Strange, Creepy But Attractive Immortal Women In Cinema
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- čas přidán 5. 08. 2024
- / @terrytalksmovies
This time around, it's 1935's She starring Randolph Scott, Helen Gahagan and Nigel Bruce, a lost world movie based on H Rider Haggard's novel, and 1988's The Lair Of The White Worm directed by Ken Russell and starring High Grant, Peter Capaldi, Amanda Donohoe and a white wyrm.
00:00 Intro
00:54 She (1935)
04:24 Hashamotep
06:27 I Overthought the Character
09:40 Buster Keaton For The Win!
11:07 Helen Gahagan Douglas
13:03 The Lair Of The White Worm
16:54 Hugh Grant For The Win
19:06 Summary
20:45 Outro
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As a guy in my 20's I loved the Lair Of The White Worm. It was absolutely crazy and let's face it Amanda Donohoe was sexy crazy. I have only seen the remake of She with Ursula Andress, but I enjoyed that. Speaking of lost films, I live in Rochester NY the home of the George Eastman House. They are storing thousands of old Nitrate prints and are working on restorations on as many as possible. They just restored and released a Blu-ray of the 1926 silent film "The Johnston Flood" which for years was thought of a lost film.
I love it when lost films are found and restored. It won't happen with everything but when it does, it heals the history of cinema.
My parents both came from Rottenchester, NY (their nickname, not mine!) -- and I grew up visiting the area a lot (Canandaigua Lake is my 'go to' place!) -- one uncle worked his entire career for Kodak. But yep -- the Eastman foundation/trust has done a lot for cinema/film education and preservation....
The pit scene with the lady hanging over it is the most memorable scene ever ❤ Maybe it’s because of the Freudian imagery I don’t know 🤷♀️ 😂 But this is definitely one of my favorite movies of the camp genre. ❤👍🏻👍🏻 Very romantic and lovely female power and monsters etc.
Ken Russell movies are always best when accompanied by your self medication method of choice😄
Depends. I did get a bit drunk while watching Salome's Last Dance and it was a memorable evening.
Quite true.
@@terrytalksmovies nice call! one of the harder to find Russell films! his segment in the opera anthology "Aria" is also a nicely, decadent visual feast. worth a look if you can find it, but if like me opera's generally Not Your Thing it can be hard to see/hard past that, despite the assembled quality of directors.
Your side journeys taking in the likes of Richard Nixon and Buster Keaton were quite enjoyable. My own wanders watching this episode involved realizing that Helen Mack looked familiar because she co-starred in Son of Kong and that when Leo McKern’s Horace Rumpole referred to his wife as SWMBO, it was a nod to H. Rider Haggard’s ‘She Who Must Be Obeyed’.
Yep. John Mortimer had a great sense of humour.
glad to see someone else was aware of the Rumpole reference to "She who much be Obeyed!".!
Lair of the White Worm is great, crazy fun. I developed a man-crush on Grant from that movie 🤪 and he straddled the fine line of that role so well. It's great to see him come full-circle, finally free of that rom-com purgatory he was stuck in so long.
Great bit of history around She, thanks for that.
Grant is fantastic in Paddington 2, too.
Good one, Terry! You said "Randolph Scott", I thought of BLAZING SADDLES, and then you immediately show the clip from BLAZING SADDLES! 😂
I am a river to my people.
“He had a spare weekend…”😂😂
I almost choked while brushing my teeth. Well played brother, well played.
Thanks. 😀
She is terrific and I'm with you, it is one of the few movies that plays better colourized than in its original b&w version. The white hot helmet of death is especially terrifying colourized. Lair Of White Worm is very kinky and also very amusing. Ken Russell's over the top visual style subverts any traditional gothic story elements.
Russell seemed to be having fun, too, which is great.
In the original novel that form of execution is called "hot potting".
As in "Hold tight, Gromit and think of Lancashire hotpot".
Lair of the White Worm is a ripper. Before watching this I was searching Betty Blythe who did She in 1925. I'll look out for the 1935 version too.
The 1935 is worth it.
