Masahiro Shinoda’s Pale Flower (1964)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | June 10, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Japanese Cinema, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Masahiro Shinoda

I find it incredibly hard to write about my favorite films, directors and actors. When I really love a film as much as I love Masahiro Shinoda’s Pale Flower (1964), I tend to gush or the words just stumble around in my head and refuse to form into coherent sentences. I’ve been eager to write about Pale Flower for years but nothing came of my enthusiasm until this week when I managed to compile some of my thoughts about Pale Flower for the Movie Morlocks. Criterion recently released Pale Flower on DVD (Full disclosure - I haven’t seen the new Criterion disc but I own the original DVD from Image Entertainment) so it prompted me to watch the film again and it is an incredible piece of filmmaking that never fails to impress me. I first mentioned Shinoda’s film here back in 2007 when I was asked to compile a list of some of my favorite foreign language films. I only wrote a small blurb about Pale Flower then so I’m glad that I was finally able to share some more detailed thoughts about the film. Here’s a brief excerpt:

“Masahiro Shinoda’s PALE FLOWER (1964) opens with this telling monologue recited by the handsome Japanese actor Ryo Ikebe. In the film Ikebe plays an aging Yakuza mobster called Muraki who has just been released from prison after serving a three-year sentence for killing another gang member. Instead of being overjoyed by his newfound freedom, Muraki expresses his despair as well as the disappointment that many of his fellow countrymen were feeling at the same time. Post-war Japan was in constant upheaval and the country was undergoing major changes under American occupation. There was a lot of confusion, anger and resentment towards the powers that be at home and abroad. People’s uneasiness and aggravation often found an outlet in many of the Japanese films made during the 1960s. Although the Japanese New Wave isn’t as familiar to western audiences as its French counterpart, PALE FLOWER is one of the finest examples of this extraordinary period in Japan’s cinematic history.”

You can read the rest of my piece on Pale Flower by following the link below.

- Plucking the Petals of Masahiro Shinoda’s Pale Flower @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Remember My Name (1976) & TCM News

by Kimberly Lindbergs | June 2, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, News, Horror, Japanese Cinema, American Cinema, Science Fiction, Anthony Perkins, Thrillers, Movie Morlocks, TCM

Anthony Perkins & Geraldine Chaplin in Remember My Name (1976)

I’ve been really busy lately so please excuse the lack of updates around here. Lately it seems like I only have enough free time to share my Movie Morlock updates and today is no exception. I recently got the opportunity to watch Alan Rudolph’s unusual thriller Remember My Name (1976). I was originally interested in seeing the film because one of its stars was the one and only Anthony Perkins but I was surprised by how terrific the movie was. Follow the link to read my thoughts about this intriguing neo-noir:
- Remember My Name …or else. @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

I also wanted to let my readers know that during the month of June TCM is hosting a bunch of Drive-In Double Features every Thursday night! If I had my way TCM would make these Drive-In Double Features a regular part of their programming schedule but at least me and my fellow monster lovers will be able to enjoy some great movies this month. TCM put together a terrific promo video for this event that I just couldn’t resist sharing. June is going to be a fun month!

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Seth Holt’s DANGER ROUTE (1967)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | May 19, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Actors, British Cinema, Spies & Secret Agents, Amicus Productions, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Richard Johnson, Carol Lynley, Seth Holt

Top: Richard Johnson and Carol Lynley
Bottom: Barbara Bouchet and Diana Dors

After hearing the news about John Walker’s death recently I started thinking a lot about ’60s spy films and I got the urge to watch Deadlier Than the Male (1967) again. Afterward I started obsessing over the male lead, Richard Johnson.

I’ve always liked Richard Johnson but I often forget about how many terrific movies he’s appeared in. It’s easy to take him for granted. After turning down the role of James Bond, Johnson was never offered the kind of career defining roles that could have made him a bigger star like Sean Connery. But while I was looking over his filmography I was reminded of what a fascinating career Johnson’s had. He appeared in a lot of great films besides Deadlier Than the Male and its sequel, Some Girls Do (1969) including The Haunting (1963), The Pumpkin Eater (1964), Operation Crossbow (1965), La strega in amore (1966), The Night Child (1975), Hennessy (1975), The Comeback (1978) and Zombie (1979) just to name a few. In some ways Richard Johnson’s filmography is richer and more interesting than Sean Connery’s.

Over at the Movie Morlocks I decided to share some thoughts about Johnson and his starring role in Seth Holt’s Danger Route (1967), which is currently streaming at Netflix. It’s a thoughtful low-budget spy film produced by Amicus with a terrific cast that includes Carol Lynley, Diana Dors and Barbara Bouchet. Please follow the link to read more about Danger Route.
- He Is A Weapon: Danger Route (1967) @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Blake Edwards and THE PARTY (1968)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | April 27, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Directors, American Cinema, Comedies, 1968, Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers and Claudine Longet in The Party (1968)

I recently wrote a piece about The Party (1968) for the newest issue of Screening the Past that you can read online. Issue #30 of Screening the Past is a tribute to the late director Blake Edwards and The Party is my favorite Edwards’ film. I really enjoyed delving into the movie again and discussing the ways in which Edwards’ film dealt with identity and the cultural climate of the the late 1960s. I admire the way that Edwards used The Party to take a swipe at old Hollywood, which is so often celebrated as “The Golden Age of Cinema” while its worst aspects like the subtle but abundant racism, sexism and religious intolerance is too often swept under the rug although not a lot has changed really. I love old movies but I have no problem discussing their faults and The Party is a great example of why I like to refer to the ’60s and the ’70s as “The Platinum Age of Cinema.” The following link will take you to my piece on The Party:
- The Party @ Screening the Past

