Starring Charles Russell, Mary Beth Hughes, Dale Belding, Billy House, Fritz Leiber
Directed by Lew Landers
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
An elderly doctor on a train tells to a woman a cautionary tale of a murderer on the lam who finds himself stranded in a small town.
Although purportedly based on the Inner Sanctum novels and radio show, the movie lacks a host or even a creaking door, and is unrelated to the Inner Sanctum films starring Lon Chaney Jr. It most closely resembles a film noir, with a suspense thriller plot and possessing a cast with no big names. Made on a low budget independently, it's nevertheless quite watchable, as the murderer (Charles Russell) moves into a boarding house, only to discover the young son (Dale Belding) of one of the tenants witnessed his disposal of the woman he killed. He tries to find a way to stay undetected but with the bridge out of town flooded, he's caught in a figurative trap. I wouldn't say there's any standout performances, although most play their parts well, but the film is cleverly written and culminates in a nice twist ending.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Monday, March 23, 2020
The Blood Of Fu Manchu (1968)
Starring Christopher Lee, Richard Greene, Howard Marion-Crawford, Gotz George, Maria Rohm
Directed by Jess Franco
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The evil genius Fu Manchu infects ten women with a deadly poison and then orders them to deliver a kiss of death to his enemies, including Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard.
The second to last of the Christopher Lee Fu Manchu films and the first directed by Jess Franco is slow-paced but has some decent action sequences and good characterizations by the cast. Unfortunately the story waylays Fu Manchu's adversary Nayland Smith (played by Greene in his first appearance in the series) to a sick bed for most of the picture, focusing instead on agent Carl Jansen (Gotz George), an archaeologist seeking a lost city while at the same time tracking down the whereabouts of Fu Manchu. There's also an evil "king" of a band of bandits, the slovenly Sancho Lopez (Ricardo Palacios) who after engaging in terrorism and debauchery, is captured by Fu Manchu and goes to work for the villain. Despite all this, there are dull patches throughout the film, which were difficult to sit through. Lee is still magnetic in the role of Sax Rohmer's conniving menace, and captures your attention whenever he's on screen, but his screen time is limited.
Directed by Jess Franco
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The evil genius Fu Manchu infects ten women with a deadly poison and then orders them to deliver a kiss of death to his enemies, including Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard.
The second to last of the Christopher Lee Fu Manchu films and the first directed by Jess Franco is slow-paced but has some decent action sequences and good characterizations by the cast. Unfortunately the story waylays Fu Manchu's adversary Nayland Smith (played by Greene in his first appearance in the series) to a sick bed for most of the picture, focusing instead on agent Carl Jansen (Gotz George), an archaeologist seeking a lost city while at the same time tracking down the whereabouts of Fu Manchu. There's also an evil "king" of a band of bandits, the slovenly Sancho Lopez (Ricardo Palacios) who after engaging in terrorism and debauchery, is captured by Fu Manchu and goes to work for the villain. Despite all this, there are dull patches throughout the film, which were difficult to sit through. Lee is still magnetic in the role of Sax Rohmer's conniving menace, and captures your attention whenever he's on screen, but his screen time is limited.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)
Starring Horst Janson, John Carson, Shane Briant, Caroline Munro, John Cater
Directed by Brian Clemens
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A sword-wielding vampire hunter and his hunchbacked assistant hunt a new kind of vampire, one whose bite drains young women of youth.
One of Hammer's best regarded films from their later days as a company comes courtesy of Clemens (who also wrote the screenplay) who has crafted a very entertaining vampire tale with lots of action and adventure and a bit of mystery. Janson as the titular hero is soft-spoken and a bit of a mystery himself, without much to say about himself or his background, but it works for the film, blessed with good supporting performances from Cater as the hunchbacked professor who knows the vampire mythology well, and Munro as the lovely damsel Kronos liberates. Ian Wilson's cinematography is superb, capturing rich colors in the rustic backgrounds on display, and Laurie Johnson's music score is engaging, very reminiscent of the work of Bernard Herrmann. Although this was the only Kronos film, I know several who would have liked to have seen further installments in his adventures, and I echo that sentiment as well.
