During the making of the documentary The Kids Are Alright, the director Jeff Stein reasoned that there was not enough good concert footage showcasing several of The Who's key songs. To that end a gig was arranged at Kilburn Theatre with an invited audience and the band duly battered through a set of Who classics, with the idea they would be featured in the upcoming doc. In the event, the footage was not actually even used and another, later concert, became the source of the live songs. This film didn't wind up being even released until thirty years later. In truth, there is something odd about watching this as a live concert film. Because of its nature, it comes across more like the band practising in front of a few thousand fans, as opposed to a gig proper. Because they weren't actually on tour, they were a bit rusty and there is no communication with the audience - the chat seems to be mainly Pete Townsend letting the director know he thinks this is all a waste of time! So, this film is basically an anomaly, where a set of unusual circumstances lead to a live performance which has an air of something off about it. Having said all that, its hardly poor stuff, with the band showcasing their high-level musical and performance skills throughout. Given the impetus for the show, the set is also loaded with big hitters too, so this isn't for those seeking deep cuts and b-sides. Sadly too, it also turned out to be Keith Moon's second last performance with the band before his untimely death. Irrespective of its unusual nature, this nevertheless is a good showcase of this dynamic rock band.
Reviews
2,215 Reviews
Lets go Eskimo...!
28 March 2024
Girls Aloud...the greatest girl group ever? Let me think about it. I've thought about it...yes!
Everyone knows the story. A boy band and girl group were formed for the X-Factor precursor show Pop Stars: the Rivals, where the girls were to battle the boys to see who was the best. To say the least, it wasn't the most promising ground for great music to spring from. The result - the boys knocked out a typically wimpy effort and the girls absolutely smashed them with a tune entitled 'Sound of the Underground'. And it was absolutely brilliant. I remember at the time thinking it was awesome that such a top tune should originate from such an unpromising place as a TV talent show - it was just so unexpected that it deserved love on that basis alone. But I am also pretty sure I assumed that one hit would be it. So you can imagine my glorious surprise when they returned a couple of months later with 'No Good Advice'? With that equally awesome release I think it began to truly dawn on people that this group really could possibly be something special. And the rest, as the saying goes, is history, with Girls Aloud releasing an unprecedented series of absolute bangers throughout the rest of the 2000's. Okay, the ballads may not have been up to much but when they increased the tempo, with the innovative production team Xenomania behind them, the resultant tunes were simply top tier. If anyone was to tell you they didn't like anything in Girls Aloud arsenal of dance-pop anthems then they had to be either (a) a music snob or (b) hopelessly cloth-eared.
This concert film is especially interesting for Girls Aloud fans, as it showcases them on their first tour. They were hitting the large theatres at this stage, as opposed to the later multiple arena dates they were to soon move onto. The thing that struck me was just how assured they were on this first full live show - there's great vocals, stage presence and charisma throughout this. The songs are taken from the first couple of albums, so we are treated to quite a number of deep cuts which wouldn't be played live again, while there's a couple of very fun covers of Duran Duran and Wheatus. There's also no getting away from the fact its all very sexy too, with these five beautiful girls all sporting a series of banging outfits, while busting their moves - its ultra-toned midriffs and expensive haircuts all the way here! I reckon in this crowd, there must have been several dads who bravely and selflessly 'volunteered' to take their daughters to this show! I, for one, enjoyed literally everything about this and would consider it essential viewing if you are a fan of Girls Aloud. Cheryl, Nadine, Sarah, Nicola and Kimberley...I salute you.
Everyone knows the story. A boy band and girl group were formed for the X-Factor precursor show Pop Stars: the Rivals, where the girls were to battle the boys to see who was the best. To say the least, it wasn't the most promising ground for great music to spring from. The result - the boys knocked out a typically wimpy effort and the girls absolutely smashed them with a tune entitled 'Sound of the Underground'. And it was absolutely brilliant. I remember at the time thinking it was awesome that such a top tune should originate from such an unpromising place as a TV talent show - it was just so unexpected that it deserved love on that basis alone. But I am also pretty sure I assumed that one hit would be it. So you can imagine my glorious surprise when they returned a couple of months later with 'No Good Advice'? With that equally awesome release I think it began to truly dawn on people that this group really could possibly be something special. And the rest, as the saying goes, is history, with Girls Aloud releasing an unprecedented series of absolute bangers throughout the rest of the 2000's. Okay, the ballads may not have been up to much but when they increased the tempo, with the innovative production team Xenomania behind them, the resultant tunes were simply top tier. If anyone was to tell you they didn't like anything in Girls Aloud arsenal of dance-pop anthems then they had to be either (a) a music snob or (b) hopelessly cloth-eared.
This concert film is especially interesting for Girls Aloud fans, as it showcases them on their first tour. They were hitting the large theatres at this stage, as opposed to the later multiple arena dates they were to soon move onto. The thing that struck me was just how assured they were on this first full live show - there's great vocals, stage presence and charisma throughout this. The songs are taken from the first couple of albums, so we are treated to quite a number of deep cuts which wouldn't be played live again, while there's a couple of very fun covers of Duran Duran and Wheatus. There's also no getting away from the fact its all very sexy too, with these five beautiful girls all sporting a series of banging outfits, while busting their moves - its ultra-toned midriffs and expensive haircuts all the way here! I reckon in this crowd, there must have been several dads who bravely and selflessly 'volunteered' to take their daughters to this show! I, for one, enjoyed literally everything about this and would consider it essential viewing if you are a fan of Girls Aloud. Cheryl, Nadine, Sarah, Nicola and Kimberley...I salute you.
A Man Called Blade
(1977)
Sergio Martino strikes gold again
26 March 2024
Sergio Martino is easily one of my favourite Italian directors. He's most well known nowadays, of course, for his quite excellent 70's gialli but like most directors in Italy, he had to follow the trends and direct films in several of the popular sub-genres of Italian popular cinema. This was his contribution to the spaghetti western genre and what a great addition it is! Released in 1977, this one was at the very back end of the Italo-western cycle. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, it riffs on several of the important spaghetti efforts of the past and features many tropes of the genre in general. But as far as I am concerned, this is among the best the genre has to offer in the second-tier efforts.
Its story is routine enough and essentially boils down to a bounty hunter drawn into a kidnapping plot. The main character Mannaja is a pretty typical spaghetti western anti-hero, i.e. A loner with supreme weapon skills and a tragic backstory which ties him to an unscrupulous mining boss. So, the components are all quite familiar but Martino's direction is stylish and well-paced, meaning it never gets boring. There's a smattering of typical spaghetti violence throughout, such as hands being lopped off and heads being chomped by the hero's flying axe. Yes, indeed, many anti-heroes in such films have gimmick weaponry and I am not sure if a tomahawk counts as a gimmick precisely but it is certainly unusual enough to be pretty distinctive! On that subject, Maurizio Merli, who is much more associated with roles in brutal poliziotteschi crime flicks, is very good in the lead role, while John Steiner is excellent as the cold killer Voller. In total, this all adds up to make Mannaja one of the most enjoyable Italian westerns I have seen.
Its story is routine enough and essentially boils down to a bounty hunter drawn into a kidnapping plot. The main character Mannaja is a pretty typical spaghetti western anti-hero, i.e. A loner with supreme weapon skills and a tragic backstory which ties him to an unscrupulous mining boss. So, the components are all quite familiar but Martino's direction is stylish and well-paced, meaning it never gets boring. There's a smattering of typical spaghetti violence throughout, such as hands being lopped off and heads being chomped by the hero's flying axe. Yes, indeed, many anti-heroes in such films have gimmick weaponry and I am not sure if a tomahawk counts as a gimmick precisely but it is certainly unusual enough to be pretty distinctive! On that subject, Maurizio Merli, who is much more associated with roles in brutal poliziotteschi crime flicks, is very good in the lead role, while John Steiner is excellent as the cold killer Voller. In total, this all adds up to make Mannaja one of the most enjoyable Italian westerns I have seen.
