Well Go USA Entertainment MAX CLOUD contest is now over.1.26.2021.No More entries .Winners are being notified and prizes are being sent to them .Follow SCARLET THE FILM MAGAZINE for upcoming contests, reviews and articles ).
This time, we are having a drawing for the new Sci-Fi Action Comedy Adventure Thriller :
MAX CLOUD
update :01/26/2021 contest is over . No More entries . Winners have been notified .
A combination of JUMANJI and THE LAST STARFIGHTER, MAX CLOUD is about when a video-game enthusiast, Sarah, is transported into her favorite game, she finds herself on an intergalactic prison, home to the most dangerous villains in the galaxy. The only way to escape the game is to complete it.
Teaming up with space hero, Max Cloud (Adkins), Sarah battles the terrifying planet while her best friend, Cowboy, controls the game from her bedroom in Brooklyn. Sit down, plug in, and get ready for a sci-fi adventure like no other.
The title will be released on DVD and BLU RAY on January 19,2021 , but WELL GO US ENTERTAINMENT has given SCARLET three BLU RAY copies for a drawing .
Aspect Ratio : 2.35:1 MPAA rating : NR Director : Martin Owen Media Format : Dolby, Widescreen, Surround Sound Run time : 1 hour and 29 minutes Release date : January 19, 2021 Actors : Scott Adkins, Tommy Flanagan, John Hannah, Lashana Lynch Language : English (DTS 5.1) Studio : Well Go Usa Number of discs : 1 2K Blu Ray Region ‘A’ Optional English Subtitles
11.26.2021 – update -CONTEST IS NOW OVER – NO MORE ENTRIES. WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND THEIR PRIZES ARE GOING OUT. Thank you. Follow Scarlet The Film Magazine for future contests, reviews, articles.
In the body of the email Put in you name and address
Then answer this question :
What is you Science Fiction Comedy or Fantasy Comedy film ?
That’s all you need to do.
Only One Entry Per Person .
Include your name and mailing address so winners can be notified and their prize mailed.
DEADLINE is January 26 ,2021 . Entries received after that date will not be counted.
11.26.2021 – update -CONTEST IS NOW OVER – NO MORE ENTRIES. WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED ADND THEIR PRIZES ARE GOING OUT. Thank you. Follow Scarlet The Film Magazine for future contests, reviews, articles.
Winners will be drawn randomly and then notified January 26,2021 , with their prizes sent out soon after .
Only one entry per person. No purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited. All federal, state, and local regulations apply. You must be at least 18 to enter. You must live in the United States or Canada. All prizes are awarded “as is.” Prizes are nontransferable and cannot be exchanged. No substitute prize will be awarded to a winner who declines to accept a prize. Three(3) winners will be selected randomly.
Please allow 4-8 weeks to receive the prize.
11.26.2021 – update -CONTEST IS NOW OVER – NO MORE ENTRIES. WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND THEIR PRIZES ARE GOING OUT. Thank you. Follow Scarlet The Film Magazine for future contests, reviews, articles.
A comedy duo (officially since DUCK SOUP, Roach,1926, even though they had appeared together in THE LUCKY DOG, 1921,Sun-Lite) who remained friends until Oliver Hardy’s passing in 1957,and who will forever be linked in the minds of film fans as a tandem force.
Their films can be watched and enjoyed by all ages, due to their child like innocence as well as their constant battles with everyday events.
Now, a collection of their works has been restored and presented to both new and old fans alike in a release that should please all. The shorts are well represented, with some odd omissions. For example, they do a magnificent job on the one silent presented, THE BATTLE OF THECENTURY (Roach/MGM,1927),but skip their first talkie (UNACUSTOMED AS WE ARE, Roach/MGM ,1929),as well as many other classics . Were there legal issues or lack of acceptable elements, or just the ones that UCLA has restored so far? Perhaps if this set sells well, we might expect a second edition, or even a third that would include their silent (yes please).
The restorations of these films are nothing short of miraculous. New 2K/4K masters have been made from the best elements available, and while they still have a few specks here and there, plus the sound is variable due to the technology of the time , one is doubtful one will ever see these classics in any better presentation.
THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY (Roach /MGM ,1927), on Disc One, to me, made the disc a special delight. Robert Youngson used the remaining footage available in his 1965 compilation LAUREL & HARDY’s LAUGHING 20s (MGM,1965). For years, that tantalizing footage had fans wishing to see the entire short.
In the 1980s, most of the first reel was discovered. Missing still is a sequence wherein Eugene Pallette (best known as Friar Tuck in THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, WB,1938) is an insurance agent who sells Ollie a policy ,wherein if Stanley sustains injury, there will be a nice payout. This footage is set up nicely with a few remaining stills and a title card explaining the set up. It then jumps to Ollie dropping banana peels to make Stan fall, only to have it backfire and make long suffering foe Charlie Hall as a pie man topple, leading up to the huge street filling pie fight. In the extras, Anita Garvin identifies herself as the woman who falls and sits upon a pie, stands, and tries to regain her dignity. She did this brilliant comic gem of a moment in an unpaid appearance during her lunch break as a favor to Stan!
Also, on Disc one, there is BERTH MARKS (Roach/MGM,1929) their SECOND talking picture. Even though sound had just become popular and wider used just two years earlier, the team was already using it and drawing attention to its humorous potential. Notice how they use the stationmaster (Pat Harmon, a familiar face in films ,often in unbilled roles) who yells out the train destinations in an incoherent though loud way, then asked if Pottsville is one of the stops, he yells louder and even less coherently!
BERTH MARKS is available in two versions on this disc ; the 1929 release version with original sound, as well as the 1936 re issue with added music and different sound effects. The 1929 version has not been seen for 84 years so it is a real significant find.
The brilliant fourth L&H feature, SONS OF THE DESERT (Roach,MGM ,1933) was called “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the U.S. Library of Congress in 2012 and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Once you watch this pre-code comedy, you will see why. The print is so much sharper than previous releases, with nice shades of gray and good sound.
There are extras galore on this and the other discs .
There are fact filled running commentaries by either Randy Skretvedt or Richard W. Bann on the various shorts and films. Seriously, you will learn about where certain sequences were shot, actors who appear, often as uncredited extras, just a wealth of information.
Also included are video interview from the 1980s.
Actress Anita Gavin (1906- 1994) gushes with real affection for her time at Roach, and of her working with Stan.
Producer/actor/director Joe Rock (aka Joseph Simberg,1893-1984). Rock basically saved Stan from an unhappy marriage that was ruining his career. Freed of her, Stan starring silent vehicles included the wonderful spoof DR PYCKLE AND MR PRIDE (Selznick,1925). It is too bad that the sound is so terrible in this interview, with a buzz so loud that words are often drowned out.
Roy Seawright (1905-1991) was Hal Roach Studios Head of Animation , the man responsible for all of those animated effects in the films, as well as the stop motion in BABES IN TOYLAND /MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS (Roach /MGM ,1934) .
(not from the blu ray, but an interesting bit of film history below )
A shipboard interview with Oliver Hardy (1950). This was when the boys were going with such high hopes to film ATOLL K/UTOPIA (1951), a disastrous final film for the comedy team.
The only known existing original trailer from SONS OF THE DESERT (Spanish).
A plug for Skretvedt’s book (which appears on several of the discs.)?
That is just the first disc!
