Home Film Festival
In addition to finishing up the fourth draft of my Bald Knobbers feature script, I've been finally knocking out watching a ton of films during this crazy ice storm the past few days.
Yesterday I watched the following six films:
Renny Harlin's running audio commentary on Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
Paul Schrader's running audio commentary on Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)
What surprised me most is that Renny Harlin was actually the more articulate of the two directors here in terms of character, history, and plot. Schrader is more focused on technology; Go figure! How can the writer of Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Raging Bull be more conversant about technology over character, while the director of popcorn fare like A Nightmare on Elm St. 5: The Dream Child (1989), Cliffhanger (1993), and Deep Blue Sea (1999) does the exact opposite?!
At any rate, it was very entertaining/informative to listen to each man defend their vision, and it only reinforced my views that both films are very rich in character and nuance, and exhibit a surprising lack of restraint for a modern film, but ultimately flawed by rushed and unnecessary cgi effects. Of course, that's no different than cheap-looking rear-projection or 1980's bluescreen-matting work we let slide on films as noble as Return of the Jedi (1983), so its essentially a non-issue. If the audience is turning off the film due to an occasional three-second distraction then they're just simply not actively studying the characters and the situation.
In the end I really like both films, coming to love them, and realize that in this viewing there's simply no way to recut the two together into one three hour epic without some major inconsistencies of plot and character (mostly due to the recasting of secondary roles).
The Illusionist (2006)
As this was one of my most favoured movies last year, I bought the DVD and watched it a second time with falfax and the in-laws. Everyone really liked it. Too bad I'm snowed in and couldn't make it to the dollar screening of The Prestige on campus last night due to the ice storm, but I'm sure they probably cancelled it and will reschedule it for next weekend...hopefully.
Giovannona Long-Thigh (1973)
An Italian sex-comedy starring the ever luscious Edwige Fenech of The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1973) fame. Featuring some great comedic lines, a frantic plot, and very good locations, this film is a rare gem that more people should seek out. However, I'm afraid most wouldn't be able to follow it since there are subtitles only, with no optional English dub, and the Italian is delivered in the style of American 1930's screwball comedies: Fast and Furious. I can keep up through experience, but I know some can't handle it when it gets speedy.
Ubalda, All Naked and Warm (1972)
Another Italian sex-comedy, also starring Edwige Fenech. This time it references such fare as The Decameron, as its set in medieval Europe. This film was even funnier than Giovannona, and features an extraordinary amount more nudity. But like Giovannona, this one also stars the Sellers-esque Pippo Longo, a sort of Adrien Brody klutz who is much more endearing in this film than in the year-later Giovannona.
The plot flies by, and while there's hardly a dull scene in the bunch, the ending is actually a set of two different endings. The film should've definitely lost the last five minutes and been saved as a possible "alternate ending", but really, when you've only got a complaint as minor as this in an otherwise wonderful film, why bother to gripe? The language is MUCH slower and simpler here, so most people can easily follow it.
42nd St. Forever (2006) - collection of 47 trailers of 1970's expolitation drive-in fare!
And finally, the greatest title of the evening! 47 exploitation trailers in a row! I can't wait to get the Vol. 2 set. You can't play movies at parties, but you CAN play this! Its a veritable concentration of over two hours of blood, sex, and sleaze, all divided up in snippet form, so that full attention wouldn't necessarily be demanded in a group setting as it is with one feature, but available in bite-size nuggets that deliver the goods (atmosphere, mood, nudity, blood, crazy s%$@t) for wandering eyes and ears.
This running-time would normally indicate a long movie, which could either be religious fervor or torture depending upon how much you like the film, but in this case its so attention-deficit laced that it feels like 30 min. If you don't know, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's new double-feature film, Grindhouse (2007), coming in April, is a homage to these films, like Rob Zombie did with the extraordinary The Devil's Rejects (2005). If you don't have a feel for what Grindhouse or exploitation Drive-in cinema is, pick this rental up to get the best overall feel for nunsploitation, blaxploitation, chop-socky, cop sleaze, really bad sci-fi, killers on the loose, and other assorted delights. Unlike other films that may wear their sociological commentary on their sleeve, these films work collectively to express what hidden desires and thoughts lie in the human subconscious, and serve to illuminate the nature of problems in society. Films like The Legend of Nigger Charlie helped to solidify black audiences in the 70's, giving them a positive reflection of their own past, whilst suggesting that the future would be one that would continue to evolve, catering to them the same as any other human group.
