There was always something great to pick in Jess Franco's movies, even in the worst ones !!!

And I must confess I was in love with Lina Romay...

I've never actually seen Franco's Count Dracula (he must've been busy c.1970), but that's too bad Christopher Lee donning a Fu Manchu (groovy Dracula) and the amazing Klaus couldn't make that work??! Que lastima:-(

Now saying Franco & Paul Naschy bringing up the Horror film industry up from nothing.....are we not forgetting a certain Italian director of note from a slightly earlier period, eh?

 Very sad , but , Franco kept working right to the end. His films are surreal , sexy , and atmospheric. They did'nt always work ("Count Dracula" , a match made in Horror Heaven , with Christopher Lee playing The Count "By The BOOK" , and Klaus Kinski doing possibly the greatest Renfield , ever. If it was'nt as good as Dwight Frye , buddy , it was close. The film's weakest link , sadly , was Franco's direction. Don't shoot the messenger.) , and were frequently challenging , but , when they paid off , they paid off in spades. Franco and Paul Naschy brought the Horror film industry up from nothing , in Spain. Franco , like Naschy , was probably threatened with imprisonment by the OTHER Franco , The REAL Monster of Spain. 

Some of my favorites are "Dracula , Prisoner of Frankenstein" , "The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein" , "Vampyros Lesbos" , and "Thrill of The Vampire".

Lesbos Vampyros is one of my favorite soundtracks ever. R.I.P. Jesus Franco.

Okay...I didn't see you had posted this already.  Sad news.   

From: http://dangerousminds.net/comments/vampyros_lesbos_director_jess_franco_rip

 
Jesús “Jess” Franco (real name Jesús Franco Manera)  the Spanish cult film director known best for his horror/sex/schlock fare such as The Awful Dr. Orloff, Vampyros Lesbos and The Blood of Fu Manchu has died. Franco passed away at 11:00 AM local time from complications related to a stroke in Malaga, Spain. The director was just a month shy of his 83rd birthday.

The news was posted on the El Franconomicon Facebook fan page, by Frank Munoz, a friend of Franco’s, who had been with him since the stroke, which occurred last week:

“Estoy en el hospital. Acaba de fallecer. Se lo han llevado ahora mismo. Lo siento.” (“I’m at the hospital. He has just passed away. They are taking him right now. I am sorry.”)

Franco is known to have directed 199 films (at least), many that he wrote, shot, edited, and sometimes acted in. His wife and longtime cinematic muse, actress Lina Romay died last year on February 15, 2012. Franco’s final feature is the newly completed Al Pereira vs the Alligator Women.

Below, the trailer for Franco’s Venus in Furs starring Klaus Kinski:

Venus in furs - trailer - Jess Franco from Thierry Lopez on Vimeo.

Steve Martin ? How many great movies did he do ? I liked "The Jerk" and "L.A. Stories" , but , I never gave him much thought as an Actor.    "Sgt. Pepper" was probably as close to horrific as he got.

Probably the last great movie he did.

Time Bandits. On the surface a kid's tale. Deeper revelations inside.

two very very dark television series to come outta Britain recently have been the sublime 'League of Gentlemen' and even darker 'Jam'. If you haven't taken'em in yet. WHY??? If you're fans of the macabre and the surreal, these will be right up yer dark alleys!

just a wee taster. Chris Morris is as near genius as any producer across here in the last 50 years.

Starting JG Ballard's The Drowned World, his prescient 2nd novel about global warming.

  I can safely recommend "Lake of Dracula" to Horror fans , and non - kiddie oriented Japanese Horror film fans. I don't know why I put it off for so many years. Somehow , I did'nt think the legend of Dracula would translate into then  -modern times in Japan. A small technicality brings the Count to early 70's Japan , transported in a coffin , like he was in the book and most filmed adaptations , to England, and the story works , from start to finish. This Dracula seems inspired by Christopher Lee , but has scant little dialogue (Niether did Lee , come to think of it, by this time.). He's bestial , mostly howling and screaming , and showing off his crooked , yellowing fangs and eyes that turn a golden hue , at will . However , he does work this black coat and white turtleneck that looks like an exaggerated clerical tunic .    A young woman is haunted by a dream sequence in which she meets the vampire at the age of five , in the town of her birth . Her boyfriend , a Doctor , helps her to uncover the mystery behind a series of killings , while her Sister , Dracula's intended Bride , hangs in the balance. THE DOCTOR USES HYPNOSIS TO FIND A CLUE , JUST AS DRACULA , NATURALLY , USES IT TO PUT HIS VICTIMS UNDER HIS POWER.....THE "LAKE" HAS SYMBOLIC MEANING , TOO. PRETTY LAME TITLE , I ADMIT , THO' A CHICAGO NOISE BAND USED IT FOR THEIR NAME.       The visuals are often beautiful , and it's pretty well - paced throughout.   The music is creepy , atmospheric , sometimes even Sci - Fi - LIKE....There are two other movies in this "Bloodthirsty Series" . Have'nt seen the others. I remember two of them being available on VHS about 20 years ago.

The US and Japan are/were on the same VHS system , if you should find any films like these on Japanese VHS , and usually have English subtitles.
 
John Battles said:

i DID FIND A COPY OF "LAKE OF DRACULA". IT'LL PROBABLY TAKE ME A WHILE TO WATCH IT , THOUGH. SOMETIMES , I'M TOO LAZY TO EVEN WATCH TELEVISION.

