morogiorgas Reviews

Murder Backstage (1960)

Classy Greek noir

[9/10 · 10 December 2015]

A rare jewel for Greek cinema. This is one of a few Greek noir films and in my opinion the best.

A crime is committed in a theater. The leading lady of a play is murdered in her dressing room, and (the famous) police inspector Bekas (Titos Vandis) will investigate the case. His friend Makris (Alekos Alexandrakis), a newspaper editor, will help him solve it.

Eglima sta paraskinia (I could translate it as Backstage crime), is a highly artistic and a rather suspenseful whodunit movie, written by a master of the genre, Yannis Maris. The acting is great, especially by the two protagonists. Vandis nails the role of Bekas and should have reprised it in another movie. Alexandrakis is full of grace as usual, in a role that suites him well. The rest of the cast give great performances as well.

The movie may be the first Dinos Katsouridis directs, but because of his previous experience as an editor and cinematographer, he does it superbly. Also Aristeidis Karydis-Fuchs is responsible for the artistic cinematography, which won the first prize at Thessaloniki Film Festival that year. Finally, Mimis Plessas composed the music which greatly fits the ambiance of the movie.

I can imagine that it would be difficult for a non-Greek to discover that film but I definitely recommend it to everyone, especially to film noir lovers.

Psila ta heria Hitler (1962)

Great movie. Great cast..

[8/10 · 8 October 2011]

Two very good friends, Anestis and Panagis, meet again after many years during an excursion to the countryside. Their joy is great as they both thought one another was dead. So they start to remember their common struggle for survival during the German occupation of Athens. They also remember the events that led to their separation during a roundup by German troops. Psila Ta Heria Hitler is a bittersweet comedy well directed by Roviros Manthoulis who had a difficult task because of the subject, since many movies of the era were about WW2 but only a few of them were comedies. The "wounds" of the war and the German occupation had not been healed much yet, so it was difficult to make a comedy about this subject. (The only one that comes to mind is Oi Germanoi Ksanarhondai with Vasilis Logothetidis.) Excellent performances from two great actors, Vengos and Diamantopoulos , in this rare (perhaps unique collaboration). I have to mention a great scene where during a little feast we hear a song by Mikis Theodorakis performed by Bithikotsis "Exei h Nyhta Thanato". A rare version of a really great song.

Recommended 8/10.

7th Heaven (1996–2007)

Pure American Propaganda!!!

[1/10 · 27 April 2008]

Worst show ever!!! Just stay away!!! Do not watch even for fun!!! It is so annoying that you may actually go on watching it just out of curiosity. I was curious for along time. "How much worst is it going to get?" , I was wondering. And it kept on surprising me. Until one day Jessica left the show. I am not a masochist , so I stop watching it. Seriously, not only it is awful but it is scary too. I could not believe that there are actually people in America thinking the same way the Camdens think. I could not believe that there are people defending their president for his crimes to humanity and I can not believe there are still people that consider sex to be a crime. I can not understand why Americans try so hard to make people from other countries to hate them. Why? Why dear Americans you want us to hate you? Stop making disgusting TV shows that offend our intelligence , PLEASE. GO on making shows like "arrested development" or "friends". Thanks!