Author: John Charet

Moviedrome Mondays: Escape from New York (1981)

by John Charet

Since Halloween fell on a Saturday this year, my post on my favorite horror films ever made may get offset by my traditional Moviedrome Monday entry. To prevent that from happening, click on this first link here and that will take you to my blog entry regarding my favorite horror films of all-time.

Once again, I could not find a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introduction to legendary director John Carpenter’s 1981 cult futuristic action thriller Escape from New York, so readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was July 12, 1992 (read here). In regards to Escape from New York, I disagree completely with Cox’s opinion of the film. I truly believe that Carpenter made the most of it’s low-budget and location – two aspects that Cox seems to take issue with here. 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 the film’s first original theatrical trailer, which may be a teaser trailer, but I am not 100% sure

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s second trailer, which plays out more like a traditional original theatrical trailer

Here is a youtube video link to what may be either a longer version of the film’s second original theatrical trailer or the film’s third original theatrical trailer

John Charet’s Favorite Horror Films of All-Time

by John Charet

Hey there dear readers 🙂 Before I say anything else, let me say that I am aware that some television episodes of horror items are missing and I intend to periodically update this list to include them when I am not so busy. I put this list together fast that is why. Also, I have been enjoying myself this month by watching nothing but horror films 🙂 So I hope all of you enjoy this list that I composed by each decade in chronological order. Enjoy the list and last, but not least, I would love to wish all of my dear readers a Happy Halloween 🙂

1896-1920

1. The House of the Devil (1896) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(a.k.a. The Haunted Castle)
(a.k.a. The Devil’s Castle)
(Short Cinema)
2. A Nightmare (1896) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema)
3. The Bewitched Inn (1897) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema)
4. The Astronomer’s Dream (1898) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema)
5. The Four Troublesome Heads (1898) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema)
6. Bluebeard (1901) (Dir: Georges Melies)
(Short Cinema)
7. The House of Ghosts (1908) (Dir: Segundo de Chomon)
(Short Cinema)

1920’s

1. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) (Dir: Robert Wiene)
2. The Haunted Castle (1921) (Dir: F.W. Murnau)
3. The Phantom Carriage (1921) (Dir: Victor Sjostrom)
4. Haxan (1922) (Dir: Benjamin Christensen)
5. Nosferatu (1922) (Dir: F.W. Murnau)
6. Faust (1926) (Dir: F.W. Murnau)
7. The Unknown (1927) (Dir: Tod Browning)
8. Un Chien Andalou (1929) (Dir: Luis Bunuel)
(Short Cinema)

1930’s

1. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) (Dir: Rouben Mamoulian)
2. Frankenstein (1931) (Dir: James Whale)
3. Freaks (1932) (Dir: Tod Browning)
4. Island of Lost Souls (1932) (Dir: Eric C. Kenton)
5. The Old Dark House (1932) (Dir: James Whale)
6. Vampyr (1932) (Dir: Carl Theodor Dreyer)
7. The Invisible Man (1933) (Dir: James Whale)
8. King Kong (1933) (Dir: Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack)
9. The Black Cat (1934) (Dir: Edgar G. Ulmer)
10. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) (Dir: James Whale)

1940’s

1. Cat People (1942) (Dir: Jacques Tourneur)
2. The Ghost Ship (1943) (Dir: Mark Robson)
3. I Walked with a Zombie (1943) (Dir: Jacques Tourneur)
4. The Leopard Man (1943) (Dir: Jacques Tourneur)
5. The Seventh Victim (1943) (Dir: Mark Robson)
6. Bluebeard (1944) (Dir: Edgar G. Ulmer)
7. The Curse of the Cat People (1944) (Dir: Robert Wise)
8. The Uninvited (1944) (Dir: Lewis Allen)
9. The Body Snatcher (1945) (Dir: Robert Wise)
10. Dead of Night (1945) (Dir: Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer)
(Anthology Film)
11. Isle of the Dead (1945) (Dir: Mark Robson)
12. The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) (Dir: Albert Lewin)
13. Bedlam (1946) (Dir: Mark Robson)
14. The Spiral Staircase (1946) (Dir: Robert Siodmak)
15. Fireworks (1947) (Dir: Kenneth Anger)
(Short Cinema)
16. The Queen of Spades (1949) (Dir: Thoroid Dickinson)

