A few reviews . . (film or TV) — Page 169

Black Cat Mansion - 1958 - 6/10
AKA - Bôrei Kaibyô Yashiki // 亡霊怪猫屋敷

His wife suffers from tuberculosis, so her doctor husband drives her to the country.
The family home, terribly dilapidated, damp (pouring rain outside), and haunted!
Her condition deteriorates, more once the deadly wraith arrives.
Eventually, the truth emerges.

The village priest relates the backstory or murder, rape, and the curse.
The vessel of vengeance? The family cat.
Modern story is moody black and white. Earlier tale in color, stylized sets.
The “cat-demon” will be the make or break for most viewers.

Private House Of The SS - 1977 - 5/10
AKA - Casa Privata per le SS

Breasts and swastikas - for many, that will be inducement enough.
Following the botched assassination of Hitler, the SS decides to investigate the military command further.
The recruit a dozen high class prostitutes and train them (judo, fencing, ballet, shooting).
Then invite the top Wehrmacht brass to their brothel for a night of debauchery and orgies.
And when that group expends itself, the SS invites another batch.
You’d think with all the nudity and larking about this would be kinky fun.
While decadent elements recall Salo (1975), this one grows tiresome.

Kneecap - 2024 - 7/10

Busted for perceived criminality, Liam only speaks Irish to the irritation of English speaking coppers.
A temp-translator is summoned, one who is sympathetic to Liam, recognizes the poetry and the blotter.
No telling how faithful to real events, but in this docu-drama, this is the origin of the Irish rap group.
As a story, this is funny as can be, although loaded with profanity and bed bouncing.
The group perform in tiny venues, are harassed by police and militia thugs.
Persevere lads, and perhaps dreams may fulfill.
Fill yer boots, man!

The Return Of Chandu - 1934 - 5/10

The Egyptian princess flees her foes and hides in a Beverly Hills mansion.
Thank her lucky stars, this is the home of Chandu a powerful magician (sorcerer) who may be able to protect her.
“May” being the operative word, as this is a serial.
Every installment threatens death and danger to the princess, Chandu, friends and followers.
Occasional action, hokey script, yet this has an innocent charm for those with a taste for cliffhangers.
Bonus: Rare chance to watch Bela Lugosi as the hero of the adventure.

Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls - 1970 - 7/10

“This is my happening and it freaks me out!”
In-name sequel to 1967 soaper of Jacqueline Susann’s blockbuster novel.
Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert deliver a giddy parody that improves with the years.
Female rock’n’roll trio Kelly Affair travel to decadent Los Angeles for fame, fortune, sex and drugs.
Their manager ain’t up to snuff, so Z-Man Barzell (stunning John LaZar) takes charge.
What are there, 12 narratives? All of them mad.
The pace is blistering, and, for a campy spoof, everyone is dead-faced (aside from Z-Man).
Tamer today, yet still wonderful!

Untold Scandal - 2003 - 7/10
AKA - Seukaendeul: Joseon Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa

The young virgin is to the next concubine of the Lord.
She is innocent and fresh, and the wife cannot stand the youthful replacement.
So, she asks her cousin, a lecherous reprobate, to seduce and impregnate the girl.
Where’s the problem? He has his eye on a chaste widow.
By any other name, this is a version of “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”.
A cruel drama of gamesmanship and manipulation.
Scheming and treachery, which leave a powerful and bitter aftertaste.
If nothing else, the set design and costumes are radiant.

The Hunger - 2017 - 6/10
AKA - Gutten er Sulten

Everyone wants to be noticed.
Jørgen is envious of the bad boys, but he is too scrawny, too poor to gain acceptance.
Maybe Lucifer tattoos, even with a marker, will confirm intent.
If nothing else, visit the lair.

Bruising short of alienated youth, the rage of dissatisfaction.
For those for whom all the worldly trophies cannot equate with oblivion.

Pagan Peak - 2018 - 7/10
AKA - Der Pass

The corpse straddles an Alpine marker between Austria and Germany.
As in The Bridge, two police jurisdictions arrive.
Except when the Germany inspector expresses interest, the Austrian shrugs.
“Be my guest.” And he’s gone, although he is eventually drawn into the investigation.
The core is an isolated serial killer, escalating, trying to make a point.

Society needs to reconnect with Nature, primal roots.
Convoluted, with personal sagas that added little.
More compelling were the survivalists, Krampus, and the Red Season.

