What was the last movie you saw?

[Jeffbert]

Last Man on Earth (1964) Italian-made, & very well done. Much more sad than THE OMEGA MAN, both adapted from I AM LEGEND. This Vincent Price film also has a flashback sequence, to establish the details of the near end of humanity. Sad, because of the deaths of Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price)'s wife and child are depicted, including their withering away sufferings. Also sad because the leader of the 'vampires' is the guy who was both a coworker and best friend of Morgan. Unlike THE OMEGA MAN, this film lacks the hopeful ending.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Richard Matheson wasn't happy with it, and used a pseudonym for his screenplay, but I agree that it's the best adaptation of his novel.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Enter the Devil (1972)

Leisurely but engaging low budget regional shocker. In southwest Texas, near the Mexican border, folks disappear, their bodies found later. We know pretty quickly this is the work of a fanatical cult. Not Satanists, despite the title, but an extreme version of Christian Penitentes (a sect found in the southwestern states up until the middle of the 20th century who practiced flagellation and such, although they certainly didn't kill people.) The acting is better than usual for this kind of thing, the desert scenery has stark beauty, and you won't predict what happens to some of the characters. Not a great masterpiece, but not bad at all.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Rat Fink (1965)

The story goes that this low budget film was thought to be lost for more than half a century. It turns out to be something of a hidden gem, in its own B movie way. Any discussion would lessen the impact of many of its scenes, so fair warning.

Spoiler

Our antihero is first seen riding the rails. He and an older married woman, whose husband isn't around, mutually seduce each other. He then immediately runs off with her money.

Next, he sees a singing star surrounded by screaming teenage girls. In order to get him out of the way so he can start his own career, he sets fire to his car while he's in it, sending him to the hospital with third-degree burns He then makes his way to the burnt fellow's manager and lies his way into getting an audition. Since he really can sing and the manager needs a new act, he's on his way.

As a superstar, he seduces an underage girl. Keep her in mind. Along the way, he rapes the much younger wife of his manager, who comes after him with a knife but falls down the stairs to her death.

Back to the underage girl. She's pregnant, so he sends her to a veterinarian (!) who does illegal abortions in the back room. She runs away from that situation, so he says he'll marry her. Instead, he murders her.

Showing that somewhere inside his psychopathic skull he still has some touch of humanity, this drives him over the edge, and he winds up killing himself in a car crash.

Wow. It's beautifully filmed (by future Oscar winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond) and decently acted for a cheap independent production. It reminds me of Harlan Ellison's 1961 novel Spider Kiss (originally published as Rockabilly) in the way it follows the rise and fall of a pop music star who is a rotten person; but the guy in this movie is even more rotten.

Recommended for those who don't mind old black-and-white melodramas with a kick.

 

[Jeffbert]

Rat Fink (1965)

The story goes that this low budget film was thought to be lost for more than half a century. It turns out to be something of a hidden gem, in its own B movie way. Any discussion would lessen the impact of many of its scenes, so fair warning.

Spoiler

Our antihero is first seen riding the rails. He and an older married woman, whose husband isn't around, mutually seduce each other. He then immediately runs off with her money.

Next, he sees a singing star surrounded by screaming teenage girls. In order to get him out of the way so he can start his own career, he sets fire to his car while he's in it, sending him to the hospital with third-degree burns He then makes his way to the burnt fellow's manager and lies his way into getting an audition. Since he really can sing and the manager needs a new act, he's on his way.

As a superstar, he seduces an underage girl. Keep her in mind. Along the way, he rapes the much younger wife of his manager, who comes after him with a knife but falls down the stairs to her death.

Back to the underage girl. She's pregnant, so he sends her to a veterinarian (!) who does illegal abortions in the back room. She runs away from that situation, so he says he'll marry her. Instead, he murders her.

Showing that somewhere inside his psychopathic skull he still has some touch of humanity, this drives him over the edge, and he winds up killing himself in a car crash.

Wow. It's beautifully filmed (by future Oscar winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond) and decently acted for a cheap independent production. It reminds me of Harlan Ellison's 1961 novel Spider Kiss (originally published as Rockabilly) in the way it follows the rise and fall of a pop music star who is a rotten person; but the guy in this movie is even more rotten.

Recommended for those who don't mind old black-and-white melodramas with a kick.

When I was a kid, there were these weird-faced drawings of what I recall were called RAT FINKS. They all had huge, bloodshot eyes, tongues hanging out, many were depicted driving equally weird cars, trucks, etc. Some model kits were made of them. ED ROTH was associated with them. eBay has tons of RF stuff!

 

[Toby Frost]

American Pie (1999)

Four school friends try to have sex before they leave for university. This is a crude but actually quite kindly comedy, whose coarseness is balanced out by charm and sentimentality. It's still very funny at points, and the more grotesque, minor characters are great: Eugene Levy and Alyson Hannigan are great. Jason Biggs is very good as Jim, the closest thing it has to a hero. If it's got a major flaw, it's that the two more "normal" friends and their stories aren't as interesting as the madder adventures of Jim and his friend Finch. Good stuff.

