Tag: drama

Cries of Pleasure (1983)

Published on by Geoff ArbuckleLeave a comment

This month, B-Movie Enema is going to dive into some Lina Romay movies. Ms. Romay was kind of interesting in her own right. Maybe made more interesting by the man she served as muse to – Jess Franco. Now, I’ve covered one of their movies before – Two Female Spies with Flowered Panties. We’re doing it again with this week’s look at 1983’s Cries of Pleasure. I delved into a little bit of their relationship with Two Female Spies, but I think it might be a good idea to review that as we jump into this month that features a bunch of stuff from them.

Franco had been inspired by (and infatuated with) Soledad Miranda in the late 60s. The pair made a few movies and he saw her as the only possible star for his films. She tragically died in an automobile accident in 1970. A destroyed and heartbroken Franco would soon find his new leading lady in the teenaged Lina Romay. She was married at the time, as was Franco, but as they continued to work on numerous projects and spent much time together, they soon were inseparable. By the end of the 70s, Franco and Romay were living together, and would until the end of her life in 2012. Franco passed away about 14 months later.

The duo made dozens of movies together during his heyday of the 70s, through his downturn in the 80s, and even some of his adult films in the 90s.

Continue reading “Cries of Pleasure (1983)” →

Jem and the Holograms (2015)

Published on by Geoff ArbuckleLeave a comment

I’m a child of the 80s.  I bathed in the glory of the awesome toys and amazing cartoons of the decade.  While a lot of the sheen of those shows faded as I grew up, it’s okay.  That’s because I’m a grown up and can understand that those things are special for what they were then and it’s hard to recapture that love and the exact feelings I had when I first discovered the cartoons.

That said, I still love the toys and still smile at everything surrounding those glory days of cartoon and capitalist infusion.

Now, while I didn’t exactly watch or love the show Jem and the Holograms, I knew A LOT of people who did.  Regardless of watching or not, and certainly not having the dolls that were released, I still liked the gimmick and idea of the whole concept.  I talked about it a couple weeks ago when I reviewed Teen Witch, but wish fulfillment is really, really, really important to young people.  Jem certainly encapsulated that too, but it wasn’t entirely made specifically for girls.  Maybe not the toys, but the show had a fairly decent mass appeal. Continue reading “Jem and the Holograms (2015)” →

Penitentiary (1979)

Published on by Geoff ArbuckleLeave a comment

We’re getting back to some good old blaxploitation with this week’s B-Movie Enema.  Penitentiary was written, produced, and directed by Jamaa Fanaka.

Fanaka was part of the L.A. Rebellion from the late 60s and into the late 80s.  This was a movement of black filmmakers whose whole intent was to make films that offered an alternative to what most deemed “classical” Hollywood films.  This was mostly influenced by Latin American and Italian cinema, but also from an emerging African cinema.

You see, the 1960s was a particularly turbulent time.  After a series of events like the Civil Rights Act, Affirmative Action, and the Watts Riots, society shifted and evolved very quickly.  Affirmative Action allowed for many more black students to attend colleges – and particularly at UCLA which got urged to create an ethnographic studies program to allow black filmmakers to tell more of their story and stories that would expose their struggles. Continue reading “Penitentiary (1979)” →

Nashville Girl (1976)

Published on by Geoff ArbuckleLeave a comment

I think it’s safe to say that just about everyone has had a dream of being the hottest new country music sensation, right?

No?  It’s just me?  Come on, guys, I cannot be the only person who ever thought about running away to Nashville, Tennessee, wearing a short skirt, pretend that I’m only about 18 years old, and use my looks to make it big in the world of country music.  Really?

You may say that you’ve never thought about it, but I can smell a lie like a fart in a car, dear Enemaniacs.  But, hey…  Maybe that bug just hasn’t bitten you yet.  I guarantee that after watching this week’s B-Movie Enema feature, Nashville Girl, you will have a new life dream.

Country music is a fascinating beast.  It’s a genre of music that I just cannot abide.  I’m a rock and roll guy through and through.  Yet…  I really like southern rock.  My favorite singer/songwriter is Tom Petty and, despite being heavily influenced by The Birds, he’s undoubtedly a southern rocker.  However, there is an element of country music that I really do have some appreciation for. Continue reading “Nashville Girl (1976)” →

Showgirls (1995)

Published on by Geoff Arbuckle1 Comment

I mean…  Sure.

Why not cover 1995’s NC-17 rated, all pomp and circumstance but failed at the box office with a whimper Showgirls?  This is directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas who had previously teamed up for one of the all time greats in the world of erotic thrillers with 1992’s Basic Instinct and again right away with 1993’s Sliver.  Verhoeven was always a big fan of the big musicals from studio MGM and wanted to make one himself.  Eszterhas was in one of the worst moments of his life.

This is what you can accomplish with a little hope to make a big musical while your writer buddy is in the deepest dumps of his life.  The film obviously is not what most would expect from this duo.  Eszterhas has often stated that there were clearly mistakes made.  Plus, that whole thing with him being in a dark place meant he wasn’t being as clever or witty as he normally could be.  He admitted both he and Verhoeven were probably operating on a great deal of hubris after Basic Instinct was such a success.  Continue reading “Showgirls (1995)” →