Month: May 2021

Moviedrome Mondays: Talk Radio (1988)

by John Charet

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to controversial film director Oliver Stone’s 1988 drama Talk Radio. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was May 22, 1994 (read here). Not much to add here except to say that I agree with Cox’s opinion here overall. Lead actor Eric Bogosian is electrifying as always. According to wikipedia, he is not only an actor, but a playwright, monologuist, novelist and historian. In other words, a quintuple threat. The always dynamic Michael Wincott also electrifies as a stoned heavy metal fan.

Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Talk Radio

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer

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Moviedrome Mondays: The Andromeda Strain (1971) and Fiend Without a Face (1958)

by John Charet

Series 7 of Moviedrome opens with a double bill consisting of two science-fiction films – one is a Hollywood product and the other was financed independently.

The Andromeda Strain (1971)

I would like to give a special shout-out to Steve (click here to view his youtube channel), a loyal visitor to this site. A month or two ago, he found/uploaded a version of Alex Cox’s Moviedrome introduction to director Robert Wise’s 1971 science-fiction thriller The Andromeda Strain, that I will be posting a link to below. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was May 15, 1994 (read here). with the exception of his thoughts on They Live (I love that film), I agree with everything else Cox states (eloquently as usual) about this film. As for myself, I would rank The Andromeda Strain alongside Westworld (both the movie and the cable-television series) and Jurassic Park as my three favorite film adaptations of a Michael Crichton property. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Robert Wise films (read here).

Here is a link to Steve’s youtube video of Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to The Andromeda Strain

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer


Fiend Without a Face (1958)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to director Arthur Crabtree’s low-budget 1958 British cult B-monster movie Fiend Without a Face. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was May 16, 1994 (read here). Once again, I agree with Cox completely. When it comes to 1950’s horror/science-fiction films, Fiend Without a Face benefits largely from inventive special effects (stop-motion animation was reportedly used to create the brain creatures) and (shocking for it’s time) a fair share of blood and gore.

Here is a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to Fiend Without a Face

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer

Moviedrome Mondays: Carrie (1976)

by John Charet

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to director Brian De Palma’s 1976 horror classic Carrie. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was September 26, 1993 (read here). Series six ends on a high note as I am a huge fan of both Carrie and the work of it’s filmmaker (De Palma in this case). Along with Salem’s Lot, The Shining, The Dead Zone and The Dark Half, Carrie ranks as one of my five personal favorite film adaptations of a Stephen King novel. As usual, Cox offers up another insightful commentary. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Brian De Palma films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to Carrie

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer

Moviedrome Mondays: What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1984)

by John Charet

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar’s 1984 black comedy-drama What Have I Done to Deserve This?. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was September 20, 1993 (read here). Not much I can add here except to say that Cox’s thoughts on Spanish cinema in general is truly fascinating. As for myself, I have always been a huge fan of director/writer Pedro Almodovar’s films and while I would not rank What Have I Done to Deserve This? as high as some of his later works (Pain and Glory, Talk to Her and All About My Mother), it is still a great film nonetheless. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Pedro Almodovar films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to What Have I Done to Deserve This?

Here is another youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to What Have I Done to Deserve This?

UPDATE 11/03/2021: Here is Steve’s (a regular visitor to this site) youtube upload of Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to What Have I Done to Deserve This? Click here to view his youtube channel

Since I could not find a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer, click here to see some youtube video links featuring one or two scenes of the film

Moviedrome Mondays: Requiescant (1967)

by John Charet

Since I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing director Carlo Lizzani’s 1967 spaghetti western Requiescant, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was September 6, 1993 (read here). Not much to add here except to say that I agree with every single word of praise that Cox lavishes on this genuine spaghetti western gem.

Update: 11/17/2022: Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Requiescant

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer

Here is a Spaghetti Western Database (SWDb) link to Alex Cox’s 20 favorite ones in the sub-genre (NOTE: Once again, I have seen most, but not all of these titles)

Here is a link to a 2009 Guardian Article in which Cox picks his 10 favorite on-screen exits from the sub-genre

Here is an Amazon link to learn more about Cox’s take on the spaghetti western in his 2009 book 10,000 Ways to Die: A Director’s Take on the Spaghetti Western