Good doc about one of the truly influential groups
25 March 2024
Tangerine Dream are definitely a band which warrants a documentary. These guys were part of the incredibly impressive West German music scene back in the 70's, a scene which was utterly forward looking and reimagined what music could be. This incorporated all sorts of styles, such as ambient, experimental rock, electronic and psychedelic folk, to name a few. Tangerine Dream were primarily pioneers in the progressive electronic style and they released many hugely important records, particularly in the 70's. This doc looks at the evolution of the band from its psychedelic rock early days, via its classic albums of the 70's and ground-breaking soundtrack work and on up to the present day. Seeing as these people seemed to be level-headed individuals, there's not a lot of melodrama, which you often get with music bios, so the focus is more squarely on their output. The doc is a good overview and certainly gives those less fully acquainted with the band a pretty good idea of where their strengths and influence lies. For folks interesting in the roots of electronic music, this makes for very useful viewing.
On a side note, I have seen these guys live three times in the last few years and even though the line-up has evolved to the point that there are no original members, I have to say they were quite excellent every time.
On a side note, I have seen these guys live three times in the last few years and even though the line-up has evolved to the point that there are no original members, I have to say they were quite excellent every time.
Valentina ...The Virgin Wife
(1975)
Despite the presence of Fenech and Baker, this is another poor Italian sex comedy
23 March 2024
The more Italian sex comedies I watch, the more I realise that this isn't a genre to investigate in detail. This one, like most of the others I have seen is an unfunny romp, with a smattering of nude scenes which don't make up for the general inanity of the comedy. In this one, a young guy experiences erectile problems and so cannot consummate his marriage - his lecherous uncle tries to help out and much sexual shenanigans follow. Like many of these films, the chief selling point is its lead actress, in this case Edwige Fenech, who for me will always be defined by her excellent turns in a series of awesome gialli but it seems like, at the time back in the 70's, she was probably most famous for these sex comedy romps designed to serve the domestic Italian movie market. Once again, Fenech is a welcome presence but she can't save this, as the abundance of banal comedy takes a bit of an effort sitting through. Another legend of the giallo genre, Carol Baker, also appears in this and is improbably cast as Fenech's mother! But essentially, it's the comedy that lets the side down, seeing as it's so prevalent. One example of the humour was a portrait picture which kept changing expressions - this exact same daftness appeared in the last Italian sex comedy I watched, the Winsome Widow - I mean, is this a trope of the genre?!! Anyway, I can't really recommend this - or this genre as a whole - to anyone except the most intrepid fan of Italian popular cinema.
Coma
(1978)
Effective conspiracy thriller with a leftfield premise
18 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This medical conspiracy plays on the fear of hospitals. Directed by Michael Crichton, who had earlier made the influential sci-fi thriller Westworld, this one taps into his experience in the medical profession. The story revolves around a hospital where there have been a disproportionately high number of anaesthesia-induced comas in healthy young patients; a doctor becomes suspicious and ultimately uncovers a sinister conspiracy.
This is a nicely handled thriller, which plays upon the notion of something not being right in a trusted institution. As the story progresses more layers re uncovered until we find ourselves at the pleasingly sinister Jefferson Institute, a mysterious experimental facility, a brutalist architectural lover's dream. Making matters even more intriguing, there is a very ominous medical administrator working there, really well played by Elizabeth Ashley. Inside this threatening building, we discover that there are dozens of coma patients suspended from the ceiling in a large, cavernous room. The whole Jefferson Institute section of the movie is the part which made what could otherwise have been a very run-of-the-mill conspiracy thriller its striking imagery and most unambiguously cinematic moments. It turns out, of course, that this sinister place is the hub of an illegal market in human organs and the coma victims soon end up dead meat. It's a very effective set of ideas which has one foot at least in sci-fi-horror territory. Its kind of like a David Cronenberg movie with a bit more mainstream accessibility.
This is a nicely handled thriller, which plays upon the notion of something not being right in a trusted institution. As the story progresses more layers re uncovered until we find ourselves at the pleasingly sinister Jefferson Institute, a mysterious experimental facility, a brutalist architectural lover's dream. Making matters even more intriguing, there is a very ominous medical administrator working there, really well played by Elizabeth Ashley. Inside this threatening building, we discover that there are dozens of coma patients suspended from the ceiling in a large, cavernous room. The whole Jefferson Institute section of the movie is the part which made what could otherwise have been a very run-of-the-mill conspiracy thriller its striking imagery and most unambiguously cinematic moments. It turns out, of course, that this sinister place is the hub of an illegal market in human organs and the coma victims soon end up dead meat. It's a very effective set of ideas which has one foot at least in sci-fi-horror territory. Its kind of like a David Cronenberg movie with a bit more mainstream accessibility.
Mondo Topless
(1966)
It loses steam as it goes on but it does have its moments
17 March 2024
Russ Meyer directed this mondo film immediately after the commercial disappointment of his now classic Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Despite being considerably less interesting than that earlier movie, Mondo Topless did far greater business at the box office. It seems pretty obvious to me that this was on account of its no messing high-concept - i.e. The promise of large breasts - and beautiful provocative promo posters. In the event, it is kind of a boring film to watch from start-to-finish unfortunately, but, as you can probably imagine, it still definitely has its individual moments.
Like all Meyer movies, this one has a pretty solid dependency on its female cast and it boasts quite a number of pneumatic girls. The standout for this viewer has to be Babette Bardot (she of the iconic posters), who we see driving her car in glorious twin-peaked profile on several occasions. And it's definitely always a bonus to see Lorna Maitland, who appears in some behind-the-scenes stuff from Lorna. If the film in general was to be broken down into its basic parts it would be dancing, narration and fast edits. The narration combines knowingly over-the-top nonsense from a male narrator and voice-overs from the various strippers about their personal lives, as we watch them bust some moves. Its all underscored too by a particularly relentless soundtrack of garage rock guitar instrumentals. Despite the presence of all these lovely women in states of undress, it does get a bit tedious after a while though, given the overall sameyness of so many of the routines, the high-speed edits taking us from one girl to the next and the relentless soundtrack. Still, it wouldn't be a Meyer film if it didn't look good and this one is no different on that score, with loads of well composed static shots and a constant accent on making the women look great. There's a particularly fabulous shot of one of the girls booging on down, as an incoming train fires towards the camera at speed - its ideas like this that really show Meyer's unique eye in full splendour. So, overall, not the most engaging watch in truth but if you like buxom women and you like to see them photographed really nicely, well, this one is certainly worth a look at least.
Like all Meyer movies, this one has a pretty solid dependency on its female cast and it boasts quite a number of pneumatic girls. The standout for this viewer has to be Babette Bardot (she of the iconic posters), who we see driving her car in glorious twin-peaked profile on several occasions. And it's definitely always a bonus to see Lorna Maitland, who appears in some behind-the-scenes stuff from Lorna. If the film in general was to be broken down into its basic parts it would be dancing, narration and fast edits. The narration combines knowingly over-the-top nonsense from a male narrator and voice-overs from the various strippers about their personal lives, as we watch them bust some moves. Its all underscored too by a particularly relentless soundtrack of garage rock guitar instrumentals. Despite the presence of all these lovely women in states of undress, it does get a bit tedious after a while though, given the overall sameyness of so many of the routines, the high-speed edits taking us from one girl to the next and the relentless soundtrack. Still, it wouldn't be a Meyer film if it didn't look good and this one is no different on that score, with loads of well composed static shots and a constant accent on making the women look great. There's a particularly fabulous shot of one of the girls booging on down, as an incoming train fires towards the camera at speed - its ideas like this that really show Meyer's unique eye in full splendour. So, overall, not the most engaging watch in truth but if you like buxom women and you like to see them photographed really nicely, well, this one is certainly worth a look at least.
