Time To Celebrate These “Unleashed” Machete Maidens!

You like cult cinema? Then do I have a terrific documentary for you – one that tells the story of the booming Philippine film industry in the 70’s and 80’s, when empowered women kicked ass overseas!

Look at these posters! They are perfect examples of the type of film that was very popular in american movie theaters. These low-budget films were filled with three things: “Breasts, blood and beasts!”

Meet The “Machete Maidens Unleashed!”

I love films that look at unique eras in film, and this one does just that!

The documentary takes an indepth look at one of the wildest “anything goes” eras in film – the filmmaking boom in the Philippines! The movie is full of great movie clips and very candid interviews with a ton of people who worked on these films, such as Director John Landis, Producer Roger Corman, Director Joe Dante, and a slew of great actors from the era, including Pam Grier and more!

Here is the slightly NSFW trailer:

It all began with “women in prison” pictures – low budget exploitation films that showed what happened when innocent women were put in prison – and guess what? Since it was so cheap to shoot in the Philippines, why not imprison them there!

Yes, this documentary explains how Pam Grier was discovered, and starred in several films shot in the Philippines – the documentary has some great anecdotes, and a short interview with Grier as well…see more about her early films here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/03/21/black-mama-white-mama-queen-of-blaxploitation-pam-grier-naked-showers-women-in-prison-classics/

These movies were shot in the Philippines for a reason – everything was dirt cheap, and there were virtually no safety standards whatsoever!

These movies promised lots of action, and nudity as well – as one person in the film admits: these “women in prison” movies allowed the convicts two showers a day – and both were shown in the film!

Director Jack Hill made several films in the Philippines and has hilarious stories about his experiences – he also made several with Pam Grier, including the one that started it all:

The film discusses Producer Roger Corman extensively – he was behind many of these films, and he is interviewed as well – he made a lot of films in the Philippines during the 70’s – and they point out that he gave many Directors, like Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese their start…here is the film he produced for Scorsese:

You can read more about this 70’s cult classic here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/04/11/boxcar-bertha-naked-barbara-hershey-martin-scorseses-exploitation-classic/

The documentary also talks about how Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos enticed filmmakers to come to his country – in fact, his wife love movies!

There is a lot of great footage of Imelda in this documentary, and it talks about one of the country’s biggest – and smallest – stars, Weng Weng!

There is a great documentary about the life and films of Weng Weng, and guess what?

Amazingly, Imelda Marcos is interviewed in the film!

See more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/12/03/superstar-weng-weng-lives-the-world-smallest-action-hero-my-actionagogo-review/

“Machete Maidens Unleashed” is a great story about filmmaking – and how one country bent over backwards to bring Hollywood to them!

The film spends some time showing a bit of the chaos surrounding the filming of “Apocalypse Now” there – as the Army gave Director Francis Ford Coppola military helicopters for the film!

Also interviewed in the film is R Lee Ermey, who was the military advisor to Coppola and has some choice words about the “Apocalypse Now” shoot – he is candid as always, and just a few years later, became a star because of his role in “Full Metal Jacket” – see more about that here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/07/05/full-metal-jacket-foul-mouthed-memories-from-sgt-hartman-r-lee-ermey-speaks/

“Machete Maidens Unleashed” is a great film for cult movie lovers, so check it out!

RIP R. Lee Ermey…

Sad news: R. Lee Ermey, the former Marine who went from an off-camera Vietnam War Expert to stardom, has died…he will always be remembered as the foul-mouthed Marine Sergeant from Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece “Full Metal Jacket”…

“I am Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, your senior drill instructor. From now on you will speak only when spoken to, and the first and last words out of your filthy sewers will be “Sir”. Do you maggots understand that?

Recruits: [In unison in a normal speaking tone] Sir, yes Sir.

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: Bullshit I can’t hear you. Sound off like you got a pair!

Recruits: [In unison, much louder] SIR, YES SIR!”

Shape Up, Maggots!

Talk about intense! Who can ever forget the vulgar and utterly mesmerizing R. Lee Ermey performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in “Full Metal Jacket!”

The Actor’s Manager announced his death on Twitter…Ermey was 74 years old, and no cause of death was mentioned.

R. Lee Ermey was in more than 75 films, but he will always be known as the foul-mouthed Sargeant who trains new recruits in Stanley Kubrick’s anti-war masterpiece!

“Full Metal Jacket!”

First, the film itself:

A two-segment look at the effect of the military mindset and war itself on Vietnam era Marines. The first half follows a group of recruits in boot camp under the command of the punishing Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. The second half shows one of those recruits, Joker, covering the war as a correspondent for Stars and Stripes, focusing on the Tet offensive.

Marine Training Camp, Kubrick-Style!

“Full Metal Jacket” is Kubrick’s classic anti-war film, showing how young men are turned into killing machines. The first half of the film is anchored by Ermey’s mesmerizing performance as the drill Sergeant who will whip this fresh bunch of new recruits into shape:

“You are nothing but unorganized grabastic pieces of amphibian shit!”

OK, perhaps we are, but what a classic way to put it! The film is filled with hilariously profane instructions from the Sergeant, like this:

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: “If you ladies leave my island, if you survive recruit training, you will be a weapon. You will be a minister of death praying for war. But until that day you are pukes. You are the lowest form of life on Earth. You are not even human fucking beings. You are nothing but unorganized grabastic pieces of amphibian shit! Because I am hard, you will not like me. But the more you hate me, the more you will learn. I am hard but I am fair. There is no racial bigotry here. I do not look down on niggers, kikes, wops or greasers. Here you are all equally worthless. And my orders are to weed out all non-hackers who do not pack the gear to serve in my beloved Corps. Do you maggots understand that?”

Sgt. Hartman Speaks!

Thanks to the terrific genre magazine “VideoScope” for a great interview with the Actor, who shared many anecdotes about “Full Metal Jacket” as well as other films he has appeared in – “VideoSCope” is always full of great interviews that celebrate unique aspects of the world of film…

Here is some great trivia: Did you know that R. Lee Ermey was a technical advisor on another classic anti-war film “Apocalypse Now?” As he explained to VideoScope:

“I was hired as a background extra. Once we started shooting they found out I was a Vietnam veteran and I ended up being the number two technical advisor on the movie.”

Ermey’s performance in “Full Metal Jacket” is infused with his unique history as a drill instructor, leading to a nonstop series of monologues like this:

Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: Tonight, you pukes will sleep with your rifles. You will give your rifle a girl’s name because this is the only pussy you people are going to get. Your days of finger-banging ol’ Mary-Jane Rottencrotch through her pretty pink panties are over! You’re married to this piece. This weapon of iron and wood. And you will be faithful. Port, hut!”

Ermey Meets Kubrick!

Ermey was originally hired by Kubrick to be a technical advisor, but of course, things ended up differently. It all began with Ermey decided to train the extras AS Gunnery Sgt. Hartman:

“I approached them as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman would approach a platoon and I delivered the first scene. Then I dropped them down for push-ups. I had them choking themselves.”

The material was videotaped for Kubrick to see how they were being trained, and when the Director saw the material he called Ermey into his office and gave him the role!

All Ermey’s, But No Ad-libs!

It is a common misconception that most of R. Lee Ermey’s dialogue during the training sequence was improvised. In several interviews Ermey stated that he worked closely with Kubrick to help mold the script so that it was more believable, all while retaining certain dialogue crucial to Kubrick’s vision.

While filming the opening scene, where he disciplines Pvt. Cowboy, he says Cowboy is the type of guy who would have sex with another guy “and not even have the goddamned common courtesy to give him a reach-around”. Stanley Kubrick immediately yelled cut and went over to Ermey and asked, “What the hell is a reach-around?” Ermey politely explained what it meant. Kubrick laughed and re-shot the scene, telling Ermey to keep the line!

According to Ermey, he was allowed to write almost all of the material himself, but it was all written down – nothing was improvised on the set!

To keep the recruits’ reactions as convincing as possible, Matthew Modine, Vincent D’Onofrio, and the other actors never met R. Lee Ermey prior to filming. Stanley Kubrick also saw to it that Ermey didn’t fraternize with the actors between takes – as if they would want to!

And one final piece of trivia: did you know that the Motion Picture Association refused to allow this poster for the film?

They decided that the line “in Vietnam the wind doesn’t blow it sucks” was inappropriate to be seen on a movie poster!

I can only imagine what Sergeant Hartman would have said about that! Kudos to R. Lee Ermey for creating one of the most memorable film characters in movie history!

As I said, he also advised many films and TV shows, including “Apocalypse Now”, and he discusses that in this terrific documentary about filming in the Philippines…

This is a great documentary, and he is really candid about working with Coppola on the classic anti-war film…see my story here…

https://johnrieber.com/2018/04/11/meet-the-empowered-machete-maidens-unleashed-pam-grier-got-her-start-here-terrific-documentary-celebrates-the-anything-goes-films-of-the-philippines/

RIP to R. Lee Ermey…

Harvey Weinstein Owes A LOT OF Money To A LOT Of Big Stars!

Deadline.com has a great story about the latest legal issues surrounding Harvey Weinstein – the money his company owes some of Hollywood’s biggest names!

