In the universe of James Bond, there are several tiers of villains. There are the primary villains, of course, the mad geniuses like Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Auric Goldfinger, Karl Stromberg, or Max Zorin, who plot to take down financial institutions, governments, military installations, or even the entire world. Sometimes it’s even all of the above Next, however, are the secondary adversaries who may support the main villain in their plans but are often either in it for their own financial gain (as opposed to world conquest), or because they’re in trouble, and this is their only way out. Think of Pussy Galore from Goldfinger, Milton Krest from Licence to Kill, General Ouromov from GoldenEye, Professor Dent from Dr. No… and the list goes on and on.
And then there are the henchmen who are there for one sole reason: to kill James Bond, or in the words of one famous villain,...
And then there are the henchmen who are there for one sole reason: to kill James Bond, or in the words of one famous villain,...
- 9/2/2023
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
This thinking man’s epic got left behind with the demise of Road Show movies, which is a shame. A beautifully made, uncompromised story of warring 17th century Germany, it plays like a fine epic, with great performances. Audiences didn’t want to see Michael Caine playing this kind of character in a costume drama that wasn’t glorious escapism. Everybody’s good — it’s a great picture for Omar Sharif and the underappreciated Florinda Bolkan. The (originally) 70mm cinematography looked incredibly good in 1971.
The Last Valley
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1971 / Color / 2:35 widescreen (in release) / 125 min. / Street Date June 23, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Omar Sharif, Florinda Bolkan, Nigel Davenport, Per Oscarsson, Madeline Hinde, Michael Gothard, Brian Blessed, Miguel Alejandro, Christian Roberts, Yorgo Voyagis, Ian Hogg, Vladek Sheybal.
Cinematography: Norman Warwick, John Wilcox
Film Editor: John Bloom
Original Music: John Barry
Visual Effects: Wally Veevers
From the...
The Last Valley
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1971 / Color / 2:35 widescreen (in release) / 125 min. / Street Date June 23, 2020 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95
Starring: Michael Caine, Omar Sharif, Florinda Bolkan, Nigel Davenport, Per Oscarsson, Madeline Hinde, Michael Gothard, Brian Blessed, Miguel Alejandro, Christian Roberts, Yorgo Voyagis, Ian Hogg, Vladek Sheybal.
Cinematography: Norman Warwick, John Wilcox
Film Editor: John Bloom
Original Music: John Barry
Visual Effects: Wally Veevers
From the...
- 6/9/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Filmmakers/authors discuss the movies they wish more people were familiar with.
Movies Referenced In This Episode
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the ’70s (2012)
Live Like A Cop, Die Like A Man (1976)
Island of Lost Souls (1932)
Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau (2014)
Top Gun (1986)
Water Power (1977)
Taxi Driver (1976)
In Fabric (2018)
A Climax of Blue Power (1974)
Forced Entry (1975)
Once Upon A Time In America (1984)
Nashville Girl (1976)
Ms .45 (1981)
Act of Vengeance a.k.a. Rape Squad (1974)
High Plains Drifter (1973)
Design For Living (1933)
Trouble In Paradise (1932)
Melody (1971)
Oliver! (1968)
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
That’ll Be The Day (1973)
Stardust (1974)
The Errand Boy (1961)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003)
The Bellboy (1960)
Which Way To The Front? (1970)
Hardly Working (1980)
A Night In Casablanca (1946)
The Cocoanuts (1929)
Duck Soup (1933)
Boeing Boeing (1965)
Confessions of a Young American Housewife (1974)
Cockfighter (1974)
The Second Civil War (1997)
I, A Woman (1965)
The Devil At Your Heels (1981)
The...
Movies Referenced In This Episode
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the ’70s (2012)
Live Like A Cop, Die Like A Man (1976)
Island of Lost Souls (1932)
Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau (2014)
Top Gun (1986)
Water Power (1977)
Taxi Driver (1976)
In Fabric (2018)
A Climax of Blue Power (1974)
Forced Entry (1975)
Once Upon A Time In America (1984)
Nashville Girl (1976)
Ms .45 (1981)
Act of Vengeance a.k.a. Rape Squad (1974)
High Plains Drifter (1973)
Design For Living (1933)
Trouble In Paradise (1932)
Melody (1971)
Oliver! (1968)
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
That’ll Be The Day (1973)
Stardust (1974)
The Errand Boy (1961)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003)
The Bellboy (1960)
Which Way To The Front? (1970)
Hardly Working (1980)
A Night In Casablanca (1946)
The Cocoanuts (1929)
Duck Soup (1933)
Boeing Boeing (1965)
Confessions of a Young American Housewife (1974)
Cockfighter (1974)
The Second Civil War (1997)
I, A Woman (1965)
The Devil At Your Heels (1981)
The...
