albert 8th Jun 2024 | | CinemaFirst Blood (1982) (1982) | Now renamed as "Rambo:First Blood" on 4K discs, while the second in the series is now called "Rambo:First Blood Part II".
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albert 11th May 2024 | | CinemaThe Shining (1980) (1980) | Note that there are 2 official versions of the film, the USA version at 2hours 26mins, and the trimmed version at 1hour 55mins - cutting out a lot of incidental stuff but losing much of the ominous feel and slow built up of tension.
After Kubrick's death the long version, now referred to as the extended cut, has become widely available on Blu-ray, 4K and some DVDs (I think it was always the version on Region 1 DVDs), and I recommend this as the one to watch.
For artistic reasons Kubrick shot the film full frame, and it is best viewed without any matting. Unfortunately recent transfers present the film 1:85 (or wider) for a more 'cinematic look'.
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albert 9th Aug 2022 | | CinemaHold Me While I'm Naked (1966) (1966) | Yes thats the one, thanks A.
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albert 4th Aug 2022 | | CinemaHold Me While I'm Naked (1966) (1966) | This was available on VHS video in the UK, and included a few more shorts.
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albert 19th Aug 2021 | | CinemaLa Vie Sexuelle Des Belges 1950-1978 (The Sexual Life Of The Belgians) (1994) (1994) | This film was a relative success for the director, so much so that he made at least 3 sequels ....some of which borrow the title but appear to be completely at odds with the original's content.
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albert 19th Aug 2021 | | CinemaYellow Submarine (1968) (1968) | The original feature film was released to cinemas in America a few weeks before the UK release and during the delay they tweaked the UK version. A few big changes were made to the UK version, including the addition of the 'Hey Bulldog' sequence, and the removal of some scenes which can be seen in this USA Betamax version (the tape was manufactured pre-restoration)....
[YouTube Video]
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albert 12th Jul 2021 | | CinemaAtolladero (1995) (1995) | This is a somewhat comic book action adventure. It looks like a typical American low budget small town setting where the law and criminal types get mean and violent. Except it is meant to be set in the future and includes some futuristic or slightly Mad Max inspired elements.
I would say this mash-up of genres is actually typical of Spanish films of the time, anything and everything seems to get thrown into the plot with careless abandon, which can be a bit of a drag. The violence is not particularly violent, but there are some attempts at black comedy which do not play well and actually cross over into sicko territory.
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albert 12th Jul 2021 | | CinemaCarry On Up The Khyber (1968) (1968) | Screenplay by Talbot Rothwell. Trailer:
[YouTube Video]
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albert 12th Jul 2021 | | CinemaInvasion Of The Bee Girls (1973) (1973) | This title crops up on many budget DVDs but it is so often the cut version, (mainly in the honey-pouring 'initiation' process).
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albert 21st Apr 2021 | | CinemaEscalofrío (Satan's Blood) (1978) (1978) | The top review on the linked IMDB page really sells the film to me.
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albert 21st Apr 2021 | | CinemaSalvatore Giuliano (1962) (1962) | A docu-drama with a narrator, and actors playing out the scenes. The story may not be entirely accurate as it is complicated and involves high ranking figures.
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albert 20th Apr 2021 | | CinemaDebbie Does Dallas (1978) (1978) | This title was available under the counter from a certain video rental store in my home town, and it was pocket money well spent at a school friend's video club (while his parents were out). Years later it had become a by-word for naughty videos, but nobody believed me that the film really did exist, such was its elevation to mythical status by then.
If you are interested, the 'story' in the film is a bunch of cheerleaders need cash to pay for a coach trip so that they can cheer on their American Football boyfriends who have an away match in Dallas. They do find a way to raise the funds...and other things.
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albert 18th Apr 2021 | | CinemaAuch Zwerge Haben Klein Angefangen (Even Dwarfs Started Small) (1970) (1970) | Problematic early film by Herr Herzog, and not just because of the exploitation but because it includes animal cruelty/killing, and the fact that some of the actors suffered injuries on set (like getting run over by a driverless car). And it is a pretty lousy film to boot.
