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)

Things We Lost in the Fire, a review by Rich

Title: Things We Lost in the Fire

Runtime:118
Certificate:R
Year:2007
Genres:Drama

Plot:My Review:
Not sure why this film attracted me so much, perhaps the mood I am in, or maybe such a great performance from love him or hate him actor Benicio Del Toro. His portrayal of a heroin addict, friendless bar one, hated initially by the wife (halle berry) until his redeeming features and kind heart start showing through, is oscar like in its domination of the screen.
Although the pace is somewhat slow, and the length nearly 2 hours, I enjoyed this moving film and totally got in to all of the emotions, heartbreaks, fears and despairs. I have not a great experience with drugs or addicts, but this film seems to genuinely portray such a life accurately, the usual depressive state a user feels, and maybe hope for anyone either going through rehab or trying to find reasons to attempt to get clean.
But the film offers much more than this, it is uplifting and motivating, the script is exquisite, the acting of an extremely high standard once Duchovny disappears from the set, the direction is superbly and sympathetically handled by Susanne Bier, and the camerawork truly makes you feel part of the unfolding drama.
One of the best movies I have seen this year, highly recommended.


(From December Marathons - DISCUSSION AND REVIEW THREAD on December 22nd, 2009)

Tom's Random Reviews, a review by Tom

Title:
Year: 1983
Director:
Rating: FSK-6
Length: 965 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: German: Dolby Digital 1
Subtitles:

Stars:
Gustl Bayrhammer

Plot:Extras:
Scene Access

#	Episode	Rating
01	Der Kurpfuscher / Der Seemann / Der Kraftprotz
02	Der Schlaumeier / Der Tandler / Das Gspusi
03	Der Freund / Der Vater / Der Heilige / Der Retter
04
05
06	Der Kohlhas / Der Gendarm / Der Schutzheilige
07
08
09
10
11	Der Rosenkavalier / Die Schraube / Die Tuba
12	Bua oder Madl / Der Briefwechsel / Der Gasableser / Der Dorfbrunnen
13
15	Ein Bus nach Alicante / Herta / Bergvagabunden / Penner-Party
16
19
20	Die Hauspost / Das Echo vom Karfunkelsee
21

(From Tom's Random Reviews on April 18th, 2010)