Friday, February 25, 2022
The Plastic Age (1925)
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Hawk the Slayer (1980)
A baffling and rather low-energy sword and sorcery tale.
Hawk (John Terry) and Voltan (Jack Palance) are brothers (big age gap). While Hawk is a bold hero though Voltan is a deformed and evil villain who kills their father and Hawk's fiancé. He also kidnaps the Abbess (Annett Crosbie) for ransom as he needs gold for a mysterious wizard who is aiding him. Hawk assembles a team of stereotypes including a strongman giant (Bernard Bresslaw), an elf (Ray Charleson) and a dwarf (Peter O'Farrell). They then arrive at the Abbey and... well not much else happens until the final showdown.
The low budget and lack of much action (much of it helpfully smothered in smoke) is a true marvel, only matched by Palance on over drive. He obviously decided to go for the world record for over the top bad guys in this film and certainly succeeded.
For all of it's many flaws, this is a fun film with a heavy amount of cheese.
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
The Dawn Patrol (1938)
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Kickboxing Academy (1999)
Two martial arts academies are in conflict. The deranged Tarbeck (Tony Pacheco), with his military themed evil academy, is ranged against June (Donna Barnes) and her kickboxing academy. With the help of the money man Maddox (Tom Scalise), Tarbeck aims to take over June's academy after they defeat them in a contest...
June needs her best fighter back, but Danny (Christopher Khayman Lee) doesn't want to fight anymore. Can his new squeeze, and also a kickboxer, Cindy (Chyler Leigh) persuade him? When you see them snog bear in mind that they are a real life brother and sister...
This is a really really strange film. Characters are random, many barely one dimensional. The plot is also random and makes little sense (an unexplained ninja attack in a restaurant car park, really?) It is superbly weird and highly entertaining, somehow.
Monday, February 21, 2022
Terror in the Wax Museum (1973)
A ridiculously creepy wax museum in foggy old London town consists only of wax exhibits of notorious murderers. It is run by Dupree (John Carradine) who wants to sell out to American businessman Burns (Broderick Crawford). Dupree is soon found dead, apparently killed by Jack the Ripper! When Dupree's niece Margaret (Nicole Shelby) turns up, the strange happenings continue as she thinks the wax dummies come to life at night!
The murders continue too despite the efforts of the police in the form of Sergeant Hawks (Mark Edwards), probably because he seems more interested in taking down Margaret's particulars than anything else. Suspicion falls on the hunchback Karkov (Steven Marlo) though thats too obvious...
A superbly fun (and often cheesy) horror film with a real old skool feel to it (including some of the veteran actors on show including Elsa Lanchester and Ray Milland). A wax museum is always a perfect setting for a horror film, especially as the "dummies" move when they get close-ups!
Friday, February 18, 2022
The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)
Frazer (Harlan Warde) is divorcing his wife, the wealthy Lois (Jane Wyatt) but he is also planning to kill her. Lois discovers the plot and calls on her boyfriend Ed Cullen (Lee J Cobb) who just happens to be a Police lieutenant on Homicide. When Frazer acts, he is gunned down by Lois while Ed is present. Now he tries to cover up Lois' crime...
With the body and gun disposed of Ed thinks he is in the clear, unfortunately his younger brother Andy (John Dall) has just joined the force. The eager young detective is just too inquisitive and soon is finding things out about his brother he never expected...
This is a good police drama with the added tension of Ed's involvement in the crime. His careful plan soon starts to unravel, not helped by Lois who is a little overwrought which can be annoying at times. The final act at an abandoned military base is full of tension.
Thursday, February 17, 2022
Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
A superb Gothic horror.
Francis (John Kerr) turns up at the castle of Medina (Vincent Price) after the apparent death of his sister Elizabeth (Barbara Steele) who was married to the mysterious Medina. Francis discovers that Elizabeth was apparently driven insane by the sinister atmosphere of the castle due to the awful tortures which took place due to Medina'a father, a notorious Inquisitor.
However, Francis is sceptical and with the help of Dr Leon (Antony Carbone) and Medina's sister Catherine (Luana Anders) he tries to find out what really happened. Indeed there is something else going on, something quite unexpected indeed. Francis ends up strapped to a table above a pit by a deranged Medina, while a blade descends to slice him up!
Campy and quite over the top, this is all a Gothic horror should be. Vincent Price is his usual self amid the grotesque and macabre torture equipment and scenes of Hell.