AUGUST 7, 2015

THE STUDENT PRINCE (1954) Directed by Richard Thorpe. ***

Up front, I'll say that this is not my type of film, despite my huge admiration for the wonderful tenor voice of Mario Lanza. There are conflicting stories about why Lanza did not appear in the film himself as originally intended, including a conflict with the director (whether this was Thorpe or the original director, Curtis Bernhardt, is unknown) over how the songs should be sung. The more likely reason was Lanza's continuing weight problems. Edmund Purdom lip-synch's perfectly and all the cast are more than up to what is essentially a light weight piece of nonsense. Musically the film has two outstanding moments, the rousing "Drink, Drink" and the beautiful "I'll Walk with God", both have rarely, if ever, sounded better.

AUGUST 6, 2015

 

R.I.P. Michel Parry (1947-2014)

Today I began to make a list of the people with whom, over many years, I have enjoyed watching films with or talking about films to. Out of curiosity I decided to see if any of those I was no longer in touch with were on Facebook. Imagine my shock when I discovered that one of them had passed away only last November. Michel Parry was never a close friend but we often talked about movies and we had many mutual friends and were both part of an extended group of fans who often hung around together in the 1960's. Michel went on to make a career out of the fantasy books and films that he loved as novelist, an anthologist and a screenwriter. We last spoke several years ago and discussed the possibility of him visiting me in Westcliff, sadly that visit it happened. R.I.P.

AUGUST 4, 2015

 

R.I.P. Coleen Gray (1922-1915)

 

It was sad to read of the death of beautiful actress Coleen Gray. Coleen's long career in films and television began in 1946 and featured memorable roles in NIGHTMARE ALLEY, KISS OF DEATH,  Stanley Kubrick's THE KILLING and Howard Hawks' RED RIVER. Along the way she made a couple of low-budget horror movies THE LEECH WOMAN and THE VAMPIRE.

AUGUST 4, 20015

THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE (1959) Dir: Roy Del Ruth **

Roy Del Ruth's film career stretches back to 1915 but he was only an occasional contributor to the horror genre, his previous effort being the enjoyable 3D Edgar Allan Poe adaption, THE PHANTOM OF THE RUE MORGUE. It would be easy to dismiss THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE as a piece of low budget schlock if one's opinion was based solely on the technical aspects of the production, but the film has some interesting points. Firstly, the cast give it more than it deserves with George Macready excellent as the benevolent scientist genuinely trying to put right his mistakes (surprisingly, there is no dark side to his character). Pretty Beverly Garland makes an intelligent heroine while Frieda Innescort essays a mother who could have walked out of a Hitchcock film. Bruce Bennett and Douglas Kennedy appear only in a prologue and epilogue to the story. Curiously, the "alligator people", or rather the "alligator man" offer no threat and the all the mischief is supplied by the drunken, rapacious janitor played by Lon Chaney Jr. I don't think I'd go as far as to plead a case for this film but it does have a few nice touches as far as the script (Orville Hampton) goes. It is available for free on You Tube.

I'LL BE BACK....

FLEAPIT OF THE MIND will reopen for business in one week. I've decided not to change the formula that has served so well for the last few years.  It has never been my intention to write in-depth reviews but rather to simply record a few observations about some of the films I watch. I do not write about every film I see and I prefer to pick the older or more offbeat titles that come my way whether they be B or even Z grade efforts from the underbelly of the cinema or what some (not me) might term "art house" movies. My criteria as always is how entertaining as film is for whatever reason and, in my opinion, does it successfully set out to do what the makers intended. One new feature will be the publication of various "Ten" or "Twenty" Best lists from time to time. As always I welcome comments, suggestions and (hopefully) a few plaudits.

FEBRUARY 2, 2015

INVITATION TO A GUNFIGHTER (1964) Directed by Richard Wilson. *

Richard Wilson's career is overshadowed by that of his mentor, Orson Welles. Nevertheless, Wilson was responsible for two outstanding films, both in the gangster genre, namely AL CAPONE with Rod Steiger and PAY OR DIE with Ernest Borgnine, His first feature was an interesting Western called MAN WITH A GUN starring Robert Mitchum and it is the themes of that film that Wilson has re-worked for INVITATION TO A GUNFIGHTER. I remember seeing the film at the time of its first release and quite liking it. I recently ordered it on DVD but have to say I was sorely disappointed. Yul Brynner as the creole gunfighter Jules Gaspard D'Estaing is very good as he often was in films unworthy of his talent. The rest of the cast is just awful with the likes of George Segal and Pat Hingle overacting like mad and Janice Rule looking like she'd rather be somewhere else. The film also suffers from some weird lapses of continuity ( a stagecoach carrying Brynner passes Segal as he walks towards town but doesn't actually arrive until the next day) and some very obvious use of stunt doubles in the action scenes. It is all very dull, wordy and a bit pretentious.

NOVEMBER 3, 2014

ARGENTO'S DRACULA (2012) Directed by Dario Argento  **

To be honest, it's not very good, but I don't think it is the total wipeout that some genre fans have claimed.  Argento's reputation has been in free fall for a while with me but this certainly isn't his worst film - I think MOTHER OF TEARS deserves that dubious honour. But it is Argento for the man who made DEEP RED (still my favourite) and SUSPIRIA to have turned in such a routine piece of work is obviously disappointing. Having said that, there are things I liked such as Dracula wiping out the town council, appearing from a swarm of flies and becoming a Praying Mantis (a silly scene but a nice idea). Stylistically it lacks the punch of the early Argento although the setting is quite believable. Performances are a little restrained with Rutger Hauer looking uninterested in his turn as Van Helsing. Thomas Krechtmann's Count Dracula seemed a bit ordinary but I did warm to it as the film progressed. A failure but an interesting one.