The film trailers on this compilation include:
The Undertaker and His Pals (1966)
The Flesh and Blood Show (1972)
Women and Bloody Terror (1969)/Night of Bloody Horror (1969)
Blood Spatter Bride (1972)/I Dismember Mama (1974)
Corruption (1967)
The Butcher of Binbrook aka Graveyard of Horror (1971)
Ginger (1971)
Italian Stallone (1970), a porno flick featuring a young Sylvester Stallone!
Creampuffs (1981)
The 3 Dimensions of Greta (1972)
Hard Candy (1976)
The Centerfold Girls (1974)
Panorama Blue (1974)
Wicked Wicked (1973)
Teenage Mother (1967)
Charlie and the Hooker (1976)
Mantango (1963)
The Green Slime (1968)
Destroy All Monsters (1968)
The Crippled Master (1981)
Werewolves on Wheels (1971)
The Pink Angels (1971)
The Depraved (1974)
They Call Her One Eye (1974)
Maid in Sweden (1971)
Behind Covenant Walls (1977)
Secret Africa (1969)
Shocking Asia (1974)
Chappaqua (1966)
Welcome Home, Brother Charles (1975)
The Legend of Nigger Charlie (1972)
Boss Nigger (1975)
The Bullet Machine (1975)
Death Drive (1977)
The Raiders of Atlantis (1983)
Star Crash (1979)
Confessions of a Summer Camp Counselor (1977)
Sunset Cove (1978)
Super Fuzz (1980)
Death Will Have Your Eyes (1974)
Death Has Blue Eyes (1976)
A Black Veil for Lisa (1968)
Ironmaster (1983)
The Rape of the Sabines (1962)
The Deadly Spawn (1983)
Devil's Nightmare (1971)
So far I've only seen a few of these in their entirety, and the ones I did see were utterly brilliant. Sometimes low-budget means big on ideas and honesty, and I love the feeling of genuineness over Hollywood plastic-fakeness (I'm looking at you Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn slick comedies). Bring on Grindhouse and the rest of the full films represented here!
Yesterday I watched the following six films:
Renny Harlin's running audio commentary on Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
Paul Schrader's running audio commentary on Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)
What surprised me most is that Renny Harlin was actually the more articulate of the two directors here in terms of character, history, and plot. Schrader is more focused on technology; Go figure! How can the writer of Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Raging Bull be more conversant about technology over character, while the director of popcorn fare like A Nightmare on Elm St. 5: The Dream Child (1989), Cliffhanger (1993), and Deep Blue Sea (1999) does the exact opposite?!
At any rate, it was very entertaining/informative to listen to each man defend their vision, and it only reinforced my views that both films are very rich in character and nuance, and exhibit a surprising lack of restraint for a modern film, but ultimately flawed by rushed and unnecessary cgi effects. Of course, that's no different than cheap-looking rear-projection or 1980's bluescreen-matting work we let slide on films as noble as Return of the Jedi (1983), so its essentially a non-issue. If the audience is turning off the film due to an occasional three-second distraction then they're just simply not actively studying the characters and the situation.
In the end I really like both films, coming to love them, and realize that in this viewing there's simply no way to recut the two together into one three hour epic without some major inconsistencies of plot and character (mostly due to the recasting of secondary roles).
The Illusionist (2006)
As this was one of my most favoured movies last year, I bought the DVD and watched it a second time with falfax and the in-laws. Everyone really liked it. Too bad I'm snowed in and couldn't make it to the dollar screening of The Prestige on campus last night due to the ice storm, but I'm sure they probably cancelled it and will reschedule it for next weekend...hopefully.
Giovannona Long-Thigh (1973)
An Italian sex-comedy starring the ever luscious Edwige Fenech of The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1973) fame. Featuring some great comedic lines, a frantic plot, and very good locations, this film is a rare gem that more people should seek out. However, I'm afraid most wouldn't be able to follow it since there are subtitles only, with no optional English dub, and the Italian is delivered in the style of American 1930's screwball comedies: Fast and Furious. I can keep up through experience, but I know some can't handle it when it gets speedy.
