DVD update...

I haven't been here a while, busy doing nothing much. Have either won or bought loads of DVD's recently, must have about 20 to sit through. Anyway, here are some we've watched:

'Die Bande des Schreckens' ('The Terrible People' Directed by Harald Reinl 1960)
Ok Edgar Wallace story, but sadly quite forgettable. Well, except for Karin Dor. Superb DVD from Germany (Tobis), although the subtitles occasionally don't make sense.

'Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion' ('Le Foto proibite di una signora per bene' Directed by Luciano Ercoli 1970)
Ercoli is becoming one of my favourite giallo directors. This was great! Fantastic score from Ennio Morricone and starring Susan Scott and Dagmar Lassander. DVD features a trailer.

'Django Kill - If You Live, Shoot!' ('Se sei vivo spara' Directed by Giulio Questi 1967)
Don't know why this movie gets such bad reviews, we really enjoyed it. After all there is Tomas Milian, cute Ray Lovelock and gay cowboys dressed in black. DVD has a wonderful print as usual from Blue Underground and an interview with director/co-writer Giulio Questi, Tomas Milian and Ray Lovelock.

'La Morte ha fatto l'uovo' ('Death Laid an Egg' Directed by Giulio Questi 1968)
Decided to view this giallo again after watching Questi's 'If You Live, Shoot!'. Cool, but weird and has mutant chicken monsters, Ewa Aulin, Gina Lollobrigida in a flame red wig, oh and a great opening. Lovely Japanese DVD. I expect this will get an American release soon.

'Totò contro Maciste' ('Toto vs. Maciste' Directed by Fernando Cerchio 1962)
Sort of carry on Hercules. Samson Burke as Maciste the blockhead and Totò in his usual role. Italian Language only DVD, but nice print and also the first time I've watched Samson Burke in a peplum, next stop 'The Three Stooges Meet Hercules'.

'Ursus nella valle dei leoni' ('Ursus in the Valley of the Lions' Directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia 1961)
Ed fury is Ursus, brought up by lions after his family are murdered (lucky). Fantastic and garish Moira Orfei stars as a bad girl turns good. DVD has a featurette about peplum films including Brad Harris, Gordon Mitchell and Moira Orfei (who looks bizarre but excellent!) sadly this is only in German language, as was the movie, but I managed to watch it all.

'A Dirty Shame' (Directed by John Waters 2004)
The latest movie from constant funny man Waters. Mink Stole has some great lines, as usual, Jean Hill is in it (don't blink!) and Mary Vivian Pearce (momentarily) looking very ill.
DVD features an excellent (and funny) featurette that is only four minutes shorter than the film itself.

'Dogora' ('Uchu daikaijû Dogora' Directed by Ishirô Honda 1964)
Yet another great Toho 'alien monster attacks Japan' film, though sadly too much of the film is about the diamond thieves and not enough about said giant flying jellyfish (Dogora only comes in about 50 minutes into the film). Loved the sound effects when he does, it's like an amplified heart beating. Spooky. Wish to god my 'Yog: Monster from Space' would hurry up and get despatched.

Phew! Too much typing and not enough watching of DVD's. I'm off...

Brad Harris double-bill part 2

'Zambo' ('Zambo, il dominatore della foresta' Directed by Bitto Albertini 1972)
I won this video on ebay from Germany, so it is difficult for me to rate as I don't understand German too well, that said - it does star Brad Harris (yay!) and is an exciting (if slightly campy) jungle adventure. Brad plays a prisoner, wrongly convicted (if my translation is correct) who escapes along with another convict into the African jungle. The two of them battle the elements until the other guy dies, Brad (Zambo) luckily adjusts himself to life in the danger-filled jungle, taming the wildlife, making friends with local tribes and in particular a small boy. An expedition of evil baddies go in search of Zambo for reasons I'm not too sure and along with them is blonde Gisela Hahn, who plays the love interest of Zambo. Brad gets to show off his stuntman fighting skills here and there and looks rather fetching in his Tarzan-like costume, though I can't picture him running that up on a sewing machine in the jungle (or anywhere else for that matter). The film ends on a kind of sad note as he waves goodbye to his love interest on board a ship, preferring to stay in the wilds.

Bitto Albertini directed '6000 km di paura' ('Safari Rally'), with Joe Dallesandro which I really want to get my hands on. Oh and 'Il Ritorno del gladiatore più forte del mondo' - again with Brad Harris. In fact he's behind loads of films I love or want...

'Challenge of the Tiger' ('Gymkata Killer' Directed by Bruce Le 1980)
This was the second billing on Mondo Macabro's DVD 'For Your Height Only' and sadly I wasn't impressed at all. It's a martial arts action drama. Playing a bad guy this time, Brad doesn't get to do much except look scary in a pair of black sunglasses and black leather gloves. The main actor is handsome Richard Harrison who runs around with lots of topless women and fights men wearing only a ridiculous beach thong! Won't be watching this again anytime soon, though I'm looking forward to seeing tiny Weng Weng in 'For Your Height Only'. I'd love to know how Brad and Richard got on together and if they talked about their time making sword and sandal films.

Seeya.