Author Archives: rarefilm

Austeria / The Inn (1982) Jerzy Kawalerowicz, Franciszek Pieczka, Wojciech Pszoniak, Jan Szurmiej, Drama, War

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Austeria takes place during the opening days of World War I, in the Austro-Hungarian province of Galicia. Tag (Franciszek Pieczka) is a Jewish innkeeper whose inn (austeria means inn in the local Polish dialect) is located near the border with Russia. War has broken out and local civilians are fleeing the advancing Russian Army, and several groups of refugees have taken shelter in Tag’s inn for the night. A group of Hassidic jews from the neighboring village arrive, followed by an Austrian baroness on and a Hungarian hussar cut off from his unit…
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Aoi numa no onna / Blue Lake Woman (1986) Akio Jissôji, Kotobuki Hananomoto, Janet Hatta, Saburô Shinoda, Horror

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Blue Lake Woman tells the story of Nagare, a painter who wanted to commit a lover’s suicide with Mizue, the wife of his friend and patron Takigawa. Growing afraid at the last moment, he doesn’t go through with it – but Mizue sinks to the bottom of Blue Lake. Some time later, Nagare follows an invitation by Takigawa, who claims to have forgiven everything. To Nagare’s shock, Takigawa’s new wife, Ameko, looks exactly like Mizue. While staying as Takigawa’s guest, Nagare becomes haunted by Mizue’s ghost, who wants to be reunited with him at the bottom of Blue Lake…
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The Invisible Man (1933) James Whale, Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi

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Working in Dr. Cranley’s laboratory, scientist Jack Griffin was always given the latitude to conduct some of his own experiments. His sudden departure, however, has Cranley’s daughter Flora worried about him. Griffin has taken a room at the nearby Lion’s Head Inn, hoping to reverse an experiment he conducted on himself that made him invisible. Unfortunately, the drug he used has also warped his mind, making him aggressive and dangerous. He’s prepared to do whatever it takes to restore his appearance, and several will die in the process.
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The Navigator (1924) Donald Crisp, Buster Keaton, Kathryn McGuire, Frederick Vroom, Action, Comedy, Romance, Classics

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Rollo decides to marry his sweetheart Betsy and sail to Honolulu. When she rejects him he decides to go alone but boards the wrong ship, the “Navigator” owned by Betsy’s father. Unaware of this, Betsy boards the ship to look for her father. whom spies capture before cutting the ship loose. It drifts out to sea with the two socialites each unaware of there being anyone else on board.
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They Were Not Divided (1950) Terence Young, Edward Underdown, Ralph Clanton, Helen Cherry, War

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This wartime drama recounts the training process of the British Tank Corps. The story concentrates on two recruits: Englishman Philip (Edward Underdown) and American David (Ralph Clanton). After a grueling training period and a long, frustratingly uneventful encampment on British soil, Philip and David are shipped to the Front. Both men have a rendezvous with destiny during the German offensive at Ardennes. R.S.M. Brittain etches a chilling portrayal of a merciless drill sergeant, while the splendidly mustached Michael Trubshawe is equally effective as a by-the-book major. Since there must be a romantic subplot, it is fortunate indeed that the heroes’ ladies are played by two charming and talented actresses, Helen Cherry and Stella Andrews.
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The Hunting Party (1971) Don Medford, Oliver Reed, Candice Bergen, Gene Hackman, Action, Drama, Western

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The rich and ruthless rancher Brandt Ruger keeps his beautiful young wife Melissa like a part of his property, subdued to his will. But one day she’s kidnapped by the famous outlaw Frank Calder – just to teach him reading, so he tells her. Calder doesn’t know or care who’s wife she is. He takes care of her well, and eventually Melissa falls in love with him. But Ruger feels humiliated. Full of hate, he sets out to kill him – and Melissa too, if necessary. Together with his friends and the newest technology in guns, which carry 800 yards, he initiates a battue on Calder and his gang.
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Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks (1974) Dick Randall, Rossano Brazzi, Michael Dunn, Edmund Purdom, Horror

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See the battle of the monsters, Goliath versus Ook! “South Pacific” star Rossano Brazzi plays the crackpot Frankenstein whose latest creature is a goofy, dome-headed neanderthal cleverly named Goliath. Typical of monsters, Goliath has the hots for Frankenstein’s new squeeze, Krista, who likes to bathe in milk. When Genz, a horny necrophile dwarf, is expelled from the castle, he promptly makes friends with Ook, a second neanderthal just passing through town. Out for revenge, Genz lets Goliath loose to go head to pointy-head with Ook in a good old-fashioned monster rumble.
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