LOTWW is awesome! Super trippy. Those stories about SHE are fascinating, I had no idea that Keaton saved it from oblivion nor that it's star helped saved America. Wild
Buster Keaton also gets name checked and visualised in Ti West's new movie, MaXXXine, which surprised me in a good way.
@@terrytalksmovies YES! He did. MaXXXine stuck the landing for me even if it is my least favorite of the trilogy. That's not a rip on l, it's just my third favorite. Was going to save it for your next vid but here I am. Haha
I saw this when I was a child (ages ago) and looking at the thumbnail I have recognized that scene. So glad now I know the title of the movie.
I'm happy to have helped out there, Eduardo.
@@terrytalksmovies thank you
I've seen a later version of She, might've been Hammer? It's interesting watching Lair age 14, then rewatching age 40
Revisiting films is a great experience. We never see them the same way twice.
Hammer did a version of She in the 60's with Ursula Andress, Lee and Cushing.
I think I got a glimpse of the movie about 14 or 15 on TV, may as well watch the whole thing now I'm in my 40s.
@@Bent-Ed And a sequel "Vengeance of She" (1967 without Andress).
I Have to get that copy of SHE, because I've always wanted to see it and I'd understood it was a lost movie!
Really enjoy LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM, and think it's hilarious.
Both are hilarious in their own ways.
Two great films right there. Amanda Donahue… What can I say? Whew. High Grant has had some great roles recently hasn't he? He was also very good in dungeons and dragons.
He's on a career high as a character actor.
I loved lair of the white wyrm, especially the sun bed scene!
It's all good.
Kennedy defeats Nixon : The Revenge of She ! ...and well done Buster Keaton ! I'm far more familiar with the 1965 Hammer re-make of She with Cushing, Lee, Bernard Cribbins and the drop-dead-gorgeous and icily authoritarian Ursula Andress as Ayesha, the titular 'She Who Must Be Obeyed.' Disregard all of this if you know the film already. It's closer to the 1887 novel by H. Rider-Haggard. The novel had in fact, already been filmed an impressive five times by 1935. I've read the novel several times - available in a good Penguin Classics edition and I've read The Lair of the White Worm. I'm quite interested in getting this earlier incarnation of She. The Hugh Grant movie...not so much, but thanks for pairing the two up. Cheers Terry.
My pleasure, Peter, but I really like Hugh Grant's mid-career shift to eccentric character actor.
She is a classic, so it is my first pick. The Lair Of The White Worm, I'll revisit. Great point on Hugh Grant, as he is hilarious. His funniest bit wasn't in a movie. When he played Yakkty Sax during Boris Johnson's resignation speech, pure bliss.
His Phoenix Buchanan in Paddington 2 is a joy.
Love Lair and Amanda strutting around brandishing the skull Want it on an endless loop
That would get old really quickly for me. I'm fickle. 😉
between Gothic ,Lair of the White Worm , Crimes of Passion ,and Aria , Ken Russell screwed with my impressionable teenage mind in the 80s...
His version of Salome was a banger, too.
@@terrytalksmovies yes that one too ... darn how could I forget that one?! thanks for reminding me...bring mee the head of john the bapteeest!
I've seen Lair but it's too Russell-y for my taste, the old She is more my speed. Thanks, Ter.
My pleasure, William. I still like Lair, including the mongoose in the sporran.
@@terrytalksmovies If "Lair..." is too Russell-y i'm not sure what would pass!...though he did at least use a bit more subtlety in his D H Lawrence adaptations as well as the docos he did for the BBC (?) on famous composers. But yeah most of his oeuvre is like Dario Argento but with far more twisted social commentary. For Russell, "Altered States" was relatively sedate, lol!
The role of Peter Capaldi I appreciate is John Frobisher in "Torchwood - Children of Earth". Besides the episodes are really dark and sad, he left e deep impression with me as a mid level government official, that was chosen by his boss for being expendable.
He's done a lot of good work. Check out The Cricklewood Greats on CZcams.
Saw Lair at a midnight showing. Best way to watch it I think.
Watching it with your tongue in your cheek is fun. It's a silly, enjoyable film.
