CaveGirl

Thanks, sewhite! I think a major retrospective of these naturist films is in order and I will offer my services to do the research. I love investigative reportage, just like when I was at the Vatican and asked to be allowed to enter La Maschera room to view the Sedia Stercoraria chair, which supposedly would prevent any woman like the one called Pope Joan to ascend the papal throne. You probably know as much as me about nudist camp films, but the majority probably do mostly have unclothed patrons playing volleyball and other sports and showing their interest in the Adamite lifestyle. Nevertheless, it is still a form of film that has been neglected in the ana...annals of celluloid history that may need to be reviewed, doncha think? Even the director of "Basket Case" agrees with me!

Louis-Jean Heydt! Love him and I would have cast him with Dan Duryea as a set of evil twins wallowing in villainy, like the Krays.

I think people who try to use movie lore and trivia to make anyone else feel stupid, are sick people. In the world, there is always someone who can take a fun thing, and twist it around and use its basic inherent wonderful qualities for their own demented purpose, to one up someone, to try to appear superior or just to be a major pain in the you know what. For that reason, many film forums can be a real drag, but thankfully the majority of the people here use films to unite not separate the masses. I find the kind of people who will get nasty over a Trivial Pursuit question or act pompous are misanthropes who just use an enjoyable avocation like movie collecting or viewing as a means to vent their own issues on others, and I try to avoid them. I once was playing Trivial Pursuit and the question was "Who wrote the Decameron?" and I said "Boccaccio" and the guy said "Yeah but what's his first name?" Now I might have come up with it, but a normal human being there said "No one cares what his first name was so cut the crap!" The latter person is the type I like to trade movie lore and trivia with and the former is just a disgruntled and toxic person, that I would want to stay away from. When you take the non-serious things in life like movie trivia and make it a big deal and something worth fighting about to show your expertise over another, I classify you as a loser I want to stay away from, no matter how many movies you've seen. Thanks for giving me a soapbox on which to expound, sewhite but your post irked me about the way you were treated. And by the way, after watching "The Big Sleep" around 20 times, I actually only really paid attention to the story about a month ago, even though I've read the tale in print many times. Who cares who did who in? It's the ride that counts and that movie is quite a ride for sure.

Good! More of Zachary for me...

Sadly I feel the TCM schedule does not properly cover the topic of nudist movies, or they've covered nudity too well, by not ever showing any skyclad folks playing badminton under a sunny sky at a lovely camp environment. Sure occasionally one will see a nude person on TCM, both male and female or both together, in films like "I Am Curious Yellow" or "Clockwork Orange" or the like, but the whole genre of healthy living via nudity conveyed by nudist camp films in the annals of film history is being ignored. I would think that every member of this persuasion has some film footage on hand, that would be beneficial to be seen by other film fans, who honor the whole world of movies, not just the clothed kind. Such avocations may be a bit beyond the fringe, yet still existed in our world and deserve a reviewing. I mean, if you consider yourself a "film buff" just where do you think the term originated, I ask you if not in a nudist colony? Just recently I read the comments of a cult film director who said basically "I'd love to see more nudist camp films...[but now they are] a dead art." He did make a distinction between a true nudist camp film, where all is being viewed of everyday life, and ones where all strategic areas are continually covered in shots by furniture, objects or outdoor landscaping and bushes. Accept only the original and true versions of nudist camp films or you will be sorely disappointed. This travesty of ignoring a whole segment of film history, needs to be corrected and one hopes TCM will be the forerunner in this task. If you feel similarly please add your thoughts to this post and do not go genitally, I mean gently into the night without expressing your outrage at not getting to see some of the nudist camp classics, like "10 Days in a Nudist Camp" from 1952. I'm sure one might have to put their toe into this genre gingerly, so even starting with things not totally nudist colony related like "Paradisio" which was an early nudist camp film done in 3-D [which was more hazardous to film than Huston's "The African Queen"] would be okay. Or for fun, maybe a showing of famed director, Doris Wishman's foray into the field with her film "Hideout in the Sun" from 1960 where filming in nudist spots in South Florida provide good tans for everyone. Even these slightly less risque films would be a nice return to nature and the eventual opening of the vaults for the entire history of nudist camp films to be reexamined by film buffs and reevaluated for posteriors...oops, I mean posterity. If you are a proponent of such a study in naturistic tendencies, please state your thoughts here or if you feel it is irrelevant to film studies, and non-academically inclined, your voice is needed also. Thanks!

