Welcome Back To “Downton Abbey”!

This is Highclere Castle, the “real” home of Downton Abbey!

This is the castle where “Downton Abbey” is filmed, and guess what? So much of the TV show is based on real events!

First, here is a series of teaser trailers for season 6 of “Downton Abbey”, which premieres in England soon!

Let’s begin with the latest trailer:

And if you need to see ALL of the new season’s promos, here they are all compiled in one fun “Downton Abbey” string!

I love this show – the rich characters, historical perspective, and of course, the drama! So where did Creator Julian Fellowes come up with this stuff?

How about – FROM THE SOURCE!

Lady Almina The The Real Downton Abbey – Welcome To Highclere Castle!

Yes, there is an incredible true life story as recounted in the book “Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey”!

It tells the extraordinary story of life before, during and after the First World War – all through the eyes of Lady Almina from Highclere Castle.

Alina married the 5th Earl when she was 19, and the book shares fascinating stories on life, both upstairs and downstairs, at the Castle during Edwardian times – a “real life” Downton Abbey!

Alina lives the life of a Countess, in a household just like what you see on “Downton Abbey” – full of pomp, circumstance and tragedy as well. She attended the funeral of Queen Victoria, the coronation of Edward VII and all the other grand and royal events.

Alina’s life is captured well in the show, as her life changed in August 1914 when the First World War broke out. Almina rolled up her sleeves, turned Highclere Castle into a hospital and began to admit patients coming back from the trenches.

This real-life tale was captured well in “Abbey” as well…this is a great book for fans of that era in history…

All this great history makes me hungry! And guess what? There’s a “Downton Abbey” Cookbook!

I love this book, full of great recipes inspired by the show…including one of England’s all-time best names for a dessert:

“Spotted Dick!”

The most famous recipe from “Downton Abbey” Season 5 is Spotted Dick, which is a classic english custard dessert. “Spotted” refers to the currants or raisins in the pudding. “Dick” refers to pudding, or a reference to the German word dick, meaning thick or viscous.

Thanks to Chef Naresh Vyas for this recipe!

Serves 6 – 8

2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
4 tsp. (20 ml) baking powder
Pinch salt
¼ tsp. (1 ml) each clove powder, allspice and mace powder
4½ oz. (125g) shredded suet* (make sure it is cold)
1½ cups (180 g currants) (include a little chopped candied orange or lemon peel if you prefer)
1⁄3 cup (80 g) caster sugar
Fine zest of 1 lemon
Fine zest of 1 small orange
2 ⁄3 cup (150 ml) whole milk, plus 2–3 tbsp. (30–45 ml)
Custard or non fat greek yoghurt to serve

Put the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the suet, currants, sugar, lemon and orange zest and spices. Mix well.
Add the milk (except the 2–3 tbsp.) and mix to a firm but moist dough, adding the extra milk if necessary.

Shape into a fat roll about 8 inches (20 cm) long. Place on a large rectangle of baking parchment. Wrap loosely to allow for the pudding to rise and tie the ends with string like a Christmas cracker. Alternatively, you can wrap the log in muslin as it will let in the steam. Tie it loosely so it can expand as it cooks.
Stove method: Place a steamer over a large pan of boiling water, add the pudding to the steamer, cover and steam for 1½ hours. Top up the pan with water from time to time.

Oven method: Use a large fish poacher or similar large pan with a lid, placing the pudding on a rack in the pan with enough space for water underneath. Pour in boiling water just short of the rack, cover with the lid and put in oven for about 1 hour. Check until pudding is done, making sure the pan is never dry.
Remove from the steamer and allow to cool slightly before unwrapping and slicing.
Serve with Light Custard Sauce, Sweet Sauce or non fat greek yoghurt.
You can also flambé the pudding with brandy like you would with a plum pudding.

And if you are too lazy to bake it, just buy it out of a can like I do!

See more terrific “Downton” recipes by clicking here:

http://downtonabbeycooks.com/tag/downton-abbey-recipes/

Now, if you love “Downton Abbey”, then you will also love the movie that is in some ways a prequel:

“Gosford Park” was directed by Robert Altman, and was written by “Downton Abbey” Creator Julian Fellowes, who also wrote another great novel about British society, “Snobs” as well.

Read the entire story about “Gosford Park” AND “Snobs” here!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/20/downton-abbey-prequel-cookbook-gosford-park-julian-fellowes-snobs/

And let me know what you think about “Downton Abbey”!

I’m a fan of shows like “Mysteries & Scandals”, and this is one of film’s greatest mysteries…

“A young bride, left alone to the lewd passions of an evil dwarf!”

You would look concerned too if you starred in a movie with that tagline! But did you know it led to the complete disappearance of the star of the film?

Warning! NOT For The Faint Of Heart!

You don’t know the half of it! Imagine you landed the starring role – opposite THIS GUY!

Sometimes there are movies that are so wrong – I mean WRONG – in every way that they are destined for cult status….with that in mind, time to explore the mysterious disappearance of the sex kitten star of this film:

Yes, there is a film called “The Sinful Dwarf”, and it is everything the title suggests! Not only that, it starred a beautiful young Actress who would never be hear from again!

Meet Anne Sparrow!

Actress Anne Sparrow stars in “The Sinful Dwarf”, but it’s her only film performance EVER, and she has disappeared into the black hole of movie trivia! Why? Well, let’s begin with this – a trailer that only hints at the decadence on display:

Here’s the plot of “The Sinful Dwarf”:

Anne Sparrow stars as the young wife of a Doctor who needs to rent a room for a few nights in a strange city. Diminutive former kiddie-show host Torben Bille – who looks disturbingly like Jack Black in a trash compactor – stars as well, as a young man who takes a special interest in the female guests at his mother’s boarding house…

Poor Anne Sparrow!

For Actress Anne Sparrow, it must have been a dream come true: landing a starring role in your first feature film! But who is kidding who – just look at this description from the cover art:

“The delicious Anne Sparrow – in her first and understandably only screen role – co-stars in this towering achievement in graphic depravity, now fully restored from a 35mm print discovered hidden in a janitor’s closet at the Danish Film Institute!”

I guess being part of a film described as a “towering achievement in graphic depravity” can make you second-guess your career choice!

Anne Sparrow certainly had a good reason NEVER TO ACT AGAIN – in classic euro-sleaze style, the movie plot has her abducted early in on the film and abused by our Sinful Dwarf for the rest of the film’s running time – while her husband naively keeps looking for a job…

Oh, did I mention that the “Sinful Dwarf” has a CRAZY Mom – and yes, she SINGS in the film exactly the way she looks! Happy Mother’s Day indeed! You will never clean your ears the same way again…

And yes, that’s right – this movie was not only found in a janitor’s closet in Denmark – but they chose not to throw it out!

In the film, Actress Sparrow is abducted by the “Sinful Dwarf” and finds herself chained to a wall – with her “acting” comprising mostly of yelling and screaming while barely dressed…

The “Missing” Sex Kitten!

As you all know, the internet holds the answers to our entire history….it can tell you anything and everything – except what happened to Sparrow!

I have scoured the internet and haven’t found anything about Anne Sparrow – except that “The Sinful Dwarf” was her first and only movie – perhaps it was due to the fact that the Producers took the film, added some “XXX” material in it, and released an even dirtier version!

The movie makes Anne Sparrow’s performance look even more graphic than it was, but whatever the reason, Anne Sparrow’s singular movie achievement remains this – one of the craziest examples of “Euro-Sleaze” ever released!

If you aren’t familiar with “Euro-Sleaze”, here is a story I posted about this outrageously offensive and entertaining genre of film from the 70’s!

http://johnrieber.com/2015/01/11/sex-violence-sexy-nun-raquel-welch-enter-the-twisted-world-of-70s-euro-sleaze/

Anne Sparrow isn’t he only Actress to make a single film appearance – although in this case, an Actress achieved film immortality for a single scene!

Yes, Gilda Texter will forever be remembered as the “naked motorcycle rider” in the 70’s cult classic “Vanishing Point” – read her entire story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/08/24/legendary-naked-motorcycle-starlet-hollywood-sex-symbol-gilda-texter-fascinating-nude-70s-movie-icon/

And there are time when Actresses become iconic just for the movies they are in, as it was for this “Bond girl”:

Read the entertaining story of sex kitten Barbara Bouchet by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/04/29/classic-sex-kitten-james-bonds-sexy-co-star-barbara-bouchet/

And leave a note if you know what happened to Anne Sparrow!

