MOVIOLA: THE SCARLETT O'HARA WAR -- Movie Review by Porfle



( "GONE WITH THE WIND 75TH ANNIVERSARY ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION" from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is loaded with extras, one of which is the following film in its entirety.)

Originally posted on 10/3/14

 

Back in the crazy days of my youth when I was known to do such things, I read a book by Garson Kanin called "Moviola." It consisted of three novellas, highly fictionalized accounts of actual events in three different eras of what we know as Hollywood. In 1980, the book was turned into a mini-series which aired on NBC-TV over three nights. These three segments now exist as individual TV-movies, sometimes with the word "Moviola" in the titles, sometimes not.

The first and last segments (chronologically) are known as "Moviola: The Silent Lovers", which tells the story of Greta Garbo and her ill-fated lover John Gilbert, a silent actor with a voice unsuited for "talkies", and "Moviola: This Year's Blonde", a glitzy biography of 50s bombshell Marilyn Monroe. Between these two eras, representing a Hollywood which was in 1939 at its creative and financial peak, is perhaps the most entertaining of the three, MOVIOLA: THE SCARLETT O'HARA WAR.

Modestly mounted, relatively sedate, and much smaller in scale than the real-life events must have been, the film adequately dramatizes the details behind legendary producer David O. Selznick's most gargantuan (I so rarely have an opportunity to use that word in a sentence) undertaking, a daring screen adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's runaway bestselling Civil War novel "Gone With the Wind" which would eventually become the highest-grossing and most popular movie of all time.

Selznick's search for the perfect actress to play sought-after lead role Scarlett O'Hara is thus turned into an amusing and mildly absorbing comedy-drama-soap opera of movie moguls, actresses, and agents (and various other Hollywood types) all trying to outmaneuver each other.

The story is played mostly for grins as both seasoned pros and young, unknown starlets all vie for the plum role of Scarlett O'Hara in Selznick's impending blockbuster. Some try to charm and even sleep their way into the role while others, like Joan Crawford, wield what power and influence they may have.

But it's all for naught when, during filming of the burning of Atlanta (in which a stand-in was used as the hitherto uncast Scarlett), Selznick first lays eyes on British actress Vivien Leigh, a chance discovery made by his agent brother Myron. After that historic moment, all bets are off.

Before this, however, comes the film's centerpiece--an extended party sequence in which Selznick has gathered all the prospective Scarletts together in one place. This scenario is rich in cattiness and can probably be truly appreciated only by those already interested in the story and the people involved.

For anyone who doesn't remember or care about these former superstars of film, or the inner machinations of big-studio Hollywood filmmaking in general, I imagine that the entire sequence will just sit there like an unloved Jello mold while they wonder what the big fuss was all about. Others, however, may find themselves savoring every nuance.

A parade of low-level TV stars do their best to portray these film legends, which somehow manages to assume its own kind of charm. Edward Winter, known mainly as Colonel Flagg on TV's "MASH", tackles the role of dashing alpha male Clark Gable in amusing style, while "Cagney and Lacey" co-star Sharon Gless takes a wild shot at being his beloved and equally famous wife Carole Lombard.

I barely recognize some of the minor players filling in for the likes of Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Paulette Goddard, Jean Arthur, Miriam Hopkins, Lucille Ball, etc. but they give it the old college try. Some of the casting choices are puzzling--I don't see Charlie Chaplin in actor Clive Revill (GENTLEMEN BRONCOS) at all--while others, including Tony Curtis as an unflappable David O. Selznick and Carrie Nye as Tallulah Bankhead, are right on the mark.

Other familiar faces include Bill Macy ("Maude"), George Furth (BLAZING SADDLES), and Harold Gould as Selznick's father-in-law, MGM chief Louis B. Mayer. A brief appearance by a popular TV actress of the time, Morgan Brittany ("Dallas"), as Vivien Leigh brings the story to a pleasing albeit curiously anti-climactic ending.

Having recently watched a lot of documentary material on the subject, I found MOVIOLA: THE SCARLETT O'HARA WAR to be an unspectacular yet enjoyable "Reader's Digest" version that's easy to take. And for anyone who saw it when first broadcast almost 35 years ago, its modest appeal will be enhanced by a dash of nostalgia.

Read our review of  "Gone With the Wind" HERE.

Full coverage of the "Gone with the Wind 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition" can be found HERE.


Stream rare and hard-to-find movies and TV shows at Warner Archive Instant; purchase discs at Warner Archive Collection. Even more at www.wbshop.com or www.wbultra.com

MOVIOLA: THE SCARLETT O'HARA WAR -- Movie Review by Porfle

RED CHRISTMAS -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 10/17/17

 

We reviewed a barebones advance screener for RED CHRISTMAS back in August (see below) but today (October 17) it comes out on Blu-ray from Artsploitation Films and we've gotten the opportunity to take a gander at it. 

This seasonal slash-em-up is about a highly dysfunctional family (with America's sweetheart, Dee Wallace, as the harried matriarch) getting together like oil and water for an unconventional Christmas celebration with a surprise guest--Cletus, Mom's aborted fetus that survived, grew up, got real crazy, and is now out for either familial love or ruthless revenge, whichever comes first.

Needless to say, it's a raucous affair that serves to bring the disparate family members together at last, even as they're getting picked off one by one.

As for the Blu-ray--not only does it look and sound good enough to put you right in the Christmas spirit, but there are some lovely extras as well.  First up is director Craig Anderson's informal interview with a charming Dee Wallace, who manages to melt our hearts all over again as she speaks of working not only on this film but her previous classics (E.T., THE HOWLING, 10, etc.) as well. 

Next, Anderson and actor Sam Campbell ("Cletus") pop over to Gerald Odwyer's house to chat with him about his experiences playing "Gerry."  Again, it's all pleasantly casual and amusing, as well as informative.

Lastly comes a blooper reel, deleted scene, and brief clip of Odwyer and Anderson goofing around.  The latter two also handle the film's commentary, which is very scene-specific and enlightening.

The Blu-ray is in 2.25:1 widescreen with 5.1 surround sound.  English subtitles and closed-captions are available.

And now, here's our original review of the film itself:

A movie that might also have been called "When Abortions Attack!", RED CHRISTMAS (Artsploitation Films, 2016) is a pretty effective cautionary tale about what can happen if your viable aborted fetus is rescued by the guy who's about to blow up the abortion clinic, grows up into a twisted, deformed freak, and then returns as an adult on Christmas Day to wreak bloody revenge on his erstwhile mother and her comically dysfunctional family. 

