Book review - "King Cohn" by Bob Thomas (re-reading)

 Listened to this bc John Landis did the reading. It was fun. Full of good anecdotes. That does mean there's less analysis and a lot of stories from people where they got one over Harry Cohn. Aw shucks, anecdote teller, you're so clever. I was constantly thinking "what was really going on?"

I know Cohn was smart and ruthless. I sensed a less pleasant, more controllins person behind the person depicted here.

But the book is an easy read. Lots of great stories. The account of his death is moving as is his friendship with Sidney Buchman.

Claudia Jennings in "Lenny"

 Claudia Jennings was amibitious enough to try theatre - bc it was the seventies the part she could get was playing the stripper wife in the play Lenny. (Valerie Perinne played it in the film).

Because it was the seventies she did it in San Francisco at a theatre restaurant called Bimbo's and Francis Ford Coppola came to see it. Here's a photo.

Movie review - "The Single Girls" (1973) **

Great idea for an exploitation film - bunch of people attending sex therapy (I think) on a resort have to deal with a killer. There's not a lot of sex though.

There are some interesting characters. Varying acting ability. Claudia Jennings is one of the girls.

Sidebar: the copy of the film I saw was called Bloody Friday and seemed to have new music added. Nudity was blurred out. 

This doesn't work but there's always something happening and I like Jennings. And the film's oddness.

Movie review - "Gator Bait" (1973) **1/2

 A vehicle for Claudia Jennings who had a great outdoorsy look with that long hair and limbs. She's a poacher in the Louisiana swaps who runs afoul of some corrupt cops and dogy Cajuns.

Location filming helps immensely. The plot is simple - chase Jennings- but perhaps too simple when another twist or two would be good. Ditto it's a little tame in the sex and violence department aside some the rape threats. Some consensual sex in there somewhere would've been good.

I liked the music. Some of the supporting characters were well acted. Others not so much.

Movie review - "Moonshine County Express" (1976) ***

 I really liked this. A little more buttoned up that other New World films - there's not much nudity or sex for instance - but director Gus Trinikos has tried to make a good movie, and he's succeeded. Action moves along at a fast clip, there's some really good actors, spectacular women.

John Saxon is the nominal star - he's a little old but brings B level gravitas. however the lead role is really Susan Howard, who looked vaguely familiar - she was on Dallas and has a Dallas vibe but there's nothing wrong with that. She's beautiful, strong and can act, believably physical.

It's a three girls movie in a way -the story of three sisters whose pa (Jeff Corey) is killed by baddies, forcing the gals to sell moonshine. Claudie Jennings is perfect as Howard's sister - I wish she'd had more of a subplot. Still he's got more screentime than Maureen McCormick, old Marcia Brady herself, who is the youngest sister and just sort of hangs out. She really needed to be killed for the third act. Maybe that was a the plan but they couldn't bring themselves to do it. Be killed or turn traitor or something.

Candice Rialson has a small role as a cheerful trashy girl who pops up in some scenes. She's typically lively more so than McCormick I wish they'd swapped roles.

Cast is tops for New World. William Conrad is a villain, Saxon, Howard, Jennings, Rialson. Strong atmosphere. Pacey cars stuff.

Maureen McCormick writes entertainingly about the shoot - doing coke with Claudia who became a mate, Claudia shagging Gary Graver who impressed them working with Orson Welles.

Movie review - "Unholy Rollers" (1972) **1/2 (re-watching)

 AIP's unsuccessful attempt to cash in on Kansas City Bomber - unsuccessful because it came out late. Also it lacks a really cohesive story - it's a collection of incidents and moments. Why didn't they just do the build up to the big game?

Anyway some of those incidents are memorable like Claudia Jennings confronting spectators while naked in a bar and Jennings doing a strip scene in the roller derby with a guy she's too hot for.

Roberta Collins is in this though her part isn't very big. She seems like an athlete as does Jennings who looks spectacular. I think her voice is dubbed. I could be wrong.

Some fun stuff here. A potentially really good movie with a bit of heart and sexiness. I think they couldn't quite crack the script or the male interest.

Movie review - "Chopping Mall" (1986) *** (re-watching)

 Combination of action film and slasher as some teens are locked in a mall with killer robots. Full of affectionate nods towards the Roger Corman oevre - Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov as a couple, Dick Miller as "Walter Paisley", clips from Attack of the Crab Monsters.

It's well made -this shows what Jim Wynorski could do as a director before his career got sidetracked. The actors look a little bit too much alike - I had trouble telling them apart - they needed to be costumed differently or something.

It's a great role for Kellie Moroney who plays a final girl but a really active, clever one.

TV review - "Shogun" (2024) ***1/2

 I loved the original novel which isn't a white saviour story - it's a stranger in a strange land story, where that stranger becomes a pawn. I like that they started him as an arrogant Protestant bigot.

The opening ep had some women having sex and a man being boiled alive in a pot noisily so that's the Game of Thrones territory. There's not a lot of it in the series. There is a lot of chat in darkened rooms and plotting. The violence is well handled. It did get a little less gripping as it went along.

Radio play review - "Portrait of a Gentleman" by George Farwell (1940)

 Excellent play about the artist, forger, dandy and poisoner Thomas Wainwright. Great fun - terrific central character (spoilt, entitled, insane, self aware), decent action (poisoning various people including idiotic uncle and a girl who loves him). This should have been adapted for TV or a film.

