tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72772916886673012182024-03-05T13:01:34.308-05:00Mya DVDNews and Reviews of Mya Communication DVDs. A new Italian based company, Mya has established a steady release schedule in the United States of euro films in various genres.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-75033051260956579882014-01-12T16:45:00.002-05:002014-01-12T16:55:24.683-05:00BRUTALIZATION - One 7 MoviesWe return. Sort of.<br />
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Well, if Mya has ceased releasing DVDs, its cousin One 7 Movies continues on. The newest release from One 7....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uuQHP_G66r3Lka-y4mw5YuZ6hz1v7-KB7LbeyZuZRk51Uptc1qcH7RDnE1OsJvaCjCbCWXWCt9CR-M31QLsfE5u2FMUww4lnHhPM4R1K7TIskc7W6QHqWWzswFvlGTHVl0gZ1dYlra8d/s1600/brutalization_DVD_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uuQHP_G66r3Lka-y4mw5YuZ6hz1v7-KB7LbeyZuZRk51Uptc1qcH7RDnE1OsJvaCjCbCWXWCt9CR-M31QLsfE5u2FMUww4lnHhPM4R1K7TIskc7W6QHqWWzswFvlGTHVl0gZ1dYlra8d/s1600/brutalization_DVD_web.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></div>
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BRUTALIZATION is actually a Dutch-Belgium film known previously as BECAUSE OF THE CATS. Here's the trailer to that film:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Ps5WeepZ2-o" width="420"></iframe>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-45072131856284419032011-09-05T20:17:00.008-04:002011-09-05T20:51:37.912-04:00Mya Returns!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jH-Gj4W74sbF3vNeQRWRVkkulV7ZTIzTxNoUxMP7EcXcRYFnTEg6-Rk-CKaiOdPzpa1N7kPehuDheWVv0OcA6zWmJq7OdnPfwTvRhCrQ4XeuRIOc5YL7p_0ItB4EpxN_H7QKkg-9Kua-/s1600/snackbarDVDblog.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jH-Gj4W74sbF3vNeQRWRVkkulV7ZTIzTxNoUxMP7EcXcRYFnTEg6-Rk-CKaiOdPzpa1N7kPehuDheWVv0OcA6zWmJq7OdnPfwTvRhCrQ4XeuRIOc5YL7p_0ItB4EpxN_H7QKkg-9Kua-/s400/snackbarDVDblog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649037567648857042" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtJnjoxJNOnamQjsBzyV60EGTaG_BCshJ5pikHy9tbxuRYprVxOhNfbkrXJdk71rQfUq-dRWy8u8fgx_EXVTywrefk3qobDd3eFAXA9YAPsEyj4ncdvpZxR0ScqamlYUIiDpJi3xMRyiL/s1600/paganiniDVDblog.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtJnjoxJNOnamQjsBzyV60EGTaG_BCshJ5pikHy9tbxuRYprVxOhNfbkrXJdk71rQfUq-dRWy8u8fgx_EXVTywrefk3qobDd3eFAXA9YAPsEyj4ncdvpZxR0ScqamlYUIiDpJi3xMRyiL/s400/paganiniDVDblog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649037174827296050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nIk1xfNIoWgTRJdu29JeOioz_mZktItfijfCaWBFyXb7oKOejPR5XDVmU4h5Pf-8Qmio7rvA076M4946qtCwskI-NUpPTm0z8lvvHUXMCT8puCNvX3-_m50oZoD1YgeMC-0Xsyo7d053/s1600/chinaandsexdvdblog.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nIk1xfNIoWgTRJdu29JeOioz_mZktItfijfCaWBFyXb7oKOejPR5XDVmU4h5Pf-8Qmio7rvA076M4946qtCwskI-NUpPTm0z8lvvHUXMCT8puCNvX3-_m50oZoD1YgeMC-0Xsyo7d053/s400/chinaandsexdvdblog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649036701865469698" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Apparently it was the search for a new distributor that held up Mya releases.<br /><br />Currently, and subject to change, the schedule for new releases is the following:<br /><br />SNACK BAR BUDAPEST - Sept. 13<br />PAGANINI - Nov. 8<br />CHINA AND SEX - Nov. 15<br /><br />DEATH WILL HAVE YOUR EYES <span style="font-style: italic;">should</span> be released on October 18th, after a delay of a few months, while LADY FOOTBALL, another delayed release, should street on November 15th.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-65597204574671366362011-03-28T21:40:00.006-04:002011-03-28T21:53:34.287-04:00More "One 7 Movies" -- But Where and When?One 7 Movies' releases of two Joe D'Amato films, which should have streeted by now, appear not to be visible, even on the horizon, sharing the same current fate of projected Mya DVD releases. Amazon.com lists SEX AND BLACK MAGIC as "temporarily out of stock," while SEXY PIRATES is not even listed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXZSTG-K0vOwcFeKB4lQGuphcSiweOoUeP8iD9RZCsxHFoG5-SmqEWaom8aCl44kiKqnJfyctwM7cc98DjvCguGOaKpp8AcJ91PryJad3pjy17w7PtF8_2QlvbMcvdVrZDpBGs9C6Krws/s1600/one7sexblackmagicWEB.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXZSTG-K0vOwcFeKB4lQGuphcSiweOoUeP8iD9RZCsxHFoG5-SmqEWaom8aCl44kiKqnJfyctwM7cc98DjvCguGOaKpp8AcJ91PryJad3pjy17w7PtF8_2QlvbMcvdVrZDpBGs9C6Krws/s400/one7sexblackmagicWEB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589311404700302290" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcPCV-eFeTcYqacIAGZxWXpc5Q119lgbC8pUlnrZUVZF7Kh_FKcIl6giQ_fjOfri9s1MPYnIH9SYLlDPwWjqW_f0CWE01tH47CKhEMn4m7VPwaNA5o-tluq9h9iNtNJ_eYkBlmEFJ_ksF/s1600/one7sexypiratesWEB.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcPCV-eFeTcYqacIAGZxWXpc5Q119lgbC8pUlnrZUVZF7Kh_FKcIl6giQ_fjOfri9s1MPYnIH9SYLlDPwWjqW_f0CWE01tH47CKhEMn4m7VPwaNA5o-tluq9h9iNtNJ_eYkBlmEFJ_ksF/s400/one7sexypiratesWEB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589311458345134082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Other announced titles from One 7 Movies: TRANSGRESSION, THE REAL CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, EROTIC ESCAPE, SEX DEMONS AND DEATH, and EROTIC MALICE.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-77243650822133511062011-02-05T22:44:00.016-05:002011-02-06T08:21:43.803-05:00Coming in March, April and MayMya's DVD releases now come once a month. The following are the latest forthcoming releases:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lTUdNinrloEYTn31JZlQhrXDduECq2KqymtFCdLPAMAIrQuFY5P10NmnfoFNuVKXvu5YYlwcjVUgbNkuA3Prr4oRyacT5Bd6WVF6ULy57NOU8hyphenhyphenXtvFrUC1FyvBF7s1Hcf8rE-1ToBEg/s1600/myadeathyoureyesWEB.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lTUdNinrloEYTn31JZlQhrXDduECq2KqymtFCdLPAMAIrQuFY5P10NmnfoFNuVKXvu5YYlwcjVUgbNkuA3Prr4oRyacT5Bd6WVF6ULy57NOU8hyphenhyphenXtvFrUC1FyvBF7s1Hcf8rE-1ToBEg/s400/myadeathyoureyesWEB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570417876402330546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bUAlPcT1yYY" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="320" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />DEATH WILL HAVE YOUR EYES (LA MOGLIE GIOVANE) is a 1974 film directed by Giovanni d'Eramo and starring Marisa Mell, Farley Granger and Helga Line. The single review on the IMDB is complementary:<br /><br />[Abridged review]: "This is a very obscure Italian giallo that I'd previous only heard of via the trailer in '42nd Street Forever' (a trailer that made it look like a police action film as I recall!). This is actually an old-fashioned giallo. Marisa Mell is a young woman who comes to Rome and soon drifts into de facto prostitution in order to survive. She meets a misanthropic doctor and would-be poet (Farley Granger), but soon falls in love with another man. Murder ensues.... This is worth checking out."<br /><br />The Italian-Spanish film is also known as SAVAGE CITY. Coming in March.<br /><br />---------------------------------------------<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><strong></strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsLtrZGH8PW9HH4qRjcqmcdSA2TZ0HzqeEIuuupiGAlBJTQ0rHaOT2A5GebCsQOMxs4DgHJTinnNhjlfxD25OKo8JZlBFzs9h6x1lqdUntG8QbqscJN7s3yRLvGeXDRrkONCmHPBAal1X/s1600/myasalonmassageWEB.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsLtrZGH8PW9HH4qRjcqmcdSA2TZ0HzqeEIuuupiGAlBJTQ0rHaOT2A5GebCsQOMxs4DgHJTinnNhjlfxD25OKo8JZlBFzs9h6x1lqdUntG8QbqscJN7s3yRLvGeXDRrkONCmHPBAal1X/s400/myasalonmassageWEB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570418218807931602" border="0" /></a><br /><br />SALON MASSAGE is a 1972 German film, MASSAGESALON DER JUNGEN MADCHEN, directed by Eberhard Schroder. Looks to be a sexy comedy. Coming in April.<strong> </strong><br /><br />The film saw theatrical release as MASSAGE PARLOR '73:<br /><br /><a href="http://moodrat.eu/dratmed/2010/04/mpc.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 400px;" src="http://moodrat.eu/dratmed/2010/04/mpc.jpeg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />---------------------------------------------<br /><br />And finally....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpoJ_IGhgJTPJTd50NxYe473MmyOXq47DLPALCeJ-Rag0G1cNDAYoysEDZ3-6YPYngwE4dp8yRrOGNCJbeMZrRKLAwjz7NrNqUDFEgQ3DTQ19BTVk8A3hkgtekKKuPFEfSq8WVMQtVSEC/s1600/myaLadyFootballWEB.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpoJ_IGhgJTPJTd50NxYe473MmyOXq47DLPALCeJ-Rag0G1cNDAYoysEDZ3-6YPYngwE4dp8yRrOGNCJbeMZrRKLAwjz7NrNqUDFEgQ3DTQ19BTVk8A3hkgtekKKuPFEfSq8WVMQtVSEC/s400/myaLadyFootballWEB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570418340796571490" border="0" /></a><br /><br />LADY FOOTBALL. Another sexy comedy, this time from Italy and director <span class="smallfont">Italo Martinenghi.</span> 1979. Coming in May.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-38834574802872371952010-12-25T17:01:00.004-05:002010-12-25T17:06:23.399-05:00LATARNIA FANTASTIQUE INTERNATIONAL #1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI20IKss_4we0cpWm3p9kghyBwBF6Ny1zzj_He0LntO_4kXciOcVZ81Zi7Q49TCg59eULgNe5OKyWepI8o-tyWcQdg03bo8D1yP24dscfBFviR7g5Nu40GirsdE6oBM_7lterl-pXXqe5J/s1600/Latarnia1coverWEB.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI20IKss_4we0cpWm3p9kghyBwBF6Ny1zzj_He0LntO_4kXciOcVZ81Zi7Q49TCg59eULgNe5OKyWepI8o-tyWcQdg03bo8D1yP24dscfBFviR7g5Nu40GirsdE6oBM_7lterl-pXXqe5J/s400/Latarnia1coverWEB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554743613823568546" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The first issue of my horror-mystery-fantasy film magazine, LATARNIA FANTASTIQUE INTERNATIONAL, is out now, with features on euro-cult films and personalities that may be of interest to readers of this blog:<br /><br />The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism<br />Naschy Returns in Dual Role<br />Spirit Mountain by Becquer<br />The Many Faces of Barbara Steele<br />The Andres Resino Interview<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTS_OHvYmEcsW8kK9jEio3L7mKeRsrXeZPvJ6wY-I07c7r9hN_g2ZE1aP-HuHQXMrUGUY0ldaaPuKXXbbALbfax8GtASJxIPNR1cvcwArCN3AF-N6Hae35PT9aZeU4BAVx54WNrs8Sbkq/s1600/LatarniaPage10BLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTS_OHvYmEcsW8kK9jEio3L7mKeRsrXeZPvJ6wY-I07c7r9hN_g2ZE1aP-HuHQXMrUGUY0ldaaPuKXXbbALbfax8GtASJxIPNR1cvcwArCN3AF-N6Hae35PT9aZeU4BAVx54WNrs8Sbkq/s400/LatarniaPage10BLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554744235444920898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7_XAFLaHCVCa_-r3asdm1dE6EdWOvOJ_HmvhJ6DgkUp7-iQcakS1zPxI91bXerWH1f5yCz9dx0hMwgdSMDbEza0MCDho7_rGrNJR-mGGKjH9lRiN_PHEJX8Wz-BA0QDnfGy4KGqoZTa2/s1600/LatarniaPG19BLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7_XAFLaHCVCa_-r3asdm1dE6EdWOvOJ_HmvhJ6DgkUp7-iQcakS1zPxI91bXerWH1f5yCz9dx0hMwgdSMDbEza0MCDho7_rGrNJR-mGGKjH9lRiN_PHEJX8Wz-BA0QDnfGy4KGqoZTa2/s400/LatarniaPG19BLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554744529420336322" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Number 1 is a limited first edition limiting printing of 250 copies, all-color, 24 pages on 80 pound paper. Ordering info:<br /><br />USA: Cost of issue is $7.50, plus $2 first class shipping/handling and bagging for a total of $9.50.<br /><br />Canada: Add .50, for a total of $10.<br /><br />Foreign: $11.50 total.<br /><br />If you want your magazine boarded, please add $2, but that doesn't guarantee that postal delivery will not find a way to bend it.<br /><br />Note: Once stock starts getting depleted, cost per issue will probably go up.<br /><br />PayPal ID for payment: mirelski@aol.com<br /><br />Snail mail: M. Lipinski, PO Box 2398, NYC, NY 10009. Please make check/money orders payable to M. Lipinski.<br /><br />There's also a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Latarnia-Fantastique-International-Magazine/173092729386989">Facebook page</a> for the magazine.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-38972644412139309792010-11-21T14:55:00.003-05:002010-11-21T15:02:42.546-05:00Coming in February 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNzXe3yriDGe3H68cgurp306UGqA3sE7YXJFw-rI3qSBGRbqmmfYMJhvvvsGPB6_ZllSDOZYOLve1bTzV9FPB6K73NS4haNjZM9501RH4adiKRXqRdGRGhwDVXsNKthEjxHdM_hdGGgpG/s1600/MYAcallmesalomeBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNzXe3yriDGe3H68cgurp306UGqA3sE7YXJFw-rI3qSBGRbqmmfYMJhvvvsGPB6_ZllSDOZYOLve1bTzV9FPB6K73NS4haNjZM9501RH4adiKRXqRdGRGhwDVXsNKthEjxHdM_hdGGgpG/s400/MYAcallmesalomeBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542094151163642434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is a fairly new film--from 2005. Certainly the most recent film that Mya has put out on DVD. Trailer below.