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Reviews
The Joe Franklin Show (1950)
One of a kind
As a teen in the 80's I used to watch The Uncle Floyd Show and the Joe Franklin Show on WGN out of New York. Joe was like no other talk show host. If his guests were a ballerina and a dentist, he would ask the dentist about ballet. If he had a rock band on, rather than have them.perform or lip sync, he would play one of their records and flip through photographs either before or after asking their opinion of 40's singer Russ Colombo. He talked about Russ Colombo every night. Joe was an aficionado of early 20th century culture and he would subject his guests to a trivia quiz every night. The questions were invariably about songs and movies of the 30's and 40's and Joe would answer all the questions. You never knew who you'd see on there because he'd been on the air so long many celebrities had grown up with him. An utterly unique television pioneer.
Scandal Sheet (1952)
Classic searing film noir
Forget the generic title, this is one noir you don't want to miss. Based on Sam Fuller's novel The Dark Page (more fitting title), the film explores the junction of jaded cynicism and sociopathy and is gripping from the beginning. The black and white cinematography grabs you first, it leaps off the screen. Broderick Crawford is a terrific sweaty mess, and John Derek and Donna Reed generate considerable heat at arm's length. The plot is intricate but never confusing or implausible. Eye-opening scenes abound but the collection of character actors brought in to portray the local alcoholics must be seen to be believed. It's gritty and lurid but also one of the most entertaining film noirs I've ever seen.
Darker Than Amber (1970)
Solid crime thriller
Rod Taylor is terrific here as John McDonald's anti-hero Travis McGee, a performance that borders on parody but never crosses the line. Like all private dicks in the movies, he sticks his nose where it doesn't belong, drinks to excess, beds a couple women and gets pummeled, most notably by Big Bill Smith as a muscle-bound psychopath. No matter, he maintains his casual demeanor even when he's bleeding all over the place. He has a rich and knowledgeable friend, played by Theodore Bikel, to help him out of plot holes but I had to wonder what was in it for him.
The soundtrack and location shots have a TV-movie feel to them but otherwise this is an enjoyably gritty 70's crime flick.
Satan's Black Wedding (1976)
Promising occult trash misses the mark
Nick Millard's previous film, Criminally Insane, about a fat lady killing anyone who gets between her and her food, was a no-budget classic but this one misses the mark. The atmosphere is creepy enough and there's fang-baring and bloodletting but the film ultimately fails to deliver the hellacious conclusion it hints at. Lead Greg Braddock is so wooden he could be replaced by a bookcase. The scenes where he talks are stultifyingly boring. Ray Myles on the other hand brings a malevolent energy to his role as an undead priest and the film noticeably improves whenever he's on screen. Fans of Andy Milligan might dig the general depravity here but I found it a pretty hard slog.
Violated (1953)
Low-budget shocker from promising one-time director
Violated could have been a standard psycho-on-the-loose thriller but for director Walter Strate's keen eye for detail. Background details really bring the Greenwich Village location to life and give you insight into the characters lives and motivations even when the performances don't. The violent scenes are shockingly effective without bloodshed and are a precursor to Michael Powell's Peeping Tom (1960) (he saw this, don't tell me he didn't). Violated perfectly illustrates the oppressive and persistent nature of the lustful men on the street all young women must contend with. It's a shame this was Strate's only film as it transcends its low budget and seedy milieu to make some solid points.
The Unholy Rollers (1972)
Nasty but nice, down and dirty derby drama
A Roger Corman production from the 70's so you know it's funny, sleazy, plot less and gratuitous but never boring, there's always something happening on screen. Claudia Jennings dominates as Karen Walker, a cat food factory worker who gets cheesed off and becomes a roller derby queen. She gives a tough-as-nails performance, spitting her lines in a manner not unlike the actresses in John Waters' early films. Other stand-outs include Louis Quinn as a cynical promoter and Alan Vint doing a hilarious take on the "roommate's boyfriend" character. It's an obvious attempt to cash in on Kansas City Bomber (apparently started while KCB was still in production) replacing Raquel Welch's vulnerability with Claudia Jennings' unapologetic approach and ladling on plenty of sleaze. So what's not to like?