Directed by Brian Clemens
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A sword-wielding vampire hunter and his hunchbacked assistant hunt a new kind of vampire, one whose bite drains young women of youth.
One of Hammer's best regarded films from their later days as a company comes courtesy of Clemens (who also wrote the screenplay) who has crafted a very entertaining vampire tale with lots of action and adventure and a bit of mystery. Janson as the titular hero is soft-spoken and a bit of a mystery himself, without much to say about himself or his background, but it works for the film, blessed with good supporting performances from Cater as the hunchbacked professor who knows the vampire mythology well, and Munro as the lovely damsel Kronos liberates. Ian Wilson's cinematography is superb, capturing rich colors in the rustic backgrounds on display, and Laurie Johnson's music score is engaging, very reminiscent of the work of Bernard Herrmann. Although this was the only Kronos film, I know several who would have liked to have seen further installments in his adventures, and I echo that sentiment as well.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
The Man With Two Lives (1942)
Starring Edward Norris, Marlo Dwyer, Eleanor Lawson, Frederick Burton, Addison Richards
Directed by Phil Rosen
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist succeeds in bringing a young man back to life after his death in a car accident, but he has a new harsh personality, matching that of a criminal put to death.
A rare science fiction movie from Poverty Row studio Monogram, the picture seems to borrow much of its ideas and characters from the Karloff/Lugosi vehicle Black Friday, with a few distinctive differences. Norris stars as the young man who doesn't know who he is after being brought back, but who is drawn to take over the gang of an executed gangster as well as the criminal's former moll. Although the screenplay leads us to assume that the gangster's soul has entered Norris' body, he has no memories as the gangster, other than the subconscious memories that lead him to reunite with his partners in crime. There's no real standout performances here, but I enjoyed seeing Addison Richards, one of my favorite character actors, as the police lieutenant who finally tracks down Norris. Rosen was one of the better directors on Poverty Row, and adds a few clever camera setups to the film, as well as using Kenneth Strickfadden-like equipment for the opening scene in the scientist's laboratory. Overall I found the film interesting, but not much more dynamic than a typical Poverty row film, and unfortunately the filmmakers resort to a cop-out ending.
Directed by Phil Rosen
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist succeeds in bringing a young man back to life after his death in a car accident, but he has a new harsh personality, matching that of a criminal put to death.
A rare science fiction movie from Poverty Row studio Monogram, the picture seems to borrow much of its ideas and characters from the Karloff/Lugosi vehicle Black Friday, with a few distinctive differences. Norris stars as the young man who doesn't know who he is after being brought back, but who is drawn to take over the gang of an executed gangster as well as the criminal's former moll. Although the screenplay leads us to assume that the gangster's soul has entered Norris' body, he has no memories as the gangster, other than the subconscious memories that lead him to reunite with his partners in crime. There's no real standout performances here, but I enjoyed seeing Addison Richards, one of my favorite character actors, as the police lieutenant who finally tracks down Norris. Rosen was one of the better directors on Poverty Row, and adds a few clever camera setups to the film, as well as using Kenneth Strickfadden-like equipment for the opening scene in the scientist's laboratory. Overall I found the film interesting, but not much more dynamic than a typical Poverty row film, and unfortunately the filmmakers resort to a cop-out ending.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Destroy All Monsters (1968)
Starring Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki, Yukiko Kobayashi, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kyoko Ai
Directed by Ishiro Honda
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Alien beings release Godzilla and other famous monsters from captivity on Monster Island, and use mind control to get them to attack major cities across the Earth.
Toho delivers a plotline to utilize nearly all of their kaiju, from Godzilla, to Rodan, Mothra, Baragon, Anguirus, and a number of others, first used to attack Earth's cities, and then later brought together to battle a mystery monster from outer space. There's special effects a plenty from Eiji Tsubaraya and his team, not just for the monster fights but also rocket ships and flying saucers, although some of the model work doesn't impress as much as their past efforts. A knock down drag out fight between the most popular monsters impresses, and it's good to see so many Toho veteran actors in the cast, but it's a slow paced film, and when the monsters aren't on screen, their absence is felt. However, Akira Ifukube's score is a winner, delivering variations on his most popular themes, and the film surely was a hit with the younger set when it hit theaters, due to the presence of so many of the kaiju of Toho's filmography.
