GETTING GRACE: HOW TO FACE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE

 

 

The subject of death has always been one to fascinate people. Everything from novels to TV series to films has at least touched on the subject. The scope of the discussion is vast and can range anywhere from it simply being us ceasing to exist to our souls being transferred to a Heavenly glory. What happens depends on your beliefs. Most movies will present to you their own view of what happens. But a new film leaves the door open for you to decide for yourself while at the same time offering a tremendous amount of faith. Welcome to GETTING GRACE.

Madelyn Dundon stars as Grace, a young woman dying of cancer. Grace is a free spirit who sheds her wig early on and has chosen to explore the life that she has left. All of this in spite of living with her mother Venus (Marsha Dietlein) who uses alcohol to cope with her daughter’s illness. Spotting a funeral director outside his place of business she decides to explore what comes next. 

Bill Jankowski (Daniel Roebuck) is the funeral director Grace saw. She surprises him, literally, in his place of work, always at the oddest moments. Bill is a somewhat reclusive character. He’s quiet, he keeps to himself and he is set in his ways. The insertion of this young woman who is obviously not doing well but filled with life, enthusiasm, humor and more upsets that life he’s made for himself. 

Grace asks Bill questions about what to expect. But she also asks him questions about things he doesn’t expect to be asked. She has a way of inserting herself that most people can’t refuse and Bill falls into that category. Wanting her to at least leave the funeral home he takes her to lunch. The two begin to develop a friendship as things progress and Grace tends to impart more to Bill than learn the answers she was seeking. 

Another set of characters are involved in Grace’s life. Her time at the hospital undergoing treatment has her there with other children dealing with cancer, some towards remission and others knowing certain death is on the way. At one point she takes them on a field trip to…Bill’s funeral home. This ends in some seriously funny moments as well as ones that will touch the heart as the film progresses. 

Also falling into Grace’s atmosphere is new-age author Ron Christopher whose books talk about bending spoons with your mind. Grace shows up to one of his book signings and the two also strike up a friendship but nothing near what she’s developed with Bill. Eventually she invites both Ron and Bill to her home for dinner. It isn’t until later that we discover her real motives for this. 

With this everything is set in place. Grace is dealing with her upcoming death in her light hearted way, touching the lives of everyone around her as she does so. Bill is beginning to loosen up and experience life through this young woman. Venus is coping in a state of semi-denial, hiding in a bottle. And Grace’s friends are all captivated by her spirit which elevates them from the despondency that is part and parcel of their lives. But beneath all of the smiles and laughter that Grace brings them is a desire to leave behind more than just a memory. 

I can’t begin to talk about how good a movie this is. There is nothing, nothing, that I didn’t like about this movie. Center to all of this is the performance by Dundon. While the entire cast does an amazing job she shines here. Without her ability to make us believe she is Grace and to bring a spark of life to a character who is dying the movie would fall apart. She does that which is so wonderful to see in someone just staring out in films.  

This is the first time I’ve seen Dietlein. I was upset with this. She too displayed a depth of character that was amazing. Why she hasn’t found more notable roles is beyond me. With so many actresses being fawned over for doing far less she deserves that and more. I’ll now be looking to see what she’s in next. 

Roebuck not only stars in the film but co-write the film with Jeff Lewis and directed as well. Roebuck is an easily recognizable face with over 252 roles to his credit. The display of his craft as an actor in all of those roles shows here as he too takes what could have been a cardboard cutout of a character and brings Bill Jankowski to life showing his transformation from the beginning to the end of the film. 

And while one could understand that Roebuck is a well versed actor his ability to direct here shows he has far more potential than anyone has given him to this point. The film could have gone in two terrible directions. It could have been far too light which would be disrespectful to the story or it could have been too somber which would have buried the story in morbidity. Instead he deftly combines the humor and content of Grace’s journey to make a wonderful film. 

Originally made in 2017 and later on DVD the film is getting new life currently. Theaters in both Ohio and Georgia are playing the film and Roebuck is making personal appearances to promote it. One can only hope that more theaters find their way to showing this film. And that it will once more be available on DVD/Blu-ray. A check at amazon found it only in used copies. 

