Vultural

Hidalgo - 2004 - 6/10

Washed up wrangler, now working with Buffalo Bill’s troupe, Frank accepts a challenge.
Long distance horse / rider endurance race in the Arabian desert.
Wily competitors, searing heat, minimal water, sandstorms.
Plot is somewhat a cross between Bite The Bullet and Iron Will.
Predictable, old fashioned oater boasts remarkable photography.
If the cowboy premise (with expected tropes) does not put you off, this is rousing adventure.

Babylon Berlin: S04 - 2022 - 7/10

So, after S03 I decided I was done with this series.
Until I misread that S04 would be the final season.
Wrong, fool. Time covers 1931 (supposedly the series ends with 1933).
New characters are introduced, older ones elaborated on.
Fewer and fewer are compelling as individuals, their storylines less so.
Intriguing side adventure, however, follows Abe Gold on a quest through a doomed landscape.
Two major feuds dominate. War between rival crime gangs, and the schism between the SA and SS.
The latter is highly absorbing, especially using the historical figure of Walter Stennes.
Mixed season, superior to S03.

That is so great to hear!
So many of us are “spleenless” (and no, I’m not fishing for an invite), so it might as well have been lost.
Brunei not only got a copy, but did his best to improve it, then generously shared it with the community.
It would be fantastic if you are able to upscale the complete DVD with Topaz!

Black Snake - 1973 - 5/10

Lesser known Russ Meyer outing set in the Caribbean.
Slave owner and plantation boss, Lady Susan, keeps menfolk drained or submissive.
Gun toting, bullwhip snapping antics punctuate a low voltage film.
This is not Blaxploitation, not smutty, not trashy drive-in naughtiness.
Anouska, with excessive eyeliner, tries hard, too hard, to be cruel, sexy, wicked.
Tura Satana, she ain’t.
Not classic Russ Meyer, either.

Under The Sand - 2000 - 7/10
AKA - Sous le Sable

After a few hours sunbathing, Marie realizes her husband has disappeared.
Hadn’t he told her he was just taking a quick swim?
His body is never found,
Not to worry, she still sees Jean in their house, still talks with him.
And continues to tell friends and family, he is still part of her day to day.
A day to day that grows more and more delusional.
Psychological descent from François Ozon.

Stallings, Penny - Flesh And Fantasy

For an ever dwindling demographic, this fat volume will be the equivalent of a jumbo bag of potato chips.

Stories, gossip, rumors, tell-alls, pertaining to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Primarily the 1940’s and 1950’s, albeit touching on the 1930’s and 1960’s.

Before and after retouched glamor photos. Stand-ins. Wannabees lingering to seize a petulant star’s role.
Dirt, along with magic of gauze.

Thing is, Boomers may have been the last generation to grow up with these films and faces, so routine on the late show or afternoon matinee.
Who watches now? Buffs and geriatrics.

Packed, packed, packed with photos. Obscure photos, the sort one could only find in the memorabilia shops scattered along Hollywood Boulevard, once upon a time.

I watched this last night and will post a review eventually.
The image to me was fine. My TV is a plasma, not 4K.
I had earlier mentioned the 480p versions.
Brunei’s recent edition is 1080p h265.
The “best looking” edit I have seen is the Nexus 7 by Krausfadr.
Zombie84’s edit is a different slant, however, and has been lost for about a decade.
I appreciate Brunei efforts in trying to enhance this, then sharing with the community.
Anyone curious, I strong urge you to seek this out NOW.
Thanks again, Brunei1992, for this.

The Pale Blue Eye - 2022 - 6/10

A cadet has hung himself at newly established West Point.
Worse, while waiting for burial, his heart has been cut out.
A “retired” inspector is asked to investigate and solve this before the politicians try to close the academy.
No evidence, no witnesses. Only a fey, Southern cadet offers odd assistance and speculations.
E. A. Poe.
Knowing Poe is in this leads one to wonder whether this will go the detective route or supernatural.
Darkly photographed, with a gallery of talent, including Robert Duvall,
Engrossing most of the way, although afterward one may realize how tenuous the script had been.

The Other One - 1946 - 6/10
AKA - La Otra

Good sister Maria confronts twin, Magdalena, about propriety.
Mind you, goody Maria is poor, lowly paid, while her sister knows how to exploit her assets, as well as men.
One belittlement too many, and Maria impulsively switches places. Permanently.
Not knowing of the corrupt skeletons in her tramp sister’s closet.
Mexican Noir of stolen identity has a great Dolores Del Rio shifting from mousy to seductress.
Melodramatic here and there, compensated with fantastic lighting and surprise twists.

