A Gallery of Love... Bessie Love!

In celebration of the first film showing at our Screening Room--"Rubber Tires", starring Bessie Love and Harrison Ford--we bring you pictures of Bessie Love looking lovely!

It's June...

... for a few more days, and we're closing out the month with a film that features June Palmer and will make it clear why she was so beloved by the readers of men's magazines. (This is the first film of the 'nudie cutie' soft-core porn short-film genre to be featured here at Shades of Gray. I don't know if that marks a is a high point or a low point in the blog's history.)

Nightmare at Elm Manor (aka "Flesh and Fantasy" and "Nude in Dracula's Castle") (1961)

Starring: June Palmer and Stuart Samuels

Director: George Harrison Marks

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

A young woman (Palmer) is terrorized by a strange man (Samuels) while spending the night at an isolated house.

 "Nightmare at Elm Manor" is a brief, silent horror film that was the screen debut of nude model June Palmer. In it, all of her assets are on prominent display. Her beautiful face and statuesque figure, along with her perfect breasts, make it obvious why she was so beloved by the editors and readers of men's magazines during the late 1950s and early 1960s. She also seems to have decent acting abilities--or at least a talent for showing the sort of fear that is required for distressed damsels in gothic chillers and Old Dark House-type films. 

Based on what I am seeing here, I think it's a shame that she never broke into the mainstream, except for a few bit parts. Aside from a pretty face and a gorgeous body, June Palmer had something a little something extra--that something that causes her to light up the screen, even when fully dressed. If not for that extra bit of charisma on the part of Palmer, the lackluster nature of the villain stalking her would have annoyed me to the point where I might have marked a Star or two off the rating I ultimately settled on. Palmer (and, yes, her boobs) carry this film, almost entirely by themselves.

Palmer's screen presence is probably also why my imagination immediately began filling in holes in what passes for the film's storyline and/or explaining stupid actions on the part of her character. Why she was walking to the manor at the beginning of the film, why she is sitting around naked and putting on make-up before going to bed, why she goes looking for a drink of water in the middle of the night... all these things, I have thought up explanations for. I even have an idea for what the true nature of the creepy butler/vampire is. And I don't even feel like I should knock the film for the blanks and incongruities, because it entertained me in other ways. Or maybe I was just mesmerized by Palmer's big, beautiful breasts.

But maybe you can tell me if it was the nudity or something else about the film that sparked my imagination. If you're in the mood for an Old Dark House-style quickie, and not offended by lots of nudity, check out "Nightmare at Elm Manor" by clicking below. This is very much a "not safe for work" film, so don't make a mistake and open it there! Also, you will have to open the film on YouTube (as well as be logged into an account there, because it's for mature audiences only.

(But, hey, since you're going to be on YouTube anyway, that's a perfect time to check out my channel. If you like what you see, please subscribe and perhaps even come back every now and then. Sometimes, we watch cartoons or short films during live streams that ultimately end up being reviewed here!)

Is it time to stop?

We've been tracking the dancers in the wild for a year now. Is this where we stop the monthly posts? Will the dancers be left alone until next International Dance Day?

Time will tell. Meanwhile, you can help us choose... will the last Wednesday each month continue as Dancer Day or not? What do YOU want?

Artful magic... or is it magical art?

The Drawing Lesson (aka "The Living Statue") (1903)
Starring: Jehanne d'Alcy and Georges Méliès

Director: Georges Méliès

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A sorcerer (Melies) causes chaos during a life-drawing class.

"The Drawing Lesson" is a fun visual romp from Georges Melies, a stage magician turned filmmaker who pioneered a whole host of special effects and film editing mainstays. We are treated to a mixture of two of the most common elements in his film--sorcery and/or stage magic performed via the wonders of in-camera editing and doube-exposure, and a setting that feels like a fairy tale come to life.

If this is the first Georges Melies film you have seen, it's an excellent introduction to his work. Take a couple minutes to check it out. If you like quirky, comedic short films, I am certain you will enjoy it.