Of course, any such film must star beloved genre queen Dee Wallace as the mom, who so desperately wants a traditional, happy family get-together despite having a woefully untraditional, unhappy family with absolutely no intention of getting together.  Her only solace is son Jerry (Gerard Odwyer), whose Downs Syndrome only makes him more special in Mommy's heart.

The rest of the clan includes the rebellious teen girl, her witheringly cynical and very, very pregnant older sister, the ultra-religious sister whose husband is a pious man of the cloth, and Mom's old-hippie brother who is forever puffing away on his medicinal marijuana. 

The prickly interactions amongst this motley bunch, spurred by various family issues and clashing personalities, would be sufficient for a twisted "Big Chill" sort of ensemble dramedy were it not for the fact that their ritual of exchanging gifts around the Christmas tree is interrupted by the entrance of one Cletus, an extremely creepy figure robed in black and wrapped from head to toe like a leper. 

Anyone who watches the abortion clinic prologue and then gets a load of Cletus should have very little trouble putting two and two together as well as mentally mapping out pretty much what territory the rest of RED CHRISTMAS is going to cover. 

All that's left to discover is who's gonna die in what order, how (and how bad) it's going to be, and whether or not first-time writer-director Craig Anderson will be able to make it entertaining for us jaded old slasher-flick junkies. 

Of course, the movie has already proven itself absorbing and fun thanks to good dialogue and performances and a pleasing overall look which includes nicely creative use of color and camera movement. 

Once the axe hits the skull and Cletus starts racking up his body count, the story goes into high gear and keeps us on our toes even though most of the plot's twists and turns cover pretty familiar ground. 
Granted, things start to lag a bit in the second half, but remain generally engaging enough to keep us wanting to see what happens next.  The kills range from teasing glimpses to graphic gore (although this isn't really a gorehound's dream) while our fleeting glimpse of Cletus sans facial bandages drives home the pleasingly retro nature of the film's practical effects. 

The tone is mock serious, with any humor that's inherent in the script kept utterly deadpan and never overt, which I like.  I also like the fact that the premise is so refreshingly different from the usual teens-in-a-cabin or campers-in-the-woods slasher fare while retaining the better elements of such films.

Mainly, though, RED CHRISTMAS lets us enjoy watching the wonderful Dee Wallace giving her all in a great role while fun and entertaining murder, mayhem, and carnage ensue all around her.  It's enough to give horror fans a little taste of Christmas right here in the middle of August.
 


Red Christmas (Official Trailer)

RED CHRISTMAS -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

TURKEY SHOOT -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 9/17/15

 

I've seen so many tantalizing trailers for "Ozploitation" flicks lately that it's always a pleasure to get to watch one of these trash classics in its entirety.  That's why a basically awful movie like TURKEY SHOOT, a.k.a. "Escape 2000" and "Blood Camp Thatcher" (1982), gets a cheerful response from me even though many viewers would most likely tune out within the first five minutes.

The Australian film industry during the 70s and 80s underwent a real renaissance of exploitation films that transcended their low budgets and meager production values by cramming in as much violence, gore, nudity, slam-bang action, and overall shock value as they could muster.

TURKEY SHOOT is a prime example, using its by-the-numbers plot (which director Brian Trenchard-Smith of BMX BANDITS fame describes as "I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG meets THE CAMP ON BLOOD ISLAND and then plays THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME") like a clothesline on which to pin various chase sequences, gleefully fake but extreme gore, several shootouts and explosions, and some gratuitious nudity for our entertainment. 

Much of the story takes place in a prison camp of the then-future year 2000, where a fascist government sends its disobedient citizens for "re-education."  This, of course, involves terror, torture, sexual humiliation, and mind-control, not to mention a little game in which prisoners are offered freedom if they can survive being hunted like animals by the sadistic warden Thatcher (Michael Craig, MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, THE VAULT OF HORROR) and a group of wealthy, jaded sophisticates.  

Docile citizen Chris Walters (Olivia Hussey, BLACK CHRISTMAS, ROMEO AND JULIET) is imprisoned for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, while Paul Anders (Steve Railsback, LIFEFORCE, "Helter Skelter") is a chronic political offender caught running a renegade radio station.  Rita (Lynda Stoner, "Prisoner: Cell Block H") is a "loose woman" who seems to have been chosen solely for the amusement of the guards.

Our own twisted amusement is piqued early on when hulking chief guard Ritter (Roger Ward, "Fifi" in MAD MAX, QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER) beats inmates to death while his cackling toady Red (American actor Gus Mercurio) tries to violate Chris in the shower but gets the old "caught in the zipper" treatment.  Paul, meanwhile, is subjected to a torture cage which allows Railsback to indulge his penchant for method acting. 

The fact that everything is done on the cheap is more obvious in these early camp scenes than during the hunt, which takes place in the Australian wilderness.  There, however, we get an abundance of hokey gore effects (hands are chopped off, a skull is cleaved by a machete, etc., and a strange man-beast character who accompanies one of the hunters gets cut in half after chowing down on someone's pinky toe) and some poorly-staged action involving a mini-bulldozer that looks quite comical at times. 

The huntress Jennifer (Carmen Duncan) cuts an impressive figure riding her horse while wielding a crossbow that shoots explosive arrows.  Thatcher and Ritter get in on the action as well, as does Noel Ferrier of THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY in the role of "Secretary Mallory."  It's a no-brainer that Paul and Chris will eventually get together and turn the tables on their pursuers, leading to a lively camp-revolt finale that packs in all the blood squibs, explosions, and stock footage that the producers could afford. 

Railsback, hot off his success in THE STUNT MAN, seems a little awkward as an action-guy character and clearly wonders what the heck he's doing shooting a turkey like TURKEY SHOOT.  I've always found him to be an interesting actor though, ever since he played Charles Manson in the 1976 TV-movie "Helter Skelter."  Olivia Hussey seems jittery and uncomfortable throughout--as we learn from cast and crew interviews, she was constantly terrified that the Australian wildlife was out to get her.  This does work in her character's favor, however.  (Her shower scene, incidentally, clearly involves a body double.)

On a technical level, the film is hardly more lavish than a "Mr. Show" sketch.  The camp itself resembles a collection of storage buildings, and there's very little to indicate the story's "futuristic" setting.  (A rousing score by Brian May of MAD MAX fame is a definite plus.)  While director Trenchard-Smith claims that the character name "Thatcher" is part of the film's underlying political message, none of that goes beyond the impact of the typical Facebook meme.

The Blu-ray from Severin Films is in anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 2.0 sound.  No subtitles.  Severin's typically generous bonus features include: "The Ozploitation Renaissance", a recent interview with Aussie filmmakers Brian Trenchard-Smith, Antony I. Ginnane, and Vincent Monton; a solo interview with Trenchard-Smith from the 80s; a director's audio commentary; behind-the-scenes doc "Turkey Shoot: Blood & Thunder Memories"; the film's trailer and an alternate "Escape 2000" title sequence; and in-depth cast and crew interviews from the documentary "Not Quite Hollywood." 

In interviews, both Steve Railsback and Lynda Stoner express their dismay at the finished product, especially in regard to how the original script they were given was gutted and the budget slashed.  Still, none of this really matters--with all its faults, the film has its own sordid charm--and the people most likely to enjoy it are bad-film fanatics anyway, an area in which TURKEY SHOOT delivers in spades.   


Street date: Sept. 22, 2015
Stills used are not taken from Blu-ray

TURKEY SHOOT -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

INALIENABLE -- DVD review by porfle

Originally posted on 12/23/09

 

 

"From the mind of Walter Koenig", erstwhile Ensign Chekov of the Starship Enterprise, comes INALIENABLE (2009), which starts out as a horror tale of a man who isn't quite sure whether he's carrying a deadly parasite or an alien offspring, and ends up itself resembling the unearthly lovechild of SyFy and Lifetime.

Research scientist Eric Norris (Richard Hatch, a veteran of both versions of "Battlestar Galactica") is trying to discover a cure for AIDS while dealing with the endless guilt caused by the death of his wife and son in a car crash in which he was driving. One day his friend brings him a piece of rock that broke off of an alien wessel--sorry, a meteor--that crashed on his property. Eric wakes up the next day to find that the rock has transformed into a jellyfish-like creature and invaded his body, nestling in a pouch-like protrusion over his left hip and sending tendrils throughout his body which intertwine with his vital organs.

It soon becomes apparent that Eric is "pregnant" with something, and when the FBI finds out about this potential alien threat, he must flee along with a sympathetic coworker, Amanda Mayfield (Courtney Peldon), who has fallen in love with him. After giving birth to the grotesque, tentacled baby (which he christens "Benjamin") in a barn, Eric and his new son are captured and placed under strict observation. Meanwhile, Amanda hooks up with a space-case civil rights lawyer named Ellis (Erick Avari) to help free Eric and allow him to have custody of Benjamin without government interference. This results in a courtroom drama in which Benjamin's humanity, or lack thereof, is in bitter dispute.

INALIENABLE begins with all the elements of early David Cronenberg body horror, but that all changes as soon as the proud dad gets a gander at his new butt-ugly baby with the octopus tentacles and goes all sappy. After that it's all tears and hugs and courtroom intrigue designed to tug at our heartstrings. When Eric and Benjamin are reunited in a holding cell under the watchful eyes of coldhearted government types, their impromptu Charlie Chaplin dance will either make you smile or retch. Most interesting is the battle of wits between the two lawyers over Benjamin's basic "human" rights, bringing to mind similar questions about robot sentience as seen on some of the best episodes of shows like "Star Trek" and "The Outer Limits."


Richard Hatch sells his character convincingly and makes his scenes with Courtney Peldon seem a little lopsided by consistently out-acting her. Koenig, as Eric's boss and eventual enemy (for reasons we discover later on), proves that he's a pretty solid screen presence himself when he isn't having to portray the biggest weenie in Starfleet. Special credit goes to Marina Sirtis for her impressive turn as the queen-bitch prosecutor, a far cry from ST:TNG's compassionate Deanna Troi. Other familiar sci-fi faces pop up here and there throughout the story, including Alan Ruck and Tim Russ (both alumni of different Trek incarnations), Richard Herd, Gary Graham, Jay Acovone, Erick Avari, and longtime sci-fi/horror stalwart and stuntwoman Patricia Tallman ("Babylon 5", "Star Trek", the NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD remake).

Production values are adequate but rather spartan, and Robert Dyke directs without a whole lot of energy. The film is low-key to the point of timidity, as though it were aware that someone was taking a nap in the next room and didn't want to wake them up. Some of the courtroom scenes are undercut by the constant drone of strangely soothing music which seems intent on lulling us to sleep ourselves. Worse, Amanda's first meeting with lawyer Ellis is accompanied by an intrusively whimsical tune that lets us know Ellis is supposed to be a funny character, even though he isn't funny.

The alien SPFX aren't very convincing, although it's nice to see something like this done with animatronics and puppetry rather than cheap CGI for a change. The newborn infant is a nicely-rendered creation that's somewhat reminiscent of the baby in ERASERHEAD. Later, the older Benjamin's makeup makes him look more like an aged midget than a cute little alien child, and the less said about his bobbling tentacles the better. Again, however, Richard Hatch does such a good job of interacting with this weird little gremlin that he manages to give their scenes together a surprising amount of pathos.

The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Surround 2.0 and English subtitles. The sole extra is a trailer, but if you zip to the end of the closing credits you get to see Walter Koenig cutting up on the set for about half a minute.

INALIENABLE's heart is in the right place and for the most part it's a fairly absorbing though slow-moving little sci-fi tale. The first half, with its potentially horrific imagery of an unknown alien lifeform incubating inside a human host, would be good fodder for a Cronenberg film or episode of "The X-Files." The second half, though, is a rather listless stroll through KRAMER VS. KRAMER territory with an ending that fails to generate much tension or suspense. All in all, an amiable little flick that I can neither condemn nor recommend with much enthusiasm.

INALIENABLE -- DVD review by porfle

Mr. Spock At His Most Pointlessly Pedantic (Star Trek: "That Which Survives", 1969)

 

Star Trek's writers often enjoyed having a little fun with Spock's character...

...usually by contrasting his precise, stoic manner with that of his emotional human crewmates.

But in this episode, it's possible that they went just a tad overboard.

Video by Porfle Popnecker. I neither own nor claim any rights to this material. Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Mr. Spock At His Most Pointlessly Pedantic (Star Trek: "That Which Survives", 1969)

CHRISTMAS WITH THE 3 STOOGES!

 

Nothing beats watching poor Moe try to decorate the tree...the Stooge way!

His long-suffering wife (Mary Ainslee) can only observe in horror.

And when the Three Stooges celebrate the Christmas season...

...it's Season's Beatings for the three knuckleheads!


HE COOKED HIS GOOSE (1952)
MALICE IN THE PALACE (1949)
BLUNDER BOYS (1955)
TRIPLE CROSSED (1959)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

CHRISTMAS WITH THE 3 STOOGES!

Funny Extra Blooper in "IN HARM'S WAY" (John Wayne, 1965)(video)

In Otto Preminger's classic WWII epic "In Harm's Way", John Wayne is Admiral "Rock" Torrey.

He arrives aboard his former battleship to give a briefing on the Pacific situation.

But one of the extras is a step ahead of him.

Anticipating another actor's line, he'll mouth the words "Attention, gentlemen" along with him as Wayne enters the room.

Maybe he wants to get paid extra for a "speaking part"!



I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Funny Extra Blooper in "IN HARM'S WAY" (John Wayne, 1965)(video)

FEEL THE NOISE -- Movie Review by Porfle

 (NOTE: This review originally appeared online at Bumscorner.com in 2007.)

Rob Vega (Omarion Grandberry, YOU GOT SERVED) is a Harlem teen who dreams of being a big-time rapper. After financing his entry into a rap contest by stealing some rims off a local gangster who then tries to shoot him while he's onstage, his mom (Kellita Smith, THREE CAN PLAY THAT GAME, ROLL BOUNCE) ships him off to Puerto Rico to stay with the father he's never met until things cool off.

All of this occurs during the opening credits of FEEL THE NOISE (2007), which then becomes the story of how Rob meets his father, Roberto (Giancarlo Esposito), his stepmother Marivi (Rosa Arredondo), and his stepbrother Javi (Victor Rasuk), and how Rob and Javi combine their musical talents to create a hybrid of hiphop and Reggaeton (a combination of reggae and Latino rhythms) to produce a demo they hope will take them places.

Along the way Rob hooks up with a beautiful dance teacher named C.C. (Zulay Henao), who has her own artistic aspirations. When a sleazy record producer in a white leisure suit (James McCaffrey) comes on to C.C. with a request for "private" dance lessons, she introduces him to the guys and before long they're all on their way back to New York with the lure of a recording contract.

But not only do Mr. Record Producer's promises prove shaky at best, but Rob has to deal with the fact that there's still a P.O.'d gangster running around who wants to give him a one-gun salute.

The direction and cinematography by Alejandro Chomski and Zoran Popovic are as good as they need to be in a film that isn't trying to dazzle us with fancy imagery or camera moves, even in the strobe-lit club settings where another director might be tempted to show off.

Some nice Puerto Rican locations are an asset, as is footage shot during the Puerto Rican Day celebration in New York (in which co-producer Jennifer Lopez makes a fleeting parade appearance).

The songs are good but not particularly memorable, the best being the catchy centerpiece tune "Coqui" which was co-written by Wyclef Jean and features Reggaeton star Julio 'Voltio' Ramos, who plays himself in the film.

As for former B2K member Omarion, he isn't a great actor but he wisely underplays his part and comes off okay. Giancarlo Esposito (DO THE RIGHT THING and "Homicide: Life on the Street") as Rob's estranged father brings a quiet dignity to the role, while Rosa Arredondo, who recently played a small part in the brutal action flick ROCKAWAY, does a good job as Rob's caring stepmother.

Victor Rasuk and Zulay Henao as Javi and C.C. round out the ensemble with likable performances. And then, of course, there's Kellita Smith, who is one of the top contenders for my "MILF of the Year" Award for 2008. Thankfully, Albert Leon's script doesn't require any of them to emote their way through a bunch of artificially contrived situations.

Funny that in a movie called FEEL THE NOISE, the quiet moments are the best. The cast makes us care about their characters and the relationships between them. Their interplay is a lot more subtle and realistic than in most modern music movies, which often tend to be loud, flashy, and superficial. Here, the musical sequences serve the story, with no overproduced song-and-dance setpieces to compete for our attention save for a couple of forays into the club scene.

I guess the biggest debit of this movie is that it comes and goes without leaving much of an impression, failing to really follow through on what it's started. Subplots such as Rob helping an important neighborhood figure evade the police or Mimi's crazy ex-boyfriend Nodde (Charles Duckworth) declaring war on Rob and his family don't go anywhere.

Even the "Rocky goes the distance" ending fades out as soon as it has served its purpose to the story, leaving us to finally get to hear Rob and Javi's song in its entirety during the closing credits. While FEEL THE NOISE manages to engage the viewer to a certain extent during its running time, the dramatic and emotional potential of its various elements are never fully realized and the resolution is much too convenient. But it's a pleasant diversion that I enjoyed more than I thought I would.

FEEL THE NOISE -- Movie Review by Porfle

TCHAIKOVSKY: THE TRAGIC LIFE OF A MUSICAL GENIUS -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 6/28/08

 

You can pretty much tell from the title TCHAIKOVSKY: THE TRAGIC LIFE OF A MUSICAL GENIUS (2007) whether or not you're going to be interested in this. If you don't like classical music, you'll doubtless want to steer clear. Me, I love it, and found this BBC production to be fairly interesting, especially the concert segments.

Originally broadcast in 2007, it examines the life and music of 19th century Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in two parts, each hosted by conductor Charles Hazlewood. First, "The Creation of Greatness" tells of the fragile boy genius troubled by all the music swirling incessantly through his mind. The loss of his mother at a young age is something from which he never recovers. Later, we see him as a tortured homosexual living in fear that public exposure of his scandalous secret will ruin his career, while at the same time he struggles to gain acceptance for his daring musical ideas in the face of stodgy skepticism.

Part two, "Fortune and Tragedy", tells of his disastrous marriage of convenience to young female admirer Antonina Milyukova, despite the warnings of his younger brother Modest and the knowing ridicule of his friends. We also learn of a mysterious benefactor, a wealthy widow named Nadezhda von Meck, who finances Tchaikovsky for years although their only communication is through the written word. Tchaikovsky's fame and the Russian people's reverence for him grow to stellar proportions, but shortly after the unsuccessful premiere of his magnificent Sixth Symphony, "The Pathetique", he dies of cholera at the age of 53.

While well-mounted and interesting, the dramatic reenactments of certain events in Tchaikovsky's life don't build much momentum as they are intercut with actual concert footage, interviews with concert musicians in whom the distinctively Russian spirit of Tchaikovsky still resides, and narrative interludes with Hazlewood. In fact, the emphasis here is on the music itself as much as the composer.

Watching his First Piano Concerto being performed by the Maryinsky Young Philharmonic with an amazing solo performance by Natasha Peremski is a particular thrill, and it's deftly integrated into the scene in which Tchaikovsky first auditions the piece before his scoffing mentor, Anton Rubinstein, who is shocked to hear such "vulgar" passion expressed in music. Interesting that something we take for granted for its familiarity was once considered, in Hazlewood's words, to be "radical, raw, and shocking."

"Romeo and Juliet", an erotically-charged work composed during an early love affair with a music academy student named Edward Zak, has become somewhat of a cliche these days after having been used for so many movies and spoofs as diverse as TARZAN THE APE MAN and A CHRISTMAS STORY, but its performance here is stirring. This is also true of excerpts from some of Tchaikovsky's ballets, such as SWAN LAKE and THE SLEEPING BEAUTY. Best of all, however, is the climactic performance of the tragic "Pathetique", which is one of the most moving works ever written.

If not for these dynamic musical passages, which the filmmakers obviously staged and photographed with great feeling, the production would be unremittingly dry and somber. The biographical scenes serve mainly to illustrate how the passion and turmoil of Tchaikovsky's personal life was the rich inspiration for his music, and more than anything, the dramatic segments are supportive of and serve as backdrops for the musical passages.

Included as a bonus is an episode of the BBC series "Omnibus" entitled "Who Killed Tchaikovsky?", which effectively challenges the cholera explanation for the composer's death with theories of suicide or even murder, and hints at a mysterious and potentially scandalous cover-up. Biographer Anthony Holden travels to New York and St. Petersburg to do some detective work, uncovering tantalizing bits of evidence amidst a general unwillingness of the Russian people to risk casting aspersions on their revered national composer. The mystery is left unsolved, but raises some intriguing and rather chilling implications.

TCHAIKOVSKY: THE TRAGIC LIFE OF A MUSICAL GENIUS is informative regarding the volatile emotions behind Tchaikovsky's work, and competently acted by THE PIANIST's Ed Stoppard and a good cast. But it's the concert segments that really make it worth watching.

 

TCHAIKOVSKY: THE TRAGIC LIFE OF A MUSICAL GENIUS -- DVD Review by Porfle

SNATCHERS -- Blu-ray/DVD Review by Porfle

(Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray TM I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.)

Originally posted on 2/10/20


It's always a treat for fans of full-blooded (so to speak) 80s horror flicks to run across a new movie that captures that feeling as well as SNATCHERS (2019), which also also functions as a delightfully quirky teen comedy amidst the flying body parts and gouts of gore.

Mary Nepi stars as Sara, who wants to be accepted by the snooty in-crowd, and Gabrielle Elyse is Hayley, Sara's nerdy friend (one of those movie nerds who's pretty but wears glasses) whom she has recently "ghosted" in her quest for social status.

Their high school is the usual conglomeration of bitchy rich girls, hunky athletic dudes, nerds, and everything in between, with a satirical "Mean Girls" vibe running through the scenes in which mean-girl Kiana (Ashley Argota) holds court in the cafeteria.

Enter Skyler (Austin Fryberger), Sara's one-time boyfriend who left due to her constant refusal to put out. Now that Sara wants to lose her virginity, she and Skyler hook up for a night of unprotected sex after which she gets instantly pregnant and comes to full term in a single day.

Hayley grudgingly gives in to Sara's pleas for help, and together they visit a free clinic where (a) the ultrasound scan reveals something very ominous, (b) Sara gives birth to that something, and (c) that something not only kills everyone it gets its claws into but can also sink those claws into the back of a person's neck and operate their zombified body like a puppet.

Already we've got more than enough for a full-tilt horror flick, but SNATCHERS is just getting started. Sara and Hayley are a delightfully funny team as they scramble around trying to escape the creature (whose origin, it turns out, is connected to Skyler's recent visit to some ancient Mayan ruins) and bringing death and horror with them wherever they go.

Directors Stephen Cedars and Benji Kleiman, who co-wrote the lean, mean screenplay with Scott Yacyshyn, shoot it all in impeccable style with lots of creative camerawork and a non-stop pace.

Some choice found locations add much to the production values, including a soon-to-be-demolished city building that doubles as police station, jail, and hospital.

Horror fans with a yen for great practical effects will have a ball with the creatures (plural, since Sara quickly has a second one that intends to mate with the first one and create a race of kill-crazy aliens) and good old-fashioned hardcore gore, all of which is tastefully augmented by just the right amount of CGI.

It's like a throwback to the days of "The Reanimator", "The Thing", and "Dead Alive", with hints of the "Alien" movies (including a "queen") set against a kind of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"/"Mean Girls" backdrop.

The two sensibilities are finely balanced and compliment each other in ways that generate a high level of giddy fun that never lets up.

Performances are top-notch, including Nick Gomez as an earnest young cop who falls for Sara's ditzy mother (J.J. Nolan) while battling the beasts, and, to my pleasant surprise, Rich Fulcher of "Snuff Box" fame as Dave, a veterinarian who lends his dubious skills to trying to help Sara through her natal crises.

Everyone, human and alien, eventually winds up at the big party being thrown at Kiana's house, where the gore really hits the fan and Sara and Hayley are forced to step up and go into action-hero mode with an array of makeshift weapons. Happily, the story is resolved in such a way that's both satisfying and worthy of these characters whom we've come to like.

It's all tongue-in-cheek horror fun in high style, and anyone who appreciates those visceral thrills of the 80s should find SNATCHERS a solidly-done throwback to them.



SPECIAL FEATURES
 
The Birth of Snatchers: A Behind-the-Scenes Look
Unexpected: The Snatchers Blooper Reel 
Commentary featuring Directors and Writers Stephen Cedars, Benji Kleiman and Writer  Scott  Yacyshyn

BASICS
Blu-ray/DVD Release: February 18, 2020
Order Due Date: January 14, 2020
Blu-ray and DVD Presented in 16x9 widescreen format
Run Time: Approx. 96 min
Enhanced Content Run Time: Approx. 117 min

DVD
Price: $19.98 SRP ($24.99 SRP in Canada)
1 DVD-9s
Audio – English (5.1), French, Spanish
UPC# 883929697977
Catalog# 1000749305

BLU-RAY
Price: $24.98 SRP ($34.97 SRP in Canada)
1 Blu-ray + 1 DVD + Digital Copy
BD Audio –DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 – English, French, Spanish
UPC# 883929697984
Catalog# 1000749306

On Digital January 7
Blu-ray Combo Pack & DVD February 18

SNATCHERS -- Blu-ray/DVD Review by Porfle

THE PERFECT HOUSE -- DVD Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 7/24/14

 

Betraying hardly a hint of the shocking bloodbath it will eventually become, Wild Eye Releasing's THE PERFECT HOUSE (2012) starts out on a darkly humorous note with an average family having dinner with a burly, grey-haired neighbor with whom they've had an ongoing dispute over a borrowed weed-whacker.

It's a bit misleading, since we're led to think that this darkly tongue-in-cheek attitude will extend throughout the film. It does, in fact, last until about the halfway point, at which all humor suddenly disappears and the whole thing becomes a wallow in gratuitous gore, torture, and perversion in which absolutely nothing is sacred.

The opening segment ends just as the point of ultimate outrage over the errant weed-whacker is reached, but the aftermath (which we won't see until much later) is hinted at during the following story in which a real estate agent tries to unload the now-vacant house on a couple of prospective buyers who can't understand why it's going for such a steal.

If you're like me, then the MILF-a-licious Monique Parent will definitely ring your chimes as the seductive real estate agent who seems more interested in sharing a bed with house-hunters Marisol and Mike than selling them one. She, in fact, is the only interesting thing about this plotless segment which will pretty much go nowhere, especially after it's interrupted by a flashback.

A black-and-white interlude (during which we discover why Monique is hesitant to show the couple the basement) tells of a highly dysfunctional family in which the father dotes on his teenage daughter to an unhealthy degree while his son feels left out. The mother, meanwhile, is an overbearing harpy who berates them all mercilessly night and day.

When the four of them are forced to seek shelter in the basement from an oncoming tornado, the situation suddenly erupts into lots of squishy gore effects replete with dismembered body parts and an overall ambience of splatter. Not really a story per se, more of a vignette in which we wonder who's going to emerge alive from all the hacking and spewing going on in that shadowy darkness, it's kind of interesting. But again--no plot.

Suddenly, we fast-forward into another basement-based situation in which the house's next owner, a serial killing yokel played by Jonathan Tiersten ("Ricky" from SLEEPAWAY CAMP), keeps a woman captive in a chain-link cage while he forces her to be his "audience" and watch him dispatch one victim after another.

Holly Greene is actually pretty funny as the caged woman who must wearily deal with each frantic "newbie" in the adjoining cage and who keeps up with the days of the week by what is done to her ("All I know is I get fed on Wednesdays and raped on Fridays").

It's here, however, that THE PERFECT HOUSE veers into unrelenting torture porn, and, while the sequence ends in fairly satisfying fashion, it serves merely as an appetizer for the all-out bloody horror that is the utterly mortifying climax of the "weed-whacker" story.

Sick, grotesque, and "appalling" in the truest H.G. Lewis sense of the word, this is fifteen or twenty minutes that will test your tolerance for torture-tainment and perhaps cause you to question your own sanity for sitting through it. The closest it comes to having a story can be summarized with the line "A bunch of insanely horrible stuff happens, the end."

As the mother of the luckless family who meet their frightful fate in the basement of horror, co-producer Felissa Rose probably does more screaming here than in all her other movies combined. And for good reason, too. (It's too bad she doesn't share any screen time with SLEEPAWAY CAMP co-star Jonathan Tiersten.) Her husband Jeff--who should've returned that damn weed-whacker--is played by John Philbin of TOMBSTONE and RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD.

I reviewed a barebones screener for this movie and thus cannot comment on extras. The press release states: "The DVD release of The Perfect House (SRP $14.95) will exclusively include over two hours of bonus features: behind the scenes featurettes, cast interviews, footage from the national theatrical tour, special effects featurettes, Q&A footage and an alternate ending."

The level of gruesome carnage found in THE PERFECT HOUSE will be old hat to some (namely, those who have been "desensitized", as they say, to such horrors) and it may indeed suffice for the lack of a plotline. Others, however, are advised to either exercise extreme caution or just skip the whole thing altogether.

THE PERFECT HOUSE -- DVD Review by Porfle

Pickup Truck Blooper in John Wayne Western "THE UNDEFEATED" (1969)

Originally posted on 11/30/17

Pickup trucks were a pretty rare sight back in the 1860s.

But we get a quick glimpse of one off in the distance at the end of the John Wayne western "The Undefeated" (1969). 

Either it's a blooper, or some very ingenious inventor was way ahead of his time!

Video by Porfle Popnecker. I neither own nor claim any rights to this material. Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Pickup Truck Blooper in John Wayne Western "THE UNDEFEATED" (1969)

APPOINTMENT WITH CRIME -- DVD Review by Porfle

Originally posted on 6/18/16

 

If you like those lean, tough gangster pics that guys like James Cagney and George Raft used to churn out in the 30s and 40s, then APPOINTMENT WITH CRIME (1946) should be right up your dark alley.

The scrappy, bantamweight main character Leo Martin (William Hartnell, THE MOUSE THAT ROARED) even reminds me of a cross between the two actors only with a rough veneer of British street smarts. 

The plot is a foretaste of such later films as POINT BLANK and its remake PAYBACK, with its story of a wronged criminal returning to exact merciless revenge against the underworld organization that betrayed him and using a "fast" woman as his accomplice.

Here, Leo gets double-crossed by low-level crime boss Loman (Raymond Lovell) and ends up with crushed wrists and a stiff prison sentence.  Upon his release, he goes after not only Loman but the real brains behind the outfit, a smugly sophisticated art dealer played by the young Herbert Lom (later to gain fame as Chief Inspector Dreyfus in the "Pink Panther" series among other distingished roles). 

Leo's sort of an anti-protagonist here, being that he's still a mean, ruthless little bastard even though we're pulling for him to get the best of the even badder bad guys.  The film's real hero is a Canadian detective on loan to the British police, played by Robert Beatty (who would go on to roles in such high profile films as WHERE EAGLES DARE and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY).

Beatty's Detective Inspector Rogers is stalwart without being full of himself, and in fact has a wry sense of humor which makes his scenes with Leo punchy and rife with stinging dialogue.  Where some stories such as this make the main cop unlikable, here we're conflicted about who to root for since we're so invested in both his and Leo's concerns. 

 

Also making the most of her scenes with Hartnell is Joyce Howard as melancholy dancehall girl Carol Dane (nicknamed "Chastity Anne"), whose performance as the girl Leo uses as his alibi in murder by stringing her along with romantic promises and playing on her sympathies just gets better as the story goes along.

Two interesting things I noted while watching are (1) British films could pretty much say "damn" and "hell" to their hearts' content back in 1946, and (2) the fact that characters Gregory Lang (Herbert Lom) and his criminal associate Noel Penn (Alan Wheatley) are unabashedly gay is wonderfully obvious.

Writer-director John Harlow keeps his script zinging along with cracking dialogue and lots of hardboiled conflict between rival thugs and the short-fused Leo--who's equally tough whether slapping someone around or getting tortured for information.

 

Harlow's directing style brings all this to life with creative camera angles, editing, and montages which keep the film visually interesting.  The production itself has a lovely vintage appeal enhanced by a singularly British flavor and the no-nonsense economy of film noir.

The DVD from Olive Films is in the original 1.37:1 aspect ratio (full screen) with mono sound.  Subtitles are in English.  No extras.

