One A.M. (1916)

An early Charlie Chapin short comedy, the first in which he appears (mostly) alone.

A drunk (Chaplin) returns home from some sort of event which included booze, indeed a lot of booze as Charlie is very drunk indeed! After many awkward slapstick antics he manages to get out of his taxi allowing Albert Austin to finally drive off. Charlie's next job is to get into his house...

Well we have all been there! This is solo slapstick of the highest order as everything becomes a near insurmountable obstacle to negotiate past. A short and simple film which just about manages to not out live it's welcome. Don't ask why the film is called "One A.M." yet it is bright sunlight outside!

Invisible Ghost (1941)

A wonderfully creepy crime horror drama.

Kessler (Bela Lugosi) is the local big wig, living in his apparently cursed house even after his wife went missing. However, Mrs Kessler (Betty Compson) is still alive and in the basement! When she gets out and Kessler sees her, he is thrown in a homicidal trance. He kills a maid, his daughter's (Polly Ann Young) boyfriend Ralph (John McGuire) is accused and eventually convicted and executed for the crime. 

Now Ralph's twin brother (always handy in movie land) turns up. Kessler is thrown into a trance again and more murders take place...

This is an enjoyable film though without Lugosi it probably would have been harder work. The film has plenty of suspense and has some good visuals and interesting camera angles. 

Slaughter in San Francisco (1974)

Heavy on the martial arts, even heavier on the hilariously bad dubbing.

Officer Wong (Don Wong) is a police officer in SF. He and his partner (Robert Jones) begin to encounter some strange occurrences at the police station, people mysteriously let off for crimes and others arrested even though they are probably innocent. 

After his partner is killed, Wong is off the force but investigating for himself. He discovers a web of corruption on the force, at it's head is gangland boss Chuck Slaughter (Chuck Norris)...

Despite being at first glance a rather rough around the edges (though highly enjoyable) martial arts film, there is some interesting storyline here with the corruption angle. The filming is pretty shabby though and the soundtrack completely dubbed (and awful). The fights though (and let's face it, thats why you are watching this) are brilliant. Somehow its a great film. Although Chuck Norris is billed as the main star this is really Don Wong's film, and he is very good indeed.

The Witness Chair (1936)

A superb courtroom drama with the required twists, turns and sensation.

Businessman Stanley Whittaker (Douglas Dumbrille) is found dead in his office, an apparent suicide with a typed letter provided that says he admitted to embezzling the company and tried to blame Jim Trent (Walter Abel) for it. 

However, the police are suspicious and soon Trent is arrested for murder. To Paula Young's (Ann Harding) horror the trial is going badly for Trent, whom she loves. Also, it comes out that Trent's daughter (Frances Sage) was having an affair with Whittaker. Finally, Paula decides she must make a shocking admission herself...

After a first act in the office the majority of the film takes place in the courtroom and it is a solid film with a good story, with a number of facets which are gradually revealed, even if court procedure seems a bit lax at times.

Cold-Blooded Murder (1981)

A violent and rather confusing, though thrilling, crime and martial arts film.

A maniac (Michael Chan), who we learn in flashback saw his baby son die due to his wife cheating with a gangster, begins killing prostitutes in a number of horrific ways. The Inspector (Carter Huang) has been tasked to catch the attacker but is coming under increasing pressure as the body count rises and his investigations turn up blank. One of his men (Bruce Le) is also in a personal war with gangster Lau Dan who brings in the buff Bolo Leung to help him out...

Actual policework seems quite hard to find though, apart from using policewoman Lam Hoi-Ling as a hapless decoy. There is a lot of fighting and violence instead, a hell of a lot. This is an enjoyable film if you like kung fu, in fact a very good action film. Though if you like a coherent plot, and characters who don't do bizarre things for no apparent reason, then maybe this isn't your night. 

The film's main problem is the two unconnected plots, the gangster plot seems to be here just so the film can have it's Bruceploitation fix, it does detract from the more interesting crime plot which would have benefited from more screen time. The film is still a great watch, even if it should have been two films...