It's a Mohammed Monday

THIS WEEK WITH JESUS & MO

 

It's a sketchy Sunday...

 ... so here's something from Milton Knight's sketchbook!

Saturday Sagacity

 Today, we share widsom from the original AI -- the legendary InspiroBot!

It's Fanny Friday!

A word from our sponsor!

We are proud to have gained a new sponsor here at Shades of Gray! We think this is a perfect partnership, and we hope you agree (especially considering our side business venture)!

It's June!

June Palmer was an exotic dancer and nude model who graced the pages of many leading men's magazines during the early 1960s. Her rise to fame was aided by collaborations with photographer and adult filmmaker  George Harrison Marks.

After appearing in several short films for Marks and the mockumentary feature film "The Naked World of Harrison Marks" (1964), Palmer set her sights on breaking into mainstream film. During the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, she appeared in a handful of features and short films, in mostly very small parts, and usually in varying states of undress. Among these was a part in Hammer Films' "Taste the Blood Dracula" (1970), which featured all the lacy nightgowns and undies you'd expect.

Palmer's film career never took off, and she retired from life in front of the camera after one final nude pictorial in 1977. She passed away in 2004 at the age of 73.

Two guys have coffee

Coffee (2002)
Starring: Eric Bosse and Paul Vaughn
Director: Robert Vaughn
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Two men (Bosse and Vaughn) have some coffee and conversation over breakfast.

"Coffee" is a short film that is more artsy than artsy. It is so coy (and yet so heavyhanded) in its references, double-entendres and symbolism that it's easy to mistake it for a sincerely "intellectual" and "deep" effort instead of a film poking fun at those sorts of efforts.

I don't know anything about the film or those who made it. My half-assed attempts at research have all failed to give me clear verification that this is the same One-Eyed Films that produced these films as this one, because it's not listed there... but neither are any of the people involved with said company. It's not the way I would design a website intended to promote my film, but then what do I know? Also, the YouTube channel upon which I found this short has'nt been updated in about a decade, links to a blog that's marked private, and contains no information about the who or why of the page. (Since Eric Bosse was involved in several of the shorts found there, I imagine that it might have been his channel, but I can't find any information that lets me know for certain. I similarly can't pin down either actor featured in "Coffee".

So, while I think this is a fun little satire on artsy dramas/slice-of-life films, I could be wrong. You can watch it and let me know what YOU think in the comments below!

Musical Monday with Incubus

The band may be named after a male demon who preys upon the sexual urges of mortals, but none such creature is anywhere to seen in the video for a somewhat haunting song. Instead, we are treated to some beautiful dancing by Manaho Shimokawa while Brandon Boyd (lead singer of Incubus) croons about the strange and miserable situation he finds himself in. 

Check it out! I'm think you'll enjoy both the song and the video!

Loneliest (2017)

Starring: Manaho Shimokawa and Brandon Boyd

Director: Julian Schratter

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

It's a Fanny Friday!

 

Some art by June in June!

June Brigman is perhaps best known for being to co-creator of the excellent 1980s/1990s series from Marvel Comics, Power Pack. She has been gracing covers and interior pages of American comic books of pretty much all genres since her first foray into comics as a penciler during the early 1980s.

Here's a small sampling of artwork from Brigman's pencil over the past three decades, starting with a very nice illustration of the original Black Cat.

Film Clears Boy of False Charges! Read... um, WATCH all about it!

The Evidence of the Film (1913)
Starring: Florence La Badie, Marie Eline, and William Garwood
Directors: Lawrence Marston and Edwin Thanhouser
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

When a messenger boy (Eline) for a crime, a sharp-eyed film editor (La Badie) spots exonerating evidence accidentially captured on film by a crew working on location.

This may not be the first film to feature filmmaking and the film industry as part of the plot, but I think it may be first one to feature the literal backshop of the cinema business--the editing suite where pieces of film are spliced together into movies.

