RECENT VIEWINGS Spring 2026

 

I must have been experiencing an unusual burst of energy because I actually ventured out into the world and saw two movies in the theater in the same week. Could this be a trend? Probably not. After sitting through all of the previews of coming attractions which took around thirty minutes before the actual films, I remain largely uninspired by the state of contemporary cinema. One film that I am looking forward to, however, is BACKROOMS, an A24 production that looks absolutely fascinating. I'm mildly interested in seeing PROJECT HAIL MARY, all 156 minutes of it. We'll see how that works out. In the meantime, here are some comments about the two films I saw on the big screen.

UNDERTONE (2025)  This is a Canadian film, the directorial debut of Ian Tuason. It's a psychological horror film that involves paranormal activity, paranoia and large helpings of Catholic angst. A young woman, Evy (Nina Kiri), lives in a two-story house with her mother, who is comatose and near death. Evy gives her full time care. Evy also operates an online podcast called The Undertone with her friend Justin (Adam DiMarco). They discuss alleged paranormal activity, with Justin taking the position that the activities are real, while Evy acts as skeptic. When they begin listening to audio files sent to Justin by one of their listeners, files which appear to indicate demonic possession, Evy begins to experience strange things happening in the house. Objects are being moved, water is mysteriously left running, lights are on when they shouldn't be, and her mother is sometimes where she shouldn't be. The happenings in the audio files seem to be connected to events and memories from Evy's past, and her paranoia and fear steadily increase. The film is very well made and well-acted by Nina Kiri. She is in every scene of the picture and is the only character actually seen, apart from her mother who has no dialogue. Justin only appears as a voice on the computer, the same as the audio files. The believability of the story depends on Kiri, and she underplays perfectly. There isn't very much action in the movie, but an atmosphere of darkness and tension grows with each scene. UNDERTONE belongs to a class of films I like to call Lapsed Catholic Fever Dreams, where filmmakers appear to be dealing with their experiences and guilt brought on by their Catholic upbringing and the abandonment of same. In this story, the mother is a devout Catholic and the daughter has fallen away, so the film is filled with typical religious imagery: crucifixes, icons. and a statue of the Blessed Virgin which keeps moving around, all of which are repeatedly shown in close-up as the atmosphere in the house gets weirder. This has all been done before and is no longer terribly interesting or surprising. Still, the film is worth seeing. And there is no violence, always a plus in my book.

THE DRAMA (2026) Directed by Kristoffer Borgli, this film stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as Emma and Charlie, a young couple about to be married. While having drinks with another couple, a challenge comes up where each person must reveal the worst thing they ever did. Emma is the last to confess, and her confession is so awful that Charlie and the two friends are stunned and begin to wonder if they ever knew this woman at all. (The confession is too crucial to the story, so I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen the movie. Let's just say that violence is involved.) As the wedding is only a week away, Charlie goes into panic mode, wondering if he can actually go through with it. The "drama" of the title builds steadily as other associates of the now tenuously linked couple are drawn into their situation. Everything comes to a head at their wedding, which definitely reaches black comedic status. The irony of the film is that Charlie's obsession with Emma suddenly exhibiting psychotic behavior causes him to behave like a psychotic. Not a bad film. It held my attention right up to the inconclusive ending.

The following three films were viewed at home in the movie room.

THE SURFER (2024) I picked this up as sort of blind buy, having read some intriguing things about it in a couple of reviews. Nicholas Cage excels in the title roll, a man with no identity other than The Surfer. Other characters are similarly known only as The Kid, The Cop, The Bum, etc. A few have actual names. The Surfer has returned to a remote beach in Australia where he spent his youth before relocation to America. His dream is to buy the house once owned by his father and bring his wife and son to live there. He also dreams of taking his son surfing on the beach. However, he encounters opposition and threats from a group of male surfers, led by a charismatic toxic male named Scally (Julian McMahon), who tell him he isn't allowed to surf on their beach. As The Surfer fights desperately to close the deal on the house and overcome the threats and rejection coming from Scally and his cult-like gang, his life and mental state begin to unravel. The film turns into a journey into isolation, paranoia and alienation as The Surfer becomes completely disconnected from the life he once lived. Director Lorcan Finnegan has created a masterful, unforgettable psychological thriller filled with twists and turns I didn't see coming. This might be Nicholas Cage's best work. He is perfectly matched by Julian McMahon, an actor who was completely new to me. Unfortunately, this very talented man died at the age of 56 in 2025, not long after this film was released. I would like to search out more of his work.

KNOX GOES AWAY (2023) Another semi-blind buy on Blu-ray, this very complicated crime story was directed by Michael Keaton, who also stars as the titular character, and was written by Gregory Poirier. John Knox is a contract killer who is alienated from his wife and family. He finds out that he is suffering from a fast-developing form of dementia which is affecting his work and interactions with people. While making plans to get his life in some kind of order, his estranged son, Miles (James Marsden) comes to him for help. Miles has killed a man who raped and impregnated his teenage daughter. John agrees to help him cover up the murder, turning to his friend, Xavier Crane (Al Pacino), a former thief, for help in constructing and carrying out a very detailed plan to make sure Miles isn't found guilty of the murder. I wasn't sure what to expect from this movie, but it turned out to be a fascinating combination of intricate crime thriller and human drama. Keaton does an amazing job as both actor and director. Excellent support from Marsden and Pacino. Also featured are Marcia Gay Harden as Knox's wife, Suzy Nakamura and John Hoogenakker as the police detectives who are hot on Knox's trail, but not quite able to catch up, and Ray McKinnon and Joanna Kulig as Knox's partner and girlfriend, respectively. Definitely worth checking out. This is a film I'll have to rewatch so I can catch all of the details.

THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS (1954) This glossy, colorful MGM production is loosely based on the short story Babylon Revisited, written in 1930 by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I haven't read the story, so I have no idea how loose the adaptation is. While the film is graced by MGM star power, headed by Elizabeth Taylor and Van Johnson, I found it to be somewhat of a misfire. Johnson is badly miscast as Charles Wills, an American journalist working in Paris after the end of World War II. He gets involved with an American family headed by James Ellswirth (Walter Pidgeon) who lives with his adult daughters Helen (Taylor) and Marion (Donna Reed). Charles marries Helen, they have a daughter (Sandy Descher) and live the high life of Paris while Charles attempts to become a writer of novels, experiencing a succession of rejections. Eventually, wealth comes to the family through oil wells James owned in America which he gave to Charles as a dowry. The infusion of money doesn't bring happiness or fulfillment to Charles and Helen, as their hedonistic lifestyles combined with Charles' continued failure as a writer lead to dissipation and estrangement. The story has possibilities but quickly becomes overwrought with emotional melodrama that becomes difficult to believe, especially when Van Johnson is involved. The biggest flaw in the film was casting Johnson as a romantic leading man opposite the impossibly beautiful Miss Taylor. You could easily say that her image in close-up is the most important aspect of the film, perhaps the main reason the film was made to begin with. When she is onscreen, the film works, in spite of the convoluted story or any other flawed factor. The other rewarding aspect of the film is the lovely title song, composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for the 1941 MGM film LADY BE GOOD, and winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Song. In this 1954 film, the song is heard incessantly, with full orchestra, on the piano and in vocal performances. It's one of those songs that is impossible to hear too many times, including in this 117-minute laborious movie. Also featured are the very decorative Eva Gabor, George Dolenz, Kurt Kasznar, and a very young, handsome Roger Moore in his American film debut, managing to stand out as a gigolo in hot pursuit of Helen. Directed by Richard Brooks. The film made money, so what the hell do I know?
 

GROOVE (2000)

 

This enjoyable independent film is all about a group of enterprising young music fans getting together to take over an abandoned warehouse in San Francisco to put on a "rave". Now, I don't pretend to know very much about rave culture. In fact, when I was preparing this review, I looked up the term on Wikipedia. To my surprise, the rave has a long, convoluted history going back a few decades. The basic idea is a pop-up, sometimes-illegal dance party oftentimes set up in an abandoned industrial space that features well-known disc jockeys and lots of drugs. I spent a lot of time in dance clubs back in the days of my lost youth, but I never heard the word rave until I started buying CDs featuring techno, trance and house music in the late 1990s. I still enjoy a lot of the music, but if I had the opportunity to attend a rave, I would politely decline. Men of a certain age with arthritic knees have no business hobbling around raves or dance clubs. This film played at a local theater, aptly named The Art Theater, which specialized in independent, foreign films and retrospectives of classics. GROOVE caught my eye because of its subject matter. I loved the film at first watch and then happily came to own the DVD and the CD soundtrack. This is one of those favorites that I revisit quite often.

The film begins with four young people opening the door to an abandoned warehouse, looking around, and deciding the space is indeed rave-worthy. When one member of the group points out that there is a police station not far away, the main organizer responds with: "Remember: No obstacles. Only challenges." And they get to work. Meanwhile, news about the impending dance party begins to spread to local ravers (Ravesters? Ravees??) via email. The rave faithful begin organizing travel plans, ride sharing, etc., many by leaving their phone numbers on online chat boards. GROOVE was made in that prehistoric era before the ubiquitous cell phone.

Leyla (Lola Glaudini) seeks a ride to the rave.

In spite of its techno-driven, hipster ambience, this movie is primarily an updated version of that venerable Hollywood genre known as Hey!! Let's Put On A Show!! We can go as far back as FORTY-SECOND STREET (1933), BABES IN ARMS (1939) or THE BAND WAGON (1953), and the concept is the same. A group of creative, energetic people work together to produce some sort of musical entertainment. The difference is that in GROOVE, the music is on records and the stars are Disc Jockeys such as Digweed, Snaz, Polywog, Forest Greene and WishFM. And the dancing is performed freestyle by the frenzied ravesters, not choreographed by Busby Berkley or Gene Kelly. Otherwise, the storyline progresses just like in the old movies. We see the backstage drama of the organizers working to get the show going and dealing with any conflicts and emergencies that come up, including bargaining with a policeman who threatens to shut them down if the music gets too loud or there are too many people crowding into the abandoned industrial building. We also witness the human drama taking place among some of the attendees.

Hamish Linklater and Lola Glaudini caught up in the throes of Ecstasy.

Mackenzie Firgens and Denny Kirkwood in love. At least, for now.