<br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:78%;color:#999999;"><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/33806661" style="">TRAILER Ufficiale</a><br /><object height="360px" width="425px"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="movie" value="http://mediaservices.myspace.com/services/media/embed.aspx/m=33806661,t=1,mt=video"><embed src="http://mediaservices.myspace.com/services/media/embed.aspx/m=33806661,t=1,mt=video" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" allowscriptaccess="always" height="360" width="425"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/371139484" style="">chiamami salomè</a> | <a href="http://www.myspace.com/video" style="">Myspace Video</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-10619206787803666042010-11-20T13:29:00.012-05:002010-11-20T14:32:15.393-05:00The Mystery of ONE 7 MOVIES<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrqHOjPQMMQVwuushiZi7gk3oKFQlOpBnOikKZAOzn84SUECpaIPNSDQJHLlooGaej_gvbsBahnw_rsjW-BH7B4kUWBt5X8zsg-tar9bJWglpuMar7GcZgJdQ6tY1HUZXQ6UeWGwXDQsz/s1600/One7scandalousgildaBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 279px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrqHOjPQMMQVwuushiZi7gk3oKFQlOpBnOikKZAOzn84SUECpaIPNSDQJHLlooGaej_gvbsBahnw_rsjW-BH7B4kUWBt5X8zsg-tar9bJWglpuMar7GcZgJdQ6tY1HUZXQ6UeWGwXDQsz/s400/One7scandalousgildaBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541701704982656034" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Four DVDs were recently announced coming from a new company--One 7 Movies--<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0042Z3E52/withpenandsword">SCANDALOUS GILDA</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0049ZQZ4C/withpenandsword">ALIEN FROM THE DEEP</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0049ZQZ24/withpenandsword">CHINESE KAMASUTRA</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0049ZQZ1A/withpenandsword">THE SINS OF MADAME BOVARY</a>. All Italian films or, in the case of THE SINS OF MADAME BOVARY, partially Italian. The cover design replicated Mya's, as did the policy of offering Italian audio but no English subtitles for the Italian audio if an English audio track was present. So what's going on? The official word from Mya was "no comment," but a sheet from distributor CAV that came with the review mailings of SCANDALOUS GILDA indicated a Mya connection:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">It is our privilege to introduce a new label to the U.S. marketplace. One that builds upon the best traditions of Italian and European cinema, and is certain to gain cult status in the states quickly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">One 7 Movies was founded by one of the original partners of Mya Communications and No Shame Films. Expect the most classic, the most cutting edge, and the most sought after comedies, thrillers, science fiction epics, erotica, and much more...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">All films have been beautifully transfered</span><span> [sic] </span><span style="font-style: italic;">from original vault materials, and sleeve art design is eye-catching to say the least.</span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />[Hat-tip: Matt Bauer at <a href="http://www.avmaniacs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46994&page=3">AVManiacs</a>]</span><br /><br />So there you have it, if that explains anything really. These days there seems to be more and more mystery behind the upstart companies bringing out foreign cult DVDs. I expect the "original vault materials" will be PAL DVDs. Ah, well....<br /><br />Oh, and these are priced $5 to $10 more than the already high-priced Mya DVDs (whose newer releases had a price reduction to $19.95). The One 7 DVDs will be going for $29.95, unless you find a cheaper online retailer.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFeGzkLbZK7hGbE4weYrmVTMyik16-qBqvjdUeRJUu628Lz7Mh9QuWGcywDcXCzsfU8AlkgbSt389YzfzIro7ivr_rLvuhcy2z_f4erCLz8a27xDZmUukxd1Jbh7cAOvHCffX8Xm5c2dm/s1600/one7aliendeep.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFeGzkLbZK7hGbE4weYrmVTMyik16-qBqvjdUeRJUu628Lz7Mh9QuWGcywDcXCzsfU8AlkgbSt389YzfzIro7ivr_rLvuhcy2z_f4erCLz8a27xDZmUukxd1Jbh7cAOvHCffX8Xm5c2dm/s320/one7aliendeep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541703787110512674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mnFqlYK16ybKg9jy5w8Bz-H5yOaVHZ27QGb6_LmJnyjF04UpYxJZ2F96WYxlgF-PTz1CQnqq28yKjwkYIj2Kx99SOPwnruFi2I8K3eQxMKmNFMmHHyOBWjHlVspKhW2dL73FGnifQaER/s1600/one7chinesekama.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mnFqlYK16ybKg9jy5w8Bz-H5yOaVHZ27QGb6_LmJnyjF04UpYxJZ2F96WYxlgF-PTz1CQnqq28yKjwkYIj2Kx99SOPwnruFi2I8K3eQxMKmNFMmHHyOBWjHlVspKhW2dL73FGnifQaER/s320/one7chinesekama.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541703963843394354" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI2ur-8UZtUeJPA1E2gAknMuPpTiT4Wj62TNb2ns9Rv3477FJNVIlaV8aw8E9tJ6-Vf6Tr72mQaRZIlEoIt-WTxk49BlEi3Sr71sPpljOIXz9XW2Ct8rB1yTVPH1-Av4acl5f8_5jJOjc/s1600/one7sinsmadamebovary.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI2ur-8UZtUeJPA1E2gAknMuPpTiT4Wj62TNb2ns9Rv3477FJNVIlaV8aw8E9tJ6-Vf6Tr72mQaRZIlEoIt-WTxk49BlEi3Sr71sPpljOIXz9XW2Ct8rB1yTVPH1-Av4acl5f8_5jJOjc/s320/one7sinsmadamebovary.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541704097930434114" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-34263109086137005152010-10-30T12:21:00.003-04:002010-10-30T12:26:58.952-04:00Coming in January 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNw7BeSZwAiI4L3nhX9j4aklB_Th_ztD5Kd0BHwR-6NbrLZrRu3jgSrGX_oxdFWLlkNoDCIxdd1JCl38stHNe2MbXB4mYiw1gU1gHYWW5RAbV4MopB4-hSLcIp5LdzzbQjZasRjukOb8Oq/s1600/alligatormyablog.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNw7BeSZwAiI4L3nhX9j4aklB_Th_ztD5Kd0BHwR-6NbrLZrRu3jgSrGX_oxdFWLlkNoDCIxdd1JCl38stHNe2MbXB4mYiw1gU1gHYWW5RAbV4MopB4-hSLcIp5LdzzbQjZasRjukOb8Oq/s400/alligatormyablog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533875401006554434" /></a><br /><br />Mya's first release of 2011 will be ALLIGATOR, the Sergio Martino film from 1973, starring Barbara Bach, Claudio Cassinelli, Mel Ferrer. The film had a previous release in the United States under the NoShame label. English and Italian audio options, with optional English subtitles. Original English and Italian trailers included, as well as a poster and still gallery.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-47965698476535222492010-09-18T09:35:00.010-04:002010-09-18T14:51:48.355-04:00FORBIDDEN PASSION - review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGIhwaJzWbfM0ZiXLY_i3nvmnWByUPqORjbR2-aZoSbVaHVZtQ8p7KAElaBfsHgKnSV4cjTVsWVWWwBQaq8y8XlrJMbKRPZimWHyotzzNj8oZ2bI0YWJB4w_xfmgb12sF9oZ-Rll8Vtgj/s1600/forbiddenpassion3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGIhwaJzWbfM0ZiXLY_i3nvmnWByUPqORjbR2-aZoSbVaHVZtQ8p7KAElaBfsHgKnSV4cjTVsWVWWwBQaq8y8XlrJMbKRPZimWHyotzzNj8oZ2bI0YWJB4w_xfmgb12sF9oZ-Rll8Vtgj/s400/forbiddenpassion3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518277995506491170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Despite the presence of Ornella Muti, FORBIDDEN PASSION is not an Italian film, but actually the 1973 Spanish CEBO PARA UNA ADOLESCENTE (BAIT FOR A TEENAGER). Spanish horror fans will recognize some of the names behind the film and in front of it. Directed by Francisco Lara Polop (as Paco Lara), the helmer of MURDER MANSION (LA MANSION DE LA NIEBLA) is joined by cinematographer Raul Perez Cubero, who did such a fine job on Naschy's COUNT DRACULA'S GREAT LOVE and HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE, with the musical scoring belonging to THE MUMMY'S REVENGE composer Alfonso G. Santisteban. It's amusing spotting the lesser players, such as MURDER MANSION's Yelena Samarina, and Angel Mendendez, who appeared in many brief roles in Spanish horror films, including a role as that blood-spewing guy viciously attacked by Waldemar Daninsky in a cabin in LA MARCA DEL HOMBRE LOBO.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5Y9-6mt_U9OuNN42DIaT9eTXdknWh6_vD7JGUiTEXj65sRQl6rnN0ZXwaSDTlChfUE6KfyXKvBWkMy569nywSx9DQdZE5RrIe4RZaG16tp6HydyCsMTx0wINwxXOGgLWo9gK5DIVU7_h/s1600/fbcoverWEB.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5Y9-6mt_U9OuNN42DIaT9eTXdknWh6_vD7JGUiTEXj65sRQl6rnN0ZXwaSDTlChfUE6KfyXKvBWkMy569nywSx9DQdZE5RrIe4RZaG16tp6HydyCsMTx0wINwxXOGgLWo9gK5DIVU7_h/s320/fbcoverWEB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518279586881611682" border="0" /></a>This is, however, Ornella Muti's showcase, one of her earliest films, and despite the fact that Muti offers no nude scenes (forget the DVD cover shot), she's a beautiful and captivating presence--and sweetly innocent in this film. Craggy Phillipe Leroy, a magnetic actor who was previously seen on DVD here in the Mya release, FAMILY SCANDAL, is fun to watch as the big-shot "engineer," who hires Muti to be his secretary--and begins a seduction of the naive girl, ultimately turning her into his mistress.<br /><br />The incidents in the story are rather predictable (yes, a nice-guy young man turns up to win the secretary's heart), but the film is still of interest to watch because of Muti and Leroy.<br /><br />If one thought, however, that CEBO PARA UNA ADOLESCENTE was just mere frivolous romance/drama, even a "chic flick," one would be mistaken, because there's an undercurrent of an anti-establishment message that reaches a climax at the end of the film when the engineer is given an award for his accomplishments. At that moment you suddenly realize, if you are aware of Spain and Western society in those years, that you've been handed a bit of a subversive element from Polop and his screenwriters, Francisco and Manuel Summers. Those building-in-progress institutionalized projects that are featured throughout the film take on a different perspective then.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFIqoqPJVZll_pAcwBaOAQpIfrVz3T6bysKEMbJlfS8_gYUaZhBYHuaxmAiP-fu-HKHAqgsDeBO8oJUN97QKsGDmpllfne8k24ePwK_9oc3t0tm3RGEgboOsS02sumlCZCtXlCgFQXY4q/s1600/forbiddenpassion1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFIqoqPJVZll_pAcwBaOAQpIfrVz3T6bysKEMbJlfS8_gYUaZhBYHuaxmAiP-fu-HKHAqgsDeBO8oJUN97QKsGDmpllfne8k24ePwK_9oc3t0tm3RGEgboOsS02sumlCZCtXlCgFQXY4q/s400/forbiddenpassion1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518277695108240306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbBRlWiDiugGpCecwd6reHhSqSAphB37KgoRB0OV2fHUuSYXSjeDJjrwlwuz01K3IiXhmCGRBLUG112Vg54MV08E1GaInHmfLABr2mqMQWYIqShTX0CU-DmIJRPUty4Xdj-7h2NQXxfi9/s1600/forbiddenpassion2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbBRlWiDiugGpCecwd6reHhSqSAphB37KgoRB0OV2fHUuSYXSjeDJjrwlwuz01K3IiXhmCGRBLUG112Vg54MV08E1GaInHmfLABr2mqMQWYIqShTX0CU-DmIJRPUty4Xdj-7h2NQXxfi9/s400/forbiddenpassion2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518277867101359506" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The working title of CEBO PARA UNA ADOLESCENTE was EL BENEFACTOR (THE BENEFACTOR), which further underlines the film's anti-establishment aura. Surprisingly, the film was very successful film in Spain, with over a million spectators, and may have been a reason for Polop to move away from the horror genre. The Italian title of the film was LA SECRETARIA.<br /><br />CEBO PARA UNA ADOLESCENTE saw previous DVD release in Europe, so Mya perhaps used that source. The print is rather worn, lacking any boldness in its original colors, and, on occasion, splicy. Here it's offered up widescreen anamorphic, in its Italian dubbing, with optional English subtitles.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003JHXS46/withpenandsword">The DVD is available from Amazon.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-25018265420135726462010-08-23T22:11:00.010-04:002010-08-23T22:32:56.688-04:00October & November ReleasesWe're back after a little vacation from the blog to announce two forthcoming releases from Mya, both sequel films: DESIRABLE TEACHER 2 in October 2010 and THE FISHMEN AND THEIR QUEEN the following month in November. Note that this is the first time that only one title per month is being released by Mya.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXOX9DOsoHMwvSV-FliM_-_5DA_1OQoZ4vp18b6u5pfMxFobHw4vg4_EAB9dgcIB4g_ohCi5FoV0fLQFGqAZBl0vk6PPZTkWO3hZknkxfFuJ4D0TCpZN3exf-DCUJS2881anVe-nTujVvO/s1600/desirableteacher2blog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXOX9DOsoHMwvSV-FliM_-_5DA_1OQoZ4vp18b6u5pfMxFobHw4vg4_EAB9dgcIB4g_ohCi5FoV0fLQFGqAZBl0vk6PPZTkWO3hZknkxfFuJ4D0TCpZN3exf-DCUJS2881anVe-nTujVvO/s320/desirableteacher2blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508795198034020050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gJFnZcDRYzgtw-jI9lAKb3PIesZNpyJue1srzkVbbjGrBvrbe7Id70FLWyG9Ft0RuLsLrLM9FefYpcFSnNP7bPZnTMe2BPQXHmss1QoMVy9xO2IqmSGK04L6W8mgwoeeMsT_GmpNUqbq/s1600/fishmenqueen2blog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gJFnZcDRYzgtw-jI9lAKb3PIesZNpyJue1srzkVbbjGrBvrbe7Id70FLWyG9Ft0RuLsLrLM9FefYpcFSnNP7bPZnTMe2BPQXHmss1QoMVy9xO2IqmSGK04L6W8mgwoeeMsT_GmpNUqbq/s320/fishmenqueen2blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508794974244903586" border="0" /></a><br /><br />DESIRABLE TEACHER 2 (PIERINO COLPISCE ANCORA) is a sequel to a previous release from Mya, DESIRABLE TEACHER (Italian title: PIERINO CONTRO TUTTI, 1981). The sequel, released the following year, also stars Alvaro Vitali as Pierino.<br /><br />THE FISHMEN AND THEIR QUEEN (LA REGINA DEGLI UOMINI PESCE) is Sergio Martino's follow-up to his very popular THE ISLAND OF THE FISHMEN (L'ISOLA DEGLI UOMINI PESCE, 1979). The 1985 film is set in the future and does not star any of the actors/actresses from the earlier film. Certainly not as well considered as the first "fishmen" film, it will still be welcome to have this rarer movie available for viewing and study.