRrH8BP6FbBbh0faNxwVmkrVWWfWxs55xSebTgnZdUDg8Q9K_o2d0zm9Icab4v40vHTDjayQPOqpwWa7WCjQZiRyvuv4N1hogdTzr3rhgjqWQ/w285-h400/Jigoku_Poster1.JPG" width="285" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">(1960) Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa; Written by Nobuo Nakagawa
and <a name="_Hlk154846331">Ichirô Miyagawa</a>; Starring: Shigeru Amachi, Utako
Mitsuya, Yôichi Numata, Hiroshi Hayashi, Jun Ôtomo, Akiko Yamashita, Kiyoko
Tsuji, Fumiko Miyata and Akira Nakamura; Available on DVD </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">****</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPU1z0Zcp3u9vn48M0OeJtHJDRfPWVVwGLAZSs57Y5p1q-_RWJkXJaJvJv_ZBnIYFCNnkutjvSkylwGlUPbneJ_y7nOomwFUmgkyDXkAxneE9dtUA1LNiUi00zf78JeKz-yJUqyEyry8gCkKltpqDa8n-PKAIls2FPeSGhDkhIto8vF7Todubq5wj_sH_m/s853/Jigoku_6b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The King of Hell" border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="853" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPU1z0Zcp3u9vn48M0OeJtHJDRfPWVVwGLAZSs57Y5p1q-_RWJkXJaJvJv_ZBnIYFCNnkutjvSkylwGlUPbneJ_y7nOomwFUmgkyDXkAxneE9dtUA1LNiUi00zf78JeKz-yJUqyEyry8gCkKltpqDa8n-PKAIls2FPeSGhDkhIto8vF7Todubq5wj_sH_m/w640-h276/Jigoku_6b.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“The Greek philosopher Carneades posed this question: There’s
a plank, and two people are drowning. If one of them hangs on to the plank, the
other will die. In such a situation, if the one with the plank gets rid of the
one without, is that person guilty? That’s more or less the idea of ‘an act of
necessity.’ Mr. Nakagawa (the film’s director) said it may not be guilt in a
legal sense, but it is guilt.” – Ichirô Miyagawa (screenwriter) </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Cinema transports us to places we’ve never been, and sometimes
where we’d never want to be. With <i>Jigoku</i> (the Japanese word for “hell.”),
director/co-writer Nobuo Nakagawa takes us on a journey where few other films dare
to tread. Nakagawa doesn’t merely suggest hell, or give us a brief glimpse of
the horrors awaiting; a substantial portion of the film is devoted to taking
the viewer into a Buddhist version of hell and its numerous torments.* While
the major studios, such as Toho, probably wouldn’t touch this subject matter
with a three-meter pole, Shintoho and producer Mitsugu Ôkura proved to be up to
the task. Sort of the equivalent of the “Poverty Row” film companies of the ‘30s
and ‘40s in the U.S., Shintoho was known for churning out films with more lurid
content (often dealing with sex, crime, horror and pulpy science fiction). Sadly,
Jigoku (aka: <i>The Sinners of Hell</i>) proved to be the short-lived studio’s
swan song, but what a way to make an impact. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #1: Referring to producer <a name="_Hlk155455052">Mitsugu
Ôkura</a>, screenwriter Ichirô Miyagawa commented: “…Mr. Ôkura called in Mr. Nakagawa,
asking if he had any good projects in mind. Nakagawa said he’d like to shoot a
film about bad people who should go to hell. Mr. Okura said, ‘All right. Make a
film called <i>Heaven and Hell</i>.’ When we completed the script, Okura scolded
us, saying heaven was nowhere to be seen. I dodged the issue by saying I would
write about heaven in the sequel.” For the record, the sequel was never made. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Fun Fact #2: The film’s powerful imagery, depicting some
of the many punishments awaiting sinners within the eight greater hells <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was based, in part, on the 12<sup>th</sup> Century
painting, <a href="https://emuseum.nich.go.jp/detail?langId=en&webView=&content_base_id=100155&content_part_id=0&content_pict_id=0" target="_blank">Jigoku-zôshi</a> (the “Hell Scroll”) and the 10<sup>th</sup> Century text, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvsrh5z" target="_blank">Ōjōyōshū</a> by Buddhist monk Genshin.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0fZNLsgOrW-LNJ9HCmEIJ2JgMgQshsv54wyT8JRNb50HMYw-3MUekYuL3IQeiVjItHfMEYYW06K1ahpwD77qE0vsjfExr4WjcxRnO2sUd_gpM39B2Zie2qHPHTmRw6mFC6iSvnQmwmCAS9Zdt-UVeaLdvzbC3xlz7J1RMkMjLQQ6uYbi2OC8Xxvqv2VH/s853/Jigoku_1a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tamura and Shirô" border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="853" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0fZNLsgOrW-LNJ9HCmEIJ2JgMgQshsv54wyT8JRNb50HMYw-3MUekYuL3IQeiVjItHfMEYYW06K1ahpwD77qE0vsjfExr4WjcxRnO2sUd_gpM39B2Zie2qHPHTmRw6mFC6iSvnQmwmCAS9Zdt-UVeaLdvzbC3xlz7J1RMkMjLQQ6uYbi2OC8Xxvqv2VH/w640-h280/Jigoku_1a.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Shirô Shimizu (Shigeru Amachi) is a young graduate student, engaged
to the daughter of one of his professors (Akira Nakamura). In the opening scene,
he attends a lecture by said professor, discussing the Buddhist concept of
hell, setting the stage for the rest of the film. One night, after riding home
from his fiancée Yukiko’s (Utako Mitsuya) house he asks his friend Tamura (Yôichi
Numata) to take a detour. Tamura hits a drunken yakuza (Hiroshi Izumida) who
wandered into the road, but instead of stopping to help, drives away. The
yakuza’s grief-stricken mother and girlfriend (Kiyoko Tsuji and Akiko Ono) vow
revenge. Soon afterward, another tragedy befalls Shirô after he insists that
his fiancée take a ride home in a taxi, only to witness her death in a traffic
accident. But Shirô’s troubles are only beginning when he’s plagued by a
cascade of calamities upon his return to his home town – all while being hounded
by the enigmatic Tamura.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-gGjv88haBhJS2MzjYlVBIIBx2dBFPB6JMxOi8FRuVNjE0ZIqn42tlqK3M3viWDknDXyvdhzqoMQegXueCide4XPcvN8jZTx7PTHkXhyJhpOGHIx9qCB069MpLyGl_395pC4etnT7TVkcta73aut3vcqwA0ZhrUzLPinjVTAPnESrPl-GlBvlfkViFTH/s853/Jigoku_7b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tormented by Tamura" border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="853" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-gGjv88haBhJS2MzjYlVBIIBx2dBFPB6JMxOi8FRuVNjE0ZIqn42tlqK3M3viWDknDXyvdhzqoMQegXueCide4XPcvN8jZTx7PTHkXhyJhpOGHIx9qCB069MpLyGl_395pC4etnT7TVkcta73aut3vcqwA0ZhrUzLPinjVTAPnESrPl-GlBvlfkViFTH/w640-h276/Jigoku_7b.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;">Virtually no one’s hands are clean in the punitive world of <i>Jigoku</i>.
The movie’s Faustian figure, Tamura, appears again and again, not only to
remind Shirô of his sins, but the trespasses of the other people in his life.
Tamura, himself, is a contradiction – at once, a malevolent presence, as well
as <a name="_Hlk155532921">Shirô’s</a> suppressed conscience. Whether Tamura
exists as a distinct individual or only as a figment of <a name="_Hlk155533981">Shirô</a>’s
conflicted mind, is never made clear. His purpose is to draw out everyone’s
dark deeds into the light. Rather than a model of virtue, Yukiko’s father is
reminded of his failings on the battlefield, when he deprived a fellow soldier
of their last sip of water from a canteen. Like an angel of death, Tamura pops
up in Shirô’s home town to witness his father’s neglectful treatment of retirement
home residents, feeding them tainted fish and sake. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRyCrUwTuMir9eggIG99H1QGRh5KOte65WlccgIBR1UpokxASqRVej5jpsuQqejIKlWF7lyacPm1_I8F5J1K4Lnm5nBce9ytbz1IPeoTUJUKkhQdSkTSxvWW0pFquv-Ye2yfIKXZOZ2mtlM4ESDpHqNQ14WxRs7Uq6R1ZdC1uYxlCXnWBRpQiZdLnTWHV/s853/Jigoku_3a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="One of the Damned" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="853" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRyCrUwTuMir9eggIG99H1QGRh5KOte65WlccgIBR1UpokxASqRVej5jpsuQqejIKlWF7lyacPm1_I8F5J1K4Lnm5nBce9ytbz1IPeoTUJUKkhQdSkTSxvWW0pFquv-Ye2yfIKXZOZ2mtlM4ESDpHqNQ14WxRs7Uq6R1ZdC1uYxlCXnWBRpQiZdLnTWHV/w640-h270/Jigoku_3a.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Jigoku</i> was groundbreaking in its explicit depiction
of Buddhist hell’s myriad torments, based on karmic retribution. The damned are
doomed to a perpetual hell of their own making, where punishment is doled out,
based on their respective crimes in life. The final third of the film is
devoted to a cornucopia of agonies in a nightmare landscape: people wade
through a lake of filth, eyes are gouged out, bodies are flayed, and the damned
are buried up to their necks (or inverted with only their feet sticking out).*
It’s a disconcerting experience, bathed in red and green light, and redolent of
symbolism throughout. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #3: According to actor Yôichi Numata, the studio
was so cash-strapped that the cast had to dig their own holes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZPEVKHe_B9ZaD8mjLXq9nO_3vlXN-Vo8epHgMWKovjF6eJ5VZla9XWfn6bSmplnPFw8FSwwnbmcOkLvd3Bl6p1sNOFCE9sRUJeWKAtgqkRbKOKCzNtoMLppBZpu-HHGc9JWKIdxhE7d5mkhZfPtwlLYs0yW_NPvXAXJQv7o8csUzK3IoS1m3PrvGwvg5/s853/Jigoku_4a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Fiery Fate" border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="853" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZPEVKHe_B9ZaD8mjLXq9nO_3vlXN-Vo8epHgMWKovjF6eJ5VZla9XWfn6bSmplnPFw8FSwwnbmcOkLvd3Bl6p1sNOFCE9sRUJeWKAtgqkRbKOKCzNtoMLppBZpu-HHGc9JWKIdxhE7d5mkhZfPtwlLYs0yW_NPvXAXJQv7o8csUzK3IoS1m3PrvGwvg5/w640-h276/Jigoku_4a.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><i>Jigoku</i> was a box office disappointment, partially on
account of mixed reviews and never receiving the distribution it deserved (the film
company Shintoho ran out of money by that point), but it’s hard to imagine this
surreal excursion into the underworld connecting with mainstream audiences. Although
it likely baffled or disgusted those who managed to see it, the movie
eventually became a cult classic in its native Japan, and has become a fertile
ground for other filmmakers, following in Nakagawa’s footsteps (witness José
Mojica Marins’ 1967 movie, <i>This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse</i>, with its
color hell-sequence). Its core message is simple: even if you can escape prosecution
by the authorities or the scrutiny of your peers, you can’t flee your tormented
conscience. Your mind becomes your own portable version of hell. <i>Jigoku</i>
isn’t the easiest film to watch, nor the most narratively cohesive, but what it
lacks in coherence, it makes up with an abundance of unforgettable imagery
which will remain tattooed on your visual cortex. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Sources for this article: “Building the Inferno,” 2006
making-of documentary for the Criterion DVD, <i>Asian Horror</i>, by Andy
Richards; <a href="https://japanesevisualculture.ace.fordham.edu/exhibits/show/buddhist-hell-paintings/introduction" target="_blank">Japanese Visual Cultures:The Buddhist Hells</a>;
<a href="ttps://emuseum.nich.go.jp/detail?langId=en&webView=&content_base_id=100155&content_part_id=0&content_pict_id=0" target="_blank">eMuseum – Tokyo National Museum</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-58499955617271965242023-12-26T19:56:00.000-08:002023-12-26T19:56:16.836-08:00December Quick Picks and Pans<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAlnRk5ifxjqkJo6sH0VxiCo64Zq7cbGzaspgbEoNtp_DwlNJ60BneNjvwubNSone1XG-LRkMKCq9999CtREEWAa0k5vudwE57GsMvj47dKSoDztH2TnN2vpRv3Olv67suCk2rL0qnE8HQjWPXn3OffcFNQjn48R4sjSLtrBkctu_3Ut4BKRDml6HCBXF/s1010/Next%20of%20Kin_Poster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Next of Kin" border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="667" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAlnRk5ifxjqkJo6sH0VxiCo64Zq7cbGzaspgbEoNtp_DwlNJ60BneNjvwubNSone1XG-LRkMKCq9999CtREEWAa0k5vudwE57GsMvj47dKSoDztH2TnN2vpRv3Olv67suCk2rL0qnE8HQjWPXn3OffcFNQjn48R4sjSLtrBkctu_3Ut4BKRDml6HCBXF/w264-h400/Next%20of%20Kin_Poster1.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i>Next of Kin </i>(1982) Director/co-writer Tony Williams’
engrossing Australian gothic tale is full of surprises. Linda (Jacki Kerin)
inherits her aunt’s retirement home (replete with the residents), an old gothic
mansion (filmed at Overnewton Castle in Keilor, Victoria). She rekindles her
romance with Barney (John Jarratt), an old flame, but soon discovers that all isn’t
what it seems within the dusty recesses of the house. As the residents start
mysteriously dying off, she begins to suspect that someone is gaslighting her –
but for what purpose? This slow-burn thriller features excellent cinematography,
strong performances by the cast, and a literally (and figuratively) explosive
finale. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">***</span>½. Available on Blu-ray and Tubi<i><o:p> </o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4fUIBsgcU4dHlsuOqTx0HM1nMjGNsmC3ZThN8A2XgC8PeNiejXqI97r5MLu6IKO5tA_SEeoDrd5ZNWKyEIyXHsAPiktTdIkJRTVay8FUL_HwaJX9pxWBN5LHK2vuZ_7FTr0d8yKG3FCFXpVZ5kx9Eabqu-KWPwUtTAsorZ4r1NbccBJw7BLxxDh7Xa12/s1000/The%20Shadow%20of%20the%20Cat_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Shadow of the Cat" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="654" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4fUIBsgcU4dHlsuOqTx0HM1nMjGNsmC3ZThN8A2XgC8PeNiejXqI97r5MLu6IKO5tA_SEeoDrd5ZNWKyEIyXHsAPiktTdIkJRTVay8FUL_HwaJX9pxWBN5LHK2vuZ_7FTr0d8yKG3FCFXpVZ5kx9Eabqu-KWPwUtTAsorZ4r1NbccBJw7BLxxDh7Xa12/w261-h400/The%20Shadow%20of%20the%20Cat_Poster1a.jpg" width="261" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i>The Shadow of the Cat </i>(1961) This John
Gilling-directed film fits in nicely with the black-and-white Hammer thrillers
of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. With the help of his loyal servants, scheming
husband Walter Venable (André Morell) perpetrates the death of his wealthy,
elderly wife to secure her estate. The only witness to the murder is her
beloved cat, who continually evades the tormented co-conspirators. When his
niece Beth (Barbara Shelley) comes to stay with them, she quickly suspects
something is terribly wrong, starting with their irrational fear of the cat.
While <i>The Shadow of the Cat</i> might not be the best-remembered Hammer
thriller of its era, it has enough atmosphere and twists to merit a watch (or
two). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFdHgjPVMCDqrxc-rStB2gha8K3pkJ34icLttgG955XjqFYamoZ0TksJMqWn8gh_Gyle7a7OGnFK22Dl8cbenwdfHd-YBkX_aFA4E4CAOo-nRIKcJJVjLVWQ3BBCwwKa12y2LSyiHQjNWiTb1olJQ0pHcuRw-Zr1tsxarly0_0d2WGnvRoJLNxwjSSRXS/s2678/Looker_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Looker" border="0" data-original-height="2678" data-original-width="1773" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFdHgjPVMCDqrxc-rStB2gha8K3pkJ34icLttgG955XjqFYamoZ0TksJMqWn8gh_Gyle7a7OGnFK22Dl8cbenwdfHd-YBkX_aFA4E4CAOo-nRIKcJJVjLVWQ3BBCwwKa12y2LSyiHQjNWiTb1olJQ0pHcuRw-Zr1tsxarly0_0d2WGnvRoJLNxwjSSRXS/w265-h400/Looker_Poster1a.jpg" width="265" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i>Looker</i> (1981) Albert Finney stars as Dr. Larry
Roberts, a Los Angeles-based plastic surgeon who fixes imperfections (perceived
and otherwise) in fashion models, bestowing them with more desirable attributes.
After the sudden deaths of some of his clients are chalked off to suicide, he attempts
to prevent the same thing from happening to another model, Cindy Fairmont
(Susan Dey). He stumbles upon a sinister plot, with signs pointing to
unscrupulous Digital Matrix CEO John Reston (James Coburn). Writer/director
Michael Chrichton’s tech-thriller is surprisingly prescient, with its concept
of using virtual, computer-generated personalities to replace flesh-and-blood
actors. The execution is sloppy, with plot holes galore, but the
ahead-of-its-time premise makes this well worth a look. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>. Available on Blu-ray and DVD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OnLCAuY3EPcyzbuT5OsuwP8EWoHHDQQkVSaokLGAB7e_hzIyTkVdZIQaF6Fgf9Sg7fbkaWMXF2HdFXK_y_wWg2qfyBuOSYJ_Q3iUz3GOsvdZv7O1_nR0x6cGbtqqYORHeAXRMgZMqtZrEcCsXy69LK7dajLZ-9eEyaUd_EGgiraE98hXKIGaZdTMw1Oz/s396/Idaho%20Transfer_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Idaho Transfer" border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="297" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OnLCAuY3EPcyzbuT5OsuwP8EWoHHDQQkVSaokLGAB7e_hzIyTkVdZIQaF6Fgf9Sg7fbkaWMXF2HdFXK_y_wWg2qfyBuOSYJ_Q3iUz3GOsvdZv7O1_nR0x6cGbtqqYORHeAXRMgZMqtZrEcCsXy69LK7dajLZ-9eEyaUd_EGgiraE98hXKIGaZdTMw1Oz/w300-h400/Idaho%20Transfer_Poster1a.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i>Idaho Transfer</i> (1973) Peter Fonda directed this
bleak, low-key science fiction film, which raises more questions than it
answers. As part of a top-secret experiment (hidden from the scrutiny of the
feds), a small group of young people travel 50+ years into the future. Due to
an environmental cataclysm, most of the Earth’s population has been wiped out,
so their mission is to repopulate the planet. Unfortunately for the intrepid bunch,
things don’t go quite as planned. The movie suffers from lackluster
performances by the young (mostly unknown) leads, and pacing borders on tedious.
It’s almost redeemed, however, by its unique, lo-fi approach to time travel (travel
by anyone over age 28 results in fatal kidney damage), and an ending that will make
you wonder what you just watched. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>. Available on DVD and Tubi<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgfCNGGRXeyKSpxB35vYQwloh9wb9Bhzu4hf9mof3QtvVvybOOQq1zM-K1v8NXOQsu8CCuMNKFP614ayhr86aleeA0Vu9PrvpA0NsKnDCWTlJw2NzAPW9S3t_5AKR25O_xIxk6hgd3Z6meHrkyZrpxtDewt4n9s2ergcX7DPCffAr6ZrGc6EAFgMasdb2/s609/The%20Man%20with%20Two%20Heads_Poster1a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="409" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgfCNGGRXeyKSpxB35vYQwloh9wb9Bhzu4hf9mof3QtvVvybOOQq1zM-K1v8NXOQsu8CCuMNKFP614ayhr86aleeA0Vu9PrvpA0NsKnDCWTlJw2NzAPW9S3t_5AKR25O_xIxk6hgd3Z6meHrkyZrpxtDewt4n9s2ergcX7DPCffAr6ZrGc6EAFgMasdb2/w269-h400/The%20Man%20with%20Two%20Heads_Poster1a.jpeg" width="269" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><i>The Man with Two Heads </i>(1972)
Writer/director/cinematographer Andy Milligan strikes again; this time, with his
take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s enduring story, <i>Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i>.
Denis DeMarne stars as Dr. William Jekyll (inexplicably changed from Henry
Jekyll in the original story) devises a serum to isolate the evil that dwells
within all men, using himself as guinea pig. An eager assistant mucks up his
formula, causing him to undergo a radical transformation, and bringing out suppressed
violent urges. While Milligan’s film looks about as professional as your
grandparents’ home movies, <i>The Man with Two Heads</i> manages to be more
entertaining than Amicus’ more polished, albeit tepid, version, <i>I, Monster</i>,
thanks to the main character’s vacillating moods and sadistic tendencies.
Considering Milligan’s capricious nature, I suspect there were some autobiographical
elements that came into play. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span>½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Tubi and
Midnight Pulp<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-19018285718918052062023-12-04T19:39:00.000-08:002023-12-09T15:36:48.816-08:00The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV – Final Recap<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUAizIo4jsKjDeztriwTfbItVp3xpqbJX5wYOb0uQIPCcFT4UfIH49mSOrTdsNojMqzlwXUHFA66xRlV7Azk-Xuoc6LXUVVSMA_sCztxFPYzGcQV02d2QEcbKDib4aHC2jY74bnmeXZNmlK08IAQivWWsOHd6i0thKKNSVuf7lF5Ajhvvd0SN61s16J2w/s656/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Captain%20Kronos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon Banner" border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="656" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUAizIo4jsKjDeztriwTfbItVp3xpqbJX5wYOb0uQIPCcFT4UfIH49mSOrTdsNojMqzlwXUHFA66xRlV7Azk-Xuoc6LXUVVSMA_sCztxFPYzGcQV02d2QEcbKDib4aHC2jY74bnmeXZNmlK08IAQivWWsOHd6i0thKKNSVuf7lF5Ajhvvd0SN61s16J2w/w400-h270/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Captain%20Kronos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">All good things must come to an end, and so concludes the
fourth edition of the Hammer-Amicus Blogathon, hosted by Yours Truly and Gill
from Realweegiemidget Reviews. I can’t thank Gill enough for being such a wonderful
co-host, and look forward to our future collaborations. And thanks to you, dear
bloggers (and readers), for helping to make this something truly special. With 28
confirmed bloggers contributing (As of December 4<sup>th</sup>), this has been one
of our biggest blogathons yet! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbt9hoWHnwGAaASGDPiTNER00CQf0libNxyuq14rKlxWZMcLXz55tyxdyJ6WwRRnJ5Vs1yftJ_xJQezLSEQuH8A1RAlKzBqrR7h_g0iwK86vuusYlQMc2FwwLSxiVEeoTGZjJtaOe68PlTpuAiRsYlzfiGtM8i9hW16bnE2qzNczIVIB0uQfZymkb9a66i/s794/The%20Gorgon_2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Gorgon" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="794" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbt9hoWHnwGAaASGDPiTNER00CQf0libNxyuq14rKlxWZMcLXz55tyxdyJ6WwRRnJ5Vs1yftJ_xJQezLSEQuH8A1RAlKzBqrR7h_g0iwK86vuusYlQMc2FwwLSxiVEeoTGZjJtaOe68PlTpuAiRsYlzfiGtM8i9hW16bnE2qzNczIVIB0uQfZymkb9a66i/w400-h241/The%20Gorgon_2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">As always, we were impressed with the variety of fascinating
posts about the movies and people that made these two beloved production
companies so exceptional. If we get any additional late submissions this week I’ll
add ‘em to the list below.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEDdpBCvSdSLhIqte1mZTuwLCVT8i7yufzJr6prz5l8IhKb4vYaPmcJ5HUfv4AM1ym0uB_8c1IVZwPXo5uD_H3LGbh4tUsDeFGiMqVEQWAXdQo_lFgEGFb_rFar0DUK1VIuv_aEji3h4nUTrCR9G4Cd7EfHX39R9Oz28Bs4yzBXqmo9hOy4NZ7sOIaFGT/s1920/The%20Skull_Trailer2a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Skull" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEDdpBCvSdSLhIqte1mZTuwLCVT8i7yufzJr6prz5l8IhKb4vYaPmcJ5HUfv4AM1ym0uB_8c1IVZwPXo5uD_H3LGbh4tUsDeFGiMqVEQWAXdQo_lFgEGFb_rFar0DUK1VIuv_aEji3h4nUTrCR9G4Cd7EfHX39R9Oz28Bs4yzBXqmo9hOy4NZ7sOIaFGT/w400-h225/The%20Skull_Trailer2a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">As Gill mentioned on her blog, Hammer-Amicus will take a
break next year, but we look forward to its return in 2025. Meanwhile, since
2024 is just around the corner, we’d like to remind you that we have two brand-new
blogathons looming on the horizon, and we’re itching to tell you about them. …
Except you’ll have to wait just a bit longer. Until then, please enjoy the sensational
posts below, and stay tuned for more blogging fun in the New Year!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIzOzBQ8XUv7A96WUiKy_FKEZVM7sTEshfZhVUJHMH3lPI-qnPYR-cSHYprdSxULOCDcxRofhSUYrNWVwOxzHqGI8RM9jwyfZcZui2kXae0T6vVtx6c82qA6MRqyBYP3VLRykdl6KKptQOkIKzz1DLRatbambJifh-GiJMtoF1tGPiVlAj2boveNuDYBh/s852/Sword%20of%20Sherwood%20Forest_2a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Sword of Sherwood Forest" border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="852" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIzOzBQ8XUv7A96WUiKy_FKEZVM7sTEshfZhVUJHMH3lPI-qnPYR-cSHYprdSxULOCDcxRofhSUYrNWVwOxzHqGI8RM9jwyfZcZui2kXae0T6vVtx6c82qA6MRqyBYP3VLRykdl6KKptQOkIKzz1DLRatbambJifh-GiJMtoF1tGPiVlAj2boveNuDYBh/w400-h173/Sword%20of%20Sherwood%20Forest_2a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">In addition to today’s links, don’t miss the previous days’ submissions:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-hammer-amicus-blogathon-iv-is-here.html" target="_blank">Day 1</a> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-hammer-amicus-blogathon-iv-day-2.html" target="_blank">Day 2</a> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">and <a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-hammer-amicus-blogathon-iv-day-3.html" target="_blank">Day 3</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bu8OjvH2cBq8-2vmpsFGiaGaoprad_K-iO-GLK_YNlxsgJ2QEyWh7rK3B9hb49-CklsFc4pjfQe9oGk6dS7NcSIujbqxt4mhoRA9ANlyCbaQv9CnwhGCfgY2GX-bN3GWFGnt_Iv94AZZ5pAePOIlcuOXtELnzf7JjUbEQAqdmzKoS0wGoYyl7pd6ZkhI/s620/World%20of%20Hammer%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="Hammer Film Production" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="620" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bu8OjvH2cBq8-2vmpsFGiaGaoprad_K-iO-GLK_YNlxsgJ2QEyWh7rK3B9hb49-CklsFc4pjfQe9oGk6dS7NcSIujbqxt4mhoRA9ANlyCbaQv9CnwhGCfgY2GX-bN3GWFGnt_Iv94AZZ5pAePOIlcuOXtELnzf7JjUbEQAqdmzKoS0wGoYyl7pd6ZkhI/w640-h496/World%20of%20Hammer%20(3).JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBM7nwdKCQVcDwkKePUK1ALdMIxI4MWDWdAkysZQ1EFq2ReOIMioTryyJuyQjOvdvoOhQGvJCkjl1k5EJrn39vyh1tzkftJxKVfAqkY8HOS-oSngiyPJv-inGi62n9sIwuQdYIaQ5zgprGU9MmeP3xCJoTbTVVXBDU3JcgZ_sD0RE6u42iOr0dr5rBlJUj/s297/The%20Curse%20of%20Frankenstein_Poster2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="The Curse of Frankenstein" border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="297" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBM7nwdKCQVcDwkKePUK1ALdMIxI4MWDWdAkysZQ1EFq2ReOIMioTryyJuyQjOvdvoOhQGvJCkjl1k5EJrn39vyh1tzkftJxKVfAqkY8HOS-oSngiyPJv-inGi62n9sIwuQdYIaQ5zgprGU9MmeP3xCJoTbTVVXBDU3JcgZ_sD0RE6u42iOr0dr5rBlJUj/w400-h308/The%20Curse%20of%20Frankenstein_Poster2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Sally Silverscreen from 18 Cinema Lane cautions us to beware the <i><a href="https://18cinemalane.com/2023/12/03/take-3-the-curse-of-frankenstein-review/" target="_blank">Curse of Frankenstein</a></i> (1957) </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqKc9kCFkJzT3kXWQp14mEU8IbJIhpmszyZSHh5SvVvtv3r6b1qKOU2xwDyvzHUrs8PVE8KdA9_e-ER4gBB1xjtch_EsTx3HS7pMW64HQZj5l1llvtwE7huIZC7p0hZlTEyuVUhUaHj56rvgZz7Wyb8gxcmuOjN9jtwIe8AOnBKtKc5XvrEXYlEsV_I6T/s375/Asylum_Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="Asylum Poster" border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="250" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqKc9kCFkJzT3kXWQp14mEU8IbJIhpmszyZSHh5SvVvtv3r6b1qKOU2xwDyvzHUrs8PVE8KdA9_e-ER4gBB1xjtch_EsTx3HS7pMW64HQZj5l1llvtwE7huIZC7p0hZlTEyuVUhUaHj56rvgZz7Wyb8gxcmuOjN9jtwIe8AOnBKtKc5XvrEXYlEsV_I6T/w266-h400/Asylum_Poster.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Join Rebecca from Taking Up Room, if you dare, as she visits
