The Bloody Pit #232 - TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE (1962)

Among the hidden European cult cinema subgenres, the German Western is one of the least well explored outside of its country of origin. While every film fanatic could list off his favorite Italian westerns most would give a blank stare when quizzed about the German variety. The most successful German Westerns are the adaptations of adventure novels by 19th-century author Karl May. These films usually feature Winnetou, a noble Apache chief, and Old Shatterhand, his white American scout blood brother. In the hopes of drawing attention to these fine movies we present this episode focused on the first big budget Karl May western adaptation from 1962.

Author Holger Haase joins me to dig up the TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE! Unlike many of the dozen or more follow up films in the series, it is available with an excellent English dub making it easy for new American audiences to absorb it. The film rewards the viewer with glorious widescreen color vistas that put many similar productions of the time to shame. The movie introduces Lex Barker as Old Shatterhand and Pierre Brice as Winnetou setting the successful series on its way even as it mangles and twists the source material into shapes more pleasing to the big screen than the printed page. It is an hour and forty-five minutes of action, gunfights and chases with villainy provided by the dastardly Herbert Lom as a murderous bandit intent on gaining the titular treasure. We discuss numerous aspects of the film, take a trip through a lengthy plot synopsis and make fun of a few oddities that German audiences would not have noticed. It’s a fun time!

If you have any comments about this film or German westerns in general thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. We’d love to hear from you. Thanks for listening. 

If you are interested in Holger's Krimi magazine check it out HERE.

TREASURE OF SILVER LAKE (1962) Poster Art and Lobby Cards

It is difficult to name my favorite German western but this one might be it. It is overlong and packs so much story into the running time I am usually surprised when I go back for a rewatch. Such an entertaining large scale tale. 

 

Beyond Naschy #39 - ATTACK OF THE ROBOTS (1966)

Our journey through Naschy adjacent Jess Franco films continues with ATTACK OF THE ROBOTS (1966)! Part of the brief spurt of Euro-Spy films that sprang up in response to Bond-mania the film features Eddie Constantine playing a slightly comedic version of his many tough guy roles. The film centers on a mysterious group of bronze-skinned automatons who are assassinating important European dignitaries. When their eyeglasses are removed, they turn into vegetative zombies and when killed their odd skin tone changes to pale white. Interpol calls in Constantine’s character Al Pereira to investigate. Throw in a seductive villainess, some mad science and Q-style gadgets and you have a breezy, fun adventure – at least for some. Not all Franco fans seem to like this one.

Bob Sargent joins Troy and I as we romp our way around Alicante with Pereira and try to unravel this bizarre mystery. We discuss the year the world turned to color and how this final black & white Franco film fits into his 60’s output. Bob recommends other Eddie Constantine films and I vow to track down more of his earlier crime movies. Where is the much hoped for Lemmy Caution boxed set, already? We relate our various reactions to the film’s amusing tone and note how easily it could fit into the Pink Panther universe. This is definitely not your average Jess Franco crime thriller and that might be why we enjoyed it.

 

If you have any comments about this or any other of Uncle Jess’ movies naschycast@gmail.com is the place to send them. We may not let Bob chose the next Beyond Naschy topic but you never know! Thanks for listening. 

Video - ATTACK OF THE ROBOTS (1966) Trailer

Here is the French language trailer for this Jess Franco Euro-Spy film. It is not one of his most beloved films from the 1960's but I love it and I have a few friends that enjoy it as well. Beyond Naschy podcast episode on the way soon! 

Classic Krimi Poster Art

 

Wild, Wild Podcast - THE YEAR OF THE CANNIBALS (1969)

 

In a dystopian Milan, a failed revolution has left the Fascists in charge and the streets littered with dead rebels. Antigone (Britt Ekland) seems to be the only sane person left, determined to defy the authorities and her parents to retrieve the body of her brother and give him a proper burial. When she meets a mysterious man who has great hair but speaks an unknown language (played by Pierre Clementi), their destinies in this strange tyrannical world become entwined. Oh, and also her boyfriend is Tomas Milian.

In this episode we are exploring the early work of the important and often controversial director Liliana Cavani, and although we have not started a cannibal film mini-season (as has been frequently requested by some listeners), this is still a fascinating and important piece of work which was neglected at the time but is hopefully becoming reappraised, at least by us. Join us for some serious discussion about the impact Cavani's early television documentary work had on her subsequent cinema career, the often unsung but heroic work of background extras, and whether or not that really is Britt Ekland running naked through the streets of Milan.

We would love to hear from you about your favorite Italian female filmmakers, or your recommendations for other late 1960s revolutionary films.

You can get in touch with us, follow us on social media, buy our merch, and all that stuff, through our LINKTREE.

Wild, Wild Podcast - RITA THE MOSQUITO (1966)

Italian star Rita Pavone is a mischievous schoolgirl with a confusing crush on her sleepy music teacher, who is living a double-life as a singer in a beat band. Can she stop pranking him long enough to make it as a new ye-ye pop sensation whilst navigating the exclusive private school life and these new romantic feelings? And sing loads of songs as she goes along?

