Ground Hog Day 2010

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow so we are in for six more weeks of winter.

Happy 70th Birthday Maria Luz Galicia

Born María Luz Galicia Gonzalo on February 2, 1940 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain. She was the daughter of painter Francisco Valladolid Galicia and his wife Luisa Estevez Gonzalo Falo, Her family had moved to France during the Spanish Civil War but returned after it was over. Her grandfather Leonides Galicia Ayala was also a famous Spanish painter who was the brother of Valerian Galicia Ayala Dona who was the mother of the famous Spanish poet León Felipe. María is the younger sister of production and set designer José Luis Galicia [1930- ]. María gravitated to the performing arts and became a flamenco and Spanish dancer. She appeared at an early age in such films as “Cabaret” (1953) and “Buenos noticias” (1954) as a dancer credited as María Luz and María Gale. She married producer, screenwriter Eduardo Manzanos Brochero which also advanced her film career. She was also a pioneer in Spanish television and appeared in the first Spanish televised TV show on October 28, 1956 on RTVE in Madrid. During her film career she appeared in over a dozen Spanish films and co-productions sometimes using the alias Mary Anderson. María appeared in three Euro-westerns “Zorro the Avenger” (1962) and “The Shadow of Zorro” (1962) both starring Frank :Latimore and “The Sign of the Coyote” (1963) starring Fernando Casanova. After a small uncredited role in “Cleopatra” (1963) she retired from the cinema and fell back on the family tradition of painting. Today we celebate María Luz Galicia's 70th birthday.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: On the Set

Here's a You Tube link sent to me by my friend and author Howard Hughes made by the same guys who gave us "Once Upon a Time in the West: On the Set" showing location scenes then and now. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjDBUL_zhqs

Charly May

Karl May in Spanien – German title
Charly May – German title

A 1965 German production [Axel Jahn Film Fernsehproduktion (Munich)]
Producer: Axel Jahn
Director: Thomas Schamoni
Teleplay: Thomas Schamoni, Ulrich Schamoni
Photography: Christian Blackwood [color, black & white]
Music: various
Running time: 12 minutes

Cast:
Lex Barker

Aspects of films made from the novels of Karl May and his attitudes towards the 19th century.

Remembering Cesare Fantoni

Cesare Fantoni was an Italian character actor who was born on February 1, 1902 and would appear in over 70 films during his career from 1939's “Lospite di una notte” to his final film in 1962's Giulio Cesare, il conquistatore delle Gallie”. He was married to actress Afra Arrigoni and the father of actor Sergio Fantoni [1930- ]. He appeared in one of the earliest Italian westerns “Girl of the Golden West” in 1942. Fantoni died on January 15, 1963. Today we remember Cesare Fantoni on what would have been his 105th birthday.

RIP Giulio Petroni

Director, screenwriter Giulio Petroni died in Rome on January 31, 2010. His death at the age of 92 was reported to the Italian press by his daughter. Petroni was born on September 21, 1917 in Rome and he started making political documentary films in 1951 and continued writing and directing until 1978 with the film “La profezia” (aka “Obscene Desire”). During this time he wrote and or directed five Euro-westerns. “Death Rides a Horse” (1967) with Lee Van Cleef and John Phillip Law, “Tepepa” (aka “Blood and Guns”) (1968) with Tomas Milian and Orson Welles, “A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof” (1968) with Giuliano Gemma and Mario Adorf, “Night of the Serpent” (1968) with Luke Askew, “They Call Me Providence” (1972) with Tomas Milian and Gregg Palmer. Another of the most well known directors of the genre has left us. RIP

Brussels Film Festival

The third Edition of the Offscreen Film Festival will take place from March 4th - 21st 2010 at four different locations in Brussels.

Press release :

After two successful editions, the Offscreen Film Festival, an annual rendez-vous for enthusiasts of extraordinary cinema, is preparing its third festival edition. For three extended weekends, Cinema Nova, Cinematek, Bozar and the RITS will be buzzing with activity with screenings of cult films and rare cinematic pearls of international off-beat features, special documentaries and independent filmmakers packed with talent.

This year's festival will feature:

The Spaghetti Western

A genre that was pushed to the forefront by Sergio Leone and others and was all the rage in the '60s. A total of fifteen Westerns in vintage 35mm, including the titles Django and The Big Silence by Sergio Corbucci, The Big Gundown (La Resa dei Conti) by Sergio Sollima and Django Kill! by Giulio Questi. Some of these films will be introduced by the notorious British connoisseur, Alex Cox. A perfect occasion for the Cinematek to present several films by this independent director: Repo Man, Straight to Hell and Walker.

Japanese 70’s exploitation

The festival program will also explore Japanese exploitation cinema of the '70s with films like Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion by Shunya Ito, Female Yakuza Tale by Teruo Ishii and Girl Boss Guerilla by Norifumi Suzuki. Fans of bare-breasted armed gangs, virgins drunk with vengeance, sword-obsessed female gangsters and cruel schoolchildren, this is for you.

Icon of Z movies, clay animation and electro music

And there's more ! None other than the Spanish master of sleaze Jess Franco will join us, accompanied by his favourite actress Lina Romay. During the first festival weekend, they will present some of their cult classics at Bozar and Cinema Nova such as Vampyros Lesbos, Succubus, Shining Sex and Midnight Party. We are also pleased to announce that Bruce Bickford will be present at the festival - a reclusive genius and creator of freaky animated films, known in particular for the clay animation he created for Frank Zappa in the '70s and '80s. And finally, a special evening will be curated by extravagant electro musician Felix Kubin.