Sharing Stories About A Great Hollywood Career!

Sherry Lansing was one of Hollywood’s most powerful Executives, and she has decided to tell some of the wild behind-the-scenes stories from her career!

The Hollywood Reporter’s Stephen Galloway is releasing “Leading Lady”, his biography of Lansing…and THR printed an excerpt to promote the release and it’s a doozy!

This excerpt talks about her run-in with Mike Myers during the planned filming of “Wayne’s World 2.”

Here’s an excerpt from the THR story about the book – when Lansing was in charge of Paramount Studios, and Mike Myers was ready to begin filming the sequel to his massive comedy hit:

“The then-Paramount chairman made an unfortunate discovery weeks before shooting was due to commence: Myers had heavily based the sequel on the 1949 British comedy ‘Passport to Pimlico’ — only nobody had bought the underlying rights.”

“Mike had always wanted to do Passport to Pimlico as the basis of Wayne’s World,” said SNL creator Lorne Michaels, who produced the comedy. “So he went and wrote it. I think he believed the studio understood that, and I think he even believed they had bought the rights to the other movie so that he was free to use it.”
Furious, Lansing summoned Myers to her office and told him exactly that — in much different (and harsher) words. Remembers one participant in the Myers-Lansing meeting: “She said, ‘How dare you? How dare you put us in this position?’ She turned to Mike and said, ‘We’ll sue you. We’ll take your f—ing house. You won’t even own a f—ing home.'”

The story continues:

“The verbal scathing went on, with Lansing adding a special twist, as then-production chief John Goldwyn recalled: “She made up this fabulous story about all of the lawyers sitting with [Paramount Communications executive] Stanley Jaffe. She said, ‘As I’m sitting here with you, there’s a team figuring out how they can take every single thing away from you.'”

Myers believed it, and was so shaken that he curled up in a fetal position on Lansing’s couch.

Said Lansing: “If I were you, Mike, I’d go to Lorne’s office right now and stay there until you come up with a new script. We’ll slide food under the door.”

Wow! She had a reputation for being tough as nails, and I can’t wait to read more stories about her career. Other anecdotes from the book have been released dealing with Mel Gibson’s temper and a real boiled bunny from “Fatal Attraction!”

Here is another book that also has a shocking Mel Gibson story – read about it here – along with MY Mel Gibson encounter:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/08/14/heaven-and-mel-shocking-mel-gibson-book-my-mel-encounter/

Lansing’s book is sure to be a page turner based on the stories teased so far!

She is also married to one of Hollywood’s greatest filmmakers, William Friedkin. Friedkin of course directed such great films as “The Exorcist”, “The French Connection”, “Sorcerer”, “To Live And Die In LA” and most recently “Killer Joe.”

He wrote his autobiography a few years ago – read all about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/04/22/sorcerer-legendary-lost-classic-is-uncovered-on-blu-ray-the-friedkin-connection-rules/

Of course, one reason that “Wayne’s World” was such a smash hit was their use of the classic Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody”:

Read all about the creation of that brilliant Queen song here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/23/queens-brilliant-night-at-the-opera-freddie-mercurys-musical-madness/

Finally, Mike Myers has been largely absent from movies for a few years, but he did direct a terrific documentary:

Shep Gordon was a legend in Hollywood, handling some of the biggest stars of the 70’s and 80’s…see the trailer for this terrific documentary here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/07/12/rocks-supermensch-mike-myers-brilliant-documentary-on-shep-gordon/

Looking forward to reading this book!

Plenty O’Toole: “Hi, I’m Plenty.”
James Bond: “But of course you are.”
Plenty O’Toole: “Plenty O’Toole.”
James Bond: “Named after your father perhaps?”

Time to look at one of the most beautiful “Bond Girls” who was also a member of Hollywood Royalty – and just revealed that she is homeless!

Sex kitten Lana Wood wowed 007 fans with her portrayal of “Bond Girl” Plenty O’Toole in “Diamonds Are Forever” – without a doubt one of the more outrageous monikers in the series…

Lana Wood was a hugely successful Actress in the 60’s and 70’s, but she would perhaps be unfairly overshadowed by the superstardom of her older sister, Natalie Wood…

Lana had early stardom thanks to her role in the classic soap “Peyton Place.” Now, a story has broken that says she is homeless, and a fund has been set up to help!

Lana Wood’s Terrible Plight!

Someone pointed this article out to me from Vanity Fair, which tells the tragic story of how Lana is now homeless! Here is a short excerpt from the story, written by Sheila Weller, who had a personal connection to the Actress:

“On Saturday I was able to get Lana on the phone. She had talked to no other members of the media. In the middle of the chaos of packing boxes, crying, and hugging her daughter and grandchildren, she told me, from her Ventura County house, “It’s pretty bad. The landlord wants us out—now—and we don’t have anywhere to go. We are a family of six. My daughter, Evan, who is 42, just got a return of the Hodgkin’s lymphoma she thought she’d beat, and she also has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—C.O.P.D. When she walks, she walks around strapped to an oxygen machine. She has a wonderful husband who’s never missed a day of work in 20 years. But he doesn’t work for a big, moneyed company. They have three children—my crying teenage granddaughter is saying she doesn’t know what she’ll do if she doesn’t finish her year at her high school, and the two boys are saying: ‘We don’t want to go!’ to another school, either.”

Confronting her hectic packing, she said, “I’ve got seven years worth of accumulated books and CDs and nonsense. It’s a nightmare.”

“And now—being evicted—we have a black mark against us,” she said.”

Since this story broke, Wood has been interviewed on “Inside Edition” and her story has launched a go fund me site to help her…what a tragedy – but when you don’t work in the entertainment business, it’s easy to think that everyone drives limousines and attends the Oscars…the reality is far different…

Here is the link to the entire article in Vanity Fair:

http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/03/lana-woods-crisis-and-the-limits-of-hollywood-royalty

Lana Wood was a Hollywood “sex kitten” – and history has shown that it’s difficult to get past that label and build a long career…

This business a cruel in that regard, and now, she needs help. It is great to see the press coverage and the funding site set up by a fan to help her.

Here is the “GofFundMe” site where you can help support her:

https://www.gofundme.com/lanawood

The world of entertainment can be harsh – the recent show “Feud” spent a lot of time talking about the difficulties in “growing old” in the business…

A classic Hollywood sex kitten, Lana posed for Playboy, had a variety of roles, and always was in the shadow of her more famous sister.

In 1971, she was cast as a Bond girl, “Plenty O’Toole”, in the James Bond film, “Diamonds Are Forever.”

The film introduced her with a hilarious double entendre, carried off with perfect timing by Sean Connery:

Plenty O’Toole: “Hi, I’m Plenty.”
James Bond: “But of course you are.”
Plenty O’Toole: “Plenty O’Toole.”
James Bond: “Named after your father perhaps?”

“I Didn’t Know There Was A Pool Down There…”

One of the most memorable scenes in “Diamonds Are Forever” comes when 007 is surprised by mobsters while in his room with her. She is “escorted” semi-nude from the room – in an unusual exit that includes one of the best one-liners in the entire Bond series!

Here is that memorable scene from “Diamonds Are Forever”:

Here is some great trivia: while filming the scene where Plenty O´Toole is found drowned, Wood actually had her feet loosely tied to a cement block on the bottom. Film crew members held a rope across the pool for her, with which she could lift her face out of the water to breathe between takes. The pool’s sloping bottom made the block slip into deeper water with each take. Eventually, she was submerged but was noticed by on-lookers and rescued before drowning for real. Wood, being a certified diver, took some water but remained calm during the ordeal, although she later admitted to a few “very uncomfortable moments and quite some struggling until they pulled me out.”

Over the course of her career, Wood appeared in more than twenty movies and over three hundred television shows – everything from “Bonanza” to “Mission: Impossible”, “Starsky and Hutch” to “Fantasy Island.”

Lana Wood retired from acting in 1982 to concentrate on a Producing career, but has since returned to acting in a number of low-budget films since 2008 – however, that wasn’t enough to keep her financially afloat.

