The New Bava Beverly

The Movie Orgy at New Beveryly
Image courtesy of Robjtak

Los Angeles is a fine town. I lived in its tepid embrace for over seven years, and I have to say it was probably seven of the best film years of my life. I think I saw as many movies in that time span as the occasional film viewer sees in a lifetime, it was a non-stop love affair. I met a ton of great people who were extremely knowledgeable about film, truly loved the medium, and enjoyed talking, and eventually arguing, about movies. That’s my kind of town. And while I often compared LA to New York while I was there—let’s face it NYC owns LA when it comes to Pizza and baseball—when it comes to film there is no comparison: LA kicks New York City’s ass up and down Hollywood Blvd. Enough said.

The theaters in LA are probably the best in the world, and the fact that there are still so many pristine single screen film houses standing is one of the great rewards of being the center of the movie industry for almost a century. Just thinking about Mann’s Village Theater or Mann’s Bruin Theater, or my personal favorite in Westwood Mann’s National Theater makes me long for yesteryear. There was also the Majestic Crest Theater in Westwood that was independently owned and had a full blown constellation on the ceiling you could watch shine before the feature started (it even had shooting stars that raced across the artificial sky).

And then there’s the Cineramadome in Hollywood that captured the magnificence of 70mm films like no other theater can. Of course you can’t forget Mann’s Chinese (where I saw the re-release of the original Star Wars trilogy with the unnecessary effects) and El Capitan theaters in Hollywood amongst many others. It is a veritable moviegoers mecca. What does NYC have in comparison? The Angelika? Please, that may be the single worst theater in the US, not only does it signify the downfall of that great city to shallow cafe culture and style, but it’s screens are tiny and the subway rumbles through the entire film like a bad bass line. The Film Forum is a little better, but not much. The only place to see a movie in NYC is the BAM in Brooklyn, and while I love that movie house to no end, it has nothing on even the lesser theaters in LA in terms of ambiance and single house heaven, but it does have the most innovative and exciting film programming I have ever seen in either NY or LA (and it’s film programming that this never ending post is really going to be about). But, when I really think about it, I’d have to say my all time favorite theater in LA is the Nuart, it is by no means the best theater in LA but it just reminds me so much of the Century’s Baldwin theater up the block from my house while growing up. The two don’t necessarily look alike, but they had the same candy (Dots!) and popcorn, and when I would sit down in a seat before a movie at the Nuart I felt strangely like I was home again at the Baldwin, even though Thomas Wolfe assures us we can’t ever go back there again—and I believe him because boy did he ever try and get back in his novels.

Image of the Nuart Movie Theater in LA
Image courtesy of MV Jantzen

Ok, but that is a long-winded way to introduce this post which has been brewing in my mind ever since I read this post at Joe Valdez’s The Distracted Globe (he watches and writes about a ton of great films) in which he was partaking in the 12 Movie Meme started by Piper at The Lazy Eye Theatre (a very fun movie blog). The logic is pretty simple, yet it struck me as quite brilliant: if you were asked to choose a sequence of 12 different double features at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles what would they be? This is an extra special find for me, because I lived about three blocks from this theater for almost two years and saw many a great double feature there. And while the seats were some of the most uncomfortable in movie house history, the programming was both intelligent and very fun. Always an argument in the way the films were paired. You can subscribe to the RSS feed of their film calendar to get a clearer sense of what I mean, sometimes it was fun just to think about the relationship the two movies being linked had in common, at times it was clear and beautiful like with Aguirre Wrath of the Gods and Fitzcarroldo or Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes. But others were less clear to me at the time like Body Heat and the original The Postman Always Rings Twice or Rosemary’s Baby and The Brood (a double feature I actually saw at UCLA’s Melnitz theater–another favorite of mine in LA–under the bill of Maternal Nightmares, but let me pretend here in my blog, will ya)?

After obsessively thinking about my program for the last 24 hours—because you know I had to do one—I came up with a bit of a theme. For as we know, every good film program, just like every good syllabus or amusement park, has to have a theme. Mine was Bava…Mario Bava. The reasons for Bava are as follows: a) I dig his films and b) he experimented with so many different sub-genres that it makes this particular program not only fun but wide-ranging in its potential appeal. More than that, the influences between Bava and other “great” films and filmmakers would ultimately make the program far more diverse than if I focused on my 12 favorite movies (possibly the worst approach). The restriction of sticking with Bava actually gave me a grand theme as well as a series of sub-themes to explore and experiment with through genres, directors, and actors.

So, here are the twenty films (I couldn’t stop at 12) I would choose for a month of programming at the now “New Bava Beverly.” Below are my picks with a brief rationale, or at least I think it will be brief, I mean I want it to be brief, I swear.