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-4695382723370367072010-06-20T10:25:00.006-04:002010-06-20T11:03:42.546-04:00Umberto Lenzi Responds<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPAXqmjc3LYyGQ39xp6tL8l5smAKW8ODqeueDUBeW-CwNN3n2w-mrw5JjyfqPxxHsY1mOgUXHlKhFuLF6UFfyCAZbj8liil_yM2rKlN9q9BRfcTeauZKPLb50MePi_rz-rMlIa-qcKild/s1600/lenziBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPAXqmjc3LYyGQ39xp6tL8l5smAKW8ODqeueDUBeW-CwNN3n2w-mrw5JjyfqPxxHsY1mOgUXHlKhFuLF6UFfyCAZbj8liil_yM2rKlN9q9BRfcTeauZKPLb50MePi_rz-rMlIa-qcKild/s400/lenziBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484869133875994162" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I had a chance today of asking by-now legendary director Umberto Lenzi a few questions about his early career in making adventure, pirate and peplum films. This is an area of Italian film history that needs more attention and research. These films traveled throughout the world and were seen by millions, and are remembered by many with fondness. While we, euro-film fans, generally talk about Italy's gothic horrors, spaghetti westerns and gialli, it was these adventure and historical romances that were the beginning of Italy's domination of film product available to many countries, including the United States.<br /><br />I was interested in whether Lenzi initiated the production of these type of films, which for him (as director) started with QUEEN OF THE SEAS (1961), and he answered that as a young director at the time, he could not choose the projects he would be involved in. Regarding Emilio Salgari, the author of the Sandokan novels and other Far East adventure tales like LA MONTAGNA DI LUCE, yes, in his childhood he was a fan of Salgari's books.<br /><br />Umberto Lenzi worked with three recognized peplum actors during this period--Steve Reeves, Richard Harrison and Alan Steel (Sergio Ciani)--so I asked for a comparison, and Lenzi responded that only Harrison was a good actor.<br /><br />Lenzi also added that he had many adventures shooting these Salgari films in the swamps of Celyon and in Singapore and Malaysia, but the worst experiences were with leeches and the terrible heat of those locations.<br /><br />Finally, I asked, do these films hold a special warmth in his heart after so many years:<br /><br />"In my heart I have a special warm place only for the actresses."<br /><br />Molte grazie, Umberto, for your time and all the entertaining films you have made in your career!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-74536309689778351732010-06-15T14:24:00.008-04:002010-06-15T20:57:47.879-04:00SANDOK - review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wVfRVqTOkBGtZJhlKQuQ22FBb6Eho47b2DdXUAp4rMBrih4i1JXEELld5-FOo-jmj3bXZL-McdMS3Ws0-FmG6wRVzPe9yWpcS6J1Nctqa0WMa1dGzliE4vOuTyXj0S3HYW5oah3pK9y8/s1600/sandok1.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 169px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481988315316268994" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wVfRVqTOkBGtZJhlKQuQ22FBb6Eho47b2DdXUAp4rMBrih4i1JXEELld5-FOo-jmj3bXZL-McdMS3Ws0-FmG6wRVzPe9yWpcS6J1Nctqa0WMa1dGzliE4vOuTyXj0S3HYW5oah3pK9y8/s400/sandok1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3N5ksXoCOSKEMxTek8uyaHMS_0_brTD5sFkhZg8pnRyD8QRrKblPjaJ6Zlu0zaeh09WfxV82z1nxX0SQKnYXBJUV5GEQY9sgSVWommcwVjpPdoVD9EM-Pa4d1vV1udi-A_TB2PU6ZBHMK/s1600/sandok3.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 169px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481988776112680322" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3N5ksXoCOSKEMxTek8uyaHMS_0_brTD5sFkhZg8pnRyD8QRrKblPjaJ6Zlu0zaeh09WfxV82z1nxX0SQKnYXBJUV5GEQY9sgSVWommcwVjpPdoVD9EM-Pa4d1vV1udi-A_TB2PU6ZBHMK/s400/sandok3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMCe48vddcqEA8aTVKydSug0-ywUhvu_IVv6ISEvDZctzWOibHUWv1wGvbhiO3Ex5heaT0Sjp_8sFjKT8794UPdvDajNwxeRR2GoAMgdQJO_KhXUu1U7XNWO5jUbNkgNoNg3znRuMZp87/s1600/sandok9.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 168px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481991692673922258" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMCe48vddcqEA8aTVKydSug0-ywUhvu_IVv6ISEvDZctzWOibHUWv1wGvbhiO3Ex5heaT0Sjp_8sFjKT8794UPdvDajNwxeRR2GoAMgdQJO_KhXUu1U7XNWO5jUbNkgNoNg3znRuMZp87/s400/sandok9.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiX1n0Ww2hR8yn3YRUEIaMMoL_lqSlGfX2bxpM2UWZt4K0hHG8-CMFaPD53RNmhY3c9DG_At5qnVLsdyfjn7futyEnfLWyUQVzJ5XJAoRBGZFFKvMPGDiu0AgxrwPgKXGdQbFp8_dBso9a/s1600/sandok4.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 168px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481989082436453042" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiX1n0Ww2hR8yn3YRUEIaMMoL_lqSlGfX2bxpM2UWZt4K0hHG8-CMFaPD53RNmhY3c9DG_At5qnVLsdyfjn7futyEnfLWyUQVzJ5XJAoRBGZFFKvMPGDiu0AgxrwPgKXGdQbFp8_dBso9a/s400/sandok4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The second I saw that this film was in scope presentation and that the colors were fine, I smiled my considerable satisfaction. I'd been expecting the aspect ratio of Mya's newest DVD release to be strangled to a 1.85:1, but not so, thankfully. SANDOK--original title LA MONTAGNA DI LUCE (THE MOUNTAIN OF LIGHT), which I'll use in this review--is not the first NTSC DVD release of a film based on the work of Emilio Salgari (the silent film <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004Z4TJ/withpenandsword">CABIRIA</a> has that honor), but it's a very welcome introduction to the niche genre of family-friendly jungle adventures in the euro cinema of the 1960s.<br /><div><br />Emilio Salgari (1862-1911). For a while, I've been fascinated by the Italian films based on the works of Salgari, an Italian author who is unknown in the United States, but an institution in Italy and many other parts of the world. Salgari's most famous romances take place in the Far East, particularly Malaysia. Euro-film fans would recognize a few of the movies based on his novels, in particular the two SANDOKAN films starring Steve Reeves and both directed by Umberto Lenzi, who also helmed the 1965 LA MONTAGNA DI LUCE. Lenzi, along with director Luigi Capuano, represented the Salgari film during the 60s, with Capuano employing Ray Danton and Guy Madison in major roles, while Lenzi, or his producers, chose former peplum actors Reeves and Richard Harrison. </div><br /><div> </div>Last year I read Salgari's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0978270711/withpenandsword">MYSTERY OF THE BLACK JUNGLE</a> in the commendable though slightly abridged/censored English translation by Nico Lorenzutti. What struck me most about that Salgari novel is that the hero had a wavering moral compass and did not hold back expressing his fears.<br /><br /><div>LA MONTAGNA DI LUCE also has a hero whose moral compass is dictated by circumstances and self-interest, though his fear factor is almost zero. Richard Harrison plays Alan Foster, a care-free gambler/traveler/thief/scoundrel who loses all his money in a game with the powerful Rajah Sindar. Owing the Rajah more money than he can ever hope to acquire, he must pay back the debt or face certain death. The Rajah informs him of one possibility of payment: acquiring the heavily protected "Mountain of Light," a fabulous diamond that holds significant religious value, as well as unheard of monetary worth. The debt will be dismissed if Foster gets the diamond for the Rajah. Foster escapes from the Rajah's palace, where he was imprisoned and, seduced by the wealth the jewel represents, proceeds on a journey to try to steal the diamond for himself. Along the way he meets up with Sitama, a faking fakir, played by dance choreographer and actor Wilbert Bradley. (Bradley is splendid in this film.) The two team up to acquire this coveted jewel that can bring incredible riches to its owner and guarantee a life of pleasure and indolence.</div><div> </div><br /><div>The witty interplay between Foster and Sitama, the balancing roles of Western anti-hero and a colorful member of the indigenous lower-class, reminded me much of "Blondie" and Tuco from THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. And this would make sense as Sergio Leone and his writing crew would have been Salgari fans in their youth. Any in-depth analysis of the spaghetti western will certainly have to address the influence that Salgari's works had on Italian filmmakers like Leone.</div><br /><div></div>There is a love interest that evolves later in the film, and this is the film's weakest element, as it's one of those affairs that only is real in cinema: enduring love based on a few moments of meeting.<br /><div></div><br /><div>The film proceeds at a relaxed, even pace, not encumbered by the need to rush things (a sin of much filmmaking these days), until the near end, when it winds up too quickly, so much so that the viewer may want to rewatch the last ten minutes or so. An amusing send-off alerts us to a commentary on colonialism that comes from left field, leaving one thinking for a moment if Salgari's novel may had more substance that just being a simple adventure tale.</div><br /><div>LA MONTAGNA DI LUCE is a splendid adventure tale, the kind young audiences in the 1960s would have loved on Saturday matinees or TV showings, and that older audiences would have sat through with appreciation, whether they were viewing the film in New York or Bombay. Exotic family entertainment, much distanced from the giallo, cannibal and horror films that Lenzi would be involved with later in his career, and a sumptuous set-design and on-location presentation wonderfully showcased by the cinematography of Angelo Lotti and Lenzi's crisp direction.</div><br /><div> </div>With Sandokan being Saligari's most famous chartcer, Mya decided to retitle LA MONTAGNA DI LUCE as SANDOK. But there is no "Sandok" in the film and the film has no relation to the character Sandokan. Unfortunately, there is no English audio track present (there must be one in existence, as the film was released in an English version under the titles JUNGLE ADVENTURER and TEMPLE OF A THOUSAND LIGHTS). The English subtitles are generally fine, with some occasional grammatical pitfalls. Colors are quite good, and, as noted, the aspect ratio is correct.<br /><div><br />LA MONTAGNA DI LUCE opens up American viewers to an important phase of Italian B film history and Salgari's romances. Hopefully Mya will follow up this Salgari adventure with more Salgaris, perhaps the original Sandokan films from Lenzi--SANDOKAN, LA TIGRE DI MOMPRACEM (SANDOKAN THE GREAT) and I PIRATI DELLA MALESIA (SANDOKAN: PIRATE OF MALAYSIA). If not, then other adventure romances from the Italian cinema of the 1960s will certainly be appreciated by euro-cult enthusiasts.<br /></div><div><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0038AMVVK/withpenandsword">SANDOK is available from Amazon.com</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGS-LVsOzrtbEsbn59IV6n53_AOn_GaxYHtSy6fEhu5FGtxXbIGg_-Pdoenp2oesv-dVW88WPTNWP7-9_DBvjrbHEO_z3gn5WESE8HXAkhvXqLN95Xh57G5OhmdLsT0TpB9sJhA3Z22UM/s1600/sandok2.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 169px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481988572576255202" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGS-LVsOzrtbEsbn59IV6n53_AOn_GaxYHtSy6fEhu5FGtxXbIGg_-Pdoenp2oesv-dVW88WPTNWP7-9_DBvjrbHEO_z3gn5WESE8HXAkhvXqLN95Xh57G5OhmdLsT0TpB9sJhA3Z22UM/s400/sandok2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxciMNM860CPQmmEpdtamxifZufdx7NWbtKxFxVp-KlTKHgtDdqqQVTNo69RFVPDcVEEKDFUIRnNw1TFPT-6CBAqp1IhDgHuqOnV7ERPw1o-NbUpF6ZQf33hVNN8cToY1979A151kecyl/s1600/sandok10.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 169px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481991875209637282" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxciMNM860CPQmmEpdtamxifZufdx7NWbtKxFxVp-KlTKHgtDdqqQVTNo69RFVPDcVEEKDFUIRnNw1TFPT-6CBAqp1IhDgHuqOnV7ERPw1o-NbUpF6ZQf33hVNN8cToY1979A151kecyl/s400/sandok10.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTw0oryJPcgBPK5tVAkmuEVReRFTxcI0BjqsOpQ44N5Qsf35kLYh-kfsTenMYKZkSHZuMU1CSN1zVUP9FN1_FE-kgx-6U4shCM4g54mglt5nWtiTGoGaDXq3hHW7osGjuvGBoZPMev_2sG/s1600/sandok6.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 169px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481989477325602450" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTw0oryJPcgBPK5tVAkmuEVReRFTxcI0BjqsOpQ44N5Qsf35kLYh-kfsTenMYKZkSHZuMU1CSN1zVUP9FN1_FE-kgx-6U4shCM4g54mglt5nWtiTGoGaDXq3hHW7osGjuvGBoZPMev_2sG/s400/sandok6.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKW5bIvxMXRm7xfeyChJ2ytBsiT_-4KmXDOJyRtPc8VMYpbSwoYsbVp1qOALMoxZZEOVT8JEGPKC6SfUQgQyJLwm76oxPf-ASzlI1MLaqmRIhGYuMg_JPs6N1K5oLf__1hXKnWyqUrw8P/s1600/sandok5.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 170px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481989231904848306" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKW5bIvxMXRm7xfeyChJ2ytBsiT_-4KmXDOJyRtPc8VMYpbSwoYsbVp1qOALMoxZZEOVT8JEGPKC6SfUQgQyJLwm76oxPf-ASzlI1MLaqmRIhGYuMg_JPs6N1K5oLf__1hXKnWyqUrw8P/s400/sandok5.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdrrO7OQwYHBMydUYarW5eQTsSABi0XYHqO9zXAi1OwxitkEiC1noIu5buVolhl7oTrb0ilHXWh_VAwpR_iRpToRkcEt9lxoqaM8_gNFL0Z8corr9c3FbmkaNoYevcpuz951HwzeETYGa/s1600/sandok7.