In giallo it's not the final destination that matters. It's the endless journey in circles.
Spasmo is what you used to call your little brother, but amazingly it's also the name of an Italian giallo flick, and like other giallos, this one comes with sly looks, loaded dialogue, appearing mannequins, disappearing bodies, creepy bit players, coincidences that aren't really coincidences, and baffling extraneous events. The plot here here is set into motion when Robert Hoffman shoots an intruder. The body disappears and he spends the rest of the film trying to figure out what happened. Which is impossible, of course, because in giallo the plots are often nonsensical and the characters behave irrationally in ways both minor and major. At one point co-star Suzy Kendall, who needed a long soak in a tub after this torturous journey, says, “I don't understand. I don't understand anything!” And that neatly sums up the film. But giallos (or gialli for you purists) aren't usually meant to be understood. They're puzzles with no solutions. Extremely self-conscious and stylish mindfucks. Some are better than others, but for us, everything about this one falls short except the three excellent, creepy promo posters you see above. Spasmo premiered in Italy today in 1974
I am a normal... and well adjusted... adult female... human being.
Hide? Heh-heh. What makes you think I have anything to hide?
I just pop up and scare the shit out of people when they least expect it. I'm really good at it, too. I'm like the Hendrix of that.
Giuseppe said my plaid leisure suit was ugly and now he must die.
Drink up little Suzy. British actress Suzy Kendall, who appeared in Thunderball, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and To Sir with Love, relaxes in a bath with a cocktail in this marked up promo shot from the set of 1970's film version of John MacDonald's classic thriller Darker than Amber.
Excellent spy flick sentenced to late night limbo. Fräulein Doktor is an Italian production, despite the German title. And though said title conjures up images of lez sexploitation (at least it does for us), it’s actually an artful film made with what was at the time a substantial budget. Though there are pulp elements, it presents a serious discussion about the horrors of war, and the emotional sacrifices made by its Mata Hari-like central character, played by the über-hot Suzy Kendall. Despite these positives, the film performed poorly upon release and was re-edited to remove its lesbianism, then relegated to late night television, where it languishes to this day. But it has a devoted cult following, so a DVD re-release is not completely out of the question. Time will tell. Fräulein Doktor premiered in Italy today in 1969.
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The headlines that mattered yesteryear.
1951—The Rosenbergs Are Convicted of Espionage
Americans Ethel and Julius Rosenberg are convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage as a result of passing nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union. While declassified documents seem to confirm Julius Rosenberg's role as a spy, Ethel Rosenberg's involvement is still a matter of dispute. Both Rosenbergs were executed on June 19, 1953. 1910—First Seaplane Takes Flight
Frenchman Henri Fabre, who had studied airplane and propeller designs and had also patented a system of flotation devices, accomplishes the first take-off from water at Martinque, France, in a plane he called Le Canard, or "the duck." 1953—Jim Thorpe Dies
American athlete Jim Thorpe, who was one of the most prolific sportsmen ever and won Olympic gold medals in the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon, played American football at the collegiate and professional levels, and also played professional baseball and basketball, dies of a heart attack. 1958—Khrushchev Becomes Premier
Nikita Khrushchev becomes premier of the Soviet Union. During his time in power he is responsible for the partial de-Stalinization of the Soviet Union, and presides over the rise of the early Soviet space program, but his many policy failures lead to him being deposed in October 1964. After his removal he is pensioned off and lives quietly the rest of his life, eventually dying of heart disease in 1971.
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