What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Some recent viewings:

The Killers (1964) - Solid remake of the '46 Robert Siodmak classic starring Lee Marvin as half of a hitman duo trying to get the bottom of why their latest target didn't run away from his impending death. Whilst this isn't as gritty as the Siodmak version, there is a lot to enjoy here. Also stars Ronald Reagan in a supporting role.

The Woman on the Beach (1947) - Beautifully and often dreamily shot noir revolving around a love triangle consisting of Robert Ryan's WWII coast guard, the stunning Joan Bennett and her moody, blind painter husband Charles Bickford.

Cool it Carol (1972) - Pete Walker's tale of two young adolescents who travel down to swinging London in order to make it big. A rags to riches tale spliced with plenty of sauciness as well as some mirror-gazing, soul-searching despair. Highly enjoyable if you like this sort of thing.

Brute Force (1947) - Burt Lancaster leads a prison revolt against a sadistic guard in this gritty noir thriller. Fantastic direction from Dassin makes for one dark and ferocious film. Recommended.

Youth of the Beast (1963) - Incredibly biased being that I am a big fan of Suzuki, and whilst Youth of the Beast isn't as well made or as powerfully engaging as some of his other work there is still a lot on offer here as Detective Tajimi plays opposing Yakuza bosses off of each other resulting in a bloody web of lies and deceit; all of which is stamped with Suzuki's trademark artistic flair.

Lesson of Evil (2012) - Miike's tale of a psychotic teacher who goes on a killing spree during his class' preparations for their annual school Halloween party is a raw and visceral experience tinged with Miike's usual wry dark humour throughout. Whilst not as flat out 'weird' as some of his films, this should still cater to Miike fans' appetites, and the ending certainly more than hints at a sequel of some sort which I'd be definitely down for.

Journey into Fear (1943) - Mediocre spy/espionage thriller starring Orson Welles which redeems itself slightly with a fairly tense climax via a window ledge hopping gunfight.

Rear Window (1954) - One of Hitch's best. A classic.

House of Strangers (1949) - A pre-cursor and perhaps inspiration (?) for The Godfather, Edward G. Robinson stars as Gino Monetti a ruthless Italian-American banker who heads and controls (to the point of repression in most cases) his family and three sons. Richard Conte also stars, further enhancing the Godfather connection.

Bloody Birthday (1981) - Evil killer children off their peers due to being born during a solar eclipse, which makes them inherently evil. Fun '80s horror with some creative kills.

Mortuary (1983) - Cheesy '80s slasher with a few red herrings along the way to unbalance the viewer and cloud their judgment in respect to predicting how the film will pan out. Fairly unique, and quite enjoyable too.

The Castle of the Living Dead (1964) - Sometimes visually stunning with some interesting sets and locations, yet there is an overbearing sense of boredom running throughout which despite some interesting characters and scenes threatens to overwhelm the film at times.

Devils of Darkness (1965) - Well-made if a little bland gothic horror revolving around a secret cult of vampires hidden beneath a small town cemetery who arise to hunt victims for their blood sacrifice rituals. Worth a look, but don't expect anything too thrilling.

Tokyo Fist (1995) - Tetsuo's Tsukamoto directs a film in which timid businessman Tsuda starts vigorously training as a boxer after suspecting his semi-professional boxer friend is having an affair with his fiancé. In true Tsukamoto style much violence, blood, and some exhaustive camera work ensue. A very personal, well-crafted story and visually stunning throughout.

Bastards (2013) - A black as pitch tale of intrigue revolving around suicide, corruption, and dysfunctional families. A tremendously powerful and haunting film from Claire Denis.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) - I actively hate myself for having not watched this sooner. A bonafide classic.

