Giallo – Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers

The Changeling, 1980

Welcome back to another exciting, social-distancing episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! After a short delay, J. Blake and Dion Baia are going way down the alley to discuss a personal favorite, the haunted house classic The Changeling, from 1980 starring George C. Scott. The boys discuss the real life history on which the film is based, and gush over their love for the amazing, George the C. Scott. So sit on back and listen as Dion and Blake throw some much-deserved love to this trail-blazing epic, on a brand new, exciting edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

*Dion mistakenly referring to the 1971 film The Last Run starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere as The Rundown– sorry about that.

EXTRAS!

Here’s the crazy place Dion was referring to in the podcast, The Overbrook Asylum, that could be the setting for an amazing horror film that the boys are already writing!

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September 6

For A Few Dollars More, 1965

As the summer comes to a close, the boys want to welcome you back the Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers‘ 2019 Summer of Sequels! Dion Baia and J. Blake are wrapping up the season with a bang, as they pull out all the stops and cover the underrated (and their favorite in the series) spaghetti western masterpiece, Sergio Leone’s For a Few Dollars More from 1965, starring Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef.

The fellas bring separate suitcases as they unpack and discuss the impact that this film, For a Few Dollars More, and the Italian western sub genre, had on the greater western genre on a whole. Blake explains the evolution of the Italian Spaghetti western and Sergio Leone‘s influence, while Dion lays out the incredible era of the American television westerns of the 1950’s, and Clint Eastwood’s journey to television and then to the groundbreaking, career-defining and trend-setting Fistful of Dollars, in 1964. It comes together for the lads as they argue why (in their humble opinion ) For a Few Dollars More is the best of the Eastwood/Leone western trilogy. And they hit on the influence of Morricone’s amazing score and its impact. So kick the dust out of your boots, put your feet up and settle in around the campfire, as Dion and Blake hit the trail one more time in the roundup of the 2019 Summer of Sequels in an all new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(*The David Janssen TV mountain film mention within the episode is called High Ice, and not Avalanche. Sorry for that. )

Extras!
As mentioned in the podcast, here are some shots from the original theatrical program for the play Mister Roberts, with Dion‘s mother‘s family goat, Bertha, making her Broadway debut. Check them out HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE HERE, and HERE.

The boys forget to mention the fabulous Primus song from their 2012 album Green Naugahyde, entitled Lee Van Cleef and this -it’s amazing official animated music video– which is a great homage to the Spaghetti Westerns, the legendary actor Lee Van Cleef and his foil, Clint Eastwood.

So amazing as not to go unmentioned, please check out the Midas TV commercial used at the top of the cast, starring the legendary George Kennedy and Lee Van Cleef.

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March 22

Rear Window, 1954

Welcome back to another exciting edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are back to discuss one of the most acclaimed films of all time, by one of the most iconic filmmakers of all time, Alfred Hitchcock and his 1954 masterpiece, Rear Window.

The boys attempt to dissect this epic topic, unpacking Hitchcock‘s career and style, and the factors that played into creating one of the most well-regarded movies of his catalog. They analyze Hitch‘s genius in crafting a seminal thriller that basically takes place in one room. So grab your popcorn, your mega jolt cola and your binoculars, because Blake and Dion are inviting you to spy on their neighbors on an all new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras!

Please go over and cast a vote to help Blake‘s podcast Scored to Death win a Rondo Award!

Here’s an article on the real New York City apartment that Rear Window‘s massive set is based on!

Go have a listen to the inaugural episode of the groundbreaking radio show Suspense, with Alfred Hitchcock directing an adaptation of his movie, The Lodger!

Also discussed in the podcast, check the inaugural episode of the Screen Director’s Playhouse radio show and their adaptation of Shadow of a Doubt, starring Cary Grant!

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October 26

Suspiria, 1977

Welcome to week 4 of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers’ 2018 October Halloween Horror Movie Extravangza! Dion Baia and J. Blake are rounding out the month with some Italian cinema, featuring what has been called the quintessential film from the director some call the “Italian Hitchcock“… Dario Argento and his masterpiece, Suspiria, from 1977!

