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  #54921  
Old 1st March 2021, 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by nicholasrope View Post
Confetti

British Comedy Mockumentary which sees 3 different Weddings compete for most original. The competition is organized by Confetti Magazine whose editor is played by Jimmy Carr. The Weddings consist of a Musical, Tennis Themed and Nudist. The Nudist couple are the funniest. It's not bad, goes on for too long for my liking. TBH, it would have been better off, if it was a TV Special.
I agree with your verdict. It's a film I like, but feel watching it is borderline exploitative and invasive because Olivia Colman and Robert Webb were apparently misled about the nature of the nudity, seemingly thinking it would be pixelated.

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The one thing she can't bring herself to see the positive in is a film she made a few years ago called Confetti. Just saying the word makes her blush. It's a silly little Britflick in which she and Robert Webb play a couple planning their naturist wedding. As soon as she tries to talk about it, she starts stammering. "It's a ****ing turkey. I… I… I... it was the worst experience of my life. You're better off spending an hour picking your toenails. I now never trust anybody. I love people, I believe in the goodness of people, but ever since that, there's a bit of me that died, a bit of trust that…"

Why? How? Where was the betrayal? "The betrayal was how much was going to be seen and what was going to be pixelated." So she and Ed never get drunk and say, "Let's watch Confetti, for a laugh"? "No, no, it's not funny to me at all. I didn't sleep for a year." Because of the nudity? "Yeah. It was horrible. My husband loves me, and I'm embarrassed showing him my body. I would not willingly show anybody my muff unless I'm married to them and I love them, and they love me."

Was she naive to make it? "I was naive, yeah, definitely. We both were." Could she have sued? "It was too late, and actually we did start. But it was so upsetting and Rob said, 'I can't do it, I just want to pretend it's not happened.' I was furious with him at the time, but he was so right in terms of letting it go."
https://www.theguardian.com/film/201...addy-considine
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  #54922  
Old 1st March 2021, 12:09 PM
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The New Kids (1985) ★★★

A curious film from Sean S. Cunningham, one which toys with the idea of becoming a Savage Streets-style revenge film but instead pulls its punches. The violence and assaults hint at discomforting nastiness, but never quite delivers on that threat.

Instead, what we have is what seems to be a commentary on the difference between the 'civilised' teenagers from an affluent upbringing with borderline savagery from those from a small town in rural Florida.

The film is notable for James Spader and Eric Stoltz appearing in the early roles (it was Spader's second film), and because Tom Atkins is prominently billed in its opening but probably has a total of two minutes screen time.

It's not a great film, though not a terrible one either. It was one I watched and felt shortchanged as if it was toned down for a more lenient rating – it is a 15 certificate in the UK and rated R in the US – and I think if it was nastier, with antagonists who were truly despicable and psychopathic or homicidal, then it would have been more suspenseful, tense, and a more compelling watch.

It's not bad, just a missed opportunity.
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  #54923  
Old 1st March 2021, 12:35 PM
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Moon in Scorpio (1987) ★★★

The bulk of the film is set on a small yacht on which three army veterans and their wives have gone for a short cruise down the West Coast of the US, from California to Acapulco. There are flashbacks to the Vietnam War, showing the three men murdering civilians, though these don't seem to have any relevance to the events on the boat.

I understand there's a troubled back story to the film, with director/cinematographer Gary Graver originally intending to tell the story of three soldiers who burned down a temple to a snake goddess, and the goddess or a Vietnamese child comes to exact revenge. Executive producer Moshe Diamant was more interested in 'Halloween on a boat', a body count-type slasher film. It has elements of both but is ultimately neither. Additionally, there is a strange framing device with Linda (Brett Eklund), who is in hospital being questioned by the police about the murders she witnessed and how she survived.

Perhaps best subtitled 'Three Films in Search of a Coherent Narrative', this isn't a particularly good film, but nor is it as terrible as I'd been led to believe. It is certainly strange, a film with characters and storylines which are either irrelevant or red herrings, and the big reveal – the killer's identity – doesn't stand up to any scrutiny.

As the producers hired another editor to reorder some scenes and include others after filming had finished, Gary Graver can't be held responsible for the plot holes and confusing story.

That said, it's fairly enjoyable, it looks very good thanks to Gary Graver's excellent cinematography, and it's ultimately enjoyable because of its flaws.
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  #54924  
Old 1st March 2021, 09:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs View Post
I agree with your verdict. It's a film I like, but feel watching it is borderline exploitative and invasive because Olivia Colman and Robert Webb were apparently misled about the nature of the nudity, seemingly thinking it would be pixelated.



https://www.theguardian.com/film/201...addy-considine
I did not know this, TBH, I would have thought that things regarding nudity and what would be shown would be written in the contract therefore everything would be clear.
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  #54925  
Old 1st March 2021, 09:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs View Post
The New Kids (1985) ★★★

A curious film from Sean S. Cunningham, one which toys with the idea of becoming a Savage Streets-style revenge film but instead pulls its punches. The violence and assaults hint at discomforting nastiness, but never quite delivers on that threat.

Instead, what we have is what seems to be a commentary on the difference between the 'civilised' teenagers from an affluent upbringing with borderline savagery from those from a small town in rural Florida.

The film is notable for James Spader and Eric Stoltz appearing in the early roles (it was Spader's second film), and because Tom Atkins is prominently billed in its opening but probably has a total of two minutes screen time.