Movie review - "Island of Lost Souls" (1932) ***1/2 (re-watching)

 Saw it again on big screen. Great production design. Wonderful to see a horror film with a decent budget. Thought put in to creatures. Charles Laughton terrific. Bela Lugosi fun although role is small. He could've played Moreau - but any other part would've thrown out the film.

Richard Arlen is fine, but it doesn't really matter. I like how his girlfriend went to find him.

Story issue - I think Laughton should have put Arlen in prison when the girlfriend arrived it made no sense to let Arlen walk around as he could have told the girlfriend and escaped. He could've just said "oh Arlen's on the other side of the island" and trapped the woman, and the doctor could have let out Arlen then the rest could've played.

Full on in many ways - screaming on the operating table, interspecies sex.

Movie review - "Equalizer 2000" (1987) **

 Concorde made a bunch of films in the Philippines that ripped off Mad Max 2 so in a way it's appropriate the hero of this is Aussie Richard Norton.

It's set in a post apocalyptic Alaska (!). There's lots of rock quarries and souped up cars and leather. Robert Patrick is in this.

Norton speaks in his Australian accent which is cute. Connie Wahl is ideal as the heroine.

It's fine. Hits the spot if you're in the mood.

Movie review - "If" (2024) ** (warning spoilers)

 A bright idea - imaginary friends need a home - and some lovely moments (a dance to 'Better Be Good to Me', reuniting imaginary friends with adults) but it doesn't quite work. The rules of the world feel so arbitrary (sometimes you can see "if"s, sometimes you can't; what triggers recognition?), it's needlessly confusing (what is John Krasinsky in hospital for, why not spell out things - I read on wikipedia he was in for heart surgery but it's not clear in the film where it always looks like he's just visiting).

They may as well have said up front that Ryan Reynolds was the girl's "if" - sure it's a nice reveal but not knowing it just feels weird why he was helping this girl. Some irritating things like Krasinski and Reynolds look alike, and the flashbacks to home movies, we often see the three of them, who is holding the camera?

The lead girl gives a professional performance -there was something "I've been acting since I was two" about it. That's unfair I know it's how I felt.

I think Krasinsky needed a co writer on this. A Quiet Place worked because writers had given him a great script.

Movie review - "Saturday the 14th" (1981) **

 If I saw this has a kid I would've loved it with its silliness and scares. It's a spoof of old day house mysteries - a fash of Amityville Horror but also the vibe of scary house stuff in old AIP films like Ghost in the Invisible Bikini.

There is starpower in Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss playing a husband and wife who move into an old house. There's Dracula (Jeffrey Tambour) and his girl trying to kick them out which is underdeveloped. The creatures in the house are fun.

The film has good ideas but can't quite string it together.  Compares badly with say Love at First Bite.

The daughter, Kari Michaelson from Gimme a Break, takea a bath in a drawn out scene which is old school Corman. She was 20 (I googled it) but looks super young, uncomfortably so.

Movie review - "Amazons" (1986) *1/2

 I liked all the fighting women, the cast are athletic and attractive, it's set mostly at night which works for an atmosphere, there's always something happening.

The story is confusing. It didn't have to be confusing. There's a lot of running around and I struggled to tell the characters apart. There was the bald man with beard (JosephWhipp) and the old queen but all the warriors blended in. The film was crying out for some solid C list star to anchor it. Was Katt Shea too busy? Too expensive?

There's also magic and shape shifting. The nudity livens things up. But it's frustrating to watch because it's so needlessly confusing.

Play review - "Daybreak" By Catherine Shepherd

 A really solid Aussie play. Good conflict - strict dad, romantic daughter, wild idealist bloke who wants to create a utopia. A lot of exciting action happens off stage - idealist is shot, an escape goes badly. But it works as a whole.

There's subplots that could be ejected - visiting soldiers. The subplot about the servants in love is effective and dove tails.

This should have been filmed by the ABC.

Book review - "Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane!" by ZAZ

 Flying High was a seminal film in my life. I hadn't given that much thought to how it was made but I'm glad I read this book. Some cool stuff:

* ZAZ made a living out of showbusiness quite quickly with their stage show - they put in a lot of work but it paid off for them quite quickly: the power of three people working for a common cause

* there was another key guy in the group who quit because they wouldn't let his girlfriend join

* it was still really really hard to raise finance for this despite Kentucky Fried Movie and hard to raise money for that

*they pay tribute to John Landis while also admitting there were lots of stuff they would've done differently on Kentucky Fried

* major studios didn't want to make it but minors did - Robert Rehme (an under appreciated head of production) wanted it for Avco Embassy but they had finance issues and AIP wanted it but then head of production Jere Henshaw wanted comedians not TV stars and ZAZ were willing to walk so good on them

*Paramount behaved magnificently it sounds - I know this is looking back at at a hit, but they did everything right: tested ZAZ but also backed them, assigned them a pro script editor who got it to work on the script, assigned them a pro producer who got it to work on the film (Howard Koch)... the crucial things was those executives got it... Michael Eisner also insisted in colour so it covered 70s disaster films.

*They pitched a sequel Airplane Meets the Godfather which Hayes visits Hegart's family and they're the mafia. That would've been fun.

There is a lot of love for Steven Stucker, whom the gang attribute much of the stage show's success to. Also affectionate comments about Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges etc and appreciation for Hegarty and Hayes.   I would've liked to have heard more about Lorna Patterson. No one talks about her much and she added a lot to the film.

