Subspecies: The Awakening (1998)

High octane vampire nonsense, what is going on? Who knows... but also who cares?

Michelle (Denice Duff) escapes from her vampire master Radu (Anders Hove), a creature of pure evil and also pretty hard to kill. Michelle is saved by a nurse and taken to the ridiculously creepy looking Dr Niculescu (Mihai Dinvale) who promises to help her but really he wants the mysterious blood stone which Radu possesses, though first he secretly drinks blood from Michelle's thigh while she is unconscious.

The scene is set for a showdown between Radu and Michelle in a crypt (of course) while various other incomprehensible vampire nonsense takes place.

This film is a bit of a mess. Very violent, bloody, incoherent and campy and weird. It's totally brilliant.

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)

An excellent entry in the Rathbone Sherlock series.

Dr Watson (Nigel Bruce) is working as a medic at a stately home serving as a convalescent home for army officers. However, strange things are happening including a maniac attacking people in the night. Watson calls his friend Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) to investigate. By the time he arrives there has been a murder. The head of the Musgrave family has been killed.

This is not the first murder. There are a number of suspects, including Sally Musgrave (Hillary Brooke) who must recite an ancient saying as she assumes her place in the family hierarchy. Did the butler do it? Brunton (Halliwell Hobbes) certainly is behaving strangely when he isn't drunk anyway! Sherlock has his eye on Dr Sexton (Arthur Margetson) however...

This is a highly enjoyable entry in the long running series with an intricate plot, the setting of a dark country house with plenty of secrets of course helps!

Queen of Outer Space (1958)

After a promising start this quickly becomes fairly unoriginal 1950s sci-fi though isn't all bad.

We are in the future (well the 1980s anyway) and mankind is in space. Captain Neal (Eric Fleming) commands his ship to a space station, which comes under attack and blows up! A mysterious beam sends their ship out of control. They find themselves on Venus, and soon are prisoners of women with ray guns who, despite being Venusians speak perfect English and have spent a lot of time in the salon.

No men are on the planet, Queen Yllana (Laurie Mitchell) has either killed or banished them after a nuclear war. She wears a mask and we later find out she was disfigured by radiation. Neal and his men discover that not everyone is as anti-male as Yllana, rebels led by Talleah (Zsa Zsa Gabor) want to change the status quo...

The start of this film is quite promising, the take off and mission being portrayed in a fairly realistic (for the time) manner. However, once the men reach Venus things take a downward turn and the film becomes a bit generic. It also has some rather jarring misogyny even for the time. The sets and costumes look superb though. Not a bad film though it could have been somewhat better.

Blue Thunder (1983)

One of many films in the 1980s about advanced technology (gone wrong), and one of the best.

Murphy (Roy Schneider) is a grizzled helicopter pilot working for the LAPD, haunted by his past in Vietnam. He is invited to take part in a secret new programme with an advanced helicopter called Blue Thunder which can listen in on conversations, travel silently when needed and has a Gatling gun!

The helicopter has been developed by a team involving Murphy's old comrade Cochrane (Malcolm McDowell) whom Murphy loathes. Murphy and his assistant Lymangood (Daniel Stern) discover (using Blue Thunder's capabilities of course) that a secret government group including Cochrane is planning to use the helicopter for nefarious purposes...

So, this is a very good technology action film with a good helping of conspiracy and corruption as well. To be honest if you are an aviation fan Blue Thunder looks a bit suspect (a light Gazelle with extra plates bolted on basically) but the action scenes are solid and very tense.

Charlie Chan in Paris (1935)

Charlie Chan arrives in Paris on holiday but of course he is really on a case!

Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) has been tasked with investigating a case of forged bonds at a Parisian bank. Unfortunately the criminal gang are ruthless and kill Chan's contact (Dorothy Appleby) before she can tell him much (though she does have time for an energetic dance at the club she works at!) While Chan hunts for the gang, Yvette (Mary Brian) - the daughter of Chan's banker friend - is falsely accused of murder...

A decent entry in the Charlie Chan series, Number 1 son (Keye Luke) arriving in Paris to help his Dad out. No one speaks with a French accent so the setting doesn't feel very French (though is set indoors mostly anyway!)

Tokyo File 212 (1951)

A rather tedious early Cold War drama though offers some interesting views of early post-war Japan.

