Vultural

Spring Night, Summer Night - 1967 - 7/10

Eldest son Carl is unsuited for farm work. Coal mines are closed, but he would have not fit in there, either.
Then there is Jessica, his sister (half-sister, actually), equally unhappy with her lot as surrogate mother to the children.

Stifled, bored, attracted, what happens seems foregone.
Especially in that rural, pocket-community which is already riddled with adultery and drinking.
Five months, the swelling aftermath, guilt and resignation.
Bear in mind, 1967 was the Summer Of Love, Vietnam raged, Civil Rights activists marched.
Meantime, this region harks back to 1930’s Depression America.
This is an authentic time capsule of a region people choose to forget.

English subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/spring-night-summer-night/english/3303358

Waggoner, Tim - The Last Mile

Following the Arrival, Earth is decimated; population mostly, I suppose, eaten.
Unseen rulers came from beyond and are called Masters.
Their go-to human servants are branded and called Thralls.
Everyone else is destined to be an unhappy meal, sooner or later.
Dan is a Thrall, driving down a broken highway with tied-up Alice in his backseat.
Destination? “Here’s yer pizza, boss!”
I have a suspicion Waggoner simply arranged bits from his idea journal, but this is stitched with a twist.
As with other books I’ve read by this author, there is a misogynistic component that may disturb some.
Never could decide whether the arrivals were SciFi aliens or Lovecraftian entities.

A Warning To The Curious - 1972 - 6/10

There were three buried crowns that guarded the realm in times of war.
Two were lost. The third has been safeguarded, for generations, by a highly protective family.
Until the archeologists started digging. Amateurs, at that.
Mr. Paxton has sniffed out a trail, leading to Seaburgh.
Along the way, warnings and close looks are given, which he ignores.
The fever of the hunt possesses him.
Unsettling M R James adaptation, shot mostly in broad daylight.
Possibly too slow for the impatient, yet the lethargic pace adds to the tension.

Deep Throat - 1972 - 5/10

Linda, sexually frustrated, seeks a medical diagnosis.
After an examination, the doctor informs her that her clitoris is not where it should be.
Reference the title.
Enlightened, Linda pounds the libido accelerator and starts making up for lost time.
Funny, sleazy, and kinda depressing in a way, this film made Lovelace a cause célèbre for a spell.
Inconceivable in today’s society, this was a wildly popular “date film” in the 1970’s.
Indeed, it was generally paired with The Devil In Miss Jones as a double feature.
I first viewed in Hollywood’s Pussycat Theater with the hippie chick (her choice).
Featherweight biopic Lovelace came out in 2013.

This England - 2022 - 6/10

Done with the Covid pandemic already? Well, it’s not done with you.
Newly elected PM Boris Johnson and cabinet have plans, big plans, for overhauling the nation.
Only thing, there is new mysterious disease erupting in China … then Italy
While the government dithers, the disease arrives in the UK, and spreads exponentially.
Scene after scene of an individual coughing, leading inexorably to the last gasp.
Kenneth Branagh is uncanny as Johnson.
Too much time, however, is wasted with his ditzy girlfriend / wife.
More, excruciatingly so, is given to that damned dog of theirs.
Those who relish suffering hospital dramas will be in heaven.
Others may find this a puzzling misfire.

The Old Dark House - 1932 - 6/10

No matter how atrocious the weather, one never goes knocking at the gloomy manor.
Still, there is the timeworn excuse: I didn’t know! Nobody told me!
Plus – the rain truly is dreadful, and the car is leaking.
Do they recognize the door opening butler as Boris Karloff?
The travelers arrive, dry themselves, try to ignore how fearfully eccentric the inhabitants are.
For a creaky, locked-room film, this moves quickly and many images are downright eerie.

Mexican Vampire Cinema: A Brief History - 2014 - 6/10

OK, so this neglects the 1931 Drácula, and starts in the 1950‘s.
A lot of films, players and background are included in roughly an hour.
Presented by David Witt, who is an authority here.
The look for most of these is Expressionistic / Gothic, the acting vigorous.

While the second half focuses heavily on Santo, there are several gems.
Such as, did you know international cuts featured nudity?
Another variation on this series is Mummies In Mexican Cinema.
Just what I need, more questionable viewing.

Drácula - 1931- 6/10

Virtual shot-for-shot remake of the Lugosi classic. Same sets, same cameras.
The Mexican version is less static, is sexier, is, in many ways, flashier.
Pretty clear, the Mexican team, working the late shift, either saw US rushes, or caught some of the shooting.
Either way, scene after scene boasts notable improvements.
Carlos Villarías, however, is no match for the charismatic Lugosi.
Despite my (slight) reservations, this remains must-see for Horror fans.

Kinky Boots - 2005 - 6/10

Price & Sons footwear, in business for generations, is going bankrupt.
Times have changed and customers are buying cheaper, foreign shoes.
Except there is a possible niche.
Shoes, boots, for drag queens. Shoes that have to be fashionable, yet sturdy.
Quite sturdy. Wearers are big boned, tall, and performing takes a toll.
A mix of belly laughs and serious introspection (which tend to halt momentum).
Chiwetel Ejiofor unforgettable as the indomitable Lola.