the <i><a href="https://takinguproom.com/2023/12/03/asylum/" target="_blank">Asylum</a></i> (1972). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yWd0bXZOVZUUSzoJitifViW-POWS9ELee-fCAOHa8KTPxaesQolic9HOcsiF6QcxZZnPZqLLXqA9vdBi78JpY61_k1xdqDYFA0Sw2DMhUe3mB0vkJYJfH6vslBw1LNl_sOh1jpyCRDH2AJLY0c-Q-P7xMT26PEipPt69SjshnHtwNjM3Bn-dN5Pg0a-e/s396/The%20Hound%20of%20the%20Baskervilles_Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="The Hound of the Baskervilles" border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="396" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yWd0bXZOVZUUSzoJitifViW-POWS9ELee-fCAOHa8KTPxaesQolic9HOcsiF6QcxZZnPZqLLXqA9vdBi78JpY61_k1xdqDYFA0Sw2DMhUe3mB0vkJYJfH6vslBw1LNl_sOh1jpyCRDH2AJLY0c-Q-P7xMT26PEipPt69SjshnHtwNjM3Bn-dN5Pg0a-e/w400-h301/The%20Hound%20of%20the%20Baskervilles_Poster.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">The game is afoot when Hamlette (Rachel) from Hamlette’s
Soliloquy investigates <i><a href="https://hamlette.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-hound-of-baskervilles-1959.html" target="_blank">The Hound of the Baskervilles</a></i> (1959).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93WtfXN2S6qJgFaWDBiWUPcb8g2Hof2JAHtjop9jjHPnUUpEQ4qWYaV8acGxl2q7Ss9ZJAHHovcatuBMJcXcEyIyTMa8bC_b6bvZVpDZ2ut4yS2jgpvsgk4t_labOhQ-YQAQBK8eM3tWcbgeanCOXh0Bzbg6QbGlU2M4e5G3hioBYBnmRpK6LY5B-hsFT/s631/Vampire%20Circus_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Vampire Circus Poster" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="631" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93WtfXN2S6qJgFaWDBiWUPcb8g2Hof2JAHtjop9jjHPnUUpEQ4qWYaV8acGxl2q7Ss9ZJAHHovcatuBMJcXcEyIyTMa8bC_b6bvZVpDZ2ut4yS2jgpvsgk4t_labOhQ-YQAQBK8eM3tWcbgeanCOXh0Bzbg6QbGlU2M4e5G3hioBYBnmRpK6LY5B-hsFT/w400-h304/Vampire%20Circus_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: white;">What does glam rock have to do with vampires? Amber (aka:
Tango in Eden) clues us in with her review of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0gNLCBuTRn/?igshid=ODhhZWM5NmIwOQ%3D%3D" target="_blank">Vampire Circus</a> (1972).</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq08TRaD-RMNljjgBLylc1YO1jikNKjdOIsk2iOt1eZTXkBIIUnChjLqZtMJvlgAtKBrpHZ176kRJCCUtEkLHgq_64YxwDUspHpALxbAhgc_FEYVye5NYqrrcHn1Q8Rz8P807krfOSQsb8bYGwAJV2iYFz4-JUiKlgx1WxQ1x3-rn7TxHZ6FyOkhLoDsT6/s500/Night%20Creatures_Poster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Night Creatures" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq08TRaD-RMNljjgBLylc1YO1jikNKjdOIsk2iOt1eZTXkBIIUnChjLqZtMJvlgAtKBrpHZ176kRJCCUtEkLHgq_64YxwDUspHpALxbAhgc_FEYVye5NYqrrcHn1Q8Rz8P807krfOSQsb8bYGwAJV2iYFz4-JUiKlgx1WxQ1x3-rn7TxHZ6FyOkhLoDsT6/w263-h400/Night%20Creatures_Poster1.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Stately Wayne Manor from On Manor’s Mind shares
you some of his thoughts about <a href="https://onmanorsmind.wordpress.com/2023/12/09/manor-on-movies-special-edition-night-creatures-originally-titled-captain-clegg-upon-its-uk-release/" target="_blank">Night Creatures (aka: Captain Clegg)</a> (1962). </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj37szecfKCKgakcCdsXgeCUeUQlQpyUvHJbBxwaNb2qmkRMa6WkLEBT9JAENsBmX3ZVqczZOTCPdI31hE5lKL8RDn3-JnTLA4i5gEryP53hYFnzXB098JBckYopwUB_j1fImAtDMUm2Dq0dxvBSJcA1gxUrZwSVxD6aS-Kwox7h_1r4hy6tMWRd-2CND/s853/Amicus_1_Tales%20from%20the%20Crypt.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An Amicus Production" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIj37szecfKCKgakcCdsXgeCUeUQlQpyUvHJbBxwaNb2qmkRMa6WkLEBT9JAENsBmX3ZVqczZOTCPdI31hE5lKL8RDn3-JnTLA4i5gEryP53hYFnzXB098JBckYopwUB_j1fImAtDMUm2Dq0dxvBSJcA1gxUrZwSVxD6aS-Kwox7h_1r4hy6tMWRd-2CND/w640-h360/Amicus_1_Tales%20from%20the%20Crypt.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKWMwxDyhTPKiN8RP0fiIMKsZuS6uAq0qg8KgtsBjvdX2_ywDoB-csEjaHgN0Qks0A7SE2JPqeW3jcbvHluaflYI6VmzNyLJgAVYU4QBp8ecVKbJh-FJ0DTLmMsVOAp1kknTHlGr5nm4tjwChbnpiDtNMHsg-wmdsfTtMbLwIts0HR7-EM4WLF4vYAqWB/s2048/At%20the%20Earth's%20Core_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="At the Earth's Core" border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKWMwxDyhTPKiN8RP0fiIMKsZuS6uAq0qg8KgtsBjvdX2_ywDoB-csEjaHgN0Qks0A7SE2JPqeW3jcbvHluaflYI6VmzNyLJgAVYU4QBp8ecVKbJh-FJ0DTLmMsVOAp1kknTHlGr5nm4tjwChbnpiDtNMHsg-wmdsfTtMbLwIts0HR7-EM4WLF4vYAqWB/w400-h300/At%20the%20Earth's%20Core_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">How low can you go? The eponymous Craggus from What the Craggus
Saw finds out, when he reviews <i><a href="https://thecraggus.com/2023/12/03/at-the-earths-core-1976-review/" target="_blank">At the Earth’s Core</a></i> (1976).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-3474083994582722192023-12-03T18:38:00.000-08:002023-12-03T18:49:43.643-08:00The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV – Day 3 Recap<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClbf8w5AtyrSrVSwf8hevZQF8jbvJaRZ5TTWP-lQa-eIokoNUXarxFZr5h4DXYA-z-CkUsEvxKLH4k07UhGlmMP62dzXn7potBycF_NAEE0VL97HdPszWz2HwVnLZWzdB8roT-r26K8k-znlpFIxK_VjaYz4VIOjWXtFCnyWKjsVvCj3NVK7fGK3v7G_2/s640/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV Banner - From Beyond the Grave" border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="640" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClbf8w5AtyrSrVSwf8hevZQF8jbvJaRZ5TTWP-lQa-eIokoNUXarxFZr5h4DXYA-z-CkUsEvxKLH4k07UhGlmMP62dzXn7potBycF_NAEE0VL97HdPszWz2HwVnLZWzdB8roT-r26K8k-znlpFIxK_VjaYz4VIOjWXtFCnyWKjsVvCj3NVK7fGK3v7G_2/w400-h275/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Believe it or not, we’ve already reached Day Three of the Hammer-Amicus
Blogathon IV, hosted by Yours Truly and Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews. While
there are fewer posts, compared to the past two days, don’t let that dissuade
you from reading these superb posts! It’s been a blast co-hosting with Gill,
and look forward to our continued collaboration for next year’s (Secret) and
(Also secret) blogathons. Watch for announcements in the months ahead… <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tYqPtr0pZZVZ0-ark1_WWq-MYqtcs24p4xAY_UAOEJdqcmjQMkqtdlyoVt0ruRxIWZSmGNGfY_7XcU9fT1dVWxM7AadxRL7gI0NN7iUJ1jbmNKF4JSoKYFSIB6OIL9GCRadPneedZITfdH9Ddc-O-D5h4WSNu-SggWxEgKUpLIhagNEDQO8E64LUg705/s800/The%20Lost%20Continent_3a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Lost Continent" border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="800" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tYqPtr0pZZVZ0-ark1_WWq-MYqtcs24p4xAY_UAOEJdqcmjQMkqtdlyoVt0ruRxIWZSmGNGfY_7XcU9fT1dVWxM7AadxRL7gI0NN7iUJ1jbmNKF4JSoKYFSIB6OIL9GCRadPneedZITfdH9Ddc-O-D5h4WSNu-SggWxEgKUpLIhagNEDQO8E64LUg705/w400-h216/The%20Lost%20Continent_3a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Gill and I
have reserved Day 4 for any last-minute posts, so no worries if you’re still
running late. Post a comment below, email me at <a href="mailto:barry_cinematic@yahoo.com">barry_cinematic@yahoo.com</a>, Twitter
(@barry_cinematic), Instagram (barry_cinematic), or by commenting below. You
may also contact Gill by commenting on her <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2023/12/01/news-welcome-to-the-first-day-of-the-hammer-and-amicus-blogathon/" target="_blank">post</a>,
or through her blog’s <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/contact-me/" target="_blank">Contact Me</a> page.</span><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIql2624AnSkgqaM049gqXGU6IDRksmpRLrni8vM2Tk0myOgoYx8Tj7cXEpaonRvJK5MDAIPHan2IR3gMv6I_4fSWlmaPxGi-ogjacimSZE3vzn6PR9-Q-C9C_syv7tYCCqwcAY-A6B9QwrNrEFLFtuYOY1NL7LCnHBW6a1wSfFjjEdk4ycRlxPYzGHs9o/s800/Horror%20Hotel_1b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Horror Hotel" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIql2624AnSkgqaM049gqXGU6IDRksmpRLrni8vM2Tk0myOgoYx8Tj7cXEpaonRvJK5MDAIPHan2IR3gMv6I_4fSWlmaPxGi-ogjacimSZE3vzn6PR9-Q-C9C_syv7tYCCqwcAY-A6B9QwrNrEFLFtuYOY1NL7LCnHBW6a1wSfFjjEdk4ycRlxPYzGHs9o/w400-h225/Horror%20Hotel_1b.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">In addition to today’s links, be sure to visit the <a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-hammer-amicus-blogathon-iv-is-here.html" target="_blank"><b>Day 1</b></a> and
<a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-hammer-amicus-blogathon-iv-day-2.html " target="_blank"><b>Day 2</b></a> Recaps. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOGhjw5bM7DsAsUWCg5X9KLxC6k0tbkd5r8bngJ0zOK30KUmIQ9jn5K5oRpGxdGtr5F_kk9s9uXP1THwbXCdrt6My1L13AwYvanzt9m6-Hnj3QVh7kd-5cfRpQ26B_827W17gzxakzF7sZ-tKboIUvnVNTDzRYm-F0BkhzZAqfy5qxsiIzcGjNWc8szDb/s800/Horror%20of%20Dracula_1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="A Hammer Film Production" border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="800" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOGhjw5bM7DsAsUWCg5X9KLxC6k0tbkd5r8bngJ0zOK30KUmIQ9jn5K5oRpGxdGtr5F_kk9s9uXP1THwbXCdrt6My1L13AwYvanzt9m6-Hnj3QVh7kd-5cfRpQ26B_827W17gzxakzF7sZ-tKboIUvnVNTDzRYm-F0BkhzZAqfy5qxsiIzcGjNWc8szDb/w640-h386/Horror%20of%20Dracula_1a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuN2hLeEnC65bqWMMU8dSFtZUFA7EIfIKiZsBeSXh-FgVM8W7ZKD2_uDPOV4UY1ER9WQ2tVjphmTersAqwqtbWnTVMAMeTMhnYWlxDntVsRNqNAwbjCWHwKqV_6MHJ_CdFU5rZFijmQ_416jf9EvzwBeU4icx30WKQExn44YHBkrKzwpB9bIhoD18tRTd/s1457/The%20Lost%20Continent_Poster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Lost Continent Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1457" data-original-width="975" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuN2hLeEnC65bqWMMU8dSFtZUFA7EIfIKiZsBeSXh-FgVM8W7ZKD2_uDPOV4UY1ER9WQ2tVjphmTersAqwqtbWnTVMAMeTMhnYWlxDntVsRNqNAwbjCWHwKqV_6MHJ_CdFU5rZFijmQ_416jf9EvzwBeU4icx30WKQExn44YHBkrKzwpB9bIhoD18tRTd/w268-h400/The%20Lost%20Continent_Poster1.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: white;">Brian from Films from Beyond invites us to visit <i><a href="https://www.filmsfrombeyond.com/2023/12/abandon-ship-all-ye-who-enter-here-lost.html" target="_blank">The Lost Continent</a></i> (1968)</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">
</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinmcZkGbJMAk5axZk04Rrbdf22ozrCgsSyhMyymPn06geWRwgg9WSLgYzzXAok_ngrIz5ty4uDgWHlqRqU_iOVkKAzDOqGNhmPINJyvp0kcHoR5u3hY_k563l1hu23hMa6RMegDCAKG4UxyTlsVaGGCcTnIu-RsmM2t1aygaAnt0WlzYGVxDVEOQap_C3/s500/To%20the%20Devil%20a%20Daughter_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="To the Devil a Daughter" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="322" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinmcZkGbJMAk5axZk04Rrbdf22ozrCgsSyhMyymPn06geWRwgg9WSLgYzzXAok_ngrIz5ty4uDgWHlqRqU_iOVkKAzDOqGNhmPINJyvp0kcHoR5u3hY_k563l1hu23hMa6RMegDCAKG4UxyTlsVaGGCcTnIu-RsmM2t1aygaAnt0WlzYGVxDVEOQap_C3/w258-h400/To%20the%20Devil%20a%20Daughter_Poster1a.jpg" width="258" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Mocata from Synthetic Cinema has some choice words to share about <a href="https://synth-cinema.blogspot.com/2023/12/horror-bites-henrys-pact.html" target="_blank"><i>To the Devil a Daughter</i></a> (1976)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5KFnlZI-y1189lollkobi-ykgIzWozRSwJp-GY-tSVZXSmfn7ps_pcby7Ky5iQ45m9FSyk0fudzuXo498GDT1iVw55wYktzXKA1VwFlTEn9RWmfMM2fUselmk83wk0AREu6ypsDrvIsIkAv9QmOJnkxic7cxMBAf2eN81OxITahOQKY1-D8vLGPNmoR2/s2048/The%20Mystery%20of%20the%20Mary%20Celeste_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="The Mystery of the Mary Celeste" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1290" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5KFnlZI-y1189lollkobi-ykgIzWozRSwJp-GY-tSVZXSmfn7ps_pcby7Ky5iQ45m9FSyk0fudzuXo498GDT1iVw55wYktzXKA1VwFlTEn9RWmfMM2fUselmk83wk0AREu6ypsDrvIsIkAv9QmOJnkxic7cxMBAf2eN81OxITahOQKY1-D8vLGPNmoR2/w253-h400/The%20Mystery%20of%20the%20Mary%20Celeste_Poster1a.jpg" width="253" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Lê from Critica Retro delves into <a href="https://criticaretro.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-mystery-of-mary-celeste-aka-phantom.html" target="_blank"><i>The Mystery of the Mary Celeste </i>(aka,<i> Phantom Ship</i>)</a><i> </i>(1935)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPh-ut9PSN2qC5cMeVCBySoIOyPadDMge2SxGCj16ahY0COqy5Xaw43olAy1ocdtHflwIQLPsycyM8V2GOZ4EpMmmuBH3uJ8lJrcBWs96o6CcLIY0As2Elfa2Drtq3ioJjHtWHIHuI6qpdrkI_FVDf-eNflDVbMW8YoX6HuQVba4hsjPTasZ5rOsOwu-WU/s1561/The%20Steel%20Bayonet_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="The Steel Bayonet Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="1561" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPh-ut9PSN2qC5cMeVCBySoIOyPadDMge2SxGCj16ahY0COqy5Xaw43olAy1ocdtHflwIQLPsycyM8V2GOZ4EpMmmuBH3uJ8lJrcBWs96o6CcLIY0As2Elfa2Drtq3ioJjHtWHIHuI6qpdrkI_FVDf-eNflDVbMW8YoX6HuQVba4hsjPTasZ5rOsOwu-WU/w400-h297/The%20Steel%20Bayonet_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">J-Dub of Dubsism gives us his assessment of <a href="https://dubsism.com/2023/12/03/sports-analogies-hidden-in-classic-movies-volume-149-the-steel-bayonet/" target="_blank"><i>The Steel Bayonet</i></a> (1957)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-iOQAG5z8SJjZDAY3wyKmcMAvd-5R5ZjxZzU0DlZ_Zq_bnb3xRlMgxfX5vT7My3gIEV9VGBV1A6e2OGvtMey_3YPvyXxsu05G619wXKv9puevnn3-sotJg3WWOu4qBXhxvJFE1vqsdt09I_eOQE2zs7d-56DRQncwKTx1474D9xlK6vN-5xWOvjR-nl2/s851/Amicus1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="Amicus Productions" border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="851" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-iOQAG5z8SJjZDAY3wyKmcMAvd-5R5ZjxZzU0DlZ_Zq_bnb3xRlMgxfX5vT7My3gIEV9VGBV1A6e2OGvtMey_3YPvyXxsu05G619wXKv9puevnn3-sotJg3WWOu4qBXhxvJFE1vqsdt09I_eOQE2zs7d-56DRQncwKTx1474D9xlK6vN-5xWOvjR-nl2/w640-h346/Amicus1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiT0C3pNLUEt9-tq74_QCvtrpQFq5cLpKei1rfQ0CZlWS6N-ELCZ1V7gorbBpH1guuk4PRSbS72ZIEhc2f7a0ejSBR8J_TNbio5K7e8EJZD3gUjxCRfGAgRgJeaskSvD3uS0jquhyGZ068r53YeI9Lik-__yULZVJMxecmg9qH9q_AyfIbafPnN0KD0Gp/s742/From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave_Poster1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="From Beyond the Grave Poster" border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiT0C3pNLUEt9-tq74_QCvtrpQFq5cLpKei1rfQ0CZlWS6N-ELCZ1V7gorbBpH1guuk4PRSbS72ZIEhc2f7a0ejSBR8J_TNbio5K7e8EJZD3gUjxCRfGAgRgJeaskSvD3uS0jquhyGZ068r53YeI9Lik-__yULZVJMxecmg9qH9q_AyfIbafPnN0KD0Gp/w259-h400/From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave_Poster1.jpg" width="259" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Michael from Maniacs and Monsters weighs in on the portmanteau anthology, <a href="https://maniacsandmonsters.com/2023/12/03/offers-you-cannot-resist/" target="_blank"><i>From Beyond the Grave</i></a> (1974).</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfUy1V7dN8eXypZJ9ZVLlsU8WKbloqN1zZWBxEwwhIBtrAoCFozYKUr8T6NQL174w8F6jATSHnimiB-jPwwvD9ZvIAty9pff28j2Ynx2qWmv6qSasf7BQMVGWdFW9amr7kcLMMYwS7jNpBQgdiIlhKPm7Snwkr1JXjFl2HSpGxVp1VPuZkcRAuSrA5nTm/s1000/The%20Land%20That%20Time%20Forgot_Poster1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="The Land that Time Forgot Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="657" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfUy1V7dN8eXypZJ9ZVLlsU8WKbloqN1zZWBxEwwhIBtrAoCFozYKUr8T6NQL174w8F6jATSHnimiB-jPwwvD9ZvIAty9pff28j2Ynx2qWmv6qSasf7BQMVGWdFW9amr7kcLMMYwS7jNpBQgdiIlhKPm7Snwkr1JXjFl2HSpGxVp1VPuZkcRAuSrA5nTm/w263-h400/The%20Land%20That%20Time%20Forgot_Poster1.jpg" width="263" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wVxip-q_0q2mmjqmgs-ebn5yBbmFHBGOlf1nziU3PbLjDghAdN7ylQs7LSF8n8SxVEsRV7OvhxCn5yEwmQRquz9kgLDaAS3kZpPTEmQshe-0OowhGXGGGUmusBudK3kjHdVNPCAB5ECzMwr5HVyqkq-2-Oib10ZX8WH7pSC8Jm4pYA96Q3AB4rwD_Ig2/s535/The%20People%20That%20Time%20Forgot_Poster1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><img alt="The People that Time Forgot Poster" border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="535" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wVxip-q_0q2mmjqmgs-ebn5yBbmFHBGOlf1nziU3PbLjDghAdN7ylQs7LSF8n8SxVEsRV7OvhxCn5yEwmQRquz9kgLDaAS3kZpPTEmQshe-0OowhGXGGGUmusBudK3kjHdVNPCAB5ECzMwr5HVyqkq-2-Oib10ZX8WH7pSC8Jm4pYA96Q3AB4rwD_Ig2/w400-h295/The%20People%20That%20Time%20Forgot_Poster1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Eric Binford from Diary of a Movie Maniac is here to remind
you about <i><a href="https://diaryofamoviemaniac.wordpress.com/2023/12/03/the-land-that-time-forgot-1974/" target="_blank">The Land That Time Forgot</a></i> (1974) and <i><a href="https://diaryofamoviemaniac.wordpress.com/2023/12/03/the-people-that-time-forgot-1977/" target="_blank">The People That Time Forgot</a></i>
(1977).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-41627416709708447312023-12-02T21:24:00.000-08:002023-12-02T23:20:00.195-08:00The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV – Day 2 Recap<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqb6_fjsgf-zAW_lE6-odi8yWwZ0_YsG8xi1d8_JCx70tQjfWyafKlWWdNlISH_JRBqyQc8OJKaW1SDKYmPAqDDm6u_AasF4IRXODUNsnkBIe8G6Zy5EOpSipUbPtS3bWk_pMwmjMQSNLIXYF9Dnlq58Sw52AV_66MmLx8vNiYNgSKXn3xMhI9AjpK9NX/s640/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Twins%20of%20Evil.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV Banner - Twins of Evil" border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqb6_fjsgf-zAW_lE6-odi8yWwZ0_YsG8xi1d8_JCx70tQjfWyafKlWWdNlISH_JRBqyQc8OJKaW1SDKYmPAqDDm6u_AasF4IRXODUNsnkBIe8G6Zy5EOpSipUbPtS3bWk_pMwmjMQSNLIXYF9Dnlq58Sw52AV_66MmLx8vNiYNgSKXn3xMhI9AjpK9NX/w400-h268/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Twins%20of%20Evil.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">We’re back for Day 2 of the Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV,
hosted by Yours Truly and Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews. Today, we have
another batch of eclectic posts for your reading pleasure. Oh, and please excuse my tardiness if you haven’t received a
comment from me yet. You should be hearing from me soon.</span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYA-zH9BnmF92-EDbYO-K1Hw79fYpREvybItvHO-MgydD4kyFkE0OTH_qxAUOXg6vIF8Xiiw0-xgtGi-KCshyh8_CKEIRDkTFI2d1LWTnmki2OhyphenhyphenfXVUCt6QqC-JfWBzXzNOKY2dxra5BF9vApHPQpeIoMPNoSb923q5WhQEWosgug2ycRbdu1Xfch_-k9/s800/The%20Abominable%20Snowman_5a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Abominable Snowman" border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="800" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYA-zH9BnmF92-EDbYO-K1Hw79fYpREvybItvHO-MgydD4kyFkE0OTH_qxAUOXg6vIF8Xiiw0-xgtGi-KCshyh8_CKEIRDkTFI2d1LWTnmki2OhyphenhyphenfXVUCt6QqC-JfWBzXzNOKY2dxra5BF9vApHPQpeIoMPNoSb923q5WhQEWosgug2ycRbdu1Xfch_-k9/w400-h170/The%20Abominable%20Snowman_5a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Don’t worry if
you’re running a bit late! We’ll be sure to post your link on Day Three or
(just confirmed) Bonus Day 4. Post a comment below, email me at <a href="mailto:barry_cinematic@yahoo.com">barry_cinematic@yahoo.com</a>, Twitter
(@barry_cinematic), Instagram (barry_cinematic), or by commenting below. You
may also contact Gill by commenting on her <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2023/12/01/news-welcome-to-the-first-day-of-the-hammer-and-amicus-blogathon/" target="_blank">post</a>,
or through her blog’s <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/contact-me/" target="_blank">Contact Me</a> page.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfh4EgYn8AtY8ix5s1q9tZ3dD2XFslIkwOP3LtiTBMWli1_9mwWE6YW0BjvIjWT6l_gu5fDzYyVCKfikU1fZiq8s-yuiec4OYDKhU-OG_c5UoQz7wSRZ8AD1ejrrdke-vb9-iMbuEVheYqm5heRrhkr2Lx5UYeT9wQfZs4NMvHzFhA4jOl_i14mSbKapOE/s853/Tales%20from%20the%20Crypt%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Tales from the Crypt" border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="853" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfh4EgYn8AtY8ix5s1q9tZ3dD2XFslIkwOP3LtiTBMWli1_9mwWE6YW0BjvIjWT6l_gu5fDzYyVCKfikU1fZiq8s-yuiec4OYDKhU-OG_c5UoQz7wSRZ8AD1ejrrdke-vb9-iMbuEVheYqm5heRrhkr2Lx5UYeT9wQfZs4NMvHzFhA4jOl_i14mSbKapOE/w400-h219/Tales%20from%20the%20Crypt%20(3).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Here are today’s offerings... and be sure to check out the posts from <a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-hammer-amicus-blogathon-iv-is-here.html" target="_blank">Day 1</a>, and stay tuned for Day
3!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4ejd3ZLsPTQGBmT6Qzc5TtdzMscO_lR8EdZG9nrhLw9YFWLhdI7LO_lXP__Ty5U4iyR8x6pbBIK_5YlunQDPuvykjtN3abvrrf4pM2z3LefQBkDiZ0hm8dfkc3KSisKMKPbFYTE4ngcV-B0H1yLlTOHmSkItkIm7MAuoEy3slrdmzpW96WSFnf1JtF4a/s800/The%20Reptile_1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="A Hammer Film Production" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4ejd3ZLsPTQGBmT6Qzc5TtdzMscO_lR8EdZG9nrhLw9YFWLhdI7LO_lXP__Ty5U4iyR8x6pbBIK_5YlunQDPuvykjtN3abvrrf4pM2z3LefQBkDiZ0hm8dfkc3KSisKMKPbFYTE4ngcV-B0H1yLlTOHmSkItkIm7MAuoEy3slrdmzpW96WSFnf1JtF4a/w640-h346/The%20Reptile_1a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aghuGugHY_7QHsW9Go9uy3efiWMYdAKcK3tESrZfIcY4dXZCrs9gVUcrJCdn99eNueMlmSeW9JGDqaBtkYFcJpp2WFUpDh-EDd47oS_jPjiR-t16v4Z5tMsHFcG-vf5Ud4v4INhqsipm41ZQB2HkYhQmwpnKy_p54Dy1t5yRswK86SDtRWqIs9LL67fG/s1000/Paranoiac_Poster1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Paranoiac Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="665" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aghuGugHY_7QHsW9Go9uy3efiWMYdAKcK3tESrZfIcY4dXZCrs9gVUcrJCdn99eNueMlmSeW9JGDqaBtkYFcJpp2WFUpDh-EDd47oS_jPjiR-t16v4Z5tMsHFcG-vf5Ud4v4INhqsipm41ZQB2HkYhQmwpnKy_p54Dy1t5yRswK86SDtRWqIs9LL67fG/w266-h400/Paranoiac_Poster1.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">What’s that behind you? Never fear, it’s only John from Tales
from the Freakboy Zone discussing <i><a href="https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2023/12/freakboy-on-film-paranoiac-4th-hammer.html?m=1 " target="_blank">Paranoiac</a></i> (1963).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAkmd5aq_ZfhnCukJjCGhRxImjUnJ4COFrXt7fwR66QrUSZJB_qu_k87vKW7dXkebyHoEKAR8LFC-wo_9_PclUgAb_17Aaz1z3jDbF0SdSeRu3bx9-zPK4zhy4t_ddlHvip8I3wKOxkP0DZ2ziwlPiuK5f_TWGEc_aICFsOev1ksLwKXHw4Sa1JXqbBRx/s1500/The%20Woman%20in%20Black%202_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Woman in Black 2 Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAkmd5aq_ZfhnCukJjCGhRxImjUnJ4COFrXt7fwR66QrUSZJB_qu_k87vKW7dXkebyHoEKAR8LFC-wo_9_PclUgAb_17Aaz1z3jDbF0SdSeRu3bx9-zPK4zhy4t_ddlHvip8I3wKOxkP0DZ2ziwlPiuK5f_TWGEc_aICFsOev1ksLwKXHw4Sa1JXqbBRx/w270-h400/The%20Woman%20in%20Black%202_Poster1a.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Andrew from Maniacs and Monsters is back in black with <a href="https://maniacsandmonsters.com/2023/12/02/bored-to-death-the-woman-in-black-angel-of-death/" target="_blank">TheWoman in Black 2: Angel of Death</a> (2014).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtN02ygYvoFIZv6ssZ4MWcTDLFIBCAwSK70KyN1nkCzKBLrTMTXejoiYa7sGEZva1taW-Ay10lDxY1pEgjJgRyPAZw7llWs66wlBXs2sTbvy_qMxVMJ61ndbX4nJzDOK9nXR_m5_5R25cex486EtlAPECUe-Oz6t6uzDegTmcxlMZJc5cvX4BUh1N3IPs5/s600/Dracula%20Has%20Risen%20from%20the%20Grave_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="600" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtN02ygYvoFIZv6ssZ4MWcTDLFIBCAwSK70KyN1nkCzKBLrTMTXejoiYa7sGEZva1taW-Ay10lDxY1pEgjJgRyPAZw7llWs66wlBXs2sTbvy_qMxVMJ61ndbX4nJzDOK9nXR_m5_5R25cex486EtlAPECUe-Oz6t6uzDegTmcxlMZJc5cvX4BUh1N3IPs5/w400-h314/Dracula%20Has%20Risen%20from%20the%20Grave_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Rise and shine with Jack Seabrook’s (from Bare Bones E-Zine)
look at <a href="https://barebonesez.blogspot.com/2023/12/hammer-amicus-blogathon-iv-dracula-has.html" target="_blank"><i>Dracula Has Risen from the Grave</i> </a>(1968). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cblIh38ol_n-WLvf-BfKYApqEqDG5v5x40u77mqkvzLCZ1SBawSH9Emo-jHgxvI2KZKPi5k_mtXErkVakPLocGgBXPvHEBzd_zARX9yEyZrn1yb5C3Wn-f3tLNy2e7wWyT6CIRMYxhmcJBRF1pvFpT0KBNGW-WSc1z8tBOY-lgtr9HJwT3TeUgxIstnW/s1531/Nightmare_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nightmare Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1531" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cblIh38ol_n-WLvf-BfKYApqEqDG5v5x40u77mqkvzLCZ1SBawSH9Emo-jHgxvI2KZKPi5k_mtXErkVakPLocGgBXPvHEBzd_zARX9yEyZrn1yb5C3Wn-f3tLNy2e7wWyT6CIRMYxhmcJBRF1pvFpT0KBNGW-WSc1z8tBOY-lgtr9HJwT3TeUgxIstnW/w261-h400/Nightmare_Poster1a.jpg" width="261" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Don’t be afraid to check out Nitrate Glow’s review of <i><a href="https://nitrateglow.wordpress.com/2023/12/02/hammer-and-amicus-blogathon-iv-nightmare-dir-freddie-francis-1964/" target="_blank">Nightmare</a></i>