Bride of FrankensteinBlack Sunday

The first double bill would have to start with both James Whale and Mario Bava’s masterpieces respectively: The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Black Sunday (1960). Bava’s Black Sunday is an homage to the beautiful black and white Gothic horror film classics of the 1930s. The Bride of Frankenstein is not only one of the most beautiful made by Universal Studios during this period, filled with the transcendent sets and ghastly graveyard scenes, but in many ways as wild and ludicrous as Black Sunday. The two seem a perfect fit, and frame two directors at the very height of their genius.

View the trailer for The Bride of Frankenstein here and for Black Sunday here.

Hercules in the Haunted WorldJason and the Argonauts

Bava wasn’t afraid to dabble in sword and sandal movies, and Hercules in the Haunted World (1961) is one of the cult favorites of this genre. While not necessary his greatest film, It remains one of the most popular and appreciated films of a relatively poor lot. Bava’s trippy settings and haunting atmosphere sets the film apart from the usual cheap standards. That is, of course, until you start dealing with Ray Harryhausen’s animation in Jason and the Argonauts (1963), another sword and sandal film that may very well be the most famous and best simply because of the genius animation by Harryhausen, featuring the Skeleton fighting sequence, perhaps some of the greatest special effects ever to be filmed.

View the tailer for Hercules in the Haunted World here and for Jason and the Argonauts here.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) The Girl Who Knew Too Much

I chose Alfred Hitchcock’s first version of  The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) because it has Peter Lorre in it, which is his first film role since leaving Nazi Germany (suggesting Hitchcock’s genius that much more given he was the first to cast him). And interesting fact here is that Lorre doesn’t yet know English so he is speaking all his lines phonetically. It’s wonderful to watch. Also, I must admit, I’m not a  Jimmy Stewart or a Doris Day fan—who star in the 1950s version—and would much prefer to watch Lorre in just about anything any day of the week than suffer through another gosh, golly or shucks by Stewart. There….I finally said it on this blog.

As for Bava’s The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) I think it is one of his most beautiful films, perhaps his most beautiful after Black Sunday, and the header image of this blog is proudly taken from this gem. What’s more, it is commonly thought of as the first filmed Giallo, which is an Italian term that literally means yellow. And due to the yellow covers of these pulp novels, the term was used to describe an entire genre of novels and films in Italy during the 50s and 60s. The novels consisted of sensational fiction that often brought together the thriller, horror, and sexploitation genres. This is Bava’s last movie filmed in glorious Black and White, a medium he excelled in and wouldn’t ever come close to surpassing in color except, perhaps, in Planet of the Vampires (more on that soon).

Trailer for The Girl Who Knew Too Much here.

Black Sabbath (or Three Tales of Terror)Trilogy of Terror (1975)

Pulling out all stops, I went for the episode films. I would love to do some research on episodic films like the two featured here: Black Sabbath (1963) and Trilogy of Terror (1975). I was toying with the idea of including Cat’s Eye or Creepshow, but I think Trilogy of Terror as a series of three shorts really comes closest to the vision of Bava’s Black Sabbath, and as an added bonus it has the psychotic African Fetish Doll–which will be a major draw, believe you me 🙂 I’m fascinated by the idea of several short films within a film, and the relationship their order and organizations plays to plot and theme, just like with a good book of short stories. The American version of Black Sabbath was expurgated and reorganized, basically removing the Lesbian relationship from the Telephone episode, toning down the violence, and re-ordering the sequence of the films. Which, for many, kills the effect of the three films. I haven’t seen the Italian version yet, so until I do I’ll stick with the US version. I think these episodic films are a fun genre that isn’t played with nearly enough, so The New Bava Beverly will bring you six short films at the price of two long ones.

Trailers for Black Sabbath here and Trilogy of Terror here (not a trailer but beautiful clip from this classic).

Planet of the Vampires Alien

Thanks to Bava, we can even feature one of the greatest science fiction films, Alien (1980).  And while Planet of the Vampires (1965) may be of for those of a particular taste (the beginning scene is ten of the most bizarre moments you will ever spend), I still hold that it is one of the most beautiful films shot in color.  Absolutely stupendous effects and lighting, not to mention the coolest space suits ever worn by any astronaut of any age. Genius. A few critics actually link the atmospheric landscape, lighting, and mood in Planet of the Vampires to Ridely Scott’s Alien (1980).  And while I don’t think there has been an acknowledged inheritance on the part of Scott, watching the two films side-by-side would offer an interesting opportunity to see what these very differently paced and imagined Alien films have in common.

