Bridges plays Craig Blake, the young spawn of a wealthy Southern family. After his parents died in a plane crash, he's not motivated in doing much more than lounging around the family mansion. Craig gets himself lured into a real estate scam by a slick con artist (Joe Spinell) who wants him to handle buying a small gym so it can be torn down for an office high-rise. While fronting as a businessman, Craig becomes fascinated by the eccentric owner, Thor (R. G. Armstrong) and the employees, Franklin (future "Nightmare on Elm Street" star, Robert Englund), Newton (Roger E. Mosley), the receptionist, Mary Tate (Field) and Joe (Schwarzenegger) who is training at the gym for an upcoming Mr. Universe body building contest. Far more engaging than the country club life he's used to, Craig soon finds himself becoming part of their fitness world while putting off the scam investors about the deal's progress.
Considered one of the key players in the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s, this was the fourth feature by Rafelson, who got his start co-creating "The Monkees" television series, following his acclaimed films, "Five Easy Pieces" and "The King of Marvin Gardens". "Stay Hungry" is far from one of the director's best, too unfocused and indulgent, but the film does manage to have a few moments that are somewhat entertaining and oddly amusing. Yet once we reach the conclusion at a body builder competition with skimpily clad, muscle men running wildly amok throughout the city, it's clear that Rafelson had no interest in anything close to a conventional narrative, fully content in keeping viewers baffled.
Since his first major role in Peter Bogdanovich's 1971 coming-of-age drama, "The Last Picture Show", Bridges had been working his way with more leading roles, expertly carrying this film with his trademark charm and offbeat style. Field, a popular actor on television who would win an Emmy Award later in the year for her astonishing performance in the tv movie, "Sybil" as a woman with multiple personalities, was trying to move into film but this was at time when that was not an easy transition. This role as the love interest is a complete waste of her talents yet it does give Field an opportunity to reveal her potential as a big screen presence. And Schwarzenegger was looking for a career change after his great success as a bodybuilding champ and Hollywood seemed like it could be the perfect fit. This was his first major film role, handling himself quite capably despite his heavy Austrian accent and limited acting skills, and would even win a Golden Globe as New Star of the Year for his performance here. Fannie Flagg, Joanna Cassidy, Ed Begley Jr. and Scatman Crothers also make appearances in the film.
An intriguing time capsule from the '70's filled with fractured storytelling, trippy situations and quirky characters, "Stay Hungry" still manages to achieve the impressive feat of being both a half-baked and overcooked offering.
"Who Killed Teddy Bear?" (1965)
its salacious vibe and swinging dance sequences.
Set in New York City, Norah (Juliet Prowse) is a beautiful aspiring actress who works nights spinning records at a nightclub run by the flinty manager, Marian (Elaine Stritch). After receiving several obscene phone calls by someone watching her and a decapitated teddy bear was left behind after her apartment was broken into, Norah is encouraged to contact the police. Police detective, Dave Madden (Jan Murray) takes on her case, having had personal history dealing with a dangerous sociopath who murdered his wife, leaving him to raise his daughter on his own.
Norah is surrounded by possible suspects who could be terrorizing her: Lawrence (Sal Mineo), a waiter at the nightclub with a sister (Margot Bennett) suffering from brain damage due to accident following witnessing her brother's sexual indiscretion as a child. Perhaps Marian who may seem like she want to help and comfort her during this troubling time yet might also have more amorous feelings towards her. Or possibly even Det. Madden, spending much of his time obsessively studying the behavior of sexual deviants and trying to get a little too close to Norah.
We discover who the culprit is midway through, not offering much suspense or surprise. Yet "Who Killed Teddy Bear?", with an underdeveloped script by Arnold Drake and Leon Tokatyan and adequate direction by Joseph Cates, is only interested in taking sheltered audiences of this time and trying to shock them with the seedier side of big city living, filled with immoral decadence, perversion and dangerous criminals. Even when the film was first released, it was viewed as frivolous and exaggerated but "Teddy Bear" has since gone on to be greatly appreciated by modern viewers for it's campy pleasures.
