Hey folks, Harry here… I just took my pain pills and muscle relaxant for the night. Today was a really good day. Great visits with friends and family, 3 physical therapy sessions, first bowel movement of the experience and yeah… I finished the DVD column all in-between – foregoing the pain meds so my head would be a tad clearer than it is about to be. So I learned pain relieving breathing exercises – and as some one whose Spinal Injury for the past 15 years has kept me from pain… I found it invigorating to FEEL this intensely. Yeah, it hurt, but after having something so wrong that you couldn’t feel it, that was kind of a relief. Told me right where the problem was and how to handle it. AVOID DOING THAT! And just work through it. So writing this, helped me to face a lot of pain and a lot of victories today.
Before I let you go into the column, I just want to say… Today, I had a total moment where I was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of how much I am blessed. 15 years ago when I wound up paralyzed for 6 months below the waist. I had my father and sister. No insurance, no medical help, just a couple of friends and really just some vague hope of a future. I realized today, that this literally was 15 years ago today. Laying in my room, no idea of what the next 15 years would hold for me. Seemed pretty hopeless. But I had a computer and a lot to talk about. And I found all of you. Some of you have become my best friends, great acquaintances, business partners, readers, mortal enemies in a playful manner and the experiences I’ve had have given me this ability to weather this experience, as though this is the best experience of my life. 15 years ago I was 24, oddly – the same age my wife turned when my legs went dead and she took me to the emergency room. This is the 15th year of AICN – and I’ve a feeling, a very powerful feeling that we’re going to have a lot of fun this year.
Now – unless I write an epic – I just want to say… like always, the images and linked titles will take you to Amazon, where you can learn more about the items in question, but if you decide to purchase something from the link, it’ll help keep this column going, even if I’m in a hospital recovering from spinal surgery. I wish you all the best – and thanks so much for the outpouring of support & well wishes. Here ya go… Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
SHOCK CORRIDOR (Criterion Blu Ray)
This and NAKED KISS (below) are my two favorite Sam Fuller movies of all time. Now don’t get me wrong, I love pretty much his entire body of work, but SHOCK CORRIDOR and NAKED KISS… they’re just… Well, people don’t make movies like these two. I can’t sit here and tell you a list of other great films that are really anything like these two films. Here – you have a crazy awesome film about a reporter that fakes a condition to get committed to an insane asylum with the notion of investigating a mysterious murder, but while you might start thinking of films like SPELLBOUND & SHUTTER ISLAND… SHOCK CORRIDOR is the king of the genre, simply due to the amazingly testosterone filled aggressiveness of Samuel “start a take with a gunshot” Fuller! The photography which was handled by the genius behind NIGHT OF THE HUNTER and the sheer LURID nature of the film makes SHOCK CORRIDOR utterly unforgettable. OH – and NAKED KISS is even better! So great that Criterion is bringing this to Blu Ray. Here’s what you get:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
New video interview with star Constance Towers
Excerpts from The Typewriter, the Rifle and the Movie Camera-a 1996 documentary
Original theatrical trailer
PLUS: Illustrations by cartoonist Daniel Clowes (Eightball, Ghost World)
THE NAKED KISS (Criterion Blu Ray)
On the previous title, I totally forgot to mention that Daniel Clowes, the awesome “high art” “underground, now aboveground” famed comic artist behind GHOST WORLD… well he did the Criterion covers – and it is wholly appropriate because Daniel Clowes’ lurid comic work very much mirrors the tone of these two specific films of Samuel Fuller. Case in point, THE NAKED KISS – which is just amazing. Here’s a story, contemporary to the early 1960’s about a prostitute that decides to move into that sort of suburban community that we saw on LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, but is confronted with… well, you’ll see. The secrets that leak, the problems… the just… amazing cinematography – and today it doesn’t feel contemporary, but we… you, me, the people we know – we don’t live in that world. This is a “dated” film. Dated to 1963. But if you compare to the films of the era, the movies around it, you’ll be shocked. If you love MAD MEN, you’ll see something… perhaps something you’ll consider even more spectacular. This is brilliant filmmaking. The sort of stuff that Quentin Tarantino and Martic Scorsese aspire to. This is brilliant work of a type so untypical for its era, but that led to the social consciousness that we have today in film. To the identity of the country. Samuel Fuller SHOWED it. He put it out there, in a time of censorship and pretty rows of houses, he smoked his cigar and made every scene top an explosion, through intensity and luridness. Awesome.
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
New video interview with star Constance Towers
Excerpts from a 1983 episode of the BBC's The South Bank Show
Interview with Fuller from a 1967 episode of the French television series
Interview with Fuller from a 1987 episode of the French television series
Original theatrical trailer
PLUS: Illustrations by cartoonist Daniel Clowes (Eightball, Ghost World)
Utterly ridiculous film. I can’t recommend it, but if you like machismo bullshit, you’ll probably enjoy it. I just didn’t feel it. There’s a commentary and making of – so you can really see what they were thinking when they were making it, which is amusing in its own rights. It isn’t bad. It just isn’t my thing.
