New Release: Inside look at Spider-Man Into the Spider Verse

New Release: Inside Look at Spider-Man Into The Spider Verse

Director: Peter Ramsey
Writer: Phil Lord
Cast: Chris Pine, Nicolas Cage, Lily Tomlin, Zoe Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, Hailee Steinfeld

First Thoughts/Opening Thoughts: It is rare as an avid filmgoer that I go into the film cold turkey. I didn't even see a preview for this film. My only knowledge was from my background of reading comics and knowing the different Spider-Mans across the alternate realities. I wasn't sure what versions of Spidey would appear and honestly unprepared for the film. That my friends is sometimes the best way to see a film because you have no expectations.

Plot: Miles Morales is an African American boy who lives in Brooklyn. Miles has a genius intellect and just recieved a scholarship to attend a premier academy designed to get Miles into the best colleges. The issue is Miles doesn't want this education opportunity, to Miles this opportunity is going to mean he will be looked down upon by his peers and possibly considered white.

Miles dad, a police officer, doesn't want Miles wasting his gift. Yet to Miles his dad's suggestions go unheard by him. Miles instead turns to his Uncle Aaron for advice. Aaron has gifts similar to Miles, but squandered them. Yet goes on adventures with Miles to develop Miles's artistic abilities because he is a Banksy in the making.

One day in a secluded area of the subway Miles working on an artistic masterpiece with Aaron gets bitten by a radioactive spider. Miles leaves, but decides to comeback later when he realizes he developed powers like Peter Parker in the comics who is Spider-Man in his world as well. During the investigation Miles gets caught up in a battle between Spidey and the Kingpin.

The Kingpin wants to bring his dead family from another universe through so that they can live together again. The issue is doing so may cause a blackhole that destroys two universes maybe even more. The machine malfunctions  causing devastating consequences for the Spideys across the universes.

Miles completely unskilled and unfamiliar with his powers must rely on the help of multiple versions Spider-Man to learn how to wield his powers to his own advantage if he wants to stop Kingpin and save the Universe.

Review: You would think after seeing multiple Spider-Man versions through film and television that you could probably not accomplish much new without the story feeling like a rehash of some sort. While yes there is some familiarity to other Spidey origins and films, Spider-Man Into the Spider Verse is uniquely its own film and surprisingly a fresh take in what could've been a boring been there seen that film.

The film has more in common with the Karate Kid then it has in common with the other Spidey Media. Miles isn't alone and has a master to teach him the ways it just may not be the master he was intending, which can lead to hilarious and awkward moments in the film. Yet that is not what sets this film apart from other Spidey films.

What sets this film apart honestly is its unique animation style. The film is no question a CGI animated, but it's filmed to look like the pages of a comic maybe from the 90s before the companies switched to nicer magazine paper from the standard newspaper type paper they were using before. Yet each version of Spidey is drawn and animated in the style that is appropriate to their medium. Spider-Man Noir looks he is drawn write off the cover of a pulp magazine from the 30s, Spider-Ham looks like he came from the world of Sunday Funnies, and the Japanese Spider-Man is animated like a Manga comic. The creative team behind this delivered what I would consider to be the first type of animation its type that I can only describe feels like the Italian filmmakers of the 60s Deadly Sweet teamed up with the creative team of the Batman TV show to deliver a campy one of a kind film.

You mix that in with sequences of multiple split screens at once showing different action scenes happening all at one time like multiple panels of a comic on the screen you end up losing yourself in the pure beauty of the film woth a strong story that makes you want more.

With how uniquely animated and a great story. I am not sure how you follow this film up with a sequel if you wanted and maybe should just be treated as a one shot film. Why tarnish this film with a turd?

Closing Thoughts: I can't contain how much I felt like a kid again experiencing something so fresh and unique in the world of film. Spider Verse is uniquely its own film that stands up well by itself. Mix in that with the feel of the comics, great social message, story great for all ages, and the comedy. I am going to give this film 10/10 and say just hand the studio the Oscar for Best Animated Film already nothing deserves it more than this film.

