Le notti del terrore (1981)

 

Ana y los lobos (1973)

 

A British governess comes to an isolated house to take care of the children of a convoluted family.

Another allegorical and surrealist tale typical of its director serves as a biting criticism of Franco-ruled Spain, at times irritating and disturbing and in the end devastating.

 

 

Psycho (1960)

 

Le cheval d'orgueil (1980)

 

In early twentieth-century Brittany, two peasants marry, have a son, and live in traditional Breton ways: three generations under one roof, a division of labor between the sexes, elders' stories at night, politics and religion during their little free time.

From memory: Unusual Chabrol movie is a period drama depicting (and celebrating) a simple, rural milieu, beautifully set and photographed, all well-intended, but somehow misses the point it wants to make.

Halliwell*: "Lovingly observed and glossy exercise in nostalgia, ravishing to look at, but somewhat stilted." 

Natalie Portman

New acquisition: Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)

 

Pauline Kael

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Kael

Gespenster (2005)

 

Francoise sees Nina, an orphan with mental problems, and thinks she is her kidnapped daughter.

Peculiar psychological drama portrays two girls and a woman who, due to different circumstances, have become estranged and isolated from society (or even the real world) - hence 'ghosts' - but encounter each other; intelligently made, but elliptical in its narrative, there's an overall otherworldly atmosphere throughout the film. 

Loni Anderson

 

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loni_Anderson

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)

 

Juliet Forrest is convinced that the reported death of her father in a mountain car crash was no accident. Her father was a prominent cheese scientist working on a secret recipe. To prove it was murder, she enlists the services of private eye Rigby Reardon.

Both parody and homage to classic film noir cinema this movie doesn't have much of a sensible plot and lots of the jokes are quite silly, but it's lots of fun to see all those wonderful clips from old classic movies (and the stars of the time).

Halliwell*: "Ingenious but overstretched prank in which the hero apparently (by intercutting) gets involved with famous crime stars of the forties...The basic script is simply not funny enough to support the superstructure, though the selection of lines from the oldies is often ingenious."

Maltin**: "A one-joke movie...Fun at first, but with no story and cardboard characters, it wears thin fast; film buffs will enjoy it more than the average viewer." 

 

The Birth of a Flower (1910)

 

Old Joy (2006)

 

Two old pals reunite for a camping trip in Oregon's Cascade Mountains.

Solemn, almost meditative road movie follows intimately the wanderings and semi-improvised conversations of two buddies,as if accidentally creating a study of true friendship.

Maltin***: "Subtle, graceful mood piece about friendship and the way our environment affects who we are and how we live."

 

Dorothy Stone

 

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Stone_(actress)

Tag der Idioten (1981)

 

In a clinic for the insane, the medical staff performs acts of sadomasochism on the patients.

From memory: A very stylized and theatrical approach to dementia is more interested in displaying its topic than actually giving any in-depth analysis; very artificial and artsy and a bit off-putting.

 

 

Irina Baronova

 

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irina_Baronova

Subway Riders (1981)

 

A psychotic saxophone player (played both by Amos Poe and John Lurie) lures victims to deserted spots with his music and then guns them down.

From memory: This experimental neo-noir thriller is more interested in style and atmosphere than in its narrative, but it does fascinatingly capture the mood and feeling of urban life.

 

 

Jeanne Moreau

 

Jeanne Moreau as Le Sphinx in a 1954 adaptation of La Machine infernale by Jean Cocteau ph. Therese Le Prat

Chariots of Fire (1981)

 

Two British track athletes, one a determined Jew and the other a devout Christian, are driven to win in the 1924 Olympics as they wrestle with issues of pride and conscience.

From memory: Grand-scale historical drama based on true events is excellently directed with great period detail, a good cast and an inspiring tale, but does not spare us some pathos and patriotism.

Halliwell***: "A film of subtle qualities, rather like those of a BBC classic serial. Probably not quite worth the adulation it received, but full of pleasant romantic touches and sharp glimpses of the wider issues involved."

Maltin***1/2: "Absorbing and unusual drama...Fascinating probe of their motives, challenges, and problems, and a case study of  repressed emotions even in the midst of exultation." 

