Erich Von Stroheim and Cecil B. DeMille’s Fetishistic Films
Erich Von Stroheim’s films fetishised a scandalous poke to the public’s eye, whereas Cecile B. DeMille’s films obsessed over middle-class verities.
Michael Barrett
Michael Barrett works in a public library. For more than 20 years, he wrote a monthly video column in the San Antonio Express News stressing classic and foreign films. His national publications include Video Watchdog, Nostalgia Digest and Retro Cinema. He's also written scripts that still await their destiny.
Naughty Naughty Joe Orton
Screenwriter Joe Orton’s specialty was throwing in queer and polymorphous sexuality during a period when English laws were loosening but homosexuals were still being arrested.
Cowboy Hero Tom Tyler Rides into Restored Silent Film Westerns
Cowboy hero Tom Tyler rides a horse, swings a fist, and saves a ranch in restored silent westerns The Law of the Plains and The Man from Nevada.
‘The Bermuda Triangle’ Hits the Spooky Pseudo-Science Spot
Richard Friedenberg’s The Bermuda Triangle is an encyclopedia, a smorgasbord, a broom closet of themes from all over its era’s pop culture.
The Long Dark Reach of Cornell Woolrich’s Noir Thrillers
Cornell Woolrich’s premise that happiness is always just beyond reach grabs hold of noir thrillers Dark City, Beware, My Lovely, and No Man of Her Own.
Hobart Bosworth’s Edgy Strong Silent Type Clings to Life
What remains of Hobart Bosworth’s edgy strong silent type characters and his directing achievements cling to life in the few silent-era Hollywood films left to us.
Mick Jagger and James Fox’s Disorienting Fever Dream
Performance, starring Mick Jagger and James Fox, thrives on disorientations, making this time-capsule movie a timeless puzzle that resonates.
In New Directors/New Films Ideas Bubble from the Cultural Magma
New Directors/New Films presents a cross-section of ideas and styles bubbling from today’s cultural magma, and elements and themes resonate from film to film. It’s our zeitgeist, baby.
Eco-Horror ‘Orca: The Killer Whale’ Takes the Whale’s POV
Michael Anderson’s ’70s-era ecological horror Orca: The Killer Whale takes the whale’s POV and we won’t like what it sees.
Gothic Horror ‘The Mask of Satan’ Gets Deliriously Freaky
Lamberto Bava’s gothic horror The Mask of Satan is a loose framework for ideas to showcase a delirious camera and the freaky makeup effects of Sergio Stivaletti.
Horror Movie ‘The Beast Within’ Channels Mississippi Murder
The specters of Mississippi murder, uncontrollable teens and much, much more American-generated anxiety haunt the freak-out horror movie The Beast Within.
Silent Film ‘The Bat’ Begat Comics Dark Superhero Batman
Murder, secret rooms, and a man in a bat suit are among the shenanigans in silent film The Bat, a seminal work that begat comics dark superhero Batman.