Three Fast ones

GRAVEYARD OF HONOR-1975-Kinji Fukusaku made this “fictional documentary” about the rise and fall of a Japanese gangster named Isikawa (Tetsuya Watari). It’s fast paced and very violent but not as good for me as some of his other films (especially his THE YAKUZA PAPERS series). Fukusaku’s influence on future Asian directors like John Woo (and probably Quentin Tarantino) is obvious.



THE HEIRLOOM-2005-This Asian horror film from Taiwan is about the “raising of ghost children”, the blood worship of a dead fetus to ensure prosperity to a family. A young man inherits a house and strange things occur affecting him and his dancer girlfriend. The atmosphere is there but basically the story goes nowhere and the climax is a disappointment.



LEAVES OUT OF SATAN’S BOOK-1921-Another incredible film by Carl Theodor Dreyer (his third at the time) depicts the work of devil in four historical episodes: The Betrayal by Judas of Christ, The Spanish Inquisition The French Revolution and The Russian Invasion of Finland (the modern segment set in 1918). It’s probably inspired by DW Griffith’s episodic INTOLERANCE, which was made the year before. It’s a long silent film (over 2 hours) but Dreyer uses his personal style and vision to masterfully convey the stories .

“If I had a choice of having a woman in my arms or shooting a bad guy on a horse I’d take the horse. It’s a lot more fun”-Kevin Costner

Thanks for reading!

"What Fools We Men Are..."

Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer was a genius! A master story teller who directed only 23 films but made the most of them. Most horror fans know him for his eerie early talky VAMPYR but he tackled a whole slew of subjects including comedy where MASTER OF THE HOUSE this 1925 silent film kind of falls into.

Paul, a spoiled rude husband is so domineering and disrespectful of his wife that he nearly drives her to a nervous breakdown. The wife's mother and Paul's childhood nanny devise a plan. They send the wife away to recooperate in the country and Nana takes over the household. Paul learns first hand just how much he took for granted.

Despite it's humorous intent, it's overtone is quite serious and at times you really feel sorry for Paul even though he's brought the whole predicament on himself.

TCM has shown a lot of Dreyer's films in the last couple of years. Catch some of his other films if you can including: LEAVES FROM SATAN'S BOOK (a history of the devil), CHAINED (gay love triangle), THE PASSION OF ST. JOAN (an amazing movie about the trial of Joan of Arc) and DAY OF WRATH (about witchcraft).



"There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating: people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing"-Oscar Wilde

Thanks for reading this!