Fine Whine: Recent Episodes
Henry Prime
Join me in exploring media - films, books, television series, and music, but mostly films - that has either aged like fine wine lest I whine about it. Granted I will likely do so anyways.
The end of season 1 is upon us, though after a short hiatus season 2 will be back with us in 2023!
The Lifetime holiday romcom with a twist! I’m joined by my evil twin where we find out if this wine is mulled or just moldy!
Cary Grant stars as the angel named Dudley in this 1947 holiday romcom. Surprisingly though, the romance part is not between the married couple!? Is this movie a Christmas miracle, or is it a dud-ley?
A 1936 thriller flick, Seven Sinners follows a detective and a lady while they abandon their jobs. Is this a devilishly clever film, or are its sins too thin to hold?
Elizabeth Taylor’s 1968 monologue supreme, 1968’s Boom! Does Liz make a boom in Boom explanation point, or should this film have been given a question mark instead?
I cover the first episode of the 80s Japanese crime fighting show, Sukeban Deka. Is it worthy of being a round the world sensation?
Katherine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor star in this Southern Gothic film. Was what happened last summer worth remembering, or should it take Kathy’s elevator down to the depths of hell?
Olivia de Havilland stars in this 52 drama mystery. Is Rachel truly a bad B or is she just a bad B?
This 1963 Italian comedy film follows a beautiful Cleopatra and the twin brother of Mark Anthony. Is the comedy To-top tier, or it is asping to be put out of its misery?
A British comedy film taking place during WWII. Is this film a blitzing blast to watch, or is it a world war not?
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman is a 51 romance drama. Ava gardener plays the titular character, a beloved woman with no love to give. Does this film successfully depict a tragic love story, or will we need to open Pandora’s Box to find a better film?
Jane Wyman and Marlene Dietrich star in this Hitchcock mystery. Were these behemoths frightful on the screen, or did they leave a meek performance instead?
Ronald Reagan’s first wife, Jane Wyman, stars in this B-list film. Did she leave her mark on the screen, or did it disappear as well.
Two actors that have graced the Bond series taker starring roles in this 67 thriller. Will the experience be torturous or will it bring a sadistic smile to your face?
The 1959 thriller horror film, The Wasp Woman, tells a harrowing story of a woman consumed by cosmetics and conscience. Will she over come this buzzing obsession in her mind, or will she succumb to the stings of society?
Myrna Loy plays the villainess in this 1932 melodrama, Animal Kingdom. The beasts of the prairie had it out for her character, but did she manage to avoid the stampede?
Dangerous Afternoon is a British film noir that takes place in a home for wayward ex-criminal ladies. Will the movie leave you in a dangerous craving for more, or will it leave you snored after(noon)ward.
Today on Dia de los muertos, I cover Mesa of the Lost Women, a 50s sci-fi horror flick. Will the story leave you with a crawling feeling up your spine, or will you arañ(ot) want to continue watching?
For this year’s Halloween special finale I cover 1973’s Theatre of Blood. Starring Vincent Price and Diana Rigg, they take on various roles penned by Shakespeare. Were their performances spearing through the bullseye, or will they leave the audience shaking with dissapointment?
Our third Halloween special of 2022 focuses on Malibu Beach Vampires. Was Malibu enough of an excuse for this vampy vampire story, or was did the ambition get sucked out once they arrived on the beach?
—Accompanied by a very serious reading of a VERY academic paper on the sociopolitical commentary of Malibu Beach Vampires.
Agnes Moorehead and Vincent Pierce headline this slasher mystery. Are the Agnes’ bat wings strong enough to carry the film to camp, or will it come crashing down due to white nose disease?
Starting of my quartet of 2022 Halloween specials is a dark comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace. Adapted to the big screen from a stage play, this film has a star studded cast. Is the old lace adorning the film still in style, or should the tailor drink some arsenic?
The 1946 film noir, The Postman Always Rings Twice, is a retelling of the novel of the same name. Though was this IP worth ringing again, or should the postman have just left the package without a signature?
The long lived Sherlock Holmes series has many adaptations through out the years. This 1946 film retells the story of two of the novels’ stories, but was this a successful crime of passion, or was it just a crime?
This 1953 British film takes on an age old story of deserted road house wife meets wandering bachelor that enchants her life. Was this new rendition warranted, or should it have just been left on the roadside?
In 59s House on Haunted Hill, a house party becomes something much more dangerous. Will the guests make the house their haunting grounds, or will they be able to get back to the haunts of their own?
Myrna Loy takes on the role of a vengeful villain in the 32 film, Thirteen Women. Can she redeem herself by being a 10 or will her horoscope be her own horror?
The 1963 Japanese sci-fi film Atragon peers into a lost continent in the Pacific. Were the discoveries made worth it or will the protagonists get a Piece-ific of my mind.
Bluebeard is a 1944 retelling of the classic French fairy tale. Does it do justice to the teal tale or does is the story worthy of suffering in the Seine?
Bette Davis takes on a supporting role in this obscure horror film. Does Burnt Offerings offer a pleasant viewing, or should you rescind your offer to watch it next date night?
Dakota Lil is a 50s western with a lady taking the reigns. Was Dakota Lil too ambitious for her or good or did her reputation in the Wild West not betray her?
1983 was a year of many things, including a remake of the classic melodrama The Wicked Lady. Now, did Faye Dunaway and the rest of the cast live up to the original’s influence, or was it destined to a wither a wicked fate?
Hitchcock is a household name for his thrilling films, but did this 1953 film noir leave a black smudge on his name?
Margaret Lockwood headlines this 1945 melodrama in an exciting fashion. Was Lockwood’s signature snark the only thing worth mentioning, or was the entire cast wicked good?
Anna Sten headlines this 1936 romance film set in Imperial Russia. As the ingenue of a tale of star-crossed lovers, she sings and dances her way into the hearts of her suitors and the audience alike. Though, was Sten’s natural charm a saving grace for a failure of film, or was it but just one stone in a crown of jewels fit for a Tsar?
This 1963 sci-if horror flick follows three beautiful foreigners hoping to make a name for themselves in the USA. Will these three ladies be able to make the movie have three times the charm, or will this short film leave too much untouched?
Enjoy this day with Wanted for Murder, a 1946 British film noir. With suspense and jealousy ladened throughout, has this film been able to hang in the balance or had it wanted for too much?
Broken Blossoms released in 1936 in the UK, later having a US release in 1937. (Adding that just to make sure y’all know I wasn’t wrong in my recording! Darn multiple releases.) Has this racially fuelled show been able to withstand the changes of time, or has it itself broken?
In this special episode I discuss not one, but two sci-if flicks from the wonderful years of ‘53 and ‘68. Which race of extraterrestrial women will reign supreme in the eyes and hearts of the film lovers of planet Earth, or will both falter under the galactic pressure?
In 1981, Inseminoid was released to the public audience. Was it a masterpiece ahead of its time or was it meant to be left in the space caves?
Damn Yankees, released 1958, was adapted to the silver screen from broadway. With leading lady Gwen Verdon, was this transfer of medium a home run or a foul ball?
1987’s Jane and the Lost City was a live action interpretation of the comic strips of the same name. From the outside it looks like a shallow film used as an excuse to show off bodies, but could it be more than that?
Marilyn Monroe starred in Niagara 1953, but was her star power enough to stop the film from going over the falls?
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a cult classic, and Elvira herself is an icon, but has the film aged like fine wine? Or has it not stood the test of time.