THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT (1970)

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 25, 2011

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

Bruce Davison & Bud Cort in THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT (1970)

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday. I’ve been wrestling with a lot of personal stuff lately and some big changes are coming to this blog soon. But I just wanted to share a quick update about my latest piece for The Movie Morlocks titled, ‘Politics, Protest & Progress in THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT.’ It’s a detailed look at Stuart Hagmann’s neglected first film, which should interest some politically-minded readers. Here’s a brief sample from my post:

“Stuart Hagmann’s THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT (1970) is often dismissed today as a dated relic of the early ‘70s. During its initial release it was singled out for being exploitive and failing to be a straightforward adaptation of the book it was based on. Many critics claimed that Stuart Hagmann’s direction was erratic and too creative for its own good, which supposedly diminished the film’s political message. When I recently set aside some time to watch THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT I prepared myself for the worst. I expected to see a confusing, opportunistic, dated and laughable Hollywood film made to cash in on the political zeitgeist of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. But I came away from the movie with an entirely different opinion and immediately understood why it had been nominated for a Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1970 and walked away with a Jury Prize. Not only is THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT a much better film than I had anticipated but it’s particularly poignant considering the current political climate. Student protest, police brutality, free speech and social activism are still hot button issues today. Not a lot has changed in 40 years. We’re still fighting the same battles and wrestling with the same complex issues that have been plaguing the country for decades. Like other controversial films from the same period such as MEDIUM COOL (1969), ZABRISKI POINT (1970) and PUNISHMENT PARK (1971), THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT asked some important questions that still haven’t been answered.”

Lots more about this timely film at the Morlocks:
- Politics, Protest & Progress in THE STRAWBERRY STATEMENT @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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All Aboard the HORROR EXPRESS!

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 11, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Spanish Cinema, TCM

At the Movie Morlocks this week I took a sneak peek at Severin Films upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Package for HORROR EXPRESS (1972). This entertaining Spanish/British production directed by Eugino ‘Gene’ Martino is finally getting the red carpet treatment from Severin that it’s long deserved and if you’re a fan of the film you’re going to want to pick up this release. A brief outtake from my post:

“HORROR EXPRESS has often been described as an unusual mix of THE THING (1951) and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974). But it also contains a dash of QUATERMASS AND THE PITT (1967) and a touch of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD (1971) during its suspenseful final moments. The direction is somewhat static but the film manages to maintain a steady momentum throughout its 90-minute running time. In an interview with Spanish director Eugenio Martin included on the DVD he constantly refers to the film as an ”action” movie instead of using the word “horror” and I think that’s understandable. HORROR EXPRESS has plenty of horrific moments and it’s surprisingly gory for its time. But the film also features some effective action sequences including an explosive ending that’s particularly well-staged. Like many of Eugenio Martin’s westerns including BAD MAN’S RIVER (1971) and PANCHO VILLA (1972), the characters in HORROR EXPRESS also exchange some funny banter that lightens the mood without lessening any of the tension. This low budget fast-paced thriller is sure to gain many more fans thanks to Severin’s careful restoration. It’s a particularly modern horror film even though it takes place in a period setting and I think it’s aged well.”

You can read my full review if you follow this link:
- “All Aboard the HORROR EXPRESS!” @ TCM’s Movie Morlock’s

I’ve also created a an image gallery for HORROR EXPRESS at Flickr that you cam view here.

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Jacqueline Susann’s The Love Machine

by Kimberly Lindbergs | November 3, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, American Cinema, David Hemmings, Drama, John Phillip Law, Hammer Glamour, Movie Morlocks, TCM

