What I Watched in March 2023

I've been very busy over the past couple of weeks and haven't had time to compose my thoughts on many movies. Working every single day and then just needing to relax in the evenings has sapped my energy to write. Suffice to say, I really enjoyed both the new SCREAM film and the second big screen Shazam adventure. 

The List

2020 TEXAS GLADIATORS (1983) – 6 (rewatch)

THE REBEL SET (1959) – 6 (sharp, short crime tale) 

I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE (1998) – 3 (remake is much lesser than)

ATTACK OF THE 50 FT. WOMAN (1958) – 5 (rewatch) (I enjoy it but its flaws are large)

KILL A DRAGON (1967) – 5 (Jack Palance in a thin Hong Kong set adventure)

THE DEATHLESS DEVIL (1972) – 6 (silly Turkish rip-off of a Republic serial) 

THE GATEWAY (2021) – 6 (flawed but interesting crime character story) 

BENT (2021) – 6 (modern noir with Karl Urban)

NOCEBO (2022) – 8 (excellent Irish/Filipino horror film)

SON OF DRACULA (1943) – 7 (rewatch)

SCREAM VI (2023) – 8 

HIGH-RISE (2015) – 7 (fascinating adaptation of Ballad’s novel)

BLOOD HUNT (1986) – 8 (excellent Spanish rural thriller) 

GIRL’S NITE OUT (1982) – 4 (low grade slasher)

GUNAN, KING OF THE BARBARIANS (1982) – 3 (dull, cheap Italian adventure)

2019: AFTER THE FALL OF NEW YORK (1983) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

DARK PLACES (1974) – 7 (excellent cast buoys this murder mystery)

HOLLYWOOD STORY (1951) – 7 (noir murder mystery directed by William Castle) 

THE SWORD OF THE BARBARIANS (1982) – 5 (A.K.A. Sangraal, the Sword of Fire) 

DEATH SCREAMS (1982) – 4 (North Carolina slasher) 

THEODORA, SLAVE EMPRESS (1954) – 7 (Italian costume drama with some great action) 

GODZILLA: TOKYO S.O.S. (2003) – 7 (rewatch - caught it on the big screen!)

HIGH ROLLIN’ (1977) – 5 (flat, sloppy trucker tale that is a western in disguise) 

THE KNIGHT OF 100 FACES (1960) – 5 (the 75-minute version - would like to see the 91-minute cut)

WINTERBEAST (1992) – 3 (the stop-motion monsters show ambition) 

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE (2021) – 7 (worthy sequel)

ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS (2021) – 6 

THE PERFECT SPECIMEN (1937) – 7 (fun madcap comedy with a sterling cast) 

MESSALINA (1960) – 6 (Italian sword & sandal historical tale)

SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS (2023) – 8 

NaschyCast #71 - INQUISITION with Marc McCloud

 

Marc McCloud drops by the show to discuss Naschy’s tale of the Inquisition in France. Marc is the owner of Orbit DVD and a longtime friend of Troy and I, but this is the first time we’ve ever talked about our mutual love of the films of Paul Naschy. Our guest chose Naschy’s directorial debut as the topic and we were happy to oblige.

Religious hypocrisy is a big part of our conversation and this gets us into the thorny area of what to call the subset of exploitation films of which this is a part. We note the influence of the Catholic Church on the nature of the fears that undergird the horrors of the film and wonder about the connections to the Nunsploitation genre. The villains of the story come under scrutiny with an eye toward how they use their relative places of power to extract their desires from those around them. And we speak a little about the ways that women had to work to accomplish things in the society ruled by male religious leaders. Join us for what I will refuse to call a ‘romp’ through INQUISITION.

We end the show with a short email from Kurt and if you’d like to send us your thoughts naschycast@gmail.com is the address. Thank you for listening! 

Video - Perseus Against the Monsters (1963)

This film came up recently in a Bloody Pit podcast discussion of the best 1960's peplum films. Currently this is the only streaming version I can find but it may eventually turn back up on Prime or Tubi. Until then, this subtitled print of the Italian language version is a great way to see this film without the old English dub that turned the film into 'Medusa Against The Sons Of Hercules'. While I love the theme song of the Sons of Hercules series of English dubbed sword and sandal movies, I always prefer the widescreen and unedited for TV versions of these movies. Enjoy!

