What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

Yes, 'Schizo' is too long, and that usually bothers me, but in this case it didn't. I suppose at the end of the day it is a minor work of his, to set alongside 'The House of Mortal Sin' rather than 'Frightmare', but for some reason I've always really liked it over and above the others. Just another case of subjective / objective not always working out when it comes to taste... but everyone on here must know that! I must try 'Man Of Violence' and 'The Flesh and Blood Show', never really thought about getting hold of them, despite counting myself as a third division Pete Walker 'fan'.

'Devil's Domain' is available on stateside DVD and multi-region BD and is worth a punt if you're into morally dubious schlock with a high quota of ickyness to it, which almost certainly you are.

Have you not seen The Flesh and Blood Show, Frankie?

It's like Soavi's Stage Fright... but better.

I shall have a look online for Devil's Domain in a few minutes.

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Have you not seen The Flesh and Blood Show, Frankie?

It's like Soavi's Stage Fright... but better.

I shall have a look online for Devil's Domain in a few minutes.

No, never seen it. I read something and it put me off. Can't remember why, I just came away from it thinking "that sounds boring, think I'll keep an eye out for the onw with the old cannibal lady who murders people with a drill". That was twenty five years ago, when I first started hearing about Walker's movies. Never thought about it since really, probably just narrow mindedness on my part. Based on what you say, I'll give it a go. Is 'Man of Violence' any good, or just like an episode of 'The Sweeney' or something?

Well, I can definitely say that DD is 'better' than 'The Vault', or at least more interesting / disturbing / shite in a good way / shite in a WTF way...

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

No, never seen it. I read something and it put me off. Can't remember why, I just came away from it thinking "that sounds boring, think I'll keep an eye out for the onw with the old cannibal lady who murders people with a drill". That was twenty five years ago, when I first started hearing about Walker's movies. Never thought about it since really, probably just narrow mindedness on my part. Based on what you say, I'll give it a go. Is 'Man of Violence' any good, or just like an episode of 'The Sweeney' or something?

Well, I can definitely say that DD is 'better' than 'The Vault', or at least more interesting / disturbing / shite in a good way / shite in a WTF way...

Ha,ha... The Vault!

I really like Man of Violence. It's not really like an episode of The Sweeney.

The BFI release (all of them - dvd and bluray) also has Walker's The Big Switch as an extra... two cuts of it. I prefer that film to the main feature. Especially the 77 min export cut.

Amusingly Walker writes his own BFI booklet if i remember rightly.

As long as you are aware that neither film is horror (Which you are so i'm not sure why i said that) i don't see why you wouldn't enjoy them. Do you enjoy British crime films from that era?

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Ha,ha... The Vault!

I really like Man of Violence. It's not really like an episode of The Sweeney.

The BFI release (all of them - dvd and bluray) also has Walker's The Big Switch as an extra... two cuts of it. I prefer that film to the main feature. Especially the 77 min export cut.

Amusingly Walker writes his own BFI booklet if i remember rightly.

As long as you are aware that neither film is horror (Which you are so i'm not sure why i said that) i don't see why you wouldn't enjoy them. Do you enjoy British crime films from that era?

Will certainly look into MOV. As you probably know by now, I like dreary off kilter British stuff from the seventies so in some ways atmosphere and tone are more important than genre, but otherwise I'm not massively big on crime.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

Will certainly look into MOV. As you probably know by now, I like dreary off kilter British stuff from the seventies so in some ways atmosphere and tone are more important than genre, but otherwise I'm not massively big on crime.

Both are big on atmosphere, especially The Big Switch which has a grimy finale on the pier at Brighton.

[Frankie Teardrop]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Both are big on atmosphere, especially The Big Switch which has a grimy finale on the pier at Brighton.

Will definitely check it out.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

Will definitely check it out.

Pete Walker was a strange one. Do you remember when Anchor Bay released coffin box sets for both him and Norman J?

Well i ended up selling my Walker set as i was disappointed he wasn't as good as Warren (Who i still prefer). I've had to buy all his films again in the years since. Bloody annoying!

