Phil's Porno Chic Theatre: MEMORIES WITHIN MISS AGGIE (1974) from Vinegar Syndrome - February 2, 2019

MEMORIES WITHIN MISS AGGIE Slipcover Blu-Ray

MEMORIES WITHIN MISS AGGIE (1974)

Starring Kim Pope, Mary Stuart, Darby Lloyd Raines, Eric Edwards, Harry Reems, Deborah Ashira, Patrick L. Farrelly, Ralph Herman
Written by Ron Wertheim
Cinematography by João Fernandes (as Harry Flecks)
Edited by Saint Marks Place
Produced by Inish Kae, Limited
Directed by Gerard Damiano
Originally released by Cinépix Film Properties
Released by Vinegar Syndrome

When one thinks of some of the greatest adult filmmakers of all time, one name comes to mind that is often overlooked, and that individual's name is Gerard Damiano. With his breakout hit DEEP THROAT, he helped usher in the "Golden Age of Adult Films" and made it chic to see a "dirty movie" at your local cinema. With his follow up film THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES, Damino pulled no punches when it came to making the movie; addressing themes such as life, death, suicide, lust, greed, promiscuity and loneliness. In 2019, the folks at Vinegar Syndrome has released his third feature, one that I've only seen posters of and maybe few stills here and there. Finally, I had the pleasure of seeing Damiano's forgotten and most erotic arthouse adult film MEMORIES WITHIN MISS AGGIE.

The film's official synopsis: The only thing missing from Aggie’s life…was Aggie. In the middle of nowhere lives middle aged Aggie, with her wheelchair bound companion Richard. As snow falls outside, Aggie tries desperately to remember the circumstances under which they met. As she plays through in her mind a series of possible scenarios, only to dismiss each as a false past, she inadvertently begins to reveal an increasingly dark portrait of her true self, leading to the unexpected and shocking reality of her relationship with Richard.

I can honestly say that I have never seen an adult film like this before! Ever! The tone is very mysterious and psychologically dark, yet erotic and loving. I noticed that he film references a couple of movies that most fans of cinema will recognize: Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 iconic horror film PSYCHO and Ingmar Bergamn's 1966  psychological drama PERSONA. The movie lifts a lot from these two cinematic treasures, especially PSYCHO; with it's traumatic ending that, one can see coming, yet hard not to be shocked! Again, this was something completely new to me and it was a very interesting viewing experience!

Original Theatrical Poster (1974)

Damiano really shows off his directing chops with the film, carefully crafting a balance between art and sex. His compositions and set-ups feel very European; with it's use of simple camera shots, low lighting, intimate close-ups, and few edits, it helps elevate the movie from its simple definition of a "porno flick." The movie is an example of just how talented Damiano was and how he was willing to take chances and to make sex artistic within the adult film world. He is one of a few filmmakers within the genre that when you watch a movie, you can tell who made it. I would like to state that Damiano was, and still is, a true film auteur in the annuls of adult cinema history!

On September 19, 2015, the website The Rialto Report posted an article entitled, "Adult Film Locations 4: In Search of Miss Aggie, The Devil and Miss Jones." In the article, they went on a mission to locate the famous locations that were featured in both THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES and MEMORIES WITHIN MISS AGGIE: the infamous house and countryside locations. After conducting some serious research, and contacting those who were there, they eventually found out where both films were shot: an old apple-packing plant located in Milanville, Pennsylvania, about a hour's drive from New York. Also mentioned were the bridge and the Conklin Hill Church that was used, as well as several pictures of what the area looks now with screen grabs from both films for comparisons.

For this new release, the film was newly scanned & restored in 2k from its 16mm archival negative elements. The final results are really fantastic, making this the best version of the movie! For so many years, fans of the movie had to deal with the dark, murky, and blurry transfers that looked like they were from old VHS copies, but now those can be tossed aside and recycled. There's also a couple of special features on the discs: a promotional still and article gallery and the film's theatrical trailer. Granted, I wished there more on here, but since most of the key players of the film have passed on (Damiano and Reems more specifically), it would have been nice to hear from Eric Edwards and have him share some of his thoughts and memories on making the film. The combo has has a reversible cover artwork, and the first 1,000 copies has a cool looking, special limited edition embossed slipcover designed by Earl Kessler Jr. (As I am writing this review, the limited edition slipcovers are now sold out, and there are only 351 copies left of the standard version).