Following his breakthrough performance in "Rebel Without a Cause" and receiving two Academy Award nominations (for "Rebel" and "Exodus" in 1960), Mineo's career had begun to suffer due to typecasting and rumblings of him being gay by the time he made this film. Hopeful that "Teddy Bear" could turn his fortunes around, this film failed to really do that although Mineo would continue to work, most prominently on stage, before he was tragically murdered during a mugging in 1976.
Notable for actually filming in Times Square and 42nd Street as the area was beginning to shift into a more sleazy part of New York City, "Who Killed Teddy Bear?" is a middling yet fascinating drama set in a period when American cinema was transitioning from the sexual repression of the 1950's and moving into the relaxation of the prevailing social order.
"Mata Hari" (1931)
Notable for actually filming in Times Square and 42nd Street as the area was beginning to shift into a more sleazy part of New York City, "Who Killed Teddy Bear?" is a middling yet fascinating drama set in a period when American cinema was transitioning from the sexual repression of the 1950's and moving into the relaxation of the prevailing social order.
"Mata Hari" (1931)
With France in the middle of the war, the head of the French spy bureau, Dubois (C. Henry Gordon) wants to get answers out of a captured spy by offering to spare his life if he reveals any other spies hiding in plain sight. Refusing to talk and confirm his suspicions that Mata Hari (Garbo) was also a spy, Dubois is still determined to expose her. Russian Air Force Lieutenant, Alexis Rosanoff (Ramon Novarro) has arrived in Paris with correspondence from his country. Having heard of the exotic Mata Hari, he goes to see her dance and becomes smitten by the enchantress. She's also attracted to the handsome solider and they spend the evening together. The next morning, Rosanoff is making plans for them as a couple while Mata sets him straight that this was simply a one-time fling. But she is actually collecting information for a spy ring, having an affair with General Shubin (Lionel Barrymore) and assigned to get the contents of the dispatches Rosanoff brought to him. However, Mata finds that she has fallen for Rosanoff, with her mission endangering him and herself.
"Mata Hari", proficiently directed by George Fitzmaurice, is a classic Hollywood romantic melodrama, glamourizing the colorful life of this femme fatale accused of espionage with a lavish production and serviceable script. While the accusations against Mata Hari was never in question during the time this film was released, her actual guilt seems to be in doubt today due to a lack of specific evidence that was revealed in the released court transcripts one hundred years after her trial in 2017. Made during the pre-code era, "Mata Hari" would be censored following it's re-release later with scenes of her body revealing dance and romantic encounters trimmed.
A performer of understated authority, Garbo as Mata is able to keep you locked in on her with a compelling tangle of sweeping gestures, icy reserve and smoldering glances. Novarro holds his own matched against the enigmatic Garbo yet together they are unable to stimulate much credible heat between them. One of the top box-office attractions of the silent film era, the Mexican-born actor struggled during the transition to sound and was dropped by MGM a few years after this film. Novarro, closeted throughout much of his career, would sadly be remembered largely for his brutal murder at his home by a couple of hustlers in 1968.
"Mata Hari", proficiently directed by George Fitzmaurice, is a classic Hollywood romantic melodrama, glamourizing the colorful life of this femme fatale accused of espionage with a lavish production and serviceable script. While the accusations against Mata Hari was never in question during the time this film was released, her actual guilt seems to be in doubt today due to a lack of specific evidence that was revealed in the released court transcripts one hundred years after her trial in 2017. Made during the pre-code era, "Mata Hari" would be censored following it's re-release later with scenes of her body revealing dance and romantic encounters trimmed.
A performer of understated authority, Garbo as Mata is able to keep you locked in on her with a compelling tangle of sweeping gestures, icy reserve and smoldering glances. Novarro holds his own matched against the enigmatic Garbo yet together they are unable to stimulate much credible heat between them. One of the top box-office attractions of the silent film era, the Mexican-born actor struggled during the transition to sound and was dropped by MGM a few years after this film. Novarro, closeted throughout much of his career, would sadly be remembered largely for his brutal murder at his home by a couple of hustlers in 1968.