After a brief break we are back with a new mini-season focusing on female filmmakers in Italian cinema. In this episode Adrian tricks Rod into watching a musical, directed by one of Italy's most commercially successful female directors of all time, Lina Wertmüller. Will Rod ever forgive him? Will the podcast ever be the same again? Tune in to find out.

We would love to hear from you about your favorite Italian female filmmakers, or if you are a fan of Rita Pavone and her brand of powerhouse 1960s pop.

You can get in touch with us, follow us on social media, buy our merch, and all that stuff, through our LINKTREE.

Beyond Naschy #38 - SUCCUBUS (1968)

The Naschycast returns to the world of Jess Franco for an erotic ramble through late 1960’s Lisbon and Berlin. Bob Sargent joins Troy and I to examine SUCCUBUS (1968) because Bob wanted to rewatch the film. Two of us had not watched it in years and the third had never even seen it before! We turned this into a trip to the unwatched DVD pile again to take a look at the starting point for a certain type of Franco cinema. Your tolerance for the director’s sense of humor and the absurd will determine your level of enjoyment.

We use Stephen Thrower’s excellent book on the work of Franco to guide us and to provide a brief synopsis of the film. We waffle through a discussion touching on the cast connections to Paul Naschy but mostly talk about our reactions to the often surrealistic events involving S & M stage performer Lorna (Janine Reynaud). She seems to be navigating a strange period in her life with reoccurring visions of a different life impinging on her supposed reality. We see her interact with various romantic partners who end up dead at her hands - or is that really what is happening? Along the way we get striking images, amusing commentary on arthouse pretentions and philosophical silliness draped in an encroaching ennui that seems to define Lorna’s confused life. Can cinema be therapy? 

Along the way we are reminded to always fear mannequins but we also take heart from the Algernon Charles Swinburne poem Faustine that seems to have been a major influence on the film.  Of course, we all wish a for a Blu-Ray release complete with multiple versions of this important effort. It clearly signposted many future Jess Franco films that fans laud to this day.

 If you have and comments naschycast@gmail.com is the place to send them. Thank you for listening and we’ll be back soon. 

Video - ZORRO THE AVENGER (1962)

This is far from the best Zorro film that exists but it has more than a few points of interest. A Spanish production, it involves the talents of Joaquín Romero Marchent behind the camera and his brother Rafael Romero Marchent in front of it. Also, the main villain is played by the great Howard Vernon and it seems Jess Franco had a hand in the script. If we are very lucky there will be a restoration of this film so that we can give it the evaluation it deserves. 

INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER (1965) Poster Art

 

Video - THE INVINCIBLE MASKED RIDER (1963)

This Umberto Lenzi adventure film is the topic of the next episode of Wild, Wild Podcast! It's an excellent example of the Rapiers & Ruffles sub-genre and might surprise viewers who have only experienced Lenzi's later more rough and violent movies. Be aware that you can turn on the captioning and then, in settings, have YouTube translate them into English. Enjoy!

Wild, Wild Podcast - THE SECRET MARK OF D'ARTAGNAN (1962)

After two months we are back with our Rapiers & Ruffles season. Join us on Wild, Wild Podcast as we take a trip to France to fight alongside the heroic D'Artagnan and his best pal Porthos! There is much action, many swordfights and even some lovely ladies along the way. Available on all podcast platforms.

Video - Music by Francesco Lavagnino from SNOW DEVILS (1967)

Every now and then I just need to listen to this fantastic piece of music! And now I need to rewatch the film, too. 

Wild, Wild Podcast - THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION (1968)

Join Adrian and I in the Orgone Accumulator as we travel back in time to the 1960s for a Sexual Revolution, thanks to Willhelm Reich and a little-known screenwriter called Dario Argento.

This is the final episode in our Psychedelic Mini-Season and we hope you have enjoyed turning on and dropping out with us. We would love to hear from you if you have any favorite psychedelic Italian films, or if you've ever had your name drawn out at random at the same time as your mum's whilst attending a sex party. You can contact us on Twitter or Instagram or by email at wildwildpodcast@gmail.com.

You can find our YouTube channel here.

We also now have a small but developing merch store on TeePublic, so check it out if you have always wanted to wear our logo so that other fans will know how cool you really are! 

Wild, Wild Podcast S8:Ep2 - ACID - DELIRIUM OF THE SENSES (1968)

Grab your copy of ‘From Russia With Love’ and suck those LSD-infused corners with us as we trip out in New York City with Beatniks, Bohemians and off-Broadway performers. Just watch out for those Mafioso drug dealers - they have shoes in your size and they're not afraid to use them!

We would love to hear from you if you have any favorite psychedelic Italian films, or if you've ever danced naked in one of Manhattan's fountains. You can contact us on Twitter and Instagram or by email at wildwildpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find our YouTube channel here.

We also now have a small but developing merch store on Zazzle, so check it out if you have always wanted to wear our logo in public.

Please also remember to rate and review us on your podcast platform of choice!

ATRAGON (1963) Poster Art and Lobby Cards

 

JOURNEY TO THE SEVENTH PLANET (1962) Lobby Cards and Poster Art