Play review - "Monster in the Box" by Spalding Gray

 Sequel to Swimming to Cambodia has decent moments but is bitsy - it addresses the success of that movie and its author/star's various adventures: writing a novel about his mother's suicide, going to Nicaragua, maknig a special for HBO, being in Our Town. A little over the shop but entertainining.

Capucine Top Ten

 1) North to Alaska (1960) - genuinely funny

2) The Pink Panter (1963) - terrific, holds her own against Sellers and Niven

3) What's Up Pussycat? (1965) - a third great comedy performance

4) The Seventh Dawn (1964) - flawed movie but she's excellent

5) The Exquisite Cadaver (1969) - stylish thriller and she's very well used

6) The Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) - film is terrible but it's fun to see her and Niven married

7) Fellini Satyricon (1969) - again she's well used 

8)  Walk on the Wild Side (1962) - ah look she's not great nor is the film but she and it are interesting

9) Fraulein Dockter (1969) - seducing Suzy Kendall

10) Red Sun (1971) - I'm starting to struggle to find credits by now... but the top five are strong! 

Movie review - "99 Women" (1969) ***

 Really fun women in prison film whose success helped kicked off the cycle. Harry Alan Towers was the perfect producer and writer for this genre with his love of sleaze. This has all the tropes - lesbian guard, prisoners making out, cruely, whipping, escapes, dodgy men.

There's a lot of name value with Herbert Lom, Mercedes McCambridge, Maria Schell, Luciana Paluzzi. It's quite well done by Jess Franco. 

Movie review - "Turkey Shoot" (1982) *** (rewatching)

 I watched this out of the corner of my eye on a computer, and that's the best way to see it - distracted, so you can asborb the atmosphere, it's not hard to follow the story, there are explosions and sex.

The film is actually very emotionally satisfying with the prisoners rising up - Olivia Hussey's character has a journey from coward to revolutionary (she seems innocent and adds to tension), Steve Railsback brings intensity, Michael Craig and Carmen Duncan are terrific, Lynda Stoner is sweet. It's a very well cast film. 

The rape and murder of Stoner is still yuck but watching it distracted works. It looks great. Impressive production value at the end.

Movie review - "What a Carve Up!" (1961) **1/2 (warning: spoilers)

 One of those sort-of Carry On films made around this time with their ensemble casts and Carry On personnel. This has Sid James, Kenneth Connor and Shirley Eaton.

Connor and James spend a night in an old dark house with black cats, eyes through paintings, creepy buter, etc.  There's some good old spooky actors like Denis Price, Michael Gwynne, and Donald Pleasnace. It loses a bit of steam and why not have Connor get with Eaton. I mean funny Adam Faith gag but better to go emotion, Eaton would have been better as a femme fetale.

Movie review - "Channel Crossing" (1933) **

 Amiable rip off of Rome Express is brightly directed, shot and acted but doesn't have much of a story. It's about Matheson Lang who is a rich embezzler. He's good as is Constance Cummings has his secretary but the guy who plays her fiance is awful and I was delighted when he was thrown overboard and saddened when he lived. Nigel Bruce and Max Miller pop up. I wish this had been about spies or something more interesting. I didn't mind it.

Jim Hutton top ten

 Can we get there? Let's see...

1) And When the Sky Was Opened (1959) - Twilight Zone so maybe cheating but I'll do it

2) Ellery Queen (1975)

3) Where the Boys Are (1960)

4) Who's Minding the Mint? (1967)

5) The Horizontal Lieutenant (1961)

6) Time to Love and a Time to die (1958)

7) Period of Adjustment (1962)

8) The Hallelujah Trail (1965)

9) The Green Berets (1968) - don't yell at me! His performance is fine

10) Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)

There I go - did it! I haven't seen a lot of his TV work.