tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post1773390911109889221..comments2024-03-24T13:26:57.317-07:00Comments on Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule: SINISTER SHADOWS OF LIGHT AND PRINT: Goose-pimply Halloween Reads and The Horrors of L.A. Repertory CinemaDennis Cozzaliohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-63492015311917959552009-10-24T13:13:02.894-07:002009-10-24T13:13:02.894-07:00Wow, epic post - probably will have to come back t...Wow, epic post - probably will have to come back to digest all the links and everything! I was at the screening of Haxan at the Silent Movie Theater last week, along with a friend who a) doesn't like horror movies and b) had never seen a silent film before. She loved it - even messaged me the next day to tell me she still couldn't get it out of her head! Good thing - I hadn't seen it before either, so I didn't know quite what to expect.<br /><br />re: the inappropriate trailer story - Cinefamily kinda did that at the Cartoon Spooktacular a few weeks ago, too. They showed a trailer for one of the Coffin Joe films, which was pretty not appropriate for the families who had brought kids to see the cartoons. Don't think anyone left, though. I think it's easy for rep cinemas to forget that their audience doesn't necessarily consist only of adult cinephiles.<br /><br />Next year I'll have to go more out of my way to get to some of the New Bev offerings. I stuck close with Cinefamily this year because of fundage (I pay for their monthly membership, but couldn't afford this month to do too much outside of that). I've seen most of the Technicolor Terror series there, though, and really looking forward to the Hammer horror tonight! I've never actually seen any Hammer films, so it's going to be awesome.Jandy Stonehttp://www.rowthree.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-9164912835808981292009-10-23T15:49:47.858-07:002009-10-23T15:49:47.858-07:00Scott, thanks for writing! I completely agree that...Scott, thanks for writing! I completely agree that for a family oriented show the trailer reel should have ben composed with that audience more in mind. Any of the features over the coming week, with maybe the exception of <i>Theater of Blood</i> or any of the other Italian horror tidbits screening alongside <i>Night of the Demon</i> on Halloween night, would have been okay to advertise before Abbott & Costello. And if I had been you with another family's kids tagging along, I would have been in the lobby with you. I certainly wasn't funning on you for having left-- you just inadvertantly provided the extra juice for the anecdote!<br /><br />My own kids aren't allowed to see anything even close to <i>Night of the Demons</i> (nor do they want to), but whenever we do run into stuff in situations like this I usually encourage them to close their eyes and/or ears if it gets too scary, and if they were to ask to leave we'd be out of there in a second. My own wife was none too happy to hear about the "oops" trailer, but all-in-all we both felt it wasn't anything to get to hyped up about. (Now, if the trailer had been for <i>The Autobiography of a Flea</i>...!)<br /><br />And your <i>Dexter</i> credit does you proud, Scott. I'm a huge fan of the show and couldn't be happier to count you among the readership here. I'm still, after five years, getting used to the idea that there are people who read this blog... :)!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-64090036687264406212009-10-23T12:39:56.429-07:002009-10-23T12:39:56.429-07:00re: I have a feeling that the dad who hauled his k...re: I have a feeling that the dad who hauled his kids up to the lobby may have read Michael the riot act, or at least made his displeasure and level of uncomfortableness clearly apparent. But really, was it such a big deal? No, not really. It’s the age-old choice of protective parents everywhere to get upset over their kids glimpsing a two-second shot of someone’s plasticized tits while thinking nothing of sitting through a gory trailer for a silly, gory thriller where dismembered arms and snarling, mutilated agents of Satan spewing black goo is the moment’s real emphasis. In the immortal words of Carrie White, “They’re not dirty pillows, Momma, they’re breasts, and every girl has them… and I don’t wanna talk about it anymore!”<br /><br />I'm the Dad that ran out. It wasn't so much the boobage - but as a big-time fan of horror flicks - especially trailers, I was worried that usually it starts with a little boobs, then someone gets split open and a scary demon something appears. I knew it was gonna get worse. Plus I brought my neighbor's kids -- and the last thing I needed was the kids telling their parents about the naked girl they saw. Ugh. <br /><br />I did express my displeasure to Michael - he was caught by surprise too. My problem is that it was advertised for families in twitter -- that shouldn't've been there. And my wife was the real angry one. <br /><br />I'm no prude. I write for the show Dexter, so I'm a card carrying monster creature horrorshow aficiano. <br /><br />Love the blog though. My wife will laugh that we made it to the SLATIFR. <br />scottScott Reynoldsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-6824390835028765892009-10-22T14:32:57.755-07:002009-10-22T14:32:57.755-07:00Kevin, that's not a small correction, that'...Kevin, that's not a small correction, that's a BIG one! I have always gotten those two Freddies confused in my head, and here confusion reigns! You are absolutely right, and I will correct that right now. Thanks!