Heaven Can Wait
(1978)
Sadly, I found this to be kind of mediocre
17 March 2024
An American Football star is mistakenly taken to heaven by his guardian angel, leading him to be offered the option of inhabiting a wealthy industrialist body destined to die. He immediately finds himself thrust into the life of a man with a few moral issues.
This one is most certainly can be described as a Warren Beatty vehicle. He starred, directed and produced it. The main thrust of the story is okay but I don't think it really worked very well. Beatty is too smooth, meaning that once he inhabits his new body, with immediate effect he switches on the charm and turns the industrialist 180 degrees into a good guy. It sort of dissipates any drama or tensions that the set-up could have done with. As it is, it was a fairly middling romantic-fantasy.
This one is most certainly can be described as a Warren Beatty vehicle. He starred, directed and produced it. The main thrust of the story is okay but I don't think it really worked very well. Beatty is too smooth, meaning that once he inhabits his new body, with immediate effect he switches on the charm and turns the industrialist 180 degrees into a good guy. It sort of dissipates any drama or tensions that the set-up could have done with. As it is, it was a fairly middling romantic-fantasy.
Copa 71
(2023)
The greatest football story never told
15 March 2024
You would have to be mad not to have come to the conclusion that FIFA is populated with grey, humourless, rule-book wielding bureaucrats. And thats not to even mention the corruption, what with the bribes, the thousands of migrant workers dead building large stadiums when a rich desert country with no interest in football was awarded a World Cup or what about when Legia Warsaw unveiled a huge banner to commemorate the murdered 160,000 Poles by the Nazis in the Warsaw Uprising - FIFA's response to this act of education and remembrance? A £42,000 fine for Legia Warsaw of course! But don't worry because this film clearly indicates that FIFA were also 24 carat bell-ends way back in 1971 as well! Well, consistency is a positive attribute of sorts I guess.
This film tells a pretty amazing story in a lot of ways. Amazing because hardly anyone seems to have known a thing about it for 50 years. It's the story of the first women's World Cup which happened way back in 1971. But it doesn't count as the first women's World Cup...because FIFA didn't 'approve' it. Furthermore, they insisted that the Mexican clubs pencilled in to host the thing must under no circumstances do so or face heavy fines. Ironically, their petty intransigence led to the tournament being forced to be played out in the two largest stadiums in the country which were not under FIFA jurisdiction, including the iconic Azteca stadium in Mexico City. Whats actually fairly incredible was that the promoters succeeded epically in selling the tournament and games played out to crowds of 110,000 in an uproarious atmosphere. The competition itself looked amazing and, like the legendary men's World Cup of 1970, clearly benefitted from being played out in such a passionate environment. There are silky skills, 1970's assaults...I mean legitimate tackles, an unfeasibly bad tempered semi-final between Italy vs Mexico where in one photograph we have the brilliantly incongruous sight of an Italian player who looks like Claudia Cardinale being held back from physically assaulting a Mexican opponent, there's a pay strike on the eve of the final, there's amazing goals chalked off for questionable technicalities and its all narrated by gloriously over-the-top Latin football commentary - in other words, its entertainment all the way! The tournament even had a super-cool looking mascot!
So, you may think, this is great - football at its most life-affirming! This will take the game forward! Meanwhile, back in Switzerland...FIFA continued to take the huff. The women received bans, some were barely acknowledged in their own countries for their efforts and many became quickly disillusioned with the game due to some very poor treatment. The tournament was to all intents and purposes buried. The doc is made up of the remembrances of many of the participants from the various competing teams. I found all these women to be full of humour and vitality. They have been treated pretty poorly though. It wasn't until 20 years after this event that the first official FIFA sponsored women's World Cup took place. To me, it seems like a no-brainer for this to now be officially regarded in the history books as the first female World Cup - after all, the first men's one in 1930 was invitation only and that's official. You would think after all the things they have got so epically wrong over the last few years that FIFA could do something positive, do the right thing and make this tournament official...but will they?
This film tells a pretty amazing story in a lot of ways. Amazing because hardly anyone seems to have known a thing about it for 50 years. It's the story of the first women's World Cup which happened way back in 1971. But it doesn't count as the first women's World Cup...because FIFA didn't 'approve' it. Furthermore, they insisted that the Mexican clubs pencilled in to host the thing must under no circumstances do so or face heavy fines. Ironically, their petty intransigence led to the tournament being forced to be played out in the two largest stadiums in the country which were not under FIFA jurisdiction, including the iconic Azteca stadium in Mexico City. Whats actually fairly incredible was that the promoters succeeded epically in selling the tournament and games played out to crowds of 110,000 in an uproarious atmosphere. The competition itself looked amazing and, like the legendary men's World Cup of 1970, clearly benefitted from being played out in such a passionate environment. There are silky skills, 1970's assaults...I mean legitimate tackles, an unfeasibly bad tempered semi-final between Italy vs Mexico where in one photograph we have the brilliantly incongruous sight of an Italian player who looks like Claudia Cardinale being held back from physically assaulting a Mexican opponent, there's a pay strike on the eve of the final, there's amazing goals chalked off for questionable technicalities and its all narrated by gloriously over-the-top Latin football commentary - in other words, its entertainment all the way! The tournament even had a super-cool looking mascot!
So, you may think, this is great - football at its most life-affirming! This will take the game forward! Meanwhile, back in Switzerland...FIFA continued to take the huff. The women received bans, some were barely acknowledged in their own countries for their efforts and many became quickly disillusioned with the game due to some very poor treatment. The tournament was to all intents and purposes buried. The doc is made up of the remembrances of many of the participants from the various competing teams. I found all these women to be full of humour and vitality. They have been treated pretty poorly though. It wasn't until 20 years after this event that the first official FIFA sponsored women's World Cup took place. To me, it seems like a no-brainer for this to now be officially regarded in the history books as the first female World Cup - after all, the first men's one in 1930 was invitation only and that's official. You would think after all the things they have got so epically wrong over the last few years that FIFA could do something positive, do the right thing and make this tournament official...but will they?
Starcrash
(1978)
Ridiculous and pretty entertaining
14 March 2024
See Caroline Munro in a series of Barbarella inspired sexy outfits! Watch Marjoe Gortner navigate a whole movie sporting a bubble perm! Witness David Hasselhoff in a light-sabre battle against a couple of stop-motion robots! Be amazed as Joe Spinel chews up the entire galaxy with extreme over-acting! Be impressed as Christopher Plummer picks up a large paycheck for an afternoon's work!
This is one of the many sci-fi films which appeared in the wake of Star Wars. This one is one of that more specific demographic - the Italian Star Wars rip-off. I've seen a few of these, all of which seem to have been directed by Alfonso Brescia, all of which share the commonalities of featuring android villains who look like Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones circa 1968 and being absolute garbage. Starcrash, appears like 2001: A Space Odyssey in direct comparison to these. It seems to have more budget for one thing but it also has a better cast (see above) and sports a John Barry soundtrack. Its trump card, however, is probably the character Stella Star - i.e. Caroline Munro in Barbarella mode. She is a memorably sultry character and certainly makes this space opera a lot more watchable than it otherwise would be. Luigi Cozzi directs and he certainly has an affinity with the sci-fi/fantasy genre at least and was the man who helmed the later ridiculous but fun Hercules movie with Lou Ferrigno in the lead. Starcrash is pretty ropey but its quite a bit of fun as well and sort of like what would happen if you were to combine Star Wars, Barbarella and Jason and the Argonauts and then cast it with a disproportionately high number of cast members sporting perms. There's also encounters with Amazons and Cavemen, space police and a Death Star equivalent which looks like a giant fist. Quite a lot of fun in other words, so long as you keep your expectations realistic.
