#381. Black Sunday [La Maschera del Demonio / Revenge of the Vampire] (1960)

"You too can feel the joy and happiness of hating." - Princess Asa

 Grade: ★★★☆☆

I'm usually not a fan of dubbed foreign movies. If I'm going to watch a foreign language film, I'd prefer to read the subtitles than suffer bad dubbing. So, that's my biggest complaint about Black Sunday. It's a classic Italian horror film that was shot in English, dubbed in Italian, then re-dubbed in English for the American release. It was a big hit in the '60s, and was actually banned in the UK for several years for its violence. One scene in particular was chosen as one of Bravo TV's 100 Scariest Movie Moments. I guess by 1960's standards, the opening scene was pretty gruesome, and I will admit that I averted my eyes for a moment.

The movie starts in Moldavia in 1630 with an ominous voiceover describing witch (or vampire) burnings, and how sometimes even family members were turning on each other to repel the demons. Cut to Princess Asa (played by Barbara Steele) and her boyfriend Javuto, who are in the process of being burned alive by Asa's brother. Now most witch-burnings end with the accused witch proclaiming their innocence to the very end. Not this one. Asa was all "F-you and your entire family!" So, she cursed her brother and his entire family line, declaring that one day she would return. He sees her curse and raises her one mask of Satan that he literally hammers into her face. Aaand that would be the scene that made it onto the 100 Scariest Movie Moments list.

Fast forward 200 years and we meet two doctors on their way to a conference in a nearby town. The older doctor, Kruvajan, insists they take a shortcut through the haunted forest. Sounds like a solid plan. Surprise, surprise, the inept carriage driver hits a log or a tree or something and the wheel comes out of its socket. So, instead of helping the poor guy, the two doctors decide to go rummage through the nearby dilapidated cathedral. Again, real solid, guys. They come across a tomb that houses the witch from the beginning of the movie. She's inside a fancy coffin with a window and a cross that keeps her from coming back from the dead. Young, attractive doctor, Gorobec, is wandering around while older doctor is still inspecting the witch's coffin, when older doctor is attacked by a huge bat! OK, I would have freaked out, too, but he just starts swinging at it and ends up breaking the cross and the window on the coffin! Oh, hey, since the window's broken, we may as well remove this mask of Satan from the 200-year-old corpse. What could go wrong? Seriously, where did these guys get their degrees? Eventually, the carriage guy shows up and tells them they need to leave. That's when we are introduced to Katja (also played by Barbara Steele). She's hanging out with her dogs in front of the church and immediately falls in love with the young, attractive doctor. I forget exactly what she said, the point of her being there was to reveal to the audience that she was the spitting image of Asa.

They eventually leave the church so that Asa can grow some eyeballs and call her boyfriend from beyond the grave. He climbs out of his grave (he wasn't a witch, so all he got was the Satan mask and buried in the ground) and starts killing people. But he has a plan. Everything is in order to help Asa completely come back from the dead. She's currently still trapped in her coffin for some reason. Cramps, I guess.

We meet Asa's father, who I'll call Prince Exposition because he tells us the entire story of Asa and her boyfriend and how their entire family is cursed because of what their great-great-great-great grandfather did. Asa also has a brother, Constantin. The undead boyfriend has made his way to the castle and now he has to get Katja to Asa's tomb so she can possess her body and live eternal life.

"I've been dead for 200 years, is there something on my face?"

SPOILER ALERT: the brother, father and older doctor die, Asa possesses Katja and the young doctor is very sad that the love of his life, whom he just met the night before is also dead. The angry villagers show up with torches and pitchforks (they found one of the Prince's servants murdered in the river and I forget why they immediately went to this abandoned church). Young doctor was able to convince them that Asa was in fact Asa and not Katja, because she was not wearing Katja's crucifix. These villagers were apparently in the bonfire-building business, because they were able to build one in no time! When it comes to witch-burnings, apparently the second time's the charm, because this one took. I think it had something to do with them killing her before sundown after she possessed Katja. Young doctor looks up and realizes that Katja is still alive. Hurray! The end!

This was a fine piece of Italian gothic horror, and also Tim Burton's favorite horror film. I can see that. I felt like I was watching the security camera from a Hot Topic. It was entertaining, and, like I said, I needed to avert my eyes a couple of times.

Why you should watch Black Sunday: I would really only recommend this to horror aficionados. 

Why you should skip it: Bad dubbing and the story wasn't very original.

Did you know? Barbara Steele would not get the scripts in advance. She would be given pages daily, and therefore had no idea what the story of the movie was.

