The Spiral Staircase (1946) is a longtime favorite of mine and it has been hailed as a prototype for many of the best giallo films. With thoughts of murder and black-gloved killers running through my mind it seemed like a good time to revisit this classic thriller that features an Academy Award-nominated performance by Ethel Barrymore as … Continue reading The Spiral Staircase (1946)
MATRIMONY, MADNESS AND MURDER: HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON (1970)
Modern weddings often bring out the worst in people. The attempt to meet family and social expectations while exchanging vows that occasionally read like a prison sentence can be a dangerous cocktail made worse by a deep focus on money matters. Instead of enjoying their “special day” couples and their accommodating families often end up … Continue reading MATRIMONY, MADNESS AND MURDER: HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON (1970)
DEATH WALKS TWICE: A GIALLO DOUBLE FEATURE
The fine folks at Arrow deserve applause for their diligent efforts to release a number of exceptional giallo films on Blu-ray in recent years. Some of the films you can currently purchase from them include the suggestively titled Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972) and What Have You Done to … Continue reading DEATH WALKS TWICE: A GIALLO DOUBLE FEATURE
THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED… “MURDER!”
Narciso Ibáñez Serrador’s THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED (1969) is often cited as one of Spain’s most important and influential horror films but its audience is typically restricted to genre fanatics. The highly sexualized content and graphic murders depicted in this gothic thriller limit its appeal. But the commercial success of THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED during the late 1960s … Continue reading THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED… “MURDER!”
Noir-Horror: THE LEOPARD MAN (1943)
“The real horror is to show that we all live unconsciously in fear. Many people suffer today from a fear that they don’t begin to analyze and which is constant. When the audience is in the dark and recognizes its own insecurity in that of the characters of the film, then you can show unbelievable … Continue reading Noir-Horror: THE LEOPARD MAN (1943)
March & April at TCM’s Movie Morlocks
Links to some of the writing I did for TCM's Movie Morlocks blog in March & April 2016. Warning! TCM’s Condemned Film Festival is Here Excerpt: "It’s probably not surprising that TCM’s Condemned Film Festival has come under scrutiny from some sources and individuals who find the programming objectionable and Sister Rose Pacatte’s involvement unacceptable, … Continue reading March & April at TCM’s Movie Morlocks
June & July at the Movie Morlocks
I haven't been online much the last few months for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I've been having some medical problems with my left eye and spending lots of time on my computer reading, watching vids and writing can often be problematic. My eyes get easily irritated and I'm prone to headaches, etc. … Continue reading June & July at the Movie Morlocks
April & May at The Movie Morlocks
Highlights from my April & May contributions to TCM’s Movie Morlocks. You can read all the articles by following the links below: - Happy Birthday Doris! Excerpt: "The legacy of this vivacious movie star, popular vocalist, television personality and animal rights advocate is truly unparalleled. And knowing Doris Day’s is still here with us doing … Continue reading April & May at The Movie Morlocks
Giallo Notte
My newest Halloween music mix at 8tracks is called "Giallo Notte" and it contains 14 great music tracks from some of my favorite giallo films such as Dario Argento's Deep Red (1975), Aldo Lado's Short Night Of Glass Dolls (1971), Sergio Martino's The Strange Vice Of Mrs. Wardh (1971) and Emilio Miraglia's The Red Queen … Continue reading Giallo Notte
ZEN on PBS
Actress Catherine Spaak in 1966 I rarely write about modern films or new television shows but if you happen to follow me on Twitter or Facebook you've probably noticed that I occasionally mention movies and TV shows that don't warrant a full post on Cinebeats. My latest obsession is the BBC import currently playing on … Continue reading ZEN on PBS
Jodorowsky at Severin
Severin has recently released my favorite Alejandro Jodorowsky film on DVD, the magnificent Santa Sangre (1989). Santa Sangre has been one of my favorite films since I originally saw it on video back in 1990. It had an extremely limited theatrical run and hasn't been available on DVD in the US until now. Severin did … Continue reading Jodorowsky at Severin
Ennio Morricone’s My Dear Killer OST
George Hilton in My Dear Killer aka Mio Caro Assassino (1972) This month Digitmovies is scheduled to release Ennio Morricone's incredible score for the excellent giallo thriller My Dear Killer aka Mio Caro Assassino (1972). This will be the 9th volume from Italy's Digitmovies devoted to the original soundtrack recordings of Ennio Morricone and if … Continue reading Ennio Morricone’s My Dear Killer OST
March Madness
Over at The Destructible Man blog an impromptu blogathon has started simply called Destructible Blog-a-thon.1. The gory details: We want everybody to bundle up, dig deep into the recesses of their consciousness, fiddle about a bit and then go over to your laptops by the fireplace and post about the cinematic ANIMAL dummy death that … Continue reading March Madness
The Devil with Seven Faces (1971)
Top: Carroll Baker has just seen the final cut of The Devil with Seven Faces (1971) Bottom: Even a cheap gorilla mask couldn't make the movie any better. Normally I neglect to write anything about movies I dislike. I never have enough time to write about all the films I like so why waste my … Continue reading The Devil with Seven Faces (1971)
My Top 20 Favorite Films of 1968
At the Britannica blog Raymond Benson has finished listing off his Top 10 Favorite Films of 1968 so if you're interested in the final results stop by and give them a look. I've mentioned on numerous occasions how much I dislike making lists of favorite films myself since they're limited by what I've seen and … Continue reading My Top 20 Favorite Films of 1968
