#Tony Lo Bianco | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

marypickfords · 4 months

Photo

God Told Me To (Larry Cohen, 1976)

#tony lo bianco #god told me to #larry cohen #caps

61 notes · View notes

schlock-luster-video · 4 months

Text

On December 26, 2015, It's Alive and God Told Me To were screened as a double-feature on TCM Underground.

Here's some new art inspired by both Larry Cohen classics!

14 notes · View notes

depalmafan · 1 year

Photo

Tony Lo Bianco in Larry Cohen's God Told Me To (1976).

#Tony Lo Bianco #Larry Cohen #God Told Me To

37 notes · View notes

mariocki · 1 year

Text

The Seven-Ups (1973)

"Hey, do me a favour, huh? Don't tell me what I know. Listen to what I'm saying. The guy you iced was a cop."

"Okay, so he was a cop!"

#the seven ups #1973 #american cinema #crime film #philip d'antoni #sonny grosso #alexander jacobs #albert ruben #roy scheider #tony lo bianco #victor arnold #jerry leon #ken kercheval #larry haines #richard lynch #bill hickman #lou polan #matt russo #joe spinell #robert burr #rex everhart #don ellis #d'antoni's only film as director; he'd made his name producing films like Bullitt and The French Connection (both obvious inspirations on #this film) and for his directing debut he reunited with a large number of the cast and crew of TFC‚ including stars Scheider and Lo Bianco #and actor and stunt driver Bill Hickman. Hickman was responsible for the frankly incredible car chase at the centre of this film‚ a #masterpiece of the form. he's also a compelling villain alongside Lynch and Spinell. the rest? eh. it's violent copaganda of the most #puerile and shameless kind‚ in which brave vigilante cops gun down terrible criminals without remorse or punishment. it is what it is #but a fine Spinell performance‚ an improbably good score from Don Ellis and some effective cinematography kept me watching

8 notes · View notes

moviemosaics · 1 year

Photo

The French Connection

directed by William Friedkin, 1971

#The French Connection #William Friedkin #movie mosaics #Fernando Rey #Gene Hackman #Tony Lo Bianco #Roy Scheider

4 notes · View notes

pygartheangel · 1 year

Text

THE HONEYMOON KILLERS - 1970

#shirley stoler #tony lo bianco #the honeymoon killers

9 notes · View notes

laraleecupcake · 11 months

Photo

JON FAVREAU AND TONY LO BIANCO (Photo by Eric Robert/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images)

#the rocky marciano story #jon favreau #tony lo bianco

2 notes · View notes

brokehorrorfan · 2 years

Text

4K Ultra HD Review: God Told Me To

If God Told Me To were made today, its mass killing sprees would likely be approached in a less exploitative manner, and the guerrilla filmmaking style certainly couldn't be accomplished at the same scale (more on that later). But — with the proliferation of gun violence, conspiracy theories, and religious zealotry — the concept is every bit as potent now, if not even more so, than it was upon its original release in 1976.

The first two-thirds of the film might lead a viewer to believe it's one of writer-director Larry Cohen's more straightforward efforts — a police procedural thriller with psychological underpinnings — but the wildly unpredictable third act reveal immediately repositions it as perhaps Cohen's most bizarre outing. That's saying a lot, considering his delightfully delirious work on the likes of The Stuff, It’s Alive, and Q: The Winged Serpent.

God Told Me To opens with a sniper picking people off in the middle of New York City from high atop a water tower with astonishing accuracy. NYPD detective Peter Nicholas (Tony Lo Bianco, The French Connection) takes it upon himself to climb up and speak with the shooter. The nonchalant explanation for his heinous actions — "God told me to" — followed by the leap to his death leaves Peter chilled.

This incident is followed by several more killing sprees that end in the same confession, including one reminiscent of a key scene in The Dark Knight: a police officer (Andy Kaufman, in his film debut) marching in a parade opens fire on the crowd. The fast-paced first act gives little indication of the aberration that follows, as Peter’s investigation leads him to learn that it’s a force other than God causing these people to commit such atrocities. I won’t give it away here, as it truly has to be seen to be believed, but it involves a gratuitous close-up of a fake vagina.

Cohen is an audacious filmmaker in every sense of the word. He’s fearless in his approach to offbeat material; in this case, an unclassifiable amalgam of crime thriller, science fiction, subversive exploitation, and religious horror that would make an interesting double feature with John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness. He’s equally intrepid with his filmmaking. He "stole" many of the New York City shots — including a volatile confrontation at the city’s actual St. Patrick's Day Parade — without permits; a miraculous feat that could never be accomplished in a post-9/11 world.

Lo Bianco is a treat as the lead, committed to the peculiar material as if it were Shakespeare. Oscar winner Sandy Dennis (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) plays his wife, while Deborah Raffin (Death Wish 3) receives a guest starring credit as Peter’s mistress. Sylvia Sidney (Beetlejuice) and Richard Lynch (Halloween (2007)) each take on pivotal roles later in the film. Mike Kellin (Sleepaway Camp), George Patterson (I Drink Your Blood), and character actor Robert Nichols (The Thing from Another World) pop up in small parts as well.

God Told Me To has been newly restored in 4K from an original, uncensored negative with Dolby Vision HDR as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio options by Blue Underground. The transfer retains the marvelous grain synonymous with ‘70s genre pictures (doubly so for the gritty New York setting) coupled with high-definition clarity with improved contrast and saturation. The new transfer is included on both 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Only one new special feature was produced, but all of the extra's from Blue Underground's 2015 Blu-ray are accounted for.

King Cohen director Steve Mitchell and film historian Troy Howarth sit down for a new audio commentary. Mitchell's time spent documenting Cohen’s career proves to be indispensable, supplemented by Howarth's astute observations about the film. Also included is Cohen’s original commentary from the 2003 DVD release, moderated by his old friend William Lustig (Maniac Cop, Maniac), which makes for a great listen as well.

Other special features include: an interview with Lo Bianco, who flexes his remarkable memory as he recounts stories from nearly 40 years ago like they were yesterday; an interview with special effects artist Steve Neill (Ghostbusters), who built the aforementioned genitalia for his first gig; a 2014 Q&A with Cohen at a Los Angeles screening with no shortage of fun anecdotes; a 2002 Q&A with Cohen at a New York screening, wherein he reflects on how different it is to watch the film after 9/11; two theatrical trailers (one of which is under its alternate title, Demon); seven TV spots; and a gallery of posters and stills.

God Told Me To will be released on 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray on July 19 via Blue Underground.

#god told me to #larry cohen #tony lo bianco #horror #70s horror #1970s horror #blue underground #dvd #review #article #gift #andy kaufman #sandy dennis #deborah raffin #richard lynch

14 notes · View notes

litefuzz · 1 year

Text