The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!

The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming! (1966)

Runtime: 126 minutes

Directed by: Norman Jewison

Starring: Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint (RIP), Alan Arkin, Brian Keith, Jonathan Winters

From: The Mirisch Company

RIP Eva Marie Saint

In this special early Wednesday upload of a review, I mention how after hearing late yesterday afternoon that this Oscar winner had passed away at the age of 102 (!), it felt right to not even delay a day tipping my cap to who was one of the last surviving links to the Golden Age of Hollywood. I haven't watched too many of her films but her two most famous (North by Northwest & On the Waterfront, the latter her Oscar-winning role) have been viewed & reviewed on Letterboxd. Russians was selected due to... my knowing of the film for years, knowing several of the main cast, and the plot description making the movie sound wacky yet amusing, a comedy of errors.

A Soviet sub runs aground on a small Massachusetts island; this is an obvious problem, because the Cold War. 9 of the crew (led by Alan Arkin!) are tasked w/ finding a boat to dislodge them, but they stumble upon a family of Saint, Carl Reiner, and two small children. It's not long before the plan to sneak around clandestine & steal a boat goes awry and not only does most of the island know, great exaggerations occur and dozens are running around w/ firearms ready to start a war on their island.

Coming is rather funny as this absurd scenario escalates, different characters reacting to this differently, and plenty of conflict among the island's residents. There's puns, slapstick, foolish characters getting humiliated, etc. I enjoyed the Norman Jewison direction and the Johnny Mandel score. Now, this movie treated the Russian characters more fairly than you'd expect for a big Hollywood production; much of the Russian dialogue isn't translated, the crew aren't too terribly harsh to Reiner's family, and the conclusion was an unexpected & welcome twist.

While Saint was sidelined for long stretches of the film, she still did swell in a film that was one of those 60's ensemble comedies w/ a big runtime and even bigger cast. After all, it's always nice to see the likes of Brian Keith & Jonathan Winters. Russians is one of those loud, boisterous comedies which aren't always my thing but in this case the film was quite amusing & not a bad way for me to pay tribute. Note that the exterior of the cottage the leading family is residing in certainly looks like the cottage seen in 1941-the bucolic New England island was actually locations in the northern half of California... now there's a loud, boisterous comedy where the comedy often didn't land.

Ninja Scroll

That's right, this is the famed 1993 anime, which was seen theatrically last night: 

I was happy to have seen a Yoshiaki Kawajiri film theatrically last night. In the past, I've discussed the OVA Cyber City Oedo 808 along w/ the films Wicked City and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. All were enjoyed so Ninja Scroll being 4K restored & playing on cinema screens was something I was glad to have tackled last night.

A badass ninja named Jubei is followed during the feudal days of Japan. He teams up with a pair of unlikely allies as he not only deals with an old foe but also ninjas with supernatural abilities. Much of the story seemed relatively realistic for a standard tale set during the Tokugawa Shogunate but then there's a dude who releases wasps from holes in his back (a word of warning for those w/ trypophobia) & another dude made out of rock who sexually assaults a lady after he rips her clothes off... whether or not the reader believes that is stereotypical of Japan is up to them. Thankfully, those weird sexual moments are rather infrequent.

Ninja Scroll has those spooky elements & a dark fantasy romance mixed in but primarily this is an adventure where Jubei attempts to stop an insidious plot to overthrow the government; the movie is punctuated with bloody scenes where blood sprays out of bodies to a degree that even surpasses a Lone Wolf & Cub film. It's a very entertaining yarn buttressed by stunning animation that looked great 4K restored and a varied soundtrack from Kaoru Wada that even included a sitar yet it all fit what was seen visually.

Multiple sources have proclaimed that this alongside Akira and Ghost in the Shell were the most popular anime in the West during the 90's and helped that artform become popular here. I never have followed that scene (let alone during my childhood in the 90's) but I can say that while this isn't as deep or thoughtful as an Akira or Ghost, Ninja Scroll instead was a dark fantasy action picture, and at that it succeeded as entertainment. As someone who rarely dips his toes into this world, it was the right decision to check out Ninja Scroll.

I Discuss an Old British TV Program... or as They'd Call it, Programme

It's Thriller, and I discuss 1974's A Coffin for the Bride: 

I discuss an episode from an old British TV anthology show. As sometimes occurs, discussion elsewhere sparked this viewing. In addition, Prime recently added Hammer's House of Horror-an episode of that will be reviewed later this month-and they recommended the show Thriller, which ran on ITV from '73 to '76 and evidently featured episodes (each a little more than an hour in length) that were horror, mystery, or yes, thriller. I knew less about that than House but I was intrigued to give an episode a shot. Thriller's Wiki page was examined and this was selected, not just due to its enticing title.