The Beatles Are Back!

All music fans can rejoice with this announcement: some of The Beatles greatest music videos are coming to Blu-ray!

Here is how the great British music magazine “Uncut” describes this incredible new release:

“The Beatles 1+ compiles 50 promotional films and videos. These ‘mini movies’ were recorded by the band after the stopped touring and gave fans around the world the chance to see The Beatles at work and play.”

Here is the promotional video:

Paul McCartney told “Uncut” that some of the promotional material was recorded purely by chance.

“We’ve got all visuals associated with the hits on the album, 1,” he tells us. “All the music videos, and where there isn’t a music video – they’ve made some up! Which is brilliant. They’ve found footage.”

“‘Hey, Bulldog’ is to die for, as my wife would say,” McCartney continues. “It’s great, because there happened to be a camera crew there filming The Beatles at EMI while we were doing ‘Lady Madonna’. They were going to film a little bit of that, but they stayed and we got onto ‘Hey, Bulldog’. It’s great, and it all fits with the record because they filmed the take we used.”

“Uncut” reports that this is essentially a restored and expanded update of The Beatles’ 1 compilation from 2000.

he 200-minute The Beatles 1+ includes the band’s 27 No 1 singles, with the restored videos, along with a second disc of 23 videos, including alternate versions, as well as rarely seen and newly restored films and videos; all include new audio mixes in deluxe CD/2DVD and CD/2Blu-ray packages. The original 27-track audio CD is also being made available with new stereo mixes.

They will be released on November 6!

McCartney and Ringo Starr have provided exclusive audio commentary and filmed introductions for all of the music videos as well!

Here is what you get with the expanded deluxe edition!

The Beatles 1+ (CD/2DVD; CD/2Blu-ray]
DISC 1 AUDIO (CD) + DISC 1 VIDEO (DVD or Blu-ray)
(same as above)
DISC 2 VIDEO (DVD or Blu-ray)
1. Twist & Shout
2. Baby It’s You
3. Words Of Love
4. Please Please Me
5. I Feel Fine
6. Day Tripper *
7. Day Tripper *
8. We Can Work It Out *
9. Paperback Writer *
10. Rain *
11. Rain *
12. Strawberry Fields Forever
13. Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows
14. A Day In The Life
15. Hello, Goodbye *
16. Hello, Goodbye *
17. Hey Bulldog
18. Hey Jude *
19. Revolution
20. Get Back *
21. Don’t Let Me Down
22. Free As A Bird
23. Real Love
DISC 2 VIDEO EXTRA
Paul McCartney audio commentary
Strawberry Fields Forever

Read more about this at Uncut, which you can see at:

http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/exclusive-paul-mccartney-on-the-beatles-brilliant-new-1-collection-70765#DEfgMFbyk8PSf1BQ.99

And of course, we will wait for the hopeful release of The Beatles greatest work ever:

That’s right, hopefully some day The Beatles’ legendary “Let It Be” documentary will be released. Read all about the behind-the-scenes conflicts between the band by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/06/let-it-be-the-beatles-lost-documentary-londons-live-beatles-rooftop-concert/

And I love all the music the band recorded, even the albums tracks…

Read about two of my favorites from the last days of The Beatles by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/01/26/the-beatles-forgotten-gems-john-lennons-monkey-mccartneys-primal-feeling/

And if you miss The Beatles, you need to listen to all of their 1970’s albums…

Yes, one book took all of the band’s solo music and re-imagined them as Beatles albums! Read about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/03/exclusive-the-lost-beatles-album-the-fab-fours-solo-songs-remixed/

Let me know what you think of the new Beatles release!

Looking For The Ultimate Escape?

For one determined young woman, that escape involved a year on a deserted island! I have written about Author Lucy Irvine’s amazing books, and her incredible life.

That life is dramatic, sad, and ultimately inspiring!

Runaway!

I will share her story of living on a tropical island for a year in a moment, but first, following the success of her first book “Castaway”, she published “Runaway” – the very intense story of her upbringing in England, where she frequently ran away from home. The book describes how, while hitchiking in Greece, she was raped at knife-point and subsequently suffered a mental breakdown.

As this cover says, “Runaway” is the story of Irvine’s life that lead her to become a “Castaway.”

She writes honestly about her life, including the traumatic moments that led her to breakdown completely. But her candor, as well as her indefatigable spirit, make the book an inspiration, and these life events led the young woman to answer this ad:

“WRITER seeks ‘wife’ for year on tropical island.”

This ad resulted in one of the best travel memoirs ever written…

In 1980, Irvine responded to the ad, placed by writer Gerald Kingsland – and they became self-imposed “castaways” for a year on the isolated and uninhabited island of Tuin, located in the Torres Strait between New Guinea and Australia.

In 1983, Irvine published her account of the experience. The book was a huge hit, and later was the basis for the 1986 film.

The movie starred Oliver Reed and Amanda Donohoe. According to Irvine, the film, directed by Nicolas Roeg, is more about the relationship between an older man and a young woman than it is about her experiences on the island.

The book is a fascinating, candid memoir – to read more about it, here is my story on Irvine’s experience on the island:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/04/castaway-amazing-dangerous-real-life-island-escapes/

The success of “Castaway” led Irvine to write her memoir of growing up, “Runaway.” After several years, events led her to write another book as well…

Based on reading her work, Irvine was approached by Diana and Tom Hepworth to write their biography. In 1947, the two British expatriates had set sail from England in search of a faraway paradise where they could raise a family.

They settled on Pigeon Island in the Solomons, running a trading business. Irvine accepted their invitation and in 1998 she travelled to the Solomon Islands and began the process of writing the Hepworth’s story. She took her two young children with her, and the story she wrote about the experience is fascinating.

You can read about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/05/faraway-lucy-irvines-castaway-sequel-more-amazing-island-escapes/

Since then, Irvine has lived in Bulgaria, taking on the goal of helping feral animals in that rural country…and writes about her efforts on her Facebook page…

Along with those posts, Irvine also recently published her first collection of short fiction:

Irvine has lived a fascinating life, and deserves all of the accolades she has received. You can read more about her new book by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/09/06/lucy-irvines-new-book-cherries-castaway-authors-new-work-real-life-catastrophe/

Check out this talented Writer’s work and life!

“Hands” Off This Cinematic Masterpiece!

If you LOVE bad movies as much as I do, then “Hands” down I have a winner for you!
It’s a legendary film shot in 1966 that is now available on blu-ray – called the single worst film ever made!

“Manos: The Hands Of Fate”

“Manos: The Hands of Fate” was made in 1966 – and here is the beginning of a trend: it was written, directed, produced by, and starring Harold P. Warren!

Yes, Warren was the visionary behind it all!

Here is a very short trailer that only hints at the horror that awaits!

Meet “Torgo!”

Here is the plot of “Manos”: a family gets lost on the road and stumbles upon a hidden, underground, devil-worshiping cult led by the fearsome Master and his servant Torgo – yes, TORGO!

What’s funny to me is that “Torgo” looks like a guy who stumbled out of a Gunsmoke saloon!

According to the great website IMDB: the entire film was shot with a hand-held camera that could only record 32 seconds of film at a time. It was also shot without sound; all the lines were dubbed later by two men and one woman. Jackey Neyman cried when she first heard her dubbed voice.

Even The Film’s Title Is Inept!

Here’s a wacky fact: “Manos” is the Spanish word for “hands”. So in the other words, the title of this movie is

“Hands: The Hands of Fate!”

If you need to know more, read the entire review at the terrific “DVD Drive-In” here:

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/i-m/manosse66.htm

When you read the “DVD Drive-In” review, they say this:

Reaching new highs (or is it lows?) in ineptitude, the independently-made regional schlocker MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE has by and large become many a filmgoer’s premium choice as the worst movie ever made (though my vote still goes to MONSTER A-GO GO).

Well, I must differ…first, look at this great double feature DVD from Something Weird video:

Yes, I proudly own “Monster A Go Go”, and yes, it is jawdroppingly inept…but NOTHING compared to the co-feature:

Psyched By The 4D Witch!

I have written about this film before. That is of course if you can really call it “a film.” But it was in movie theaters, and yes, based on the provocative movie poster, I snuck in to see it!

4D AWFUL!

I cannot recommend this film highly enough – because you will be stunned that I was suckered into seeing it!