I’ve railed before about the Oscars not being focused on great movies any more and more focused on popular politics instead. If you have enough studio money behind you, you will find a way to a nomination. And if your film is woke on top of that it is guaranteed. I find they no longer offer the award to films based on merit. Watching this film reminded me of that. This film touched me on so many levels. I literally laughed out loud at moments. I sat and cried during others. Few films have that wide ranging effect on me. There is a reason I should be speaking well of this film I won’t relate here. But the reality is that I truly felt this was one of the best movies I’ve seen in some time. That it was ignored the first time around and will most likely never have a $100 million dollar box office claim is sad. That tends to happen with what are termed faith based films. 

So let me say this. If the movie shows near you, make a beeline to see it. If you can’t see it in a theater (with a box of Kleenex in your lap) then go to amazon prime and rent it as I did. Or buy it. I know I intend to seek out a disc copy of it because of my love of physical media. But by all means you need to see this movie. Let it lift your spirit. Because when you watch this movie you will definitely be getting grace. 

When this film is once more available I will update and let you all know. Until then if it plays near you, go see it.

MISS WILLOUGHBY AND THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP: A NEW MISS MARPLE?

 

 

Occasionally you have to approach the nearest location you rent movies from and take the plunge, picking out something you’ve never heard of but that might turn out interesting. You’ll never know what you’ll find. Well with the exception of anything new starring Bruce Willis. Sometimes they’ll be great and other times be terrible. But for the most part whatever you find will be at least entertaining. Such is the case with MISS WILLOUGHBY AND THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP.

The film opens at a funeral in 1996 where young Elizabeth stands beside their graves as her new guardian Robert Thompson stands nearby. Born into wealth she lives in a secluded estate in England. Thompson has promised to raise the girl and does so by teaching her everything he can which includes martial arts, strategy, reading and more. The years pass and she grows into a striking young woman with a keen intellect. 

Grown Elizabeth (Nathalie Cox) still resides on her family’s estate and Thompson (Kelsey Grammer) still helps her when he can while aiding in the management of the estate. She now teaches at a nearby college and has written several books. One day she receives a call from longtime friends Oliver (Steven Elder) and Helen Deakin (Louise Bangay), owners of a rare and collectible bookshop in town and they plan on meeting at her estate for tea the next day. 

The four friends make small talk and catch up when Elizabeth notices a trembling in Helen’s hands. Thompson picks up on the hint and escorts Oliver out to visit the wine cellar. Helen then tells Elizabeth that one of two things is taking place. Either she is going mad or the bookshop is being haunted by her deceased father. Of course Elizabeth agrees to help her get to the bottom of what’s going on. 

Elizabeth contacts a colleague at the university, Prof. Vernon Murray (Nicholas Jones), who teaches physics and who has a side interest in parapsychology. All of them gather in the bookshop, Murray with his EMF reader and equipment, and try to find the source of the so-called haunting. The end result is Helen seeing her late father once more while no one else does and passing out. 

Digging deeper Elizabeth contacts two members of the book club that meets at the store to see what they’re aware of. First there is Sarah Clarkson (Caroline Quentin) who is a budding author herself and the town gossip. Her somewhat adversary is Diana Branson (Tara Fitzgerald) a snob if there ever was one and one to compete with her for town secrets. Between the two of them Elizabeth learns that the Deakins are having financial difficulties and a nefarious land developer has been after them to sell their estate. 

All of this would lead you to believe that this is where the problem lies. But then one night Helen hears piano music coming from the music room and goes downstairs. She sees her father’s image sitting in his chair which then rises and approaches her. Oliver comes to comfort her but she runs away and the search is on not just for the supposed ghost but for Helen herself. 

The mystery involved here is one you are most likely to figure out long before the end of the film but that doesn’t take away some of the pleasure in watching how the characters figure it all out. This film does indeed play like a low end Miss Marple of Nancy Drew mystery but those were always fun to watch and attempt to solve on your own. This movie does the same. There may be tons of series like this on British television but there is a charm to this one that I feel many missed. So many have written negatively about the film rather than accept it for what it is.

