Phil sees BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY at the Pruneyard Dine-In Cinemas - Dec. 12, 2018

As a kid growing up in the 1970's and 1980's, there was one band that dominated the world and brought to the masses some of the most original, experiential, and groundbreaking rock anthems in all of music history. And that band was called Queen. Fronted by the charismatic Freddie Mercury, the band went on to sell out stadiums all over the world, and sold a staggering 300 million albums. When Mercury died from AIDS related illness on November 24, 1991, the world mourned and life became a lot less magical. For several years, there have been several attempts to bring the story of Queen, and more specifically Mercury's life, to the silver screen, but it looked like it wasn't meant to be. Fast forward to 2018 and I'm at the Pruneyard Dine-In Cinemas, ordering some delicious food from their Cedar Room restaurant, and relaxing in their reclining chairs to watch the long-awaited Freddie Mercury/Queen biopic entitled BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY.

The film's official synopsis: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.

My jaw dropped in my lap when I saw actor Rami Malek come across the screen! He looked, acted, and sounded like Freddie Mercury! It was uncanny!

Phil remembers Herschell Gordon Lewis, The Godfather of Gore - September 26, 2016

Herchell Gordon Lewis 1926-2016

For fans of horror and exploitation cinema, one name comes to mind: Herschell Gordon Lewis, known to many as "The Godfather of Gore." His films have become true cult classics and have influenced many of today's filmmakers like Eli Roth, John Waters, Quentin Tarantino and John Carpenter to name a few. I've been a huge fan of his films for decades and I was hoping to one meet me hero. So needless to say that it was such a shock to read this morning's headlines: HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS, "GODFATHER OF GORE," HAS DIED AT 90. As of right now, I am beyond sad. This is such a loss to fans, friends and to everybody else he touched. It's only fitting that I pay tribute to the man in today's blog post.

Herschell Gordon Lewis was born on June 15, 1926, in Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania. He started off teaching English and Humanities at Mississippi State, which he later moved into the advertisement business. When Lewis bought a half interest into a small, cheap movie studio in Chicago, he started Mid-Continent Films which produced two films: THE PRIMETIME and LIVING VENUS, which was his feature film debut as a director. It was during the making of THE PRIMETIME he met exploitation pioneer David F. Friedman, who helped Lewis distribute LIVING VENUS. With the release of Russ Meyers' THE IMMORAL MR. TEAS, the next film Lewis and Friedman made was the nudie cutie called THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY PIERRE. After a couple of years making these nudie cuties and nudest camp films, Lewis came up with a completely different idea for a movie. A type of movie that the major movie studios wouldn't or couldn't make, but theater owners could make money at the boxoffice. Then in 1963, the film BLOOD FEAST was made and everything would never be the same again.

Original Theatrical Poster (1964)

With Friedman, Lewis created what has been called THE BLOOD TRILOGY which consisted of BLOOD FEAST, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS, and COLOR ME BLOOD RED. These films introduced that famous four-letter word now forever associated with horror: GORE. The world of horror would never look the same thanks to Lewis and Friedman. After the completion of THE BLOOD TRILOGY, Lewis parted ways with Friedman and began to make a plethora of films within the exploitation genre such as MOONSHINE MOUNTAIN, JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT, SHE-DEVILS ON WHEELS, and SOMETHING WEIRD. Soon he returned to the horror genre with A TASTE OF BLOOD, THE WIZARD OF GORE, THE GRUESOME TWOSOME, and THE GORE GORE GIRLS, which was his swan song. After that film's release, he became one of the leaders in the field of Direct Marketing advertising but Lewis would return to the director's chair with the 2002 sequel BLOOD FEAST 2: ALL YOU CAN EAT and again with the UH-OH SHOW in 2009. The later would be the final film that he would make.