Seven Samurai (1954) - An attempt to re-appraise a 'classic', and whilst I am a big fan of Kurosawa's stylish execution and directorial flair behind the camera, Seven Samurai whilst a solid, and beautifully made film just doesn't provoke that 'connection' that it does with most people. Overly melodramatic and overly long with some downright annoying performances, I much prefer Kurosawa's more moody understated pieces such as the phenomenal High and Low.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) - Another first time watch of an often touted classic. A reserved yet powerful performance from Gregory Peck, and despite a very well-made film, I just didn't engage with this as much as I thought I would ...a little too saccharin in places perhaps. A solid film nonetheless though.

The Sting (1973) - The perfect amalgamation of light-hearted capering and the serious thrill of the con is further enhanced by the on-screen chemistry between Robert Redford and Paul Newman. Highly entertaining.

Seconds (1966) - Fantastically bleak dystopian sci-fi from John Frankenheimer. The stark black and white cinematography just exponentially enhances the mood of this dour, depressing gem of a film.

Hands of the Ripper (1971) - Hammer's twist on the Jack the Ripper tale with a solid cast and some grisly murders. Whilst not top-tier Hammer, this is a decent entry in Hammer's film canon.

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) - Leone does Yojimbo in The Wild West. Clint owns the screen here, and that is pretty much where my praise ends. Despite solid source material and a powerful lead, the film is an otherwise drab, tepid affair. Strip Eastwood out and you are left with a fairly crude and unmemorable attempt of a film.

Clue (1985) - Extremely fun 'whodunit' murder mystery based on the board game Cluedo with a comedy twist. The three different endings are also a nice touch to what is an overall enjoyable experience.

Countess Dracula (1971) - Hammer-lite offering, which is enhanced mainly via the presence of the voluptuous Ingrid Pitt as the Bathory-esque Countess, who discovers that bathing in virgin blood reverts her to a younger version of herself. Mis-sold to many at the time as a vampire film (which is perhaps the cause of its general derivation) there is certainly some enjoyment to be had here though, and the aging effects are also pretty well done.

The Flesh and Blood Show (1972) - A Pete Walker slasher, the bulk of which takes place in a dark and abandoned theatre as a troupe of young improv actors get picked off by a mysterious killer. Whilst there is nothing really new or original here this is a pretty enjoyable and atmospheric slasher with a dose of Walker madness ingrained within.

Shanks (1974) - Odd, magical, comic, but often dark little curio from William Castle. A real under seen gem that I'd urge people to seek out. If you can't feel or at least get something out of this mesmerising film then congratulations: you're more dead inside than I am, which is no mean feat.

The Girl Hunters (1963) - A big mistake having the film's writer and creator also play the hero, as whilst Mickey Spillane is a fine writer, his acting leaves a lot to be desired in as much as we often get treated to a lump of wood on screen. However, the plot and supporting cast carry the film in lieu of Spillane's tree-like tendencies, and amongst these players is future Goldfinger Bond girl Shirley Eaton who adds a bit of sizzle to the noir trappings.

Home Before Midnight (1979) - One of Pete Walker's final films, and one in which we see him step away from the horror genre to tell the tale of doomed romance between a young man and a young girl which quickly spirals out of control. Very well written and directed, it certainly provides some serious food for thought throughout. Highly recommended.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

The Sting (1973) - The perfect amalgamation of light-hearted capering and the serious thrill of the con is further enhanced by the on-screen chemistry between Robert Redford and Paul Newman. Highly entertaining.

I've never quite understood the critical acclaim given to The Sting as the pacing is all over and it's very fluffy and lightweight. I think the only reason it won the Best Picture Oscar for that year is because it was more 'audience friendly' than The Exorcist, which is much darker and the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences didn't want to set a precedent by rewarding a more hard-hitting film which is rarely described as "highly entertaining".

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I've never quite understood the critical acclaim given to The Sting as the pacing is all over and it's very fluffy and lightweight. I think the only reason it won the Best Picture Oscar for that year is because it was more 'audience friendly' than The Exorcist, which is much darker and the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences didn't want to set a precedent by rewarding a more hard-hitting film which is rarely described as "highly entertaining".

