1960s

  • Rudolph Maté – The 300 Spartans (1962)

    1961-1970EpicRudolph MatéUSAWar

    A colorful action film about the Battle Of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. in which the Spartans defend themselves for a Persian invasion against overwhelming odds. King Leodinas (Richard Egan) rallies the locals to stop the attack of thousands of plundering Persian invaders led by evil King Xerxes (David Farrar). Sir Ralph Richardson as Themistocles of Athens leads the international cast this the spectacular cinematic conflict that has more emphasis on action rather than historical accuracy.
    — Dan PavlidesRead More »

  • Tom Laughlin – The Born Losers (1967)

    1961-1970ActionDramaTom LaughlinUSA

    A malicious motorcycle gang harasses the residents of a small California town, intimidating most residents to not report them to the police. Among the gang’s crimes is the rape of four young women. As the gang attempts to threaten the women into not testifying at the indictment hearing, one of the women, Vicki, comes under the protection of Billy Jack, who has also had several altercations with the gang. The gang escalates their pressure on both Vicki and Billy Jack to keep her out of the courtroom.Read More »

  • John Huston – Freud (1962)

    1961-1970DramaJohn HustonUSA

    Synopsis:
    This pseudo-biographical movie depicts 5 years from 1885 on in the life of the Viennan psychologist Freud (1856-1939). At this time, most of his colleagues refuse to cure hysteric patients, because they believe they’re just simulating to gain attention. But Freud learns to use hypnosis to find out the reasons for the psychosis. His main patient is a young woman who refuses to drink water and is plagued by always the same nightmare.
    — Tom ZoernerRead More »

  • Robert Hamer & Hal E. Chester & Cyril Frankel – School for Scoundrels (1960)

    1951-1960ClassicsComedyCyril FrankelHal E. ChesterRobert HamerUnited Kingdom

    Synopsis:
    Henry Palfrey, new pupil at the College of Lifemanship at Yeovil, recounts his depressing history to the principal, Mr. Potter. The proprietor of a small family business, he is bullied in his office by his chief clerk; he is humiliated by head waiters; he has been tricked by two second-hand car salesmen into buying a decrepit and costly wreck of a car; he has lost his girl, April Smith, to the insufferable Raymond Delauney; and he has allowed Delauney to beat him at tennis.Read More »

  • Terence Fisher – The Gorgon (1964)

    1961-1970Hammer FilmsHorrorTerence FisherUnited Kingdom

    Synopsis:
    In the early 20th century a village experienced a series of inexplicable murders. All the victims were young men who had been turned to stone. The perpetrator of these deaths was a being so repulsive that she transformed the onlooker using the power of her deadly stare. Much of the time the creature took the form of a beautiful and seductive woman, but during periods of the full moon she becomes a living horror, vicious and deadly. A professor has come to investigate the deaths, bringing with him his beautiful assistant whose knowledge of the Gorgon is more intimate than anyone would ever realise.Read More »

  • Christian Marquand – Les grands chemins / F.L.A.S.H. (1963)

    1961-1970Christian MarquandDramaFrance

    On a road in Haute-Provence, Francis meets up with a young musician, Samuel. They strike up a friendship and decide to stay at a mountain hotel, managed by an attractive young woman called Anna. Whilst Francis takes Anna as his mistress, Samuel organises card games with the locals. When they realise he has been cheating, his fellow gamblers break his hands. After he has been driven to kill an old woman, Samuel flees….Read More »

  • J. Lee Thompson – Kings of the Sun (1963)

    1961-1970AdventureClassicsJ. Lee ThompsonUSA

    In order to flee from powerful enemies, young Mayan king Balam leads his people north across the Gulf of Mexico to the coast of what will become the United States. They build a home in the new land but come into conflict with a tribe of Native Americans led by their chief, Black Eagle, while both Balam and Black Eagle fall in love the beautiful Mayan princess Ixchel.Read More »

  • Pim de la Parra – Bezeten – Het gat in de muur AKA Obsessions (1969)

    1961-1970MysteryNetherlandsPim de la ParraThriller

    This film is interesting in that it may be the rarest and most least well known film in the oeuvre Martin Scorsese, who co-wrote the script despite the film being a German-Dutch coproduction. In other Scorsese connections, the film features a score by Bernard Herrmann. As one might have already guessed by now, Besessen – Das Loch in der Wand AKA Bezeten – Het gat in de muur AKA Obsessions AKA Possessed is a Hitchcockian thriller that would certainly interest fans of Brian De Palma due to its more ‘exploitative’ approach to the Hitch brand of filmmaking. The film also features Dutch auteur Fons Rademakers in an acting role. Paul Verhoeven also contributed to the script, though he was not credited.Read More »

  • Robert Stevenson – Mary Poppins [+commentary] (1964)

    1961-1970FantasyMysteryRobert StevensonUSA

    Synopsis:
    When Jane and Michael, the children of the wealthy and uptight Banks family, are faced with the prospect of a new nanny, they are pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the magical Mary Poppins. Embarking on a series of fantastical adventures with Mary and her Cockney performer friend, Bert, the siblings try to pass on some of their nanny’s sunny attitude to their preoccupied parents.Read More »

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