The Crime of Helen Stanley (1934)

An enjoyable crime drama featuring an ingenious murder weapon.

Helen Stanley (Gail Patrick) is a top movie actress, though rather haughty with it, and she has plenty of enemies. When she is shot during the filming of a scene in a movie there are plenty of suspects for Inspector Trent (Ralph Ballamy) to work his way through! One prime suspect is Helen's former lover Lee (Kane Richmond) who has now taken up with her sister Betty (Shirley Gray). Another is Helen's ex-husband Wallach (Steven Chase) who confesses to the murder before shooting himself though afterwards he is ruled out.

However, a key problem with the crime is where the shot came from. All pistols on set are eliminated, somehow the shot came from somewhere else...

This is a good crime drama, Inspector Trent featured in a short series of films in the 1930s and was portrayed in a largely humourless and straight-to-business manner, which makes this film stand out from many 1930s crime B-movies! A good and inventive plot.

Electric Dreams (1984)

One of the most 80s films ever, a complete nostalgia fest of 80s pop and 80s computers.

Miles (Lenny von Dohlen) is an architect who is struggling to get anyone to buy into his big idea. He buys a computer to help him with his life. His computer gets ever more wrapped up into his life and begins to overheat, in a panic he pours champagne over the computer... this turns it sentient (of course!)

The computer calls itself Edgar (voiced by Bud Cort) and enters a love triangle with Miles and his neighbour Madeline (Virginia Madsen). When Edgar involves himself too much in Miles' life, Miles tries to turn Edgar off but this proves to be easier said than done...

This is a fun film which makes heavy use of the look and feel of contemporary pop videos (and including some actual MVs too). Its light and fluffy but has plenty of heart. The music is fantastic of course.

The Rink (1916)

Charlie Chaplin is a waiter in a restaurant, though as you can imagine much slapstick mayhem ensues. In his lunch break he goes roller skating in the park. At the park Mr Stout (Eric Campbell) is making advances to an unwilling girl (Edna Purviance). 

After showing off his roller skating skills, Charlie poses as an aristocrat and is invited to a party at the girl's house. Mr Stout and his new partner also show up.

This is a fine enough film, the usual slapstick antics. The film is most notable for showing off Chaplin's excellent roller skating skills.

Shake Hands with Murder (1944)

A joyously fast moving and bright and breezy crime drama.

Patsy (Iris Adrian) and Eddy (Frank Jenks) are bail bonders who take on accused embezzler Steve Morgan (Douglas Fowley). When Steve goes missing Patsy and Eddy go in search of him, when they discover the dead body of one of Steve's colleagues then they wonder if Steve is a murderer as well as an embezzler. 

Patsy ends up with Steve at a distant house, finally convinced of his innocence. Then she and Eddy have to help Steve find the real criminal, which somehow involves a suit of armour...

A fine B-movie, a fast moving plot starring some perky characters. The plot does include a number of well-worn cliches but it is well presented and the film overall is highly entertaining.

Night of the Blood Beast (1958)

A 1950s sci-fi horror shocker featuring an alien in a rubber suit, the biggest shock though is actually how intelligent the plot is.

Astronaut Steve (John Baer) crash lands in his ship (which totally doesn't look made out of cardboard) after the first trip by a man into outer space. He appears to have perished in the crash but when the scientists return him to their isolated lab they discover he is somehow alive in a catatonic state, his body also has been infected by some kind of alien cells. 

Steve is now carrying a number of alien babies, but it is the large alien who also tagged a ride back to Earth that the others really need to worry about. However, the alien offers them a chance for immortality, thats after he killed Dr Wyman (Tyler McVey) in a pretty brutal manner...

This is a low-budget sci-fi horror schlocker, with a ridiculous looking alien of course. However, buried in the plot is some intelligent sci-fi concepts which helps elevate this above the usual nonsense. Its still no more than an average film but certainly worth a watch.