OSS 117: CAIRO, NEST OF SPIES (2006) - uncanny recreation of sixties' spy movies

OSS 117: CAIRO, NEST OF SPIES
(2006, France)

A retro spy spoof with modern targets
At first glance this looked like a revival release of a lost French spy film that I'd never heard of. It turned out to be a recent spoof that looks back affectionately at the 1960's spy scene. Sort of like Austin Powers, but with some humour lost in translation, so don't expect the same amount of comedy, broad or otherwise. It's still laugh-out-loud funny in places, but I'd liked to have understood more of the verbal gags and the ironic jokes about France's history.
The character of OSS 117 is actually from a long series of spy novels that started before Ian Fleming typed the number 007. They've been adapted (seriously) as movies in the fifties and sixties, with actors like John Gavin (Psycho) and Kerwin Matthews (Seventh Voyage of Sinbad) in the title role.

What makes this new incarnation definitely worth seeing are the standout performance of Jean Dujardin, and the meticulous recreation of the look of 1960s celluloid. While Austin Powers gave lip service to sixties pop culture, it mostly joked about the fashions and the technology, but never looking at all authentic. OSS 117 at times made me think I was looking at a lost Sean Connery Bond film.
Though rubber-faced, Dujardin even resembles Connery at times, helped by wearing copies of many of his early Bond outfits. I was also reminded that James Bond's 'eyebrow acting' began long before Roger Moore took the role. Dujardin is astonishingly good at portraying the swaggering, self-centred bighead who thinks he's irresistible to women. Connery's clothes, hair, and also 'catlike' movement are meticulously copied and spoofed.

The spy's occasional detective work is offset by his obsession with his appearance and... his chickens. My favourite moment is when his glamorous accomplice has to drag him off the dancefloor to do some work because he's enjoying himself too much.

The story is crucially set in Cairo in 1955. Agent OSS 117 has been sent to solve the murder of his best friend (whose very name sends him into flashbacks to happier times), as well as sort out the problems of the Middle East (just as the 'Suez crisis' threatened to ignite another World War). He easily gets sidetracked by everything unimportant, even taking more time over his cover, the chicken-breeding business, than the job in hand. In the style of incompetent detectives, he still accidentally impresses his superiors.

His complete ignorance of life outside France makes him completely unsuitable as an international secret agent. His mission needs him to be knowledgeable about local customs and blend in with the mostly Muslim population. This of course highlights how little has changed with attitudes and indeed foreign policies.

The absolutely authentic look of course includes fashion and music, but with an obsessive amount of paddleball, depicted as a fad of the same popularity as skateboarding!

I'd liked to have seen more action, more fighting and maybe a car chase - all par for the genre. But the pleasant surprise that I didn't expect was a skeleton graveyard - a beautifully creepy scene that seemed to reference the 1968 Japanese horror The Living Skeleton! Am I reaching?

OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, was popular enough to spawn a sequel, OSS 117: Lost In Rio (2009), with yet another in the works. The bare-bones UK DVD (from ICA) is nicely presented in 2.35 anamorphic widescreen but the English subtitles are rather large for the job. But they're the only translation - there's no dubbed Enlgish audio track.

English release trailer on YouTube...

This next trailer, for a 1964 OSS 117 movie (starring Kerwin Matthews), appears to be a direct influence on Jean-Paul Belmondo's superb spy spoof Le Magnifique (1973).

(Jean DuJardin returned in an OSS 177 sequel in 2009 - review here!)

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE (1976) - early Jodie Foster thriller

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE
(1976, Canada/USA/France)

Martin Sheen as a very nasty man...

1976 was the year when Jodie Foster became a star! At the time, I hadn't seen Taxi Driver, but there was plenty of publicity about her controversial role. Amazingly she was still appearing in Disney films!

