INTERVAL was a 1973 film released by Avco Embassy Pictures. The film marked the first and only production of actress Merle Oberon (WUTHERING HEIGHTS) and was the first film she had appeared in since the 1967 film HOTEL. The production company, Euro-American Films Corp., was owned by Oberon. The film concerns a globetrotting woman, running from her past, who finds true love with a much younger man. Oberon starred as the woman, and Robert Wolders co-starred as her love interest. Wolders was an occasional TV actor who had appeared in 1967’s TOBRUK. INTERVAL was his last feature film.
M-G-M had been planning a film in Mexico, and Vincente Minnelli was originally slated to produce and direct the film. But when M-G-M mentioned the project to Oberon, she decided to produce it. For director, she chose veteran Daniel Mann. Production began in late February of 1972. Filming continued through mid-May 1972 on location in Yucatan, with interiors shot at Estudios Churubusco, Mexico City. On-screen credits contain the following written acknowledgment: "The producers acknowledge with gratitude the cooperation of the governor and the peoples of Yucatan during the production of this film."
The film was scored by Rubén Fuentes, a noted Mexican classical violinist and composer, who is well known for his contributions to Mariachi music. INTERVAL is one of the few English-language films he has scored. Fuentes is best known for his work on Linda Ronstadt's classic, Grammy award winning, multi-platinum album Canciones De Mi Padre. With domestic sales of two-and-a-half million copies, that album stands as the biggest-selling non-English language record in U.S. history. Another famous Mexican crew member was cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa, who had shot everything from Luis Bunuel’s THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL to Brian G. Hutton’s KELLY’S HEROES.
INTERVAL had its world premiere in Mexico City on 28 February 1973. It opened in New York on 15 June 1973, but aside from a few major cities did not get much U.S. distribution. The critics at the time looked at it the same as does Leonard Maltin today. He gives the film two stars and calls it a “drippy May-December romance.” Although the film contains a 1972 copyright statement for Euro-American Films Corporation and Estudios Churubusco Producciones S. A., the film was not registered for copyright until 21 June 1979, at which time a televised version was copyrighted and assigned the number PA-52-704. The film was released on cassette in 1987 by Charter Entertainment, but has not otherwise been available in the last 25 years.
In 1975, 62-year old Merle Oberon married her co-star, Robert Wolders, who was some 20 years younger than she. INTERVAL turned out to be Oberon’s final film before her death in 1979. Wolders would go on to be the companion of Audrey Hepburn until her death in 1993.
INTERVAL was a 1973 film released by Avco Embassy Pictures. The film marked the first and only production of actress Merle Oberon (WUTHERING HEIGHTS) and was the first film she had appeared in since the 1967 film HOTEL. The production company, Euro-American Films Corp., was owned by Oberon. The film concerns a globetrotting woman, running from her past, who finds true love with a much younger man. Oberon starred as the woman, and Robert Wolders co-starred as her love interest. Wolders was an occasional TV actor who had appeared in 1967’s TOBRUK. INTERVAL was his last feature film.
M-G-M had been planning a film in Mexico, and Vincente Minnelli was originally slated to produce and direct the film. But when M-G-M mentioned the project to Oberon, she decided to produce it. For director, she chose veteran Daniel Mann. Production began in late February of 1972. Filming continued through mid-May 1972 on location in Yucatan, with interiors shot at Estudios Churubusco, Mexico City. On-screen credits contain the following written acknowledgment: "The producers acknowledge with gratitude the cooperation of the governor and the peoples of Yucatan during the production of this film."
The film was scored by Rubén Fuentes, a noted Mexican classical violinist and composer, who is well known for his contributions to Mariachi music. INTERVAL is one of the few English-language films he has scored. Fuentes is best known for his work on Linda Ronstadt's classic, Grammy award winning, multi-platinum album Canciones De Mi Padre. With domestic sales of two-and-a-half million copies, that album stands as the biggest-selling non-English language record in U.S. history. Another famous Mexican crew member was cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa, who had shot everything from Luis Bunuel’s THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL to Brian G. Hutton’s KELLY’S HEROES.
INTERVAL had its world premiere in Mexico City on 28 February 1973. It opened in New York on 15 June 1973, but aside from a few major cities did not get much U.S. distribution. The critics at the time looked at it the same as does Leonard Maltin today. He gives the film two stars and calls it a “drippy May-December romance.” Although the film contains a 1972 copyright statement for Euro-American Films Corporation and Estudios Churubusco Producciones S. A., the film was not registered for copyright until 21 June 1979, at which time a televised version was copyrighted and assigned the number PA-52-704. The film was released on cassette in 1987 by Charter Entertainment, but has not otherwise been available in the last 25 years.
In 1975, 62-year old Merle Oberon married her co-star, Robert Wolders, who was some 20 years younger than she. INTERVAL turned out to be Oberon’s final film before her death in 1979. Wolders would go on to be the companion of Audrey Hepburn until her death in 1993.
Robert Wolders appeared in the last season of "Laredo".
Does anybody remember the '65 Yugoslavian film "The Soldier" which was directed by George Breakston? I remember when it was seen in syndication in the mid '70s, but seems to have dropped out of sight.
INTERVAL-73- was shown in syndication on local stations in America in the 70's. However in the last 3 decades this film has vanished pretty much from the radar of TV[free and cable]
INTERVAL-73- was shown in syndication on local stations in America in the 70's. However in the last 3 decades this film has vanished pretty much from the radar of TV[free and cable]
To MILES[MERL]- Yes, PHIBES had everything you could want in a movie, beautiful sets, lovely color, interesting premise, pathos, good acting, efficent direction, great innovator shock scenes, nice makeup, great musical score,mostly serious , but some good tongue in cheek humor, great ending, good sly dialogue,and a beautiful delicious female helper of the Doc, could anyone ask for more? think about it, just a classy horror film, they don't make a movie like that every day.Must be seen on the full screen to really apreciate it.
