Fair film, apparently shot in So. Africa dessert. I watched several times, mainly to see the beautiful Donna Denton. She was also "The Face" in the Stacy Keach 'Mike Hammer' TV series. 'Outlaw of Gor' demonstrates that she is more than just a face. She steals the show from female star Rebecca Ferratti. Deonna Denton is the main (maybe the only) reason to watch this so-so film. They don't come any prettier than Ms. Denton.
Reviews
16 Reviews
Gene Pitney's "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" Was an Excellent Soundtrack Choice
7 June 2013
This is a good final (or maybe)next to final episode. Patrick Jane is pondering his past as well as his present relation with Teresa Lisbon. It is a moody show. The choice of the equally moody "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" by Gene Pitney from 1967 AND NOT the more recent and much less emotional Marc Almond version from 1988(which also featured Gene Pitney) was a perfect choice to end this show. The Pitney version utilizes Pitney's powerful voice which in this case does deliberately and to good effect contain "angst" (contrary to what is written in the IMBb Mini Biography). The angst in his voice on this the original version of the Greenaway Cook composition is used to good effect: it hits the listener in the gut (and this does not happen on the Almond version).
"Angst" is defined in The Free Dictionary as "A feeling of anxiety or apprehension often accompanied by depression." Nothing fits this song better nor could have been a better match for what is going through Jane's mind in this episode-or maybe all of the episodes of the series. Just as in the song, there is a certain disquietude that pervades "The Mentalist."
Perhaps this song should be the Soundtrack song for each episode of the series. It is not merely a "teen angst" song from the 60s, nor was Pitney just a "teen angst" singer from the 60s. Pitney was not just a 60s teen idol. He was "COOL." Patrick Jane is "COOL!" The song fits Jane,this episode and the whole show all too well.
It will be interesting to see if this song did a "Gotcha" to those viewers who have not heard it before. It was not a chart-maker in the US (130 on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart in 1967). It was a big chart hit in the UK of Writer/Creator Bruno Heller, making number five. While not a chart topper in Simon Baker's Australia it did hit no. 69. (And Pitney, though deceased, is as popular in those two countries as he ever was.) While doing my best at re-engineering the Pitney "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" from master quality sources, an endeavor of several weeks, this episode was on my television. To my amazement near the end I recognized the first two notes of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" as it started. I knew it was "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" (but not which version) after just the first two instrumental notes! Probably the Marc Almond version, but by the fourth note I knew it wasn't, hearing the great instrumentation from the Musicor (Pitney)version. Perhaps I had heard it enough in my re-engineering endeavor. To my pleasure it was the definitive Pitney version. On master quality material it has great instrumentation such as low strings like violas, etc. This helped underscore the song's anxious and depressing but somehow hopeful theme. Having spent so much time with the song trying to make it sound as good as it should, it would interest me to know if what was used on the "Mentalist" soundtrack showcased this instrumentation. The audio on the program is Dolby Digital engineered in high fidelity. The song is solely in monaural. No stereo mixes of it were released, nor as far as I could determine, do any exist. I could find no stereo source material at all for my re-engineering endeavor. According to Gene Pitney the song was recorded in London and he carried the track back to the States to put the on the vocals in the New York studio. Likely this was mixed down onto the mono master and that's what there is.
Since I had first written this review on 7 June 2013 I have come upon another Gene Pitney version of this song! No it is not in stereo, but it is nearly half a minute longer at about four minutes and does not have the strings in the versions heretofore released. They kick in at about thirty seconds in the familiar versions, but do not in this one. There is more extensive use of organ and drums on this one, but the strings (most notably missing are the low strings) which are pretty much just not there. Mr. Pitney said that when he got back to the states after recording this in England he realized that the strings were missing: "I don't know why, but we originally recorded the track without violins." When listening to it upon return he "realized that we couldn't have the song without violins. ...They booked time at Bell Sound (Studio) (to add the strings)." Apparently the four minute version I came across was an artifact that remained of the song before the strings were added and was then further edited. The vocals are different in several sections. This version is certainly different enough from the familiar British hit version yet good in its own right that it warrants consideration for use on "The Mentalist", such as an opening and ending song, or whatever theme-songs are called.
Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis
"Angst" is defined in The Free Dictionary as "A feeling of anxiety or apprehension often accompanied by depression." Nothing fits this song better nor could have been a better match for what is going through Jane's mind in this episode-or maybe all of the episodes of the series. Just as in the song, there is a certain disquietude that pervades "The Mentalist."
Perhaps this song should be the Soundtrack song for each episode of the series. It is not merely a "teen angst" song from the 60s, nor was Pitney just a "teen angst" singer from the 60s. Pitney was not just a 60s teen idol. He was "COOL." Patrick Jane is "COOL!" The song fits Jane,this episode and the whole show all too well.
It will be interesting to see if this song did a "Gotcha" to those viewers who have not heard it before. It was not a chart-maker in the US (130 on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart in 1967). It was a big chart hit in the UK of Writer/Creator Bruno Heller, making number five. While not a chart topper in Simon Baker's Australia it did hit no. 69. (And Pitney, though deceased, is as popular in those two countries as he ever was.) While doing my best at re-engineering the Pitney "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" from master quality sources, an endeavor of several weeks, this episode was on my television. To my amazement near the end I recognized the first two notes of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" as it started. I knew it was "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" (but not which version) after just the first two instrumental notes! Probably the Marc Almond version, but by the fourth note I knew it wasn't, hearing the great instrumentation from the Musicor (Pitney)version. Perhaps I had heard it enough in my re-engineering endeavor. To my pleasure it was the definitive Pitney version. On master quality material it has great instrumentation such as low strings like violas, etc. This helped underscore the song's anxious and depressing but somehow hopeful theme. Having spent so much time with the song trying to make it sound as good as it should, it would interest me to know if what was used on the "Mentalist" soundtrack showcased this instrumentation. The audio on the program is Dolby Digital engineered in high fidelity. The song is solely in monaural. No stereo mixes of it were released, nor as far as I could determine, do any exist. I could find no stereo source material at all for my re-engineering endeavor. According to Gene Pitney the song was recorded in London and he carried the track back to the States to put the on the vocals in the New York studio. Likely this was mixed down onto the mono master and that's what there is.
Since I had first written this review on 7 June 2013 I have come upon another Gene Pitney version of this song! No it is not in stereo, but it is nearly half a minute longer at about four minutes and does not have the strings in the versions heretofore released. They kick in at about thirty seconds in the familiar versions, but do not in this one. There is more extensive use of organ and drums on this one, but the strings (most notably missing are the low strings) which are pretty much just not there. Mr. Pitney said that when he got back to the states after recording this in England he realized that the strings were missing: "I don't know why, but we originally recorded the track without violins." When listening to it upon return he "realized that we couldn't have the song without violins. ...They booked time at Bell Sound (Studio) (to add the strings)." Apparently the four minute version I came across was an artifact that remained of the song before the strings were added and was then further edited. The vocals are different in several sections. This version is certainly different enough from the familiar British hit version yet good in its own right that it warrants consideration for use on "The Mentalist", such as an opening and ending song, or whatever theme-songs are called.
Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis
Elisha Cook, Jr. does another magnificent character role at 79!
19 June 2010
Elisha Cook Jr. does a masterful character actor job once again, this time not as the neurotic Wilmer the gunsel in the Maltese Falcon but as Ice Pick the retired organized Crime boss, "Ice Pick." Mr Cook was a wonderful character actor and portrayed each of his roles masterfully and believably, whether as Wilmer, as the character in Shane, and as Ice Pick. And he was 79 years old when he portrayed the latter in the Magnum PI series. He is the one great actor who makes this episode worth watching. He does not play Elisha Cook, Jr., but whatever person he is portraying. And his portrayal is quite believable. Here he is Ice Pick, and does not over-play the role. One sees 'Ice Pick" not Elisha Cook, Jr. playing Ice Pick. That is the hallmark of a great character actor. Too bad he did not live longer. When one reads about the Maltese Falcon one always sees the reference to the other two great character actors, Sydney Greenstreet (his debut in his 70s) and Peter Lorre. But Elisha Cook is also masterful in his portrayal of Wilmer and deserves mention for the great character actor he is. the same is true for his portrayal of Ice Pick in this series. Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis.
