[Dollarhyde]

Definitely the dub. It was the only version available to me but I would have went that way if I had the option because it was the way I remember it. I've heard good things about the game too, it's made by the team that makes the Yakuza games, which I haven't played either but heard good things as well. FOTNS game is currently $20 on Amazon in the US and I'm this close to pulling the trigger but I have about 4 other games in line in front of it and could direct those funds towards some record instead. Especially since I just started Red Dead 2, put 6 hours in already and have 7 % completion (there may be too much to do in this) and I have Dragon Quest XI which most people averaged a 60-70 hour play through and then there's post game content too. And that's not taking into account the Resident Evil 2 remake coming in a few weeks. Will some one just pay me to listen to music and play videogames all day so I can actually get some shit done.

Haha! I know the feeling! I still have a mini NES classic and SNES classic that I have really barely touched, both bought on release, meanwhile my PS4 is a glorified Blu-ray player :/ .
Gotta say Red dead II looks amazing!

Currently reading this, my first Leiji Manga vol 1 of 3. Takes a chapter or two to get going but now has me gripped.

[inksb]

That looks pretty awesome @dollarhyde added to the "to buy list"

What are your guys thoughts on the newest season of Doctor Who? I kind of liked Peter as the Doctor, it took a good two seasons to really adapt to him but I can't believe how much I love Jodie Whittaker. I'm digging the "crew" rather just an individual companion. I liked not having any classics aliens during her first season, all new aliens (well until the New Years episode). She reminds me Tennant's Doctor which is my personal favorite. She's very charming, funny, snarky, blunt and I get a kick out of it. I look forward to seeing her in hopefully a few more seasons. I also think that getting Steven Moffat out of there has reinvigorated the show, his story lines were very stale and becoming extremely repetitive.

[Bezulsqy]

[J.R.]

I had a three day weekend and spent some of it on my butt watching movies. I gave the Nun a spin and as I expected it is another Post Millennial Ghost story that wasn't for me! I introduced my mother to the glories of Dario Argento with Cat O'Nine Tails and Deep Red and I also rewatched my favourite slasher The Burning.

Reviews for both The Nun and The Burning are coming soon to www.towatchpile.com.

[Mateo Sanboval]

JR, you monster, don't leave us in suspense! What did your Mother make of the Argento films?

[J.R.]

JR, you monster, don't leave us in suspense! What did your Mother make of the Argento films?

Sorry.

We watched Cat first and she said to me 'why haven't you gotten me to watch any of these before?'

The answer is whenever she saw me watching one she'd say 'watching crap again?'

I then had her watch Deep Red, these were both Arrow releases, and she loved how they are essentially Hitchcock films with sudden acts of visual violence. Her next question was 'what Argento will we watch next?' It will be Bird with the Crystal Plumage, but next weekend.

She made me a monster movie fan in the 70s when I was a kid, and now in HER 70s, I have made her a giallo fan.

[Mateo Sanboval]

Magnificent. Cheers to you both.

[J.R.]

Magnificent. Cheers to you both.

As a laugh I had her watch Cannibal Holocaust a few years ago, thinking she'd just get up and leave, and she made a quite profound comment about it that surprised me.

She pointed out that the message of that film was really strong, and that the name 'Cannibal Holocaust' was so provocative that it did the film a disservice.

My plan totally backfired, but I was pleasantly surprised by her insights.

Not quite sure she's ready for A Serbian Film yet though...

[Bezulsqy]

Magnificent. Cheers to you both.

As a laugh I had her watch Cannibal Holocaust a few years ago, thinking she'd just get up and leave, and she made a quite profound comment about it that surprised me.

She pointed out that the message of that film was really strong, and that the name 'Cannibal Holocaust' was so provocative that it did the film a disservice.

My plan totally backfired, but I was pleasantly surprised by her insights.

Not quite sure she's ready for A Serbian Film yet though...

Excellent story J.R. Really cool to have a mother like that. Hope you'll get to watch a lot of giallo together!

[J.R.]

Thanks Man. Its nice that even at 71 we are still finding new ways to connect.

[Bezulsqy]

Hey Bezzle- are the feature films screenings a one-off deal or will I be able to see some in mid March when I visit?

