DVD Collectors Online

Flesh for Frankenstein, a review by Danae Cassandra

Flesh for Frankenstein
Year of Release: 1973
Directed By: Paul Morrissey
Starring: Joe Dallesandro, Monique van Vooren, Udo Kier, Arno Juerging, Dalila Di Lazzaro, Srdjan Zelenovic
Genre: Horror

Overview:
Maverick filmmaker Paul Morrissey's Flesh for FrankensteinMy Thoughts:
"To know death, Otto, you have to fuck life in the gall bladder!"

Well, that was weird. I'd have expected an exploitation/art film mashup from a company like Redemption or Blue Underground. Seems an unusual film for a Criterion release.

I'm not even sure how to review this. A lot of the shots, lighting, and sets are quite good, but the acting is ... well ... Udo Kier is so completely over-the-top as the Baron Frankenstein, I think he's aiming to jump the moon. I think they wanted him to go that way, though. Monique van Vooren is over-the-top as well, but at least her snobbishness is more believable. At the other end of the spectrum, Joe Dallesandro delivers his performance completely wooden, while I've seen mannequins with more emotion than Srdjan Zelenović.

This is likely supposed to be a parody, but they play it straight. That works for me, because I'm not a big fan of parodies. It's a genre that's so easy to get wrong. I don't know who I'd recommend this to - at least, beyond Criterion completists. There's quite a bit of gore, so horror fans might enjoy it, but its art film aspirations come off in certain sections as pretentious. Yet the either flat or exaggerated acting may turn off serious film fans.

Horror+sex+art film is done much better by Jean Rollin, so if you're interested in that sort of genre, check him out first.

Watched For: Hoop-tober 3.0, Horror/Halloween Challenge 2016, Scavenger Hunt 19

Bechdel Test: Fail
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 2.5/5

Horror/Halloween Challenge Films: 33/52 (31 reviewed)

(From Horror/Halloween 2016 Challenge on October 20th, 2016)

Christmas in July, a review by Antares

Christmas in July





Year: 1940
Film Studio: Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
Length: 67 Min.

Director
Preston Sturges (1898)

Writing
Preston Sturges (1898)...Writer

Producer
Paul Jones (1901)

Cinematographer
Victor Milner (1893)

Music
John Leipold (1888)...Composer
Leo Shuken (1906)...Composer

Stars
Dick Powell (1904) as Jimmy MacDonald
Ellen Drew (1915) as Betty Casey
Raymond Walburn (1887) as Dr. Maxford
Alexander Carr (1878) as Mr. Shindel
William Demarest (1892) as Mr. Bildocker
Ernest Truex (1889) as Mr. J.B. Baxter
Franklin Pangborn (1889) as Don Hartman (radio announcer)
Harry Hayden (1882) as Mr. E.L. Waterbury (office manager)

ReviewRatings Criterion4 Stars - Historically important film, considered a classic.

(From Christmas in July (1940) on January 19th, 2010)

Smallville Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

EPISODE 5: THIRST
More than a one-bite stand? Lana unwittingly becomes part of a Met U. sorority of vampires. One condition of her membership: She must bring Clark in for a bitefest! Chloe joins the DAILY PLANET.

My Thoughts:
I LOVE this one! As I am sure most people know... I love vampire movies/shows.... So having a vampire episode in Smallville is awesome! As much as I love vampires... it is even better that the vampires are cute (if now annoying) Sorority Girls. LOL  And I just had to laugh at Clark in that Zorro costume for the Halloween party at the sorority house.

EPISODE 6: EXPOSED
Undercover. And under-dressed. Lois poses as a gentleman's club dancer to sleuth information about a murdered stripper who may have ties to Jonathan's longtime friend, Senator Jennings.

My Thoughts:
A decent episode... was cool to see Tom Wopat and John Schnider together again in this episode. And of course I liked seeing Lois going undercover at the strip club.... and we also get the first hint of Jonathan running for the Senate. But I don't think the episode came out as good as it could of.

EPISODE 7: SPLINTER
Mysterious messages taunt him. Friends betray him. A new kind of KRYPTONITE makes Clark paranoid...and dangerous. Prof. Fine reveals his origins. And Jonathan weighs a run for political office against Lex.

My Thoughts:
Another Decent episode... in this one Clark finds out about Professor Fine. And we get introduced to Silver Kryptonite now. I don't know... I like James Marsters... but I wasn't too thrilled with the Professor Fine episodes. They did bring the main story arc along... but the entertainment value wasn't as up there as it should have been.

EPISODE 8: SOLITUDE
A strange malady grips Martha - is JOR-EL attempting to collect her? Prof. Fine convinces Clark the only way to stop his biological father is to destroy the Fortress of Solitude. Trust him at you own peril, Clark!

My Thoughts:
A good episode... but not great. Clark finds out the whole truth about Professor Fine. Again the episode, although was good, I felt could have been better.

(From Smallville Marathon on August 11th, 2007)