The film is well made and the acting is better than your average cop show. Cox is delightful as Elizabeth showing a grace as she digs into the clues. Grammer is his usual best adding to the entire production and providing tremendous support in his role. 

I doubt that this film will end up becoming a series of films but on its own it is an enjoyable movie to watch. A few topics might make it unsuitable for children but with some conversation on those topics they might be allowed to watch, in particular the older ones. If you’re willing to take a risk on an unknown movie you might want to try this one. 

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THE KING’S MAN: HOW IT ALL BEGAN

 

 

Director Matthew Vaughan took the comic book THE SECRET SERVICE and along with screenwriter Jane Goldman the pair brought about a movie called THE KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE. The film was so popular a sequel followed, THE KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE. Now he returns to tell us how the group began with the prequel THE KING’S MAN.

The film opens in 1902 as diplomat Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes), his wife Emily (Alexandra Maria Lara) and their young son Conrad during the Boer War in Africa are sent to visit a concentration camp. They are attacked and Emily is killed but not before she makes Orlando vow that he will never allow their son to participate in a war. 

Fast forward to 1914 and Orlando and his servants Shola (Djimon Hounsou) and Polly (Gemma Arterton) work behind the scenes to insure that a new war doesn’t break out. At the same time they attempt to keep young Conrad from joining the military, much to his displeasure. Lord Kitchener (Charles Dance), the British Secretary of War, sends Orlando and his group to Sarajevo to keep an eye on Archduke Ferdinand. They prevent one attempt on his life but not the second. This sets in motion what will become WWI. 

Orlando has a chance to question the assassin and discovers this is not a small group attacking the Duke. Instead there is an organization known as “The Flock” led by a man known only as “The Shepherd”. The group is composed of agents from various countries, the most well-known being Rasputin from Russia. This is an organization doing all they can to start the war. 

Kitchener heads for Russia to convince the Tsar Nicolas to become an ally with Great Britain but on the way his ship is sunk by members of The Flock. When word reaches Orlando he and his family head to Russia to take on the task Kitchener began. Their encounter with Rasputin (Rhys Ifans) is not a pleasant one and leads to an exhaustive fight. 

Returning home with the war breaking out, Conrad reaches his 19^th birthday and joins the military. As this is transpiring US President Woodrow Wilson has opted to not become involved in the war. Information is transferred to him claiming that Mexico would side with Germany if he enters. Wilson claims that without proof he will not enter the fray. 

Orlando, Polly and Shola work towards getting Wilson the proof that he needs. In doing so they suffer a tremendous tragedy that takes them out of the game. When he learns that Wilson is being blackmailed to keep him out and knowing that without his help his country will fall, he once more jumps into action. 

As exciting as this sounds, and trust me there is plenty of action involved here, the film feels like it runs a bit slow at times. This is due to an overabundance of story, something that rarely happens in movies these days. But all of the story needs to be told to bring all of the various pieces together, to bring all of the various countries into play in this tale. 

There are no bad performances in this film. The two that stand out the most are Fiennes as a more senior combatant behind the scenes and Ifans as Rasputin. Ifans chews up the scenery and handles some impressive work hiding behind makeup that makes him look like the mad monk. If you never considered him a bad guy you will after seeing this movie. 

At just over 2 hours the movie feels a bit long and could have been trimmed a bit. Still, it was an enjoyable romp and one is left hoping there are more tales of the Kingsmen out there to be told. I for one have enjoyed the previous two films and this one is just as entertaining.

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THE 355: FEMALE ACTION

 

 

I’ve always felt that the proposal of changing a character into something it wasn’t originally was a bad idea. For example having a woman or an actor like Idris Elba playing James Bond. To say you feel that way will get you called a misogynist or racist but it has absolutely nothing to do with either. It is just noting that after decades of a character becoming familiar with the public it seems like a publicity stunt to completely change things with said character. I would feel it was equally wrong to remake SHAFT or SUPERFLY and replace the lead character with a white actor.

