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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Oct 21, 2023 21:12:00 GMT
We could add the British Quota Quickie to this thread. I have seen a couple. As a consequence of the Cinematograph Films Act 1927 there was a requirement that a certain amount of films with British content had to be shown. It just meant big US studios made cheap films with a British subsidiary that were often showed in empty cinemas to the ice cream lady. But some are actually interesting and watchable. I'd imagine they were also a breeding ground for actors and directors and those in the industry in general. I'm not too familiar with the 'quota quickies' but will have a look. Michael Powell made some, two that are mentioned are Red Ensign and The Phantom Light. Of his others I enjoyed Powell's delightful A Canterbury Tale, A Matter of Life and Death and The Red Shoes. Peeping Tom is one I've yet to see.
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Post by helrunar on Oct 21, 2023 22:36:01 GMT
I don't think either The Red Shoes or Peeping Tom would be considered quota quickies. But maybe I've seen these defined differently from how the phrase is being used now. I read each one typically ran an hour, and that they'd sometimes be shown in local cinemas at matinee times and that in many cases, only the cleaning staff were in the house when the films ran. It would be interesting to know more about this type of film. This site has a list of them. I've seen Cat Girl with Barbara Shelley who turned in an exquisitely styled performance in an otherwise rather lacklustre production. mubi.com/en/lists/british-quota-quickies-b-movies-1927-1961House of Mystery, Konga, and Beat Girl are also fun. I think there were a LOT of these made that aren't listed here. Quite a few have been showing up on youtube lately. The Paul Temple and Toff films with John Bentley are worth viewing, from the early 50s--I'm not sure, again, that these are "quota quickies," but they're well-made, well-written little films with loads of atmosphere. Hel.
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Oct 21, 2023 22:52:02 GMT
You misunderstood me. My fault, I should have said of his other later films (not quota quickies). They are high quality productions.
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Post by ripper on Oct 22, 2023 8:48:15 GMT
I'm not too familiar with the 'quota quickies' but will have a look. Michael Powell made some, two that are mentioned are Red Ensign and The Phantom Light. Of his others I enjoyed Powell's delightful A Canterbury Tale, A Matter of Life and Death and The Red Shoes. Peeping Tom is one I've yet to see. I think I shall take a look at The Phantom Light as it sounds supernatural, though as with a lot of such films there may well turn out to be a rational explanation.
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Post by ripper on Oct 22, 2023 11:44:57 GMT
The Phantom Light from 1935, a 'quota quickie'. Starring Binnie Hale, Gordon Harker and Reginald Tate. Hale had a short film career, but was apparently very well known in musical plays. Harker played Inspector Hornleigh in several detective mysteries, while Tate was the original Quatermass. A lighthouse off the Welsh coast is the setting for seemingly supernatural happenings, or is there a more rational explanation. I wasn't sure what to expect, but this film grew on me as it went on. The plot isn't anything to write home about, but there are some nice performances and sharp dialogue. I thought Binnie Hale and Gordon Harker were really good in their roles, with lots of nice exchanges between them, quite a few of them raising a chuckle. I must seek out more of Hale and Harker's films--shame the former didn't make a lot more.
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Post by ripper on Oct 24, 2023 9:19:32 GMT
The Gorilla, distributed by 20th Century Fox in 1939. Starring The Ritz Brothers, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Patsy Kelly. A criminal called the Gorilla threatens the life of a rich man, who hires a trio of bumbling detectives to protect him. Things are complicated by the arrival of his niece and her boyfriend at his mansion on a dark and stormy night, plus a real gorilla. This was not a poverty row production and had a decent budget, but is bottom of the bill fare nonetheless. First, the Ritz Brothers. They come across as a low-rent Three Stooges on the evidence of this film. I have to say that I didn't laugh even once at their antics. Now this may not be their fault as it was reported they were very unhappy with the script and actually walked out one time. They had a decent career, starring in musical comedy films and in live acts, so I will cut them some slack and blame the script. Also, producers tried to tempt Harry Ritz to go solo as they said he could do better without his brothers, but he always refused, so bravo to him for staying loyal. Bela Lugosi and Lionel Atwill are fine, though it was sad to see Lugosi and know that things were going to get a lot worse for him from then on. The two romantic leads are okay, the girl is suitably sweet and worried for her uncle threatened by the Gorilla, and her boyfriend heroic and protective. Patsy Kelly as the maid is the funniest, though that isn't saying much. She quotes Shakespeare and chews the scenery like her life depended on it. I got the impression that she, too, wasn't handed any favours by the script.