MEMORIES WITHIN MISS AGGIE  is an undiscovered erotic masterpiece that perfectly showcases the talent of the legendary Gerard Damiano! It's a movie that, almost 45 years later, still continues to attract new fans while remaining a favorite with those who saw it originally in theaters. With it's combination of European arthouse visuals, intense eroticism, and shocking finale, the film perfectly captures what the Golden Age of Adult Films was all about and remains one of Damiano's best films that you haven't seen yet!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

MEMORIES WITHIN MISS AGGIE  is available in a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack from Vinegar Syndrome. To order a copy for yourself, visit their website at vinegarsyndrome.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil sees ROMA at the 3Below Theaters & Louge - February 1, 2019

Theatrical Movie Poster (2018)

ROMA

Starring Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Nancy García García, Daniela Demesa, Diego Cortina Autrey, Carlos Peralta, Verónica García
Written by Alfonso Cuarón
Cinematography by Alfonso Cuarón
Edited by Alfonso Cuarón, Adam Gough
Produced by Alfonso Cuarón, Gabriela Rodriguez, Nicolas Celis
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Releases by Netflix

It's been a while since I've watched a movie in a theater, but with all the praise and attention I've been hearing about today's film, I decided to treat myself to a cinematic adventure! So, I headed over to the awesome 3Below Theaters and Lounge here in Downtown San Jose to watch one of the most visually stunning, heart strings pulling, emotionally charged and, in my humble opinion, of the best films so far of 2019! Now the film was actually released late December of last year, so I'm pretty later to the game. But like the old saying goes, "Better that than never." And so, I finally got to see ROMA up on the big screen!

The film's official synopsis: The most personal project to date from Academy Award-winning director and writer Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Children of Men, Y Tu Mama Tambien), ROMA follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City. Delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuarón draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s.

It's nice to see writer/director Alfonso Cuarón return to his roots; creating a thoughtful, provocative, emotional, and personal style of film! While his previous films GRAVITY, CHILDREN OF MEN, and HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN were a great platform to show off his directing chops, it was his coming-of-age masterpiece Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN that made me a fan. Here, Cuarón restrains himself with several long, unedited takes, simple set-ups and compositions, and panning the camera either left or right; creating an intricate and intimate work of art! His camera lingers for several seconds, even minutes, taking the audience into this world that we are unfamiliar with, and making us feel as if we're a part of it.

Credit also goes to Cuarón for the look of the movie, shooting on 65mm in black and white, which we hardly never see these days!! By doing this, the film has the feel of an old photograph; telling us a story that we have never heard of. By shooting in black and white, the movie takes on a variety of emotions. It's beautiful yet bleak, breathtaking and haunting, it's raw and unflinching with its characters, but we're emotionally invested with everyone that we cannot help feel sympathetic with all of them. Again, it's very reminiscent of Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN and that's a very high compliment!!

Bringing this movie to life requires a talented cast, and our lead actress Yalitza Aparicio, who portrays Cleo, is absolutely amazing! Her performance was just stunningly gripping and emotionally powerful and real! Now to my surprise, this was her acting debut!! Holy shit!! If this was her first film, just imagine how much more she'll grow as an actress in the next several years!! I cannot wait to see her again in future movies!!

As I write this review, the movie has garnered so much attention and acclaim that it's been nominated for ten, count them, TEN Academy Awards already! Some of the film's nominations include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Aparicio), Best Cinematography, and Best Foreign Film for example! I, for one, will be watching the Oscars very closely because this film deserves to win all ten nominations!!

ROMA is my pick for Best Film of 2019!! This was such a magnificent film and a return for Cuarón that I'm very excited for him, his cast and crew, and for the film itself! Even though it is also streaming on Netflix (they are the films distributor), I would seriously recommend you to see it at your local theater if it's screening there! To see it on the big screen is a cinematic experience that you will want to witness!! May favorite film so far this year!! 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

ROMA is playing in select theaters in a limited theatrical run in select cities nationwide, including the 3Below Theaters & Louge here in Downtown San Jose. To view showtimes, visit their website at 3belowtheaters.com. The film is also streaming exclusively on Netflix. To start your subscription, visit their website at www.netflix.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends an exclusive advanced screening of THE NEON DEMON from Amazon Studios - June 20, 2016

Hello again everybody and welcome to a very special edition of Phil's Film Adventures! While I was going through my Facebook feed I saw a very interesting post from the Sacramento Horror Film Festival. They were giving away free passes to an advanced screening of director Nicolas Winding Refn's new film THE NEON DEMON, which wont be in theaters until Friday, June 24th. Now I was very excited because I haven't done one of these types of screenings in over two years. So right after work, I headed down to the United Artists Arden Fair 6 Mall to check out this cinematic special occasion!