1950’s

1. The Man from Planet X (1951) (Dir: Edgar G. Ulmer)
2. The Thing from Another World (1951) (Dir: Christian Nyby)
3. House of Wax (1953) (Dir: Andre De Toth)
4. Godzilla (1954) (Dir: Ishiro Honda)
5. Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954) (Dir: Kenneth Anger)
(Short Cinema)
6. Them! (1954) (Dir: Gordon Douglas)
7. Diabolique (1955) (Dir: Henri-Georges Clouzot)
8. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) (Dir: Don Siegel)
9. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) (Dir: Jack Arnold)
10. Night of the Demon (1957) (Dir: Jacques Tourneur)
11. Dracula (1958) (Dir: Terence Fisher)
(a.k.a. Horror of Dracula)
12. The Testament of Doctor Cordelier (1959) (Dir: Jean Renoir)
(Television)

1960’s

1. Black Sunday (1960) (Dir: Mario Bava)
2. Eyes Without a Face (1960) (Dir: Georges Franju)
3. The Housemaid (1960) (Dir: Kim Ki-young)
4. Jigoku (1960) (Dir: Nobuo Nakagawa)
5. Peeping Tom (1960) (Dir: Michael Powell)
6. Psycho (1960) (Dir: Alfred Hitchcock)
7. Village of the Damned (1960) (Dir: Wolf Rilla)
8. Hercules in the Haunted World (1961) (Dir: Mario Bava)
9. The Innocents (1961) (Dir: Jack Clayton)
10. Carnival of Souls (1962) (Dir: Herk Harvey)
11. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) (Dir: Robert Aldrich)
12. The Birds (1963) (Dir: Alfred Hitchcock)
13. Black Sabbath (1963) (Dir: Mario Bava)
(Anthology Film)
14. The Haunting (1963) (Dir: Robert Wise)
15. Matango (1963) (Dir: Ishiro Honda)
16. These Are the Damned (1963) (Dir: Joseph Losey)
(a.k.a. The Damned)
17. The Whip and the Body (1963) (Dir: Mario Bava)
18. Blood and Black Lace (1964) (Dir: Mario Bava)
19. Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) (Dir: Robert Aldrich)
20. Kwaidan (1964) (Dir: Masaki Kobayashi)
21. The Masque of the Red Death (1964) (Dir: Roger Corman)
22. Onibaba (1964) (Dir: Kaneto Shindo)
23. Planet of the Vampires (1965) (Dir: Mario Bava)
24. Repulsion (1965) (Dir: Roman Polanski)
25. Kill, Baby… Kill! (1966) (Dir: Mario Bava)
26. Punch and Judy (1966) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animation)
(Short Cinema)
27. The War of the Gargantuas (1966) (Dir: Ishiro Honda)
28. Django Kill… If You Live, Shoot! (1967) (Dir: Giulio Questi)
(Horror/Western)
29. Viy (1967) (Dir: Konstantin Yershov and Georgi Kropachyov)
30. The Flat (1968) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animation)
(Short Cinema)
31. Hour of the Wolf (1968) (Dir: Ingmar Bergman)
32. Kuroneko (1968) (Dir: Kaneto Shindo)
33. The Living Skeleton (1968) (Dir: Hiroshi Matsuno)
34. Night of the Living Dead (1968) (Dir: George A. Romero)
35. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) (Dir: Roman Polanski)
36. Shogun’s Joys of Torture (1968) (Dir: Teruo Ishii)
(Anthology Film)
37. Spider Baby (1968) (Dir: Jack Hill)
38. Spirits of the Dead (1968) (Dir: Federico Fellini)
(Segment: “Toby Dammit”)
(Anthology Film)
39. Witchfinder General (1968) (Dir: Michael Reeves)
40. Blind Beast (1969) (Dir: Yasuzo Masumura)
41. Horrors of Malformed Men (1969) (Dir: Teruo Ishii)
42. Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969) (Dir: Kenneth Anger)
(Short Cinema)

