MY FILM: Among the Fallen IMDB Page

Hey everyone. Just a quick, interesting, and unexpected update on my film, Among the Fallen. The movie has officially been given an IMDB page, so check it out.

It's pretty nuts to see the film up there next to some pretty stellar company and it's nice to be able to give people another way to find the film. There's a few more things I need to tweak on the page and credits I need to post, but for the most part it's up in all its glory.

Among the Fallen IMDB Page

BOND 1: Dr. No

Dr. No

Director: Terence Young

Year 1962

Dr. No, the first film in a long and outstanding cinematic legacy of stylistic espionage, introduces us to the legendary character of James Bond, played by the always cool Sean Connery. While not the first motion picture to shed light on the character of 007, it is credited for launching what would become one of the most enduring film series in the history of the silver screen. 

In the film, James Bond is sent off to investigate the disappearance of a fellow agent, who was last reported working in the tropical locale of Jamaica. Indulging in the sights, sounds, and dangers that the intoxicating island setting provides for our hero agent, Bond finally follows all clues to a mysterious man named Dr. No. Conspiring from his hidden lair on his own private island, the mastermind secretly plots to bring about the downfall of the United States space program. With the help of a few undercover allies and one beautiful young woman, can Bond foil Dr. No's diabolical plan while looking cool as shit? You're damn right he can.

The names... oh screw it. You know my damn name!

James Bond... Man about town.

In Sean Connery's first stab at the icon role of James Bond, he absolutely nails it. The constant cool demeanor and charismatic ambiance that he exudes from the character, resonates through and through in the performance and really gives us a good feel for the kind of man James Bond is. In fact, Connery did so well in my opinion that he gave his predecessors an impossible task in trying to fill his shoes. His mannerisms and carefully crafted movements became the staple for who 007 was, not to mention his expertly delivered one liners and smooth talking dialogue.

Connery's confidence level in this film and all of his following efforts in the role, are tremendously captivating and wholly honest in the portrayal of the quid-essential superman mold that Bond has so famously been branded in. I've enjoyed all of the various James Bond actors throughout the years, but Sean Connery's performance as the super agent has always been my all time favorite. In Dr. No, he really shines and sets the bar so high that no one would be able to fully take the reigns in his absence.

Looks like he's the only one who showed up for the party. Awkward.

James Bond is driving through the DANGER ZONE!

I must say that the location of Jamaica for Bond's first mission in this cinematic interpretation of Ian Fleming's larger then life secret agent series, is just superb. There's enough variation across this expansive island to satisfy the globetrotting aspects that will eventually come to be the staple of the series and the hundreds of imitators that would soon follow in the wake of Dr. No's success. James Bond takes in the sights as he battles over land and sea, while also finding some time to mingle with a few of the lady folk of the area.

The locations of coastal towns, dusty roads, and sandy beaches caressed by crystal clear waters make for a nice visual palette of extremely pleasurable senses. If there's one thing that I've always loved about the James Bond series, it's the beautiful and exotic locales. In this first entry, they started out on the right foot. Having been there on two separate occasions, Jamaica is a wonderful place that director Terence Young has captured beautifully and melded seamlessly within the extravagant trappings of Bond's world.

Hands off the merchandise Mr. Bond.

You can take these beautiful sea shells when you pry them from my cold dead hands!

While I'm on the topic of beautiful visuals, we come to another cornerstone of the Bond series and that's the woman. James Bond just can't seem to keep his mind out out of the gutter and who can blame him when he's up against such a stunning caliber of stylish beauties. Ursula Andress, of She, The 10th Victim, Clash of the Titans, and The Mountain of the Cannibal God fame, introduces us to the long running tradition of presenting to the world the most exotic and enticing women of the era. Playing the role of Honeychile Ryder, or more simply Honey Ryder, Ursula projects a confidence that is both sexy and intriguing. Her character has a duality to it, like most Bond girls do, and that's the ability to appear both helpless and at the same time fully capable. It's a conundrum in itself, but it seems to be a staple for what would appear throughout the Bond series and it's a fact that would help damper the misogynistic trappings that James Bond tend to represents. The effort helps, but in the end James Bond really and truly is a man's hero and who can fault him for staying true to his demographic.

Catering to the boys is presented none to clearer, when we are gifted an introduction of a lifetime by the curvaceous Ms. Ryder. Her entrance is legendary among Bond fans and has been payed homage to in a handful of films including the 21st installment of the Bond franchise where James Bond, played by newcomer Daniel Craig, emerges from the ocean showcasing one of the more muscular looks that the secret agent had showcased up until this point. Ursula's presence in the film and her iconic scene, made a clear and precise line in the sand that dared her Bond girl predecessors to cross, let alone live up to. She definitely left her mark on the franchise and stands high among the rich cast of Bond girl legends.