Times have changed since that first glimpse of Bond way back with DR. NO in 1962. Women are no longer the stay at home baking cookies types thank goodness. But to have a movie featuring Jane Bond would be ridiculous. Better that a movie come out that features a female lead doing all of those things on her own. Thank goodness that’s happened with THE 355. 

In Columbia a drug lord’s son comes up with a new computer program, one that can’t be traced and can take over anything connected to computers from a plane to an entire electric grid. There is only one copy of the program and one person who can create it. Things get nasty, the programmer is killed and the drive is stolen after some gunplay. Now the word is out and every spy organization and nefarious villain wants their hands on it. 

CIA agent “Mace” Brown (Jessica Chastain) is given the assignment to pick up the drive storing the program from Columbian DNI agent Rojas (Edgar Ramirez), the man who picked it up in the shootout. Accompanying her on this mission is her longtime partner Nick Fowler (Sebastian Stan). Just as the handoff is about to take place a woman steps in to steal the drive but gets the bag of money instead. Mace and Nick follow taking different routes. Mace loses her and Nick is killed in an alley. 

Mace is told by her handler to retrieve the drive at any and all costs. She travels to London to recruit an old friend to help her, electronics/computer whiz and former MI6 agent Khadijah Adiyeme (Lupita Nyong’o). The pair set out for Paris again to retrieve the drive. In the meantime it turns out the woman who snagged the money bag was a German undercover BND agent, Marie Schmidt (Diane Kruger) who was also trying to get the drive. 

Luis, on the run, contacts his handlers and arranges to hand the drive over to Graciela Rivera (Penelope Cruz) in a fish market. Mace and Khadijah have tracked him there but so has Marie. Unfortunately so have the bad guys. A shoot out follows and the drive is lost and Marie take Graciela back to her hotel room. Soon after Mace and Khadijah break into their room and a truce is met. The four women will unite to find the drive and save the world. 

More surprises, more twists and more fighting and shooting follow making this one action packed film. It is exactly what one would expect from a Bond movie. But here we are presented with four accomplished women who are the best there is at this business. It is a film that features women in the roles usually assigned to men and it shows they can do it just as good. This is what was needed, not stepping into the shadows of a now familiar character but a group of characters on their own. 

Each and every one of the actresses here play their parts to perfection. They are not just eye candy for once but are the action stars that were needed. Director Simon Kinberg, with only two directing credits but tons of screenwriting and producing credits to his name, does a wonderful job of combining the action and story to make this a movie that will hold your attention from start to finish.

After the film ended I couldn’t help but wonder if this group of actresses could reunite again to bring us yet another adventure of the 355. The end of the movie explains what that is. It was the designation given to a female spy during the Revolutionary War. The tradition carries on in these spies. With their own franchise set in motion the only thing stopping it from happening is that the film didn’t get much of a push at the box office. Hopefully that will change since it’s now available to rent and screening on the Peacock streaming service. One can only hope.

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VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS: TITANIC TEENS!

 

 

I can remember the first time I ever saw VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS. Not details or on what show perhaps but I did remember the images of giant teens draped in, well, drapes. Off how the pre-teen mind works. I didn’t recall many details but those images were in my brain all these years later. So when I heard Kino Lorber was releasing the film on Blu-ray I looked forward to it. 

The story opens with a group of delinquent style teens having crashed their car outside a small town looking for kicks and drinking beer. Led by Fred (a young Beau Bridges) they frolic in the mud and then head into Hainesville, CA, to look for kicks since Fred remembers a girl named Nancy live there.

Nancy (Charla Doherty) is at her house with her boyfriend Mike (Tommy Kirk) watching over the house and her little brother “Genius” (Ron Howard) while her parents are away for the weekend. Suffice to say she’s paying more attention to Mike and her brother. When they hear an explosion from Genius’ lab they go to check it out. He’s created a formula he calls goo that increases the size of anything that drinks it, including the pet ducks. Mike sees this as an opportunity where they can make some money and feed the world. 