What Happens in this Nursery Stays in this Nursery!

The Baby (1973)

Directed by Ted Post
Starring Anjanette Comer, Ruth Roman, Marianna Hill, Suzanne Zenor, and David Manzy
Written by Abe Polsky
Music by Gerald Fried

Released by Arrow USA in July 2018

Opening Thoughts: Ok a premise so "Weird!" for a film that just says stop everything you are doing put down the remote and watch this film. Why is an adult acting like a Baby? Is the family messed up in the head? Why does the Baby have an ax in his hand? Should make for an interesting watch at least with Arrow's label on it. I do like Ted Post films like Magnum Force, but even for Post this is tossing everything I know about him to the side can he do horror?

Plot: Ann Gentry (Anjanette Comer) is a social worker who takes special interest into the Agency's  weirdest case aka Baby. Baby (David Manzy) is a 21 year old man with the mind of an infant. Baby lives in a home with his crazy "Mama" Wadsworth (Ruth Roman) and his twisted sisters who seem on the onset not allowing Baby to progess. But why is the question.

Ann is determined to find out no matter what the cost. Whether that means getting the state involved to get him placed in special institute, fighting Mama for custody, or giving her life. One thing is for don't mess with a Lioness and her cubs because this Mama is prepared to kill at any cost to keep her Baby.

Review: Woooohhhh!!!!!! I am not sure what to think altogether after watching this film. From over the top acting to who is more evil to the unexpected throw you through the ringer ending to why Baby is Baby is just messed up on so many levels that makes you want to turn off the film, but you can't. The story keeps you interested because of the mystery.

Ruth Roman as Mama is unforgettable she rules over her Children with an iron fist, in what one could say as serious yet comical kind of way that I can only compare to Faye Dunaway's performance in Mommie Dearest. The rules are designed to keep her children each designated position.

The reason for Baby staying Baby is just because Mama doesn't want to lose another man. So she punishes Baby to keep him in that state and uses her daughers to enforce that punishment. What is clear Baby wants to grow up, but is afraid Baby acts one way with Mama around and differently  then when she is not.

Yet then there is Anjanette Comer in the film as Ann Gentry who seems to have the best for Baby in mind, but there are flashes of sequences that makes you think she is in a mental institution herself recalling her experiences with Baby. So as a viewer those scenes leave you guessing as to what could of happened to Ann.

That tension build up leaves you the viewer on the edge of your seat. For an ending, that most people would never be able to guess.

I absolutely love it. There is nothing for me to complain at even the scenes where Baby feels the need to relieve sexual tension.

Video Quality: For this transfer Arrow gave the option of watching this film in a 1:78:1 or a 1:37:1 aspect ratio. While this film may have screened in the theaters im a widescreen format, you should be watching this film in a 1:37:1 format.

I made my conclusion by watching both formats. The 1:37:1 format is oddly the right ratio to watch the film in. What happened probably is one of two things the film was initially intended to be a made for TV movie and the filmmakers realized they had something bigger on their hand after filming and decided a theatrical release was warranted or the filmmakers didn't know how how to film in 1:78:1 so they cropped the bottom and top for a theatrical release. Either way the 1:37:1 contains more screen.

The 1:37:1 has nice colors and decent grain ratio. I didn't see any fallout, but the 1:78:1 had some faded looking colors. Being that the 1:37:1 is the right ratio I am not going to complain especially since the film looks great and that it belongs from that time period.

Final Thoughts: The Baby should be in every horror fans' collection. Quite honestly the film is unique to where there is not much available to compare the film against. Basket Case maybe? I'm not sure. One thing is for sure you will be appalled, laughing, and shocked all at the same time. It's definitely a film just because of its ending, I will never forget.

