The Dark Hour (1936)

A good old country house murder mystery.

Two rich old brothers are the wards of their niece Elsa (Irene Ware), who is going out with private detective Jim (Ray Walker). One of the brothers Henry (William Mong) disapproves of Elsa and Jim, though soon Henry is found murdered. There are many suspects, and a great degree of mystery about the crime, and Jim brings in retired detective Paul (Berton Churchill) for help...

Overall, this is a pretty standard 1930s murder mystery, though the plot is maybe a little too heavy with the red herrings and complications. The twists at the end of the film are also a little too much twisty too but its a perfectly competent watch if unexceptional.

The Thirsty Dead (1974)

At first look this looks like it will be a sleazy sexploitation film but in fact it turns into a decent if not exceptional occult horror.

We are in the Philippines, and someone is kidnapping young women off the streets of Manila. Laura (Jennifer Billingsley) is one of these, who is snatched by mysterious men in cloaks with hoods (which must be absolute murder in the Manila heat!) 

However, Laura and some other women are not being sold into sex slavery. Instead, they are taken into the remote jungle where a mysterious cult led by Baru (John Considine) worship a head in a block of... something and apparently can live forever if they drink the blood of young girls!

This isn't a very exciting film, as not a lot happens apart from a little mild horror and a lot of weirdness. The film does have a lot of camp value and is enjoyably silly like these films set in the Philippines in the early 1970s often are. Yes of course Vic Diaz is in it!

The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969)

The last of five Fu Manchu films starring Christopher Lee in the 1960s, but really a step too far.

Evil Fu Manchu (Lee) has forced a scientist to develop a new fiendish machine which can freeze water en masse, he demonstrates it by freezing the seas around an ocean liner (and definitely not re-using footage from a Titanic movie...) Of course, Fu Manchu wants a lot of cash from the world government in return for not using his new weapon.

The British send their top agent Nayland Smith (Richard Greene) to stop Manchu, who is holed up in a Turkish castle he has stolen...

By now the Fu Manchu series was a bit tired and bereft of ideas, Christopher Lee and Tsai Chin (Fu Manchu's daughter) are always a good turn and very watchable but everything else is rather cheap and dreary. The film is also padded out with irrelevant scenes which drag the story down. Campy and schlocky, which is fun at times, but overall that isn't quite enough.

The Secret Code (Serial) (1942)

Fast moving movie serial nonsense with the usual unbelievable cliffhangers.

A group of Nazi agents are attacking the US through various nefarious plots to sabotage the war effort. Policeman Dan Barton (Paul Kelly) goes undercover to infiltrate the gang by pretending to have gone rogue. 

Barton learns that the Nazis are aiming to capture a secret formula. Barton begins to battle the gang wearing a fire-proof disguise as the Black Commando...

A fun action serial with lots of death defying stunts and peril. The episodes have little fat on them, the plot flying through at high speed. The Nazis have some wonderfully over the top secret bases. Naturally, it is best enjoyed if you suspend a huge amount of disbelief.

SST: Death Flight (1977)

Yet another 1970s aviation disaster movie, this one taking place on the first American supersonic airliner.

Cutlass Aircraft's first supersonic airliner is about to make it's maiden trip across the Atlantic with fare-paying passengers. However, a disgruntled engineer has sabotaged the plane (which seems to be held together by string). Meanwhile, a deadly virus is being carried aboard, but surely this will not escape to endanger the passengers. Will it?

The passengers and a crew are a whos-who of disaster movie stereotypes (grizzled old pros, old flames, heroes under a cloud et cetera) and 1970s actors including Doug McClure, Peter Graves, Lorne Greene and Billy Crystal. 

The movie is great fun, though the special effects are pretty cheap, the exterior shots of the airliner itself frequently laughable. It also crams in every cliche of the disaster movie genre imaginable, but you'll probably love it. I did.

Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime (1941)

Ellery Queen returns to investigate the murder of a crooked businessman.

The boss of a power company (Douglas Dumbrille) is found dead a few days after ruining some of his investors. Inspector Queen (Charlie Grapewin) is investigating the case, of course his novelist son Ellery (Ralph Bellamy) and his assistant Nikki Porter (Margaret Lindsey) also gets involved in the case! 

The case is complicated however, as the victim had made many enemies. Even the son Walter (John Beal) comes under suspicion. However, does the trained monkey of Carlotta (Spring Bylington) and her crooked lover (Sidney Blackmer) have something to do with it? Or is the murderer someone else?

This is a fun crime B-movie romp, with the usual red herrings, comedic asides and banter. The actual crime itself is pretty ingenious. Bellamy and Lindsay were a great double act who often appeared together.

