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Reviews
Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)
Great performances, classic 70's cinema.
Will they PLEASE release this on DVD! As of now, it's only available on PAN/SCAN VHS. ....Diane Keaton reinvents herself, going astray from her Annie Hall persona. Her character is complex and it's entertaining to watch her evolve or de-evolve. The mood is classic gritty 70's. Sometimes funny, sometimes sexy, sometimes bleak. ...The ending is of course what will stick with you forever. It's hard to tell what director Richard Brooks wanted to say with this, but none the less, it's a good ride. Highly recommended. Apparently it created quite a stir when it came out, and even today, critics like Leonard Maltin still bring it down saying it's lewd and pointless. You be the judge. Like it or not it's still a good period piece, showing the seedier side of one young woman's life in the city. I can't wait to get this and watch it again -- if the studio ever gets the nerve to release it. I give it a good 9/10.
Superbeast (1972)
Cool title... nothing else.
If you want to watch a movie with absolutely nothing interesting going for it, then go for Superbeast. Really. The lead just wanders around (and she isn't much to look at) while Phillippino extras act "primitive". Nothing scary, no atmosphere. The acting is atrocious and that's kind of funny, but not enough to make this flick into "so bad it's good". Oh yeah, don't expect to see a Superbeast (or any beast) in this load of 16mm crud.
L'anticristo (1974)
...not THAT bad...
A lot of people would have you think that this movie has no value, but I found it to be, in a lot of ways, more ambitious than THE EXORCIST. True, it is a complete ripoff, and it is virtually devoid of any atmosphere of fear. BUT... Technically speaking, the film is more "out there" than THE EXORCIST, boasting some blue-screen effects and frantic editing, not to mention some utterly surrealistic sequences that take it to another level. The whole thing stays cold, but you'll find yourself having a bit of fun anyways -- if you like seeing puke flying about that is!...
Il vero e il falso (1972)
Hey honey, get me a STRONG coffee...
For the VERY curious only. The movie is basically a slow courtroom drama with no big surprises. The only fun you'll get is watching Terence Hill acting 100% serious throughout a film. Good use of flashbacks keeps things moving a bit. Not an incompetent movie, but one that just never takes flight.
Panic Room (2002)
Lots of flash... semi effective.
Ok Hollywood thriller with Fincher going all out to prove that his (virtual) camera can go everywhere. The last third of this movie is a festival of clichés, and that's too bad. I suggest you rent Fincher's other flicks, because this one doesn't have much to offer. Your mom will surely like it though...
Little Rita nel West (1967)
Great time-burner...
Fun little movie that pokes fun at many other spaghetti westerns -- and movies in general. The script is uneven, but most of the (in) jokes are fun. Lots of references to semi-famous western movie titles, scenes, and characters... Terence Hill doesn't do much, the real star is Rita Pavone in this one. I won't spoil it for you, just try and find it, some scenes are worth it -- when you're feelin' stupid!
I vampiri (1957)
Atmospheric trend starter; made better by Mario Bava!
Paris is plagued by a murder spree. French reporter Pierre LaSalle (Dario Michaelis) is hot on the trail of what he thinks is a vampire killing off young strippers. LaSalle is also being courted to his dismay by his ex-lover, Giselle du Grand (Gianna Maria Canale - Goliath vs the Vampire), granddaughter of the mysterious Duchesse du Grand. Meanwhile, across town at the Institute of Experimental Surgery, the Duchesse is working with professor Julien du Grand (Antoine Balpêtré) to help develop artificial blood. Soon enough, reporter LaSalle gathers enough clues to confirm his crazy theory, and soon learns the truth about the Duchesse, the professor and even Giselle.
This film is the foundation of the short-lived Italian gothic horror sub-genre. Containing much of the elements of the classic American horror films of the 40s (dimly lit corridors, musty dungeons, mad doctors, rotting skeletons etc), this atmospheric production didn't do well in Italy. Only years later, after the success of the Hammer Studios (England) gothic horror revival, was this movie rediscovered and appreciated for what it was. Director of photography Mario Bava (Black Sunday, Lisa and the Devil) gives a great look to this Elisabeth Bathory-inspired tale, using low angle shots and highly contrasted lighting. Bava also took over direction when Freda left the set halfway through production. Look for a young Paul Müller (Nightmare Castle, Bram Stoker's Count Dracula) as the hired killer.
De potloodmoorden (1982)
Take that pencil out of your NOSE!
A Belgian police inspector, Rick Van Houtte (Leslie de Gruyter), is given the task of solving the `pencil murders' case. Since a short while ago, beautiful young women have been found dead, a pencil pushed up their nose. To make things worst, Rick must face up to his cheating wife. But thanks to a new friendship with Rick, the forensic photographer, Rick will regain confidence in himself and soon discover the identity of the killer
`He fills your head with lead!' could have been the tagline for this extremely bad suspense flick. Directed by a Belgian unknown, this turkey is very similar to the Italian gialli, however with absolutely no intrigue. Within the first ten minutes, even the dumbest viewer forms his own theory, and the film goes on, never trying to throw him off track. No red herrings. Not one! Needless to say that the murder scenes rank among the less spectacular ever filmed
The jazz soundtrack is rather out of context, and the direction of photography exposes electric blue night scenes and a budgeted storyboard. The film also proves to be very racist towards blacks; a reflection of 80's Belgian society? To sum it up, a waste of time. The writer should have taken his pencil out of his nose and changed the script!
-HumanoidZombie