This is one of the many sci-fi films which appeared in the wake of Star Wars. This one is one of that more specific demographic - the Italian Star Wars rip-off. I've seen a few of these, all of which seem to have been directed by Alfonso Brescia, all of which share the commonalities of featuring android villains who look like Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones circa 1968 and being absolute garbage. Starcrash, appears like 2001: A Space Odyssey in direct comparison to these. It seems to have more budget for one thing but it also has a better cast (see above) and sports a John Barry soundtrack. Its trump card, however, is probably the character Stella Star - i.e. Caroline Munro in Barbarella mode. She is a memorably sultry character and certainly makes this space opera a lot more watchable than it otherwise would be. Luigi Cozzi directs and he certainly has an affinity with the sci-fi/fantasy genre at least and was the man who helmed the later ridiculous but fun Hercules movie with Lou Ferrigno in the lead. Starcrash is pretty ropey but its quite a bit of fun as well and sort of like what would happen if you were to combine Star Wars, Barbarella and Jason and the Argonauts and then cast it with a disproportionately high number of cast members sporting perms. There's also encounters with Amazons and Cavemen, space police and a Death Star equivalent which looks like a giant fist. Quite a lot of fun in other words, so long as you keep your expectations realistic.
Strictly for Edwige diehards only
13 March 2024
I've not seen many Italian sex comedies but from my limited exposure to them, I don't think I'll be seeking out too many more! The general consensus on this one appears to be that it's an above average example of this kind of thing, which is a bit alarming, given that in all honesty it wasn't very good. What I will say though is the Italian sex comedy definitely seems to be better than the British variety, albeit that's akin to saying you'd prefer a kick in the testicles to a punch in the throat.
The story has a man die in a car crash, leading to the scenario where his inheritance is destined to go to his no-good brothers. That is unless his wife produces his heir - cue the frantic search for a surrogate father for his sexy wife, with the brothers attempting to ward away her suitors using various means. It's a functional story for this kind of thing I guess. But most of the comedy is amazingly unfunny though - when repeat sequences of a photograph of the dead husband whose face keeps on changing are some of the most amusing moments, you know you're in trouble. The only real reason to watch this that I can see, is to see Edwige Fenech. She's always good value and here is no different, adding some class to what is otherwise a tiresome bit of nonsense.
On a side note - would some enterprising publisher PLEASE consider putting out an art book packed full of reprints of commedia sexy all'italiana film posters. The glorious film posters are legitimately the best thing about this subgenre and should be celebrated as and of themselves.
The story has a man die in a car crash, leading to the scenario where his inheritance is destined to go to his no-good brothers. That is unless his wife produces his heir - cue the frantic search for a surrogate father for his sexy wife, with the brothers attempting to ward away her suitors using various means. It's a functional story for this kind of thing I guess. But most of the comedy is amazingly unfunny though - when repeat sequences of a photograph of the dead husband whose face keeps on changing are some of the most amusing moments, you know you're in trouble. The only real reason to watch this that I can see, is to see Edwige Fenech. She's always good value and here is no different, adding some class to what is otherwise a tiresome bit of nonsense.
On a side note - would some enterprising publisher PLEASE consider putting out an art book packed full of reprints of commedia sexy all'italiana film posters. The glorious film posters are legitimately the best thing about this subgenre and should be celebrated as and of themselves.
Absolution
(1978)
Its not often you see Richard Burton and Billy Connolly in the same room
12 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Absolution - a theological term which pertains to forgiveness given out by ordained priests. And the bones of this thriller rests on this very thing, as the main dramatic thrusts of this one's narrative plays upon the restrictions that confessions put on the priest and how he cannot report criminal activity communicated in this manner to the authorities. This one was written by Anthony Shaffer, who had previously been responsible for classic films, The Wicker Man and Sleuth, as well as Hitchcock's impressive latter day effort Frenzy. This one, maybe doesn't have the narrative thrust of those, with a more indirect storyline but its certainly another Shaffer written film with many good things about it. It centres on a priest at a Catholic boy's school and his relationship with two boys in particular. One, who has a crippled leg, he openly despises, whereas the other is his undisguised favourite. The problems start when this boy befriends a free-living traveller who encourages him to rebel, leading to him playing a practical joke on his mentor by confessing to imagined sins from the confessional, which inadvertently lead to murder.
Richard Burton employs his trademark intensity in the role of the priest. The dramatic weight he brings to the table definitely benefits the movie as a whole, with the two young actors playing the boys also doing fine work. We also have an improbable acting appearance from Billy Connolly as the free spirit traveller, who is the catalyst for all the dark drama which follows. The free-living hippy vs the restrictions of Catholicism is one of the dynamics the movie plays off. As a thriller, there isn't a lot of suspense really, although there is a thoroughly unexpected - but very welcome - bit of savage violence late on in the piece where one character receives a (somewhat well deserved) shovel to the head several times! The ending is quite clever as well, with a finale in which Burton's priest finds himself somewhat check-mated from several angles. It has to be said that the characters of the priest and two boys are all somewhat unlikeable, with only Connolly's character being sympathetic at all and even he is hardly without issues - he even receives a good old fashion leathering by a couple of cops 1970's style! All-in-all, this one's well worth seeking out, although its definitely a bit oddball.
Richard Burton employs his trademark intensity in the role of the priest. The dramatic weight he brings to the table definitely benefits the movie as a whole, with the two young actors playing the boys also doing fine work. We also have an improbable acting appearance from Billy Connolly as the free spirit traveller, who is the catalyst for all the dark drama which follows. The free-living hippy vs the restrictions of Catholicism is one of the dynamics the movie plays off. As a thriller, there isn't a lot of suspense really, although there is a thoroughly unexpected - but very welcome - bit of savage violence late on in the piece where one character receives a (somewhat well deserved) shovel to the head several times! The ending is quite clever as well, with a finale in which Burton's priest finds himself somewhat check-mated from several angles. It has to be said that the characters of the priest and two boys are all somewhat unlikeable, with only Connolly's character being sympathetic at all and even he is hardly without issues - he even receives a good old fashion leathering by a couple of cops 1970's style! All-in-all, this one's well worth seeking out, although its definitely a bit oddball.
Big Wednesday
(1978)
Limited dramatically but the surfing gives it a different angle
12 March 2024
This coming-of-age buddy film was considered to be a guaranteed sure-fire commercial success on release. It was probably because it combined elements of two of the decade's biggest films, American Graffiti and Jaws. It even led George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and, the director of this film, John Milius to each share a percentage point of their latest movies, namely Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Big Wednesday. Needless to say, those first two raked in the cash and Big Wednesday went on to be something of a major flop. Seemingly, George Lucas is still annoyed about this!