(1964).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKoIbiQWwArc9pMfXKPgVKsRtVIgsJyZ3hCBAZpoQZen3tJs8fug6lWBeeUpI2uhEMp0eYDTCKEOrWwswjcLr6NKIwp5KJF9HKwKNDHPJemidVEqP2H_FmBck2Wqfc4G5BRAjOLfjeWF1MbL8H-93aLhdUmqVvLBQ3H_8D4xFeZ0gYQEIsnEvqFrIq49Z/s312/The%20Engelsfors%20Trilogy_1a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Engelsfors Trilogy" border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="312" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKoIbiQWwArc9pMfXKPgVKsRtVIgsJyZ3hCBAZpoQZen3tJs8fug6lWBeeUpI2uhEMp0eYDTCKEOrWwswjcLr6NKIwp5KJF9HKwKNDHPJemidVEqP2H_FmBck2Wqfc4G5BRAjOLfjeWF1MbL8H-93aLhdUmqVvLBQ3H_8D4xFeZ0gYQEIsnEvqFrIq49Z/w400-h208/The%20Engelsfors%20Trilogy_1a.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Kevin, aka: The Grump of Horror looks at books – specifically <i><a href="https://thegrumpofhorror.wordpress.com/2023/12/02/the-hammer-amicus-iv-the-engelsfors-trilogy/" target="_blank">The Engelsfors Trilogy</a></i>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GQBzfb6y9NnjyL0E7jFEbFG3etkU8bxtVfB8hbDT-UK17xb768_svAZgF8wfd6geDGmK5ulyRiaoh2hbi_I2hdlRIBNggAGu-ox5Pt2f2K5sAacRe_NUYrPVQaxOm0oXiYK2d6fPIm9Jk_2FWaFHIEhDkWENdjuAjY_gX1dTeIgXEKl9HYSNx6SEM-ZX/s320/The%20Viking%20Queen_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Viking Queen Poster" border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GQBzfb6y9NnjyL0E7jFEbFG3etkU8bxtVfB8hbDT-UK17xb768_svAZgF8wfd6geDGmK5ulyRiaoh2hbi_I2hdlRIBNggAGu-ox5Pt2f2K5sAacRe_NUYrPVQaxOm0oXiYK2d6fPIm9Jk_2FWaFHIEhDkWENdjuAjY_gX1dTeIgXEKl9HYSNx6SEM-ZX/w400-h300/The%20Viking%20Queen_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Holger Haase from Hammer and Beyond spends some quality time
with <i><a href="https://hammerandbeyond.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-viking-queen-1967.html" target="_blank">The Viking Queen</a></i> (1967). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7gFoEUQu74T_4XljCLXbMfijbm29qt3X4LYOQbqBsk6t5mq2P9K3SP2uXpiY8YpgXrARcK8u6KgPePx88Mq8fJDifvFWH3wHzWCIbuEPUvVEwroAVwdN0Zt3933wufCVIAe_Wneoac-MfEltJtaBc_pw-GUp3FSafVQajA3FFzDDFLmgTxEHUnD3bW_7/s1200/The%20Witches_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Witches Poster" border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1200" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7gFoEUQu74T_4XljCLXbMfijbm29qt3X4LYOQbqBsk6t5mq2P9K3SP2uXpiY8YpgXrARcK8u6KgPePx88Mq8fJDifvFWH3wHzWCIbuEPUvVEwroAVwdN0Zt3933wufCVIAe_Wneoac-MfEltJtaBc_pw-GUp3FSafVQajA3FFzDDFLmgTxEHUnD3bW_7/w400-h294/The%20Witches_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Sit a spell with Eddie Harrison from Film Authority as he
reviews <i><a href="https://film-authority.com/2023/12/02/the-witches-2/" target="_blank">The Witches</a></i> (1966).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAOTcEGiHzmsO3c6a3l2Rd24RuxOxKwRdporao3vxGEpbuGgz9CwkQinwqydJYX3TGZT_xdeTYIChc56lmvdFqs-KzicwUPRU_aAV_X8dVT7kXkYpRX_PF_MJB0hx80B14IMOf9rur-tjq6LOOtUjcfyDyyL1WFaf0Mv_cUXMOPLXQML_TMTjTe8c2xUH/s2962/The%20Gorgon_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Gorgon Poster" border="0" data-original-height="2962" data-original-width="1936" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAOTcEGiHzmsO3c6a3l2Rd24RuxOxKwRdporao3vxGEpbuGgz9CwkQinwqydJYX3TGZT_xdeTYIChc56lmvdFqs-KzicwUPRU_aAV_X8dVT7kXkYpRX_PF_MJB0hx80B14IMOf9rur-tjq6LOOtUjcfyDyyL1WFaf0Mv_cUXMOPLXQML_TMTjTe8c2xUH/w261-h400/The%20Gorgon_Poster1a.jpg" width="261" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">You’d better not avert your eyes from Dan Stephens’ (from
Top 10 Films) take on <i><a href="https://www.top10films.co.uk/80810-remembering-hammer-horror-film-the-gorgon/" target="_blank">The Gorgon</a></i> (1964). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRwouGjj0hRCrO7CUyu3JiZHPfFwQpL9tfm9EJd72MmSQKGGQmyo2pCUKM9TAYP3UYpxYa9AkEPMxv16ehMb_UjxZvF4nfbIQPo72z4GoP46rGEiYjQMPSfHioT3ay3buN781GmKUQO3caqiwilc0qYTCYVOR117thKboB49LT9qfrHj0OupVwsXIOSu7/s2951/The%20Reptile_Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Reptile Poster" border="0" data-original-height="2951" data-original-width="1935" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRwouGjj0hRCrO7CUyu3JiZHPfFwQpL9tfm9EJd72MmSQKGGQmyo2pCUKM9TAYP3UYpxYa9AkEPMxv16ehMb_UjxZvF4nfbIQPo72z4GoP46rGEiYjQMPSfHioT3ay3buN781GmKUQO3caqiwilc0qYTCYVOR117thKboB49LT9qfrHj0OupVwsXIOSu7/w263-h400/The%20Reptile_Poster.jpg" width="263" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">…And don’t slither away before reading my review of <i><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-reptile.html" target="_blank">The Reptile</a></i> (1966).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PKl2OgT9G4jMVkxIaPfu85LLmI4YoEHVtVt-5G1fGjJW3_KG28683uYAMcARo4FlVOJyTRU0wf6j3YtPiU6RP4tWLDgNHLn7FZ7aD-x42JqWsY27g6EZRZ6IoUfaxg7owlgwj71-jMFxENt_DWHbVmm8VaICT0fgX0QbVk1Go8eFS0y7TFV83z352ELq/s851/Amicus1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Amicus Productions" border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="851" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PKl2OgT9G4jMVkxIaPfu85LLmI4YoEHVtVt-5G1fGjJW3_KG28683uYAMcARo4FlVOJyTRU0wf6j3YtPiU6RP4tWLDgNHLn7FZ7aD-x42JqWsY27g6EZRZ6IoUfaxg7owlgwj71-jMFxENt_DWHbVmm8VaICT0fgX0QbVk1Go8eFS0y7TFV83z352ELq/w640-h346/Amicus1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPztXbLX6g-_2msHkncfBxjM0aH4GnZXH16XogPfNAali470c7TTdCBQbTm58NORccD_Dojn7sqgnrV4LT9Qpgjv4X5LWC_yqKYXxQs0HarYcBEfVh3Y_wW_fjU1HTaDh1rAb8-BxHRVr418U35LDr0H1IxAbiSccmjD9xYxuXr0U0P5NweE5WW7tYgTS3/s1440/The%20Skull_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Skull Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPztXbLX6g-_2msHkncfBxjM0aH4GnZXH16XogPfNAali470c7TTdCBQbTm58NORccD_Dojn7sqgnrV4LT9Qpgjv4X5LWC_yqKYXxQs0HarYcBEfVh3Y_wW_fjU1HTaDh1rAb8-BxHRVr418U35LDr0H1IxAbiSccmjD9xYxuXr0U0P5NweE5WW7tYgTS3/w266-h400/The%20Skull_Poster1a.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">I hear your noggin, but you can’t come in. Check out Black
Cats and Poppies’ take on <i><a href="https://blackcatsandpoppiestalks.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-skull-1965.html" target="_blank">The Skull</a></i> (1965). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9hKwSMJzxFUtGVKLpVYiwbAsuxtyH-BUm_bhcJg0jvdpt2jnnR7LKAYEAJ1BeLxfyFMJ6dl40fo7MNzHh_iYQ1_kGa0QnH1qEGnVeWFiGnntelzg3EQs0gNKZM72xxUwUWTdvyA2DQw9I_SclRdzjUbHDbrkbWqxbrMDP9qhOeR9IWj-pAp5GRbTQXcF/s800/It's%20Trad%20Dad_Poster1a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="800" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9hKwSMJzxFUtGVKLpVYiwbAsuxtyH-BUm_bhcJg0jvdpt2jnnR7LKAYEAJ1BeLxfyFMJ6dl40fo7MNzHh_iYQ1_kGa0QnH1qEGnVeWFiGnntelzg3EQs0gNKZM72xxUwUWTdvyA2DQw9I_SclRdzjUbHDbrkbWqxbrMDP9qhOeR9IWj-pAp5GRbTQXcF/s320/It's%20Trad%20Dad_Poster1a.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Hey, daddy-o, don’t be a drag. Hang with cool cat Terence
Towles Canote from A Shroud of Thoughts, as he comments on </span><i style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://mercurie.blogspot.com/2023/12/its-trad-dad-1962.html" target="_blank">It’s Trad, Dad!</a></i><span style="font-size: large;">
(1962). </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-63806817811351460612023-12-02T19:04:00.000-08:002023-12-02T19:04:27.803-08:00The Reptile<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdGLI7wEYDWNuV0j4BDRN6yYiCwcFHtWgqbx3fWINZ_I7iIARZkcQwOt3EwFhI8Lw_xGSFWIp6wwO9Ay0gk1-1w0ofrcHt3g_fm5iFbryWpz9fFXWlS85ts2oWX1O6FVeREzCo6DcsLGGeH7xb0Lh66AY7zvcR2xOeDPktETya7hVsw1RVWF4QuQHDYm6/s2951/The%20Reptile_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Reptile Poster" border="0" data-original-height="2951" data-original-width="1935" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdGLI7wEYDWNuV0j4BDRN6yYiCwcFHtWgqbx3fWINZ_I7iIARZkcQwOt3EwFhI8Lw_xGSFWIp6wwO9Ay0gk1-1w0ofrcHt3g_fm5iFbryWpz9fFXWlS85ts2oWX1O6FVeREzCo6DcsLGGeH7xb0Lh66AY7zvcR2xOeDPktETya7hVsw1RVWF4QuQHDYm6/w263-h400/The%20Reptile_Poster.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">(1966) Directed by John Gilling; Written by John Elder; Starring:
Noel Willman, Ray Barrett, Michael Ripper, Jennifer Daniel, Jacqueline Pearce, John
Laurie and Marne Maitland; Available on Blu-ray and DVD. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">***</span>½ </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">First of all, congratulations are in order for my superb
co-host, Gill Jacob from <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Realweegiemidget Reviews</a>,
for co-hosting a fourth (!) edition of the <a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-hammer-amicus-blogathon-iv-is-here.html" target="_blank">Hammer-Amicus Blogathon</a>,
delving further into the wealth of cinematic delights from both esteemed production
companies. Be sure to check out all the wonderful posts! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2F-uKkDwr1qmTY8d6rslqGRYNlQ2jrAv_0qbuvByRd5xVKko-2p_wvtXNX0Mzl3IdORryL-Nh0HiCaR1oMbNGVGGpHmV9xiED5B61G61tJS4RO6Z_H6nw5pP59Zm6Qyd8s1poAMXc9_VPR_D7SMnnNf2q-qt0L56D-RjyXINJiu7uFsB80Z69M6iIgqW5/s800/The%20Reptile_6b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Reptile Lurks in the Shadows" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2F-uKkDwr1qmTY8d6rslqGRYNlQ2jrAv_0qbuvByRd5xVKko-2p_wvtXNX0Mzl3IdORryL-Nh0HiCaR1oMbNGVGGpHmV9xiED5B61G61tJS4RO6Z_H6nw5pP59Zm6Qyd8s1poAMXc9_VPR_D7SMnnNf2q-qt0L56D-RjyXINJiu7uFsB80Z69M6iIgqW5/w640-h346/The%20Reptile_6b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“Mr. Spalding, I was a professional seaman, and I too, have
knocked around the world a bit, but I’ve seen things that your logic could not
explain away.” – Tom Bailey (Michael Ripper) </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“It was hell… I spent a couple of hours in makeup every
morning. I could only shoot every other day because taking it off would leave
my skin so raw. I wasn’t comfortable in that at all.” – Jacqueline Pearce (excerpted
from <i>Hammer Glamour</i>, by Marcus Hearn)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0j-Zz722CUoY95Bd-FlM95xFNmHzdKW1oYmqhrLCq8xSCX3Yf5Y1nQ1KloQRhyx8T6iQtn0HuwmrF3kwkwS2wZbBEel-pOgawAPjP7pLFJAMfDslrYOvy1ctcoJ_QKxSLmhGkG6YFwhedVvuBsYowaqwdLLqy3vs_lxUj31yUXvLkHlpFfT5y5xTyvvHS/s800/The%20Reptile_1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Charles Spalding" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0j-Zz722CUoY95Bd-FlM95xFNmHzdKW1oYmqhrLCq8xSCX3Yf5Y1nQ1KloQRhyx8T6iQtn0HuwmrF3kwkwS2wZbBEel-pOgawAPjP7pLFJAMfDslrYOvy1ctcoJ_QKxSLmhGkG6YFwhedVvuBsYowaqwdLLqy3vs_lxUj31yUXvLkHlpFfT5y5xTyvvHS/w640-h346/The%20Reptile_1c.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">As any music enthusiast would likely attest, the B-side can
be just as intriguing, if not more so, veering in directions that would be unthinkable
for a potential hit single. Intended to be the second film on a double bill
with <i>Rasputin the Mad Monk</i> (1966), <i>The Reptile</i> is a second
feature that’s anything but secondary. It was the last in a series of four
films that were shot back-to-back (preceded by <i>Dracula: Prince of Darkness</i>,
<i>Rasputin the Mad Monk</i>, and <i>Plague of the Zombies</i>), as part of producer
Anthony Nelson Keys’ cost-cutting experiment.* Production started only a week
after shooting for Plague of the Zombies ceased. Bernard Robinson’s lavish set
design (employed on a shoestring) cleverly concealed the film’s low-budget
origins.*** Director John Gilling claimed to have rewritten John Elder’s** script
“…more or less as I went along,” but the Shout Factory Blu-ray commentary seems
to suggest otherwise, stating there has been no proof of Gilling’s reworking of
the original script.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #1: Of the four films, only <i>The Reptile</i> finished
under budget, for the paltry sum of £100,599. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Fun Fact #2: John Elder’s story was originally pitched to
Universal in 1963 as <i>The Curse of the Reptiles</i>. When it finally reached
production in 1965 under Hammer, budgetary constraints necessitated paring things
down to one monster. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">*** Fun Fact #3: The gothic country house Oakley Court (built
in 1859) stood in for Dr. Franklyn’s mansion. If you’re feeling a sense of déjà
vu, your brain isn’t deceiving you. It’s been featured in several other productions
over the years, including <i>The Curse of Frankenstein</i> (1957), The Vampyres
(1974), and <i>The Rocky Horror Picture Show</i> (1975). </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZh7rnUc94eWjfVz4TQXxY567MJu_EhrOsvtomNFGLwRewCvc9YIGhztFX3OJUKJpmbovlbCZmrZs1fEU-ovJ243dJbVqSOmqJ0dbuWBiTVlMWR2rly96HhcZyx7alWY6_shGXD07wLFiVvfEWuYWq2sFfyCMoxydPSl-PGlx_6U7z3zatLHIH8AG0cPq9/s800/The%20Reptile_1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Valerie and Harry Spalding" border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="800" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZh7rnUc94eWjfVz4TQXxY567MJu_EhrOsvtomNFGLwRewCvc9YIGhztFX3OJUKJpmbovlbCZmrZs1fEU-ovJ243dJbVqSOmqJ0dbuWBiTVlMWR2rly96HhcZyx7alWY6_shGXD07wLFiVvfEWuYWq2sFfyCMoxydPSl-PGlx_6U7z3zatLHIH8AG0cPq9/w640-h344/The%20Reptile_1b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">After the untimely death of his brother Charles (David Baron),
Captain Harry Spalding (Ray Barrett) and his wife Valerie (Jennifer Daniel)
inherit the elder Spalding’s modest estate, Larkrise. They arrive in the
village to an icy reception from the suspicious residents, who fear “the black
death,” which has claimed a handful of other lives. Only barkeep Tom Bailey (Michael
Ripper) extends a hand of friendship to the perplexed couple. They soon
encounter theologian Dr. Franklyn, who’s settled in the sleepy Cornish village
after traveling in the Far East. He lives with his reclusive daughter Anna
(Jacqueline Pearce), holding dominion over her… but why? The answer could be Captain
Spalding’s undoing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAE6q57wyYxOZPWxtrZ_6811TGBXt8NrVsPFB0nEm_VCetyPIfekJ5U_-Ln5JMwtBNidId_ewgrd7prdcV5KTRo5T4fJCZyZjmfMz-Qil0o-5x-kA-da4cr_NhS0GswlG-z8w0ILNkfogxzVCIrzM2KJgGcXr_X4XAQRSaOVORo2QK2KleKaH-LVCKs3Hb/s800/The%20Reptile_3b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Tom Bailey" border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAE6q57wyYxOZPWxtrZ_6811TGBXt8NrVsPFB0nEm_VCetyPIfekJ5U_-Ln5JMwtBNidId_ewgrd7prdcV5KTRo5T4fJCZyZjmfMz-Qil0o-5x-kA-da4cr_NhS0GswlG-z8w0ILNkfogxzVCIrzM2KJgGcXr_X4XAQRSaOVORo2QK2KleKaH-LVCKs3Hb/w640-h346/The%20Reptile_3b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Our main protagonists, Harry and Valerie, are about as
vanilla as you can get. If you want any spice, look no further than the
exemplary supporting performances, especially by Hammer’s Swiss Army Knife in
residence, <a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-talented-mr-ripper.html" target="_blank">Michael Ripper</a>,
as pub owner Tom Bailey.* In most other movies, it would be a thankless, insubstantial
role, but Ripper imbues the part with depth, warmth and unexpected humor – a testament
to his formidable talent. Tom shows Spalding and his wife compassion when most
of the villagers turn their backs, and becomes the hero Spalding couldn’t be.
To her credit, Valerie (Jennifer Daniel) is a stronger female character,
compared to most other Hammer heroines of the period. Instead of shrieking in hysterics,
she remains calm in the face of adversity. Despite the danger, she rises to the
challenge on multiple occasions. When her husband is envenomated, she promptly treats
his wound, and ventures in his place to the perilous Franklyn residence. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #4: Ripper biographer Derk Pykett commented, “It’s
a role that could have easily been overplayed, or gone by hardly unnoticed. But
the Rip plays the role perfectly, with just the right amount of humor and dread
that makes barkeep Tom Bailey a memorable character.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXdOomgRpGu2oZUhNl0xVg2Fd6MSW7k62tLZJxVnIomnb0SzkRfiflklFojl0McbAV30VO0Tr5ibMhEYlFDxEczysS1IBIG0ihu_FOFvVVTkx82xUhPWJPCufcCxO93Om3HH5WXq_5bLxiAWNszqcUvQlIMoZHtfU-qOdlyF3DoPhwe5ilP0Y8prIoLDI/s800/The%20Reptile_2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Mad Peter" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXdOomgRpGu2oZUhNl0xVg2Fd6MSW7k62tLZJxVnIomnb0SzkRfiflklFojl0McbAV30VO0Tr5ibMhEYlFDxEczysS1IBIG0ihu_FOFvVVTkx82xUhPWJPCufcCxO93Om3HH5WXq_5bLxiAWNszqcUvQlIMoZHtfU-qOdlyF3DoPhwe5ilP0Y8prIoLDI/w640-h346/The%20Reptile_2a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br />John Laurie provides another noteworthy supporting
performance as “Mad” Peter,* the town eccentric. He’s at once beloved by the townsfolk
but written off because he’s a nonconformist (seeing and hearing what others
ignore). While he provides some much-needed levity to the film, he much more
than comic relief. It’s too bad he’s afforded so little screen time, because he
almost deserved his own movie. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Side Note: I couldn’t help but speculate if Mad Peter was
the ancestor of another cinematic doomsayer, Crazy Ralph from the first two
installments of the <i>Friday the 13<sup>th</sup></i> Franchise. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMkfbcXejx8zNgUKKjKYD0EmJb3p13uOFsdmBwdUCoMDbzN7v_xrKWbYQ4ZxHR89ABsymlongJ2lSB7eHFGvuYWh2_LjeMsBssX97d2Cjo70COqOirDnd1uRBblOSGlywgwqc_4mCATBQC8ggL3vQ9sJskisfpblwOaM5g4WiaHs_b0janKmBUf6lYDJP/s800/The%20Reptile_2c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Dr. Franklyn" border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="800" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMkfbcXejx8zNgUKKjKYD0EmJb3p13uOFsdmBwdUCoMDbzN7v_xrKWbYQ4ZxHR89ABsymlongJ2lSB7eHFGvuYWh2_LjeMsBssX97d2Cjo70COqOirDnd1uRBblOSGlywgwqc_4mCATBQC8ggL3vQ9sJskisfpblwOaM5g4WiaHs_b0janKmBUf6lYDJP/w640-h344/The%20Reptile_2c.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Dr. Franklyn (Noel Willman) is the most enigmatic character,
initially unlikeable but ultimately sympathetic. We eventually come to learn what
a terrible burden he carries, with no means of righting the wrongs he’s
committed. Haunted by his indiscretion after traveling to Borneo to pursue the
mysteries of an elusive cult, the Ourang Sancto, Franklyn, now a puppet of the mysterious
Malay (Marne Maitland), is responsible for his daughter’s present condition, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKh1vjtHutHjfE4c80S9N5IzSxBQvjICazVmOU75sc6x9zsuEkRaKx9pt0JDsnT9XEaKDdC7A_xEcD_QPPCoZoAyUdtCZYxDg_DuqZjpJEnOO3LhGBVkPNKg88cJ8847QaV2V7JIv_kG_z8TeHK_DmpeC5DOBeoycJEGHrbBlgZGV0kGtqymkzYfLdFfH/s800/The%20Reptile_4c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Anna Franklyn" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKh1vjtHutHjfE4c80S9N5IzSxBQvjICazVmOU75sc6x9zsuEkRaKx9pt0JDsnT9XEaKDdC7A_xEcD_QPPCoZoAyUdtCZYxDg_DuqZjpJEnOO3LhGBVkPNKg88cJ8847QaV2V7JIv_kG_z8TeHK_DmpeC5DOBeoycJEGHrbBlgZGV0kGtqymkzYfLdFfH/w640-h346/The%20Reptile_4c.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Jacqueline Pearce, probably best known today for her role as
the scheming villainess Servalan in the TV show <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake%27s_7" target="_blank">Blake’s 7</a></i>,
will likely surprise some viewers, playing such a sensitive, tragic figure as
Anna Franklyn. She endures a seemingly uncurable affliction: undergoing a
transformation into a deadly snake woman. Kept in isolation by her father, she
longs for companionship, keeping a room full of small animals as “pets.”* Her relationship
with Dr. Franklyn is best described as contentious. In one scene, she plays the
sitar for her guests, Captain Spalding and Valerie, only to have it unceremoniously
smashed over the fireplace by her father. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #5 (MINOR SPOILER): Pet lovers will be relieved
to know that Valerie’s adorable kitten featured in the beginning of the film
does not become reptile food, but survives the (literally) fiery conclusion. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiga8FZPkTA1wg-XSz9hRdhY58oLhI1Aqrnt-HpRq3-53Sc0Ik2Z5QuDt3RWRJ1-ujb9NAoLhco5LraozrgjhHR5BVbV20ZCl6Zohxqz7OswJYpBpktIz6ntIMlgH9zcNTnrZAnx19_NFwCzDeyXi9UOXXmvCUZ4rZwUqaEp3jpHhCUCe-ZefLy7SuDiyxr/s800/The%20Reptile_7c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Anna as The Reptile" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiga8FZPkTA1wg-XSz9hRdhY58oLhI1Aqrnt-HpRq3-53Sc0Ik2Z5QuDt3RWRJ1-ujb9NAoLhco5LraozrgjhHR5BVbV20ZCl6Zohxqz7OswJYpBpktIz6ntIMlgH9zcNTnrZAnx19_NFwCzDeyXi9UOXXmvCUZ4rZwUqaEp3jpHhCUCe-ZefLy7SuDiyxr/w640-h346/The%20Reptile_7c.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Roy Ashton used care when applying Pearce’s reptile makeup,
which she didn’t tolerate well (he claimed the actress was claustrophobic). The
makeup might appear crude* by today’s standards, but it does the job. Anna, in
reptile form,** is genuinely scary as depicted, emerging from the shadows or in
quick cuts, compensating for the limitations of the makeup. The dreadful effects
of the Reptile’s venom are manifested in three progressively hideous stages,
with the skin of the victims turning black and green, blood running from their
eyes, and froth foaming at the mouth. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #6: Ashton used papier mâché for the shed skin
Dr. Franklyn discovers in his daughter’s bed. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Fun Fact #7: After being unimpressed by some of the rushes
(raw, unedited footage) of Jacqueline Pearce in makeup, Hammer ordered
re-shoots (something almost unheard of for the thrifty production company).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2uyCVmcjYQFMaImVZ0R0bBsXrZYf0oBPSNSWXZYugFnAwK-Or7K1iamzu2nwcvaHVmRh4p-MplGg9_OT3qDikyJditnzJfGH1o2cu6N-dWqSHMlnvWAnpmXywxSs4JSNMzCXJEyW7QTi-7i3i6gD76BThUM_3NcZq72jO-wtTfF2DsjYYIl6mnJwUxYr/s800/The%20Reptile_7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dr. Franklyn and The Malay" border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="800" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2uyCVmcjYQFMaImVZ0R0bBsXrZYf0oBPSNSWXZYugFnAwK-Or7K1iamzu2nwcvaHVmRh4p-MplGg9_OT3qDikyJditnzJfGH1o2cu6N-dWqSHMlnvWAnpmXywxSs4JSNMzCXJEyW7QTi-7i3i6gD76BThUM_3NcZq72jO-wtTfF2DsjYYIl6mnJwUxYr/w640-h344/The%20Reptile_7a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>The Reptile’s </i>theme about a threat from the East, is undeniably
steeped in xenophobia, with a curse by an Eastern shaman, known only as “The
Malay” (Marne Maitland). While the film sets up Dr. Franklyn as the victim, he imposed
himself on a culture that didn’t want him there (“…my research into the
primitive religions of the East”), unfortunately resulting in his daughter paying
an unfathomable price. The filmmakers were sure to keep The Malay as
one-dimensional as possible, so he appeared unsympathetic and more monstrous
than the creature he helped create. He poses as Franklyn’s servant, but the
reverse is true, with Franklyn inextricably indebted to the strange man. It’s
only a smoke screen, however, to distract us from a greater truth. Franklyn, a colonial,
was an interloper in an indigenous society he didn’t respect and knew little about.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF3_uU00MiH11zYjF2t3ZQzQeFN-xoESYd7EfMQyAYUFwAAulaPEyfvHxM-VUPlG7rY6hyphenhyphenDkYZrCYJysjqOVhXwY5YWuhYXirECJdX8oSeYZeKgL0LC2bg4agVwyMS6j6K6Pzm1rPendzjZxGzNPPQZ7DeyXQG8InmpBh7JW7poL3vWVVqVtVt1Jr8Day/s800/The%20Reptile_8a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Valerie, Capt Spalding and Tom" border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="800" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF3_uU00MiH11zYjF2t3ZQzQeFN-xoESYd7EfMQyAYUFwAAulaPEyfvHxM-VUPlG7rY6hyphenhyphenDkYZrCYJysjqOVhXwY5YWuhYXirECJdX8oSeYZeKgL0LC2bg4agVwyMS6j6K6Pzm1rPendzjZxGzNPPQZ7DeyXQG8InmpBh7JW7poL3vWVVqVtVt1Jr8Day/w640-h348/The%20Reptile_8a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>The Reptile</i> transcends its second-billing leanings, ingeniously
obscuring its low-budget origins, and veering in unexpected directions (such as
Tom Bailey’s heroism). It also stands apart from many other Hammer horror
films, featuring an original creature that was created for the movie, and not a
retread of a Universal property. One of the Blu-ray commenters asserted that it
wasn’t much of a mystery who the eponymous creature was, but I don’t think that
was ever the point. It’s simply an entertaining, and frequently scary yarn, perfect
for Saturday matinees and rainy days.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Sources for this article: <i>The Hammer Story</i>, by Marcus
Hearn and Alan Barnes; <i>The Hammer Vault</i>, by Marcus Hearn; <i>Hammer
Glamour</i>, by Marcus Hearn; <i>Hammer Films: The Unsung Heroes</i>, by Wayne
Kinsey; <i>Micheal Ripper: Unmasked</i>, by Derek Pykett, Shout Factory Blu-ray