They found me. I don't know how, but they found me. Run for it Quarrel!

It's not the size of your fish display that counts, it's how you use it.

Finally that brings us to the dastardly bastard, Dr. No. Every Bond film must have a villain and in the case of Dr. No, there's no exception. A scientific madman, bent on collapsing the United States space program, Dr. No is no slouch when it comes to the villainy department. The guys got one of the sweetest evil lairs this side of Dr. Evil's volcanic lair and he's one hell of a snazzy dresser if I do say so myself. Sporting what can only be described as a full body condom, Dr. No really knows how to impress the ladies.

What makes him even that much cooler is the fact that he is played dead serious by accomplished actor Joseph Wiseman. Having an uncanny resemblance to Patrick Stewart, Wiseman plays the evil genius to the letter, ordering his army of minions around and basically being a total bad ass. I mean come on, you'd have to be pretty bad ass to pull off an outfit like that. Bubble boy suit and all, Wiseman wholly excepts the absurd and goes with it, creating one of the most memorable and formidable villains that James Bond will come to fisticuffs with. A word to the wise, look out for his judo chop.

Does this suit make me look fat?

Let's get the hell out of here!

Dr. No is a perfect introduction to the world of Bond, which sets up all the elements that would make the series so popular for the next handful of decades and greatly achieves some of the most iconic moments in the rich Bond history. Sean Connery does a tremendous job in portraying the super secret agent as a charismatic ladies man who takes danger head on, while Ursula Andress and Joseph Wiseman set the standard for their individual roles in the Bond universe.

With the lavish location of Jamaica and the inventive set designs for Dr. No's lair, Dr. No is a highly enjoyable ride that showcases all of the things I love about the James Bond films. Definitely highly recommended to anyone that loves espionage with a side of adventure and a full serving of fun.

5 out of 5 stars          An Iconic Bond Introduction!

REVIEW: The Beyond

The Beyond
Director: Lucio Fulci
Year 1981

The Beyond is a morbidly delightful journey into a world that blurs the divisions between the realm of the living and the barren landscapes of Hell. Set in Louisiana, the films tells the story of a woman named Liza Merril who has recently inherited a rundown hotel that, through a sorted past, has opened up the very gates of Hell within its rotten structure. Strange occurrences and unexplained deaths begin happening at the hotel, propelling Liza into a surreal struggle for her very soul as she is plagued by glossy eyed beings as they spill out from the gates of hell.

What a lovely house of death.

This film is an absolute delight if your characteristic preferences for the perfect horror film run extremely gory and atmospherically rich. Taking a few pages from his previous works, Lucio Fulci mashes up some stark and worthwhile elements from his two horror efforts, Zombie and City of the Living Dead, to create a film that is so entrenched in its own lore and visual implications that it literally sucks the viewer into the story even if its logical integrity is a bit scatter brained.

The illogical and dream like potentness of the film is what makes it so memorable and different from the majority of horror movies of the era. During a time when slasher films were king and the formulaic plot of teen horror began a rampant all out attack on cinema goers, the italian maestro contrasted the norm and created films that went above and beyond the usual celluloid fare. While not the only director of the time to maneuver in this surreal like direction, Fulci's style was unprecedented and uncompromising as it boldly rejected convention while solidifying his place among the top of phantasmic horror cinema connoisseurs.

Don't mess with the MacColl!

Relying on haunting and disturbing images to portray the world that he has created within the film, Fulci demonstrates that he is the master when it comes to setting a tone that is overwhelmingly present and substantial, without being cumbersome. He basks in the surreal as he uses all of his locations for all they're worth. In this mind set, he is able to bring the abandoned hotel, which is the center piece of the story, to life and make that morbid architectural wonder a character in itself. It's a creepy place in general, but seen through the eyes of Fulci, it becomes a place of nightmares. In all honesty, you believe that this place is the opening of Hell and anything you see after the point of the hotel's introduction and back-story becomes believable and tangible within the confines of the film. Now that's atmospheric filmmaking at its finest.

How many fingers am I holding up?