Weinstein’s company declared bankruptcy in the wake of his #MeToo scandal – Weinstein was the first of many disgraced men who have been taken down by the #MeToo revelations.

As Deadline reports:

Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Murray and Quentin Tarantino were among those filing documents raising concerns today in bankruptcy court.

Tarantino got his start with Weinstein when his former company Miramax funded Quentin’s debut film “Reservoir Dogs” and then “Pulp Fiction”: Tarantino also made four films for The Weinstein Company — “Grindhouse/Death Proof”, “Inglourious Basterds”, “Django Unchained” and “The Hateful Eight”. According to Deadline.com:

“The writer-director says he’s still owed a substantial amount for those films: $300,000 for Grindhouse, $575,000 for Inglourious Basterds, some $1.3 million for Django and $2.5 million for The Hateful Eight.”

That’s almost $5-million bucks!

There are many more stars who have joined the filing against the company, including Jennifer Lawrence, who says she’s owed $102,623 for her work on “The Silver Linings Playbook.”

And Weinstein even owes the “Queen Of Hollywood” money!

Meryl Streep Wants An Accounting!

Deadline.com says that Streep’s filing notes she has been unable to get an accurate accounting of outstanding payments in connection with her work on the motion pictures “August: Osage County” and “The Giver” — though the Weinstein Co. claims it owes her $168,611.

“Unless and until Ms. Streep is given such an opportunity and/or conducts a proper audit, the Debtors should not be permitted to unilaterally select cure amounts while withholding the information necessary for Ms. Streep to verify or contest those amounts,” Streep wrote in her filing.

Deadline has been all over this story, previously reporting that the list of the thousands of people owed money by the studio includes everyone from Director Kevin Smith to Dame Judi Dench, David Bowie, Michael Bay, Boris Becker, Ryan Coogler, Daniel Radcliffe, Robert De Niro and Darlene Love.

Even President Obama’s daughter Malia! WOW! You can read the entire story, and Deadline has a lengthier list of debtors as well – just click on the Deadline.com story here:

http://deadline.com/2018/04/meryl-streep-jennifer-lawrence-among-those-owed-money-the-weinstein-co-report-1202376739/

Hollywood throws a ton of money at movie and TV stars, both in front of and behind the camera…and where there’s money, there is ALWAYS conflict!

I have posted about Johnny Depp’s current lawsuit against his former Business Managers – this is still underway, but lots of embarrassing stuff about Depp’s spending habits have emerged – see them here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/13/johnny-depps-morass-incredible-story-of-an-actors-wild-wild-spending-bravo-to-the-hollywood-reporter/

We’ll see how this latest legal action goes for the stars seeking money from The Weinstein Company!

RIP Margot Kidder…

Sad news to share: Margot Kidder, the Actress who portrayed the best “Lois Lane” os all time, has died at the age of 69. The Franzen-Davis Funeral Home in Livingston, MT, said she died Sunday but did not give a cause of death.

The Actress had many big hits in her career, and a series of personal setbacks as well – but her body of work deserves some credit, as she was an iconic Actress to so many of us…

Kidder began her career in the 1960s, working in TV and film, and modeling as well…

Kidder was one of Hollywood’s most free-spirited new sex kittens, at a time when a new permissiveness was underway in the entertainment industry…

She appeared in Brian De Palma’s thriller “Sisters” in 1973, and then starred in the shock classic “Black Christmas” the following year.

Kidder was terrific as the caustic friend who helps Olivia Hussey search for a missing sorority sister. You can read all about this horror classic here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/11/28/the-last-christmas-black-christmas-its-a-horrific-grindhouse-holiday/

Kidder’s winning streak at the movies continued with her role in “The Amityville Horror”…

These roles were great, but she achieved her biggest success starring as Lois Lane in the classic “Superman” films with Christopher Reeve.

Cinema’s Best Lois Lane!

Kidder’s quick wit and “tough as nails” demeanor were the perfect foil for Reeve, and the chemistry between the two stars was perfect for the material…

The first two “Superman” films in the 80’s are considered by many to be the best superhero films ever made…and much of that credit goes to Kidder’s feisty performance…

Kidder’s Rough Stretch…

According to wikipedia, the Actress has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which led to a widely publicized manic episode in April 1996. She disappeared for four days, and was found in a back yard by a homeowner and was taken by Los Angeles police to Olive View Medical Center in a distressed state. She was later placed in psychiatric care. In 2007, Kidder said that she had not had a manic episode in 11 years.

Kidder since worked in numerous films as well as numerous television series and also starred in Rob Zombie’s 2009 film “Halloween II.”

Margot Kidder in her home for Celebrity Home Kathryn Kates story.

In 2015, she won an Emmy Award for her performance in the children’s television series “R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour.”

So sorry to hear about her death…RIP Margot Kidder…

Unfortunately, like Margot Kidder many Hollywood stars can’t overcome their personal demons…

The Shocking Tale Of Jan-Michael Vincent!

This 70’s star of such films as “Big Wednesday” and “The Mechanic” is now struggling, and had one leg partially amputated – you can read this story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/08/31/jan-michael-vincent-from-70s-sexiest-man-to-a-true-hollywood-tragedy/

Another star from the late 60’s also fell from grace…

June Fairchild starred with The Monkees in their movie “Head”, but ended up on LA’s skid row!

You can read more about this tragic Hollywood story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/03/20/sex-kitten-june-fairchild-from-stardom-to-skid-row-a-starlets-shocking-death/

RIP Margot…

Question: As you see the late Karen Black in the cockpit, will there ever be a better line of dialogue from a film that this one:

“The stewardess is flying the plane!”

And she was! It’s just one reason I love 70’s films, and a great book tell the wild wild tale!

The Stewardess Is Flying The Plane!: American Films of the 1970s –
Ron Hogan (Author), Peter Bogdanovich (Contributor)

Here is a terrific book about the greatest moments in 70’s cinema – the good, the bad and the hilarious!

Those “Stewardess” words were courtesy of the cult classic “Airport ’75” – a disaster film that showcased 70’s cinema at its most disastrous!

How can you not love this dialogue!

“It’s Nancy Pryor… stewardess. Something hit us! All the flight crew is dead or badly injured! There’s no one left to fly the plane! Help us! Oh my God, help us! – from Airport 1975

Yes, Karen Black was the “Stewardess Who Flew The Plane”! This book is a fantastic love letter to the movies of the 70’s…ALL OF THEM. It was, as you know, the decade for classic films like these:

These are just some of the classic films of the decade that are included in the book.

But let’s not forget that the 70’s ALSO gave us classics like THESE:

Here is what Publishers Weekly had to say about this great book:

“With films such as The Godfather, Star Wars, The Sting, Rocky, Apocalypse Now, Jaws and M*A*S*H, the 1970s is now considered the second Golden Age of Hollywood. There is renewed interest in some of the decade’s most durable genres, including disaster films and blaxsploitation flicks, allowing viewers to rediscover early performances from major stars such as Jeff Bridges, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton.”

“The Stewardess is Flying the Plane!” is a lavishly illustrated, fun and informative look at more than 400 films of the decade – not just classics like “The Godfather” or “Taxi Driver”, but cult favorites like “Kansas City Bomber” and other amazing disaster films like “The Poseidon Adventure!”

This is one of the greatest movie tagline:

“Hell Upside Down!”

If you want to see the trailer for this classic, click here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/06/18/celebrity-smackdowns-hell-upside-down-the-disastrous-duo-of-poseidon-adventure-and-towering-inferno/

This book has an introduction by legendary Director Peter Bogdanovich, who made “The Last Picture Show” and “Paper Moon” in the 70’s among many others, and the book also shows hundreds of never- before-published photographs and new interviews with key participants in the ’70s film industry!

This book puts the decade into perspective with categories like “Thrillers”, “Hard Crime” and “Horror” – and reminds us of some little-seen cult gems like Diane Keaton “Looking For Mr. Goodbar” – with Richard Gere’s help…

If you haven’t heard of this provocative gem, see it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/04/27/sex-violence-and-diane-keaton-looking-for-mr-goodbar/

It was a decade of some of the best – and worst- movies of all time – let’s celebrate them with a big toast!

And while we are at it, let’s toast some of the craziest drinkers in movie history as well!

Hellraisers – by Robert Sellers – originally published in 2009

RICHARD BURTON. OLIVER REED. RICHARD HARRIS. PETER O’ TOOLE. The most legendary English drinkers in movie history are the subject of a great book about their wild ways, mostly in the 70’s!

Here is what Amazon had to say about this hilarious book:

“This highly entertaining biography of four charismatic and much loved actors follows them through five decades of boozing, brawling and braggadocio.”

“I did quite enjoy the days when one went for a beer at one’s local in Paris and wake up in Corsica,” Mr. O’Toole once quipped.

At their career peaks, these four controversial actors had the whole world at their feet and lived through some of the wildest exploits Hollywood has ever seen. But all that fame had a price; Richard Burton’s liver was shot by the time he was 50, Richard Harris’s film career stalled for over a decade. Peter O’Toole’s drinking almost put him in the grave before his 43rd birthday, and Oliver Reed ended up dying prematurely.