1970’s

1. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) (Dir: Dario Argento)
2. Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970) (Dir: Mario Bava)
3. The Ossuary (1970) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Documentary)
(Short Cinema)
4. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970) (Dir: Jaromil Jires)
5. A Bay of Blood (1971) (Dir: Mario Bava)
(a.k.a. Twitch of the Death Nerve)
6. The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971) (Dir: Piers Haggard)
7. Daughters of Darkness (1971) (Dir: Harry Kumel)
8. The Devils (1971) (Dir: Ken Russell)
(I watched it online)
9. What’s the Matter with Helen? (1971) (Dir: Curtis Harrington)
10. Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1971) (Dir: Curtis Harrington)
11. The Devil (1972) (Dir: Andrzej Zulawski)
12. Images (1972) (Dir: Robert Altman)
13. The Last House on the Left (1972) (Dir: Wes Craven)
14. Sisters (1972) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
15. The Baby (1973) (Dir: Ted Post)
16. Blood for Dracula (1973) (Dir: Paul Morrissey)
17. The Crazies (1973) (Dir: George A. Romero)
18. Don’t Look Now (1973) (Dir: Nicolas Roeg)
19. The Exorcist (1973) (Dir: William Friedkin)
20. Flesh for Frankenstein (1973) (Dir: Paul Morrissey)
21. Ganja & Hess (1973) (Dir: Bill Gunn)
22. Lisa and the Devil (1973) (Dir: Mario Bava)
23. Messiah of Evil (1973) (Dir: Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck)
24. Theatre of Blood (1973) (Dir: Douglas Hickox)
25. The Wicker Man (1973) (Dir: Robin Hardy)
26. Black Christmas (1974) (Dir: Bob Clark)
27. It’s Alive (1974) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
28. Phantom of the Paradise (1974) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
29. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (Dir: Tobe Hooper)
30. Young Frankenstein (1974) (Dir: Mel Brooks)
31. Deep Red (1975) (Dir: Dario Argento)
32. Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) (Dir: Pier Paolo Pasolini)
33. Shivers (1975) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
(a.k.a. They Came from Within)
34. Trilogy of Terror (1975) (Dir: Dan Curtis)
(Segment: “Amelia”)
(Anthology Film)
(Television)
35. Alice, Sweet Alice (1976) (Dir: Alfred Sole)
36. Carrie (1976) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
37. God Told Me To (1976) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
38. The Tenant (1976) (Dir: Roman Polanski)
39. Castle of Otranto (1977) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animation)
(Short Cinema)
40. Demon Seed (1977) (Dir: Donald Cammell)
41. Eraserhead (1977) (Dir: David Lynch)
42. Martin (1977) (Dir: George A. Romero)
43. Rabid (1977) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
44. Suspiria (1977) (Dir: Dario Argento)
45. Dawn of the Dead (1978) (Dir: George A. Romero)
46. Empire of Passion (1978) (Dir: Nagisa Oshima)
47. The Fury (1978) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
48. Halloween (1978) (Dir: John Carpenter)
49. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) (Dir: Philip Kaufman)
50. Someone’s Watching Me! (1978) (Dir: John Carpenter)
(Television)
51. Alien (1979) (Dir: Ridley Scott)
52. The Brood (1979) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
53. Legend of the Mountain (1979) (Dir: King Hu)
54. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) (Dir: Werner Herzog)
55. Phantasm (1979) (Dir: Don Coscarelli)
56. Salem’s Lot (1979) (Dir: Tobe Hooper)
(Miniseries)
(Television)