Many of the episodes featured at least one recognizable UK or American actor; this had Michael Gwynn, Tony Steedman (i.e. “So-Crates” from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure), and... a young Helen Mirren! I know some eyebrows were just raised & a few will find that appealing. Coffin is more a thriller than anything else although the idea of a dude who disguises himself & has aliases for the purpose of marrying rich women for the sole purpose of drowning them in a hot tub or bathtub & staging it to look accidental-that will be horrifying for some people.

Not everyone is oblivious to the guy known as Mark Walker for the majority of the episode; a solicitor is suspicious. Meanwhile, Walker meets both a loud, brash woman and a much more subdued Mirren. It'd be a crime to reveal much more; I can say that the production values were comparable to a Doctor Who from the period, which is a compliment as it's cozy and high production values aren't needed in either case. The plot isn't the most realistic but that wasn't the goal; the goal was to deliver a devilishly fun production, a story w/ multiple twists & surprises—in that regard, A Coffin for the Bride succeeded.

It is unknown if I'll view additional episodes of this show or if I do, they will be discussed here... however, I was happy to mention that show elsewhere to someone that was making a query about television horror anthologies... as I am happy to mention this on Letterboxd to anyone that would be interested in such programming.

 

The House that Dripped Blood

The House that Dripped Blood (1971)

Runtime: 102 minutes

Directed by: Peter Duffell

Starring: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliott, Jon Pertwee, John Bennett

From: Amicus

It's been too long since any horror anthologies have been viewed, especially from Amicus. For the newer readers, I enjoy most of the anthologies I've seen made before 2000, while the only one I've ever liked made in the 21st century was Trick 'r Treat... and some famous efforts were seen by me, including those terrible V/H/S movies and The ABC's of Death. Amicus made the likes of the 1972 film Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror (both were also based on the 50's EC Comics that the 90's show was inspired by) and The Monster Club... all of which I enjoyed like I enjoyed The House that Dripped Blood.

The framing story: a Scotland Yard detective is in a police station, to investigate a missing horror actor-Jon Pertwee in a part designed to be hammy, and he delivered! That was my favorite story. Overall, an officer regales him with a quartet of tales set at the eponymous house. What happened to Pertwee is the final tale-there's also Denholm Elliott being driven batty while attempting to write a horror novel in the house, recent retiree Peter Cushing being unable to enjoy a life of reading & gardening due to a wax statue, and the weird interactions Christopher Lee has with his young daughter... don't worry, it sounds gross but the scenario is frightening instead of upsetting.

One reason I tend to enjoy these older anthologies: they are usually fun, light in tone. Each segment here isn't dour or miserable; instead, while they have their chilling, frightful moments, they are also quite entertaining. As always with these, some segments are better than others but I enjoyed all four plus the wraparound segment, the expected variety that you expect in all anthologies. To my delight, not only did one segment feature some Bava lighting, the film is imbibed w/ an interesting, fitting score from Michael Dress.

The house (a mansion out in the middle of the woods) is appropriately moody, totally early 70's in that the interior is full of green. While The House that Dripped Blood ironically does not feature any blood on screen, that was irrelevant to me with the presence of a nice cast-there's also the likes of Joss Ackland & Ingrid Pitt-spooky figures associated w/ this time of year, deaths, and the macabre vibes throughout. My opinion is likely an outlier but I'll forever be salty that the 21st century anthologies are so dark & miserable, instead of being delightful like the 70's movie Tales from the Crypt or even something like Tales from the Hood.

Alice, Sweet Alice

Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)

Runtime: 103 minutes

Directed by: Alfred Sole

Starring: Linda Miller, Mildred Clinton, Paula E. Sheppard, Niles McMaster, Rudolph Willrich

From: Harristown Funding

Alice, Sweet Alice is yet another film I've known of for years but for whatever reasons I've put off the viewings until now. Shudder just including it on their platform gave me the final push to check out something I should have reviewed long ago. This was like an American giallo, inspired by Don't Look Now, Hitchcock, and Diabolique.

