Missing Girls (1936)

Certainly not a bad film by any means, but one which has a bit of an identity crisis.

Ann (Ann Doran) leaves her abusive family to seek her fortune in the city, though she soon finds getting that fortune rather elusive. The do-gooder daughter of a senator, Dorothy (Muriel Evans) takes Ann in as a maid. However, the senator (Wallis Clark) is soon caught up in gang warfare as he tries to end their racket and is gunned down. Dorothy and Ann go missing as they try and find the culprits. Dorothy's beau Jimmie (Roger Pryor), a reporter, tries to find them and bring the culprits to justice (or rather the FBI will...)

This film is rather confusing, it starts off seemingly as an exploration of the dangers facing young women alone in the big city but soon reverts into a fairly predictable but decently done crime drama. In a way this is probably for the best as plan A would have likely led to some exploitative sleaze. A solid B-movie that keeps you entertained.

Fugitive Alien (1986)

Japanese sci-fi battle nonsense, it is undeniably fun but...

A powerful alien race attack Earth with space ships and alien soldiers with big helmets (though the aliens look completely human which is handy budget wise). Alien soldier Ken (Tatsuya Azuma) baulks at killing a human child and his comrade is killed instead. 

Ken is condemned as a traitor by his people and ends up working with the humans to fight the aliens, and is hunted by the wife (Miyuki Tanigawa) of his former comrade...

Space soap opera froth for sure. This is a TV movie made out of a Japanese TV series and the limited budget really shows at times. However, as a bit of relentless space battle fun it can't be beat even if the plot is a bit basic. Just don't ask why the alien soldiers were bright wigs under their helmets in battle.

Roaring City (1951)

An enjoyable little crime Noir.

Private detective Dennis (Hugh Beaumont) is hired to place some bets on a dodgy boxing match by Barton (Stanley Price). One of the boxers dies during the match which messes up the crooked bets. Dennis tries to collect his fee but he ends up framed for the murder of the other boxer. Dennis has to find out why carried out the murder (and some subsequent kills) before the dozy detective Burger (Richard Travis) locks him up!

A modest but complicated film, the story driven by Dennis' narrative. The plot doesn't always make a lot of sense but the quick pace and cool early 1950s feel makes the film well worth watching.

The Shadow Returns (1946)

A complicated crime romp involving The Shadow.

Lamont (Kane Richmond) aka The Shadow investigates a mysterious plot involving diamonds smuggled in diamonds, mysterious deaths and a group of people who seem to spend all of their lives in the one room of a mansion. The Shadow is assisted by Margo (Barbara Reed) and Shevvie (Tom Dugan) - well maybe saying Shevvie was any assistance at all might be being very kind to him!

This is not that good a film, it really goes nowhere and switches between the same three locations for the most part. The film is saved by the charisma of the leads, who make a good unit but they can't do anymore than at least make the film perfectly watchable. 

The Shadow, in his radio drama days, had super hypnotic powers. In this film though he just wears a hat and a mask.

Code Name: Diamond Head (1977)

A pilot for a series that never came to fruition, which is a shame as it could have been a catastrophe that could have entertained generations of cult fans. As it is we have a fairly average if a bit odd spy film.

Johnny Paul (Roy Thinnes) is a US government agent based in Hawaii (code named Diamond Head of course). He has to prevent the theft and sale of a new nerve gas being developed at a local government laboratory. The enemy are headed by Donovan (Ian McShane) - a master of disguise or just lucky that the people he has to take the identity of look like him already. Diamond Head is assisted by Zulu and France Nuyen providing the muscle and the sex appeal in varying amounts.

It is all a bit inept. The plot is poor and the action lacking on the most part. As might be expected, Ian McShane is head and shoulders the best thing about this film. It is watchable but not great but i wonder how a full series would have turned out.