Double Dose of Martino at the Music Box

January 13, 2024 by Jon Kitley in Movie Events and tagged All the Colors of the Dark, Edwige Fenech, George Hilton, Island of the Fishmen, Ivan Rassimov, January Giallo, Music Box Theatre, Sergio Martino, Slave of the Cannibal God, The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, Torso | Leave a comment

I know we had previously announced that Italian director Sergio Martino was going to be at the Music Box Theatre on the 22nd for a screening of his 1973 epic Torso as the last film in this year’s January Giallo series. But the Giallo Gods have smiled upon us once again and have the Music Box has added another Martino classic, The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1971), starring George Hilton, Edwige Fenech, Ivan Rassimov, and Alberto de Mendoza, which I would consider a very essential title in the giallo sub-genre. This screening will be taking place on Tuesday the 23rd, at 7pm.

Continue reading →

January Giallo at the Music Box

December 27, 2022 by Jon Kitley in Movie Events and tagged All the Colors of the Dark, Caroll Baker, Clint Eastwood, Dan Hedaya, Edwige Fenech, Eloy de la Iglesia, Erika Blanc, Florinda Bolkan, Geneviève Bujold, George Hilton, Helga Liné, Ivan Rassimov, January Giallo, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Lizard in a Woman's Skin, Lucio Fulci, Music Box Theatre, No One Heard the Scream, Sergio Martino, So Sweet So Perverse, Umberto Lenzi | Leave a comment

Back in January of this year, Chicago’s Music Box Theatre offered up a series of Italian films from the giallo sub-genre, giving fans a chance to see some amazing titles on the big screen. Next month, they are continuing that tradition, giving us 5 more titles, but not just from Italy this time, showing the international influence of this intriguing sub-genre. You’ll still get 3 titles from Italy, once again showcasing some of the best gialli from that country, but also one from Spain and even one from here in the US, starring a very famous actor/director. Check out the titles and the dates below and start making your plans. These will all be screening in the main theater, with 3 from 35mm and 2 from DCP. For all the latest info about this series, just click HERE.

Continue reading →

2019 Year End Review – Part 2: In Rememberence

January 3, 2020 by Jon Kitley in Rest in Peace, Year End Reviews and tagged Albert Finney, Billy Drago, Bruno Ganz, Carol Lynley, David Hedison, Dick Miller, Eddie Garcia, Edith Scob, Freddie Jones, George Hilton, Javier Augirre, Joe Pilato, John Carl Buechler, Julie Adams, Katherine Helmond, Larry Cohen, Michael J. Pollard, Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, Peter Fonda, Ringo Lam, Robert Forster, Rutger Hauer, Sid Haig, Steve Hawkes, Tadao Takashima, Virginia Leith | Leave a comment

Tears in rain

“All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.”

The famous line above is from the ending of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982), from the replicant Roy Batty, played by Rutger Hauer, just moments before he stops functioning, or “dies”. This was a line that Hauer added without Scott’s knowledge and it not only stayed in the film, but has referenced quite a bit since then, as it is now. The reason I bring it up here is twofold. First and most obviously is because Hauer is one of the names listed below that we lost in 2019. But secondly, this line may be about Batty’s memories, but when it comes to movies, and fans like us, they never will be lost, but will live on for decades to come. For each new generation of film lovers, they will discover these “moments”, some becoming etched in their psyche, while some even changing their lives. Continue reading →

George Hilton – Rest in Peace

July 29, 2019 by Jon Kitley in Rest in Peace and tagged All the Colors of the Dark, Dinner with a Vampire, George Hilton, Giallo, Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, The Case of the Scorpion's Tail | Leave a comment

George Hilton - RIP Fans of Italian westerns and the giallo film have lost one of their own. George Hilton passed away yesterday at the age of 85. He started in films back in 1956, appearing in more than just a few westerns. But he also made a few giallo films, which when he did, they were pretty amazing, such as The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1970), which is one of my favorites in that sub-genre. Granted, it might have something more to do with Edwige Fenech… He also appeared in films like The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail (1971) and All the Colors of the Dark (1972), another very important film in the giallo sub-genre. You can also see him in Lamberto Bava’s Dinner with a Vampire (1989) playing the century old vampire who just wants to die.

While he stopped appearing in films a decade ago, you could always see him show up in interviews on the latest giallo documentary or new Blu-ray release, speaking so fondly of his experiences in the industry. But as always, when the fans lose a great talent like this, we know that his memory will live on as long as there are fans of these films. And I have a strong feeling that will go on for quite some time.

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this difficult time.