Wood wrote a memoir, “Natalie, A Memoir by Her Sister” in 1984. Her many memorable Hollywood moments have been unfairly neglected because of the tragedy surrounding her sister, and these recent events are even more disturbing – hopefully, the press surrounding her situation will help her…

I have also told the story of a 70’s action star who has also struggled – Jan-Michael Vincent!

He was one of the hottest stars of the 70’s – then things went horribly wrong…here is that story:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/08/31/jan-michael-vincent-from-70s-sexiest-man-to-a-true-hollywood-tragedy/

Good luck to Lana Wood – hope fans continue to step up and help her!

“The Godfather” Reunion! Amazing Event For Movie Lovers!

New York’s Tribeca Film Festival had a terrific reunion panel on April 29th – the cast and crew of “The Godfather!”

This is my favorite film of all time – and won the Best Picture Oscar in 1972. The sequel is the only one to ever win Best Picture as well – this happened in 1974.

Here is how Deadline.com describe the event:

“The day began with an unlikely Saturday double-feature at Radio City Music Hall: Back-to-back screenings of The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather, Part II (1974), followed by a Q&A led by producer and director Taylor Hackford. The one-time-only reunion of the director and many of the original cast members included Coppola, Keaton, Pacino and Shire, along with James Caan (who played Sonny Corleone) and Robert Duvall (who played the consigliere Tom Hagen).”

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 29: Diane Keaton, James Caan, Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, Talia Shire, Robert Duvall and Robert DeNiro take a bow onstage during the panel for “The Godfather” 45th Anniversary Screening during 2017 Tribeca Film Festival closing night at Radio City Music Hall on April 29, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

Bravo to Getty Images for capturing this incredible event. The night was full of great new insight from the cast, including how Diane Keaton felt about the first film:

According to Deadline.com:

“I hadn’t watched it in 30 years,” Keaton said, addressing the director. “It’s so astonishing. Every choice you made, it’s so authentically good. And it had slow, long scenes. I was absolutely blown out of the ballpark, crying. And I was totally surprised because I didn’t expect it, OK? And on my f!cking computer! I’d never paid much attention to The Godfather, because I always felt like I was the most outsider, weird person, and why was I cast in it, and I had no voice in it.”

That’s amazing! However, her character takes on so much more depth in the sequel, especially in the most dramatic scene in the film – which Coppola revealed was because of a suggestion from his sister, Talia Shire!

“Coppola responded by recalling one of the most memorable moments in both films, between Keaton and Pacino. “You know the very important scene where you tell Al that it wasn’t a miscarriage, it was an abortion? That was Talia’s idea.” Coming right after having watched that scene on the huge Radio City Music Hall screen, the revelation registered like a small earthquake: Kay tells Michael she’s leaving him and drops the bombshell about her decision to terminate her pregnancy rather than bring another child into the Corleone clan. Gordon Willis’ camera is focused tightly on Pacino’s face, which fills the screen as his eyes grow wide with pain and fury and his lips stiffen in rage. It’s one of the few times in both films when Pacino allows Michael’s feelings to erupt, making the scene even more devastating.”

A terrific writeup from Deadline.com – see more of it here:

http://deadline.com/2017/04/pacino-copolla-godfather-cast-tribeca-film-festival-1202079761/

And look at THIS reunion!

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 02: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino attend the SeriousFun Children’s Network Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on April 2, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

Yes, that’s Al Pacino posing with his Dad – DeNiro was the young Don Corleone of course, but even though they didn’t act together in the sequel – they shared great stories as well.

DeNiro DID audition for the role of hot-headed Sonny Corleone in the original film, here is that audition video!

https://johnrieber.com/2014/07/19/the-godfather-screen-tests-robert-deniro-is-sonny-corleone-godfather-trivia/

Of course, there is so much great “Godfather” trivia:

Yes, the horse head was real! But the Actor wasn’t warned, so that is his real reaction to seeing it in his bed!

Here is even more great trivia as well:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/20/brandos-cue-cards-real-horse-heads-the-godfathers-best-stories/

Bravo to the Tribeca film festival for this important event!

The Amazing Story Of One Man “Becoming Bond!”

Fans of the James Bond 007 series have their favorite films – and favorite Bonds – but here is the amazing true story of one very unique 007 – in a great new documentary “Becoming Bond!”

This new Hulu documentary has the incredible story of the only man to ever play 007 – once! Yes, here is the trailer for the story of George Lazenby, who made his motion picture debut in the most coveted role in the world – James Bond!

I can’t wait to see this documentary – although as the trailer shows, there are plenty of re-enactments as well. The Daily Mail has lots of inside stories to dish – like these:

“‘Becoming Bond’ details how his sex-fueled life helped him bluff his way into getting the role. Lazenby heard about the role from a girl he and his best friend, another Australian model, were having a threesome with – one of dozens he enjoyed in the London of the swinging 60s – and bluffed his way into playing the role Sean Connery had abandoned. It found him fame and he slept with a series of women on set but he walked away from the role because of a contract he thought made him a ‘slave’. Now 77 he says in the documentary: ‘It was the craziest sexual time I’ve ever had. I lived my life the way I wanted to.'”

The film that Lazenby starred in, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” is widely considered one of the best Bond films ever – even though his acting is noticeably dicey at times…

The film, however has depth, emotion and a great love story between
Bond and Diana Rigg, who is one of the best “Bond girls” ever…

If you want to see more on the most memorable “Bond girls”, here is my story on that subject:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/02/07/00-7-great-bond-girls-brains-brawn-beauty-oh-james/

“OHMSS” is still the only Bond film where 007 gets married, and the only one to have a tragic ending…the film is a GREAT 007 film, and Lazenby should always be proud of that…

Downhill Racer!

“OHMSS” holds up for its terrific action scenes as well, especially the numerous skiing sequences – and Lazenby gets in several great 007 quips – the script is smart, with the usual touch of humor and “larger than life” elements that make the 007 films so great…

While the film was critically acclaimed and did brisk box office, it was a case of “one and done” for Lazenby.

The Daily Mail goes on to report that being the most famous Actor in the world didn’t mean a thing to Lazenby.

“Then he threw it all away by refusing a then unheard of $1million offer to do six more Bond films because he did not like being told what to do by the studio.After appearing in just one Bond film Lazenby’s name became a punchline and ‘the George Lazenby of’ became a gag for late night TV shows.”

The now 77-year old Actor says in the documentary that he doesn’t regret his decision…but imagine being the star of the biggest action franchise in the world…and just walking away…

In “Becoming Bond” Lazenby also reveals he was broke for a while – but then got into real estate, and says he’s had a comfortable life.

Here’s the whole story from The Daily Mail, full of lots more stories of swinging 60’s, threesomes and much much more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4452610/Sex-secrets-let-George-Lazenby-James-Bond.html

Lazenby didn’t act much after his stint as James Bond, but he did make a short appearance in the hilarious 70’s film “Kentucky Fried Movie.”

You can read more about this hilarious comedy from the makers of “Airplane” by clicking on my link here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/06/03/big-jim-slade-fistfuls-of-yen-its-the-kentucky-fried-movie/

Finally, if you want to argue about who was the best and worst Bond, knock yourself out…I love talking about the best and worst Bond theme songs!

OK, we all know that Paul McCartney wrote the greatest Bond them of all time, but what are some of the others? Check them out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/11/05/rock-on-007-the-best-and-worst-james-bond-theme-songs/

Let me know what you think of the revelations in the new Bond doc!

Another Great Film Starring Lina Romay!

I’ve posted about this iconic European Actress before – who starred in dozens of films, mostly for her longtime partner and film Director Jess Franco.

She had great screen presence – like this scene from “Night Has A Thousand Desires” – a hauntingly framed shot of her staring off into space – lost in the midst of her own madness – the shot lasting for almost a minute…

She commands the screen, baring her soul in so many movies like this one from the early 80’s.

Bravo to Mondo Macabro for releasing “Night Has A Thousand Desires” in such a beautifully remastered presentation – check out the trailer:

NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND DESIRES, a film by Jess Franco – coming soon to Blu-ray from Mondo Macabro on Vimeo.