 

[ablackenedrose]

Pale Rider (1985)

A small community of gold prospectors who are fighting to keep their claim from being taken over by a greedy business owner ends up crossing paths with an unnamed man wearing a preacher's collar. Things eventually escalate into full-blown violence when neither side is willing to budge.

Among Clint Eastwood's Westerns, Pale Rider tends to be one of the less-remembered ones, at least in my experience. Having now seen it for myself, well... I can see why. It's not a bad movie by any means, but it's not outstanding, either. Performances are solid throughout and the main villains are loathsome bastards whose eventual deaths are quite satisfying, but the plot isn't really anything you haven't seen before and it wasn't such even in 1985.

That said, there are far, far worse ways to spend a couple of hours, and I quite the enjoy the movie's unwillingness to say exactly what the preacher is - there's a pretty big hint dropped in one scene that he's not human, and one of the villains seems to both know him and be very surprised to see him. The exact details aren't given, though, and the movie's better for it.

 

[KGeo777]

PREMATURE BURIAL 1962 - A Corman Poe Price film without Vincent Price. Ray Milland is ok but there's something a little underwhelming to the festivities--I always forget what happens in it. It feels a little on the cheap side compared to the other Corman films of the period.

SUPER BITCH 1973 -- Ivan Rassimov is a government agent who plays criminals against each other and also his employers. The SB of the title is Mama the Turk, a matriarchal mob boss. Or, considering how it ends, it might actually be Stephanie Beacham. If one ever wondered if she did nude scenes--this movie will end the deliberation.

 

[dask]

Not as convoluted as some early musicals but still fun to watch. Great music, fabulous dancing, and since most of the action takes place in a high end dress shop, lots of 1930s fashion with models a lot healthier looking than today’s carrot carriers.

 

[Jeffbert]

A Bridge Too Far (1977) A three, count 'em, 3 hour epic, detailing not only the generals, but also some front-line guys. As an American, myself, I was never too thrilled by Monty; though having spent my 1st 40 years living in a Maryland county named after him.

Anyway, it is 1944, and Gen. Montgomery devises a daring plan that should, if successful, end the war in Europe by Christmas. He intends to drop paratroopers along a certain road in Holland at its 6, count 'em six bridges, and capture and hold those bridges, so the tanks can roll along, right across all 6, the 6th being over the Rhine river, right into Germany. 6 bridges; hence, the title.

I am assuming that there was quite the heated discussions at the upper levels, that is, Eisenhower, Patton, & Montgomery, the latter two having different plans, while the former, keeping those two from bringing the house down on them. Poor Eisenhower, more a political guy, than strategic, so I have read, anyway. Regardless, this drama was not depicted in this film, it might have been 4 hours long, if it had.

So, in the film, it had already been decided to go with Montgomery's plan; despite the fact that if any one of those bridges was not captured intact, the whole chain is broken.

I had seen this long ago, and remember not much. Too many things went wrong, and many were depicted here. One of which, was that the radios were made for the wrong frequency. Difficult to imagine now, but they relied upon crystal oscillators for the frequencies the radios would receive/transmit. Not only that, but the range of transmission/ reception was very limited. So, they drop at the designated spot, but cannot communicate with the guys at the base. Bad because the air drop of supplies ends up in the enemy's camp.

I found the film not overly long, given the details covered. All star cast, & more than a few names unfamiliar to me.

 

[Randy M.]

The Vampire Lovers (1970)

Not the first adaptation of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's famous 1871 lesbian vampire novella Carmilla and not the last. Best described as Classy Exploitation. There is frequent nudity on the part of several lovely young women, and the film doesn't shy away from the physical passion the female vampire feels for her female victims. (In the story, of course, this was strictly emotional.) The vampire doesn't bite her girlfriends on the neck, but quite a bit lower down. Very nicely filmed, with fine sets and costumes and a few very effectively moody scenes. Polish-born Ingrid Pitt, with her Eastern European accent and cool demeanor (although she has moments of strong emotion) almost comes across as a Bela Lugosi style vampire (if Lugosi had been a beautiful, voluptuous woman.)

Just watched this for the second time. Somehow I hadn't remembered all the nudity, except for the scene where Pitt and Madeline Smith drop tops and bounce their anachronisms over and around a bed. It never occurred to me back then that nudity in films could ever look quaint.

I'm never sure just how to assess Hammer actress' abilities, though several went on to long careers, since Hammer roles aren't usually deep and could be named "Pretty lady 1," "Pretty lady 2"... The only exceptions that come to mind are Martine Beswick in "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde" and Pitt in this one. She had a real presence and it comes to the fore when she's seducing Emma (Smith), the second victim we see in the movie and the one Carmilla appears most emotionally drawn to.

