Author Archives: Paul Gaita

About Paul Gaita

Paul Gaita lives in Sherman Oaks, California with his lovely wife and daughter. He has written for The Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Variety and Merry Jane, among many other publications, and was a home video reviewer for Amazon.com from 1998 to 2014. He has also interviewed countless entertainment figures, but his favorites remain Elmore Leonard, Ray Bradbury, and George Newall, who created both "Schoolhouse Rock" and the Hai Karate aftershave commercials. He once shared a Thanksgiving dinner with celebrity astrologer Joyce Jillson and regrettably, still owes the late character actor Charles Napier a dollar.

Movies Till Dawn: Otherworldly Encounters

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“The UFO Incident” (1975, Kino Lorber) Unnerving TV-movie take on Betty and Barney Hill’s alleged abduction by aliens, which is revealed through hypnosis by psychiatrist Barnard Hughes. Though directed with considerable atmosphere by TV vet Richard Colla (whose judicious use … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Television | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Movies Till Dawn: The Bad Guy Variations

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“The Northman” (2021, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment) Human juggernaut Alexander Skarsgaard seeks to avenge the murder of his father (Ethan Hawke) by his uncle (Claes Bang) by single-handedly slaughtering much of medieval Scandinavia. Co-writer/director Robert Eggers (“The Witch,” “The Lighthouse“) … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Movies Till Dawn: The Saturday Morning Strange vs. Strangler

Posted on June 11, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“Stunt Rock” (1978, Kino Lorber) Australian stuntman Grant Page (playing himself) lands a TV gig in Los Angeles, where he parties with cousin Curtis Hyde and his bandmates in Sorcery while courting starry-eyed reporter Margaret Gerard. Brian Trenchard-Smith‘s oddball actioner … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Movies till Dawn: Creepy

Posted on May 29, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“Night Caller” (2022, 123 Go Films) Grisly supernatural thriller which channels the grimy vibe of ’70s and ’80s slasher/grindhouse fare while also finding room for writer-director Chad Ferrin‘s eclectic perspective. Susan Priver stars as a psychic working for a cut-rate … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Movies Till Dawn: Cracked

Posted on May 15, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“Straight to VHS” (2021, Indiepix) Willfully odd but often compelling documentary about an obscure 1988 Uruguayan film, “Act of Violence in a Young Journalist,” and its hold on filmmaker Emilio Silva Torres, who attempts to not only root out information … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Movies Till Dawn: Classics

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy” (2021, Film Movement) Three stories, told plainly and with the most subtle camerawork, detail the complexities in the axis of dreams, reality, and how we exist in or pursue each as part of our daily … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Movies Till Dawn: Appealing to Base Instincts

Posted on April 24, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“Jackass Forever” (2020, Paramount Home Video) Third and apparently final go-round with Johnny Knoxville and the original cast (minus Bam Margera and the late Ryan Dunn) of the comedy/stunt/endurance franchise, who gamely carry on the tradition of abusing themselves in … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Movies Till Dawn: Violent

Posted on April 17, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“Legendary Weapons of China” (1982, 88 Films) One of the more eclectic entries in the Shaw Brothers Studios catalog, this action-comedy from director Lau Kar-Lung (“Drunken Master II“) has exceptional fighting sequences – many anchored around the 18 titular weapons, … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Movies Till Dawn: Velour

Posted on April 7, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“The Naked Ape” (1973, Code Red) Vintage curiosity produced by Playboy Enterprises attempts to deliver a “now” interpretation of anthropologist Desmond Morris’s 1967 book on human evolution but instead offers up a fragmented mix of psychedelic animation, tame sex comedy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Television | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Movies Till Dawn: Vintage

Posted on March 27, 2022 by Paul Gaita

“Touch of Evil” (1958, Kino Lorber) Get past the idea of Charlton Heston as a Mexican cop and you’ll find an extraordinary American movie – ostensibly a crime thriller, but really director/star Orson Welles last go-round with his electric trains … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment