Hey folks, Harry here – sorry for the delay on the first half of this months picks and peeks. Had a fairly insane week, plus Batman kinda distracted me. Heh. There’s some nice stuff here and some really great titles that – frankly until I got the screeners, I’d never heard of – but holy shit were they great. I’m working on the rest of the list now – and will have it up for you as soon as I can. Here ya go…
Tuesday, June 7th, 2005
HOUSE OF BAMBOO
Sam Fuller rules – and here’s another reason why. Shot in gorgeous CinemaScope and centering around Robert Stack and a brilliant Robert Ryan in a gangster film that just kicks a whole helluvalot of ass. Now – one thing is to just let the film kick ya in the balls when you least expect it. Shot in Japan and using that gorgeous widescreen – Fuller makes sure the film never loses its balls, and well… this centers around essentially an American yakuza type group headed by Robert Ryan that Fuller literally ripped right out of newspaper headlines at the time and turned it into this tale. Great film beautifully presented.
IMAGINARY HEROES
Directed by Dan Harris, of X2 and SUPERMAN… well, Dan made a helluva first film. Sigourney Weaver is outstanding in the film. The basic situation is a fucked up dysfunctional family with a million and two things wrong. All the unsaid things. Sigourney is wild in the film and absolutely delicious. Her character is so alive and fun… really the best thing she’s done in quite a while. Funny, sad and excellent.
THE MACHINIST
Christian Bale is amazing in BATMAN BEGINS… but… He’s even better here. One thing that you kinda have to marvel at is this. Bale went from this movie and this physical shape… to what you see in BATMAN. Beyond that though – this is just a very good film from Brad Anderson – in particular I really like Jennifer Jason Leigh. Remarkable work.
THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS
This is a great World War II film… not one about front lines or action… this is about espionage, but not the James Bond, hot babes and lighter laser type… Rather – this is a full on intellectual military espionage thriller - where Clifton Webb has hatched a plan to help fool Hitler and the Nazis into thinking the invasion is going to come from anywhere but where it was coming from. All with the use of a dead body. Fascinating story. Great neat film.
THE MINI-SKIRT MOB / CHROME & HOT LEATHER
I’m pretty sure this isn’t a pair of brilliant flicks. In fact they don’t have the best reputations… but ya know what – those two titles do it for me. And I just have to see what the story is with THE MINI-SKIRT MOB – I know I’ll be disappointed, but ya know maybe there is something fun at the heart of one of these two. This is one of the experiments of the month for me.
NIGHTMARE ALLEY
One of the greatest Noirs made. I love this movie. Tyrone Power is one of those stars that I love… from THE RAZOR’S EDGE to THE BLACK SWAN to WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION and for now the one I’m gaga in love with… NIGHTMARE ALLEY. Set in the role of Carny Sideshow Cons and Gabbing. If you love CARNIVALE – then you should absolutely love this.
OUTER LIMITS – THE ORIGINAL SERIES – Season 1
The original season. 32 episodes. GALAXY BEING, HUNDRED DAYS OF THE DRAGON, ARCHITECTS OF FEAR, SIXTH FINGER, NIGHTMAR, ZANTI MISFITS and so much more. The first two seasons of OUTER LIMITS are geek essentials. These are required knowledge for being a sci-fi geek.
OUTER LIMITS – THE ORIGINAL SERIES – Season 2
DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND, INVISIBLE ENEMY, WOLF 359, I ROBOT, THE INHERITORS and SOLDIER. Ok? Oh and 10 other great episodes. A brilliant second season that any lover of Science Fiction must have.
ROCK & RULE
It’s ROCK & RULE. You either know it – or you don’t. If you do, then this insane wonder is making you smile. If not, I mourn for you. I can’t believe they made a 2 disc DVD for this film. Tons of extras – Making of, Commentary, sketches, additional animated short film, the script, another title sequence and a look at some of the work print. The music both rocks and rules featuring Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Lou Reed, Cheap Trick and Earth,Wind & Fire!! Awesome 2 dvd set.