Maverick
(1957–1962)
I Would like to see a good quality DVD set of the Maverick series. I know of none.
5 February 2009
I Would like to see a good quality DVD set of the Maverick series. I know of none. I have been watching on Encore and Would be interested in good a decent quality DVD set of the series. I bought the 22 DVD set from DVDMediastar.com in Canada www.dvdmediastar.com for $USD $79.95 and was very disappointed and returned it. I have seen other sets that are on other web sites and auction sites and have looked at a couple, but they all seem to be the same set or a copy of the set. Quality of these obviously unauthorized DVDs is nothing like the episodes shown on Encore (many show the channel it was taped from in the corner). I doubt that Warner Brothers will release the whole series in an authorized release.
Series is almost over--this one is a terrible waste!
25 December 2008
The series is almost over--this one is the second last one and is a waste of time. It seems that the actors writers and everyone involved were simply trying to hurry up and finish this series. (This was the second last episode and it shows that.) The only Maverick episode that I have seen that is worse is the earlier "Mr. Muldoon's Partner." Some of this criticism may stem from that this author does not consider what may have been thought as and was passed off as clever as being clever at all. Perhaps it is just horribly dated or just poorly written--judge for yourself. On several occasions it seemed that this could have been an unused rejected script for a Three Stooges short.
Awful Do not waste your time on this.
18 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Just as the summary indicates this episode is awful. It involves Bart (Jack Kelly) and a lot of pseudo-Irish stereotypical characters.
This would offend most other minority groups if it were directed at them but I guess Irish must put up with this kind of malarkey. (Sorry) Anyhow this involves possible leprechauns and Bart's grasp of reality or hallucinations, whichever I guess the viewer decides after suffering through this thing. I cannot convey how terrible this thing is. It is the worst of the Maverick episodes that I have seen. Critics have indicated that the last couple years the writing, direction and the production values had declined. They declined all the way to the bottom on this one. I checked spoiler in writing this, but it is so bad that there is really nothing to spoil. Thomas J McKeon
This would offend most other minority groups if it were directed at them but I guess Irish must put up with this kind of malarkey. (Sorry) Anyhow this involves possible leprechauns and Bart's grasp of reality or hallucinations, whichever I guess the viewer decides after suffering through this thing. I cannot convey how terrible this thing is. It is the worst of the Maverick episodes that I have seen. Critics have indicated that the last couple years the writing, direction and the production values had declined. They declined all the way to the bottom on this one. I checked spoiler in writing this, but it is so bad that there is really nothing to spoil. Thomas J McKeon
Unchained
(1955)
Unchained Melody was NOT written by William Stirrat an impostor of Hy Zaret
2 June 2007
Unchained Melody was not written by William Stirrat who was an impostor of and NOT Hy Zaret and had nothing to do with writing Unchained Melody. This is apparently a blatant hoax and has been discredited. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stirrat
Hy Zaret was/is Hy Zaret. Stirrat was an electrical engineer who became an impostor of HY Zaret. Stirrat filed a lot of copyright claims but didn't get around to filing one for "Unchained Melody" until 1982--27 years after the 1955 film "Unchained" and "Unchained Melody" hit the Billboard and Cashbox Charts and 26 years after "Unchained" had been nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song for "Unchained Melody"!
Stirrat talked to a reporter of a local newspaper who wrote a maudlin story about him and how he had written the lyrics to "Unchained Melody" back in 1936 when he was sixteen and smitten with a girl. (The absurdity that co-writer Alex North who would have been 26 then would have collaborated with a 16 year old high school student did not seem to occur to the reporter.) Apparently the reporter and newspaper did no checking of the claim but in 2003 just printed it as fact. "News Transcript" December 3, 2003. It was repeated again in Stirrat's obituary the following year and since then has been republished all over the internet (including IMDb's mini biography of Hy Zaret!) and is one of the most prevalent internet hoaxes.
This author attempted to submit a corrected biography to IMDb but it has gotten nowhere.
If anyone other than the real Zaret/North arguably deserve credit for contributing to this song it might be Phil Spector and Bobby Hatfield, producer and lead singer respectively of the 1965 Philles Righteous Brothers release.