Commentary by Steve Haberman, Ted Newsom, and Constantine Nasr<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTQmFv1tf7Ikb6tO5bt9LPnm4Sww5CVLZZbgBcxMfNvGYgG3lFNph1P_1VajR8aCVZuEv5NyVc7xmdDryZbgW4vYGv0KwaDsRKJlPKeCoOL8b5P-h6e6uG5Zx5ibok3eE1E0ySzoosr7GcXcFwTWMDIbU4b4PIcccM17ooPhPUaT2DxqMzFa4upf58x7B/s640/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV Banner" border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="640" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTQmFv1tf7Ikb6tO5bt9LPnm4Sww5CVLZZbgBcxMfNvGYgG3lFNph1P_1VajR8aCVZuEv5NyVc7xmdDryZbgW4vYGv0KwaDsRKJlPKeCoOL8b5P-h6e6uG5Zx5ibok3eE1E0ySzoosr7GcXcFwTWMDIbU4b4PIcccM17ooPhPUaT2DxqMzFa4upf58x7B/w400-h275/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-24530142303411143512023-12-01T20:09:00.000-08:002023-12-01T20:09:34.468-08:00The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV is Here! Day 1 Recap<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2ILR9z9yiyd1mbja7TYnd9kt_yckVkldHbSszQNYbnjHbOSMT3SN8Idxv4Ho0Ena0zGLPJyW_0ZWlAJHcg42OUDM730Uut4v4choM9ZHEUV363QnTsJ9Wj6daUbWrEyV7pBLC0LnVqO9tSm5X9jrBPMgnHGLXfhAMbeEP5zZKJTw6ilCJ5Kn6evk09EN/s640/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Torture%20Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hammer-Amicus Blogathon Banner - Torture Garden" border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="640" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2ILR9z9yiyd1mbja7TYnd9kt_yckVkldHbSszQNYbnjHbOSMT3SN8Idxv4Ho0Ena0zGLPJyW_0ZWlAJHcg42OUDM730Uut4v4choM9ZHEUV363QnTsJ9Wj6daUbWrEyV7pBLC0LnVqO9tSm5X9jrBPMgnHGLXfhAMbeEP5zZKJTw6ilCJ5Kn6evk09EN/w400-h270/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Torture%20Garden.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Welcome to the first day of the Hammer-Amicus Blogathon! My
co-host Gill (from Realweegiemidget Reviews) and I were blown away by the
number of signups (35!), which only proves (after a one-year hiatus with
Hammer-Amicus) that absence truly makes the heart grow fonder. We’ve got something
for everyone in Day One’s posts, but first, some housekeeping… <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hTNMWmPAHIYxjnDunMu_YOkQSaqPKOguFJniPpInhdkeSz3TwKf8Tz9qwJbU3dv1o6rG8ss-ADG9ODF9tlUxtqJBONwaE6POQruktQDkStLBvfwSC_ugRLHwSQGQXcBkItsuVPxzzwV1qKZd6__ai3J4W-jwMXcOlP3yvcgbtEEvh3NlGBFLO-RTUGnk/s635/The%20Hound%20of%20the%20Baskervilles_1b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Hound of the Baskervilles" border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="635" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hTNMWmPAHIYxjnDunMu_YOkQSaqPKOguFJniPpInhdkeSz3TwKf8Tz9qwJbU3dv1o6rG8ss-ADG9ODF9tlUxtqJBONwaE6POQruktQDkStLBvfwSC_ugRLHwSQGQXcBkItsuVPxzzwV1qKZd6__ai3J4W-jwMXcOlP3yvcgbtEEvh3NlGBFLO-RTUGnk/w400-h244/The%20Hound%20of%20the%20Baskervilles_1b.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br />If you plan to
participate but you’re not quite ready, never fear, we’ll post your link on days
two or three (and rumor has it there could be a fourth bonus day for the
fashionably late). Post a comment below, email me at <a href="mailto:barry_cinematic@yahoo.com">barry_cinematic@yahoo.com</a>, Twitter
(@barry_cinematic), Instagram (barry_cinematic), or by commenting below. You
may also contact Gill by commenting on her <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2023/12/01/news-welcome-to-the-first-day-of-the-hammer-and-amicus-blogathon/" target="_blank">post</a>,
or through her blog’s <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/contact-me/" target="_blank">Contact Me</a> page.</span><p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWWQsqXDoZhXH8FxS-ygdHQNKTEeajidSusSNIrRBYF35dKm_9VEeGTxyfBb_vcpSKRVIyDvLwz3NFPq3pTcrvPhitibaquBLLI6rA4dQnCN8AX1Yfjdif7kIiYq-eWNE0XKLlBHut3r62XVOJ8pxhmh-kt7XC_Te_VhOoKyghd2N1cVULkER2zVqVIfz/s853/Paranoiac%20(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Paranoiac" border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="853" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWWQsqXDoZhXH8FxS-ygdHQNKTEeajidSusSNIrRBYF35dKm_9VEeGTxyfBb_vcpSKRVIyDvLwz3NFPq3pTcrvPhitibaquBLLI6rA4dQnCN8AX1Yfjdif7kIiYq-eWNE0XKLlBHut3r62XVOJ8pxhmh-kt7XC_Te_VhOoKyghd2N1cVULkER2zVqVIfz/w400-h170/Paranoiac%20(4).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Be
sure to watch out for tomorrow’s batch of posts. Enjoy!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3utbOgMPwVqt6Rg5aHo6Dm7syqylR2ityzJGFBT_Tcbq36B1OZ3zjI5PnLvdXmUJ-5nHS7ljEChCdont-_WwocUf9uN5NJZ8rb3uW7BGGkmxRv-noQVJN6wjHQgeAgF0-P-H7FeadAMTzRagQMors34c0p8C_3A7gXUJUVY1FKAK9KczKm_lB9KJLuDB/s631/Hammer%20Film%20Productions.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Hammer Film Productions" border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="631" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3utbOgMPwVqt6Rg5aHo6Dm7syqylR2ityzJGFBT_Tcbq36B1OZ3zjI5PnLvdXmUJ-5nHS7ljEChCdont-_WwocUf9uN5NJZ8rb3uW7BGGkmxRv-noQVJN6wjHQgeAgF0-P-H7FeadAMTzRagQMors34c0p8C_3A7gXUJUVY1FKAK9KczKm_lB9KJLuDB/w640-h392/Hammer%20Film%20Productions.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"> </span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIcNyJkF5GrWZKC7h2hdpdGTSMAqX25XRKHuRxcLQOWXu-A0G6XrUJxLicwfk9XXM0axtwLPJlmoyk9RdlNBqEjBw_u4YVvJYFMiMU1x0TMPa17qqa50SmC9xgFpwfoNmuLrmrCZo5dnkf400VI0iNh6LT91Rc3dAU1M3l8wX3QLdAcaAd0FE1jePnRff/s1507/The%20Plague%20of%20the%20Zombies_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Plague of the Zombies Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1507" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIcNyJkF5GrWZKC7h2hdpdGTSMAqX25XRKHuRxcLQOWXu-A0G6XrUJxLicwfk9XXM0axtwLPJlmoyk9RdlNBqEjBw_u4YVvJYFMiMU1x0TMPa17qqa50SmC9xgFpwfoNmuLrmrCZo5dnkf400VI0iNh6LT91Rc3dAU1M3l8wX3QLdAcaAd0FE1jePnRff/w400-h300/The%20Plague%20of%20the%20Zombies_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Forget calling an Uber. Join Terence Towles Canote as he takes
<i><a href="https://mercurie.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-devil-rides-out-1968.html" target="_blank">The Devil Rides Out</a></i> (1968) for a spin. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9XNOFH0GwiU0jv2usA6OakI04PDAT4mWgjvwR0Yx4JE1ODT1p4GR5Np8H8kALaS4jJ3TK9fAnnecxlANtN_MRcpIniKM8oEsF2qRiQY_z1BtrR-niaO_Vq-zdkV_O5kKznlQ6Pj6hgwyxFydGIlUi6wJLQbPF6FduPujliDTiQ2T0-mjfL3Wxo6Ol_ye/s2946/Madhouse_Poster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Madhouse Poster" border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9XNOFH0GwiU0jv2usA6OakI04PDAT4mWgjvwR0Yx4JE1ODT1p4GR5Np8H8kALaS4jJ3TK9fAnnecxlANtN_MRcpIniKM8oEsF2qRiQY_z1BtrR-niaO_Vq-zdkV_O5kKznlQ6Pj6hgwyxFydGIlUi6wJLQbPF6FduPujliDTiQ2T0-mjfL3Wxo6Ol_ye/w264-h400/Madhouse_Poster1.jpg" width="264" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">You’d have to be daffy to pass on Kristina’s (from Speakeasy)
review of <i><a href="https://hqofk.wordpress.com/2023/12/01/as-they-say-in-horror-movies-you-will-come-to-a-bad-end/" target="_blank">Madhouse</a></i> (1974). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K4uYeky5ig4p5cLIyALx_KyU4EtAh6uRndbM-53413xCN4a1HWtHicQasnLavfk_bXecgTT3QHpuPM3AeCgV88ubXRMMfFe-8muL8oNWfTKOaqLx_WsrucjDISvwzBf3w-fGt-DM9ROSOqfshh9oi56NFZQYqU1T_x2o5qbNj9e6VQmZPSaj_FNN8ZLu/s1500/The%20Vampire%20Lovers_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Vampire Lovers" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="988" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K4uYeky5ig4p5cLIyALx_KyU4EtAh6uRndbM-53413xCN4a1HWtHicQasnLavfk_bXecgTT3QHpuPM3AeCgV88ubXRMMfFe-8muL8oNWfTKOaqLx_WsrucjDISvwzBf3w-fGt-DM9ROSOqfshh9oi56NFZQYqU1T_x2o5qbNj9e6VQmZPSaj_FNN8ZLu/w264-h400/The%20Vampire%20Lovers_Poster1a.jpg" width="264" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Virginia DeBolt from Old Ain’t Dead considers <i><a href="https://oldaintdead.com/the-vampire-lovers-1970-a-blogathon-project/" target="_blank">The VampireLovers</a></i> (1970). </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeQSvGf-rSh151qpAczB7EshYwLgutTE7RoisE8R6zDoVGlGgupdPS_EcKw2Squ6jgq9-AwRWs0llcpr4_ROA7rh65N1N1NH8lopU7x-ApY0hRGq5Rjn2VZKATNyH2g7wFt9FIsKlSa4QEsBkMNWRF3UJYo14KDIPcBPFg1IWoynRoFNxDnv2rUCguvE6/s1507/The%20Plague%20of%20the%20Zombies_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Plague of the Zombies" border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1507" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeQSvGf-rSh151qpAczB7EshYwLgutTE7RoisE8R6zDoVGlGgupdPS_EcKw2Squ6jgq9-AwRWs0llcpr4_ROA7rh65N1N1NH8lopU7x-ApY0hRGq5Rjn2VZKATNyH2g7wFt9FIsKlSa4QEsBkMNWRF3UJYo14KDIPcBPFg1IWoynRoFNxDnv2rUCguvE6/w400-h300/The%20Plague%20of%20the%20Zombies_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Andrew Wickliffe from The Stop Button entrances us with his
take on <i><a href="https://thestopbutton.com/2023/12/01/plague-of-the-zombies-1966/" target="_blank">The Plague of the Zombies</a> </i>(1966). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGq9RGE168NYFFvRaecZIX-C0_m-Als1jyJojVt2oqVu4HalMpvJlqEMn7t-5As62pDjjrWEd0eMUU-ryReK-3TKRl9R6W6zvHdLKMK2BbJ519-vBr4PRaXj-fIVZURcJ3lv7cjDeW4DMbP3QBrhUu1s5Inr4mZEMwkmw-DtkQU9SifdvWSMYl2s6yEQ7/s1664/The%20Psychopath_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Psychopath" border="0" data-original-height="1664" data-original-width="1097" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGq9RGE168NYFFvRaecZIX-C0_m-Als1jyJojVt2oqVu4HalMpvJlqEMn7t-5As62pDjjrWEd0eMUU-ryReK-3TKRl9R6W6zvHdLKMK2BbJ519-vBr4PRaXj-fIVZURcJ3lv7cjDeW4DMbP3QBrhUu1s5Inr4mZEMwkmw-DtkQU9SifdvWSMYl2s6yEQ7/w264-h400/The%20Psychopath_Poster1a.jpg" width="264" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Joey from The Last Drive-In invites us to spend a night with
<i><a href="https://thelastdrivein.com/2023/12/01/the-psychopath-1966-i-have-my-doll-now/" target="_blank">The Psychopath</a></i> (1966). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vTpw-vVYHMx8Yb4T6DUV5nzqV1Voxj2c2xKDm5xcN5yhfT4f6sERepIxnRT535Ll1mhZCzabNjXhLtGBfQfHEUV40Gw7swmmXLzcZ8Bf-dY803weCy4I3Xt-j_-ug4UyDqfquckomMq3C8kYzSBfIkVtku6Zj5rRPiu4DlY5jKbOwmZIVkTgCGMO5P4d/s899/Bad%20Blonde_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bad Blonde Poster" border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="899" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vTpw-vVYHMx8Yb4T6DUV5nzqV1Voxj2c2xKDm5xcN5yhfT4f6sERepIxnRT535Ll1mhZCzabNjXhLtGBfQfHEUV40Gw7swmmXLzcZ8Bf-dY803weCy4I3Xt-j_-ug4UyDqfquckomMq3C8kYzSBfIkVtku6Zj5rRPiu4DlY5jKbOwmZIVkTgCGMO5P4d/w400-h310/Bad%20Blonde_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0I3g3KFB_hwGfV1RNOFbE8bLJpamZ0QYkih6Uzn9accjGbzi-7boir1Bva3idfrXLPEKEc3HadJa1IyS8RpEtUxr9xkFio1J-mXfOhWMNdMUdBzBiIYJqvk7PPXjZPX34EtvNyc7BLoR7bjltyXD3wWtmZGiAT6P_kM9-1DWTzTX1s6OejaR8GdBtsOmN/s640/Man%20Bait_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Man Bait Poster" border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="640" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0I3g3KFB_hwGfV1RNOFbE8bLJpamZ0QYkih6Uzn9accjGbzi-7boir1Bva3idfrXLPEKEc3HadJa1IyS8RpEtUxr9xkFio1J-mXfOhWMNdMUdBzBiIYJqvk7PPXjZPX34EtvNyc7BLoR7bjltyXD3wWtmZGiAT6P_kM9-1DWTzTX1s6OejaR8GdBtsOmN/w400-h314/Man%20Bait_Poster1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Quiggy from The Midnite Drive-In serves us a delectable <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2023/12/blondes-have-more-bad-vibes.html" target="_blank">double feature of Hammer noir</a>, with <i>Bad Blonde</i> (1953) and <i>Man Bait</i> (aka:
<i>The Last Page</i>) (1952). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZ9L7IIhwCEFfKddCrSN1skVkFuW3Kilww5szOAPeigHjUAh0QALbtwAzKVtTKVMWXo03nef5MuCgJpIRqy00dabf7iS1q4VJg2YO6nnUhWksZgYn8AyZfWAOFh3H8LV-gU62HYuIXA3XwC_HwYDrQ1q6ovZUYhpX6A4zPvv_zvdtvm2jloRnfiB5VGY6/s853/Taste%20the%20Blood%20of%20Dracula_2c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Taste the Blood of Dracula - Ralph Bates" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZ9L7IIhwCEFfKddCrSN1skVkFuW3Kilww5szOAPeigHjUAh0QALbtwAzKVtTKVMWXo03nef5MuCgJpIRqy00dabf7iS1q4VJg2YO6nnUhWksZgYn8AyZfWAOFh3H8LV-gU62HYuIXA3XwC_HwYDrQ1q6ovZUYhpX6A4zPvv_zvdtvm2jloRnfiB5VGY6/w400-h225/Taste%20the%20Blood%20of%20Dracula_2c.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">The one and only Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews discusses
<a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2023/11/25/ralph-bates/" target="_blank">Ralph Bates’ career at Hammer</a> (including an introduction by actress Judy
Matheson). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElvgy5hq-eJ5V70GZvZuSk1sx6DesgLbIyDiKm_tdAeD1iNj9HAPKqfKNnWHtrmKbeYelenTp3mVJi4CWU1nx9Pltxhn-6bFzkhkCUV0JRvxsP-F_mikMFMIF1Qqrl5F-IEOf5Lf0_1QdpwuSaqaftehRL-IVHuDp2n6k0ClFDfNddh9fHx9hiTMrix1q/s1918/An%20Amicus%20Production.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An Amicus Production" border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1918" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElvgy5hq-eJ5V70GZvZuSk1sx6DesgLbIyDiKm_tdAeD1iNj9HAPKqfKNnWHtrmKbeYelenTp3mVJi4CWU1nx9Pltxhn-6bFzkhkCUV0JRvxsP-F_mikMFMIF1Qqrl5F-IEOf5Lf0_1QdpwuSaqaftehRL-IVHuDp2n6k0ClFDfNddh9fHx9hiTMrix1q/w640-h360/An%20Amicus%20Production.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHU9PwXNHWJ5nZ51Rxt8WT3QZNDgG0bwVOupyKMFXnDz0NnglAfWleXg4DIe6mkbRnB4caKyGy9_3e3BpidPyFOBCwsLrQrWCEfzBHAYHshLqK-rYlSLXRIB9Q8ijtVd1jiDezqznRNSAPyS3vQwBOjE2o6PnBDYaXi29Avd9q3MuHdkofJDV6WvpdhAz/s1000/The%20Terrornauts_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Terrornauts Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="656" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHU9PwXNHWJ5nZ51Rxt8WT3QZNDgG0bwVOupyKMFXnDz0NnglAfWleXg4DIe6mkbRnB4caKyGy9_3e3BpidPyFOBCwsLrQrWCEfzBHAYHshLqK-rYlSLXRIB9Q8ijtVd1jiDezqznRNSAPyS3vQwBOjE2o6PnBDYaXi29Avd9q3MuHdkofJDV6WvpdhAz/w263-h400/The%20Terrornauts_Poster1a.jpg" width="263" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">Space out with Greg Wilcox from Destroy All Fanboys as he explores
<i><a href="https://fanboydestroy.com/2023/11/30/random-film-of-the-week-the-return-the-terrornauts/" target="_blank">The Terrornauts</a></i> (1967). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-5057682648315359632023-11-25T17:57:00.000-08:002023-11-25T17:57:15.348-08:00November Quick Picks and Pans<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-3QVpONsb-zPoNiyD3LtvIePXuApb2-WTpOoKB14nCG-S4zBmEzk7cKeRt6w7DyArgE6rlSvj-kRXjua9lvTTVHD4oT967VGmFAw0jt6eaf8AGCTNIVIxOxjBwgmgLSF6waKuVWjZC-YMnM99X4FmMN2OKtZHlcDUIGhelWYtMB8fC55aHTIDoTRx6PZ/s924/Murder%20My%20Sweet_Poster2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Murder, My Sweet Poster" border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="614" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-3QVpONsb-zPoNiyD3LtvIePXuApb2-WTpOoKB14nCG-S4zBmEzk7cKeRt6w7DyArgE6rlSvj-kRXjua9lvTTVHD4oT967VGmFAw0jt6eaf8AGCTNIVIxOxjBwgmgLSF6waKuVWjZC-YMnM99X4FmMN2OKtZHlcDUIGhelWYtMB8fC55aHTIDoTRx6PZ/w266-h400/Murder%20My%20Sweet_Poster2a.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i>Murder, My Sweet</i> (1944) Dick Powell plays Raymond
Chandler’s enduring private detective, Philip Marlowe, in a plot that involves
an ex-con (Mike Mazurki), his missing girlfriend, and some stolen jade. Marlowe
becomes unwittingly embroiled in a triangle between a rich elderly magnate
(Miles Mander), his trophy wife Helen (Claire Trevor) and his daughter Ann
(Anne Shirley). Director Edward Dmytryk maintains a breakneck pace throughout,
with smart dialogue and gobs of intrigue, cut with a healthy dash of humor. Being
taken for a ride has seldom seemed so enjoyable. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">****</span>. Available on Blu-ray and DVD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrl6dNpuzYn9NsYLV-5OUcOgbz1QvrLFJ61M7ApozLVCtj8CyzCjqchpLI51cTJoE0ke5_HOamD6yWDBWWS-dS20YRIOtzv_QjJW8lkEyKLZfd5gn_-lDcxSu22mG6n6X9UHYDdYJMdDrJEjPcZfjohm3w_8vJK-wThvsn_-QTSvKxS8fBwCXPpAmfMIBR/s1440/Too%20Late%20for%20Tears_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Too Late for Tears Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrl6dNpuzYn9NsYLV-5OUcOgbz1QvrLFJ61M7ApozLVCtj8CyzCjqchpLI51cTJoE0ke5_HOamD6yWDBWWS-dS20YRIOtzv_QjJW8lkEyKLZfd5gn_-lDcxSu22mG6n6X9UHYDdYJMdDrJEjPcZfjohm3w_8vJK-wThvsn_-QTSvKxS8fBwCXPpAmfMIBR/w266-h400/Too%20Late%20for%20Tears_Poster1a.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i>Too Late for Tears </i>(1949) An unhappy married couple,
Jane and Alan (played by Lizabeth Scott and Arthur Kennedy), bickering on a
lonely highway find their lives turned around when a valise filled with $60,000
in cash ends up in their laps. After successfully evading the intended
recipient, they debate about what to do with their new windfall – report it to
the police or keep it. It soon becomes apparent that Jane has other plans for
the money, until the owner of the money (Dan Duryea) tracks her down. Lizabeth
Scott is at her icy best, as a woman who will stop at nothing to keep herself
wrapped in luxury. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">****</span>. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Prime Video
and Kanopy</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgI0W1kWNU_0cMW6wXQO0xdSBbaNN8qWm6qQC-71am9Hm2TSoD2y7jyunllPEtcljGDH21LJlPsEgfTLs-KLLcB87de4rgAcPwDWfwSgSGb9feDamSO1pSW6xCxf-iFqzIZs8c4zGQ0um7aDS68TLb1BPeqGDpFN0T0rTUGKpyWhe2uRlkpcKnOM5R80I/s510/The%20Strange%20Woman_Poster2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Strange Woman Poster" border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="366" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgI0W1kWNU_0cMW6wXQO0xdSBbaNN8qWm6qQC-71am9Hm2TSoD2y7jyunllPEtcljGDH21LJlPsEgfTLs-KLLcB87de4rgAcPwDWfwSgSGb9feDamSO1pSW6xCxf-iFqzIZs8c4zGQ0um7aDS68TLb1BPeqGDpFN0T0rTUGKpyWhe2uRlkpcKnOM5R80I/w288-h400/The%20Strange%20Woman_Poster2a.jpg" width="288" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i>The Strange Woman </i>(1946) This not-quite-noir by
director Edgar Ulmer is set in early 1800s Bangor, Maine, when it teetered on
the precipice of becoming a boomtown. The ever-radiant Hedy Lamarr stars as Jenny
Hager, an enigmatic young woman haunted by her father’s poor reputation. She
sets out to make a name for herself, manipulating men and women alike with her
wiles, eventually assuming control of her deceased husband’s business empire. While
she climbs the rungs of the social ladder, she remains a contradiction,
ruthless, but with a strong philanthropic streak. Much like its main character,
the film sends a mixed message, with its morally conflicted main character,
demonized by judgmental and self-righteous townspeople. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>. Available on DVD and Prime Video<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQZnrOPkAQm8PwFFR6Wnq7XyCv-HqfQ_blgMMcOafngJvujcAxi_W5eC1d6njpD6PTQ0dIMWO2bnmNI6MKluHNAoulvLnQqzbgNnQ8SXr_MELlkthJ25OmDwHuUExhJ7RQFm1Obpcp76BuxB_feLoqUyf9bilqc7N4SX1aKA85xKWkbo_Z-SzWxuFNQph/s1000/The%20Crimson%20Cult_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Crimson Cult Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="645" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQZnrOPkAQm8PwFFR6Wnq7XyCv-HqfQ_blgMMcOafngJvujcAxi_W5eC1d6njpD6PTQ0dIMWO2bnmNI6MKluHNAoulvLnQqzbgNnQ8SXr_MELlkthJ25OmDwHuUExhJ7RQFm1Obpcp76BuxB_feLoqUyf9bilqc7N4SX1aKA85xKWkbo_Z-SzWxuFNQph/w258-h400/The%20Crimson%20Cult_Poster1a.jpg" width="258" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i>The Crimson Cult</i> (aka: <i>Curse of the Crimson
Altar</i>) (1968) Despite a stellar cast (featuring Boris Karloff, Christopher
Lee, Barbara Steele and Michael Gough), this meandering supernatural thriller
never quite gets unstuck from neutral. Robert Manning (Mark Eden), an antiques
dealer, investigates the whereabouts of his missing brother, which leads him to
the Morely estate, presided over by the family patriarch (Christopher Lee). While
staying at the mansion, he falls for Morley’s niece, Eve (Virginia Wetherell), who
shares a direct lineage to her infamous ancestor Lavinia (Barbara Steele). Boris
Karloff co-stars (and spends the movie looking physically uncomfortable) as Morley’s
neighbor, Professor John Marsh. This Tigon production, directed by Vernon Sewell,
displays a few moments of almost Hammer-level gothic atmosphere, but suffers
from poor pacing, a weak story, and a painfully bland lead. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span>½. Available on Blu-ray (Out of print)
and Tubi </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnfMG4tvTgscxFfFuM6Ks5b11czVs97wO4ojpNbQUOWwBZtK8ye9IR9P0TqXKEVg6WLdyrTQuPhI1bOI0fI503Y3At85_XAbl5O3D7W_Xmo2eNTD3YQ0hSUc397K1HUub_OtCh0m2hrcCRjW3-KCEQsPFllOi6zhLLh-JtNW1tK75EnxfYrvMMilrTuqY/s1600/Terminus_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Terminus Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnfMG4tvTgscxFfFuM6Ks5b11czVs97wO4ojpNbQUOWwBZtK8ye9IR9P0TqXKEVg6WLdyrTQuPhI1bOI0fI503Y3At85_XAbl5O3D7W_Xmo2eNTD3YQ0hSUc397K1HUub_OtCh0m2hrcCRjW3-KCEQsPFllOi6zhLLh-JtNW1tK75EnxfYrvMMilrTuqY/w240-h320/Terminus_Poster1a.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i>Terminus</i> (1987) This French-German co-production,
directed by Pierre-William Glenn, plays like a pastiche of other postapocalyptic
movies, while struggling to say something new. Karen Allen appears as Gus, the
driver of a computerized truck who participates in a dangerous game, traveling through
a perilous route full of hostile inhabitants. Jürgen Prochnow co-stars in a
triple role as a totalitarian leader with an orange wig (“Sir”), a mad
scientist (“Doctor”), and a rival truck driver. The truck and its artificial
intelligence brain was invented by lab-created child prodigy Mati (Gabriel Damon),
who has an ulterior motive for his game. Allen, who’s featured prominently in
the credits, has relatively little screen time, and Prochnow looks like he’d
rather be in something else. It’s a disappointing mishmash of half-baked ideas with little
focus. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span>. Available on DVD, Prime Video and Tubi<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-40175010545162157262023-11-01T22:47:00.001-07:002023-11-01T22:47:17.794-07:00Horror Month Quick Picks and Pans<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKX6Cp70nT1MYYzC7bFNW2EvO_z4ArkNiE6Z_06z3KUfO9t43t9e92fFxFd5MkSp7NqtZl8GLxoS_f0ZxTay_1nTW6w2qUEQb8XjUxeEHHkZomChF3fvxcZiipOWjz350xpsDDokrxRo5Y_x7-c6dG8l47X1EP3ga5cyyj8XCxDKxeikIoTxUOg0uqjCM/s1500/The%20Collingswood%20Story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Collingswood Story Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKX6Cp70nT1MYYzC7bFNW2EvO_z4ArkNiE6Z_06z3KUfO9t43t9e92fFxFd5MkSp7NqtZl8GLxoS_f0ZxTay_1nTW6w2qUEQb8XjUxeEHHkZomChF3fvxcZiipOWjz350xpsDDokrxRo5Y_x7-c6dG8l47X1EP3ga5cyyj8XCxDKxeikIoTxUOg0uqjCM/w266-h400/The%20Collingswood%20Story.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>The Colingswood Story </i>(2002) The suspense gradually
builds in this surprisingly effective microbudget film (shot on Hi-8 tape) from
writer/director Michael Costanza. The story is told entirely through the webcam
feeds of two 20-somethings in the pre-Zoom, dial-up internet days. After hearing
some ominous ramblings from an online psychic (Diane Behrens), Johnny (Johnny Burton)
fears his out-of-state girlfriend Rebecca (Stephanie Dees) might be in mortal
danger. Johnny learns that the Collingswood, New Jersey house where she’s
renting a room was once the site of several grisly murders, perpetrated by a member
of a satanic cult. The restrictive sets, defined by the webcams, create a palpable
sense of immediacy. <i>The Collingswood Story</i> proves less is often more, maintaining
a disturbing atmosphere despite the absence of special effects or elaborate
makeup. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">***</span>½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Prime Video and
Tubi <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEhikVz8FeCtCSl2lVaZoS9Wc-Ur5dNzp7uhbzKvsP-jVP_5e-zJrH0lOJRLt27nMf1lTHc3KR550O5adsxanHTXRAFFkhMgos4FHz4tKlNgv78OgiMpGmx87V4IQU5swxBx4ZonCYVp-LR1hQbVjD_FYjlOjXGZeAfAsucxsA8kNViEWzBS7W0IvNI80/s1862/Seeding%20of%20a%20Ghost_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Seeding of a Ghost Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1862" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEhikVz8FeCtCSl2lVaZoS9Wc-Ur5dNzp7uhbzKvsP-jVP_5e-zJrH0lOJRLt27nMf1lTHc3KR550O5adsxanHTXRAFFkhMgos4FHz4tKlNgv78OgiMpGmx87V4IQU5swxBx4ZonCYVp-LR1hQbVjD_FYjlOjXGZeAfAsucxsA8kNViEWzBS7W0IvNI80/w258-h400/Seeding%20of%20a%20Ghost_Poster1a.jpg" width="258" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Seeding of a Ghost </i>(1983) This Shaw Brothers <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hong_Kong_Category_III_films#" target="_blank">Category III</a> movie,
directed by Kuen Yeung, helped stretch the boundaries of Hong Kong cinema. A
cab driver (Phillip Ko) unwittingly interrupts a practitioner of black magic, resulting
in a curse on himself and young wife. When she’s brutally attacked and killed
by two young men, he employs the services of the reluctant shaman to awaken her
ghost. Revenge is swift, but he learns too late that employing the dark arts
has a terrible price. <i>Seeding of a Ghost</i> is an experience you won’t soon
forget, entertaining and icky in equal parts. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD (Both out of