This is the story of four of the greatest thespian boozers who ever walked — or staggered — off a film set into a pub. It’s a story of drunken binges of near biblical proportions, parties and orgies, broken marriages, drugs, riots and wanton sexual conquests. And yet these piss-artists were seemingly immune from the law.

Mr. Reed is said to have drunk 126 pints of beer in 24 hours, and as you can see, loved to carouse with The Who drummer and legendary mad man Keith Moon.

Richard Harris joked that he formed a support group called “Alcoholics Unanimous” that worked this way: “If you don’t feel like a drink, you ring another member and he comes over to persuade you.” Mr. Reed, by far the most hellish of the four, had an eagle’s head tattooed on his shoulder.

Oliver Reed also had the eagle’s claws tattooed on the part of his body that he most enjoyed exposing without warning. “Would you like to see where it’s perched?” he liked to ask about the bird.

And what about Richard Burton? Mr. Elizabeth Taylor – TWICE? Here’s a story about Mr. Burton during the filming of “The Klansman,” one of his worst. “If you want to interview a drunk or see a drunk fall in the camellia bushes, come ahead,” that film’s publicist supposedly told the press. And when the film’s makeup artist was complimented on how well he had prepared Mr. Burton for his death scene, the makeup man replied: “I haven’t touched him.”

They got away with it because of their extraordinary acting talent and because the public loved them. They were truly the last of a breed, the last of the movie hellraisers. This is a great great book – but it will make you thirsty!

Eddie Murphy Will Become “Dolemite!”

For 70’s cult movie fans like myself, this is great news!

Deadeline.com has the exclusive, reporting:

Eddie Murphy is about to return to the screen for the first time in awhile, in a Netflix film which begins production June 12 about the life of Rudy Ray Moore, the star of the blaxploitation “Dolemite” films. “Hustle and Flow”‘s Craig Brewer is directing a script by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski, the writing team behind such quirky biographical films as “Big Eyes”, “Ed Wood” and “The People Vs. Larry Flynt.”

This brings up a question:

Who Is “Dolemite?”

It’s a question many movie lovers might be asking – but he is one of the most successful and influential stars in the early 70’s blaxploitation film genre…who has a hilariously profane way with words…

Rudy Ray Moore Rocks!

I can’t wait for this story to be told, because it’s a classic “only in Hollywood…” tale. You want to be a star? Make yourself one!

As Deadline.com describes him:

“Moore worked in a Hollywood record store in 1970 when he began hearing obscene stories of pimp and hustler named Dolemite. He started a club act where he became Dolemite. He began generating records that mixed humor and a ghetto fantasy character, burnishing the legend. While too racy to be put on display in record stores, the records became a big inner city underground hit. The proceeds allowed Moore to finance the 1975 film Dolemite, which he starred in as a kung fu-capable pimp ghetto hero who stuck it to The Man. Moore followed with three sequels. He continues to be an influence for the likes of hip hop entrepreneur Snoop Dogg, and he had something of a comeback starring alongside the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse in “Big Money Hustlas” in 2000.”

The terrific cult movie company Vinegar Syndrome recently released a lavishly remastered version of his breakout film, with tons of great extras…first, check out the trailer:

OK, see what I mean? Kudos to Vinegar for releasing this – you can see all the extras here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/04/14/kick-some-dolemite-blaxploitation-classic-gets-vinegar-syndromes-loving-restoration/

You have to love this classic slice of 70’s blaxploitation cinema, and if you aren’t familiar with this genre, here are a few other examples:

Read about my favorite blaxploitation stars, including Pam Grier, Bernie Casey, Jim Kelly and more by clicking here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/09/06/studly-superfly-sexy-sheba-blaxploitations-sexiest-stars-pam-grier-shaft/

Let me know if you are familiar with this great genre of 70’s film!

Talk About A Hike With A View!

In the distance is downtown Los Angeles – and there are so many great ways to get a spectacular view like this…so I wanted to share some of my favorite hikes in the world! These hikes are made even better because of who I get to take them with – my wife Alex:

Let’s Go “Hitch Hiking!”

Alex came up with the title “Hitch Hiking” – a series of hikes we’ve done together, and classic Hitchcock films that these hikes reminded us of…let’s begin “hitch hike #3” with a trip to Northern California, one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world…

Welcome To Bodega Bay!

Located 67 miles north of San Francisco, Bodega Bay is a gorgeous, wind-swept beach snuggled along beautiful sand dunes that are kissed by ice cold Pacific Ocean water…

Just south of Bodega Bay is Dillon Beach, miles and miles of sand and sea – with beautiful views in both directions…and we explored it for hours…

You can walk for miles in either direction, and you can also head fairly far out into the water based on whether the tide is out or not – bring a picnic and blanket as well, so you can sit down and watch some very aggressive waves – and windsurfing – because as you will see, there is a LOT of wind – but it’s also a beautiful beach to take a long long hike:

When we arrived, there were dozens of windsurfers battling the high wind and waves – the combination of heavy seas and high winds makes this a real endurance test – take a look!

We ended up “beach hiking” more than five miles that afternoon…in some very aggressive winds – but the beach was filled with families having picnics, swimming, and enjoying this spectacular coastline…

The End Of The Day…

It was so windy that we finally called it a day – after close to ten miles of walking the coastline – and we headed a few miles south to Nick’s Cove – a terrific restaurant with an equally impressive sunset view:

So there’s your hike, and if some of this incredible scenery looks familiar, it could be because one of Hitchcock’s great shockers was filmed here:

“The Birds” – 1963

Yes, Bodega Bay was home to much of the filming of this classic shocker. Everyone remembers the terrifying moment when “the birds” decide to go after people!

The plot of this Alfred Hitchcock shocker was simple: a wealthy San Francisco socialite decides to pursue a potential boyfriend, and follows him to a small Northern California town – Bodega Bay – where the local birds suddenly begin to act very strangely…

[caption id="attachment_42393" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Alfred Hitchcock

This film, coming right after Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, firmly established him as the master of the shocker!

Here is a very long but funny movie trailer, hosted by Hitchcock himself:

Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren starred in the film, which was a huge box office hit…

The schoolhouse, in Bodega, California, has also been known to be haunted, even back during the filming. According to Tippi Hedren, the entire cast was spooked to be there. She also mentioned how she had the feeling, while there, that “the building was immensely populated… but there was nobody there.”

And that classic building is still there!

Hope you enjoyed this “Hitch Hike” – classic Alfred Hitchcock movies combined with a hike through some of the world’s most beautiful places – like this one:

Yes, my first “Hitch hike” was high above the pacific ocean near Malibu – see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2018/06/15/hitch-hiking-1-the-spectacular-view-above-malibu-hiking-hitchcock-walking-then-watching-to-catch-a-thief/

More “Hitch Hiking” to come!

RIP Harlan Ellison…

Harlan Ellison, one of the world’s foremost science fiction writers, has died at 84. His death was announced by a family friend via twitter.

“Susan Ellison has asked me to announce the passing of writer Harlan Ellison, in his sleep, earlier today. “For a brief time I was here, and for a brief time, I matter.’ – HE, 1934-2018. Arrangements for a celebration are pending.”

Ellison’s 1969 post-apocalyptic novel “A Boy and His Dog” was made into a 1975 cult film starring Don Johnson.

In the film, a young man wanders a post-apocalyptic world with his best friend, his dog. Oh, and the dog can talk!

“A Boy And His Dog” captured Ellison’s writing perfectly: sharp, surreal at times, with pointed political commentary and a prescient view of the future…

Here is more about that incredible sci-fi film:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/04/21/talking-dogs-don-johnson-a-boy-and-his-dog-classic-sci-fi/

Ellison also wrote for many great TV shows such as “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Outer Limits” – but his most memorable TV project was “Star Trek”, which led to a longtime feud with the show’s Creator!

Here is what Deadline.com reports:

Ellison’s Star Trek episode, “The City on the Edge of Forever,” is often cited as among the original series’ very best. Ellison himself was no fan of the end result, though, often complaining about rewrites. The 1967 episode had Captain Kirk (William Shatner) traveling back to 1930s New York and falling in love with a pacifist memorably played by Joan Collins. The twist: Kirk is faced with the prospect of saving the life of his new lady love, but doing so would altar the course of history to the extent that Germany would win World War II.

Revisions made to the script by, among others, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, so angered Ellison that the two feuded for years.

But without a doubt, his novel-turned-cult classic “A Boy And His Dog” will always be remembered…a great film that was released on DVD a few years back and worth getting.

RIP Harlan Ellison…

Ready For Some Classic 70’s Horror? Time To Get Amicus!

Bravo to Severin Films for releasing a great box set that celebrates a company called Amicus!

Known as ‘The Studio That Dripped Blood’, the British film company Amicus Productions – founded by American writer/producers Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky – built a legacy of horror anthologies and twisted thrillers that remains among the very best genre movies of the ‘70s.