Not included in the BFI's Werner Herzog boxset.
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albert 15th Apr 2021 | | CinemaThe Family Way (1966) (1966) | Paul McCartney soundtrack.
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albert 10th Apr 2021 | | CinemaNightmare (1981) | Duplicate entry. It is the same film as Nightmares In A Damaged Brain.
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albert 9th Apr 2021 | | CinemaI Racconti Di Canterbury (The Canterbury Tales) (1972) (1972) | Dr Who is in this, and flashes his todger. It was a small part.
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albert 9th Apr 2021 | | CinemaThe Trip (1967) | The soundtrack was available on vinyl and CD, but beware that some versions are missing many tracks such as the Curb CD (which is now supplied by Amazon as a crumby CDr knock-off).
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albert 27th Feb 2021 | | CinemaThe Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961) (1961) | He says "I don't give a flop about what you do". I would like to presume the line was ad-libbed and maybe amended in post production. Later in the film he asks for the melting point of his glass eye, amongst other things, which I cannot imagine would have been in the original script.
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albert 24th Feb 2021 | | CinemaThe Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961) (1961) | Quite a good film, if you can accept the premise.
Watching the remastered Blu-ray I was amused to hear Leo McKern's line in the scene when Bill and Peter first visit Harry's Bar, just as they are leaving the Daily Express building (at the 19:48 mark), on the Blu-ray I am sure it sounds like something else.
[YouTube Video]
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albert 17th Aug 2019 | | CinemaLa Piscine (The Swimming Pool) (1969) (1969) | Also known as The Swimming Pool, or The Sinners. There are two versions of the film, one shot with mostly French dialogue and the other with English dialogue (with some nuances lost in the translation).
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albert 14th Aug 2019 | | CinemaStridulum (The Visitor) (1979) (1979) | I wonder what convinced all these big names to sign up for this film.
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albert 11th Aug 2019 | | CinemaThe Magic Roundabout (2005) (2005) | And I thought Dougal And The Blue Cat was bad.
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albert 8th Aug 2019 | | CinemaCopy Shop (2001) (2001) | A very inventive short, it is included as a bonus on the 'Heller als der Mond' (Brighter Than the Moon) DVD. I would like to see more by director Virgil Widrich but it is difficult to track down DVDs.
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albert 5th Aug 2019 | | CinemaPuss Gets The Boot (1940) (1940) | The first Tom & Jerry cartoon, or actually not, since they hadn't established an identity yet and Mammy Two Shoes calls the cat 'Jasper'. The title banner is "Puss Gets The Boot" coming after the MGM logo and Rudolf Isling credit, no "Tom & Jerry" banner.
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albert 18th Jul 2019 | | CinemaAu Bout Des Fusils (Gunpoint ) (1972) (1972) | Director Peter Graham and co-conspirator Walerian Borowczyk have ulterior motives in mind when making a documentary on game hunting.
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albert 18th Jul 2019 | | CinemaHome And Away (1974) (1974) | A young boy is sent to a boarding school.
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albert 17th Jul 2019 | | CinemaBlanche (1971) (1971) | Possibly Borowczyk's finest work, the attention to creating the fine details in this period piece is just perfect. And there is hardly any nudity in it.
[YouTube Video]
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albert 14th Jul 2019 | | CinemaEl Sol Del Membrillo (The Quince Tree Sun) (1992) (1992) | Not really a documentary, more like an observation. Over a number of days/weeks Antonio López tries to make a meticulously accurate painting of the quince tree in his garden, people visit and there are discussions about art and life in general, and the weather causes him problems as he particularly wants to capture the patterns of sunlight. The painting never really gets finished but the artist seems happy just to be painting, the film is likewise.
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albert 20th Apr 2019 | | CinemaChik Loh Go Yeung (Naked Killer ) (1992) (1992) | Some notes regarding film versions and comparisons can be found on the Movie Censorship website (which includes some naughty pictures).
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albert 18th Apr 2019 | | CinemaThe Deep (1977) (1977) | The film does have a couple of good points... Jacqueline Bisset in a wet t-shirt.
{Apologies for The Shallow joke}.
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