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 168px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481991270176093426" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdrrO7OQwYHBMydUYarW5eQTsSABi0XYHqO9zXAi1OwxitkEiC1noIu5buVolhl7oTrb0ilHXWh_VAwpR_iRpToRkcEt9lxoqaM8_gNFL0Z8corr9c3FbmkaNoYevcpuz951HwzeETYGa/s400/sandok7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUaoOwj6NqkHyyam65FyE7RO8h89fWjrc-e4QllZT-4nNGefMZE0u2QO9E0DdabhiCaeix9zE3MPM3qTqneMSW-09fQAnuKHHsEZc7S3SeVGdc4rvms6btNcalYDnQI08mdwPjoGjAsii/s1600/sandok11.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 169px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481992035474133138" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUaoOwj6NqkHyyam65FyE7RO8h89fWjrc-e4QllZT-4nNGefMZE0u2QO9E0DdabhiCaeix9zE3MPM3qTqneMSW-09fQAnuKHHsEZc7S3SeVGdc4rvms6btNcalYDnQI08mdwPjoGjAsii/s400/sandok11.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-26478809611347876002010-06-12T17:34:00.006-04:002010-06-12T19:30:41.435-04:00Sandokan Fever!I'm currently writing a review of Mya's newest DVD, SANDOK, a film based on a novel by Emilio Salgari, and felt motivated to put on this blog one of my favorite YouTube clips: a sing-along of the Sandokan song, written by the De Angelis brothers for the mega-hit SANDOKAN TV series from Italy. The Sandokan character was Salgari's most known creation. (Sandokan, btw, has nothing to do with the SANDOK film; the only connection is Salgari).<br /><br />TV's Sandokan, Kabir Bedi, is the surprised and moved actor during this clip.<br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uosMtExZOXQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uosMtExZOXQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-10791753665519331552010-06-03T11:23:00.010-04:002010-06-03T12:01:28.141-04:00Coming in September 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_5rlY35cwaSRoBBBWN0n3ZAU72rR49uIybDZb-UZ-28mK3DM0xOjwfBMoJ1mmPoqFkW_FPORtUZ6fuisKjlAlAvE-BATbUI0f0o_Qd9IsVmrc8E_RppR-2wltWclXEUs48-qdquJuJjJ/s1600/girlfromcortinaBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_5rlY35cwaSRoBBBWN0n3ZAU72rR49uIybDZb-UZ-28mK3DM0xOjwfBMoJ1mmPoqFkW_FPORtUZ6fuisKjlAlAvE-BATbUI0f0o_Qd9IsVmrc8E_RppR-2wltWclXEUs48-qdquJuJjJ/s320/girlfromcortinaBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478569003758114722" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz2p_NwkxvD_RkWXJ36Crk5lnXoG7SEf4t2RbIBR9Scjh5h7a_SxMTSYAERMK5uQdN6uCmQZf-ERiNoRIGVIVm7LaRUd6ZfevO-JiyCIH0ALcZSqUq6v8kOTdF2DJM73-yrZMRv2xLY8Z/s1600/rc8.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz2p_NwkxvD_RkWXJ36Crk5lnXoG7SEf4t2RbIBR9Scjh5h7a_SxMTSYAERMK5uQdN6uCmQZf-ERiNoRIGVIVm7LaRUd6ZfevO-JiyCIH0ALcZSqUq6v8kOTdF2DJM73-yrZMRv2xLY8Z/s320/rc8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478575531633395570" border="0" /></a><br /><br />THE GIRL FROM CORTINA is the 1994 LA RAGAZZA DI CORTINA, a Sergio Martino production with brother Luciano scripting and Maurizio Vanni directing. A late entry in the giallo genre, it appears.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6nbUF-4OVzegUkQjnT4GL-XlF2OJ5QBIWlTgN7XW9q7BwXTiNUzPi5sjdusGnCUuOwFAwei7MjNYs5esTziFaaLqwjM8_aiVdxvOZnRtRjbszR6rYW7azKaNNASkWrLdTxZCGZdHlXJq/s1600/girlfromcortinastill.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6nbUF-4OVzegUkQjnT4GL-XlF2OJ5QBIWlTgN7XW9q7BwXTiNUzPi5sjdusGnCUuOwFAwei7MjNYs5esTziFaaLqwjM8_aiVdxvOZnRtRjbszR6rYW7azKaNNASkWrLdTxZCGZdHlXJq/s320/girlfromcortinastill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478577295130992258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />------------------------<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirha3GKhZe-Yxnv33CceZL8_ovRutixe5lE-9mW8yb__CHRC32gCKH9RLLsrwAVEcCNnKkGZJ9m5O0Ek5VDYyOIGRzb1DBdSgWtgUZ85iw6eLcS7TUwun6DybAXBPZ8RpyMDoQJoXq9Ubq/s1600/hotzorroBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirha3GKhZe-Yxnv33CceZL8_ovRutixe5lE-9mW8yb__CHRC32gCKH9RLLsrwAVEcCNnKkGZJ9m5O0Ek5VDYyOIGRzb1DBdSgWtgUZ85iw6eLcS7TUwun6DybAXBPZ8RpyMDoQJoXq9Ubq/s320/hotzorroBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478569114431119554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX11hSQL58wmj8KfwqhUEtom-C_bj8rV8fFh8EKzwGntrmTY5nGnFCoE7aZS8vygOwggZrOwLD_PFAn4tYYkWoxpgE-ERnccwPMhKLF9VI9ri0Q_Xre4Bcnx39yOK4EXd3228928lBpDVv/s1600/zorrohotposter.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX11hSQL58wmj8KfwqhUEtom-C_bj8rV8fFh8EKzwGntrmTY5nGnFCoE7aZS8vygOwggZrOwLD_PFAn4tYYkWoxpgE-ERnccwPMhKLF9VI9ri0Q_Xre4Bcnx39yOK4EXd3228928lBpDVv/s320/zorrohotposter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478573960355279170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />RED HOT ZORRO is the 1972 French/Belgium film LES AVENTURES GALANTES DE ZORRO. Jean-Michel Dhermay stars as the legendary Spanish "fox," with Gilbert Roussel directing. But wait... The underpinning of the film is actually THE THREE SWORDS OF ZORRO, with the Dhermay scenes being bawdy inserts of Zorro chasing women and having sex. A Spanish-Italian co-production, THE THREE SWORDS OF ZORRO (1963) starred Guy Stockwell as the masked avenger. Ricardo Blasco directing. (Hat-tip to Pieter Boven of <a href="http://10kbullets.com/reviews/aventures-galantes-de-zorro-les/">10,000 Bullets</a>.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBt-yk2rmJj6EvO4amgxtNlQhsQteZw1RrV75mo37A4SPkw4LgjDDrG4rjcAEhAYLlhupwQfcSVRvzlzE9JMnYECsvmAZYsJzTEm_yfqHWjjWaaWEi9eoGI2g4U3yH-zLb221Hh4W07Eu/s1600/zorro-cover.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBt-yk2rmJj6EvO4amgxtNlQhsQteZw1RrV75mo37A4SPkw4LgjDDrG4rjcAEhAYLlhupwQfcSVRvzlzE9JMnYECsvmAZYsJzTEm_yfqHWjjWaaWEi9eoGI2g4U3yH-zLb221Hh4W07Eu/s320/zorro-cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478573258704060066" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One assumes that Mya's release will be taken from a French DVD released in 2003. That release was not English friendly, so expect English subs with this one.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-59081402847703853322010-06-01T16:43:00.006-04:002010-06-05T07:17:27.296-04:00A Call for the NTSC DVD release of INHIBITION<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocKut9UgdCybkjzTCbbKlrGJ9tTcURpw8HFedSQ-fYcBe4fuf7R89W8NCLFPEA1B3RIEKUlAYi72f1Yr4q6W6W6-GiANGMZy8Qg9Hf5YMAm40Ltk1X_Kh7dHOrKaDVGHm5R84yNQAG6yq/s1600/inhibition7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocKut9UgdCybkjzTCbbKlrGJ9tTcURpw8HFedSQ-fYcBe4fuf7R89W8NCLFPEA1B3RIEKUlAYi72f1Yr4q6W6W6-GiANGMZy8Qg9Hf5YMAm40Ltk1X_Kh7dHOrKaDVGHm5R84yNQAG6yq/s400/inhibition7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477792759985312498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/DrSfK5g4ERc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/DrSfK5g4ERc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /><br />If I were to select a short list of films that best represent euro-cult, Paolo Poeti's INHIBITION would be one of the primary films on such a list.<br /><br />One of euro-cult's most memorable faces, Ivan Rassimov, plays Peter Smart, who arrives in Morocco in cowboy hat and boots, American jeans, a supply of cigarillos, and a cool laconic attitude. His only baggage seems to be a suit and dress shoes, which he carries over his shoulder in a suit-carrier, as if it were a saddle. Smart is an identifiable character from the euro-cult pantheon who has to live by his wits and whatever particular skill he has that sets him above others. For Smart, it isn't a swift gun as his Western predecessors may have had, but acute gambling skill.<br /><br />Claudine Beccarie plays Carol Levis, a rich, obnoxious widow, who suffered sexual indignities at the hands of her sadistic husband. Primed to give back the hate she received, Carol now cruelly lords over her servants and her young female companion and sex toy, Anna, played by Ilona Staller (future porn star name: Cicciolina). Carol's world is cold and brutal, though comforted by wealth and luxury and yes-men and yes-women. When Peter Smart enters her world, a challenge erupts. Who will win this battle--Carol or Peter? And what lessons will be learned, if any?<br /><br />There's an awkward disparity in Beccarie's face. Some would consider her unattractive, but she's just right for this film and its need for a bitchy European femme. Beccarie had a provocative film career, starting off in 1972 in porn shorts. Well into her porn career, she consented to do the self-revealing EXHIBITION, an art-house film that managed to get shown in Lincoln Center and reviewed in Time Magazine. Time's critic, J.C., wrote:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">She is a woman of principle. That is, Claudine Beccarie disdains foul language and absolutely draws the line at performing sex acts with animals or film producers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">She will carry on, either solo or in various combinations, almost any other amorous activity, provided it is being filmed by professionals and the price is right. She refuses, however, to discuss her politics on camera. Too personal </span><i style="font-weight: bold;">Exhibition</i><span style="font-weight: bold;">, a French documentary about Claudine's life, loves and heavy thoughts, has certain pretenses at social and psychological significance. The heroine may be observed, shedding tears in closeup, as she tells how she was raped by an uncle when she was only 15. This assault precipitated a descent into prostitution and an unfortunate marriage in which her soldier husband insisted on having a child against his wife's express wishes. "He tied me down to the bed and everything," she reveals. All of this occurred before Claudine's ascent to stardom in a series of quickies produced by France's newly burgeoning porno industry.</span><br /><br />The selling of INHIBITION played upon Beccarie's notoriety (as is obvious in the title take-off on the EXHIBITION film). My guessing game is that it was with INHIBITION that Beccarie wished to distance herself from her porn past, which may be why, according to an entry on the IMDB, she held a protest fast in front of the French theater that showed the film with added X-rated inserts. Beccarie never made it into A films, but instead found probably unwelcome employment in low-brow exploitation R-rated films, like FRAULEIN KITTY and HELLTRAIN.<br /><br />As with any emblematic euro-cult film, what makes INHIBITION work is the entirety. The actors, the foreign setting, the direction, and, importantly, the music. The soundtrack by Guido and Marizio De Angelis is wonderfully hip and sexy, and so euro-1970s that it's a crime it hasn't yet been released on an authoritative CD.<br /><br />There are frequent scenes in INHIBITION where Poeti's fluid direction, the musical score and the editing merge into some of the best moments I've seen in euro-cult. The entire long credit sequence at the beginning is a superb testament to everything working with easy flow and what appears to be easy artistry. I must have replayed these first ten minutes or so a hundred times, and those moments still manage to hold the same transfixing and exhilarating power as when I first saw them.<br /><br />Several years ago, INHIBITION was released by NoShame in a PAL-format set in an uncensored edition that gave previous viewers delightful moments never before seen, including a genuinely hot masturbation scene with Beccarie that sizzles with the lonely meaning of, and physical need for, self-gratification. The film was presented in Italian audio only, but an English audio track exists. (INHIBITION was shown on US cable TV and also received a video release in the States.) Seeing as it was a NoShame release, it must be more accessible for Mya to put in on their schedule--one hopes.<br /><br />The 1970s was a time when international adventure of embracing sex and experiences in foreign, more exotic countries still remained viable. Terrorism and kidnappings, and worse, of Westerners were not threats, and globalism and the internet had not yet shed their blinding light in the more mysterious corners of the world. INHIBITION is now a languid memory of a time that was, a precious memory that makes the film a hallmark of euro-cult cinema.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg58DYgmPp4eepKjwt1iOuKyF6EvDqvaDN_DAjdXLcQsHI-483ccdUwzZ32I9xlhN5RmGRFdEOGbpHGtSZkP6q-_EBKveAdc4QwJ0YULz3fwriM1_yptLj8ESuJJlIugLqDColKprfhbQx/s1600/inhibition.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg58DYgmPp4eepKjwt1iOuKyF6EvDqvaDN_DAjdXLcQsHI-483ccdUwzZ32I9xlhN5RmGRFdEOGbpHGtSZkP6q-_EBKveAdc4QwJ0YULz3fwriM1_yptLj8ESuJJlIugLqDColKprfhbQx/s400/inhibition.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477491825147896210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIJ0w39gCwLlxtbpd1dErKNTXcar6M-WUiqGV1I7InO1XwzE2q8TZXf7qnfyeqKs7vztfP2YBxjggNJbRm2AT5p7epyXe6JVWNARp1xMYt6GxHdwkK78V0K9gYKSNZaTnkS2FjG9ALxsG/s1600/inhibition11.