I just bought the terrific Severin box set, and here’s how they describe it:

In this trio of Amicus classics – featuring stars that include Peter Cushing, Herbert Lom, Britt Ekland, Patrick Magee, Stephanie Beacham, Calvin Lockhart, Michael Gambon and Charlotte Rampling – you’ll discover the studio’s legendary portmanteau ASYLUM, their insane gothic shocker AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS, and – exclusive to this set – the infamous werewolf whodunit THE BEAST MUST DIE, as well as a Bonus Disc of Amicus trailers, TV commercials, rare interviews and more. The Amicus Collection is a Limited Edition, and Numbered to 3500 copies.

Begin By Entering The “Asylum!”

This 1972 horror film is their best known film, with lots of recognizable stars. It’s made up of several short tales, involving a group of people who are at a secluded “asylum”, and every story ties them all together more and more.

Here is the trailer:

Robert Bloch wrote the script for “Asylum” based his own short stories – and Bloch was also the author of the novel “Psycho”, which Alfred Hitchcock turned into the classic shocker.

I have to say again how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE this classic poster.

Here are the special features that Severin assembled on the blu-ray:

Two’s A Company: 1972 On-set report from BBC featuring Interviews With Producer Milton Subotsky, Director Roy Ward Baker, Actors Charlotte Rampling, James Villiers, Megs Jenkins, Art Director Tony Curtis and Production Manager Teresa Bolland
David J. Schow on Robert Bloch – Featurette
Fiona Subotsky Remembers Milton Subotsky – Featurette
Inside The Fear Factory Featurette with Directors Roy Ward Baker, Freddie Francis and Producer Max J. Rosenberg
Audio Commentary with Director Roy Ward Baker and Camera Operator Neil Binney
Theatrical Trailer

Terrific! Next up:

AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS!

OK, how about this for a plot:

England, 1795: the young Catherine has just married Charles Fengriffen and moves into his castle. She becomes the victim of an old curse that lays on the family. On her wedding night she is raped by a ghost and gets pregnant.

Here is the trailer:

I didn’t know about this film, and can’t wait to see it – as with the others, it comes with a ton of great extras:

The Haunting Of Oakley Court – Featurette with Allan Bryce, Author of “Amicus: The Friendly Face Of Fear”, and David Flint, Author of “Ten Years Of Terror”, visit the classic horror film location
Audio Commentary with Director Roy Ward Baker and Actress Stephanie Beacham
Audio Commentary with Star Ian Ogilvy
Archive Audio Interview with Actor Peter Cushing By Denis Meikle
Horror Journalist Denis Meikle Recalls And Now The Screaming Starts – Featurette
Theatrical Trailer
Radio Spot

Next up, a film that included a revolutionary feature – a “werewolf break” in the middle of the film!

“THE BEAST MUST DIE!”

A group on an island search for a dreaded Werewolf, and we get to unfold the mystery along with the characters.

Legendary Horror Icon Peter Cushing stars in the film, which is enough reason for me to want to see it.

Here is the trailer:

The Infamous “Werewolf Break!”

Here’s where the movie offers up a novel concept: near the end of the film, there is an inserted 30-second break called the “werewolf break”, where the audience is asked to guess the werewolf’s identity, based on clues from the movie!

In the interview with director Annett on the DVD release, Annett says he hated the addition of the werewolf break. It was not in Annett’s version of the film; he attributes the idea to producer Milton Subotsky. He does admit that some, including critic Leonard Maltin, liked it.

And I love this classic poster!

Here are the special features that are exclusive ONLY to this set:

And Then There Were Werewolves – Audio Essay By Horror Historian Troy Howarth
Audio Commentary with Director Paul Annett
Directing the Beast:
Theatrical Trailer

Finally, the set come with a new documentary, THE VAULT OF AMICUS, which includes these special features:

Over An Hour of Amicus Trailers
Audio Commentary With British Horror Film Writers Kim Newman & David Flint
Phil Nutman Audio Interview with Milton Subotsky – Audio Interview With Accompanying Stills / Posters
Jonathan Sothcott Audio Interview with Max Rosenberg – Audio Interview With Accompanying Stills / Posters
Bonus Amicus TV spots

One last bravo to Severin for this incredible collection!

I am a huge fan of cult 70’s horror, and one person did it better than anyone:

Yes, The Afro-Tastic Vincent Price!

Yes, Vincent Price starred in a number of classic horror films like “The Abominable Dr. Phibes” and “Theater Of Blood”, which Actress Diana Rigg called her favorite film to work on! Read about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/06/06/an-afro-tastic-vincent-price-kills-his-critics-in-theater-of-blood-diana-riggs-favorite-performance/

Let me know if you’ve seen any of the Amicus films!

“Violence! Liquor! Sex!”

Talk about a “not-so-subtle” poster! I just watched a terrific documentary about “Grindhouse” cinema, and this is exactly what they were discussing! More on that documentary in a moment but first, some examples of this “sinful era of cinema!”

“The Unsatisfied” is a great example of an era in film where lurid promos promised a peek inside the most depraved parts of our culture…when this film was released in 1964, this was provocative stuff!

Check out the trailer, thanks to the great home video company Something Weird Video:

Of course, as you can see from the trailer, the film itself was mostly shot in dim light and had only fleeting glimpses of flesh, but that was enough for the time…see more of this early example of sin here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/31/forbidden-flesh-dirty-girls-the-unsatisfied-classic-sexploitation-cinema/

What ties these films together is their promise to show you “daring, revealing expose of life in the big cities”! Don’t believe me?

“Love-Starved And Eager To Learn”!

You see? This classic “sexploitation” poster is a perfect example of a wild wild time in movie history. Because of the “sexual revolution” in the 60’s, barriers were being broken in movie theaters, and smart Producers rushed in with a ton of lurid sex thrillers designed to take hard-earned cash from stupid young men!

Movie theaters like these in New York’s Times Square were filled with trashy movies that promised lots of “adult situations”- let’s look at some of the best:

An early master of the genre was the legendary Director Russ Meyer, who loved powerful women – tough as nails, beautiful, and able to outsmart any man – he gave us what is still the greatest film title of all time:

“Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” is a great movie – filled with action with a unique twist at the time, because while his films were filled with nudity, sex and violence – his stars were empowered women who did most of the ass-kicking!

If you haven’t seen Russ Meyer’s unique cinematic vision, you are missing out on some wild cult movie making! Here are some of Meyer’s greatest hits:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/03/16/sexploitation-classics-the-russ-meyer-edition/

In the 60’s, in order to skirt obscenity laws, many filmmakers claimed the films were “educational” in nature, such as this one – which promised a true, torrid look at life in the deep south:

Child Brides In The Ozarks!

“Hickploitation” was the term for it – offering a look at real-life atrocities – right in our own country! Of course, nothing onscreen was as bad as the movie poster, but there were lots of examples from this genre – see them here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/08/29/forbidden-flesh-child-brides-see-how-they-love-in-flaming-hillbilly-color-early-sexploitation-madness/

In the 70’s, Producers had to come up with wilder and more outrageous gimmicks to get you into the movie theater:

What about this “Wham Bam” Piece Of Cinema?

The Producer of this mid-70’s outer space sex romp was known as the “Sultan Of Sexploitation”! Harry Novak was a Producer and distributor, and once said about his profession:

“When I was a kid, my Daddy told me, ‘There’s a buyer for everything.’ And I lived to find out that he was right!”

Click here to see some of Novak’s greatest exploitation films:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/12/03/wham-bam-space-sex-cinemas-naked-lust-celebrate-the-sultan-of-sexploitation/

Another early offering in the field was this black and white movie from 1966:

“A Smell Of Honey, A Swallow Of Brine” is also one of the greatest grind house movie titles ever – but again, like most of these films, it promised a lot more than it showed! See the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/02/27/nudie-cuties-a-swallow-of-brine-the-defilers-meet-the-producer-of-scum/

As I mentioned, there is a great documentary about the history of this genre:

“American Grindhouse” is a terrific 2010 documentary directed and produced by Elijah Drenner.

The documentary chronicles the history of the American exploitation film from the days of Thomas Edison to contemporary films of the 21st century.

This is a very in-depth look at the history of cinema though the filter of exploitation, so there is a lot of great stuff from the early days of film as well. The movie has a ton of great interviews, including John Landis, Joe Dante, Jack Hill, Don Edmonds, Fred Williamson, Allison Anders, James Gordon White, Larry Cohen, William Lustig, Herschell Gordon Lewis, Judy Brown, Jeremy Kasten, Jonathan Kaplan, Bob Minor, Lewis Teague, David Hess and Fred Olen Ray.

Folks, those are some of the greatest names of the genre – check out the trailer:

What do you do if you want to know more about this genre? Well guess what? There is another documentary out that tells the story as well – this one from the Something Weird team!

Click here for a look at this great documentary:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/04/20/thats-sexploitation-terrific-documentary-captures-the-seedy-majesty-of-grindhouse-cinema/

Let me know your favorites of the genre!

Nicolas Cage Rules!

Let me get that out of the way first and foremost: for decades now, Nicolas Cage has put himself out there for movie lovers to enjoy – and by that I mean he’s never been afraid to put himself WAY WAY OUT THERE:

Nicolas Cage is ALWAYS willing to take risks, and that’s why I love him – you never know what level of “Nicolas Cage Rage” you will get, but you’ll always get something unique!