I FORGOT THAT ONE. That had to be intentional !    I DON'Y KNOW HOW THEY MANAGED TO DOWNPLAY THAT NAME FOR SO MANY EPISODES....  "WHAT?! YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THE FBI IS TAPPIN'' THAT PUSSY ?"......

But , I thought it over,  I think my favorite Tony - ism is when Christopher is trying to clean up , and starts drinking no - alcohol beer ..."Oh , yeah. I heard of this stuff. Less filling , TASTES LIKE ASS !".

Of course , "Boardwalk Empire" is set in a different time , with a different set of circumstances.....Same high standards.  But , Buscemi's character is similar to Gandolfini's , in that he's really Julius Caesar , but , his empire is crumbling.  I GUESS THEY HAD TO COMPENSATE FOR MAKING BUSCEMI WEAR THOSE ILL- FITTING " MIAMI VICE" THREADS.

B.B. Fultz said:

Or maybe, when Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero went missing and everyone was afraid something bad had happened to him, and Tony yells "I can't find Pussy anywhere!" Not sure how intentional that was on the part of the writers, but it came out pretty funny ...

Or when he was talking to Uncle June about Jackie Junior being stupid, and how he almost drowned in the penguin exhibit, and Tony says "Jackie used to lay off all of Jackie Junior's problems on a learning disability but ... well ... stupidity WOULD be a learning disability."

Haven't seen much of Boardwalk Empire yet. Don't get it here. Might be getting some channels in May when my year-long special rate ends with my phone/internet/cable providers, and we work out a new deal. If I can, I'll have to check B.E. out. I miss my old Sopranoes DVDs, I loaned them out to a faraway family member. I only own up to season 4. I kinda thought it was downhill from there, though they had some great moments even near the end (like the Bobby Baccala hit at the toy store). I loved the first two seasons and most of the third. My favorite episode ever is still probably "College" (S1, Ep5) where T. and the rat are stalking each other out in the sticks in New England. That and maybe "Funhouse" at the end of season 2 where they take Big Pussy for the boatride. Unforgettable stuff.

 

John Battles said:

Hey , There ain't no such thing. A lot of this stuff , now , falls into folklore , and that's all right. I trust you've been watching "Boardwalk Empire" , best series since The Sopranos. It's hard to nail down the funniest Tony - ism . Maybe "How's Jamal Ginsberg , the Hassidic Homeboy?", or the way he srerenaded Uncle Junior with "South of The Border , Down Mexico Way" , as if he did'nt have a return flight ticket , himself.
B.B. Fultz said:

My parents were kids around that time too. But on the east coast (Jersey mostly). One of my Dad's older brothers was connected, and was part of somebody's crew way back when, and I have a couple uncles who are/were bookies. None of them were actually "in" the Mafia though. Think Mean Streets as opposed to Goodfellas. Mostly they were just street smart and knew how to make a buck. But growing up I knew people who knew people, so I heard a little here and there. My Dad used to run a restaurant in the old Italian neighborhood and do I know some of his more regular customers were connected. A (married in) uncles said he was friends with Gambino way back when, but people gossip a lot so who knows? My old man was tight lipped about all of that. One time when I was 9 or 10 maybe, I found an "Honorary Member of the Mafia" novelty plaque that someone had bought him. He kept it buried in a drawer under the cash register, but when I asked him about it he got pissed off.

Speaking of Jersey, Tony S. had some great lines didn't he? I remember the "Paul" Pot comment. I think it might have been the same season where he claimed he "never had penisary contact with her Volvo." But my favorite quote by T. will probably always be "Cunnilingus and psychiatry brought us to this."  Maybe just because he looked so sad when he said it.

 

 

 
John Battles said:

Wow, you know your shit !
It's true ,in the earlier Chicago Ganster era , there were rules you just did not break. Killing women or children being up there at the top. I knew about Moran just narrowly avoiding a seat at The St. Valentine's Day Massacre. My Parents lived in Chicago when Capone was still calling the shots (And I do mean shots.). They knew kids whose Dads were Gangsters , probably post - Capone , and they were known as family men , who only commited acts of violence against rival Gangsters . Does'nt mean they were wonderful people , but , they followed a code.    "We're Soldiers. Everybody else knows the risks involved. Hell is for the REALLY bad people , your Hitlers , your Idi Amins and your PAUL POTS.".  "T" .

Jim Lahey’s Pizza Bianca

Panelle (flatbread)

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/4 cups chickpea flour
• Parsley sprigs, to serve

For the panelle, pour 1 2/3 cups water into a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add the chickpea flour in a steady stream, whisking as you go. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens – this will take longer than you think, so allow 20 minutes. Lay a piece of baking paper on a chopping board, and spread the thickened mixture onto it; it should be just over 1cm thick.

Leave until cool and firm, then cut into small squares or diamond shapes and fry in the remaining olive oil until golden and crisp on both sides. Spoon a little caponata onto each panelle, add a parsley sprig, and serve.

Hot Chili and Tomato Jam

Gomasio (Japanese sesame condiment)

Sweet Lemon Dressing

“Pissaladière”- Add sun-dried tomatoes for a taste explosion!

Vietnamese Hot and Sour Soup

Avocado & Vegetable Blender Soup

Bright Green Tabbouleh

Warm Salad of Slow-Roasted Tomatoes With Almonds

Pressed leek terrine and mayonnaise

(A vegetable mixture that has been cooked or otherwise prepared in advance and allowed to cool or set in its container)

Avocado Hummus