There are quotes from famous people of today like Bill Hader about how much the movie means to them. I get why it's there ("you gotta get the kids") but it is annoying especially as they are the usual suspects (Judd Apatow, Adam Mackay, Maya Rudolph). Also Tim Allen almost wrecked the book for me with his stupid "couldn't say that now God I miss comedy" schtick.

Movie review - "Vendetta" (1986) ** (warning: spoilers)

 This revenge drama is quite well done. It has a silly premise - woman gets herself convicted of crime deliberately to investigate death of her sister in that prison (what if they'd sent her to another prison?) - but completely commits. The prison is a hilariously over the top hellscape where the new fish is harassed and the burly gang leader (Sandy Martin, terrific and completely committing) is hassling her straight away. There's nude showers and stabbings.

I think the film might've been more fun set in the Philippines - it's set in America. It's a big chance for lead Karen Chase who I think is a stunt performer normally. She's believably physical but not that great in the fight scenes. The movie might've been better using a female martial artist champion or something. I did like the action though - enjoyably brutal and hard core. And the production values. I assume the budget was low but it doesn't feel it.

I did like that time was given to sketch support charactders - Chase's cellmate, a drug addict prisoner, Martin's sidekicks, the sleazy warden, the sleazy guard, a nice guard (Roberta Collins who was in a few movies from Chroma III around this time - she gives an adequate performance, not up there with her 70s splendour - she's a bit expressionless - but it's fun to see her).

The character of the boyfriend is underutilised. He just sort of hangs around. It would've been nice if he was part of the villainous gang maybe - like he arranged for Martin to attack the sister or soemthing. The film could've done with a third act twist - we know who did it, Chase figures it out quite quickly, and kills them off one by one. It's very linear. I expected Collins to turn on Chase but that doesn't happen either.

Still, quite solidly done.Director Bruce Lyon tried to make a good movie and it shows.

Movie review - "The Destroyer" (1986) **

 Richard Hill and Katt Shea from Deathstalker are reunited in another Corman financed film from the same director, only this one is set in present day. He's a Vietnam vet - his old commanding officer is killed in a small town by some baddies who beat up Hill who then get his old comrades together to kick ass. 

Some interesting characters are set up among the ex soldiers but not much is done with them (burly idiot, driven guy, sort of rich guy).

Shea and Hill have one of thse awkwardly shot sex scenes like we saw in Ciro Santiago's Cocaine Wars.

I didn't mind the film. It looked as though it had some budget and there were lots of explosions. I wish - as I so often do with these 80s Concorde movies - that a little more time was spent on the characters. Just a little more. It would've made the action stuff mean more.

Movie review - "Wheels of Fire" (1985) **1/2

 I liked this - one exception. There's a long rape plot - the hero's sister is abducted and then molested by baddies. She's periodically molested throughout. Then she's killed. Downer. Change that - cut out the rapes - this would be fine for kids. Exploitation I guess.

It's post apocalyptic. Doesn't look too rough. Great productin value. Lots of car smashes. Extras. Army. Three strong women roles. Two killed. The nebbish one lives. But still, three.

Hero looks absurdly like Mel Gibson in Mad max 2. Not as terrible as I'd heard. New World refused to distribute this so Roger Corman set up Concorde.

Movie review - "Last Resort" (1986) **

 Roger Corman's (Julie Corman's, rather) attempt to cash in on that National Lampool Vacation money suffers from looking too cheap - it's set on not-overly-pretty Catalina Island when it cries out for Hawaii or something - but it has a decent star in Charles Grodin (who rewrote the script) and is full of emerging stars in small roles, like many a Corman film: Mario Van Peebles having a high old time as a local (it's set in the Caribbean), Megan Mullaley (wearing a bikini and quite hot as Grodin's horny daughter forever making out with a local hunk), Phil Hartman (who has a funny scene discussing 'Step by Step' with Grodin), and Jon Lovitz (bartender).

This isn't bad. It took a while to get its groove. I like how the women were more sexually aggressive eg the wife who goes topless. That felt different. Plots felt undeveloped - all the kids needed a resolution. The local revolutionary plot was really small - they only come in at the end.

It's like the script needed another pass or just a script edit and then some more production value.

I love how Julie Corman kept trying to produce medium level comedies - that was novelty.

Movie review - "Popatopolis" (2009) ****

 Gloriously entertaining look at Jim Wynorski, the prolific, enthusiastic film fan turned director whose love for movies, breasts and... that's it, makes him a compelling protagaonist.

It's focused on him making The Witches of Breastwick in three days, so the film has a strong structure. 

It also has a dazzling cast  - in adddition to Wynorski is Julie Smith, super smart,  a trained actress, who likes Wynorski but also clashes with him; Wynorski's bewildered mother (he's a dutiful son); Stormy Daniels (the one and only), again super smart, slightly bewildered making soft core porn.

In addition to interviews there's also scenes of Wynorski directing - the sex scenes ("we want to see her face not yours" he snaps at the male lead), feeding lines to Julie Smith which annoys her.

Movie review - "Some Nudity Required" (1998) ***

 Thought provoking documentary about nudity in Hollywood, power imbalance, etc twenty years before metoo. Roger Corman was upset about this apparently but he comes out of it as always - rational, reasoned, fine. 

The film is also fascinating because it's a personal essay from the filmmaker Odette Springer, who was music supervisor for Corman at New Horizons. She talks a lot about herself which isn't always interesting but it does mean the work has a personal vision.