Jim (Lee Frederick) is a US agent posing as a reporter in Japan looking for the communist gang leader which is passing on information to the Reds during the Korean War. He links up with the rather unusual, and suspicious, Steffi (Florence Marly) - who rather annoying refers to herself in the third person. Jim is looking for his old school friend Taro (Katsuhiko Haida) who is now a communist and part of the gang...

The film is rather dreary and slow, the acting quite basic. At times the actors seem to need their lines dragged out of them. Not a good film but the period footage of Japan getting back on it's feet is undeniably interesting.

Crime Story (1993)

A tough police drama, but quite unlike most Jackie Chan films.

Jackie Chan is a police inspector tasked with protecting a controversial businessman who fears he will be kidnapped. The businessman is indeed kidnapped for a huge ransom after a thrilling chase around HK island involving Chan. 

Chan leads the case to track down the kidnappers who are thought to be in Taipei. Chan is accompanied by experienced detective Hung (Kent Cheng). However, unknown to the police Hung is part of the kidnap plot...

A cool and stylish and pretty violent film. Unlike most Jackie Chan actions films, including the iconic Police Story series, there isn't the high octane slapstick action humour. There are some incredible stunts though. There is also a chance for Jackie Chan to do some serious acting too. A really great film.

The Seven-Ups (1973)

An excellent hard-hitting early 1970s crime drama.

Buddy (Roy Scheider) leads a controversial squad in the NY Police which isn't averse to using dirty tricks and bending the rules to get an arrest. However, someone is kidnapping mobster bosses for ransom. When the mob kidnap one of Buddy's squad thinking he is involved things get tense. When the poor policeman is shot by accident by Moon (Richard Lynch), things fly out of control. How is Buddy's childhood friend Vito (Tony Lo Bianco) involved?

Early 1970s New York is grubby, decaying and dangerous. It is often very violent too with life being pretty cheap. A good story punctuated by some excellent action pieces including a thrilling car chase.

Range Riders (1934)

A run-of-the-mill Western. 

An old rancher (Horace B Carpenter) is being terrorised by a gang of rogues led by Bull Crawford (Lew Meehan). He calls on his son Dick (Buddy Roosevelt) to tackle them. Dick is outnumbered of course so has to use some trickery as well, including some disguises including being a fop, as the usual solid horsemanship and gunplay.

There isn't a lot to this film, having quite a limited running time and not the most original of plots plus some rather indifferent acting. This is a film with a very small budget and unfortunately it does show. Mysteriously Crawford is played by a different (unnamed) actor for the first half of the film. Barbara Starr plays the love interest.

Dick Barton: Special Agent (1948)

Completely over-the-top tosh but glorious with it.

Dick Barton (Don Stannard) has come to the countryside where he battles an evil Nazi plot led by Schuler (Arthur Bush) to poison London's water supply with a deadly bacteria. 

Barton has discovered the plot by accident when some lobsters are delivered to him by accident by a distracted boy who is more interested in his Dick Barton comic! Schuler and his inept goons try to kill Barton a number of times but fail miserably. Finally, Barton is locked in a suit of armour while the Nazis prepare to test their bacteria on him...

Based on a popular BBC radio drama, this is an enjoyable romp. Fast moving nonsense that shouldn't be taken seriously, though it is maybe a little too comedic at times. Snowey (George Ford) and Jock (Jack Shaw) are there to help/hinder Barton in equal measure.

Amsterdamned (1988)

A great title, a great premise and indeed a great film.

A maniac in a wet suit is killing people in Amsterdam with a rather large knife and using the city's extensive canal network to get away. The police force's top man Eric Visser (Huub Stapel) is on the case though doesn't really have much to go on in the way of any leads except maybe the perpetrator can swim. 

He hooks up with Laura (Monique van der Ven) who has something to do with a diving club but mostly because he fancies her. With the government putting the police under pressure as the victims start to mount up, it seems Laura might have some idea that her therapist friend Martin (Hidde Maas) is the killer, or is he?

The police work is rather haphazard and the film does meander at times but this is overall a very solid crime / slasher horror drama with some superb action set pieces including an incredible speed boat chase through the canals of Amsterdam. The ending is rather bleak and abrupt but it suits such a bloody and gruesome film.

The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)

It is every teenage boy's fantasy but the reality is quite different...

Dr Xavier (Ray Millard) is working hard on a special new eyedrop which can help the eye see more of the electromagnetic spectrum. Despite misgivings from his colleagues Dr Fairfax (Diane van de Vlis) and Dr Brant (Harold Stone), he pushes on with his experiments and uses himself as a guinea pig! The results are tremendous, he can see inside a sick child and thus can save her life in surgery. However, with the plug pulled on his funding Xavier kills Stone by mistake...