RONIN GAI
Incredibly Intense Samurai film that also features the last performance of Shintaro Katsu – known best for his ZATOICHI series, but for me… His HANZO THE RAZOR has completely dominated my love for this performer. Miike was an AD on this film – but this is about a group of roguish drunk unemployed Samurai that must protect the prostitutes from these murdering bastard evil fucking samurai. Pre-dates Eastwood’s Cowboy version of this story – and depending if you prefer Samurai or Cowboys – your enjoyment will be dependent. The end is fucking amazing. Really great film. You won’t regret checking it out!
SEED OF CHUCKY
Filthy, Depraved, Glorious. I love SEED OF CHUCKY, from the exciting journey through a possessed doll’s vagina and following Chucky’s sperm to the creation of his bouncing baby “it”. This version is more filthy than the original, more violent. The extras are hilarious and well… it’s just exactly what a film titled SEED OF CHUCKY should be. Heh.
THE STREET WITH NO NAME
Ahhh… another great Richard Widmark noir! Here he plays a FBI that is looking to purge his city of “the mob” and he is applying all sorts of “new” investigative techniques. If you’re a noir junkie this is one to add to the collection. Very good film.
UNDER THE FLAG OF THE RISING SUN
Ya know what I love about BATTLE ROYALE? It woke me up to Kinji Fukasaku. I knew the name from GREEN SLIME – one of those childhood films that I adored. But I just assumed he was a schlocky junky filmmaker – then I saw BATTLE ROYALE and it changed everything. I became obsessed with finding every film of his I could get my hand on. And folks – this man was a genius. Flat out. You get that YAKUZA PAPERS box set that Home Video put out – and you’ll see one of the great crime series of all times. This? This movie is flat out brilliant. At one level it is very much like RASHOMON in structure – it is an investigation by a widow to clear her executed husband of the shameful stigma he died with. The film is an unblinking and viscerally powerful film about what survival of a soldier that witnessed the true horrors of WWII. MUST BE SEEN!
WHAT’S NEW PUSSYCAT
Peter O’Toole, Peter Sellers and Woody Allen in an insane film about uncontrollable horniness… aka the male existence. Now this is a typical MGM dvd where they just give ya the film – I’d have loved to have heard Woody talk about this, the first film to introduce Woody to the film going public – I don’t think that will ever really be likely though… so I can bitch, but I don’t think it’ll be fixed. And frankly – the film is the star – and it is beautifully presented here.
Tuesday, June 14th, 2005
The Bette Davis Collection ( THE STAR / MR. SKEFFINGTON / DARK VICTORY / NOW, VOYAGER / THE LETTER )
The first of the two fantastic Warner Brothers DVD collections this month. I really enjoyed MR. SKEFFINGTON – had never seen it before – and watching Claude Rains and Bette Davis working on screen together is such a joy. Added to that you have Vincent Sherman – the director of the film doing commentary – and how often to do you get genuine vintage filmmakers doing commentaries? A rare treat indeed. THE LETTER is included in this set, and I’ve spoken of it before – BRILLIANT film. Absolutely love it. NOW, VOYAGER is a great Bette Davis film – and I love the extras of Max Steiner’s scoring session cues, though the radio drama version on THE LETTER is pretty damn aces too. DARK VICTORY is, of course, just one of those films where you sit there and bask in the glow of a performer at the height of her powers. Bette Davis in DARK VICTORY is just wow. And Bogie is awesome as well. I haven’t watched THE STAR yet, it’s sitting there waiting to treat me, but the other 4 were great and so far on these Warner boxes… there are no turkeys.
CASINO (Widescreen 10th Anniversary Edition)
I love this film… Seems most of the film going world prefers GOODFELLAS – and while the highlight moments of that film are spectacular – I prefer this film to that one… and I know that is an unpopular opinion. Now this 10th Anniversary DVD is loaded with interviews with everyone, behind the scenes, deleted scenes…. In other words… for us geeks that love Scorsese – this is the way to own this film. Great DVD for a great Film!