Those who appreciate the beauty of old black-and-white cinema should find themselves easily drawn into this visually compelling film.  For modern audiences in general,  APPOINTMENT WITH CRIME offers good performances in a sharply-written crime story that never lets up until the end. 

Release date: June 21, 2016

APPOINTMENT WITH CRIME -- DVD Review by Porfle

THE RATINGS GAME -- DVD Review by Porfle

The best reason to watch the Showtime original movie THE RATINGS GAME (1984, Olive Films), which is directed by and starring Danny DeVito and his wife Rhea Perlman, is if you have a really big nostalgia jones for the 80s, and specifically bad 80s television.  Because not only does this film spoof bad 80s television, it IS bad 80s television.

DeVito plays feisty New Jersey trucking magnate Vic De Salvo, who has just set up shop in Hollywood so that he can realize his dream of pawning one of his awful TV show ideas off on some gullible producer. 

When evil MBC network programmer Parker Braithwaite (Gerrit Graham) fires one of his longtime executives, the spurned employee gets revenge on his way out by putting Vic's terrible pilot script for a smutty "Three's Company"-style sitcom called "Sittin' Pretty" into production. 

Meanwhile, Vic's budding romance with Francine Kester (Rhea Perlman), who works for a Nielsen-like network ratings service, yields big-time rewards when he persuades her to use her position to make sure "Sittin' Pretty" gets monster ratings. 

Vic does his part by getting 200 families whose TV choices are monitored to disappear for several weeks by basically kidnapping them onto a fake sea cruise, then hiring a bunch of goombas to break into their houses and watch his programs on their TVs. 

This premise sounds promising, but THE RATINGS GAME seems off in every department.  Not only is the script by Jim Mulholland and Michael Barrie, who gave us AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON, about as bland as anything I've ever seen, but the leaden direction and performances--not to mention an awkward musical score--fail to inject much life into it.

Hard to believe this is the same DeVito who would go on to direct the biting WAR OF THE ROSES and the raucous THROW MOMMA FROM THE TRAIN.  Despite his endless mugging, sequences such as the taping of his sitcom pilot before a live audience and the chaos that erupts during a climactic TV awards show where he's chased down by the police for fraud just seem to sit there.   

Even the chemistry between Danny and real-life wife Rhea Perlman is lacking.  The rest of the cast are unable to overcome the dull script, especially less comedy-savvy players such as Joe Santos (THE LAST BOY SCOUT) and Frank Sivero (GOODFELLAS), while venerable stars Kevin McCarthy, Barry Corbin, and Ronny Graham manage to add some zing to their scenes.  Vincent Schiavelli, bless his heart, is required to queen it up as the resident unfunny gay stereotype.

The movie comes to life when DeVito stages some wickedly funny mock promos for upcoming fall season premieres including some of the really bad shows that Vic has conned the network into green-lighting.  There's also some "spot the familiar face" fun with cameos from Bowery Boys alumnus Huntz Hall, Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows, George Wendt, Randi Brooks, Schiavelli's wife Allyce Beasley ("Moonlighting"), Jason Hervey, Lainie Kazan (in a deleted scene), Army Archerd, John Megna (TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD's "Dill"), Michael Richards, and, very briefly, a pre-stardom Jerry Seinfeld. 

The DVD from Olive Films is in 1.33:1 widescreen with 2.0 sound and subtitles in English.  Extras consist of a making-of featurette, deleted scenes, a Showtime trailer, and a collection of four short films directed by Danny DeVito.  Also included is a terrific 28-page collector's booklet with liner notes and art from the film. 

THE RATINGS GAME appears to have amassed a generous amount of glowing reviews from reputable publications, including some genuine raves.  So clearly my less-than-enthusiastic reaction to it should hardly be taken as the final word on the subject.  I only wish that I'd enjoyed watching it as much as Danny DeVito seems to have enjoyed making it.

THE RATINGS GAME -- DVD Review by Porfle

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

 Originally posted on 10/10/2018

 

I remember watching INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (Olive Signature, 1956) on TV as a kid and being severely creeped out by it.  It's definitely a sci-fi/horror movie that kids can appreciate--creepy, atmospheric, and featuring some horrific special effects and themes.

Watching it again as an adult (as I have several times), I find the film loses none of its effectiveness and is indeed a wholly adult, mature story that develops its characters well and places them in situations that are relatable while still brimming with elements of horror and even film noir.

Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy, INNERSPACE, SLIPSTREAM) returns to his hometown of Santa Mira, California to find old high school sweetheart Becky (Dana Wynter, THE CRIMSON PIRATE, AIRPORT) back in town after many years.  Now both divorced, their reunion is sweetly romantic with a clear likelihood of growing deeper.

The trouble is, Santa Mira seems to have been hit by an epidemic of people convinced that their loved ones have been replaced by physically exact but emotionally empty duplicates. Miles and Becky are skeptical at first, until friends Jack (King Donovan) and his wife Teddy (Carolyn Jones, "The Addams Family") find a body in their house which appears to be a dormant, half-formed copy of Jack himself.

As the mystery deepens, Miles discovers a duplicate of Becky in her own cellar, placed there by what appears to be her own father.  It quickly becomes clear that the duplicates come to life and take over when the actual person goes to sleep. Trying to convince others of what is happening, they realize that many townspeople including former trusted friends and family have already been replaced.

The film's slow and subtle build-up soon gives way to growing fear as Miles and Becky don't know who to trust or confide in.  It kicks into high gear when they and friends Jack and Teddy discover giant seed pods in Jack's greenhouse which are in the process of manufacturing duplicate bodies for them all, ready to be inhabited when they go to sleep.

Special effects in this scene are flawless, the grotesque pod replicas being the result of full-body and facial casts of the actors, and Siegel stages it with impressive imagination and skill.  It's an iconic sequence that still retains every bit of its original emotional power.

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS then becomes a true cinematic nightmare of hysteria and deep paranoia.  The still-human characters, struggling to stay awake, are forced to flee while almost everyone else in town conspires to stop them.

It's an alien invasion of the most insidious kind, so different from the usual spaceships and death ray stuff of the 50s that it strikes home in ways that make it uniquely unsettling, disturbing, and personal.
Director Don Siegel (DIRTY HARRY, THE SHOOTIST) does some of his absolute best work here, his seemingly simple style yielding consistently effective shots that are deftly staged yet lean and economical.

The camerawork and black-and-white photography and lighting are exquisite, giving the middle third of the film, which takes place at night, the look and feel of the most visually arresting film noir.  Carmen Dragon (father of Daryl Dragon of "Captain and Tennille" fame) offers a highly effective musical score which some think is overpowering at times but I consider a major asset in the film's emotional power.