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Post by helrunar on Oct 24, 2023 13:52:10 GMT
Thanks for that write-up about The Gorilla. Oddly, Karloff did a film right around the same time (release date was 1940 if I recall aright) with the same title, but it was based on a stage play which had several incarnations. Karloff's Gorilla was rather dull, but I enjoyed seeing his performance. A friend showcased it in an online Halloween show last year. Patsy Kelly is in my personal pantheon for her performance as Laura-Louise in Rosemary's Baby, her friendship with Tallulah Bankhead who I believe supported her financially for years (I've read that Patsy and Tallulah were lovers at some point, and Tallulah was also very loyal) and her chat show appearances which I still recall from when her career experienced a revival when she appeared in a Broadway restaging of 42nd Street, sometime in the late Sixties I think. Here's a cool little squib about Patsy's acting in Rosemary's Baby: www.criterion.com/current/posts/2824-the-witch-upstairs-patsy-kelly-in-rosemary-s-babyThe real bottom of the barrel for Bela and Atwill was this color film called Scared to Death which dates to around 1947. I'd always wanted to see it because it was the only color movie Bela ever did. So in some shots you can see his blue eyes (which were very bright blue, and which read so hypnotically in the black and white movies he did). It finally showed up on youtube last year so I got to see it. It's really dreadful rubbish but whenever Bela is onscreen, I found it enjoyable. I think Angelo Rossito may also have been in that one. They worked together quite a bit in the 1940s it would seem. Hel.
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Post by ripper on Oct 24, 2023 16:50:08 GMT
Thanks for that write-up about The Gorilla. Oddly, Karloff did a film right around the same time (release date was 1940 if I recall aright) with the same title, but it was based on a stage play which had several incarnations. Karloff's Gorilla was rather dull, but I enjoyed seeing his performance. A friend showcased it in an online Halloween show last year. Patsy Kelly is in my personal pantheon for her performance as Laura-Louise in Rosemary's Baby, her friendship with Tallulah Bankhead who I believe supported her financially for years (I've read that Patsy and Tallulah were lovers at some point, and Tallulah was also very loyal) and her chat show appearances which I still recall from when her career experienced a revival when she appeared in a Broadway restaging of 42nd Street, sometime in the late Sixties I think. Here's a cool little squib about Patsy's acting in Rosemary's Baby: www.criterion.com/current/posts/2824-the-witch-upstairs-patsy-kelly-in-rosemary-s-babyThe real bottom of the barrel for Bela and Atwill was this color film called Scared to Death which dates to around 1947. I'd always wanted to see it because it was the only color movie Bela ever did. So in some shots you can see his blue eyes (which were very bright blue, and which read so hypnotically in the black and white movies he did). It finally showed up on youtube last year so I got to see it. It's really dreadful rubbish but whenever Bela is onscreen, I found it enjoyable. I think Angelo Rossito may also have been in that one. They worked together quite a bit in the 1940s it would seem. Hel. Hello Hel, I think you mean The Ape for the Karloff film from 1940. I've only seen it once decades ago and it wasn't the most exciting, though Karloff usually has the ability of raising anything he is in a notch or two imo. Thanks for the link to the information on Patsy Kelly. I had forgotten she was in Rosemary's Baby. It's sad she went without work for so long. Scared to Death is one I don't think I have seen. I've noticed it listed on many cheapie DVD collections, so will have to take a look at it sometime.
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Post by helrunar on Oct 24, 2023 19:16:28 GMT
You're right, the title was The Ape. It's so dreary how unreliable my short term memory has become now. I'm surprised to see that Curt Siodmak is listed as an author of the screenplay on that thing. There really wasn't much going on there.
Hel.
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Oct 25, 2023 0:04:09 GMT
I watched, or suffered, The Horror of Party Beach, a 1964 supposed horror film (you could have fooled me). It belonged to the beach party genre, that was briefly popular through the 1960s. Girls in bikinis dancing, uninspiring music, surfing and parties seem to be key elements. There are underlying plot elements that might have offered a bit more, but just aren't expanded. There is a dire party scene on the beach, with songs and a cringeworthy comedy routine using a puppet. Did American teenagers in any way act like this, or is it just a fantasy version created by the studios? I suspect the latter. AIP stand guilty, they created the genre and were responsible for many of them. Swampirella watched a later entry in this tortuous genre: The Girl in the Invisible Bikini; it has Boris Karloff in it (is it his low point?). By 1968 the genre had burned itself out, fast cars were now in. You get a late couple of crossovers. In no way did I have urge to dance in a bikini. I suppose it was the Swinging Sixties and you had to be there.
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Post by ripper on Oct 25, 2023 10:32:03 GMT
I watched, or suffered, The Horror of Party Beach, a 1964 supposed horror film (you could have fooled me). It belonged to the beach party genre, that was briefly popular through the 1960s. Girls in bikinis dancing, uninspiring music, surfing and parties seem to be key elements. There are underlying plot elements that might have offered a bit more, but just aren't expanded. There is a dire party scene on the beach, with songs and a cringeworthy comedy routine using a puppet. Did American teenagers in any way act like this, or is it just a fantasy version created by the studios? I suspect the latter. AIP stand guilty, they created the genre and were responsible for many of them. Swampirella watched a later entry in this tortuous genre: The Girl in the Invisible Bikini; it has Boris Karloff in it (is it his low point?). By 1968 the genre had burned itself out, fast cars were now in. You get a late couple of crossovers. In no way did I have urge to dance in a bikini. I suppose it was the Swinging Sixties and you had to be there. Horror of Party Beach was featured on an episode of MST3K, which is always an indication that you need to brace yourself for the experience. There's a later film called Humanoids from the Deep (1980) which is similar in concept, but is more explicit. Ghost in the Invisible Bikini is a very odd little film. I think AIP were getting a bit desperate to inject some life into the waning beach party genre, only I don't consider they were too successful. Karloff's low point? Maybe, but those Mexican films he made shortly before his death are pretty dire, and in Invisible Bikini you have the likes of Basil Rathbone and Nancy Sinatra for distraction. Have you ever seen Mad Monster Party?
