Film Forno

Here’s an excerpt from Mack Sennett’s The Hollywood Kid. Shot at Sennett’s Edendale Studio, you can see the rotating cyclorama used for chase scenes.

Here’s a book all about Japanese master filmmaker Ishiro Honda. Primarily known for Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra and a slew of other fantasy sci-fi horror films.

Some of my favorites are The H-Man and Attack Of The Mushroom People. The book seems very well researched and written in an enjoyable easy to get into style. I especially liked a section on Eiji Tsuburaya, special effects guru and mentor to Honda. Mention is made of a WWII propaganda film War At Sea From Hawaii To Malaysia, that sounds fantastic, incredible miniatures showing the Pearl Harbor attack. I really would like to check that one out. The Japanese Sci-Fi, Fantasy films influenced generations of filmmakers the world over and dealt with Atom Age Angst as powerfully as any other Art, maybe even more so, seeing as they were created by the people that suffered the results of an Atomic Attack. Peter H. Brooks has done a great service to film students and film lovers in writing this book and illuminating the life of a hugely influential, yet somewhat unheralded filmmaker. I say to him “Bravo!”

Here at Film Forno we believe in supporting independent films and filmmakers. Case in Point : One Too Many Mornings, these guys hit the jackpot, they’re screening at Sundance! The odds are like one in 10,000 so congratulations! They are also implementing a radical marketing plan, they will sell the dvd from Sundance after they screen, that’s right they will mail you a dvd from the Sundance Post Office (if you order one online). This is pretty far out, I’ve never heard of anything like it and I wish them luck. I haven’t seen the film but the trailer looks funny and it’s in Black & White which is a definite plus in my book. So check out their website here. And check out the trailer below.

Hey 2010 is turning out to be the Year Of Exploitation here at Film Forno! Submitted for your consideration, Bitch Slap, a new movie opening January 8th in L.A., N.Y.C., and San Francisco. It looks like a lot of fun, hot chicks kicking ass and making out with each other, what’s not to love? I understand they reference such classics of Female Empowerment as Coffy , They Call Her One Eye , and Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and they do it all with a sense of humor. Also an added attraction, stunts and fights by super cool Zoe Bell! You remember her from such classics as Death Proof and Kill Bill, she was Uma’s stunt double and she is a remarkable performer! She’d be the best female to back you up in a bar fight!

America’s got Boobs, I mean Talent!

This movie appeals to everyone, case in point, America Olivo (one of the stars) graces the cover of Playboy and Bitch Slap was featured on the cover of the Lesbian News! So you know it’s got it going on!

When I was a kid WOR TV out of NYC would show King Kong every Thanksgiving. I really looked forward to seeing those natives getting chewed up in Kong’s giant teeth and watching the unsuspecting elevated subway riders on their way home from a hard day’s work as Max Steiner’s locomotive tension music pulsated on the soundtrack, then Kong’s head would peep up in the hole he had just made in the tracks and the old engineer would throw on the brake! Too late!

Take the A Train!
Oh well, I just read some where that the original armature of Kong sold recently at Southeby’s for like $200,000 , probably more that Willis O’Brien made in his lifetime.

That little metal skeleton that scared the hell out of millions of people acting out Mr. O’Briens brainwaves.

Willis O’Brien and his little buddy

Columbia Pictures just released a film noir box set of 5 dvds, all of them classics. There’s Edward Dymytrk’s The Sniper an early serial killer story set in San Francisco and starring Monster On The Campus leading man Arthur Franz. Martin Scorsese adds a commentary.

Fritz Lang’s The Big Heat starring Glenn Ford, Lee Marvin and Gloria Graham. Directors Michael Mann and Scorsese toss their 2 cents in on this gem.

Phil Karlson’s 5 against The House with Brian “rub my jaw” Keith. A vegas caper flick. No commentary on this one, a telling comment in itself?

Don “I hate hippies” Siegel’s The Lineup starring Tuco himself, Eli Wallach gets comments from Noir Guru and straight man, Eddie Mueller and mad dog James Ellroy. A lot of fun to be had by all on this track.

And last but not least Irving Lerner’s Murder By Contract starring Hammerhead Vince Edwards, who I used to see at the racetrack all the time.

This film was a big influence on Mr. Scorsese, I think it’s really interesting how some of the best directors out there were influenced by B movies or even Z movies! Quentin Tarantino for example, also Jean Luc Godard has expressed his regard for Monogram Pictures ( the cheapest of the cheap). Anyway I for one have put this set on my Xmas list! I hope I find it under the tree when I awaken Dec. 25th.

Treasure Trove Of Kubla Khan or Gordon Liu

Dan Halstead, master of the grindhousefilmfest and the super cool Slums Of Shaolin has unearthed a veritable treasure trove of Kung Fu Films! Deep in the bowels of an old Chinese movie theater, in an inner city crack zone, Dan and his intrepid pal Leno unearthed these lost gems and brought them to the light of arc lamps for the first time in many years, all I can say is Bravo! And when can we get to watch! Check out more here: Treasure of the Forgotten Temple