Ghostbusters (1984)

An iconic film from the 1980s, maybe one of the most 1980s films of all. Who you gonna call?!

Peter (Bill Murray), Raymond (Dan Aykroyd) and Egon (Harold Ramis) are three paranormal scientists who get kicked out of university while they are investigating ghosts (though Peter is more interested in getting laid). They go into business to detect and catch ghosts. After a chaotic adventure at a hotel where they capture a ghost after wrecking a ballroom, the Ghostbusters become overnight sensations...

But the EPA is interested in closing down their laser containment system and unlicenced nuclear accelerators. Meanwhile, in a mysterious NY apartment block Dana (Sigourney Weaver) appears to have a Hittite god in her fridge. The god is getting ready to return to the world and herald a new dark age...

This is a great film, full of funny lines which entered 1980s pop culture. The visuals were great for their day and many images from the film are pretty iconic, including the giant marshmallow man...

Eyes in the Night (1942)

An interesting tale of a blind detective and his very clever dog.

Duncan Maclain (Edward Arnold), a blind detective, is employed by his old friend Norma (Ann Harding). One of Norma's ex-lovers is now courting Norma's teenage step-daughter Barbara (Donna Reed) and wants to Duncan to find a way to get rid of him. However, when he is found murdered Norma is considered a suspect. Duncan visits Norma's house with his sight-dog Friday and begins to unravel a Nazi plot to steal military secrets...

A fairly straight forward crime drama, the plot is methodical and functional if not overly exciting though Hansen the butler (Stanley Ridges) made for an excellent villain. How Maclain uses his disability to disarm and fool his adversaries, before unleashing his judo skills, is excellent.

It was hoped to create a long running series out of Duncan Maclain but in the end only one more film was made. The film and character maybe lacked that final bit of sparkle. Friday is of course a Good Dog. Mantan Moreland appears working for Norma, taking time out from working for Charlie Chan!

Atom Age Vampire (1960)

A rather squalid and awful little film.

Jeanette (Susanne Lorette) is an exotic dancer who is facially disfigured after a car accident. She is approached by Professor Levin (Alberto Lupo) and his assistant Monique (Franca Parisi) who have developed a ground breaking method to heal skin in their dingy little lab full of rabbits in cages and radiation. The method works but Jeanette, whom Levin has become obsessed with, requires regular treatments. Those treatments need the glands from murdered women. Levin commits these murders after he, for some reason, transforms into a weird looking beast...

A film that makes no sense, scenes end abruptly even mid dialogue and everything about the film is rather shoddy. The film is quite entertaining but mostly because of it's awfulness. 

Don't really expect any vampires, the confusing title is referred to in the English dubbed dialogue. The Italian title translates to Seddok the heir of Satan, which makes slightly more sense.

The Chinese Cat (1944)

Another instalment in the Charlie Chan series, this time Charlie ends up in some genuine peril.

Manning (Sam Flint) is a businessman who was shot in his home. The police were unable to solve the crime. Manning's daughter Leah (Joan Woodbury) asks Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) if he will take a look. Charlie is assisted by his number three son (Benson Fong) and a reluctant Birmingham Brown (Mantan Moreland).

The case is a mystery indeed but is linked to a mysterious "fun house" and Chinese cat statues hidden in bread which contain diamonds. Charlie soon raises the ire of a dangerous gang and gets firmly put into harm's way...

This isn't the best in the series but is a perfectly passable Charlie Chan film with a neat if not too complicated plot. Chan had a real downer on his son in this film and roasts him mercilessly throughout!

Battle Taxi (1955)

A decent film about the Korean War.

Stacy (Arthur Franz) is a helicopter pilot in the US air-sea rescue force, saving injured men and downed pilots from the brutal Communists. However, Stacy was an ex-fighter pilot jock and feels frustrated he isn't blasting around at the speed of sound. His daredevil attitude brings him into conflict with his commanding officer Edwards (Sterling Hayden).

Things come to a head when Stacy is injured himself while rescuing a pilot. With the Communists closing in, Stacy has to rely on Edwards to save him...

Not a bad film at all, though padded out with a lot of USAF stock footage (not a bad thing if you like your Sabres and Shooting Stars). The focus on the air-sea rescue force is an interesting one and gives the film a bit of novelty.