At the end of this blog entry, I will post a youtube video link of Moviedrome Presenter Alex Cox introducing George Lucas 1971 cult science-fiction film THX 1138. You can read Cox’s transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was June 25, 1989 (read here). Although my favorite film directed by George Lucas is still American Graffiti, I do admire THX 1138 for all of the ideas that Lucas touches upon in his script – even If the results are not always entirely successful. At the very least, it does give us a glimpse of what Lucas would expand upon in his iconic 1977 science-fiction space opera Star Wars.
Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to THX 1138
Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer
I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing Robert Aldrich’s 1981 sports comedy-drama …All the Marbles (a.k.a. The California Dolls); so my readers will have to make due with his transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was June 11, 1989 (read here). Not unlike what Cox implies here, If one looked beyond the film’s silly premise – a manager and his female wrestling team (The California Dolls) on the road – you will find a road movie with a lot on it’s mind. While maybe not as memorable as some of the best ones of the period – Monte Hellman’s Two-Lane Blacktop or Wim Wenders Road Movie Trilogy – there is still plenty to admire here. Interesting bit of trivia: 1981’s …All the Marbles was the final film that Aldrich directed – he died two years later in 1983. If any of you readers are interested in reading my list of my favorite Aldrich films, read here.
Here is a youtube link to the film’s original theatrical trailer below
Since I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing Jack Arnold’s 1957 science-fiction horror classic The Incredible Shrinking Man, my readers will have to make due with the episode’s transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was June 4, 1989 (read here). Interestingly enough, as Cox implies in his introduction, the only films that actually properly addressed the theme of nuclear war in the 1950’s (for the most part), were (ironically enough) campy science-fiction horror entries of that aforementioned decade. If any of you readers are interested in reading my list of my favorite Jack Arnold films, read here.
Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer
Here is another youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer – with Orson Welles providing voiceover duties
UPDATED on 09/07/2020: Frequent visitor Steve (click here to see his youtube channel) just reminded me that a youtube video link for Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to The Thing from Another World exists and I just found it. I shall post it below on here.
Once again, I could not find a youtube video of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing the 1951 science-fiction horror classic The Thing from Another World directed by Christian Nyby and co-produced by the legendary Howard Hawks. The episode’s original airdate was May 28, 1989 (read here). Not much to say here except as with all classic 1950’s monster movies, it is one that is every bit as thrilling as it is subtly intelligent.
Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to The Thingfrom Another World. His intro begins at the 0:50 mark of the video
Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer
Since I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introducing former cinematographer-turned-director Rudolph Mate’s 1949 film noir D.O.A., readers will have to rely on the episode’s transcript by clicking here. The episode’s original airdate was May 21, 1989 (read here). I enjoyed hearing Cox talk about the background history regarding the characteristics of the film noir genre and yes, be on the lookout for that whistle sound every time an attractive woman enters the scene in the film 🙂 As much as I love D.O.A., I must admit that the previously mentioned running gag does get old fast during one’s viewing of the film.
In case you are interested in watching the entire film, here is a youtube link below:
As for the film’s original theatrical trailer, I strangely could not find one from it’s initial release, so you will just have to depend on your viewing of the film based on that link above.
I will post a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to former Monty Python animator/member Terry Gilliam’s first solo outing as a director in 1977 entitled Jabberwocky at the end of this blog entry. Terry Gilliam’s first film as a director was with Terry Jones two years earlier with 1975’s Monty Python and the Holy Grail. You can read his transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was May 14, 1989 (read here). I can’t really tell what Cox thinks of the film since his intro consists only of his recitation of legendary British children’s author Lewis Carroll’s (1832-1898) nonsensical poem of the same name that first appeared in his 1871 novel Through the Looking Glass (read here, here and here). As for myself, compared to Holy Grail, Jabberwocky is only half as funny as it should be. Nevertheless, as a whole, it is very creative for a fantasy comedy shot on a tiny budget and as with Holy Grail, Jabberwocky contains a fair share of gory sequences welcomely played for comedic effect. If any of you readers are interested in reading my list of my favorite Terry Gilliam films, read here.
Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to Jabberwocky
Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer
At the end of this blog entry, I will post a youtube video link to both Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to legendary cult filmmaker and producer Roger Corman’s 1963 science-fiction horror thriller X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes and another for the obligatory theatrical trailer. As usual, you can also read Cox’s transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was May 7, 1989 (read here). As with a lot of Corman’s work in the science-fiction genre, this one is entertaining and subtly intelligent as well. I also appreciate that Cox mentioned that surreal opening shot (read here). Interesting piece of trivia for my readers: X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes served as the first episode in season 2 of Moviedrome (read here). If any of you readers are interested in reading my list of my favorite Roger Corman films (in which he served as director), read here.
Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to X: The Man with the X-RayEyes
Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer
I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome host Alex Cox introducing Marlon Brando’s only film as director entitled One-Eyed Jacks (1961), so all of you readers will have to make due with his intro transcript (read here). This episode’s original airdate was September 4, 1988 and it was the last one for season 1 of Moviedrome (read here and here). No need for me to recap everything Cox says about this film, other than his implication that it is a great film. Equally interesting is the film’s production history (click on the link to the film’s title).
Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer
At the end of this blog entry, readers will find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing director Sergio Leone’s 1966 iconic spaghetti westernThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly. At the same time, they can also read the transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was August 28, 1988 (read here). Though he considers it to be one of his favorite spaghetti westerns (read here), I think he may have changed his mind later because in an interview promoting his book about the subgenre (10,000 Ways to Die), he gives off the vibe that it has not aged well (read here). As for myself, I love the film, even though I rank it lower than it’s two predecessors – A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More. If any of you readers are interested in reading my list of my favorite Sergio Leone films, read here.
Here is a youtube video link of Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to The Good, the Bad and theUgly.
Here is a a youtube video link to the film’s US trailer
Below I posted a youtube video link that I found of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing the late great director Nicolas Roeg’s (who sadly passed away last year) 1976 cult science-fiction drama The Man Who Fell to Earth to go along with the obligatory transcript (read here). The episode’s original airdate was August 21, 1988 (read here). Not much to say here except that I agree with everything that Cox says about Roeg’s films – like a fine wine, his films improve with age – is perhaps the highest compliment that he pays to them. Despite calling him not only the most interesting, but the best of the British director working at that time (read here), I think he always ranked the other late great British filmmaker Ken Russell much higher (read here). Nevertheless, Cox’s statements about the former were said in 88, whereas his words on the latter were written in 2011 when Russell died. If any of you readers are interested in reading my list of my favorite Nicolas Roeg films, read here.
Here is a youtube video link to Alex Cox’s Moviedrome intro to The Man Who Fell toEarth. P.S. I do not know If the audio or quality is a little-off, but I personally feel that this youtube video link is in fine quality.
This youtube video link may be the film’s U.S. trailer
This youtube video link may be either another U.S. trailer for the film or it’s UK trailer (not sure though)
This is a youtube video link to the Big Audio Dynamite song (E=MC2) that pays homage to some of Nicolas Roeg’s films – Cox briefly mentions it in his intro.
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