The 1975 Academy Award Snubs or Great Things Come in Small Packages

What kind of actor can take the world by storm with just one film and not win the best actor from the Academy? What actor loses to Art Carney for Best Actor in 1975? What actor's performance led to millions of lives being saved?

No one is saying Art Carney's performance was not good, but his performance was definitely not Oscar worthy. Especially, when one actor was getting praises like "Not since Dustin Hoffman has such a great performance came from a small package!", "Robert Redford has met his match!", and "His uncanny ability to project emotions definitely makes him the new Laurence Olivier!". Who is this mysterious actor I am talking about?

Well that actor was a retired dog actor by the name of Higgins. Who costarred along greats like Buddy Ebsen, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eva Gabor, and June Lockhart. Higgins biggest fame up til 1974 was the uncredited role of Betty Jo's dog in Petticoat Junction.

If you were to ask any director on Petticoat Junction who the best actor on the show  was most of them would say Higgins the Dog. Higgins had an uncanny ability to learn tricks, combine them with previous tricks, and display emotion all in one take. Yet by the time Petticoat Junction was done filming Higgins was 13 years old.

Higgins trainer and owner, Frank Inn, decided it was time for his retirement because of age. However one filmmaker had other plans and knew of Higgins's ability. Joe Camp was getting tired of the cheesy family films that were being marketed at that time mostly from Disney with a G raiting. Camp wanted to change that view and make a film people of all ages wanted to see. Camp just needed the right star.

Camp approached Inn with the idea of a smart mutt that develops a relationship with kids, but the father is dead set against them adopting a dog that is not from a breeder. That dog would would have to do something amazing to prove himself worthy of adopting. Inn loved the idea so much that he brought Higgins out of retirement. The film would come to be known as the Golden Globe winning motion picture Benji.

The role Higgins was born for. Higgins fit the part perfectly  a mutt that was the mixture of Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, Schnauzer, and Border Terrier. A dog who in real life was rescued from euthanization at animal shelter. It's the story of Higgins's life.

Benji 1974
Directed by Joe Camp
Starring: Higgins the Dog
Tiffany the Dog
Terry Carter
Patsy Garrett
Peter Breck
Christopher Connelly
Deborah Walley
Mitch Slade

Opening thoughts: Benji is a film I watched as a kid that I loved and holds a special place in my heart. I loved the dogs' interactions with humans, the comedy, and at the same time intense suspenseful scenes. There is a scene in which one of the kidnappers kicks Tiffany the Dog that traumatized me as a child. I actually thought a dog was killed on screen in front of my eyes. I still wonder to this day how this film got a G rating with that scene. I still rank this scene as one of my top three most traumatic sequences that I have experienced when watching film.

Plot: Benji is a mutt that lives in an abandoned home that should be demolished. Nobody owns Benji so he is a free a spirit that roams around town with his daily routines of visiting people across town. Almost every person in town loves him the police, the crazy cat lady, the local diner, and two kids by the name of Paul and Cindy.

Those two kids want to give Benji a permanent home, but their father Dr. Chapman is dead set against allowing a mutt into their house because that type of dog may carry diseases that they can spread to humans. Despite desperate pleas and tears from Paul and Cindy, the Doctor will never give in even if that makes him the bad guy. Benji stands no chance of a forever home.

That is alright for Benji because  he crossed paths with an escaped Malteese Dog by  the name of Tiffany. A high end dog struggling to survive on her own. Benji is in love at first site and takes her underneath his wing on his adventures across town.

One day while the two dogs are at the abandon house, Paul and Cindy are gagged and drug into the place by a bunch of kidnappers led by Mitch.
Benji can tell something is wrong and he needs to get help before the kids get hurt or even worse die.

The issue for Benji is who is going to believe a dog and what challenges must he overcome to find help. One thing is for sure he doesn't want to see another friend get murdered by a bad person.

Can Benji overcome the challenges? Can Benji save the day? Will Benji get his forever home?

