You can’t argue with disc collectors eager to rediscover movies they loved at age 10, in terrific kiddie matinees. Cowboy star Rory Calhoun makes a perfectly fine Italian vagabond ladies’ man for this very un-serious ‘oriental’ adventure, and Yôko Tani is the requisite princess who needs kissing lessons. Tim Lucas’s welcome, info-packed commentary satisfies our curiosity about the long-unavailable title — it’s different than the A.I.P. release we (barely) remember.
Marco Polo
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1962 / Color/ 2:35 widescreen / 104, 95 min. / Street Date , 2023 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Rory Calhoun, Yôko Tani, Camillo Pilotto, Pierre Cressoy, Michael Chow, Thien-Huong, Franco Ressel.
Cinematography: Riccardo Pallottini
Production Designer: Zoran Zorcic
Art Directors: Aurelio Crugnola, Franco Fumagalli, Miodrag Miric, Jovan Radic
Film Editor: Ornella Micheli
Costume design: Mario Giorsi
Original Music: Angelo Francesco Lavagnino / Les Baxter
Written by Oreste Biancoli, Ennio De Concini, Eliana De Sabata, Antoinette Pellevant, Piero Pierotti, Duccio Tessari
Produced by Luigi Carpentieri,...
Marco Polo
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1962 / Color/ 2:35 widescreen / 104, 95 min. / Street Date , 2023 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Rory Calhoun, Yôko Tani, Camillo Pilotto, Pierre Cressoy, Michael Chow, Thien-Huong, Franco Ressel.
Cinematography: Riccardo Pallottini
Production Designer: Zoran Zorcic
Art Directors: Aurelio Crugnola, Franco Fumagalli, Miodrag Miric, Jovan Radic
Film Editor: Ornella Micheli
Costume design: Mario Giorsi
Original Music: Angelo Francesco Lavagnino / Les Baxter
Written by Oreste Biancoli, Ennio De Concini, Eliana De Sabata, Antoinette Pellevant, Piero Pierotti, Duccio Tessari
Produced by Luigi Carpentieri,...
- 1/31/2023
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSEl Conde (Pablo Larraín).Natalie Portman will star opposite Julianne Moore in Todd Haynes's next film, May December, which begins filming later this year. In the film, an actress (Portman) meets with the woman she is due to portray (Moore) in a film that dramatizes her tabloid scandal.After Spencer, Pablo Larraín's next project with Netflix will be El Conde, a pitch-black comedy that will portray Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet as a 250-year-old vampire.Pedro Almodóvar has announced a new 30-minute Western, Strange Way of Life, which he will shoot in August. The short stars Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal as two gunslingers, long separated, who must cross the Spanish desert to reunite. Almodóvar's next feature—an adaptation of Lucia Berlin's A Manual for Cleaning Women led by Cate Blanchett—begins filming early next year.
- 6/30/2022
- MUBI
UK correspondent Lee Broughton returns with coverage of a well-realised Spaghetti Western, Michele Lupo’s irony-laden semi-comedy Ben & Charlie. The film’s eponymous anti-heroes are played by fan favourites Giuliano Gemma and George Eastman and the duo receive great support from a number of familiar faces including Marisa Mell, Aldo Sambrell and Giacomo Rossi Stuart.
Ben & Charlie
Region-Free Blu-ray
Explosive Media GmbH
1972 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 113 min. / Amigo, Stay Away; Amico, stammi lontano almeno un palmo / Street Date, 28 October 2021 / Available from Explosive Media / £22.99
Starring: Giuliano Gemma, George Eastman, Vittorio Congia, Luciano Lorcas, Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Remo Capitani, Nello Pazzafini, Marisa Mell, Aldo Sambrell, Roberto Camardiel.
Cinematography: Aristide Massaccesi
Production Designer: Dario Micheli
Film Editor: Antonietta Zita
Original Music: Gianni Ferrio
Written by Luigi Montefiori and Sergio Donati
Produced by Lucio Bompani
Directed by Michele Lupo
Charlie (George Eastman) patiently waits outside of a Mexican prison so that he can give his...
Ben & Charlie
Region-Free Blu-ray
Explosive Media GmbH
1972 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 113 min. / Amigo, Stay Away; Amico, stammi lontano almeno un palmo / Street Date, 28 October 2021 / Available from Explosive Media / £22.99
Starring: Giuliano Gemma, George Eastman, Vittorio Congia, Luciano Lorcas, Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Remo Capitani, Nello Pazzafini, Marisa Mell, Aldo Sambrell, Roberto Camardiel.
Cinematography: Aristide Massaccesi
Production Designer: Dario Micheli
Film Editor: Antonietta Zita
Original Music: Gianni Ferrio
Written by Luigi Montefiori and Sergio Donati
Produced by Lucio Bompani
Directed by Michele Lupo
Charlie (George Eastman) patiently waits outside of a Mexican prison so that he can give his...