The delinquent teens have broken into an abandoned theater where they clean up before checking out a local club. The Beau Brummels are there playing as Red (Toni Basil) dances in the go go cage. Mike and Nancy show up and not long after so do the ducks. Mike tells a few friends how they got too big and soon the ducks are slaughtered and the entire teen community is having a cook out in the town square. Not only that Freddie Cannon shows up to sing a song. Fred and his group overhear how the ducks got so big and thinking only of making money they set out to steal the goo.

Fred and his gang steal the goo and head back to the theater. They argue with one another about what to do with it and after the group pressures him Fred decides to cut up what they have and each of them eats it. The end result is them all increasing in size as their clothes rip apart to about 30 feet tall. They clothe themselves in the drapes left in the theater and head out to cause some extra big trouble. 

They block the roads, tear down the outgoing telephone poles and bend antenna in the area isolating the town. They also kidnap the sheriff’s daughter and hold her hostage so he won’t try and stop them. Calling for all guns to be confiscated they demand food be brought to them. The adults in town are frozen in fear. Not so the teens.

Mike sets Genius in motion to find an antidote to the goo. The good teens then revolt against the bad ones and pay for their efforts. The site of Mike’s friend Horsey (Johnny Crawford) hanging from a makeshift bra between Merrie’s (Joy Harmon) oversized chest is both one young boys remembered and hilarious to see as an adult. But can they find an antidote? Can the teens save the town? 

This is definitely not a movie made to be taken seriously. It was an exploitation movie to the bone directed by Bert I. Gordon who made his fair share of movies for the low budget AIP (American International Pictures) company. Movies like THE CYCLOPS, THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN and ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE. He had experience with giants. This was the type of teen movie that was made to appeal to a younger audience hitting the drive-in every weekend. And it was a success with this crowd. 

The movie is definitely dated by the music and gyrating teens as well as the stars in the film who would go on to bigger things. Bridges went on to a successful career as an actor. Basil would become famous with her song “Mickey” years later. Kirk had been a favorite in Disney films but his star was fading at the time. The same was true for Crawford who had been successful as Chuck Connor’s son on THE RIFLEMAN but was relegated to bit parts after. And Howard went on to stop acting and become one of the biggest directors in the last few decades. 

The movie was not the greatest film ever made but it was and remains a lot of fun. So much so that MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 even did an episode with it. It’s great that Kino Lorber has released the film on Blu-ray and given it new life with a much needed 4k restoration of the film. Extras are limited with trailers and a new audio commentary track by film historian Tim Lucas. For some lighthearted fun this movie is well worth adding to your collection, recalling a time from the past when teen movies were fun, filled with the music of the time and not to be taken seriously.

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ENCANTO: CHARMING, COLORFUL, MUSICAL

 

 

Disney Studios shows that they can continue to make entertaining animated films with their newest release ENCANTO. The film has one of that uplifting feeling they are known for coupled with those moments when you feel all is lost. The bright colors, the lovely story with a moral and the enjoyable music make this a movie that the whole family can enjoy. So what is it about?

 

ENCANTO tells the story of a group of beleaguered peasants chased out of their home in Colombia with Alma Madrigal and her husband Pedro, along with their three infant children, in charge. When those chasing them are about to reach them, Pedro faces off against them as the rest carry on forward. He is lost but the rest make it to a town. Before entering and praying for help a magic candle is found giving the town protection and providing the family with something special. 

Each of the children as they grow is taken to their special door. When they touch the handle it provides them with specific powers that they use to help the townspeople. With each generation the children approach and are given those powers. Until Mirabel. For some reason when she touched the doorknob the door simply faded away. 

Now it is Antonio’s turn, Mirabel’s cousin. He is granted his gift and the town rejoices. But Mirabel is once more left to feel inadequate and not part of her own family. It doesn’t help that some members of her family treat her as less than. But the night Antonio gets his powers as Mirabel walks away on her own through the house, she sees a problem. The walls begin to crack and the magic begins to fade. When she tells her grandmother she is silenced and Alma tells everyone that the magic is alive and all is well. 

But Alma knows the truth. Sneaking out and crawling up to the window where the candle resides Mirabel hears her grandmother seeking help from whoever provided the candle. She knows the magic is fading and hoping for a sign of how to save it. The magical house they live in, Casita, is showing signs that this is so. 