Extras on Disc 2 include audio interviews with many associated with the comedy team, while disc 4 has several of the comic duos’ feature trailers, as well as music tracks from Marvin Hatley (1905-1986), best known for his work for the team.
There are also thousands of rare photos posters, scripts, and production notes from their many shorts and features.
(TWICE TWO ,1933 )
Disc 2 also has BRATS (1930, available in two versions) ,HOG WILD (1930) ,COME CLEAN (1931), ONE GOOD TURN(1931),and ME & MY PAL (1933) ,all Roach/MGM releases , all looking vastly sharper than they have in other releases.
Disc 3 has 8 shorts, including THE MUSIC BOX (Roach/MGM,1932), winner of the FIRST Academy Award for Best Short Live Action (Comedy) and was preserved in 1997 in National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
The other shorts on Disc 3 are HELPMATES(1932) , THE CHIMP (1932) ,COUNTY HOSPITAL (1932) ,SCRAM! (1932), THEIR FIRSTMISTAKE(1932) ,THE MIDNIGHT PATROL(1933) ,and BUSY BODIES (1933) (all Roach /MGM ).
Disc 4 has the feature WAY OUT WEST (Roach/MGM,1937). This is the comedy which will have your sides ache in the sequence where they chase each other around the room with a purloined deed. This is the film that is referenced so perfectly in the beginning of STAN & OLLIE, with an exact copy of their dance.
It also has three other Hal Roach produced shorts(TOWED IN A HOLE(Roach/MGM 1932) ,TWICE TWO(Roach/MGM 1933),THAT’S THAT(1937 , a private reel of out-takes compiled for Stan’s birthday and was not publicly distributed), as well as their only existing professionally shot color footage in TREE IN A TEST TUBE, a 1942 short made for the U.S. Dept of Agriculture!
The packing really beings up my one tiny nitpick – the case has a flip book to hold the various discs, which often shift making the box hard to close. Be careful so as not to scratch or damage the discs.
This is hours and hours of entertainment and information in a well-made release. Hopefully, it will be a success so that we may see 4 K releases of their other Hal Roach films (including the silent era) to Blu Ray.
Stan: What do you want? Policeman: I don’t want you. I want that other monkey. [Stan whistles to Ollie] Ollie: What? Stan: He doesn’t want me! He wants the other monkey! [Ollie looks around] Stan: You! Ollie: Oh. -from THE MUSIC BOX
You don’t want that other monkey. You want this collection!! Must own.
THE BELLS OF ST MARY’S(OliveFilms Blu Ray $29.95 or DVD $19.95, December 2019). Original Release: RKO, December 1945. B&W. Not Rated. 126 minutes. Region 1/A. 1.37:1 https://olivefilms.com/product/the-bells-of-st-marys/ (The Blu Ray Release is the version used for this review).
The holidays are here, so I won’t make this a very long review, only to make sure that I say
that if you love the Christmas season, you need to add OLIVE FILMS ‘SIGNATURE COLLECTION edition of THE BELLS OF ST. MARY’S.
The story to some may now seem a bit cliched, with Bing Crosby’s priest character parodied endlessly in various television shows (including THE SIMPSONS (Fox,1989- forever ). However, when you return to the original classic film, you see how well it stands up, and makes you laugh and cry with ease, ending with an unexpected feeling of joy in humanity.
Released by RKO on December 5,1945 in New York at Radio City Music Hall, the film was an immediate hit both with critics (with a few Scrooges) and audiences alike, becoming the highest grossing 1945 release and RKO’s most profitable film in its erratic history.
St. Mary’s Parish is one that caters to the poor. The Church is trying to decide as to whether it is worth keeping open or close it. The school attached is in disrepair as well, with many feeling it too needs to close and the students transferred to a more modern school.
Enter Father “Chuck” O’Malley (Bing Crosby, reprising his Oscar winning role from GOING MY WAY, RKO ,1944). His job is to access the situation. The barrier he faces is Sister Superior Mary Benedict (IngridBergman, who, the opening titles informs us, appears by arrangement with David O. Selznick). Sister Superior and her fellow Sisters all feel that things will soon turn around and that God Will Provide.
The Father and the Sisters then spend the rest of the film dealing with a local businessman donating to the Parish, troubled students and various incidents both funny or/and touching. Bing even manages to squeeze in six songs (both singularly and with a choir), four of which were later released as popular singles.
The film was nominated in several categories ,including Best Actor (Crosby , the first actor to be nominated a second time for portraying the same role), Best Actress(Bergman),Best Director(LeoMcCarey,DUCK SOUP, Paramount ,1933)Best Editing, Best Music, Best Song ,but only winning for Best Sound Recording (Stephen Dunn, two years after he won for THIS LAND IS MINE, RKO,1943).
OLIVE FILMS SIGNATURE FILMS are always the best of the best when it comes to restoration as well as extras, and this package is no exception.
The film has been given a brand new 4K restoration. The movie has never been out of public view and the previous releases on tv, video and DVD have all been fine. This new release, however, is so sharp, that it looks like a film shot this year, and not 74 years previously.
The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono sonic has been given a marvelous boost as well, showing why it won the Oscar. There is nary a pop or hiss to distract from the sound effects, dialogue, and of course, music in this classic.
As to extras:
Audio Commentary :Bing Crosby biographer Gary Giddins (A POCKETFUL OF DREAMSBack Bay Books, 2002) has an informative and pleasant running commentary about the production and reactions to the picture. It is astonishing to discover what a Nativity scene with a bunch of children was nearly cut because there was fear that it might offend Catholics!)
FAITH & FILM: Sister Rose Pocotte, film critic and founding Director of the Pauline Center for MediaStudies in L.A., brings a combined critical as well as faith-based point of view to the classic.
HUMAN NATURE: LEO McCAREY & THE BELLS OF ST. MARY’S : Film Historian Steve Massa (LAME BRAINS& LUNATICS, Bear Manor 2013) discusses the career of the director, from his works in comedies to more serious themes in his work after a car accident influenced his world view.
BEFORE SEQUEL-ITIS: THE ORIGINS OF HOLLYWOOD FRANCHISES : Professor Emily Carman of Chapman University discusses the need to see more of certain popular characters.
VINTAGE RADIO ADAPTATIONS :Radio adaptations of popular movies were quite common from the 1930s up to the early 1950s. Both recordings heard here were on the popular Screen Guild Theater radio series (August 26, 1946 and October 6,1947). Both Bergman and Crosby repeat their roles in these 30-minute abridgements. I used to own these on a 1981 vinyl LP release from the old-time radio specialty company Sandy Hook Records, so it was nice to hear them again.
Booklet : an 8-page illustrated booklet with an essay by Film Reviewer Abbey Bender gives a nice overview of the picture.
The holidays are now upon us, so if you want a perfect gift for people who love
CLASSIC MOVIES CHRISTMAS BING CROSBY INGRID BERGMAN LEO MCCAREY
Then this is the perfect stocking stuffer for them—or you (go on -you’ve earned it!).
MERRY CHRISTMAS and thank you to Olive Films Signature Series.
A BUCKET OF BLOOD (Olive Films Signature Blue Ray) released 2019. B&W. 66 minutes. 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. Original Theatrical Release. October 21, 1959. AIP. $39.95 limited to only 3500 copies
Back in 1959, Roger Corman (THE PIT & THE PENDULUM,AIP,1961) made a five-day quickie for $50 grand, that was different from his previous productions. While it still fell into the horror genre, it was also a dark comedy. The film went on to make back profits of almost quadruple its production cost, leading Corman to try two more with the same writer, Charles B Griffith (who had written many of Corman’s early films, and later wrote the cult classic DEATH RACE 2000 (New World ,1975);LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Filmgroup, 3 days, plus pick up shots, $34,000, not a success upon its original release) and CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA (Filmgroup, 1959, released in 1961, shot on location in 5 days, a failure upon its original release).