- 3/3/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
When Ken Russell’s provocative religious horror “The Devils” became available to stream for the first time last week, cinephiles the world over were re-introduced to one of the greatest under appreciated films of all time — one that is surprisingly poignant in our current state of political unease. Infamous for its controversial release (the film was banned in several countries and received an X rating only after Russell cut a handful of the most incendiary scenes), the 1971 epic offers a stylish and scathing parable about the dangerous ways that the powerful can exploit religious zeal to stay that way.
Based on the true story of the trial of Urbain Grandier, a Catholic priest who was executed in 1634 on charges of witchcraft, Russell adapted “The Devils” from John Whiting’s 1960 play and Aldous Huxley’s 1952 novel, The Devils of Loudun. Russell digressed stylistically from his source material, taking a contemporary approach...
Based on the true story of the trial of Urbain Grandier, a Catholic priest who was executed in 1634 on charges of witchcraft, Russell adapted “The Devils” from John Whiting’s 1960 play and Aldous Huxley’s 1952 novel, The Devils of Loudun. Russell digressed stylistically from his source material, taking a contemporary approach...
- 3/22/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Vincent Price's diabolical surgeon produces a new breed of supermen, except that his latest 'composite' creation is also a serial-killing vampire. While the mayhem keeps the cops busy, the conspiracy spreads to a foreign dictatorship, where another composite is consolidating power through high-level murders. British agent Christopher Lee is ferreting out the conspiracy-- or is he part of it? Scream and Scream Again Blu-ray Twilight Time Limited Edition 1969 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 95 min. / Ship Date October 13, 2015 / available through Twilight Time Movies / 29.95 Starring Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Alfred Marks, Christopher Matthews, Judy Huxtable, Yutte Stensgaard, Anthony Newlands, Michael Gothard Cinematography John Coquillon Production Design Bill Constable Film Editor Peter Elliott Original Music David Whitaker Written by Christopher Wicking from a novel by Peter Saxon Produced by Louis M. Heyward, Max Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky Directed by Gordon Hessler
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Scream and Scream Again hangs in there as a genre curiosity,...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Scream and Scream Again hangs in there as a genre curiosity,...
- 11/3/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Sympathy for The Devils: The Suppression of Ken Russell’s Delirious, Incomparable Masterpiece
Despite the pronounced pedigree of its origins, Ken Russell’s glorious 1971 film The Devils is still mysteriously unavailable in the United States. An infamously plagued reception continues to usurp deserved attention away from its subversive content, though a growing legion of champions within the critical arena which had once sacrilegiously abandoned it has resulted in its growing recuperation.
Based, very loosely on a 1952 novel by literary giant Aldous Huxley depicting the downfall of 17th century French priest Urbain Grandier, it relates an incidence of hysteria and mob mentality run amok in the totalitarian paradigm of the Catholic Church. Russell, his project backed by none other than Warner Bros. studio itself, crafted an off-putting extravaganza of a film (shall we say, making Huxley’s text more Grandier) depicting events decried as pure blasphemy.
Wit unabashedly blunt sexual...
Despite the pronounced pedigree of its origins, Ken Russell’s glorious 1971 film The Devils is still mysteriously unavailable in the United States. An infamously plagued reception continues to usurp deserved attention away from its subversive content, though a growing legion of champions within the critical arena which had once sacrilegiously abandoned it has resulted in its growing recuperation.
Based, very loosely on a 1952 novel by literary giant Aldous Huxley depicting the downfall of 17th century French priest Urbain Grandier, it relates an incidence of hysteria and mob mentality run amok in the totalitarian paradigm of the Catholic Church. Russell, his project backed by none other than Warner Bros. studio itself, crafted an off-putting extravaganza of a film (shall we say, making Huxley’s text more Grandier) depicting events decried as pure blasphemy.
Wit unabashedly blunt sexual...
- 10/10/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Guillermo del Toro has slammed Warner Bros over the censorship of Ken Russell classic The Devils.
The filmmaker has criticised the continuing failure to release the 1971 movie in the UK market.
"There are powers that be at Warner Bros that refuse to allow the movie to be seen," del Toro told a master class Monday night in Toronto (via The Hollywood Reporter).
The film starred Oliver Reed, Vanessa Redgrave, Dudley Sutton, Michael Gothard and Gemma Jones.
It was based on Aldous Huxley's The Devils of Loudun, the story of a corrupt priest (Reed) who is brought low by the accusations of a maddened mother superior (Redgrave).
