This week on Alcohollywood, we're getting groovy with 1968's Dino de Laurentiis-produced Italian spy-sploitation flick Danger: Diabolik! Adapted from the Italian comic, the film sees Barbarella's John Philip Law as a leather-clad super thief with a hot girlfriend/accomplice, spending the movie stealing more and more elaborate goods while being chased by Italian policeman Jenko and gangster Valmont (played by Thunderball's Largo, Adolfo Celi).
The whole thing is delightfully wacky, if a little empty, and Mario Bava's broad, energetic style is quite interesting to behold. Not only that, we get a wonderfully groovy Ennio Morricone score and appropriately lavish production design. This film is the very last one Mystery Science Theater 3000 ever covered, and it's one of the few that is actually not a complete disaster. Check out our thoughts on it, along with our custom cocktail and drinking rules
Eat our shorts, listeners – this week, we’re headed to detention with The Breakfast Club!
One of John Hughes’ most well-known efforts, this adolescent dramedy follows five teen stereotypes (played by Brat Pack regulars Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Ally Sheedy) as they while away a Saturday afternoon in detention. While avoiding the bitter Vice Principal Vernon (John Gleeson), they cause trouble, learn more about each other, and mostly just smoke a lot of pot.
Love it or hate it, it’s a seminal film in 1980s pop culture, and we’ve got a cavalcade of guests (previous guests Julia, Grant of Chip & Ironicus and LP13A fame, and Our Fair City’s Kat, along with newbie Alaina) to join us in the discussion. We’ve also got our signature custom cocktail and drinking rules for it, so give us a listen and subscribe
This week on Alcohollywood, we dive headfirst (along with guest Emily) into the madness that is Dr. Seuss’ first and only live-action creative work, The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T! A 1950s mix of musical comedy, Disneyesque whimsy and horrifying Seussian allegory, the film follows young Bart, an unfortunately untalented child who daydreams a nightmarish world run by his tyrannical piano teacher, Dr. Terwilliker. His scheme is to keep his mother captive and schemes to hold a music concert for his 500-kid piano!
It’s only with the help of his all-American wimp father figure Mr. Zabladowski, some insanely Seussian production design, and a thinly veiled A-bomb metaphor that he can free himself from his dream and figure out how to just be a kid. Luckily, we help you navigate this interesting, labyrinthian failure with the help of our custom cocktail and drinking rules!
This week on Alcohollywood, we (along with guest Derek) saddle up for the Hollywood historical western Sunset, starring Bruce Willis and James Garner (and directed by Blake Edwards of Breakfast at Tiffany’s fame)! This half-cocked whodunit sees an older Wyatt Earp (Garner) serving as a technical consultant for an early silent Western starring cocky Tom Mix (Willis), only for the two to get embroiled in a seedy murder mystery at the heart of the Golden Age’s seedy underbelly. Malcolm McDowell also stars as a sneering, Bizarro Charlie Chaplin, and Mariel Hemingway as The Girl of the Movie.
The movie brought in some Razzies when it came out, and it’s easy to see why – it’s a strange, pedestrian mess that is disappointingly toothless and dull. Come on, Blake Edwards, you can do better! Whatever you think of this interesting failure, we’ve got the drink and rules to get you through the film, so be sure to check out our episode below!