Tangible Passion

 

Her sincere laugher awoke the dim memory of affection. Ancient ecstasy reemerged as our desires were purged. She welcomed my wanton wants. Her intoxicating curves summoned the beckoning throngs of love.  

Mark Izzy Schurr

"The Famous Ferguson Case," A Timeless Tale of Journalism

 

The doors to forbidden stimulation became unhinged, and the cathedral of sin was an incipient gateway to violence, illegal drugs, sexual perversity, and encouraged unlawful activities in both politics and religion in 1932s "The Famous Ferguson Case."  

News is fresh information concerning something that has recently takin place. Some events are extremely sensational from the angle of sex, the people involved, and the standing of and how they are reported. Legitimate newspapers report real developments and stop there, but other news sources pander to the lowest tastes of the public and when the news fails, they try and make news.

“The Famous Ferguson Case” is built upon the contrast between legitimate journalism and unprincipled scandal-mongering. (Harvey F. Thew, screenplay writer)

Tom Brown as Head Writer, Bruce Foster, 1932

Thew’s 1932 murder, mystery is a tale of a small-town newspaper whose lead writer acquires details of the murdered banker in his town. George Ferguson, the slain banker was also a world-famous financier. Respected and tawdry newspapers laden throughout America, cover the Ferguson murder case.

Joan Blondell proved her acting skills in “The Ferguson Murder Case.” Blondell is a journalist who seeks the truth and makes news.

Joan Blondell as journalist, Maizie Dickson, 1932

I laugh out loud every time I watch the scene were a group of traveling journalist are drinking together. The booze they are drinking was personally made by one of their comrades.

JOURNALIST #1

That’s his one real talent, he can make a martini out of cockroach paste and turpentine.

 

JOURNALIST #2

No, that’s a Manhattan, a martini is boiled cigar butts and sheep vermouth.

Journalist's portrayed by Bob Parks and Adrienne Dore getting boozed buzzed 

The desires among the two genders, both physical and emotional weaved its way into the storyline extremely well. Two different types of journalists in this movie become clashed in a combat of words. 

Bruce Foster and Joan Blondell, 1932

The journalists who prefer sensationalism over fact checking get an ear full in “The Famous Ferguson Case.”

Crooked bankers haven’t ruined the banking business and crooked politicians haven’t torn down the government. There aren’t enough of them, nor or is there enough of you. The news should be nothing more than a mirror of public events, and that’s a positive outlooked when being attentive to the news. Four stars easy for 1932s “The Famous Ferguson Case.”

Mark Izzy Schurr  

Dark Mark, Movie Review

“Believe me, if I started murdering people, there would be none of you left, because my children are coming,” Charles Manson said.

“The Evil in Us” unhinges the doors of rage and the core of human passions and emotions are permeated with evil, yet the sincere joys of love and laughter are present in this flick.

This movie is not a predicable story of college aged men and women getting slaughtered in the woods on an island off the coast of Seattle. All the vicious killers in “The Evil in Us” have had their minds maliciously poisoned from cocaine or marijuana. A large government agency run by a republican Texas senator and his baleful band of buffoons manufactures a new drug they put into both coke and weed.   

Once ingested, it’s just a matter of time before a lover must bury an axe into her beau for her own protection or a bestie bashing their pal in the head with a hammer.

Two young lovers go weekending with a small group of the males’ friends on a privately owned island, complete with a house, but no Wi-Fi.

The head detective and the forensic squad have the daunting task of locating and figuring out whose manufacturing this drug which too often induces cannibalism, violent hallucinations and a lust for murder. This devious drug of ultimate mind destruction pulverizes even the kindness of souls to execute the most heinous acts of atrocities.

Homeland Defence Senator, Elias Cob, a republican from Texas is well-acted by Robert Leaf, a character you like to hate in this movie. Debs Howard portrays Brie Armstrong and is the lone person on the island who doesn’t do any cocaine. She is forced to deal with her violently drug ridden lover, and his four friends on the island. Notice how director and screen-writer, Jason William Lee deliberately misspelled defense, a nice jab at the republicans.

This Hulu flick has disturbing unseen violence on incredibly young children. I applaud writer / director Lee, for his ability to convey sheer horror with sagacious insight. This movie is defiantly suited for the genre of horror and suspense. Three and a half stars for “The Evil in Us.”    

Mark Izzy Schurr

Insane Sexuality and a Bizarre Quest for Power; "Nazi Overload."

 

An army captain and his unit during World War II are the world’s only hope to thwart a Nazi plan to send an army of genetically diseased bugs across the Earth.

Once infested with the bugs bite, the human body implodes, and these bugs are more menacing and numerous then locusts.  