The various story elements are engaging and the acting is as naturalistic as can be expected from a film of this vintage; Florence La Badie seems particularly subdued in her scenes. William Garwood was the most expressive of actors, doing exaggerated sneaky and dramatic gestures as befitting his villainous character. With only 13-minutes of run-time, there isn't much room for character development, but nearly every character that is involved in some way with the story is given tiny moments that show its personality. This all adds up to a feeling that this story and cast could have supported a much longer film.

As much as I enjoyed this "The Evidence of the Film", any suspense that might have been generated from the poor messenger boy going to jail for a crime he didn't commit is dispelled by the fact the title gives away how he might be exonerated. On a related note, any suspension of disbelief on my part was also completely shattered by the way the film crew didn't seem to care that a child and a man wandered into the shot but just kept on cranking... and that the man didn't notice a camera pointing at him as he enacted his sinister plan to frame the child. Maybe audiences in 1913 didn't think along lines, because movies were still a new thing.

Despite these glaring flaws, I found this to be a highly enjoyable little film, with a talented cast and a well-paced story. It makes me feel it's a terrible shame that not more of the output of the Thanhouser film company has survived to the present day. But at least we have this one--and it's in excellent shape, despite missing its opening and end title cards.

Take a look for yourself by clicking below. And please let me know if you agree or disagree with my take by leaving a comment.

Musical Monday with Desperate Journalist

While doing a web-search for something completely unrelated, I discovered the existence of Desperate Journalist, a four-member band performing a style of music I thought had faded away with the 1990s! I thought of it as "jangly guitar rock" or "alternative rock", but, apparently, this sub-genre of pop/rock music is properly known as "post-punk" (for reasons that aren't immediately apparent to me, and that I am presently feeling too lazy to research). 

I've selected "Hollow" as Desperate Journalist's Shades of Gray debut song and video. I hope you find the curious storyline that is underscored by an intense, rhythm-driven, deeply melodic song that has that end-of-the-20th century sound that's been filtered through a 2010s aesthetic as entertaining as I do.

Especially since I intend this to be the first of several appearances by Desperate Journalist at this blog.

Hollow (2015)

Starring: Holly Hall and Desperate Journalist

Director: Jason Weidner

Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

It's a Mohammed Monday!

THIS WEEK WITH JESUS & MO

 

It's Shoot-'Em-Up Sunday!

These girls have guns... and they're ready to use them!

A Saturday Strip...

We hope you enjoy this graphic tale of a lady who takes it all off! (Music to set the proper mood can be found here.)

Fanny Friday

 

Happy birthday to Lexa Doig!

Canadian actress Lexa Doig set her heart on a life in front of audiences and cameras at an early age, so she dropped out of high school to pursue a career in modeling and acting. By 19, she landed her first major television role (playing "Cowgirl" in two "TekWar" movies and in the television series from 1994 - 1996).

As the 2000s arrived, she became a mainstay of sci-fi and fantasy television series, having a starring role leading parts on "Andromeda" (2000 - 2005) and popping up in almost any sci-fi/fantasy series or major made for TV movie in recurring supporting roles or one-shot guest appearances.

Doig even stepped onto the big screen, performing the starring role in "Jason X" (2001), a sci-fi take on the venerable slasher "Friday the 13th" series where Doig and the unstoppable homicidal maniac of the title are revived in a distant future to resume a battle that had remained unfinished. It's my personal favorite among the Jason/Friday the 13th films, and it's the only one I own a copy of.

Doig remained as busy as even as the 2010s arrived, remaining in front of sci-fi fans in series like "Continuum" (2012-2014) and "Arrow" (as a recurring guest-star during the 2017 season), but also branched increasingly out into dramas and mysteries; Doig has been a very popular co-star of the "Aurora Teagarden Mysteries" made-for-TV movies from 2015 through 2022 -- 16 films so far!

Today, Doig turns 50 years old. We celebrate this milestone with a small gallery of pictures  of her in little-more-than her birthday suit.