- 5/21/2022
- by Lee Broughton
- Trailers from Hell
While the summer movie season will kick off shortly––and we’ll be sharing a comprehensive preview on the arthouse, foreign, indie, and (few) studio films worth checking out––on the streaming side, The Criterion Channel and Mubi have unveiled their May 2021 lineups and there’s a treasure trove of highlights to dive into.
Timed with Satyajit Ray’s centenary, The Criterion Channel will have a retrospective of the Indian master, along with series on Gena Rowlands, Robert Ryan, Mitchell Leisen, Michael Almereyda, Josephine Decker, and more. In terms of recent releases, they’ll also feature Fire Will Come, The Booksellers, and the new restoration of Tom Noonan’s directorial debut What Happened Was….
On Mubi, in anticipation of Undine, they’ll feature two essential early features by Christian Petzold, Jerichow and The State That I Am In, along with his 1990 short documentary Süden. Also amongst the lineup is Sophy Romvari’s Still Processing,...
Timed with Satyajit Ray’s centenary, The Criterion Channel will have a retrospective of the Indian master, along with series on Gena Rowlands, Robert Ryan, Mitchell Leisen, Michael Almereyda, Josephine Decker, and more. In terms of recent releases, they’ll also feature Fire Will Come, The Booksellers, and the new restoration of Tom Noonan’s directorial debut What Happened Was….
On Mubi, in anticipation of Undine, they’ll feature two essential early features by Christian Petzold, Jerichow and The State That I Am In, along with his 1990 short documentary Süden. Also amongst the lineup is Sophy Romvari’s Still Processing,...
- 4/26/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
This debut feature of muscleman favorite Reg Park is one of the better sword ‘n’ sandal epics; it has good action and a terrific villainess in Fay Spain. The okay story is Benoit’s L’Atlantide, re-shaped to fit the fad for all things Hercules. The Film Detective’s disc is the Woolner Bros.’ American release, trimmed by half a reel and given an entirely new audio mix. It’s still an impressive show.
Hercules and the Captive Women
Blu-ray
The Film Detective
1961/ 1963 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 95, 101 min. / Street Date April 13, 2021 / Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide, Hercules Conquers Atlantis / 24.99
Starring: Reg Park, Fay Spain, Ettore Manni, Luciano Marin, Laura Efrikian, Enrico Maria Salerno, Ivo Garrani, Gian Maria Volontè, Mario Petri, Salvatore Furnari, Maurizio Coffarelli, Nicola Sperli.
Cinematography: Carlo Carlini
Film Editor: Maurizio Lucidi
Original Music: Gino Marinuzzi Jr., Armando Trovajoli
Written by Vittorio Cottafavi, Sandro Continenza, Duccio Tessari, Nicolò Ferrari using a...
Hercules and the Captive Women
Blu-ray
The Film Detective
1961/ 1963 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 95, 101 min. / Street Date April 13, 2021 / Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide, Hercules Conquers Atlantis / 24.99
Starring: Reg Park, Fay Spain, Ettore Manni, Luciano Marin, Laura Efrikian, Enrico Maria Salerno, Ivo Garrani, Gian Maria Volontè, Mario Petri, Salvatore Furnari, Maurizio Coffarelli, Nicola Sperli.
Cinematography: Carlo Carlini
Film Editor: Maurizio Lucidi
Original Music: Gino Marinuzzi Jr., Armando Trovajoli
Written by Vittorio Cottafavi, Sandro Continenza, Duccio Tessari, Nicolò Ferrari using a...
- 4/6/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Versatile film, avant-garde classical, jazz and pop composer Ennio Morricone died in a Rome hospital after falling and breaking his leg, his lawyer Giorgio Assumma announced, according to Variety. He was 91.
Known as “the Maestro,” Morricone is best known as the composer of the scores and themes of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, and his Academy Award winning soundtrack for Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. He also toured frequently, and expanded his sonic visions to reflect contemporary sounds. Besides his collaborations on the spaghetti Western films of Sergio Leone, Morricone composed for Bernardo Bertolucci, Dario Argento, Don Siegel, Brian De Palma, and John Carpenter. He composed for such diverse artists as Andrea Bocelli, Sting, k.d. lang, and Pet Shop Boys. Morricone never became fluent in English. When he won his 2007 honorary Oscar, his speech was translated by Clint Eastwood.
Morricone...
Known as “the Maestro,” Morricone is best known as the composer of the scores and themes of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, and his Academy Award winning soundtrack for Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. He also toured frequently, and expanded his sonic visions to reflect contemporary sounds. Besides his collaborations on the spaghetti Western films of Sergio Leone, Morricone composed for Bernardo Bertolucci, Dario Argento, Don Siegel, Brian De Palma, and John Carpenter. He composed for such diverse artists as Andrea Bocelli, Sting, k.d. lang, and Pet Shop Boys. Morricone never became fluent in English. When he won his 2007 honorary Oscar, his speech was translated by Clint Eastwood.
