Ready For Some “FORBIDDEN FLESH?”

It seems like a stupid question, but at one time, it was a major box office draw in the US!

There was an era when films that showed “wanton women” were big box office hits – oh, in the kind of theater you would never be caught dead in!

First, let’s show you the definition of “wanton women”:

Wanton (especially of a woman) – sexually immodest or promiscuous: her cheeks burned as she recalled how forward she had been, how wanton – a sexually immodest or promiscuous woman.

To behave in a sexually immodest or promiscuous way: women who have wantoned with suitors -

WHAT!?!?!?!

That’s right: They “Wantoned With Suitors!”

OK, time to go back to the wild and crazy days of the 60′s, when the sexual revolution helped usher in a whole new era of movie. In the late 60′s and early 70′s, shrewd theater owners saw that low-rent, sleazy melodramas that focused on WANTON WOMEN did very well with single guys…what a surprise!

It was an era of grindhouse theaters like these – on 42nd street in Times Square – “grindhouse” meant they churned out movie after movie without stopping – and these were films that showed how “wanton” women could be – it was all a male fantasy of course, but it worked, proving once again how stupid guys have always been – and an era in movies that made lots of money off of them!

The Dirty Girls! They Were Made For Love!

Any problem understanding what this film is all about? Of course not! The poster says it all – women who were ready to share their love with you – when this film was released, there were new “social freedoms” that were taking place across the country – the “sexual revolution” in all its forms made for good copy and great box office! It was a simple, exploitative, and pandering marketing pitch that paid off, as you will see…

Forbidden Flesh! Love-Stared And Eager To Learn!

Stop for a moment to savor the simplicity of it:

“Violence – Liquor – Sex. NEVER ENOUGH!”

Thanks to Something Weird Video for the description of the film – it was every young man’s fantasy – oh, and it still is! The grindhouse experts at Something Weird have spent years uncovering these classic sexploitation films, making them available to exploitation fans everywhere!

SW calls it a “slick, well-made, nasty little movie, ‘The Unsatisfied’ gives off a very different vibe and boasts a very different flavor than the typical U.S. teens-in-trouble film. When LEE HESSEL’s Cambist Films released a U.S. version of it in 1964, additional shot-in-New York skin scenes were cleverly added”.

That’s right, they took foreign films, re-titled them, added some additional skin shots and sold them to an unsuspecting public -I mean, it seems that guys are not that hard to figure out!’

“I’ll kill you for that, you witch!”

Here’s the story of how these movies came to be: the added filmed inserts would add extra nudity or sexual situations to the movie for the purpose of selling it to a grindhouse audience – including a surreal moment just five minutes into this film in which two topless gals in a dressing room exchange words (“I’ll kill you for that, you witch!”), then suddenly fight to the death with a pair of scissors as a third gal blandly looks on: “C’mon, break it up, the phone’s ringing!” As quickly as the fight started, it abruptly stops, and the third gal happily shows off the (then-new) topless bathing suit she’s wearing! Wow.

Check out all of the crazy grindhouse stuff Something Weird has for sale and download – and thanks to that team for keeping this crazy sexploitation stuff alive:

http://www.somethingweird.com/

Here are a couple of other stories about the sexploitation craze:

Cue Russ Meyer!

Of course, many consider him the master – check out the story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/03/16/sexploitation-classics-the-russ-meyer-edition/

The Queen Of “Artsploitation!”

And of course, click here to read about the amazing career of Christina Lindberg, the queen of “Artsploitation”…

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/21/swedish-sex-kitten-christina-lindberg-the-original-queen-of-artsploitation/

Don’t knock this era of film making until you watch a few – it is a fascinating part of our movie history!

In the mood for a film that promises to be:

Narrator: Brutal! Savage! Beyond Perversion!

Or how about a movie that promises:

Narrator: Never before has the beauty of the sexual act been so crassly exploited!

Or one that offers “BIG JIM SLADE!”

Well, this is one of my favorite movies of all time, and one of the funniest as well – get ready for the offbeat, profane, hysterical comedy that is:

Kentucky Fried Movie – Directed by John Landis – 1977

How can you go wrong with a movie that begins LIKE THIS!

[first line in the film]
A Newscaster On Set, Looking At Audience: “The popcorn you are eating has been pissed in. Film at eleven.”

Here’s the trailer!

Talk about a comic debut! “Kentucky Fried Movie” roared into theaters in 1977, directed by John Landis, who went on to make “Animal House”, “Coming To America” and many more.

The film’s writers were the team of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker, who would go on to write and direct” Airplane!”, “Top Secret!” and the Naked Gun movies!

Narrator: Never before has the beauty of the sexual act been so crassly exploited!

The film is full of movie parodies, like the ad above for “Catholic High School Girls In Trouble!” Or this one, for the disaster movie “That’s Armageddon!”

Yes, the parody stars George Lazenby, at the time seven years past his one-time-only stint as James Bond 007!

“Kentucky Fired Movie” is a series of loosely connected skits that spoof news programs, commercials, porno films, kung fu films, disaster films, blaxploitation films…anything and everything that the Zuckers thought was funny – and it is hilarious!

Here is a parody of ads about home deodorizers, as a group of women come for a visit:

[a woman is worried about the smell of her home as guests arrive]
1st guest: Fish for dinner last night?
2nd guest: Phewww… Harvey still smoking those cigars?
3rd guest: CHRIST! Did a cow shit in here?

Narrator: Brutal! Savage! Beyond Perversion!

It’s a non-stop collection of short films and parodies – each one funnier than the last…

Cleopatra Scwartz!

Yep, blaxploitation films of the time got skewered, with this great film about an undercover cop who teams up with a Rabbi!

And then there is THIS:

BIG JIM SLADE!

One of the funniest parodies is the “self help” record a guy buys to help him with his lovemaking – he gets his girlfriend to listen to the record “help” them…

Sex Record Voice: “One of the most frequent problems encountered during the sexual act is that of premature ejaculation.”
[the man realizes that this just happened to him]
Sex Record Voice: “Should premature ejaculation occur, the Joy of Sex album comes equipped with BIG JIM SLADE.”
[Big Jim Slade bursts through the door]

Sex Record Voice: “Big Jim, former tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, is outfitted with various whips, chains, and a sexual appetite that will knock your socks off!”
[Big Jim carries the woman away]
Sex Record Voice: “Big Jim has satisfied women throughout the world, and the capital of Nebraska is Lincoln!”

A FISTFUL OF YEN!

The centerpiece for the film is “A Fistful Of Yen”, the scene-for-scene parody of Bruce Lee’s classic movie “Enter The Dragon.”

“This is Butkus, Klahn’s bodyguard. He is tough and ruthless. This is Kwong, Klahn’s chauffeur. He is rough and toothless.”

This movie captures everything that made “Enter The Dragon” so entertaining, all while putting on the movie and spoofing kung fu movies!

“Kentucky Fried Movie” announced the arrival of a great new comedy team, and it is fast-paced and funny…and worth worth finding!

Todd Is God!

Music legend Todd Rundgren has his fans – like me – in a frenzy right now, as he has released a new CD of music and embarked on a worldwide tour and series of personal appearances and signings – like these pics from a recent one!

A Wizard, A True Star!

New music, a new tour – and I came across a pair of books that capture – with incredible detail – Todd’s entire life story…more on that in a second, but first – all Todd fans know that he has released a new CD of music, called STATE.

