Needs the faked moon landing.
movies
- tepista
- Foul-Mouthed Werewolf
- Posts: 37907
- Joined: 16 Jun 2008, 11:25am
- Location: Livin on a fault line, Waiting on the big one
Re: movies
We reach the parts other combos cannot reach
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
- Dr. Medulla
- Atheistic Epileptic
- Posts: 116562
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
- Location: Straight Banana, Idaho
Re: movies
"Grab some wood, bub.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
- tepista
- Foul-Mouthed Werewolf
- Posts: 37907
- Joined: 16 Jun 2008, 11:25am
- Location: Livin on a fault line, Waiting on the big one
Re: movies
The Cursed (2021) In 19th century France, some aristocrats slaughter a band of gypsies over a land dispute. The ensuing curse plagues the youth, first with nightmares, then an attack from very demonic looking werewolf! The town looks to hire someone with experience in the matter. Pretty good, and serious werewolf pic with lots of severed hands and feet! I read the title was meant to be “Eight for Silver” which would have been much better than the generic name that was settled on. Remember Wes Craven’s stinker with the same name?
X (2022) The cast and crew of a porn shoot in a farmhouse in rural Texas are in for a surprise from the house across the way. Ti West finally hits the mark he’s come so close to several times before. Like House of the Devil, this one does take some time for the horror engine to start running, but for some reason coked-up porno actors can hold my interest longer than a college girl wondering if she’s got the proper credentials to babysit! Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness) was great in the lead, and Jenna Ortega (Scream) is beginning to earn a solid place in scream queendom. Best movie of the the year frontrunner for sure, best theatrically released slasher in who knows how long. Watch the credits until the end.
XX (2017) Anthology with four shorts, all from female directors. In “The Box” a young boy gets a peak into a stranger’s gift box on a train and loses his appetite, which spreads to the family. This stars the mom from The Strain. In “The Birthday Cake” the main lady from Yellowjackets tries to hide her husband’s corpse before a houseful of children show up. “Don’t Fall” is from one of the segment directors of the outstanding Southbound, and it’s a “something’s out there” type-story, the best of the bunch. “Her Only Living Son” is from the director of Jennifer's Body, about a mom who wonders why her ruthlessly mean kid gets preferential treatment from everyone. The second two stories were better than the first two, overall mediocre, nothing to watch twice.
XXX (2002) Vin Deisel jumps out of airplanes and…I’m just kidding, you would have to pay me to watch that shit.
Studio 666 (2022) Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters play themselves, a band trying to record a new album in a mansion where another rock band got slaughtered in many years ago, and it’s not long before history repeats. The good: Gory as fuck. There was a nod to Last House on the Left, by way of character names. It featured a song called “The Lumberjack” which I hadn’t thought about in 30 some-odd years, that made for a fun slash scene. The bad: It’s a comedy and the jokes aren’t funny. Dave is in almost every scene, and when there’s a group of people talking, about 85% of the dialog goes to him, which I found annoying. Also with comedians Whitney Cummings and Will Forte, and the girl who seems to be in every movie I watch, Jenna Ortega.
Naked Girl Murdered in the Park (1972) A man is found murdered at an amusement park only hours after taking out a million dollar life insurance policy, and a claims adjuster gets close to the family to dig around. Not a rough task, the two sisters and the mom were all gorgeous. Middle of the pack giallo with only a few murders, but highlighted by some good nudity and a great leading lady, Pilar Velazquez.
Sartana’s Here… Trade Your Pistol for a Coffin (1970) Giallo mainstay George Hilton takes over the title role of the bounty hunter dressed in black, in this third film in a series of five. This one has a comedic tone that the previous entries didn’t, but still has a high body count, gambling, and back-stabbing over stolen gold. Also with another horror veteran, Erika Blanc.