DANGER: DIABOLIK
Of all the films coming out this month – this is the one I’m most looking forward to. One, it’s cheaper than it should be. Two John Phillip Law commentary. And all sorts of extras! Now, people often times talk about all sorts of films being the “best comic book adaptation” – well in my book, Mario Bava’s adaptation of the Italian comic DANGER: DIABOLIK… is way the hell up there! One, John Phillip Law is a superhero in face, form and action. Two – it’s like a live action INCREDIBLES minus the super powers. I mean… when you check out his underground headquarters… It is AMAZING. I can’t possibly say enough about this film. From the costumes, music, action, stylized everything. It’s just wonderful. Diabolik is what David Niven in THE PINK PANTHER or Cary Grant in TO CATCH A THIEF dream they were. Oh – and a fucking killer Ennio Morricone score.
A DIRTY SHAME (NC-17 Theatrical Version)
Loved this film from John Waters. Sex addicts taking over the town… every day I wake hoping it’s the day… ever since I saw FLESH GORDON, I have wanted to see this wondrous perversion come to pass. And the knocking head injury kick off to sexual decency (heh) is just fantastic. And I really really like Johnny Knoxville… but let’s face it… this is about Selma Blair and that set of magnificent fake ta-tas. Glorious. Wonderful film. HILARIOUS. And oh so right. Personally though, if you love Waters, the box set later on… that’s the one to get.
GATCHAMAN Collector’s Box
This is the first box in a 7 box run from ADV films that’s going to release all 105 Episodes of the original GATCHAMAN series. Most Americans know BATTLE OF THE PLANETS – here you get 10 episodes in Japanese and English – tons of extras and that gorgeous Alex Ross box… I love that Alex Ross has a BATTLE OF THE PLANETS fetish and a Wonder Twins passion. And loves the Queen FLASH GORDON. Heh. This is the first of 7 purchases for us with the love for it.
H G WELLS’ THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
The film that terrifies Paramount and Steven Spielberg! NOT! The only good thing that can be said about the film was that it attempted to get the period right. But FAILED MISERABLY. It wants to be faithful, but it never concentrated on thrills, quality, performances… ya know, that stuff that makes a movie a movie and amateurs amateurs. A curiosity item best avoided. But again, I know some of you want to check this out. You’ll be sorry.
HEAVEN CAN WAIT (Criterion Collection)
Ernest Lubitsche… one of the greatest directors of all time, and now we get one of his greatest films, HEAVEN CAN WAIT in the Criterion Treatment. First off… there’s the film. This isn’t the film Beatty’s film of the same title was based on, that was HERE COMES MR JORDAN. This film, in my opinion, is far more delicious. Here a man, played sublimely by Don Ameche, is trying to convince Satan to let him spend eternity in Hell, cause he surely deserves it for the life he feels he’s lived. And, this is a comedy, and such a comedy. God. Lubitsche was in fantastic form here. I’m betting most of you have never seen this film, but it is one of the finest of its type ever made. I like it as a double feature with Preston Sturges’ UNFAITHFULLY YOURS. Both are great comedic reflections and explorations that are simply hilarious. The features on the dvd have interviews with the screenwriter Samson Raphaelson, Ernest’s home piano recordings and much more. Great DVD. Even Better film.
JAWS (30th Anniversary Edition)
Getting the original soundtrack of the film on this dvd makes it totally worthwhile to replace the old 25th Anniversary Edition – you also get the full documentary… but frankly it is a bit of a shame that this doc that Quint’s been big-eyed over wasn’t done in time for inclusion on this dvd. But no matter – getting the original sound is what I’m after. Specially because I want some of the original dialogue that they covered up in the remix… FOR SHAME!
