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Det Jim McLeod

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Posts posted by Det Jim McLeod

    I Just Watched...

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    Just now, LornaHansonForbes said:

    tomorrow as the first day of OSCAR PROGRAMMING begins its long, painful slog- THE ENTERTAINER (which I mentioned in my reply to this quote of yours) is airing at 6:00 am (I think) (East Coast time.)

    it is NOT a fun film, it's one of those INTENSE BRITISH KITCHEN SINK DRAMAS that became so big in the 1960's with the success of ROOM AT THE TOP...

    AND YET, it is the best performance of OLIVIER'S that I have seen and one of the best performances of the 1960s. you might not like the film, but you can't help but be in awe of his work with this one.

    😧 Tony Richardson. Laurence Olivier, Brenda De Banzie, Roger Livesey, Joan Plowright, Daniel Massey, Alan Bates, Shirley Anne Field, Albert Finney, Thora Hird. Seedy vaudevillian (Olivier, recreating his stage role) ruins everyone's life and won't catch on. Film captures flavor of chintzy seaside resort, complementing Olivier's brilliance as egotistical song-and-dance man. Coscripted by John Osborne, from his play. Film debuts of Bates and Finney. Olivier and Plowright married the following year. Remade as a 1975 TVM starring Jack Lemmon.

    I actually like Oscar Programming, most of them are some the best films ever.

    I agree about about Olivier's performance, I think he deserved the Oscar that year, over Burt Lancaster in Elmer Gantry.  What I like about the film is the atmosphere, the dingy music halls and flats, you can almost feel the damp air in the outdoor scenes. 

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1

    I Just Watched...

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    30 minutes ago, TomJH said:

    But Son of Dracula is definitely a fun ride

    I just wanted to mention a few other things:

    Chaney is the first Dracula to have a mustache, just like in the original Bram Stoker novel.

    There is the character of Queen Zimba, a gypsy woman who Albritton visits. She is played by Adeline DeWalt Reynolds, an elderly actress (she was 81 at the time). She is not too well known but had some good cameos in films. She also played the old mental patient in Witness To Murder opposite Barbara Stanwyck . Perhaps her most memorable role was her uncredited one as Barry Fitzgerald's elderly mother in the last scene of Going My Way. 

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    I Just Watched...

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    Psyche 59 Poster

    Psyche 59 (1964) TCM 5/10

    A woman becomes blind after a traumatic event which she cannot remember.

    An interesting though not totally successful melodrama which seems to be trying to be a psychological thriller. There is some good acting by Patricia Neal in the lead and Samantha Eggar as her vixenish younger sister. I also like the English locations and B&W photography. Curt Jurgens plays Neal's husband, I have only seen two other of his films and he always seems to be overshadowed by his co stars, not only in this one but by Brigitte Bardot in And God Created Woman and Roger Moore as James Bond in The Spy Who Loved Me. 

    I found this film to be very slow moving and the big reveal was no surprise.

    • Thanks 1

    I Just Watched...

    in General Discussions

    Posted · Edited by Det Jim McLeod
    fixed Robert Paige's name

    20 hours ago, TomJH said:

    Despite the film's title, by the way, I don't recall any indication in the screenplay that his character actually is the son of the old blood sucker.

    In the scene where the town doctor is speaking with Professor Lazlo (the Van Helsing type character) and Lazlo mentions that Alucard is probably a descendant of Dracula. 

    I just re watched this film last night and was still very impressed. Chaney gives one of his most subtle performances and is very effective. Albritton is  very "Goth" looking with that black wig and pale face, she also does a good job. I thought Robert Paige was pretty good too. His character is kind of neurotic and reckless, unlike some of the other horror film heroes of the time who were stiff, straight arrow types like David Manners or Patric Knowles. 

    I Just Watched...

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    Blues Busters Poster

    Blues Busters (1950) TCM 6/10 

    Slip and the Bowery Boys are shocked when Sach turns into a Crosby like crooner after a tonsillectomy. 

    One of the better entries in the long running series. The musical scenes are pretty good with Huntz Hall doing a good job lip synching to Crosby imitator. Some good looking women too-Adele Jergens is one of the sexier B movie blondes and a pre Lois Lane Phyllis Coates appears as Slip's tap dancing girl friend. 

    Would Bela Lugosi's Career Have Been Different if He Played the Monster in Frankenstein?