Bugsy Malone was a big hit in the UK. With goodtime girl Tallulah's slicked-down hair, she nearly wasn't recognisable. But her raunchy and mature attitude was fun - it certainly seemed to scare Scott Baio! Director Alan Parker's success with this children-playing-adults gangster musical led to his next project, the very different Midnight Express!

Foster had appeared in Disney productions as early as 1970, continuing after Little Girl with Freaky Friday and later Candleshoe. The original Freaky Friday was another popular hit for her in the UK, Foster being one of the few youngsters who was intelligent and rebellious enough to be 'cool', acceptable to teenagers who normally wouldn't be seen dead watching a Disney double-bill. In it she plays a tomboy with a skateboard who swaps bodies with her Mom.


The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane was another very different film for her repertoire, and seemed to represent what I imagined her own personality might have been. Independent, private, wanting to be treated like an adult. Interested in learning more about everything. There's a great interview that was shot on the set, maybe it was a publicity film, where she says that eventually she wants to direct. She was deadly serious, at a time when there were even fewer women directors, ridiculously young. But if anyone was going to do it, she sounded like she could, and also knew where she was going.

Her character, Rynn, is supposed to be from England - the creepy Frank (Sheen) has to explain some of the customs of Halloween 'because the English don't celebrate it'. Proof that before the movie Halloween was a hit the UK, we Brits didn't even consider it as an opportunity for fancy dress, let alone trick or treating.

Little Girl feels like quite a small film, but has a uniquely odd atmosphere. So much action is centred on Rynn's home, it could very easily be adapted as a play. There are even several key moments that are described rather than shown, robbing the film of some potential shock moments. More damagingly, it's quite hard to follow everything unless you listen to every line of dialogue. I always forget the storyline because I haven't witnessed everything. This also keeps the film in the mystery/thriller genre. While it verges on horror, it needs a few more explicit moments.


A small cast of characters adds to the claustrophobia, especially with the early arrival of the sleazeball played by a young Martin Sheen, when he usually played sleazeballs. He was on the wrong side of the law in Badlands, a hustler in The Cassandra Crossing, and here a dangerous paedophile.

Foster's character is aged 13, but Frank is still very interested in her. The problem is that his mother is also her landlady, one of the most powerful landowneds in the area, with maybe even the police in her pocket. Everyone locally knows what Frank is capable of, but are reluctant to intervene. From his first appearance, we know he's threatening to probe the secrets of her mysterious family. She gains an ally in likeable local boy Mario (Scott Jacoby), but an accident threatens her precarious hope that everyone will leave them alone.


Once again, the film-makers were keen to exploit Foster's image sexually at such an early age. While she'd been a prostitute in Taxi Driver, and a vamp in Bugsy Malone, the actress understandably baulked at a nude scene. Doubtless wanting a little more respect despite her junior status. To be treated with more respect - not to mention gender equality - her star status failed to remove the scene from the script.

So there's this huge (very seventies) paradox. The villain is a paedophile, but the film-makers still want a gratuitous nude scene of a character who's only 13! This was actually performed by Foster's 21 year-old sister, flashing breasts and butt. But the brief scene fooled us all at the time into thinking we were seeing Foster nude, which again she was far from happy about.


It's a sufficiently intriguing film with some unnerving moments, good twists and engaging characters. Besides Foster's age, the film is dated by the music score - some nasty keyboards and wakka-wakka guitar detract rather than complement the atmosphere early on in the film, but thankfully this disappears as the plot thickens.

It's fascinating to see Jodie Foster as a child star, years before she found success as an adult, and Martin Sheen's career off-course before he starred in the awesome Apocalypse Now.


For a long while Little Girl was absent from DVD but eventually appeared in both the UK and US (with subtly different cover art) and apparently uncut. It's more generously framed than the VHS release (above), to which I can now finally say goodbye...

