The Death Wheelers (1973)
Strangely enough, though I knew of this film, I was under the impression that it was a bottom-of the-barrel horror outing – however, Leonard Maltin shared my eventual rating of it (and even Leslie Halliwell seemed bemused by what it…
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979)
All-in-all, Buck Rogers was a fun and entertaining series. Given its episodic nature, the shows were somewhat uneven. The earlier episodes tended to be more interesting than the later episodes, but you could always count on a bit of fun….
Isle of the Dead (1945)
Plague victims are dropping like flies in this somewhat sluggish, Mark Robson-directed entry in the Val Lewton horror cycle. This one isn’t as well-written as the earlier films in the series, and the isolation, while nicely suggested psychologically, fails to…
Basket Case (1982)
Frank Hennenlotter’s “Basket Case” highlights the problem with horror films of today. Back in the eighties, films would be made with an idea and no budget, and the result would nearly always see the release of an inventive and interesting…
The Invisible Woman (1940)
What a strong cast for such a silly and stupid (but still decent) movie! Classic movie fans know these names: John Barrymore, Virginia Bruce, John Howard, Charles Ruggles, Oscar Homolka, Shemp Howard, Edward Brophy and Margaret Hamilton. They are all…
Twins of Evil (1971)
In my opinion a Hammer Vampire Classic. It’s early 70’s, so Hammer Studios are mixing blood sucking with naked buxom wenches. Prior to this, punters had to be content with heaving bosoms, rather than the full monty. This is the…
Horror of Dracula (1958)
It’s difficult to overestimate the significance of Dracula. Far more so than its predecessor, The Curse of Frankenstein, it set the tone for Hammer’s movie output over the next two decades – the two decades (1956-1976) when British films, or…
The Phantom Speaks (1945)
The film starts with Tom Powers (Bogardus) killing someone in a park and walking away. It’s not about whether or not he gets away with it – he doesn’t – but what happens afterwards. Psychic doctor Stanley Ridges (Paul) believes…
The Phantom Speaks (1945)
“The Phantom Speaks” (1945) is a Republic gem. Stanley Ridges has a major role as a doctor of the occult. He sets out to show his future son-in-law Richard Arlen that communication with the dead is possible. To accomplish that,…
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)
A year after The Wolf Man became a huge success, Lon Chaney Jr played the part of Frankenstein in the latest sequel “Ghost of Frankenstein”. He was excellent in the role, and from that you can clearly see where the…
Kung Fu Zombie (1981)
Like other reviewers said, Kung Fu Zombie lives up to its title, but other than the character of the vampire, it doesn’t go beyond expectations. A rating of a 5 is usually used in the case of a boring and…
Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
As an avid fan of the original Planet of the Apes, I had always avoided the sequels (though unfortunately not the remake), thinking they’d be so cheesy that they would harm the greatness of the original. I finally got around…
Rejecting Globalization
I know fully well times are a changing, and some of us feel it is not for the better. I have heard rumblings in the news releases this week and have been concerned deeply about the viability of North American…
Indestructible Man (1956)
I have to say it, I love this movie. Not just for Lon Chaney but for the whole realistic approach to making the movie adopted by director Jack Pollexfen. Shooting in the real grimy, mean streets of downtown L.A. not…
Used Cars (1980)
USED CARS was director Robert Zemeckis’ follow-up to the sweet, sentimental I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND, and, as he joked in his audio commentary, he wanted to cut loose, swear, and do something supremely tasteless as a follow-up. He succeeded…
The Woman in the Hall (1947)
Splendid concoction of the complications women sometimes end up with in their difficult dealings with reality as a tricky means of survival if once the men are out of their lives. It so happens that two men oblige these three…
The Cosmic Man (1959)
If THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951) had incorporated an even stronger and prolonged philosophical discussion and a more balanced authenticity to human nature, THE COSMIC MAN could have been a stellar, sci fi heavy weight. However, with an…
Ghost Story (1981)
The cast alone makes this film worth viewing at least once. It is always pleasing to see distinguished veteran prayers get together for an effort such as this one. In this sense it reminds me of 1982’s House of the…
Fright Night (1985)
Although the beginning is a bit cheesy and reminiscent of stereotypical horror B-movies, it soon becomes clear that this is part of what makes Fright Night so original. All the typical horror film genres are there: horror, romance, comedy (well…
The Changeling (1980)
In this sadly forgotten horror film, George C. Scott plays a music composer who has just moved to Oregon to escape the painful memories of his wife and daughter who were killed in a car crash. He rents an old…