Cage has had a great career, beginning with early films like “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “Moonstruck”, and the infamous 1988 film “Vampire’s Kiss”:

While he was rumored to have bitten a live bat, they managed to talk him out of it – yes, he really wanted to – talk about a method Actor!

His willingness to pour himself into a role culminated in the Academy Award for his portrayal of a man drinking himself to death in “Leaving Las Vegas”.

He also has starred in some of the biggest box office hits of all time, like the “National Treasure” franchise as well as “Con Air”, “The Rock” and John Woo’s brilliant “Face/Off”:

So What’s Cage Been Up To Recently?

Short answer: a lot!

I counted 29 projects that list Cage’s involvement since 2010 – in fact, IMDB lists seven projects underway this year alone!

Well, that means I am way way behind. So, I spent a day diving headfirst into some of the Actor’s latest and greatest work!

This Is NOT A “Cage-Free” Day!

I decided to eat some breakfast before I started my “Cage-a-thon”, so I chose a White Castle cheeseburger topped with a fresh egg – a delicious breakfast treat that gave me sustenance and got me focused for the first film on my list – a crime thriller that I knew had a BIG Nic Cage performance in it:

1 – “Dog Eat Dog” from 2016

I had to start with one of the films I was most anticipating – because “Dog Eat Dog” was directed by Paul Schrader, who wrote “Taxi Driver” and directed such great films as “Blue Collar”, “American Gigolo” and “Auto Focus.” The film also co-stars Willem Dafoe as well – and I knew that he was also going all-in on this film, so it was destined to be a wild over the top battle of scenery-chewers!

Here is the trailer:

Three ex-cons trying for one last big score…that’s the quick one-liner for this film, but it’s so much more…Cage and Dafoe have a field day with this dark material, and Schrader paints a wildly colorful cinematic palate, a mix of garish interior and moody exteriors.

Oh, and Cage embraces his role with relish – this is a gritty “Reservoir Dogs”-style film that got me off on an energized start!

Here is a more indepth look at this gritty film:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/11/10/dog-eat-dog-nicolas-cage-chews-up-iconic-filmmaker-paul-schrader-terrific-new-movie/

From one extreme to the other: that same year, Cage starred as a meek mild-mannered American who decides to go to Pakistan to capture Bin Laden – because God told him to – and yes, God is Russell Brand!

2 – “Army of One” From 2016

Well, it’s been awhile since Cage did a comedy – he was great in “Raising Arizona” and “Adaptation”, but he really put it all out there for comic effect in this film – check out the trailer:

Black comedy and farce are VERY difficult to pull off, and while Cage gives it his all, with an “Indiana Jones Meets God” look, this film turned out to be an acquired taste…

This “black comedy” is loud, noisy and very offbeat – and was a bit controversial for the Actor, because in Japan you could have had THIS snack while watching the film!

Yes, they made a corn puff snack with Nic’s face on it to promote the movie release – oh, but they forgot to ask his permission so you can imagine how that went down – click here to see what happened:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/10/11/nicolas-cage-had-no-idea-he-was-being-turned-into-a-snack-food-in-japan/

Almost 4 hours and two films in, I stopped to have lunch – important to show you that I was going “all in” as well:

There was some lettuce, onion, tomato and pickle on this burger, so I call that a “side salad” – fortified, I thought it was time for a good thriller with lots of action, but my reality was a bit different – and the drinking was about to begin…

3 – “Vengeance: A Love Story” from 2017

This film is officially titled “Vengeance: A Love Story”, and is based on the 2003 novel “Rape: A Love Story” by acclaimed Writer Joyce Carol Oates.

I didn’t read the book, but the film stars Cage as a Cop who decides to administer the justice that our system refused to mete out…check out the trailer:

Nic’s Support Team!

This was my third Cage film, and the third one that has had a recognizable co-star, in this case Don Johnson, who is terrific as a Defense Attorney with no morals at all!

As you can see from this ad for the film’s release overseas, there have been a number of different secondary titles like “he is the law”. No matter: what I watched was a VERY downbeat drama about a woman who was gang-raped – and only Cage could administer justice.

There is action in the film, but there is also a LOT of very dark material here, and Cage underplays the role – perhaps to show sympathy for the victim, but he is dour, somber and makes the viewing experience depressing – I needed a drink!

OK, it’s mid afternoon, 3 films into my marathon, and I grab a glass of wine. Time to dig into another 2017 film, the second in a row from last year – and I’m trying to imagine what made Cage want to make it:

4 – “Inconceivable” from 2017

In less than ten minutes I was reaching for the bottle again for a refill – because this Cage effort was driving me to drink.

Cage plays a Doctor whose wife, played by Gina Gershon, is trying to have another child. They befriend a young troubled Mother who quickly turns their life upside down!

Here is a look at the film’s trailer:

First: do you notice the trend of recognizable co-stars continuing, in this case Gerson and Faye Dunaway?

Second, I drank half the bottle of wine, just using “wine drinking” prompts in the film. Cage does little more than act like a comforting shoulder to his wife, as well as to the mysterious young woman – always with a glass of wine close by…as a drinking game it worked, but as a film, I felt like I was watching a “Lifetime Movie” drama!

I was in a bit of a state: the “robust” Nic Cage had gone away, I was 4 films and 8 hours into my Cage-a-thon, and I desperately needed something to wake me up!

5- “Rage” From 2014

If a film with the title “Rage” can’t rouse me up from my semi-drunken, Nicolas Cage-induced slumber, then I’m in big big trouble, but luckily, an angry Nic was on the way once again!

In this thriller, Cage plays a building tycoon who has a mysterious past. That past catches up with him, of course, when his teenaged daughter is kidnapped by people who were, indeed, part of that mysterious past.

Here is the trailer:

Cue The Recognizable Co-Star!

Yes, another familiar face: Danny Glover co-stars as the Cop who is looking for his daughter, but spends most of his limited screen time begging Cage NOT to take matters into his own hands…which of course, he does with two mouths full of chewed-up scenery…

This look is how I was feeling by this time, as “Rage” was entertaining, but I was worried that Cage may be phoning it in just a bit, even if the film is proficiently executed – it felt a bit like what Cinemax has with their “Skinamax” films, except with violence instead of nudity – so what could I do but this?

Yes, there was a lot of drinking in “Rage”, and I joined in…heading into my last movie, I desperately needed SOMETHING to keep me awake – and yes, I saved the best for last!

6 – “Mom And Dad” – 2018

Well, talk about ending on a high note! After almost ten hours, I wrapped my Nic Cage marathon on a terrifically fun high note!

Here is what Variety said about the film:

“To hear director Brian Taylor tell it, thriller “Mom and Dad” is a “gift to the movie gods.”

Taylor joined stars Nicolas Cage, Selma Blair, and Anne Winters at the Variety Studio Presented by AT&T to talk about the new film, Cage’s career (he’s not over-the-top, he “makes the top”), and why the actor doesn’t actually like the word “acting.”

Well, let’s get to Cage “making the top” – check out the trailer!

Yes, Cage goes GONZO in his hilariously black comedy about a virus that turns all parents into merciless killers – as you can see, the posters have a field day with the premise!

Selma Blair also hams it up in a deliciously wicked take on parenting…I was now toasting Cage for his willingness to, as the Director said, “make the top” with his acting choices!

This is a really great film, and it ended my Cage-a-thon, nearly twelve hours after started, on a sunken high note…what a ride!

So, a day with Nicolas Cage is like any other day in your life: full of laughter, happiness, despair, angst, depression and drinking…what could be better?

And if only he had been able to make THIS!

Yes, this is a REAL costume test for Cage – he was set to make “Superman Lives” with Director Tim Burton!

You can click here to read the whole story of how this one got away:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/26/superman-lives-nicolas-cage-is-superman-incredible-documentary-on-tim-burtons-amazing-superman-reboot-debacle/

And if six Nic Cage movies aren’t enough, remember that someone used new technology to put the Actor in every film ever made!

Yes, that’s Cage as Lois Lane – not a still, actually acting the role! See this technology in action here:

https://johnrieber.com/2018/02/15/nicolas-cage-in-every-movie-ever-made-troubling-deep-fake-technology-makes-nicolas-cage-the-busiest-star-in-film/

I could do more of these “Cage-athons”, because he has so many films to explore – bravo to him!

Welcome to “Burning Man!”

One of pop culture’s most unique spectacles, the Burning Man Festival, is about to light up again, but this year, there is more controversy than usual about the event…

As The Daily Mail reports:

“Tens of thousands of people are flooding into Nevada’s Black Rock Desert for the annual Burning Man festival, which kicks off Sunday and runs through the following Monday. This year’s event has kicked up a significant amount of controversy as law enforcement officials threaten to set up traffic stops on the road to the venue and the #MeToo movement calls the appropriateness of the signature ‘Orgy Dome’ into question.

The festival has been going since 1986, and this year’s event is in the desert north of Reno, Nevada.”

