Escape from DS-3 (1981)

Very low budget science fiction, which is surprising good even though not that much happens.

In some future nightmare where everyone wears matching bright polyester outfits, intelligence agent Lavette (Jackson Bostwick) is framed for a crime and sent to an orbital prison. After a short tour of the prison (which includes brutal future electro torture by sadistic guards, constant surveillance and scheduled sexbot sessions) Lavette decides to escape. He concocts a complicated plan with his three of his fellow prisoners including Bubba Smith who would later star in Police Academy.

This is a very cheaply made film, the future seems to consist of endless grey corridors and matching jumpsuits. This film does not have a great deal of action until the very end and then the film concludes quite abruptly. Before that we have a lot of slow build-up and tension as Lavette prepares for the escape. 

Somehow this is quite an enjoyable and watchable film, despite everything.

Santo vs the Vampire Women (1962)

Masked wrestling super hero antics which takes a while to get going.

A group of vampires led by their queen Zorina (Lorena Velazquez) need a new fresh body to be the next bride of Satan, they choose the daughter of Professor Orlof (Augusto Benedico), Diana (Maria Duval). Only one man can save Diana and foil the vampires, the wrestling legend Santo! 

This is great fun, one of many Mexican films starring real Lucha Libre wrestlers as the heroes and Santo was the greatest of them all, this being just one of dozens of films he made. The only problem with the film is the lengthy first act which includes much slow vampire ritual and pointless moving from one spooky room to the other. Once Santo gets involved then the action and pace really hots up.

Shadow of Chinatown (Serial) (1936)

A rather dreary serial, which even Bela Lugosi can't save.

A European import company is trying to put Chinese businesses out of action in Chinatown. The company is led by the Dragon Lady (Luana Walters) who hires Poten (Lugosi) to aid her. Poten is a mad racist who runs a string of crazy plans against the Chinese, foiled over and over again by keen reporter Joan (Joan Barclay) and her sweetheart Martin (Bruce Bennett)... oh and the police too. Things come to a head when Poten disguises himself as a Chinese waiter and plants to poison everyone at a banquet...

To be honest the final act is rather lame after a series of death defying cliff hangers which doesn't really make the struggle to get there that worthwhile. The serial isn't the most thrilling example in the genre, don't expect any death rays or other mad science. Do expect some rather awkward dialogue, sloppy execution (even by the usual standard of serials) and dated stereotypes. 

The Incredible Melting Man (1977)

Low budget, average thrills, high unintentional humour in this sci-fi horror nonsense.

Steve (Alex Rebar) is the only survivor of a mission into deep space. However, he may have survived but he has been horribly deformed... literally melting flesh. He is also driven crazy with a taste for human flesh, after eating a nurse he escapes the hospital. Dr Nelson (Burr DeBrenning) is tasked him tracking down Steve (who apparently is radioactive as well as melting) before the secret of Steve's fate reaches the public... and before he wiped out too many people. Dr Nelson is under pressure from General Perry (Myron Healey) who seems to like eating his breakfast in a power station control room.

This is a ridiculous film with many strange scenes including one where Nelson speaks to a colleague while travelling on a large flat bed trolley, the engine sound almost drowning out the dialogue! The attack scenes by Steve are very silly but it can be scary at times as well. The title is the best bit of the film though.

Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1940)

Charlie Chan in a murder mystery at a wax museum, you just know this is going to be good.

For a change Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is the target in this film. McBirney (Marc Lawrence) has been convicted and sentenced to the electric chair thanks to Charlie but he absconds from the court house. 

He hides at the crime wax museum of Dr Cream (C. Henry Gordon), who has a secret side line in plastic surgery for the criminal fraternity. McBirney, now bandaged up, concocts a plan to lure Charlie Chan to the museum where he can kill him. His elaborate theatrical plan A doesn't work (though someone else dies) but locked in the wax museum, with a cast of various character types, on a stormy night the danger is not yet over for Charlie!

This is a fun film with plenty of dark (though frequently absurd) atmosphere. The wax figures from the world of law and order and crime add to the fun, including a wax figure of Charlie Chan which proves useful to Charlie and his Number Two Son's (Victor Sen Yung) plan to uncover the murderer. One of the best Charlie Chan films.