Alex Cox

Moviedrome Mondays: Wise Blood (1979) and Witchfinder General (1968)

by John Charet

This week presents yet another Moviedrome Monday double bill entry.

Wise Blood (1979)

Since I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing legendary director John Huston’s 1979 late career masterpiece Wise Blood, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was July 26, 1992 (read here). My number one favorite Huston film is (as a few others have proclaimed first) is simultaneously funny, insightful and original. Needless to say, it feels more like the work of a fresh-faced 22 year-old filmmaker as opposed to that of a then 72 year-old. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite John Huston films (read here).

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


Witchfinder General (1968)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to director Michael Reeves 1968 low-budget cult historical horror classic Witchfinder General. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 27, 1992 (read here). In contrast to Cox’s surprisingly lukewarm take, I found Witchfinder General to be deserving of all it’s praise. On the surface, Witchfinder General is a scenic period piece with a suitable music score by Paul Ferris. At it’s center, Witchfinder General subtly examines opportunism in the name of religion coinciding perfectly with Vincent Price’s fittingly understated performance as the opportunistic title character – the evil real-life Matthew Hopkins. Last, but not least, the film generated controversy in the UK during it’s initial 1968 theatrical run due to it’s then shocking graphic depiction of violence (read here).

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

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

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

Moviedrome Mondays: Alligator (1980) and Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)

by John Charet

This Moviedrome double bill entry consists of two low-budget independent films involving monsters – 1980’s Alligator and 1982’s Q: The Winged Serpent.

Alligator (1980)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to director Lewis Teague’s 1980 creature feature Alligator. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 19, 1992 (read here). While nowhere near as great as Q: The Winged Serpent (more on that later), Alligator is a surprisingly good, not to mention entertaining, B monster movie. Alligator’s genius lies not so much in it’s cliches as in the screenplay/story’s self-awareness of them – courtesy of John Sayles (yes that John Sayles) and Frank Ray Perilli.

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

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

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


Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to late great independent director/writer Larry Cohen’s 1982 monster movie Q: The Winged Serpent. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 19, 1992 (read here). Not unlike Lewis Teague’s Alligator (read above), Cohen also embraces the cliches that shape the genres (or sub-genres) that Q: The Winged Serpent belongs to. For 1976’s God Told Me To (also directed and written by Cohen), it was a blend of horror, the police procedural and science-fiction. In Q: The Winged Serpent, Cohen combines those first two aforementioned categories with that of the heist film. To complete the picture, Cohen (as always) sprinkles a considerable dose of social comment both at the surface and at the center. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Larry Cohen films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Q: The Winged Serpent

Here is another youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Q: The Winged Serpent

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

Also, here is a youtube video link to Larry Cohen’s Trailers from Hell commentary for it

An Alex Cox Intro Gem: Django Kill… If You Live, Shoot! (1967)

by John Charet

I would like to give a special shout-out to Steve (click here to view his youtube channel) – a loyal visitor of this site for finding an Alex Cox intro gem from 1997 that I will discuss shortly. The intro gem I am referring to is director Giulio Questi’s 1967 surreal horror spaghetti western masterpiece Django Kill… If You Live, Shoot!. Unlike the majority of Cox’s intros on here, this one was not for Moviedrome, but for another BBC2 series, albeit a limited one, entitled Forbidden Season. The series was dedicated to airing certain films implicitly or explicitly deemed controversial by the BBFC. Two years earlier in 1995, BBC2 aired a similar limited series under the title Forbidden Weekend and Cox would introduce a few films on there as well. In the youtube video link below, Cox throughly and eloquently examines everything from the film’s controversial history with the BBFC to why the film is such a unique spaghetti western. Not surprised considering that Cox wrote a richly detailed book on the sub-genre entitled 10,000 Ways to Die: A Director’s Take on the Spaghetti Western (read here). Once again, I would like to thank frequent site visitor Steve for finding this wonderful Alex Cox intro gem.

Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Forbidden Season intro to Django Kill… If You Live, Shoot!

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

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