Hy Zaret was/is Hy Zaret. Stirrat was an electrical engineer who became an impostor of HY Zaret. Stirrat filed a lot of copyright claims but didn't get around to filing one for "Unchained Melody" until 1982--27 years after the 1955 film "Unchained" and "Unchained Melody" hit the Billboard and Cashbox Charts and 26 years after "Unchained" had been nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song for "Unchained Melody"!
Stirrat talked to a reporter of a local newspaper who wrote a maudlin story about him and how he had written the lyrics to "Unchained Melody" back in 1936 when he was sixteen and smitten with a girl. (The absurdity that co-writer Alex North who would have been 26 then would have collaborated with a 16 year old high school student did not seem to occur to the reporter.) Apparently the reporter and newspaper did no checking of the claim but in 2003 just printed it as fact. "News Transcript" December 3, 2003. It was repeated again in Stirrat's obituary the following year and since then has been republished all over the internet (including IMDb's mini biography of Hy Zaret!) and is one of the most prevalent internet hoaxes.
This author attempted to submit a corrected biography to IMDb but it has gotten nowhere.
If anyone other than the real Zaret/North arguably deserve credit for contributing to this song it might be Phil Spector and Bobby Hatfield, producer and lead singer respectively of the 1965 Philles Righteous Brothers release.
Mystery Science Theater 3000
(1988–1999)
The Ridiculous Ridiculing the Ridiculous--Worse than Bad Movies it Lampoons
19 May 2007
Dante writing the Inferno today would reserve for the worst fiends a most horrific punishment: watching all this series for eternity. This sophomoric dreck is worse than any of the "bad movies" the series lampoons. This attempt at being campy fails--it is merely bad.
Commentators criticizing this trash risk ad hominem attacks from the fans who apparently are omniscient: Animan122 comments: "People who diss the show have limited exposure to it, plain and simple. ...Bryce David (who, by the way only gave "Jaws" a 5/10, Jaws, for god's sake!) ..." Animan122 next ridiculously states his perceived criteria for the series' movie selection: "The reason they didn't do big-budget movies is because it would've cost too much to get the rights to them." The real reason was that they were in public domain and free!
Even though I have a high pain threshold' I was only able to watch a few of these, none all the way. I learned of the series as I had wanted a DVD of Corman's "The Undead" (1957), apparently only legal in PAL format from Arkoff Film Library (UK). I'd never heard of Mystery Science Theater, but found a DVD-R of their "Undead(1997)." It was so bad (their additions) I had to buy the PAL version (tho later found a fair quality region-free DVD-R). The Corman film stands on its own; why add sub-juvenile drive-time radio type drivel escapes me.
Suitable for a coaster or Frisbee or for insomnia. Thomas J McKeon
Commentators criticizing this trash risk ad hominem attacks from the fans who apparently are omniscient: Animan122 comments: "People who diss the show have limited exposure to it, plain and simple. ...Bryce David (who, by the way only gave "Jaws" a 5/10, Jaws, for god's sake!) ..." Animan122 next ridiculously states his perceived criteria for the series' movie selection: "The reason they didn't do big-budget movies is because it would've cost too much to get the rights to them." The real reason was that they were in public domain and free!
Even though I have a high pain threshold' I was only able to watch a few of these, none all the way. I learned of the series as I had wanted a DVD of Corman's "The Undead" (1957), apparently only legal in PAL format from Arkoff Film Library (UK). I'd never heard of Mystery Science Theater, but found a DVD-R of their "Undead(1997)." It was so bad (their additions) I had to buy the PAL version (tho later found a fair quality region-free DVD-R). The Corman film stands on its own; why add sub-juvenile drive-time radio type drivel escapes me.
Suitable for a coaster or Frisbee or for insomnia. Thomas J McKeon
This Gun for Hire
(1991 TV Movie)
This Gun for Hire Is an Excellent Mystery Shot in the French Quarter
10 April 2007
Robert Wagner plays a hit-man, Raven, who is hired to kill a man whom he thinks is a commonplace-average hit. Unbeknownst to Raven the hit is no ordinary Joe, but a US Senator and Raven has been set up to take the fall. He takes Anne, a stripper played by Nancy Everhard, hostage while attempting to elude the authorities who have initiated a massive manhunt for him. He also attempts to figure out who set him up and why. His attempt to evade the cops and figure out what really went down is one plot which the viewer may assume is the central plot, while what may seem a subplot, Raven's interaction with Anne and what perchance may really matter in life to him, actually becomes the main plot of the film. Raven's complexity (he is not the one dimensional character one would assume), and how this is developed in the film is done very well.