Mondo Macabro has done it again with this great blu-ray release!

Bravo to Mondo Macabro for releasing this lavish blu-ray special edition of the film.

For exploitation film buffs, to know Jess Franco is to love him – everything from his meandering storytelling, his love of “tentative zooms” – and his love of his wife’s body – yes, his longtime partner and ultimately wife Lina Romay starred in dozens of his movies, and was always VERY VERY naked!

Romay is actually nude for more screen time in “Desires” than she is clothed, always willing to give a raw portrayal. The plot of “Thousand Desires” is simple: Lina stars as a clairvoyant, working with a partner in a lounge act – when she begins being hypnotized – and while in this trance, she is murdering people! Or is she?

What is real, and what is fantasy? Lina dreams of sexual encounters and murder – but is it really happening?

Well, as the film progresses, the dream sequences become more erotic and lurid, culminating in a group sex scene that leaves little to the imagination. Franco frames the shot from above and lets his cast get into the action before cutting to many closeups of sexual activity of all kinds – while this isn’t XXX-rated, it comes close:

Director Franco was working in Spain at the time, after the era of General Franco’s regime had ended, and he was given license to do anything he wanted – as long as there was sex and nudity in the movie – and boy, did he deliver!

Eurotika!

Mondo Macabro’s terrific Blu-ray release includes an episode of a show called “Eurotika!” which profiles Franco and includes great interview material with him. Was he the world’s most prolific Director?

Franco has small parts in many of his films, including “Desires” – and the TV episode makes a compelling case that Franco may have been the world’s most prolific Director – more than two hundred films!

Both Franco and Romay have died, but thanks to great film companies, we get to experience their greatest work – like this!

This is another wild Romay / Franco collaboration, with a new blu-ray that has the “notorious banana scene” in it – check it out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/11/lindas-shocking-hot-nights-lina-romays-classic-sexploitation/

If you want a Lina Romay marathon, then this is another of their films to buy:

Yes, they made a lot of shockers, and Lina was naked in all of them! Check out “Lorna The Exorcist” and more Franco films here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/02/17/countess-perverse-lorna-the-exorcist-jess-francos-naked-masterpieces/

Bravo again to Mondo Macabro for a terrific blu-ray!

All Hail The King!

Yes, the “King” of winged serpents, killer babies AND blaxploitation! Yes, one Director has delivered a number of exploitation classics for cult movie buffs, and now there’s a documentary that celebrates this wild wild career!

Larry Cohen is a legendary B-movie Producer, Director, and Screenwriter – who had some of the best cult movies of the 70’s and 80’s…shown here with some of his favorite “stars”….we’ll talk about a few in a moment, but first, check out this wild trailer!

Well, I can’t wait to see this!

Cohen’s first big hit was the classic low-budget horror film “It’s Alive”, about a mutant monster baby that embarks on a killing spree. It has one of the best tag lines for any movie – check out the poster:

“There’s Only ONE Thing Wrong With The David Baby…It’s ALIVE!”

I mean, c’mon, this is one of the greatest tagline ever! And the film delivers as well – a low-budget shocker with a great hook!

He followed this hit up with a sequel, as well as making great blaxploitation films like “Hell Up In Harlem”:

Cohen was known to break a lot of rules when making his movies, and the documentary gets into some of those wacky stories of truly independent filmmaking.

This is the poster for his science fiction classic “Q The Winged Serpent.” It’s a terrific monster movie – a “winged serpent” terrorizes a very 70’s New York City….check out the trailer:

Cohen was a “down and dirty” filmmaker – no muss, no fuss, he just made his wildly entertaining films in a straightforward manner.

Here are a few more movies he directed in the 70’s and 80’s…

Cohen finished the 1980’s with “Wicked Stepmother” – which was the legendary Bette Davis’s last role…he has many more credits in his career, including screenwriting the Joel Schumacher thriller “Phone Booth” from 2002.

I look forward to seeing more of his films, to fully appreciate this renegade filmmaker…and speaking of legendary exploitation Directors, one of the first was Director Jack Hill, who made this cult classic:

Hill went on to work with Pam Grier among many others – you can see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/03/18/cult-actress-jill-banner-from-spider-baby-web-to-marlon-brandos-arm-a-true-hollywood-tragedy/

Some cult Directors just make one classic film and then disappear…

Tommy Wiseau became a legend after just one film, the cult classic “The Room.” Now, it MAY be due to the fact it is considered the worst film ever made – but who’s to judge?

See the trailer for “The Room” here and judge for yourself!

https://johnrieber.com/2013/10/27/tommy-wiseaus-classic-the-room-now-a-book-tommys-secrets-revealed/

Let me know how many Larry Cohen films you’ve seen!

Alec Baldwin IS Al Pacino!

Alec Baldwin was on Conan O’Brien’s show the other night and was talking about the recent “Godfather” reunion…it results in his “spot on” impersonations of Robert DeNiro, James Caan, and a long riff on the many voices of Al Pacino…hilarious!

Of course, this was all due to the recent “Godfather” reunion event at the Tribeca Film Festival..

This amazing event brought Francis Ford Coppola and his cast to the stage to discuss the movie and the legacy – check it out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/04/30/tribecas-the-godfather-reunion-great-film-trivia-deniro-pacino-keaton-coppola/

Of course, Baldwin had a memorable cameo in the Al Pacino film “Glengarry Glen Ross”…we all remember that!

Here’s great trivia: this scene wasn’t in the play, Mamet wrote it for Baldwin!

See it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/08/25/a-b-c-always-be-cheering-glengarrys-brightly-burning-movie-addition-alec-baldwin/

Bravo Alec!

My Movie Alphabet!

Yes, the poster art says “Vol. 2” – because I missed the first “go-round” on this fun exercise in cinema! A movie for every letter of the alphabet – who can refuse?

For many of us, this is our great escape – a movie auditorium where magic happens – I have seen so many incredible films in my life…oh, outside too!

I love this idea – thanks to “MettelRaySe7en” for doing this, here is the link to see how you can participate:

https://mettelray.wordpress.com/2017/05/01/mettelrayse7en-my-movie-alphabet-vol-2-blogathon-announcment/#comment-10520

Let’s get started with a film that, while fictional, captured one of the most exciting and influential pop culture changes in our nation’s history!

A – A Hard Day’s Night

Hard to imagine how culturally significant “Beatlemania” was in today’s social media world, but this film captures the pop culture impact of The Fab Four through a hilariously droll, fictional film the band starred in – how did they know to make this film so it would come out as they were taking over the world – what an achievement! If you want to see just how wild their first trip to the US was, check out the terrific documentary here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/09/06/the-beatles-first-us-tour-new-movie-the-fab-fours-segregation-battle-ron-howards-fascinating-new-beatles-documentary/

Next up is one of my top ten films of all time:

B – Boogie Nights

Paul Thomas Anderson shows the birth of adult cinema in LA’s San Fernando valley through the fictional story of Dirk Diggler…one of the greatest cinematic achievements ever, and career bests for the entire cast – see the “oral” history here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/12/11/dirk-digglers-livin-thing-70s-sex-80s-excess-the-oral-history-of-boogie-nights/

Here is another film from my “top ten of all time”:

C – Chinatown

This lost Best Picture in 1972 to the greatest film of all time – more on that in a minute, but Roman Polanski’s story of Los Angeles in the 40’s, as seen through our thirst for water – and power – still resonates today – read more about this classic film noir here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/02/19/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown-cynical-attitudes-and-sexual-motivations/

Ok, these were all fairly well known, let’s get obscure:

D – Darker Than Amber

This very obscure action film from 1970 has one of the most brutal – and REAL – onscreen fights ever captured – yes, the two main actors got carried away and the Director captured it all – see it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/01/darker-than-amber-film-noirs-legendary-fight-scene-a-brutal-hidden-gem/

Next up is one of the most hypnotic films I’ve ever seen…

E – Enter The Void

Argentinian Director Gasper Noe uses “2001: A Space Odyssey” as his inspiration to tell the story of a young man killed in Tokyo, who floats over the city to observe life after his death – see the hypnotic trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/01/audacious-mind-blowing-cinema-enter-the-void-vanishing-waves-and-holy-motors/

Need some 70’s horror? Great, let’s head to France!

