Fathergeek here with some farewell words about "Super" Producer Carlo Ponti who died in Geneva Switzerland on Janurary 10th. Why? well back in the late 60's and early 70's when Harry's mom and I were in Film School it seemed every movie that was worth bothering to go to had his name somehow attached. From massively popular epics like DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, to the "must see" contemptory Film School list toppers like ZABRISKE POINT, CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS, and BLOW-UP.

Carlo was cutting edge, a filmmaker who had the habit of making important film. Whether it was heavy duty Arthouse classic masterworks like LA STRADA, TWO WOMEN, and MARRIAGE ITALIAN-STYLE; or hardcore Italian "Giallo" with lots of grit like Robert Bloch's TORSO, OASIS OF FEAR, and THE BEAST. Carlo even gave us top of the line Pop-exploitation fare like POLICEWOMAN, and ANDY WARHOL'S FRANKENSTEIN, in 3-D no less. He even threw-in a couple spagetti-fu flicks for good measure, like HERCULES VS. KING FU. Yeah, he covered alot of bases as a producer from the 1940's thru the 90's.

Old Fathergeek's first Ponti film? Well, I was 10 years old and I went to see it 3 times the weekend it opened at San Antonio's 4000 seat single screen movie palace, The Majestic on Houston Street a few blocks from the Alamo, the REAL Alamo. It was Kirk Douglas' ULYSSES. Thank You Carlo Ponti for firing up this young boy's imagination years before the Harryhausen epics made me the geek I am today. That film set me on the path of no return and I'm forever greatful for the trip.