<br /><br />And, yeah, that poster is really great. I just had too post it!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-29931927791560908882009-10-22T14:30:01.842-07:002009-10-22T14:30:01.842-07:00One small correction. Freddie Francis did not perf...One small correction. Freddie Francis did not perform cinematography duties on "Lawrence of Arabia". That was Freddie Young. Freddie Francis, however, is responsible for the haunting black and white photography for Jack Clayton's "The Innocents." Talk about a scary movie. A gripping experience from beginning to end. <br /><br />That "Curse of the Undead" poster is absolutely stunning.Kevin Deanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07697597405552599370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-72324213251782981572009-10-21T22:50:47.558-07:002009-10-21T22:50:47.558-07:00To me it's a month for lying down and avoiding...To me it's a month for lying down and avoiding. It's fine with me if you like it but me I just find it distasteful. To the extent I have a taste for horror it's in the written or spoken word, and at that it's not more than immediately before and after October 31st. I went to see District 9 when it first came out and they must have had the idea that the District 9 audience was likely to be congruent with the horror audience, because they had the trailers for every goddamned slasher picture coming down the pipeline, and since it was an AMC they had about seven of them. I don't even like looking at the trailers of the damned things, though they did actually get me to see Zombieland, which is fun but not as much fun as the trailer would lead you to believe. It's half-baked but the baked part is pretty good. I would say it's a movie with the potential of having a better sequel. Actually they've been getting me into the movie theater more often than usual this year, but so far they've been intriguing concepts that don't live up to their potential -- District 9, The Invention of Lying, Ponyo, Z-land. Up had me whelmed if not underwhelmed, but mostly pissed off that nobody made a toy out of the dirigible. Ponyo is about as enchanting as anything Miyazaki has made at the beginning but like Howl's Moving Castle as it wears on its narrative force melts away like gelatin on a hot day. The problem is I think that he's once again returned to the environmental theme, and he understands that mankind is not going to have a change of heart and adopt a worldwide austerity program for the sake of the natural world, so if he makes a movie where people have a change of heart he's only feeding complacency, and you can't make a downer movie for children. Better than average English language voice cast though -- Liam Neeson has almost a Sterling Holloway tinge to his performance as the wizard.<br /><br />Once the bodies are buried, The Red Shoes is going to have another two day run at the Billy Wilder Theater, by the way.Robert Fiorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06357467040644448167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-79031207290676338282009-10-21T20:53:06.757-07:002009-10-21T20:53:06.757-07:00Dennis thanks so much for the generous praise. Re...Dennis thanks so much for the generous praise. Really, I don't know what to say; Bill doesn't deserve it. <br /><br />And thanks for using my Peter Cushing pic. I know it's mine because I couldn't find get a shot from the film I really wanted and to me the best one was right after he leaves the maid, only I didn't want her in the pic too so I erased her and drew the door back in. However, crafty like I am I purposely dismantled the diamond designs on the door so whenever I saw this still again I would know it was the one I constructed and photoshopped. And there it is, a still from the film that doesn't even exist in the film. <br /><br />And by the way, since I'm so influential with you and Bill may I say both of you should buy the most expensive collector's edition ever of Roberto Benigni's <b>Pinnochio</b>. Trust me. You'll love it.Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05730146625671701859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-42820163729078934702009-10-21T20:49:31.701-07:002009-10-21T20:49:31.701-07:00This was a very rich and wonderful Halloween post,...This was a very rich and wonderful Halloween post, Dennis. And my thanks for alerting me to the Alex Theater showing the great <i>The Haunting</i> by the equally great Robert Wise. That one is going to be well worth the drive to Glendale.le0pard13https://www.blogger.com/profile/09421175808461787862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-48169944216066156542009-10-21T19:40:59.026-07:002009-10-21T19:40:59.026-07:00Kevin: I've been so busy this week that I have...Kevin: I've been so busy this week that I haven't had a chance to check in on the blog-a-thon yet, but I will over the weekend, when I will hopefully have my contribution ready! I sense a lot of enthusiasm for it coursing through the Internets.<br /><br />Hi, Ray! So nice of you to stop by! I was so annoyed at not being able to make it to the <i>Nashville</i> screening at the New Beverly last week-- I reread your article (as I said on Facebook, probably the best piece I've ever read on my favorite movie) in preparation for seeing it, but I just couldn't get away. I hope you'll pop up around here more often-- I could always talk about another Edwige Fenech movie!