Trailers for Planet of the Vampires here and for Alien here.
Roy Colt and Jack Winchester They Call Me Trinity

Roy Colt and Jack Winchester (1970) is Bava’s only foray into the Spaghetti Western. And by no means one of his better films, it is a spoof on the genre and pushes it to its most insane limits. There is a fight scene between the two main characters named in the film’s title (played by Charles Southwood and Brett Halsey) that last for well over five minutes. It’s drawn out to the point of absolute absurdity. More than that, there are a few cinematic gems as Bava turns his eye to the Western landscapes of the film. The film is spoofing the by then well-established Spaghetti Western genre, and lead characters are quite similar to the acting team of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, both of whom became internationally recognized with the film that re-inspired the moribund Spaghetti Western during the 70s: They call Me Trinity (available on Google Video its entirety given it is in the public domain—haven’t seen the high quality version on the Internet Archive yet—but I strongly encourage you to watch the opening sequence of this film, it’s a blast).

No trailer available for Roy Colt and Jack Winchester. Trailer for They Call me Trinity is here.

Five Dolls for an August Moon Evil Under the Sun

Pushing the obscure genre boundary angle even further, Bava did a film titled Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970) which provides a kind of Agatha Christie setting and plot without the wise and savvy detective, and far more gruesome murders. The plot of Five Dolls focuses around “a group of people who have gathered on a remote island for fun and relaxation. One of the guests is a chemist who has created a revolutionary new chemical process, and several of the attending industrialists are eager to buy it from him.”

A plot line which reminded to me to some degree of a favorite of mine when I was a kid, Evil Under the Sun (1982), which also features a group of wealthy people who steal away to an exotic island and find one amongst themselves dead. And while Evil Under the Sun concerns itself with culture, deductive reasoning and smart detective work, Five Dolls just kills off the decadent industrialists, which has its benefits.

No trailer available 🙁

Twitch of the Death NerveFriday the Thirteenth

Bava invented the Slasher film! What else can I say here?  Twitch of the Death Nerve (1971) is the proto-type for the Slasher films of the late 70s and 80s (and the more I started thinking about this today the more I thought so must The Texas Chainsaw Massacre be then too). Friday the 13th was the film it most reminded me of given the similarities in camp settings, and the fact that both film’s have a somewhat unexpected and deeply disturbing ending.

Trailers for Twitch of the Death Nerve here and for Friday the 13th here.

RashomonFour Times That Night

Akira Kurosawa‘s Rashomon (1950) is the classic film told from varying viewpoints that beautifully demonstrated all the complex theoretical beauty of the hermeneutic problems undergirding testimony, perspective, and narrative more generally. So, why not pair this classic with an Italian Sex Comedy done from four different perspecitves that retraces a date that has conceivably gone wrong from four different perspectives.  Four Times That Night (1973) is a monument of 70s style and expression. The film centers around an apartment, and the shag rugs, turntables, and generally awesome furniture and colors is not to be under emphasized.  The space of the bachelor pad and consumerism looms large in this film (as it does in the sex comedies of the 50s with Rock Hudson). Yet, at the same time, Four Times That Night flirts with a disturbing vision of how the night might have gone wrong, channeling some of Rashomon‘s darker moments.

Trailer for Rashomon here and a trailer for Four Times That Night is not readily available.

Straw DogsRabid Dogs
Finally, as a grand finale I’m pairing Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs (1971) with Bava’s Rabid Dogs (1974). Both of these films might be seen as prime examples of the increasing escalation of violence in cinema that characterized the early 70s. The graphic and realistically filmed rape scenes in both films makes them both highly controversial and extremely hard to watch. Both are characterized by an acute claustrophobic aesthetic, and mark the dark visions of masculinity gone animal. Rabid Dogs marks an interesting moment in Bava’s films, wherein he firmly moves outside of the fantastic/gore/absurd sub-genre pieces to a stark, realistic film about violence. It marks a bitter, dark ending to his career—it’s actually his penultimate film—which in many ways reflects how he felt about his work’s reception over the years. It’s his final masterpiece, and a difficult one to manage given how terrible its ultimate vision of the world becomes when stripped down to the raw free of fantastic effects and far out visuals.

Trailers for Straw Dogs here and for Rabid Dogs here.

OK, that’s it. I did it, and I’m all fired up about it!

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7 Responses to The New Bava Beverly

  1. Andy Best says:

    What a legendary post. I have an insightless comment to add about Evil Under The Sun.

    I have a love hate relationship with British crime fiction that starts and ends with Sherlock Holmes. The Sherlock Holmes literary canon contains the most atmospheric and intellectually pleasing mysteries – but at the same time it’s mired in the outrageous prejudices of the times, often taken to unbearable levels (Holmes mocking a “negro bruiser”‘s lips and smell).

    Evil under the Sun escapes this a bit by being set on the island and isolating the cast from the outer world.

