Marked Woman

Amazon.com

In the mood for a dose of unfiltered, high-octane Bette Davis? Check out Marked Woman, a bristling 1937 vehicle from her early Warners period. This one is loosely based on the Lucky Luciano saga, with maybe a few borrowings from Edna Ferber's Stage Door. Davis plays the feistiest of a group of clip-joint girls, who board together when they're not cutting a rug with clients (read: suckers) at a nightclub. Crusading district attorney Humphrey Bogart wants Davis to testify against mobster Eduardo Ciannelli, but the price would be high. Meanwhile, Bette's innocent little sister (Jane Bryan) comes to visit from college and gets more than she bargained for. The melodrama of the story is a blunt object, but you won't be able to keep your eyes off Davis, who spits and sparks like a young dragon. She's so electrically "on" that other actors sometimes look a little afraid of her. The film is true to the Warners spirit of surveying a lower tier of society, and the actresses who play the clip-joint girls have an earthy energy (Isabel Jewell is a standout). One of them is Mayo Methot, the tough-looking character actress who married Bogart shortly after the film's release. --Robert Horton

Description

Young assistant District Attorney uses a prostitute to indict gang of racketeers, its czar and his underlings.

Customer Reviews:

Early Bette Davis at her Typical Best!.......2007-08-19

Being a Bette Davis fan, I was surprised that I had overlooked this gem! In it, you will find all the qualities and nuances of Bette's acting style that bear her trademark moves--such as her clipped phrases and wide-eyed blinking frenzies. The director didn't strip her of any of these traits that we have come to love and expect of Miss Davis.

In this film, she plays a "hostess" in a gangster's nightclub. The costumes that she and the rest of the female cast wear are amazing and are sure to delight fans of period 30's outfits and flashy clothes.

Bogart plays a role that is atypical for him in this movie, and pulls it off with ease. In fact, all the actors do a superb job, and though there are elements of camp to this film, it does a fine job of portraying the true-life overturning of Lucky Luciano's gangland empire. See this film if you are a fan of Warner's gangster period or craving Bette's familiar set-chewing swagger.

Hoods vs. Bette Davis.......2007-06-28

Wow. If the exact same script for "Marked Woman" was re-made today, I guarantee there'd be a move to soften the things that happen to the Bette Davis character, her character's little sister (played by Jane Bryan), and maybe one or two other unlucky stiffs. This really is a hard-hitting gangster film, laced with frequent violence and tragedy. It's really a take-no-prisoners movie. But, of course, it's supposed to be, so one shouldn't complain that a movie for once delivered on its hype.

This gritty little movie about the down and out taking on the corrupt and powerful is supported by a nicely-produced DVD that delivers crisp picture and sound and a handful of interesting extras. These latter include a short piece featuring several film historians discussing the movie's origins and impact, and a couple of Warner Brothers cartoon shorts that might have been seen with "Marked Woman" when in first appeared in theaters. One of the cartoons is really cute: it features an animated Bette Davis and Leslie Howard appearing in "The Petrified Florist", a sharp parody of the stars' flowery, poetic hit film, "The Petrified Forest".

Great movie, great extras. "Marked Woman" is another Warner Brothers keeper of a DVD.

Bogart was particularly effective, both firm, and penetrating..........2007-01-08

In this gangster melodrama directed by Lloyd Bacon, Bogart played the role of a good guy, a district attorney out to deceive a night-club owner (Eduardo Ciannelli) who was exploiting his "hostesses," one of whom was the film's leading lady, Bette Davis, in a role she fought very hard to get after a long series of poor melodramas...

Bogart's performance successfully applied malice determination and calmly exhibited compassion and concern...

He was particularly effective, both firm, and penetrating, in his courtroom scenes, which served as an early warm-up for similar duty twelve years later in Nicholas Ray's "Knock On Any Door."

Mayo Methot was also in the cast as one of the hostesses and it was during the filming that Bogart took her as his second wife...

A Great Ol' Movie!.......2006-10-02

If you're looking for an enthralling classic, you've got to get this film! The script is wonderful and full of old-fashioned, one-line zingers! The acting is great all 'round, and Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis really turn up the heat with their impressive acting and intelligent chemistry. This is defnitely the best drama I've seen of the old Hollywood gangster films. Vanning, the kingpin, is a cunning, evil, and blood-chillilng mafioso you'll never forget.
I've always been a Bette Davis fan, but her performance in this film really captured me. Humphrey Bogart also turns in a very fine performance as an idealistic prosecutor trying to save Bette from herself.
If you like vintage studio cinema, you'll love "Marked Woman"!

Davis Delivers In Knock-Out 'Torn From Today's Headlines' Gangster Classic.......2006-07-30

Bette Davis distinguished herself as an actress in the early 1930s--but even with an Oscar to her credit she found the films offered to her by home studio Warner Brothers increasingly weak. She decided to break her contract, fled to England, and was soon embroiled in a lawsuit that she lost. But as Davis later noted, she lost the battle but won the war: her rebellion forced Warner Brothers to take her demands seriously, and upon returning to the studio she received MARKED WOMAN.