Original Theatrical Poster (1968)

Over the years Lewis's films gained a huge cult following thanks to midnight screening, late-night television showings and especially when his films were released by Mike Vraney, founder of Something Weird Video (which was named after Lewis's 1968 film). Thanks to Friedman who introduced Lewis to Vraney, the two began releasing a majority of his films on VHS, then on special edition DVDs and DVD-Rs. In 2012, Something Weird Video released THE BLOOD TRILOGY on Blu-Ray as well as THE WIZARD OF GORE/THE GORE GORE GIRLS double feature. Newcomer Vinegar Syndrome released THE LOST FILMS OF HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack. It included three films that were thought to be lost: ECSTACIES OF WOMEN (1969), LINDA AND ABILENE (1970) and BLACK LOVE (1971). 

Lewis has also appeared in several documentaries, such as SCHLOCK! THE SECRET HISTORY OF AMERICAN MOVIES, AMERICAN GRINDHOUSE and was the subject of Something Weird Video's HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS: THE GODFATHER OF GORE

It's hard to imagine what the landscape of horror and exploitation without the many contributions from Herschell Gordon Lewis. What he did and accomplished is immeasurable. Films Like FRIDAY THE 13th, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, HOSTEL, EVIL DEAD, SAW and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE would not look the same with BLOOD FEAST or THE WIZARD OF GORE coming before. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Thank you for all the great memories Mr. Lewis!! We will never forget you!!

To purchase any of Herschell Gordon Lewis's films on DVD, visit the Something Weird Video website at http://somethingweird.com/. Also visit Vinegar Syndrome at vinegarsyndrome.com. Plus don't forget to visit his website at herschellgordonlewis.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil remembers Mike Vraney, Founder of Something Weird Video-January 30, 2014

On January 2, 2014, while I was attending The Hollywood Show, I read a very shocking headline. Mike Vraney, the founder of Seattle's Something Weird Video, the home to the very best in exploitation cinema, had passed away at the age of 56 due to his long battle with lung cancer. To fans like myself, this was such a heavy blow to take. Fans of exploitation love SWS and Mike's passion to unearth these "sinematic" treasures for all of humanity to enjoy.

I was just completely shocked by this news. Still am actually. I owe an enormous debt to Mike and his company for exposing me to these great films for these past two decades. Nothing I can say can express just how terrible I feel about this. However, his wife, artist Lisa Petrucci, released the following statement on the day of Mike's passing. It is repeated here in its entirely:

In Memorium
MIKE VRANEY
Founder of Something Weird
December 29, 1957 to January 2, 2014

We regret to tell you that Something Weird’s founder, Mike Vraney, passed away on January 2, 2014 after a long heroic battle with lung cancer. He was 56 years old, way too young to leave this planet. There was still so much Mike wanted to do in his life, so many films to be found, and adventures to be embarked upon.

This sad news may come as a shock to most of you. Mike was a very private person and didn’t want anyone, except his closest friends, family and colleagues, to know about his illness. He went through aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments for over a year, but sadly the cancer spread and cruelly took him from us.

Mike had a larger-than-life personality and a genuine enthusiasm for movies. Something Weird was his heart and soul, he was obsessive in his pursuit of tracking down the weirdest, wildest movies out there. And it wasn’t enough to find a few forgotten films, he was always in search of the movie motherload. (Making 370 two-hour volumes of Nudie Cuties loops is a good example of this. Who does that?! Mike Vraney!) Even as a child, Mike loved movies. During his teenage years, he worked at the Bel-Kirk Drive-In, and then later as a projectionist at the Green Parrot and Apple Theaters in Seattle. Then around 1990, Mike went in search of as many old, unusual, obscure, and lost low budget exploitation movies as he could, and preserved them for prosperity. Mike amassed thousands of these rare movies and had them transferred to video so that people could relive the good old days of going to the drive-in or grindhouse theater, in their very own home. We have him to thank for introducing fandom to the wonderful world of sexploitation sinema, rescuing it from the dark recesses of forgotten film vaults and defunct movie theatres.

Some of you may know that prior to Something Weird, Mike was involved in the early Seattle punk rock music scene. He was a partner in Modern Productions, the group who started Seattle’s seminal rock venue, The Showbox, in 1979. Mike then went on to manage such well-known bands as The Dead Kennedys, TSOL, and Seattle’s own The Accused. Mike always seemed to be at the forefront of whatever was happening and cool.