Susperia

Blake and Dion unpack this vast topic, discussing Dario Argento‘s relationship with Daria Nicolodi and their collaboration that gave us Suspiria. The boys discuss the historical elements that influenced the story, like English essayist Thomas De Quincey’s poem that outlined “our lady’s of sorrow“, and Austrian philosopher Rudolph Steiner‘s principles that molded what became Argento‘s Three Mothers Trilogy. And they cover Goblin‘s massive score for this film and their partnership with the acclaimed director. It’s an intense, Italian-themed installment to close our 2018‘s epic October Halloween Horror Month Extravaganza, on an all new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! We’d also like to thank you sponsors this week, TiVo (use PROMO CODE SAT20 to save 20% off your order) and Hello Fresh (use PROMO CODE SAT60 to save $60 off your order)!

Extras!

Check out Blake‘s book, Scored to Death: Conversations with Some of Horror’s Biggest Composers to continue to learn about music in the horror genre.

Have a listen to the fabulous and legendary Goblin soundtrack for Suspiria.

Take a look at this great documentary on Suspiria, called A Sigh From the Depths.

And to hear more about actor Pat Hingle‘s near fatal elevator shaft fall, read this article.

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September 7

Bullitt, 1968

Welcome again to an all new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are exploring a film that turns 50 this year, a classic and a pioneer in the genre, the Steve McQueen police-thriller, Bullitt, from 1968!

Blake and Dion go way down the alley- dissecting the history of this ground-breaking movie and take a deep-dive into the man, the myth, the legend, Steve McQueen. They lay out his upbringing to give context to the legendary career and short life he led. The boys then utilize the original 1963 source novel, Mute Witness, to flesh out the background of the film. They unpack all the elements like the car chase, McQueen’s style, Peter Yates’ direction, and the Lalo Schrifrin score – all of which turned this movie into the classic it became. And the fellas reveal Dion’s surprise as well! So, grab your Ford Mustang Fastbacks, cause the boys are heading back to San Francisco on an all new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras:

For more about Dion’s new book, Blood in the Streets, have a look here!

Check out this behind-the-scenes, making of featurette for Bullitt, narrated by Steve McQueen.

Please check out this great site on the many styles worn in cinema, at BAMF Style: Iconic Style from Movies and TV.

Take a look at this GREAT Janaury 2018 commercial for the new Ford Bullitt Mustang, featuring Steve McQueen‘s granddaughter, Molly McQueen, in a great nod to the 1968 film.

Have a look at this 2005 Ford commercial for the new Bullitt Mustang, featuring Steve McQueen in a Field of Dreams kind of situation.

Here’s an article on the amazing story of the lost Ford Bullitt Mustang found in 2017 in a Mexican junkyard (the car that did a lot of the jumping, stunts, and took most of the abuse) thought to be lost forever!

Check out this article on the other lost Ford Bullitt Mustang used in the film (the one for close-ups and the car McQueen tried to buy back), and it’s story of where it’s been over the past 50 years!

Bullitt is going back into the theaters for it’s 50th birthday!

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May 4

Color of Night, 1994

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are tackling new ground, taking on the erotic genre, specifically the erotic thriller, and what better vehicle to discuss this topic than to cover the legendary Bruce Willis film, Color of Night, from 1994.

Color of Night

The boys attempt to set the table and lay out the era back when the erotic, the sizzler, and specifically the erotic thriller fed a need for audiences, especially to an adolescent coming to age. In the period of the early 90s, films like Basic Instinct, Sliver and Body of Evidence were big news because of the controversy they generated. Blake and Dion analyze this forgotten genre, and (while some of it may seem tame to today’s standards), they try to illustrate an era where nudity and NC-17 films attracted major stars, and why this particular genre was very important to the history of cinema. The fellas discuss the amazing ensemble cast in Color of Night, as well as the controversy it generated, and the similarities to Giallo or even Hitchcock plots. So come down memory lane as Dion and Blake reminiscence about a genre that has virtually disappeared in recent decades, in another informative and fun installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Corrections and Amends:

(When discussing Shirley Temple, the boys referenced the 1947 film she and Cary Grant starred together in, as “Bobby and the Bobby-Soxer “, when they actually meant The Bachelor and Bobby-Soxer.)