Asamatsu, Ken - Inverted Kingdom: Tales Of The Hidden Gods 2

The opener, “The Horror In The Kabuki Theatre” is the longest and most challenging work in this collection. Challenging because it is filled with names I was not familiar with. Aside from the artist Hokusai, most were playwrights and performers, along with a producer or two. The story explains how evil or misguided souls misused the theater to crack a fissure into another reality, allowing older gods a foothold back into this world. Fans of HPL will recognize this all too well. And hey! The title seems like a riff on “The Horror In The Museum.”
“Taste Of The Snake’s Honey” is a decadent stroll into drugs, slavery, debauched sex, and jaded attempts to relieve excruciating ennui. Our protagonist inherits his father’s international trading firm, as well as his father’s long time Shanghainese partner. All is permitted, including the corpse.
I imagine all cultures share certain taboos. Such as, no matter how cheap the rent, living next to the cemetery may not be wise. Or, once family members exhibit deteriorating symptoms, do not tarry departure. Of course, many horror franchises rely on individuals ignoring warnings, as does our hero in “Summoned By The Shadows.”
He is an overworked, unlucky taxi driver. As his wife spirals, he clutches the hope things will improve, that they will save enough money to move. Just a little more time.

Execution Squad - 1972 - 6/10
AKA - La polizia ringrazia

Oops, sorry! I forget this robber, this murderer, this predator – has rights!
Not that even capturing criminals matters.
The press screams police brutality, guilty claim they were bed-wetters and can’t be blamed, or they have expensive lawyers.
Roma is besieged as laws protect criminals, not victims.
Until a private team, the “clean-up squad”, starts dispensing lethal justice where the courts have failed.
Citizens are thrilled, others recall the era of fascism.
Euro-Crime poliziotesschi is intelligent, yet talky. Bloody and cynical.

The Spy’s Wife - 1972 - 5/10

“Off on a new mission, are we, dear? Do be careful.”
And as soon as her espionage husband is away, the lover arrives and they begin checking for bugs.
Meanwhile, agent hubby is also going under covers.
Snide English comedy of anxiety and adultery.
Despite the nudge-nudge wink-wink premise, this manages to be dull.

Garton, Ray - Vortex

Our author must have been on a fueled bender with this one.
The famed horror novelist (author with looking glass) rehires his usual private eyes to check out spooky goings on up around Mount Shasta.
Situations and tropes are hurled into the blender.
A ravenous beast, the lost continent of Lemuria, telepathy, mercenaries, the Illuminati, the secret academy, a megalomaniac.
One turns pages, waiting to see what Garton will add, and you neglect to hone in on the plot.
Because the plot is as watery as a bowl of guppies.
Worst cliché he adds is children in danger, a sign of the truly stunted imagination.
Sheer folly.
Resembles a pitch for a cheap FOX Horror film.

Everything You Know Is Wrong - 1975 - 5/10

Filmed “adaptation” of a comedy album by the Firesign Theatre,
Scattershot ramble through a minefield of ideas, speculations, fantasies.
Canines in space, UFO’s, the comet Kohoutek, grief I don’t know.
The troupe lip-syncs their original LP, visuals are cheap.
I saw this with a stoned out crowd, myself included, and quickly wished I had taken Barbs instead.
Essentially a 1960’s ensemble, the Firesign Theatre was popular with acidheads in the day.
This recent revisit reminded me I never found them funny.
Still goes. For archeologists.

The Tourist - 2022 - 7/10

After a near fatal (and deliberate) car accident, the man wakes in the hospital.
Memory gone, only a scrap of paper indicating an appointment in a small town cafe.
Which he visits, and after he leaves the table where he had been explodes.
Assassins begin to crawl out.
Wide sweeping thriller packed with characters, both quietly memorable and larger than life, not to mention laugh out loud comic moments.
Throughout, you start weighing between coincidence and prearranged. Or Fate!
Likewise, virtually every single character.
As in our day to day, what folks say and what they show, it ain’t necessarily so.
Terrific, well written short series.

The Revisionaries - 2012 - 6/10

Texas School Board hearings and elections.
What this small group decides is what goes into or is purged from textbooks.
Science textbooks. “Creation” equates to evolution or intelligent design.
History textbooks, renaming slaves as “workers”.
One board member is up for reelection, and we follow him. One does not even reside in Texas.
The impact is that what goes in Texas becomes the norm for the US.
Docked a point because this has dated.
I would like to impact is now diminished, since texts can now be pod (print on demand).
Yet, day after day, societies stumble into a new LCD.

Who Shot Otto Mueller? - 2022 - 7/10
AKA - Kes Tappis Otto Mülleri?