Are they showing Dune?

I was mistaken. There is a big chance they are still playing Lynch until the end of the exhibit. However less viewings than the previous five weeks. And no Dune.

[inksb]

@j.r. that's a great story. My mom watches mostly westerns and random stuff on Netflix. Movies are not her thing most days.


Shudder (US) has released another winner. This one is a nice send up of the camp slasher genre. A good cast, a clever script and some great acting from the two main leads. This won't blow any ones minds but it's a hell of a lot of fun for 90 minutes. The only thing I really didn't care for was the "grindhouse" effect they used on a certain "plot device" It was unnecessary.

[Bezulsqy]

After having watched 52 spaghetti westerns in 2018 this year I am going to delve into the Poliziottesco genre (plural: Poliziotteschi)

First up is Carlo Lizzani's 1966 Svegliati e Uccidi a.k.a. Wake Up and Die
Score by Ennio Morricone

[inksb]

@bez, that sounds like an awesome plan. That's one genre I've wanted to dive into but I had to put the brakes on buying too many Italian films as it was getting out of hand. I still have about 15 unwatched gialli/poliziotteschi/westerns sitting in a pile.

[ChrisMcQueen007]

After having watched 52 spaghetti westerns in 2018 this year I am going to delve into the Poliziottesco genre (plural: Poliziotteschi)

First up is Carlo Lizzani's 1966 Svegliati e Uccidi a.k.a. Wake Up and Die
Score by Ennio Morricone

Wow, you‘ll be in for a real treat on this journey. I have by far not seen all Poliziotteschi but guess I have at least covered most of the more known ones and also some lesser known entries into this (sub) genre. Have albeit for sure not seen your first choice. I particularily liked the films with Maurizio Merli, especially if they were helmed by Lenzi as director.

[J.R.]

I'm assuming you've watched the doc 'Eurocrime'? I had no real interest in the genre until I watched that.

[Bezulsqy]

I'm assuming you've watched the doc 'Eurocrime'? I had no real interest in the genre until I watched that.

I have not. But thanks for the tip. Will look for it.

@Chris
My first poliziottesco of the year did not disappoint. It is an early example and does not contain a lot of violence. But it oozes style and has a top-notch score by the maestro.

I need to do more research as to what movies I want to see and how to find them. I am a -ahem- digital viewer... I have around ten from 1972-1975 but I love to get my hands on older ones.
The list I am using now is form the Italian wikipedia: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_poli ... ziotteschi

The ones I really want to see are from Duccio Tessari as the three gialli he made belong to my favorite. Also the movies starring Tomas Milian as I loved him in a lot of spaghetti westerns I have seen. Then there is everything from Umberto Lenzi and probably a lot from Fernando Di Leo. I am sure I am going to discover a lot of hidden gems :-) And if anyone is interested in one: send me a PM.

@Chris: I found this brilliant Italian database and Maurizio Merli is not going to disappoint: http://www.pollanetsquad.it/scheda.php? ... re&cod=670

[Steve Powder]

Went on the all night movie show which they showed a couple of giallos and vintage italian horror films. It was in the oldest theater in my city, and has now closed the doors, but they continue in another place. They got some experts also to explain these movies. First was quite good and the second was kinda meh but with a killer jazz score and some great sceneries.

[Bezulsqy]

@Steve: great stuff! Very good to see someone showing those movies!

[ScoJo]

Well here's an interesting turn of events- my GF has expressed a keen interest in watching some Gialli with me!

It came up because I'm about to start on a secret Giallo-related design project, and I was explaining the background to the genre in terms of books/films. She's a mad nut for detective drama and reckons we should give it a go with some Gialli!

Here are my concerns: I've already warned her that they can veer into horror territory (she avoids most horror, esp dark stuff like serial killers/home invasion etc) but I'm also not convinced she'll take well to the (aherm) 'problematic' sexual politics/depictions of the ladies in many of them.

On the plus side, her thing is very much convoluted/twisty turny plotting and multiple suspicious characters etc, so the best Gialli certainly ticks that box! And she's very appreciative of style/design/film artistry so... but I think she may also struggle with the acting, and the whole 'actors mouthing English but then also dubbed into stodgily-delivered English' thing, which I know is something that I myself struggle with at times.