The Joan Crawford Collection (HUMORESQUE / POSSESSED / THE DAMNED DON’T CRY / THE WOMEN / MILDRED PIERCE )
The second great Warner Brothers Box Set of the month. This one with Joan Crawford’s features. Each and every dvd has extras. HUMORESQUE has a featurette on the Music of the film. POSSESSED has commentary and a feature on Possessed’s place in film noir – where they try to make the case of it being the Quintessential film of the genre… In my opinion something they didn’t need to do. The film is strong, but it ain’t all that. Then one of the surprises on the box for me was how great THE DAMNED DON’T CRY is. In particular I love the featurette with interviews with its director Vincent Sherman (disc also has his commentary) and it’s great to see one of these old time directors doing extras on a dvd. THE WOMEN and MILDRED PIERCE are the best films in the box – with MILDRED PIERCE being the very best. You really have to just sit back and take it in. Fantastic film – and the feature length documentary on JOAN CRAWFORD on that dvd is just great. If MOMMY DEAREST didn’t totally ruin your impression of Joan – this set will give you new found respect and admiration for one of our best actresses!
John Waters Collection ( A DIRTY SHAME [NC-17], DESPERATE LIVING / FEMALE TROUBLE / HAIRSPRAY / PECKER / PINK FLAMINGOS / POLYESTER )
Ok – I had A DIRTY SHAME listed as a stand alone up above… but this is such a great box for those with a Waters fetish. This is kind of a collection of the best (most profane) John Waters films, both classic and modern. Now – why get this set… well first there’s the films. Crude, Trashy, Filthy, Profane… and oddly wholesome. But for the true Waters fan, the real cool treat is the 8th Disc… JOHN WATERS DVD SCRAPBOOK. What’s in a John Waters Scrapbook… probably things you’d never touch without sterilization first. But nothing I’m going to say to a non-convert will convert them. You get Waters or you don’t, it’s that simple. Great box.
MAN-THING
I include this here merely as an illustration. Why does this exist? This film is a total piece of shit. Now, I don’t know who out there has read MAN-THING comic stories… but this should have been placed in a Horror Filmmaker’s hands, not one of the worst directors in the history of schlock. If you wanted to do a cheap version of MAN-THING – hell – give Roger Corman’s group $5 million – and he’ll give ya a helluva fun flick. But it seems they wanted a half-assed shit version. So why is it here? Well, there are those of us Comic / Film fans that have a morbid fascination with all the shitty versions of our favorite comics.
PRIME CUT
This is one of those lost great exploitive films of old that I just freakin’ love. Lee Marvin places a Mob Collection Expert that has to settle a debt with a freaking great flesh peddler played by Gene Hackman… and the prime cut of the title is young Sissy Spacek. This is an exceptional film. A film that I’m praying to god Craig Brewer tops with BLACK SNAKE MOAN. But the cast here is so good, and this film is one of those 70s mean as hell bizarre flicks that you’d never believe existed till you see it, then you question why on earth you haven’t heard of this before. Then you’ll show it to people to prove you’re not insane. I love this movie.
THE REIVERS
Personally I think this is my favorite William Faulkner movie. McQueen is great, but what I love most is Burgess Meredith’s fantastic narration. But then there’s a part of me that just absolutely loves southern gothic tragedies like this and Laughton’s NIGHT OF THE HUNTER or TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD or even the one I was in, BALLAD OF THE SAD CAFÉ. Though this is much better than that one. If you’re a McQueen fan and haven’t seen this film, it sort of gives ya a different look at McQueen… one really worth discovering. Wish this had tons of extras.
SASQUATCH HORROR COLLECTION ( SASQUATCH- THE LEGEND OF BIGFOOT, SNOW CREATURE and SNOWBEAST )
Ok – these 3 movies are pretty rotten… terrible make-up, worse acting and far worse plots. But ya know what? With the exception of HARRY & THE HENDERSONS, that’s what I expect out of a BigFoot movie. And for some perverse reason Sasquatch flicks make me giggle like a little boy farting. SNOW CREATURE is a doozy.
Lucio Fulci’s TOUCH OF DEATH
Next March when Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez come out with their “GRINDHOUSE” I’d bet my bottom dollar that Quentin is going to do his ode to Lucio Fulci – something so excruciatingly vile and violent that well… we should all cheer. And it’s all because of films like this one. Here you have a basic serial killer cannibal storyline that is meaty enough for any gorehound to seek their sick teeth into.