Siegel's cast is stocked with great actors, with both the leads and supporting players handling their roles with utter conviction.  Familiar character actors include Virginia Christine (THE MUMMY'S CURSE, "Mrs. Olsen" in the old Folger's coffee commercials), Jean Willes, Dabbs Greer, Larry Gates, and even future iconic director Sam Peckinpah.

Miles and Becky's flight from the "pod people" grows more frantic and desperate with each passing minute, culminating in an exhausting chase through the mountains in which the two protagonists are pursued by hundreds of human-looking alien "monsters."  Trying to make it to the main highway, they will endure a final, heartrending nightmare that is still burned into the memories of many viewers over the years.

The original ending by Siegel was abrupt, open-ended, and disheartening.  Test screenings showed it to be either confusing or just too downbeat for the audience, so the studio demanded new scenes to bookend the story. In them, Miles is desperately trying to convince skeptical psychiatrists and police of his wild story before they lock him away for good as a raving lunatic.

Many viewers still bristle at these added scenes, preferring the film to end at its most pessimstic point, and also object to a new voiceover by Miles (imposed by the studio to help clear up various plot points) which they liken to the one in BLADE RUNNER.

Personally, I feel Miles' narration gives his experiences a heightened immediacy and better draw us in to his story.  Likewise, the bookend scenes work very well for me, increasing the urgency of Miles' account and ending with a priceless moment when the truth dawns on the faces of Dr. Bassett (the great Whit Bissell at his powerful best) and "Dick Van Dyke Show" icon Richard Deacon.

Rather than offering a "happy ending" as its detractors insist, this merely sets the stage for what we can imagine will be a long, protracted, and horrific war between the humans and the invaders.

The Blu-ray from Olive Films' "Olive Signature" label (limited to 5,000 units) is a high-def digital restoration that looks better than I've ever seen it before, with a 2.00:1 aspect ratio and mono sound. Optional English subtitles are available.

Extras consist of two audio commentaries, one by film writer/historian Richard Harlan Smith and another with stars Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter and director Joe Dante.  "The Stranger in Your Lover's Eyes" is a two-part visual essay by Siegel, read by his son Kristoffer Tabori.

Featurettes include "The Fear is Real" with filmmakers Larry Cohen and Joe Dante, "I No Longer Belong: The Rise and Fall of Walter Wanger", "Sleep No More: Invasion of the Body Snatchers Revisited" featuring the film's stars and celebrity admirers, a 1985 interview with Kevin McCarthy, a look at the film's locations in the present day, and "What's In a Name?" which explores the origin of the film's title.

There's also a gallery of production documents, an essay by author and film programmer Kier-La Janisse, and the film's original theatrical trailer.

Whatever your age (this film works great for both young and old) or political persuasion (people have been interpreting its metaphorical intent however they choose since it was first released), INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS remains one of the most perfectly realized and enduringly effective horror films of the 50s or any era. 


YEAR: 1956
GENRE: SCI-FI
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH (with optional English subtitles)
LABEL: OLIVE FILMS
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 80 mins
RATING: N/R
VIDEO: 2.00:1 Aspect Ratio; B&W
AUDIO: MONO
US+CANADA
STREET: 10/16/18
CAT: OS018
UPC: 887090601801
SRP: $39.95 

OLIVE SIGNATURE FEATURES
New High-Definition digital restoration
Audio Commentary by film historian Richard Harland Smith
Audio Commentary by actors Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter, and filmmaker Joe Dante
“The Stranger in Your Lover’s Eyes” – A two-part visual essay with actor and son of director Don Siegel, Kristoffer Tabori, reading from his father’s book A Siegel Film
“The Fear is Real” – Filmmakers Larry Cohen and Joe Dante on the film’s cultural significance
“I No Longer Belong: The Rise and Fall of Walter Wanger” – Film scholar and author Matthew Bernstein discusses the life and career of the film’s producer
“Sleep No More: Invasion of the Body Snatchers Revisited” – An appreciation of the film featuring actors Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter, along with comments from film directors and fans, John Landis, Mick Garris, and Stuart Gordon
“The Fear and the Fiction: The Body Snatchers Phenomenon” – Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter, along with film directors John Landis, Mick Garris and Stuart Gordon, discuss the making of the film, its place in history, and its meaning
1985 archival interview with Kevin McCarthy hosted by Tom Hatten
“Return to Santa Mira” – An exploration of the film’s locations
“What’s In a Name?” – On the film’s title
Gallery of rare documents detailing aspects of the film’s production including the never-produced opening narration to have been read by Orson Welles
Essay by author and film programmer Kier-La Janisse
Original theatrical trailer

Buy it from Olive Films

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956) -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle

VERY Risque' Joke in 1934 John Wayne Western "BLUE STEEL" (video)

It may not seem like much now, but in 1934...

...this would've been a pretty daring scene.

The punchline DEFINITELY would've raised a few eyebrows.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

VERY Risque' Joke in 1934 John Wayne Western "BLUE STEEL" (video)

The Best Scene In "Star Trek" History? ("The Doomsday Machine", 1967) (video)

Captain Kirk (William Shatner) is aboard the wrecked starship USS Constellation...

...and has aimed it directly into the maw of a renegade war machine headed for Earth.

The ship's is rigged to explode with a 30-second delay, but the transporter is acting up...
...making this an extremely perilous course of action for Kirk.

Sol Kaplan's excellent musical score is one of the best ever written for television.

The SPFX in this episode have since been updated with CGI...
...but many Trek fans much prefer these original effects.

Some shots use a model kit replica of the Enterprise.
Dramatic license is used in the countdown to show simultaneous events.

Many Star Trek fans regard this as the series' best episode ever.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

The Best Scene In "Star Trek" History? ("The Doomsday Machine", 1967) (video)

Estelita, Charlita, and John Wayne* (video)

*(And Howard Hawks and William Beaudine)

Cuban actress Estelita Rodriguez appeared with John Wayne in Howard Hawks' "Rio Bravo" (1958).

In 1966, Estelita co-starred in "Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter"...which was directed by William Beaudine.

Beaudine had earlier directed Bela Lugosi, along with Sammy Petrillo and Duke Mitchell in "Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla" (1952), featuring actress Charlita.

Beaudine also directed "Billy the Kid Meets Dracula" in 1966--again with Charlita. 

And in 1967, Charlita appeared with John Wayne in Howard Hawks' "Rio Bravo" remake, "El Dorado." 


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Estelita, Charlita, and John Wayne* (video)