The Ghost Galleon

The Ghost Galleon (El Buque Maldito) (1974)

Runtime: 90 minutes

Directed by: Amando de Ossorio

Starring: Maria Perschy, Jack Taylor (RIP), Barbara Rey, Carlos Lemons, Manuel de Blas

From: Ancla Century Films/Belen Films

RIP Jack Taylor. I know many won’t recognize the name but those well-versed in old European genre movies-usually directed by Jesus Franco-you’ll likely be familiar, and be saddened that he passed away on the 12th at the age of 99. What little I’ve seen of Franco, he’s best described as “hit or miss” with my esoteric tastes & I’ve viewed the infamous Pieces before. However, as a kid I’ve viewed the first two films in Spanish director Amando de Ossorio’s Tombs of the Blind Dead tetralogy of films-the cut versions-and the full versions as adults.

This was a good time to finally view the third in the series. In brief, the lore is that a sect of Knights Templar became cannibals and were executed, crows plucking out their eyes. They (the director thought of them as “mummies” more than “zombies”) rode horses at night to kill.
In this installment, they rode on the titular ghost galleon, an appropriately spooky wooden ship from centuries past. How the ship is first introduced is preposterous: Taylor is a businessman involved in sporting goods who hires a pair of models to get stranded on one of his boats in the middle of the ocean… so that they can get rescued by a ship passing by! No, I don’t get it either.

Furthermore, that plot thread also includes another woman who has sapphic feelings for one of the models, and she’s kept hostage so the scheme isn’t revealed, and she’s unfortunately sexually assaulted. Sleaze was also in the first two movies; my biggest issue: how dreary the film is. “Somnambulistic” is another good term. All the characters-including the one played by Taylor-are just so dull and flat.

The mood & atmosphere are so good, that does plenty of heavy lifting to make the Galleon not a complete waste of time. Unfortunately, for my tastes the movie is too boring, the presence of actual exciting moments in the final act notwithstanding. Franco Files (my term for fans of that director) can better tell you which Jack Taylor films are the “most exciting”; I can say that Pieces is wildly entertaining if not technically “good”; Taylor played a supporting role in that insanity. Tombs of the Blind Dead and Return of the Blind Dead-the original cuts, not any edited versions-are well worth tracking down, IMO. One day I’ll check out the 4th and final in the series, the bizarrely-named Night of the Seagulls.

Battleship Potemkin

Battleship Potemkin (Bronenosets Potyomkin) (1925)

Runtime: 72 minutes

Directed by: Sergei Eisenstein

Starring: Aleksandr Antonov, Vladimir Barsky, Grigori Aleksandrov, Ivan Bobrov, Mikhail Gomorof

From: Mosfilm

Among all the classic, highly-regarded film directors of the past, many have been sampled by me at least once; however, Sergei Eisenstein was a blind spot. There's no anti-Russia or anti-Soviet Union bias; I just put off this task despite the knowledge that one scene in particular is still influential now, 101 years later.

The Odessa Steps scene is powerful now, in 2026. Tsar soldiers massacre citizens who are in a fervor against the government; this includes a young boy and most famously, a mother's death causes a baby in a carriage to roll down the stairs. De Palma most famously paid homage to this but everyone from Spielberg & Lucas to Gilliam & Johnnie To have as well. 

That said, the movie is more than just one scene; erroneously, I assumed all these years Odessa Steps was the finale-oh, no. The plot itself isn't convoluted: loosely based on an actual 1905 incident, the Soviet government asked Eisenstein to make this into propaganda, the sailors on the titular ship reached their breaking point with the awful conditions on the ship, especially the maggot-riddled meat—ewww. They rebel and the consequences resulted in the citizens of Odessa to reach that fervor.

I've never been to film school so a concise explanation of such concepts as montages, the Kuleshov Effect, and Soviet Montage Theory-however, Wiki actually has extensive articles on these concepts-yet I can say that the editing and montages here are still powerful now and still tell its story well in a movie with a limited amount of intertitles. Those components were huge assets in creating the right emotions for the viewers: admiration for the citizens, a loathing for the tyrannical government. 

Battleship Potemkin is homework for the cinephile and those learning to become a filmmaker; it also transcends the feeling of “boring, scholarly study” & can simply be enjoyed for its plot & themes... themes that unfortunately still resonate today. The film was viewed by a copy on YouTube; it wasn't the special version released last year w/ a score from... The Pet Shop Boys?! My ignorance of the act beyond their radio hits was why I was surprised—rave reviews mean that I'd be down with hearing their score one day.

Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz (2007)

Runtime: 121 minutes

Directed by: Edgar Wright

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and many familiar British faces, including Timothy Dalton

From: Working Title Films/Big Talk Productions 

Make Sandford Great Again

Last night was finally the time for me to discuss Hot Fuzz on Letterboxd. It’s a film that’s a love-letter to the cop action movies of old-of course this review is overdue.