F – Fascination!

French Horror Director Jean Rollin made moody, cerebral horror films filled with nudity, blood and amazing images like this one:

See all of his incredible work from the 70’s here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/09/13/bloody-fascination-sexy-shockers-wildest-cult-horror-directors/

Now, time to celebrate the greatest film ever made:

G – The Godfather

For me, it is simply the greatest cinematic achievement in film history – beautifully acted, lyrical, violent and multi-layered to reveal something new each time I see it – and of course, Brando read from cue cards held by Robert Duvall!

One last bit of trivia – the horse’s head was real! Here is more on that:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/02/15/brandos-cue-cards-real-horse-heads-the-godfathers-best-stories-2/

Now, a film that was so good it had three different names!

H – Hookers Revenge!

I HAD to get a Christina Lindberg film on this list! She is the “Queen of Artsploitation”, and this one was so good they kept releasing it to grindhouse theaters with different titles! Officially known as “Thriller: A Cruel Picture” – it’s also AKA “They Call Her One Eye” and also AKA “Hooker’s Revenge” – even thought she doesn’t play a hooker in the movie!

She may have been mute in the film, but she really kicks some ass, and recently Christina spoke about her career – see that interview here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/11/christina-lindberg-speaks-the-queen-of-artsploitation-bares-all/

Christina Lindberg is my “grindhouse guilty pleasure”, but the next film is serious, compelling and vital:

I – The Island President

This documentary tells the story of one person trying to save his country from drowning – and the politics of climate change…so powerful and important, see the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/05/07/the-island-president-a-tragic-compelling-documentary-a-nation-underwater/

The next film on my list is one of those “movie theater experiences” I will never forget…

J – Jackie Brown

Some Quentin Tarantino was overdue, but more importantly, some Pam Grier! He wrote it with her in mind, and she stars with a timeless swagger…just one of her great films, like “Black Mama White Mama” and the blaxploitation classic “Foxy Brown”…see her here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/03/21/black-mama-white-mama-queen-of-blaxploitation-pam-grier-naked-showers-women-in-prison-classics/

I was inspired by my friend Pete from Beetley, England…he is counting down his movies as well – you can follow along with them here:

https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/2017/05/10/a-z-film-challenge-day-ten/

Next up, a cerebral thriller with a very young Donald Sutherland…

K – Klute

A somewhat forgotten film from 1971, Jane Fonda won an Oscar for her portrayal of a lonely prostitute who is being watched by one of her clients…a young Donald Sutherland is also great…see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/06/01/klute-the-late-show-electra-glide-in-blue-three-obscure-film-noir-70s-classics/

Now, one of my top 5 favorite movies…

L – The Last Of Sheila

This terrific mystery puzzle of a film was written by Stephen Sondheim and “Psycho” Anthony Perkins! An all-star cast including James Mason James Coburn, Raquel Welch, Richard Benjamin and Ryan Cannon make this a must see – here is the trailer:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/06/29/psycho-and-sondheim-the-last-of-sheila-classic-hollywood-murder-mystery-richard-benjamin-rules/

Time for one of America’s greatest Actors to lighten up…

M – Midnight Run

“Why are you unpopular with the Chicago Police Department?” The greatest buddy/action film of all, the first time we discovered that Robert DeNiro could do comedy! See the new blu-ray here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/28/fistophobia-the-brilliant-but-neglected-buddy-action-comedy-midnight-run/

Next up, a European Actress from the 70’s who was naked in every single film she made!

N – Night Of A Thousand Desires!

I love Lina Romay – her haunting beauty and willingness to put it ALL out there – I mean, she is naked in every single film she made, and most of it was lovingly captured by her partner/husband Jess Franco – this is a great example of her hypnotic appeal, with a great blu-ray thanks to Mondo Macabro – see it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/06/night-has-a-thousand-desires-lina-romays-cult-classic-jess-francos-sex-shocker/

Next up, my second favorite film of all time…

O – O Lucky Man!

This obscure British masterpiece was written by and starring Malcolm McDowell – right after “A Clockwork Orange” – it is a brilliant satire of a world gone mad with an equally brilliant soundtrack – see it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/22/o-lucky-man-malcolm-mcdowells-seinfeld-connection/

Time for more 70’s stuff, this time a grindhouse classic:

P – Prime Cut

The “grindhouse” era of the 60’s and 70’s allowed studios to make gritty B-movies like this one, with lots of sex, nudity and violence, and many big stars willing jumped in! “Prime Cut” stars Gene Hackman, Lee Marvin and a VERY naked Sissy Spacek in her movie debut – see the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/23/prime-cut-grindhouse-classic-gene-hackman-vs-lee-marvin/

Need more obscure classics?

Q – Q! The Winged Serpent

Legendary Exploitation Director Larry Cohen made this film about a “winged serpent” terrorizing New York – one of many great movies he made…here is a documentary about his life – and his wild wild work!

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/08/king-cohen-exploitation-director-larry-cohen-killer-babies-winged-serpents-exploitation-master-dynamite-new-documentary/

I think a musical is in order….

R – Rude Boy

I grew up loving The Clash – but did you know they made a film? “Rude Boy” is the story of a roadie who dreams of success while following The Clash on their REAL tour of the UK at the end of the 70’s – and the birth of punk rock! This is terrific stuff – see the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/09/the-clash-is-live-rude-boy-iconic-punk-music-meets-classic-cult-movie/

Another from my top twenty is next:

S – The Shawshank Redemption

One of the most inspiring movies ever made – brilliant from start to finish – Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman was flawless – click here to see the real “Zihuatanejo”:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/05/18/zihuatanejo-the-inspiring-greatness-of-the-shawshank-redemption/

Here is #3 on my list of greatest films:

T – Taxi Driver

Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader capture the gritty streets of New York perfectly – as seen through the eyes of Travis Bickle – this masterpiece is still topical forty years on – see the anniversary reunion here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/04/21/travis-bickle-turns-40-taxi-driver-tribeca-screening-3-reasons-to-love-him-one-big-reason-to-hate/

OK, from masterpiece to Russ Meyer!

U – Up!

Need a break from the seriousness of the list – well, how about some Russ Meyer? The man who gave us “Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” also got us “Up!” See how here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/03/16/sexploitation-classics-the-russ-meyer-edition/

Need more grindhouse?

V – The Virgin Witch

I love the sexploitation era of the 60’s and 70’s as you can see, and films like “The Virgin Witch” are the reason why…virgin witches baring all for our pleasure – see how here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/10/17/bloody-witchcraft-horror-sexy-virgin-witches-halloween-2015-heats-up/

Another from my top twenty is next:

W – Withnail & I

Simply the greatest British comedy ever – Richard E. Grant is brilliant, and the film is acerbic, insightful, and hilariously funny – read more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/04/10/withnail-i-30th-anniversary-classic-80s-cult-comedy-richard-e-grant-tell-all-book-with-nails/

Some letters of the alphabet are better sung than spoken…

X – Xanadu

What, you don’t want an 80’s musical with a rollerskating Olivia Newton-John? I included “Xanadu” because it’s so “of its time”, and because it also has a terrific soundtrack from The Electric Light Orchestra! Here’s proof:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/02/25/elo-rocks-the-grammy-awards-brilliant-70s-orchestra-rock-jeff-lynnes-beatles-love/

Mel Brooks was a brilliant filmmaker, and here is one example:

Y – Young Frankenstein

The funniest film ever? Well, argue amongst yourselves, but Brooks competes with himself for that title (“Blazing Saddles!”), and this film gives Gene Hackman – yes, GENE HACKMAN! A chance to show how funny he is! To celebrate this legendary Actors birthday, I highlighted his ten best roles:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/01/30/happy-birthday-gene-hackman-ten-roles-that-defined-a-hollywood-legend/

Finally, I leave you with Bond, James Bond…well, this next film is a 007 you’ve never seen before!