“Psyched By The 4D Witch” is one of cinema’s greatest movie titles, but it’s not so much a “movie” as it is a series of poorly shot b-roll shots with an equally poorly written narration laid over it…and shots of this actress…

As you watch, you begin to notice things, like the fact there is NO synched sound at all, meaning it’s all b-roll and voiceover of her “thoughts and reactions”! And by the way, it is the worst voiceover narration ever recorded, with pointless scenes of her in a room looking like this….

By the way, there is NOTHING “adult” about this footage, which is followed by random footage of traffic and city streets – all strung together to fill time…in fact, it was described by Something Weird Video (who was smart enough to release it on DVD) as:

“the most maddening, jaw-dropping, mind-bending piece of celluloid lunacy ever to play American theaters!”

The film was Directed by Victor Luminera…it’s his only credit – EXCEPT he takes credit on “Psyched” for Director, Writer, Composer, Casting Director, Costume Designer AND Art Department!

You understand that is EXACTLY why I love the folks at Something Weird Video – because they saved this film!

To read all about Something Weird Video, and their passionate attempt to keep the world’s weirdest films alive, click here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/01/07/something-weird-wild-wild-cinema-celebrating-a-weird-genius-rip-mike-vraney/

And while I am focused on the three worst Directed films of all time, you can check out more cinema stinkers by clicking on here – and you will see more wacky cinema:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/05/03/from-the-beatles-to-flying-severed-heads-five-mesmerizingly-bad-films/

And now, I have THIS warning for you:

“WILDER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE! EXPLICIT BEYOND BELIEF!”

Hard to misunderstand what this film has to offer – except in the hands of one of the worst Directors of all time, it offered almost NOTHING they promised!

Fleshpot On 42nd St.

Welcome to Times Square’s seediest period ever!

“Erotic, Sensual and Smoldering!”

Director Andy Milligan was a master of bad moviemaking….like these gems:

For “Fleshpot On 42ndSt.”, Milligan turned his cameras on the legendarily seedy streets of New York in the early 70’s…

The plot was simple: A street whore desperately seeks love and acceptance against the backdrop of the criminal element of early 1970s Times Square. What sort of “Criminal element?” Well, check out this bar scene and you’ll get an idea…

The film featured classic Milligan dialogue like this:

Cherry Lane: Didn’t your mother ever tell you that you shouldn’t go out with strange men?
Dusty Cole: Bob’s not strange. He’s dull.

Based on the clip I showed you, he sure is!

Of course, the pressures of Times Square can make relationships tough, as Dusty has to confide to Tony…

Dusty Cole: When I moved in with you, you said they’re be no trouble between us. You said we’d shack up together and that’s all. And I said I’d help out with the money as soon as I get a job. Don’t think I don’t apreciate what you’ve done for me, Tony. I do… but you get more then your fair share of ass. There isn’t one night where you don’t come home from that shithole where you work and wake me up in the middle of the night because you want a piece of ass. I do my part so get off my back!

And of course, how can you go wrong with conversations like this one:

Dusty Cole: How’s your mother?
Cherry Lane: She threw me out. I guess she got tired of me using all her hairspray.

While “Fleshpot” is arguably his worst film, Milligan made many other classics, which you can read about here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/13/fleshpots-rats-cranium-cleaving-color-meet-andy-milligan-sexploitations-ed-wood/

And don’t forget to buy all of these classics, or I will send “Torgo” after you!

Countdown to Halloween Continues With A Great Joke: “Knock! Knock!”

“Who’s There?” Horror! It’s the month where you NEVER answer your door at night – and here is a great example of why not…as one reviewer puts it:

“What we do have is a home invasion film for the social media generation that should make you think twice before offering warmth and shelter to a stranger on a dark and stormy night.”

Sounds like a great Halloween movie to me!

“Knock Knock!”

“The Green Inferno” Director Eli Roth strikes again with a sex-fueled thriller starring Keanu Reeves!

The plot is simple: a devoted husband and father is left home alone for the weekend – and two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. Things quickly heat up, and all sorts of sexual shenanigans ensure!

Here is the trailer:

Dread Central awarded it a score of 4 out of 5, and were behind the line: “what we do have is a home invasion film for the social media generation (yes, it does feature social media in its plot) that should make you think twice before offering warmth and shelter to a stranger on a dark and stormy night.”

Dark and stormy night thrillers are exactly what you want this time of year!

“Knock Knock!” – Meet “Death Game”!

“Knock Knock” looks like a twisted, vicious little movie, but did you know that it’s based on a twisted, vicious little movie from the 1970’s?

Here’s a great fact: Eli Roth based his movie on a classic cult film called “Death Game”!

Colleen Camp and Sondra Locke are two of the producers of “Knock Knock”, and they starred in “Death Game” in 1977!

Sandra Locke of course starred in a number of Clint Eastwood film such as “Sudden Impact”, and I’d love to see the original “Death Game” as well!

As I said, Eli Roth is also the Director of the Amazon cannibal horror film “The Green Inferno”, which the Director shot on location!

You can read all about this homage to “Cannibal Holocaust” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/09/05/enter-the-green-inferno-eli-roths-homage-to-shocking-cannibal-holocaust/

I am a big Keanu Reeves fans, and enjoyed his fictional directing debut last year as well:

You can read about “Man Of Tai Chi” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/07/28/keanu-reeves-kung-fu-fight-club-man-of-tai-chi-47-ronin/

Let me know what you think of “Knock Knock!”

“A ballad of the ’60’s said, ‘I left my heart in San Francisco’. Now in the ’70’s it is possible to leave one’s soul there as well.”

How can you NOT love a film that includes that line? Remember, not all films are destined to be Best Picture! Some have a “different” agenda:

It’s Time To Celebrate Halloween Season – NAKED!

Yes, NAKED! And that means a look at some of the wildest horror films of the early 70’s!

Can You Handle “The Virgin Witch?” How About THIS?”

“A wild, weird world of bizarre practices and savage pleasure actually filmed as they exist today in the cities and suburbs of our civilization!”

No Halloween season is complete without a look at some of the cheesiest, most exploitative movies ever released!

There was a time when these films were shown in classic “grind houses”, where sexploitation movies were shown all day and night to a “less discerning” audience!

Movies like this:

“The Virgin Witch!”

First, check out this classic trailer:

Thanks to “Sleaze-O-Rama” on YouTube for posting this trailer, which only hints at the madness of this movie!

It all begins innocently enough: Christine and her sister Betty go to a castle for a weekend modeling assignment. But guess what? She’s been lured there as a virgin for induction into a witch’s coven!

Well, you can imagine how much nudity comes from this setup! It’s a classic horror setup: lured into a world of black magic…where do they get these ideas?

How about from here!

The Madness Of “Witchcraft ’70”!

Yes, “Witchcraft” is all around us, and there’s a movie that shows it all to you!
Here’s a lurid expose about witchcraft around the world – first, watch this over-the-top trailer!

“Witchcraft ’70” is a “hidden camera”-style report of satanic rites from around the world. The movie dares to expose the audience to devil worshipping, voodoo cults, the church of satan, black magic, naked exorcism and pagan rituals!

The film is filled with great narration like this:

“A ballad of the ’60’s said, ‘I left my heart in San Francisco’. Now in the ’70’s it is possible to leave one’s soul there as well.”

And it appears they left their clothes there too!

And just to spice things up, how about this narration from the film:

“The night air carries the stench of flames, sex and an acrid unnatural sweat.”

These films used a variety of footage from around the world to make their case that “Witchcraft” was everywhere – including your movie theater!

Leave me a comment if you’ve seen either of these classic exploitation films, and if you want to go full on “naked” horror for the holiday, try this!

Yes, there was a time when all vampires were naked – an era in filmmaking that lives on thanks to DVD and blu-ray! Read all about these naked vampires by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/03/naked-vampires-dirty-dracula-cult-erotic-halloween-horror/

These films are really good, by the way – and remember that some of Hollywood’s biggest stars tried to replicate their success:

Remember the erotic horror of “The Hunger?” Read my story about this 80’s vampire erotic horror film by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/11/the-hunger-sex-blood-bowie-new-music-lusting-for-vampires/

“The Hunger” took erotic horror to the mainstream, but in the 70’s, you could only find it here:

If you want to learn more about the wacky world of “grind house” cinema, read my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/06/12/dirty-keyholes-immoral-wives-the-naked-truth-about-cult-grindhouse-cinema/

Let me know if you’ve experienced “The Virgin Witch!”

“Hey Darth Vader! Hold Onto My Drink For Me!”