Invasion, U.S.A. (1952)

America is under attack, for real this times, by an avalanche of stock footage.

In a New York bar, a number of people watch the TV (and drink of course) but the news is bad. There are rumours of Soviet threats to America. One owns a tractor factory but doesn't want to change it to make tanks, the others are fairly blasé about the fight against godless Communism. But then the nightmare does happen after all, the Soviets attack Alaska and soon the nukes are flying. By now the bar patrons are in various parts of the country caught up in the Third World War...

This isn't a good film by any means, it uses a mountain of stock footage (much of it from WW2 though as the film was in the early 1950s it isn't too out of date), any live footage of fighting often usefully includes Soviet soldiers disguised as American troops (easier to get the uniforms). It's propaganda is laid on thick though, don't be denying the military industrial complex proper funding as otherwise you'll have Soviet paratroopers landing in the local park!

The Black Doll (1938)

That old staple of 1930s crime, a murder takes place and there are many suspects!

Mine owner Rood (C. Henry Gordon) is a rather unpleasant individual who keeps his sister Laura (Doris Lloyd), her son Rex (William Lundigan) and his own daughter Marian (Nan Grey) under his thumb. Plus he has some dodgy dealings in his past. He discovers a black doll on his desk, which means he is marked for death! 

Soon afterwards he is knifed in the back by an unknown assailant. Marian's private detective boyfriend Nick (Donald Woods) is on hand to help out the case, being led by hapless detective Renick (Edgar Kennedy)...

A fairly standard crime B-movie set in a country house and with the usual fast moving plot and red herrings, the Mexican black dolls add a bit of novelty and mystery. The film is fine enough, with enough entertaining scenes to be worth a watch though you may not remember much about it afterwards. The film's main issue is that it suffers from making the enthusiastic amateur detective too clever (and a bit smug) and the professional crime fighter too stupid!

Legend of Dinosaurs and Monster Birds (1977)

Japanese monster mayhem, but the 70s cool is the real winner.

A young woman falls down a hole and ends up discovering dinosaur eggs. A geologist with an interest in palaeontology discovers that a plesiosaur is terrorising his old home town, soon there are pterodactyls as well! And the humans are their prey...

Somewhat different for a kaiju film, with a bit more graphic violence than the usual cartoon like mass destruction of model buildings. 

It isn't a very good film though with a confusing, slow moving but rather generic storyline. The best parts about the film are it's late 1970s cool feel (at times) and a Japanese funk soundtrack.

Meet the Wildcat (1940)

An enjoyable crime drama involving art thefts, undercover agents and deception.

A notorious art thief called the Wildcat has ripped off another gallery in Mexico City. Magazine photographer Ann (Margaret Lindsay) spots a man stealing a painting from a frame and tells the police. The man, Brod (Ralph Bellamy) is supposedly a detective though Ann is unconvinced. She investigates Brod who she thinks is a shady customer. She gets him thrown in jail, but then is tricked and forced into helping him escape!

However, unknown to Ann, Brod is a real undercover agent and his arrest and escape was all staged in order for Brod to join the gang of the real Wildcat. But Brod and Ann are soon in real danger from the Wildcat and his gang of thugs as they prepare their next big heist...

A fairly complicated plot but a good one, this is a 1940s crime B-movie with a difference as it involved art theft and undercover work. Fast moving with good interplay between the leads and certainly plenty of charisma.

It's a Bikini World (1967)

A decent late 60s beach bikini film, plenty of young people frolicking in their swimwear, and even some plot too!

Delilah (Deborah Walley) turns up on the beach where beefcake Mike (Tommy Kirk) holds sway. Naturally, she quickly becomes a target for Mike's affections though she finds him arrogant. Mike overhears that Delilah prefers sensible boys not jocks so he disguises him (barely) as his studious "brother" Herbert. Delilah falls for Herbert but Mike faces a struggle keeping the truth from her...

Don't expect any surprises from this film which is true to it's genre, one highlight is the appearance of The Animals to perform one of their hits. The film's finale of a cross-country race should have been the film's exciting climax but instead becomes a bit of a bore. Times were a-changing, psychedelia was coming and that would soon make films like this look incredibly dated but it is a fine enough watch.

Radar Secret Service (1950)

Radar can do everything, as this curious little film tries to prove.

Uranium has been stolen by a criminal gang, the G-men led by John Howard are on the case and tracking the shipment using radar - which has almost supernatural abilities in this film! 

However, despite the magic of radar the G-men still need to use a shapely blonde to really get the goods on the criminal gang.

This is a decent watch but the premise is pretty ridiculous, though the radar nonsense is pretty funny. Apart from that the film is a pretty run of the mill and very low budget crime drama. 