"The movie has been seen very little. It can only be shown in its entirety in England if it's booked as an educational experience," said del Toro.
"It's not an accident. It's not because of lack of demand. It's a true act of censorship.
The filmmaker has criticised the continuing failure to release the 1971 movie in the UK market.
"There are powers that be at Warner Bros that refuse to allow the movie to be seen," del Toro told a master class Monday night in Toronto (via The Hollywood Reporter).
The film starred Oliver Reed, Vanessa Redgrave, Dudley Sutton, Michael Gothard and Gemma Jones.
It was based on Aldous Huxley's The Devils of Loudun, the story of a corrupt priest (Reed) who is brought low by the accusations of a maddened mother superior (Redgrave).
"The movie has been seen very little. It can only be shown in its entirety in England if it's booked as an educational experience," said del Toro.
"It's not an accident. It's not because of lack of demand. It's a true act of censorship.
- 12/1/2014
- Digital Spy
As the undisputed king of American gothic, Vincent Price holds a unique position regarding his association with British horror. From the mid sixties, nearly all his films were made in the UK, and while not as distinguished as The House of Usher (1960), Tales of Terror (1962) and The Raven (1963), they are not without interest. As an actor perfectly suited to English gothic, Price’s output includes two career-defining performances. In a nutshell, he had the best of both worlds.
Masque of the Red Death (1964)
The British phase of his career began with a bang. After directing all of Price’s Poe chillers for American International Pictures, Roger Corman wanted to give the formula a fresh approach by making his next film in England. Aip’s Samuel Z Arkoff and James H Nicholson had already produced several European films, so the next step was to establish a London base with Louis M Heyward in charge.
Masque of the Red Death (1964)
The British phase of his career began with a bang. After directing all of Price’s Poe chillers for American International Pictures, Roger Corman wanted to give the formula a fresh approach by making his next film in England. Aip’s Samuel Z Arkoff and James H Nicholson had already produced several European films, so the next step was to establish a London base with Louis M Heyward in charge.
- 4/11/2014
- Shadowlocked
When you’re on a role you’re on a role! Once again here is a list of ten actors who achieved cult movie villainy on the strength of one movie. Some of the actors faded into obscurity while others continued their careers without scaling the heights of their defining cinematic performance. Perhaps I should do a one for heroes! Nah! Villains are much more fun!
[Spoilers follow]
Rudolph Klein-Rogge (Metropolis – 1927)
Although dated, Fritz Lang’s utopian masterpiece still has the unique power to fascinate. Not only did the film make a star of Brigitte Helm, it introduced the father of all mad scientists, C A Rotwang, played with eye rolling relish by Lang’s favourite actor Rudolph Klein-Rogge. The Austrian born star specialised in villainous roles so he was a natural for playing the nutty inventor who creates the legendary female robot used to impersonate Helm’s freedom fighter. With his exaggerated mannerisms and facial expressions,...
[Spoilers follow]
Rudolph Klein-Rogge (Metropolis – 1927)
Although dated, Fritz Lang’s utopian masterpiece still has the unique power to fascinate. Not only did the film make a star of Brigitte Helm, it introduced the father of all mad scientists, C A Rotwang, played with eye rolling relish by Lang’s favourite actor Rudolph Klein-Rogge. The Austrian born star specialised in villainous roles so he was a natural for playing the nutty inventor who creates the legendary female robot used to impersonate Helm’s freedom fighter. With his exaggerated mannerisms and facial expressions,...
- 12/22/2013
- Shadowlocked
Stars: Steve Railsback, Mathilda May, Peter Firth, Frank Finlay, Patrick Stewart, Michael Gothard | Written by Dan O’Bannon | Directed by Tobe Hooper
Based on a book by Colin Wilson known as Space Vampires and adapted by Dan O’Bannon for the silver screen Lifeforce is one of the most unique versions of the vampire legend ever put to screen. Featuring enough nudity to keep any eighties teenage boy happy Tobe Hooper created an epic sci-fi horror that not only pays homage to Hammer but also creates a truly unique experience. Much loved by the fans who have discovered it and looked back on with fondness by the people who starred in it and worked on it behind the scenes, Lifeforce is one of the treasures of the horror world that should be truly loved.
Arrow Video have paid respect to Lifeforce in the best way, giving it a re-mastering that...