I recently got the chance to review the Warner Archive DVD release of THE LOVE MACHINE (1971) based on Jacqueline “Valley of the Dolls” Susann’s book and naturally I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve mentioned the film at Cinebeats before during my farewell post to John Phillip Law, which was written after he passed away in 2008. I think it’s a great film so I went to bat for it at the Movie Morlocks this week. It’s not an easy movie to recommend. It’s been mocked by Mystery Science Theater 3000, bashed by an endless parade of critics over the years and celebrated as a kitsch classic worthy of cult camp status and not much else, but I think it’s got more to offer than unintentional laughs. Few films feature three leading men that I absolutely love (John Phillip Law, Robert Ryan AND David Hemmings!) as well as Hammer glamour girls, Mary and Madeleine Collinson (TWINS OF EVIL), Anitra Ford (INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS) and ’60s beauty icon Lynda Moran just to name a few of the lovely ladies in this film. THE LOVE MACHINE also contains lots of fabulous ’70s fashions, plus stylish decor by the likes of Burke and inspired by designer Eero Saarinen. Do I need to say anymore? If you’re a Cinebeats’ reader chances are you’re going to enjoy this film as much as I do. An excerpt from my post:

“Taken seriously, THE LOVE MACHINE could be seen as an interesting predecessor to NETWORK (1976), which depicted the drama unfolding in the boardrooms and backrooms of high-powered television networks. The film also smartly critiques our blind fascination with popular news personalities who often manipulate the public trust for their own gain. Like Mark Robson, who adapted VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, director Jack Haley Jr. was obviously inspired by filmmakers like John M. Stahl and Douglas Sirk who created shrewd and stylish melodramas in the 1940s and ‘50s such as MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION, LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN and ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. And although I wouldn’t categorize THE LOVE MACHINE as a “woman’s picture” it was based on a woman’s novel that appealed to a large female audience. As a period piece, THE LOVE MACHINE is an unusal time capsule. It’s of its time and yet totally outside it. But as pure entertainment I think it has lots of visual interest and an oddly involving (and at times convoluted) plot. However you decided to approach the film, I think it makes for some unforgettable viewing.”

You can find my full post about THE LOVE MACHINE at The Movie Morlocks:
- Jacqueline Susann’s The Love Machine @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

I also created a Flickr Gallery for THE LOVE MACHINE that you can view here.

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Do You Want to See Something Really Scary?

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 27, 2011

Categories | Horror, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Oliver Reed, Peter Lorre, Deborah Kerr, Terence Fisher, Roman Polanski, Jack Clayton, Peter Wyngarde, Curtis Harrington

I managed to catch a cold this week so I’ve been feeling under the weather but hopefully I’ll be back on my feet soon. In the meantime I wanted to direct you to my latest post at the Movie Morlocks.

All month long I’ve been writing about horror films but this week I decided to share some of the scariest moments from a few of my favorite fright filled movies. If you’re a regular Cinebeats’ reader you’ll recognize many of the films I mention in my latest post such as longtime favorites like The Innocents (Jack Clayton; 1961) , The Tenant (Roman Polanski; 1976), Blood on Satan’s Claw (Piers Haggard; 1970), Night Tide (Curtis Harrington; 1961) and Dracula Prince of Darkness (Terence Fisher; 1966) but a few others might be a surprise such as The Beast with Five Fingers, (Robert Florey; 1946), which was the first Peter Lorre film I saw on television when I just 9 or 10 years old. A couple of the films I mention will be shown on TCM during Halloween on Oct. 31st so you’ll have a chance to experience them for yourself if you have cable TV.

If you’re looking for a few atypical Halloween viewing suggestions or just want to know what kind of films chill me to the bone and get my heart racing then please make your way over to the Movie Morlocks.
- “Do You Want to See Something REALLY Scary?” @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Klaus Kinski in Nosferatu

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 20, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani, Movie Morlocks, TCM

I promised more Kinski and now I’m delivering…

Over at the Movie Morlocks you can find my recent post on Werner Herzog’s 1979 film NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE. It’s one of my favorite Herzog films and I think it contains one of Klaus Kinski’s most compelling performances. This modern reimagining of F. W. Murnau’s NOSFERATU (1922) is really more of a tribute than a remake but it’s a wonderful example of how a director can reinterpret an old film for a new audience. I don’t hate remakes. Some of my favorite films are remakes. But I do hate bad movies with big budgets and no imagination. And there’s way too many of them taking up valuable real estate at multiplexes across the country while an army of compliant critics champion their failings. With all that in mind I decided to write about Herzog’s film because when I’m asked about my favorite remakes NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE often comes to mind. Do I think it’s better than Murnau’s original? No. But I do think it’s just as good in its own unique way. A sample paragraph from my post:

“One of Herzog’s smartest directing choices was casting Klaus Kinski in the role of Dracula, which was a part previously played by Max Schreck. Klaus Kinski makes a formidable vampire and his dynamic working relationship with the director undoubtedly impacted his performance. Strangely enough, the role of Dracula in NOSFERATU also provided Kinski with one of his most sympathetic and humane roles. Although Kinski is obviously playing a hideous undead creature, he manages to give Dracula some genuine humanity and it’s one of the actor’s most fascinating and strangely touching performances. Instead of directly following in Max Schreck’s footsteps, Kinski seems to have been inspired by the tragic monsters found in classic Universal horror films such as FRANKENSTEIN (1931) and THE WOLF MAN (1941). In Klaus Kinski’s autobiography he articulated how much the physical aspect of playing a vampire had transformed him.

In Holland and Czechoslovakia and all the way to the Tatra Mountains on the Czech-Polish border. The departure point is Munich. Four weeks before shooting starts, I have to fly there for costuming. And this is where I shave my skull for the first time. I feel exposed, vulnerable, defenseless. Not just physically (my bare head becomes as hypersensitive as an open wound) but chiefly in my emotions and my nerves. I feel as if I have no scalp, as if my protective envelope has been removed and my soul can’t live without it. As if my soul has been flayed.

At first I go outdoors only when it’s dark. Besides, I wear a wool cap all the time even though it’s spring. You may think ‘So What? Some guys are bald.’ But the two have absolutely nothing to do with one another. What I mean is the simultaneous metamorphosis into a vampire. The nonhuman, nonanimal being. That undead thing. That unspeakable creature, which suffers in full awareness of its existence.” - Klaus Kinski from Kinski Uncut”

Want to read more? Please visit The Movie Molocks!
- Reimagining a Classic: Werner Herzog’s NOSFERATU @ TCM’s Classic Film Blog

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VOICES (1973) or The Other OTHERS

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 13, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, David Hemmings, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Gayle Hunnicutt

If there’s a couple that was more modtastic and appeared in more outstanding horror films & thrillers than the fabulous David Hemmings and the vastly underrated Gayle Hunnicutt, I don’t know who they are. Hemmings and Hunnicutt were married between 1968 and 1975. During that brief period of time they made FRAGMENT OF FEAR (1970) and VOICES (1973) together (as well as THE LOVE MACHINE, which I’ll be writing about soon). They also individually starred in such noteworthy films as EYE OF THE CAT (1969), UNMAN, WITTERING AND ZIGO (1971), NUITS ROUGE (1974), THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1974) and DEEP RED (1975).

David Hemmings & Gayle Hunnicutt (1967)
Note: Gayle’s holding David’s LP!

Speaking of Hemmings & Hunnicutt, I’m taking a lengthy look at the spooky supernatural thriller VOICES (1973) at the Movie Morlocks this week, which features the real-life couple as a husband and wife haunted by ghosts and plagued by their own personal demons. I recently watched VOICES for the first time and was very impressed with this vastly underrated - and undeniably influential - little horror film. I was also surprised by the lack of available information about VOICES. I scanned my personal library and did extensive research online but solid facts and important figures were incredibly hard to come by. I decided to try and remedy the situation by writing a dissertation piece about the film for the Morlocks, which hopefully shines some much needed light on the movie and encourages more horror enthusiasts to seek it out. Unfortunately it’s currently only available on VHS legally but bootleg DVDs are floating around online. You can also watch VOICES on Youtube, which is where I saw it. Here’s a brief excerpt from my post:

“VOICES is based on the work of accomplished horror author, Richard Lortz (Lovers Living Lovers Dead, Bereavements, Dracula’s Children, etc.) and it explores the life of a young couple (David Hemmings & Gayle Hunnicutt) whose idyllic existence is turned upside down when their young son accidentally drowns. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that the mother, Claire Williams, was deeply traumatized by the loss of her child and after numerous suicide attempts she was finally hospitalized. Her husband Robert has been trying to cope with the stress as well as but it’s apparent that the situation has become increasingly difficult for them both. After Claire is released from the hospital the couple plans a trip to the country where they can relax in a large manor house that was left to Claire by her recently deceased aunt. It seems like the perfect setting for the couple to rekindle their romance but things begin to disintegrate quickly after their trip becomes hindered by the foggy weather, which makes finding the house almost impossible. The situation reaches a breaking points after Claire begins hearing strange unidentifiable voices in the house. Eventually the voices take shape and Claire comes face to face with the ghostly figure of a young girl playing with a toy ball who doesn’t seem aware of the couple’s presence. But she isn’t the only ghost haunting the old house and before the film is over both Claire and her husband Robert will experience a series of unexplained supernatural events that leave them questioning their sanity as well as their very existence.”

For more (much more!) please continue reading at The Movie Morlocks:
- “The Voices of Terror – Twisting Two Minds!” @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Classic Horror on TCM

by Kimberly Lindbergs | October 3, 2011

Categories | News, TCM

Just a quick news announcement for my fellow horror film fanatics…

TCM will be showcasing classic horror films every Monday night throughout the month of October along with an all-new multi-part special featuring author Stephen King. And you can expect to see non-stop horror films airing on on TCM between October 28-31st! On tonight’s schedule: Frankenstein (1931), Freaks (1932), Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1932), Mark Of The Vampire (1935), The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari (1919), Nosferatu (1922) and Phantom of the Opera (1925). For more information about TCM’s October programming just follow the link:

- Classic Horror on TCM in October

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Cinema Retro #21

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 29, 2011

Categories | News, Cinema Retro, Malcolm McDowell, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Ken Russell, Stanley Kubrick

The new issue of Cinema Retro arrived in my mail box this week, which prompted me to write a little something about the magazine for The Movie Morlocks. From my post:

“The latest issue of Cinema Retro (Vol. 7: Issue #21) features an in-depth look at A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1970) from author Raymond Benson, which includes interviews with the film’s star, Malcolm McDowell and Stanley Kubrick’s producer & brother-in-law, Jan Harlan. McDowell is always engaging in his interviews and Harlan offers up some surprising insights and speculations on the possibility of unreleased Kubrick material finally seeing the light of day. John Exshaw provides the magazine with a lengthy look at another one of my favorite films, Ken Russell’s highly controversial THE DEVILS (1971), which begins from the perspective of British film censors and Stephanie Callas casts a distinctively female eye on Bernardo Bertolucci’s X-rated erotic classic LAST TANGO IN PARIS (1972). Other movies covered in this issue include Don Siegel’s excellent crime thriller THE KILLERS (1964) and Guy Hamilton’s notorious British beatnik drama THE PARTY’S OVER (1965). And special attention is given to John Carpenter’s autumn holiday classic, HALLOWEEN (1978).”

You can read my entire piece if you follow the link below.
- Exploring the past with Cinema Retro @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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Something Is Always Left Behind

by Kimberly Lindbergs | September 22, 2011

Categories | Movie Reviews, Horror, British Cinema, Alfred Hitchcock, Movie Morlocks, TCM, Dennis Price

Images from A Place of One’s Own (1945)

Summer officially makes way for autumn this week and in celebration of my favorite season I decided to write about the classic supernatural thriller A PLACE OF ONE’S OWN (1945) at the Movie Morlocks. This unusual British film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock’s cinematographer Bernard Knowles and features an exceptional performance from Margaret Lockwood as a young woman haunted by ghosts. It also features one of my favorite horror film regulars, a very young & handsome Dennis Price (THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING; 1964, VENUS IN FURS; 1969, THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN; 1970, TWINS OF EVIL; 1971, VAMPYROS LESBOS; 1971, THE EROTIC RITES OF FRANKENSTEIN; 1972 and THEATER OF BLOOD; 1973), in his first thriller as well as James Mason. You can read more about A PLACE OF ONE’S OWN if you follow the link below.

- Something Is Always Left Behind @ TCM’s Classic Movie Blog

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