It is a little fluffy, with everything about it almost being done with a light air, (despite the often serious subject matter at play) and Robert Redford's 'loveable rogue' character plays into this theme too.

I'm beginning to understand why you're not a fan though, it having robbed The Exorcist of the golden statue that year

Although, that said, the Academy rarely acknowledges horror cinema at all, and to be honest I don't really acknowledge the Academy or their decisions so I guess that makes us even!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

It is a little fluffy, with everything about it almost being done with a light air, (despite the often serious subject matter at play) and Robert Redford's 'loveable rogue' character plays into this theme too.

I'm beginning to understand why you're not a fan though, it having robbed The Exorcist of the golden statue that year

Although, that said, the Academy rarely acknowledges horror cinema at all, and to be honest I don't really acknowledge the Academy or their decisions so I guess that makes us even!

I wouldn't mind if the film which won the Best Picture Oscar that year was a worthy winner and a great film, but The Sting isn't. In The Friedkin Connection, William Friedkin writes about the buildup to the awards:

"The Hollywood old-timers were looking for ways to deny The Exorcist too much acclaim. This is not sour grapes. My friend Jack Haley Jr. produced the Oscar show that year. He told me that it was being said among influential members of the community that "if The Exorcist wins the Best Picture Award, it will change the industry for the worse, forever.""

He goes on to say that the veteran director George Cukor was apparently leading the movement and was hosting a luncheon at his home in Beverly Hills. When he met Friedkin, "he took me aside. "You know, those rumours about me knocking your film are bullshit. I think it's a great picture." I thanked him and told him I hadn't heard the rumours. It was curious that he denied it so vehemently without my having mentioned it.""

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Although, that said, the Academy rarely acknowledges horror cinema at all, and to be honest I don't really acknowledge the Academy or their decisions so I guess that makes us even!

Most industry awards are fairly corrupt, with studios arranging screenings/parties, arranging transport that just about every voter they can, smear campaign and even, as was the case with Daniel Day Lewis for My Left Foot, having actors speak in the Senate! It has been said (and will be in the future), that Harvey Weinstein can single-handedly swing the results at the Academy Awards.

See this, for example:
Harvey Weinstein, the co-founder of Miramax and the current co-chairman of the Weinstein Company, pioneered the modern Oscar campaign. Through a mix of big schmoozy events, whisper campaigns, and old-school cold-calling, Weinstein has developed a reputation over the last 25 years for getting award nominations. The results speak for themselves, with his films having secured more than 300 Academy Award nominations to date.

For article and examples here: Harvey Weinstein’s Oscar Campaign History -- Vulture

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

I've certainly heard a lot of the stories before and as mentioned take the academy award nominees and winners with a huge pinch of salt!

[Make Them Die Slowly]

OUT OF THE FURNACE. Brooding, slow paced, blue collar drama that slowly turns into a revenge flick of meaningful looks and violence. The film relies on location and acting over plot to tell it's fairly simple story of bad choices made by good men. Recommended.

[Buboven]

The Defiant Ones (1958)

Another of Stanley Kramer's 'message movies' and a fine film at that with a small but interesting, well played role for the wolfman and Merrye family chauffeur himself, Lon Chaney Jr. On par with Judgement At Nuremberg for the characterisation. Love the ending.

9/10.

[J Harker]

So over the weekend i watched 88films new blu of Trancers. Been a long long time since I'd seen this and while enjoyable i didn't think it had aged all that well. Followed it up with Withnail and I, this film just improves for me with every viewing and Arrow's restoration is by and large amazing.
Last night i gave Val Lewton's I Walked With A Zombie a third attempt this time with Kim Newman and Stephen Jones's commentary track as suggested by Nos and Dem.

[J Harker]

"Good day to you Madame Tosspot! Would you like a little glass of something before you take your rest?"