It's a film which has garnered a cult rep over the years and is now regarded as a great movie by many people, particularly the surfer sect. But to be honest, while I am pleased for the renaissance of this film, I don't find it too hard to understand why it received a lukewarm and limited audience. Its story centres on a trio of Californian surfers played by Jan-Michael Vincent (the most talented but most troubled), William Katt (the most responsible), and Gary Busey (the loose cannon). The story is about their lives over the course of 15 years or so, from the innocence of the early 60's to the more cynical mid 70's. The lives of the characters mirrors the rapid social changes of the 60's in particular, with the Vietnam War a major player in the background. I thought the characters weren't especially interesting on the whole, even if there are good actors involved such as William Katt. Fortunately, there wasn't TOO much babble about the call of the ocean and the mystical nature of surfing, although the bearded character called Bear was getting dangerously close to trying my patience with nonsensical surf talk but luckily the authorities condemned the pier his house was located on and he was kicked out! On a far more positive note were the surfing scenes, which were very well shot and pleasingly cinematic, with some very impressive looking surf action. So, all-in-all, this one seemed a bit limited on the drama front but it gets over the line with its surf action and era detail.
It's a film which has garnered a cult rep over the years and is now regarded as a great movie by many people, particularly the surfer sect. But to be honest, while I am pleased for the renaissance of this film, I don't find it too hard to understand why it received a lukewarm and limited audience. Its story centres on a trio of Californian surfers played by Jan-Michael Vincent (the most talented but most troubled), William Katt (the most responsible), and Gary Busey (the loose cannon). The story is about their lives over the course of 15 years or so, from the innocence of the early 60's to the more cynical mid 70's. The lives of the characters mirrors the rapid social changes of the 60's in particular, with the Vietnam War a major player in the background. I thought the characters weren't especially interesting on the whole, even if there are good actors involved such as William Katt. Fortunately, there wasn't TOO much babble about the call of the ocean and the mystical nature of surfing, although the bearded character called Bear was getting dangerously close to trying my patience with nonsensical surf talk but luckily the authorities condemned the pier his house was located on and he was kicked out! On a far more positive note were the surfing scenes, which were very well shot and pleasingly cinematic, with some very impressive looking surf action. So, all-in-all, this one seemed a bit limited on the drama front but it gets over the line with its surf action and era detail.
A Wedding
(1978)
Altman playing to his strengths
12 March 2024
I remember when I watched this the first time, I didn't like it at all. So, here we are several years later and I decided to have a mini run-through of several films from 1978 and decided to give this one another go. Well, I have to say I was pleased that I did, as it proved to be a much better experience the second tie around. It's a film which is pure Robert Altman - I reckon it would be pretty easy to clock this as one of his efforts even if you missed the credits. As such, it's a comedy-drama with multiple mini plot-strands, a huge ensemble cast and overlapping dialogue all the way. So, its an example of a director simply playing to his strengths and delivering more of the same (in a good way).
Like a lot of Altman, the story is not really the point and could be summed up pretty briefly - set over a single day at a high society wedding when a rich Southern clan merge with an Italian American family with links to the Mafia; we watch the various guests indulge in a myriad of sub-plots, which reveal much about them. The groom's grandmother dies, family secrets emerge, there's sexual liaisons, hints at organised crime and a fatal accident. Like other Altman movies, the ensemble cast and improv-sounding dialogue give it a loose feel, while the vignette nature of the thing ensures that it never gets bogged down in any plot strand in particular and keeps moving all the time. The cast work well together and its overall a more entertaining experience than actually attending a wedding.
Like a lot of Altman, the story is not really the point and could be summed up pretty briefly - set over a single day at a high society wedding when a rich Southern clan merge with an Italian American family with links to the Mafia; we watch the various guests indulge in a myriad of sub-plots, which reveal much about them. The groom's grandmother dies, family secrets emerge, there's sexual liaisons, hints at organised crime and a fatal accident. Like other Altman movies, the ensemble cast and improv-sounding dialogue give it a loose feel, while the vignette nature of the thing ensures that it never gets bogged down in any plot strand in particular and keeps moving all the time. The cast work well together and its overall a more entertaining experience than actually attending a wedding.
More of a Hong Kong kung-fu flick than a blaxploitation
11 March 2024
In some ways, you could be forgiven for considering this one only a borderline example of blaxploitation. It certainly isn't an exploitation film in any way and plays more like a standard secret agent action movie, where the heroine just happened to be black. The previous Cleopatra Jones film was another which was a little more family-friendly so-to-speak, with less salacious content than was normal for the genre and establishment friendly narcotic agent heroine, yet it still had Cleopatra kicking about the streets of L. A. knocking drug peddlers about. In this one, like in jet-setting action movies such as the James Bond series - the action is wholly switched to an exotic location, in this case Hong Kong. Of course, that allows the film to tap into the then massively popular kung-fu film craze. Two undercover agents go missing in Hong Kong and a female drug queen is thought to be responsible - Cleopatra Jones is sent over to sort it out.
It has to be said that this is an inferior sequel, with Cleopatra taking too much of a backseat, with the Hong Kong angle amplified at her expense. Its not to the films advantage, as the title character is the star attraction here and its her we want to see more than anything. It also feels like the blaxploitation element has been too diluted in general, which is hardly too surprising given the location. Statuesque Tamara Dobson is still a good presence here, with Stella Stevens doing some good things as the evil female gang boss role, covered by Shelley Winters in the previous movie. But mainly this one is too much of a generic action romp and it does lose the off-the-wall element which makes the best blaxploitation films so enjoyable.
It has to be said that this is an inferior sequel, with Cleopatra taking too much of a backseat, with the Hong Kong angle amplified at her expense. Its not to the films advantage, as the title character is the star attraction here and its her we want to see more than anything. It also feels like the blaxploitation element has been too diluted in general, which is hardly too surprising given the location. Statuesque Tamara Dobson is still a good presence here, with Stella Stevens doing some good things as the evil female gang boss role, covered by Shelley Winters in the previous movie. But mainly this one is too much of a generic action romp and it does lose the off-the-wall element which makes the best blaxploitation films so enjoyable.
Nightmare Castle
(1965)
Great gothic moments but drags in the middle
11 March 2024
This is another entry in the Italian gothic horror cycle of the 60's and like virtually all the others, it has a typically generic storyline. A mad scientist discovers his wife is having an affair and kills both her and her lover, hoping to also claim her large inheritance. Unfortunately for him she has left her estate to her sister and even worse news - the two lovers return from the grave to terrorise him!
I have found that storylines in gothic horror films aren't really the point. While original touches here and there are always nice, its really how well the tropes of the genre are re-presented that it is all about. Atmosphere and imagery is what these films are all about. And this one does display some definite strengths along these lines. It has lovely shadowy cinematography and an agreeable gothic setting. There are some well delivered dreamlike visions, a bit of medieval torture and an extremely good last 15mins, where Barbara Steele looks like the ultimate gothic angel of vengeance. Steele is very good in this and like in the earlier Bava classic Black Sunday, she again has a dual role, allowing her to flex her acting muscles. Of course, the other key ingredient of the successful gothic horror for me, is the gorgeous gothic girl and in this one, aside from Steele, we have the very beautiful Helga Liné as the evil character Solange. Helga and Barbara are, needless to say, real trump cards of this production. But unfortunately, all these positive attributes are undermined somewhat by a lengthy middle section of the film, which involves much melodramatic shenanigans, which amounts to a lot of poorly paced tedium. The supernatural part of the story is sidelined and its not always very interesting at all. Kind of a shame, as it's a film which could have benefitted from shaving off 15mins of this stuff from its slightly excessive runtime. Still, despite all this, there's some great moments in this one, particularly involving Barbara Steele in full-fat gothic splendour.
