California Dreaming (1979) was your typical story of a kid from Chicago learning "to live" out in sunny California. Plenty of bikinis and Tanya Roberts, so it can't be too bad. My understanding is that, for the re-release of this movie, the title song performed by America (a cover of the Mamas and Papas song) was removed. Why? It's not like the band is ashamed of the song - it's on their greatest hits album. No comprende.
I will be reviewing this movie very soon. I've mentioned this movie many times on Retrospace, and it's high time I give it the full treatment. As your resident retro expert, I have long maintained that Pretty Maids All in a Row is the most depraved, lecherous, scummy, sick movie ever released.... and I love every second of it. It's not that it contains any particularly graphic scenes, it's just that..... oh, let's just wait till I put up the post.
It's got a beautiful Corvette Stingray, Luke Skywalker, and Danny Bonaduce as "Kootz" - how could things go wrong? This was supposed to be Mark Hamil's big break apart from Star Wars; however, a real life auto accident before shooting and lackluster box office gross didn't exactly give him the spark he needed. I have a personal affection for the film because I enjoyed immensely when it came out in theaters. It didn't quite live up to my memories when I re-watched it, but it sure jogged a lot of memories.
This one stars the late Joyce Jillson, famed real life astrologer whose predictions appeared in newspapers across the country. In this film, she gets to demonstrate her other "talents" as a beautiful stewardess (back before they wore manly slacks and were called "flight attendants"). A reviewer on IMDb pegged the film perfectly - it's like a segment of Love American Style stretched out over an hour and a half, with a little bit of T&A... not a bad review in my book.
Here's a sad story. Come Spy with Me was 20th Century Fox's version of the sexy spy-girl film, along the lines of Fathom (Raquel Welch), Modesty Blaise and Caprice (Doris Day), all three wonderful pictures. Yet, this one has never been released on VHS or DVD. It's been shown on TV a handful of times over the last forty years, and it has been seen by no one in several decades. It got bad critic reviews, but it would be nice if I could see it and form my own opinion. I'm not holding my breath.
This Hammer sequel to She (1965) rides on its only asset - the smoking hot Czech actress, Olinka Berova. Haven't heard of her? Supposedly, she was deported from the UK under suspicion of espionage. She subsequently married a rich Hollywood producer and lived happily ever after.
And last but not least, one of my all time favorites (yes, I have very cultured intellectual tastes in movies). You've got an unbelievably hot Wonder Woman in her prime, plus Merrie Lynn Ross who is just like a Jan Brady all growed up. Add in batshit crazy Gortner as a modern day Billy the Kid, and you've got yourself an all time classic. To hell with Leonard Maltin. I give it four stars. Bravo.