Directed by Ishiro Honda
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Alien beings release Godzilla and other famous monsters from captivity on Monster Island, and use mind control to get them to attack major cities across the Earth.
Toho delivers a plotline to utilize nearly all of their kaiju, from Godzilla, to Rodan, Mothra, Baragon, Anguirus, and a number of others, first used to attack Earth's cities, and then later brought together to battle a mystery monster from outer space. There's special effects a plenty from Eiji Tsubaraya and his team, not just for the monster fights but also rocket ships and flying saucers, although some of the model work doesn't impress as much as their past efforts. A knock down drag out fight between the most popular monsters impresses, and it's good to see so many Toho veteran actors in the cast, but it's a slow paced film, and when the monsters aren't on screen, their absence is felt. However, Akira Ifukube's score is a winner, delivering variations on his most popular themes, and the film surely was a hit with the younger set when it hit theaters, due to the presence of so many of the kaiju of Toho's filmography.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Countess Dracula (1971)
Starring Ingrid Pitt, Nigel Green, Sandor Eles, Maurice Denham, Patience Collier
Directed by Peter Sasdy
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
When an aging countess discovers by accident that the blood of young women restores her youth, she kills and bathes in their blood to sustain the effect, in order to pursue an attractive young soldier.
We have here not a vampire movie per se, although a supernatural element is added to this adaptation of the legend of Elizabeth Bathory, who was supposed to have murdered and bathed in her victims' blood. Per Wikipedia, this may be apocryphal, but it makes for a good movie. Produced by the Hammer film studio, the art direction and photography are very good, and it's a good showcase for Pitt, although her voice was replaced by a different actress. I didn't find any fault with her performance and thought her acting, particularly as the aged countess early in the film where she mostly communicates with her facial expressions was quite good. The supporting cast was also accomplished, with good turns in particular by Nigel Green as her brother?/protector and Maurice Denham as the castle's inquisitive librarian. I think overall the film is engaging, but lacks something- perhaps it could use a tighter pace or more dynamic music score.
Directed by Peter Sasdy
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
When an aging countess discovers by accident that the blood of young women restores her youth, she kills and bathes in their blood to sustain the effect, in order to pursue an attractive young soldier.
We have here not a vampire movie per se, although a supernatural element is added to this adaptation of the legend of Elizabeth Bathory, who was supposed to have murdered and bathed in her victims' blood. Per Wikipedia, this may be apocryphal, but it makes for a good movie. Produced by the Hammer film studio, the art direction and photography are very good, and it's a good showcase for Pitt, although her voice was replaced by a different actress. I didn't find any fault with her performance and thought her acting, particularly as the aged countess early in the film where she mostly communicates with her facial expressions was quite good. The supporting cast was also accomplished, with good turns in particular by Nigel Green as her brother?/protector and Maurice Denham as the castle's inquisitive librarian. I think overall the film is engaging, but lacks something- perhaps it could use a tighter pace or more dynamic music score.
Thursday, March 12, 2020
The Minotaur (1960)
Starring Bob Mathias, Rosanna Schiaffino, Alberto Lupo, Rik Battaglia, Carlo Tamberlani
Directed by Silvio Amadio
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The mighty mortal Theseus accompanies his friend Demetrius to the isle of Crete, where they find his family enslaved, and the daughter of the king a dead ringer for the woman Theseus loves.
An engaging Italian adaptation of the Greek myths of Theseus and The Minotaur, the film changes several details from the legend, making King Minos benevolent but forced by his priests to sacrifice young people to the Minotaur, and giving him a scheming daughter, who when she finds out she has a twin sister is eager to have her killed so she can ascend to the throne alone. Mathias, an American cast as Theseus after winning Olympic gold in the decathlon, is fine in the role, and his athleticism is showcased in a number of battle sequences. Schiaffino, playing the dual role of sisters Phaedra (the conniving evil daughter raised as royalty) and Ariadne (the good one, raised humbly in a small village), pulls off both parts well. Horror fans might also recognize Alberto Lupo and Susanne Loret, the stars of Atom Age Vampire, in supporting roles. The Minotaur is saved for the climax, when both Theseus and Ariadne find themselves in the labyrinth that houses the monster. Although the creature's hairy hide doesn't quite match the bull-like countenance described in the Greek myths, the creature's head is impressive, with expressive eyes and a massive jaw filled with sharp teeth and tusks. Overall, the film is worthwhile viewing, despite the changes to the myths, and not much footage of the title creature.