This sets Mirabel on a quest to find a way to save the magic and the family. To her the family is everything, even if they don’t treat her as part of it. She begins by asking each of her sisters what could be wrong. When she reaches her sister Luisa she discovers that her power, strength, if weakening. Luisa tells her if she wants to find answers she should go to Bruno’s tower. 

Bruno was given the gift of prophecy. But his prophecies always seemed to bring doom and gloom. He lied with this until one day he had a prophecy that bothered him so much he left never to be seen again. Mirabel makes her way through his tower until she finds a room with glowing shards of glass laying beneath sand on the floor. She begins putting them together only to see an image of herself in front of Casita and the walls crumbling. The tower begins to crumble and she leaves, returning to her room. 

As she puts the shards together she sees the image more clearly. Could she be the reason the magic is disappearing? Could this mean that something will happen that causes her to bring about the downfall of the town? Or is there more to find out? Is there a way of her saving the day even though she has no powers like the rest of her family? 

The story being told here is a solid one. Beginning, middle and end are all there and the path through this tale is one that is well plot out. My only fear would be that younger children might not be old enough to understand all that’s going on here. If watched with parents ready to answer any questions they might have it would be enjoyable for all. 

The colors in this film virtually pop off the screen and dazzle the eyes. Even small tykes who might not understand what is going on will be mesmerized. The songs, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, prove that his talent is there and will have you smiling and wanting to sing along. Once you learn the lyrics. All in all this movie was pure entertainment with a nice moral at the end. This is a movie that I would highly recommend for the whole family to enjoy.

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SHOCK: FAREWELL MARIO BAVA

 

 

When talking about famous Italian directors most people will note directors like Fellini, de Sica, Bertolucci, Rossellini, Antonioni, Leone and Passolini. All were indeed great directors. But none of them were as prolific, varied or influential as Mario Bava. Bava worked in numerous genres in the Italian film industry as well as various jobs there. But it was in the horror genre that he was most well-known and most likely why his name is never included in the previously mentioned list.

Mario Bava directed his first film, a documentary, in 1946. He continued working in film until his death in 1980 at only age 60. His films included BLACK SUNDAY, BLACK SABBATH, BAY OF BLOOD and one of my all-time favorites BLOOD AND BLACK LACE. It seems fitting that the last film he directed before his death was a horror film, SHOCK in 1977. 

SHOCK tells the story of home with a tragic past. Dora (Daria Nicolodi) is a woman haunted by her past. Her husband Carlo was an abusive drug addict who walked out of the house one night and sailed off. His boat was later found at sea with no sign of Carlo, now thought to have been a suicide. Dora was sent to a mental institution for help and treated there and since released. 

She is now married to Bruno (John Steiner), a longtime friend to both her and Carlo. Along with her son Marco (David Colin Jr.) they move back into the home she once shared with her previous husband Carlo, Marco’s father. The three of them move in but it isn’t long before strange things begin to happen. 

Bruno is a pilot who finds himself flying away and leaving the two of them home alone. During those trips away Marco begins to show signs of being influenced by something evil within the home. Dora feels that the house is creating an influence on Marco and begs Bruno to move from the house but he refuses. With each trip he takes Marco becomes worse. 

Dora begins seeing things and wonders if this is all really happening or is she losing her grip on reality. Is she going mad? Is Marco being possessed by some evil entity? Is Bruno somehow involved? The movie takes us through a methodical journey to find the answers to these questions. Those answers may not be what Dora hopes to find and in the end it may be that no one escapes the danger found within the house. 

Having worked as a cinematographer Bava makes use of everything seen in each frame of the film. Objects seen in the background or foreground have meaning and are potential clues to things that transpire in the film. It is not the actors alone involved in telling the story here but everything seen on screen. 

This is not to say that the involvement of the actors in inconsequential. Each one plays their part with such believability that you’re never quite sure about Dora being insane of not. The weakest of the performances comes from Colin as Marco. You get the feeling that he is over-acting rather than acting in most of the film. But the rest of the cast makes up for that. 

