Two spaceships answer a distress signal and get lured to a planet where the occupants start to get picked off. The dead then start to rise from the graves re-animated by an evil host bent on escaping the planet in their ship.
This miniscule budgeted piece of hokum would be quite torturous to watch if it wasn't for the director, Italian supremo Mario Bava, working wonders with no back up whatsoever. He makes the planet look suitably creepy using imaginative lighting and forced perspective sets and does his best to keep the story moving along. Alas, the dialogue is poor and stilted and confused in places. For staunch Bava fans and fans of low budget schlock.
Monday, 6 April 2009
Sunday, 5 April 2009
Bronx Warriors (1982)
In the future the Bronx has been turned over to the people as the authorities can no longer police it and it is run by gangs. The heir to a gun manufacturing business runs away to the Bronx to hide from the people who wish to control her assets. A maniac cop called Hammer (Vic Morrow) is sent to get her. Meanwhile she has fallen in love with Trash, leader of The Riders. When she is kidnapped by the Zombies, Trash goes to The Ogre (honest, I'm not making this up) to ask for help in securing her release.
Coming across as a hybrid between Escape From New York and The Warriors this is an Italian Trash Classic and as such goes beyond criticism. And anything with a violent tap-dancing gang is ok in my book. Sure the fight scenes are crying out for a decent director and editor. Yes, the dialogue makes you cringe, when you aren't laughing. For definite Mark Gregory (Trash) is the worst actor, like, ever. But it remains fab.
Coming across as a hybrid between Escape From New York and The Warriors this is an Italian Trash Classic and as such goes beyond criticism. And anything with a violent tap-dancing gang is ok in my book. Sure the fight scenes are crying out for a decent director and editor. Yes, the dialogue makes you cringe, when you aren't laughing. For definite Mark Gregory (Trash) is the worst actor, like, ever. But it remains fab.
Alien Autopsy (2006)
Two men on a Elvis memorabilia buying expecition in America are offered footage of an alien autopsy. They borrow the £30,000 needed to buy the film which, by the time they get to show it, has decomposed. Un daunted the lads get their family together to make a reconstruction
The big hoax of 1995 becomes a vehicle for Ant and Dec and it is surprisingly enjoyable. Very lightweight with plenty of humour with the two geordies putting in an assured performance. Not bad at all.
The big hoax of 1995 becomes a vehicle for Ant and Dec and it is surprisingly enjoyable. Very lightweight with plenty of humour with the two geordies putting in an assured performance. Not bad at all.
Saturday, 4 April 2009
The Perfume Of The Lady In Black (1974)
A young women is disturbed by a series of visions which is driving her insane, but are her family and friends really trying to help?
While it may sound like a by-the-numbers Hammer psycho offering , this is actually quite an intelligent, tricksy crossbreed of giallo and supernatural horror, with echoes of Polanski (especially Rosemary's Baby). And just when you think you have a handle on what is going on ....POW, the ending just makes stare blankly at the TV and it takes a while to realise it is not as ridiculous as it first appeared. A film that definitely requires a second viewing.
While it may sound like a by-the-numbers Hammer psycho offering , this is actually quite an intelligent, tricksy crossbreed of giallo and supernatural horror, with echoes of Polanski (especially Rosemary's Baby). And just when you think you have a handle on what is going on ....POW, the ending just makes stare blankly at the TV and it takes a while to realise it is not as ridiculous as it first appeared. A film that definitely requires a second viewing.
Friday, 3 April 2009
El Conde Dracula (1970)
Count Dracula buys a house in England and starts causing terror yada yada yada
If you have never seen a Franco film before, this is a good one to start with. The presence of Lee and Lom as the count and Van The Man Helsing will help matters a lot for non Franco-philes. This film is supposedly about the closest you get on celluloid to what Stoker put down in words, although this is open for debate. Lee starts off as an elderly Count and gets younger with every feed which is nice touch, straight from the book. The plot is, admittedley, slow, but the again the book hardly charges on like a freight train. Mainstrem Franco, but still with many of his peculiar flourishes.
If you have never seen a Franco film before, this is a good one to start with. The presence of Lee and Lom as the count and Van The Man Helsing will help matters a lot for non Franco-philes. This film is supposedly about the closest you get on celluloid to what Stoker put down in words, although this is open for debate. Lee starts off as an elderly Count and gets younger with every feed which is nice touch, straight from the book. The plot is, admittedley, slow, but the again the book hardly charges on like a freight train. Mainstrem Franco, but still with many of his peculiar flourishes.
Demoniacs (1974)
Four pirates (3 men, 1 woman) make a living as 'wrecker's, tricking passing ships into crashing on the rocks and salvaging the booty. After one crash, two young ladies come ashore and are attcaked and raped by the pirates. The girls may be dead, or they may not, but they end up at the haunted ruins where they help release a demon in human form, surrender to him and are granted the power to exact their revenge.
To say that the work of Jean Rollin is not to everyone's taste is a massive understatement. For every devout fan who are blown away by the French auteur's films there are a legion of people who cannot see anything worthwhile in them. And it has to be said, you can understand where the detractors are coming from. They tend to lack both plot and pace and are usually appallingly acted. There is copious nudity with abundent gratuitous sex scenes. But for those who love his work they are a surreal journey into a dream land of vampires and disaffected people with each frame composed of the most striking visuals, set against a background of netherworldly locations. Demoniacs may not be the best Rollin, but the visuals on offer are great, some of them exceptional. The actors are the usual naffness, with the exception of Joelle Coeur as the female pirate, who relishes, usually naked, the role of bloodthirsty fiendess. For fans only.
To say that the work of Jean Rollin is not to everyone's taste is a massive understatement. For every devout fan who are blown away by the French auteur's films there are a legion of people who cannot see anything worthwhile in them. And it has to be said, you can understand where the detractors are coming from. They tend to lack both plot and pace and are usually appallingly acted. There is copious nudity with abundent gratuitous sex scenes. But for those who love his work they are a surreal journey into a dream land of vampires and disaffected people with each frame composed of the most striking visuals, set against a background of netherworldly locations. Demoniacs may not be the best Rollin, but the visuals on offer are great, some of them exceptional. The actors are the usual naffness, with the exception of Joelle Coeur as the female pirate, who relishes, usually naked, the role of bloodthirsty fiendess. For fans only.
The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh (1971)
Newly married Mrs Wardh comes to believe that her ex-boyfriend is the killer roaming the streets. She also succumbs to the charms of a handsome cousin of a friend who helps her through her obsession with the killer, whom she believes will attack herself.
Excellent giallo that is almost to complicated for its own good, with an ending that you simply won't guess. Perhaps a little contrived, well ok, a lot contrived, but no more so than many other giallos and these endings are part of the fun. Well worth it.
Excellent giallo that is almost to complicated for its own good, with an ending that you simply won't guess. Perhaps a little contrived, well ok, a lot contrived, but no more so than many other giallos and these endings are part of the fun. Well worth it.
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