I am talking about Svengoolie's almost two weeks old screening of the 1963 film, "X-The Man With The X-Ray Eyes." Notice the other part of the title is not on the screen credits. That is because, I believe, Roger Corman had ambitions for this film, starting with his copying Hitchcock's "Vertigo" throughout. Is it as good? Of course not. Ray Milland must have needed cash badly to do this. The film tries to explore everything from Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" theme, to being able to see God, let alone some erotica, indicated by the above here, which was about as far as they could go in 1963.
Lush color, improbable happenings--a guy falling out a window--and an ending that is straight out of Sinclair Lewis and "Elmer Gantry." It is probably worth sticking around for that.
There is not much to say about this film, except sensitive viewers who fear eye drops, and those machines the doctors use, had best steer clear of this one.
As for Sventoonie, he pulled a really obscure film out to be deconstructed, with 1984's "The Brother From Another Planet," whose alternate title, voiced on the show was "If Spike Lee Had Made 'E.T.' " Really, I am not kidding.
To think this was written by John Sayles, who also directed it. This must have been early in his career, because, fortunately, he went on to better things. I am not sure if this film went anywhere, as I cannot recollect it, And, in today's time, I am not sure if this film should be shown. The NYC shown here is more horrifying than the recent season of "AHS." Everything is so "bro" and "boys in da hood" that I wonder if it would be regarded as racist today. There is little plot and action, except for the title character, played by Joe Morton, wandering about the city. If this had been a Black "Carnival Of Souls," it might have worked.
Still our friend Sventoonie gets "A" for effort in pulling out an obscurity sure to stump all of us film mavens.
Not the best Saturday evening we have had, but not the worst!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 comments:
Anything from The Eighties lol
What was it about that decade for books, movies, music, and Clothes?!!!
Victoria,
The Eighties was my first decade of
real adulthood. It was an almost magical
time, were it not for AIDS.
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