Mike’s second greatest passion in life was collecting old comics, vintage toys, movie memorabilia, and pop cultural ephemera. He enjoyed going to the swap meet and always had a magical ability for finding great stuff. But when he wasn’t working, collecting, or telling great stories, Mike spent quality time with his beloved family. Mike adored his wife and business partner, Lisa, and two (now young adult) children, Mark and Danielle. These three were the center of his universe, and his reason for getting up each and every morning.

The folks at Something Weird fully intend to honor Mike’s incredible legacy. Mike may be gone, but his remarkable achievements will live on. One of the happiest days of Mike’s life was when legendary David F. Friedman and Dan Sonney called him “the forty-first thief,” which to him was the ultimate compliment and recognition for his work. We’d like to think that Mike’s now hanging out with his old pals Dave and Dan, reminiscing and talking shop with Dwain Esper, Kroger Babb, Barry Mahon, Joe Sarno, Doris Wishman, Bob Cresse, Dale Berry, Michael Findlay and all the other exploiteers and smut peddlers who’ve gone to the great grindhouse in the sky.

We will miss Mike with all our hearts. Goodbye dear friend, husband, father, and fearless leader…
– Lisa Petrucci, Tim Lewis, Kendall Bechtel, Mark Vraney, Danielle Vraney of Something Weird Video

Fans of Mike and of Something Weird Video are encouraged to visit the official Mike Vraney Memorial Tribute page on Facebook as well as to help make a donation to the Lung Cancer Alliance on his behalf. To Lisa Petrucci, Mark and Danielle Vraney, Kendall Bechtel, the Something Weird Video staff, and to the rest of his family and friends my deepest sympathies.

If your a hardcore fan of horror, exploitation, sexploitation, underground films, cult classics, nudie cuties, roadshow flims, burlesque features, loops, crazy cartoons, etc, please visit the Something Weird Video website at www.somethingweird.com.

Thanks for reading, and rest in peace Mike!

Phil sees LOVELACE at the Camera 12 Downtown San Jose-August 11, 2013

On June 12, 1972, the adult film DEEP THROAT premiered at the World Theatre in Times Square in New York City. And the world hasn't been the same since. It helped coin the phrase "Porno Chic" and ushered in what has been called "The Golden Age of Pornography," which lasted between 1972-1984. This little film that was made for a mere $25,000 went on to gross allegedly between $100,000 and $600,000 and gave Hollywood a run for it's money. It also transformed a young unknown girl named Linda Boreman into the international porn star Linda Lovelace. However, she was the first to pay the price for all this fame and notoriety. All her struggles, pain, and humiliation she suffered with in her life during this time period are chronicled in the new film LOVELACE.

Actress Amanda Seyfried, (MEAN GIRLS, MAMMA MIA!, LES MISERABLES) portrays Linda in three different phases of her life: the shy, naïve girl who meets her future husband, the infamous Chuck Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard), her rise to stardom after the success of DEEP THROAT, and her crusade against the porn industry. Then the film back tracks to these events and examines more closely the violent and horrifying relationship with Traynor. The regular beatings, pimping her out to men, being forced to do porn by gunpoint, and the controlling her overall career so he can milk her for all her worth.

The film actually opens on a ravaged Linda Lovelace taking a polygraph test to prove that her story is authentically correct. At the end, her book Ordeal is released and she's on the old Phil Donahue Show telling her sad story and survival. The movie ends with a happy like ending, but in reality, it wasn't even like that. After she divorced Chuck, in 1974 she married Larry Marchiano and had two children: Dominic and Lindsay. After she divorced him in 1996, she claimed that Larry was an alcoholic who was verbally abusive to their children and was violent towards her. According to those who knew her personally, Linda always played the victim, never really taking any kind of responsibility on her part.

The film was made by directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, who are more famous for their award winning documentaries such as THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK, THE CELLULOID CLOSET and PARAGRAPH 175, along with the Allen Ginsberg biopic HOWL. While the film was entertaining, I felt that it was two-dimensional, filled with caricatures of those involved with DEEP THROAT, and Linda was somewhat under-developed. Now Amanda's performance of Linda was excellent, bring the iconic porn star to life is no small feat giving the complexity of the character, but it felt as if there was more to her that was left out. Granted, the film is told from Linda's perspective, but it left out a lot of details of her life.