Our two principal protagonists are brothers David and Colin Turner (Hamish Linklater and Denny Kirkwood). David is an introverted writer who has a hard time relaxing and having fun. His brother, a dedicated raver, wants David to go to the party to learn how to loosen up. He also wants David to be there when he presents an engagement ring to his girlfriend and fellow raver, Harmony Stitts (Mackenzie Firgens). After the three arrive at the party and get fortified with the drug Ecstasy, David meets a beautiful woman, Leyla Heydel (Lola Glaudini). Leyla has been raving for several years, including dancing and drugging her way through Europe. Now, in her late 20s, and having relocated to San Francisco from New York, she is beginning to question the long-term sustainability of the rave lifestyle and would like to find a different direction in life. As the Ecstasy flows through their veins and the incessant beat of the techno/hardcore techno/house/acid house/trance/ambient/new beat/drum and bass/dub step melodies pulsate through the crumbling commercial building, David and Leyla experience a mutual attraction and begin bonding. Colin and Harmony, however, soon find their engagement in jeopardy when she discovers her husband-to-be in a compromising position with another man, the sexually adventurous Anthony (Vincent Riverside). Tears, self-doubt and agonizing angst ensue. Has Colin discovered his true nature, or is he just temporarily confused via Ecstasy? Can Harmony salvage her troubled relationship or is she doomed to become an old maid, doomed to solitary raving? And what about Leyla and David? Will their nascent bonding fizzle out when the party is over? Will all four of them suffer hearing loss because of the insanely loud music?

Apart from all of this romantic melodrama, we meet several other party hounds, including a young guy who almost has an overdose. This brings a serious, truthful moment into a film where people are swallowing drugs like candy. Greg Harrison, the director, apparently was trying to send a serious message with the film. This statement from him is included on the brochure in the DVD package:

My intention with this film was to evoke the community found in the subculture of raves. I was also interested in exploring the ambiguous morality surrounding relationships and drug use, as well as the universal desire of people to belong and feel connected, however successful or unsuccessful each person's attempt is. GROOVE is a film that captures the details of an underground scene, immersing the audience in a place many have not experienced. The result is an authentic document of a time in youth culture history.

The ravers get direction.

The film had a $200,000 budget and made good use of San Francisco area locations. It was shown at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival and was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics for $1.5 million. Most of the spirited cast doesn't seem to be that well known outside of Hamish Linklater, who has a substantial list of credits in theater, film and television. There are also quite a few acting credits for Lola Glaudini, Mackenzie Firgens, and supporting players Ari Gold and Rachel True.

Whether you perceive this as an "authentic document of a time in youth culture history" or simply a cool popcorn flick with lots of music, I can promise you a good time in your movie room.

DESTINY (1944)

 

Movies have always been a big part of my life, whether going to theaters or curling up on the couch and watching them on television. But what actually turned me into a film fanatic was reading. It all started with Leonard Maltin's first TV Movies book, which was published in 1969, I believe. I read that book from cover to cover, A to Z. It opened my eyes to just how many films there were to see, and to the reality that I would need several lifetimes if I wanted to see them all, so I'd better get busy. During the 1970s, the decade when I was in my 20s, I saw as many movies as my crazy work/college class schedule would permit. As the decade was coming to a close, I began reading film books that suddenly were filling the shelves in bookstores. One of my early favorites was The Golden Age of B Movies by Doug McClelland, published in 1978. There were many films I had seen and a few others I'd heard of, but many titles were unfamiliar. One such title was DESTINY, a film made at Universal in 1944, starring an actress named Gloria Jean, whose name was only familiar because I'd seen it in Maltin's book.

Gloria Jean Schoonover was an operatic prodigy who began singing on the radio at age three. When she was twelve, she signed with Universal Pictures after auditioning for producer Joe Pasternak. Mr. Pasternak was responsible for making a major star out of another child opera singer, Deanna Durbin. Now that Miss Durbin was growing up, the studio was looking for another similar actress to, hopefully, repeat the success they'd had with Durbin. Gloria made her film debut in THE UNDER-PUP (1939), when she was thirteen. She followed this success with IF I HAD MY WAY (1940), co-starring Bing Crosby, A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN (1940), and possibly her most well-known film NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK (1941), opposite the legendary W.C. Fields. She then showed off her singing talent in musicals such as GET HEP TO LOVE and WHAT'S COOKIN'?, both released in 1942. 

Gloria Jean during her years at Universal Pictures

In 1942, when she was sixteen, Gloria Jean was cast in the prestigious FLESH AND FANTASY, an anthology film directed by Julien Duvivier. The other stars were Edward G. Robinson, Barbara Stanwyck, Charles Boyer, Robert Cummings and Betty Field. Each story dealt with supernatural themes. The Gloria Jean segment, also featuring Alan Curtis, Frank Craven and Dorothy Vaughan, was the opening part of the film. Although this segment received positive responses during previews, Universal decided to cut it from the film, making FLESH AND FANTASY, released in 1943, a trilogy. Different reasons have been given for why the segment was cut, the film's overall length being the most likely explanation. Two years later, Universal decided to use the segment, with additional footage, as the feature film DESTINY, running a total of sixty-five minutes.