Review: OMG 10 years has passed since I last watched this film. I am not going to lie that this film is extremely dated by the clothing, music score, and "I Feel Love" Benji's Theme. Guess what? I really don't care.  This film has a certain charm to it that I believe makes Benji a timeless classic.

Outside of a next to nothing budget of 50,000 dollars going against this film that can be seen in the video quality and lack of big Hollywood stars, the film has everything else going for it. A great story that can still be told today for all ages, unique cinematography in which for the most part is told from Benji's height, superb acting from character actors, intense moments that are unforgettable, and acting from Higgins which in my honest opinion is the best display of animal emotions on the screen that I just can't turn the channel if this film pops up on television.

Yeah the "I Feel Love" sung by Charlie Rich is cheesy along with Euel Box's score, but it works. That score and song takes the movie to the next level, because Box makes Higgins's emotions much more relatable to the viewer. Honestly I  can read a dog's emotions better than a human at times.

The film gets a rare 9/10 from me

Legacy: What can I say more about this film Higgins and Tiffany were Hollywood's power couple of 1974. Camp was able to revolutionize filming techniques on how animals should be shot. The film on a budget of 50,000 dollars depending where you read made 40 million dollars not a bad return and in today's money that would be a 198 million not bad.

The biggest part of Higgins's and Benji's legacy even though he passed away a year after the film's release was that he changed people's thoughts on adopting dogs from rescue shelters. It was no longer a taboo. That one performance saved millions of animals from being euthanized. Art Carney's performance in Harry and Tonto can't say that. This is why Higgins deserved the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1975 or at least a special oscar awarded to him.

Honestly no other performance by an animal has left this much of an impact on humanity years after the fact.

Higgins's daughter Benjean would play Benji from there on in tv series and further films through Benji the Hunted. Every Benji since then was selected from an animal shelter including for the 2018 remake on Hulu.

What if the 1970s WestWorld Saga was a Trilogy of Films

What if the 1970s WestWorld Saga was a Trilogy of Films?

Warning the film I am about to review is a Hardcore Porn film. Please don't read any further if you have an issue with these types of films. Well you have been warned.

In 1971, a relatively unknown author to most of the world book, The Andromeda Strain, was adapted into a movie and became a box office hit. That author would go onto be one of the most influential authors and screenwriters of the 20th century giving us books like Jurassic Park, TV series like E.R., and films like Coma. Of course, I am speeking about Michael Crichton.

Yet in order to make it in Hollywood, a filmmaker needs to show that he is a more than a  one hit wonder. Studios were knocking on his door, for the follow up to the Andromeda Strain. That persistance of the studios allowed Crichton to negotiate a deal to where he can write his story and direct the story onto film.

That film Crichton gave was Westworld. An amusement park in which adults visited to escape their real world problems and live a fantasy of their dreams. The film and concept was a box office success that led to a sequel and later a TV Series reboot that is airing on tv right now in 4K.

The sequel was Future World another world within the amusement park for adults toive their fantasies.

The film while a modest success, did not generate the revenue the studio was looking for to justify a sequel. Yet let's take a step back for a moment and imagine the film was successful enough to warrant a sequel. What would the follow up film be? What concepts would the film want to explore?

Well in 1978, we may have just been given a film that qualifies to be the 3rd film in the Westworld series.

That film is SexWorld.

SexWorld (1978)
Directed by Anthony Spinelli
Starring: Leslie Bovee, Annette Haven, Sharon Thorpe, Desiree West, Kay Parker, Joey Silvera, and John Leslie

Opening thoughts: Disclaimer I thought reading the synopsis for this film on Vinegar Syndrome that I was buying a raunchy sex comedy from the 1970s like HOTS or The Swinging Cheerleaders. I didn't think I bought a 1970's hardcore porn film. When I opened my order from Diabolikdvd.com, I was flabbergasted that Jesse wrapped this BluRay separately from the others. I shook my head because I realized I just bought a hardcore porn film and in general I find them boring and unworthy of watching. Ok let me get the torture overwith at least the film is going to be a spoof of Westworld so I'll get some comedy out of the one time I watch the film.