1980’s

1. Altered States (1980) (Dir: Ken Russell)
2. The Changeling (1980) (Dir: Peter Medak)
3. The Fall of the House of Usher (1980) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animation)
(Short Cinema)
4. The Fog (1980) (Dir: John Carpenter)
5. Inferno (1980) (Dir: Dario Argento)
6. The Ninth Configuration (1980) (Dir: William Peter Blatty)
7. The Shining (1980) (Dir: Stanley Kubrick)
8. Zigeunerweisen (1980) (Dir: Seijun Suzuki)
9. An American Werewolf in London (1981) (Dir: John Landis)
10. The Beyond (1981) (Dir: Lucio Fulci)
11. The Evil Dead (1981) (Dir: Sam Raimi)
12. Possession (1981) (Dir: Andrzej Zulawski)
13. Scanners (1981) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
14. Basket Case (1982) (Dir: Frank Henenlotter)
15. Creepshow (1982) (Dir: George A. Romero)
(Anthology Film)
16. The Entity (1982) (Dir: Sidney J. Furie)
17. Next of Kin (1982) (Dir: Tony Williams)
18. Poltergeist (1982) (Dir: Tobe Hooper)
19. Q (1982) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
20. Tenebrae (1982) (Dir: Dario Argento)
21. The Thing (1982) (Dir: John Carpenter)
22. Vincent (1982) (Dir: Tim Burton)
(Animation)
(Short Cinema)
23. The Dead Zone (1983) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
24. Down to the Cellar (1983) (Dir: Jan Svanmajer)
(Animation)
25. The Fourth Man (1983) (Dir: Paul Verhoeven)
(Short Cinema)
26. Michael Jackson: Thriller (1983) (Dir: John Landis)
(Music Video)
(Short Cinema)
27. The Pendulum, the Pit and Hope (1983) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animation)
(Short Cinema)
28. Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) (Dir: George Miller)
(Segment: “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”)
(Anthology Film)
29. Videodrome (1983) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
30. Frankenweenie (1984) (Dir: Tim Burton)
(Short Cinema)
31. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) (Dir: Wes Craven)
32. Day of the Dead (1985) (Dir: George A. Romero)
33. Phenomena (1985) (Dir: Dario Argento)
34. Re-Animator (1985) (Dir: Stuart Gordon)
35. The Return of the Living Dead (1985) (Dir: Dan O’Bannon)
36. The Stuff (1985) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
37. The Fly (1986) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
38. From Beyond (1986) (Dir: Stuart Gordon)
39. Gothic (1986) (Dir: Ken Russell)
40. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) (Dir: John McNaughton)
41. Manhunter (1986) (Dir: Michael Mann)
42. Angel Heart (1987) (Dir: Alan Parker)
43. Bad Taste (1987) (Dir: Peter Jackson)
44. A Chinese Ghost Story (1987) (Dir: Ching Siu-tung)
45. Epidemic (1987) (Dir: Lars Von Trier)
46. Evil Dead II (1987) (Dir: Sam Raimi)
47. Hellraiser (1987) (Dir: Clive Barker)
48. Near Dark (1987) (Dir: Kathryn Bigelow)
49. Opera (1987) (Dir: Dario Argento)
50. Prince of Darkness (1987) (Dir: John Carpenter)
51. The Stepfather (1987) (Dir: Joseph Ruben)
52. White of the Eye (1987) (Dir: Donald Cammell)
53. Dead Ringers (1988) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
54. Lair of the White Worm (1988) (Dir: Ken Russell)
55. Manly Games (1988) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animation)
(Short Cinema)
56. Monkey Shines (1988) (Dir: George A. Romero)
57. They Live (1988) (Dir: John Carpenter)
58. Flora (1989) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Animation)
(Short Cinema)
59. Society (1989) (Dir: Brian Yuzna)

1990’s

1. Jacob’s Ladder (1990) (Dir: Adrian Lyne)
2. The Reflecting Skin (1990) (Dir: Philip Ridley)
3. Twin Peaks – Season 1 (1990) (Dir: David Lynch and others)
4. Two Evil Eyes (1990) (Dir: Dario Argento and George A. Romero)
(Anthology Film)
5. Twin Peaks – Season 2 (1990-1991) (Dir: David Lynch and others)
6. Army of Darkness (1992) (Dir: Sam Raimi)
7. Candyman (1992) (Dir: Bernard Rose)
8. Dead Alive (1992) (Dir: Peter Jackson)
(a.k.a. Braindead)
9. Raising Cain (1992) (Dir: Brian De Palma)
10. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) (Dir: David Lynch)
11. Body Bags (1993) (Dir: John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper)
(Anthology Film)
(Cable/Television)
12. Cronos (1993) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
13. The Dark Half (1993) (Dir: George A. Romero)
14. In the Mouth of Madness (1994) (Dir: John Carpenter)
15. Cemetery Man (1994) (Dir: Michele Soavi)
16. The Kingdom (1994-1997) (Dir: Lars Von Trier)
(Miniseries)
(Television)
17. Cure (1997) (Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
18. Mimic (1997) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
19. Perfect Blue (1997) (Dir: Satoshi Kon)
(Anime)
20. Ringu (1998) (Dir: Hideo Nakata)
21. Vampires (1998) (Dir: John Carpenter)
22. Audition (1999) (Dir: Takashi Miike)
23. eXistenZ (1999) (Dir: David Cronenberg)
24. Ravenous (1999) (Dir: Antonia Bird)

