Underappreciated noir with Kirk Douglas first performance.
A Woman's Secret (1949)
Gloria Grahame is in it--enough said.
The Naked Kiss (1964)
Personally, I prefer Shock Corridor (1963), but The Naked Kiss has one of the most amazing intros ever seen in any film. I'll leave the rest to Dewey and ChiO.
Bunny Lake is Missing (1965)
Nice Preminger film with deep undertones.
Spider Baby (1968)
How SB escaped from the Underground segment to terrorize classic film fans, I'll never know!
Posted: March 28th, 2008, 2:05 am
by Dewey1960
NAKED KISS is definitely the highlight of a stellar day. Fuller's shocking drama is loaded with everything we expect from this master maverick: highly charged visuals and boundary busting adult situations steeped in his patented dream-like interpretation of reality. Fuller tackled all kinds of grown-up themes in his films and NAKED KISS probably goes as far and as deep as any American film of its period in exposing the deep-seeded prejudices and hypocrisies of small town middle America. Fuller earns our respect by training his unflinching eye on those things that disturb us the most and by doing so, he not only entertains us, he fearlessly shames us into acknowledging our own shortcomings. The absolute apex of independent American filmmaking.
Just how Jack Hill's SPIDER BABY will play in the middle of the afternoon is anybody's guess! MARTHA IVERS plays well at any time of the day.
For anyone who cares, here's the trailer for Preminger's ultra strange BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING. Fans of the British Invasion group The
Zombies should enjoy hearing them play in the background...
[youtube][/youtube]
Posted: March 28th, 2008, 8:19 am
by ChiO
I saw THE CRIMSON KIMONO for the first time last week (thank you, Brandon), finally got around to buying SHOCK CORRIDOR on Monday, watched CHINA GATE for the first time yesterday and now THE NAKED KISS today. This is too good to be true.
I marginally prefer SHOCK CORRIDOR, but ranking Fuller films is a exercise in futility. THE NAKED KISS was the culmination of an incredible 10 year run for Fuller: THE HOUSE OF BAMBOO (1955), RUN OF THE ARROW (1957), CHINA GATE (1957), FORTY GUNS (1957), VERBOTEN! (1958), THE CRIMSON KIMONO (1959), UNDERWORLD U.S.A. (1961), MERRILL'S MARAUDERS (1962), SHOCK CORRIDOR (1963), THE NAKED KISS (1964) -- each a slap in the face to end complacency. As in SHOCK CORRIDOR, Stanley Cortez does the cinematography honors in THE NAKED KISS (I always find it amusing to think about him working on THEY SAVED HITLER'S BRAIN between the Fuller films).
SPIDER BABY on a Friday afternoon. Does Jack Hill know someone?
Yes, it's a great day. If only MINNIE AND MOSKOWITZ were also being shown so I could get my Cassavetes-Carey fix...now that would be a perfect day.
The inmates are running the asylum
Posted: March 28th, 2008, 4:04 pm
by benwhowell
It is quite a "freaky friday"
I'm thankful for the "Bunny Lake..." repeat. I missed last friday's showing...thought I had it taped on VHS, but couldn't find it.)
I have "The Naked Kiss" on DVD. I'd have to include it on my top 100 faves. I'm always blown away by how shocking, disturbing and brave it is. It is to movies what Punk is to music.
I have "Spider Baby" on VHS. My fave Jack Hill is "Switchblade Sisters-"which has Kitty Bruce in the cast-the daughter of Lenny and Honey Bruce.
Don't forget about "It Came From Beneath The Sea."
There's another octopus movie on tonight that I'm not (at all) familiar with..."Sh! The Octopus" from 1937?
Anybody got any info on this one?
Posted: March 28th, 2008, 4:28 pm
by Dewey1960
Ben asked: "Sh! The Octopus" from 1937? Anybody got any info on this one?
At just under an hour, this extremely goofy mystery-comedy is passable entertainment...especially if you're, well, you know...
Posted: March 28th, 2008, 4:40 pm
by Ollie
SH! THE OCTOPUS...
This brings the "You might be a redneck..." style of joke out in me.
When I read the TCM description about "daffy detectives" and "giant sea monster", well, I knew I was hooked. Lined. And sinkered.
"Giant monster" anything and "detectives" would probably force my attention - or at least my recording. But throw in "daffy" too?!!
I'm totally hopeless. Then, there's the viciously cruel Moira whose expert testimonies don't let me even dawdle an HOUR before I'm forced into queuing up OCTOBER MAN for a mass luncheon viewing, and everyone loved it. Lotsa "never heard of this" and "where has THIS movie been all our lives" was heard among the applause. Thanks, Moira, for giving us a better luncheon option!
Posted: March 28th, 2008, 8:13 pm
by Lzcutter
Don't forget Shh! The Octopus tonight at 10:00 pm PST. I have a pal in film preservation who rarely misses a chance to tout this film.