Z – Zardoz!

Yes, that’s 007 in a bright red loincloth! But WHY? The answer lies in one of the wackiest films ever committed to celluloid – the lunacy of “Zardoz.” Click to see some of the hilariously “WTF” dialogue and trailer!

https://johnrieber.com/2012/10/01/suspiria-caligula-zardoz-wacky-one-word-movie-wonders/

Well, I tried to showcase movies you knew and many you didn’t, so let me know what you think!

Do You Have “The Thirst” For More Harry Hole?

One of my favorite Authors, Jo Nesbo, is back with the latest in his series of Detective Harry Hole thrillers!

Welcome to the world of “nordic noir” – moody crime thrillers from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

“The Thirst” is the latest in the series of Hole novels – this “Dirty Harry” is plunged into the world of Tinder dating – because one psychopath is killing his dates!

These are terrific thrillers – I’ve read that “The Snowman” – book #7 in the series – is being made into a film – but read these in order to really understand the psychology behind Harry Hole – and meet a great cast of characters around him!

It’s been several years since the last Harry Hole book “Police”, so if you need help remembering all of them – here they are in order!

Click on my story to see the entire series!

https://johnrieber.com/2013/10/16/jo-nesbo-police-brilliant-new-nordic-noir-harry-hole-novels-in-order/

Nesbo also wrote a great thriller called “Headhunters” – you can read about that book here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/10/02/jo-nesbos-dirty-harry-hole-is-back-the-phantom-plus-bonus-nesbo-headhunters/

Equally as impressive are the series of “Department Q” thrillers as well:

This series of thrillers involves Detective Carl Morck…he’s a grizzled Copenhagen Cop who’s been put out to pasture in a new “department Q” – ice cold cases nobody wants to be bothered with…so of course he cracks them in a terrifically entertaining way…see these books in order here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/06/21/classic-nordic-noir-terrific-crime-fiction-from-department-q-jo-nesbos-harry-hole-novels-rock/

Let me know if you are a Harry Hole fan!

“It’s my money,” he said on April 25. “If I want to buy 15,000 cotton balls a day, it’s my thing.”

Yes, Johnny Depp recently said that, and his “thing” has erupted into a fascinating and sad legal battle!

First, bravo to Journalists Stephen Galloway and Ashley Cullins – they have the inside story of Johnny Depp’s legal battle over his finances – a long, in-depth story in The Hollywood Reporter (THR).

The THR story laid out in detail the money problems that Depp is facing, and the lawsuits resulting from it. A huge legal battle has erupted between Depp and his financial advisors, and the stories coming out show a wildly out-of-control lifestyle…here is an excerpt from the story:

“There just wasn’t enough liquid money to cover Depp’s $2 million in monthly bills.
Without a fire sale, Depp — then arguably the biggest star in Hollywood and certainly one of the best paid, thanks to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise — would never be able to meet his obligations. Not the payments on his portfolio of real estate around the world. Not the impulse purchases such as the three Leonor Fini paintings he had bought from a Manhattan gallery (the first two for $320,000, the third as a $245,000 gift for then-girlfriend Amber Heard). Not the $3.6 million he paid annually for his 40-person staff. Not the $350,000 he laid out each month to maintain his 156-foot yacht.”

As you can see, a huge monthly “nut” came back to haunt the Actor!

Johnny Depp’s $30k Wine Tasting!

That’s right: according to the article, Depp routinely spends $30,000 a month on wine! I can understand that for sure, but it is another example of spending that was out of control for the Actor…

Jack Sparrow Returns!

The lawsuit – and these stories – have all come out right as Johnny Depp is returning to movie screens with his biggest hit ever: the character Jack Sparrow and “Pirates Of The Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales!”

The THR article reports on issues related to the filming in Australia – specifically that Depp was routinely late to set.

Here is what the article says about his tardiness – and how the production dealt with it:

“Often, sources say, a production staffer was stationed in an unmarked car outside the Coomera, Queensland, compound that Depp had rented from Grand Prix champion Mick Doohan so that the sentinel could alert everyone the second a light was switched on in the morning (or afternoon).

“When he got up, he’d turn on the light, and the moment the light went on they’d call the line producer, who would then call the directors [Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg]: ‘He’s up! He’s getting ready!’ ” says an on-set source. “They even had a special code term, like ‘The eagle has landed.’ Johnny had no idea this was going on.”

EXCLUSIVE

Picture by: Splash News

Splash News and Pictures

Los Angeles:310-821-2666

New York:212-619-2666

London:870-934-2666

photodesk@splashnews.com

Welcome To “Fuck Off Island”!

Thanks to Splash News! This is a picture of one of Depp’s properties: 45-acre Little Halls Pond Cay in the Bahamas, which he has referred to as “Fuck Off Island.”

It’s just one of many properties the Actor owns around the world, indulging a 5-house compound at the top of Sweetzer Avenue in Hollywood.

The Actor clearly has great taste, and lavishing spending habits as well, and this article gives an in-depth look into the world of celebrity that we rarely see…

Bravo to The Hollywood Reporter and Stephen Galloway and Ashley Cullins for their amazing story….I just gave a couple of highlights, but the story is so much more – read it all here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/johnny-depp-a-star-crisis-insane-story-his-missing-millions-1001513

My wife Alex interviewed Depp at the Cannes Film Festival one year, and he was articulate, friendly and very professional…unfortunately, we spoke to him about his biggest film debacle ever!

This very offbeat film was received so poorly in Cannes that it saw unreleased for years…read about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/02/08/ten-most-misguided-movies-of-all-time/

It will be interesting to see how this story plays out, and once again, bravo to THR!

“Alien: Covenant” Is Here!

The latest in the series of outer space shockers is hitting theaters – if you haven’t seen the latest trailer, feast your eyes on it now:

I can’t wait to see the new film, which clearly wants to ensure us that lots of monster stuff is on the way…so let’s take a quick trip down memory lane…

Meet The Crew Of The “Nostromo!”

Here they are: crew members on a transport freighter who are asked to make a detour in outer space.

In 1979, Director Ridley Scott shocked moviegoers with a futuristic sci-fi horror film that used that simple premise – and the film became an instant classic.

With the latest installment on the way, here are five reasons I love the original “Alien”.

5- The Who!

Yes, the seminal rock band had a role in creating the moody atmosphere of the film.

The blue laser lights that were used in the alien ship’s egg chamber were borrowed from the band, who were testing out the lasers for their stage show in the soundstage next door.

4 – The Face Hugger!

The first look at the “alien” takes place when unfortunate Astronaut Kane and the others visit The Who’s moody egg chamber – when he leans over an alien “egg” he gets a big surprise: the face hugger!

Here is why this baby alien looked so creepy. The dead face hugger that is autopsied after being pried off Kane’s face was made using fresh shellfish, four oysters and a sheep kidney to recreate the internal organs. Yum!

This all leads to the next reason I love this film:

3 – The Bursting Chest!

Yes, after Kane has the face hugger pried off, he is seemingly OK again. Well, at least until he attempts to eat a meal, and the crew discover that the alien was inside him!

Here’s a fun fact: the chest bursting scene was filmed in one take with four cameras.

This scene was voted the second most shocking moment in movie history, right before “The Exorcist”…and even before moviegoers made it to the theater, there was a palpable sense of dread, thanks to the next reason this film is a classic:

2 – The Poster!

As you can see from the one sheet, the poster offers haunting imagery with one of the greatest tag lines ever:

“In space no one can hear you scream.”

The egg with the green sizzling crack is such an unsettling image, it really sets the viewer up for the great horror film that awaits.

It’s one of the most iconic movie posters ever – here are some more:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/08/16/red-lips-alien-eggs-all-white-juries-and-deep-throat-too-iconic-movie-posters/

Finally, there is one scene in “Alien” that all fanboys remember:

1- Sigourney Weaver In Her Underwear!

Yes, she looks great, but this scene is so great because it occurs after she thinks she has killed the alien creature, only to discover after waking up that she isn’t alone on the freighter. This raw vulnerability sets up another great action sequence, and cements Weaver as a classic Action Hero!

I can’t wait for the new “Alien” installment, but let’s remember the simple majesty of the first one – check out this classic trailer:

What a classic! In fact, I’m going to celebrate with THIS CAKE!

Welcome To The Hotel Du Cap – Cannes’ Most Exclusive Hotel!

With the Cannes film festival underway, great stories are being told about this fabled area – the French Riviera…including one hilarious story about the Hotel Du Cap, an ultra-exclusive and expensive resort for only the biggest stars and Executives at Cannes…

Director Brett Ratner has been to Cannes many times, and he recounts his first attempt to stay at the exclusive Hotel – a disaster that is not only a hilarious story but a great inside look at what this festival is like!

The Price Of Fame!

The Director shared his Hotel du Cap story years ago, and he discusses again in Deadline.com, who is giving a lot of coverage of course to the festival. The Hotel Du Cap is twenty miles from Cannes, which helps it have a legendary exclusivity.

As Ratner notes in the story, the hotel is legendary for not only how expensive it is, but it had a history of being very difficult to pay for!

Here’s an excerpt from his story, where he explains the cost of the hotel and the methods of payment that used to be allowed:

“The cost is 33,600 Euros for the 14-day duration of the festival — gone, though, are the days when they wouldn’t take credit cards, when it was cash or wire transfers only. If one wanted a TV in the room, it came with a 500 euros a night price tag, again, payable only by cash or wire.”

We learned early on that the Hotel was legendary for only accepting cash!

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jens Hartmann/REX/Shutterstock (453478i)
Serena Williams and boyfriend Brett Ratner
THE AMFAR AIDS CHARITY GALA DINNER AT LE MOULIN DE MOUGINS RESTAURANT, CANNES, FRANCE – 20 MAY 2004

This photo by Jens Hartmann/REX/Shutterstock shows Ratner and then girlfriend Serena Williams at a Cannes event in 2004….and there is a reason she is there – the Director was treated horribly when he arrived at the hotel for the first time, and Ratner was desperately trying to upgrade his coffin-like room! In his story, Ratner relates how he tried to use her name to get his room upgraded:

“I namedropped that my girlfriend and the reigning French Open champ would come—and train on the hotel courts, because I asked her to. I said her luggage wouldn’t fit in my room, and asked for something bigger. “I will do my best, Monsieur Ratner,” he said in his heavy French accent.

By the time I returned from the Croisette one day, Serena was playing her part: training on the clay courts. The entire hotel seemed to be watching. Did this sway the management into moving me? No way. Not even close. “Brett, you did it again,” Serena told me. “These people hate you. I had to walk down a back stairwell to find a room with a window that faces a brick wall. I have to crouch just to get under the shower head.”

This story is a hilarious look at Hollywood, the Cannes system, and the entertainment industry in general…especially because Ratner ended up banned for life from the hotel!

Yes, Banned For Life!

Ratner resorts to a very funny “loophole” in the hotel’s reservation system, which did in fact get him banned from the property for life.

It’s a very entertaining story, and if you want to find out how it ends, read the entire thing at “Deadline.com” – here is the link:

http://deadline.com/2017/05/brett-ratner-cannes-hotel-du-crap-controversy-1202091929/

My wife and I were lucky enough to attend the festival for years – many of them in a fairy nice hotel, albeit NOT the Hotel du Cap!

Here we are with E! Host Michael Castner, one of our many pictures of our wacky Cannes adventures…if you want to see Michael interviewing Arnold Schwarzenegger, or Jean-Claude Van Damme at the Hotel du Cap, click on my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/05/08/cannes-2016-remembering-joan-rivers-jenna-jameson-my-seven-greatest-cannes-film-festival-moments-arnold-schwarzenegger-jcvd-my-favorite-cannes/

We also got to spend time in Cannes with a comic legend:

Here is my story about how gracious, warm and welcoming Robin Williams was when we met him at the film festival:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/12/rip-robin-williams-class-act-a-cannes-encounter/

It’s an amazing experience to attend the Cannes film festival, and I only wish we had ever been able to stay at the Hotel du Cap!

007’s Classiest – And Longest Running Bond Has Died!

Sad news to report: Roger Moore, the third Actor to play James Bond 007 in the legendary action series, has died at the age of 89.

Moore achieved stardom as Simon Templar in classic action TV series “The Saint” from 1962-69.

Moore Was 007 Seven Times!

Moore took over the role of Bond from Sean Connery in the 1973 film “Live and Let Die”. He holds the record as the longest serving Bond to date, playing 007 in seven films: “The Man with the Golden Gun” was next in 1974, followed by “The Spy Who Loved Me” in 1977…

These were some of the most popular Bond films of all time: “Moonraker” in 1979 was next, then “For Your Eyes Only” in 1981, “Octopussy” in 1983, and finally “A View to a Kill” in 1985.

Moore wrote a humorous and insightful autobiography, and was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991. Moore was also knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 for “services to charity”.

Many fans grew up with Moore as their 007 – and there’s a great documentary that looks at all of the Bonds…

You can see more about this great documentary here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/09/24/his-name-is-bond-james-bond-the-best-007-ever-the-worst-film-fight-club-begins-now/

RIP Roger, you will be missed!

Meet The “Blue Face” Of Horror!

With the chaotic 2017 Oscar telecast naming the wrong film for Best Picture, it’s time to look at other films that were “overlooked” for the Academy’s top honor…in fact, here are three classic films that never got the recognition they deserved:

“In Cranium-Cleaving Color!”

Take a moment to look closely at all three of these posters, including the “cranium” line at the bottom of “The Ghastly Ones”…how could you ever miss such classic horror cinema?

Now, if you turned the Oscars upside down and shook REALLY HARD, you would come up with the Director of these three films – arguably the worst movies ever committed to celluloid – time to meet Andy Milligan!

Grindhouse Lives!

Meet Andy Milligan, who may just be Staten Island’s greatest filmmaker!

Yes: STATEN ISLAND’S GREATEST FILMMAKER!

Here are some exampleS of his “masterpieces”, beginning with an early work of art:

I mean, the title alone NEEDS to be shouted out from the Oscar podium – but as you can imagine, the creative visionary behind this gem had many more classics to come:

All of these movies are the work of Andy Milligan, a quirky filmmaker who wanted to shock America.

These are films that you can savor over and over again, especially when they include dialogue like THIS:

Dusty Cole: How’s your mother?
Cherry Lane: She threw me out. I guess she got tired of me using all her hairspray.

Shooting on budgets that hovered around $10,000, Milligan turned out 29 movies between 1965 and 1988 – moves that were:

“In Dripping Blood Color!”

While the posters were classic grindhouse “come ons”, his movies were appallingly shot, often ludicrously plotted “shock” films – but that’s what played in 42nd Street grind houses, drive-ins and avant-garde film festivals in the late 60’s and 70’s…

Milligan churned out film after film, with some of exploitation’s greatest movie titles!

Torture Dungeon! (1969)
Bloodthirsty Butchers! (1970)
The Body Beneath! (1970)
Guru, the Mad Monk! (1970)
The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here! (1972)

“EXPLICIT BEYOND BELIEF!”

And they weren’t just horror films – no, Milligan knew how to sex it up as well!

Fleshpot On 42nd St. “Erotic, Sensual and Smoldering!”

That’s right, they weren’t all horror films, Milligan also loved deviant sex – and blew the lid of 42nd Street’s sleazy sex trade!

The plot of this classic was simple: A street whore desperately seeks love and acceptance against the backdrop of the criminal element of early 1970s Times Square.

Here is a seven minute scene shot on location – you get a real clear idea of Milligan’s filming “style”:

The film featured classic Milligan dialogue like this:

Cherry Lane: Didn’t your mother ever tell you that you shouldn’t go out with strange men?
Dusty Cole: Bob’s not strange. He’s dull.

Wel, enough said! Let’s get back to what Milligan REALLY liked – movies that he filmed:

“In Cranium-Cleaving Color!”