CONQUEST OF SPACE (1955) Poster Art and Lobby Cards

Richard Kelly's SOUTHLAND TALES (2006)

Looking over the current titles included in Arrow's Blu-Ray sale I spotted this film and was reminded of this piece I wrote back in 2008. The only thing that has changed is that my admiration for THE FINAL PROGRAMME (1973) has grown and that after THE BOX (2009) I see that Kelly has not produced another film since. But he does have one on the horizon - will it finally show an ability I can't locate in his earlier work?  

****************************************************************************

 I have seen two of Richard Kelly’s films and I am unimpressed.

Several years ago when DONNIE DARKO came out I rented the DVD and watched this burgeoning cult movie with friends. My friends all professed to like it but I did not. It wasn’t terrible but it never came together in a satisfying way for me. It felt half finished as if someone had several great ideas and then jumbled them together hoping that the ending would impress everyone enough to think it all added up. Not that the movie is nonsensical, but it is rather ‘kitchen sink’ in its approach. It was as if the writer/director wanted to include so many things that he couldn’t bring himself to edit his work down to create a focused piece. When the ‘director’s cut’ came out a while later I gave the film a second chance but the expansion didn’t make the movie any better - just longer. I felt the same way after seeing the longer version as I did with the shorter one. It just doesn’t connect with me. It’s fairly interesting but not very entertaining. I can see why it might resonate with others but it does nothing for me.

After seeing SOUTHLAND TALES (2006)  I can say with some authority that I will probably never be impressed by Kelly as a filmmaker. This movie is a much bigger, less coherent mess than DONNIE DARKO but I can at least now see where Kelly appears to be getting his ideas.

SOUTHLAND TALES plays like an American Jerry Cornelius story straight from the pen of science fiction master Michael Moorcock. Very much like those tales this one involves a huge cast of briefly sketched characters in full gallop through a slightly futuristic world in which apocalyptic events are happening. But what Moorcock is fantastic at doing Kelly can’t manage. Usually by the mid-section of a Cornelius tale you get a handle on what’s going on and the story’s central idea grabs hold. Then the small things Moorcock has added in for each character begin to build a strong understanding of their motivations so that by the end you are caught up and loving the ride. Kelly can’t get there even though he works hard to create an interesting experience. Everyone remains a cipher and I was just wishing the thing would go ahead and end. Part of this comes down to the difference between written and filmed fiction and the trouble of translating one to another. But the first Jerry Cornelius novel was filmed back in 1973 and while it’s not what I would imagine as the best version of the tale onscreen it’s a much sharper stab at it than this bloated ramble.

I’ll give Kelly credit for trying but this film just does not work.

CONQUEST OF SPACE/ I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE Double Feature From Shout Factory!

I've been keeping my mouth shut about this release until the official announcement of extras, but - I contributed to the commentary track for I Married a Monster From Outer Space (1957) and I'm thrilled about it! I've loved the film for years and have written about it here a few times so I was very happy to join Troy Howarth to talk about this excellent example of smart science fiction cinema. Of course, the co-feature is a great movie too and the extras for it look fantastic. I can hardly wait to see both films in HD and I hope this disc introduces these classics to a new audience. Good times! I think it comes out in May.

*********************************************

Bonus Features for Blu-ray

CONQUEST OF SPACE (1955) 

Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono 2.0

NEW Audio Commentary By Podcasters Emily Higgins And Billy Dunham

Audio Commentary With Film Historians Barry Forshaw And Kim Newman

A Fellow Journeyman: Byron Haskin At Paramount

The Conquest Of Space: From Book To The Screen

Trailers From Hell – Joe Dante On Conquest Of Space

Still Gallery

Theatrical Trailer

I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE (1958)

Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono 2.0

NEW Audio Commentary By Film Historian/Author Troy Howarth And Podcaster Rodney Barnett (NaschyCast)

Still Gallery

Theatrical Trailer

 

MESSALINA (1960) Poster Art and Lobby Cards

Not the first or last film based on this historical tale but an interesting, beautiful movie.