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, TomJH said:

    Return of the Vampire (1944), a highly atmospheric vampire tale with Bela wearing the cape once again. Although, for copy right reasons he is not called Dracula, making this technically not a Dracula film, this was the closet he had come to the role since his star making turn as the Count in 1931.

    This one was a good vampire film, Bela is still very creepy in the role and he has one of his best demises at the end. I liked the talking werewolf too.

    • Like 2

    Would Bela Lugosi's Career Have Been Different if He Played the Monster in Frankenstein?

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    16 hours ago, antoniacarlotta said:

    My newest video is about the life and career of Bela Lugosi.

    Well done video. Here are my top ten Bela Lugosi films, have you seen all of them?

    1. Dracula (1931) He is still very creepy and sinister in this role, my favorite scene may be where confronts Van Helsing about Mina, saying "my blood now flows through her veins"

    2. Murders In the Rue Morgue (1932) He is a depraved scientist using an ape to commit murders. A still shocking scene involves the torture of a woman of the streets (Arlene Francis) tied to a tilted cross.

    3. White Zombie (1932) The original Walking Dead film. Lugosi gives one of his more sinister portrayals with several shots of his hypnotic eyes.

    4. The Black Cat (1934) He is a more sympathetic character as a doctor seeking vengeance against evil devil worshiper Boris Karloff.

    5. The Raven (1935) He plays the most raving mad doctor on film  here. He is a Poe obsessed surgeon jilted by a woman, he tries to get revenge on her and her family and friends by blackmailing gangster Karloff into taking part in his plan.

    6. The Invisible Ray (1936) Bela plays one of his most normal roles in this science fiction thriller, as a brilliant doctor dealing with crazed scientist Karloff who is turned into a radioactive killer.

    7. Son Of Frankenstein (1939) He plays the broken necked, snaggle toothed Ygor, who gets the Monster (Karloff) to do his bidding. Bela is unrecognizable in this part and his performance is excellent.

    8. The Human Monster (1939) One of Lugosi's most evil roles as a doctor who murders his patients for insurance money.

    9. Invisible Ghost (1941) Lugosi plays a kindly man who is turned into a homicidal maniac under some sort of hypnotic spell. This is low budget but underrated film with some haunting images.

    10. Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) This was the second and last time he played Dracula on film. Although a comedy, Bela maintains his dignity and has great presence as the Count, especially in the hypnosis scenes with Costello. 

    • Like 3

    Would Bela Lugosi's Career Have Been Different if He Played the Monster in Frankenstein?

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    16 hours ago, antoniacarlotta said:

    Do you think Bela's career trajectory would have been different if he had played The Monster too?

    I think Bela would have become the #1 Horror Man at Universal in  the 1930s. If Karloff had not played the Monster I don't think he would have become a star, probably just a supporting character actor. 

    However I think Bela still would have been eclipsed by Lon Chaney Jr in the 1940s.

    • Like 1

    Terry Jones of Monty Python has died

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    He had been suffering from dementia so I was expecting but dreading this day. He was a great talent, he co directed Holy Grail and directed Life Of Brian and Meaning Of Life alone.

    My favorite sketch of his was in Meaning Of Life where he played the fat man gorging himself in a restaurant and vomiting up gallons. It was so gross it was hilarious.

    • Like 3

    When Was TV at Its Best?

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    On 1/19/2020 at 3:14 PM, TopBilled said:

    All in the Family spun off into Archie Bunker's Place which ran for four more seasons. So technically, Archie was on the air for 13 years.

    I had seen a few episodes of Archie Bunker's Place, they were awful, most people like to pretend this spin off never existed. 

    When Was TV at Its Best?

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    18 hours ago, TopBilled said:

    I think they did a talent show every year to honor a lot of the cast's previous work on Broadway, where they would get to do show-stopping numbers. I didn't mind them.

    Maude was very good show, I watched it when it first aired and am rewatching it from the beginning on Youtube. I have seen some merely OK episodes but never a bad one.It still holds up and the musical episodes I think are some of the best. Many other sitcoms did this "put on a show" type episodes bu Maude was the best at it. Beatrice Arthur was seasoned Broadway musical performer (Mame) and belts out some show stopping numbers on these shows. In one of them she does a great version of "You're Gonna Hear From Me" which was in the movie Inside Daisy Clover. The shows still were great comedy, in another one, Maude is putting on a telethon but they don't have a disease to ask contributions for it!

    • Like 1
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