I haven't seen LotWW since the old video store days. Haven't seen this version of SHE, but I think they'll make a good birthday gift to myself.
Go for it. I have Amazon affiliate links in the video description. 🙂😉
I've been trying to remember the name of that movie and figure out the title for years. I watched it when I was a kid, the color version. All I could remember was blue fire that gave life and worn stairs.
I'm happy I could help.
I have only watched the 1935 version of She recently and was dreading that it would be like the Ursula Undress version. Was so glad that it wasn't and was so well done. Did not at all expect to see Randolf Scott in it. Yet to see Lair of the White Wyrm, I must amend that.
Enjoy!
Great episode ! I haven't seen either of these movies, but I've read both novels, does that count? Nah, didn't think so. I shall have to run down those two on DVD or Blu Ray (long live physical media_)
Good luck with the hunt, Mike.
Ken Russell is always a joy ( if you're prepared!)
Dexie's Midnight Runners in LotWW FTW!!
I've always had trouble sitting through any version of SHE but a version that has Harryhausen's seal of approval is worth another shot!
I do feel like there should be a third immortal woman movie, that we're missing - that I can't think of.
There are a few.
I love the Dexys Midnight Runners cameo, AND the daft song they sing!
@@salty-walt i always thought it was The Pogues! i think i was three sheets to the wind and was not paying enough attention!
Great video Terry. Lair is a (vampire) bat sh@t crazy movie but really watchable. Interesting mention about the 1978 fire, would also make a great video for you to cover what film/TV was lost. 👍
I checked. There aren't a lot of records of what was lost. We know a fair bit was but not specifically the exact movies.
Thanks - great selection this week. I was unsure about that 1935 version of She but will now have to search it out knowing more about the back story. I was admittedly more interesting in getting the Hammer version with Ursula Andress (sorry, Hammer tragic). LotWW is definitely enjoyable for its craziness ... and, of course its catchy wee tune. Definitely one of my guilty pleasures. The UK Vestron Video bluray is a nice copy and reasonably priced if you want that upgrade.
Thanks for the tip on the upgrade. 😀
I saw LotWW at an art movie house when it came out. Yeah, it's a romp. Highly recommended.
An alcoholic beverage (or two) would make a fine accompaniment.
Yep. I can see that. A bevvy wouldn't hurt.
Huge Grant is doing his best work now , really looking forward to his new film called Heretic the trailer looks good.
Yeah, I saw the trailer. Looks interesting. A24 are doing a lot of great mid-budget films.
Thank You!
My pleasure
I saw She, great art deco film. The original novel and other adaptations have Kor in Africa, not sure why the change to the Arctic. Having Ray Harryhausen's name on the top seems like false advertizing to me. Didn't know that story of Helen Gahagan. Nice. Grant had a good role in the HBO series The Regime as the former prime minister of a fictitious Eastern European country kept in a prison in the palace basement. Lair of the White Worm is naughty fun. I thought it too over the top when I first saw it but a second viewing made me appreciate it. I like She better, maybe watch with Bava's Black Sunday?
Grant is having a truly great later career.
I was only familiar with the 1965 remake of “She”, I’ll have to check the original out as the Internet Archive has the colorized version free to stream.
Good hunting.
Oh noes! You dissed Disney! 😂 Also, I’d pine for you for 500 years 😊❤
Awwwwww 😊
I did Dissney. You would not pine for me for 500 years. You'd find some movie or tv star to pine after instead. 😜
@@terrytalksmovies 😁
Speaking of strange I just rewatched Immortal. I kinda like it more now that I’ve seen it sober, believe it or not. It’s got Dark City vibes in spades and a weak storyline but one nonetheless. Are there any recommendations you can point me to in this overall genre of weird sci fi, if there’s such a thing.!
Look at my science fiction playlist. There are a lot of them.
Well, I didn't know about this version of "She"
I'm more familiar with the 1965 Hammer version with Ursula Andress, Peter Cushing and Bernard Cribbins which is set in vaguely in the Eastern Med / Red Sea lands.