Midnight Express - 1978 - 6/10

Naive American turista attempts to smuggle hash out of Turkey.
Caught, arrested, tried, convicted, sent to Sağmalcılar Prison.
That’s early.
Film shifts to the prison from Hell. Nonstop brutality amid inhumane conditions.
Harrowing film is one for masochists; I recall this being wildly popular despite being unrelentingly grim.
I also dimly recall viewing our sympathetic hero as a fool.
Rewatch confirms my previous take.

Prick Up Your Ears - 1987 - 7/10

Uncomfortable bio-pic of playwright Joe Orton (whose “Loot” is must-see theatre).
Orton is in a homosexual relationship (still punishable in 60’s England) with fellow writer Kenneth.
As is sadly often the case, one partner is more creative, more successful.
While the lesser grows ever more resentful, jealous, possessive, abusive.
Acting is tiptop across the board, although it grows increasingly difficult to comprehend why Orton stays with Kenneth.

Newell, Adam - Dracula’s Forgotten Brides

Onscreen, perhaps a minute. Dialogue, none.
Nevertheless, once seen among the mists of the crypt, the three “brides” are not forgotten.
Despite their insignificant roles, their images were endlessly reproduced.
Slim homage to the trio of actresses: Dorothy Tree, Geraldine Dvorak and Cornelia Thaw.
Packed with photos, this exquisite gem shines a light on the three and their mixed success in Tinseltown.
Clearly, this will appeal to film buffs, perhaps exclusively to Horror or Dracula fanatics.
Thanks to Mark Valentine for alerting all to this (https://wormwoodiana.blogspot.com/2024/02/draculas-forgotten-brides.html).
An unsolved mystery – who were the Mexican brides?

Charade - 1963 - 7/10

Reggie (female) plans to divorce her husband, until he is found murdered.
Their Parisian apartment ransacked, money gone.
She tries to investigate, in spite of a ferocious adversary (George Kennedy), a facilitating CIA op (Walter Matthew), and a shady friend / nemesis (Cary Grant).
Near flawless mix of suspense and romance, intrigue and comedy.
A perfect Hitchcock movie, except it’s not.
Audrey Hepburn and Grant are wonderful together, terrific Mancini score.
Real throwback to Hollywood’s Golden Age, and an ideal date flick.

Who Are The Cockney’s Now? - 1968 - 6/10

Part of the “One Pair Of Eyes” series, this installment hosted by Georgia Brown.
Brown grew up in Whitechapel during the Blitz, when the area was very much a Jewish enclave.
By the late ‘60’s, however, most of the Jewish community had departed, their storefronts closed.
New immigrants were Pakistani, facing the same discrimination as those previous.
Here, Brown wanders off theme, as she repeatedly urges Jewish leaders to open their doors to newcomers.
Could be the spirit of the ‘60’s, could be Brown herself no longer lived there.

Revenant - 2023 - 6/10
AKA - Akgwi // 악귀

“Beware of the handshake, that hides a snake.
“For smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies, and I got proof.”
Our heroine is possessed by a ghost, beneficial at times, murderous at others.
Trying to aid her, and exorcise the spirit, is a folklore professor.
Meandering K-drama goes full bore into supernatural, shamanism, fetishes, and violent deaths.
The narrative drags in the middle and is repetitive.
Plus, the mother is extremely tiresome; an anxious, fearful, foolish, nonstop whiner.
A fun watch, nevertheless, for its theme of what some will do for good fortune.
Finale is fairly enthralling, as twist piles up twist, clever opponents outguessing each other.

Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams - 1990 - 7/10
AKA - Yume // 夢

Eight short films by Kurosawa. Gorgeous to look at, some are better than others.
A young boy disobeys his mother and is banished until repentance.
“The Blizzard” is a riff on the legend of the Snow Ghost.
The futility of war appears in “The Tunnel”, another ghost tale.
For Van Gogh fans, “Crows” is a delightful tale, as an observer wanders into a series of paintings.
My favorite, and the only episode I revisit often is the “Village Of The Watermills.
Serene meditation on simplicity and harmony, shunning modern busyness.

The Big Day - 1949 - 6/10
AKA - Jour de Fête

Well-liked, but bungling postman works tirelessly in rural France.
Still, bicycle delivery is so slow. Especially compared with the efficiency of the US Postal system.
An arriving fair promises distractions for everyone.
Near wordless comedy borders on farce throughout.
Jacques Tati as the mailman is close to a buffoon and the punch to many jokes.
One element I picked up on during a rewatch was the quiet contrast between the leisurely countryside and the encroachment of the hectic, nervous metropolitan era.
Enjoyable, if silly, to be followed by the Hulot films.