Anyway, nudity aside, this one strikes me as relatively faithful to "Carmilla," in spirit if not letter.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Stand by Me, 1985. This is one I've been meaning to watch forever, since I'm a fan of Wil Wheaton. I think most people are familiar with it, but it's something of a coming of age story in which four boys go on a weekend hike to find the dead body of a boy their age. Good music and interesting relationship dynamics -- Chris looking out for Gordie reminded me strongly of Ben Affleck's character trying to push Matt Damon's in Good Will Hunting, the 'dumb tough' recognizing his friend had talent/gifts and pushing him to make the most of it.

I was never a particular fan of WW in Star Trek TNG. I went to a Star Trek convention in Birmingham a few years ago and got a free ticket to a talk hosted by him, and went to it because there was nothing better on.

It ended up being a highlight of the show, and apart from the Sulu/Chekhov talk was the best of them all. WW came across as an intelligent articulate person with a real live and passion for his role.

Having revisited TNG since, I realise that his character was poorly dealt with by the script writers, and on the odd occasion he did get a good storyline, he did well.

 

[dask]

Stanley Kubrick has come a long way since his first film. Because Kubrick is such an important and creative filmmaker I’m glad I finally got to watch it but this initial foray into big screen cinema never quite grabbed me. The urgency of the predicament these four American servicemen found themselves in (marooned behind enemy lines) never seemed to overcome their rather blasé response to it, and the dialogue sounded funny as if it were translated from a foreign language. Interestingly the screenwriter did win a Pulitzer years later. A curio for the curious but I doubt I’ll watch it again like I do other Kubrick films.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

I understand that Kubrick himself wasn't pleased with it in later years.

The leading lady later played "Jan in the Pan" in MST3K favorite The Brain That Wouldn't Die.

 

[KGeo777]

Wesley Crusher was a bad character from the start. I hear Wil Wheaton's commentary for the show are very interesting though.

Victoria Vetri is the most resourceful of Hammer leading ladies--she tames a dinosaur, she builds her own hut, she gets her own food.
The three best in acting I would say were Hazel Court (the first Hammer scream queen-she did some screaming), Barbara Shelley, and Veronica Carlson.
Lesley-Anne Down might be the one who had the most sustained career boost after appearing in a Hammer film in a tiny part.

THE TINGLER 1959 - Not a favorite Price film but amuses enough for a rewatch.

LUCKY THE INSCRUTABLE 1967 - as it is a Jess Franco film, its reputation precedes it.

It's terrible.

 

[Randy M.]

Victoria Vetri is the most resourceful of Hammer leading ladies--she tames a dinosaur, she builds her own hut, she gets her own food.
The three best in acting I would say were Hazel Court (the first Hammer scream queen-she did some screaming), Barbara Shelley, and Veronica Carlson.
Lesley-Anne Down might be the one who had the most sustained career boost after appearing in a Hammer film in a tiny part.

Thanks for reminding me of Court and Carlson.

I'm not sure why, but I tend to think of Shelley as sui generis. She wasn't a Hammer actress in the way Vetri, Pitt, Julie Ege or Madeline Smith, she was an actress who worked for Hammer between other jobs. I'm not at all sure that's an accurate impression, though, and maybe the same could be said for Martine Beswick. By the mid- to late '60s, it seems the emphasis was more on young, busty, good looking, than on acting ability.

That said, Smith, Stephanie Beacham, and several others have lengthy filmographies in IMDB, so I may be fulla baloney.

 

[KGeo777]

Thanks for reminding me of Court and Carlson.

I'm not sure why, but I tend to think of Shelley as sui generis. She wasn't a Hammer actress in the way Vetri, Pitt, Julie Ege or Madeline Smith, she was an actress who worked for Hammer between other jobs.

Shelley did other things but she did the most Hammer films. 6? Don't believe anyone else is competitive for lead speaking roles.


Vetri only did one film for Hammer. I only meant it as a joke that compared to other damsel parts--she is the most resourceful.

Beswick was also doing many non-Hammer things. James Bond etc.

I am not sure who if any actually started with them. I don't think Hammer did anything like "and introducing...."

 

[Harpo]

Yesterday in my local charity shop I found a DVD of Captain Marvel, which I hadn’t seen before.
Watched it, and it’s great fun. Highlights for me were seeing young Nick Fury, and of course that cat.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

Marvellous psychological gothic thriller. Davis and Crawford are wonderful as the feuding siblings (who supposedly had an ongoing feud themselves), but it is Victor Buono (King Tut from Batman) who really steals the show. At times quite humorous, at others intensely disturbing. Great camerawork and soundtrack, and a very well executed plot.

 

[Mon0Zer0]

Evil Dead Rise

Very well made horror twist on the Evil Dead formula. Plenty of Sam Raimiesque kinetic camerawork balanced with some polished performances, creepy cinematography and set dressing. I love a good dutch angle and this has them in spades. It doesn't skimp on the gore or the Evil Dead weirdness but it suffers in comparison to the best of the series by lacking the slapstick of Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness. Still worth a watch, though.