While I love Bava’s films I will say that this one falls among my least favorite. It looks great and has a wonderful story to tell but you get the impression he was reaching a point where this was no longer his passion. The story behind the scenes is that his son Lamberto, a well-known director in his own right, urged his father to make this film after attempts at other productions had faltered. In watching this movie you get the feeling this story is more true than false. In any event any film of Bava’s is one worth watching. 

Arrow Video is releasing the film with their standard of excellence beginning with a new 2K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative. Extras abound here with a new audio commentary by Tim Lucas, author of Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark, “A Ghost in the House”, a new video interview with co-director and co-writer Lamberto Bava, “Via Dell’Orologio 33”, a new video interview with co-writer Dardano Sacchetti, “The Devil Pulls the Strings”, a new video essay by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, “Shock! Horror! – The Stylistic Diversity of Mario Bava”, a new video appreciation by author and critic Stephen Thrower, “The Most Atrocious Tortur(e)”, a new interview with critic Alberto Farina, the Italian theatrical trailer, 4 US “Beyond the Door II” TV spots, an image gallery, a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Christopher Shy and for the first pressing only an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Troy Howarth, author of The Haunted World of Mario Bava.

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RED ANGEL: BLEAK

 

Arrow Video continues to release films from Japanese studio Daiei Films and especially those of director Yasuzo Masumura. This is great news for film fans as many of these movies might have been lost to time and especially never seen in other countries. Not only do they give us a look at the world through a different set of eyes, it also provides a different perspective on events of the past. Such is the case with RED ANGEL which takes place during the second Sino-Japanese war that took place from 1937 through 1945.

The story is told by Nurse Sukura Nishi (Ayako Wakao), a young woman on her first tour of duty in China. Her first assignment is to work the mental ward filled with patients truly driven mad but populated by many who are just seeking a way out of returning to battle. One night while watching the war on her own, she is attacked by one of the Sakamoto (Jotaro Senba) along with the rest of the patients who rapes her. She informs the matron who says this is not the first time he’s done so. The next day he is sent back to the front. 

With a shortage of staff on the front lines Nishi is sent along with several other nurses to a field station. There she works alongside Dr. Okabe (Shinsuke Ashida). One day Sakamoto is brought in with wounds the doctor says are so bad he can’t be saved. Nishi pleads with him to perform surgery and provide a transfusion. He agrees if she will meet him after hours in his room. The surgery is performed but Sakamoto does not survive. Nishi follows through with her pledge and shows up at Okabe’s room. Rather than take advantage of her he talks to her and tells her this is less a hospital and more a place to make decisions of life and death. He also has her help him with an injection of morphine he uses just so he can sleep. 

Nishi returns to the first hospital where she is put in charge of patients out of surgery. There she meets a man who has lost both of his arms. They develop a relationship both personal and sexual. But that too will end in tragedy. And so will most of what follows in Nishi’s life. 

The film is bleak in all aspects from the story to the look and feel of the film. Shot in black and white in 1966 it depicts the horrors of war in the most subtle fashion. We are not shown images of men being blown to bits but we are privy to their treatment. Due to a lack of supplies surgeries and amputations are done with only local anesthesia. At one point we watch as an amputated leg falls into the hands of an assistant and is then put into a barrel of severed limbs waiting to be disposed of. This is the all too real vision of war rarely seen, especially in 1966. 

While watching I thought of the movie version of M*A*S*H shot 4 years later. At the time people were stunned at the depiction of surgery in the field and the amount of blood seen on screen. But there are two differences. The first is that RED ANGEL is shot in black and white which should diminish the shock and yet it doesn’t. The second is that M*A*S*H it tempered with humor to offset the gore seen on screen. RED ANGEL does none of that and in the end creates a more disturbing film. 

There is little to no hope in the world depicted in this film. And while that may seem strange it is more reality based than many movies dealing with the same subject, war. Brutal as it may be so is war. It not only damages those involved physically it damages them mentally as well. And not just the soldiers who are wounded but those who cared for them too. 

