Poster Art for Antonio Marghertti Science Fiction Films

 

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. 

YOR, THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE (1983) Poster Art

Day of the Sword Man?

 

Yor, the Hunter From the Future Comic Books!

In answer to my Euro-Cult loving prayers, the original YOR comic books are being released in a four issue mini-series in the US. I'm so happy to be able to finally read these!

Wild, Wild Podcast Bonus Episode - The Last Hunter & Treasured Films

It's time for another special bonus episode, and this time Adrian chats with Graeme Lloyd and Tom Lee Rutter at Treasured Films, the new UK Blu-ray label responsible for releasing a fantastic uncut and restored edition of the spaghetti combat classic THE LAST HUNTER (1980, Antonio Margheriti). We also cover their distribution site Film Treasures, some upcoming releases, the trials of establishing a new label in a crowded field, and why the BBFC seem to be going out of their way to make life difficult.

You can order this superb release direct from TreasuredFilms, and if you do they will send you a double-sided poster! You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter. Their sister company Film Treasures is the go to place for importing international releases, which you can find HERE.

THE LONG HAIR OF DEATH (1964) Poster and Lobby cards

 

CASTLE OF BLOOD (1964)Poster Art and Lobby Cards

 

The Bloody Pit #160 - CODE NAME: WILD GEESE (1984)

Adrian Smith joins me as we return to our long-term discussion of the films of Antonio Margheriti. In the 1980’s he made several ‘military men on a mission’ films for various producers. These movies aped everything from THE DIRTY DOZEN to RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART 2 (1985) accomplishing much with meager budgets. Margheriti’s expertise in special effect work and miniatures were a major help in keeping costs under control. These sometimes great and sometimes insane effects are part of the fun, especially as we get higher definition prints that allow for certain crazy details to become evident.

CODE NAME: WILD GEESE (1984) was the first of trio of jungle action movies Margheriti made with British actor Lewis Collins in the lead and it is easy to see why Collins was briefly considered to play James Bond. He projects ‘tough guy’ hardness well and is a solid actor to boot. This film surrounds him with an international cast including an Oscar winner (Ernest Borgnine) and a couple of classic screen bad guys playing nice (Lee Van Cleef and Klaus Kinski) giving everything a sweaty sheen of near-respectability, even if Kinski is very oddly dubbed. Throw in a ridiculous car chase, a few dozen explosions, gratuitous Mimsy Farmer, a surprise villainous turn and it is easy to overlook the regularly disappearing plot, ill-defined motivations and bizarre effects choices. This one is fun in all the over-the-top ways that 1980’s action cinema aimed to be. So, hop into that small helicopter and let’s torch some opium fields for exciting but vague reasons! Woo hoo!

The show’s email is thebloodypit@gmail.com and we’d love to hear your thoughts on this or any of Antonio Margheriti’s films. And join Adrian and I on our other program Wild, Wild Podcast as we start a season focused on Luigi Cozzi! Thanks for listening!

The Bloody Pit #145 - THE UNNATURALS (1969)

After our recent discussion of BED OF A THOUSAND PLEASURES(1972) over on Wild, Wild Podcast Adrian Smith and I continued our conversation about Antonio Margheriti here on The Bloody Pit.

Taking a look at this exceptional little ghost tale was long overdue and it is a shame that THE UNNATURALS (1969) is so difficult to see. It’s one of the director’s best gothic chillers and that is saying something. It feels very much like an early version of Mario Bava’s LISA AND THE DEVIL (1973) and even shares some of the score from Carlo Savina who was clearly not above getting paid twice for the same music! Hopefully some Blu-Ray company will bring this excellent little film to a larger audience soon.

Adrian and I discuss the period setting and finely detailed interiors that were borrowed from a more expensive movie. The film is a classic example of the Old Dark House tale with bits of the James Whale 1932 movie of that title featuring heavily in the open act’s plot mechanism. Just how stuck in the mud was that car, really! Since this is a German co-production we look at the cast with an eye toward the inclusion of several familiar faces from the krimi cycle that was still thriving at the time. Happily, the wonderful Luciano Pigozzi (a.k.a. Alan Collins) has a major part in this film. Often called the Italian Peter Lorre he was a frequent collaborator with Margheriti and THE UNNATURALS may mark the most significant screen role of his career. He makes the most of it! So, with gorgeous widescreen photography, some surprising nudity and a slowing unfolding series of revelations this is a great little film. Certainly it is an attention grabbing look at lust, greed and murder as a catalyst for possibly supernatural revenge.

If you have any comments or questions thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send them. We’d love to know what’s on your mind. Thank you for listening to the show! 

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Wild Wild Podcast - BED OF A THOUSAND PLEASURES (Finalmente le mille e una notte)1972)

Adrian and I return to the world of the Decamerotici to see what Antonio Margheriti could do with his version of the Arabian Nights. And, brace yourself, it's actually pretty good. Although we do have to qualify that claim quite a lot. So, join us on a magic carpet ride through the wild, wild tales of a Sultan with erectile dysfunction, an Aladdin with carpet dysfunction, and a Queen whose sexual appetite is defeated by a healthy supply of bananas. It's a beautifully photographed series of sex comedy shenanigans that clearly bears the stamp of it's time.

Article on this strange sub-genre HERE! 

Adrian's Margheriti BLOG

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The Bloody Pit #135 - WILD, WILD PLANET (1966)

I have talked about this film on many occasions and on several different podcasts but never on my own show. After all, there are hundreds of films I want to discuss and this one has had some attention around the podcasting dial.  But Mark Maddox loves this one almost as much as I do so he insisted that we make time to praise it as it deserves! Who am I to say no?

 

We start by relating our history with WILD, WILD PLANET (1966) and first impressions from our younger days. After some fumbling with the titles of the other three Gamma One films, we talk about the relative merits of the various Antonio Margheriti science fiction films and even loop in THE GREEN SLIME. Part of the discussions revolves around the character stereotypes that the film uses and what they represent both as tropes and storytelling shortcuts. Mark makes note of a 1960’s German television series (Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion - literal translation: “Space Patrol – The Fantastic Adventures of the Spaceship Orion”) that reminds him of some of the better attributes of space opera stories and this film too. I have to find English subtitled versions of that show!

 The film’s strong body horror elements are put under the microscope as we relate it to the public fascination with the then emergent field of organ transplantation. This leads us into dissections of several of the special effects and especially the variable quality of the miniatures. Fire gives the game away nearly every time! And then we point out the several threads the movie leaves dangling including the fate of the room of mad scientist experimental mistakes. Were they drowned in the blood flood? We may never know.

 

If you have any questions or comments thebloodypit@gmail.com is the podcast’s email address. Thank you for listening! 

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Wild Wild Podcast #8 - THE HUMANOID (1979)

Join Adrian and I as we travel back into the furthest reaches of the galaxy to find out just exactly what really happened to Richard Kiel after James Bond left him in space at the end of Moonraker.

The Humanoid is another fun Italian film that makes no attempt to pretend it's not ripping off Star Wars, but this podcast believes that is something to be celebrated. It's got heroes, villains with black helmets, cute robots and guns that go "pew pew!"

The closing song is called Love Games by the band Ganymede. They've long since split up now but you can still read about their interest in The Humanoid on this fan site. Whilst you're there check out some of the other amazing stuff they have like these behind the scenes stills.