It's not a great film, though not a terrible one either. It was one I watched and felt shortchanged as if it was toned down for a more lenient rating – it is a 15 certificate in the UK and rated R in the US – and I think if it was nastier, with antagonists who were truly despicable and psychopathic or homicidal, then it would have been more suspenseful, tense, and a more compelling watch.

It's not bad, just a missed opportunity.
I liked the fact that the 2 teens being bullied were getting payback after each incident, not letting everything pile on top and just get their revenge at the end.
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  #54926  
Old 1st March 2021, 09:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs View Post
Moon in Scorpio (1987) ★★★

The bulk of the film is set on a small yacht on which three army veterans and their wives have gone for a short cruise down the West Coast of the US, from California to Acapulco. There are flashbacks to the Vietnam War, showing the three men murdering civilians, though these don't seem to have any relevance to the events on the boat.

I understand there's a troubled back story to the film, with director/cinematographer Gary Graver originally intending to tell the story of three soldiers who burned down a temple to a snake goddess, and the goddess or a Vietnamese child comes to exact revenge. Executive producer Moshe Diamant was more interested in 'Halloween on a boat', a body count-type slasher film. It has elements of both but is ultimately neither. Additionally, there is a strange framing device with Linda (Brett Eklund), who is in hospital being questioned by the police about the murders she witnessed and how she survived.

Perhaps best subtitled 'Three Films in Search of a Coherent Narrative', this isn't a particularly good film, but nor is it as terrible as I'd been led to believe. It is certainly strange, a film with characters and storylines which are either irrelevant or red herrings, and the big reveal – the killer's identity – doesn't stand up to any scrutiny.

As the producers hired another editor to reorder some scenes and include others after filming had finished, Gary Graver can't be held responsible for the plot holes and confusing story.

That said, it's fairly enjoyable, it looks very good thanks to Gary Graver's excellent cinematography, and it's ultimately enjoyable because of its flaws.
Thanks for this review, I was quite apprehensive about this one therefore didn't get it. It appears my concerns for this one were founded.
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  #54927  
Old 1st March 2021, 10:28 PM
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Amok Train (AKA Beyond The Door III). 1989.

A young girl with her class go to Yugoslavia for a trip and witness a pagan ceremony unaware they are to be sacraficed.

I'd never thought i would be able to see this film again and feel fortunate to do so, basically it has nothing to with the previous films more cashing in on the title and Satan's work. The film is a stupid, corny cheese fest yet still in a way enjoyable, Bo Svenson as a professor and leader of a secret pagan cult who wants to sacrifice a young girl to Satan as a wife, the youngsters escape by train that's controlled by evil. The death scenes are decently done and nice ominous eerie background score by Carlo Maria Cordio.

p13726_v_h9_aa.jpg
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  #54928  
Old 1st March 2021, 11:34 PM
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Originally Posted by MrBarlow View Post
Amok Train (AKA Beyond The Door III). 1989.

A young girl with her class go to Yugoslavia for a trip and witness a pagan ceremony unaware they are to be sacraficed.

I'd never thought i would be able to see this film again and feel fortunate to do so, basically it has nothing to with the previous films more cashing in on the title and Satan's work. The film is a stupid, corny cheese fest yet still in a way enjoyable, Bo Svenson as a professor and leader of a secret pagan cult who wants to sacrifice a young girl to Satan as a wife, the youngsters escape by train that's controlled by evil. The death scenes are decently done and nice ominous eerie background score by Carlo Maria Cordio.

Attachment 231588
Not seen this in years so i just picked the dvd out to watch later this week.
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  #54929  
Old 2nd March 2021, 12:15 AM
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Legend of the Witches (1970)

A revelatory documentary which looks in detail at magic rites and rituals whilst exploring the origins of witchcraft in Britain. Beginning with a man's initiation into a coven - always makes me cringe as the initiation involves chasing round the woods blindfold and totally naked. I'm sure i'd stub my toes after five seconds or stand on something sharp and be on the ground whimpering - then there's the very controversial divination through animal sacrifice which i'm sure is there for shock purposes only as it involves the ritualistic killing of a chicken before it's entrails are 'read' in bloody close up.

The film also features a 'Black Mass' and explores Britain's hidden pagan heritage and its continued influence on our lives today, despite rigorous persecution by the Church throughout history.

Whilst the soothing voice overs and stark but beautifully filmed black and white images are all quite hypnotic (You can feel like you are falling under a spell) it also comes across very much like a showcase for Alex Sanders and his wife Maxine. Sanders founded Alexandrian Wicca during the 1960s and was a high priest of the Neo-Pagan religion whilst Maxine was a priestess. It's their (Good looking and extremely naked) coven which features throughout Legend of the Witches and they perform all the rituals, but because Sanders frequently courted the press and as much publicity as possible at the time that showcase ideology remains.

As it is Legend of the Witches is practically a time capsule for the age and features some of the greatest scenes on film of the witchcraft vibe of the late sixties and early seventies and i fall under it's hazy spell each and every time i watch it.
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  #54930  
Old 2nd March 2021, 11:48 AM
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Originally Posted by nicholasrope View Post
Thanks for this review, I was quite apprehensive about this one therefore didn't get it. It appears my concerns for this one were founded.
It's a curio, a film which is far from a top drawer slasher (if it's even a conventional slasher in the first place), but one which is worth watching.

It comes with three commentaries: a fascinating one by Fred Olen Ray, and two interesting and enjoyable fan/academic ones by The Hysteria Continues crew and Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain. They are all good and make a rewatch more likely.
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