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richardgaaren
Reviews
The Set (1970)
Riveting!!!
My memories of this little known Aussie film are dim at best but I am clear on a story told me by the remarkable (and now late) publicist, poet, and friend of mine, Adrian Rawlins.
He took American reviewer Rex Reed along to 'The Set' around the time of it's release in Sydney, possibly even it's premiere. According to Adrian, Rex was wont to walk out on anything he thought was less than worthwhile. At the end of the performance Adrian said, "That was awful, I can't believe you sat through the whole thing!" to which Rex replied, "I know, I know, it was so bad, I couldn't move, I was riveted to my seat!"
Today I'm not sure where Rex Reed is, Adrian is immortalized in bronze on a pillar in Fitzroy in suburban Melbourne (his hometown). As for 'The Set', perhaps a retrospective of Australian cinema may bring this little attempt at breaking new ground to light again sometime in the future.
Tommy (1975)
Tommy Blew Me Away
Was it the speakers stacked high next to both sides of the screen at the old (now extinct) Esquire in Melbourne that blew me away or the music itself, probably both I guess! And I was probably too young to fully realize this movie but I just lapped it up anyway in the most subjective of manners.
People walked out asking for their money back because the music was 'so loud'. We walked out at the end of it, looked at each other and both said, lets go and see it again.. "No, we can't do that, lets be sensible, we just saw it!" Okay, so we were sensible, we waited till the next night and saw it again then.
Definitely one of the great memories of my movie going youth!
Blacula (1972)
Blacula viewing aided by Vampire Protection Kit
Readers may be interested to know that Blacula's release at the Albany Cinema in my hometown (of Melbourne - Australia) was assisted with the added enticement of the 'Vampire Protection Kit'.
The ad in the city paper encouraged everybody to ask for their 'Vampire Protection Kit' at the Box Office while buying their ticket. I was only fourteen or fifteen at the time but the ad, my love for horror films and this added enticement really got me excited about what was ahead. The kit was a simple wrapper with what seemed to be a piece of cardboard inside with instructions to put it under your tongue when you get scared or first see a vampire; can't quite remember which it was. Of course I put it under my tongue and no, it wasn't saturated with LSD; it was 'just' cardboard. Perhaps if I'd kept it it would have been worth a few bucks today.
Interestingly though, today I remember nothing of the film but I've never forgotten the free kit the came with it.
I wonder if any other cities in or out of Australia offered this unique enticement for the original viewers of 'Blacula'.
Lost Horizon (1973)
Sure, really bad but strangely enjoyable
When I first saw this film at it's release, it was compared to 'The Sound of Music' in a local publicity blurb. Well 'The Sound of Music' it ain't but enjoyable none the less, for all the wrong reasons. I showed this film years later to my brother who (for the first 45 minutes) kept turning around to me and saying, "are you sure this is a musical?" "Yep (I answered), just wait till they get to Shangrila".
When they do finally arrive, all musical hell breaks loose. Personal favorite part is the look on Peter Finch and Gielgud's faces when they watch the children rolling down the hill towards the end of 'The World is a Circle'. Is Gielgud thinking, "Oh hell, there goes my career!" Also love those various angles Sally Kellerman is shot from while she sings her song with Goerge Kennedy. And Bobby Van singing 'Answer me a Question", well you have to experience that one for yourself.
However is it all bad? The library song isn't too bad and the opening song in the clouds is liked by some as well. Some of the background orchestrations are pretty good and as a 15 year old when I first saw this film, the story held a certain intrigue for me as well. However, 32 years on it really looks like a 'final days of the musical' last ditch effort that fails to work on almost every level.
If you have a few friends who love bad films, get them together and treat them to parts of this one, they'll love you for it.