2000’s

1. Bruiser (2000) (Dir: George A. Romero)
2. Ginger Snaps (2000) (Dir: John Fawcett)
3. Little Otik (2000) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(a.k.a. Greedy Guts)
(Live-Action/Animation)
4. The Devil’s Backbone (2001) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
5. Ichi the Killer (2001) (Dir: Takashi Miike)
6. Pulse (2001) (Dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
7. Trouble Every Day (2001) (Dir: Claire Denis)
8. Blade II (2002) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
9. Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) (Dir: Don Coscarelli)
10. Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary (2002) (Dir: Guy Maddin)
11. May (2002) (Dir: Lucky McKee)
12. Shaun of the Dead (2004) (Dir: Edgar Wright)
13. Three… Extremes (2004) (Dir: Fruit Chan, Park Chan-wook and Takashi Miike)
(Anthology Film)
14. The Descent (2005) (Dir: Neil Marshall)
15. Land of the Dead (2005) (Dir: George A. Romero)
16. Lunacy (2005) (Dir: Jan Svankmajer)
(Live-Action/Animation)
17. Masters of Horror (2005) (Dir: John Carpenter)
(Episode: “Cigarette Burns”)
(Cable/Television)
18. Masters of Horror (2005) (Dir: Joe Dante)
(Episode: “Homecoming”)
(Cable/Television)
19. Masters of Horror (2005) (Dir: Don Coscarelli)
(Episode: “Incident On and Off a Mountain Road”)
(Cable/Television)
20. Bug (2006) (Dir: William Friedkin)
21. The Host (2006) (Dir: Bong Joon-ho)
22. Masters of Horror (2006) (Dir: Takashi Miike)
(Episode: “Imprint”)
(Cable/Television)
23. Masters of Horror (2006) (Dir: Larry Cohen)
(Episode: “Pick Me Up”)
(Cable/Television)
24. Masters of Horror (2006) (Dir: Lucky McKee)
(Episode: “Sick Girl”)
(Cable/Television)
25. The Woods (2006) (Dir: Lucky McKee)
26. American Zombie (2007) (Dir: Grace Lee)
(Mockumentary)
27. Diary of the Dead (2007) (Dir: George A. Romero)
28. Inside (2007) (Dir: Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo)
29. Rec (2007) (Dir: Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza)
30. Trick ‘r Treat (2007) (Dir: Michael Dougherty)
(Anthology Film)
31. Let the Right One In (2008) (Dir: Tomas Alfredson)
32. Antichrist (2009) (Dir: Lars Von Trier)
33. Coraline (2009) (Dir: Henry Selick)
(Animation)
34. Drag Me to Hell (2009) (Dir: Sam Raimi)
35. Heartless (2009) (Dir: Philip Ridley)
36. Jennifer’s Body (2009) (Dir: Karyn Kusama)
37. The Loved Ones (2009) (Dir: Sean Byrne)
38. Splice (2009) (Dir: Vincenzo Natali)
39. Survival of the Dead (2009) (Dir: George A. Romero)