The story was very loosely based on mob boss 'Lucky' Luciano, who was felled by the testimony of New York prostitutes who revolted against his abusive reign. By 1937 Hollywood was under the "production code," a self-censorship program; consequently the script was somewhat veiled; even so, it went quite a bit further than most other films of its time. In the process it firmly re-established Davis as both actress and star and gave Humphrey Bogart a push toward the major stardom he would acheive in the 1940s.

New York night spot Club Intime is a reasonably respectable lounge until it is taken over by mob boss Johnny Vanning (Eduardo Ciannelli), who adds illegal gambling to the club's attractions and lays down harsh new rules for the "hostesses" in his employ--including Mary Dwight (Davis), who proves as tough as her new boss. But when a club patron is found dead, all the girls are caught up in the investigation, including Mary's innocent kid sister Betty (Jane Bryan.) And when Betty herself falls prey to Vanning, Mary determines to even up the score "if I have to crawl back from the grave to do it!"

The script is somewhat inconsistent in the way it presents its characters, who tend to shift in unexpected ways as the film progresses, but the cast easily overrides this defect. This is particularly true of the "hostesses," which include Lola Lane, Mayo Methot (who would marry Humphrey Bogart after the film wrapped), Isabell Jewel (best recalled as Emmy Slattery in GONE WITH THE WIND), and Rosalind Marquis. Bogart is memorable as the district attorney who convinces the girls to testify; so too is Eduardo Ciannelli as mob boss Vanning. But the film belongs to Davis, and she makes the most of it.

Where most film stars worked hard to maintain a glamorous image on the screen, Davis was among the very few who was willing to "look bad" on screen. When Ciannelli slaps her across the face in a pivitol scene, there's no doubt that the slap is real, and although Mary's beating at the hands of mobsters is played off screen it is power stuff--and so to are the results of the beating. According to film lore, Davis was greatly displeased with the dainty bandages the studio gave her for post-beating scenes and went to her own doctor for more realistic ones; she also insisted on realistic make-up in her hospital scenes. Audiences of the day were shocked by the film's brutality.

While it is flawed in terms of inconsistent characters and in the necessity of bowing to censorship of the day, MARKED WOMAN is an extremely, extremely watchable film and a must for Davis fans, as well as fans of 1930s ganster drama. The print offered here is as good as it gets short of digital remastering, and while the bonuses are slim the featurette "Marked Woman: Ripped from the Headlines" is both informative and enjoyable. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Inner Sanctum Mysteries Complete Movie Collection (Calling Dr. Death / Weird Woman / The Frozen Ghost / Pillow of Death / Dead Man's Eyes / Strange Confession)

Average customer rating:

GREAT COLLECTION AND FUN TO WATCH!!!
Pleases all ages, from Grandma to kids.
Six with Chaney
Good reminscences
Not great cinema but fun

Inner Sanctum Mysteries Complete Movie Collection (Calling Dr. Death / Weird Woman / The Frozen Ghost / Pillow of Death / Dead Man's Eyes / Strange Confession)
Starring: Lon Chaney Jr. , Brenda Joyce , J. Carrol Naish , Milburn Stone , and Lloyd Bridges
Director: John Hoffman (II) , and Reginald Le Borg
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FWHW90
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Amazon.com

"This is the Inner Sanctum...." And this is the world of B-movies, where Hollywood studios churned out entertaining little numbers to fill out an evening back in the Golden Age. Universal's Inner Sanctum series, released in 1943-45, was inspired by the successful radio show of the same title. They're gathered on Inner Sanctum Mysteries: The Complete Movie Collection, a fun grouping of a minor cinematic achievement.

All six films star the phlegmatic Lon Chaney Jr., and most begin with a floating head in the crystal ball, welcoming us to the inner sanctum, "A strange, fantastic world, controlled by a mass of living, pulsating flesh... the mind." The vaguely supernatural promise of this grabby opening is rarely fulfilled by the movies, which tend to be acceptable murder mysteries with--despite the wacky titles--very little horror content. Chaney plays a man of some distinction (a professor in Weird Woman, famous mentalist in The Frozen Ghost, physician in Calling Dr. Death) who runs afoul of women (among them Evelyn Ankers and Patricia Morison) and murder. At some point in each movie he has some elaborate voice-over agony, making clear the connection to the radio series' interior monologue. The one-hour-and-change productions are handsome, considering their budget restrictions, and Universal's prints are well-preserved; the literacy of the writing is surprisingly high--although decent writing can't put much zip into the proceedings.

Weird Woman is probably the best of the bunch, an adaptation of Fritz Leiber's novel Conjure Wife (later filmed as Burn, Witch, Burn!). Chaney is an expert on superstition who marries a voodoo-obsessed woman, whose spells might be responsible for his rapid professional rise. The influence of Cat People is as strong as the source novel. Calling Dr. Death, the first in the series, is duller, with a hypnotism-minded Chaney bedeviled by a wanton wife who conveniently dies under mysterious circumstances. Dead Man's Eyes and the amazingly-titled Pillow of Death are more fun, the former a variation on the old eye-transplant story and the latter a whodunit with lawyer Chaney accused of his wife's murder (the supernatural touch this time: séances).

