LesSmarberry
@lessmarberry.bsky.social
Random movie reckons. Mostly genre pictures, Gialli, French and Italian crime movies, horror from '30s-'60s
Known in the business as the Whispering Giant, but my eyes are quite hard
Known in the business as the Whispering Giant, but my eyes are quite hard
Pinned
LesSmarberry
@lessmarberry.bsky.social
· Apr 15
Going to make this an ongoing thread on old TV movies, a form which I think is ripe for resurrection in the age of streaming
Starting off with 2 favorites, Murder Once Removed(1971) & Murder By Natural Causes(1979)
Both twisty thrillers featuring rich husbands, adulterous wives, & murderous lovers
Starting off with 2 favorites, Murder Once Removed(1971) & Murder By Natural Causes(1979)
Both twisty thrillers featuring rich husbands, adulterous wives, & murderous lovers
Luís Filipe Montenegro Cardoso de Morais Esteves, can you hear me?...etc
November 13, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Luís Filipe Montenegro Cardoso de Morais Esteves, can you hear me?...etc
My uncle spent most of his career as a Military Policeman in Ireland's Government Buildings
In the late 80s, the lifts had new emergency intercoms installed, which patched through to his station
1/3
In the late 80s, the lifts had new emergency intercoms installed, which patched through to his station
1/3
November 13, 2025 at 8:23 PM
My uncle spent most of his career as a Military Policeman in Ireland's Government Buildings
In the late 80s, the lifts had new emergency intercoms installed, which patched through to his station
1/3
In the late 80s, the lifts had new emergency intercoms installed, which patched through to his station
1/3
Me: Isn't it interesting that Illeana Douglas is Melvyn Douglas's granddaughter
My Wife: ??
Me: Melvyn Douglas. He was a major star in the '30s, he won the Triple Crown of Acting!
My Wife:......I love you but you're an awful nerd
My Wife: ??
Me: Melvyn Douglas. He was a major star in the '30s, he won the Triple Crown of Acting!
My Wife:......I love you but you're an awful nerd
Grace of My Heart (1996) Underseen musical tragicomedy not-a-biopic, inspired by the career & life of Carole King
A joyous, funny, bittersweet love song to the heyday, & demise, of the Brill Building. The original songs sound like genuine 60s hits & in the lead Illeana Douglas has never been better
A joyous, funny, bittersweet love song to the heyday, & demise, of the Brill Building. The original songs sound like genuine 60s hits & in the lead Illeana Douglas has never been better
November 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Me: Isn't it interesting that Illeana Douglas is Melvyn Douglas's granddaughter
My Wife: ??
Me: Melvyn Douglas. He was a major star in the '30s, he won the Triple Crown of Acting!
My Wife:......I love you but you're an awful nerd
My Wife: ??
Me: Melvyn Douglas. He was a major star in the '30s, he won the Triple Crown of Acting!
My Wife:......I love you but you're an awful nerd
Bumped into a former colleague who, when I was a callow youth, told me & a fellow new recruit that a well run Government Department is like a duck on the water. The Minister gliding along the surface & the officials kicking for all they're worth below
November 13, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Bumped into a former colleague who, when I was a callow youth, told me & a fellow new recruit that a well run Government Department is like a duck on the water. The Minister gliding along the surface & the officials kicking for all they're worth below
Grace of My Heart (1996) Underseen musical tragicomedy not-a-biopic, inspired by the career & life of Carole King
A joyous, funny, bittersweet love song to the heyday, & demise, of the Brill Building. The original songs sound like genuine 60s hits & in the lead Illeana Douglas has never been better
A joyous, funny, bittersweet love song to the heyday, & demise, of the Brill Building. The original songs sound like genuine 60s hits & in the lead Illeana Douglas has never been better
November 13, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Grace of My Heart (1996) Underseen musical tragicomedy not-a-biopic, inspired by the career & life of Carole King
A joyous, funny, bittersweet love song to the heyday, & demise, of the Brill Building. The original songs sound like genuine 60s hits & in the lead Illeana Douglas has never been better
A joyous, funny, bittersweet love song to the heyday, & demise, of the Brill Building. The original songs sound like genuine 60s hits & in the lead Illeana Douglas has never been better
Reposted by LesSmarberry
Is anything noirer than a blackout? Than not knowing what you’ve done, or what you’re going to get for it? Blackout Noir is a brilliantly conceived programme on Criterion, thanks to @selfstyledsiren.bsky.social & @glennkenny.bsky.social. And Black Angel (1946) is aces, it really sucker punched me
November 13, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Is anything noirer than a blackout? Than not knowing what you’ve done, or what you’re going to get for it? Blackout Noir is a brilliantly conceived programme on Criterion, thanks to @selfstyledsiren.bsky.social & @glennkenny.bsky.social. And Black Angel (1946) is aces, it really sucker punched me
Sleuth (1972) & Sleuth (2007)
The original adaptation of Anthony Shaffer's hit black-comedy/thriller play, & the re-make of that adaptation
One's good, one's godawful
Michael Caine's in both 1/11
The original adaptation of Anthony Shaffer's hit black-comedy/thriller play, & the re-make of that adaptation
One's good, one's godawful
Michael Caine's in both 1/11
November 11, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Sleuth (1972) & Sleuth (2007)
The original adaptation of Anthony Shaffer's hit black-comedy/thriller play, & the re-make of that adaptation
One's good, one's godawful
Michael Caine's in both 1/11
The original adaptation of Anthony Shaffer's hit black-comedy/thriller play, & the re-make of that adaptation
One's good, one's godawful
Michael Caine's in both 1/11
Reposted by LesSmarberry
"When Richard Logan, the partner in a safe making firm, is found unconscious, on an old deserted bomb site, he finds that he has no recollection of the last three weeks. Then he discovers that the private detective, hired by his wife, has been found murdered."