By now most people likely know the plot of how Simon Pegg is so good a London cop, he makes his compatriots all look bad, necessitating a move to a bucolic town full of bumpkins-including those that go “Yarp!”-but then gruesome murders occur. As it’s Edgar Wright, of course there’s running jokes, set-ups that have payoffs much later, memorable characters, rapid-fire editing that rarely became “too much,” and gruesome moments. As others have noted, it’s a shame that Wright doesn’t make films like this any longer.

Simon Pegg as lead Nicholas Angle managed to pull off the role of “badass cop hero” better than what people would have expected before 2007. Naturally, the camaraderie between him and Nick Frost was aces. The other famous British faces present-there were many-were all memorable, but IMO Timothy Dalton was the highlight—and not just because of the shot where he poses next to the framed photo of himself.

The film is a love-letter rather than a mockery of those old action pictures; to echo an opinion, the love of Point Break-with its homoerotic relationship of the two leads-is matched by the vaguely homoerotic relationship between Penn and Frost. As the film also pokes fun at slashers & murder mysteries while providing satisfying action beats in a rural setting, Hot Fuzz is a rewarding journey and its full 2-hour length is not too long for this particular comedy.

Manila in the Claws of Light

Manila in the Claws of Light (Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag) (1975)

Runtime: 125 minutes

Directed by: Lino Brocka

Starring: Rafael Roco, Jr., Lou Salvador, Jr.,  Tommy Abuel, Jojo Abela, Hilda Koronel

From: Cinema Artists 

Last night was another instance of me clearing off more space from the DVR; this TCM recording was made way back in January, yet because I’m me it took 4 months to finally push “play.” Also, there are even older recordings on the DVR that probably will sit there for awhile until the mood arises…

Ultimately, it was seeing a mutual’s glowing review that finally gave me the push. Julio is a young man from a rural area who moves to Manila to track down his missing girlfriend. A mysterious woman recruited his lady, you see. Julio experiences hardship-he’s broke after a mugging so work in miserable construction jobs are required just to afford food. Julio thankfully meets good folk who are only “lower-class” when it comes to social strata and how much money they possess.

The journey was a compelling one, seeing various people attempting to survive in tough conditions. One only succeeds because… well, I was not expecting to see the term MAN-WHORE in the subtitles, but it’s true. Without revealing too much, they even had 70’s downbeat cinema in The Philippines. I’m not sure how this film was released in the country during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos-who controlled the country’s cinema-when a pessimistic view of life in Manila was presented, but viewers around the world since 1975 benefitted from this decision.

An intriguing story that was never dull despite the length of over 2 hours, a unique yet befitting score from Max Jocson, and quality performances from the cast-especially Rafael Roco, Jr. as Julio-makes this an easy recommend for those seeking more in World Cinema.

Other reviewers have noted that the finale is reminiscent of one in a famous film that came out not that long after this released in The Philippines. As Manila was based on an old Filipino novel and what I know of how the other film was written… “coincidence” and “people have similar stories of those in marginalized communities” is my verdict. Thankfully, Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation was one of the entities responsible for restoring this masterpiece; the blurb at the beginning noted how rough the film’s original camera negative was. The restoration was flawless, especially given its condition.

One last detail: given the serious tone of the movie, one moment of levity brightened the mood, at least for me. In the final act, during a scene where an important bit of information is revealed, I was happily surprised when right beforehand, a popular 60’s pop song-cheery & upbeat-played on the jukebox. I’ll be disappointed if even Gen Z wasn’t familiar with the tune.

 

Monolith

Monolith (2022)

Runtime: 94 minutes

Directed by: Matt Vesely

Starring: Mostly, it's just Lily Sullivan on screen, along with random voices from different actors

From: Many different Australian companies

Here's an interesting minimalist sci-fi picture that's been compared to a release from two months ago, for obvious reasons: 

For those that loved Undertone… my review for that film is one of the most popular I’ve ever written (thanks, everyone) due to my seeing it a few days before wide release. A mutual left a comment comparing Undertone to Monolith, a movie I don’t recall ever hearing about before. This person did not specifically recommend I see the film, yet their high praise was enticing. It’s only ambivalence on my part that Monolith wasn’t tackled much sooner; after all, an entirely separate Letterboxd mutual compared the two movies in their review.

The comparisons are understandable; both are mainly methodically-paced one-handers set entirely in a expansive house w/ a troubled young woman who hosts a supernatural podcast. They receive an anonymous e-mail about something otherworldly; there are other moments, but spoilers. Unlike Undertone, this is about an unnamed journalist mired in scandal-the e-mail in question concerns a mysterious object. It wasn’t long before I realized what the title “Monolith” meant, and which director they were inspired by. The obviously illusion to at least one other film from the director did tickle me pink.

Unlike Undertone, the movie isn’t predicated on sound design, nor is it focused on being unsettling & scary. Heck, the movie is centered on sci-fi instead of horror. Monolith attempts to say more about various topics I of course better not spoil. How successful the film is at its mission can be argued; personally, I never fully warmed up to the lead, although that was by design. That’s not a criticism of Lily Sullivan, of Evil Dead Rise fame. My opinion is more on the character; she did a very good job.

Perhaps my recommending the film for those that felt disappointed-or downright hated-Undertone is the better lede. The ambition and its themes might speak to you deeply. While not a home run-and like w/ Undertone, its finale won't work for everyone.