Based on a book by Colin Wilson known as Space Vampires and adapted by Dan O’Bannon for the silver screen Lifeforce is one of the most unique versions of the vampire legend ever put to screen. Featuring enough nudity to keep any eighties teenage boy happy Tobe Hooper created an epic sci-fi horror that not only pays homage to Hammer but also creates a truly unique experience. Much loved by the fans who have discovered it and looked back on with fondness by the people who starred in it and worked on it behind the scenes, Lifeforce is one of the treasures of the horror world that should be truly loved.
Arrow Video have paid respect to Lifeforce in the best way, giving it a re-mastering that...
- 11/17/2013
- by Paul Metcalf
- Nerdly
Recent hot cinema topics such as the portrayal of the Mandarin character in Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 and speculations about what classic Star Trek villain Benedict Cumberbatch’s character in J.J Abrams’ Star Trek: Into Darkness was modeled after leading up to the film’s release, among others, underline the importance of great villains in genre cinema.
Creating a great cinematic villain is a difficult goal that makes for an incredibly rewarding and memorable viewer experience when it is achieved.
We’ll now take a look at the greatest film villains. Other writing on this subject tends to be a bit unfocused, as “greatest villain” articles tend to mix live-action human villains with animated characters and even animals. Many of these articles also lack a cohesive quality as they attempt to cover too much ground at once by spanning all of film history.
This article focuses on the 1970’s,...
Creating a great cinematic villain is a difficult goal that makes for an incredibly rewarding and memorable viewer experience when it is achieved.
We’ll now take a look at the greatest film villains. Other writing on this subject tends to be a bit unfocused, as “greatest villain” articles tend to mix live-action human villains with animated characters and even animals. Many of these articles also lack a cohesive quality as they attempt to cover too much ground at once by spanning all of film history.
This article focuses on the 1970’s,...
- 5/19/2013
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
Warlords Of Atlantis
Stars: Doug McClure, Peter Gilmore, Shane Rimmer, Lea Brodie, Michael Gothard, John Ratzenberger | Written by Brian Hayles | Directed by Kevin Connor
Having gone through most of the recent Amicus releases I was quite surprised with Warlords of Atlantis and the fact that it’s quite the standout film of the Doug McClure selection, then of course realised it’s not an Amicus film at all as they no longer existed when this was made; this was a continuation of the films outside of that company and was directed by Kevin Conner who directed most of Amicus’ fantasy films. Taking the mythological city of Atlantis as the base of the story and adding a stronger subplot to it, it stands out as a strong film than some of the more well-known titles.
Doug McClure this time plays Greg Collinson the inventor of a diving bell that he and...
Stars: Doug McClure, Peter Gilmore, Shane Rimmer, Lea Brodie, Michael Gothard, John Ratzenberger | Written by Brian Hayles | Directed by Kevin Connor
Having gone through most of the recent Amicus releases I was quite surprised with Warlords of Atlantis and the fact that it’s quite the standout film of the Doug McClure selection, then of course realised it’s not an Amicus film at all as they no longer existed when this was made; this was a continuation of the films outside of that company and was directed by Kevin Conner who directed most of Amicus’ fantasy films. Taking the mythological city of Atlantis as the base of the story and adding a stronger subplot to it, it stands out as a strong film than some of the more well-known titles.
Doug McClure this time plays Greg Collinson the inventor of a diving bell that he and...
- 7/29/2012
- by Pzomb
- Nerdly
With the Academy Awards for the 2011 film year in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to take a look at one of the event’s most consistently fascinating categories: Best Supporting Actor. The most interesting story in the category this year isn’t who got nominated, it’s who didn’t. More specifically, Albert Brooks was completely robbed of a nomination for his performance as film producer turned lethal gangster Bernie Rose in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive.
As much as I’d like to say I was surprised by this, considering both the quality of performance and Brooks’ slew of nominations from other critical circles, in light of the Academy’s history of overlooking outstanding supporting performances, I simply can’t.
Following is a chronological look at a number of performances richly deserving of a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination.
In some cases, the performances are in films...
As much as I’d like to say I was surprised by this, considering both the quality of performance and Brooks’ slew of nominations from other critical circles, in light of the Academy’s history of overlooking outstanding supporting performances, I simply can’t.
Following is a chronological look at a number of performances richly deserving of a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination.
In some cases, the performances are in films...
- 5/23/2012
- by Terek Puckett
- SoundOnSight
To mark the 50th Anniversary of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time and with filming almost complete on James Bond’s 23rd official outing in Skyfall due for release later this year, I have been tasked with taking a retrospective look at the films that turned author Ian Fleming’s creation into one of the most recognised and iconic characters in film history.