    Where Evil succeeds is where a lot of modern mystery movies fail. It’s puzzle is genuinely challenging and when the method of the murder is fully revealed, along with the clues and how it was solved, you feel rewarded. It all fits.

    Too many recent movies hinge on some simplistic contrivance or a reveal that wasn’t in the earlier parts at all (cheating it). The location of the girl in Flightplan is an example of a deeply unsatisfying reveal – build up an intruiging premise for an hour and then show it to be a matter of not having walked to the end of a room.

    In Evil (won’t spoil it) you the viewer watch the set up and the murder – are given enough info to work it out, but are fooled along with the others. Not by being misled by the film-makers but by the cleverness of the thing itself.

  2. Reverend says:

    Andy,

    You haven’t had an insightless comment on the bava yet, in fact I don’t think you have one in ya. And this post was definitely for you, I saw that the Olympics had obstructed your cultural scene over in China, and I got your cry for help 🙂 In fact, I want to have a more prolonged discussion about your work there because it seems fascinating. In fact, your recent post about the music scene and the personalities involved was intriguing, sounds like you’re having a ball.

    All that said, I think it is so telling you picked up on Evil Under the Sun here. It is kind of an oddball compared to the other films, but very much part of the pantheon of formative films when I was a kid. It is a film I have consistently thought about for decades now. I just remember the vague outlines of the plot—and I will have to return to it now that you give me the necessary nudge—and the lead man as Poirot was wild to me. He was big and fat (the antithesis of ever hero of a film I had seen up and until then) and he spoke so beautifully. He was cultured and sharp, yet he didn’t take shit from any of the rich folks. I liked him a lot—he was everything Indiana Jones could never be.

    That said, I also tripped on Roddy McDowell, I knew I knew him, but I didn’t know where from. The whole time I watched it when I was 11 or 12 years old, I could have sworn he was familiar to me, and not until years later did I figure out he was Cornelius from Planet of the Apes. This is a strange movie for me, because it’s not necessarily my genre, I wasn’t a big detective fiction fan until relatively recently with Noir novels and James Ellroy. So, why this film stuck with me and how exactly it became the first movie I could think of when doing this program has everything to do with that formative moment of film I keep writing about. Perhaps 2-4 years old is the best time to learn a language, but I think 10-13 is the best time to learn film. We have to start integrating it into our Junior High School curriculum somehow 🙂

    What’s even more strange to me is as I was searching for more info on Evil Under the Sun through Google, I learned that the Adventure game company has recently created a video game based on the book, and I’m sure borrowing from the visuals of the movie.

    Funny how these things come about, and I just got a new MBP for work that will allow me to play games on the Windows side, hmmmm—do I say a new pastime in my future.

  3. Andy Best says:

    Hey Jim 🙂 … thanks.

    I used Evil Under The Sun and Murder On The Orient Express in a course last summer. Well, I guess Evil is a pretty old movie so spoiler alert everyone —

    — the murder is a clever misdirection on the time of death. The woman, an aging movie star, is killed in a remote bay on the island while sunbathing and then the murderer’s accomplice takes her place sunbathing on the beach. The murderer then gets himself witnessed going around the island and ‘discovers the body’ (which ha sbeen seen sunbathing away from the cliff tops) at a later time. By the time the help gets around to the cove, they have replaced the real body. All the info is there but the time factor makes it impossible to complete the chain.

    Poirot gets close when he realises that one suspect shuns the sun and wears long clothes outside, fearful of her pale complexion – but then clicks that it’s to hide a tan. This leads him to suspect the body on the beach – only seen close up by his prime suspect. Then he – and we – have to work out how the time trick was done.

    Murder on the Orient Express is another genuinely clever set up – and it looks so much better than Evil despite being 8 years older. But, in Murder, we are bashed over the head with the Daisy Armstrong back story and are not participating like we are in Evil. The movie feels like just one long set up for the classic reveal scene at the end. In Evil I felt like I was the detective too.

    What a terrible fanboy I am 😉

  4. Andy says:

    Just a quick film note – the AV Club have just posted a Woody Allen ‘primer’ which is a great read – here.

    I must say though, I’m baffled by their consignment of “Celebrity” to the misfires category … as far as nihilistic mean movies go – that’s a great one.

  5. Martin says:

    I like a good episode horror too – have you seen the Ealing B&W horror Dead of Night? The episodes themselves are very good (except the silly golf one), but the connecting narrative is really spooky, with a sense of claustrophobia and doom. One of my favourite movies: http://www.britishhorrorfilms.co.uk/deadofnight.shtml

  6. Pingback: bavatuesdays: Mario Bava 10 Week Film Festival | bavatuesdays

  7. Pingback: bavatuesdays’ 10 Week Mario Bava Film Festival | bavatuesdays

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