Some great other talking heads like Sam Arkoff of AIP, Dan Golden, Fred Olen Ray, Andy Sidaris etc.

Movie review - "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom" (1985) **

 Enjoyably daft. Starts off like a trailer for other Corman sword and socrcery films using footage from them. Then settles down to an old fashioned "wizened warrior escorts royal boy across the plains" film.

The weirdness is endearing - there's someone in a bear suit and a little person wizard.

The presence of the kid means there's less breasts, torture and rape. Bo Svenson, a familiar Hollywood face, is the hoe. Thom Christopher from late period Buck Rogers is outstanding as the villain.

This was actually sweet int it's way once the story got up and going.

Movie review - "Cocaine Wars" (1985) **

 Roger Corman south of the border in Argentina - which gives this film decent production values. It feels like it's in South America because it, well, is - polo matches, old colonial towns, winding roads, jungles.

It's a silly undercover DEA agent working for drug dealers story - silly because the undercover agent struts around drawing attention to himself. But that is part of the film's charm - John Schneider from Dukes of Hazzard running around with a moustache and longish hair, constantly smoking, acting like the toughest guy on the bloke. It's so sweet - he's having such fun.

There's familiar characters - feisty reporter, drug tycoon, corrupt general - plus some wilder ones, like two exiled Germans I think.

There's some action, a Commando style finale, an awkward sex scene, odd car chases. It's very rough but has pace. Royal Dano is in it as a drunk.

Movie review - "Forbidden World" (1982) **1/2 (re-watching)

 One of Corman's Battle Beyond the Stars follow ups - decent production values for New World, gratutious nudity (as in it jars... compare to say Death Race 2000 where it feels organic), attractive women, Jesse Vint not quite hot enough for them. Choppy storytelling but some imagination.

Top Ten Films from New World post Corman

 1) Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (1985) - joyous teen musical

2) The Philadelphia Experiment (1984) - fun chase film

3) The Stuff (1985) - subversive Larry Cohen, with the classic tax cab gag

4) Soul Man (1986) - has this been cancelled? I remember loving it

5) Heathers (1989) - its greatest film?

6) Meet the Applegates (1991) - Heathers 2 in a way

7) No Retreat No Surrender (1986) - early Jean Claude

8) Flowers in the Attic (1988) - look I think this is probably bad but Iremember being gripped watching it on TV

9) Revenge (1990) - this was a New World movie!

10) Angel (1984) - 80s sleaze at its utmost

Movie review - "Streetwalking" (1985) **1/2

 Realism from New Horizon/Roger Corman - one of those "we talked to a lot of runaways turned hookers for research" films. Not bad. Melissa Leo has an early lead role.  She goes nude, as required but it does make sense. There's drugs, rape, guns.

There's nice camraderie among the hookers - Leo plus two older ones (one black one white, the latter played by Julie Newmar). Cast also includes Antonio Vargas, Greg German from Ally McBeal and Dale Midkiff, as the indestructible villain (at the end he keeps getting knocked over and charging at Leo).   Midkiff overacts at times.

The filmmakers have tried to make a good movie. It doesn't always mesh with the melodrama. But you keep watching.

Movie review - "Suburbia" (1983) *** (warning: spoilers)

 Starts with a toddler being mauled to death by a dog. Ends with a small kid being killed bu a hit and run.

Amateur actors. Realism. Feels like a British film with its down beat nature, amateur cast. Not just runaway kids but also the actors who play cops, local rednecks, parents. Sometimes hard to tell people apart. Los Angeles looks dingy.

A remarkable work in a way. Uncompromising. There's a rape and some nudity and robbery - but it does jazz things up. Gets more out of it than just without.

Movie review - "Gas" (1970) **

 Thoughts

- Corman off the leash - no point in AIP changing the ending because it's all mad

- it hates bikers and jocks - Corman doesn't like these people, they're all bad-  it's not anti youth just anti fascist youth

- it likes the free spirited young kids

- Robert Corf scores hot women including a sex scene like The Trip

- there's rape and rape jokes

- it has black characters but Corman feels uneasy with them and any miscegenation is dispensed with

- the sadness/dramatic issues inherit in the concept are ignored

- the hippy commune is sympathetically depicted

- some lines are genuinely hilarious and it looks good (lots of extras) but it's a mess

Movie review - "Summer School Teachers" (1974) *** (re-watching)

Fun. Good work from Barbara Peeters - like Stephanie Rothman she had a big New World hit with a three girl movie, but couldn't graduate to anything bigger.

It's breezy and bright. I think her touch was lighter than Rothman's who put in that abortion sequence and had the drug tripping in The Student Nurses. The politics are still there - Pat Anderson sticks up for male nudity to be the same as female, while Candice Rialson wants the girls to play football. 

Rhonda Leigh Hopkins has an interesting character, or at least starts off so with her conservative father, but her plot isn't that much - with an aggressive rapey student who she falls in love with. It doesn't click.

Anderson is stunning and lots of fun as the art teaher dealing with the male chauvinist, posing nude. The food fetish stuff is not funny - these movies always had lots of unfunny comic bits. 

But the star is Rialson, feisty and sexy, outsmarting Dick Miller, seducing the nerd teacher, never losing her pep.

Movie review - "Death Race 2000" (1975) (rewatching) ***1/2

 Random thoughts

- Paul Bartel was right to push for comedy. Roger Corman was right to push for action. They got the balance right. The action is good the stakes do feel real and it's quite moving as the surviving racers realise they're being picked off.