Morricone...
- 7/6/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Mario Bava excelled with at least five super sword ‘n’ sandal pictures — shooting two Hercules classics and directing two viking sagas in addition to this eye-popping mix of mythology and horror. Forget warring armies and casts of thousands. Bava places Reg Park, Christopher Lee, and several beautiful Italo actresses within his weird visual world of and hallucinatory imagery: swirling mists, intensely physical actors and retina-burning color. Kino’s disc carries three discrete versions on two discs, and a gotta-hear commentary by Tim Lucas. On your next trip to The Underworld, remember Not to trust what you see! Trust instead, uh, trust your … oh, just use the Force!
Hercules in the Haunted World
Blu-ray
Kino Classics
1961 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / Hercules in the Center of the Earth, Hercules in the Haunted World, Vampire gegen Herakles (Germany/Italy 86 minutes) / Ercole al centro della Terra / Street Date October 8, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Reg Park,...
Hercules in the Haunted World
Blu-ray
Kino Classics
1961 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / Hercules in the Center of the Earth, Hercules in the Haunted World, Vampire gegen Herakles (Germany/Italy 86 minutes) / Ercole al centro della Terra / Street Date October 8, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Reg Park,...
- 10/12/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
A Pistol For Ringo & The Return Of Ringo: Two Films by Duccio Tessari will be available on Blu-ray April 24th From Arrow Video
The original Ringo films introduced another iconic hero to the spaghetti western; a clean-cut sharp shooter who was markedly different to Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name.
In A Pistol For Ringo, the eponymous hero, played by Giuliano Gemma (Day of Anger, Tenebrae), infiltrates a ranch of Mexican bandits to save a beautiful hostage (Nieves Navarro, Death Walks on High Heels). In The Return Of Ringo, the gunslinger, now a veteran of war, disguises himself as a Mexican in order to take revenge on outlaws who have stolen his property and taken his wife.
Hugely successful upon their original release, thanks in part to the skilled direction of Duccio Tessari (The Bloodstained Butterfly, Death Occurred Last Night), the Ringo films proved influential on the Italian western,...
The original Ringo films introduced another iconic hero to the spaghetti western; a clean-cut sharp shooter who was markedly different to Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name.
In A Pistol For Ringo, the eponymous hero, played by Giuliano Gemma (Day of Anger, Tenebrae), infiltrates a ranch of Mexican bandits to save a beautiful hostage (Nieves Navarro, Death Walks on High Heels). In The Return Of Ringo, the gunslinger, now a veteran of war, disguises himself as a Mexican in order to take revenge on outlaws who have stolen his property and taken his wife.
Hugely successful upon their original release, thanks in part to the skilled direction of Duccio Tessari (The Bloodstained Butterfly, Death Occurred Last Night), the Ringo films proved influential on the Italian western,...
- 3/6/2018
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
When naming our favorite scenes in the filmography of Quentin Tarantino, there was one that was an easy shoo-in: the opening scene if Inglourious Basterds. “The now-iconic scene is a perfect introduction — not only to Col. Hans Landa, but to Christoph Waltz, whose career up to this point had been relegated to German television. It alone may have netted Waltz his first Academy Award,” we said. “A French dairy farmer finds himself under interrogation from the exacting Landa, inquiring for the whereabouts of a Jewish family, who just so happen to be hiding beneath the very floorboards on which they stand.”
We added, “On the soundtrack, Ennio Morricone’s “L’incontro Con La Figlia,” a composition cribbed from Duccio Tessari’s The Return of Ringo, forebodingly wails, evoking a tone closer to a horror film than a war movie. It’s not long before Landa discovers the secret, ordering his...
We added, “On the soundtrack, Ennio Morricone’s “L’incontro Con La Figlia,” a composition cribbed from Duccio Tessari’s The Return of Ringo, forebodingly wails, evoking a tone closer to a horror film than a war movie. It’s not long before Landa discovers the secret, ordering his...
- 3/17/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
As a kid perusing the shelves of my local mom-and-pop video store every weekend, there were two VHS covers that scared me every time I looked at them. I made sure to avoid the box art for Neil Jordan’s horror fantasy film The Company of Wolves; something about the wolf’s snout protruding from a person’s mouth was too disturbing for my eight-year-old brain to comprehend. The second box, however, was one that I always made a point to walk past because while I found it gross and scary, I was weirdly drawn to it. I had no real desire to see the movie—if the cover was that nasty, the film itself had to be ten times more sick—but I was forever daring myself to sneak one more look at the video box. That movie was the 1983 horror comedy Microwave Massacre.
It wasn’t until Arrow Video...
It wasn’t until Arrow Video...
- 9/13/2016
- by Patrick Bromley
- DailyDead
★★★★☆ Duccio Tessari's 1971 film The Bloodstained Butterfly opens with scrolling text that paraphrases Kuki Shūzō's A Philosopher's Poetry and Poetics, stating that the present only exists in the shadow of the past and future. By twisting time through a combination of superb editing and the judicious withholding of crucial information, The Bloodstained Butterfly creates a labyrinthine world in which truth is frustratingly elusive and meaning is reflected, distorted and decontextualized out of existence.
- 8/23/2016
- by CineVue
- CineVue
Hope you guys made some extra room in your wallets for all the cash you’ll undoubtedly be shelling out this week (love me some “dad humor”), as August 23rd boasts an awesome selection of horror and sci-fi Blu-ray and DVD releases, all capped off by the home entertainment debuts of both season one of Ash vs Evil Dead and the sixth season of The Walking Dead.
Arrow Video is giving the cult classic The Bloodstained Butterfly an HD overhaul for their impressive-looking two-disc Special Edition release that arrives this Tuesday, and Scream Factory is doing the same for another cult classic, Psycho IV: The Beginning. Kino Lorber is releasing a Blu-ray for Chandu The Magician this week, and we’ve also got a DVD and Blu release for Jon Watts’ Clown to look forward to as well.
Other notable releases for August 23rd include Der Bunker, The Ultimate Vincent Price Collection,...
Arrow Video is giving the cult classic The Bloodstained Butterfly an HD overhaul for their impressive-looking two-disc Special Edition release that arrives this Tuesday, and Scream Factory is doing the same for another cult classic, Psycho IV: The Beginning. Kino Lorber is releasing a Blu-ray for Chandu The Magician this week, and we’ve also got a DVD and Blu release for Jon Watts’ Clown to look forward to as well.
Other notable releases for August 23rd include Der Bunker, The Ultimate Vincent Price Collection,...
- 8/23/2016
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Jackie Vernon may be remembered by many for being the voice of Frosty the Snowman, but horror fans know him as Donald, a frustrated husband who develops a taste for fellow humans in Microwave Massacre. In August, Arrow Video will release the cult 1983 horror film on Blu-ray / DVD, and they recently revealed new face-melting cover art for the special release, as well as an updated bonus features list for The Bloodstained Butterfly Blu-ray / DVD:
Press Release: Mvd Entertainment Group furthers the distribution of Arrow Video in the Us with several new titles in August...
Microwave Massacre [Blu-ray + DVD] (August 16th)
They Came For Dinner...To Find They Were It!!
Microwave Massacre stars legendary stand-up comedian and actor Jackie Vernon as Donald, a disgruntled construction worker whose wife's predilection for haute cuisine drives him to cannibalism.
Donald unwittingly stumbles upon a solution to his two major problems in his life - his nagging...
Press Release: Mvd Entertainment Group furthers the distribution of Arrow Video in the Us with several new titles in August...
Microwave Massacre [Blu-ray + DVD] (August 16th)
They Came For Dinner...To Find They Were It!!
Microwave Massacre stars legendary stand-up comedian and actor Jackie Vernon as Donald, a disgruntled construction worker whose wife's predilection for haute cuisine drives him to cannibalism.
Donald unwittingly stumbles upon a solution to his two major problems in his life - his nagging...
- 7/6/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Arrow Video has sent us details on their two upcoming releases in August, the cheesy Microwave Massacre and the giallo film, The Bloodstained Butterfly. As usual, the team at Arrow Video will be packing both releases with all sorts of special features. Read on for all the details.
Microwave Massacre [Blu-ray + DVD] (August 16th)
They Came For Dinner…To Find They Were It!!
Microwave Massacre stars legendary stand-up comedian and actor Jackie Vernon as Donald, a disgruntled construction worker whose wife’s predilection for haute cuisine drives him to cannibalism.
Donald unwittingly stumbles upon a solution to his two major problems in his life – his nagging wife and his lack of decent meals – when, one night, he bludgeons his better half to death with a pepper grinder in a drunken rage. Thinking on his feet, Donald dismembers the body and sets about microwaving the remains, which turn out to be rather delicious.
Microwave Massacre [Blu-ray + DVD] (August 16th)
They Came For Dinner…To Find They Were It!!
Microwave Massacre stars legendary stand-up comedian and actor Jackie Vernon as Donald, a disgruntled construction worker whose wife’s predilection for haute cuisine drives him to cannibalism.
Donald unwittingly stumbles upon a solution to his two major problems in his life – his nagging wife and his lack of decent meals – when, one night, he bludgeons his better half to death with a pepper grinder in a drunken rage. Thinking on his feet, Donald dismembers the body and sets about microwaving the remains, which turn out to be rather delicious.
- 6/29/2016
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
Mvd Entertainment Group furthers the distribution of "Arrow Video" in the Us with several new home video titles available August 2016, including "Microwave Massacre" on Blu-ray + DVD, August 16, 2016 and "The Bloodstained Butterfly" on Blu-ray + DVD, August 23, 2016:
"Microwave Massacre", (Blu-ray + DVD, August 16, 2016) stars stand-up comedian, actor Jackie Vernon as 'Donald', a disgruntled construction worker whose wife's predilection for 'haute cuisine' drives him insane.
"Donald unwittingly stumbles upon a solution to his two major problems in his life - his nagging wife and his lack of decent meals.
"Eschewing all notions of good taste, 'Microwave Massacre' is an exercise in political incorrectness that has gone on to gain a cult following thanks to a characteristically deadpan performance from Vernon..."
Director-approved Special Edition Contents Include:
- Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
- Original mono audio (uncompressed Pcm...
"Microwave Massacre", (Blu-ray + DVD, August 16, 2016) stars stand-up comedian, actor Jackie Vernon as 'Donald', a disgruntled construction worker whose wife's predilection for 'haute cuisine' drives him insane.
"Donald unwittingly stumbles upon a solution to his two major problems in his life - his nagging wife and his lack of decent meals.
"Eschewing all notions of good taste, 'Microwave Massacre' is an exercise in political incorrectness that has gone on to gain a cult following thanks to a characteristically deadpan performance from Vernon..."
Director-approved Special Edition Contents Include:
- Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
- Original mono audio (uncompressed Pcm...
- 6/28/2016
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
While Jackie Vernon is remembered by many for his stand-up comedy and for being the voice of Frosty the Snowman, cult horror fans know him as Donald, a frustrated husband who develops a taste for human flesh in 1983’s Microwave Massacre. The horror comedy will be released this summer on Blu-ray / DVD in the Us and UK by Arrow Video, who will also release 1971’s The Bloodstained Butterfly on home media with a new 4K restoration.
While the full release details for the Us Blu-ray / DVDs of Microwave Massacre and The Bloodstained Butterfly have yet to be revealed, we do have a look at the lists of special features for the UK editions, which should feature extras similar to what Us fans can enjoy.
In the UK, Arrow Video will release Microwave Massacre on Blu-ray / DVD on August 15th, followed by an August 22nd Blu-ray / DVD release of The Bloodstained Butterfly.
While the full release details for the Us Blu-ray / DVDs of Microwave Massacre and The Bloodstained Butterfly have yet to be revealed, we do have a look at the lists of special features for the UK editions, which should feature extras similar to what Us fans can enjoy.
In the UK, Arrow Video will release Microwave Massacre on Blu-ray / DVD on August 15th, followed by an August 22nd Blu-ray / DVD release of The Bloodstained Butterfly.
- 5/6/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Let's give a cheer for the lowly sword 'n' sandal epic. This persecution and torture spectacle also takes in the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. The impressively mounted Italian-Spanish production stars Rhonda Fleming, Fernando Rey, Wandisa Guida, and as the slimy villain, none other than Serge Gainsbourg. Revolt of the Slaves MGM Limited Edition Collection 1960 / Color / 2:35 enhanced widescreen (Totalscope) / 103 min. / La rivolta degli schiavi / Street Date February 16, 2016 / available through Screen Archives Entertainment / 19.98 Starring Rhonda Fleming, Lang Jeffries, Darío Moreno, Ettore Manni, Wandisa Guida, Gino Cervi, Fernando Rey, Serge Gainsbourg, José Nieto, Benno Hoffmann, Rainer Penkert, Antonio Casas, Vanoye Aikens, Dolores Francine, Burt Nelson, Julio Peña . Cinematography Cecilio Paniagua Film Editor Eraldo Da Roma Original Music Angelo Francesco Lavagnino Written by Stefano Strucchi, Duccio Tessari, Daniel Mainwearing from the novel 'Fabiola' by Nicholas Patrick Wiseman Produced by Paolo Moffa Directed by Nunzio Malasomma
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Make all...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Make all...
- 3/1/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Above: Franciszek Starowieyski’s 1970 poster for Mademoiselle (Tony Richardson, UK/France, 1966).In Christopher Nolan’s new short film about the Quay Brothers (titled—with Nolan’s predilection for mono-nomenclature—simply Quay) he gives us a clue to some of the twin animators’ influences in the film’s opening shots. After drawing back the curtains in their curiosity shop of a studio, Timothy Quay opens a glass cupboard to remove a book. Blink and you’ll miss it, but on the shelves are books on Marcel Duchamp, Spanish sculptor Juan Muñoz, Czech artists Jan Zrzavy, Vlastislav Hofman and Jindrich Heisler, and—most prominently—a book on Polish artist Franciszek Starowieyski.I wrote a few years ago about the Quays’ love of Polish film posters and Franciszek Starowieyski (1930-2009) is one of the indisputable later masters of the Polish school. From the mid 50s until the late 80s he produced some 100 film...
- 8/30/2015
- by Adrian Curry
- MUBI
Kino Lorber resurrects the obscure and fascinating 1974 Blaxploitation gem Truck Turner this month for the first time on Blu-ray. One of Isaac Hayes’ most notable acting performances, it’s a head above the general trend of similar genre titles of the period, even though the film features a familiar narrative already well re-tread by the time of its release. Hayes fashions his own soundtrack for this retro classic, an oddity begging to be rediscovered.
Truck Turner (Hayes) is a football star turned bounty hunter, in the midst of hunting down a vicious, sadistic pimp named Gator (Paul Harris) with the help of his sidekick, Jerry (Alan Weeks). But Gator proves a hard target to pin down, leading up to a dramatic showdown where Truck is forced to kill the pimp in self-defense. His death causes a ripple in the criminal community of Los Angeles and forces the aggressively violent Madame...
Truck Turner (Hayes) is a football star turned bounty hunter, in the midst of hunting down a vicious, sadistic pimp named Gator (Paul Harris) with the help of his sidekick, Jerry (Alan Weeks). But Gator proves a hard target to pin down, leading up to a dramatic showdown where Truck is forced to kill the pimp in self-defense. His death causes a ripple in the criminal community of Los Angeles and forces the aggressively violent Madame...
- 7/14/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
When I first heard about this list this morning I could have sworn it was old news, but as it turns out, this list of Quentin Tarantino's top 20 spaghetti westerns is a new thing as presented to us bt Spaghetti-Western.net. What I must have been thinking of was a list of spaghetti westerns that influenced Tarantino's Django Unchained, some of which are repeated here such as Sergio Corbucci's The Great Silence (read an essay I wrote on this one here) and the obvious, Django, and Giulio Petroni's Death Rides a Horse. However, this list is more than that and more than just Sergio Leone and Corbucci titles, though those two do make up eight of the twenty films on Tarantino's list. I haven't looked to see how many of the more obscure titles listed here are available on Netflix, but I have a feeling now that...
- 3/26/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Death Occurred Last Night
Written by Artur Brauner, Biagio Proietti, Giorgio Scerbaneco, Duccio Tessari
Directed by Duccio Tessari
Italy, 1970
As a feature relatively hidden from mainstream film culture, Death Occurred Last Night’s only critical talk belongs to the hardcore giallo enthusiasts. Debate over whether the film fits into the strict classifications of giallo or perhaps the less-enthused poliziotteschi take prominence in these discussions, with something of a consensus drawn as “probably neither.” These insights from impassioned people looking through the lens of subgenre offer an interesting dissection that would escape those new to the club. That is, by evaluating the film purely in the context of it entering the genre canon, one must take its failures in the context of being campy, and therefore enjoyable in its own right. However, if outside the giallo realm, these camp elements are harder to defend and leave the film in a much messier position,...
Written by Artur Brauner, Biagio Proietti, Giorgio Scerbaneco, Duccio Tessari
Directed by Duccio Tessari
Italy, 1970
As a feature relatively hidden from mainstream film culture, Death Occurred Last Night’s only critical talk belongs to the hardcore giallo enthusiasts. Debate over whether the film fits into the strict classifications of giallo or perhaps the less-enthused poliziotteschi take prominence in these discussions, with something of a consensus drawn as “probably neither.” These insights from impassioned people looking through the lens of subgenre offer an interesting dissection that would escape those new to the club. That is, by evaluating the film purely in the context of it entering the genre canon, one must take its failures in the context of being campy, and therefore enjoyable in its own right. However, if outside the giallo realm, these camp elements are harder to defend and leave the film in a much messier position,...
- 5/7/2014
- by Zach Lewis
- SoundOnSight
Raro Video continues remastering rare and obscure Italian titles with the long unavailable 1970 curio from Duccio Tessari, Death Occurred Last Night. A rare hybrid of police thriller and giallo, this fascinating title is a definite highlight in the little known Tessari’s varied filmography. Most noted for his work in spaghetti westerns, those unfamiliar with his work will surely be interested in seeking out other available titles. As seedy and ridiculous as it is intriguing and unfailingly amusing, its attention to character and narrative development sets it apart from similar titles of the time period, preceding comparable American fare such as Paul Schrader’s 1979 Hardcore.
A self-controlled yet increasingly desperate father (Raf Vallone) informs Detective Duca Lamberti (Frank Wolff) at the police station in Milan that his girl is missing. As he answers a round of questions, we discover his girl is actually a mentally handicapped twenty five year old...
A self-controlled yet increasingly desperate father (Raf Vallone) informs Detective Duca Lamberti (Frank Wolff) at the police station in Milan that his girl is missing. As he answers a round of questions, we discover his girl is actually a mentally handicapped twenty five year old...
- 5/6/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
‘Death Occurred Last Night’ and 3 Decades-Old TV Shows Are the Best Blu-ray/DVD Releases of the Week
Welcome back to This Week In Discs! If you see something you like, click on the title to buy it from Amazon. Death Occurred Last Night A young woman has gone missing, and while that’s distressing enough for her father it’s made worse by the fact that she’s mentally challenged and has the awareness of a child. Her concerned father pressures the police to step up their search, but as he and the detectives narrow in on the truth it becomes clear that they may be too late. This dark, violent Italian thriller was a bit rough upon its release, and the years since haven’t made it any softer. Part procedural, part suspense, the film doesn’t shy away from the sex or violence and is most definitely not for the PC crowd. If the scene where good old dad helps his gorgeous adult daughter put on her bra doesn’t stop some...
- 5/6/2014
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Handsome star of spaghetti westerns including A Pistol for Ringo
When the spaghetti western was born in the early 1960s, some of the Italian lead actors disguised their names under American-sounding ones (though nobody was fooled). Among those competing successfully with bona fide Yanks such as Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef were Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti), Bud Spencer (Carlo Pedersoli) and Montgomery Wood, a temporary pseudonym taken by Giuliano Gemma, who has died in a car accident aged 75.
The strikingly handsome Gemma was one of the brightest stars of the once deprecated, now revered, genre. After five years in sword-and-sandal epics (also known as peplum films), usually supporting muscle men, Gemma made a name for himself (even if, initially, it wasn't his own) in two westerns directed by Duccio Tessari: A Pistol for Ringo (1965) and The Return of Ringo (1965). Their big box-office success granted Gemma stardom and...
When the spaghetti western was born in the early 1960s, some of the Italian lead actors disguised their names under American-sounding ones (though nobody was fooled). Among those competing successfully with bona fide Yanks such as Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef were Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti), Bud Spencer (Carlo Pedersoli) and Montgomery Wood, a temporary pseudonym taken by Giuliano Gemma, who has died in a car accident aged 75.
The strikingly handsome Gemma was one of the brightest stars of the once deprecated, now revered, genre. After five years in sword-and-sandal epics (also known as peplum films), usually supporting muscle men, Gemma made a name for himself (even if, initially, it wasn't his own) in two westerns directed by Duccio Tessari: A Pistol for Ringo (1965) and The Return of Ringo (1965). Their big box-office success granted Gemma stardom and...
- 10/22/2013
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
Nest of Vipers (Night of the Serpent)
Directed by Giulio Petroni
Italy, 1969
Though Giulio Petroni has only rather few titles to his name when compared with his prolific, and better known, counterparts, the Italian director does have the bragging rights of working with both Lee Van Cleef (Death Rides a Horse, 1967) and Orson Welles (Tepepa, 1969).
It’s Petroni’s Nest of Vipers, recently released alongside Pierro Pierotti’s less successful Tails You Lose (1969), by Wild East Productions, that showcases the director’s talent for complex plotting and atmospheric set pieces.
Similar to the earlier Ringo series by Duccio Tessari, and to the now time-honored traditions of Leone and Corbucci, the structure of Nest of Vipers pits the outsider (here, and often, the“gringo”) versus a band of outlaws, where a largely unassuming and tight-knit community is caught in between and unawares.
Luke Askew, probably best known for roles in Easy Rider and Cool Hand Luke,...
Directed by Giulio Petroni
Italy, 1969
Though Giulio Petroni has only rather few titles to his name when compared with his prolific, and better known, counterparts, the Italian director does have the bragging rights of working with both Lee Van Cleef (Death Rides a Horse, 1967) and Orson Welles (Tepepa, 1969).
It’s Petroni’s Nest of Vipers, recently released alongside Pierro Pierotti’s less successful Tails You Lose (1969), by Wild East Productions, that showcases the director’s talent for complex plotting and atmospheric set pieces.
Similar to the earlier Ringo series by Duccio Tessari, and to the now time-honored traditions of Leone and Corbucci, the structure of Nest of Vipers pits the outsider (here, and often, the“gringo”) versus a band of outlaws, where a largely unassuming and tight-knit community is caught in between and unawares.
Luke Askew, probably best known for roles in Easy Rider and Cool Hand Luke,...
- 1/24/2013
- by Neal Dhand
- SoundOnSight
After all the debates, controversies, and stereotype accusations have cleared, looking back on Blaxploitation cinema today it’s easy to see healthy portions of the crime and action genres. Using these genres and the struggles of the black community, these films were created for those that wanted to see African American characters on the big screen not taking shit from the man, “getting over”, and–above all else—being the heroes in movies. In the documentary Baad Asssss Cinema, Samuel L. Jackson gives his take on the heroes of Blaxploitation: “We were tired of seeing the righteous black man. And all of a sudden we had guys who were…us. Or guys who did the things we wanted those guys to do.”
The unsung supporting players in these films that backed Fred Williamson and Pam Grier and many other stars were people acting and making a living off of it.
The unsung supporting players in these films that backed Fred Williamson and Pam Grier and many other stars were people acting and making a living off of it.