The release of “State” has taken Todd on a worldwide tour to promote it, and even got him to do an official press event on google!

Todd Rundgren’s Official STATE Press Conference

And I also found a pair of fascinating books that tell Todd’s entire story, with input from Todd, his family and friends, and a slew of fellow musicians, including members of Nazz and Utopia!

“A Dream Goes on Forever: The Continuing Story of Todd Rundgren” by Billy James

“A Dream Goes On Forever – The Continuing Story Of Todd Rundgren (volume one)” examines the history of one of America’s true rock icons; from his early days of pop stardom with the Nazz; to the ‘whiz kid’ productions, which included the likes of Badfinger and Grand Funk; from the million seller hits; to his psychedelic explorations; from his idiosyncratic ideologies and philosophies; to the highly acclaimed conceptual ensemble Utopia.

And it is FULL of interviews with his Mom, band mates, and many other people who were there in the early years of Todd’s musical development.

The Author has compiled massive amount of articles, interviews and reviews of all of Todd’s work – including multiple reviews, articles and tons of photos. It’s a great read if you want to really dive into Todd’s creative process….

“A Dream Goes On Forever – The Continuing Story of Todd Rundgren Vol. 2: The Utopia Years” by Billy James

I haven’t gotten to volume 2 yet, but here is what the official promotion of the book says:

“There is no more consummate musician than Todd Rundgren. There is no more complete collected account of his sonic accomplishments than “A Dream Goes on Forever”. This second volume of the biographic series tracks his history from the triumphant mid-’70s atop the golden pyramid to the challenging mid-’80s when he faced the demise of Utopia. Follow the album-by-album coverage from Todd’s landmark 1977 production of Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell through to the persistence of vision which allowed him to continue creating music after the end of his video studio, record label, and band. From Utopia to Oblivion…and beyond.”

I purchased both books through Amazon, and again, as a fan I found volume one to be terrific – and really honest, as it includes many interviews with people who are candid about aspects of Todd’s career – including record execs who felt that Todd was always Todd’s worst enemy – choosing to forego the pop hits that propelled him to stardom, for example…and you also hear from Todd – candidly about why he chose the road he did….

If you are a Todd fan, these are essential…honest, revealing, and at their heart a celebration of all of Todd’s music. Speaking of music: I’ll leave you with a bit of Todd music to enjoy.

Here is Todd performing with Daryl Hall on Hall’s classic show “Live From Daryl’s House” – the beautiful song “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference”:

Hello, It’s “Tiki Iniki”!

And here is a quick look at the first stages of “Tiki Iniki” . . .Todd and Michele Rundgren’s new restaurant and bar in the heart of Princeville, Kauai.

That’s right, Todd and Michelle Rundgren have opened a restaurant/bar on the Hawaiian island of Kauai – and it’s now open! Check out their website to see the story behind the concept, plus menus and other fun stuff….

http://www.tikiiniki.com/

Congratulations to Todd and Michelle for their new endeavor – and Todd, thanks for “STATE!”

Todd’s Feud With John Lennon!

And if you want to read about all of Todd’s brilliant studio producing efforts, check out this post I did about a book devoted to Todd’s producing efforts – and I also chronicle his early 70′s feud with John Lennon!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/21/todd-is-god-todd-rundgrens-brilliant-music-and-john-lennon-feud/

Congrats to Todd for his new musical effort!

In the mood for a great horror film? I mean, a BLOODY GOOD horror film?

And do you want to see that film directed by two women who pose like THIS?

Well, time to introduce you to a couple of twins with a twisted sense of humor – and who are making a mark on horror!

Meet The Bloody Directing Twins!

As the New York Times said: “Lots of siblings make movies. The brothers Coen (“No Country for Old Men”) are Oscar winners. Andy and Lana Wachowski (“Cloud Atlas”) are a prominent brother-sister team. But sister directors? And not just sisters, but identical twins?”

You Mean There Are Horror Directing TWINS?

The answer is: YES! Meet Jen and Sylvia Soska, the identical twins who wrote and directed the horror film “American Mary!”

Here is a great interview done with the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/movies/jen-and-sylvia-soskas-american-mary.html?_r=0

This great article is the next step forward for this horror-making-twin-directing-set-of-sisters!

The article, and a lot of press in the last week is for their new medical horror film, “American Mary!”

First, check out this terrific trailer:

American Mary!

The story follows medical student, Mary Mason, as she becomes increasingly broke and disenchanted with the surgical world she once admired. The allure of easy money sends Mary into the world of underground surgeries which ends up leaving more marks on her than her so called ‘freakish’ clientele.

OK everyone, do we smell a twisted, scapel-wielding horror film in the making here?

“American Mary” will be released on DVD and blu-ray in mid-June, so you can see the sisters in action!

Twisted Twins Productions!

And of course, the Soska sisters have a perfect name for their company – Twisted Twins Productions! The Soska twins are breaking barriers and diving headfirst into the bloody world of modern horror – here is some background on them, from their website, Twisted Twins Productions!

“The Soska sisters have always loved film. Since childhood, they were heavily involved in acting. Above all, they had a special place in their twisted little hearts for horror.”

“Dead Hooker In A Trunk” was their debut film. The twins wrote, directed, produced, starred in, and preformed the stunts for the film. They took lessons learned from Rodriguez’s book, “Rebel Without A Crew”, – the bible on making ultra low-budget movies.

If you want to read more about Robert Rodriquez’s book, click here to see my post that looks at his ability to make “$7,000 Cinema”:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/10/movie-taboos-shocking-seductions-mr-tibbs-raging-bulls-and-7000-cinema/

Now, let’s look at the Soska Sisters’ movie debut:

“Dead Hooker In A Trunk” has been available on home video for a few years, and “American Mary” is coming to dvd/blu-ray on June 18th – it’s a great chance to support a new vision of horror – from two sisters who are doing it their way – and not letting anything or anyone hold them back!

“Do I look like a sex murderer to you? Can you imagine me creeping around London, strangling all those women with ties? That’s ridiculous… For a start, I only own two.”

Alfred Hitchcock was a master of horror and suspense – he was, of course the Director of such horror masterpieces as “The Birds” and “Psycho!”

“Psycho” is, of course, best known for the most shocking and graphic murder ever captured on film up to that time – the infamous shower scene…notorious for depicting violence which had never been seen to that point in movies…although almost nothing is shown!

After a decade of diminishing box office success, Hitchcock came back with a vengeance when he made his most graphic film ever in the early 70′s – a vicious thriller that is worthy of a look!

After the iconic “Psycho” and the terrifying film “The Birds”, Hitchcock made a couple of films that didn’t connect with audiences, so in 1971 he decided to come back – with a vicious vengeance!

Frenzy

The plot is simple: London is terrorized by a vicious sex killer known as the “neck tie murderer”.

Following the brutal slaying of his ex-wife, down-on-his-luck Richard Blaney is suspected by the police of being the killer. He goes on the run, determined to prove his innocence.

“Frenzy” was the first Hitchcock film to feature nudity – remember, there was no real nudity in “Psycho”‘s shower scene – and several of the attack scenes in “Frenzy” were evocative of his “Psycho” period – he was a Director taking full advantage of the more relaxed film ratings of the time…

The film and its source book (“Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square”) were inspired by the real-life unsolved crimes of the serial killer known as “Jack the Stripper”.