No More “Orgy Dome?”

Yes, there is such a thing at the festival, but in the era of #MeToo, it’s under review.

The Daily Mail has great reporting on this year’s festival, including the information that some events are being scaled back due to this controversy:

“Burning Man has been known for its free-spirited atmosphere where clothing is without a doubt optional and activities such as the Hug Church and spanking lessons encourage burners to form special connections with one another.

Following back-to-back-to-back reports of rampant sexual harassment in the news over the last year, organizers have been tasked with teaching participants that freedom on the campground doesn’t mean its a free for all.

In light of that issue, the iconic Orgy Dome – a tent where burners can go enjoy some risque fun – is rumored to have been axed from this year’s event.”

As you can see, the “anything goes” atmosphere is running into the #MeToo movement, and reports of abusive behavior at previous festivals is causing organizers to re-think certain of the more salacious aspects of the festival…

Still, as you can see from this year’s early arrivals, the party is already underway, and the spirit of freedom that permeates the festival will no doubt continue…as I said, The Daily Mail has great reporting on it, which you can see here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6097933/Final-Burning-Man-preparations-70-000-revelers-descend-Nevada-desert.html

If you wonder where the “Burning Man” imagery came from, look no further than this classic early 70’s horror film from England:

“The Wicker Man” is one of the most unique horror films of all time – you can read more about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/06/23/burning-man-inspiration-the-wicker-man-naked-cult-horror/

Don’t mistakenly watch the remake with Nicolas Cage!

Happy Birthday Brian DePalma!

One of cinema’s all-time greats is celebrating a birthday today, a legendary Director with an incredible body of work that continues today.

Brian DePalma was born on September 11, 1940. His incredible career is marked with brilliant films like these:

“Say Hello To My Little Friend!”

It’s a line that has been quoted – and joked about – for decades now, but let’s not forget just how powerfully over-the-top “Scarface” is – an absolutely seminal look at the excess of the 80’s, with an incredible performance by Al Pacino:

And for me one of the greatest films of all time is his adaptation of Stephen King’s first novel, “Carrie”, starring Sissy Spacek:

Piper Laurie, Nancy Allen, Amy Irvin and John Travolta…what an incredible cast – did you know that he and George Lucas had combined casting sessions? What was Lucas up to?

Yes, “Carrie” and “Star Wars” joined forces to find the incredible talent in both films – and there is some great trivia about how and why this happened – you have to read about it here!

https://johnrieber.com/2016/10/30/shocktober-day-30-brilliant-carrie-brian-depalmas-horror-classics-star-wars-connection/

One of my other favorite DePalma films is this cult classic:

“Phantom Of The Paradise!”

This is also one of my favorite films of all time, and I’m not alone! There is a terrific new blu-ray edition of this classic 1974 horror musical, which is of course DePalma’s twisted send up of “Phantom Of The Opera”, with an amazingly entertaining soundtrack written by Paul Williams, who also stars in the film!

The new blu-ray edition includes a great conversation between Williams and Oscar-winning “The Shape Of Water” Director Guillermo Del Toro – who is a huge fan of the film as well – check out all of the special features here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/27/cult-classic-phantom-of-the-paradise-guillermo-del-toro-talks-up-paul-williams-great-new-special-edition/

Some of DePalma’s films didn’t do well upon release, but then became classics…

Here is a great example. His paranoid 1981 masterpiece “Blow Out” with John Travolta took a cynical, sobering look at America and our political system – and boy, is it sure prescient now!

“Blow Out” tanked upon release, but is now considered another of his great cinematic achievements – and it may be John Travolta’s best performance ever:

Read more about this neglected gem here, along with DePalma’s “The Fury” and “Dressed To Kill” as well:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/03/13/carrie-and-more-5-classic-brian-depalma-thrillers/

One of DePalma’s earlier works is also available on blu-ray – how about Margot Kidder’s incredible performance in “Sisters”?

This psychological thriller cemented DePalma’s reputation as the “new Hitchcock”, and it holds up so well today. Yes, Kidder’s recent death was tragic, but she was mesmerizing in DePalma’s shocker “Sisters’ – see more about it, and her incredible career here:

https://johnrieber.com/2018/05/14/rip-margot-kidder-a-great-actress-dies-supermans-best-lois-lane/

DePalma made so many films, and not all were hits – yes, there were misfires like “The Bonfire Of The Vanities” and “Mission To Mars”, but here is another obscure gem – the moody erotic thriller “Obsession”:

Cliff Robertson is great as a man haunted by the death of his wife, until he gets a chance at redemption…or does he? I posted a story about some of his lesser known films like “Obsession”, see them here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/03/03/a-celebration-of-depalma-the-best-least-known-classics/

And of course, I never even covered this popular film, but it is also a classic:

Yes, he directed “The Untouchables” and he made the first “Mission: Impossible” film with Tom Cruise as well..what a great career – oh, and what about “Carlito’s Way” with Al Pacino? Yes, another great collaboration, along with “Scarface”:

The mark of a brilliant Director is one who just keeps making films, and that is what DePalma has done…there is a great documentary recently released where he takes a candid look at his career, so check that out as well

Happy birthday to this brilliant Director!

Welcome To London!

I have been lucky enough to have been to London many times in my career, and have had the chance to explore many of its fun and fascinating corners…as part of my latest “Hitch Hiking” series, I want to take an urban hike through this incredible city before settling in for the most provocative film in Alfred Hitchcock’s career – filmed on the streets of London!

London is such a great mix of old and new, as shown here by the “Eye”, the newly iconic Ferris wheel on the Thames, with Big Ben in the background…any walk along London’s classic streets will lead you to these and the Tower of London as well – with their new “bullet” building in the background:

I have been to London for work many times – here is a shot at the Tower bridge with my terrific Host Alison Haislip from 2009:

On that trip, I walked a LOT of London…more than 15 miles in a single day, because I walked to Regents Park and then made my way back to Buckingham Palace:

The Hike Begins In Regent’s Park!

I walked north from my Hotel, which was located near Kensington Garden, up to Regent’s Park to begin my hike…I started early in the day when things were quiet on London’s side streets:

Originally a royal hunting ground, Regent’s Park offers an artificial lake, tennis courts, cricket ground, children’s playgrounds and the London Zoo, which lies on the north side. I looked around a bit then turned southwest for half a mile to my favorite restaurant in London:

Welcome To The Sea Shell Of Lisson Grove!

For over 60 years, The Sea Shell Restaurant has been serving the best traditional British fish and chips in London. And who was I to argue? Instead, I dug in!

A traditional filet of fish, tail on, was outstanding, and gave me the energy to take the 2-1/2 mile walk down to “The Buck” – arguably the most popular tourist destination in London!

I did work with someone who had an office inside Buckingham Palace, so I had the chance to go inside – more on that in another post!

There will always be crowds here, but it’s never really “crowded”, and it’s a great walk through the city streets – and then it was straight down the Thames to the Tower Bridge – except of course I bounced across both sides to capture this unique city!

It’s 3.5 miles from Buckingham Palace to the Tower Bridge – but I wanted to bounce around a bit to capture the essence of the city – when I shot here, my team wandered the streets as well, and I shot them doing it:

What did we see? Well, everything from the classic signs for London’s underground “tube”, with a classic British Pub always nearby:

London’s vibrant theater scene is near Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus:

One other unique landmark I passed was The Beatles shop, where I came across a couple of guys “singing” some Beatles songs – using puppets:

I jumped back across the Thames, going past the legendary Westminster Abbey and Big Ben:

I ended my hike at the famed Tower Bridge, which spans the Thames and offers an amazing picture opportunity:

There an overview of my many city hikes in London, and it leads me here:

From Urban “Hiking” To Classic “Hitch”cock!

After a walk around London, why not look back at what it was like to walk these streets in 1972?

In 1972, Alfred Hitchcock filmed his latest thriller, “Frenzy”, on the streets of London. There are a lot of pictures from that time showing the “Master of Suspense” in action:

“Frenzy” is much darker and overtly sexual than previous Hitchcock films, but critics responded very well to it. The film includes nudity, the only time I remember seeing any in a Hitchcock film – remember, Janet Leigh wasn’t shown nude in “Psycho”‘s notorious shower scene!

Here is how the film is described by Rotten Tomatoes:

Suspenseful, disturbing, and darkly humorous, Frenzy, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is the story of a rapist-murderer, whose distinctive murder weapon has led him to be labeled “The Necktie Murderer.” The film, typical of many of Hitchcock’s works, focuses on a man wrongly accused, who must now find the true killer to prove his innocence.

Hitchcock’s Thame River Promo Bath!

Yes, as usual Alfred Hitchcock has a deliciously clever way to promote the film – by floating in London’s Thames river!

Check out the trailer, which begins with Hitch himself floating along as he describes the film!

Here is how Rogert Ebert reviewed the film:

This is the kind of thriller Hitchcock was making in the 1940s, filled with macabre details, incongruous humor, and the desperation of a man convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.