Strange Confession has Chaney as an honest chemist battling an evil pharmaceutical tycoon (J. Carrol Naish), and The Frozen Ghost combines two horror staples, the unstable mentalist and the wax museum. It's just crazy enough to be entertaining, even if there's no ghost (and hardly any freezing). All in all, the DVD set is a good look at Universal's second-tier output of the era. And then there's Chaney, whose jowly steadfastness can become weirdly fascinating if you watch a few of these close together. Universal put him hard to work after the success of 1941's The Wolf Man, and alongside his monster-movie excursions and his singular triumph in Of Mice and Men, the Inner Sanctum pictures represent Chaney's best moment as a leading man. Despite his limitations, he'll always have his spot in the Universal galaxy. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

GREAT COLLECTION AND FUN TO WATCH!!!.......2007-09-15

On Sunday afternoons when I was growing up, our local station used to have a program called "Horror Theater". I remember every one of these movies popping up once in a while. The one that stood out for me back then was "Weird Woman". When VHS released this set a few years ago I nabbed it immediately. Imagine my elation when I saw this for sale on DVD! I didn't even know they were releasing them. This films are moody, funny and sometimes even a little creepy with top-notch production values the only way Universal could do them. Sure they're B films, each only over an hour in length but they move along at such a brisk pace that they are fun to watch! I'll pull these out on a late Sunday afternoon (right before dark of course)and have a ball. Highly entertaining and worth getting. They are all good but I'll rank them in order of my preference:
1. Weird Woman 2. Pillow of Death 3. Dead Man's Eyes 4. The Frozen Ghost 5) Dead Man's Eyes and 6) Strange Confession. Enjoy!!

Pleases all ages, from Grandma to kids........2007-09-09

Can't beat this movie collection if you are like me and like the old B/W campy "scary" movies. Ones that really deals with the implied rather than showing the gory stuff.
And the movies can be watched together as a family. Get out the popcorn and drinks and settle back some rainy night. Enjoy.

Six with Chaney.......2007-05-14

In the days before television really took over, the rough equivalent of TV series were put out by movie studios. Churned out quickly by "B" movie units, these movies tended to be produced every few months and short (like TV shows, they would all run around the same length). For example, Universal put out a whole series of Sherlock Holmes and Abbott and Costello movies. Another example from Universal Pictures was the Inner Sanctum Mysteries, a series of six mystery movies all starring Lon Chaney, Jr. The Inner Sanctum of the title was the mind, which as the Spirit of the Inner Sanctum would warn us at the beginning of every movie (but the last one) was capable of plotting murder.

The earlier Inner Sanctum movies would provide voice-over "thoughts" from Chaney to demonstrate his inner turmoil, a gimmick which diminishes as the series goes on. In general, the movies also are plotted similarly, with Chaney accused of a murder and his attempts to vindicate himself. Even this storyline would eventually get a little more variety in the final movies.

The first disc in this two disc set features three movies: Calling Dr. Death, Weird Woman and Dead Man's Eyes. In Calling Dr. Death, Chaney is a neurologist accuses of killing his wife while having an affair with his nurse. It also features Patricia Morison, most notable in Dressed to Kill as the villainess who matches wits with Sherlock Holmes in the final Rathbone movie. (Since these movies all featured contract players, actors repeatedly show up in all sorts of Universal movies).

Weird Woman has Chaney as an anthropologist who marries a woman who believes in witchcraft. When he destroys her magic charms, bad things begin to happen. This movie also stars Evelyn Ankers, a frequent Chaney costar (including The Wolf Man and Son of Dracula). In Dead Man's Eyes, Chaney is an artist accidentally blinded; a corneal transplant provides a possible chance at sight, but he is accused of killing the donor.

Frozen Ghost (the first of three movies on the second disc) has Chaney as a hypnotist who believes he can kill with his gaze. Much of this movie takes place in a wax museum, where death and intrigue occur, and once again, Evelyn Ankers costars. The last two movies have Brenda Joyce as the female lead. Strange Confession has Chaney as a chemist developing an influenza cure, only to be derailed by his duplicitous boss. And while Pillow of Death may have the weakest title in the bunch, it offers a bit of a different plot, with Chaney - as in Calling Dr. Death - accused of murdering his wife to be with his assistant. This is also the longest of the movies, at 67 minutes.

Unlike the two actors Chaney is often associated with, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, Chaney comes off as relatively normal, which is why he is often given normal romances; relationships featuring Karloff or Lugosi tend to be either sexless or warped. As an actor, however, Chaney is just average and these movies are only passable. There are more than a few cliches in the writing and even at just an hour, the films can sometimes drag. They're not awful movies and at least they look reasonably good. On the other hand, with no extras, I can only give the set a low three stars. If you are a fan of these old movies, there will be some value to getting this set, but there are also a lot better movies available; this set should only be for either novelty value or for completists.

Good reminscences.......2007-04-06

The movies in the DVD's are really great in the drama department, and the suspense theme is rated way high despite the times' difference. Lon Chaney Jr. did terrific in all roles down to the final movie. I wish that I could see more films starring him from that post-WWII period!

Not great cinema but fun.......2007-04-04

It's about time Universal got these on DVD. These are 6 VERY low budget movies all starring Lon Chaney Jr. They're quick (most run only about an hour) move quickly and have some neat twists. There are plot loopholes and some bad acting but this is still fun. "Weird Woman" is definetely the highlight of this collection. Worth getting especially for Universal horror fans.