This version is 100% worth it.
Oddly enough, I haven't seen either film but I *have* read both of the books they're based on. That's... quite a change of setting for She, isn't it, from Africa to the Arctic... I gather Lair of the White Worm is somewhat loosely adapted from the book, but the book is also kind of mad in its own way. It has the feel of a posthumously published first draft that was never properly revised before Stoker died, except it was published the year BEFORE he died. Given that he was apparently dying of syphilis ("locomotor ataxia", officially, but that's generally considered "polite" for syphilis) at the time, maybe that's why the book is the way it is.
A lot more famous men died of the pox than people are happy to admit.
I remember seeing White Worm when it was released. At the time I was a bit disappointed by its technical clumsiness and the fairly cringey humour, but on rewatching I have to admit it's good pulpy fun, in its way, even if it's Ken Russell on autopilot. I much prefer Gothic and Salome's Last Dance from this era of Russell's fascinating decline (Stratford Johns has a great campy role in the latter).
Salome's Last Dance is a lot of fun.
@@terrytalksmovies An Oscar Wilde snuff-movie...
any plans on doing a retrospective on the great Tod Slaughter, one of the old school actors
Not at this stage though I do have the box set.
For a 'Short Subject' to play with the "Immortals" set may I suggest Ken Russel's "A Kitten for Hitler?" As a palate cleanser between films.
Just the synopsis of that is WTF!
I have to say,l’m glad that Terry has no problem with Amanda Donohoe appearing nude in “Lair of the White Worm”.I had no problem with the nude scenes in the film and l would have no problem with Ms.Donohoe appearing nude in future films.
I grew up with gratuitous nudity in film. These days, I'm in favour of gender-equal gratuitous nudity in films. It's fairer.
Watching 'She' colorized on Pluto TV right now (with ads) -- how had I ever passed this over before? Nice 1935 comment, "Lads, no one can say old Dugmore ever let a white man down..." *SIGH* -- well, it is what it is! And Lair Of The White Wyrm -- yes, a nuts Ken Russell film, all that I seem to remember is Amanda Donohoe in little to no clothing.... 😅
Also her large white... enhancement, is interesting.
What a great double feature. I totally agree that _She_ is one case where colo[u]rization was a good idea and added a lot to the movie. Parts of it are really gorgeous spectacles. Another good thing about _She_ is that makes me think of Leo McKern in _Rumpole of the Bailey._
It's been a long time since I've seen _Lair otWW._ I should rewatch it.
Yes. The colourisation is a big enhancement, more than you'd expect. Lair is worth a rewatch. It's WTF crazy.
Actually, Wonder Woman 1984.
You're right, mate. Mea culpa.
The Lair of the White Worm has one of the sexiest monsters in film. Amanda Donohoe is quite a hottie.
I never trust people with snake fangs.
Have you seen the remake of "She" that was made in the 1960's?
Got the blu ray, so yep. 😀
SHE confirms IMDB's advice, "check your attic" and other places. How does SHE (1935) stack up against the 1965 version? I remember a critic writing about "The Lair of the White Worm" Amanda Donohoe appears in various stages of undress. I've seen the TV version of this movie.
The Hammer She is all about the male gaze. The 1935 is an old school lost world adventure.
@@terrytalksmovies Thank you.
I don't have "Lair", but I have a good companion for it, the Harryhausen/Legend colorized version of "The Most Dangerous Game (1932, of course). I have the same Legend "She" color/b/w versions but reissued on the KINO label.
Nice. Yeah The Most Dangerous Game is great. So is the remake, Run For The Sun with Richard Widmark.
I am curious about why the 1935 version of She was moved from Africa to Russia. The 1965 version is set in Africa as in the book. I have never read the book so I can't judge which one is closer to Haggard's original story. I will have to watch the 1935 version now. 👍👍👍👍👍
"The screenplay by the team of Dudley Nichols and Ruth Rose. Rose wrote the screenplay for 1933's "King Kong", she moved the location from Africa to Arctic Siberia. Ruth Rose actually took elements from all four novels about "Ayesha". These are "She: A History of Adventure", "She and Allan", in which "Ayesha" meets "Allan Quatermain", "Ayesha: The Return of SHE" and "Wisdom's Daughter"."