HAUNTED SCHOOL 4 (1999) - a great Japanese ghost story

HAUNTED SCHOOL 4
(1999, Japan, Gakko no kaidan 4)

One of the best, modern, Japanese ghost stories

After seeing Ring (1998) for the first time, I was soon scrabbling around for more non-English horror movies, led only by their titles and cover art. I started into the Japanese Haunted School movie series at the last film but, as it happens, the best of the bunch. These films are nothing to do with the 2007 Hong Kong horror Haunted School, produced by Andrew Lau, that was aimed at older teenagers.

Haunted School 4 is very different from the first three, with a far less patronising attitude and no goofy, infantile humour. Despite a cast made up mostly of children, the acting is solid and realistic, especially the little girl in the middle of it all. What's OK to scare Japanese children is still fairly strong for most adults, some of the shocks match Ring and even Korea's The Host. Surprisingly, the director, Hideyuki Hirayama, also made Haunted Schools 1 and 2.

There are so few similarities with the rest of the series that it's not really a sequel. No recurring characters, alive or dead. The story centres around a school, but that's about it. Here that's not even an existing building, but rather the ghostly memory of one.


Opening with a carefree game of hide-and-seek ('kakurenbo'), tragedy strikes in an impressive sequence with a horrifying climax. One of my favourite scenes in a Japanese horror, because it took me by surprise. Possibly because I was expecting a less hard-hitting, children's movie.

The story skips from the past to modern day, as a quiet coastal village is struck by a series of child disappearances... and a reappearance. Events so unlikely that they're dismissed by the adults, leaving the children to solve the mysteries. Why is there always an old man on the quayside staring at the sea? Why do some of the children keep hearing voices? What's going on at the school building that's closed for the holidays?

The hot and sunny seaside location, presumably in Okinawa, is popular as a holiday destination for Japanese families from the main island. A policeman demonstrates a huge heavy door in the huge storm defences, which closes with just a hand crank. There's also a scene showing the Japanese lantern festival, as departed relatives are remembered with a flotilla of floating lanterns.

There are many intricate and cleverly designed visual effects that use extensive digital composting and even a little CGI which still looks really convincing, at least on this unremastered DVD. But the FX designs and the ideas, together with the performances combine to create a ghost story that delivers very visual surprises and a few shocks. The genuine feeling of loss, portraying ghosts as 'once human' rather than vengeful monsters makes a refreshing change.

Beautifully shot 2.35 widescreen, with flashbacks in striking monochrome, some of the scene transitions were so cleverly done, I had to rewatch to check what I'd just seen.

The film really needs a title change, like if they lost the '4' and sold it to the US. A high number on a sequel makes it look like a bad movie - but this should be high on any list of Japanese ghost story movies.


The Hong Kong DVD I watched is transferred from a print that had English and Chinese burnt into it, rather than optional subtitles. These are poorly translated and hard to read against lighter backgrounds - but it's the only translated version that I know of. It's a non-anamorphic widescreen release, all-region NTSC.

I couldn't find many photos, but there are some screen grabs on this German site...

I've already done short reviews of the first Japanese Haunted School (1995), and Haunted School 3. But I'd recommend instead the Gakko No Kaidan anime series of 2000, sold on DVD as Ghost Stories in the US.

BARBARELLA (1968) the Ultimate Guide - Part 3: Barbarella Costume-changer

In the 1968 movie, Barbarella's frequently hazardous mission meant she had trouble hanging onto any of her Italian designer outfits. Costume designs are credited to Paco Rabane no less, though most were created by Jacques Fonteray, all influenced by Jean Claude Forest, who originally created the character and was heavily involved in the production.

Without spoiling the story too much, here's the sequence of Barbarella's many many costume changes. All her 'clothing breaks' are included, when her clothes disappear and prompt the need for another outfit...

1. SPACESUIT STRIP BARBARELLA
Silver spacesuit with detachable sleeves and leggings, with transforming silver helmet.
(Worn for the titles sequence as Barbarella enters the spaceship.)

Then all her clothes fall off!

(Freefall striptease, talking to Earth President)



COSTUME CHANGE!

2. ASTRONAVIGATRIX BARBARELLA
Black one-piece with breast and stomach windows, segmented plastic see-through casing overlaying shoulders and breasts, black tights.
(Worn for space voyage to Tau Ceti. Presumably this is her pilot uniform!)

COSTUME CHANGE!


3. ICE FOREST EXPLORER BARBARELLA
Silver cape, brown net body stocking, silver bra, wide silver belt, silver boots.
(Exploring the ice forest on Planet 16, meeting the children).




Rrrrrip!

3a. Ice Forest Explorer outfit - torn version!
(The dolls, Mark Hand's sailboat).


Then all her clothes fall off!

(Mark Hand's sailboat)



COSTUME CHANGE!

4. FURRY TAIL BARBARELLA
A thigh-length fur top which also has a troublesome tail.
Looks like she's hung onto her silver boots.
(Getting back onboard the spaceship, journey to the Labyrinth.)




COSTUME CHANGE!

5. LABYRINTH EXPLORER BARBARELLA
White one-piece with black stripes that continue down to the thigh-length boots.
(Worn for entering the Labyrinth, meeting Ping and Pygar.)

Then all her clothes fall off!

(In the bird's nest.)

COSTUME CHANGE!

6. FLYING BATTLE-ACTION BARBARELLA

Silver chainmail brassiere on white, red thong over chainlink belt and white leggings, black cape, red and white boots.
(Worn for flying with Pygar, arrival in Sogo, meeting the Queen.)

Rrrrrip!

6a. Flight Suit - torn version!
(Birdcage, meeting Dildano)

Then all her clothes fall off!

(Getting changed at Dildano's secret headquarters)

COSTUME CHANGE!

7. NIGHTCLUB BARBARELLA
Black top with right-breast and stomach windows, brown leather bikini over brown tights, circle-patterned cape.
(Worn in the nightclub, chilling on see-through scatter cushions).

Then all her clothes fall off!

(The monstrous Excessive Machine!)

COSTUME CHANGE!

8. MATHMOS BARBARELLA
Green 'Peter Pan' tunic with rectangular frills, green boots.
Hair freshly ruffled by the Excessive Machine.
(Final outfit. Below is a publicity shot which has a good view of the 'brainwave detector with built-in tonguebox' that she wears on her left wrist for most of the story.)

There you have it! Barbarella's every outfit! I think I need to chill out with some 'essence of man' after all that!



More chapters in the Ultimate Guide to Barbarella...

Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Cast and Characters

Part 4: Missing Scenes
Part 5: Set Designs

I'd like to thank...

Still week 1 and the year's already getting exciting. I'm suddenly the proud owner of a 'Lovely Blog Award'. Was rather hoping to win best 'Creepy Classics Blog' but this chintzy prize is still massively welcome.

A huge pre-recorded thanks to Professor Brian O'Blivion, who does such sterling work down at The Cathode Ray Mission. Twas he who awarded me it. In accordance with his wishes, I'm passing on 15 awards to other blogs that tickle my many fancies.

In alphabetical order (so I don't have to pick favourites)...

Acidemic
The Film Connoisseur
Frankensteinia - The Frankenstein Blog
Held Over - nostalgic newspaper movie ads
MONDO 70: a wild world of cinema
Monster Brains - a never ending celebration of monsters
The Morbid Imagination - horror and art
Same Hat! - manga madness
Saturday Morning Blog - the best and worst of animation!
Shock Room
Something To Sing About - SE Asian cinema
Tokyo Scum Brigade (adult content!)
Vintage Horror Movies
When Is Evil Cool?
Zombo's Closet of Horror

Now, where to display it? Must be visible over my shoulder for any TV interviews...

Cheers!

11/01/10: Award update! I've received a second Lovely blog Award, this time from Ninja Dixon. Once again, a wholehearted thank you. There's a whole lot of blog-love going around. Bizarrely, this particular award appears to have been creeping around the blogaverse for over a year!