Wagner convincingly portrays Raven as a (40s to mid 60s) middle-aged, cold, hard, hit-man. He does not have the cherubic boyish appearance we associate with him; he is quite convincing in the role. Like Wagner, Nancy Everhard at 33 or 34 may have been at the upper age range for a modern stripper, but like Wagner, she appears younger and pulls it off very well. While watching the movie, one sees Raven and Anne, not Wagner and Everhard. Casting of the supporting cast is excellent, especially the slimy local politicians. The French Quarter is an appropriate locale and is used to advantage.
This was a made for TV film, but is certainly as good as any of its genre released theatrically in the last several decades.
Wagner convincingly portrays Raven as a (40s to mid 60s) middle-aged, cold, hard, hit-man. He does not have the cherubic boyish appearance we associate with him; he is quite convincing in the role. Like Wagner, Nancy Everhard at 33 or 34 may have been at the upper age range for a modern stripper, but like Wagner, she appears younger and pulls it off very well. While watching the movie, one sees Raven and Anne, not Wagner and Everhard. Casting of the supporting cast is excellent, especially the slimy local politicians. The French Quarter is an appropriate locale and is used to advantage.
This was a made for TV film, but is certainly as good as any of its genre released theatrically in the last several decades.
This episode shows more of Allison Hayes than other Bat Masterson episodes.
2 March 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This was not a bad little 26 minute or so segment which was first shown in 1960. It involves a saloon in the old West and Bat Masterson's partnership with one of the locals which had an option for one to buy the other out. Bat runs into frequent costar Ellie Winters played by the beautiful Allison Hayes. Ellie ends up running the saloon. The partner has ideas for other ways (than buying him out) on how to acquire Bat's interest. These ideas do not involve Bat dieing of old age. The plot is rather facile. Bat talks Ellie into hiring Kathleen Crowley who plays Marri Brewster. (Can't say more about her or who she was married to or this would have a spoiler.) Ms. Crowley does not have the visual nor thespian assets of Ms. Hayes.
This episode shows Ms. Hayes shapely features and her acting skills. She is not as enticing (nor as scantily attired) as she is in "The Undead" and "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," but this thirty minute segment likely shows more of her than is seen in her other frequent appearances in the Bat Masteron series, and is really the primary reason to watch this episode.
Allison Hayes had gorgeous shoulders and neck and they are shown to advantage in the gown she wears as the saloon proprietress . She also had quite a strikingly beautiful face which is usually somewhat smug or smirky in this series. If you want to see more of the beautiful Ms. Hayes in her best form (as luscious Livia the witch), obtain a copy of the early Roger Corman film "The Undead."
This episode shows Ms. Hayes shapely features and her acting skills. She is not as enticing (nor as scantily attired) as she is in "The Undead" and "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," but this thirty minute segment likely shows more of her than is seen in her other frequent appearances in the Bat Masteron series, and is really the primary reason to watch this episode.
Allison Hayes had gorgeous shoulders and neck and they are shown to advantage in the gown she wears as the saloon proprietress . She also had quite a strikingly beautiful face which is usually somewhat smug or smirky in this series. If you want to see more of the beautiful Ms. Hayes in her best form (as luscious Livia the witch), obtain a copy of the early Roger Corman film "The Undead."
Worth watching to see the beautiful Allison Hayes
14 February 2007
This was not a bad little 30 minute TV show first shown in 1960. It involves a "diamond mine" in the old West. Bat Masterson runs into frequent flame Ellie Winters played by the beautiful Allison Hayes. Ellie is working for the owners of the diamond mine. The owners are selling shares to the local people (prospects-not prospectors) and have produced some "diamonds" to entice them to become investors. Ellie believes in the venture and talks it up to William Barclay 'Bat' Masterson played by Gene Kelley. Bat decides to invest (meagerly) and investigate the brilliance of this diamond mine. Those familiar with her know that Allison Hayes is a girl worth dieing for, and Bat is no exception.