Unlike the movie, the real killings (which terrified London in the early 1960s) mirrored elements of “Jack the Ripper”, in that the killer attacked prostitutes and that the killings mysteriously stopped at some point, with the killer never caught…

Legendary Alfred Hitchcock Cameo!

Alfred Hitchcock became well known for his cameo appearances in every movie he directed…for example, here he is in the crowd after the first body is discovered in ” Frenzy.”

Alfred Hitchcock originally planned to do his cameo as the body floating in the river. A dummy was even constructed to do the shot!

The plans were changed and a female body, a victim of the Necktie Murderer, was used instead. Hitchcock instead became one of the members of the crowd who are listening to the speaker on the river bank. The dummy of Hitchcock was used in the typically humorous trailer hosted by Hitchcock himself.

Here it is!

Nice job, Hitch! Of course, there are so many classic Hitchcock thrillers like “Strangers On A Train” and “Rear Window”…time to rediscover the master of suspense!

I get hungry every time I watch a movie with food in it. Thanks to Alex’s great idea, we decided to share this easy way to enjoy a meal AND a movie! Make these terrific dishes before the film begins and satisfy your craving while watching!

Tonight, we will eat well thanks to Thomas Keller!

Ratatouille!

Looks great, doesn’t it? Ratatouille is a traditional baked french dish. Tomatoes are a key ingredient, with garlic, onions, courgette (zucchini), aubergine (eggplant), bell peppers, marjoram and basil, or bay leaf and thyme, or a mix of green herbs like herbes de Provence.

If you’d like to make this dinner with a movie, then I’d like to introduce you to TWO Chefs:

First, Meet Remy!

It’s not often that your favorite Chef is a rat, but how can you argue when it’s Remy!

Remy is one of the greatest undiscovered chefs in Paris. And he’s a rat. Don’t hold that against him, because his love for food transcends his background. You have to give credit to Pixar for not only making a film about a rat, but for the amazing amount of attention to detail in the film as it relates to food.

“Ratatouille” is a funny, warm and delicious-looking film, thanks in no small part to our second Chef:

Chef Thomas Keller!

The terrific film making team at Pixar wanted to accurately capture life inside a kitchen, so they reached out to America’s most celebrated Chef!

The animation team worked alongside Chef Thomas Keller at his restaurant French Laundry in order to learn the art of cooking. Mr. Keller also appears in a cameo role as the voice of a patron at Gusteau’s.

This is a funny, touching animated movie that celebrates our love for food…so make yourself the Ratatouille recipe from the movie and pop it into the blu-ray!

Chef Keller’s Confit Byaldi

The recipe for Thomas Keller’s Confit Byaldi, the accordion-fanned version of ratatouille used in the movie is available on the French Laundry website, but buy the gorgeous cookbook as well…my friend Michael Ruhlman co-wrote it with him!

Ratatouille’s Ratatouille

1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 cup tomato puree (such as Pomi)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.

On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping and alternating vegetables.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside the dish.

Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but still a bit firm. You should see the tomato sauce bubbling around them.

You can serve with soft goat cheese on top, alone, or with some crusty French bread…

The French Laundry!

And here is a look at some of Chef Keller’s other masterful work – a look at his restaurants in Napa Valley…

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/25/celebrating-yountvilles-michelin-stars-thomas-keller-rules-yountville-soars/

RIP Jim Kelly!

Sad news to share: legendary Kung Fu Artist, Athlete and Blaxploitation movie star Jim Kelly has died…

Jim Kelly co-starred with Bruce Lee in “Enter The Dragon”, and parlayed that into a series of action films such as “Black Belt Jones”…

As an actor, Kelly was best known for co-starring alongside Bruce Lee in “Enter the Dragon”. Kelly’s role as Williams, an inner-city karate instructor who is harassed by white police officers, made a good impression upon directors and African-American males with his cool-cat demeanor and formidable physical skills.

More movie roles followed in the 70′s as the blaxploitation film craze made waves around the world.

Here is his entrance in the classic blaxploitation film “Black Belt Jones” – Over these opening credits, he takes care of a dozen bad guys, and does it with style….

He earned a three-film contract with Warner Brothers and made “Three the Hard Way” with Jim Brown and Fred Williamson, a film that broke out of the blaxploitaiton mold of “bad ass” lead characters, and instead focused on three black lead characters who were action heroes….

After his contract ended with Warner Brothers, he starred in low-budget films “Black Samurai”, “Death Dimension”, and “Tattoo Connection.”

Jim Kelly, Tennis Star!

After his acting career ended, he became a professional tennis player on the USTA Senior Men’s Circuit.

In 2004, he appeared with NBA star LeBron James in the Nike commercial “Chamber of Fear”, a spoof of the Bruce Lee film “Game of Death.”

Kelly resided in Southern California and worked as a professional tennis coach. He was still a popular draw at conventions such as the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International.

Until his passing, he considered Bruce Lee as “the greatest martial artist, that ever lived”. Here is the trailer for the classic film “Enter The Dragon”, starring Bruce Lee, John Saxon and Jim Kelly!

Jim Kelly died on June 29, 2013…RIP Jim! He will be remembered for a number of great action performances, but none greater than his work with Bruce Lee….

Check out the classic action movie “Enter The Dragon” to see Jim Kelly and Bruce Lee in action.

Bruce Lee Magic!

For more on the incredible physical ability of Bruce Lee, check out this CRAZY nunchuck ping pong match by clicking HERE!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/03/bruce-lee-amazing-nunchuck-ping-pong-legendary-martial-arts-battles/

And to discover the explosive mixture of incredible fashions, hairstyles, comedy, sex, action and music that defined “blaxploitation” films – click HERE!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/04/25/the-mack-sweet-sweetback-blacula-blaxploitation-lives/

“You just like being shagged, you bitch!”

Well, that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? Well, not when you are part of the golden age of exploitation…

Time for some sleazy, seedy and – YES – utterly MESMERIZING grindhouse classics – stay with me as I take you on a journey into film history – as the classic sexploitation craze continues – thanks in part to a unique brand of italian “PULP FICTION”!

Giallo – Read All About This “Yellow Pulp Fiction!”

What you see above you is an original “italian giallo” book – a unique blend of pulp fiction that was turned into a hugely successful collection of european films in the 70′s. The “SIN-ema” of the early 70′s was a unique type of film making. Lots of sex, nudity, blood and violence – all done with a certain “european” flair…

These films flooded the sleazy “grindhouse” theaters in the US in the early 70′s – movie theaters that stayed open all night, and where there was just as much action IN the seats as on the screen…movie going was a “survival” type of experience….

You can criticize, but you are missing the point…this was a very specific time in movie history – cheap european “giallo” films were helping pave the way for a more “adult” type of movie experience…these bloody “nudefests” were a unique style of exploitation:

Yes, it’s “women in peril” again, but that was the way they made them in the 70′s…

There has been a huge market opening up for these classic “giallo” films. Here are the latest classic exploitation films of the 70′s – now released for your enjoyment! And of course, the first one is based in New York!

Massage Parlor Murders!

This is one of the legendary grindhouse classics, now available in a pristine new blu-ray…first, check out the trailer:

Here’s what the promotional teaser has to say: “A vicious serial killer is stalking the streets of New York City, murdering Times Square massage girls in a variety of brutal ways. It’s up to a rogue detective team to solve the case as the body count continues to rise!”

“Chock full of over the top sex and violence and complete with high speed car chase through Manhattan, “MASSAGE PARLOR MURDERS” is an exploitation film lover’s dream movie.”