Directed by Silvio Amadio
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The mighty mortal Theseus accompanies his friend Demetrius to the isle of Crete, where they find his family enslaved, and the daughter of the king a dead ringer for the woman Theseus loves.
An engaging Italian adaptation of the Greek myths of Theseus and The Minotaur, the film changes several details from the legend, making King Minos benevolent but forced by his priests to sacrifice young people to the Minotaur, and giving him a scheming daughter, who when she finds out she has a twin sister is eager to have her killed so she can ascend to the throne alone. Mathias, an American cast as Theseus after winning Olympic gold in the decathlon, is fine in the role, and his athleticism is showcased in a number of battle sequences. Schiaffino, playing the dual role of sisters Phaedra (the conniving evil daughter raised as royalty) and Ariadne (the good one, raised humbly in a small village), pulls off both parts well. Horror fans might also recognize Alberto Lupo and Susanne Loret, the stars of Atom Age Vampire, in supporting roles. The Minotaur is saved for the climax, when both Theseus and Ariadne find themselves in the labyrinth that houses the monster. Although the creature's hairy hide doesn't quite match the bull-like countenance described in the Greek myths, the creature's head is impressive, with expressive eyes and a massive jaw filled with sharp teeth and tusks. Overall, the film is worthwhile viewing, despite the changes to the myths, and not much footage of the title creature.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Flash Gordon's Trip To Mars (1938)
Starring Buster Crabbe, Jean Rogers, Charles Middleton, Frank Shannon, Beatrice Roberts
Directed by Ford Beebe & Robert Hill
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
When the Earth is in peril from a beam removing nitron from their atmosphere, Flash Gordon and his friends travel to Mars to shut down the beam, and find that Ming the Merciless is there and alive.
We have here a sequel to the original Flash Gordon movie serial, reuniting most of the principal cast in another conflict between Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless. With Mars the setting this time around, we have new characters and thrills, with clay people who can hide within rocky walls, Mars' queen Azura who can use magic to teleport anywhere in a cloud of smoke, bat-wing capes that allow the user to fly, and light bridges that allow people to cross chasms on a beam of light. There's also battles between flying vehicles, and plenty of derring-do for Crabbe as Flash Gordon to engage in. Also returning are Rogers as Dale Arden (with darker hair) who gets a bit more to do than in the original serial, Frank Shannon as Dr. Zarkov, and Richard Alexander as Prince Barin. A cocksure reporter played by Donald Kerr is also along for the ride as a stowaway. If you liked the first Flash Gordon serial, you ought to like this one, although there are no giant monsters around this time, nor as diverse settings, but there's plenty of music from Bride Of Frankenstein cleverly reused.
Directed by Ford Beebe & Robert Hill
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
When the Earth is in peril from a beam removing nitron from their atmosphere, Flash Gordon and his friends travel to Mars to shut down the beam, and find that Ming the Merciless is there and alive.
We have here a sequel to the original Flash Gordon movie serial, reuniting most of the principal cast in another conflict between Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless. With Mars the setting this time around, we have new characters and thrills, with clay people who can hide within rocky walls, Mars' queen Azura who can use magic to teleport anywhere in a cloud of smoke, bat-wing capes that allow the user to fly, and light bridges that allow people to cross chasms on a beam of light. There's also battles between flying vehicles, and plenty of derring-do for Crabbe as Flash Gordon to engage in. Also returning are Rogers as Dale Arden (with darker hair) who gets a bit more to do than in the original serial, Frank Shannon as Dr. Zarkov, and Richard Alexander as Prince Barin. A cocksure reporter played by Donald Kerr is also along for the ride as a stowaway. If you liked the first Flash Gordon serial, you ought to like this one, although there are no giant monsters around this time, nor as diverse settings, but there's plenty of music from Bride Of Frankenstein cleverly reused.
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