This film shows Ms. Hayes acting skills as well as her comely features. She is not as enticing (nor as scantily attired) as she is in "The Undead" and "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman." If you want to see the more of the beautiful Ms. Hayes in her best form (as luscious Livia the witch), obtain a copy of the early Roger Corman film "The Undead."
This film shows Ms. Hayes acting skills as well as her comely features. She is not as enticing (nor as scantily attired) as she is in "The Undead" and "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman." If you want to see the more of the beautiful Ms. Hayes in her best form (as luscious Livia the witch), obtain a copy of the early Roger Corman film "The Undead."
The Equalizer
(1985–1989)
The Equalizer episodes should be available as a first-rate DVD set. Season one is in good technical quality.
4 November 2006
The consensus of the other reviewers is that this is an excellent detective/mystery series; certainly I agree with that and probably cannot add anything of substance to their comments. As to the program, all I will say is Edward Woodword's fine, convincing acting, the excellent plot development (in every episode, each of which usually stands on its own), the choice of a great supporting cast and Stewart Copeland's fine scores--what more could one want in a TV show. In fact, The Equalizer was and probably still is too good for television.
My real purpose in originally writing this was to attempt to prod the owner of the copyright, Universal, to make all the episodes (and possibly some that might be in the can and not yet shown) available on DVD. From the plethora of very positive comments it is obvious that this is not only an artistic success but something that likely would be commercially feasible. I first wrote: "Should it not be made available on DVD, I guess I will have to content myself to try to find all the episodes on VHS and dub them onto DVD-R." Since then I have obtained a set from TVDVDPlanet.com of (it claims) all the episodes on 22 DVD-Rs in boxes with no manufacturer on the label. I have viewed several and they were crudely taped from TV(some even say A&E on them). Video quality is very poor. Apparently this is region free. It seems all are DVD-R not DVD and quality is awful. Packages are shipped from Canada.
Since writing the above I learned that Season One would be officially released by Universal in the States and it has been. This is a region 1 DVD. It is a 5 disc set with all 22 episodes from the first season. It can be ordered at Amazon.com and other sellers. Technical quality is very good. I did notice that one episode was in stereo though the packaging says mono. Definitely worthwhile and I hope they follow through on the rest.
Since writing the above I have noted that the domain TVDVDPlanet.com has been taken away from one Alan Knight of Key West Florida by Planet Entertainment, Inc. The complaint alleged that the website may be offering unauthorized and infringing product to the public. See http://www.tvdvdplanet.com/tvdvdplanet.pdf. Nothing was said about the "quality" (or lack of it) of the product.
Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis
My real purpose in originally writing this was to attempt to prod the owner of the copyright, Universal, to make all the episodes (and possibly some that might be in the can and not yet shown) available on DVD. From the plethora of very positive comments it is obvious that this is not only an artistic success but something that likely would be commercially feasible. I first wrote: "Should it not be made available on DVD, I guess I will have to content myself to try to find all the episodes on VHS and dub them onto DVD-R." Since then I have obtained a set from TVDVDPlanet.com of (it claims) all the episodes on 22 DVD-Rs in boxes with no manufacturer on the label. I have viewed several and they were crudely taped from TV(some even say A&E on them). Video quality is very poor. Apparently this is region free. It seems all are DVD-R not DVD and quality is awful. Packages are shipped from Canada.
Since writing the above I learned that Season One would be officially released by Universal in the States and it has been. This is a region 1 DVD. It is a 5 disc set with all 22 episodes from the first season. It can be ordered at Amazon.com and other sellers. Technical quality is very good. I did notice that one episode was in stereo though the packaging says mono. Definitely worthwhile and I hope they follow through on the rest.
Since writing the above I have noted that the domain TVDVDPlanet.com has been taken away from one Alan Knight of Key West Florida by Planet Entertainment, Inc. The complaint alleged that the website may be offering unauthorized and infringing product to the public. See http://www.tvdvdplanet.com/tvdvdplanet.pdf. Nothing was said about the "quality" (or lack of it) of the product.
Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis
No, (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance by Gene Pitney is not in the movie but should have been!