Love this little Hitchcock experiment … The most amazing thing is how the movie, to me, doesn’t at all feel claustrophobic. It’s absolutely cinematic… it is inventive and it is absolutely uncompromising. What I really love are the constraints that this film plays with in terms of setting and story. That it is never boring or tired… is amazing. It’s the extreme of what Hitchcock did on ROPE, REAR WINDOW and LIFEBOAT – and while I don’t necessarily feel that BURIED even begins to approach the awesome of those movies, it is still amazing that you have a box and a man – and that’s enough to absolutely captivate you for a feature film length of time. That said, Ryan’s character is so painfully stupid in terms of handling his situation… that it kills me. Kills me. That’s the fun of this movie, screaming at the character on screen and saying… DAMMIT! Don’t BURN YOUR FUCKING OXYGEN YOU MORON!!! Heh. This is Ryan Reynolds’ best work and if I were nominating, he’d be up for Best Actor. But then, I’m on painkillers.
Here’s another little film that I think has a performance that has been forgotten this year. Mila Jovovich is amazing in the film. Absolutely a possibility for Supporting Actress – and the role that steals STONE from the also great work by Robert De Niro and Edward Norton. I do think the film gets a little silly with De Niro by the end, but throughout – I loved watching these actors play out this very unique and different Prison Drama Thriller. Definitely worth checking out! Oh – and upon second thought, this is absolutely Ed Norton’s film. He’s amazing, but Mila is so good, so surprisingly awesome, that initially – I thought first of her. I’ve seen enough bad performances from her, that this reminded me of her early, pre-Paul W.S. Anderson association – and I loved her work at that time. Maybe she’s on the road to doing some really good work again, she definitely has the chops for it.
First off – this isn’t the Tracy Lords NOT OF THE EARTH, but the original. If you love awesome campy fun schlocky black & white science fiction, these are awesome. ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS always made me laugh. The notion of giant killer crabs – well, Harryhausen did it best, but all I can think is, YUMMY. But my opinion on ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS took a radical change when I went to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta – where I saw these giant crabs from the deep dark of the ocean off of Japan – and they were huge… and according to the sign, could get to the size of a Volkswagon Bug. HOLY SHIT! ROGER CORMAN WAS RIGHT – I thought on the spot! Then with NOT OF THIS EARTH – you have such a fun “space vampire” story. Now – it isn’t that simple, the alien is here trying to find a new source for blood… HUMAN BLOOD!!! The thing that really rules on this film is the dialogue, which came from one of the gods in Corman’s stable. Then there’s WAR OF THE SATELLITES. I haven’t seen that one yet, but it stars Dick Miller, which means it is a 4 star movie. THEN – because SHOUT! Rules as a company, there’s a ton of extras:
A Salute To The King Of The B’s Featuring
New Interviews With Roger Corman, Peter Fonda, Peter Bogdanovich, Joe Dante andMany More!
Audio Commentaries on All Three Films With Tom Weaver, John Brunas and Mike Brunas, Authors of Universal Horrors
The Roger Corman Trailer Collection Including Over 25 Trailers Produced and Directed by Roger Corman
This is sitting at my house. I know exactly where it is. It came the day before I went to the Emergency Room. In fact, I have to have Yoko bring this disc cuz I’m hearing this series is kinda amazing. And the notion of Djimon Hounsou being the voice of T’Challa… fuck that, let’s make that BLACK PANTHER movie. This was broadcast in Australia and folks loved it. Hopefully I’ll be watching it in the next day or so.
The first one was Paul W.S. Anderson’s best film in terms of the fact that I kinda enjoyed it. But honestly, I feel every decision he made other than casting, was fucked. Now this – is actually a better film, with a cast that isn’t quite as strong, except for one exception. Luke Goss. And he kinda fucking rules. The turn his character takes is cool… but the lack of geometry in terms of the racing structure, and the overly VIDEO GAME inspired offensive and defensive weapon activation areas – just bug the fuck out of me. Then pretty much every subplot and non-featured performer is… forgettable. BUT – LUKE GOSS never gets enough STARRING roles and so for that reason alone, I say… CHECK THIS OUT!
When Joel Edgerton stars in Universal’s prequel called THE THING – I’m betting that’s where he takes off. But right now, Joel Edgerton is perhaps my favorite underseen awesome fucking actor working today. He was great in his brother’s directed film, THE SQUARE – and he’s even better in ANIMAL KINGDOM. What I love about this guy is that he just looks like a man that has lived. He’s handsome, but he has his scars, both physical and in his eyes. He’s interesting to watch THINK on film, and even better to watch act. He’s going to be someone that more people will know, than just cinejunkies. This is an Australian crime film about the Melbourne Underworld. I love that Australia seems to be going through a Neo-Aussie-Noir movement. Their films aren’t happy, they’re brutal… like most true crime stories. They have soul.
