Category: Film

The Godfather at 50

I saw it in a theater in Pittsburgh. To me, it’s good, not great. It’s certainly very influential.

Lucio Fulci

Lucio Fulci was an Italian film director. Yesterday was the anniversary of his death. Fulci is best known for his horror films from the 1980s. I would start with The Beyond, City of the Living Dead, and The New York Ripper. His later films such as Murder Rock and Demonia aren’t as good but still worth seeing. Many of the films are set in the US. In general, they have more violence and sex than comparable American films. Most of his films are on Blu-ray from independent companies.

Zombies, Slashers, Ghosts and Extreme Gore: Ranking All 21 of Lucio Fulci’s Horror Films

Takashi Shimura – Born on this day

Takashi Shimura was a great actor. He is best known for films directed by Akira Kurosawa but he also starred in Godzilla.

Nosferatu is 100

Nonsferatu is a great silent film directed by F. W. Murnau. I also recommend Werner Herzog’s 1979 Nosferatu the Vampyre is a fine remake. On the other hand, 1988’s Nosferatu In Venice, which also stars Klaus Kinski who was the vampire in the 1979 film, isn’t nearly as good. They’re all on Blu-ray.

The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek

The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944) is an outstanding comedy directed by Preston Sturges. Most old Paramount films, including the many fine Sturges ones, were sold to Universal but this one wasn’t. That’s why it isn’t in Universal’s Sturges DVD set. It has been issued on DVD twice but is now out of print. I wish Criterion would release it.

Curtiz – on Netflix through 3/24/22

The Hungarian film Curtiz is on Netflix now through March 24, 2022. It’s about Michael Curtiz, the Hungarian film director, and the making of his famous 1942 film Casablanca. It also focuses on his family life. This black and white film is mostly in English but some of the dialogue is in Hungarian.

In the same vein as the play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, the stars of Casablanca are very minor figures in Curtiz. It’s a fine film, shows Curtiz’s good and bad points and apparently is mostly factual.

If you have Netflix, I recommend it. I also recommend Curtiz’s film Mildred Pierce which starred Joan Crawford.

Rubber

Rubber (2010) is a fun movie about a killer tire.

Two films were mentioned in the comments: Slaxx and Birdemic.

I enjoyed Slaxx (2020) about a pair of killer jeans.

Sam Peckinpah

Today is director Sam Peckinpah’s birthday. The quote from him says he like Junior Bonner and I do too. It’s not nearly as violent as many of his films. The picture is from Bring Me the Head of Alfred Garcia which is a wild incoherent film.

The Wild Bunch is the obvious place to start with Peckinpah. I also recommend Major Dundee which has been given great treatments on Blu-ray.

Film: Ebola Syndrome

Ebola Syndrome (1996) is one of the most outrageous films I have ever seen. The violence is over the top and the main character is truly a terrible guy. Still, it’s very funny. He has killed his restaurant bosses and ground them up for burgers. A customer asks him what was in the burger and he says “ass cheek”. He meant it. Vinegar Syndrome recently released it in a 4K/Blu-ray set. They did a great job. This film isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure.