Month: August 2021

Moviedrome Mondays: Rope (1948) and 84 Charlie MoPic (1989)

by John Charet

This week’s Moviedrome Monday entry consists of two very different experimental films


Rope (1948)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to iconic filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock’s (a.k.a. The Master of Suspense) visually clever 1948 mystery thriller Rope. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here). The episode’s original airdate was August 7, 1994 (read here). Since I am a huge fan of every single film directed by Hitchcock, I will just talk about the film. Once again, Cox’s commentary on the film is as eloquent as always. As a pure technical exercise, Rope succeeds without a scratch – from start to finish, Hitchcock filmed the action in one continuous shot (a.k.a. a long take). If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films (read here).

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

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


84 Charlie MoPic (1989)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to director Patrick Sheane Duncan’s 1989 independent Vietnam film 84 Charlie MoPic. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was August 8, 1994 (read here). Not much to add here except that I am in complete agreement with Cox on this one. Flaws and all, the Found footage technique employed throughout does make for fascinating viewing.

Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to 84 Charlie MoPic

Though there is a fan-made trailer for this film on youtube, I could not find a link to it’s actual original theatrical trailer.

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Moviedrome Mondays: Race with the Devil (1975) and Detour (1945)

by John Charet

This week’s Moviedrome Monday double-bill consists of two road movies involving dangerous situations


Race with the Devil (1975)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to director Jack Starrett’s 1975 action-horror road movie Race with the Devil. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 31, 1994 (read here). Not much for me to add here about this marginally good/marginally mediocre flick except that I do agree with Cox about the title sequence and the ending serving as the real reason to check it out.

Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Race with the Devil

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


Detour (1945)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to legendary B filmmaker Edgar G. Ulmer’s low-budget 1945 cult film noir classic Detour. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 31, 1994 (read here). Cox’s statements are eloquent as always, though I get the feeling that I am a bigger fan of the film than he is. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Edgar G. Ulmer films (read here).

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

Aside from a revival trailer on youtube, I do not think (at least based on my knowledge) that Detour ever had an original theatrical trailer – taking into account that I could not find one.

Moviedrome Mondays: The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) and Psychomania (1973)

by John Charet

This week’s Moviedrome Monday entry is a double-bill consisting of two motorcycle films.


The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to the late legendary British cinematographer/filmmaker Jack Cardiff’s 1968 biker flick The Girl on a Motorcycle. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 24, 1994 (read here). Hard to disagree with any of Cox’s points considering how wild and crazy the film is (as Cox so eloquently implies). Overall, the only logical approach viewers could take to this film is just to sit back and enjoy the ride – flaws and all.

Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to The Girl on a Motorcycle

Here is another youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to The Girl on a Motorcycle

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

Psychomania (1973)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to director Don Sharp’s 1973 cult biker horror flick Psychomania. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 25, 1994 (read here). Unlike Cox, I actually prefer this one over The Girl on a Motorcycle. What I admire tremendously about Psychomania lies in the execution of the aforementioned film’s blending of horror with selected elements of the biker movie sub-genre.

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

Here is another youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Psychomania

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

Moviedrome Mondays: Carny (1980)

by John Charet

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to director Robert Kaylor’s 1980 drama Carny. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 17, 1994 (read here). I pretty much agree with everything Cox says here. The performances from Gary Busey, Jodie Foster and the legendary Robbie Robertson are the main reasons to see this film though.

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

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

Moviedrome Mondays: Halloween (1978) and The Baby (1973)

by John Charet

This week’s Moviedrome Monday entry consists of two horror thrillers.


Halloween (1978)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to master horror director John Carpenter’s low-budget independent 1978 slasher classic Halloween. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 10, 1994 (read here). Though I disagree with Cox’s fairly contrarian take on Halloween (I love it more than he does), his thoughts on the film are eloquently presented as always. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite John Carpenter films (read here).

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

Here is another youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Halloween

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


The Baby (1973)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to director Ted Post’s 1973 low-budget independent cult horror film The Baby. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 10, 1994 (read here). Bizarre (delightfully, genuinely or otherwise) and disturbing in equal measures with a truly twisted ending, it is no wonder why viewers I know have summed up The Baby’s content (If not it’s form) as far out. Steve (a fellow reader of this site) has fittingly summed it up as the best John Waters film that John Waters never made (read here). Speaking as a fan of Waters early work, you can not get higher praise than that for a film like this. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Ted Post Films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to The Baby

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

Delay

by John Charet

Please forgive me dear readers, but my Moviedrome Monday entry for today has been postponed for tomorrow. A few hours after I completed what was going to be this week’s entry, fellow reader Steve kindly reminded me that that Moviedrome episode was a double-bill 🙂 Since I love to be as accurate as possible 🙂, I decided to delete that other blog entry and revise it for tomorrow, so it has both of the films on there like the original episode did 🙂 Once again, please forgive my unintended error and I shall post it for all of you to see by midnight Tuesday 🙂

P.S. thank you once again Steve for pointing this out to me 🙂 My revision should be be ready for reading by midnight Tuesday (US time) 🙂