And yes, it was also released later as “Massage Parlor Hookers”. Movies like these were usually re-named and re-released to maximize their grindhouse potential…and to sucker idiots into seeing the same movie twice!

Did you notice in the trailer that the lead actress looks A LOT like a young Roseanna Arquette? Well, it’s not her, but the similarity is striking….

As you can see, the film is full of gratuitous sex and violence, but the movie captures the grit and seedy nature of New York in the early 70′s – and it’s an effective little thriller that evokes the best of the grindhouse of the time….at least the ones that were made in the US.

Time To Head To Europe!

And in case “Massage Parlor Murders” isn’t SLEAZY ENOUGH, try this classic EURO-SLEAZE on for size!

“You just like being shagged, you bitch!”

THE SISTER OF URSULA

Thanks once again to Severin Films for uncovering this infamous slice of Euro-Sleaze that repeatedly “thrusts at the abyss of bad taste!”

Here is the plot: In the wake of their father’s death, two beautiful sisters – sensitive Ursula and promiscuous Dagmar – come to a seaside resort for a relaxing vacation.

But their idyllic getaway will soon become a depraved nightmare of kinky exhibitionists, dope-sick lotharios, lust-crazed lesbians and a psychotic killer who tears women to pieces with – no kidding – a phallus of massive proportion.

Now THIS is euro-sleaze! “Ursula” is an eye-popping combination of sexploitation and vicious giallo, fully restored from original vault elements and presented uncut and uncensored for the first time ever in America.

These european shockers were cheaply made, full of sex and violence, and then full of more sex – particularly lesbian scenes, which seems to be “so european” for the time…

The “european” nature of these films was a selling point – offering nudity and sexual situations much more mature than the US…and the foreign posters made it clear there was going to be A LOT of flesh on display!

European exploitation, sexploitation and artsploitation films are fascinating to me, and I’ve posted about them before…

And if you need a primer on Italian giallo, check this out!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/09/time-to-strip-nude-four-flies-and-baba-yaga-to-you-yes-its-classic-italian-giallo/

“Such a small number of men have played James Bond. More men have walked on the moon!”

And with that line, we are taken into the world of the most popular spy in movie history: James Bond 007!

The Role OF A Lifetime!

It’s the most popular movie franchise in motion picture history – a role played by a select few: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan – and now, Daniel Craig…

And now, a GREAT new documentary has been released in the UK that takes an exclusive, inside look at 007 – including a ton of new interviews and behind-the-scenes tension surrounding 007!

Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007

He’s the greatest secret agent in the world, but who are the men BEHIND 007? This new documentary goes inside the James Bond legend to uncover how a series of spy stories by Ian Fleming became Hollywood gold, and how film producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman helped create one of the most iconic franchises in cinema history.

First, check out this terrific trailer!

Now On Amazon Instant Video As Well!

“Everything or Nothing” is also available in the US on Amazon, and Epix had it on the air as well. The documentary was directed by Stevan Riley (Fires in Babylon) and produced by John Battsek (Searching for Sugar Man, The Imposter) and Simon Chinn (Man on Wire, Searching for Sugar Man).

“Everything or Nothing” tells the unique story of three men with a shared dream; producers Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman and author Ian Fleming. Riley chronicles the real-life battles and threats facing the franchise through five decades and 23 films of the most iconic fictional hero of modern times. The documentary focuses not only on Bond’s historical journey but also the emotional paths of Broccoli, Fleming, Saltzman and their respective families.

The film includes exclusive interviews with Bond actors George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig as well as unprecedented access to EON Productions’ extensive archive of behind the scenes material.

I cannot wait to see this inside look at the people who made this movie franchise…and that includes the incredible theme music:

And to read all about the amazing success of “Skyfall” – and other classic Bond movies, click HERE:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/11/08/skyfall-soars-biggest-bond-ever-007s-turning-japanese-james-bond-gets-married-classic-bond-movies/

Adele’s Brilliant Skyfall – Plus Censored Bond Themes!

And of course, you can read all about Adele’s terrific take on the Bond theme, and read all about the songs you DIDN’T get to hear by clicking HERE:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/05/adele-skyfall-new-james-bond-theme-best-bond-themes-censored-bond-music/

National Fried Chicken Day! Thomas Keller's Bird Rules! Ruhlman's Schmaltz Too!.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To A Dog Show…

Meet one of the best ensemble casts in a comedy EVER! If you haven’t seen the film “Best In Show”, you are missing a hilarious look at the world of competitive dog shows!

“Best In Show” was directed by Christopher Guest, who also made the great ensemble comedy “Waiting For Guffman.” First, check out the trailer:

“Best In Show”!

The owners (and handlers) of five show dogs head for the legendary Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. A film crew interviews them as they prepare for the trip, arrive at Philly’s Taft Hotel, and compete.

From Florida come the Flecks: Catherine O’Hara keeps running into old lovers, while her husband Eugene Levy has, literally, “two left feet.”

Parker Posey is a high strung dog owner, while Director Guest stars as a country hunter who has a great Bloodhound to display.

Catherine O’Hara steals the movie as a woman who can’t go anywhere without running into a former lover…

And then there is her husband, Eugene Levy…

Gerry Fleck: I can’t dance, I can’t dance, I’ve got two left feet!

Cookie Fleck: I thought he was kidding.

Gerry Fleck: But I wasn’t. I was born with two left feet.

Jane Lynch stars a a professional dog trainer who gets very close with the dog’s owner, Jennifer Coolidge…

Also Stealing The Movie Is…

Fred Willard! That’s right, he’s always been a terrifically funny Actor, but in “Best In Show”, the Actor steals the movie with a series of one-liners that are hilarious!

Buck Laughlin: Tell me, do you know the difference between a rectal thermometer and a tongue depressor?

Nurse: Uh, no.

Buck Laughlin: Remind me never to come to you for a physical!

Fred Willard’s character Buck Laughlin was based on baseball legend Joe Garagiola, who had co-hosted the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in years past, to similar effect. Willard tosses out hilarious one-liners that have NOTHING to do with the dog show!

Buck Laughlin: Excuse me if this off the subject a little bit, but just take a guess at how much I can bench press. Come on, what do you think? Take a guess. 315 pounds, at the top of my game, maxing out at 500!

Premiere voted this movie as one of “The 50 Greatest Comedies Of All Time” in 2006.

This is a hilarious look at the people who compete in dog shows, and a great ensemble comedy!

Meet The Stanley Cup!

Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks, who recently skated away with the Stanley Cup – Chicago is very proud!

Now, “MEAT” The Stanley Cup!

Man B Que – Meat, Beer, Rock ‘n’ Roll!

And, in true Chicago fashion, this proud achievement has been topped – with meat!

Well, thanks to the terrific “Chicagoist” website for finding this – a true food / sports mash up!

The guys of ManBQue honored the Blackhawks Stanley Cup win the best way they knew how this week—by building a replica of the Cup out of meat.

According to Chicagoist, the dedicated “ManBQue” boys went on “Windy City Live” with coach Joel Quenneville and presented him with the “Manley Cup,” which was made with a base of ground beef, a woven bacon basket, and hot dogs.

As you can see, the guys were very proud of their accomplishment….and they did a pretty nice job of replicating the trophy as well:

ManBQue has a Facebook page, where you can see a pic-by-pic cooking and building of this culinary sports masterpiece:

https://www.facebook.com/THEMANBQUE

You must go check out their great Facebook page, where you can find fun fan-submitted pics like this one:

You can submit your own fan pic and win a prize! Nice job guys!

Welcome To Seoul!

One of the most beautiful sights is Seoul, South Korea at night…

I had the chance to travel to Seoul with an amazing team of people: Morgan Webb, Vinny Rutherford, Wade Beckett, Jen Nelson, Mike Dunn and Aaron Murray – and our terrific Seoul Producer Kathy Paik – the greatest group to work with, travel with, and even do a bit of this!

And it wasn’t all “giant” beer drinking, although Wade did enjoy his giant mug – well, we ALL did – but Wade seemed to eye it just a bit more than the rest of us…

That last shot may accurately reflect how we were all feeling by the end of the night. Seoul is unique: it has underground tunnels – we were actually in one of the many restaurants that live UNDERNEATH the city streets…so you can avoid the cold weather above you while still enjoying a nice refreshing beverage!

Soju To You, Too!

And yes, we drank our fair share of “Soju” as well – a distilled beverage native to Korea. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to sugars added in the manufacturing process, and is traditionally made of rice.

Most brands of Soju are made in South Korea. Right, Mike Dunn? We see you peering through the bottle…

Always Eat Local!

Whenever we traveled, we ALWAYS ate the local food – and in this case, that meant a lot of korean BBQ:

Mike and Aaron were skeptical – they LOOKED at more of the plates than they actually ATE. But that’s OK, I don’t eat any of the hot stuff, and there was plenty of that as well…

Seoul BBQ was everywhere, so we ate A LOT of it…and the guys were a bit reluctant to even TRY most of the stuff on the table:

The rest of the group had no problem digging in – and that was due, in large part, to the overwhelmingly friendly reception we received in Seoul – this is an amazingly friendly country, even though you’d be hard pressed to find anyone speaking english…but it didn’t matter when the food was this good…

Bibimbop!

No, this isn’t the name of an early Hanson CD – Bibimbap is a signature Korean dish. The word literally means “mixed rice”. Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating.

We grilled our own meat, added one of dozens of side dishes like kimchi, and ate our way through the city…which is hard to do considering the size of the place!

Seoul is the capital and largest city in South Korea, with a population of more than 10 million. Seoul Capital Area, which includes the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province, is the world’s second largest metropolitan area with over 25.6 million people.

Here is a shot of Wade, getting some b-roll of this teeming city:

We wanted to capture everyday life in South Korea, and that meant one thing:

SEOUL STREET FOOD!

Yes, bacon has shown its face halfway around the world! These are bacon-wrapped hot dogs, one of many street treats we sampled in Seoul! Click on the video to see some of these unique bacon dogs bubbling away…

As you can see, the street food was plentiful…in fact, here we are holding two of those bacon-wrapped hot dogs…not the best shot of me, but I will suffer that indignity in order to showcase the food!

Wade and I dug right into these breaded, grilled sticks of what we thought were chicken – we will never know, but they sure tasted good! And remember, you can also just order the corn dog embedded with fries:

The street food in Seoul was unique – in fact, as unique as the city streets themselves…it put us all in a good mood, especially Kathy as she “posed” with Vinny:

Seoul’s Answer To N’Sync!

There is action everywhere you look in Seoul – here is some footage of a walk down the teeming streets at night – when you end up walking into a “Street” performance by their version of N’Sync!

Click on to see this impromptu performance!

As you can see, the streets are packed with people…and you can find yourself on any small side street filled with tiny shops and stalls:

Here’s Jen Nelson along with Morgan Webb, checking out the shopping…Jen might be the only thing in focus, but it’s still a cool shot…

Tie Your Fish Up!

We also found a great Seoul street market – a fascinating place to wander…where locals shop for all sorts of unique items, like fish that has been tied up with rope, or dried and flattened in a fan shape…

Noryangjin Fish!

I loved this place – a huge, bustling fish market where they sold a number of unique items, like tied up dried fish…here is a video that shows piles of dried fish, plus tied up fresh fish as well – nicely bundled in bright yellow rope to carry home easily: click on to see these fish being sold!

Korea’s DMZ!

We also did some serious stories while we were in South Korea, like the day Morgan and a small team went to the DMZ!

The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea which runs along the 38th parallel north. It was created as part of the Korean Armistice Agreement between North Korea, the People’s Republic of China, and the United Nations Command forces in 1953.

The Bridge To Nowhere!

Located in the Joint Security Area (JSA), the so-called “Bridge of No Return” was used for prisoner exchanges at the end of the Korean War in 1953. The name originates from the claim that many war prisoners captured by the United States did not wish to return home. The prisoners were brought to the bridge and given the choice to remain in the country of their captivity or cross over to the other country. However, if they chose to cross the bridge, they would never be allowed to return.

Here is a shot of Morgan Webb on the “bridge of no return.” The North Korean soldier watched her closely as she filmed her segment…

One Way Ticket To Yangyang!

The team also toured the legendary Yangyang International Airport in northeastern South Korea. It was built to serve the nearby areas of Sokcho, Gangneung and Pyeongchang. But since 2008, the airport has had no scheduled flights due to the diplomatic standoff between the two countries!

Here are Mike and Aaron at the infamous deserted airport….

Just A Song Before You Go…

Of course, we had to end the trip with the national sport: karaoke! I will spare my co-workers too much indignity, but here are Wade and I doing a duet to – and therefore sincere apologies to The Beatles – as we butchered “A Day In The Life”.

As you can see above, there are the lyrics for the song…and here is Aaron belting out what must be, according to the lyrics on the screen behind him, a TERRIFIC version of “Sweet Caroline.”

Morgan, Vinny and Wade sang some sort of song together – can’t remember which one, and I’m not sure they would admit to it anyway…

And Vinny either performed a duet with Mike, or just likes having his picture taken near a microphone – either one is extremely plausible…

As I said, we were filming until late that night, and it seems the only person who wasn’t captured “at the mic” is Jen Nelson…you were lucky, Jen!

What A Trip!

There was so much more to this trip, but this was just a taste of the unique aspects of South Korea – a great country filled with nice people, great food, energetic city life, and lots of karaoke…and some very mysterious crackers…

Every night, Wade would wake up in his hotel room to find it littered with broken crackers…a mystery that hasn’t been solved as far as I know…but there were certainly a few choice suspects…

We also got to watch the Super Bowl that year at 8a in our hotel restaurant – live in south korean at that early hour… just another unique aspect of this unique country, and so much fun to explore…as you can see, Wade was exhausted by the end of the trip:

Finally, I always loved this picture of Wade and Morgan…every time I see it, I think they look like the latest alt-pop duo – and this is their CD cover: thanks to the whole gang for letting me share this adventure!

Happy 90th Birthday, Mike Grgich!

Alex and I were lucky enough to be able to attend a terrific 90th birthday celebration for iconic winemaker Mike Grgich!

The Judgment Of Paris!

Mike Grgich stunned the world in The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 or the “Judgment of Paris” – the event was a wine competition organized in Paris on 24 May 1976 by Steven Spurrier, a British wine merchant, in which French judges carried out two blind tasting comparisons: one of top-quality Chardonnays and another of red wines (Bordeaux wines from France and Cabernet Sauvignon wines from California).

It was Winemaker Mike Grgich’s Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that stunned the world by winning the top prize, and it helped make Napa a world famous wine region!

Read this great book about the event and the amazing impact it had on Napa and the entire wine world!