Italy / RUNNING TIME: 87 minutes

PRODUCER: Massimo de Rita, Samuel Z. Arkoff (US version)

SCREENPLAY: Ennio de Concini, Mario Serandrei, Marcello Coscia (uncredited)

WRITTEN BY: Mario Bava (uncredited)

CAST: Barbara Steele, John Richardson, Ivo Garrani, Arturo Dominici

RELEASE DATE: 11 August 1960

BUDGET: $100,000

BOX OFFICE: ITL 139 million

#493. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

They’re young…they’re in love…and they kill people.

 

Grade: ★★★★☆ 

Producer/star Warren Beatty had to convince Warner Brothers to finance this film, and it went on to then become their second highest grossing movie, after My Fair Lady. It also caused major controversy as it redefined violence in cinema and portrayed the criminal protagonists as sympathetic anti-heroes.

The film is loosely based on the crime spree of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker during the 1930s, and begins as Clyde (Beatty) is caught trying to steal the car of Bonnie (Faye Dunaway)'s mother. Bonnie is excited by Clyde's outlaw ways and he obliges her by robbing a store and then stealing a car. And so their legendary crime spree begins. They move from town to town, pulling off small heists, until they meet up with Clyde's brother, Buck Barrow (Gene Hackman), his shrill wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons) and simple-minded gas station attendant C.W. Moss (Michael J. Pollard). This new gang robs a bank and Clyde is soon portrayed as a modern day Robin Hood because he allows one bank customer to keep his money.

One of my favorite scenes came when I realized that the role of the Texas Ranger was played by none other than Uncle Jesse! No, not John Stamos...Denver Pyle from The Dukes of Hazzard! He was hot on their trail, but was quickly over-powered and humiliated as they posed for photos with him and eventually handcuffed him in a canoe and set him adrift.

Uncle Jesse eventually gets even as he sets up a raid that leaves (SPOILER ALERT) Bonnie and Clyde both injured, Buck dying and Blanche captured. The ever-loyal C.W. takes the injured duo to his father's farm to get them patched up. Little does he know that his father has arranged a plea bargain with Uncle Jesse and a trap is set that ends in one of the bloodiest shootouts in cinematic history. Of course, it does seem rather tame by today's standards.

The movie made stars out of Beatty and Dunaway, and even features the screen debut of Gene Wilder as a mortician who was briefly kidnapped by the gang. Nominated for a staggering 10 Oscars, the movie walked away with two, one for photography and one for the amazing Estelle Parsons for her portrayal of Blanche. You may recognize Parsons as Roseanne and Jackie's mom on Roseanne.

Why you should watch Bonnie and Clyde: It's a great movie with great acting and definitely deserves to be on the list!

Why you should skip Bonnie and Clyde: Just watch it already! It's a great movie! 

Did you know? In the movie, Clyde Barrow was portrayed as impotent, but in real life he was actually bisexual. One of the stipulations that Beatty made when accepting the project was to change the storyline of Clyde's affair with C.W. Moss.

In reality, the gangsters picked up about three different people in their travels. They were merged into one character in the form of C.W. Moss. 

Bonnie Parker: We rob banks! 

U.S. / RUNNING TIME: 111m

DIRECTOR: Arthur Penn

PRODUCER: Warren Beatty

SCREENPLAY: David Newman, Robert Benton

CAST: Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard, Gene Hackman, Estelle Parsons, Denver Pyle

OSCARS: Estelle Parsons (Actress in Supporting Role), Burnett Guffey (Photography)

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Warren Beatty (Best Picture), Arthur Penn (Director), David Newman, Robert Benton (Screenplay), Warren Beatty (Actor), Faye Dunaway (Actress), Michael J. Pollard (Actor in Supporting Role), Gene Hackman (Actor in Supporting Role), Theodora Van Runkle (Costume)

#443. A Hard Day's Night (1964)

Grade: ****
"It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog." -- The Beatles

I had to resist the urge to tune out the visuals and just sit back and enjoy one of the most awesome movie soundtracks of all time.  I'm glad I resisted that urge.  This has to be one of the funniest and most unique movies ever made.  Now, it's definitely not for every one, but if you're a fan of The Beatles, you should give it a watch (if you haven't already).  Shot before The Beatles had hit it big in America, the movie follows a day in the life of the Fab Four, as they travel to a TV appearance and an evening concert and experience various misadventures along the way.

Of course, there's very little substance to their adventures -- running from fans, attending parties, and losing Ringo (all with Paul's grandfather (Wilfrid Brambell) in tow).  There are moments that make their trip worthwhile.  Like when Paul's grandfather rushes to Ringo's aid when the boys are joking about the size of his nose, "He can't help having a hideous great hooter!  And his poor little head, trembling under the weight of it!" 