Can you imagine the reaction you’d get from him if you dared to utter those words? With the new “Star Wars” movie opening, however, perhaps we’ll find a more festive “Dark Lord”…

Time to celebrate all of the wacky love that Star Wars fans have for their favorite galaxy “far far away…” And the premiere of the LAST “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” movie trailer – and movie poster!

We begin with one of the pictures that male “Star Wars” fans just can’t ever get enough of…

The original “Princess Leia” certainly knew how to cool off – and heat up the fan base – just as my former G4 Host, Olivia Munn, know how to heat fan boys up as well…

Yes, time to share lots of fun “Star Wars” fan stuff – and trust me, you won’t have to fight Olivia Munn to see it all:

As we get ready for the new “Star Wars” film, I need to share the latest trailer:

And now the floodgates are open with “Star Wars”-infused stuff, like these incredibly fun “Star Wars” Cup Clingers!

Hang On There!

Leave it to the japanese to come up with some of the cutest “Star Wars” products, like these cup clingers…talk about having your beverages protected the right way:

These clever cup clingers cost about $4 each in Japan, and of course real fans will drink them ALL up!

Thanks as always to the wacky folks at “RocketNews24” for the products, see them all by clicking here:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/10/18/star-wars-cup-clingers-may-or-may-not-use-the-force-to-hang-on-the-rim-of-your-glass/

And of course, that’s just the tip of the “Star Wars” mania leading up to the latest film!

I Love This Stormtrooper Body Art!

RocketNews24 also shared this great piece of body art recently – but as well all know, EVERYONE loves to artistically express themselves when it comes to Star Wars – like these legendary Darth Vader helmets!

One great aspect of the “Star Wars” phenomenon is how George Lucas allowed fans to have fun with his characters, which resulted in Darth Vader helmets as unique as this one:

You can see more of “The Vader Project” here:

http://www.designscene.net/2010/05/vader-project.html

And my personal favorite is “Bacon Vader”:

See more examples at “Gamesradar”:

http://www.gamesradar.com/100-amazing-darth-vader-helmets/

And let’s not forget that Darth Vader has a soft side to him as well!

Yes, just more wacky “Star Wars” stuff from “RocketNews24” – check it out here:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/08/19/niconico-video-user-crafts-miniature-violin-playing-darth-vader-just-because-he-can/

And I can never get my fill of great “Star Wars” blooper material either:

Some of the greatest moments can be found here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/11/09/official-star-wars-vii-release-date-olivia-munn-as-princess-leia-bloopers-bacon-darth-vader-fans-galaxy-of-star-wars/

And finally, one of my favorite pieces of trivia about “Star Wars” involves this guy:

Yes, THIS was the original “Han Solo!” Find out how “Flash Gordon” inspired George Lucas to create “Star Wars” by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/04/05/how-flash-gordon-created-star-wars-sam-jones-the-original-han-solo/

As always, my “Star Wars” stuff will NEVER leave you hanging!

Smile! It’s Halloween!

It’s my favorite time of year – when the scariest films of all time return to my TV screen! Everyone has a favorite horror film – you know, one that really scares you…and modern cinema has given us SO many incredible images to shake us up…

You get the idea – there are old classics and new favorites – all created to scare the hell out of you this Halloween season – I wanted to share some of my favorite horror films…and also highlight some lesser known films that deserve to be seen!

More on these incredible Twin Horror Directors in a moment, but first, we begin with what is, without question, the greatest horror film ever made – one that forced viewers to flee the theater because it was too much to watch!

Time To Celebrate “The Exorcist!”

I think this is the scariest film ever made…and without a doubt the greatest horror film of all.

Here is the original trailer, that only hinted at the intensity of this film:

In the more than forty years since it was released, “The Exorcist” has remained one of the most shocking films ever released….because of moments like this:

And of course, there is a scene that will never be forgotten – a scene that continues to shock an audience:

“Cue The Soup!”

The moment that little Regan unloads gallons of green liquid onto her guests is a legendary horror scene…but equally entertaining is the banter that the demon has with Fathere Damien:

Demon: What an excellent day for an exorcism.
Father Damien Karras: You would like that?
Demon: Intensely.
Father Damien Karras: But wouldn’t that drive you out of Regan?
Demon: It would bring us together.
Father Damien Karras: You and Regan?
Demon: You and us.

Great “Exorcist” Trivia!

Here is some great trivia about the film:

The refrigerated bedroom set was cooled with four air conditioners and temperatures would plunge to around 30 to 40 below zero. It was so cold that perspiration would freeze on some of the cast and crew. On one occasion the air was saturated with moisture resulting in a thin layer of snow falling on the set before the crew arrived for filming.

Oh yeah, and then there is the “head turn” sequence! As you can see in this picture, little Regan is holding a crucifix for all the wrong reasons…another scene that was so shocking that audience members fled the theaters when it was playing – this type of horror reaction just doesn’t happen any more!

This film is so intense and scary that the original teaser trailer, which consisted of nothing but images of the white-faced demon quickly flashing in and out of darkness, was banned in many theaters, as it was deemed “too frightening”.

And then of course, there is the projectile vomiting scene!

The substance that possessed Linda Blair hurls at Father Damien Karras is thick pea soup. Specifically, it’s Andersen’s brand pea soup. The crew tried Campbell’s but didn’t like the “effect.”

Tons of great stories and commentaries on the special edition blu-ray….check it out and relive a classic!

Of course, “The Exorcist” wasn’t the first movie to feature of child acting up…in fact, some evil begins before the baby is even born!

“Rosemary’s Baby!”

Mia Farrow’s performance as a young pregnant wife who feels something isn’t right with her new baby is the glue that holds this shocking classic together…

Roman Polanski’s horror film lives up to the hype – get a bunch of great behind-the-scenes stories about the movie here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/26/rosemarys-baby-jessicas-scared-to-death-great-halloween-horror/

One of the greatest horror films of all time began as a Stephen King novel – his first novel in fact, and still the greatest film ever made from one of his books!

Classic “Carrie!”

One of the greatest honor films ever made is by the Master of Suspense, Director Brian DePalma!

The story of young Carrie White, ostracized in high school and tormented by her religious fanatic of a mother, is one of horror’s greatest achievements. Here is a bun of fun trivia about the movie, and a look at five of Brian DePalma’s greatest thriller!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/03/13/carrie-and-more-5-classic-brian-depalma-thrillers/

Of course, by the end of the 70’s, one film because the new standard for horror:

It was the night that “HE” came home! Director John Carpenter’s classic horror film made Jamie Lee Curtis the reigning “Scream Queen”…

“Terror Train!”

Another of Jamie’s great thrill rides was on “Terror Train”! If you want to celebrate the “slash-tacular” horror films of the 80’s – and read about some great “Halloween” trivia, then check some of the best right here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/02/15/slash-goes-the-horror-time-for-the-bloody-splat-acular-80s/

For many, the face of horror changed forever when THIS guy showed up:

Say Hello To “Leatherface!”

It is one of the most unsettling films ever made – “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” introduced audiences to “Leatherface” – based on real events that shocked the nation. He is, without a doubt, one of cinema’s greatest horror characters…read about him here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/10/01/shocks-scares-chainsaws-the-best-halloween-horror-2014/

There is a lot of great new horror being made – not the creepy “found” footage stuff of “Paranormal Activity” and the like, but classic horror stuff with a fresh new twist like this:

Meet The Soska Sisters!

There’s a fresh new voice in cinema today, thanks to the Soska Sisters, who are making creepy, bloody horror films like “American Mary” – and they love to acknowledge their influences, like this picture that pays homage to “The Shining”:

The Soskas are currently hosting the horror game show “Hellavator” on GSN! If you want to read about their films, check out my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/06/07/modern-horror-twin-directors-the-soska-sisters-american-mary-dead-hooker-in-a-trunk/

So there you go, have a great night of shocks and screams!

Wait Until You See This Amazing Movie Nightclub Mashup!

Yes, Darth Vader and Pilot Ted Striker go head to head in one of the most amazing movie mashups ever made!

Imagine taking the most iconic nightclub scenes from film and putting them all together into one big:

“Hell’s Club!”

Bravo to Antonio Maria da Silva!

Here is what I found at “Someecards.com”: “Antonio Maria da Silva is a film editor par excellence. Based in Paris, his movie mashups combine footage from classic films so smoothly, it can be hard to tell where the cuts are. In the past, he’s brought us treats like Terminator vs. Robocop and Bruce Lee vs. Bruce Lee, but Hell’s Club has to be his masterwork.”