The cover art for Vinegar Syndrome's excellent release of FLESH AND FANTASY

The article about DESTINY made me very curious to see it. However, the film remained elusive. It never played on TV in my area, and it never seemed to be available as the home video era came into existence in the 1980s. But I recently was able to purchase a copy from an online seller. It turned out to be very watchable with decent sound quality, although not remastered in any way. It was most likely recorded from television or copied from a VHS tape. Still, the film appeared to be complete and proved to be a fascinating watch. The original footage, running about thirty minutes, is surrounded by scenes directed by Reginald Le Borg and using a different cinematographer. In the original segment, Cliff Banks (Alan Curtis), an escaped killer, takes refuge at a secluded farm where Clem Broderick (Frank Craven) lives with his blind daughter, Jane (Gloria Jean). Jane lives an almost enchanted life, totally attuned to nature, with animals and plants responding to her, and watching over her, as if she were an angelic creature. The evil Cliff has plans to take over the farm for himself and take advantage of Jane. When she flees from him and runs into the forest, he pursues her, only to be overtaken by the angry forces of nature and ending up drowning. This good vs. evil, light vs. darkness story plays out like a dark fairytale, with Jane even dressed to resemble Snow White. The B & W art direction and special effects are quite impressive, making me wish the film had the remastered treatment so as to better appreciate the imagery. By the way, one brief shot of the drowned body of Cliff at the beginning of FLESH AND FANTASY is all that's included from this excised episode.

The scenes added by Le Borg are more fast-paced and resemble a standard B crime thriller with a Noirish overtone. In these scenes, Cliff is a good guy who gets involved with the wrong crowd (femme fatale Vivian Austin and her criminal boyfriend Frank Fenton), ends up in prison, gets released, only to get caught up in crime once again and having to flee the police. All of these plot points are related in flashback sequences told to nice girl Grace McDonald who makes the mistake of giving Cliff a ride when he's running from the cops. When Cliff is double-crossed by another conniving female (Minna Gombell), he finds himself at the Broderick farm. Cliff's bad behavior with Jane and his ultimate demise are explained away as a bad dream. And then all the loose ends are quickly and neatly tied up, including Cliff being wanted by the police, and we are rewarded with a happy, sentimental ending. This all happens in sixty-five minutes. The big problem with DESTINY isn't that it plays like two different films awkwardly spliced together, but rather it seems like three different films. The first part setting up the complicated life of Cliff and his series of bad decisions moves at breakneck speed, as do many Noir programmers, but it nevertheless makes sense as a story, flashbacks and all. The emergence of Cliff into Jane's enchanted world is definitely a little hard to swallow, considering what has preceded it. But the Duvivier footage has its own foundation and integrity. What becomes quickly problematic is the obvious change in Cliff's demeanor. Up to now, he's been a hapless victim, a not terribly smart guy who lost his way, becoming somewhat cynical and mistrusting after his release from prison. In Jane's world, he turns into a shifty-eyed opportunist looking for a quick buck and some womanizing activity on the side. The "bad dream" explanation doesn't address this obvious dichotomy.

The third part of DESTINY is what ruins it. With Gloria Jean and Frank Craven brought back after nearly two years to shoot more footage, Cliff, having awakened from his horrifying dream in a cold sweat, has once again regained his nice guy persona. Gloria/Jane has obviously matured and is given the most stilted dialogue imaginable while the different parts of Cliff's confused life are quickly cobbled together and solved to, presumably, the viewing audience's satisfaction. Credibility is another matter. I'm not sure if DESTINY was intended as an A picture release, but it's obvious from the poster art that Universal was unsure of how to market the film. Some of the posters exploit a sexy image of actress Vivian Austin, the femme fatale in the expanded footage, even though Gloria Jean was the top-billed star.

The release of DESTINY didn't do much to promote Gloria Jean's career, and she was featured in B pictures from then on. Her final Universal film, RIVER GANG (1945) was released after she had already decided not to renew her contract. She made several films at different studios over the years and also worked on television, but by the early 1960s, her acting career was over. She became a receptionist for a cosmetics firm and died in 2018 at the age of 92.

Gloria Jean in 1947

Handsome Alan Curtis, with his dark, brooding gaze, had made a good showing of himself in HIGH SIERRA (1941) and in the excellent cult film PHANTOM LADY (1944). He worked in films until 1951, mostly supporting roles in minor films. He died in 1953 at the age of forty-three following kidney surgery.

Alan Curtis

I hope someday DESTINY is eventually given a proper release on Blu-ray. While Universal has generously provided fans with good quality releases of most of its horror film catalogue, B pictures included, it has a vault filled with other B pictures, including musicals, that it has chosen to ignore. Maybe this situation will change. DESTINY is an important film that deserves to be seen and given serious consideration.

Destiny • 1944 • Theatrical Trailer

THE ROSE (1979)

 

If you decide to choose THE ROSE as your evening home video entertainment, make sure your prescription for Xanax is filled and sitting on your end table within easy reach. You may need it before the movie is over. 

I hadn't seen this flick since my old Cinemax days back in the 80s, but I remember being very impressed with the energetic performance of Bette Midler doing a thinly disguised interpretation of legendary rock diva Janis Joplin. I also remember being impressed, and quite surprised, by her powerful singing. Miss Midler was nominated for Best Actress of 1979. During one of my recent visits to Disc Replay, my favorite place to purchase all the used DVDs that everyone else is throwing away, I picked up a copy of this film and looked forward to watching it again.

It's amazing how one's perceptions can change over time. I now find the movie exhausting rather than impressive, and more a wicked parody of Janis Joplin than a serious interpretation. There can be no doubt that Midler gave 100% of herself to this project, physically and emotionally. Perhaps she gave too much.

