Films with DS cast members

[DarkShadowyFigure]

Hi,

 I was inspired by David's "A Night At the Movies" thread to ask this- what films with DS cast members do you recommend watching or hunting down the dvd/video?  This doesn't include the 2 DS films.

Thanks all! 

[Bette]

We've talked a lot about it here in the past, but for the newcomers, "Satan in High Heels" with the glorious Grayson as Pepe is not to be missed. I love that movie!


Bette

[ClaudeNorth]

SATAN IN HIGH HEELS is a must-see for all Grayson fans!

Another worthwhile film to check out is THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA, for which Grayson received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. 

[Darren Gross]

SEIZURE with Jonathan Frid,
RACE WITH THE DEVIL with Lara Parker
PLAY IT AGAIN SAM with Jerry Lacey
DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS with John Karlen
ROCKY and LITTLE BIG MAN with Thayer David
GARGOYLES with Grayson Hall
SAVAGES with Chris Pennock
SUPERMAN with Alex Stevens

[MsCriseyde]

Headless Body in Topless Bar with David Selby. It's a little different from any other role he's played on film. His character is dubbed the "kinkmeister" in the movie. Need I say more? 

Seriously, though, the reviews of the film aren't too good, but it's worth watching. It was shot more or less in order on a single set, much like a play. It's definitely different, and the director's commentary on the DVD includes a few comments about how David approached the role.

[victoriawinters]

I thought Kate Jackson was really good in a film from the early 80s called "Making Love."  For the time, it was a bit of a ground breaker.  I remember enjoying seeing it in the movie theatre when it originally came out.

Joan Bennett was in 82 movies-TV Shows!  Was she really bad in any of them?  She is our only star to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Another probably good documentary to see is Alexandra Moltke Isles, "Scandalize My Name" about the impact of the McCarthy era blacklist on African-American performers.

Miss Criseyde didn't mention it, but she does still have her Dark Shadows Alumni Movie site up.  Here is the link.....  Click me.  You can go on over and see some of the listings of the various stars.

[Gothick]

Thayer David is really good in Savages, which also stars Chris Pennock.  The movie itself is very odd but I enjoyed seeing it.

Not a film, but I really enjoyed Lara's guest role on Kojak: The Night Stalker.  I think the title of her episode is something like The Trevi Connection.  Nina Foch is in it, as well, and the episode sort of winks at both the dark Forties B-horror films in which Nina Foch got her start, and Lara Parker's work on Dark Shadows.

Satan in High Heels is one of my top ten movies of all time, for Grayson's performance and for the look and feel of the movie--great soundtrack, too.  She was nominated for an Oscar in Iguana, and none of those big H'wood stars got noms, so I always cackle a bit when I think of that.  It's cute that Gargoyles was mentioned; I was just thinking of that film the other day.  I also love GH's moments in Adam at Six A. M. (she plays Michael "Mikey" Douglas' busybody, meddling aunt); End of the Road (short but bittersweet); and the DC produced telefilm, The Great Ice Ripoff, in which she's quietly effective as the wife of a retiring detective.

I really wish "Back to Back" would be made available.  It's a 52 minute drama shot in color in 1965. Grayson played the imperious, snobbish head of an exclusive resort, opposite Shelley Winters and Jack Hawkins as a pair who were trying to get jobs on her staff.  It was shown in Oct. 1965 on the "Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre" show.  My attempts at finding a copy have gone absolutely nowhere.

Joan Bennett's scenes in Suspiria are fun--I find that film otherwise unwatchable, but I'm in a small minority on that--most people rate it as a classic.

There's more... but who knows where the time goes?

G.

[CyrusL]

Journey to the Center of the Earth-1960
   This is one of my favorite Thayer David performances. Okay, the films does have Pat Boone who is actually an adequate actor and they do let him sing, so don't hold that against it. Thayer gets to play the adversary of James Mason as they race to the title destination. He appears mainly in the second half of the film. If you like Thayer's dark side, head here! 

