ABCs at the Movies: The Doubles Round!

[oilgun]

From IMDb: Simon is a killer. Unfit to stand trial. He has been locked away for five years, watched by the sinister Dr Marlowe. Enter Karen, an enthusiastic but formidably intelligent psychologist. She will interview Simon - who wants to prove that he is cured. He seems sane. Seemingly incapable of ferocious acts of violence. He tells her of a terrifying force within him, which drives him to destroy those around him. He says this force has gone. Karen listens to his story. At first she trusts him, even believes him. But then her trust gives way to scepticism. His confession is replaced by deception. The interview unleashes demons from Simon's strange internal world - threatening Karen's previously stable sense of reality. She wants the truth. But she finds that truth can be the most terrifying thing of all.

[Fran]

From IMDb:

Three Venusians land on Earth and transform themselves into beautiful buxom babes, then go about their task of sucking the life force out of unsuspecting males. Their disguises are apropos since the life force is more valuable when extracted at a moment of extreme sexual excitement.

[Meryl]

Werewolf of London was the first Hollywood mainstream werewolf movie and is the oldest extant werewolf movie; it was preceded by the lost The Werewolf (1913).

[oilgun]

==COMMENT==
It feels like I played this title already but I did a search of each word and came up with nuthin'.  Anyway, it's the best (recent) horror movie I've seen since The Descent.

[Fran]

aka  Yôkai daisensô
       Big Ghost War
       Big Monster War 
       Ghosts on Parade
     


From IMDb:

A zucchini-headed vampire from Europe comes to Japan, kills and then possesses the body of a good and noble lord. The local demons aren't too pleased by the idea of a foreigner moving in on their territory and decide to battle the monster. Thus, a horde of boogeymen assemble - a water demon who looks like a flatheaded Woody Woodpecker, a woman with two faces; one lovely and one hideous, a demonic umbrella with a tongue that Gene Simmons would envy, a tiny little dude with a round head who bears a freaky resemblance to Aunt Jemima and a woman with a deadly python-like neck. As the vampire claims more victims and literally begins to reproduce himself, the villagers and the demons band together and go to war.

This is a hilariously funny and visually beautiful film. The special effects are outstanding, considering the year was 1968. Simple camera tricks turn the battle at films end (and the ensuing victory "parade' of the Japanese ghosts and demons) into something resembling a weird ballet as transparent ghouls and projected monsters jump, spin, fly and fight in slow motion. Despite some unexpected (and hysterical) light expletives and a few splashes of ketchup-y blood, this is a great film for kids as well as adults. It's really very funny, oddly sweet and a lot of fun. HIGHLY recommended!

[oilgun]

SynopsisIn this inventive psychological horror story from Italian director Pupi Avati, an aspiring novelist named Stefano (Gabriele Lavia) receives an old portable typewriter as a gift from his girlfriend Alessandria (Anne Canovas). One day while playing with the machine, he notices the impressions on the ribbon left behind by the previous owner and becomes curious enough to copy them down and find out what had been written on the typewriter in the past. Stefano is startled to discover that it was once owned by a noted scientist named Paolo Zeder (Luigi Costa), and that Zeder was working on a report on his theories about "K Zones" -- places where supernatural energy is concentrated so heavily that the newly dead will rise from the grave and walk among the living. Stefano sets out to find out the facts about the K Zones, and he discovers that the truth is horrifying indeed. Zeder was originally released in the United States as Revenge of the Dead, and it was marketed as a standard-issue zombie movie, where it predictably failed to find an audience until more thoughtful genre enthusiasts rediscovered the original Italian version several years later. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

[MaineWriter]

Good morning everyone,

Meryl suggested the theme for this round. It reminds me of "The Wizard of Oz." For this round, let's alternate black & white and color movies. We'll start with a movie in b&w (A), then B is in color, C is in b&w, and so on.

Except for the horror round (just played), both archives are up-to-date.

Let me know if you have questions. Have fun!

Leslie
GameMistress

[MaineWriter]

In honor of the Wizard of Oz and its inspiration for this round, I selected a movie from 1939.

[Meryl]

Our own Anne Hathaway, looking colorful. 

Thanks for going with my idea, Leslie! 

[Fran]

 

From IMDb:

Fabulous first film from director Vincente Minnelli (who went on to become one of America's best directors and had previously produced stage revues including star Waters) with an all-black cast headed by the magnificent Ethel Waters. She sings classics from the musical and interpolated songs -- fortunately MGM had a good songsmith on hand in Harold Arlen, who added tunes which were, for once, the equal of the show's originals. Lena Horne also makes a sensational screen debut as "sweet" Georgia Brown. Loose comedy plot about Rochester saving his soul only holds the songs together, but the whole thing is done in a spirit of fun and shows off the great cast in full flavor. An experimental movie that passes its mark with an A+! May offend some modern tastes, but those who are offended should consider questioning their hangups and just kick their feet up and have a good time with it! Ellington and crew appear in a wonderfully photographed "shack dance".