This is the sixth entry in this series, and you can search “Hitch hiking” to see more of them, but here are two examples of what I am doing in the series:

I did an urban hike through New York – 196 blocks in all – and shared amazing photos from Central Park – which you can see here:

https://johnrieber.com/2018/08/05/hitch-hiking-4-a-196-block-hike-through-new-yorks-central-park-peering-through-hitchcocks-rear-window/

My wife and I also love to hike in our country’s incredible parks, like Will Rogers State Park on the west side of Los Angeles – where you can see incredible views like this:

You can see more of this hike by clicking here:

https://johnrieber.com/2018/06/15/hitch-hiking-1-the-spectacular-view-above-malibu-hiking-hitchcock-walking-then-watching-to-catch-a-thief/

Let me know what you think of this international edition of my “Hitch Hiking” Series!

Get Ready For A Mind-Altering Head Trip Thanks To “Pick-Up!”

Yes, that’s a clown out in a field – because the 70’s were full of exploitation films that played drive-ins across the country, but every once in awhile, one with more “artistic intentions” would sneak through – and I will explain this disturbing clown shot soon – because it’s time to head to the swampy south for this cult gem “Pick-Up!”

As the terrific cult movie review site “Mondo-Digital” says:

“The very busy drive-in distributor Crown International really knew how to turn a challenging, unclassifiable film into an exploitation hit, but they really caught moviegoers by surprise with Pick-Up. Marketing as another film about sexy young things menaced by backwoods yokels, it’s actually a much stranger beast closer in spirit to experimental films made over the previous decade. There’s enough nudity and local Southern color to still keep it exploitable enough, but anyone expecting a sleazy T&A romp is in for quite a shock. On the other hand, if you love weird ’70s cinema that refuses to play by any normal rules, this one really delivers.”

And does it! First check out the trailer:

Now, understand that the trailer hints at about 5% of what this film is about – because it’s a bizarrely entertaining psychedelic head trip – need proof?

Here are five reasons you must go to the Vinegar Syndrome website and buy this unique film – and I have visual proof of each!

1 – Yes, It Features A Clown!

“Pick-Up” is worth watching if only for this scene, which is why many reviewers thought the filmmaker was trying for a much more thought-provoking film…oh, there’s also a guy running for the Senate as well who pops up after the Clown…symbolism?

2 – Yes, The Male Lead Hunts A Wild Boar! Then Cooks It Like This!

This gives away nothing of the plot – in fact, almost nothing in the film will give away the plot, but there is a boar hunt, and subsequent roasting, as well as lots and lots of nudity!

3 – Yes, They Find A Swing And Do So Naked!

It’s never explained how a swing ends up in the middle of the swamp, but does it matter? Actress Jill Center happily rides her male co-star for a LONG LONG TIME – after a slow start, the characters shed their clothes for most of the rest of the film…

Now, for one of the more bizarre facts about this movie:

4 – Yes, It Was Originally Titled “PAZUZU!”

I looked it up and was surprised to find this definition of “Pazuzu!”

“Pazuzu is the main antagonist in The Exorcist horror novels and film series, created by William Peter Blatty. Blatty derived the character from Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, where Pazuzu was considered the king of the demons of the wind, and the son of the god Hanbi.”

That said, there is almost NOTHING in the movie to make you tie the two together – but, here is one more GREAT reason to buy this film:

5 – And Yes, You Get This Extra Movie For Free!

I bought this terrific blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome, and as Mondo-Digital reports:

“The biggest news on this disc is tucked away in the special features but reason enough to snap this one up right away: Orgy at Lil’s Place (77m14s), a 1963 nudie film co-produced and photographed by Hirschenson. Though copious promotional material has been around for this title, the film itself was considered lost for years and became a holy grail of sorts for devotees of obscure exploitation.”

So a great 70’s double bill for the price of one film, and there are other extras as well!

Other extras include an audio commentary with the Director, as well as with Actress
An audio interview with Gini Eastwood that “charts essentially her whole life story from being an entertainer as a child in upstate New York through her singing career including a stint with New Christy Minstrels!”

Well, she doesn’t get to sing in the film, but she does show off a bit of her more erotic side, so there’s that!

Thanks to the great “Mondo-Digital” website for the review and trivia – see the whole post here:

http://www.mondo-digital.com/pickup.html

And congratulations to Vinegar Syndrome for another obscure gem rescued from oblivion!

I’ve posted about some of their other films, like this curio that also must be seen to be believed!

Their blu-ray is packed with great extras, and a unique film as well – see it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/25/the-telephone-book-a-legendary-mind-blowing-obscure-cult-classic/

And do you remember this scene from the Bond film “Diamonds Are Forever?”

Well, one of those thugs made his own horror film, and of course Vinegar Syndrome released it!

They included great extras about what it took to get this movie made – see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/03/26/pigs-a-james-bond-thug-mortgages-house-for-horror-shocking-true-hollywood-story/

Let me know if you are ready for a “Pick-Up” – or a “Pazuzu!”

Ready For Some Bloody “Revenge?”

There is a terrific and intensely stylized French thriller from 2017 called “Revenge”, with a star making turn by Actress Matilda Lutz!

Yesterday I posted a story about my new cult film site, “Jrsploitation.com”, which is where I will house reviews and features about more “specialized” genre films like this one:

I will continue to provide links to these stories, but if this isn’t type of film for you, then no need to head over for more on the film’s plot, trailer and reviews, which were superlative….but if you are interested, click here:

French Shocker “Revenge!” Blood-Soaked Thriller For The #MeToo Movement!

Let me know how adventurous you get when you watch cult cinema!

Relaunching A Second Website Celebrating The World’s Wildest Cinema!

For those who have followed my posts for years, I like to write about all sorts of stuff: movies, music, books, travel, food, burgers, BACON, and pop culture.

But, some of you know that I also post about films like this:

Welcome To The World Of “Grindhouse” Cinema!

If you don’t know what “grindhouse” means, it refers to a time in cinema history when movie theaters in New York’s Times Square would play exploitation films 24 hours a day – “grading” them out for mostly voyeuristic males…movies like these:

The films were played all over the country, sometimes for years on end – and sometimes with different titles as well. It was a great way to make a cheap buck at a time when the movie business was changing, and a lot of taboos were being broken. 42nd street looked like this:

It was a wild and crazy time for film – and HBO’s series “The Deuce” is currently telling the story of this era, and I’ve also shared this terrific documentary that also focused on this wild time in film:

This terrific film has a ton of great vintage film clips and interviews with great talent both in front of and behind the camera.

You can read more about this documentary here:

https://johnrieber.com/2018/07/16/terrific-american-grindhouse-documentary-celebrates-violence-liquor-sex-classic-cult-cinema/

This era in film resulted in some crazy films being seen in Times Square, as well as all across the country, including drive-ins:

As I have posted so many of these stories over the years, I thought there should be a site dedicated to them, and so now there is:

Welcome To “JRsploitation.com!”

I am re-launching my website devoted to this kind of cinema – and not just 70’s grindhouse stuff, I also share stories about films from the 80’s, 90’s and current releases as well, as the genre keeps flourishing!

So what kinds of movies will you find there? Well, it’s a wide variety of cult films from around the world, both vintage and new…here are some examples:

And so much more! I will let everyone know when a new post is going up, and you can head on over if it interests you – if not, just let it pass by, but you are missing some wild times in cinema – like this!

OK, I think many of you just turned the dial, but don’t discount Jess Franco’s contributions to cinema – he is, after all:

THE WORLD’S MOST PROLIFIC DIRECTOR!

He really was!

So I will be posting stories there almost daily – vintage exploitation, new stuff that is fascinating, like this:

And whatever seems of interest to me…again, you can head over to the site and find something that looks like this:

You can check out the site here – it’s going to be filled with lots of memorable cinema! Please click on he link and check it out!

https://jrsploitation.com

These films are an important part of cinema history, and I also love the HBO series celebrating this era as well.

Last year, I posted about the terrific new show “The Deuce”, which is about to premiere season two.

It’s the “tale of Times Square” – but not the modern day version: this James Franco / Maggie Gyllenhaal series tackles “The Deuce”, the area of New York’s 42nd Street when it was rough and tumble, and it’s a show that got better with each episode:

Here is the teaser trailer for season two, which premieres on Sept. 9:

https://youtu.be/2U3f9aDvJGA

It’s an entertainingly raw and compelling story of the ways things were – and boy were they! Here is a look at the series in general:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/09/08/wallow-in-hbos-the-deuce-the-big-apples-sleazy-42nd-street-five-sexploitation-classic-from-new-yorks-grindhouse-paradise/

Check out my other blog, revel in the wildest cinema ever released to the public, and let me know if you are watching “The Deuce!”

Killer Frogs And Vincent Price, Too!

Behold the greatest single movie poster image of all time. Yes, even frogs can say “enough is enough!”

It’s #31daysofHalloween, a perfect season for movies that are over the top, campy and fun as well as horrific – I mean, how can you not love a horror film with this poster:

That is, for me, one of the most perfect movie posters of all time: that is one evil Frog! The poster captures perfectly what you can expect form the film – good horrific fun, and it is just one of the campy horror treasures I have for you today – let’s begin with the master, the legend – the AFRO:

Vincent Price Enters The “Theater Of Blood!”