Its out in a nice widescreen DVD

[Julia99]

Satan in High Heels is one of my top ten movies of all time, for Grayson's performance and for the look and feel of the movie--great soundtrack, too.  End of the Road (short but bittersweet); and the DC produced telefilm, The Great Ice Ripoff, in which she's quietly effective as the wife of a retiring detective.

Just to chime in with the OTHER Grayson fans. . Satan is a fun ride and the innuendo still crackles.  Great Ice Ripoff--she was the best thing in it. . you REALLY believed she was J Lee's wife.  He just slept walked thru the film unfortunately.  Also, for those who only know Grayson as the uptight Julia Hoffman, End of the Road is a SHOCKER. . .one wonders how much more skin she showed in those 2 scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor??

Also it's ironic that Making Love was mentioned. . i was just listening the the Roberta Flack theme song today and thinking back on the groundbreaking nature of that film.  Kate Jackson was quite good as were the two male leads, Michael Ontkean and LA LAW Hunk, Harry Hamlin.

[Maria_Merriweather]

Little Women starring Joan Bennett

[murph]

One movie that hasn't been mentioned is "Save the Tiger" in which Jack Lemmon won his first Academy award as a lead actor.  This movie also features Thayer David and Lara Parker.  I haven't seen it on DVD but I did rent it a couple years ago and I enjoyed it a lot. I never have figured out what the title of the movie has to do with the movie itself.   Jack Lemmon is one of my all time favorite actors and the movie is primarily about a man going through a mid life crisis.  It came out in '73. 

Murph

[Gerard]

Don't forget The Great Gatsby with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow and - sigh - Kathryn Leigh Scott who does wonderful as the catty gossip.

And for something more lighthearted, how about Grayson Hall as the kidnap victim in Disney's That Darn Cat with Hailey Mills.

Gerard

[ClaudeNorth]

SCARLET STREET, with Joan Bennett and Anita Bolster
THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY, with Lovelady Powell, Peter Turgeon, and cinematography by Arthur Ornitz (HODS' cinematographer)
THE STEPFORD WIVES with Kenneth McMillan in a small role as a supermarket manager
BELIZAIRE THE CAJUN with Nancy Barrett

[David]

Up the Sandbox(1973) superb social satire. David Selby plays Barbra Streisand`s husband, her first film as a producer.

Save the Tiger(1973) Thayer David as a gangster & Lara Parker as a hooker

The Minx(1970) campy X rated film with a naked Robert Rodan(who`s hot!!)

Willy Wonka(1971) with Denise Nickerson

The Greek Tycoon(1978) Kathryn Leigh Scott as Elaine Cassidy(Jackie Kennedy)

Joe(1970) superb film with Dennis Patrick as Susan Sarandon`s father

MANY obscure Joan Bennett films, not on video, can be seen on Fox Movie Channel and TCM. Fox Movies plays Joan in For Heaven`s Sake(1950) this month.

Also see Joan`s last theatrical film, the magnificent Italian horror film Suspiria(1977)

Eating(1985) cult filmaker Henry Jaglom`s film on women & their obsession with food & weight. Lisa Richards plays the lead in this film that is entirely improvised.

[Luciaphile]

victoriawinters wrote:

Joan Bennett was in 82 movies-TV Shows!  Was she really bad in any of them? 

She made some clunkers  I think it depended a lot on the script and the director.

However, recommendations for her films:
Scarlet Street
The Woman in the Window
Trade Winds
The Reckless Moment
The Woman on the Beach (a flop, and not all that great, but Bennett is)
Man Hunt (haven't seen, but it's supposed to be good)
The Macomber Affair (ditto)

I will add my voice to the general clamor about Satan in High Heels. I loved it. Camp of the highest order.

Night of the Iguana is very good.

Hated Seizure. Weird film, but not in a good way, IMHO.