Cinema is just great, isn't it.
Cinema is just great, isn't it.
Tonight's film
Swapping one Pit of Darkness (work) for another Pit of Darkness (1961 film)
Swapping one Pit of Darkness (work) for another Pit of Darkness (1961 film)
November 11, 2025 at 9:02 PM
"When Richard Logan, the partner in a safe making firm, is found unconscious, on an old deserted bomb site, he finds that he has no recollection of the last three weeks. Then he discovers that the private detective, hired by his wife, has been found murdered."
Cinema is just great, isn't it.
Cinema is just great, isn't it.
Another Bond related thought
Nothing on God's green earth will convince me that the decision to kill Bond (& then to repeatedly announce that Eon were in no hurry to re-cast) was totally unrelated to the possibility of securing a massive Amazon buy-out down the line
Nothing on God's green earth will convince me that the decision to kill Bond (& then to repeatedly announce that Eon were in no hurry to re-cast) was totally unrelated to the possibility of securing a massive Amazon buy-out down the line
November 11, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Another Bond related thought
Nothing on God's green earth will convince me that the decision to kill Bond (& then to repeatedly announce that Eon were in no hurry to re-cast) was totally unrelated to the possibility of securing a massive Amazon buy-out down the line
Nothing on God's green earth will convince me that the decision to kill Bond (& then to repeatedly announce that Eon were in no hurry to re-cast) was totally unrelated to the possibility of securing a massive Amazon buy-out down the line
The cardinal sin of the Craig Bonds was that they started to think that continuity mattered
We don't need M, Q, & Moneypenny to function as the Super Friends, & we don't need continuity
We don't need M, Q, & Moneypenny to function as the Super Friends, & we don't need continuity
November 11, 2025 at 4:18 PM
The cardinal sin of the Craig Bonds was that they started to think that continuity mattered
We don't need M, Q, & Moneypenny to function as the Super Friends, & we don't need continuity
We don't need M, Q, & Moneypenny to function as the Super Friends, & we don't need continuity
Will do a more detailed later, but can confidently say that the 2007 remake of Sleuth is (based on the talent involved) pound-for-pound the worst film I've ever seen
November 11, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Will do a more detailed later, but can confidently say that the 2007 remake of Sleuth is (based on the talent involved) pound-for-pound the worst film I've ever seen
Reposted by LesSmarberry
a few (rambling) thoughts on Journey to Italy. It's been quite a journey for me, too
letterboxd.com/jamesewand/f...
letterboxd.com/jamesewand/f...
A ★★★★ review of Journey to Italy (1954)
"Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun" There’s a funny scene in Roberto Rossellini’s Journey to Italy that reminds me of the Noel Coward song, which famously notes how “Englishmen det...
letterboxd.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:50 AM
a few (rambling) thoughts on Journey to Italy. It's been quite a journey for me, too
letterboxd.com/jamesewand/f...
letterboxd.com/jamesewand/f...