The film was supposed to be called PEARL, the nickname Joplin had given to herself. But her family refused to allow a biographical film. Therefore, the lead character, Mary Rose Foster, was known professionally as The Rose. Like Joplin, she was a famous rock star in the late 1960s who was burning herself out with too much touring, and too much wild living. She grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, whereas Joplin hailed from Port Arthur, Texas. The film's plot has The Rose getting ready to appear at a huge stadium concert in her hometown, a prospect that is causing her a great deal of insecurity, as she experienced a lot of pain during adolescence, including rejection from her peers. Her hard-driving manager, Rudge Campbell (Alan Bates), cares for her deeply, but is determined to make sure she is able to fulfill her contractual obligations and resists her pleas to take a year off in order to rest. When Rose meets a young limo driver, Huston Dyer (Fredric Forrest), and enters quickly into a romantic affair, she brings him along for the rest of her singing tour. The two lovers talk about having a future together, even though their association is volatile from the start. 

Bette Midler as The Rose, emoting with great effort.

As we follow The Rose on The Road, we are treated to a by-the-numbers depiction of what happens when rock stars work as hard as possible to destroy themselves. When Rose isn't performing onstage for her adoring fans, she keeps herself busy fighting, screaming, crying, drinking, smashing liquor bottles over the heads of total strangers and being generally unpleasant most of the time. When we first encounter Rose, she is onstage doing her blues-rock thing, including an incredible rendition of the song When a Man Loves a Woman. So far, so good. Then we see her in an argument with her manager during which she laments that, among her many other troubles, she can't get laid. (This detail, of course, is taken care of when she meets the limo driver.) The viewer can easily sympathize with this young woman being forced to continue touring and performing even though she's reached the point of exhaustion. Still, it's frustrating to watch someone who refuses to make even the slightest attempt to take care of herself.

Midler appears to be working hard to bring this character to life. Her stamina is quite amazing, I must admit. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to scream and cry for nearly 134 minutes of screen time. Maybe I've grown more cynical over the years, but this long delayed second watch made me feel that Midler was condescending to the character of Rose rather than trying to inhabit her. I felt like she was slumming. There are certainly good moments in her performance, mostly when she quiets down. But the close-ups of her agonized face, complete with copious amounts of running mascara, and all the Joplin-esque voice inflections, seem more calculated than sincere. Maybe the fault lies with the director, Mark Rydell, or maybe the actress is out of her element. 

After the film's somber finale, with Rose shooting heroin in a phone booth at her old high school football field and then dying onstage in front of her hometown audience, we are left with one of the most heartbreaking songs ever written: The Rose, composed by Amanda McBroom and beautifully sung by Midler, which became a major hit. This song is, for me, the shining moment of the film, even though it seems to have only a tenuous connection to what happened in the previous 2+ hours. Maybe, all things considered, it's best to skip the movie and just listen to the song. No Xanax required.

THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE (1963)

 

You can discover the most amazing things on Youtube! Cultural artifacts you didn't even know existed. On May 19, 1963, The Dupont Show of the Week on the NBC television network presented this original one-hour play written by Robert Thom. The director was Franklin J. Schaffner.

Nineteen-year-old Tuesday Weld plays a 25-year-old unknown actress named Elsie Brinkmann who is given the chance to appear in a film based on the life of a flamboyant, self-destructive movie star from the 1930s named Lylah Clare. Elsie is upset about having her hair dyed platinum blonde and she feels troubled about playing a dead woman. Her agent convinces her to audition for the part because it might be her once in a lifetime chance to become a star.

Elsie is taken to Louis Zakin (Alfred Drake), a producer-director who worked with Lylah and was in love with her. Zakin hasn't directed a film since Lylah died mysteriously at the age of twenty-five. When he meets Elsie, he is struck by her resemblance to Lylah, but berates the young actress, saying no one could ever be like the legendary star. But Elsie begins speaking with Lylah's voice, repeating things the star had said to Zakin years ago. Zakin is shaken and grabs Elsie and kisses her on the lips. Elsie slaps him. Nevertheless, Zakin is so carried away by Elsie that he hires her for the movie. He tells Elsie that she is giving him her life, just as Lylah once did.

Zakin changes Elsie's name to Elsa Christie, and work begins on the film. It soon becomes evident that the spirit of Lylah Clare is taking possession of the young actress. Elsie is losing her own identity, becoming seductive and petulant, and drinking heavily. She becomes increasingly hostile toward Zakin, as more and more is revealed about his relationship with Lylah. The tension between director and star reaches a fever pitch. As the play comes to a close, we learn the truth about how the glamorous star met her demise.

This was pretty heavy material for prime-time TV in that era. I was twelve years old in 1963, but I managed to miss out on this show. Maybe the Golden Age of Television was a little racier than I remember. Tuesday Weld was developing into an amazing actress. But in those days, she was known more for her precocious image and wild lifestyle. At nineteen, she seemed older than her age and had already appeared in exploitation movies like SEX KITTENS GO TO COLLEGE and THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ADAM AND EVE. Occasionally, however, she would be given a chance to display her brilliance. In 1962, she received good reviews for her appearance on an episode of NAKED CITY and had a strong role in SOLDIER IN THE RAIN in 1963. It's tempting to wonder how much similarity the real actress had with her role as Elsie/Lylah, a sensitive young woman being manipulated by movie studio executives. In one heated confrontation, Zakin shouts at Elsie, now completely possessed by the spirit of Lylah: "Once you were my dream! Now you can be had in any movie house. You're a dirty little joke for dirty little boys!!" To which Lylah retorts: "You made me that!!"  Whatever the case, Weld is excellent in this teleplay, her strength and vulnerability showing through perfectly. While this play gives her the chance to show mature acting talent, she is also asked to exploit her sex-kitten persona, especially in an extended scene in a bathtub. Although the director wasn't initially happy with Weld's casting, he was "pleasantly surprised by her natural talent".