- Simone Griffeth is the heart of the movie. She has warmth and accessibility - the audience surrogate. She's overshadowed by the flashy characters but she's the bread in the cake. Teams very well with aloof, mysterious David Carradine.

- Support cast are spectacular.

- The nudity is well handled. Everyone looks like an athlete. It all makes sense in the Ancient Rome decadence of the world.

Book review - "When the Light Goes" by Larry McMurtry (2007) (warning: spoilers)

 Oh, Larry... He obviously had so much fun writing Duane's Depressed that he cranked out this sequel, which picks up very soon after the events of that last book. Duane is a little sad but in a case of wish fulfilment his lesbian shrink now wants to root him (they kill of her partner) and teaches him good sex, and another young woman with pointy nipples decides she wants to root him/marry him/have him educate her how to love. McMurtry fridges Ruth Popper but not before she slags off the love making abilities of Sonny - which isn't that consistent with Last Picture Show but gosh McMurtry really came to hate Sonny. Oh and Duane has a big dick, McMurtry makes sure we know that.

Look, I enjoyed the book actually, read it straight through very quickly. It's just a little silly. Only for fans.

Movie review - "Night Call Nurses" (1972) *** (re-watching)

 The three leads interconnect here more than others in the series. They're all beautiful and can act, and look different so it's easy to tell them apart (even though their characters aren't as strong differentiated as in say The Student Nurses ).

I appreciate the non linear editing and the sex scenes are well done. Patti Byrne has the most interesting subplot, hooking up with the creepy sex cult leader shrink Clint Kimborough.

Alana Hamilton (as she became) goes with a boorish truck driver - she's lovely maybe it's chemistry with the guy. (When they're in the shower together she doesn't seem to be having fun.)

There's some padding - scenes like sky diving and water skiing, and some painful vaudeville schtick.  The mystery of the stalker isn't bad, and there's some political statement (digs at drug companies)

It's actually better plotted than most of the other movies because the stories kind of dovetail - Alana's speedy trucker helps Mittie Lawrence's militant boyfriend escape.

The film gleefully throws in some tropes - cross dressing psycho crazy (Dennis Dugan), busting a militant out of hospital and brutal shoot out and the mind twisting shrink. Dick Miller is very effective as a lonely yet creepy guy who gives Byrne a lift.

Byrne should have had a bigger career.

Book review - "Rebel Rising" by Rebel Wilson

 She has the courage of her convictions. The book explains a lot. A slightly dodgy dad (gambling) obsessed with status. A mum who acts as if everything is fine all the time. The constant list of achievements - property owned, fees earned ($10 million for Pitch Perfect 3), likes on Instagram, views on Netflix, perks at Disneyland, trips to exotic resorts.

She hypes her poverty in LA, but everyone in LA has log cabin fever, i.e. telling stories as if they were born in a log cabin and overcame incredible obstacles. The omits a lot of stuff (not a lot of discussion about Anna Kendrick) but everyone does that in their memoirs.

The best bits are when Rebel encounters tough opposition. The chapter on Sacha Baron Cohen is terrific, and also the stuff about her exploring her sexuality, but also the chapter on making The Wedge where the boorish behaviours of the producers is all too believable. Good on her for admitting she lost her virginity at 35 (I think it helps to start rooting when you're a millionaire film star). All the hot guys she slams seem to have addiction issues.

She's an odd duck but the book explains why, I think.

Movie review - "Blood Bath" (1966) (re-watching) **

 I previously reviewed the Track of the Vampire version of this - this one is Blood Bath, shorter at 60 minutes. You need Tim Lucas to talk through the versions.

There's an opening, stylishly shot vampire murder. That's Stephanie Rothman. Beatniks in a bar - that's Jack Hill. There's two girls chatting. One girl goes and dances on the beach, Sandra Knight (this is Rothman). Then the other girl, Marissa Mathes, meets artist William Campbell. He kills her. I think that's Hill. But also he turns into a vampire. Which is Rothman.

Basically vampire = Rothman and artist Campbell = Hill. I'm not sure how much Yugoslavian stuff remains. 

It's confusing. The two stories don't mesh (if Campbell didn't return they should have had a Campbell plus a vampire... or had a second psycho). I know why Hill is frustrated Rothman made the changes but also I think his stuff involved a little too much comedy at the beatnik store - I'm assuming that's all mostly Hill.

Still, the sheer novelty of this film is fascinating. The directors, Corman, the cast - which includes Sandra Knight (Mrs Jack Nicholson) and Jonathan Haze, who were both in The Terror (a more satisfactory patchwork quilt). You've got Sid Haig. The photography is genueinly beautiful. The ending genuinely dumb. Movies!

Movie review - "Candy Stripe Nurses" (1974) **1/2 (rewatching)

 Half a good film. Robin Mattson and Candice Rialson are among the best ever nurses. Mattson is classy and uptight, posh and smart and has a hot sex relationship that turns to love with a basketball player who is hooked on performance drugs. This is all strong.

Rialson is a ditzy sex positive type who sets out to bed a rock star. She's great. The idea has promise. But it's not developed well. Her motivation seems unclear. It's not that funny. Rialson, as she so often would be, is better than her material.