Big Bad Wolves (2013) A suspended cop and a mystery man have their sights on a suspected pedophile/murderer and anything that can go wrong probably will. The less you know about this one the better, but what a ride. Not a comedy, but it manages to successfully incorporate legitimate humor into its ghastly brutal premise. This Israeli crime drama was co-directed by the guys who did another great one a few years earlier, Kalevet, which I think I’d like to see again now. Probably the only two Isrelei movies I’d ever seen.
The Rift (1990) 1989/90 was the big boom on underwater horror, this one might be the worst. A submarine crew looks for another sub that had gone missing, then it turns into an Alien rip-off. Jack Scalia and his giant head of blow-dried hair is the lead, and performances by R Lee Ermy and Ray Wise unfortunately couldn’t pull this one out of the abyss. (get it?) J.P. Simon (Pieces, Slugs) directs. No sex, mediocre creature FX, a little gore was not so bad.
X (2022) The cast and crew of a porn shoot in a farmhouse in rural Texas are in for a surprise from the house across the way. Ti West finally hits the mark he’s come so close to several times before. Like House of the Devil, this one does take some time for the horror engine to start running, but for some reason coked-up porno actors can hold my interest longer than a college girl wondering if she’s got the proper credentials to babysit! Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness) was great in the lead, and Jenna Ortega (Scream) is beginning to earn a solid place in scream queendom. Best movie of the the year frontrunner for sure, best theatrically released slasher in who knows how long. Watch the credits until the end.
XX (2017) Anthology with four shorts, all from female directors. In “The Box” a young boy gets a peak into a stranger’s gift box on a train and loses his appetite, which spreads to the family. This stars the mom from The Strain. In “The Birthday Cake” the main lady from Yellowjackets tries to hide her husband’s corpse before a houseful of children show up. “Don’t Fall” is from one of the segment directors of the outstanding Southbound, and it’s a “something’s out there” type-story, the best of the bunch. “Her Only Living Son” is from the director of Jennifer's Body, about a mom who wonders why her ruthlessly mean kid gets preferential treatment from everyone. The second two stories were better than the first two, overall mediocre, nothing to watch twice.
XXX (2002) Vin Deisel jumps out of airplanes and…I’m just kidding, you would have to pay me to watch that shit.
Studio 666 (2022) Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters play themselves, a band trying to record a new album in a mansion where another rock band got slaughtered in many years ago, and it’s not long before history repeats. The good: Gory as fuck. There was a nod to Last House on the Left, by way of character names. It featured a song called “The Lumberjack” which I hadn’t thought about in 30 some-odd years, that made for a fun slash scene. The bad: It’s a comedy and the jokes aren’t funny. Dave is in almost every scene, and when there’s a group of people talking, about 85% of the dialog goes to him, which I found annoying. Also with comedians Whitney Cummings and Will Forte, and the girl who seems to be in every movie I watch, Jenna Ortega.
Naked Girl Murdered in the Park (1972) A man is found murdered at an amusement park only hours after taking out a million dollar life insurance policy, and a claims adjuster gets close to the family to dig around. Not a rough task, the two sisters and the mom were all gorgeous. Middle of the pack giallo with only a few murders, but highlighted by some good nudity and a great leading lady, Pilar Velazquez.
Sartana’s Here… Trade Your Pistol for a Coffin (1970) Giallo mainstay George Hilton takes over the title role of the bounty hunter dressed in black, in this third film in a series of five. This one has a comedic tone that the previous entries didn’t, but still has a high body count, gambling, and back-stabbing over stolen gold. Also with another horror veteran, Erika Blanc.
Big Bad Wolves (2013) A suspended cop and a mystery man have their sights on a suspected pedophile/murderer and anything that can go wrong probably will. The less you know about this one the better, but what a ride. Not a comedy, but it manages to successfully incorporate legitimate humor into its ghastly brutal premise. This Israeli crime drama was co-directed by the guys who did another great one a few years earlier, Kalevet, which I think I’d like to see again now. Probably the only two Isrelei movies I’d ever seen.