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIJ0w39gCwLlxtbpd1dErKNTXcar6M-WUiqGV1I7InO1XwzE2q8TZXf7qnfyeqKs7vztfP2YBxjggNJbRm2AT5p7epyXe6JVWNARp1xMYt6GxHdwkK78V0K9gYKSNZaTnkS2FjG9ALxsG/s400/inhibition11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477794799064108850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgS87AwmSmYSL8s8LD5ky9JKEORVoMs6H9g7ybNTyaTTcE722SHJNITL_5gYmjHnb9o2tASW_a0X9I5ws-AVBtFHHoRhWPPR5CR63YFVDX11_H-JIDlcVbFfuwKVrb9HwRZsicrcLhuW6/s1600/inhibition2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgS87AwmSmYSL8s8LD5ky9JKEORVoMs6H9g7ybNTyaTTcE722SHJNITL_5gYmjHnb9o2tASW_a0X9I5ws-AVBtFHHoRhWPPR5CR63YFVDX11_H-JIDlcVbFfuwKVrb9HwRZsicrcLhuW6/s400/inhibition2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477791658547267442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPy-78h_EV8Qp-II3kGSlYz-iIkVG2HmFIRooVpYiCSFBf9S9EomGyNc4fdX34zSShO0Tuq_2BwbOn7o_PuOrd84X7e9UvyvR_IKsbyteCNjl2mwsNNjfW0yiPaIjtR5lodUeQ0Tbloq8C/s1600/inhibition12.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPy-78h_EV8Qp-II3kGSlYz-iIkVG2HmFIRooVpYiCSFBf9S9EomGyNc4fdX34zSShO0Tuq_2BwbOn7o_PuOrd84X7e9UvyvR_IKsbyteCNjl2mwsNNjfW0yiPaIjtR5lodUeQ0Tbloq8C/s400/inhibition12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477794915596297106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhjazVhoPK2YbAo7NeFIOje8HWo115gEeYjiSm9m4Q5xONCkzeln2IyEUOLFPciIDHWv886KJcf2pMcwtx7RkcMm_lUdhNADnFL5D0aEHKKs6Bn7LZTWwlsFrRoZ7DEmUdV6-uI9PGLGN/s1600/inhibition5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhjazVhoPK2YbAo7NeFIOje8HWo115gEeYjiSm9m4Q5xONCkzeln2IyEUOLFPciIDHWv886KJcf2pMcwtx7RkcMm_lUdhNADnFL5D0aEHKKs6Bn7LZTWwlsFrRoZ7DEmUdV6-uI9PGLGN/s400/inhibition5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477792353015236434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjnpfm464U2yuruAOKhBQvyNhF78HzV-K6SjCTn-uL0abY4nwK-mIHOCgyyV8zFlCOdvzZ9hRbMydayf2erauu3BnIkFw8I9SyDMFo3Ghblhl_CKf5ejwZQEpvtveyU6DTGfeo5z-b1JhP/s1600/inhibition3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; 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width: 400px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bIIBQ8IswnZHmE7jNIktfJzq7IgmFz1XKi20QlpRntBAQlYBHO4H_QdpTDvX0Ox6aLTP1IFSMw3mgTQMq6xlV12ljVZulka5sc9h24j-M5cQaWglRvJqLmnqjQpMx4oyLkLmWG7tLXC2/s400/inhibition6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477792584263030434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvBxRAWYBfWp1yEPX38JkA3zgcgrILgQlwvx_JbQ39xhyYv1NQtESzakAIT3QeYrPc47XlGgBsNGmmjLLm-GTWWj2Hp3BpqsyRC0-CSEP3CDon74RDR4sNcHDHqz81UpY0NzFa_qYXfsx/s1600/inhibition10.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvBxRAWYBfWp1yEPX38JkA3zgcgrILgQlwvx_JbQ39xhyYv1NQtESzakAIT3QeYrPc47XlGgBsNGmmjLLm-GTWWj2Hp3BpqsyRC0-CSEP3CDon74RDR4sNcHDHqz81UpY0NzFa_qYXfsx/s400/inhibition10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477793223063208562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRagil5hz1D4_d6UR0S4Nlo3Gj_o6BBhqoLi51dPgb8Uay2PvCm8v92Xz-cV8VJIEjrSZjCoKoUo8SloKF0Blpxa1BDqZ2Ud-odygtLdjkPDmOsvMq5qgybvtpoBZM52C8rMwWQdGotGs6/s1600/inhibition4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRagil5hz1D4_d6UR0S4Nlo3Gj_o6BBhqoLi51dPgb8Uay2PvCm8v92Xz-cV8VJIEjrSZjCoKoUo8SloKF0Blpxa1BDqZ2Ud-odygtLdjkPDmOsvMq5qgybvtpoBZM52C8rMwWQdGotGs6/s400/inhibition4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477792167065647762" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-87179568295009496682010-05-16T22:53:00.004-04:002010-05-16T23:10:44.430-04:00Coming in August 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFIFLvEWfY-IzZlpy0X_1QnGbNdXAxwyQIMKssDFt4zyPWz7s_ydsz2aMpw5rcvZv-IfoQcWRypqF1BKh9FexgakxmoofhBUdhfUDOqDRY2ASvRj3TFihcaUiD8GmbxX1jI9f9RGdlBnS/s1600/myaforbiddendreamsblog.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFIFLvEWfY-IzZlpy0X_1QnGbNdXAxwyQIMKssDFt4zyPWz7s_ydsz2aMpw5rcvZv-IfoQcWRypqF1BKh9FexgakxmoofhBUdhfUDOqDRY2ASvRj3TFihcaUiD8GmbxX1jI9f9RGdlBnS/s320/myaforbiddendreamsblog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472066884307184898" /></a><br /><br />FORBIDDEN GAMES is SOGNI PROIBITI DI DON GALEAZZO CURATO DI CAMPAGNA, a 1973 sex comedy directed by Emanuele Di Cola, cinematographer for such films as HELL COMMANDOS, SCREAM OF THE DEMON LOVER, and NIGHT OF THE DEVILS.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT20IsEbCr1l_aAMQ9BiuSJyw_9XsvGToubB12mCq6MWWJtsnzHMmWU-xJrA8ryz4t7L7MsMaNHvjLE3saMYOjOpWl-LMPnnweHJDMyKNgidQXKuGPRqKeG0vGbRDEsib11K2WLxaPIyaN/s1600/myasexyradioblog.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT20IsEbCr1l_aAMQ9BiuSJyw_9XsvGToubB12mCq6MWWJtsnzHMmWU-xJrA8ryz4t7L7MsMaNHvjLE3saMYOjOpWl-LMPnnweHJDMyKNgidQXKuGPRqKeG0vGbRDEsib11K2WLxaPIyaN/s320/myasexyradioblog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472066992842506466" /></a><br /><br />SEXY RADIO is a Spanish film, originally titled EL ESCOTE. Another sex comedy, it seems.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-87917870802270870722010-03-29T20:42:00.005-04:002010-09-18T12:42:55.681-04:00Coming in July 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkPlOJD9-FTM_kQCFejOJAtf-WTm5Idrp-WMHVCj62Tgnk_m1IPTav0tUy30LKtP6tNIEp2CozfvK7pZW-SkwFCfY4o_W08tPfHvh1wvLa-1I8WF6rSXphgraq2tHKhKE9VOJp8UT_80P/s1600/myaerosperversionBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkPlOJD9-FTM_kQCFejOJAtf-WTm5Idrp-WMHVCj62Tgnk_m1IPTav0tUy30LKtP6tNIEp2CozfvK7pZW-SkwFCfY4o_W08tPfHvh1wvLa-1I8WF6rSXphgraq2tHKhKE9VOJp8UT_80P/s320/myaerosperversionBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454234203424428818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />EROS PERVERSION (1979), directed by Ron Wertheim, starring Carlo De Mejo, Viju Krem, and Ajita Wilson, is a musical (?) take on Shakespeare's THE TWELFTH NIGHT, with a bunch of nudity thrown in.<br /><br />---------------------<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrM3LLb9H26NksyzMTw6kostD8UHtyg6ohmbYj6VRYjlgE2RGxnIq6jf3LNCz0uTH43qxFqGsWLKQrS_mIdmBeJY4E3DIA6ThzJ9jRVx-Ur-TieyjJYGPZmPQ3j17rYOx4HJ3xgPsTNTu/s1600/myaforbiddenpassionBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrM3LLb9H26NksyzMTw6kostD8UHtyg6ohmbYj6VRYjlgE2RGxnIq6jf3LNCz0uTH43qxFqGsWLKQrS_mIdmBeJY4E3DIA6ThzJ9jRVx-Ur-TieyjJYGPZmPQ3j17rYOx4HJ3xgPsTNTu/s320/myaforbiddenpassionBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454231575933870946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />FORBIDDEN PASSION (1974), directed by Gianluigi Calderon, starring Gabrielle Ferzitti and Ornella Muti, was <strike>originally titled APPASSIONATA. A father-daughter sexy drama, controversial in its time (and probably now, too).</strike> [With the release of the DVD, it's clear this is another film, the 1973 Spanish CEBO PARA UNA ADOLESCENTE (BAIT FOR A TEENAGER), directed by Francisco Lara Polop.]<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V0OUPtInnyYJkGE5BwgdzMu3RcMkEwV6Yd-VAwCyVHAdVZkasHwvGS-q9Wpotbo2xceIry1VPFYRWqEqLoakuxnoQxVyeWpf3LS9TOnfsz1BaRKGvCpS1dB2-AgIT-sCh2CSE4WfXw25/s1600/myaAppassionata1BLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 305px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V0OUPtInnyYJkGE5BwgdzMu3RcMkEwV6Yd-VAwCyVHAdVZkasHwvGS-q9Wpotbo2xceIry1VPFYRWqEqLoakuxnoQxVyeWpf3LS9TOnfsz1BaRKGvCpS1dB2-AgIT-sCh2CSE4WfXw25/s320/myaAppassionata1BLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454233676202242594" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Star Video back cover. I've no idea what the dog is doing there.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnIpjnecrjgvz0YMjK3iAQE8F6xvWnCYl4Ryp4UliKdlfBpo_81CrNGJcLeB2gwq-c2NAqMvzzGwxGyRGyt9-rigf8RLEg7-YAZW-rzkWvgm7yasi2jSxae1k3gJInOdIK9427MV4GvKk/s1600/myaappassionataBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnIpjnecrjgvz0YMjK3iAQE8F6xvWnCYl4Ryp4UliKdlfBpo_81CrNGJcLeB2gwq-c2NAqMvzzGwxGyRGyt9-rigf8RLEg7-YAZW-rzkWvgm7yasi2jSxae1k3gJInOdIK9427MV4GvKk/s400/myaappassionataBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232806043771650" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Herman (I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF) Cohen was one of the distributors of APPASSIONATA in the U.S.</span><br /><br />---------------------<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ozkn8_NkV3_e0jt136nkp69m8vSLXP2VNinI4DxSTnzqattKsLffAiXxqm7Gc0JPn9dWZjxrVfID5zo5CRfrgFqlCI4c_LkhZxMF6lJi0W1lOTeKByqD1FNz2-mbGNI02fkfMbzolKOd/s1600/myanakedcitiesBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ozkn8_NkV3_e0jt136nkp69m8vSLXP2VNinI4DxSTnzqattKsLffAiXxqm7Gc0JPn9dWZjxrVfID5zo5CRfrgFqlCI4c_LkhZxMF6lJi0W1lOTeKByqD1FNz2-mbGNI02fkfMbzolKOd/s320/myanakedcitiesBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232318380871794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />NAKED CITIES is I SEGRETI DELLA CITTA PIU NUDE DEL MONDO (1971) from Luciano Martino, with brother Sergio the scriptwriter. A mondo travelogue movie with scenes from Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, etc.<strong></strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-93152974829659252010-03-27T21:15:00.002-04:002010-03-27T21:25:49.135-04:00Missing in Non-Action: The Last Decameron<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkZP0VhczvDUFtp6VGVW16PesJBr55ac8uQtaGG1Jxp7DSzfFCVMtkVP4jDDUEvyqDCk55dgpK4gtEIizwZJ0ceHKmA42F0KW7D0MnJcVzLjVojOYcSz_3PgLITFlxIeyETtmuqDFYXaU/s1600/lastdecameronBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkZP0VhczvDUFtp6VGVW16PesJBr55ac8uQtaGG1Jxp7DSzfFCVMtkVP4jDDUEvyqDCk55dgpK4gtEIizwZJ0ceHKmA42F0KW7D0MnJcVzLjVojOYcSz_3PgLITFlxIeyETtmuqDFYXaU/s320/lastdecameronBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453489639259806882" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This seems to have passed under the radar, but Mya's projected release of Joe D'Amato's THE LAST DECAMERON (SOLLAZZEVOLI STORIE DI MOGLI GAUDENTI E MARITI PENITENTI - DECAMERON Nº 69) has been canceled, no reason given. This was supposed to have been number 37 on Mya's schedule, with an announced street date in November, 2009.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-85793866400972788092010-03-18T22:02:00.008-04:002010-03-19T00:50:56.998-04:00KREOLA - reviewVia a Mya DVD, I reviewed about a week ago the first film I saw from Antonio Bonifacio (BLIND DATE). Here's the next offering of a Bonifacio film from Mya, KREOLA (1993), which answers a bit more the question I had in the earlier review of where one should place Bonifacio among his Italian director brethren. KREOLA makes the case (again) for a Joe D'Amato comparison, as the film is an erotic drama filmed in Santa Domingo, a genre and locale that imitates D'Amato to some extent. As with BLIND DATE, Daniele Stroppa is responsible for the script.<br /><br />The sight-seeing and island atmosphere portions of the film are impressive, making one imbibe laconically in the sun, sand, beach, and lush greenery of many scenes, while the story elements--well....<br /><br />Kreola. Wide mouth, big breasts, empty head. Trying to enjoy the pleasures of an earthy vacation island....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfeWJoptBCJjCjXk1L3Vrk87rdMJRqOKnFzrTMnamGrsS4m7CzVYmfd731hTjO23koIC5vtWXjnD8UHSzsicjlI9yqD1rqCocRvhcjHqc9yzhM4h2TfFlkr10cXjm2Wix2_d4wC6OZD7C/s1600-h/kreola9.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfeWJoptBCJjCjXk1L3Vrk87rdMJRqOKnFzrTMnamGrsS4m7CzVYmfd731hTjO23koIC5vtWXjnD8UHSzsicjlI9yqD1rqCocRvhcjHqc9yzhM4h2TfFlkr10cXjm2Wix2_d4wC6OZD7C/s400/kreola9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450135085119521026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Andy, her husband, hoping the island will rouse passion, as he struggles with impotency....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZHhhm5iruOvQRA3Qh0Rx6g_oQqIE_jOCjt8EGWSATN-M9DixlT16UbUgE2YxzCGZWc03Anr37ZENBvssDwuyZTc90zEQUaOrs1aQ8AoLUU94se_JdmYgzwuotb8REN_runuzR7FO6RkI/s1600-h/kreola8.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZHhhm5iruOvQRA3Qh0Rx6g_oQqIE_jOCjt8EGWSATN-M9DixlT16UbUgE2YxzCGZWc03Anr37ZENBvssDwuyZTc90zEQUaOrs1aQ8AoLUU94se_JdmYgzwuotb8REN_runuzR7FO6RkI/s400/kreola8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450134850304949378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Old-geezer, Survivor-type stud boatman who lives on the island. My hero, Leon....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAx2yX7CtNQlDVYnCPV-N_f2LKiUVbAJrIAmxMlt2H855PFj2SmHTzCvcE2mAMPvo1tNdUYPiHxltNhhBUz_RpP4Ipd9NhAeu2VZDIbVXYtfSgdvL_Yg-XyQ7pVl6l-6FXrTmhwHZD0Ge/s1600-h/kreola1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAx2yX7CtNQlDVYnCPV-N_f2LKiUVbAJrIAmxMlt2H855PFj2SmHTzCvcE2mAMPvo1tNdUYPiHxltNhhBUz_RpP4Ipd9NhAeu2VZDIbVXYtfSgdvL_Yg-XyQ7pVl6l-6FXrTmhwHZD0Ge/s400/kreola1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450133129099355522" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Leon makes his move on Kreola, with zero resistance from her....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzurr7sIve6FTFLPVqR-8z3ZQoDpUhjVhgdljSQrD76eWBlt0cNt6Cd5p6shZZ0UBf_RuJ7mbyCp2WZlW-7ryvIc1LBxQRl2p0LBEFSod0HiJOwkIcochf4o9V-Myg86QJvC0Zx8ydNV7b/s1600-h/kreola6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzurr7sIve6FTFLPVqR-8z3ZQoDpUhjVhgdljSQrD76eWBlt0cNt6Cd5p6shZZ0UBf_RuJ7mbyCp2WZlW-7ryvIc1LBxQRl2p0LBEFSod0HiJOwkIcochf4o9V-Myg86QJvC0Zx8ydNV7b/s400/kreola6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450134377451526402" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Leon even gets in some backdoor action. "You're hurting me!" moans out Kreola....