Tag: violence

Cinema Smorgasbord – Further Reeding – The System (1964)

New year, new episode of FURTHER REEDING, a podcast all about the life and career of actor Oliver Reed! On this episode we’re joining Reed and all his seaside buddies as they take in (and take out) the tourist trade in 1964’s THE SYSTEM (also known by the confusingly titled THE GIRL-GETTERS in the US). Directed by regular Reed collaborator (and notorious scumbag) Michael Winner, it’s a fascinatingly layered drama with a star making performance from Reed in the lead. BUT IS IT ANY GOOD? Listen and find out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Wild in the Streets – Syndicate Sadists (1975)

On this episode of WILD IN THE STREETS, Tomas Milian is RAMBO in Umberto Lenzi’s spaghetti-western influenced SYNDICATE SADISTS from 1975! After Rambo’s friend is brutally murdered, he takes it upon himself to go up against two criminal gangs (one led by Joseph Cotton’s Paternò), while also rescuing a young boy who has been kidnapped. Does he manage to embarrass them all while everyone gazes on him in total awe? Yep! Check it out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Eric Roberts is the Man – Babylon (2022)

On this episode of ERIC ROBERTS IS THE MAN we’re going all in on Damien Chazelle’s overstuffed ode to the silent era BABYLON, which stars Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Tobey Maguire and – of course – the man himself Eric Roberts! Filled with spewing bodily fluids, orgies, murder, rat eating and snake wrestling, it’s both an ode to the end of a cinematic era and a commentary on the current changing face of movie-going. Fun, right? I guess we’ll see! We also chat about drunk driving, guns, Michael Madsen, Guy Ritchie knock-offs and SO MUCH MORE. Check it out!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Wild in the Streets – Violent City (1970)

We’re getting WILD IN THE STREETS with Charles Bronson and Telly Savalas in the New Orleans-set Eurocrime classic VIOLENT CITY from 1970. The plot involves Bronson’s retired assassin Jeff Heston getting revenge on those who left him for dead, including the woman he loves (played, naturally, by Jill Ireland). Sergio Sollima’s VIOLENT CITY features some dynamite action sequences, some terrific performances and some disturbing misogyny that left us – wait for it – conflicted. It also features a wonderful soundtrack from Ennio Morricone, that the movie takes great advantage of. CHECK IT OUT!

Cinema Smorgasbord – Bartel Me Something Good – Private Parts (1972)

We continue our chronological look at the career of the great Paul Bartel with his feature length debut PRIVATE PARTS from 1972. Equal parts perverse and hilarious, it’s a film that is filled with twists and turns and set the blueprint for much of what was to come from the always unpredictable director. We’re also looking at Bartel’s 1969 short film NAUGHTY NURSE, which showed that Bartel’s taste for boundary pushing was something that came about very early in his career.

Cinema Smorgasbord – Whatever Happened to Vic Diaz? – Beyond Atlantis (1973)

On the latest episode of WHATEVER HAPPENED TO VIC DIAZ? we’re going BEYOND ATLANTIS with Eddie Romero’s odd (sorta) undersea riff on The Treasure of the Sierra Madre featuring bug eyed Atlanteans, John Wayne’s kid, the great Sid Haig and – of course – VIC DIAZ! Along the way we talk about colonialism, Vietnam, go deep on Haig’s career and SO MUCH MORE. Check it out!