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In the sixties Italy introduced the spaghetti western, the sword and sandal epics, and the James Bond rip-off. Fading American T.V. and movie stars enjoyed rejuvenated careers (or built new ones) doing action films. Given the demand for the violent stuff, even a neophyte could find room at the table. Why weren't Italian actors, certainly a numerous and talented group, cast for these parts? Have you ever seen Gary Cooper, Clint Eastwood or Sean Connery waving their arms around to make a point?

Getting some ribs cracked in beautiful downtown Marrakesh. Mission was shot in Italy, Switzerland, Yugoslavia and Morocco.




Scene with actress Mary Arden who worked in Fellini's Juliette of The Spirits. Visiting her on the set was the beginning, since her producer suggested doing a series of commercials together for Aqua Fiugi, the mineral water of choice in Italy. They went to the top of the charts and Art thought, what the hell, signed with her agent and went on to feature films. He married Mary in 1965.




With Ursula Andress, not long after she starred with Sean Connery in Dr. No.




The golden era of Mexican movies was in the forties, when most of the world was at war and quality film production was curtailed by the demands of propaganda. Nevertheless, Mexico produced some fine movies (such as The Pearl) and significant international stars like Dolores del Rio, Maria Felix and Pedro Armendariz. There were still talented actors and directors around in the sixties and seventies, but they were handicapped by low budgets and corporate theft. The results were some spectacular schlock.

Mansion de la Locura (House of Madness) originally adapted from an Edgar Allen Poe tale about inmates taking over an asylum, morphed into Dr. Tarr's Torture Dungeon in the English version and became something of a cult classic, right up there with The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.




Killing the legendary John Carradine. Well, at least the vampire he played. Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary (with Cristina Ferrare and David Young) was so gory they ran out of the blood shipped down from Hollywood and had to use the Mexican stuff, which dyed your skin purple and wouldn't wash off.




Playing the heavy in Taste of The Savage (Sabor de la Venganza in Spanish) with Cameron Mitchell, Jorge Luke and Isela Vega. This western (inspired by Sam Peckinpah's style) was even bloodier than Mary, Mary. Absolutely no one survived!




Vanessa had its moments, but it was mainly notable for its location in the Galapagos Islands and some fine camera work by Alex Philips. Sexy for it's time, it was about skin-diving, murder and infidelity.




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