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnHz9gBp6mpt_piIs1qSVv6W9m2HhGTb0tAUCBX9jdx3-AVLMxu1TJPiIrWvYh9Pw1xTL8-CzAyak4bCqqxDdvsQ1GYdXbZ_jrRj_u8AcKHS4Ndc_VvnaI1ULNc6ONmvXIW2jrLcT8wofr/s1600-h/kreola7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnHz9gBp6mpt_piIs1qSVv6W9m2HhGTb0tAUCBX9jdx3-AVLMxu1TJPiIrWvYh9Pw1xTL8-CzAyak4bCqqxDdvsQ1GYdXbZ_jrRj_u8AcKHS4Ndc_VvnaI1ULNc6ONmvXIW2jrLcT8wofr/s400/kreola7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450134649490484402" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Leon has many women aching for him, including Iris....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aXbEo9SBdU6qbwhMoy-gFwgxhREjcu95s0mEqnJSCYPdpqyYp1I66ZaR4kB8cttomhexJuPUdkGHDVCz5eonnOJZVRhlZy9ahThVzQ0Bvb7gwYCDqPNtAbJeWvAIzDyXYD3iAb57jTZl/s1600-h/kreola2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aXbEo9SBdU6qbwhMoy-gFwgxhREjcu95s0mEqnJSCYPdpqyYp1I66ZaR4kB8cttomhexJuPUdkGHDVCz5eonnOJZVRhlZy9ahThVzQ0Bvb7gwYCDqPNtAbJeWvAIzDyXYD3iAb57jTZl/s400/kreola2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450133452469554594" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Her ex-fiance, Marco, is upset at Leon for taking his woman away from him....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycwbshVgL5J3S26JjP87U69sHa-5l2-V44aYhWT0_9e2q8AnhVbBvpCwRUSudEX08ex_ksE0je7owQW8UPlkMnMdOj8dbb9AzNnRm_T3JIM_KWcS939gWROCXxmCVz9YRlTHyHctYKiAe/s1600-h/kreola4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycwbshVgL5J3S26JjP87U69sHa-5l2-V44aYhWT0_9e2q8AnhVbBvpCwRUSudEX08ex_ksE0je7owQW8UPlkMnMdOj8dbb9AzNnRm_T3JIM_KWcS939gWROCXxmCVz9YRlTHyHctYKiAe/s400/kreola4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450133869664688770" border="0" /></a><br /><br />"I'm a dead ringer for a young Sophia Loren, so why is my part as a barmaid so small? I should be playing Kreola." (I agree.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeVJWikcva6l4fFJu7VXDjFsnElyBaJZ50WRowMr8fsAm1rKWk5g2ddvhHQ9Yl6R_iL0R7lRNlVjV-WUjSXyhm69-m3pBnpSYu_exbznWxs-7sNanDl7wR7XuH8fopemCY43IOvkmC7_U/s1600-h/kreola5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeVJWikcva6l4fFJu7VXDjFsnElyBaJZ50WRowMr8fsAm1rKWk5g2ddvhHQ9Yl6R_iL0R7lRNlVjV-WUjSXyhm69-m3pBnpSYu_exbznWxs-7sNanDl7wR7XuH8fopemCY43IOvkmC7_U/s400/kreola5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450134114961178274" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The plot thickens as Andy and Marco decide to grow a pair and deal with Leon....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5znjAkcC4a8VxBk1zaPVRAPLvKOnZ35Ck4qBhWbWpnpnzSpp3YU_QMyMuY6rBGzYPfn7Z81CUB-RW6NygWGVF-c9piIIgopVYnbMbBVomKTarDw8O8X5Uo4Gm45VITuAhaT2Rsn0yxBE/s1600-h/kreola10.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5znjAkcC4a8VxBk1zaPVRAPLvKOnZ35Ck4qBhWbWpnpnzSpp3YU_QMyMuY6rBGzYPfn7Z81CUB-RW6NygWGVF-c9piIIgopVYnbMbBVomKTarDw8O8X5Uo4Gm45VITuAhaT2Rsn0yxBE/s400/kreola10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450160399925163090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The End....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7V78YMrkTUZhFeT_1jeIayNsjqCfKlREZ8RmsArtRt-bm2tVjWihz9ctLzLYp3TfnBaPeG-WPGNy5W7lw4mX2i8DgjPKsIHmcOcsCk9pZ1u8-IPz5AzlpfRGabKclpyfEyfnlhckm0WP/s1600-h/kreola11.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7V78YMrkTUZhFeT_1jeIayNsjqCfKlREZ8RmsArtRt-bm2tVjWihz9ctLzLYp3TfnBaPeG-WPGNy5W7lw4mX2i8DgjPKsIHmcOcsCk9pZ1u8-IPz5AzlpfRGabKclpyfEyfnlhckm0WP/s400/kreola11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450160864186423586" border="0" /></a><br />Disappointing and completely irrational considering what went before.<br /><br />Mya's release boasts a sharp, colorful print, full-frame. (Was this film supposed to head straight to cable television's erotic programming slots?) Fine, clear sound, too. English and Italian audio tracks; no subtitles.<br /><br />KREOLA is available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030Y1296/withpenandsword">Amazon.com</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-13803610279765184332010-03-12T09:33:00.012-05:002010-03-12T10:21:56.188-05:00BLIND DATE - review<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqfNg2Y3cTU5lbB9qMXYTvBzkeLvhWleboAaFDphGHtX14FZX3bXi4oWdwWON-omr5MlXAqyWWORmpZ4yeVTQWyAtcZxkKFe4ECIg5qCwsS0gFBgHaj_5dUxt7euQ-uo7Bh0WNAP3FLft/s1600-h/blinddate5.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 220px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447494120539777714" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqfNg2Y3cTU5lbB9qMXYTvBzkeLvhWleboAaFDphGHtX14FZX3bXi4oWdwWON-omr5MlXAqyWWORmpZ4yeVTQWyAtcZxkKFe4ECIg5qCwsS0gFBgHaj_5dUxt7euQ-uo7Bh0WNAP3FLft/s400/blinddate5.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A somewhat unsophisticated giallo/erotic film from 1990 that arrived at the last gasp of the giallo genre, BLIND DATE (originally titled APPUNTAMENTO IN NERO/APPOINTMENT IN BLACK) is an effective suspense-mystery marred by frequent lapses in logic and character development. The only relatively full-bodied backstory concerns the lead female character, Angela Baldwin (Mirella Banti), whose rape when a girl leaves mental scars she seems unable to erase or psychologically conquer. Fifteen years after that traumatic event, Angela, now a sexual provocateur, is presumably attacked in a rest room of a seedy movie theater (showing EMMANUELLE 5!). Is she an unfortunate crippled victim of continual sexual violence or is there something more insidious going on? And who is that man with the sunglasses who appears to follow her? And what deceits are occurring between her husband, a respected diplomat, and a blonde fashion model who is staying at their residence? Once it kicks in, the film begins to throw curve after curve, keeping the viewer on his (or her) toes.<br /></div><br /><div>Unfortunately, screenwriter Daniele Stroppa (who appears as the mysterious stranger in sunglasses) leaves out key explanations, as if more interested in the surprise element of his plot twists than in explaining just why certain things are in place, or, perhaps, director Antonio Bonifacio snipped pages out of Stroppa's script to keep things moving. There is an unfortunate lack of character motivation and backstory in one of the key players in this evolving game of deceit, so much so that when the "curve" with this person arrived, I sighed out my grievous disappointment. Not too long after that, however, the final curve of the movie arrived, and then I smiled my satisfaction. You win some, you lose some.<br /><br />For Antonio Bonifacio, this was his first film after being an assistant director on films like TOP MODEL for Joe D'Amato, with whom he worked with three times in the late 1980s. He fairs pretty well here, unafraid to experiment on occasion, as in a moody slow-motion sequence that provides a nice atmospheric respite. The standard giallo confrontation in a shower between the killer and the female victim is handled by Bonifacio and his scriptwriter with some originality. (The woman manages to fight back, instead of assuming shocked victim status, ready for the slaughter.)<br /><br />Without having seen Bonifacio's other films, it's too early to tell for me just where he stands among his Italian exploitation compatriots. I sense, though, that he hovers around the Joe D'Amato range, which is not a bad placement.<br /><br />The keyboard score by Marco Rossetti (as "Mark Ross") is energetic and interesting (a bit on the Goblinish side at times, too), punching up the suspense and frequent erotic interludes. According to the IMDB, Rossetti has only three film scores to his credit (all for director Antonio Bonofacio). He has a <a href="http://www.myspace.com/rosettimarco">Facebook page</a> where you can sample some of his music. The selections are quite good and indicate that he should be used far more often in film scoring than he has been.<br /></div><br /><div> </div>Mya's retitlement, BLIND DATE, makes no sense, as there is no dating here, nor (if one is going the literal route) is anyone blind. Picture quality on the Mya release is significantly better than I expected, though a tad on the soft side. The transfer is not taken from an old video release (thankfully), but, it seems, from a 2009 Italian DVD release on the Avo Films label. An English audio track has been added to the Mya presentation, which surprisingly comes out with much more force and clarity than the rather drab Italian audio track. As is generally typical with Mya releases, no English subtitles are provided for the Italian audio. This is an anamorphic widescreen transfer, btw.<br /><div><br />BLIND DATE is available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030Y128W/withpenandsword">Amazon.com</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB7Kx1GS53Cavh0zsnyQuHNzvf2-v1M0ZdD2X1n428av-dnIZnkNaCx75dRVEHAXbxDVZv67dXgH7KAUo9b9h59VZuqXXC3iePc_C_rkDSfa_IBccfwovuXgnbmBrjywYCr_SMaDUaXd2/s1600-h/blinddate1.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 220px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447493631496228066" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB7Kx1GS53Cavh0zsnyQuHNzvf2-v1M0ZdD2X1n428av-dnIZnkNaCx75dRVEHAXbxDVZv67dXgH7KAUo9b9h59VZuqXXC3iePc_C_rkDSfa_IBccfwovuXgnbmBrjywYCr_SMaDUaXd2/s400/blinddate1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT52uIslYgPf9fG-ZzM2z085BDsBoPdnOo-Sqmcsf7uGlNl-BL0Ig7lloJfFPLkXqPLNKl2iwYae4HeNZRKcz87jP0Vakd8PEa_rz2FK12Db1har0C6gW3ItPQ-xRIob7s5QlZ-j6c67KY/s1600-h/blinddate3.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 220px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447493887847281538" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT52uIslYgPf9fG-ZzM2z085BDsBoPdnOo-Sqmcsf7uGlNl-BL0Ig7lloJfFPLkXqPLNKl2iwYae4HeNZRKcz87jP0Vakd8PEa_rz2FK12Db1har0C6gW3ItPQ-xRIob7s5QlZ-j6c67KY/s400/blinddate3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWohyemXMbTPWnYe0yUfQPNla6wQHN5u5qJANF2EjHWfs7aJraoFFAVqMLfq3POctbF_CY_jvOrwE_v2HXAGAlfbN3PuzRmyPpV-7BLDgVi9xa22ACwQv-nEaF8Nv1HUCKFc0iyVsiEkE/s1600-h/blinddate4.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 220px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447493991220588322" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWohyemXMbTPWnYe0yUfQPNla6wQHN5u5qJANF2EjHWfs7aJraoFFAVqMLfq3POctbF_CY_jvOrwE_v2HXAGAlfbN3PuzRmyPpV-7BLDgVi9xa22ACwQv-nEaF8Nv1HUCKFc0iyVsiEkE/s400/blinddate4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeMx9eUgr0s3lisBWh6TpGbIbI8q5YtHuYpwWi6Z6MiOw22rct0kfv750p5de2VyX9R-W8uTyt6CcGwvOJZbMKtvRxShyphenhyphenunXHBxJ0CqLpheIi2jfbYgy1VERN4X95ssGoO7BR7jbA4Vz1/s1600-h/blinddate7.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 220px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447495955358453314" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeMx9eUgr0s3lisBWh6TpGbIbI8q5YtHuYpwWi6Z6MiOw22rct0kfv750p5de2VyX9R-W8uTyt6CcGwvOJZbMKtvRxShyphenhyphenunXHBxJ0CqLpheIi2jfbYgy1VERN4X95ssGoO7BR7jbA4Vz1/s400/blinddate7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXgEVxHmXRFWFFmAhGzWOdJzpaHwVpj9XDKYtAaCtcMBJJXtWk8zC-NhW5pfFsGxP8yxryMX0tB4NdCYXkXQo149oKQL-9n664wVkfdPyuiVFFTEqenv1PU5SiX7FyeXNT4dztHoMQaIW/s1600-h/blinddate6.jpg"><img style="width: 400px; height: 220px; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447494287978454706" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXgEVxHmXRFWFFmAhGzWOdJzpaHwVpj9XDKYtAaCtcMBJJXtWk8zC-NhW5pfFsGxP8yxryMX0tB4NdCYXkXQo149oKQL-9n664wVkfdPyuiVFFTEqenv1PU5SiX7FyeXNT4dztHoMQaIW/s400/blinddate6.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-35839988339303064552010-03-10T16:23:00.009-05:002010-03-12T19:14:41.606-05:00ANNA, THE PLEASURE, THE TORMENT - review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvo3MK_xe380zafxOcOgij-M9HuoxoXuuEncpvP2XoUKdmdBlPzbmFM0frNtZwHj4zW-KGmRd5tV6QnAiRrWsbcRh81uTmW2tP-SbSFPuf3L4AwPJd_F8VSUJPFDviy6QEE2QD3bg8SV82/s1600-h/anna1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvo3MK_xe380zafxOcOgij-M9HuoxoXuuEncpvP2XoUKdmdBlPzbmFM0frNtZwHj4zW-KGmRd5tV6QnAiRrWsbcRh81uTmW2tP-SbSFPuf3L4AwPJd_F8VSUJPFDviy6QEE2QD3bg8SV82/s400/anna1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444451622880111234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I was very pleasantly surprised by ANNA, THE PLEASURE, THE TORMENT (Italian title: ANNA, QUEL PARTICOLARE PIACERE).<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>This 1973 film was completely unknown to me, as I never saw the NoShame DVD, released in 2005 under the title SECRETS OF A CALL GIRL, or the film in a bootleg version, nor did I read up on the film before watching it. Very naively, I expected a sexy, lighthearted comedy, with perhaps some elements of a drama thrown in. Boy, was I wrong!<br /><br />Edwige Fenech plays Anna Lovisi, a cashier at a coffee shop who leads a stifling lower-middle class life, lacking a boyfriend and living at home with unpleasant, dissipated parents. Enter Guido Salva (Corrado Pani), a charismatic tough-guy hood who captivates and seduces Anna to become his girlfriend. As the relationship develops and Guido attains, rather easily, Anna's heart and soul, Guido reveals himself to be more and more a son-of-a-bitch in regards to her, first using her in a drug smuggling operation, then, with aggressive doses of intimidation and physical violence, compelling her to begin a debilitating life as a high-class prostitute. The process involves an eye-opening descent into the world of vice that hides behind gambling and dance clubs and exquisite hotels and mansions, a world that destroys the moral foundations of a human being, be it man or woman, the abuser or the abused.