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What Ever Happened to Jennifer?

by Kimberly Lindbergs | April 15, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, American Cinema, Thrillers, Movie Morlocks, TCM

Ida Lupino in Jennifer (1953)

In my latest post at the Movie Morlocks I take a look at an unusual and little known thriller called Jennifer (1953), which features a great performance from Ida Lupino and some breathtaking black & white cinematography from James Wong Howe. If you enjoy unconventional noir films or low-key horror movies that rely on mood over visceral scares, you might find Jennifer as intriguing as I did. Follow the link to read more.
- What Ever Happened to Jennifer? @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Comic Book of the Week: Angelique (1978)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | March 22, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, French Cinema, Comic Books, Michele Mercier

Toshie Kihara’s Angelique series was originally published in 1978 by Princess Comics. Angelique is a Japanese manga (comic book) based on the historical novels by Anne and Serge Golon published between 1957 and 1976. These historic novels focus on the romantic adventures of Angelique de Sancé de Monteloup as she braves misfortune and tragedy in 17th century France. The novels were also turned into a series of films in the ’60s starring the lovely Michele Mercier who appeared in some great Italian horror films including Mario Bava’s Black Sabbath (1963) and Antonio Margheriti’s Web of the Spider (1971).

Toshie Kihara is one of my favorite manga artists and Angelique is one of her most popular creations. Kihara took great liberties with Golon’s original novels but her work is exceptional. Her page layouts, bold lines and dramatic framing really bring Golon’s action packed drama to life. I actually prefer early Japanese manga to American comics because the work of my favorite mangakas (comic artists) is so stylized and cinematic. Manga appeals to me for a variety of reasons including the mature nature of the storylines, which were often light years ahead of their American counterparts. Angelique features lots of murder and mayhem as well as witchcraft and romance between straight and gay characters. This talented artist and writer doesn’t shy away from anything and I appreciate her fearless creativity.

Unfortunately none of Toshie Kihara’s manga have been published in English. English speaking readers have had to rely on fan translations of her work, which aren’t easy to come by and the quality can be questionable. Kihara recently celebrated her 63 birthday and many of her manga stories are considered classics but her work is relatively unknown outside of Japan. I thought I’d share some pages from Angelique because if you’ve read the original novels or seen the films you can enjoy Kihara’s manga without a translation. Just remember that unlike American comics, you have to read the pages from right to left. Following the manga pages is a poster and clip from the first Angelique (1964) film featuring Michele Mercier.

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An Irish Ghost Story

by Kimberly Lindbergs | March 17, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Orson Welles

I’m celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at the Movie Morlocks by posting a little something called Orson Welles’ Irish Ghost Story about a short film that Welles appeared in and undoubtedly had a hand in making titled Return to Glennascaul (1953) aka Orson Welles’ Ghost Story. This spooky 23 minute movie has some genuinely eerie moments that should impress classic horror fans. It’s also set in Dublin so if you’re looking fro something to watch while you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day you might want to give it look. Along with my article about the film I’ve shared links to where you can watch it online.
- Orson Welles’ Irish Ghost Story @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | March 3, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, British Cinema, David Hemmings, Thrillers, Gay Interest, Movie Morlocks, TCM

It’s a rare occurrence when I come across a movie I’ve never heard of before or seen. Such is the case with John Mackenzie’s Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971). I sought the movie out because the title was intriguing and it caught my attention when I was scanning David Hemmings’ filmography on IMBD. After hunting around a bit I discovered that the film was available to watch at Amazon so I purchased it for a number of reasons. First of all, I love Hemmings and enjoy watching him in just about anything. I also love British cinema and I’m especially fond of horror films, mysteries and thrillers. Unman, Wittering and Zigo isn’t a typical horror film and I hesitate to call it one since it relies on mystery more than outright fear to unnerve its audience but debating genre labels is tiresome. You can call Unman, Wittering and Zigo whatever you want and I’ll just call it a damn good movie that genuinely surprised me. You can read my take on this unusual British film at The Movie Morlocks blog.
- Authority Is the Child of Obedience @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Vincente Minnelli’s Metaphysical Musical

by Kimberly Lindbergs | February 24, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, American Cinema, Musicals, Costume Design, Romance, Movie Morlocks, TCM

Barbra Streisand in On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)

Last week I had planned on writing about some romantic films in honor of Valentine’s Day but I never got around to it. I’m still fighting off that cold bug but this week I decided to share some thoughts about one of my favorite romantic movies, Vincente Minnelli’s metaphysical musical On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970). This lush production has gotten a lot of negative press over the years and I’ve never understood why. I think it’s one of Minnelli’s best films and it features Barbra Streisand at her loveliest. It also contains some of the most beautiful costume designs ever created. Few films can boast the talents of Cecil Beaton and even fewer films feature the work of acclaimed fashion designer Arnold Scaasi but On A Clear Day You Can See Forever provided both men with an incredible canvas to showcase their artistry.

Unfortunately audiences have never had the opportunity to see Minnelli’s original film. An entire 60 minutes of On A Clear Day You Can See Forever ended up on the cutting room floor before it was released. My thoughts on the film as well as my plea to see it restored can be found at The Movie Morlocks.
- Vincente Minnelli’s Metaphysical Musical @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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