Roderick Heath

New on This Island Rod - yes, you read that right - I look at the Citizen Kane of pulp adventure movies, William Cameron Menzies and Marcel Varnel's Chandu The Magician: thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2026/01/chandu…

Viewing: Joe Sarno's Pandora And The Magic Box. Like someone tried to make A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum as a stag film.

Viewing: Stephanie Rothman's Group Marriage. Oddly likeable 70s sex farce that's archaeological proof polyamory existed before 2020; playful but with flashes of sophistication and some of Rothman's Velvet Vampire lyricism. Claudia Jennings comes off best.

Viewing: Robert Redford's The Milagro Beanfield War. Good-looking, well-done movie, although boy it shaves down the sharp edges of the source novel.

I'm not refusing to mow my lawn, I'm rewilding the neighbourhood.

Current state of mind:

...Vale the wonderful Valerie Perrine. In memoriam, my essay on Richard Donner's Superman: filmfreedonia.com/2012/03/16/sup…

Suffice to say this is just about a perfect movie.

Viewing: Jacques Tati's Mon Oncle. Today one might think of this as a visual representation of enshittification.

Despite his recent insult, Japan answers Trump's plea for help securing the Strait of Hormuz.

I'm here to spread the gospel about our lord and saviour Peter Lorre and his prophet Sydney Greenstreet. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Viewing: Carlo Campogalliani's Goliath And The Barbarians. Peplum programmer that opens well, dawdles about a long while, then delivers a strong finish. Steve Reeves was a deep, deep actor. Not.

Viewing: Richard T Heffron's I, The Jury. A work of the most profound, heartbreakingly sensitive poetry.

Viewing: Vittorio De Sica's The Roof. Marvellous reunion for Bicycles Thieves team about a couple trying to build a shanty home fast enough to beat police attention, mediating classic neorealism with a more upbeat, people-power attitude. Criminally little-known.

@fantombouquet I love The Devils but I'm not sure I want to know someone who has the poster for it on their bedroom wall.

cool The Devils poster in a house listing

...Vale Chuck Norris. Of whom my perpetual first association is of how my cousin, who died of leukemia in his teens, once spent hours raving about Lone Wolf McQuade to me.

Viewing: Emilio P Miraglia's The Red Queen Kills Seven Times. A real mixed bag; gnarly kills, blindingly beautiful women, some good scenes and strong images. But suffers from saggy pacing and a clumsy story; lacks the neurotic fervour of top-notch giallo.

Viewing: Francis Ford Coppola's Peggy Sue Got Married. Nostalgic whimsy far beneath FFC's skill set, though he seems to be willing it to be One From The Heart 2. Only really distinguished by Kathleen Turner's performance, and the '90s ur-cast tucked in supporting roles.

Viewing: Victor Schertzinger's Road To Singapore. Not particularly good - it's never that funny - but it's easy to see why this went over; Crosby, Hope, Lamour exist on screen together with the illusion of effortless humour and camaraderie, and the movie just about all vibes.

Finally actually watching the Oscars. So, Jack Pierce didn't get an Oscar for his Frankenstein's Monster, but we gave one for that instantly forgettable, phony-looking shit, huh?

Still no Alia, huh?