Hedy Lamarr: Dishonored Lady/Strange Woman

Average customer rating:

Hedy Lamarr - a magnificent actress!
The exquisite Hedy Lamarr!
Lamar the Actress and Woman at her film FINEST.
Great
Lusty Lamarr in two wonderful classics!

Hedy Lamarr: Dishonored Lady/Strange Woman
Starring: Dishonored Lady , and Strange Woman
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002VL03I
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Description

The first title on the double bill is one of the rare instances where "B" film director Ulmer was given a grade "A" cast to work with... and he doesn't disappoint. In The Strange Woman, screen vixen Lamarr gives one of her finest performances as a strong-willed young lady in 19th-Century Maine, who affects the lives of three very different men. In the second feature, Dishonored Lady, a taut little thriller, Lamarr plays a glamorous but neurotic art director for a leading women's magazine who finds herself under suspicion of murder. Bonus Features: Scene Selection| Trailers| Short Subject - "Made In USA." Specs: DVD9; Dolby Digital Mono; 182 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1946-1947; SRP - $4.99.

Customer Reviews:

Hedy Lamarr - a magnificent actress!.......2007-01-18

My review will be very short since there are at least 2 prior very thorough reviews. Hedy Lamarr was more than the "most beautiful woman in Hollywood". She never received the respect deserved for her acting ability. Ah, the curse of a physically gorgeous woman! And she was a brain too - inventor of what would become wireless technology. She is superb in both of these films which are probably 2 of her best performances next to "Samson and Delilah". The dvd quality is extremely good for the price. I'm always concerned about films in the public domain because print quality varies. Hedy is of course, stunningly beautiful and gives inspired & emotive performances. I always liked her film work and hope that someday, she will receive the overdue praise as a fine actress. She was extremely good at portraying the mysterious and aloof woman - something the great Kate Hepburn could not do. And let's face it, audiences LOVE bad girls. And Hedy in "Samson & Delilah" was one very very naughty girl. Vive Hedy Lamarr!

The exquisite Hedy Lamarr!.......2006-05-18

Few words can describe this radiant, raven haired goddess. This DVD is a fantastic buy showcasing Hedy Lamarr in two of her better dramatic peformances. As Hedy's catalogue of movies available on DVD is fairly limited, this disc a must have for Hedy Lamarr fans.

Lamar the Actress and Woman at her film FINEST........2006-03-29

What a perfect pairing of films. After her production role of the fascinating and morally complex STRANGE WOMAN (see my separate 5 star review for that), Hedy was awarded this great murder mystery, based on a true story, DISHONORED LADY.
I saw this on a very poor VHS transfer (not purchased through Amazon). The script is wonderful - a bit melodramatic, the casting is great, but the post production aspects, especially the music are a real disappointment because Hedy shines in this film with HER FINEST ACTING WORK ON FILM. In another role that is complex and real in its portrayal of a "party girl" trying to straighten out her life, her self, when she becomes a murder suspect.
This is a real "slice of time" film in that it deals with women who were working, "like men" who "thought like men" i.e. enjoied and wanted careers; which was considered a real social problem at the time as men came back from the war and wanted their jobs back. Women were meanwhile enjoing the freedom of having their own jobs their own independence, and this was seen as transgressive, especially if the woman, like this one, was also sexually liberated.
The script hits all these notes appropriately, but the awful operatic music hammers away. Fortunately, that wasn't on the set. Hedy gives a layered, thoughtful, and - a rarity - a relaxed, humorous, and joyful performance. She has a "drunk scene" that is playful and completely real, a very subtly funny portrayal of being "pleasantly inebriated." All this makes me think this must be who she truly was. She had just finished a film she had fought for, and was working on this fantastic character who liked working and was interested in science (as she was herself). It is simply a MUST see for any Hedy Lamar film (as is THE STRANGE WOMAN for other reasons)- for a glimpse of her entire range.
Looking at her bios, this was a turning point where she started her disenchantement with roles she was being offered. She is beautiful and tempestuous in the later SAMPSON AND DELILAH, but her heart is not in that the way it is in this film. And she slowed down her acting quite a bit after these.
See this to see Hedy Lamar the actress surrounded by a great supporting cast (including Margaret Hamilton - Dorothy's wicked witch), in a film which I feel is her finest work.

Great.......2005-10-07

The DVD is super, that is that I expected. Two fine films withe beautiful Hedy Lamarr

Lusty Lamarr in two wonderful classics!.......2005-02-21

This is another of those fabulous bargain-priced ACME dvds, and in this one you get two awesome Hedy Lamarr classics. Lamarr was one of the most beautiful and underated actresses of her time and she never gave a bad performance.

First we have Robert Stevenson's classic semi-noir "Dishonored Lady", which has Lamarr playing a troubled woman who's drawn to men in the same way they're drawn to her: lust. But when she meets Dennis O'Keefe she finds out what true love is like, and she tries to change her ways. When an old "flame" of hers turns up murdered, however, she is the only suspect. Lamarr is then on trial for 1st degree murder, while O'Keefe is heartbroken learning about her troubled past and affairs with men. Will they find the real murderer, and will O'Keefe forgive Lamarr for decieving him? Watch and find out! By the way, Lamarr was married to co-star John Loder at the time this movie was made.