The one item in the film that surprised me more than the brutality of war was the depiction of men as little more than sex crazed lunatics. At every step of her journey Nishi is beset upon by men looking for sex be it the patients, the doctor or the Chinese that almost capture her. She is seen as nothing more than a sex object to them as opposed to the care giving professional that she is. Was this Masumura’s view on women? Was it the view of women at the time the movie takes place? Was it the view of women at the time the movie was shot? It’s disturbing no matter what the answer. 

The movie offers a hard look at war and the results of battle. It is unbending in the depiction it offers and will be disturbing to most viewers. That said it is a film worth watching and seeing this depiction of war from the eyes of the Japanese, something rarely found in war films. 

Arrow Video has done a fine job with this release just as they always do. Not only is the film presentation great looking they’ve included a number of extras worth noting. These include a brand new audio commentary by Japanese cinema scholar David Desser, a newly filmed introduction by Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns, “Not All Angels Have Wings”, a new visual essay by Jonathan Rosenbaum, the original trailer, an image gallery, a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella and for the first pressing only an illustrated booklet featuring new writing by Irene González-López.

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GHOST RIDERS: SPECTRAL REVENGE

 

 

If you go looking for information on this very low budget yet effective film you won’t find much if anything. You’ll be directed to the Marvel comic book character and film based on that instead. That’s kind of sad because this is actually a decent film. 

In 1886 the townspeople of a small Texas town have had enough of the local bad guys and have arrested and tried Frank Clements for a murder he committed. That’s not enough for town Reverend Bill Shaw. He organizes a lynching party and they intend to hang Clemens before morning. Clemens’ gang shows up and begins killing the sheriff and townspeople but Shaw is able to trip the trap door and Clemens is hanged while his men are gunned down.

Fast forward to 1986. Shaw’s descendent, Jim Sutton, is a professor of history at a nearby university. He’s been studying old texts, scrolls and wanted posters about Clemens and something disturbs him. He’s contacted his son Hampton who heads out to his place in the woods along with history student/groupie Pam, his friend Cory and their employee Tommy. When they arrive his father is nowhere to be found and they go looking for him. Along the way they keep seeing a group of old style cowboys following them but seeming to disappear when they try and get a better look at them. 

Eventually the cowboys draw their weapons and Tommy is killed. The other three head to the woods in an attempt to hide as the cowboys track them. They eventually find Hampton’s dad who tells them this is the ghost of Frank Clemens and his mean and they have come for vengeance, seeking the pistol that Clemens once wore which was taken by Rev. Shaw. Now they have to find a way to defeat the cowboy gang and survive. 

The story here is a very small plot and the film is definitely a low budget endeavor. It’s one of those regionally shot films that are popular with those around where it was shot, perhaps played a handful of theaters and was then rushed to film the shelves of video stores with a quick release and great box art. Most of those films were long forgotten but several companies, MVD being one of them, have rediscovered these films and are giving them new life on disc. 

It’s painfully obvious that the film was made with nearly no budget to speak of. And yet those involved seemed to give it their all. Most never went on to great acclaim with the exception of producer/cinematographer Thomas L. Callaway who went on to shoot movies like CRITTERS 3 and 4, NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW, FEAST and more with over 127 credits to his name as a cinematographer. The gang of cowboys who are featured as Clemens’ gang and the actor who plays Clemens were actual cowboys…sort of. They worked at a recreated western town where they put on shows daily and were hired by the producers to play the parts. 

The movie doesn’t focus on effects or blood but instead tries to tell a story. The acting ranges from terrible to quite good. The film looks good and as a whole it can be an enjoyable movie knowing what it is and where it came from. It’s a movie you won’t watch repeatedly but can enjoy with a single viewing and making sure it continues to exist is a good thing. 

MVD is releasing the film on Blu-ray and including some decent extras as well. Those include a new audio commentary track with Callaway, writer/producer James Desmarais and moderator Steve Latshaw, “Bringing Out the Ghosts: The Making of Ghost Riders” a new documentary on the film, “Low Budget Films: On the Set of Ghost Riders” a vintage documentary on the making of the film, the original trailer, a trailer made for this release and a collection of movie stills and behind the scenes photos.

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