Corman thus stayed away from comedies until a segment of his TALES OF TERROR (AIP,1962) and THE RAVEN (AIP ,1963).
A BUCKET OF BLOOD works mostly because of the wonderful work by Dick Miller. When ABOB was released, it was unique, being a time capsule of the beatnik era.
“Beat Generation” was a phrase first popularized by author Jack Kerouac to describe the counterculture developing in post war New York, particularly in the bohemian Greenwich Village. The word was basically a way for Kerouac and others of the time to describe the beaten down and off beat. “Beatnik “was first used in 1958 in a news column as a derogatory term. The phrase stuck, however. ‘Beatniks” slowly morphed into what are now better known as “hippies”, or the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
Until the beginning of this century, one could still find in the Greenwich Village several coffee shops and bookstores that had been part of the Beat Generation of cool, all slowly removed and replaced by Starbucks and sterile chain stores.This film gives a glimpse of how similar the beat culture was on both coasts.
OLIVE FILM’s SIGNATURE series release of A BUCKET OF BLOOD goes all out on this little gem, something we wish that every film would get.
First off, the 4K scan print is amazing, especially considering how many bad to downright unwatchable P.D. prints have been circulating for years. Olive Films had released a bare bones Blu ray version (still available for $14.95 https://olivefilms.com/product/a-bucket-of-blood-dvd/) but I am sure that even that print pales in comparison to this new version.
The mono sound works fine for the film, being almost hiss free, with dialogue, sound effects, and music clear and distinct, even with lines that formerly had sounded a bit mumbled.
The extras are the reason that make me prefer Blu Rays over streaming films, and what a nice collection of goodies that Olive Films has added.
–CREATION IS, ALL ELSE IS NOT! *- 93-year-old Roger Corman reminisces about the making of ABOB. The man shows that his memory is clear about a film made 60 years ago, and it is remembered with great affection.
–CALL ME PAISLEY – a 2018 interview with Dick Miller (who died January 30,2019 at age 90) and his wife Lainie. His voice is hoarse but Dick Miller was still lively, and a wonderful raconteur , prompted by his Lainie. The movie has extra importance to Lainie, as she met Dick when he was beginning production of the film, and they were married by year’s end just as the picture was being released. There are some marvelous home movies of Dick wrestling with tigers and lions. As he states, they are not trained but wild, that have been fed, and have no reason to attack humans unless hungry or aggravated to attack. Miller speaks of how he knew Jonathan Haze and Bruno VeSota prior to working for Corman, and how Corman formed his little stock company of players.
The Cabinet Of Professor Bondi ? How does this German retitling of HOUSE OF WAX tie in with ABOB?Read on.
-Audio Commentary by Elijah Drenner, director of the wonderful documentary THAT GUY DICK MILLER (Autumn Rose Productions, End Films,2014). Elijah enthusiastically shares his information about Miller and this film with an infectious enthusiasm for his subject. When not commenting directly on the action of the film ,he pulls out illumination on the film location (the studio were it was filmed was formerly The Chaplin Studios and now is the home of Jim Henson Productions .) and the people involved both in front and off camera. At the end, you almost feel that Drenner wishes the film were longer, as he seems to have so much knowledge on the production to share.
-Archival Audio Interview with screenwriter Charles B Griffith. The screenwriter (who passed away in 2007) speaks clearly and with clarity about how he got involved in the business due to Myrtle Vail, a relative who helped create the radio soap opera in 1932(!)and who played the landlady Mrs. Swickert in ABOB. An amazing recollection from the subject, and a real bonus finds we should be grateful that Olive Films found and added this.
Griffith & Vail Sounds like a Vaudeville Act ?
Well , Vaudeville was in their family blood .
BITS OF BUCKET – a comparison of the shooting script to the final product. Since an average of 1 minute of screen time is one page of script, the 66-minute feature need to trim a lot from the 95-page screenplay. It results in a few lines cut here and there, as well as some character development. It is interesting to see, and kudos for the effort (the original shooting script was titled “THE YELLOW DOOR’, which is the name of the club in the film), but the movie in it’s current state is quick ,and wastes no time. Would adding and shooting these bits have added to the film, or just slowed it down? An interesting alternate shot exists of Paisley’s hanging scene from the end, where his eyes are open, staring right at the camera. Was the other take used as the image was considered too gruesome?
Rare Prologue from the German Release . – This alone should make you rush out and buy this disc. In his commentaries, Elijah Drenner mentions the odd way a German distributor tried to tie ABOB to THE HOUSE OF WAX (aka DAS CABINETT DES PROFESSOR BONDI, THE CABINET OF PROFESSOR BONDI ,WB,1953)!!! To do this, a black and white prologue was filmed with an unknown German actor in heavy makeup going into a long speech about his wax experiments (so we are to assume that this is the Vincent Price character ,who somehow survived the finale of HOW)rambling on about his techniques, and only his relation Walter Paisley can carry on! You will probably want to re-watch this immediately after seeing it to make sure that you are not imagining it! Picture and sound quality are quite good, especially when one considers its rarity. AKA – THE LEGACY OF PROFESSOR BONDI (Das Vermächtnis Des Professor Bondi )
Not only did they try to tie A BUCKET OF BLOOD with HOUSE OF WAX,they even stuck a vampire on their poster, which seems to be “borrowed “from the French poster of BRIDES OF DRACULA !
-Super 8 Silent Version– one of those old silent 8 abridgements of films, with burnt on subtitles. Ken Films (a Fort Lee N J company that ceased production in 1981) released the film for home use. For those only know easy access streaming as the norm, there was a time when it was quite difficult to get your favorite films in any form, so these abridgements were as good as we could get. The Super 8 version begins with the murder of Detective Lou (Bert Convy, later a likeable staple on tv game shows) and goes to the murders following, a highlight reel that makes ABOB look like no more than a mad killer flick.
–Theatrical TrailerUS
–Theatrical Trailer Germany (see my earlier comments about the prologue)
-A slide show of rare Production Stills.
-Inside the Disc case , you will find an enclosed booklet Essay (“OH GIVE ME THAT BUCKET OF BLOOD “** by Caelum Vatnsdal, author of YOU DON’T KNOW ME, BUT YOU LOVE ME: THE LIVES OF DICK MILLER , Arbeiter Ring Publishing ,2018). Informative and illustrated with some rare on set production shots.
Not with the Disc , but worth seeking out
The plot of the film has waiter Walter Paisley (Dick Miller, the first of many times his characters during his long career would be referred to as “Walter Paisley” ) working in a beatnik club fall in love with hostess Carla (Barboura Morris, whose whole film career seemed to be for AIP ,save her last role, in the T.V. movie HELEN KELLER & HER TEACHER (1970), with Ms. Morris playing Annie Sullivan. Ms. Morris died tragically young, one day after her 43rd birthday in 1975).
When he accidentally kills a cat, he covers in sculpting clay, including the knife still sticking out of the poor beast. He suddenly shows off his “creation” and is hailed as a true genius. However, to keep his masterpieces coming, he needs to keep getting a fresh supply of bodies.