Yes, da Silva took short nightclub scenes from movies as diverse as “Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith”, “Carlito’s Way”, “Boogie Nights”, “Saturday Night Fever” and “Airplane” and turned it into an amazing seamless journey into a place called “Hell’s Club!”

Yes, you can now head to a party with Tony Montana, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and John Travolta – with a lot of red light as well! Here is this amazingly creative mashup!

Bravo to da Silva for this masterwork, I hope it’s not pulled down off the internet! And you can read more about it at this site where I found it posted:

http://www.someecards.com/entertainment/movies/movie-mashup-scene-hells-club/

The mashup reminded me of how much I love some of the movies shown here, such as:

“Boogie Nights!”

One of the best films ever made, and plenty of nightclub action! Read the “oral” history of the movie by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/12/11/dirk-digglers-livin-thing-70s-sex-80s-excess-the-oral-history-of-boogie-nights/

And nightclubs also have bathrooms, so when I saw the “Transpotting” scenes in the mashup, I immediately thought of this:

Yes, the film had the worst toilet in Scotland! Here is my look at all of the best bathroom scenes in film:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/03/06/going-to-the-toilet-the-craziest-bathroom-scenes-in-the-movies/

And finally, after seeing Ted Striker, I remembered the funniest film ever made:

You can relive all of the best moments by reading this oral history of the movie..just click here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/04/28/shirley-you-cant-be-serious-the-oral-history-of-airplane/

And let me know if da Silva left out any other great nightclub movie moments!

In honor of the new James Bond film, I offer you this:

“We guarantee a laugh a minute in the zaniest film you’ve EVER seen!”

How can you argue with a “laugh a minute?” Especially when it’s from one of James Bond’s best Directors!

Time to look at a classic British sex comedy, shaken NOT stirred!

Here’s the plot: a scriptwriter, a producer and a director are called in by Benny Murdoch, an exotic movie producer. He wants to make a new erotic movie starring a big woman – “Eskimo Nell!”

As with all classic sex farces, there are plenty of problems. The scriptwriter is a virgin, and each of the three main big $$$ Investors want a different type of movie – one wants a western, another demands an erotic drama, and the last wants a kung-fu movie!

This is classic British sex farce, which means Monty Python-type comedy and lots of nudity!

You either appreciate this kind of manic farce or you don’t…but here’s one guy who did!

As you can see Producer Stanley Long was proud to show off his credit:

Take “Eskimo Nell” Home To Mom!

Eskimo Nell was recently released in a ‘special edition’ DVD and Blu-ray, with several extra features…but the biggest “extra” about this film is who directed it!

Campbell! Martin Campbell! 007’s Savior – TWICE!

Director Martin Campbell may not have made the greatest British sex comedy of all time, but he did a lot more – 007 times more! Yes, he directed TWO classic James Bond movies, introducing new Bonds each time!

In 1995, Campbell introduced a new James Bond – Pierce Brosnan – to movie audiences with the terrific “Goldeneye”…a fast-paced thriller that brought Bond back from the dead…and then in 2006, Campbell did it again, with one of the best Bond films of all:

Campbell’s “Casino Royale” introduced Daniel Craig as a brutal 007 – really saving the franchise again from the lethargic “Die Another Day”…if you disagree, check out all of my best and WORST Bond movies here…

http://johnrieber.com/2013/09/24/his-name-is-bond-james-bond-the-best-007-ever-the-worst-film-fight-club-begins-now/

Kudos to Martin Campbell for “Eskimo Nell” and “Miss Moneypenny” – all in one career!

The genre of British sex comedy has a long and varied history…with that, I introduce you to the “upstairs downstairs” shenanigans of:

“What The Butler Did….And Did…And Did!”

Time to see if the Butler did, in fact, DO IT….

Keep It Up Downstairs!

Check out the trailer:

This is another classic British sex farce! Well-known Actress Diana Dors and adult superstar Mary Millington star in a vintage British sex comedy!

This is an obvious parody of “Upstairs Downstairs”, the classic British drama about the lives of two very different social castes in England. As the movie promo says:

“See a host of stars shedding their Edwardian costumes to save the family silver!”

Well then, if you need more of an education about those randy Brits, I suggest you start here:

The British “Confessions Of…” films are a hilarious look at 70’s England – check them all out here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/09/30/confessions-of-the-sex-obsessed-british-70s-cult-sex-comedies-are-back/

Let me know what you think of this sexy British invasion!

What A Supergroup! George Harrison! Bob Dylan! Tom Petty! Roy Orbison! Jeff Lynne!

Time to remember the greatness of The Traveling Wilburys! This strangely forgotten footnote in music was actually a terrific celebration of music, a band consisting of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty!

Behold The Majesty Of The Wilburys!

Let’s get right to it: this group got together for a brief time in the early 90’s and released some really great music!

Here is the catchy “Handle With Care”, which could have come off of Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers” CD..and featuring the legendary Roy Orbison!

The Origin Of The Wilburys!

SO here is the story of how this incredible lineup of musicians got together!

In February 1988, George Harrison was promoting his solo album “Cloud Nine” – and was asked what was next…well, Jeff Lynne had just produced the record, so Harrison said cheekily:

“What I’d really like to do next is… to do an album with me and some of my mates… a few tunes, you know. Maybe The Traveling Wilburys… it’s this new group I got: it’s called the Traveling Wilburys, I’d like to do an album with them and later we can all do our own albums again.”

And what a group it was!

The “Secret” Story Of The Traveling Wilburys!

So who are these “Wilburys” anyway? Well, according to wikipedia, “Wilbury” was a slang term first used by Harrison during the recording of “Cloud Nine” with Jeff Lynne. Referring to recording errors created by some faulty equipment, Harrison jokingly remarked to Lynne, “We’ll bury ’em in the mix”.

“We’ll Bury ’em” Indeed!

From then on, they used the term for any mistakes during the recording, and the band was born!

As you saw from that first video, this was a group that just loved playing music tougher, so they originally got together to record a “b-side” for one of Harrison’s singles.

The resulting song, “Handle With Care”, was so good they decided to do an entire album!

Here is the terrific “End Of The Line” video, also from the first album:

Roy Orbison died shortly after the album was done, so that video pays tribute to him…and the remaining members recorded a followup album, called – with that same wicked sense of humor – “Vol. 3”!

The “Wilbury Twist” with John Candy!

While the death of Orbison was certainly sad, the group released another terrific collection of music, including the “Wilbury Twist” starring John Candy!

Once again, the pure joy these guys had making music was refreshing, and the songs were catchy and fun, including the funky rocker “She’s My Baby”:

The Wilburys only released two albums, but of course Jeff Lynne has kept making music, including releasing a new Electric Light Orchestra CD!

If you love ELO like I do, click below to see their new music video!

http://johnrieber.com/2015/02/25/elo-rocks-the-grammy-awards-brilliant-70s-orchestra-rock-jeff-lynnes-beatles-love/

And of course, George Harrison was part of the greatest musical group of all time:

Now you can relive some amazing Beatles music videos, a collection of promo films the band recorded in the 60’s:

Read all about them here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/09/18/the-beatles-exclusive-new-release-incredible-beatles-music-videos-the-beatles-1-is-here/

And let me know if you love these Wilburys as much as I do!

If you are interested in fascinating, but disturbing documentaries, here is an Artist you should know…

“Hard manual labor is visible, explainable, portrayable.
This is why I often think of it as the only real work.”

Documentary filmmaker Michael Glawogger was an Austrian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. He specialized in showing people on the edges of society…

The subjects of his movies were real people – the stories were harsh, poignant and unflinching. He made three documentaries, two of which I have seen and wanted to share with you – because he was a brilliant film maker…

“Workingman’s Death”

I read about this film and had to see it – in a world when TV shows talk about “dangerous jobs” or “dirty jobs”, this film takes that definition to a whole new level…

Glawogger films six different jobs that are beyond anything you can imagine – intimate portraits of real men doing the most dangerous jobs on earth – here is the trailer:

The film is broken into six chapters, each one highlighting another job – beginning with:

Coal mines in the Ukraine

Here is how the film’s website describes this job: A “mousetrap” is a mine no higher than 16 inches that the coal diggers have excavated themselves. Do you understand? The entire height of the mine that these men work inside is 16 inches!

The miners have to crawl for over 200 yards while lying almost completely flat, then pound the coal into pieces, and shovel these pieces into a metal trough – and all that while lying flat on their stomachs.

