Society (1989) Saucy Debauchery Cult Of The Social Elite

What with Halloween nearly upon us it only feels right to jump into a horror and one with a big pumpkin sized barrel filled with pitch black humour instead of sweet candy. Not sure how I had missed the delights of Society, it had truly passed me by. Luckily I had my younger brother Dan to disturb and warp my mind. And what with the riot that was to come forth, I don’t know whether I should be thankful or not? hehe of course I was, it’s a total blast but I assure you, it’s not for the faint-hearted. It’s saucy, sexy and rather naughty and, without doubt totally utterly bat-shit insane.

Bill Whitney – “I feel like something’s gonna happen. And, if I scratch the surface, they’ll be something terrible underneath.”

Well from the grotesque alienesque creepy freaky orgy looking opening titles page you know straight away that something strange and deranged is going on? Still let me tell you however twisted and bizarre your crazy mind might envision the final finale I am pretty 100% sure there’s literally no freaking way you could ever imagine what happens! So if you read this and think, hey this is a spoiler Wolfie? I can happily promise you it is not!

First we need to create our character, which we will need to combine the attributes inherent in many young male actors from the 80’s. Stick Rob Lowe, Michael J Fox, a squish of Sean Astin along with the vocal cords of Emilio Estevez into a blender. Then pump the liquid DNA through to a fountain fondue. Once at room temperature add scoops of clone gloop to a body cast of Charlie Sheen, shake, leave to harden for about an hour, then electrify. Whilst carefully peeling away the curd the new formed actor with emerge. Now you have Society star Bill Whitney (Billy Warlock) ready for his adventure.

Bill just wants to be a jock, have fun with his best buddy Milo (Evan Richards) whilst dating the superficial Shauna (Heidi Kozak). He’s rich, well liked and drives a brand new jeep. Though poor Bill couldn’t be far enough away from being happy. Billy is plagued with nightmares, visions and omens. Talking, whispers and ghostly noises terrorise this young man. At his wits end he seeks help from psychiatrist Dr Cleveland (Ben Slack). With the Eton Boat Song playing eerily in the background, this film becomes filled with mystery and paranoia.

Tagline – In Beverly Hills, what you fear is only the beginning

Now the freakiest part of Bill’s life is his actual family. He is part of the rich elite, living in a California mansion with wealthy parents and sister Jenny (Patrice Jennings). Really he should have nothing to worry about but unfortunately his family are a bunch of weirdos. They have a incestuous nature to them, revel in strange behaviour, conducting themselves in extremely flirty and inappropriate ways. What with this and his visions, poor Bill is understandably freaked the fuck out!

Dr. Cleveland – “How do you feel about your family now?”
Bill Whitney – “Uhm.. nothing. I mean. We’re just one big happy family.. except for a little incest and psychosis.”

With more and more strange and wacky stuff happening all around him a few more people start to come into his life. His sister’s ex boyfriend David (Tim Bartell) and the insanely bonkers beautiful and mystical Clarissa Carlyn (Devin DeVasquez). Along with Milo can they work out what is going on in this LA suburbia? Are they all in on something strange and otherworldly or is Bill just going stark raving mad? Well you will have to tune in to see what happens but take heed to my words at the beginning of this post. If you cool with that, then rub your hands on your knees and jump on board. Enjoy the ride.

A few Wolfie observations.

• Society is the debut directed movie by Brian Yuzna. I didn’t know until now that Brian Yuzna produced the comedy horror cult movie Re-Animator (1985) along with another bunch of 80’s early 90’s stuff I’d rented out on VHS. From Beyond (1986), Warlock (1989) and the pretty rubbish The Guyver (1991)
• The special effects are by Japanese special effect artist Screaming Mad George (Joji Tani). Known for liking surreal and gory effects. He’d worked on some big films before he got to Society. Big Trouble In Little China, Predator and Nightmare On Elm Street 3 Dream Warriors and number 4 The Dream Master. Also co-directing The Guyver with Steve Wang.

• Billy Warlock went on to be in Baywatch with David Hasselhoff. Billy’s dad Dick is pretty darn famous on the horror scene for playing the infamous Michael Myers in Halloween II. Dick Warlock is also known for being a stunt man on countless films from Spaceballs, Innerspace, Midnight Run, Alien Nation
• I fell in love with Devin DeVasquez watching this! I wonder why. A quick google revealed she still looks lovely and had been Playmate Of The Month in June 1985. Yep some more googling. Also dating Prince and then Sylvester Stallone.

Oh my gosh!

Have you seen this bizarre film before? Let me know if you wish.

Right I’m off to cleanse myself and watch the wombles on youtube. Goodnight

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The Desperate Hours (1955) Home Invasion With Humphrey Bogart

Looking back through my recent film posts it reveals that the 50’s has been making a mark on this here cine-wolf. Each movie find that I watch has brought its own new unique style. Like with many films from the 40’s and 50’s they just get the pacing spot on. A dash of surprising action, a shocking bit of violence and the right amount of dialogue. Expertly giving a good balance to realistic situations and character development. Whilst still always pushing and probing the boundaries, daring to see what they can get past the censors. And with doing so, they manage to draw you right into their created worlds. Yesterdays viewing schedule presented me with Humphrey Bogart’s penultimate film, The Desperate Hours.