print)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAMCfW1mPku0B8i0JC_oHJw_OLK2AkdFIaEVx9dXmnqLiw1bVeKdyzv7x-wPsuawVGnrXdxM6vywsnXzJaPSEfdEag3pi5OrOJyr527PkPOKromHcd39tWkMR8Y3ffeFX-9nIjA38CY5Z6S9p0_zGAKc7Tgt56wVm9i0sS7BYUgFrxudcw5QmIPVbj6oV/s1500/Curse%20of%20the%20Undead_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Curse of the Undead Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAMCfW1mPku0B8i0JC_oHJw_OLK2AkdFIaEVx9dXmnqLiw1bVeKdyzv7x-wPsuawVGnrXdxM6vywsnXzJaPSEfdEag3pi5OrOJyr527PkPOKromHcd39tWkMR8Y3ffeFX-9nIjA38CY5Z6S9p0_zGAKc7Tgt56wVm9i0sS7BYUgFrxudcw5QmIPVbj6oV/w284-h400/Curse%20of%20the%20Undead_Poster1a.jpg" width="284" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Curse of the Undead </i>(1959) Here’s a real 1950s oddity,
a vampire western. Dr. Carter (John Hoyt) and his family are bullied by Buffer (Bruce
Gordon), an unscrupulous landowner muscling in on their ranch. When Carter dies
under dubious circumstances, his hotheaded revenge-seeking son is gunned down
by Buffer. Drake Robey (Michael Pate), a mysterious gunslinger with an aversion
to sunlight, offers his protection to the grieving daughter, Dolores (Kathleen
Crowley), who’s now the sole owner of the ranch. Meanwhile, a preacher (Eric
Fleming) tries to convince Dolores her life is in danger after he learns Robey’s
dark secret. I can’t imagine how audiences accustomed to standard westerns
received this unusual ahead-of-its-time hybrid.*</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* I can’t help but wonder about the still largely untapped
potential for horror westerns. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCKXn9SsjXDuMYTfTgIc21abJfuMV9AlQ49gafDBi4B0HO1kPGuJgVZSgDcPuIAHgpCYyvWAiPZpSqZXZgjO0q2izdxFRpYmP25C08iJMkL8xNXpkOSMffUBYZ5B2etmsdTVnW6dI9Llhdv5CG42sQxVl8jmezpdoTKVU5hdJJ1M25s0CuuLzixi8sdBN/s2260/Maniac_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Maniac Poster" border="0" data-original-height="2260" data-original-width="1486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCKXn9SsjXDuMYTfTgIc21abJfuMV9AlQ49gafDBi4B0HO1kPGuJgVZSgDcPuIAHgpCYyvWAiPZpSqZXZgjO0q2izdxFRpYmP25C08iJMkL8xNXpkOSMffUBYZ5B2etmsdTVnW6dI9Llhdv5CG42sQxVl8jmezpdoTKVU5hdJJ1M25s0CuuLzixi8sdBN/w263-h400/Maniac_Poster1a.jpg" width="263" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Maniac </i>(1980) Joe Spinell (who also co-wrote the
screenplay and co-produced) stars as Frank Zito, a lonely, mentally unstable
middle-aged man who preys on unsuspecting women. He murders them for their
scalps, which he brings home to dress his mannequins’ heads. He befriends a
beautiful fashion photographer (Caroline Munro) who seem oddly smitten by his
awkward charms. Director William Lustig’s film is unabashedly sleazy and in
poor taste, yet strangely captivating, anchored by Spinell’s unnerving
performance. You might want to take a long shower after watching this. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Prime Video and
Tubi<i><o:p> </o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxqlPRItuf-d67d7gvcZn8xU9JXDSbekYRU-9NRzzB0I_JaXAeLxOgZqDlGlDs-hb71LCXWk5XLhWdDGYcnYK9C5bDHv19TSDmOaMEPXPr-UxvGIoY_A4GTbNZqJyPFuEIT47pF0YFvbFAShNFe7domdi1BreJ-58PclwxKqYU91OcUeIlOUOP1tAoPfN/s1600/Lamb_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lamb Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxqlPRItuf-d67d7gvcZn8xU9JXDSbekYRU-9NRzzB0I_JaXAeLxOgZqDlGlDs-hb71LCXWk5XLhWdDGYcnYK9C5bDHv19TSDmOaMEPXPr-UxvGIoY_A4GTbNZqJyPFuEIT47pF0YFvbFAShNFe7domdi1BreJ-58PclwxKqYU91OcUeIlOUOP1tAoPfN/w270-h400/Lamb_Poster1a.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Lamb </i>(2021) Director/co-writer Valdimar Jóhannsson’s
Icelandic folk horror movie is a quiet rumination on parenthood and
belongingness. A childless couple, Maria and Ingvar (Noomi Rapace and Hilmir
Snær Guðnason) spend their lonely days tending to their farm. Their lives are transformed
forever when one of their ewes gives birth to a sheep-human hybrid. They accept
the strange creature as their daughter, but tensions rise when Ingvar’s elder
brother comes to live with them. It’s an oddly compelling film, featuring some good
acting and intriguing themes, but it’s marred by a limp third act that sputters
to an end. It comes close to saying something profound, but just misses the
mark. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Kanopy </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIUF7HLnbwm0ZREm4x9OGyNxptC5FfRpmdWb5V6B0b7ICjS90N6QrBNQ48wKM_HY1pyiG6BOD-AHxuIPSWlykwvs4QUP0lNwWbd4Ua4P_0t8nffGbIStKjMiPdTCqYKhZ0tbmaetMOCd-S3Zw5QDqRdysqvAhz__7du-RVRLcCOCR0wiXw9jP_Kn2aOdi/s1551/Mary,%20Mary,%20Bloody%20Mary_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1551" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIUF7HLnbwm0ZREm4x9OGyNxptC5FfRpmdWb5V6B0b7ICjS90N6QrBNQ48wKM_HY1pyiG6BOD-AHxuIPSWlykwvs4QUP0lNwWbd4Ua4P_0t8nffGbIStKjMiPdTCqYKhZ0tbmaetMOCd-S3Zw5QDqRdysqvAhz__7du-RVRLcCOCR0wiXw9jP_Kn2aOdi/w258-h400/Mary,%20Mary,%20Bloody%20Mary_Poster1a.jpg" width="258" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary</i> (1975) Cristina Ferrare stars
as the title character, a young woman traveling to Mexico who enjoys painting
and a macabre pastime (stabbing her victims and drinking their blood). She meets
a man (David Young) along the way, and they seem to hit it off, but her homicidal
tendencies get in the way. While she grapples with her impulses, someone else
is committing a series of similar murders and a tenacious police inspector is
snooping around. Compared to director Juan López Moctezuma’s previous and
follow-up efforts (<i>The Mansion of Madness</i> and <i><a href="https://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/2023/08/short-take-alucarda.html" target="_blank">Alucarda</a></i>),
this tepid thriller seems positively subdued. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwgyWK3nre9nA1PF31_7mm8nz7WuM4NCEKqre5zaS_PiG_6IMj0L0Vl497k7tRl0hr8-oxGOKB1PqcxENqAuui6takCA79Dw3OIaJnfWDMJuoMZ_J-iacOk0sjkLEQ9jT3Sfq74lQolck0zqs2JbaAshGItWEctknQl_RZbPyCpTW13n-lrkglcuOPVQG/s1000/Frightmare_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Frightmare Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="690" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwgyWK3nre9nA1PF31_7mm8nz7WuM4NCEKqre5zaS_PiG_6IMj0L0Vl497k7tRl0hr8-oxGOKB1PqcxENqAuui6takCA79Dw3OIaJnfWDMJuoMZ_J-iacOk0sjkLEQ9jT3Sfq74lQolck0zqs2JbaAshGItWEctknQl_RZbPyCpTW13n-lrkglcuOPVQG/w276-h400/Frightmare_Poster1a.jpg" width="276" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Frightmare </i>(1983) When their favorite horror star
dies, some over-enthusiastic members of a horror film appreciation society do
what any sensible fan would do: break into his mausoleum and steal his corpse. But
the once dead Conrad Radzoff (Ferdy Mayne) returns for one last performance
when his grieving wife conducts a ritual to revive his body. Mayhem and murder
ensue. <i>Frightmare</i>, which borrows extensively from <i>Children Shouldn’t
Play with Dead Things</i>, teaches us the predictable lesson that we’re better
off not messing with forces we don’t understand, but it has its inspired
moments. Mayne is amusing as the conceited, fading star, and Jeffrey Combs
appears as one of the misguided fans. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Prime Video and
Tubi<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBFJ7urM2kaEI5IkDtF5xvg41KAixGMY5XeR3yqYjOIMghD8sQHoVj94t6jW1s2t0SLSeeCT7Z_wz8kH0qkz1lPKzPjdp2BZHpM89zLDHS8qEf-NbNx_BceKOVM-wmhvVkZefTQmF8O0jTUT7Ei7UkJoRKlGKd78W74JFTYb_xoxBiGIzjUxVTSaPZRUM/s425/Anatomy_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Anatomy Poster" border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="290" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBFJ7urM2kaEI5IkDtF5xvg41KAixGMY5XeR3yqYjOIMghD8sQHoVj94t6jW1s2t0SLSeeCT7Z_wz8kH0qkz1lPKzPjdp2BZHpM89zLDHS8qEf-NbNx_BceKOVM-wmhvVkZefTQmF8O0jTUT7Ei7UkJoRKlGKd78W74JFTYb_xoxBiGIzjUxVTSaPZRUM/w273-h400/Anatomy_Poster1a.jpg" width="273" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Anatomy </i>(2000) Paula (Franka Potente), a promising medical
student, secures an exclusive opportunity to study at an elite medical school
in Heidelberg. Her dream turns into a nightmare when she realizes the cadaver
on her dissecting table is a young man she helped on a train. The discovery prompts
her to conduct her own research, which in turn uncovers a secret society hiding
among the faculty and students. As she delves deeper into mysteries she wasn’t
meant to uncover, Paula learns that her newly acquired knowledge could mean her
doom. This schmaltzy German production, obviously influenced by Coma <i>(1978)</i>,
lacks the suspense or subtlety of the earlier film, and the bombastic soundtrack
doesn’t do it any favors. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span>½. Available on DVD and Tubi<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNtlCr5MrmiTqogJykq7URtmzofemK65ra-BG3SDeY8sPGAZ0YXTJBQVnVqmkTTEETx-O1clqu64Jpf8OwxB3VKHmvH8Nlk6lexZ7mzsKDS1-F0tM3AEki9x70k47P441_wi9NEvp0k7j1qDt0j1BI2zmo485eLqo4Zo4QpaYVqccpjClE8JK-ke6KIku/s800/Mom_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Mom Poster" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="527" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNtlCr5MrmiTqogJykq7URtmzofemK65ra-BG3SDeY8sPGAZ0YXTJBQVnVqmkTTEETx-O1clqu64Jpf8OwxB3VKHmvH8Nlk6lexZ7mzsKDS1-F0tM3AEki9x70k47P441_wi9NEvp0k7j1qDt0j1BI2zmo485eLqo4Zo4QpaYVqccpjClE8JK-ke6KIku/w264-h400/Mom_Poster1a.jpg" width="264" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Mom</i> (1989) A reclusive man (Brion James) who happens
to be a cannibalistic demon rents a room from an unsuspecting elderly woman (Jeanne
Bates). Before you can say, “I’m shocked, shocked. I never saw that coming,” he
turns the old lady into one of his own, with the same taste for human flesh. Her
bland 30-something son (Mark Thomas Miller) tries his best to dissuade her, but
he can only do so much to quell her urges. It’s a fine premise for a horror
comedy (similar material was handled in <i>Evil Dead 2</i> and <i>Dead Alive</i>),
however, it’s played straight from start to finish, making this a chore to sit
through. You’ve been warned. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span>. Available on DVD (Out of print), and Tubi <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb6n1l7v-JTw7pPmwJ-wNZ0F_E6MXIQ5ZIb-jpmuHNG7AM1ttgvt6dtWbCtBWecPFphlTp-E37WlSh5T-FUjPXmGGju_C9DwlOuaCa35zNjZdAWVJx_P3G59_7aYt5gl38XAQ9vQ-3y9bO4Ae1Lrr7Zud1gM-SO2LiGATccwY9KdiQidVg4dlvP5hw_whH/s1532/Bloodthirsty%20Butchers_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bloodthirsty Butchers Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1532" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb6n1l7v-JTw7pPmwJ-wNZ0F_E6MXIQ5ZIb-jpmuHNG7AM1ttgvt6dtWbCtBWecPFphlTp-E37WlSh5T-FUjPXmGGju_C9DwlOuaCa35zNjZdAWVJx_P3G59_7aYt5gl38XAQ9vQ-3y9bO4Ae1Lrr7Zud1gM-SO2LiGATccwY9KdiQidVg4dlvP5hw_whH/w261-h400/Bloodthirsty%20Butchers_Poster1a.jpg" width="261" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><i>Bloodthirsty Butchers</i> (1970) What if low-budget
filmmaker Andy Milligan made his own Sweeney Todd movie? Well, wonder no more… Shot
in England, the costumes (likely pilfered from the local community theater group)
are a mishmash from different eras, and the plot is incoherent. Lead actor John
Miranda looks a bit like a low-rent Peter Cushing, but without the acting
chops. Perplexingly, Milligan chooses to focus mostly on the peripheral
characters and their boring lives, loves and squabbles, instead of the human
meat pies (arguably, the raison d'être of a Sweeney Todd film). As with many flicks
from Milligan’s oeuvre, your mileage may vary. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating <span style="font-size: x-large;">*</span>½. Available on Blu-ray (Included in The
Dungeon of Andy Milligan box set), DVD and Tubi<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-82635219400660381792023-10-23T22:13:00.000-07:002023-10-23T22:13:08.879-07:00The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPMCPBjzVUymUImih9-VVfFB2eqgdFGH03NNy6wYX01JHs0mfwfI_WstPVCHuJlRW0M-HakNBqd21ykPKI0R52n_MSkxbnRmnjSbEc-__0FOgnBdIxHhN9ySRc2XBAUOzme67Y_QDgPyk71_VtspH8drbmQ1YtsMN9NLZRHK0hyphenhyphenG3K9n-1q6_-d4cb8oq/s858/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_Poster2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Poster" border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="426" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPMCPBjzVUymUImih9-VVfFB2eqgdFGH03NNy6wYX01JHs0mfwfI_WstPVCHuJlRW0M-HakNBqd21ykPKI0R52n_MSkxbnRmnjSbEc-__0FOgnBdIxHhN9ySRc2XBAUOzme67Y_QDgPyk71_VtspH8drbmQ1YtsMN9NLZRHK0hyphenhyphenG3K9n-1q6_-d4cb8oq/w199-h400/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_Poster2a.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><a name="_Hlk54200609">(1920) Directed by: Robert Wiene;
Written by Carl Mayer and Hans Janowitz; Starring: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt,
Friedrich Fehér, Lil Dagover and Hans Heinrich von Twardowski; Available on Blu
ray and DVD</a> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk54200609;">Rating:</span> <span style="font-size: large;">****</span>½ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“Ladies and gentlemen, Cesare the somnambulist will answer
all your questions. Cesare knows every secret. Cesare knows the past and sees
the future. Judge for yourselves. Don’t hold back, ask away!” –Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyNRn1GnbwNXNGbERj9nO6bz5FqP6f6Yn6epDwQGVHimzudY_bGip-Fw2GOjL2xo_e-jrdLMXagOOebbn6fj8xbpmSEdwZDhUe5ssHdmdh8mIUCEwGi2ZQ31g3VNtWa5aAp2mSDsxyt0Qq_shs0MEU0p7AyZ8Shap-qYVnbbhy0MMZnTsP1hN_DxuovML/s800/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dr. Caligari and Cesare" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyNRn1GnbwNXNGbERj9nO6bz5FqP6f6Yn6epDwQGVHimzudY_bGip-Fw2GOjL2xo_e-jrdLMXagOOebbn6fj8xbpmSEdwZDhUe5ssHdmdh8mIUCEwGi2ZQ31g3VNtWa5aAp2mSDsxyt0Qq_shs0MEU0p7AyZ8Shap-qYVnbbhy0MMZnTsP1hN_DxuovML/w640-h480/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_2b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Modern horror films owe a debt of gratitude <i>to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari</i>, which has
been encoded in the DNA of virtually every genre title that followed. Likewise,
it’s a safe bet that Tim Burton’s movies wouldn’t have been the same without
the influence of this landmark film and its distinctive visuals. I can’t
substantiate how it must have also influenced the goth look, but we’ll just
chalk it off to the collective unconscious (and dedicated fans of silent horror).
Some of the most enduring films stem from Germany’s Weimar Era, a vibrant
period for cinema, typified by a new generation of filmmakers who pushed the
envelope visually and thematically. Director Robert Wiene’s* <i>The Cabinet of
Dr. Caligari</i> ** made a big splash when it debuted in February 1920, with
its mind-bending story and dream world made real. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #1: Although some dispute the veracity of this
claim, many assert that Fritz Lang was originally chosen to direct the film,
but was otherwise occupied with the production of <i>The Spiders</i> (1919/1920). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Fun Fact #2: In the early ‘30s, while in self-imposed exile
from Germany, Wiene planned to direct a sound remake of <i>The Cabinet of Dr.
Caligari</i>, starring Jean Cocteau as Cesare. Due to illness and the inability
to secure funding for the project, the remake never became a reality.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ7wihesD1e-oCZ5xE05H-kpccXK0oMMRtKUE06JGa_nXN-vC4NSBsLFSc_tlme7e0m2BxWNx6f86NdXCWICrVBRrqkA5RvKqX0dJHtvpfGJjA2mGnDm7Ae0N4yGIvu751H3kF3Ds84VZMy3rX3nntrZcQYwU8WecxvyTg00pYe9Kvw6ZaqJ32RclMjWm/s800/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_3c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Alan, Jane, and Franzis" border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ7wihesD1e-oCZ5xE05H-kpccXK0oMMRtKUE06JGa_nXN-vC4NSBsLFSc_tlme7e0m2BxWNx6f86NdXCWICrVBRrqkA5RvKqX0dJHtvpfGJjA2mGnDm7Ae0N4yGIvu751H3kF3Ds84VZMy3rX3nntrZcQYwU8WecxvyTg00pYe9Kvw6ZaqJ32RclMjWm/w640-h480/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_3c.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />In the opening scene, set in an asylum for the mentally ill,
Franzis (Friedrich Fehér) relates to a fellow patient how he came to be in his
current predicament. Cut to the sleepy village of Holstenwall, where mesmerist Dr.
Caligari petitions the town clerk (who sits in a cartoonishly tall chair) to
display his novel attraction at the annual fair. The star of Caligari’s show is
Cesare (Conrad Veidt), a somnambulist, who resides in a coffin-like wooden box
(forget about the ethics of transporting a person like a piece of luggage). Supposedly
gifted with clairvoyance, Cesare awakens only on his master’s command. Franzis convinces
his lifelong friend (and rival for the affections of the comely Jane Olsen) Alan
to indulge in frivolity and accompany him to the fair, where they stumble upon
Caligari’s exhibit. A fun day out turns into a nightmare when Alan asks Cesare
how long he’ll live, prompting the reply, “To the break of dawn.” Unfortunately
for Alan, the prophecy proves to be true, as he’s later discovered, murdered in
his bed. Under the direction of the diabolical Caligari, Cesare is commanded to
obey his every whim, which includes eliminating anyone who displeases him. The
town falls into a panic as the residents wonder who the next victim will be. Devastated
by his friend’s violent death, and fearing for Jane’s (Lil Dagover) life, Franzis
tasks himself with tracking down Caligari and bringing the mad doctor to
justice. His search leads him to an insane asylum, where Caligari resides as
the institution’s director. This discovery sends Franzis into a tailspin, as he
(and the audience) questions his grip on reality.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEz5rg2zx0QGg_VveOQVxD-IkkIAgiPDPbvl3z7DFwpWFZSyx3nBGADXssV-pksqcbEj0SvlAEsx3OUx-1hh8nyYll4bAi7CjyhfrRGmcIz6s93EA_oNNCB9fsAtePYSXdMzhN5wY_Lua27-2gyQNVfBcFcuuw04pY2QbNA8h-vR78_hBgcYaqdUNGTUM/s800/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_5c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cesare Carrying Jane" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEz5rg2zx0QGg_VveOQVxD-IkkIAgiPDPbvl3z7DFwpWFZSyx3nBGADXssV-pksqcbEj0SvlAEsx3OUx-1hh8nyYll4bAi7CjyhfrRGmcIz6s93EA_oNNCB9fsAtePYSXdMzhN5wY_Lua27-2gyQNVfBcFcuuw04pY2QbNA8h-vR78_hBgcYaqdUNGTUM/w640-h480/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_5c.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />The film’s aesthetic choices (courtesy of production
designers Walter Reimann, Walter Röhrig and Hermann
Warm), often cited as a prime example of German expressionism, depict a world comprised
of impossible landscapes, skewed angles (what would the ‘60s <i>Batman</i> TV show be without this movie?),
and ominous shadows. In a conscious effort to stray from realism, there isn’t a
rectangular door or right angle in sight. Conrad Veit, as Cesare, with his tall,
lanky frame, gaunt appearance, and skin-tight dark clothing, almost seems an
extension of the architecture. He’s little more than an automaton, programmed to
follow Caligari’s twisted whims.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrtXytnU_t-5NRYRdtU4k0qaiUB2QB4RutvkXki08IxnOfvFMXiYz12b2bYsHqrHtxHuMC75n0l74tCeGqg5-4oaycyB-IfHcxnFzg_CTFWF1yoo3ku2Uh3t7Mk-ZYiXw1VlwGZ6mz7ajz9K3RW9xdh4eYkcoBpQNwW_2H0AbhXaU2xDP4tv1OemChqqb/s800/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_5b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cesare Holds Knife While Jane Sleeps" border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrtXytnU_t-5NRYRdtU4k0qaiUB2QB4RutvkXki08IxnOfvFMXiYz12b2bYsHqrHtxHuMC75n0l74tCeGqg5-4oaycyB-IfHcxnFzg_CTFWF1yoo3ku2Uh3t7Mk-ZYiXw1VlwGZ6mz7ajz9K3RW9xdh4eYkcoBpQNwW_2H0AbhXaU2xDP4tv1OemChqqb/w640-h480/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_5b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Sigmund Freud opined that dreams were the “royal road to the
unconscious.” The film is a waking nightmare, with its uniquely twisted version
of reality. But within the artificial world of Caligari, we confront the darker
impulses that lie within ourselves. Who, in our darkest moments, hasn’t had an
intrusive thought about acting out something that would be otherwise
unconscionable? If we had an agent to carry out our unsavory impulses, our
hands, if not our conscience, would remain clean. <i>The Cabinet of Dr.
Caligari </i>also reflects our collective anxieties about losing our faculties
to distinguish reality from fantasy. Who is the puppeteer and who’s the puppet
master? Caligari pulls Cesare’s strings, but who manipulates Franzis? It’s revealed
that the doctor isn’t the real Caligari, but an ardent student of his research.
Amidst his own research he concludes, “You must become Caligari” (which also
became the film’s advertising slogan) if he is to understand Caligari.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4Gj3kt4_3R8vI0d9IOBnpRGCSLZT484wsx0ZDjledLoygpRnNPAk42yC6oXlVaO1UH38TJzqFPIaV91zAtGPSr-Pc_62Uqa442rZWYipsPUw3tfz2dCaoQbjJ5AaBkoC2YaKdHf1azqEq12J6krSHafwP6nN9UnxPfg6W6YNyzEi09f8VfIGVGknC-NM/s800/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_7d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Cesare and Caligari" border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4Gj3kt4_3R8vI0d9IOBnpRGCSLZT484wsx0ZDjledLoygpRnNPAk42yC6oXlVaO1UH38TJzqFPIaV91zAtGPSr-Pc_62Uqa442rZWYipsPUw3tfz2dCaoQbjJ5AaBkoC2YaKdHf1azqEq12J6krSHafwP6nN9UnxPfg6W6YNyzEi09f8VfIGVGknC-NM/w640-h480/The%20Cabinet%20of%20Dr.%20Caligari_7d.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Much like the film’s overall visual aesthetic, the story is told
in broad strokes, from the perspective of Franzis, an unreliable narrator. <i>The
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari</i> keeps us on edge from moment to moment, until we
(like the characters in the film) can no longer trust our perceptions. Are we
to take Franzis’ account at face value regarding the director of the asylum, or
are his recollections merely the elaborate delusions of a disordered mind? Signs
point to the latter, but the final shot of <i>Caligari </i>suggests otherwise.
Either way, it’s a discombobulating experience, guiding us on the kind of uncanny
journey that only horror can take us. Once watched, <i>The Cabinet of Dr.
Caligari</i> is never forgotten – leaving an indelible mark after playing in
the toybox of our minds.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Sources for this article: <i>Beyond Caligari – The Films of
Robert Wiene</i>, by Uli Jung and Walter Schatzberg; <i>The Haunted Screen</i>,
by Lotte H. Eisner; “Suggestion, Hypnosis, and Crime,” by Stefan Andriopoulos
(from <i>Weimar Cinema</i>, edited by Noah Isenberg); <i>Caligari: How Horror
Came to the Cinema</i> (2014 documentary) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-59861893360942314772023-10-15T19:17:00.006-07:002023-10-15T19:24:16.976-07:00Introducing The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDekqLYB68XI1HaTUklozYL4a7y_HiAif9_evdndhPHhM4TBO_RY7GfkRi2OqSX9bZnJBlwkbNXbBNk5Nu4RoSo0nj-BPb48mCc9gGDmXX9gcvAFnMmY6NEKPZ7KVpVNXPpnieYPlaEVzzp1nRwBAluh3ncn-XFJpty8KzVEp1BIe8ufuzf8zXW9Llnsnu/s640/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Torture%20Garden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hammer-Amicus Banner_Torture Garden" border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="640" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDekqLYB68XI1HaTUklozYL4a7y_HiAif9_evdndhPHhM4TBO_RY7GfkRi2OqSX9bZnJBlwkbNXbBNk5Nu4RoSo0nj-BPb48mCc9gGDmXX9gcvAFnMmY6NEKPZ7KVpVNXPpnieYPlaEVzzp1nRwBAluh3ncn-XFJpty8KzVEp1BIe8ufuzf8zXW9Llnsnu/w400-h270/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Torture%20Garden.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">If
the third time’s a charm, the fourth time can only get better, right? After a
two-year hiatus, I, along with my excellent blogging partner in crime Gill from
Realweegiemidget Reviews, proudly present the fourth edition of the Hammer-Amicus
Blogathon! Through this series of blogathons, we hope to keep the spirit of
these legendary film production companies alive, but this isn’t merely about
nostalgia, it’s also a great time for fans of both labels, with the recent
release of Hammer’s <i>Dr. Jekyll</i> (2023) and news of Amicus’ <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/global/amicus-horror-label-in-the-grip-of-terror-1235696606/">impending revival</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRT2BL4MrE-Q13tAVNi5ig_ImGhhzYcLTDWymueqUykUt2WDdmlxS3slU9wrOZoLw4NGc7eKYXRj9bu4wXoBKhMj_gZKwq9Tpdx-C-uZ6dCarUakMs0GvwJ75fZYvPWSJY70XuPA99CeSpNQVsMbZWQQ5TlMBJ6WN2Z3ixCXYKynItnPzXMrRVzhpnWOF/s853/The%20Curse%20of%20Frankenstein_4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Curse of Frankenstein - Peter Cushing" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRT2BL4MrE-Q13tAVNi5ig_ImGhhzYcLTDWymueqUykUt2WDdmlxS3slU9wrOZoLw4NGc7eKYXRj9bu4wXoBKhMj_gZKwq9Tpdx-C-uZ6dCarUakMs0GvwJ75fZYvPWSJY70XuPA99CeSpNQVsMbZWQQ5TlMBJ6WN2Z3ixCXYKynItnPzXMrRVzhpnWOF/w400-h225/The%20Curse%20of%20Frankenstein_4.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">If
you’ve participated in either of the past Hammer-Amicus Blogathons, welcome
back. If this is your first time joining us, we’re glad to have you aboard.