 Equally effective is Alfred Drake as Louis Zakin. I'd never heard of this actor before, and it seems he was primarily known for his work on Broadway, but he matched Weld for intensity in every scene. Also appearing are Sorrell Booke, Michael Tolan and Johnny Haymer. Director Franklin Schaffner ended up with quite an impressive filmography, including PLANET OF THE APES (1968), PATTON (1970 and PAPILLON (1973). The teleplay was made into a feature film in 1968, starring Kim Novak and Peter Finch and directed by Robert Aldrich.

Tuesday Weld and Alfred Drake.

The Youtube video is complete with the original commercials for the Dupont Company. We learn all about Lucite Paint, No. 7 Wax Wash for your car, Nylon, Orlon, Dacron, Antron and Lycra. 

"Better things for better living...through chemistry."

The Legend of Lylah Clare (1963) Tuesday Weld *Full Episode*

COLLECTION UPDATE: THE GHOST aka LO SPETTRO (1963)

 

You may have been noticing crowds of people gathering in the streets lately, all of them very excited and shouting at the top of their lungs. No, I'm not referring to the political protests going on all over the place. I'm talking about the thousands of dedicated Barbara Steele fans who are expressing their joy and rapture at the recent release of one of her classic horror films in remastered 4K and Blu-ray glory.

OK, so no one is actually dancing in the streets. But there are plenty of fans who are thrilled about the new Severin Films release of Riccardo Freda's THE GHOST aka LO SPETTRO (1963), one of the greatest films in the Italian Gothic horror movement from the early 1960s, featuring Miss Steele doing possibly her best work. The movie has been available for years from several different companies in varied states of quality, most of them quite watchable. But fans have been hoping for a long time that some company would give this film the love and detailed restoration it has long deserved. The good folks at Severin are to be congratulated on the excellent work they've done here. This is, beyond any doubt, the definitive version.

As most fans are aware, this is the second collaboration between Freda and Steele, the first being 1962's THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK. This second film isn't exactly a sequel, but it does once again feature a Dr. Hichcock, this time played by a different actor. Steele and Harriet White are the only two returning cast members, playing characters very similar to those in the previous film.

The story has Dr. Hitchcock (Elio Jotta, billed in the credits as Leonard G. Elliot) being treated for a deadly disease by handsome young Dr. Livingstone (Peter Baldwin) who is experimenting with the use of curare, a poison. Margaret Hichcock, the elderly man's young, beautiful wife, is having an affair with Livingstone and begs him to murder her husband so they can run off together and make use of the old man's money. Livingstone does the dirty deed and things start to go south almost immediately. The illicit lovers begin to hear weird sounds and see strange occurrences, evidence that Hichcock's ghost is haunting them. The situation is made more complicated by the presence of Catherine (White), the mysterious housekeeper who also acted as the elder doctor's assistant and medium. Tensions rise. Melodrama ensues. Predictably, the two lovers begin to distrust one another and after quite an overload of colorful, creepy Gothic goings-on, we are rewarded with a very well executed twist ending.

The plots of these Italian Gothics aren't necessarily the most important factor. Besides, they all exploit pretty much the same dramatic points: lust, mad scientists, the occult, more lust, dead people who don't want to stay dead, possible supernatural happenings and, of course, endless lust. Also normally featured are either creepy castles or ornate manor houses, musty crypts well stocked with musty coffins, and at least one drop-dead gorgeous woman wandering through the castle/manor house carrying a candelabra. When the woman in question happens to be Barbara Steele, the film is elevated to the highest possible level of Gothic glory. So much has been written about Miss Steele being the Queen of Horror that there's nothing I can possibly add. Let me just say that when Barbara appeared in films outside of the horror genre, she had the versatility to be sexy, quirky and even very funny. However, when placed in one of those castle settings, she was transformed into an otherworldly presence that came to define the genre itself. That presence alone, that incredible face, that unnerving direct stare into the camera, would have been enough to make her a screen immortal. But Steele also had the acting talent to bring a startling reality to the almost unreal characters she was asked to play. Her role in THE GHOST requires her to suffer more than any other role in her career. Freda puts here through quite a physical workout, as she is pushed around, manhandled, getting injured and bleeding and even dragging a dead body through the house. In her previous outing for Freda, she found herself trapped inside a coffin, one of her most iconic scenes. In THE GHOST, she gets to push a coffin onto the floor instead of getting into it. (This brings to mind her legendary statement: "I'm never climbing out of another f***ing coffin as long as I live!!) And then there's the scene involving the use of a straight razor, a shocking display of violence energetically and intensely played by Steele. One of the most fascinating aspects of her performance is how she makes Margaret seem sympathetic: although she does evil things, Margaret doesn't seem to be evil. The viewer is able to sympathize with her desire to escape the dark, oppressive life she is forced to live. In some of her other horror films, Steele plays two characters, one good and one evil. With Margaret, she brings forth this duality and conflict within the same character, one reason why I consider this to be her best work.

Apart from the pleasures of watching Miss Steele, THE GHOST is beautiful to look at, perfect in its design and cinematography. What Freda was able to accomplish on a miniscule budget and accelerated filming schedule is nothing short of amazing. I watched the 4K version and was drawn into the movie as if I had never seen it before. As in many of the Italian horror films of the era, Freda's included, the story has a British setting, this time in Scotland in the early 20th century. Freda uses his pseudonym Robert Hampton, and all of the Italian cast and crew are given English names.