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-37052406014520549242009-10-21T16:31:00.377-07:002009-10-21T16:31:00.377-07:00Wow, talk about a rich blog posting. Many thanks f...Wow, talk about a rich blog posting. Many thanks for all that. And let me join you in your enthusiasm for "The Case of the Bloody Iris." Excellent visuals, and a terrific showcase for the divine Edwige.Ray Sawhillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02434181069400646328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-53099219301309652102009-10-21T10:03:12.411-07:002009-10-21T10:03:12.411-07:00Thanks so much for the plug, Dennis. I can't ...Thanks so much for the plug, Dennis. I can't wait to read your thoughts on Fulci's film. And that <i>Demons</i> double feature sounds awesome...too bad I don't live near that theater. <i>Demons 2</i> may be the best one because it has Bobby Rhodes as the funniest personal trainer I've ever seen in a movie. That man was a legend in Italian exploitation cinema.<br /><br />Thanks again...you're too kind!Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-22576763786114309642009-10-21T08:50:36.289-07:002009-10-21T08:50:36.289-07:00I think so, but I can't be sure. The feature l...I think so, but I can't be sure. The feature length doc I'm referring to is called "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth." I watched just the beginning of the film the other day-- of course it looks better than I've ever seen it before (Blu-ray is pretty amazing, I must say). And I'm always amused that, according to historians Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel in the portentous opening narration (read by John Larroquette!), the terrifying events depicted in the movie took place on my 13th birthday, August 18, 1973. What was happening on <i>your</i> 13th birthday? :)Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-10663372792897726772009-10-21T08:26:35.096-07:002009-10-21T08:26:35.096-07:00Are those the same TCM documentaries you can find ...Are those the same TCM documentaries you can find on the most recent deluxe standard DVD? I still haven't taken the Blu-Ray leap. Nor have I seen PLAGUE TOWN yet...bill r.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17748572205731857892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-49958845947703769782009-10-21T07:50:04.993-07:002009-10-21T07:50:04.993-07:00I just bought the Blu-rays of Plague Town and The ...I just bought the Blu-rays of <i>Plague Town</i> and <i>The Texas Chainsaw Massacre</i>, which definitely do NOT count as bad horror films. I made the buy because they were incredibly inexpensive on Amazon right now and I still had a birthday gift certificate to burn up, but also because the movies are very good-to-classic and the added value documentaries and commentaries are superb. In fact, the man who directed <i>Plague Town</i> created the feature-length doc on <i>Chainsaw</i> which is exhaustive, irreverent and fascinating. Highly recommended!<br /><br />Oh, and I know what you mean about those regrets too!Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-89813411657525080872009-10-21T07:34:18.789-07:002009-10-21T07:34:18.789-07:00Well, thank you very much, anyway. There may be a...Well, thank you very much, anyway. There may be a commitment to the project on my part, but there is also a great deal of regret that I have that commitment, so it balances out.<br /><br />Regarding CHRISTINE, that does count -- I bought that movie recently, too, based on what Greg said about it. The reason I bought FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (apart from Salma, which did factor it) was really the extras...the Tarantino/Rodrigues commentary, and the full-length documentary on the making of the film...I just eat that stuff up, good movie or not.bill r.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17748572205731857892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-81418988594849349242009-10-21T06:58:08.968-07:002009-10-21T06:58:08.968-07:00Nah, I just admire the ambition with which you two...Nah, I just admire the ambition with which you two have come at your blogs, especially the October sessions. There's a real commitment there, to the concept and the quality of the writing and thinking, that is above and beyond, and I just wanted to share it in case there were others who hadn't yet heard the good word. And I will definitely get after John Collier. He definitely sounds like my cup of Bigelow green tea. (Inside joke for Dodger fans.) I have to finish <i>Flicker</i> first, though...<br /><br />And by the away, I bought a DVD of a horror movie I don't particularly like just yesterday. My local supermarket had a brand-new copy of <i>Christine</i>, with audio commentary by Carpenter and Keith Gordon. I bought it because Greg got me interested in seeing it again... but the real reason was because there was a coupon inside worth $7.50 toward an admission to <i>Zombieland</i> (just over half what it costs to see it here)! So, capricious yet practical. Does that count?Dennis Cozzaliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954848938471883431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8795280.post-68318030512125388342009-10-21T06:37:40.180-07:002009-10-21T06:37:40.180-07:00You must be the most generous blogger out there, D...You must be the most generous blogger out there, Dennis. Thanks so much for the kind words. And everybody should read John Collier! If enough people do, maybe some of his old books will come back in print!bill r.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17748572205731857892noreply@blogger.com