Plot: The film opens up with a group of people riding on a bus to SexWorld. All of a sudden a disco like song starts
"SexWorld go on a spree
SexWorld Come here with me
All you desire,We have for hire
 you'll turn to fire, we guarantee
 SexWorld do what you will
 SexWorld you'll have your fill"

Well you get the point it lets you the viewer know you are in for a ride. The song ends a glimpse of everyone on the bus appears as one by one you go down the row and see why some people have chosen to come to SexWorld. Each person has their own problems from being unable to deliver in bed, recently dumped by their lover, or simply desiring an experience they think they want.

SexWorld has two rules
1. You will through an extensive in depth interview be given exactly the sexual experience you ask for
2. At no time can you mingle with other guests of the amusement park or have sexual relations with them.

Does everyone get their desires or do some people leave with regrets?

Review: I was blown away by what I saw on the film. A hardcore porn shot in 35mm that looked like it had the budget of a 1970's Hollywood film. A film that delivered on point to tackle some issues and give us a real story instead of like most porno that I saw.

The sets loom like they were taken directly put of Westworld and the film felt like it took place in the Westworld universe because in the end they were at amusement park interacting with robots and living their fantasies.

What surprised me the most about this film though, was the director Spinelli was willing to tackle certain social/relationship issues. If a person can't deliver sexually should you still be in a relationship? Is your anxiety so high that you are afraid to ask anyone out? What if you want the forbidden fruit that you know you can never have? Does the one night stand  really solve any of these issues or does that increase the desire for more.

I'll admit there were times I was disgusted in this film because sometimes the desires the guests wanted was not what they wanted when the act started happening. I couldn't ask for much more out of this film.

Final Thoughts: This was a fun film that in my mind was unintentionally more exciting and fun to watch than Westworld not that it is better. I give the film a solid 8/10 not perfect by any means, but just has a fun charm to it.

Special Thanks: Brian Haas encouraged me to write this review since I was uncomfortable writing one for this film even though I enjoyed writing this film.

Paul Schrader Blames the Audience for Lack of Social Films Being Made

In an interesting interview last week, screenwriter and director Paul Schrader blamed the audiences for why films on social issues are no longer being made by the big studios.

I hate to disagree with the man who gave us Taxi Driver, but I think the statement Schrader made places blame on the wrong party and doesn't take into the fact changes of time and audiences taste.

Does he really think a film like Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, a film about wife swapping, is a concept today's audiences are asking for? What about other social issues from the 70s? Does he just want a market for social issues of today to get made?

I think Schrader's assumptions of the audience is naive to what is actually happening with films getting made. Styles of comedy, social issues, and drama have a limited shelf time before they are dated and the next generation comes in and takes over.

You can't expect a young generation to watch 80s comedies from Ivan Reitman and John Hughes be able to relate to them. A teenager watching The Breakfast Club probably won't understand why Hall's character is not in jail. The comedy in a film like Lampoon's Vacation in alot of instances doesn't apply. How is a large percentage of young adults who have never been on a vacation outside of their state or been on a road trip able to relate to such a film?

Honestly it is why certain eras ends with certain films. The era of focusing on social issues after decades of the Hollywood code, the Blacklist code, and the studios saying no that prevented those types of films being made that were being made from the late the 60s through the late 70s died with Heaven's Gate financial failure in 1980.

That was a decade of great films being made that were taboos until the relaxation came in that allowed art to be made. Unfortunately, the audience said no to a few films with their pocket book and that era came to an end as we knew it.

The studio is in the business to make money. They are not going to gamble on a film they don't think will make money or make them a certain amount of money they want. A social film can be successful, but may just not provide the return the studio wants.

