cult film freak: March 2020

Written by James M. Tate / 3/27/2020 / No comments / action , adventure , david janssen , made-for-TV , neo noir , ralph meeker , seventies

DAVID JANSSEN SOARS IN 'BIRDS OF PREY' WITH RALPH MEEKER

action, adventure, david janssen, made-for-TV, neo noir, ralph meeker, seventies

DAVID JANSSEN SOARS IN 'BIRDS OF PREY' WITH RALPH MEEKER

Top of the vintage video classic of the David Janssen television movie BIRDS OF PREY Year: 1973 David Janssen’s Harry Walker isn’t your ...

GENE NELSON & MERRY ANDERS IN '20,000 EYES' W/ JOHN BANNER

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5y2-cgmmT78/XnpGQzpfF3I/AAAAAAABPtY/Uflz32YQin4PFnYUWkIL2TVKqec8gHjwwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-03-24%2Bat%2B10.18.22%2BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1390" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5y2-cgmmT78/XnpGQzpfF3I/AAAAAAABPtY/Uflz32YQin4PFnYUWkIL2TVKqec8gHjwwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-03-24%2Bat%2B10.18.22%2BAM.jpeg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Gene Nelson and John Banner in 20th Century Fox's 20,000 EYES Year: 1961 Rating: ***</u></td></tr>
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Filmed in six days, this Post Noir (during the period after genuine Film Noir ended in 1958 and before intentional homage/Neo Noir began in the latter 1960's i.e. before anyone knew what Noir meant) titled 20,000 EYES sure shows its rushed production values, or lack of...<br>
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Beginning with a not-so-loving couple played by two 20th Century Fox b-movie players Gene Nelson (under the direction of Jack Leewood, who he'd return with for <a href="http://www.cultfilmfreaks.com/2018/08/makes-jack-a-dull-boy.html">THUNDER ISLAND</a>)...<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WXSeQFMoeG0/XnpUziZng2I/AAAAAAABPuM/AwKkorvMEkg5386JUG3BIRkRnUhXNNM_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%252BShot%252B2020-03-24%252Bat%252B10.20.02%252BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1012" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WXSeQFMoeG0/XnpUziZng2I/AAAAAAABPuM/AwKkorvMEkg5386JUG3BIRkRnUhXNNM_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%252BShot%252B2020-03-24%252Bat%252B10.20.02%252BAM.jpeg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Merry Anders, Gene Nelson and James L. Brown in 20,000 EYES</u></td></tr>
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And a personal favorite, Merry Anders, cramped in the kind of one-shot most of the film economically consists of, discussing something unimportant until Nelson's sucker-punched by future HOGAN'S HERO fan-favorite John Banner...<br>
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Who in this case, as a wealthy gangster, is the opposite of "I know nothing," explaining the entire plot-line of his "investment counselor" Nelson who embezzled money, now with five days to pay it back... one day less than it took to make the entire movie...<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AKQVXYvTy0Y/Xnq7GuV2xYI/AAAAAAABPv4/Q8inR_uM8FQANH4VivQdT_vzJiSz_Uo1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%252BShot%252B2020-03-24%252Bat%252B11.53.18%252BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1456" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AKQVXYvTy0Y/Xnq7GuV2xYI/AAAAAAABPv4/Q8inR_uM8FQANH4VivQdT_vzJiSz_Uo1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%252BShot%252B2020-03-24%252Bat%252B11.53.18%252BAM.jpeg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Merry Anders and Gene Nelson in 20,000 EYES from a black and white lobby card</u></td></tr>
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Man and woman are soon joined by the latter's former lover and the guy's current partner played by strong-jawed American-made James L. Brown in the creatively titled 20,000 EYES (referring to the city lights that don't witness the interior crime): a programmer in which, only by the end you'll realize had a nifty twist and an extremely clever heist plan that, during its course, is just suspenseful enough to pass the time...<br>
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Including Nelson having to think his way past an intruding night patrolman in a museum where the diamonds are displayed; all while his girlfriend and partner (Anders and Brown) nervously wait outside, making Nelson both a protagonist and antagonist with one shared attribute: taking crazy and desperate, last-minute risks, without which there would be no picture at all.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JA-Ljt_i5go/Xnq-F2CtD6I/AAAAAAABPwI/Wi4oy0WfSf8FWyyCsdATqVvL8XABqWaaACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%252BShot%252B2020-03-24%252Bat%252B10.58.30%252BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JA-Ljt_i5go/Xnq-F2CtD6I/AAAAAAABPwI/Wi4oy0WfSf8FWyyCsdATqVvL8XABqWaaACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%252BShot%252B2020-03-24%252Bat%252B10.58.30%252BAM.jpeg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>James L. Brown in 20,000 EYES with Gene Nelson</u></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>John Banner in 20,000 EYES with a smoking Gene Nelson</u></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZOtwIv5HfU/Xnp_FhCzppI/AAAAAAABPvg/fVhdYZ8tlHwxbShTUirqn-DcitunaKIJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%252BShot%252B2020-03-24%252Bat%252B11.02.40%252BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZOtwIv5HfU/Xnp_FhCzppI/AAAAAAABPvg/fVhdYZ8tlHwxbShTUirqn-DcitunaKIJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%252BShot%252B2020-03-24%252Bat%252B11.02.40%252BAM.jpeg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>John Banner and moll Judith Rawlins in 20,000 EYES</u></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>High School museum dwellers Barbara Parkins and Rex Holman in 20,000 EYES</u></td></tr>
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barbara parkins, crime, gene nelson, heist, jack leewood, james l. brown, john banner, judith rawlins, merry anders, neo noir, rex holman, sixties, thriller

GENE NELSON & MERRY ANDERS IN '20,000 EYES' W/ JOHN BANNER

Gene Nelson and John Banner in 20th Century Fox's 20,000 EYES Year: 1961 Rating: *** Filmed in six days, this Post Noir (during the ...

REMAKE OF STEPHEN KING'S 'PET SEMATARY' WITH JASON CLARKE

2019, amy seimetz, creature, horror, jason clarke, jeté laurence, john lithgow, new, reboot, remake, stephen king

REMAKE OF STEPHEN KING'S 'PET SEMATARY' WITH JASON CLARKE

Naomi Frenette as Upset Student leading to Jason Clarke's ghost story in PET SEMATARY Year: 2019 For a movie about a city family re...

ALFRED WERKER DIRECTS DANA ANDREWS IN 'THREE HOURS TO KILL'

alfred werker, dana andrews, dianne foster, donna reed, fifties, mystery, revenge, stephen elliott, western

ALFRED WERKER DIRECTS DANA ANDREWS IN 'THREE HOURS TO KILL'

Awesome Gun in Holser Western opening credit font for THREE HOURS TO KILL Year: 1954 In almost every Western with Dana Andrews, there...

MARTIN SCORSESE'S 'THE COLOR OF MONEY' WITH PAUL NEWMAN

con man, eighties, helen shaver, john turturro, martin scorsese, mary elizabeth mastrantonio, paul newman, sequel, sport, tom cruise

MARTIN SCORSESE'S 'THE COLOR OF MONEY' WITH PAUL NEWMAN

Paul Newman gets annoyed again in Martin Scorsese's THE COLOR OF MONEY Year: 1987 If it’s difficult for the viewing audience to put...

TOM HANKS & PAUL NEWMAN IN 'ROAD TO PERDITION' W/ JUDE LAW

comic book, conrad l. hall, crime, depression-era, gangster, jude law, mobster, neo noir, paul newman, sam mendes, thriller, tom hanks, zeroes

TOM HANKS & PAUL NEWMAN IN 'ROAD TO PERDITION' W/ JUDE LAW

An actor named Monte billed as Living Corpse with Jude Law in the backdrop of ROAD TO PERDITION Year: 2002 At the very end, the 12-year ...

PETER O'TOOLE 'THE NIGHT OF THE GENERALS' TOM COURTENAY

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_wQ1u35o2qamWexGII_pP2omH1Ufi0xWMxURbSj0emNhjyL5za4_qVH9hTTv8cNL6mPyvIzBUrHiG9h7jtOczosaagEXUTVnsT6ZhMjm11Sy_MrO3Fgm52Bw7JlHmfy19XuGqH5QL2yB71BV_KwMfK3cHJv6QxI2pBi1wpTAe_9rkp1k5EcpDXEgGQ/s1210/14.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_wQ1u35o2qamWexGII_pP2omH1Ufi0xWMxURbSj0emNhjyL5za4_qVH9hTTv8cNL6mPyvIzBUrHiG9h7jtOczosaagEXUTVnsT6ZhMjm11Sy_MrO3Fgm52Bw7JlHmfy19XuGqH5QL2yB71BV_KwMfK3cHJv6QxI2pBi1wpTAe_9rkp1k5EcpDXEgGQ/s16000/14.jpeg"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Title: THE NIGHT OF THE GENERALS Year: 1967 Rating: ****<br></u></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The fact that a movie from the producer of and two main leads from LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, and another David Lean-directed actor, Tom Courtenay, from the epic followup that also starred Omar Sharif, DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, was just a pretty-good and not a really-great motion picture is probably why "all the hate" has been given for THE NIGHT OF THE GENERALS throughout the years...<br>
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And while spending far too much of that hefty run-time making for too long a movie in <i>general</i>, it's still a neat cinematic experience, especially the narrowed last half as a reluctant Courtenay's put in passive charge of driving/escorting bloodthirsty Nazi general Peter O'Toole around occupied yet art-inspired Paris: He's one of three German Generals that could be the murderer of a female German spy, unseen in the movie's expository prologue...<br>
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