• Mario Mattoli – La vita ricomincia AKA Life Begins Anew (1945)

    Drama1941-1950ItalyMario Mattoli

    Recently returned to Rome after a long imprisonment of war, doctor Paolo Marchini learns that his wife Patrizia was arrested for murder.
    Three years before, not having money to treat her seriously ill child, she had consented to an appointment with a wealthy unknown gentleman, whom she had not met again ever since.
    This man had showed up the night before, trying to draw on her again. Quarrel, gunshot…
    Patrizia is acquitted at the trial. For the three, life begins anew.Read More »

  • Antonio Pietrangeli – Lo scapolo AKA The Bachelor (1955)

    Comedy1951-1960Antonio PietrangeliItaly

    Paolo Anselmi is a happily single man. He lives in a flat with a friend but is forced to leave when the friend gets married. He then goes to a boarding house where he flirts with a girl but ditches her when she proposes marriage. When he goes and visits his mother he finds out that she is also trying to find the right girl for him. Is he going to surrender this time?Read More »

  • Emil E. Reinert – Quai de Grenelle AKA The Strollers (1950)

    1941-1950CrimeDramaEmil E. ReinertFrance

    Synopsis:
    ‘Jean-Louis catches vipers he sells to the laboratories. A trivial incident causes his descent into hell: he forgets to use the pedestrian crossing and the policeman is cross. Who could have believed then where it would lead the unfortunate Jean-Louis to? Two unscrupulous journalists depict him as a monster, who releases vipers in town. Because of a hold up, the city is looking for a scapegoat, and this poor lad looks the part too much. Although the superintendent insists there’s really nothing against him, Jean-Louis becomes paranoiac and hides in shady places. He leaves his girlfriend, meets a hooker and a shifty aging man…’
    – dbdumonteilRead More »

  • Gary Leva – Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light (2006)

    2001-2010DocumentaryFilm NoirGary LevaUSA

    The documentary “Film noir: Bringing darkness to light,” completed in 2006 and produced and directed by Gary Leva, is far superior to any of the film-noir documentaries available on public-domain collections of film noir for several reasons: (1) At 68 min., the subject is treated in depth. (2) The B&W clips from films as well as the interviews in color and color film posters are of excellent quality. (3) The clips, some from rarely seen films, are precise selections, unlike the fuzzy, often lengthy trailers included in previous noir documentaries. (4) Read More »

  • Val Guest – The Quatermass Xperiment AKA The Creeping Unknown (1955)

    1951-1960Hammer FilmsHorrorSci-FiUnited KingdomVal Guest

    Synopsis:
    In the countryside of London, a rocket crashes on a farm and Professor Bernard Quatermass and Scotland Yard Inspector Lomax arrive in the spot. The rocket was launched by Prof. Quatermass with the astronauts Victor Carroon, Greene and Reichebheim; however only Carroon is found very sick in the cabin. He is transported to a private clinic to stay under observation despite the protests of his wife Mrs. Judith Carroon. She bribes a nurse to bring Carroon to her and she finds that he is transforming into a monster. Carroon escapes, killing people and animals during his metamorphosis while the Scotland Yard is hunting him down and Dr. Quatermass discovers that his process is an alien invasion.Read More »

  • Dick Powell – The Conqueror (1956)

    1951-1960ActionAdventureDick PowellUSA

    In ancient times, the Mongolian warlord Temujin must do battle against the rival tribe that killed his father. The battles pale in comparison with Temujin’s home life, as he attempts to woo the heart of the red-haired Tartar prisoner Bortai whom he has captured in a raid. He must also deal with various intrigues within his palace. Eventually, Bortai falls to his manly charms, Temujin defeats his enemies within and without, and is crowned Genghis Khan.Read More »

  • Jack Hill – The Big Doll House (1971)

    1971-1980ActionExploitationJack HillUSA

    Synopsis:
    Beautiful women prisoners are abused in a Philippine prison, until 5 of them plot an escape by taking the evil female warden hostage with the reluctant help of 2 male fruit vendors.Read More »

  • Luciano Emmer – Camilla (1954)

    1951-1960ComedyDramaItalyLuciano Emmer

    Camilla, a middle-aged Venetian widow, arrives in Rome to take up service as a maid with the Rossetti family, made up of Mario, a doctor, his wife Giovanna and their children Andrea and Cristina. The economic conditions of the Rossetti are not flourishing and this causes tensions and disagreements.Read More »

  • Jindrich Polák – Hra bez pravidel AKA A Game Without Rules (1967)

    1961-1970ActionCrimeCzech RepublicJindrich Polák

    The rules are merciless: when a police detective kills a jewelry robber in self-defense, he doesn’t get any awards, but gets fired instead. He then keeps on surviving as a taxi-driver, and yet keeps on investigating in his case, which has not been closed even after many years… The film is an unique attempt at an action film in the Czech context.Read More »

Back to top button