That is the key, what the studios wants and not the audience wants. That is Schrader's failure to understand what the studios want is to make money over art. Kevin O'Leary can often be heard saying on Shark Tank to small businesses don't get greedy on the percentages it's better to have a small piece of the big pie, then to have a larger piece of the small pie.

What essentially Kevin is saying as an investor and to the owner is, I'm looking for max return and you should too so it's better to own a small piece of larger corporation for return than a big piece of a small corporation. Why would O'Leary invest a film like Tully, a film about post pardom depression, when he could invest in Black Panther that will make a substantial difference in his return.

That is where studios are at now. They tell the theaters what is showing on what screen. They tell the audiences what films they are going to see. Since that faithful day in 1980, the big boys have slowly been brainwashing the audiences into mindless zombies on what they will intake.

It's not the audiences fault, it's the corporations fault why certain films don't get made. If certain social films do get made, then they just don't spend as much and limit the theaters or smaller venues show that film.

A film like Ashby's Coming Home, is better suited for a smaller art house type theater. It allows a more dedicated theater to setup an event that can have veterans speak before or after the show about their experiences with a Q & A possibly even a charity event. Large studios just don't know how to handle these types of films anymore, because honestly they were too busy brainwashing and controlling the audience and theaters.

There is a market for these films and they are still being made and shown, but the honest truth these types of films have a found a new home where they belong with theaters that know how to promote, handle, and show this type of film with an audience who wants to come in searching for more than just seeing a film wanting answers to their questions.

Sorry Schrader it is the evolution of the industry and the studios who you should put the major blame on not the audiences. The audiences are still watching and going to these films.

A Look into the 4K release: Terminator 2: Judgement Day

Terminator 2: Judgement Day 4KUHD

Studio Canal/Lionsgate Release 

Release Year: 2017

I do not need to go into an in depth background/plot synopsis of this film. Trust me almost every living person in the United States has seen this film in some format. If you saw the film in the theaters you could likely tell the story of when, where, and how your life was changed after seeing this film.

The summer of 1991, I was on vacation in Wapakoneta, Ohio the birthplace of Neil Armstrong. I was spending time at my Aunt's house who I considered my grandma on my dad's side of the family. Mix in with that I had just moved to a new city and hardly knew anyone. Most of that summer I spent inside the house watching films that we rented for Blockbuster Video and listening to AC/DCs Thunderstruck, in which I think my sister was ready to destroy the tape from the  nonstop continuous loop that song was on.

I had seen  previews for T2 and had been begging to see the film. Schwarzenegger and Stallone were the two coolest actors on earth to any boy just out of 5th grade. I couldn't contain my excitement. So my Mom believe it or not took me to see this film at a small one screen theater.

What happened next was unbelievable two hours of wall to wall action with Edward Furlong a kid near my age I could relate to trying to survive with the help of Arnie an unstoppable robot with effects I have never seen before like that in a film. I walked out mesmerized and put them on a mythological level that it has never quite seem to be able to live up to since that day.

Anything from Pan and Scan viewings to transfers in which certain details don't look right especially in dark sequences. To this day I keep searching for that magic hoping it will return.

That Magic might have finally just came back depending on what you the viewer are searching for in this new 4K release. It's a controversial release for sure and goes against almost everything I am looking for in a restoration, but maybe not all films are the same and maybe some films should be restored one way while others are restored a different way. Just look at the opening scenes I have screenshot some pictures of.

The clear as day thing you will notice is there is very little to no grain in this release. I can hear the purists now saying what the, how could you, you idiots to Studio/Canal's decision to do a grain reduction for this release. Keep in mind this print is what they used for the 3D release in theater. I get I hear those comments, but at the same time taken back by something else I see going on especially with the flames.