16 September 2006
This may or may not surprise some musicologists and rock trivia nuts, but the very fine Gene Pitney song "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" is not even in this Western! The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. (Bacharach wrote for Famous Music which Paramount owned.) Gene Pitney stated: "The only problem was that Paramount was in Los Angeles. By the time we finished recording the song which was tailor-made for the film, the movie was released already in Los Angeles with music taken from a 1939 film called Young Mr. Lincoln with Henry Fonda. Why in the world they used that I have no idea. It's a shame too, because I don't care if I was the one singing it or not, but the song 'Liberty Valance' would have really helped the film." The Bacharach-David composition was superbly performed by Gene Pitney under the production of Musicor Records founder Aaron Schroeder and recorded March 1962 in New York. The song went on to number 4 on the US charts and may be more famous than the film. Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis
Genii of Darkness
(1962)
Leo's the man! in the best Nostradamas film
7 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Manuel Vergara 'Manver', playing Leo, demonstrates his tremendous acting skills to great success in this fine film. Genie of Darkness is the best of the four Nostradamus films (which were put together from a serial and dubbed by K. Gordon Murray's Soundlab studio in Coral Gables) and is the perfect vehicle for Leo to showcase his many thespian talents. There is the pathos of the family moment between Leo and his mother Rebbecca the witch (played by Fanny Schiller). What a mother and son--a son that only a mother could love and a mother that only a son could love.
Shortly after their touching scene, Nostradamus learns that Leo's mother has not properly safeguarded the scrolls Nostradamus has entrusted to her. Nostradamus tells Leo to leave her hut and burns her alive which Leo ends up seeing. Leo, ever the great tragedian, shows convincingly how pained he the loyal son is as he witnesses his mothers death at the hands of our leader to whom he owes the ultimate fealty. Of course, Leo being the brilliant theoretician harbors no ill feeling for this and follows his leader without any questions. He even actually saves Nostradamus's existence (life?) from Igor the vampire hunter in whom Nostradamus has met his match.
Alas, the villains (ostensibly the putative heroes) do not treat Leo & Nostradamus with the honor and respect they deserve.
This Nostradamus film is the best of the lot, does have atmosphere and pathos, and all in all is a lot of fun.
Shortly after their touching scene, Nostradamus learns that Leo's mother has not properly safeguarded the scrolls Nostradamus has entrusted to her. Nostradamus tells Leo to leave her hut and burns her alive which Leo ends up seeing. Leo, ever the great tragedian, shows convincingly how pained he the loyal son is as he witnesses his mothers death at the hands of our leader to whom he owes the ultimate fealty. Of course, Leo being the brilliant theoretician harbors no ill feeling for this and follows his leader without any questions. He even actually saves Nostradamus's existence (life?) from Igor the vampire hunter in whom Nostradamus has met his match.
Alas, the villains (ostensibly the putative heroes) do not treat Leo & Nostradamus with the honor and respect they deserve.
This Nostradamus film is the best of the lot, does have atmosphere and pathos, and all in all is a lot of fun.
The Vampire's Coffin
(1958)
Ataúd del Vampiro, El (1958) not a fitting sequel to El Vampiro though good in restored Casa Negra version.
2 April 2005
EL Ataúd del Vampiro(1958), The Vampire's Coffin, is not a fitting sequel to El Vampiro,both featuring German Robles as aristocratic vampire Count Lavud. This sequel seems like a quickie followup. Most of the film is filmed inside modern buildings or building sets. It lacks the beautiful foreboding night fog scenes of the former. However, when I first wrote this review I had only seen the K. Gordon Murray dubbed version. I expressed thoughts that the Spanish version might be better. I have now seen the Casa Negra restored version in which the beautiful photography and music are quite apparent. The restored version DVD has both Spanish with and without English subtitles as well as the inferior K. Gordon Murray dubbed English version.
German Robles's acting is fine; he is quite the natty-charming-aristocratic-menacing-sensual vampire seeking Martha (Ariadna Welter) from the first movie. There is also an interesting scene in which he picks up a woman in a bar. He returns to this life?? thanks to a thief who becomes an assistant and acquires that status while attempting to steal the Count's large pendant and in the process pulling out the stake and thus bringing the Vampire back from the nether place to which he had been consigned in El Vampiro. The Count does not punish him but acknowledges his appreciation and makes him his assistant. (This is somewhat a precursor to Leo (Manver) the beguiling, willing hunchback assistant in the later Nostradamus films).