The main focus of the film was her relationship with the abusive Traynor, which was played with such intensity by Sarsgaard. His performance was unbelievable. It's a well known fact that Chuck Traynor was the biggest schmuck and asshole to have ever lived, but seeing him in the movie only establishes it even more.

Linda Lovelace (1949-2002)

Also turning in memorable performances are Robert Patrick and Sharon Stone as Linda's parents John and Dorothy Boreman. However, the caricatures I mentioned earlier were by Hank Azaria's performance of Gerry Damiano and Adam Brody's Harry Reems, the other star of DEEP THROAT. I was appalled by their portrayals of both Gerry and Harry. They made them look like idiots and lacked any real personality! In real life, Harry was a smart, sweet and funny guy who almost went to jail for acting in the film. Gerry was very intelligent who after DEEP THROAT went on to make the other classic adult film THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES, which was owed more to European art house films. And like most filmmakers of that era, Gerry never made any money from his films, thanks in large part of the industry being controlled by the mob. These two men also paid a high price of fame as well, and I felt they should've been portrayed my realistically and honestly.

The film drew quite a bit of controversy before it was even released. On January 22nd of this year, the AVN (Adult Video News) website ran a story about how Harry Reems was unhappy that, "the filmmakers didn't see fit to consult him while writing the script." Then on August 8th, AVN ran another story about "the lawsuit that Arrow Productions owner Raymond Pistol has filed against The Weinstein Company and several other corporate and individual defendants for their alleged infringement of Arrow's copyrights and trademarks to the classic 1972 adult movie DEEP THROAT and its star, Linda Lovelace."

On April 22, 2002, Linda died from injuries sustained in a car accident. Then on October 28, 2008, Gerard Damiano died from complications from a stroke he suffered a month before. Finally, Harry Reems passed away on March 19, 2013 from pancreatic cancer. Whether they like it or not, these three individuals will forever be remembered for making DEEP THROAT and for creating the multi-billion dollar porn industry we know today.

Overall LOVELACE is an interesting film, but it's far from being historically accurate and with its grotesque depiction of real people, it falls flat in my eyes. I love movies, and I love researching about movies, even those films in the porn genre. I know the stories about the making of DEEP THROAT and about Linda Lovelace, and there's much more to the story that is being shown here. 3 out of 5 stars! Mediocre at best and more of a rental!

LOVELACE is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees LINCOLN at the Camera 7 Pruneyard Campbell-December 2, 2012

Just in case you didn't know, our 16th President Abraham Lincoln has appeared in the movies since the silent film era. Great directors such as D. W. Griffith and John Ford have told the story of this great leader. Earlier this year audiences were "treated" to a secret, alternative biography of Lincoln in the form of ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER. Now acclaimed director Steven Spielberg and Academy Award winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis bring to the screen one of the greatest presidents in America's history and one of the most important events in history that changed our country for the better. The film LINCOLN is a great American movie!

The film's synopsis is as follows: In 1865, as the American Civil War winds inexorably toward conclusion, U.S. president Abraham Lincoln endeavors to achieve passage of the landmark constitutional amendment which will forever ban slavery from the United States. However, his task is a race against time, for peace may come at any time, and if it comes before the amendment is passed, the returning southern states will stop it before it can become law. Lincoln must, by almost any means possible, obtain enough votes from a recalcitrant Congress before peace arrives and it is too late. Yet the president is torn, as an early peace would save thousands of lives. As the nation confronts its conscience over the freedom of its entire population, Lincoln faces his own crisis of conscience -- end slavery or end the war.

Spielberg jettisons the traditional biopic; meaning the whole life of out 16th president is forgone, instead the film focuses on one specific part of Lincoln's life. He also jettisons his usual style of directing for a more simplistic and personal storytelling: using just simple set ups and little pans of the camera here and there he effectively creates a  way of telling the story of Lincoln's struggle to get his Thirteenth Amendment passed by Congress to free the slaves of America. Spielberg puts the camera in front of his cast and lets them do what they do best, which captures some of the greatest acting ever captured.