Yes, everyone’s favorite Horror Actor, Vincent Price, had a great run of campy horror films the 70’s – like this one:

In “The Abominable Dr. Phibes”, he plays a Doctor obsessed with getting revenge for his wife’s death…and then there was this classic:

Yes, an Actor decided to seek revenge on all of his critics, and Diana Rigg afro’d up as well – she has called it her favorite film of all – read more about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/06/06/an-afro-tastic-vincent-price-kills-his-critics-in-theater-of-blood-diana-riggs-favorite-performance/

And now, let’s go to a type of horror film that’s been “gnawing” at me lately:

Zombeavers!

Yes, what a great campy horror movie for #31daysofhorror…”Zombeavers” is EXACTLY what you think it is…and exactly what it should be! Bloody horror fun with zombie beavers!

It’s the genre of killer animals – rodents really – and it’s a hilariously over the top genre epitomized by the new classic “Zombeavers”, and of course, “Frogs” as well!

Read all about these “killer animal” films by clicking here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/18/zombeavers-the-latest-in-killer-animal-movies-frogs-ants-and-more-campy-horror/

Finally, one more campy bit of horror to share:

Old Lady Horror!

Yes, you may not be aware, but this is one of my favorite horror genres: the killer grandma! And nobody did it better than Actress Shelley Winters!

Yep, Shelley Winters was just one legendary Actress who turned to campy horror late in their career…along with Ruth Gordon, Bette Davis and even Debbie Reynolds! You can read all about the genre of “Old Lady Horror” by clicking on my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/09/old-lady-horror-crazy-ladies-chew-up-the-screen/

So there you have it, some good campy Shocktober fun for you…

Happy Halloween!

“I’m every nightmare you’ve ever had. I’m your worst dream come true. I’m everything you ever were afraid of.”

One of 2017’s most anticipated films was a great addition to #31daysofHalloween – because “It” scared the face paint off America!

Who Likes Clowns? NO One! How About Red Balloons?

We might all HATE clowns, but we flocked to see the latest adaptation Stephen King’s “It” – the creepy previews that included the distinctive red balloon got us ready for a great new scary movie – here is the original trailer:

The new version of “It” got rave reviews, and is now on my “must watch” list during Shocktober 2018 – but let’s not forget where Pennywise got his start…

Stephen King’s Iconic Clown!

There have been many great Stephen King movie adaptations: everything from “Carrie” to “The Shining”, and a whole bunch in between…but, with creepy clowns in the news every day, we should give credit where credit is due – King gave us the creepiest of them all – and it wasn’t a film, it was a TV miniseries from 1990!

Pennywise showed up on TV in 1990 as a horror mini-series starring Tim Curry.

Here is the plot of this classic King horror story:

In 1960, a group of social outcasts who are bullied by a gang of greasers lead by Henry Bowers are also tormented by an evil demon who can shapeshift into a clown and feed on children’s fears and kill them. He is known as Pennywise…

STEPHEN KING’S IT, Tim Curry, 1990

The Iconic “Pennywise!”

After defeating the demonic clown as kids, it resurfaces 30 years later and they must finish it off as adults once again. Of COURSE they do!

Tim Curry IS Pennywise!

Tim Curry, best known for his role in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, steals this movie as well…check out “It’s” original classic trailer…

It: “Let go. Be afraid. You all taste so much better when you’re afraid.”

The original “It” has a great home video release with lots of special features.

On the DVD commentary track for example, the actors note that Tim Curry’s characterization of Pennywise was so creepy and realistic that everyone avoided him during the filming.

“Pennywise? No Thanks!”

Tim Curry was reluctant to take the role of Pennywise initially because he didn’t like the idea of being buried under so much makeup. When he played the character Darkness in “Legend”, it was a difficult and demanding role, and the hours in makeup was still fresh in his mind. To compromise, Director Tommy Lee Wallace minimized the amount of makeup on Curry, and his performance carried the day…

Everyone I ask goes right to Tim Curry’s performance in “It” as one of the most unsettling they have seen…a classic role for a great Actor.

Speaking of unsettled…remember this disturbing trend last year?

“Real” Clowns Are Here – And They Aren’t Happy!

There were many news reports of clown sightings as “It” opened in movie theaters – and it scared the hell out of residents across the country.

Last Halloween, “real” clowns were spotted across the country terrorizing people – was it a one-time prank gone bad – or something worse – and will we see more this year?

Personally, any clown is a bad clown for me – I’ll watch “It” with the lights off and one eye on the door….and I will also watch these “KILLER KLOWNS”:

Killer Klowns from Outer Space!

What a camp classic! This 80’s comic horror film is a lot of fun. Check out the trailer!

Here is the plot: when a small town is invaded by aliens from outer space, no one takes them seriously. Why? The aliens all look like circus clowns with painted on smiles! Needless to say, something very “unfunny” is going down in town…

This is a feisty little thriller with tongue in bloody cheek!

How can you argue with dialogue like this:

Debbie Stone: “We were up at “the top of the world” and we saw this shooting star and we decided to go look for it. But instead of finding the shooting star we saw this… this circus tent. And that’s when we went inside, and that is when we saw those people in those… those pink, cotton candy cocoons. Dave, it was not a circus tent. It was something else.”
Dave Hanson: “What? What?”

Mike Tobacco: “It was a space ship. And there was these things, these killer clowns, and they shot popcorn at us! We barely got away!”
Curtis Mooney: “Killer clowns, from outer space. Holy shit!”

And as an added bonus, it’s got Dean Wormer from “Animal House!”

Campy, fun and timeless, and these clowns still look like Klowns you don’t want to wake up to!

If all of this horror is bumming you out, maybe you need a “happy clown”!

Bill Murray was a “crooked clown” – and it’s one of his most under-rated films – “Quick Change” is a terrific film that featured a clown, and you can see more movie clowns here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/11/12/killer-klowns-shakes-the-clown-stephen-kings-it-movie-clowns-welcome/

Enjoy “It” this Halloween season – Pennywise demands it!

Jamie Lee’s Halloween Gift For Michael Myers!

It’s here – the latest “Halloween” film – and the reviews are great! The best part: America’s Scream Queen has grown up!

Jamie Lee Curtis became America’s “Scream Queen” in 1978 when the original film was released, and now she is back in the “Halloween” family, returning as her character Laurie Strode, as the film sets up her final confrontation with Michael Myers!

Myers is, of course, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.

Here is the trailer that sets the final confrontation up nicely:

I can’t wait to see this new “Halloween”, and the first reviews have been great…so let’s celebrate by looking back at the first film, and showcase another of Jamie Lee’s great slasher films from the 80’s as well!

When “Halloween” was released in 1978, it made Jamie Lee Curtis a star – after all, she screamed her way into our hearts while also fighting back – something that most female characters didn’t do in a film, they just screamed and died!

William Shatner, Psycho Killer!

Here is some great trivia, provided by IMDB: Due to “Halloween”‘s shoestring budget, the prop department had to use the cheapest $2 mask that they could find in the costume store: a Star Trek (1966) William Shatner mask. They later spray-painted the face white, teased out the hair, and reshaped the eye holes!

Shatner admitted that for years he had no idea his likeness was used for this film. It was only during an interview that someone mentioned his mask was being used. He has since stated that he is honored by this gesture!

Michael Myers is one of cinema’s great psychos, and what makes “Halloween” work so well is that you truly root for Jamie Lee to survive – a tribute to how well she acted in her movie debut – which IMDB says paid her $8,000 for starring in the film!

But after this, she was on a horror role, most notably in this great 80’s slasher:

Join Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis On The “Terror Train!”

“Terror Train” is a terrific, vicious slasher film from 1980, with some good scares and lots of blood…much of it on legendary Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis!

After the phenomenal success of “Halloween” in 1978, Curtis found herself starring in a number of slasher films, and quickly earned the title of reigning “Scream Queen”! Some films weren’t that good, but this one delivered the scares!

The plot of “Terror Train” is brilliant in its simplicity: A masked killer seeks revenge against six college kids who were responsible for a prank gone wrong three years earlier – and lucky for the killer – the kids are throwing a large New Year’s Eve costume party aboard a moving train!

This film is helped greatly by a truly creepy looking killer, and an ongoing sense of dread throughout. Check out the trailer:

According to the great movie website IMDB, Jamie Lee Curtis once said of her character in this film:

“There are certain things a heroine in a thriller has to be. She has to be vulnerable, so that the audience identifies with her and is rooting for her. But she also has to have an enormous inner strength to overcome the evil, or terror, that is pursuing her. I play the same kind of character as I did in other films. But Alana – the girl I play – is stronger and more defined”.

Bravo to Jamie Lee Curtis for finding more depth of character, even in straightforward horror films!

I love the Halloween season – so many great horror films to enjoy – go to my exploitation website for a look at some classic horror films like this:

Yep, they don’t make them like THIS any more – click here to see why!

https://jrsploitation.com/2018/10/13/happy-halloween-season-cult-classic-halloween-shockers-31daysofhorror/

Let me know if you plan to see the Jamie Lee – Michael Myers battle!