Author Archives: rarefilm

The Magus (1968) Guy Green, Anthony Quinn, Michael Caine, Candice Bergen, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

the-magus-1968
An English teacher arrives on a sleepy Greek island to take up a vacant teaching post. The last man to hold the post committed suicide under mysterious circumstances. Slowly but surely, he is drawn into a bizarre game engineered by a reclusive local magician. The deeper into the game he is drawn, the more he senses danger… yet cannot seem to untangle himself from the fascinating and compelling influence that the game is having on his mind.
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Golem (1980) Piotr Szulkin, Marek Walczewski, Krystyna Janda, Joanna Zólkowska, Sci-Fi

golem-1980
The film is set in a terrorizing world of the future, where technology commands the movements of individuals, supervised by the doctors, carrying out a program to improve the human race. Thus, instead of doctors creating a monster, the monsters are already there as the species of the future – but one of them is suspected by the doctors of being a human being. That is Golem in reverse.
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Mord i mørket / Murder in the Dark (1986) Sune Lund-Sørensen, Michael Falch, Line Knutzon, Ove Sprogøe, Crime

mord-i-morket-aka-murder-in-the-dark-1986
A journalist is trying to find out about the murder of a friend in Copenhagen’s red light district. The victim was the owner of a bar at Halmtorvet. Soon, his investigations in the world of pimps and petty criminals opens up a pandora’s box of organised crime and the journalist finds himself caught between police and gangsters involved in drug trafficking. The culprit is brought to justice in the end. But the price is high.
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La chatte à deux têtes / Porn Theater (2002) Vittoria Scognamiglio, Jacques Nolot, Sébastien Viala, Drama

la-chatte-a-deux-tetes-aka-porn-theater-2002
A tale set in a decaying Parisian porn theatre, where within its dark confines, male patrons–soldiers, transvestites, married men–regularly engage in anonymous sex acts. In the ticket booth of the theatre, a wise Italian woman serves as benevolent gatekeeper, observing–but never judging–the proceedings occurring under her watchful eyes. One day, one of her regulars engages her in a conversation that leads to an unusual friendship, as these two worldly souls share their common experiences.
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Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) Robert Aldrich, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Mystery, Thriller

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (Robert Aldrich, 1964)
Aged and wealthy Charlotte Hollis has lived alone and as a recluse in the crumbling family plantation mansion in Hollisport, Louisiana since her father Sam Hollis’ death thirty-six years ago. The only people who regularly see her are her hard-as-nails but seemingly loyal housekeeper Velma Crowther, and her longtime friend and physician, Dr. Drew Bayliss. She has lived there the better part of her life except for a short stint in London thirty-seven years ago following the vicious murder of her married lover, John Mayhew, at the plantation’s summer house while Sam was hosting one of his legendary grand balls in the mansion. That evening, she and John were going to run off together, that is before he was bludgeoned to death, his right hand and head which were never found. No one was ever convicted for his murder, but most people believe Charlotte did it after John changed his mind about running off with her. Not having seen her in years, they also now believe Charlotte is a crazy old …
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Nuit noire / Black Night (2005) Olivier Smolders, Fabrice Rodriguez, Yves-Marie Gnahoua, Philippe Corbisier, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

nuit-noire-aka-black-night-2005
The nightmarish world of Oscar the entomologist, involving his various fears of, and relationships with, women, intertwined with his love for insects, especially the metamorphosing and predatory kind. In this dark dream-world which is constantly drowned in darkness of a solar eclipse punctuated by brief flashes of blinding sunlight, everything is spliced together and nothing makes sense.
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Demir Yumruk: Devler geliyor / Iron Fist: The Giants Are Coming (1970) Tunç Basaran, Enver Özer, Feri Cansel, Süleyman Turan, Adventure, Fantasy

demir-yumruk-devler-geliyor-aka-iron-fist-the-giants-are-coming-1970
A stash of uranium is hidden away with the only clue being a dagger that has a map to the location engraved on it. The diabolical wheelchaired transvestite super villain Fu Mancu is after it, and not only wants to beat the cops, but also has competition, Cold War Style, from Russian villain Zagof. Fortunately, the Turkish police can count on Super-Bat-Man …
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Rok spokojnego slonca / Year of the Quiet Sun (1984) Krzysztof Zanussi, Maja Komorowska, Scott Wilson, Hanna Skarzanka, Drama, Romance, War

rok-spokojnego-slonca-aka-year-of-the-quiet-sun-1984
Shortly after WWII an American soldier (Norman) and a Polish refugee (Emilia) fall in deep love. Eventually he will return to USA and both expect that she will soon follow him. Emilia’s mother is sick but would recover by available medicine. Somehow the mother but not Emilia knows that there will only be one ticket. Realising that Emilia would never abandon her, the mother secretly throws away the daily doses given her by Emilia – and dies. Somehow Emilia discovers her mother’s sacrifice and refuses to benefit from it. She gives the ticket to a female friend and retreats to a cloister, living like the nuns except not wearing their dress and not having given a promise to stay forever. For decades she will apparently live in peace. Then a nun tells her that Norman has died and has bequeathed his fortune to Emilia. The nun suggests that Emilia gives the money to the cloister. But from that moment Emilia’s religious devotion flies away. She only thinks of going as speedily as possible to …
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Je suis une ville endormie / Nights with Theodore (2012) Sébastien Betbeder, Pio Marmaï, Agathe Bonitzer, Fabrice Adde, Drama, Fantasy

je-suis-une-ville-endormie-aka-nights-with-theodore-2012
A romantic connection blossoms between two young Parisians during a succession of dreamlike nocturnal visits to a singular, beguiling park. Anna meets Theodore at a party, and together they impulsively climb the fence and enter the a nearby city park, an unusual and striking hillside public garden in northeastern Paris. The two part at dawn, but find themselves drawn back the following night, and, falling in love under the park’s spell, embark on nightly explorations of its topographic mysteries, gradually discovering that, despite feeling entirely alone in the world, they may not be the only ones drawn to this magical place.
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Hellbent (2004) Paul Etheredge, Dylan Fergus, Bryan Kirkwood, Hank Harris, Horror, Thriller

hellbent-2004
Two gay men on a date are murdered the night before Halloween in West Hollywood, California. Eddie and his friends Joey, Chaz and Tobey are going out the following night to the West Hollywood Halloween festival when they encounter the psycho, who sets his eye on them. The killer stalks them through the festival as Chaz parties, Joey chases his jock crush, Tobey tries dressing in drag, and Eddie pursues Jake, the bad boy he wants to get to know better. Not until the very end do you find out who dies and who survives their night of terror.
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