Either way, be sure to read our rules below, as a few items have changed. We
would also like to emphasize this blogathon is not strictly for bloggers (No
blog? No problem!). In addition to blog posts, participants may submit a link
to their Instagram or Facebook post, podcast, YouTube video, or whatever. As
long as it’s original content and covers some facet of Hammer or Amicus
productions, you’re good to go.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlIXZHI3pAxGRUIsEns8fpskj3i87Td3Bmiu0rh7tJce0mZVY1XbZPxTagTuFe8QV_rLDhryA5miHnp3ev-YG5llXzU6CsYfFxn6HrYXQpjwV2On1EYH24x9CojgQXf_HpQFOP1nezpxYu7dGX3niPjDARO_HqiSezuH3vUw4hNrieWpH0gRAdtWZlq5I/s853/The%20Land%20That%20Time%20Forgot_6a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Land that Time Forgot" border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="853" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlIXZHI3pAxGRUIsEns8fpskj3i87Td3Bmiu0rh7tJce0mZVY1XbZPxTagTuFe8QV_rLDhryA5miHnp3ev-YG5llXzU6CsYfFxn6HrYXQpjwV2On1EYH24x9CojgQXf_HpQFOP1nezpxYu7dGX3niPjDARO_HqiSezuH3vUw4hNrieWpH0gRAdtWZlq5I/w400-h216/The%20Land%20That%20Time%20Forgot_6a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">And
now, time for my occasional public service message, reminding you that Hammer
and Amicus productions are much more than horror. In their respective catalogs,
you’ll find adventures, dramas, noir, sci-fi, comedies, psychological thrillers,
and other genre permutations. With all those choices, there’s virtually a Hammer
or Amicus movie for every mood and preference. We encourage you to peruse the titles
found in the links below (we’re always happy to provide suggestions, too).</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3FQ-iyMyrtR6zKFfzQpwwgrxLXouL0Mnq3d5ArbaQ0U3GKd-XxgVkV888pXF0c618gQHq_PGfWz9O8xBXvJnBD29Bhz5BeGFz2ttN4FgJoNW6FIAxKxitTmHB3UlFw7UPK1Qvosc_IQXu2bQeJW9P2Rcrg7rPwVcNt-QXWuc4QTGZHcbk9jFeyBn8ZpD/s800/Hammer1.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Hammer Films" border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="800" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3FQ-iyMyrtR6zKFfzQpwwgrxLXouL0Mnq3d5ArbaQ0U3GKd-XxgVkV888pXF0c618gQHq_PGfWz9O8xBXvJnBD29Bhz5BeGFz2ttN4FgJoNW6FIAxKxitTmHB3UlFw7UPK1Qvosc_IQXu2bQeJW9P2Rcrg7rPwVcNt-QXWuc4QTGZHcbk9jFeyBn8ZpD/w400-h241/Hammer1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: white; font-size: medium;">You
can find a complete list of Hammer films <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer_filmography" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4b52DQX8OG-4kpTZcWEzwAbBMMj9_s55-vXr4K8nS8bjPhnoyTCxyGzpXRDnLWFLhq2Y8T9GLGwMV90GRmt7smEf3Gkcf5bC_1GIUyx6VpKJpNuZd9NCRwgNluQc9g0f8WqnKIWkNjjP4_ndGmavLgA7TATxMY89IXeeNrn6tQf7UNF-RqhmkSIVPvTs/s851/Amicus1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Amicus Productions" border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="851" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4b52DQX8OG-4kpTZcWEzwAbBMMj9_s55-vXr4K8nS8bjPhnoyTCxyGzpXRDnLWFLhq2Y8T9GLGwMV90GRmt7smEf3Gkcf5bC_1GIUyx6VpKJpNuZd9NCRwgNluQc9g0f8WqnKIWkNjjP4_ndGmavLgA7TATxMY89IXeeNrn6tQf7UNF-RqhmkSIVPvTs/w400-h216/Amicus1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">…and
a list of Amicus films <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amicus_Productions" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGsZTqpg6J-ts2oOTpl21oegzP5rUscnc4aixfiClKo4LFN_t7k9jmnpPo7cY7wA3vBTh6uMrtJdQRRya6D6xq6IhLN-U-goeoY7StKDUnr-cgNmUnI8Ato19cMAgmgi-qruKXzh0ZkPeUwhadCqWpbnUz8jEa6Z-7WN_IDuH1n0qoaB-5VU4QGk-ctYu/s800/Scream%20of%20Fear_6a.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Scream of Fear" border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGsZTqpg6J-ts2oOTpl21oegzP5rUscnc4aixfiClKo4LFN_t7k9jmnpPo7cY7wA3vBTh6uMrtJdQRRya6D6xq6IhLN-U-goeoY7StKDUnr-cgNmUnI8Ato19cMAgmgi-qruKXzh0ZkPeUwhadCqWpbnUz8jEa6Z-7WN_IDuH1n0qoaB-5VU4QGk-ctYu/w400-h240/Scream%20of%20Fear_6a.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">While
the rules are essentially the same, notice that the contact information has
changed. When it comes to social media, we’ve got ya covered. I’m on the platform
previously known as Twitter, as well as Instagram. Gill, on the other hand, is available
through Facebook, Mastodon, and Pintrest (Please Note: Gill has requested that
participants NOT provide their choices on her social media platforms, but through
her blog instead.).</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVHuOlGljrq5j1wu5pgg8LOrx-xDMW3zQPa4mKoWp6gu37kro3wwHHvkJ7SSbede_mJvxl3qUP-_fhqU1atzBPfuput3gEVSVcNvKmrSQQVoZe4BN58iyYRxuHC2d6gyfkij35_ScavNIeZE75yHRGQ9SJ7TY8MbesjywdyY0Spe4Oa3vjbW4B2_rpPoN/s853/Moon%20Zero%20Two_5b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Moon Zero Two" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVHuOlGljrq5j1wu5pgg8LOrx-xDMW3zQPa4mKoWp6gu37kro3wwHHvkJ7SSbede_mJvxl3qUP-_fhqU1atzBPfuput3gEVSVcNvKmrSQQVoZe4BN58iyYRxuHC2d6gyfkij35_ScavNIeZE75yHRGQ9SJ7TY8MbesjywdyY0Spe4Oa3vjbW4B2_rpPoN/w400-h225/Moon%20Zero%20Two_5b.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">What:
The Hammer-Amicus Blogathon IV</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Who:
Hosted by Yours Truly (Barry P.) and Gill Jacob</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Where:
Cinematic Catharsis and Realweegiemidget Reviews</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">When:
December 1-3, 2023</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">How:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Please read the rules
below, and send me your post request (review, podcast, etc…) <a name="_Hlk509052913">via email (</a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk509052913;"></span><a href="mailto:barry_cinematic@yahoo.com"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk509052913;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">barry_cinematic@yahoo.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk509052913;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">), Twitter (@barry_cinematic), Instagram (barry_cinematic),
or by commenting below</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">. You may also contact Gill by commenting on her <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2023/10/15/hammer-and-amicus-blogathon/" target="_blank">post</a>,
or through her blog’s <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/contact-me/" target="_blank">Contact Me</a> page </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">. (Be sure to
include a link to your blog, your blog’s title, and your preferred name).</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqhyy5l6CLoPxVWi4Q0hLwjr-jHpm2LbPil88-YSzho7wHKDPiIFG96d9pHgS3zwQecMc5UaGO168q78lBalL9M8uzvxDmsML2fqKStaTsPy2eYlkTN7Pl8x10fbZpRURZACZZsBJCjEFgwlidMCgCBccDZ32GIHqKkXxXLamcvjs3oBXXEwyOqXvqafL/s1918/From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave_5a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="From Beyond the Grave - Donald & Angela Pleasence" border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="1918" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqhyy5l6CLoPxVWi4Q0hLwjr-jHpm2LbPil88-YSzho7wHKDPiIFG96d9pHgS3zwQecMc5UaGO168q78lBalL9M8uzvxDmsML2fqKStaTsPy2eYlkTN7Pl8x10fbZpRURZACZZsBJCjEFgwlidMCgCBccDZ32GIHqKkXxXLamcvjs3oBXXEwyOqXvqafL/w400-h216/From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave_5a.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">THE
RULES…</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You
may review ANY Hammer or Amicus film or TV show. Hammer and Amicus-related book
reviews are fine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
will not allow duplicate film titles, UNLESS you are covering a series of films
or a retrospective of an actor/filmmaker’s work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">A
maximum of TWO entries will be permitted. (You may choose one post from Hammer
and one from Amicus …or both can be Hammer or Amicus. The choice is yours!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
responding with your choice, be sure to add your Twitter/Instagram/Mastodon
handle or a link to your Facebook page so we can promote your post. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Please choose one of the banners below</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> to display on
your blog.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">A
full list of blogs, podcasters and review choices will be posted on a separate
page and updated regularly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Only
original, never-before-published posts will be accepted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Send
a link to your post/podcast/video to Gill and me during one of the days of the
blogathon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Note:
we will publish all the links on both blogs, with daily updates on December 1st,
2nd and 3rd. If you plan to participate, but you’re running late, please let us
know as soon as possible, so we can post a last-minute update.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Please
also note: Gill and I have already claimed the following the titles below, so
they are off the table, unless they’re included in a larger retrospective (see
Rule 2 above).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Barry at Cinematic Catharsis – Hammer: <i>The
Reptile</i> (1966)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews –Hammer: <i>Taste
the Blood of Dracula</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>(1970)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pick
a banner and fire up your laptops. We can’t wait to see your posts!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAf-X7kjZogKneKJVqTop8Zji-T8lP47PB18eVq_atJ_i3kAFU-oGVDQz68OlBhpJLMyNPGr3AvvzN1LyLclJfebAs2Wzts4NhI5R5puznnvYm6qnNX6B0WjIJLI5V6uby-Swkqrk83lRPP6vSix5Px329ktOdpkbg1RYBX9YWJ1GBtsC8ZKrb3hf_lEo/s656/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Captain%20Kronos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Hammer-Amicus Blogathon_Captain Kronos" border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="656" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAf-X7kjZogKneKJVqTop8Zji-T8lP47PB18eVq_atJ_i3kAFU-oGVDQz68OlBhpJLMyNPGr3AvvzN1LyLclJfebAs2Wzts4NhI5R5puznnvYm6qnNX6B0WjIJLI5V6uby-Swkqrk83lRPP6vSix5Px329ktOdpkbg1RYBX9YWJ1GBtsC8ZKrb3hf_lEo/w400-h270/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Captain%20Kronos.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSKD4K7lUEVXsaKFUok8D5jfOwQA8CdCBfBdS3oSr2OaavtBxUkMjfhlDlvfof9muNzS4G8-dOaL_wl9NifOh1X1IcjzhK-tQizmlIotGXPqaJ26ZDJhsGUGhwM3Ve8DWfnuULBhgIgOfgkIbZoTYhjWhqlvZwfPMNRmPezVBe8V-rq4hmrvgqosfKPRw/s640/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Hammer-Amicus Blogathon_From Beyond the Grave" border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="640" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSKD4K7lUEVXsaKFUok8D5jfOwQA8CdCBfBdS3oSr2OaavtBxUkMjfhlDlvfof9muNzS4G8-dOaL_wl9NifOh1X1IcjzhK-tQizmlIotGXPqaJ26ZDJhsGUGhwM3Ve8DWfnuULBhgIgOfgkIbZoTYhjWhqlvZwfPMNRmPezVBe8V-rq4hmrvgqosfKPRw/w400-h275/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_From%20Beyond%20the%20Grave.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwnLTGR8JfEexTUpqep-S-cibE92KBARpQb9M8S8NmGOOfXMQ7gc503ikfVfj73Tc737EFI2ujckL__ZXk4gmT8geXLtFwwEomM3hVnRGFQ-6BoXPCi1PYcTTxz5UdRRfiTD5o9E-MOgOX3Hs9wqbxJJaVSMQ9Z-epCixR-iTCA620yfuVV62FWxWarFa/s640/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Torture%20Garden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Hammer-Amicus Blogathon_Torture Garden" border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="640" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwnLTGR8JfEexTUpqep-S-cibE92KBARpQb9M8S8NmGOOfXMQ7gc503ikfVfj73Tc737EFI2ujckL__ZXk4gmT8geXLtFwwEomM3hVnRGFQ-6BoXPCi1PYcTTxz5UdRRfiTD5o9E-MOgOX3Hs9wqbxJJaVSMQ9Z-epCixR-iTCA620yfuVV62FWxWarFa/w400-h270/Hammer-Amicus%20IV_Torture%20Garden.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><br /><p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-33355692793486992102023-10-09T19:07:00.002-07:002023-10-09T19:07:59.507-07:00The Sentinel<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGG4x_fifmWBcTPMRlGVSmhqP7Jq9xp22EV03kEtXEv2M40wh0XgXKoyl3InTZHH_FU3K6VOO0K0HivTKL3kPwB83xxYVEom5qzpIDwEZwU9h4Seg2hrdV_pO61e0jgycRrCGiS6bj0WWqNIVU7GEZ885DcH1wty2fbMa8vTEpYucIZRImhI0Hod2jsum/s600/The%20Sentinel_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Sentinel Poster" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="388" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGG4x_fifmWBcTPMRlGVSmhqP7Jq9xp22EV03kEtXEv2M40wh0XgXKoyl3InTZHH_FU3K6VOO0K0HivTKL3kPwB83xxYVEom5qzpIDwEZwU9h4Seg2hrdV_pO61e0jgycRrCGiS6bj0WWqNIVU7GEZ885DcH1wty2fbMa8vTEpYucIZRImhI0Hod2jsum/w259-h400/The%20Sentinel_Poster1a.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">(1977) Directed by Michael Winner; Written by Michael Winner
and Jeffrey Konvitz; Based on the novel by Jeffrey Konvitz; Starring: Christina
Raines, Chris Sarandon, Burgess Meredith, Ava Gardner, Martin Balsam, Arthur
Kennedy, Sylvia Miles, John Carradine, José Ferrer, Eli Wallach, Christopher
Walken, Beverly D'Angelo and Jeff Goldblum; Available on Blu-ray and DVD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">***</span>½ </span><span style="color: white;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkhyphenhyphenazJ-RZi3hx6c1UJwMeLeEv5xuymcp-WOXPEv2BNezyVq5TUibX6cYYUj_p8ccmrix3AwQHJq1HR5RhJWmevuhK_W-k8_e4bXGkEexkp4uqxp3UWXdzmHme3HM-zeFX34AliPHn7DLF9wRgn5XkJqE87wQngR2mCbsR3B5BEmJ9qY6dy-4S8Hyb_gf/s800/The%20Sentinel_4c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Party Guests" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkhyphenhyphenazJ-RZi3hx6c1UJwMeLeEv5xuymcp-WOXPEv2BNezyVq5TUibX6cYYUj_p8ccmrix3AwQHJq1HR5RhJWmevuhK_W-k8_e4bXGkEexkp4uqxp3UWXdzmHme3HM-zeFX34AliPHn7DLF9wRgn5XkJqE87wQngR2mCbsR3B5BEmJ9qY6dy-4S8Hyb_gf/w640-h360/The%20Sentinel_4c.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“The angel Uriel was stationed at the entrance to Eden to
guard it from the devil. Since that time a long line of guardians... sentinels,
have guarded the world against evil. Right now, it's Father Halliran upstairs.
But tonight, you become the next sentinel. All the people you saw here, the old
man, the lesbians... all of them are reincarnations. Devils. The only way they
can stop the new sentinel is to make you commit suicide. That's what they were
trying to do.” – Michael Lerman (Chris Sarandon) <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZH9b6l1q0xzSMsSkvDOKtgENzaR7lptogpdEbDaLLYBO_BbaRT1oNWiZ00YSVTiEy-PkGjEDjQiaujYuQqWsUMPMtZN2e3pZI99xp912mdgdRiGzA5dfGkx-hDlr7j9Z9Jz3Gfa_xe9k_EkHac4MZxkEnvUGx-Ozzfh07BGezt26bDvM_bwRg8kxFIeOZ/s800/The%20Sentinel_6a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Upstairs Horror" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZH9b6l1q0xzSMsSkvDOKtgENzaR7lptogpdEbDaLLYBO_BbaRT1oNWiZ00YSVTiEy-PkGjEDjQiaujYuQqWsUMPMtZN2e3pZI99xp912mdgdRiGzA5dfGkx-hDlr7j9Z9Jz3Gfa_xe9k_EkHac4MZxkEnvUGx-Ozzfh07BGezt26bDvM_bwRg8kxFIeOZ/w640-h360/The%20Sentinel_6a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We’ve
all visited someplace we’re convinced is the portal to hell. For me, it’s any discount
Mecca flocked by hundreds of bargain-seekers, such as Costco or Walmart. But in
the case of Michael Winner’s </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Sentinel</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (based on the novel by Jeffrey
Konvitz),* an unassuming Brooklyn, New York brownstone is the literal entrance
to the nether realm. As our protagonist, Alison Parker (Christina Raines)**
eventually discovers, her apartment building is ground zero for an eternal
tug-o-war between good and evil (and you thought your next-door neighbors’
lives were filled with drama). Instead of filming on Hollywood sets, Winner***
chose real-life locations to depict his uncanny horror film.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">*
Fun Fact #1: Konvitz cited <i>Dante’s Inferno</i> and <i>Paradise Lost</i> as
two literary works that influenced his novel.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">**
Fun Fact #2: According to Konvitz, the studio originally considered Diana Ross
for the role.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: white;">***
Fun Fact #3: Other directors considered for the film were Don Siegel (who also
wrote a previous draft of the script), Gil Cates, and Fred Zinnemann. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcquax01exCI-ri-MxfD3-iBZ6miv4Y3h2UnowrfOexFv7FIX8aP-dfui2ECk12QctnorayC1KMtO-RsHTiI93pNHQsqpGiBlHhgKpUulCu-WGJ-KjvLAMcTgNCHhhGzZFiHSAfZcetNjqFzWePo6YmPL6eSfBLK9pph_Z9y6mX62Mrhn7D7WGJlL0LcAA/s800/The%20Sentinel_3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Alison and Michael" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcquax01exCI-ri-MxfD3-iBZ6miv4Y3h2UnowrfOexFv7FIX8aP-dfui2ECk12QctnorayC1KMtO-RsHTiI93pNHQsqpGiBlHhgKpUulCu-WGJ-KjvLAMcTgNCHhhGzZFiHSAfZcetNjqFzWePo6YmPL6eSfBLK9pph_Z9y6mX62Mrhn7D7WGJlL0LcAA/w640-h360/The%20Sentinel_3a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">On
the surface, Alison Parker seems to have it all: a lucrative career as a model,
good friends, and an affectionate (and well-to-do) attorney boyfriend, Michael
Lerman (Chris Sarandon).* As we soon see, all is not rosy in Alison’s life.
Besides grappling with unresolved teenage trauma (including a suicide attempt)
and ambivalence about her father’s death, she begins to experience sudden
lapses, resulting in fainting spells. She gently rebukes Lerman’s offer of
marriage, citing a need to live on her own and assert her independence. Thus
begins her quest to find affordable housing in New York, employing the services
of Miss Logan (Ava Gardner), a plucky real estate agent. She finds an apartment
in a none-the-worse-for-wear Brooklyn Heights brownstone,** populated by a
bunch of eccentric tenants. But strange things are afoot in her new digs, starting
with her enthusiastic neighbor Charles (Burgess Meredith, in one of the film’s
best performances), who wastes no time ingratiating himself to her, introducing
his cat and canary, and leaving a portrait of himself in her apartment. And
something seems more than a little off about Alison’s downstairs neighbors Gerde
(Sylvia Miles) and Sandra (Beverly D’Angelo, in her first feature film), who
seem to enjoy toying with her. On the top floor resides a blind shut-in priest
(John Carradine), who sits at the window for hours on end, staring blankly at
presumably nothing. Things get (to borrow a phrase from Lewis Carroll)
curiouser and curiouser, when she learns, much to her dismay, that aside from
the priest, she’s the building’s only tenant. Who are these people, and are
they merely figments of an overactive imagination? The answer will change
Alison’s life forever.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">*
Fun Fact #4: According to separate commentaries by Winner and Konvitz, they
originally wanted Martin Sheen to play Michael Lerman, but the studio nixed
their choice because he was considered a television actor, and not cinematic
material.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: white;">**
Fun Fact #5: While $500 (which she talks down to $400) wasn’t unrealistic for a
roomy apartment in Brooklyn Heights during the ‘70s, consider that the <a href="https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/ny/brooklyn/" target="_blank">average monthly rental price</a> now hovers around $4160. How times have changed. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqFxOphAbS_Rmdy4lSS2YhRmD-TnBR-F8WuqsaPY2MIdtcOomeKjSHe_J8b5ja49ZQYPKQ8fPKqwoj64wBbtrOhVpikWKcKVfOHSuhI0301td15lVNvfVK_5TaGevYNoyw01BMjIoPFbtPRWi8UTvaYYpIKqSr2yEW0_csZDk7EBYUX31tRLb0GhLbui1/s800/The%20Sentinel_2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Charles with Cat" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqFxOphAbS_Rmdy4lSS2YhRmD-TnBR-F8WuqsaPY2MIdtcOomeKjSHe_J8b5ja49ZQYPKQ8fPKqwoj64wBbtrOhVpikWKcKVfOHSuhI0301td15lVNvfVK_5TaGevYNoyw01BMjIoPFbtPRWi8UTvaYYpIKqSr2yEW0_csZDk7EBYUX31tRLb0GhLbui1/w640-h360/The%20Sentinel_2a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Sentinel</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
boasts an impressive cast of veteran and novice actors. Aside from Gardner, Meredith
and Carradine, look for Arthur Kennedy as a monsignor, José Ferrer as his Vatican-based
superior, Martin Balsam as a professor, Eli Wallach as an tenacious police
detective, Jerry Orbach as a gruff commercial director, and William Hickey as a
wily lockpicker.* Besides the voluminous list of well-known performers, the
film featured an equally formidable roster of up-and-coming actors, including
Beverly D’Angelo (in her first feature film appearance), Jeff Goldblum as a
fashion photographer, Christopher Walken as an assistant police detective, and
Tom Berenger and Nana Visitor as prospective tenants.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: white;">*
Fun Fact #6: If Sarandon and Hickey sound oddly familiar together, no, your
ears aren’t deceiving you. Both lent their voices, years later, in <i>The
Nightmare Before Christmas</i> (1993) as Jack Skellington and Dr. Finkelstein,
respectively. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6yC0SLBYXOjUWiJlEftzOu8akOYnuO3trOFegOYPQ_7Itx-RTep1lkb8HVwImjJk5MgphOe3rltwUcNrdv985RcgniNbA-EZm3hkevzmN1xXWxUUvBXSeZin9b7LJ7xSe17qDp0NHvp0fY6zIoGJxZDrDRKDzn5J9c_UfA_UL3b_H-IdxpHqi3WZOYoz/s800/The%20Sentinel_4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Alison with Photographer" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6yC0SLBYXOjUWiJlEftzOu8akOYnuO3trOFegOYPQ_7Itx-RTep1lkb8HVwImjJk5MgphOe3rltwUcNrdv985RcgniNbA-EZm3hkevzmN1xXWxUUvBXSeZin9b7LJ7xSe17qDp0NHvp0fY6zIoGJxZDrDRKDzn5J9c_UfA_UL3b_H-IdxpHqi3WZOYoz/w640-h360/The%20Sentinel_4a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
production was not without its share of behind-the scenes conflicts, many
between Winner and Konvitz. While Konvitz wasn’t impressed with Winner’s script,
Winner contended that the studio wasn’t happy with Konvitz’s adaptation. Konvitz
wrote a 15-page memorandum to Universal executives, cataloguing the problems he
had with the film, but his suggestions* went unheeded by studio and director (In
his commentary, Konvitz described Winner as “difficult” and an “egomaniac.”). Christina
Raines, by her account, found working with Winner to be a miserable experience.
In his commentary, Winner also claimed to have had a one-night stand with one
of the models in the film, and had propositioned at least one other actress.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">*
Fun Fact #7: Konvitz wanted all unknowns in the roles, but Universal (in a move
that Konvitz equated with their approach to the <i>Airport</i> movies) insisted
on an all-star supporting cast).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EKlZOYQwAkzkd6GxeUa_S_QP7TkexxYHxzcTcXpcUAL98Mf8o4fZ7I1G1Cx6_LDRBanDZegjFghYSI2rFvlQuFcr2R2i_4ASUAS0ypwosmJlBawO37Mww4zg6fwv0p6T49Guw15luP_MEbMRKsv2918oIWOfCzXJZclYEkVTrd2_pv5ogRs0cw8iEf4p/s800/The%20Sentinel_9a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Monsignor Franchino and Father Halliran" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EKlZOYQwAkzkd6GxeUa_S_QP7TkexxYHxzcTcXpcUAL98Mf8o4fZ7I1G1Cx6_LDRBanDZegjFghYSI2rFvlQuFcr2R2i_4ASUAS0ypwosmJlBawO37Mww4zg6fwv0p6T49Guw15luP_MEbMRKsv2918oIWOfCzXJZclYEkVTrd2_pv5ogRs0cw8iEf4p/w640-h360/The%20Sentinel_9a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many
elements of the film hold up (especially the scene where Alison confronts her
dead father), but one that doesn’t pass muster is the unfortunate exploitation
of people with real deformities* as the denizens of hell (some of whom worked
the sideshow circuit), reminiscent of the final scene in Tod Browning’s <i>Freaks</i>
(1932). To add insult to injury, none of the disabled performers were credited,
but among them were Bob Melvin (“The Man with Two Faces”) and Esther Blackmon (“The
Alligator Girl”). On a different note, the lesbian couple played by Miles and D’Angelo
are depicted in a less than flattering light. (Minor Spoiler Ahead). In its
defense, the film’s intention wasn’t that they were condemned to hell because
of their orientation, but because they were murderers. It would be easy,
however, for viewers to get the wrong impression.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: white;">*
Not-So-Fun-Fact: Mirroring the behind-the-scenes events of more than four
decades ago in <i>Freaks,</i> Winner recalled the film crew refusing to have
lunch with the disabled actors. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSSBvMEhKe2Hux8ZnfGEYrGGL7cuzcsmej1ceu4lhvn2NGDMvkHQsG9HWK3urA6gotoXQHUaghcg0oO6LkSBQROrQR8nIPoxkYVwuKTH3oGA7CdsC9zHhrC5pBP-Bzwai4b3Vo-QK87YyGBOHZQ_R19RmmDbyXMTDqcIiG4T8X6CbDB_mmfRXRmV0f0lN/s800/The%20Sentinel_8a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="A Strange Discovery" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSSBvMEhKe2Hux8ZnfGEYrGGL7cuzcsmej1ceu4lhvn2NGDMvkHQsG9HWK3urA6gotoXQHUaghcg0oO6LkSBQROrQR8nIPoxkYVwuKTH3oGA7CdsC9zHhrC5pBP-Bzwai4b3Vo-QK87YyGBOHZQ_R19RmmDbyXMTDqcIiG4T8X6CbDB_mmfRXRmV0f0lN/w640-h360/The%20Sentinel_8a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Despite
the behind-the-scenes friction and shaky ethics, <i>The Sentinel</i> remains a genuinely
creepy experience, with its pervasive atmosphere of unease and slow build to an
explosive climax. Not unlike <i>Rosemary’s Baby</i>, it utilizes the theme of friendly
faces harboring a terrible secret, amidst the backdrop of a New York tenement house.
Aside from a few unsettling Dick Smith makeup sequences, <i>The Sentinel</i> achieves
its chills without elaborate special effects or an over-reliance on gore. There
have been murmurs of a remake in recent years (which considering the
aforementioned issues might be a way to right some wrongs), but any prospective
filmmaker would be wise to adopt the same less-is-more approach.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sources
for this article: Shout Factory Blu-ray commentary by Michael Winner; Shout
Factory Blu-ray commentary by Jeffrey Konvitz; <a href="https://www.rentcafe.com/">https://www.rentcafe.com/</a>; <a href="https://www.phreeque.com/">https://www.phreeque.com/</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-5011335660211140732023-10-01T20:51:00.001-07:002023-10-01T21:30:31.876-07:00September Quick Picks and Pans<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLQChJ1J1n7BfShK93VC6m1eP3y3efMe9sQ8u_7xM4xNNT6h831SiZG0lqw2_Zuj70MI5hw-QYo44Lg-nglB2joZaWQEoa-h16okFmA062f7m3LdBaypIId3Jn7ghJKOzbsKwq1qpJzSwDGtEfvZqsW8rpqsMV3duVWCMTtv53IOrbYC59fACCpYekY73/s1404/Zurdo_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Zurdo Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLQChJ1J1n7BfShK93VC6m1eP3y3efMe9sQ8u_7xM4xNNT6h831SiZG0lqw2_Zuj70MI5hw-QYo44Lg-nglB2joZaWQEoa-h16okFmA062f7m3LdBaypIId3Jn7ghJKOzbsKwq1qpJzSwDGtEfvZqsW8rpqsMV3duVWCMTtv53IOrbYC59fACCpYekY73/w285-h400/Zurdo_Poster1a.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zurdo </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(2003) In this Mexican postapocalyptic fairy
tale from director/co-writer Carlos Salces, Zurdo (aka: “Lefty”) (Álex Perea) is
a young boy with a prodigious talent for playing marbles. As the undisputed
marble champion in his town, he’s about to be challenged by the reigning wizard
from the big city. Meanwhile, he and his mother are facing eviction from a
wealthy landowner who has a stranglehold on the town, and a corrupt police
officer who’s betting on his opponent. While the film is geared at families, its
much darker in tone, compared to anything from the States. While the story and
plot aren’t groundbreaking (guess who wins the final showdown), it’s a
refreshing spin on the material and a journey worth taking.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">***</span>½.
Available on DVD<i><o:p> </o:p></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoFNzQpwJ6emLzQMT1eyDhZDpYvmGcVhF0yZw_-KECnGTMvrBI24Jz9BxFEK5OAuL_IXlaoUIQ4HhbH2mp2eZdyM5lqICc0WNivBLV0PieCQBuhv-msUW4qdaELwZsnzjno31q4Dl-JI4nCfVDFlGRUwQJMjjm8LnJMXhtfTkaVKb4MUmf7PdGCWNL2Va/s600/Gemini_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Gemini Poster" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="518" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoFNzQpwJ6emLzQMT1eyDhZDpYvmGcVhF0yZw_-KECnGTMvrBI24Jz9BxFEK5OAuL_IXlaoUIQ4HhbH2mp2eZdyM5lqICc0WNivBLV0PieCQBuhv-msUW4qdaELwZsnzjno31q4Dl-JI4nCfVDFlGRUwQJMjjm8LnJMXhtfTkaVKb4MUmf7PdGCWNL2Va/w345-h400/Gemini_Poster1a.jpg" width="345" /></span></a></i></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gemini </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(1999) In early 20<sup>th</sup> century
Japan, a young doctor (Masahiro Motoki) married to a woman with amnesia (Ryô) discovers
that he has a malevolent doppelganger (also played by Motoki). He soon finds
himself at the bottom of a well, while his counterpart has assumed his life
This unsettling thriller writer/director Shin'ya Tsukamoto (</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tetsuo: The Iron Man</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hiruko
the Goblin</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">) based on an Edogawa
Rampo (known as the Japanese Edgar Allan Poe) doesn’t rely on jump scares or
gore, only a pervasive sense of unease.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½.