How can you resist a movie that offers this tagline!

The Ghastly Ones!

You are seeing a trend: classic grindhouse poster art – sex, violence, SHOCKS BEYOND BELIEF! – c’mon in suckers, the water’s fine!

First, check out the trailer:

Then, check out the “Doctor’s Warning” on the poster – a classic “come on” for the suckers at that time…love it! Now, back to “The Ghastly Ones” plot: Three married couples are forced to spend the night in a Victorian-era house where they start getting killed off by a deranged psycho who’s bent on claiming an inheritance they are all entitled to.

Here’s a great bit of trivia, thanks to IMDB: In several of the fight scenes of the film, the crew and their cameras and sound equipment are visible. There are also moments when the director can be heard softly reminding the actors of their lines.

Now THAT”S film making! Here’s another example of Milligan’s madness – starring this “blue-faced” women:

The Body Beneath!

This is arguably is masterwork, mainly because these blue-faced beauties show up for no reason, but they liven up the pace of the film!

Check out the trailer, which proclaims that the movie was “filmed in the graveyards of England!”

In this movie, Milligan captures the eerie horror of-, ah who’s kidding who? Do you REALLY care what it’s about? It’s slow-moving and laughably bad in a dementedly fun way! I mean, you have to watch it in order to find out why these women look like THIS!

There is so much more on Andy Milligan to share, including a book that tells the hilarious, and ultimately sad story of an awful filmmaker who managed to make a number of movies that are still being enjoyed today!

Click on my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/02/13/fleshpots-rats-cranium-cleaving-color-meet-andy-milligan-sexploitations-ed-wood/

I’m not trying to pick on Andy Milligan – after all, he made movies, so bravo for that! In fact, there are a number of filmmakers who had their own “unique” vision for movies:

All Hail Tommy Wiseau!

If you know “bad cinema”, then of course you know “The Room”, considered one of the most hilariously inept films ever made – and there is a great book that tells the whole “behind the scenes” story!

Greg Sistero’s starred in the film alongside Wiseau, and he gives a “no holds barred” look at the madness behind the moviemaking…read all about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/10/27/tommy-wiseaus-classic-the-room-now-a-book-tommys-secrets-revealed/

Let me know your favorite “bad movies” – they are all worth celebrating!

Superman Lives! Or, The Story Of How He Died!

“Highly creative people have a hard time getting their movies made. Full stop. That’s all it is. Because they bring stuff that blows everyone away, and as much as the claim is they want something original, they’re terrified of it. That’s what happens. So, you don’t see those movies because they scare everybody up the chain of command.”

That quote sums up the failure of acclaimed Director Tim Burton and star Nicolas Cage, fresh off an Oscar win, to make the ultimate Superman film, “Superman Lives!”

Now there’s a terrific documentary that tells the whole, fascinating story – with tons of behind-the-scenes footage – and almost everyone participates!

First, check out the trailer:

Documentary Filmmaker Jon Schnepp tells the story, and while the trailer shows too much of his on-camera antics, he’s not obtrusive in the film – the documentary itself is beautifully made, and Schnepp got a ton of great on-camera interviews with everyone involved!

Kevin Smith’s Hilarious Anecdotes!

Kevin Smith is laugh-out-loud funny as he recounts his role in this saga. He tells hilarious stories about developing the screenplay – and getting forced out when Tim Burton came on board.

What makes this documentary so compelling is a brand new, INDEPTH and CANDID interview with Director Tim Burton, who explains how the entire project fell apart just weeks before filming was to begin.

The documentary has a ton of behind-the-scenes footage, and a long and very funny interview with legendary Producer Jon Peters, plus Warner Brothers Executives, special effects artists, costume designers – and Kevin Smith has a funny story about being asked to come up with a Giant Spider for Superman to fight!

The Giant Spider Battle!

The documentary has some real fun as Smith tells the giant spider story, intercutting various people contradicting Kevin, who has a lot of fun remembering the spider! It really shows how the collaborative effort can be upstaged by ego.

Here is a fun fact: Kevin Smith directed some episodes of the second season of Supergirl (2015), the first titled “Supergirl Lives” as a reference to the film. Smith joked he expected Supergirl to fight a giant spider as in the infamous battle scene proposed for this film.

As I said, just weeks before filming was set to begin, the entire film fell apart. As one Graphic Artist Sylvian Despretz says in the film:

“Highly creative people have a hard time getting their movies made. Full stop. That’s all it is. Because they bring stuff that blows everyone away, and as much as the claim is they want something original, they’re terrified of it. That’s what happens. So, you don’t see those movies because they scare everybody up the chain of command.”

This is a great film, and there is a website that has much more detail – check it out here:

http://www.tdoslwh.com

Legendary Movie Producer Jon Peters is in the movie – and is very candid and honest about his background:

His tale is a “True Hollywood Story” – click on my story here to find out why he made millions NOT to produce a “Superman” film:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/01/13/legendary-producer-jon-peters-making-a-fortune-for-not-producing-superman-movies-the-amazing-hollywood-reporter-interview/

Movies that fall apart are everywhere in Hollywood, and I love documentaries that dissect what happened:

The disastrous film “The Island Of Dr. Moreau” with Marlon Brando is one example – see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/03/04/madman-marlon-brando-lost-soul-of-dr-moreau-best-bad-movie-the-cinema-sewer/

And don’t forget that the making of a disastrous film can be as entertaining as what’s onscreen!

This amazing book about the making of the legendarily bad “The Room” has been made into a movie by James Franco…read all about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/03/14/james-francos-disaster-artist-tells-the-inside-story-of-tommy-wiseaus-the-room/

Let me know if you’ve seen Nicolas Cage as Superman!

Time For A “Franco Friday!”

The guy in the wheelchair doesn’t seem to be having a great day, but in fact, it’s just another day at the office for Director Jess Franco – perhaps the world’s most prolific Director!

He made HUNDREDS of films in his career, most starring his long-time creative partner and wife, Lina Romay – a “sexploitation superstar!”

She Loved The Camera As Much As The Camera Loved HER!

In the 70’s, there was a flood of exploitation films from Europe – many featuring one of the most exotic, vibrant and unabashedly “free” Actresses ever – the legendary Lina Romay!

Lina Romay was one of the most “empowered” female Actresses of the 70’s – in a series of roles that allowed her to explore her sexuality AND her acting ability – unabashedly unafraid to take on a multitude of controversial roles – most of them directed by her Husband!

Time To Celebrate Sex Kitten Lina Romay!

I have posted stories about many of Lina’s films: she was was a Catalan actress (born in Barcelona) who appeared in dozens of films in the 70’s, 80’s and beyond.

She starred in a slew of classic sexploitation films from Europe, mostly for her Director husband Jess Franco – and thanks to the terrific work of a number of DVD and Blu-ray companies, these films can be enjoyed today!

It’s A Perfect “Franco Friday!”

There is a trend on social media to celebrate “Franco Friday” – honoring this maverick Director who made so many movies over his career, classic exploitation like this one starring Soledad Miranda:

This newly remastered blu-ray is a revelation – see more about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/05/19/legendary-sex-kitten-soledad-miranda-ecstasy-vampyros-lesbos-new-cult-films-releases/

This films were low-budget, raw explorations of horror and erotica at a time when the boundaries of film were being pushed – and Franco was at the forefront, especially when he directed his wife, Lina Romay!

Celebrating the Cinema Of Lina Romay!

Lina Romay began appearing in Director Jess Franco’s films from the time they met in 1971. They eventually married and she made more than a hundred movies, most of them directed by Franco.

“Barbed Wire Dolls!”

Here’s a great example: this 1976 “women in prison” tale stars Lina Romay as a woman who is jailed after killing her father, played by director Jess Franco, who tries to rape her. As IMDB points out, here is what follows:

“Lesbian wardens, torture, nudity, sex, insanity and conspiracy round out the formula.”

The majority of their films together were horror films and action thrillers, always with a healthy dose of nudity and sex – something that Romay was not only comfortable with, she loved it!