Not only did they do a grain reduction, Studio Canal also gave the film a color bump and may have removed certain things like lines around robots that would have shown the films age. Now I have to put ear plugs in to block the cinephiles and purists out and play King Gizzard just so I don't  have to hear them. I am a Cinephile too, but can be persuaded at times maybe a different direction is right. So let us look at a few more screenshots I took up until the first big chase sequence is over with.

What you will notice is this is a film with a lot of night sequences, but special effects sequences that involve CGI effects. The detail is miles ahead of any other release during the dark sequences and those that involve special effects. The purists might say you were never supposed to see that or Linda Hamilton's beard. I shake my head and say I feel you to those people, but have a slightly different view on this film than others.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day almost 30 years later is the first modern Blockbuster summer film that changed the game of how films are made today. It's the film that said CGI is here whether you like it or not and thus should in my mind be treated like it was just released today. If you are going to go for that look then just go all out and to hell with the naysayers. It's not like the film is Unforgiven from the same time period or Driving Miss Daisy.

This was an action film Cameron held off on for years because the effects were not right and he was still limited then. That is what the scrubbing of grain, color bump, and minor tweaks did to this film gave us a film honestly that looks better now than the day it was released. Honestly looks better visually than most modern blockbusters including the Justice League because like it or not this is the film that set the bar as what a modern day blockbuster should be. 

I'm blown away by this release, because I think Cinephiles and Purists like myself should take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Sometimes changes are needed to make the film more enjoyable for modern audiences if it involves minor tweaks without changing the story. That is what this release does for me the film finally looks as good and truthfully better than the first time I saw the film in theater.

I'm  giving this release a controversial 10/10 because every scene just looks better, I feel for the purists in this one instance. Yet I feel the studio is right. My childhood has been restored.

Up next an in depth look at Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now to honor the legend who passed away.

Until then it is time to grab my Terminator 2 toys and play with them. The 80s and 90s were just cool toys were made for kids based off of R Rated movies.

Actress Spotlight: Ewa Aulin

Actress Spotlight: Ewa Aulin

Throughout the history of film, there is the "It" actress  that embodies sexual goddess for that time period. Who that actress is varies from person to person. Sometimes their goddess status does not last long. Some actresses like Sophia Loren are still remembered and have developed a sortof mythical like status. While others for some reason have become forgotten over time for whatever reason.

Today's spotlight is going to go to an actress who seems to be forgotten, but due to specialty home media companies like Arrow that releases older films with a high quality restoration actresses/actors can be rediscovered. Ewa Aulin fits perfectly into that forgotten category, but desperately is in the need to be rediscovered by Cinephiles.

Ewa Aulin, pictured  to the right of Miss Teen International 1967, is a Sweedish born actress who took the world by surprise in 1966. Aulin won the 1966 Miss Teen International, the inaugural show, in front of an international audience across the world on television at the age of 16.

Back then with a lot less channels to choose from, that contest made her an international sensation overnight. Unlike Miss America, she was free to take on projects that would exploit her beauty for money. Trust me the movie industry was knocking on her door before Ewa could even get back home.

Ewa made her film debut at the age of 16 in the Italian Comedy Don Juan in Sicily. That would lead to a career in which she was the main actress next to a list of leading men that would make the average person's mouth drop.

You think me an expert in film history would have heard of Ewa Aulin before now. Nope not the case, even though she starred opposite of Donald Sutherland, Marlon Brando, James Coburn, Gene Wilder, Klaus Kinski, Walter Matthau, and Ringo Starr to name a few. Why haven't I heard of this actress before now?

That is because her films never really caught on in the United States even though she was big in Europe. That is no fault of Ewa, Ewa was taking on roles in the birth of no Hayes Codes and the beginning of the rating system for theaters in the 60s. That meant the ability to take on crazy roles in productions that directors wanted to push the boundaries because of the new found freedom. 

So some of her films can be quite strange and the average person might not understand them. In a sense making it hard to broadcast on tv. So being born in 1979 Ewa was a few years before my time.