Theatrical Movie Poster

The film's official synopsis: When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will use any means necessary to get what she has in The Neon Demon, the new horror thriller from Nicolas Winding Refn. The Neon Demon stars Elle Fanning (Maleficent, Super 8), Jena Malone (Inherent Vice, The Hunger Games series), Bella Heathcote (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Dark Shadows), Abbey Lee (Gods of Egypt, Max Max: Fury Road), Karl Glusman (Love, Stonewall), Keanu Reeves (John Wick, The Matrix series), Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men,” Drive), Desmond Harrington (“Dexter,” The Dark Knight Rises), Alessandro Nivola (A Most Violent Year, American Hustle), and Charles Baker (“Breaking Bad,” Wild).

Actress Elle Fanning gives one of her best performances ever! She commands your attention when she's on the screen. Her portrayal as Jesse is nothing short of riveting. We witness her character turn from a kind, sweet and naive young girl to a self-absorbed, arrogant and prissy supermodel. It's a slow turn that is utterly amazing to witness. It is an extraordinary performance! Jena Malone is also captivating, if not shocking, as Jesse's good friend and make-up artists Ruby. She goes the extra mile in the film and let me just say there's this amazing "Holy Shit!" moment that was freaking crazy! Then there's Bella Heathcote and Abbey Lee, who portray Gigi and Sarah respectively. These superficial, super shallow and superplastic supermodels are the antagonists to our fair Jesse, who will stop at nothing to make sure she doesn't steal their spotlight and fame. Also, look for Keanu Reeves appearing in a very minor role as the jackass motel manager Hank, who spreads his time smoking cigarettes and breaking into the rooms.

Nicolas Winding Refn's directing is perfection at its finest! His compositions and camera panning are simple buy yet very effective. His eye captures the beautiful and the ugliness of not only our characters but also of the Los Angeles fashion world as well. Refn's framing is superb, documenting the rise and fall of Jesse with such captivating fluently. But what I really loved was the gorgeous neon lighting throughout the film. The last time I watched a film with this much colorful lighting was Dario Argento's 1977 horror classic SUSPIRIA. Now I would also like to address his partner-in-crime, which would be cinematographer Natasha Braier, without whom Refn's wouldn't have been able to bring his film to the screen. Exquisitely photographed by this very talented individual! Also, Refn co-wrote the film with two other talented writers: Mary Laws and Polly Stenham. The sparse dialogue enhances his unique vision but the story is so fascinating that we can't help but get swept into the lovely chaos of our characters.

Another aspect I loved about the film was the incredibly radical soundtrack! Music composer Cliff Martinez created a soundtrack that is an amalgam of 80's new wave synthesizer and traditional slasher music from like FRIDAY THE 13th. It's catchy, hypnotic and retro all at the same time. It's reminds of music that I would hear on the New Retro Wave website. It's new yet familiar at the same time, which is very difficult to pull off. I can't wait to buy the soundtrack and I hope it comes out on a totally awesome looking colored vinyl!

There are some who will say that this is not a horror film while some say it is an art house movie. Then there are those who will call it a thriller. Some might dare say it sucked and would want their money back. This is an experimental film; one that lies somewhere between an exquisite dreamlike state and a nightmarish plane of reality.

 THE NEON DEMON is my favorite film of the year thus far!! Words cannot describe how much I loved this movie!! It truly is a work of art and it must be seen on the big screen! So if you are bored of the typical Hollywood schlockbuster and the tired remakes/reboots/rehashes, then you must see this movie! 5 out of 5 stars!! Very highly recommended!!

THE NEON DEMON is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including at the United Artists Arden Fair 6 Mall. Check your local listings and theater to see if it's playing near you!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!