Daniel Day-Lewis embodies Lincoln like no other actor has done before. Wise, compassionate, at times very humorous, and also determined to end slavery in America. When you watch the film, you don't even see Day-Lewis at all, there in only Abraham Lincoln. Let's face it, the man actually and physically looks like Lincoln. The resemblance is truly uncanny! His performance is worthy of an Oscar nomination all the way!

Also giving stellar performances is Sally Field, who bounces back from her poorly miscast role as Aunt May in the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN film. Here she portrays the first lady Mary Todd Lincoln, who is also tough and compassionate and has a little spitfire to her personality. The great Tommy Lee Jones portrayal of Thaddeus Stevens is sure to nab him a Best Supporting Actor nomination for next year's Oscars. Also appearing in the movie are James Spader, Hal Holbrook, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (making this his third film this year that he has appeared in), Jackie Earle Haley, John Hawkes, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Joseph Cross, Jeremy Strong, David Warshofsky and Jared Harris.

Since this is a historical drama, there are no big actions scenes. We get to see some of the Civil War, but the real fighting takes place in Congress, where we witness first hand that some things never change. We watch in horror the bickering and idiocy that the Congressmen demonstrate. This fight for equality and acceptance mirrors the topics of today, mainly the fight for gay rights and gay marriage. Sometimes I wonder if we as a nation and as a race will ever learn from the mistakes made in history.

LINCOLN get my nomination for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, and Best Director for 2012!! This is a great American film telling one of the greatest presidents in American history. Go see this film today!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly
recommended!!

LINCOLN is currently playing at select theaters nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the Cult Movie screening of FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS at the Camera 3-May 17, 2011

Hello my fellow cult fanatics and welcome to Month Four of the Cult Movie Series here at the Camera 3 in Downtown San Jose! So for tonight's cult film they screened Terry Gilliam 1998's FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS. Yours truly was the host for tonight's screening. Another great addition for tonight's show was that this was a 35mm print that was being screened! This print came from the vaults of Universal Studios! Prizes were donated by Streetlight Records and by Time Tunnel Toys, both located here in San Jose. There were also yummy donuts to eat, courtesy of Psycho Donuts located in the lobby. If you have never seen the film, here's a brief synapse for you:

Theatrical Movie Poster (1998)

Based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by acclaimed and eccentric author Hunter S. Thompson, the film stars Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro as the crazed duo of Raoul Duke and his attorney, Dr. Gonzo respectively. Traveling in their red convertible called The Red Shark, they set out on a road trip to Las Vegas in search of "The American Dream," while taking huge amount of drugs and alcohol!

Gilliam got his start making the bizarre and hilarious animation sequences for the British television show MONTY PYHON'S FLYING CIRCUS. He has gone on to direct several other cult films such as MONTY PYHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975), TIME BANDITS (1981), BRAZIL (1985), and 12 MONKEYS (1995). His last film THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS was the last that actor Heath Ledger appeared in. He died during the making of the film, so Gilliam had other actors fill in for him such as Colin Farrel, Jude Law, and Johnny Depp.

Both Depp and Del Toro really got into their respective roles for this film. Del Toro gained 40 pounds on purpose for his portrayal of  Dr. Gonzo and Depp even shaved his head. Also there were a number of cameos of big name actors in the film, including Tobey Maguire, Ellen Barkin, Gary Busey, Mark Harmon, Penn Jillette, Lyle Lovett, Christina Ricci, and Flea from the rock/funk band Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The film it self was a total bomb at the boxoffice. It grossed only 10.6 million, well below its $18.5 million budget. Since then it has become a true cult film due in large part to its release on VHS first, then on DVD and now Blu-Ray, including a Special Edition released by The Criterion Collection. On it, Thompson showed his approval of the Gilliam version by recording a full-length audio commentary for the film and participating in several DVD special features.

