THE MAGNIFICENT CUCKOLD: Claudia To The Rescue

THE MAGNIFICENT CUCKOLD (Blu-ray)

1964 / 125 min

Radiance Films

Review by Mr. Paws😽

Time to confess yet another lifelong celebrity crush. 

I don’t remember when I first saw Once Upon a Time in the West, but do recall two distinct takeaways. One, that Henry Fonda made one hell of a bad guy, and two, that Claudia Cardinale was the most striking woman I’d ever seen on the big screen. Sure, the likes of Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida have always been gorgeous, but Cardinale’s beauty was almost intimidating, and depending on the film, maybe even a distraction.

I'm pretty sure if I had the opportunity to meet the lovely Ms. Cardinale in her prime, I’d end up being as tongue-tied as Goofy, only managing a bashful “gawrsh!” before clumsily stumbling away. 

But while Claudia has always been a distant object of infatuation, she was never an obsession. I never sought out any particular movie she starred in, though I’ve since seen plenty that were made more aesthetically enjoyable because of her, such as The Day of the Owl and The Red Tent. And on occasion, she has been the only reason a movie was worth watching. One of those is The Magnificent Cuckold, recently restored and released by Radiance Films.

This is an Italian sex comedy made during a time when they were quite popular, with a plot that those in toxic relationships might relate to. Andrea Artusi (Ugo Tognazzi) is a well-to-do business owner with a young wife, Maria Grazia (Cardinale), who’s not only beautiful, she’s charming and well-liked by their entire circle of friends and acquaintances (with some of the male persuasion clearly twitterpated by her).

Gawrsh!

Then, in a move that nudges The Magnificent Cuckold into the realm of science fiction, Andrea cheats on her with a friend’s free-spirited wife, Christiana (Michele Giardon). Christiana’s casual attitude toward infidelity soon has him realizing that Maria, too, could be having an affair, even though she’s said or done nothing to arouse his suspicion. While he had no qualms about cheating himself, Andrea becomes obsessed with the idea that she is. He begins to suspect and question her every move, especially if they involve interacting with other men, culminating with a complete meltdown at a housewarming party.

Some of this stuff is funny, some of it isn’t. Andrea’s behavior is even kind of distressing at times, not helped by the fact he is not all that sympathetic to begin with (to say nothing of hypocritical). But that isn’t the real problem. To be honest, the movie is less interesting whenever Cardinale isn’t on-screen. When she is, though, it’s hard to take your eyes off her. Fortunately, director Antonio Pietrangeli appears aware that she’s his biggest asset, and indulges us with a couple of sexy sequences presented as Andrea’s overactive imagination at work (including Maria’s lengthy striptease before a gaggle of ogling onlookers).

While the narrative manages to throw in an amusingly satisfying twist at the end, The Magnificent Cuckold is occasionally kind of an endurance test, since we’re spending way too much time in the company of an increasingly unlikable protagonist. However, Claudia Cardinale ultimately makes it worth the effort, saving the film with her indelible presence. Gawrsh!

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEW - With Italian cinema expert Richard Dyer, who seems to know his stuff.

VISUAL ESSAY - By Remi Fournier Lanzoni.

ALTERNATIVE COLOR SEQUENCE 

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes an essay, “This House is Not a Home: Love in the Time of Economic Boom,” by critic Phuong Le.

REVERSIBLE COVER - With new and original poster artwork.

Catnip Reviews: DAY OF THE DEAD (4K), SOLO and MARLOWE

Snack-sized opinions from the frisky felines at Free Kittens…

DAY OF THE DEAD (4K + Blu-ray) - Largely maligned when first released 40 years ago, George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead has since become a beloved cult classic and has even gone under critical reassessment in many circles. Today, it stands alongside Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead as one of the most influential zombie films ever made. Arguably Romero’s darkest, most nihilistic film, it isn’t as “fun” as Dawn, but as usual, the director has more on his mind than simple gut-munching (though this remains the most ferociously gory entry in the entire franchise). Shout Factory has pulled out all the stops for this 4K boxed set. Wonderfully packaged inside and out with new and vintage artwork, this 4-disc set includes the restored film on 4K and Blu-ray, both with an excellent overall picture and four audio options. The remaining two discs feature a huge selection of new and archival supplemental material. With a set of 12 lobby card replicas thrown in for good measure, this is a must-own for horror fans. Now could someone please do the same thing for Dawn of the Dead? (1985/101 min/Shout Factory).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼😼

SOLO (Blu-ray) - Solo begins with an orgy and ends with a shoot-out. All that’s missing in between is Alain Delon, whose French thrillers from the ‘60s and ‘70s have been some of our favorite watches lately. Instead, Jean-Pierre Mocky directs himself as Vincent, an international thief who returns to Paris to stop his little brother from committing terrorist attacks on various wealthy people, occasionally pausing to boink most of the female cast. Mocky is certainly no Delon, but he’s a reasonable facsimile and does a decent job carrying the film. Behind the camera, he stays on-point and keeps the pace lively, though the screenplay (which he co-wrote) could have put a bit more effort into making the other characters a little more interesting (or likable). Solo doesn’t rank among the greatest French thrillers of the era, but it’s entertaining in the moment. Also included with this disc are interviews with Mocky and co-star Anne Deleuze. (1970/83 min/Radiance Films).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺

MARLOWE (Blu-ray) - Private detective Philip Marlowe has been played by a wide variety of actors over the years. Bogart did it best, of course, but there’s been some other good portrayals before and after. Even James Garner took a stab at it back in the ‘60s, and while he’s not terrible, his performance feels like a dry run for his Jim Rockford character. In fact, the whole thing plays like an extended Rockford Files episode, only with more violence and boobs (and less laid-back humor). Watchable without ever being memorable, at least it sports a good cast, including none other than Bruce Lee in a small role (doing what he does best). This disc includes a nifty video history of the Phillip Marlowe character by Howard S. Berger, which runs almost an hour and is actually more interesting than the movie itself. (1969/96 min/Arrow Video).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼

CONFESSIONS OF A POLICE CAPTAIN: Franco's Comfort Zone

CONFESSIONS OF A POLICE CAPTAIN (Blu-ray)

1971 / 106 min

Radiance Films

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Badge😺

While watching Confessions of a Police Captain (for the first time, by the way), it occurred to me that I’ve hardly seen Franco Nero in anything that wasn’t a western or crime film. Not that he hasn’t done other stuff, and maybe it says more about my viewing habits than his range as an actor, but the fact remains that those two genres make-up a significant portion of his lengthy filmography.

Perhaps those things are his comfort zone, which suits me fine because he’s generally really good in them, even if they aren’t always deserving of his efforts. This one is, though. Not too far removed from the poliziotteschi subgenre that was popular in Italy at the time, Confessions of a Police Captain is a tough, fast-moving thriller packed with vicious mobsters, questionable cops and political corruption. 

In the middle of it all is dedicated district attorney Traini (Nero), brought in the investigate the attempted murder of powerful industrialist Fernando Lomunno (Luciano Catenacci) at the hands of Michele Li Puma (Adolfo Lastretti), just sprung from an insane asylum by police captain Bonavia (Martin Balsam). Almost immediately, Traini suspects Bonavia of orchestrating the attack. For good reason, it turns out. Lomunno is also a vicious mob boss Bonavia has been trying to put away for years.

"Forget it, Traini...it's my turn to drive."

The adversarial relationship between this incorruptible DA and ethically-ambiguous cop is the crux of the story, which also includes harrowing flashbacks revealing both Li Puma’s and Bonavia’s motives for wanting to see Lomunno dead. What makes all this especially interesting is that Bonavia’s actions may not earn our approval (or Traini’s), but he certainly earns our empathy. He’s the most intriguing, complex and fatalistic character in the film, who suspects things won’t end well for him, but is compelled to accomplish what corrupt judges refuse to.

Balsam, who was doing a lot of Italian thrillers at the time, also delivers the film’s best performance (though I missed his distinctive voice). Nero is his usual solid self in a role that's well within his comfort zone…and his third collaboration with director Damiano Damiani. Elsewhere, the intricate plot, action and occasionally cruel violence keep things lively. A relative obscurity on this side of the pond, Confessions of a Police Captain is an entertaining crime film worth seeking out.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

INTERVIEWS - New individual interviews with actor Franco Nero, actor Michele Gammino and editor Antonio Siciliano.