@@creech54 Thanks for the answer.
Too many African adventures in cinema at the time, I suspect.
Cool. It still works even with the location changed.
@@terrytalksmovies ... and what was more inaccessible and exotic than Arctic Siberia.
It’s the 1980’s. You *can* be weird
Good time to be alive
Speaking of which, I'm reviewing MaXXXine next. Totally 1980s.
IF it's done well, there ain't Nuthin wrong with "Over the Top"... But if it isn't done well... AVOID!
I'll tolerate a lot of things in a bad movie but we all have our boundaries.
I have got to seek out a copy of the 1930's 'She'. I love the original novel, and the 1965 Hammer version. The older movie has moved the location from North Africa to a polar region - possibly because lost civilizations in the polar regions was a trendy idea in the 1930's - Hitler and his gang of twats were big fans of this idea - actually sending expeditions to see if they could find anything. Yes. The 'Radiation Bath' comes from the sequel to 'She', which is a damn weird novel, too.
The short novel, 'The Lair Of The White Worm', by Bram Stoker, isn't very good - in fact, I'd go as far as to say that it's nigh-on unreadable, nowadays, so when Ken Russell made a frankly batshit crazy movie based on it, I wasn't disappointed. It's enjoyably bizarre. And follows the book fairly closely in parts, although there's not a great deal of nudity in the book, (0%) but that's a trivial matter, I feel. Best watched with a beer and plenty of salty snacks.
Cheers again, Terry.
My pleasure, Brian. They were both fun to watch.
I've only seen the B&W version of _She_ , but I liked it. Ironically, to boost his anti-communist _bona fides_ JFK actually supported and donated money to Nixon's Senate campaign against Gahagan Douglas (as did the Democrat she defeated in the primary election), whom Nixon called "pink down to her underwear." Then in 1960 JFK was the one who was too liberal, and crazy story, my father's older brother emigrated to Australia with his family because he thought the US was "going socialist". I was an infant at the time, so I've never even met two of my five cousins (the Evangelical Christian missionaries), but they all seem to be just as nuts except for the girl, who was a physician living in Hobart for many years. She married an Iraqi whose first name was Munther because he was born in Germany, and who my uncle always referred to as the "Ay-rab." Fortunately she decided to leave Iraq before the '80s war with Iran started.
I really liked _The Lair of the White Worm_ when I saw it in 1988; I just rewatched it on a whim a few months ago and it holds up. At the time of release I only knew Hugh Grant as the closeted homosexual aristocrat in Merchant-Ivory's _Maurice_ and Peter Capaldi as John Malkovich's devious servant in _Dangerous Liaisons_ .
Both Capaldi and Grant have had really interesting career arcs.
I’d add a little Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
No scary women in that, however.
@@terrytalksmovies Yeah ... but it's got that lost world, Shangri-la vibe going on.
I don't know - Angelina Jolie in an eye patch is pretty scary. ;-)
if you're gonna be immortal then being a nut case seems a likely result. would love to see the original version of 'She"!. cool that you used the Randolph Scott! chorus of AWE from "Blazing Saddles". Russel's White Worm is a HOOT! the other great B. Stoker story to make it to film. "Lair of..." as made by Ken R is one of the most consciously hilariously phallocentric films of all time...(unlike Dune....where they can say "Maudíb called up a big worm!" in all sincerity!) every other line or image is a dick pun/joke! it'd make a good drinking game..everytime something "penile" is referenced, do a shot!
The dick jokes write themselves.
I loved Lair... great sicko fun, and you're right, the sisters were pretty lame.
Yeah, the actresses didn't commit to the gig, IMHO.
not 85 not 86 it was WW84
Even the date was forgettable. My fault.
Lady Sylvia marsh is one of my all-time favorite female villain
Back in the movie first came out. One of my home dates was to show this movie. If they didn’t like the movie.... we weren’t going to work out lol
The other red flag is people who won't watch black and white movies/.