Now – this is an excellent double feature with BURIED – because you get two radically different extremes of a damn talented actor – that is as funny as he is charismatic. However, if you’re scared about not being able to take Ryan Reynolds seriously in GREEN LANTER, perhaps skipping this would be a good idea. You see… This is exactly not how to play Hal Jordan. But it is very funny, but then… it shifts and there’s a lot more than the dvd box would lead you to believe. It sort of looks like something you might not even imagine sitting through, but it is so much more. It never made it out of the Indie Film world of Festivals, but you’ll enjoy the surprises it has in store for you.
UP FROM THE DEPTHS / DEMON OF PARADISE
The lesson you’ll learn from this film is to stay away from bodies of water that have earthquakes… and that Dynamite fishing might be a bad idea, especially if you wake up man-eating lizard monster that was on an extended slumber. I love funky films like these – these aren’t like… GREAT movies, but they’re fun. Silly fun monster movies with really fun funky monsters! Sure they’re just ripoffs of CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and JAWS – but because Corman produced, they’re sillier, more gory and well… there’s some other benefits that you’ll love too. Both of these have never been released on DVD before – and if you like fun genre flicks – you’ll dig them. SHOUT! did a wonderful job releasing these in their full anamorphic widescreen – and like all of SHOUT!’s work, they do a pretty damn great job of looking better when being converted to a higher resolution through your system. If it does that like mine does. Can’t wait for even more titles from them this year!
ERNEST GOES TO CAMP / ERNEST SCARED STUPID / ERNEST GOES TO JAIL
I don’t know why… but I love Jim Varney’s ERNEST movies. Now all of these have been out before, but this triple feature release is only gonna cost you $6.99 – and while “Camp” and “Scared Stupid” are fun… the brilliant chapter of the ERNEST saga is ERNEST GOES TO JAIL – which parodies so many great B genres – and in particular – when it goes all Lon Chaney Jr/INDESTRUCTABLE MAN… I just get the giggle shits. Where you make stains giggling. I’m serious, I love love love ERNEST GOES TO JAIL – which you can buy individually for $11.99 – or get all 3 for $6.99 – and be mortified when you realize, like me… I really like this. His films feel like ADULT SWIM to me. A bit like ROBOT CHICKEN – and I feel that’s a very good thing.
This film still does two things for me. It makes me laugh – and it makes me so happy I didn’t grow up in the age YouTube at High School. Does this sort of thing ever happen at High Schools? It would be so disturbing if it did.
They try to call this “the real Inglorious Basterds” – but this isn’t about a Jewish American Band of Nazi Scalpers… instead, it’s about an incredibly violent French Resistence group laid into the Nazis with utter brutality and savagery. It kinda rules. Last week I gave you Melville’s look at this world, but here… with this film that is allegedly 100% trueness – I just found the whole thing hypnotic. So cool. But then, I’m a big fan of the, “Let’s kill Nazis” genre. Especially when you hear about all the things that went down during WWII. Such a sad, but epic affair. The horror war is never more obvious, than when a Poet must take up arms.
From the director of MONGOL comes this sequel… that takes place a very long time after the life and times of Genghis Khan, when there was a prophecy of a new Khan that would rise and free the troubled land of Nomadic tribes from bordering terror. I decided to put this Blu-Ray on, for no particular reason, late Christmas night – when I invited a friend that needed cool company on this the most awesome of holidays, so I invited him over to watch this. That the film is an EPIC badass JESUS tale… but if Jesus wasn’t a carpenter, but instead could fuck a guy up with swords and shit… Well, then you’d be watching NOMAD. I love Sergey Bodrov’s style, and this film takes a while to get where it’s going, but that’s because it is setting up a fairly epic tale. I mean, Jason Scott Lee might never have been more of a badass… And Mark Dacascos is such an awesome bastard here… And Jay Hernandez is really good too! Such a great flick, that apparently not many have seen. But for me, this was a great Christmas present!
Next week, I’ll be in Rehab doing tons of Physical Therapy – but other than those 3 hours of the day, I’ll be trying to survive the agony & ecstacy of the burn by watching some of these… SECRETARIAT, RED, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST, SAW 3D, NOWHERE BOY, ENTER THE VOID, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (BluRay), BROADCAST NEWS (Criterion Blu), COLOR PURPLE (Blu Ray), SANTA SANGRE (Blu), BON JOVI Collector’s Box, A BEAUTIFUL MIND (Blu Ray), CLIENT 9: RISE AND FALL OF ELIOT SPITZER, SHE-RA: THE COMPLETE SERIES (Mahler Edition), RED HILL, QUIET DAYS IN CLICHY (Blu Ray), THE GRADUATE (Blu Ray), ALLIGATOR, CRIPPLED MASTERS 2: TWO CRIPPLED HEROES, CRIPPLED MASTERS 3: FIGHTING LIFE, AKA TOMMY CHONG, CHINESE GHOST STORY (Blu Ray) and that’s about it! Pretty great week coming up… hope you enjoy it with me.