Following on from Bond’s previous mission into outer space for Moonraker, which although it was a huge success at the box office provided some of the worst excesses of the series so far preferring a more humorous approach over the serious spy thrills of the early days in the character’s long history. The film had also proved to be a costly exercise requiring co-financing from the French wing of United Artists to cover the budget. Series producer Albert R. Broccoli wisely...
Following on from Bond’s previous mission into outer space for Moonraker, which although it was a huge success at the box office provided some of the worst excesses of the series so far preferring a more humorous approach over the serious spy thrills of the early days in the character’s long history. The film had also proved to be a costly exercise requiring co-financing from the French wing of United Artists to cover the budget. Series producer Albert R. Broccoli wisely...
- 5/1/2012
- by Chris Wright
- Obsessed with Film
Oliver Reed, Vanessa Redgrave, The Devils Ken Russell, the director of Women in Love, The Boy Friend, and Altered States, died Sunday, Nov. 27, at the age of 84. Coincidentally, the British Film Institute, with much fanfare, announced several months ago that it would be releasing for the first time on DVD the X-rated version of Russell's The Devils, a mix of history, political intrigue, religious fanaticism, and unbridled sex in 17th-century France. The X-rated version is purported to be the uncut version of The Devils. Well, it's not, really. Adapted by Russell from John Whiting's 1960 play and Aldous Huxley's 1952 historical novel The Devils of Loudun, The Devils stars Vanessa Redgrave (in lieu of a recalcitrant Glenda Jackson) as Loudun's Ursuline convent head Sister Jeanne, a neurotic, physically deformed woman who is sexually obsessed with local priest Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed). Following a series of "possessions" in the convent, Grandier...
- 11/28/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The British Film Institute has announced today that it'll be giving Ken Russell's The Devils (1971) its first-ever release on DVD next year on March 19. Mark Kermode, who's championed Russell's work for years (and yes, that includes the late work) — here he is in 2008 calling for a release of The Devils in its complete form — says: "Ken Russell is one of Britain's greatest living filmmakers and The Devils remains his most incendiary work — an extraordinary and impassioned depiction of the unholy marriage of church and state which is as relevant today as it was when the film was first released."
Which is when it was promptly banned in several countries (see the Wikipedia entry for details), even though Russell would win Best Director awards in Venice and from the National Board of Review in the Us. The BFI: "The Devils is based on events that took place in 17th century Loudun,...
Which is when it was promptly banned in several countries (see the Wikipedia entry for details), even though Russell would win Best Director awards in Venice and from the National Board of Review in the Us. The BFI: "The Devils is based on events that took place in 17th century Loudun,...
- 11/15/2011
- MUBI
One thing I truly love about cinema is the way in which films can make an audience think, to ignite a spark in their minds, provoking thoughts that never would have occurred otherwise and send them off in new directions, contemplating new ideas and viewpoints. One of the most exciting ways that cinema often achieves this is through confrontation, dangerous and exciting cinema that pulls no punches and feels dangerous.
One such dangerous film is Ken Russell’s 1971 The Devils, screened last week as part of Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival with Ken Russell himself in attendance. The film takes place in 17th century France and focuses on Father Grandier, played by Oliver Reed giving probably the best performance of his career. Grandier is a sexually adventurous priest who, despite what appears to be genuine faith and devotion to god, pushes the boundaries of what is morally acceptable at the time,...
One such dangerous film is Ken Russell’s 1971 The Devils, screened last week as part of Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival with Ken Russell himself in attendance. The film takes place in 17th century France and focuses on Father Grandier, played by Oliver Reed giving probably the best performance of his career. Grandier is a sexually adventurous priest who, despite what appears to be genuine faith and devotion to god, pushes the boundaries of what is morally acceptable at the time,...
- 7/26/2010
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Nothing happens fast in Herostratus, Don Levy's two-hour-and-twenty-three minute feature film, the only feature he made. Go look at the descriptions of it on the web, check out the plot descriptions, they all invariably boil down the same. A disillusioned young poet, Max (Michael Gothard), pitches his own suicide to an ad man, who then puts together a multi-sponsored spectacle to mark the event. Yes, there's quite a hook for you: the hyper-sensitive youth of Swinging London's counterculture forging a morbid alliance with the plastic forces of commerce and commercialism.
Except that in any "normal" narrative film the hook would be revealed and the deal made in the first ten minutes at least, or even quicker, before the opening credits with the marketing-department-approved pop song by the hottest current combo playing under them. Herostratus works differently.
Except that in any "normal" narrative film the hook would be revealed and the deal made in the first ten minutes at least, or even quicker, before the opening credits with the marketing-department-approved pop song by the hottest current combo playing under them. Herostratus works differently.
- 12/1/2009
- MUBI
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