The movie was released as a co-bill with ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (AIP,1959) ,which also featured actor Bruno VeSota. One wonders how audiences reacted at the time or were even aware that it was the same performer in both pictures.
A BUCKET OF LEECHES with two Brunos for the price of one
A BUCKET OF BLOOD was one of Roger Corman’s old scripts that he had reworked for Showtime’s ROGER CORMAN PRESENTS, that ran from 1995 until 1997. The 1995 remake was later released to VHS under the title THE DEATH ARTIST (Concorde,1995). This retelling is 17 minutes longer, in color, starring Anthony Michael Hall and Justine Bateman as Walter and Carla respectively, and is more brutal but a lot less fun. The biggest recommendation for seeking it out is to see a young Will Ferrell in a small role https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mUqaNaaPhY as well as Paul Bartel and Mink Stole as two art lovers.
Stick to the original.
Get this OLIVE FILMS Blu Ray release.
HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION. Recommended for fans of Classic Horror Horror Comedies Dick Miller AIP Roger Corman
Richard Dreyfuss was at the height of his popularity in 1978. He had been a major force behind such mega successes as JAWS (Universal,1975) and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (Columbia,1975), and had just won the Academy Award for Best Actor for THE GOODBYE GIRL (MGM,1977).
There was therefore great anticipation for his next film , which was THE BIG FIX. The television commercials seemed to promise us another whacky comedy, following his popular turn in THE GOODBYE GIRL.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O0zOa41kos
The film got positive reviews , but it never seemed to click as expected with audiences (though it was profitable ), and so the film came and went quickly.
It was released on VHS and on cable, but never seemed to find an audience it deserved .
The problem is that the marketing sold it as a comedy, which is wrong as it is a clever updating of the detective drama (there was a 1947 crime drama with the same name ,which was the final film from Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) ) ,with a quirky title character.
The screenplay was adapted by Roger L. Simon , based upon his own 1973 novel. His character of Moses Wine appeared in 3 further novels, and has been nominated for an Edgar Award .
Jeremy Paul Kagan was a successful television director, who had helmed an episode of the successful COLUMBO (Universal,1971-2003) as well as the marvelous telefilm mystery JUDGE DEE AND THE MONASTERY MURDERS (ABC CIRCLE FILMS ,1974).
THE BIG FIX was his second theatrical feature (the first being HEROES , Universal,1977).
Private Investigator Moses Wine (Richard Dreyfuss) is a former radical now struggling within the system , struggling on catching up on late child support and losing on sports betting . His right hand is in a cast, and one wonders if it was a warning from a bookie, from a case, or simply clumsiness. He doesn’t make it clearer ,when he himself gives various reasons for his injury (Dreyfuss supposedly actually injured himself ,and so they worked it into the film).
Moses is contacted by Lila (Susan Anspach,BLUME IN LOVE, WB 1973) to see if he can help Milles Hawthorne (John Cunningham ). Cunningham is running for Governor of California, but there is a smear campaign against him .Fliers are being distributed that have doctored photos that show Hawthorne with radical Howard Eppis (FMurray Abraham , 6 years before his international fame as Salieri in AMADEUS , Orion ,1984 ),who is also supposedly also endorsing him. This could be the kiss of death to Hawthorne’s campaign ,and Lila wants Moses to find out who is doing it.
The problem for Moses is that he has contempt for Hawthorne’s policies and intelligence ,but for Lila (with him Moses was involved with back in HIS radical younger days) , he takes the case , even though he has to deal with Hawthorne’s buttoned down campaign manager,Sam Sebastian (John Lithgow , the same year appearing in Bob Fosse’sALL THAT JAZZ (Fox,1979)).
They start checking with old radical sources and friends (some of whom are in prison due to their activities with Eppis )to try and uncover the truth of the smear campaign , which results in death along the way. Moses needs to find Eppis and finds many of his old associates now regard Eppis with hatred and contempt .
The FBI becomes involved and question Moses about Eppis . Moses also encounters wealthy Industrialist Oscar Procari (Dennis Weaver, so memorable in many classic TWILIGHT ZONE episodes) who feels Eppis radicalized his son and got him involved with the California Four (sort of a variant to the Weather Underground).
Along the way, Moses comes in contact with many of those who were involved with the turbulent sixties, and he questions when did things start to change for him and the rest ?
My favorite scene in the film is where Moses watches old news footage of the California Four and their passion that they could bring about change, bringing tears to Moses’ eyes.
Other wonderful supporting actors in the film include Bonnie Bedelia (before she played Holly McClane in DIEHARD I & II (Fox ,88,90) as Suzanne ,Moses’ ex-wife, Ron Rifkin ( L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, WB,1991) as her sleazy current boyfriend , as well as a watch or you’ll miss him Mandy Patinkin (YENTL ,UA, 1983) bit as a stoner pool man.
The score is by Bill Conti (ROCKY,UA,1976) ,and the cinematography is by Frank Stanley ( Blake Edwards ‘10”,WB ,1979) . Bill Conti’s score is available to listen to on an isolated music & sound effects track as the disc’s only extra , besides an original theatrical trailer.
The film has been given a 1080p High Definition upgrade (1.85:1 screen ratio) and is a big step up from the Universal DVD-On Demand that was available prior.
Here the image and colors are sharper and not as flat as that transfer and the framing seems less cramped.
The sound is only in English (1.0 DTS- HD MA) but again the original film was mono sound and TWILIGHT TIME has cleaned up the track as much as possible, It is hiss and pop free ,with dialogue and soundtrack both easy to enjoy .
A good updating of the detective thriller, with a superb cast in a clever film looking at the failings and ideals of the counter culture movement, as well as what people are willing to “sell out “ for on both sides of the political spectrum .
Recommended for RICHARD DREYFUSS fans, detective fans, political junkies, and those who like counter culture movies (this being almost a counter-counter-culture film!).
1967 was a year for wonderfully twisted comedies. THE PRODUCERS (Embassy)THE FEARLESS VAMPIREKILLERS(MGM), THE GRADUATE (Embassy,1967), and GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER(Columbia) were among the gems released that year.
Perhaps the most twisted and yet still funny as all get out film of the bunch was BEDAZZLED. Peter Cook and Dudley Moore were two giants of the boom in British comedy and satire in the 1960s, with anti-establishment humor endearing them to the young of the time
The pair of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore first shot to international fame with their performances in both the U.K. and ten a successful two-year run in NYC in a satirical review called BEYOND THE FRINGE. Also, n the cast was playwright Alan Bennett (the play THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE) and Jonathan Miller (later to run the Old Vic Theatre).
The four intelligent young men were the heirs of absurdist humor previously popular in England due to programs like THE GOON SHOW (Spike Milligan, a very young Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, and Michael Bentine) and their creative intelligent wit mixed with surreal silliness made them the forerunners of MONTY PYTHON’s FLYING CIRCUS.
Several popular appearances on the BBC, with shows like NOT ONLY…BUT ALSO (1964,1966,1970) helped increase their popularity. The pair also successfully appeared major supporting roles in the big budget comedy THE WRONG BOX (Columbia ,1966), and so studios were open to the idea of pairing them in a starring project.
Meanwhile, American director Stanley Donen (who passed away two days after this Blu Ray release) had been MGM ‘s top director of musicals in the 1950s (SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN.1952 and SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVENBROTHERS ,1954). After leaving MGM to free-lance at other studios, Donen spent the 1960s living in England, directing and producing several films there.