The nightmare quality and credibility of the film world is not only highlighted by the locations and expert compositions by Fulci, but also from the subdued performances by the movie's key actors. Catriona MacColl plays the role of Liza, the newfound hotel owner who has just moved in to the literal hell hole of horrors. Being no stranger to Fulci's style having survived his previous film, City of the Living Dead, MacColl shines as the doomed heroine with a penchant for attracting the attention of the inhabitants from the world beyond. Both City of the Living Dead and Beyond are quite similar in tone, both relying heavily on building a cinematic universe drenched in mystic and haunting overtones.

Get out of the middle of the road you damned blind moron!

The films each feel as if we are viewing the events on screen through a warped lens of logic, never knowing what is real while conveying the notion of being stuck in a dream within a dream to perfection. MacColl's two roles are almost mirror images of each other and one could say that her character Mary Woodhouse of City of the Living Dead fame, was just experimental for her portrayal of Liza Merril. Each heroine must confront death in one way, shape, or form, resulting from an opening to Hell being ripped unto our world. I enjoyed both of her performances, but I'm always finding myself more drawn to her innocent and kind natured presentation of Liza Merril.

I've got a splitting headache.

Another unforgettable asset this film has is the mysterious presence of the ghost like Emily, played by the under-appreciated italian horror vet Cinzia Monreale. She has a cinematic aura in this film, that imbues the entire frame, commanding your attention. Her origins are unknown and her arrival in the film occurs in such an otherworldly way, that you're instantly intrigued and captivated by her simplicity. Even at such a base level of complexity, her character thwarts the confines of its primitive shackles and begins to unravel what comes to be an immensely lavish and supernatural premise.

Shout! Shout! Rip my throat out!

The character of Emily even has a moving moment in the film, where she is confronted by an awful truth. This emotional performance brings to light her origins and it is quite a shocker and unsettling to boot. In the scene, we come to realize that she has escaped the binding imprisonment of Hell or purgatory and is adamant in not returning when confronted by a group of ominous beings from the beyond. The scene is morbidly curious and inspiringly disturbing, quickly morphing into sheer terror as an unexpected turn of events savagely brings the character of Emily to her finale fate. Like most of Lucio Fulci's memorable moments in horror history, it's bloody and gruesome, never holding back from showing the viewer all the gory details. Though her role in the film is short lived, Cinzia Monreale brings a substantial dose of the surreal to her hauntingly disturbed character of Emily.

When this house is a rockin, don't come a knockin.

Emily's brutal death is just one of many gore effects that splash onto the screen in expressive detail. In the film's total runtime you'll come across some vivid portrayals of eye gouging, head explosions, tarantula bites, ripping flesh, and that's just to name a few. All of the effects are pulled off with that sleazy style of italian filmmaking that just works wonders for these types of movies. I absolutely love it.

There's something savage about this approach, that if viewed by someone outside of the sub-genre of horror films, would find quite offensive and unappealing. I've always found a certain kind of charm with the effects of this nature as they always seem to fit inside the cinematic worlds that Fulci creates. It is raw and powerful, even if not completely realistic and genuine. Combined with the atmosphere that Fulci embraces and wraps himself in, it is a match made in heaven for obscure horror fans. With The Beyond, we get to see the master of gore in one of his most pinnacle of a achievements.

Let sleeping corpses lie.

Just like his gore effects, Fulci's zombie makeup is right on par with the overall atmosphere of the film. They fit in the universe and gel along with everything else created for that world. Done in simplistic fashion, but wholly effective, the walking corpses of this film are similar in function to his previous zombie outings. I have to say, Fulci knows how to do zombies right. These creatures are slow lumbering shells of human beings, moving on instinct and void of any kind of rational thinking. They're believably dead and soulless beings and that's just the way I like them. The only downside of these zombies is that they aren't on the screen for a terribly long time, only making an appearance in the later moments of the film. It's a shame, but I'll take what I can get when the overall end result is this good looking and decrepit. Even if the lovable walking dead isn't visible for a good majority of the movie, we still feel their presence in every aspect of the story and that is a great accomplishment on Fulci's part.

Dr. John's got a problem solver and its name is revolver.

Closing out all of the elements that make this film such a masterpiece of surreal horror cinema is the haunting music provided by Lucio Fulci's right hand man, Fabio Frizzi. Having collaborated and composed an excellent catalogue of Fulci's films like Four of the Apocalypse, The Psychic, Zombie, City of the Living Dead, and Manhattan Baby, Frizzi gives an outstanding audible tension to The Beyond. The soundtrack runs a large gamut of spectral horrors from his unsettling tonal cues to his uproarious final ballad filled with operatic singing and heavy beats, this music infuses a sense of style that gives life to the outstanding visuals. It's hard to imagine how the film would come off if it didn't have Frizzi's imaginative compositions to accompany it, but thankfully that's an experience that none of us have to go through. Top notch soundtrack for a top notch film.