The main theme, though, proved to be Catholic guilt. The titular Alice is a 12-year-old girl (played by a girl who was 19! Paula E. Sheppard did not look like an adult) who is part of a family w/ divorced parents in 1961 New Jersey. Alice is a troubled girl, who treats her sister Karen (Brooke Shields!) poorly; she feels as if her mother shows favoritism towards Karen. Alice's sister is going to receive her first Communion, but-as this happens in the first 15 minutes, the revelation that Karen dies a gruesome death at church will be mentioned.

As an aside, there's a morbidly obese character named Alphonso who is not only a fat slob who eats wet cat food with his numerous felines, but is blatantly a... well, as sites like YouTube and other platforms unfortunately make people say rather than the actual term, “a PDF file.” For those that are really uncomfortable w/ a scene where an adult forces himself on a little girl, you've been warned.

I won't elaborate on the impact Catholic guilt had on the plot. I can reveal that there's a creepy clear mask of a woman wearing makeup, a yellow raincoat-the most blatant allusion to Don't Look Now-a hysterical aunt in Annie that is both funny and OOT, Alice as a viable suspect in her sister's murder, and their mother's refusal to believe the seriousness of her daughter's struggles, including w/ mental health.

Alice, Sweet Alice was an eerie tale filled w/ dread, the austere, dreary urban New Jersey setting perfect for setting the mood. The movie is punctuated with shocks and gruesome moments. Mix in a wild ending, and I am glad to finally cross this film off my figurative list.

The Abandoned

The Abandoned (2006)

Runtime: 99 minutes

Directed by: Nacho Cerda

Starring: Anastasia Hille, Karel Roden, Valentin Goshev, Valentin Ganev, Paraskeva Djukelova

From: A number of different European companies 

I wanted to view a film from the old After Dark Horrorfest and a Letterboxd mutual mentioned they were a big fan of The Abandoned.

An adopted woman returns to her homeland of Russia in her early 40's. Her family history is so murky, it took years to discover she's inherited a rural farm in the middle of the woods, totally isolated. Atmosphere is provided by both the woods and abandoned buildings, whether in the daytime or at night. After the opening act, the viewer discovers this is a tale of the weird & surreal variety; as one of the screenwriters was Richard Stanley, that in hindsight isn't too big a surprise.

The Abandoned does have plenty of moments featuring what I call “2000's horror movie green”-you know which shade I'm referring to. The film also has a measured, deliberate pace; this won't be for all tastes but when I'm interested in the plot and characters-as was the case here-my interest never wavered. I did appreciate this unique tale on the haunted house genre. Its style and vibes makes it stand out compared to the other flicks I'll view during Spooky Season this year.

The interesting story set in the woods of Bulgaria (substituting for Russia) featuring a small cast & some effects... The Abandoned & its idiosyncratic take on family will resonate better for some than for others.

The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales

The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales (El Esqueleto de la Senora Morales) (1960)

Runtime: 82 minutes

Directed by: Rogelio A. Gonzalez

Starring: Arturo de Cordova, Amparo Rivelles, Elda Peralta, Guillermo Orea, Rosenda Monteros

From: Alfa Fila S.A.

I am glad to have “tracked down” a copy of this film over two years ago; about darn time I finally checked it out, right? This film is more black comedy than horror, but indeed the titular Mrs. Morales is a rather terrifying woman. Domestic/familial abuse is a real-life nightmare.

She's long been married to a taxidermist, but Pablo is no Norman Bates; Gloria treats him disgracefully. She has convinced her pals that he's an alcoholic, woman-beating lout when he's actually a cool, gregarious dude that interacts w/ children and did not deserve all her manipulations, her vile behavior while professing she's a pious member of the Catholic church... screenwriter Luis Alcoriza wrote some Luis Bunuel films so I shouldn't have been surprised by this angle. It was made clear that Pablo still has feelings for his girl despite her hideous mistreatment of him.

Whether you think Pablo's behavior in the second half of the picture is warranted is up to personal opinion. For certain, director Rogelio A. Gonzalez and cinematographer Victor Herrera do a swell job w/ their jobs, creating a lovely black-and-white film to examine, striking imagery seen throughout. The colorful characters were acted well by the talented cast. Pablo has friends of his own we see on a few occasions. Gloria's priest is the most memorable of her pals. Arturo de Cordova was a gem as Pablo, relishing this delicious part.

Skeleton is a macabre delight, especially during the great finale. It's a shame that at least in America, people have to do some digging to even find a copy for streaming purposes. It is worth the effort, IMO.