2010’s

1. Let Me In (2010) (Dir: Matt Reeves)
2. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010) (Dir: Eli Craig)
3. The Cabin in the Woods (2011) (Dir: Drew Goddard)
4. The Woman (2011) (Dir: Lucky McKee)
4. The Babadook (2014) (Dir: Jennifer Kent)
5. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) (Dir: Ana Lily Amirpour)
6. It Follows (2014) (Dir: David Robert Mitchell)
7. What We Do in the Shadows (2014) (Dir: Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi)
(Mockumentary)
8. Ash vs. Evil Dead (2015) (Dir: Sam Raimi)
(Episode: “El Jefe”)
(Cable/Television)
9. Crimson Peak (2015) (Dir: Guillermo del Toro)
10. The Devil’s Candy (2015) (Dir: Sean Byrne)
11. The Invitation (2015) (Dir: Karyn Kusama)
12. Southbound (2015) (Dir: Chad, Matt & Rob, Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner and Patrick Horvath)
(Anthology Film)
13. We Are Still Here (2015) (Dir: Ted Goghegan)
14. The Witch (2015) (Dir: Robert Eggers)
15. The Love Witch (2016) (Dir: Anna Biller)
16. Raw (2016) (Dir: Julia Ducournau)
17. Under the Shadow (2016) (Dir: Babak Anvari)
18. Gerald’s Game (2017) (Dir: Mike Flanagan)
19. Get Out (2017) (Dir: Jordan Peele)
20. Little Evil (2017) (Dir: Eli Craig)
21. Mother! (2017) (Dir: Darren Aronofsky)
22. Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) (Dir: David Lynch)
(Cable/Television)
23. XX (2017) (Dir: Jovanka Vuckovic, Annie Clark, Roxanne Benjamin and Karyn Kusama)
(Anthology Film)
24. Annihilation (2018) (Dir: Alex Garland)
25. The Haunting of Hill House (2018-Present) (Dir: Mike Flanagan) (Anthology Series)
(Netflix Streaming Series)
26. Hereditary (2018) (Dir: Ari Aster)
27. Mandy (2018) (Dir: Panos Cosmatos)
28. A Quiet Place (2018) (Dir: John Krasinski)
29. The Dead Don’t Die (2019) (Dir: Jim Jarmusch)
30. Midsommar (2019) (Dir: Ari Aster)
31. The Lighthouse (2019) (Dir: Robert Eggers)
32. Ready or Not (2019) (Dir: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett)
33. Us (2019) (Dir: Jordan Peele)

Moviedrome Mondays: The Spider’s Stratagem (1970)

by John Charet

Since I could not find a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to legendary Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1970 political drama The Spider’s Stratagem, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was July 6, 1992 (read here). I nod in agreement with Cox regarding all of the praise that he lavishes on this film and as a Bertolucci film, it serves as something of a major dress rehearsal for his equally masterful follow-up entitled The Conformist – also released in 1970. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Bernardo Bertolucci films (read here).

Since I can’t find a link to the film’s original theatrical trailer, readers will have to find clips of it either on youtube or some other site.

Moviedrome Mondays: Diabolique (1955)

by John Charet

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to French filmmaker Henri-Georges Clouzot’s classic 1955 psychological horror thriller Diabolique. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was June 29, 1992 (read here). Not much to add here except to say that I agree completely with all of the praise Cox showers on this true masterpiece of horror. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Henri-Georges Clouzot films (read here).

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


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

Moviedrome Mondays: The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

by John Charet

Once again, I could not find a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to director Wes Craven’s 1988 horror entry The Serpent and the Rainbow, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was June 14, 1992 (read here). While far from Craven’s best work, The Serpent and the Rainbow is nevertheless interesting considering that it may be loosely based on a true story (read here, here, here and here).

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

Moviedrome Mondays: Junior Bonner (1972)

by John Charet

Since I could not find a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to legendary macho director Sam Peckinpah’s underrated 1972 Neo-western rodeo drama Junior Bonner, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was June 7, 1992 (read here). Not much to add here, except that I agree with all of Cox’s sentiments on this overlooked gem. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Sam Peckinpah films (read here).

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

Moviedrome Mondays: Dead Ringers (1988) and Rabid (1977)

by John Charet

As with last week, this Moviedrome Monday entry consists of a double bill offering of two great films for the price of one. Only this time, the two featured films here are directed by the same person, who in this case, would be the legendary David Cronenberg. In addition, Dead Ringers and Rabid (this week’s titles) can also be labeled as just two of many classic examples of cinematic body horror, a sub-genre that Cronenberg popularized, If not invented (read here). If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite David Cronenberg films (read here).

Dead Ringers (1988)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to master Canadian auteur David Cronenberg’s 1988 psychological body horror/drama/thriller Dead Ringers. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was May 31, 1992 (read here). Though I disagree with Cox regarding the acting in Cronenberg’s then previous films (deliriously wooden), on a whole, I absolutely agree with him about everything that is positive about both the aforementioned filmmaker and Dead Ringers itself. Last, but not least, Jeremy Irons dual performance as twin gynecologists Beverly and Elliot Mantle (loosely based on the real life Stewart and Cyril Marcus) is a tour de force.