A Gaza Weekend - 2022 - 6/10

Unknown disease A.R.S. erupts in Israel and borders shut down.
A British resident and his Israeli girlfriend determine to make for the nearest “safe” place.
In this instance, Gaza.
A pair of small-time hustlers offer to help with the illegal entry, for a fee.
Funny comedy from Palestine skewers everyone. Israelis, Hamas, vendors, shortages.
Poignant watching at this time, in light of how the people are again caught in bloody conflict.
English subtitles = https://subscene.com/subtitles/a-gaza-weekend/english/3298336

Fager, Anders - Swedish Cults

Nordic horror, Swedish horror, not necessarily based on any HPL Mythos. Fager has his own voice and is not a follower.

The opener, “The Furies From Borås” is full throttle sex, drugs and blood. An overdose of all three, swirling around the riot grrrls, barely of age, yet keepers from time immemorial of the forest entity.

Zami and Janoch are tasked with bringing the oldest relative to the new home. From Romania to Sweden. By van. Neither has driven before, neither can read maps. Both are outsiders to what he perceive as “our world”. “Grandma’s Journey” is the long trip between.

For those who view sex as a spectator sport “Miss Witt’s Great Work” will entice. Miss Witt is a porn star de jour. As with the overwhelming majority of film luminaries and popular musicians, fame is but a fleeting passage. Ours is the era of temporary celebrities. For Miss Witt, who has enacted and reproduced all manner of genital monstrosities, how can she maintain, let along top herself? For voyeurs everywhere, who prefer to watch.

Scattered between stores are tantalizing fragments, unfinished stories of promise.

The Last Wave - 1977 - 7/10

Australian attorney is assigned to defend five Aborigine men of a tribal killing.
The murder resembles a ritual, but the men stay locked in silence.
Another character in the film is the rain, all but relentless in this.
The lawyer, who actually specializes in corporate law, is out of his depth yet earnest.
So much so, he starts digging into the culture – which seems groundbreaking for 1977.
Then the dreams start.
Slow, moody film, carries a brooding undercurrent throughout.
There is an unnerving quality about this; a persistence of fogged memory.

Quest For Fire - 1981 - 7/10

They have lost their village. Worse, during the exodus, the fire has gone out.
Thus three men (cavemen) are sent to find fire, whether it grows from a shrub or comes in a rock.
Truly, they have no understanding of fire, save that survival depends on it.
Almost wordless film plays out across barren landscapes.
A chance encounter with a more advanced tribe offers gifts and experiences.
This is one that ought to be viewed on as large a screen as possible.

Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley On The Mystery Queen - 2022 - 7/10

Fine attempt to pinpoint Christie, who seems an elusive figure behind the facade.
Three part documentary is about the individual, not necessarily her output.
Privileged childhood, before Father squandered all the money.
Great War service, early writing (the Mary Westmacott novels are the most revealing).
Marple, Poirot, the still unexplained disappearance.
Numerous old photographs enhance the proceedings, and Ms Worsley offers some of her own theories.
All in all, essential for Christie buffs, although best taken with a grain of salt.

The Beast Must Die - 1952 - 7/10
AKA - La Bestia Debe Morir

Beast being the repulsive Jorge Rattery, who dies in the opening sequence.
Roundly hated by all, he beats his wife, smacks her son around, repeatedly tries to rape his sister-in-law, cheats his business partner, as well as sleeps with the partner’s wife, AND tells the wife she is looking old.
Then there is Felix, visiting crime novelist, whose diary reveals he intended to murder Jorge!
Yes, an overload of suspects.
Argentinean Noir suffers from opening histrionics, melodramatic acting, but settles following the death.
Mind you, most of the females remain fiery and explosive.
Nonetheless, this is Felix’s story all the way.
A bitter, sad, soil-boil of revenge.
Pristine restoration by Film Noir Foundation. Remade as Que la Bete Meure (1969).

An English Haunting - 2020 - 5/10

Grandpa Aubrey rattles on his deathbed, the nurse ran off, so his daughter and grandson arrive.
Daughter Margot cannot stand the man, so she drains the wine cellar.
Grandson Blake is a bookish type, aware that there is “something going on here”.
Behold the research montage in the library / billiards room.

Despite early misgivings (clear warning, one name is writer-director-producer), this held up as decent spooky thriller.
Until the last act when it went haywire. Mind you, I was laughing out loud at how ludicrous this became.
Even M R James or Lovecraft characters possessed more spine than Blake.

The Curse Of Her Flesh - 1968 - 4/10

One might have assumed Jennings was dead after the orgy of killing that was The Touch Of Her Flesh (1967).
Not so. He even manages the ole sweat house club.
Which means the same buxom dancers, cheesecake figures, fake eyelashes packed with mascara.
Jennings asks them out, creeps them out, snuffs them out.
Unusual accessories for a romantic evening? Large gourd and a speargun, anyone?
He has a plan, however, as he waits for his wife’s seducer, Steve.
Something along the lines of a plot helps this, and final act provides action and extra weirdness.