Look out for the mention of Dick Tracy by radar expert Static (Ralph Byrd) who actually played Tracy in the late 1930s and 1940s!

The Crosby Case (1934)

Two former lovers must reunite to save themselves from a murder rap.

After Dr Crosby is found dead in the street, after being hit by a taxi though the gunshot wound is what really killed him, Inspector Thomas (Alan Dinehart) goes into investigate. 

There are a number of suspects including a woman (Wynne Gibson) who's slipper was found in Crosby's apartment and also the man (Onslow Stevens) who owns the gun which killed Crosby! All of the suspects are somewhat shady characters, as was the victim in this pre-Code film.

A fine crime drama, with themes and characters (including abortion) which would soon be forbidden in Hollywood films. The solving of the crime hangs on an eyewitness whom the police did not seem to realise was as blind as a bat for some reason!

The Phantom Menace (1999)

Years after the original Star Wars trilogy changed the world, the prequel trilogy began with this film. Did it work?

The galaxy is in a state of flux, on it's edges trade disputes are leading to conflict. The Jedi, who maintain peace in the Galactic Republic send Qui-Gon Jin (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) to sort things out on the distant planet of Naboo. The planet, led by Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman), has come under threat from the Trade Federation... 

However, the Trade Federation seek the deaths of the Jedi. Unknown to the Jedi, the eternal enemies of the Jedi, the evil Sith Lords are behind the disputes. On Naboo, a young boy is discovered who has an incredible presence in the Force, Qui-Gon thinks this boy, Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), could be the Chosen One who can bring balance to the Force...

So, this is how the Star Wars saga begins, with a trade dispute. The problem with this film is that it needs a story that can stand alone for new fans but also fit into the canon and lore established by the original trilogy. It doesn't quite succeed on either score though isn't that bad a film, it certainly looks superb with highly imaginative aesthetics and design but is let down by the overly meandering plot and frequently banal dialogue. The special effects maybe rely a little too heavily on CGI.

But it is a Star Wars film! Due to the massive fan base, the film was a success despite any misgivings, and these can be amplified by the highly engaged fans. Truthfully, the Phantom Menace is a perfectly watchable film, not a classic but an impressive achievement.

The Hat Box Mystery (1947)

A bright and breezy little crime drama with a good cast ensemble.

Russ Ashton (Tom Neal) is a private detective low on work and even lower on cash. His assistant Susan Hart (Pamela Blake) takes on a job to secretly photograph a woman using a camera hidden in a hat box. However, when she takes the photo she finds out the hat box really contains a gun and she shoots the woman who later dies! 

Russ works to prove Susan's innocence with the help of his rather dim assistant Harvard (Allen Jenkins). A criminal gang is behind the plot to kill the woman and now they are moving in to make sure nothing is directed at them...

A simple enough story, the hidden gun plot device is a not uncommon one in 1930s and 1940s crime films. The stupidity of the bad guys is a much more common plot device! An enjoyable film, it was set up with an introduction of the cast directed at the fourth wall, one wonders if a series of films based on the characters was planned at one stage.

City on Fire (1979)

Hot action (literally) as a city is set on fire by a disgruntled worker.

Stover (Jonathan Welsh) is denied promotion at work and doesn't take it well and now seeks revenge. Unfortunately, he works at a chemical refinery which has been built in the centre of town, due to the corruption of the Mayor Dudley (Leslie Neilsen). Stover pumps chemicals and gasoline into the town's sewers which soon catches light and sets the whole town on fire! It is up to fire chief Risley (Henry Fonda) to try and save the day...

A fairly standard 1970s disaster movie, with it's characters covering a number of stereotypes including Maggie (Ava Gardner) the fading alcoholic star news reporter. 

The film has a good cast (though many of them do not really seem to have their hearts in it) but it doesn't raise the film much above OK. The premise really demands a decent budget, unfortunately there wasn't one which makes the special effects rather laughable. But as the genre goes its fine.

The Preview Murder Mystery (1936)

A new film has been completed but some kind of maniac is killing off the cast and crew one by one.

Neil Du Beck (Rod La Rocque) is the leading man for a new film but he has been receiving death threats, when he is killed during a preview showing of the film the police realise it isn't just a crank. 

The publicity officer of the studio, Johnny Morgan (Reginald Denny) decides to help the police out (of course!) especially when the studio is locked down after more attacks and deaths. Who is the culprit? Suspicion falls on a most unexpected name...

This is a very enjoyable film, a crime romp set literally behind the scenes at a movie studio. It has the usual tropes of a crime film of the period, plenty of red herrings and tangents, and of course an enthusiastic amateur helping out the police!