Lina Romay was one of exploitation cinema’s greatest sex kittens. She was a fearless performer – and a exhibitionist as well!

Romay was born in Barcelona in 1954, and made her film debut as a gypsy girl in “The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein” in 1973.

One of Lina’s most memorable roles was voracious Countess Irina Karlstein in “Female Vampire” / “Erotikill! / “The Bare-Breasted Countess” from 1975!

Yes, the film had three different titles! You can find a DVD release from Redemption that also includes the version called “Erotikill!”

In both cases, Lina Romay is a vampire who has sex with both male and female victims. In Jess Franco’s sex-fuelled cinema, this vampire performs oral sex on her victims until they die, draining them of their sexual fluids!

Three versions of the film were shot – one that was straight horror, one that had horror mixed with some sex, and then there was a hardcore porn version – because Romay was fearless and willing to bare all in her movies!

Talk About A “Blood Bath!”

Roman is fully nude in much of the film, like many of the films she made – she was VERY comfortable performing in the nude….

FYI, Director Franco’s original title for the film was “The Bare Breasted Countess”, and ultimately the film was shown with that title at the 2009 Fantastic Fest in the United States.

Kudos To Severin Films!

Because of the dedicated effort of a few great home video companies, some of Romay’s best movies are now available – including this notorious, controversial classic!

“The Hot Nights Of Linda!”

Jess Franco’s legendary sexploitation classic is finally unearthed, thanks to Severin Films! The Director’s wife, Lina Romay, stars in one of her larger roles for him – and among the most notorious! And the blu-ray release is full of great additional material!

The plot is straightforward: a young woman cares for an elderly man on an island off the Greek coast. She discovers that one of the man’s daughters is a crazed nymphomaniac who pursues everyone in the house!

Well, OF COURSE!

A Barcelona Bordello Discovery!

According to Severin, the film is restored from a 35mm print discovered in a Barcelona bordello! I don’t care how they found it, I’m just glad they did, as it is loaded with Bonus Features and presented in high definition for the first time ever in America!

Blu-Ray Bonuses!

Look at all of the bonus material included in this release, including an exclusive Interview with Director Jess Franco and Lina…check out all of the extras here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/11/lindas-shocking-hot-nights-lina-romays-classic-sexploitation/

The Notorious “French” Version!

The blu-ray is a three disc effort, with the notorious “alternate banana” version of the film – the french cut, which is completely uncensored!

Again, kudos to Severin Films – what a great job!

Check out everything Severin has to offer by going to their website:

http://www.severin-films.com/

Another fascinating Franco film starring Romay was this classic:

Lorna The Exorcist!

This 1974 film by Franco has a simple logline: A man is tormented by an ex-lover, Lorna, who is some kind of witch!

And let’s be honest, Mondo Macabro’s extended teaser will blow your mind right now!

Franco’s themes often revolved around lesbian vampires, women in prison, surgical horror, sadomasochism, zombies and sexploitation – and were drenched in blood…

Their story fascinates, even if the films are not all that good, they are also fascinating to watch!

This genre of 70’s sexploitation movie was much more artistic in Europe…there was plenty of sex, violence and nudity, but the movies play out as if they think it’s high art! Here are some additional examples of Jess Franco and Lina Romay efforts:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/02/17/countess-perverse-lorna-the-exorcist-jess-francos-naked-masterpieces/

One of great roles of the 80’s was this shocker:

Directed by Franco, this was the story of a young woman who thinks she may be a murderer – or is she simply in a trance?

Franco lets his shot of her staring vacantly into space run for almost a minute – and she is hypnotic to watch – oh, and there is plenty of sex and violence as well! See the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/06/night-has-a-thousand-desires-lina-romays-cult-classic-jess-francos-sex-shocker/

Thanks to the great Mondo Macabro for bringing this film to blu-ray – buy a copy to support them!

Lina Romay had a fascinating career, with many great films that are worth watching…sadly, she died of cancer in 2012, at the age of 57.

Let me know which ones are your favorites!

Vincent Price “Gets Down!”

Have you ever wanted to see the legendary Horror Actor Vincent Price in an afro? And have you ever wanted to kill your critics? Well, thanks to this Horror legend, you can do both!

When you create art, you can get angry when the reviews are bad…and if you are a Critic, THIS is how you feel:

“You begin to resent an actor if you always have to give him bad notices.”

With both sides sharpening their knives, it’s time for “Theater Of Blood!”

First, let’s check out the trailer:

Vincent Price stars as Edward Lionheart, an actor overlooked for a Critics acting award – and after confronting them, he dramatically throws himself into the Thames river.

Of course, you can’t keep a great Actor down, and soon Price is back, carrying out his bloody revenge on his Critics, donning a variety of great disguises as his kills them in very Shakespearean ways!

The great Actress Diana Rigg plays his daughter, Edwina Lionheart – yes, that’s her donning an Afro as well! She has no problem sticking up for her father against his harshest critics.

Critic Peregrine Devlin: “You don’t understand!”
Edwina Lionheart: “I understand that the greatest actor of all time never earned your approval for one single performance. Never. Not one good review!”

According to IMDB, Diana Rigg considers this her best film – and she has a point, because it’s terrific!

If you are worried it’s too funny to be gory, know that more than six gallons of fake blood was used to produce the eight ghastly murders!

Price was at his best in the 60’s and 70’s, and one of my favorite films was this one:

“The Abominable Dr. Phibes” is a great horror film from the early 70’s – you can find out more about this cult classic and see the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/10/22/drunken-dr-phibes-horrors-abominable-midnight-madness/

Diana Rigg had a great career as well of course, and was perhaps the greatest “Bond girl” of all time:

She was smart, sassy, conflicted, confident and ultimately the greatest 007 tragedy ever filmed in the classic Bond movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”.

Of course, there were many stories about how she didn’t get along with the “one and done” 007, George Lazenby – and now there is a great documentary that tells the story! See more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/02/the-sex-secrets-of-james-bond-007-george-lazenbys-swinging-007-days-great-new-documentary-becoming-bond/

Let me know if you’ve seen Vincent Price at his afro-tastic best!

Dan Aykroyd Blasts “Ghostbusters” Remake!

This story just in from overseas, where original “Ghostbusters” Actor Dan Aykroyd tore into the Director of the all-female remake!

The original “Ghostbusters” was a huge hit and now has iconic status – so when it was announced that an all-female version was on the way, the internet exploded in controversy…

When the film finally opened, it didn’t do anywhere near the amount of money people expected, and critics were vicious to it as well…now, Aykroyd has offered up his opinion on what went wrong when he appeared on a British talk show recently:

Here is the story from Deadline.com:

“The director made several decisions that caused the movie to lose money, Aykroyd asserted on the Sunday Brunch show, adding that its struggles had nothing to do with the gender-inverted casting or the ensemble’s performances. One of the main stars and a co-writer of the 1984 original, Aykroyd got an executive producer title on the reboot.

“The girls are great in it. Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig – what wonderful, wonderful players they are – and Leslie Jones,” Aykroyd said. “I was really happy with the movie, but it cost too much. And Sony does not like to lose money, they don’t. It made a lot of money around the world but just cost too much, making it economically not feasible to do another one. So that’s too bad.”

Aykroyd then blamed the Director for not following anyone’s advice, and re-shooting major chunks of the film:

“The director, he spent too much on it,” Aykroyd said. “He didn’t shoot scenes we suggested to him and several scenes that were going to be needed and he said ‘Nah, we don’t need them.’ Then we tested the movie and they needed them and he had to go back. About $30 to $40 million in reshoots. So he will not be back on the Sony lot any time soon.”

The “Ghostbusters” remake reportedly cost at least $140 million to make, and grossed just $229.1 million worldwide – making it a big money loser…

Here is the entire story on Deadline.com – and it includes a short clip of Aykroyd making his controversial comments!

https://deadline.com/2017/06/aykroyd-blasts-paul-feig-in-tv-interview-1202107198/

I watched the first half hour of the movie and found it strangely flat, unfunny and uninvolving…too bad considering the source material and the terrific Actors hired to be in it…

Let me know what you thought!