Faced! Scratch moded!

The Beyond is a masterpiece of horror cinema that really shows the power of Italian horror cinema at its epoch. Matched in scope and accomplishment with his other undead epic, Zombie, Lucio Fulci proves that both substance and style can coexist even at such highly atmospheric levels. The pulsating tension of the film and the foreboding nature of the entire piece is just outstanding, giving way to a movie that really has a life of its own.

With a story that's lost in obscurity and drenched in mysterious circumstances, The Beyond comes out the other side resulting in a film that truly is in a league of its own. Saturated in a haunting and dreamlike stupor, the film elects to throw you into a world that is like no other, where reality mixes with the real world and the difference between the living and the dead is blurred into obscurity. I highly recommend this film to anyone that is interested in diving in to the grotesque wonders of Lucio Fulci's demented mind and to anyone that wants to view a film that goes beyond the normal atmospheric presentation, opting for a surreal ride that asks you as the viewer to experience the film rather then just watch it.

5 out of 5 stars       An Italian Horror Masterpiece!

ANNOUNCEMENT: The 007 Files

Hey everyone. I'm going to be starting a new segment here where I run down and review all of the Bond series from beginning to end. Should take up a good deal of time seeing that there are 22 official films, one unofficial one (which I love), and a new film on the horizon.

I'm looking forward to kicking off this new venture and getting some great Bond films up on the site. Stay tuned for the first in the series, Dr. No, which I'll be posting in the coming weeks.

i Spy Eurospy: New York Calling Super Dragon

New York Calling Super Dragon
Director: Giorgio Ferroni
Year 1966

New York Calling Super Dragon, or as it's also known Secret Agent Super Dragon, is a highly entertaining Eurospy flick that has a rather solid cast and enough amusing super spy elements to make it a worthwhile entry in any Eurospy fan's collection. Ray Danton stars as American secret agent Bryan Cooper AKA Super Dragon, who has just come out of retirement to avenge the death of his friend and fellow agent. Accompanied by a gadget genius named Baby Face and a sultry female agent named Cynthia Fulton, the group set off to solve a troubling case in which normal people have been turning into crazed lunatics in a small Michigan college town. Their investigation takes them across the globe as all leads point them to Amsterdam and to a strange collector of the arts named Fernand Lamas and his secretive cult of masked strangers.

The names Dragon, Super Dragon.

Ray Danton does a commendable job as agent Super Dragon, giving the larger then life character the much needed charisma that is needed to pull off the trademark spy swagger. I've never had the privilege in seeing any of Danton's other roles, so I really had no idea what to expect from his interpretation of a swinging secret agent. I'm happy to say that he carried the burden well, bringing a confidence to the character of Super Dragon yet at the same time a vulnerability that was extremely unexpected on my part. I'll be keeping an eye out in the future for any film starring Mr. Danton, because he really did make the movie better then it had any real right to be.

Another stunning addition to the cast is the breathtaking Margaret Lee, whose exploits in the Eurospy genre is legendary. I'm still struggling to obtain all of her spy outings and hoping against hope, that more of her catalogue will be available to the not so resourceful spy hounds like myself. In New York Calling Super Dragon, Lee plays a fellow female agent named Cynthia Fulton, whose role permeates the story, often weaving in and out of the narrative as the film moves along. She looks absolutely stunning in this film, often stealing scenes and taking names, even if she is just window dressing in the end. Who really cares though, because style is often better then substance in the world of Eurospy films and Lee's got style to spare.

Michael Jackson leaves a little love note for Super Dragon.

If Margaret Lee wasn't enough on the eye candy scale, we're treated to another heroine for Super Dragon to cozy up against in the form of Marisa Mell. Far from a stranger in the spy and cult film business, she has tackled some very memorable roles in such films as Mario Bava's Danger: Diabolik and Lucio Fulci's Perversion Story. Here she takes on the role of Charity Farrel, a great Bond inspired name, who is both friend and foe to agent Super Dragon, playing both sides for various reasons known only to herself. Her character is vulnerable yet deadly at the same time and you never really get a solid idea who she is working for. It's a great duel role for her and one that she has displayed before in her works that would follow in her interesting career.