Rich Hall’s Red Menace - 2019 - 6/10

The Cold War between USA and USSR, explained and satirized.
Origins, rivalries, dodging Armageddon (ineptitude) several times.
The CIA’s trained cat spies (cat owners will howl at this, “training” cats).
How to survive the nuclear blast, how to survive fallout.
Very fast paced, “informative”, kinda funny and kinda not.
Not in a world where more nations join the Nuke Club,
Not in a world where more nations are led / ruled / enslaved by enraged souls.
English subtitles = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3357261

It - 1927 - 6/10

Clara Bow’s signature role (being a Clara fan, I am kind with the score).
The shopgirl minx has eyes for the distinguished boss.
He is a lamb and falls like a late December leaf until morality rumors surface.
Clara is an irresistible watch. Sensuous, innocent, hopeful, expressions sweeping in a breath.
Leading man Moreno was 40 and looks it, difficult to accept him as a hunk.
Writer of the novel “It”, stuffy Elinor Glyn, plays herself (surely an inspiration for Margaret Dumont).
Watch this for Clara’s playful sexiness. As a romance, a dud.

Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam - 2021 - 6/10

Women and their relations with menfolk.
Domineering swine, gullible fools, doomed lovers, lying deceivers.
Yes, it’s a man’s world, this time in Pakistan.
While these are individual stories, an underlying arc links them.
Time and again, there are dark twists as the men underestimate angry or hungry females at their own risk.
While this is modern (cars and cellphones) the Look is supernatural Gothic.
Ruins, shadows, bonfires, wastelands, layers of impressive visuals.

Dr. Caligari - 1989 - 5/10

The interior of the asylum as observed by one of the inmates.
Prime obsessions seem to be open sores, roving tongues and below the belt stimulation.
Husband Van Houton institutionalizes his wife for disease of the libido.
Caligari proceeds to hyper sexualize afflictions rather than cure.
Complaints are dismissed with, “Staff is expendable, genius is not.”
Theatrical, to say the least, this plays like surreal stagecraft.
Drama majors on acid.

Killing Sherlock - 2023 - 7/10
AKA - Lucy Worsley on Holmes vs Doyle

The success, the recognition, the fame, the money.
Yet, Arthur Conan Doyle was sick and tired of his famous creation.
Fascinating documentary explains why he sent Homes over the Reichenbach Falls.
And how Holmes proved far more resilient, and enduring, than Doyle anticipated.
For Sherlock buffs, great stuff.
Makes a highly effective argument for “The Case-Book” as well.

The City Of The Dead - 1960 - 6/10

‘Why yes dear, there was a witch burned here. Oh, our village was notorious.”
Student Nan journeys to a remote village for research on her paper on witchcraft.
And gets far more than she intended.
True, she is warned, and her own intuition ought to warn her.
Still, anyone who wears underclothes like hers is already fearless.
Moody horror steeped in fog, crypts, hooded figures, and glowering looks.
Third act akin to a rehash, but a queasy ride.

Scarecrow - 2001 - 5/10
AKA - Kakashi // 案山子

Kaoru, searching for her missing brother, enters a forsaken village.
By and large, everyone is taciturn, occupied with an upcoming scarecrow festival.
As for Kaoru, she has the common sense of a radish.
Her car stalls in the tunnel outside the village. She is repeatedly warned and urged to get out.
She is annoyingly inquisitive, yet incapable of putting clues together.
The direction of this runs from ponderous to lame. The female lead CANNOT act.
Advice, should you ever find yourself in a nest of menacing scarecrows: box of matches or firehose.

The Aztec Mummy - 1957 - 6/10
AKA - La Momia Azteca

Professor Almada explains to reporters, and the world (and underworld boss, The Bat).
About hypnotic regression, pushing subjects back to a previous life. Reincarnation.
Scoffers pounce. For proof, Almada regresses his fiancé Flor.
Turns out, she was an Aztec priestess, with knowledge of hidden treasure!
“Treasure? Did someone say treasure?” and master criminal Bat swings into action.
Routine adventure saga perks up considerably with all the Aztec story.
Costumes, drums, pyramids, doomed lovers.
Sequel follows.