<br /><br />In case you are unfamiliar with the film, I won't give away the plot details which transpire once Anna becomes a whore, nor will I say anything about presence of Dr. Lorenzo Viotto (played with likable and gentle cadences by John Richardson), but know that the ending is particularly emotional, though some hardened souls may deem it too sentimental and weepy.<br /><br />Another surprise is that this compelling and emotionally charged drama comes from director Guiliano Carnimeo, known for Sartana spaghetti westerns and such low-brow exploitations as EXTERMINATORS IN THE YEAR 3000 (1983) and THE RAT MAN (1988). Good to see the names of euro-cult stalwarts Ernesto Gastaldi and Luciano Martino in the writing credits; the film has to be considered another high mark in their careers.<br /><br />For this release, Mya used the earlier NoShame release, while leaving out the featurette "Memories of a Call Girl" that contained interviews with director Giuliano Carnimeo, star Edwige Fenech and writer Ernesto Gastaldi. The NoShame liner notes booklet is also not around. A trailer and poster/still gallery from the NoShame edition has been retained.<br /><br />Picture quality is one of the best from Mya, and the 2.35:1 aspect ratio impresses with its well-crafted use by cinematographer Marcello Masciocchi.<br /><br />Given the picture quality and the content of this film, there's no question that ANNA, THE PLEASURE, THE TORMENT is one of the best releases yet from Mya.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002VRNIAY/withpenandsword">Mya DVD is available on Amazon.com</a>, as is the earlier, now out-of-print <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000AA4F7E/withpenandsword">NoShame release</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMc3wn7uBw5Z-eN9_jZXTj97lR0xvZyxLFtHneuQX3jlELjfbCKLAhsx71M5DtHb8XcdVFHVcx_4dRDXHGjNgejKOXFw_pIoJIiAgxDKB0GKR-uRgWfm5v0WgZpecicpDr4Xiej3DM17u/s1600-h/anna2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMc3wn7uBw5Z-eN9_jZXTj97lR0xvZyxLFtHneuQX3jlELjfbCKLAhsx71M5DtHb8XcdVFHVcx_4dRDXHGjNgejKOXFw_pIoJIiAgxDKB0GKR-uRgWfm5v0WgZpecicpDr4Xiej3DM17u/s400/anna2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444451725599063554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2y-H4mBl39zelo2lekyb7n9s1770IWt5Q_I8RnpyTYk5ujxi3Z05o4l_rEAzpCT3zFN2AuIkSJs-Z8FbuTf8RHZWpwdPC_4G9MzWKfiM3QOhlyggOIBOcZkfIUUPrAGq18MmljI4ZbBAT/s1600-h/anna4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2y-H4mBl39zelo2lekyb7n9s1770IWt5Q_I8RnpyTYk5ujxi3Z05o4l_rEAzpCT3zFN2AuIkSJs-Z8FbuTf8RHZWpwdPC_4G9MzWKfiM3QOhlyggOIBOcZkfIUUPrAGq18MmljI4ZbBAT/s400/anna4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444453206837294978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxvr4Zg_nziuv8fxgQpvsZhmSndgP4e_kLbZOHh7SI4aszcLlm4NWD_TpjLz7T0VpfmbaE5pM-XmrDgU7G3kg5kNlEjlRr09e30glG3QxrjiXTYi6J6CMVj63__AtToVgNrABxrKRvMnR/s1600-h/anna3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxvr4Zg_nziuv8fxgQpvsZhmSndgP4e_kLbZOHh7SI4aszcLlm4NWD_TpjLz7T0VpfmbaE5pM-XmrDgU7G3kg5kNlEjlRr09e30glG3QxrjiXTYi6J6CMVj63__AtToVgNrABxrKRvMnR/s400/anna3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444451800551482130" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-13957028279905736222010-03-09T11:53:00.004-05:002010-03-09T12:40:08.003-05:00LUST updateI've been informed by the official powers that be that Mya's release of LUST is NOT Polselli's OSCENITA. Rather the film is TORINO CENTRALE DEL VIZIO (TURIN, HEADQUARTERS OF VICE), a 1979 "poliziesco" directed by Bruno Vali (with Polselli the uncredited director according to the IMDB). The film stars frequent Polselli actress, Rita Calderoni.<br /><br />Trash Online's bootleg of this title describes: "Super-rare, almost lost film by Bruno Vani and co-directed by the late, great Renato Polselli. It is interesting to see how a filmmaker like Polselli does in the crime/police genre. What you can expect is a film full of violence, sleaze, rape, nudity and various sexual situations. Mastered from impossible-to-find materials, this is a fair quality print."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-90985954168450576802010-03-03T10:09:00.011-05:002010-03-09T12:11:26.282-05:00Coming in June 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCE358fqDRffi5yLcfp3OlKkJVBNb7WQyXgs7WToai81ctCYuP_PvYqx86PDQ2aboHxyHYec1zYyB5lcJfM9l9eTU0s2qexkUKxwpcj0kz4YrsPJoeI4-ewVBDZr0zVMCGdodfe9qpe4Zx/s1600-h/myalustdvdBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCE358fqDRffi5yLcfp3OlKkJVBNb7WQyXgs7WToai81ctCYuP_PvYqx86PDQ2aboHxyHYec1zYyB5lcJfM9l9eTU0s2qexkUKxwpcj0kz4YrsPJoeI4-ewVBDZr0zVMCGdodfe9qpe4Zx/s320/myalustdvdBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444425225240003122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPx9aN8qqcMuvfbBVGBhnRZvdQPN8VNMGn6oxhvT3rhhlFeDBCjORyGIzVqpy3CpxAc4DT52xgf__4ZeB5HiHH3nReEYHt-A0NQAqmuWatLHQk15SZdof0ZFdsGJjFMm5DMAuGMoXTwg3x/s1600-h/opicbBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPx9aN8qqcMuvfbBVGBhnRZvdQPN8VNMGn6oxhvT3rhhlFeDBCjORyGIzVqpy3CpxAc4DT52xgf__4ZeB5HiHH3nReEYHt-A0NQAqmuWatLHQk15SZdof0ZFdsGJjFMm5DMAuGMoXTwg3x/s320/opicbBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444427058006727954" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strike>LUST is Renato Polselli's 1980 QUANDO L'AMORE E OSCENITA<em></em><span>. A review on the IMDB summarizes: </span>"A group of people come together and talk about transgressive sexual subjects. This is inter-cut with often graphic sex scenes involving rape, torture, bestiality, lesbianism, masturbation and other subjects you may or may not be able to think of."</strike><br />[See 3/9/2010 "LUST update"]<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span>Mya releases of Sergio Martino's film work continues with two more titles:</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxv19SEsbkykwQgjHyNgdiRKBpK4jHPPsQnFHvGmtXnEpwe_iwrIO7CbvkT4jrWiw7bWk7qr3hDi1EdsjmvVtvMKPcwv-OIK5eQ0MokFmRUGUyu1khxV8b5KNJSgq4OkHlXj6W8eJ8oRk/s1600-h/myanakedobsessiondvdBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxv19SEsbkykwQgjHyNgdiRKBpK4jHPPsQnFHvGmtXnEpwe_iwrIO7CbvkT4jrWiw7bWk7qr3hDi1EdsjmvVtvMKPcwv-OIK5eQ0MokFmRUGUyu1khxV8b5KNJSgq4OkHlXj6W8eJ8oRk/s320/myanakedobsessiondvdBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444425670758510018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicumFr04uqVXxw2YmJC2OdgJ2ZdwQGLQ2e3QW3EDBDBdj_wMEYKfxhU4jNGz5DHA1f0uwRPUUNyedyXCXVBz_XCh9BqWg67uSdryed_2hiWHOs4caGdm47InGHODdthrFlRy18yKTXDhmQ/s1600-h/myauppercutdvdBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicumFr04uqVXxw2YmJC2OdgJ2ZdwQGLQ2e3QW3EDBDBdj_wMEYKfxhU4jNGz5DHA1f0uwRPUUNyedyXCXVBz_XCh9BqWg67uSdryed_2hiWHOs4caGdm47InGHODdthrFlRy18yKTXDhmQ/s320/myauppercutdvdBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444425900205115618" border="0" /></a><br /><br />NAKED OBSESSION is SPIANDO MARINA (1992), which already had an Italian DVD release. Coming from the catalog of Diana Films, it should be in good quality. UPPERCUT MAN (1987, Italian title: QUALCUNO PAGHERA?) is also known as THE OPPONENT. A boxing drama with Daniel Greene, Keely Shaye Smith, Guiliano Gemma and Ernest Borgnine, it had a video release in the United States in 1993. Keely Shaye Smith, btw, is now Mrs. Pierce Brosnan.<br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312575/" onclick="(new Image()).src='/rg/castlist/position-2/images/b.gif?link=/name/nm0312575/';"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnSbquLoQQhps6LvbEfaK1Q8ld1jDXo7pZkO6-m6YixtkGYGiKIPNuuz7VNgmcNZ2TRZEwSfzebmXjADPw0VfVr9mFRm4Y_EnIl7BDZ9-lQWh7rW4I5qeCQZu_va_hG8K5SLSTdKD0ebQ/s1600-h/myaopponentBLOG.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnSbquLoQQhps6LvbEfaK1Q8ld1jDXo7pZkO6-m6YixtkGYGiKIPNuuz7VNgmcNZ2TRZEwSfzebmXjADPw0VfVr9mFRm4Y_EnIl7BDZ9-lQWh7rW4I5qeCQZu_va_hG8K5SLSTdKD0ebQ/s320/myaopponentBLOG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444430915939981410" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-28480411684041790072010-02-12T11:41:00.010-05:002010-02-12T12:45:40.885-05:00Coming in May 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5qY_XN4ZPNDX7CEmb3S8SkMSKTHhnTTdLvyVhA_K97qXpHIIrQDTZurM6U0LfXM6hZ1euMMNbFXKk7as91ZLekHTUOCnCglHDQmau8SrD4E0mlNXBy_fy8DC1d8dJzxV0CebX90lM886/s1600-h/myasubmissionblog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5qY_XN4ZPNDX7CEmb3S8SkMSKTHhnTTdLvyVhA_K97qXpHIIrQDTZurM6U0LfXM6hZ1euMMNbFXKk7as91ZLekHTUOCnCglHDQmau8SrD4E0mlNXBy_fy8DC1d8dJzxV0CebX90lM886/s320/myasubmissionblog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437398603926365906" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A 1992 film (Italian title: AL CALAR DELLA SERA), directed by Alessandro Lucidi. According to one Italian website, the film "mixes eroticism, violence and, partly, rape and revenge." The film stars Daniela Poggi (LAST ORGY OF THE THIRD REICH, THE LAST HAREM, etc.):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mentelocale.it/img_contenuti/luca.giarola/medie/dpoggiM.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px;" src="http://www.mentelocale.it/img_contenuti/luca.giarola/medie/dpoggiM.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">---------------------------------<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnmHNXf0ebdJdF1-RPFT2I49rPToN4AxO8Jre1s8ONJCetPkUg1f5urYWm_pgY-BT0RLqSDS0bBA9kcOyG9BuGbuswd_l8xaY6G4_yJ5DvxKcK8NZWS7akDtPMDWTtmPpCJrncz3x2MbS/s1600-h/myalovegamesblog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnmHNXf0ebdJdF1-RPFT2I49rPToN4AxO8Jre1s8ONJCetPkUg1f5urYWm_pgY-BT0RLqSDS0bBA9kcOyG9BuGbuswd_l8xaY6G4_yJ5DvxKcK8NZWS7akDtPMDWTtmPpCJrncz3x2MbS/s320/myalovegamesblog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437398348941669874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A Spanish-Italian erotic comedy (Italian title: SETTE RAGAZZE PERICOLOSE) directed by Pedro Lazaga and written by Tulio Demicheli. From 1978, by which time Spain allowed nudity in their theatrical releases. The plot summary on the IMDB: "Seven female friends decide to play an erotic game. They try to seduce as many aristocrats and middle-class men as possible by their charming personalities." The film stars Spain's "Sophia Loren"--Nadiuska:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9xwdIQvJ0TAvag4FZotFBEOQTXZBr7iEJhr5xweltmb4HgAR8lrOsNhI8K28evjddyeFEuS9YqSh99rO_sI5nfxWo-TRIL_yPDqJGF1DZOSiq-AYYz6I-CN5KVg_hhm6f4uAwHxpt9hW/s1600-h/nadiuskablog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9xwdIQvJ0TAvag4FZotFBEOQTXZBr7iEJhr5xweltmb4HgAR8lrOsNhI8K28evjddyeFEuS9YqSh99rO_sI5nfxWo-TRIL_yPDqJGF1DZOSiq-AYYz6I-CN5KVg_hhm6f4uAwHxpt9hW/s320/nadiuskablog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437407009050287474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">---------------------------------</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgerbwl3KWkco7YXgBPIgNWPmHxgwQi4LGSraGtWg97mNvVwKGXApYKLQmQOoynFtHCsSm7jgUytXY4-EumscGLdDkKequH6rGkF0e2kbiyAxCSHcsu-qUZxvM458S9pmWJyPo6fkSkXf/s1600-h/myasandokblog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgerbwl3KWkco7YXgBPIgNWPmHxgwQi4LGSraGtWg97mNvVwKGXApYKLQmQOoynFtHCsSm7jgUytXY4-EumscGLdDkKequH6rGkF0e2kbiyAxCSHcsu-qUZxvM458S9pmWJyPo6fkSkXf/s320/myasandokblog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437398486136281410" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm particularly looking forward to this 1965 film, directed by Umberto Lenzi and based on a novel by Emilio Salgari (1862-1911), one of the world's most renowned adventure authors (though nearly completely unknown in America).<br /><br />Originally titled LA MONTAGNA DI LUCE (U.S. title: TEMPLE OF A THOUSAND LIGHTS), the adventure film was shot in Techniscope, but if Mya uses a 2007 Italian DVD release from Cecchi Gori Home Video as their source, the presentation may be in 1.85:1. Cover of the Cecchi Gori Home Video:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKk7SdjqJvq0ykFmnen_JsJA8toDVC2-f1j-bC1GKXEg6nKg0XmJFx6d3bN9BD7cQbeKS-0AT1lE29rEQQKf1tAG3Priibj5j3J4ZedkX9lzbzP8Zjgt5oX8bvPvSPQMbvgqnVZVQe4VDN/s1600-h/sandokitalydvdblog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKk7SdjqJvq0ykFmnen_JsJA8toDVC2-f1j-bC1GKXEg6nKg0XmJFx6d3bN9BD7cQbeKS-0AT1lE29rEQQKf1tAG3Priibj5j3J4ZedkX9lzbzP8Zjgt5oX8bvPvSPQMbvgqnVZVQe4VDN/s320/sandokitalydvdblog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437410405623466194" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7277291688667301218.post-50223314545130138052010-01-25T09:45:00.016-05:002010-01-25T15:08:41.033-05:00SATAN'S WIFE review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfqUkNIpKy1aY4YhYyUjj_ry-aVIMdqqzS1fVupACwlwCYR5FR4TldiGFcZVSBrIeVlg5E0p26JNSUWsSI-QgymYkKm2KLqLwHsg8TctmNZ4w9QHSVgVByBSbTF3eke_zTfghZlKHRSAq/s1600-h/ringofdarknesslocan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 173px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfqUkNIpKy1aY4YhYyUjj_ry-aVIMdqqzS1fVupACwlwCYR5FR4TldiGFcZVSBrIeVlg5E0p26JNSUWsSI-QgymYkKm2KLqLwHsg8TctmNZ4w9QHSVgVByBSbTF3eke_zTfghZlKHRSAq/s320/ringofdarknesslocan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430447027684500242" border="0" /></a>I've been intrigued by this film ever since I acquired several relatively hot stills from it about a dozen years or so ago. Never had an opportunity to view the film until now, with the release by Mya of SATAN'S WIFE, a re-title of the English version, RING OF DARKNESS. The Italian title is UN OMBRA NELL'OMBRA, which, according to my limited Italian assistance from a translation program, can be translated as A SHADOW WITHIN A SHADOW.