After a few box office disappointments, Donen was back on track with CHARADE (Universal,1963), a fun thriller often referred to as “the Best Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock never made”, starring Cary Grant and AudreyHepburn. He followed this with the similar ARABESQUE (Universal,1966) starring Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren, which was nearly as successful as the previous film.
These two hits allowed him to experiment a bit, and so he did TWO FOR THE ROAD (Fox, 1967) and the film under review here, BEDAZZLED (Fox,1967).
With a screenplay by Peter Cook (based upon a story by Cook and Moore), director Donen (no stranger to devils, having directed DAMN YANKEES in 1958 for Warner Brothers) gets into the style and mood of the swinging sixties to tell this modern reworking of the Faust legend. Moore and Cook build upon their established persona from previous routines, with Moore being the slower witted, usually taken advantage of by the fast talking, gleam in his eye Cook.
Stanley Moon (Moore), a short order cook, moons over Margaret Spencer (Eleanor Bron, most famous for appearing in the Richard LesterBeatles vehicle HELP, U.A. 1965, as well as appearing in Donen’s ONE FOR THEROAD that same year), a waitress who barely acknowledges his existence at the Wimpy’s Burgers Restaurant at which they both works. Indeed, one of her gentlemen pick her up from work just as Stanley gets the courage to ask her out, driving the Stanley to abject despair.
Poor Moon doesn’t notice the customer with the small sunglasses and wearing an opera cape sitting at one of the tables, watching all this with great intensity.
Returning home, Moon wants to hang himself from a pipe in his ceiling, and only succeeds in breaking the pipe, causing water to fall into his tiny flat. Stepping into the apartment comes the stranger from the restaurant, who identifies himself as George Spiggott (Cook).
Spiggott then admits that is but one of the many names he has, for he is the Devil himself. To prove it, he will grant Moon one wish, save for Margaret Spencer. Thinking Stanley asks for an ice lolly. Sure enough, they go board a bus, and, using Stanley’s money, purchases an ice lolly. Not believing that Spiggott is anything more than a looney, Spiggott sighs and with the magic phrase “Julie Andrews”, they are whisked across London to a less reputable part of town, melting the ice lolly in transit. It is here that Spiggott has his seedy club that he works out of.
The bouncer, Anger (Robert Russell, superlative a year later as Vincent Price’s evil sidekick in WITCHFINDERGENERAL; Tigon/AIP,1968), tosses Stanley out, but Spiggott escorts him back in. Within the club, Stanley will also meet among others Envy (Barry Humphries, before he donned drag to gain international fame as Dame Edna. Cook had befriended and even helped support Humphries early in his career), Vanity (Alba), who walks around with a mirror in front of him, and of course, Lust (personified with a Southern Belle accent by RaquelWelch, the actress being featured upon almost all the advertising and posters).
Japanese film poster
Basically, Spiggott offers Moon the standard contact of seven wishes upon which to win his true love. Sadly, for Stanley, the Devil is truly in the details, as each attempt at a new life to win Margaret Spencer ends in disaster for the love besotted chef.
Along the way, it seems that the police believe that Moon has succeeded in his suicide attempt, with Inspector Clarke (Michael Bates, later the sadistic Chief Guard Barnes in the Stanley Kubrick masterpiece, A CLOCKWORKORANGE, WB,1971) starting to woo the young Miss while they try and find Moon’s corpse!
The wonderfully whacky film also explores with fittingly fiendish delight the modus operandi of the Devil, whether it be scratching records before they are sent off to sale, or exploring good and evil .Along the way, a strange friendship develops between Moon and Spiggott ,though in the end they both know after the seven wishes granted to Stanley his soul will belong to Spiggott. Spiggott must gain 100 Billion souls to regain his entryway into Heaven and sit again as God’s favorite. The friendship works in a mysterious twist at the end, costing Spiggot to lose is bet with the Almighty. The film ends with an unseen God laughing in a deep voice, almost insanely as the end credits roll. Maybe the Devil indeed has a right to be angry.
A few bits from earlier sketches by the pair are woven into the episodic storyline , the most famous and obvious being from NOT ONLY…BUT ALSO , “The Leaping Nuns of the Order of St Beryl” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiO_9UIUx7M .
The film sparkles with wit as well as silliness (to get out of a failed wish, Stanley needs to make a “raspberry “sound) that keeps it moving swiftly over the course of 103 minutes.
Austin Dempster had been camera operator on ARABESQUE and TWO FOR THE ROAD for director Donen, but BEDAZZLED was his first credit as cinematographer. At one point, the film switches to black and white to recreate an early television studio broadcast (as well as perhaps reference films like A HARD DAY’S NIGHT (UA,1964)). This leads into one of the most fun sequences, where fans including an awe-struck Margaret Spencer go nuts for rock star Stanley (who basically screams “Love MEEEE”), until Drimble Wedge and the Vegetation sing an emotionless version of “Bedazzled “. The fickle fans run to the latest flavor of the moment and abandon poor Stanley ,trying to blow a razzberry as fans nearly trample him to reach their new idol. The music, by the way, for the film was composed by Dudley Moore. Several artists have done covers of the “Bedazzled” song, most notably Nick Cave and Anita Lane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPJWkQudhPo .
The film when released received mixed reviews but made a profit in the United States.
Since its release, BEDAZZLED has continued to increase its cult following due to late night tv showings as well as various releases on Beta, VHS and in 2007 on DVD by Fox Entertainment.
Now TWILIGHT TIME has released the best-looking release of this film on home media, perhaps even since its original release. Another marvelous 1080p HD transfer, some of the colors are more vibrant than I’ve ever seen in this film, particularly the red of Spiggott’s inner cape lining or Raquel Welch’s tiny bra and panties she wears while hopping into bed with Stanley. Some reviewers have mentioned a slight elongation of the figures, but I didn’t notice any of this when I viewed the film.
The disc has two English only audio selections: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and DTS-HD Master Audio Mono, the sound is clear and clean, with no noticeable sound pops, and does justice to the quippy fast delivered dialogue as well as Moore’s music.
For the hearing impaired, there are clean easy to read optional subtitles.
As an extra, you can listen to the isolated music and sound effects track, so you can enjoy the clever jazzy score and songs.
The Blu Ray cover sleeve shows us a photo of Cook as Spiggott (which for some reason reminded me of PeterCushing in DR TERRORS HOUSE OF HORRORS (Paramount, Amicus,1965).
Twilight Time also commissioned a very fun illustration for a cover as well.
Julie Kirgo provides her always welcome liner notes in a separate booklet included with the disc, concentrating a great deal on director Donen.
Extras carried over from the 2007 FOX DVD are
Two trailers for the film,
A 2007 interview with director /comedian Harold Ramis, who directed the unnecessary 2000 remake of BEDAZZLED. Ramis waxes poetic about how wonderful the film and indeed the comic pair of Moore and Cook were.
An excerpt from THE PAUL RYAN SHOW, a 1977 British talk program ,where the pair of Moore and Cook reveal that there were tensions between them ,due to their different attitudes on dealing with things (oddly, IMDB.com only lists Moore and not Cook, but since Moore only appeared on the show once, we must assume episode 109 was the one featured here). One wishes there was the whole broadcast of this here, but we are grateful indeed to get a glimpse of this black & white rarity.
I cannot recommend this wonderful original comedy enough.