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Oct 25, 2023 11:47:42 GMT
I watched, or suffered, The Horror of Party Beach, a 1964 supposed horror film (you could have fooled me). It belonged to the beach party genre, that was briefly popular through the 1960s. Girls in bikinis dancing, uninspiring music, surfing and parties seem to be key elements. There are underlying plot elements that might have offered a bit more, but just aren't expanded. There is a dire party scene on the beach, with songs and a cringeworthy comedy routine using a puppet. Did American teenagers in any way act like this, or is it just a fantasy version created by the studios? I suspect the latter. AIP stand guilty, they created the genre and were responsible for many of them. Swampirella watched a later entry in this tortuous genre: The Girl in the Invisible Bikini; it has Boris Karloff in it (is it his low point?). By 1968 the genre had burned itself out, fast cars were now in. You get a late couple of crossovers. In no way did I have urge to dance in a bikini. I suppose it was the Swinging Sixties and you had to be there. Horror of Party Beach was featured on an episode of MST3K, which is always an indication that you need to brace yourself for the experience. There's a later film called Humanoids from the Deep (1980) which is similar in concept, but is more explicit. Ghost in the Invisible Bikini is a very odd little film. I think AIP were getting a bit desperate to inject some life into the waning beach party genre, only I don't consider they were too successful. Karloff's low point? Maybe, but those Mexican films he made shortly before his death are pretty dire, and in Invisible Bikini you have the likes of Basil Rathbone and Nancy Sinatra for distraction. Have you ever seen Mad Monster Party? For the four Mexican movies he did at the end of his career he never left Los Angles, his scenes were added later to the films, which doesn't bode well for them. I haven't seen Mad Monster Party, thank you for pointing me toward it. In actual fact I haven't seen as many Karloff films as I should have. I'll probably rectify that shortly.
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Post by ripper on Oct 25, 2023 18:53:10 GMT
Horror of Party Beach was featured on an episode of MST3K, which is always an indication that you need to brace yourself for the experience. There's a later film called Humanoids from the Deep (1980) which is similar in concept, but is more explicit. Ghost in the Invisible Bikini is a very odd little film. I think AIP were getting a bit desperate to inject some life into the waning beach party genre, only I don't consider they were too successful. Karloff's low point? Maybe, but those Mexican films he made shortly before his death are pretty dire, and in Invisible Bikini you have the likes of Basil Rathbone and Nancy Sinatra for distraction. Have you ever seen Mad Monster Party? For the four Mexican movies he did at the end of his career he never left Los Angles, his scenes were added later to the films, which doesn't bode well for them. I haven't seen Mad Monster Party, thank you for pointing me toward it. In actual fact I haven't seen as many Karloff films as I should have. I'll probably rectify that shortly. Karloff was very poorly when he made them. I'm glad we have The Sorcerers and Targets to remember him by in his final years. Just in case you were not aware, Mad Monster Party is a stop motion animated film aimed at children, but imo it is very good, with all the classic Universal monsters appearing--I think you would like it.
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Post by ripper on Oct 26, 2023 11:09:17 GMT
The Phantom Shot from 1947, produced by International Talking Pictures. Starring John Stuart and Howard Marion Crawford. This is a short British film about a pair of police detectives investigating a murder in a country house. It is unusual in that the main character, Inspector Webb, talks directly to the audience, challenging them to solve the murder from the clues provided as he talks to suspects and examines the murder room. Actually, nearly all the cast, apart from the police, are suspects as the victim was disliked by everyone and had motives. I thought it was quite engrossing and kept me guessing. I did pick the correct suspect, but that was probably more luck than judgement.
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Post by ripper on Oct 28, 2023 9:19:52 GMT
Destination Inner Space from 1966 starring Scott Brady, Sheree North, Gary Merrill and Wende Wagner. Distributed by UPC. Following the Horror of Party Beach entry from the Archduchess, this film also features an aquatic humanoid--or rather alien--creature terrorising an ocean floor scientific base. I saw this on telly once about 50 years ago on a Saturday evening--don't ask me why I remember it was a Saturday, it has just stuck in my mind that it was, only it was under another title, and also have it on DVD. It's not a bad film for something that was cheaply made. It reminds me of the kind of thing that Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was showing week after week around the same time. I do like Scott Brady, and if he can get the girl at the end of the film then there's hope for us all. The scariest thing about the film is the scene where Brady is putting on a suit prior to venturing into the sea, and the trouble he has in fastening his belt over his gut--it's also very funny. Brady is the brother of Lawrence Tierney and was in lots of cheap B genre films, though his last was Gremlins, probably the biggest he was in.
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