ENGLISH AND ITALIAN VERSIONS

Revisiting CUTTER’S WAY in 4K

CUTTER’S WAY (4K + Blu-ray)

aka Cutter and Bone

1981 / 109 min

Radiance Films

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Cutter’s Way (aka Cutter and Bone) is yet another film that was destined to be a tough sell and ultimately thrown away by a studio that had no clue what to do with it. But its stature has steadily grown over the years. While not necessarily a cult film, critics and historians continue to cite it as a unique, character-driven and thematically-rich example of neo-noir.

But even today, Cutter’s Way remains somewhat polarizing, at least among those who’ve actually seen it. I know people who absolutely love the film, and just as many who wish they could get 109 minutes of their life back. Then there are those (such as yours truly) who didn’t care for it at first, but grew to appreciate it upon subsequent viewings. 

Jeff Bridges plays Richard Bone, a shiftless, womanizing salesman who thinks he might have witnessed a powerful local businessman, J.J. Cord (Stephen Elliott), dump the body of a teenage girl into a trash can. Bone’s best friend, disabled Vietnam veteran Alex Cutter (John Heard), takes a keen interest in this and comes up with a plan to blackmail Cord…not to get money out of the man, but to incriminate himself for trying to buy their silence. Cutter even manages to coerce the victim’s sister, Valerie (Ann Dusenberry), to go along with the plan.

Bone, however, is repeatedly wishy-washy over the idea (typical of his noncommittal tendencies). Sometimes he’s onboard, other times Cutter has to talk him into it. None of this sits well with Cutter’s beleaguered wife, Maureen (Lisa Eichorn), who remains committed to her husband while never being particularly happy with him (or herself). But here’s the most intriguing aspect of the plot…it’s never made quite clear who actually dumped the body in the first place. We also get the impression that Cutter doesn’t really care.

After his escape from New York, Snake unwinds with a road trip.

As a character, Cutter’s a real piece of work. Having lost an arm, leg and eye during the war, he’s both physically and psychologically damaged. Compounded by severe alcoholism, he’s also an unhinged conspiracy theorist who not-only resents the cards life has dealt him, but the wealthy elites who seem to get away with everything. It’s entirely possible that Cutter is more obsessed with what Cord represents than whether or not he’s actually guilty.

Most of the time, Bone is a hapless observer of both Cutter’s actions and Maureen’s spiral into depression (though it doesn’t stop him from sleeping with her). I suppose comparisons could be made between Bone and Bridges’ most iconic character, Jeff Lebowski, though the former is better looking, more sharply dressed and far less likable. He’s well played by Bridges, but the movie belongs to Heard, whose all-in performance makes Cutter a morbidly fascinating trainwreck. 

Elsewhere, moral and narrative ambiguity permeates the film, which has always intrigued some viewers and frustrated others. But Cutter’s Way was never intended as a straight crime thriller. While drawing clear inspiration from film noir, it’s just as much a character study of two protagonists whose lives were already on the downturn before we even meet them. And though their relationship is often antagonistic, the unconditional love and loyalty these two have for each other is ultimately touching, which renders the climax pretty powerful.

Those who consider Cutter’s Way an underappreciated gem will love this new 4K release from Radiance Films, who pulled out all the stops in putting together a sturdy, handsomely packaged boxed set with great new artwork. It features an excellent transfer on both 4K and Blu-ray, as well as an abundance of new and archival bonus features. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K AND BLU-RAY COPIES

PIETY, PATRIOTISM AND VIOLENCE: THE LEGACY OF CUTTER’S WAY is a new retrospective analysis and appreciation of the novel and film.

FEATURETTES - Cut to the Bone: Inside the Score features music editor curt Sobel; Bertrand Tavernier is a French director who discusses his love for the film.

3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By novelist Matthew Specktor; 2) By assistant director Larry Franco & production manager Barrie Osborne; 3) By Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman.

INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with director Ivan Passer, actor Lisa Eichorn, producer Paul Gurian, United Artists exec Ira Deutchman.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - A 77-page, perfect-bound book featuring three brand new essays, a Q&A with director Ivan Passer from 1989, cast & crew credits

ISOLATED SCORE TRACK

INTRO BY JEFF BRIDGES

PLAY WITH ORIGINAL CUTTER AND BONE TITLE SEQUENCE

TRAILER 

GALLERY

Catnip Reviews: PREDATOR: BADLANDS, SNAKES ON A PLANE and BLOOD OF REVENGE

Snack-sized opinions from the frisky felines at Free Kittens…

PREDATOR: BADLANDS (Digital) - One could argue that Predator should never have become a franchise in the first place, but we don’t live in that world, do we? That being said, if you simply must keep returning to the well, this is the way to do it and director Dan Trachtenberg is the breath of fresh air the series needed. By thinking outside the box, he’s given us the wonderfully minimalist Prey, followed by an unexpected turn to animation with Predator: Killer of Killers. His latest, Predator: Badlands, may be the most surprising detour yet. The first film to feature its titular character as the primary protagonist, it further explores the creatures’ social structure and rites of passage through hunting. It’s also a hell of a lot of fun, with an engaging story, violent action, humor and even a few emotionally affecting moments. The film also introduces a vivid world where damn near everything - including plants - is trying to kill you. And don’t be put-off by the PG-13 rating. Badlands is just as violent and bloody as others in the franchise…there just aren't any human casualties. This digital release includes several short featurettes, deleted scenes and an audio commentary, with 4K, Blu-ray and DVD editions coming February 17. (2025/107 min/20th Century Studios).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼

SNAKES ON A PLANE (4K UHD) - Snakes on a Plane was always more of a marketing campaign than a movie. Exploiting a deliberately stupid title and Samuel L. Jackson’s public persona (and his indelible way with expletives) briefly turned the film into something of a cultural phenomenon, especially on the internet. But once the hype died down and the smoke cleared, what remains is a competent-but-unremarkable disaster/killer critter hybrid that panders to the yahoo crowd with cheap shocks and gratuitous sex, all clumsily inserted to earn an R-rating. Though it never became the cult film it was obviously aspiring to be, there’s some sleazy fun to be had if you’re in the right frame of mind and Jackson looks like he’s having a great time. I’m not sure a movie like this really benefits from the 4K treatment, but Arrow’s got it if you want it, along with a big batch of new and archival bonus features. (2006/105 min/Arrow Video).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺

BLOOD OF REVENGE (Blu-ray) - This early yakuza film will be of historic interest for fans of the genre. Set in 1907, the film focuses on rising tensions between yakuza families following an assassination attempt on one of the leaders, who then aspires to go straight and turn his family into a legitimate organization. This is the first yakuza film by Tai Kato, a director whose films not particularly well known on this side of the pond. But in Japan, he became one of the more respected names in the genre. Perhaps not a violent as some hardcore fans may be used to, Blood of Revenge is still pretty entertaining, with good performances and impressively vivid production design, making it worth seeking out. This Blu-ray features a great restoration, as well as an early short by Kato and video essay. (1965/90 min/Radiance Films).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼

ILLUSTRIOUS CORPSES: There Goes the Judge!

ILLUSTRIOUS CORPSES (Blu-ray)

1976 / 120 min

Radiance Films

Review by Mr. Paws😺

I’m gonna say the quiet part out loud…

The 1976 Italian thriller, Illustrious Corpses, is about powerful supreme court judges being bumped off by a mysterious killer. Considering the bang-up job our current U.S. Supreme Court is doing, it did cross my mind that an American remake could be a real crowd pleaser. If only!

Though I don’t think such an awful thought crossed director Frencesco Rosi’s mind, he does paint a fairly negative picture of these judges. What they have in common (besides being corrupt) is presiding over three cases where innocent men were found guilty. Feeling that being falsely imprisoned is a good motive for revenge, the lead investigator, Inspector Rogas (Lino Ventura), tracks down two of them. The third one is a recluse named Cres, who was apparently framed by his conniving wife. But since he’s now missing, he becomes Rogas’ number one suspect.

However, Rogas’ bullheaded police chief (Tino Carraro) refuses to believe that. Convinced the judges are being targeted by communist radicals during this time of political unrest, he’s constantly undermining Rogas, as is the Security Minister (Fernando Rey). In fact, his only ally seems to be Cusan (Luigi Pistilli), a childhood friend who works for a leftist newspaper. As judges keep dying (including Max von Sydow in a brief-but-memorable appearance), Rojas begins to suspect a conspiracy involving the very people he works for.