Severin gives us a four-disc set. Disc One has the movie in 4K along with a commentary by Kat Ellinger, an audio interview with Barbara Steele and the Italian and American trailers. Disc Two has the movie on Blu-ray, which I haven't yet watched. There is an interview with Harriet White Medin conducted by the popular Tim Lucas, who also presents a video essay about the film entitled Give Up the Ghost. There are two other video essays on the Italian Gothic genre, one of which focuses mainly on Miss Steele. One of the most enjoyable extras shows Steele presenting the remastered film at two film festivals, in Milan and Paris. Disc Three presents yet another fascinating essay entitled Executioners, Masks, Secrets: Italian Horror in the 1960s, conducted in French and Italian, featuring many film clips, many from films I've never seen. Barbara is featured and it's a special treat hearing her speak Italian. Disc Four is a CD compilation of music from Francesco Di Masi, who composed the lovely, somber music for THE GHOST. Also included is music for three of his other films, all contemporary, jazz-oriented compositions.

One interesting point about the trailer for the original Italian release is a brief scene featuring Barbara and another woman that isn't included in any version of the film that I've seen. I haven't yet listened to Kat Ellinger's commentary, so maybe she addresses this scene and why it was cut from the film.

For anyone new to the Italian Gothic horror genre, I would recommend THE GHOST as a good starting place. It's also the ideal introduction to the magic of Barbara Steele and a good way to fall under her spell. But be forewarned: once she has you, she won't let go.

BEST FILM DISCOVERIES IN 2025

 

THE PROWLER (1951)

This is a Film Noir that I managed to miss until watching it recently on Youtube. It's difficult to find on DVD or Blu-ray but is mentioned often by Noir fans and scholars. Directed by Joseph Losey, the screenplay was written by the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo, credited as Hugo Butler. Evelyn Keys stars as Susan Gilvray. As the film begins, Susan, alone in her house at night, sees a prowler outside her window. She calls the police. Two officers respond to the call, one of whom is Webb Garwood (Van Heflin). Garwood, cynical and cocky beyond all reason, is attracted to Susan. He comes back to her house alone to check up on her, and in no time at all, the two are involved in an affair. Susan's husband is a radio personality working the overnight shift, and the two lovers hear his voice as they tryst in Susan's house. The affair turns into obsession for both parties and Webb comes up with a plan to kill Susan's husband, making it look like an accident, and then have the two of them run off with his insurance money. You may think you know where this is going, but believe me, you don't. This movie is totally unique. One thing that makes it so different are the characterizations. Garwood is the epitome of a homme fatale and a master of manipulation. Susan Gilvray is a woman carried away by lust and desperation, and yet still manages to display a will to survive. There are enough twists and turns in this film to make it endlessly fascinating. Keyes and Heflin have never been better.

PLUNDER ROAD (1957)

Included in one of the Film Noir collections from Kino-Lorber, this is a film I'd never heard of. Many of the titles in these collections don't necessarily fit the strict definition of Noir, but nevertheless turn out to be enjoyable, well-made crime stories. My expectations weren't all that high. But after only a few moments, this movie had me hooked. Truly, this is one of the most fascinating crime caper thrillers I've ever seen. It compares favorably to Stanley Kubrick's THE KILLING (1956). In fact, someone should consider showing both films as a double bill, big screen revival. The film was directed by Hubert Cornfield and the screenplay was written by Steven Rich, who is also a member of the cast. The plot is deceptively simple: Five men (Gene Raymond, Wayne Morris, Elisha Cook, Jr., Stafford Repp and Steven Rich) execute a complicated plan to rob a train carrying a gold shipment. Then they drive off in three different directions after dividing the gold. Raymond teams up with his girlfriend, Jeanne Cooper, to melt down his share of the loot and install it as part of his luxury car as a cover until they can sell the gold. As any fan of Noir could predict, everything that could possibly go wrong with this plan is shown in exciting detail in the fast-paced 72 minutes of screen time. A gem of a picture from beginning to end. And what an ending it has! Lots of location footage adds a raw, realistic sensibility. Fans of Jeanne Cooper's longtime portrayal of matriarch Katherine Chancellor on the soap opera The Young and the Restless will find it a special treat to see her in one of her earliest appearances. Very highly recommended.

SAW (2004)

There was a thread going around on Youtube among some of my fellow film freaks. We were asked to post a video to give a list of popular films that we've never seen. My list included several horror movie franchises that I had little interest in seeing. Among them was the SAW series. As I've mentioned many times, probably ad nauseum, I'm not a fan of excessive violence and gore. It's just not my thing. I only had to look at the poster for SAW and read the general plotline to know it was way outside of my personal wheelhouse. After I posted the video, one of my Youtube friends challenged me to watch the first film in the series, claiming that it had a quality story and was very much worth checking out. I decided to take him up on his challenge. I found a used copy at my local Disc Replay shop for $3.33 and resolved to watch it with an open mind. It turned out to be a heavy experience. While I can't say I enjoyed the movie, I did get totally caught up in it. After it was over, and I spent some time thinking about it, I realized that I had seen something that was absolutely brilliant. These young filmmakers had succeeded in establishing a dark, morbid, tension-filled atmosphere from the time the film started until the unbelievably harrowing ending. Everything about it was first-rate. All of the actors were convincing, including Danny Gover, the only name in the cast I recognized. The locations, the music, the cinematography all helped create an atmosphere of relentless dread. I don't think I ever want to watch this again. Once is more than enough. But this is an amazing accomplishment.