Another great crowd for the Cult Movie series show! Next month's cult film is director Ivan Reitman's 1984 comedy GHOSTBUSTER, which will be shown on Thursday, June 14th at 9:30pm and again on Saturday, June 16th at midnight, so mark these days on your calender and come out and have some cult movie fun! To view the rest of the Cult Movie Series schedule, visit the Camera Cinemas website at www.cameracinemas.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees THE IRON LADY at the Camera 7 Pruneyard-January 22, 2012

Welcome back cinema lovers to Phil's Film Adventures! After seeing five films on Saturday, you'd probably think I would take a day off from watching movies. If you thought that, then you haven't been reading my blog for very long. Sunday morning came and I headed back out to the theaters, this time I went to the Camera 7 in the Pruneyard Campbell where I saw the biopic THE IRON LADY, starring the talented actress Meryl Streep.

Theatrical Movie Poster (2012)

In the film, Streep portrays Margaret Thatcher, the first female British prime minister and the longest-serving of the 20th century (she served from 1979-1990). Her strict conservative policies, hard line against trade unions and tough rhetoric in opposition to the former Soviet Union earned her the nickname the "The Iron Lady." The film begins with Steep's elderly Thatcher in the present day, struggling with dementia as she flashbacks to her past while she reminisces with her dead husband Denis (Jim Broadben). She recalls her youth (actress Alexandra Roach portrays young Margaret with sass, determination, and optimism), working in her father's grocery store in Grantham, her becoming interested in politics thanks to her father, her falling in love with young Denis (Harry Lloyd), and her perseverance to smash through barriers of gender and class to be heard in the male dominated world of politics, with her becoming prime minister and the heavy tolls and sacrifices she had to make, for both England and her own family.

What is so amazing about the film is Streep herself. Is there anyone better to portray Thatcher then her? She embodies the former prime minister. Streep's performance in both extraordinary and fascinating to watch. She brings another side to Thatcher: the human side. While we all know of Thatcher's political career, we know very little of her personal life other than just we've read in books. In the film we really get to know Thatcher on a more personal level, but it's Streep's performance that enables us to feel for her to begin with. Without her acting skills, we the audience wouldn't have been able to sympathize to Thatcher. Just an outstanding acting performance!

The story was well-written, courtesy of Abi Morgan (SHAME) and director Phyllida Lloyd does a great job of bringing the script to life. Lloyd's more famous for helming the 2008 film MAMMA MIA!, which was my number one choice for worst movie released that same year. With this film, Lloyd matured as a director; her vision is more polished, her directing is much cleaner, all these are signs of a director growing into her craft.

THE IRON LADY is a splendid film that I truly enjoyed, as both a film lover and a history buff. People who are into biopics will be pleased with this film. Four out of five stars.

THE IRON LADY  is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show

Phil reviews HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS: THE GODFATHER OF GORE DVD on The Midnight Horror Sinema Show-Jan. 5, 2011

Hello again my faithful readers! I've been pretty busy over on THE MIDNIGHT HORROR SINEMA SHOW. My newest review is on the recently released documentary HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS: THE GODFATHER OF GORE. The film was directed by Frank Henenlotter, who directed the film FRANKENHOOKER, which was the first film I reviewed for my new film blog. The film chronicles the career of the man who invented the term "Gore" with films like BLOOD FEAST, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS, and COLOR ME BLOOD RED. This was the first feature film release by Something Weird Video, home to some of the world's most insane, craziest, and bizarre films ever made on the face of the Earth! So click here to read my review, then go check out the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil remembers Georges Méliès: The First Wizard of Cinema-November 29, 2011

After seeing Martin Scorsese's brilliant new film HUGO 3D this past Sunday, I started to think that some of you out there may not be familiar with the films of Georges Méliès, let alone who he was. For those who read my review of the film, I only hinted as to who this extraordinary man was and how movies today would not look the same hadn't been for is imagination and sense of wonder. So for tonight, I thought it would be nice to pay homage by giving a brief biography about one of cinema's most important filmmakers ever. So ladies and gentlemen, here is the true story of Georges Méliès: The First Wizard of Cinema!