I have found that storylines in gothic horror films aren't really the point. While original touches here and there are always nice, its really how well the tropes of the genre are re-presented that it is all about. Atmosphere and imagery is what these films are all about. And this one does display some definite strengths along these lines. It has lovely shadowy cinematography and an agreeable gothic setting. There are some well delivered dreamlike visions, a bit of medieval torture and an extremely good last 15mins, where Barbara Steele looks like the ultimate gothic angel of vengeance. Steele is very good in this and like in the earlier Bava classic Black Sunday, she again has a dual role, allowing her to flex her acting muscles. Of course, the other key ingredient of the successful gothic horror for me, is the gorgeous gothic girl and in this one, aside from Steele, we have the very beautiful Helga Liné as the evil character Solange. Helga and Barbara are, needless to say, real trump cards of this production. But unfortunately, all these positive attributes are undermined somewhat by a lengthy middle section of the film, which involves much melodramatic shenanigans, which amounts to a lot of poorly paced tedium. The supernatural part of the story is sidelined and its not always very interesting at all. Kind of a shame, as it's a film which could have benefitted from shaving off 15mins of this stuff from its slightly excessive runtime. Still, despite all this, there's some great moments in this one, particularly involving Barbara Steele in full-fat gothic splendour.
Watchmen
(2009)
Pretty good adaption with some issues
7 March 2024
Being a massive fan of the comic by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, I recall being properly stoked on the lead up to the release of this movie back in the day. I the event, I was disappointed in some aspects but basically thought it to be a decent effort overall. Having seen it a couple of times since, and most latterly in the Ultimate Director's Cut, my feelings haven't changed, although certain things which bothered me at first don't so much now. It hardly needs stating but the original comic was an incredible bit of work and was sort of a development on the basic idea Alan Moore tried out in the earlier Marvelman from the marvellous British Warrior magazine, which existed in the early 80's. That idea of course was to device a strip which deconstructed the superhero idea and played it straight. It's a good idea of course, because it allows us to do that thing we all enjoy - i.e. Having our cake and eating it. By that, I mean it treated the material deadly seriously and poked fun at the ridiculous aspects of it, while still essentially delivering a superhero story in doing so. Watchmen was the last word in this kind of thing and it is a colossal and complex bit of work.
Set in an alternate reality of 1985, it looks at the history of the various costumed avengers who fought crime in New York City and brings things up-t-o-date via the unexpected emergence of the superman and how this happening changed the course of history, in direct comparison to our own. There's a lot more to it than that but that's a sort of bare bones outline of the thing. The first thing I have to say is that, as far as I'm concerned, this is a very honourable attempt at adapting a bit of work which was always hitherto considered unfilmable. They don't deviant from the story very much up until a significant change towards the end and there is a real attempt to capture the look of the comic. This is worthy of praise because if they hadn't done this, there would be a lot of criticism. I guess though, one of the thing which this adaption made abundantly clear to me was that what is written on the comic page - no matter how well written - doesn't always translate on the screen as successfully. To this end, much of the dialogue seems a bit stiff and the character of Rorschach is even more egregious in that he is given a ludicrous hard-boiled voice, which felt very misguided. A film such as Sin City achieves this dialogue transition much more successfully in that it is a highly stylised bit of work with no accent on realism whatsoever. Watchmen has the trickier task of presenting something fantastic, yet grounded in dramatic reality and the film never truly nails this. It feels like there's a fair bit of good quality surface but the nuances are often buried in the mix.
The Rorschach character loses a dynamic in the film, with Jackie Earle Haley not exactly putting in a bad performance but the character struggles to resonate, like on the page. Dr. Manhattan comes off worse, with some distracting CGI used where a more minimalistic approach would have worked far better - Billy Crudup does try to inject an otherworldly element to him, yet Crudup often plays the character less like he is detached from reality and more like he is detached from his brain. Much better was Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian, while Malin Akerman is a devastatingly beautiful Silk Spectre II. On a final note, I wouldn't really recommend the Ultimate Cut, as the Black Freighter sections didn't really add up to an awful lot, when you take into account the three-an-a-half-hour run-time these additions result in. Overall, this is certainly a good version of this material but it does, once more, illustrate that excellence in comics cannot be so easily replicated on film, even with admirable attention to detail.
Set in an alternate reality of 1985, it looks at the history of the various costumed avengers who fought crime in New York City and brings things up-t-o-date via the unexpected emergence of the superman and how this happening changed the course of history, in direct comparison to our own. There's a lot more to it than that but that's a sort of bare bones outline of the thing. The first thing I have to say is that, as far as I'm concerned, this is a very honourable attempt at adapting a bit of work which was always hitherto considered unfilmable. They don't deviant from the story very much up until a significant change towards the end and there is a real attempt to capture the look of the comic. This is worthy of praise because if they hadn't done this, there would be a lot of criticism. I guess though, one of the thing which this adaption made abundantly clear to me was that what is written on the comic page - no matter how well written - doesn't always translate on the screen as successfully. To this end, much of the dialogue seems a bit stiff and the character of Rorschach is even more egregious in that he is given a ludicrous hard-boiled voice, which felt very misguided. A film such as Sin City achieves this dialogue transition much more successfully in that it is a highly stylised bit of work with no accent on realism whatsoever. Watchmen has the trickier task of presenting something fantastic, yet grounded in dramatic reality and the film never truly nails this. It feels like there's a fair bit of good quality surface but the nuances are often buried in the mix.
The Rorschach character loses a dynamic in the film, with Jackie Earle Haley not exactly putting in a bad performance but the character struggles to resonate, like on the page. Dr. Manhattan comes off worse, with some distracting CGI used where a more minimalistic approach would have worked far better - Billy Crudup does try to inject an otherworldly element to him, yet Crudup often plays the character less like he is detached from reality and more like he is detached from his brain. Much better was Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as The Comedian, while Malin Akerman is a devastatingly beautiful Silk Spectre II. On a final note, I wouldn't really recommend the Ultimate Cut, as the Black Freighter sections didn't really add up to an awful lot, when you take into account the three-an-a-half-hour run-time these additions result in. Overall, this is certainly a good version of this material but it does, once more, illustrate that excellence in comics cannot be so easily replicated on film, even with admirable attention to detail.
Demon Seed
(1977)
Bold and disturbing bit of 70's sci-fi
4 March 2024
Donald Camell was not a director who got to make all that many movies, which is definitely something of a shame. He is probably best known for the psychedelic freak-out that is Performance, a film he co-directed with visionary visual stylist Nicolas Roeg. Demon Seed, is a much more straightforward film by comparison but its hardly a ordinary film by relative standards. Based on a short and entertaining Dean Koontz novel of the same name, it's a sci-fi/horror about an AI computer called Proteus who quickly becomes frustrated by its isolation in a computer lab and decides to connect to a terminal located in its creator's home, and from there implements the forced incarceration and impregnation of his wife.
In some ways this film is like what would happen if HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey became just a little more unhinged. But one of the interesting things is that the machine has a conscience and quickly decides it will not blindly follow orders. It refuses to assist in the plundering of the ocean bed at the expense of the lives of millions of sea creatures. To this end we have an AI computer who forcibly impregnates a woman but who is far from one-dimensionally villainous in its desire to study humans. I thought some of the special effects of the metallic manifestation in the basement really hold up as well and the ending is pretty nicely delivered, with shades of the work of H. R. Giger in some of the design work I thought. Julie Christie was a good choice here, as she is a great actress and pretty fearless in front of the camera and this film has some tough-looking scenes. I also really enjoyed Robert Vaughn's voice work as Proteus. It all adds up to a pretty bold and disturbing bit of sci-fi, which given the serious concern that AI is causing in the world today, its additionally a film whose subject matter has retained a fair bit of relevance into the present.