With all that said, I'm very tempted to throw her right into the A-quality stuff with either Deep Red or Bird/Crystal Plumage.

What do you guys think/recommend perhaps?? (For the record, her main detective jams are Morse, classic Suchet Poirot, Gently, Law & Order, CSI, some of the not-too-scary 'bleak Scandinavian' school, Vera etc. Luther has been judged too scary, for instance!)

[Bezulsqy]

Well here's an interesting turn of events- my GF has expressed a keen interest in watching some Gialli with me!

It came up because I'm about to start on a secret Giallo-related design project, and I was explaining the background to the genre in terms of books/films. She's a mad nut for detective drama and reckons we should give it a go with some Gialli!

Here are my concerns: I've already warned her that they can veer into horror territory (she avoids most horror, esp dark stuff like serial killers/home invasion etc) but I'm also not convinced she'll take well to the (aherm) 'problematic' sexual politics/depictions of the ladies in many of them.

On the plus side, her thing is very much convoluted/twisty turny plotting and multiple suspicious characters etc, so the best Gialli certainly ticks that box! And she's very appreciative of style/design/film artistry so... but I think she may also struggle with the acting, and the whole 'actors mouthing English but then also dubbed into stodgily-delivered English' thing, which I know is something that I myself struggle with at times.

With all that said, I'm very tempted to throw her right into the A-quality stuff with either Deep Red or Bird/Crystal Plumage.

What do you guys think/recommend perhaps?? (For the record, her main detective jams are Morse, classic Suchet Poirot, Gently, Law & Order, CSI, some of the not-too-scary 'bleak Scandinavian' school, Vera etc. Luther has been judged too scary, for instance!)

Definitely Bird with the Crystal Plumage. Also Solamente Nero. Death Laid an Egg, The Weekend Murders, The Designated Victim, Don't Torture a Duckling, Five Dolls For An August Moon...

(by accident my girlfriend watched Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key with me. She was not amused...Not a fan of Edwige Fenech)

[ScoJo]

She was not amused...Not a fan of Edwige Fenech)

This is exactly my fear! I'll need to choose very carefully... my gf is a big fan of boobs to be fair, but I have a strong gut instinct that some things are going to rub her the wrong way (fnar fnar)

Thank you for the suggestions, signor!

[inksb]

I would definitely say Bird With the Crystal Plummage and Blood & Black Lace would be a good choices. Maybe even venture farther into the animal trilogy with Argento followed by Deep Red. I personally don't like Deep Red but I recognize it's significance and importance to the genre. If I do watch a cut it's the shorter version, the Italian one is just too damn long IMO. Fulci's Don't Torture a Duckling. I think Tenebrae would be a tough sell if she doesn't like horror and violence. They all kind of blur together at a certain point. All the Colours of the Dark might be alright but I can't remember if it gets too graphic, same said for The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh. What Have They Done to Solange? is a bit seedy but a good mystery.

For the record, my wife likes Edwige but she calls her my "Italian Girlfriend" any time I talk about a film with her, watch a film with her or put a record on with her on the cover.


Twin Dragons is just silly dumb fun. It's not a great film and the split screen effects glaringly show their age. Jackie is quite funny in this one. I wish I could find it in HD with the original Cantonese audio and English subs though. The English dub is truly awful. I love the opening scene in the club, Jackie's microphone gags were great. I watched this on VHS a very long time ago so it was almost like watching it for the first time. More Jackie viewings in my future, I ordered Eureka's Project A bluray set and Drunken Master. I will eventually grab Police Story set as well. I have City Hunter queued up to watch this week which I had never even heard of until Eureka released it on blu. Oblivious apparently.

[Steve Powder]

Might I add that it was a lovely night and a great insight into old Italian movies. I will watch more of these, will keep an eye on your recommendations now Bez!

[ChrisMcQueen007]

@Chris: I found this brilliant Italian database and Maurizio Merli is not going to disappoint: http://www.pollanetsquad.it/scheda.php? ... re&cod=670

[/quote]

Thanks, Bez! Great overview and I guess I will need to fill some gaps over the next months...