The Rift (1990) 1989/90 was the big boom on underwater horror, this one might be the worst. A submarine crew looks for another sub that had gone missing, then it turns into an Alien rip-off. Jack Scalia and his giant head of blow-dried hair is the lead, and performances by R Lee Ermy and Ray Wise unfortunately couldn’t pull this one out of the abyss. (get it?) J.P. Simon (Pieces, Slugs) directs. No sex, mediocre creature FX, a little gore was not so bad.
Last edited by tepista on 25 Mar 2022, 12:38pm, edited 2 times in total.
We reach the parts other combos cannot reach
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
- Flex
- Mechano-Man of the Future
- Posts: 35938
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
- Location: The Information Superhighway!
Re: movies
In my house, we brook no slander of the criminally underrated Wes Craven's Cursed, tep! Also, real excited for X. Wanna try to figure out how to see it in a theatre. And just got into those Sartana movies, love 'em. My brain is slowly shifting gears from Folk Horror to (spaghetti, mostly) Westerns with the coming of warmer weather.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
- tepista
- Foul-Mouthed Werewolf
- Posts: 37907
- Joined: 16 Jun 2008, 11:25am
- Location: Livin on a fault line, Waiting on the big one
Re: movies
I only saw Cursed once, I remember loathing it. Honest, I don't really care for the Scream movies! The Hills Have Eyes, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Last House on the Left, all classic to me. I think Wes works better when his movie titles are sentence fragments.Flex wrote: ↑25 Mar 2022, 11:45amIn my house, we brook no slander of the criminally underrated Wes Craven's Cursed, tep! Also, real excited for X. Wanna try to figure out how to see it in a theatre. And just got into those Sartana movies, love 'em. My brain is slowly shifting gears from Folk Horror to (spaghetti, mostly) Westerns with the coming of warmer weather.
Yeah the westerns are fun, I couldn't watch them every day like I could for a gaillo, but once a week or so fits my schedule.
We reach the parts other combos cannot reach
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
- tepista
- Foul-Mouthed Werewolf
- Posts: 37907
- Joined: 16 Jun 2008, 11:25am
- Location: Livin on a fault line, Waiting on the big one
Re: movies
House of Lost Souls aka Ghosthouse 3 (1989) Made-for-TV unrelated sequel to Ghosthouse, which itself was a knock-off sequel to the Evil Dead franchise in Italy. A group of young people stay at an abandoned hotel which sets off the ghost of a series of 20 year-old murders. Not very memorable, except that nearly all the killings were decapitations, and were were pretty darn gory for a TV film of this era, Europe or not! Written and directed by the legendary Umberto Lenzi, but not his top work.
No Exit (2022) A young woman escapes drug rehab but gets caught in a snowstorm which forces her to bunker down in a tourist center with a room full of strangers. She most accidentally finds that there’s a tied up little girl in a van in a parking lot, meaning someone is hiding a big secret. What to do, what to do. This HULU original was a good time, popcorn style movie, and it had the Allstate guy. (not the Mayhem guy, the other one)
Killer Crocodile 2 (1990) A New York reporter who is very capable of taking care of herself is bumped up from the society pages to do a piece on toxic dumping on the Amazon. When her boat gets dumped by a 50 foot croc, the hero from the first horrible movie comes to save her. In one scene, the croc eats a boat full of nuns and orphans. A small amount of nudity in this unnecessary Italian sequel. Gianetto De Rossi hasn’t directed much, but his FX credentials include Fulci classics as well as a few large budget Hollywood films.
Martin (1977) George A. Romero’s modern vampire classic about a shy teenage boy who goes to stay with his cousin, an old man who is convinced that Martin is not the teen he appears to be, but an 85 year old vampire who suffers from a family curse and has been driven from the old country. Though he has no fangs, we know Martin drinks blood because we see him drug women and cut them with a razor blade! The old man calls Martin "Nosferatu", and gives him a job as a delivery boy and warns that if he slips he'll send him to Hell! Martin becomes popular in a local call-in radio show where he gives details about what it’s really like to be a vampire. Tom Savini on the fx, and has a supporting role as well. Some nudity. Romero’s next movie would be Dawn of the Dead. One of my alltime favorite movies.