Mike Grgich’s 90th Birthday Celebration!

To celebrate the winemaker’s 90th birthday, his staff threw him a big party! It was held at a beautiful farmhouse in Napa valley vineyards…

The entire Grgich Hills team spent days preparing for this event – including our good friend Kelly Murray Gardner, who invited us to join the celebration, which was flawlessly executed: just look at how gorgeous the party looked!

And Here’s The Menu!

It was a daylong celebration with performers, speeches – oh, and there was a great array of food!

And to celebrate Mike’s Croatian roots, there were THREE kinds of roasted meat: turkey, pork and lamb!

And they also provided the words to the Croatian National Anthem! There were also performances by the Croatian Kolo Group, speeches by Mike’s daughter, and many other unique touches…

And The Man Himself Spoke!

Here is a minute of his remarks to the crowd – a great story that you are never too old to make a new friend:

The winemaker also posed for pictures with many of the people at the party, and he even took time to sit down in the special photo booth to capture a few shots of himself!

Always A Charmer!

And of course, Mike Grgich was being pure Mike Grgich, posing for pics with Alex – he’s extremely gregarious and full of life – in fact, I missed the moment when he kissed Alex on the cheek, but this one’s a great pic too:

And Emerlee Too!

Of course, I also got a shot of Alex, Mike and our good friend Emerlee….

Oh, and here is the one shot of me to prove that I was there, too!

Cheers!

The highlight of the day was the moment when the wine maker spoke. After Mike’s speech, the entire crowd raised a glass and wished him a happy 90th! That’s his daughter at his side as he blows out the candle on his cake!

Time To Dance!

After the toast, it was time to blow out the candles, have some cake – and dance dance dance! Here is Emerlee getting started as the guy to her right acts like he is acting out the last scene of “The Blair Witch Project”:

But we found out he wasn’t shy, he was getting ready to sing The B-52′s “Love Shack.” Alex captured a moment of it, with Emerlee’s enthusiastic dance-along – and even a cameo of Alex!

Mike’s grandson also got into the act, dancing up a storm on top of some bales of hay!

It was a great day of celebration – a terrific job by the entire Grgich Hills team – to know more about Mike Grgich and his wine, read the book, buy the wine, and check out the winery HERE!

http://www.grgich.com/

Mike Grgich And The “elimiDATE” Connection!

Well, that sounds like an unlikely thing, right? Not so fast! Alex created “elimiDATE” in 2001, and during the first year, she filmed an episode in Napa valley, including grape crushing at Grgich Hills winery – and Mike was there!

It was fun to remember our Grgich connection as we celebrated the legendary winemaker’s birthday!

Kudos! Kudos! Kudos!

Thanks again to the entire Grgich team! Not only did they throw a GREAT party, they gave us a bag of goodies as well, inclduing a Mike Grgich Bobblehead!

And, if you want to read more about the health benefits of wine, the latest in wine technology – yes, ROBOTS! – and the best movies about wine, click HERE!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/09/28/wine-robots-breaking-wine-news-fin-merlot-toast-to-your-movie-health/

“Hello, Cleveland!”

One of the most iconic lines in movie comedy history – as the Band Spinal Tap gets lost in the bowels of Cleveland’s arena and can’t find the stage…

And of course, there’s also this:

Nigel Tufnel: “You can’t really dust for vomit.”

“This Is Spinal Tap!”

Arguably one of the funniest movies ever made, this is the first and funniest “mockumentary” ever made, directed by Rob Reiner. And there may be a Todd Rundgren connection!

In 1982 legendary British heavy metal band Spinal Tap attempt an American comeback tour accompanied by a fan who is also a film-maker. The resulting documentary, interspersed with powerful performances of Tap’s pivotal music and profound lyrics, candidly follows a rock group heading towards crisis, culminating in the infamous affair of the eighteen-inch-high Stonehenge stage prop…here is the trailer for this comedic masterpiece:

“But These Go To Eleven!”

Most of the dialogue was improvised – kudos to the entire “Tap” team of Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest – but this is now one of the most quoted film lines in modern movie history…

Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and…

Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten?

Nigel Tufnel: Exactly.

Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it’s louder? Is it any louder?

Nigel Tufnel: Well, it’s one louder, isn’t it? It’s not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You’re on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you’re on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?

Marty DiBergi: I don’t know.

Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?

Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven.

Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.

Marty DiBergi: Why don’t you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?

Nigel Tufnel: [pause] These go to eleven.

Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean were given $10,000 to write a script. A 20-minute version of the film was made with the money to better demonstrate the improvisation they had in mind. Several scenes from this demo are in the final movie.

And Now, The Todd Connection – The Eggs That Won’t Open!

I was reading the biography of Todd, and I came across a chapter about the first Utopia tours, and guess what? There IS a Spinal Tap connection!

As you know, there is the hilarious scene from “Spinal Tap” when one band member gets trapped in a malfunctioning egg onstage…well, according to the book, that may have come from a Utopia concert!

Utopia’s First Tours! Todd’s Disasterous “Geodesic Dome!”

On page 230 of the Todd bio book “A Dream Goes On Forever Vol. 1″, Todd says one of the early Utopia tours “had this special geodesic dome for the syntheziser player (Jean Yves Labat) to sit in”. Well, it kept breaking down!

The story, as recounted in the book, clearly suggests that “Spinal Tap’s” malfunctioning egg was a direct parody of Todd’s “Geodesic dome!” Paul Fishkin says “I was at the Philly gig…at least one inspiration for ‘Spinal Tap’ was Jean Yves in the bubble, not being able to get out. it was so bad – indescribably bad!”

So Todd’s early synth musician Jean Yves Labat got trapped in the dome and couldn’t get out – just like Harry Shearer being trapped in Spinal Tap’s egg…

So the next time I watch Spinal Tap, I will put on the Theme From Utopia as well and savor the connection…if you want to read more about Todd, make sure to get the biographies…click here to read all about it:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/06/04/todd-rundgrens-new-musical-state-his-new-tiki-iniki-bar-todds-incredible-bio-books/

The Spinal Tap “Stonehenge” Debacle!

Of course, Spinal Tap has many more problems than just malfunctioning eggs…they had a two foot tall Stonehenge!

This debacle was caused when the lead guitarist put “20 inches” instead of “20 ft.” on the design…when the tour manager tries to tell the band to play better, the lead singer gets angry:

David St. Hubbins: I do not, for one, think that the problem was that the band was down. I think that the problem *may* have been, that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being *crushed* by a *dwarf*. Alright? That tended to understate the hugeness of the object.

Ian Faith: I really think you’re just making much too big a thing out of it.

Derek Smalls: Making a big thing out of it would have been a good idea.

The Non-Black Sabbath Connection!

There’s a common misconception that the “too small Stonehenge” disaster is a parody of Black Sabbath’s over-sized Stonehenge sets from the Born Again tour. This is impossible, the Stonehenge Spinal Tap scene existed as early as 1982 when the film existed as a 20-minute short. Black Sabbath didn’t begin using their Stonehenge sets until 1983.

And Finally, The Album Reviews!

Another great moment is when Director Marty DiBergi reads the band their latest album review: “This tasteless cover is a good indication of the lack of musical invention within. The musical growth of this band cannot even be charted. They are treading water in a sea of retarded sexuality and bad poetry.”

Nigel Tufnel: “That’s just nitpicking, isn’t it?”

Nitpicking indeed! “This Is Spinal Tap” is a classic movie comedy, and was ranked #1 on Entertainment Weekly’s “Top 50 Cult Films of All-Time”!

“Hello Cleveland!”

Bear with me for a moment: remember when Lindsay Lohan was a “Mean Girl”?

OK, it’s a strange way to begin the day, but I ask for a reason. First, that was then, look at her now!

You see, on the heels of her “comeback” in “Liz & Dick”, there is a whole new Lindsay to enjoy – this time in a controversial new film with an acclaimed Director!

From Mean Girl To The Canyons!

You know how this story begins: Lindsay Lohan started as a child fashion model when she was three, and with the release of Mean Girls (2004), a critical and commercial success, Lohan became a household name and a frequent focus of paparazzi and tabloids.

In 2007, two driving under the influence incidents led to Lohan being put on probation, and suddenly her personal life was much more interesting than her professional one – and stories about her on-set antics became tabloid fodder…

She spent much of 2010 and 2011 entangled in legal problems stemming from probation violations and a necklace theft. After her supervised probation was lifted in 2012, she did further television work, including starring as Elizabeth Taylor in the biographical TV film “Liz & Dick”. Yes, it was HORRIBLE – but it got a rating!

And finally, it’s time for the release of her latest film “The Canyons.” Here is the trailer:

“The Canyons” is an erotic thriller directed by Paul Schrader, who wrote the classic screenplay for “Taxi Driver”. The script was written by Bret Easton Ellis, the notorious Author of “Less Than Zero” and “American Psycho.”

“The Canyons” is set in Los Angeles, and stars Lindsay Lohan, along with adult film star James Deen. Yes, ADULT FILM STAR JAMES DEEN.

That pairing has caused a lot of controversy, and a scathing NY Times article about problems on the set has made this film a “must see.” Click to read the whole story:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/13/magazine/here-is-what-happens-when-you-cast-lindsay-lohan-in-your-movie.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Just the fact that an adult film star is playing opposite Lohan will certainly keep the controversy going…especially as more interviews come out about their on-set chemistry…

Here is the plot of “The Canyons”: While calculating young movie producer Christian (James Deen) makes films to keep his trust fund intact, his actress girlfriend, Tara (Lindsay Lohan), hides an affair with an actor from her past. But Christian becomes aware – which thrusts the young couple into a violent, sexually-charged tour through the dark side of human nature.

The film will be released on August 9 in theatres, as well as on all VOD (video on demand) platforms August 2. And almost forgotten in all of this is the fact that the Director of “The Canyons” is Paul Schrader, who wrote “Taxi Driver” and directed a multitude of great films like “Cat People” and “American Gigolo” with Richard Gere…

I am a big fan of Schrader’s work – here he is promoting his terrific movie “Auto Focus” with Greg Kinnear…you can read about that neglected classic right HERE:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/03/30/sex-crazed-stars-tabloid-wars-and-tough-guys-too-little-seen-movie-gems/

And I can’t wait to see “The Canyons” – if only to see how Lohan’s comeback is progressing!

And now Lohan announced she will be paid $2 million to sit down with Oprah Winfrey to discuss her life – and be part of a docu-series….will be interesting to see how honest it is…

Ever imagine living in Siberia? Sure, this looks like a nice day on the river…

But that’s just a small part of what Siberia is. Ever wonder what it’s like to trap sable in -50 degree weather? Oh, and you have to travel to each trap through one of the most heavily forested places in the world…

Imagine having so many questions about life in one of the most extreme parts of the world. Well, thanks to visionary Director Werner Herzog, you now have the answers!

Welcome To The Siberian Wilderness!

You have to check out “Happy People: A Year In The Taiga”! First, take a look at the trailer:

Meet These “Happy People!”

“Happy People: A Year In The Taiga” is a terrific documentary that spends a year in the life of the indigenous people living in Bakhtia, the heart of the Siberian Taiga; a small knit community of 300+ villagers whose daily lives haven’t changed over the last century – it’s a fascinating look at their lives, and their cultural traditions.

And yes, that is a frozen fish that sits most of the year outside – since the entire outdoors is a freezer! This was originally a TV documentary series for Russian TV. Acclaimed Director Werner Herzog came upon it and turned it into a feature-length documentary which is now out on DVD!

When you say “year in the life”, it really means 3 months of summer and 9 months of hellish, wintry conditions – in sub-zero temperatures – that are more extreme than most people could handle…

Cue The Dogs!

There are amazing parts to the lives that these people lead, including a fascinating look at the dogs who literally keep these trappers alive during the winter…their only companions for months on end…

You get to meet these solitary trappers, who spend months in the wilderness hunting sable, living alone in snowed-in log cabins in the middle of the wilderness…

Director Herzog oversaw the cut down of the material, and he does all of the voice over work as well…and the DVD includes an introduction to the film he did in front of an audience, in which he explains how he got involved in the project….

Also included on the DVD is an excerpt from the original TV series – called “Chasing Spring In West Siberia”…if you like documentaries that uncover a completely unique way of life, this is the one for you!

Werner’s Penguins!

Werner Herzog has a number of terrific documentaries, each one narrated by the Director…including one that takes a fascinating look at the people who live at the end of the earth!

Life Among Penguins!

If you want to check out more Werner Herzog, click HERE to read about his great Antarctica documentary, “Encounters At The End Of The World”!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/08/05/icebergs-penguins-pillars-of-hercules-tuscan-sunburns-extreme-adventures-await/

Time to get your “horror milkshake”!

Yes, only in Japan can you find THIS:

“The Ring” Horror Milkshake!

Starting July 27, Japanese burger chain Lotteria will once again go crazy with their food – this time offering a limited-time lemonade!

Here’s the story from Rocketnews24: “The bizarre concoction is themed after classic Japanese horror icon Sadako – the unmistakable and absolutely horrifying long-haired ghost girl from The Ring.

The cool blue color of the lemonade (actually a slightly different Japanese variation called ramune) invokes Sadako’s ghostly blue dress, while a squiggly topping of chocolate sauce and a black straw are meant to conjure the ghost girl’s signature jet-black hair.”

As always, the RocketNews24 people have a way with words!

Behold The “Milkshake Ring!”

Be aware that this tasty “Ring Milkshake” is different than a “Milkshake Ring”, which looks like this, and is also available in Japan:

God bless the Japanese for once again offering the most innovative food-based products, and thanks to our friends at Rocket24 news for their constant vigil on all cool things Japan…check out their website for the whole story and more!

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/07/19/lotteria-to-offer-bizarre-the-ring-themed-milkshake-flavor/

More Lotteria Madness!

Don’t forget that our Lotteria friends in Tokyo love to SUPERSIZE their food! Click HERE to see the entire story of their “Monster Burger!”

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/25/bacon-bazookas-monster-burgers-massive-slabs-of-meat/

Ramen Burgers!

And don’t forget, it was Lotteria who came up with the Ramen burger as well – click HERE for that story!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/16/wacky-ramen-burgers-crazy-japanese-burger-menu-east-meets-west-with-video/

All I can say is this: “keep it up Lotteria! Keep it up!”

A New Samurai Princess Is Born!

In honor of Comic-Con – and the myriad of crazy cosplay costumes, here is the real deal!

Time to head to Japan to kick some serious samurai butt – with a real female Ninja Warrior – who has terrific sword skills, right? look Ma, no hands!!

Talk About Your “Ninja Warrior”!