The press run is limited to only 3,000 copies, so get yours now- before George Spiggott makes all of them vanish on you.
Get BEDAZZLED
HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION .
-Kevin G Shinnick
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Back in the 1970s and 80s, it was possible for independent films to get theatrical releases. A lot of these films would play their one week run and then disappear, unless they would end up as second features later for another film, or, perhaps a sale to television.
With the advent of the home video market, people were able to program their own films, whenever they wanted to view a film. Magnetic Video was one of the first companies to license titles (most were from major studios) and offer them for sale to consumers. The high mark up (many were $100) meant that people were more likely to rent than purchase, thus giving rise to video rental stores.
The offerings available on Beta (then VHS) were limited, due to studios wishing to prevent bootlegging of their titles. Smaller companies lept into fill the void for demanding renters (as well as the adult video market, which drove a lot of business for the video marketplace, but that is a different part of the story).
Suddenly, older public domain titles were appearing on store shelves, along with many independent films that had pretty much vanished after their original run. One of those indie labels was Media Home Entertainment, started in 1978 by filmmaker Charles Band. In 1981, one of the titles the company released was ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES (Four Square Productions).
ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES, unlike a lot of independent films, had a bit of name recognition. Johnny Carson, then at the height of his popularity as the star of THE TONIGHT SHOW, had mentioned the film on the program, and interviewed star Jack Riley (who at the time was known for his role in tv’s THE BOB NEWHART SHOW, MTM Productions) who survived an accidental helicopter crash that ended up in the final cut of the film.
It was one of the first films that I ever owned on video, and thus it has fond memories for me.
Who would have thought that the film would spawn three sequels (so far), a video game, comics, a novel, and an animated television series?
For the five people who have never heard of the film, the film is a spoof inspired by the bad horror films that the filmmakers grew up loving.
A series of mysterious killings (including one that spoofs JAWS ,Universal,1975) baffle everyone, until it is discovered that Tomatoes have become sentient and are murdering people in various ways. At one point, one knocks a helicopter down, causing it to crash. They say tomatoes can’t fly and the response is well tomatoes cannot kill people either!
Finally, it is discovered that an obnoxious teen song “Puberty Love” causes the members of the nightshade family to flee in horror. People size their chance and smash and mash them, until they are vanquished. However, just at the end, we see that the carrots are now preparing to arise….
The film is like the big budget spoof THE BIG BUS (Paramount,1976), which exaggerates and satirizes their respective genres (THE BIG BUS spoofs the popular “disaster films” of the 1970s) and were the forerunners of the everything AND the kitchen sink humor of AIRPLANE (Paramount,1980).
A.O.T.K.T. was inspired by a short film that the filmmakers had done years earlier and raised the funds to expand on the simple premise into a full-length feature. That they were able to raise between $90,000 -$100,000 is an amazing feat.
At times, though, the film feels a bit padded to fill it’s running time. Indeed, some of the best scenes are recreations of those that appeared in the original Super 8 short (plus the astounding helicopter accident of course). Also, a major drag is the use of many non-professionals in featured roles. Working with people like Jack Riley shows how uneven the performances are.
That said, the film hits the mark more often than misses, which is more than many bigger budgeted films can claim (I’m looking at you, VAMPIRE ACADEMY (Weinstein,2014, $30 million budget). Indeed, some of their throwaway jokes may be missed by the non-genre fan, but truly tickle the horror aficionado. My personal favorite is the dubbed Japanese scientist, which no one in the scene notices or comments upon!
The film’s fame even extends to being referenced in a foodie festival!
Now, MVD/REWIND has given the film the deluxe treatment, giving it the kind of extras one would expect and find on the DUNKIRK (WB,2017) blu ray release.
First off, MVD REWIND has given the film a 4k remastering, with a hi-def (1080p) Blu-Ray as well as a standard definition of the film for DVD. The aspect ratio is 1.85.1.
Pulling out an old vhs copy shows how much the film has been given a facelift. Gone is the heavy grain that made me always think that it had been shot on 16mm and blown up to 35mm.
Now you can see the sharpness of the original 35mm photography, which is impressive for an independent production. HALLOWEEN (Compass,1978) also was shot in 35mm (as well as Panavision), which also elevated it from many indie films of the period.
Grain remains in some of the effects sequences, but that is from the original negative.
The sound is presented in LPCM 2.0 mono that is clean of pops and hisses. Some of the dialogue is low, but that is due to the original recording rather than any loss in the mix. The music does not drown out any of the dialogue or effects, which is a good or bad thing, depending upon how much of a fan that you are of the film.
We have a tomato basket full of extras for this release though I am unsure of how many of these are ported over from the long out of print Rhino 25th Anniversary .
There is a running audio commentary from the original team of John DeBello, Steve Peace, and Costa Dillon. The team recall their long friendship their original friendship that endures, and the process of putting together this cult feature. some 38 years ago.
There are three scenes that were deleted and while it is interesting to see these (which are in rougher form than the rest of the release), they would have added nothing to the film and in fact might have slowed the picture down.
LEGACY OF A LEGEND -is a collection of interviews with the team who created the original, as well as John Astin (who would star in the three sequels as well as provide his voice to the animated series), film critic Kevin Thomas and fan Bruce Vilanch, among others.
CRASH AND BURN is a brief discussion of the accidental helicopter crash, how the secondary camera kept rolling while the first shut off as the crash began, and how the actors came up with a way to work the incident into the plot, and work in one of the funniest lines about flying tomatoes.
FAMOUS FOUL– the San Diego Chicken reminiscences how he ended up in the film.
KILLER TOMATOMANIA – a man on the street interview with people walking along to see what they know of the film.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW– This was to me quite interesting. Many returned to their regular jobs ,but Steve Pearce went on to be a Democratic Senator in California (not to be confused with the New Mexico G.O.P. Congressman, who as far as I know, has never met a killer tomato , that the film had the first appearance of Dana Ashbrook , now best known for playing Bobby Briggs in the various incarnations of TWIN PEAKS, made his debut as an uncredited boy in boat ,and that the teenage vocalist of “Puberty Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jViBFzytVXo is drummer Matt Cameron (Soundgarden ,The Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jamhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO2FzVvA3TQ )!
WE TOLD YOU SO– a spoof investigation into killer tomato conspiracies.
An actual NY POST cover also referenced the film for a salmonella scare!
SLATED FOR SUCCESS -a short bit about the original film’s slate woman.
“ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES” – the original super 8mm short film. Running about 18 minutes, it begins with the scene of the tomato coming out of the sink and killing the woman, and several other major scenes that were later recreated in the feature. There is even the model tank sequence with miniature houses, and the surprise ending. There is also a commentary track by the original team.
GONE WITH THE BABUSULAND– another super 8mm short by the team. This one is over 32 minutes long but seems more self-indulgent. Having done my own super 8mm shorts, sometimes improv would bring out unexpected brilliance, and other times, well, editing comes in handy. A silent film made for a Kodak FilmFestival (which yours truly also submitted films) this also comes with commentary by the original team.
The original theatrical trailer.
Production Design Photo Gallery -six images.
Radio spots– these play over images from the film.
Vintage Retro Video Store Style Slipcover /O -Card (first pressing only). -For those old enough to remember the joy of discovering films lined along the video shelves, this was a nice touch.
Collectible Poster– to replace your long-tattered poster that you got when the video store was done with it.