- 12/4/2012
- by Gregory Day
- SoundOnSight
As long as there as been cinema, there has been Zorro. From the silent era to the multiplex, from Douglas Fairbanks to Gael Garcia Bernal, the masked hero has caught the imagination of both filmmakers and audiences. But of course, there are the forgotten films and versions of the character as well, and Duccio Tessari's 1975 "Zorro" is certainly a curiosity. Starring famed French thesp Alain Delon in the lead role, surrounded by a mostly Italian supporting cast with everyone getting dubbed later into English, perhaps the best way sum up the experience of the film is point out that the man who provided the wigs, Grazia Miccinelli, gets his own credit. Indeed, there is nothing about this movie that is subtle or nuanced for better and mostly for worse, and that goes for the story as well. Set in a fake South American country, Zorro finds himself taking on...
- 11/26/2012
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Nov. 20, 2012
Price: DVD $19.98, Blu-ray $24.98
Studio: Somerville House/Entertainment One
Alain Delon swashbuckles across the screen in Zorro.
International superstar Alain Delon (Purple Noon) stars as the legendary black-clad masked outlaw hero who defends the weak and innocent against tyranny in the zesty 1975 action-adventure film Zorro.
Set in the late 1800s, Zorro finds nobleman Diego de la Vega (Delon) masquerading as the new governor of a territory in Latin America that’s ruled by the cruel Colonel Huerta (Stanley Baker) and his soldiers. Disturbed by the state of tyranny in his province, Diego secretly transforms into Zorro, joining forces with the monk Brother Francisco (Giampiero Albertini) and the beautiful aristocrat Hortensia (Ottavia Piccolo) in a fight against Huerta for all that is good for the oppressed people of the land.
Zorro is one of the more unique films in the renowned swordsman’s international canon. The only...
Price: DVD $19.98, Blu-ray $24.98
Studio: Somerville House/Entertainment One
Alain Delon swashbuckles across the screen in Zorro.
International superstar Alain Delon (Purple Noon) stars as the legendary black-clad masked outlaw hero who defends the weak and innocent against tyranny in the zesty 1975 action-adventure film Zorro.
Set in the late 1800s, Zorro finds nobleman Diego de la Vega (Delon) masquerading as the new governor of a territory in Latin America that’s ruled by the cruel Colonel Huerta (Stanley Baker) and his soldiers. Disturbed by the state of tyranny in his province, Diego secretly transforms into Zorro, joining forces with the monk Brother Francisco (Giampiero Albertini) and the beautiful aristocrat Hortensia (Ottavia Piccolo) in a fight against Huerta for all that is good for the oppressed people of the land.
Zorro is one of the more unique films in the renowned swordsman’s international canon. The only...
- 10/11/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
by Marcey Papandrea, MoreHorror.com
What is a ‘giallo’? – Giallo is Italian for yellow; a term which came from crime/mystery paperbacks with the yellow toned covers. In turn, highly stylized films of the same genre with elements of eroticism became known as ‘giallo’ films themselves.
Why did you pick this film? – I have been interested in the giallo genre for a long time, ever since I saw my first Dario Argento film. As part of this series I wanted to expose myself to many different gialli as possible, so I sought out a lesser-known one. The title of L’Uomo Senza Memoria really caught my attention, and with a giallo film that is all you need.
Who is behind this one? – It was directed by Duccio Tessari, his previous giallo was The Bloodstained Butterfly. It stars Luc Merenda, Anita Strindberg, Senta Berger, Umberto Orsini, Bruno Corazzari, Manfred Freyberger and Rosario Borelli.
What is a ‘giallo’? – Giallo is Italian for yellow; a term which came from crime/mystery paperbacks with the yellow toned covers. In turn, highly stylized films of the same genre with elements of eroticism became known as ‘giallo’ films themselves.
Why did you pick this film? – I have been interested in the giallo genre for a long time, ever since I saw my first Dario Argento film. As part of this series I wanted to expose myself to many different gialli as possible, so I sought out a lesser-known one. The title of L’Uomo Senza Memoria really caught my attention, and with a giallo film that is all you need.
Who is behind this one? – It was directed by Duccio Tessari, his previous giallo was The Bloodstained Butterfly. It stars Luc Merenda, Anita Strindberg, Senta Berger, Umberto Orsini, Bruno Corazzari, Manfred Freyberger and Rosario Borelli.
- 1/23/2012
- by admin
- MoreHorror
With its Wait Until Dark nods, underwater sea helmut night lights, chainsaw action, amnesia, bad guys with nonstop colds and a tiny dog named Whisky all in tow, the 1974 Duccio Tessari giallo Puzzle (L’ Uomo senza memoria) manages to weave around its budget shortcomings with plenty of offbeat fun. Luc Merenda (Violent Professionals) is the central character with amnesia that has no idea what the hell is going on. He wakes up one day and slowly learns he has a wife and life, but no clue where they are. Suddenly fate kicks in and he finds himself on the run and put back in touch with his wife, played by Senta Berger (Quiller Memorandum). The title comes into play as the layers of the story slowly start peeling back revealing more and more clues, along with numerous red herrings as to why he has amnesia and why the bad guys...
- 8/2/2008
- by Blake
- Screen Anarchy
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