Santo vs the Riders of Terror (1970) A group of lepers escape, and after ransacking a village they find refuge in a cave. Banditos team up with them to rob the remaining villagers, who are too afraid of contagion to fight back. Masked superhero Santo is called in for the rescue! Lots of fun dialog and leper make-up.
Santo in The Vengeance of the Mummy (1971) The masked superhero accompanies an archeological dig, and it’s a good thing because this Aztec mummy is pissed and ready to kill. Complete with superstitions townsfolk, an absent minded professor and a fussy chef for comic relief, a small boy who is constantly told to stop crying because his grandpa got murdered, and a Scooby-Doo ending.
Alucarda (1977) Two orphan teens in a convent are tempted by the devil, become possessed and spout out the most wonderful satanic praise you’ve ever heard in your life, resulting in the church subjecting them to their barbaric exorcism tactics. This one has spontaneous combustion, gushing blood, decapitations, dead back to life, gratuitous nudity, and lots and lots of bloodcurdling screaming. This Mexican delight made it’s rounds during the VHS era under the alternate title Innocents From Hell.
Story of a Cloistered Nun (1973) When the beautiful Carmella refuses her arranged marriage, her father sends her off to a convent where 30 days in the hole is a common occurrence for stepping out of line. She does have a few admirers, including a nun who sneaks out for an affair, and the Mother Superior herself, played by genre fave Suzy Kendall (Torso, Bird with the Crystal Plumage). These nuns also have booze and dress up parties! Believe it or not, take away the extended nude scenes and this nunsploitation entry is quite a bit tamer than the usual fare. No invoking of Satan, and light on excessive beatings. This was actually a really good movie, if you’re into the genre I’d recommend.
Rica 3: Juvenile's Lullaby (1973) The Amerasian ass-kicker in cute jumpsuits is back. She escapes from juvenile hall and rescue a friend’s daughter from a trafficking ring while dodging rape attempts. A lot of humor in this one, seemed off balance with all the sexual assault. The weakest of the Rica series. Rika Aoki only has one other film credit besides these.
The Wax Mask (1997) Though it’s my understanding they were never friends, Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci were set to collaborate on a project, but unfortunately Lucio passed away before filming. Directorial duties went to Sergio Stivaletti, who has dozens of FX credits, mainly for Dario. Argento and Fulci do share a story credit on this one, and the story is basically a re-telling of House of Wax. Good nudity, great FX, and a beautiful leading lady in Romina Mondello.
Triangle (2009) A sailing trip turns into a recurring nightmare for the mother of a special needs child and others. It’s best to know the least amount possible when watching this. Brit director Christopher Smith also did Creep, a cool subway horror (not to be confused with the FF movie of the same name).
No Exit (2022) A young woman escapes drug rehab but gets caught in a snowstorm which forces her to bunker down in a tourist center with a room full of strangers. She most accidentally finds that there’s a tied up little girl in a van in a parking lot, meaning someone is hiding a big secret. What to do, what to do. This HULU original was a good time, popcorn style movie, and it had the Allstate guy. (not the Mayhem guy, the other one)
Killer Crocodile 2 (1990) A New York reporter who is very capable of taking care of herself is bumped up from the society pages to do a piece on toxic dumping on the Amazon. When her boat gets dumped by a 50 foot croc, the hero from the first horrible movie comes to save her. In one scene, the croc eats a boat full of nuns and orphans. A small amount of nudity in this unnecessary Italian sequel. Gianetto De Rossi hasn’t directed much, but his FX credentials include Fulci classics as well as a few large budget Hollywood films.
Martin (1977) George A. Romero’s modern vampire classic about a shy teenage boy who goes to stay with his cousin, an old man who is convinced that Martin is not the teen he appears to be, but an 85 year old vampire who suffers from a family curse and has been driven from the old country. Though he has no fangs, we know Martin drinks blood because we see him drug women and cut them with a razor blade! The old man calls Martin "Nosferatu", and gives him a job as a delivery boy and warns that if he slips he'll send him to Hell! Martin becomes popular in a local call-in radio show where he gives details about what it’s really like to be a vampire. Tom Savini on the fx, and has a supporting role as well. Some nudity. Romero’s next movie would be Dawn of the Dead. One of my alltime favorite movies.
Santo vs the Riders of Terror (1970) A group of lepers escape, and after ransacking a village they find refuge in a cave. Banditos team up with them to rob the remaining villagers, who are too afraid of contagion to fight back. Masked superhero Santo is called in for the rescue! Lots of fun dialog and leper make-up.
Santo in The Vengeance of the Mummy (1971) The masked superhero accompanies an archeological dig, and it’s a good thing because this Aztec mummy is pissed and ready to kill. Complete with superstitions townsfolk, an absent minded professor and a fussy chef for comic relief, a small boy who is constantly told to stop crying because his grandpa got murdered, and a Scooby-Doo ending.
Alucarda (1977) Two orphan teens in a convent are tempted by the devil, become possessed and spout out the most wonderful satanic praise you’ve ever heard in your life, resulting in the church subjecting them to their barbaric exorcism tactics. This one has spontaneous combustion, gushing blood, decapitations, dead back to life, gratuitous nudity, and lots and lots of bloodcurdling screaming. This Mexican delight made it’s rounds during the VHS era under the alternate title Innocents From Hell.
Story of a Cloistered Nun (1973) When the beautiful Carmella refuses her arranged marriage, her father sends her off to a convent where 30 days in the hole is a common occurrence for stepping out of line. She does have a few admirers, including a nun who sneaks out for an affair, and the Mother Superior herself, played by genre fave Suzy Kendall (Torso, Bird with the Crystal Plumage). These nuns also have booze and dress up parties! Believe it or not, take away the extended nude scenes and this nunsploitation entry is quite a bit tamer than the usual fare. No invoking of Satan, and light on excessive beatings. This was actually a really good movie, if you’re into the genre I’d recommend.
Rica 3: Juvenile's Lullaby (1973) The Amerasian ass-kicker in cute jumpsuits is back. She escapes from juvenile hall and rescue a friend’s daughter from a trafficking ring while dodging rape attempts. A lot of humor in this one, seemed off balance with all the sexual assault. The weakest of the Rica series. Rika Aoki only has one other film credit besides these.
The Wax Mask (1997) Though it’s my understanding they were never friends, Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci were set to collaborate on a project, but unfortunately Lucio passed away before filming. Directorial duties went to Sergio Stivaletti, who has dozens of FX credits, mainly for Dario. Argento and Fulci do share a story credit on this one, and the story is basically a re-telling of House of Wax. Good nudity, great FX, and a beautiful leading lady in Romina Mondello.
Triangle (2009) A sailing trip turns into a recurring nightmare for the mother of a special needs child and others. It’s best to know the least amount possible when watching this. Brit director Christopher Smith also did Creep, a cool subway horror (not to be confused with the FF movie of the same name).
We reach the parts other combos cannot reach
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
Re: movies
My friends and I liked Cursed as well! Granted, we were all teenage girls but I remember it being a pretty fun movie.Flex wrote: ↑25 Mar 2022, 11:45amIn my house, we brook no slander of the criminally underrated Wes Craven's Cursed, tep! Also, real excited for X. Wanna try to figure out how to see it in a theatre. And just got into those Sartana movies, love 'em. My brain is slowly shifting gears from Folk Horror to (spaghetti, mostly) Westerns with the coming of warmer weather.
- Flex
- Mechano-Man of the Future
- Posts: 35938
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
- Location: The Information Superhighway!
Re: movies
I can never make the claim to being a teenage girl, but I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who appreciates this film!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
- Flex
- Mechano-Man of the Future
- Posts: 35938
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
- Location: The Information Superhighway!