If you have ready ANY of my “j-sploitation” articles, you know that I love this new genre of film – and I will provide links at the end of the story – because this is really a “you must see it to believe it” kind of movie making!

First, check out the trailer!

“Samurai Princess” (サムライプリンセス 外道姫) is a Japanese film directed by Kengo Kaji, and is described as a “ero guro” action film. More on that in a second….

The film has a well-known list of “J-Sploitation” favorites involved: Special effects were produced by Yoshihiro Nishimura, who previously directed and created effects and makeup for “Tokyo Gore Police”, which “Samurai Princess” Director Kengo Kaji wrote.

Here’s the plot: A group of young schoolgirls walking through the woods is attacked by a gang of thugs. Only one of the girls survives, but is badly injured. As is usually the case in japanese exploitation, this leads to rehabilitation – then REVENGE!

Mad Science To The Rescue!

Of course, our lone survivor is found by a scientist who takes her back to his lab, and gives her a new robotic body – this is also a trend in “j-sploitation – the combination of revenge and technology! To top it off, a female monk also gives her magical powers!

The Scientist and Monk send her out to take revenge on her attackers, but as it turns out The Scientist has an ulterior motive for his actions…cue the monster!

“Ero Guro” To You!

Now, time to explain what the Director meant by calling the film a “Ero Guro”.

“Ero guro nansensu” was a literary and artistic movement originating circa 1930 in Japan.

“Ero guro” puts its focus on eroticism, sexual corruption and decadence.

While ero guro is a specific movement, many of its components can be found throughout Japanese history and culture. So apparently, the Director wants those elements to come across in his film!

“J-Sploitation” Rules!

“Samurai Princess” is just the latest example of a crazy new film trend in Japan!

If you are unfamiliar with the category, “J-Sploitation” is Japan’s version of the exploitation film – low budget, full of outrageous action and vivid special effects, and filled with lots and lots of blood.

I’ve written a number of stories about films in this genre – if you’ve missed them, jump into the pool by clicking HERE:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/02/14/japanese-super-females-kick-ass-exploitation/

These films have been around for decades – and they are full of sex and violence – but remember, movies have been since the beginning of time! And this modern japanese take on violence and revenge is a unique style that really should be seen to be believed!

There are many great examples of this type of film: among the most notable are “Tokyo Gore Police” and “The Machine Girl”…action and exploitation in equal measure…with the added take of modern technology driving the revenge – and yes, there is lots and lots of revenge!

Check out more of these classics by clicking HERE:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/15/tokyo-gore-for-halloween-behold-j-sploitation-nishimura-rules-extreme-japanese-cinema/

Enjoy!

The legal system – “the scales of justice”….they have been shown non-stop on TV recently, and I just finished jury duty as well, and it made me think about legal thrillers…

I found myself on a jury at the LA Criminal Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles – and even though I was asked over and over why I didn’t try to get out of it – I actually found jury duty fascinating – and I’m glad I did it.

No, Glenn Close wasn’t my lawyer, but I was Jury Foreperson on a trial involving attempted murder – and I will tell you now -

I DON’T KNOW HOW TWELVE PEOPLE CAN AGREE ON ANYTHING!

I truly appreciate what Prosecutors must face every time they go to trial and present evidence – it’s seemingly impossible to get a dozen people to agree on anything! In my trial, I had four people who felt the defendant was guilty – and four who felt he was innocent.

CUE THE HUNG JURY!

After a full day of deliberation, I had taken six different votes, and it was clear that those eight jurors were NEVER going to change their minds – no matter what was discussed. The last four were willing to discuss the facts and evidence further, but for those who had made up their minds, THEY WERE MADE UP. We ultimately returned as a hung jury and the case was declared a mistrial.

I know that certain high profile court cases have polarized people, and it will be interesting to see what these cases do to cause us to look at the system and why it doesn’t work better…

But Enough Reality!

With the legal system very much top of mind, it’s time to look at two great movies that tackle the legal system – and the role of lawyers in it – through the eyes of two very popular Attorneys!

“You’re nobody ’till somebody shoots you.”

The Lincoln Lawyer

Matthew McConaughey gets behind the wheel and takes the law out onto the street in this tight, action-packed legal thriller.

Matthew McConaughey is joined by Ryan Phillipe, Marisa Tomei and William H. Macy – check out the trailer:

Check out the trailer:

McConaughey is a defense lawyer who works out of his Lincoln. When a wealthy Realtor is accused of raping a prostitute, “The Lincoln Lawyer” is asked to defend him. The Realtor is played by Ryan Phillippe…

“You’re nobody ’till somebody shoots you.”

As with all good legal thrillers, the plot of “The Lincoln Lawyer” takes many twists and turns, including a few that take place in the “Lincoln” of the movie’s title…it’s a great hook for the film: a car that functions as McConaughey’s portable, traveling office…

William H. Macy co-stars as one of the private detectives McConaughey uses to dig up dirt…as always, he brings consummate acting ability to the role – and check out the hair!

A Classic Legal Thriller!

While this film didn’t receive a lot of attention when it was released in theaters, it actually did well at the box office. It’s a tight, effective legal thriller, and Matthew McConaughey shows off more of the cool confidence in this film that he has shown in such recent roles as “Magic Mike” and “Killer Joe”…

There is plenty of action in “The Lincoln Lawyer” as well…in fact, there are a number of good legal thrillers…the list includes such serious films as:

“The Verdict” – with Paul Newman giving perhaps his greatest movie performance ever…directed by Sidney Lumet, who also directed “Network” and “Dog Day Afternoon”!

Or you can try a “pulpier” take on the law with”The Rainmaker” with Matt Damon – a fun legal thriller as well…which leads to what is, in my opinion, the “Citizen Kane” of action lawyer movies…

“You want to know something funny? You actually made me think about the law. I managed to go through three years of law school without doing that.”

The Firm

Yes, “The Firm” is a great legal thriller! It’s one of the most purely entertaining movies about the law – and the dangers of choosing the wrong law “firm” to work for – that’s ever been made – and it has a great cast including Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman and Holly Hunter – here is the trailer for “The Firm”:

Tom Cruise plays law school graduate Mitch McDeere – a young man with a promising future in Law. He is approached by ‘The Firm’ and made an offer he doesn’t refuse. Seduced by the money and gifts showered on him, he is totally oblivious to the more sinister side of his company. One of the partners, played by Gene Hackman, takes the young lawyer under his wing…

As more strange things begin happening at “The Firm”, the young lawyer has to come up with his own “exit strategy” from the firm…

Mitch McDeere: Are you saying my life is in danger?
Denton Voyles: I am saying that your life as you know it is over.

Holly Hunter’s Oscar-Nominated Scene-Stealing!

Oscar-winning actress Holly Hunter shows up in a small role – but steals the movie as the fast-talking secretary who works with Mitch to execute his plan…look at this short snippet of dialogue when she meets Mitch’s brother – and has an update:

Tammy: Mitch sent me to tell you the plan’s been changed.
Ray McDeere: I didn’t know there was a plan.
Tammy: Well, that’s good, because it’s been changed.

Great “Firm” Facts!

Holly Hunter’ was oscar-nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role here – but she is only on screen for a total of 5 minutes, 59 seconds in the entire movie; it’s one of shortest performances ever nominated for an Oscar! She is in 20 scenes, for an average of 18 seconds per scene!

Holly Hunter proves that it doesn’t take much to make an impact! And she is just one of the many pleasure of this great movie! I need to watch “The Firm” again soon!