Georges Méliès (Dec. 8, 1861-Jan. 21, 1938)

Méliès was born in Paris, France on December 8, 1861, where his family manufactured shoes. Later on in life he became a professional stage magician and was performing shows at the Theatre Robert-Houdin, which he bought in 1888. But fate stepped in when in on December 28, 1895, when Méliès saw the Lumière Brothers' films and soon fell in love with the movies. He originally tried to buy a camera from the Lumières but they refused to sell him one. As a result, he bought a projector from Robert W. Paul (a successful engineer) as well as a Bioscope camera. Soon, he was off making moving pictures.

His first films, like the Lumières, were actuality films (called actualités) which he added to the program at his theatre. Years later these films would became known as documentaries. He later filmed scenes of himself doing magic tricks. Then one day he accidentally discovered that he could use stop-motion photography to render trick visual effects, such as making objects disappear or change in size with a puff of smoke. Méliès was also the first to use techniques such as fade-ins, fade-outs, and dissolves to create some of the first real narrative films. He was also the first to use split screen and double exposure in his films as well. Also by accident, Méliès also created the world's first 3D camera While trying to figure out how to make sure that his US films weren't stolen before the release of his European copy, he devised a camera that would hold two reels of film that would shoot the image simultaneously; one reel is the "right eye" and the other the "left eye." When these images overlaped on another, they would become what we call a 3D image. If you don't believe me, read my review of the Méliès program I attended at the Motion Picture Academy back in September. The link in near the bottom.

Still from A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902)

Between 1896-1914, Méliès made over 500 films, but only one of those films still stands the test of time and is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential films ever made. In 1902, Méliès made the film A TRIP TO THE MOON (Le Voyage dans la Lune), which included the famous image of a rocket hitting the eye of the man in the moon. The film became the foundation for future science fiction films as well as fantasy films. However, by 1913, the first World War brought an end to the innocence of his films. Many solders had seen the horrors of war, and Méliès' films of fantasy and make believe seemed childlike. Unable to change with the times, the Theatre Robert-Houdin was closed in 1914 as a result of World War I, which forced his film company into bankruptcy. Not realizing just how important his films were, he let the French Army seized most of this stock to be melted down into boot heels during World War I. Many of the other films were sold to be recycled into new film. As a result, all of his films appeared to be lost forever along with him as well.

After being driven out of business, Méliès became a toy salesman at the Montparnasse Station in Paris and was completely forgotten. Fortunately, the French surrealist movement in the 1920s brought about a rediscovery of his surviving films, and the acknowledgment of his contributions to the art and the industry of motion pictures. Eventually, this led to his being awarded the Legion of Honor in 1931. He was also given a rent free apartment where he spent the remaining years of his life. Georges Méliès passed away on January 21, 1938, and was buried in the Pere Lachaise Cementary.

The Georges Méliès 5-Disc DVD Boxset (2008)

Seventy-three years after his death, Méliès is still talked about and his films are still being shown and being rediscovered by a whole new generation of film fans and lovers. Over the years many of his films thought to have been lost were being unearthed and preserved. In 2008, film historian David Shepard along with Eric Lange produced the unprecedented and comprehensive five disc DVD boxset entitled Georges Méliès: First Wizard of Cinema (1896-1913) released by Flicker Alley. The boxset contained 173 rare and original films thought to have been lost. Upon the release of this DVD set, several more of Méliès' films were discovered, prompting Flicker Alley to release Georges Méliès Encore: New Discoveries (1896-1911). It contained 26 new and rare films on a single DVD. But the surprises weren't over yet.

In 2010, a rare, hand colored print of A TRIP TO THE MOON was discovered in a film vault in Barcelona, Spain. French film historian and archivist Serge Bromberg acquired the film but the print was in very poor condition. As a result, Bromberg's company Lobster Films, along with Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema and the Technicolor Foundation for Cinema Heritage, plus with the aid of Tom Burton at Technicolor’s laboratories in Los Angeles, California, launched the most complex and ambitious restoration project in the history of cinema. In the course of one year, they were able to restore Méliès' film in time for its premiere at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, with a recorded soundtrack done by the French band Air. During my vacation in Los Angeles back in September, I attended the special program entitled "A TRIP TO THE MOON AND OTHER TRAVELS THROUGH TIME, COLOR, AND SPACE" at the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Science, where they had a special screening of the film, along with other important silent films (including the previously mentioned Méliès 3D films). For those of you who didn't get a chance to read my review of this special occasion the first time around, please click here to read about it.