Next, we have Edgar G. Ulmer's classic "Strange Woman", which has one of Lamarr's greatest (if not THE greatest) performances of her entire career. She plays a seductive woman (to perfection) who goes after one man after another in a small, 19th-century Maine town. After she makes the mistake of marrying an old man, she even seduces the man's son (that's right, her step-son!). When she finally meets the right man (George Sanders), her troubled past comes back to haunt her. The best way I can describe this awesome classic is a 19th-century version of Peyton Place! Edgar G. Ulmer was legendary for making great movies on shoestring budgets, but this was a rare chance for him to have a grade "A" cast, and he used it to perfection. Aside from George Sanders and sexy Hedy Lamarr, this classic also has Louis Hayward, Gene Lockhart, and Hillary Brooke (who later became a regular on the Abbott and Costello Show).

The bonus feature on this dvd is a brief vintage Paramount preview of coming attractions from the studio, with footage of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and even a brief glimpse of the classic film noir "I Walk Alone", with Lizabeth Scott and Burt Lancaster. This is one of the great noirs that has never been released on vhs or dvd, so this is a rare chance to see a couple clips from that great movie. The sound quality was mostly excellent in both movies, but the picture quality of "Dishonored Lady" left a lot to be desired. For most of the movie the picture shaked slightly, making it look like a cheap EP vhs copy. However, it isn't too distracting after a while. The picture quality of "Strange Woman" was fantastic. This is my second ACME double feature dvd I've purchased and I'm very pleased. If you're a Hedy Lamarr fan at all then this dvd is an absolute must!

Average customer rating:

So-so series doesn't take advantage of its talent
"DISCO INFERNO" IS HYSTERICAL!
MUSICAL MAYHEM
strange indeed
John Taylor Blitz

Strange Frequency
Starring: Martin Cummins , Christopher Masterson , Brandy Ledford , Danny Masterson , and Judd Nelson
Director: Mary Lambert , and Bryan Spicer
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B00008NV4L
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Description

DISCO INFERNO Heavy metal dudes Buck (Erik Palladino) and Randy (Danny Masterson) head-bang their car into a tree after a late night rock-fest. The only help for miles around is a freaky late night club that for them becomes 'disco hell'. MY GENERATION Eric Roberts takes a star turn as an aging hippie who cruises the rock festival circuit preying on unsuspecting 'grungers'. On picking up a streetwise hitcher, Roberts gets an indie education that he didn't bargain for and is forced into a 'beat-generation' showdown. ROOM SERVICE Duran Duran legend John Taylor plays dinosaur rocker Jimmy Blitz, still abusing TVs and trashing hotel rooms in a whirlwind rock lifestyle. When his cleaning lady's tidying abilities threaten to ruin his bad-boy reputation, a battle of wills ensues. What will win out, sledgehammer, guitar or feather-duster? MORE THAN A FEELING And finally the creepy story of a famous promoter (Judd Nelson) who literally has 'gut' instinct for talent-spotting. A skill his rivals would die for and, as he realizes with horror, something his prodigies are dying from...

Customer Reviews:

So-so series doesn't take advantage of its talent.......2007-03-20

I purchased this set for the "Soul Man" segment starring James Marsters and Roger Daltrey. None of the four stories, however is all that engaging despite having some notable actors taking part. The stories are somewhat predictable, the acting is uneven (Peter Strauss appears to be sleepwalking through his performance although his segment is perhaps the most interesting), and since each of them is rather brief you have little time to be engaged by the characters even when the actors have something to work with. Best rented rather than purchased, I doubt many will want to review these stories more than once.

"DISCO INFERNO" IS HYSTERICAL!.......2006-06-03

Erik Palladino ("OVER*THERE") fans, with a good sense of humor, will enjoy "DISCO INFERNO".

Best friends Buck (Erik Palladino) and Randy (Danny Masterson) are die-hard rockers, who crash their car into a pole late one night, after a Metallica concert. They seek help from the only place available, a nearby disco nightclub, which appears to be stuck in a time warp from the 70's. The owner of the disco enlists the help of "hot disco chicks" to try and persuade the rockers to succumb to the dark side, a/k/a disco!

Perfectly cast, cleverly written, and well acted, "STRANGE FREQUENCY" is worth buying for the "DISCO INFERNO" segment alone.