Nothing could prepare you for the absolute nightmare of a house invasion, especially when your whole family is involved. You might think you’d be brave and gunho but if there’s a gun pointed at your wife’s head you’re gonna freeze. Pure terror will overcome any fight or flight response as you look at your daughter and son’s pertifried faces. The sight of three strangers in your house and the realisation that you are powerless to stop any horror that could easily manifest in a blink of an eye. Three escaped convicts, three thugs, three men capable of spontaneous and ferocious violence. What could/can you do?

That is the horror situation that Dan Hilliard (Fredric March) his loving wife Ellie (Martha Scott) and two children Cindy (Mary Murphy) and Ralphie (Richard Eyer) all find themself in. The trio of fugitives had smashed their way out of prison, killing a guard, taking his revolver were now on the run. In a stolen car, they roll through a suburban street, stopping at the perfect house for their needs. Unfortunately for the Hilliard family, this was their home.

Taglines – A reign of violence sweeps the screen

Glenn Griffin (Humphrey Bogart) leads the gang, along with his young brother Hal (Dewey Martin) and a big dimwitted oaf with a real vicious streak, Sam Kobish (Robert Middleton). Glenn plans to have his girl bring a stash of money to the house, giving them enough cash to escape. The plan was to be out of this house and on their way by midnight but not all good plans work out perfectly. The longer they stay, the more terrorised the family is. Threatened at gunpoint, intimidated at every hour with the likelihood of impending death. Menace is around every corner. The fear of rape and violence at every turn and anxiety of being split up and taken hostage when the criminals make a dash for it.

All this intimidation is too much for Dad Dan as this mild mannered man comes to his wits end. He is slowly pushed through the convicts actions into something stronger than he could imagine. Still with all the pressure and demands on him, will he be able to let the police know? What if the police rush in guns a blazing? It could cause a blood bath which his family would be the center of! What can Dan Hilliard do? Luckily he has a head strong family but in every action comes a consequence, especially around armed unhinged convicts. How much stress and tension can this family take?

It’s a gripping drama piled high with despair and angst. The Desperate Hours is in fact based on a true event though I imagine it has been jazzed up a touch. The story was first made into a novel and then a play by Joseph Hayes before being adapted once again for the big screen. Directing duties are handled by one of the legends of cinema, William Wyler.

However much I’ve enjoyed digging around in the 50’s I do need to venture off into some other eras for the movie blog. Tune in to see if I can escape from the 50’s movies land on my next post? One thing’s for sure I certainly will be back soon as I have a whole heap of 50’s goodies to work my way through. Thanks for dropping on in, have you seen The Desperate Hours? Let me know if you want to. All the best, Mikey.

PS Check out these two brilliant poster artworks.

Last Holiday (1950) Alec Guinness Has Two Weeks To Live In Torquay

The versatile Alec Guinness is back on my viewing schedule. The wonderful iconic man can play anything. From simple with a big dash of genius (The Man In The White Suit) to a wise galaxy hopping master (Star Wars) to the most Scottish man in the whole of Britain (Tunes of Glory).  There’s so many other comic and dramatic performances to name. To be honest I’ve seen a fair few but am making sure I work my way through the main body of his excellent work. Last night I got to Last Holiday and it was a pure delight.

Last Holiday is a dark tale wrapped up in a bittersweet, finding oneself, comedy drama. Alec Guinness plays George Bird an agricultural salesman who takes himself off to the doctors for a check up. Unfortunately George is about to receive terrible news. The, to the point, doctor holds up an x-ray of our George and proceeds to inform him he’s inflicted with a condition called Lampington’s disease. A disease that will without doubt kill poor George within a few weeks! Shaken and bewildered, he reflects about his life. He’d buried himself into work, making no time to meet a wife, made no friends or had the chance to start a family. He was now middle aged and in a few weeks he would be checking out of this world with nothing to have shown for his time and no one to even talk too.

George Bird is just an ordinary man, he’d saved a small amount of money and he remembers back to the doctor’s last words to him “take what savings you have and enjoy yourself in the little time left to you!“. Cashing his money he sets off to a high class residential hotel frequented by the rich elite. If he was going out, he might as well go out in style.

With a new wardrobe of expensive clothes and a well traveled suitcase, George Bird arrival causes great mystery amongst the guests. A hotel filled with toffs, obnoxious politicians, chancers, wideboys and sleeping aristocrats. Mixed in with the posh clientele there’s the blue collar hotel staff and a policeman to be found. Classic British actors are in abundance. You will find Sidney James, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Kay Walsh and Bernard Lee. George is a very honest and straight talking man with an instant modest manner and this intrigues the guests of the hotel to high means. Will they be able to work out our George, will he reveal his secret? Is he a spy? a famous playboy? It’s great to watch Alec Guinness doing his craft as he wanders about the hotel trying to hide his sad news and changing people’s outlooks with his honest nature.