One of the best, Calvinme!

Uh, I think I only wanted someone who would recognize the storyline and had been watching simultaneously, to answer my query. I will remember the next time I wake up after the credits have run which show the title, that posting without such is a no-no. I promise to never, ever, ever again ask a question without also making sure that I myself first look up the name of the movie from the clues I have given so that no one has to do such a task, as that was certainly a lot to ask on my part and I apologize for being so insensitive. I am very appreciative of all the work you did to come up with the name. I didn't deserve it but I surely appreciate it even though I will just try to buy the film now and find out the ending myself instead of asking anyone here, since it causes so much trouble. Thanks so much for your interest.

I totally understand your well voiced points and actually am surprised that most anyone likes this film. It is heavy beyond compare and deep and morose and tough to watch in any time period. I was on a Dreyer kick for awhile after reading a couple books about him, so forced myself to watch all his films just to be knowledgeable about their totality. I also tended to believe that even if I hated the film, it was probably more my fault than the movie's fault, since reading Dreyer's words on film, are very convincing of his genius. My one question about your original post was the theory that Dreyer was an atheist. Maybe I've lost it or totally forgotten all I ever read about him, but I thought he was the exact opposite and was a very religious man, perhaps in his own way though, and that his movies were about being respectful to religious beliefs of anyone. That was why I wrote what I wrote even though I did not think he was a non-believer and that his films reflect that. Maybe I'm wrong and I've not had time to check any of my books on him, but in the back of my mind I just seem to recall him being of a truly deep and spiritual nature, so if I'm wrong I apologize. I seemed to get from your post that one of your complaints was that as the director he was an atheist which colored his scenario and made the film less valid. But if Dreyer is not an atheist, then what do you think of the film? I shall wait for anyone to give definitive testimony as to Dreyer being or not being an atheist, before I speak again. Thanks, FilmSnob...I always enjoy reading your thoughts on film!

I wish you would go into more detail about this Mankiewicz connection, Vautrin. You always have the most interesting information about these things and I would love to hear you elucidate further on this topic about Herman's resason for calling the sled "Rosebud". Thanks in advance!

Really? I've never seen this movie but read an article alluding to the connection to Rose Hobart being an inspiration, in a book about that box guy. Does "everyone" know that? It was certainly news to me, drednam.

One wonders if the idea that "Mad Love" influenced the "Citizen Kane" visuals in terms of Kane's nice bald head resembling Doctor Gogol's and the bits with both having cockatoos flying around, is fact or fiction?

I always liked her so much! Didn't she also play the mother in "Peggy Sue Got Married"? That was one of the last times I saw her in a film. She had a unique quality and will be missed. Thanks for the update.

Wow, though I'm not into numerology I think your numbers still qualify you to be president or at least be in charge of any movies that were not produced yet by Bob Evans, Laffite! Personally I think you are just being humble but that's okay. Good golly gosh, we had all the same classes apparently. I took French also but am mostly illiterate except in restaurants, had a Geology class where the teacher told me I could have my requested take home exam, if I took it at his house [sexual harassment or just clever repartee?] and I took Algebra also but was better at Geometry. As for nescient, I can't remember where I picked that up from but first used it on a guy who was a know-it-all and when I said I thought he was nescient, he said "Hey, thanks!" I had to explain it was not a compliment. Well, you are still tops in my book as a marvelous cinematic conversationalist, Laffite and I always enjoy reading your witty comments on any thread.

Yay! I bet deep down that soon to be ravished guy is really excited to be with the Wasp Woman. Just like they say in France, La Petite Mort is worth the time and trouble and if this guy's seen "In the Realm of the Senses" he already knows what he is in for...just look at all the smiles on those male skeleton skulls in the pile!

Dwayne the Rock Johnson, Mark Walberg, Clooney and Vin Diesel...? These are the top actors I could get to see in current films? I think I want to get a ticket for some time machine to take me back to the mid-1930's so I could see some of the male stars from back then, who seem a lot more exciting to watch. I might take Robert Downey, Junior along with me, since he could take the place of Ross Alexander in some WB films of the time and would do himself proud.