Curse Of The Aztec Mummy - 1957 - 5/10
AKA - La Maldición de la Momia Azteca

Sequel to the Aztec Mummy incorporates flashbacks, plucky boy, and Angel, masked hero.
Can you say luchador? Well, there are no arena bouts, and in fact, El Ángel gets his ass kicked,
No matter, the Bat and his resourceful gang are going to get that Aztec loot!
And how about that mummy? Of course it’s there.
Utterly predictable, with long patches of tedium.
Wait! Another sequel? Yes, producers filmed the trilogy back to back to back.

The film The Amateur is a fantastic intellectual drama, which explores how revenge and killing can take away part of yourself, while also providing a look into how the choices we make in the most pivotal of moments can change our future. Rami Malek did an excellent job in this. A must see!

Armored Car Robbery - 1950 - 6/10

Per title, a heist, highly timed and strategized.
Small team of professionals, perfect, except for those gun happy cops.
Then the fatalistic Noir ascends into who is expendable.
William Talman dominates as the ruthless, cold-hearted mobster.
Charles McGraw just a potent as the hard as nails detective.
Excellent use of police specialists in full support of the men.
And Adele Jergens – holy moly!

Cassandra - 2025 - 6/10

Reeling from a family tragedy, the Prills move to a smaller community, new home.
Actually an old home, from the 1970’s, retro with then state-of-the-art technology.
Video monitors in every room, and a eager robot, Cassandra.

Who, we soon realize, is as lethally neurotic as it is cheerfully helpful.
The back history orbits in and out, although I grew up in this era. The gobot is sheer fantasy.
Family dynamics are a mixed bag, both kids grated on me.
Lavinia Wilson as Cassandra is brilliant.
The ending struck me as writing room compromise.
Great scene when the kids play hide and go seek and one child crawls into the oven.
My wife, who had ignored this show, “Is this a German series?”
“Yes.”
“And an oven! Didn’t someone realize the parallels with –”
“Hey, German humor. Go with it!”

Alma Cogan: The Girl With The Giggle In Her Voice - 1991 - 6/10

Alma dominated the English music charts from the mid 1950’s until the 60’s.
Buoyant and radiating optimism, Alma represented a return to joie de vivre following austerity.
With Merseybeat, with the rise of young pop groups, she became passé.
Nicely covers the high points of meteoric British artist, forgotten at home, unknown in the States.
The illness struck suddenly. She was 34.
Her “giggle” by the way, resembles a squeak (although not as pronounced as Dale Bozzio’s).
Beatles fans, proceed = https://webgrafikk.com/blog/uncategorized/alma-cogan-1932-1966/

In Love With Alma Cogan - 2012 - 6/10

Despite the title, there ain’t no Alma, unless you count a brief flashback and lingering memory.
No, this is a traditional “theatre in trouble” trope, with the saving “let’s put on a show, gang!”
Typical of local theatre-goers, audiences are oldsters.
There is a clash of new accountancy, and a manager trying to make theatre affordable to everyday Joes.
The film is backstage and backstories. Grudges, rivalries, loyalties, and the pressure of change.
Really, this is for theatre fans, especially Rep or Regional.

Murders In Béarn - 2023 - 6/10
AKA - Meurtres en Béarn

The corpse floats in the river, wearing an amulet of medieval legend.
Oh, and a hand has been chopped off.
Police are assigned, two females who despise each other.

Why? Their children, once married, now divorced.
Whereupon one mother had her son-in-law arrested, imprisoned, his reputation destroyed.
The murder is sorta interesting, but not enough for the film.
Thus, the soap opera dynamics.
Scenery and compositions soar above most of these French mysteries.

Around The World Under The Sea - 1966 - 5/10

Team of modern Argonauts roam the depths.
Mission: place early warning, earthquake sensors.
Cast of familiar faces struggles with a talky script, and a profound lack of action.
An onboard chess match seems more contentious than aquatic dangers.
The relationships are sheer nonsense, the “science” is comic book.
One watches mostly for Lloyd Bridges and Shirley Eaton, others less remembered.

Up In The Air - 2009 - 6/10

Ryan is the corporate axeman.
Companies that don’t have the balls to fire employees, he is called.
Impersonal business, all the way. It’s a living.
Change is in the air, however.
How about firing employees via voicemail or text (which they now do, bastards).
Ryan argues for the “human touch”, despite his lack of empathy.
Most of this film is spot-on, Clooney sardonic and unforgettable.
Last section gets mushy, loses its spine (and a point from me).
Traveling downsizers, typically loss-prevention agents, NEVER embrace sympathy.