Available on Blu-ray and DVD<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZutAtyXtzGKRSL8YJ2dfynC5NU4PQKs5yWCC8EHA_vr_UG4RJN0MOZKfF9QvKwTMm9gHE64D6SrZLS63RZXJfJveNXpY-evYfwwvOZE8ZhZktoRGzsskFLl1w6yBxzZiSnw3K4iS7Qta-CYpukVHGsP4UhwSP105bokZX97HHM16agN9mxJBxL4sZ3_f/s1251/The%20Apple_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Apple Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="849" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZutAtyXtzGKRSL8YJ2dfynC5NU4PQKs5yWCC8EHA_vr_UG4RJN0MOZKfF9QvKwTMm9gHE64D6SrZLS63RZXJfJveNXpY-evYfwwvOZE8ZhZktoRGzsskFLl1w6yBxzZiSnw3K4iS7Qta-CYpukVHGsP4UhwSP105bokZX97HHM16agN9mxJBxL4sZ3_f/w271-h400/The%20Apple_Poster1a.jpg" width="271" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Apple </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(1980) Nothing can prepare you for this
bonkers musical directed/co-written by Menahem Golan of Cannon Films fame. Set In
the near future of 1994(!), small-town Canadian singing duo Bibi (Catherine
Mary Stewart) and Alphie (George Gilmour) try to find fame in a totalitarian America
run by shadowy Mephistophelian figure Mr. Boogalow (Vladek Sheybal). Bibi and
Alphie challenge the status quo with their out-of-step peace and love message,
catching the attention of Boogalow. The plot thickens when Bibi is seduced by
fame, becoming an overnight pop star. Filled to the brim with ridiculous
outfits, goofy songs, and a questionable plot (culminating in an ultimate
showdown between good and evil), </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Apple</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> bombards the senses like few
musicals can. Although you might wonder what someone added to the filmmakers’ drinking
water, it's a surprisingly entertaining mess that defies easy description. Enjoy
at your own risk.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">.
Available on Blu-ray and DVD</span><i> </i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazY9hT50o2TAHgIyY34H6B_3Rz9hD9_cR1Ou5DSZ57n16ebkDk09eUFwSQBPZMXrwbSbHWNrPptyL7djL60WHABmjGEAB0ECj2Dp7pkMqRSrdWB_1BPWMA_LbVLxJQglek8ljnSwvOv2ET-xFAmdYJ7beBrvfS6VavnPgMI4_zvju-aT2isyvBGzLeJzd/s1537/The%20Flying%20Serpent_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Flying Serpent Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazY9hT50o2TAHgIyY34H6B_3Rz9hD9_cR1Ou5DSZ57n16ebkDk09eUFwSQBPZMXrwbSbHWNrPptyL7djL60WHABmjGEAB0ECj2Dp7pkMqRSrdWB_1BPWMA_LbVLxJQglek8ljnSwvOv2ET-xFAmdYJ7beBrvfS6VavnPgMI4_zvju-aT2isyvBGzLeJzd/w260-h400/The%20Flying%20Serpent_Poster1a.jpg" width="260" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Flying Serpent </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(1946) In this cheapie from producer Sigmund
Neufeld, archaeologist Andrew Forbes (George Zucco) stumbles upon a vast horde
of treasure while studying Aztec ruins in New Mexico. He decides to keep it for
himself, and as added insurance, secures the services of the ancient feathered
serpent Quetzalcoatl as guardian. Anyone who gets too close incurs the wrath of
Quetzalcoatl (which resembles a rejected Muppet design made out of carpet
remnants), which attacks anyone foolish enough to have one of its feathers in
their possession (with Forbes’ help, mwah, hah, hah!). The mysterious deaths
continue until a snooping radio show host finds a way to sniff out the killer. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Flying Serpent</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> has a similar plot to 1940’s </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Devil Bat</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> (except it’s missing Bela Lugosi’s tongue-in-cheek delivery and a credible
motive), but it’s not quite as ghoulishly charming. Still, at only 58 minutes,
you won’t lose that much time from your life.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½.
Available </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-72665030602303779982023-09-27T17:27:00.000-07:002023-09-27T17:27:17.670-07:00American Splendor<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_OmgNMZXVkGeDHlPypZM2XSTAjAaLZ_-1mlZaOizQaO7u8VjO1ykWFRY_Zh-jhyr6k4WMPT-YX6Z1dDK_K_twa4yU84cYp0fswstgrHjQ_sfrD5kGS1ip0aAPljyUgt2ZyzMifuDWAuwjoqa2SGdjIilVE6xWoAvp8ylIoV6gDmYg1s6WWe6VIdYNWOn/s1000/American%20Splendor_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="American Splendor Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="676" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_OmgNMZXVkGeDHlPypZM2XSTAjAaLZ_-1mlZaOizQaO7u8VjO1ykWFRY_Zh-jhyr6k4WMPT-YX6Z1dDK_K_twa4yU84cYp0fswstgrHjQ_sfrD5kGS1ip0aAPljyUgt2ZyzMifuDWAuwjoqa2SGdjIilVE6xWoAvp8ylIoV6gDmYg1s6WWe6VIdYNWOn/w270-h400/American%20Splendor_Poster1a.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">(2003) Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini;
Written by Harvey Pekar, Joyce Brabner and Shari Springer Berman; Starring: Paul
Giamatti, Shari Springer Berman, Harvey Pekar, Hope Davis, Joyce Brabner, Shari
Springer Berman, Judah Friedlander, Toby Radloff, Earl Billings and James
Urbaniak; Available on Blu-ray and DVD </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">****</span>½ </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“Okay, this guy here, he’s our man. All grown up and going
nowhere. Always a pretty scholarly cat. He never got much of a formal
education. For the most part, he’s lived in shit neighborhoods, held shit jobs,
and is now knee-deep in a disastrous second marriage. So, if you’re the kind of
person looking for romance or escapism or some fantasy figure to save the day,
guess what? You got the wrong movie.” – Harvey Pekar<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPcjhvkedBQDr_EoHoifL2a1GDBmaFYoj4ROWJ2lgXXm2LNE_pQ_3AisNlZ6tHcF2ThF73FRx_OHSFb4Yu_SXxQ11e9H7AXg0vlz5v4wqBxKX6sWKdl3Wt8HZVVw86Ck4X5Vwy7s6EiZ_sVPrnr-4yDqAqx822ja4QPEGVv5VucFIaITsh3RBO36a8ONY/s800/American%20Splendor_1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Real Harvey Pekar" border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="800" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPcjhvkedBQDr_EoHoifL2a1GDBmaFYoj4ROWJ2lgXXm2LNE_pQ_3AisNlZ6tHcF2ThF73FRx_OHSFb4Yu_SXxQ11e9H7AXg0vlz5v4wqBxKX6sWKdl3Wt8HZVVw86Ck4X5Vwy7s6EiZ_sVPrnr-4yDqAqx822ja4QPEGVv5VucFIaITsh3RBO36a8ONY/w640-h362/American%20Splendor_1b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Life is messy. It can’t be contained in the panels of a
comic book page, depicted in two dimensions, or condensed into thought bubbles.
Between its many ups and downs, there’s a bunch of monotonous stuff in the
middle. There’s no swift resolution to our conflicts like a 30-minute sitcom
episode, nor is there a superhero descending from the skies to set things
right. Underground comic writer Harvey Pekar instinctively understood this when
he set out to write <i>American Splendor</i>, chronicling his everyday exploits
as an ordinary file clerk, working in a Cleveland veterans’ hospital. Sure, it
didn’t have quite the pizzazz of <i>Batman</i>, <i>Fantastic Four</i>, or some other
fantasy-oriented comic, but it possessed something that none of those comics had
– relatability. Directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini set out to
show us the story behind the story about Pekar’s life. The result is part
fiction, part fact, narrated by Mr. Pekar himself (who also appears with many
of the real-life people who became the subject of his comics). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WBNtkOwO1pxmR0LzTxqgPYJxjV0Wdy6cmhBCxra_o58VIE8j0f1RR8lAKI6N7UqsNmtPdARaInLAOzP50ndqpkU10rG46Z7-UDnaKzjXA06fKIq5Fuqv1UTFbIpIinDZW0ndYG4Y_oVEkzfd7CYRnMERC4a8yxiSUNOI6PL7xfepKnBde21Y_Y2xbY4l/s800/American%20Splendor_2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WBNtkOwO1pxmR0LzTxqgPYJxjV0Wdy6cmhBCxra_o58VIE8j0f1RR8lAKI6N7UqsNmtPdARaInLAOzP50ndqpkU10rG46Z7-UDnaKzjXA06fKIq5Fuqv1UTFbIpIinDZW0ndYG4Y_oVEkzfd7CYRnMERC4a8yxiSUNOI6PL7xfepKnBde21Y_Y2xbY4l/w640-h360/American%20Splendor_2b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Paul Giamatti, in the unexpected role of a lifetime, plays
Harvey Pekar, full-time file clerk at Cleveland Veterans Hospital, part-time
comic book writer and jazz critic. While Pekar appeared to be a misanthropic curmudgeon
to most of the world, Giamatti’s insightful, sympathetic performance proves his
character to be much more. Beneath Pekar’s gruff exterior is an intelligent,
multi-faceted individual – angry yet sensitive, caustic yet vulnerable. His
holistic approach captures Pekar’s specific gait, mannerisms, and facial
expressions, conveying a perennial mixture of disgust and resigned world-weariness.
Giamatti brings a surprising amount of pathos to the role, especially when the
film delves into Pekar’s struggle with illness (which was chronicled in Pekar
and Brabner’s graphic novel, <i>Our Cancer Year</i>).</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKsJIevU-lBaUQr8f409mCTO2Jt6UBlv89bP5Mq-JgQNb2lZYr4tIAKjRThokKheWJRxBuVU1k_Lt4B2UofiFeocPNx-Lq3eOwPs442ZCJOJ4_AAn5zx-6d9wyXdpqnnGDGq0_5NpJKWVI3-qsblld07okvOg8nmR5llcL5wXrfF-4fFDI25fB2fBr5Pr/s800/American%20Splendor_5b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Harvey, Joyce and Toby" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKsJIevU-lBaUQr8f409mCTO2Jt6UBlv89bP5Mq-JgQNb2lZYr4tIAKjRThokKheWJRxBuVU1k_Lt4B2UofiFeocPNx-Lq3eOwPs442ZCJOJ4_AAn5zx-6d9wyXdpqnnGDGq0_5NpJKWVI3-qsblld07okvOg8nmR5llcL5wXrfF-4fFDI25fB2fBr5Pr/w640-h360/American%20Splendor_5b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br /><i>American Splendor</i> introduces us to the colorful people
in Pekar’s life (some of whom are co-workers) who became characters in his
stories. In the early ‘60s, he meets the cartoonist Robert Crumb, who was just
getting starting off with his underground comics. As portrayed by James
Urbaniak, Crumb (who later illustrated some of Pekar’s stories) is a socially
awkward, straw-hat-wearing eccentric, who connects with Pekar over a shared
love of obscure vintage jazz records. Pekar meets his match with his soulmate
and third wife, Joyce Brabner (played by Hope Davis), who shares his gloomy
outlook (“I find most American cities to be depressing in the same way.”) yet
somehow manages to be his ray of sunshine. With a fondness for pop psychology, she
diagnoses everyone in her husband’s life, starting with Pekar’s co-worker and
self-professed nerd, Toby Radloff.* Judah Friedlander’s spot-on impersonation
of Radloff is at once hilarious and poignant, as an optimistic counterpoint to
Pekar’s cynicism. Earl Billings is also excellent, in a small but substantive
role as another co-worker, the literate and paranoid Mr. Boats. Pekar’s wife
and co-workers could be played exclusively for laughs, but that would be far too
reductive. Instead, they come across as real people, not caricatures, who in
their own unique ways make Pekar’s wife worth living. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #1: Besides his appearances on MTV, some die-hard
horror fans might remember him as the titular character from Troma’s
direct-to-video wonders, <i>Killer Nerd</i> (1991) and <i>Bride of Killer Nerd</i>
(1992).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDoQsTkewZIja-Utn3dMiwjbAOfV09zLUIj7YD5lLymck54ayTIB9rod7y1sLErC2mrU1eDDk6cFrtg7YvnhHonTenqViiftuhwFOnC8eJDRO3fWMQQ_8ebSBbd2gOQr9c_7PIIehZgPb55mzl1Z1_MiPKRuFquj83aVl8Qua_RS1WwCRsyVavW7oWxYc/s800/American%20Splendor_7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Harvey's Monologue" border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="800" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDoQsTkewZIja-Utn3dMiwjbAOfV09zLUIj7YD5lLymck54ayTIB9rod7y1sLErC2mrU1eDDk6cFrtg7YvnhHonTenqViiftuhwFOnC8eJDRO3fWMQQ_8ebSBbd2gOQr9c_7PIIehZgPb55mzl1Z1_MiPKRuFquj83aVl8Qua_RS1WwCRsyVavW7oWxYc/w640-h362/American%20Splendor_7a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini’s inventive
storytelling continually blurs the line between the real and comic worlds. Pekar
becomes immersed in a live-action comic book as he delivers a monologue about
finding, much to his surprise, that there were three other men who shared his
name in Cleveland alone. In contrast to the filmed autobiographical sequences,*
the segments with the real-life Pekar and company were shot on video, creating
a reality that somehow seems less real than the dramatized footage. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #2: According to co-director Robert Pulcini, the
film stock was flashed (a process which reduces the contrast and color
saturation) to produce a grainy, washed-out appearance. Later in the movie,
when Pekar is given a clean bill of health, Pulcini stopped flashing the film
stock, imparting more clarity and color to the image.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"></span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguB0VH3xVBBtkKj2hp4pZYgsSriWRe54t9PHQlnkd2EH7x3texiJYwRm_ZEdt5b7k1hxpCqlr4NNaaAjVKQDddTxlxXf8uuLrfC_4J1__ZOwUhIt4IkFYpPHq6k4RE7LhKOUAzvUR3yJEG7zvQLjL0_OBnZMw6i2vRoh8A3M5cPlOh9h5ZBP0jEMAtZ89i/s800/American%20Splendor_6b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="American Splendor Comic" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguB0VH3xVBBtkKj2hp4pZYgsSriWRe54t9PHQlnkd2EH7x3texiJYwRm_ZEdt5b7k1hxpCqlr4NNaaAjVKQDddTxlxXf8uuLrfC_4J1__ZOwUhIt4IkFYpPHq6k4RE7LhKOUAzvUR3yJEG7zvQLjL0_OBnZMw6i2vRoh8A3M5cPlOh9h5ZBP0jEMAtZ89i/w640-h360/American%20Splendor_6b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: white;">Pekar’s excessively low tolerance for nonsense seemed to be
at odds with his brief dalliance as an unlikely TV mini-celebrity in the 1980s,
with his multiple appearances on Late Night with David Letterman.* His grumpy,
cantankerous nature quickly becomes comic gold for Letterman, as the perfect
foil for the talk show host’s barbs. Although Pekar knows he’s being exploited
(much to the chagrin of Brabner), he considers it an equitable trade for
getting publicity for his comic. His new-found fame reaches a pinnacle when he
and Brabner fly to Los Angeles to watch a play about their life in Cleveland,**
but exploitation proves to have its limits for Pekar. During his final guest
appearance with Letterman, he strays from his usual subject matter, ranting
about NBC and its connection to parent company, General Electric. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #3: The animal handler waiting in the wings in NBC’s
Green Room was played by the then-current (2003) director of the Columbus Zoo,
a position formerly held by frequent Letterman guest, Jack Hanna. The
filmmakers also considered Tony Randall and John Waters for the role. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Fun Fact #4: In the play within a movie, SNL alumnus
Molly Shannon plays Brabner. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaji6jN70804eD-KwFodpjGxZ4UG6CdjHp2mpflhRlowPelcPzmz2GaojY0JpgOAP3pj9M-ysbKVlquQU-ZcsVnRl5dpwJTbB3YrbKEoHF_Q5mB3zW-xqBwrn35UoLUAimqB1cApKiXc57sdVPsAbLaJWpki2ZXTYXP95DlUwRwDOU7-7zYQpYasW_moxj/s800/American%20Splendor_3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Comic Panel - "Now there's a reliable disappointment."" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaji6jN70804eD-KwFodpjGxZ4UG6CdjHp2mpflhRlowPelcPzmz2GaojY0JpgOAP3pj9M-ysbKVlquQU-ZcsVnRl5dpwJTbB3YrbKEoHF_Q5mB3zW-xqBwrn35UoLUAimqB1cApKiXc57sdVPsAbLaJWpki2ZXTYXP95DlUwRwDOU7-7zYQpYasW_moxj/w640-h360/American%20Splendor_3a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Harvey Pekar’s<i> </i>underground success<i> </i>demonstrated
how the seemingly mundane goings-on of an<i> </i>ordinary working-class schmoe
could still captivate. Anyone who’s had to work to earn a living could
understand the appeal of <i>American Splendor</i>. For those who have a burning
passion but can’t afford to quit their day jobs, this movie is for you. Pekar
is a superhero for the rest of us, extolling the virtues of getting through the
day, no matter how soul-crushing or tedious it might be. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-18504276390241318872023-09-02T17:27:00.003-07:002023-09-02T17:27:39.505-07:00Viva Mexico Month Quick Picks and Pans<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyTObyw_89N2VzZ3SuGc7KwVylu6pwCEho3CO1PAklvR6HTUV0ouQdiGDRDt6Ry625KDTvzsTHefRAIgaKwhEYIB6Pj2nrY6w2I_fpL-CciOloaRq_iG_24UEKRRCq8tF0GIjOmvTDsO7awdDKpucCOrG793J75A6O07Q06bHTtjsKRCJVXyIIWvrftlz/s1134/Bajo%20La%20Sal_Poster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bajo la Sal Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="801" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyTObyw_89N2VzZ3SuGc7KwVylu6pwCEho3CO1PAklvR6HTUV0ouQdiGDRDt6Ry625KDTvzsTHefRAIgaKwhEYIB6Pj2nrY6w2I_fpL-CciOloaRq_iG_24UEKRRCq8tF0GIjOmvTDsO7awdDKpucCOrG793J75A6O07Q06bHTtjsKRCJVXyIIWvrftlz/w283-h400/Bajo%20La%20Sal_Poster1.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bajo la Sal </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(aka: Under the Salt) (2008) This melancholic,
noir-flavored crime thriller from director Mario Muñoz is based on the story "La
Venganza del Valle de las Muñecas" (aka: “The Revenge of the Valley of the
Dolls”). Comandante Trujillo (Humberto Zurita), a disgraced police detective,
is called to a small town to help investigate a series of murders of young
women in and around a vast salt harvesting facility. The common link is the victims
were all expelled from the local high school. Signs point to Victor (Ricardo
Polanco), a troubled young student who works at his father’s funeral parlor. In
his spare time, he makes stop-motion horror films and obsesses over Isabel (Irene
Azuela), a former student who’s looking for a way out. Serguei Saldívar Tanaka’s
exceptional cinematography exploits the town’s unforgiving landscape, exemplified
by a vast sea of salt. It’s a fascinating, unrelentingly grim movie that melds
style with substance.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">****</span>.
Available on DVD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9b8uuJyqnr1uMZ4vwsqwrqHwgDCeIeVAIzik1HIo5aLxDlgTSsWGpGqQh4x-mqtL-JdwsF8rfe8H7oYEZB2kWabrkm8mLuuHb_aZeZcejizPMa9pxiuF9zeKnB9rM5nUcI-nFj5e3UjeO1PHWvYg7dq0zozhfsEt-iA38AUL20_GxyFqCNnmDURwqoyiY/s800/Darker%20than%20Night_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Darker than Night Poster" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="557" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9b8uuJyqnr1uMZ4vwsqwrqHwgDCeIeVAIzik1HIo5aLxDlgTSsWGpGqQh4x-mqtL-JdwsF8rfe8H7oYEZB2kWabrkm8mLuuHb_aZeZcejizPMa9pxiuF9zeKnB9rM5nUcI-nFj5e3UjeO1PHWvYg7dq0zozhfsEt-iA38AUL20_GxyFqCNnmDURwqoyiY/w279-h400/Darker%20than%20Night_Poster1a.jpg" width="279" /></a></span></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Darker than Night </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(1975) In writer/director Carlos Enrique
Taboada’s supernatural gothic thriller, Ofelia Escudero (Claudia Islas) inherits
her reclusive aunt’s estate. There’s only one request: she must care for her aunt’s
beloved cat. Under the watchful eye of disapproving housekeeper Sofia (Alicia
Palacios), Ofelia and her pals move in to the spooky old mansion. Almost
immediately, strange things begin to occur, with deadly consequences. It’s an atmospheric,
unsettling slow burn, relying more on an overwhelming sense of dread, rather
than gore and jump scares.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½.
Available on Blu-ray (included in Vinegar Syndrome’s box set, “Mexican Gothic:
The Films of Carlos Enrique Taboada) and Tubi</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Xx0hCyvjdW9sT6r2e3Wc8C1k6TxJRaZ9_CvBfZuKJdWR6rPuJvQ2wNPjWIyAtsl8aIUXMWsedPVzRExw-eEL9HkMHY9Xfo_0zEfgEwEpCJ8u3Ourcg14YHCZ4LB5Mp_z2DMJiVMOglS7_Mk2jtJAUbm7qaniExOPBgkCuh3Xk5xgo3ieq0f-CIJJ9eDR/s1000/Sombra%20Verde_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Sombra Verde" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="733" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Xx0hCyvjdW9sT6r2e3Wc8C1k6TxJRaZ9_CvBfZuKJdWR6rPuJvQ2wNPjWIyAtsl8aIUXMWsedPVzRExw-eEL9HkMHY9Xfo_0zEfgEwEpCJ8u3Ourcg14YHCZ4LB5Mp_z2DMJiVMOglS7_Mk2jtJAUbm7qaniExOPBgkCuh3Xk5xgo3ieq0f-CIJJ9eDR/w294-h400/Sombra%20Verde_Poster1a.jpg" width="294" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Sombra Verde </i>(aka<i>: Untouched</i>) (1954) Ricardo
Montalban stars as Federico Gascón, a young professional sent by a big-city pharmaceutical
company to the Mexican jungle to search for source of cortisone. When his guide
is killed by a snake, Federico loses direction, eventually stumbling upon a
sanctuary owned by the reclusive Don Ignacio Santos (Víctor Parra). Santos is as
fiercely protective of his privacy as he is of his young daughter, Yáscara (Ariadne
Welter). Sparks fly when the unhappily married Federico falls in love with free-spirited
Yáscara. Featuring good performances by Parra, Welter and a young Montalban, <i>Sombra Verde</i> is well worth a look. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½.
Available on DVD</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedSOEH-JCrZ6COhK2yQft8A57Wuec2fidxcEufS1tyE6TbZNogfTJul6luvrTbiB_7g8OOeEWqKPRoSuwZf7Giai51i6L-UrFbhaK-1oQMxALNgfUitF9RfzrjDNyI6_0GKe1S2UnlHgv78TBVHTVeW0Oylb4Ney_E258HV9pIRslo0X5RTSeQddaiMnr/s1500/The%20Untamed_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Untamed" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedSOEH-JCrZ6COhK2yQft8A57Wuec2fidxcEufS1tyE6TbZNogfTJul6luvrTbiB_7g8OOeEWqKPRoSuwZf7Giai51i6L-UrFbhaK-1oQMxALNgfUitF9RfzrjDNyI6_0GKe1S2UnlHgv78TBVHTVeW0Oylb4Ney_E258HV9pIRslo0X5RTSeQddaiMnr/w266-h400/The%20Untamed_Poster1a.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Untamed </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(2016) In this fascinating, unnerving horror
film from director/co-writer Amat Escalante, a middle-aged couple in rural Mexico
harbor a bizarre secret in their cottage: a multi-tentacled alien creature,
which arrived in a meteorite. Escalante focuses on young mother Alejandra’s (Ruth
Ramos) unhappy marriage. When her path crosses with Verónica (Simone Bucio),
they find solace in the creature, but there’s a terrible price. The ambiguous extraterrestrial,
which could serve as a metaphor for toxic relationship, fosters a kind of drug-like
dependency among everyone that comes into contact with it, providing pleasure
and pain in equal measures. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Untamed</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> wears its influences on
its sleeve (especially Andrzej Zulawski’s 1981 film, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Possession</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> and Jonathan Glazer’s </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Under
the Skin</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">), but it has an identity
all its own.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">½.
Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Kanopy </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2HWblExJjmyViKaEgDzMznFqNv51GRFv8m191Ef1VphozyXsIDLPPI8HEEnw3TD0I8F8ocnqL-SY4y2ORoLWgG4tOXoC96U1F5g5F_Z1IQOAtEbLlfnwNS7EyYhivRR_XcGjw_GoDzJdT0Un00IGxieRSNNyMJRCw1kPGBmwiRs1FzFPOsO4oh0Yf-Df/s872/Cemetery%20of%20Terror_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cemetery of Terror Poster" border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2HWblExJjmyViKaEgDzMznFqNv51GRFv8m191Ef1VphozyXsIDLPPI8HEEnw3TD0I8F8ocnqL-SY4y2ORoLWgG4tOXoC96U1F5g5F_Z1IQOAtEbLlfnwNS7EyYhivRR_XcGjw_GoDzJdT0Un00IGxieRSNNyMJRCw1kPGBmwiRs1FzFPOsO4oh0Yf-Df/w275-h400/Cemetery%20of%20Terror_Poster1a.jpg" width="275" /></a></i></span></div><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i><i>Cemetery of Terror</i>
(1985) Some horny guys try to spice up their party by stealing a body from a
morgue (because nothing turns women on more than a pilfered cadaver), and
raising the dead through demonic incantations in an ancient book. Before you
know it, zombies are running amok in a graveyard scene (with multicolored
backlighting) that looks like it’s straight out of the <i>Thriller </i>music<i>
</i>video (there’s even a kid with a Michael Jackson jacket). <i>Cemetery of
Terror</i> borrows heavily from <i>Halloween</i> with its protagonist, Hugo
Stiglitz as Dr. Cardan (a Dr. Loomis type), relentlessly pursuing an
unstoppable killer. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span>. Available on Blu-ray and DVD <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLagrIC8dSRxbxoJY3tuMH_UXPncYz2MTcxzIJb9iEeNtYXbK94HrDBMZZVVROOhuorhAwmtsx_XnpGzRH8UT5xqyfzKK8mkuQfwV9kAYNodJ8BhrSvB8fB6JruW_CwMFq7er8ExcSXST-7FeVovXR0kjVVZLnH9s_BdeK_sEBvACzbur1PDuJQtc4qxZ/s1552/Santo%20and%20the%20Revenge%20of%20the%20Aztec%20Mummy_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Cemetery of Terror Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1552" data-original-width="1117" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLagrIC8dSRxbxoJY3tuMH_UXPncYz2MTcxzIJb9iEeNtYXbK94HrDBMZZVVROOhuorhAwmtsx_XnpGzRH8UT5xqyfzKK8mkuQfwV9kAYNodJ8BhrSvB8fB6JruW_CwMFq7er8ExcSXST-7FeVovXR0kjVVZLnH9s_BdeK_sEBvACzbur1PDuJQtc4qxZ/w288-h400/Santo%20and%20the%20Revenge%20of%20the%20Aztec%20Mummy_Poster1a.jpg" width="288" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Santo in the Vengeance of the Mummy</i> (1971) In one of
the weaker Santo movies, our titular hero travels to the jungles of Mexico on a
research trek* to explore the remnants of an ancient civilization. The local
townspeople aren’t thrilled with the appearance of meddling outsiders, who are
killed off one by one by a reanimated mummy (a surprisingly large number of
people die under Santo’s watch, makings me wonder if they were better off on
their own). The movie is surprisingly short on action and more talky than many other
Santo movies, and the “Scooby-Doo” climax doesn’t help matters. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fake Fact: From 1958 to 1974, all Mexican archaeological expeditions
were legally required to include El Santo, for their own protection. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span>½. Available on Blu-ray (included in the “Santo:
El Enmascarado De Plata” box set, DVD and Midnight Pulp<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3xj9YUHZq0QUb0ogh71ziD6pYDLTtWa3fGWS0D7gyJQlgTP4Kbw1ANWEHN98JMrjgozl1Trn-CrRqVNNYXbefHXRRIwBRIEDyxWHJzIfghbld7zAyNBPwB77JjWab-IyTbMV_5Yv-wcl7KLrmEfAaARkKS6-Z5KZbMuDshmfULBCac-2WfH47fnzz6M1/s1038/Santo%20vs.%20Infernal%20Men_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Santo vs. Infernal Men Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="753" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3xj9YUHZq0QUb0ogh71ziD6pYDLTtWa3fGWS0D7gyJQlgTP4Kbw1ANWEHN98JMrjgozl1Trn-CrRqVNNYXbefHXRRIwBRIEDyxWHJzIfghbld7zAyNBPwB77JjWab-IyTbMV_5Yv-wcl7KLrmEfAaARkKS6-Z5KZbMuDshmfULBCac-2WfH47fnzz6M1/w290-h400/Santo%20vs.%20Infernal%20Men_Poster1a.jpg" width="290" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Santo vs. Infernal Men</i> (1961) Santo’s second cinematic
adventure (following <i>Santo vs. Evil Brain</i>) is a bit of a letdown, with the
silver-masked wrestler as a supporting character in his own movie. The central
plot deals with an undercover police detective, Joaquín (Joaquín Cordero), infiltrating
a crime ring, with the help of Santo. In 1959, Joselito Rodríguez and Enrique
Zambrano shot two movies back-to-back in Cuba, and compared to its predecessor,
<i>Infernal Men</i> seems incomplete, almost as if the filmmakers only had
enough footage for one entire film. Santo appears in a few scenes to flesh out
the action, but it’s clearly Cordero’s movie. <i>Santo vs. Infernal Men</i>
affords an interesting glimpse of pre-Castro Cuba, but the rest of the movie is
a bore. While Santo’s first movie is far from perfect, you’re better off seeing
that instead. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating <span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span>½. Available on Blu-ray (available
individually, or included in Indicator’s “Enter Santo” boxed set)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-21671364455236527582023-08-28T22:07:00.001-07:002023-08-28T22:07:22.345-07:00Poison for the Fairies<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVzAhAsZbwK30xVbYBy0Cay09ZuDw5cDpDXQSiunGNc2NEgqlaPkcDKOjuY7H5jtvmJDkm5nAXHipJlNBFI3RGCyy3RjKh_-hbtkdv60In7jTNBCxhaXi9jrY5qwdHzu_f6vF_UD3OKgRX9AArLaQNVDeGjfvtpOsXhP8m84gKZnuVDolNjZLGS_S07x0/s600/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Poison for the Fairies Poster" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="437" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVzAhAsZbwK30xVbYBy0Cay09ZuDw5cDpDXQSiunGNc2NEgqlaPkcDKOjuY7H5jtvmJDkm5nAXHipJlNBFI3RGCyy3RjKh_-hbtkdv60In7jTNBCxhaXi9jrY5qwdHzu_f6vF_UD3OKgRX9AArLaQNVDeGjfvtpOsXhP8m84gKZnuVDolNjZLGS_S07x0/w291-h400/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_Poster1a.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">(1986) Written and directed by Carlos Enrique Taboada;
Starring: <a name="_Hlk144152315">Ana Patricia Rojo</a>, <a name="_Hlk143450059">Elsa
María Gutiérrez</a>, Leonor Llausás, Carmen Stein, María Santander, Ernesto
Schwartz, Rocío Lazcano and Blanca Lidia Muñoz; Available on Blu-ray and DVD </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">****</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">½</span></span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“Fairies don’t get along with witches. They’re afraid of
them. The witches are their enemies and they kill them. Have you seen the
boiling pots that witches have? They throw in lizard tails, cemetery dirt,
ashes from crosses, snakes, and lots of rubbish. You know what they make?