Re: movies
Since Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid, I've been on a bit of a western kick. What I've watched lately:
Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964) - The crown jewel of the King of Sleaze and Splatter, Herschell Gordon Lewis. For anyone who may not know, some northern folks travel through a southern town that seems, ah, particularly bound to the past. Turns out its a literal ghost town filled with confederate undeads - seems a hundred years ago a bunch of northern soldiers massacred this peace-loving town (those scamps!) and the town's only crime was wanting to enslave their fellow man (actually, slavery isn't mentioned anywhere in the film and there's nary a black person to be seen). Once the northerners are trapped in the town, the torture and slaughter begins. Some clever and funny kills, also some cannibalism, this is pretty much as coherent and "mainstream" as Gordon Lewis got. The film has gotten a little renewed interest lately being cited as an example of American Folk Horror in that documentary on the genre that came out recently. In tepistian fashion, I'll note that there were some pretty ladies in this, but they spent less time taking off their tops and more time getting tortured by degenederate confederate cannibal ghosts. Ah well. This film seems due for a Jordan Peele-esque remake. This one wasn't a western really, but it's got a few aesthetic similarities. I watched the recent Arrow blu-ray of this and the restoration is, well, it's as good as it's ever gonna look.
The Shooting (1966) - Low budget made-for-tv type affair by Director Monte Hellman, known for a lot of years mostly for featuring a young Jack Nicholson playing a somewhat cruel hired gun. This is the western stripped down to its component parts. There's barely a plot and as the film's short runtime goes on the scant dialogue fades further and further away until we're left with the bare essentials of the western film: the gunslingers, the quest, the harsh desert landscape. The film also, interestingly, pans further and further out in its landscape scenes as the film goes on - forcing greater and greater disattachment. And the end? Fuck knows. Early entry into the acid western genre, and a brilliant one. This one was given a Criterion treatment some years ago, but it's also available on other streaming services.
The Quick and The Dead (1995) - AMAZING 90s western from Sam Raimi, mutating the spaghetti western through Raimi's usual mutant lense. Chock full of stars and soon-too-be stars, most interestingly early pre-fame starring roles for Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, because its THE NINETIES the Clint Eastwood role here is filled by Sharon Stone and Gene Hackman does a great Lex-Luthor-In-The-West turn as the villain. Everyone here is obviously really enjoying themselves, either hamming it up or playing it too straight to be believed. The mix is delightful and its worth noting that the gunfights are exceptionally violent. Highest of recommendations for anyone that hasn't seen it yet.
Curse of the Undead (1959) - Wish I had more to say about this one. "Dracula in the Old West" is a brilliant concept but this Roger Corman quickie is too dull for the summary on the tin. Still some decent charm.
A Time For Dying (1969) - One of the most nihilistic movies I've ever seen. Here's my review from Letterboxd:
Cemetary Without Crosses (1969) - A real deal spaghetti western by Robert Hossein starring Manual, a gun for hire who always puts on a black glov before he kills. Bleak even by spaghetti western standards, there are truly no good guys here and in some sense everyone gets what's coming to them by the end. A revenge tale of a wife whose husband is murdered in revenge for a heist gone wrong, who hired Manual, her husband's old friend and a former flame, to take revenge on the family that did her husband in. Will anyone make it out alive? Does anyone deserve to? Very violent and some sexual violence too, so be warned.
Johnny Cash: A Night To Remember (2020) - Vibing on Westerns so I got a hankering for some live Cash. Filmed in 1973, this is a prime performance from the man in black. Only shame is that it's not the full set. Alas. Released as part of a Third Man Records Vault box set (speaking of good box sets).
Right The High Country (1962) - Sam Peckinpah's second feature film, and his first heralded classic. A story of two old timers who are struggling to make the right choice in an amoral world, classic Peckinpah territory. Gorgeous cinematography on this one too. Often considered the first Revisionist Western. Must see.
The Westerner (1960) - This is actually a TV series, also by Sam Peckinpah. Short lived (a mere 13 episodes), we follow the lead character and his dog on various bleak (for tv in 1960s) adventures. Peckinpah wrote and directed all but a few episodes, tales of good guys not always winning, women staying trapped in their bad circumstances, the hero often screwing up, and everyone just struggling to get by. Given how good this was, I'm gonna try to track down a few other episodes Peckinpah wrote for other TV series of the day. This whole thing is streaming on Amazon Prime (and maybe Tubi), so go watch it!