Mario Rojo is left hanging. She plays a feisty character but looks too young, barely gets a chance to engage with the other girls, doesn't even have a romance with the guy (she dreams their sex scenes). Too much screen time is spent with her investigating, asking questions.

The nude scenes are well done - they really knew how to film naked actresses by this stage, showing full body but not everything. Rialson and Mattson seem completely at home.

I liked the title tune too.

I can understand why audiences didn't go - no camraderie too much padding - but it's one of the stronger of the series and I would put Rialson and Mattson in my top five of nurses from this series along with Karen Carlson, Barbara Leigh and Patti Byrne.

Chevy Chase Top Ten

 1) Community - brought him back and he repaid them by bad mouthing the show

2) Foul Play (1978) - terrific male lead to Goldie

3) Fletch (1985) - put it on the Underhills

4) Spies Like Us (1985) - great partner to Aykroyd

5) National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) - very solid family man stuff

6) Caddyshack (1980) - I think this is how he imagines himself

7) Funny Farm (1988) - a little stressful to watch at times but charming

8) Ellie Parker (2005) - look I genuinely liked his role in this, he was very good

9) Three Amigos (1986) - atypical work but a lot of fun

10) Oh Heavenly Dog (1980) - I loved it as a kid, have not seen it since then, don't want to risk ruining the memory

Top Ten Million Dollar Casting Decisions (Australian film edition)

 Where the role would not have worked with any other actor

1) Stork - Bruce Spence

2) Alvin Purple - Graeme Bllundell

3) Mad Max - Mel Gibson

4) Petersen - Jack Thompson

5) Crocodile Dundee - Paul Hogan

6) Chopper - Eric Bana

7) Muriel's Wedding - Toni Collette

8) Kenny - Shane Jocobsen

9) Judy Davis and Sam Neill - My Brilliant Career

10) Crackerjack - Mick Molly

Top Ten Westerns of the 1990s

 1) Unforgiven (1992) - easy

2) Young Guns 2 (1990) - not loved but there was a strong reason to make it

3) City Slickers (1991) - fun, has something to say, peak Billy Crystal

4) Last of the Mohicans (1991) - more of a war film than a Western but it's got Indians in it - superb

5) Tombstone (1993) - so. much. testosterone.

6) Legends of the Fall (1994) - good soapy drama

7) From Dusk Til Dawn (1996) - I'll include it, good fun

8) John Carpenter's Vampires (1998) - I'm stretching the definition I know...

9) Lone Star (1996) - modern day stuff but it counts and a very good film

10) Back to the Future Park 3 (1990)

A stronger decade than the 1980s - in part I think because there were some genuine blockbusters (Dances with Wolves, Mohicians, Unforgiven) and thus more movies made

Top Ten John Landis

 Here we go...

1) Animal House (1978) - I didn't like it when I saw it as a kid but then when I saw it later and understood the jokes it was lots of fun

2) Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) - often forgotten he directed this lots of fun

3) The Blues Brothers (1980) - chaotic, hilarious, musical, gosh there must've been cocaine

4) An American Werewolf in London (1981) - again didn't get this til later, had to appreciate it was a horror film not a comedy

5) Trading Places (1983) - smart, funny, always lovedit

6) Innocent Blood (1992) - flopped but I think it's great, sexy, scary

7) Spies Like Us (1985) - clever, subversive, Chase and Aykroyd are a good team

8) Coming to America (1988) - fun, elaborate comedy

9) Into the Night (1985) - flawed, I can see why it flopped, but full of wonderful things

10) Thriller (1984) -splendid video

The film I wish he'd directed: Dick Tracy.

Movie review - "Midnite Spares" (1983) **1/2

 One of those films that should be good - certainly Australia should make more movies in the Westie car milieu - but suffers from lack of focus and enthusiasm for its subject.  The story is idea - James Laurie is a country kid from Toowoomba visiting the city to search for his dad and finds out he was involved in a car stealing racket. He works for a good mechanic with colourful mates (David Argue, Bruce Spence), comes up against corrupt cops.

That's a solid basis for an action movie, with cars, comedy, romance. This doesn't seem to work. James Laurie and Gia Carides are mismatched as the lovers - she's too young. Laurie is awkward. But in his defence he doesn't have that much to do. Their romance is easy - her family is a little strict but she's never in peril.

Attention drifts to support characters like Max Cullen and Bruce Spence and Jonathan Coleman.   It livens up a tthe end when baddy Tony Barry shoots dead Graeme Blundell and there's a car chase - the ilm needed more life and death stakes.

It looks terrific. Interesting cast. Not a stinker.

Movie review - "Late Night with the Devil" (2023) ***1/2

 Great premise, well executed, done with style, smarts and humour. Very well acted - I particularly liked Ian Bliss' smarmy sceptic and Josh Quong Tart's producer. Loved the period detail. Slow burn horror but solid bangs and pleasing finale. I thought of Carrie.