In a press release, MVD Entertainment Group’s Eric D. Wilkinson , in charge of the MVD Rewind Collection , explains, “I’m a dedicated collector of movies on disc, with over 8,000 plus discs in my collection and I want collectors to know that the MVD Rewind Collection Blu-ray + DVD sets are being overseen by a collector and I will do my best to create the kind of releases you will look forward to adding to your collection every month.”
D.O.A.: A RITE OF PASSAGE is a raw gritty Super 8 documentary about the 1978 Sex Pistols tour of the U.S. that ended with the group breaking up, practically all captured on camera as it happened. Mixed into the mix is footage of other bands like The Dead Boys, The Rich Kids, and others, plus some The Clash and Iggy Pop music tossed into the mix.
This title has long been unavailable, so for fans of Punk Music, this is a must have.
The film has been cleaned up as much as possible, but its graininess also feels right for the subject matter. It is a great time capsule of the period, though seeing SidVicious and girlfriend Nancy Spungen sends a chill down the spine (Spungen died in 1978 from a stab wound to the stomach. Sid was charged with the crime but died from a drug overdose before he could be tried. The Hotel Chelsea, where it happened, has been closed since 2011, but is scheduled to re-open this year).
Besides the feature (on separate Blu Ray and DVD discs), they have also added a feature length documentary on the making of the feature, with new interviews with people who were involved with the original production, as well as Sex Pistol Historian Mick O’Shea, and Ultravox lead singer Midge Ure.
A 12-page booklet by John Holmstrom, founding editor of PUNK magazine.
A photo Gallery
Reversible Cover Artwork
A collectible two-sided poster (I am going to need more wall space)
The original Theatrical Trailer.
In a press release, MVD Entertainment Group’s Eric D. Wilkinson , in charge of the MVD Rewind Collection , explains, “I’m a dedicated collector of movies on disc, with over 8,000 plus discs in my collection and I want collectors to know that the MVD Rewind Collection Blu-ray + DVD sets are being overseen by a collector and I will do my best to create the kind of releases you will look forward to adding to your collection every month.”
Should MVD REWIND can continue the quality of these two-disc sets, the company will be the Criterion of B Movies and Obscure Titles to watch out for.
The cast includes VIRGINA MADSEN (HIGHLANDER,CANDYMAN, and as Madeline Hawthorne in the 2016 season of AMERICAN HORROR STORY) and PATRICK WARBURTON (star of Netflix‘s THE TICK ) .
Sex Sells. The maxim in advertising is often quite true. People are shocked and titillated, offended and fascinated, intrigued and repulsed by it. Due to that, interest in it never waivers. Back in the 1948 & 1953, the two books that became known as THE KINSEY REPORTS were published. These dry data filled books shocked people , as it let the general public know that their neighbors were doing it, how they might be doing it, some kinks they might have . Masters & Johnson also published their scientific studies, that showed such far out ideas as women might actually enjoy sex .
The freer society of the late 1960s led to the publication of the book EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX* (*BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK) by David Rueben ,M.D. Published by McKay in June 1969, the book became a world wide best seller. His how to manual seemed a must have .
When it was announced that Woody Allen was going to make a film based upon the non fiction book, people were surprised. Allen ,who had begun as a writer for the Colgate Comedy Hour on television, and written short humor pieces for magazines like The New Yorker. He stepped out and began his successful stand up comedy career , which led to his guest appearances on several popular T.V. shows.
His first play, DON’T DRINK THE WATER , was a hit that ran for 598 performances, and introduced the author to Lou Jacobi and Tony Roberts, the latter who became strongly associated with Allen’s films of the 1970s and 1980s.
A year earlier , he had written and taken a small role in the popular film WHAT’S NEW ,PUSSYCAT ? (U.A.,1965) .
His next film ,co written with writing partner Mickey Rose was the redubbed Japanese spy thriller International Secret Police: Key of Keys(Toho),with all the dialogue re-dubbed into an hysterical plot about the world’s best egg salad, and the new version was called WHAT’S UP TIGER LILLY?(AIP,1966),hoping to cash in on the success of Allen’s previous movie.
Disappointed by studio interference , Allen vowed to direct and retain creative control on his next films.
His play PLAY IT AGAIN ,SAM in 1969 was another hit, and brought actress Diane Keaton into both his professional and personal life.
Working with Mickey Rose again on a screenplay , Allen also directed and starred in TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN (Cinerama,1969). The modest film doubled it’s investment ,leading U.A. to sign him to a long term (though not exclusive) deal. BANANAS(U.A.,1971) made five times its production costs ,and his play PLAY IT AGAIN SAM (which he wrote & co-starred, but did not direct for Paramount 1972) also did fairly well . Diane Keaton, Jerry Lacy and Tony Roberts also reprised their Broadway roles.
So ,Allen ,who played a nebbishy character often obsessed with but failing at sex, seemed to be ready for the ultimate sex romp. But how to turn the book into a comedy ?
His solution was to turn the film into an omnibus, with seven stories that all work separately,all dealing with sex.
Do Aphrodisiacs Work?
They definitely do for the Fool (Allen) who has fallen for the Queen(Lynn Redgrave). While his Bob Hope style one liners fail to thrill the King (Anthony Quayle),the Fool definitely has an interest in the lovely Queen(Vanessa Redgrave) that involves more than jokes.
While walking the parapet, the Fool has an encounter with his father’s ghost (Allan Caillou,probably best known to many as The Head on the short lived tv series QUARK (Columbia,1977-78).A very funny exchange parodying Hamlet ensues.
The ghost sends him to the Sorcerer (played with glee by Geoffrey Holder) who give him a love potion
The potion definitively gets her in the mood. Their amour is stopped by her chastity belt,of which her husband The King has the key. Let us say it ends with Fool losing his head over sex. A very Decameron inspired tale,by way of Woody Allen. ”It’s great to be back here in the palace!”
WHAT IS SODOMY?
Gene Wilder is Dr Ross,a general practitioner. A new patient ,Stavros Milos ( Titos Vandis,who had starred on Broadway in the original ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER,1965)),has a problem. He was a lonely shepherd who feels that his sheep Daisy no longer loves him. Shocked at first, Dr Ross is smitten by her sheep eyes, and persuades Milos to leave her with him.This leads to the doctor’s downfall,as he is discovered with the animal, ending in his divorce ,a nervous breakdown,his career shattered ,and him drinking Woolite. Wilder is superb and very sympathetic, so it makes the ending somewhat sad rather than funny.
Why Do Some Women Have Trouble Reaching an Orgasm?
Woody returns in this spoof of Italian films. Here he is Fabrizio ,a husband of six weeks. His lovely blonde wife Gina (played by Allen’s real life second ex-wife Louise Lasser)is unable to climax during sex. Talking with friends provides no help ,until one day when he kisses her in a store ,she gets excited and they begin having sex in public.
The film is an hysterical satire of the popular films that were filling the art-house theatres . The clean lines ,camera set ups, and dialog marvelously send up the films of Fellini and Antonioni. The dialogue is even in Italian with English subtitles.
Are Transvestites Homosexuals?
Lou Jacobi is brilliant as a man who is at a dinner party at a friend’s home, when he decides to try on some of the wife’s outfits. The episode kind of ends abruptly,making it one of the more unsatisfying episodes,plus it never answers the question posed. For the solution ,one needs to seek out the works of Ed Wood (the answer, by the way ,is no.Not all transvestites are homosexual).
