Special Delivery (1976)

An enjoyable heist movie with a difference, the actual heist just setting things up.

Murdock (Bo Swenson) leads a daring bank robbery, though when the robbers try to get away things start to go wrong. Only Murdock manages to get away after he stuffs half a million dollars in cash in a post box. Now he has to find out a way to get the cash out of the post box before it is collected. 

Unfortunately, a couple of people noticed what he did. One is a petty drug pusher (Michael C Gwynne) and the other a young woman Mary (Cybill Shepherd) who wants to get him into bed... and get her hands on the cash.

Although the premise is a little silly at times this is a solid film with a good relationship between Murdock and Mary. The action scenes which book end the film (the first being the robbery and chase) are both very well done.

Night of the Comet (1984)

A global cataclysm wipes out nearly all life on Earth overnight, two of the survivors decide to party!

The visit of a comet causes a global disaster which turns nearly everyone into dust. Only a few people who were protected by being inside steel structures have survived, this includes two teenage sisters Regina (Catharine Mary Stewart) and Sam (Kelli Maroney). Finding themselves in a world now empty, they go to the obvious place: the radio station which still seems to be broadcasting. Unfortunately, they find the radio DJ is dead too and has been playing tapes. 

However, they do find another survivor Hector (Robert Beltran), just after one of the other characters made a jokey Star Trel reference too, if only they knew.

The three battle half-dead zombies and a few other freaks, but they really need to worry about a group of sinister scientists who want the survivors so they can drain their blood...

It is all a bit silly maybe, but this is hugely enjoyable and a lot of fun. The film is crammed full of cool early 1980s pop culture. The story is ridiculous and full of plot holes but who cares, that really isn't the point.

The Intruder (1962)

A Civil Rights movie which leaves little to the imagination.

Adam Cramer (William Shatner) arrives in a small Southern town, in a white suit and a sunny charismatic disposition. Well to white people anyway. The integration of black children into the town's white school is causing antagonism from the local racists, and Cramer who claims to be a "social reformer" but is really here from a racist organisation to stop the school integration, is happy to take advantage of this and rise up the mob. 

Unfortunately, the forces he unleashes are soon out of his control...

A good film though a challenging and difficult watch, the language used is uncompromising which many will find objectionable. However, this gives the film it's bite and it is harrowing, which is exactly how it should be with this subject. William Shatner's performance is excellent.

Thief (1971)

An intelligent and enjoyable TV movie with a rather shocking ending.

Neal (Richard Crenna) is an amiable soul, keeping himself in shape, trying to get custody of his kid and building a new relationship with Jean (Angie Dickinson). 

However, he has a bit of a dark secret: he is a burglar! He has tried to go straight but his gambling addiction means he now owes money to the mob, much to to the despair of his friend and lawyer Charles (Cameron Mitchell). In order to meet his debts, Neal has to do one more big job, and this one could be his most risky one yet...

A very good story that makes a sympathetic character out of someone who would usually be a villain. The actual robberies we see are very tense, you are drawn in and feel worried for Neal when he is so close to being caught in the act! The ending though will surprise you, but maybe not in a good way.

Calling Philo Vance (1939)

Philo Vance is called upon to deal with a case of Fifth Columnists and stolen aeroplane plans.

A plane designer is murdered, the question is: have his secret aeroplane plans also been stolen? Philo Vance (James Stephenson) is called upon to investigate. Now, the murder took place in a locked room (so this has both a Golden Age style locked room mystery and an espionage plot!) Of course there are a lot of potential suspects, and the various Axis powers are involved...

Although this is largely a remake of the earlier Philo Vance film the Kennel Murder Case, it has been nicely updated to reflect the geopolitical situation of the time. However, the film - although still perfectly good - is not quite as good as the original which was one of the best Philo Vance movies. The locked room mystery is a good one and nicely worked out.