Top Thirteen Australian Box Office Hits of the Silent Era

 1) Story of the Kelly Gang (1907) - kicked off bushranger cycle (already going strong on stage)

2) The Man They Could Not Hang (1912) - bizarre hit, unbeatable for over a decade, remade in 1918 which also did well, but then the sound version killed it

3) Lure of the Bush (1918) - Snowy Baker's second film bigger hit than the first encouraged boom in production

4) The Fatal Wedding (1911) - popular play launched Raymond Longford's career

5) The Sentimental Bloke (1919) - gave Longford his second wind, led to sequels and rip offs

6) Our Friends the Hayseeds (1917) - On Our Selection rip off which led to a bunch of sequels (franchise) and was successfully filmed as a sound movie, launched Beaumont Smith's career

7) It Is Never Too Late to Mend (1911) - adaptation of convict melodrama, launched WJ Lincoln as a director

8) Thunderbolt (1910) - adaptation of bushranger play, a big hit, launched John Gavin

9) Captain Midnight the Bush King (1910) - Charles Cozens Spencer gets into film in a big way

10) The Martydom of Edith Cavel (1915)

11) For the Term of His Natural LIfe (1928) - big hit but cost too much money

12) Sweet Nell of old Drury (1912) 

13) The Exploits of the Emden (1928)

Big Ones of the Sound era

- On Our Selection

- The Squatters Daughter

- George Wallace films

- Forty Thousand Horsemen

- The Overlanders

- They're a Weird Mob

Book review - "The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story" by Sam Wasson

 Wasson comes up with a fresh take on Coppola, focusing on the American Zoetrope story, with two main areas - the early 70s period before The Godfather and the early 80s which saw One from the Heart . Most emphasis is on the latter, which its dazzling ambition, waste of money, idealism, randomness - Gene Kelly mixing it with Michael Powell, Paul Schrader, Michael Lehman and so on.

Doesn't spend a lot of time on Godfather, thank goodness, but a bit on Apocalypse Now. Puts Megalopolis in more context - I get it more now and am even looking forward to it (with some apprehension).

Coppola's record at supporting talent and trying new things is quite remarkable even if he did go a little insane I think. Fascinating book.

TV series - "Girls5Eva" (all three seasons) (2021-24) ****

 The first season is a knock out. The second stumbles -things are too easy - with good eps, mind. The third recovers, although having Wickie's parents being nice and supportive was not a good idea - I get the joke but again they've made things too easy. That was the only dud.

Very well plotted, lots of great pay off of things set up in earlier episodes, and they find way to rework tropes like being helped by famous singers and so on.

Movie review - "Desolation Angels" (1982) **

 Little known Australian women in peril thriller - three school friends go to a house in Portsea on the weekends and are harassed by hoons. There's a subplot of a woman involved in forgeries who's also at the town and who also gets hassled.

Some Hitchcock touches - female criminal stumbles into a psycho drama, the opening Rebecca like narration - and some neat photography. Better than I thought it would be - handsome looking, real thought has been put into it, except maybe not the script which has holes but there are some okay sequences.

Erratic acting. The cast includes Kerry Mack and Nico Lathouris.

Movie review - "The Idea of You" (2024) **1/2

 Not a rom com because there is no "com" - not a single joke in a film that cries out for comic relief, despite having Reid Scott and Annie Mumolo. It's played straight, directed nicely, with two attractive stars, Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. It's quite sweet. The actor playing Hathaway's daughter is too old - when she whines to her mother it's like "come on you're an adult".

At times I wondered if Hathaway was bored in her role but I think she was playing it straightlaced.

Part of me couldn't help wishing they'd have just done the Harry Styles-Olivia Wilde story more closely, with Jason Sudekis upset over the salad, and Florence Pugh steaming in the corner but anyways...

Russ Tamblyn Top Ten

 

1) Gun Crazy (1950) - Tamblyn's breakthrough role as a child star was in Samson and Delilah but I go for this, because it's a more brilliant film and tamblyn's more believable as a young John Dall than as Saul (Samson is quite fun, though)

2) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) - a lot of MGM musicals were losing money around this time but this was a smash hit, in part due to its energy and colour, including a great turn from Tamblyn - this turned him into a dancing star. The story line is inherently dodgy ("let's abduct some women").

3) The Fastest Gun in the West (1956) - at MGM Tamblyn developed a niche playing keen teens in support of older actors, such as Glenn Ford - this is a good Western, and they put in a dance number for Tamblyn which Ford (one of the biggest divas of the 1950s) tried to get removed

4) Peyton Place (1957) - a triumph of adaptation to get this past the censor and make it cohesive (I've read the book)... the film is a lot of dodgy fun, including Tamblyn who is genuinely good as a weird teen (he turns "normal" in this which he didn't in the book but he should have played more weirdo roles)

5) Tom Thumb (1958) - charming musical fantasy with Tamblyn ideal in the title role.

6) High School Confidential (1958) - terrific fun with Tamblyn doing 21 Jump Street, as an overage undercover cop battling dope pushers, the seduction of Mamie Van Doren, and beatnik dialogue... this was a big hit, and other Albert Zugmith films for MGM weren't... maybe because they didn't star Tamblyn, who knows, he was in a lot of hits around this time.

7) West Side Story (1961) - Tamblyn was a little old to play Riff but he had tremendous energy - no George Chakiris but better than Richard Beymer, shall we say.

8 ) War of the Gargantuas (1969) - in the late 60s Toho would import American stars for their films (usually Nick Adams) - this had Tamblyn, looking stoned and ad libbing dialogue (as he would in his other cult classic, Satans Sadists) - lots of fun.

9) The Haunting (1963) - genuinely good film showing what Tamblyn could do - he didn't like acting that much though and went bohemian soon after.

10) Twin Peaks - Tamblyn makes a comeback as the eccentric Dr Jacoby, totally fitting in Lynchian world.