LA STRADA (1954)

My experience of the films of Federico Fellini is somewhat limited. I have a habit of rewatching 8 1/2 (1963) over and over, but I've only seen a handful of his other works. When I bought the Fellini box set from the Criterion Collection a few years ago, I resolved to be a little more adventurous and work my way to being a Fellini completist. After watching JULIET OF THE SPIRITS (1965) and ROMA (1972), and subsequently suffering from a complete psychic breakdown, I decided to put the box set back on the shelf for a while. OK, I'm joking about the psychic breakdown. But those two films were exhausting to say the least. Eventually, I decided to go back in time to one of the director's earlier works, LA STRADA. Fellini worked his magic on me with this one. I wasn't prepared for the heartbreaking experience of watching Giulietta Masina being mercilessly abused by Anthony Quinn. (I don't know how anyone could be prepared for it.) Nor was I prepared for the film's ending, with Quinn's character collapsing in abject misery and regret for what he had done to this gentle, lovely woman. A masterpiece of filmmaking.

ANGEL FACE (1953)

I saw part of this movie years ago on cable but never saw it all the way through until I recently picked up a used DVD copy. Robert Mitchum still holds the Number One position on my list of favorite actors, so I was glad to finally get to see this well-made Noir from his RKO contract years. Otto Preminger directed. Mitchum plays Frank Jessup, an ambulance driver. On a call, he meets lovely Diane Tremayne (Jean Simmons), an heiress. There is an attraction between the two. Diane manipulates her way into Frank's life, and he breaks up with his girlfriend (Mona Freeman) to have an affair with Diane. He even takes a job as chauffeur at the estate where Diane lives with her father and stepmother, who soon die under mysterious circumstances. Frank begins to realize what a truly disturbed piece of work Diane really is, but by that time, he's in way over his head. This film takes the concept of femme fatale up several notches. Simmons expertly plays this treacherous woman who has such a gorgeous countenance and seems so totally controlled. Mitchum's character is a man who thinks he's in control of his life and emotions and never truly comes to terms with how he is being used. It's always interesting to see Mitchum, the very symbol of masculine strength, allowing himself to be victimized by an unscrupulous woman. Cathy Moffatt (Jane Greer), his nemesis from OUT OF THE PAST could take a few lessons from Diane Tremayne. The film is mainly a psychological drama with little action until a shocking ending that is guaranteed to blow your mind.

DODSWORTH (1936)

I saw DODSWORTH in a film class dedicated to the works of William Wyler, and it's another film I'd heard great things about over the years. The praise was justified. This story of the breakdown of a marriage was fascinating from start to finish. It was originally a stage play written by Sidney Howard and based on a novel by Sinclair Lewis. Howard also wrote the screenplay. Walter Huston, who starred in the play, reprises his role as retiring businessman Samuel Dodsworth who sells his automotive company after twenty years and sails to Europe with his wife, Fran (Ruth Chatterton) for a vacation. Fran is a vain and selfish woman who is bored with her life and marriage and wants to immerse herself in upper-class European social life. The marriage becomes increasingly strained. Both parties are drawn into other relationships and decide to divorce. This sounds like high-grade soap opera, but the writing and performances are so intelligent and superior that the film rises to a much higher level. Ruth Chatterton isn't usually listed among the legendary actresses of the 1930s, but she was extremely popular and respected at this particular time, having been a top stage actress for many years. This is probably the best film to see her at the top of her abilities. She is perfectly matched by Huston, Mary Astor, David Niven, Paul Lukas, Gregory Gaye, Maria Ouspenskaya and John Payne in his film debut. DODSWORTH won seven Oscar nominations. One of the best films from Hollywood's Golden Age.

THE SNOW WALKER (2003)

I saw this movie in a Canadian film class, having never heard of it before. What an incredible cinematic experience! Based on a short story by Farley Mowat entitled Walk Well, My Brother, the screenplay was written by Charles Martin Smith, who also directed. Smith is probably best known for his performances in AMERICAN GRAFITTI (1973) and THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY (1978). The story takes place in 1953. Barry Pepper stars as Charlie Halliday, a Canadian bush pilot based in Yellowknife. Charlie had been a bomber in WW2. On a routine job near the Arctic ocean, he meets a group of Inuit who ask him to fly a sick young woman, Kanaalaq (Annabella Piugattuk) to a hospital. He reluctantly agrees. The plane ends up crashing and the two of them are stranded in the middle of nowhere. Charlie has no idea how to navigate the wilderness and must rely on his Inuit companion to survive. Kanaalaq uses her native skills to provide them with shelter, food and ways to heal injuries. Charlie grows to have deep respect and affection for the young woman and the two slowly find ways to communicate. He soon realizes that her health is failing her. She teaches Charlie what he must do to prepare her for her death and the afterlife. This is a film that deserves to be shown and celebrated in as many places as possible. It's truly one of the most beautiful and moving stories ever told on film. And there is more than enough action and exciting special effects to hold one's attention. Barry Pepper is a fine Canadian-American actor with a long list of credits. He gets quite a physical and emotional workout in this movie. Annabella Piugattuk is a Canadian Inuit who has only one other acting credit: INTO THE WEST (2005). Her presence in THE SNOW WALKER is nothing short of amazing. See this movie if you get a chance.