John Waters recorded a “No Smoking” PSA many years ago that was used in movie theaters. I was reminded of it when I saw this tweet – I haven’t seen it in years. As one of the comments notes, it was shown at the Charles Theater in Baltimore which is where I know it from. I’m guessing I first saw it in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
— Geekin' with James Hancock (@gknout) May 25, 2021
Writers @kendellshaffer and @HopeTarr recently caught up with the self-proclaimed Pope of Trash about making 'Polyester' and the secret sauce for the film’s enduring popularity. https://t.co/P1X6Ec0ufg
Seijun Suzuki was a great film director. His unconventional films are well worth seeing.
“In my films, time and place are nonsense.”—visionary Japanese auteur Seijun Suzuki, #BornOnThisDay. In 2016, the Archive showcased 21 of his wonderfully delirious and inventive works in “Action, Anarchy and Audacity: A Seijun Suzuki Retrospective”: https://t.co/6tSYnDRQqKpic.twitter.com/wHTQi6DjiC
— UCLA Film & Television Archive (@UCLAFTVArchive) May 24, 2021
There sure were some unusual movies released in 1966. The rebellious nature of many people during that time was reflected in movies, books and music.
Lord Love a Duck, The Loved One, and Morgan! were all released in 1966. They’re all comedies in black and white and the first two have Roddy McDowall in the cast.
I haven’t seen Morgan in years but I watched the other two for the first time last week.
Lord Love a Duck stars Roddy McDowall (age 36 at the time playing a high school student) and Tuesday Weld. Weld is underappreciated and also was great in Pretty Poison and Who’ll Stop the Rain. She’s much more than the teenage girl in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis on TV. McDowall and Weld play students who do increasingly outrageous stunts which ultimately result in tragedy. The film mocks the film industry as well as teenagers and rich society. It’s still funny today.
The Loved One is hit and miss but great when it hits. It’s primarily a satire of the funeral industry and the humor is frequently tasteless. (but still hilarious). The lead is Robert Morse, miscast as an Englishman. Anjanette Comer does an excellent job of portraying naivete and innocence. Rod Steiger is outstanding as the chief embalmer. He usually played serious roles but does well with broad comedy here. Like Lord Love a Duck, the plot becomes increasingly outrageous and ends in a rocket flight.
I haven’t seen Morgan! in many years but remember David Warner’s charming but bizarre performance trying to keep his wife played by Vanessa Redgrave. It fits in with this group of films.
Howard the Duck is a terrible film. There’s no reason for it to be released on 4K. I feel sorry for Cleveland. They don’t get many movies set there but they get Howard the Duck.
Myra Breckenridge might be the worst film I have ever seen. I saw it on a double bill with Candy. Myra made Candy look like Citizen Kane.
TCM will show Touch of Evil (1958) on May 15th at midnight and May 16th at 10:00 am. It’s a great film directed by Orson Welles. The tracking shot that begins the film is famous. It was his last studio film.
The nighttime filming of the long, single tracking shot opening sequence of Orson Welles' TOUCH OF EVIL had many retakes. The sequence used was the last chance that night; the first light of the breaking dawn is visible in the background.
Now this is a bad film. Monster Seafood Wars (2020) is a Japanese monster movie with giant seafood (octopus, squid, crab) and a giant crab. It’s not good but it’s still entertaining.
Sad! 