The Human Duplicators (1965)

A bizarre sci-fi tale of android duplicates of humans.

Dr Kolos (Richard Kiel) is despatched to the Earth to conquer it by duplicating humans and turning them into somewhat unconvincing androids who look like they are made out of ceramic pottery. However, Kolos falls in love with a beautiful woman (Dolores Faith) and changes his mind about the invasion. 

Unfortunately, some of his duplicates already built including one of the scientist Professor Dornheimer (George Macready) and Glenn Martin (George Nader) are already causing trouble...

This is an odd film, with a huge amount of cheese and special effects of the cheapest type. The UFO for example looks like a Christmas decoration! Kiel's character is unintentionally hilarious and it is topped off with one of the most inept final fight scenes ever seen. Terrible but terrific too.

The Blood Waters of Dr Z (1971)

Heavy drug use must have been involved in this somewhere.

Dr Leopold (Marshall Grauer) is that beloved scientist of movie land, a mad one. Leopold is also some kind of Nazi and his way of bringing about the Fourth Reich is apparently to change himself into a bizarre killer sea monster. He transforms himself into a mutated catfish, he also wants to kidnap a young woman (Sanna Ringhaven) so he can breed a new master race of monsters. Why of course!

Leopold transforms himself into a rather plodding beast so mankind probably shouldn't lose too much sleep over him. His plans seem to be foiled by biologist Rex (Gerald Cruse) though the monster (Wade Popwell in the suit) manages to escape so who knows?

This is a pretty awful film, it is very cheaply made and makes little sense. It does have a real strange feel about it though and can be quite psychedelic at times, at least you will wonder if someone has spiked your drink.

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.