Oh, and there's the music.  With unforgettable classics like 'And I Love Her,' 'Tell Me Why,' 'If I Fell,' and the title track, I found myself singing along and probably driving my neighbors batty.  The great thing about this film is that it's not just a light comedy or a brainless concert movie, it's also a telling look into the music scene of the '60s and the outbreak of Beatlemania.  Those screaming girls and fainting groupies are often imitated, but here's where you can find the originals.  And, yes, this is the movie that inspired the opening sequence of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. 

Did you know?:  Phil Collins has a blink-and-you'll-miss-him cameo as one of the screaming teenagers at the concert.  Of course, that's what Phil's been telling everyone.  It could have been any 13-year-old kid. 

The word "Beatles" is never used in this movie.

This was the first movie ever put out on DVD.

Credits:
G.B. (Proscenium) 87m B&W
Director: Richard Lester
Producer: Walter Shenson
Screenplay: Alun Owen
Music: George Harrison, John Lennon, George Martin, Paul McCartney
Cast: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Wilfrid Brambell, Norman Rossington, John Junkin, Victor Spinetti, Anna Quayle, Deryck Guyler, Richard Vernon, Edward Malin, Robin Ray, Lionel Blair, Alison Seebohm

Oscar Nominations: Alun Owen (screenplay), George Martin (music)

Why you should watch A Hard Day's Night: the fantastic soundtrack and dry, witty script.
Why you shouldn't watch: if you're not a Beatles fan.

Up Next: The Sixth Sense (1999)

#432. Goldfinger (1964)

Grade: ★★★★★

 "Auric Goldfinger.  Sounds like a French nail varnish." - James Bond.

Goldfinger has everything you could possible want in a Bond movie:  the maniacal arch villain, his ridiculously elaborate plot, the gorgeous temptress, her ridiculously suggestive name, the dangerous henchman, the gadgets, the cars, the ejector seat, Miss Moneypenny, a catchy theme song, and, of course, the martinis (shaken, not stirred).

Sean Connery is back in the third (and my favorite so far) installment of the nearly 50-year-old franchise.  This time he finds himself in Miami puzzling over the death of his latest conquest who has been killed by gold paint asphyxiation.  All fingers (pun intended) point to Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), whom Bond is assigned to shadow across Europe.  He'll have his work cut out for him, since he'll not only have to deal with Goldfinger and his wildly elaborate and convoluted plot, but he'll also have to take on his mute henchman Odd Job (Harold Sakata), whose bowler hat doubles as a deadly Frisbee.  Arguably the best scene in the movie is when Goldfinger has Bond exactly where he wants him: strapped to a table with a laser beam aimed at his groin.  Bond asks, 'Do you expect me to talk?' 'No, Mr. Bond,' Goldfinger famously replies.  'I expect you to die.'

In the original script, the scene had a spinning buzzsaw (as envisioned in the original novel) until it was decided that this was too passé.  And so, the laser beam made its very first appearance in a movie...ever.

Of course Bond escapes this predicament, only to be captured again by Goldfinger and his "personal pilot" with man-hands, Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman).  Once they make it back to his secret American lair, Goldfinger begins revealing his plan -- complete with scale models and a pre-PowerPoint presentation -- to a gathering of mob bosses immediately prior to gassing them all, which begs the question: Why bother explaining the plan to them?.  You know it's because he wanted to show off his model of Fort Knox.  And so, Operation Grandslam is put into motion.  Now all Bond has to do is take out Odd Job, capture Goldfinger, defuse an atomic bomb, get the girl (which won't be easy since Pussy likes the ladies), and save the world before the movie ends.  Piece of cake.

So, even though this wasn't the first Bond film, it is the one that set the standard for every one that followed.  It is essentially the movie that turned "Bond movies" into their own genre and is well-deserving of a 5 star-rating and its place on the list of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.

Did you know?:  Gert Fröbe spoke very little English, so his voice was dubbed over by a different actor (Michael Collins).  And contrary to popular belief, Shirley Eaton, the actress who played Goldfinger's gold-painted victim, did not really die from paint-poisoning.  She went on to star in several other movies until she chose to retire in the late '60s.

Credits:
G.B. (Danjaq, Eon) 112m Technicolor
Director: Guy Hamilton
Producer: Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman
Screenplay: Richard Maibaum, Paul Dehn, from novel by Ian Fleming
Photography: Ted Moore
Music: John Barry, Monty Norman
Cast: Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Fröbe, Shirley Eaton, Tania Mallet, Harold Sakata, Bernard Lee, Martin Benson, Cec Linder, Austin Willis, Lois Maxwell, Bill Nagy, Michael Mellinger, Peter Cranwell, Nadja Regin
Oscar: Norman Wanstall (special sound effects)

Why you should watch Goldfinger: it's one of the best Bond movies ever made and it turned a fledgeling franchise into its own genre.
Why you shouldn't watch: Operation Grandslam might make you crave Denny's at 2 in the morning.

Up Next: A Hard Day's Night (1964)