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7:00 PM Encore Dramatic Stories
Christine (1983 USA): Really, Encore? Christine is a ‘dramatic story’? Frankly, I’m puzzled, because Christine is not exactly an Ivory-Merchant production. Now that’s drama! Anyhoo, if you were excited by the Cinemax appearance of The Car a couple of weeks ago, you should be equally jazzed about Christine, another entry in the ‘possessed vehicle’ genre. Based on a Stephen King story, our film relates the strange goings-on surrounding a 1958 Plymouth acquired by nerdy gearhead Arnie ‘don’t call me Richie’ Cunningham (future director Keith Gordon). Arnie loves his ’58 Fury and spends hours restoring it—but when his personality begins to change in odd and unendearing ways, his friends and family begin to wonder if he should spend a little less time in the garage. Pretty soon his car gets jealous, people start dying, and Detective Rudolph Junkins (Harry Dean Stanton) gets suspicious. Though directed and scored by John Carpenter, Christine’s tale of evil lurking beneath the exterior of smalltown middle America is Stephen King material all the way. Assault on Precinct 13 it ain’t.

Thursday 4/22/10

2:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
Sette donne per i MacGregor (1967 ITA): This one’s a real surprise. Though not a well-regarded example of the spaghetti western genre, Seven Women for the MacGregors is certainly entertaining. In this sequel to Seven Guns for the MacGregors, the evil Maldonado (Leo Anchoriz, channeling the spirit of Timothy Carey) steals the family gold, and it's up to the seven MacGregor brothers to reclaim it. The film consists of wall to wall action, all of it extremely well-staged, and Alejandro Ulloa's cinematography is outstanding. The incessant theme song returns from the first film but thankfully it isn't overused quite as much this time. Also of note is the return of actor Victor Israel as a traveling dentist--he played the morbid pianist in Seven Guns--and also that of beautiful Agata Flori, who reprises her role as Rosita, the wife/fiancée of brother Gregor (Another World's David Bailey, replacing Robert Woods). If you've only ever seen this in pan and scan or on a bootleg, splash out for a copy of the Ripley Home Video PAL disc--as with their release of Seven Guns, the transfer is near flawless. If you’re not yet region-free, check it out this morning on TCM—though I understand it will not be airing in widescreen, the film is too rare (and too much fun) to pass up in any format.

8:45 AM Turner Classic Movies
The Gun Runners (1958 USA): World War II hero turned actor Audie Murphy starred in dozens of westerns, but he occasionally branched out into other genres. Here’s one of those non-westerns, a rarely seen action-adventure helmed by the great Don Siegel. Murphy plays Key West sailor Sam Martin, who gets himself involved in arms smuggling during the Cuban Revolution in order to help pay off some debts. That’s about it plotwise, but with Siegel behind the camera and Murphy in front, it’s enough to earn the film a recommendation. Eddie Albert co-stars as villain Hanigan, and Richard Jaeckel, John Qualen, Jack Elam, and method acting pioneer Lee Strasberg (!) all put in appearances, too.

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