Monolith can still be classified as “good”; for some, the cerebral approach will work even better for them. Undoubtedly, the attempt to create something in the genre that is thoughtful and requires speculation from the viewer is appreciated when the large majority of science fiction in the 21st century is full of bombast & spectacle.

Born to Kill

Born to Kill (1947)

Runtime: 92 minutes

Directed by: Robert Wise

Starring: Lawrence Tierney, Claire Trevor, Walter Slezak, Phillip Terry, Audrey Long, Elisha Cook, Jr.

From: RKO

Would you believe that this is my first film noir since Noirvember last year? That’s right, a bit under six months ago. For the number that I’ve viewed since 2014 (now at 90!), this was a grievous mistake. As there still are worthwhile movies like this in the genre to check out, those shouldn’t be viewed so infrequently.

Born to Kill (a great title; it’s based on a novel titled Deadlier than the Male, not to be confused with the 60’s British crime film) focuses on San Francisco socialite Helen who moves to Reno, Nevada to get a divorce. What misfortune then that she crosses paths with Sam Wild; he IS the type to shoot a man just to watch him die… Sam murders his dame Laury Palmer-I don’t know if that’s where Lynch got the name; it’d be great if that’s the case-and another man. Sam and Helen become pals, despite their lack of knowledge that Helen discovered the bodies of Laury and that man. 

A loud hysterical alcoholic who runs a boardinghouse that Laury lived in (what a performance from Esther Howard) hires rotund detective Walter Slezak to solve the crime. Lawrence Tierney portrayed Wilde; a shame that it was alcohol which prevented his career from matching his talent. His performance was quite memorable although arguably, Claire Trevor as Helen was the best performance—good thing, as this is an uncommon noir where the focus is on a woman. While Helen has a fiancé, what a problem for her that her sister has fallen for Sam.

The film had memorable characters-including one portrayed by Elisha Cook, Jr. in a role suited for him as Sam’s buddy in a relationship that might hint at something more-and was well-directed by Robert Wise. What’s most memorable is that the movie was bold for the time, subverting several expectations and being so salacious for 1947, several locations banned it. Tierney’s legal problems at the time + a lawyer attempting to use a 12-year-old boy’s watching this movie 3 weeks beforehand as an excuse for the boy’s murder of a 7-year-old did not help its reputation.

In 2026, the film’s dark nature (even compared to other noirs) and abundance of sleazy, amoral characters plays quite well. Shoutout to the rest of the cast, including the likes of Phillip Terry & Audrey Long; they also assisted w/ making this a memorable picture.

 

Dynamite

Dynamite (1929)

Runtime: 127 minutes

Directed by: Cecil B. DeMille

Starring: Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson, Charles Bickford, Julia Faye, Joel McCrea

From: MGM

Dynamite was incredibly creaky, but as it’s Cecil B. DeMille so the movie was still a blast. I’ve seen some oddball early “talkie” movies from DeMille-others were stranger but that’s not to downplay the peculiarities of Dynamite.

I’ll note this for those interested in the cinema of the late 20’s through the 30’s. Early yesterday evening I found a 4K upload of Dynamite on a YouTube channel-hopefully that can easily be found via search-featuring many 4K streams of films even I hadn’t heard of but the assumption is that those films won’t be as obscure to them & in fact, they might find something that’s on their watchlist. 

Right after we see coal miner HAGON DERK be sentenced to hang-much to the consternation of his younger sister, still a girl-we are met with rich socialite Kay Johnson being told she HAS to marry to inherit her grandfather’s fortune, per the terms of his will. She is an independent woman (which unfortunately is treated badly by the movie due to some beliefs that thankfully are long out of date) and besides, she is engaged to a dude… who is already married to another lady.

The rest won’t be a detailed synopsis. You’ll probably surmise how Derk first met Cynthia Crothers. Instead, I’ll mention brief snippets. 

There’s the likes of: 

* A booze-fueled party among snobby rich people best described as a bacchanal. Note that of course this was still the era of Prohibition. The drinks are so spicy, literal steam is shown coming from the glasses.

* Catty dialogue between two ladies.

* A talking parrot.

* Bath salts… no, not the drugs you find in Florida!

* There’s an actual canary in the coal mine.

* The realization from me that a Three Stooges short (In the Sweet Pie and Pie, from ‘41) was heavily “inspired” by the main plot thread from Dynamite. Unlike this film, that one has a pie fight which served as a classic conclusion.

* Of course, the socialite doesn’t even have one clue, re: the simple act of cooking a meal. For comedy’s sake, I’d love to see any of the Kardashian/Jenner offspring attempt to prepare a meal.

* The third act does go in some bold directions, and there’s a heroic sacrifice. 

While there are better DeMille films from even this era, Cecil’s first talkie was still a melodrama (albeit one that was and did feel long at a bit over 2 hours) that featured memorable moments, especially during the final act. In the upcoming years, I’ll view more work from DeMille; it’s about time I see at least one of his silents. He made many of those & I know at least a few have survived/are not difficult to track down.