In some ways this film is like what would happen if HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey became just a little more unhinged. But one of the interesting things is that the machine has a conscience and quickly decides it will not blindly follow orders. It refuses to assist in the plundering of the ocean bed at the expense of the lives of millions of sea creatures. To this end we have an AI computer who forcibly impregnates a woman but who is far from one-dimensionally villainous in its desire to study humans. I thought some of the special effects of the metallic manifestation in the basement really hold up as well and the ending is pretty nicely delivered, with shades of the work of H. R. Giger in some of the design work I thought. Julie Christie was a good choice here, as she is a great actress and pretty fearless in front of the camera and this film has some tough-looking scenes. I also really enjoyed Robert Vaughn's voice work as Proteus. It all adds up to a pretty bold and disturbing bit of sci-fi, which given the serious concern that AI is causing in the world today, its additionally a film whose subject matter has retained a fair bit of relevance into the present.
Almost Human
(1974)
Brutal Italian crime film, with a standout Tomas Milian turn
4 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This poliziotteschi probably qualifies as one of the more controversial in a genre which was not light on controversy to begin with! On its release it was unanimously condemned by Italian film critics as fascist and reactionary, apparently. Its quite easy to believe right enough, as this one makes Dirty Harry appear restrained. Its story follows a low-level thief who kidnaps the daughter of wealthy businessman and demands a massive ransom. I suppose you could say that the plot is fairly basic in this one - its just the details which make it stand out. One of its undoubted trump cards was that it was directed by Umberto Lenzi, who was not only something of a specialist in Italian crime movies but was known for a trademark sledgehammer style. To this end we have a movie which fearlessly fires into the realms of ultra-violence and sleaze, with no consideration whatsoever for good taste or political correctness. The gang at the centre of the story carry out an orgy of violence, while the cop on their tail uses vigilante justice to save the day. It's a concoction which will have today's wokies having spasms. But for those of us who are partial to Italian genre efforts of the 70's, well, this one certainly serves up the goods.
Lenzi's direction is very strong and there's also a solid script from the reliable Ernesto Gastaldi. We've also got an Ennio Morricone score to add additional class. But its maybe Tomas Milain who is the ultimate trump card of this one. He puts in a very strong, fully dimensional performance as the central criminal. Milian's such a good actor that he doesn't play this character as a pure icy psychopath, like many would - in Milian's hands he is both psychotic and extremely pathetic and, therefore, much more believable as a result. The remaining cast is pretty good too, with Henry Silva getting by on his stone-faced presence as the head cop and Ray Lovelock, Anita Strindberg and Laura Belli all putting in good turns also. Aside from the personnel, the film is probably most infamous for a notorious party scene which involves forced fellatio, naked women strung up on chandeliers and a child being shot dead. Its tough, uncompromising stuff basically. For my money, this is one of the best the poliziotteschi genre has to offer.
Lenzi's direction is very strong and there's also a solid script from the reliable Ernesto Gastaldi. We've also got an Ennio Morricone score to add additional class. But its maybe Tomas Milain who is the ultimate trump card of this one. He puts in a very strong, fully dimensional performance as the central criminal. Milian's such a good actor that he doesn't play this character as a pure icy psychopath, like many would - in Milian's hands he is both psychotic and extremely pathetic and, therefore, much more believable as a result. The remaining cast is pretty good too, with Henry Silva getting by on his stone-faced presence as the head cop and Ray Lovelock, Anita Strindberg and Laura Belli all putting in good turns also. Aside from the personnel, the film is probably most infamous for a notorious party scene which involves forced fellatio, naked women strung up on chandeliers and a child being shot dead. Its tough, uncompromising stuff basically. For my money, this is one of the best the poliziotteschi genre has to offer.
The Devil's Lover
(1972)
Worth seeing for Neri but not too impressive overall
2 March 2024
Three women stay the night at a castle supposed owned by the Devil - in the night, one of them has a dream where she is transported to the 16th century where a bunch of odd events take place.
The main selling point of this movie has to be Rosalba Neri. This Italian actress appeared in a number of genre films from around this time and always added quality to proceedings, in terms of her sensuality, sexual forcefulness and genuine acting ability. She's probably the best thing in this film too. Its an example of an Italian gothic horror film, at the latter end of the sub-genre's cycle. And on paper it does include a lot of promising elements - sexual deviants, vampires, religious fanatics, a red-hooded devil, a witch, beautiful maidens and ornate, crumbling locations. But director, Paolo Lombardo, was hardly a master at this kind of thing and, in fact, only helmed a further two minor films. The result is a fairly lethargic picture on the whole, with the odd interesting moment. If you like Italian gothic, it is certainly good enough for a whirl and Neri is always worth seeing in anything.
The main selling point of this movie has to be Rosalba Neri. This Italian actress appeared in a number of genre films from around this time and always added quality to proceedings, in terms of her sensuality, sexual forcefulness and genuine acting ability. She's probably the best thing in this film too. Its an example of an Italian gothic horror film, at the latter end of the sub-genre's cycle. And on paper it does include a lot of promising elements - sexual deviants, vampires, religious fanatics, a red-hooded devil, a witch, beautiful maidens and ornate, crumbling locations. But director, Paolo Lombardo, was hardly a master at this kind of thing and, in fact, only helmed a further two minor films. The result is a fairly lethargic picture on the whole, with the odd interesting moment. If you like Italian gothic, it is certainly good enough for a whirl and Neri is always worth seeing in anything.
Cleopatra Jones
(1973)
Tamara is Cleopatra
1 March 2024
After the one and only Pam Grier, Tamara Dobson was the second most celebrated female star of blaxploitation. Her character was Cleopatra Jones, a special agent who principally fought drug pushers. The character was partially styled as a sort of black female version of James Bond - similar to that character, despite being undercover, everyone seems to know her name! Also, like Bond, she does a bit of globe hopping, starting out in the middle east dealing with a heroin farm but once the prologue is done, its more like business-as-usual blaxploitation style, and Jones spends the rest of the movie strutting the streets of L. A.
When Cleopatra organises the obliteration of a poppy field owned by a lesbian drug dealer called Mommy, the latter goes ballistic and seeks revenge for the rest of the movie. This results in various goons haplessly trying to take Cleopatra out. Its definitely a more restrained example of blaxploitation than was typical, with little in the way of sex and a limited supply of violence - it relies more on the unique appeal of its central character and its action set-pieces. Of the latter, there includes a well-orchestrated car chase which goes through that trusty cinema landmark of the 70's, the Los Angeles River. Tamara Dobson is also a welcome change of pace, given the paucity of female leads in most blaxploitation - and at six foot plus, she is a pretty imposing presence and definitely looks the part. In terms of acting, the awards here go to Shelley Winters and Antonio Fargas, with the former chewing up the scenery at every given turn as the manic Mommy, while Fargas is once again very entertaining as a shady but, somewhat amusing, small-time crook. Any blaxploitation worth its salt also has to sport a memorable theme tune, and this one does not disappoint on that score either, with a cool title number by Joe Simon. All-in-all, an above average example of this type of film.
When Cleopatra organises the obliteration of a poppy field owned by a lesbian drug dealer called Mommy, the latter goes ballistic and seeks revenge for the rest of the movie. This results in various goons haplessly trying to take Cleopatra out. Its definitely a more restrained example of blaxploitation than was typical, with little in the way of sex and a limited supply of violence - it relies more on the unique appeal of its central character and its action set-pieces. Of the latter, there includes a well-orchestrated car chase which goes through that trusty cinema landmark of the 70's, the Los Angeles River. Tamara Dobson is also a welcome change of pace, given the paucity of female leads in most blaxploitation - and at six foot plus, she is a pretty imposing presence and definitely looks the part. In terms of acting, the awards here go to Shelley Winters and Antonio Fargas, with the former chewing up the scenery at every given turn as the manic Mommy, while Fargas is once again very entertaining as a shady but, somewhat amusing, small-time crook. Any blaxploitation worth its salt also has to sport a memorable theme tune, and this one does not disappoint on that score either, with a cool title number by Joe Simon. All-in-all, an above average example of this type of film.
