The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

Decades before the famous musical, is this early silent movie adaptation of the story of the disfigured opera lover who yearns for young love. The Phantom (Lon Chaney) is said to haunt the Paris Opera House. However, he is no ghost but a man who lives below the opera house. He forces the famous singer Carlotta (Virginia Pearson) to give up her starring role in the opera in favour of understudy Christine (Mary Philbin) whom the Phantom tutors (and loves). At first Christine is quite happy with her benefactor, despite the fact he lives in an underground dungeon. However when his mask is removed...

Christine is told by Erik (The Phantom) to devote her life to her art and to forget her fiance Raoul (Norman Kerry). However when Christine continues seeing Raoul, The Phantom finds out and makes her his prisoner...

This is a spectacular film, Lon Chaney stealing the show (literally) with his portrayal of the Phantom, a genius but trapped with his disfigurements and loneliness. Though any sympathy must be tempered with the murder and mayhem he unleashes on the opera house including some rather intriguing and gruesome death chambers.

The Atomic Man (1955)

An intriguing sci-fi / crime drama. A man is found floating in the Thames close to death after being shot. Reporter Delaney (Gene Nelson) discovers the man is top nuclear scientist Dr Rayner (Peter Arne). He is conscious but makes little sense. However there a twist... the man can't be Rayner as Doctor Rayner appears to be alive and well at a nuclear lab in London!

The mystery man in hospital is photographed by Rabowski (Faith Domergue) but a strange glow surrounds him in the developed photographs, a radioactive glow. But the Rayner in the lab has no glow. So what is going on and why does the man in hospital answer questions before they are asked? And who is the mysterious Vasquo (Vic Perry)?

A highly enjoyable film, more a crime drama with a little touch of science fiction added on. The crime drama is good. Well structured and coherent, Vasquo making for a good sinister villain. Nelson and Domergue make a nice pair as well. Look out for Charles Hawtrey in a small role.

Crime Doctor (1943)

Based on a popular radio drama. Back in the early 1930s a man (Warren Baxter) falls from a speeding car and ends up in hospital, with amnesia. He is unable to remember anything from his past and takes the name Robert Ordway. He eventually decides to become a criminal psychiatrist and returns to university. Within a few years we see that he is doing really well and working on the parole board...

However three members of a crime gang (John Litel, Don Costello and Harold Huber), who years ago did a heist but never got the money, recognise him. Ordway is actually Phil Morgan and was part of the gang. They think he is keeping the money for himself and is faking the amnesia. Naturally he regains his old memory in the time honoured movie method, another bump to the head!

A highly entertaining crime drama which fits a lot of story line into a fairly short film. Maybe Ordway is a little too good to be true with his progressive prison reform methods (for the day anyway) but the villains add the right spot of grittiness, and Grace (Margaret Lindsay) adds a welcome bit of glamour. A good film and it also started what turned out to be a ten film series of the Crime Doctor.

Superargo and the Faceless Giants (1968)

A rather strange Italian-Spanish superhero film. Top sports stars, including pro wrestlers, are being kidnapped by faceless (well kinda) robots and then bundled into the back of a Ford Transit van. The police can only call upon one man to fight this new menace... an ex-wrestler and now superhero who wears a red rubber suit and can float in mid-air (of course).

Superargo (Giovanni Clanfriglia) is that man, and is soon fighting the robots in various awkwardly choreographed fight scenes. He finds out that the mysterious Professor Wond (Guy Madison) is behind this menace. Superargo, along with his mentor Kamir (Aldo Sambrell), manages to get the help of Wond's assistant Gloria (Diana Loris) and infiltrates Wond's sub-Bond villain cavern lair...

It is all very silly of course, the light nonsensical plot merely a flimsy skeleton for a series of action scenes of varying quality. Very much a rip-off of 60s style superhero antics, even the music is vaguely Batman-esque. It is all a lot of fun.

The Pay-Off (1930)

Somewhat overly wordy but decent early talkie. A young couple (William Janney and Marian Nixon) are robbed of their wedding funds and therefore decide to get involved with crime (natch). They get involved with gentleman crime boss Gene (Lowell Sherman) who takes kindly to them. Gene's rival Rocky (Hugh Trevor) is pretty unimpressed and seeks to control the organisation himself.

Things come to a head when the gang plan a big hit but Gene doesn't want any bloodshed, much to the disgust of Rocky...

Although not that great a film. The plot is a little contrived at times though fast moving. Lowell Sherman plays a good part. The other actors verge between basic competence and almost awful.