There ya have it. I'm deep in the Western Fever, so I'll have more soon, no doubt.
Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964) - The crown jewel of the King of Sleaze and Splatter, Herschell Gordon Lewis. For anyone who may not know, some northern folks travel through a southern town that seems, ah, particularly bound to the past. Turns out its a literal ghost town filled with confederate undeads - seems a hundred years ago a bunch of northern soldiers massacred this peace-loving town (those scamps!) and the town's only crime was wanting to enslave their fellow man (actually, slavery isn't mentioned anywhere in the film and there's nary a black person to be seen). Once the northerners are trapped in the town, the torture and slaughter begins. Some clever and funny kills, also some cannibalism, this is pretty much as coherent and "mainstream" as Gordon Lewis got. The film has gotten a little renewed interest lately being cited as an example of American Folk Horror in that documentary on the genre that came out recently. In tepistian fashion, I'll note that there were some pretty ladies in this, but they spent less time taking off their tops and more time getting tortured by degenederate confederate cannibal ghosts. Ah well. This film seems due for a Jordan Peele-esque remake. This one wasn't a western really, but it's got a few aesthetic similarities. I watched the recent Arrow blu-ray of this and the restoration is, well, it's as good as it's ever gonna look.
The Shooting (1966) - Low budget made-for-tv type affair by Director Monte Hellman, known for a lot of years mostly for featuring a young Jack Nicholson playing a somewhat cruel hired gun. This is the western stripped down to its component parts. There's barely a plot and as the film's short runtime goes on the scant dialogue fades further and further away until we're left with the bare essentials of the western film: the gunslingers, the quest, the harsh desert landscape. The film also, interestingly, pans further and further out in its landscape scenes as the film goes on - forcing greater and greater disattachment. And the end? Fuck knows. Early entry into the acid western genre, and a brilliant one. This one was given a Criterion treatment some years ago, but it's also available on other streaming services.
The Quick and The Dead (1995) - AMAZING 90s western from Sam Raimi, mutating the spaghetti western through Raimi's usual mutant lense. Chock full of stars and soon-too-be stars, most interestingly early pre-fame starring roles for Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, because its THE NINETIES the Clint Eastwood role here is filled by Sharon Stone and Gene Hackman does a great Lex-Luthor-In-The-West turn as the villain. Everyone here is obviously really enjoying themselves, either hamming it up or playing it too straight to be believed. The mix is delightful and its worth noting that the gunfights are exceptionally violent. Highest of recommendations for anyone that hasn't seen it yet.
Curse of the Undead (1959) - Wish I had more to say about this one. "Dracula in the Old West" is a brilliant concept but this Roger Corman quickie is too dull for the summary on the tin. Still some decent charm.
A Time For Dying (1969) - One of the most nihilistic movies I've ever seen. Here's my review from Letterboxd:
I'd recommend this film to anyone here, maybe especially Doc who I think finds these sort of 60s cultural tensions interesting. It's short and fascinating. Recently restored and issues on blu ray.Exceptional, nihilistic western. A staggering lost gem.
This is a character study of how youthful idealism doesn't just curdle but can come to violent ends. We see our protagonists wander through western set pieces, each one violent and meaningless, while they attempt to adhere to their understanding of how the west, westerns, and America are supposed to work.
The end, set up to be a happy, corny ending of the type we're used to in westerns, ends in shocking violence and hopelessness. Perfect for 1969.
Cemetary Without Crosses (1969) - A real deal spaghetti western by Robert Hossein starring Manual, a gun for hire who always puts on a black glov before he kills. Bleak even by spaghetti western standards, there are truly no good guys here and in some sense everyone gets what's coming to them by the end. A revenge tale of a wife whose husband is murdered in revenge for a heist gone wrong, who hired Manual, her husband's old friend and a former flame, to take revenge on the family that did her husband in. Will anyone make it out alive? Does anyone deserve to? Very violent and some sexual violence too, so be warned.
