Rosalba Neri News # 19 - New TOP SENSATION & AMUCK Blu Rays On The Way !!

      More Rosalba Goodliness In HD !!

     Over on their Facebook page, Shameless Screen Entertainment has revealed a future release of TOP SENSATION (aka THE SEDUCERS) on blu-ray at some point in the near future. A classic slice of Italian exploitation from 1969 starring BOTH Rosalba Neri and Edwige Fenech, this was previously released on DVD by Camera Obscura  in 2013.
     Originally released theatrically in 1969 the film played in several different versions depending on the country, with the U.S. version as distributed by Jerry Gross under the title THE SEDUCERS being the most explicit (this version was released years ago on VHS by Something Weird). Camera Obscura released the less explicit Italian cut only on DVD (which is now out of print) with the more explicit scenes as VHS sourced extras (along with an alternate German cut) as after an extensive search the materials what they found was less than pristine - although their DVD release was fine-looking and eons better than the murky bootlegs that proceeded it.
     With the Camera Obscura release now OOP, it'll be interesting to see what Shameless releases as far as version, running time and source. We can only hope that if not this release, then sometime in the future a pristine print of the Jerry Gross version will be unearthed.

      Speaking of Camera Obscura, their Facebook page reveled an upcoming release on blu ray & DVD of AMUCK (aka ALLA RICERCA PIACERE) with the positively giddy news that it will be sourced from the ORIGINAL (!) camera negative. This trippy and perverse 1972 Italian giallo contains one of Rosalba's finest performance and plus stars the always welcome Barbara Bouchet and a nice evilly smarmy performance by Farley Granger from Alfred Hitchcock's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. Under its U.S. title of AMUCK this had a quasi-bootleg release on DVD years ago on the Eurovista label which featured a dead center transfer from a tape source that destroyed the film's widescreen compositions along with a sickly green/yellow tint. Last year Code Red issued a DVD under the alternate title MANSION OF MADNESS that featured a nice looking anamorphic widescreen transfer, that while being edited for running time (most likely for double & triple bills back in the day) did leave intact all the "best" sequences.
      Camera Obscura have also posted a lovely shot of Rosalba doing an interview for this upcoming release and plus they have confirmed this will contain the English dub as an option. If their past release of TOP SENSATION is any indication this is going to be an outstanding release both in terms of AV quality and packaging.

       

A Very Happy Birthday To Edwige Fenech !!

Happy Birthday ! (and still a knock-out to this day)

   Holy Cow ! Bunches of Birthdays this month !! A VERY special and happy birthday wish goes out today to this blog's OTHER favorite actress - the very gorgeous & talented Edwige Fenech.

    Born on this day in 1948 in Constantine, France she won several beauty contests as a young woman, including a Miss France. Starting out as a magazine model she soon moved into cinema, beginning in some late 60's West German sex comedies. Because of her exotic looks and smoldering sexuality she soon became very much in demand actress in the burgeoning European exploitation movie industry and worked in West Germany, Spain. France and Italy.

   It was in Italy starting in 1971 she made a series of giallos for director Sergio Martino that cemented her cult status with Euro horror fans including THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH (1971), ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK (1972) and  AND YOUR VICE IS A LOCKED DOOR AND ONLY I HAVE THE KEY (1972).
  She worked in pretty much every genre and with directors such as Mario Bava (5 DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON 1970), Andrea Bianchi (STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER 1975), Umberto Lenzi (THE BIGGEST BATTLE 1978) and Ruggero Deodato (PHANTOM OF DEATH 1988) among others. Although an obviously beautiful woman (who luckily for fans would drop her clothes without hesitation) she is also a very talented actress (which people seem to forget) who showed an amazing depth when needed - just watch her in ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK. She is particularly delightful & uninhibited (and obviously having a bunch of fun ) in a series of Italian "school teacher" sex comedies made during the 1970's.

   In the 90's she began producing and later founded her own company Immagine e Cinema S.r.l where she produced the MERCHANT OF VENICE in 2004 starring Al Pacino. In 2007 she had a small part in Hostel II.

The Oak Drive-In's Favorite 2013 Catalog Releases

 No particular order or ranking - just a few of my favorites & some stuff from this past year I've really enjoyed (with many omissions unfortunately due to the whole space & time thing).

 THE FROZEN DEAD (1966 Warner Archive MOD DVD) Sure its a low budget ugly looking & sometimes slow moving schlock-fest, but now its a nicely looking one in the proper aspect ratio & with its lurid colors restored. Dana Andrews and his basement full of frozen Nazis along with the living head of his daughters best friend is never going to be great cinema, but its one that will be forever ingrained in monster kids minds (and it IS greatly entertaining).

TOP SENSATION (1969 Camera Obscura DVD Region 2) After suffering thru years of murky bootlegs & VHS dupes Camera Obscura finally unleashed this classic slice of Italian sexploitation in a wonderful 2 DVD set (complete with an alternate cut, "unclothed" bits & interviews). Described as everything from a morality play on class warfare to a post apocalyptic "last survivors" sci fi drama it really doesn't matter at all as you just need to sit back and enjoy the first (and only) pairing of Rosalba Neri & Edwige Fenech combined with a marvelously trippy score and a camera that seems to compose every shot of these two gorgeous actresses like a pin-up brought to life.