This is unbelievably harrowing – just over a foot of space to drag themselves more than the length of two football fields! Director Glawogger’s camera is there to capture all of it…

Sulfar Mining in Indonesia

How about this job? The “kitchen” is the place at the edge of the hot, blue-green lake at the bottom of the crater where sulfur is mined. The “kitchen” spits, hisses, billows up in clouds of hot caustic vapor.

Here molten sulfur flows through long clay pipes, touches the air, and hardens in a matter of minutes. Orange puddles turn into pale-yellow, jagged-edged chunks and slabs.

Equipped with long iron rods, the men stuff a cloth or the sleeve of their jackets into their mouths, and dash up the slope and into the biting fumes. There they break off big chunks of hardened sulfur to carry away for sale.

Slaughter Yard in Nigeria

Forget buying steaks in a supermarket. Here is how they do it in Nigeria: a real slaughterhouse, functioning like an open-air market, because it is…

This is “The Slab,” a large open-air clearing where the cattle is brought alive, then slaughtered, skinned, and cut into portions for sale. There is a charred elevated platform for roasting the beef heads, skin, feet, and whole goats.

One of the Director’s great techniques is to place a subject in front of the place they work, and then let the camera roll. The awkwardness is clear, real and touching…

Next up is one of the most beautifully filmed – and dangerous – jobs of all: workers in Pakistan who live in shacks and literally dismantle old cargo ships…

Shipbreaking in Pakistan

Shamorgar, a little Pakistani mountain village near the border to Afghanistan, is where the old cargo ships are run aground and then taken apart – an amazingly dangerous and toxic environment…

Steel Complex in China

Muscle power and the contribution of the individual are no longer prized as they were in former times. The model heroes of the past, like Mang Tai or Wang Xinxi, are still looked upon as exemplary workers, but whatever charisma they once had no longer seems relevant anymore.

This is a sad look at how men who used their strength in the past have no role in the future, leading to the last vignette:

Leisure Park in Germany

When night falls in Duisburg, the blast furnaces flare up. In neon green and fantastic colors. ARTificial light – In the truest sense. The British light artist Jonathan guides Duisburgians home with this spectacular installation. Visitors to this abandoned steel mill experience the glowing furnaces live and in color – and as the film’s website asks: “Now do you see the light”?

And that is the real point of the documentary.

Here is how the Director describe it:

“Work can be many things. Often it is barely visible; sometimes,
difficult to explain;and in many cases, impossible to portray.
Hard manual labor is visible, explainable, portrayable.
This is why I often think of it as the only real work.”

Michael Glawogger

Read more about this incredible documentary here:

http://www.workingmansdeath.at/about_en.html

Glawogger then turned his cameras on what is referred to as “the world’s oldest profession”:

Whores’ Glory:

First, look at the trailer:

Glawogger turned his camera on the lives, troubles and hopes of prostitutes in Thailand, Bangladesh and Mexico.

In Bangkok, the camera unflinchingly shows you the bars where women sit behind glass and wait for men to pick their “number”:

You hear from he women who work here, and get a honest sense of what their life is like. What is shocking is to see how prostitution is a way of life in Bangladesh as well:

Finally, the Director heads to Mexico, and a rough border town where the women are all strung out on drugs, and some of the “johns” ride in on mules to see them:

This movie becomes graphic near the end, when a customer is filmed procuring services from a prostitute in Mexico – who then heads back to her room with her female lover, who sprawls naked on a bed and smokes crack. It is sobering material.

The Director’s Tragic Death!

Tragically, Director Michael Glawogger died while on location for a film. 4 days after incorrectly being diagnosed with typhus, he died in 2014 on location in Liberia…

What he has left are two brilliant films….classic cimema verite – there is no narration in these films: you hear from the people profiled as they work – and talk about their work…it is storytelling as its most fundamental – and brilliant: check them out!

Looking For A Great Book?

It can be daunting to stare down stacks and stacks – er, I mean page after page of online choices…so here are five terrific books to give as holiday gifts!

“Eve’s Hollywood!”

In the swinging 60’s and 70’s of Hollywood’s music scene, Eve Babitz was described as “bubbly, busty, and brainy!” She was the child of bohemian parents, and was raised on high culture and schooled on rock and roll!

She called the Troubadour club and the Chateau Marmot on LA’s infamous Sunset Strip her home, and she was intimately involved with Jim Morrison – plus, she was a great artist, creating album covers for rock bands, like this one for Buffalo Springfield.

Checkmate!

Babitz achieved the most notoriety in the 60’s, however, for this scandalous photo!

“Naked Chess!”

In 1963, at the age of 20, she played chess with Marcel Duchamp — naked — at the Pasadena Art Museum, an occasion that was immortalized by the photographer Julian Wasser…

Eve’s memoir is a fascinating look at Hollywood in the 70’s…here is one of her beautifully written lines from the book:

“But when I hear that liar’s chocolate voice I am, each time, thrown into a confusion of the night he came in alone from the stars.”

As Amazon describes it, Eve’s memoir is “an album of vivid snapshots of Southern California’s haute bohemians, of outrageously beautiful high-school ingenues and enviably tattooed Chicanas, of rock stars sleeping it off at the Chateau Marmont.”

Eve’s candid memoir is a tale of sex and excess on Sunset Strip, at the height of the era of free love and rock ‘n’ roll…

Read more about this fascinating memoir by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/10/05/the-sex-life-of-a-70s-it-girl-wild-eve-babitz-memoir-of-hollywood-excess-the-beatles-best-girl/

Another series of candid memoirs are among my favorite non-fiction books of all time…

Life On A Deserted Island!

Imagine reading a want ad in the newspaper that said, simply:

A young woman from London answered the ad, which led to Lucy Irvine’s amazing year on a deserted island with a stranger – and the book “Castaway” is her incredible true story….followed up by another unbelievable adventure:

Lucy Irvine has published multiple books, all dealing with her amazing life adventures, as well as a series of short stories that are captivating as well – read all about them here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/09/25/from-runaway-to-castaway-the-faraway-dramatic-life-of-writer-lucy-irvine/

Irvine has lived a fascinating, dramatic life, and her books are all worth finding and reading…and speaking of a person who has lived a fascinating life:

AJ Benza’s “Fame: Ain’t It A Bitch” is a hilarious and candid look at his life as a gossip columnist in New York – but this fall, he released a new memoir about life growing up with his father:

“74 & Sunny” is a warm love letter to his family, and a funny and insightful look at a unique time in Benza’s life…read all about this terrific memoir here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/07/05/aj-benza-terrific-new-memoir-74-and-sunny-vintage-la-history-aint-it-a-bitch/

As many of you know, I love to travel, and love travel books as well…and here is one of the best of 2015:

“Dispatches From Pluto!”

Richard Grant is a terrific writer, and I’ve profiled all of his book in the past – but here is his account of life in the Mississippi Delta – everything from deadly snakes to the meaning of life, courtesy of Morgan Freeman:

Get Morgan’s take on life, and see all of Richard Grant’s excellent adventures by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/10/12/dispatches-from-pluto-terrific-new-american-travel-richard-grants-dangerous-adventures/

If you really want to satisfy a friend or family member, get them all of Grant’s book – they are all outstanding!

And if you have a taste for culinary adventures, then look no further than here:

My wife Alex and I were lucky enough to attend of the cooking classes that Patricia Wells conducts in her home in Provence:

Patricia Wells is not only a great cookbook Writer, she’s a terrific host as well…read all about her books by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/20/new-patricia-wells-cookbook-her-amazing-cooking-classes/

There you go: five ways to satisfy the book lover in your life!

McCartney’s “Secret” Masterpiece!

Based on these photos, Paul McCartney was in a playful mood when he returned to his solo career in 1980 – after many years recording with his band Wings – and from these recording sessions he created what has become one his most acclaimed albums – even though it was trashed by critics – AND SOME FANS – when released!

Time To Spin The Brilliant “McCartney II!”

Even though it was released a decade after the breakup of The Beatles, “McCartney II” is only the second solo album by Paul McCartney, and the first since the formation of Wings in 1971!

Remember that “RAM” is credited to Paul AND Linda McCartney, so even though it was his second solo album, it’s not considered that…which brings us to “McCartney II!”