MUSICAL MAYHEM.......2004-12-06

STRANGE FREQUENCY, originally aired on VH-1, harkens back to the days of those wonderful anthologies like TALES FROM THE CRYPT, TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS, etc., and surprisingly, it works. One of the best anthologies of recent years, STRANGE FREQUENCY gives us four different tales, all with a musical theme. In DISCO INFERNO, we meet two hard core rock and rollers (Danny Masterson, Erik Palladino), who crash their car into a telephone pole and seek solace in a nightclub. The club turns out to be a disco club, right out of the seventies. The manager, Dante (Martin Cummins) is a John Travolta clone, and introduces the boys to some hot chicks. Of course our rockers belittle and berate the disco scene, and find out there's more to the club than meets the eye. Wonderfully performed, the ultimate resolution is obvious, but it has some nice twists, and lots of humor. You also get to hear "Disco Inferno," "Der Kommissar" and yes, "YMCA." Tongue in cheek, it's a winner. In "My Generation," we meet Eric Roberts, a dinosaur from the past who listens to people like Bob Dylan, The Who and others from that generation. He picks up hitchhikers heading for a rockfest in Seattle, and yes, he bumps them off because of their disrespect for his music. His latest hiker, Christopher Masterson, is just like the rest, but he has his own agenda. Marvelously played out, there are lots of laughs, and an ending that is appropriately fitting. "Room Service" features Duran Duran's John Taylor as Jimmy Blitz, a has been super rock star, who is as obnoxious as they get. Holland Taylor steals the show as the housekeeper who manages to get the room in shape after all of his wild parties. When she reveals to a reporter that she has housekept for such stars as Sinatra, Jagger and Little Richard, she gets the headline Blitz wanted to restart his career. To get revenge, he goes to outrageous lengths to destroy the room, each time finding it immaculately cleaned. When he attacks the lady's cleaning cart, however, disaster ensues. This is cleverly written and performed, and its ending is remarkably fun. The final story, "More than a Feeling" takes the mood a lot darker, and has a chilling denouement. Judd Nelson is very good as talent agent Martin Potter, who has this remarkable talent for picking out superstars, a true "gut" reaction that almost renders him incapacitated. He is worried, though, because every star he has made (except 2) have died. His latest is a female singer (Marla Sokoloff) who has gone multiplatinum, and now decides she's ready for a break. Her brutish manager/boyfriend (Nels Lennarson) goes through the roof and Martin is concerned for her welfare. His other discovery Dean (Adrian Holmes) is working as producer, as well. What happens in the end is chilling to say the least.
STRANGE FREQUENCY is a very entertaining, witty and original collection. I recommend it.

strange indeed.......2004-10-25

Strange Frequency tells the tale of 4 short stories. The first one being 2 rockers, Danny Mastersen (That 70's Show, Dracula 2000) and Erik Pallidino (U571, E.R.) who end up crashing their car in a street pole and end up in a disco club. Soon they find out that they are dead and in hell. The second one is Eric Roberts (The Specialist, Best Of The Best) who is a hippie psychopath and picks up teens who listen to the new age of music and he kills them. He picks upa kid, Christopher Mastersen (Malcolm In The Middle, Campfire Tales), who happens to do the same thing he does. The 3rd story is about a rock star played by Duran Druan's very own John Taylor..Jimmy Blitz is the character's name. Well, Taylor crashes the room and the maid, Holland Taylor (George Of The Jungle, The Practice) who gets sick and tired of Taylor and his band trashing the room and the 4th one is about a agent, Judd Nelson (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The Breakfast Club) who gets headaches when he hears singing or something of that nature. It was a VH1 movie thing and I didnt really care for it that much, I only watched it for John Taylor, Judd Nelson and Danny Mastersen. Eric Roberts needs to find better quality work, he's getting too much into that region now where he makes bad choices in projects. Also starring Marla Skoloff (The Practice, Sugar and Spice). So all in all this wasnt for me. Sue me.

John Taylor Blitz.......2003-06-07

Four hip short films with a twist,the best of which is "Room Service",in which real life rock icon John Taylor plays Jimmy Blitz,a caricature of the seediest hotel trashing guitar heroes.

He pits his wits against the hotel maid in a totally wild performance,destroying her efforts to restore the place to sanity every morning-after-the-night-before.

In a typical Strange Frequency ending,he gets his just desserts in the end.

Customer Reviews:

Dated, but Chilling Thriller.......2006-03-22

I'm a fan of Hedy Lamarr. The actress and the woman. You would not know from most of her vacuous film roles that this was a woman of enough substance to win a Nobel Prize. She was so often cast in blank roles that just skated on the surface of her beauty. This film gives you an inkling of her depth.
This is Hedy's Scarlett O'Hara, a bit melodramatic, a bit dated, but still a fascinating story, setting, and character study of an ice-blooded, selfish-to-the-bone, smart, manipulative, beautiful woman. Her famous Tondeleo in WHITE CARGO gives an idea of this depth... but that character is an outline compared to this full bodied Jenny. She is, of course, completely miscast as a small town frontier girl, but... the rest is a treat.
Rarely does a movie do justice to manipulative female characters, assuming it all relys on looks. This story shows how Jenny wraps everyone slowly around her fingers, men, women, anyone who can be of use. It also deeply explores the dichotomy of self-interest wrapped up in good deeds.
Her icy detachment is reminds me of Alida Valli as the accused murderess in Hitchcock's Paradine Case, another favorite. Every time I watch this DVD, I see more in it, more in her performance. An expansive story, interesting boom town setting, really solid, memorable performances. Heady stuff! ; )

Hedy well-showcased in period potboiler.......2006-01-02

Following a series of badly-received films, M-G-M allowed Hedy Lamarr to set up her own production unit inside the studio where properties could be developed that suited her style and abilities. THE STRANGE WOMAN was one of the films made during this time. This sudsy period melodrama stars Lamarr as Jenny Hager, a young woman whose wanton lusts and desires end up destroying three men - and eventually herself.