So happy to see "Baby Doll" on again and she was great in "Star 80" also. Thanks, TB for your attention to keeping us up to date on upcoming films!

I salute you, Sepia for looking up the word to get an exact handle on it, since Gothic is used often in many disparate ways nowadays. Nice choice, and "Young Frankenstein" fits the bill. I think there are two types of Gothic Comedy...one which is relatively obvious as a comedy take on Gothic tendencies and the more subtle type which is like Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey" where she plays with the audience. Just like those who believed there was a real band named Spinal Tap, sometimes there's a fine line between Gothic drama and comedy just like there's a fine line between clever and stupid. Okay, I stole that from the Spinal Tap film but you get my drift. Thanks, Sepia!

You are so right to catch it every time it shows up on tv or TCM, Midwestan! A cult classic it is, and for those not into cosmetic company scientific developments, they should be ashamed at this gap in their knowledge, and watch it if only to catch up to the rest of society in appreciating all the fab info gleaned from watching "The Wasp Woman". Then they can move on to read Roald Dahl's story "Royal Jelly" and expand their consciousness. Thanks for your astute post!

Well, not so fast, Sepia. You being smart and an avid film fan probably are thinking of many great character actors, but that in itself means that they are already a bit acclaimed, in film circles. I'm looking for the mostly unacclaimed, who toil on day by day for us, but never got much appreciation by the masses or even film fans. That's why I dig Billy Benedict. TB's, Homolka is a bit more well known, but still not always mentioned even by the cognescenti in films. I'm sure with your acumen you can come up with at least one person in films, who's not that well known but always is a joy to see and that you alone maybe recognize. I'm waiting with bated breath, Sepia...

Cigar Joe, you have never seen "The Wasp Woman"??? This is simply shocking and completely unacceptable. You didn't ask me but yes, I first saw it on tv, but if I'd only seen the box cover that would have attracted me too, or even just the title. THE WASP WOMAN!!!!! Who could resist buying such a film. Sorry for the interruption.

Now you've done it, bringing up that Susan Cabot film! Talk about life imitating art. What a bizarre maelstrom of freakazoidish tendencies in her life. First she's in the film where she is partaking of the queen wasp jelly to stay young and then later in life, she has the baby, Timothy who is getting the drugs for growth hormone replacement from I think the pituitaries of cadavers and wasn't there something about her stealing some of his medicine for herself? Years of physical and mental abuse by her cause him to murder her, and then the lies about his parentage come out, where people thought his father was Christopher Jones but it really was King Hussein. And guess who has an autographed photo of King Hussein? Well, me! Now I had a friend who was my aunt's hair stylist who had a business of sending stars their photos and asking for signatures. He had scads of 8 x 10 glossies, but wasn't always sure who was in the pictures. My fun aunt told him I was a big movie fan and could probably identify some of them. So we meet, and he would give me stacks of pictures and wanted to pay me, but I said no, so he said I could just keep any I wanted. Then one day he says, here is a gift from me to you. A signed photo of King Hussein. Now at the time, I had to kind of pretend I was really thrilled being that I'd rather have had a signed photo of Grant Williams, but I acted happy. Now though, due to the bizarre Susan Cabot story, I am kind of thinking this photo is kind of unique. Well, I'm blaming this long post on you mentioning "The Wasp Woman". For shame...tsk tsk!

You win the Gold Ring for that one, TB! What an excellent choice. As a child, good old Oskar kind of scared me, he was so stern, but then I saw him in "I Remember Mama" and he was so endearing and amusing as Uncle Chris, I no longer was frightened. A great actor and good in all films as you say. Thanks for participating!

Right on, Mary and thanks for the cute pic! Billy always looked like he should have been the illegitimate son of Dan Duryea to me. Unfortunately they were probably too close in age for this to be possible, but Billy looked so much younger.

Stop putting us on, Laffite...do we look to be that foolish. You are about as nescient as Judy Holliday and I wish I had your I.Q.! You are probably working on nuclear fusion possibilities in between posting here at TCM.

Oh, yeah...there was that bit, at the end for sure, wasn't there? Good call, Ray!