The final Wings CD was a commercial and critical failure – even thought it has also emerged as a neglected gem as well:

You can read about the final Wings album, “Back To The Egg”, by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/09/30/paul-mccartneys-cracked-back-to-the-egg-the-all-star-rockestra-band-a-musical-farewell-to-wings/

After Wings broke up, Macca went back into the studio for a very experimental album, a significant departure for McCartney. Much of “McCartney II” utilizes synthesizers and studio experimentation.

It all began when McCartney went north to his farm in Scotland to begin some private recordings in July 1979. The first song he recorded was “Check My Machine” as a way to test the equipment, hence its title. By sessions’ end, he had recorded over 20 songs!

This classic Linda McCartney photo of Paul at works shows just how experimental Macca had become, showing once again how committed he was to music, and his willingness to try anything!

With no immediate use for the recordings, he put them aside – and only released one song – just in time for the holiday season 1979…

Paul released his first solo single since 1971 – the holiday hit “Wonderful Christmastime”, which was recorded during those “McCartney II” recording sessions.

Here is the fun music video Macca released at the time:

As for the rest of the songs, “McCartney II” was released the following May to very mixed reviews; many critics found the album, with its experimental, synth-based compositions and its handful of instrumentals, slight and unlike McCartney’s classic rock of the “Band On The Run” era…

But it was just what the fans wanted at the time, and the album hit number 1 in the UK and number 3 in the US.

The driver of the albums’s success was one of McCarney’s most unique singles ever!

“Coming Up!”

“Coming Up” – an uplifting dance number – appeared that April with a video (Paul playing all the bandmates, dubbed ‘The Plastic Macs’, except for the backing singers – played by Linda!

Here is a great “making of” video as well as the song!

The song was was a #2 hit in England – and it was released with the reverse side a live version recorded during Wings’ December 1979 show in Glasgow…

“Coming Up” was flipped over for the live Wings version in the US where it became another No. 1 for McCartney, and helped launch the album’s success around the world!

Here is Paul McCartney performing “Coming Up” in “The Concert for Kampuchea”, held in London in 1979.

The other song that achieved great notoriety from the album also highlighted McCartney’s experimental phase at the time:

“Temporary Secretary”

This computerized, synthesized beat was unique, putting McCartney at the forefront of the 80’s new wave sound! Here is Paul still performing the song today, live from London is 2015:

Thanks to “FAB GEAR FAVE RAVE” for posting this on youtube! These first two songs set the stage for a great collection of McCartney songs, from the bluesy “On the Way” to the absolutely gorgeous ballad “Waterfalls”:

Next up was the funky, 50’s sound of “Nobody Knows”, then more experimental songs like
“Front Parlour”, “Summer’s Day Song”, “Frozen Jap”, “Bogey Music”, “Darkroom”, and ending with the beautiful “One of These Days”:

Thanks to MetalGuruMessiah for that very inventive music video honoring the song, which I found on youtube!

As you can see from these photos, Paul was in quite the experimental mood, perhaps feeling freed from having to keep the band Wings going forward….instead, he let his inhibitions go, and released a masterpiece!

“The Record Is Muddled And Confused!”

Or did he?

The initial reviews were mixed, with many criticizing McCartney for the experimental nature of the album. Yet time has, once again, given fans a chance to embrace the unique sound and classic McCartney songwriting.

“McCartney II” Special Edition Extras!

As well as the original album that I have discussed above, Macca’s terrific archive special edition includes a ton of great extras!

Disc 2 – Bonus Audio 1

“Blue Sway” (with Richard Niles Orchestration) – 4:35
Previously unreleased
“Coming Up” (Live at the Apollo Theatre, Glasgow – 17 December 1979) – 4:08
“Check My Machine” (Regular Single B-side Edited Version) – 5:50
“Bogey Wobble” – 2:59 – Previously unreleased
“Secret Friend (Full Length Version)” – 10:31
“Mr H Atom” / “You Know I’ll Get You Baby” – 5:55 – Previously unreleased
“Wonderful Christmastime” (Regular A-side Version) – 3:47
“All You Horse Riders” / “Blue Sway” – 10:15 – Previously unreleased

Disc 3 – Bonus Audio 2

“Coming Up” [Full Length Version] – 5:34
“Front Parlour” [Full Length Version] – 5:15
“Frozen Jap” [Full Length Version] – 5:43
“Darkroom” [Full Length Version] – 3:45
“Check My Machine” [Full Length Version] – 8:58
“Wonderful Christmastime” [Full Length Version] – 4:15
“Summer’s Day Song” [Original without vocals] – 3:25
“Waterfalls” (DJ edit) – 3:20

Disc 4 – DVD

“Meet Paul McCartney”
“Coming Up” – Music video
“Waterfalls” – Music video
“Wonderful Christmastime” – Music video
“Coming Up” – Live at Concert for the People of Kampuchea – 29 December 1979
“Coming Up” – Taken from a rehearsal session at Lower Gate Farm, 1979
“Making the Coming Up Music Video”
“Blue Sway” – Music video

This special edition is one of my favorites, as it is full of great unreleased music and tons of videos!

It certainly made me appreciate the album all the more…and speaking of under-appreciated McCartney albums – I hope they do a special edition of this as well:

“RAM 2!”

Well, you can call it “Red Rose Speedway”, but it WAS actually “RAM 2!” Read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/08/21/paul-mccartneys-brilliant-ram-2-wings-soar-with-red-rose-speedway/

I love all of McCartney’s music, and have come to appreciate his more eclectic music as well, perhaps none more that this:

McCartney’s “Twin Freaks!”

Here is one of McCartney’s most obscure collaborations – read all about this amazing project by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/06/20/twin-freaks-the-fireman-paul-mccartneys-neglected-solo-music-masterpieces/

And let me know what you think of “McCartney II!”

One of the most difficult aspects of making a film is deciding what to call it – after all, lots of us go see a film based on the title!

Sure, “Jaws” pretty much nailed it…big shark, “JAWS”…I’m in…and when a movie has a distinctive, iconic title, there’s not much more you need to worry about…here are more examples of films where the titles pretty much told you all you need to know…

Yes, THAT film title explains exactly what you are about to see as well! And in that vein of “this film MUST be as bad as it sounds”, I offer you this movie title:

“I Could Never Have Sex With Any Man Who Has Such Little Respect For My Husband!”

First of all, what was the year 1973 thinking when it released this movie to the world?

That said, it’s not only a very accurate description of the film, but one of the strangest movie titles of all time!

In this sex farce, a couple of aspiring swingers rent a summer cottage in Martha’s Vineyard. There they sit around discussing the pros and cons of having affairs!

Of course they do!

This was an actual movie that was released in theaters…and here’s another wacky movie title that shares the same distinction!

“Psyched By The 4D Witch”!

Yes, it’s not only one of the strangest movie titles ever, but it was theatrically released as well! The early 70’s were obviously a gold mine for wacky!

I probably don’t have to tell you this, but “Psyched By The 4D Witch” is one of the worst films of all time…read all about it here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/10/06/manos-hands-of-fate-is-here-halloween-2015-celebrates-horrors-worst-directors-sex-fleshpots-4d-witches/

Oh, Dustin Hoffman, REALLY?

While “4D Witch” will only be remembered by the people who made it, some of these strange movie titles had really big stars in the films – here is a great example – take a deep breath and try to get this movie title out in one sitting:

“Who Is Harry Kellerman And Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?”

What the? Well, this obscure 1971 film starred Dustin Hoffman as a song writer who cannot love himself, or others. So he spends his days with various women flying his plane, and dropping in to the world around him. Um, OK….

Dustin went on to star in some more mainstream movies with more straightforward titles of course:

Well, maybe not…you see, I wanted to share some of the funniest and most unique movie titles of all time – the films themselves may be good, bad or ugly, or in some cases, cult classics like this one!

“Sorority Babes In The Slimeball Bowl-A-Rama!”

This 80’s cult horror film starred Scream Queen Linnea Quigley, and was originally called “The Imp!”

You see, a bunch of sorority sisters are trapped in a bowling alley, and are terrorized by the afore-mentioned “Imp!”

To see more of this wackiness, and to celebrate Linnea Quigley in all of her greatness, click on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/10/28/scream-queen-linnea-quigley-naked-graveyard-dancing-horror-demons-too/

Finally, there is this gem…if you think I am joking about this movie title, YOU ARE WRONG:

“The World’s First Monster Musical!”

Yes, this is real movie! Time to embrace:

“The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies!”

Watch this classic trailer for “the world’s first monster musical!”

