THE CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA -- this was so awful. Was Roger Corman on drugs when he made it? Did Fidel Castro hold a gun to his head? I was curious about the annoying guy who did animal voices and yes he was VERY annoying, but then he finds love on the island and we get more of it! The worst advertisement for multicultural romance ever. And the monster looked like Homer Simpson covered in seaweed.
ORGASMO - Carroll Baker as an heiress with secrets who gets involved with a young couple who eventually molest and drug and beat her up with secrets of their own.
"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow." Frankenstein
Passport to Pimlico (1949). Delightful comedy I never get tired of. A street in London turns out to be part of the Duchy of Burgundy, and the residents are technically foreigners. Leads to all kinds of confusion.
My last non Halloween movie was I KISS THE HAND 1973 a well done Godfather clone with Arthur Kennedy and John Saxon in a very amusing role as a tough guy mafioso.
THE LONG HAIR OF DEATH 1964 - Barbara Steele and witches and real castles. There are so many of these similar-set stories they do tend to blur together however they are a decent watch.
THE SHUTTERED ROOM 1967 - Carol Lynley, Gig Young, Oliver Reed. Although it seems like a horror film at times I think it delves into psychological meditations and local ruffian antics. The supernatural elements are ultimately subdued despite the traditional fiery finale.
"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow." Frankenstein
This is an interesting episodic movie based on the life of John Dillinger's last girlfriend, Polly Franklin (Pamela Sue Martin). It is her story--not his!!
Set in Chicago in 1934, the movie tracers her life from being the daughter of an abusive father, to the girl who runs away from home to work in a Chicago shirt factory, to a taxi dancer, to prostitute, to a prisoner in a woman's prisoner, and finally Dillinger's girlfriend.
In the end, Polly is set up, by Anna Sage (Louise Fletcher), to have Dillinger killed outside of movie theater.
For movie buffs, like ourselves. there is mention of several movie within this movie: starting with 42nd Street (1933), King Kong (1933), Treasure Island (1934), and finally, Manhattan Melodrama (1934). Dilllinger was killed after taking Polly to see the movie, Manhattan Melodrama (1934).
What led me to this movie is that a friend of mine, Laurie Heineman, played Polly's girlfriend and roommate, Rose Shimkus. Laurie is actually more attractive today than she was in 1979.
SPIDER BABY- 1967 "Ralph Ralph Ralph Ralph Ralph." Feels like the kind of movie Tim Burton would have loved as a kid--in this rewatch I was impressed by Lon Chaney's emotional reaction to the realization he would have to kill them. He has a long speech and starts crying in the middle of it!
THE VALLEY OF GWANGI 1969 -- Of Ray Harryhausen's color films I think this has the best dramatic story and characterization. Although it is essentially a remake of King Kong, switching to the lizards and making it a western town doesn't cry "retread." The choreography of the dinosaur scenes is clever--such as when we are introduced to the styracosaurus but then retreats so the real confrontation could happen later. This film had around 19 minutes of dinosaur animation for a 90 minute film while Jurassic Park at over 2 hours had only 7 minutes of cgi animation (the mechanical puppets taking the rest). The score is also very memorable.
"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow." Frankenstein
Judy (2019) / Rupert Goold (click the link, above, to see the trailer) Saw this at the movies today with my wife and her friend
Based on the Peter Quilter's stage play, "End of the Rainbow," this movie captures Judy Garland near the end of her life and past the end of her career. Although this was not an uplifting movie, this is the Judy Garland I remember from the 60s on TV. Renee Zellweger caught her pitch perfect--the look, the voice, the personality, and the body movements. She was no longer Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" at this stage of her life. Here, she is struggling to hold on after four failed marriages and forced to work in London while being separated from her two young children by Sidney Luft.
I think I may have seen a possible Oscar nominee in this Zellweger performance.
Royal Wedding (1951). Pleasant musical with Fred Astaire and Jane Powell as a brother sister dance act performing in London in 1947 and both falling in love. Two very imaginative dance routines by Fred Astaire are outstanding.
The Gay Divorce (1934). Fred Astaire as a dancer falling in love with a married woman (Ginger Rogers) who is trying to get a divorce. Edward Everett Horton very amusing as Astaire’s bemused lawyer friend. Some hilarious scenes. My favourite line is spoken by the professional co-respondent hired by Ginger's lawyer: "Your wife is safe with Tonetti, he prefer spaghetti"
John Dillinger (Warren Oates): I rob banks for a living, what do you do?
John Dillinger : All my life I wanted to be a bank robber. Carry a gun and wear a mask. Now that it's happened I guess I'm just about the best bank robber they ever had. And I sure am happy.
John Dillinger : My buddies wanted to be firemen, farmers or policemen, something like that. Not me, I just wanted to steal people's money!
John Dillinger : Now nobody get nervous, you ain't got nothing to fear. You're being robbed by the John Dillinger Gang, that's the best there is! These few dollars you lose here today are going to buy you stories to tell your children and great-grandchildren. This could be one of the big moments in your life; don't make it your last!
Samuel Cowley (Roy Jenson): Can't touch Dillinger, no federal offense; he doesn't deserve to be there. I don't want anyone up there I can't legally shoot! Melvin Purvis (Ben Johnson): Shoot Dillinger and we'll figure out a way to make it legal.
Hi Diddle Diddle (1943). Very funny wartime comedy. A young married couple are prevented from going on honeymoon by various complications. particularly good are Billie Burke as the bride's mother and Adolphe Menjou as the groom's father. Pola Negri is very amusing as Adolphe Menjou's second wife (he hasn't told her he has a grownup son, he wants her to think he is younger than he is). Best line is Billie Burke's, they are going into a casino, and Adolphe Menjou, looking at the hatcheck girl, says "I'm sure I've seen that girl somewhere before" to which Billie Burke replies confidentially "She's a very particular friend of the producer of this picture - he puts her in every scene he can."
April in Paris (1952). Doris Day as a chorus girl who is by mistake sent an invitation meant for Ethel Mermann to represent America in Paris. Ray Bolger is the hapless government minister sent to tell her it is a mistake, but then an enthusiastic public response to the news makes the President change his mind, and Day goes after all. She and Ray Bolger fall for each other on the boat going over to France and various complications ensue. Silly but quite amusing musical.
Cottage to Let (1941). Wartime spy film set in the Scottish highlands. Leslie Banks is John Barrington, an inventor working on a new bomber, and Jeanne de Caselis (a very well known comedienne at that time) is his dithery wife. There are three men in the vicinity one of whom Is a German spy: Barrington’s assistant (Michael Wilding) wounded airman John Mills, and eccentric visitor Alistair Sim. George Cole in his first film role is an evacuee schoolboy with ambition to be Sherlock Holmes. Great fun.
The Pleasure of His Company (1961). Very amusing comedy with Fred Astaire as a divorcee who has spent fifteen years travelling the world, but comes back to America for the wedding of his daughter (Debbie Reynolds). He is irresponsible but charming and has an unsettling effect on his daughter and on his ex wife (Lili Palmer). He also manages to annoy his ex wife's new husband and his daughter's fiancée. Lili Palmer is particularly good as Astaire's ex wife, and Charles Ruggles is very good as the grandfather.