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


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

Here is a youtube video link to British film critic Mark Kermode’s commentary on Dead Ringers as his BFI Player choice of the week

Here is a youtube video link to British film critic Mark Kermode implicitly arguing that Dead Ringers is director David Cronenberg’s crowning achievement

Rabid (1977)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to master Canadian auteur David Cronenberg’s 1977 body horror gem Rabid. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was June 1, 1992 (read here). While I do disagree with Cox regarding his thoughts on directors Dario Argento and Brian De Palma, I nod in agreement with all of the praise he lavishes on both Cronenberg and Rabid. Though I may not echo Cox’s sentiment of Rabid as Cronenberg’s best (he has surpassed himself numerous times since), it is undeniably every bit as masterful as his other films (body horror or otherwise).

Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Rabid. Cox’s introduction begins at the 4:05 mark on the video


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

Moviedrome Mondays: Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) and F for Fake (1973)

by John Charet

Series 5 of Moviedrome opens spectacularly with not one, but two great films in my opinion. It also happens to be (as you guessed) another double bill entry 🙂

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to Australian filmmaker George Miller’s widely acclaimed 1981 post-apocalyptic action masterpiece Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was May 24, 1992 (read here). For me, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior ranks alongside 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road (also directed by Miller) as my two favorites of the Mad Max franchise, which consists of four films altogether. Along with Fury Road, I also rank The Road Warrior as one of the two many greatest action films ever made (sequel or not). If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite George Miller films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

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


F for Fake (1973)

Since I could not find a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to legendary American filmmaker Orson Welles bold 1973 avant-garde masterwork F for Fake, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was May 24, 1992 (read here). On the surface, what makes F for Fake so innovative lies in how Welles cleverly blends form (the film essay format) with content (the theme of fakery). At the center, it comes from Welles playful delivery of this already inspired combination. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Orson Welles films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to what may be a 9-minute trailer for the film, though it reportedly contains no scenes from the film (read here).


Here is a youtube video link to another trailer, but I am not sure If it was one for the U.S. or another country


This youtube video link is for another trailer to it


Here is a youtube video link to a Ventura Club Society trailer.


Here is a youtube video link to documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville’s commentary for it from The Criterion Collection


Here is a youtube video link to film director/critic/historian Peter Bogdanovich’s commentary for it from The Criterion Collection

Here is a youtube video link to Bogdanovich’s longer version of that commentary

BTW, the then unfinished film Bogdanovich talks about in the link (The Other Side of the Wind) got completed and was released on the streaming service Netflix back in 2018. Here is a youtube video link to the trailer below

Last, but not least, If any of you readers are interested in learning more about the term film essay (or essay film), here is a link to a 2013 BFI (British Film Institute) article on it

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/features/deep-focus/essay-film

Moviedrome Mondays: Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)

by John Charet

Once again, I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing director/co-writer Paul Schrader’s 1985 experimental bio-pic Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was September 8, 1991 (read here). I agree with everything that Cox has said here. Though a certain number of other viewers may have implied this before, for myself, as a bio-pic, the film’s biggest flaw lies in it’s sanitization of the more controversial aspects that shaped Japanese writer Yukio Mishima’s life (personal or otherwise). Nevertheless, it is a good film with a unique music score by famed minimalist composer Philip Glass, an interesting approach to narrative regarding it’s subject and it’s visually dazzling use of color – just look at that amazing colour palette on display throughout.

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

Moviedrome Mondays: Solaris (1972)

by John Charet

Since I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introducing master Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1972 science-fiction classic Solaris, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was September 1, 1991 (read here). Once again, not much to add here except that it ranks as one of (If not) the greatest of Tarkovsky’s great films. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Andrei Tarkovsky films (read here).

BTW, a shout-out to frequent visitor Steve (his youtube channel is here) that I just approved his comment under my blog entry regarding my favorite Billy Wilder films. I had just discovered the comment there today. The comment did not show up under my notification feed and I thought everything was fine. Little did I know, the notification for this showed up under my e-mail, but not on here – what’s up with that? Nevertheless, I feel bad that I replied to Steve’s comment so late and I just want to let him know that I will do better in the future to make sure his comments get approved on here right away and not days later. In the future, I will also make sure that I check my e-mail every single day so a mistake like this does not happen again. Once again Steve, I apologize If you got worried on whether your comment was ever going to get approved 🙂 In closing, I just want to let Steve know that I just left a complimentary reply to his complimentary comment 🙂

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


For those that prefer a subtitled trailer, here is a youtube video link to a special showing at the Austin Film Society back in 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBYJH6UAAfw