Bully, oppressor, adulterer, rapist, murderer, successful businessman.
Yes, the list the suspects stretches long. All of ’em family, at the dinner table minutes earlier.
Police arrive and start interrogating. Trying to decipher alternative truths.
Well structured and directed, in that testimonies overlap yet vary in small details.
Midway, I honed in on one individual, while Zelda suspected another.
Both wrong.

Death Of England: Delroy - 2020 - 7/10

Side sequel to Death Of England, where here, Michael’s silent mate, Delroy, vents.
The pride of being British, of having a successful, if disreputable, steady career, and of his relationship.
What matters is not his reliability, his honesty, but his skin color.
In the colorblind world, race still matters.
So Delroy vents, a furious torrent of words, laced with biting humor
Hold tight and keep up.
Owing to Covid lockdown, this show closed after one performance. Fortunately, it was filmed.

Rainbow Song - 2006 - 7/10
AKA - Niji no Megami // 虹の女神

You don’t want to cross that line, understand?
You’re best friends, compadres, and if you attempt romance, you’ll destroy what you have.
Kishida was actually stalking another girl when his path crosses Aio’s.
Kishida is a bit aimless, head in the clouds, disorganized.
Aio is Type-A. Motivated, focused, goal driven, a budding filmmaker.
You root for the couple, yet understand early how doomed they are.
Haunting film of missed opportunities, has an equally memorable film within a film.
For those who “let someone get away”.

Allen, Grant - The Type-Writer Girl

Juliet, daughter of an officer, raised to be a lady.
Until her father dies, in circumstances leaving her without a pension; casting Juliet adrift and in economic straits.
She does own a typewriter, however, and knows how to take dictation. In the City, there are openings aplenty.
Exciting, picturesque novel dashes through condescending adventures, demanding situations, and into the gardens of romance. Juliet, as a “woman”, then and now, must navigate the “man’s world”.
Amusing, ofttimes funny, this showcases Juliet as a clear eyed pragmatic. She knows her worth, her value, as well as her situation. Also recognizes that in her Edwardian era, class still weighs heavily.
An engaging adventure, well suited for fans of this period. For bright eyed Janeites, ever yearning for Romance, brace up!
Note: My copy was a Broadview edition. As ever with this press I advise you DO NOT read the Introduction first. Every Intro consists of a spoiler filled synopsis, typically found in a 5th Grade book report. Read their Introduction AFTER concluding the book.

Cocaine Bear - 2023 - 6/10

Drug smugglers pitch gymbags outta the plane over Chattahoochee National Park.
Small time enforcers come hunting, as well as a suspicious Fed agent.
No one realizes a black bear was the first responder, and now a raging addict.
Expect mayhem.
Uproarious film is packed with an assortment of baddies and insufferable passers by.
In other words, bear alert! Wocka Wocka!
Well written, loads of jokes and situations.
Chances are Hollywood swill offers a bucketful of copy cat schlock.
Boycott those and watch this again.

The Night Affair - 1958 - 7/10
AKA - Le désordre et la nuit

The owner of a boisterous nightclub is troubled by partners, suppliers and women.
Most of his money stems from peddling drugs and flesh.
So, when a murder occurs, there is no shortage of suspects with motives.

Clues point to a young hostess, Lucky, pass-around companion and drug addict.
Moody film, set primarily during nights. Hot jazz clubs, private parties, drunken fights.
Jean Gabin excellent as weary inspector who resists the easy path.
Solid French Noir.

Oh, Doctor! - 1925 - 5/10

Born sickly, then as an infant, Rufus is not expected to live long.
He defies the odds and persists to young manhood.
Despite being a worrywart and pronounced hypochondriac.
Enter the private – and quite pretty – nurse.

He decides to live, maybe a little. Perhaps take a few risks.
Dated slapstick stars an exaggerated Reginald Denny.
Early Mary Astor role, she is a dish.

Pale Rider - 1985 - 6/10

In a “later” Wild West, a small group of prospectors are intimidated, threatened by the larger firm.
Yes, think of them as the property developers of their day.
The larger group’s treatment of the environment is equally reprehensible.
Enter the righteous stranger, possibly straight from High Plains Drifter.
The look feels spot-on. I’m referencing Silent era films, how they portrayed the West of two decades before.
The messages are heavy handed, weighing the film with self-importance.
Pacing is sluggish throughout and tropes borrow from other, better, Eastwood vehicles.

Small Time Crooks - 2000 - 6/10

Inept criminal and his crack team of discombobulated stiffs plan the bank heist.
First, buy the adjoining, empty pizza joint. As cover, the wife bakes cookies.
Mid-career Allen is loaded with gags and situations.
Allen and his crew of bumblers shoulder most of the laughs.
Not to be overlooked, though, is the sparkling chemistry between Tracey Ullman and the Woodster.
Along with the romantic Hugh Grant, here smoothly against type.