AND SOON THE DARKNESS-70- it was remade a few years ago but the original which starred PAMELA FRANKLIN-and was shown alot in syndication in the 70's has pretty much vanished from the airways in recent years.Is it on DVD?
So any idea where I can get a copy of Stand Up and Be Counted (1972), a film that claimed to be one of the first to deal with the issue of women's lib and directed by Jackie Cooper, of all people?
Good question-huh-STAND UP AND BE COUNTED got a network showing in the 70's then was in syndication in the later 70's but has been very rare if not non- existent on TV [free or cable ] since. It is also not available at this time on YOU TUBE.I also don't see any mention of it on DVD, but it might be on some label. I also can't recall it being on video in years past.
NIGHT OF BLOODY HORROR is about the son of a wealthy New Orleans family who gets involved with various women, all of whom turn up brutally murdered. The film was produced, directed, and co-written by Joy N. Houck, Jr. Houck, Jr.’s father was Joy N. Houck who produced all of the Lash La Rue movies in the 1940s and early ‘50s. Joy N. Houck's production/distribution company was Howco International. He also owned or co-owned about 200 movie theaters from Texas to Georgia.
Aside from a single acting part in a 1964 film, Houck Jr. began his film career with NIGHT OF BLOODY HORROR. The film starred Gerald McRaney, Gaye Yellen, and Herbert Nelson. For McRaney, the film was his screen acting debut, in what would prove to be a lengthy and fruitful acting career. For Yellen, the film was her one and only appearance on screen. And for Nelson, the film was his feature film debut after having acted in television for 20 years, including being in the original cast of the soap “Guiding Light.”
The 89-minute film was shot in 16mm in Louisiana. It was blown up to 35mm and distributed by Howco International, appropriately opening in New Orleans on 9 August 1969. The most creative thing about the film was its advertising campaign. The film was said to have been “Filmed in Violent Vision,” which turned out to be a red (violet?) tint overlaid on certain flashback scenes. In addition, the producers promised that “If You Should Die of Fright While Watching THE NIGHT OF BLOODY HORROR . . . . . We Will Give Your Family $1,000.00 Cash!!!” Even the film’s title was somewhat of a cheat, since the events depicted in the film took place over more than a single night.
Contemporary reviews of the film cannot be found. Modern reviewers aren’t big fans. The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film calls this “PSYCHO ripoff” an “inept gore murder movie” with “various meat-cleaver mutilations and an eye-gouging.” And terming the film “Night of the Cinematic Bungle,” the Creature Features Movie Guide says that the “Terrible title matches bad lighting, lousy acting and sleazy set design in this low-budget incompetence.”
NIGHT OF BLOODY HORROR was originally released on an authorized videotape by Paragon Video.
The film now seems to have fallen into the public domain, and was released on DVD in 2006 by Cheezy Flicks and in 2008 by Apprehensive Films, as well as on other labels. It is also available for rental or purchase as a download from Amazon and Something Weird Video. Here’s a trailer for the Apprehensive DVD, which mostly incorporates footage from the original theatrical trailer:
Joy N. Houck, Jr. would go on in short succession to direct two more horror films: HIS WIFE’S HABIT (1970) and THE NIGHT OF THE STRANGLER (1972). By 1974 Houck Jr. would be both acting and directing in different projects. He appeared in TIGHTROPE (1984), THE BIG EASY (1986), and on television in “Dynasty.” Behind the camera, he joined the MuCulloughs of Louisiana to make CREATURE FROM BLACK LAKE (1976). A few years later, he was working with Charles B. Pierce on the authorized sequel to LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK (1972), which was called THE BARBARIC BEAST OF BOGGY CREEK, PART II (1985). Houck Jr. died in 2003 at age 61.
Gerald McRaney also appeared in HIS WIFE’S HABIT before beginning a lengthy career in television, appearing in such series as “The Rockford Files,” The Incredible Hulk,” and starring in “Simon and Simon,” “Major Dad,” and “Promised Land.” McRaney would also have occasional feature film roles, such as in THE NEVERENDING STORY (1984), SAVING SHILOH (2006), and RED TAILS (2012). He is still active today at age 65. Herbert Nelson would do better films, such as THE GREAT NORTHFIELD MINNESOTA RAID and WHEN THE LEGENDS DIE (both 1972). He did mainly television work in the late 1970s until retiring. He died in 1990 at age 76.
TO QUILLER-007-Bob is indeed an incredible source of information, a great asset to this board, but of course i could stumped him with a title as well as loads of horror film fanatics or film fanatics, I won't do it because it would be too easy and that would make it silly.
TO QUILLER-007-Bob is indeed an incredible source of information, a great asset to this board, but of course i could stumped him with a title as well as loads of horror film fanatics or film fanatics, I won't do it because it would be too easy and that would make it silly.
TO QUILLER-007-Bob is indeed an incredible source of information, a great asset to this board, but of course i could stumped him with a title as well as loads of horror film fanatics or film fanatics, I won't do it because it would be too easy and that would make it silly.
NIGHT OF BLOODY HORROR i am pretty sure has never been on any cable movie network of any size in the past decades, i think it got shown on a L,A independent station way back in the 80's.But it was indeed very rare on free TV as well.As for theatrical release in the mid 70's NIGHT OF BLOODY HORROR was release on a rare triple bill to many theatres with WOMAN AND BLOODY TERROR and NIGHT OF THE STRANGLER.