He goes on the run and ends up using his super vision for coin at a low-rent seaside attraction run by the spiv Crane (Don Rickles). Reunited with Dr Fairfax, he heads to Las Vegas to use his powers to make a fortune however no one breaks the bank in Vegas without raising suspicion...

A highly enjoyable and well paced science fiction film, this is one of those rare films that a modern day remake could probably improve upon as the special effects are rather limited. Yes Dr Xavier does get to see a lot of women naked but he also sees a lot more, and it drives him insane in the end.

And Then There Were None (1945)

A decent version of the Agatha Christie classic tale, set on an isolated island.

A number of people are invited to a house on a remote island. When they arrive there they are told their host is yet to arrive, while waiting they hear a recorded message from a Mr U.N. Owen who accuses them all of having got away with murder! Then the deaths begin, each time one of the guests dying a statue of a little Indian is destroyed...

The remaining guests including Judge Quincannon (Barry Fitzgerald), Dr Armstrong (Walter Huston) and Vera Claythorne (June Duprez). One of their number of U.N. Owen - Unknown - and is killing them off but who is it?

A complicated and intricate plot with some twists and surprises. Good performances and the right amount of humour, plus a creepy setting. Maybe not the very best version of this story on film but certainly a contender. 

Charlie Chan in Reno (1939)

An excellent Charlie Chan drama, one of the best.

An arrogant socialite Bently (Louise Henry) is found dead in Reno hotel, with Mary Whitman (Pauline Moore) standing over her though she protests her innocence. Her husband Curtis (though Mary had gone to Reno to get a divorce) asks Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) to travel to Reno to help prove Mary's innocence...

Charlie investigates a complicated case involving mysterious visits to mines, acids, crooked doctors and many suspects. Quite a few people had motive to kill Bently. If not Mary then was it the hotel manager (Phyllis Brooks) who has a crush on Doctor Ainsley (Ricardo Cortez) who has his own dark secret?

With the help of his son (Victor Sen Yung) and the rather more dubious help of the sheriff (Slim Summerville), Charlie unmasks the true culprit, and the Whitmans also have a happy reunion. One of the better entries in the long series (though none of the Charlie Chan films are bad). 

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Mad scientist creates super strong super intelligent sharks, what could go wrong?!

On a research platform in the ocean, scientists are extracting a protein from sharks' brains to create a cure for Alzheimer's. What Dr McAlester (Saffron Burrows) doesn't tell her backer Franklin (Samuel L Jackson) though is that the sharks have been genetically modified to be bigger and highly intelligent (bigger brains you see)... 

During a storm the sharks plan to escape goes into action, can the crew aboard the platform survive the surging waters and the violent sharks?

Surprisingly, despite the fact sharks in film these days often means over the top cheese, this isn't a bad film at all. Well paced and with some terrific action scenes (and gore) and effects. Good performances too especially from Carter (Thomas Jane) and Preacher (LL Cool J).

One of the better shark attack films you'll see.

The Ace of Hearts (1921)

A deadly romantic affair involving that regular theme of the Interwar Period, the secret society.

A secret society plan to assassinate a man. The assassin is to be chosen by a game of cards, with he who is dealt the ace of hearts is to carry out the killing. Two men desperately want that card, Farralone (Lon Chaney) and Forrest (John Bowers), they also want the group's female member Lilith (Leatrice Joy). However, Lilith is only interested in the society's cause (whatever that is supposed to be). When Forrest draws the card of fate, Lilith suddenly decides to marry him to give him courage. Then things start to go wrong...

The film has plenty of suspense and leaves things to the audience's imagination at times. The set up is interesting though the story does begin to unravel a bit in the final act. The film is worth it though for some good performances and a bit of oddness.

Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

A rather awful and cheap monster movie that doesn't have much of a cheese factor to save it.

People start disappear in the swamps near a one horse town. The arrogant sheriff (Gene Roth) of course blames alligators or the more dangerous human species. However, a scientist (Tyler McVey) thinks that some kind of blood sucking creature is to blame. Meanwhile, cuckold Dave (Bruno VeSota) and his horny wife (Yvette Vickers) have had a falling out. He follows her to the swamp where she meets her fancy man. Dave chases them through the swamps until they become the latest victims of the monsters. Warden Steve (Ken Clark) goes in search of the monsters...

This isn't a good film by any means, it's rather slow and awkward. The monsters, though they do not appear that often, truthfully arn't the worst in monster movies of the era but the story is rather basic and the acting ranges between miserable and terrible. 

Pursuit to Algiers (1945)

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are tasked to protect a European prince.

Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Watson (Nigel Bruce) are supposed to be going on holiday but they are tasked with protecting the heir to a European throne. Ruthless agents of a foreign power want to stop (and kill) the heir. Holmes arranges a complicated plot of red herrings and diversions, even Watson is kept in the dark (though the Watson in this series is generally an amiable and loyal buffoon).

Holmes and Watson end up on a cruise ship bound for Algiers. The brutal gang include a circus knife thrower and a deaf mute man mountain and there are also some mysterious archaeologists. The ship's passenger list also includes singer Sheila (Marjorie Riordan) who performs a couple of songs. As does Watson!

Another enjoyable entry in the Rathbone-Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes set in the present day (well 1940s anyway). A crime-spy romp on a cruise ship with Sherlock Holmes, what more can you really want?!

Ambush in Leopard Street (1962)

A limited though not unappealing British crime drama.

Ageing criminal Harry (Michael Brennan) plans one final blag, stealing diamonds on their way to a jewellery. However, he needs to find out when the gems are on the move. He uses his brother-in-law Johnny (James Kenney) for a honey trap, seducing the lonely secretary of the jewellers Jean (Jean Harvey). The plan is flawless but Harry hasn't counted on local hard man Big George (Charles Mitchell) wanting to scoop the loot for himself...

A low budget film though with an interesting story which uses that budget well. The cruelty and inhumanity (and humanity) of the world of crime are well explored through fairly three dimensional characters. It could have been better with a bit more money behind it and a lot more pace but it's not bad by any means. 

Rebellion (1936)

A reasonable if not particularly interesting Western though notable for being an early starring role for a movie legend.

It is 1850 and California has joined the United States but law and order there is in the hands of brutal and corrupt men who oppress the Mexicans. The US send Captain John Carroll (Tom Keene) to investigate, he soon falls foul of Harris (William Royle) with an alcoholic judge (Robert McKenzie) in his pocket. Carroll links up with a rebel (Duncan Renaldo) and his sister Paula (Rita Hayworth) to persuade them to switch their allegiance to the USA...

An interesting Western, it lacks much in the way of action compared to other Westerns of the period. The film is mostly notable for being one of Rita Hayworth's (here billed as Rita Cansino) first starring roles.

Jackie Brown (1997)

Low key compared to some of his other films but this is one of Quentin Tarantino's best.

Jackie (Pam Grier) is an ageing flight attendant working for a budget airline, she's augmenting her salary with some less legal work on the side. She smuggles money for Ordell (Samuel L Jackson) but gets caught by the Feds in the form of Nicolette (Michael Keaton). He tries to get her to turn on Ordell.

Jackie meanwhile has a plan to get her hands on Ordell's ill-gotten gains and get the Feds to get rid of Ordell for her. She will also need the help of her bail bondman Max (Robert Forester)...

Influenced by blaxploitation movies and with an amazing soundtrack of mostly 1970s soul this is a very cool movie. Not as fast moving or violent as some of Tarantino's other films though has loads of cool dialogue and a great involving story. It also has a great cast also including Robert De Niro and Bridget Fonda.

Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise (1940)

Charlie Chan hunting a criminal on a cruise ship, what more could you want?

A notorious strangler has struck again and again and it is thought he is one of the passengers on a cruise ship that has docked at Honolulu. The strangler is being hunted by British policeman Duff (C. Montague Shaw) but after Shaw is murdered at Charlie Chan's (Sidney Toler) office, the famous Chinese detective joins the cruise ship and hunts for the criminal as the boat heads for California. The strangler could be one of a party of people on the boat.

There are a number of potential suspects though, could it be Dr Suderman (Lionel Atwill), Professor Gordon (Leo G. Carroll), Walters (Charles Middleton) or Pendleton (Leonard Mudie)? They all look suitable villainous in their various ways. Charlie Chan comes up with a fiendishly complicated ruse to trick the strangler to unmask himself...

Another entertaining entry in the long-running Charlie Chan series. At times Chan seems a bit lost as to whom the strangler is and his final plan does seem a bit risky!