Georges Méliès is more than just a filmmaker, he is an icon. A hero to some, others see him as a pioneer. But what is not disputed is this: now and forever more, Georges Méliès will simply be remembered as the first wizard of cinema!

The Georges Méliès: First Wizard of Cinema (1896-1913) 5-Disc DVD Boxset and the Georges Méliès Encore: New Discoveries (1896-1911) single disc are currently available on the Flicker Alley website. To purchase copies, visit their website at www.flickeralley.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees J. EDGAR at the Camera 7 Pruneyard-November 14, 2011

Usually my Mondays at work are both physical and plagued with long hours. To help unwind and relieve my tension and stress, there is nothing more therapeutic than going to see a movie. So after work today, I headed back to the Camera 7 in the Pruneyard Campbell to see the new film J. EDGAR by famed and celebrated director Clint Eastwood.

Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)

This biopic tells the life and times of J. Edgar Hoover, one of the most important figures in American history. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Hoover, the face of the FBI for more than 50 years. Through flashbacks and reminiscent memories, we learn about the man behind the FBI: a young and zealous man who had very big plans for himself, his rise in power as the head of the FBI, his personal files that contained enough evidence to bring down presidents, politicians, and criminals alike. All the while Hoover was keeping a secret; a deep, dark secret that could have destroyed his life, his reputation, and his career. Those who knew his secret was his mother Annie (Judi Dench), his personal assistant Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts), and his second in command Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer), the only man that Edgar ever loved but couldn't.

Brilliantly directed by Eastwood, the film offers us an insightful and compassionate portrait of one of the most private and complex men in U.S. history. Eastwood's directing is simply flawless; precise shots, beautiful set ups, excellent sweeps during the action scenes, intensive close ups when there's drama, and the candidness when love is present. Eastwood carefully takes his time when unraveling the hidden obsessions and insecurities of a man who had hidden his true self from the same country he swore to protect. He wasn't just hiding in the closet, he nailed it shut so no one could ever enter. But when he met Mr. Tolson, he knew this was the man he wanted to spend the rest of life with, however, it was disguised as a working relationship. But for Edgar, it was better than nothing. Eastwood also wrote the soundtrack and acted as producer along side another famous Hollywood director, Ron Howard!

Teaming up with Eastwood for this biopic was screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, the man responsible for writing the Academy Award winning film MILK. It is interesting to see these two individuals working together. Black is openly gay man, whose writing offers different dimensions to gay persons, whether it be Harvey Milk of J. Edgar Hoover. His talent is to make these extraordinary, larger than life heroes and reduce them to their most basic components that makes them human. Real people with real problems, other than just being gay. However being gay is important, but Black processes that rare talent of telling a story that both gay and straight audiences can relate to. It is the human condition that unites us all; our struggles, our fears, our triumphs, and our tragedies.

Let it also be known that DiCaprio's performance in the film was riveting, bringing multiple sides of J. Edgar to life. His fierce, determination, and aggressive persona blended with his momma boy's complex was quite astounding, bringing such depth and clarity. The special make-up team of Sian Grigg and Duncan Jarman did an incredible job of aging DiCaprio's Hoover into his twilight years. Watts also gives a great performance in the film as well as Hammer, and they both have a great make-up artists aging them as well. Of course, Judi Dench is knocks it out of the park when she's in front of the camera as always.

J. EDGAR is a triumph in the world of filmmaking! Sincere, unapologetic, moving, and absolutely stunning! The film should be receiving several Oscar nominations next year. Overall, a vital cinematic experience that you should not miss!

J. EDGAR is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the Camera Cinemas here in the South Bay. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cameracinemas.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil remembers David F. Friedman, The King Of Exploitation Cinema-June 14, 2011

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