THE BIG GUNDOWN (1966 Grindhouse Releasing Blu) After several years of inactivity (partly brought about by the tragic death of co-founder Sage Stallone) Grindhouse returned big time in 2013 with the releases of the very weird AN AMERICAN HIPPIE IN ISRAEL, the infamous Peter Cushing vehicle CORRUPTION and this - (with all apologies to Sergio Leone) a solid contender as one of the greatest spaghetti westerns ever. This movie (along with his roles in the Leone films) turned American character actor Lee Van Cleef into a # 1 box office star in Europe. A packed to the gills 4 disc set (complete with Ennio Morricone's evocative score on CD).

THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS (1946 Warner Archives MOD DVD) One of the last major studio horror films to show up on DVD from the "classic b&w" cycle of the 30's & 40's (and originally released at the very end of of that cycle) director Robert Forley's nod to German expressionism is somewhat hampered by a creaky beginning and some studio tampering concerning the ending. However, a disembodied hand (animated with still excellent special effects) scuttling about a creepy Italian villa and a wonderful twitcy performance by the great Peter Lorre both add up to a beautiful & spooky "turn out the lights" viewing experience.

BLACK SABBATH (1963 Arrow Blu Region B) After a long wait this past year we were blessed with a plethora of Mario Bava on blu-ray from both Kino and Arrow. Those with region B playback option got the better of the deal however as the Kino's were plagued by some odd coloring and contrast issues, plus as an added bonus Arrow was able (most likely because of a rights issue for Kino) to include the A.I.P. version of each film where applicable. Arrow's version of Black Sabbath is a true wonder to behold, Bava's technicolor nightmares have never looked more beautiful and with the inclusion of the A.I.P.version we get to hear the voice of Boris Karloff (unheard since the ancient laser disc release).

DAY OF THE DEAD (1985 Scream Factory Blu) After years of somewhat dodgy video releases, finally in 2013 Shout Factory unleashed the ultimate edition of the third movie from George Romero's classic zombie trilogy. Hampered by budget constraints and jettisoning the black humor and epic feel of 1978's DAWN OF THE DEAD (and in many ways looking back to NIGHT), Romero's grim and humorless third act originally seemed like the red headed step child of the first trilogy (especially after the universal accolades for DAWN). However, this claustrophobic nightmare has been slowly gaining in stature over the years - with Tom Savini's front & center gooey special effects still a stomach-turning and amazing sight to behold.

DAY OF THE ANIMALS (1977 Scorpion Releasing Blu) Director William Girdler's crazy loopy (and very entertaining) nature on the rampage exploitation classic got a very welcome blu-ray release from Scorpion. Featuring a great cast including Christopher & Lynda Day George, Richard Jaeckel and best of all, a totally deranged preformance from a bare chested & bear wrestlin' Leslie Nielsen. With the release next year of Girdler's other nature rampaging movie GRIZZLY and their acquisition of some of the Roger Corman New World library, Scorpion is turning into my favorite video company.

ESTHER AND THE KING (1960 KSM DVD Region 2) After years of crappy public domain pan & scan releases this 1960 biblical epic finally got a beautiful release from Germany courtesy of KSM. Although Raoul Walsh is the director of record this has second unit director and cinematographer Mario Bava's fingerprints all over it as an increasingly uninterested Walsh turned the director chores over to the future Italian horror master. Filled with Bava's hallucinatory use of colors, gel lighting and shadow - in addition you've got the beautiful Daniela Rocco and 21 year old Rosalba Neri. Oh yeah, plus there's some bible stuff going on.

BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW (1971 Odeon Blu Region B) Criminally ignored on home video in the U.S., this Tigon produced and Piers Haggard directed tale of witchcraft festering itself by way of the children (via a rotting demon figure uncovered in a farmer's field) into a 17th century English village is one of the greatest British horror films ever released (with all apologies to Hammer). Featuring beautiful cinematography by Dick Bush, a grim atmosphere of slowly encroaching horror, a haunting score by Marc Wilkinson and most of all - a mesmerizing performance by then 17 year old Linda Hayden. Odeon's blu ray collects all the bonus features from the previously released DVD's including the delightful documentary An Angel for Satan which focuses on Hayden and her career (Linda was also featured this year in Severin's excellent THE HOUSE ON STRAW HILL release).

ROLLING THUNDER (1977 Shout Factory Blu) After a disappointing MOD release a few years back from MGM this 1977 classic got a much deserved 2013 blu ray release from Shout Factory. Although marketed and best remembered as an exploitation revenge story (which at its basic core it is), thanks to an excellent script by Paul Schrader (TAXI DRIVER) & Heywood Gould its turns into a wonderfully moving character study of loneliness and alienation (along with some startling violence & bloodshed). Helped in no small part from excellent work by all the leads - including a career best by William Devane, a wonderful turn by a young Tommy Lee Jones ("I'll just get my gear..") and best of all, a heartbreakingly beautiful performance by Linda Haynes.