A British scientist is forced to produce this mass formula to infect the insects for the Nazi regime in Romania, deep in enemy territory. An Army captain and his unit are sent by their commander, Tom Sizemore to penetrate enemy territory and bring the British scientist back to America.  

Depraved sexuality and violence added a sadistic twist to this 2018 movie. Tom Sizemore tells the Captain that biological warfare has its place, its not as bad as it sounds, and the captain says; I’ll take a gun over some lab experiment any day.

“Nazi Overload” was certainly not an over-load on my budget, because I purchased this DVD at the dollar store and the movie had an element of surprise. The twisted sexuality was toned down Hollywood style, and that was a great thing. Two and a half star rating for “Nazi Overload.”

Mark Izzy Schurr

Californians

 

The dead walk, they seldom talk and their often full of spite, but at least they don’t bite.

Mark Izzy Schurr  

Vintage Visions Sin in Soft Focus

The unsanitized laws of the Gods and people spiraled into the spheres of our imagination and spawned into the darken theaters across the globe in 1930. (Above picture is Claudette Colbert from 1934s "Cleopatra")

A barrage of human endeavors, including sexual liaisons, abuse of religious and political power permeated the big screen in the fiery face of Hollywood. Picturesque violence, excessive boozing and the abuse of hallucinogenic drugs weaved its way into fornication, adultery, prostitution and crime without punishment.   

Movies were much tamer in the early 1930s, yet some of these nearly 100-year-old films have managed to seize our senses, make us gasps and even laugh.

SALLY

He’s crazy about his wife

LIL

He’s a man ain’t he?

The above picture is from 1932s "Red-Headed Woman starring Jean Harlow as the gold-digging Lil Andrews seen here with her married boss Bill portrayed by Chester Morris.  

The Pre-Code Hollywood era of movies started in 1930 and ended in 1934. As an avid film buff, I understand the different time clock in many films made from 1930-1934, as opposed to movies made from 1935 to the mid 1960s. The best example of this is to watch "Gold Diggers of 1933," and then watch "Gold Diggers of 1935." The chorus girls in the 1933 version show off a lot more leg and expose cleavage that is not shown in the 1935 version. Even Betty Boop's garter belt was not shown in her cartoons starting in 1935. 

From 1930-1934, the rulers of censorship still prevailed in Hollywood, yet the four-year Pre-Code Hollywood films pushed the envelope of censorship and pioneered the way for today’s film makers. 

The above two pictures are from 1931s Night Nurse with Joan Blondell (right) and Barbara Stanwyck. 

"Night Nurse" tinges on forbidden sexuality, excessive boozing, child abuse and illegal gangster activity, and I acquired this movie from the Sonoma County Library. "Night Nurse" is one of five Pre-Code movies on volume 2 of "Forbidden Hollywood." My other favorite flick on volume two was "Three of a Match," also starring Joan Blondell. Nineteen-thirty-twos, "Three on a Match" depicts childhood delinquency and middle school aged boys and girls smoking, and girls showing off their bloomers to the boys and talking about their favorite colors of underwear.  

The above photo is from 1932s "Three on a Match," which is complete with wreckless youth, alchoholism, kidnapping, illegal gambling and fornication with adultery. 

The Sonoma County Library got me hooked on Joan Blondell movies. Her and James Cagney made seven films together, all in 1930-1934 Pre-Code era, and it's a mystery to myself why I still haven't seen all seven of the movies they made together, but the ones I have seen with these two have withstood the test of time, including 1931s "Blonde Crazy."

BLONDELL

Can't you see, I'm in the tub?

Blondell in 1931s "Blonde Crazy"

CAGNEY

Well, move over! 

Blondell paved the way for today's sexy women in films to show off skin and her wits and make movies which displayed the delicious deceits of sexuality and criminality. 

Joan Blondell from 1934s musical comedy "Dames" 

Ever since I heard Joan Blondell as Marie in 1931s "Other Men's Women" say she was APO to and

unwanted suiter, I was hooked on these ancient movies of sin in soft focus.

MARIE (Blondell)

That's right, I'm APO, Ain't Putn' Out! 

   

After 1934, the censors came down hard on Hollywood. Joan Blondell’s 1933 sex comedy, “Convention City,” was literally destroyed because of Christianity and Republican politics. The original print of “Convention City” was even destroyed, thus making it impossible to ever own a high-quality print of "Convention City." 

I’m still searching for a print of this movie, believe me. In the 1960s, Joan Blondell owned a 16 MM print of this movie, and showed it to family and friends on various occasions. Some say “Convention City” was soft core porn for its day.

For movie crazed souls who embrace the wit of the 1930s screenwriters and their daunting task of unwarranted Christian and political input, they still achieved the visions of sexuality and the many vices of addictions.

Mark Izzy Schurr