My actual discovery of her came when I was watching the TV at the Film Bar AZ, waiting for the theater to open up for the next screening. Andrea Canales the programmer for the Film Bar, has put together a list of clips from films, retrospectives, and music videos from all across the world. Quite honestly it can be an expensive TV for me, because I keep discovering films I want to see that is the fun of being a Cinephile discovering new material.

On that day I saw a music video for the band Cults. In that music video, I saw a film being played in which a man and women were being chased across London including the London Underground with scenes in color and black white. Any film that includes a chase sequence in London grabs my attention that I want to see more of. I left that day not knowing what I saw, but prayed I would see that clip again sometime there while waiting. A 3 month wait, but the clip came up again grabbed the remote and paused it.

Got the name of the video, did the research, and bought a copy of the film. The rest is history Ewa Aulin had become apart of my life in a film called Deadly Sweet. 

Deadly Sweet is weird combination of Giallo, Italian Gangster, and Cinema Fumetti pop art put together by Tinto Brass. At heart a very simple concept a man walks into a room to find his contact dead and a smoking hot lady next to him. The man instead of calling the police is going to protect this women all across the city while he investigates the killers himself to take then down. That doesn't sound weird, but it does when you throw in art from Guido Crepex and 3 way split screens with different action going on at the same time. In a way the first film of

its type that will be popularized by Barbarella.

One thing is for sure Ewa plays a lady who can come across deceptively dumb, but is really smart and cunning. Ewa wants you to think she is the dumb blonde. This is a characteristic she will bring to films for the rest of her career. It is what I love about her.

From there she went on to start in her most known role Candy in the self titled film Candy. A sexual comedy that sends an innocent young high school student on a sexual journey of discovery across the world where everyone wants a piece of Candy. Will she survive or be swallowed whole?

Quite a fun film that I'll do a larger in depth look to later.

Ewa remained in the Spotlight for 6 years, but didn't like the leading roles she was getting and called it quits from the industry at the age of 24. She settled down got married, had a few kids, and a became a teacher. Who knows maybe she was Van Halen's inspiration for Hot for Teacher. She came out of retirement for one role in 1996, but has since disappeared from the Spotlight again.

Luckily for us Ewa Aulin has had two of her films recieve a long awaited release this year.

Death Laid an Egg and Death Smiles on a Murderer.

Death Laid an Egg's release marked the first time the Director's fully restored cut was released onto any video format. About 14 extra minutes of footage. With an English/Italian score to choose from the English audio will switch to Italian with English Subs for those 14 additional minutes that were restored makes it very easy to tell the scenes you have never seen before.

Death is probably the strangest Giallo I have seen that is hard to describe, but has alot in common with April Fool's Day. Anna and Marco run an automated state of the art facility for a poultry farm that recently fired a bunch of its employees. On hand is a scientist who is determined to develop a mutant chicken. Marco is under pressure from his organization to make sure the experiments succeed and a successful ad campaign happens. Marco to release stress has an insane fetish that he does in private.

Anna on the other hand his her self a live in companion (Ewa) that seems to be there for a threesome and her diabolical plans. That seem to keep changing by the minute. Either way it seems like she wants to do experiments of her own as well. Yet Ewa has her own plans.

All this comes to a climactic full circle that will leave many people scratching their heads with the fast unexpected ending.

Honestly that is what I love about Ewa Aulin she is just in fun, unique, and in groundbreaking films. As I write this spotlight on Ewa Aulin, I am excited because tonight I'll be watching her in Joe D'amato's film Death Smiles on a Murderer starring Klaus Kinski. It's the only film Joe D'Amato was proud enough to be billed under his real name Aristide Massaccesi. I hope you catch her in a few of these releases myself.

For more info on Ewa Aulin I suggest checking out the Daughters of Darkness podcast and Kat Ellinger's Diabolique Magazine.