Poison. Poison for the fairies.” – Nana (Carmen Stein)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU89sX15pCv-uCwovgKM1Jn9T2n3UBGuoaUgXojo4LDp9iUsx-CjkuokBPXszelIfxH_ZShx_knvl6SnY3iXAE0EPfC4v9HRXCS73fqfmTGZqhGN6veeh2PkrMVnaL2pprwvTioBVljpRTuwq_m8TZEf1osew3xxEmN71jYQ50j6IXka_iQLbUdj9LlbiA/s800/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Witch Silhouette" border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU89sX15pCv-uCwovgKM1Jn9T2n3UBGuoaUgXojo4LDp9iUsx-CjkuokBPXszelIfxH_ZShx_knvl6SnY3iXAE0EPfC4v9HRXCS73fqfmTGZqhGN6veeh2PkrMVnaL2pprwvTioBVljpRTuwq_m8TZEf1osew3xxEmN71jYQ50j6IXka_iQLbUdj9LlbiA/w640-h346/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_7a.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Childhood friendships impact us at a particularly
vulnerable, formative period in our lives, creating experiences that often serve
as a template for future relationships. If we’re lucky, it’s a bond that lasts
a lifetime, but even if that friendship only spans a short period, the memories
endure. On the flipside, our early childhood bonds frequently teach us hard
lessons about the sort of people we’re better off steering away from. Writer/director
Carlos Enrique Taboada (hardly a household name in the States, but remembered
fondly in his native Mexico)* captures the latter sentiment in his gothic
thriller, <i>Poison for the Fairies</i> (aka: <i>Veneno para las Hadas</i>).
Taboada’s 14<sup>th</sup> and final film** (completed in 1984 but not released until
1986), focuses on the dysfunctional relationship between two school-age girls
and its awful consequences. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #1: In 1957, hoping to witness a ghost, Taboada
had himself chained to a tombstone in a graveyard. Whether or not he witnessed
any supernatural occurrences is anyone’s guess. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">** Not-So-Fun Fun Fact: Taboada shot another movie (on
video), <i>Jirón de Niebla</i> (aka: <i>Shred of Mist</i>), but due to lack of
financing was unable to edit or release the film. The footage was reportedly lost.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUYyimzi5kKHOi1ja1wLe1bc1mLOFRTLXskCMBeTAxICTHKWZVszJLXj8qGYSoQ256Pqqc9qpgplFCgTjTel3GMRYjt8D98W4LZhrGiz5NXXRioq7g4peNhgu16YmPSeVJL1T6eTKge6aLiEHHwA9w8SZEADhnJH7jCv5hZQwt4YoAM-mr4edQzxMmoBl/s800/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Flavia and Verónica" border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUYyimzi5kKHOi1ja1wLe1bc1mLOFRTLXskCMBeTAxICTHKWZVszJLXj8qGYSoQ256Pqqc9qpgplFCgTjTel3GMRYjt8D98W4LZhrGiz5NXXRioq7g4peNhgu16YmPSeVJL1T6eTKge6aLiEHHwA9w8SZEADhnJH7jCv5hZQwt4YoAM-mr4edQzxMmoBl/w640-h346/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_2a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Flavia (Elsa María Gutiérrez, in her only film role) arrives
at an exclusive Mexican private school, where she quickly befriends Verónica (Ana
Patricia Rojo), a strange girl the other classmates appear to shun. It doesn’t
take Flavia long to learn why most of Verónica’s peers keep her at arms’ length,
with her claims about being a practicing witch. Flavia initially meets her new
friend’s proclamations with skepticism, which eventually gives way to an uneasy
acceptance. When Flavia laments having to take her piano lessons, Verónica
offers to cast a spell (with a blood oath) to make Flavia’s instructor, Madame
Rickard (Blanca Lidia Muñoz), go away. Shortly afterwards, during a practice
session, her teacher suffers a fatal stroke. Instead of regarding it as an
unfortunate coincidence (it’s revealed, in her parents’ conversation, that her teacher
had a history of illness), Flavia believes it was <a name="_Hlk143454638">Verónica</a>’s
doing. Whether there was some connection, or terrible luck, it’s all the
leverage Verónica requires to take control of Flavia’s life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5Xy3UIAG1XzhR3taq6wLnnv-ismt4yZKCxEH3SDPwn_-jsR8TU3UbLFlgHlWobhROJrH8u6lF2z262iLHjgYvUeuw_5H2NJCH0HaxQwaBEHb8y-pgyqdGXd8MhXLrh0PFrUtaHPnQyyWqIFdbu-j36Qerv0wpfyYmSwe4StSKvhpS2vvBteEWT4t8WFp/s800/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Flavia's Dream" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5Xy3UIAG1XzhR3taq6wLnnv-ismt4yZKCxEH3SDPwn_-jsR8TU3UbLFlgHlWobhROJrH8u6lF2z262iLHjgYvUeuw_5H2NJCH0HaxQwaBEHb8y-pgyqdGXd8MhXLrh0PFrUtaHPnQyyWqIFdbu-j36Qerv0wpfyYmSwe4StSKvhpS2vvBteEWT4t8WFp/w640-h346/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_4a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Over the course of the film, the power dynamic between the
two girls shifts, which Verónica exploits to embed herself in Flavia’s life. Flavia
comes from an upper-class family with loving, if somewhat detached parents. Verónica,
whose parents are dead, lives with her grandmother and housekeeper, Nana
(Carmen Stein). Nana, who seems to be Verónica’s primary parental figure, is
fond of telling stories about witches and casting spells. In turn, Verónica
takes the stories to heart, professing to Flavia that she’s not really a
10-year-old girl, but an ancient witch. The film takes an ambiguous stance
about whether Verónica truly believes she’s a witch, or Nana’s supernatural
tales are simply co-opted to deceive and control her impressionable friend. Verónica,
envious of what she perceives to be Flavia’s idyllic existence (and using the
piano teacher’s death as leverage), covets her possessions and connives to
accompany her on a family vacation to their country estate. Flavia, fearing
some sort of retaliation, submits to her friend’s increasingly unreasonable
demands, culminating in collecting the raw materials to create a witch’s
potion. Verónica’s unyielding behavior, coupled with Flavia’s belief in her
friend’s powers, becomes a volatile combination, leading to a horrific conclusion.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IDU7buwd6jJmB0gXn0SDzoi4chC_IDBrxTtRLptS3gP3KFjN2iZdncQyE-fDJPGc2R1L6z0eixk7BG5x1Eqs-JHtghxq6zta7bzumrcCZ-sipJfERl4ZJ1E-yDJwZgrpVr1tyn88-qWdcrePIabDBAJVcEqrzgfEheeoDsSa8ADTqDb-8BKNCXFNqCco/s800/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_6a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Verónica and Flavia in Trouble" border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="800" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IDU7buwd6jJmB0gXn0SDzoi4chC_IDBrxTtRLptS3gP3KFjN2iZdncQyE-fDJPGc2R1L6z0eixk7BG5x1Eqs-JHtghxq6zta7bzumrcCZ-sipJfERl4ZJ1E-yDJwZgrpVr1tyn88-qWdcrePIabDBAJVcEqrzgfEheeoDsSa8ADTqDb-8BKNCXFNqCco/w640-h348/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_6a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">The exceptional cinematography by veteran cinematographer Lupe
García contributes immensely to the film’s perspective, told from the children’s
point of view. García expertly captures a child’s eye view of the world,
inhabited by authority figures who dwell in the periphery. While Flavia, Verónica,
and their schoolmates remain in full view, adults are often shot in silhouette,
from behind, or from a low angle. We’re never in doubt that this is the kids’ story.
Being a witch and yielding black magic (or at least the prospect of said magic)
becomes a potent drug for Verónica, as a means of exerting power at an age when
children often think of themselves as powerless.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KyAkgEiBvJUG6Jmq7Uvsjpy8eHRnwPzDqlC3MqJevPpHwQD60Uu5bh_LjOH-WgX_ykzgFBiIq9o7Da1xnfvh7M0LEgGjrgN9x2iixzToWQdIjL81Bfzzn9kqaXNdBYfd86N78z7JgGB1btLqdOtD0T2SDvfkR1iDQS-bNhfc2mGsIhJzVwjbXzaarTQB/s800/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_5b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Verónica" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KyAkgEiBvJUG6Jmq7Uvsjpy8eHRnwPzDqlC3MqJevPpHwQD60Uu5bh_LjOH-WgX_ykzgFBiIq9o7Da1xnfvh7M0LEgGjrgN9x2iixzToWQdIjL81Bfzzn9kqaXNdBYfd86N78z7JgGB1btLqdOtD0T2SDvfkR1iDQS-bNhfc2mGsIhJzVwjbXzaarTQB/w640-h346/Poison%20for%20the%20Fairies_5b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Poison for the Fairies</i> is a gothic thriller that
leans into horror, subverting some of the latter genre’s tropes (such as Flavia’s
visions of witches) for the narrative. Carlos Enrique Taboada depicts the
darker side of childhood friendship and the loss of innocence. Flavia becomes embroiled in a toxic relationship because the
alternative, being alone, is unbearable. Under the guise of friendship, Verónica
manipulates her to do things she otherwise wouldn’t do on her own. Flavia’s belief
in her friend’s supernatural powers overshadows her sense of reason, until
fiction becomes fact. With its timeless themes, intense performance by Ana
Patricia Rojo (channeling <i>The Bad Seed</i>), and thread of ambiguity
(leaving the film open to almost as many interpretations as there are filmgoers),
<i>Poison for the Fairies</i> deserves to be experienced and appreciated by a
whole new generation of filmgoers. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #2: Although the film was not a box-office
success, it won the hearts of critics, earning five Ariel Awards (the Mexican
equivalent of the Academy Awards) in 1986, including Best Picture and Best
Director. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Source for this article: “Behold the Duke of Mexican Horror
Cinema,” by Abraham Castillo Flores (essay in Vinegar Syndrome set, “Mexican
Gothic: The Films of Carlos Enrique Taboada)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-71551058831728865542023-08-13T18:26:00.001-07:002023-08-13T18:26:25.355-07:00Short Take – Alucarda<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r-kJvUhUgK9awT2cC6AxbdK2i-asGSlvyHbvKWmmwhZGwDV9oeo21JN3oWtdyRNKhdQXWlT5lb8c-s8zezrcWAMyd1MryBHyGqSC9DS7fL9FfhpAtm0uG-f2U6GOUtfOnlmTGa3N4mBroxGQZDgwb85jtK_jcWhK7nXJkCLtuKTZzmp3a4sq5cycE2KQ/s1501/Alucarda_Poster2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Alucarda Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1501" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r-kJvUhUgK9awT2cC6AxbdK2i-asGSlvyHbvKWmmwhZGwDV9oeo21JN3oWtdyRNKhdQXWlT5lb8c-s8zezrcWAMyd1MryBHyGqSC9DS7fL9FfhpAtm0uG-f2U6GOUtfOnlmTGa3N4mBroxGQZDgwb85jtK_jcWhK7nXJkCLtuKTZzmp3a4sq5cycE2KQ/w266-h400/Alucarda_Poster2a.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">(1977) Directed by Juan López Moctezuma; Written by Juan
López Moctezuma and Alexis Arroyo; Starring: Claudio Brook, David Silva, Tina
Romero, Susana Kamini, Lili Garza and Tina French; Available on DVD </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">***</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzLB1SdJYj5dnP5YJbbBpZi8gPrduXJjcmYj5oBevQxatf3wKftaidxcQuT9CzYwphdfeA2XbGOxgGohbTdbJlK8getUbO7wzoNVdQ17Unk7oXjXyWjf4FHZNMdn3hIHgLaZuRNH4_qH6w0iM5g1o-Ig3_cfbx0vTARELXW4cnzT4bj3cyqQL9Ue35QWf/s800/Alucarda_3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Alucarda and Justine" border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="800" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzLB1SdJYj5dnP5YJbbBpZi8gPrduXJjcmYj5oBevQxatf3wKftaidxcQuT9CzYwphdfeA2XbGOxgGohbTdbJlK8getUbO7wzoNVdQ17Unk7oXjXyWjf4FHZNMdn3hIHgLaZuRNH4_qH6w0iM5g1o-Ig3_cfbx0vTARELXW4cnzT4bj3cyqQL9Ue35QWf/w640-h488/Alucarda_3a.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">“…the film draws on the vampire tradition, and in a way the
protagonist is a female vampire… but not in the sense of a blood drinker. In
fact, she has all the powers and attributes of the classic vampire. Except that
she doesn’t have to drink blood. I’ve given Alucarda all the vampiric powers
Bram Stoker mentions that never get shown in films, as well as the ones you’d
expect.” –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Juan López Moctezuma
(excerpted from 1977 interview)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqwUTx8O4OzRAoq0SCPieigJwFIgn6bkWfbH8Gz_SjR8baM7cT1IYy_x1Lrz0M3uPm1qRVpYU0ggQH13vJXEhXmVl_m0PLKnvzCdQ8obxd9LmfCrgSkNmUdVdgYf4Amxin18midnxMb8ouWZ8eqmKNmv5LOOK1I8B15KcwzR_h6rNpYfUwhqKT5p9hrrS/s800/Alucarda_2c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Convent" border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="800" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqwUTx8O4OzRAoq0SCPieigJwFIgn6bkWfbH8Gz_SjR8baM7cT1IYy_x1Lrz0M3uPm1qRVpYU0ggQH13vJXEhXmVl_m0PLKnvzCdQ8obxd9LmfCrgSkNmUdVdgYf4Amxin18midnxMb8ouWZ8eqmKNmv5LOOK1I8B15KcwzR_h6rNpYfUwhqKT5p9hrrS/w640-h488/Alucarda_2c.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Juan López Moctezuma was a filmmaker who followed his
passions, which didn’t translate to making movies that were commercially
popular. While <i>Alucarda</i>* was not a critical or box office hit at the
time, Moctezuma’s film has won over many fans, including Guillermo del Toro. <i>Alucarda</i>
owes as much to <i>Dracula</i> and <i>Carmilla</i> as it does to the glut of
demonic possession movies that proliferated throughout the 1970s, and
experimental European horror films. As a nod to his mentor, Alejandro
Jodorowsky, Moctezuma employed many surreal touches, including imaginative set
design, costumes, and characters depicted in broad strokes. The film’s
centerpiece, a convent/orphanage, doesn’t resemble anything based in reality, with
its primeval appearance, seemingly carved out of rock. Likewise, the nuns that
populate the convent are clad from head to toe in blood-stained bandages,
rather than the expected habits. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #1: Moctezuma planned a sequel called <i>Alucarda
Rises from the Tomb</i>, but sadly it never materialized. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOK-MvaPmu1EncuW1sSC6q2Di_3Z1dg8eqOtpYJgc6_yVN9Q7SAT3yM_wB9YzcWuLNZPh3Npa1R7HaOqJ40ugFa3q-OtEvKXDmXpgZGCuPzj3KY06AGDWV1vx2ToZduOfcYv5Ws1k6BN4HsgtzmmgDFgK-RJ2CjNKJ3YIvU3qo2VuZK-LlJciGg_cgmnL/s800/Alucarda_4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dr. Oszek and Alucarda" border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="800" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOK-MvaPmu1EncuW1sSC6q2Di_3Z1dg8eqOtpYJgc6_yVN9Q7SAT3yM_wB9YzcWuLNZPh3Npa1R7HaOqJ40ugFa3q-OtEvKXDmXpgZGCuPzj3KY06AGDWV1vx2ToZduOfcYv5Ws1k6BN4HsgtzmmgDFgK-RJ2CjNKJ3YIvU3qo2VuZK-LlJciGg_cgmnL/w640-h484/Alucarda_4a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Orphaned teenager Justine (Susana Kamini) arrives at a
convent, where she meets fellow orphan Alucarda (Tina Romero, who also plays
her own mother, Lucy Westenra – a direct reference to <i>Dracula</i>)*, who’s obviously
not on the same wavelength as the other residents (Hmm, could it be… Satan?). As
Justine becomes corrupted by her charms, they make a blood pact, sealing their
fates. Father Lázaro (David Silva) and nuns, however, aren’t about to let demonic
forces run wild during their watch. They are joined by the initially skeptical Dr.
Oszek (Claudio Brook) to combat the evil scourge threatening their convent. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Fun Fact #2: Although Alucarda was supposedly 15, Romero
was 28 at the time of shooting. Although Kamini’s age has not been officially
published, it’s obvious she was well out of her teens. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iJcG2KHyXxst4ZEs3XTJIDYyUMLzwBbsm8vPJrPTBUW_rF3q_9KuJ_QtzsER5Bi3AHuLMeqR3VTR72IflbhDhxTs52UFe5TMEcOx_cRKeb8ymsM_OX-c57uePEPM81MSW4NyBGjBYubNQ56ym_H7Ay5MTYh4aEU5NG9SH6luYTPMBgc4VbwSJXfTGZqI/s800/Alucarda_6b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Alucarda" border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="800" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iJcG2KHyXxst4ZEs3XTJIDYyUMLzwBbsm8vPJrPTBUW_rF3q_9KuJ_QtzsER5Bi3AHuLMeqR3VTR72IflbhDhxTs52UFe5TMEcOx_cRKeb8ymsM_OX-c57uePEPM81MSW4NyBGjBYubNQ56ym_H7Ay5MTYh4aEU5NG9SH6luYTPMBgc4VbwSJXfTGZqI/w640-h484/Alucarda_6b.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: white;"><br />Tina Romero shines in the title role of Alucarda, embodying
equal doses of mischief, menace, and seductive charisma. With her intense gaze
and impish smile, it’s easy to see why Justine and the doctor’s daughter, Daniela
(Lili Garza) fall under her spell. Claudio Brook stands out as the self-righteous,
hypocritical Dr. Oszek, who openly criticizes the convent and their barbaric
practices. Perhaps it only fitting that he also plays a satyr-like hunchback,* who
tempts Alucarda and Justine into shunning their religious baggage and embracing
more hedonistic pursuits. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">* Forgive the momentary digression, but it’s interesting to
note that the well-worn hunchbacked assistant trope (a staple of many genre films
from the silent age to the 1970s) thrived for decades before fizzling out by
the ‘80s. Then again, it was arguably a trope that had long outstayed its
welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASo5-XC6gpTocBd5w-PFpQg8E7dJ7Tf5kHqOa5QWz56mPouqWLj05r_xpmv7J0wl9RJ8_wqwgbMGeuYrDr3QvQCa9kCvZboMCQsS5OuXdZ9gF71FqDV-s43cW-lSldHWSOcTpxmXg0fp7EeNhTN82SwDuX1yR2OR13hXpE2Oa7kgDss4mqXNx47A2uhoD/s800/Alucarda_5b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Justine Possessed" border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="800" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASo5-XC6gpTocBd5w-PFpQg8E7dJ7Tf5kHqOa5QWz56mPouqWLj05r_xpmv7J0wl9RJ8_wqwgbMGeuYrDr3QvQCa9kCvZboMCQsS5OuXdZ9gF71FqDV-s43cW-lSldHWSOcTpxmXg0fp7EeNhTN82SwDuX1yR2OR13hXpE2Oa7kgDss4mqXNx47A2uhoD/w640-h484/Alucarda_5b.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Alucarda’s</i> depiction of demonic possession represents
a post-modern take on the material, with the film’s purposefully ambiguous sympathies.
While the world of the orphanage seems hellish and oppressive, the alternative,
represented by Alucarda, seems favorable. Being bad has never seemed so good,
and being good has never seemed so awful. <i>Alucarda</i> succeeds visually
with its imaginative set design, lighting, and themes that blur the delineation
between good and evil. The characters are never quite fleshed out (Justine, outside
of her relationship with Alucarda, doesn’t have much of a personality) and the incessant
screaming that proliferates throughout the soundtrack becomes tiresome (you
might want to lower the volume on your TV). Although <i>Alucarda</i> might not
quite live up to the weight of its lofty ambitions, it’s an important addition
to the horror genre.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463671176628323648.post-59425863646929493032023-07-31T22:24:00.002-07:002023-07-31T22:24:29.200-07:00July Quick Picks and Pans<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrFOguRChkcaU63zKOAr2iU-ZZNdqkgEcrDDmjbWMHLXG_PxtiYAlzG1DQQeYXDTwjP4RZyLIc5J1Wvy0R3ykvYg2Fhc-oqzxeVMQQDnXHnePTRlt8rKP404MGaXsF52bM3EDMqSssUIYCU1zB-T1_kLq_To8imM7fDNT2nfMUf3uvFaZZN2kCfwAOFiG/s2945/Sea%20Fever_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sea Fever Poster" border="0" data-original-height="2945" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrFOguRChkcaU63zKOAr2iU-ZZNdqkgEcrDDmjbWMHLXG_PxtiYAlzG1DQQeYXDTwjP4RZyLIc5J1Wvy0R3ykvYg2Fhc-oqzxeVMQQDnXHnePTRlt8rKP404MGaXsF52bM3EDMqSssUIYCU1zB-T1_kLq_To8imM7fDNT2nfMUf3uvFaZZN2kCfwAOFiG/w271-h400/Sea%20Fever_Poster1a.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sea Fever </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(2019) The crew of an Irish fishing vessel
encounter a new species lurking in the depths. With the help of a socially
awkward doctoral student, Siobhán (Hermione Corfield), they attempt to combat
the new threat before everyone becomes infected. The massive creature resembles
a cross between an enormous bioluminescent jellyfish and the “Graboids” from
Tremors. Writer/director Neasa Hardiman’s claustrophobic film is tense and bleak,
with excellent performances all around. While it was completed pre-COVID, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sea Fever</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> works as an apt parable for the pandemic, pondering the ramifications of
infecting the greater population.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;">Rating: <span style="font-size: large;">****</span>.
Available on Blu-ray and DVD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDCQIJeKHO0-_ed5Hx8To3Yh69RT2C7Ltea44w2RYJ3axnhCxVDp46oAQGjkW20pd0CQvbiokKaqQ7coxqzxMo8JALnQM14xdNgDItn7HzzXbBvggwlv8hRRKcBPxiKEWKKeOqD4KOx1ShUySEBRWD7QXCFxO_F6jGEmr9vLE0sHRep5cTgWpe7zPMcRz/s1432/Exotica_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="Exotica Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDCQIJeKHO0-_ed5Hx8To3Yh69RT2C7Ltea44w2RYJ3axnhCxVDp46oAQGjkW20pd0CQvbiokKaqQ7coxqzxMo8JALnQM14xdNgDItn7HzzXbBvggwlv8hRRKcBPxiKEWKKeOqD4KOx1ShUySEBRWD7QXCFxO_F6jGEmr9vLE0sHRep5cTgWpe7zPMcRz/w279-h400/Exotica_Poster1a.jpg" width="279" /></span></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exotica </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(1994) Writer/director Atom Egoyan’s brooding
character study follows the lives of several individuals around an exotic dance
club. The film is anchored by Bruce Greenwood’s captivating performance as
Francis, one of the club’s frequent patrons, who harbors a terrible secret. It’s
a somber portrait of several intermingling individuals, whose lives are hanging
by a slender thread.</span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">****</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">.
Available on Blu-ray and DVD </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqHNKblU6RDcypDwpXMwKVgX9yW2OFhp0N4_8aDprI_GS2mcWtTXW7wWF99_6acwx--1hni8xxCxnAUo65T-uClXnzaH6Z9Vf2IwFG3e0oDutB7ob7ysU1CTq1CIssc3KM75PEBg-GYycJGSkS0oGrZNFTOiN7Rurra7Qqpo7XuT3aLko7BDk1tfxQ6g7/s1200/Satanis-The%20Devil's%20Mass_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Satanis - The Devil's Mass Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqHNKblU6RDcypDwpXMwKVgX9yW2OFhp0N4_8aDprI_GS2mcWtTXW7wWF99_6acwx--1hni8xxCxnAUo65T-uClXnzaH6Z9Vf2IwFG3e0oDutB7ob7ysU1CTq1CIssc3KM75PEBg-GYycJGSkS0oGrZNFTOiN7Rurra7Qqpo7XuT3aLko7BDk1tfxQ6g7/w266-h400/Satanis-The%20Devil's%20Mass_Poster1a.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>Satanis: The Devil’s
Mass </i>(1970) This amusing documentary
provides a little-seen glimpse into the Church of Satan (situated in a San
Francisco neighborhood) and its charismatic founder, Anton LaVey, who preaches
indulgence in worldly pleasures, universal acceptance, and rejection of what he
considers religious hypocrisy. We also take a peek at some of the church’s
rituals, which normally occur behind closed doors. In addition to LaVey, we
hear from some of his ardent followers, puzzled neighbors, and detractors. It's
an intriguing, if overlong (the scenes with the rituals could have been significantly
trimmed) profile of a group of frequently maligned, albeit harmless eccentrics. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">.
Available on Blu-ray and DVD (both out of print)</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDdEGEp6B0S7kDE5UDJ6eTe6XgvBAFh2HSzkTJeBBDxRswxcl9kCPb0r0JwyW1wXPTUuloEiUplggkO3ZacG2fR8e8KZbloSSFTe447sQiS1zsxLLezXXPXNGElLVCcbZuaWHZY6-r2tXnVpbQfrV9uKmXcEo7sxfW_QpLnSH0QyfnorgMCFVLcGeAv08/s1000/The%20Deadly%20Spawn_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="The Deadly Spawn Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="638" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDdEGEp6B0S7kDE5UDJ6eTe6XgvBAFh2HSzkTJeBBDxRswxcl9kCPb0r0JwyW1wXPTUuloEiUplggkO3ZacG2fR8e8KZbloSSFTe447sQiS1zsxLLezXXPXNGElLVCcbZuaWHZY6-r2tXnVpbQfrV9uKmXcEo7sxfW_QpLnSH0QyfnorgMCFVLcGeAv08/w255-h400/The%20Deadly%20Spawn_Poster1a.jpg" width="255" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>The Deadly Spawn </i>(1983) Director/co-writer Douglas McKeown’s
low-budget wonder is a fun throwback to ‘50s monster movies. Extraterrestrial
creatures arrive on earth via meteorite, leaving death and mayhem in their wake.
One of the malevolent beasts settles in the basement of a house, which serves
as a breeding ground for the rapidly multiplying, sluglike larvae. The only
person who seems equipped to fight the otherworldly menace is a kid influenced
by classic horror movies. Considering how little the filmmakers likely had to
work with, the creature effects aren’t half bad. Give it a try. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">***</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. Available
on Blu-ray (out of print), DVD and Shudder<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebnjjfXexPSur5HmRkdskaL3Xjyo8bjM_MC_gE9SJnqmxzUftEcPdhw2BrOvkNp0agWFkfAFkWhJcVjTVTp_zUeMaYlDVSLrZd6t1rOll2nmK9Oayfipt-tFajZzTvYIKmnNtEBdO-pwQ8JGwnthGEXy55D8jyfKtIBgQB0aXGVnZyVx_9IhIAvjbI9uP/s1000/War-Gods%20of%20the%20Deep_Poster1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="War-Gods of the Deep Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="636" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebnjjfXexPSur5HmRkdskaL3Xjyo8bjM_MC_gE9SJnqmxzUftEcPdhw2BrOvkNp0agWFkfAFkWhJcVjTVTp_zUeMaYlDVSLrZd6t1rOll2nmK9Oayfipt-tFajZzTvYIKmnNtEBdO-pwQ8JGwnthGEXy55D8jyfKtIBgQB0aXGVnZyVx_9IhIAvjbI9uP/w255-h400/War-Gods%20of%20the%20Deep_Poster1a.jpg" width="255" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><i>War-Gods of the Deep</i> (1965) More like "Bore-Gods of the Deep." Vincent Price plays Sir Hugh, the de
facto ruler of an ancient underwater city. With Price, direction by Jacques
Tourneur, and Edgar Allan Poe source material (based on his poem “The City in
the Sea”), how can you lose? Well, the cavernous “city” is confined to a couple
of sets, the civilization’s original amphibious denizens represented by a few
guys in barely disguised rubber wet suits, and not much really happens for most
of the film’s running time. Co-stars Tab Hunter, David Tomlinson (who carries a
pet chicken), and Susan Hart have little to do but run in circles until the
film’s underwhelming climax. Great poster, though. If you’re dead set on
watching a movie about a lost underwater civilization, might I suggest <i>Atragon </i>(1963), instead? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Rating: </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">**</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">.
Available on DVD and Amazon Prime </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></i></p>Barry P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11251536316431708240noreply@blogger.com4