"Stop grilling that dog, Stubinski. His alibi checks out."

I’ve only seen a few movies starring Lino Ventura, but find him an interesting actor (nicely countering Richard Burton’s scenery chewing in The Medusa Touch). Rojas isn’t exactly a complex character, but Ventura brings an earnestness to the role that makes him engaging. While Illustrious Corpses is light on action, it’s mostly pretty interesting, even with a couple of meandering asides that might almost qualify as red herrings. The final act comes to a memorable climax that reminded me in some ways of The Parallax View.

The film may or may not have a political agenda, but sometimes it seems like there is. Whatever the case, that was 50 years ago and all that matters now is that Illustrious Corpses remains a solid detective story with a good performance by its star. Though fairly obscure on this side of the pond, it’s highly recommended for fans of ‘70s-era thrillers…or anyone afraid to say the quiet part out loud.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

ARCHIVAL INTERVIEWS - Both are from 1976. One features director Francesco Rosi, the other features Roxi and actor Lino Ventura. 

NEW INTERVIEW - Rosi biographer Gaetana Marrone discusses the film.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By filmmaker Alex Cox, who made a good movie once (Repo Man).

TRAILER

IMAGE GALLERY

Catnip Reviews: SHAKESPEARE'S SH*TSTORM, THE OGRE OF ATHENS, AIRPORT 4-FILM COLLECTION

Snack-sized opinions from the frisky felines at Free Kittens…

SHAKRESPEARE’S SHITSTORM (4K UHD/Blu-Ray) - If Dick Clark was the “World’s Oldest Teenager,” then Lloyd Kaufman is unquestionably the world’s oldest 12 year old boy. His sense of humor hasn’t changed one whit since first assuming the throne of low-budget bad taste in 1984 with The Toxic Avenger. If anything, he’s since plunged to new depths of immaturity, as demonstrated with Shakespeare’s Shitstorm. If nothing else, the title is accurate. Traces of The Tempest can be found if you squint hard enough, while massive amounts of spewing excrement are the catalyst to what can loosely be called a plot. Elsewhere, there’s plenty of the juvenile, scatological, gross out gags that helped build Kaufman's empire, along with heavy-handed “satire” attacking modern political correctness with the subtlety of a jackhammer. But I’ll give the Troma team props for one thing…Blu-ray & 4K releases of their titles are generally loaded with bonus material and this one is no exception. (2020/94 min/Troma Entertainment). KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼

THE OGRE OF ATHENS (Blu-ray) - In this 1956 obscurity, Thomas (Dinos Iliopoulos) is a lonely, nebbish banker who is suddenly mistaken for The Ogre, a notorious criminal who’s been terrorizing the city of Athens. But upon a chance meeting with a sultry dancer, he ends up falling-in with a crew of small time gangsters who are planning a big heist, believing Thomas to be The Ogre himself. Along the way, Thomas strikes up a friendship with another young dancer who’s unhappy with her life. Considered a milestone in Greek cinema, The Ogre of Athens features fine moments of perceptive human drama, charming comedy and even some film noir touches. Well worth seeking out, this disc also comes with a few supplements that offer valuable historical context.  (1956/104 min/Radiance Films). KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺

AIRPORT - THE COMPLETE 4-FILM COLLECTION (Blu-ray) - This set is a disaster lover’s dream. Obviously products of their time - when disaster movies were plentiful and profitable - none of them are works of art, but remain tons of melodramatic fun...occasionally at their own expense. While the original Airport is widely considered the best one (and credited for popularizing the genre to begin with), I’ve always been more partial to Airport 1975 and Airport ‘77, both of which are more action driven. As for The Concorde - Airport ‘79…it’s still a morbidly fascinating, unintentionally hilarious train wreck. All four films have been given terrific 4K restorations, so they look and sound great, though I do wish more effort was put into providing some substantial bonus material. There’s a booklet featuring a perfunctory essay, along with insightful new audio commentaries for each, but considering their cultural impact of ‘70s cinema (for better or worse), surely they deserve a bit more. (1970-1979/470 min/Kino Lorber). KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