El vampiro
(1957)
Impressive early Mexican vampire offering
29 February 2024
From what I can gather, this film kickstarted the Mexican horror genre. And its not a bad place to start. Released a year before Hammer's Dracula movie, this one could hardly be described of being influenced by the famous old British studio, quite the contrary, as this feels very much like a movie of influence itself. It was in fact one of the very first horror movies to clearly show the vampire incisor teeth and bite marks. Its story has a young woman travel to her ancestral home, only to discover one of her aunts is dead and the other hasn't aged for about thirty years! Could a vampire maybe be responsible?
The story is none-too-interesting but that's almost par for the course in this type of gothic horror outing and this one does benefit from its Mexican setting which ensures it is more distinctive than most. It also displays a great deal of attention to atmospherics and detailed set design. So, with these plus points added to its early placing in vampire cinema, this makes this one a definite watch for anyone with a strong interest in the films of this sub-genre.
The story is none-too-interesting but that's almost par for the course in this type of gothic horror outing and this one does benefit from its Mexican setting which ensures it is more distinctive than most. It also displays a great deal of attention to atmospherics and detailed set design. So, with these plus points added to its early placing in vampire cinema, this makes this one a definite watch for anyone with a strong interest in the films of this sub-genre.
The Raven
(1935)
Fun Poe-inspired Bela/Boris team-up
28 February 2024
Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff team-up for the second time after the earlier film, The Black Cat. Like that one too, this is another 'inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe' effort. And also like The Black Cat, this has extremely limited relevance to the Poe source material - well, in this case it is a short poem, so what can you really expect? The story is a sort of love letter to the famous writer though. A deranged brain surgeon, who is infatuated with the works of Poe, falls for the beautiful daughter of a judge; given Bela's overt weirdness, the judge unsurprisingly disapproves of this. So, with the assistance of a criminal Bela has intentionally facially deformed (Karloff), the dastardly doctor invites the judge and his daughter over to his house to subject them to his Poe-based instruments of torture!
Having recently seen The Black Cat and finding it more admirable than enjoyable, I have to say that I found The Raven to be more straight-down-the-line fun. Bela, especially, is a riot in this and its one of the best turns I have seen him give. Karloff is also pretty well utilised with some grotesque make-up, which does make him look somewhat sinister. At an hour's runtime, there's not much messing about and I suppose, there's not really a lot of plot either. But it is pretty entertaining stuff and definitely on the more manic end of the Universal horror scale - after all, what other film can boast a Poe influenced interpreted dance routine?
Having recently seen The Black Cat and finding it more admirable than enjoyable, I have to say that I found The Raven to be more straight-down-the-line fun. Bela, especially, is a riot in this and its one of the best turns I have seen him give. Karloff is also pretty well utilised with some grotesque make-up, which does make him look somewhat sinister. At an hour's runtime, there's not much messing about and I suppose, there's not really a lot of plot either. But it is pretty entertaining stuff and definitely on the more manic end of the Universal horror scale - after all, what other film can boast a Poe influenced interpreted dance routine?
Supervixens
(1975)
Sexy, funny and rather demented
27 February 2024
After a couple of commercial misfires - The Seven Minutes and Blacksnake - Russ Meyer returned to his original style with Supervixens. But seeing that it was now the mid 70's and the times were a changing at great speed, his old formula was magnified a hundredfold, ensuring that this was, by some margin, his most extreme movie by this point in his career. The story about an innocent man framed for a murder he didn't commit and then going on the run, is merely a framework for a road movie in which our protagonist has a series of bizarre encounters with a variety of busty babes he meets along the way. While it is essentially a sex comedy, it is tonally quite insane, with a very brutal murder mixed in with the knockabout humour. That said scene has Charles Napier's character, Harry Sledge viciously stomp Shari Eubank's character SuperAngel to a bloody pulp in her bath and then electrocute her to death! It stands out alarmingly within this otherwise madcap jaunt. While Meyer had often included violence in his prior films, this scene alone ensures that Supervixens is easily his most violent movie.
But not to worry some things remain the same because Supervixens is more prominently about huge breasts and the myriad of ways in which they can be immortalised on screen using a variety of unusual camera angles and edits. And with women of the calibre of Collen Brennan, Deborah McGuire, Uschi Digard, Haji, Shari Eubank (in a dual role) and Christy Hartburg (she of the iconic poster) being on screen, then you can't really go wrong with Meyer at the controls. However, Meyer being Meyer, its not enough to leave it at that and all these women - for no reason other than it's a great sounding idea - go under the monikers of SuperEula, Super Haji, Super Lorna, Super Cherry, SuperSoul, SuperAngel and, of course, SuperVixen. This all adds to the fantasy nature of the thing - we even have some supernatural goings-on on a mountain top, while the finale resembles a Wile E. Coyote cartoon. Oh, and Nazi war criminal Martin Bormann turns up...again! The result is a fantastically shot and edited movie, with a truly off-the-charts feel to it. It is horrendously violent at one point but mainly its an erotic and fun celebration of (very) pneumatic women. And I have no argument with that.
But not to worry some things remain the same because Supervixens is more prominently about huge breasts and the myriad of ways in which they can be immortalised on screen using a variety of unusual camera angles and edits. And with women of the calibre of Collen Brennan, Deborah McGuire, Uschi Digard, Haji, Shari Eubank (in a dual role) and Christy Hartburg (she of the iconic poster) being on screen, then you can't really go wrong with Meyer at the controls. However, Meyer being Meyer, its not enough to leave it at that and all these women - for no reason other than it's a great sounding idea - go under the monikers of SuperEula, Super Haji, Super Lorna, Super Cherry, SuperSoul, SuperAngel and, of course, SuperVixen. This all adds to the fantasy nature of the thing - we even have some supernatural goings-on on a mountain top, while the finale resembles a Wile E. Coyote cartoon. Oh, and Nazi war criminal Martin Bormann turns up...again! The result is a fantastically shot and edited movie, with a truly off-the-charts feel to it. It is horrendously violent at one point but mainly its an erotic and fun celebration of (very) pneumatic women. And I have no argument with that.
Crazy Desires of a Murderer
(1977)
Lesser giallo but it has its moments
26 February 2024
A bunch of people converge in a large old castle and before long they start getting murdered and have their eyeballs removed! There's a paralyzed, clairvoyant patriarch, a returning countess, her deranged younger brother who is obsessed with taxidermy. There's drug smuggling via antique vases and one member of the party who is being pressurised by gangsters. Who could be guilty of the murders and why! A dogged detective arrives and starts sleuthing.
This is one of the gialli which combined a gothic element into its contemporary story. To that end we have the interiors of the old castle as the backdrop to much of the usual sex and violence recipe. Like most in this sub-genre, it has some nice cinematography and music by Piero Piccioni (with some Ennio Morricone music taken from A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, oddly enough). Unfortunately, the story isn't as interesting as it should be, given the ingredients and it often feels a bit half-hearted. There's just enough giallo craziness to take it over the line though.
This is one of the gialli which combined a gothic element into its contemporary story. To that end we have the interiors of the old castle as the backdrop to much of the usual sex and violence recipe. Like most in this sub-genre, it has some nice cinematography and music by Piero Piccioni (with some Ennio Morricone music taken from A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, oddly enough). Unfortunately, the story isn't as interesting as it should be, given the ingredients and it often feels a bit half-hearted. There's just enough giallo craziness to take it over the line though.
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