(Also, while discussing Color of Night, Dion referred to the killer’s car as a Camaro, when it actually was a 1978 Pontiac Firebird.)

(One more: While discussing the actor Steve Railsback in the possible casting in the Lance Henriksen role, Dion (again!) mentioned “Dangerous Games“, when he was actually referring to the 1982 horror film Deadly Games.)

Extras!

Check out the original trailer for Color of Night!

Have a look at the original TV spot for Color of Night!

Here’s Blake with the man, the myth, the legend himself, Lance Henriksen!

Take a gander a this 1994 interview with Bruce Willis, while promoting Color of Night!

Have a listen to the Golden Globe nominated song, The Color of Night!

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Category: Classic, Crime, Erotic, Thriller | 2 Comments

June 24

Alan Jones: Dario Argento & Beyond…

As a little added bonus to last week’s Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers‘ podcast on Dario Argento’s Deep Red (1975), this week we’d like to present a conversation that our very own J. Blake had, way back in October of 2013, with British film critic, journalist, author and Argento expert, Alan Jones.

Jones runs the Frightfest film festival in London, has contributed to many publications (Empire, Premiere, Fangoria and the iconic Cinefantastique to name only a few), can be heard on numerous noteworthy Blu-ray and DVD audio commentaries and is the author of The Rough Guide to Horror Movies and the definitive Dario Argento guide, Profondo Argento: The Man, the Myths & the Magic (with its latest edition being titled Dario Argento: The Man, The Myths & The Magic).

A few years ago, actually on the eve of an unforgettable sold out Goblin concert at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn NY, Mr. Jones was nice enough to take Blake’s call and chat about his passions for horror movies, Argento, disco and the Sex Pistols; an odd combination I know, but he is a complex and interesting guy.

So take a few moments, sit back with a glass of wine and read forth…if you dare!

(The interview is presented in an alternate font, to make it easier to read.)

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June 17

Dario Argento’s Deep Red, 1975

Buon Giorno dear friends, and welcome back to another edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week J. Blake and Dion Baia are taking a trip to picturesque Italy to visit a filmmaker near and dear to both their hearts, the maestro Dario Argento. The boys tackle a film they feel is a classic and a quintessential representation of a genre that was reinvigorated within the mediterranean country, by Argento, in the 1970’s. The fellas are going back to film school with this one, covering arguably the director’s most commerically successful and popular film, Profondo Fondo or Deep Red, from 1975.

Deep Red

As Argento the auteur is a huge favorite here at SNMS, especially for Blake, he and Dion waste no time getting into the topic of discussion, by setting the stage and first explaining the sub-genre known as ‘giallo‘ and what are the essential elements that classically make up a giallo film. They also lay out a crucial element: what it was like engaging in the Italian cinema experience of the time; how going to the movies back then and specifically that social aspect affected how Italian films of this elk were subsequently written, and even paced. The boys examine Argento’s career rise to a filmmaker and his Animal Trilogy of films, and review how Deep Red began his seque from ‘who-dun-it’-type stories, to eventually Supernatural and straight Horror vehicles. And how on a larger scale, he singlehandedly revitalized an entire genre within Italian cinema. Dion and Blake also cite American auteurs like John Carpenter and Brian De Palma, who vocally or even subconsciously have been influenced by the Italian maestro. They also discuss the legendary Italian progressive rock band Goblin in detail, as this was the first collaboration between band and filmmaker. So get ready as the boys take you on a trip filled with mystery, intrigue and horror, in another fabulous and informative installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

*Dion misspoke when he referenced Michael Mann‘s Manhunter, when he was actually referring to the director’s 1981 film Thief.

