The Instructor (1981)

The unexpectedly competitive world of small town Ohio karate schools.

The Instructor (Bob Chaney) owns a karate school and is training with Thumper (Don Bendell), after encountering and beating up some local punks (who all look north of forty), they then encounter a wannabe ninja who has a somewhat unhealthy interest in fighting children...

The Instructor's rival is Bud Hart (Bob Saal), who of course tries to get the mob to smash up The Instructor's place though the thugs are thwarted by Dee (Lynday Schnarott). Later on Thumper is found near death, The Instructor assumes it is Hart (it is actually the paedo-ninja) and heads off for a final showdown (well after a lengthy car chase)...

This is quite an awful film, low budget, incoherent and rough. It is also hilarious and highly watchable and enjoyable. Great films can be technically poor but tremendous fun and this is one like that.

Dangerous Lady (1941)

A sometimes confusing but pretty competent crime drama.

Private detective Dick (Neil Hamilton) and his wife Phyllis (June Storey), a lawyer, are employed to help prove the innocence of Hester (Evelyn Brent) who has been accused of murdering a judge. Some people know the truth but they are killed by the real murderer! Dick also finds himself under fire as a dangerous game for Dick and Phyllis begins...

This film is fine and has a lot to enjoy about it though is like many films of the period in that it tries to pack in two hours of plot into a film half the length. This doesn't always work that well but isn't too bad here. The film has some good interplay between the mains, some mystery and a car chase so should satisfy.

Martial Law II: Undercover (1991)

The karate cops are back, fighting crime with martial arts and huge shoulder pads.

After his friend and fellow cop dies mysteriously, Detective Thompson (Jeff Wincott) begins to investigate a criminal group based in a bar (which he quickly gets thrown out of). Fellow martial arts expert and cop Blake (Cynthia Rothrock) gets a job at the club as a bar maid. She discovers that the owner Spencer (Paul Johansson) is using sexual blackmail and deadly martial arts to enrich himself. Spencer also has police on his payroll and is about to steal a huge amount of money from under the noses of the police...

This is a fun film though very much of it's time. It is violent and cheesy and most people should have been arrested by the fashion police. Like the first film it isn't high art and doesn't have much of a plot but it is a perfectly enjoyable action film.

High-Ballin' (1978)

Great trucking fun even if it is chock full of every 1970s stereotype you can think of!

A gang of thugs led by King Caroll (Chris Wiggins) and Harvey (David Ferry) are targeting independent truckers. Iron Duke (Jerry Reed) is the next trucker to be targeted but the Duke has some help in the form of Rane (Peter Fonda) and Pickup (Helen Shaver). 

However, after much driving around the frozen wastes of Canada, things soon take a deadly turn and the truckers know they have to raise up to save their jobs...

This is a highly enjoyable film, lots of trucking around the countryside and a country music soundtrack. There are some great stunts and truck-car chases. The only drawback is that the film is somewhat dreary, the film takes place in Ontario in Winter and it is all rather bleak!

Star of Midnight (1935)

A complicated and at times dramatic crime mystery drama.

Tim's (Leslie Fenton) girlfriend Alice disappears mysteriously. Tim heads to New York to ask his amateur detective friend Clay (William Powell) for help. Clay and Tim go to the theatre, Tim recognises the star as Alice but she vanishes again! As Clay tries to unravel why Alice has vanishes again, a number of murders take place indicating that there is a criminal connection. Clay is helped throughout by the perky Donna (Ginger Rogers).

A complicated plot though much of Clay's amateur sleuthing seems to consist of low level bickering with Donna and moving from one sumptuous Art Deco room to the other. 

This is a great fun film though the plot can be a little hard to follow at times. Powell and Rogers work well together.