I haven't been well this last few weeks. Long Covid? RSV? URTI? Who knows.
Monday morning you might have expected me to be pleased I had nothing in my diary for this week, after days of appointments and functions last week. Didn't quite work out that way. The weather was pleasant enough, but as the afternoon went on I began sneezing regularly; by the time it started raining at dusk, I couldn't lean forward to pick anything up without my nose running like a tap. Swallowing cup after cup of hot black tea, I washed down some C-G-H tablets (Vitamin C, Garlic and Horse Radish).
I had the radio on and when the evening presenter took over, he kicked off the show with the Rolling Stones singing "I can't get no satisfaction" -- I muttered to myself, don't tell us about your troubles, we've got problems of our own!
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We always called her "Mrs Harris" -- my sister Julie and I often visited when Madeleine was in town, and she always told us to call her by her Christian name, but we usually slipped back after a few minutes. The big house always impressed us and once I mentioned I'd been to Government House and that it had reminded me of the Harris home; "Yes, I think they were designed by the same architect" she said in a matter-of-fact voice." Ah. Yes. (Oops) We always enjoyed our visits there, and she always made us welcome at Sunnyside whether for small gatherings or large parties. (Mr Harris was the only person I knew who had a portrait of himself on the wall of the pool room.) It was a long time before our two families discovered we were related through our mothers. I can't say it made a lot of difference - Julie and Madeleine had been at school together, so discovering they were cousins changed their relationship little.
But that was many years ago, in another century. Now I am left to speak for our side of the family and say "Good night, Mrs Harris".
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Winter was a difficult season and by July things felt as though they were winding down. But as often happens, there was a bit of a spike the following month. In one week we had the quarterly organ concert, the monthly meeting at the church hall, the fortnightly study group in Sandy Bay and our weekly visit to the op shops. By Monday morning I felt like I'd been put through a mangle.
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Once again thanks to You Tube and Internet Archive for last month's movies.
GAPPA THE TRIPHIBIAN MONSTER [1967]
Explorers bring back a newly-hatched monster from a South Sea island to be exhibited in Tokyo. If you've seen the British movie GORGO you'll be ahead of the plot -- yes, the monster's parents show up looking for him and chaos ensues. In spite of the less than original script, there's a certain naive charm about this one and you'll stay watching to the heart-warming finale.
SPARROW SONG [2021 short - 13 minutes]
A couple travel across a ruined world hoping to find food and water. Lyrical filming with a feel that makes up for its downbeat theme. I found it poignant that the only piece of humanity's art and culture that survives is the man's piano accordion. Available on Omletto's you tube channel.
THE FANTASTIC FOUR (1994)
No, not the one with Jessica Alba. Back in '94 the conpany that owned the movie rights was contractually obliged to make a film, so they hired Roger Corman's studio to do it. The result is actually rather fun, though film buffs might be aghast at the 1990s special effects and Marvel fans will probably tut-tut at some tinkering with the plot. But overall, it's good comic-book style entertainment.
SOMETHING EVIL [1972]
I've often mused on the fact that people in horror movies never seem to have watched any horror movies. Darren McGavin and Sandy Dennis (New Yorkers who buy a haunted house in the country) certainly had never seen ROSEMARY'S BABY or they wouldn't have taken advice about the supernatural from Ralph Bellamy.
The second TV movie directed by Steven Spielberg, who complained later that the budget was cut by CBS, who did not give him creative control of the filming. How times have changed!
THE HORROR AT 37,000 FEET [1973]
Back when they used to make scores of made-for-TV movies, someone obviously thought "Hey, let's make a haunted house story but set it on a Jumbo Jet!" Hence this film. A lot of familiar faces are trapped aboard an airliner when somebody decides to send a haunted altar to America by air freight. Fans of American TV will enjoy seeing Roy Thinnes (as an architect) and William Shatner (almost reprising his role from a certain Rod Serling show); the rest of us, not so much.
THE MAN FROM PLANET X [1963]
Cheaply-made science fiction film about an alien visitor landing on a fog-shrouded Scottish island. First half moves along nicely but runs out of steam as it goes on. According to producer Jack Pollexfen, director Edgar G. Ulmer did rewrites, designed the spaceship and the glass paintings to expedite production and cut down on expenses. I like the Ulmer films from the fifties that I've seen but this is a sixties movie that feels like something from the fifties.
LADY FRANKENSTEIN [1971]
If you came in after the credits, you could be forgiven for thinking this was one of Hammer Films' later productions, except instead of Peter Cushing we have Joseph Cotten. In this atmospheric Italian production, the lovely Rosalba Neri (billed here as Sara Bey) vows to carry on her father's work after he dies. The creature he created in his final experiment terrorizes the district and she decides to create one of her own making. (Please note, if you watch this, don't assume there's a fault in the print; the final scene simply fades to black, with no end credits.)
THE DAY REAGAN WAS SHOT [2001]
No great shakes as a historical piece, but this shot-in-Canada TV movie makes an exiting story out of John Hinckley's shooting of Ronald Reagan in 1981
(I clearly remember watching the actual event on the TV news). Emphasis is equally divided between the doctors fighting to save the President and the chaos and bickering among the White House insiders. Richard Crenna is Reagan and (of all people) Richard Dreyfuss plays General Haig.
MAYDAY [2005]
Explosive decompression at 64,000 feet is no joke. But that's what happens in this edge-of-the-seat TV movie. A trio of survivors have to do what they can to get the plane down safely. A few familiar faces but no big names; however Gail O'Grady has a memorable cameo as the insurance executive who explains it would be cheaper to let the plane crash rather than try to save it. (Based on a bestseller co-written by Nelson de Mille)
CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON [1934]
Sixth of the Chan films with Warner Oland playing the oriental super-sleuth. Here he's working to a deadline -- he has to track down a killer before an innocent man is hanged for the crime in three days time. He spends the weekend at a stately home where his presence causes some alarm among the servants - "We'll all be murdered in our beds " declares a maid. Barrister Ray Milland is there for legal help. The mystery is solved just in time, thanks no doubt to Philip MacDonald the scriptwriter (who was a popular crime novelist as well as the man who adapted REBECCA for Hitchcock). Passable for a movie of this vintage.
ATRAGON [1963]
The legendary lost continent of Mu reappears to threaten the world. While countries unite to resist, an isolated World War ll Captain has created the greatest warship ever seen, possibly the surface world's only hope.
THE SEVENTH VICTIM [1964] a.k.a. THE RACETRACK MURDERS
A string of murders take place at a rich horse-owner's estate. This is sort of an Edgar Wallace thriller - it's based on a novel by his son - and provides the required number of deaths, race-fixing and surprises.
FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD a.k.a. Frankenstein vs. Baragon [1965]
Near the end of WWII, Germans transport the immortal heart of Frankenstein's monster to Japan, where it is seeming lost in the bombing of Hiroshima. Years later a wild boy is found, born from the immortal heart.
I saw this on TV when I was at school on a small black and white set; this looks more impressive than that and the plot is more subtle (which could be something to do with the Australian TV censor).
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