Dangerous Afternoon (1961)

A genteel situation with deadly crime bubbling under the tea cosies.

Miss Frost (Ruth Dunning) runs a boarding house for elderly ladies in a leafy suburb. However, behind the afternoon tea and games of patience is a secret: Frost and all of her boarders are ex-cons! Caldwell indeed is a notorious jewel thief who is still on the run after escaping prison! Frost's "niece" Freda (Joanna Dunham) is due to marry, though Frost still can't tell the girl she is really her daughter. 

Meanwhile an ex-fellow con (Gwenda Wilson) arrives at the home and threatens to shop Frost and ruin her cosy little set-up, a deadly mistake to make...

A great little film, a real period piece of Britain as the 1960s begins and before the great changes to come. A gentle film with a hint of menace not far below the surface and very enjoyable.

Blood Orange (1953)

A competent enough crime drama though very much by the numbers.

Tom Conway is a private detective (and yes his character name is also Tom Conway) is employed to investigate the theft of jewels in the fashion industry. 

Eventually, Conway is removed from the case but the death of a woman who said she had information for him keeps him interested, though that isn't the only death and the red herrings come thick and fast.

It isn't a bad film but a bit tired and lack lustre, a bit like Britain in the post-war period really. Tom Conway has played a similar role to this many times and does pretty well with it - his presence and charm being the highlight of the film - as you would expect!

Lady Luck (1936)

A pleasing little crime drama with a light, often comedic, touch.

Mamie Murphy (Patricia Farr) wants to get out of her job as a manicurist, she wants wealth and fame, especially if she can become a movie star. She spurns the advances of newspaperman Dave Haines (William Bakewell) as he is too poor, suave Jack Conroy (Jameson Thomas) is more to her taste, unfortunately for Mamie he is secretly broke!

Mamie wins a sweepstake and is suddenly of interest to Conroy as he sniffs money. The problem for Mamie is that it is another Mamie Murphy (Lulu McConnell) who has won the money, though they come up with a scheme where the other Mamie keeps the money and she keeps the fame and notoriety. Unfortunately for their scheme, Conroy is found dead and Mamie is holding the gun that killed him!

A nice little film with a good engaging plot, and no shortage of humour at times.

A Night for Crime (1943)

A very familiar kind of film containing a lot of themes and tropes you'll have already seen in dozens of other movies, and usually a lot better.

It is war time and there are a number of black outs, the perfect time for crimes to be committed! Perky reporter Susan Cooper (Glenda Farrell) investigates the murder of a young actress. A bigger star has also gone missing. Susan investigates these crimes with the help of movie publicity man Joe (Lyle Talbot), though the police think Susan and Joe did it (of course!)

A familiar film, a number of crimes and fast moving storyline and sassy dialogue. Unfortunately the film isn't that good, it goes a little too far with the familiar tropes. The "dumb" police detective (Ralph Sanford) in this film is reduced to a ridiculous caricature and one joke character that isn't funny the first time, even less so the twentieth. It has a little charm but is a bit too silly to enjoy that much.

The Sword and the Dragon (1956)

An epic Russian film involving many swords and dragons.

Ilya Muromets (Boris Andreyev) is a great warrior, but unfortunately he had lost the use of his legs and therefore he can't stop the ravaging Tugar hoards from setting his village on fire and taking off pillage in the form of the village's women, including his sweetheart. 

After Ilya helps some travellers out, they give him some special medicine which restores the use of his legs. Ilya heads off in search of battle with the Tugars to prove himself to the Tsar. Unfortunately, the Tugars have fire-breathing dragons in their armoury...

The first Soviet film recorded in CinemaScope and multi-track stereo and this adds to the splendour of this film which is based on a famous Russian epic story, with plenty of Soviet propaganda added of course. 

An epic film made at a time of epic films and it certainly is not disgraced by it's Hollywood rivals. A fun watch, the story can be nonsense at times but the grand scale is very compelling.

Inspector Hornleigh (1939)

The first of three Inspector Hornleigh films, in this first one Hornleigh and Bingham investigate the theft of the Chancellor's brief case!

Hornleigh (Gordon Harker) is called upon to investigate the murder of a lodger, the only clue being a man was seen leaving the premises with a suitcase. Bingham (Alastair Sim) in his own bumbling way finds the suitcase in the river, it is what inside the suitcase that really surprises... the Chancellor of the Exchequer's red briefcase! 

Hornleigh and Bingham begin to uncover a plot involving big debts, government secrets and murder...

An enjoyable film, the plot is a bit slow but it is well structured and the film has enough banter and humour between the two detectives to keep things moving.