Death from a Distance (1935)

A prominent astronomer Professor Einfeld (Lee Kohlmar) is giving a lecture in a planetarium, while everyone's gaze is on the heavens a shot rings out. One of the audience has been killed.

Detective Mallory (Russell Hopton) is on the case and begins the investigations, reporter Key Palmer (Lola Lane) was present at the show and is keen to stay on the inside though her relationship with Mallory is rather fractious (though obviously they will get together in the end).

Despite the planetarium being sealed immediately and thus the murderer being one of the audience members the case is baffling and Mallory has to rely on a number of tricks to solve the crime. It is a decent but not startling film with the usual cliches including the dopey assistant detective (Lew Kelly) and various red herrings. Despite the low budget the film looks good, the observatory setting is the best part of the film. The dialogue is pretty snappy, the two leads giving good performances. Apparently this was the first ever film broadcast on US TV in 1941.

The Vengeance of Fu Manchu (1967)

Fu Manchu stories are complete nonsense of course, a vision of the Orient that was outdated and fanciful even in it's day, and drenched in Yellow Peril nonsense but the sheer madness of this film is what makes it so compelling.

Christopher Lee is Fu Manchu, has holed up in his remote Chinese stronghold with his daughter Lin Tang (Tsai Chin) and his army of bad men with swords. He is plotting revenge on his nemesis Inspector Nayland Smith (Douglas Wilmer) with the help of a mindless dacoit who has been turned into a duplicate of Smith by a captive plastic surgeon (Wolfgang Keiling) in order to discredit him. Meanwhile Fu Manchu is also plotting to become the king of crime and take over the world...

So it's stuffed full of every cliche possible: junks, sedan chairs, pigtails and many men with swords. Christopher Lee is magnificent as Fu Manchu, kingpin of this mad world. It is ridiculous and trashy and so campy. Pretty brutal too with beheadings and torture of women amongst the "pleasures" in Fu Manchu's lair. The film could do with a bit more Christopher Lee though but the appearance of Tony Ferrer, the "James Bond of the Philippines", as the head of the Shanghai police is entertaining.

The Invisible Killer (1939)

A passable late Golden Age type detective drama but with the enthusiastic amateur detective helping/hindering the police Sue (Grace Bradley) a reporter engaged to police detective Jerry (Roland Drew).

Someone is bumping off persons behind gambling in the town but there is no sign of any murder weapons. Autopsies reveal the victims are being poisoned but the police have little idea how... when we find out how it is pretty ingenious, and ridiculous.

Sue always seems one step ahead of Jerry, much to his dismay though his constant references to breaking her neck get old fast. The film is a solid but unspectacular crime drama though the attempts at light heartedness and humour seem a little forced.

Cumbernauld Hit (1977)

This is a rather difficult film to categorise. It was made as a promotional film for a new town called Cumbernauld in the 1970s but instead of a fairly standard set of promotional images (often narrated by someone famous, see below) somehow the decision was made to do it as a spoof spy or action film.

It stars Fenella Fielding as Liana, the evil mastermind behind a plot to take over the town using mysterious weapons including little boxes which turn to be a bio-weapon with which she holds the town to ransom. Local journalist Valerie Fyfer is trying to work out how to stop her and her evil plot.

Its all very strange, sometimes very very strange and Fenella is wonderful camping it up throughout. Little of the film makes much sense and is more like a vaguely linked series of weird and humorous vignettes (which of course are designed to show off the town, it's people and what goes on there - expect plenty of 70s architecture, which personally I love).

Its nonsense and it makes the film so wonderful. If it was any good at promoting Cumbernauld though is another question. In it's own little way it is epic, almost as good as a certain other British town promotional film from the 1970s...

The Phantom Cowboy (1935)

When a stagecoach is held up by The Phantom the coach ends up a runaway with Ruth Rogers (Doris Brook) onboard. Bill Collins (Ted Wells) and his incredibly annoying sidekick Pete (Jimmy Aubrey) save Ruth and get drawn into the hunt for The Phantom.

Though quite what is happening is really anyone's guess. The storyline has "issues" shall we say. The acting also has plenty of issues, as in there does not appear to be any.

Bill and Pete catch up with The Phantom after he steals their clothes and then fries them bacon (honestly). He turns out to be Bill's double. He explains that he has only turned to crime because crooked Buck Houston (George Chesebro) is after his prospecting claim. He persuades them to help him out...

It isn't a long film (less than an hour) but is padded out by seeming endless filler. A very strange film in many ways. It is possibly the worst film ever made though i did enjoy it.

The Gentle Trap (1960)

Johnny (Spencer Teakle) is a budding young burglar on his first job, he lucks out with a fortune in diamonds from a safe but on the way out his partner Sam (Arthur Hewlett) is mown down by a rival gang and he is forced to flee. Johnny comes home and has found his girlfriend has done a runner.

The girlfriend Sylvia (Dawn Brooks) has shacked up with a gangland boss and seedy club owner Ricky (Martin Benson) and it turns out it was she who sold out Johnny.

On the run from the hoods and the police Johnny falls in with Mary (Dorinda Stevens) who runs yet another dodgy nightclub. Johnny is nursed by Mary's sister Jean (Felicity Young) but has he really found a safe haven?

Low budget Noir thrills where everyone seems to be on the take. Watchable without being brilliant but it kind of suits the setting, a really seedy side of London.

Bank Alarm (1937)

A rash of bank robberies is being carried out, Federal agents Alan (Conrad Nagel) and Bobbie (Eleanor Hunt) are called in to investigate. The gang led by Joe Karlotti (Wheeler Oakman) are tough and ruthless - bumping off people left right and centre, but make a mistake with counterfeiting bank notes which gives the agents a lead. One complication is Alan's sister (Wilma Francis) is being romanced by one of the gang (Frank Milan)...

An interesting and well thought out crime drama though an unsurprising police procedural. It is good to see Bobbie play a proper role in the investigation and not just be a bit of eye candy.

The only real criticism being Clarence the photographer (Vince Barnett) who tries to pull off a slap stick routine but finds it's not as easy to make that funny rather than just annoying.