In 1800s Maine, Jenny emerges from her white-trash origins to become the wife of wealthy Isaiah Poster (Gene Lockhart), though the marriage is completely devoid of love and affection from Jenny's corner. She soon turns her attentions to her stepson Ephraim (Louis Hayward) and convinces him to kill his father, so that they may be together. But once the dirty deed has been done, Jenny turns her back on Ephraim and begins to zero-in on John Evered (George Sanders), the handsome new foreman. The fact that he is engaged to her supposed best friend (Hillary Brooke) doesn't faze Jenny in the least. It seems nothing will stop ruthless Jenny in her horrifying quest for love.

Hedy Lamarr is ideally-suited in bringing to life the monstrous yet captivating Jenny Hager. The cast surrounding Lamarr is well-appointed and the production design brings the rowdy 1800-era city of Bangor to thrilling life. The print from Alpha DVD is serviceable, with good contrast and clear sound for the most part.

Hedy Lamarr's best performance. Check it out!.......2005-12-02

Hedy Lamarr is frequently referred to as the most beautiful movie star of her era, and I'll certainly go along with that assessment. Yet she has rarely been given enough credit for her acting ability, and is usually dismissed as a limited actress. True, Hedy can't exactly be ranked alongside Bette Davis or Ida Lupino, but she still had a magnetic screen presence and could turn in a fine performance when given the opportunity. Many claim she gave one of her finest performances in THE STRANGE WOMAN (1946). I'd go so far as to say it's her all-time best.

In this melodrama set in 19th century Maine, Hedy (with an accent that hardly sounds like anyone from Maine) plays Jenny Hager, a self-aborbed young woman whose outward beauty belies a background of poverty and abuse. Jenny uses her alluring charms to attract the attention of Isaiah Poster (Gene Lockhart), an elderly merchant. After marrying Isaiah, Jenny seduces her weak-willed stepson Ephraim (Louis Hayward), which sets the stage for a tragic turn of events between father and son. Jenny later sets her sights on John Evered (George Sanders), who is engaged to one of Jenny's so-called close friends (Hillary Brooke). But even the cunning Jenny can't escape the cumulative effects of her past deeds.

While Hedy was excellent in films like H. M. PULHAM, ESQ. (1941), EXPERIMENT PERILOUS (1944), and SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949), I don't think she ever had a better showcase than THE STRANGE WOMAN. Her portrayal of Jenny Hager is more complex than a simple plot synopsis would indicate. Jenny is heartless in her manipulation of men, and ruthless in her drive to acquire wealth and prestige. And yet she can't shake the memories of her impoverished childhood; once she becomes rich, she uses her influence to help the downtrodden. Hedy often complained that the studios saddled her substandard assignments, but here she was able to exert control: she co-produced THE STRANGE WOMAN (based on a novel by Ben Ames Williams) and was responsible for hiring its director, Edgar G. Ulmer. Hedy's active participation in this production no doubt accounts for her strong, vibrant performance in the film. (Hedy wasn't always able to hide her disgust with other studio assignments; in some films, her boredom is palpable.)

THE STRANGE WOMAN is also one of the best efforts of its aforementioned director, Edgar G. Ulmer, who has attracted a cult following thanks to films like THE BLACK CAT (1934), BLUEBEARD (1944), DETOUR (1945), STRANGE ILLUSION (1945), and THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951). THE STRANGE WOMAN touches upon several Ulmer themes: lust, greed, deception, ruthless ambition, the emptiness of material gain, and the inescapable hand of fate. THE STRANGE WOMAN would make a great double-bill with RUTHLESS (1948; currently unavailable on DVD), another top-notch Ulmer film dealing with a lead character (Zachary Scott this time) who schemes his way to the top. Ulmer also knew how to squeeze the most production value out of every dollar, and brings a far glossier look to THE STRANGE WOMAN than its moderate budget would normally allow.

THE STRANGE WOMAN features a powerhouse supporting cast that includes the always-reliable George Sanders (ALL ABOUT EVE), Louis Hayward (THE HOUSE BY THE RIVER), Gene Lockhart (who was adept at playing everything from mousy clerks to oily blackmailers), and Hillary Brooke (THE WOMAN IN GREEN, THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW). Yet, with no disrespect to these fine players, it's Hedy's show all the way.

The print quality of this Alpha Video release is very good, although there's an abrupt scene change around the 81-minute mark. This is evident in other circulating copies of the film, and I don't know if this is the result of a missing transitional fade or if some footage is missing. (Most sources list the running time as 100 minutes; this print runs 99.) Nevertheless, there's no harm done to the storyline, and it shouldn't deter anyone from purchasing a copy of this disc.

If you've never seen Hedy Lamarr, THE STRANGE WOMAN will be the perfect introduction to this lovely and underrated actress. If you've seen Hedy Lamarr and haven't been terribly impressed, THE STRANGE WOMAN will be a revelation.

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Algiers/Strange Woman
Starring: Algiers Strange Woman
Manufacturer: Pop Flix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video
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Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 4 (Act of Violence / Mystery Street / Crime Wave / Decoy / Illegal / The Big Steal / They Live By Night / Side Street / Where Danger Lives / Tension)

ASIN: B000FKO3CG
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Description

THE SULTRY SCREEN SIREN SETS THE SCREEN ON FIRE IN TWO CLASSIC MYSTERIES! Total Running Time: 3 hrs 15 min

Algiers (1938) 95 min B&W
Starring: Charles Boyer, Hedy Lamarr; Director: John Cromwell

In this romantic thriller, cunning criminal Pepe Le Moko (Charles Boyer) hides in the Casbah, safe from French authorities. However, police inspector Slimane keeps a close eye on Pepe, waiting for him to falter. Pepe lets his guard down when he falls for an alluring tourist named Gaby (Hedy Lamarr). Algiers was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction.