Ubalda, All Naked and Warm (1972)
Another Italian sex-comedy, also starring Edwige Fenech. This time it references such fare as The Decameron, as its set in medieval Europe. This film was even funnier than Giovannona, and features an extraordinary amount more nudity. But like Giovannona, this one also stars the Sellers-esque Pippo Longo, a sort of Adrien Brody klutz who is much more endearing in this film than in the year-later Giovannona.
The plot flies by, and while there's hardly a dull scene in the bunch, the ending is actually a set of two different endings. The film should've definitely lost the last five minutes and been saved as a possible "alternate ending", but really, when you've only got a complaint as minor as this in an otherwise wonderful film, why bother to gripe? The language is MUCH slower and simpler here, so most people can easily follow it.
42nd St. Forever (2006) - collection of 47 trailers of 1970's expolitation drive-in fare!
And finally, the greatest title of the evening! 47 exploitation trailers in a row! I can't wait to get the Vol. 2 set. You can't play movies at parties, but you CAN play this! Its a veritable concentration of over two hours of blood, sex, and sleaze, all divided up in snippet form, so that full attention wouldn't necessarily be demanded in a group setting as it is with one feature, but available in bite-size nuggets that deliver the goods (atmosphere, mood, nudity, blood, crazy s%$@t) for wandering eyes and ears.
This running-time would normally indicate a long movie, which could either be religious fervor or torture depending upon how much you like the film, but in this case its so attention-deficit laced that it feels like 30 min. If you don't know, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's new double-feature film, Grindhouse (2007), coming in April, is a homage to these films, like Rob Zombie did with the extraordinary The Devil's Rejects (2005). If you don't have a feel for what Grindhouse or exploitation Drive-in cinema is, pick this rental up to get the best overall feel for nunsploitation, blaxploitation, chop-socky, cop sleaze, really bad sci-fi, killers on the loose, and other assorted delights. Unlike other films that may wear their sociological commentary on their sleeve, these films work collectively to express what hidden desires and thoughts lie in the human subconscious, and serve to illuminate the nature of problems in society. Films like The Legend of Nigger Charlie helped to solidify black audiences in the 70's, giving them a positive reflection of their own past, whilst suggesting that the future would be one that would continue to evolve, catering to them the same as any other human group.
The film trailers on this compilation include:
The Undertaker and His Pals (1966)
The Flesh and Blood Show (1972)
Women and Bloody Terror (1969)/Night of Bloody Horror (1969)
Blood Spatter Bride (1972)/I Dismember Mama (1974)
Corruption (1967)
The Butcher of Binbrook aka Graveyard of Horror (1971)
Ginger (1971)
Italian Stallone (1970), a porno flick featuring a young Sylvester Stallone!
Creampuffs (1981)
The 3 Dimensions of Greta (1972)
Hard Candy (1976)
The Centerfold Girls (1974)
Panorama Blue (1974)
Wicked Wicked (1973)
Teenage Mother (1967)
Charlie and the Hooker (1976)
Mantango (1963)
The Green Slime (1968)
Destroy All Monsters (1968)
The Crippled Master (1981)
Werewolves on Wheels (1971)
The Pink Angels (1971)
The Depraved (1974)
They Call Her One Eye (1974)
Maid in Sweden (1971)
Behind Covenant Walls (1977)
Secret Africa (1969)
Shocking Asia (1974)
Chappaqua (1966)
Welcome Home, Brother Charles (1975)
The Legend of Nigger Charlie (1972)
Boss Nigger (1975)
The Bullet Machine (1975)
Death Drive (1977)
The Raiders of Atlantis (1983)
Star Crash (1979)
Confessions of a Summer Camp Counselor (1977)
Sunset Cove (1978)
Super Fuzz (1980)
Death Will Have Your Eyes (1974)
Death Has Blue Eyes (1976)
A Black Veil for Lisa (1968)
Ironmaster (1983)
The Rape of the Sabines (1962)
The Deadly Spawn (1983)
Devil's Nightmare (1971)
So far I've only seen a few of these in their entirety, and the ones I did see were utterly brilliant. Sometimes low-budget means big on ideas and honesty, and I love the feeling of genuineness over Hollywood plastic-fakeness (I'm looking at you Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn slick comedies). Bring on Grindhouse and the rest of the full films represented here!