<br /><br />Any Italian film from the 1970s that contains satanism and nude female practitioners is deserving of innate curiosity and potential appreciation. UN OMBRA NELL'OMBRA (1977) has its faults, but is intriguing enough, and has moments of pure devilish exploitation going for it, to make the film notable and worthy of some background research.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrqiozqXsrCUga_wg_2aCNRVP6_MEq__SOeMiQ94rQKFEDM6BffOqoD-uBvF0sD2z7_kBlKIEQnpIsLCxoNx2lW1BS24ABCT69LaQA2zHH72uR3FBmxuyPeskX9PTXQtiucsCVmbM4jbo/s1600-h/Pier+Carpi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrqiozqXsrCUga_wg_2aCNRVP6_MEq__SOeMiQ94rQKFEDM6BffOqoD-uBvF0sD2z7_kBlKIEQnpIsLCxoNx2lW1BS24ABCT69LaQA2zHH72uR3FBmxuyPeskX9PTXQtiucsCVmbM4jbo/s320/Pier+Carpi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430439645300774642" border="0" /></a>Pier Carpi (1940-2000) only directed two films (UN OMBRA and POVERO CRISTO), but had a substantial resume in the arts, with work in fumetti (comics), including the Italian versions of Mickey Mouse, Batman, and Superman. He created and wrote for the fumetti HORROR, and had a hand in the renowned DIABOLIK publication. His creative wings also embraced authorship, and he won various literary and journalism awards in his career. Carpi had an interest in esoteric, satanic and religious subjects, as exemplified by such works as LE SOCIETA SEGRETE (THE SECRET SOCIETIES), I MERCANTI DELL'OCCULTO (MERCHANTS OF THE OCCULT), RASPUTIN ULTIMO PROFETA (RASPUTIN THE LAST PROPHET) CAGLIOSTRO (which was made into a film in 1974 by Daniele Pettinari). UN OMBRA NELL'OMBRA is, in fact, based on a book of his that appeared a couple of years before the book's filming began, although the script may have been developed first, as the IMDB mentions, accurately or not, that Carpi had tried to get the story filmed in the 1960s, without generating interest from financial backers until William Friedkin's THE EXORCIST became a mega world-wide hit. (No doubt the popularity of THE OMEN also had a hand in the making of the Carpi film.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBFVlcgqRUsab4rRqsi75TYqyF8HrvvJri1aFG3hIRjV5BAA-j7MrR-TpctSFaB3w0G9UhCWfBAMmGjVOgSAp37WLgc_hAZY2IPfAnEcnZELbyZz5x7dqd2vHWeb5b_yOx4r6ZI73QiKR/s1600-h/piercarpiombrabook.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 172px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBFVlcgqRUsab4rRqsi75TYqyF8HrvvJri1aFG3hIRjV5BAA-j7MrR-TpctSFaB3w0G9UhCWfBAMmGjVOgSAp37WLgc_hAZY2IPfAnEcnZELbyZz5x7dqd2vHWeb5b_yOx4r6ZI73QiKR/s320/piercarpiombrabook.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430444557015670626" border="0" /></a>One judges that Carpi had some difficulty in putting into his film all the important ingredients of the book, as the film traverses a choppy narrative, with seemingly important characters turning up to then, inexplicably, never be seen or referenced to again. One is led to believe that "The Professor," played with sleazy charm by Ian Bannen, will be a pivotal presence in the film, as we see him philosophize about good and evil while teaching chess and underlining the symbolic nuances of the white and black pieces. He then makes a couple of relatively important appearances soon thereafter, but after the Devil chases him away, he is never seen again. Frank Finlay's appearance as "Frank" is curiously brief and inexplicable. John Philip Law turns up as a priest who is about to renounce the priesthood, but he, too, is around for a limited time and then gone.<br /><br />If one can gather something about the novel without having read it, one senses a treatise/meditation on good and evil, Catholicism and Satanism, and, in particular, the lonely angst of women inhabiting a shadowy world within the shadows. The film touches on these points, but doesn't underline them in the whole, an intellectual deficit that leaves the viewer somewhat unfulfilled. If Carpi's book were available in an English translation (it isn't), one could read the source and fill in the substantive gaps. This is denied us and will probably always be, unless Carpi becomes a cult figure whose works will necessitate translation.<br /><br />Because of holes in the plot, the back copy of the Mya, written by someone with panache, presents a welcome, informative synopsis:<br /><br />"Four beautiful young women surrender to the fiendishly charm of Lucifer himself. But their nights of unholy pleasure have a price: they can't have sex with other men, for the Lord of Darkness is a very jealous lover indeed. The otherworldly fruits of these bestial couplings go by the names of Almarisa and Daria. While the former starts to loathe herself as soon as she realizes who her father really is, the latter perversely learns how to enjoy her devilish skills to wreak havoc in the human world. To put an end to her hellish endeavours, a very unlikely exorcist is enlisted."<br /><br />(By the way, I love the end ballyhoo of the back copy text: "Long sought after lost classic of Italian psychotronic horror genre, SATAN'S WIFE features some of the weirdest scenes ever committed in films. Ripe with fleshy sex babes, blood, gore,<em></em> bizarre visuals and otherworldly rituals, this lost nugget of exploitation was unearthed from the deepest vaults of forbidden cinematic pleasures.")<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbubWRcrfm-HJxHU1y0qttdojKvK1Am7cidJkX88tIDA3TKx_HABq-zmvSr9SbXtNhBvxhQsFFcrcxScrQlq7gr3QOCkZZH5Kb_7zOFFmiF_8lc0DSqvIcSE-8MSpm-Jg2Zv6e0LHbZ0U0/s1600-h/ombraturkish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbubWRcrfm-HJxHU1y0qttdojKvK1Am7cidJkX88tIDA3TKx_HABq-zmvSr9SbXtNhBvxhQsFFcrcxScrQlq7gr3QOCkZZH5Kb_7zOFFmiF_8lc0DSqvIcSE-8MSpm-Jg2Zv6e0LHbZ0U0/s320/ombraturkish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430445773155035378" border="0" /></a>The film has an impressive international cast--Anne Heywood, Lara Wendel, Valentina Cortese, Irene Papas, Ian Bannen, Frank Finlay, John Philip Law, Marisa Mell.... One wonders if some in this cast were not only seduced by the money offered to them, but by the possibility of making a supernatural film with deeper intellectual elements than what would have been the norm in those days.<br /><br />The exploitative nudity in the film didn't touch all the female stars, with a body double being used for Irene Papas. I don't know if this legendary Greek actress, with her fantastic tragic face, ever had a nude scene, but if ever the opportunity presented itself, it was here, in her role as a wealthy woman who, seeking the love of a man, debases herself at night by becoming a common prostitute.<br /><br />Neither Anne Heywood nor Lara Wendel were strangers to nude scenes, however. What make Wendel's nude scenes noteworthy is that she was around 13 years old when she made them for this film.<br /><br />I should mention my one casting disappointment--Ezio Miani. Miani, who made only three films in his career, turns up as Lucifer here, but he's not a figure who inspires fright nor remarkableness. (The Lucifer role would have been excellent for someone with such distinct saturnine looks as Ivan Rassimov.)<br /><br />Despite his limited directing credentials, Pier Carpi handles his assignment very well, helming everything with a sure and smooth hand. Set design is appropriately satanic, with the presence of Luciferian-themed paintings and sculpture that may reflect Capri's own collection or of compatriots that he knew. The music by Stelvio Cipriani has a Dario Argento-ish aura and portions of it were later reused by Cipriani for other scores, including SOLAMENTE NERO (THE BLOODSTAINED SHADOW).<br /><br />Though filmed in 1977, UN OMBRA NELL'OMBRA had to wait two years to see release in Italy. I don't know if the film ever had a release in the United States, but if so, it probably happened in limited play in grindhouse theaters. The film was certainly missing from the catalogs of U.S. video companies during the heyday of video and because of that it became a lukewarm holy grail among American euro-cult aficionados.<br /><br />Mya's presentation is sourced from a video element. Though overall the element seems to be in fine shape (I noticed only one video-sourced flicker), pixelation will be noticeable from time to time in black areas. The biggest problem in not having access to an original print element is that scenes in the dark or in shadows are difficult to fully make out, which in the case of UN OMBRA NELL'OMBRA is unfortunate. As a plus, the Mya DVD is in anamorphic widescreen.<br /><br />The DVD is on sale at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002TLRGA0/withpenandsword">Amazon.com</a>.<br /><br />UPDATE: John Bernhard aletred me over at the Latarnia forums that the Mya release is missing a scene: "It's a coven scene where the devil is about to make a new convert, but before he mounts her, the other women converge on Satan and prevent him from taking another initiate." He directed me to a November 2007 post by Johan Melle at the <a href="http://www.lovelockandload.net/forum/index.php?topic=1113.15">LoveLockAndLoad message board</a>, where we learn exactly what's missing, with screen captures. Good work, Johan!<br /><br />Incidentally the run-time of the Mya presentation is about 1:27:25. The more complete version, seen on an old Belgian video, runs 87 minutes, PAL time, which when transferred to NTSC speed would be about 90-91 minutes. I agree with the commentary on the LoveLockAndLoad board that there's a good possibility more scenes were shot for the film, but left out at the editing stage.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZOYeSFYHIGhHRGxk5Fx0HjNW0L5tpaYAscMJHBv_9GniNrYmNoFDTqvlwVWhBG8QyMfj8Mv8cMtuxUvhIa-K3SXJxKHQY8IiH3G17LRENTekQBnB09VaEoIFw9C3GBciOMLVI1wY-hU7/s1600-h/ombra4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZOYeSFYHIGhHRGxk5Fx0HjNW0L5tpaYAscMJHBv_9GniNrYmNoFDTqvlwVWhBG8QyMfj8Mv8cMtuxUvhIa-K3SXJxKHQY8IiH3G17LRENTekQBnB09VaEoIFw9C3GBciOMLVI1wY-hU7/s400/ombra4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429973383285048834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrSSJaM8taQ80WYSFiqTiRSgLCB6ZOYrW8KxhlG_UeESPycJNRWeqOk5drz2HakKXpffC1qxcnTHKF1bhdr3Z5gvyXNzSoCXJE7-w-nUPk1MO4ZSYDdgQ4chITsuFrPO8pF3xLnBvKzQC/s1600-h/ombra8.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; 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width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ie3UApi7vvGce_GYaoJ3xIeMbM9IxpaIHyomsU5vjXzbm1409MTo9VORAsmEoUr-krvvO7p_mMYpSuyY3rHu6wjNlrZ1XaO6b5zFdvM_jEQS20BzxlfNKMQYQH8BsyZWxJcyfCpdmXtu/s400/ombra3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429973270176923314" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WFFrykeFVi_fn83hhstfD2jvspKZz7IqNGovuM6s4yqIjOvoC6aTCQ2K_VO4t4PtH9JRjwuFO-GIvQb5PwaiLv2DhOzVlxHpqIJlNevDVwlam4DYYKZArumJ9OP8lU4_Fvw99m89YKDM/s1600-h/ombra2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WFFrykeFVi_fn83hhstfD2jvspKZz7IqNGovuM6s4yqIjOvoC6aTCQ2K_VO4t4PtH9JRjwuFO-GIvQb5PwaiLv2DhOzVlxHpqIJlNevDVwlam4DYYKZArumJ9OP8lU4_Fvw99m89YKDM/s400/ombra2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429973169884800210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijFS9TjHa3cBukgTXqQKdccYZs8TaIGPfR82bXvxuFv8528YGJtcLrMHKn0ljLnxVLmtXlEA5tJYejyrRro3WIaPpDq5pZUio2KW0gKeF1Opo3-jxoaojRzhhQ-MSTlDXFO2_QgZVC4EC/s1600-h/ombra6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijFS9TjHa3cBukgTXqQKdccYZs8TaIGPfR82bXvxuFv8528YGJtcLrMHKn0ljLnxVLmtXlEA5tJYejyrRro3WIaPpDq5pZUio2KW0gKeF1Opo3-jxoaojRzhhQ-MSTlDXFO2_QgZVC4EC/s400/ombra6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429973662124898754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbXIpenH1ZD1w6SxIWFOffi6FGD9lG30aZkgqs0etOJafvBxhl6ds3tBRZHlor6v5f2IufuNd4kMJ2_y_excD8foANwlV-VjVX0ewT8XJx2UjD-s-6IsvfvdhBg4YdHrTddvYHi9MF5or/s1600-h/ombra7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbXIpenH1ZD1w6SxIWFOffi6FGD9lG30aZkgqs0etOJafvBxhl6ds3tBRZHlor6v5f2IufuNd4kMJ2_y_excD8foANwlV-VjVX0ewT8XJx2UjD-s-6IsvfvdhBg4YdHrTddvYHi9MF5or/s400/ombra7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429973862127276322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikORHBdD3QeW1PrLHqEnTI8XDEh4jC0iZ6G3VWzXICWne9htmylBYnUyhycAs0OhXIGuaW7kHHD9snRIM2BaDFoafKSydFXgqDt_WtsY3eIjIaGePvxpIEh7RoHToYouVjI0bLy7qEuk5z/s1600-h/ombra5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikORHBdD3QeW1PrLHqEnTI8XDEh4jC0iZ6G3VWzXICWne9htmylBYnUyhycAs0OhXIGuaW7kHHD9snRIM2BaDFoafKSydFXgqDt_WtsY3eIjIaGePvxpIEh7RoHToYouVjI0bLy7qEuk5z/s400/ombra5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429973551041986946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />------------<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Poster artwork above: 1) Italian locandina, 2) Turkish poster</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2