EXTRAS!

Check out Blake’s exclusive interview with film critic and Argento lover Alan Jones.

Here is Deep Red, remastered, in all it’s original gorgeous uncut glory, courtesy of YouTube!

Now watch the shorter, exported version of Deep Red, again courtesy of YouTube!

Take a gander at one of the original posters for Deep Red, aka Profondo Rosso, which interestingly bares a very close resemblance to Alfred Hitchcock‘s 1958 classic, Vertigo poster.

Have a look at the original Italian theatrical trailer for Profondo Rosso, aka Deep Red.

And here’s a REAL treat, watch Goblin live on Italian television circa 1975 or 1976, perform the title track to Profondo Rosso!

And to preorder J. Blake’s new book Scored to Death, click here!

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Category: Books, Film, Horror, Thriller | 1 Comment

February 27

John Carpenter’s The Thing, 1982

The lads have their hands full in this brand-spanking new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepover, and desperately try to fit it all into the confines of a humble podcast. This week, Dion Baia and J. Blake take on the 1982 horror classic, John Carpenter’s The Thing.

the-thing-poster

The boy’s knowledge and expertise are put to task, disseminating all the elements that were brought together in remaking an already established cult classic. How the heck did this movie flop upon its intital release and be completely panned by critics and the film community alike? How do the SFX hold up to the CGI we are so familiar with today? How did the 2011 prequel/remake and 2002 PS2 video game hold up verse Carpenter’s 1982 vision? Have the boys actually solved the ending? And… what the heck were the guys thinking trying to do their own 3D experience in these cold winter months with their latest screening?

Well strap yourselves onto your couch (quite literally) for this thrilling and exciting installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(Go have a gander at this neat wikia page so you can completely go in-depth and geek out on John Carpenter’s The Thing!)

(Have a look at this great topical claymation mash-up that was done, mixing The Thing and Disney’s Frozen.)

(Here are some deleted scenes from the film, and click here for stills for some of the lost scenes.)

(Take a peek at this vintage behind-the-scenes featurette.)

(Last but certainly far from least, as a great, EXCLUSIVE treat for our fans, check out some original concept art drawn by comic artist Mike Ploog of the kennel scene, from J. Blake‘s personal collection: here, here, here and here.)

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Category: Action, Fantasy, Horror, Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers Exclusive, Sci Fi | 2 Comments

October 29

“Halloween III: Season of the Witch “, 1982

Dion and J. Blake invite you to come listen to a special Halloween edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers where they take on 1982’s Halloween III: Season of the Witch.

Halloween III Movie poster

Why did this sequel tank so badly? Was it Season of the Witch’s own fault? Is it indeed a good film in the Halloween film franchise? Is Tom Akins really leading-man material? (we here at Saturday Sleepovers do admit this last question is a bit moot at this point…) And multi-colored Tootsie Rolls– Really?! All these tantalizing questions will be answered on this all NEW installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(Check out Tom Akins‘ reaction 30 years later to the film, and his take on the criticism that Michael Myers didn’t make an appearance.)

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Category: Classic, Holiday, Horror, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

October 8

5 Rentals for $5 – October Horror Film Recommendations

Maniac 1980 — Courtesy of Mondo, poster by Ken Taylor

October is upon us and along with Autumn arriving, ’tis the season for scary movies! As a companion-piece to J. Blake & Dion‘s latest Side Cast in which they recommend 10 horror movies that they feel have either fallen through the cracks or have plain been forgotten, the lads have also put together another list of 10 films they wholeheartedly recommend, along with the podcast picks which can be found at The Podwits mother site.

But before we get to the 10 films the boys urge you to seek out, here is a round-up of the 10 recommended in the Side Cast Podcast: Continue reading

Category: 5 Rentals for $5 Movie Lists, Horror, Lists, News | LEAVE A COMMENT