 

 

 

Unicorn Store (2017)

 

Die innere Sicherheit (2000)

 

Clara and Hans are left-wing terrorists who have been sought by police for almost fifteen years. Their increasingly rebellious daughter Jeanne begins to pose a threat to their security when she falls in love with a boy she meets on the beach.

Intense and perceptive study of a young girl (Julia Hummer in a perfect performance) forced into an existence outside of any social system; although embedded in clear and realistic locations and envisioning a comprehensible political background of the parents, there is a sense of irreality throughout.

 

Dorian Dennis

 

Bio:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0219443/

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982)

 

A wacky inventor and his wife invite two other couples for a weekend party at a romantic summer house in the 1900s countryside.

From memory: Light-hearted and inconsequential, Woody Allen plays around with Bergman's Sommarnattens leende, all very well made, good dialogue and a capable cast, it's enjoyable but without much substance.

Halliwell*: "Subdued, melancholy and rather uninventive Woody Allen variation on Smiles of a Summer Night." 

Maltin***: "SMILES OF A SUMMER'S NIGHT, Woody Allen-style; a quirky, entertaining diversion...Appealing cast...,exquisite Gordon Willis photography."

I tre volti della paura (1963)

 

Soldier Girls (1981)

 

A documentary about women's basic training in Fort Georgia.

From memory: Direct cinema documentary reveals the harrowing methods with which recruits are trained, and it's remarkable how the makers were allowed to capture such shocking scenes; this film very clearly may have been an inspiration for the first half of Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket.

 

 

 

Margot Robbie

Peppermint Frappé (1967)

 

Julian, a physician, gets increasingly infatuated with Pablo's wife, Elena. Upon seeing her, he realises the striking resemblance she bears to his assistant, Ana. Subtly, he transforms Ana into Elena.

Intense psychological drama tells a slightly surreal, but also fascinating and creepy tale with a hint of both Bunuel and Hitchcock influence to it; Geraldine Chaplin is mesmerizing in a triple role.

The Grudge (2004)

 

Die Sehnsucht der Veronika Voss (1982)

 

Veronika Voss is a once prominent UFA actress, kept by her doctor, who raises suspicion in a sports journalist.

From memory: Beautifully photographed in black-and-white in exquisitely stylish sets, this melodrama follows the tragic fate of a former German movie star who can no longer find success in post-war Germany; Fassbinder clearly set this as homage to the actress Sybille Schmitz, who he admired, but also as a critique of the relentless German society after WWII.

Halliwell**: "Fascinatingly convoluted puzzle play with enough to say for a year of late-night discussions; but the bleached-out black and white photography is an unnecessary strain." 

Maltin***: "Interesting saga...Good, but not great, Fassbinder..."

Tim Conway

 

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Conway

Coup de Torchon (1981)

 

A pathetic police chief, humiliated by everyone around him, suddenly wants a clean slate in life - and resorts to drastic means to do so.

From memory: This adaptation of a Jim Thompson novel is a very dark satirical drama, full of black humor, masterfully directed in an African setting, with a remarkable performance by Noiret amidst a likewise great cast.

Halliwell (no star): "Well-made, heavy-going study of mania."

Maltin***1/2: "Strong, disturbing black comedy...Fascinating film eventually overplays its hand, but enthralling most of the way, with marvelously shaded performance by Noiret."

 

Milla Jovovich

Animus Magazine

  

Animus Magazine

Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979)

 

Roar (1981)

 

A naturalist living with big cats in East Africa expects a visit by his family of four from Chicago. A mix-up leaves him searching for his family, who have been left in the clutches of wild lions.

From memory: Nearly plotless adventure simply lines up one silly human mishap after another keeping all protagonists in a permanent stage of danger; the real stars of the show are the animals, and if you like lions, you'll see plenty of them here.

 Halliwell*: "A rather silly story takes in some of the most remarkable animal photography on record, and there is a sub-plot involving villainous game hunters."

Maltin**: "Comedy-adventure...is also pro-preservation-of-African-wildlife statement. Nice try, but no cigar."

Det sjunde inseglet (1957)