Aside from the beautiful women in Super Dragon's life, there is another important character that this film adds to the mix. The addition of the inventive gangster Baby Face, turns the Eurospy film on its head so to speak, morphing it into an almost buddy caper where each man plays off each other and helps the other out of a jam. It's a pretty interesting move to give Super Dragon a side kick of sorts and by doing this you bring the super agent down to a more real to life status. He's not a one man army, taking on everyone and coming out on top unscathed. He's a hero that is susceptible to failure, making him that much more relatable even if he does always get the girl, or girls, in the end. The character of Baby Face makes this possible and the many times that we see him help or even rescue Dragon from some very dire situations, makes us realize that maybe Super Dragon isn't the cartoon caricature that the spy genre has come to typify as the norm. It's almost a breath of fresh air and adds another layer to the espionage of this cinematic world.

I just can't stop staring at those bangs.

Not withstanding the already mentioned stellar cast, I had concerns about the actual story and inventiveness of the movie. For a film that has been run through the mud by many reviewers and countless recollections of MST3K viewings, I was expecting something of a filmic farse when I sat down to view this little number. Happily, I was taken by surprise and came to find that there are some exceptional moments in this much unheralded film.

For instance, I found the scene where Super Dragon is sealed inside a coffin and dumped into the river quite captivating. The calmness of the entire act and the quite nature of the direction was unsettling and claustrophobic. With the absence of a high tempo beat to pump the action along, the viewer is left feeling cold and alone, much like how Super Dragon must have been feeling when trapped in the coffin stuck in a self induced trance. I really loved the scene and felt that it accomplished a hell of a lot more then it was initially setting out to do.

Man we look like a pair of idiots.

Another great moment is the masquerade auction, where Dragon, Baby Face, and Cynthia, go undercover to investigate the strange surroundings at the eccentric Fernand Lamas' mansion. The build up is done with a great deal of respect and their infiltration within the ranks of the secretive cult is pulled off effortlessly. I enjoyed the subtle change from scene to scene as we follow Super Dragon into the underbelly of this perverse group of men who relish the idea of controlling the minds of their unsuspecting victims. It's a plot that doesn't hold a candle to the Bond outings, but then again it never sets out to be such a spectacle. New York Calling Super Dragon is more of an intimate exposition into the quirky world of agent Super Dragon. It balances the fine line between tongue and cheek and sensible espionage. I love the pairing and feel that they work well off of each other.

Of course we're given some of the outrageous moments that make Eurospy films so much damn fun, such as the psychedelic torture room that Margaret Lee's character finds herself in when captured by the dastardly Fernand Lamas. By electrocuting their captives in what resembles a kiddy pool, they threaten to extract the information they want from her, that is until Super Dragon shows up and gives them a taste of their own medicine. There's also some familiar trappings in the film, where our main baddy Lamas holds meetings inside a stereotypical lair of sorts straight out of James Bond's arch nemesis Blofeld's most memorable habitats. The familiarity is there, but it doesn't hold the inherent baggage that you'd expect from copying ones superiors. Well at least for me it didn't, but I like that kind of corny stuff.

Help me Secret Agent Super Dragon, you're my only hope.

Speaking of corny stuff, where's the gadgets? Well the gadgetry is a plenty, provided mostly by Baby Face's many contraptions that find their way onto the screen. From remote control boats that are able to pinpoint the location of missing agents to armpit guns that go off if the owner's arms are raised above the wearer's head, are just a few of the many gadgets that Super Dragon has in his arsenal. In retrospect, Baby Face is Super Dragon's Q, but with a more youthful and jovial appearance. While not many of the gadgets are original, they work within the context of the story and help build the authenticity of the spy world in New York Calling Super Dragon. It's just great to see some of these things pulled off and in the end, who the hell doesn't want to see someone go down in a blaze of glory from a hidden pair of armpit guns. If you raised your hand, then I don't want to know you. Good day sir!

Why the hell are we talking on the phone when we're in the same room?

I would say that for the most part, New York Calling Super Dragon is an enjoyable ride that when not compared to the much superior Bond franchise, you can really get a lot out of. There's enough familiar spy elements from the era and enough beautiful women and lush locations, that you really can't go wrong with the film in general. The film moves at a brisk pace and follows a pretty straight forward plot-line that doesn't meander or get too convoluted like most Eurospy flicks tend to do. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but at the same time it's able to have fun with the genre and that's really all you need a Eurospy film to do. If you're looking for a fun little film that has all the elements that make a spy film enjoyable, then I highly recommend you give this under-appreciated number a try. It may not be the best the genre has to offer, but it does hold a special place in this reviewers mind and it satisfied my Eurospy appetite and then some. Check it out and you might be surprised.

3 out of 5 guns          A Decent & Enjoyable Eurospy Entry!