The author of the original book, by the way, seemed to be anti homosexual.He found gay male sex life as loveless anonymous encounters,and also called a trans woman as a “surgically mutilated male homosexual”.
What Are Sex Perverts?
This segment is made to look like the popular game show “What’s My Line?” as if taken from an old black & white kinescope. Jack Barry plays himself ,as the host moderator of “What’s My Perversion?”. In real life ,Barry had been involved in the game show scandals of the 1950s . Among the real life celebrities who had careers on panel shows guessing portraying themselves are Regis Philbin, Robert Q Lewis,and Pamela Mason, as well as Toni Holt(now infamous for strong support of Donald Trump). There are a few jokes about child molesters and rape that may offend .
Are the Findings of Doctors and Clinics Who Do Sexual Research and Experiments Accurate?
This is my favorite segment of the film. An hysterical send up of low budget horror films. Heather MacRae ( daughter of Sheila & Gordon MacRae) portrays Helen Lacey , an investigative journalist whose car breaks down .Luckily, she meets Dr Victor (Allen) who is going to the same destination,the home of mad scientist ,Doctor Bernardo (John Carradine, in an uproarious send up of a role he had often portrayed). He and his hunchback assistant Igor (Ref Sanchez,whose make up resembles Karkov in TERROR IN THE WAX MUSEUM(Cinerama,1973),a film that also starred- John Carradine!!)are taking part in strange sexual experiments, among them one of which an unconscious woman is being given nothing but silicone for a whole year.
”She used to be flat chested .Give me another year, and watch out”cries Carradine,the thought of which starts him slobbering and smacking his lips insanely.
Karkov in TERROR IN THE WAX MUSEUM
Dr Bernardo plans to use Helen in his next sexual experiment ,but a fight breaks out ,and the equipment explodes and goes into overdrive . The result is that the silicone woman is turned into a giant deadly breast that begins to terrorize the countryside.
The film has the look of so many of the drive in films of the period ,including the stilted explanatory dialogue, the few pieces of mad scientist equipment, and oh yes John Carradine!
What Happens During Ejaculation?
Production Designer Dale Hennesy takes an early stab at the look that he will use for Allen’s next futuristic film, SLEEPER (U.A.,1973). In this segment, the set and the sequence at times resembles the 1966 science fiction classic FANTASTIC VOYAGE (Fox,1966) .The brain of our unseen protagonist is run by The Operator (Tony Randall) his assistant Switchboard(Burt Reynolds),and Brain Control ( Oscar Beregi,Jr) .They discuss the latest string of sexual failures, and The Operator checks out their current date (played by Erin Fleming. Fleming is perhaps best known as the woman who helped thrust Groucho Marx in his later years back into the spotlight, only to be sued by the comedian’s family after his death).
They are unsure if this date will result in sex until she says she went to New York University . “We’re in!”crows The Operator confidently.
The various parts of the body are contacted, trying to help get an erection( operated in a room filled with sweaty shirtless men trying to raise a hand cranked crane).
The sperm gather ,as if they are parachuters in a World War II film. One of them is Allen, who fears what’s out there, as you hear about guys hitting against a rubber wall,or perhaps it is an homosexual encounter!
The film is very funny , though some may be offended by some of the humor(rape jokes,gay humor, lines like “This is what we call a beaver shot”. ). That said, if you are going to see an R rated film with this title, you shouldn’t really be surprised .
The film was again a big hit for Allen, making a profit 9 times it’s $2 million dollar budget.
The film had formerly been available on VHS on Key Video .In 2000, MGM released with an acceptable Region 1 print.
The Twilight Time print seems sharper than the film has looked for years, though there is strong grain in the original negative . The film is presented in a 1080p High Definition ,1.85.1 ratio . The audio is English only 1.0 DTS-HD MA. The sound is clean and acceptable,with the dialogue clean and clear. There are also optional English subtitles,that follow the dialogue and action perfectly. This comes in handy if you wish to listen to Mundell Lowe’s score on an isolated track.It is a perfectly serviceable though hardly memorable film score.Still , it is nice that the option is offered.
Julie Kirgo has written a nice essay enclosed in a lovely booklet that is a Twilight Time specialty,wherein she points out that the film was a hit with almost everyone—except Dr David Reuben. Some people just don’t have a sense of humor.
I am aware that Arrow Academy in the U.K. released a region B only version in September ,2016. I do not have access to that print, but I do know it lacks the isolated music track.
If you are a fan of Woody Allen (as I am ) or enjoy wild comedies, you would be well advised to pick up TWILIGHT TIME’s Blu Ray of EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX .
THE BIG SICK (Amazon Studios/Lionsgate ) 2h 4m . Theatrical release June 23,2017.
The movie THE BIG SICK is a romantic comedy based on the true story of comedian Kumail Najiani, and his romantic encounter with Emily V. Gordon. Set primarily in Chicago, THE BIG SICK delves deep into the internal conflict experienced by the self-portrayed Kumail Najiani (t.v.’s SILICON VALLEY;H.B.O.). He comes from a Pakistani Muslim culture, yet falls for Emily a white American, convincingly played by Zoe Kazan. Kumail’s inner turmoil is not of a personal religious nature, as he is not strong in his faith, but it is in knowing that his family would not merely disapprove of Emily not being a Muslim, but would outright disown Kumail if he chooses Emily over his family’s cultural tradition of arranged marriages between Muslims.
When Kumail and Emily first meet, they are not forthcoming towards each other about major issues that could adversely impact their relationship. Emily initially fails to mention that she had been previously married, while Kumail fails to mention that his parents are constantly trying to set him up with Muslim women to marry, and would never approve of his relationship with her. When Emily finds out that Kumail could not realistically see a future with Kumail and Emily together, their relationship comes to an unpleasant end.
Soon, Emily is hospitalized with an undiagnosed condition. Kumail finds out, and under the influence of a doctor, claims to be Emily’s husband, granting him permission to sign a paper consenting for the hospital to place Emily into a medically induced coma, for the sake of diagnosing and curing her ailment. Soon, Emily’s parents arrive at the hospital, enhancing the quality of the production with excellent acting performances by Ray Romano and Holly Hunter.
The window that the movie provides into Islamic culture is one that requires further clarity, if the viewing audience is intended to take away a positive perspective. Islamic parents disowning their children for religious reasons paints Allah, the Islamic understanding of the God of Abraham, as being a god who is ultimately unloving and disinterested in the well-being of his children, and merely requires obedience for his own sake. This is very different from the Christian understanding of our all-loving God whose love never fades, no matter how far we have strayed, a God who wills for all to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth, a God who so loves the world that He sent His only son, so that he who believes in Him may not perish, but have everlasting life, a God who we can refer to as “Our Father.” These two very different views of God, however, could be shown as reflecting the different views that Ishmael and Isaac had towards Abraham, Ishmael being the child of a slave woman, with Isaac being the beloved free-born son of the promise of God.
While making light of ISIS in stand-up comedy is in extremely poor taste, and truly good comedy does not require profanity, the movie definitely will have the audience laughing at various parts, while also captivating the audience with the emotionally deep drama of the plight of Emily in the hospital. It is there where the audience will truly be captivated by the story, pulling for a positive outcome for all involved. I recommend this movie for mature audiences. Beyond the high entertainment value, it brilliantly demonstrates how cultural clashes disturb both internal and external tranquility, yet conveys a tone that desires for true love to overcome.
(update DECEMBER 4, 2017 this contest is now over and closed) 
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