THE MUMMY (1959 Hammer Icon Blu Region B) Since starting its blu ray program in 2012 Hammer has had some hiccups along the way with some questionable decisions, but with the release of THE MUMMY (and the previous DRACULA) they seemed to gotten things back on track. Beautifully restored to give full appreciation of Jack Asher's luminous cinematography and with a wealth of extras (you just know we're never going to see the infamous "naked hand maidens" outtake) this is a magnificent release of a Hammer classic (with Lee's finest work IMO) that more often then not is not as appreciated as DRACULA or CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

Rosalba Neri Friday # 11 - Top Sensation 1969

 

"The Jet-Set Breaks Loose In An Orgy Of  Violence And Terror !" 

   After several delays and much anticipation Camera Obscura released their long awaited DVD of Ottavio Alessi's 1969 sex thriller Top Sensation this week. With a past release history of murky bootlegs and collector torrent trading a lot of work has been put into this release of a super rare title with the end result being eye-opening video quality & some very nice extras.

   Although probably best known today for starring two of Italy's best known exploitation actress in the very desirable form(s) of Rosalba Neri & Edwige Fenech, the movie itself features a wonderfully sleazy sex filled plot (everybody doing it with everyone) along with some lesbianism, voyeurism, incest & even a bit of bestiality all thrown into the mix (plus some other interesting plot stuff lurking below the surface). Along with 1972's Lady Frankenstein this is Rosalba's best role as after knocking around in spaghetti westerns & peplums (along with some work for Jess Franco), she really seems to relish getting a part she can sink her teeth into.

   A morality fable wrapped in sexploitation package, the plot concerns decadent rich woman Mudy (Maude Belleroche) who sets sail on her yacht with gold digging couple Aldo and Paola (Maurizio Belleroche & Rosalba), prostitute Ulla (Edwige) and Mudy's somewhat mentally challenged son Tony (Ruggero Miti). Tony who spends most the time in his cabin playing with a slot car track (and matches) was brought along in the hope of his mother that Rosalba & Edwige running around in bikinis and/or naked would spark his interest in the opposite sex (hey, if that doesn't work what would !). Everybody here has less then moral values as Aldo & Paola are salivating for an oil lease from Mudy and a greedy Ulla is hoping for a big payoff for de-flowering Tony.

   The boat runs aground and this yacht full of rich (or greedy wanna-be rich) degenerates is set loose in an unspoiled paradise as represented by a serene island populated by pretty young goat herder Beba (Eva Thulin) and her somewhat oafish (and stupid) husband Andro. Seeing Tony's interest in Beba (and to satisfy their own depraved desires) the morally corrupt "yachters" suck the working class couple downward in a spiralling orgy of sex and degradation.

   This is one of Edwige's first major roles and both her & Rosalba (check out that black bikini !) look absolutely gorgeous here with the cinematography making full use of them in various states of dress (and undress) and as mentioned earlier Rosalba is excellent as a cold blooded bitch with an evil glint in her eyes. Speaking for myself, this is the DVD release of the year.

   Released in various run times & edits around the world, Jerry Gross picked it up in the U.S. where it was released as The Seducers. The U.S version (as released on VHS by Something Weird) actually is a bit more more unclothed while the version released in Germany had a completely unique subplot edited in. Camera Obscura's 2 DVD set has an excellent looking version of the Italian cut along with the racier scenes from the U.S. version and the full length German version as extras (both sourced from VHS, but welcome none the less). Also included is an alternate Italian ending, a photo gallery and a documentary on the making of the film (complete with an interview with the still lovely Rosalba).
   For an excellent write-up of this movie please check out Venoms5's recent blog post over at Cool Ass Cinema on this classic slice of Italian exploitation (he does a wonderful job of explaining the various subtexts lurking around here).

Edwige Fenech & All The Colors Of The Dark - 1972

    Excellent & freaky giallo from 1972 directed by Sergio Martino and also starring George Hilton & Susan Scott. Edwige plays Jane, who recovering from an auto accident and miscarriage is stalked by a scary blue eyed killer (which may or not be a nightmare) and to help herself sort things out engages in naked occult rituals at the suggestion of her creepy neighbor.
   Unlike many giallos, this lets you know straight off who the killer is (no piles of red herrings here) and instead concentrates and the "why" & "maybe" as Jane tries to sort out fact from fantasy, including a particularly unnerving scene on a subway. The film starts off with one the most crazy f**ked dream sequences ever committed to film which sets up a whole weird off -kilter atmosphere that pervades the entire story and always has you wondering if its a dream or not. Probably Edwige's best role and filmed at a time when she was at the pinnacle of her jaw dropping beauty. The same year she would also star in Your Vice is a Locked Room And Only I Have The Key, which was also directed by Martino (and is also worth a look).