[keirarts]

The secret of Dorian Gray

Massimo Dallamano directs what is for me, the greatest adaptation of The picture of Dorian Gray. The film takes the book and drags it kicking and screaming into the sexual revolution of the 60's and 70's. Helmut Berger is perfectly cast as the libertine who is granted immortality and embraces a life of polyamorous decadence. It's setting allows the characters bisexuality to become more obvious, with Gray enjoying affairs with Men (including Herbert Lom) and women equally. The depiction of his corruption, as the years begin to dull his tastes and he becomes increasingly bored of his decadent lifestyle is well realised, with Gray becoming increasingly mean spirited and self centred, happy to destroy his friends happiness for his own brief kicks. My only complaint is that Dellamano doesn't quite capture the sense of years passing, with his friends suddenly seeming to have aged rather than depicting it as a gradual process. However this is about the only real criticism I have of an otherwise terrific film.

Plot of fear

A serial killer is targeting rich people, leaving illustrations at the scene of the crime that leads him to be dubbed 'the fairy tail killer'.
The film has a weird off kilter tone that seems to stray into the comedic at inopportune moments. The lead character, Gaspare Lomenzo seems to have a happy go lucky attitude and it led to a little frustration from me in pinning down the tone that Paolo Cavara wasd going for. A shame as otherwise its a solid little Giallo with a great cast including John Steiner, Tom Skerritt and Eli Wallach. Its bloody in places but not excessively so instead focusing on graphic sexuality including several extended sex scenes and a hardcore animated movie watched at a gathering of wealthy libertines. Its an odd one but worth catching if you get the chance.

The counsellor

No, not the dreadful Ridley Scott movie!

Thomas Accardo, played by Thomas Milian is getting released from prison. An ex mafiosi he wants to leave the family and gets the blessing of Don Antonio Macaluso played by Martin Balsam, his Godfather. Other family members are not happy at this and go to war against the Don, leading Thomas back into the life, much against the wishes of his missus Laura, played by Dagmar Lassander. What then follows is a series of tit for tat killings, double crosses and car chases.
Alberto De Martino's crime flick is perhaps a little long, and certainly far from perfect, however I really dug it. Its got that low budget charm and 70's Brutality that makes it a fun watch. Balsam is as terrific as he always was, making the Don sympathetic and likeable. Milian is also great, playing a man reluctantly being drawn back into the life by his love for the Don, ultimately embracing the lifestyle he tries to turn his back on. The film was a freebie chucked in with Dorado's Eurocrime blu-ray and if you have it I'd certainly recommend giving it a go.

Special cop in action

Set in Naples a city under siege by a brutal syndicate busy Robbing banks and kidnapping kids, Inspector Betti begins fighting back and taking down the crooks using unorthadox methods.
Brutal and stylish with a shocking ending, this one is a lot of fun. Its the third part of a trilogy, with violent Rome and violent Naples, however you don't really need to have seen either to watch this. (Violent naples is on Amazon Prime BTW) Grim, Gritty and fast paced, its a great answer to Dirty Harry.

[Nordicdusk]

Just started watching Mario Bava,s Rabid Dogs this is my first time.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Die! Die! My Darling. (1965)

Hammer's 1965 horror thriller about a religious fanatic. Tallulah Bankhead, star of Hitchcock's 1944 classic Lifeboat is an excellent choice as the damaged Mrs Trefoile. An aging woman who lives in a secluded Gothic house with her two servants (Yootha Joyce and Peter Vaughan). Clearly insane following the death of her son several years earlier, the madness comes to the fore when her sons former fiance (Stephanie Powers) visits to pay her respects prior to marrying another man.

Italian director Silvio Narizzano moves the film at a fair rate of knots and the story adapted by Richard Matheson kept me glued to the screen as a web of murder, betrayal, rape, repression,abduction and fanaticism unfolds.

It's exploitative for it's era and certainly suspense filled and the film boasts one or two memorable set pieces, but it's the performance of Bankhead (allegedly drunk on set every day) that makes the film for me. The way she spits out the immortal line "Die! Die! My darling" is terrifically venomous and immortalises her along with fellow American Bette Davis in that same years Hammer production, The Nanny, as a queen of British Grand Guignol.