Friday, February 28, 2020

Cycles in '70

I don't know for sure when the motorcycle gang movie genre peaked, but they still seemed hot in 1970. Fifty years ago this week, a triple bill of cycle movies was playing at the Cactus Drive-In in Tucson, Arizona, though all three were second- or third-run movies.

Wild Wheels (1969) was cycles vs. dune buggies and featured Casey Kasem, though it seems to be a lost movie now.

Devil's Angels (1967) was produced by Roger Corman and starred John Cassavettes just before he began directing his string of indie films that would make him a 70s cult figure.
Angels from Hell (1968) appears to combine cycles, a Vietnam vet, and police brutality.

Monday, February 24, 2020

Sin and salvation, 60 years ago

These were the two biggest ads in the Tucson newspaper movie section (paired with full-color ads from elsewhere) the week of February 10th, 1960. 1) Solomon and Sheba, a Biblical epic with big stars like Yul Brynner and Gina Lollobrigida, with lots of people in leather and togas and helmets.


2) Nature's Paradise, a British nudist flick for adults only with lots of people standing around with no clothes on at all. 

Notice that in Tucson, it was paired with a legit Hollywood drama, Carnival Story with Anne Baxter and Steve Cochran, which played in Tucson in June of 1954.