A Few Observations

• I’d never heard of Lampington’s disease and wondered what on earth it could be. To relief I find out it is in fact one of many fictional diseases, disorders, infections, and pathogens that have popped up in film fiction through the years. Check the wiki link of Fictional Diseases is you have a morbid fascination.
• I see there was a remake in 2006 of Last Holiday starring, of all people, Queen Latifah as Georgia Byrd. I’m very interested to see her approach, I can imagine she brings a lot of warmth to the character. I assume it doesn’t follow the whole story? It co-stars LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton and Giancarlo “Gus” Esposito.
• Directed by Henry Cass from a screenplay from English playwright and social commentator J.B. Priestley. Many will know JB for his famous play An Inspector Calls.
• Keep your eyes open as there’s lots of little key nods to the story throughout. Plus JB’s fitted in a social commentary of class, wealth and maybe snobbiness.
• The up-market residential hotel that was used in the film was located in Torquay Devon and called The Rosetor. I read it was pulled down and replaced with The English Riviera Centre which unfortunately looks like a carpark from the outside.

Have you seen Sir Alec Guinness in Last Holiday? What did you think? or if you get to see it soon like me, maybe pop on back and let me know.  Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy it and thanks as always for dropping on by my little film blog. Keep searching for the goodies, Mikey Wolf.

PS – Remember this isn’t Hollywood.

Wolfman And His Trusty Sidekick Mighty Moses

After a long good life, my movie watching buddy and sidekick Mighty Moses has risen up to Valhalla. With years of helping me fight the tyranny of this world and the onslaught of evil monsters, his final day did come. Ever ready for battle, this brave boy once took on a whole alien invasion fleet after I lay paralysed from a pesky laser blast. Taking out the boss alien as the rest of the ET SOB’s couldn’t get off Earth fast enough.

Mighty Moses attacking the bug eyed alien boss.

Night People (1954) Gregory Peck And Cold War Kidnapping In Berlin

I’m a sucker for a good Cold War story. What with the recent Salisbury nerve agent attack not too far from home and all the spy drama hitting the shores again, it’s like it never went away. Well we know it never really did, don’t we? There will always be brinkmanship and contests to see who can swing their todger the fastest in the helicopter move! But you’ll be pleased to know that Gregory Peck didn’t have to resort to that special skill! Night People is set in Berlin just after the Second World War and the start of the bubbling Cold War shenanigans between UK, Russia and the United States and a host of other nations.

What’s Been Watched This Month – September 2018

I do like a list, hope you do too! Here’s what has been watched in September 2018.

Kiss Me Deadly (1955) Panting Barefoot Panic Starts The Hammer

And there I was sitting in a world where Stacy Keach was the only Mike Hammer from the hands of crime novelist Mickey Spillane. Stacy’s Mike smashed his way though our 80’s television screens like a, well, Hammer. Stacy Keach was perfect for the part as the tough, gruff and brutally efficient, hard-boiled private investigator. I just didn’t know there was a whole gang of different Mike Hammer’s bringing justice throughout the ages. Kolchak The Night Stalker very own Darren McGavin played him in a 50’s series and in a universe defying paradox, creator Mickey Spillane actually plays his own “baby” in the 1963 film The Girl Hunters. (I need to see this)

If You Saw The Light Beam? It Was Me! Watchmen (2009) & 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968)

An un-wolfed Me, Nyah and Kofi

What a weekend of film with my two children, the proud Dad smile could of easily been seen from Jupiter. First up, Friday, Kofi said he wanted to see Watchmen and the smile started to form in the corners of my mouth. Forget the popcorn, I grab a pile of pork chops to see us through. Father and son time with dark twisted supers and a mountain of meat.

Shield for Murder (1954) A Cops Descent Into Oblivion

How come the criminals, all the gangsters, fences, wiseguys all seem to be making bucks? Seeing all the crooks you put away getting released early and still making big money.  Racketeers that manage to slip through your fingers living the life of luxury from the proceeds of organized crime. It starts to get to Lieutenant Barney Nolan (Edmond O’Brien). 16 years on the force laying down the law on the streets, for what? a paltry pension and no savings!. He deserves more. He’s put his life on the line every single day seeking justice for these damn criminals, how is it fair? He dreams of a big house in the suburbs, all the mod cons, the whole shebang, with his beautiful, happy smiling girl, Patty Winters (Marla English) by his side. It would be a wonderful life, he’d have to use his badge to get it though but how far would he go?

Tagline – A wild trigger finger… a lust for big money… and a weak spot for fast blondes hurled him from the straight-and-narrow to a crooked one-way road!

Blast of Silence (1961) The Hired Hate Of Harlem Hitman

Just as our anti-hero hitman emerges from the subway tunnel womb to the sound of that great gravelly voice of Hart To Harts Max (Lionel Stander) I knew this was going to hit that bell at the top of my Wolfie meter with a sledgehammer blow. Blast Of Silence smashed me square in the chest with two slugs of a blasting revolver.

Narrator – “Remembering out of the black silence, you were born in pain.”