The Spanish restored Casa Negra version is part of a two DVD set with El Vampiro in both Spanish with and without English subtitles and dubbed English. The movie does now stand on its own and is worth seeing IN Spanish with or without English subtitles. I would now give it a 7.5 or 8 rating for its genre. IMDb will not allow any modification of my review of El Vampiro so I am unable to mention the quality of the Casa Negra restored version of El Vampiro; it is outstanding. I would add to my earlier review of that film that the photographic and sound quality are magnificent in the Casa Negra restored DVD.
Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis
German Robles's acting is fine; he is quite the natty-charming-aristocratic-menacing-sensual vampire seeking Martha (Ariadna Welter) from the first movie. There is also an interesting scene in which he picks up a woman in a bar. He returns to this life?? thanks to a thief who becomes an assistant and acquires that status while attempting to steal the Count's large pendant and in the process pulling out the stake and thus bringing the Vampire back from the nether place to which he had been consigned in El Vampiro. The Count does not punish him but acknowledges his appreciation and makes him his assistant. (This is somewhat a precursor to Leo (Manver) the beguiling, willing hunchback assistant in the later Nostradamus films).
The Spanish restored Casa Negra version is part of a two DVD set with El Vampiro in both Spanish with and without English subtitles and dubbed English. The movie does now stand on its own and is worth seeing IN Spanish with or without English subtitles. I would now give it a 7.5 or 8 rating for its genre. IMDb will not allow any modification of my review of El Vampiro so I am unable to mention the quality of the Casa Negra restored version of El Vampiro; it is outstanding. I would add to my earlier review of that film that the photographic and sound quality are magnificent in the Casa Negra restored DVD.
Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis
El vampiro
(1957)
Precursor to the Hammer Christopher Lee Vampire films
5 March 2005
Someone at Hammer studios likely saw El Vampiro before beginning the Christopher Lee vampire movies. German Robles plays the quintessential vampire, the aristocratic, natty, sensual Count Lavud (Mr. Duval). Robles would further refine his vampire in the subsequent role as the vampire Nostradamus. In many ways this movie is like a black and white precursor to the Christopher Lee vampire films. (In fact, it predates by a year those of Lee at Hammer.) The dark threatening broody atmosphere, with its swirling fog, eerie woods, stark decaying dreary structures is similar to that of the Hammer films, some of Roger Corman's, and (of course)the earlier Universal pictures. A foreboding tension keeps the viewer on edge. Abel Salazar, the producer, does a decent job in the role of the doctor who helps the heroine, Marta, played by the beautiful Ariadna Welter, attempt to stay away from Lavud's fangs and control. Marta has returned to her ancestral home in the Sierra Negra (Black Sierra) Mountains. Her beautiful aunt, Eloisa, played by Cuban born Carmen Montejo, has not aged since Marta last saw her, having succumbed to the charm of Lavud--a fate Lavud wishes for Marta. As an earlier commentator noted, this apparently is the first screen vampire with fangs. These are put to good use in one scene with his transformation to and from a bat and then attack on a small boy, which scene is riveting. The music matches the atmosphere--foreboding. The film has rather good production values for the Mexican vampire genre (really for all vampire movies). The DVD (PAL only format) from Mundo Macabro is in Spanish (with and without English subtitles) and in dubbed English and is superior to the VHS version from I.S. Filmworks (available only in dubbed English). This film is not chatty; subtitles are easy to follow and not intrusive. Neither version is in widescreen. The DVD has somewhat better technical quality than the VHS. Shock Therapy Cinema also has released a very good copy in Spanish with English subtitles in Dolby 2.0 DVD. Technical quality is superb. Other, noncommercial DVDs, in Spanish, with and without English subtitles, and dubbed can be found. Horror Theatre Video has both the Spanish with English subtitles and the dubbed English in quite good technical quality in DVD-R. Thomas_McKeon Thomas J McKeon Indianapolis USA
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