That is, without a doubt, the most unique movie title I’ve ver heard…well, except for the others! So there you have it, five very strange movie titles…let me know which is your favorite!

Ringo Starr With His Musical Pal Todd Rundgren!

I love this photo: two great Artists having a blast together…and some great news just came out to make fans even happier!

Ringo and Todd are heading back out on the road!

Beatles fans rejoice whenever Paul McCartney embarks on another worldwide tour, and why not? His shows are 3 hours long, and every single song is a classic…he is one of the world’s great musical treasures….

But So Is Ringo!

Yes, Ringo also tours extensively, playing great Beatles songs, his own solo hits, and the best songs from his “All-Starr” band!

What’s fascinating is that Ringo Starr is out on the road more than McCartney! According to Billboard magazine, the 12th and longest-running incarnation of his All-Starr Band, together since 2012, is planning to hit the road again in the new year.

“Yes, we are going out again, I believe next summer,” Todd Rundgren tells Billboard. “We decided to do another American tour”.

The “All-Starr” Band Is Back!

Here is what Todd told Billboard about Ringo’s touring plans:

“As far as Ringo`s concerned, as long as everyone is able to show up he’s probably just going to keep doing this until either he can’t do it anymore or one or more of us can’t do it anymore!”

Here is what Ringo said as well to Billboard:

“I love this band. I love the guys and we all get on well and everyone is cool. I’m keeping it together.”

Making The Cut!

Billboard delves into the genesis of the band: Ringo touring with musicians who have their own hits, as well as playing all of his own…but Todd points out that’s not always an easy thing for the “All-Starr” band to do:

Ringo Star at the Santa Barbara Bowl with his band Richard Page, Steve Lukather, Starr, Todd Rundgren, Gregg Bissonette, and Gregg Rolie (July 11, 2014)

Todd points out that you can’t just be able to play your own music:

“Part of the problem with an All-Starr band is his minimal requirement is that you have three hit records. Well, it’s easy enough to find somebody who can play their three records, but they all have to be able to play everybody else’s hit records, and often you would get somebody who can just play their own records, and then when it comes to play everyone else’s stuff they just turn the volume on their guitar down and pretend to strum. That doesn’t happen with this lineup.”

So Ringo’s current lineup remains intact, and that means Todd Rundgren will be traveling the world with Ringo once again!

Here is a fan’s video from 2014, with Todd’s song “Love Is The Answer” performed by the All-Starr band:

And here is the band backing up Ringo as he performs one of his best solo songs, “Photograph”:

Ringo actually had some of the biggest hits of the post-Beatles era in the 70’s…lots of great solo music from John, Paul George and Ringo, but what if they had never broken up? Well, one book took ALL of the Fab Four’s solo songs and imagined them as Beatles albums:

I love this book! There’s no doubt that The Beatles would have released amazing albums if they hadn’t broken up – you can see what those albums would have been like by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/03/exclusive-the-lost-beatles-album-the-fab-fours-solo-songs-remixed/

And Ringo was much more than just a musician – he was an Actor too! Don’t believe me? Just as Raquel Welch!

“Lights! Camera! Ringo!”

Ringo starred with Raquel in the cult classic “The Magic Christian” – and yes, Macca wrote the movie’s theme song for Badfinger! Read more about this classic movie by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/02/ringo-starr-the-fab-fours-magic-christian-madness-raquel-welch-dominatrix-great-solo-music/

One last piece of fun Ringo trivia: did you know that the other Beatles sent him postcards while The Beatles were on the road in the mid-60’s?

I bought this great collection of postcards from “the boys” to Ringo when he was ill – and the box set was signed by Ringo – a really fun and intimate look at what was going on in Ringo’s head – and if you want to get really inside it, take a look at this terrific biography!

“Ringo: With a Little Help” – by Michael Seth Starr

Forget the similar last name, Michael Seth Starr has covered television as a reporter and columnist at The New York Post since 1995, with a number of great entertainment biographies. Now, he take on the world’s most recognizable drummer!

“Ringo: With a Little Help” looks at Ringo’s entire life, from his sickly childhood to what the book calls his “triumphs, addictions, and emotional battles following the breakup of the Beatles as he comes to terms with his legacy.”

Click on my story to see more on the postcards and this great book:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/06/16/ringo-starr-great-rock-biography-postcards-from-the-beatles/

As the book title says, Ringo is performing a number of Beatles songs on tour, such as the iconic “With A Little Help From My Friends”…but Paul McCartney is still going strong as well!

McCartney is touring the world and making new music – read about his latest album, one of his best, “NEW” – and see his great music video with Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep! – by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/30/paul-mccartneys-terrific-new-music-great-new-cd/

And of course, Ringo’s new bandmate Todd Rundgren is also releasing great new music as well!

Todd Goes “Global!”

Read all about Todd’s latest album, which I capture here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/05/05/todd-rundgren-goes-global-new-cd-todds-30-years-on-letterman-one-amazing-video/

And leave me a note if you’ve gone to one of Ringo’s shows!

Is This 007’s Sexist Bond Girl EVER?

007 has had some of the most beautiful Actresses in movie history featured as a “Bond girl”…including such modern-day Actresses as Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike -but in the beginning, it’s wasn’t that type of stunt casting. Here’s a look at one of the earliest Bond girls who moved from 007 to Giallo!

Meet Claudine Auger – born is France, she earned the title of “Miss France Monde” and was the first runner-up in the 1958 “Miss World” contest.

Claudine’s big break came in 1965 when she was cast in the fourth James Bond film. Auger is, to me, the most beautiful Bond girl of all – and she shares the poster with Sean Connery as Bond girl “Domino” in “Thunderball”:

Here is the classic trailer for one of the best Bond films ever:

Auger holds her against up against 007, and the film’s huge success made her a star – which she used to star in some of the best 1970’s sex shockers of all time!

A “Bond Girl” Triple Bill!

In 1971, she starred with two other Bond girls, Barbara Bach and Barbara Bouchet, in the classic Italian Giallo “Black Belly Of The Tarantula”!

Check out the intense trailer!

Here is the plot for this classic Italian thriller:

Inspector Tellini investigates serial crimes where victims are paralyzed while having their bellies ripped open with a sharp knife, much in the same way tarantulas are killed by the black wasp!

Claudine is terrific in the film, which is one of the best Italian “giallo” thrillers – more on this genre in a second, but first, time for some choice dialogue!

Paolo: “But, man isn’t an insect, my dear Simon. We have centuries of civilization behind us, you know.”
Simon: “No, I don’t know. I wasn’t there.”

Time For More Claudine!

Auger also starred in another great Italian “giallo” thriller, known as:

“Twitch Of The Death Nerve”!

First, check out this groovy, psychedelic trailer!

Or you can call it “Bay Of Blood” – it was known by both titles – and many others as well!

Here is the plot: Countess Federica, the elderly owner of a coveted piece of bayside property, is brutally slain by her husband–who is himself killed by a mysterious third person at the murder scene! Who is the killer? Director Mario Bava’s black comedy of human greed boasts 13 characters and 13 of the most shocking murders ever filmed!

This is considered by many cult film fans as Director Mario Bava’s most influential film and the Godfather of the “slasher” genre!

As I mentioned, this film was released in the US with a multitude of titles, including “The Last House on the Left Part II”, even though this film had nothing to do with Wes Craven’s cult shocker “The Last House on the Left”!

Here is more great trivia, thanks to IMDB: “Friday the 13th Part 2” takes two murders from this film, almost shot for shot!

Auger has had a long and successful career, but these movies are, without a doubt, some of her greatest work!

As I mentioned before, Auger co-starred with Barbara Bouchet, who was also a Bond girl!

Bouchet was in the spoof “Casino Royale”, along with a number of other great films – you can read all about her here:

http://johnrieber.com/2014/04/29/classic-sex-kitten-james-bonds-sexy-co-star-barbara-bouchet/

And I mentioned Italian “giallo” films, which were sex shockers from the 70’s – great cult classics like this:

Read about the classic “Lizard In A Woman’s Skin” and more italian sex shockers by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2015/10/15/a-lizard-in-a-womans-skin-halloweens-controversial-giallo-on-trial-slithering-italian-sex-shockers/

And if you want to see one of the greatest titles in the italian “giallo” genre, what about this?

This is a perfect example of the genre, a great 70’s thriller from Italy – read all about it by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/09/time-to-strip-nude-four-flies-and-baba-yaga-to-you-yes-its-classic-italian-giallo/

Let me know what you think of the great Actress Claudine Auger!