Reposted by LesSmarberry
#BOTD ENNIO MORRICONE (1928-2020)
The best. He could do everything and did. His favorite instrument was the trumpet because his father played it. He regretted not composing scores for more horror films-- he "only" did 24. He made bad films good and great ones even better. Happy b'day, Maestro.📽️
The best. He could do everything and did. His favorite instrument was the trumpet because his father played it. He regretted not composing scores for more horror films-- he "only" did 24. He made bad films good and great ones even better. Happy b'day, Maestro.📽️
November 10, 2025 at 7:23 PM
#BOTD ENNIO MORRICONE (1928-2020)
The best. He could do everything and did. His favorite instrument was the trumpet because his father played it. He regretted not composing scores for more horror films-- he "only" did 24. He made bad films good and great ones even better. Happy b'day, Maestro.📽️
The best. He could do everything and did. His favorite instrument was the trumpet because his father played it. He regretted not composing scores for more horror films-- he "only" did 24. He made bad films good and great ones even better. Happy b'day, Maestro.📽️
Dark Blue (2002) Neo-Noir by Ron Shelton from a story by James Ellroy
As the fallout from the beating of Rodney King plays out in the background, it all falls down for Kurt Russell's one corrupt cop among all the other corrupt cops in the rich corruption stew that is the LAPD
1/3
As the fallout from the beating of Rodney King plays out in the background, it all falls down for Kurt Russell's one corrupt cop among all the other corrupt cops in the rich corruption stew that is the LAPD
1/3
November 8, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Dark Blue (2002) Neo-Noir by Ron Shelton from a story by James Ellroy
As the fallout from the beating of Rodney King plays out in the background, it all falls down for Kurt Russell's one corrupt cop among all the other corrupt cops in the rich corruption stew that is the LAPD
1/3
As the fallout from the beating of Rodney King plays out in the background, it all falls down for Kurt Russell's one corrupt cop among all the other corrupt cops in the rich corruption stew that is the LAPD
1/3
Angel Heart (1987) Mickey Rourke's damned if he does & damned if he doesn't
As good a mash-up of pulp horror & gumshoe noir as you could want. Rourke really was a hell of an actor in his prime & Alan Parker puts a lived in, dingy 1950s onscreen in a way that makes most other period movies look fake
As good a mash-up of pulp horror & gumshoe noir as you could want. Rourke really was a hell of an actor in his prime & Alan Parker puts a lived in, dingy 1950s onscreen in a way that makes most other period movies look fake
November 7, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Angel Heart (1987) Mickey Rourke's damned if he does & damned if he doesn't
As good a mash-up of pulp horror & gumshoe noir as you could want. Rourke really was a hell of an actor in his prime & Alan Parker puts a lived in, dingy 1950s onscreen in a way that makes most other period movies look fake
As good a mash-up of pulp horror & gumshoe noir as you could want. Rourke really was a hell of an actor in his prime & Alan Parker puts a lived in, dingy 1950s onscreen in a way that makes most other period movies look fake
Edward Gibbon would have loved Popbitch
November 6, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Edward Gibbon would have loved Popbitch
My favourite movies with my name in?
Les Diaboliques
Les Diaboliques
My favourite movie with my name in?
Dave The Jackal.
Dave The Jackal.
November 4, 2025 at 6:49 PM
My favourite movies with my name in?
Les Diaboliques
Les Diaboliques
Reposted by LesSmarberry
Fallen Angel (1945). Starts out great in Jim Thompson territory, a penniless grifter washed up in a small town gets tangled up with a phony clairvoyant act and an on-the-make hash house waitress. I love it when that happens
November 4, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Fallen Angel (1945). Starts out great in Jim Thompson territory, a penniless grifter washed up in a small town gets tangled up with a phony clairvoyant act and an on-the-make hash house waitress. I love it when that happens
Think A House Of Dynamite is a far better pic than it's being given credit for
Can't help but think that many responses to it relate less to its merits & more to it being a panic attack of a movie, made more intense by the thought 'Trump has the nuclear codes' being inescapable while watching
Can't help but think that many responses to it relate less to its merits & more to it being a panic attack of a movie, made more intense by the thought 'Trump has the nuclear codes' being inescapable while watching
November 3, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Think A House Of Dynamite is a far better pic than it's being given credit for
Can't help but think that many responses to it relate less to its merits & more to it being a panic attack of a movie, made more intense by the thought 'Trump has the nuclear codes' being inescapable while watching
Can't help but think that many responses to it relate less to its merits & more to it being a panic attack of a movie, made more intense by the thought 'Trump has the nuclear codes' being inescapable while watching
The Hourglass Sanatorium (1973) Dream-like Polish film.
A Jewish man visits his father in a remote clinic. Told that time works differently there (& so his father is both dead & not dead), he undergoes a surreal journey, culminating in visions of the Holocaust which may represent his past or future
A Jewish man visits his father in a remote clinic. Told that time works differently there (& so his father is both dead & not dead), he undergoes a surreal journey, culminating in visions of the Holocaust which may represent his past or future
November 3, 2025 at 12:33 AM
The Hourglass Sanatorium (1973) Dream-like Polish film.
A Jewish man visits his father in a remote clinic. Told that time works differently there (& so his father is both dead & not dead), he undergoes a surreal journey, culminating in visions of the Holocaust which may represent his past or future
A Jewish man visits his father in a remote clinic. Told that time works differently there (& so his father is both dead & not dead), he undergoes a surreal journey, culminating in visions of the Holocaust which may represent his past or future
October 31st November 1st
November 1, 2025 at 6:32 PM
October 31st November 1st
Reposted by LesSmarberry
Starting now! www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm9k...
Boris Karloff's Top Ten Horror Films
YouTube video by Dark Corners Reviews
www.youtube.com
October 31, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Starting now! www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm9k...
ARRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
October 31, 2025 at 5:46 PM
ARRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Messed around with some high-gain & a vibrato pedal through a set of headphones. I think I might be deaf now
October 31, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Messed around with some high-gain & a vibrato pedal through a set of headphones. I think I might be deaf now