Book review - "Dancing on the Edge" by Russ Tamblyn

 I spoke with Tamblyn in 2004 and he said he wanted to write a book so it took him a bit of time but I think Tamblyn likes to go his own way in life. A genuine name in Hollywood in the 1950s - not a big star, but a regular lead player in studio films with a long term contract to MGM - he dropped out very quickly, via choice really (he moved to Topenga Canyon to pursue art). He never got his groove back, could never quite re-consolidate despite a stint in Twin Peaks but hung in there. Found love third time round.

I liked the book. Listened to audio version. Tamblyn did it. He sounds amiable, a bit spacey. The third section is mostly about his daughter and Neil Young - like many in Hollywood people try to stay relevant where they can.

Interesting vignettes. Jeff Richards was a boozehead and smashed up Tamblyn's place, Dean Stockwell was a good friend but eventually alcoholism destroyed him while Dennis Hopper of all people got over it, Tamblyn was a polyamorist in like 1960 at Malibu, his second wife was a boozer (she's a tragic figure), his first wife an interesting character (Anna Lee's daughter), Glenn Ford tried to get Tamblyn's dance removed from Fastest Gun in the West, Tamblyn and Yvette Mimieux went for a skinny dip and had sex one night making Brothers Grimm, Tambly had a fling with Regina Carroll making Satan's Sadists.

If you like that period and these movies this book is hard to resist, even if it does need an edit.

Movie review - "Starhops" (1978) *1/2 (re-watching)

 I wonder what Julie Corman, Stephanie Rothman and Barbara Peeters all thought of each other. Rivals? Friends?

Rothman wrote this script but it was rewritten so she took her name off it. Barbara Peeters directed. Steve Zaillian edited.

This isn't good. It has some cohesian - three girls defending their restaurant - but feels padded, with scenes of sunset and a disco. It's hard to tell the girls apart - especially as they're often wearing the one costume. One has a German accent I guess. Slabs of the action turn to a guy, who is going undercover to get dirt on the restaurant, which is annoying.

Normally in these films you get some social conscience. There's none here. Or some genuine sexiness. Again, none.

There's high spirits, I guess. Peeters made a great three girls film with Summer School Teachers. I wonder what happened here.

Book review - "Duane's Depressed" by Larry McMurtry (1999) (warning: spoilers)

 McMurtry really liked this novel I think because he identified with Duane so much. Sonny is barely in it - he's live, just decaying - while he's killed off Jacey which seems a little mean. Was this because McMurtry had fights with Tim Bottoms and/or Cybill Shepherd?

So we've got Karla and also Duane, who is still handsome and seems to have money after Texasvill and is admired, who has a little melt down, goes walking a lot one day and moves into a cabin. He sees a shrink. The novel goes into his head a lot. The second act twist is they kill Karla and the contrast between the depressions is well done and takes on another dimension.

It is a satisfying read, very internal - hard to film. Duane's kids and grandkids are ciphers as are most of the town. Ruth is in it going blind, Sonny dies unmemorably. But the internal stuff is strong and I was moved by the end with Duane reading Proust and finally going overseas after he's cried about his dad because McMurtry is so clearly into it.

TV review - "The Artful Dodger Pilot" (2023) ***1/2

 Classy, entertaining and lots of fun. Impressive production design. Liked it a lot.

Movie review - "Eyes without a Face" (1960) ***

 Didn't know much about this or French horror at all but it was a classy shocker, with some former A listers (Pierre Fresna and Alida Valli) and a good old fashioned junky plot (face's transplants). There's not much gore but when it's done it is effective. They might have had more spookiness and the police were very incompetent getting that girl to be decoy for a fan they suspected was a killer then believing his explanations.

Top Ten Beach Party Movies

 Going off the description in Tom Lisanti...

1) Gidget (1959) - feminist (ish), fun, great star turn

2) Where the Boys Are (1960).- light but also serious in a good way

3) Bikini Beach (1964) - Beach Party started it but this is the most pure

4) Ride the Wild Surf (1964) - angst! But also a more serious exploration ofbeach life

5) Beach Ball (1965) - fun, terrific music

6) Girl Happy (1965) - Elvis does beach party, great fun

7) Pajama Party (1964) - underrated musical, bright and poppy, heaps of fun

8) Beach Party (1963) - kicked off the series, often overlooked, but great

9) Ski Party (1965) - a bit smarmy but great snow, and tunes, and the Avalon-Hickman combo works

10) Blue Hawaii (1961) - aww, Elvis... look not really beachy but beach-ish and gorgeous

Top Ten Westerns of the 1980s

 1) Lonesome Dove (1987) - TV but who cares?

2) The Man from Snowy River (1982) - can I include this? stuff it, I will

3) Pale Rider (1985) - Clint does Shane, quite well

4) Silverado (1985) - flaws, but so much richness

5) Young Guns (1989) - historically quite respectible, fun film

6) The Long Riders (1980) - not my favourite Hill, but heaps of great stuff

7) Lone Wolf McQuade (1983) - I don't care if it is modern day

8) Heaven's Gate (1980) - oh, why not?

9) Barbarosa (1982) - look I haven't seen this but everyone says it's good

10) Death Hunt (1981) - mountie-sploitation, I've always enjoyed this

Top Ten Three Girl Movies

 (I'm also including ones with four girls)

1) Three on a Match

2) How to Marry a Millionaire

3) Where the Boys Are

4) The Student Nurses

5) Summer School Teachers

6) Valley of the Dolls

7) Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

8) Hollywood Boulevard

9) Night Call Nurses

10) 9 to Five