Strange Woman (1946) 100 min B&W
Starring: Hedy Lamarr, Gene Lockhart, George Sanders, Director: Edgar G. Ulmer

Customer Reviews:

The Story of Love and Betrayal of Black Life in Harlem!.......2002-08-25

This movie is great. I have to say one of the greatest Black Films of the 30s. This movie was put out by an Independent Black Studio. Basically, it is your typical Hollywood story, a girl mother marries a man, who's a philander, and who's trying to love on her behind her mother's back, but she scared to tell her mother, because she scared she might blame her or worse... won't believe her. Her mother is so desperate to be in love, she won't believe what others tell her about him. One day, the mother works on him hugging and kissing the daughter and, the mother blames the daughter, and tells her to get out and slaps her. The daughter and has no money, so she has to do what her mother never wanted her to do, ENTERTAIN. It's more to it then this, but I won't tell you what happens next, get the movie, it really is a classic. These were some great actors, actresses, and entertainers of the 30s and 40s, and wouldn't of been seen otherwise if it wasn't for these Black Studios, Hollywood missed out on a lot of great Black talent, but that's their lose. This is really some great acting, great dancing, great singing. The movie is about an 1 and 15 minutes long, its short, but the story does get told, I wish some more was added to it, and I wish I knew where those actresses and entertainers are? they were truly talented, Especially that Ozinetta Wilcox who played Sue, and Cora Green who was in another Black Film you should check out "Swing", they either did one film and that's it, but most of these Black movies were losed or damaged, its not too many of these Black films left. But, this Black Film has been the most popular of the Black Films made of that time, and you'll see why when you see it, that's probably why its the only Black Film of that time on DVD, This film cost more then the rest of the Black Films of the 30s, and its been kept up more then rest of the Black Films. But a lot of them are being restored that were lost, but the ones that are around are good to watch, they may not be Hollywood quality when it comes to sound and picture, but its watchable and worth a watch. Wouldn't of been great if it would of had that Hollywood Touch, if Hollywood would of made a film just like this with the same cast, I bet it would of been a Great Black Hit. It's already good, but its deserve more recognition. I gave this a 5, because its worth it, its really that good. The story of Love and Betrayal of Black Life in Harlem.

1930s Harlem Musical.......2001-01-01

I first viewed Moon Over Harlem when I was a kid with my dad in the early 1960s. This is a great film for anyone who wants a better understanding of African American music, dress and culture of the 1920s and 1930s. The film is fast paced and has a great music score.

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The Strange Woman/ Moon Over Harlem
Starring: Strange Woman , and Moon Over
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004W4DM
Release Date: 2000-07-10

Description

Edgar G. Ulmer was a pioneer of independent cinema who created personal and visionary works on a shoestring budget from the lower echelons of Hollywood's "Poverty Row." "He's an American classic, a real character, whose life sounds a lot like on of his films--sometimes it wasn't too pretty, but it always had style"--New York Press. "The Strange Woman" (1946, 99 min.) - The story of a scheming woman manipulating the lives of three men. One of Ulmer's few studio pictures, with an A-list cast and a healthy budget; star Hedy Lamarr specifically asked Ulmer to direct. "Moon Over Harlem" (1939, 68 min.) - During the '30s, Ulmer made several "ethnic" pictures, and became celebrated as a champion of minorities. This $8,000 crime drama with music and an all-black cast features a rare screen appearance by jazz legend Sidney Bechet.

Hedy Lamarr Collection-The Strange Woman-Dishonored Lady

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Hedy Lamarr Collection-The Strange Woman-Dishonored Lady

Manufacturer: Front Row Entertainment Inc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Digitally Remastered

ASIN: B000KRQK8Y

Product Description

Hedy Lamarr Collection The Stange Woman-Dishonored Lady

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"THE MOST ATTRACTIVE WOMAN IN FILMS"

Hedy Lamarr Collection (The Strange Woman / Dishonored Lady)
Starring: Hedy Lamarr , George Sanders , Louis Hayward , Gene Lockhart , and Hillary Brooke
Director: Edgar G. Ulmer , and Robert Stevenson
Manufacturer: Sling Shot
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00003ETPS
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Customer Reviews:

"THE MOST ATTRACTIVE WOMAN IN FILMS".......2004-06-01

Lamarr is visually stunning and gives very good performances in both of these underrated gems. Both movies are gripping and have believable plots and dialouge. In addition the content is very racey for the time.

The image quality of this Triton DVD is good. While not up to Criterion or tier 1 studio quality it is very watchable. Most of the image is semi-crisp. I did not notice alot of hiss, though there is some. On "Strange Woman" there is one part lasting 1-2 minutes where there is a loud hum.

Overall this is a very good buy. You get two movies with the beautiful Lamarr(she turns her head, lifts her eyes and a man would do anything). The quality is better than average. The plots and acting are great.

DVD:

DVD

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