Johnny Cash: A Night To Remember (2020) - Vibing on Westerns so I got a hankering for some live Cash. Filmed in 1973, this is a prime performance from the man in black. Only shame is that it's not the full set. Alas. Released as part of a Third Man Records Vault box set (speaking of good box sets).
Right The High Country (1962) - Sam Peckinpah's second feature film, and his first heralded classic. A story of two old timers who are struggling to make the right choice in an amoral world, classic Peckinpah territory. Gorgeous cinematography on this one too. Often considered the first Revisionist Western. Must see.
The Westerner (1960) - This is actually a TV series, also by Sam Peckinpah. Short lived (a mere 13 episodes), we follow the lead character and his dog on various bleak (for tv in 1960s) adventures. Peckinpah wrote and directed all but a few episodes, tales of good guys not always winning, women staying trapped in their bad circumstances, the hero often screwing up, and everyone just struggling to get by. Given how good this was, I'm gonna try to track down a few other episodes Peckinpah wrote for other TV series of the day. This whole thing is streaming on Amazon Prime (and maybe Tubi), so go watch it!
There ya have it. I'm deep in the Western Fever, so I'll have more soon, no doubt.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Re: movies
The fucking 90s were the best. 95 is only second to 94.Flex wrote: ↑07 Apr 2022, 10:21pm
The Quick and The Dead (1995) - AMAZING 90s western from Sam Raimi, mutating the spaghetti western through Raimi's usual mutant lense. Chock full of stars and soon-too-be stars, most interestingly early pre-fame starring roles for Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, because its THE NINETIES the Clint Eastwood role here is filled by Sharon Stone and Gene Hackman does a great Lex-Luthor-In-The-West turn as the villain.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.
- tepista
- Foul-Mouthed Werewolf
- Posts: 37907
- Joined: 16 Jun 2008, 11:25am
- Location: Livin on a fault line, Waiting on the big one
Re: movies
Haha, on the horror site I go to some people don't like it and they say maybe they'll try another HG Lewis, I'll say, no, if you didn't like this one you REALLY won't like the others. Oh, and "Robert E Lee broke his musket on his knee...' Awesome. Where was the Academy for Best Original song?
I LOVE the Quick and the Dead!
That reminds me, I wanted to finish those Sartana movies! Maybe I'll watch one today.
We reach the parts other combos cannot reach
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
We beach the beachheads other armies cannot beach
We speak the tongues other mouths cannot speak
- Flex
- Mechano-Man of the Future
- Posts: 35938
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
- Location: The Information Superhighway!
Re: movies
Oh yeah, that song ruled.tepista wrote: ↑08 Apr 2022, 10:39amHaha, on the horror site I go to some people don't like it and they say maybe they'll try another HG Lewis, I'll say, no, if you didn't like this one you REALLY won't like the others. Oh, and "Robert E Lee broke his musket on his knee...' Awesome. Where was the Academy for Best Original song?
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
- Dr. Medulla
- Atheistic Epileptic
- Posts: 116562
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:00pm
- Location: Straight Banana, Idaho
Re: movies
Ha ha, no, Kevin Smith, go jump off a high cliff: https://www.nme.com/news/film/kevin-smi ... re-3201440
"Grab some wood, bub.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: movies
fuck.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑08 Apr 2022, 5:29pmHa ha, no, Kevin Smith, go jump off a high cliff: https://www.nme.com/news/film/kevin-smi ... re-3201440
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc
- Flex
- Mechano-Man of the Future
- Posts: 35938
- Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
- Location: The Information Superhighway!
Re: movies
Absolutely repulsiveDr. Medulla wrote: ↑08 Apr 2022, 5:29pmHa ha, no, Kevin Smith, go jump off a high cliff: https://www.nme.com/news/film/kevin-smi ... re-3201440
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead
Pex Lives!